estergum's page

Energy production isn't an issue, there is lots of energy out there.

Energy storage is the issue, which is why oil products are so popular.
High energy density in a convenient transportable form (that and the fact that its been 'charged' already)

So we need a better batteries, that are not made of nasty things.

However at the end of the day the planet does have finite energy budget.
While we're quite away from that limit we're not that far away if we maintain the growth level the current capitalist economy require

This is one side of the story. Maybe this player posting the OP is aggravating and needs to get on board with the game that is being run.

Based on the information as presented thats a pretty big reach.

And if true then the GM need to stop being so passive aggressive and find a better, more open way to deal with the issue.

Of course the player has to deal with the issues openly and honestly as well.

Perhaps the other players can be the moderating voice?

Beware - here be semantics.

Please define religion.

But generally, no - because its A-Theism, i.e. no god, not even not believing in a god, the concept of gods don't even exist outside of fiction.

Assuming a necessary component of religion are gods.

There is this from way back when.

Not an official class and more of an NPC class but if you ask your GM nicely.....

[

I don't mean this in a rude way, but you appear to be missing the point. It's not "money" that spontaneously disapears, though that's the word I've been using. More accurately it's the token economy we have based on the accumulation of wealth. The question being how in an environment that lacks a token economy does one motivate a society? It's not a matter of replcing money with a barter system. That would be a step back on the socital evolutionary ladder. In a future society where people are no longer motivated by wealth accumulation, what would/can motivate them?

Hopefully that helps clear up the confusion, but if not I may need some help from other posters who appear to understand the question.

Again, not trying to be rude, but we don't appear to be talking about the same thing.

The axiom that "most people are lazy" is not true in my experience, they just don't want to break their backs so a stranger can control more resources or are exhausted after breaking their backs.

What they would do would not be consider productive in todays world but thats OK because the resource allocation is such that production is not a issue, the supply surpasses demand.

There is still a need for barter since there are still unique items or services, only one person can own the original Mona Lisa or if you want your favorite band to play (the band may play for fun but what if two people want the band at the same time?)

Assuming Maslow Needs Pyramid if vaguely correct the motivation will be cultural and self-actualization since the physiological and safety needs are freely available.

I believe it will come down to how people define status.
In todays world status is often equated to controlling resources (i.e. having lots of money) and displaying it.
If status is associated with civic service or performance or research then thats what would motivate people.

No.

As has been said on many of the other 5ed threads, the content matters not the rules.

Which may be why they are re-birthing forgotten realms with its entire history so people can choose the era to play in.
If they are smart they will set up some pre-history content as well.

This sort of reminds me of traveler's Imperium..
Look at all the rule sets for traveller, but the Imperium stands strong. (For traveler geeks anyways.)

Rules sets don't matter, content does.

When was this? The brief shining moment between Jim Crow/Vietnam and Ronald Reagan?

Don't let the propaganda fool you. America's never lived up to it's "shining light for democracy" legend.

Don't get me wrong. There are far worse countries out there and damn few I'd want to see with super-power status the US holds, but that doesn't make me blind to what this country is.

Well, I did qualify it with "flawed and imperfect to be sure"

But at least the country talked the talk (for US citizens at least, for the rest of us unwashed it was gun boat diplomacy), even if the walk was a bit wobbly a lot of the time.

But the US isn't even pretending any more, and that's both sad and scary.

I see this as the symptom of the us/them mentality. We're fine with this sort of legislation as long as we can see a group of people we don't identify with as being the target. That sort of thinking leaves a huge blind spot, leaving people unable to see that said legislation is universally applied. It only takes a change in mindset for it to apply to those in favor of it. The illusion that we are not all "us" is an easy one to believe.

True, but the us is the citizenry and them are the Government.

In theory, for a democracy, we are meant to be one and the same.
Hasn't quite worked out that way.

An a non-American, this saddens me.
The US use to be a shining light for democracy, flawed and imperfect to be sure, but now not so much.

The biggest unanswered question is why it passed so easily?
You'd think this would the sort of thing the opposition parties would feed on.
I'm sticking to the "Preparing for the Alien Invasion" theory.

Put me down as another rebel against the pointless assignment of labels. My gaming style draws of all three elements, in varying amounts. I think that's true of anyone that I'd willingly game with.

Labels are useful if they are descriptive and not proscriptive, i.e you can have more than one label.

I found the GNS theory very useful when I was trying to understand why I disliked another RPG we where trying, and why Pathfinder found a place in my heart.
Is it a complete theory? No - but few, if any, are.

