1) I recently noticed that Ahriman was statted up in Legacy of Fire, as a CR 22 I believe monster. I know this was back in the 3.5 days of the APs. My question is if he was statted up now, would he be much higher CR, in the range of epic level?. I noticed in the Bestiary 3 it would be possible for a Akhvan Prince to have a higher Pathfinder CR than potentially there boss (if the old stats are still true), and it seemed odd.
2) How active are Cheliax and Nidal in fighting the Worldwound. Are there troops from either nation actively involved in the Mendevian crusades? What about Hell Knights? How much conflict due to differences in nationality, alignment, or creed occur within the crusader ranks?
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1)Is there any chance that the Formians making it into the Innersea Bestiary or at least maybe a furture product early next year?
2)I was looking at the Magician bard arctype in the Advanced Players Guide and noticed that you can get a familiar(or bonded item) at level 5 but it didn't say what your equivelent wizard level was for your familiar's abilities and feats. So are considered a 5th level wizard when you get it or are you considerd 1st level?
3)Have you seen "The Fly 2(1989)", "The Blob(1980's)", "The Blob(1950's)", "Saturn 3", or "Dark City"? did you like them?
4)Is there any reason a arcane bloodline sorcerer would pick a bond with an item over a familiar?
5)What are the odds of seeing options for sorcerers that allow them to replace there first level bloodline power for more class skills that fit there bloodline choice?
6)Have you played any of the Castlevania games? if so wich ones? any favorites?
7)If humans weren't the dominate(or at least most numerious) race on Golarion, what would be your 2nd choice to take there place?
1) No chance at all for Inner Sea Bestiary. We know what we want to do with formians and where we want to do it—they're aliens. If we do a book that affords us a dozen or so pages to devote to formians, THEN we'll do them up. The problem is that you can't just do one formian. They're an entire race. They need a BIG footprint, and in a 64 page book, that footprint is just too big. ALSO: When we DO convert them... they'll probably become aberrations or monstrous humanoids.
2) You use your bard level as your equivalent wizard level.
3) Yes, Yes, Yes, No, Yes. Letter grades are as follows:
The Fly 2 (1989): B–
The Blob (1980s): A
The Blob (1950s): A–
Dark City: A+
4) Because they want less paperwork. Because they don't like animals. Because they're undead. Because many folks see familiars as disadvantages. Etc.
5) Very small. Sorcerers are not supposed to be great at lots of skills. That's the bard's place to shine.
6) Yes; I played the 2nd one half way through. Loved it, and got frustrated that I never got the chance to finish it. When I bought a Wii many years ago, I quickly downloaded it, but then lost interest in the Wii as a whole. The Wii sits there gathering dust now, because I don't have the interest in it to expend the effort to plug it in.
7) Elves.
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1) I recently noticed that Ahriman was statted up in Legacy of Fire, as a CR 22 I believe monster. I know this was back in the 3.5 days of the APs. My question is if he was statted up now, would he be much higher CR, in the range of epic level?. I noticed in the Bestiary 3 it would be possible for a Akhvan Prince to have a higher Pathfinder CR than potentially there boss (if the old stats are still true), and it seemed odd.
2) How active are Cheliax and Nidal in fighting the Worldwound. Are there troops from either nation actively involved in the Mendevian crusades? What about Hell Knights? How much conflict due to differences in nationality, alignment, or creed occur within the crusader ranks?
1) At CR 22, Ahriman is right there in the sweet spot with all the other infernal dukes, nascent demon lords, and daemon harbingers—all of these "not-quite-demigod but still able to grant spells to followers" outsiders range in CR from 21 to 25. If I were to stat him up now, I would consider raising him up to CR 24, but I would probably not bump him up above CR 25 and into the realm of archdevils, horsemen, and demon lords. I kind of like the idea that the divs aren't as well-established in a fiendish hierarchy so as to have super-powerful leader fiends, and that doing so establishes Ahriman as a great end-campaign boss monster to fight for 20th level characters.
