Vigilante Sorcerer sounds absolutely amazing and I highly encourage it from a Rule of Cool perspective.
More questions on Skills, I know I'm being a pain on it at this point but Investigators are pretty skill focused - apologies.
With the 13th Age system, how do Traits and abilities that gives bonuses to specific skills work?
For instance, the Empiricist gets to use Intelligence for checks such as Perception, Sense Motive, and Disable Device. I'm looking at a Half-Orc racial trait that gives bonuses specifically to Appraise and certain instances of Perception. How do such things translate into this skill system where things are a bit more ambiguous? Do I still take the Traits and Abilities and then just apply them in game as they come up? Just want to make sure I'm doing this right.
I'm compiling my character sheet and should have it done by tomorrow.
Yeah, I didn't bother selecting any traits either for pretty much the same reason.
Very flavorful, Ray!
So far:
Axolotl - possibly vishkanya Deadly Courtesan or some sort of bard (Flame Dancer?)
Diego - Berian Docker half-orc gunslinger/investigator (empiricist)
Aziel - Danoran Gunsmith tiefling fighter/gunslinger
Eveline - Vekeshi Mystic human sorcerer (possibly vigilante later)
Bale Fire - TBD
Right now I'm kind of stuck between two concepts. As karlprosek has already said, it seems we need a good front liner + healing.
1) Risuri Eschatologist Human Warpriest (Sacred Fist)
2) Risuri Spirit Medium Human Hunter (Augmented Animal Companion).
Is it safe to assume that the majority of this campaign will take place in an urban environment? Or will there be a variety of locations?
Per the Player's Guide, Bale Fire:
"The second Zeitgeist adventure, The Dying Skyseer, takes place in the
city of Flint, as do parts of other adventures."
So while it seems that Urban Adventures do seem to be A Big Thing for this campaign, it will not be the only thing. The section on Risur mentions a lot of Feyness going on in the background which I imagine will come up at some point too.
More questions on Skills, I know I'm being a pain on it at this point but Investigators are pretty skill focused - apologies.
With the 13th Age system, how do Traits and abilities that gives bonuses to specific skills work?
For instance, the Empiricist gets to use Intelligence for checks such as Perception, Sense Motive, and Disable Device. I'm looking at a Half-Orc racial trait that gives bonuses specifically to Appraise and certain instances of Perception. How do such things translate into this skill system where things are a bit more ambiguous? Do I still take the Traits and Abilities and then just apply them in game as they come up? Just want to make sure I'm doing this right.
When I've done 13th Age Backgrounds before, I said that Traits and Feats that only give a static bonus to skill checks don't exist in the campaign. But honestly, I think that if it's important to your concept to stack bonuses and you don't have anything else you'd much rather take as a Trait , go ahead and take whatever Traits and Feats you want and we'll just apply them when they come up. Personally, I don't think it's as important with this system, and I try to use the 'fail forward' philosophy instead of just saying 'that didn't do anything' but you do you.
I think that answered your question. Did it?
Is it safe to assume that the majority of this campaign will take place in an urban environment? Or will there be a variety of locations?
The first mod had the unit start out doing crowd control at an event in Flint and ended up with them doing a spec-ops style night infiltration of an island fort held by a would-be military junta.
It's been a while since I read through the whole of this second mod, but I believe it stays entirely in Flint. That said, there is a very large wooded, hilly neighborhood in the city and it would really not hurt if at least one of the PCs knew how to handle a boat.
When I've done 13th Age Backgrounds before, I said that Traits and Feats that only give a static bonus to skill checks don't exist in the campaign. But honestly, I think that if it's important to your concept to stack bonuses and you don't have anything else you'd much rather take as a Trait (not even Finding Haleen? C'mon...), go ahead and take whatever Traits and Feats you want and we'll just apply them when they come up. Personally, I don't think it's as important with this system, and I try to use the 'fail forward' philosophy instead of just saying 'that didn't do anything' but you do you.
I think that answered your question. Did it?
I dunno who Haleen is, but she sounds like a badass. Also that's a Legacy of Fire Trait, soooooo?
Mostly my issue now comes down to that the whole "point" of playing an Empiricist is to be able to apply your Intelligence to a slew of skills, but the 13th Age System, in its flexibility, sort of already allows that as you pointed out? Like if the "power" of the Class comes from skill flexibility and skill emphasis, I'm taking levels in something that will grant little to no actual benefit if you can already do things like Persuade with your Intellect or Intimidate with your Strength by default.
I'd just as soon take a level in Rogue or something instead and not play an Investigator, as I feel the returns in the class would be diminished. "Keen Recollection" means nothing as a Class Ability for attempting Knowledge Checks "untrained" when the 13th Age system removes terminology like that. The "Inspiration" ability specifically calls out skills that it gives certain special bonuses to, which are also not really applicable in a mechanical system that just does not have those skills.
