Fraust's page

I'm in Idaho now, and haven't had time nor reason to hit any local library...so my answers are for the White Mountain Library in Rock Springs Wyoming.

For several years I was involved in a Warhammer group that met at the library. Some of us got together from time to time to play RPGs, but most of the guys who took on responsibilities for scheduling things and getting things accomplished either weren't interested in playing D&D or didn't have time for it.

1. Does your library stock rpg games? How easy are they to access (are they on a shelf, kept apart for special request, in the reference section, etc.)?

There were a scattering of second ed D&D books. I never found any on the shelves, just came across them on the libraries computer system and asked to see them.

2. Does your library provide other gaming materials (dice, flipmats, paper or whiteboards)?

Um, no. It was hard enough to get a room consistantly.

3. Does your gaming group meet in a library? Is your gaming group organized by the library, or does library just provide a venue? Do library staff take part?

We met at the library, and though we had a schedule set up through a system the library provided I would say about a third of the time the "contract" was broken on the side of the library. Either they had a library based event that no one had told us about (generally until we showed up, only to find out there was something else in the room we had), or the local LAN party group had access to the room, even though we had scheduled long before them. Problem was the guy who was in charge of running the room scheduling system at the library was also the guy running the lan parties.

4. Can you advertise for your gaming group at your public library?

I believe so. I think there was a board somewhere in the library we could post events at, but when we did advertise we just put an add in the local paper.

5. Does your local library lend out other types of games – board games, video games? Are there games tournaments hosted by the library service?

There were our warhammer tournaments and various video game tournaments ran by the LAN guys. No idea of any board game activities.

6. What would you feel to be more effective, for a library to support games that local groups are known to play, or to stock some items for a variety of games, perhaps providing opportunities for gaming groups to sample different games?

I would say absolutely start with what they know people are interested in. If you start off advertising Risk and Magic the gathering tournaments when no one plays either, you're pretty likely to get a poor showing. Optimally if you want to expose people to the newer things you should have the materials. A friend of mine is always trying to get people to play warhammer fantasy, when they've already spent hundreds (and a lot of cases thousands) of dollars on 40k minis. He has a small handful of fantasy armies, but not much anyone is interested in...so no one ever plays. We had the same probably with warmachines. Couple guys wanted everyone to play it but didn't even have enough for their own armies.

Killer. Was pretty sure they were the right ones, but wanted to make sure. Good to know there aren't any in the warehouse...I was planning on ordering like ten boxes once I send Paizo my old D&D minis. Good to have a timeline on how long it'll all take.

Just to make sure (really wish GW didn't pull the ability to post pictures of their products...) but this product is this right?

Council of Theives has the whole acting scenario in there, which might make that pair of thespians you got in your group happy. I don't know much about the AP beyond the first adventure and the players guide though, and that there is a part where you have to take part in a potentially very lethal play.

If you guys have been playing for a while Runelords might be worth looking at. It has a lot of the old school feel that seems to appeal to them "mature" types, plus there is a play house in the town you start off in, so again...tickling the thespians. There are a metric rear-end-ton of very colorful NPCs to engage with throughout the path, both has good guys and bad guys, so if you can keep the party from butchering every named NPC the moment their spotted (was having a hell of a time when I first ran it with this...) there is a lot of RP potential.

Jade Regeant seems to have lots of RP potential too, the whole starting off in one culture, traveling through another to arive at a third thing...plus has a very strong inwriten system for dealing with those colorful NPCs (the system may or may not be a problem...but even if it is, the path is set up under the assumption that you're dealing with the NPCs a lot)

The feat idea is interesting, but personally I think there are a lot of feats out there representing things that could have had better mechanics but it was easy to "just make it a feat"...Maybe something based on handle animal ranks? Oh so many ranks equals an extra hitdice for critters you've taken care of for oh so long...something like that. Seems like you're doing a good job of keeping time a little more realistic (as opposed to the more typical 1-20 levels in under a year), so you could easily put the stipulation of "you gotta work with the animal for a few months" to keep people from going out, buying a horse, and it suddenly turning into the John McClain of horses over night.

I'm curious about the people who have said their party would find a note saying "no maps"...is this because you don't want to write them up, or because you don't want to party to have the maps? I ask because after years of playing Shadowrun, it just seems odd that so many people would seem to be so opposed to something that makes so much sense.

