Thornborn's page

I volunteer to play Terry. :)

So you envision a thousand-year-old elf drinks such a potion, and stands there as an adolescent elf with a thousand years of scars?

What about missing teeth? Hair?

Consider, please, this is a polymorph effect, not an illusion.

Also, please, answer all the questions, not just the cherries and the plums.

Thornborn wrote:

I hope that's clear enough.

It's not, at least not to me.

What exactly is the question?

When that witch tries to hit something with her hair, what does she add to the d20 roll vs the target AC?

Consider if you will, Sam. Sam Ple, lately of Riddleport.

Sam is 80 years old, and has spent a life at sea, which shows in the weathering of his face. He's worked hard, in a dangerous business, and on his 30th birthday, Sam lost a finger in a duel over the attentions of his intended, Annie Ple, known at that time as Annie Body. In that same duel, Sam gained a saber scar on his left cheek. Annie is a bit of a Hedge Witch, and she maintains a Scar Hex on Sam. She has done this since she learned the Hex, when Sam was 35.

On Sam's 80th birthday, his son Simon gifts Sam and Annie with potions of Youthful Appearance, one for Sam, and another for Annie. Drinking them, they are both returned to their appearance at 20 years of age...

Or are they?

Do the potions fix:
A: Sam's weathered face?
B: Sam's missing finger?
C: Sam's scarred cheek?
D: Annie's marks of carrying Simon and his sister, Dim?
E: The magical Scar from the Scar Hex?

Please answer in the following format:

A: Face, yes.
B: Finger, no.
C: Cheek, yes.
D: Stretch Marks, yes.
E: Hex Scar, no.

(Those are my answers and opinions, but should not influence yours)

I hope that's clear enough.

Please restrict your answers to the form of a number. All possible elaborations of the answers can already be found on the forums, and have left this question unclear, even to VOs. So PLEASE, answer with a number. If you find the question worthy, please FAQ+ it.

Some possible answers:

+3

-2

Thank you all for your attention.

Eh. No good reason to hate. It's not as silly as high heels for fighting. It's still a layer of steel. And the 'which way weapons slide' argument only holds if the person in the armor is also wearing a gorget, etc. Boob-bump armor is as ridiculous as an overlarge codpiece, and that's how I tend to see it. Artists and writers take note, I don't see 'stacked armored babe', I see 'needs to advertise'. Which is about as flattering on a female as on a male. (However true it may be for either).

The first couple sections of that list: (later sections all more expensive)

Bandages of rapid recovery 200 gp
Quick runner's shirt 1,000 gp (A winner)
Endless bandolier 1,500 gp
All tools vest 1,800 gp
Vest of surgery 3,000 gp (Brent, want to go halfsies?)
Sash of the war champion 4,000 gp
Sipping jacket 5,000 gp
Tunic of careful casting 5,000 gp
Vest of escape 5,200 gp (+4 Disable Device, but we can't afford this)
Cackling hag's blouse 6,000 gp (+2 intimidate. Grrr.)
Deadshot vest 6,000 gp
Prophet's pectoral 6,000 gp
Tunic of deadly might 6,000 gp
Vest of the vengeful tracker 6,000 gp
Resplendent uniform coat 7,000 gp

Meg and Brenton could maybe chip in together on a Vest of Surgery, which lets us DC20 to heal d4 Ability damage 1/day. I think we'll get spells for that soon, though.

Baring that, Quick Runner's Shirt, extra move action once a day, for 700? Good deal. Get to them before they act, and they are flat-footed, mister rogue. We should have one, so Meg's going to buy it.

I suspect you have the kind of GM who looks for reasons to say 'No'. This is perhaps the most fatiguing sort of GM. Because why try anything new, when you're just going to be shot down?

I suggest you begin asking questions in the form of 'If our enemy X wanted to Y, using Z resource, could they do that?'

Because then, the GM is looking for a reason to say 'Yes'.

