Ajaxis's page

14. Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends, the cartoon from the early 80's, had the three leads playing a D&D like game. Small but positive portrayal. It's been a long time, but I think the episode had the Black Knight in it.

My understanding is the same as the general consensus. Flury of Blows is a class ability which does not stack with the two weapon fighting feats.

Yes.

"When the spell that summoned a creature ends and the creature disappears, all the spells it has cast expire." CRB p. 210.

Yes, its a supernatural ability, not a spell, but I wouldn't allow a simple Summon Monster spell to result in increased ability scores.

Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:

Are the skymetals open content?

(I have a very vague idea for a possible Old West-ish setting involving "The Seven Cities of Skymetal...")

The skymetal rules are open content, as are their names, but their in-world flavor is not.

James, did you know that the names of the sky metals are not open content per Vic (unless he changed his mind)?

You can find his posts on this page.

(PS - Not meant as a jerkish or gotcha post, just don't want anyone to get into trouble. Really, the open content statement should have been clearer.)

LazarX wrote:

When 1918 finally drew to it's bloody close, a big chunk of the planet who were still breathing drew a collective sigh of relief, content that they had survived "The War To End All Wars".

And then let it out in a hacking Spanish Flu cough.

It was actually Dvezda Plague, which had previously destroyed the human population in Iobaria's northern reaches. The plague traveled from Golarion to Earth by way of a party of adventures using Baba Yaga's hut, who ended up in 1918 Russia.

Only the paladin was unaffected.

I'd expect a plague of epic proportions to come with the PC's, with NO saving throw in this aspect, and NO magical cures.

and of course, it would work the other way around...oh wait...I don't recall the new world plague that killed over half the world's population popping up in 1917-1922 time periods.

So the great influenza pandemic of 1918 was caused by travelers from Golarion!

Go here for details on the Great Pandemic.

My list in order from most kid friendly to least:

1. Legacy of Fire.
2. Kingmaker
3. Jade Regent
4. Second Darkness
5. Council of Thieves
6. Serpent's Skull
7. Skull & Shackles
8. Shattered Star
9. Carrion Crown
10. Curse of the Crimson Throne
11. Rise of the Runelords

Not on list as incomplete: Reign of Winter

It was a small pond from which you were fished,

My tongue is as sharp as a katana.

RE: the OP.

0. Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Ed. launched in 2000.

1. A TOZ stated, the OGL. This basic system has lasted because a single publisher can't kill it. Even if Paizo wasn't doing Pathfinder, another company, or several other companies, would have picked up the slack. (So, while I'm not a fan of where it looks like Pathfinder Online is going, I'd still buy Ryan Dancy a beer.)

1 a. If Paizo folds tomorrow, Pathfinder (or some 98% compatible evolution of it) would be printed by another company.

2. The D20 system, or as the OP put it, the mechanics. Abilities + feats (I like the M&M term advantages more) + skills + powers (class abilities and spells and equipment) equals a relatively simple system at its base, but highly variable in the specific.

2 a. The game is complicated. But a newbie playing a sword and board fighter doesn't need to know all the rules. I'm not sure if they need to know more rules than, say, chess.

3. Evolution, not replacement. (Chainmail war game ->) Original D&D -> 1st Basic / AD&D 1st -> 2rd -> 3rd -> 3.5 -> Pathfinder. I might not like every change, but I do think the game is better now than it was when I started. The biggest change since 1974, in my opinion from 2nd to 3rd, made D&D (also IMO) a much better game. I'd buy Monte Cooke a beer too.

4. Paizo. I'm not sure another company could have picked up the steering wheel as the leader. Even with the OGL for D20/D&D 3.5, having the highly supported kitchen sink of Golarion helps everyone. Also, Lisa and Vic get beers for realizing the 3PPs help Paizo far more than they hurt Paizo. Collaboration helps even in a completive environment.

Favorite: Mutants and Masterminds 3d ed.. OGL. D20. Medium complexity.

Old Favorite: old Marvel RPG ("FASERIP"). Long out of Print.

Limited to no experience in the below, so take with a large grain of salt.

