the "Stealth" problem is like many others a "Rules As Written" vs "Rules As Intended" vs "Rules As Interpreted" problem.
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Skull Attack sounds like a cool attack, which creature should have it?Triceratops, Minotaurs, Rhinoceri. Pretty much anything that attacks you with it's skull.
Although an undead that is accompanied by the floating skulls of it's victims, which can also attack, could be cool...
DEMILICH USED SKULL ATTACK!
It's super effective.
Now a question I have. What is the process you guys go through when making a monster? I've been reading the RPG Superstar section on monsters and Neil Spicer breaks it down fairly well. I had never known about the 11,11,11,10,10,10 array before. Still I am curious as to what else you guys look at for making a monster.
Creative Director
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what are the circle shaped things in lots of places of the map of Sasserine? are they wells? some are in walls or labled as guardtowers but in Part 5 of There Is No Honor one is a well that's an entrance to The Lotus Dragon guildhouse.
Those connected to walls are watchtowers. Those that aren't are wells.
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Creative Director
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Now a question I have. What is the process you guys go through when making a monster? I've been reading the RPG Superstar section on monsters and Neil Spicer breaks it down fairly well. I had never known about the 11,11,11,10,10,10 array before. Still I am curious as to what else you guys look at for making a monster.
The super simplified monster creation method I use:
1) Come up with the monster. Decide on its attacks, its role in the world, and what it looks like. No actual writing need happen at this stage.
2) Stat the monster up, using the rules in Bestiary's Appendix 1 as guidelines. Finesse those stats to fit its intended CR, but if one category (hp or AC or damage or whatever) is higher than expected, that's fine.
3) Write the monster's flavor text until the page is full.
The "11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10" array is hidden away. You don't need to worry at all about it when building a monster. Just make sure its stats have 3 odd and 3 even numbers and you're fine.
Now a question I have. What is the process you guys go through when making a monster? I've been reading the RPG Superstar section on monsters and Neil Spicer breaks it down fairly well. I had never known about the 11,11,11,10,10,10 array before. Still I am curious as to what else you guys look at for making a monster.The super simplified monster creation method I use:
1) Come up with the monster. Decide on its attacks, its role in the world, and what it looks like. No actual writing need happen at this stage.
2) Stat the monster up, using the rules in Bestiary's Appendix 1 as guidelines. Finesse those stats to fit its intended CR, but if one category (hp or AC or damage or whatever) is higher than expected, that's fine.
3) Write the monster's flavor text until the page is full.
The "11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10" array is hidden away. You don't need to worry at all about it when building a monster. Just make sure its stats have 3 odd and 3 even numbers and you're fine.
That's seems to be the gist of it, but how do you decide how a monster would fit a role? Like, making a creature more of a solo (or duo) encounter, or having a creature more ambush/hit and run.
So our Jade Regent caravan is heading over the Crown, and I'm looking at the poster map and wondering how to interpret some things.
a) Is the dotted line in fact the Arctic Circle?
b) I'm guessing that from an Avistan perspective, the equivalent of the Greenwich meridian is Absalom, and Absalom would be right about the longitude of Jerusalem. If so, is one of the longitude lines the Absalom Prime Meridian, and which one?
Given those pieces of information, and the general similarity of Golarion to Earth (same diameter, axial tilt, and calendar year, right?) I'm pretty sure I could use the web's vast resources to calculate the precise length of the Arctic day for our caravan's current location. ^.^
(Also, just ran our first caravan combat. Yeah, it's a good idea, but it needs a lot of work to be practical.)
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Creative Director
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That's seems to be the gist of it, but how do you decide how a monster would fit a role? Like, making a creature more of a solo (or duo) encounter, or having a creature more ambush/hit and run.
Actually... I don't bother with that question at all, since whether a monster's a solitary encounter or part of a group isn't something really that needs to be answered until that monster's in the adventure. It's flavor text can certainly suggest one way or another, but the philosophy of monster design of "what role should this monster play in a fight" has never been one I liked. My philosophy is more "what role should this monster play in the story or world?"
Almost same time post.