Your GM may not even be aware they are doing this. They may even feel they have a duty to 'check for the No' before really thinking about things. If it's any comfort, some will do research, find 5 Yes, 1 No, and get stuck on the No. Dutifully, of course.

To which, I have been known to say, "Well, that is remarkably not fun.", and walk away.

If we can repair it, we have several good options:

Boost your STR.
Let Beppo/Tess use it, for the rare times we're at range.
Sell it.

But selling it broken is probably less smart than selling it after it's fixed.

So I've got it as yours, on this QM report:

I'm sure your reasonability and maturity will eventually carry the day.

I don't think it will be this day.

"This glove? It's actually the skinned hand of the orcish shaman I took this wand from..."

"...I'm darned happy the wand doesn't have a command word."

I don't think it's useless. It adds a healer to the party. It makes the fighter able to heal the healer if needed.

You know that situation where half the party is hurt, and the cleric is about to channel? Charge the tear up from one of the un-hurt folk, before the channel.

I have a Tovenaar built around regeneration, he totally needs one of these. :)

Offhand, I'd say dip a bard level for the whip proficiency, not sure what Archetypes might work well, or a Spire Defender Magus and take whip or scorpion whip.

There is cheese, as I see it, in using Arcane Mark to get that 2nd attack. Is it legit? Apparently, yes. But even the developer said 'no rulings here', so he was smelling the cheese.

So if you use it, prepare for charges of cheese. If you get it accepted at the table, be accepting of Spellcraft-capable foes identifying the lack of danger in the Arcane Mark spell, and not providing the opening for your weapon strike. You get to deliver that touch attack, and leave an Arcane Mark. And at my table, you don't get to declare it's on their forehead, cheek, nose, or cornea... unless they are already subdued.

What's a Magus to do? (switching from GM's viking helmet to my Magus' feathered broadbrim...)

Cast Chill Touch before the engagement. When the too-clever foe too-cleverly allows the Arcane Mark, he can read in the runes, "Thought he was more clever than (personal rune)", and take damage and fatigue. And then again, when you use the normal weapon strike.

Get a Touch Injection elixir and whatever nasty surprise to put in it. Waters of Lamashtu, perhaps.

Play a Hexcrafter Magus, and use Brand.

Research a 1-HP-damage Cantrip, Nugent's Catscratch, perhaps.

what do you guys think of this:

"What are the names of those thought, by one or more agents of the city, to be Shades of Grey?"

Claiming confusion...

Your email trumps whatever I say, anyway.

I will re-issue soon.

How can we know what the random pool is? IF it's 6 good feats, this is a good deal, if it's 35 feats and mostly dross, not so much.

Agreed for the QM. Actual update this evening.

Shades of Grey Quartermaster's Report

Excuse me, kind of a noob question, but how do you guys put your stats in your "header" for each post? Is it just simply cut & paste each time you post?

Race and gender lines in profile

How exhalted is reason
When it can defeat itself
Like a schoolboy tease of stone too heavy
Is't deific? Or damned? To succeed.

I now bemoan technology
E'en though it pays my bills
For all through the long yesterday
We fought our war of wills

I'm winning, yes, at least for now
(No, not like Charlie Sheen)
And will participate, I vow
When done with this machine

Thank you, PH. My GM cites that exact thread in support of his opinion (and ruling) that Prehensile Hair is a secondary attack, even when it's the only natural attack I have.

My understanding of the Natural Weapon rules is that if a human (or other creature without natural attacks) gains a single natural attack, and uses it without other attacks, the natural attack is considered a primary natural attack.

I think that means that a human with Prehensile Hair can attack with only the hair, and attack at full BAB, INT bonus to hit, and 1.5 'STR' (That is, 1.5 INT bonus, for Prehensile Hair) bonus to damage.

If the witch also tries to use a dagger, for instance, the Prehensile Hair becomes secondary, which would be BAB-5+INT to hit, INT/2 bonus to damage. Which is not a BAD deal, because the dagger attack is as good as it ever was going to be. The hair is just a bonus.

