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James Jacobs wrote:
Alexander Augunas wrote:
Have you tried Hearthstone yet? If not, is it on your list of games to try?
I've been playing it for several months now. It's quite fun!

Do you have a favorite class deck to play yet? I'm a big fan of Warlock, Paladin, Hunter, and Warrior, myself.

Do you ever plug money into the game?

Contributor

Unless the cycle of souls is circumvented (such as through ritualistic sacrifice), does Pharasma send all dogs to Heaven?


1) What advice would you have for someone (hypothetically) running a campaign where Baphomet is the main villain? This wouldn't be WoTR, but he and his Templars would be the main threat as they infiltrate society.

2) Related to the above: What's (from your experience) the lowest level that a party of six people can challenge a CR 27 creature and still have a chance of winning?

3) Same as the above, but a CR 20 adversary. Basically, what's the best level to fight a pit fiend?

4) I heard an account of a CotCT game where most of the party wanted to hand in Trinia Sabor and only one party member wanted to save her? How would you handle this as a GM? I would imagine the lone objector would glare at the party and say something to the effect of "Trinia, i want you to start running. Now. NOW!" and then rolling initiative.

5) If I were to play as a sable company marine, what would happen if I got Trinia on my hippogriff and tried to fly out of the city? Would the other sable marines give chase?

6) The sable marine archetype is tied to Korvosa, but it seems like having a flying mount would render some things irrelevant. Would you recommend it?

7) WoTR question: I hope I would never have to deal with players like these, but what if I had a party that defied all logic and started killing off NPC allies like Irabeth, Anevia, Sosiel, and Horgus? What would happen in-game, an offer of employment by Deskari? Actually, on second thought this might end up being hilarious, but only if it happened once.

8) What series of events would occur if they killed Galfrey!? Would they end up fighting the crusaders AND the demons? Would Iomedae summon them to her domain and give them 100d6 sonic damage? Archon death squads?

9) What's the worst derailing you've ever seen done in a campaign?


Alexander Augunas wrote:
Unless the cycle of souls is circumvented (such as through ritualistic sacrifice), does Pharasma send all dogs to Heaven?

A follow up question to this....Do animals in Golarion have souls?


How common are orcs and half-orcs in Minkai? About as common as in Avistan?

I know that orcs sometimes breed half-orcs to create powerful chieftains and whatnot. Do humans ever purposely create half-orcs for similar purposes?


Hello James, I was wondering about the Vicious weapon ability, I have read several posts on the boards but wanted some clarity for my group.

A character has a vicious merciful melee weapon, would the merciful make all the damage dealt non lethal including the 1d6 from vicious? or is the weapon enhancement damage separate from that?

A character has a vicious weapon and throws it at an opponent, does the extra damage from vicious not happen? or does the damage still happen to the target and the character either takes the damage or does not.

Finally does the vicious weapon damage happen when attacking inanimate objects or only opponents? Any help or advice appreciated.


So James, would the concept of a Genomancer (Gene-manipulating Wizard) be available in Golarion. Are genetics something at all understood or even known about? As a follow up, how would you feel about such a wizard trying to circumvent conjuration and divine magic's monopoly on healing through researching transmutation or even necromantic methods? Is such a thing possible in Golarion? Or is any healing de facto conjuration?


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Did Occulus make up for Argento's Dracula?


Hi James!

1. Happy Easter!

2. I was watching Bob's Burgers tonight and the kids on the show found a large piece of ambergris. I remember that I first learned about ambergris from an old 1st edition adventure, which made me wonder: What are a couple of esoteric facts you have learned early on from D&D et. al.?

Thanks again for all you do!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
So what you're saying is that the cleric is the only divine spellcasting class that explicitly HAS to have a deity?
On Golarion? Yes, that is correct.

So what determines such a character's domains? If an inquisitor does not specifically NEED a deity, then what's to stop a person from just picking any random domain regardless of the context of which deities have sway over what? How do you play an inquisitor divorced from the concept of "an agent of the church?" And why doesn't everyone just go inquisitor if they can be free of a deity's strictures by doing so? Why does anyone WANT to be a cleric?

And, as you state you don't like the Synthesist Summoner, what would be a good substitute setup for a character who shares their body with some sort of outsider. You've played Dragon Age, so I know you'll have context for this: how would you portray Anders or other abominations without using the Synthesist summoner?

