>>Ask *James Jacobs* ALL your Questions Here!<<


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Paizo Employee Creative Director

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equinoxmaster wrote:
What do you think of fetchlings? Did you check out the witch doctor comic? If so what did you think?

I like fetchlings.

Haven't checked out Witch Doctor yet. Been too distracted by Netflix and Wasteland 2.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Coridan wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:
Speaking of when Inquisition comes out are you more likely to play a City Elf or a Qunari?
MUCH more likely to play a City Elf, but I probably won't make that decision till I start playing.
The elf player character is Dalish not city so you can add that to your decision making =p

In any event... I'm kinda trying to minimize my pre-knowledge of Inquisition... so let's steer away from that topic for now and back to other questions... thanks! :-)


James Jacobs wrote:
Been too distracted by Netflix and Wasteland 2.

Whatcha watchin'? :)


James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
Who are the friendly lawful good gods?
Erastil is probably the friendliest of the lawful good gods.

You sure about that? Lymnieris can be a lot friendlier.

Speaking of em, what do you think of this fanart?


Since there were so many questions about deities...

What do you like and dislike about

1- Shizuru?
2- Tsukiyo? (Finally a Good deity with the Madness domain! ^^)
3- General Susumu?
4- Su Wukong?

Silver Crusade

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:
Speaking of when Inquisition comes out are you more likely to play a City Elf or a Qunari?
MUCH more likely to play a City Elf, but I probably won't make that decision till I start playing.

All elf Inquisitor PCs are Dalish, sadly.

That is sad :(

Question, not necessarily Inquisition related but what do you think of the Qunari and their culture?


Hi!

Lullaby of Ember the Ancient is a Bard masterpiece that functions like Deep Slumber according to the text -- Does it have the same HD limit of 10, or is there no HD limit for this particular masterpiece similar to the Witch Sleep hex?

Dark Archive

James when building a setting what things should one keep in mind? Also how would you go about giving the setting a unique feel without alienating players?


Hey James,

So I gotta know: without spoiling when (I suspect the fifth or sixth book), will the annihilator robot appear in Iron Gods?


Are you enjoying Wasteland 2 so far? Are you still playing your original characters, or have you restarted a couple of times once you got a feel for the game (I did.)?


Do clocks exist in Golarion? If yes, how common are they?

Shadow Lodge

did you expect the spanish inquisition?

Radiant Oath

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

Frivolous question time! Which of these names sounds more badass to you: Manius or Caelus?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Hudax wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Been too distracted by Netflix and Wasteland 2.
Whatcha watchin'? :)

Blood Glacier (was silly and had sloppy writing/editing but was fun)

Killer Legends (VERY VERY good documentary about urban legends)

3 Days To Kill (entertaining but kinda run of the mill Luc Besson plot)

The Signal (EXCELLENT movie about strange goings on in [REDACTED])

Paizo Employee Creative Director

AlgaeNymph wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
xavier c wrote:
Who are the friendly lawful good gods?
Erastil is probably the friendliest of the lawful good gods.

You sure about that? Lymnieris can be a lot friendlier.

Speaking of em, what do you think of this fanart?

Lymnieris isn't a core deity. That's what I was focusing on. I'm still not familiar enough with the empyreal lords save for a very few (most of whom are chaotic good) to talk much off the top of my head about them.

Interesting art, but again... since I don't really have my head wrapped around Lymnieris at all, said art doesn't really resonate as Pathfinder art to me.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Lemmy wrote:

Since there were so many questions about deities...

What do you like and dislike about

1- Shizuru?
2- Tsukiyo? (Finally a Good deity with the Madness domain! ^^)
3- General Susumu?
4- Su Wukong?

Don't really know them enough to comment, frankly. I was going to develop all of that, content but Rob McCreary ended up handling it.

But I do like the fact that we have a good deity with the Madness domain.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Rysky wrote:
Question, not necessarily Inquisition related but what do you think of the Qunari and their culture?

Quite intriguing. More in the 2nd one than the 1st, though.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Walter Edmondson wrote:

Hi!

Lullaby of Ember the Ancient is a Bard masterpiece that functions like Deep Slumber according to the text -- Does it have the same HD limit of 10, or is there no HD limit for this particular masterpiece similar to the Witch Sleep hex?

My guess is no HD limit. But you should ask the question on the rules forums for an FAQ tag all the same.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

ulgulanoth wrote:
James when building a setting what things should one keep in mind? Also how would you go about giving the setting a unique feel without alienating players?

Depends on if you're building a setting for a tabletop RPG or a more traditional story, because the're very different.

