Search Posts
I'm assuming that this adventure is the current 5-star exclusive, but can't seem to find any confirmation of this. Is my assumption correct? If so, I'll be running this quite a few times in the coming months, and would love to see what pitfalls people have hit (or bypassed) as they've run it themselves at recent conventions. All thoughts and comments are welcome.
So, that means you can activate them to use a spell that is on your spell list. If the spell you want to use isn't on your spell list, then you have to use the UMD skill to activate the staff. Do I have this correct? If I do, then this staff is giving me fits: Ember Staff Produce Flame is not on the spell list of any of the classes that can use Fireball or Scorching Ray. So how would this staff be useful to cast more than two spells (if you're arcane) or one spell (if you're a druid/hunter/shaman)? Would you really have to UMD it to get it to cast the spells that *aren't* on your list in order to get full value out of the staff? Well, that would be kind of odd, as druid, hunter, and shaman don't have UMD on their class skills, and likewise there are only a couple classes that have fireball/scorching ray on their spell list that have UMD as a class skill, so the likelihood that someone finds this item and has UMD all primed and ready to go to make full use of it is slim. By the way, there are several other staves just like this, utilizing a mix of arcane- and divine-only spells. Because of this, I feel like I am getting the staff rules wrong. Please enlighten me.
I vaguely remember a vanity that let you use linguistics as a day job. But after scouring all the books I own I cannot find it. Was this vanity a pipe dream? Assuming so, is there a master list of vanities available anywhere, so that I may avoid this issue in the future?
I want it. And I want it badly. I don't think much more needs to be said, but just in case Paizo is on the fence about this: The singular strength of Pathfinder, and what allows it to keep it's "edge" in the fight against D&D (and it *is* a fight, polite and proper though the two combatants may be), is the presence of a hugely popular, and very well supported, organized play system. Over two years ago (three?) I started a thread discussing the likely impact of 5e on PFS attendance. That thread grew contentious, so I will not link to it, but ultimately many of my concerns bore fruit. My PFS tables lost a great deal of players to the 5e OrgPlay events. WotC has been able to maintain that momentum by keeping things very loose and simple, which admittedly pushes many players back to PFS in the long run. But the number one thing that D&D's OrgPlay system does better than PFS by a long shot is attract brand new players to their game. By being loose and simple, there is very little for a new player to concern themselves with, beyond showing up. PFS - admit it - is complicated. Core PFS went a little ways toward addressing that, but unfortunately became more a vehicle for veterans to double their playing options than it is a way to attract new players. And because PFS and Pathfinder have had such a difficult time attracting NEW players, my PFS attendance continues to slip. Starfinder could fix all that, and more. Savage Worlds has a large draw to their OrgPlay system (another one that is very loose and casual) due to the presence of sci-fi options. But many of those guys are often looking for more than the "one shot" experience that Savage Worlds tends to be. Fantasy Flight has completely dropped the ball on its (massively popular) Star Wars RPG by not having ANY OrgPlay system at all. Only Shadowrun offers a consistently good OrgPlay game, but their actual organizational structure (their real-world implementation, in other words) is terrible. That paragraph contains a LOT of upside for a Starfinder OrgPlay game. And that's not even counting how much Paizo can attract simply due to the power of its own brands. I truly believe that if Starfinder had been Paizo's response to 5e during that initial year of "D&D Next" then they would never have given up their position as the Top Selling RPG Publisher. Despite that, I think Starfinder (and a Starfinder Society campaign) could dramatically re-position this company. I am really looking forward to being a part of that effort. I hope those plans are in the works.
My search abilities seem to have deserted me. That, or I have no idea whether I'm asking the correct question: When did boons on chronicle sheets become available to those who earned chronicles via GM credit? I ask because I have been recently auditing all my PCs (which I highly recommend - it has definitely reinvigorated my interest in playing PFS more regularly than I have been for the past couple years). In the process of doing so I keep seeing that, when I took credit as a GM, I crossed out many of the boons. This goes for chronicles I took credit on as recently as 2012. As I don't have access to those PFS Guides to OrgPlay, I leave this question in your capable hands, O' Friends of the Interwebs.
Hello, I placed this order a month ago, purchasing a bunch of things from your website. I had requested that it NOT ship with my subscriptions. Your website apparently bypassed that. I shrugged this off and have been waiting for it to all show up together. However, over a month later, I'm still waiting. Am I going to get my subscriptions and the products I ordered? What happened? Jeff
Players have brought a problem to my attention. The problem is with session 104 of event #54934, scenario #7-08: To Judge a Soul Part Two. Characters are not receiving prestige because they either played session #94 or #88 (same event #). Both of these session numbers are for 7-06: To Judge A Soul Part One. It didn't originally show up as a problem when reported, and only changed recently. Let me know if there is something on my end that is wrong, or if the system is simply seeing something incorrectly.
It has occurred to me that I have never, not once, signed off on a Faction Journal card as a GM. Moreover, after playing the other night, I realized that I'm not even carrying one around as a player to get goals signed off on. And I played the perfect scenario for my Exchange PC (at least, I assume I did; Guaril Karela figured prominently in the story). I asked around that night if anyone else was seeing them, and many of the players and GMs didn't even know what I was asking about. Meanwhile, I have run Serpents Rise several times in the last couple months, and have delighted in having my players jump through hoops trying to figure out how to accomplish their goals and really get into their characters based on those goals. So, these bits of seemingly disassociated data have made me realize that I sorely miss Factions. At least, I miss what they used to be. I feel that Factions gave a PC an immediate identity, one that players could use to flesh out their characters' backgrounds and personality. And the five minutes of "personal time" they had in each adventure made them define those characters even more. People would describe their characters often by leading with what faction they were part of. It was a point of pride. I really do feel the campaign has lost a lot of its flavor and identity just because of this change in how Factions are handled. Am I alone in thinking that Factions should matter? Or am I just an old has-been who is yearning for days of yore?
