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I think I was there for the fire-blanket-troll incident, actually; I'd come in with an archaeologist bard who really should have been a rogue, what with the flanking I was doing all session. And I wholeheartedly agree that the flaming blanket gambit was pretty foolish from start to finish, and just beating on the troll and its master was a better option. It's not like we couldn't outpace its regeneration.
Hmm, no, I do not. That's not at all a bad idea. I suppose it even makes sense for a drow house's weaponsmaster to have something like that, in case he's facing down an infestation or an enemy wizard summons something.
Storyteller Shadow: Forgive me if I'm missing something, but I don't see anywhere that petriferns require Improved Familiar to gain as familiars. They appear on the list of regular familiars on Archives of Nethys, and grant a benefit much like other regular familiars do. And they aren't nearly as powerful as most Improved Familiar options, so overall they seem to fit more in line with the base familiar choices.
Point-buy info sounds reasonable to me, and I think I understand how it works. I'm considering changing from my goat to a raccoon and channeling my inner Sly Cooper, but not positive on that. It'll come down to what I think will be more fun. Also, Storyteller Shadow, I don't think you ever answered my question about Feral Combat Training. With that feat, could I use my natural attacks with updated unchained monk stuff, namely style strikes and/or ki powers? I'm not sure if that'll be totally relevant, depending on how long-running we expect the game to be, but it's worth asking.
I'm also a big fan of ABP, with the change that enchantments on armor/weapons stack instead of subtracting. I'll start building my character, and since it seems like a few of us are in favor of/neutral on ABP, I'll assume we're using that for now. (I'm also assuming at our level rather than level+2, since I'm guessing magic items will still be around, ABP just makes them interesting.)
...Dude. Firstly, no need to call someone out like that. It's incredibly inconsiderate at best, and incredibly rude in any case. People make backstories for characters and include RP segments and such because it's a way to show how they see the character, and what they see them being like and having as a setup. If the GM thinks something's a bit much, they can make a call. Maybe "somebody painting themselves past the starting line" doesn't go well in your experience, but policing other players certainly doesn't go well either. Getting hung up on game rules and their interaction with flavor stuff like background doesn't help either--and the 6th-level Icon ability just means that just about everyone has heard of you, not that nobody's heard of you until you reach that point. P.S. The gibe implying that people are making basic, "obvious" characters is also unnecessary. Character concepts can be similar. It's nobody's fault.
And lo, unto the dragon did our hero leap, and with claws sharp and fangs ready. The great fire-drake reared back with flaming death in its jaws, and its mighty scales shining, and it roared and slashed at its foe with scything teeth. But Whiskers was quick and agile, and he landed upon the dragon's snout and there did he swipe out with one needle paw. And the dragon roared in pain as its eye was rent, for the claws of the cat are small but wicked-biting sharp. Ere long the beast was blind, and soon after it fell, the feline champion having scratched even unto its very skull. And there to mock his foe, Whiskers did hack up a hairball, which was later placed in the Temple of the Dragonslayer as a relic of great import.
don't really deal lots of damage with weapons? Speak for yourself, I've got a pretty solid build worked out to make a goat frontliner.
I have an idea, but I want to ask something to determine how I'll play it out. I'll say this much for a basic concept, though: Goat Simulator. Question for GM:
Would you allow the Feral Combat Training feat to let an unchained monk apply all their class features to the chosen natural weapon, like style strikes? The feat came out well before Pathfinder Unchained, so it makes sense it could apply to unchained abilities as well. Also, as a more general question, do the familiars' natural ability scores interact with the point buy at all, or do we more or less ignore them? I suppose I'm asking if they'd have any sort of "racial modifiers," probably using the subtract 10 and round down method. (So, for example, a goat would have +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con, -6 Cha. I'm assuming we'd ignore the Intelligence drop since we're free familiars, maybe the Charisma hits as well?)
I'll probably just call it Maurice. Cause it speaks of the pompatus of love?
