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I'm hoping to implement Automatic Bonus Progression in my upcoming game, but I'm a bit confused about it. In particular I'm having difficulty with the following section;

Quote:
Any weapon, armor, or shield special abilities on attuned items count against a character’s enhancement bonus from attunement. To determine an attuned magic item’s enhancement bonus, subtract the cost of its special ability from the enhancement bonus granted by attunement. (This applies only to special abilities whose cost is equivalent to an enhancement bonus, not to those that cost a flat amount of gold pieces.) For example, if a character with a +3 enhancement bonus from weapon attunement wields a keen scimitar, she subtracts 1 point of her enhancement bonus (for the cost of keen), leaving her with a +2 keen scimitar. If a character doesn’t have enough of an enhancement bonus to afford the special ability (such as a 4th-level character with a vorpal longsword), she can still use the weapon’s power on its own, but the weapon gains no enhancement bonus.

I'll use an example to explain my understanding.

A 9th level character (having a +2 weapon attunement) picks up a keen scimitar and when using that scimitar she must subtract the cost of keen (+1) from her attunement enhancement bonus, therefore leaving her with a +1 keen scimitar. Yet the same character can pick up a vorpal longsword (+5) and still take advantage of the special ability (vorpal) even though they cannot subtract the full cost from their attunement bonus.

My take-away is that the character is paying off the special abilities as best they can, thus possibly leaving them with a weapon with no enhancement bonus but still with a usable special ability. Am I understanding it correctly?

As a follow up, what about Masterwork weapons? The rules state:

Quote:
In this system, magic weapons, armor, and shields never have enhancement bonuses of their own; those bonuses are granted only through attunement.

Masterwork aren't magic, but they provide an enhancement bonus. Is that removed as well, or does this enhancement bonus persist until a character reaches 4th level and can properly attune to the weapon?


baron arem heshvaun wrote:

Please state the APs you run as a DM and those you were a player in.

Please mention the APs you finished through to the end and those you are currently running as well as those that you started but had to shelve.

Please mention you are getting ready to run or be apart of (wishful thinking does not count here).

Lastly of those APs that you did complete which was the one you enjoyed the most and why.

GM: Rise of the Runelords (completed), Skull & Shackles (on hiatus @ book 3)

Player: Carrion Crown (completed), Shattered Star (group lost interest after book 2), Kingmaker (GM flaked before end of book 1), Reign of Winter (group dissolution in book 2), Curse of the Crimson Throne (GM fail - narrated books 4-6, PCs did nothing), Rise of the Runelords Anniversary edition (currently in book 3)

GM Planning: Curse of the Crimson Throne

Most Enjoyable: Not much to work with having only completed two, but I'd have to say I enjoyed Carrion Crown the most of the two. I had a truly memorable connection to my character and had a great experience with the AP (barring a fail instigated by a player who happened to also be the GM of the failed Kingmaker and Curse of the Crimson Throne campaigns).

I'd like to point out I absolutely love Curse of the Crimson Throne and was thrilled at the opportunity to play it. Needless to say I was furious at the atrocity foisted upon us by the GM, particularly the fact that he glossed over/narrated the last three books as he wanted to get to the end, but "didn't have the time to properly play it out." That's why I'm planning to properly run it with select members of that group, so they can experience it's majesty.


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There's a lot of worry about this being a sequel AP, undoing Hell's Rebels and just plain being too much Cheliax, but I have an alternative thought. What about the Cheliax-Andoran border? The two nations aren't the best of friends and have rather conflicting national ethos, given previous events it's possible Cheliax is going to to seek vengeance on them.


Sloars (alternately spelled "Slor") are rather large beasts not from this world. Gozer was noted for taking the form of one by Vinz Clortho.

:)
Ghostbusters wiki

Edit: citing source


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23. Weapon speed this piggybacks on the above mention of weapons. I loved the idea of weapons impacting how quickly they could be brought to bear in a round. I recall with fondness the suffering of my battle axe wielding dwarf as he almost always went last in the round.


Dot for reference


Prepping my own CotCT campaign now. This is fantastic stuff!


I've generally been a medium track guy, but I'm changing my ways for my next campaign. I'm fleshing out Curse of the Crimson Throne, based on suggestions in that AP's thread, to build stronger party ties to Korvosa prior to the events in "Edge of Anarchy". Even with slow the party is going into that book a level higher, so I'm making adjustments there too, but I'm rejiggering the initial aspects anyway so that's no big deal.
I'm growing fond of the slow progression, as it allows me to insert side-treks to an AP, without skewing the level progression too much. Additionally it gives the party opportunities to grow into their abilities and form stronger attachments to mentors before outpacing them.
Of course, I also recognize some of the concerns voiced here about remaining in the "newbie" levels (1-4) for too long before achieving what many consider the "sweet spot" levels (5-12) - vary those those numbers according to taste. I'm fiddling with the possibility of using medium track for 1-3, then slowing things down beyond that. Years ago with 2nd edition we used something similar (normal xp cost for early levels, then double cost after that) and it was reasonably successful.


