I am really looking forward to this batch, particularly the quest as I plan to run it for a mix of players from my Strenght of Thousands groups as a sort of ... student exchange ^^
Short question... can you wield a weapon you have created via the Elemental Weapon feat in two hands to benefit from a higher damage bonus and potentially other advantages?
signups for our event have opened a couple of days ago, but we are still adding scenarios to our schedule as people offer to step up to GM. At the time of writing, we offer English/German/Finnish/Italian and French tables.
Of course, since this is the replacement for CoNFuSiOn in the Netherlands and AB-Con in Germany, many of you might already be planning on how to enhance your experience with the usual convention things like snacks, lack of sleep, and as many showers as possible^^
If you already have some plans, please feel free to share them ^^
For those of you who have not found our convention just yet here are links to our Warhorn page and Discord.
It seems unclear if or when the Evolution Points reset. Options might include:
at the end of combat, when the combat no longer includes a significant enemy, after a 10-minute rest, after resting for the night...
This seems to be pretty important since it might open up some out-of-combat use for those abilities. Unfortunately giving players an incentive to extend combat duration, does seem at least a bit problematic.
Glad to read that Gencon is supporting a charity with the ticket sales ^^
Edit. And for those that are not familiar with discord, I usually suggest for players to consider installing the actual software, as the browser version can be a bit tricky. If you want to test your microphone setup before your games, there are plenty of org play discords available ^^
You really do not want to learn the finer points of that program when you are about to start your session ^^
The box is looking great, however I have a question. Will this product be using the full PFS2 ruleset or a limited ruleset like previous products?
For example, apparently previous Beginner's Boxes remove some parts of the rules like swift actions and attacks of opportunity, and I would personally love the introductory product features the "normal" ruleset (mostly so I can recommend it as a product for new players).
He really is one of my favorite characters from Golarion, I can't wait to dig deep into my copy of the ACG and the Chrimson Throne AP as soon as I have some time.... and it is really tough to avoid spoilers.
I can absolutely recommend the various audiobooks that feature the Varian and Radovan^^
Just started prepping it, but that custom map really is enormous, that works for an online game, but I have tables that will have a hard time fitting this map and the normal detritus players bring to the table.
I am starting to prep it soon for an online table, that will likely tell me how much of the actual map I need to print or draw.
One thing about the character art, it is very subjective, but I really like the art in this one, particularly the first two illustrated NPCs and would like to see more from this artist.
The official character sheet can be seen in the current blog, and unless I am mistaken a local publisher also promoted their crowdfunding fora localized version with a preview of that sheet.
Regarding that sheet I have a couple of requests:
- Can we please get a version that takes less ink/toner to print? The one from the blog seems almost wasteful, but a lot of us are going to have to print a lot of them for our events to help players create their characters.
- Could we please get access to a pdf of the normal version (and printer friendly if at all possible) as soon as possible, ideally today but in all honesty a week before the launch would still help a lot.
Quite a number of those that are involved in Organized Play are going to want to offer PFS2 as soon as possible, and some of us do not have unrestricted access to a printer.
Allowing us to print the sheets a significant time before the event would help a lot.
I guess the same is true for all those players wanting to quickly create their characters and play them at Gencon.
Thank you for taking the time to consider these suggestions.
Our current plans are to open registrations on the 30th of June, right now we are still waiting for a couple more GMs to sign up - or not as the case may be, before finalizing our offerings.
If you want to attend and have any requests or have needs that require special consideration, please let me know ASAP.
I apologize if the issue has been raised before, but I just wanted to make sure that I mention it, since it has been a factor that was very unwelcome among my players.
Right now the effect of nat. 20 is that characters will be able to reach a critical result, while those who have invested into a skill might not even have a larger crit range (the option to achieve a critical success by rolling a result that is 10 higher than the DC).
The feedback I have received is that getting a crit success is more dependant on luck (rolling that 20) than actually feeling that their investment mattered.
Early in the playtest (and later towards the end) my player requested more impact of proficiency and less impact from items (removing the bonus to skills from some items might help, since right now they are absolutely essential, and this was not the case in PF1).
That is one problem, the second one is rather more problematic:
A Nat 20 usually means that the check is a success, that might be fine for some situations, but looking at something with a set DC like:
From the Playtest handbook wrote:
BREAK OPEN
Using your body, a lever, or some other tool, you
attempt to forcefully open a door, window, or container; lift a heavy
gate; or break open some kind of bonds restraining your mobility.