The GM gets to approve the inquisitor's domain choices. And frankly, I probably wouldn't play a non-deity worshiping inquisitor, because that's not really of interest to me. I can't answer why the people of the world have different interests than me or you. They just do.

As for doing something like Anders? Monster templates. Half fiend, for example, adjusted by the GM to do what needs to be done.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Generic GM wrote:

Hello Mr. Jacobs! I hope you are well!

I have a few questions for you good sir.

1. Would the closest Pathfinder equivalent to The Others or White Walkers be a Winterwight? Or is there a better fit?

2. If I remember correctly, I once read that you would cast Chow Yun-fat as Runelord Karzoug. That got me wondering who would you cast to play the other runelords?

3. After Iron Gods wraps up, is there a good chance that another runelord might wake up to bother adventures? Perhaps a fiery redhead?

Thank you for your time and answers sir!

1) Nope. The best match for a white walker or an other would be a plain-old wight. Maybe one of the variant wights. For tougher ones, add fighter or ranger class levels.

2) Just off the top of my head...
Alaznist: Tilda Swinton
Sorshen: Scarlett Johansson
Belimarius: Kathy Bates
Xanderghul: Daniel Day Lewis
Krune: Javier Bardem
Zutha: John Goodman

3) Not gonna say.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Diego Rossi wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
VorpalKitten wrote:
If I have spells cast on m Welcome to the complexities of one of the game's top 3 most complicated spells. (Along with reincarnate and simulacrum.)

Why you feel that reincarnate is complicated?

It seem pretty straightforward to me.

It's complicated because of the way it can change and superpower or depower a creature. It's complicated because of the corner cases. For example... does a drow reincarnated into a human retain her spell-like abilities? The more you look into the variability the spell creates, the more cool story ideas rise up but also the more complicated the GM decisions get.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Tels wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
So what you're saying is that the cleric is the only divine spellcasting class that explicitly HAS to have a deity?
On Golarion? Yes, that is correct.

What about the Warpriest? Will he be someone who has to worship a deity (on Golarion) once the class debuts?

James Jacobs wrote:
Chalk it up to "just one more Aroden mystery" if you want, but there's plenty of other deities out there who kill demon lords and demigods (Achaekek, Desna, Lamashtu, Nocticula, etc.).

Nocticula is a Demon Lord herself, so wouldn't she be exempt from that usual rule?

Would you say Achaekek is the only deity that is kind of 'exempt' from the usual mandate, being the God's Assassin and all that? Unless his stuff has been retconned out, we know that he's been very active in assassinating people who attempt to rise to divinity.

The warpriest in the ACG is heavily implied that he needs to worship a deity, but since the core cleric has the language that allows a non-deity cleric to exist, that language got grandfathered into the warpriest. My preference will be to say that warpriests must worship deities on Golarion though since they descend from clerics.

Demon lords are demigods, so one would think they would have to follow the divine rules as well. But again... those rules are not written down (on purpose) so we don't know all the permutations or loopholes that exist (again on purpose).

I really want to keep all the "rules" about how and why the gods do what they do undefined, frankly, to preserve the fact that they're GODS and as such are beyond mortal ken.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

brad2411 wrote:
When did Achaekek become a full god I thought he was a demigod?

I'm not sure we ever said he was a god or demigod... but before the Pathfinder rules were published, neither did we say that the number of domains mattered. Achaekek predates the Pathfinder RPG, and as such there may have been some confusion or indecision early on.

We did a stat block for him in the pre-Pathfinder RPG days. We won't be doing one for him in Pathfinder though.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Omians wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Omians wrote:

James got a few questions for you

1. What make a synthesist Summoner not able to use Mage armor, or wearing Bracers of armor While Merged?

2. How would you do the Archetype differently? or the class if you want to say

3.can an Inquisitor be Human and be a worshiper of Apsu and would it let him use the Dragon Domain?

1) Balance reasons.

2) I would not have done it in the first place. I'm not fond of the concept for a player character. It works better as a monster.

3) A human inquisitor of Apsu is permitted, but if you did so in my game, you'd need to justify that choice with cool character history. And Apsu grants the Dragon subdomain normally, right? So why would that change?

are you saying that a synthesist summoner can't have the effects Mage armor while merged? sorry i just noticed i didnt proof read that question, my Gm was saying that the Eidolon as a Synthesist is " armor" and mage armor wouldn't work on it, and he said that Bracers of armor wouldn't work as well

and on 3. only reason i asked is my GM was saying its more a thing for Kobolds to worship and more of an inherently "evil" domain

I'm actually not all that well-versed on the summoner or its archetypes. I don't have a lot of interest in the class, to be honest. If you want more "rulsey" rulings for it, you'll need to ask elsewhere. My take would be to knee-jerk rule in the least-advantageous way for synthesists, though, since they are, in my opinion, too overpowered and too complex.

