paizo.com Favorited Posts by Dire Mongoosepaizo.com Favorited Posts by Dire Mongoose2017-05-27T03:32:08Z2017-05-27T03:32:08ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: What PF spells do you think are over-powered?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2s5ep&page=2?What-PF-spells-do-you-think-are-overpowered#522015-04-14T11:20:57Z2015-04-14T02:23:22Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Xexyz wrote:</div><blockquote><p> There's no justification for having this spell bypass spell resistance, and in fact the only reason it does is so that it can target golems.
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</blockquote><p>Honestly in general I think the spells that bypass spell resistance are too good, not just that one. Disable Construct doesn't exactly bother me because there's an opportunity cost to picking it — you just might not run into a construct that day if you're a prepared caster, or you sacrificed a slot for it if you're spontaneous. But, like, Glitterdust? That's good for almost everything.
<p>In the groups that I play with, the casters just naturally gravitate towards loading heavy on spells (when they pick something offensive) like Glitterdust and Create Pit. It's totally common for the party to encounter a golem or something with atrocious SR and just not even notice, because there are a ton of SR: No spells that are <i>also</i> just plain great for their level besides it.</p>
<p>I think most of the SR: No spells should probably be a level or two higher than current, so there's actually a tough choice to make more often between the most effective spell of your level or something that's a hedge against SR.</p>Xexyz wrote:There's no justification for having this spell bypass spell resistance, and in fact the only reason it does is so that it can target golems.
Honestly in general I think the spells that bypass spell resistance are too good, not just that one. Disable Construct doesn't exactly bother me because there's an opportunity cost to picking it -- you just might not run into a construct that day if you're a prepared caster, or you sacrificed a slot for it if you're spontaneous. But, like,...Dire Mongoose2015-04-14T02:23:22ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder Adventure Path: General Discussion: If Another AP Got a Hardcover Makeover, Which One Would You Want?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2rv47&page=4?If-Another-AP-Got-a-Hardcover-Makeover-Which#1542015-03-19T20:27:32Z2015-03-11T00:55:06Z<p>I have to vote for Crimson Throne. I bought the whole thing years ago but I've never mustered up the energy to run it.</p>
<p>A lot of it is awesome, and the parts of it I love, I <i>really</i> love — but then I think about the titanic effort to fix the parts of it I don't like as much, to pad the parts of it I think are thin, and most of all to convert the encounters to be not just Pathfinder but <i>interesting</i> encounters in Pathfinder and I give it a pass for another year.</p>
<p>I'd buy a well-done update of it in a heartbeat.</p>I have to vote for Crimson Throne. I bought the whole thing years ago but I've never mustered up the energy to run it.
A lot of it is awesome, and the parts of it I love, I really love -- but then I think about the titanic effort to fix the parts of it I don't like as much, to pad the parts of it I think are thin, and most of all to convert the encounters to be not just Pathfinder but interesting encounters in Pathfinder and I give it a pass for another year.
I'd buy a well-done update of...Dire Mongoose2015-03-11T00:55:06ZRe: Forums: Advice: Generating 200 hp of damage in a roundDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2qc1j&page=2?Generating-200-hp-of-damage-in-a-round#702013-11-07T19:41:29Z2013-11-07T18:16:04Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Clectabled wrote:</div><blockquote> <div class="messageboard-quotee">CWheezy wrote:</div><blockquote> <div class="messageboard-quotee">Pink Dragon wrote:</div><blockquote> Level 20 characters average 100-150 hp. </blockquote>This is totally wrong btw. I mean, wizard average health at 20 is probably around 230 or so, other classes will be higher </blockquote>Hmmm That's interesting, a d6 character with 11+ HP / level. That would give him a 24-26 con to average 230 HP. (assuming he rolled an average of 3.5 on the die roll) </blockquote><p>Don't forget favored class bonuses and Toughness. And full HP at first level, for that matter.
<p>This is also assuming that we're just talking base HP and glossing over the fact that wizard or sorcerer can pretty quickly keep False Life up permanently, etc.</p>
<p>Between those and being able to craft a +CON item for cheap it's not uncommon for me to play something like a wizard and have the highest HP total in the party quickly. Not that a barbarian or whatever couldn't be built to go higher but more that they tend to have different item priorities.</p>Clectabled wrote:CWheezy wrote: Pink Dragon wrote: Level 20 characters average 100-150 hp.
This is totally wrong btw. I mean, wizard average health at 20 is probably around 230 or so, other classes will be higher Hmmm That's interesting, a d6 character with 11+ HP / level. That would give him a 24-26 con to average 230 HP. (assuming he rolled an average of 3.5 on the die roll) Don't forget favored class bonuses and Toughness. And full HP at first level, for that matter. This is also assuming...Dire Mongoose2013-11-07T18:16:04ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: What options in Pathfinder completely irritate you?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n9qb&page=2?What-options-in-Pathfinder-completely#962011-12-18T05:18:06Z2011-12-16T20:06:49Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Kelsey Arwen MacAilbert wrote:</div><blockquote> All those examples are of people wielding two weapons against one target. I'm not talking about that. That's fairly realistic. What I'm talking about is the nonsense of some guy with two swords or two pistols fighting two guys at once. I see it in films all the time, and it's usually how I see the fighting style used in D&D, and it just isn't happening. Concentrating on one opponent is one thing, but on two simultaneously? No. Even IRL fighting styles that teach fighting multiple enemies teach you to go after one at a time. </blockquote><p>So what you're saying is... people play D&D and take one hand's attacks against one enemy and the other hand's attacks against a different enemy rather than focus fire on one until they're down?
<p>I can honestly say I've <i>never</i> seen someone do that, and I've seen hundreds of 2WF characters across multiple editions.</p>Kelsey Arwen MacAilbert wrote:All those examples are of people wielding two weapons against one target. I'm not talking about that. That's fairly realistic. What I'm talking about is the nonsense of some guy with two swords or two pistols fighting two guys at once. I see it in films all the time, and it's usually how I see the fighting style used in D&D, and it just isn't happening. Concentrating on one opponent is one thing, but on two simultaneously? No. Even IRL fighting styles that teach...Dire Mongoose2011-12-16T20:06:49ZRe: Forums/Gamer Life: General Discussion: Are class and race balancing ANTI-fun?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2nahv?Are-class-and-race-balancing-ANTIfun#192011-12-16T19:30:26Z2011-12-16T17:20:37Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">booger=boy wrote:</div><blockquote><p> Do you guys think we pfinders obsess too much over race and class balance?
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</blockquote><p>Nope.
<p>The base game should be as balanced as we can make it. If individual groups want to deviate from that and let people play crazy crap, more power to them, but the baseline should be a game in which all the players get to contribute without the GM having to go out of his way to make it happen.</p>booger=boy wrote:Do you guys think we pfinders obsess too much over race and class balance?
Nope. The base game should be as balanced as we can make it. If individual groups want to deviate from that and let people play crazy crap, more power to them, but the baseline should be a game in which all the players get to contribute without the GM having to go out of his way to make it happen.Dire Mongoose2011-12-16T17:20:37ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: Where is the Threshold for "Overpowered?"Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n9xz?Where-is-the-Threshold-for-Overpowered#252011-12-13T21:27:18Z2011-12-13T21:12:54Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Jeranimus Rex wrote:</div><blockquote> I would like to mention that any DM who has issues w/ hitting AC should just start rolling behind the screen and then say hit or miss depending on the die roll and not the modifiers. </blockquote><p>Maybe "if the DM has to cheat to make it competitive, it's overpowered" should be the threshold. :PJeranimus Rex wrote:I would like to mention that any DM who has issues w/ hitting AC should just start rolling behind the screen and then say hit or miss depending on the die roll and not the modifiers.
