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Arazyr's page
Pathfinder Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber.  Pathfinder Society Member. 589 posts (735 including aliases). 1 review. 3 lists. 1 wishlist. 3 Pathfinder Society characters. 12 aliases.
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If it helps, this is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Number 2358, says regarding homosexuality:
“They [homosexuals] do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.”
So homosexuals will indeed go to Heaven, at least according to Holy Mother Church.
Shifty, I sense much antagonism in you.
Abstinence works very well in preventing the spread of STIs and preventing teen pregnancies. However, you do actually have to abstinent, that being the tricky part.
What drives my intention? I do. I genuinely believe that my life will benefit by waiting. There are a few reasons for this.
1) It is part of my beliefs, and indeed they are strongly influenced by an organized Abrahamic faith. Thus far, it worked out quite nicely. I have yet to, seriously, regret following any commandment. I have often, and seriously, regretted the times I have not. The precepts are sound.
2) Of the people I know who have waited until marriage to have sex, none have complained about the years or people they 'missed out' on. However, I am friends with several people who have regretted having sex prior to marriage. In practice it also seems the better option.
What difference would it make? I made a promise that I would not, and I hold it sacred. I do not wish to break it. It would also disappoint my parents and friends, and I would rather not do that. As for other differences, they could be many and unpleasant. Sex can have all manner of consequences.
Virgin: a person who has never had sexual intercourse. If I fornicated with a man, I would not be a virgin. As an aside, I dislike this 'sleep with' that people use. It is not precise. I have slept with many people. I have fornicated with none.
*Edit Thejeff, you are correct. Abstinece-only sex eduction is silly, and dangerous, for the reasons you mentioned.
If a person is a 'technical' virgin for religious reasons, then it is almost certain that they do not understand their faith. If they are of a Abrahmic tradition, then it is certain. Similarly the idea that once you've had sex there is no reason to stop, is foolish. It is not religion that leads to these errors, but loose and muddy thinking.
If someone wants to save him/herself for marriage its their own personal matter. As long as they don't try impose such rules on anyone else everything is ok.
Benn Roe wrote: It bothers me how much of the material on that site is poorly tested third party material,... You realize that virtually ALL of the Paizo-created content is not playtested at all right? Well, other than the occasional thing like the classes in the APG or snippets of rules here and there but the vast majority is not playtested at all, or at least not that I'm aware of. At the pace they keep kicking out new books there's just about no way that stuff could be playtested.
I guess I just get irritated when people by default assume that if Publisher = Paizo = AWESOME PRODUCT whereas if Publisher <> Paizo = CRAP PRODUCT.
Now is there some content that is probably lower quality than others? For sure, but I'd be willing to bet a significant number of people on these boards can point you towards some Paizo created content that is in the same category.
Wu brings up a good point. Just keep the context going in general.
sunbeam wrote: Take an example like Valeros. It's not even Char Op at this point, but everyone knows two weapon fighting only makes sense if you use the same weapon in both hands, so you can get maximum use from your feats. Everyone knows you have to stack as many damage modifiers as you can on that weapon.
Everyone also knows about will saves and fighters and 3.5/Pathfinder. Iron Will and probably Improved Iron Will HAVE to be in every build, along with those Gloves of Dueling.
This has to be a joke. I find it hard to believe a majority of people play the game this way or that it is expected behavior by most groups.
Do you just give the "Gloves of Dueling" out at first level or do they automatically show up at a later level? Do players complain when the "Gloves of Dueling" are not in the first treasure pile or available for purchase at any shops? Weird. I’m not even sure what "Gloves of Dueling" are or what they do.
BTW, I’m glad the iconic stat blocks are gone. I’d rather have the page count for other things.
sunbeam wrote: <snip> "Everyone" <snip> I don't think that word means what you think that it means...
Your cited MUST HAVES haven't even been a blip on the radar in the campaigns I run.
Optimization is a choice, not a requirement. In my experience, when it becomes the goal rather than a role-playing tool, bad things happen to games.
Oh, and we use 15-pt buy for Characters as well. Just thought I'd let you know before you say "everyone uses Epic pt-buy for PCs". ;)
sunbeam wrote: Take an example like Valeros. It's not even Char Op at this point, but everyone knows two weapon fighting only makes sense if you use the same weapon in both hands, so you can get maximum use from your feats. Everyone knows you have to stack as many damage modifiers as you can on that weapon.
