NorthernOkie's page

Here's a Re-work that we've used with very successful Balance. Most of it is patterned after the "Power Levels" of the Gnome's Racial Traits, although the Stat bumps and Spell-like Abilities still cause the Half-Nymph to have the +1CR.

(Sometimes, you have a QUALITY player with a great idea and you just want to find a way to reward her....)

HALF-NYMPH (HouseRule)

• +3 to any TWO of the following abilities: Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma
OR
• +2 to any FOUR of the following abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, Dexterity, and Constitution
The grace, health, intelligence, wisdom, and/or personal charm of a Half-Nymphs is enriched by their strong Fey Bloodline but the diversity of Human Blood varies it across different half-Nymph individuals.

• Low-Light Vision: Half-Nymphs can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light

• Nymph Magic: Half-Nymphs add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against Enchantment spells that they cast.

• Half-Nymps with a Charisma of 13 or higher also gain the following spell-like abilities:
1/day—charm animal, endure elements, entangle, obscuring mist, produce flame
The caster level for these effects is equal to the Half-Nymph's level. The DC for these spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + the Half-Nymph’s Charisma modifier.

• Half-Nymphs with a Charisma of 16 or higher also gain ONE of the following spell-like abilities 1/day - barkskin, flame blade, resist energy, or tree shape
The caster level for these effects is equal to the Half-Nymph's level. The DC for these spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + the Half-Nymph’s Charisma modifier.

• Charm Resistance: Half-Nymphs get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against Enchantment spells or spell-like effects.

• Influential Charm: Half-Nymphs receive a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy skill checks.

• Languages: Half-Nymphs begin play speaking Common if they were raised by their Human parentage OR with Common and Sylvan if raised by their Nymph parent. Half-Nymphs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Sylvan, Aquan, Elvish, Gnomish, Halfling, Giant, or Draconic.

Ohhh, Tim, Tim, Tim....
You should know Monk Swarms just are not possible. All, most excellent, B-rate kung-Fu movies clearly indicate that such swarms create a movement hindering circle about the hero, but then only engage the hero one monk at a time....
It's clearly part of the archetype.

With the right mix of Kara-Tur fluff, the 3.0 Oriental Adventures creates some WONDERFUL adventure opportunities "in the East."

One of the reasons I'm *Soooooo* excited about Tian Xia is that the folks here at Paizo seem to have captured (re-discovered?) that classic "Grubb-ian" (BTW, what a great adjective, KnightErrantJR) feel of great tabletop fun mixed with "serious" fantasy; add Monte Cook to that list also. If the Design Teams here at Paizo can bring the same creative magic to Tian Xia that they've created in Golarion then it should be a tremendous boon to the whole system!

TO: KnightErrantJR and Rathendar:
I know it's a great risk to wonderful memories; HOWEVER, if you haven't gone back and played *Ochimo* or *Mad Monkey* with a 3.X refit then you're missing out. It still brings tons of smiles around the table!

To J.J.
*THANK YOU* for not handing Tian Xia off to a group of new writers or treating it like a "back-burner" project. It was great to read that every author involved in the Jade Regent AP has experience writing for an earlier AP. I can hardly wait! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thank you God, thank you Paizo, thank you Eric, Jason, Lisa, Design Team. I'm sooo excited about 2011 products!

My Paizo continue to crush the losers of the coast and their horrible abom4enation!

I love the "feel" of the Pathfinder Samurai; however, I'm definitely getting the feeling that there is a little more to the Samurai that is "waiting in the wings" (additional orders? maybe a KI power of some type?).

In a random, 5th level "arena style" encounter of my own making (and just myself rolling/strategizing both sides---which, like playing chess against oneself, may tend to skew the results) the samurai destroyed the Gunslinger 4/5 times and held his own 2/5 times against the Ninja. If the samurai could close-in, then a single opponent with no "frontliner" to help him could be in big trouble. Granted, these were not "fair" fights of ability vs ability or hp vs hp (as in comparing rogue v rogue or tank v tank). HOWEVER, as a side note, I was impressed/surprised that the ninja did so well against the Samurai.

