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Paizo Employee Creative Director

xavier c wrote:
Why do you like Hypatia?

Lots of reasons, but primarily because she's a woman scientist/philosopher from an era where those roles are traditionally remembered as being male-dominated.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

SAMAS wrote:

Once again, thanks for taking the time to answer all these questions. Unfortunately, the only reward I have is more questions:

What happens to the soul of a sacrifical victim? What about an animal sacrifice (Is that where we get Celestial animals for Summon Monster spells)?

Depends on the nature of the sacrifice. It could just go on to the final resting place as per normal... or if it's a particularly vile sacrifice with certain types of power, it might be sent on to be tormented or abused or otherwise consumed or perverted or destroyed. In this way, sacrifice causes disruptions to the flow of souls similarly to how undead or trap the soul or other things do.

As for animals, they'd likely just go on to the outer planes as per normal if sacrificed.

Summon monsters don't actauly summon existing real creatures from other planes; they create temporary versions that exist only as long as the spell duration lasts; that's the difference between a summon spell and a calling spell.


Just a thought I had. The rules say no dirty trick can be permanent but what if a players throws glass or acid into an enemy's eyes? I'm thinking that is one of the times a GM would have to make a call for balance versus logic? Not saying there is anything wrong with balance but just thinking about things.

My friends know I am a Call of Cthulhu and Paranoia GM and what that entails and what is in those games. When said players complain that the monsters in CoC are too hard to kill, am I justified in giving them a little smack on the head for still expecting the D&D style encounters?

Have you played Splatterhouse? Mainly the 2010 game as it uses more story to really tie the games into the Cthulhu mythos. If so, what would you think of a sort of artefact based on the mask in the game?

Not trying to criticize the work of anyone at Paizo on this one but I am just curious due to not understanding. In a certain adventure path, not going to say which one, we had to fight a Colour out of Space and it actually felt pretty weak compared to how it felt in the short story. Was it toned down for balance so it wouldn't totally rock the party or do I just not understand the colour?

I had a look in the bestiary much later on at the colour and I noticed all their types and abilities. Wouldn't their touch ability make more sense if anything touched them rather than them having to actively attack or would that just be too much balance wise?

Probably heard this one before but how come pretty much none of the Mythos creatures are summon-able or accessible through spells like planar binding? My guess is because the team would have to re-write the spells every time a new creature came out but would it make sense to have a fair number of them set up through planar binding or gate spells since they are not of this realm and the books had a fair bit of ritual summoning in it?

I hope none of this is taken as offence to anyone's writing styles as I understand there is a reason for everything even if I don't get it.

Have you played the early CoC computer games Shadow of the Comet and Prisoner of Ice? If so, how do you think they compared to CoC: Dark Corners?

Do you think the $120 million budget and PG-13 rating are going to make Del Torro's Mountain of Madness come off as a lame big hollywood horror movie or do you think he can still probably pull it off?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

AlgaeNymph wrote:

1. What did we do that was so awful compared to humans elsewhere?

2. Oh, and about what time did the gods leave earth?

3. What relation do gods who're judges of the dead have with Pharasma?

4. When high-level adventurers die, do they become petitioners or are they fast tracked into outsiders of a similar power level? If not, then why?

5. Anyone who shares Arshea’s alignment (neutral good) will likely end up in Nirvana…where petitioners turn into animals. Given Arshea’s interests (freedom, physical beauty, and sexuality) wouldn’t this be awkward?

6. Given how innocent souls ending up in the lower planes is a problem (what with night hags, astradaemons, cacodaemons, succubi, and human sacrifice, and so on), How is Cthulhu supposed to be horrific compared to that? Sure, he scares people to death, causes massive property damage, and likely ends civilizations, but then the victims are on their way to a better place in the Great Beyond.

7. Why’s the wendigo have such a high Int score? Specifically, what’s a jumped-up cannibalism spirit need with all those skills?

8. Why in-setting (we all know the out-of-setting reason) aren't there any male nymphs? Fey Revisited never explained that.

1) History and current events are full of examples. I'm kind of a pessimist when it comes to my opinion on people as a society, though. Individually, I think most humans are good people but when they form groups... mob-mentality and the manipulations of a powerful few tend to be bad. In my opinion.