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Creative Director
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So our Jade Regent caravan is heading over the Crown, and I'm looking at the poster map and wondering how to interpret some things.
a) Is the dotted line in fact the Arctic Circle?
b) I'm guessing that from an Avistan perspective, the equivalent of the Greenwich meridian is Absalom, and Absalom would be right about the longitude of Jerusalem. If so, is one of the longitude lines the Absalom Prime Meridian, and which one?
a) Yup; the dotted line is the Arctic Circle.
b) Correct; the "Greenwich meridian" is indeed through Absalom. In theory, the line that goes down to the middle of the bottom of the page is the one that runs through Absalom, and is thus Longitude 0.
Sweet! Thanks.
...Okay, that leaves latitude. Arctic Circle should be 66 degrees... so two degrees per ring? That looks right.
"Answer My Chalenge "evil" T-Rex!"
"Answer My Chalenge "evil" T-Rex!"
SWALLOW WHOLE!
Expected/10.
1)In the Advanced races book will we see other races, like the Duegar, have racial archtypes to a class?
2)If "yes" to question #1 then what races have them?
3)Same as #2 but for classes used?
4)Will there be a lot more dungeon crawl in the shattered star AP?
5)Will Ultimate Equipment have high level or more powerful alchemical items?
6)How much reprinting will there be in Ultimate Equipment for the mundane items/weapons/armor
7)Have you seen "Sucker Punch" yet?
8)Have you seen any monsters from movies that are original creations but are now public domain?
9)Will Ultimate Equipment have new special materials?
10)For the book(can't remember name right now) with the 30 new prestige classes will there be any that combine two classes other then the Paladin/Monk one for Iroi?
Shattered Star AP? Do tell...
Never mind, just reread it. Admittedly was hoping for a Distant Worlds AP.
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James,
Having nearly finished reading Distant Worlds, I was curious about the Bone Sages of Eox. Has any more detail gone into them regarding a typical sage's class levels? If so, can you reveal some of that info? How many of them are there? Are they all the same type of undead, or did they vary it up a bit?
Anyway, thanks again for taking time to answer all these questions. You kick ass.
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Creative Director
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1)In the Advanced races book will we see other races, like the Duegar, have racial archtypes to a class?
2)If "yes" to question #1 then what races have them?
3)Same as #2 but for classes used?
4)Will there be a lot more dungeon crawl in the shattered star AP?
5)Will Ultimate Equipment have high level or more powerful alchemical items?
6)How much reprinting will there be in Ultimate Equipment for the mundane items/weapons/armor
7)Have you seen "Sucker Punch" yet?
8)Have you seen any monsters from movies that are original creations but are now public domain?
9)Will Ultimate Equipment have new special materials?
10)For the book(can't remember name right now) with the 30 new prestige classes will there be any that combine two classes other then the Paladin/Monk one for Iroi?
1) There'll be archetypes (at least I think so...) but no classes at all.
2) Dunno. Haven't really looked in the book yet.
3) No classes.
4) Yes. Probably moreso than any other AP that we've done.
5) "High level" alchemical items aren't really a thing. "High level" alchemist magic items though are definitely a possibility.
6) Not sure yet. A not insignificant amount though.
7) Nope. It's been sitting on my coffee table for about a week.
8) To a certain extent, the flesh-eating zombie/ghouls of Night of the Living Dead qualify. Before that, there wasn't really a "horde of flesh eating zombies" type trope out there, and the movie's in the public domain due to a copyright error.
9) I don't think so.
10) The paladin/monk one is the only one I specifically ordered to fulfill that role. Others might do it accidentally, I guess.
10) The paladin/monk one is the only one I specifically ordered to fulfill that role. Others might do it accidentally, I guess.
Ooooo... is it called a Bodhisattva?
10)For the book(can't remember name right now) with the 30 new prestige classes will there be any that combine two classes other then the Paladin/Monk one for Iroi?
There is going be a book with 30 new PrCs?
10)For the book(can't remember name right now) with the 30 new prestige classes will there be any that combine two classes other then the Paladin/Monk one for Iroi?There is going be a book with 30 new PrCs?
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Yup.10)For the book(can't remember name right now) with the 30 new prestige classes will there be any that combine two classes other then the Paladin/Monk one for Iroi?There is going be a book with 30 new PrCs?
And there was much rejoicing! Yay!