Maybe "if the DM has to cheat to make it competitive, it's overpowered" should be the threshold. :PDire Mongoose2011-12-13T21:12:54ZRe: Forums: Advice: Are Humans the weakest race?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n93s?Are-Humans-the-weakest-race#162011-12-09T20:38:21Z2011-12-09T15:28:21Z<p>Count me in the pile of human being the best race.</p>
<p>Maybe if you have a GM that allows all the Bestiary races for PCs (and I never have) it's too easy to find something that outshines the human for most characters, but using just the core races I'd pick human most of the time.</p>Count me in the pile of human being the best race.
Maybe if you have a GM that allows all the Bestiary races for PCs (and I never have) it's too easy to find something that outshines the human for most characters, but using just the core races I'd pick human most of the time.Dire Mongoose2011-12-09T15:28:21ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: What is rage-lance-pounce?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n8d2?What-is-ragelancepounce#452015-08-19T14:52:02Z2011-12-06T15:18:50Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">DeathSpot wrote:</div><blockquote><p> I completely agree. The mount charges. The rider doesn't. Both Ride-by Attack and Spirited Charge use the phrase 'charge action.' Neither feat says 'when you charge,' which is the text Pounce uses.
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</blockquote><p>I thought I knew what ridiculous was, until this day.DeathSpot wrote:I completely agree. The mount charges. The rider doesn't. Both Ride-by Attack and Spirited Charge use the phrase 'charge action.' Neither feat says 'when you charge,' which is the text Pounce uses.
I thought I knew what ridiculous was, until this day.Dire Mongoose2011-12-06T15:18:50ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: General Discussion is a MinMaxers paradiseDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n87o?General-Discussion-is-a-MinMaxers-paradise#142011-12-14T02:24:46Z2011-12-05T15:01:35Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Krasg wrote:</div><blockquote> General Discussion is a MinMaxers paradise and this would seem to detract form having fun and role-playing. Is this a bad or good thing? Lol </blockquote><p>That's because it's an internet forum, and it's interesting to talk about what does and doesn't work, mechanically, whereas nobody wants to hear about your campaign and how your half-elf rogue became a god by bluffing the forces of the universe.
<p>Mechanical RAW is one of a very few things that's pretty campaign agnostic.</p>Krasg wrote:General Discussion is a MinMaxers paradise and this would seem to detract form having fun and role-playing. Is this a bad or good thing? Lol
That's because it's an internet forum, and it's interesting to talk about what does and doesn't work, mechanically, whereas nobody wants to hear about your campaign and how your half-elf rogue became a god by bluffing the forces of the universe. Mechanical RAW is one of a very few things that's pretty campaign agnostic.Dire Mongoose2011-12-05T15:01:35ZRe: Forums: Rules Questions: DID I Miss something with the Red Mantis Assassin?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n4g2?DID-I-Miss-something-with-the-Red-Mantis#112013-09-13T19:35:40Z2011-11-14T02:36:12Z<p>I don't see Prayer Attack as at all superior to Death Attack. They're just different and have different advantages and drawbacks despite fulfilling a similar conceptual role.</p>I don't see Prayer Attack as at all superior to Death Attack. They're just different and have different advantages and drawbacks despite fulfilling a similar conceptual role.Dire Mongoose2011-11-14T02:36:12ZRe: Forums: Legacy of Fire: What if Zayifid lives? (SPOILERS)Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2jndj?What-if-Zayifid-lives#272018-12-12T08:54:16Z2011-11-06T04:14:14Z<p>Thread necromancy... </p>
<p>My Zayifid <i>also</i> survived House of the Beast. He spent much of Jackal's Price watching the party from afar as best as he could with the resources he had, but their paranoia was sufficient to prevent him from getting a good second chance at the Scroll. After the Scroll was opened, he threw in with Jhavhul.</p>
<p>I'm throwing together an advanced version of him (re-juiced by being teamed up with Jhavhul in place of Nefeshti is how I think of the cause of his rapid advancement) and he'll pop up in Final Wish, probably with his fellow fallen templar but <i>maybe</i> with the Big Man himself.</p>Thread necromancy...
My Zayifid also survived House of the Beast. He spent much of Jackal's Price watching the party from afar as best as he could with the resources he had, but their paranoia was sufficient to prevent him from getting a good second chance at the Scroll. After the Scroll was opened, he threw in with Jhavhul.
I'm throwing together an advanced version of him (re-juiced by being teamed up with Jhavhul in place of Nefeshti is how I think of the cause of his rapid advancement)...Dire Mongoose2011-11-06T04:14:14ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: Is it bad form as a GM to kick a PC when he is down and bleeding with -HPs?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n1g0?Is-it-bad-form-as-a-GM-to-kick-a-PC-when-he#142011-10-27T03:18:00Z2011-10-26T16:12:30Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Thalin wrote:</div><blockquote> I have seen no GMs willing to finish the full attack and kill the character.</blockquote><p>I've seen several who would do it. I don't have a problem with it.
<p>IMHO: Throw an encounter at your PCs involving some enemy clerics or healers that bring people dropped to the negatives back up. If your PCs are willing to finish off downed opponents so they stop getting back up to beat on them, then you can't feel all that bad about doing the same tactically smart thing to them.</p>
<p>There's only so much mercy you can show before it starts distorting the game. If your players •know• you won't ever finish a downed enemy (even when it's free, such as in the middle of a full attack that can only go at the downed PC), they'll take a lot more stupid risks. Conversely, if they know a downed PC is less like safe and more like helpless, they'll come to treat those PCs as being in the dire peril they actually are.</p>Thalin wrote:I have seen no GMs willing to finish the full attack and kill the character.
I've seen several who would do it. I don't have a problem with it. IMHO: Throw an encounter at your PCs involving some enemy clerics or healers that bring people dropped to the negatives back up. If your PCs are willing to finish off downed opponents so they stop getting back up to beat on them, then you can't feel all that bad about doing the same tactically smart thing to them.
There's only so much...Dire Mongoose2011-10-26T16:12:30ZRe: Forums: Advice: How to prevent Player "respawn"Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n19v?How-to-prevent-Player-respawn#132011-11-01T05:10:55Z2011-10-25T15:50:38Z<p>Institute a "new characters only get 1st level character starting wealth, regardless of their level" policy and it'll sort itself out pretty quick.</p>
<p>Then once your players are used to not playing like d-bags you can gradually walk that back to something more reasonable.</p>Institute a "new characters only get 1st level character starting wealth, regardless of their level" policy and it'll sort itself out pretty quick.
Then once your players are used to not playing like d-bags you can gradually walk that back to something more reasonable.Dire Mongoose2011-10-25T15:50:38ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: How balanced is Pathfinder?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n0tt&page=3?How-balanced-is-Pathfinder#1272011-10-24T21:14:47Z2011-10-24T21:13:19Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Icyshadow wrote:</div><blockquote> <div class="messageboard-quotee">Dire Mongoose wrote:</div><blockquote><p> And if that's all there was to the system, you would be correct, but it's not and you aren't.</p>
<p>For example: Damn near all of the best spells in 3.5 are weaker in Pathfinder. That's not a good trade for gaining 1hp/level. </blockquote><p>Ahem. Compare the Pathfinder version of Improved Trip
</p>
( http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/improved-trip-combat—-final ) to the 3.5 one ( http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Improved_Trip ) and say that again.
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</blockquote><p>Considering I didn't say anything about maneuvers I certainly <i>could</i> say that again.
<p>Hold Person, incidentally, while situationally very, very good is not one of the best spells in 3.5. It's more competitive in Pathfinder specifically because a lot of the things that were head and shoulders above it <i>were</i> gimped.</p>Icyshadow wrote:Dire Mongoose wrote:And if that's all there was to the system, you would be correct, but it's not and you aren't.
For example: Damn near all of the best spells in 3.5 are weaker in Pathfinder. That's not a good trade for gaining 1hp/level.