TWO BIG CONCERNS:
Alignment: "Any" just does not work at all from a gameplay/roleplaying standpoint for Samurai. Good, Neutral, or Evil he/she *must* be LAWFUL. (Now, the Ronin on the other hand....)

Will Saves: For a class that has such powerful dedication and devotion, the Will Save progression is contradictory at best and unacceptable at worst.

The rest is mostly DITTO but they are comments that I truly hope the design team considers.

...a Little sad that the Samurai didnt get any of the crazy Sword abilities that the warriors were famous for ( IE: using your razor honed blade to cut through another blade)

...I would do what they did with Paladin in regards to mount and give the option of having a special bonded weapon instead.

I could see different orders focusing on different styles of combat. I hope to see something like that in round two of the testing.

...For the Orders, I wonder if there could be different Master types that would confer the different benefits...a Strategist master....A Diplomat master...

Mainly, I would like to see more than 2 options.

Yes! Definitely a way to answer the "different visions" of a Samurai without giving up on any of them. As much as I personally despise the samurai clans from Rokugan, the idea of *individual* samurai being specialized/dedicated in certain "styles" may have some merit.

Nitpicky (and out of thread) Preference Comment:
The "dangly" equipment windchime look of the Gunslinger is just ridiculous. Less is more baby! (Hat, duster, gun, finished.)

how about a list of things that a ronin could pick from in.that he could only then make challenges in defenses of

like
freedom
nature
community
women
kids
or maybe just agents a group of people a like
arcane casters
divine casters
thieves

This is AN EXCELLENT idea. Although Ronin are "by nature" rebel/independent (for lack of a better word/concept) it does not immediately mean that they are dishonorable in all things. IMHO, the above idea is EXACTLY the flavor of a Ronin.

Any chance we can get a link to a larger image?

Thanks.

Hey, guys, it's not OA itself; however, check-out what was said in one of the other threads about Paizo's GameMastery module possibilities:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ;>>>>.
NorthernOkie (Pathfinder Charter Subscriber)

With the apparent success of PATHFINDER 1-6 (so far) allowing them to plan out to #7 -12, I think a push for an Asian PATHFINDER would be the way we need to go.

Surely possibilities for mixed classes, races, and a continuous Campaign abounds with an "along the Silk Road" theme/setting---perhaps even opening the door for a PATHFINDER Epic Level adventures???

Indeed, surely only Epic Level heroes would be worthy of changing the fates of entire nations [yes, plural!], correct ???

"Team Jacobs" has already shown that they like to create new lands and cultures by introducing Golarion and Varisia, (and they're good at it!) so to create an Asian World framework that Players and DMs could drop their favorite characters into (even if the class weren't from the OGL) would be perfect!!!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ;>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ;>>>>
Mike McArtor (GameMastery Associate Editor), Friday, 07:23 PM

Paizo's R&D is one step ahead of you... sort of.

There won't be a Tian Xia (Golarion's Asia analogue) AP until there has been at least one successful Tian Xia GameMastery Module. I'm pushing (hard) for a Tian Xia gazetteer, so anyone else who would be interested in that should contact Jason and let him know we'd like to see it on the product list (preferably before, say, 2010). ;D
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ;>>>>>>

Woo-hoo!

So, get to the keyboard and let 'em know you're interested in an "asian adventure" !!!

...I'm pushing (hard) for a Tian Xia gazetteer, so anyone else who would be interested in that should contact Jason and let him know we'd like to see it on the product list (preferably before, say, 2010). ;D

Excellent!

What's the best (get the most results) way to contact Jason-san? :->

((My apologies for Dumb Question #2187...))

With the apparent success of PATHFINDER 1-6 (so far) allowing them to plan out to #7 -12, I think a push for an Asian PATHFINDER would be the way we need to go.

Surely possibilities for mixed classes, races, and a continuous Campaign abounds with an "along the Silk Road" theme/setting---perhaps even opening the door for a PATHFINDER Epic Level adventures???

Indeed, surely only Epic Level heroes would be worthy of changing the fates of entire nations [yes, plural!], correct ???

