I am realizing they changed a lot of equipment. :S
Yes, the nerf bat was swung wildly and with abandon.
Not commenting anymore on errata^^
As a heads up, im marrying in early august and have to prepare a lot of stuff there. Additionaly, there´s work and 4 Cons/gamedays i organize this month. I want to be posting, but if i shouldn´t regularly, you know what´s up.
Sorry i had a Con the whole weekend and a lot of other stuff to do.
OK, this one seems to be dragging, and honestly the further I get into this module, the less I like it. It suffers from a lack of any theme linking stuff together, and there's really no potential for resolution.
I am inclined to kill this and run something else.
We can go with some Paizo module of comparable level, so you can keep the characters, or we can have you step into an AP at the place of your level.
I have (and am not currently running)
Legacy of Fire
Serpent Skull
Jade Regent
Council of Thieves
Kingmaker
Carrion Crown
I don't particularly want to run Kingmaker, but I could give any of the rest a shot. I suspect we would be starting in book 3 for any of them
If you have desires for new characters and weird options, I will entertain them, but make no promises.
Sounds like a plan!
I have to say this "lots of encounters, no story" game loses novelty after some time.
I would very much keep playing Maria. Love her, it's a good character.
Kingmaker I have DM, and I have to say is not good for PbP.
Legacy of Fire, I think, would go well with Maria, being from Taldor.
But your call!
I'm willing to solicit opinions from the players.
If we go Legacy of Fire, likely I will allow odder character options since as a 3.5 module, I have to redo encounters anyway.
I should probably clarify what I mean by 'odder'- that would be something like gestalt or mythic. (note OR). Legacy has a storyline which could lend itself to mythic I imagine, though that system really goes off the rails fast, so I am a bit timid about allowing it.
Im fine with moving to somthing else as well.. Out of that list I've played Kingmaker. Didn't like it on pbp.. I always wanted to play Serpent Skull.. I always wanted to play Skulls and Shackles too lol.. Something piratey lol.. I realise you don't have that one.
I would probably go with something different class wise.. Bomber man is to much of a one trick pony for me.. I also wouldnt mind if someone was picked up so I dont have to run two pcs..
Agree with your assessment there drbuzzard. Something like this might be a lot better at a table, where you can make more jokes etc.
I´m generally quite slow atm because i have so many things upcoming and need to organize my wedding on top.
Out of that AP list, Serpent Skull - Jade Regent - Council of Thieves would interest me the most, in that order i think.
I already played Jade Regent from book 4 on, but with very, very heavy story modifications, so you can say i didn´t really play it in a way.
When going AP, i think i would vote starting fresh, characters can still be kept, but immersion is pretty odd if you don´t start with the first book.
I would also be interested in a solid background generation and somehow linking characters, making for more character interaction and roleplay perhaps.
I agree The unconnected nature of this module has been uninspiring.
My first choice would be legacy of fire as I have a gesalt build I've been eager to try
Gesalt 1: maneuver monk 2, kensai Magus 3+
Gesalt 2: crossblooded sorcerer 1, Arcanist 2+
But any of the others sound fine
-Posted with Wayfinder
The downside of gestalt is that it will somewhat require everyone to muster the same level of system expertise (or help each other) or anything tough enough for some, will be death for the others.
Well quite some of the groups i play in or run are changing to 15PB system with no magic mart lately.
Guess that might already show i´m not really a fan of gestalt or mythic^^
There is a chance that i might be playing LoF live soon, but not confirmed yet.
So whats it gonna be? Im ok with sarting at level 1 again, im also ok starting in a latter book at level 8.. Doesnt matter to me, but ill likely be re-rolling something else..
Still waiting on Phillip, but so far we have a couple votes for Legacy of Fire. The issue of start at 8 or start at 1 seems to be in flux. I don't really care either way since I'm not playing (personally I hate playing at low level).
Mind you, there is a chance I will do something weird if I permit gestalt, like make one of the sides fixed (and no archetypes) like I did in my Second Darkness game. I would pick a class suitable for the theme of the party I have in mind.
Sorry, guys! I swear I thought I replied. Legacy is the only AP I've played the whole way through, unfortunately. I've run Skull and Shackles and am currently playing Kingmaker and Carrion Crown. That's a lot and I don't want to exclude anyone from plating what they want. I can be flexible.
