Alex Draconis's page

I can't stress enough how much unadulterated fun that table was. From turret Gnomes to Wet Noodle battles, from twine to whine, from fallen clerics to falling foes, from 7:00 PM to 2:00 AM, it was amazing. Thank you all for an excellent evening!

Hmm interesting you where right behind me while we where doing Cyphermage and I didn't even know. I'd have said hi. }: )

Lawful Neutral. Next question?

I can't remember the last time I had so little sleep for so long.
Great time at Kubla as usual. Thanks for running those 20+ hours Rob. Totally got that crit I called before the con.

Nice seeing old friends and making new ones.
See now everyone knows my avatar looks like me. }; P

Less than 24 hours.
Staying at the hotel this year so I can observe the drunken after hours crazyness. ; )

Alex Draconis wrote:

Uh I'm with Brock on this Pain.

First of all who appoints your Triad? You? Because I sure as hell don't support your choice(s).

*left wondering if I should be offended by this* :)

No, not at all. I uh saved you from bureaucracy. Think of the paperwork alone. Nobody should be subjected to that kind of torture, save perhaps Joseph Caubo. *makes bluff check while grinning toothily*

Painlord wrote:

I'd take the 10% on these boards and be happy with it.

-Pain

Because it is clear that the 10% here don't have a unilateral agreement on most things (1st level retraining aside).

We are the 10%? Sorry couldn't resist.

On that note, see you next Friday. ; P

Uh I'm with Brock on this Pain.
First of all who appoints your Triad? You? Because I sure as hell don't support your choice(s).

Hooray is this a "The rules board is a wretched hive of scum and villany" thread?

rules board= place where people go to be "right" and argue until they've beaten a dead horse into a few hundred posts.

PFS board= place where people go to get insight into how to build and play their PFS characters, DM, and get on with their lives without the pedantic BS.

Darn. That I missed that bit. That totally kills the fluff and feeling that I wanted.

Of course it does.

Wow look at that, this instance coming up again. Who would have thought?

I ban all dice at my table. We resolve actions with sock puppets and a pop-o-matic. No cheating that way! And you can hear the die results shouted from the other side of the room.

Linky

Jiggy wrote:

Also, what creature name are you called by? I'd like to look you up and see all your statistical glory.

The creature that looks similar to me was an efreeti great ghul sorcerer.

Then he beheaded it and stole its juicy powers as there can be only one.

I'm sorely tempted to see what the Baird fuss is all about.
I haven't even been moderately challenged since Pain turned Lady Nocturne into a pony and Dismissed her in midair. He was cranky that day. }; P

Alex Draconis wrote:

He's avoiding the injured while casting concentration check by provoking before starting the spell. It's a dangerous tactic to say the least.

Alex, I did that exact same maneuver with my gnome oracle of battle in one of the games you ran.

Indeed, Everwar 3 or 4 as I recall. I remember wishing I had a bite/grabber. Which is exactly what Kita my new character is.

I made her specifically to lock down foes so the rest of the party can pummel on them. Mages are her favorite snack.

Society foes are usually less specialized so you can get away with those kind of shenanigans. That's kinda why I wish they'd open up more usable material for scenario writers.

I suppose if you really want pain, you can free action drop to the ground, then move action to stand up, also provoking. It's painfully silly to do, but also works.

Or you can move away to provoke then move back, then cast.

Lots of ways to do it.

he heh heh heh huh heh...i said 'do it'...heh huh heh heh heh

-Pain

Nah they'd get the prone bonus that way.

Still it is sly so I approve.

He's avoiding the injured while casting concentration check by provoking before starting the spell. It's a dangerous tactic to say the least.

Int 7, Chr 7? Seriously?
The PFS GMs I know will not let you forget nor ignore stat dumps.

151. Bacon can fix anything.

I thought that was duct tape.

150. Trust No One

Ah Eclipse Phase, extremely good setting and fluff writing. It's dense, well written and thought out. Written by people who do their research or specialists in their fields. It's certainly an advanced game aimed at older adults probably with a degree or two. Engineers, computer people, and biologists (yours truly) seem to be drawn to it like flies to honey.

Running a game however is a total pain in the tail as a GM. You can't die per se, surveillance is omnipresent, and money is effectively worthless (most of the system is a reputation economy).
How do you motivate players? How do you threaten them? I mean as a player you can always just "abort" a scenario and farcast your ego out only losing the cost of a body. If it's an ego fork doing the mission you care even less.

