roguerouge's page

Ray, that's brilliant. I've actually taught dungeons and dragons to 4th-8th graders and I wish I'd thought of starting character creation with pictures.

Wait. We're all being stupid. There's a cleric of Desna in the group. Have the goddess send dreams as instructions as to what the party needs to do. Include nightmares of disaster for the city.

And while I love the Lawful Evil response, It always seems like the right course of action, it sadly ends in the lack of a game in my experience, as the game just implodes after stuff like that.

Seriously, though, the credible threat of playing evil is all you really need. It's like the first time you kill a PC or a beloved NPC. It sends the message that the PCs can fail, which increases the dramatic stakes. Few things are more corrosive than a player belief that they'll always win.

Incidentally, the character background of the fighter is a warning sign. Any PC designed with no hooks is a player trying to acquire plot-immunity, and thus has nothing to lose. Unfortunately, such character rarely have anything to gain by winning. Tell him that he needs an Alfred or a Robin or a Gordon.

I take it that you have not seen Spiderman...

They have great power but refuse to take responsibility? Well, it's time to kill Uncle Ben, then.

If they do nothing, have them sit next to Grau in a bar. Have this useless sot start rationalizing: it's not his fault, he can't do anything to stop the riots, can't somebody else do it, I don't get paid enough to take these kinds of risks... Everything that they're thinking is voiced by an utter loser. If that doesn't prick their pride, start killing relatives of the PCs. First one to die is in a massacre nearby, when they could have done something, but didn't.

And if they don't respond to that, then, well, you narrate the destruction of the city, the rise of the Queen, and their characters' deaths in ignominy. End campaign.

And the next campaign, they'll either be more cooperative or someone else will take over. Win-win.

All of the others have given you the nice and responsible bits of advice: it's the players' responsibility, freestyle, delicate hints... There's always other, more-heavy-handed options.

This has been your Lawful Evil advice for the thread.

In war movies, HQ is always your enemy: no supplies, but an endless supply of idiot officers with plans that get you killed. If you need a justification for the players, that's the one.

My player's going to the arctic north to meet with the Mammoth Lords when they gather at the beginning of spring. This meeting, based on the Viking Thing, is used to resolve differences between clans, plan the upcoming warm season, have men and women of different clans meeting to promote genetic diversity, and to deal with the outside world. The PC desires the Vikings to go on raids against slavers and the Cheliax, whom they supply. Cheliax is there to prevent this and even to get the Vikings to raid the PC's home islands. They sent a disguised Erinyes as their ambassador, with a fake ambassador as window-dressing.

So, I'm going to need your help creating interesting NPCs for her to meet and create allies out of. (More on plot and setting below.) What I need:

An experienced guide for their various missions.

Merchants or someone who sells to outlanders.

Petty Chieftains to persuade.

A chieftain charmed by the Erinyes.

Some shamans.

1-3 very important persons.

The emphasis should be on a memorable RP quirk, a problem to be resolved, a complication, and a reason why they might vote to go raiding for either side.

Additional elements to play with: mammoths, white dragons, and skalds

Good idea for a module.

Right now, her bard levels give her these spells:

2: Enthrall, Eagle's Spleandor
1: Disguise Self, Undetectable Alignment, Comprehend languages
At will: charm monster

Her disguise, with a kit, Disguise Self and the Deceitful feat, requires a Spot 27 to pierce.

Her skills are:

Bluff +13
Diplomacy +13
Perform (oratory) +13
Intimidate +8
Sense Motive +20
Concentration +22

Her basic fears would be exposure from Shamans or Ranger chieftains.

Specifically, what magic items would an Erinyes Bard 4 have while undercover running the Cheliax ambassadorial mission to the Land of the Mammoth Lords? Basically, only Mammoth Lords can speak at the Mammoth Lord spring congregation, and the Erinyes is trying to get them to go raid the PCs' lands.

Thanks for the help!

How about an "Against the Slavers" or a "Slave rebellion" style adventure or adventure path? I know you co-wrote the 2e follow up to the great Scourge of the Slavers, but there's actually nothing in 3E or 3P with this theme. There's a number of settings that this would fit with Golarion. You didn't miss the boat since you didn't do it in Osirion or Cheliax products.