With that said, I still prefer the 13th Age Skill System, it just means I'd need to rethink how I'm building Diego here as it's markedly different from how PF does its classes. It's less a Power Game thing or a "need" to Stack Bonuses and more a "I like the idea of someone who is so analytical that it changes the way they view and interact with the world," sort of like a Holmes-style detective.
While I like this Character Concept, I think Empiricist may just not be the right kind of class for this mechanic, as way too much of its usefulness is tied towards "You Do This Particular Skill Well and/or Differently than other Classes."
Decision Paralysis is real. What I'm leaning towards now is keeping the Investigator, as I still like the feel of it for a Detective, and go back to my initial archetype of the Steel Hound, throw in a level or two of Fighter and call it Un Dia. Pistol Packing Private Eye a la Flint.
Scratch that, I think I found my jam for this game.
Going to be going with a Gun Chemist Alchemist. Extracts, Firearms, and being Intelligence based actually suits my idea pretty well.
Final answer here, sorry again for the back and forth on all of this.
That looks cool! We're getting close, folks!
Let's talk about how all these weirdos came to join the RHC. Let's do a mini session zero and try to get some shared backstory here.
Woo Woo!
Well, I have Diego joining the RHC as sort of a "Change It From The Inside" deal. He wants better rights and treatment for Dockers, has agitated for things like Labor Unions and Worker Strikes against crushing industrialization, he's probably been arrested by the RHC before (or at least the local cops). Consider him almost a radical egalitarian or socialist, he's actually kinda mad that the Dockers (in his eyes) don't fight more for their rights, like the Berians did.
Mayhaps they give him a deal? Like a "We've heard you're a pretty sharp detective amongst the lower classes, we can get rid of your charges if you close up shop and join us instead"? My concept is that he doesn't particularly enjoy working for The RHC but sees it as a sort of necessary evil to affect the change he thinks Flint should have.
As a P.I., he could have met anyone who needed info in the slums of Flint. He's also heavily involved with the Docker movement so anyone with a taste for political revolution or avant-garde displays could have met him prior as well. Lastly he was formerly a scholar of the Panoply, so anyone of a philosophical or academic mindset could have met him via like lectures and such.
Aziel was a soldier at the end of the last Yerasol War, who due to an Unfortunate Event resulting in the death of a superior officer after the war, defected to Risur to avoid being court-martialed. After (reluctantly) providing good intelligence to the RHC on a number of occasions (mainly on weapons innovations, rather than actionable intel vs. the Danorans), she was given a chance to prove her loyalty as a low-level peon in the system. She has subsequently worked her way up to the position she now holds.
She doesn't speak of the reason she's at the RHC in Flint instead of being in Danor, that's her own little private mystery, revealed here in case of background hookups. Speaking of which:
She sometimes has brief flings with Dockers, and met Diego in just such a fashion. It amused her to no end to find that he joined the RHC, too.
Aziel is a tiefling of complexity, both determined to rise through the ranks, with the professionalism that requires, and intent on thoroughly enjoying life in her off hours. She misses Danor, and has her regrets, but has come to appreciate Risur, as well - despite the disdain her race and nationality engender.
Sorry for the delay, everyone. It took me a while to come up with a character concept that I thought was a good fit for the setting. Here's a quick summary ;)
If asked Lyle Langston would describe himself as entrepreneur. But those who have had the pleasure of dealing with him would be more likely to call him a fraud. Claiming to be nothing more than a travelling business man, Lyle journeys from town to town, selling his wares to the gullible and the insecure. Always moving on before his falsehoods are discovered.
While the man has some talent for druidic magic, the hunter makes most of his money by selling falsely advertised merchandise. Suffering from hair loss? A single bottle of Lyle Langston's Miracle Elixir will have you growing hair in places you didn't even know you had! Struggling to find the woman of your dreams? Well just take one of Lyle Langston's Astonishingly Amazing Amulets and you'll be falling in love in no time at all!
Unfortunately a string of poor decisions has left Lyle with some rather persistent enemies these last few months. The latest incident nearly cost him his life, and left his only pet and travelling companion –Mr Beaky– badly wounded. Deciding that he needed both a place to lay low and a job that would supply him with enough income to purchase prosthetics for his animal companion, Lyle Langston signed on with RHC.
He is rather good with a sword, after all. And being able to speak to the dead is a rather handy talent for a man to have in this particular line of work.
I should have his character sheet ready and his backstory properly fleshed out within the next day or so.
