Revised Pathfinder Sandbox Campaign! (Pierce County Washington OR PbP, OR Chat, players choose)


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Hey guys, it's me, your friendly neighborhood Kyrt... ok, that was corny. Anyways, I'm getting ready to run a campaign I've been working on since I picked up my Pathfinder Core Rulebook from my FLG two months ago (closer to 6 weeks I suppose)

You see, I've always wanted my game to have a closer balance, where non-casters and casters are both equally awesome at high levels, where the game is a heck of a ride all the way through. But as most of you know, 3.5, and to a somewhat lesser extent Pathfinder, surrender world changing power to casters and don't give non-casters enough. I've done alot of work to change that.

I'm here to run a campaign using these modified pathfinder rules (which I'll distribute electronically and help my players design their characters if desired), and show you guys a good time.

Before you sign in though, you should know what your in for, so below is a small blurb about my style.

I'm an EXTREMELY spontaneous GM, I literally plan nothing ahead of time, instead relying on wit, insight, memory, and creativity to see me through. Everything that ever happens in game, from the people encounterred, to the buildings visited, to the dangers faced, it all evolves in the moment.

I expect my players to contribute creatively, when they want to do something or when they get an impression about something I've described I want you guys to flesh it out with what you see in your mind, to help me bring it to life. And never ever ever withhold a question, the only bad question is one not asked.

So... are you in?


I'd love to do this as a PBP!

What level range and setting are you thinking about using? Golaron? A planar city in the Great Beyond maybe if it's high level? [Note: I may just love the idea of a sandbox in the Great Beyond, hell the player's could even be from different non-Golarion worlds then!!!

A forgotten realms elf with a Garundi man and a barbarian from the Land of Black Ice, etc.


vagrant-poet wrote:

I'd love to do this as a PBP!

What level range and setting are you thinking about using? Golaron? A planar city in the Great Beyond maybe if it's high level? [Note: I may just love the idea of a sandbox in the Great Beyond, hell the player's could even be from different non-Golarion worlds then!!!

A forgotten realms elf with a Garundi man and a barbarian from the Land of Black Ice, etc.

Glad to have you on board Vagrant-Poet.

About the settings... I start my campaign worlds off completely from scratch with each new group.

The only parts of the world that will be detailed going into this will be the places that are parts of the PC's backstory's, I don't even like to plan the initial starting point until it comes to me in game.

That being said though, if there is a particular part of any given campaign setting you want to use for your character, say a city from the realms or a fishing town in Golarion, I'd be more than happy stealing that town and plugging it in, though I warn you the topography very well may be different.

I'm not sure what level I want to start the PC's out on. I've done alot of work revising the ruleset so I feel like starting out low to test the revisions across the board, but I'm also open to suggestions. Level 2 sounds like a fair spot to me.

One question V-P, what would you think of a chat game? Same style as play by post but in real time. I'm cool either way, just curious your thoughts.


I like the idea in theory, but the more players you have in a chat game, the more times you end up missing people or rescheduling.

I've tried before, it often starts off great but tapers down in attendance, just through life being life.

Though doing special sessions or fights in chat is WAY quicker, you cover alot more ground.

I'm on GMT, so I'll probably not have too many commitments late at night during the week.

As for the campaign, what background do we get, I like to integrate with a world where possible and create a character that suits, what themes does the world have, what do you not want in, whats the average level of advancement? [Standard Pathfinder is a either semi-modern society in low-tech/magic rich world, or more or less gunless Rennaisance era].

Do we start in a city, do you have some framework at all? Or is it total blank ether?

In which case I have a way to make fairly cool random maps on Photoshop, if you want say a continent or nation sized area for us to fill in, and use that to assume somethings about the area, climate, land-or-coastal based, civilised, frontier, wilderness.

Feel free to stop me if I'm getting too excited, I'm a world-builder at heart, and tend to get too into it.