I'll say that I'd also be absolutely down for an all-familiar game. That sounds like tons of fun and a very unique opportunity.
Stay safe, man. Let us know when you're okay!
Actually, you can. A character can buy gear up to one level beyond their own. If you're referring to price, that's appropriate as well--in the right hands a sniper rifle is way more powerful than a hunting rifle. As for the name, that's explained right in the weapon description--it refers to the compound sights, and in fact the rifles are "rarely" manufactured by shirrens. The key phrase in that is "most of the world's history". We're talking about a science fantasy setting. The sniper rifles in that setting aren't just rifles with a scope stuck on and good ballistics. They're feats of engineering, finely tuned machines with technology included that makes them more deadly and precise as killing tools--and that needs more specialized training than your average longarm, thus Sniper Weapon Proficiency. That also explains why even the most basic sniper is Level 2 and costs as much as it does--these are such advanced precision weapons that the most basic model is still (relatively) expensive and requires a special permit for the average citizen. The sniper rifles in Starfinder aren't like the Remington 700 you can pick up at the local store--that'd be a hunting rifle--they're Barrett M82s, requiring special training and permission to use. I'll tack on that there's a reason snipers don't just use the same rifles as your average hunter. Even today, their weapons are more precise, more expensive, and require more training to properly use to their full extent. As far as availability and item level, I think they are fairly similar, and I don't think it's that strange. The argument is the same as magic items in Pathfinder--just because an item exists doesn't mean every shop has one in stock. So no, going to the local armory on whatever backwater world you're exploring this week isn't going to mean just flashing a card so you can buy your fancy molecular rift longsword. The game has abstractions. It basically spells that out for you in the description of what item level means.
Congratulations all, and have a fun game!
Forgive my saying, but it seems like you've missed some important or clarifying notes from the book. Club is arguably the best of the level 1 weapons, and it's free. The next basic melee weapon to do as much damage is the level 2 tactical dueling sword, and that would cost nearly half your starting wealth. In terms of damage die, yes, but the club is an archaic weapon. Losing 5 damage against any enemy with modern armor is a big hit, especially with a base d6 of damage. Even with 16 Strength, that means that you're going to be doing a pitiful amount--at best the same as a 10 Strength character with that puny survival knife. The level 1 advanced melee weapons are no better if you want to get to 1d6 damage or better. How mechanically is the longsword different from the tactical dueling sword? Aside from the extra cash required? I'm not sure what you're trying to get at here. The longsword is different mechanically in that it's an advanced weapon rather than basic; it takes more training and knowledge to use one properly, which is the tradeoff for a better damage die at a lower price. Also, there's the assault hammer--it costs the same as the survival knife and deals 1d6 damage instead of 1d4. Less than 10% of your starting wealth for a decent melee weapon isn't a bad trade. Small arms? Is there really no one in the star system making a laser pistol that would fall between level 1 and 6? I suppose we should be grateful that they charged less than 4000 units to add 1d4 to damage. Maybe not, or at least not making one that's notably different than the level 1 version. A GM could always homebrew something to go in the middle, possibly with the better range but not the increased damage? That mostly comes down to game balance and expected damage over level increases. Many of the weapon names are just lame. Really they would have been better off with shotgun, level X in most cases. And tactical, yeah, that will make it all sound cool. Yeah, adding in subjective comments on what's "cool" or "lame" doesn't really add anything. As a personal note, I think scattergun works a lot better--these are clearly more akin to old-style blunderbusses than modern shotguns. Sniper weapons! Oh, sorry your operative can't have one at first level. And why are they all Shirren-eye ? Are the Shirren's the only race to have snipers, or the first to conceive them, or do all the other races use Shirren eyes for target practice? Actually, you can. A character can buy gear up to one level beyond their own. If you're referring to price, that's