Michael Grancey's page

Just to make sure I understand.

If I run some of the Beginner box short sheets to demo pathfinder, I can report it for GM credit. The same for running Kids track adventure.

Since there is no sheet do I need to give them PFS #'s to report or is it just "Hey, I ran this."?

I am curious, I saw reporting for Beginner Box, GM Track, and Kid Track 101 in setting up events.

What do you report and do you give out any chronicle sheets to players or anything else?

I am planning to run Thornwood, does anyone have an idea of how long a level will take.

I understand that they will get 3 xp, 4 pp, 1,398 gp, even though it doesn't seem like it would necessarily be a multi-session scenario. Or am I wrong since it says that modules that are shorter, like We be Goblins, Master of Fallen Fortress and Dawn of Scarlet Son are only worth normal rewards as they are only about 16 pages compared to normal 30ish.

What about wonderous items that aree Type #, such as Ring of Spell Knowledge, Pearls of Power, or Bags of Holding?

There is also a small group that uses Fantasy Grounds II as well.

There might not be one now, but I'm pretty sure I remember seeing an Online Venture Captain at one point.

Yep, he's sign up for a couple slots as well.

Turns out the wrong date was given and it is actually the previous weekend. Sept 14-16, since I don't think I can change the thread title, I hope anyone attending will get notifications by then. Additionally signup's are now available.

Which google group, is it the collective?

If so, how do you play online, which VTT or method do you use? I can tell you that Maptools is popular, as well as some others, but personally I'm not willing to spend the time needed to keep characters up to date amoung a bunch of different programs and have picked FGII for my use as it supports a number of different systems. I will most likely play in Paizo Gamespace, but I don't know about running in it yet.

If you use Fantasy Grounds II, they have a growing collection of players and GMs and they have given us a section of their Messageboards as well adjusting their calendar so that if titled right, they group together on their calendar. If you want to find out about them, you can become a member on their messageboards without being a customer. There was a Yahoo Group for FGII but that migrated to the FGII site when they removed the App beta stuff making it much harder to schedule games and such.

How does the quest work in PFS?

The Chronicle sheet has no XP, but does leave the Prestige/Fame box open for some to be gained? I'm assuming 1 since there are no faction missions.

It this meant to be played straight up or included in an Absalom scenario?

I am going to be running PFS at this convention, I will be running First Steps Friday, and 2 new modules Saturday, and not quite sure what I will be running on Sunday, yet. I plan to have my small library of PFS scenarios, so options are open if something else is desired by the group.

Signup is located here: Sibcon 17, though you can't sign up for games yet. If anyone is interested in running please let me know, PFS is only starting to grow in the area, so too many judges would be detrimental.

If you want to play, please come. Pre-register (2 weeks ahead) is $28 for the weekend, and $16 for Saturday, and tables are usually $1.

Biggest goal was to make something that goes with the idea behind an Artificer, but make him unique enough to be worth playing and playable. Which is why I decided on an archetype rather than a whole new class, because really the two are very similar. Biggest thought in my head right now is whether to just slightly change Alchemy or to drastically change it.

Original thought is to remove Alchemy and create Imbue which would have a gold piece pool that can be used to create temporary Magical Items which would be good for 1 use (instantaneous durations) or good for 24 hours (other durations). They could create items up to their CL + Int Mod, the big question is how much gold do they get per day.

My other thought is to simply alter Alchemy and to Imbue and instead of making potions, extracts, and such they would enchant non-magical items that would be activated by whoever has the item or into a temporary wand. All other things being the same.

The rest of the variations are this:

• Drop mutagen -> Homunculus, which would work similar to Animal Companion OR Expert Artisan: -25% craft magic item costs
  
• Drop Swift Alchemy -> Detect Magic as a Spell-like Ability
  
• Drop Poison Resist -> 1/2 Artificer levels to Appraise and Use Magic Device
  
• Drop Poison Use -> Trapfinding
  
• Drop Poison Immunity -> Metamagic Spell Trigger 1/2 CL + Int Mod for Supplementary spell levels (i.e. has 15 spell levels when gained and uses Maximized Spell on a Wand of Cure Serious which drains 3 spell levels from his pool leaving him 12 for the rest of the day.)
  
