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James Jacobs wrote:
ulgulanoth wrote:
What does the Church of Asmodeus in Cheliax think of the Worldwound?
Pretty much "not my problem, but damn it's nice that it distracted Iomedae's faith from what we're doing here—as long as those crusaders are up there, it's SO MUCH easier to do our thing down here... I hope the Worldwound NEVER closes!"

Is there *anyone* in Cheliax who's like, "Queen Abrogail! If we allow the Worldwound to grow, then Mendev will fall...and it won't be long before the chaotic demon swine infringe on our territory! We need to send our Hellknights north, to crush the demons and execute their heathen cultists! And if we do...all of Avistan will know that Asmodeus is the name of their savior."

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Keanan Garnet-Gold wrote:

But anyway it's essentially the same thing, but would the spell trigger because you touch the ground with something that normally would deliver the touch attack? In my example of having holding a touch attack in the form of a horse, where the hoof would be a natural attack, would that set off the spell trigger? Might sound crazy question, but from the PRD on holding the charge: "If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges."

So, the problem is if the creature touches the ground with a hoof or a claw while moving to attack the target and holding a charge for a touch attack, does the fact that the claw/hoof hits the ground count as touching anything, thereby discharging the effect?

As crazy as that question sounds, I've found lots of people who insist touching the ground causes the touch spell to discharge, and it just seems so strange to the spirit of the rule/spell.

You don't accidentally discharge a held spell or a longer-duration touch effect by just walking on hooves. Intent matters in that case. Remember, the spell itself was intended to be for humanoids, not horses.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Keanan Garnet-Gold wrote:

Or make it like a monk using his barefoot to deliver a kick, which also delivers a touch attack. If he's holding the charge on his foot, and walks on the ground prior to kicking, would the touch attack go off?

The rules on holding a charge seems written for using your hands, and the hands aren't hitting things unintentionally normally. But with feet, or hooves, or cat claws, you have to walk and is that going to set it off?

The rules are indeed assuming you're holding a charge with your hands. When you stretch the situation to include unanticipated things like being a tiger in Natural Shape with a held charge... you need to adjust.

If that tiger picked something up in its paw, it would discharge the spell. Walking is not the same as picking something up.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Axial wrote:
Is there *anyone* in Cheliax who's like, "Queen Abrogail! If we allow the Worldwound to grow, then Mendev will fall...and it won't be long before the chaotic demon swine infringe on our territory! We need to send our Hellknights north, to crush the demons and execute their heathen cultists! And if we do...all of Avistan will know that Asmodeus is the name of their savior."

I suppose there are, but they won't get far since Queen Abrogail isn't interested in their opinions. Also... the Hellknights aren't Cheliax's possessions. They're mercenaries that aren't part of the nation's government. The Hellknights get to choose where they go, not the government.


James Jacobs wrote:
Keanan Garnet-Gold wrote:

Or make it like a monk using his barefoot to deliver a kick, which also delivers a touch attack. If he's holding the charge on his foot, and walks on the ground prior to kicking, would the touch attack go off?

The rules on holding a charge seems written for using your hands, and the hands aren't hitting things unintentionally normally. But with feet, or hooves, or cat claws, you have to walk and is that going to set it off?

The rules are indeed assuming you're holding a charge with your hands. When you stretch the situation to include unanticipated things like being a tiger in Natural Shape with a held charge... you need to adjust.

If that tiger picked something up in its paw, it would discharge the spell. Walking is not the same as picking something up.

THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. You have no idea how many GMs I have asked who have ruled differently.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Keanan Garnet-Gold wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Keanan Garnet-Gold wrote:

Or make it like a monk using his barefoot to deliver a kick, which also delivers a touch attack. If he's holding the charge on his foot, and walks on the ground prior to kicking, would the touch attack go off?

The rules on holding a charge seems written for using your hands, and the hands aren't hitting things unintentionally normally. But with feet, or hooves, or cat claws, you have to walk and is that going to set it off?

The rules are indeed assuming you're holding a charge with your hands. When you stretch the situation to include unanticipated things like being a tiger in Natural Shape with a held charge... you need to adjust.

If that tiger picked something up in its paw, it would discharge the spell. Walking is not the same as picking something up.

THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. You have no idea how many GMs I have asked who have ruled differently.

I suspect I do have an idea of how many GMs ruled differently. And I don't expect my post here to change that—if your GM rules differently, you need to honor that ruling if after presenting your argument (perhaps with this post as a reference) the GM isn't willing to change the ruling.