Assuming you're asking about the tabletop RPG angle, the most important is to not try to do everything at once. Start small and work outward from there. Don't build the world when all you need for your first 10 sessions is a town. And don't be afraid to limit the weird and strange; things that are familiar not only help your players imagine the setting easier, but they help to make the actual unusual parts of your setting actually feel unusual. This is the main reason we made Golarion so humanocentric.

Knowing your players gives you a HUGE advantage, since you can build your setting to cater to them without fearing alienation. Building a setting for a mass audience, like we did with Goalrion... you just have to do your best, make educated guesses what you think the audience would like, and make sure to do enough variety and options so even if someone hates something, there's something else in there that they'll love.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Neongelion wrote:

Hey James,

So I gotta know: without spoiling when (I suspect the fifth or sixth book), will the annihilator robot appear in Iron Gods?

The answer...

Spoiler:
Yes. Of course! It would be an error not to have at LEAST one show up...
Paizo Employee Creative Director

Corrosive Rabbit wrote:
Are you enjoying Wasteland 2 so far? Are you still playing your original characters, or have you restarted a couple of times once you got a feel for the game (I did.)?

I'm VERY MUCH enjoying it! Love it! And I'm still playing with my original characters.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Lemmy wrote:
Do clocks exist in Golarion? If yes, how common are they?

Yes. Relatively common. Common enough that 1st level commoners don't freak out when they see them and know what they are.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

2 people marked this as a favorite.
equinoxmaster wrote:
did you expect the spanish inquisition?

These days, with gamers so obsessed with Monty Python? yes. I always expect the Spanish Inquisition.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
Frivolous question time! Which of these names sounds more badass to you: Manius or Caelus?

Manius sounds like "Mayonaise" or "M-anus."

So... Caelus sounds about a billion times more badass.

Silver Crusade

Are you excited for Crown of the Ivory King?


1- What is the general level of technological advancement in Golarion (other than areas with particularly advanced technology, such as Numeria). It seems close to that of the Renaissance era, is that correct?

2- What is the most advanced (non-magical, non-Numerian) technology most people in Golarion ever see?

3- How advanced is the water treatment/distribution in developed cities (other than Numerian cities and other high-tech areas).

4- How common is using magic for everyday tasks (e.g.: using a permanent version of Dancing Lights to illuminate a room). I assume it's not affordable to most commoners, but how rich does one have to be in Golarion before he can reasonably afford something like that?

5- Is there any (non-high tech) area where electricity is somewhat common? Where? And how common is it?

6- In Golarion, are dragons numbered in the tens, hundreds or thousands?

7- Have you played Bastion? What about Transistor? (Simple, but great games, and both have wonderful soundtracks)

8- I know I asked this already, but I'm hoping for good news... Any chance to see a Pathfinder Tales novel written by you? :)

9- What's your most (and least) liked creature templates? Both in terms of mechanics and flavor.

10 - Are 10 questions in a single post too many? ^^


xavier c wrote:
6)What don't you like about Sarenrae?
James Jacobs wrote:
6) The unfortunate elements about her church being warlike and overly aggressive that snuck into the Taldor book by an author who misunderstood the whole point of Sarenrae. I'm hoping to fix that eventually in the context of an Adventure Path.

Interesting.

Might I ask you to elaborate?
Especially regarding that 'Adventure Path' bit?
*puppy dog eyes*

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Rysky wrote:
Are you excited for Crown of the Ivory King?

Absolutely. I need to finish the previous one still though. I know what tonight's plan is about!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Lemmy wrote:

1- What is the general level of technological advancement in Golarion (other than areas with particularly advanced technology, such as Numeria). It seems close to that of the Renaissance era, is that correct?

2- What is the most advanced (non-magical, non-Numerian) technology most people in Golarion ever see?

3- How advanced is the water treatment/distribution in developed cities (other than Numerian cities and other high-tech areas).

4- How common is using magic for everyday tasks (e.g.: using a permanent version of Dancing Lights to illuminate a room). I assume it's not affordable to most commoners, but how rich does one have to be in Golarion before he can reasonably afford something like that?

5- Is there any (non-high tech) area where electricity is somewhat common? Where? And how common is it?

6- In Golarion, are dragons numbered in the tens, hundreds or thousands?

7- Have you played Bastion? What about Transistor? (Simple, but great games, and both have wonderful soundtracks)

8- I know I asked this already, but I'm hoping for good news... Any chance to see a Pathfinder Tales novel written by you? :)

9- What's your most (and least) liked creature templates? Both in terms of mechanics and flavor.

10 - Are 10 questions in a single post too many? ^^

1) It varies wildly from region to region, but for the most part, I would say that the "general level" would be about the same as our renaissance period... but even then there are things like syringes and pianos and the like that exist in Golarion that didn't exist on Earth at that time.