2) In the real world, who can say? On earth in the game, they never actually left... they're just not worshiped much.

3) They are servitors and/or rivals and/or allies.

4) Level has nothing to do with that fast track. Fate and destiny do, as does the presence of certain artifacts or conditions at the time of death. Often those go hand in hand with being high level, though.

5) No.

6) What's horrific to one person isn't to another. There are also shades of horror. No one said Cthulhu is supposed to be more or less horrific than having your soul tormented forever in hell or the like. Which is worse is up to the individual to decide.

7) It's a lot more than a "jumped-up cannibalism spirit" for one thing... that's why it's so smart and wise and charismatic. It's beyond humanity in a lot of ways as far as brainpower and intellect is concerned. It's not our fault that the only way we inferior mortal beings can begin to understand it is merely as a thing that makes us eat each other. That's like an ant not understanding a scientist talking about calculus and thinking that the scientist is ridiculous. It's not the scientist's fault the ant lacks the brainpower to understand more intelligent creatures.

8) Because nymphs are manifestations of femininity, just as satyrs are manifestations of masculinity.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Jaçinto wrote:

1 Just a thought I had. The rules say no dirty trick can be permanent but what if a players throws glass or acid into an enemy's eyes? I'm thinking that is one of the times a GM would have to make a call for balance versus logic? Not saying there is anything wrong with balance but just thinking about things.

2 My friends know I am a Call of Cthulhu and Paranoia GM and what that entails and what is in those games. When said players complain that the monsters in CoC are too hard to kill, am I justified in giving them a little smack on the head for still expecting the D&D style encounters?

3 Have you played Splatterhouse? Mainly the 2010 game as it uses more story to really tie the games into the Cthulhu mythos. If so, what would you think of a sort of artefact based on the mask in the game?

4 Not trying to criticize the work of anyone at Paizo on this one but I am just curious due to not understanding. In a certain adventure path, not going to say which one, we had to fight a Colour out of Space and it actually felt pretty weak compared to how it felt in the short story. Was it toned down for balance so it wouldn't totally rock the party or do I just not understand the colour?

5 I had a look in the bestiary much later on at the colour and I noticed all their types and abilities. Wouldn't their touch ability make more sense if anything touched them rather than them having to actively attack or would that just be too much balance wise?

6 Probably heard this one before but how come pretty much none of the Mythos creatures are summon-able or accessible through spells like planar binding? My guess is because the team would have to re-write the spells every time a new creature came out but would it make sense to have a fair number of them set up through planar binding or gate spells since they are not of this realm and the books had a fair bit of ritual summoning in it?

7 I hope none of this is taken as offence to anyone's writing styles as I understand there is a reason for everything even if I don't get it.

8 Have you played the early CoC computer games Shadow of the Comet and Prisoner of Ice? If so, how do you think they compared to CoC: Dark Corners?

9 Do you think the $120 million budget and PG-13 rating are going to make Del Torro's Mountain of Madness come off as a lame big hollywood horror movie or do you think he can still probably pull it off?

1) Permanently blinding someone with acid to the eyes is not a dirty trick. That's a specific act not really covered by the rules but I would say it's the same as using a sharp stick to poke out someone's eyes. If you need rules for it... use the coup de grace rules and if the victim fails, he's not dead but just blinded. If you use Dirty Trick, it's only temporary, regardless of the weapon you use.

2) If they don't understand the differences between games, then they'll just need to make new characters more often.

3) Haven't played it.

4) Turns out, in the short story, the protagonists aren't high level fantasy characters. Also turns out, forcing PCs in Pathfinder to fight monsters that they can't kill and will destroy them with ease isn't fun. If it bothers you that monsters in a Lovecraft story don't interact with the story the same way when they appear in Pathfinder, then rename them in Pathfinder to remove any connotations. Call the colour out of space something like a "hue stealer" or a "vaporgaunt" or whatever instead.

5) Not to me (since I was the designer for that creature in the first place), but feel free to make that change if you wish in your games.

6) Because the spells that would conjure them are and should be different spells entirely. Just because we haven't published those spells yet doesn't mean they don't exist.