I have seen a thread multiple times (referenced in other threads, even) wherein one of the Venture Captains lists out multiple ways to build campaigns using PFS scenarios. Now that I want to implement these ideas, I cannot find it. Am I insane? Did I not see this, in reality? Please help me, everyone, you're my only hope... PS - links would be helpful, so I can subsequently link them to my profile. PPS - sorry for being someone who started one of "those" threads...
I know that Season 0 launches at GenCon. Unfortunately, I will not be in attendance. However, many of you will be. So, I have a humble request: would all of you (or as many of you as are able) be so kind as to blog/update/rave about how the launch goes? What excites you? What frustrates you? What went spectacularly? What went not-so-good? How do you think the events are working? How do you think they could work better? Any and all feedback would be awesomely appreciated. The more stream-of-consciousness and brainstorm-y, the better. I plan on following up the launch of Season 0 at my own store as quickly after GenCon as possible, and want to be sure that my players get as good an experience as possible. Also, as the coordinator for the Guild in my shop, I would like to know what pitfalls to avoid and what tips you have that I could use to enhance the organization of these events. Thanks, in advance for the help. PS - I know we're a couple weeks away, yet, so I'll bump this post a few times between now and then. In the meantime, feel free to leave your thoughts regarding this event as we lead up to it. What are your plans? What do you know/suspect/hope for with regard to the PFACG? What are you doing to prepare? PPS - I will enter all who post on this blog (with useful information, mind you - and I will favorite anything I find useful) into a drawing for a free copy of Skull & Shackles Adventure Deck 2 and a Class Deck of the winner's choice. If this blog really takes off, I'll do a second drawing for a Character Add-On pack and another Class Deck of your choice. I will ship these items free of charge anywhere in the continental US. Sorry, out-of-US folk; I don't have that much money to throw around. But if I do draw an out-of-US name, I'll donate to a Paizo.com gift certificate for you, instead. I hope to hear from many of you, and I hope I have to give away both prizes. (-:
My wife and I selected each other as "buddies" then of course selected various things that had priority for the lottery. She selected a couple things that I had no intention of attending, and likewise I selected things she didn't want to attend. But seeing as she got one during a particular slot (Beginning Miniatures Painting) it seems I cannot sign up for anything myself during this time slot? That seems to make no sense. Side note: I got absolutely nothing in the lottery. Not my 4s, 3s, 2s, or even 1s. Was there no check system to be sure that you would get *something* that you actually wanted to attend? I'm happy my wife got one thing (less so that it seems to be locking me out of doing anything else), but am pretty disappointed that I'll be making this trip for what amounts to a lot of very expensive PFS games... So, how do I fix this so that I can at least play something while my wife is painting miniatures? I would hit the "remove" button, but do not want to take that away from her.
Hi. I'm a store owner buying through ACD. I have two misprinted items that (I believe) I'm supposed to go to you with. At least, that's what they've told me in the past. 1 - Towns of the Inner Sea: the title page/page2 was folded after printing and got bound into the main binding in such a way that it cannot be read (and it was subsequently mis-cut upon trimming, of course). 2 - Bestiary 1 Box Pawn Collection - one of the cutout sheets was offset from the cutouts (so only the upper half of the creatures appear on the tokens). Do I return these items to them to return to you? Or can we trade? Let me know. Jeff Kokx
It's kind of an advice question, kind of a rules question. I'm opting for rules because this is for Pathfinder Society, so I have to have a pretty strict interpretation that avoids the "Check with your GM" concept. So, what kind of stuff can I put on my druid's snake? I ask, by the way, because floating around out there is a thread where Sean Reynolds (I think) says "not in my game" to armor on a snake. I kind of agree with him, but obviously have a dilemma: if I can't do things like armor or neck slot items, I'm making poor Mussafir a likely candidate for replacement. Thus, I am hoping you good forumites will be able to help answer my question. What say you?
<---- Searching for enlightenment. I played my 4th level druid for the very first time last night and ran into quite the problem: darkness. Having read Beast Shape I, I figured I was set: find a small or medium animal that has darkvision and I'm good to get back in the fight. Nope. Couldn't find a single one. Am I missing something?
