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Xanesha

Dark Psion's page

187 posts. Alias of Dark Lurker of Psionics.


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Inquisdrknss wrote:
Dark Psion wrote:


They already have added the Dragonborn, they show up about a third into the Dragon Forge novel. Soured me on that book real fast.

I was afraid this was going to happen, the Forgotten Realms dies a quick "100 year jump" death, but Eberron will die the death of a 1000 edits, one DDI article at a time.

I haven't read that one yet, how do they explain the new race? Or do they just appear?

In the story, our hero goes to Argonnessen to learn more about the Prophecy and runs into two tribes of Dragonborn. Unfortunately, I have not had the time or the desire to go back to that book since then.

But I can handle Dragonborn on Dragon Island, how do you explain all these Dragonborn suddenly on Khorvaire?


Inquisdrknss wrote:

So we're adding in new races that have not appeared in the campaign at all. I wonder how hard they're going to cram the dragonborn down Eberron fan throats.

They already have added the Dragonborn, they show up about a third into the Dragon Forge novel. Soured me on that book real fast.

I was afraid this was going to happen, the Forgotten Realms dies a quick "100 year jump" death, but Eberron will die the death of a 1000 edits, one DDI article at a time.


The Four Arch-Daemons as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

This is why I so loved Dragon magazine, I would read something like this and it is like; "Oh, I never considered that."

And now I have to go back a take another look at daemons becuase I now see them in a diferent light (or darkness I guess).


We could pass the time saying prayers for the Paizo servers.

I think all the problems they have been having recently are from the servers quaking in fear of the Beta release.


What about a "Shipping Cart"?

When we have items "pending", they could be in it.
When we order that one item that we forgot about, we could move it to the shipping cart with out having to ask to have orders combined.
When we have subsciption books come available, they could be combined with the shipping cart.

And the Shipping cart could have a big red "Ship Now!" button.


I was there when the divine war of pancakes began.

I remember the sticky battlefield after the the griddlecake priests of Mrs Butterworth challenged the flapjack paladins of Aunt Jermima.

There was batter everywhere, the battlefield was chaos with waffle mercinaries fighting on both sides. The tide of battle seemed to flip back and forth.

I took a hit from a barage of blueberries and was forced from the field of battle before the banana's were launched.

Too this day I can only face bacon and eggs for breakfast and on a good day,.....some toast.


Actually there are three Legions at the moment.

The Original Legion of Superheroes that returned in the Lightning Saga and recent Action comics.

The "reboot" Legionaires

and the "threeboot" current Legion of Superheroes book.

And all three will be in the Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds

I have a bad feeling we will have a "fourboot" by the time this is over.


What if the Pathfinder Goblins have crossbred with the server Smurfs?

That's where the psionic Blue Goblins come from!


It keeps asking me to log in everytime I go there and now it will not let me log in at any log in.


Nice to see an evil deity that is EVIL. No shades of grey here.

And yes, I was getting a Hellraiser vibe from it too. Going to need to create some rules for Cenobites now.


I have always equated magic items in D&D to technology in our world, look around you and see how much "Magic" you have.

A lot of the problems with this "Christmas Tree" effect are really problems the DM is doing wrong.

Bad guys have potions, scrolls and wands for the same reason the PCs have them, to use them! I have even had a bad guy break a wand just so his enemies would not have it.

Be creative with the items, quirk them up a bit. Make a ring of invisibility work by clenching it in your fist. Open your hand, you become visible. Make that Girdle of Giant Strength +5 a real leather and lace girdle and lets see just how badly that fighter wants his bonus.

Bring back cursed items, nothing curbs the desire for magic items like the threat of the dreaded Girdle of Femininty/Masculinity. Remember making magic items is an art and sometimes by flaw or design, the magic doesn't work just right. Just by adding a flaw to an item, making it a charged item or requiring something to recharge it, be it moonlight or ogre's blood can make using the item much more interesting.

Give the item a legacy, maybe a previous owner wants it back or maybe the actions of a previous owner have tainted the item with a curse or a haunt. A simple Longsword +1 can become a much more valued item if it has a legacy attached to it.