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Creative Director
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Having nearly finished reading Distant Worlds, I was curious about the Bone Sages of Eox. Has any more detail gone into them regarding a typical sage's class levels? If so, can you reveal some of that info? How many of them are there? Are they all the same type of undead, or did they vary it up a bit?
So far... what's in Distant Worlds is pretty much all there is about the Bone Sages.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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1) I know there were 7 Runelords, each one a ruler of one of the nations of Thassilon, but did each nation have a succession of rulers, each of whom were Rune Lords?
2) If so, did any of the previous Runelords to the final ones survive, and potentially have the ability to return?
Rule question: Does the Ghost's Corrupting Touch ages the whole Body or just the part touched?
the rules aren't exactly clear about it:
And if it age the whole body, is there a way to reverse it?
Are you not watching Suckerpunch in the hopes that Dragon78's head will explode because he obviously wants to ask you questions about the movie yet does not want to spoil the movie for you?
While I know what the likely real answer is, I just thought it would be funnier if that was the reason.
So I took my subscription to work to read on my break. Five of my coworkers thought the books looked really cool and flipped through them. Some of them want me to actually play through the beginners box with them. Should I keep bringing my subscriptions to work?
Is it too geeky?
I know some companies where even a hint of such stuff, the rumor of doing so, or worst obvious evidence at work would be like your quiiting the job. Probably yourself, because what follows is just horrible mobbing.
So, happy you Minis Maniac!
James Jacobs, instead of watching Sucker Punch, better think of cool new stuff for rogues and ninjas, armor, weapons, wondrous items, talents, tricks, feats, adventure paths, modules, prestige classes, organisations, nations, etc. ... .
If that is not reason wnough in it itself because of the inherited awesomeness, let me tell you:
watching sucker punch is like having sex with a real cute, but infuriating dumb women.
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Creative Director
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1) I know there were 7 Runelords, each one a ruler of one of the nations of Thassilon, but did each nation have a succession of rulers, each of whom were Rune Lords?
2) If so, did any of the previous Runelords to the final ones survive, and potentially have the ability to return?
1) Yes.
2) Yes.
Some of Thassilon's nations had numerous runelords ruling over the centuries and centuries during which Thassilon was an empire. But two nations only ever had one runelord—Xhanderghul was the only runelord of pride from start to finish, and Sorshen was the only runelord of lust from start to finish.
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Creative Director
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Rule question: Does the Ghost's Corrupting Touch ages the whole Body or just the part touched?
the rules aren't exactly clear about it:
** spoiler omitted **And if it age the whole body, is there a way to reverse it? ** spoiler omitted **
The aging caused by a ghost's ability is mostly just flavor text. How exactly it manifests can and should vary from ghost to ghost. In some cases, it might cause patches of skin to wither and wrinkle. In some, it might make organs fail or muscles decay. In the end, though... this effect is represented in game as nothing more than hit point damage, and thus anything that heals hit point damage will reverse the effects of a ghost's corrupting touch. It doesn't actually add years to your age.
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Creative Director
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Are you not watching Suckerpunch in the hopes that Dragon78's head will explode because he obviously wants to ask you questions about the movie yet does not want to spoil the movie for you?
While I know what the likely real answer is, I just thought it would be funnier if that was the reason.
Heh... no. The real answer is that I'm working 60 hour weeks in hopes of getting a half dozen projects done by PaizoCon/Gen Con, and thus when I get home it's generally pretty late, and rather than watch a movie like Sucker Punch which would greatly benefit from turning my surround sound system up really, really loud when my neighbors are trying to sleep, I instead watch other things. Usually things that are only an hour long, so that I can watch them and then stagger off to bed without having to commit to a longer movie experience.
Combined with the fact that when I DO get a chance to watch a longer movie... there's a HECK of a lot more movies out there that I wanna see sooner than Sucker Punch it seems... be they actual visits to a theater or otherwise. And horror movies always seem to take precedence over other movies.
I'll get to Sucker Punch someday. Probably later this week. No guarantees.