In my own group, there are a number of players who's background is more in D&D 3.? and beyond), but there are either enough historians/educated folk, coupled with at least one player who spent most of those same years running the shadows right along with me, that I imagine the subject will come up, so these maps'll be coming in handy.

What are some of the goals of the magus?

To keep the sword and the magus working toward the same ends (roughly), you could have the sword being an old enemy of Xenisha(can't remember the spelling...), or the Scribler, or someone else similar. Especially big X, in that the sword could give the magus a few tips/tricks while fighting her to keep the party from suffering a TPK...sorta "I fought this wench before, and I know how good of a swordsman you are, you're not gonna be able to hit her until that dope in the pointy hat on your side dispells some of her defences!"

Took the better part of three weeks (what with classes and all), but I just read this from beginning to here...and am very impressed. Honestly, when I first saw this topic I purposely skipped it, as what little I knew of Kingmaker then sounded absolutley uninteresting. After having read this (as well as the first book I picked up shortly after finally beginning your journal), I'll be picking KM up in its entierty.

Wish I had something constructive, other than compliments, to offer, but I'm only famliar with the first half of RotRl, and not at all with KM. I do sympathise with Richards horse problems...I was in a campaign in second where our entire party regularly lost mounts, to the point that by mid-high levels we were all riding purple worms or magical caravans and whatnot. Horses just don't scale very well...

Anyways, I look forward to your next update.

I would be interested in the files too, and will be keeping an eye out for you to start a second group. Either way, congrats to those who made the cut, and good luck!

Happy birthday!...now I feel old...

Asking that the GM play by the same rules the players are playing by is hardly "restricting GM authority." Except for house rules agreed upon at the beginning of a campaign, it is assumed that everyone is playing the same game, with the same rules.

This doesn't hold true in my game, nor just about any game I play in. The GM creates the rules. If the players don't like that, they are free to leave the game or comment on them. I don't think players should play in games thay are not having fun with, and houserule/rule interpretation/whatever is not relevant.

If I'm understanding the situation, I would assume the GM made a mistake about everyone acting at once. The one encounter isn't enough to get me complaining though, but it seems to have got you going. Talk to your GM if it bugs you. What does it matter what I/anyone here think? Life isn't democratic man.

Coming in to show interest, as I absolutely love this adventure path, though haven't been able to play/run it yet...and throw in a good wood for John Woodford. I was the GM for the Age of Worms game he was going to play in, and was very impressed with his application.

As for my own application, I'm thinking a catfolk (bestiary 3) shadow sorcerer, who's a performer at the Emporium. I'll try and get something a little more detailed up tomorrow. If the catfolk isn't cool, then I'll try and come up with something in the arcane fullcaster area.

I like the archaeologist for very larger than life, Indiana Johnes style pulp archaeologists. They have absolutely nothing to do with real archaeology, but that's not much of a deal, being a game and all. Most times I've seen it used in play either the person picks a trait to get Disable Device, or the GM hand waves it as an oversight.

All the APs start at 1st. The very first three that Paizo did, which were back when they were working for Wizards, went to 20th, but from Rise of the Runelord on they go to around 15th (depends on the AP, but I think the lowest ever was 13 and the highest was 17). Remember, this is subjective based on a lot of different factors.

If I remember right the official word is that none of the published APs (one of the upcoming APs breaks this rule) assume that the group has run anything previously. A few of the APs take place in similar areas, and a lot of people refer to things as sequals and what not, but this is all just stuff that fans have said/done, not official. There is a lot of crossover with background characters, but for the most part the APs are each very much self contained.

I would be careful with Jade Regeant too. Granted, I haven't read through it completely, but from the glances I've given it, looks like there are a lot of undefined areas durring the travel sections. You might have the same issues. Personally, I think you're overreacting and need to understand that a published adventure isn't going to give you every little single thing detailed and packaged...but as has been stated, some of the APs are more fill in the blank than others. From my understanding, Kingmaker, Serpent's Skull, and Jade Regeant are probably not going to be what you're looking for, and Second Darkness might cause problems too.

I think Carrion Crown might not be the best AP for your guys then. As long as everyone (including the GM!) is having fun don't let anyone tell you you're playing the game wrong...but some APs are more/less combat heavy than others, and CC is, least from what I've seen, more about roleplaying and investigative work. Serpent's Skull is a little more action oriented, might be worth looking into.