With a high enough result, you can even smash through walls.
Success You break the door, window, or container open, and
the door, window, or container gains the broken condition.
Critical Success You open the door, window, or container but
can avoid damaging it in the process.
Critical Failure Your attempt jams the door, window, or
container shut, imposing a –2 circumstance penalty on all
future attempts to open it.
And
Page 292 wrote:
Success and Critical Success
If your result is equal to or greater than the DC, you
succeed and apply any success effect (or generally achieve
what you set out to do). However, if you succeed and
rolled a 20 on the die (often called a “natural 20”), or
if your result is equal to or greater than the DC plus 10,
you critically succeed. You apply the critical success effect
instead of the success effect. If the critical success was an
attack roll, it is sometimes called a critical hit.
Critical successes usually have greater effects than
regular successes. For instance, if you succeed at a Strike,
you deal damage, but if you critically succeed, you deal
double damage. If an ability doesn’t specify a critical
success effect, then the effect for a critical success is the
same as that for a success. A critical success counts as a
success for rules that have different effects depending on
whether you succeed or fail.
success for rules that have different effects depending on
whether you succeed or fail.
If your enemy is far more powerful than you or a task
beyond your abilities, you might roll a natural 20 and
still get a result lower than the DC. In this case, you
succeed instead of critically succeed or fail. If you lack the
proficiency for a task in the first place, or it’s impossible,
you might still fail on a natural 20.
Failure and Critical Failure
If your result is less than the DC, you fail. For actions you
initiated, this typically means there is no effect. If you were
rolling a saving throw, failing generally means you are
affected by a spell or ability. If there is no failure effect
listed, the ability simply has no effect if it fails.
If you fail and roll a 1 on the d20 (also called a “natural
1”), or you fail and your result is equal to or less than the
DC minus 10, you critically fail instead of just failing. A
critical failure is sometimes called a “fumble.” If an action
or activity does not specify a critical failure effect, then the
effect for a critical failure is the same as that for a failure.
The effects of a critical failure are often more detrimental
than those for a failure and can be debilitating or even
deadly. If an ability does not specify a critical failure effect,
then the effect for a critical failure is the same as that for
a failure. A critical failure counts as a failure for rules that
have different effects depending on whether you succeed
or fail. It might be possible in some situations to meet the
DC even on a 1.
If your roll would equal or exceed the
DC even on a 1, you don’t critically fail, but you still fail
instead of succeeding. You can’t succeed when you roll a 1
no matter what your modifier is.
Right now, anyone will eventually crack the DC 45 safety deposit box at level one, and even high-level Barbarians will fail at breaking a fortune cookie.
Without having the ability to take 10, that is a bit of a problem, and I feel that the old rules of nat 1s and 20s not being relevant (in PF1) for skills, might have been a good thing, at least when it comes to a situation like this.
Could we maybe add something like "if the DC would require the player to roll higher than a 20 to succeed, even a nat 20 is not a success", so it does not fall on the GM to define what is impossible for a particular character?
The following question came up recently about the Demi Lich here are the relevant parts:
Someone said wrote:
Speed fly 30 feet (from fly)
Melee jaws +26 (reach 0 feet), Damage 1d6–3 piercing plus
2d6 negative
Arcane Innate Spells DC 32, attack +28; Constant fly, true
seeing; 9th wail of the banshee; At Will blink, dimension door,
spell turning, telekinetic maneuver; Cantrips (8th) mage hand,
telekinetic projectile
Joined Items (arcane) As a lich becomes a demilich, some of its
magic items bleed over into the substance of the creature
itself. A demilich has 20 Resonance Points, which it can use to
Activate these items (and to Trap Souls). It recovers all spent
points after 8 hours spent in torpor. Many of the specific item
abilities vary from demilich to demilich.
• Eye Gems (arcane) A demilich has eye gems that glow when
the demilich is active. It can Activate an eye gem by spending
Focus Activation actions equal to the number of spellcasting
actions the spell requires. Each eye gem contains an 8th-
level spell that targets one creature. Usually, one eye gem
has maze and the other has polar ray. When the demilich
casts a spell from an eye gem, that eye gem stops glowing
for 1d4 rounds, during which time that eye gem’s spell can’t
be used. Occasionally, one or both of the two eye gems can be harvested from a destroyed demilich as magic items.
