Alkenstar, City of Smog, is a bastion of civilization in the magic-warped region known as the Mana Wastes. Its ingenious citizens survive in the treacherous Spellscar Desert with the help of canny inventions like guns and clockwork automatons, but now their construct protectors have begun to run amok within the city. It falls to you to venture beyond the city walls to find the source of their strange behavior. Will you uncover the mastermind behind the plot and put an end to this madness, or will you instead fall victim to the primal magic and savage tribes of Mana Wastes mutants that beleaguer the city?
I'm definitely interested. i'll kick around a couple of idears and get something posted by this evening. will you be allowing the playtest classes?
I am not totally averse to the playtest classes but am a little wary that, over the likely duration of the adventure, the final version of the classes will appear in published form... This might pose an interesting question on which version of the class should be played....
So, not an absolute No', but be aware that I am likely to prioritise published classes over the playtest ones....
I definitely have no issue whatsoever with switching over to a finalized form of a class once it's published. i'll start working on an alias for this game.... was thinking about a shieldbashing brawler ala captain America.
Totally fine with Paths of Prestige....
Dotting for interest!
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Here is the crunch for Finnian, let me know if there are problems. Will have backstory shortly.
Finnian
Male Human (Taldan) Fighter (Weapon Master) 6/Monk (Master of Many Styles) 1/Aldori Swordlord 5
LG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +8; Senses Perception +15
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Defense
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AC 29, touch 18, flat-footed 22 (+9 armor, +2 shield, +6 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 insight)
hp 81 (11d10+1d8+12)
Fort +12, Ref +15, Will +9 (+5 resistance vs enchantment); +4 vs. effects that cause you to lose your grip on weapons, +2 bonus vs. effects targetting a Sword, Aldori dueling held by you
Defensive Abilities defensive parry
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft.
Melee +1 keen adamantine sword, aldori dueling +23/+18/+13 (1d8+12/17-20/×2) and
. . unarmed strike +17/+12/+7 (1d6+2/×2)
Special Attacks reliable strike, stunning fist (3/day, DC 16), weapon training
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Statistics
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Str 14, Dex 23, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +11; CMB +15; CMD 32 (38 vs. disarm, 38 vs. grapple, 38 vs. sunder, 38 vs. trip)
Feats Aldori Dueling Mastery, Cornugon Smash, Crane Riposte, Crane Style, Crane Wing, Dazzling Display, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (sword, aldori dueling), Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack, Shatter Defenses, Stunning Fist, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (sword, aldori dueling), Weapon Specialization (sword, aldori dueling)
Traits bruising intellect, dominator, sword scion
Skills Acrobatics +20 (+29 to jump), Intimidate +18 , +25 to demoralize with Aldori dueling sword,), Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (engineering) +17, Knowledge (nobility) +9, Perception +15, Sense Motive +20
Languages Common, Kelish, Sylvan, Varisian
SQ adaptive tactics, display weapon prowess, fuse style, shatter confidence, stunning fist (stun), unarmed strike, vain, weapon guard
Other Gear Celestial armor, +1 Keen Adamantine Sword, Aldori dueling, Belt of incredible dexterity +4, Boots of striding and springing, Cape of free will +2/+3, Gloves of dueling, Headband of vast intelligence +2 (Knowledge [arcana]), Ioun stone (dusty rose prism), Ring of feather falling, Ring of the sublime, Seducer's bane, Swarmbane clasp, Wayfinder (1 @ 0 lbs), 5480 GP
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Special Abilities
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Adaptive Tactics (Ex) Use Sense Motive to gain +2 attack or AC vs. creature struck last round. (DC 10+BAB)
Aldori Dueling Mastery Gain combat benefits when using Aldori dueling swords
Cape of free will +2/+3 Spend 1 power as immediate action to reroll failed Will save.
Cornugon Smash When you damage an opponent with a Power Attack, you may make an immediate Intimidate check as a free action to attempt to demoralize your opponent.
Crane Riposte When you deflect an attack, you may make an attack of opportunity
Crane Style Penalty when fighting defensively reduced to -2 and dodge bonus increases by 1.
