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


Off-Topic Discussions

47,201 to 47,250 of 83,732 << first < prev | 940 | 941 | 942 | 943 | 944 | 945 | 946 | 947 | 948 | 949 | 950 | next > last >>
Grand Lodge

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

There are settings that have characters that are clearly good, clearly bad, and and those in between like your average modern comic book.

Then there are your Frank Miller books like Dark Knight, Sin City, and Watchman where the only colors on the spectrum are either shades of grey or pretty damm dark. or gameworlds like Shadowrun and Warhammer 40k where it's clear that no one is what we would call "good". More like a shade lighter than black.

Fair enough, but I'm still not seeing a rephrased question... :-/

The rephrased question is what type of setting you prefer? A range of colors from light to dark that includes grey, or a range predominately from grey to black?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:

Are Numerian Kellids culturally distinct from Realm of the Mammoth Lord Kellids? Kellids were given an "ethnicity write-up" for lack of a better term in People of the North, but the Kellids described in Numeria, Land of Fallen Stars, Lost Empires of Golarion, and People of the River all feel very different.

It sometimes feels like Kellid is a catch-all category for "Any barbarians who aren't specifically the Shoanti or the Ulfen."

They're as different as they have been described in the books you mention. AKA: There's a LOT of different tribes with different themes, but they're all Kellids.


I briefly leafed through the Numeria book at the store since it isn't exactly my cup of tea, but I came upon the awesome looking half elf Paladin in it and loved the write up of the Iomedaen fort along the River Road.

When Paizo writes up plot hooks like that in the campaign setting books, are they less likely to show up as modules or part of APs?

Sczarni RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Who came up with the names for the various parts of the Red Mantis assassin's HQ, the Crimson Citadel? Is there a map somewhere for it? I would ask where the Iron Heart is located, but I came up with an idea for my game already.

Their leader, the Blood Mistress Jakalyn, is listed in the Inner Sea Magic as being a Human (Chelaxian), but is she from Cheliax? She is also listed as a "cleric 9/Red Mantis assassin 10+". What does the + mean in this context? She is the only listed spellcaster with a level less than 20 with the +.

On a slightly related tangeant, how many of the listed spellcasters in Inner Sea Magic have mythic levels (a % approximation will work)? Would that be everyone with a + listed?


LazarX wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:

There are settings that have characters that are clearly good, clearly bad, and and those in between like your average modern comic book.

Then there are your Frank Miller books like Dark Knight, Sin City, and Watchman where the only colors on the spectrum are either shades of grey or pretty damm dark. or gameworlds like Shadowrun and Warhammer 40k where it's clear that no one is what we would call "good". More like a shade lighter than black.

Fair enough, but I'm still not seeing a rephrased question... :-/
The rephrased question is what type of setting you prefer? A range of colors from light to dark that includes grey, or a range predominately from grey to black?

Ooh, ooh, I have a question: is there anyway I can physically reach through the internet and slap people who claim Watchmen was a Frank Miller comic? :P


A question about Arueshalae

Spoiler:

You said a few pages back that she was unable to choose to not level drain when engaged in an act of passion, and that even if said levels were freely given then it would be an evil act for her akin to an addict 'falling off the wagon' but what if there is something that prevents the level drain from occurring? Would someone protected by Death Ward, for example, be able to safely 'engage' with her without risking her alignment?

Dark Archive

James Jacobs wrote:
didn't like how the eidolon didn't fit in to the world (it felt tacked on and had no weight to it).

Along that train of thought, and totally unrelated to Summoners, where would you feel that the Magus best or most thematically 'fits' into the setting?

My own notion is that the notion of a fighter/magic-user mashup 'caught on' with Jatembe and his 'Ten Magic Warriors,' and that the oldest Inner Sea schools for the practice are in places like Nantambu, in the Mwangi Expanse, even if the practice has, over millennia, spread all over (and is likely picking up some major adherents / a new renaissance in Rahadoum, which shuns the divinely-assisted Paladins and Rangers).

I suppose it could just as easily be an Elven thing, or an Azlanti remnant, as well, 'though!


Can this new dino make it into a bestiary some day?


If a freak blizzard trapped the staff of Paizo inside the building for an extensive period of time who do you think would be the first to resort to cannibalism? (There is one in every workplace.)


How do you feel about full caster archetypes that trade out primary stats with other stats?