Part of the Christmas Tree effect is due to the carbon copy items included in adventures. Add aspects that make each item unique in ways that can make them more or less usefull, like the Helm of the Red Mantis assassins. Who in the right mind would wear this in public? Do you want to mistaken for an assassin? And you know the Red Mantis will want it back.


Part of the problem with the Soul Knife is what class is it emulating?

Is it a Psychic Rogue using his Mind blade to stab you in the back?

Is it a Psychic Fighter with a built in Lighsaber?

Is it a Psychic Monk schooling people in Wuxia styles?

Throw in the SoulBow PrC from Complete Psychic and you are just a Kame-Hame-Ha away from Dragonball Z.

The Deamscarred Press book, High Psionics: Soulknives has several variant versions that show just how versatile this class can be. And when you consider the added feats that come with Pathfinder and the Kensai feats from Dreamscarred Press, this class becomes even better.

I do like the idea of giving the Soulknife some power points, this makes Expanded Knowledge a more viable choice and I give them the Hidden Talent feat (XPH pg67) at first level in place of Wild Talent.


RavinRay wrote:
Dark Psion wrote:


Psion Conversion
9: Add D20 Modern powers since they are OGL also.
Aren't most of them 3.0 powers with some name changes? BTW Dark Psion are you the same Dark Psion who co-wrote the alternate psionic class features with Mark Jindra for the last Mind's Eye articles?

Yes, I have "brainstorms of creativity" time to time, usually when I am really bored at work.

And there are a few original powers in D20 Modern, I have always liked Bioweapon and not just for the cool "lightsaber sound effects".


Well some of my first Pathfinder characters were;

1/2 Elven Rogue Sniper: Focus on sneak attacks with a short bow and movement-based Rogue Talents

Human Fighter "Lady of the blades": Daughter of a noble house with 5 big brothers. Mother did everything to make her a proper lady, but after an attack that devastated their house and family, she was forced to learn the way of the warrior. She is a tactical fighter and has adapted her "lady lessons" into her fighting style.

Human Paladin of Pharasma "Assassin of Undeath": Inspired by Assassin's Creed.

Human Urban Druid: A "simple gardener" from Korvosa, who had to become a hero during the Crimson Throne adventure. His Animal Companion is a Psudeo-Dragon he saved from an imp ambush.

Some ideas I have yet to try;

A Barbarian who is more a "Totem warrior" channeling his inner beast.

An Aasimar Monk who is a detective and a Gnome Bard as her "Watson".

A Sorcerer with a Faerie background (Why yes I did get the Spiderwick movie today)


I hae been making psionic notes with each Alpha release and have started to organize them into my own version of Pathfinder Psionics.

Note that Psions & Psychic Warriors did have 0-level Talents in the previous 3.0 Psionic Handbook.

Also, yes the Wilder is a problem. It is the only class that get worse as it advances because you have a greater chance of Enervation as you manifest powers of higher levels.

Here is an overview of what I am working on;

Spoiler:

Pathfinder Psionics

Race Conversion

1: Naturally Psionic: You gain 1, 2 or 3 bonus power points each character level you gain in any class. A Naturally Psionic monster gains the bonus for each hit die. Note, the Kalashtar of Eberron get this, but other psionic races did not.
2: Psi-like Ability: You also gain this power as a bonus power known to your list of known powers.
3: Githyanki Psi-like abilities are spread over multiple levels, do the same with all psionic races with multiple psi-like abilities.