7) No offense taken.

8) Yes. I loved Shadow of the Comet, was very disappointed by Prisoner of Ice, and felt Dark Corners was superior to both in every possible way.

9) I think he can pull it off, as long as he gets actors and writers to do the thing justice.


James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James in the Baphomet article in Herald of the Ivory Labyrinth, it mentions that Baphomet was born out of a vile act of the Demon Queen. Is that Lamashtu or someone else? Also is it safe to assume that act was something similar to Pasiphaë and the Bull?
Lamashtu is the Demon Queen. That's one of her titles, along with Mother of Monsters and a few others.
Any hint on what the vile act was?
It started at non-consensual gore-laced bestiality and got a lot worse from there.
Is bestiality evil on Golarion?
Usually.

Usually? if that is the case. then when is it not evil?


Pure speculation would be awakened animals.

Contributor

James Jacobs wrote:
Alexander Augunas wrote:
How awesome is this short film? (Its about 10 minutes long.)
Dunno. I'll watch it later. I should be finishing development of this adventure anyway... ;-)

Did you ever get a chance to watch this short video? I forgot about following up with you about it until I went hunting through my favorites.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
SAMAS wrote:

Once again, thanks for taking the time to answer all these questions. Unfortunately, the only reward I have is more questions:

What happens to the soul of a sacrifical victim? What about an animal sacrifice (Is that where we get Celestial animals for Summon Monster spells)?

There is a monster that's essentially a Lissalan sacrificial golem. It basically has a grapple attack where it places someone on it's top and you've got one round to stop it before it sacrifices it's captive.... sending it's soul straight to Lissala's realm no matter what alignment it is. The only way to bring back someone who dies this way short of a miracle or wish, is to get the intercession of a Lissalan cleric.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
Why do you like Hypatia?
Lots of reasons, but primarily because she's a woman scientist/philosopher from an era where those roles are traditionally remembered as being male-dominated.

I think there's a special or movie coming out on her soon.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Misroi wrote:
Harkening back to last page's discussion of gods from Earth on Golarion, what is it about Earth that makes it inhospitable to divine beings? They all seem to have left for one reason or another.
Us.
What do you mean?
We get the gods we deserve. And I'm not sure we as a race currently deserve any of them.

I'm pretty sure that I don't want to live in a world where gods actually existed. It's bad enough that we're playthings to an uncaring unsentient universe. Being playthings and chess pieces to actual gods would be a truly depressing thought. Even the nice chess masters are still chess masters.

Did you ever read the end of Moorcock's Corum novels? It goes something like this. Corum meets with an outer planar ally whom he returns the Eye and the Hand that he had borrowed. As an aside the being tells him that he has finished Corum's crusade and killed of the Gods of Chaos. Corum remarks that the Gods of Law should be pleased. The being replies. "I doubt it, for when I was done with Chaos, I killed them off as well. Now you and your kind are free to make your own destinies."

Would you prefer to be a marker in some god's chess strategy? Or be in command of your own destiny to the limits of your ability and luck?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James in the Baphomet article in Herald of the Ivory Labyrinth, it mentions that Baphomet was born out of a vile act of the Demon Queen. Is that Lamashtu or someone else? Also is it safe to assume that act was something similar to Pasiphaë and the Bull?
Lamashtu is the Demon Queen. That's one of her titles, along with Mother of Monsters and a few others.
Any hint on what the vile act was?
It started at non-consensual gore-laced bestiality and got a lot worse from there.
Is bestiality evil on Golarion?
Usually.

Usually? if that is the case. then when is it not evil?

When there's consent.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Alexander Augunas wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Alexander Augunas wrote:
How awesome is this short film? (Its about 10 minutes long.)
Dunno. I'll watch it later. I should be finishing development of this adventure anyway... ;-)
Did you ever get a chance to watch this short video? I forgot about following up with you about it until I went hunting through my favorites.

Nope... never got a chance...

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
LazarX wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
Why do you like Hypatia?
Lots of reasons, but primarily because she's a woman scientist/philosopher from an era where those roles are traditionally remembered as being male-dominated.
I think there's a special or movie coming out on her soon.