Yeah, I've seen that happen to chat games before. Didn't happen to the one I ran previously, but it does happen.

As for the background, like I said I'll work out a background with each of you for your PC, where you grew up, what you accomplished, etc etc, and we'll go from there.

Take a look at Golarion, the world is extremely versatile, from low-tech/magic rich, to Numeria and the gun one. That's the way I am, nearly any concept or ideas are possible, with virtually no limits.

In terms of advancement I'd say the 'average' is roughly the typical pseudo medeival/rennaisance hybrid in terms of technology, though I use classical tech (greek and roman) liberally as well.

Your more likely to start in a city than anywhere else, it tends to be one of my preferred ways to start, but we won't know that until it happens.

As for mapping, I've always started out mapless, just with the details of the player's homelands stored somewhere, and built out from the starting point as the PC's encounter the world. Like I said, the world creates itself from our combined imaginations in the spur of the moment.

As the campaign unfolds, expect the dots to get connected, for the locations of all those homelands relevant to eachother to gradually be revealed (and discoverred lol)

Yeah, I know I'm weird lol, but it's my style. I love building a world, but I could never see myself sitting down to do so, I see world building as part of the interactive, spontaneous game itself. Let the world create itself ya know?


i would be interested
here is a basic charcter that i never really got to use for another pbm game, obvioulsy i would change things to fit in with what you want
and if its ok i may change my charcter when you send me the extra rules
Rav


Well Loren, tell me what you know about the character, lets see what the foundation is before we start trying to decide how to rebuild the walls.


a sandbox campaign is interesting. And I'm very interested in seeing the modified ruleset and the balance afforded by it in action. Consider me sold to the idea. I'd write more, but I'm cramped on time.


Alright, I guess I may as well start handing out my houserules. Since the races are an easy one I'll just post them here, but I'll be needing the email addresses of those involved (or you guys could recommend me to an online file storage site you prefer, I haven't really experimented with them.)

Just keep in mind, the cultural nuances of these races are presently undefined, we can elaborate on the culture that defines your character during character creation.

Also, one point of note, all medium races have 40 foot move, and all small races have 30 foot move, no exceptions. (I think, if a small race that was quicker before proves underpowered in play I may give it back to that race, so we'll be watching goblins and kobolds just incase)

I'm using labels for subraces because these are similar to their origonal labels, and give a possible starting place for cultural development, but neither the labels nor the ideas they invoke are required. Some of the less traditional races may seem overpowered (Orc, for example) but remember they don't get all the cool little features PF races do.

Human: As written in Pathfinder, except all classes are favored.

Half-Elf: As written, plus 1 free exotic weapon proficiency of their choice.

Elf: Take your choice of the following.

High Elf: +2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Con
Wood Elf: +2 Dex, +2 Str, -2 Int
Star Elf: +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Con
Snow Elf: +2 Dex, +2 Wis, -2 Cha
Wild Elf: +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 int
Drow Elf: As written in the SRD (Except Light Sensitivity instead of light blindness), +1 level adjustment.

Kender Halfling: +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 str
Hobbit Halfling: +2 Dex, +2 Wisdom, -2 str

Rock Gnome: +2 Con, +2 Cha, -2 str
Tinker Gnome: +2 Con, +2 Int, -2 str

Hill Dwarf: +2 Con, +2 Wis, -2 Cha
Gold Dwarf: +2 Con, +2 Int, -2 dex

Orc: +4 str -2 int, -2 cha (orc Ferocity)
Half-Orc: +2 Str, +2 Wis, -2 int or cha (Orc Ferocity)
(Orc Ferocity: If an Orc's HP falls below 0, regardless how far below 0, they remain conscious and on their feat in a ferocious frenzy. On they're next turn they are free to attack any enemies they are able to, but cannot drink potions, cast non-offensive spells, ready actions, etc. At the end of that turn they drop dead. While the ferocity is building (between losing the HP and the time their turn comes up) they can be healed.