Ahem. Compare the Pathfinder version of Improved Trip
( http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/improved-trip-combat---final ) to the 3.5 one ( http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Improved_Trip ) and say that again.
Considering I didn't...Dire Mongoose2011-10-24T21:13:19ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: Under the RAW, is the Rogue a weak class?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mzrg&page=6?Under-the-RAW-is-the-Rogue-a-weak-class#2862011-10-21T19:19:05Z2011-10-21T02:57:23Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Stefan Hill wrote:</div><blockquote><p> Using 3.0 as a start point, it broke the thief (to use the old term), there were many things a thief could do that no other class could in 1e/2e. Along came skills and most of thief abilities became open to all cases. Sure even in the 1e AD&D days spells could replicate many thieving abilities, but spells were more horded by the casters. The chance of getting off a spell in combat was not good, the number of spells/day was less and go into unconsciousness and you lost all spells for that day. d20 gave casters way too much love in short.
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</blockquote><p>This is a tangent I always get off on, but 1E and 2E weren't that kind to thieves either. They literally didn't have any ability (excepting maybe backstab, which wasn't really very good and was so ambiguously worded that how it worked varied wildly from DM to DM) that a 1st or 2nd level spell couldn't do, and usually do better. A hypothetical 100th level thief couldn't find magical traps more than half the time; a 3rd level cleric could do it <i>every</i> time with Find Traps.
<p>Gary Gygax was, as far as thieves were concerned, a sadist who appeared to be a fan of the concept but really created the first Trap Character in D&D by ensuring it could never really be good at what was supposed to be its things. We gloss over that in our rose-colored 1e/2e memories but those games were <i>brutal</i> to poor thieves.</p>Stefan Hill wrote:Using 3.0 as a start point, it broke the thief (to use the old term), there were many things a thief could do that no other class could in 1e/2e. Along came skills and most of thief abilities became open to all cases. Sure even in the 1e AD&D days spells could replicate many thieving abilities, but spells were more horded by the casters. The chance of getting off a spell in combat was not good, the number of spells/day was less and go into unconsciousness and you lost all...Dire Mongoose2011-10-21T02:57:23ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: Under the RAW, is the Rogue a weak class?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mzrg&page=6?Under-the-RAW-is-the-Rogue-a-weak-class#2702011-10-21T19:13:55Z2011-10-21T01:15:33Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Stefan Hill wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
Firstly, I say I find the fact that game designers have got us to the stage where you can make a statement like that is very sad. If I want to make a character that has a role outside of combat it appears I can't play D&D/PF any more.</blockquote><p>That's not the point.
<p>The point is that the rogue can't do anything unique <i>outside</i> of combat anymore because his role has been eroded too much, <i>and</i> he isn't good at combat.</p>
<p>Nobody cares that the fighter doesn't have that much to do outside of combat because combat's his thing. People care that the rogue isn't good in a fight because other people can match and outperform him outside of combat as well.</p>
<p>In your game how balanced the classes are may not be important, but to a game designer it should be incredibly important. There shouldn't be trap classes that are a drag on the team; that is to say, if you want to make a character that's a drag on the team and the other players are fine with that, so be it — but the game design shouldn't force that upon you for picking a rogue or monk or whatever.</p>Stefan Hill wrote:Firstly, I say I find the fact that game designers have got us to the stage where you can make a statement like that is very sad. If I want to make a character that has a role outside of combat it appears I can't play D&D/PF any more.
That's not the point. The point is that the rogue can't do anything unique outside of combat anymore because his role has been eroded too much, and he isn't good at combat.
Nobody cares that the fighter doesn't have that much to do outside of...Dire Mongoose2011-10-21T01:15:33ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: Can we please look at Rogues as a puzzle piece?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n08w?Can-we-please-look-at-Rogues-as-a-puzzle-piece#72011-10-19T19:40:57Z2011-10-19T14:22:06Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">The Kulak wrote:</div><blockquote> Well I disagree with both points. In fact the Rogue fulfills his puzzle piece perfectly, going above and beyond his role in the party. He can face, he can trap-find, he can manuever tactically. </blockquote><p>The problem is it's easy to make a ranger or bard who can do <i>all</i> of that (including having the trapfinding class feature) as well as the rogue does, and more.
<p>That's the crux of the problem. It's not that the rogue can't outshine other classes in his niches; the problem is it's possible to make a character that does <i>everything</i> as well as rogue does or better. Urban ranger is, essentially, the new rogue. All the trapfinding and hot urban action, while doing more damage, with better saves, and bonus feats, and spells.</p>The Kulak wrote:Well I disagree with both points. In fact the Rogue fulfills his puzzle piece perfectly, going above and beyond his role in the party. He can face, he can trap-find, he can manuever tactically.
The problem is it's easy to make a ranger or bard who can do all of that (including having the trapfinding class feature) as well as the rogue does, and more. That's the crux of the problem. It's not that the rogue can't outshine other classes in his niches; the problem is it's...Dire Mongoose2011-10-19T14:22:06ZRe: Forums: Rules Questions: UMDDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2myp2?UMD#32011-10-09T20:02:47Z2011-10-09T19:04:06Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">joeyfixit wrote:</div><blockquote> Why don't Wizards have Use Magic Device? </blockquote><p>Thematically, they're about mastery of magic through knowledge and study rather than through Fonz-like "I hit the magic jukebox and it just works because I'm cool."joeyfixit wrote:Why don't Wizards have Use Magic Device?
Thematically, they're about mastery of magic through knowledge and study rather than through Fonz-like "I hit the magic jukebox and it just works because I'm cool."Dire Mongoose2011-10-09T19:04:06ZRe: Forums/Gamer Life: General Discussion: GM Screens: They're toxic. Yes or No?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mq6f&page=5?GM-Screens-Theyre-toxic-Yes-or-No#2112011-10-03T12:52:48Z2011-10-03T12:44:32Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Jerry Wright 307 wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
When the rogue has worked with the fighter through the whole encounter to set the bad guy up to fall back into the firey pit, it's better for the group to see it happen than for the lone sorcerer to suddenly step out and waste him with a lightning bolt in one action. So the die roll for the villain's save is pretty much decided before I even pick up the die.</p>
<p>And I don't apologize for that. Because it makes for a much better and memorable game session. That's my job. I'm a GM. And I need my screen.
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</blockquote><p>When I'm a player, I find that deeply unsatisfying. At that point, if I'm the sorcerer, why am I even at the table?
<p>And maybe this is the hair to split between the camps: </p>
<p>If I'm pro-screen, probably I want my GM to make a cool story.</p>
<p>If I'm anti-screen, probably I want my GM to play things straight up.</p>
<p>You can trust your GM in either case; it's just that what you want from them are two slightly different things.</p>Jerry Wright 307 wrote:When the rogue has worked with the fighter through the whole encounter to set the bad guy up to fall back into the firey pit, it's better for the group to see it happen than for the lone sorcerer to suddenly step out and waste him with a lightning bolt in one action. So the die roll for the villain's save is pretty much decided before I even pick up the die.And I don't apologize for that. Because it makes for a much better and memorable game session. That's my job. I'm...Dire Mongoose2011-10-03T12:44:32ZRe: Forums: Advice: Is a Rogue “skimming” treasure as he finds it “Role playing” or is he stealing from his adventuring companions?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mw22&page=4?Is-a-Rogue-skimming-treasure-as-he-finds-it#1982011-10-01T08:07:24Z2011-09-30T13:35:23Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Dabbler wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
Invariably, he will get caught out, IC or OOC. If it turns out the party has been hurting because of his 'skimming' then they are going to be annoyed.
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</blockquote><p>I played in one campaign (as one of the "victim" players) in which we didn't realize a major gear theft was PC-engineered until several years after the campaign was over when the person in question chose to reveal it.