Bill Lumberg wrote:
If a freak blizzard trapped the staff of Paizo inside the building for an extensive period of time who do you think would be the first to resort to cannibalism? (There is one in every workplace.)

My bet is on Cosmo. ;)

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Kairos Dawnfury wrote:

I briefly leafed through the Numeria book at the store since it isn't exactly my cup of tea, but I came upon the awesome looking half elf Paladin in it and loved the write up of the Iomedaen fort along the River Road.

When Paizo writes up plot hooks like that in the campaign setting books, are they less likely to show up as modules or part of APs?

Usually. We often throw hints of things into a campaign setting book that skirts the edges of things that are detailed more in an Adventure Path (which is why, for example, there's not a lot of information on Starfall in the book), but we also sometimes go back to books and pick up threads and links like that to "star" in adventures or campaigns. And sometimes, those little hints we put into setting books are deliberate foreshadowing for APs or events that are months or even years down the road.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Thomas LeBlanc wrote:

Who came up with the names for the various parts of the Red Mantis assassin's HQ, the Crimson Citadel? Is there a map somewhere for it? I would ask where the Iron Heart is located, but I came up with an idea for my game already.

Their leader, the Blood Mistress Jakalyn, is listed in the Inner Sea Magic as being a Human (Chelaxian), but is she from Cheliax? She is also listed as a "cleric 9/Red Mantis assassin 10+". What does the + mean in this context? She is the only listed spellcaster with a level less than 20 with the +.

On a slightly related tangeant, how many of the listed spellcasters in Inner Sea Magic have mythic levels (a % approximation will work)? Would that be everyone with a + listed?

That was Nick Logue and I. I invented the Red Mantis a decade or so ago for my homebrew world, and when I didn't have time to write the Red Mantis article for Pathifnder #9, I hired Nick to take the reins and run with my notes.

There is no map of the Crimson Citadel yet. It's actually one of 3 "megadungeons" I really REALLY want to map out and detail some day (the other two being Hollow Mountain and Castle Korvosa).

Most of those with a + have mythic tiers... but really, the + only means they're higher than CR 20. Some of them are deities, and some of them have templates or other stuff that puts them higher than CR 20.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Hitdice wrote:
LazarX wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
LazarX wrote:

There are settings that have characters that are clearly good, clearly bad, and and those in between like your average modern comic book.

Then there are your Frank Miller books like Dark Knight, Sin City, and Watchman where the only colors on the spectrum are either shades of grey or pretty damm dark. or gameworlds like Shadowrun and Warhammer 40k where it's clear that no one is what we would call "good". More like a shade lighter than black.

Fair enough, but I'm still not seeing a rephrased question... :-/
The rephrased question is what type of setting you prefer? A range of colors from light to dark that includes grey, or a range predominately from grey to black?
Ooh, ooh, I have a question: is there anyway I can physically reach through the internet and slap people who claim Watchmen was a Frank Miller comic? :P

Your nerd rage is showing.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Desril wrote:

A question about Arueshalae

Spoiler:
You said a few pages back that she was unable to choose to not level drain when engaged in an act of passion, and that even if said levels were freely given then it would be an evil act for her akin to an addict 'falling off the wagon' but what if there is something that prevents the level drain from occurring? Would someone protected by Death Ward, for example, be able to safely 'engage' with her without risking her alignment?

Spoiler:
If something prevents level drain from occurring, it would be safer for her to engage without risking an alignment loss, but intent and her emotional involvement with her partner would influence things a lot more... but yes, not being able to "feed" via level draining because her partner took steps to protect themselves and then assuming it was all consensual... that'd be one way for her to enjoy it without risking alignment repercussions.
Paizo Employee Creative Director

Tels wrote:
Can this new dino make it into a bestiary some day?

We've got lots more established dinosaurs in line before the new guys. But maybe someday...

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Set wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
didn't like how the eidolon didn't fit in to the world (it felt tacked on and had no weight to it).

Along that train of thought, and totally unrelated to Summoners, where would you feel that the Magus best or most thematically 'fits' into the setting?

My own notion is that the notion of a fighter/magic-user mashup 'caught on' with Jatembe and his 'Ten Magic Warriors,' and that the oldest Inner Sea schools for the practice are in places like Nantambu, in the Mwangi Expanse, even if the practice has, over millennia, spread all over (and is likely picking up some major adherents / a new renaissance in Rahadoum, which shuns the divinely-assisted Paladins and Rangers).

