The War Regalia of Galifar

I mentioned last week that my favorite part of Chapter 3 of The Forge of War was the idea of the War Regalia of Galifar.  This is my redesign of this item for my campaign:

Greaves of Aundair (heroic tier)               Level 12

These armored plates fit perfectly over your shins, fastening in the back with black leather straps.  Each one is ornamented with the regal silhouette of a dragonhawk.

Lvl 12                         13,000 gp

Item Set: War Regalia of Galifar

Item Slot: Feet

Property: You gain a +1 item bonus to speed. 

Power (Encounter): Free.  You take a move action.  After you complete this action, you are dazed until the end of your next turn.

Breastplate of Thrane +3               Level 13

This breastplate is decorated with an elaborate boar’s head hotif.  The workmanship is exceptionally fine, and there are inlaid tracings of silver around the edges of the armor.

Level 13

Item Set: War Regalia of Galifar

Armor: Chain, Scale, Plate

Enhancement: +3 AC

Property: +2 item bonus to Will defense (+3 when combined with with +5 or +6 armor)

Power (Daily): Immediate Interrupt.  Trigger: You are affected by an effect with the charm, illusion, sleep, or fear keyword.  Make a saving throw to negate this effect.
Special: This breastplate does not constitute magical armor on its own.  Instead, it must be combined with a suit of magic chain, scale, or plate with at least a +3 enhancement bonus and no other properties.

Mantle of Breland +3               Level 14

This heavy cloak is made of bulky brown fur, thickest at the shoulders.  When you wear it, you look stronger, broader, and somehow fiercer.

Level 14     +3                    Level 24     +5
Level 19     +4                    Level 29     +6

Item Set: War Regalia of Galifar

Item Slot: Neck

Enhancement: +3 Fortitude, Reflex, and Will

Power (Encounter): Standard Action.  You gain 20 temporary hit points.  (You gain 30 temporary hit points at level 24 and 29).

Scepter of Karrnath +3               Level 15

This scepter is made of polished densewood and inlaid with gleaming mithral.  The fearsome visage of a howling wolf is etched into the black wood.

Level 15     +3                    Level 25     +5
Level 20     +4                    Level 30     +6                       

Item Set: War Regalia of Galifar

Weapon: War Scepter

Enhancement: +1 attack rolls and damage rolls

Critical: +1d6 damage per plus and knock the target prone.

Property: This scepter can function as an of implement of any type for an heir of the Wynarn line.
Property: An heir of the Wynarn line is proficient with this weapon.

Power (At-Will • Fear): Free Action.  Whenever an enemy is hit with any basic attack made with the Scepter of Karrnath, that enemy grants combat advantage to all of your allies until the beginning of its next turn.  Another free action ends this effect.
War Scepter
     Damage: 1d8                         Proficient: +3
     Properties:                             Group: Mace
          Versatile, Brutal 2
     

Crown of Cyre               Level 16

This fine war helmet incorporates a golden crown formed of overlapping plates resembling the scales of a gold dragon.  No gemstones are set into it, but its beauty is striking nonetheless.

Level 16                             Level 26

Item Set: War Regalia of Galifar

Item Slot: Head

Power (Daily): Minor Action.  You and all allies that can see you gain a +2 item bonus to melee damage rolls until the end of your next turn.  Sustain: Minor. (This bonus is +4 at level 26)

Power (Daily): Minor Action.  You and all allies that can see you gain a +2 item bonus on Charisma Skill checks until the end of your next turn.  Sustain: Minor. (This bonus is +4 at level 26)

Power (Daily): Minor Action.  If you or an ally that can see you is bloodied, you gain regeneration equal to the number of War Regalia of Galifar you wield.  This regeneration lasts until the end of your next turn.  Sustain: Minor.

War Regalia of Galifar Benefits

Pieces              Benefit

2                    You gain the Word of Galifar Encounter Power

5                    When an opponent scores a critical hit against you, make a saving throw  

                   with a bonus equal to the number of items from this set you wield.  If you succeed, the critical hit is instead a normal hit.

Word of Galifar
Encounter * Healing
Minor Action     Close burst 10 (15 if you have 5 of the War Regalia of Galifar)
Target: One ally in burst
Effect: The target can spend a healing surge and regain an additional 1d6 hit points per item from the War Regalia of Galifar that you wield.

