Red Dragon

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Herolab is really, really good. I use a combo of Herolab and Kyle Olson's Combat Manager (beautiful tool for combat!).


Carnestolendas wrote:


2) From the fluff pont of view, and despite all archetypes you may want to throw at me, the average Joe has normally somethin in his mind when building a rogue that pretty much more or less only fits in a Rogue. Examples:

- Kheldar of Drasnia (Chronicles of Belgarath asf) is no bard
- Tasselhof Burfoot (Dragonlance) only fits in a Rogue
- Even Thom Merrilin (the Wheel of Time) fits better in a Rogue with perform skills than in a bard's skin.
- In the latter series you could also "build" Mat Cauthon with a rogue character.
- Arya Stark (A song of...) has the feeling o a rogue
- So has Varys the spider and Littlefinger

All these characters have something in common: they are pretty damn memorable. The "rogue role" is usually one of the most popular in fantasy series.

I don't usually copy characters from fantasy when building a PC, but it's true that some inspiration derives from literature, graphic art, films asf and IMHO in the very root of Roleplaying (hence the name) lies the act of giving life to somebody of your imagination.

Excuse the length but I'm not able to express myself in english more concisely...

This.


Mergy wrote:

The trouble I have is when I look at a bard or ranger (or an archetype of these). Playing the smooth-talker, the scout, the charlatan are mostly roleplaying, with just a minor splash of skills. When I look at the Sandman and the Archeologist, as well as the Urban Ranger and the Trapper, I can't help feeling like the rogue class shouldn't exist at all.

Of course you can still be a rogue, or a roguish character. Remember that your character can call himself whatever he likes, and he can be whatever you like.

"That man with the longbow and that mangy wolf? A rogue if I ever saw one. "

I absolutely understand what you'e saying, and I'd like Paizo to make archetypes so that they're not "invasive" to other classes' fluff.

That said, even though you can play a huge number of "rogue types", you should have always in mind that the character is, above all, a rogue. So if he's a charmer, he's kissing and, at the same time, reaching for the lady's purse. If he's a scout, he may catch the enemies' sleeping and steal their stuff, poison their food or plant a trap on their camp. Per say, whichever "rogue" you're playing, he should be doing things a rogue would do, not a ranger or a bard. I see a bard singing a "sleep" song to steal from the lady, but not lifting her stuff :)

I dunno, thinking like that I feel like the character is unique and memorable!


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I don't know, maybe it's just me, but i'd love to play a rogue, just for the fluff around it and the numerous characters I can come up with. People shouldn't mind having their character outdamaged by others, simply because this is no wargame.

You can play the sneaky pickpocket, the smooth-talker, the scout, a charlatan, the ladies man, a coward who avoids direct combat and only kills weak enemies, etc. For me, that's what counts. Okay, other classes can do the same, but so what? What's really important is how memorable that guy will be!

That's me, though.


No one, no?


Hey guys! How y'll doing?

Does anyone got the Kyle Olson's combat manager files for the RotRL monsters to share (or a link to someple with them)? I'm having a hard time doing the Graul Ogres :\

Thanks a lot in advance!


Guys, sorry if this' a stupid question, but I searched to exaustion here and couldn't find it.

The wording in mirror image says that, if the attack is a hit, one should "roll randomly" to determine whether he hit the target or a figment. But what the hell do they mean about "roll randomly"? Like, if I have 8 images there is a chance of 1 in 9 that the attacker will hit? I just cant find the explanation to it anywhere, neither the ruling for "random rolls" on the Core Rulebook!

Thanks a lot!!


I just can't seem to know what to make out of this room!

The description is as goes:

A17. Prison (EL 7)
The majority of this large, stuffy chamber is covered in filthy webs forming a funnel that dips down into the ground. A catwalk runs around the rim of the room near the ceiling, twenty feet above the ground. In each corner, the catwalk expands into a ten-foot-square platform that’s fenced in by wooden beams, forming a cage in each corner. The walls within each cage are hung with iron manacles. Most of the manacles—while bloody—are empty, but three in the southeast corner imprison emaciated men.