• Staff Gems A demilich absorbs the spells from a single staff
into gemstone nodules across its head, with larger nodules
representing higher-level spells. It can cast any of the spells
at a cost of 1 Resonance Point as though it were activating
the staff and expending a spell slot of the appropriate level. A
typical demilich has the spells from a staff of necromancy, but
it could have those from another staff of 13th level or lower
My question is regarding the Staff Gems ability, how often can a Demilich cast spells from the staff - is it limited by the number of charges a normal staff would have (staff of necromancy at level 13 has 9 charges) or can you spam spells from your staff and you are just limited by your 20 resonance?
I assume the excessive version is the case since this would actually give the create a bit of versatility when it comes to casting (just changes the source staff and you change the spell repertoire).
How do others read it, this might be and translation issue on my end, and it made a massive difference.
I have been looking forward to giving feedback on those issues, though I didn't even have the time to do the survey for the Resonance Test I ran on Sunday.
The teased 1.6 changes sound very promising, as those classes are among those who have received some negative feedback/request for options.
I played this character in playtest scenario 2 Raiders of Shrieking Peak, and it was very efficient, to the point where I got complaints from the other players and the GM.
The scenario might be somewhat to blame for this, since I was a ranged character and the others weren't. We eventually compared it to a similar fighter build, and thanks to the fact that True Strike really does not get worse, it performed similarly to the fighter with relatively minor investments from me.
My aim was apparently to replicate the magus archer I never got to play in PFS, but frankly considering the options I was given this build made a lot of sense to me:
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The build is pretty simple, I went with the fighter multiclass since I didn't want to deal with mage armor which is just worse than actual armor if you want the highest AC. In theory I could also have picked up armor proficiency as a general feat, but that would only have given me light armor, and since I am pretty much stuck with a +4 Dex bonus until level about level 15 where I can hit 20 (22 with a magic item) this seemed like the most effective option to keep my AC up and avoid getting to many crits.
Of course, I already like that kind of character.
The bow was also kinda forced by the current system, right now a lot of spells (and all of the cantrips I have chosen) take 2 actions to cast leaving me with another free action. Reach spell was actually useful, but the bow just made a lot of sense for that last option and synergized very well with my build.
Magical striker really made the whole build work, and I felt very effective.
If I were to follow that build I would pick up point-blank shot and switch to a longbow.
Right now "have a ranged weapon that does not take 2 hands" seems to be the smart choice, which is unfortunate since it makes it very unlikely that I will be able to regularly wield my staff.
If I could point out something that is too good, it's like the Fighter multiclass dedication feat is a bit too good (giving me 2 feats and a couple of other benefits I am not actively using thus far).
---
Of course, this build also shows, that just focussing on casting is not currently very appealing I already had problems to find fitting items for some of my playtest characters, and most of the items available to spellcasters are not available yet.
Would it be possible to get a damag variant of the clerc feat "healing hands"? To allow pure casters a somewhat effective option to improve their casting?
---
Another thing that came up while I was researching this character, is that duellist wands exist, and I would prefer to get some way to get that functionality added to my staff (but that might be a somewhat personal issue).
Upgrading my staff as a weapon (since magic staffs are starting as expert weapons) seems like a neat idea, and even if they just add an item bonus to attack and damage rolls with spells (not unlike the staff of healing) that could give those pure spellcasters an outlet for their gold and prevent them from feeling forced to use a bow or crossbow.
---
I had fun playing the character, but though I have gotten the feedback that True Strike might be too good (in general, good enough the Iomedae cleric also used it in the same game, combined with weapon surge).
A pretty complex scenario, still need to prep it a whole lot more, but one bit kinda surprised me:
THE SAGES CONVENE:
If at least half of the PCs have the Debt to the Scarred Sage
boon (or have earned the Chronicle sheet for Pathfinder
Society Scenario #14: The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch),
skip to the Meeting in the Desert below; in this case,
Grandmaster Torch has already been guaranteed his safety
and a place in the expedition. Otherwise, after answering the
PCs’ questions, read or paraphrase the following.
---
I can understand the more recent boon, but after The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch... the guy did a lot of questionable things, most recently something players of the current special will be aware of.
The chances of this actually being relevant are rather low, but I fear that forcing a group to allow Torch to be present, might lead to party conflict later in the scenario.
I can already see the tears if one or more party members who have bone to pick with Torch destroy his gem and thus ruin the very special boon for the sages.
Thus the sages would be better of not having the fried sage present.
---
The sidebar about Torch puts it mildly "Torch provokes strong feelings in many Pathfinders, and while he intends no treachery in this adventure, the PCs may decide to attack him ".
I know characters who would spend quite a lot of money to solve that particular problem.