One's already out, in fact. Great movie!


Mr. James Jacobs,

If you were to associate each of the 5 stages of grief with a particular color, what would they be?


James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
Why do you like Hypatia?
Lots of reasons, but primarily because she's a woman scientist/philosopher from an era where those roles are traditionally remembered as being male-dominated.
I think there's a special or movie coming out on her soon.
One's already out, in fact. Great movie!

That took too many liberties with its source material for my taste. Of course, I dislike a lot of Hollywood-produced "historical" movies for that exact reason, so I'm not necessarily the best judge.

As a query on Divine Source, some of the domains the character grants can be dependent on their alignment, but if they're neutral they don't need to. If, for example, you have a True Neutral character they might have Magic and Artifice, but a Neutral Good individual granting the domains could only have one of those, and the other would be the Good domain.

1) If that True Neutral character shifts alignment to Good, or the Neutral Good character shifts alignment to True Neutral, how do the domains they grant change? Would the TN/NG character be forced to switch a domain? Or would they be required to pick the Good domain next time they took Divine Source?

2) How would this be shown in-universe? Is it that what the person can grant or use is an outgrowth of their beliefs/interests in a way that they don't necessarily get to choose?


1. For the spirits that the Shaman class associates with; are those always "minor" nature/ancestral/whatever spirits, or could they also be facets of existing demigods or deities? In other words, could there in Golarion exist (say) a pantheon-worshipping Shaman who relates to Sarenrae as their primary spirit (Flame), but with Iomedae as their wandering spirit (Battle)? And if so, would this be a workable way besides the Oracle to represent a cleric-like character that pays homage to multiple related gods?

2. Should we expect more Shaman spirits anytime soon?

P.S.

Spells to call/summon/bind Mythos creatures would be so fun! I hope you will release them sometime soon! :)

D.S.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
The NPC wrote:

Mr. James Jacobs,

If you were to associate each of the 5 stages of grief with a particular color, what would they be?

Denial= yellow

Anger =red

Bargaining = purple

Depression = blue

Acceptance = green

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Alleran wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
Why do you like Hypatia?
Lots of reasons, but primarily because she's a woman scientist/philosopher from an era where those roles are traditionally remembered as being male-dominated.
I think there's a special or movie coming out on her soon.
One's already out, in fact. Great movie!

That took too many liberties with its source material for my taste. Of course, I dislike a lot of Hollywood-produced "historical" movies for that exact reason, so I'm not necessarily the best judge.

As a query on Divine Source, some of the domains the character grants can be dependent on their alignment, but if they're neutral they don't need to. If, for example, you have a True Neutral character they might have Magic and Artifice, but a Neutral Good individual granting the domains could only have one of those, and the other would be the Good domain.

1) If that True Neutral character shifts alignment to Good, or the Neutral Good character shifts alignment to True Neutral, how do the domains they grant change? Would the TN/NG character be forced to switch a domain? Or would they be required to pick the Good domain next time they took Divine Source?

2) How would this be shown in-universe? Is it that what the person can grant or use is an outgrowth of their beliefs/interests in a way that they don't necessarily get to choose?

I'd hardly call a Spanish movie a "Hollywood-produced" movie, but fair enough.

1) Previously selected domains should shift as needed to match the new alignment.

2) It would probably cause a schism in their church.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Analysis wrote:

1. For the spirits that the Shaman class associates with; are those always "minor" nature/ancestral/whatever spirits, or could they also be facets of existing demigods or deities? In other words, could there in Golarion exist (say) a pantheon-worshipping Shaman who relates to Sarenrae as their primary spirit (Flame), but with Iomedae as their wandering spirit (Battle)? And if so, would this be a workable way besides the Oracle to represent a cleric-like character that pays homage to multiple related gods?

2. Should we expect more Shaman spirits anytime soon?

P.S.

Spells to call/summon/bind Mythos creatures would be so fun! I hope you will release them sometime soon! :)

D.S.

1) A shaman would worship Sarenrae, and her spirits would be Sarenrae themed... like a dove or a mote of sunlight or something like that. An oracle can worship a deity as well, and should pick a mystery that doesn't feel out of place for that deity.