2) Varies as well. Could be a piano. Could be a clock. Could be a printing press. It really really depends on the region... and there's close to 50 regions, so a by-region list isn't really something I've got time or energy to create here... just to head that question off at the pass!

3) Also varies, but see Iron Gods #1's article about Torch for what I'd say would be the upper end of this.

4) Not that common, nor is it affordable to most commoners. Remember, dancing lights may be a 0 level spell, but it only lasts for 1 minute. Even if you switch over to light instead, that's only 10 minutes long, A 1st level caster's 0 level spell costs 5 gp per shot... so spending 5 gp per 10 minutes for one light? You're better off with a torch or a lantern, even if you're NOT a commoner. Furthermore, while it might seem like spellcasters are everywhere... they're not. Don't mistake the typical party or the typical group of foes a typical party faces as the norm.

5) Not really, other than parts of Numeria's ruins or Starfall.

6) Unrevealed... but most folks never see one in their lifetime.

7) Neither, but I've seen Bastion played for a little bit. I've come close to buying it many times but I've always got some other game that takes precedence.

8) I would really love to, and have a proto-plot for one in my head. That plot's been in my head for several years. At this rate, my day job and working on Pathfinder APs is probably going to keep that in my head... although I'm hoping to get some smaller-scale Pathfinder fiction out there soon.

9) Favorite = ghost. Least favorite = half-dragon.

10) Nope.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Midnight_Angel wrote:
xavier c wrote:
6)What don't you like about Sarenrae?
James Jacobs wrote:
6) The unfortunate elements about her church being warlike and overly aggressive that snuck into the Taldor book by an author who misunderstood the whole point of Sarenrae. I'm hoping to fix that eventually in the context of an Adventure Path.

Interesting.

Might I ask you to elaborate?
Especially regarding that 'Adventure Path' bit?
*puppy dog eyes*

Nothing further to say on that "Adventure Path" bit yet, other than that such an AP would have a "all PCs must worship Sarenrae" requirement.

Dark Archive

James for a gaming setting what do you think is better, lots of really powerful and tough opponents for PCs to pick fights with or a vast but vague setting for people to fill in themselves?
Semi-related, what do you think of 'post apocalyptic' fantasy settings? Where everyone is basically living on the ruins of the past?


Don't want to spark anything but I am a bit curious here. I notice over the years there are less and less alignment requirments for classes even though the descriptions in them clearly describe an alignment. For instance, the Cutthroat archetype description for the Slayer clearly makes it evil yet it is still alignment - any. Personally, I would change it in a home game but I have to ask, why does this happen?

I loved alignment restrictions because it showed what sort of character a person had to have to become such a thing. Like, a good natured person isn't going to rob or kill random people like it says in the Cutthroat description, yet they can be good aligned. Is this oversight or are people just giving up on making alignment restriction a hard rule and expecting people to actually read the descriptions and abide by it? Or, some other reason I have not considered.

By the way, I love class and race descriptions and never call them meaningless fluff. That flavour is there for a reason and shouldn't be ignored. Heck, I find the descriptive text and story the best part of the game.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

ulgulanoth wrote:

James for a gaming setting what do you think is better, lots of really powerful and tough opponents for PCs to pick fights with or a vast but vague setting for people to fill in themselves?

Semi-related, what do you think of 'post apocalyptic' fantasy settings? Where everyone is basically living on the ruins of the past?

I prefer to let the GM pick the foes rather than let the PCs dictate them.

I love post-apocalyptic fantasy settings. Golarion is kind of one of those, in fact, even though the apocalypse happened 10,000 years ago. My homebrew is pretty similar.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Jaçinto wrote:

Don't want to spark anything but I am a bit curious here. I notice over the years there are less and less alignment requirments for classes even though the descriptions in them clearly describe an alignment. For instance, the Cutthroat archetype description for the Slayer clearly makes it evil yet it is still alignment - any. Personally, I would change it in a home game but I have to ask, why does this happen?

I loved alignment restrictions because it showed what sort of character a person had to have to become such a thing. Like, a good natured person isn't going to rob or kill random people like it says in the Cutthroat description, yet they can be good aligned. Is this oversight or are people just giving up on making alignment restriction a hard rule and expecting people to actually read the descriptions and abide by it? Or, some other reason I have not considered.

By the way, I love class and race descriptions and never call them meaningless fluff. That flavour is there for a reason and shouldn't be ignored. Heck, I find the descriptive text and story the best part of the game.

It happens because as the years wear on, game design becomes more permissive and less restrictive. There's been a philosophical shift, basically. Whereas once the rules might say "You can't do X," they now say "You SHOULD do Y, but if you want you can do X... you just won't be as good at it."

This is why in 3rd edition they allowed wizards to wear armor. Or why we lessened several alignment restrictions. We kept a few in there (such as the paladin's alignment or the druid's prohibition vs. metal armor), but they're increasingly rare and usually in there more for flavor reasons rather than game balance reasons.