Crane Wing May deflect one attack per round while fighting defensively or using total defense
Dazzling Display (Sword, Aldori dueling) Intimidate check to demoralize can affect those within 30' who see you.
Defensive Parry +1 (Ex) +1 bonus to AC against melee attacks after making a full attack.
Display Weapon Prowess +5 (Ex) Bonus to Dazzling Display, perf combat, & dueling parry and resolve.
Dominator You receive a +2 trait bonus on all attempts to demoralize an opponent in combat using your Intimidate skill.
Fuse Style (2 styles) (Ex) At 1st level, a master of many styles can fuse two of the styles he knows into a more perfect style. The master of many styles can have two style feat stances active at once. Starting a stance provided by a style feat is still a swift action, but whe
Gloves of dueling These supple gloves grant the wearer a +4 bonus to her CMD against disarm attacks, attempts to sunder her wielded weapons, and effects that cause her to lose her grip on her weapons (such as grease). The wearer doesn't drop held weapons when panicked or stunned. If the wearer has the weapon training class feature and is using an appropriate weapon, her weapon training bonus increases by +2.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, greater magic weapon; Cost 7,500 gp
Improved Unarmed Strike Unarmed strikes don't cause attacks of opportunity, and can be lethal.
Power Attack -3/+6 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Reliable Strike: Sword, Aldori dueling (1/day) (Ex) Reroll attack roll, critical confirmation, miss chance or damage roll for your chosen weapon
Ring of feather falling Feather fall activates if you fall more than 5 ft.
Ring of the sublime When worn, the ring of the sublime protects its wearer from fear effects as if constantly under the effects of remove fear.
Seducer's bane +5 to save vs enchantment, if save then caster believes you failed.
Shatter Confidence (Ex) Intimidate to suppress morale bonuses on target after crit, disarm, repos, sunder, or if shaken.
Stunning Fist (3/day) (DC 16) You can stun an opponent with an unarmed attack.
Stunning Fist (Stun) (Ex) At 1st level, the monk gains Stunning Fist as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the monk gains the ability to apply a new condition to the target of his Stunning Fist. This conditio
Swarmbane clasp Weapon/natural att deal full dam to swarms, and immune to the distraction ability of swarms.
Sword Scion +1 to hit and CMB with longswords and Aldori Dueling Swords.
Unarmed Strike (1d6) The Monk does lethal damage with his unarmed strikes.
Vain -2 to Cha checks for 24h after failing an opposed Cha check
Wayfinder (1 @ 0 lbs) A small magical device patterned off ancient relics of the Azlanti, a wayfinder is typically made from silver and bears gold accents. With a command word, you can use a wayfinder to shine (as the light spell). The wayfinder also acts as a nonmagical (magnetic) compass, granting you a +2 circumstance bonus on Survival checks to avoid becoming lost. All wayfinders include a small indentation designed to hold a single ioun stone. An ioun stone slotted in this manner grants you its normal benefits (as if it were orbiting your head), but frequently reveals entirely new powers due to the magic of the wayfinder itself (see Seeker of Secrets page 51).
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, light; Cost 250 gp
Weapon Guard +2: Sword, Aldori dueling (Ex) +2 CMD vs. Disarm and Sunder or other effects targeting your chosen weapon.
Weapon Training +3: Sword, Aldori dueling (Ex) +3 to hit and damage with your chosen weapon.
Oooops, ignore the comment in first post about traits needing to be tied to Kaer Maga and/or Varisia.....cut and paste error from a previous recruitment thread. Traits just need to be relevant to your characters' backstory or theme
I love the sound of this. Exactly how common would you say that guns are?
More common than anywhere else in Golarion!!! Gunslingers are definitely an allowable class in this adventure....
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Following up on the previous question, what gun availability rules will there be? Emerging or Commonplace?
Also if guns are commonplace that means exotic weapon proficiency is no longer a feat, so if I take a class that gives me that feat (like the spellslinger) do I just lose it or get it replaced with something gun related (say extra grit or something)? Another problem is mechanically a spellslinger won't be proficient with his arcane gun :(
That was more what I meant, yeah.