Not sure if this helps, but it is a figment:

A figment spell creates a false sensation. Those who perceive the figment perceive the same thing, not their own slightly different versions of the figment. (It is not a personalized mental impression.) Figments cannot make something seem to be something else. A figment that includes audible effects cannot duplicate intelligible speech unless the spell description specifically says it can. If intelligible speech is possible, it must be in a language you can speak. If you try to duplicate a language you cannot speak, the image produces gibberish. Likewise, you cannot make a visual copy of something unless you know what it looks like.

Because figments and glamers (see below) are unreal, they cannot produce real effects the way that other types of illusions can. They cannot cause damage to objects or creatures, support weight, provide nutrition, or provide protection from the elements. Consequently, these spells are useful for confounding or delaying foes, but useless for attacking them directly.

This is why I prefer pirate-themed adventures. There's always down time: either sailing to the adventure or guzzling drinks afterward.

So it would look like a Cubist painting?

There seems to be no "Against the Slavers" or "Rescue the Slaves" adventures for 3rd edition, with the exception of a rather obscure Elric d20 module. Can anyone think of any? And, if not, can anyone think of any reason why Paizo WOULDN'T do something like this as a module or even an entire adventure path?

I would imagine that Call of Chthulhu would have good rules for this.

Be another druid. With two druids, you should have the curing handled between the two of you, if you work together on spell selection. Plus, with 2 sets of spontaneous summon nature's ally (very strong early), your team will take less damage to heal anyway. Trust me: the increased offensive power of a druid is noticeable.

Actually, given the lack of screen time for this villain, a spoiler might be a good thing.

Good luck. It's great when B story lines intersect with the main plot naturally.

Even if you're an archer-bard, it's pretty mandatory that you have an echo-blade, which is cheap and synergizes well with courage optimization. MIC source.

Punzala, the muses and the Dawnstar are a go.

The egg: this cult worships the egg of the tarrasque. They believe that as long as the cult members have a lot of bad luck, they can prevent the egg from hatching. So what the cult members mostly do, is go on dangerous adventures in order to get themselves killed.

The knowledge cult: they seek and hoard knowledge.

The god of the microcosm. This is a god of insects, bacteria, viruses and other small things.

God of the Lab! An associate of a necromanceress and a vampire-with-a-soul, the God of the Lab is worshiped by those who discover minutae first.

Added to the list:

Aud, demigoddess of rabbits and hutches
Einedrin, Mistress of Chivalry in duels and feuds
Mjilnr, dwarven God of fighting with hammers
Torichir, god of lost causes
Hod, god of blind beggars
Stragana, goddess of cows
Bopar, god of bubbling brooks
Gerdnalik, god of measurement, certitude and turtles
Jacina, goddess of wild flowers

roguerouge wrote:

Can someone tell me why I should get excited by this project? Has anyone got a review handy?

I don't have anything more useful than if you are a fan of the Crucible of Freya/Tomb of Abysthor/Rappan Athuk Necromancer era, or such classics as Tammeraut's Fate/Torrents of Dread/Kings of the Rift/The Hateful Legacy, or some of the more recent hits such as one of my favorites, Into the Haunted Forest and River into Darkness then you really should drink the Kool-Aid.

roguerouge wrote:

TruthRom wrote:

Once again thanks for the reply's!
roguerouge We'll take that challenge.
Never been part of a TPK yet, silently thanks the Lord. But I have seen all but one character die. I think its because the team I play with we approach the game from a batman point of view, forget plan b its more like plan f or is that z? :) I've heard Against the Giants was tough. Any comments?
Here's a link for the conversion files. http://www.enworld.org/forum/conversions/245278-attempt-rebuild-conversion- library-please-upload-conversions-3-5-here.html It's G1-G3.

Okay. Remember: no resting.

Is it possible to level before the adventure is over? If so, then should we wait till its over?

I picked off some from the Faen list. That was helpful. I've done some naming to go with various gods of types of rain and various waterways. I should have a report of a spate of drownings that go on as they squabble and consolidate.

I'm thinking of having an "ethos" of science, reason and technology be one of the "gods," possibly as an antagonist. They could be an antagonist, a supporter of Andoran, or both.

Having legendary animals serve as deities makes a good deal of sense.

The Seelie and Unseelie Courts are players, to be sure, although as gods of immortals, they are not part of the winnowing process. But they are threatened by ecological devastation. They've played a role thus far. (There was a "Save the Piskie" campaign in Falcon's Hollow.) They also serve as the gods of fairy tales.