     I originally tried to just port over the original items, but that didn't really work to my satisfaction.  I wanted a set of items that pretty much anyone would be pleased with over most of their career, that, at the very least, would remain useful, and would represent the majesty and power of unified Galifar.
     The Breastplate of Thrane presented a challenge because I didn't want there to be lots of different pieces of Galifar Regalia running around: just one of each, which would grow more powerful by the heroic deeds of the wearer (aka, their items would level up when I decided the higher level item was appropriate).  With the way 4ed handles higher-level armors, with changing materials and such, I either needed the Breastplae of Thrane to permanently be better than it should be by having the built-in higher base AC than a +3 armor should have, go the other route and make the base AC stay equal to +3 armor, or find another option.  I decided to make the Breastplate an "add-on" to existing armor.
     The Scepter was another tricky weapon.  I wanted it to be good for anyone to use, weapon or implement user, but all maces were pretty lame simple weapons.  I decided to make a balanced "superior" weapon that anyone (short of a ranged weapon or reach weapon specialist) would be willing to use without losing lots of power.
     I decided that a king should, ultimately, be a leader, so I felt that giving the king of Galifar an encounter power that copies the signature Leader ability would be appropriate.  It is my experience that the leader won't see this as the king stepping on his toes, as the party always welcomes more healing.  

My Favorite Gaming Book

Note: The following was meant to be a review on how useful this 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons book could be to a 4th Edition gamer.  It turned into a  love letter.  I apologize.

Okay, so I've gotten hours, heck YEARS, of enjoyment from lots of different RPG book over the years.  I made build after build with my first PHB just for fun.  I poured over the 3rd Ed. Forgotten Realms source book learning about every detail of the setting, rejoicing at things I recognized from my trips through Balder's Gate 1 and 2.  Both The Epic Level Handbook and Deities and Demigods inspired me to design and plan grand campaigns (that never happened.  Boo.)  There have been many gaming books I have loved, but none so much as:

The Forge of War.

I can say, without any hesitation or irony, that the campaign I am currently running would not exist without this book.  I have read most of this book from cover to cover multiple times, made detailed notes concerning its contents, and reworked entire plot-lines to better fit the events of this guide.  It is, for all intents and purposes, my campaign bible.

I like Eberron.  I think there are lots of good stories that can be told in this setting, and have tried to do so more than once.  I heavily adapted The Red Hand of Doom 3rd ed. module to Eberron and later ran a Noir-Crime drama set in Sharn.  I played in a number of play-by-post Eberron games.  But when I first read the Forge of War, I was instantly inspired by a very specific vision for a campaign.  That's what every good campaign book should be able to do.  Here's why I love it:

Chapter 1: The Course of the War
This chapter is amazing.  It's like a history book that takes you through the entire war, calling out key events, key people, and exploring the roots of the war.  It is a straight-up fun read.  I've used this to create a timeline of events that has been informing events in my campaign, especially in the Kingdom Building phase of it.  The closest thing to statistics or ANYTHING "crunchy" given in this chapter are lists of the types of units and how many of them participated in the major fights of the campaign.  The maps that show how borders changed every few years are also useful.  Since most Eberron cartography includes the Mournland, having actual maps of Cyre is very useful.  This chapter fills out all of the history, the grudges, and the motivations that make "modern" day Eberron tick, giving players a deep well to draw on for character histories.  In addition, it gives an awesome backdrop upon which to run military and war-time campaigns.

Chapter 2: A Guide to the Last War
If the first chapter gives you the background, this chapter introduces you to the players.  If ever I need to make a character or fill out a detailed PC who was around and active during the last war, I can just flip to the appropriate page in this chapter and learn nearly everything I need to know about what was important to that nation/faction/or group during the war.

Chapter 3: Heroes of the Last War
I admit, this chapter is full of rules stuff for 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons that I never got a chance to use back when I played 3.5, and will likely never use in the future.  Chapters 1 and 2 are the reasons I love this book, except for one little thing: the Magic Item Sets section which contains the War Regalia of Galifar.  This magic item set was one of the things that helped cement this campaign.  The chance to have Prince Oargev, the King with no Country, searching for the Regalia that proves he's worthy to wear the crown of all Five Nations? Awesome.  So I have remade this Regalia, using inspiration from this book, for my own campaign.  I will share it soon!

Chapter 4: The Last War Campaign
Could I run the game I'm running without this chapter? Sure.  That said, this chapter has offered my some great advice on how to run this game.  Things discussed in this chapter helped me form the idea that Heroic Tier will be historical, Paragon Tier in traditional "modern" Eberron, and Epic tier will change the face of Eberron forever.  It also made me realize that years can pass between adventures, and that's okay.  That said, I knew my high-powered characters would want something to do in those years, so I invented Kingdom Building.

Conclusion:
I sold most of my 3.5 books a couple of years ago.  The Forge of War was not sold, nor do I anticipate selling it any time soon.  It is the foundation of my campaign, and explains the deep motivations that have run the world of Eberron.  I highly recommend this book to ANY DM who is running a game in Eberron with any sort of depth.  I also recommend it to ANY PLAYER who is playing a character whose back-story even touches on the last war a little bit.  Chapter 3 is the only part of the book deeply rooted in 3.5, and in all honesty, it was never the reason to get this book.  Chapters 1-2 alone would be worth the price on the cover, and Chapter 4 is a great bonus.  If you play or plan to play Eberron, or just want an entertaining fantasy-war history to read, buy this book.