Oh my gods, he's a snake-oil salesman, I love it! Excellent freaking concept, well done.
So far I love that our little RHC team comes from not very law-abiding backgrounds, this is going to be class.
I love this. This will be top-tier.
So far:
Axolotl - possibly vishkanya Deadly Courtesan or some sort of bard (Flame Dancer?)
Diego - Berian Docker half-orc alchemist (gun chemist)/fighter
Aziel - Danoran Gunsmith tiefling fighter/gunslinger
Eveline - Vekeshi Mystic human sorcerer (possibly vigilante later)
Lyle - Risuri Spirit Medium human hunter
karlprosek, a mutual friend of ours from YG games says she's gonna try and make this one work too, if we've still got the room for her!
I'll work up a build this weekend! :)
Eveline used a bit of her family wealth and influence to enter the Risur Homeland Constabulary. And at the time, this was considered a minor scandal among Risur's high-born elite. But gossip is fickle, and now Eveline is mostly seen as a bit of an eccentric.
Her public reasons for entering the RHC are to honor the memory of her mother and father. And that is certainly true enough. But her real motivation is to root out corruption and punish those who would cause large-scale suffering. To effect this, she hopes to rise within the ranks herself, or put people in power who she believes will fight for justice.
And I think it's likely that she knows Lyle. She would have spotted him within the rich and powerful circles that she moves through. And I think she would steer him toward some high socity elite with more money than sense, who deserve a good fleecing.
Here's Zerpina, usually known as "Shoe" to friends. Family names are given first by vishkanya. Vishkanya were created by dragons as playthings, and so while the destruction of dragons by Risur destabilized Ber, vishkanya viewed it as ultimately a good thing.
She's been assigned to Flint and RHC as a transfer, after being a bit too dogged in her ferreting out corruption while with the Executores. Yerbas malas nunca mueren.
Uxui Zerpina
Female vishkanya unchained rogue (deadly courtesan) 3 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide 208, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 3 281, Pathfinder Unchained 20)
CG Medium humanoid (vishkanya)
Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10 (+3 Dex)
hp 21 (3d8+3)
Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +1; +3 bonus vs. poison
Defensive Abilities evasion, poison resistance
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +5 (1d4/19-20) or
. . dagger +5 (1d4/19-20) or
. . mwk elven branched spear +6 (1d8+4/×3)
Ranged shuriken +5 (1d2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with masterwork elven branched spear)
Special Attacks bardic performance 5 rounds/day (fascinate, inspire competence +2), sneak attack (unchained) +2d6
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 17
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 15
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dirty Fighting, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (elven branched spear), Weapon Finesse
Traits - custom trait -
Skills Acrobatics +9, Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Disable Device +8, Disguise +9, Escape Artist +11, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (local) +7, Perception +8, Perform (dance) +9, Sleight of Hand +9, Stealth +11; Racial Modifiers +2 Escape Artist, +2 Perception, +2 Stealth
Languages Common, Sylvan, Vishkanya
SQ poison use, toxic, trapfinding +1
Other Gear dagger, dagger, mwk elven branched spear, shuriken (5), 2,675 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Bardic Performance (standard action, 5 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects.
Combat Reflexes (4 AoO/round) Can make extra attacks of opportunity/rd, and even when flat-footed.
Dirty Fighting Forgo flanking bonus to make combat maneuver not provoke attack of op.
Evasion (Ex) If succeed on Reflex save for half dam, take none instead.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Poison Resistance +3 Gain listed bonus to saves vs. poison.
Poison Use (Ex) You do not risk poisoning yourself accidentally while poisoning a weapon.
Sneak Attack (Unchained) +2d6 Attacks deal extra dam if flank foe or if foe is flat-footed.
Toxic (1/day, DC 12) (Ex) Can apply poisonous blood/saliva to a weapon as a swift action.
Trapfinding +1 Gain a bonus to find or disable traps, including magical ones.
Vishkanya Venom (DC 11) (Ex) Weapon—injury; save Fort DC 11; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.
--------------------
Background
Zerpina has lived in Flint for a year now. Ostensibly she is on long term exchange assignment from the Executores dola Liberta, but she and her superiors both know that leading a vendetta against the Bruse’s favored viceroy for certain irregular and unsavory habits of chattel collecting and humanoid trafficking was going to lead to scandal and bloodbath, and so…her infiltrations and clandestine throat slittings came to an incomplete end. Now, Zerpina is an official, in house consultant for the Flint RHC—Officer Uxui, or “Shoe” to friends.
Zerpina’s summary removal from Ber has made her realize the importance of being a team player, but she remains impulsive and daring. Her exotic beauty (which she rolls her eye at; it’s old hat to her) and deadly talents make her formidable, but she’s generally easy to get along with—the savagery of Ber’s lands notwithstanding.