appropriate as well--in the right hands a sniper rifle is way more powerful than a hunting rifle. As for the name, that's explained right in the weapon description--it refers to the compound sights, and in fact the rifles are "rarely" manufactured by shirrens. And what is with the chainsaws? It's like the game designers saw an old Doctor Who where Matt Smith said, "Chainsaws are cool." By chainsaws, do you mean the fangblade? That's a pretty standard sci-fi weapon design and has been for a while, especially in the hands of SPESS MEHREENS. Armor presents a bewildering array of inferior concepts at inflated prices. It's like the designers said, "We need to teach players about careful comparison shopping." I'll agree with you to some extent on this one. The tables are a little bewildering, and some armors seem like they should be much more or less expensive compared to others of similar level. And damage. PCs start with around 15 combined stamina and hit points. Yet most first level weapons do 1d4. Somebody better have high strength mods or low level combat is going to take hours. Well, by my understanding enemies don't have Stamina, so they'll probably go down a bit quicker, but it's also the general consensus that combat takes a bit longer in Starfinder than it does in Pathfinder, in terms of rounds; individual turns probably go by a bit quicker since it seems like there wouldn't be as much rolling. All in all, I don't know, man. Maybe you just came here to grouse or I fell for bait? Either way, the goal is to have fun, so if you don't like the game, don't play it.
Alright, I've decided I'll be building a drow swordmaster who works for House Misraria and the Nightrunners, serving as a skilled and quick warrior. He's been finely trained with ancient swordplay techniques to become an excellent duelist as well as a fearsome opponent in an out-and-out fight. Buildwise I'm looking at Monk (Master of Many Styles) 2/Fighter (Learned Duelist) 6, possibly with Lore Warden tossed into the mix. Once we settle on more concrete character creation rules I'll stat him up, and I'd love to chat about possible backstory links with other folks in the meanwhile!
I'm still tossing around ideas for this one. The sketch outline I'd put together in mind for your old Darklands game wouldn't really work here, so I need to consider what builds would be interesting.
And I'm back! It was probably a false flag--my laptop crashed, and I was concerned due to the nature of it that the screen had broken. I've had bad luck with computers in the past, so I wanted people to be aware if it was a worst case scenario. For right now, I'm okay, but if I go dark you know why.
And I'm back! It was probably a false flag--my laptop crashed, and I was concerned due to the nature of it that the screen had broken. I've had bad luck with computers in the past, so I wanted people to be aware if it was a worst case scenario. For right now, I'm okay, but if I go dark you know why.
And I'm back! It was probably a false flag--my laptop crashed, and I was concerned due to the nature of it that the screen had broken. I've had bad luck with computers in the past, so I wanted people to be aware if it was a worst case scenario. For right now, I'm okay, but if I go dark you know why.
And I'm back! It was probably a false flag--my laptop crashed, and I was concerned due to the nature of it that the screen had broken. I've had bad luck with computers in the past, so I wanted people to be aware if it was a worst case scenario. For right now, I'm okay, but if I go dark you know why.
And I'm back! It was probably a false flag--my laptop crashed, and I was concerned due to the nature of it that the screen had broken. I've had bad luck with computers in the past, so I wanted people to be aware if it was a worst case scenario. For right now, I'm okay, but if I go dark you know why.
And Loup Blanc here letting you know that it was probably a false flag--things look to be okay for now. It was probably just a crash, but I've had bad luck with computers in the past so I was expecting a worst case scenario. I should be okay, but if I go dark the old message stands. Hoping to update this today--sorry for the quiet week, my Internet's been troublesome.
And Loup Blanc here letting you know that it was probably a false flag--things look to be okay for now. It was probably just a crash, but I've had bad luck with computers in the past so I was expecting a worst case scenario. I should be okay, but if I go dark the old message stands. Also, hoping to update this (and the other games I'm running) today; I've been having Internet issues all week before this, so I wasn't able to post at all until yesterday (and then I was only able to update as a player).