You can tap into stellar forces outside of battle, using the
properties of gravitons or photons to affect your skill use. At 3rd
level, choose two skills from the lists below, one from the graviton
list and one from the photon list. At 11th level and again at 19th
level, choose two more skills. Each time you pick skills, choose
one from the graviton list and one from the photon list.
To use your sidereal influence, you must spend 1 minute in
meditation, then choose either graviton skills or photon skills.
When attempting a skill check with one of your selected skills
of the chosen type (either graviton or photon), you can roll 1d6
and add the result as an insight bonus to your check. This ability
lasts until you enter combat, fall unconscious, sleep, or meditate
again to choose a different skill type. You can reactivate this
ability by meditating again for 1 minute.
D Graviton Skills: Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Mysticism (Wis),
Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex)
D Photon Skills: Culture (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha),
Medicine (Int), Survival (Wis)
The argument why I think it should:
Starship combat is different from regular combat, there are no real combat rounds and while people take actions those are not associated with a classical turn.
Currently, Solarians are not in a great space when it comes to skills since (at least at lower levels) players find it difficult to invest much more than 12 points into Charisma, and their attack stat is likely going to be Strength.
In theory, you could go for a ranged Solarian, but a lot of your class features only really work in melee combat, and while operative weapons might be an option they are hardly ideal.
Investing in Wisdom and Intelligence is also hard if you need at Strength, Dexterity (you are going melee and need every AC you can get) and at least 12 Charisma so you don't have to live with a single point of resolve at the lower levels.
So really, everything helps (and the Solarian issues become less troublesome with level increases and personal upgrades.
Question: Is "starship combat", combat in the personal sense?
This involves two abilities:
page 103 CRB -SIDEREAL INFLUENCE (SU) wrote:
3rd Level
You can tap into stellar forces outside of battle, using the
properties of gravitons or photons to affect your skill use. At 3rd
level, choose two skills from the lists below, one from the graviton
list and one from the photon list. At 11th level and again at 19th
level, choose two more skills. Each time you pick skills, choose
one from the graviton list and one from the photon list.
To use your sidereal influence, you must spend 1 minute in
meditation, then choose either graviton skills or photon skills.
When attempting a skill check with one of your selected skills
of the chosen type (either graviton or photon), you can roll 1d6
and add the result as an insight bonus to your check. This ability
lasts until you enter combat, fall unconscious, sleep, or meditate
again to choose a different skill type. You can reactivate this
ability by meditating again for 1 minute.
D Graviton Skills: Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Mysticism (Wis),
Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex)
D Photon Skills: Culture (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha),
Medicine (Int), Survival (Wis)
If starship combat is combat this bonus can't be applied, since Solarians are a bit MAD, that bonus might help.
Of course, if it really is combat, the bonus from photon mode might apply:
page 102 Photon Mode wrote:
D When you enter photon mode, you gain 1 photon attunement
point and become photon-attuned. Some of your stellar
revelations are photon powers and get stronger if you’re
photon-attuned. While photon-attuned, you gain a +1 insight
bonus to damage rolls (including damage rolls for your stellar
powers). This bonus increases by 1 for every 6 solarian levels
you have.
It is not a huge issue, but with players looking for ways to contribute to spaceship combat, this question might come up more often.
Gender
Male Human Druid 5/MR 1 (HP: 63(9 NL)/63 | AC 15 , T 14, F 13 | F +6, R +4, W +7 | CMB +4; CMD 17 | Init +2 | L.A. 6/6; M.S. 6/7 | Perception +11/ Sense Motive +3 / Survival +10 | Active: call lightning (4/5))
Deity
Gozreh
Strength
14
Dexterity
14
Constitution
14
Intelligence
10
Wisdom
17
Charisma
10
About Dilwyn Blevins
Some are born into ancient druidic clans steeped with tradition. Others are indoctrinated to the natural faith to better serve their communities as liasons with the natural world. Dilwyn is neither of these. At a young age he became fascinated by the sky, its constantly shifting forms, its occasional fits of jealousy or wrath, and, perhaps most alluring of all, the way it just continues to stretch on forever, unhindered by the horizon. Where the people around him just see 'up,' Dilwyn sees a constant companion, whose fickle moods can be appreciated for the depths of personality they show. Dilwyn is, for lack of a better word, smitten.