2) There's probably a few hellknights up there in the Worldwound doing their best to help out, but beyond that, I don't think that Cheliax and Nidal are really doing much to aid in that crusade at all. They're far enough away from the Worldwound physically and far enough away from Mendev spiritually that they don't really care what's going on up there. NOW... if the crusaders went away and the demons busted out and stated spreading... that'd probably make them change their tunes. But that isn't happening yet, so Nidal and Cheliax are comfortable doing what they're doing back home. As for how much conflict happens in the crusader ranks? A LOT. Enough that their own internal conflicts have at least an equal, if not greater, chance of causing the Mendevian crusades to fail as do the demons.
1) No chance at all for Inner Sea Bestiary. We know what we want to do with formians and where we want to do it—they're aliens. If we do a book that affords us a dozen or so pages to devote to formians, THEN we'll do them up. The problem is that you can't just do one formian. They're an entire race. They need a BIG footprint, and in a 64 page book, that footprint is just too big. ALSO: When we DO convert them... they'll probably become aberrations or monstrous humanoids.
Have you ever read Serpent's Reach by C. J. Cherryh? Worth adapting.
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Have you ever read Serpent's Reach by C. J. Cherryh? Worth adapting.
1) No chance at all for Inner Sea Bestiary. We know what we want to do with formians and where we want to do it—they're aliens. If we do a book that affords us a dozen or so pages to devote to formians, THEN we'll do them up. The problem is that you can't just do one formian. They're an entire race. They need a BIG footprint, and in a 64 page book, that footprint is just too big. ALSO: When we DO convert them... they'll probably become aberrations or monstrous humanoids.
I haven't.
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1) No chance at all for Inner Sea Bestiary. We know what we want to do with formians and where we want to do it—they're aliens. If we do a book that affords us a dozen or so pages to devote to formians, THEN we'll do them up. The problem is that you can't just do one formian. They're an entire race. They need a BIG footprint, and in a 64 page book, that footprint is just too big. ALSO: When we DO convert them... they'll probably become aberrations or monstrous humanoids.
Awesome!
I was tinkering with the Formians, and realized that I didn't like them as outsiders. I liked them much better if they had to eat (and thus farm). Even if they *happened* to live on one or more 'outer planes,' they were invaders to those realms, and not outsider natives.
James, in the upcoming campaign guide are we likely to see some of the topics that were so elegantly portrayed in the companion set of the BECMI series? Running strongholds and countries. Mass combat rules. Country level challenges. This is something I have always thought was weakly covered in DnD ever since BECMI.
Also some guidelines or rules for running a campaign through the 13-20 levels would be great. At these levels you need to question why anyone would adventure still. They are richer and more powerful than anyone would ever need to be. How does a campaign drive characters through thoses levels.
You need to play Castlevania Symphony of the Night.
1)So there are actually that many types of Formians to have like 12 pages for them?
2)Well the Imperious bloodline from Advanced Races Guide gave you 5 skills as class skills for its 1st level ability. What is wrong with getting 4-5 skills as class skills that fit your character's bloodline and to not have to have used 2 feats and 2 triats to get them?
3)Will we ever see the craft and profession skills fleshed out more?
4)What was the most disapointing movie you have seen so far? most disapointing TV show?
5)So if you have a class/archtype that gets a famliar or animal companion at a level other then first and it doesn't say that you level is treated lower, it is safe to assume you use that classes total level for there abilities and for requirements for feats correct?
6)Is it safe to assume we will not get any new class skills? Will we ever see new uses for old skills?
7)If you could pic one movie, one book, one tv show, and one d&d book that you didn't have to worry about copy rights, so you could use for Pathfinder, what would they be?
I'm trying to come up with some names for drow npcs - I have looked at all the drow sources of which I'm aware, but can't find a system for generating drow names specific to pathfinder/golarion - do you have any suggestions? Is there a source I could use which would be suitable for a Golarion based campaign?
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James, in the upcoming campaign guide are we likely to see some of the topics that were so elegantly portrayed in the companion set of the BECMI series? Running strongholds and countries. Mass combat rules. Country level challenges. This is something I have always thought was weakly covered in DnD ever since BECMI.
