TrickyOwlbear's page

My friend the Owlbear, you just sold your product. :) I'll be buying this as soon as payday comes around. I'd never even heard of it before now, but that'll work out perfectly with a PC in my home campaign. (Codenamed "Unfrozen Caveman Mage")

Seriously, though, it does sound like a good fit with your campaign. More than one of the "spell secrets" returns an effect that a given spell may have lost in translation from previous editions...effects your "caveman mage" would already know, I'd wager.

Tricky Owlbear currently has one long series of spell-intensive products (the "Behind the Spells" line) and we placed the first 3 dozen pdfs into one volume--the BtS: Compendium. It seemed like a no-brainer to have it available in pdf and in PRINT form (I'm a prefer print person myself). You can find a brief rundown of alterations to the Compendium needed for your Pathfinder game in this very forum.

As pdf products from a single line grow, I don't know why more publishers wouldn't take advantage of collecting them and selling the work in both formats.

It's been awhile since the last pdf in the series but Tricky Owlbear Publishing, Inc. is pleased to now release the 9th in the Behind the Monsters line--Roper! These pdfs follow a format similar to that found in the popular Behind the Spells series (also presented by Tricky Owlbear Publishing) so chances are good that, if you enjoy that series, this one will also strike your fancy. Each issue is narrated by Jadrin Nelv, monk of the Order of the Sacred Branch. Jadrin schools novice monks in the ways of the multiverse's creatures and we, the readers, get to listen in. Whether you're a player or a GM, you will find something of use within these pages.

BtM: Roper includes many character advantages (different ways your PC can tactically fight the beast), six new roper variants, and three new items! You can purchase this release right here at Paizo.com!

The guest author for this issue is Stefen Styrsky, frequent contributor to Open Design and the DM Sketchpad!

Another review for the Abbey has appeared over at OBS. Have a look!

If you think about it "in-game" then you could theorize that all magic is under the purview of your campaign's deity of magic. He or She oversees all magic and, really, both divine and arcane casters tap the same source just in different ways. Clerics call upon their gods directly while mages utilize their own language to tap the free-standing energies established by the deity. But, if you take a look at most of the spells there is that anomalous somatic component. This could be universal to both areas of magic and, therefore, identifiable to all casters.

Several folks have inquired about a Pathfinder-compatible version of our popular Behind the Spells: Compendium pdf. I suspected there would be little to update and, indeed, was proven correct as I combed through the book today. 99% of the work is compatible already but, of course, there's always a couple things that need attention due to some minor changes from 3.5 to Pathfinder. Thus, I decided that I would simply post the "errata" to make the Compendium Pathfinder-compatible right here in the forum...

Dispel Magic: remove the "Area Dispel" section from the second spell secret

Shield: replace the Strength check with the combat maneuver bonus when attempting the bull rush for the first spell secret

Web: replace the Strength checks with combat maneuver bonuses (the DC for these and Escape Artist checks is the DC of the spell)

Wish/Limited Wish: ignore the spell secrets dealing with XP

Aside from these fixes, you must also account for skill changes such as Spot = Perception, Decipher Script = Linguistics, etc. These are seldom encountered as most skill checks in the book deal with Spellcraft and Knowledge.

That's it! Now, you needn't hesitate in picking up BtS: Compendium to bring your spellcaster up to full potential.

I wasn't going to comment on the "worthiness" in terms of the money because, really, every person's view is different. I will say that, sure, I could have cut the cost by not having a map or artwork but Pathfinder products deserve those extra trimmings. All comments are welcome, though, so thanks for those offered so far!

Ah, Dale beat me to the punch to post some PR over here. I was waiting for the Paizo web-workers to make the product live...which has now happened!

You can purchase this well-crafted pdf HERE!

This is the first in what will likely be a series of standalone locale products (depending on the sales). All comments and critiques are welcome.

Ah, so Henry I ascendant and just after the First Crusades. The overland map is of less importance (that's the benefit of the whole history section being your supplement section.) than the other maps.

And I missed the other point-- is there a fair amount of supernatural interaction? None?

Thanks,

-Ben.

Hi, Ben. We're talking 1104 for the year. I don't want to overstate the overland map detail for you in case that's what you're banking on--the one map illustrates the outpost's location in relation to the city of Chester. The other maps are of the outpost itself, an interior of the church within, and the bad guy's lair.

Hope that helps!

And now available from Paizo!

You can see an art preview here at my blog.

Is Your Faith Strong Enough?

In 12th-century England, the Welsh-English border is an unstable place. But one Christian outpost is determined to make its stand--with the PCs help, of course! Part adventure and part setting, A Matter of Faith is a 1st-level adventure designed for beginner Game Masters and brings 3.5/OGL fantasy adventure to medieval England. Once the adventure is completed, the outpost will make the perfect home for the new adventuring party.

