Graynore's page

I might be interested as a LN hobgoblin ftr/monk.

I ran this years ago with books 1&2 in 2ed and book 3 in 3.5. The troll fight was my second favorite fight of the 2nd book [something about a gnome ftr/ill covered in burning oil makes me giggle still today].
In regards to the pc's making it through this fight, I would say that it is possible. In 3.x, a wizard can take the craft wand feat and have a slew of fireball spells at the ready [which seems to be what every wiz pc in my games do]. However, this may not explain everything. If I remember the encounter correctly, there were several environmental hazzards that the trolls were suppose to use to their advantage [razor rock and bull rushing into a hole come to mind]. Not to mention that I wouldn't have marched all the trolls down a fire shrouded tunnel [trolls are brave and stupid but afraid of fire].
The PFRPG rules for combat manuvers change a lot of things but having the trolls aid another might have helped overcome this [not at first of course, but they might figure it out eventually].

By the way, did you convert the two headed troll into a regular troll adept 3? I seem to remember her playing a key role in the fight in 2nd ed.
P.S. in 2ed, my players made it through in one fight with no casualties as well but there were 9 pcs [including some broken 1ed classes...ahh barbarian, duelist, monk, kensai]

Another option might be to allow evokers to have mastery of metamagic applied to evocations. Such as reducing the level increase by 1 for feats applied to evocation spells (min. 1); increase to 2 later on.

I've been looking over the Pathfinder CS for a while and have come to love the country of Irrisen. I developed this bloodline to represent sorcerers from this country. Any feedback would be appreciated [including style].

Irrisenian Witch Bloodline
The Old Mother is coming. I feel Her calling in my blood. I will make ready for her return.
Class Skill: Know (nature)
Bonus Spells: Charm Person (3), Alter Self (5), Sleet Storm (7), Charm Monster (9), Baleful Polymorph (11), Eyebite (13), Control Weather (15), Polymorph Any Object (17), Dominate Monster (19)
Bonus Feats:Craft Wonderous Item, Heighten Spell, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Intimidate), Spell Focus, Toughness
Bloodline Powers:
1st - Cold Ray (Su): Fire 30' Ray as Standard Action. Ray deals 1d6 cold damage + 1 per 2 class levels.
3rd - Energy Resistance (Ex): Gain resist cold 10. Increase to resist cold 20 at 9th level.
9th - Cold Mastery (Su): The sorcerer can substitute the cold descriptor for the energy descriptor of any spell s/he casts; the spell now does cold damage instead of the specific type. At 17th level, the sorcerer reduces any cold resistance of a target of one of his/her spells by his/her class level (max 0); creatures with immunity to cold instead have cold resistance 30.
15th - Timeless Body (ex): as the druid ability.
20th - Scion of Babba Yagga (Su): the sorcerer gains immunity to cold, poison and polymorphing. S/he also gains DR: 10/cold iron.

Ian: The pertinent language in the Endure Exposure invocation is "immune to any effects of your breath weapon" which should mean any and all effects of the breath weapon.
As for the Magic Insight invocation, you are reading it correctly. I would stress that it works exactly like Detect Magic except for the full round action, touch Identify effect; hence, one has to concentrate for two rounds to identify locations of auras and one round to identify the pressence of magic. If your player wants to walk around checking for magical traps all the time, then let them while at the same time enforcing the concentration times.

Ok, here is what I thought up:

"How is one to live? One is to follow the rules. I don't think this, I know this. My blood swims with the harmony of precision. I will show the others; not because they should know but because they must."