OK, let's put it to a vote then (from what seems like the popular choices)
A) Serpent Skull
B) Legacy of Fire
Then
A) 1st level
B) 8th level (or whatever starts book 3).
I'd vote for Serpent Skull, 8th level, if we could reroll especially. Phill hasn't clicked with me as I imagined.
Serpent's Skull peeks my interest more.
Level 1 is fine with me..
You can rebuild if you like. Just figured people might be lazy.
Legacy of Fire, Level 8
Legacy of fire
8th level start. I also prefer to avoid low level play
So looks like Rae is the swing on AP, but we start at 8th.. Im also fine starting at 6-7 if that means we start when a book does.. Just will make it easier for GM..
I would generaly prefer level 1, no matter what AP, since level 8 would mean we leave out 2-3 books, but get most of the AP spoilered.
I do think we have the consistency to get to level 8 pretty quick again though.
1. Prime vote to serpents skull level 1.
2. Second vote LoF level 1.
Hey guys, I started PMing drbuzzard when I saw you were talking about changing games.
Work has settled down and the family medical situation has about run it's course. So I have started playing again a little. I won't be able to post as often as before and I will only be playing in three or four games total instead of fifteen or sixteen. Having said that drbuzzard told me to post a vote here.
I like starting new characters off fairly low-level so I can get a feel for them as part of the team and I really would rather start an AP at first level. My vote would be Serpent Skull at first level, then Legacy of Fire at first level.
I doubt if I will be playing Tribim, but I still would like to play a fighter or skill monkey (or a combination like Trib was) or possibly a cleric. I don't often play casters, I read too much "Robert E. Howard" as a kid.
Looks to me like Serpent Skull wins. (seems to be 4 to 2) That is with a 1st level start.
Now we can consider house rules. I might consider gestalt but only as a balancing tool (as in some classes get it, but others would be off limits- full casters need not ask for example). I would prefer if we use gestalt for people to not try and break the game with it. If I even get a whiff of that before we start, I will just go normal classes. Heck, it might be better to just not do it at all.
Some rules I will stick with:
No gunslingers except Bolt Ace
Only unchained summoners
Only unchained rogues
No sap adept and sap mastery
Core Spells only (barring approval- explicit approval, not implied)
I'm inclined to avoid the Occult classes since they are not terribly balanced IMO.
Force bomb does not trip people.
Mages Disjunction dispells anti-magic fields.
I'm generally inclined to use the 'no magic items' version of Advanced Bonus Progression, simply because it spares me barring all the different weird and broken magic items which are out there.
Might as well also go with background skills.
Also, no class gets less than 4 skill points per level.
20 point buy. I will consider most races, but the more RPs the less likely I will like it. Think jungle setting and races appropriate to that.
20 point buy
average starting gold by class
2 traits, 1 campaign
Hi Robert! Glad to have you back!
Inner sea intrigue had a good archetype for this I think. Based on Jatembe's Magic Warriors ...forgetting the details right now.
Ah, Magic Warrior. A magus archetype. Never played a magus before, neat. That sound ok, boss?
I should also specify no third party stuff.
I can't find that Magic Warrior archetype anywhere. Do you have a link?
Are we doing gestalt or not? My build depends on if we are or not.. If we are im looking at some sorta barbarian/ranger/prc red mantis.. If not ill prob roll some sorta pure caster, a druid perhaps. The nature fang intrigues me..
I don't permit prestige classes if gestalt. Also, I don't permit evil.
We should probably vote on gestalt or not.
It's not on the prd yet, but I can email you the relevant bits.
As for gestalt, I'm fine either way.
Just messaged you, boss.
That looks fine. Odd, but fine.
For the gestalt vote, I vote non-gestalt.
Questions and opinions:
-We start level 1? (Yeah?)
-Not the best experiences with gestalt to be honest. With unchained in, i think the "weaker" classes are now also fine.
-Core only spells is "interesting". Think i don´t even remember what spell is core or not.
-As far as i´ve seen it, Occult seems balanced to me. More balanced than ACG and some Core options actually. It is a lot to read though and has some more complicated mechanics, which might make seeing that difficult.