Goblin: +4 Dex, -2 str, -2 cha
HobGoblin: +2 Dex, +2 Con

Tiefling: +2 Dex, +2 Int or Cha, -2 Con (other abilities as listed in the SRD)
Aasimar: +2 Cha or Wis, +2 Con, -2 Dex (other abilities as listed in the SRD)

Lizardfolk: As written except no level adjustment. (remember they are level 2 however due to racial hit dice)

Kobold: +2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 str (racial proficiency in all picks, come with two d4 claw attacks)


GM

Spoiler:
ravisangra@hotmail.com


mediafire is always lovely for multiple files, no waiting time and free. Slow download speeds though.

Barring that...

Spoiler:
gamender@yahoo.com


Spoiler:

black.leonhart@gmail.com


Count me in as interested as well. Your ideas of free-form world-building and tinkering with the rules system are very intriguing!

Spoiler:

rgmhome (at) hotmail (dot) com


Alright, since we've got 4 players we may as well start figuring out character concepts. I'm willing to accept up to 6, but this is a good time to start.

Since I've heavily tweaked the mechanics of several classes (tweaked them up, not down, there is some major 'power creep' but it's achieved something worthwhile in the process) I suppose you guys will want to see the classes before choosing.

I'm rushing to get all this data into digital form so I can start emailing, if you guys have any specific interests I can prioritize those.


Great news ladies and gents. The bard (one of the more... thoroughly upgraded ones) is complete :)

Oh, and when you guys start talking concepts, I'd also appreciate it if you'd mention any AP's (including the ones from dungeon magazine) that you've been through, I'd been contemplating absorbing some of those for inspiration/very loose recreation if/when players trigger them, so I need to know which ones not to bother with yet.


I'm currently playing Legacy of Fire, that is all for me. And one or two dungeon games, Beasts of Aulbesmil and Obsidian Eye stand out.

Hmm. Say if one character chooses gnome? Can he in many ways decide the layout for gnomes in the world, or say I want to play a cleric, and I've been building a pantheon, or adore the Golarion pantheon, does that person get a big say in that aspect of the world as that is the heart of their character?

[I'm thinking of playing cleric, interested to see the changes that have been made. But a pantheon is a big thing for me, I always found it hard to be a cleric in Eberron, where I just couldn't sell myself on dieties, I'm a bit imperical I much prefer a world where there ARE dieties, but they are hands off and mortal servants not miracles are thier effect on the world.]


vagrant-poet wrote:

I'm currently playing Legacy of Fire, that is all for me. And one or two dungeon games, Beasts of Aulbesmil and Obsidian Eye stand out.

Hmm. Say if one character chooses gnome? Can he in many ways decide the layout for gnomes in the world, or say I want to play a cleric, and I've been building a pantheon, or adore the Golarion pantheon, does that person get a big say in that aspect of the world as that is the heart of their character?

[I'm thinking of playing cleric, interested to see the changes that have been made. But a pantheon is a big thing for me, I always found it hard to be a cleric in Eberron, where I just couldn't sell myself on dieties, I'm a bit imperical I much prefer a world where there ARE dieties, but they are hands off and mortal servants not miracles are thier effect on the world.]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I had this nice 3 paragraph response detailing how clerics and deities and churches would work, but the post monster atededid it :( So, I'm going to summarize briefly.

Yes, you will be a part of setting up how the church your cleric (or other highly devout PC, far be it from me to say your bard or rogue can't be a preecher of sorts) operates, but only locally from where your character lived. There's so much variation in this style of game it needs to be adaptable from town to town.

And on that note... I'll email you the cleric write-up soon. Since clerics are already at the top tier I just made a few small changes, primarily enhancing the weaker domains to try to bring parity between them all.


That's fair enough, how about dragons and sorcerers too?

:D


vagrant-poet wrote:

That's fair enough, how about dragons and sorcerers too?

