yep monks hate low point buy, but wizards are not nearly as bothered.
Which is why I doubt the top two would be used. This just amplifies the innate class imbalance in the system. Nobody will WANT to play a Monk, Paladin, or other seriously MAD class, even moreso than usual.
Here's a weird idea. Have all the classes been tiered or ranked in PF yet? If so, you could make a gradiated point buy ... low tier/rank classes get more points, higher tier/rank classes get less.
They have been tiered, but what has been noticed is that player skill is often more of a factor than the class when it comes to how a character performs in a game so it is better to just give everyone the same stats.
Offering only one array would make mad classes even more difficult unless your one array is uber.
I'm interested in trying to create a Cavalier but I'm not sure what the best route is.
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If you're playing a Cavalier please can you post your build to give me some ideas?
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One other question - How much time does your character actually spend mounted?
I think a lot of the ideas that were in Beta were what Paizo wanted PF to be but the backward compatibility issues kept coming up so they ditched them - read "canned”
I fully expect a PF2, and it will not be backward compatible because Paizo no longer need that to keep us on board. What would the alternative be? 4.0 - no, 5th Ed - no. I think most of us are here for the long haul and although we'll probably grumble a bit, it won’t stop us buying it.
I find this a little odd as of all the normal classes [not Summoner]that can summon monster I would think the Cleric is probably the best suited to summoning monsters. It's a perfect round one option [flanking/control/defence] before your services are called upon to remove unwanted conditions and buff.
Also being a MAD class, summoning allows you to avoid the need for too much Strength or Constitution - let the monsters fight for you, not to mention that having just the right fighting abilities for each occation.
I usually ban classes that I don't think fit, but not fit the adventure but not fit my vision of Medieval.[...]
We each have our own ideas and rules, I'm not going to so mine are right or wrong, but I will say they work for my group and that is all that matters.
Sorry to point it, but it doesn't. Let me show you why:
You ban a class. Let's take "ninja" as an example. Then we have 2 scenarios:
1) nobody in your group want to be a ninja. So it's pointless to ban it, as nobody was going to roll one anyways.
2) somebody in your group want to be a ninja. Then he can't, because you ban it. Therefore, it doesn't work for your group. It works for you, and maybe some other people in your group (which might be, arguably, the majority of it). But it dosen't work for all of your group, as there is one person who isn't playing the class he would like to play. The guy who wants to be a Ninja, and can't.
That doesn't mean you aren't right banning it. One could argue that the majority has more importance than the individual, or that you are the DM, and therefore you put the rules. Your game is your club, people adhere with your rules, or can't enter the club. That's fine too.
However, it "doesn't work" for *all* your group. Because either your group agrees with you, and therefore the ban is not really doing anything, or someone in your group would like to play the banned class, and then someone isn't playing what he wants.
Whatever.
I'm the DM. My rules go, without argument, period.
At the start of the campaign I'll state what's ok and what isn't, plus any houserules regarding how the game plays etc for that campaign.
My players have the option to play something that's "in". They all pick something and off we go.
We don't have pj wearing Rangers, generally all my players have multiple ideas and character concepts that they want to play and all of them have ready made back-up character in case of death - assuming they don't reincarnate/raise.
I've never had a problem with banned classes. I've never had a player come to me with a build that isn't "in".
I'm the DM. My rules go, without argument, period. I run a balanced game and my players appreciate this because it means we don't get broken-ness/over-powered PC's in our games. We don't want that sort of game.
If a few more DM's had the balls to say No occasionally, they would suffer the fate of the many, many DM's that post here complaining about their players.
My vision of medieval in this Fantasy game does actually include magic - Think Swords and Sorcery.
I usually ban classes that I don't think fit, but not fit the adventure but not fit my vision of Medieval.
For example I don't allow the chop-socky classes. To me, Ninja's etc just don't fit. Same goes for guns usually but I'm currently DMing Skull and Shackles and think they fit fine for that - none of the players have opted for one however!
If a player wants to play the Ranger with pj's I don't mind.
Lemmy gives some great example of how this doesn't ruin someones fun, they can bring the character concept and adapt it into a different class!
We each have our own ideas and rules, I'm not going to so mine are right or wrong, but I will say they work for my group and that is all that matters.
Paizo haven't added "oh but what if the PC's are evil" advice in the other AP's so why should they do the opposite in what is obviously not really intended to be a Heroic campaign?
Those are some pretty good ideas. Modifying the encounter always is an option, but I would have loved some alternate way to do things from the developers, like in Ashes at Dawn over in Carrion Crown.
It seems to me that taking Good aligned PC's into this campaign is kinda asking for trouble. There are sooo many campaigns where it's impractical to allow evil character why not just suggest to the players that this campaign is better suited to N or E alignments.
When I told my player's that the campaign I was going to run was "Piratey" none of them thought "Ooow, I'll play a Paladin then", they all went with N or E.
Why should the developers solve your own created problem? Choose a different AP.
Basically you're a Wizard with fluff. I'd recommend focusing on the fluff that others have suggested.
