Andorax
13th of October, 2005, 10:51
A tournament of champions in the mystical arts, a battle for all to see. Those who command a deep and powerful understanding of the magics of summoning are called forth to take part in a duel of Conjurer's Chess.
For the third Tournament, a Challenge of Champions, we will be seeing a variety of venues for the matches, each one adding new elements and challenges to the previous. More about that later.
Many noteworthy guests will be watching our competitors during the match, including the other Summoners themselves, so best behavior is highly recommended. Any observer can "cry foul", and it'll be looked into.
The match will officially be judged by a panel of five learned sages, diviners, seers and the like. Many magical and psionic methods will be employed to observe the match in progress and assure that everything is "on the up and up".
The rules are as follows:
1) The tournament will be run and moderated solely by me (Andorax). I will arrange the matches, adjucate them, roll all the dice, determine all the results...which will be made public within these boards. I am functioning as "DM" for the match, and adjucating all OOC matters, while the panel of sages will act as the IC judges of the IC rules.
2) Matches will take place on a play-by-post basis. From when the match starts, participants will have 24 hours to post their move, starting from when the moderator (myself) posts the beginning of the match, or the results of the opponent's last move. Weekends are excepted from this rule, extending the timeframe to the same time on Monday that it *would* have been on Saturday. Of course, it is permissible to post on the weekend, and should I have a chance to post an update, the 24 hour rule starts first thing on Monday (granting the competitor all of Monday to reply).
3) Failing to post on time forefits your actions during that round. Victors in earlier rounds will have a full 24 in-game hours to rest, pray and rememorise (as needed) prior to the next day's match. While each round of the Tournament will proceed simuntaneously, in reality they're taking place over the course of an afternoon (or evening), one after another.
4) Each Player (a board poster) will be allowed up to two Summoners (PCs) to compete in the tournament, although only one is required. In order to avoid the "clone" effect, a given Player's two entrants, if they submit two, must have at least 5 levels in different classes from one-another.
5) No specific bracket for the tournament will be posted. Competitors will be assigned at random against one-another in each successive round, which will be single-elimination.
In the case of odd competitors, a bye will be awarded to advance one to the next round. No Player may receive more than one bye unless all remaining players have had one. If the field is reduced to three competitors, no bye will be awarded. Instead, a round-robin match will determine the final two competitors, with the loser of two matches (or the lowest-scoring across the three if each claims one win) being dropped from the tournament at that stage.
The first round will be held at Duke Stephen's Palace. The second round will be held at the Guild Arcane, with the four different battlefields assigned at random, but with no single battlefield repeated until all four have been used. the third round and subsequent rounds will be held at the Elder Druid's Field, until the final two competitors are determined. If there are enough competitors for there to be a fourth round, it will be held at a final venue as of yet to be announced (it will be extraplanar in nature, and transportation will be provided).
6) Summoners are to be 16th level (including LA), are created using 32 point buy, and may be drawn from the following sourcebooks: Core, Expanded Psionics, all "Complete" books, all "Races of" books, Frostburn, the Planar Handbook, Libris Mortis, the Draconomicon, the Fiend Folio and the Monster Manual 3.
It is...requested...that Players create their Summoners as "whole characters", and not simple caracatures who exist for the sole purpose of winning the tourney. If any "alternate" summons beyond the default list (as put forth under rule 11) are to be employed, the list of alternates must be submitted along with the Summoner.
Wizards (and similar casters) must include a copy of their spellbooks as part of their character submission. Use reasonable judgement as to the number of spells contained within (ie, do not list "every known spell of 0th through 8th level" or similar), but also give full credit to the fact that wizards of such level would have vast numbers of spells available to them.
It is strongly recommended that you take careful note of the languages spoken by your creatures. Celestial creatures speak Celestial, Fiendish creatures speak either Abyssal (if non-lawful) or Infernal (if non-chaotic)...yes NE creatures are considered to speak both). Elemental creatures speak the appropriate elemental tongue (Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran).
Animals have no specific language, so "Speak with Animal" is highly recommended. Since Dispelling the enemy caster is a legal strategy (as shown in a past match), perhaps even multiple memorizations...
Due to there being creature substitutions that do not take the standard list of languages into account, please note the following additional language options:
Anarchic: Language common to Anarchic creatures.
Axiomatic: Language common to Axiomatic creatures.
Pos: Language common to Vivacious creatures and other beings of positive energy.
Neg: Language common to Entropic creatures and other beings of negative energy.
Beyond-Tongue: Language common to creatures of the Far Realms (Pseudonatural creatures).
By this level, it is reasonable to expect that inherent bonuses to ability scores might have been accrued. You may assume up to a total of 4 Inherent bonuses, distributed amongst your ability scores as desired.
Out of deference to the younger races, no participate over the age of 250 will be allowed.
7) For the purpose of this tournament, a variety of different "Summons" will be considered comparable, and equivalent, to the Summon Monster spells, including:
Summon Nature's Ally spells
Summon Undead spells (Libris Mortis)
Conjure Ice Beast (Frostburn)
Astral Construct (Expanded Psionics)
More details on permissible summons will be included further down.