:D

Lol, I'm lazy enough I'd rather not have to design a custom sorcerer build, but you'll be pleased to know the Dragon Sorc's claws are now unlimited, and deal more damage. (Basically if somebody REALLY wanted to play a melee sorc, they would generally use Dragon or Abyssal. I won't tell you that it's an ideal choice, but it's actually doable)


Cleric is completely finished and I'm about half-way through the sorcerer. I figure you'd want them both emailed at the same time.


Sorcerer is finished! Sending the Cleric and Sorcerer Files to you now V-P, I'm using Rich Text Format, so hopefully you've got microsoft word lol.

Oh, and just so you know, the files are supposed to be landscape, necessary in order to hold the tables.


Wow, this thread kind of dried up. Perhaps I'd best open one in the OOC board for discussion.

Anyways, Ranger is done.


Okay, I'll post there when that gets up.

Cleric: Okay, hit dice different but similar enough to give much the same value. Channeling, faster progression, also temporary hit points. Then former is a very big boost.
Domains mechancis I like! As long as every class got a further power boost, which I'm guessing they did, gives me more low-level attack spells which is always nice.
What actual domains have changed?


Mostly it was the domains that had blasts with them. The blasts were limited to 3+wis times per day but they only dealt 1d6+cleric level damage, which, as I'm sure you can tell, turned into worthless at 3rd level at the latest, if not 2nd level.

My revisions to those domains smoothed them out and made them more feasible.

Also, some of the special effect domains got moderate changes, for example the good domain's duration was changed to 2 rounds from 1, etc.

As long as the domains overall look balanced to you, as in they are each a hard choice, I've done my job well :D


Wow, the sorcerer got a serious boost to spell progression, but hey everyone seems to have gotten stronger, so if its even across the board that's grand!

I'm thinking of going with a Draconic bloodline sorcerer, and maybe getting a Troll cohort if its an option in the Bestiary, though that's ages in the future. I want them to be slightly odd with a randomly mystical facade.

I'll get cracking on a backstory! Lv2 eh? Excellent!


vagrant-poet wrote:

Wow, the sorcerer got a serious boost to spell progression, but hey everyone seems to have gotten stronger, so if its even across the board that's grand!

I'm thinking of going with a Draconic bloodline sorcerer, and maybe getting a Troll cohort if its an option in the Bestiary, though that's ages in the future. I want them to be slightly odd with a randomly mystical facade.

I'll get cracking on a backstory! Lv2 eh? Excellent!

Right, something you need to know. Componentless spell (the feat that comes with sorcs at level 1) = Eschew Materials + Still Spell + Silent Spell. Still and Silent each have their normal costs but the feat gives you both options ontop of being material component free.


Okay, that's grand, I thought it just always made your spells stilled and silent without cost, I was going to ask about that, nice pre-empt.


vagrant-poet wrote:
Okay, that's grand, I thought it just always made your spells stilled and silent without cost, I was going to ask about that, nice pre-empt.

I do my best :) But yeah, I wouldn't automatically make those free, especially not the still. Would make armor and dealing with grapples too easy I'm afraid. (Not that a Draconic Sorc would have as much trouble with grapples as most other arcanists would...)

Right, stats.

18, 16, 14, 14, 12, 10

Distribute as desired.


Before human +2 I assume? Your game is high-octane man, we're already almost superheroes!

I assume the challenges will be pulp-style scattered and highly difficult or involving swarms of overwhelming numbers of foes! Which I am so okay with! Single foes 3~4 levels higher, extra low CR foes, etc, just not as many in a row! I assume npcs get a CR boost of one aswell, as the changes seem extensive and power positive.


vagrant-poet wrote:

Before human +2 I assume? Your game is high-octane man, we're already almost superheroes!

I assume the challenges will be pulp-style scattered and highly difficult or involving swarms of overwhelming numbers of foes! Which I am so okay with! Single foes 3~4 levels higher, extra low CR foes, etc, just not as many in a row! I assume npcs get a CR boost of one aswell, as the changes seem extensive and power positive.

