Starting Kingmaker tonight, after a week delay from the original intended start date due to a missing player. And as per usual I'm converting it over to my own homebrew setting rather than playing in Golarion.
Most of the minutiae doesn't require much tweaking - I found an appropriate place on my map to stick the Stolen Lands and logical locations for the Greenbelt's neighbors, and altering the situation with Brevoy to fit my campaign wasn't too hard though I did have to fudge a few things. The trickiest part I've found thus far is finding deities to match up with the Golarion patheon.
My setting uses a combination of the Olympian (Greco-Roman), Asgardian (Norse), and Sumerian (Babylonian-Assyrian) pantheons, along with a few others who won't be appearing in this adventure due to the distance of their prominent lands from the Stolen Lands region. Some of the conversions have been pretty obvious from the get-go: Gorum is obviously Ares, Inanna/Ishtar, or Thor; Gozreh becomes Gaia and Aether; Erastil is either Artemis or Freyr for the hunting aspect or Hestia or Frigga for the home-and-hearth aspect (enjoy the irony there folks).
A few of the others are a bit tricker, Gyronna for example comes to mind, I can't think of an outright parallel in any of the pantheons for "patron of spurned and deceitful lovers". (Though I might be ditching most of the Gyronna stuff for Old Gods stuff, as recommended in one of the threads, a parallel would still be welcome if one comes to mind.) Any recommendations for the deities who play a major part in the Kingmaker storyline?
Started up a PnP campaign not too long ago and have been tinkering away slowly at the mechanics the past few weeks. Most of the stuff I know my way around despite being rather out of practice with gaming for a year and a half or so, but there's one rather important plot NPC I need who I can't seem to figure out the best way to stat.
She's a friendly, pleasant young lady the party is going to meet either at the end of this chapter or the beginning of the next. The initial reaction of the party should be positive, likewise most NPCs should respond to her the same way.
Spoiler:
She's also in town - and will end up traveling across the entire setting, through the course of the campaign - to preach on the impending end of the world. Happily though - to her, it's an event of great joy, and she's trying to convince as many willing people as possible to join her in traveling to the Next World when the time comes.
She is convinced that the world is about to go through a phase of ascension - as she claims has occurred several times before, four to be precise, making the next world the Fifth World - and that it cannot be stopped as it is merely the natural progression of events. Sadly (to her), the mass majority of people will be deceived by "the gods of this realm" (who can't travel to the next world themselves, being bound to this existence and doomed to fade when it does as the gods of the three worlds before did, and are jealous that those who are mortals in this World will become renown, progenitors, or even gods in their own right in the Next World) or too tied to their lives in this reality to make the journey; nevertheless she is determined to take as many as she can and lead the way into a new existence when the time is right.
So the catch - I can't find a good way to build her that fits what I have in mind.
I want her to be charismatic, very good at talking to people, and have some level of combat capability. Paladin is not an option, she's very much not Lawful. So the obvious answers are Bard, Sorcerer, or Oracle, off the top of my head, though there might be other ideas as well. Bard isn't quite what I'm going for, I'm thinking something more mystical, but there might be an archetype I'm not familiar with that fits the bill.
She isn't Evil - in fact, I'd honestly debate making her Good, despite being an antagonist/villain - however she is somewhat naive and innocent. I'd prefer it if her power did not have an "Evil" source (ex: Infernal/Abyssal Sorc bloodline, etc.) but if that's what works best for getting the mechanics to back up the concept I can work with it, possibly by simply retooling the flavor.
Spoiler:
Much of her belief system is based on the Navajo creation myths, primarily the transitions between the Worlds of existence. It's not an exact match, as I've changed the nature of the passages from world to world and some other things to better fit the mythologies and history I have in place for my setting already, but I linked it because it is where I got the idea for her intents and it might prove useful in helping come up with a mechanical interpretation for her.
My band of soaks, my den of dissolutes,
My dirty jokes, my always pissed as newts!
My sons of whores spend their lives in my inn -
Homing pigeons homing in, They fly through my doors,
And their money's good as yours!
Welcome, Monsieur, sit yourself down,
And meet the best innkeeper in town.
As for the rest, all of 'em crooks:
Rooking their guests and crooking the books!
Seldom do you see Honest men like me:
A gent of good intent Who's content to be...
Master of the house, doling out the charm,
Ready with a handshake and an open palm!
Tells a saucy tale, makes a little stir,
Customers appreciate a bon-viveur!
Glad to do a friend a favor - Doesn't cost me to be nice!
But nothing gets you nothing, Everything has got a little price!
Master of the house, keeper of the zoo,
Ready to relieve 'em of a sou or two!
Watering the wine, making up the weight,
Pickin' up their knick-knacks when they can't see straight!
Everybody loves a landlord, Everybody's bosom friend;
I do whatever pleases, Jesus! Won't I bleed 'em in the end!
After a few years of silence it's time for Orthos to run a campaign again! (Well technically I'm running two, but the other is a PbP so it's not really suitable to being recorded here... though I might come back and put up summaries as chapters are completed. =D ) With a new batch of suckers... I mean players... and a shiny new Kingmaker game we are all ready to go.
The major change is that my game will not be set in Golarion; rather, I'll be using my homebrew setting Finiens, specifically the eastern continent of Wachara, as the stage. The Stolen Lands are an untamed wedge of territory planted on the western side of the barony of Olorunium, whose feuding lords are in turmoil following a recent war with their easterly neighbor Galadae and the secession of a region on their border that formed the new independent territory of Naltaskar. Seeking to solidify their claim to the barony seat, the lords and Vanguard of House Alvaris have commissioned groups to expand westward, intending to seize the previously-unholdable Stolen Lands from the barbaric, tribal Northlands that surround their western and northwestern borders. As per standard, the players will be the fourth such chartered unit, en route to Olag's Trading Post in the Greenbelt.