I'm guessing, and I may be putting words in Bluelucks mouth, but I don't think it was meant to be be phrased as you can only be one.
It's the blending that has interesting results.

My personal style is Narrative/Simulationist, with emphasise on the Narrative.

My old group was all over the place and we eventual schizmed half Pathfinder, half the other RPG, the other half wavering each way.

Pathfinder is Narrative/Simulationist with emphasise on Narrative.

With the limit of one object of up to 1 lb./level, how useful is Mending? Especially at lower levels. I suppose it could be used to retrieve ammo that have a chance of being lost or broken, but aside from that?

Keeping your kit in good order - fixing tears in your cloak, keeping things sharp that sort of stuff.

Combined with Prestidigitation for cleaning you'll be the best looking member of your adventuring party.

Hope this helps a bit. Insurance is not what we all want it to be.

And don't forget their primary roll is to make money for the shareholders,

which means, yes the house always wins.

Until there is a major catastrophic loss and they have to pay out huge amounts.
As happened here in NZ with the Christchurch earthquake a number of smaller and one large insurance company when to the wall because they didn't carry enough re-insurance (when insurers insure against large payouts)
It was election year so the Govt picked up the tab for domestic losses, and to be fair probably would have any way.

Insurance = scam. Especially any insurances you are required to carry, whether it be by the state or bank or what have you. Monetarily you will almost always come out ahead by sticking the amount you would have paid for insurance and sticking it into a bank account, and then only drawing on that account if you need to repair or replace...

No, Insurance is just about managing risk.

You're required to get insurance by your bank as they are managing their risk in case something happens to their collateral (your house).

As stated you will almost always come out ahead if you just bank your premiums but that is usually based on not experiencing a major event.

So you have to ask your self what is the risk and impact is a major event happens, or a moderate event happens before you have accumulated enough cash?

If you can handled it put your money in a bank, if the risk or consequence to too high get insurance.

Greetings,

I've looking at getting a Arkham Horror expansions.

I have previously ordered Dunwitch Horror and its shipping was $23 (order num 1774492) going standard mail.

Now I am trying to order Kingsport Horror but the only shipping option is USPS Priority Mail at $48.

Is this a change in policy or are the stars right?

I would prefer to have the choice to ship it standard mail and have it take a bit longer.

Just to make it a little more weird I looked at Curse of the Dark Pharaoh
Revised expansion.
I only have USPS Priority Mail shipping option but the cost is $52 for shipping.
Given this is a small expansion I would have thought it would be cheaper to ship

Cheers
Stuart

Tharialas wrote:

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a PDF viewer that will allow for the viewing of bookmarks?

Best PDF viewer I can recommend on Android is EZPDF reader

Thats what I use on my Asus transformer and its pretty good.

A little slow at times with the hard covers but still very good.

3. Know the difference between facts (which can be objectively proven or disproven) and opinions (which are subjective, and are a lot like the orifices through which we excrete solid waste in that everybody has one, no one wants yours shoved in their face, and everyone else's stinks).

I agree with you but....

One problem people can have a disconnect with is that facts change (superluminal neutrinos!! w00t!) but opinions, generally, don't.

Talk about wizards, sorcerers and clerics

Would clerics be less corruptible since, by definition, they have a higher power - their god - who could take away their source of power.

Talking about goodish clerics, naturally, since the evilish clerics are sort of meant to be corrupt.(If an evil cleric becomes good, is that corruption?)

Would the discipline of the Wizards study make them resistant to corruption, having distilled a sense of discipline and direct knowledge of what can happen if you cross the line.

Would the sorcerers strength of self make them resistant to temptation.

What about a fighter?

Ravingdork wrote:

Surely that must have some effect on a person's psyche, whether they are good or evil.

Every day, many of us hold the lives of others in our hands.

And don't forget the Psychopath, who by their nature will attempt to gain power and lack empathy for anyone.

And no, I'm not saying most of those with 'Power' are psychopaths, I believe most of the 'Power that corrupts' comes from honest temptation.

But the psychopath will be have a over representation in power spaces that are unmoderated.

Has anyone who has ever said that absolute power corrupts absolutely ever actually had any power? Or is it just the whining of the jealous 99%?

Well if they did end up with any power they would become corrupted wouldn't they.

And then start whining about the commoners.

What does a 10th, 15th, 20th-level spellcaster think of 1st-level commoners?