I suppose it could just as easily be an Elven thing, or an Azlanti remnant, as well, 'though!

The magus fits in VERY well among elven culture. It's a fighter/wizard type class, after all, who fights with a one-handed weapon. Elves are good with swords and magic. It's really the perfect fit. There's lots of magi in Kyonin, for example, and its a popular class among the drow as well. It was likely originally an elven class that spread to other races... and since elves have been on Golarion since Azlant and probably before Azlant, the magus has been around for a long time.

So... magus fits in pretty much anywhere into the setting these days.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Bill Lumberg wrote:
If a freak blizzard trapped the staff of Paizo inside the building for an extensive period of time who do you think would be the first to resort to cannibalism? (There is one in every workplace.)

This has actually happened before.

The freak blizzard trapping the staff in the building, not the "extensive period of time" (it was only about 4 hours after work), nor the cannibalisim bit (although we did post to these boards looking for suggestions about who should be eaten first...).

Paizo Employee Creative Director

FingPat wrote:
How do you feel about full caster archetypes that trade out primary stats with other stats?

Don't like them at all.


James Jacobs wrote:
Bill Lumberg wrote:
If a freak blizzard trapped the staff of Paizo inside the building for an extensive period of time who do you think would be the first to resort to cannibalism? (There is one in every workplace.)

This has actually happened before.

The freak blizzard trapping the staff in the building, not the "extensive period of time" (it was only about 4 hours after work), nor the cannibalisim bit (although we did post to these boards looking for suggestions about who should be eaten first...).

So... what happened to Phil Lacefield Jr? O.<

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16

James Jacobs wrote:
Haladir wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Haldelar Baxter wrote:
Can a creature that has been turned to stone from a Flesh to Stone spell be the target of an Animate Objects spell ?
Yes.

Oh, man! I have a great idea for an encounter...

1. Bad Guy casts flesh to stone on a PC.

2. Bad Guy casts animate object on the now-petrified PC, and makes it attack the party!

My question is: How evil is that?

Relatively evil*.

Not as evil as sanding the face of a petrified PC off. Not as evil as casting transmute rock to mud on the statue. Not as evil as casting baleful polymorph on a person to turn them into a spell component... (although I can't think of any Pathfinder spells that use living creatures in that way... earlier editions of identify required you to swallow a spider or a goldfish or something...)

*In a real-world mean-GM sort of evil. Not in a in-game Evil act that can have ramifications on your alignment.

James, I thought it was ruled that a polymorphed creature that was killed reverted to its natural form?

That could be a very bad thing if you ate an orc polymorphed into a salamander or something.

==Aelryinth


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Can you remember or tell us about any of those campaign book hints that have turned into APs?


James Jacobs wrote:
Your nerd rage is showing.

What can I tell you, it's the only kind of rage I have.


James Jacobs wrote:
Bill Lumberg wrote:
If a freak blizzard trapped the staff of Paizo inside the building for an extensive period of time who do you think would be the first to resort to cannibalism? (There is one in every workplace.)

This has actually happened before.

The freak blizzard trapping the staff in the building, not the "extensive period of time" (it was only about 4 hours after work), nor the cannibalisim bit (although we did post to these boards looking for suggestions about who should be eaten first...).

Just read that seven-year-old story. That was very funny to read!

It makes me glad I live in central New York State-- we get four inches of snow and it's no big deal-- and my town is at least as hilly as Seattle. Of course, we all put snow tires on our cars in October, we know how to drive in winter weather, and the highway department has a fleet of snowplows and salt spreaders. (And we don't have earthquakes, forest fires, or volcanoes around here.)

That said, we had a major blizzard a few years back that was so bad the Sheriff closed the roads to non-emergency traffic for eight hours. We got three feet of snow in six hours! Consequently, a lot of people ended up staying the night at my workplace. (I didn't-- I live just under two miles from the office and walk in every day. It's normally a 30-minute walk, but that day it took me more than an hour to walk home. Would have been faster if I had my snowshoes in the office!)

Anyway...

James-- You mentioned that you're from northern California originally. Have you ever lived anywhere outside of the Pacific Northwest?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Kajehase wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Bill Lumberg wrote:
If a freak blizzard trapped the staff of Paizo inside the building for an extensive period of time who do you think would be the first to resort to cannibalism? (There is one in every workplace.)

