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I've added sample cards. The card list is yet to come...So, do the AP themed card decks have ALL of the magic items that enemy NPCs have in those adventures (minus a few potions and scrolls?)
Oh my no. An Adventure Path covers dozens, if not hundreds of encounters. Many of which give out multiple items as treasure or NPC gear. Since each item card deck is limited to 52 items, we just pick and choose a mix of actual items that will appear in the Adventure Path and mix those up with some that don't but are still "on theme" for that Adventure Path.
Oh my no. An Adventure Path covers dozens, if not hundreds of encounters. Many of which give out multiple items as treasure or NPC gear. Since each item card deck is limited to 52 items, we just pick and choose a mix of actual items that will appear in the Adventure Path and mix those up with some that don't but are still "on theme" for that Adventure Path.
Like the "Bottle City" in the Legacy of Fire deck. A nice nod to Sandman ("Ramadan") but I don't think I'm going to be handing that one out to my PCs.
Oh my no. An Adventure Path covers dozens, if not hundreds of encounters. Many of which give out multiple items as treasure or NPC gear. Since each item card deck is limited to 52 items, we just pick and choose a mix of actual items that will appear in the Adventure Path and mix those up with some that don't but are still "on theme" for that Adventure Path.Like the "Bottle City" in the Legacy of Fire deck. A nice nod to Sandman ("Ramadan") but I don't think I'm going to be handing that one out to my PCs.
It's as much a nod to Robert Kuntz's classic adventure as well. But yeah; great example of the type of thing that is "on theme" but not in the Adventure Path.
What are the two holy symbols in this deck?
I know their names are just "holy symbol" but knowing which gods they are for would be nice, I think.
Ultimately doesn't matter, I'm buying the deck either way. But just seems like might be nice to have listed.
We don't list them because these cards are intended to be usable for setting other than our own, and the second you add setting-specific proper names, you start driving some people away.
But if you're using our campaign setting, they'll work nicely for Gorum and Erastil.
Oh my no. An Adventure Path covers dozens, if not hundreds of encounters. Many of which give out multiple items as treasure or NPC gear. Since each item card deck is limited to 52 items, we just pick and choose a mix of actual items that will appear in the Adventure Path and mix those up with some that don't but are still "on theme" for that Adventure Path.So, do the AP themed card decks have ALL of the magic items that enemy NPCs have in those adventures (minus a few potions and scrolls?)
But you'll post a list of where these cards could be mapped to, right? Ala this?
Is there a particular reason the card quality has gone down so much for this, and the Vilians facecard deck? I just got my set, and when I compare it to some of the previous ones, the new cards have rough backs, and are strangely cut - the cards have a "lip" around the edge, where they curve back where cut.
If this is the new standard for these cards, I'm likely to cancel my subscription.
Yeah, we noticed this too and have made changes starting with the Plot Twist cards. They should be back to what they were before from here on out. The interesting thing is that everything was speced exactly like the previous card sets, but they switched to a new printer whose specs were off. So we asked them to switch back to the old printer.
-Lisa
Is there a particular reason the card quality has gone down so much for this, and the Enemies facecard deck? I just got my set, and when I compare it to some of the previous ones, the new cards have rough backs, and are strangely cut - the cards have a "lip" around the edge, where they curve back where cut.
Greatfrito - did you compare Kingmaker and the Enemies deck? I found them to be completely different (Kingmaker much better quality, particularly the edges).
Greatfrito - did you compare Kingmaker and the Enemies deck? I found them to be completely different (Kingmaker much better quality, particularly the edges).Which is very weird, since they were supposedly done by the same printer with the same print specs. :/
-Lisa
I don't know the print business at all, but it could be either a dull cutting blade or cutting too many sheets at one time. If that is the case, the problem could have arisen in the middle of the Kingmaker run.
What are the two holy symbols in this deck?
I know their names are just "holy symbol" but knowing which gods they are for would be nice, I think.
Ultimately doesn't matter, I'm buying the deck either way. But just seems like might be nice to have listed.