Class Skill: Diplomacy
Bonus Spells: Command (3), Enthrall (5), Magic Circle vs. Chaos (7), Order's Wrath (9), Dominate Person (11), Geas/Quest (13), Dictum (15), Shield of Law (17), Mass Hold Monster (19).
Bonus Feats: Spell Focus (Ench), Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Persuasive, Leadership, Heighten Spell, Craft Rod, Greater Spell Focus (Ench), Iron Will
Bloodline Powers:
1L - Imperious Gaze (Su): As a standard action, gaze at an opponent within 30' and daze that creature for 1 round. Once a creature has been affecting by this it cannot be affected again for one day.
3L - My Will is my own (ex): +2 vs. mind-affecting effects. +4 @ 5L. +6 @ 11L.
9L - Order's Might (Su): +1 to DC of spells vs. chaotic opponents. If the spell does damage add +1d6. At 17L bonuses go up to +2 DC & +2d6 damage.
15L - Ambassador of Order (Su): As a standard action, the sorcerer can create an aura that lasts for 1 minute per class level per day; this need not be continuous (end as standard action). The aura forces all lawful creatures to make a will save (DC: 10 + 1/2 class level + Int modifier) to cause harm to the sorcerer. The opponent may resume hostile activities if the sorcerer ends the aura, it makes its save, or the sorcerer attacks.
20L - Rule of Law (Ex): Immune to Mind-affecting effects. +2 DC to Compulsion Spells. All lawful typed spells are cast as if extended and add +2 to DC.

A few things I have to add:
1. For a companion, I have had players with the skeletal companion variant necromancer from Unearthed Arcana [basically replaces a familiar but no XP penalty if destroyed] and this worked really well.
2. Necromancers with healing spells. I preferred the 2nd ed. Necromancer's Handbook spells on the subject. There were spells that transfered hp between creatures. For a 3.x parallel, see the forced empathic wound transfer psionic power.
3. White and Gray Necromancers. I don't see a problem with them because they have been in the cannon for long enough; might not notice them all the time but they're around. As for dealing with mechanics, spell selection is definitely the problem here.

This was a bloodline I worked up for an NPC based on gaining the shade template from FRCS; however, for it to be balanced, not all abilities of the template are gained. I would appreciate any feedback.

Class Skill: Knowledge (Planes)
Bonus Spells: Ray of Enfeeblement (3), Mirrior Image (5), Deeper Darkness (7), Greater Invisibility (9), Lutzen's Frequent Jaunt [Magic of Faerun] (11), Shadow walk (13), Greater Teleport (15), Greater Shadow Evocation (17), Shades (19)
Bonus Feats: Spell Focus, Silent Spell, Great Fortitude, Skill Focus (Stealth) [in FR: shadow weave magic, insidious magic, pernicious magic, tenacious magic]
Bloodline Powers:
1 - Shadow Bolt (Su): 30' ray at will that does 1d6 +1 per 2 levels cold damage.
3 - Shadow Protection: +1 deflection to AC & +1 luck to saves. +2 @ 9L. +3 @ 15L, +4 @ 20L
5 - darkvision 30'
9 - Shadow shape: +2 stealth & +1 perception. +4 stealth/+2 perception @ 13L. +6/+3 @ 17L. +8/+4 @ 20L.
11 - Darvision 60'
15 - Shadow Resistance: spell resistance = sorcerer level + 10
17 - darvision 60' and can see through magical darkness
20 - Shadowed Soul: [incorporates bonuses listed above plus] a +2 competence bonus to attack and damage in less than daylight conditions. Change type to outsider.

Would this be a modron type sorcerer? Inevitable?
Is this a pure lawful sorcerer?
Or is this a sorcerer whose abilities are tied to the cogs themselves?

Depending upon the answer, I would have different suggestions.

The 3.0 DMG had rules for what you are asking. Basically, you are an apprentice level ftr and wiz at first level. I believe the mechanics were no bab, half saves, all class features (maybe limit this for PF), and # of spells were reduced by 1 to a minum of 0.

For PF, i would say that you use one class as primary and get that classes HP (and bonus HP if you use the optional rules) and that class also provides the # of skill points available at 1st level; however, the class skills of both classes are yours.

As the player of a Psion, I personally LOVE the Expanded Psionics Handbook system. I think I might add a small boost to those powers that are part of a Psion's Discipline, to encourage them to take and use those powers the most. I'd also include a rule like the Sorcerer, allowing him to trade in a power for one of an equal or lower level, once every few levels, but that's less important for Psions than Sorcerers because their powers are augmentable, so they seldom become useless. The system is great as it is, I wish it took the place of the Sorcerer, to be honest.