Daunting as James puts it. It's a well crafted, well thought out, niche product of beauty. Will it ever replace Traveller for instance? Not a chance.

In other words it's the greatest game of which I have all the hardcover books that I'll probably never get to play. Transhuman Space for GURPS was the same way.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely, but know you're jumping in the deep end of sci-fi.

*rolls eyes* zombie aroden }: P

*sigh*

I pity the players that have to put with GMs who don't see the big picture, who need to put classes/roles on players rather than prioritizing character and flavor and working with the players.

*shudder*

I really hope that doesn't happen...but I'm sure it does.

You know for a fact it does happen.

Alex Draconis wrote:

Painlord wrote:

I think some BBEG is going to have a new set of eido-alligator skin boots.

-Pain

Crocodile! (obligatory diagram for Pain) BBEG

Are you sure that's a crocodile? It's hard to be certain, because the hand obscures the most obvious differentiating feature, but that looks more like an alligator to me

(If you can hear the clock ticking, though, it's definitely a crocodile)

Oh I'm very sure. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-448152/The-man-lent-hand-crocodile. html

The Future of Lord Sobek?

The future of Alyssia?

Not quite. That's like the opposite.

Hey Rob I haven't had the chance to execute a x4 crit in ages, a year to be exact.
I'll be happy to show your little monsters what one of those looks like. }: P

Pirate Rob wrote:

Will Johnson wrote:

The plan is still to bribe Kubla and use the horde of kids to round up players, right?

Actually the plan is to press gang you and your fellow players into service after I slaughter your characters in Eyes of the Ten and free up your schedule.

Yeah, I'm not even going to bother to prep Part IV. I mean, why waste the time if you're just going to die on the way there?

Yeah, we'll see what happens.

But I think some BBEG is going to have a new set of eido-alligator skin boots.

-Pain

Crocodile! (obligatory diagram for Pain) BBEG

I just assumed Pain put that table together just to keep us out of harm's way for half the con. ;-)

You mean to keep everyone else out of harms way.

The great, benevolent, and hungry god Sobek says hi!

BTW Rob I've had the entire eyes of the ten arc printed out in color for the past year. You don't need to print hardcopies.

Come adventure in the grand daddy of rpg settings, Tolkien's middle-earth.

I'm running a One Ring game Sundays 12:30 to 8pm at my house in Newark,CA and could use a couple more players. Picking people up from BART isn't a problem. We'll probably start the weekend after KublaCon, early June.

We're late 20's, normally favoring a 50/50 combat roleplay style, but since The One Ring is fairly rules light and the setting is well developed I think it'll be about 75% roleplay in this case.

Email me at DraconisCA at yahoo.com and I can answer any questions you might have.

Thieves. Oh wait no, that's real life. }: P

Advice? I would say remember it's not just about you. Your character, your role. I try and engage other players even when I'm not DM to give them the chance to roleplay.

This meshes with Roleplaying Mastery btw in rule #5. Make sure everybody (including yourself) is having fun.

I've been dissecting in my mind the past year the best Society table I've been at. Painlord was there by the way. I think what raised it to great from mediocre was the knowledge of each characters role/concept/outlook/quirks then engaging each other based on that knowledge. It was reciprocal altruism at it's finest. It was synergistic.

In short, we brought out the "best" in each other and that's what took it off the scale.

I'm looking forward to trying to capture that experience again next month. }; )

Anyway, you should recognize the effort that people put into their characters and utilize it. Playing with a cleric? Ask them about their religious beliefs. Playing with a character that is sage like in their knowledges? Ask them an esoteric question.
I've let a dwarf fighter guard me because that was his nature. I've let a scrawny wizard use my nightmare as a bargaining tool. I've discussed hacking and drinking with barbarians because that's what they enjoy.

Essentially figure out and give them what they want.

On the other hand, Ultimate Magic FAQ was just released. So I'm sure all of the questions have been answered and no more issues with the summoner ever again.

I see what you did there. ;)

Hi Akaitachi

I play Anima every Sunday. It's been an interesting experience.
There are pretty much no pdfs out there. FF doesn't even make them I guess to discourage piracy.