Is a Golembuilding Spellslinger wizard member of the Guild okay?
oohhh dotting for interest!
I have mulled it over and I think I will go with Firearms being an emerging technology... Over the course of a few days in Alkenstar you may see the occasional pistol but they will tend to be the preserve of the wealthy and privileged (or those in the employ of the wealthy).
Harakani - No problem with a Golembuilding Spellslinger wizard of the guild. However, I will be very unlikely to take duplicate classes (so if other people are also considering Spellslingers....see above your post....that may limit your chances of joining).
Galahad0430 - I haven't been through Finnan's character in detail (that'll come later) but it looks okay for now, thanks.
Spellslinger isn't integral to the concept, and Uncle Taco called it first. Do you mean no other Spellslingers, or no other Wizards?
I was looking for a Golemcrafter getting old and ill, and seeking immortality without Lichdom. He has been working on transferring his conciousness into a Soulbound Shell. This sudden 'insanity' among the constructs has forced him to put that project on hold.
Harakani - I would certainly only be looking for one Spellslinger (if anyone submits one) - I wouldn't exclude two wizards out of hand...at 12th level, taking into account archetypes and PP's, they will probably be mechanically quite different.
Dotting for interest.
Some ideas come to mind, but still thinking over them.
Perhaps an Urban Ranger with Favored enemy constructs, one who distrusts the dependence of the town on magic and automatons, think Will smith in I Robot.
This looks interesting. :)
I'm thinking a Dwarf Rogue (Survivalist)/Pathfinder Delver. Are you allowing taking a Drawback for an extra Trait (per Ultimate Campaign)?
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A couple of questions. I will probably submit a character, but haven't decided exactly what. As I think about it:
* Can Alchemist levels be used as the "Caster Level 5th" prerequisite for the "Craft Construct" feat (Bestiary p. 314)? I'm thinking in particular of a character who crafted and maintained clockwork creations. Obviously it fits the *theme* of the module; but would this character fit at all? Or has *all* the clockwork in Alkenstar gone rogue?
* Alkenstar is in the Mana Wastes. Some of the story text about it suggests that magic doesn't work very well there. Does magic work at all? What sorts of things will we have to think about if playing something like a wizard or sorcerer? Given that we're 12th level characters, unless our background has us arriving fresh to the area, we would know some of the limitations that there would be on magic in the setting....
A drawback for an extra trait is fine if people want to use that optional rule...
rknop - I am not sure whether Alchemist levels would count towards Caster Level for that feat....has anyone else seen it used like that / got an opinion? Thematically, no problem at all...and, as far as you know, not all clockwork constructs have malfunctioned.
With regards to the Mana Wastes, you would all be aware that there are pockets of Primal Magic in the wastes...there is a possibility that magic would have unexpected consequences in such areas (or may not work at all....). I won't be looking to overuse the presence of this wild Primal Magic but it will crop up every now and again....
Sounds good to me then...if you want to work something up in the theme that you have described, I look forward to reading it.
Here's michaelane's submission for a dwarven musket master/lore warden/shieldmarshal. I'll do a little more refining, but the core of the concept is here.
Dot!
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OK, I've created a character to submit for this campaign. Here is the message board alias.
The full character sheet is not in the profile there. In what format do you want the character sheet? I use a Google Spreadsheet myself to keep these things. Here is the full character sheet.
In short: Figwidget is a gnome artificer. He's a 12th level Alchemist (using the "Mindchemist" archetype from UM), but he's just as fond of creating magic items and clockwork creations as he is of creating alchemical items and potions. Among other things, he has taken "Craft Construct" as a feat. I've given him a home in Alkenstar (using the rules from Ultimate Combat to figure out a cost for it), in which he's got both an alchemical laboratory and a clockwork workshop. I also spent some of his cash on clockwork creations out of Bestiary 3, although he probably won't use those for adventuring, as they're part of his home.