Recipe "flavor article" written, just need to run it through the test kitchen, feed results to my group and then submit.

Now to come up with two more articles.


I believe the stats are found in Varisia, Birthplace of Legends

Edit: ninja'd


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A couple members of my group have culinary interests resulting in a variety of dishes inspired by Golarion cultures, much to the rest of the groups delight. I know recipes have found their way into Wayfinders in the past, but I see no ideal category for them now. Would one submit them as, dare I say it, a Flavor Article?


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Gwen Smith wrote:
When deciding rules questions (kind of like law questions), you start with the exact wording of the rules. If that's not clear, you can consider similar wording used elsewhere (precedent). If that's still not clear, you can search for discussion threads where the developers of the rule talk about what they meant (legislative intent). "Logic" is the absolute last thing to rely on because "logic" or "what makes sense" can be very subjective). If it's still not clear or if you disagree with the rule, you can always ask for an FAQ (take it to court).

Gwen, this is most clear headed, rational explanation from a non-dev (and I can't say all the dev posts I've read are clear and rational) I have ever read on these boards. Thank you for restoring my faith in this forum.


Kydeem de'Morcaine wrote:

Minor Scion Layabouts - All are later sons/daughters of minor nobility (aristocrat class is appropriate) with the wealthy trait. Skills and feats toward pride and image. Later build choices can be after learning how the world works.

Orphans of the Same Wandering Father - All human or half human. Just received a letter that their father has been killed.

Oh I like these. I may use the first for my revised CotCT campaign (modeling city on 17th century France) and I really like the second option, but don't know what I'd use it in right now.


I've always been on the fence about Numeria, but I'm always willing to mine things for ideas. I've picked up the Numeria guide, read through the Iron Gods players guide and am now working my way through Fires of Creation. My mind is constantly going back to Gamma World and how this AP would fit perfectly in an old school Gamma World campaign. While I don't know much about the upcoming technology guide, but I'm willing to be it will further reinforce this.

Just last weekend I told one of my gaming groups that I could easily take the Numeria material, throw out the Golarion fluff and build a pretty cool post-apocalypse campaign on Earth. Of course in all fairness, I'm pretty impressed with the material as is and can see myself running this AP as written.


This is incredible! I love the pawns and am slowly building up my collection, but this tool gives me the opportunity to add customized pawns to my Paizo bunch. I love the idea of being able to use a specific image for a creature or character. Dainejir Thank You!


Dot dot dot.


James Jacobs wrote:
Fateweaver wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
It'd only increase your chances if you somehow managed to pick the AP that I've already hired 6 authors to start writing on. AKA: The AP is chosen, and can't be changed now! :-)
So how many AP's am you ahead in trems of planning 2 to 3 ?
I've got my APs more or less picked out through to about 2018 at this point. I think Rob's got his out to at LEAST 2016, if not 2017.

Knocking around in the back of my mind is a niggling thought that something is possibly going to happen in Golarion in 4718 (2018). I just can't recall what it is or why I would think that. I've been pretty deep into research on Korvosa so it may be Varisia related. Anyone else have any insights/wild speculations regarding a potential hint to Mr. Jacobs' plans in existing Golarion history, Reign of Winter has given us precedent.

I'll have to try and retrace my research to see where I stumbled upon the 4718 date.


This is great! I've been toying around with an idea for a bard that uses limericks as his performances.


Dotting for my next running of Skull & Shackles.


A little late to the party (as my group is already "Raiding the Fever Sea"), but here they are.

1) Captain Ammon Endymion (bastard son of Arronax), human Gunslinger/Bard
2) Rune, human Magus/Rogue(knife fighter) - 1st Mate
3) Mazin Waverunner, undine Rogue/Ranger(guide) - Pilot
4) Gundar (Ammon's ulfen cousin-mother's side), human druid(storm druid) - 2nd Mate
5) Mara Lei, sylph ninja - Cook
6) Kara Lei, sylph alchemist - Master at Arms


My group has gone with Demon's Kiss. The captain is a bastard son of Arronax Endymion and their parting was less than amicable, thus he felt it necessary to voice his enmity in this manner.

Spoiler:

I'm looking forward to the future encounters revolving Endymion, the player (a fellow Pathfinder GM) graciously did not read ahead in the AP, so he's unaware of the excitement in his future.


