Whited Sepulcher's page

Malachi Tarchannen wrote:

Oh, another question about the witch...

Do we have to play this class on a hexboard, or can we still use our 1-inch squares?

Thread won

Heh, nice. That made want to put the link up...

Back on topic, I agree with the need to have some ranges for the hexes.

As an aside, the group I'm running has a bunch of half-orcs, the players were all hyped and happy about not needing to hold a silly torch. Then came the spider swarm... Now they always have flasks of oil and tindertwigs at the ready.

A Man In Black wrote:

Gorbacz wrote:

Yet another reason to move the Paizo HQ to Europe !

Claimant "Your tentacled monsters violate our IP, we demand 3 million USD !"

US Court: "Fine, defendant please pay up !"
any EU Court: "whiskey tango foxtrot ?"

Copyright law in the UK is draconian and much stronger than in the US. The US copyright laws are more or less the Berne Convention, while the UK adds a ton of extra protections and blocks some normally-allowed exceptions. It's cliche to describe Americans as litigious, I know, but it's not because US laws are more strict.

*sigh* yeah, I always forget that the funny island and it's even more funny legal system is a part of the big E.

What's even more funnier is taking a civil procedure class taught by a brit, the prof during the lectures alway had interesting comments between UK laws and US laws.

Just for the record, as I have seen it mentioned more than a few times, the eidolan is not subject to dispelling (a 3rd level spell that does not grant a save or SR). They are subject to dismissal (a 4/5 level spell that grants both a Will save and SR) and it's bigger brother banishment (a 6/7 level spell that also grants a Will save and SR).

In keeping with the fighter vs eidolon argument: If only a fighter could cast those spells.*

*straight up fighter that is, though multiclassing wise, they'd be more wizard at that point to get to the levels to be able to cast it... and we'd have to look at the higher levels than say 5th which would make it out of reach.

Heh, how about giving them the avian form, but they can't fly until 5th level. You instead get something like an ostrich or emu as the eidolon and still have 'wings' (maybe they can sorta glide/plummet). I'm just joking by the way since biped would work for an ostrich shaped eidolon. ;-)

It might be Just Cause 2, that's set in a tropical island environment along with urban settings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Cause_2

Preston Poulter wrote:

The heavy shield's description says you can't use that hand for anything else. The description of scrolls seems to imply that Armor Check Penalties don't apply for divine scrolls, but would you need both hands to read it?

Reading a scroll only requires 1 free hand.

If you have an easygoing GM he may allow you to nail one scroll to the back of your heavy shield, for easy access, which would allow you to read that one scroll without the free hand.
Of course this is not RAW, but it makes sense to many players ;)

sorta like the caster's shield... sorta.

heh, have a scroll tacked to the back of your armor so the rogue or cleric behind you can cast that healing spell on you as you hold the line.

The Weave05 wrote:

Just made my purchase today and wrote a review.

Glad you liked the Jar.

The Jar is nice, I really liked concept. I'll definitely spring this on my group in the future.

Whited Sepulcher wrote:

Wally then promptly runs afoul of the local thieve's guild protection services, whom the lamplighter's guild has been paying for years past,

That's not a solution, 'though, since, who is more likely to have valuable services to offer the thieves guild, a lamplighter or an apprentice sorcerer? If the *mages guild* has this contract in place, and they are *much* better situated to do so, it's going to be the mundane lamplighters who are set on fire as an example...

I'm going with the scenario at hand, Wally the Wizard, who's putting himself through wizard school. Unless there's a plethora of wizards who are looking for all the money they can get, I really think the lamplighters contract is too small of an income for the wizard's guild. Now, what they should get into is rental fees for everburning torches, sure they can sell them but I think for long term rental (with rights to revoke) is where the money will come from for both the municipal jurisdictions and also for many businesses, nobles, etc. Forget lighting the dang lamps nightly, you lease everburning torches out to the city. They don't pay, well, oh my, someone either stole the torches or there's some dastardly vigilant with too many dispel magics runnings. Heck, if the mundanes don't understand too much of magic, say that the everburning torches run out at a certain point and you have to 'replace' or 'maintain' them. Of course, there's always the 'rogue' mage who'll sell torches, those must be taken care of somehow... I'm sure the guild can figure it out.

