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Thanks to all for letting me stick with Saphren and this AP. I am available for build advise if anyone wants it.
So, mechanically we will be splitting up the found loot 5 ways. Will we be paying for two raise dead spells out of that loot? And if so, are we getting free spell casting from the elves and only paying the 5k each for material components? Of course that all changes if we go with Reincarnate.
And you mentioned us being behind on loot. Any plans for that?
Also, are we leveling between books?
Here is the loot with a breakdown of value. Of course most sell for half.
- bracers of armor +4 - 16K, Sells for half
- cloak of resistance +2 - 4K, Sells for half but we should keep it if we can afford to
- handy haversack - 2K, Sells for half
- headband of intellect +2 - 4K Sells for half but Besh should get unless he has one.
- ring of protection +1 - 2K, Sells for half
- 1000 gp in diamond dust - 1K sells for full value
- a wizard's spellbook teeming with spells - Let Besh use this to copy what he needs and then sell it
The Staff of Dark Energy: I cannot find a price but this his to go to Besh. He makes out! Ah, here it is. The Staff of Dark "Flame" does the same things and is 47K.
Made from bleached bones that have been fused together, the head of this staff burns with a strange fire. It is a +1 flaming quaterstaff, and carries the following charges:
- ray of enfeeblement (1 charge)
- scorching ray (1 charge)
- false life (1 charge)
- fireball (2 charges)
- animate dead (3 charges)
If Zoso's gonna become a buffer he should definitely keep heroism. Other ideas that might be useful:
Invigorate: 1st-level spell that temporarily suppresses fatigue - useful if Brenna comes out of rage and still needs to fight.
Timely Inspiration: 1st-level spell that you cast as an immediate action (on someone else's turn) that gives them a retroactive competence bonus on a roll - for when someone misses by 1 or 2.
Gallant Inspiration: 2nd-level version of inspiration for +2d4 retroactive bonus!
Find Fault: 3rd-level spell that tells you a creature's weaknesses, could be useful if we start running into oddball aberrations as we go after the drow in the Darklands or wherever.
Good Hope: One of my favorite bard buffs, +2 morale bonus on lots of stuff that lasts 1 min/level on the whole team.
And all the "finale" spells are good.
Other than wands and a couple of scrolls, Besh really only has a +1 Cloak of Resistance, +1 Amulet of Natural Armor, and a +1 Ring of Protection - there wasn't really any money for magic items.
I'm happy to keep a mix of combat and buff spells, or go all combat if we want to have one of each (assuming Zoso wants to go all buff). I wouldn't mind some advice on better spells to contribute to the group - the sorcerer's max number of spells known is a lot more limiting than I had anticipated.
Once we get some cash, Besh, you could always invest in a few pages of spell knowledge to increase your flexibility of available spells.
Welcome to level eight! Damn right you're leveling.
Saphren - Staff of Dark Flame (I got the name wrong) is worth 44,716 gold and sells for half. It has all sorts of nice fiery spell stuff for Besh, but also has a distinct relationship with evil and undeath, even if it's not an aligned weapon.
@Besh:
If you wanted to re-jig Besh you could have him go wizard or even arcanist (wizard/sorc hybrid), which is a lot more freeing. Also, your glitterdust spell basically saved the group from a TPK, and the haste spells make everyone into unstoppable killing machines. Your contribution is significant even if it didn't feel that way.
That said a few notes on spells:
- Blast spells are fun but Brenna does better dps than you ever will. Your most 'efficient' use is to enable her and the others to do their killing.
- Battlefield control spells are king. The web spell didn't work out well but that's the kind of stuff that makes arcane casters so powerful. Great spells like that are grease, create pit, web, stinking cloud, obscuring mist, etc. In my in-person group I have a sorc that basically just spams grease and it's annoying effective.
- Summoning can be very powerful and gives you a lot of interesting options to play with.
- Illusion spells (the gnomely specialty) can be incredibly powerful, but require a bit of imagination to play with.
Although I don't necessarily encourage optimization, I think a game this crunchy benefits when people understand the principles of making your characters effective. Here's a list of Pathfinder guides.
http://zenithgames.blogspot.ca/2012/11/the-comprehensive-pathfinder-guides. html
One other useful note for Besh: when you are fighting foes with spell resistance, like drow, conjuration is awesome because most conjuration spells bypass SR. Your top battlefield control spell at this level (8) is probably black tentacles.