We don't list them because these cards are intended to be usable for setting other than our own, and the second you add setting-specific proper names, you start driving some people away.
But if you're using our campaign setting, they'll work nicely for Gorum and Erastil.
While the cards are attractive, they seem to lack a lot of practical use to me. If you're going to limit the number of cards (as you have to) it would have been better if every card mapped to a unique magic item in the campaign and then the spares fill up the gaps.
As it is, I found that this deck lacks nearly every plot focused magic item in the first book barring the Stag Lord's helm - and even then the description doesn't fully match.
What about the significant and specifically detailed ring from the Barbarian's Cairn in the first adventure - with the eel and frog motif? This kind of stuff is why I bought these cards and there wasn't anything that remotely matched that description.
All in all, this deck seems more likely to confuse players rather than help them. I would have also preferred a card that lists the suggested pairings. Otherwise, why call it the Kingmaker deck.
This is first item deck I've ever bought, and I was sufficiently underwhelmed that I'm not likely to buy any more. It just seemed a random assortment of items that had no direct link to the campaign.
I bought it in the hopes that it would help my management of items easier. However with only 54 items and very few matching actual items in the campaign - it was, IMHO, a waste of money.
Players, unless they cheat and read and memorize the modules before you run them, do not know what an item looks like until you describe it to them. So anyone can do what I do, find a card that looks cool enough to be the item, and then give it the name and powers description of that item and use the card you decided upon.
Now if you have only 1 or two decks, there may be a problem, but when you have most or all of the decks finding something good enough is pretty easy.
Players, unless they cheat and read and memorize the modules before you run them, do not know what an item looks like until you describe it to them. So anyone can do what I do, find a card that looks cool enough to be the item, and then give it the name and powers description of that item and use the card you decided upon.
Now if you have only 1 or two decks, there may be a problem, but when you have most or all of the decks finding something good enough is pretty easy.
When the game provides a number of iconic items - some of which have quite specific descriptions - then I disagree. Paizo produces both products, if they are going to call the deck "the Kingmaker Item deck" then it is only reasonable to expect the deck to contain said unique items.
Looking through the deck, a lot of the items don't even casually match what is described in the books. For all there is, it could have just been any random mix of 54 items. Nothing about the deck convinces me that it is "carefully chosen" nor does it suit the game.
If I have to change the tone and description of the items from the game to match the cards - then I see that as a failure on Paizo's part at producing what they have advertised. This wasn't advertised as "generic item cards" it was specifically advertised as "Kingmaker Item Cards."
On that count, it is a failure IMHO. Pretty pictures is not sufficient. I could have handled if it wasn't a perfect match for every item - but when we're talking about very specific descriptions provided - I would have expected items to match those descriptions.
I don't think I'm being unreasonable here.
I suspect the art orders for the cards go out before the adventure is submitted in it's complete form..that being the case you might have to wait 3 to 6 months for the cards once the requirements were known by which time many groups would have played the whole AP and the cards would be irrelevant anyway.
As they stated up thread, they do not do "Iconic" paizo Pathfinder specific items because it will hurt their sales.
So they keep as "campaign neutral" as possible to maintain as wide an appeal as possible for good sales.
So, yes, your being unreasonable to keep demanding "Iconic Items", they have already stated why they aren't done, so its time to "adapt and over come".
Maybe one day they will try out an "Iconic Pathfinder magic item deck", to see what kind of sales they get.
Personally I would buy it, because nothing is ever "tied to just one setting" in my mind, I use anything I want to use in whatever setting I want to use it in, so I definitely never understood the complaints from people about "campaign specific items" being unusable. We are gamers, we can use our imaginations to make anything work.
We are gamers, we can use our imaginations to make anything work.
Yes, but that would be work. ;P
I borrow shamelessly from all sorts of campaigns/settings/etc. I don't know that I have ever played a campaign that was fully canon.
On topic: I like this product, and think I'll have to check if I remembered to put it on my wishlist.