Interested in:
Champions (Hero System 6th ed.). High complexity.
Icons. Low Complexity.
Savage Worlds. Lowish complexity.
Old DC RPG. (New DC Adventures = Mutants and Masterminds 3d ed.)

Not interested in: Current Marvel Heroic (Cortex system), Silver Sentinels.

My understanding is the same as Darkwolf's.

I'm in for at least the pdfs. On the fence regarding the hard cover.

Note quite random thoughts:

1. I personally like a "comic-book" level of death. It's a risk but rare for the heroes, it does occasionally happen, and resurrection is possible.

2. Some people like a more grim and gritty approach. I don't like it not because it causes character deaths, but because is s-l-o-w-s down the game. I will listen at the big doors of the castle, but I don't want to listen ("everyone makes a perception check") at the door of every water closet on the off chance there is a lich inside.

2. This hobby is based on war games. While Pathfinder isn't as grim and gritty as 1st Ed AD&D, with less save or dies as the best example, it is still a fantasy battle simulation.

3. When I GM'd D&D in junior high (my son tells me its now "middle school"), I would fudge dice. Now, I fudge attitudes and tactics more, and (very) rarely fudge dice. Role too many 20s, and its time to start the NCP monologuing.

4. "[I]f you do decide to fudge rolls for the sake of the game, it’s best done in secret, and as infrequently as possible. And only—only—if it results in more fun for everyone." GameMastery Guide, p. 33.

My 2 cp:

1. Above analysis has convinced me Snowball is overpowered.
2. However, the easiest change would be to require it to have a 1 (entire) round casting time.
3. This puts snowball in line with the Summon Monster spells, and serves to differentiate Conjuration and Evocation school spells.
4. Sleep is roughly as powerful/useful, and is a first level spell with a 1 round casting time.
5. Changing the spell to second level also works, of course, but isn’t as elegant.

As stated above, physical comeliness is a small part of what the Charisma ability score encapsulates.

There was some talk on the boards of a "Blood of the Chicken" book, which would include Tengu, Strix, and maybe one other feathered race. So its possible.

And finally I've encountered so many Schroedinger's monsters that it's become expected. "Oh, you threw up a wall and buffed up your fighter last time so hello to the group of invisible ninjas behind you! Muahahahahaa!!!!"

What a horrible DM. What's the point of having stats for Treerazor if you don't use them in situations like this.

As a machine you're like a can

Legends persist on how I won the rappin' with orange

Holy crap, that's a lot of awesome sauce!

It's retroactively assumed you've been studying for the multiclassing.

I let characters level as the players want. However, I could see "in the middle of a dungeon" requiring some limitation.

Your rappin' does nothing but confuse us,

In Rappan, we survived going down the well.

"I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your head and stick it on a pike as a warning to the next ten generations that some favors come with too high a price. I would look up at your lifeless eyes and wave like this." - Vir Cotto

Per James Jacobs, "There are no secret files" is a blatent lie.

RAW no. LivIng steel is defined as "metal" and therefor is not druid friendly. That said, I'd allow it too.

Why doesn't the Bible mention Justin Bieber? We could have avoided some horrible music if it had.

Sure it does. In Revelations 14:10-11. It describes listening to the Beib perfectly.

[10] The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
[11] And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

I said they should be named differently when Paths of Preatige came out. Having an archetype and a prestige class with the same name is just really confusing.

I have no problem with a specific archetype leading to a specific prestige class, but they need different names. Archetypes for different classes can be named the same, Ranger (scout) vs Rogue (scout) works. Witch (unstated but required Winter Witch) / Winter Witch does not. I would have preferred White Witch (which fits as they are the "upperclass" witches, IIRC) or Irrisen witch.

After reading Irrisen, Land of Eternal Winter, I've gone from thinking it's clunky, to thinking that it's outright confusing.

My 2 cp.

Don't forget a few of your summon monster spell-likes include monsters with the ability to heal.

Here's a feat from Faiths of Purity, common to the faith of Erastil.

Bullseye Shot (Combat)
You slow your breath, calm yourself, and hit the bullseye, just as you were trained to.
Prerequisites: Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, base attack bonus +5.
Benefit: You can spend a move action to steady your shot. When you do, you gain a +4 bonus on the next ranged attack roll you make before the end of your turn.