James Jacobs wrote:
DrDeth wrote:
Spellcaster starts to cast a spell. VS. How easy is it to tell that it's a spell and not just a guy who is talking and waving his arms around?

Depends on your Bluff check if you're waving your arms around and trying to fake it.

Most spell casting comes with obvious magical side effects though, like glowing lights or shimmering runes or the like... It's pretty obvious when someone casts a spell unless they use a feat or class ability or something that lets them hide or obscure the act.

Makes sense. But let us say a Fighter is trying to ready an action 'when someone starts to cast a spell". How does he know (for example) the Bard is about to/is in the act of casting a spell instead of say using Oratory?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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DrDeth wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
DrDeth wrote:
Spellcaster starts to cast a spell. VS. How easy is it to tell that it's a spell and not just a guy who is talking and waving his arms around?

Depends on your Bluff check if you're waving your arms around and trying to fake it.

Most spell casting comes with obvious magical side effects though, like glowing lights or shimmering runes or the like... It's pretty obvious when someone casts a spell unless they use a feat or class ability or something that lets them hide or obscure the act.

Makes sense. But let us say a Fighter is trying to ready an action 'when someone starts to cast a spell". How does he know (for example) the Bard is about to/is in the act of casting a spell instead of say using Oratory?

Unless the bard takes actions to disguise the spell casting, the fighter automatically notices the bard starting to cast the spell and can automatically tell the difference between that and something like Perform (oratory). Hiding spell casting is NOT something anyone can do. You need a feat (like Ultimate Magic's Spellsong feat) or a specific class or archetype ability to disguise this act.


Would you allow an ally of the spellcaster to Bluff casting a spell to draw off the readied action (with appropriate modifiers for their manner of dress, what they've done thus far in combat, and how caster-y they looked)?


James Jacobs wrote:
Adam147 wrote:

Hey James, what happens to the soul of someone who worships a demon lord? Would it depend on the demon lord in question, and if so, I am particularly interested in what happens to followers of Cyth-V'Sug.

Thanks!

If that worshiper succeeded in impressing the demon lord, it soon becomes a demon after serving a time in the Abyss as a larva. If that worshiper failed to impress the demon lord, they become a larva and probably get eaten or stepped on eventually. Or worse. If THEY survive long enough, they might become a demon anyway.

Followers of Cyth-V'sug probably get absorbed into the walls of his realm quite a lot and become fungus demon monsters.

Fungal demon monsters sound really cool! Thanks a lot for your answer, I really appreciate it.


Hypothetically, what do you think should happen if the conditions for putting a ghost's spirit to rest somehow become forever impossible? Is there always a back up option or is there some way to force the spirit into the afterlife? If the listed solution to putting the spirit to rest becomes impossible would people making a good faith effort to do good by the ghost as best as they reasonably could still work?

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Joana wrote:
Would you allow an ally of the spellcaster to Bluff casting a spell to draw off the readied action (with appropriate modifiers for their manner of dress, what they've done thus far in combat, and how caster-y they looked)?

Nope. Because spell casters have enough toys and advantages already.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Drock11 wrote:
Hypothetically, what do you think should happen if the conditions for putting a ghost's spirit to rest somehow become forever impossible? Is there always a back up option or is there some way to force the spirit into the afterlife? If the listed solution to putting the spirit to rest becomes impossible would people making a good faith effort to do good by the ghost as best as they reasonably could still work?

There's not always a backup; some ghosts are forever. That said... in time, perhaps NEW conditions could arise to replace the old now-impossible conditions.


what happens to the souls that go to Calistria and Abadar


how much influence does Abadar have on the plane of Axis


is Desna the goddess of wet dreams haha (sorry for being immature)


I think some questions I had got lost in the shuffle a little while back, so I'll shorten em up and ask again if that's all right.

1. According to the history in the Dragon Empires Gazetteer, Shizuru gifted the five imperial families with the right to rule in the year 100 AR, and twelve years later the Teikoku Shogunate is established. Now, were only members of House Teikoku allowed to rule? If so, how did the other four families feel about this? How did Shizuru feel about it? And if they were unhappy, was there a reason it took around 3500 years for a change?
2. What was the impetus for the fall of the Teikoku Shogunate?
3. How did hobgoblins get to Tian Xia?
4. This question might be a bit too rules-y so feel free to ignore it, but how do you feel about creatures with the shape change supernatural ability interacting with detect magic? By rules, they should show up as magic (I think) but I do feel like that kind of ruins a lot of stories. Wouldn't it be fairly difficult for doppelgangers and rakshasas to infiltrate societies when the most basic magic user could point them out?