5. Will they be available for subscription here on Paizo.com?

My issues with Herolab do stem from price, but it's not the basic package that's the problem. It's the fact that I need to spend something like 80 dollars to use all the books (that I already bought from Paizo) to get full use of the program. I don't buy a lot of video games, but that's a frustrating level to me. I'll probably get the expansions eventually, I'm just not happy about it, and don't like the business model.

Nothing really against autos, I just prefer a more stealth oriented game. From time to time I like going a little over the top and having a good scary firefight...but for standard SR games, I'd rather things go quiet.

I grew up with a couple old timers, so I take it for granted that it's assumed the rules are guidlines (generally guidelines I stick by), but the more I look around the more I find not everyone shares my sentiment. It's nice having the books point out the GM is the final word. One of these days I'm going to have to pick up that 20th book. ..

Still not sure how I feel about herolab to be completely honest.

Haven't gotten a chance to look at Attitude yet, though it's on my priority list. I've got older books that covered similar topics, and loved having the insight into the world they provided. I haven't heard much about War in that the fluff is bad, but I've heard the mechanics are perhaps not what I'm looking for. I don't like the BANG BANG aspect of SR, and generally when I run a game if you end up firing something on full auto, things went terribly wrong (not the funny wrong that always happens, but the "$%&#! We're going to get TPKed!" kinda wrong), and I guess War has rules for satellite lasers, nuclear bombs, ect. Not my idea of a good SR game.

Vice and Ghost Cartels look interesting though. I think it's Ghost Cartels that has the info on a new drug (name escapes me) that either increases magic, or can make a mundane into a magician (not sure on the actual specifics). Sounds very intriguing.

male 31, signed up for the army but things didn't work out. Started playing 1stish edition in early 90s (mixmash of 1st and second, based on what we could decipher from the books and my brother-in-law). Played lots of Shadowrun, d6 Starwars, various White Wolf games, some Earthdawn, Deadlands, and alternity, and a smattering of other stuff.

I don't know that they updated it, but I did see the PDFs for Harlequin (maybe the second one too) available on the main site.

If you like the commentary you should check out Emergence. It's kinda like a campaign outline rather than a published adventure, but I would say about three quarters of the book is writen in Jackpoint commentary. The book honestly reads like a novel more than any game suppliment (and some novels...) I've read. I think it's the same format for Vice, Ghost Cartels, and War...but I'm not possitive.

I'm going to second the poster who mentioned time and hands and there beeing way too much of one in the other...If this is what gets you riled up and makes you need to vent...the world is going to be a very scary place...

Pending how familiar your players are with the setting, I would say you likely don't need to sweat it much at all. If they are equally new to the setting, I think the info in the issues of the AP. Consider restricting the players to being from Sandpoint/surrounding areas and call it good.

A politically powerful lawful evil NPC. Basically have him taunt the paladin until he does something fairly stupid to get himself arrested.

I do have to ask though, is this player (not character) being a problem? The thread title mentions "mocking paladin"...so is this guy actually being a jerk about having an optimized character? If he's not really being a jerk, what about just talking to him and saying "hey, you put this character together a lot better than the other party members, would you mind toning things down?" or talking to the rest of the party, and maybe trying to get them on par?

I was actually just telling my dad about comlinks in SR, in reference to how cell phones have evolved.

Second edition is where I started with the shadows, and been playing it in spurts and stutters sense. Some friends of mine have been talking Shadowrun lately, and I might...might....be running a PbP at some point in the near future. If your around and still interested Bilbo, you get priority as a thanks for the review.

Couple questions for anyone who has this. What are the differences between this and the original 4th ed book? Were rules actually changed, or were they just better explained? Any new (or better writen) archetypes?

I play in Golarion, so common is generally Taldan, and racial languages are roughly the same. Hasn't come up yet, but I would say elvin in one area vs another would be a bit like talking to someone in california as opposed to newyork. They speak the same language, but there's differences.

If there's still room, I'd like to offer up a character concept.

Going with core only, I'd like to play a bard (would really love to use the arcane duelist archetype, but I saw you're not a fan), with the "missing parent" trait. Going for the theme of circumstances thrusting him into the adventurers life, and him taking to it quite well. I picture him as something of a fop, or at least starting off as someone accustom to a little more comfort and a little larger town that Sandpoint, though he's not a complete pansy.