• Drop Persistent Mutagen -> Metamagic Spell Completion
  
• Drop Instant Alchemy -> Metamagic Item use
  

Simply altering Alchemy and to Imbue would make getting Metamagic feats functional and worthwhile. Mutagenic discoveries would off course be useless, and so would some other discoveries as well.

Good points on the lawful good stuff, a friend that I gamed with had a LG dwarven cleric, but he was Dwarven Lawful good. Similarly, I had others explode all over me about how my character was acting; in brief: I was a half-dragon with other half not decided and there was a kender in the party who in nearly every sentence used the word "shiny", for party cohesion I took the kender as my pet Shiny, this was apparently rude, wrong, inhumane and a horrible thing to do even if the player of the kender didn't say a single thing to me. I can also sympathize with having a character sacrifice theirself, I had one that did it with a smirk on his face because another character he didn't get along with was still overthinking the situation. Can't do much about it PFS, but I usually reward such behavior with some benefits for a new character.

Reading that list is much more positive I don't feel like I'm in trouble before starting out. I think that was all that was wrong with the list, was the order and tone? of it outside of that its a list I generally follow as well.

All I did was take all of his points and simply reordered and reworded them to be more congenial. Exact same topics and points just made more positive.

Yeah a good question, even if you did you would only get 1 boon.

Without being there to see it, it depends on your attitude. Might just be me but in you come as rather severe and someone I wouldn't want to play under, I game to have fun which includes overcoming challenges. Getting hit with that list when I walk in and sit down would probably be pack up and walk out.

2. If your going to insist on Character names only, I would expect you to have something that can be used as a tent ready. Also agree with Kinevon, not everyone is big into roleplay aspect and personally it can take me a bit to figure out my character, also as my one dwarf will state "My diplomacy is shutting my mouth."

3. Depends on your behavior with faction missions I have come across some that are obtuse in trying to interpret. So I would hope that if someone asks for clarification that you would provide some, otherwise I would again probably just leave.

1 and 5. And what about new players? Hmmmm. Doesn't seem like a very good attitude to have again.

6. Five minute rule to prove wrong or right, over than. I've played in a group that would get together 1/month and spend hours arguing over stuff so complete understanding, but 1 minute would be getting out the book and finding the page.

8. Again I agree with Kinevon, don't force someone to have to do something stupid just cause there lawful good.

9. Be careful about what your labeling as metagaming I've seen some nasty arguments over that. I don't know if you saw the thread about a knowledge check on Vrocks that were dancing up in the sky, but there was arguement about how trying to get away would be metagaming even though they didn't know what the Vrocks were up to, this is what I mean about needing to be careful about metagaming, If we couldn't stop what they were doing I would've wanted to flee cause it probably ain't good for my PC.

10. A very good rule, but I might put that first and re-write your list as I said it comes off as very severe and almost expectant.

This is meant in a constructive manner and the way you started it off has probably given me that severe attitude I'm reading from it. I play to have fun, and when I run I want us all to have a good time so I might push that more than "here's what I insist one."

IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS:

1. Statement about fun.

2. Like to x2 check characters, please have sources ready as I don't know everything in pathfinder.

3. Please introduce yourselves and your characters

4. To encourage immersion and enhance the game please use Character names. (I would also suggest having one so that can know who they are talking to at different points and again having tents ready.

5. Alignment is important to your character, please keep it in mind or be ready to offer reason for acting outside of it.

6. Please know your characters abilities and skills and how to use them to speed game play and reduce sticking points.

7. I like to use minis and have extras ready, please use them and not dice as it can get very confusing when PCs are picked up and rolled.

