The-Last-Rogue's page

Probably been answered elsewhere,but my Perception is low.

I'm DMing a game with a bit of a newer player who is running a Magus. A few issues have arisen regarding Concentration Checks, Spell Combat, and Spellstrike.

I will lay out my scenarios below, and if someone could confirm or correct me, I'd much appreciate it:

A. Magus attacks with a +6 on a single normal attack with his sword.

B. If Magus uses Spell Combat, his sword attack now becomes a +4, and he may cast a spell. However, he needs to make a Concentration Check to cast defensively or else he takes an AoO. He can subtract from his attack bonus to further bolster his Concentration check (up to Int bonus).

C. Magus wants to use Spell Combat & Spellstrike. He makes a normal attack at +4. Makes a concentration check to cast shocking grasp, and then delivers the attack with his sword, again at a +4. If he hits, he deals the spell damage in addition to his sword damage.

D. Magus wants to make a single Spellstrike attack. After making a Concentration Check, he makes a single attack at his full attack bonus.

Sound about right? Am I mussing something up?

Thanks in advance.

I play a lot of games. As work and family life demands more of my free time, I've realized I've had to cut back on some games. Setting 4e aside for now, Fantasy Craft is too mechanical for me to get lost in currently . . .

Long story short, I've settled on Pathfinder for my "complex" fantasy gaming needs and Dragon Age for my "simple" gaming needs.

One thing I've noticed however, is that, despite PF's clear popularity, it lacks as solid a presence on the internet as one would think.

4e gamers/amateur designers have countless blogs, podcasts, and twitterfeeds dedicated to discussing that version of D&D. Heck, even Dragon Age has a burgeoning online community through twitter and a few blogs.

I know Paizo has this messageboard, weekly chats, and some fan podcasts (2), but am I missing worthwhile discussion elsewhere? Does this forum replace 4e's use of twitter as a haven for discussing the game? Are there few blogs because of the prevalence of 3rd party publishers?

Or am I missing something?

Thanks

MAC

Hey! My latest contribution to the fine folks at Alluria is up. A lot of people wrote a lot a quality stuff here.

Undersea rules, totally new base classes, races, and monsters, new feats, spells . . . it is a full-blown campaign setting. If you like the art from the Fey Folio or Creepy Bestiary, you will love the art, and abundance of it, in here as well.

Matthew AC

Scenario:

PCs fight off a bunch of bandits who are on horseback.

When figuring the XP budget would you count the horses total as well?

My inclination is to leave the horses out of it; they are essentially non-combatant except as directed by the bandits.

However, I'd like to hear other opinions before deciding.

Thanks in advance.

Hey guys,

Hope this is the right place to put this . . .

My profile will not allow me to edit it. Is there something I am missing? Or something that can be fixed with it?

Thanks in advance.

I wrote an article up at KQ (part 1) that will inject some more variety and roleplay into your rage powers.

Part 2 will be up tomorrow.

And it is live!

Hey guys, I wrote this (and the ennie honorable mention 4e version), and really hope you guys like it.

I'll answer questions as they arise, but I promise good story elements, dynamic monsters, useable magic items, advice for fey-heavy campaigns, killer art (cover is just one small example) and layout. All that, I swear.

I'll also scour the interwebs to find reviews not here at Paizo.

Like this one here.

I am seriously considering running a Monday or Wedensday Night Pathfinder Game.

The game would use current Pathfinder rules. 3rd party support would be allowed, after discussing it with me.

The game would run during the evenings (EASTERN STD TIME) - and would be run via a combination of Skype (free) and Gametable (also free).

Before I give full commitment to the game, I want to gauge interest. Is anyone here interested in this? You'd need to have one of those nights free.

So?

A little help here:

Are all the PFRPG prestige classes out to date of the 10 level progression?

If so, is this a deliberate choice on part of the design team?

For those of interested in reading campaign journals . . . I'll be starting one here. We game weekly so expect frequent updates, but I will also be posting a variety of other gaming stuff here.

Also, a question? Is it 'cool' to convert the CotCT bestiary to Pathfinder and post them up on a blog?

Sounds really fun! Kind of classic, "Hey we're heroes . . . we can handle this!" -type of beginning.

Any plan on arcing this one out?

Ok -- here we go:

HERE we see that monsters have a die assigned to them based on size when it comes to the damage that they deal.

HERE we see a feat that allows for a monster to progress up to the next best die.

HERE & HERE we see two examples that do not match up. According to the rules, as I see them, the gargoyles claw attack as a medium creature should be a base 1d4 and the mummies slam should be as well. Note that neither creature takes the Improved Natural Attack feat.

What gives?