The Dragon subdomain is not inherently aligned to any alignment, in any event.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Alexander Augunas wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Alexander Augunas wrote:
Have you tried Hearthstone yet? If not, is it on your list of games to try?
I've been playing it for several months now. It's quite fun!

Do you have a favorite class deck to play yet? I'm a big fan of Warlock, Paladin, Hunter, and Warrior, myself.

Do you ever plug money into the game?

Hunter has been my favorite deck from my very first game. Paladin is my least favorite. Pretty much entirely because of pre-existing opinions about those classes from Warcraft.

I paid 2 bucks during the playtest to help them troubleshoot the for-pay elements of the game, partially to help out in that regard, and partially because you got a one-time gold gnome card as a thank you.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Alexander Augunas wrote:
Unless the cycle of souls is circumvented (such as through ritualistic sacrifice), does Pharasma send all dogs to Heaven?

Whether or not dogs (and all animals) "go to heaven" depends on if they have souls, and that's a complex question. One that we actually had a really cool meeting about a few weeks ago.

I don't want to spoil the answer yet... but you'll want to see the article Wes wrote for the last Mummy's Mask!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

John Kretzer wrote:
Alexander Augunas wrote:
Unless the cycle of souls is circumvented (such as through ritualistic sacrifice), does Pharasma send all dogs to Heaven?
A follow up question to this....Do animals in Golarion have souls?

See previous answer above.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Dustin Ashe wrote:

How common are orcs and half-orcs in Minkai? About as common as in Avistan?

I know that orcs sometimes breed half-orcs to create powerful chieftains and whatnot. Do humans ever purposely create half-orcs for similar purposes?

Half-orcs in Minkai are pretty much non-existent. They're VERY rare, in other words. About as common as wayangs or nagaji are in Avistan.

There are no human groups that breed half-orcs. At least, not on the scale that Belkzen does.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Axial wrote:

1) What advice would you have for someone (hypothetically) running a campaign where Baphomet is the main villain? This wouldn't be WoTR, but he and his Templars would be the main threat as they infiltrate society.

2) Related to the above: What's (from your experience) the lowest level that a party of six people can challenge a CR 27 creature and still have a chance of winning?

3) Same as the above, but a CR 20 adversary. Basically, what's the best level to fight a pit fiend?

4) I heard an account of a CotCT game where most of the party wanted to hand in Trinia Sabor and only one party member wanted to save her? How would you handle this as a GM? I would imagine the lone objector would glare at the party and say something to the effect of "Trinia, i want you to start running. Now. NOW!" and then rolling initiative.

5) If I were to play as a sable company marine, what would happen if I got Trinia on my hippogriff and tried to fly out of the city? Would the other sable marines give chase?

6) The sable marine archetype is tied to Korvosa, but it seems like having a flying mount would render some things irrelevant. Would you recommend it?

7) WoTR question: I hope I would never have to deal with players like these, but what if I had a party that defied all logic and started killing off NPC allies like Irabeth, Anevia, Sosiel, and Horgus? What would happen in-game, an offer of employment by Deskari? Actually, on second thought this might end up being hilarious, but only if it happened once.

8) What series of events would occur if they killed Galfrey!? Would they end up fighting the crusaders AND the demons? Would Iomedae summon them to her domain and give them 100d6 sonic damage? Archon death squads?

9) What's the worst derailing you've ever seen done in a campaign?

1) My advice would be to read Wrath of the Righteous, particularly part 5, for all of my takes on Baphomet. And also to seek out the article I wrote about him back in Dragon Magazine. And then to bolster that by researching the real-world Baphomet, and then watch movies where he or his likeness may or may not appear (such as "Lovely Molly" or "V/H/S/2."

2) They'd probably need some mythic tiers, and my best guess is that they'd need to be level 18 with 8 tiers, minimum. AKA: Where they're at in WotR part 5. Your mileage may vary.

3) A CR 20 adversary as a solo monster? I'd say level 16 or MAYBE level 17. It really depends on the skill level of the players and the baseline power of their characters though... but assuming average players with average characters (which I kind of have to)... level 16 or 17. Which is why most final bad guys for an AP are CR 20.