And Loup Blanc here letting you know that it was probably a false flag--things look to be okay for now. It was probably just a crash, but I've had bad luck with computers in the past so I was expecting a worst case scenario. I should be okay, but if I go dark the old message stands.
That's what I figured, so I contacted a couple friends who post on here asking them to let people know. I've had to leave folks in the dark during absences before, and I don't want to do that again if I can help it.
And Loup Blanc here letting you know that it was probably a false flag--things look to be okay for now. It was probably just a crash, but I've had bad luck with computers in the past so I was expecting a worst case scenario. I should be okay, but if I go dark the old message stands.
And Loup Blanc here letting you know that it was probably a false flag--things look to be okay for now. It was probably just a crash, but I've had bad luck with computers in the past so I was expecting a worst case scenario. I should be okay, but if I go dark the old message stands.
And Sindri here letting you know that it was probably a false flag--things look to be okay for now. It was probably just a crash, but I've had bad luck with computers in the past so I was expecting a worst case scenario. I should be okay, but if I go dark the old message stands.
And Loup Blanc here letting you know that it was probably a false flag--things look to be okay for now. It was probably just a crash, but I've had bad luck with computers in the past so I was expecting a worst case scenario. I should be okay, but if I go dark the old message stands.
And Loup Blanc here letting you know that it was probably a false flag--things look to be okay for now. It was probably just a crash, but I've had bad luck with computers in the past so I was expecting a worst case scenario. I should be okay, but if I go dark the old message stands.
And Loup Blanc here letting you know that it was probably a false flag--things look to be okay for now. It was probably just a crash, but I've had bad luck with computers in the past so I was expecting a worst case scenario. I should be okay, but if I go dark the old message stands.
Would I be allowed to use the Hexblade option for Warlocks from Unearthed Arcana? I don't know if it would be fitting for the setting--it seems like it could be--but it seems very interesting. Alternatively, the Bladedancer tradition for Wizards is interesting, although I'd like to even just have access to the spells that were introduced with them.I'll allow the Hexblade- I'm going to look at ways I can make it fit the setting better. Do they have to take the Raven Queen as a patron? No, I don't believe they do. The Hexblade is their patron for the sake of the class feature, but presumably beyond that they could worship whatever power they wanted. It mostly boils down to them dealing with some sort of cursed weapon or a spirit inhabiting one, I believe. Don't know if that helps with having it fit the setting. Another Question: Just because I don't know if it would be a bad fit or unacceptable, but I had an idea to make the character a half-elf of Forlorn lineage--incredibly rare and quite possibly the only one of his kind he'll ever meet. It would give him a bit of a chip on the shoulder and possibly even something of a martyr complex, I imagine. My basic thought for this character is taking the (mostly 3.5) image of hexblades and dialing the edginess up to 11 to make it almost ridiculous. Of course, he'd still be a member of the party and be definitely devoted to helping them.
If that doesn't feel right for any reason, let me know! I wanted to ask because the half-Forlorn elf might come off as trying to build a special snowflake Mary Sue type, and the over-the-top edgy may or may not work for this game. Just let me know!
Would I be allowed to use the Hexblade option for Warlocks from Unearthed Arcana? I don't know if it would be fitting for the setting--it seems like it could be--but it seems very interesting. Alternatively, the Bladedancer tradition for Wizards is interesting, although I'd like to even just have access to the spells that were introduced with them.
Just missed the edit period, but I realized I have a question: Are we using the standard 1000 credits for starting gear?
I'm very interested. Greatly enjoying the game I just joined with you so far, and I'd love to give this a go! Thinking a Mechanic, although I'm not positive on race just yet.
Rolling? Now I'm definitely interested!
Alright, that's certainly a solid array. I'll need to think about what to build and play.
Yeah, take your time and take care of it. My great-grandmother went through similar stuff in the last few years, so I understand how it goes. We can wait.
As a big fan of 5E, and with interest but little knowledge of the setting, I'll throw my hat in the ring here. (Also, hello to the familiar faces here!)
