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Okay, I made it into the S&S but the rest of you didn't - sorry to hear that, but good news is that I'm still going to run a campaign. Now, since I'm in S&S now, I'd prefer not to run it unless everyone is adamant that I do so. Then I will :)
I have all the Paizo products so we can do any AP. I'd like to hear all of your opinions on it. I've read some reviews of them and have my druthers, but I'd like to hear everyone's views and desires.
*waves furiously*
I think I'm all for it, adamantiumly so!
*waves furiously*
I think I'm all for it, adamantiumly so!
Well, I could try running.
Hmm. Part of me wants to try the Jade Regent campaign - I do enjoy some oriental adventures, and the whole Caravan/Relationships stuff seems a lot of fun. I'd probably roll up a brand new character for that - perhaps a brother to Ameiko, a samurai.
Or maybe Kingmaker - I like the idea of building a nation from the ground up.
Hmm. Part of me wants to try the Jade Regent campaign - I do enjoy some oriental adventures, and the whole Caravan/Relationships stuff seems a lot of fun. I'd probably roll up a brand new character for that - perhaps a brother to Ameiko, a samurai.
Or maybe Kingmaker - I like the idea of building a nation from the ground up.
The relationship stuff does sound fun!
What is Kingmaker,a class?
Kingmaker is an Adventure Path set in the River Kingdoms where the PCs are able to start their own little kingdom, growing over time while other events are occurring. Though it might be a little confusing - there's a whole set of rules specifically for kingdom stats and it's economy and stability.
Jade Regent might be the best one to run here.
Let's see what Alivia would like. I like pirates, relationships, and building kingdoms, so it'll be easy for me. I wonder how it'll be for Pai, if she's allowed.
I believe Keeya is already in a jade regent one. My computers power cord broke tonight so I'm on an iPad - I'm going to be terse tonight :)
Im here! sorry I posted in the wrong part. I am doing a Live jade regent game. But I am not picky.
Kingmaker could be very fun on PBP I think... Or Piracy, Piracy is good
Btw - my RL name is Tiessa and I'll be using it for dming, now I just need to stop accidentally posting as Alivia :)
Hey there, Will here. I'm not terribly familiar with all these modules, just the core game stuff. I'll go with whatever folks feel strongly about, though the idea of Kingmaker fascinates me (I like tinkering).
Btw - my RL name is Tiessa and I'll be using it for dming, now I just need to stop accidentally posting as Alivia :)
Hi Tiessa! I'm Jaq!
Hi Will! Eveyone, Will is a RL friend of mine and we've been gaming together for more years than I care to admit :)
If you Google paizo adventure path review you'll get some pointers to what all the APs are. Also, all of the adventure path player's guides are free in PDF from Paizo, search for players guides and it'll give you a list.
Hello William!
Somethings I do know about the game:
20 points for attributes.
3 traits one of which must be a campaign one.
Average starting gold.
Max hit points at first level, one less than max at second, two less at third, etc until you hit the average, then it's average from then on. For example with a d8, the hit points would go 8,7,6,5,4,5,4, etc. I like survivable players and few party deaths early on.
We'll be using more free flow, cinematic combat, there's no way to do the complex positioning in pbp that I can think of. So, there'll be AoO if I say that someone runs past you, but all of the more complex stuff will have to go away.
I like good, exciting, combat with great use of terrain and the environment. I will be liberal with the bonuses if you entertain me :) I'll also figure out a way to reward the character in a more substantial way, I'd like to encourage this to be entertaining for all. Stay tuned for details once I think of them. Especially if we're doing the pirate campaign, it should be swashbuckling all around.
I encourage creative problem solving and trying new things or creative use of skills and abilities. Especially if it's entertaining/cinematic. I'll try not to squash any of that unless it's truly overpowered, otherwise that sort of initiative will be rewarded.
During combat I'll aim for one round a day during the week and one for the weekend. I'll end up the day, summarizing actions and the results before I go to bed and set the stage for the next day and everyone'll be able to chime in whenever they want.
Like in my RL campaigns the first couple of levels are 'breaking in the character' levels and if some detail/skill/feat/spell doesn't really fit, tell me how you want to adjust the characater and as long as the change wouldn't cause something important to be retro'ed, you can change it. For example, "I thought I'd be using bluff more, but it just doesn't seem to be appropriate for the character, I'd like to change out those skill points for craft [under water basket weaving], it's more appropriate." As long as the character hadn't used bluff to really turn the tides in a battle, no problem.
Everyone can play different characters than you used to audition for the other campaign with. Try to cover the standard bases as much as possible though, the APs tend to make assumptions that most of the common skills and abilities will be present.
Oh yeah, if you hit a point where your character just isn't "doing it for you" don't feel that you have to continue forcing yourself to play it. I want you to have fun and not think of this as being a chore. At the next appropriate story juncture we can find a way to swap characters and you can start a new one with the same xp, gold, etc. Theres nothing worse than creating an illusionist for example and then finding out that 90% of the foes are immune to illusions. By a quirk you'd be stuck playing a vastly underpowered character and that won't be fun.