4) It depends entirely on how the players play out... but I'd handle it by making sure all the roles were there on the table and, hopefully, the players would be mature enough to be able to handle the party strife. And hopefully the end result would increase options for the campaign rather than end it.

5) At that point in the campaign? Yes. Because things haven't progressed far enough for the city to know what's going on. If that event occured at the end, the Sable Company would probably help... assuming they haven't been disbanded or forced entirely "underground."

6) I wouldn't recommend it as a player character option, no.

7) I would take a time out to remind the players what the campaign's themes were supposed to be about... and if they didn't care and continued acting like monsters, then I'd either cancel the campaign and play something more akin to their tastes, or I'd throw out most of the campaign and wing an entire new one where the PCs end up joining the demon forces.

8) They'd end up being recruited by the demons. And if they didn't want that, they'd end up fighting both of them and I don't know at that point what the point of the story continuing would be.

9) The day one player made another player break down in tears because he was being such a jerk about things... or perhaps the day that two of the players in the group left the campaign to, in theory, start up a parallel one run by me, but when it became apparent that one of those two was only interested in a shadow campaign of terror and torment against a player in the original campaign (due to the unfortunate Shadowrun incident that ended up killing another GM's campaign and broke friendships for years), I ended up cancelling that second game and no longer playing with that player.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Gerrard Dixon wrote:

Hello James, I was wondering about the Vicious weapon ability, I have read several posts on the boards but wanted some clarity for my group.

A character has a vicious merciful melee weapon, would the merciful make all the damage dealt non lethal including the 1d6 from vicious? or is the weapon enhancement damage separate from that?

A character has a vicious weapon and throws it at an opponent, does the extra damage from vicious not happen? or does the damage still happen to the target and the character either takes the damage or does not.

Finally does the vicious weapon damage happen when attacking inanimate objects or only opponents? Any help or advice appreciated.

Merciful would make the weapon damage to the target non-lethal, but the wielder of the weapon would still take lethal damage.

Throwing a weapon would still cause the vicious damage to hit the wielder.

If you gain the extra damage from the vicious quality, it hurts you. Doesn't matter what you're hitting.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Davick wrote:
So James, would the concept of a Genomancer (Gene-manipulating Wizard) be available in Golarion. Are genetics something at all understood or even known about? As a follow up, how would you feel about such a wizard trying to circumvent conjuration and divine magic's monopoly on healing through researching transmutation or even necromantic methods? Is such a thing possible in Golarion? Or is any healing de facto conjuration?

Whether or not genetics are understood or not is kind of irrelevant; that kind of class or archetype isn't appropriate flavor for Golarion (including one based in Numeria). You can do the same type of class by using the concept of bloodlines.

And wizards can't heal. I'm pretty supportive of that. It's one of the things that really sets the flavor of how magic works. If you want to play an arcane spellcaster who casts healing spells... play a bard or a witch. Don't play a wizard and complain about it. That smacks of the problem of playing a rogue or a monk as a fighter and then complaining that your character isn't valid.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Justin Franklin wrote:
Did Occulus make up for Argento's Dracula?

It didn't really have to. I don't really think of movies I see as having to keep an overall balance of quality.

Oculus was VERY good though, that's for sure.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

MeanDM wrote:

Hi James!

1. Happy Easter!

2. I was watching Bob's Burgers tonight and the kids on the show found a large piece of ambergris. I remember that I first learned about ambergris from an old 1st edition adventure, which made me wonder: What are a couple of esoteric facts you have learned early on from D&D et. al.?

Thanks again for all you do!

1) Thanks.

2) A LOT of my esoteric facts were things I learned from D&D, actually. Mostly definitions of words like "dais" or "bas-relief" or the like. And then there's knowing what the difference is between a guisarme and a glaive.


You've played Shadowrun?

Then dare I ask: have you ever cut a deal with a dragon?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Alleran wrote:

You've played Shadowrun?

Then dare I ask: have you ever cut a deal with a dragon?

I've played Shadowrun but only a few times. The GM's collusion with a player to have another player's character assassinated more or less ground that game to dust and kinda tainted my experience with the game, which is too bad, because it seemed fun. Apart from the treachery.


James Jacobs wrote:

I'm actually not all that well-versed on the summoner or its archetypes. I don't have a lot of interest in the class, to be honest. If you want more "rulsey" rulings for it, you'll need to ask elsewhere. My take would be to knee-jerk rule in the least-advantageous way for synthesists, though, since they are, in my opinion, too overpowered and too complex.