Skill Conversion

1: Autohypnosis becomes the skill controlling Psionic Focus in place of Concentration.
2 Psicraft will parallel Spellcraft and add Knowledge (Psionica)

Psion Conversion

1: Restore 0 level Talents from 3.0 Psi Hdbk, restore lost powers, bring in powers from Mindscapes and then make some “lesser” versions of current 1st level powers
2: Eliminate Discipline power lists and fold those powers back into Psion/ Wilder list
3: Expand Metamorphosis, Astral Construct, Psionic Charm into multiple powers
4: Alter Energy powers so that you must choose a single energy type for each power at the time you gain it. Add an augmentation that allows you to change the type of energy. This allows a “fire-theme” psion, but still allows you to manifest a different energy type when needed.
5: Create Specialist Disciplines like wizard’s schools, including a new one for a generalist Psionicist using the 3.0 Emulate Power to mimic the Erudite.
Each specialist gets a bonus power chain at 1st level that restores the Astral Construct I - IX to the Shaper, Psionic Charm to the Telepath, Metamorphosis to the Egoist, Telekinesis to the Kineticist, Teleportation to the Nomad and Precognition to the Seer.
Others have to take each power one at a time.
Add additional abilities that fit the spcialist's theme; Comunication for Telepaths, Hitchhike for Nomads, etc.
6: Create Psychic Bond for choice of Psi Crystal or Psionic Focus (Item)
7: Add more Augmentations, including Specialist only augmentations like Psionic Levitate, it allows only Nomads to move horizontally.
8: Restore the lost feats & powers from the 3.0 Psi Hdbk, like “Sever the Tie” and the Single Energy powers like “Bio-Current”, now with Augmentations that allow you to shape and manipulate it better.
9: Add D20 Modern powers since they are OGL also.

Psychic Warrior Conversion

1: Add Armory Bond to create a “Soul” weapon or armor/ shield you can summon and enhance, similar to Call Weapon/Armor.
2: Add augmentations to Fighter Bonus feats that can be achieved by sacrificing your psionic focus, like the feat boosts in Book of Experimental Might II (Malhavoc)
3: Add 0 level talents back from 3.0 Psi Hdbk.
4: Add Weapon & Armor training as per Fighter

Wilder Conversion

1: Replace the entire Wild Surge/ Enervation/ Surging Euphoria mechanic
Roll d6, 1-2 Fortitude 3-4 Reflex 5-6 Will
Save vs your power including the Wild Surge bonus;
Failed save: you Wild Surge then suffer Enervation
Make your save: you Wild Surge as normal
Critical Miss (1): You suffer Enervation and the power fails
Critical Success (20): You Wild Surge and gain Surging Euphoria bonus equal to your Wild Surge bonus, chance of Euphoria increase with each additional +1 to Wild Surge, at 3rd level: Critical Success (19-20), at 7th: Critical Success (18-20)
Enervation you lose Power points equal to your level and suffer an effect based off which save you failed; Fortitude= Fatigued, Reflex= Stunned, Will= Dazed, until the end of your next turn.
Add new feats to reduce chance of enervation and increase chance of Euphoria or share it with others.
2: Add 0 level talents
3: Add Inculcations; they are Bonus Abilities/ Powers/ Feats similar to Sorcerer bloodlines, Base off Skills? Traumatic events? Ardent mantles?
4: Add Survival skill to skill list as it is mentioned in the Wilder’s background.

Soul Knife Conversion

1: Add power points, Power progression and limited Power list (Force, Movement & Weapons)
and limited level access 1st -4th with advancement similar to Ranger or Paladin.
2: Note that the new feats every other level will allow more access to Soul Knife feats from Dreamscared Press’s Kensai Feats.


Well, I've seen a pdf leaked on BitBacon and the new bok is ALL MICROWAVE!

They say nobody cooks with gas anymore and electric cooktops are just mistakes waiting to happen.

Plus I've heard that Betty Crocker is going to release a Cooking System License and you will not be allowed to change any of her recipies or you loose the license to using her recipies.


As I see it, yes
Ask again later
Better not tell you now
Cannot predict now
Concentrate and ask again
Don't count on it
It is certain
It is decidedly so
Most likely
My reply is no
My sources say no
Outlook good
Outlook not so good
Reply hazy, try again
Signs point to yes
Very doubtful
Without a doubt
Yes
Yes - definitely
You may rely on it

Source Magic 8 Ball


From ENWorld

EN World member Amy Kou'al has translated the legalese of the GSL into something closer to the English language.

Spoiler:
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Game System License

This is the GSL.