1. A Paladin of Erastil may go adventuring because:
- He wants to send money to his home village.
- His village is protected/well cared for already, and he striking out to find his own community.
- His village is destroyed and he is seeking vengeance, or he has achieved vengeance and now he wants to strike at evil at its heart.
- He's young, and slightly restless, and wants to explore the world a little before settling down.
- Erastil said in a dream, "Get off your lazy butt and start working on this problem before everyone is hurt by your inaction." Or by omens. Or by a band of 13 dwarves and their wizard friend.
- The cleric of Erastil told him he would be a better protector with a little real world experience.
- He has a true calling to Erastil, but was born where the worship of Erastil is difficult, such as Egorian (the capital of a large devil worshiping country).
- There is something his village needs, information, and new disease resistant crop type, a cure for the wasting disease, to recover the founding stone of initiation, ect.
- He fell in love with the ancient mayor's young wife, and leaving the village is a lesser crime against his vows.

2. A core Paladin my take a level dip into Ranger because:
- RP requires a favored enemy.
- Expanded skill list. Bonus feats.
- Adds additional Ranger spells to your spell list. Even if you don't reach Ranger spell casting levels, wands which cast Ranger spells will be helpful.
- You want to be like your favorite Paladin/Ranger from fiction: Lone Ranger, Aragorn, (some depictions of) Robin Hood, Hiawatha.

3. Options a Paladin with a smattering of Ranger may think about (non-core, obvious):
- What race are you? Straight up human. A bow and two-weapon wielding Halfling on a war dog is a legitimate choice for a dexterity based paladin.
- Word of Healing (UC) to Lay on Hands at a distance as you seem to want archery.
- Boon Companion (seeker of secrets), +4 to effective druid level for animal companions up to you level. Assuming you get an animal companion, will eliminate some the multiclassing penalty.

The pdf comes with the map package since Jade Regent.

And, in general, I like the fiction. Perhaps it's psychological, but having the fiction reminds me of sitting down reading Dragon magazine in the public library on my way home from school, which had both the articles (some with crunch), AND the fiction.

FYI,

Thank you for this. If I were you I would be tempted to hole-up in my portable game room instead of staring at computers in my time off.

-- Ajaxis

Porno for Pyros, like the '90s alternative band.

And there is (IMO) a difference between summoned creatures (one step up from illusions) and actually called creatures. YMMV depending on how summoned creatures are handled at your table.

Random thoughts:

1. Spell component pouches (as stated above) are sunderable/stealable/ect.
2. Components act, in essence, like a second somatic component, so you can't use component spells while grappled (unless in hand), or with some polymorph effects.
3. Best use of components I've seen in fiction is the "trick bag" used by the cobblestone druid Luma in the Pathfinder novel Blood of the City.
4. If you're a stickler for PC spell components, you need to be a stickler for NCP spell components. (Also goes for other equipment, such as arrows.)
5. I want to play Pathfinder. I don't want to play live spider tracker, or guano tracker.
6. I've seen lots of table variation over the years re tracking components. I don't mind the current rule: get a pouch, then track only those requiring a gold cost.

RE the OP.

I agree with the above. LN Human Inquisitor. I like the Sleepless Detective prestige class, but skinned for Galt instead of Ustalav.

1. Leadership is very powerful, depending on what you allow with it. Disallowing leadership is a common house rule (perhaps second only to ignoring the difference between arcane and divine scrolls).

2. Depending on what/how you allow it giving it out for free may or may not be appropriate.

3. For example, among the AP's, Kingmaker and Skull & Shackles were cases were you could justify giving Leadership for free to all the PCs.

You can always buy a war pony/riding dog/?? at level two when you have the money. At level five you can get/skin your mount into a paladin mount at that point. People do ride mounts who don't have specific mount class abilities.

You're going to be investing in the ride skill anyway, so might as well use a non-class mount until you get a class mount.

MMCJawa wrote:

Senor Jacobs,

...

3. Ever watch Lost Girl? Although the show has a painfully low budget which limits what it can do with creatures effects, I am impressed with all the obscure creatures from mythology (and sometmes DnD) that show up on it. Baba Yaga, liches (with phylacteries!), and even the Slenderman have all showed up so far, amongst even more obscure stuff like Cherufe, Batibat, Lightning Birds, etc.