The Dragon subdomain is not inherently aligned to any alignment, in any event.

ah i see, i had read some stuff Sean K R had talked about it and kind of points to that they do work but i wanted to ask your take on it

thank you for replying to my questions on it
but i have a different one now

how do you feel on Non Lethal type of combat? love it, hate it?
I've loved the idea of the Sap Master Rogue Line for awhile now, very over powered if you can get your target flat footed

i've generally always floated to the idea of non lethal if i had the option in games to knock out the enemies or kill them

Dark Archive

James are there half-hobgolins in Golarion?


Happy Easter


Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

1) You've said before that the starting ages for aasimar and tieflings in the Advanced Race Guide are not canonical for Golarion, and that they have a more human-like maturation process...in that case, which maturation age would you tend to recommend? Human? Perhaps half-elf to represent a bit slower of a maturation? Or even half-orc or orc for a quicker maturation? I'm curious as to which you think would be most appropriate for an off-the-cuff solution?

2) I know you're a fan of elves, and I saw someone talking about the versions they preferred (Norse), and I know you've said you're not a huge fan of some aspects of Tolkien-esque elves, so now I'm curious...what are your favorite representations of elves and elven society, either in books, television, movies, games, pen and paper RPG settings, or whatever, and what did you like about them?

3) If you had the time and the money to do so, what are some of the places here on Earth that you'd like to travel to and visit, and why? Presuming you like travel, at least!

Contributor

James Jacobs wrote:
Alexander Augunas wrote:
Unless the cycle of souls is circumvented (such as through ritualistic sacrifice), does Pharasma send all dogs to Heaven?

Whether or not dogs (and all animals) "go to heaven" depends on if they have souls, and that's a complex question. One that we actually had a really cool meeting about a few weeks ago.

I don't want to spoil the answer yet... but you'll want to see the article Wes wrote for the last Mummy's Mask!

Ooh, sounds interesting. If I recall my lore correctly from Wes's article on the soul trade in Book of the Damned, animals do have something akin to a soul because whatever it is isn't very valuable in the soul trade. At least, not compared to the thousands of gold that a sentient soul is worth.

I might have to check that AP out now. I usually don't buy APs unless I'm going to run them, though I inevitably never do. Gazes longingly at his full sets of Kingmaker, Jade Regent, and Council of Thieves.

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
So what you're saying is that the cleric is the only divine spellcasting class that explicitly HAS to have a deity?
On Golarion? Yes, that is correct.

So what determines such a character's domains? If an inquisitor does not specifically NEED a deity, then what's to stop a person from just picking any random domain regardless of the context of which deities have sway over what? How do you play an inquisitor divorced from the concept of "an agent of the church?" And why doesn't everyone just go inquisitor if they can be free of a deity's strictures by doing so? Why does anyone WANT to be a cleric?

And, as you state you don't like the Synthesist Summoner, what would be a good substitute setup for a character who shares their body with some sort of outsider. You've played Dragon Age, so I know you'll have context for this: how would you portray Anders or other abominations without using the Synthesist summoner?

The GM gets to approve the inquisitor's domain choices. And frankly, I probably wouldn't play a non-deity worshiping inquisitor, because that's not really of interest to me. I can't answer why the people of the world have different interests than me or you. They just do.

As for doing something like Anders? Monster templates. Half fiend, for example, adjusted by the GM to do what needs to be done.

I thought templates weren't generally something first-level characters have access too?


It's said in the Worldwound book that lilitu demons serving certain demon lords are unique in appearance, generally reflecting their sins more physically than others of their kind (examples of lilitu serving Jubilex being covered in slime, or lilitus of Xoveron are morbidly obese). However, what about a lilitu in service to Socothbenoth or Nocticula? They're described as "eyeless, horned, snake-tailed but otherwise beautiful women" in their natural form as it is, so what would render the ones serving them different? Particularly Nocticula - would they look more like succubi and pick up eyes, wings and the like?


Hello, and nice easter!

Once again, I hace some rather un-related questions, if I may...

1) Are merfolk equally at ease in both seawater and freshwater, or do they react in any way to being in water which has a radically different mineralisation from what they were bred in?

2) An Inquisitor of Desna, an Inquisitor of Cayden Cailean and an Inquisitor of Milani in Cheliax: How would their goals (and probably, methods) differ from one another?