I know that monster's have a certain damage output to reach, and thus need to do a certain amount of damage. But if we are kowtowing to that maxim, why have the feat in the first place? It seems useless.

I am sure I am missing something and that someone will illuminate it for me -- my interest lies purely in the fact I wanted to homebrew some baddies, and am wondering how, if, this feat may play into their stats.

Thanks in advance.

Hey everyone, the last year or so I've been eyeball deep in 4e, but I am gearing up to run my first full blown PF game. However, I find myself a bit rusty with the rules. For the most part, the book itself has been very clear, but the following question came up.

Check the following stat blocks on the PF SRD:

Goblin Warchanter - Goblin Bard 1 (CR 1/2)
Goblin Commando - Goblin Ranger 1 (CR 1/2)
Orik Vancaskerkin - Human Fighter 3 (CR 2)

What am I missing here? I thought that a leveled creature, if it is the base, has a CR = to the level of their classes. Therefore in order the CRs should be 1, 1, 3?

What am I missing?

Dear Customer Service,

My old nickname on your forums was The Last Rogue. My email was mcicci@iupui.edu --> This e-mail is now defunct, and I can no longer access my old account here. What can I do to fix this? I have a variety of downloads I would like to access.

Thanks.

Is actually pretty good. I hope they do not cancel it.
Spectacular Spider-man

I know, Joela does a better job of this than anyone, but it may not hurt to have a thread to discuss these things.

For player options try Adamant's new line of Warlock Pacts [url]http://adamantenter.livejournal.com/[/url]

And for DMs looking to add to their creature collection, check out Blackdirge's Critter Cache, which is available here at Paizo. They are currently two collections out, along with some encounter add-ons.

Good stuff.

It is a funny word, huh?
I am looking for a system to hang a Modern (perhaps, turn of the century) gritty/grim type of game on.

The game will have elements of the supernatural (magic, monsters, etc), but I want it to be a rule set that really supports this type of play.

I love D&D . . . but 3.x nor 4e make pulling off this game to easy. While it is arguable, and I agree somewhat, that style of game (grim & gritty, in this case) is dependent more on DMing than rules, there gets to be a certain point in any edition of D&D that the PCs just bring too much to the table to be worried about more mundane threats.

I have been thinking Savage Worlds or True20, or even Mutants & Masterminds, but am open (see also: asking) for suggestions, experiences, and thoughts.

Right now I am running a 4e game that captures the Sword & Sorcery/pulp feel well, but I am getting nostalgia for some grit.

So the 4e SRD has stat block templates and the like. But what is the best way for me to make use of them. I'd like to put them in a word doc if at all possible.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Hey guys, I thought I would just post a general critique/praise thread for the races.

I open it to everyone who has some comments they want to make on the races; hopefully, this way it will be clean, neat, and, therefore, easy for the designers to take note of.

DWARVES:

Hits:
1> The standard fare is the same; personally, I like my dwarves wielding axes, having constitution bonuses, and possessing the 3 S's - Slow, Steady, Stable. Also, I like seeing the options carried through with Hatred and Defensive Training . . . as long as the story/history of Dwarves backs this up.

Misses:

1> Charisma as a penalty. I understand the gruffness aspect, but what this does via game mechanics I have always found odd (not just here, but any racial charisma penalty). Essentially, this penalty is saying that Dwarves actually find themselves to be less charismatic than other races on the whole . . .even Elves. I know I am reading a bit much into this, but it is just a pet peeve kind of thing.

2> Greed. I like the concept of the ability, as it, along with Keen Senses, Hatred, etc., add flavor to the dwarf. It is just that the name Greed is a bit connotative, eh?

Thoughts:
? - In my homebrew Dwarves ancient connection to the earth and their mountainous homes has granted them stone-like skin. This results in a +1 Natural Armor bonus. Obviously, other things would have to be tuned down in order for this to be implemented, but I just felt like throwing it out there for discussion.

ELVES:

Disclaimer - I have always been of the mind that Elves should be sorcerers. Why? Because in most literature they are described as inherently magical (a la the sorcerer), they are described as having an unearthly appeal or charisma (a la the 3.5 sorcerer), and rarely are they portrayed as studious or bookish (a la the classic wizard). So that may color my view of the elf.

So before I continue, again this is my opinion . . .a lot of this stuff looks mechanically sound, just thought I'd argue for a flavor change while I was at it.

Hits:
1> Racial ability adjustments. Again I would bump Charisma, but if you are going to play the Elven people as highly intelligent wizards these changes work.
2> Elven Magic. Yeah, something that at least somewhat speaks to the fact that Elven magic is considered 'special' in some regard. I like that this addresses the magical nature of elves.