The aging caused by a ghost's ability is mostly just flavor text. How exactly it manifests can and should vary from ghost to ghost. In some cases, it might cause patches of skin to wither and wrinkle. In some, it might make organs fail or muscles decay. In the end, though... this effect is represented in game as nothing more than hit point damage, and thus anything that heals hit point damage will reverse the effects of a ghost's corrupting touch. It doesn't actually add years to your age.Rule question: Does the Ghost's Corrupting Touch ages the whole Body or just the part touched?
the rules aren't exactly clear about it:
** spoiler omitted **And if it age the whole body, is there a way to reverse it? ** spoiler omitted **
I need to quote you, someone took it as actually aging a character by the result of the roll(s).
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Creative Director
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So I took my subscription to work to read on my break. Five of my coworkers thought the books looked really cool and flipped through them. Some of them want me to actually play through the beginners box with them. Should I keep bringing my subscriptions to work?
Is it too geeky?
Yes.
No. In fact, 96% of all work places could stand to get more geeky.
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Creative Director
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I need to quote you, someone took it as actually aging a character by the result of the roll(s).The aging caused by a ghost's ability is mostly just flavor text. How exactly it manifests can and should vary from ghost to ghost. In some cases, it might cause patches of skin to wither and wrinkle. In some, it might make organs fail or muscles decay. In the end, though... this effect is represented in game as nothing more than hit point damage, and thus anything that heals hit point damage will reverse the effects of a ghost's corrupting touch. It doesn't actually add years to your age.Rule question: Does the Ghost's Corrupting Touch ages the whole Body or just the part touched?
the rules aren't exactly clear about it:
** spoiler omitted **And if it age the whole body, is there a way to reverse it? ** spoiler omitted **
That's a pretty good stunt, since the actual rules make it pretty dang clear that the attack does hit point damage.
I need to quote you, someone took it as actually aging a character by the result of the roll(s).That's a pretty good stunt, since the actual rules make it pretty dang clear that the attack does hit point damage.
Posted a link to your post in the guy/girl's topic and PM it to him/her as well.
See, I knew the answer to my question was going to be "I'm too busy trying to meet my deadlines for my job to enjoy watching a two hour long movie I might not even like in the first place". :(
How cool would it be if by some strange turn of events you never end up watching that movie until you are like 96 or something?
Just for the record... if folks are gonna be using my posts as ammo for internet arguments, I'd rather not know.
Sorry, it's just that I felt a bit of pity for that GM's players (and their PCs).
Maybe it could be added to the faq.
Just for the record... if folks are gonna be using my posts as ammo for internet arguments, I'd rather not know.Sorry, it's just that I felt a bit of pity for that GM's players (and their PCs).
Maybe it could be added to the faq.
If the ability actually aged you it would have to say what the aging effect were. The fact that it does not is evidence in itself.
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Creative Director
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See, I knew the answer to my question was going to be "I'm too busy trying to meet my deadlines for my job to enjoy watching a two hour long movie I might not even like in the first place". :(
How cool would it be if by some strange turn of events you never end up watching that movie until you are like 96 or something?
Oh... I'll see it before then for sure.
But yeah... it's not all sunshine and rainbows working in the gaming industry. (Witness me posting here from work at 6:05 on a Sunday evening as a much needed break from a long work day...).
Woe is me, and so on!
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Creative Director
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Just for the record... if folks are gonna be using my posts as ammo for internet arguments, I'd rather not know.Sorry, it's just that I felt a bit of pity for that GM's players (and their PCs).
Maybe it could be added to the faq.
Since I've only ever heard this question asked once, I wouldn't qualify it as a Frequently asked question...
Just for the record... if folks are gonna be using my posts as ammo for internet arguments, I'd rather not know.Sorry, it's just that I felt a bit of pity for that GM's players (and their PCs).
Maybe it could be added to the faq.
Since I've only ever heard this question asked once, I wouldn't qualify it as a Frequently asked question...
Actually I can kinda see a person making the mistake and thinking you take "aging damage" as in get aged. Especially if the player played 1st and 2nd edition where that type of thing was actually common, like with haste and such even aging a character when they cast it. In fact, didn't the ghost's corrupting touch age FOR REAL in 1st-2nd Edition? Its been so long since I played them I don't remember, just remember that there were a lot of spells that aged a character.
The elf dinosaur-tamer? Or would that work better as a prestige class?