Wow. Not a lot of dwarf love, mirrors Paizo I suppose. Here's mine;
1) Dwarf
2) Human
3) Half-Elf
4) Half-Orc
5) Sylph


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Season 4 of pathfinder society had a great many scenarios in Varisia. While the metaplot was tied to the Shattered Star AP and the newly opened lodge in Magnimar (thus after the events in RotRL) converting some shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Edit: can't spell


I've given up hope on any love for dwarves coming from Paizo and as a devoted fan of dwarves since beginning my gaming life 30+ years ago, this saddens me. However, nOw that I'm in the planning stages of running an epically expanded Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign, I plan on giving the dwarves of Janderhoff the love they deserve on my own.


DOT!


I think Rule Zero: Underlings, by Minotaur Games might be something to look at.


Oh I like this, I'm really looking forward to hearing how it actually pays out.


Dotting, as this is just full of cool ideas and my campaign is about to start


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Here is my version of the "Man's Promise", to be renamed something more with more piratey appropriateness when my players acquire her.

Pic 1
Pic 2

I have the materials to make the "Wormwood". I just don't know if I want to.


Dot! So I don't have to search every time.


Gnomezrule - I had the same issue about Bonefist's sudden appearance as the BBEG I. Book 6. While I'm not going to have my players in direct conflict with him until then, I am introducing them to his "evil". I'm using an intro similar to Dudemeisters, instead of being press ganged in Port Peril, they are going to be crew on a merchant vessel. Bonefist's is going to take their cargo, disregard the parley agreement and blow their ship out of the water. PCs will be ignored survivors that are later picked up by Harrigan. This will give the PCs a nice intro to Bonefist, and be powerless to truly touch him for quite some time, let them feel the firepower of a cannon armed warship and hopefully start a simmering dislike for the current Hurricane King.

As for Harrigan, book 1 gives plenty of reason for the party gain a healthy dislike without my help.


I like her and am going with a different approach, for reasons similar to Ferrinwulf. I'm taking inspiration from the current Captain Morgan rum ads running here I the States, where a pirate is broken out of jail for the map on his back. I'm going to have my crew find a verse hinting at treasure, but no map. Whereas Isabella is going to have the map but no verse. I'm not using Mancatcher Cove, as the party just came off an underwater cavern crawl in book 1 and think a repeat is just weak storytelling. I'll be using something else, this forum is full of wonderful suggestions, to fill that space.

Anyhow, I'm playing this as Isabella needs the party and they need her. She's still a hateful, evil person and will betray them at her first chance. In throwing out the saughin storyline, I've added the twist that Harrigan was responsible for the Thresher's capture and her subsequent imprisonment. He turned her over to authorities in either Senghor or Bloodcove (depends on where the party preference lies) for her eventual execution by Chelish authorities.

Spoiler:
Sign of his betrayal and of good faith to his Chelish allies

This puts her in an "enemy of my enemy" position with the party, but she's going to have her own agenda, which they are going to have to be wary of. The potential for an alliance is there (my group has told me their alignments are "morally ambiguous, leaning toward evil) particularly if they give her what she wants, a ship and a shot at revenge. However if they impede her in any way, she'll backstab them and make off with whatever she can to get what she wants.

Honestly I'm still in the planning stages, but I felt the character was too cool to just kill off and so determined from the start to rework her involvement in the story.


Oh I still care. It's just that two years allows for a lot of other things to come up. Thanael/Jadeite, thanks for the link, I'll have to check it out.


Dotting yet another Dudemeister thread :)


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If you are going to dip your Paladin, I'd recommend milk chocolate, though some prefer dark chocolate and the purists would insist you use white chocolate, I just like the taste of milk chocolate best. Of course, there are also those who believe paladins are best dipped in cheese, but that's just crazy talk.


Prepping campaign, needed to dot this


Enocelot wrote:

Nor as advanced.

I think, in general, Elves are pretty much under-represented in Golarion.

I actually think the Dwarves are getting the short end of the stick (pun intended) when it comes to representation in Golarion. It can't be argued that we have "Dwarves of Golarion", the Elves (and the other player races, for that matter) have their own books too. The Elves also have their own AP and while it was Second Darkness, they get some AP love. It took years for the write up of the Dwarven patron Torag and I'm still waiting for some AP notice for Dwarves. I don't even need an AP dedicated to Dwarves, I'd be happy with just a bit more detail, i.e. I would have loved to seen a Janderhoff article in Curse of the Crimson Throne. With all the love shown to Varisia, I'm still confused as to why the major Dwarven settlement in that nation has still only been mentioned in passing.


I'd love to use more dinosaurs in my upcoming Skull & Shackles game.


My group of Runelords survivors were all given pretty black "Rise of the Runelords" bottle openers.

I need to come up with a "prize" for completing Skull & Shackles.


I've looked everywhere I can think of (Skull & Shackles Players Guide, Ultimate Combat) and I can't find a targeting DC for the Springal. I assume it must have one, as it is listed as an indirect fire. Anyone know what the DC is or where I can find it?


