Lord Fyre's page

Do you find that the end of an adventure path, the last episode often gets over shadowed by the introduction to the new adventure path?

what do your think?

I know that is the case here because ...

Pirates are AWESOME!

As soon as it was announced, Pirate Themed "Skull & Shackle" was HIGHLY anticipated.

The shipping sanfu has thrown everyone off [i.e., they were expecting to already have S&S #1]

Did I mention: Pirates are AWESOME!

Let's try this again:

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 2, 5, 2, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6) = 44

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 6, 2, 5, 5, 4, 2, 5, 6) = 42

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 3, 2, 4, 4, 4, 2, 2, 5) = 37

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 1, 3, 4, 3, 2, 5, 3, 1) = 33

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 1, 3, 4, 1, 5, 3, 1, 5) = 29

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 3, 1, 6, 5, 6, 3, 4) = 33

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (1, 1, 4, 1, 6, 5, 6, 6, 6, 1) = 37

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 3, 3, 4, 5, 4, 5, 5, 6) = 43

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 3, 4, 1, 5, 3, 1, 1, 5) = 29

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 1, 5, 4, 2, 3, 3, 5, 5) = 38

Okay, that was 6 above average, 4 below average.
Okay. It works.

Lord Fyre wrote:

What is the Hit Die type of the Inner Sea Pirate?

Looking at the class, I have to assume d12, because Pirates are just that awesome!

Since it is a .75 BAB it should be a d8.

I know that, I am just trying to poke the Paizo people for an offical ruling. ;P ... and I cannot FAQ, on this thread.

Same question re hit die.

Yes, that is why I am saying it has got to be a d12. Pirate are just that awesome.

Awesome.

Ohh, and talking of Belkar's skills, someone's favored enemy type is with Varsuuvius...

True, otherwise, the has not ranks in "Survival" with which to track.

Multiclass Ninja 10 / Inner Sea Pirate 10.

Where's your god now?

Which still doesn't actually answer what Hit Die the Inner Sea Pirate receives. :(

Lord Fyre wrote:

Chris Nehren wrote:

There's no pirate class; however, there are archetypes for bard, fighter, ranger, and (shock!) rogue. Sort of what one would expect, as they all fit well with the pirate lifestyle—except the Ranger. What's that doing there? Basically, the archetype for the Ranger puts her in the position of a crew leader, trading a few land-oriented class features for things that help her allies win fights.The Ranger approach is interesting, something I may just have to play through for Skull and Shackles.

But there is the "Inner Sea Pirate" prestige class.

Actually, I don't think you will be allowed to use any of these archetypes for Skull & Shackles. Remember, you start shanghied, not as pirates.

Unless you was already a pirate, got shore leave in port. Got drunk and shanghied by another crew for your trouble to start all over at the bottom again. :)

Possbible.

There's no pirate class; however, there are archetypes for bard, fighter, ranger, and (shock!) rogue. Sort of what one would expect, as they all fit well with the pirate lifestyle—except the Ranger. What's that doing there? Basically, the archetype for the Ranger puts her in the position of a crew leader, trading a few land-oriented class features for things that help her allies win fights.The Ranger approach is interesting, something I may just have to play through for Skull and Shackles.

But there is the "Inner Sea Pirate" prestige class.

Actually, I don't think you will be allowed to use any of these archetypes for Skull & Shackles. Remember, you start shanghied, not as pirates.

What is the Hit Die type of the Inner Sea Pirate?
Looking at the class, I have to assume d12, because Pirates are just that awesome!

Lvl 12 Fireball: 10d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 1, 3, 6, 5, 2, 5, 1, 5) = 37

Even Xanesha in the clocktower was nothing more than a dispel fly spell away from a gory mess at the base of the clocktower.

Umm ... which ruleset are you using? (In PathfinderRPG p. 284, dispelling a Fly spell turns it into a feather fall.)