For the slayer, yes, the cutthroat archetype DOES pretty much read like you have to be evil, and in fact, you probably SHOULD be evil if you take that archetype. After all... the inspiration for that archetype is an evil type of character.

But not all slayers are cutthroats.

It doesn't say "must be evil" because as far as I know, alignment restrictions aren't something we've ever done in an archetype. It certainly suggests you must be evil, and if you have a player who takes a cutthroat archetype for a character but doesn't back that up with proper roleplaying, you as the GM should not allow that archetype to be chosen. By the same extension... someone who takes the pirate archetype but then never acts like a pirate is doing it wrong.

Personally... I see alignments as reflections rather than constraints. Your alignment in game is a reflection of what you do in game, NOT a constraint that you pick first and then use it as a shackle to limit what your choices are.


Do you think it is time a second edition of pathfinder?

Grand Lodge

Can I wield a glaive and simultaneously threaten with armor spikes?

Also

Quote:
It doesn't say "must be evil" because as far as I know, alignment restrictions aren't something we've ever done in an archetype.

..antipaladin?


Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
It doesn't say "must be evil" because as far as I know, alignment restrictions aren't something we've ever done in an archetype.

Well, there is an oracle archetype (Enlightened Philosopher) that requires a lawful alignment. There is also a monk archetype (Martial Artist) that eliminates the standard monk's requirement to be lawful.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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xavier c wrote:
Do you think it is time a second edition of pathfinder?

No.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

7 people marked this as a favorite.
claudekennilol wrote:

Can I wield a glaive and simultaneously threaten with armor spikes?

All armor spike questions should be forwarded specifically to Jason Bulmahn.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

David knott 242 wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
It doesn't say "must be evil" because as far as I know, alignment restrictions aren't something we've ever done in an archetype.

Well, there is an oracle archetype (Enlightened Philosopher) that requires a lawful alignment. There is also a monk archetype (Martial Artist) that eliminates the standard monk's requirement to be lawful.

Fair enough on the examples. Still not something we do often.


Hello James Jacobs,

What languages would you take or need if you were gonna play the Pathfinder Module: The Emerald Spire Superdungeon? name all the languages you think you would need.

Thank you!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Jose Suarez 916 wrote:

Hello James Jacobs,

What languages would you take or need if you were gonna play the Pathfinder Module: The Emerald Spire Superdungeon? name all the languages you think you would need.

Thank you!

This would require me to read the entire book and sift out all the languages spoken by all of its creatures, as well as all the bits of information written in books or on walls or the like in the dungeon.

Sounds like a better project for someone else, if you ask me! :-P

Furthermore, sounds a lot like a giant pile of spoilers for the adventure!

Radiant Oath

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

Where would you ask questions along the lines of "how do I make an element in my backstory make sense within the context of the setting?"

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:
Where would you ask questions along the lines of "how do I make an element in my backstory make sense within the context of the setting?"

I would ask those of my GM. If you're looking for specific adventure paths, I'd ask them in those adventure path threads.

Contributor

1 person marked this as a favorite.
James Jacobs wrote:
claudekennilol wrote:

Can I wield a glaive and simultaneously threaten with armor spikes?

All armor spike questions should be forwarded specifically to Jason Bulmahn.

Thank you for making me chuckle today. : )


Hello James Jacobs,

The summmoner synthesis says ''The synthesist also gains access to the eidolon’s special abilities and the eidolon’s evolutions''.

Are they refering to the eidolon's original Table Eidolon Base Statistics ? or is refering to the abilities that gives me in the archetype? http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/eidolons

I've seen many people using the synthesist archetype and getting evasion and darkvision from the eidolon's base statistics but my GM says that these abilities are actually replaced by the synthesis abilities shown here http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/archetypes/paizo---su mmoner-archetypes/synthesist


Hello James Jacobs,

My half elf summoner synthesis gets targeted by the Sleep spell, my elven immunity says that I'm immune to sleep so I'm supposed to be fine but there is a special sentence in the synthesist archetype that says ''He counts as both his original type and as an outsider for any effect related to type, whichever is worse for the synthesist ''

Does it means that the sleep spell can affect me even tho I got sleep immunity thanks to my elven immunity?


How many times will you have to refer a question to the rules advice section of the boards, do you think?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
claudekennilol wrote:

Can I wield a glaive and simultaneously threaten with armor spikes?

All armor spike questions should be forwarded specifically to Jason Bulmahn.

Did Jason stat up the Iron Maiden for people who ask armor spike questions?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Kajehase wrote:
How many times will you have to refer a question to the rules advice section of the boards, do you think?

Do you have that response macroed by now?

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