KaeYos:

Also, this injects supply and demand into the economy. If the lamp lighter is paid (say) 1 SP a street and it takes a minute to do each lamp, lets use simple math, 10 streets, 10 lamps per street, 100 SP, 100 minute, assuming extingusing them with the lamp (instead of saying they burn out) add another 50 minutes. So one man can get the hypothetical city lit in about 2 hours for 10 GP. Even if we say one CP, rather than SP, it's now 1 GP for two hours work.

Enter Wally Wizard. He's looking for some work, and knows his 'clip' won't go dry. He goes to the city and says, "I can clean, fill, and light a lamp in 20 seconds, half a minute if the glass is cracked. I'm working my way through wizard school, so I'll need to charge you 15 GP a night (2 GP if we're using coppers)."

Round 1 Cast prestidigitation, to clean.
Round 2, mage hand up the flask of oil, insert.
Round 3, mage hand up wick.
Round 4, cast mending if you have cracked glass

So the city pays a little more, gets their city lit in less than an hour (and gets any cracked glass fixed) pays a little more, and Wally gets 105 GP a week (or 14 depending on your economy)

Wally then promptly runs afoul of the local thieve's guild protection services, whom the lamplighter's guild has been paying for years past, who asks Wally for their cut and gets turned down since Wally thinks that since he's a wizard he can scare them off. The guild waylay poor Wally when he isn't looking and get the better of him since he's merely an apprentice and his dancing lights and acid splash aren't enough to impress them and they cut his throat and dump his body into the sewers.

Ah well, maybe Wally shouldn't cut into the business of the everyman and stick to wizarding. The wizarding guild is alarmed at this crime, and are placated by the town guards who say they are doing everything they can to solve the case. Meanwhile the guards are paid their cut, a stooge is falsely accused of the crime and executed (some young cutpurse who angered the wrong guildmaster). A new apprentice is found for the wizard school (courtesy of the thieve's guild, a promising bright lad who remembers who helped him), and the lamplighters are back on the streets lighting up the city, and the city continues on.

Sorry, just had a thought that yes the magic folks could cut into some of the businesses, but sometimes it might not always work out.

Biggest society-changers IMO would be;

Create Water - say good bye to the 'Water Lords of Thuvia' or whatever, although it can no longer be stored, at least. Still, a 1st level Cleric or Druid (or, most likely of all, Adept) can create 1200 gallons / hour, which should be enough to resupply the thirstiest caravan.

This would really reinforce the power of the theocracy in the desert kingdoms. "All hail (insert deity), bringer of life giving water!" Plus, it makes a settlement sustainable in places that are not at an oasis or river, etc. Well as long as you keep the priests happy.

interesting discussion...I was reminded of those swords the elves used in the Lord of the Rings movie. HERE and HERE - maybe they're a bit too short

Also the description... makes me think of the Chinese weapon, the Pudao.

Looks okay/reasonable now...

So now we work on the polearm version. Just kidding.

So my final thoughts on it are:

Two-handed Martial weapon: (Double-weapon)
Swordstaff

1d8/1d6
19-20x2
12 lbs
(P or S) or B
Length: 6ft
Hardness for steel part: 10 and 5 hit points
Hardeness for wooden part:5 and 10 hit points

Price: I am not sure

Regular two weapon penalties apply as with any double weapon.

I'd say maybe if you just had martial weapon for it, it'd be d6 (P or S)/d6 (B) as a double weapon, but if you get the exotic weapon feat then you'd get d8 (P or S)/d6 (B). So it'd be kinda like a double sword in terms of using it to the full potential. I'm drawing the d8 damage from looking at the double sword stats and thinking how with a little bit extra training you can get the full potential with the weapon (particularly with the bladed portion).

I'd also add that with the exotic weapon training, the weapon can also be used similar to a great sword (to emphasize the momentum you can get with swinging it like a great big sword).

Then again, all the stuff I suggested would cause probably too much confusion. Yeah... Depends on the blade on it, two variations, the short sword blade and the long sword blade at the end. :-P

Referring to the newly released 360 game, anyone else playing?

No, but I did see a review on it by this one guy named zero punctuation. He has an interesting style to reviewing games.

There are even modules for one on one gaming, though they don't have the NPC part. It really is interesting running a game with just person, different dynamics and really fun. In some ways it's good since I do worry at times with GM'ing a group if some of them are bored when I have to focus on a specific PC or two.