Also some guidelines or rules for running a campaign through the 13-20 levels would be great. At these levels you need to question why anyone would adventure still. They are richer and more powerful than anyone would ever need to be. How does a campaign drive characters through thoses levels.
Some of those, yes. Not all of them.
This won't be the book of advice on how to run a high level game. I've been actually pushing for a book like that for a while... but it's yet to manifest, mostly because we don't really have a great line to fit game advice books into. The rulesbook line is the best bet there, but convincing folks to use a precious rulesbook slot to do an advice book is... difficult.
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Seeing as a level 1-20 adventure path is unlikely in the near future, it you hypothetically could do one, who would be the ideal archenemy for such a campaign?
Wouldn't be any different than an enemy I'd choose for a normal Adventure Path, really. Anything would be possible, in other words.
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True but in most places water wasn't really what we would consider healthy until pretty close to the 20th century.That might be true... but Golarion's not strictly a medieval setting.What is the favorite non-alcoholic drink in the inner sea region?That's like asking, "What is the favorite non-alcohholic drink in North America and Central America combined?"
The answer is probably "Water." A less snarky answer would be "It varies wildly by region."
Interestingly enough, I suspect that it would be very hard to find a nonalcholic drink in a midieval setting. Simply because they wouldn't be safe to drink. Water was something that was considered fit only for bathing, slaves, or condemmed prisoners.
The usual family drink was wine for all ages. My Italian grandfather in Paterson NJ, made his own wine from the grapes he grew in the backyard. That was virtually all he ever drank. Sad note... I recently passed by the house he had it's still standing in what little is left of Jersey Street, but the roof has fallen in.
True, but in most regions of Golarion there's a fair amount of clerics or other divine spellcasters who have access to spells they can cast all day long like create water or purify food and drink. Both of which are MUCH more efficient and easy than anything we've got today.
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I'm trying to come up with some names for drow npcs - I have looked at all the drow sources of which I'm aware, but can't find a system for generating drow names specific to pathfinder/golarion - do you have any suggestions? Is there a source I could use which would be suitable for a Golarion based campaign?
There are LOTS of "how to name drow" databases on the internet. They're mostly skewed at D&D drow, but as it turns out, those names work perfectly well for Pathifnder as well.
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You need to play Castlevania Symphony of the Night.
1)So there are actually that many types of Formians to have like 12 pages for them?
2)Well the Imperious bloodline from Advanced Races Guide gave you 5 skills as class skills for its 1st level ability. What is wrong with getting 4-5 skills as class skills that fit your character's bloodline and to not have to have used 2 feats and 2 triats to get them?
3)Will we ever see the craft and profession skills fleshed out more?
4)What was the most disapointing movie you have seen so far? most disapointing TV show?
5)So if you have a class/archtype that gets a famliar or animal companion at a level other then first and it doesn't say that you level is treated lower, it is safe to assume you use that classes total level for there abilities and for requirements for feats correct?
6)Is it safe to assume we will not get any new class skills? Will we ever see new uses for old skills?
7)If you could pic one movie, one book, one tv show, and one d&d book that you didn't have to worry about copy rights, so you could use for Pathfinder, what would they be?
1) Yes. They were D&D's Lawful Neutral answer to devils & demons & the like, after all. In the SRD, there are five different types of formians, of which one is a CR 18 "boss" formian we'd give 2 pages to. We'd also have a 1 page intro, as we do for all these types of monsters. So just right there, we've got 7 pages. Wizards of the Coast didn't stop there; they regularly introduced other new formians to the game. None of those ones are open content, but we'd absolutely do the same by making up several new ones ourselves. At minimum, I'd like to do 3 new ones, so while my initial guess of 12 was a SLIGHT over-exaggeration... it wasn't by much.