Yeah, black tentacles is basically 'use this spell to win'.
Level 8 barbarian!
+1 Strength
+1 BAB
+1 Fort saves
+11 hit points
Skills: +1 each of Intimidate, Knowledge (nature), Perception, Survival, Swim; Appraise, Profession (sailor)
+2 rounds of rage
New rage power: Elemental rage <-- This power is dope. While raging I now get +1d6 energy damage on all of my melee attacks, and I can still activate lesser elemental rage for another +1d6 of a different energy type once.
New rage power: Elemental rage <-- This power is dope. While raging I now get +1d6 energy damage on all of my melee attacks, and I can still activate lesser elemental rage for another +1d6 of a different energy type once.
If you take Racial Heritage Storm Giant you can take Storm Soul and Storm Warrior if you want to expand on that.
Or, you could go with Racial Heritage Frost Giant for Born of Frost.
Keep the suggestions coming!
This is all great, thanks. I will level Besh up shortly, but I think that I'll keep zir as a sorcerer and look into Pages of Spell Knowledge (which, if I understand correctly, look like scrolls that aren't consumed), and I'll update zir spell list. Arcanist looks really cool, so I'm considering a possible switch there, but I think sorcerer fits best with Besh's personality.
Pages of spell knowledge are essentially items you carry that add to your list of spells known. You don't have to pull them out and read them like scrolls - just having them lets you know extra spells.
This is a great way to get a few extra low-level utility spells. For instance, knock is a spell that can be super-useful, but you may not want to use one of your few 2nd-level spells known for it, as it is the kind of thing that's great when you need it but you likely will only need it a couple times in your career. So that's a perfect candidate for such a page.
You are getting some good advise there Besh. Mirror Image is a good Scroll of spell Knowledge too.
Its likely half or more of our wealth from that last fight but I vote that you get that staff. I'll be great for you as the spells you cast out of it are at your level instead of minimum caster level, like most wands. And it can be recharged in down time.
I strongly agree with our GM on blast spells and would not take a single one outside of maybe magic missiles and those that the staff offers you. There are almost always better things to do with your spell slots than 8d6 of fire, save for half. One round of Haste will usually do more damage to the enemy.
A word on pits - I like pits BUT they are not friendly and they are not dismissable. So be careful with them. I have seen them result in party member death when cast with good intent.
My wizards usually carry one or two summoning spells for utility but their normal full round casting makes you a target when you begin a summoning. Every intelligent enemy on the field will recognize that you are casting a full round spell and guess its likely a summons and you will suddenly be everyone's first priority. So be careful there.
Play what is most fun to you. I for arcane casters I prefer a wizard, then an arcanist, and seldom would choose a sorcerer. I am glad you are at least looking at arcanist - its a good blend between the two. Plus there are some very fun archetypes for that class, including one that is great at summoning.
Absolutely.
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With a not amazing CHA score, party buffs are going to get better use than saveable debuffs. Options I'm thinking of are:
0:
Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mage Hand, Light, Message, Prestidigitation
1:
Saving Finale, Invigorate, Timely Inspiration, Vanish, Ventriloquism, Silent Image
2:
Heroism, Blur, Galant Inspiration, Invisibility, Versatile Weapon, Allegro, Cat's Grace, Glitterdust
3:
Reviving Finale, Purging Finale, Haste, Good Hope, Find Fault, Jesters Jaunt, See Invisibility, Dispell Magic
Hmm. Here are some thoughts (not really advise)
I've seen some amazing uses for Calm Emotion, Do you know it can counter Confusion?
See invisibility is a late entry for Bards, who already have delayed spell progression. Let the wizard handle this one.
Terrible Remorse is good, even when the enemy makes their save.
Silence is darn handy at times and has no save.
Gallant Inspiration is maybe the best bard spell.
Putting the finishing touches on Lyr's rework. He's a very different animal now.
The damage from the fire has badly damaged his muscles. He's not as strong or quick as he use to be. That said, he can't feel much now so he's a whole lot more durable.
Mostly, he is going to be "mr. contingency" concentrating on interrupting spellcasters. His other new trick is making the party indestructible. (life link, plus shield other on a regenerating familiar with a wand of Cure Mod makes Lyr a giant regenerating hit point battery for the party).