Quite frankly, I've never been a fan of the CR system. My encounters are designed from my mind with my players capabilities firmly in hand in the moment of the action. I'll admit I tend to use more npc's than monsters, but I find them more fun that way.

You'll see how it plays out in game :) And a warning, don't expect to be superheroes, everything in the game uses the same array. I just like higher numbers xD

Dark Archive

Will you be willing to accept me? I heard you still had 2 slots open.

Spoiler:
jaredouimette1@netscape.net


Jared Ouimette wrote:

Will you be willing to accept me? I heard you still had 2 slots open.

I've got no reason not to Jared, welcome to the crew. If you want to see the classes before you choose one let me know which ones your loosely interested in and I'll make sure to get them to you.

But I will need your email to do so.

Dark Archive

Whats the roster so far... as that will sway my decision and thank you for allowing me into your group.


Check the spoiler!

Okay, so I'm kinda putting him together, not exactly optimal as I gave him good physical stats to represent his draconic heritage. But he's not a melee sorcerer at all.

Do all Npc's have the smae stat array that we do? Just Npc Gear?

Also how do we roll for/determine health? half+1? Roll for it? half+.5?


So far the only claimed spot is Sorcerer, but don't let people sway your choice unless its because they already have it. I've done ALOT of tweaking and all the classes need playtesting. Seeing a wizard play next to a Sorc, for example, might show how well I did balancing them.


vagrant-poet wrote:

Check the spoiler!

Okay, so I'm kinda putting him together, not exactly optimal as I gave him good physical stats to represent his draconic heritage. But he's not a melee sorcerer at all.

Do all Npc's have the smae stat array that we do? Just Npc Gear?

Also how do we roll for/determine health? half+1? Roll for it? half+.5?

You have your choice of roll or take 1/2. Go ahead and roll in here if you like.

So, if your not planning to melee, what role you planning to play V-P? (Oh, and decent scores in con and dex are always good for an arcanist, and a fair strength is more useful for the claw sorcs than others, lets you actually hit if you get caught in a grapple)

Also, your dead right on npc's. They've all got your stats, and alot more than your accustomed to will be of advanced levels (I won't tell you how much, but lets put it this way, level 2 characters aren't uncommon)

And sometimes, if I'm feeling cruel (and I do mean cruel, my npc's use their treasure to full effect) I even use full PC equivalent wealth on an NPC.


What changes have been made to the feats and skills? How are we getting gold?

I'm well on my way towards making him. The real sorcerer changes will kick in at lv3 and beyond when I'll get the benefit of the better spell progression!


vagrant-poet wrote:

What changes have been made to the feats and skills? How are we getting gold?

I'm well on my way towards making him. The real sorcerer changes will kick in at lv3 and beyond when I'll get the benefit of the better spell progression!

Sorc/Wizard/Monk: 1410 gold at level 2

Everybody Else: 2,010 gold at level 2

For the rest of you guys, armors have been revamped, I'm trying to get that piece digitized soon.

Armor: 100, Masterworked Armor: 200

Weapon: 100, Masterworked Weapon: 300

(in other words, if your planning to go dual-wielding and pick up two MW weapons and armor you've burned all your 'real' cash, and all that's left is 10 gold for random expenses.

Infact, this just came to me, you all are starting with a magical card with a special arcane mark on it. That card has a mystical connection that allows venders to scan it and have platinum pieces teleported from one extra dimensional bank account to theirs. Magical Debit cards if you will. Only platinum pieces go in, so if you have any other cash it's petty cash for use in simple endeavors (buying food, renting lodging, etc)

(That's the kind of random innovations you guys can expect to see cropping up in game, expanding the world in a constant evolution.)