The map won't help much, and I can't imagine what the description says. I mean, where the hell is the web funnel anyway? Where is the spider? How could anyone "fall into the web"?? Jumping from the catwalk?

And what about the cages? They're underneath the platform?

English in not my native language, but I've done fine till now. This description is really, really weird!


No, it's more like "I missed my first attack, so in my second attack I'll try hitting with my two weapons". So if his BAB is +6/+1, he'd only apply it to two attacks at his +1 BAB, thus resulting in +6(failed)/-1/-1.


And w/o the ITWF feat, could he opt to make two attacks using only the second BAB? Like +6/-1/-1?


Ok, here's my question:

Let's take a rogue for example. At level 7 a Rogue's BAB is +5. So if he has the TWF feat and is using a light weapon on his off-hand, he can make two attacks (full round action), at +3/+3, right?

At level 8 his BAB is +6/+1. This's where my question lands. He'll be able to make full-round attacks at +4/+4/-1/-1? Or would it be +4/+4/+1?

Thanks in advance, and sorry of this is stupid :D


So, when giving my players magic items, how will I know if that particular item is too strong or too weak to him other than the description?

I can't find any guidelines about that. Also, I can't figure out which magic items are minor ou major.

Thanks a lot for responding, the CL while creating an item is completely clear to me now!


Hey y'all!

Something's been bugging me for a while now, and my players have been more and more interested in crafting magic toys that kill stuff, so I have to ask.

The Core books says, regarding magic items caster level:

Quote:
Caster Level (CL): The next item in a notational entry gives the caster level of the item, indicating its relative power. The caster level determines the item's saving throw bonus, as well as range or other level-dependent aspects of the powers of the item (if variable). It also determines the level that must be contended with should the item come under the effect of a dispel magic spell or similar situation.

Does this mean that a CL 10 Magic item has an appropriate power to a Lv. 10 Character? I just can't get that!

Also, when a character creates a magic item, how do I determine it's CL?

Thanks in advance!


Wow, awesome!


I'm sorry to be posting this at the end of the thread, it's just that it got huge and I can't read all of it :(

All I wanted to know is if the Rogue got some candy too, and how does it looks ^_^


Congrats man, must've been a dreamy thing (yeah, I'm a guy...).

On a unrelated note, as long as we're saying thanks, I'd like to thank Paizo for listening to their customers and beng considerate when releasing their products, providing us with high quality stuff for reasonable prices.

Thanks a lot guys, you rule.


So he's in Sandpoint, and wants to set up a shop there and sell weapons between adventures. I'm really at loss on how to this, though I got some ideas. I want to know if you guys got any experience at that.

-How much would a small house cost to set up his shop?
-How to handle how many of his products will be bought or not? I mean, the "market fluctuations".

Etc.

Thanks a lot in advace ^_^


Awesome man! almeidafreak(at)gmail(dot)com!

Thanks a loT!


This one really caught my eye, but I can't find any reviews on the internet. My fear is, if it is not strong enough, we'd have to be in complete dark to play, therefore we couldn't see our own character sheets XD

http://www.pureprojectors.com/projectors/manufacturers/pos/innoio_innocube_ ic100


Hey guys!

I've been on the mood to acquire a small projector to enchance the gameplay experience, but budget's a little tight right now. I've seen a couple "mini projectors" on e-bay, and some of them can make a image up to 6 foot, and I think that's more than enough.

But I am at loss which one to pick, and there are some really juicy prices on them.

I also thought about getting the mini one because it'd be easier to hang somewhere.

Anyone got experience on that field that could give me some tips?

Thanks a lot!


How do you destroy a hount now? Channel energy?


I had a player with the same problem, but it got fixed with a suggestion I gave him.

You need to BELIVE in your roll, you need to put good energy and thoughts into your roll in order to suceed. If you roll thinking you'll roll badly anyway you just won't make it!