Were the printing issues ever resolved with this? I just downloaded a new copy (to be sure I had the most recent) and using Adobe 10.1.4, I am still unable to print out a copy.


Each day I eagerly await the latest Paizo Blog post, hoping for an announcement. Each day I go away disappointed :(


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I'm prepping to run these right now (just started playing in Shattered Star, so I have a bit of time to get ready) and I can see a few changes I will be making (many inspired by sabedoriaclark). Yes there are a lot of dungeons throughout this (and most APs) but I'm going to approach them more as set pieces in my pirate sandbox adventure. I'm not giving out XP, instead just leveling the party at the indicated points within the AP. I think this will allow me a bit more freedom in throwing pirate-y encounters (exploration, capturing ships, etc.) at the party to break up the dungeon crawls. While I have yet to read through 6, the various discussions I read seem to indicate that inverting the sequence is the most exciting approach and so I'll likely go that route.

tl;dr - I'm breaking up the set piece dungeons of the AP with widespread piracy.


Inspired by one of the PFS guys in my area, I punched out the pawns, glued a piece of card stock to the back of each sheet and when it dried I put the pawns back in their slots. This way I can just store them as sheets. Sadly this inspiration came too late for me to apply it to my beginner box, but when I get the Bestiary Box I will be doing this and just using the box as storage for my sheets.


Generally mine die at 0, unless the PCs indicate they are trying to keep them for questioning or the NPC happens to have a feat that would kick in after 0 hp. Obviously my "mooks" NPCs don't benefit from a PC channel (intentional or otherwise) if they are being slaughtered indiscriminately, but I will allow them to benefit if the party is trying to keep them living. My exceptions are the "Wild Cards", for those familiar with Savage Worlds, and those particular NPCs are treated just like PCs when it comes to hit points.


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It seems to me that if the PCs are doing what they can to influence crew members to their cause, it would only make sense that Scourge, Plugg and their cronies would be attempting to do the same. It may slow things down a bit if the influential actions of a PC are reduced the next day when the influenced crew member is working the rigging with a Scourge ally. Eventually the PCs may be successful in bringing along a significant number of the crew, but it may not happen as fast.


Pendagast wrote:
Tell us more about the half drow magus worshipping serenrae what's the back story on that?

I'll ask the player this weekend, so I can get the story correct. I can't recall which of his parents was human. I do know, like the paladin and oracle, he's very big on the redemption aspects of Sarenrae so I'm assuming something in his story there.


Timothy Hanson wrote:
Or if you want when the PCs return you could just have the mutiny having already happened and the PCs need to take the ship back. Sandra, Kroop, Rosie, and some others would just need to be bumped up a little and then they become the "bag guys".

I don't see it becoming an issue when I run this AP. However, everything mentioned by Timothy here (I chopped it all out) indicate play wouldn't be too messed up if the party were able to befriend Scourge and Plugg. Getting the party in command of the ship could be handled by the above quote. The mutiny has already taken place and the party has returned and must retake the ship. Going from memory here, but I think the rescue takes place around mutiny time. Have Scourge with the party being rescued as mentioned;

Timothy Hanson wrote:
Bone Wrack Isle, Scourge gets taken and Plugg sends his trusty friends to go rescue him.

Plugg may or may not have died in the mutiny, staged by Sandra, Kroop, Rosie and other disgruntled crew. I'd have him be severely wounded and the rest of the "friendly" crew pretty beat up and in chains. When/if the party is successful in reclaiming the ship, play up Scourge's cowardice in the retaking of the ship and have the surviving crew "elect" one of the party as the new captain.


Pendagast wrote:
ahahah! seriously?! a blind oracle with an xbow?! has the rogue tried to lift it off you for safety concerns?

Nope, tho' we don't have a rogue (party makeup here). Our half-orc ranger hasn't been terribly pleased by my antics, as wildly waving a crossbow about has gotten us into a couple of fights. Only our paladin knows that Sarenrae has gifted me with some vision, everyone else thinks I'm blind and just a little crazy. I think it's her assurances of Sarenrae's guidance that have allowed me to retain the crossbow this long. Our last fight did have me handing it over to the ranger, as he was yammering about some creature in this large chamber. I allowed him to use it to shoot this alleged creature after he broke his bowstring (fumbled). I suspect the second I shoot a party member (fumbling a shot myself) the party will end my crossbow wielding reign of terror.


We went a bit non-traditional this time, which may come back to haunt us in a "dungeon-crawl" AP. Our group consists of:

Portia Scarnetti, Human blind Oracle of Sarenrae (me)
Maddela, 1/2 Elven Paladin of Sarenrae
Fallon, 1/2 Elven (Drow blood) Magus (follower of Sarenrae)
Tiberius, 1/2 Orc Urban Ranger
Figit, Gnome Bard

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