@GM
Would a Tengu Sohei Monk be acceptable? I'm thinking of a classic 'mysterious stranger' ala kung fu movies, rather than westerns. The stranger who rides in out of the desert with a straw hat and odd weapons on his back who arrives just in time to aid those in need.
If so, I'll work up something. If not, I understand.
Spellslinger isn't integral to the concept, and Uncle Taco called it first. Do you mean no other Spellslingers, or no other Wizards?
I was looking for a Golemcrafter getting old and ill, and seeking immortality without Lichdom. He has been working on transferring his conciousness into a Soulbound Shell. This sudden 'insanity' among the constructs has forced him to put that project on hold.
@GM Zed: I was wanting a Shield Golem for my Golemcrafter - Should I buy it at crafting cost or purchase cost? I'm assuming you'd like to keep companion NPCs (Constructs, Undead, Familiars, Followers, etc) to 1 or 2 each?
so I don't have magical marketplace yet, but I know that they have magical prostetics. I was thinking that I wanted him to have a reason that he wasn't captain of the guard anymore, and was wondering if anyone could give me a quick rundown of the costs for prostetics and what they do? would help a great deal while I wait til payday to get a copy from my flgs.
this is Vrog's proposed character. Background is currently pending, but here is the finalized build of my character (found the info I needed in one of the threads for magical marketplace).
Dot
rknop / Fifwidget - thanks for the submission, the format is fine...I am normally okay with the standard format in the alias but your Google sheet goes beyond the call of duty, thanks!!!
mdt - no problem with your concept, go ahead and prepare something for me to review.
Harakani - I think crafting cost is fine for your Shield Golem...and, you are right, I would like to limit companion NPCs to a sensible level (definitely no more than doubling the size of the party!!!)
Vrog / Major Rand (and everyone else who has submitted) - Thanks, I will prepare a list of submissions received so far relatively soon - Nite that I won't go through the submitted sheets in any level of detail until I have selected a party (reviewing and understanding, in detail, a level 12 character is something I'd like to do 4 to 5 times....not 10+ !!!)
The man who would one day be Major Rand started his life as a simple farmer with a wife and child. A veteran of the militia, Luke did his bit and then settled down with a girl from his village. all that changed the day a ravening horde from geb broke through the defenses of Alkenstar and ravaged his village. By dint of sheer luck (some would say providence), Luke was delivering a load of turnips to the merchant whose stall he supported. On the road back to his shattered home, he was a happy man; after viewing the devestation of his wife and young child, a switch somewhere in him flipped.
The man who walked his way back to Alkenstar was driven to kill. during the trip, Luke found remnants of the pack that had attacked his village. charging into the fray, he brutally murdered all of them. when the bloodlust left him, he looked upon his good works and prompted emptied the contents of his stomach. He made a vow that he would never carry a blade again. A vow which got him into quite a bit of trouble with his superiors in the City Watch over the years. For his part, however, Luke has kept his vow.
Initially assigned to one of the worst districts of Alkenstar, Luke quickly made a name for himself as an incorruptible force for the people. Initially thrilled that they had such a stalwart defender of the city with them, his superiors quickly realized that he was quickly becoming "too" popular. It was decided that he should have a good martyr's death, one which would rally the people behind the guard. Luke was feed information that a major black market supplier was stockpiling gunpowder for some unknown purpose. Given specific orders not to go in without backup, Luke proceeded to go in without any support.
The explosion that rocked the trade district could be seen even from the Grand Duchesses palace. what no one expected was that Luke would survive the experience.
Summarily dismissed from the guard with Honors, Luke was now an unemployed man with no place to go. fortunately, he had saved a lot of his money over the years. money which he used to replace the arm he lost in the explosion. Now a man without a nation, Luke has decided to try his hand at being a nomad mercenary.
Will do, probably take me a day or two.
Another question for the GM,
Mounts are very squishy at level 12, and the Sohei is a mounted character with no special mount feature. Would you be alright with the monk taking Leadership at level 7 and taking an awakened animal or sentient mount for a cohort?