Lord of Volcanoes is a good idea: likely to be worshipped, but likely runs short of followers.

"Tarok the Thrice-Tortured, of the Screaming Jungles" great name for my baboon king. Sadly, the PC seems unlikely to do jungle exploring.

Oh, we also had an avatar of kobolds, but the PC killed him off... leaving the kobolds to be stuck worshiping dragons again.

Merciful Zauria, Protector of the Eternal Oasis (in Rahadoum) and patron of the local sphinxes sounds good.

Can someone tell me why I should get excited by this project? Has anyone got a review handy?

I need demigods. Gods with too narrow domains. Gods with silly domains all to themselves. Gods that most PCs wouldn't worship and that most villains would be ashamed to.

The reason I need them is that my campaign's going through a winnowing process as the world simplifies its cosmology. Minor gods either have to get more believers or fade away. So, they've each got an avatar wandering around, trying to recruit believers. So, if you have ideas for what the chief earthly representative of this god would be like, I'd love that too!

Examples thus far include: demigod of cannibals, goddess of good luck (not luck in general and certainly not bad luck or superstition), Lamashtu the demigoddess of monstrous births (not monstrous humanoid mothers; monstrous births), a god of small insects, a sphere of annihilation (god of vacuum, emptiness, lack and not), and Aroden (god of a nation, which set off a rebellion).

Any ideas? Silly or serious, I'm brainstorming.

Once again thanks for the reply's!
roguerouge We'll take that challenge.
Never been part of a TPK yet, silently thanks the Lord. But I have seen all but one character die. I think its because the team I play with we approach the game from a batman point of view, forget plan b its more like plan f or is that z? :) I've heard Against the Giants was tough. Any comments?
Here's a link for the conversion files. http://www.enworld.org/forum/conversions/245278-attempt-rebuild-conversion- library-please-upload-conversions-3-5-here.html It's G1-G3.

I have to disagree on the idea that he's not bringing much to the table. He's bringing a bard. That means that every time he sings inspire courage it generates three times the benefit. With this party, pumping IC is not a bad idea, especially if he can get his hands on Dragonfire Inspiration.

The orb spells are the anti-BBEG spell, especially at high levels. You've got plenty of spell slots for crowd control/crisping, but there's always room for orb spells.

Carnival of Tears: best module ever. Great villains, great combats, funny and gross.

Burnt Offerings: most detailed starter town, best revamped villains (Paizo goblins rock!)

Crown of the Kobold King: juiciest starter town, most likely to lead to TPK for immersion-centric party

roguerouge wrote:

CourtFool wrote:

Kingdoms of Kalamar did nothing for me.

Good lord, the modules that accompany that setting are bland. I never bothered to pick up the setting as a result. How on earth did they sell so much?

I would very much like to know which modules you found bland. Really. I was thinking of getting some and want to know which titles to avoid.

Stand and Deliver: occurs at a tourney, but there's no antagonist development for the opponents.

Invasion of Arun Kid: great idea, bad execution. Gnome invasion force consists of 16 warriors. Whoopee!

Harvest of Darkness: your standard disappearances in the forest undead mystery.

Siren's Prize: Lighthouse keeper gone. There's caves. And monsters without really interesting plans, despite their intelligence. Kind of cool fight, though.

I also have Lands of Mystery and Black as the Brightest Flame, and the latter was usable.

If "Once a battle is fought, it is done" is your plan, how do you anticipate dealing with the army. That can't possibly be done in one shot alone, and if they get help, well, wars are virtually never one battle long.

I think you're stuck with a multiple engagement. Do you want that after a huge army's been raised and you're a long ways away from the next step in the adventure or do you want to let them teleport back in?

I'd talk with your fellow players. If they're expecting you to fill the arcanist niche, they're going to be sorely disappointed. Even your spell selections do not fill the niche, with expeditious retreat and cure light wounds, which the cleric already does better than you. I'm also going to assume that one of those rogue-fighters is going to take diplomacy, bluff, or intimidate, because you're not taking the skills that let you be the party face. And with this much melee, the cleric's going to be casting mostly heals and buffs anyway, so crowd control is out the window as well.

So, no, I don't think this is feasible with your current party. You don't bring much to the table that other PCs don't already have.