1. You have to send us a letter saying you accepted this license. After you send us your acceptance letter, if we don't get back to you within 14 days, you're good to go. Tell us if any information changes or you might have to send us another one. You can't sell anything before October 1, though.

2. We can update the license whenever we want. It's up to you to make sure you're in compliance.

3. You can only use this license to make hardback or softback books, or electronic books. You can also make anything else to support those books unless we say you can't in Section 5.5.

4. You can use our stuff for free, but you have to follow our rules.

4.1. You can refer to everything we list in the SRD, but you can't redefine any terms in said SRD. You can add more stuff relating to those terms, though. We can update the SRD whenever we want. It's up to you to make sure you're in compliance.

4.2. You have to use our logo on your books. You can use it for other stuff too.

5. Requirements and limitations.

5.1. You can't use our trademarked stuff except in referring to the game and the core books.

5.2. Cut and paste this text block in your book's front somewhere. It has to be readable.

5.3. Cut and paste this text block in your ads. It's okay if some people can't read it unless they wear glasses.

5.4. You can't sell any books until October 1. If you do, you don't get to play. You can tell people you have books coming though.

5.5. You can't sell any web sites, computer-y things, miniatures or character creators that use our stuff. You also can't talk about character creation or leveling, claim to be part of the core books, point to our art, or reprint our core rules text. You also can't use our stuff in something that doesn't play by these rules.

5.6. You can't sell the contents of the SRD or definitions of what's in it.

5.7. You can't use our art.

6. OGL stuff.

6.1. You can convert your stuff to GSL, but you can't sell your old OGL stuff, except for your back stock. You can't convert back ever.

6.2. You can't weasel out of 6.1 either.

6.3. If you try, you don't get to play anymore.

7. Your stuff has to be relatively tame. That means no gore, no sex, and no social injustice, unless we're talking elves hating dwarves. Don't harass anyone or explain how to do something illegal.

8. Don't do anything illegal, either.

9. We get free copies of your stuff if we ask!

10. Ownership stuff.

10.1. We still own all the stuff we own. You can't use any of the stuff we own unless we let you. FYI: This includes the core rules and the SRD.

10.2. If you use someone else's stuff, we're not responsible.

10.3. You have to help us protect all the stuff we own, but we'll pay you. You can't legally argue that we don't own what we own. Don't break what we own either.

10.4. If you break the rules, you have to pay us.

11. Breaking things off.

11.1 We'll send you a note if we're breaking up. If we change our minds about everything we'll tell everyone.

11.2. Everything that seems like it can be permanencied, is.

11.3. If we say you can't play anymore, you have to get rid of everything yourself. You can't pretend like we didn't break up with you, either. If you ask us, we might let you keep some of the stuff you made, though.

11.4. If you break the rules, we might have to go to court. You have to pay us for that too.

12.a. You have to tell people that you own all your own stuff, unless it's somebody else's.

12.b. You can't agree to all this stuff for someone else who's not you.

12.c. You can't agree to this if it means you'd have to break some other agreement.

12.d. You can't violate anyone else's copyright.

12.e. You can't violate anyone's privacy or say anything bad about them.

12.f. You have to do what the government says if they're helping us.

13. We don't guarantee anything.

14. If someone else blames us for your stuff, you have to say it's your fault.

15. You can play, but that doesn't necessarily mean we're friends unless we talk first.

16. You can't tell someone else that they're allowed to use this license.

17. If you break the rules and we ignore you, that doesn't necessarily mean we're going to ignore you next time.

18. You can make your stuff and we can make our stuff, but you can't blame us if our stuff competes with your stuff. We can also ask other people to use their stuff that you might already be using, and you can't complain.

19. If we have to go to court, we're gonna do it in our backyard. No jury, though.

20. If the judge says part of this license is illegal, you still have to play by the rest of it.

21. That's it. We'll call you if anything changes.


James Jacobs wrote:
Tibitu wrote:

SO PAIZO, what is the next big thing you have in mind?

I suspect we'll be announcing THAT in relatively short order.

It's the Bella Sara Live Action Rolepaying Game.

Step 1: Get a horse!


