Hey all, sorry to kill this before it starts, but a recent unforseen development in the real world is going to keep me from running this game. Thanks for you interest, and sorry I couldn't get it off the ground after less than a day, but it'd be impossible for me to devote enough time to it.
If you have a character concept you'd like to propose, post it here and I'll get back to you. Basically I'm looking for four players so I'll select them from the concepts I think will work best.
As for background, a basic one is probably okay. Don't get too too detailed, since the characters are 1st level. The real adventure doesn't start till the campaign does. The Players Guide is a definite good choice to look at for flavor.
Celestial Half-Porc, the stat generation guidelines are:
Hey all. I'm looking to get a PbP game up and running on these boards and I'm looking for up to four players.
We'll be playing using 3.5 rules.
Standard Races and Classes.
28 point buy for stats
max starting gold for character class
max hp at 1st level. For every other level take your HD, divide by two and add 1, then add your Con modifier.
So a wizard with a 12 Con would get 4 hit points when he takes a new level.
I know it's kind of impossible on these boards, but limited knowledge of Rise of the Runelords is preferable.
Hey all. Not sure if this is the proper format for a request like this, but I'm a long time DnD player looking to find a game here.
Is anyone running a 3.5 PbP game looking for a player? I have all the core rulebooks and a few supplements, and I'm willing to fill any role required in the party (meat shield, healer, scout, etc.}
The prison in Thistletop. Although I'm making more use of it than my players.
The room is described as having several implements of torture and an Iron Maiden. Since the Fighter and the Wizard were captured by Nualia, I'm thinking of having either her or Lyrie help them get acquainted with the text description, Han Solo style.
Ran into a bit of a quandary when it comes to my RotRL campaign. After the death of the dwarven cleric at Thistletop, one of my players has elected to run Shalelu and make her a full-fledged PC. I have no problem with this, and in fact am quite excited about it.
My problem is when the PCs reach the Hook Mountain Massacre.
Spoiler:
The adventure states that Shalelu asks to join the PCs because she heard rumors about Jakardros being at Fort Rannick. It doesn't elaborate on where she heard about him or from whom. This is a great roleplaying opportunity for the Player and I don't just want to throw it away with a "you heard through the grapevine"
Name of PC: Beyla
Class/Level: Female Dwarf Cleric [Torag] 3
Adventure: Burnt Offerings
Catalyst: An enraged Yeth Hound
Story: In the final confrontation with Nualia, the Cleric got ahead of the group and met up with the jaws of Nualia's Yeth Hound. With the Bard fleeing Thistletop in a panick, Roland the Fighter and Brohm the Wizard were forced to watch from captivity in the chapel as Nualia beheaded Beyla's body and offered her flesh as a sacrifice to Lamashtu.
Now the Fighter and Wizard languish in a dungeon awaiting the same fate. Hopefully the Bard can return with Shalelu before it's too late.
You know, the situation you described is exactly what happened in my game, except the wizard managed to properly use the scroll. Totally different outcome.
Hm.
Yeah. I have a feeling a ball of arcane fire rolling among the goblins and goblin dogs might led to a happier end for my PCs.
As it is, the wizard is a half-orc who already has a history of casting spells that enemies save against. (just lucky rolls) Now the party's dwarf constantly taunts him with his lack of magical effectiveness.
Running through my RotRL campaign last night, my players finally reached Thistletop, only to end up captured by the goblins.
Spoiler:
They found their way into the thistle maze, no problem. The party bard scouts ahead and sees the birdcrunchers. Quietly, the party moves into position, and the wizard readies a scroll of flaming sphere he found in the Catacombs of wrath. He rolls a 1 on his level check to operate it (the party is level 2) and alerts the goblins, who attack en masse. A few rounds later, Gogmurt the druid arrives with his Fire Pelt and goblin dogs in tow.
The PCs put up a good fight, but end up unconscious and nearly dead. I've had the druid stabilize them, but I'm not sure what he'd do with his new captives.
I should have been clearer. I meant that Scarnetti wants the PCs detained. I certainly won't let the charges stick for more than a second. Especially with what the PCs shared with the mayor.
There is someone in charge of the guard, and the party has an iffy relationship with him currently, due to his humiliation by the party's fighter in a contest during the Swallowtail Festival. So right now I'm considering of Scarnetti using a little of his influence to get some of the town guard on his side.
As to motivation:
Spoiler:
The PCs rejected Scarnetti's offer of employment, and the Bard even brought up the rumors about the mills to him. So he sees them as potential troublemakers, and he's trying to jump to fill the power vaccuum left by Lonjiku Kaijitsu's recent murder.
As an idea for the RotRL campaign I'm running, I'm thinking of involving some Hellknights and I'm looking for advice.
Spoiler:
As things stand now, the PCs just emerged from the Glassworks, having saved Ameiko. When they were breaking in, a few locals started asking questions. The bard failed her diplomacy check so the Fighter managed to shoo them off with an Intimidate check. The same fighter that managed to infuriate Ven Vinder when he was caught in an awkward situation with Shayliss.