8. Disputes are limited to only X minutes (I suggest 5 minutes), after that my ruling is final.

9. Cheating is not fun for anyone, so just deal. If you've played the scenario don't ruin it for others or abuse that knowledge.

10. I'm not out to screw anyone over, but failures happen and people die; I'm sorry if that happens, but it happens.

This way focuses more on hey we're here to have fun don't ruin it for others or me rather then "I'm getting on you right now." Like I said that first list would give me a very negative view about you and I probably wouldn't want to ruin my day by playing with such a negative person.

Well, I would let the brownie hold it if they acutally could hold it, something too big for it wouldn't work and honestly, tt wouldn't be a good idea because if the bad guys know about the whole tattoo/summon ability yeah, be prepared to be kidnapped, have the tattoo be "removed" or if its on a limb lose the limb.

I would also put a non-specific limit on what reasonable.

Going to have to speak up for Fantasy Grounds, though I am supper excited about Paizo Game Space, the biggest problem right now is that there are so many and, personally, I don't want to know or track characters through a bunch of them.

D20pro has a 30 day trial
Fantasy Grounds has different licenses; none for demo or requires Ultimage license; lite play only; full play and gm; Ultimate host unlicensed. There is a list stickied in the Guild House for the different systems.

Personally I think that Fantasy Grounds is probably best, but that's because it supports multiple systems, and its fairly easy to use and setup. I've only put in an hour or two into just figuring it out and the rest came from playing and learning what was possible.

That doesn't sound vwey permissive.

Personally I would go with it being able to wear and carry stuff but when in a tattoo form, access to that item is gone, so if you need the wand your familiar has as a tattoo, you have to summon it out to be able to use it.

Sounds interesting.

What I got for cards using Minor Image.
-Only works for me.. could cost more if i can designate users.
-once a day or duration such as 1 hour per day with split of use.
-I can only make illusion cards of things I have encountered or studied in a book. The book illusions would have a lower DC (Looks like a 3D picture)
-Might have a CR or such limit so just cause I seen the elder dragon dont mean I could make a reusable illusion of one

Some of them could be cost reductions such such as the first, or third examples. The last one could be modified to for during item creation to get a discount but failing also consumes all the resources you used.

The splitting duration would actually be more costly rather than less.

If you are talking about trying to reduce cost, having part of the creature that you want to use to reduce the cost of would be a good basis, but I would talk it over with GM.

It sounds like you want to build a reusable Deck of Illusions, so you might be better off waiting and building a deck that you can use X number of times a day or can just use, and have it simply regenerate the cards, to reduce the cost you could create a random effect for it. I am pretty sure that the deck of illusions runs of the charged build, as if it had only 34 charges, and a discount for its limits as such.

was that homebrew? Was just curious as to where u got the figures.

3 CL * 2nd lvl spell * 400 = 2,400 gp base cost; 1,200 crafting cost; use activation

3 CL * 2nd lvl spell * 360 = 2160 gp base cost; 1080 crafting cost; command word; "Come to me my pet!"

Personally, if going for a bluff or something I would speak when using the item anyways. Problem is that he does need to remember to pick up his card.

Additionally, if I remember right, not saying I am, there was stuff about making alternate versions of consumables (scrolls, potions) such as tiles, charms, fetishes, etc that Paizo put out in one of the Dragon magazines. I had started a gnome wizard who specialized in fireworks and planned to do potions in firework and other party like items forms in a local gaming group. Bull's Strength pull out one of the cones that you pull a string on and confentti goes flying; aim, pull, wala! Someones covered in confetti and stronger, go ahead make fun of him.

(Caster level X spell level X 1,800) / 5 For a once a day command worded item base cost

(Caster level X spell level X 2,000) / 5 for a 1/day use activated item base cost

Or are you looking for different information?

I would agree as long as the claw is a hand and not holding anything it free; if its a foot they better be a monkey or something that similarly has an opposable digit.

Mildly related... I also considered how this compares to say... wielding a one-handed weapon and then two-handing it for the strength/power attack bonus as a free action, and then free-actioning back to one hand to satisfy the requirements for Crane Wing, etc.