[b]Description: [b]Zerpina is the consummate spy and assassin. She is sleek and tall, with tiny blue scales and light brown mottling, the staring ophidian eyes of a snake in orange in her lovely face. Even in standard constabulary uniform (which is rare, given assignment), she is striking. Vishkanya are viewed as little more than gigolos and courtesans in Ber (and Risur), even though they constantly prove themselves to be more than that, and she tires of the stereotype rapidly.
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karlprosek, a mutual friend of ours from YG games says she's gonna try and make this one work too, if we've still got the room for her!
That's awesome! Of course I have room for her!
You guys, I love these PCs so much. It's not quite a 'worst-of-the-worst, freed from prison and given one last chance' situation but it's close. :)
If everybody's good with their PC's backstory and personality we can go ahead and start doing some IC posting while people finish off their character sheets.
I'm good with this! Super excited to get this game started
Me, too.
What's our starting gold?
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Wealth By Level for 3rd: 3,000 GP
That is correct.
For anybody's who's not dotted in the Gameplay thread, we've got a couple IC posts up.
Today's Thursday, I'll give everybody a couple days to have a chance to get in on the intro posting and then ACI Delft will come in on Monday to brief the crew.
Sorry if I'm holding things up everyone. It has taken quite a bit longer to put together Lyle's Langston's character sheet than I expected.
Should have something up in next 12 hours ;)
It just occurred to me that if the RHC has "forms" then we're basically implying that the printing press is a thing. Which, I'm cool with. But we might want to clear that with the DM, just in case.\
Considering the setting borrows heavily from the Industrial Revolution, I can't imagine the printing press being very outside the scope of other things like gaslamps and flintlocks?
Yeah, mass produced broadsheets and tabloid newspapers are a thing in this setting. Base tech level is explicitly Victorian era, with fantasy tech higher than that in some things, unlike normal Pathfinder.
GM, is it reasonable to say that Diego was able to have a mutagen prepared this morning?
GM, is it reasonable to say that Diego was able to have a mutagen prepared this morning?
Yes, of course.
On a different note, I'm starting to pull together a site for this game. A description of the City of Flint is here. Of particular interest right now might be the Geography section of that page, and the sub-page for North Shore.
I'll put the link at the top of the page, but it's definitely still a work in progress.
Sorry for being absent for a few days. It's been a hell of a week. Catching up now.
Does anyone know if Paizo has a night-time mode? I feel like I'm staring into a light bulb.
I don't think it does, but I use the Night Eye extension on Chrome.
Thanks, I'll look into that. It can't be worse than the Windows 10 night mode
I'll be camping from 4/14-4/18; please bot Uxui as needed.
Anything from Diego/Eveline? Need a hint? I can bot Uxui to start looking at stuff if you need some direction.
Apologies - I'll try and get something up today. Work has been nightmarish and struggling to find free time. Mostly going to be Diego casing the scene and taking his time looking at each relevant item. Cue LA Noir music while making small comments to himself.
No problem on needing time, I just wanted to make sure you didn't need anything more from me.
I didn't have electricity over most of the weekend. But now that Diego put something up, I'm going to wait to see the GM response and then bounce one off of that.
I'm packing up to move on the 6th, and I probably won't have a lot of time to post. Please bot Aziel if necessary.
I've decided I want to go ahead and run Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. I've run it face to face for my local group and think it would be great for PbP. It's a really well crafted urban adventure that has the party rescuing a kidnapped nobleman and then opening/running an inn/tavern as an integral part of the storyline.
I'd like to run it in 5E, since that's what I already played it in. Would any of you be interested?
Kris, I know you're busy right now but you'd be welcome to join later on.
Sorry all (especially Lyle), work and other obligations are crushing me this week. I'll try to get a post out soon, but if I'm holding you up feel free to bot Aziel.
I'm a bit late, but just wanted to say that while it sounds like a fun campaign, I'm not really in a good position to join your Waterdeep: Dragon Heist game right now, karlprosek. I hope it goes well, though! ;)
On a completely different note. Does the House of Blue Birds Hotel have a bar of some description, karlprosek? Lyle will probably want to stop at the front desk on the way out and try to negotiate payment and a drink for the cabbie. ^_^
I'm sure there's a bar off the lobby. It's not described, so feel free to describe it as you see fit.
I'll have posts out Monday. Sorry I'm swamped today, guys.
I'll have posts out Monday. Sorry I'm swamped today, guys.
No problem. Thanks for the heads up.
Well it seems like Lyle has put his foot in his mouth. It appears the snake oil salesman might actually have to...
...tell the truth?
Say it ain't so!!!!