Kineticists for example aren´t stronger than Core archers and a lot weaker than gunslingers for sure.
-I start running a game with automatic bonus progression too, so i welcome that^^ No magic items is a different boat though and should probably be talked about a bit more. Does that mean no wands, scrolls, potions etc too? I decided to handle magic items a bit different there, considering for allowing limited ingame crafting (wands, scrolls and potions, anything else only as in the books and with GM consideration). There won´t be a magicmart and items won´t be freely available, but players can do a wishlist and they might find or be able to buy what they want, also depending on ingame interactions.
-For balancing, i don´t really ban classes in my game, but we use 15 point buy at the moment. And of course APs are made for 4 players with 15 point buy, so encounters need a little fix now and then. Either a template or better added minions, but keeping the CR approximately adequate. Drbuzzard is probably a pro on that field though and better than me :D
That´s only my opinion^^
Overall this sounds pretty good!
My favorite classes are UC rogues, UC monks, sorcerer, bard, warpriest and wizard or arcanist. I´m happy to play any of those.
If I did that magus, would you mind if I multiclassed with vigilante?
1st level
2 votes nay on getsalt
The mesmerist has some broken stuff to it. Kineticist isn't too bad. Not sure on the rest enough to really judge.
I like a 20 point buy and I will have to adjust for the number of players anyway.
In favor of Serpent Skull, I did run it for my home game and have modified encounters already. Of course that was a table of 8, so you folks might find things interesting (I can scale it again).
Lawful Evil isnt really evil when its in a group lol.. Im fine either way with gestalt. In my experience it needs to be checked though or it can get out of hand power wise.. If we go non-gestalt im leaning towards a Druid of some flavor. If we end up not having frontline ill do something different.
As far as items go im fine with auto progression, but would like an option of other stuff.. Perhaps a low magic run rather no a no magic run?
Ok, what we could do is ABP at the base level, but every item is either core or subject to approval (default assumption being 'hell no' to requests).
I suppose I could just do vigilante with an archetype ...that acceptable? The Old Mage Jatembe stuff intrigues me always.
You're welcome to do the magus you wanted to try, it was just a bit weird in my opinion, but I'm not the one playing it, so that doesn't matter.
Hu? Mesmerist broken stuff? That´s interesting^^
Would you mind elaborating that? Would love to know your opinion there.
I mean i was playing an archetype, that changed some bits and was very undead specific. Overall the mesmerist seems like the weakest of the classes to me though. Mainly concentrates on one foe and debuffing, can´t deal a lot of damage, and has spells like a bard.
I certainly played bard a lot more, but i found bards stronger so far.
Alone the damage modifier is actually better from inspire courage.
Skalds can be quite powerful, with some rage powers they can give to everyone. That makes a real difference.
There´s one psychic archetype that is too good, the amnesiac, but wizards can do something similar with some investment.
When you ran SS before, i´m really looking forward to this^^
Second game always has some more quality :)
Im leaning towards an Elf or Half-Elf Druid(Nature Fang) focusing on archery.. Also considered a Tengu but getting longbow prof is a problem there.
So... Do we have the new characters criteria set up?
20 point buy
Paizo only
level 1
2 traits, one campaign
No gunslingers except Bolt Ace
Only unchained summoners
Only unchained rogues
No sap adept and sap mastery
Core Spells only (barring approval- explicit approval, not implied)
I'm inclined to avoid the Occult classes since they are not terribly balanced IMO.
Force bomb does not trip people.
Mages Disjunction dispells anti-magic fields.
Background skills
Automatic Bonus progression (normal)
Core magic items only (unless otherwise noted)
Core spells only (unless otherwise noted)
avergage gold by class
max HP at first, 1/2 die size +1 past that
+2 skill points per level.
The mesmerist is very effective in single target save or suck, and honestly that the nastiest stuff in the game. Hypnotic stare, by itself is broken as hell. It's like evil eye, but as a swift, and increases in effect with level, and no save. Yes, that's pretty broken. The ability to remove a target from a combat on one roll which you get to tweak the DC on real hard is powerful.
I should probably get the new thread started since we know what we're doing. I'll post a link when I have it up.
new game is here
Ah well you got a point with single target BBEGs.
But i came to think those are bad design mostly anyway.