Paladin is not necessarily a legitimate authority. He must respect the laws of man along with those of his God. He cannot break the law, simply because he feels like it or views himself above the the law. At which point he breaks his code and falls.
He is above the law. He only has to abide legitimate authority. Again, not further defined. Clearly Evil based laws are out, as our demon princes (even though they are the ruler of their realms), but probably LN, N, NG and CG societies would be included as long as they did not conflict with his gods.
And again, how is he not? His god gave him the ability in order to have an impact, not to sit by and let some lazy, corrupt hillbilly court have the say.
A paladin cannot lead a rebellion or over-throw corrupt governments. He represents law and good. He cannot deny one to better serve the other.
He can try to reason with hillbilly court, but if their are no higher courts in the land that is all he can do.
He very well could if the court goes against his own Code of Conduct. That is unless the Code includes a thing about following the law of the land, and not all paladin codes do.
The only problem I have with the first test as the it is strongly biased against any lawful being. I mean, your general Lawful Good character might eat and drink, but won't get drunk and might not sing (especially if he/she isn't drunk and isn't secure about his/her singing). It's strongly biased towards becoming the next Cayden Caliden (or Urgathoa for that matter).
Wasn't there an old rule in 3.5 that said you could have only 1 of each type of template? One inherited (like Half-Dragon), one acquired (like vampire) and there was another I can't remember the name of. Of course this is 3.5 and not PF, but the template "types" remain.
Being a Biologist in real life and one who focuses on molecular/cellular, I'd probably be a Vivisectionist Alchemist. No bombing, knowledge of the natural world but no the eco type like a druid.
As for race, probably just Human or maybe Half Elf.
The Thunder and Fang feat mentioned above is kinda nice here. It says wield an Earthbreaker one-handed, no where does say anything about size. You can interpret that as in it follows the default rules (probably intended) but one could say it refers to any Earthbreaker.
To add to your list of butterflies comes one I used in my games in the past.
The creature is as of yet unnamed as I find the most logical name (Bloodbutterfly) to be rather silly.
It's a swarming creature, hundreds of pure white butterflies that move as a single unit. They descend on their prey as a single unit and drain it of blood, turning their wings blood red. They remain on their victim long after it's killed and they are with so many that you can't see it's actually a corpse under them until they take wing. Their caterpillar consume the dessicated flesh.
I made them for a homebrew game. The first time my players encountered them they were scared s$!@less as the harmless looking butterflies left a dessicated corpse and headed in their direction.
Then again, they were also scared by the Time Elementals I made, which had no attack but aged or rejuvenated everything in a radius around them, severity determined by proximity. The scary part was their death though as it ripped a hole in the fabric of time, basically creating a Gate of a size one smaller than the elemental and a random Outsider of that size would come through. It was a bit overkill, but resulted in hilarious situations when one elemental spawned a Planetar while the other spawned a Balor.
The whole thing with intelligence and IQ is rather skewed anyway. If using the table with Int to IQ from earlier in this thread and extrapolating from there Chimpansees should have an Int of about 4-5, and both Orangutans and Gorillas should be at 3-4. A whole load of other animals, like parrots (though since it differs highly per species I'd see a range there) and dolphins should also have higher Int scores, yet by rule animals are stuck at 2.
A polar bear or whale living in the middle of a sandy desert is also unnatural.
Only if someone put it there on purpose. In fact, the polar bear's natural habitats are deserts. I'd give you the whale, as I can't see a whale taking a few wrong turns and ending up in a desert of any kind, only under one.
You could say the same of a druid. If it seeks out undeath it does something unnatural. If it just happens to him/her, tough luck now find a way to cope with it.
Cheeseweasel, not only are undead not "pockets of entropy" undead are the very antithesis of entropy. Entropy is the property of the universe that leads systems to go from a more ordered to a less ordered state. Decay is part of entropy, and by halting the process of decay "undeath" actually halts the process of entropy.