Hexes are all good fun and the more you have the better [although some of them are pants].
It's up to you whether you want to be a Buffer or De-buffer.
I recommend...
Spell Focus Enchantment and/or Necromancy
Greater Spell Focus Enchantment and/or Necromancy
Extra Hex [as many as you need]
Improved Initiative [either buff or de-buff before your targets have there turns]
Combat Casting [Hexes don't have particularly good ranges]
Skill Focus Use Magic Device
Spell Penetration
Greater Spell Penetration
Edit: Add Toughness as Remco says you are "one of the squishier casters"
I use save or die as I find the threat of death keeps the game exciting.
What I didn't like was the "Finger of damage" and "damage Living" changes.
I use a something in between 3.5 and PF. A Death spell reduces your hit point total to minus the spell level - and you're dying. This keeps the death factor in the game but still gives the players at least a chance of rescuing their friend.
I'd missed some of the 1 1/2 times Str mods on single attack creatures. Most were low level ones but still, they were incorrect, but no more! [I hope!]
The prestidigitation spell gives you the ability to perform minor magical effects for 1 hour. You can slowly lift 1 pound of material. You can color, clean, or soil items in a 1-foot cube each round. You can chill, warm, or flavor 1 pound of nonliving material. You can create small objects, but they look crude and artificial, and they are fragile. Any actual change to an object (beyond moving, cleaning, or soiling it) persists only 1 hour.
Here we go...
Change: You transform one object of Fine size or smaller into another object of roughly the same size. The object can weigh no more than 8 ounces. The change must be within the same kingdom (animal, vegetable, or mineral). For example, you could change a piece of paper into scrap of linen, and then change that into a rose. Likewise, you could change a coin into a ring. You could not, however, turn a strip of leather into a piece of paper.
Chill: You reduce the temperature of an object by about 40° F, but never below freezing (32° F). After an hour the object's temperature returns to normal.
Clean: You remove dirt, dust, and stains from floors, walls, dishes, windows, and the like, leaving these surfaces or objects spotless. You can clean an object with a volume of 1 cubic foot, or 1 square foot of the surface of a larger object, each round. The effect does not remove any foreign object of Fine size or larger. Dirt you remove is permanently gone, but objects you clean can get dirty again just like anything else.
Color: You bring color to an object. You can restore faded hues or give it a new color. If you add color, it must be from the visible spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or violet). You cannot change an object's pattern, such as adding or removing stripes or polka dots, but you can change the color in a pattern so that, for example, a blue garment with white stripes becomes green with yellow stripes.
Dampen: You leave an object damp to the touch for 1 hour. Damp objects have fire resistance 2 while the effect lasts.
Dirty: You soil, spot, and sully walls, floors, dishes, garments, or the like, leaving them dusty, filthy, or stained. You can dirty an object with a volume of 1 cubic foot, or 1 square foot of the surface of a larger object, each round. Dirt you add remains after the effect ends, but objects you soil can be cleaned again just like anything else.
Dry: You remove dampness and excess moisture from an object. Moisture you remove does not return after the effect ends, but the object can become wet again just like anything else.
Firefinger: You cause a jet of flame up to 1/2 foot long to shoot forth from your finger. The flame is hot and ignites combustible materials. Lighting a torch with this effect is a standard action (rather than a full-round action), but lighting any other fire with it takes at least a standard action (DM's discretion).
Flavor: You give a substance a better, worse, or different flavor. You could, for example, make porridge taste like lobster bisque. You do not change the substance's quality or wholesomeness. Spoiled food remains spoiled, a poisoned drink is still deadly, and inedible material provides no nourishment -- you can make a twig taste like steak, but it remains a twig.
Gather: You neatly collect numerous objects. The objects you gather can be no larger than Fine size, no two items can be more than 10 feet apart, and their total weight cannot exceed 1 pound. You can place the gathered objects into a container you touch, or you can form a stack or pile that you touch.
You can gather selectively; for instance, you can pick up just the coins from an area.
Polish: You bring luster to a wood, metal, stone, leather, glass, or ceramic object. The object must be clean to start with. It remains shiny after the effect ends but can become dull again like anything else.
Sketch: You create a two-dimensional visual figment of whatever you desire. You can leave the image hanging in the air, in which case it is immobile, or place it on a mobile object, such as a shield. The image can be no more than 1-foot square, and it lasts a maximum of 1 hour.
Stitch: You magically sew seams in textiles or leather. You can create new stitching or repair old work. Unlike the mending cantrip, you cannot heal rips, holes, or tears (though you can patch or sew them together). If you have thread on hand, the stitches you make remain after the effect ends, but they are no stronger or weaker than normal stitching. You also can sew without thread, but then the seams last only an hour.
Tie: You magically tie a firm knot (as though taking 10 with the Use Rope skill) in a thread, string, cord, rope, or cable up to 10 feet long. You can knot together two such objects if they're within 1 foot of each other.
Warm: You increase the temperature of an object by about 40° F, but never above 140° F. After an hour the object's temperature returns to normal.
