DM Malleus |
Hi all, I am working on a homebrew idea that I think would be pretty fun. And this is an initial interest check to just see if anyone would be interested in this type of things.
My game will be pathfinder, and set in a city (working title) of my creation that exists in Golarion.
The Dark Ones refer to a secretive group of powerful people that run a syndicate within the city and maybe Golarion at large. Assassins, thieves, businessmen, there are many who belong, and the dark guild has high reaching aspirations.
The players would start off as initiates, men and women willingly come, or taken as payment.
I would be using a job system to advance the plot, sort of like missions, with side contracts available to gain wealth and experience.
I also have a ranking system that would allow for the requisition of gear for use in the field from the guild itself as players gain prestige within the syndicate.
If anyone remembers running the assassins guild in Assassins Creed, it is sort of like that but you're not the boss man(yet).
Anyway, let me know what you think and maybe in a week or two I'll start an actual recruitment thread.
DM Malleus |
Gestalt would be a possibility as well as gaining templates, The leaders(you shall not know their names) Are gestalted with templates.
I would point out that, if you want to be good aligned in this game, you will need to be willing to commit evil deeds to overthrow from within, imagine the CIA kinda. Power for powers sake, but they aren't seeking to overthrow the leadership of the cities they're in, but get those leader in their pockets? sure. A real, money flows kinda organization.
Lord Foul II |
Would the third party classes warlock or machinesmith be allowed?
*crosses fingers*
Depending which, if either, are allowed, I have two different builds in mind
If machinesmith is allowed I have a human alchemist (vivisectionist, trap breaker, chirguen)/machinesmith from numeria named Virgil Hass
This one can work at any level, but Roleplaying works best if started around level 4-6 because after that he takes a prestige class that turns him into a cyborg
Party niches include healing, melee and trap breaking,
If warlock is allowed I have a suli monk (four winds)/warlock
He specializes in teleporting in and punching them out of nowhere, and then teleporting away before they can do anything
Can basically demolish a single opponent that way, so long as they don't have the feat that makes teleporting provoke an attack of opportunity on the receiving end,
He can also shoot bolts of lightning for decent ranged damage
He can get in and out of anywhere that doesn't block teleportation
If neither are allowed, I suppose grenadier/gunslinger works fine,
Alternatively, if gunslinger is banned, the psionic class "marksman" works just fine.
Alex G St-Amand |
If gestalt happens, i am looking forward to submitting an alchemist/brawler - the ultimate barkeep. He runs the "legitimate" business even as he delves deeper and deeper into the underbelly.
Having actual legetimate businesses is always a good idea, and having a few legetimate fronts as well.
Alex G St-Amand |
Hmm not sure what the legidimant front for the monk or the gunslinger would be, but the machinesmith would have two options, blacksmith or medic,
While it was less true in the past...
Say, you have two source of incomes, one legal and one illegal, spending the legal income on mostly legal things and the illegal income on mostly illegal things would be a way to go, as it bring a lot less scrutinies than the opposite.
Also, businesses that start legal/legetimate, but become less so as time passes aren't unheard of.
Lord Foul II |
I'm thinking of a crossblooded arcane/rakshasa sorcerer who focuses on illusions and disguise. Been wanting to play an illusionist for ages. The innocent face of some dark enterprise. Being human will help get a few extra spells back because dam crossblooded hurts.
instead of cross blooded you could just dedicate the second half of your gestalt to illusion, picking something like bard (umbral weaver) or oracle (heaven)
DM Malleus |
I want to reiterate that this is not yet a recruitment but I am glad to see so much interest.
As for starting off. I will allow pretty much any third party stuff including Path of War and Psionics. I haven't looked at Path of war yet but I trust dreamscarred press. So for character creation at first.
All books allowed(including 3PP)
25 Point buy.
3rd Level gestalt.
Max Hp first 3 levels then roll or PFS 1/2+1.
I would like solid backstories, and realize that I will need to provide you all with some more setting detail (which I am working on)
But for sure you will all be initiates in the Shadow Syndicate, and promising ones at that!
I will be handling money at bit differently in this game in that how much you earn will be based on how well you do in your missions, and whatever you can steal for yourselves. Gear will be available on a mission by mission basis.
Although this is an evil group and backstabbing is common among initiates, please realize that the further you climb, the more at stake the organization is and maneuvering for personal power at the expense of the Syndicate will be met with fierce and violent repercussions. Basically please be vested in the "company" if you will.
Lord Foul II |
Nice, I'll build Virgil Hass human, Alchemist (vivisectionist, chirguen)/machinesmith
He's fascinated with constructs, especially androids and clockwork mages
He believes that through the study of constructs and other more powerful races, the human race can take on their traits and become more powerful, and better able to compete with them
One thing you must remember about Virgil is that he's mad, literally crazy, though functionally so, he has a disorder called "SRMD" or "Science Related Memetic Disorder"
Basically mad science disorder
Question:
The class I am taking gives a construct pet called a mechanus. similar to the animal companion of a Druid, or the eldilon of a summoner,
I want to invest in my pet, customizing him, give him the ability to speak.
The only construct that I know of that can be given speech and that is potentially within my price range is the homunculus, granting speech for 500 gp
My question is, can I add homunculus abilities to my mechanus?
I don't think it would be too much of an issue, as the homunculus is the weakest of the constructs (other than the clockwork spies)
If you want, I could wait till I can get a homuclous familiar and combine them that way.
DM Malleus |
Everyone starts only with class average gold and whatever items from your class ie spellbooks etc.
You also all start with this item Welcome Initiate
Lord Foul II |
And by item you mean ash from the destroyed pamphlet that I fead to my robot?
I find I amusing and so very in character that almost every gold piece he has will be invested in his robot, which is so very in character for the guy I have in mind
One of his traits I already have picked out is a numeria regional trait, I get a masterwork cold iron weapon (I'm thinking hammer or mace) and a +1 on to hit with cold iron weaponry.
One of his traits will likely be a campaign trait, and he will definitely take a drawback
Rigor Rictus |
I note that so far, you've said nothing about banning Synthesists; you sure about that? I ran a Gestalt game a while back and I allowed Synthesists, but I won't be doing that again. Out of the six party members, 3 had Synthesist as one of there classes and three didn't. Might as well have been running two games at two completely different power levels. Only one of the non-synth characters lived to the end, and they did it by hiding behind the three who were (it was an intentionally OP campaign - I put three level 6 gestalt characters through a level 12 module - it was a lot of fun!)
Personally I don't think Sythesists are that bad on their own, and I think a lot of DM's overreact by banning them, but in a Gestalt game, I think I would follow suit next time. However, if you don't, my pitch will probably involve a gestalt synth summoner! I love awesome OP characters (as long as you can build some fun personality into them!)