2) Nothing's wrong with it from a game balance standpoint, I guess. But a LOT is wrong with it from a flavor standpoint. Sorcerers are about, essentially, superpowers. They're supposed to be one of the best classes at magic. Not skills. Thematically, it doesn't sit well with me to give sorcerers (or wizards, or clerics, etc.) better access to skills when we don't also give, say, bards and magi better access to spells. In other words, not having a mountain of skill points is as much as what defines a sorcerer as their bloodlines or their spontaneous spellcasting. The Imperious bloodline has the right flavor to have some skill-related boosts, but that's not the same for most other ones.
3) Yes.
4) Most disappointing movie = the 1998 Godzilla. Most disappointing TV show = Terra Nova.
5) Probably, yes. But confirm with your GM!
6) Every skill we add to the game not only dilutes the "spending power" of skill ranks, but also is more or less guarenteed to obsolete certain characters and monsters by introducing a skill that does something that character or monster SHOULD be able to do well. The game's FAR to far along at this point to add new skills. I could see us doing new skills if we did an entirely new setting, I guess; a sci-fi setting would need a Hacking skill, for example. As for new uses for old skills... we do that now and then, although not often, in our adventures, usually to cover some weird, obscure need in an adventure. But we don't do it often.
7) I actually couldn't say. I'm pretty proud with what we've done without having to poach Intellectual Properties from them. There's more than enough inspiration in mythology and public domain for me, honestly.
Just sort of rules-y, if you're wearing a buckler while using crane style/crane wing from ultimate combat, do you lose its ac bonus in any round you use your buckler arm for your free hand to deflect a melee attack?
And similar question for deflect arrows and buckler use.
I was tinkering with the Formians, and realized that I didn't like them as outsiders. I liked them much better if they had to eat (and thus farm). Even if they *happened* to live on one or more 'outer planes,' they were invaders to those realms, and not outsider natives.
KQ #10 has some information on what the formians might be up to in Katapesh (written by yours truly)... although certain elements of Pathfinder have been changed from 3.5 since then... If I contribute anything to Goalrion's formians I hope its their use of Reuleaux polygons :-)
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so... Bladed Dash.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/bladed-dash
the description is very openly worded.
Im trying to clarify it for my players.
-- can it be used with spell combat to allow a level 4 magus to get 30 feet of movement and 2 attacks?
-- is the movement granted by the spell a flat 30 feet or up to one normal move (thus a halfling magus would normally get only 20 feet from blade dash but someone with a normal move of 50 could blade dash 50 feet)
-- can any abilities be used with the blade dash attack (can the caster use trip, disarm, get flanking bonus, make sneak attacks?)
-- can it be used in hazardous terrain like caltrops, rocks or entanglement?
-- if the caster is invisible at the time of casting do they still leave a rainbow trail?
-- can the caster move ANY direction including into the air, over a chasm, or through walls and opponents?
there are probably other questions I am missing. but the general idea is that there is a whole lot of holes in the explanation.
can you help?
Some of those, yes. Not all of them.This won't be the book of advice on how to run a high level game. I've been actually pushing for a book like that for a while... but it's yet to manifest, mostly because we don't really have a great line to fit game advice books into. The rulesbook line is the best bet there, but convincing folks to use a precious rulesbook slot to do an advice book is... difficult.
OK if you can even begin to emulate some of the great stuff from BECMI in Pathfinder I am going to have to double my (already sizable!) Paizo budget!!
I understand what you mean about an advice book. But I don't think it is all about advice. I think one of the worst aspects of 3.5 that you inherited is the level 1-20 run does not explain itself well to the user of the game. This is something that BECMI did very well. It says, OK once you hit this level of power you move from dungeon crawls into the wilderness. Then you start to rule a dominion. Etc. 3.5 says (to me anyways) at its core you start at level 1 and by the time you hit 20 you can fight better and have way cooler powers. And you are powerful. But you are sort of only kinda powerful. What do I mean?
As a fighter you can fight your way through 10,000 orcs, but the rules are not there to support that really. The size of the creatures you fight are just, kinda big, not city sized golems for example. The rules are not there to support that. You can do crazy powerful magic as a mage, killing entire armies and wishing stuff into/out of existence. But the rules really only consider your immediate effect at the squad level. Where are the rules to create custom one off rituals that shake the foundations of a nation (ultimate magic I am looking at you). Where are the rules for influencing a nation with your fame. Rules for managing organisations and the political thrust and counter thrust. The interactions of the inner and outer planes with the material plane are there, but a little bare.