Is "repaginated" an actual word editors use?


If I remember that old Dragon Magazine cover with him, it was pronounced;

Smash! Crunch! Ouch!


What if you gave a Mongrelman feats like those Shifters of Eberron get?

Imagine being able to "shift" into an aspect of one of your mongrel races.

As to a "cat-folk", there are the Tabaxi in the Mystara settng. They had an Oriental style and there was a Dragon article that created different sub-races based on felines that just screamed "Thunder- Thunder- Thundercats Ho!"

Centaurs would be nice as a player race, I was surprised to see them in Ptolus as such.

With Monte Cook on board, I would love to see a "Arcana Unearthed-Pathfinder style" book with races, classes and spells modified for the Pathfinder setting.

And as if you need another web comic to read, but you might want to check out Crossroads . It is interesting from a fantasy race point of view, because there are no Humans here.


I think Rangers should be given an option like "Hazard finding", but not Trap finding. That would fit the ranger better. One suggestion I read was to create some "Favored Class" feats that would make having a favored class really count for something.

I also agree that I would like to see some non-combat options for Rogue talents, especially for a Investigator-type rogue or a Tomb Raider-type rogue.


I would have no problem giving Monks Simple Weapon Proficiency and allow them to take Martial or Exotic Weapons with their Bonus Feats.


I can agree with giving Fighters Perception, but if they want Stealth, they will need to multi-class as a Rogue.

As to the comcept that "Everyone can use Perception", years of working in retail with customers that cannot see signs, items hanging under their noses and even a garbage truck dumping a commercial trash can, I can attest that some people have negative Perception scores!


One idea I have toyed with is that the Metallic/Chromatic/Gem Dragons are the draconic version of Aasimar and Tieflings. They are "enlightened" or "evolved" dragons, "planetouched" creatures whose physical form reflects their draconic soul.

Regular dragons should be more like the McFarlane Dragons. More monster than typical D&D dragon, and easier to use in a lower level adventure. Plus in AD&D, you could "tame" a dragon,

I can see this happeneing with these lesser dragon, not so much with the true dragons.

BTW, on the McFarlane site above, check out Legend of the Bladehunters/ King Draco.

Bahamut lives!


I guess I still was holding out hope that my dislike was just another aspect of WotC's bad PR, but after seeing 4E, it is worse than I thought.

It is like everything I enjoy about D&D has been removed or nerfed.

I have always enjoyed playing PCs against type or just creating unusual characters. My first Pathfinder Paladin was based on the image of Assassin's Creed main character, he is a Paladin of Pharasma who hunts Undead. Many of my favorite PCs can't be created with 4E; No Illusionist, no Seer and then there is the focus of the classes. All class Powers are based on combat. Many of the spells I like to use creatively are now rituals and have different rules.

Multi-Classing is a joke. A 4E Rogue using a Wizard Multi-classing feat is the equivilent of a Pathfinder Rogue using the Rogue Talents Minor/Major Magic.

The powers read like Magic:The Gathering cards, you get a single sentence of fluff and a bunch of rules that are almost in code. There have been a few I had trouble figuring out exactly what it did. And with every class getting powers, they all look alike. And yes, a 4E wizard will not "run out of spells", but I predict they will be reduced to casting the same "at will" power over and over again. Many of the Fighter's and Rogue's Exploits read like chess moves; slide 2 squares left, push a square back or pull 3 squares forward.

Magic Items are pathetic! I know they wanted to reduce the dependancy on them but this? Most have a minor effect and a Daily Power effect. Girdle of Giant Strength? +2 to Athletic skill, yeah an iconic item reduced to a Skill Focus feat. Staff of power? It's daily power is more like a Pearl of Power, you regain the use of one of your daily powers, but only if you score a critical hit. Which means the staff is useless with powers that don't deal damage. Potions? there is just four. And every item has a level, the lowest level ring is 14th level and I haven't told you the worst part yet.

If your PC is 1st-10th level, you can only use one Daily use of a magic item a day. Yes, if you use your sword's daily power, you cannot use your Shield's, your Armor's or any other item you have. 11th-20th you can use 2 and 21st-30th you can use 3. I assume if you become an immortal god you can now use 4 of your items daily powers.