I started a Timeline for Second Darkness while reading through the adventure before deciding to run Rise of the Runelords instead!
However it may be of some use [or not!]
SPOILER WARNING - NOT FOR PLAYER'S
. .
. ...
. .....
. ...
. .
Thats NOT for player's
Spoiler:
Second Darkness TIMELINE
Part One: Cheat the Devil, Take His Gold
Cheat the Devil and take his Gold
The Gold Goblin Job [EL5]
An Offer you can’t refuse –Employment at 10gp/week
Part Two: On the Job
On the Job at the Gold Goblin –repairs take place [ via money lent from Lymas Smeed. PC find out about the loan in A Missing Employee below]
· Turning a Profit [Skill uses in helping the profits each week]
Event:
• Small metal items (including weapons and armor) become slightly magnetized. This imposes a –1 penalty on attack rolls with metal weapons and a –1 penalty to AC to those wearing metal armor. The strange magnetism lasts for 2d6 minutes.
The First Night [EL 2]
Event
• All spells cast during a 79-minute period manifest a strange purple mist that incorporates into the magic of the spell—existing spell effects are not affected. The slight mist remains for 1d6 rounds before rising into the air and evaporating. A DC 20 Spot check is enough to note after several occurrences that the mist rises toward the Blot.
After 4 days…
A Unfriendly Warning [EL 1]
After 3 days PAYDAY…
A New Friend:
Samaritha Beldusk joins the team for 2 weeks before moving to the Cyphermages
After 3 days…
PC’s asked to pick up a some Beer from the docks..
Event
• A sudden tidal surge hits Riddleport’s harbor. The uncharacteristically large wave causes minor damage as ships are pushed against the piers and boardwalks strain under the sudden pressure. Water from the wave reaches Wharf Street, and several stevedores and beachcombers are washed out to sea and lost. If the PCs are near the wharves at this time, allow them to use appropriate skills to avoid the danger themselves and assist others by making DC 15 skill checks (Climb to avoid the swell, Balance to maintain footing in the undertow, Swim if swept into the harbor, Use Rope to throw lines to floundering dockworkers, and so on). Failure indicates, at worst, 1d6 points of damage. If the PCs seem to be itching for a fight, feel free to have a reefclaw or swamp barracuda wash up in the tidal surge nearby.
Swamp Barracuda [EL 2]
After 4 days PAYDAY…
A Missing Employee…and
A Flat on Rat Street [EL 3]
After a week PAYDAY…
Attack on the Foamrunner [EL 4], and then…
Event
• Flocks of sea gulls suddenly take to the air and begin flying in a growing cacophonous spiral. This continues for several minutes as large flocks wheel above the city in ever-gathering numbers. Eventually their erratic flight brings them into proximity to the Cyphergate, where they crash into it violently by the hundreds before the few survivors continue their ragged flight out to sea. For the next 2 days, crushed and broken bird carcasses wash up on the beaches around Riddleport and cluster as flotsam beneath the wharves creating a horrible stench over the south portions of the city.
Samaritha Beldusk leaves for the Cyphermages
After 4 days
Event- Hubbub in streets…
• Every weather vane in Riddleport suddenly turns with a screeching of metal heard all across the port to point directly towards the Blot, even resisting the actual currents of the wind. After 10 minutes or so (during which several weather vanes are snapped off by cross winds to tumble to the street below), they are suddenly released from whatever holds them and return to normal.
After 3 days PAYDAY… just after closing…
The Raid [EL variable]
• Group 1 (EL 3)
• Group 2 (EL 4):
• Group 3 (EL 3)
• Group 4 (EL 2)
After a week PAYDAY…
Part Three: Hidden Enemies and Unexpected Allies
Event
• A loud rattling and clatter is heard that proves to be tiny falling objects clattering on the roofs and streets of the city from a clear sky. At first assumed to be hail, examination reveals it to be tiny pieces of porous black rock— looking almost volcanic in nature but defying all identification. This initial storm does no noticeable damage, but after 2 minutes, the rocks increase in size and begin cracking shingles, ripping awnings, and pelting anyone who remains outside. The bronze dome of the Gold Goblin rings like a bell during the onslaught. This larger hail of stones lasts for only 1d10 rounds, and anyone remaining outside must make a DC 10 Reflex save each round to avoid taking 1 point of damage. When all is said and done, there are several
dozen casualties and hundreds of gold pieces of damage to property and ships. Saul suffers a –2 penalty on his weekly Profession check to increase the Gold Goblin’s profits this week (see the Turning a Profit section).
The stones themselves remain for a few more minutes, covering the ground before they suddenly evaporate into nothingness. Attempts to classify the material before it fades meet with failure—the stones feel like granite, but float in water and are strangely cold to the touch.
Bone yard Ambush [EL 7]
· Meet Kwava
Event
• A minor temblor strikes the city, causing only a little damage but shaking everything pretty well for a few seconds.
Back to the Gold Goblin
• Group 1 (EL 5):
• Group 2 (EL 4):
• Group 3 (EL 3):
• Group 4 (EL 4):
• Group 5 (EL 2):