This is why it's called "undeath" in the first place. Druids are dedicated to the circle of life, and that circle is broken by undeath. Undead are those creatures which have been separated from the circle of life.
So if a zombie is allowed to slowly rot away it's ok? Not saying undead are part of nature (in general they aren't) but that doesn't mean they can't be druids. Could an awakened construct become a druid? They are just as unnatural as undead, if not more so (sure, clay/stone/some other golems are made of natural bits, but so is a vampire).
As to the natural=biological thing, that elementals are not natural either and I believe the entire idea behind them is that they are exemplars of bits of "purified" nature.
I think the druid order from Nidal, which was referenced earlier, is a great example in this case. Those druids may not be undead themselves but they actually raise the undead, which I think is a lot worse than accidentally turning undead, yet they remain druids.
They're not druids despite what they call themselves, despite what they may have been once, as raising the dead is not part of any druidic power. What they are, is an expression of the corruption that infects the nation thanks to Big Daddy Z-K. Any real druid would happily put them down if he got the chance.
Yet they're still druid, as testified by the Shade of Uskwood feat, which while not requiring Druid levels adds spells to the Druid list. The fact that they don't play nice with other druids doesn't mean anything. There are druids devoted to demon lords and other such beings (associated with some twisted aspect of nature) so why can't they venerate Zon'Kuthon? Nature hurts and imposes hardship upon everything so I don't see why not. As for the undead, it's unintelligent ones only so just the body and the spirit is left alone, I'd call that recycling.
A druid simply is a divine caster who reveres nature or an aspect of nature and either gains or takes power from that. Whether that aspect is cuddly kittens or creeping fungus does not matter.
I think the druid order from Nidal, which was referenced earlier, is a great example in this case. Those druids may not be undead themselves but they actually raise the undead, which I think is a lot worse than accidentally turning undead, yet they remain druids. So why would nature spirits that accept it when you make zombies not accept a vampire revering nature? Similarly, there are druid who worship entities like Cyth-V'Sug and want to cover the world in fungus and rot, which destroys your average life, and still have access to druid powers. Maybe they simply found a way to take their powers from nature instead of it being given to them? Would mean others would want to "correct" them though.
As for the undead, druids making unintelligent undead actually isn't that weird to me. Just flavor it as either a corpse infested with maggots(zombie) or vines covering a skeleton(skeleton) where the druid controls the maggots/vines. Wouldn't even be truly evil, just recycling (if that isn't pro-nature)
So what about a druid that venerates a demon lord associated with nature, like Cyth-V'Sug or a god like Camazotz? Those clearly are forces of nature or closely associated with nature yet I doubt either of them would shun a vampire druid. Same would go, I think, for entities like Ghlaunder, infernal dukes or daemon lords.
Today has been a perfectly sunny day here, like yesterday. It was nice for a change, especially since I know it won't last, not even for the rest of the week.
Well, I can actually understand the lack of witches, maguses and alchemist: MAD. The locked classes are either Wis or Cha based and actually want physical stats as well.
Barbies, Bards and Oracles is odd though. Bards and Oracle work perfectly with the Anti-paladin. As for Barbies, I guess the impossibility of combining it with anti-paladin and the lack of synergy with cleric(or any full caster) hurt it. They work pretty good with Inquisitor, but I get the idea those are the least common fixed class as well.
Like I mentioned in her background, Teosi is looking for her human father and he is supposed to be in Sandpoint to sell his wares at the festival (he comes from Magnimar).
Teosi is nearly done, just appearance and personality left to do, but I think her background already helps with the latter. Like I mentioned before, I prefer the second, mature, more roleplay oriented group.
EDIT: Appearance done. I know the synthesist eidolon is supposed to be a translucent power suit but in Teosi's case I refluffed that a bit. Her eidolon isn't translucent but instead looks like a twisted, more feral versions of her and differences will only increase as she becomes stronger.
Combat training refers to a set of animal tricks... it's not something you need to have on a character sheet, as it's all stuff you can do without having a handle animal trick performed on you... anything with a int above 3 can do it without requiring handle animals, specific training, etc.