Unable, or perhaps unwilling, to concentrate on the earthly tasks of civilization, he proved quite frustrating to his family and the others in his small village. They'd often find him with tasks unfinished, just watching the skies by day, or catch him up late at night gazing at the stars. As it was, even his parents weren't particularly devastated when Dilwyn, at the age of fifteen, just wandered out of town, never to return. He'd embarked on a personal pilgrimage, of sorts, to see the sky -- all of it. Whatever chances the people of his village might have given for his survival, Dilwyn proved quite adept in the wild. His deep connection with nature, and one of the two main facets of Gozreh, have imbued him with the powers of the druids.
Where many druids become hermits or reclusive, Dilwyn feels comfortable wherever he can see the sky, and that sometimes includes town, or even cities. In fact, he often relishes his visits to such places, as he infrequently gets the chance to interact with other people on his travels. When he neared Kaer Maga, it didn't take a second though for Dilwyn to make directly for the city, eager for the rare chance to sleep in a comfortable bed, stock up on the sorts of supplies one can only find amongst civilization, and relieve a little of the loneliness that had begun to creep in around the edges during his long walk across the Storval Plateau.
This prophecy of doom he's stumbled upon concerns him greatly. While he has no particular connection to the town of Holver's Ferry, or any of the people therein, he's nonetheless a good-hearted soul. Sickness, disease and strange creatures are things he can help with, plus, as he's never been there, there's still its sky to discover and protect. After all, the ruin of the world would surely mean the ruin of his one, greatest love. That's unacceptable, and Dilwyn is prepared to go anywhere and do whatever it takes to ensure its safety.
Dilwyn doesn't look like the steroptypical druid. He likes to keep himself clean and washed, and doesn't travel with animals. His rugged muscles and long hair, coupled with the armor he's made out of the skins of animals he's killed for food and self-defense (or both) give an initial impression of a professional hunter/trapper. He's got a relaxed demeanor and gets along well with others, like a pleasant breeze.
Stats
Dilwyn Blevins
Male Human Druid 5/MR 1
NG Med Humanoid (Human)
Init +2; Senses perception +11
------------------------------
Defense
------------------------------
AC 16, touch 12, flat 14 (+4 armor, +2 dex)
HP 63 (5d8+23)
Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +7 (+4 vs plants/fey)
Resist Fire 5
------------------------------
Offense
------------------------------
Speed 30' (20' in armor)
Melee quarterstaff +5 (1d6+3) or +1 keen dagger +6 (1d4+3/17-20)
Ranged sling +5 (1d4+2) or +1 keen dagger +6 (1d4+3/17-20)
Special Attacks: Blazing Robe 1/day (2d6 fire, 20' radius, DC 16 half), Mythic Surge 7/day (Recalled Blessing), Wild Shape 1/day (beast shape I)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5, concentration +8)
__6/day - lightning arc +5 touch (1d6+2 electricity)
Spells Prepared (CL 5, concentration +8)
__Level 3 - call lightning (DC 16), cure moderate wounds, gaseous form (D)
__Level 2 - barkskin, flaming sphere* (DC 15), resist energy, wind wall (D)
__Level 1 - obscuring mist (D), shillelagh, cure light wounds (3)
__Level 0 - create water, detect magic, light, read magic Domain Air
*+1 Caster Level
------------------------------
Statistics
------------------------------
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 10
BAB +3; CMB +5; CMD 17
Feats Endurance, Morphic Nature, Mythic Toughness, Natural Spell, Scribe Scroll, Toughness
Languages Common, Druidic
Skills[-3 check penalty] Climb +6, Diplomacy +9, Fly +6, Heal +8, K. Nature +10, Perception +11, Spellcraft +7, Survival +10, Swim +6
SQ Mythic Path (Hierophant), Nature Sense, Wild Empathy (+5), Spontaneous Summon Nature's Ally, Woodland Stride, Resist Nature's Lure
Combat Gear caltrops (3), scroll of magic stone, scroll of resist energy, scroll of speak with dead, potion of cure light wounds, potion of cure moderate wounds, potions of lesser restoration(3), potion of remove disease, wand of lesser restoration(11 charges), scroll of shillelagh Other Gear quarterstaff, +1 keen dagger, sling w/ 50 bullets, hide armor, blazing robe, backpack (trail rations(2), 50' hemp rope, winter blanket, waterskin, rejuvenation vine), spell component pouch, wooden holy symbol of Gozreh, scroll case, decorative darkwood bracelets, 1755gp, 23sp, 59cp
------------------------------
Traits
------------------------------
Ease of Faith +1 on Diplomacy, Diplomacy is a class skill