The FAQ limiting free actions has exploded into a very heated debate with a lot of grumpy back and forth, and has even dragged in Sean Reynolds to post a clarification of his FAQ's clarification. In other words, it's a bit of a hot mess. Reading through the thread, and paying close attention to Sean's own posts, it seems that the weapon cord using gunslinger is being pointed at as the culprit behind this push to "remind" GMs of their power to limit free actions. There is also a lot of vitriol directed at PFS by the general community with statements saying that if it weren't for PFS needing a "sameness" at every table then rulings like this would be unnecessary. Essentially, people feel they are being punished due to the existence of PFS, which is not a good thing for a system that is supposed to exist as a marketing tool for the PFRPG. People piling on hate for PFS is not how a marketing tool is supposed to work. I feel like this is a case where the simple solution is being ignored. As the title suggests, just ban weapon cords. That would stop any of the stuff Sean is talking about, and most of the stuff that is being argued about in that thread. Mike also came into the thread to point out solutions to the arguments and how gunslingers were limited by the rules. I would refute those statements by mentioning that the right feats, grit usage and deeds solve much of the misfire, jamming, and penalty issues (stuff which all gunslingers are going to get, anyway), and that the simple spell Abundant Ammunition solves the gp cost of gunslinger ammo; much like every monk carries around a wand of Mage Armor, every gunslinger I see carries around a wand of Abundant Ammunition. Which, by the way, is fine. That's how gunslingers work, and why that spell was made. So, I'm going to point at the rat in the corner: weapon cords are the only thing that pushes this class into the "silly" range that everyone seems now so upset about. The continuing debate on mysterious stranger/pistolero legality has even touched on this, mentioning how weapon cords would simply "add to the cheese." As Rogue Eidolon has mentioned several times when this comes up, the weapon cord completely invalidates one of the base tactics of any fight: disarming your opponent. So, it is not simply gunslingers that get an out-sized benefit from using weapon cords; 5 gp stops an entire chain of feats from being even remotely useful to your enemy. Jiggy has stated that even the very description of a weapon cord is off: it's described as a 2' long cord, but somehow it allows you to leave your weapon in an adjacent square and act unimpeded. Which is just weird, even though this is obviously not game-breaking. Just ban the silly thing in PFS. It would solve so many issues and stop so many arguments. Now, in the immortal words of Johnny Storm: Flame On!
Something came up in a game I was playing this past weekend that I cannot seem to find an answer for: A player summoned a cerberus using the alternate list from the CoT AP. They did it as a standard action (sacred summons allows this I was told). The cerberus was large. It's the last part I'm struggling with. I cannot find any reason that this would have been allowed. No feat, no alternate stats. Nothing. Did I miss something?
I was pleasantly surprised to get the following email from you, today:
I just wanted to say thank you for being the excellent company you continue to be. As with many other actions you have taken in the past, this one assures that you will keep me as a true and loyal customer (and vendor). Although, you did spell "usable" incorrectly... (-;
This thread's original post has a tag that states the question it asks was answered in the FAQ. No amount of searching I (and others) have done has turned this answer up. Any idea what happened?
Hi, I recently returned from vacation, so only just got around to opening the package that was waiting for me. I opened the flip mat to put it away tonight and discovered that it was extremely damaged. Whoever folded it did so incorrectly, resulting in arch shaped creases and wrinkle lines that cannot flatten out. Order #2580435 for your reference. If you need pictures, I can supply them. The damage is pretty bad. Thanks for any help you can give.
That title drew you in and got you instantly riled up and/or curious, didn’t it? But what you really want to know is what in the world I’m talking about. I’m talking about, of course, the next iteration of D&D, what many are calling 5th Edition, but what Wizards is calling D&D Next. D&D being Dungeons and Dragons, that venerable brand name that instantly conveys to anyone who hears it exactly what we are talking about. Wizards has been play testing their new system for a year. When it first began, the rules were universally panned, and its concepts drew scorn from nearly everyone involved. Even the very fact that they were doing a play test drew scorn, as it was seen as a deliberate attempt to capitalize on the process used to catapult the PFRPG into its position of dominance. Only the apologists and die-hard WotC fans were happy with anything Wizards was doing. A year later things have changed dramatically. I am getting regular requests from customers to host play test games. Gaming blogs all around the internet are talking about how interesting the rules set has become. The play testers my store has for Alpha material are chomping at the bit for the updates I send them. The D&D Starter Box (often called the Red Box) has begun outselling the PFRPG Core Book and Beginner Box, to the point I can’t keep it in stock, and Wizards has run out themselves (albeit only briefly). This, despite the fact that the Red Box is still based on 4th Edition rules. When D&D Next comes out, there are several more things that will be in Wizards corner. First and foremost is the brand name. Posters on these very boards still call sessions of Pathfinder "D&D" instead of Pathfinder. They use the term DM instead of GM. And when kids come in with Mom asking about how to play, they are always standing in front of the D&D section at first, as that is what is recognizable. Then there is the celebrity presence. Wil Wheaton, the Penny Arcade guys, and many of the internet's most-read blogs will pick up D&D Next and run with it, without prompting from Wizards. Why? Because their fan base knows what D&D is, and they will be curious to know what happened with the next edition. Finally, the mass market will be inundated with D&D Next product. It will be front and center at all kinds of places where the PFRPG barely gets a mention. Target and Wal Mart have made big strides into the gaming market, lately, and with the massive success of things like Fantasy Flights’ Star Wars properties and Days of Wonder’s Small World and Ticket to Ride, they will be looking for the next step. Wizards will do their utmost to position their game as that next step. I have no doubt that Barnes and Noble will happily shift all PFRPG product back to the second tier, giving top billing