The party is still in creation, slightly, but I do have their basic composition confirmed:
A Spellscar Oracle with the Medvyed Noble Born trait and Legalistic curse. Her powers originated due to an accidental traipse through the sister-realm of FaeReie (Finiens' analogue to the First World), leaving her with supernatural capabilities but some of the fey's innate quirks of behavior.
A Centaur True-Primitive Barbarian who will likely be the party's frontline warrior. Very Minsc-like, from what I've seen of the player's intents. An exile from his tribe from the plains of Galadae to the east, he wandered for years in the woods before meeting the Oracle; her attempt to lead the lost warrior to civilization ended up with both of them wandering through FaeReie by stumbling upon one of the Ways, but he came out relatively unscathed (save gaining a disdain for fairy magic). The two of them in their jaunt also met...
A Half-Elf Magus. A prisoner of the fey for some time, he managed to avoid being too badly affected by his time in the warp-world... at least physically; mentally he's been somewhat scarred, and has strange compulsions that he must feed or risk withdrawal not unlike an addiction. These range anywhere from breaking into song or speech to pulling crazy physical displays and stunts, but always result in making himself the center of attention, often without realizing he's doing so until halfway through. Has an eye for prestige and power, and eagerly anticipates naming himself Court Magister.
A Druid. This character is the most incomplete of the bunch so I don't know much about her, though I suspect she might be an Elf. I shall update as soon as I can speak to the player and get further information... or after the first session, whichever comes first. =)
They seem to be all a heavy Chaotic Neutral bent, no Good in the party (yet, but I doubt the Druid will be) but no Evil either (yet). So in time we might have a little anarchic fun with this batch of nutcases.
Said first session will be this Thursday evening. Obviously the party members are all traveling together and familiar with each other prior to the campaign's beginning, and as per usual in my games are beginning at Level 2 rather than the standard 1 for Kingmaker; the events have been adjusted accordingly.
AKA Proof one of my players is insane. (Well we all are but this is a specific instance.)
She's working on a Trickery Cleric and noticed they get Ethereal Jaunt as a bonus spell. She's also noticed EJ lets you pass through living things while ethereal. So in her twisted mind, the obvious next question is "What happens when I stop being ethereal while my hand is in the monster's skull?"
By RAW, all that happens is that she takes damage and gets shunted aside. Seems a little odd that the creature wouldn't be damaged though. Thoughts?
ADDENDUM: The entire party is now asking about doing so with weapons rather than a limb, thus circumventing the damage they would take. So add that onto the theorizing as well. >_>
Gotta love it when players do something the DM never expected. The full story is spoilered for those who don't want to read or don't care about the background behind why I'm making this request.
Spoiler:
One of the players in my game is playing A'Reth Guar'Dian, a warforged Crusader|Cavalier gestalt. He has the Adamantine Body feat (or at least I think that's the name); it gives him DR 2/adamantine, and due to the rules regarding DR and natural weapons I ruled that his warforged slam attack is adamantine as well. He has taken heavy advantage of this repeatedly by using his character effectively as a wrecking ball, but never more so than the stunt he pulled last night.
The group is in Golismorga in "The Lightless Depths", and just defeated the Neh-thalggu Scion in Tlaloc's Crater. A'Reth was rather unharmed by the fight - the Brain Collector was invisible and flying, so the meleers spent the entire fight attacking it with arrows and thus didn't get caught by most of its counterattacks - so while the rest of the group recuperated, healed up, and rested in a Secure Shelter (the cleric and psion were almost out of magic, and the psion had died during the fight) A'Reth decided to scout around... or more accurately up. He'd acquired the Boots of Levitation from someone (Olangru I think) and between their at-will activation, his unwounded state, and warforged's lack of need for rest decided to spend the night upward bound.
After getting a good look around Golismorga and finding the ziggurat, wouldn't you know it he found the tunnel carved by Tlaloc's Tear being sent down and followed it up. He then reaches the stone circle blockading the top of the entrance in Thanaclan and beats his way to it, intentionally doing only minimum damage with his slam (since adamantine ignores hardness) so that he only grinds off stone powder rather than sending chunks of rock careening down into Golismorga and possibly hitting his friends. He then emerged out onto the surface and found himself in an ancient Olman temple.
TL;DR version: A'Reth skipped ahead to halfway through "City of Broken Idols" and is now at the pyramid of Tlaloc (area 25 I think). He's been engaged by four Skinwalkers - which I didn't yet have statted up in my conversion to suit gestalt + high-powered 3.5/PF hybrid, so I called the session at the beginning of that battle - but I'm pretty sure he's going to head back down into Golismorga and resume the adventure there.
What's my issue then? The Skinwalkers have now been thoroughly informed that someone is causing trouble down in Golismorga and is very likely to head their way next, and will make due preparations for when the group comes to the Taboo Island. I'm looking for suggestions as to how they can fortify themselves against assault - preparing both for an attack by land and a raiding party to come up through the Temple of Tlaloc like A'Reth did in the first place.
Orthos(Male Half-Zenthyri/Half-Cansin Doodler 2/Composer 4/Author 5/Talespinner 7/Ad-Lib Artist 2/Worldbuilder 1)
Chapter 1: Under the Ice "... There are no Rules here: Welcome to the Slaughterhouse ..."
Welcome to Jasper.
It's not large, not as towns go: a mostly-circular settlement that can be walked the entire circumference in under an hour, and crossing directly through take only a few minutes if you're not stopped by anything or anyone along the way. As a trade village, though, Jasper survives by persuading passers-by to stop, and this is a task at which they succeed very well.