Misses:
1> Unearthly Beauty: It is weird seeing a racial ability that essentially tells the DM to ignore as he sees fit. Just seems out of place in a core rule book. Other than that, I suggest a +2 Charisma bump to capture the feel of this power and then see also my disclaimer above.

Crawling back to you . . .great song by _________________ (for a cookie).

Anyways, I just re-subscribed to Pathfinder because of all this.

I had always maintained a modules subscription because I want to support Paizo, but had canceled the AP because my group and I were leaning towards giving a real big try with 4e.

We still might.

But, even though you may have seen me argue for 4e or wonder aloud if Paizo can be viable with a 3.X game in the face of 4e, I only did so because I care about the products that Paizo puts out. Their ideas synch well with my own, and their customer service is absolutely unrivaled.

I will likely still look at 4e . . .I do have hopes of getting something published in the gaming world after all, but when it comes down to it, you got to make a decision . . .today I choose Paizo.

Now to go convice my group ;)

I am a Pathfinder subscriber. Am I right in believing that I get a discount on items in the store because of it, or am I misremembering?

The reason I ask is because nothing I put in my cart (Guide to Korvosa) will add the discount.

Thanks

Just starting a thread for people to offer their likes and concerns regarding Pathfinder.

LIKES:

- Not surprisingly, I loved the Rogue love you guys gave. Liked talents, would like to see more.

- Love domain and school powers . . .way to counter the thought that these guys have nothing to do when they run out of spells. One minor issue is the idea that every Evoker (for example) has fire ray to start with . . .perhaps offer element of your choice.

CONCERNS:

- Nothing yet. I am interested and optimistic to see how monsters come into play and a further refining of the XP/Encounter system . . .even if it means a whole new MM or some such business.

- When will the modules and Pathfinder switch over?

Congrats on your decision and best of luck guys! I am truly impressed with the work that went into that PDF.

Who uses them?

Are they excellent?

Arem they flexible, as in varied enough to create a great number of dungeons with them?

General likes and dislikes?

Thanks for any info . . .I am considering using them heavily in my next campaign, but wanted to here what the community has to say.

They are.

Anyone use Arcana Evolved? Just looking for some opinions on it. I have read a decent number of reviews, but any more info is useful. Thanks.

Sorry guys, but is it possible to make order #845976 and # 831520 ship at the same time. They maybe already, but better safe than sorry. If you can't, no big deal, thanks for looking into it.

When it says updated to 3.5, are the referencing the print edition as well?

As per my other post --

Well, I feel like I can't pass up on this sale -- but I like to research a little before I buy.

Could some kind gamer inform me what to expect in this book? It'd be much appreciated.

Mainly does this class have any new base classes?

Well, I feel like I can't pass up on this sale -- but I like to research a little before I buy.

Could some kind gamer inform me what to expect in this book? It'd be much appreciated.

I was missed on the PF#2 and the subsequent GameMastery module. No biggie, as it has been scheduled as a sidecart for my next delivery. My concern is it has me being charged? I will check my bank records, but haven't I already been charged?

Thanks for your time; I appreciate it as always.

Very cool idea guys . . .you continue to impress. And now I can take heart that if my outline doesn't cut it . . . I can try again!!!!

Warlocks

Yes, you need to sign in to ddi to read it.

Over on the digital dragon there is an 'article' that generalizes some alterations to the core mechanic.

Young aspiring author alert!

I have been building up a folder of short fiction suitable for the literary magazine market.

I currently have a story out at a publication; they respond in 6-8 weeks. It has been 10 weeks and no word.

I plan on writing an e-mail after one more week (if not sooner).

My concern is how should I approach this. I think we all know the life of an editor is a busy one, and I would hate for a poorly timed e-mail to have some effect on my work or future works.

Any suggestions or, better yet, experiences?

Thanks all. I appreciate it.

This article is up. What do you guys think?

It is up on Wiz's site. Interesting; deals with the fluff behind it. I, being an unabashed 4e lover, think it is a decent article if a bit open-ended.

Awesome. Very excited.

Now, just to make sure . . you are still not taking any moster requests of Pathfinder are you yet? (This may be answered in the PDF, but I am at work and have not downloaded it yet.)

Anyways, I can't wait to send something in / see what my fellow Paizo fans have to offer.