A Matter of Faith provides...
* A murder-mystery featuring equal parts roleplaying and combat
* Detailed maps of the Malbank Outpost, its church, and the English landscape around it
* Over 20 fully-detailed NPCs that bring the Malbank Outpost to life
* Numerous adventure possibilities that use the outpost as a backdrop (including a quest for a religious item of biblical proportions!)

Will your novice characters have enough faith both in their abilities and in their hearts to overcome the forces of evil and save the outpost from certain doom?

This adventure retails for $5.95 and should be up very shortly here!

Greetings, folks! I wanted to post a small art preview for our first Pathfinder-compatible product: Abbey of the Golden Sparrow

You can check out that preview HERE!

With today's article--Unseen Servant--Tricky Owlbear's series for koboldquarterly.com comes to an end. We've had a fun 11 issues with Wolfgang and company but now the series returns to the nest where it will continue in its normal, longer format. As always, you can stay tuned to Tricky Owlbear on twitter, via my blog, or the TO blog. Thanks for reading!

these are cool I'll have to peruse them more thouroughly when i get a chance.

We've now hit the tenth article in our series for KQ--Instant Summons! This time around there's a brief sidebar by the spell's real-life creator, former TSR luminary Jim Ward!

GR just twittered: "You'll find great adventure beyond the gate." Wolfgang guessed Stargate but of course there's been no response.

Issue #9 is now live: Explosive Runes! Can you guess the race of this spell's creator before clicking the link? I'd bet not. :)

Check out #8 in the BtS series for KQ.com--Entangle!

TrickyOwlbear wrote:

Nice work! I like the reversed water well especially.

Thank you, you are not alone is your appreciation, posters at KQ concur.

Nice work! I like the reversed water well especially.

Spiritual Weapon has now gone live. Enjoy this tale of self-sacrifice and power-up your next casting of this spell with your favorite domain.

I think this is a great idea, Bret.

Anybody reading this: Bret's work is a hoot, and well worth the money for people who like a game world that feels realistic. He's building a world where spells have a history, and usually some variants. (In the same way that, say, modern handguns have different modifications.)

Even if you don't use this material straight off the page, the histories are filled with plot ideas and kernels of important NPCs.

It's good stuff.

Just a reminder that there's about a day and a half left for this deal. Thanks to those who've cashed in so far! Don't know what the BtS: Compendium is? Have a look HERE!

We at Tricky Owlbear Publishing want to help you stretch your gaming dollars as far as they'll go. To that end, we're offering a special deal from now through Saturday, Feb 28th. Here's how it works...

Step 1: You buy Behind the Spells: Compendium in any format. PDF format is available here at Paizo. Print format available via our Lulu.com storefront HERE.

Step 2: When you receive an email confirming the purchase from one of these sites, send us a copy of that email to: stimulus@trickyowlbear.com

Step 3: We email you the 4 "Behind the Spells" pdfs produced after the Compendium was published. These include Vampiric Touch, Sanctuary, Feather Fall, and Darkness.

Buy one book and get $6 worth of product for free. It's that easy and you'll then have the entire "Behind the Spells" collection as of this date! Not a bad deal to own all the facts behind your favorite SRD spells. Take advantage of the Tricky Owlbear Stimulus Offer today!

No need to hold your breath any longer, issue #6 is now ready for your enjoyment--Water Breathing!

Are these spell histories and their accompanying magics tickling your fancy? Let us know here or over at the KQ forums.

Issue #5 is now ready for your viewing pleasure--Summon Monster!

...There is one OGL book that a friend of mine told me about that I would love to find again. Unfortunately I can't remember anything about the title or publisher. Basically it looked at the impact of magic on medievil society. Stuff like what sort of taxes would be levied on magic items and how that would be enforced. The impact of certain magic items on various professions and what that would be for the society. A list of real world punishments for various crimes, plus the way magic would add to the list of offenses and punishments. One of the most well thought out and historically realistic (not the same as accurate) D&D books I've ever heard of. If anyone knows the title and/or publisher let me know please.

Issue #4 is now ready for your perusal--Floating Disk!

Is my take on Tenser too far out there? Or would you like similar spins on these classic casters as they come up? Feedback is always welcome.

Okay, I love to try and figure stuff like this out. However, I've worked on this for like 30 minutes now and can only come within 5 gp of 132. Argh, why did I have to read this post?! :)

The 3rd installment is up--Time Stop!

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

I wrote a short review of this here. I want to see floating disk next.

TrickyOwlbear wrote:

I wish you would be seeing them in print but, alas, these are just freebie web articles for KQ. I'd be thrilled if the series became a KQ print column but I'll not pursue that unless asked first by Wolfgang.

Or maybe they could appear in Compendium II?!?

I am looking forward to seeing y'all's articles in my KQ hardcopy, though. They are very entertaining and well written :)

And Bret, any time you feature a fungus (slime, ooze, mold, pudding, spore, ...) you automatically score extra points!

TrickyOwlbear wrote:

The new issue is up at KQ: Magic Aura!