Entering along one of the roads that passes through Jasper places you right along the trading route, and the town's shops and stores line the streets with the residential buildings further back. Many of the buildings are expectantly adorned with signs portraying their wares to the interested eye; which of these they catch first is of course based on by which way they enter the town. Those arriving from the northeast - from Grendar - will see the smoke billowing from the chimney of the dark stone building with little decor or excess simply marked as "Xen's Forge".
Those who enter from the northwest - from Luminienne - are greeted by a short, stocky building without title or decoration save a gemmed butterfly hanging over the door, a holy symbol of Desna marking the building as a small shrine. Across the trade road from this is a small hut from which flickering lights occasionally ensue; a stone half the height of an average human has been set out in front of it, and bears carvings that flicker with light during the day proclaiming the hut as a store, "Arcana and Alchemy by Tathviel". Whatever runic script or spell the owner has placed on the stone, as soon as the sun sets it grows dull, suggesting the store will not respond to inquiries by night.
Those who journey from the south - from the lands beyond the ice - see several stores along the main road, most bearing simple names such as "Goods and Supplies" or "Orran's Kennel", but occasionally with hints of the wit and humor required for a merchant to draw attention and succeed in a far larger town with names like "Horse Sense" for a stable and supply store.
What is likely to draw the attention of all, though, is the building located at the very center of town, at the point where the two trade roads meet, clearly visible from all three entrances. This building marks the northern end of the trade road arriving from the south, and the "halfway stop" of the road traveling east to west from Grendar to Luminienne. The largest building in Jasper bar none, the two-story inn and tavern marked as "The Brawny Grizzly" is the crowning point of Jasper, the most identifiable and famous building in the entire town. Every non-resident who spends more than a day in the area generally finds residence in the Grizzly: unless you have family or friends willing to lend you a spot on their floor in Jasper, it's the only place that has room for travelers, merchants, and adventurers passing through.
It is midmorning, shortly after 9 AM. A caravan, bound for Grendar in two days, arrived late yesterday evening. Either you arrived with them, traveling for the safety of company and companionship, or came separate either recently or some time ago, or you have just arrived today. Whatever your reasons, whatever your origin, your travels have brought you to here, now. This is Jasper of the Frostfell.
After quite a long time - seven years, gaaaaaaaaah! - of being nothing more than an idea in my head, I'm finally starting to bring my story concept, Random Encounter, to life. I'm waaaaaaaaaay too excited and yeah having trouble putting this into good words.
Not a lot to show at the moment, but the first batch of character sketches is up for view at our host website, Foxtail Studios. Will come back and post an update when the story is about to start, but in the meantime there are a few strips of my artist's gag-a-strip side comic on the website for your perusal if you so desire.
I'll shut up now :) Comments welcome and appreciated.
Orthos(Male Half-Zenthyri/Half-Cansin Doodler 2/Composer 4/Author 5/Talespinner 7/Ad-Lib Artist 2/Worldbuilder 1)
The frozen north is an unforgiving land, regardless of the place from which you hail. The bitter cold and the feral landscape make life difficult for even the hardiest of mortal men and women. Yet something has drawn you here.
Perhaps it is the thrill of adventure, the chance to test yourself against the fiercest of terrestrial elements. Perhaps this is only a start, and once you have mastered the frostfell you will turn your eyes on mastery of crueler climates. No stronger natural hazards nor crueler beasts can be found than the feral wasteland of the Barren.
Perhaps it is curiosity. As strange as they are the northlands are worlds of mystery, in many ways different from every other place on the world, and to witness their wonder, their splendor, their horror is only truly comprehensible once you have done so firsthand.
Perhaps it is wealth that calls you. After all, it was only a short sixty years ago that the first successful group of miners and explorers into this territory found rich veins beneath the permafrost and have been extracting iron, copper, precious metals, and gems from the lands around the now-large city of Grendar for the years since. How do you think the trading post of Jasper came by its name?
Perhaps you wish to face the darkness that hides here. You are not alone; beyond Grendar lies Fort Ragnarok, where a recently gathered group of warriors and heroes referring to themselves as the Glacier Knights have built their headquarters within the past generation. They seek to bring order, safety, and freedom to the wilds of the frostfell, and welcome all bearing sword, spell, or skill who share their vision.
For now, though, your travels have brought you here. Jasper, a crossroads of the only two major "roads" in the Barren - one leading to Grendar to the northeast and the other crossing the wildlands of the Barren to stretch toward Luminienne far to the northwest - and the primary trade route back to the more hospitable south. Once simply an intersection, within a few years after Grendar's walls were constructed a small village had sprung up about these roads, and in the generation since has grown into a respectable-sized trading village.
Welcome to the Frostfell. Dress warmly.
------
The story begins in the trading post of Jasper, just above the frostfell line, and nearly all of the story is associated with the surrounding countryside. However, it's not attributed to any particular setting, and could theoretically get plopped down anywhere: somewhere frosty other than Irrisen in Golarion, somewhere on the Great Glacier or Spine of the World in Faerun, along the Black Ice Lands in Greyhawk, etc. etc. etc.
TL;DR version: The greater world setting is less important to me as DM than the local setting, which can be placed in an appropriate climate in any world, so I leave it to my players as to which setting they'd prefer to play in. So feel free to toss in your personal preferences.
Okay, now game rules. There's basically three ways we can do this, as far as rules go:
1. PF Core ~ Pathfinder material only. Core book, Bestiary, APG. Easily the simplest method.
2. Anything Goes ~ My IRL group's normal play style, but I know some players on these forums don't care for it :P Any 3.5 material is available, with some tweaks by the DM to bring things to Pathfinder standard; this may be anything from simply adjusting the Hit Die and skills to improving/nerfing class abilities. If we go with this let me know what class(es) you'd be interested in and I'll get back to you here with the requisite changes.
