Skeld's page

Strange. I don't have any messages. o.O

-Skeld

It's really a +10 bonus, but there's a -4 penalty for improvised usage (floating discs aren't ment to be shields) and a -4 penalty for the rogue's non-proficiency with floating discs. By my calculations, that's a +2. ;)

-Skeld

It's not waste. It's fodder for the recycling industry.

-Skeld

How much protection would a floating disk spell provide?

in a recent game game i had my party pinned down by from above by archers and other monsters throwing rocks they needed to get to a door 30 feet away that was locked .
The party mage surgested that he could cast floating disk then the party rouge (A gnome) could walk underneth it and use it as a shield the spell discription gives no stats for it so i was at a bit of a loss as what to do .
any thoughts or suggestions

The GM's Best Friend, +2 bonus. And I think that's being gracious (as a reward for an innovative solution).

-Skeld

If you added technology, has technology made your game better? If you haven't added, why not?

I've come full-circle on technology. Back in the day, there wasn't much technology to use. Over the last 10 yeas, I've used laptops, auto-rollers, electronic maps with tokens, sound files, projectors, etc. I haven't felt like any of it ever really added enough to be worth the effort to incorporate it.

I'm back to using dice, paper, and a battle mat. That plus an initiative tracker and some books is about it. I keep my iPad handy so I can look up something on the internet or PDF if i need to.

In my experience, technology can very quickly become a huge distraction at the gaming table. IMHO, it's highly over-rated.

-Skeld

But the final scenario battle of the adventure is essentially a string of battles which can reasonably be considered 2 minor battles, and 4 to 5 back to back CR8 or CR9 encounters (one of which includes a demon which are generally under CRed)

On top of that, the situation is not exactly one that allows for sleeping and resting between battle so the encounter is plotted out to happen essentially in one continual run.

The life of an adventurer is difficult. And often short.

-Skeld

You should have gotten a discount code in your order is shipping email for 20% off of an encounters pack. These are different than single minis, and have yet to be released.

EDIT: And they've stated that this code should also be able to be found in your "My Subscriptions" area I believe...or maybe it was under the past orders.

I thought there were 2 separate discounts granted to case subscribers. One is a code for 20% off a single encounter pack, while the other benefit was 20% off single minis. Is this not true?

-Skeld

The packaging was horrible, like some have mentioned if you are going to buy these in single boxes you have to be weary about how easy it is to open them to see what is inside since they are not wrapped

Just as a quick note: my boxes were all taped shut.

-Skeld

My sealed case arrived today: ...

My numbers and distribution match yours exactly.

-Skeld

I'm lazy, so I didn't put much work into my results:
I got at least 1 of everything.
I got 10 goblins, which I could have used last Friday.
My boxes were all taped.
My 5-year-old daughter and I had fun opening them.
2 Ettins, 2 Minotaurs, 2 Ogres, 2 Trolls, 1 each of the others.
My frost giant had separated from his base, but he snapped right back on.
I got a total of 82 minis.

-Skeld

i have been waiting to get mine since friday thanks to UPS. they have been in one town over since friday morning, and for some reason they did not want me to have them until today. i bet that they are over there playing with them right now.

UPS' tracking info shows my order left Portland at ~3am on the 5th... and hasn't shown up anywhere. The tracking page does assure me that my order is "in transit" and "on time" for delivery Wednesday (Jan 11th). I live in Alabama, FWIW.

-Skeld

Shipped! Muah ha ha ha! If only they could be here in time for the start of my RotRL campaign on Friday.

-Skeld

...the problem arises when players specifically ask the questions about doors/ligh and then I have to flip through the AP to god knows where...

Whenever I prep an adventure, I print it out and go through with a set of highlighters. I mark up all the important text with different colors, so I can find things more quickly (blue for important details, green for treasure, red for hazard/encounter/tactics, and yellow for skill-related info). I've toyed with the idea of breaking blue further down by adding orange and purple to the mix (maybe orange for environment purple for deep background or something).

-Skeld

I find the human interaction part of d&d to be the most distasteful part of all.

Best. Quote. Evar!

This probably isn't what you're asking for, but (if you aren't too entrenched in Atlanta) have looked west to Huntsville, AL? Huntsville is a high-tech, military-friendly area steeped in space and defense. We have a large number of small, mid, and large companies. Someone with your background and qualifications could probably find something here with a little legwork.

Best of luck regardless!

-Skeld

Adamantine katana threads are even more awesome than regular katana threads.

-Skeld

@skeld — I don't get that sentiment. It seems like you are suggesting that since you don't like high level play it shouldn't be an option for others?

No and that's sort of putting words in my mouth. I never said I didn't like high-level play (far from it actually). I question the need for official rules that extend play past the level cap. The answer seems to be that there are some modules that are sanctioned and there are some modules that have level ranges above 12th, so we need seamless rules on how to handle characters officially playing beyond the level cap.