back to a recognizable brand name. And WotC will want to capitalize on all of this. They know that how LFR was administered was a mistake. They know that PFS has been a large reason for the PFRPG’s success and visibility at game stores and conventions all across the world. They have the single most successful organized play system in existence with The DCI, a massive database of current Magic players and former D&D players that they can start sending email to (and already are). Have no doubts: WotC WILL create an organized play system to compete with PFS. Every step they have made with The DCI in recent years has pointed to the fact that in-store organized play is their singular focus. I predict the return of Living Greyhawk, and it will be huge. Paizo and the Pathfinder Society needs to know this. We need to not rest complacently on our laurels as this looms on the horizon for next year. The amazing growth in Society can’t simply be tucked away and forgotten, not to be used. Nor can what caused that growth be ignored. The fourth season of PFS, while amazing for story and challenge, forgot about capturing the new player. Fewer tier 1-x options were published for this season than ever before. At the same time, plans were put in place to REMOVE existing tier 1-x options. To make matters worse, months would go by with no new tier 1-x scenario being published, months during which conventions and game days struggled to find options. And, now, going into the summer, with all kinds of major conventions on the horizon for the fall, coordinators have 7 new scenarios to choose from, only one of which is tier 1-x. Why is this a problem, you ask? Why can’t the new players play the older 1-x scenarios? Because the available pool of veteran players who will sit with them and “show them the ropes” is busy playing the new stuff. There are hugely anticipated, story-impacting scenarios coming out that veteran players HAVE to play in order to get the boon that they need for their Shadow or Lantern Lodge character. There are high level scenarios that showcase everything that was going on in Season 4, and brings all those stories to a dramatic conclusion. There are higher level special events offering double gold and cool items and a “deadly” factor unequaled in standard PFS play. There are other PFS players who have a magical elixir that gets more powerful provided there are more players who own it at the table. New PFS players dipping their toes into these waters can’t experience any of that, and aren't even aware of most of it. Thus, the veterans will be off doing their thing, leaving those new players to fend for themselves. Obviously, there will be exceptions. Obviously, there will be plenty of us who find a way to create new players despite the challenges. But I am starting to see the signs that complacency has set in. And that is dangerous. Paizo, I know you are aware that you have created an awesome organized play system. I know you are aware that your game still needs constant marketing to be successful. Please remember that you need to include that existing market when looking toward new players. PFS has grown; you need to begin to publish more adventures. PFS needs to continue to grow; you need to publish more entry level adventures so that veterans can sit with their trainees. PFS has become a massive volunteer network; you need to begin to show those volunteers that they MEAN something to you and that you are aware of everything they have done for you. I am truly looking forward to seeing what will happen with Season 5. Because that is the season that will put Paizo and PFS in the correct position to deal with what comes Next, for it is on the horizon for next summer. Don’t ignore it.
I've read through it, and have plans to run it next week. I've spotted a couple things I want to point out/discuss, mostly minor. I'm sure others will come along with more important things than I, but I figured I'd at least start the process:
1 - The title, once again, is an unnecessary spoiler. Why do you guys keep doing this?
Call it anything other than this spoilerific title, please. Of course, it's too late for this one, but can we please avoid this mistake in the future? 2 - Torrential rains from a storm lasting several days, and you find tracks around the broken down cart? The location of these tracks, and perhaps the cart, needs to be changed to the stables. I'd actually rather the tracks weren't present, at all. It's a much better surprise, that way. 3 - I'm always dismayed when intelligent, important people do silly things like leave personal journals behind while taking entire armies with them when they leave their headquarters "in a hurry." I will be reworking a few of these set pieces to include burned notes or supplies left behind under the assumption that Vaga would follow with them. 4 - So, if the PCs don't use or know the pass phrase for the gargoyle, and drive it off instead of killing it, then they fail? It won't return until the geas forces it back (which, I'm assuming, would be after 24 hours, when things start to go badly for it), well after the PCs have likely left. Do we really not give them their prestige point because the gargoyle escaped? I don't think I'm going to do this, as the gargoyle will fight to the death to instead escape the geas. That's all I have, for now. If I don't come up with anything else, I will at least post a write-up of the adventure after I run it next week. PS - Vaga is one of my new favorite bad guys. Awesome job on her, Larry. You're rapidly becoming a favorite, when it comes to giving bad guys a personality I get to play with.
I decided to take you up on your offer and buy a few things. I read the email about this, and paid attention to the exclusions, loading my cart up with Paizo publications, only. However, during checkout, after putting in the "ksthanks" code I was told that discount was not valid on the order. What happened?
I was doing my reporting for yesterday's game day and noticed a new button underneath the "Scenario" field: Scenario Mission Accomplished So, this is new. Do I need to check that for all my scenarios, now? Or is this something that is there for special reasons? What's up? Did I miss an announcement?
Tomorrow I am running a scenario with clockwork golems in an encounter. While reading their stat block, a question occurred to me. The attack is 2 slams +23 (2d10 + 8 plus grab). The golem has a special attack called grind: Grind (Ex) A clockwork golem deals an additional 2d10+12 points of slashing damage when it makes a successful grapple check as razor-sharp gears and blades emerge from its body to grind and slice its foe. So, each slam attack can grab. Then, assuming each grab is successful, it can grind twice? I suppose the sequence of events, rules-wise, would be this: 1 - Attack with the first slam
Do I have this wrong? I hope not. The possibility of 8d10 + 40 damage is a wee bit exciting, I cannot lie. Especially considering the group I'm playing with...