It's mostly hokum, really, but it does work most of the time. The guy is happy rolling right now...

...rolling his dice, just to be clear.


Well, we ended the first part and I used a lot of the comments written in this topic, so thank you very much for all the help and support. This' a great community really, something I couldn' find in the 4e boards (though some people are really nice there too!).

***SPOILERS COMING UP***

Well, they negotiated with Orik and he followed them until they met with Nualia. The he "unturned" his coat and attacked them from the back, which was awesome. One player actually said "Oh sh**, you mother*****...", which means he was actually immersed in the game.

The buffed Nualia gave the paladin a hard time, with her high attack bonuses. I did shatter his longsword, but they did very well. Those Yeth Hounds are really mean, I gave her just one, since Orik was there (at 9 hit points, but still, that Bastard Sword of his sure hurts a ranger or a rogue).

Some doubts arised: does channel energy for healing allies heals the cleric too?

After Nualia came Malfeshnekor, which was great too. I didn't really know how to handle invisibility, I just couldn't find the rules! In there a penalty for attacking? I know the invisible attacker gets +2 to hit, but what about the attackers?

Anyway, by the time they killed Malfeshnekor they were in pretty bad shape and out of healing itens or spells. So the giant hermit crab was a funny ("Guys...that helmet is looking at me...") and tense surprise (ranger got knocked out...it's an NPC anyway.)

In the end we had a lot of fun, thanks to your suggestions, thank you very much!

I need to work on my "administration" skills. There's a lot to keep track of, but with time Iknow I'll get used to it. For instanc, I forgot Mafeshnekor's DR, but it was good somehow, cause it's a really powerful monster, so I think the party could have died in the end.

I'm looking foward to part two!!


Thanks a lot for the responses guys!I'm converting the monsters so that they can stand up for the challenge!


0_o

Wow! Brutal!


Just out of curiosity: do you guys give the PCs chance to rest in dungeons like this? Or run awar, buy stuff and come back?

I did let them rest between the base and the 1st level, but I'm not sure I should have.

I would've thrown some goblins at them (or even yeth hounds) but they were kinda in a bad shape.


Yeah, I've no intention to kill 'em, I just want them to feel pressured! There is still Nualia, Malfeshnekor and the giant hermit crab for them to handle, so they can't be in really bad shape when they come.

Oh, about the same happened with Tentamort, but it WAS kinda weak. He did sting the Rogue though, just after he was bit by a goblin dog. XD The others laughed pretty hard at him.


Thanks a lot for replying you all!

I do not intend to switch systems or give up GMing, I think it's a great role to play on the table and I love PF!

Here's some data on it:

Lyrie is found in a rather small room, and I put her in the farthest corner so that the Paladin wouldn't get to her so easily.

Oh yeah, the group is: paladin, rogue, cleric and ranger, all level 3.

The Rogue sold that returning dagger they get early in the AP, and bought the paladin a full plate, so his AC is really high. Lyrie was my chance to scare him a lil' bit, cause Ripnugget just couldn't hit him (fricking' smite evil...). I did manage to hurt the party badly in this fight, and as they were in real bad shape (dumb ranger fell on the bridge...)

Anyway, although I was able to slow down the paladin, the rogue won the initiative and rushed to her, sneak attacking her for a buttload of damage. From that it went downhill. The paladin threw a chair at the girl! The corner'd her and beat her to a pulp. I tried to shatter the paladin's sword, but he's got pretty high defenses!

Also, I just forgot about her wand -_-...

Now Orik did a great job hurting the paladin (they're negotiating with him right now), and although Ripnugget encounter gave them a pretty hard time, they have pretty much beaten every encounter without much damage.

I know I need to handle cover/concealment and lighting better, but I belive Lyrie's room was lit.

Anyway, that's how they kicked her samosas.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I *AM* using Kyle Olson's combat manager! It's awesome!