3) Does Nocticula have any canonical children? If so, do any of them have a mortal parent?

4) In the rule books, changelings are defined as being hags' offspring, the differences between changelings born to annis, green and sea hags being defined as racial traits. With the addition of more types of hags to the Bestiaries (e.g. blood hag and winter hag)... are we going to see racial traits for changelings descended from those?

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

James,

I'm working on the background for my new Mummy's Mask PC. I'm thinking he was expelled from an arcane spellcasting school of some sort, but I want to pick a specific one from the world of Golarion rather than making it generic. What are some Inner Sea magical academies from which one might be expelled after one too many accidents?

Thanks!


James Jacobs wrote:
Whether or not genetics are understood or not is kind of irrelevant; that kind of class or archetype isn't appropriate flavor for Golarion (including one based in Numeria). You can do the same type of class by using the concept of bloodlines.

How can it be both irrelevant and inappropriate? I don't understand. I also don't follow your meaning on bloodlines... ?

James Jacobs wrote:
And wizards can't heal. I'm pretty supportive of that. It's one of the things that really sets the flavor of how magic works. If you want to play an arcane spellcaster who casts healing spells... play a bard or a witch. Don't play a wizard and complain about it. That smacks of the problem of playing a rogue or a monk as a fighter and then complaining that your character isn't valid.

Actually, a bard would be a great way to play the character. As a professor of transmutation it would make sense for him to excel at perform (oratory) and profession (scholar), and it only makes sense he would practice the conjuration (healing) spells to better understand them.

The point of the character isn't to circumvent divine healing, it's more just a logical avenue for the character to go down. Even if it is ultimately impossible. That's why i was asking. His true aim is to show how genes combined with magic are sufficient to explain a vast number of the occurrences of Golarion and even the multiverse up to and including the deities, who either don't understand this themselves or who do and don't share it, either one bringing their divinity into question. Finding a sort of "Law of Magic" that bars healing through transmutation means is either evidence that the gods placed it their to keep mortals beholden to them, or it is the beginning of an even bigger mystery.

The character isn't my attempt at a wizard who heals, but at the most logically consistent version of a skeptical atheist Golarion has ever seen! So that's why I was wondering if a genomancer could be a thing or if it would be too much like being an aircraft mechanic, a thing that makes sense but just couldn't be there.

PS: I love playing character's with ideas and goals that end up getting shattered by the time they're done. So the point is also not to try and flip or distort any Golarion canon.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Omians wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:

I'm actually not all that well-versed on the summoner or its archetypes. I don't have a lot of interest in the class, to be honest. If you want more "rulsey" rulings for it, you'll need to ask elsewhere. My take would be to knee-jerk rule in the least-advantageous way for synthesists, though, since they are, in my opinion, too overpowered and too complex.

The Dragon subdomain is not inherently aligned to any alignment, in any event.

ah i see, i had read some stuff Sean K R had talked about it and kind of points to that they do work but i wanted to ask your take on it

thank you for replying to my questions on it
but i have a different one now

how do you feel on Non Lethal type of combat? love it, hate it?
I've loved the idea of the Sap Master Rogue Line for awhile now, very over powered if you can get your target flat footed

i've generally always floated to the idea of non lethal if i had the option in games to knock out the enemies or kill them

Nonlethal combat is a perfectly viable option and, in fact, often allows for more interesting stories. Best is a mix, though.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

ulgulanoth wrote:
James are there half-hobgolins in Golarion?

Nope.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Luthorne wrote:

1) You've said before that the starting ages for aasimar and tieflings in the Advanced Race Guide are not canonical for Golarion, and that they have a more human-like maturation process...in that case, which maturation age would you tend to recommend? Human? Perhaps half-elf to represent a bit slower of a maturation? Or even half-orc or orc for a quicker maturation? I'm curious as to which you think would be most appropriate for an off-the-cuff solution?

2) I know you're a fan of elves, and I saw someone talking about the versions they preferred (Norse), and I know you've said you're not a huge fan of some aspects of Tolkien-esque elves, so now I'm curious...what are your favorite representations of elves and elven society, either in books, television, movies, games, pen and paper RPG settings, or whatever, and what did you like about them?

3) If you had the time and the money to do so, what are some of the places here on Earth that you'd like to travel to and visit, and why? Presuming you like travel, at least!

1) Human.