<p>So, no, it's not invariable — and no one was surly about it, either.</p>
<div class="messageboard-quotee">Dabbler wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
I had this happen once where I put sets of gear in a location that would give the party everything they needed. Two of the (large) party found the cache and instead of sharing it, took everything they could use, sold the rest and bought new stuff with the cash. Then the party ran into the encounter, the 'loremaster' realised they didn't have everything they needed, half the party got slaughtered, much wailing and gnashing of teeth.
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</blockquote><p>Why do your players have so much meta information about what they'll find?
<div class="messageboard-quotee">Dabbler wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
Of course some people like this kind of thing, but if your idea of fun is backstabbing your friends, you ain't no friend of mine.
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</blockquote><p>It's a game. When I play Risk with my friends, I also mercilessly slaughter the troops they left in Australia. In Monopoly I'm going to clean them out if they land on my hotel on Park Place. Etc.
<p>Now, a player who's the unscrupulous character every time is a problem player, not a problem character — but if your players aren't like that and still can't separate character actions from player actions, they have a maturity problem.</p>
<p>That's also not to say that I haven't run campaigns in which I say something like: everyone is making a good-aligned PC this time. But that's not every game.</p>Dabbler wrote:Invariably, he will get caught out, IC or OOC. If it turns out the party has been hurting because of his 'skimming' then they are going to be annoyed.
I played in one campaign (as one of the "victim" players) in which we didn't realize a major gear theft was PC-engineered until several years after the campaign was over when the person in question chose to reveal it. So, no, it's not invariable -- and no one was surly about it, either.
Dabbler wrote:I had this happen once where...Dire Mongoose2011-09-30T13:35:23ZRe: Forums: Advice: Making cash with BluffDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mwuz?Making-cash-with-Bluff#422011-09-30T06:13:34Z2011-09-29T21:07:11Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Matt Gwinn wrote:</div><blockquote>Honestly I think this discussion has brought up the obvious bias against noncombat characters. People on these boards are more than happy to help each other blatantly break the game when it comes to doing excessive amounts of damage, one shot kills and totally unbalanced character builds, but I make a character built around talking rather than killing and all I get is grief. </blockquote><p>Why do you feel compelled to rationalize everyone's disagreement with you as something other than what it is?
<p>It's not exclusive to you or even noncombat characters. Feel free to look at any of RavingDork's threads (which aren't all his threads, to be clear) wherein he asks a question but clearly already has decided on what the right answer is and tries to argue everyone down about it?</p>
<p>You're acting the same way, and you're being treated the same way. It's not demonstrative of any wider principle than that.</p>Matt Gwinn wrote:Honestly I think this discussion has brought up the obvious bias against noncombat characters. People on these boards are more than happy to help each other blatantly break the game when it comes to doing excessive amounts of damage, one shot kills and totally unbalanced character builds, but I make a character built around talking rather than killing and all I get is grief.
Why do you feel compelled to rationalize everyone's disagreement with you as something other than...Dire Mongoose2011-09-29T21:07:11ZRe: Forums: Advice: Making cash with BluffDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mwuz?Making-cash-with-Bluff#362011-09-30T06:12:20Z2011-09-29T20:09:03Z<p>You wanted opinions; you got a lot of them. It's just that no one's telling you what you want to hear.</p>You wanted opinions; you got a lot of them. It's just that no one's telling you what you want to hear.Dire Mongoose2011-09-29T20:09:03ZRe: Forums: Advice: Wizard vs. SorcDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mvzp&page=7?Wizard-vs-Sorc#3282011-09-29T20:58:20Z2011-09-29T18:51:10Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Treantmonk wrote:</div><blockquote><p> The answer is because the designers overrated spontaneous casting. </p>
<p>HEY DESIGNERS! SPONTANEOUS CASTING ISN'T AN ADVANTAGE AT ALL UNLESS YOU KNOW MORE THAN ONE SPELL! WAKE UP! </blockquote><p>+1 on that. Honestly, even dropping the bloodline spells a level would have been a huge improvement in this area. That also would fix the situation where the first spell you really want for a new spell level for a character is also your bloodline spell, so you don't take it.Treantmonk wrote:The answer is because the designers overrated spontaneous casting.
HEY DESIGNERS! SPONTANEOUS CASTING ISN'T AN ADVANTAGE AT ALL UNLESS YOU KNOW MORE THAN ONE SPELL! WAKE UP!
+1 on that. Honestly, even dropping the bloodline spells a level would have been a huge improvement in this area. That also would fix the situation where the first spell you really want for a new spell level for a character is also your bloodline spell, so you don't take it.Dire Mongoose2011-09-29T18:51:10ZRe: Forums: Advice: Wizard vs. SorcDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mvzp&page=6?Wizard-vs-Sorc#2992012-02-13T04:48:28Z2011-09-29T13:41:17Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Ecaterina Ducaird wrote:</div><blockquote><p> How is your spell selection going to differ here from (say) Random Mountainous Zone B. Or Underground Cave Network C? Even Coastal Sea-Shanty Town D your at for the day before you go inland into Jungle Zone A?</p>
<p>Really? Is there that much difference?</blockquote><p>My spell selection as a wizard will vary a lot, but maybe not exactly in the way you're thinking.
<p>I mean, yes, of course, if we're going ancient Osirian tomb raiding I'm going to be more ready for, say, undead than kobolds — but spells based on terrain or your enemy are only a subset of situations in which I'll switch something up.</p>
<p>For example: What's the party trying to do? Are we trying to protect a caravan? Solve a murder mystery? Kill everything in a dungeon? Infiltrate a hostile city? Defend our keep from an invading army? All of those are different spells.</p>
<p>Or: What's the party make-up? In a sense this is usually mostly static, but what if Dave can't make the game this week and we're down a rogue? What if the party fighter died and it's two more days journey to get to somewhere where we can get him raised?</p>
<p>These are just a few examples, none of which requires divination or scouting to get right.</p>Ecaterina Ducaird wrote:How is your spell selection going to differ here from (say) Random Mountainous Zone B. Or Underground Cave Network C? Even Coastal Sea-Shanty Town D your at for the day before you go inland into Jungle Zone A?
Really? Is there that much difference?
My spell selection as a wizard will vary a lot, but maybe not exactly in the way you're thinking. I mean, yes, of course, if we're going ancient Osirian tomb raiding I'm going to be more ready for, say, undead than kobolds...Dire Mongoose2011-09-29T13:41:17ZRe: Forums: Advice: Is a Rogue “skimming” treasure as he finds it “Role playing” or is he stealing from his adventuring companions?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mw22&page=2?Is-a-Rogue-skimming-treasure-as-he-finds-it#872012-04-25T18:33:02Z2011-09-23T20:34:20Z<p>I never realized I played in such hardcore games, but after reading this thread I feel like most people play games with way, way more training wheels than we do.</p>
<p>Just the idea that the GM should enforce the idea of no intraparty conflicts seems so ridiculous to me that the first couple times I read it, I assumed y'all were being sarcastic.</p>I never realized I played in such hardcore games, but after reading this thread I feel like most people play games with way, way more training wheels than we do.
Just the idea that the GM should enforce the idea of no intraparty conflicts seems so ridiculous to me that the first couple times I read it, I assumed y'all were being sarcastic.Dire Mongoose2011-09-23T20:34:20ZRe: Forums: Rules Questions: Master Craftsman Feat. Help me Understand.Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2kpi9&page=2?Master-Craftsman-Feat-Help-me-Understand#512017-05-17T04:01:52Z2011-09-22T19:55:08Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Aeshuura wrote:</div><blockquote>This is when your GM should be stepping in and saying, I do not allow it. Because to allow this would be pure violation of the spirit of the rule. It just seems that it should be common sense. Don't you think so? </blockquote><p>Nah. You use your expert harlotry to persuade skilled craftsman to make you magic items at cost. It works mechanically <i>and</i> fluff-wise!