His new familiar is going to be a Faerie Dragon (they're forest creatures and Lyr is a devote of the elven forest god. Also it will give me an opportunity to write a character who isn't an emotionally crippled stoic all the time).
Speaking of which, going back to the Darklands is going to be hard for Lyr. He has an awful lot of damage to work through. I'm looking at it as an opportunity for character growth. (Brenna can't have all the fun)
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Very nice, I've never played with a Shaman before, it'll be cool to see how they work. Don't forget you picked up that +1 Keen bow at the end.
What are your guys' experiences with the utility of a Rod of Reach? I'm thinking it might help casting blur, invis, vanish, and versatile weapon onto people in a pinch while keeping Zoso at a safe range.
In most cases I'd prefer you use a rod of extend, but I see your point about keeping safe.
I still gotta level. Will get on that.
So, level 8 - Saphren takes another level of unchained rogue.
His strength increases by 1 to 20.
His BAB goes to +6/+1 so he gains an iterative attack. He will seldom us it though.
His reflex save increases by 1.
He gains a rogue talent and his archetype gains the skirmisher ability. Now when he moves 10' he gets sneak attack on any enemy he hits. That is big for him.
He gets a pile of skill points (8).
Will think on the new talent. Think I'll take Bonus Feat to take Shadow Strike which lets me get my sneak attack against creatures with concealment. Also looking at Spring-Heeled Style so I can take Spring Heeled-Sprint at 9th. Hmm. Short of BAB to take that at 9th so I'll go with Shadow Strike.
Shamans have tons of nasty touch curses and debuffs. That rod of reach would be handy for Lyr.
Okay Zoso, lemme know how you want to proceed with this reincarnate.
Done with Lyr's familiar. She's going to be fun. I plan on introducing her when we get to the Druid scene. That's the kind of person she would be hanging out with.
You can roll. What do you think about updating the table with some new races? Pathfinder has enough of 'em.
Are we really gonna have to look at Lyr's new alias icon for the rest of this campaign? :P
The PFSRD had a really handy reincarnate table with tons of more options. I'll also allow you a reroll if you absolutely hate the result.
Bugbear (23) 1
Catfolk (9) 2
Changeling (9) 3
Dhampir (11) 4
Drow (14) 5-7
Duergar (8) 8
Dwarf (11) 9-17
Elf (10) 18-26
Gillmen (2) 27
Gnoll (6) 28
Gnome (10) 29-37
Goblin (10) 38-40
Grippli (6) 41
Half-Elf (10) 42-46
Half-Orc (8) 47-51
Halfling (9) 52-60
Hobgoblin (9) 61
Human (9) 62-73
Kasatha (20) 74
Kitsune (8) 75
Kobold (5) 76-78
Lashunta (11) 79
Lizardfolk (8) 80
Locathahs (10) 81
Merfolk (16) 82
Nagaji (7) 83
Orc (8) 84-86
Ratfolk (9) 87-89
Samsaran (11) 90
Strix (15) 91
Svirfneblin (24) 92
Syrinx (16) 93
Tengu (13) 94-96
Troglodyte (26) 97
Vanara (8) 98
Vishkanya (13) 99
DM's Choice 100
Roll, roll, roll...
I'm really kind of sad Zoso didn't roll Drow. That would have been amazing.
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Switch to bagpipes as your instrument, hang it under your left arm and play the reed with your left hand.
Under your right arm sling a small potbelly mortar. Drop shells into it with your right hand. Call it your percussion section.
Bonus points if you play the pipes with a cigar in your teeth so your drone reeds smoke.
♫ do do DO do, do do doot ♫
"Whaddaya mean ye want t' hear a different song? How many songs d' ye know that feature cannons? Now shaddap an' enjoy the 1812 overture again, ye whiny bastards."
♫ do do DO do, do do DOOT♫
"Tchaikovsky's rollin' in his foookin' grave right now."
♫ doo doo DOOT BOOM BOOM ♫
"Bunch'a cultureless ingrates, the lot o' ye."
BOOM BOOM
"WHAT? WASSAT? I CAN'T HEAR YE OVER THA SOUND OF HOW AWESOME I AM!"