It's subsystems on subsystems. It's honestly the most complex rpg I've played in over twenty years. Combats take forever but they are amusing and deadly.
There's a new book coming out next month, Arcana Exxet. Should be interesting, new spells and probably yet more rules.

If it isn't translucent then how do I see out? :p

"HELP ITS DARK IN HERE!"

Funny Shifty, funny. "(you)..percieve through the eidolon's senses.."

Seriously though did I trip and fall into the rules forum while I wasn't looking or is it bleeding through like radiation?

Focus, people, focus. We're shooting for compromise here not one upmanship.

I just have a problem with people viewing this as "fluff that has an unintended mechanical consequence." I would never have come up with that interpretation, as it seems completely obvious to me that the mechanical distinction *is* intentional, that the goal of the phrase is to eliminate the idea that the eidolon can be used to disguise the synthesist as anything he wants, and that it's not actually fluff at all.

It's one thing to argue that that it could be developed in a way that allows for more flexibility (like Kerney's conjoined twin idea) while still preventing the eidolon from being a "disguise myself as any monster" kit, but trying to argue that it's only a mechanical element by accident is actually pretty insulting in my view. Our writers—and Jason more than many—understand how to write description that doesn't include unintended mechanical elements.

Bravo, see there's a reasonable point of view. Although probably could have been brought up months ago in the other thread addressing this same issue. See we don't all hide under your desk. But that's neither here nor there, I can roll with that premise.

Now that being said let's elucidate the points. You guys are concerned that it can be used as some kind of disguise. Cute notion as it's an outlandish possibility and there's a hell of a lot easier ways to get magic disguises than take an entire class but ok ok that's good let's go with that. No judgements.

We, hi, ya me and others. You know the guys who are your ardent supporters, have all your products, have a very very low 4 digit (18XX) Society number been there from day one, well we want to play what we want. I don't want a cheap monster disguise I want to play.... brace yourself for this...a horse. Ok ya a flaming, flying, scary as hell horse but you get the idea. This class allows me to do that. Well except for the 2 hours a day they have to sleep but let's not go there at the moment.

You basically said you're in a cheap transparent monster suit. Hmmm that sort of makes things difficult for oh I don't know the people who want to be angels or at least look like it.

See now here's the deal. I don't see why the two points are mutually exclusive. There is cake and we can eat it. Simply add a bit more where you're satisfied that it can't be used as a disguise but not transparent and leave it open to interpretation. The interpretations I outlined in yon earlier thread. Actually I thought that what the whole sigil thing was for but I guess not.

See then the mechanically inclined and us fluffy types can get along once more and be one big uh happy..anatagonistic family again.

Oh and nobody is knocking Jason(nice guy, I will say hi at Kubla next month) or anyone else. In this case it falls under the rarer unintended nonmechanical element.

When you sign up for PFS you agree not to buck against rules rather you understand them or not. And Vic's not likely the person who wrote Synthesist (correct me if I'm wrong) he's just pointing out that the rules are the rules.

I know who wrote the synthesist. I asked Jason Bulmahn at KublaCon 2011. I wanted him to thank them personally for writing my favorite class, scratch that my formerly favorite class, the one class where you get to customize your appearance to match your concept.

Seriously.
Wow you know this just made up my mind. I'm being honest here I was thinking about going to PaizoCon this year because PainLord always seems to have a good time. But ya no way, I had a feeling this would come up, I'm not going to get into rules err fluff arguments over a game.
Not even kidding.

Alex Draconis wrote:

Vic Wertz wrote:

Whether you think it's "fluff" or not, it is what it is. Fireballs begin as glowing, pea-sized beads, and detonate with a low roar. Fused eidolons are translucent. Just because those things are descriptive doesn't mean you get to change them at your whim.

And what do Magic Missiles look like Vic? Oh that's right they can look like whatever you want. Blue, green, mauve, balls, arrows, glowing mugs of ale. It doesn't modify the spellcraft (mechanical) check to identify but they can look however you like.

The difference there is those interpretations don't actually contradict with what's written in the rulebook, so long as they still fit the description of "missiles of magical energy." Saying the synthesist's eidolon is *not* translucent *does* actually contradict what's written in the rulebook, and in PFS play, you don't get to make that call.

Perhaps what's written in the rulebook should be changed then to be inclusive of what people want to play rather than exclusionary.