I know that "killing things and taking their stuff" has allways ben a part of D&D, but in 4E, the classes are optimized for combat only and monsters in the Monster Mannual are there only to be killed. There are multiple pages for each creature but no ecology, nothing but a little lore section. And these Minions just don't make any sense to me. Why create such a powerful monster with only 1 hit point? Oh and remember the metalic dragons were left out? What took their place? Dragonspawn!

I have not read the Combat section since every picture is miniatures, miniatures and more miniatues. Oh yes I know, "You don't need miniatures to play." well technically you don't need a fork and spoon to eat, but here is your spaghetti and soup, have fun!

So to answer your question, I cancelled my pre-order, this is not a game I would enjoy playing. There is nothing here that is even mildy exciting and I will have to check the 4EDMG and see what it says about "old school gamers" and maybe they should be asked to leave the table too.


Well aside from making Psionics core ;), I would say those "2 skill rank classes" have always bothered me. I would support having a 4 rank minimum.

One thing I would add are some guidlines for making varitions on the classes. Pathfnder Gazetteer has some examples for swaping out one class ability for something new and I like this option. This opens the door for Wizards from different regions having different daily spells.

Other than that, I'm not seeing a lot I would change. There are options I would like to see explored and added too, like Ranger Combat styles, but that could be done in later books or as pdf releases.


You haven't been reading your Pathfinder books?

In Pathfinder 2, the PCs enter a "Haunted House" and the Haunts are treated like traps, they have a CR and you can gain XP for beating them. One for example is a Burning Haunt, the person triggering it smells smoke the first time, but the second time an object in the room seems to burst into flame and the flames surge to the person being haunted. Only the person being haunted senses this and if they do not resist the effects, they will suffer real burns. A Haunt can be Turned by a cleric or paladin.

For mechanical traps, see Fantasy Flights Traps & Treachery, it is one of the best guides for making traps. And Grimtooth's Guide from Necromancer has some of the most elaborate death traps ever.

Tomb traps are like those Indiana Jones deal with. They are big they often have a combination of different trap elements; Magic, Mechanical and Haunt.

Ruins Trap are basically a wall about to fall down. They ususally cannot be "reset" and sometimes will destroy what you are trying to reach if they are "set off".

Hazzard traps are natural hazzards; quicksand, mudslide, hornet's nest, sinkhole and even weather can be a Hazzard trap if you don't see it coming or as the after effects; flash flood, weakened tree or flash fire.

Ward Traps are Glyphs, Symbols and and spell set to trigger with a contingency. They can be keyed to an object or word to allow passage and may be a charged effect so they can reset.


Spellcraft to spot Magical Wards, Religion to spot a Haunt, in fact considering that a Haunt makes you "see things", a high Perception might be a hinderance.


Part of the problem is in the definition of "Trap".

From a pure rules point of view; Mechanical Traps, Tomb Protections, Ruins, Wards, Hazards and Haunts are all "Traps" as they use the same game mechanics. But even the basic mechanical traps can run the gambit of a little needle in a lock to Grimmtooth's huge room traps.

I would have no problem with a Ranger having a Hazard Sense, a Wizard being able to Sense Wards or a Cleric detecting a Haunt, so maybe these classes need a limited version of Trapfinding as either a cass feature or as a feat.

They would need to be tied to a skill they are good at, maybe Survial for Rangers, Spellcraft for Wizards and Religion for Clerics.


I would say Golarion is also a bit like a Fantasy Gamma World, with left-over magic, tech and vaults from the time of the Runelords.


Vampires die in the sun, but Drow just burn, just pain. An Ache that never goes away, even a hundred years from now they will still feel that heat, that glare that hurts the eyes, that pain that the underdark never prepares you for.


My biggest problem with Lolth worship only is that all clerics become carbon-copy, white haired priestess with whips.

Demon-lord Drow opens the door for several different types of clerics, druids, and other divine classes, maybe a Demon Knight form of an Anti-Paladin?