Beware the echo chamber.

If there are not other people to give you sanity checks of if you are surrounded by yes humanoids then things can spiral out of control.

You've probably got 22 intelligence or so, you've fought the good fight, helped the down trodden.
Now you are choosing what to do next.

You do know better than a 10int commoner, don't you? No one is disagreeing so it must be true.
You can't save them all can you, no sir you can't
A little collateral damage for the greater good, they should be grateful - the buggers -, why are they at the gates with pitch forks and torches.
How dare they, a little meteor storm will show the riff raff.

And so it begins.

Ohh can't let this one pass

new zealand (kiwis): 'funny bunch o' sheep-herders', 'damn good mates, but can't play rugby.'

Who just won the rugby world cup??

But I'll agree with the rest :^)

Back on topic, from a non Australian but from across the ditch, Australia is big, I mean really really big.
Its a 5-6 hour flight from Sydney to Perth, similar to from LA to New York.

It is, or seems to be, fairly cultural homogeneous but the territory varies hugely. From the Great Central Desert to Rain Forests to wheat farms to opal mines in the middle of no where.
And I mean no where, think North Dakota, but even more isolated.

All of which will, of course, influence the local culture.

Cheers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/15835017

Very cool, so to speak.

I'm all about the dice. An unexpectedly great roll or an ill-timed fumble can turn a whole adventure massively, and that's part of the fun.

Yeah dice!, gives one a feeling of control. Picking your favourite dice for that critical roll, etc.

Having said that tracking the game and character state would be great to help manage the game.

2) My favorite Lovecraft story is "At the Mountains of Madness." Tied VERY CLOSE to that in second place are "The Colour Out of Space," "The Dunwich Horror," "The Shadow Over Innsmouth," "Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath," and "The Haunter in the Dark."

Rats in the Walls!!

I don't know why, and yes Mountains of Madness is better, but this one really got under my skin.

I use an alienware m11x right now, but I'm looking to upgrade to an asus 12" touch windows box.

ASUS Transformer running android.

Though if you wait a couple of months the new tablets will be out.

We have a couple.

Any in the pipe for andriod?

Particularly tablets.

estergum wrote:

If WoTC are to make a new version they would be mad to look backwards.

They would look forwards, see how the can create a game that would sit naturally with mobile devices, tablets and the 'social' network models to get the new gaming $.

the problem is that sort of model seems to be almost fundamentally incompatible with what most players consider to be good Dungeons and Dragons.

Though I still love reading a paper book, being able to search for a rule or click through to definitions as opposed to flipping through a book are a great, and much faster, at the table.

An active character sheet would also be fantastic, your barbarian is raging, select the option and you stat's are updated, confused, sicken etc. Manage your spell book, your animal companion, etc.

Lots of people use d20pro and the likes as opposed to the kitchen table.

All the seeds are there, not to replace the good DnD but to enhance it.

If the focus is tools to support as opposed to replace DnD or to lock people in, the game experience, which is people and story telling, will grow stronger.

Thanks for all the insight into this. I guess this problem is quite common among play groups.

I'm going to try to answer some of the questions posted,

The player is really quite a good role-player. We have played with him before in other games and he really embodies the character he rps. Its just his current character is stated as a "trickster/stealth/spy" type character... so he often does things that makes life REALLY INTERESTING for the other players.

...snip...

Our DM is quite fair on things and is quite kind to our parties overall mistakes since we are still kinda new, but his stand is that we all have freewill and we are responsible for our actions.

The DM has talk the player out of certain actions and give him bad outcomes in others, but I guess he is just too kind and as the player is RPing and can be kinda defensive, the DM don't want to make an issue out of it.

Overall he is not killing the game. The party can still and most likely will complete the adventure. Its the pain that comes with his "actions" that makes the game feel kinda bad at the moment.

Are you sure the player and the GM are not in on it together?

Not in a us vs them way, but the evil character is a set up for part of the plot.

I've be that sort of character before in game, but the plot device appeared - or at least was very guessible - quickly so the other players knew with a wink and a nod what was going on.
The character was NPC'ed after a couple of levels, once the other players had a good hate going on for him.

I quite enjoyed hunting down my old character and bringing him to justice afterwards.

If WoTC are to make a new version they would be mad to look backwards.

They would look forwards, see how the can create a game that would sit naturally with mobile devices, tablets and the 'social' network models to get the new gaming $.

A sort of OGL?, maybe, but it would take a bit more vision than a tradition copyright focused corporate normally has.