To me (and mayby it is just me) BECMI did a fantastic job of setting expectations (not hard ones just guidelines) of what PCs can do at each level point and backing it with crunch. I think 3.5 does not do that well over say level 14 and it ends up being super powered PCs going into dungeons slaying bigger dragons cause that's all the published rules have to say on the matter.
I would love your opinion on the above thoughts (rant?).
How similar is the alchemist's extract-brewing to normal spellcasting? Specifically:
1) Does he have a caster level?
2) Can he benefit from a feat like Arcane Strike?
3) Can he activate spell-trigger or spell-completion magic items?
4) Can he select and benefit from metamagic feats? What about metamagic rods?
I was the first person in my group to play an alchemist, and at the time my interpretation was "no" to all of these; extract brewing was not similar to spellcasting. Since then, however, I've read some things that have made me question that interpretation. What is your take?
True but in most places water wasn't really what we would consider healthy until pretty close to the 20th century.True, but in most regions of Golarion there's a fair amount of clerics or other divine spellcasters who have access to spells they can cast all day long like create water or purify food and drink. Both of which are MUCH more efficient and easy than anything we've got today.
Am I right in assuming as well that Abadar's holy text -- which is basically a manual on how to build and maintain cities -- has good advice like "For the love of Me, DON'T USE LEAD PIPES TO CARRY WATER!"? :D
Is the iPhone App, Siri, Magical?
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True, but in most regions of Golarion there's a fair amount of clerics or other divine spellcasters who have access to spells they can cast all day long like create water or purify food and drink. Both of which are MUCH more efficient and easy than anything we've got today.True but in most places water wasn't really what we would consider healthy until pretty close to the 20th century.That might be true... but Golarion's not strictly a medieval setting.What is the favorite non-alcoholic drink in the inner sea region?That's like asking, "What is the favorite non-alcohholic drink in North America and Central America combined?"
The answer is probably "Water." A less snarky answer would be "It varies wildly by region."
Interestingly enough, I suspect that it would be very hard to find a nonalcholic drink in a midieval setting. Simply because they wouldn't be safe to drink. Water was something that was considered fit only for bathing, slaves, or condemmed prisoners.
The usual family drink was wine for all ages. My Italian grandfather in Paterson NJ, made his own wine from the grapes he grew in the backyard. That was virtually all he ever drank. Sad note... I recently passed by the house he had it's still standing in what little is left of Jersey Street, but the roof has fallen in.
More to the point, medieval wine was usually heavily watered down with... y'know... water.
In central and northern europe 'small beer' was much more prevalent than wine and was probably a more effective water-substitute by virtue of not being very intoxicating and being very cheap to produce.
But there are bard archtypes that give bards wizard spells and rouge talents. There are rouge talents for spell powers and getting a familiar.
I would love to have an Arcane blooded Sorcerer with all knowledge skills as a class skill or a Fey blooded sorcerer could pick 4-5 skills as class skills from a list of skills like acrobatics, escape artist, stealth, diplomacy, handle animal, survival, etc. The only way for a fey sorcerer to get these skills without a lot of feats/traits is to get fey creature template from the Bestiary 3, wich isn't going to happen. Besides thanks to Ultimate Magic now any class that has a decend Cha(or any class if you wish) can get sorcerer bloodline powers so why not get better class skills or extra skills points? I mean it should be an option, It's not like it replaces the rouge and bard as skill monkeys and it would be good for character developement without so much a strain on feats.
Aslo a familiar option would be cool for all sorcerer bloodlines.
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Just sort of rules-y, if you're wearing a buckler while using crane style/crane wing from ultimate combat, do you lose its ac bonus in any round you use your buckler arm for your free hand to deflect a melee attack?
And similar question for deflect arrows and buckler use.
Only if you do if you lose the AC bonus for doing other things with your shield arm when there's a buckler.