This has actually happened before.

The freak blizzard trapping the staff in the building, not the "extensive period of time" (it was only about 4 hours after work), nor the cannibalisim bit (although we did post to these boards looking for suggestions about who should be eaten first...).

So... what happened to Phil Lacefield Jr? O.<

He moved on to pursue other goals.

He totally didn't actually for real get eaten.

I'm 98% sure of it.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Aelryinth wrote:

] James, I thought it was ruled that a polymorphed creature that was killed reverted to its natural form?

That could be a very bad thing if you ate an orc polymorphed into a salamander or something.

==Aelryinth

That ruling has not been around nearly as long as polymorph effects in the game have been around.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Seannoss wrote:
Can you remember or tell us about any of those campaign book hints that have turned into APs?

In the Magnimar book...

Spoiler:
...I hinted about Nocticula wanting to become redeemed, and that ends up being a minor and kind of subtle but still important element in Wrath of the Righteous.

In the Inner Sea World Guide...

Spoiler:
... several hints in the recent events of the timeline have dropped hints about upcoming APs.

And not a Campaign Setting book, but in Burnt Offerings...

Spoiler:
... I hint about the entire Jade Regent adventure path with Ameiko's character.

There's several more long-term ones that haven't yet come to pass...

Silver Crusade

2 people marked this as a favorite.

So I got the tattoo :3

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Haladir wrote:
...we know how to drive in winter weather...

Not sure how much water that carries with me, since all the people I know who have actually been in snow-related accidents or fender benders out here in Seattle are those who claim to know how to drive in winter weather and spent many years living in places where they got lots of experience doing so. Snow in Seattle is a really weird combination...

Haladir wrote:


Anyway...

James-- You mentioned that you're from northern California originally. Have you ever lived anywhere outside of the Pacific Northwest?

Nope. Nor would I really want to, frankly.

James's history of where he lived lies beyond, because I wanna kill a little time before getting back to work...

Spoiler:
Born in Santa Rosa, CA on January 9th, 1972.

Lived in Point Arena, CA, from birth (after the ride home from Santa Rosa, of course!) until I headed off to college in 1990.

Lived in Davis, CA, and went to UCD from 1990 to 1995 (would have been there only four years, but I foolishly wasted a year thinking I wanted to be an aeronautical engineer... fortunately scholarships and the like kept me from taking any actual student loans so I came out the other side debt free there!).

Moved to Seattle, WA, in 1995. Lived in North Seattle till about 2003, whereupon I finally decided to move south to Renton, WA, to live in the same town as where I worked.

Quit working at Wizards of the Coast about a month after I moved to Renton to start working at Paizo, and got to enjoy my 5 minute commute to work for only about a month as a result. Lived in Renton from 2003 to about 2010 or so. Was only burgularized once!

Moved to Redmond, WA in 2010 or thereabouts, and have been here ever since, with a lovely 1 minute drive or 8 minute walk from work. Gaining back 2 hours a day I once spent sitting in traffic is deeeelightful.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Rysky wrote:
So I got the tattoo :3

AWESOME!

+23 Fan Points.


Can a Paladin just refuse to answer a question? Or give a platitude?

Or would those be a "lie of omission"?

Silver Crusade

James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:
So I got the tattoo :3

AWESOME!

+23 Fan Points.

Yay!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

2 people marked this as a favorite.
DrDeth wrote:

Can a Paladin just refuse to answer a question? Or give a platitude?

Or would those be a "lie of omission"?

Depends entirely on the situation.

If the question is obviously one that someone is trying to entrap the paladin into looking like a jerk, then of course the paladin can ignore the question or give a platitude.

And if it's an honest question and giving the honest truth would endanger the innocents or otherwise cause a greater evil, the paladin can avoid the question or even lie. It'll be a small hit to her ethos, but paladins need to be able to make hard decisions. It's how they handle the repercussions that really prove that they're lawful good.

Dark Archive

James Jacobs wrote:
Bill Lumberg wrote:
If a freak blizzard trapped the staff of Paizo inside the building for an extensive period of time who do you think would be the first to resort to cannibalism? (There is one in every workplace.)

This has actually happened before.

The freak blizzard trapping the staff in the building, not the "extensive period of time" (it was only about 4 hours after work), nor the cannibalisim bit (although we did post to these boards looking for suggestions about who should be eaten first...).