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Sent by his father to a monastery of Iori as a token of influence, it took Finnian less than a year to be completely dissatisfied with that way of life. Running off to Restov in defiance of his father, Finnian joined one of the famed academies there. Using the few techniques he acquired from the monastery, he quickly rose in standing. For a while he lived off of the wealth his mother sent to him until his father finally cut him off. Since, he has travelled to many places perfecting his techniques of swordsmanship. He is constantly fond of representing himself as the greatest swordsman in all of Golarion. Recently he has arrived in Alkenstar as he was intrigued about a place where magic could not interfere with skill, making his talents even more valuable.
1 = Female
2 = Male
Stats : 15 pt buy
str 15, dex 11, con 12, int 10, wis 14, cha 10
Ok, here is Tychi. He's not 100% complete, I need to do up a background, and transfer him to an alias obviously. But he's mostly done. I still need a ruling on the Cohort Mount.
Carran
Male Catfolk Urban Ranger/Skirmisher 10/ Fighter (Archer) 2
CN Medium Humanoid (Catfolk)
Init +5; Senses: Perception +20, Scent
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DEFENSE
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AC 26, touch 17, flat-footed 21. . (+5 Dex, +9 Armor, +2 Deflection)
HP 105 (10 +11d10+10+24)
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +6 (may reroll one failed Reflex Save)
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OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft. (Medium armor)
Melee: +3 Adamantine Greatsword +21/+16/+11 (2d6+12 19-20x2)
with Power Attack +17/+12/+7 (2d6+24 19-20 x2)
Ranged: + 2 Composite Longbow +6; +19/+14/+9(+5 Dex, +12 BAB)(115ft); (1d8+8 x3)
With Deadly Aim +15/+10/+5 (1d8+16 x3)
With Rapid Shot, Manyshot: +17/+17/+12/+7 (2d8+16/1d8+8/1d8+8/1d8+8)
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STATISTICS
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Str 22 (15+3+4), Dex 20(14+2+4), Con 14(10+4), Int 10, Wis 16(14-2+4), Cha 10(8+2)
Base Atk +12/+7/+2; CMB +18; CMD 33 (10 +6 Str +5 Dex +12 BAB)
Feats: Rapid Shot (2nd level Ranger), Manyshot (6th level Ranger), Improved Precise shot (10th level Ranger), Power Attack (-4+8)(1st level Fighter), Cleave (2nd lvl Fighter), Black Cat (1st lvl), Deadly Aim (3rd lvl), Quick Draw (5th lvl), Step Up (7th lvl), Opening Volley (9th level), Great Cleave (11th lvl).
Traits: Acrobat; +1 Acrobatics -2 when Accelerated Climb, City Defender; +1 to all critical hit confirmation rolls
Skills: Acrobatics 11 rank (+19), Climb 11 rank (+19+8Racial=27), Disable Device 10 rank (+17,+10vs traps), Knowledge (Local) 5 rank (+8), Perception 11 rank (+20), Stealth 11 rank (+21), Survival 5 ranks (+13). (AC penalty -1 incorporated)
Languages: Common, Catfolk.
Combat Gear: Mithral Breastplate +3 (9200gp), +2 Composite Longbow +6; (8.7k gp), +2 Adamantine Greatsword (21050gp)
Other Gear: Boots of the Cat (1k gp), Belt of Physical Might +4 (40k gp), Headband of Inspired Wisdom +4 (16k gp), Ring of Protection +2 (8k gp), Trapspinger’s Gloves (+5 Disarm Traps skill) (4k) (50gp left for mundane gear)
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Cat’s Luck Once per day when a catfolk makes a Reflex saving throw, he can roll the saving throw twice and take the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the saving throw is attempted.
Natural Hunter: Catfolk receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception, Stealth, and Survival checks.
Climber Catfolk hunters excel at hunting prey from trees and other high vantage points. catfolk with this racial trait possess a climb speed of 20 feet (along with the +8 racial bonus on Climb checks a climb speed affords). This racial trait replaces sprinter.
Bonus Feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Rapid Shot, Manyshot, Improved Precise Shot.
Hunter’s Tricks; 4 tricks known, 8/day : Tangling Attack, Surprise Shift, Aiding Attack, Hateful Attack.