I'll update Taize. Note that, for now, she's set for Skull and Shackles.
This is my regular posting ID, Alwen here. I like all of your ideas, especially for a free-flowing combat, using terrain for advantage, and an HP progression that isn't overpowered but keeps us from getting creamed too early.
I'll admit that it's probably not fair to ask her to run Skull and Shackles when she's playing in one, so I'm just going to list the top 5 APs I'd like to play in, from the one I want to play the most at the top and moving down:
1. Jade Regent
2. Council of Thieves
3. Kingmaker
4. Serpent's Skull
5. Second Darkness
This is in no way a definite list of what I will play - but if other players can narrow a list down like this, I think it'll help on us deciding what AP to go for.
Pai's built for anything really, gnome bard and all. They're kind of the everything character, I think. And gnomes really don't need an excuse for adventure. Is it alright if I keep Pai?
I wont refuse to run it considering that's what people signed up for.
You can use Pai or not, that's your choice.
We can also do the new shattered star one, it comes out in a couple of days.
Shattered Star migh be nice...or even RotRL!
I am good with Keeya. Ill pick out a second trait and then an AP specific trait when we decide upon one.
Think ill just go normal rogue though.
I'm not sure that Alwen would be a good fit, unless I tweaked him a bit - which would probably mean tweaking his backstory a bit as well. I wouldn't might taking a run at Shattered Star, either.
Tai could be tweeked for Shattered Star. I'd half to modify the backstory and drop the Besmara connection. Hm.
Replace the S&S campaign trait with this:
Exalted of the Society (faith?): The vaults of the Grand Lodge in Absalom contain many secrets of the divine powers of the gods, and you have studied your deity extensively. You may channel energy one additional time per day.
Which even fits with the class. ;)
I'd probably replace Profession: Sailor with something else. I'll have to think about it.
So, how about my thri-kreen ranger?
No?
For you Will, sure as long as you call him Till Wimmins :)
Taize, that does fit. Although we'd be playing it sight unseen as to quality if we go with shattered.
Considering the quality of the other APs and the fact this is almost a continuation of the RotRL AP, I'd say the quality works.
I'm going on to make a Two-Weapon Warrior Human for that. Former Serpent Runner, now a rookie Pathfinder agent under the Grand Lodge. Just have to figure out race - maybe Magnimar born Tian?
I need to read up on the world. When I bought PF and got up to speed with it ~2 years ago, I paid almost 0 attention to the world (since I never use worlds as-written). Hmm.
I've had this character idea of a halfling ranger with Favored Enemy: Vermin, because it occurred to me one day... what would you do if you lived in a world where the pantry might contain a spider the size of a car?
I'd never sleep with a light off again, and I'd want them dead.
Lol Will!
I too paid almost no attention to the world, politics, orgs, history, etc. And now I'm going to DM it -.-
I have my reading list well laid out.
Guess I should grab the players guide for shattered star!
The Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting is a good place to start to get some background on the world - if you have any of the first three APs, they have a lot of information on Varisia in them, and Magnimar is featured in RotRL #2, I think. There's also a Chronicle for Magnimar that was recently released - it's probably a good idea to look at that if you can get it. There's also the upcoming Varisia: Birthplace of Legends Player Companion.
I need to read up on the world. When I bought PF and got up to speed with it ~2 years ago, I paid almost 0 attention to the world (since I never use worlds as-written). Hmm.
I've had this character idea of a halfling ranger with Favored Enemy: Vermin, because it occurred to me one day... what would you do if you lived in a world where the pantry might contain a spider the size of a car?
I'd never sleep with a light off again, and I'd want them dead.
I always thought Dungeons and Dragons / Pathfinder didn't have a setting. Now I am finding so much information about it I am absolutely swamped without any inkling on where to begin.
As for your Thri-Kreen, he needs to say once per session, "John Carter, he will fight for us!"
The Pathfinder Wiki is a good source. I like it better than Golariopedia but either one can help. They are a bit spoilery, though.
I'd also recommend reading the web fiction on the blog. Those stories can give you a nice taste of Golarion's flavor.
The Pathfinder Wiki is a good source. I like it better than Golariopedia but either one can help. They are a bit spoilery, though.
Thanks for posting that, I am certainly going to look there.
And I got my hand on the Shattered Star Players Guide, and it looks straight forward. Pai will have Maestro of the Society as her third trait. Charming and Fast-talker being the first two. In the meantime, I am going to see about getting my mitts on the Varisia book and see if Pai's past will make sense. She was a manager / director of a burlesque. Think any of you would want to be tied to that in one way or another?
Yes, thank you for the links!
Do we want a coherent theme for the group, or do we just want to find a way?
(That is, figure something out after?)
Do we want a coherent theme for the group, or do we just want to find a way?
(That is, figure something out after?)
What counts as a theme? Or, do you mean something like us all having some kind of connection before play?