I don't think Piazo can make the jump to the mobile/tablet model, and would be silly to, because that's not what they are good at.
Of course they can work with partners or ideally, in my opinion, a open source/community effort would lead the way.

5e, be it created by Piazo or WoTC, will be a whole new world.

No, I do not believe he is knowingly cheating.

I believe in using the carrot, but I also think you need the stick. I would like something less extreme, much less extreme, than replacing him. But, I think if he sees that there is a penalty to being neglectful of the rules, it reinforces the necessity of following them.

I've had a player like this, not a cheat just not paying that much attention since he wanted to jump in and play.

Work with them when they level, try and use tools that help - spell cards where a god send to mine since he had trouble tracking spell usage.

Check out different character sheets, maybe there's one that can present the information in a way that works better for the player.

If there is a penalty try and make it an in game one, one of the Oracle's patrons intervenes and offers some form of atonement around the mistake the player was making or some such.

It applies a consequence for the mistakes but since its about the character and not the player it might be easier for the player to work with, not so personal. Though that will, of course, depend on your player.

Android 3.2 firefox beta Asus tablet.

Nav-side bar disappears in portrate but is visible in landscape.

Cheers

So what I'm seeing is a lot of support for BASIC roleplay. Is there a way to modify a game in the middle of a campaign to simplify it or am I just going to have to scrap it and start from scratch?

If you do decide to scrap it and start again (and it might be best) try are keep the orginal characters in the world as NPC's.

The new characters can meet them and deal with them. That's always a blast, provides continuity and makes it look as if it was part of the plan all a long :^)

And when the get the hang of the game a bit more perhaps pick the characters up again, if they are so inclined.

Get the beginners box?

The AP's tend to be reasonable sophisticated, theme and rule wise.
Maybe play a simpler dungeon bash so you can focus on the base rules.

Have them all start with the same class/race so they can ask each other about the rules. If your running canned adventure you'll have to tweak things.
(I've had players start out as half-orc/barbarians all from the same village that was under attack)

For levelling hero lab or pcgen maybe suggested but instilling a feeling for the rules first would be a better idea before using these tools.

But no, I don't take a backseat role. I've got to hit the ground running on Monday developing two Dragon Empires books, working on the Runelords Hardcover, and outlining and assigning some other books and doing some art orders as well, and I also have to start outlining the Shattered Star Adventure Path.

How do you manage your focus?

Do you declare today to be Runelords Hardcover, tomorrow Dragon Empires and Friday to be Shattered Star day.
Or is your muse more flighty and you have to take what she gives you when she gives it?
How do you manage writers block?

"Inner Sea Magic" is getting a great reception... I suspect we'll do more books along those lines, but I have no idea yet what those books might end up being.

Thats a damn fine idea and more books like "Inner Sea Magic" would be grand.

Cheers

I like to clearly separate out encounters, adventures and campaigns.

Encounters are very rail roady, they sort of have to be, but always be open to your players doing something weird.

Adventures, much more loosely structured but normally there is a clear goal. Hopefully the characters buy into that goal and sometimes you need a little meta gaming with the players to come up with the motivations. And sometimes you need to change the goals and the adventure itself.

Campaigns are evolving back stories that would happen if the characters where there or not. They can influence the the evolution of the campaign or not depending on what they do.

More than once the group has "gone off the rail" and had the world change around them, leaving them behind.
Which was food for adventures as they tried to work out what was really going on.

I like the imperial or non metric system for my fantasy games, makes it all quaint and old worldly like.

Sort of like seeing fractions on the motorway off ramp signs....

John Benbo wrote:

Scotch really is the nectar of the gods. Macallan, any year, is my favorite. Runners up would be Craggonmore and Glenmorangie. Usually on the rocks.

Glenmorangie has some mighty fine stuff

whisky always pure, nosing glass, with a glass of water as side-drink
my routine:
-sip of water
-smell the whisky
-look at the whisky running down the side of glass
-first sip of whisky
-sip of water
-second sip of whisky

Yeah, a side glass of water is always a good idea, to pace ones self.

Galleys are bad ass in ultimate combat, especially if you add the castles and ram. They seem closer to the galleass. However, there is one little item, which has been passed down throughout editions of D&D concerning the galley that needs some correction. In every edition of D&D that I can remember, the rules for galleys and warships say that they are not ocean going vessels but had to hug the coast. This is historically true, but it would not be true in Pathfinder. The reason that historical galleys, triremes, etc. were not able to go on long ocean going voyages was because they used very large numbers of rowers. All of these people need food and water, particularly water. That is a lot of water. So they had to stop every few days to get water. In Pathfinder, create water is an orison. A 1st level cleric could supply an entire ship with water indefinitely.