Hmm, I'd stumbled on this stuff a while back, and it's interesting. I'll take a look and try to come up with something of interest.
...And now, just to let you know, I'm looking through the book more and considering building a Solarian instead. Consider Janitor my submission for now, at least, but I may be putting forward something else.
Just popping in to continue my presence and interest here. I'll defer to DM Jubal's thoughts on how best to have the character work--whether he ends up with a sword or not, however it works out. I don't know the system, so I'm fine with him doing the heavy lifting there ;) Also, "Wuxia Terracotta Martial Artist" is a pretty good sum-up of what the character's all about. It could probably even be shortened to just "Terracotta Wuxia" if we want two words. And if you want the Mental Malfunction to be shortened into a single phrase... at the risk of stealing outright an established character's phrase, "I'm a hero for fun" captures the essence of this guy pretty well. (Not that he's at all a bad character to draw inspiration from.)
Hmm, seems like we're getting more unarmed fighter types. If we want a little diversity, I wouldn't be opposed to swapping Wu to fighting with an ancient jian that might also be a source of power. If we want to go that route, his hero name would also change to the South Sword rather than Fist. Also, in terms of pictures, he'd look something like this or this, without the facial hair. It's still basically him in terracotta form, but his features get a little altered and his clothes take on an armored look. If he knows he's going out on patrol or something, he puts on a gi before transforming to get the right kind of look, but even a sweatshirt and jeans will do. (I'd imagine formal wear might look kind of odd, though.)
@Loup Blanc - His only power is the Terra Cotta armor? That's alright, because good M'arts will take quite a few points Probably, at least to start. I'd love for him to be able to do crazy leaping through the sky type maneuvers, but that could probably be accomplished with Agility 2 and a Skill in Gymnastics, I imagine. So the Armor as his only starting power sounds good to me, assuming that the Martial Arts stuff wouldn't count as "Powers" necessarily.
Alright, I'll post in for the stat generation alone, since this seems interesting. In terms of an actual character, I'm thinking something on the sneakier side--maybe a rogue, slayer, or ninja if that's acceptable? Or perhaps an archetype for something else.
I'm intrigued, and I like learning new systems. Here's my offering; dates are assuming that the modern year in the game is our modern year, although obviously technologies and specific histories might be quite different. Wu Zhihao, the South Fist: Summary: The intelligent but directionless heir of a business mogul's wealth, Wu Zhihao also inherited a mystical connection to ancient Chinese martial artists. (In relation to existing heroes, he'd fit something like Daredevil, except he isn't blind.)
Stats: Brawn 1, Agility 2, Mind 2. Powers: Wu changes form to become a superhero, taking on an earthen appearance similar to a terracotta soldier; that could add some armor or something, perhaps? Mostly his powers would revolve around wuxia martial arts fightan magic: soaring leaps, supernatural fighting skill, that sort of thing. Skills: Acrobatics and gymnastics, maybe sneaking? And then he's got good skills with computers and a knowledge of medicine, since that's what his family's company is based on. I'd specifically rather he not have much knowledge of mysticism or things like that--he doesn't really get his powers right now, but he'll hopefully learn as time goes on. Mental Malfunction: Besides being infused with a spirit of martial arts prowess that drives him to protect and help others, Zhi mainly fights crime because he isn't sure what else to do. His grandfather's wealth is mostly held in a trust fund, and a board of directors runs the company, so Zhi has everything he needs, but he's always craved a purpose. Being a superhero fills that hole: it's a rush he's never felt otherwise. Origin and Current: The Terracotta Army of the first Qin emperor was discovered in 1974, and much of it has been excavated since, but the actual mausoleum has been left untouched. If it were opened, more of the clay statues would be found accompanying the emperor, including a group of four unarmored, unarmed men, standing eternal vigil not far from the tomb itself. These are the Terracotta Monks, or Four Masters: the greatest martial artists of the era, whose teachings were the foundation of all known Chinese martial arts--although very few if any people know this. Even less well-known is that their spirits still live on