2) Not a lot, but at least a few here and there.


Would it make sense for an oracle to worship a deity with domains unrelated to their powers? For instance, an Oracle of Bones, disgusted by their 'gifts', worshiping a deity of life? An Oracle of War, devoted to a deity of peace, viewing himself as a necessary evil?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Taco Man wrote:
Would it make sense for an oracle to worship a deity with domains unrelated to their powers? For instance, an Oracle of Bones, disgusted by their 'gifts', worshiping a deity of life? An Oracle of War, devoted to a deity of peace, viewing himself as a necessary evil?

It wouldn't make sense, no, but that's a niche that oracles serve well in. Heretics, more or less


Hi James,

I don't really have a question today, but I wanted to (figuratively) swing by and tell you I absolutely could not stop reading the rest of the first Iron Gods Adventure Path.

One of my top 2 favorite Adventure Paths thus far (the other being Kingmaker).

Great Job!!!!


James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James in the Baphomet article in Herald of the Ivory Labyrinth, it mentions that Baphomet was born out of a vile act of the Demon Queen. Is that Lamashtu or someone else? Also is it safe to assume that act was something similar to Pasiphaë and the Bull?
Lamashtu is the Demon Queen. That's one of her titles, along with Mother of Monsters and a few others.
Any hint on what the vile act was?
It started at non-consensual gore-laced bestiality and got a lot worse from there.
Is bestiality evil on Golarion?
Usually.

Usually? if that is the case. then when is it not evil?

When there's consent.

Magical Beasts? (link between Sphinx and Maftet?)

Animal Companion / Familiar?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Guy St-Amant wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James in the Baphomet article in Herald of the Ivory Labyrinth, it mentions that Baphomet was born out of a vile act of the Demon Queen. Is that Lamashtu or someone else? Also is it safe to assume that act was something similar to Pasiphaë and the Bull?
Lamashtu is the Demon Queen. That's one of her titles, along with Mother of Monsters and a few others.
Any hint on what the vile act was?
It started at non-consensual gore-laced bestiality and got a lot worse from there.
Is bestiality evil on Golarion?
Usually.

Usually? if that is the case. then when is it not evil?

When there's consent.

Magical Beasts? (link between Sphinx and Maftet?)

Animal Companion / Familiar?

Why is everyone so curious about bestiality all of a sudden?


James Jacobs wrote:
Why is everyone so curious about bestiality all of a sudden?

I hate to point this out but this breaking the rules of your own thread. We are suppose to ask you questions. Not you asking them. Unless of course you answer your own question. ;)

To a question that does not revolve around bestiality...

1) Besides Riddleport and The Shackles where can one find major temples of Calistria?

2) It said in her entry that you will sometimes find multple temples to Calistria in the same city most of the time acting as rivals. Any example of this?

3) Do elf worshipers of Calistria get along with non-elf worshipers of her in general?

4) Are we ever going to see anything that will allow a cleric of Calistria get a large wasp as a familair like those sometimes depicted in the short stories?


James Jacobs wrote:
Why is everyone so curious about bestiality all of a sudden?

Because they each swallowed poison and are trying to induce vomiting?


James Jacobs wrote:
Guy St-Amant wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James in the Baphomet article in Herald of the Ivory Labyrinth, it mentions that Baphomet was born out of a vile act of the Demon Queen. Is that Lamashtu or someone else? Also is it safe to assume that act was something similar to Pasiphaë and the Bull?
Lamashtu is the Demon Queen. That's one of her titles, along with Mother of Monsters and a few others.
Any hint on what the vile act was?
It started at non-consensual gore-laced bestiality and got a lot worse from there.
Is bestiality evil on Golarion?
Usually.

Usually? if that is the case. then when is it not evil?

When there's consent.

Magical Beasts? (link between Sphinx and Maftet?)

Animal Companion / Familiar?

Why is everyone so curious about bestiality all of a sudden?