Each competitor is permitted only their spell component pouch and any components needed to cast spells they have memorized, or known. No magical items will be permitted, nor any form of mundane weapon, armor, or piece of adventuring equipment. Exception is made for a Planar Touchstone, so long as it is used solely for that purpose and possesses no additional powers.
9) The rules for Conjurer's Chess will be abided by, in accordance with how they are layed out (Complete Warrior, page 132-133) with the following specifications and exceptions:
A) First-round tournament play will consist of 12 total rounds, the first 8 of which are summoning rounds, and the designated summoning die shall be a D6. Summoners are permitted a single prep spell prior to the tournament beginning, though such a spell must be personal in nature, or target only the half of the board closest to the summoner.
B) Second-round tournament play will consist of 18 total rounds, the first 12 of which are summoning rounds, and the designated summoning die shall be a D8. Summoners are permitted a single prep spell prior to the tournament beginning, though such a spell must be personal in nature, or target only the half of the board closest to the summoner.
C) Third-round and later tournament play will consist of 24 total rounds, with the first 6 rounds to be summoning rounds, followed by 2 non-summoning rounds, 6 further summoning rounds, and the final 10 non-summoning rounds. The designated summoning die shall be a D6 in the initial summoning rounds, and a D8 in the later. Summoners are permitted two prep spells prior to the tournament beginning, though such a spell must be personal in nature, or target only the half of the board closest to the summoner.
D) If a summoner cannot summon a creature of the appropriate type, they forefit that summoning round, and may not summon anything else in it's stead, although additional spellcasting is permitted (see G).
E) Creatures are allowed to move (no more than 1 board square per turn) and attack normally.
F) The Summoners field of movement will be specific to each venue. The horizontal row of squares adjacent to each Summoner's platform is their own "Summoner's Row". All summonings (or equivalents thereof) must place at least 1 creature in the Summoner's Row, and each following creature from the same summons in either the same board square, or in a board square adjacent to the previous.
The highlighted areas, below, show where a second creature (1b) could be placed with 1a where it is, and where a third creature (1c) could be placed, given the locations of 1a and 1b.
http://www.firedragon.com/~andorax/d%26d/chess/CCEX/SummonExample.gif
G) Opposing Summoners are permitted to cast non-summoning spells during the tournament (both during summoning rounds and afterwards). However, these spells may not target, damage, or include in their area of effect opposing creatures, and (with the exception of dispels and counterspells) may not target, include in their area of effect, or deny access to nearest Summoner's Row to the opposing Summoner. Summoned creatures are permitted to use any powers (spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, psionics, and the like) that they possess against opposing creatures (but see H below), but are likewise bound by the rule to not target, include in their area of effect, or deny access to the gameboard the opposing Summoner.
G1) Clarification: At no time may a Summoning be dispelled or counterspelled. Targetting an opponent's summoned creature with a targetted dispel with the intent of dispelling spell effects on said creature without dispelling the creature itself requires a DC 20 spellcraft check. A failed check subjects the creature to the dispel as well, and if successfully dispelled, results in the dispelling summoner being disqualified.
H) A summoned creature may use its attacks, or it's abilities (or both, if able) against an opposing summoned creature (or creatures) within the range of its abilities or attacks. Abilities with an area of effect may include multiple opposing creatures, but such abilities that include the opposing summoner, or the guests of the establishment, in the area of effect subject the Summoner controlling said creature to disqualification (and possible imprisonment). Note that this is a change from the previous tournament rules.
I) On a board with only 10'x10' squares, the summons are restricted to Large or smaller creatures. On a board with 15'x15' squares, the summons are restricted to Huge or smaller. On a board with 20'x20' squares, the summons are restricted to Gargantuan or smaller.
J) Specific, named, or unique creatures (DMG variant pg. 37) will not be permitted. Only standard representative examples of the respective races are allowed.
K) For the purpose of scoring, any game board square that is occupied by one Summoner's creature(s) solely is worth a point when the time has expired. The opposing Summoner's "Summoner's Row" spaces count double if occupied by the Summoner's creatures.
L) The Summoner may not move from their designated areas during the competition.
M) The Summoner must participate alone. No other animal companions, familiars, cohorts, allies, dominated minions, homunculus, undead creatures or any such "other beings" are permitted to take part in the match, though they are welcome to watch the match from the available stands.
N) All full-round spells (such as summonings) must be begun with full-actions. Split-round actions (using a move from round 1 and a standard from round 2) will not be permitted, for the sake of efficient bookkeeping.
O) For the purpose of this tournament, the use of Sudden Metamagics, the Divine Metamagic feat and Contingencies will not be permitted to be used in conjunction with, or in order to effect, any Summoning. Such feats, spells, effects, and class features may still be employed for other spell effects.
P) Summoned Creatures are required to remain within a single board square. A summoned creature cannot move in such a manner as to straddle multiple squares.
If a summoned creature cannot physically move into an opposing creature's square (due to that other creature's presence), it is considered to have its reach extended to be able to reach the creature in the opposing square. Such extensions of reach ONLY exist to allow a creature to attack a creature in a neighboring square it would otherwise be unable to attack or approach.