Concerning this, I would bust them over it. They could switch once a turn as you either fight with both hands for a round or 1 hand for a round but I would bust them over power gaming like that; if only by giving anyone attacking them a bonus for having a messed up style. It would like trying to swap weapons between hands during a full round attack and TWF.

Also Natural weapons count as light weapons if that what you weren't sure about.

Michael Grancey wrote:

As a curious question I am guessing I know that answer, but would Spell Combat count as TWF for per-requisites like TWD?

No. Why would it?

Mostly hope, that I could get TWD off of it. I know it says it only acts like TWF not is or counts as it for feats.

There is also a Yahoo Group specifically for Fantasy Grounds II . Much easier to play with as we are all using the same program, rather than needing to maintain characters in multiple programs; additionally, the lastest update has made upload and downloading your characters much easier to play with.

I haven't tried any other programs, because those I were aware of either focused solely on d20 systems or I wasn't aware of them. There are a decent number of them around. If you want to try out FGII, go over to their site, they have a list of people who demo different rule sets to unlicensed users.

There is also:

https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/pathfinder-society-onlin e-collective

But they aren't as well organized or coherent, as games can be hosted under one of 5 or 6 different programs, and they have no calendar.

Blackfoot and myself are part of the Yahoo Groups FGII PFS, which is specifically for Fantasy Grounds II (www.fantasygrounds.com), which you do need to buy a license for ($24 - Lite: play only; $40 - Full: GM and play), and there is a fair bit of community support for, so far there is complete spells, Advanced rules, basic familiars all done under the Community Use Policy. Demo's are available using using unlicensed versions with someone who went all out and has an Ultimate license (myself included; there is a list on the FGII site of people who will run demos; additionally July 20th - 22nd is first FGIIcon to demo FGII and various rulessets).

I don't know about other VTT's but personally speaking FGII is easy to pick up and use, with more elaborate work being capable of getting done if you get more into it.

A note of caution : Magic the Gathering becomes rather a vicious game when counters are edible. Also, bring extra counters.

Yes, but Starbursts are probably the best in easily found disposables, they are 1" in size, you can write on the wrapping to distinguish between them, pretty much everybody like them, and as stated nothings better than getting to eat your enemies, especially the one's who crit'ed you.

Someone I knows tends to use them for minions.

As a curious question I am guessing I know that answer, but would Spell Combat count as TWF for per-requisites like TWD?

Remember the point of the game is to have fun. If this has decreased the fun for you and your players by a large amount, then consider using some DM fiat when you get together next time.

This is something that I entirely believe in. Fun isn't rolling over every fight, but neither is it fun to be rolled over on every fight. Not claiming that you are doing one or the other.

Personally, I just can't see demons dancing up in the sky without making any effort with only an Avg. flight speed, but that's me.

If the PC's can't tell that something like that is bad and to either kill or run-away well they deserve the pain and suffering! Would probably not TPK to keep the game going but I would make them suffer.

If he was specially trying to remember 1 detail or about something specific, my suggestion is increase the DC and that's all he gets, nothing else; I'm not sure at a 22 I would have given him any information on the Vrock as the base would be at least a 19, possible exceptions would be if he made frequent use of "Summon Monster" spells or had some kind of connection or focus on demons.

Any suggestions on which scenarios would be best for starting up PFS at a gaming convention where no one has run it before?

Anyone located in that area that has space or is looking for a group to play?

I would have sworn I had seen small list of superstitions of the Pathfinder world, most general some for specific area. Can anyone remeber where I saw it. If I'm not going insane, and if so anyone have any good superstitions?

Nah, they way I see it with D&Di, the big question is who is in charge of the synergy and sencrocity of the different areas? Techs or Bullocrats?

An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

So I think the real question is just who is saying what is important for the programs and what they need to do.

The Imager? gee just ask they guys who did DDO to bang something together or to buy that little bit and expand on it.