Ah sorry, I missed your point then I guess. Didn't even think of that :)
That actually is one of the remaining parts of the old character whose alias I'm recycling since he didn't get in. It's a leftover.
I'm sure you're still working on it, but ya know eidolons don't need combat trained, and if you're a synthesist you ARE the eidolon... so you personally REALLY don't need combat training.
I know, but because of the character concept and the Blood God Disciple (Rage when my Eidolon goes) I do like to have some combat training. Luckily being a Half Orc helps there, with access to a good weapon.
How do you feel about Synthesist Summoners? Asking because I know many people hate them.
Idea for the character would be a Blood God Disciple/Synthesist (which actually means I can't do straight cheese and dump physical stats as that make the BGD part crappy) who sees summoning her eidolon not so much as calling some sort of power armor but as allowing her goddess inside her body and mind.
She'd be part of a small cult consisting all Half Orc women born among Orcs and some Orc women. The goddess they worship is actually an amalgam of Calistria, Gorum and Milani. As you may have guessed, they strive for a better place for women within Orcish tribes and actually take harsh actions against the worst males. This is the reason they're located in Kaer Maga, among the tribes their members tend to get singled out and killed.
In the next AP, the Worldwound one, a Stonelord would probably be amazing, although any Paladin would be in that one. An all Cleric/Paladin/Inquisitor party would be nuts for that campaign lol.
Don't forget the Outer Rifts mystery Oracle, they can be pretty decent there as well. Not to mention quite thematic.
As far as Yanta goes(profile here), still working on background and personality, appearance is in there.
She actually has no idea what she has gotten into, which is a very, very strange experience for her as she is normally very meticulous and organised. If she gets in the first part of the game for her would be both adjusting and coping without her own rash decision and with the circumstances of the AP.
How does one figure out the base stat adjustments in order to make the character? Assume a base of 10 (or 11 for uneven stats) and deduct from there?
One idea I'm playing around with is making a Kaer Magan Augur in the form of a Troll Life Oracle with the Seer archetype. Only problem there is that Kaer Magan trolls are supposed to be their own race, smaller and smarter than standard trolls.
Another idea involves a Pixie Magus having fun with shocking grasp and such spells and their independence of size.
Perhaps the silliest idea is for a Humbaba Lion Shaman Druid. Biggest problem there is he's colossal in size.
Can I make a Rune Giant Magus (he's more of a scientist, used to swap notes over tea with the professor)? What about a reformed Balor turned Paladin of Iomedae? Or a fey hippopotamus turned vampire who makes a living as an assassin? (I know these are all downright ridiculous, just found them to be entertaining and a great way to illustrate my question)
So we've got waffles and Yanta actually brings coffee (No other way to survive long nights of lab work, believe me).
In fact the one thing I'm struggling with is carrying capacity as Yanta has so many fun things to carry around. It limits my supply of coffee and blackfire clay (perfect for making coffee in a lab where open fire is an explosion hazard).
As for Dwarves, while I love them I always have problems playing one. The "standard" fantasy dwarves are dour zealots and that just isn't my thing. I tend to prefer the Gnomish brand of crazy.
My lovely half Elven Alchemist can be found here. Finishing up equipment at the moment.
Summarised background:
She is the child of two alchemists form the city of Oenopion in Nex and has worked her entire life as an alchemist herself. She was taught by a close friend of her parents as they themselves didn't want to mix work with their private lives in such a way.
Recently an experiment quite literally exploded in her mentor's face and Yanta finds herself without a teacher.
This, combined with the news from Kyonin that greatly distressed her Elven mother and a prediction the ooze-mind did for her in her youth, has caused her to leave behind Nex and her study and answer the call for aid from Absalom that circled in the bars and tavern of her home city.
She travels with her mother, though they have different goals. Her mother is in Absalom to enquire about the fate of the Elven refugees.