<p>Hell, this might be my next character.</p>Aeshuura wrote:This is when your GM should be stepping in and saying, I do not allow it. Because to allow this would be pure violation of the spirit of the rule. It just seems that it should be common sense. Don't you think so?
Nah. You use your expert harlotry to persuade skilled craftsman to make you magic items at cost. It works mechanically and fluff-wise! Hell, this might be my next character.Dire Mongoose2011-09-22T19:55:08ZForums: Advice: Best Wands?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mvrg?Best-Wands#12017-04-13T22:40:55Z2011-09-21T13:39:41Z<p>What are the best wands to have, factoring in purchase/crafting cost, for</p>
<p>A) A party</p>
<p>and/or</p>
<p>B) One or more kinds of UMD-class-skill-having character?</p>
<p>In the (A) category, things like Cure Light Wounds or Infernal Healing are staples; I've also found Lesser Restoration to be pretty solid for a lot of campaigns (typically when you need LR because the party's hit some kind of stat-dropping encounter, you need it like 10 times stat, which is the textbook case for a wand.)</p>
<p>In the (B) category, depending on the character I've seen pretty good mileage out of things like Enlarge Person, Shield, and Bestow Grace.</p>
<p>What else out there is a must-have or a bargain? In the latter case, if it requires realizing that class X gets a spell early, call it out.</p>What are the best wands to have, factoring in purchase/crafting cost, for
A) A party
and/or
B) One or more kinds of UMD-class-skill-having character?
In the (A) category, things like Cure Light Wounds or Infernal Healing are staples; I've also found Lesser Restoration to be pretty solid for a lot of campaigns (typically when you need LR because the party's hit some kind of stat-dropping encounter, you need it like 10 times stat, which is the textbook case for a wand.)
In the (B)...Dire Mongoose2011-09-21T13:39:41ZRe: Forums: Off-Topic Discussions: If this is for real (and I fear it is), I'm scared to bits now..Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2muqq&page=3?If-this-is-for-real-Im-scared-to-bits-now#1322011-09-17T14:48:33Z2011-09-17T03:31:55Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Matthew Morris wrote:</div><blockquote> My point with arguing with the article isn't 'they're worse'. My point is that the article writer throws out a 'sure we suck, but we're not as bad as <i>them</i>' argument, ignoring the problems in his own nest. I can run down the litany of problems in the Republican field. I don't pretend my guys are 'lilly white' but the very things the writer accuses the Right of, he gives a pass on the left.</blockquote><p>Respectfully: Did you <i>read</i> the article?
<p>The author is (or purports to be) a long-time Republican operative who quit the party because he feels it moved too far away from what he believed.</p>
<p>How would he even write the "balanced" version of the article that you're desiring — work for the Democrats for a few decades until he's fed up with them, too? It's not realistic. He can only speak to his own experience and own frustrations.</p>
<p>On the whole, I don't think he's wrong about his most basic claim, which is that the Republican party has drifted a lot in the last few decades seemingly without realizing it has. In its current incarnation it deifies an idealized version of Reagan, while someone with Reagan's actual record could <i>never</i> survive a GOP primary today.</p>
<p>(Although, interestingly, Reagan being a guy who was (or purported to be) a Democrat until he felt that party moved too far away from him probably actually could write the other half of that article you're missing, albeit for 30-40 years earlier.)</p>Matthew Morris wrote:My point with arguing with the article isn't 'they're worse'. My point is that the article writer throws out a 'sure we suck, but we're not as bad as them' argument, ignoring the problems in his own nest. I can run down the litany of problems in the Republican field. I don't pretend my guys are 'lilly white' but the very things the writer accuses the Right of, he gives a pass on the left.
Respectfully: Did you read the article? The author is (or purports to be) a...Dire Mongoose2011-09-17T03:31:55ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: Hidden Master (Ninja). Wow. Just... wow.Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2muk7?Hidden-Master-Wow-Just-wow#172023-06-06T17:24:59Z2011-09-14T04:42:58Z<p>The problem with freaking out about something that comes out at level 20 is that, realistically, the wheels came off the wagon several levels ago at that point.</p>
<p>If Hidden Master is the craziest thing in your game with level ~20 characters, both players <i>and</i> GM are doing something wrong.</p>The problem with freaking out about something that comes out at level 20 is that, realistically, the wheels came off the wagon several levels ago at that point.
If Hidden Master is the craziest thing in your game with level ~20 characters, both players and GM are doing something wrong.Dire Mongoose2011-09-14T04:42:58ZRe: Forums: Rules Questions: Rogue Talent Offensive DefenseDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2lzqe?Rogue-Talent-Offensive-Defense#232017-10-09T15:26:40Z2011-09-14T02:43:48Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Remco Sommeling wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
What this ability does do is make every other martial character look silly as they futily try to hit the ninja/rogue, I simply look at this option from a players/perspective and then look at it thinking how much it would suck to be owned by a ninja I can only hit on a natural 20. </blockquote><p>You know? I'm pretty okay with that.
<p>A lot of ducks have to line up for that scenario to happen. With that many ducks lined up, any of the caster classes will have <i>killed</i> your fighter. He won't be sad that he needs a 20 to hit because he'll already be creating his next character.</p>
<p>As well to say I'd hate to play a rogue when the fighter wins initiative and puts him straight to dead in a full attack. Everyone has their moment to shine.</p>Remco Sommeling wrote:What this ability does do is make every other martial character look silly as they futily try to hit the ninja/rogue, I simply look at this option from a players/perspective and then look at it thinking how much it would suck to be owned by a ninja I can only hit on a natural 20.
You know? I'm pretty okay with that. A lot of ducks have to line up for that scenario to happen. With that many ducks lined up, any of the caster classes will have killed your fighter. He won't...Dire Mongoose2011-09-14T02:43:48ZRe: Forums: Rules Questions: When, if ever, may you take 10 on Stealth checks?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mt1d&page=2?When-if-ever-may-you-take-10-on-Stealth-checks#592011-09-07T20:51:51Z2011-09-07T14:32:09Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">BigNorseWolf wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
Roll the die. Its not that bad. Its not that big a deal. The game is SUPPOSED to be risky. Combat and danger are supposed to be hectic, chaotic, and prone to chance. Where is the thrill, where is the risk, where is the excitement if you KNOW you absolutely can't fail? </blockquote><p>Hey, why don't we make spellcasters make a roll every time they cast a spell, even if they're not casting defensively. I mark a spell off my list and it just works? Where's the thrill in that? Maybe sometimes casting mage armor should kill me!
<p>How about whenever you draw a weapon you make a roll or you can't? Or whenever you charge? I mean, you run at the guy and you don't usually fall down? Where's the excitement in that? Maybe you could make a Fort save or die everytime you get hit so there's real risk in fighting kobolds.</p>
<p>Why can my wizard just cast Invisibility and be pretty well sure he's not going to be seen (e.g., even a 1 on his stealth roll is still too high) but it's overpowered for the trained master of Stealth that is (or could be) a level 7 rogue or ranger or monk to achieve the same thing through <i>his</i> training?</p>
<p>Why does the risk have to exist for some characters and not others, and why does it happen that the characters who have to take the risk are the ones that aren't generally as powerful?</p>
<p>Gary Gygax set a s~+~ty precedent on skills with thieves that literally could never reach a 50% success rate on finding magical traps, even if they were a millionth level. As modern players of the game, we should look at that and say "Wow, he didn't know better at the time, what a terrible idea! I'm glad we know better now.", not, "Hey, let's emulate that!"</p>BigNorseWolf wrote:Roll the die. Its not that bad. Its not that big a deal. The game is SUPPOSED to be risky. Combat and danger are supposed to be hectic, chaotic, and prone to chance. Where is the thrill, where is the risk, where is the excitement if you KNOW you absolutely can't fail?