"Team Jacobs" has already shown that they like to create new lands and cultures by introducing Golarion and Varisia, (and they're good at it!) so to create an Asian World framework that Players and DMs could drop their favorite characters into (even if the class weren't from the OGL) would be perfect!!!

The deities of the PHB/Core D&D pantheon are the intellectual property of Wizards of the Coast, which is why we built an entirely new pantheon (and, indeed, an entirely new world) for Pathfinder. As such, we can't really provide anything like a Core deity to Pathfinder deity conversion chart.

That said, if someone here on the boards wants to take a stab at that conversion chart, that'd be neat. It just can't come from someone here at Paizo--there can't be an "official" conversion chart.

Hmmmm, the core pantheon isn't OGL???....Well, that stinketh!

(AND more evidence that Lawful Neutral "is the worst alignment you can be because it sucks the life out of everyone." :-) Thank goodness, I have Chaotic tendancies...)

Can Paizo make "official comments" on a submitted conversion chart?

(ie. "We see housecreated-god as more closely associated with copywrited-deity #2 than with copywrited-diety #1." )

If I'm not really interested in Pathfinder 1- 6 (great look, just not an adventure hook for my group), can I "hold" my transition issues (from my Dungeon Mag Subscrip) until Pathfinder 7 -12 ?

Thanks (in advance) for answering!

So, is there any way I can trade my "transition" issues of Pathfinder 1-6 to Pathfinder 7-12 ????

Two thoughts:
<Rant on>
"...coming home???" Coming HOME?!?!?! Are they MEANING to rub our noises in it?!?! Do they even THINK about how pompous and arrogant and elitist that sounds?!?!? COMING HOME?!?!? Well, it's NOT MY HOME that it's coming to---not after September anyway! It gets to go to their home(page)! It gets to stay in their home! But us???? NOTHING is coming to my home--that's the problem!!! Oh, and I could HAVE it come to my home---all I have to do is pay to view it, pay to download, pay to have it bound, and pay to have it shipped!!! (But isn't that what I'm doing now? you ask) OF COURSE it is, but I'd bet my life that whatever printing options they offer me are NOT going to be the quality grade of the current magazine published by Paizo! COMING HOME?!?!? Here, let me slam the door in Hasbro's face! <SLAM>

<rant off>

And, now, THOUGHT #2. Which comes from the civilized, rational side of me.....

Mr. West, thank you for your insights and your heartfelt and (it seems to me) true opinions. I am just a "commoner" and have never met any of the "pros" but what you wrote about the various Paizo staff members and editors strikes me as being true. I have always had the impression that they are indeed good people. Thank you for your insights. Could you maybe give me/us one more?

I have it on good authority that WotC is indeed planning something relating to the Dragon and Dungeon magazine brands. I don't know what it is, but I can tell that the aforementioned people involved do seem excited about it. The last time Chris Thomasson shared his excitement with me about a secret project, we got the Shackled City Adventure Path. (He was editor of Dungeon at the time.) I can also tell you that they seem genuinely and extremely frustrated that they can't yet reveal their plans...

WHY don't they just tell us that??? Is it really such a trade secret, do they really think that someone else is going to beat them to the web-server???? I understand suspense; I understand marketing strategies (a little); but what I don't understand is why they think it's a good idea to yank something away from us (and, ok, perhaps 6 months of issues left is not "yanking") and NOT tell us that they have a great replacement idea coming???

I mean "some content like what you've seen in the past will be available online" (a paraphrase even though I put it in quotes) isn't specific; it isn't sharing an idea; it sounds like a tiny morsel thrown to starving dogs!

This whole situation stinks to high Heaven of Wizards of the Coast grabbing and reaching for more product and money!!!

I don't know much about publication industries, but it seems like to me that WotC is thinking they'll sell online subscriptions and save printing costs and screw the customers!

I agree that I'm NOT BUYING ANOTHER SINGLE WIZARDS or HASBRO PRODUCT FOR THE REST OF 2007!!!!!!! No RPG resources, no barbies for my girls, no action figures, no board games, no puzzles, NOTTTTTHING!!!!!!!

I'm also going to "reward" PAIZO for the quality of work they've done.