I have searched for multiple things recently that I KNOW exist. And yet, I cannot find them, no matter how I adjust my search. For example, go to the GM Discussion section for Pathfinder Society. Type "Goblinblood Dead" into the search field, and see what turns up. Interestingly, what DOESN'T turn up is the thread that was started yesterday discussing the scenario, which is #2 on the list, today. Also what doesn't turn up is the thread discussing this same topic that covered about 45 posts, many of which would address the original poster's questions in the second thread. I was trying to find that thread to point him toward his answers, but had no luck at all. Before you ask if it's actually out there: I'm 100%. I can provide links to everything I'm mentioning here. Now, here are the search results when you search for goblinblood dead. Notice how neither of those two threads are there? Recently, I have seen tons of duplicate threads being created. I was, at first, thinking this was due to short-sighted and/or lazy posters. Now I think it's due to this search function not working. Obviously, this has a pretty serious impact on efficiency (both for gamers looking for answers and PFS GMs looking for advice on issues with scenarios). So, what's wrong with the "search" function, Paizo? Edit: The only reason I can find the old thread is because I linked to it for a GM to do his research about six months ago. I still had that email, so was able to copy/paste the url. Back then, of course, I found it by typing "Goblinblood Dead" into the search field...
I am running a Pathfinder Society Scenario today in which I think a Barbarian was seriously misbuilt. I am asking this question in the hopes that he is not, but suspect I'm doomed. The barbarian rage power Come and Get Me: While raging, as a free action the barbarian may leave herself open to attack while preparing devastating counterattacks. Enemies gain a +4 bonus on attack and damage rolls against the barbarian until the beginning of her next turn, but every attack against the barbarian provokes an attack of opportunity from her, which is resolved prior to resolving each enemy attack. A barbarian must be at least 12th level to select this rage power. I am assuming this means that, if the barbarian does not have Combat Reflexes, he can only make a single AoO per round. He is NOT given permission to break that rule and attack back every time he is attacked. Thus, this 15th level NPC would be a fool to use that rage power against a group of 12th level PCs with two fighters. Yes?
So, a month was skipped this past season so that scenarios could start being released on the first Wednesday of each month. Then August's releases got pushed back to the third Thursday. Now September's releases (and October's and November's for that matter) are now listed as coming out on the LAST Wednesday of their respective months, essentially delaying them all three or four weeks. What happened? I do not ask this idly. I checked Guide 4.2; it says scenarios are released on the First Wednesday each month. This will have an impact on what I offer each month, so I am genuinely curious what is up. I don't want to get blindsided by scenarios being moved back ANOTHER week to comply with the Guide's language, again.
Hello, Pathfinders! The largest Pathfinder Society event to come to Colorado since Pathfinder began is happening just two months from now. August 30th through September 2nd is Tacticon, and Pathfinder Society will likely be the highest attended RPG offering at the convention. This past February at Genghis Con we had 74 tables. During Tacticon 2011 we had 58. Our expectations for this Tacticon are to approach 80 tables. To do that we’re going to need GMs, and lots of them. Tacticon is four days long; a total of nine 4-hour “slots.” Each of those slots will be offering 7-8 tables of PFS play. Additionally, two PFRPG Modules will be run as all day events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Finally, NeoExodus (an organized play system using PFRPG rules) will be running tables throughout the con, as well. Below this announcement will be a list of slots to be filled, with scenario numbers, names and tiers. Some slots will have GMs named, already; most will not. We have already received several volunteers (thank you) and a few of us have even been foolish enough to offer to run all nine slots. But we still have 40 tables currently without a GM. Every table you volunteer for gets us closer to our number. What’s in it for you, you ask? Well, let me enlighten you. 1. Each slot you GM will earn you a free ticket to play during another slot.
We have two months to drum up volunteers. Reply to this post or private message me to claim your spot, and tell us how many slots you want to GM. I will be in touch separately to discuss details. The GM list for Tacticon (for those of you who are astute observers, this is also the game list for Tacticon in Denver, Colorado. To sign up register at the Denver Gamer's Association website - linked here ): Slot 1 – Thursday, August 30th, 7:00 PM
Slot 2 – Friday, August 31st, 9:00 AM
#3-25, Storming the Diamond Gate (tier 3-7)
#3-24, The Golden Serpent (tier 5-9)
Slot 3 – Friday, August 31st, 2:00 PM
#4-02, In Wrath’s Shadow (tier 3-7)
#4-03, The Golemworks Incident (tier 5-9)
All Day Friday Modules
City of the Masked God (tier 2-4)
Slot 4 – Friday, August 31st, 7:00 PM
Slot 5 – Saturday, September 1st, 9:00 AM
#3-25, Storming the Diamond Gate (tier 3-7)
#3-24, The Golden Serpent (tier 5-9)
Slot 6 – Saturday, September 1st, 2:00 PM
#4-02, In Wrath’s Shadow (tier 3-7)
#4-03, The Golemworks Incident (tier 5-9)
All Day Saturday Modules
City of the Masked God (tier 2-4)
Slot 7 – Saturday, September 1st, 7:00 PM
Slot 8 – Sunday, September 2nd, 9:00 AM
#3-25, Storming the Diamond Gate (tier 3-7)
#3-24, The Golden Serpent (tier 5-9)
NeoExodus #C1 – Undying Legacy of the 1st Ones
Slot 9 – Sunday, September 2nd, 2:00 PM
#4-02, In Wrath’s Shadow (tier 3-7)
#4-03, The Golemworks Incident (tier 5-9)
NeoExodus #C1 – Undying Legacy of the 1st Ones
All Day Sunday Modules
City of the Masked God (tier 2-4)
Thanks for reading and hope to see you there. Jeff Kokx
In the fall of 2009 Dave Dostaler GMed the first PFS game played in the Denver area of Colorado (that I am aware of). A group of fresh faced Pathfinders played through scenario #1, Silent Tide that evening, fending off an invasion from the past. I am proud to note that I was part of that game. He did this deed at my store, Enchanted Grounds in Denver, Colorado, launching an organized play system that has grown the store’s community and brought it closer together at the same time. Last night, nearly three years later, he GMed his 100th game, earning his fourth star. I am thrilled to let you all know about this accomplishment. Thank you, Dave, for all you’ve done. This store wouldn’t have the presence it has without what you started that night three years ago. Congratulations, Dave, on an awesome accomplishment!