Now as they emerge from the building with a battered and bloody Ameiko, they are greeted by a few guards with a crowd at their backs. The bard managed the Diplomacy check this time around, and the PCs were led to Mayor Deverin and Father Zantus.
That's where the session ended.
The PCs plan is to show the mayor Tsuto's journal. My plan is to have Titus Scarnetti barge in after their meeting and demand the PCs be arrested until everything is cleared up. The Sheriff has already left for Magnimar, and the PCs were recently approached by Scarnetti, who was attempting to hire them as enforcers in Hemlock's absence. He hinted at that time that he had resources coming from Magnimar. I'm thinking now that those resources are Hellknights.
I was planning on having a few knights arrive in town at Scarnetti's request and kind of make things a bit difficult for the PCs in their zeal to get to the bottom of the recent troubles. Maybe have Mayor Deverin approach the PCs quietly to investigate on their own.
I'm a little surprised it's going over so well on these boards--300 was thoroughly bashed here three years ago.
I think the show accomplishes its goal a lot better than 300 because they're clear with what they're about. They have a good feeling for the style they want to have in the show, whereas 300 shifted from realistic in some points to ultra comic-booky in others.
Plus it doesn't hurt that Spartacus is a series and has a lot more time to establish settings, plots and characters than a movie.
Yeah, the effects during the combat scenes remind me of 300. Definitely over the top, but much better than, say, Tarantino's samurai movie homages in the Kill Bill movies.
The creators of the show said they wanted to make a show that looked like a graphic novel, and I think they succeeded. Continuing the vein of Sin City and 300.
Astrid Whesterwill (N female human Bard 1) Courrin Whesterwill's younger, wilder sister. Fascinated by ancient Thassilonian ruins and legends.
Roland Stark (NG male human Fighter 1) A human warrior from a farm in the Sandpoint hinterlands. Gaven Deverin started to train him in swordplay after Wade was murdered by Chopper five years ago. Has so far made excellent use of the Cleave feat when it comes to carving up goblins.
Beyla Shalefist (NG female dwarf Cleric of Torag 1) A dwarven acolyte sent to observe the Swallowtail festival, since several Janderhoff stonemasons were key in constructing the new cathedral. She has her eye on the Combat Medic prestige class.
Brohm (LN male half-orc Wizard (abjurer) 1) The surly and overweight magic-user of the group. Grew up in the Underbridge district of Magnimar. As a youth he couldn't find anyone willing to take a half-orc on as an apprentice, so he's been studying with hermits and hedge wizards. He's vowed to return to Magnimar powerful and respected.
The PCs fight an enemy wizard, who after exhausting all his spells and being reduced to 2 hit points, flees and gets away. The DM awards the party XP for defeating him.
The wizard fled to a secret stash of healing potions to recover. Several days later, the PCs face him again at full strength with all of his spells. Would they get additional XP for defeating him again?
I never got to finish the campaign, but it seems to me that after all of the struggles and trials of the PCs, saying "well, 1 down. You guys have 6 more to tackle." kind of takes the wind out of their sails.
They players I had when we started the campaign always talked about settling down at a high level and becoming big figures in the campaign world. That's generally the way it works with our campaigns. Once a group retires, I have the players describe what they get up to. Then when a new campaign starts, the former characters are important figures in the world for the new PCs to meet if they wish.
The character I have in mind is a dwarf deeply dedicated to traditional dwarven values. One raised away from Janderhoff, but not in a human community. She is obsessed with her dwarven heritage and trying to be a "proper" dwarf. Visiting Janderhoff would be one of the highlights of her life when it does happen.
So I'm looking for some isolated dwarven camp or mine. Maybe one near the Lost Coast. Anybody ideas about that?
Considering making a dwarven Cleric for an upcoming RotRL game. I was wondering. Are there any major dwarven communities in Varisia beside Janderhoff? If not, are there any smaller ones? Isolated mines, delves, etc.?
I'm starting this thread as a general brainstorming session for weird and/or unusual villains.
I was looking through the DMG and started thinking about a Hafling Blackguard as the main villain of an adventure. It'd throw the players for a loop, especially if he was lording over a force of ogres and trolls or other large monsters.
Picture it: The PCs burst into the throne room of the evil warlord. The figure is clad in black chainmail and sits astride a monstrous fiendish beast. His eyes glow red as he calls on the power of evil to smite the heroes.
He also happens to be three feet tall.
Anyone else have and idea for a villain with a twist?
However, right now, the Paladin is trying to romance Ameiko. (And actually romance her, not just bed her and be gone...he's trying to learn about her and swoon her and so on...)
Oooo. Lawful Good + Chaotic Good = fun/crazy antics about to begin.
The other Rogue tried to pickpocket from the owner of the Pixie's Kitten during the Sherriff's speech. (He was caught and put in manacles until after the Festival. Of course, the goblin attack interrupted that and he not only freed himself, but also saved the life of the guard who was supposed to be arresting him...)