3. PF/3.5 Limited ~ Pathfinder material plus a limited list of 3.5 races and classes, and certain feats/spells/etc. available on DM approval. I can post the list if requested, and/or I can take requests from players.
Once we've decided those two above, we're pretty much ready to go, though there are a few details that would probably be best to hash out. Of course, if you have any questions feel free to shoot them this way. :)
Does Freedom of Movement negate the effects of Stand Still/Stem the Tide (under Order of the Shield abilities)? By my reading it does, as FoM allows the affected character "to move and attack normally for the duration of the spell". However my player thinks it shouldn't let the enemy continue movement. I houseruled it for the night (we were in the middle of a rather big boss fight) with the note to look into it and the text is kind of annoyingly vague. Thoughts?
If you are reading this, I am either dead in the line of duty and this tome has fallen into your possession - in which case I plead with you to seek out my companions if they still live and complete the task we have devoted ourselves to - or I have completed my mission and this completed work is now available for perusal among the other such various tomes in our library.
In either case, what follows is not a tale for the faint of heart.
Prologue
My name is Darktower Zhaorae. I am an Illumian, the Living Word Made Flesh. The closest thing I have to a family is my cabal, who dwell in the Darktower Crucible on the Astral Plane, preparing warriors for the nigh-endless battles against the Gith who centuries ago ransacked our cities and destroyed many of our greatest treasures. I am a knight, a Crusader, and would seek to become a Paladin should the Ruby Goddess find it in her favor.
The future ahead of me - of constant warfare and vengeance - is not for the tame of heart or mind. Thus, after our basic training was completed, my companions (or siblings, I could call them) and I were transported to the Material Plane. Our last word from our superiors was the command to travel the world, experience and grow and strengthen ourselves; once we had gained the power to return to the Crucible of our own skill we would have proved our readiness to join the cabal at war.
The location on the Material where we found ourselves deposited was a few miles from a small village known as Diamond Lake. With only our basic supplies and a few gold worth between the three of us, we resolved to put ourselves to work as work could be found in this little hamlet until enough wealth could be amassed for us to move beyond its borders and survive the journey.
We underestimated the power of this village to entangle those who would dwell within its borders. Work was scarce and money scarcer, and so far we've only been able to make enough to survive. We had laid claim to a small abandoned building with a collapsed upper story shortly after our arrival, and been troubled little by the locals even after they grew used to our presence, likely due to us being able to easily disguise ourselves as Humans.
In the weeks since, we have been searching earnestly for a means by which to wrestle free of this place's relentless grasp, and now we think we may have found it. One of my siblings has heard of an abandoned mine referred to as the Whispering Cairn, and that strange things have been known to occur there; though the tunnels in this place for the most part have long gone dry, something of this rumor seems to have struck a chord in all of us, and for the time being we have placed our hopes upon its words.
Knowing the three of us would stand little chance against any active dangers that may reside within the cairn, we have sought out aid from some of the locals who might be trustworthy. I met a vagrant priest with no particular devotion to any one power, searching for substance for his faith while also trying to work his way out of this trap, at one of the local shrines; while the young Halfling has little physical combat skill his healing capabilities will serve to aid us well.
One of my companions has also acquired the partnership of another traveler, of who I know little other than his purpose here involves gambling debts owed to one of my siblings. I do not see this ending well.
The two newcomers, my two siblings and myself have arranged to meet at our shelter in shortly under a week to begin our plans for investigation of the cairn and the beginnings of our escape from wretched Diamond Lake.
This vine is a bright, vibrant green. The majority of the plant has been woven into the shape of a glove or gauntlet, worn on its user/host's hand of choice. A blood-red flower blooms on the back of the hand. Where the glove ends, the vine winds back around their arm and up under their clothing; should the clothing be removed it can be seen that the vine has taken up root in the user's back.
Capable of sustaining itself in a symbiotic relationship with a host that can provide it with flesh to root itself into and blood to feed off of, the plant reciprocates by responding to mental and empathic signals from its host. This allows the vines that make up the "glove" to extend, warp, twist, and otherwise shape themselves into forms the host desires - usually weapons, sometimes coated in the plant's toxins. In return for a stable source of nutrition, mobility, and defense, the plant provides its host with the means to protect themselves.
I asked my roommate to help design a unique weapon for a fey assassin in a non-RPG story I'm working on; this is what he came up with, and I have to admit I like it. A lot. So now I'm curious how to stat it. It's part creature, part status (though heck knows what), and part weapon. Really not sure what to do, heh.
I don't know how many of you already know about this but until May 24th, Valve is giving away free Portal to PC and Mac users. If you haven't gotten a copy yet, go now!
So my group is coming up on the end of "Here There Be Monsters" and a couple of my players, as seems to be the pattern in my campaign at the end of every chapter, want to change characters. Since my party composition has shaken up considerably in the first four chapters - three deaths and about twice that in people changing characters for one reason or another - I suggested just having the characters pursue Rebuild Quests (Players' Handbook 2) instead of having to remove current party members and replace them with new faces. Given the sandbox nature of "Tides of Dread" I figured it would be the easiest place to put such sidequests - the players would only need to keep playing their current characters for two or three more sessions then could undergo a sidequest to obtain their new build.
So... any suggestions where might be appropriate? I have a Summoner|Alchemist rebuilding into a Sorcerer|Warlock or Sorcerer|Dragonfire Adept (he hasn't decided yet) and a Sorcerer|Oracle rebuilding to a Witch|Bard with Draconic Heritage feats. Was thinking of putting one through something around Zotzilaha's place, but hadn't come to any definite decisions yet. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
Just a quick scan through this forum's topic list brings up these eye-catchers:
"Is American exceptionalism a myth?"