Bleck, got caught up in the gold part I forgot all about the feats and skills. Feat progression is the same, and most skills are roughly the same. Some changes, but nothing that would effect an arcane caster right away. After I've gotten everything put up you'll be welcome to change anything you feel needs changed, but the skills are very close to PF.

(What kind of feat effect are you looking for? I might be able to pull a few choices up for you)

Dark Archive

I'll be a druid.


Druid, sweet!

Who has an idea what their characters are going to be like, personally and thematically?

[I went with Spell Focus (evocation) and Dodge.]

[Also, how do I determine health? Roll or take the PFS route of [HD/2 +1]? Max at first level?]


vagrant-poet wrote:

Druid, sweet!

Who has an idea what their characters are going to be like, personally and thematically?

[I went with Spell Focus (evocation) and Dodge.]

[Also, how do I determine health? Roll or take the PFS route of [HD/2 +1]? Max at first level?]

Max at first level


Been out for most of the day. six exams in two consecutive days is not a good idea.

Seeing that there's a focus on balance for the ruleset, I'd like to try my hand in a melee class. Like a monk? or fighter. Hmm. maybe a monk. I have a few concepts going, since I'm rereading the Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett.


I would like to try out the cleric - either of a deity of knowledge (think Oghma of Forgotten Realms) or a deity of the sun/healing (like Pelor). My e-mail address is in the spoiler several posts up.

Thanks!

Dark Archive

How different from the Pathfinder version of the druid is your druid for creation purposes?

As far as a character concept, I'm not sure. Give me a few minutes.


I'll get the monk and cleric to you guys ASAP, Fighter isn't up yet.

For the druid, the only changes are as follows.

2d4 hit dice (gives a smooth, clean average of 5)

At 2nd leve they gain Beast Shape I of their size only, and gain an additional use every even level there-after.

And below are my relatively minor changes to the beast shape line. One thing to note, I count dinosaurs as animals.

Beast Shape I:

Small: +4 dex, +1 NA
Medium: +2 dex, +2 Str, +2 NA
Large: +4 str, +3 NA

Beast Shape II:

Huge animal: +6 Strength, –2 Dex, and a +4 NA

Tiny Animal: +6 dex, -2 str, +1 NA

Beast Shape III:

Gargantuan animal: +8 str, -4 dex, +6 NA

Diminutive animal: +8 dex, -4 str, +1 NA

Those ability modifiers apply to magical beasts as well, so yeah, wildshaping got a minor buff (though the spells did as well) and it comes earlier (I always thought it was pretty lame to wait all the way till 5th level)

Hope that helps :)


Here is my character so far.

One thing, the Draconic Bloodline gives Perception as a bonus class skill, but your altered sorcerer all ready has it as a class skill.

Oh, for my second level, I just took hp increase= half HD +1, 4 in my case. I can change this if instead you want us to roll for hp.


Aydan Mishnok wrote:

Here is my character so far.

One thing, the Draconic Bloodline gives Perception as a bonus class skill, but your altered sorcerer all ready has it as a class skill.

Oh, for my second level, I just took hp increase= half HD +1, 4 in my case. I can change this if instead you want us to roll for hp.

Half is cool.

And apparently I neglected to include this in the document. Those class skills were all moved to class skills of the sorcerer. My change, is that if you have a given bloodline, you get a bonus on your skill (if its one with multiple options like the one that gives any knowledge you choose at sorc 1) equal to 1+1/4 sorc levels.

level 1: +1
Level 4: +2
Level 8: +3
Level 12: +4
Level 16: +5
Level 20: +6

Hope that helps :)


Also, one BIG thing I neglected to mention.

Any time you guys here or see the phrase "Attack action" it's referring to an opportunity to attack.

An attack action in my game comes once in a standard action, as many times as dictated by BAB/buffs (haste, for example), and attacks of opportunity.

Two Weapon Fighters (and creatures that fight with a pair of claws) can make both attacks as a standard action. (Aka my logic is these attacks come in pairs, as part of an attack action.)

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