Thanks for your time, best of luck with what you're working on!


After the conclusion of WotR, is it possible for a character to undertake the Test of the Starstone?

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

When you multiclass, do you keep the trained bonus for class skills from your previous class despite now being a different class?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

xavier c wrote:
what happens to the souls that go to Calistria and Abadar

Same as with other souls who go to serve deities; they become petitioners in the realm and may eventfully transcend into full outsiders.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

xavier c wrote:
how much influence does Abadar have on the plane of Axis

Quite a lot, since he lives there.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

xavier c wrote:
is Desna the goddess of wet dreams haha (sorry for being immature)

Ask your GM.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Axial wrote:
After the conclusion of WotR, is it possible for a character to undertake the Test of the Starstone?

It's possible for a PC to take that Test at any point. All you need is your GM's cooperation.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
When you multiclass, do you keep the trained bonus for class skills from your previous class despite now being a different class?

You do indeed keep the trained bonuses for all the classes you have levels in.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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KetchupKing wrote:

I think some questions I had got lost in the shuffle a little while back, so I'll shorten em up and ask again if that's all right.

1. According to the history in the Dragon Empires Gazetteer, Shizuru gifted the five imperial families with the right to rule in the year 100 AR, and twelve years later the Teikoku Shogunate is established. Now, were only members of House Teikoku allowed to rule? If so, how did the other four families feel about this? How did Shizuru feel about it? And if they were unhappy, was there a reason it took around 3500 years for a change?
2. What was the impetus for the fall of the Teikoku Shogunate?
3. How did hobgoblins get to Tian Xia?
4. This question might be a bit too rules-y so feel free to ignore it, but how do you feel about creatures with the shape change supernatural ability interacting with detect magic? By rules, they should show up as magic (I think) but I do feel like that kind of ruins a lot of stories. Wouldn't it be fairly difficult for doppelgangers and rakshasas to infiltrate societies when the most basic magic user could point them out?

Thanks for your time, best of luck with what you're working on!

1) That information is deeply tied into Jade Regent, if I recall correctly, and it's pretty complicated, so I'm not really able to answer this question without doing a lot of re-reading of Jade Regent stuff.

2) Unrevealed, as far as I know.

3) Unrevealed... although it's definitely possible that they were there all along. Or otherwise they got there via the Darklands.

4) Detect magic detects the magic of spells and magic items, not supernatural abilities, as far as I can tell. Furthermore, the expectation is that there's not a spellcaster on every street corner there to search for magic auras. And if that's still not enough, magic aura is a spell that can hide auras.


Hey James, hope you're doing well! Question:

I know you can't reveal the super-secret freelance project that you've referenced several times, but can you at least tell us if we'll find out about it before, during, or after Paizocon and/or Gencon? I understand if you can't.

Sorry if this type of question is annoying, I'm just dying to know.

Thanks! :)


Good morning James (well, it is morning for me).

I was curious if it is possible to use Golarion-specific content in 3rd party products. Not in terms of world-defining, but referencing gods, regions, cities, as part of the background lore of characters. Nothing canon-altering like "she was a friend of Aroden", but things like "he was born in Korvosa".


James Jacobs wrote:
Joana wrote:
Would you allow an ally of the spellcaster to Bluff casting a spell to draw off the readied action (with appropriate modifiers for their manner of dress, what they've done thus far in combat, and how caster-y they looked)?
Nope. Because spell casters have enough toys and advantages already.

I agree that spell casters have plenty going for them (I'm all about the monks); but I do think that non-casters should be able to fool somebody into thinking they are casters (and casting a spell right now). A Razmiran, for example.

The mechanical investment to be able to cast a spell is relatively small (a trait "Magical Talent" allows you to pick up a cantrip); so that would be an alternative way to achieve what Joana is looking for.

If a rogue spends a standard action and Bluffs (opposed by Sense Motive or Spellcraft) I think the investment in terms of action economy is a reasonable exchange for the benefit. It could also set the basis for a neat future regional/religion trait: "Razmiran Faker: as a standard action you can Bluff casting a spell (opposed by Sense Motive or Spellcraft)".