10) Duke Stephen's Palace
The first venue for the tournament is Duke Stephen's Palace. The board is alternating black and white marble. The walls around the board are stone, with a pair of double doors in the middle of the eastern and wester walls. The northern and southern walls have a series of stained glass windows depicting various scenes of martial and magical triumph.
On either end of the venue is a balcony, 20' above the floor and approximately 10' wide (above A4-5 and H4-5 respectively). A luxuriously appointed receiving room, 15x30, is behind the balcony, with a table and chairs for two guests. A crimson curtain separates the receiving room from the balcony. The summoners are restricted to the balcony above their own summoning row for the duration of the matches.
A limited amount of exclusive seating is available, in seats up to 10' deep above all four walls (fully 30' above floor level).
The ceiling is a vaulted affair, 40' above the floor against all four walls, but rising in a dome to rest fully 60' above the center of the board. A massive crystal chandalier extends from this center point to a point 30' off of the floor, with a permanent Daylight spell effect placed upon it.
Summoned creatures are restricted to the board itself. They may go no higher than 30' above the floor (so as not to hinder or threaten the guests), nor may they descent more than 10' below into the floor.
http://www.firedragon.com/~andorax/d%26d/chess/CCEX/First.gif
The Guild Arcane
The second venue is the Guild Arcane's elemental battlefields, generously made available and altered to suit the needs of the tournament. Actually four venues in one, the competitors will by random draw do battle in the Air, Earth, Fire, or Water battlefields. Details about each specific battlefield will follow.
The venue overall has a sizable walk for each summoner, fully the width of six board squares and 10' deep.
Extremely limited seating, mostly for guild members only, is provided in smaller alcoves to the north and south, which will be safely sealed off from the rest of the chamber by Walls of Force during the match.
Unless otherwise stated, the ceiling height is 20' above the floor of the chamber, and burrowing/incorporeal participants are barred from dropping more than 10' below the lowest parts of the chamber (which vary). Illumination is provided by a series of continual flame effects that provide uniform, bright illumination to all parts of the chamber.
The Air Battlefield consists of alternating squares of granite, and pits 20' deep. The sides of the pits can be climbed with some difficulty (DC 15), although no check is required to step diagonally from one to another.
The Earth Battlefield consists of alternating squares of sand and loose rubble (both considered difficult terrain) 5' deep and divided by narrow granite holding walls below the surface. The ceiling height here is lowered to a mere 10' above the floor.
The Fire Battlefield is made up of three distinct regions. The center region is alternating squares of volcanic rock and a light layer of ash (normal terrain, both), but the northern and southern sections are super-heated to a nearly molten state. It is possible to stand on them (considered difficult terrain), but any one within one of these squares is subject to 2d6 points of Fire damage each round. The battle for non-flaming ground to stand on will be hard-fought.
The Water Battlefield, as you might well guess, has a large watery pit in the center. 20' deep, and filled with saltwater, its squares are demarked by alternating colorations of tile. A narrow strip of land surrounds the pool on all sides, but it is obvious that at least part of any winning strategy here is going to have to be able to take to the water.
http://www.firedragon.com/~andorax/d%26d/chess/CCEX/Second.gif
The Elder Druid's Field
Our third venue for this tournament is by far the simplest. Submitting to ongoing requests for an area where "natural, unworked earth" is available (a sore point that is said to be unfairly disadvantaging Druidic competitors), the Elder Druid's Field features large, 15'x15' squares of alternating bare earth and wildflowers. Summoners are free to roam anywhere throughout the venue, so long as they remain off of the board itself, and off of their opponent's "side" of the field (the D/E dividing line).
Seating is plentiful for this event, although a small hedge demarks the 100' mark distant from the board itself, with all present instructed to remain behind the hedge. Summoners are required to keep their summoned flying creatures within 50' of the board so as to be able to clearly discern their appropriate board squares.
To allow for a little more leeway, summoned creatures are allowed to descend to a depth of up to 20'.
Nighttime matches at the Elder Druid's Field will be illuminated by way of several sets of Dancing Lights around and above the field. Any space touching the edge of the board is considered fully illuminated, while the remaining spaces are considered dimly lit. No part of the field is in complete darkness.
http://www.firedragon.com/~andorax/d%26d/chess/CCEX/Third.gif
The Final Venue
The final venue is to be kept secret until such time as the final round is about to begin. It will be extraplanar in nature.
11) Alternate Summons will be permitted, with the following rules applied:
Three types of alternate summoning exist:
A) Alternate creatures avaialble through the regular Summon Monster/Summon Nature's Ally spells.
B) Alternate versions of summoning spells, such as Libris Mortis' Summon Undead, or the Expanded Psionics Handbook's Astral Construct ability.
C) Specific "Summon" spells that, while not part of a I,II,III list, also summon creatures (usually only one).