today, passed down through the centuries from father to son, master to student... all the way to Wu Zhihao, a young man living in Megapolis. A spirit grants mystical martial arts prowess beyond the ken of normal men, and it manifests by giving the bearer the earthen apperance of a Terracotta Monk. Wu is actually the second hero to take on the mantle of the South Fist, although he's the first to do so as a registered member of URGENT. As a young man, his grandfather, Wu Yazhu, also fought crime as a Terracotta Monk--on the streets of Hong Kong in the 50s and 60s. But Yazhu was a brilliant mind as well as a supernatural warrior, and once he started a family he began working with the growing computer industry, believing it would take off into something marvelous as time went on. In the early 1980s he moved his burgeoning company and his family to the United States, eventually settling in Megapolis. There, he continued to build his company on state-of-the-art computer technology, but coupled it with medical engineering--after all, one of the world's foremost medical institutes was nearby, and Yazhu still harbored a spirit that craved helping others. Wu Zhihao was born in 1995, but he never knew his father--he was a military man who was killed in action shortly before Zhi was born. Zhi grew up wanting for very little beyond a sense of fulfillment and destiny: his grandfather's money supported the family in a very comfortable lifestyle, but Zhi quickly found he needed pastimes to occupy himself. He was an active and very intelligent youth, and his grandfather thought it might be wise to start grooming the boy to take up his mantle--in more ways than one. By the time he was in high school, Zhi was an accomplished martial artist as well as a computer whiz, but he still lacked drive. He ended up attending university with a dual majors in computer engineering and biochemistry, a courseload that would crush most students but which merely kept Zhi from getting too bored until he graduated. All that changed a month or two ago, however, when Wu Yazhu died in what by all appearances was a tragic car accident. Almost immediately, Zhihao began feeling the presence of the spirit within him: strange dreams of ancient battles, and suddenly enhanced skills when he sparred. He also felt a sudden rush of inspiration and direction in his life: an urge to go out and help others. His first crimefighting incident saw him save a young couple from muggers, during which he took on an earthen appearance, and the energy he felt in that moment has spurred him to continue heroing since. He applied with URGENT as soon as he could, and now he's ready to take on the world, because nothing has made him feel as good. Additional Note: If, like in many superhero RPGs, there's a way to have a nemesis in this, I'd definitely want that! As a bit of lore that Zhi doesn't know, there were rivalries that became bitter falling-outs between some of the Four Masters, particularly the Northern and Southern Fists. As such, Zhi has an as-yet-unknown nemesis in whoever harbors the spirit of the North Fist.
Hmm. I'm quite interested, but I'll need to think on concepts before submitting. I'll definitely try and put something in here, though, because it sounds like a fantastic campaign.
Hmm, a survival of the fittest type team-based arena game? That sounds like a fun time. Glancing through the other pages, it looks like you have a fun group together already, so if you're looking for people to join I'd be happy to do so. Seeing as your group so far doesn't seem to have a focused frontline fighter, I'd like to put forward Zeke Fightmaster, half-orc punchman extraordinaire. Zeke's been training for the Games all his life, whether he knew it or not, and for the past while it's been his direct goal. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed--probably one or a dozen too many hits to the head while training--but he's got a grin on his face and a skull as hard as steel to go with his fists. Zeke does best when he's pointed in a direction and sent to knock down everyone in his way, and he'll do it with a laugh. He's instantly recognizable by his intricate tattoos and straightforward fighting style, which some would describe as foolish. That may be part of why most teams weren't exactly jumping to take him on--although if you ask Zeke, it's because they weren't prepared to handle his sheer awesomeness.
I'm very interested. Sending you a PM shortly.
Ah, Obsidian Portal! That's a solid site, and a very useful tool for games like this. I've used it in the past and I've been thinking I'll use it again soon in the future. I'm LoupBlanc over there, same as here without the space.
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