Because bestiality is the best reality? Eh? Eh? /badjoke

Shadow Lodge

Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Guy St-Amant wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James in the Baphomet article in Herald of the Ivory Labyrinth, it mentions that Baphomet was born out of a vile act of the Demon Queen. Is that Lamashtu or someone else? Also is it safe to assume that act was something similar to Pasiphaë and the Bull?
Lamashtu is the Demon Queen. That's one of her titles, along with Mother of Monsters and a few others.
Any hint on what the vile act was?
It started at non-consensual gore-laced bestiality and got a lot worse from there.
Is bestiality evil on Golarion?
Usually.

Usually? if that is the case. then when is it not evil?

When there's consent.

Magical Beasts? (link between Sphinx and Maftet?)

Animal Companion / Familiar?

Why is everyone so curious about bestiality all of a sudden?

Where does that question rate on the scale of "things I never thought I would say" scale?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

John Kretzer wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Why is everyone so curious about bestiality all of a sudden?

I hate to point this out but this breaking the rules of your own thread. We are suppose to ask you questions. Not you asking them. Unless of course you answer your own question. ;)

To a question that does not revolve around bestiality...

1) Besides Riddleport and The Shackles where can one find major temples of Calistria?

2) It said in her entry that you will sometimes find multple temples to Calistria in the same city most of the time acting as rivals. Any example of this?

3) Do elf worshipers of Calistria get along with non-elf worshipers of her in general?

4) Are we ever going to see anything that will allow a cleric of Calistria get a large wasp as a familair like those sometimes depicted in the short stories?

I'm not breaking any rules. I can answer questions with questions.

1) All over; she's one of the core 20 deities. Flipping through Inner Sea World Guide, she's listed as a major religion in Absalom, Galt, Kyonin, Nex, the River Kingdoms, the Shackles, Taldor, and Varisia, so in those locations she'd definitely have major temples.

2) I'm sure this happens in Absalom and in Kyonin, but no examples in print come to mind immediately.

3) Yes.

4) Maybe.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Kieviel wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Guy St-Amant wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Justin Franklin wrote:
James in the Baphomet article in Herald of the Ivory Labyrinth, it mentions that Baphomet was born out of a vile act of the Demon Queen. Is that Lamashtu or someone else? Also is it safe to assume that act was something similar to Pasiphaë and the Bull?
Lamashtu is the Demon Queen. That's one of her titles, along with Mother of Monsters and a few others.
Any hint on what the vile act was?
It started at non-consensual gore-laced bestiality and got a lot worse from there.
Is bestiality evil on Golarion?
Usually.

Usually? if that is the case. then when is it not evil?

When there's consent.

Magical Beasts? (link between Sphinx and Maftet?)

Animal Companion / Familiar?

Why is everyone so curious about bestiality all of a sudden?
Where does that question rate on the scale of "things I never thought I would say" scale?

Lower than you'd think.

That said... if you and the beast are consenting partners, it's not evil. Consent can be gained via speak with animals, or by awakening the animal or otherwise granting the animal the ability to talk and reason and make informed decisions about its situation and relationships.


Mr. James Jacobs,

I will be making a Cthulhu themed comedy video for a school project this semester. When it is done would you be interested in a link?

Sczarni RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

James Jacobs wrote:
Why is everyone so curious about bestiality all of a sudden?

Maybe they got ahold of a demon mother's mask in a campaign and want to make new centaur-like races. Are any creatures in/on Golarion able to trace their creation back to that magic item? If so, which ones?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

The NPC wrote:

Mr. James Jacobs,

I will be making a Cthulhu themed comedy video for a school project this semester. When it is done would you be interested in a link?

Sure!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Thomas LeBlanc wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Why is everyone so curious about bestiality all of a sudden?
Maybe they got ahold of a demon mother's mask in a campaign and want to make new centaur-like races. Are any creatures in/on Golarion able to trace their creation back to that magic item? If so, which ones?

A fair amount of them, most likely, but we generally don't nail down creation myth stuff like that in print.


Will the Cohorts & Companions book have lots of summoning stuff in it?

Will the Cohorts & Companions book have new organization rules in it?


James Jacobs wrote:

I'd hardly call a Spanish movie a "Hollywood-produced" movie, but fair enough.

1) Previously selected domains should shift as needed to match the new alignment.

2) It would probably cause a schism in their church.

Not that it is a Hollywood-produced movie, that it shares the problems of Hollywood-produced "historical" films.