The character sheet builder? Flash, Shockwave, Java! Any of the three could be used to make a mobile, usable, web capable program. As far as powers go I forsee The Other Gaming Company having something usable up as quick as possible.

The Game table. That's so basic and easy it shouldn't be hard at all. The V-mini's would have been that hardest part and I cant say that I think you should have to buy those, otherwise what is the monthly fee for, Access to the extra materials, not worth 15 a month! If the game table was good sure thats not too bad it you want to play online. Probably should have offered a lesser costing program for just access to extra content. As far as I was concerned it didn't need to be real pretty just usable enough show what was being done. Hell those programs are out there, why not just buy it or make a deal with them.

dungeon builder. Again what is the big deal, a fancy layout program. Cad offshoot, or something similar it would have been so easy to just make some adjustments and wala!~!

As far as e-tools go wasn't into DnD when they came out and there were more then enough sources for various needs.

Couch Potato Sports and Iconoclast Comics, located in DuBois Mall is moving to bigger store soon. I have talked to owner and he is interested but having numbers of people who would be interested would be a large help, I'm not for or against 4e quite yet, though leaning against, but I am also checking on numbers for Living Realm. As well as possibly running Cosworld, a local gaming guild based in Butler, that I am a member of.

I generally would only be able to run one slot on Sat either Morn/Early Aft or Late Aft/Even due to me working part of those days almost all time. Nov/Dec would be iffy as well, as hours usually jump.

Anyone interested please respond soon, so maybe do some playtesting as well.

Hmm, the problem with that is that a lost city would only be DC 16 or 18 and they might get a +2 on their check if they have read about where the city might be (depends on the GM's ruling). Not a bad idea though, maybe inch the DC up. Possible add penalties for less known about city or location but would need to be specific on what that would mean.

Lets use El Dorado as an example. Now just doing some minimum research, now it is generally believed to have been rumors and such that have gone out of control, but lets ignore that. El Dorado could be anywhere in the mountains along the Western side of South America, but probably Middle to Southern range. So getting direction would only require DC 18 maybe 20 checks to get there. With possibly a +2 on their checks since they know it is in the mountains.

The problem is that both the Bard and Druid have it as a class skill, so if they are faithful to it, they can succeed without any difficulty at all. Bard gets 6th lvl spells at 16 so, there would be a 20 right there, without anything in wisdom, with hitting a 30 not much of a problem. Druid gets 6th lvl spells at 11th so would be able to hit 20 easily as well since Wisdom is there core stat for spellcasting. Clerics get it at 11th as well and Wisdom is there main stat so if they were faithful to it you are looking at a minimum of 14+d20, so on average they could hit 24/25 pretty easy.

Maybe through on bonuses to the DC on how lost it is. Move the base DC up to 15? Though if going thru with it as a scrying like spell the addition of an expensive focus or material component would help balance it as well.

The recipient of this spell can find the shortest, most

direct physical route to a large specified destination,
such as a city, keep, lake, or dungeon. The locale can
be outdoors or underground, as long as it is large.
For example, a hunter’s cabin is not large enough, but
a logging camp is. Find the path works with respect to
locations, not objects or creatures at a locale. The
location must be on the same plane as the subject at the
time of casting.
The spell enables the subject to sense the correct
direction that will eventually lead it to its destination,
indicating at appropriate times the exact path to follow
or physical actions to take. For example, the spell
enables the subject to sense what cavern corridor to take
when a choice presents itself. The spell ends when the
destination is reached or the duration expires, whichever
comes first. Find the path can be used to remove the
subject and its companions from the effect of a maze
spell in a single round, specifying the destination as
“outside the maze.”
This divination is keyed to the recipient, not its
companions, and its effect does not predict or allow for
the actions of creatures (including guardians).

Not bad but at same time I have to say that the first sentence and the 2nd paragraph counter themselves. The shortest route, isn't always a good or safe route. The shortest route could lead over a lake, waterfall and rapids in that order, or thru a cave of trolls or something similarly nasty, down a cliff. Cliffs are climbable even if you wouldn't want to.