Incorporating people's ideas rather than telling us what we have to make and look like. Because really how long until your view of society, you telling us how it IS can no longer can incorporate my concepts and I can no longer participate?

When did this authoritarian streak start?

Whether you think it's "fluff" or not, it is what it is. Fireballs begin as glowing, pea-sized beads, and detonate with a low roar. Fused eidolons are translucent. Just because those things are descriptive doesn't mean you get to change them at your whim.

And what do Magic Missiles look like Vic? Oh that's right they can look like whatever you want. Blue, green, mauve, balls, arrows, glowing mugs of ale. It doesn't modify the spellcraft (mechanical) check to identify but they can look however you like.

Vic Wertz wrote:

Kerney wrote:

Defining it as only translucent was a mistake.

Because... you don't like it?

I think the answer is more likely "Because it shuts down a ton of character concepts."

Correct. I've previously outlined the various concepts you can make using it.

The translucent bit limits options, it doesn't create them.

I knew this would come up, I brought it up before.

It's fluff, it has no mechanical game effect.
I ignore the translucent bit and I will continue to do so. I suggest everyone else do the same.

Yes, I'll second what Pain said. Society is a great way to set up a home game. I've gotten a couple players out of it for my Sunday group.

If you drop by Monday nights at Endgame Oakland say hi. }: )

Aww that sounds like a good time, but there's no way I can get into the city on a weeknight.

I personally think if anything, PFS needs to be made a bit easier than regular Pathfinder, just because it is supposed to be the draw to get folks to play.

Ugh, the day they slow pitch it for the noobs is the day I stop playing society. Seriously some of us want a challenge, with I don't know say life or death consequences.

If anything it should be harder. Oh that's right it is getting harder as they're assuming tables of six now. So if I play a table of four it should be just about right.

Adventuring is dangerous. Who would have thought?

Alex Draconis wrote:

ShadowcatX wrote:

I want people to not use thread necromancy on threads that are 2 years old.

It's like finding a half eaten two year old jar of pickles at the back of your fridge. I guess some people can't resist seeing what it tastes like.

I'd be afraid if I found one. My fridge is empty currently. Anything that would appear there now would be surely alien invader/demon/time traveler/spy/rogue AI drone/whatever trying to masquarade as innocent object.

Empty empty? I mean I don't know anyone's fridge that truly has nothing in it. Usually stuff hides in the shelves and drawers. DC 20 stealth check and all.

Try fire. I hear that works.

I want people to not use thread necromancy on threads that are 2 years old.

It's like finding a half eaten two year old jar of pickles at the back of your fridge. I guess some people can't resist seeing what it tastes like.

Gunvaldr Gislasson wrote:

That is my favorite Cheliax faction mission, ever.

My favorite Chelaxian Faction mission is in Eyes of Ten, part 1.

Awww I'm playing Osirion for that instead of my usual Cheliax. Oh well I'll look at it after playing it and see if I agree.

Saga all the way. I've played and have every version of SW.

Earlier editions had trouble balancing Jedi. Now it's not the obvious choice and you don't have entire ships full of Jedi zipping around during the rebellion which I always found ridiculous. }: P

It's funny btw since I loathe 4E D&D. Saga strikes a nice balance where choices are meaningful but you're not going to easily break the game, especially with force powers.

My group in fact are going to be playing an episodic SAGA game come May.

Monks can't have nice things, the Illuminati say so. }: P

Some people want to trumpet what they dislike. Oooo look we banned this in our PFS homegame.

Whatever. People can go all hermit and hide in their caves. I don't want to hear about it.

What I find really amusing is now that the edition wars have pretty much wound down and we're becoming one big happy disfunctional family once more some are looking to sow dissention in the ranks yet again.

I may not like your character choice but I'm pretty sure I can game with you without bringing my baggage to the table.

A towel.

I just feel this huge sense of existential dread whenever I lack one ...

I always know where my towel is. Btw also in Aurora's. I usually go for the maztican cotton one. }; )

Ooook so one check for the free grab and a second for the deathroll?
Btw deathroll sounds like a Cinnabon that's gone rogue.

I would take inspiration from Luven Lightfinger and Arora's Whole Realm Catalog for categories of items that lay outside the norm.

Aurora's! That was the best book of that era. I still use it every time I make a character it's so useful. I'd go far enough to say it's my favorite fantasy rpg book.