1) If it were to cause a schism in the church, would this have likely been what happened to Arazni when she was turned into a lich? She was dead for a while, but did she have anything like a church that survived to experience a schism?

2) Does she have a church/cult that she provides spells to in her current state? Her statblock does include Divine Source (taken twice), as well as Leadership (is that her "church"?).

3) It seems, based on how Divine Source functions, that a low-ish mythic tier character would be better off trying to obtain a church made up of Rangers, Hunters, Paladins, Warpriests... basically those with spell slots that only go up to 4th or 6th level spells rather than 9th. While the cleric of a 6th tier Divine Source deity would lose out on spell slots for 7th-9th level, a paladin, warpriest or ranger would get their full 1st-4th or 1st-6th array of spells. Is this sort of thing intended, that clerics aren't really the best option until the mythic individual reaches 9th tier? Or is it a side-effect?


James Jacobs wrote:
AlgaeNymph wrote:

1. What did we do that was so awful compared to humans elsewhere?

2. Oh, and about what time did the gods leave earth?

1) History and current events are full of examples. I'm kind of a pessimist when it comes to my opinion on people as a society, though. Individually, I think most humans are good people but when they form groups... mob-mentality and the manipulations of a powerful few tend to be bad. In my opinion.

2) In the real world, who can say? On earth in the game, they never actually left... they're just not worshiped much.

Interesting...I was asking about Pathfinder!Earth but you were talking about Real!Earth.

1. Would you be willing to tell us more about your religious beliefs?

2. What do you think would convince the gods to return?


Do you know anything about magic the gathering?

What is your opinion on all the angels being female and all the demons being male?


What are your three favorite tabletop RPGs beside Pathfinder?

What are your three favorite console/computer RPGs?


Something that I have been wondering about. How does your alignment effect what your afterlife is like in corner cases? For example Erecura is the Queen of Dis, and Lawful Neutral. So at least hypothetically she can have Paladins, so what happens if that Paladin passes on and goes to meet up with her in the afterlife?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

xavier c wrote:

Will the Cohorts & Companions book have lots of summoning stuff in it?

Will the Cohorts & Companions book have new organization rules in it?

I have no idea. I'm not involved in that book beyond the approval stages. That's a Patrick question, in other words.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Alleran wrote:

1) If it were to cause a schism in the church, would this have likely been what happened to Arazni when she was turned into a lich? She was dead for a while, but did she have anything like a church that survived to experience a schism?

2) Does she have a church/cult that she provides spells to in her current state? Her statblock does include Divine Source (taken twice), as well as Leadership (is that her "church"?).

3) It seems, based on how Divine Source functions, that a low-ish mythic tier character would be better off trying to obtain a church made up of Rangers, Hunters, Paladins, Warpriests... basically those with spell slots that only go up to 4th or 6th level spells rather than 9th. While the cleric of a 6th tier Divine Source deity would lose out on spell slots for 7th-9th level, a paladin, warpriest or ranger would get their full 1st-4th or 1st-6th array of spells. Is this sort of thing intended, that clerics aren't really the best option until the mythic individual reaches 9th tier? Or is it a side-effect?

1) Arazni's followers did indeed experience a schism. Most of them went on to worship Iomedae, but some of them switched over alignment with her to keep worshiping her.

2) She does indeed have worshipers and clerics who gain spells and a church that spreads her words.

3) That's a side-effect from looking at it from a PC number-crunching/optimization viewpoint. NPCs don't necessarily need to be optimized.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

AlgaeNymph wrote:

Interesting...I was asking about Pathfinder!Earth but you were talking about Real!Earth.

1. Would you be willing to tell us more about your religious beliefs?

2. What do you think would convince the gods to return?

1) I'd rather not get into that here on this thread... but the short version is that I'm agnostic.

2) A significant act of faith. What that act would/could be would depend on the GM.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

xavier c wrote:

Do you know anything about magic the gathering?

What is your opinion on all the angels being female and all the demons being male?

I know a fair amount—I played a LOT back in college in the early 90s, and I worked at Wizards of the Coast for several years.