"The Archetypal Tyrant"
"Relax: We don't have to worry about Sovergn Debt anymore!" (because we'll all be dead anyway)
"Rant..."
"Tea and Coffee parties both suXxOrs"
"Healthcare and etc..."
"need to vent...."
"Do people just not compliment others?"
"Things in Life That Suck"
"The future of your children"
"No good deed goes unpunished..."
"What are children learning in school these days?"
And that's only about halfway down. Frankly, I've come to the conclusion that the world is going to hell in a handbasket. (Nessus, to be precise.) Given the doom-and-gloom nature of news reporting that's unsurprising, and likely inaccurate - there's about half that much of threads with titles like "Good things" and "Parade of Hope" and of course "FAWTL"
No, what's surprised me is the feeling I have in response to the constant projection of imminent doom. It's not fear, it's not worry, it's not even apathy.
It's LONGING.
To be perfectly honest, I'm starting to think I'd be happier if everything suddenly went to pieces. Sure, there'd be no more internet, no more video games, no more MP3s, no more movies, no more books... and truth be told I'm fine by that. Maybe getting rid of those avenues will put some of the endless arguments to death.
Let it go. Let it all collapse. Let it BURN. Good bloody gorram riddance.
Maybe that's what we need. Maybe that's exactly what we should do.
Just break it down.
Tear it all down.
Break it apart.
Burn it all.
Leave NOTHING behind.
Then what? I dunno. Start from scratch I guess. The human race, I'm thinking, needs to be thrown back into the dark ages for a while. Maybe we have it good - too good. Or maybe that's not the right thing. I don't know.
All I know is the idea of everything I know, everything I understand, everything I see every day not being here tomorrow is not a thought that terrifies or worries me anymore. At the very least I would simply be apathetic, simply wouldn't care; at the most I'd be ecstatic.
Maybe I've lost it. Maybe too much fantasy reading and gaming has finally snapped something and I'm suffering a schism from reality. Frankly, I'd be just fine with that. I've started thinking within the past few years that I was born in the wrong time, wrong place, wrong reality anyway. Good riddance.
Or maybe this is simply the other side of despair.
I've had this idea bouncing about in my head for a few years now. I've run a nonlinear storyline loosely based on it as an on-and-off thing on a Neverwinter Nights server. But now I'm unemployed and sitting at home bored and want something to do with my time, and think this might be a good way to kill some of that.
Basically I want to write a campaign guide. Starting from 1st level, extending somewhere into the teens or perhaps even all the way to 20. Understandably this is a very ambitious project and I'm somewhat unsure where exactly to start. So I throw myself to the wolves for some basic advice. What necessities I need, some resources that might be helpful, or perhaps "We don't know what the frak you want, give us more information".
Who knows, if it doesn't end up looking like crap when I'm done with it I might do something with it....
EbonFyre and I have been working on updating her latest character to Pathfinder standard; as most of us know the Healer class was one of the most lackluster in 3.5 so we did what we could to try and amp it up a bit to bring it a little more playability. Credit where credit is due, most of the work is hers. Feedback is appreciated.
---
Alignment: any good
HD: d6 --down from d8, since the class has 1/2 BAB progression
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Healers are proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor. Additionally, a healer who uses metal armor or any kind of shield is severely hampered. The armor of a healer is restricted by traditional oaths, not simply training. A healer knows how to wear light metal armor and could become proficient with medium or heavy armor, but wearing metal armor or bearing a shield would violate her oath and suppress her healer powers. Her ethos requires a certain vulnerability that allows her to more fully empathize with those in their care. A healer who uses prohibited armor is unable to cast healer spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class features while doing so and for 24 hours after the armor is taken off.
Spells: A healer casts divine spells (the same type of spells available to clerics), which are drawn from the healer spell list given below. A healer must choose and prepare her spells in advance (see below).
To prepare or cast a spell, a healer must have a Wisdom score of 10 + the spell’s level (Wis 10 for 0-level spells, Wis 11 for 1st level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a healer’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the healer’s Wisdom modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a healer can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score.
Spontaneous Casting: A healer can channel stored spell energy into healing spells that she did not prepare ahead of time. The healer can “lose” any prepared spell that is not an orison in order to cast any cure spell of the same spell level or lower (a cure spell is any spell with “cure” in its name).
Healing Hands: Whenever a healer casts a spell that cures hit point damage, she adds her Charisma modifier to the amount of damage healed. This bonus applies only to spells of the healing subschool that she casts as a healer, not to those that she may have by virtue of levels in another class.
This bonus improves to two times her Charisma modifier at level 10.
Skill Focus (Heal): A healer’s focused training grants her this bonus feat at 2nd level. If she already has that feat, she may choose a different one.
Healing Wave: A healer can release a wave of healing energy by channeling the power of her faith. Healing Wave causes a burst that affects all living creatures in a 30 foot radius centered on the healer. The amount healed is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every two healer levels beyond 1st (2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 5th, and so on). Creatures healed by healing wave cannot exceed their maximum hit point total--all excess healing is lost. A healer may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. This is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
This ability counts as Channel Energy (positive) for the purposes of qualifying for prestige classes or feats.
Healing Techniques: As a healer gains experience, she learns a number of techniques that increase her healing abilities. Starting at 2nd level, a healer gains one healing technique. She gains an additional technique for every 2 levels of healer attained after 2nd level. A healer cannot select an individual technique more than once.
Cleanse Blindness: The healer gains the ability to cleanse blindness a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier, as if casting a remove blindness/deafness spell.
Cleanse Disease: The healer gains the ability to cleanse disease a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier, as if casting a remove disease spell.