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so... Bladed Dash.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/bladed-dashthe description is very openly worded.
Im trying to clarify it for my players.-- can it be used with spell combat to allow a level 4 magus to get 30 feet of movement and 2 attacks?
-- is the movement granted by the spell a flat 30 feet or up to one normal move (thus a halfling magus would normally get only 20 feet from blade dash but someone with a normal move of 50 could blade dash 50 feet)
-- can any abilities be used with the blade dash attack (can the caster use trip, disarm, get flanking bonus, make sneak attacks?)
-- can it be used in hazardous terrain like caltrops, rocks or entanglement?
-- if the caster is invisible at the time of casting do they still leave a rainbow trail?
-- can the caster move ANY direction including into the air, over a chasm, or through walls and opponents?
there are probably other questions I am missing. but the general idea is that there is a whole lot of holes in the explanation.
can you help?
When you cast bladed dash, part of that spell's magic is that it lets you make a weapon attack. Althoguh it's an attack with your weapon, it's enabled because you cast the spell, and as such that attack is part of the spell's effects. THEREFORE...
If you use it with spell combat, you get to make 2 attacks, effectively; one normal attack and one granted by the spell. The normal attack, for sake of ease, should be made at the same time you make the spell-granted attack.
The movement granted by the spell is 30 feet, and is not tied to the caster's speed. No matter who casts the spell, you move 30 feet.
It's a normal attack, so yeah, you can trip or flank or sneak attack or whatever.
It works in hazardous terrain, but doesn't protect against it. Difficult terrain still costs double.
If the caster's invisible when he casts this spell (and it's an attack spell, so he'd have to be using greater invisibility, because regular invisibility would end the moment you cast the spell), he does not leave any after-images.
It's regular land movement. No moving through walls. No walking on water or air (unless you're under the effect of water walk or air walk, as appropriate). You can jump as part of the movement if you want, though. You can't swim or fly or climb or burrow though.
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OK if you can even begin to emulate some of the great stuff from BECMI in Pathfinder I am going to have to double my (already sizable!) Paizo budget!!
I understand what you mean about an advice book. But I don't think it is all about advice. I think one of the worst aspects of 3.5 that you inherited is the level 1-20 run does not explain itself well to the user of the game. This is something that BECMI did very well. It says, OK once you hit this level of power you move from dungeon crawls into the wilderness. Then you start to rule a dominion. Etc. 3.5 says (to me anyways) at its core you start at level 1 and by the time you hit 20 you can fight better and have way cooler powers. And you are powerful. But you are sort of only kinda powerful. What do I mean?
As a fighter you can fight your way through 10,000 orcs, but the rules are not there to support that really. The size of the creatures you fight are just, kinda big, not city sized golems for example. The rules are not there to support that. You can do crazy powerful magic as a mage, killing entire armies and wishing stuff into/out of existence. But the rules really only consider your immediate effect at the squad level. Where are the rules to create custom one off rituals that shake the foundations of a nation (ultimate magic I am looking at you). Where are the rules for influencing a nation with your fame. Rules for managing organisations and the political thrust and counter thrust. The interactions of the inner and outer planes with the material plane are there, but a little bare.
To me (and mayby it is just me) BECMI did a fantastic job of setting expectations (not hard ones just guidelines) of what PCs can do at each level point and backing it with crunch. I think 3.5 does not do that well over say level 14 and it ends up being super powered PCs going into dungeons slaying bigger dragons cause that's all the published rules have to say on the matter.
I would love your opinion on the above thoughts (rant?).
I'm not the one you have to convince to do a book of "how to play high level." Again... I would LOVE to do that book. And I would thus LOVE to have customers and fans make that desire public and known on these boards, since that helps prove to management that there's a market for the book.
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How similar is the alchemist's extract-brewing to normal spellcasting? Specifically:
1) Does he have a caster level?
2) Can he benefit from a feat like Arcane Strike?
3) Can he activate spell-trigger or spell-completion magic items?
4) Can he select and benefit from metamagic feats? What about metamagic rods?