***MAY contain Rise of the Runelords SPOILERS***

Well, yeah I do fail as a GM.

I just switched from 4th Ed. to PF (and I THANK GOD for that), and we decided to start with Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path.

Spoiler:

We just got to Thistletop's 1st level, and they battled Lyrie Akenja. I mean, clobbered her. I did as the instructions said, at the beggining of the battle she cast on herself mage armor and mirror image. But somehow I just couldn't handle the thing well (the statblock has plenty of stuff to acknoledge and use...).

My luck is that my players are as ignorant of the game as myself, so when they win easily, they just feel more powerful and, well, happy. But I'd like to give them the right challenge, make them feel pressured, cause this will get old soon.

Is there any guide around about GM preparation, some tips, etc? We're having fun, and still getting the grasp of the rules, but I really want to give them a good time by feeling the pressure of it.

Also, I read that as the levels rise up, it becomes even more difficult for the GM to administrate things! I'm panicking already!

Thanks a lot in advance!


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I apologize in advance if I seem to stress my point too strongly.

It's just that as much as I love US's cultural production (music, movies, RPG, games ,etc), as a brazillian I just can't swallow this false moralism when it comes to sex.

Sex is just out there: magazines, TV, the internet, at the beach, on the street. And still the USA insists on treating it as something "unnatural". Oh, c'mon. Seeing a sorcerer dressed like it is on the book won't turn your kids into perverts. Not just that, they'll have sex one day, right?

It's just better to raise them presenting it as something natural but also giving all the right information. As much as you hide the hideous and scandalous Pathfinder artwork from them, at school they might just play doctor with their friends, and you'll probably never even know it!

11 out of 10 pornography websites are from the USA. So why pretend that sex is this God forbidden thing, that no child should be aware of? I'm not telling you to have sex in front of them, but it is not the artwork of a fantasy book that'll break your kids.

Treating sex as a huge taboo will only make them more curious about what it is, and maybe even traumatize them later on.

Just control the information so that they take each information step by step, as they age, but never treat is as forbidden.

Paizo, the artwork of the books are GREAT, and there is absolutely no reason to soften it. It is not inappropriate for children at all.


Hell freaking yeahhhh!

I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannitI wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit I wannit!


Thanks a lot for replying man! Knowing that there are no stone-carved guidelines actually makes me feel more free to invent whatever I want!


Okay, I did search some, I read a lot and I still have difficulties here.

I just can't understand the process of creating a magic item. My doubts are concentrated specially in the effects.

Take for example the Rapier of Puncturing.

I see you need the feat and the spell harm.

First: the price. +2 weapon bonus and the wounding property would be: (2²x2000)+ (6²x1000) = 8000+36000= 44000 and not the 50k the book says.

One other thing: it says the effect can happen up to 3 times per day. Where did this limitation come from? It's just made up?

I'm really sorry if this has been asked over and over, but I just can't semm to process the whole information!

Thanks in advance!


I never knew SR also worked for spells you're willing to receive. Seems pretty obvious to me.


Those calculations were all done BEFORE you added other modifiers, right? (like weapon focus).

On another note, ranged attack + two weapon fighting? Like, firing with two one handed crossbows?


I'm currently using PCGen, which only fails me for being kinda laggy. But as a newbiew DM I'll try and save some cash for Hero Lab, which seems pretty sweet!

Thanks a lot for responding!


Yeah, I took a peek at it and as every other product by paizo it's awesome awesomeness (i'm purchasing it in april, per say, tomorrow). But I really want to know specifically if those guidelines are good or bad businnes.


Hi y'all!

I've been browsing numerous websites on minimizing the prep time to run PF, cause I just switched to it and got terrified to the notion that it takes a lot to DM at higher levels. I know I can use the awesome APs Paizo puts out, but I do enjoy creating my own adventures, so I'm searching for reference.

I came across a blog in which the author gives some pretty interesting guidelines to create fast NPCs, but I'm not really sure if using that method will give me challenging NPCs to higher levels.