Scent: Some catfolk favor a keen sense of smell over sensitive sight. catfolk with this racial trait gain the scent ability. This racial trait replaces the low-light vision racial trait.
Urban Ranger
At 1st level, an urban Ranger adds Disable Device and Knowledge (local) to his list of class skills and removes Handle Animal and Knowledge (nature) from his list of class skills.
Favored enemy: Construct; +4 attack and damage, Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, Survival vs constructs
? +4 vs
?+ 2
Track +5 when Tracking
Wild Empathy
Combat StyleArchery; Rapid Shot. Manyshot, Improved Precise Shot
Favored Community: Alkenstar: +4 Initiative, Knowledge (Local), Perception, Stealth and Survival.
At 3rd level, the urban Ranger forms a bond with a community. While inside the limits of this community, he gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Knowledge (local), Perception, Stealth, and Survival skill checks. An urban Ranger traveling through his favored community leaves no trail and cannot be tracked (although he may leave a trail if he so desires).
At 8th level, and every five levels thereafter, an urban Ranger may select an additional favored community. In addition, at each such interval, the skill bonus and initiative bonus in any one favored community (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by +2. For the purposes of this ability, a community is any settlement consisting of 100 or more individuals. The community may be larger than this minimum. Outlying farms, fields, and houses are not considered part of a community.
This ability replaces favored terrain.
Trapfinding: +5 Perception to find checks, +5 to Disable Device checks, can disarm magical traps.
At 3rd level, an urban Ranger can find and disable traps, as the rogue class feature of the same name.
This ability replaces endurance.
Push Through
At 7th level, an urban Ranger is never slowed by difficult terrain in his favored communities. In addition, he can move through the space occupied by local citizens as if they were allies. This does not apply to creatures intent on harming the Ranger. Areas that are enchanted or magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect him.
This ability replaces woodland stride.
Hawkeye
At 2nd level, an archer gains a +1 bonus on Perception checks, and the range increment for any bow he uses increases by 5 feet. These bonuses increase by +1 and 5 additional feet for every 4 levels beyond 2nd.
This ability replaces Bravery.
Favored Class Bonus: Ranger (+10 HP)
Here is my preliminary char GM Zed, animal companion and backstory coming later, just want to see if he checks out.
Also another question regarding my favored enemy bonuses. Any hints you can give for favored enemies beyond the constructs? Outsiders and Abberations might be handy, am I right to assume that?
favored enemy human is always a solid choice.
True, certainly while the majority in Alkenstar is Human
mdt - No problem with Leadership / Cohort Mount
Rocan - Favored enemy with Aberrations would certainly be a solid choice for the Mana Wastes!!! BTW, you have slightly thrown me with Skirmisher 10 in your character sheet!!! I assume, from the rest of your sheet, that you are Urban Ranger 10 / Fighter 2?
Skirmisher and Urban Ranger two Archetypes of the Ranger Class and compatible with each other, if you'd rather not have two archetypes I'll be an Urban Ranger.
Threw me with that a bit too. Minor nitpick but you might want to label it:
Ranger (Urban Ranger, Skirmisher) 10/Fighter (Archer) 2
Otherwise, it looks like Skirmisher is a class or prestige class.
Ok, one last set of questions then...
1) When building cohorts, Standard NPC array, or Elite NPC array? The cohort will end up with PC class levels, which usually means Elite, but wanted to confirm.
2) Same HP calculation for Cohort? Max 1st Class level, half and round on up on last for all other levels?
3) Leadership Level?
Leadership Modifiers: Several factors can affect your Leadership score, causing it to vary from the base score (character level + Cha modifier). Your reputation (from the point of view of the cohort or follower you are trying to attract) raises or lowers your Leadership score:Leader's Reputation Modifier
Great renown +2
Fairness and generosity +1
Special power +1
Failure –1
Aloofness –1
Cruelty –2
I would assume that since I write the background for both, I can affect the point of view of the cohort, and thus gain at least the Great Renown and Fairness and Generosity (Second should be easy, LG alignment). Do class features count as Special Power?