I was the first person in my group to play an alchemist, and at the time my interpretation was "no" to all of these; extract brewing was not similar to spellcasting. Since then, however, I've read some things that have made me question that interpretation. What is your take?
1) Yes.
2) No.
3) Yes.
4) No.
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Am I right in assuming as well that Abadar's holy text -- which is basically a manual on how to build and maintain cities -- has good advice like "For the love of Me, DON'T USE LEAD PIPES TO CARRY WATER!"? :DTrue but in most places water wasn't really what we would consider healthy until pretty close to the 20th century.True, but in most regions of Golarion there's a fair amount of clerics or other divine spellcasters who have access to spells they can cast all day long like create water or purify food and drink. Both of which are MUCH more efficient and easy than anything we've got today.
If it does, it's probably a lot more "thee and thou" about how it says it!
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What's the climate at and around Sandpoint?
Who "wrote" the Medusa Heads in Carrion Crown?
Sandpoint has a pretty mellow climate. In the summer, it rarely gets above 90 degrees F, and usually peaks around 80. In the winter, it rarely drops below freezing but it can at times. It rains a fair amount (about the same as Seattle or Northern Califorina's coast), and there's often powerful windstorms in the winter. Snow is very rare but not unheard of at winter. Fog is very common; it's often foggy at dawn and dusk.
As for the Medusa Heads... I have no idea who wrote those. Wes would know though.
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But there are bard archtypes that give bards wizard spells and rouge talents. There are rouge talents for spell powers and getting a familiar.
I would love to have an Arcane blooded Sorcerer with all knowledge skills as a class skill or a Fey blooded sorcerer could pick 4-5 skills as class skills from a list of skills like acrobatics, escape artist, stealth, diplomacy, handle animal, survival, etc. The only way for a fey sorcerer to get these skills without a lot of feats/traits is to get fey creature template from the Bestiary 3, wich isn't going to happen. Besides thanks to Ultimate Magic now any class that has a decend Cha(or any class if you wish) can get sorcerer bloodline powers so why not get better class skills or extra skills points? I mean it should be an option, It's not like it replaces the rouge and bard as skill monkeys and it would be good for character developement without so much a strain on feats.
Aslo a familiar option would be cool for all sorcerer bloodlines.
The game is always expanding with new options. What isn't an official option now may become one some day.
If you want a sorcerer with lots of skills... play a human, put your favored class bonus into skill ranks, and don't dump stat Intelligence. Presto. Lots of skill ranks.
Hah! Thanks James, so who DO I have to hassle then...... :-)
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If I contribute anything to Goalrion's formians I hope its their use of Reuleaux polygons :-)
Ha! I associated them with hexagons, thanks to thinking of them as the bug-people from an old episode of the original Battlestar Galactica series!
Did you go to the gathering at Lisa and Vic's? And if so how was it?
The antilife shell spell creates a 10-ft.-radius emanation, centered on you that hedges out most living creatures.
First, how does this even work? What does "hedges out" mean exactly? Can a creature with long reach, reach inside the field and attack you? Or does it prevent ALL physical contact?
Second, how can it possibly be centered on you by RAW? Emanations and similar effects are always started at a cross section on the map grid. By default that means it is never truly centered on you. If it was, you would end up covering half squares which, if that's the case, than can an enemy enter the half square or not?
I've seen similar problems with other abjurations such as antimagic field. How are they supposed to be adjudicated?
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I'm not the one you have to convince to do a book of "how to play high level." Again... I would LOVE to do that book. And I would thus LOVE to have customers and fans make that desire public and known on these boards, since that helps prove to management that there's a market for the book.OK if you can even begin to emulate some of the great stuff from BECMI in Pathfinder I am going to have to double my (already sizable!) Paizo budget!!
I understand what you mean about an advice book. But I don't think it is all about advice. I think one of the worst aspects of 3.5 that you inherited is the level 1-20 run does not explain itself well to the user of the game. This is something that BECMI did very well. It says, OK once you hit this level of power you move from dungeon crawls into the wilderness. Then you start to rule a dominion. Etc. 3.5 says (to me anyways) at its core you start at level 1 and by the time you hit 20 you can fight better and have way cooler powers. And you are powerful. But you are sort of only kinda powerful. What do I mean?