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm Canadian, Americans don't know the meaning of snow. They are better at everything else but hockey though, and Rugby!


Cr500cricket wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Bill Lumberg wrote:
If a freak blizzard trapped the staff of Paizo inside the building for an extensive period of time who do you think would be the first to resort to cannibalism? (There is one in every workplace.)

This has actually happened before.

The freak blizzard trapping the staff in the building, not the "extensive period of time" (it was only about 4 hours after work), nor the cannibalisim bit (although we did post to these boards looking for suggestions about who should be eaten first...).

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm Canadian, Americans don't know the meaning of snow. They are better at everything else but hockey though, and Rugby!

As an Alaskan, I resent that statement. Although many people seem to consider Alaska as a part of Canada anyway. (Psst... Canadians are American too, so are people from Brazil or Mexico or Chile!)

Mr. Jacobs, what do you think the most prolific 'common knowledge fact' that turns out to be untrue is? Things like, "You only use 10% of your brain" or "Goldfish only have a 3 second memory" etc.

Radiant Oath

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

What's a good way to sort of get into a character mindset that you're not used to?

For example, I like playing paladins and other LG types because that gels most with my own personality (or at least I like to think it does), but I feel like because of this my characters tend to basically be the same person with different race/class combos.

What would be a way to learn how to think like a NG, CG, or even some other Neutral character? The books like Champions of Balance and whatnot certainly lend valuable insights, but even with that kind of advice I find myself gravitating to LG characters.


So, where did the Kytons come from? Did they come from beyond with Zon-Kuthon? Were they created by Zon? Something else?

Silver Crusade

James does White Estrid have any siblings?

I am trying to do backstory for a Bloodrager who is a Angel touch aasimar
how would you suggest how his rage formed? He comes from the Land of the Linnorm Kings. He hails from Halgrim.

James could you give us some hints on how Paizo designed the new tech weapons.

James would Pazio consider marketing a lexicon of Golarion words and names for MS Word and the MAC. I think this would sell very well for Pazio devoted fans.


Hey James, I finally got a chance to read through Lords of Chaos, it was amazing. All of the demon lords were great, but I've got to say Cyth-V'sug's still my favourite. I had a couple of questions about him, if you don't mind answering.

1) Black dragons are listed under worshippers for Cyth-V'sug, and half fiend fungal green and blue dragons are listed as common denizens of Jeharlu. Would it be safe to assume that fungal black dragons can also be found there?

2) Is there aything you can say about why Cyth-V'sug didn't go after Treerazer after his betrayal? Does he want revenge, is he proud of his former minion? Indifferent, maybe?

3) How would he feel about chaotic neutral worshippers? Would he accept them or view them as heretics? Would CN divine casters be granted spells? Would they go to Jeharlu after they die? Does your answer change if they perform his obedience?

3b) Since the abyss is sentient, how would it respond to the larvae of a (formerly, anyways) CN individual?

Also, completely off topic:

4) Elves, dwarves, and gnomes all have underground cousins, is this also true of humans or orcs? Would orcs be considered the underground "equivalent" of humans?

5) Why do orcs and half orcs have darkvision? Living underground, hunting at night, or some other reason? Or maybe just a holdout from 3.5?

As always, thanks for your answers. Also, sorry for the wall of text.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Archpaladin Zousha wrote:

What's a good way to sort of get into a character mindset that you're not used to?

For example, I like playing paladins and other LG types because that gels most with my own personality (or at least I like to think it does), but I feel like because of this my characters tend to basically be the same person with different race/class combos.

What would be a way to learn how to think like a NG, CG, or even some other Neutral character? The books like Champions of Balance and whatnot certainly lend valuable insights, but even with that kind of advice I find myself gravitating to LG characters.

Two things I do.

1) Watch other players roleplay characters of the type you're not used to.

2) Read/watch stories/movies that feature those types of characters.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Tels wrote:
Cr500cricket wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Bill Lumberg wrote:
If a freak blizzard trapped the staff of Paizo inside the building for an extensive period of time who do you think would be the first to resort to cannibalism? (There is one in every workplace.)

This has actually happened before.

The freak blizzard trapping the staff in the building, not the "extensive period of time" (it was only about 4 hours after work), nor the cannibalisim bit (although we did post to these boards looking for suggestions about who should be eaten first...).