I should say that my current GM has ruled my Prehensile Hair is always at -5, and half the stat bonus to damage. And he's a VO, so there's obviously still room for disagreement.

I think the first three paragraphs of this post are entirely correct, and I would love to be supported or corrected by a designer.

Good luck, OP.

Kinda gone a few hours here without any further comments, so it must be time to move this along...

I've been fighting uphill here, hope to catch up. Looks like because I didn't push to get in diplomacy, bad stuff happened, and now we'll be too busy to make it right. Feeling not so much the hero.

Shades of Grey Quartermaster's Report

I'll do the bookwork, then. Using this icon.

First, a list of us:

Aemon
Beppo
Corellon
Devil
Edmond/Brandon
Kyle
Tessai

No slight intended to Brandon, but Edmond is a unique initial, and lets me use one character for brevity.

Next, a list of swag. I'll be using these flags:
? = Location unclear
$ = Marked for sale
ABCDEKT = in possession of
P = held by party

Examples of Combinations (pastPRESENTfuture):
.D$ = Devil has it, but we'll sell it soonest
bDb = Devil has it, but it belongs to Beppo
dD? = Anybody want to borrow this from Devil?
d?d = Devil lost this, and wants it back
d?$ = Devil had it, where is it? Just sell it, already

kKk Ring of Fascination
??c BlueHood's Cloak of Shadow and Space
??d Cloak of Eagle
??P Wand of Cat's Grace, 7 Charges
cCc Burgler's Bracers
? Handy Haversack
? Unknown Pearl
D Runecursed note

Potions:
Cure Moderate
Good Hope
Protection from Arrows

Scrolls:

Well, something like that, is what I'll be doing. Please shout out anything you remember, There's a lot to comb through.

From when we were talking about buying a CLW wand. This is probably all our discounts.

GM-JCServant wrote:

Essentially, 25% on all curing scrolls, potions and wands available at the temple. Anything that cures, heals or restores using up to level 3 magic.

I've been digging... also 10% off maps, and 20% off in-stock items at Savah's Armory.

OK, so at 25% off 750 for CLW wand that's going to cost 562.5, and need to be a group effort. Put me down for a fair share of 140GP, for now.

I'll email shortly.

Oof. If only those howlers hadn't rolled so well on their Knowledge(PC feats) checks and timed their attacks accordingly.

It does seem silly to say this, but you should, I suppose, have readied your attack not for when one of them charged, but for when they all had. The 'they move/we move' timing lulled you into the false perception that they would, you know, all move before your response. I feel badly about it, because if you had charged, you'd have had two or three, maybe. I really do feel the battle line with spears is smarter, especially against these pricklies.

If last too long, here's eight-line song:

When one grapples succubi, go right for the pin
No, do not linger in the clinch, it's not a fight you'll win
Don't kiss the supple demoness, as from you your strength drains
And grinning, she will sup her fill, and discard what remains

So, when you grapple succubi, try coming from behind
And, quickly, now, control the head, of beauty most unkind
And keep those luscious lips well clear, of all your flesh, my son
They're simply just too perilous, for all they seem like fun

Unclear, unwise, and uninformed
Relevance here eludes me
So under seal, some rhyme ill-formed
In hope you'll not refuse me

It's no treething, to Riddleport
will on a lost horse ride
But bowman, witchman, merchantman
And half an elf beside!

Somewhere in a distant wood
His cubes of bone and oak
And stone and steel, each dif'rent feel
He rattled, and he spoke:

"When witchling favored by Dead-eye
Black rider on horse lost
Will ride next into Riddleport..."

The tree-thing knew the next words he would say, but he rattled the cubes, and, throwing them, roared the question:

"Gold, goods, and garb! WHAT COST?!"