(I can't FRIGGIN' BELIEVE THAT MY MONTHLY COPIES OF DUNGEON HAVE FEWER TYPOS IN IT THAN SOME OF MY WotC HARDBOUNDS!!!!!!)

I INTEND TO NOT ONLY BUY A SUBSCRIPTION to "PATHFINDER" BUT ALSO TELL AS MANY OF MY FIRENDS ABOUT IT, TOO.

We probably can't defeat Hasbro/Wizards. BUT WE CAN STRENGTHEN PAIZO and the Hasbro rivals.

(And, YES, I'm mad. And, Yes, this is venting emotion, but don't think for one moment I'm not serious! The decision has been made and when the emotion's gone the decision will still be in force.)

I've been toying with the idea of setting a campaign (or at least a few adventures) in an asian setting with a sort of fantasy ancient china feel.

Anyone know of any good v3.0, 3.5 or just general d20 supplements to use for rules, inspiration?...

The 1st edition Shou Lung resources have a very Chinese feel to them. Also there have been a couple of adventures in Dungeon that have heavy Asian flavors even though they are not set in OA or rokugan. The topic was just being discussed in another thread by this person:

There are a few 3e Dungeon adventures explicitly Asian in feel, that would work with little or no adaptation:

"Rana Mor" (Dungeon 86) (SE Asian)
"The Winding Way" (Dungeon 117)
"The Palace of Plenty" (Dungeon 130)

In addition, I have plans to adapt these 3e adventures to an Oriental setting:

"Forsaken Arch" (Dungeon 120)
"Lost Temple of Demogorgon" (Dungeon 120)
"Within the Circle" (Dungeon 130)

.... It is hardly a surprise that WotC wants to make some money for the money they layout - is that wrong no - should you pay - yes. Would you work for free?

...Or is it your expectation that everything imagined or that ever will be imagined for...

Great thoughts, Kyr. (It is truly refreshing when one finds an intelligent poster on a message board.) My earlier post did come off as a rant against the costs; however, that's not what I intended at all. What I hoped to imply was the "flooding of the market" so to speak. I was an avid gamer throughout 1st edition and into 2nd but then it seemed like (during 2e) that suddenly there were all of these supplements and quintessentials and then the TSR financial troubles seemed to start. Nothing happens in isolation, (and it's true that life became very busy for me about tht time, so who really moved away from the table???) but I've always equated that flood of tomes and poorly bound "extras" with the fading of a beloved game.

Of course, the good news is that 3rd+ edition has brought the game roaring back. I suppose I see all of the new "extras" and get nervous---I'm not against spending money for something well-done. I just don't want Hasbro to "overexpand" the system again, so to speak.

And yes an oriental adventure path would be cool - question - would that thread be better if based on european type adventurers explorering/discovering an oriental setting - or oriental type PCs in their home setting?

That's a great question....personally, I'd like a "PCs in their home setting" format. however, I have to admit that the "exploring/discovering" backdrop would probably have a much greater audience.

Most of us OAers are used to having to manipulate and change things to fit our Campaign views anyway, right? :-)

Ahh, #351, good. I have it on order but it hasn't arrived yet.

Anime!?!? Oh, my the Heavens protect us all! That'd be worse than rokugan ever was!

To NorthernOkie, BigDaddyG, Mothman and Aureus,

In comments about Mage Armor...I, like BigDaddyG, hail from many years of many games. I can not seem to remember every single rule, so the one thing I do is look back into the books from time to time to refreshen my mind... First to page 249 of the PHB. The Spell Mage Armor proves a +4 ARMOR bonus to AC. It doesn't say deflecting bonus... It further goes on to state that armor does not stack from effects of such spells as mage armor, nor do shields stack with spells that provide shield bonus....

Don't mean to sound like a jerk, but when you have the books and don't understand something, it just takes a little bit of research to get the correct answer.

And when one mis-interprets he should have the wisdom to acknowledge it....you are so very correct! It's amazing how one small word in a spell description slipped right by me. <sigh> And here I thought I was understanding this d20 thing. :-) Thank you for a well-documented post!

Now, back to the Savage Tide!!!

Razz wrote:

I think he mean's a Kara-Tur article will be presented in next issue, which is the Campaign Classics issue.