All three of these forms of alternate summoning are permissable in one manner or another. The following list covers legal Summons within the I to VIII range that is relevant to the Challenge of Champions:
A) Alternate Creatures
For each alternate creature offered, another must be given up. The exception to this rule is the Celestial Summoning Specialist and Fiendish Summoning Specialist (Planar Handbook). This feat allows you to add one creature of the according alignment to your summons list at each level. You may use it to select appropriate-aligned creatures from the following list, or to "switch" an existing creature from Fiendish to Celestial (or vice-versa), or to change an existing Celestial or Fiendish creature's alignment to, respectively, NG or NE (for clerics with a law/chaos alignment restriction). Finally, you can use it to regain access to a creature you've given up for an alternate summons.
Casters with access to Celestial or Fiendish creatures may give up access to one (or both) entire types to replace them with Anarchic (PlH) or Axiomatic (PlH) creatures.
Casters with access to Celestial or Fiendish creatures may give up access to one (or both) entire types to replace them with Entropic (PlH) or Vivacious (PlH) creatures, raising their "list" by 1. If this option is taken, access to Celestial/Fiendish creatures on the I list is retained (otherwise the caster would be unable to cast Summon Is at all).
Alienists (CAr) replace all Celestial and Fiendish creatures with Pseudonatural ones, and lose access to all creatures not on the lists as Celestial or Fienidsh. They may also include the Katori (FF) as a Summon Monster II option. Other variations from the base list will not be permitted.
Remember that, throughout, you cannot give up something you do not have access to.
Summon Monster 1:
Elysian Thrush (PlH) replaces Celestial Owl or Celestial Monkey (choose 1)
Summon Monster 2:
Katori (FF) replaces Lemure or Fiendish Medium Viper
Varoot Nerra (FF) replaces Fiendish Medium Monstrous Scorpion or Celestial Giant Bombardier Beetle
Summon Monster 3:
Baccae (FF) replaces Celestial Dire Badger or Fiendish Wolverine
Summon Monster 4:
Storm Elemental, Small (MM3) replaces Mephits
Aoa Droplet (FF) replaces replaces Celestial Giant Owl, Celestial Giant Eagle, or Fiendish Giant Preying Mantis
Imp (FF, all 3 variants) replaces Fiendish Giant Wasp
Kalareem Nerra (FF) replaces Celestial Lion, Fiendish Dire Wolf or Fiendish snake, Huge Viper (choose 1)
Skeroloth Yugoloth (FF) replaces Yeth Hound
Elemental Grues (CAr) replace Mephits
Summon Nature's Ally 3:
Storm Elemental, Small (MM3) replaces Thoqqua
B) Alternate Summoning Lists
The following Alternate Summoning Lists are allowed, with notes on specific modifications as needed:
Conjure Ice Beast I-IX (Fbr)
No specific rules, but note that these are Conjurations, not Summons. Variations from the base list will not be permitted.
Astral Construct (XPH)
Types of constructs match summoning levels (I - IX).
Manifesters may add the following Augmentation: For each additional 3 points, another construct of the same type may be manifested.
Summon Undead I-V (LiM)
Permitted skeletons and zombies are restricted by the following rule. The CR of the summoned Skeleton or Zombie may not exceed the category they fall under by more than 1. Thus, a Small Zombie/Medium Skeleton (from the SU I list) may not be more than CR 2, while a Huge Zombie (from the SU IV list) may not be more than CR 5. Further, all summoned undead must come from either the Monster Manual 3.5, or Libris Mortis.
Summon Undead VI-VIII
For the purpose of extrapolating the Summon Undead list upwards to allow for higher-level undead summons, the following "extention" to the list is considered official:
SU VI: Wraith
SU VII: Spectre
SU VIII: Greater Shadow
Summoned Undead of all sorts are presumed to be able to fully understand the Summoner's native language.
C) Specific Summons
The following is a list of additional "specific summons" which will be legally permitted, and the summoning die that will be allowed to bring them:
II: Summon Dire Hawk (RotW), Summon Swarm (PHB)
III: Insect Plague (PHB)
IV: Summon Bearded Devil (PlH), Summon Hound Archon (PlH), Summon Elementite Swarm (PlH)
V: Summon Bralani Eladrin (PlH)
VI: Summon Babau Demon (PlH), Summon Greater Elemental (PlH)
VIII: Summon Giants (Frost)
(PlH = Planar Handbook, MM3 = Monster Manual 3, FF = Fiend Folio, Fbr = Frostburn, CAr = Complete Arcane, LiM = Libris Mortis, XPH = Expanded Psionics Handbook, RotW = Races of the Wild, Frost = Frostburn)
12) Addressing the Map
The map is laid out as an 8x8 grid of "board squares", which are either 10x10, 15x15, or (for the final match) 20x20 in size. Columns are lettered A through H. Rows are numbered 1 through 8. Thus, to refer to a board square, you would use the combination, such as "B2".
To specify a particular 5' square within a board square is a bit more complicated:
On maps that have four 5' squares to the board square (10x10 squares), make reference to the Ordinal direction as well as the square (NW, SW, NE or SE).
http://www.firedragon.com/~andorax/d%26d/chess/CCEX/2x2Example.gif
On maps that have nine 5' squares to the board square (15x15 squares), make reference to either the Ordinal direction, the Cardinal direction, or "C" for Center.
http://www.firedragon.com/~andorax/d%26d/chess/CCEX/3x3Example.gif
On maps that have sixteen 5' squares to the board square (20x20 squares), it is necessary to divide them to quarters, and quarters again, using Ordinal directions. A specific space is described along these lines: "the North-East space of the South-East quarter of C5".
http://www.firedragon.com/~andorax/d%26d/chess/CCEX/4x4Example.gif
For the third Tournament, a Challenge of Champions, we will be seeing a variety of venues for the matches, each one adding new elements and challenges to the previous. More about that later.