As for her languages, most are what people in Nex speak. The Skald is quite honestly mostly because of the AP, in character it is because she liked the sound of it when she heard an Ulfen bard perform. The Ignan quite simply is because the short words make it a fantastic language for taking notes.
EDIT: As an added kicker, being an Oenopian Researcher she can provide Captain Andoran with a Super-Soldier Serum, though it'll make him look green.
As a change of pace I decided to instead go for a Half Elven Alchemist of Vudrani descent (I have a thing for Vudrani).
The guy/gall comes from the city of Oenopion in Nex (and as such will have the Oenopian Researcher archetype, as well as Bramble Brewer) where he/she used to work as the assistant of the assistant of Borume, the city's master alchemist.
He/She is sent to Absalom after his/her master's death as a result of a freak accident caused by the lower temperature. Hearing of the meeting in Absalom "character" volunteered to attend in an attempt to learn more of the situation. The reason for her volunteering however has more to do with a prediction she heard from the hivemind of the ooze lake than with her mentor's death.
I truly can't describe how much I love the ooze lake at the center of Oenopion which actually developed a communal mind and now performs very potent divinations while also serving as a waste disposal.
Here is Leonir Kandiri, the pint sized hellspawn. Sheet is still under construction.
Would you be ok with Deceptive as his bonus feat? It would represent his time ruling his former lord's lands through deceit after he murdered him.
As for his Tiefling features:
Leonir appears relatively normal for a halfling so long as he doesn't smile and is viewed in the light. That is assuming he keeps his imp tail tucked into his pants.
When he does smile one can see his razor sharp teeth, looking more like those of a piranha than a normal humanoid.
When viewed in the shade Leonir's entire body seems to emit a very dull, red light as if embers burn under his skin. The only place this becomes really clear is in his eyes, which glow with a warm though rather sickly orange light.
I've changed my mind on my character, mostly because I managed to get to play a Huntmaster Cavalier elsewhere. That and the chances of replacing lost dogs and birds is likely very slim in this game, especially past part 2 of the AP.
As such could you tell me what the current situation in Geb and Nex is?
And out of curiosity: What happened with Zelishkar of the Bitter Flame? I mean the awakening of Xotani must have an impact on such a powerful daemon locked beneath Osirion. As a matter of fact I'd think daemons in general would be rather enjoying the current era. (Add to that that Zelishkar might actually be scarier than Xotani)
the last two parts, appearance and personality, both also found in Makao's profile
Appearance:
Makao is a tall, slender man. While his features are generally very orcish, with large tusks and a flat nose, his human blood clearly added some refinement to it resulting in a rugged but somehow still relatively handsome man, even by human standards. His black hair is rather sleek and he usually keeps it tied behind his head in a knot. His most distinguishing feature however are his hands which are black like charcoal and look like the skin is made of that very substance.
His clothing consists of the white typical to denizens of Lastwall and to the clergy of Iomedae specifically. But whereas those clothes feature the holy symbol of Iomedae his features a stylised picture of a burning tree, clearly drawn on it by hand with charcoal and red and green pigments. Under these clothes he wears a simply armor made of dyed hides.
Personality:
Makao is a calm, friendly man which most consider contradictory to his orcish features. A behaviour further contradicted by the fire that burns in his eyes, though it's a fire of passion and eagerness as opposed to aggression.
Makao is a patient man who knows that one often has to wait for the appropriate moment to act. His visions helped him achieve this patience as they help him decide whether or not it will be rewarded. Despite that he is a stubborn man used to getting what he wants, whether through demand, by taking it (like his own freedom) or through subtle manipulation. In any case, he is loath to hurt anyone unless it can't be avoided, having found that friend and allies are more useful than enemies.
EDIT: So there is a Makao and a Makoa? It's a recipe for confusion (and disaster)
As far as being melee goes, he'll be a switch hitter. His challenges rely on him being in melee but the rest is more suitable for ranged (in my opinion).
he can be a short tiefling skinned to look like a halfling, but mechanically he will be the same.