If you haven't played casters much, play a caster! Step outside your comfort zone. The worst thing you can do is to neither play something new nor play what you're accustomed to.

Crown of the Kobold King. I challenge you to have a 2nd level party save all the children without resting. The hook gets people killed. I can hardly imagine a moral group of people doing four encounters and then resting every day for a week, knowing that children might be being tortured, sacrificed or eaten at the first opportunity. There's no information to tell the party different or to give them a deadline other than RIGHT NOW!.

I ran a bard 9/fighter 1/rogue 1, with her coterie of a pseudodragon Dragon Shaman 1, two town guards, and various charmed kobolds through it. Bard made it to the final battle, only to be blinded by the kobold shaman, then killed.

Kingdoms of Kalamar did nothing for me.

I am not a big fan on the ‘rest for a day and teleport back in to finish the job’ plan. Once a battle has been fought it is done IMO so I am looking for alternative suggestions from here.

Suggestions please.

What are the gods like? Major deities or gods designed to fill niches in pantheons?

I just want to know has anyone played/DM'd this, and how difficult was it? I want to run it in a few months, but I don't want to many of the fights to be easy.

Go to Review of Second module.

If you can't cast out of Solid Fog, that's one advantage over the tentacles, which is a signature over-powered spell which has some interactions with the loss of the concentration skill. Is the new solid fog equal to stinking cloud, in your opinion?

Who says that they have to act in the play? Have them be techies, stage illusionists, fight instructors, and stage managers. That meets all of their objections: access without risk, control over their fate (via coaching rather than doing) and if they fail, all they've wasted is a week. They can always go back to following the shadow beasts. They're not going anywhere.

And, if you want a second crack at it, have the play fail spectacularly without them and have a command performance demanded by the mayor. And if the second play is not satisfactory, the theater impressario dies. Voila! A second chance to run the same adventure while still allowing the players to follow their dead end.

Please, I beg you, set up a board for it. You already have a board for play-by-post, so there's precedent for goof-by-post. Please spare the rest of us from being inadvertently exposed to the digital equivalent of LARPing.

Basically, I just waded through 180+ posts on Council of Thieves 2 on the product page, of which maybe 5-10 were useful to people trying to see if they wanted to actually buy the product. While some of the remainder was people anticipating the product, which I guess is a part of sales, there was a sizable chunk devoted to Faction wankery which would serve only to alienate and/or confuse potential buyers outside of that little in-club. (James Jacobs wasn't even certain if people were actually posting a complaint or posting "in-character" which made it hard for him to deal with a potential customer's concerns.) If there's one board that shouldn't be dominated by in-jokes, I'd recommend that it be the product discussion board.

I feel that a separate board is the most likely solution to this issue, as it creates an archive for these fascinating displays for those that are interested in them and de-clutters the remainder of the boards. Everybody wins.

Why invent when you can club someone and steal their fire?

While the fear effects worked in our game last week--I had a great time--I think cowering is the better result from a panicked condition, or perhaps a player choice of cowering or flight.

The other effects listed keep the figurine on the table; fear effects don't.

For me, this is a thought-experiment question, as it just puzzles me that Paizo would go to such efforts to fix turning ... and then ignore fear effects.

Same reasons why turning rules were changed; fear effects are essentially turning for non-undead.

Tthey make combats enormously swingy. What was once a CR-appropriate encounter can quickly become a slaughterhouse if enough people fail their save.

Moreover, it doesn't foster good flavor at the table. It's pure mechanics. Describe the effect of a mohrg attacking a player with its paralyzing tongue? Scary and scary each round it attacks. Fear effect? Scary the round the DM describes it, but no matter how you describe a fear effect, you can't make it scary to the player every round, which means that the horror drains out.

Lastly, I thought that splitting the party was supposed to be a narrative choice, not a mechanic.

So, that would be a "no changes" then?

Teleportation circle costs just 1000 gp, but it's a ninth level spell and it's not permanent any more. So the magic mass transit system is no more. The bad guys of Golarion, by their description, probably have easy access to teleport. I imagine that heroes and villains still do it quite a bit, while royalty do not.

So, what, you want monks to walk around with Michael Jackson's glove?

Well, if you have a fifth level character and a group of three 2nd level characters, of course he's overpowered. He should be. Start modifying how you hand out xp to reflect the fact that the others are facing harder challenges than he is and catch them up.