There was once a wizard named Nystul. A gnome he was not...

;)

feeling grognardy and cranky tonight, sorry...

TrickyOwlbear wrote:

The new issue is up at KQ: Magic Aura!

Another great issue!

The new issue is up at KQ: Magic Aura!

I see where you're coming from, DF. Now, to my mind, the "cost" as you say should be equal. Think of it this way--wizards need to see a spell secret in writing in order to try it (the act still requiring a Spellcraft roll or whatever because it's still different than the norm) while sorcerers, with their innate talent, can try a spell secret after simply seeing someone else cast it (using the same Spellcraft roll). Both classes require equal effort but they come at it from different directions.

Not trying to change your way of thinking on this but there's the author's perspective. :)

OK, lame may have been a bit strong but 5-star lame should still be better than a generic lame!

Specifically, I thought the eat spell secret for sleep was bit silly. However, I really like the "slept wrong" secret. Sleep looses it's strength at later levels, so this kind of tweak is pretty cool.

Overall, the spell secrets are one of the cooler aspects of this product. The introduction of ways to tweak spells makes Wizards* really cool without really changing their flavor or power level.

Does anyone else have a favorite?!?

*I wouldn't allow my sorcerers to use spell secrets without using a feat or maybe they would have a metamagic-like casting time penalty.

Tricky Owlbear Publishing, Inc. is pleased to release the 40th pdf issue in the Behind the Spells series--Darkness! Although this release features the same protagonist as seen in BtS: Light, that issue is not required to enjoy this one.

Behind the Spells examines those spells from the v3.5 SRD that are listed time and again on character sheets throughout gaming. These are the spells which, if on your character's class list, will be taken as soon as possible and include such quintessential favorites as magic missile and fireball. Each pdf in this series examines the spellcaster who created the spell, one or more of the spell's hidden capabilities, and possible variants for the spell.

This issue includes two spell secrets, a new metamagic feat (Spell-shade) and a new spell (Cone of Shadows)! You can purchase this pdf right here at Paizo!

And don't forget, Tricky Owlbear has also combined forces with Kobold Quarterly to bring you special mini-issues of Behind the Spells at koboldquarterly.com! Check out the first issue--Color Spray!

Cool! I plan on picking up the Behind the Spells Compendium when I get paid next. I still would prefer the print version, but I will get with you after my next paycheck to find out how. Thanks again for doing them!

Hey, just noticed you posted a review of the Compendium, DF. Thanks! Would you like to share which spell secrets you thought were (gasp) "lame?" :)

Woo-hoo! Congratulations, Behind the Spells is a perfect match for Kobold Quarterly.

While we at Tricky Owlbear Publishing, Inc. continue to produce the "Behind the Spells" series (and other goodies) for pdf retail, we're also now in league with the great and powerful Kobold Quarterly to bring you smaller issues for their website. The first of these is BtS: Color Spray and you can find it HERE!

You are invited to comment on this issue either here or over at the KQ.com forums and also to comment on what spells you think deserve the "Behind the Spells" treatment in the future.

Can't get enough "Behind the Spells"? Remember that Tricky Owlbear is still running its Black Friday Weekend Sale on the Compendium through Monday!

Tricky Owlbear Publishing, Inc. is pleased to bring you our flagship product--Behind the Spells: Compendium--for 20% off the regular price for this holiday weekend. From Friday through Monday you can grab the 100+ page pdf for a mere $12. We've also cut the prices on the softcover and hardcover print versions over at our Lulu store!

There's no better time to pick up this critically-acclaimed magic supplement for your 3.5/OGL game. Perfect for players and GMs alike, the Compendium would make a great gift for the gaming friend on your list. See what all the buzz is about and pick up Behind the Spells: Compendium this weekend!

See the above link to order your print version or grab the pdf right here at Paizo

Thanks for your continued patronage and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend!!

TrickyOwlbear wrote:

[blatant plug]And for Eberron, there's always some juicy/quirky new magics to introduce so why not pick up the Behind the Spells: Compendium right here at Paizo (or in print through Lulu).[/blatant plug] :)

Don't do it! It is a TRICK!!!

I still need to pick that up sometime. ~grimaces~ When I get some extra money next month or the month after, probably.

I'll echo the vote for Necro's "Tome of Horrors" titles (you can never have enough monsters!). Personally, I'm a fan of adventures like Goodman's DCCs because, while I almost exclusively write my own modules, I do tend to steal NPC stat blocks and nice pre-made maps from other places. Goodman and Necro modules have come in extremely handy for these. Green Ronin's "Dungeon's of Doom" map book also sees extensive use by me.

[blatant plug]And for Eberron, there's always some juicy/quirky new magics to introduce so why not pick up the Behind the Spells: Compendium right here at Paizo (or in print through Lulu).[/blatant plug] :)

Sounds like a good thing that I bumped the thread! I believe we had it on sale for $12 instead of the normal $15 at the time.