-Skeld

I've never liked the idea of sanctioned modules, so I don't care for even further integration of modules into PFS.

I also don't like the idea of changing play beyond level 12. If people like their PFS characters and want to continue to play them, why not just play them outside of PFS? Why is it necessary to shoe-horn additional rules in place to officially support playing past the level cap? ("Because some players want it" is a cop-out answer. Some players want psionics, savage species, spelljammers, epic rules, etc. Level cap at 12 and be done.)

-Skeld

...I could care less about leading them along like a carrot on a stick.

Hmm. I didn't mean to imply that the NPC was used to lead them around. That is not how I ran it.

The point of the game is to have fun and every group is different, so you're going to have to figure out what works best for your group. If you're concerned about adding an NPC and your players don't want to play the healer, then you're only option might be to "blunt the arrows" in the adventure and play down some of the danger.

-Skeld

When I GM'd my group through STAP, none of them opted to play a Cleric. They all had other ideas. I added an NPC healer to back them up. As an aside, I used the iconic Kyra except that I made her a Favored Soul (so I didn't have to pick spells every "day") and made her a worshiper of a strength deity. She was a mostly silent "5th character." She she was an NPC party companion and a wise character, the PCs would occasionally ask her advice on some subject, which was a nice way for me to interject something every now and again. Just be careful to remember that the PCs are the stars and the NPC is a supporting character.

-Skeld

War of the Stars?

Stars Without Number

-Skeld

I was hoping to see an announcement for Pathfinder-themed coloring books.

Back to waiting, it seems.

-Skeld

Ok... I did not expect this..I am not even sure how to react...

Seconded. This could be really good or really bad.

-Skeld

I received mine yesterday and wanted to say that I am very pleased with the quality. Looking forward to the next set.

-Skeld

...a medium creature you cannot wield a Large two-handed weapon regardless of penalty.

Would you be so kind as to point out where in the rulebook this is stated? It would be a huge help.

Thanks in advance.

-Skeld

I know this has thread has been raised from the dead multiple times but...

Anyone know what the hell is happening with Sinister Adventures or Nick?

Last I saw (which was admittedly awhile ago) at least one of the products was just a few steps from final printing.

Yes, I'm sure it will be ready any minute now...

Any minute now...

-Skeld

Mothman wrote:

Just heard, see here.

Its sad. I may hate Apple, but I do think Steve Jobs was a mad genius.

Ditto.

Rest in peace, you magnificent bastard.

-Skeld

To bad it costs a car payment to get one.

Another reason to not have a car payment. :D

-Skeld

Skeld wrote:

As the title states, I would like to cancel my subscription to the RPG line. I would like to leave my other subscriptions as they are.

Thanks.

-Skeld

Your subscription has been cancelled.

Thank you. -Skeld

As the title states, I would like to cancel my subscription to the RPG line. I would like to leave my other subscriptions as they are.

Thanks.

-Skeld

Star wars Saga Editions explicitly allowed actions to be traded down (standard -> Move -> Swift). This doesn't exist in PF, although you are allowed to move as a standard. Anything else is up to the GM.

Since a quickened spell is cast as a Swift action, down-trading actions would allow a properly prepared spellcaster to potentially cast 3 spells on his turn. That's a bit overpowering (especially when your DM uses as a tactic against the party).

-Skeld

What ability lets someone draw a weapon as an immediate action, anyway?

Since an immediate action is a swift action that is taken outside your turn, then you should be able to draw a weapon as an immediate action if you can draw a weapon as a swift action.

-Skeld

Sounds like you do more engineering work then I do on a daily basis. My day job is a glorified technical writer. The position requires an engineering degree (and rightly so), but ... it ain't engineering.

Hence why this is my side job. Keeps the brain from going numb.

I'm an engineer also. I do something with computers and simulations, while occasionally touching on guidance theory and other systems stuff.

Good times.

-Skeld

...if I have a damaged product then I take it back and either get it fixed or replaced with a new one, at no cost.

It's an awfully long stretch to justifiably compare a pre-errata sourcebook to a damaged product. It's such a long stretch, in fact, that it weakens any other sensible arguments you may have.

-Skeld

What do you think about a DM joining a group of players and making his own player character?

I DMPC'd the party healer (Favored Soul based on Kyra) through the entirety of Savage Tide because none of the 4 players I had at the time wanted to play the "party Cleric."

I made a number of very conscious decisions from the beginning:
1) spontaneous spellcaster so I only had to choose spells 1/level instead of every time we rested, plus the party couldn't convince the healer to just prepare a "trump spell" for tomorrow as her spells known were limited;
2) she was always the same level as the party;
3) she always took the last split of loot and never the best items;
4) she was never a party decision maker;
5) I always under played her in that she was a healer/buffer first and a combatant second (although she was pretty tough).

So it can be done, the DM just has to exercise some discipline and remember what is his primary role in the group.