Except then you are violating what James said about why Merisiel doesn't have Celestial Armor. Valeros is drawn with 2 different length swords. Therefore, he gets 2 different swords in his stat block. Art and optimization can conflict, and not everyone needs to be optimized.
So what if they're not optimized? Who are you to tell people how they have to build their characters? Pre-generated pcs are an option. If you don't like them, don't use them, it is that simple.
Make no mistake, I help out with optimization when I have a bit of free time to kill on the boards, I enjoy it. And I enjoy optimized pcs, but that is NOT the only way to play the game. Nor should it be. Nor should it be the Paizo sponsored way to play the game.
I swear to gods, if people don't have something to complain about they're just not happy.
sunbeam wrote: Take an example like Valeros. It's not even Char Op at this point, but everyone knows two weapon fighting only makes sense if you use the same weapon in both hands, so you can get maximum use from your feats. Everyone knows you have to stack as many damage modifiers as you can on that weapon.
Everyone also knows about will saves and fighters and 3.5/Pathfinder. Iron Will and probably Improved Iron Will HAVE to be in every build, along with those Gloves of Dueling.
So if I have a player in my game that has a Fighter without Iron Will and GoD am I to ram forks into their eyes, set them on fire and throw them out of the window because they duh, don't deserve to breathe or something? Hint: I have 2 such players in different groups I run.
Look, it's your "everyone" argument flying away. :)
I had a character who didn't take Power Attack until 6th level. Am I a bad person?
I'm going to spin a view from the other side.
I'm glad that the pregens were not paragons of perfection designed to please the Theorycrafting Number Crunching Gods of Olympic DPR. It gives me a sense that the AP's were not designed with Min-Maxing PC's as the expected standard, and that I can tell my players that they actually have more freedom to design their characters than what's allowed at a WOW Raiding Guild.
In retrospect , I also see that eliminating the iconic pregens was a wise if unforunately warranted move thanks to the incredibly vocal minority who are the reason we can't have certain nice things.
You don't like pregens as they are? Don't use them or modify them to your taste. I think at this juncture there's no way we'll ever see them back again unless an unforeseeable change occurs within the climate of this venue.
Well, I for one Welcome the Changes brought by our new Artistic overlords. I like the more painterly style that paizo uses in their products today. And showing the illustrations to my players really helps with the feel of the path.
Also, A lot of the Drawings in the original path were somewhat simple, not as detailed or pretty. And if I'm buying a new version of Runelords, I'm happy to have new Art to look at so I can pick and choose what to show my players.
Curse your transparent and successful attempt to claw back my freelance money.
DaveMage wrote: Woohoo! Free frogs for everyone! (Or something. :) ) The last time that we went to the dentist, our dentist gave my son a little bag of plastic frogs as a prize. Each frog is about 2cm long. I was looking at them last night and thought, "Wouldn't it be funny if Frog God Games tossed a little plastic frog like this into each Rappan Athuk box that they ship out?"
-Aaron
Legos and Hotwheels... Power Ranger Megazords... Beast Wars Transformers...
I've got to go do something... important.
Like build a Lego City and have the Megazords stomp on Hotwheels while Silverbolt and Waspinator fight in the sky.
Or the Core Rulebook to the Tome of Horrors Complete.
Hulk a lumberjack and Hulk okay...
Hulk does solemnly swear that Hulk will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of Hulk's ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
Hulk need mop in isle 5
Hulk refers to Hulk in third person because it makes Hulk feel like princess.
Hulk not understand why others think bacon is such a big deal. Hulk think bacon is ok, but nothing to get excited over. Hulk just enjoy Hulk's appletini and Pepperidge Farms Chesapeake cookies.
I weep for the download server tonight and this weekend. Poor, poor download server.
Welp, time to go do my share of damage to it!
Removed some posts. Just because you can type stuff like rapey sexualized "metaphors" into the little box and hit "submit post" doesn't mean it's OK. I've also edited the thread title. Wishing violence on actual human beings is not cool here, ever.
Steelfiredragon wrote: gbizzare question Mr. Jacobs.
what is the chance of tiefling twins being born where both tieflings are a separate type of tieflings? Such as the father is cheliax with a devil tainted bloodline and the mother is a Vudrani with Rakasha tainted bloodline.
I take it the kitty tiefling would be treated better that the devil girl correct???
The chance of that happening is possible, and increases dramatically the more cool and compelling the associated storyline gets.
I would stress that Captain America is a Paladin whose divine bond is with his shield. He has auras similar to a Paladin that effects his allies.