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm Canadian, Americans don't know the meaning of snow. They are better at everything else but hockey though, and Rugby!

As an Alaskan, I resent that statement. Although many people seem to consider Alaska as a part of Canada anyway. (Psst... Canadians are American too, so are people from Brazil or Mexico or Chile!)

Mr. Jacobs, what do you think the most prolific 'common knowledge fact' that turns out to be untrue is? Things like, "You only use 10% of your brain" or "Goldfish only have a 3 second memory" etc.

You only use 10% of your brain is a good one, but that's maybe because "Lucy" is coming soon.

My favorite? "The customer is always right." HA!!!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

3 people marked this as a favorite.
Albatoonoe wrote:
So, where did the Kytons come from? Did they come from beyond with Zon-Kuthon? Were they created by Zon? Something else?

That's not something we've explored in depth yet.

I don't think, at least.

...scurries off to ask Wes...

Hell.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Lou Diamond wrote:

James does White Estrid have any siblings?

I am trying to do backstory for a Bloodrager who is a Angel touch aasimar
how would you suggest how his rage formed? He comes from the Land of the Linnorm Kings. He hails from Halgrim.

James could you give us some hints on how Paizo designed the new tech weapons.

James would Pazio consider marketing a lexicon of Golarion words and names for MS Word and the MAC. I think this would sell very well for Pazio devoted fans.

Not sure... I don't think she does. That's more of an Erik question.

His rage comes from the fact that no one in his long line of ancestors has ever managed to become a Linnorm King, despite trying to infuse their bloodline with angelic power.

I designed them, originally as part of my unpublished apocalyptic Earth RPG Unspeakable Futures, and have been playtesting the rules on and off over a decade. They're basically built using the same philosophies and balancing factor as magic items though. I talk in greater detail about this in the Technology Guide and in the foreword to Pathfinder #87.

I'm not sure we could legally sell something like that. Sounds like a good fan project!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Dire Mosasaur wrote:

Hey James, I finally got a chance to read through Lords of Chaos, it was amazing. All of the demon lords were great, but I've got to say Cyth-V'sug's still my favourite. I had a couple of questions about him, if you don't mind answering.

1) Black dragons are listed under worshippers for Cyth-V'sug, and half fiend fungal green and blue dragons are listed as common denizens of Jeharlu. Would it be safe to assume that fungal black dragons can also be found there?

2) Is there aything you can say about why Cyth-V'sug didn't go after Treerazer after his betrayal? Does he want revenge, is he proud of his former minion? Indifferent, maybe?

3) How would he feel about chaotic neutral worshippers? Would he accept them or view them as heretics? Would CN divine casters be granted spells? Would they go to Jeharlu after they die? Does your answer change if they perform his obedience?

3b) Since the abyss is sentient, how would it respond to the larvae of a (formerly, anyways) CN individual?

Also, completely off topic:

4) Elves, dwarves, and gnomes all have underground cousins, is this also true of humans or orcs? Would orcs be considered the underground "equivalent" of humans?

5) Why do orcs and half orcs have darkvision? Living underground, hunting at night, or some other reason? Or maybe just a holdout from 3.5?

As always, thanks for your answers. Also, sorry for the wall of text.

No worries! Those who use prehistoric avatars get special wall of text dispensations.

And glad you enjoyed Lords of Chaos!

1) Yes.

2) The exile of Treerazer to the Material Plane IS the punishment. Treerazer's a native outsider now. If he dies, he's done. He doesn't have the "rules an Abyssal realm" safety net a full demon lord has. Cyth-V'sug has other projects that take his attention, and for the most part he considers Treerazer's exile a done deal and no longer has to worry about him. Which may some day come back to bite him in the mushroomy ass.

3) He'd not trust them and think they were not devout, and would encourage his worshipers to educate (force) those heretics to be more properly evil. They'd still be granted spells in the meantime though. If they die, they'll likely go to Jeharlu and would probably end up being punished there rather than being rewarded.

3b) A soul sent to the Abyss and that transforms into a petitioner becomes a CE larvae, regardless of its original alignment.

4) Underground humans = morlocks. Underground orcs = orcs.

5) Because they come from underground and are nocturnal in nature.

Sovereign Court Contributor

I wanted to let you know I'm really looking forward to Iron Gods.

I think breaking out of the box of pure high fantasy is a great thing and entirely in the spirit of the history of the game. It took a while to get to this sort of AP but I'm sure it will be amazing.