I agree that the system could be kept as is with a few minor correctiongs:

(1) HD to d6
(2) concentration folded into psicraft

As for psions replacing sorcerers, I could see that. I actually started giving creatures with the half-fiend template functional sorcerer levels and then ended up turning them into psion levels (in stead of gaining a SLA every two HD, the creature gains the manifester level, power points, and powers known of a psion equal to half his/her HD (max manifester level = HD)).

I just like to facilitate conversation about the various game mechanics dealing with psionics out there.

One thing that I have done for multi-classing is to use the gestalt rules from the SRD/Unearth Arcana. Typically, I give an ecl equal to the number of classes to a max of three [I haven't actually tried someone with three classes yet so I'm not sure if it will even work]. I do not allow ecl buy-outs at higher levels.

The problem is starting at first level. For this, I look to the 3.0 DMG that had the apprentice level right ups. Using this, you would have a character still with a ecl of +1 but you can use the higher level variant that imposes a -1 on attacks, damage, skill checks, and saves until s/he gets to level "2" and would become a "regular" apprentice level character. When the character got to level "3" then s/he would be a regular 1st level gestalt character.

There are problems with this system when you figure out that a person that takes two classes that complement one another quite well [think wizard/psion or ranger/rogue]. Said characters tend to out fox a lot of other characters and the reduction in hp, BAB, etc. may not be enough [things get even harder if you look into other 3.5 non-phb classes].

I am intrigued by the moving xp table for multiclassing. If combined with the gestalt rules, perhaps this would be the correct fix. I'll have to crunch some numbers to figure out how it works out.

Thoughts:
(1) I am happy to hear psionics will be a part of the system.
(2) I agree that psionics, as game mechanics, became nearly indistinguishable from magic [I have strugled with this since day one in my Dark Sun campaigns).
(3) I would like a return to the psionics of 2nd ed. One class that has average BAB, d8 hp (at least now), and a more free form advancement. Plus, the return of actual wild talents.

Possible solutions:
(1) use a modified version of the Psychic Handbooks psychic powers in place of psionics [this is what I ended up doing in my Dark Sun campaigns].
(2) keep everything as is except: (a) increase HD to reflect BAB, (b) add psi-like abilities to psion class, more powers to wilder, full attack to psychic warrior, etc.
(3) for those who dislike the metacreativity/ectoplasm idea, take a look at Bruce's adventure Hypercognition for a view of metacreativity as being a collection of nightmares that the psion collects.

Any other ideas?

I have a game going right now with an abjurer that started with alpha 1. I honestly didn't read the rules carefully enough when I first started the campaign and by the time that I noticed that specialists didn't gain the bonus spell each level I didn't really care (I have felt that the wizard always got the short end of the stick in abilities, especially at lower levels; therefore, the extra spell per level plus the bonus abilities [abilities being tied to the wizard level and bonus spells not] worked to balance that out]. So far it has worked pretty good [I even kept the restriction of total ban on prohibited schools]. The character is now an abjurer 5/red wizard 2 and doing well [the loss of rapid transit is looming in the horizen but that is what happens when your prohibited schools are illusion and conjuration].

This is my first post on these boards, so be gentle.
I've been running a campaign and one of the pcs is an abjurer/red wizard [i've made the prohibitions real and kept the bonus spell per level and tied in the sla & su as class abilities]. My understanding of the rules (which is how I've been using them) is that with a bonded item one must still meet all requirements save item creation requirements (similar to monks qualifying for stunning fist at first level); therefore, a wand is the only thing usable before third level if you want to enchant it [staves wouldn't be useful until 8L (just ditch the old one once you hit 8)].

Now, the abilities of a familiar are tied to the class level of the wizard or sorcerer. To allow someone to cercumvent this by choosing a bonded item didn't seem to make much sense; therefore, I require that the "caster level" used to enchant an item is the class level in wizard or anyother class that gives the arcane bond ability. Example: the above mentioned pc is an abjurer 5/redwizard 2. He is able to enchant his focus (a ring) as a ring of protection +1 [there is no need for the CL 12 for forge ring since he is assumed to have it; the minimum CL is 3 times the bonus; since he is only considered to have CL 5, he is unable to make a +2 ring of protection].
The exception that I have come up with is that if the caster actually takes the item creation feat, then all casting levels stack to determine the benefit [similar to the acquire familiar feat in Complete Arcane].