Black Widow is probably a rogue/assassin.
I really want to do a Mac version. I'm all Mac, all the time at home. I'm a total Apple fanboi.
The critical path runs through the middleware. There are no good cross-platform options that do Mac well yet. The software we're planning to use does not yet have a Mac client.
On the other hand, it's more likely that one will be available by the time the game is ready to ship than it has been in the past. Apple's successes make it easier to justify spending money on Mac development.
There's also always the option of doing something like the EVE port using WINE, CIDER, and support from a company like Transgaming.
So it's not a question of will, or a question of interest. It's just a technical question of "if it's possible, we'll do it".
RyanD
I love this company. :)
Brass Pigeon wrote: Great read, again. I must say I didn't know Paizo had gone through these kind of rough times. First off, thank you for all the kind messages on this blog. It is appreciated.
I wanted to comment on this post. I worked very hard to make sure that our struggles weren't known outside of Paizo. Heck, I don't think that many of our employees knew how hard the struggles were, because I kept that info confined to the top ranks. No sense having everybody worrying all of the time. I think that is why Erik's closed door meeting mentioned in Jason's sidebar was such a shock. People didn't really see it coming. They possibly had a hint or two or three, but not all the details. And we definitely didn't want the public to know.
Two Christmases ago, I ended up telling the whole company and their spouses the two hours story of Paizo at our annual holiday party. I didn't sugar coat or leave anything out. They got the whole gory story. The ups and the downs. That was cool.
These blog posts are pretty much my attempt to do the same thing now for you guys. You deserve to know now. Without you, we wouldn't have made it to where we are today.
So enjoy!
-Lisa
Lisa,
Once again you prove what makes Paizo different - there's somebody who actually CARES at the helm. It's not just all about the bottom line, but about the success and happiness of the business, the products, the fans, and the employees. Profit comes from greatness, but they are not one and the same.
If you ever for some insane reason want to leave Paizo, please only let it be to go teach Business Administration. This country would be a hell of a lot better with CEOs with your kind of attitude at the helm of our biggest corporations.
(The argument about whether or not those same corps would be better off under private ownership is for another time, though.)
I think of a Paladin as someone like Captain America.
He has been presented with situations that are shades of grey, and aren't obviously good or evil.
The key to him is he always finds some good way to resolve the situation.
Captain America doesn't have dark nights of the soul. He doesn't have self doubts. If Rich Burlew thought Paladins were unnatural not to know fear, I'd hate to think of his analysis of Captain America.
By the way, he doesn't know fear either seemingly. There may have been a couple storylines along the way where he questions himself or is depressed or something, but those don't seem to be remembered too well.
The character has been used to speechify like few others in comics. Here are some that really describe the character to me:
"I'm loyal to nothing general, except the dream."
'Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world - "No, you move."'
There was a scene in The Last Avenger Story where Hawkeye asked Captain America what would make him quit. And he said something like "Death. Maybe." like it was an unimportant detail.
"I believe in an idea... An idea that a single individual who has a right heart and the right mind... That is consumed with a single purpose... That one man can win a war."
"You're right, Hawkeye, the world has gone to hell. But thank God the Avengers are here to do something about it. And we are. You ready? "
"I'm a hero not a politician! I don't argue jurisdiction when lives are in danger!"
"Listen up! The situation has changed! I'll explain later! For now-- Let's go get those butchers!"
"We'll rebuild. Asgard...Manhattan... the world. We'll rebuild it all. Like the rest of the world, we'll dig deep and find the strength to get out of bed tomorrow morning and start all over again. The Avengers will bury our dead, mourn our losses... And then get back to work..."
"I want it known that as of today...I am declaring war on HYDRA."
I guess indomitable and incorruptible is what I am thinking of. That's what goes through my head when I think of a Paladin. Not immunity to fear or disease.
Somebody who just refuses to quit, no matter what. A fanatic who manages to avoid ever committing the excesses fanatics are known for.
A different genre, but that is my mental conception of a Paladin.
The Paladin code says nothing about lying per se. It says a Paladin cannot behave dishonorably. It goes on to list using poison, lying, and cheating as examples of dishonorable behavior...but that's all they are, examples of being dishonorable, not inherently part of the Code.
So, the real question is: When is it honorable to lie?
Answers to that are gonna vary a lot (and inevitably, lying to Nazis about the Jews you are hiding will be brought up), but it's the question that should be examined.