Edit: as a side-note, it is relatively easy circumvent this in terms of readied actions: "I interrupt that guy when he tries to cast a spell"; as opposed to "I interrupt when somebody tries to cast a spell".

Silver Crusade

If Asmodeus could utterly corrupt any single one of the good gods and turn him/her to his ends, which one would he choose?

looking at some "bad future" scenarios :)


In terms of geographic proximity, how far away is the nearest concentration of Hobgoblins in relation to the Worldwound?

Silver Crusade

When souls are judged and sent to their respective planes do they randomly spawn on the plane or is their some massive receiving area for each plane?


I posed this question in the "Ask Merisiel" thread, but I figured I'd also repeat it here with expansions, since you've said before that you're one of the ones who reads over comic strips for approval and suchlike.

To expound, I'm catching up on (and re-reading in some cases) the Pathfinder comics, and I'm wondering about your opinions regarding the Kyra-Merisiel relationship. Specifically, the sense that it could be seen as fanservice-y. While I may just be missing something blindingly obvious in the pages of the comics themselves, reading through the series from start to finish I couldn't see much indication that there was a hinted relationship besides the reference to Kyra as a lesbian and prior knowledge of Merisiel's bisexuality, so it happening felt a bit like throwing them together didn't have a particularly strong basis to it (besides "let's add a quick relationship in the party between those two"). The group (specifically Valeros, Seoni, Kyra, Merisiel and Ezren) do more or less feel like somewhat-accomplished individuals, and there could certainly be development going on in the background, but in terms of what was shown on-panel, I wasn't "feeling" it. Was there a specific decision made to do it/develop it? Was it a long-planned thing? Was it spur-of-the-moment by the writer that was approved?

I'm also wondering if you can give any hints, tidbits or general information on how said relationship will develop going forward with "stories of the iconics" and whether/where it will go.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Daethor wrote:

Hey James, hope you're doing well! Question:

I know you can't reveal the super-secret freelance project that you've referenced several times, but can you at least tell us if we'll find out about it before, during, or after Paizocon and/or Gencon? I understand if you can't.

Sorry if this type of question is annoying, I'm just dying to know.

Thanks! :)

I suspect folks will find out about said secret project at Paizocon. If not there, certainly at Gen Con. I would MUCH rather announce it at Paizocon though.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

LoreKeeper wrote:

Good morning James (well, it is morning for me).

I was curious if it is possible to use Golarion-specific content in 3rd party products. Not in terms of world-defining, but referencing gods, regions, cities, as part of the background lore of characters. Nothing canon-altering like "she was a friend of Aroden", but things like "he was born in Korvosa".

There's only 2 ways you can legally use Golarion-specific content in a 3rd-party product.

1) Get a special license from us to do so. We don't hand out these licenses often at all, and when we do, we tend only to do so to folks we know and trust will handle our world with the respect it deserves.

2) Use the Community Use License, which means you can't make money off what you create (among other things).

As a general rule, 3rd-party products should just avoid it altogether.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

LoreKeeper wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Joana wrote:
Would you allow an ally of the spellcaster to Bluff casting a spell to draw off the readied action (with appropriate modifiers for their manner of dress, what they've done thus far in combat, and how caster-y they looked)?
Nope. Because spell casters have enough toys and advantages already.

I agree that spell casters have plenty going for them (I'm all about the monks); but I do think that non-casters should be able to fool somebody into thinking they are casters (and casting a spell right now). A Razmiran, for example.

The mechanical investment to be able to cast a spell is relatively small (a trait "Magical Talent" allows you to pick up a cantrip); so that would be an alternative way to achieve what Joana is looking for.

If a rogue spends a standard action and Bluffs (opposed by Sense Motive or Spellcraft) I think the investment in terms of action economy is a reasonable exchange for the benefit. It could also set the basis for a neat future regional/religion trait: "Razmiran Faker: as a standard action you can Bluff casting a spell (opposed by Sense Motive or Spellcraft)".

Edit: as a side-note, it is relatively easy circumvent this in terms of readied actions: "I interrupt that guy when he tries to cast a spell"; as opposed to "I interrupt when somebody tries to cast a spell".

Non spell casters CAN fool folks that way. There are specific feats and class abilities and the like that speak to this, particularly for Razmiran stuff (which is more about arcane spell casters pretending to be divine spell casters, so talking about non-casters in that context is not accurate).

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Mikaze wrote:

If Asmodeus could utterly corrupt any single one of the good gods and turn him/her to his ends, which one would he choose?

looking at some "bad future" scenarios :)

The one that makes for the best storyline you want to write.