The blog is: http://rollforinitiative.blogspot.com/2010/10/pathfinder-preparationits-not -that.html

I'm not criticizing the author, none of that. Actually, for what I know that'll save me a lot of time, and I know that my lawier's life won't allow me to spend much more into my games. All I want is some insight into it, so that I can hear more opinions about it!


Hm, a lot of things made me switch to PF. I was a big enthusiast of 4e, and I got to play it a lot. My mind changed when I actually read PF. Then 4e stopped making sense to me.

I fail to understand how EVERY SINGLE ATTRIBUTE can influence my ATTACK rolls. I mean, having a really good wisdom does NOT make me any proficient at shooting rays at people.

I fail to see why a mage has got to be as mundane as a fighter. DAMMIT, he IS NOT! Dude, he uses magic, magic is not supposed to be something common!

All classes in 4e are essencially the same! All you change is: the name of the powers, some of it's effect (which, frankly, end up on either push, pull, negs ou ongoing.), range and targets. Otherwise, a fighter is slightly different than a paladin, so much that I would just pick the strongest one!

Weak, oh the weak fluff.

I don't like WotC's attitude. They have a bad business model, the ruthlessly cancel products and don't even give the costumers any satisfaction.

And their board's members attitude. When I come here all I see is a bunch of PF fans exchanging ideas, experiences and, overall, satisfied with Paizo. It's a pleasant sommunity, with a lot of helpful people in love with their game. Well, there all I see if people fighting, complaining about the company, etc. Also, there are a couple of ass-kissers there that I just can't stand! All WotC does is plain awesome to them!

PF designers actually post on the boards, they give a damn about the costumers and are just plain awesome.

The books are marvelous, from the art to the layout, everything has a fantasy feeling. 4e books are white with thing written in it and some horrific art (I'm looking at you, dragonborns and PHB2 Barbarian!). Although I do think PF books are more frail.

I just switched to PF, and I'll DM Rise of the Runelords this weekend. I'll try to earn as much experience as I can, but I'm already terrified about the long prep work eveyone talks about. I just hope to be able to find my way into a simpler way to prepare my games (I don't know if it'll really be a problem, because me players are really simple minded, NOT powergamers at all...)

EDIT: OH YES. Hasbro. I hate Hasbro behind it all. They cancelled the minis, for which they should die a horrible death. Thanks to that I was introduced to Games Workshop, much better products, but take a time I just don't have!


Thanks a bunch guys, Magicdealer's explanation actually made it more plausible than before!

Thanks again!


Hey guys, how are you all?

This question seems a little silly in my own head, and I really did took my time before asking it, but it's been bugging me so much that I decided to go on and do it.

As read in the Core rulebook, a character using a reach weapon, such as a long spear, or a Monster with reach CAN NOT target foes adjacent to them?

I understand the intention here, but when it is kinda weird.

Am i right or I misread?


Thanks a lot for replying guys, I feel more confident now. Although the game is really rules heavy, I'm just loving every single inch of it, and the fact that it gives me so many possibilities makes me itch to play.

I'll start slow to fell the game and let the adventure develop. I'm picking Rise of the Runelords as a starting AP, so let's see what happens!

Thanks a loT! Again! It's great to know we have a good supporting community also!


This thread really makes me worry.

I too just got back from a misventure with 4e (it stopped making sense to me) and got both the Core Rulebook and the Bestiary.

I've been reading about prep time and how hard it is to DM at high levels, and somehow I don't think I'll ever manage that.

I'm not done reading the book yet (it's not even in my native language, so it takes a little more time than normal), so I'm kinda lost when it comes to creature/NPC creating, but it seems the common opinion that 15lv+ is DM's hell.

I play with a group that learns the game playing it: they WON'T read the books, that I'm certain of. That'll probably slow the game down a LOT.

Also, I don't really have time to prepare that much, and it seems that the creatures of the Bestiary alone won't do it with a high level party.


You're awesome, sir.