BOOM BOOM
"NOT INSPIRING? I GOT YER INSPIRATION RIGHT HERE!"
"HOW ABOUT YE SUCK LESS? HOW'S THAT FER INSPIRING?"
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"Damned if I'll ever get tired o' that finale. Brings a tear t' me eye every time..."
@Lyr - That's awesome :D
@GM - Out of curiosity, what spells are in that spellbook?
Oh yeah! Here you go:
0 - All spells
1 - disguise self, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, shield, color spray, disguise self, magic aura, silent image, ventriloquism
2- false life, minor image, mirror image, scorching ray, see invisibility, blur, hypnotic pattern, magic mouth, misdirection, phantom trap
3 - dispel magic, displacement, fly, lightning bolt, fireball, displacement, illusory script, invisibility sphere, minor dream, slow
4 - enervation, greater invisibility, phantasmal killer, stoneskin, hallucinatory terrain, illusory wall, rainbow pattern, shadow conjuration
5 - shadow evocation, nightmare, wall of force
Nice Lyr! If I had the pizzazz to pull that RP off i'd consider it.
This will be the new Zoso, not fully set on the picture yet. Biggest change, other than those mentioned earlier, will ne the transition to composite shortbow.
GM, is it alright if I take this alternate racial trait?
I'd play it as after being an elf for hundreds of years he'd have critical insight into them, as well has justified hatred for drow.
@Zoso - yeah sure. Makes sense.
I kind of love how this is set up since Zoso was the one who didn't get the fancy resurrection spell and is now an elf trapped in a dwarf's body. Which I'm just going to complicate more shortly.
Also, is anyone else getting logged out all the time?
Also, is anyone else getting logged out all the time?
It seems to be better now, but yeah, it's been happening for the last few days
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I reworked this character as an Arcanist, which should hopefully give Besh a bit more flexibility. Let me know what you guys think, especially regarding spell choices: Besh 2.0
Not better for me. I have been logged out twice today.
Also, is anyone else getting logged out all the time?It seems to be better now, but yeah, it's been happening for the last few days
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I reworked this character as an Arcanist, which should hopefully give Besh a bit more flexibility. Let me know what you guys think, especially regarding spell choices: Besh 2.0
You really need to look at Occultist archetype if you want to do the summoning stuff. Too good to pass up. As good as a summoner for summoning and you give up very little. At least look.
Logouts are still happening to me too. Leveling up and sorting rebuild stuff out over the course of the day.
Arcanists are pretty amazing. Where they really shine is in the counterspelling department.
With Saphren's suggestion, it's worth noting that he's talking about the archetype for arcanists, not the new class
I like that Dwarf Lyr still has the best hair.
@Saphre I wasn’t sure the 7th level trade off for Augury and Contact other Plane was worth it. Then again, it does more or less free up spell slots for area control, which is kind of what I wanted to do anyway...
@Lyr I’ll read up on counterspelling again - I’m not sure I quite grasped how it worked the last time
And your monster summoning is on wizard progression instead of sorcerer progression so at level 9 you get Summon Monster V.
Ah, I did not clue in to that.
Alright, I will likely make this change. I have to give up two exploits, so I'm thinking I will keep Dimensional Slide and School Understanding as they seem most useful (and also fit neatly into the change in Besh that I'll be posting shortly).
Every time I look at a recommended terrain-based spell (like Sleet Storm), I think of how disastrous that Stinking Cloud was...
They're super useful, it's just about picking time and place. The idea is you limit the number of enemies that reach your front-line. So if you have a hoard charging you and drop a stinking cloud, half that hoard will be held back while the remainder get chewed up by Brenna and Saphren. That sort of thinking.
ANYWAYS, it's equipment time before we get into Chapter 4 proper. Of note you have this guy:
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/staves/staff-of-dark-flame/
The sell or keep argument is important since it's far and above the most valuable magic item you guys have by a long shot. I'll start posting the intro into the coming game as you sort out what you're buying/selling.
@GM: Thanks! I saw a description of a similar strategy using a Wall of Force.
@All: As mentioned, Beshtori has almost no magic items, so could probably make use of most of what we found (except the Ring of Prot and the Haversack). That being said, we could really use the money, so whatever you all think is best.
I've already voted that Besh should keep the staff. But I am one vote.
I agree.