2) It's not that I don't like Tolkien's elves. I do. It's just that I want Golarion's elves to feel different, like they're Golarion elves, not taken from another author. The thing I like best about elven society is the way they're carefree and artistic, I guess. And pointed ears are cool.

3) Antarctica, Loch Ness, Lake Okanagan, Rhode Island, and Japan would be my top 5 list.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
So what you're saying is that the cleric is the only divine spellcasting class that explicitly HAS to have a deity?
On Golarion? Yes, that is correct.

So what determines such a character's domains? If an inquisitor does not specifically NEED a deity, then what's to stop a person from just picking any random domain regardless of the context of which deities have sway over what? How do you play an inquisitor divorced from the concept of "an agent of the church?" And why doesn't everyone just go inquisitor if they can be free of a deity's strictures by doing so? Why does anyone WANT to be a cleric?

And, as you state you don't like the Synthesist Summoner, what would be a good substitute setup for a character who shares their body with some sort of outsider. You've played Dragon Age, so I know you'll have context for this: how would you portray Anders or other abominations without using the Synthesist summoner?

The GM gets to approve the inquisitor's domain choices. And frankly, I probably wouldn't play a non-deity worshiping inquisitor, because that's not really of interest to me. I can't answer why the people of the world have different interests than me or you. They just do.

As for doing something like Anders? Monster templates. Half fiend, for example, adjusted by the GM to do what needs to be done.

I thought templates weren't generally something first-level characters have access too?

Templates aren't generally something ANY character has access to.

But if you're going off-model for what is and isn't a character, the GM gets to break those rules if needed.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Alleran wrote:
It's said in the Worldwound book that lilitu demons serving certain demon lords are unique in appearance, generally reflecting their sins more physically than others of their kind (examples of lilitu serving Jubilex being covered in slime, or lilitus of Xoveron are morbidly obese). However, what about a lilitu in service to Socothbenoth or Nocticula? They're described as "eyeless, horned, snake-tailed but otherwise beautiful women" in their natural form as it is, so what would render the ones serving them different? Particularly Nocticula - would they look more like succubi and pick up eyes, wings and the like?

Lilitus of Nocticula are pretty much baseline lilitus. As are those of Socothbenoth, although the Socothbenoth ones are more likely to be adorned with piercings or tattoos or body modifications.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Midnight_Angel wrote:

Hello, and nice easter!

Once again, I hace some rather un-related questions, if I may...

1) Are merfolk equally at ease in both seawater and freshwater, or do they react in any way to being in water which has a radically different mineralisation from what they were bred in?

2) An Inquisitor of Desna, an Inquisitor of Cayden Cailean and an Inquisitor of Milani in Cheliax: How would their goals (and probably, methods) differ from one another?

3) Does Nocticula have any canonical children? If so, do any of them have a mortal parent?

4) In the rule books, changelings are defined as being hags' offspring, the differences between changelings born to annis, green and sea hags being defined as racial traits. With the addition of more types of hags to the Bestiaries (e.g. blood hag and winter hag)... are we going to see racial traits for changelings descended from those?

1) They are, but they don't normally go into fresh water.

2) Completely... since those three worship very different deities. The presence of Thrune would compel them to work together, though, and they'd probably find common cause and something to bind them together for a common goal in being rebels.

3) Unrevealed.

4) Maybe some day.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Jiggy wrote:

James,

I'm working on the background for my new Mummy's Mask PC. I'm thinking he was expelled from an arcane spellcasting school of some sort, but I want to pick a specific one from the world of Golarion rather than making it generic. What are some Inner Sea magical academies from which one might be expelled after one too many accidents?

Thanks!

Any of them, honestly. I'd pick one from Osirion though, to keep it local.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Davick wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Whether or not genetics are understood or not is kind of irrelevant; that kind of class or archetype isn't appropriate flavor for Golarion (including one based in Numeria). You can do the same type of class by using the concept of bloodlines.

How can it be both irrelevant and inappropriate? I don't understand. I also don't follow your meaning on bloodlines... ?

James Jacobs wrote:
And wizards can't heal. I'm pretty supportive of that. It's one of the things that really sets the flavor of how magic works. If you want to play an arcane spellcaster who casts healing spells... play a bard or a witch. Don't play a wizard and complain about it. That smacks of the problem of playing a rogue or a monk as a fighter and then complaining that your character isn't valid.

Actually, a bard would be a great way to play the character. As a professor of transmutation it would make sense for him to excel at perform (oratory) and profession (scholar), and it only makes sense he would practice the conjuration (healing) spells to better understand them.