That said, you could give all "named" NPCs the Advanced Template (+2 to all stats and a +2 to natural AC) without adjusting the CRs.

You could also make it more difficult to sell/buy magic items.

Wait, what? I'm not universally loved, respected and well treated? Damn, you gonna kick my puppy next? :P

::Kicks Houstonderek's puppy.::

I think he is talking about the serpant's skull AP.

Really?

Now, we just need for this AP to have two great "Pirate" themed adventures, then abruptly switch to an Underdark campaign.

APs that are unfriendly to Goods:

- Second Darkness

[derail] Actually, that leads to the consistently poor reviews given this AP.

• Part 1&2 are very geared towards "selfish neutrals."
  
• Parts 3-6 fall apart with a party of "selfish neutrals."

It can be a difficult balance when playing the AP.[/derail]

Umbral Reaver wrote:

Did I step over some unspoken line? This thread diverged significantly after my last post without a single hint that I'd even made it.

Which post? I thought I responded to you.

I think she means this one.

Did I step over some unspoken line? This thread diverged significantly after my last post without a single hint that I'd even made it.

No. I think I am standing on that "unspoken line" and that has drawn a lot of attention. :(

Jess Door wrote:

Lord Fyre wrote:

Actually, yes I am trying to start something.

I most manifestly am not. I have addressed all this previously, and will cordially leave this part of the conversation as is.

Okay, but don't be afraid to butt in; I prefer your point of view to his :)

::Ouch!::

I'm talking about why the 4th Edition PHB cover was particularly annoying, and why the most annoying similar Paizo art from the same time period was worthy of a little exasperation, maybe, but makes more sense from the business perspective of Paizo.

I don't know where your "except" comes in. I'm explaining how much context has to do with whether a piece of art annoys me, not trying to start something. Are you?

Actually, yes I am trying to start something.

But, my point was that Paizo, if anything, has made a great deal of effort to include a wide variety of portrayals of female characters - from the "stripperiffic (Alahazra) to the very realistic/practical (Reiko) with a variety of stops in between (Seelah). From the "marketing" perspective, should they not have all been "fanservice" art?

Paizo's goals, on the other hand, especially when the Seoni iconic art came out, were pretty much completely opposite this...they wanted to preserve their current market and expand their subscribership in the already extant gamer market. Thus, aside from a sigh and wry rolling of the eyes, I can't really object to that art because their imagery makes sense from a marketing perspective.

Except ...

Right after Seoni, Paizo then created both Merisiel and Kyra. Neither of which are especially "fanservice" oriented.

I’m guilty.

I have to admit that I specifically bought my first Paizo product specifically for the hot babe on the cover - Not for any deeper reason, or because of any previous experience with their handling of Dragon & Dungeon.

But, that does lead to some – for me as an “immature” heterosexual male – difficult questions. Such as why would she dress that way? (Especially when you consider the attire of her male counterpart). It isn’t because of her “ethnic” background even, because then as a Varisian she would be wearing something closer to this (and even for that justification she should have put a rank in Perform[dance]).

So, I have a couple of questions:

• What should she be wearing?
• Am I wrong to point out that the cliché that "sex sells" is based in truth? (So the "sexualized images are not going to go away.)
• So, as a self-described ““immature heterosexual male" (thus the main beneficiary of this “male privilege”) is it possible to have “both” acceptably sensible clothing that is still “Hawt?”
• (Umm ... if Seoni had been wearing something similar to the Gypsy Dancer from my own link above, would that have been a good answer to my own question?)

Is it true that Nothing will be shipped in March of this year?

I was originally thinking about Westcrown.

I was looking at late Renaissance Italy (with a very active Church inquisiton), since Westcrown has kind of a Venice feel. But the costuming and social etiquette would not be the same at all.

But this is a larger problem. Golarion has some similarities to Renaissance/Enlightenmnt Earth, but it is very different also.

And there are so many little details that help make a world/city/character feel "real." So, that is why I was asking how othr GMs have been handling this aspect of description.