What if the Spell-like abilities of Drow were more Warlock than Wizard? It would explain why renegade Drow lose these abilities and make PC Drow a little less munchkin.

As to why the Drow don't rule the world;

1: The Sun

2: The Finite Number of Dark Elves in my setting, this keeps them from
assembling a huge force.

3: The Sun

4: Competition between the Demon Lords can upset the balance of power within Drow cities.

5: The Frelling Sun

6: Other Underdark races don't want the Drow to draw too much attention to their world. Humans have infested the surface, they don't want them down here too.


The editorial on the Dark Elven Anti-Iconic reminded me of the things I like and dislike about the Drow.

Really there are only two things I don't like and would change;

1: The focus on Lolth alone, the other Dark elf deities deserve more attention.

2: The self-destructive aspect of the Drow. When you consider the low birth rate of elves, if Drow were to kill each other, they would have eleminated themselves by now.

Now how would I "revisit" them?

Consider Babalyon 5's Minbari. The Three castes; Warrior, Religion & Worker. Consider that Minbari do not kill Minbari because they belive in reincarnation and the only way a Minbari soul can truly die is by the hand of another Minbari.

Now imagine this applied to the Drow thru a mirror darkly.

Rule #1: Drow do not kill Drow. When the Dark Elves were sundered from True Elves, there was a finite number of Drow. There can never be more than that number because since Dark Elves are denied the Heavens, their souls reincarnate into the next generation. There is only one way for a Drow soul to be lost, death at the hands of another Dark Elf. Killing your own is the quickest way to becoming a Drider. This is also why renegade Drow are so feared, they are the only creatures in exisistence that can truly destroy the destiny of the Drow.

Drow society is based on Caste and position in the order of things. No Drow has to ask, they just "know" where they fit in, they just "know" who they can command and who they must obay. This is why Renegade Drow have so much trouble "fitting in", they cannot sense the order of things with other races.

There are three castes;

Relgion: Priests of Vhaeraun, Anti-Paladins of Selvetarm, Dark Druids of Ghaunadaur and Priestess of Lolth. Also, Sorcerers and Warlocks are also part of the Religious caste, as their magic is considered a divine gift.

Warriors: Fighters, Rangers, Scouts, Psychic Warriors and Lurks are most common. Wizards and Psions may be part of the Warrior caste if they Multi-Class into or from a combat oriented class. Monks are very rare as unarmed combat just doesn't make sense to Drow, you have a sword, use it!

Worker: Don't let the name fool you, this is the caste of Rogues, Bards and Assassins. Although they also serve Drow society as traders and craftsmen, they also are the diplomats those who would talk to the Drow meet. Most Wizards and Psions fall into this caste since they focus on crafting wonderous items and protecting Drow cities.

The Sado-Masochistic aspect of Dark Elves applies to everyone else. Most other creatures are just slaves, not worth more than the work they can do. Some creatures are mercenary tools, they can go where Drow cannot and they can deal with renegade Drow without upseting the Destiny of the Drow. A few creatures are respected allies; Dragons, Illithid and Aboleths must be delt with carefully. Drow are not stupid, they respect power and know better than to piss off those who could be a threat to their destiny.


After reading the entry for Achaekek, the Mantis God, I think it is time for the Thri-kreen to get a Pathfinder make-over.

And I do love the Rakshasa entry, the spirit of Dragon's Ecology articles just won't die.


I don't think it is "attacks", it is more the realization of loosing something that has been a part of our lives for a long time. The EnWorld News page has been my Home Page since they day I found it, but I recently changed it to Paizo because more and more the news there was nothing that intrested me.

As we get closer and closer to 4E release date, I feel both sad and fustrated that the game I love is moving on without me and in a direction I choose no to follow. But with every sneak peek of the new books, I realize more and more it is not a game I want to play. I even cancelled my pre-order for the Player's Handbook, I just saw no reason to waste money on something I will never use and reading it would just make me upset again.

I am glade that Paizo is here with Pathfinder, without you guys, I might have just stopped playing all together.

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