I've been wanting to do the cliche thing with the alchemist since the APG came out (the cliche thing being the Doctor Jekyll/Mr. Hyde idea). I have toyed with it ever since, reading advice threads and comments to glean information. I have finally settled on a build using three different archetypes - Chirurgeon, Internal Alchemist and Vivisectionist. To be clear: I have zero desire to use bombs, as that is what every alchemist I've played with in PFS does; I just find it repetitive. I understand I'm giving up a lot of flexibility and damage by doing this. I also realize there are some severe non-bos between these archetypes - vivisectionist using Kn(nature) for healing while the chirurgeon gets skill focus(healing), for instance. But I do not mind, as my goals are to play someone fun who can contribute in a lot of different ways and, ultimately, be kind of scary (but not completely ridiculous) when he goes into Master Chymist at 8th level - which I'm pretty sure will only be a one level dip before going back to the alchemist progression (I really like the dual personality idea, and wanted a couple more "changes" per day, and this seems to be the only way to accomplish this). Now that I think I've come up with something I think would be amusing to play, I have a couple questions for those of you who have delved into this stuff more than I. 1 - Why does the Accelerated Drinker trait not apply to extracts? This seems to be the consensus on the boards, but when I read the extract ability in the alchemist section it says "An extract is cast by drinking it, as if imbibing a potion." It seems, to me, that this line makes the action the same as drinking a potion, so the trait should apply. 2 - I pondered going with the beastmorph archetype instead, as that one seemed to lend itself nicely to the concept. But I'm underwhelmed due to it not granting anything beyond one or two of the abilities listed in the spells that are noted at various levels. Also, it still doesn't grant extra mutagens (which is a real hindrance to the Jekyll/Hyde thing, I realize). I understand the payoff with Pounce is huge, but is that the only reason that people see this archetype as so good? It comes so late that I don't see suffering through the levels just for that purpose. What am I missing? Like I said, I'm just curious about those two questions. And, again, this is for Pathfinder Society, so I'm starting at 1st and ending at 11th level. Consider that when rendering advice and opinions. Thanks
Hi, Nothing drastic, just a minor problem: the Palace Map Pack card stock is curling up on me. The tiles will not lay flat on the table. Is this a common problem? I have never had this happen with any of my other map packs, and certainly wouldn't be the fan of them that I am if I had. Let me know. Thanks
My distributor has said that the street date for this is the 28th. But you are listing it as available on the 21st. Usually your availability and the street date coincide, and I have been telling all my customers that their book would be available next week. Now I have a lot of unhappy phone calls to make. What happened?
I am planning to do a full Pathfinder Society campaign for my home group after my Rise of the Runelords campaign is finished this winter. Projected start date is sometime in February, so there is time to refine this thought and implement changes. Thus, I turn to all of you in an effort to get the most out of this. The plan is to run a complete story arc, focusing on the Year of the Shadow Lodge. Obviously, there is one module I cannot do (the Year of the Shadow Lodge Special), as that requires more tables than the one I will have. Also, I cannot run the City of Strangers pair of modules, as one of the players (my wife) has already played those modules in her PFS career, and I want all five players to be able to run through these together. So, those three modules are deliberately left off the list. Considerations for this campaign arc:
• I want to play as many Shadow Lodge story lines as I can, in an order that makes as much possible sense. I will tweak the fluff of any module a little to make it fit, if necessary. • Because saving Grandmaster Torch is the culmination of the story, I want to introduce him to the group and make sure he is a character they are aware of (using the only two modules I know for sure he’s in – Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch and Delirium’s Tangle). • I’m trying to take the characters around the world in a way that makes sense. I.E., running regional modules near each other, time-wise. Thus, things like Darkest Vengeance and Midnight Mauler will be run consecutively. • I’m trying to place things in the story as near to sensibly as I can. The Dalsine Affair will be the last module played before leaving 7th level for a reason: Baron Jaquo’s death. Likewise, Shadows Fall on Absalom is one of the first 7th level modules played for a reason: the penalty the characters can receive vs. the Shadow Lodge for the remainder of the story if the BBEG escapes. Things I know I will be doing:
• Rewriting faction missions to include the signatures of all the new factions. • …except the Shadow Lodge faction. I’m going to do my best to keep my players from picking this faction. If someone insists on it, I’m unsure what I will do, yet. Ideas are welcome, as I like being proactive. • Rewriting any Taldor missions to have the new signature on them after The Dalsine Affair. • Introducing a heavy dose of role playing by getting the players to really know the various personalities in the Pathfinder Society. • Trying to "pace" the Shadow Lodge story. I don’t want too many in a row. Likewise, I don’t want too much time between tie-ins. • Interspersing a lot of *not* Shadow Lodge stories, which is fine. I’m planning a slew of my personal favorites. Other suggestions are welcome as there are a couple that I’m less than thrilled by, in terms of their fit to this idea (looking right at you, Fury of the Fiend) • Placing some modules where they are because the "power level" of the bad guys goes up. Shades of Ice Part 3 is where it is because then it gets played at Tier 4-5, which ramps up the threat level nicely to cap off the story arc. Likewise with Heresy Pt 3. Things I’m curious about:
• I have not played some of the modules (marked with an "x" in the list). I intend to play them before running them, so please don’t spoil them too much for me. But I’m still curious if they "fit" where I put them. • Is there anything I’m missing? Did Torch appear in any other mods besides the two I listed? • Am I keeping the challenges varied? For instance, I chose to not run Below the Silver Tarn because one of the creatures is the same as one of the challenges in Forbidden Furnace. Repeating creatures is dull, unless it’s demons :-D. Did I inadvertently do it elsewhere? Here is the list. Shadow Lodge tie-ins, direct or not, are marked with an "s." Modules I have not played are marked with an "x" and are the ones I'm most interested in getting feedback on, assuming you can do so without completely spoiling them for me: The Campaign:
Level 1 Intro to Pathfinder Society #1 Intro to Pathfinder Society #2 Intro to Pathfinder Society #3 Level 2 #5 Mists of Mwangi #2-15 Shades of Ice Part 1 (s) #2-17 Shades of Ice Part 2 (s) Level 3 #2-19 Shades of Ice Part 3 (s) (x) #2-13 Murder on the Throaty Mermaid (x) #14 The Many Fortunes of Grandmaster Torch Level 4 #39 Citadel of Flame #2-23 Shadow’s Last Stand Pt 1 – At Shadow’s Door (s) (x) #47 The Darkest Vengeance Level 5 #2-EX The Midnight Mauler #2-24 Shadow’s Last Stand Pt 2 – Web of Corruption (s) (x) #45 Delirium’s Tangle Level 6 #27 Our Lady of Silver #2-06 Heresy of Man Part 1 (s) #2-07 Heresy of Man Part 2 (s) Level 7 #2-08 Heresy of Man Part 3 (s) #2-04 Shadows Fall on Absalom (s) #2-21 The Dalsine Affair (s) (x) Level 8 #36 Echoes of the Everwar Part 1 (x) #42 Echoes of the Everwar Part 2 (x) #2-03 The Rebel’s Ransom Level 9 #2-20 Wrath of the Accursed (s) #44 Echoes of the Everwar Part 3 (s) (x) #45 Echoes of the Everwar Part 4 (s) (x) Level 10 #2-18 The Forbidden Furnace of Forgotten Koor #40 Hall of Drunken Heroes #2-10 Fury of the Fiend Level 11 #2-14 The Chasm of Screams #2-08 The Sarkorian Prophecy (s) (x) #2-26 The Mantis’s Prey (s) Level 12 #46 Eyes of the Ten Part 1 (s) (x) #54 Eyes of the Ten Part 2 (s) (x) #2-05 Eyes of the Ten Part 3 (s) (x) #2-22 Eyes of the Ten Part 4 (s) (x) Let me know what you think. And thanks in advance for the help.
I didn't find another thread for this when I searched, so I guess I'll start one for it. I played in this one this past Monday and just finished reading it (I'm prepping to run it this Saturday). What an awesome module! Kudos to you, Dennis Baker. Excellent story, fun characters, and lots of different choices for a group to make, along with a final combat that is incredibly enjoyable. I hope Paizo gives you more to write. I don't really have the time to go into depth on the game we played (or that I plan to run) as I have to get to my store, but I just wanted to drop in and say awesome job. I'll put more thoughts down later this weekend after running it.
I started this thread yesterday in the Kingmaker forum. After getting no responses, I started this thread in the general forums. I think the questions are pretty general, and speak to peoples' memories. I also toned each thread specifically for the forums they appeared in (noting "Kingmaker spoilers" in the general thread). So, my question: why move the second thread? I was after a different group of peoples' opinions. Now there are two threads in the Kingmaker forums with the same title, and both will get attention from the same people, without any of the more general users seeing it (what I was after with the second thread). I'm a little put out and feel this was handled a little callously.
I originally posted this in the Kingmaker threads, but I haven't gotten any responses yet. It's only been half a day, but I'm impatient. I have put together all the maps from all six adventures in the Kingmaker AP, and a lot of the hexes "in between" modules are missing encounters. Actually, a lot of the hexes, in general, are missing encounters. While I don't want to fill every single one, I do want to put more stuff in for my group. They are a good mix of old and new players from all eras of the game, and a couple of them have been playing since the late 70s. After reading in another thread about an Easter egg encounter in Rivers Run Red against the mad hermit and his pet cougar (a tribute to B1 Keep on the Borderlands), I decided that I wanted to pursue this idea a little more and give those old school guys something to be nostalgic about. So, I dug out some of the adventures I ran during my AD&D days, and went looking through them for ideas. The problem: everything that resonates with me has no real application to Kingmaker. I fondly remember the Against the Slave Lord modules, Descent into the Depths of the Earth, and The Vault of the Drow. There are some things in Against the Giants that may be able to be imported, but it's kind of hard coming up with stuff that wouldn't be either out of place or overly high in level at this point (they're only just about to take on the Stag Lord, so 3rd level). I guess I just don't have any strong memories of the lower level stuff from back then (Ghost Tower of Inverness, Keep on the Borderlands, Village of Hommlet, etc). While I do want some higher level stuff (I plan on hiding these tributes throughout the entire path), I still want some to come up sooner than later. Baba Yaga's Hut would be a little extreme, right now... At any rate, I thought I would ask all of you about your own memories. What encounters really resonated with you from those old 1E modules? More to the point, which ones do you think would fit into a hex in Kingmaker? For those who don't know, Kingmaker is an exploration based AP that takes place in a sandbox. I.E. "You're home base is this fort. The wilderness spreads away all around you. Where do you want to go?" So, small scale encounters work really well. Dropping Expedition to the Barrier Peaks into the middle of it isn't what I'm looking for. Alternatively, if you know of other easter eggs in the AP, point them out for this old school player who only seems to remember levels 10+ from his junior high days. Thanks for the help. Hopefully, I'm not spinning my wheels...