When game mastering, one is supposed to try to involve all five senses to help create verisimilitude.

So when describing Golarion, how do you address these questions:

• What do people eat? Is there a culinary style? (If so, what is it like?) What crops/foods are available?
  
• What do the people dress like? Specifically, what do the upper class dress like? What about the merchant class dress? What do the poor dress like? What about hair styles? Are beards common? What kinds of materials are used? etc. This is, of course, for both genders.
  
• What does the area smell like? Do the people, especially the upper class, bath frequently? How much is perfume used? (If so, what kinds?) In a city/town, are characters in danger of being splashed when people empty their chamber pots)?

Why yes, I have been influenced by the Fashions of Golarion thread?

karkon wrote:

But we go get this artifact and do nothing because we have to rush into an infernal 9/11?

Yes, that is a problem with the AP as written. As several other GMs of this AP have suggested, I'm going to be swapping book 4 (the infernal incident) with book 5 (ending the shadowbeast threat after destroying the vampire controlling the opposite part of the artifact) in the CoT game I'm currently running. I'm confident that will make the whole story flow better.

How are you adjusting the CRs?

Lord Fyre wrote:

I know it is bad "netiquette" but I am going to do it anyway.

::Bump!::

I'm sure we'll get one made before too long! We've all just been running hard recently...

We've noticed. :D Seems like someone has been cracking the whip!

Also, it seems that the various NPCs in Sandpoint are of no use what-so-ever during the Giant attack.

While it is true that the PC's levels are MUCH higher then even the leading citizens, Some of these people should be a bit more helpful.

Also, many the 25 guards that Sherrif Hemlock has would be veterans of fighting both Goblins and Ghouls (as well as the more normal brigands), so while Stone Giants might be a bit much for them, they also should not be "useless." in this situation.

I know it is bad "netiquette" but I am going to do it anyway.

::Bump!::

And I will always encourage the Geniuses of SGG to write a couple more of their wonderful One Night Stands series!

One idea, pioneered by Legendary Games would be to write them with possible tie-ins (at least so they could be easily plugged into) existing Paizo Adventure Paths. :)

Have you considered the Brother Cadfael series?

Or perhaps Nancy Drew?

Or even (you will want to check this one out first), Tom Sawyer. An American Clasic, but it deals frankly with racial issues at the turn of the last century.

On a more "Fantasy Note" check out the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa (it is kind of a "gender swapped" Percy Jackson).

At this point, given the Chinese New Years based delays, would be for The Wormwood Muntany to actually "show up." :(

Hrmm. When Redcloak said he might of had to kill the hobgoblin spy himself, I assumed he wanted to keep the whole mess about the phylactery secret: that he wanted Xykon to keep looking as much as the resistance did. But that no longer seems to be the case. Any ideas?

Also, Gobotopia is up and running. He no longer needs to take an active hand in it.

So, wants to get back on the original quest to control the gates.

By possessing the True phylactery (without Xykon knowing), he has the time to remove the protective magics. This will let him destroy it when Xykon is no longer of use to him. (Remember, Undead are tools.)

This is the encourage the Geniuses of SGG to write a couple more of their wonderful One Night Stands series!

One idea, pioneered by Legendary Games would be to write them with possible tie-ins (at least so they could be easily plugged into) existing Paizo Adventure Paths. :)

I want a jungle adventure path, with flying monkeys and a battle against an army of apes.

This is touched on in the Serpent's Skull. I presume you would like something that delves even deeper into the subject?

Kratzee wrote:

I haven't read throught this whole thread, so forgive me if this was mentioned. I think an AP where the characters have signed a contract with an advanced contract devil at some time in the past, and now realize that they screwed up big time and adventure to find this devil and destroy the contracts. It could start of with research quests into what needs to be done to break the contract, learning the devils truename, and eventually learning how to find and defeat the defeat, taking the characters to Hell itself.