Woo! Shards of Sin - Shattered Star #1 just showed up in my downloads. I'm going to read it and since I've already read S&S #1 (I was preparing just in case), I'll tell you my opinions of the two.
A theme like, "Everyone is a Thri-Kreen" or "Everyone is in the burlesque." Alwen's the bouncer, Pai's the ringleader, Keeya's the coat check girl that checks the contents of the coat's pockets as well. I guess that leaves Taize to do the dancing :D
Or you're all a bunch of dwarves off to kick a dragon out of your home and you're bringing along a lonely halfling who's really good at killing huge spiders (which, by the way, I just realized would've been awfully handy in Mirkwood.) Will, I think there's definitely a place for Halfling Spider Stomper :)
I like the idea of that theme. ;) What do you all think of having a theme?
A theme like, "Everyone is a Thri-Kreen" or "Everyone is in the burlesque." Alwen's the bouncer, Pai's the ringleader, Keeya's the coat check girl that checks the contents of the coat's pockets as well. I guess that leaves Taize to do the dancing :D
Contents of coats, contents of pants, contents of the coin purse, it's all good.
Problem is, this particular AP does start out with a theme...techincally.
We're all supposed to be members of the Pathfinder society who just happen to be in Magnimar at this time.
Edit: Sorry, that came off more dismissive than I'd intended. If everyone wants an additional theme other than Pathfinder Society we can probably work something out.
But no dancing. Taize can't dance. ;P
Well, I've already got an idea for this new character being a former fighter in the Serpent's Run hippodrome, but I can understand if people want a little more cohesion. We could all be Pathfinder members, but that doesn't mean we don't have day jobs, either - a burlesque is a business as any other.
Well Keeya is originally from Andoran (now) and is up north hoping to collect artifacts and such from the various ruins to the north. Shes either working in the Pathfinder society or just operating independently, depending on what you guys want to do. Of course shes not going to state "Tomb raiding" as a day job so she'll likely be working with the group as a day job if you guys decide to go a certain way. Or you can bump into her as you start out. Whatever fits the best.
Shes also, well shes a bit more innocent than she'd let on, but highly attracted to something like a burlesque show. The sexuality of it all, the distracted people with a pocket full of coin they may not miss. The drink. Perfect =)
PS: a friend of mine, might want to do a PbP would we have room for one more? She loves to write and role play so it'd be right up her alley. If not no big deal.
As far as I'm concerned Keeya, the more the merrier :) one of my friends wrote back to me last night and said hes not interested.
To give you a little more info, you can read the two short summaries I wrote, the 'spoilers' are things you probably already know or can surmise, unless you haven't read anything about them. It's no more spoiling than the players guides in my opinion, which give some generalized warnings about what to expect.
I read through part of the shattered star last night and the summary of the future parts and I can go into more detail about the non-dungeon parts tonight when I'm home from work tonight, but my first impressions are that there a lot of dungeons in it. Ruins, old abandoned places, lots of old forgotten/lost corners of history and you'll be zipping around between them, there's some sleuthing involved and lots of lore. There are built in ways to get you from place to place and lead you in the right direction and they make sense. I'll have to reread the future summaries again to get an idea of how much 'non-dungeon' there is. It sounds like it may be good old bread and butter with a few different twists, but in the end, its more bread and butter than S&S. It looks like it there is a logical progression to things and to the challenges. You are heroes and you save the day.
Contrast this with S&S which is more freeform, lots of bits and pieces, very little 'dungeon', but also many parts of it that are not obvious where the next steps are, without the DM using an npc to basically go "your next step is over here - I know it doesn't sound like something you may actually want to do, but it's the only part thats written and you need to do it otherwise we can't use the next 4 books." there are good portions of it that are basically, "wandering around the ocean hoping to run into things." (thats not how the book treats it, but logically that's whats happening). You need to really buy into being a pirate, excelling at being one, and dealing with pirate society. I can see people loving it at first and then making it to the middle and going, 'meh, the rest really doesn't sound that interesting.' there is a lot of interpersonal/political machinations in it. I think people will either love it or find it boring after a while.
As I said you kinda have to buy into being a pirate, you aren't heroes. You do pirate things. And there is no way a paladin could ever be part of this adventure. You don't have to be evil, but you definitely are selfish. Don't get me wrong, it's very well done, and you'll enjoy if it fits your tastes.
I don't blame you if you want to do S&S after reading that. It's more different than what everyone is used to. I skimmed the first four books just to get the flavor because I was curious where things were going. And I don't know if the other campaign will implode.
My one big problem with the non-dungeon magazine APs is that you don't get the truly big, final boss. If they went one more book for each, I think they'd be better, but then again, writing good balanced high level stuff is hard. Now, Savage Tide, that was incredible. (well, at least to read :)
You know, I think we're good enough players to fill in the down-time and provide you plenty of ideas to keep us and yourself entertained. All I know is that dungeons are hard to do without maps, and I want to play the game you'd enjoy DM'ing. :)