Many noteworthy guests will be watching our competitors during the match, including the other Summoners themselves, so best behavior is highly recommended. Any observer can "cry foul", and it'll be looked into.
The match will officially be judged by a panel of five learned sages, diviners, seers and the like. Many magical and psionic methods will be employed to observe the match in progress and assure that everything is "on the up and up".
The rules are as follows:
1) The tournament will be run and moderated solely by me (Andorax). I will arrange the matches, adjucate them, roll all the dice, determine all the results...which will be made public within these boards. I am functioning as "DM" for the match, and adjucating all OOC matters, while the panel of sages will act as the IC judges of the IC rules.
2) Matches will take place on a play-by-post basis. From when the match starts, participants will have 24 hours to post their move, starting from when the moderator (myself) posts the beginning of the match, or the results of the opponent's last move. Weekends are excepted from this rule, extending the timeframe to the same time on Monday that it *would* have been on Saturday. Of course, it is permissible to post on the weekend, and should I have a chance to post an update, the 24 hour rule starts first thing on Monday (granting the competitor all of Monday to reply).
3) Failing to post on time forefits your actions during that round. Victors in earlier rounds will have a full 24 in-game hours to rest, pray and rememorise (as needed) prior to the next day's match. While each round of the Tournament will proceed simuntaneously, in reality they're taking place over the course of an afternoon (or evening), one after another.
4) Each Player (a board poster) will be allowed up to two Summoners (PCs) to compete in the tournament, although only one is required. In order to avoid the "clone" effect, a given Player's two entrants, if they submit two, must have at least 5 levels in different classes from one-another.
5) No specific bracket for the tournament will be posted. Competitors will be assigned at random against one-another in each successive round, which will be single-elimination.
In the case of odd competitors, a bye will be awarded to advance one to the next round. No Player may receive more than one bye unless all remaining players have had one. If the field is reduced to three competitors, no bye will be awarded. Instead, a round-robin match will determine the final two competitors, with the loser of two matches (or the lowest-scoring across the three if each claims one win) being dropped from the tournament at that stage.
The first round will be held at Duke Stephen's Palace. The second round will be held at the Guild Arcane, with the four different battlefields assigned at random, but with no single battlefield repeated until all four have been used. the third round and subsequent rounds will be held at the Elder Druid's Field, until the final two competitors are determined. If there are enough competitors for there to be a fourth round, it will be held at a final venue as of yet to be announced (it will be extraplanar in nature, and transportation will be provided).
6) Summoners are to be 16th level (including LA), are created using 32 point buy, and may be drawn from the following sourcebooks: Core, Expanded Psionics, all "Complete" books, all "Races of" books, Frostburn, the Planar Handbook, Libris Mortis, the Draconomicon, the Fiend Folio and the Monster Manual 3.
It is...requested...that Players create their Summoners as "whole characters", and not simple caracatures who exist for the sole purpose of winning the tourney. If any "alternate" summons beyond the default list (as put forth under rule 11) are to be employed, the list of alternates must be submitted along with the Summoner.
Wizards (and similar casters) must include a copy of their spellbooks as part of their character submission. Use reasonable judgement as to the number of spells contained within (ie, do not list "every known spell of 0th through 8th level" or similar), but also give full credit to the fact that wizards of such level would have vast numbers of spells available to them.
It is strongly recommended that you take careful note of the languages spoken by your creatures. Celestial creatures speak Celestial, Fiendish creatures speak either Abyssal (if non-lawful) or Infernal (if non-chaotic)...yes NE creatures are considered to speak both). Elemental creatures speak the appropriate elemental tongue (Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran).
Animals have no specific language, so "Speak with Animal" is highly recommended. Since Dispelling the enemy caster is a legal strategy (as shown in a past match), perhaps even multiple memorizations...
Due to there being creature substitutions that do not take the standard list of languages into account, please note the following additional language options:
Anarchic: Language common to Anarchic creatures.
Axiomatic: Language common to Axiomatic creatures.
Pos: Language common to Vivacious creatures and other beings of positive energy.
Neg: Language common to Entropic creatures and other beings of negative energy.
Beyond-Tongue: Language common to creatures of the Far Realms (Pseudonatural creatures).
By this level, it is reasonable to expect that inherent bonuses to ability scores might have been accrued. You may assume up to a total of 4 Inherent bonuses, distributed amongst your ability scores as desired.
Out of deference to the younger races, no participate over the age of 250 will be allowed.
7) For the purpose of this tournament, a variety of different "Summons" will be considered comparable, and equivalent, to the Summon Monster spells, including:
Summon Nature's Ally spells
Summon Undead spells (Libris Mortis)
Conjure Ice Beast (Frostburn)
Astral Construct (Expanded Psionics)
More details on permissible summons will be included further down.