Cleanse Fear: The healer gains the ability to cleanse fear a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier, as if casting a remove fear spell.
Cleanse Mind: The healer gains the ability to remove any charm effect a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier as a standard action.
Cleanse Paralysis: The healer gains the ability to cleanse paralysis a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier, as if casting the remove paralysis spell.
Cleanse Poison: The healer gains the ability to cleanse poison a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier, as if casting a neutralize poison spell.
Healer's Grace: When the healer casts any spell that cures hit point damage, she can choose to grant the subject a +1 sacred bonus for every 4 class levels to Saving Throws (minimum +1). This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the healer's Charisma modifier. This ability can be used 3 times per day + her Charisma modifier.
Healer's Protection: The healer gains the ability to protect her charges. When the healer casts any spell that cures hit point damage, she can choose to grant the subject a +1 sacred bonus for every 4 class levels to Armor Class (minimum +1). This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the healer's Charisma modifier. This ability can be used 3 times per day + her Charisma modifier.
Lingering Vitality: A healer with this ability is able to increase their healing effects over time. When the healer casts any spell that cures hit point damage, she can choose to grant the subject Fast Healing 1. This effect lasts 10 rounds plus 1 round per level, to a maximum of 15 rounds. This ability can be used 3 times a day + her Charisma modifier.
Practiced Healer: The healer is gains a +2 sacred bonus to caster level when using healing spells.
Rapid Healing: The healer gains the ability to reduce the casting time of her healing spells. The healer is able to cast any spell that cures hit point damage as a move action. This ability can be used 3 times a day + her Charisma modifier.
Selective Healing Wave: The healer gains the ability to target her healing wave. This ability allows the healer to select which targets within range are affected by her Healing Wave.
Touch of Healing: The healer gains the ability to channel divine healing with just a touch. As a standard action, the healer can heal 3 points of damage per caster level to a maximum of 30 points. You can use this ability only on a target that has been reduced to one-half or fewer of its total hit points. The effect ends once you've healed the subject up to half its normal maximum hit points. This ability has no effect on creatures that can't be healed by cure spells.
Effortless Healing: At 7th level, a healer has learned to cast spells of the healing subschool with minimal effort. She may cast such spells without provoking attacks of opportunity. This ability applies only to spells of the healing subschool that she casts as a healer, not to those that she may have by virtue of levels in another class.
Unicorn Companion: When a healer attains 8th level, the deities recognize her devotion and grant her a celestial unicorn companion as her mount and aide. The unicorn, a symbol of healing and purity, serves the healer willingly and unswervingly.
Once per day, as a full-round action, the healer may magically call her companion from the celestial realms in which it resides. The companion immediately appears adjacent to the healer and remains for 2 hours per healer level. It may be dismissed at any time as a free action. The companion is the same creature each time it is called, though the healer may release a particular companion from service to gain a companion of a different kind. Each time the companion is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously. The companion also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a companion is a conjuration (calling) effect.
Advanced Techniques: At 10th level, and every two levels thereafter, a healer can choose one of the following advanced techniques in place of a healing technique.
Aura of Protection: The healer can emit a 30-foot aura of protection for a number of rounds per day equal to her healer level. She and her allies within this aura gain a +1 deflection bonus to AC and resistance 5 against all elements (acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic). The deflection bonus increases by +1 for every five healer levels you possess beyond 10th. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Cleanse Spirit: A healer gains the ability to restore a creature to health a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier, as if casting a greater restoration spell.
Cleanse Petrification: A healer gains the ability to restore a petrified creature to health a number of times per day equal to 1 + her Charisma modifier, as if casting a stone to flesh spell.
Empowered Healing: All of the healer's cure spells are treated as if they were empowered, increasing the amount of damage healed by half (+50%). This does not stack with the Empower Spell metamagic feat.
Expand Wave: Healing wave gains the range of a 60 foot radius.
Extra Wave: The healer gains additional uses of Healing Wave. She can now use Healing wave 6 times per day + her Charisma modifier.
Healer's Blessing: When the healer casts any spell that cures hit point damage, she can choose to grant the subject damage reduction of 1/- for every 4 levels of healer. This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the healer's Charisma modifier. This ability can be used 3 times per day + her Charisma modifier.
Improved Touch of Healing: Functions as the healing technique Touch of Healing, except that the maximum amount of damage healed is 60 points.
Ranged Healing: The healer gains the ability to restore a creature to health from a distance. Any healing spell with the range of touch becomes a ranged touch spell with the range of close (25 feet + 5 ft per 2 caster levels).
Swift Healing: The healer gains the ability to reduce the casting time of her healing spells. The healer is able to cast any spell that cures hit point damage as a swift action. This ability can be used 3 times a day + her Charisma modifier.
New Limb: At 15th level, a healer gains the ability to regrow a creature’s lost or damaged body part once per day, as if casting a regenerate spell.
New Life: Once per week, a 20th-level healer can bring a dead creature back to life, as if casting a true resurrection spell.
Ex-Healers
A healer who grossly violates her ethos (such as by refusing to heal an ally or a good-aligned creature) loses all spells and class features (except for proficiency with simple weapons and light armor). She cannot thereafter gain levels as a healer until she atones (see the atonement spell).