3) I watched the first episode and it didn't really hook me. I've got the show tagged on Netflix and some day will give it more of a chance—succubui are super awesome, after all, but I have a feeling the show suffers by not being on a network like AMC or F/X or HBO where they can afford to get sexier and riskier. And would have more money for things like effects and writing. The idea that there's a lot more interesting mythological...

I just happened to start watching these -- not quite done with season one. Best RPGish line so far was the bartender saying something to the effect of "It's a double barrel shot gun, silver AND iron." How's that for when you're not sure what DR to prepare for? Series does get better; not great so far, but watchable.

Yeah, one problem with Pathfinder materials is they often use "atheist" when they mean non-worshipping. Rahadoum is described as having an "atheist nature" when the natives (Rahadoumi?) believe there are spell granting mysical entities, but it's not worth worshipping them.

Eric,

Thank you so much. Until your thread I had no idea if I was DQ'd or not. At least now I know I wasn't DQ'd or culled.

I saw it more like a shield (which is enhanced as a weapon and a shield separately) than a double weapon (I wouldn't allow TWF with a sling staff). So the ranged and the melee weapon are two different uses of the same item just as shield for AC and shield for shield bash are.

But I can see that this may not be consensus.

Which is reasonable, and a DM could go either way.

Though there is a feat tree which lets you use your shield enchantment bonus also as your weapon bonus, and later get your shield bonus while attacking. The halfling sling staff is no where near that optimal of a choice.

There's a feat in Halflings of Golarion, Juggle Load after Ammo Drop, but it applies to slings and double slings, I don't see halfling sling staffs mentioned.

NCPCodex, p. 84, lists a halfling sling staff as +1 while double weapons are +1/+1 in the book (upon a very quick review). Also halfling sling staves are not double weapons. That being said, I wouldn't argue with a ruling they are treated as double weapons for enchantment cost purposes (which makes since). It's a corner case. From a game design standpoint, a double weapon is more powerful than a weapon which can be used in two ways, but not at the same time, especially if you only get one shot a round baring alternative racial traits. A returning sweapon costs only only a +1 bonus, for example.

* you're playing Exalted.

You expect the D&D group to worship your Exalted character, who grants spells.

You pull out your Exalted character during a D&D game and state its an avatar of your god.

Depends on what you want to emphasize. One way would be:

Fighter (Unbreakable - UC) / Inquisitor (with the law or fire domain).

Re the OP.

You can argue that a magus is better than an Eldritch Knight. Persoanlly I like the Eldritch Knight if your going to higher level, higher level spells vs dual spell and weapon use. At low levels and mid levels, a magus is usually more gish.

Smite and true strike are devastating. You can use wands of cure light wounds out of the gate. Archery (divine hunter) builds work great with the lighter armor.

Re role playing, Irori is the god of self-perfection and knowledge, which should provide a good basis for all your classes.

According to faiths of balance Irori doesn't have Paladins (it says something along the lines of "Abadar is the only god [in this book] that has paladin followers") which is a bit surprising to me but I guess that role in this church is mostly covered by monks

Wow, fantastic memory, but not quite what it says.

"Of all the gods of balance, only one supports and promotes a holy order of paladins: Abadar." Faiths of Balance, p. 27. Lack of a promoted and supported holy order of paladins is different from no paladins.

Gods and Magic, Faiths of Balance, and the Irori article in AP 53 all fail to mention paladins of Irori (whether they exist or not). They state there are many paths to enlightenment. Bards and barbarians are given as examples of classes unlikely to be Irori worshippers.

The original Campaign Setting (p. 47) and Paths of Prestige (pp. 16-17) both specifically state there are paladins of Irori.

Why, what's wrong with the monk?

(Kidding, kidding.)

Math challenges our various states of denial, Ajaxis, and you know how sensitive we are about those.

LOL. Sorry, I know a lot of people have a lot more riding on this than I do.

Still there is reason to hope.

Odds looking better. Hopefully it will make it. (I won't state the math as apparently math offends one or two people.)