As a fighter you can fight your way through 10,000 orcs, but the rules are not there to support that really. The size of the creatures you fight are just, kinda big, not city sized golems for example. The rules are not there to support that. You can do crazy powerful magic as a mage, killing entire armies and wishing stuff into/out of existence. But the rules really only consider your immediate effect at the squad level. Where are the rules to create custom one off rituals that shake the foundations of a nation (ultimate magic I am looking at you). Where are the rules for influencing a nation with your fame. Rules for managing organisations and the political thrust and counter thrust. The interactions of the inner and outer planes with the material plane are there, but a little bare.
To me (and mayby it is just me) BECMI did a fantastic job of setting expectations (not hard ones just guidelines) of what PCs can do at each level point and backing it with crunch. I think 3.5 does not do that well over say level 14 and it ends up being super powered PCs going into dungeons slaying bigger dragons cause that's all the published rules have to say on the matter.
I would love your opinion on the above thoughts (rant?).
Add one more potential buyer. I think I know how to manage a high level campaign, but still it is worth listening to any advice about that (and a lot of other things).
No one of us is perfect and, hopefully, there is always space to get better.|
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How much does the average peasant have in income over the year... maybe about 10 gold or so tops? Those spells are luxuries not even in consideration. And even for those who can pay the number of available casters and their time is limited.
"Average" lifestyle is 10/gp month.
Hireling, Trained 3 sp per day: The amount given is the typical daily wage for mercenary warriors, masons, craftsmen, cooks, scribes, teamsters, and other trained hirelings. This value represents a minimum wage; many such hirelings require significantly higher pay.
Hireling, Untrained 1 sp per day: The amount shown is the typical daily wage for laborers, maids, and other menial workers.
So, supposing 26 working days/month, we get: 2,6 sp/month and 31,2 gp/year for a untrained worker.
A trained worker get 7,8 gp//month and 93,6 gp/year.
A guy with 1 rank in a craft or profession and a total bonus of +1 will earn 1/2 of a craft/profession cheek as weekly wages, so about 5,5 gp week, 22 gp month.
This give us fairly different points of reference (and I would like to see them unified in some way).
The values I use are in the 3 sp/day range for workers that do mostly simple tasks and the result of the craft or profession skill /2 for trained people.
Only an apprentice, child or similar subject would earn 1 sp for a day of work.
I would like to add a note to the above...
A lot of "peasants" will be little more than tenant farmers or serfs for local nobility. They will farm the land and have to pay fees (crops, etc.) to the landowner in order to do so. There will be little to nothing left after feeding their families and buying basic subsistence items. Any craft skills would be used to keep tools etc in working order and no monetary value would be gained. Plus, they may be working on a debt and thus never get to leave to find better work. That is why they remain peasants and earn little to no money.
For those peasants practicing a skilled trade (shoemaker), reputable ones with a good name in the area may be better off but local nobility may tax them out the wazoo in order to operate a business.
So, I think when trying to determine what peasants actually earn, I don't think the actual craft and profession numbers will do the trick. I believe those numbers may more accurately describe PCs (often operating outside the law), workers for a guild, or perhaps working conditions in a place with some sort of free market akin to rural Andoran (Golarion) or the Dales (Forgotten Realms).
Places with strong nobility tend to keep peasants in the role of being peasants.
Sorry for the post outside of a question directly to James.
*bows out*
Only if you do if you lose the AC bonus for doing other things with your shield arm when there's a buckler.Just sort of rules-y, if you're wearing a buckler while using crane style/crane wing from ultimate combat, do you lose its ac bonus in any round you use your buckler arm for your free hand to deflect a melee attack?
And similar question for deflect arrows and buckler use.
Hum, so, as long as you're not otherwise attacking with that hand that round or, I don't know, grabbing something from a pouch, you keep your buckler ac while deflecting?
Sorry, it just read a bit unclearly.