3rd Level: close wounds, consecrate, create food and water, cure serious wounds, greater resistance, magic circle against evil, mass resurgence, neutralize poison, protection from energy, remove curse, restoration, safety
4th Level: cure critical wounds, death ward, delay death, freedom of movement, greater status, mass cure light wounds, negative energy protection, panacea, planar ally (lesser), revenance, sheltered vitality, spell immunity
5th Level: atonement, break enchantment, breath of life, dance of the unicorn, hallow, life's grace, mass cure moderate wounds, raise dead, stone to flesh, spell resistance, true seeing, greater vigor
6th Level: greater resistance, greater restoration, heal, heroes’ feast, mass bear's endurance, mass cure serious wounds, mass restoration, planar ally, regenerate, vigorous circle
7th Level: aura of vitality, fortunate fate, mass cure critical wounds, refuge, renewal pact, repulsion, resurrection
8th Level: discern location, greater planar ally, greater spell immunity, holy aura, mass death ward, mass heal
Have you ever put your players through a scene, event, or even an entire campaign where the only proper response any could conjure was simply "What in the blazes was THAT!?" In my group we call this a "WTF!? Moment" or "WTF!? Award". And this thread is for cataloging, sharing, and comparing them. :)
I just got one tonight. I'm running Savage Tide, we're in the latter half of "The Bullywug Gambit": the party's employer's manor is under attack by frogmen and they're rushing to come to her rescue. One room along the path is described as a laundry room, where two Bullywugs are sorting through the silks in the hampers there. The guide says they fight to the death to protect it, but the first person to enter the room simply ran through to the other side and shouted "Sorry for the intrusion!" so they didn't attack. Apparently describing frogmen picking through laundry half-buried in sheets and discarded clothes and with certain garments equipped in incorrect ways was too much for some of my players, and after the laughter subsided I was given my "just" reward.
So, some time ago I picked up some of the 3rd-party OGL stuff from Malhavoc Press... specifically Hyperconscious and When The Sky Falls. A lot of the stuff is weird, some is interesting, some is useless, as it is with nearly every product, really. But I've been intrigued with the whole "Dark Plea" storyline introduced in these two books. A web search just redirects me to those books, and Wiki only gives it a passing mention in Bruce Cordell's article. Any place I can find more information on it? Other books published that feature it or anything like that?
Since my group's games are scheduled and catalogued over forums, I post a summary at the beginning of every chapter. Back way back with Bastion of Broken Souls, each chapter was accompanied by a short quote that suited the situation; I personally thought that was pretty freakin' awesome and decided to do it for STAP. I have a few already done, but I'm curious if anyone has any suggestions for the ones I've forgotten, or better ones for any of the ones I've already chosen.
Enjoy :)
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"There Is No Honor"
Crime is a logical extension of the sort of behaviour that is often considered perfectly respectable in legitimate business. ~ Robert Rice, The Business of Crime
"The Bullywug Gambit"
My trouble took the strangest form. I could not persuade myself that the men and women I met were not also another Beast People, animals half wrought into the outward image of human souls, and that they would presently begin to revert, to show first this bestial mark and then that. ... I do not expect that the terror of that island will ever altogether leave me. ~ H.G. Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau
"The Sea Wyvern's Wake"
(none yet)
"Here There Be Monsters"
(none yet)
"Tides of Dread"
(none yet)
"The Lightless Depths"
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a Grue. ~ Zork I: The Great Underground Empire, 1980
"City of Broken Idols"
All hope abandon, ye who enter in. ~ Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy: Inferno
"Serpents of Scuttlecove"
(none yet)
"Into the Maw"
He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil
"Wells of Darkness"
That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even Death may die. ~ H.P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu
"Enemies of My Enemy"
(none yet)
"Prince of Demons"
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead!
In peace, there ’s nothing so becomes a man,
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood.
~ William Shakespeare, Henry V
So over the past couple of years my formerly-local gaming group has scattered - one has been deployed to the military, two have moved to a completely different city, and two have moved to suburbs on the opposite side of the city where my roommate and I remain, whereas we all used to be rather centrally located, always within 30 minutes of each other. Other than the military fellow, we all got sick of this arrangement (and some pathetic attempts at three-man gaming in the meanwhile from those of us who could manage to get together regularly) after a few months and pitched in to get a Vent server to game over.
One of the biggest frustrations about gaming over Vent is the lack of a game board and miniatures. For the first few sessions I tried just running things in my head, and my players were reasonably understanding, but there were constant questions of "How did they get behind me?" or "I'm in range, right?" or "Can I get to this place in one move action?" that would have practically answered themselves if a minis map was available.
Next I tried running a map in Paint, using the Select Square tool to move "Player Dots" and "Critter Dots" around a crudely-doodled mouse-drawn battlefield and uploading a new version to PhotoBucket at the beginning of initiative every round. As you can probably guess, this was quite time-consuming and made combat take unnecessarily long.
Is there ANY way I can get access to a gaming map that works online? Preferably one where my players can also connect and not just view but move their own characters' minis around? (The second one is not a must, but it would be quite nice.) And of course I need one that's either free or very cheap. The talk of D&D Insider several months back seemed to hint towards something of this nature but as far as I can tell nothing has come of it.
... because as I said before, YES, I AM crazy enough to give myself even MORE of a headache while running this thing. :P
So after at least three failed Play-by-Post internet campaigns and one failed Neverwinter Nights adaptation, I started a PnP Gestalt STAP about a month ago, connecting my now-scattered player group through the wonder that is Ventrilo. We're using a mishmash of 3.5 and Pathfinder along with a few houserules, scaling along Pathfinder's Medium XP progression.
The following are my victims... I mean players:
Gin and Jenny Woodstock: LG Dvati Monk|Fighter
A set of opposite-gender Dvati twins, a rarity that was feared by their race so the twins were abandoned at separate monasteries; thanks to their mind link they eventually discovered one another and left to meet and travel the world together. So far they seem to be serving as the party's moral compass, which tends to bring them into frequent conflict with Yuri and Mala. Jenny doesn't talk much, and tends to play watch during group meetings and such while Gin attends and passes messages.