Hey, why don't we make spellcasters make a roll every time they cast a spell, even if they're not casting defensively. I mark a spell off my list and it just works? Where's the thrill in that? Maybe sometimes...Dire Mongoose2011-09-07T14:32:09ZRe: Forums: Rules Questions: When, if ever, may you take 10 on Stealth checks?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mt1d?When-if-ever-may-you-take-10-on-Stealth-checks#442011-09-07T14:42:35Z2011-09-07T00:35:44Z<p>IMHO: You can take 10 on any non-UMD skill as long as you aren't in immediate danger <i>not including any dangerous situation which might result from failing the skill check in question.</i></p>
<p>So, to illustrate my opinion:</p>
<p>Disable Device on a common trap found during normal dungeon crawling: You can take 10, even though if you fail the roll the trap could hurt you.</p>
<p>Disable Device on a trap while combat's going on near you and combatants are aware of you and such: You can't take 10, because you are in immediate danger besides that of the trap itself.</p>
<p>Disable Device on a trap while combat isn't going on, but some other persistent environmental danger is present (for example you're disabling a faulty planks trap on a Temple of Doom style rope bridge, while there's also sporadic gusting winds which could possibly knock you off the bridge on a blown Reflex save): You can't take 10, because you are immediate danger besides that of the trap itself.</p>
<p>While the rule as written is somewhat ambiguous, I feel that this interpretation is most true to the spirit the designers seemed to be trying to convey.</p>
<p>To answer the original question, I think you can generally take 10 on Stealth, except during combat (sniping etc.) or if in some other danger beyond blown Stealth (you're sneaking across the Fireswamp from the Princess Bride.)</p>IMHO: You can take 10 on any non-UMD skill as long as you aren't in immediate danger not including any dangerous situation which might result from failing the skill check in question.
So, to illustrate my opinion:
Disable Device on a common trap found during normal dungeon crawling: You can take 10, even though if you fail the roll the trap could hurt you.
Disable Device on a trap while combat's going on near you and combatants are aware of you and such: You can't take 10, because you are...Dire Mongoose2011-09-07T00:35:44ZRe: Forums/Gamer Life: General Discussion: Min-maxing wasn't good enoughDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2msyb&page=7?Minmaxing-wasnt-good-enough#3492011-09-06T21:08:02Z2011-09-06T20:21:18Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Bill Dunn wrote:</div><blockquote><p> So you're saying the wizard takes a pack containing his spellbook (which get bigger and may require multiple volumes as he levels):</p>
<p>in the inn common room for dinner
<br />
to the latrine to take a dump
<br />
to the brothel for a little fun
<br />
on every shopping trip he goes on
<br />
to the temple for whatever holy days he observes
<br />
to meetings with the local authorities
<br />
</blockquote><p>Yes. Further, I think this is extremely realistic.
<p>Imagine I came to you and gave you a book, and I said to you: as long as you read from this book every morning, you will have amazing and virtually limitless powers of which most can only dream. You will consider the laws of physics to be mere suggestions to be obeyed by lesser mortals. But if you ever lose or misplace this book, this awesome power will be lost as well.</p>
<p>You put this to the test and discover it to be true. Would you ever let that book out of your sight? I wouldn't. I'd give up swimming. If I was invited to something where I couldn't bring the book, I wouldn't go. How much moreso, if you were a person who did dangerous and stupid things for a living and you relied on those powers for your daily survival?</p>Bill Dunn wrote:So you're saying the wizard takes a pack containing his spellbook (which get bigger and may require multiple volumes as he levels):
in the inn common room for dinner
to the latrine to take a dump
to the brothel for a little fun
on every shopping trip he goes on
to the temple for whatever holy days he observes
to meetings with the local authorities
Yes. Further, I think this is extremely realistic. Imagine I came to you and gave you a book, and I said to you: as long as you...Dire Mongoose2011-09-06T20:21:18ZRe: Forums/Gamer Life: General Discussion: Min-maxing wasn't good enoughDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2msyb&page=7?Minmaxing-wasnt-good-enough#3462011-09-06T21:03:04Z2011-09-06T20:13:55Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Eacaraxe wrote:</div><blockquote> If you're of the conception the spellbook is sacrosanct and any attempt to steal, destroy, or damage it is automatically GM interference/deus ex machina by merit of attacking a character's weakness, then no we cannot have a meaningful conversation. </blockquote><p>I'm not of the opinion that you can't attack a character's weakness.
<p>I <b>am</b> of the opinion that:</p>
<p>1) It's lame if what takes out a wizard's spellbook is something that punishes a new player for being a new player and wouldn't phase an experienced player at all (there's enough of a learning curve in the class.</p>
<p>2) It's lame if an enemy, someone who legitimately wants the wizard dead, takes the spellbook rather than killing them in a situation in which killing them is at least as easy if not much easier.</p>
<p>3) It's lame if what takes out the spellbook is an unwinnable encounter or GM fiat (e.g., your level 2 party is attacked by 20 stone giants that all fight to subdue for some reason, then take the spellbook and leave you alive.)</p>
<p>4) There are very, very, very few "spellbook danger" situations that don't qualify as one of the above.</p>
<p>Enemy cleric casting hold person on the fighter? Fine. Four rogues with daggers jump out and doubly-flank the fighter only to all start to very slowly try to sunder his falchion instead of sneak attacking him to death? Lame. And most anti-spellbook encounters I've ever seen are, basically, the equivalent of that.</p>Eacaraxe wrote:If you're of the conception the spellbook is sacrosanct and any attempt to steal, destroy, or damage it is automatically GM interference/deus ex machina by merit of attacking a character's weakness, then no we cannot have a meaningful conversation.
I'm not of the opinion that you can't attack a character's weakness. I am of the opinion that:
1) It's lame if what takes out a wizard's spellbook is something that punishes a new player for being a new player and wouldn't phase an...Dire Mongoose2011-09-06T20:13:55ZRe: Forums/Gamer Life: General Discussion: Min-maxing wasn't good enoughDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2msyb&page=7?Minmaxing-wasnt-good-enough#3232011-09-06T20:47:49Z2011-09-06T19:08:42Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Andy Ferguson wrote:</div><blockquote>Cause PC's expect NPC's to behave like PC's? Why wouldn't someone want to steal an immensely expensive item? </blockquote><p>Because, given the way the rules are, it's <i>almost always</i> easier to kill the owner, then take it.
<p>Just as PCs tend to kill all the goblins and take their stuff rather than construct elaborate heist-movie plots to spirit away that one 100 gp ruby the chieftain wears around his neck.</p>Andy Ferguson wrote:Cause PC's expect NPC's to behave like PC's? Why wouldn't someone want to steal an immensely expensive item?
Because, given the way the rules are, it's almost always easier to kill the owner, then take it. Just as PCs tend to kill all the goblins and take their stuff rather than construct elaborate heist-movie plots to spirit away that one 100 gp ruby the chieftain wears around his neck.Dire Mongoose2011-09-06T19:08:42ZRe: Forums/Gamer Life: General Discussion: Min-maxing wasn't good enoughDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2msyb&page=7?Minmaxing-wasnt-good-enough#3222011-09-06T20:47:37Z2011-09-06T19:01:52Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Bill Dunn wrote:</div><blockquote><p> [These debates do get fairly pointless, but it's more because of contrived silly examples trying to illustrate how silly the issue is. Is sneaking into camp to steal the spellbook necessarily the best way to go about separating a wizard from his spellbook? No. Stealing it from his room at the inn when it is unattended is a far better option.
</p>
</blockquote><p>In over 20 years of playing D&D, I have literally never seen a wizard leave their spellbook unattended in a room in an inn.