A little on me. I'm familiar with the AP, planning on running it when the revised edition comes out, but can seperate player/character knowledge. Right now I'm in another PbP (Carrion Crown) and have a retired PbP campaign (Night Below) getting unretired soon. I'm a student with wifi where I live (well, where I will be living, semester hasn't started just yet), so I'll have plenty of online access. Normally I avoid core only games, but I've been dying to play in RotRl, and the character idea I've had ratteling around in my head is likely doable without all the extras. My biggest pet peve is houserules, especially on PbP games. If something needs fixed, and the GM has a good solid fix, that's great...but I don't like playing in games with a laundry list of changes with little or no reason behind them. That having been said, I'm interested in what rules for UC you were thinking about...

I'll post a more solid concept up/character sheet once I hear back from you, to see if you want anything specific adressed.

EDIT: Just saw there's a fair number of people showing some interest in playing a bard also. Looks like we have a paladin, wizard, and dragon desciple bard, and archaeological bard proposed? If there's room for me I'll brainstorm some more divine ideas then. My first thought was cleric (likely Desna), but druid could be interesting too...

I think if the two Ultimate books are supposed to be the actual ultimate (as in last) word on their respective topics, the ball was dropped. I like both books and use them each quite a bit, but there is (least in my mind) no question that there is room for improvement. Ultimate Monkey (as in skill) should probably be done to complete (or further) the set, but I like the idea said above about more specialized books. One book that's supposed to make everyone happy is, at least to me, a bad idea. I would say take a note from Catalyst games...

They are beginning to produce a line of books that are PDF only, and very specialized. If no one in your group plays an adept, don't buy the adept book. There's a lot in ultimate combat I don't use. I bought the book (pdf only), so Paizo has my money, but honestly I'm not super happy with it (and subsiquently them) as I am with say, the APG...

You know, I get my school grant money in one to two weeks...

Would love to, but I imagine by the time I get my hands on a copy most of the work will be done...

When I first got my issue of Burnt Offerings, I almost dropped out. The sin magic angle stank so badly of christianity, I was waiting to find out there was single over diety, with maybe a few worshipable saints. I' very glad I gave it a try.

First time I ran RotRl we didn't get to any mention of sin magic, which is good, as it just seems hokey to me. I like the above idea of reskinning it, though I'm worried my players will see through it. Probably not as big of a deal as I'm making out of it...

Beautiful, thank you!

I'm looking to sell some D&D minis to Paizo, and I'm not finding a way to get the product codes...Any suggestions?

Doubt I'm getting much in the way of books, and my daughter's still a little young for me to be getting her into it...However, it looks like one of my sisters friends kid is interested in "D&D". I still need to set down and talk with the lad, but I think I'm going to be running a game for my nephiews and he over christmas break. Not sure that I want to do a christmas themed game...but I'm thinking of something wintery...

Yeah, bail. Honestly, what are the other players thoughts? What's the chances of you getting everyone but the regual GM together and you running a game?

I've played for a while now, and one thing blows my mind..."I've been playing for 24 years, and I know..." no, you haven't. Pathfinder hasn't been out for 24 years, nor has the version of the game that it was based on. Even then, even assuming this guy had been playing Pathfinder longer than you have...doesn't really matter much. Some people are dumber than others, sometimes people make mistakes, sometimes one of another billion other things happen, that give someone an idea in their head that isn't always fact. If he can't set down and listen, and come up with something beyond "I'm right, you ain't", well, chances are good he's going to wind up as our next president...but that's a whole nother rant...

Dude! Thanks for the heads up!

Unless my party goes out and finds a copy for themselves they will never see that. I've restatted him as an elderly intelligence based magus that's going to basically go nova all over them...think yoda fighting count duku. I just need to find the appropriate artwork...

Wasn't it amazon that had the deal, that if you went into a local store and scanned a product there with your phone, left without buying it, and bought the same item from amazon they would give you $5?