I think that all the angels being female and the demons being male is an interesting choice, and one that my personal philosophies kinda sync up with, but I've never really thought too much about it and, indeed never really even noticed it before now.


James, i have a question.
i am a newer DM/GM whatever, and i have a campaign that is both faction based(3 factions) and my players really wanted to be on different factions so i let them(perhaps im not very smart) but my groups have very different approaches. one is very martial based. controling what they do is very easy when they get out of hand. tho i almost never have to worry about them. my other group however has someone who is bound and determined to try and break the game. hes casting spells with scrolls and such that his class cant learn/isnt a high enuff level to directly learn, using his ridiculous charisma to forcfully avoid fights but still want exp, every enemy he DOES defeat hes raising as skeletons or ghouls, and worst off i REALLY want people to choose a faction and stick with it, but hes determined to use this faction to get alittle ahead and build contacts and whatever then take over the faction himself/make his own faction.

TL:DR so my questions are do i raise the difficulty of someone whos using spells higher then his level/outside his class, and do i raise the difficulty for this person with an army of undead?

and how do i punish/slow down/stop someone who is abusing his overly high score? am i allowed to?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Piece wrote:

What are your three favorite tabletop RPGs beside Pathfinder?

What are your three favorite console/computer RPGs?

Call of Cthulhu, Dread, and Unspeakable Futures

Baldur's Gate 2, Fallout: New Vegas, Planescape: Torment

Paizo Employee Creative Director

David Neilson wrote:

Something that I have been wondering about. How does your alignment effect what your afterlife is like in corner cases? For example Erecura is the Queen of Dis, and Lawful Neutral. So at least hypothetically she can have Paladins, so what happens if that Paladin passes on and goes to meet up with her in the afterlife?

Depends on a case by case basis. Most such paladins would likely NOT end up in Dis, but instead in another place. Erecura likely has more than one place where she can send her worshipers. A paladin wouldn't go on to Hell, though. The simplest solution is that the paladin goes to heaven to serve Erecura's lawful good interests there. Or maybe just merges with the quintessence of Heaven.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Deathunseen wrote:

James, i have a question.

i am a newer DM/GM whatever, and i have a campaign that is both faction based(3 factions) and my players really wanted to be on different factions so i let them(perhaps im not very smart) but my groups have very different approaches. one is very martial based. controling what they do is very easy when they get out of hand. tho i almost never have to worry about them. my other group however has someone who is bound and determined to try and break the game. hes casting spells with scrolls and such that his class cant learn/isnt a high enuff level to directly learn, using his ridiculous charisma to forcfully avoid fights but still want exp, every enemy he DOES defeat hes raising as skeletons or ghouls, and worst off i REALLY want people to choose a faction and stick with it, but hes determined to use this faction to get alittle ahead and build contacts and whatever then take over the faction himself/make his own faction.

TL:DR so my questions are do i raise the difficulty of someone whos using spells higher then his level/outside his class, and do i raise the difficulty for this person with an army of undead?

and how do i punish/slow down/stop someone who is abusing his overly high score? am i allowed to?

If you have one player who's being disruptive and is actively working to ruin the play experience for you or the other players by refusing to play along with the type and theme of game you and the other players want to run... I'd suggest sitting down to talk to that player and explain your concerns in a "You seem to want to play a different game than what I'm running, so you should either leave the game or build a character that works better with the game and save the disruptive character for another game in the future."

As for the idea that someone's using spells that are beyond his level or class... that's just plain old cheating, and you as the GM should tell the player that they can't do that. You don't punish them. You just don't allow them to cheat.


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James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:

Do you know anything about magic the gathering?

What is your opinion on all the angels being female and all the demons being male?

I know a fair amount—I played a LOT back in college in the early 90s, and I worked at Wizards of the Coast for several years.

I think that all the angels being female and the demons being male is an interesting choice, and one that my personal philosophies kinda sync up with, but I've never really thought too much about it and, indeed never really even noticed it before now.

I am not a fan of such a thing as. I don't like linking morality to gender and i don't like the color black(in the game).and why are all the angels the embodiment of beauty and all the demon are monsters.Males can be beautiful too you know(ancient greeks and romans knew what beautiful males look like).

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