[Note: They're using the Pathfinder Beta version of Monk and Fighter, but as a houserule I've given both classes a Paladin/Ranger like progression of Maneuvers - Monk chooses from the Swordsage list, Fighter from Warblade's. I allow the same thing for Paladin as well, letting them choose between getting spells or Crusader Maneuvers.]
Rokugo Yuri: TN River Spiritfolk Binder|Rogue/Psion (Telepath)
A Scorpion Clan member exiled from Rokugan for communing with the Dark Powers. [Nobody likes Binders, not even in Rokugan ;)] She's the most direct and charismatic of the group and has sort of become de-facto leader, and already looking to gain influence in Sasserine. Plans to go into Shadowmind on the Rogue side.
Cordor Chainror: CG Human Scout|Warblade
Cordor's player is the newest to my group, so he's playing a fairly common concept - an ex-farm boy on the run from a tyrannical king to the north after his family was killed for a reason he doesn't know. Kills things dead with a scythe. He's missed about half the sessions so far though, so he's not as fleshed out as the others yet.
Rin Gold: TN Human Ardent|Psion (Nomad)
This guy's my resident "weird concepts" player. He's essentially a nerd from a more mundane world who's been dropped into the land of his fantasies and given weird powers in the process. He constantly makes real-world references that the others don't follow, and his Psycrystal tends to put him on Autopilot during combat situations. He's the closest thing the party has to a healer. (I might have been too lenient with allowing this concept, as it's starting to drive a few of the other players nuts...)
Mala Shrenan: LN Whisper Gnome Lurk|Wilder
A super-stealthy assassin-for-hire type with a case of Laser Guided Amnesia. Unfortunately the player has some really bad luck with dice, so up until the most recent session she was constantly getting one-upped at her own game by Yuri. Also has a bit of a Napoleon complex, which Jhered and Cordor get some amusement out of exploiting.
Jhered Nightwind: NG Star Elf Duskblade|Bladewind
The closest thing this party has to a Tank. Bladewind is a custom class made by someone on the WOTC forums, modeled after the character Joachim from Castlevania (Google him if you want), and tweaked by myself and two of my players; Jhered's putting it through one of a few playtests. Strong, silent type with a dry wit. Going for Anointed Blade on Duskblade side I think.
So far we're halfway through "There Is No Honor", they took down Veldimar Krund last session and we quit just outside the door to Penkus's room. I'll post summaries of the first four sessions tomorrow... after Paizo ate my first attempt at this post I need sleep. :P
... because YES, I AM crazy enough to give myself even MORE of a headache while running this thing. :P
So after at least three failed Play-by-Post internet campaigns and one failed Neverwinter Nights adaptation, I started a PnP Gestalt STAP about a month ago, connecting my now-scattered player group through the wonder that is Ventrilo. We're now about halfway through There Is No Honor - the Iron Cobra encounter took place last week, most of the group save the one who missed the last session just reached level 2. We're using a mishmash of 3.5 and Pathfinder, scaling along Pathfinder's Medium XP progression.
The party includes:
Gin and Jenny Woodstock: LG Dvati Monk (PF) 1|Fighter (PF) 1 (Dvati is ECL +1)
Rokugo Yuri: TN River Spiritfolk Binder 2|Rogue 1/Psion (Telepath) 1 (Scorpion Clan, going for Shadowmind on Rogue side)
Cordor Chainror: CG Human Scout 1|Warblade 1
Rin Gold: TN Human Ardent 2|Psion (Nomad) 2
Mala Shrenan: LN Whisper Gnome Lurk 2|Wilder 2
Jhered Nightwind: NG Star Elf Duskblade 2|Bladewind 2 (Bladewind is a custom class our gaming group put together for a now-defunct Play-by-post forum, based on Joachim Armster's fighting style; going for Anointed Blade on Duskblade side)
I may put up a journal thread eventually if I feel like getting around to it, as the one I write up for the players is on a password-blockaded forum.
The main purpose of this thread is to tinker out some of the later encounters and to take some suggestions on interesting Gestalt combinations for major NPCs or antagonists. Most of the early classes already have theirs - Lavinia for example is going to be Swashbuckler|Courtier now, reflecting her focus on Diplomacy and such; and Javelle is a nasty combination of Swashbuckler/Rogue|Scout, making her a really vicious high-mobility combatant.
So I'm mainly interested in unique or interesting concepts people have that I might not have thought of, suggestions of how to do certain things better, that sort of thing. And of course commentary from anyone else was crazy enough to try this before me. ;)
And yes, for the curious, I still plan on throwing the Broken Souls villains at the party yet again. *evil grin* Gestalt Nurn is eeeeeeevillll...
First off, new to the forum due to some recommendations around-about while researching during pre-game prep... this is my third attempt to run Savage Tide, following two failed Neverwinter Nights adaptations (couldn't manage to keep a group past Parrot Island) I've decided to try going the Play-By-Post route. Got a bunch of good roleplayers with a good-looking roster of characters - two Monks (one planning on multiclassing into Cleric), a Hexblade, a Binder, a Beguiler, a Rogue/Swash, and one as of yet undecided. Expect to see them popping up in the Glories/Obits threads as the storyline advances in the near future. ;)
So onto the real subject: two of the eight players in the PbP are also members of my normal, offline PnP group, and thus are likely to still have "fond memories" of Bastion of Broken Souls... so with another storyline heavily featuring Big D, I was strongly considering having Ammet and/or the Cathezar pop up somewhere in the later chapters. My question is where might be the best place to have them make an appearance? Doing it mostly for excitement and the "WTF!? Factor" for the players who have encountered the pair in prior campaigns [which may or may not be limited to the two I've DMed for before, considering BoBS has been around for a while ;) ]. Thoughts?
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