4d610 + 10 ⇒ (258, 29, 283, 16) + 10 = 596 The gremlins giggled, and the treething gathered his cubes, and cast again:

4d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 2, 2) = 14 * 10 = 140 + 10 = 150

Glaring at the gremlins, Thornborn gathered up his cubes, careful to remember each upturned face, as though each were important.

"Never ask a Bug what's for lunch. Never ask a Prootwaddle ANYTHING."

You know, I still sometimes charge with a polearm for the extra damage, and then find out, oh, right, not in this system.

Was I supposed to ID all the references?

it is interesting, i was actually planning a diplomatic meeting with the ifrit but gunser made him mad lol

that combined with the worst string of perceptions i have ever seen started it.

I would like to at least conclude the spire of nex. Then evaluate.

He got mad that he was posing as a thief and I called him a thief?

Or he got mad that instead of looting from his horde, I put 500GP of +2 on every KN skill INTO his horde?

Or he got mad at my lack of drooling goggle-eyed greed at his arrayed treasures?

Well, now he can get mad when he fails to surrender, and I put my oar up side his cloaca!

He's a damn fool, and Gunser is tired of giving out benefit of the doubt. From now on, it's all cluebat. :)

I don't speak psionics, sorry. But I can riff:

These here Phase Spiders have webs they use to contain their young until the young are grown enough to break free... and the webs block your teleport.

This square-grid-tiled room is defended by statuary of chess pieces, that move only very slowly, but when moving in the same way as the piece they represent, can teleport and attack. The path they took remains a valid teleport path for you, in either direction, but otherwise you are a King. If you take the emblem from a destroyed statue, you can move like that piece when you teleport. Your other party members can also use this trick, but it burns out the emblem.

I have a magus who used a Grease on a climbing enemy, and then Silent Image to make it look like the Grease spread out over ALL the walls.

But I do have to say, the inconsistent interpretation of illusion spells, and things like 'Silent Image can't flank, but Invisible Silent guy can', are why people build Big Dumb Fighters and Flavor of the Month builds, because the Creative Players union has membership of one, and the Cheese of the Month club is legion.

"It's three thousands. It's traditional. Besides, if I'd charged less, I'd have more work than I wanted. And if I charged more, I'd have none at all, with others chargin' less. Now do ye want the damn dagger or not?"

(Customer pays, leaves)

"...I was afraid he'd bring up them arrowheads."

Adamantium: Arrowheads. Even if only for cutting notches in your sword, or graffiti and such. A file if you can get it. Wedges, cubes, bars. And a weapon(s) that can double as a digging tool.

Hybridization Funnel: Take 10 minutes, combine two splash weapons into one, which goes inert in an hour. My local GM has ruled the Alchemist bonus to splash damage applies twice when using one of these 'ketchup-and-mustard-gas' weapons. Your GM might disagree.

Beppo likes the idea of selling the stolen loot, but once Devil describes the parade and the debutante, his response changes to, Give me the sword. Keep the cloaks. Give back the jewels.

LOL. Thanks. Devil's laughin' in my head, and the boy needed the lift.

Well, they're legal. They may be overpowered, depending on your tolerance for cheese.

If I had to GM such, sometimes it's very handy to have a character among the PCs with immunity and resistance and such. And nobody is immune to everything, so if I had to find a kryptonite, there's always options.

For me, the greatest problem with any degree of racial or class or feat/domain/spell power is when it becomes a flavor of the month, or the One True Way. If I looked around and saw nothing but Aasimars, if I went to build and felt I HAD to start with an Aasimar/Orc/Power Attack/Sleep Hex, or I'd be somehow weak... that's when X is over-power.

I guess, when the power of X is greater than the cool of X, that's when I don't want to see more of it.

Aasimars have a way to go before that.

Suddenly 'castaway' ghost: Not every spell has material components. And nothing keeps him from reading via Spellcraft any magic books he can get to. He may not even need to have the book opened.

Established ghost: His new spellbook is tacked to the walls of a secret room. He's learned Eschew Material Components. He's got a pair of ghost-touch gloves (invisible/permanency'd) for the expensive stuff.