I am totally in love with all of the Gamemastery Item Cards. Granted, I was a bit disappointed with the fact that only one three of the kingmaker cards had the image described (the bag of dust from the kobold lair, and the Bandit Lord's helmet and the Cyclopean lich's skull), but through the other card sets, I found a ring that matches the one found in the barbarian cairn well enough to go with.
Use your imagination, folks. True, I would have loved to have the kilted armor kit that the Bandit Lord has, because that's just a piece of sexiness, but one does what one can. Overall, I am extremely happy with my purchases and will continue to garner all the cards I can...it's like crack for OCD gamers.
I am totally in love with all of the Gamemastery Item Cards. Granted, I was a bit disappointed with the fact that only one three of the kingmaker cards had the image described (the bag of dust from the kobold lair, and the Bandit Lord's helmet and the Cyclopean lich's skull), but through the other card sets, I found a ring that matches the one found in the barbarian cairn well enough to go with.
Use your imagination, folks. True, I would have loved to have the kilted armor kit that the Bandit Lord has, because that's just a piece of sexiness, but one does what one can. Overall, I am extremely happy with my purchases and will continue to garner all the cards I can...it's like crack for OCD gamers.
Going forward, you'll be seeing more items from the APs in each corresponding deck. (We haven't been able to do as much of that as we wanted before now, due largely to scheduling issues.)
In future, you'll be seeing more items from the APs in each corresponding deck. (We haven't been able to do as much of that as we wanted before now, due largely to scheduling issues.)I am totally in love with all of the Gamemastery Item Cards. Granted, I was a bit disappointed with the fact that only one three of the kingmaker cards had the image described (the bag of dust from the kobold lair, and the Bandit Lord's helmet and the Cyclopean lich's skull), but through the other card sets, I found a ring that matches the one found in the barbarian cairn well enough to go with.
Use your imagination, folks. True, I would have loved to have the kilted armor kit that the Bandit Lord has, because that's just a piece of sexiness, but one does what one can. Overall, I am extremely happy with my purchases and will continue to garner all the cards I can...it's like crack for OCD gamers.
/pedant
+1
-1
I'm just about to start running and am also dissapointed in the items in the deck. Sure I can get some use of them but it is supposed to be tied to that AP and I know my players are going to snatch up Nettle's raseur, but no card there. (Ok, maybe that's a little picky, but saws and ladders?)
Cheers
Mark
Going forward, you'll be seeing more items from the APs in each corresponding deck. (We haven't been able to do as much of that as we wanted before now, due largely to scheduling issues.)
One of the reasons I stopped buying them, they're too random. Either cover everything in the AP or don't bother.
I agree with ConanM. Everything else that Paizo produces, which uses the Adventure Path name, directly ties into the Adventure Path. I'd feel cheated if I bought a set of "Kingmaker maps" to find out that they were generic forests and rivers, while actual battle sites from the AP went unmapped. This is a similar situation.
(I don't mind generic maps, or card sets. But I object to the mis-affiliation to the AP.)
Of course we can all use our imaginations, and ret-con Paizo products so that they match. But that should be the editors' job. But if a card illustrates a particular ring or sceptre in the AP, then the description in the Adventure Path text should be changed to agree with the illustration.
But if a card illustrates a particular ring or sceptre in the AP, then the description in the Adventure Path text should be changed to agree with the illustration.
We've had challenges coordinating them up until now, and as a result, some sets have tied in better than others. But starting with Carrion Crown, we've got a new clever plan to solve that...
...we've got a new clever plan to solve that...
It was a puny plan!
Just walk away. Give me your item cards, the maps, and the whole action path, and I'll spare your lives. Just walk away and we'll give you a safe passageway in the wastelands. Just walk away and there will be an end to the horror of Carrion Crown.
But if a card illustrates a particular ring or sceptre in the AP, then the description in the Adventure Path text should be changed to agree with the illustration.We've had challenges coordinating them up until now, and as a result, some sets have tied in better than others. But starting with Carrion Crown, we've got a new clever plan to solve that...
Err... did I say Carrion Crown? Sorry. I meant Jade Regent.
I think Erik will be along later to explain the plan.