My personal take, is that it is honorable to lie to protect another (not oneself) from great Evil, horrible death, or similar things.
That's the only time it's honorable. Now, the initial post's example is perhaps such a time (if the Paladin can send the demon on a wild goose chase or otherwise protect his comrades better by lying than by silence, if he can't he might as well just suffer in silence), as is the 'lying to Nazis' thing, as are a few others, but it's a rare situation.
The paladin cannot lie, and neither can he betray his companions.
Which leaves... resisting the torture and saying nothing. Sounds like a heroic action to me.
You know what, I would like to work with Open Design on creating a new prestige class or even as an Ranger archetype: Headhunter. I would base it as a actual Maori headhunters with some cool magical effects. A headhunter is always looking to take heads, shrink them and use the shrunken head them as magical item. I can see a LOT of cool ideas with this class....
I might have to give Wolfgang a call...
Alzrius wrote: I am fond of the idea that, if such a collaboration were to occur, and it was focused around campaign settings, that it'd have some sort of setting-hopping feature, like the old World Serpent Inn, or Redhurst. Agreed. Something like this would be a necessity if that idea went forward.
I didn't have any thoughts when I mentioned it, but now that it's had time to digest wouldn't an adventure path type of thing work well? Maybe this has been done already but...
An ancient vault of a long-lost empire is uncovered. This empire was set to rule everything until it decided to mess around in the multiverse's playground. Opening a portal to an alternate Prime Material Plane, the empire's wizards inadvertently allowed an even greater threat to begin colonization of this plane! The chidahn, super-aggressive, militaristic dragonfly-men who have conquered there own plane now have a door opened into fresh feeding grounds. History only records that the lost empire suffered some sort of inner calamity before collapsing. In truth, it took all of its might to fight the otherworldy aggressors and seal them and the portal to the other plane within a magical vault and then bury it.
At the adventure path's start, unfortunate treasure hunters have unearthed that vault and broken through its time-weakened magical seal. This world suddenly needs heroes...every one of them it has.
The crux of the path is that the lost empire did find a way to close the portal and draw all chidahn back to their universe but didn't have the time to gather the components. Instead, they had to opt for entombing the open portal or suffer extinction. The PCs encounter the chidahn threat at the start and stumble upon knowledge of how to permanently seal the portal. To do that, they need special items--items each publisher highlights in their own adventure (be it magic item, monster part, etc).
Can the PCs gather the items in time to save everyone and everything they hold dear or will the folly of a long-deceased empire doom the plane to extinction?
And then again, maybe I'm just typing nonsense here. :)
*listens to the thread* Pay no attention to the gninja in the corner.
1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20
Wonder what we could do. A series of adventures building on what came before? Something like Thieves World? A book of NPCs using other folks OGL content?
Hmm...
Owen K. C. Stephens wrote:
The spirit of the OGL seems very strong with us... Agreed! It's pretty much the best group of publishers around--very respectful and interested in what the other is up to. But why bother teaming up with just one other publisher? Let's get 4+ together and have an Avengers-like crossover event!
I'd buy the Multi-Class character and PrC minibook. It would be worth the money.
I can't believe I'm considering this, but I need to talk to Jeff Grubb about Tinker Gnomes.
ALL HAIL THE PMG! ALL HAIL OUR SUPREME DIGITAL OVERLORD!!
Cosmo: *IS* there a legos store around here?
Robot Chris: Yes. It's in Bellevue, and it's like Christmas wrapped in a birthday.
"I'm one handy man."
"Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... GO!"
"Could everyone in the room count their hands please? I'm one short."
*rolls 1dZocchihedron*
Wow, a total of 37.
Happy Birthday Erik. Thanks for your many MANY years of service to the gaming community. Time to have a little nip of that Potion of Longevity, eh?
Have a great birthday!
I'm happy my small thread giving overdue accolades to Liz got to reach a 2nd page.
: )
Liz rocks! Liz is crazy awesome! She's properly marvelous!
Roll the credits now please.
Combine James Sutter's and Deathquaker's experiences with prejudice together and add how mean and bullying a Bi-Sexual man like I can be and you make an interesting observation: That @$$holes come in all orientations.
We really do have more in common with each other then may be readily apparent. The world is less about good guys and bad guys then it is about each of us just trying to make our way along the path of life. I ask everyone reading this to do your best to treat your fellow travelers with compassion, mercy and understanding as much as you can, what binds us together can be stronger than what pulls us apart if we let it.
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