Each competitor is permitted only their spell component pouch and any components needed to cast spells they have memorized, or known. No magical items will be permitted, nor any form of mundane weapon, armor, or piece of adventuring equipment. Exception is made for a Planar Touchstone, so long as it is used solely for that purpose and possesses no additional powers.
9) The rules for Conjurer's Chess will be abided by, in accordance with how they are layed out (Complete Warrior, page 132-133) with the following specifications and exceptions:
A) First-round tournament play will consist of 12 total rounds, the first 8 of which are summoning rounds, and the designated summoning die shall be a D6. Summoners are permitted a single prep spell prior to the tournament beginning, though such a spell must be personal in nature, or target only the half of the board closest to the summoner.
B) Second-round tournament play will consist of 18 total rounds, the first 12 of which are summoning rounds, and the designated summoning die shall be a D8. Summoners are permitted a single prep spell prior to the tournament beginning, though such a spell must be personal in nature, or target only the half of the board closest to the summoner.
C) Third-round and later tournament play will consist of 24 total rounds, with the first 6 rounds to be summoning rounds, followed by 2 non-summoning rounds, 6 further summoning rounds, and the final 10 non-summoning rounds. The designated summoning die shall be a D6 in the initial summoning rounds, and a D8 in the later. Summoners are permitted two prep spells prior to the tournament beginning, though such a spell must be personal in nature, or target only the half of the board closest to the summoner.
D) If a summoner cannot summon a creature of the appropriate type, they forefit that summoning round, and may not summon anything else in it's stead, although additional spellcasting is permitted (see G).
E) Creatures are allowed to move (no more than 1 board square per turn) and attack normally.
F) The Summoners field of movement will be specific to each venue. The horizontal row of squares adjacent to each Summoner's platform is their own "Summoner's Row". All summonings (or equivalents thereof) must place at least 1 creature in the Summoner's Row, and each following creature from the same summons in either the same board square, or in a board square adjacent to the previous.
The highlighted areas, below, show where a second creature (1b) could be placed with 1a where it is, and where a third creature (1c) could be placed, given the locations of 1a and 1b.
http://www.firedragon.com/~andorax/d%26d/chess/CCEX/SummonExample.gif
G) Opposing Summoners are permitted to cast non-summoning spells during the tournament (both during summoning rounds and afterwards). However, these spells may not target, damage, or include in their area of effect opposing creatures, and (with the exception of dispels and counterspells) may not target, include in their area of effect, or deny access to nearest Summoner's Row to the opposing Summoner. Summoned creatures are permitted to use any powers (spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, psionics, and the like) that they possess against opposing creatures (but see H below), but are likewise bound by the rule to not target, include in their area of effect, or deny access to the gameboard the opposing Summoner.
G1) Clarification: At no time may a Summoning be dispelled or counterspelled. Targetting an opponent's summoned creature with a targetted dispel with the intent of dispelling spell effects on said creature without dispelling the creature itself requires a DC 20 spellcraft check. A failed check subjects the creature to the dispel as well, and if successfully dispelled, results in the dispelling summoner being disqualified.
H) A summoned creature may use its attacks, or it's abilities (or both, if able) against an opposing summoned creature (or creatures) within the range of its abilities or attacks. Abilities with an area of effect may include multiple opposing creatures, but such abilities that include the opposing summoner, or the guests of the establishment, in the area of effect subject the Summoner controlling said creature to disqualification (and possible imprisonment). Note that this is a change from the previous tournament rules.
I) On a board with only 10'x10' squares, the summons are restricted to Large or smaller creatures. On a board with 15'x15' squares, the summons are restricted to Huge or smaller. On a board with 20'x20' squares, the summons are restricted to Gargantuan or smaller.
J) Specific, named, or unique creatures (DMG variant pg. 37) will not be permitted. Only standard representative examples of the respective races are allowed.
K) For the purpose of scoring, any game board square that is occupied by one Summoner's creature(s) solely is worth a point when the time has expired. The opposing Summoner's "Summoner's Row" spaces count double if occupied by the Summoner's creatures.
L) The Summoner may not move from their designated areas during the competition.
M) The Summoner must participate alone. No other animal companions, familiars, cohorts, allies, dominated minions, homunculus, undead creatures or any such "other beings" are permitted to take part in the match, though they are welcome to watch the match from the available stands.
N) All full-round spells (such as summonings) must be begun with full-actions. Split-round actions (using a move from round 1 and a standard from round 2) will not be permitted, for the sake of efficient bookkeeping.
O) For the purpose of this tournament, the use of Sudden Metamagics, the Divine Metamagic feat and Contingencies will not be permitted to be used in conjunction with, or in order to effect, any Summoning. Such feats, spells, effects, and class features may still be employed for other spell effects.
P) Summoned Creatures are required to remain within a single board square. A summoned creature cannot move in such a manner as to straddle multiple squares.
If a summoned creature cannot physically move into an opposing creature's square (due to that other creature's presence), it is considered to have its reach extended to be able to reach the creature in the opposing square. Such extensions of reach ONLY exist to allow a creature to attack a creature in a neighboring square it would otherwise be unable to attack or approach.