I have put together all the maps from all the adventures, and a lot of the hexes "in between" modules are missing encounters. Hell, a lot of the hexes, in general, are missing encounters. While I don't want to fill every single one, I do want to put more stuff in for my group. I think the few hexes they came across in Stolen Land that had nothing in them were actually a let down for the group. They are a good mix of old and new players from all eras of the game, and a couple of them have been playing since the late 70s. After reading in another thread about an Easter egg encounter in Rivers Run Red against the mad hermit and his pet cougar, I decided that I wanted to pursue this idea a little more and give those old school guys something to be nostalgic about. So, I dug out some of my (super) old adventures, and went looking through them for ideas. The problem: everything that resonates with me has no real application to Kingmaker. I fondly remember the Against the Slave Lord modules, Descent into the Depths of the Earth, and The Vault of the Drow. There are some things in Against the Giants that may be able to be imported, but it's kind of hard coming up with stuff that wouldn't be either out of place or overly high in level at this point (they're only just about to take on the Stag Lord). I guess I just don't have any strong memories of the lower level stuff from back then (Ghost Tower of Inverness, Keep on the Borderlands, Village of Homlet, etc.) While I do want some higher level stuff (I plan on hiding these eggs throughout the entire path), I still want some to come up sooner than later. Baba Yaga's Hut would be a little extreme, right now... At any rate, I thought I would ask all of you about your own memories. What encounters really resonated with you from those old 1E modules? More to the point, which ones do you think would fit into a hex in Kingmaker? Alternatively, if you know of other easter eggs in the AP, point them out for this old school player who only seems to remember levels 10+ from his junior high days.
I'm doing some testing of the kingdom and city building rules from the AP, and I'm checking what I come up with versus the listed city stats for various cities in the campaign. As the title of the thread indicates, I've honed in on Tatzlford. Its Kingmaker Kingdom rules relevant stats are under the spoiler tag. Tatzlford:
NG Village
My questions stem from what would these numbers and terms would look like if I had built this city using the Kingmaker rules and had all the stuff the stat block lists. 1 - The "village" designation I think comes from the chart on page 205 of the GM Guide. This influences its Purchase Limit, making it 2,500 gp. But, if it's base value is 2,200 gp, it should be a "large town," at which point its purchase limit would be 10,000 gp. What is correct? 2 - Base Value: If I have the buildings in my city that Tatzlford lists, it's base value should be 2,000 gp. Where does the extra 200 gp come from? 3 - Items With the listed buildings, this selection of only two minor items is correct. Looking through various Kingmaker Kingdom Construction threads, however, I'm under the impression that more should be listed, due to it's designation as "village" or due to its purchase limit and/or base value. It could even have multiple medium items. What's correct? Kingdom Increases Again, correct with the buildings listed. However: 4 - Buildings Five buildings require houses to be adjacent. In the Kingdom Building thread, James Jacobs said that a single house can only fill that requirement once. I.E., no building a house then surrounding it with 8 "house required" buildings. Did this change? 5 - Population 186? With that many buildings on my city grid, they take up 16 blocks. According to the city rules on page 58 of Rivers Run Red, that translates to a population of 4000. I understand that population has no impact on any of the stats, but that's a pretty big difference. If we're tracking population "for curiosity's sake" then, if Tatzlford gets annexed and we start a grid, what do we do with the population numbers? Leave the population listed, even with that many blocks filled in? Suddenly 3800 people move in to Tatzlford? Either option is a little weird... I ask all these questions because, like I said, I'm testing the kingdom building rules so I know what I'm doing. When I sit down with my players to do this for the first time, I want to be able to go through things quickly so they don't get frustrated, like I am. Any help understanding this is appreciated.
I'm curious about your policies on stores and distributors breaking your street dates on products. I own a store, myself, and I and my distributor are respectful of what we percieve your wishes to be. However, with a release as big as the Advanced Players Guide, I am getting constant requests from people who don't understand the process by which you distribute. They see people posting on these boards (all of whom are subscribers and merely are looking at the PDF of their book), and think that they should be able to find the book somewhere. Now, today, I had a customer come in with a copy of the book who says he bought it yesterday from another local store. That has created an exodus of my customers to that store to buy the book. I know which distributor that store uses, and will start getting your products through them if I, too, will be allowed to get hotly anticipated product such as this early. So, what is your policy? Are you okay with stores selling your product early, so long as they get it from a distributor who, nominally, you're allowing to distribute early? Or are you like WotC, and will shut down any future instances of these kinds of occurances? This incident has cost me a great deal of money in lost sales, both on the APG and on future product as I anticipate customers to simply check with that store first, from now on. So, I am honestly curious what to do. Edit: He didn't buy it yesterday. He bought it last Friday (the 23rd).
|