I wish I had I chance to tell you that at PaizoCon, honestly.

Also, I think moving the Con to Memorial Day is an excellent idea. It makes the summer better for you and your colleagues, I'd imagine. Oh. Question:

1. Do you agree?

PS. Thank you to Paizo for still keeping it on a holiday weekend for all the parental gamer units, out there. Though hopefully it doesn't conflict with any of the Star Wars movies.

1bis. Also, what do you think of the reports of At the Mountains of Madness possibly being PG-13?


1- Ever consider training some sort of deputy continuity wrangler? Not as someone's sole job title obviously, but just find the biggest information sponge(s) in the editing department, sit them down one day, and really drill various facts about the setting into their heads so they can catch weird slip-ups in the books you don't see before they go to print?

That or just make like TV writers and draft a quick Golarion Bible to pass around and remind everyone how only these deities have paladins, oracles don't really do the patron thing, dwarf women don't grow beards, elves have solid eyes, there are no half-halflings, etc. Force everyone on staff to keep a copy on hand when they're writing.

2- On a related note, do you know if there's any chance Pathfinder Unchained might take a crack at revising age charts? Squeeze in a fix to the tiefling/aasimar maturing slower than humans, maybe standardize those extra years for classes involving a lot of study to kill the jokes about elves repeating so many grades in magic school?

Radiant Oath

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

What would a pantheist paladin act like?


Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

I have to say I really think Treerazor is a super cool idea. Also his art is pretty awesome.


Good evening James! I hope Paizocon was a blast for all involved! Been stewing on some questions and figured now is as good as any time to ask!

1. Is there any movie or TV show from your childhood that just always gets you in the mood for adventure?
2. Which monster makes you feel the most dread when your GM uses it against your character/party?
3. Is it fair to say that the Inner Sea Region has more corporeal undead while Tian Xia has more incorporeal? Maybe it's just the naming conventions that make me feel that way.
4. Which daemonic harbinger do you find the most intriguing based on its areas of concern?
5. There's at least one famous lich mentioned in Jade Regent, are there any other famous Tian liches that are known?
6. Like Tolguth in The Realm of the Mammoth Lords, is there anywhere in Tian Xia that one might unexpectedly find dinosaurs? Also, are there mammoths in Hongal or can they not make it over The Wall of Heaven?
7. The recently saw The Dark Crystal for the first time, and while the puppetry, set design and art direction were all amazing I left the film feeling underwhelmed. Seen any movies recently that, while having many good aspects, left you feeling underwhelmed?

And this isn't a question but I just saw the cover for the 2nd Iron Gods book and I am PUMPED. Really looking forward to that AP!

Thank you for your time once again!


James Jacobs wrote:
No worries! Those who use prehistoric avatars get special wall of text dispensations.

What if one's avatar is so old that it predates avatars and thus doesn't actually exist, meaning the person has no avatar?

To add a Golarion query or two to that, however, some things on Mortal Heralds (the path ability) and domains that I'd like to get your opinion on:

1) When picking it, you choose one domain from those offered by your deity. Would you allow a character to pick it more than once to gain extra domains offered by the deity and increase the number of communes per day the herald was capable of doing?

2) When picking the domain, what about subdomains? Can they choose a subdomain? Do they just get any subdomains that the deity offers for that domain? Was there any intent that you're aware of regarding subdomains?

3) In creating a mortal herald, a deity is infusing part of their essence into the mortal. How easy is it for them to retrieve that essence? Can a mortal become a herald, and then potentially fall from grace, yet retain the essence and go on the run from their former patron?

4) Can the mortal keep the divine essence "secret and safe" and have Golarion deities done this, secreting portions of themselves in trusted mortals as a safeguard against attack or destruction from threats?

5) What would you say is the thematic difference between the Arcane subdomain and the Divine subdomain? Both are for the Magic domain, but if the domain is about seeing the divinity in all things mystical (whether god-granted or not), doesn't the domain already encompass both the arcane and divine viewpoint?

47,201 to 47,250 of 83,732 << first < prev | 940 | 941 | 942 | 943 | 944 | 945 | 946 | 947 | 948 | 949 | 950 | next > last >>
Community / Forums / Gamer Life / Off-Topic Discussions / >>Ask *James Jacobs* ALL your Questions Here!<< All Messageboards