Is true.

Razz wrote:

Post more Kara-Tur articles yearly! :D

Depending on what we get, I'm sure at least 2/4 of the Dragon editorial team are amenable to this idea. ;)

Anybody know when/if this came out? What issue? I mean, Mr. McArtor surely wasn't talking about Dragon #315---was he!?!?!

THANKS (in advance) FOR ANY HELP!

I couldn't DISAGREE more with most of what everyone has said. HOWEVER, I have some prejudicial reasons: My campaign world was born in 1st edition.

... just looking through your Dragon back issues should give you plenty of setting info.

I hated the rokugan stuff, but loved the rest. HOWEVER, I was also the "OA DM" for our group back in the mid 80s, so it was easy for me to take most of the Kara-Tur (the "official" Asian side of FR) and 1st edition background and use it with the updated material.

The 3.5 update in Dragon #318 fixed most things---although I didn't agree with a couple changes (Vanara racial abilities and changing Hengeyokai from the "spirit" subtype).

Last but not least, (WARNING: Rant approaching!!)
I despise the use of the "complete" books. It's not that I'm against anything extra (the "Races of..." series is pretty darn good), but if the "complete" stuff is so great and necessary then why isn't it in the core books? Oh, yeah, now I remember: WotC is owned by Hasbro and they want my money, so they they create a 100 supplements. "New" items, spells, PrC, etc should all be things that players and DMs develop together or pull from issues of Dragon magazine---not a glop of marketing bound in a market-flooded book.
<sigh....>
(OK, sorry for the soapbox....)

Any-who, like I originally said. I think it's a GOOD book. For it to be GREAT you'll have to have some background info or a well-thought out Campaign World. And personally, I don't think Samurai, Kensai, Ninja, or Shugenja should ever show-up on a European continent....well, unless their part of an invading army! ;-)

P.S.
An "oriental" Adventure Path would be VERY cool!

...Although if you think about it, as the text states that Mage Armour creates an intangible, invisible field around the target. One wonders why you wouldn't be able to use it in conjunction with armour? I mean it's a field that exists around the PC. They arn't wearing it. Seems that it should work. Oh well

Perhaps my old 1st edition brain has been wrongly interpreting the 3.5 rule, but I believe it DOES stack. Metal/leather/hide Armor is an "armor bonus" but *Mage Armor* is a "deflection bonus."

((Ie. Deflection Bonus
A deflection bonus affects Armor Class and is granted by a spell or magic effect that makes attacks veer off harmlessly. Deflection bonuses stack with all other bonuses to AC except other deflection bonuses. A deflection bonus applies against touch attacks.))

So I have always treated *Mage Armor* as stackable with "regular" armor.

(And it's my Campaign and that's the way I'll keep seeing it!) :->

yes i was thinking of using dimond lake as really just a town on the outskirts of it's region, a place for peasents and dishonerable types. the hardest part, i think, will to be converting some of the monsters over. but i think i can manage. and hopefully i can hold the group together long enuf to make it past 3rd level this time. if so, i will post a log

So, did you try it? How'd it go?

I have an OA group and am trying to decide between *Shackled City* and *Age of Worms*.

Lilith and Robert are right. Before we can do anything like an Age of Worms hardcover we need WotC's approval, and so far, we haven't been able to secure that approval....

So, how can we help? Letter writing, bribery, protesting, etc. There's a potential army of us all waiting to...do something (that probably proves we care WAY too much about this stuff).

:-)

EP Healy wrote:

I'm sure someone has asked about this already, but I can't seem to find the answer, so... When do you (Paizo) expect you'll be looking at compiling AP2 into a hardcover for release?

It will be at least several months to a year after the AP has concluded in the magazine, if we are allowed to do one at all.

--Erik Mona

Well, here we are at nearly a year since the original post. OBVIOUSLY the interest is high and SCAP continues to sell well so that seems like a "no brainer" for the guys in the WotC treasury department.

What's the word on a publication date for a AWAP hardcover????

((P.S. This is my very first post on the messageboards, so please be gentle if I've just asked an incredibly stupid question....))