The point of the character isn't to circumvent divine healing, it's more just a logical avenue for the character to go down. Even if it is ultimately impossible. That's why i was asking. His true aim is to show how genes combined with magic are sufficient to explain a vast number of the occurrences of Golarion and even the multiverse up to and including the deities, who either don't understand this themselves or who do and don't share it, either one bringing their divinity into question. Finding a sort of "Law of Magic" that bars healing through transmutation means is either evidence that the gods placed it their to keep mortals beholden to them, or it is the beginning of an even bigger mystery.

The character isn't my attempt at a wizard who heals, but at the most logically consistent version of a skeptical atheist Golarion has ever seen! So that's why I was wondering if a genomancer could be a thing or if it would be too much like being an aircraft mechanic, a thing that makes sense but just couldn't be there.

PS: I love playing character's with ideas and goals that end up getting shattered by the time they're done. So the point is also not to try and flip or distort any Golarion canon.

"Bloodline" is fantasy-speak for genetics. It covers the same type of thing, but without using words that create a science-fiction vibe or theme.

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

James Jacobs wrote:
Jiggy wrote:

James,

I'm working on the background for my new Mummy's Mask PC. I'm thinking he was expelled from an arcane spellcasting school of some sort, but I want to pick a specific one from the world of Golarion rather than making it generic. What are some Inner Sea magical academies from which one might be expelled after one too many accidents?

Thanks!

Any of them, honestly. I'd pick one from Osirion though, to keep it local.

I was more asking what some such schools might be; I'm not as well-versed in Golarion as you are and didn't know where to start. :)

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Jiggy wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Jiggy wrote:

James,

I'm working on the background for my new Mummy's Mask PC. I'm thinking he was expelled from an arcane spellcasting school of some sort, but I want to pick a specific one from the world of Golarion rather than making it generic. What are some Inner Sea magical academies from which one might be expelled after one too many accidents?

Thanks!

Any of them, honestly. I'd pick one from Osirion though, to keep it local.
I was more asking what some such schools might be; I'm not as well-versed in Golarion as you are and didn't know where to start. :)

Best place to start, then, would be Inner Sea Magic. There's several schools listed there.

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Oooh, I have that one. Thanks!


James Jacobs wrote:

"Bloodline" is fantasy-speak for genetics. It covers the same type of thing, but without using words that create a science-fiction vibe or theme.

Ah I see, you weren't saying anything about the possibility of using sorcerer bloodlines.

So you're saying that even though evolution occurs on Golarion, it's not something that is at all understood by "mortals"? No genetics, no natural selection, change over time, etc?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Davick wrote:
So James, would the concept of a Genomancer (Gene-manipulating Wizard) be available in Golarion. Are genetics something at all understood or even known about? As a follow up, how would you feel about such a wizard trying to circumvent conjuration and divine magic's monopoly on healing through researching transmutation or even necromantic methods? Is such a thing possible in Golarion? Or is any healing de facto conjuration?

Whether or not genetics are understood or not is kind of irrelevant; that kind of class or archetype isn't appropriate flavor for Golarion (including one based in Numeria). You can do the same type of class by using the concept of bloodlines.

And wizards can't heal. I'm pretty supportive of that. It's one of the things that really sets the flavor of how magic works. If you want to play an arcane spellcaster who casts healing spells... play a bard or a witch. Don't play a wizard and complain about it. That smacks of the problem of playing a rogue or a monk as a fighter and then complaining that your character isn't valid.

That being said, what's your feeling about the Infernal Healing spells, or is the fact that they make the recipient "ping", a suitable balance for breaching that divide?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Davick wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:

"Bloodline" is fantasy-speak for genetics. It covers the same type of thing, but without using words that create a science-fiction vibe or theme.

Ah I see, you weren't saying anything about the possibility of using sorcerer bloodlines.

So you're saying that even though evolution occurs on Golarion, it's not something that is at all understood by "mortals"? No genetics, no natural selection, change over time, etc?

All of that starts to edge out of the fantasy genre and into science-fiction genre. If you're comfortable with that in your game, by all means go for it. But in print, you won't see a Golarion wizard say:

"This turtle's genetics predispose it toward carnivorous habits evolved over the course of years on this strange island."

You might see the wizard say:

"This turtle's bloodline predisposes it toward carnivorous habits developed over the course of years on this strange island."

The end result, a meat-eating turtle, is the same in either case.

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