Oathday, 1st of Rova. Sandpoint

The lingering warmth of summer still holds to the Lost Coast. The temperature and sunshine have blessed Sandpoint and The Swallowtail Festival. Kids scamper about waving brightly colored paper mockeries of butterflies. Men and women alike holler, laugh, and share hearty conversation as others set up food carts, tents, and the like. The occasional guard will walk through, but is often engaged completely in the festivities like all the other residents of the village.
The temple itself, the reason for the enhanced celebration, is brightly decorated with streamers hanging from its walls and flowers blooming from its gardens. The new chapel stands proud and tall, a bastion of faith and religion.
Thought the town, especially the square outside of the church, buzz with bustle and activity, a spreading and respectful quiet begins to possess the revelers as Mayor Deverin takes the stage for the opening speech.
The slim woman stands upon the makeshift stage erected in front of the new temple and smiles. She raises her arms out and begins a welcoming speech. Her words are encouraging as she mentions a new era of prosperity for Sandpoint. Her speech is littered with jokes and anecdotes, both raucous and sublime . . .Playwright Drokkus even interrupts to note that his mayor was such an accomplished jester, much to the mirth of the citizens.
The mood does shift, but only for a second, as Sherriff Hemlock reminds people to be safe, and leads the town through a moment of silence for those who lost their lives 5 years ago in the fire. Playwright Drokkus takes the stage and with an impromptu limerick about Das Korvut, lightens the mood. Finally, Father Zantus himself declares the festival underway.
A few magical prestidigitations take effect showering the sky with puffs of animated smoke resembling the holy symbols of the faith. The crowd soon dissipates into eating, drinking, gaming, and general carousal.
Feel free to mingle, tell me what you are doing, or meet other party members. I will pick the action back up a few hours after the opening speeches.

Anybody seen this? Any info on it?

Interesting stuff about wizards channeling through staves, wands, books, and orbs. Check it out on the site.

Create a Monster contest but no submission guidelines! Paizo you big tease! ;P

Hey guys, can someone point me to good examples of 'Side Trek' adventures?

The reason I ask is that in my long history of gaming I have never, ever ran modules or APs for my group. That has begun to change with Pathfinder and GameMastery. In part, the reason I am doing so is because the prep time of creating everything for a group can be a bit ardous and time-consuming to the say the least (though abundantly rewarding, as well). I have decided to put this time spent on gaming to further my own hopes of establishing a small, meager side-career in writing (both in gaming and outside).

To cut to the chase (too late?), WoTC is definitely the place for new writers to get published now that they have assumed creative control over Dungeon/Dragon, and they seem to hint at a demand for Side Treks. I have written many an 'adventure' for my gaming group, but would like to see some quality Side Treks as a guideline. I understand the concept, but, as with most things in life, a close example can only be beneficial.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for those of who you reply, double thanks!

Like it, love it, hate it? I have never played but it sounds interesting?

So what is the consensus? And how does it measure up against D&D monsters and the like. Thanks.

It is raining. Nothing serious, no lightning flashes across the grey Autumn sky, no thunder peals with a crash. No. The rain is more timid than that, sparse needling drops that come slowly, lightly, but without end.

The road leading to the ferry, the road which had led you all here, is nothing more than mud and slop.

A guard, slim and young with just the beginning wisps of facial hair eyed each passenger as they approached. Those with armed with weapons, he would offer a slight glance to. "Keep your weapons to your self in Falcon's Hollow. The Consortium doesn't take kindly to ruffians out here."

The ferry is lightly populated. Besides the two guards, a few sturdy looking men who man the rope,a knot of new lumberjacks, and a pot-bellied dwarf woman who calls herself captain of the dingy ferry a only a few passengers stand out:

A solidly built man of dark skin Oso peers over the boat's edge studying his reflection in the River Foam. He watches his face appear and disperse as the rain drops shatter the water's surface tension.

A skinny youthful man with ashen skin and unruly hair Bobek taps his spear against the floor of the ferry in an impatient cadence.

A tall, handsome youth, barely a man, with a well-cared for goatee and piercing eyes Chalen surveys the people gathered on the ferry. His eyes roam taking in the people with a cursory glance; it is a sharp gaze that doesn't settle on one victim.

Another young man Malleon, two swords strapped at his side, immediately strides towards the front of the boat. He shields his face from the cool rain and studies the shore where the town of Falcon's Hollow nestles.

Lastly, a young striking woman with pale hair Louinor takes position at the rear of the boat. She stands proud, head upturned, eyes challenging.

You are all on the ferry to Falcon's Hollow. The ferry simply crosses one side of the River Foam to the other via men pulling on a rope.

Most the passengers keep quiet, bundling up against the steady drizzle. However, one man, stocky and short with perhaps a touch of elven blood will not stop talking. He stands amidst the group of new lumberjacks. "Lads your gonna love it. Good pay. Good eats. Good drink. Aye, it is a hards day work to get it, but thats only honest work so nothing to scoff." He goes on extolling the benefits of the job but ends somberly his voice dipping. "Ya may want to stay out of town proper for a bit though boys. A nasty cough has been ripping righ on through it; killing the sick, old, and young. Only Irori knows how to cure it, and he ain't telling."

Irori is a god of knowledge