Let me get this straight, do you mean completely mechanically identical including size or same as normal but small, with it's advantages and disadvantages? (got me confused since looking like a halfling means he's short well into the area of small beings)
Basic idea is as follows:
My character was a halfling serving as a huntmaster under a lord that came into power due to external help. The lord made a deal with what he didn't know was a mortal servant of Dispater (guy was Lawful Neutral) and as a result also gained an infernal advisor, an imp with limited telepathy who used his invisibility to influence the lord from hiding without him knowing.
At the same time the one who had him sign the contract became closer to said lord but upon being rebuffed by the arrogant imp she turned to trying to gain a hold on his staff. That's how she came in touch with Leonir, who proved to be very easy to influence and very open to performing deeds to further the goals of the First King and his allies.
Meanwhile the imp failed miserably in influencing the lord as he slowly turned towards a more zealous worship of Mitra instead. The priests of Mitra discovered he was under the influence of some fiendish contract and with their help he discovered he had been tricked. For his own redemption he in turn handed over the witch, the same who brought Leonir into the fold, to the church of Mitra. They in turn sentenced her to death for her crimes.
When this happened Leonir received orders to take out his lord and did so by setting loose the lord's own dogs upon him who then tore him to shreds. Upon completion of this task Leonir was rewarded and his reward was also the punishment of the failed imp. A powerful servitor of Dispater tore away part of the imp's essence, demoting him to a mere lemure, and infused Leonir with this very essence. While not enough to turn him into a proper fiend or even a half-fiend the infernal taint did alter him, turning him into the equivalent of(and mechanically identical to) a hellspawn tiefling.
After that Leonir ruled the lands of his former lord for several weeks through trickery and deceit, making the world think his lord was merely ill and bound to his bed. When the truth was discovered Leonir was arrested and hauled of to Branderscar Prison. The dogs were all put down for fear of them being tainted by some infernal essence.
Well, if house Barca has Asmodeus on their side that also means they have Dispater on their side which in turn would mean they are the true sovereigns of the land, not the holier than thou fools.
I've settled on a Cavalier(Huntmaster)|Inquisitor. He'll be Order of the Lion but his sovereign isn't the king of Talingarde but the one true king, the first king Dispater. He sees it as his job to remove unworthy sovereigns.
An added benefit is that he can state he serves the king when questioned, rare are the simpletons who have heard of the First King's glorious name. That and he's buddies with Asmodeus.
Makao of Burningtree is done where mechanics are concerned as is his background. Working on writing out appearance and personality.
As for the 3 things I'd like him to see or find out:
1: Is Hundrux Half-Man really his father? (He's been curious about that)
2: He wants to see the truth of his visions, if there is any
3: Get into the Grain Faith Acolyte PrC
There actually also is a fourth:
4: Find his old clan
Any other in game goals fill come from those above and how they are resolved.
How do you feel about the Divine Hunter Paladin archetype turned into an Anti-Paladin version? Assuming anti-paladins here are LE the cooperative aspects of the archetype actually remain thematic. Beyond that it's simply a matter of replacing Lay on Hands with Touch of Corruption, mercy with cruelty, good with evil and evil with good. That and the names would need some refluffing.
Looking at making a Halfling with one half Cavalier(Huntmaster) and the other either Anti-paladin or Cleric, but likely an archer build either way.
Basically the guy was the kennelmaster of a noble but eventually got fed up with him as he wasted his position according to the character. He set the dogs on his lord and watched as they tore him to pieces. He then managed to run the lord's lands for a while before the man's death and the character's deeds were discovered. Now he sits in jail, his dogs already executed because they attacked the soldiers that came to arrest him.
How strict is the "follow Asmodeus" part? Could one for instance be devoted to Dispater, Asmodeus' most loyal subject and ally or divide his/her attention between those two?
How limited is the Cleric/Inquisitor/Ant-Paladin slot? Could one take something like Divine Scion or Diabolist (or either Hellknight variant if they exist in this world) since they fulfil the same function?
Cuàn