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Sorry if my old-school knowledge of Imp is wrong, but can't they commune? To wit (after Screwtape):

Dear Wormsnot-

I read with humor your description of the dilemma created in that group of adventurers you've traveled with of late. While I typically care too little to advise so directly, I have elected in this instance to make an exception.

Procure a net sized for yourself, and a tiny sharp blade of steel. Carry it with you into the room where the noisome nuisance sleeps. Poison him with your tail. Drape the net over yourself, cut a hole in the net, and leave it on the floor nearby. Pull the dead nuisance onto yourself, with one of their weapons nearby as if fallen. Raise a cry for help. Plead the case of self-defense. 'He was going to kill me!', 'I cut my way out of the net!', 'I stung him with my tail...' Feigned remorse at this last seems prudent. Do keep your statements to whole but misleading truths; we have a reputation to uphold.

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This is kind of topical. I'll leave it here, with the superscript that both sides can be wrong at once in these questions. And the other guy being wrong doesn't change how wrong you might be.

Mourn the lost mage, Rtilliu
(Hurloff his first name)

Who wanted to be half-ogre
(Just 'big' was not the same)

The GM said, "Your eyes don't glow"
"Your teeth are normal, too"

But Hurloff had his self-image
'The demon-mage Rtilliu'

I recount so you'll be assured
None of these weighed a wit

And all was fair and above board
When Hurloff, while stirge-bit

Did cast his lonely magic spell
And Mage Armor did form

Around Hurloff, and the stirge too!
(Which kept both snuggly warm)

Mourn the lost mage, Rtilliu
(Hurloff his first name)

Who wanted to be half-ogre
(just 'big' was not the same)

"I realize you probably haven't had the sort of life and experiences that would allow you to understand me, even, let alone Calistria. I want you to know that I don't fault you for that."

If your GM agrees that the mouth of a statue opens to speak, and that a ring held in that mouth would fall, you can rig a big net with MMs at four corners, to drop when a command is given. Meantime, it's a safety net for men working in the tops, can speed them back to the deck, drop into it, then flip down from the edge to the deck.

If the rings can drop, a lot can be done that way. But GMs will vary on the ring trick. Watch Labyrinth with your GM first, maybe. You'll see what I mean...

And ponder the use of an animated picture (figurehead? statue?) not as a combatant, but as a distraction and alarm. Costly wondrous item, but far more versatile than Magic Mouth.

A serious question, then... Does it actually make sense to have different profession skills at all? After all, if we are only covering the business side of things, there is little reason to think that courtesan, miller and caravanneer would function differently. You know how to balance expenses, how to get new customers, how to judge the value of investments, how to keep customers happy, and so on. There is some variation, but still. Do we need different Profession skills?

I think it's possible our modern setting is informing your perception of the similarity of various management functions across the professions. You are entirely correct, but you come from an age where there is vocabulary and understanding and courses for 'managerial' skills. In the earlier age I think most of us model our settings on, these skills are hard-won over years, starting as an apprentice or shopkeep or such. And while yes, they are transferable skillsets, they are not (in most settings) seen as such. The only transferable 'credit' most employers/employees/customers would allow, they'd refer to and think of as "can read and right" shading toward "man of letters", or "made her fortune in brothels". Possibly even just "rich folk".

I think the point I'm trying to make is that we moderns have the concept of a professional manager, transferable like an interchangeable part, into multiple businesses. While the more ancient settings might lack such a concept, and have managers who are only incidentally and accidentally managers, growing into that role between loading wheat hulls into the mill (miller) or watering the mules (caravaneer). Skipping right past the (courtesan), there. :)

take your time, throw up a character, the main story that needs to be filled in is.

What are you doing in the Spire of Nex?

"Is that what this is called? Is that why the holes between worlds? Do they reopen? Do they have a pattern? I have an intention to return..."

Which translates to: came through a portal?

I'll have to read up on Mythic, but I'll step in.