As cool as ideas as this are, I don't think Paizo can safely do them because they absolutely rely on players acting a certain way to work. Its one thing to make a linear plot, but another to force the players into a certain course of action that a lot of characters (like Paladins) would never do.

The contracts would not have to be signed by the characters themselves. But, like the great families of Cheliax, their ancesters could have signed for them.

Toadkiller Dog wrote:

Quote:

On top of which just as Paizo is experimenting with "paladin unfriendly" AP, a "caster challenging" AP might be something to try.

Except Paladin is a one class. There are NINE classes who are spellcasters, without including Rangers and Inquisitors.

There are also only three strictly non-magical classes.

I think the real reason we might not see an Alkenstar AP is that it'll have to include guns, and we all know that guns break the strict medieval fantasy that pathfinder and D&D& are known for. -_-

Actually, with the stuff Paizo has done with Firearms in Ultimate Combat, an Alkenstar AP would certainly be possible, and might be awesome!

One of the most successful innovations of the Pathfinder Adventure Paths is the "Campaign Trait." But most Campaign Traits are built around the first adventure (and often the first encounter of the first adventure).

This can create an unfortunate dilemma. If the campaign needs to either add a new player after starting or replace a killed hero, this means that the existing campaign traits don’t work so well.

So how have GMs been handling this problem?

Well... there's going to be at least one section in the text that talks about this, including a relatively hard to miss quarter page discussion at the start of the first adventure about the topic. And each chapter is going to have an Advancement Track section at the start that mentions it again. I'm pretty sure that folks won't miss it.

Never underestimate the power of Human Stupidity. ;D

This cover art really wants to be a Desktop Wallpaper! :D

He didn't even know her name, Xykon at least knows Redcloak's name.

Actually, "Redcloak" is not actually his name. (This goes back to Start of Darkness.) Redcloak and his brother "Right-Eye" realized that Xykon would blast minions for having hard to pronounce and/or remember names, they identified themselves with nick-names istead.

We have yet to learn Redcloak's actual name.

2) He's going to say 'she was messing with my stuff, and you would have done the same.'

If Redcloak understands Xykon, which I think he does, he would use this line.

And it defeats a Zone of Truth, because it is absolutely true.

Maybe from another angle the PCs come on NPCs attacking the noncombatnts with warriors nowhere to be found?

Now that's comedy!

I also like that we are getting to see more of goblinoid culture. Most people would never think to include things like goblin jewelers and goldsmiths. Goblins need a better PR firm.

That is the entire point of Redcloak's quest.

Evil Lincoln wrote:

Moorluck wrote:

Evil Lincoln wrote:

And they made the only black Disney princess effectively white.

...or Disney made a Germanic princess black....

...for a damn good reason.

Not trying to get political, just pointing out that if you portray that particular princess as white, you're not wrong for doing so. The story does originate from Germany. Nor do I think Disney is wrong for making her black princess for whatever reason they chose to do so, after all, it's just a fairy tale.

True.

However, instead of that, basing a movie on an African or Caribbean folktale or legend would have been really awesome!

Why, did some other cheap looking prostitute/strippers move in on her corner?

That was unworthy of you.

But on another note, Seoni has some competition you say?

Actually, yes. Amiri, Alahazra, Imrijka (yes, Imrijka!), and Feiya.

Or for that matter: Lavender Lil on Sabina Merrin.
,

The only ones that kinda bother me are the 2 Wendy (Peter Pan) pictures and the Alice (Alice In Wonderland) picture because these two characters are a might young for such a "Hotter & Sexier" treatment.

When I play a male Paladin, I like the over-arching theme of the Oath (never putting one person above your never-ending mission), but I also enjoy a Paladin who can enjoy the finer things in life - drinking fine wine (never to drunkenness), sleeping in fine inns, and enjoying the occasional fling (which he is 100% clear about before anything happens - this is one night, nothing more) with the beautiful bar maid at the local tavern before heading out the next morning.