<p>I've seen all kinds of crazy crap! I've seen an adventure in which every party member but one was an intelligent magic item worn by the aforementioned one. I've seen players go multiple sessions of a combat-heavy module while resolving all conflicts non-violently. I've seen all-caster parties and no-caster parties and parties of all the same race. I've seen parties in which every player had some kind of woefully crippled challenge character.</p>
<p>But I have never, never, never seen a wizard just leave their spellbook somewhere and walk off. </p>
<p>So.. yeah, I think that's <i>incredibly</i> contrived.</p>Bill Dunn wrote:[These debates do get fairly pointless, but it's more because of contrived silly examples trying to illustrate how silly the issue is. Is sneaking into camp to steal the spellbook necessarily the best way to go about separating a wizard from his spellbook? No. Stealing it from his room at the inn when it is unattended is a far better option.
In over 20 years of playing D&D, I have literally never seen a wizard leave their spellbook unattended in a room in an inn. I've seen...Dire Mongoose2011-09-06T19:01:52ZRe: Forums/Gamer Life: General Discussion: Min-maxing wasn't good enoughDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2msyb&page=5?Minmaxing-wasnt-good-enough#2012011-09-06T13:30:14Z2011-09-06T00:20:09Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Brian E. Harris wrote:</div><blockquote> <div class="messageboard-quotee">Erato wrote:</div><blockquote> It seems to me most attempts at removing/destroying a spellbook would be metagaming on part of the DM.</blockquote><p>I just felt the need to point something out:
<p>The DM's job is to metagame. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the DM metagaming. If the DM doesn't metagame, then there is no game. </blockquote><p>The problem with the spellbook protection/destruction DM-player arms race isn't so much that it's DM metagaming, but that:
<p>1) It essentially forces the <i>player</i> to metagame, or punishes him if he doesn't, and</p>
<p>2) It essentially reduces the wizard player and the DM to be playing a separate game against each other which, really, doesn't make the game more interesting or add to roleplaying for any of the other players.</p>
<p>It's possible to have spellbook targetting not result in metagaming wankery and a general pissing contest; it's also possible to win the lottery. Neither of these things is much more likely than the other to occur.</p>Brian E. Harris wrote:Erato wrote: It seems to me most attempts at removing/destroying a spellbook would be metagaming on part of the DM.
I just felt the need to point something out: The DM's job is to metagame. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the DM metagaming. If the DM doesn't metagame, then there is no game. The problem with the spellbook protection/destruction DM-player arms race isn't so much that it's DM metagaming, but that: 1) It essentially forces the player to metagame, or...Dire Mongoose2011-09-06T00:20:09ZRe: Forums: Advice: Whence cometh the Mage Armor?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2ms4f?Whence-cometh-the-Mage-Armor#252011-09-23T18:54:58Z2011-08-31T16:49:29Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">voska66 wrote:</div><blockquote> Mage Armor isn't really worth it. Just wear a Chain Shirt. Get it in Mitheral by 2nd level as it's +1000 GP you should be able to manage that. Then at 3rd pick up Arcan Armor Training.</blockquote><p>Man I'm so not burning a feat on that, especially one that's incompatible with Quicken Spell. I need those swift actions for <i>killing</i>.voska66 wrote:Mage Armor isn't really worth it. Just wear a Chain Shirt. Get it in Mitheral by 2nd level as it's +1000 GP you should be able to manage that. Then at 3rd pick up Arcan Armor Training.
Man I'm so not burning a feat on that, especially one that's incompatible with Quicken Spell. I need those swift actions for killing.Dire Mongoose2011-08-31T16:49:29ZRe: Forums: Rules Questions: Hold Person + coup de grace... should target be allowed extra save?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mrz8&page=2?Hold-Person-coup-de-grace-should-target-be#992011-08-30T05:24:29Z2011-08-29T19:56:01Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">InsaneFox wrote:</div><blockquote> It's more of a balance issue than anything. The additional save wouldn't break the effect, just prevent it from being exploited in a specific but devastating manner. </blockquote><p>My disconnect with you is that you see this as an exploit, and I see it as <i>what this spell is for.</i>
<p>Otherwise it'd inflict Dazed or Stunned or something that didn't make you helpless.</p>InsaneFox wrote:It's more of a balance issue than anything. The additional save wouldn't break the effect, just prevent it from being exploited in a specific but devastating manner.
My disconnect with you is that you see this as an exploit, and I see it as what this spell is for. Otherwise it'd inflict Dazed or Stunned or something that didn't make you helpless.Dire Mongoose2011-08-29T19:56:01ZRe: Forums/Gamer Life: General Discussion: GM Screens: They're toxic. Yes or No?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mq6f&page=4?GM-Screens-Theyre-toxic-Yes-or-No#1712011-08-25T17:44:58Z2011-08-25T17:32:14Z<p>Kind of late to the party, but when I'm the GM I roll everything in front of my players. Win or lose they know everything's straight up.</p>Kind of late to the party, but when I'm the GM I roll everything in front of my players. Win or lose they know everything's straight up.Dire Mongoose2011-08-25T17:32:14ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: Druid vs. SummonerDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mqx5&page=2?Druid-vs-Summoner#592013-07-04T11:48:03Z2011-08-24T03:57:30Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Treantmonk wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
Play standard action summoning. It is astonishingly powerful, even broken. I have experience in this area, honestly.
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</blockquote><p>Having run a campaign with a PC summoner, I can vouch for this as well. Summoning as a standard action is really, really underrated by almost everyone. It lets you get summons out immediately with a much smaller window for interruption; it also lets you pull dirty tricks that full-round summoners simply can't, like readying to summon monsters around someone when they start casting a spell, or readying to summon monsters in front of someone as soon as they've moved ten feet.
<p>What's also overlooked and, in my opinion, about as big as the <i>speed</i> of the summoner's summons is their <i>duration</i>. A half-smart midlevel summoner can do stupid things to most dungeons with 11 minutes worth of a Shadow Demon (to give one example), and he can do it a whole bunch of times per day.</p>Treantmonk wrote:Play standard action summoning. It is astonishingly powerful, even broken. I have experience in this area, honestly.
Having run a campaign with a PC summoner, I can vouch for this as well. Summoning as a standard action is really, really underrated by almost everyone. It lets you get summons out immediately with a much smaller window for interruption; it also lets you pull dirty tricks that full-round summoners simply can't, like readying to summon monsters around someone...Dire Mongoose2011-08-24T03:57:30ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: Rogues and underpowerednessDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mmjb&page=4?Rogues-and-underpoweredness#1702011-08-03T16:54:28Z2011-08-03T15:49:55Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Joana wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
While I am overall a fan of PF's streamlined skill system, combining Search and Spot into one Wis-based skill, while logical, really stepped on the rogue. I guess they had to decide whether to screw the rogue or the ranger, though; one of them was going to have to have one fewer dump stat to be able to do what they had always done. </blockquote><p>I've had the same feeling seeing it in play. Now most characters in most of my groups are pretty great at Perception and therefore Searching. Typically everyone maxes it whether it's a class skill or not.
<p>Also, now ridiculous things like the T-Rex Animal Companion, technically, are expert trap spotters. IMHO it's a sign that Search as an INT skill made more sense that back then you <i>didn't</i> need to houserule down T-Rex, P.I.</p>
<p>(Yeah, it's huge, blah blah blah, pick something smaller if you want.)</p>Joana wrote:While I am overall a fan of PF's streamlined skill system, combining Search and Spot into one Wis-based skill, while logical, really stepped on the rogue. I guess they had to decide whether to screw the rogue or the ranger, though; one of them was going to have to have one fewer dump stat to be able to do what they had always done.