Could a galley handle deep water swells?

And it would be pretty cramped. But if the rowers where slaves or constructs then that may not matter too much.

Caol Ila, Dallas Dhu, or Bruichladdich, taken as God intended - in a glass.

Laphroaig, Ardbeg, the one in my hand.

I like Islay style for the peaty flavours.

Taken straight or with a splash of water to open up the flavours.

According to this http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/5423432/Star-Wars-coins-not-a-purchas ing-force its Nuie money not NZ.

It being minted by the NZ mint, in the US by the sounds.

PC Gen, but I've used it for ages.

Tried Herolabs Demo and I wasn't that impressed with the interface.
Prettier but not really any easier to use.

For the $ I'll put up with the PC Gen quirks.
I just wish the LST format was a bit more human readable.

Well I can accept that you guys have some views and opinions, but I'd really like to see this put to the test.

I'd like to see a relatively fit and healthy guy do a 100yd, and a half mile run. Then do the same thing in a suit of armour and see what his run times do.

Ditto with agility and flexibility outside a few set tumbles.

Maybe a job for mythbusters?

BBC:Treadmill shows medieval armour influenced battles

I wouldn't want to run in that.

Ok so today myself and 3 other guys (dad and 2 family friends) decided to make a portable gaming table using a 32" TV. Pictures here. Other then a coat of paint (which will be done tomorrow) and lowering the height of the plexiglass to just above the TV I was wondering if anyone here had suggestions. This table was built to be portable so please keep that in mind. The TV and plexiglass pop out for transport, its on casters and weighs next to nothing at the moment. I was thinking some shelving to hold gaming materials or a fold out surface for players & DM?

Defiantly shelving, for writing on character sheets if nothing else.

And for the DM's netbook.

Edge the in side of the "lip" with that green felt material,so players can roll the dice and bounce them off the sides.

A "brake" so it doesn't move when nudged during the big battle.

Looks good.

Cheapy wrote:

I don't think people are understanding what Northbrb is saying.

25 gp is probably about the amount of money a commoner will make in a year.

Where are the churches getting all this money to make holy water from? Logically, that price doesn't make sense.

thats prety much my point

What makes you think churches are making holy water?

Why would they want it?

I guess some in the larger towns and cities will be to sell to passing adventurers.

Other than that?

Unless there's a zombie apocalypse going on the clerics probably have better things to do with their time and money.

For combat purposes the price is acceptable, though kind of high. For actual religious purposes it's ridiculously expensive. It would cost a fortune to sprinkle holy water on your congregation of commoners every Sunday.

But this is real holy water - suffused with your gods divine touch, not the well water they splash about on Sunday (Assuming that's the particular gods holy day).

I'm sure if a cleric could come up with a cheaper-to-cast spell that channels their god's divine essence into water they would use it.

Until that day we have to use the tools we have.

Since a thread about this topic was locked I will start two new threads one for and one against. Keep it civil otherwise the thread will be locked and lets try to not have that happen again.

Not want(ish)

At Epic levels you're a God, or a demi god at least, and its a whole new and different game.

So its not Pathfinder as we know it and really I'd rather have pathfinder Modern or Pathfinder post apocalypse first.

Having said that it would be cool, but I can wait.

Now I want to make a neutral necromancer who refuses to raise animals or people.

Veganmancer?

3.0 world but Strong hold builders guild if the players looking to build more than a house.

Would anyone be interested in following a painting blog as I pick the hobby up again? It's been about a year since I painted. Back then I painted a Warhammer 40k army, three Warmachine armies, and an assortment of reaper minis.

I'm thinking about starting again and I thought I might photograph the different stages of painting and how I do it. My D&D group has a new slew of characters that all need models so once I get going I'll paint all those up and maybe move onto some Warmachine sets.

I'd be interested for tricks and tips.

And inspirations, especially for "mass monster".
Goblins, Kobolds and Orc's - theres always so many of them to paint, even for a small raid. How to stop them all looking the same.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ANW3G0AV

I looked and looked and looked and couldn't find a print out for a spell book of the wizard spells.

Not sure what your looking for but this might help http://www.thegm.org/perramsSpellbook.php