What?? This does not strike me as "Paladin" behavior.

A non-"chaste" Paladin would be much inclined to be "Faithful Husband" (or "Faithful Wife" for that matter).

The other things you describe "drinking fine wine (never to drunkenness)" & "sleeping in fine inns" are not - in themselves - problematic, but ... "enjoying the occasional fling (which he is 100% clear about before anything happens - this is one night, nothing more) with the beautiful bar maid at the local tavern" ... is a fine example of "Chaotic Good" behavior (again for either gender).

Consider the Major Golarion Dieties (that have Paladins):

• Abadar - stable families are the building blocks of society.
• Erastil - would never have a "chaste" paladin, his paladins would be required to start a family (and be faithful to his/her vows). Family and Community are explicitly what he is about.
• Iomedae - might be okay with this kind of "fling" but I doubt it.
• Sarenrae - might be okay with this kind of "fling" if that was the custom of the land (which I doubt).
• Shelyn - might be okay with this kind of "fling", but other Shelynite Paladins would likely see this as a "betrayal of love."
• Torag - This is not the Dwarven way!

Gender would not matter here.

Sorry about getting a little "ranty" here.

Squawk Featherbeak wrote:

I guess I'll start with the sexism.

Male elf= dude in a silk gown
Female elf= beautiful chick in a silk gown

EDIT: Also

Male Barbarian= crusher of worlds
Female Barbarian= crazy girl with anger issues

So you're saying I have levels in Barbarian?

Well, you are a Demon, so that is kind of the same thing. :D

Zaister wrote:

Well if you're shangaied and relieved of your equipment, I doubt those pirates will let you keep your pet monkey.

well then i'll get a better monkey and use there heads for my spirit fetishes, AAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!!!

Remember though, Familiars are far more intelligent the normal animals.

So, it is possible that Pogo escaped, and may be trying to rejoin you. :(

Oh no, did this get pushed back another month? I coulda swore it said March was the date just the other day...

That will mean that there will be no Adventure Path book for March!

I've always liked peoples character ideas and i've always had a fondness for pirates so i've been anticipating this adventure path since it was announced. now i know the player's guide isn't out yet but that never stopped me before:)

Ah! But do the player characters actually start out as Pirates?

We could be starting out as shanghaied lubbers.

The art for the Calistrian priestess is nifty, too, so kudos to the artist.

... And surprisingly modest. :(

Since, I don't believe you are one of the judges/commentators for RPG Superstar Round 2 ...

What things would you suggest voters look for in judging the coming "organization" submissions?

(i.e., an "Idiot's Guide to Evaluating Pathfinder Organizations")

Some suggestions:

Alchemist (with a heavy focus on bombs)
Barbarian (sea reaver archetype)
Bard (daredevil, seasinger, or skald archetypes)
Cavalier (definitely a musketeer archetype)
Cleric (of Gozreh, naturally, with access to the Water and Weather domains--as well as the Storms and Oceans subdomains)
Druid (with the Aquatic domain and a seagull animal companion)
Fighter (free hand archetype)
Inquisitor (of Besmara or Calistria, a vengeance-taker)
Monk (drunken master archetype)
Oracle (of Waves or Wind mysteries)
Paladin (NOT!)
Ranger (skirmisher archetype with a viper snake animal companion)
Rogue (rake, swashbuckler, or pirate achetypes)
Sorceror (cross-blooded archetype with marid and elemental bloodlines)
Summoner (with a sea serpent eidolon)
Witch (sea witch archetype)
Wizard (elemental schools of air or water)

My two cents,
--Neil

One problem I am foreseeing with this list is that we don't know what the "conceit" of the Player's Guide is. Will the heroes be starting as mariners/pirates or will they simply be shanghaied for being at the "wrong place at the wrong time"?

So, should the characters actually have any per-existing sailing skills at the start of the AP?