Nice. I live for the little gaming stories like that.
Anything to get backstories on these guys sooner! ;-)
Seconded!
And the Iconics are a great way to keep up interest in the classes before the book comes out. Seeing art of Karzoug and Valeros is what drew me into Pathfinder in the first place.
I'd change the name to fit the character, regardless of what the class is officially called. I'm sure not every sorcerer refers to him or herself as such. I ran a campaign once where the tiny gnome sorcere insisted she be referred to as a battle mage.
"I'm a Battle Mage! Sorcerers are wimps."
Personnally, I'm a big fan of Witch Doctor or Voodoo King :)
With the release of the Cavalier, Oracle, Witch, and Summoner came some more fantastic sketches from Wayne Reynolds. Is anyone else as excited as me to find out more about these characters?
Will these sketches be fully realized into new Iconics in the future? And if so, will they get mini backstories like the Pathfinder Iconics?
I'm a huge fan of the Pathfinder Iconics, and I can't wait to see them join the likes of Valeros, Seoni, and the rest of the gang.
Which of the sketches is your favorite? Which do you want to find out more about? I'm personally interested in learning about the Witch.
Hey all, I'm making this thread to compile great roleplaying anecdotes from the Rise of the Runelords adventure path and ideas people have for rp moments not outlined in the adventures themselves.
I'll start off. I took an encounter from an old Dungeon adventure when I ran it. After the goblin attack at the Swallowtail Festival, amidst such encounters as the Boar Hunt and the Misadventures of Miss Vinder, a young dwarven girl named Jolie snuck into the sorcerer's room at the Rusty Dragon.
Jolie wanted to grow up to become a great adventurer, but her parents were hearing none of it. The gnome sorcerer found her going through her potions and scrolls when she returned from a night at the Hagfish. It was quite a sight when the gnome dragged the girl back to her parents tugging on her ear with a mage hand spell.
I'd go with a very light armor. Mithral Shirts, Studded Leather and the like. If you can enchant your own armor or have someone to do it for you, you could get your hands on some magic padded armor. Only a 5% spell failure, and just a couple points of AC might end up saving your life one day.
On the flip side, you might go with a Buckler. It straps to your forearm so you can still cast spells, and it can also be enchanted.
Nope. Bucklers get strapped to your wrist. If you're using your hand to do something, like holding a great sword, you're not holding your buckler up defensively.
What's your judgement call?
Complete Warrior has a feat called "Improved Buckler Defense"
Improved Buckler Defense
You can attack with an off-hand weapon while retaining a buckler's shield bonus to your Armor Class.
Prerequisite: Shield Proficiency.
Benefit: When you attack with a weapon in your off hand, you may still apply your buckler's shield bonus to your Armor Class.
I plan on playing a fighter specialized in two-handed weapons for an upcoming campaign. As a GM, would you allow this feat to be applied to attacking with a two-handed weapon?
I'd say yes. Simply because I'm in the same situation. I ran the first two adventures of Rise of the Runelords as a DM with my old gaming group. Now my new DM wants to use the adventure path, and I still want to participate as a player. We worked out an agreement that I could play as long as I roleplay convincingly and "forget" events I'm familiar with.
I think I'm up to the challenge. I haven't read a page of the last two adventures. I only skimmed HMM and FotSG. As for the first two adventures, I'm actually looking forward to looking without leaping. As to the argument that I have metagame knowledge that I can't simply "forget", I say that it's a bit like retrying a level on a videogame. My character is subject to the whims of dice and DM just like all the rest.
In the PH description of Bucklers, the rules state that you can use the arm the buckler is strapped to for other things. You can hold an object and even attack with an off-hand weapon.
When you're wearing a Buckler and attack with an off-hand weapon, the rules state you lose the Buckler's AC bonus for the rest of the round and the off-hand attack suffers a -1 penalty because of the extra weight on you arm. What about two-handed weapons? Can you use say, a greatsword, while wearing a Buckler and still keep the AC bonus?
I remember some Dungeon adventure or other that had a few games during a wedding celebration. I think it involved a harpy.
Anyway, the adventure had a lot of great opportunities for PCs to interact with townsfolk. Here are some of the possibilities.
Catch the greased pig A pig is let loose in a large pen, smeared liberally with grease. It's kind of a free for all, with participants trying to grapple the piglet. It has a +10 bonus on grapple checks due to the grease. After the first failed grapple check with a contender, it has a +8. After the second, +6, etc. The chase continues until the pig is caught. If the bonus ever reaches +0, the pig is smeared with a new coat.
Magic show Vernutt Parooh has drawn a small crowd with some minor illusions. A PC illusionist or bard might be able to outdo him.
Can't quite remember the other options, but another issue of Dungeon had rules for footraces and caber tossing.
Hmm. Good point. I might have some restructuring to do if I go with the halberd.
And since we're still using 3.0 as our base rules I can take two-weapon fighting without taking Ambidexterity and qualify for the Spinning Halberd feat from Complete Warrior.
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