If I were creating that storyline, I'd probably say Iomedae.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Axial wrote:
In terms of geographic proximity, how far away is the nearest concentration of Hobgoblins in relation to the Worldwound?

Probably Nirmathas. MAYBE the River Kingdoms.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Rysky wrote:
When souls are judged and sent to their respective planes do they randomly spawn on the plane or is their some massive receiving area for each plane?

They go where Pharasma sends them. Which means both of the above possibilities are possible.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Alleran wrote:

I posed this question in the "Ask Merisiel" thread, but I figured I'd also repeat it here with expansions, since you've said before that you're one of the ones who reads over comic strips for approval and suchlike.

To expound, I'm catching up on (and re-reading in some cases) the Pathfinder comics, and I'm wondering about your opinions regarding the Kyra-Merisiel relationship. Specifically, the sense that it could be seen as fanservice-y. While I may just be missing something blindingly obvious in the pages of the comics themselves, reading through the series from start to finish I couldn't see much indication that there was a hinted relationship besides the reference to Kyra as a lesbian and prior knowledge of Merisiel's bisexuality, so it happening felt a bit like throwing them together didn't have a particularly strong basis to it (besides "let's add a quick relationship in the party between those two"). The group (specifically Valeros, Seoni, Kyra, Merisiel and Ezren) do more or less feel like somewhat-accomplished individuals, and there could certainly be development going on in the background, but in terms of what was shown on-panel, I wasn't "feeling" it. Was there a specific decision made to do it/develop it? Was it a long-planned thing? Was it spur-of-the-moment by the writer that was approved?

I'm also wondering if you can give any hints, tidbits or general information on how said relationship will develop going forward with "stories of the iconics" and whether/where it will go.

The Kyra-Merisiel relationship is pretty much in there because I set that up to be in there—I've known that Kyra was gay and Merisiel was bisexual pretty much from the start of Pathfinder, and have been dropping hints about that for many years. We've always said that we don't intend to shy away from an iconic's sexuality, but until the time is right to reveal information there, it's not appropriate to dwell on in print. Remember... even though we illustrate our iconics all the time... actual content about their actual adventures and personality and the like has been VERY limited. Pretty much entirely to their "Meet the Iconics" blog posts, which are about them and NOT about their relationships with other iconics or other NPCs.

That changed with the comic book. We'd always known that eventually we would have a chance to tell the iconcis' stories, be it in novels or comic books or audio dramas or whatever. We've so far avoided doing novels about them, and the comic book was the first time where their personalities and stories really made the jump from my head and Paizo's in-house notes to a public place.

Whether or not the Kyra and Merisiel relationship is seen as fanservicey is kind of irrelevant to me, especially considering that I wanted our first publicly shown relationship between two iconics to be a same-sex relationship. Had it been a different mix of iconics, that relationship would have been different, perhaps. But since we wanted to go with the first few iconics we ever published (the "Rise of the Runelords" iconics, if you will), that was pretty much that.

ALL of the iconics have stories. Merisiel's is basically learning to have friends and relationships again after spending the first century of her life alone and forlorn, and so she NEEDS to have a relationship, more than any other iconic, to move forward.

Kyra's story is about her balancing her faith and devotion to her goddess with her relationships with friends. Falling in love with a non-good chaotic rogue is something that puts her own beliefs under a strain.

The other iconics have stories also—such as Ezren dealing with his late start and being the old guy in a young guy's job, or Seoni trying to earn the respect of her fellow adventurers and succeed as the group's leader, or Valeros managing to be the good guy that everyone looks up to, or Harsk coming to terms with the fact that he feels guilt and rage over the death of his brother and also struggling to be a dwarf who doesn't particularly enjoy living underground, and so on. Some of those stories get more treatment than others, but they all have stories to be told.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
how much influence does Abadar have on the plane of Axis
Quite a lot, since he lives there.

Does he have a lawn to yell people to get off of?

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16

I suspect that would be Erastil! ;) "And dagnabbit quit traipsing through my kumquats, too! Durn youngsters these days."

==Aelryinth

Paizo Employee Creative Director

LazarX wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
how much influence does Abadar have on the plane of Axis
Quite a lot, since he lives there.
Does he have a lawn to yell people to get off of?

Not so sure how fond of the color green Abadar is...