There's a fair number of other publishers out there, but no one even remotely as big. So if you're looking for the most money possible, your hands are going to get dirty (by the standards of most). If you're looking for enough money, well, it might take a whole lot of work, but there have been examples of it happening *coughcoughpointsattheURLcoughcough*

Perhaps we're looking at the word "rights" differently. So if a GM isn't within his rights to be a jerk, what happens? James Jacobs comes down with a ski mask and an extendable baton (tell me you couldn't see him doing this...)? I'm talking about the same level of "rights" that says I have the right to pick my nose in public, or walk around with vomit on my shirt. I strongly suggest people don't do these things, but they are within your rights.

Again, word useage. I assume there are rules at your table, like the rule that states "when you make a d20 check, you roll a twenty sided dice, and not the cat".

Personally I rarely say "because I said so". I have said "this is how I'm ruling it for now, and we can get together and talk about it later." But I've sat at people's tables where, from time to time, "because I said so" was the answer. This wasn't always the answer, and they weren't some otherwise child touching, dice stealing, douche bag. Yeah, the game could have been better, and it could have been worse. All games, yours, mine, Monte Cooks, could be better, and they could be worse. Making the occassional jerk call doesn't turn you into some public enemy number one, vilest scourge the gaming community has ever seen. Hell, there've been times when I was more upset at someone after they explained why x or y was banned (so you're telling me this whole time, five or so years I been gaming with you under the rule that web is not to be cast the whole reason is because you're too bloody lazy to deal with people being entangled?!)

Kolokotronic...I think you and I are of the same mind (roughly), just expressing things a little differently. I'm not trying to say I think GM's should tell people "because I said so" as any sort of a default answer. As I said above, it doesn't go very far in my book. I'm cool with it at the table, as a "this is how I want to run it" type answer, and then talk about it later when it's not talking up game time. I'm just saying the GM is well within their rights to run a poor game, just as a host is well within their rights to host a poor event, and those who attend either are well within their rights to not participate.

And no, I don't think there is much of a difference between no rules and anarchy. Just because everyone is getting along in a situation without rules does not make it any less of an anarchy. These types of things are ever flowing and changing, and sure we could arbitrarily hit pause and say "see, everyone is having fun and no one is arguing" as our "proof" that a game can happen without rules/a GM, and someone else can arbitrarily hit fast forward to the point someone wants to do something someone else doesn't want them to do...

Good point, good point. I think Foxglove looks good as is, and not terribly clowny, but the average skinsaw cultest does look fairly flamboyant. Ironbriar just straight up looks terrible. I completely reenvisioned him in my campaign notes (though I haven't found a suitable graphic) and promptly blocked out the inbook picture.

Mrs. Roket-bra...well, yes. Very Madonnaesque. "Like a virgin, OH! Smote for the very first time!"

My point about there being no game without a GM is there is no game without a GM. Wheather it's another player stepping up to the plate, or the guy who regularly GMs, if someone is GMing, then there is a GM.

As for the idea of a democratic game with no one incharge...I can say that is a possibility sure. I also remember playing cops and robbers as a kid. If there is no one in charge, and no rules, you're not really playing a game then are you...I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying it's not really a game.

I do agree the OP's GM went too far, which I think is obvious from my original post in this thread. I've walked out of games before because the GM was a control freak, and I've had players discuss rulings I've made, at the table and away. It's a team game, that's for sure, but one of the team members is the final word on in game rulings. If you don't agree, try rereading the core book.

Guess I dissagree. The GM, in my mind, is the one in charge of the game, the rules are filtered through him (or her), the world is as he makes it. The player's are free to get up and walk obviously, and there isn't much game without players, but there is NO game without a GM.

Icaste, you should read the sentence after the one you bolded.

Clown assassins? Been a while, but considering how much of a Jokerphile I am I think I would have remembered clown assassins...

Book #2 is for making the players scared...book #3 is for making them cry! *cue banjo music and piggy squealing*

Before bailing I would talk to the GM in person, alone. Tell him how you feel and let him know that his rulings seem unfair to you, and that you are strongly considering looking for another group. Don't yell, don't swear, don't point your finger...just explain it to him, and then LISTEN when he responds. If he isn't willing to explain it (I AM THE GM only works so far in my book) or you don't like what he has to say, then tell him "thanks for the game" and find another group. There's no point being miserable, and if you try to communicate and work through the problem like an adult, anyone who faults you for leaving is a child.

Liz, thank you for the information.

How does one go about getting content (specifically PDFs) sold at the Paizo store?