Also I would drop the whole "physical actions to take" they way I read it is, push this lever to open secret door. I'd probably add a modifier like there is for Teleport, the more you know about where you are going the more likely you are going to get a right answer. Something like:

Name: 1%
Name/small description of city or discription of location: 5%
Name/good idea of location or good description of city: 30%
Name/good idea of location and description of city 70%
Been to the city once 80%
Familar with city 95%
Very familiar with city 100%

The more you miss your chance by, the worse a location you are led to.

Thoughts?

Apparently swinging your sword as a fighter is the worst thing you can now do as a fighter.

The healing surges sound kinda cool so might work that into home games.

I've liked action points since i First saw them but they better have a bunch more uses then just oh i can get an extra action. Although I'm not too sure about the system for them for a Living realm that could work but still I'd rather have fewer points and more bang for them.

It also seems like some of the changes they have made were done to passify whiners. Reach is only active on the attackers turn. Duration is either instant, 1 round or until 50/50 chance of ending. Does this mean summoned allies will now be a 50/50 chance of being unsummoned?

Between looking thru the new Star wars and this not overly impressed. But maybe this will be good for local gaming group get more people who don't wnat to go to 4th! :)

With the soulknife's ability to shape their mindblades, I've been curious about what abilities one would give such a prestige class. This is what I've come up with, but I am unsure if I have balanced it right. Thoughts on it would be welcome.

Change shape of weapon as move action then as free action.
Multiple forms for weapon.
Tricks for when shifting weapon in combat. FF when shift blade in middle of attack, or bonus to AC, extra damage.
Additional enchanment sets,ie.lucky or psychokinetic.

Loss of bladewind, psychic strikes, and knife to the soul.

Prerequisite:
Craft (weaponsmith) 10, Concentration 10, Reshape Mind Blade(any), Strategic Reassignment, Possible alignment restriction either n-l or c:

attacks and saves, and skills advance as soulknife,

lvl 1: bladeshifter levels count towards levels of soulknife for weapon bonus and enchancement, Tactical Reassignment
lvl 2: Reshape mindblade, Improved Reshape
lvl 3: Shocking Change, Confusing Defence +1,
lvl 4: Reshape mindblade:
lvl 5: Alternate Assignment 1, Open Defences 1
lvl 6: Reshape Mindblade, Confusing Defence +2
lvl 7: Quickened Reshape, Open Defences 2
lvl 8: Reshape mindblade, Alternate Assignment 2
lvl 9: Instant Reassignment, Open Defences 3, Confusing Defence +3
lvl 10: Anyform

Improved Reshape: Can reshape mindblade as a move action
Shocking Change: If you have changed your weapon shape from the last round, they are flat footed as long as you haven't used that form before this combat.
Confusing Defence: If you have changed your weapon shape from the last time you were attacked by any enemies, if they attack you again you gain a +1 bonus to you AC. This will increase every third level afterwards
Alternate Assignment: You may store on a specific shape of your mind blade a seperate assignment of weapon enhancements. When you reshape your mindblade to that form it will overide your standard assignments.For example you normally have psychokinetic, but on your scimitar form you have keen. If you reshape to 2 weapons or to one and a shield the bonuses are based on you using those two weapons. You can select a second form to have a unique selection at 8th level. Normal rules apply for when you change the assignments.
Open Defences: Once per combat, when an enemies or enemies are affected by Shocking Change, you may have your weapon do max damage against them. This will increase at levels 7 and 9.
Quickened Reshape: You may know reshape your mindblade as a swift action.
Instant Reassignment: You may expend your psionic focus to reassign one of you weapon enhancement sets as a free action that doesn't provoke an Attack of Opportunity.
Anyform: You may shape your mindblade to any form that you are proficient with. Any forms that you took the reshape feat for will gain a +1 competence bonus to attack.