James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
how much influence does Abadar have on the plane of Axis
Quite a lot, since he lives there.
Does he have a lawn to yell people to get off of?
Not so sure how fond of the color green Abadar is...

Who's to say his lawn isn't made of gold? 0.o

Silver Crusade

James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
how much influence does Abadar have on the plane of Axis
Quite a lot, since he lives there.
Does he have a lawn to yell people to get off of?
Not so sure how fond of the color green Abadar is...

Is that in reference to him being a god of civilization as opposed to nature or am I missing something else?


I'm a bit confused about Zon-Kuthon's ideology.

Do Kuthites only torture people who want it and are part of their cult, or do they do it to their victims? Would a Kuthite nation like Nidal subject it's war-prisoners to torment?

What are the major differences between Asmodeus' Lawful Evil and Zon-Kuthon's Lawful Evil?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Rysky wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
how much influence does Abadar have on the plane of Axis
Quite a lot, since he lives there.
Does he have a lawn to yell people to get off of?
Not so sure how fond of the color green Abadar is...
Is that in reference to him being a god of civilization as opposed to nature or am I missing something else?

As a god of cities, he's more into urban colors than he is into nature colors, yes.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Axial wrote:

I'm a bit confused about Zon-Kuthon's ideology.

Do Kuthites only torture people who want it and are part of their cult, or do they do it to their victims? Would a Kuthite nation like Nidal subject it's war-prisoners to torment?

What are the major differences between Asmodeus' Lawful Evil and Zon-Kuthon's Lawful Evil?

Kuthites torture themselves and their victims for different reasons. Torture is the way they purify the flesh to be sacred and to honor Zon-Kuthon. To a priest of Zon-Kuthon, this doesn't feel like torture. Does it hurt? Hell yes. It's not torture though... it's religion. To a non-believer, it's torture.

The major difference between Asmodeus and Zon-Kuthon are that Asmodeus is far more into political evils and manipulation of society, where as Zon-Kuthon is more into more personal evils, I guess.

It's basically the difference between a cenobite from Hellraiser's kind of evil and the evil you see in a movie about a corrupt lawyer or politician.


James Jacobs wrote:
Axial wrote:

I'm a bit confused about Zon-Kuthon's ideology.

Do Kuthites only torture people who want it and are part of their cult, or do they do it to their victims? Would a Kuthite nation like Nidal subject it's war-prisoners to torment?

What are the major differences between Asmodeus' Lawful Evil and Zon-Kuthon's Lawful Evil?

Kuthites torture themselves and their victims for different reasons. Torture is the way they purify the flesh to be sacred and to honor Zon-Kuthon. To a priest of Zon-Kuthon, this doesn't feel like torture. Does it hurt? Hell yes. It's not torture though... it's religion. To a non-believer, it's torture.

The major difference between Asmodeus and Zon-Kuthon are that Asmodeus is far more into political evils and manipulation of society, where as Zon-Kuthon is more into more personal evils, I guess.

It's basically the difference between a cenobite from Hellraiser's kind of evil and the evil you see in a movie about a corrupt lawyer or politician.

So purchasing a bunch of slaves, subjecting them to terrible torture, telling them "This is for your enlightment! Surrender your flesh to Zon-Kuthon!", and gradually brainwashing/inducting them into their faith would be in character for Kuthites?

These are important things to know if I ever have villains who worship Zon-Kuthon in one of my campaigns.


James Jacobs wrote:
The Kyra-Merisiel relationship is pretty much in there because I set that up to be in there—I've known that Kyra was gay and Merisiel was bisexual pretty much from the start of Pathfinder, and have been dropping hints about that for many years. We've always said that we don't intend to shy away from an iconic's sexuality, but until the time is right to reveal information there, it's not appropriate to dwell on in print. Remember... even though we illustrate our iconics all the time......

Thanks for expanding somewhat. I hope the comic is doing well enough that it can continue, since I do enjoy reading about the various adventures they're on. Just need to wait until my LCS sends me the Special and the next couple.

(When might more of the iconics begin showing up? I don't think all the Core iconics have appeared on-panel yet, so I expect they'll have to before any of the APG ones get their turn...)

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Axial wrote:

So purchasing a bunch of slaves, subjecting them to terrible torture, telling them "This is for your enlightment! Surrender your flesh to Zon-Kuthon!", and gradually brainwashing/inducting them into their faith would be in character for Kuthites?

These are important things to know if I ever have villains who worship Zon-Kuthon in one of my campaigns.

That would indeed be in character.

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