10) Duke Stephen's Palace
The first venue for the tournament is Duke Stephen's Palace. The board is alternating black and white marble. The walls around the board are stone, with a pair of double doors in the middle of the eastern and wester walls. The northern and southern walls have a series of stained glass windows depicting various scenes of martial and magical triumph.
On either end of the venue is a balcony, 20' above the floor and approximately 10' wide (above A4-5 and H4-5 respectively). A luxuriously appointed receiving room, 15x30, is behind the balcony, with a table and chairs for two guests. A crimson curtain separates the receiving room from the balcony. The summoners are restricted to the balcony above their own summoning row for the duration of the matches.
A limited amount of exclusive seating is available, in seats up to 10' deep above all four walls (fully 30' above floor level).
The ceiling is a vaulted affair, 40' above the floor against all four walls, but rising in a dome to rest fully 60' above the center of the board. A massive crystal chandalier extends from this center point to a point 30' off of the floor, with a permanent Daylight spell effect placed upon it.
Summoned creatures are restricted to the board itself. They may go no higher than 30' above the floor (so as not to hinder or threaten the guests), nor may they descent more than 10' below into the floor.
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The Guild Arcane
The second venue is the Guild Arcane's elemental battlefields, generously made available and altered to suit the needs of the tournament. Actually four venues in one, the competitors will by random draw do battle in the Air, Earth, Fire, or Water battlefields. Details about each specific battlefield will follow.
The venue overall has a sizable walk for each summoner, fully the width of six board squares and 10' deep.
Extremely limited seating, mostly for guild members only, is provided in smaller alcoves to the north and south, which will be safely sealed off from the rest of the chamber by Walls of Force during the match.
Unless otherwise stated, the ceiling height is 20' above the floor of the chamber, and burrowing/incorporeal participants are barred from dropping more than 10' below the lowest parts of the chamber (which vary). Illumination is provided by a series of continual flame effects that provide uniform, bright illumination to all parts of the chamber.
The Air Battlefield consists of alternating squares of granite, and pits 20' deep. The sides of the pits can be climbed with some difficulty (DC 15), although no check is required to step diagonally from one to another.
The Earth Battlefield consists of alternating squares of sand and loose rubble (both considered difficult terrain) 5' deep and divided by narrow granite holding walls below the surface. The ceiling height here is lowered to a mere 10' above the floor.
The Fire Battlefield is made up of three distinct regions. The center region is alternating squares of volcanic rock and a light layer of ash (normal terrain, both), but the northern and southern sections are super-heated to a nearly molten state. It is possible to stand on them (considered difficult terrain), but any one within one of these squares is subject to 2d6 points of Fire damage each round. The battle for non-flaming ground to stand on will be hard-fought.
The Water Battlefield, as you might well guess, has a large watery pit in the center. 20' deep, and filled with saltwater, its squares are demarked by alternating colorations of tile. A narrow strip of land surrounds the pool on all sides, but it is obvious that at least part of any winning strategy here is going to have to be able to take to the water.
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The Elder Druid's Field
Our third venue for this tournament is by far the simplest. Submitting to ongoing requests for an area where "natural, unworked earth" is available (a sore point that is said to be unfairly disadvantaging Druidic competitors), the Elder Druid's Field features large, 15'x15' squares of alternating bare earth and wildflowers. Summoners are free to roam anywhere throughout the venue, so long as they remain off of the board itself, and off of their opponent's "side" of the field (the D/E dividing line).
Seating is plentiful for this event, although a small hedge demarks the 100' mark distant from the board itself, with all present instructed to remain behind the hedge. Summoners are required to keep their summoned flying creatures within 50' of the board so as to be able to clearly discern their appropriate board squares.
To allow for a little more leeway, summoned creatures are allowed to descend to a depth of up to 20'.
Nighttime matches at the Elder Druid's Field will be illuminated by way of several sets of Dancing Lights around and above the field. Any space touching the edge of the board is considered fully illuminated, while the remaining spaces are considered dimly lit. No part of the field is in complete darkness.
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The Final Venue
The final venue is to be kept secret until such time as the final round is about to begin. It will be extraplanar in nature.
11) Alternate Summons will be permitted, with the following rules applied:
Three types of alternate summoning exist:
A) Alternate creatures avaialble through the regular Summon Monster/Summon Nature's Ally spells.
B) Alternate versions of summoning spells, such as Libris Mortis' Summon Undead, or the Expanded Psionics Handbook's Astral Construct ability.
C) Specific "Summon" spells that, while not part of a I,II,III list, also summon creatures (usually only one).
All three of these forms of alternate summoning are permissable in one manner or another. The following list covers legal Summons within the I to VIII range that is relevant to the Challenge of Champions:
A) Alternate Creatures
For each alternate creature offered, another must be given up. The exception to this rule is the Celestial Summoning Specialist and Fiendish Summoning Specialist (Planar Handbook). This feat allows you to add one creature of the according alignment to your summons list at each level. You may use it to select appropriate-aligned creatures from the following list, or to "switch" an existing creature from Fiendish to Celestial (or vice-versa), or to change an existing Celestial or Fiendish creature's alignment to, respectively, NG or NE (for clerics with a law/chaos alignment restriction). Finally, you can use it to regain access to a creature you've given up for an alternate summons.