I've had the same feeling seeing it in play. Now most characters in most of my groups are pretty great at Perception and therefore Searching....Dire Mongoose2011-08-03T15:49:55ZRe: Forums/Gamer Life: General Discussion: How do frost giants reproduce?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mlrb?How-do-frost-giants-reproduce#52012-11-16T20:37:58Z2011-07-27T04:50:09Z<p>Sometimes, when a mommy frost giant and a daddy frost giant love each other very, very much, (after they're married, of course), they share a special kind of hug...</p>Sometimes, when a mommy frost giant and a daddy frost giant love each other very, very much, (after they're married, of course), they share a special kind of hug...Dire Mongoose2011-07-27T04:50:09ZForums: Rules Questions: Gang Up and FAQDire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mkso?Gang-Up-and-FAQ#12014-12-28T10:43:29Z2011-07-21T14:57:07Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">"PRD wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
Gang Up (Combat)
<br />
<p>You are adept at using greater numbers against foes.</p>
<br />
<p><b>Prerequisites</b>: Int 13, Combat Expertise.</p>
<br />
<p><b>Benefit</b>: You are considered to be flanking an opponent if at least two of your allies are threatening that opponent, regardless of your actual positioning. </p>
<br />
</blockquote><div class="messageboard-quotee">FAQ wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
Do you count as your own ally?
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You count as your own ally unless otherwise stated or if doing so would make no sense or be impossible. Thus, "your allies" almost always means the same as "you and your allies."</p>
<p>—Sean K Reynolds, 10/12/10
<br />
</blockquote><p>Logically, if you have Gang Up, are threatening an opponent, and one additional ally is threatening opponent, does that add up to the two you need for Gang Up to function since you are your own ally?
<p>This seems fair to me, but I may be biased because I consider Combat Expertise to be a largely useless punishment feat required by several other feats I actually like.</p>"PRD wrote:Gang Up (Combat)
You are adept at using greater numbers against foes.
Prerequisites: Int 13, Combat Expertise.
Benefit: You are considered to be flanking an opponent if at least two of your allies are threatening that opponent, regardless of your actual positioning.
FAQ wrote:Do you count as your own ally?
You count as your own ally unless otherwise stated or if doing so would make no sense or be impossible. Thus, "your allies" almost always means the same as "you and your...Dire Mongoose2011-07-21T14:57:07ZRe: Forums: Homebrew and House Rules: Metamagic...maybe the Devs need to work on this a bit...Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mkqb?Metamagicmaybe-the-Devs-need-to-work-on-this#212011-07-21T20:19:21Z2011-07-21T02:56:30Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">DreamAtelier wrote:</div><blockquote> The real problem, from what I see, is Spell Perfection. It simply makes it too easy to do the stacking, since one of the feats used will no longer apply to raising the level of the slot used. </blockquote><p>+1.
<p>It's a really, really strong feat.</p>
<p>On the other hand, not available until level 15 and IMHO the game's well into silly country by then.</p>DreamAtelier wrote:The real problem, from what I see, is Spell Perfection. It simply makes it too easy to do the stacking, since one of the feats used will no longer apply to raising the level of the slot used.
+1. It's a really, really strong feat.
On the other hand, not available until level 15 and IMHO the game's well into silly country by then.Dire Mongoose2011-07-21T02:56:30ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: Is exterminating an evil race evil?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mkgb?Is-exterminating-an-evil-race-evil#482011-07-19T19:39:00Z2011-07-19T18:21:22Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Kolokotroni wrote:</div><blockquote><p> It all depends on your game world. In the pre-eberron days it seemed to me there were no 'against the grain' members of evil races, drow and orcs and ogres and such where irredemable baby eaters. You killed them took their stuff and never batted an eye.
</p>
</blockquote><p>Not to exalt Salvatore, but Drizzt would like to have a word with you from about 20 years before Eberron.
<p>Actually, I think the short story <i>Dark Mirror</i> is kind of brilliant commentary on this very issue. It may be the only thing Salvatore wrote that I loved as a kid that I still like as an adult. In it, Drizzt meets a good goblin, who admits that not only would most people assume he was evil and try to kill him on sight, but that they probably should — that it was fine for normal surface people to wrap their minds around the idea of a good drow and have that hesitation to assume whether drow were evil or not specificially because, to them, drow were exotic creatures that they probably would never encounter, whereas they encountered goblins all the time and to hesitate to kill one when they could would likely mean their death or the death of other innocent people.</p>Kolokotroni wrote:It all depends on your game world. In the pre-eberron days it seemed to me there were no 'against the grain' members of evil races, drow and orcs and ogres and such where irredemable baby eaters. You killed them took their stuff and never batted an eye.
Not to exalt Salvatore, but Drizzt would like to have a word with you from about 20 years before Eberron. Actually, I think the short story Dark Mirror is kind of brilliant commentary on this very issue. It may be the only...Dire Mongoose2011-07-19T18:21:22ZRe: Forums/Pathfinder First Edition: General Discussion: Is exterminating an evil race evil?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mkgb?Is-exterminating-an-evil-race-evil#152011-07-21T11:05:05Z2011-07-19T16:51:36Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Gregg Helmberger wrote:</div><blockquote> Is it more evil to exterminate a race that has a strong innate bias toward Evil, or to not exterminate them and allow them to continue their predations? </blockquote><p>That's pretty much where I am.
<p>At some point, in the context of a game, you have to let Good take reasonable actions to fight Evil. Otherwise you're playing the Spaceballs RPG, in which Evil Always Wins Because Good Is Dumb.</p>
<p>(And, typically, your players are inexorably driven to make Neutral characters in the future so they aren't dealing with these issues, and you end up frustrated because no one wants to play a heroic character who ever tries to do the right thing.)</p>Gregg Helmberger wrote:Is it more evil to exterminate a race that has a strong innate bias toward Evil, or to not exterminate them and allow them to continue their predations?
That's pretty much where I am. At some point, in the context of a game, you have to let Good take reasonable actions to fight Evil. Otherwise you're playing the Spaceballs RPG, in which Evil Always Wins Because Good Is Dumb.
(And, typically, your players are inexorably driven to make Neutral characters in the future...Dire Mongoose2011-07-19T16:51:36ZRe: Forums: Rules Questions: Is it possible to put barding on an Constrictor Snake Animal Companion?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mk77?Is-it-possible-to-put-barding-on-an#342011-07-25T22:01:51Z2011-07-18T19:51:57Z<p>AKA, "Fighters Can't Have Nice Things."</p>AKA, "Fighters Can't Have Nice Things."Dire Mongoose2011-07-18T19:51:57ZRe: Forums: Advice: Ways to make perception a class skill?Dire Mongoosehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mk1l?Ways-to-make-perception-a-class-skill#502012-10-23T15:04:58Z2011-07-18T16:11:46Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">KrispyXIV wrote:</div><blockquote>The fact that Perception is the most broadly applicable seems reasonable to me; different skills are <i>not</i> equally valuable; for instance, consider that a rank in Stealth and a rank in Profession (baker) have the same cost to a character. Are they equally valuable? No. Is that necessarily a problem? I dont think so. </blockquote><p>I don't think all skills need to be equally valuable to all characters; I do think when one skill is better than all other skills for all characters (and Perception <i>pretty much</i> is that), it's a problem.
<p>I kind of like Pathfinder's wide-open skill system; on the other hand, it does trivialize the value of the skill-heavy classes. I think if you could take a feat and get full wizard casting or even just full base attack regardless of what your class levels were, we'd call that broken, yet the skill character farm has been given away and we're just sort of shrugging at it.</p>KrispyXIV wrote:The fact that Perception is the most broadly applicable seems reasonable to me; different skills are not equally valuable; for instance, consider that a rank in Stealth and a rank in Profession (baker) have the same cost to a character. Are they equally valuable? No. Is that necessarily a problem? I dont think so.
I don't think all skills need to be equally valuable to all characters; I do think when one skill is better than all other skills for all characters (and Perception...Dire Mongoose2011-07-18T16:11:46Z