-Skeld

DM Wellard wrote:

Skeld wrote:

hogarth wrote:

I have to admit that I'm confused by what the original poster is even talking about, but then again I've had the Off-Topic forum turned off ever since I joined (mostly because it clutters up the list of recently updated thread in the sidebar).

It also helps to turn off the Word Games and PBP forums.

-Skeld

You have a problem with PbPs???????????????

No, he's saying they tend to swamp out other stuff in the sidebar.

Hogarth is correct. I don't participate in any and have no interest in them, so I don't want them clogging up my most recent posts.

-Skeld

I have to admit that I'm confused by what the original poster is even talking about, but then again I've had the Off-Topic forum turned off ever since I joined (mostly because it clutters up the list of recently updated thread in the sidebar).

It also helps to turn off the Word Games and PBP forums.

-Skeld

Ambrosia Slaad wrote:

Long story short, kids shouldn't be surfing the internet without a responsible adult to sit with them and say, "Ah, you shouldn't be reading that..."

-Skeld

Y'know, I've been bumming around these boards for a few years now and I used to keep tabs on the drama even though I generally didn't get involved. About a year ago, I turned off the "Off-Topic" forum and that probably cut out about 80-90% of the board drama. I don't miss it and being drama free makes up for whatever discussions I miss in there.

-Skeld

When I go there, I get a site about expatriating to Ecuador. :|

-Skeld

I think this is also symptomatic of the (probably irrevocably entrenched) over-reliance on the term "level" within the game rules. From dungeon levels to character levels to spell levels to encounter levels.. In my opinion, it would have been better to go with some more 'in character' denotation for spell level.

My group has always called spell levels "circles" as in a "2nd-circle spell." I don't reember exactly where this came from, but it's helped cut down on over-use of the word "level."

-Skeld

I keep a copy of their character sheets for such occasions. Then another PC is offered the chance to run the other character for the night. The missing player's character misses out on RP exp, and half of the exp for any fights.

I do something similar. I collect everyone's character sheets at the end of the session. If a player is unable to make the next session, another player will run that character (and their own).

This allows characters to "stay in the game" by cutting out the need for spontaneous disappearance/reappearance and ensures that we know, from one session to the next, what each character's capabilities are.

Unlike MDT, I don't penalize characters for experience, but this mostly because we don't use XP (I just tell them to level whenever I think it's appropriate).

Last session, only half my players were able to make it and we didn't miss a beat.

-Skeld

Would it make sense to have a feat or feat chain that allowed you to grant extra actions to other creatures?

I believe Nobles in Star Wars Saga Edition can do something like this (with the right feats/talents). My memory is fuzzy, but seems like there are certain actions (or rather, reactions) that could trigger their ability to grants attacks or actions to other characters.

-Skeld

We play with him because there is a lot more to this individual than the fact that he cheats on his rolls. We have all been friends and playing together since high school or longer.

I have thought of having other players watch him, or introducing a rule that we watch each other roll. The problem is that this would be a very unusual move for our group. For years we have been using the honor system, I can't change that without an explanation.

If the thought of even implying to your group that the player is cheating bothers you more than any of the solutions suggested here, then you're obviously not fed up with it enough to confront him and deal with your problem.

Right now, you're just sort of kinda thinking about dipping a tow in to test the waters. When you're really good and fed up, you'll dive in a fix this. You already know how, you just haven't committed to it yet.

-Skeld

Tell your party you want to handle rolls a little differently than you have been.

Tell them you want to:
1) Use opaque, high contrast dice (no white numbers on clear dice)
2) All rolls in the open (except some of the Gm's rolls)
3) All rolls have to be verified by the player to the left (excepting some of the GM's secret rolls), an unverified roll is a failure

Out of curiosity, you don't tell him the DC he needs to beat (or AC he needs to hit) when you request a roll do you?

-Skeld

If they're legal tender, then it is probably illegal to melt them down and sell (you know, assuming that sort of thing is illegal in NZ and they could prove you did it, blah blah blah). just a thought.

-Skeld

Geeky Frignit wrote:

All this is taken from wikipedia.

For example, Birmingham, AL, where I'm from, receives 54 inches of rain per year in 117 days.

Seattle, on the other hand, receives 38 inches of rain and 12 inches of snow per year in 155 days.

Birmingham! And you are running Kingmaker! I am also in Birmingham and running Kingmaker. Do I know you IRL somewhere?

Birmingham! I'm in Huntsville, but I'm not running Kingmaker.

-Skeld

I asked my wife to marry m at a Steak 'n' Shake.

-Skeld

This thread represents a whole new level of edition war trolling. Awesome.

-Skeld

I would expect that, as more and more people get closer to qualify to be in the special club, the requirements to get into the special club will continue to get harder to meet. That's the only way the club remains special and exclusive. Once you have too many 5-star GMs, 5-star GMs aren't very special anymore.

-Skeld