Casters with access to Celestial or Fiendish creatures may give up access to one (or both) entire types to replace them with Anarchic (PlH) or Axiomatic (PlH) creatures.
Casters with access to Celestial or Fiendish creatures may give up access to one (or both) entire types to replace them with Entropic (PlH) or Vivacious (PlH) creatures, raising their "list" by 1. If this option is taken, access to Celestial/Fiendish creatures on the I list is retained (otherwise the caster would be unable to cast Summon Is at all).
Alienists (CAr) replace all Celestial and Fiendish creatures with Pseudonatural ones, and lose access to all creatures not on the lists as Celestial or Fienidsh. They may also include the Katori (FF) as a Summon Monster II option. Other variations from the base list will not be permitted.
Remember that, throughout, you cannot give up something you do not have access to.
Summon Monster 1:
Elysian Thrush (PlH) replaces Celestial Owl or Celestial Monkey (choose 1)
Summon Monster 2:
Katori (FF) replaces Lemure or Fiendish Medium Viper
Varoot Nerra (FF) replaces Fiendish Medium Monstrous Scorpion or Celestial Giant Bombardier Beetle
Summon Monster 3:
Baccae (FF) replaces Celestial Dire Badger or Fiendish Wolverine
Summon Monster 4:
Storm Elemental, Small (MM3) replaces Mephits
Aoa Droplet (FF) replaces replaces Celestial Giant Owl, Celestial Giant Eagle, or Fiendish Giant Preying Mantis
Imp (FF, all 3 variants) replaces Fiendish Giant Wasp
Kalareem Nerra (FF) replaces Celestial Lion, Fiendish Dire Wolf or Fiendish snake, Huge Viper (choose 1)
Skeroloth Yugoloth (FF) replaces Yeth Hound
Elemental Grues (CAr) replace Mephits
Summon Nature's Ally 3:
Storm Elemental, Small (MM3) replaces Thoqqua
B) Alternate Summoning Lists
The following Alternate Summoning Lists are allowed, with notes on specific modifications as needed:
Conjure Ice Beast I-IX (Fbr)
No specific rules, but note that these are Conjurations, not Summons. Variations from the base list will not be permitted.
Astral Construct (XPH)
Types of constructs match summoning levels (I - IX).
Manifesters may add the following Augmentation: For each additional 3 points, another construct of the same type may be manifested.
Summon Undead I-V (LiM)
Permitted skeletons and zombies are restricted by the following rule. The CR of the summoned Skeleton or Zombie may not exceed the category they fall under by more than 1. Thus, a Small Zombie/Medium Skeleton (from the SU I list) may not be more than CR 2, while a Huge Zombie (from the SU IV list) may not be more than CR 5. Further, all summoned undead must come from either the Monster Manual 3.5, or Libris Mortis.
Summon Undead VI-VIII
For the purpose of extrapolating the Summon Undead list upwards to allow for higher-level undead summons, the following "extention" to the list is considered official:
SU VI: Wraith
SU VII: Spectre
SU VIII: Greater Shadow
Summoned Undead of all sorts are presumed to be able to fully understand the Summoner's native language.
C) Specific Summons
The following is a list of additional "specific summons" which will be legally permitted, and the summoning die that will be allowed to bring them:
II: Summon Dire Hawk (RotW), Summon Swarm (PHB)
III: Insect Plague (PHB)
IV: Summon Bearded Devil (PlH), Summon Hound Archon (PlH), Summon Elementite Swarm (PlH)
V: Summon Bralani Eladrin (PlH)
VI: Summon Babau Demon (PlH), Summon Greater Elemental (PlH)
VIII: Summon Giants (Frost)
(PlH = Planar Handbook, MM3 = Monster Manual 3, FF = Fiend Folio, Fbr = Frostburn, CAr = Complete Arcane, LiM = Libris Mortis, XPH = Expanded Psionics Handbook, RotW = Races of the Wild, Frost = Frostburn)
12) Addressing the Map
The map is laid out as an 8x8 grid of "board squares", which are either 10x10, 15x15, or (for the final match) 20x20 in size. Columns are lettered A through H. Rows are numbered 1 through 8. Thus, to refer to a board square, you would use the combination, such as "B2".
To specify a particular 5' square within a board square is a bit more complicated:
On maps that have four 5' squares to the board square (10x10 squares), make reference to the Ordinal direction as well as the square (NW, SW, NE or SE).
http://www.firedragon.com/~andorax/d%26d/chess/CCEX/2x2Example.gif
On maps that have nine 5' squares to the board square (15x15 squares), make reference to either the Ordinal direction, the Cardinal direction, or "C" for Center.
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On maps that have sixteen 5' squares to the board square (20x20 squares), it is necessary to divide them to quarters, and quarters again, using Ordinal directions. A specific space is described along these lines: "the North-East space of the South-East quarter of C5".
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