Did you mean this, the Rhomphaia? The description kinda fits.

If I am going to use the sword-staff in my World I'd prefer if it were closer to the weapon I mentioned originally.

Ok, finally looked at the picture, that seems more akin to a sword with a larger than usual handle. What are the dimensions? For the weapon in the picture, I'm hesitant to give it reach, more like a longsword or great sword range depending on the length (or similar to that two handed elven sword).

Well then, if I was GM then I'd say that it's a two handed martial weapon as a polearm similar to say a glaive. When someone takes the exotic weapon feat for this then I'd allow for double weapon goodness and yeah, I guess I'd allow for d8 (S/P)/d6 (B) as a double weapon, but then they can't be using it as a reach weapon for that round. I'm using the idea of how one can use bastard swords/dwarven war axes in both hands as a martial weapon but then one handed needs and exotic feat, not exactly the same thing but its an inspiration.

I'd probably incorporate some sort of penalty, such as a move action, to go from a reach weapon to a double weapon and vice versa. I remember there was 3.5 feat somewhere about short haft for fighting, can't remember if it was a fan made feat or from one of the later books. Anyway, I was thinking some sort of penalty as a way to balance since it's advantageous for someone having both a reach weapon and double close in fighting weapon all in one. Basically it would equal to say a fighter with a reach weapon and when the enemy gets close, they'd likely drop the polearm and hastily drawing their close in weapon for the immediate in your face threat.

Basically, somewhat similar to what pres man said earlier but with some difference.

I guess if you want to choke up on it... but if you want the most momentum in bringing the blade down on their noggins then I view it more as a polearm.

If one really wanted to go non-polearm, for me, I'd probably go with d6/d6 with the slashing/bludgeoning option. I'm not sure if you could do enough damage with the blade for longsword damage when choking up on the staff like that... ok, did that sound almost dirty? Plus, it's easier bookkeeping, did I hit him with my staff or with my sword... argh, my mind is in the gutter.

pres man wrote:

Treat it as a glaive? Or as an exotic glaive that you can choose each round to use as a reach weapon (10 ft, no 5 ft) or not (5 ft only).

I'm not sure why it would be a double weapon, based on the description I just read.

The Scandinavian sword-staff is different ,its a pole-arm.

The byzantine sword-staff is a double weapon.(some even used a wooden sheath to make it look like a whole quarterstaff when not used.Its closer to a double sword with one part being wooden.)
I am trying to find a picture to link here or an article.I have a book home about it but its in German. Also I found no wiki articles regarding this.

Did you mean this, the Rhomphaia? The description kinda fits.

I had a blast reading this thread before running unleashing the module on my players.

One thing I noticed was how you mentioned they players were totally suspicious of the orphanage girl surviving a month alone in the woods. I was pondering this too, anyway, the group after finding the evidence in the orphanage ruins then headed after the kobold trail in the forest. Not far in they hear a little girl crying. One of them crept up and then goes, 'Kimi?'.

I was surprised and delighted when he said that because what the girl then said was, 'Yes'. Using her bluff skills she managed to convince them that she was Kimi, all hurt from the Kobold attack and that they dragged the other kids off, hearing them yell about a sacrifice. Convincing the group that they had to hurry to help her friends, rather than having the group take her back to town. I did give the group several motive checks, and I played up how she then took an interest in the group's religious characters, asking them to teach her about their beliefs.

The group later on ran into the kobolds in the dungeon and they told her to stay on the stairs as they moved forth to do battle. After a round, I had them do perception checks, one made it and noticed that 'Kimi' was now a werewolf behind them. The players in the group loved that twist and were then paranoid when the met the real Kimi.

How do I make them not KILL ME after the jig is up? How did your parties handle it? I'll give a full report later.

I just ran this part of the module the other week and my party loved how glintaxe turned out to be GC, they were totally thrown off. One of the things I mentioned was when Glintaxe approached, the ground and walls before it sizzled. When they casted faerie fire, I gave the hint that the 'square' around Glintaxe became more illuminated. Someone did fire an arrow at the cube and I made the similar effect from reading on this thread of the arrow 'slowing down' before Glintaxe and then dissolving into thin air... Basically one stood his ground and managed not to be engulfed and they eventually figured it out and finished it off. Overall, it was a fun little encounter.