Lords of Rust (GM Reference)


Iron Gods

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Paizo Employee Creative Director

Iron Gods is NOT meant to be played by mythic characters—the storyline isn't designed for it from a flavor standpoint or a mechanical standpoint. What allows a character to achieve mythic ascension is entirely and completely left to the GM.

If you want to do it, go for it—but you'll either need to do some significant adjustments to the adventure path or be comfortable running a game where the PCs are significantly less challenged than you may be used to.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

leo1925 wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
leo1925 wrote:

Question:

Didn't Divinity's AI took the name Unity after the crash?

I ask this because we have captain Yurian Valako calling the AI by the name Unity in his last report, also the same thing happens with the gearsman in the fires of creation.

It gets a little confusing, but to clear it up...

** spoiler omitted **

Thank you James.

Another question, how much scrap worth do the PCs need to gather in order to be summoned to fight in the arena? (i can't seem to find it in the book)

Bottom of page 14. Scrap-Worth 8 results in the invitation.


James Jacobs wrote:

Iron Gods is NOT meant to be played by mythic characters—the storyline isn't designed for it from a flavor standpoint or a mechanical standpoint. What allows a character to achieve mythic ascension is entirely and completely left to the GM.

If you want to do it, go for it—but you'll either need to do some significant adjustments to the adventure path or be comfortable running a game where the PCs are significantly less challenged than you may be used to.

Tier 1 isn't much of a problem at that point... Maybe being tier 2, 3 or 4 at the end of the AP.


Question about Soothe:where did Smilers get this stuff?
It requires both medical lab and Craft feat,and i assume either working generator or at least two batteries.
Do they have no means of manufacturing it?
In this case,is 14 doses all their available stock?
Is there a way to synthesize it with alchemy and/or Brew Potion?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Vlad Koroboff wrote:

Question about Soothe:where did Smilers get this stuff?

It requires both medical lab and Craft feat,and i assume either working generator or at least two batteries.
Do they have no means of manufacturing it?
In this case,is 14 doses all their available stock?
Is there a way to synthesize it with alchemy and/or Brew Potion?

Soothe, as a pharmaceutical, can be crafted with the appropriate feat. The Smilers currently have a relatively limited supply of the stuff though, and should soon need to seek more of it.


Acolyte of Mushu wrote:
I know there are no actual bonuses for skinning the mutant manticore and wearing its hide, but what would be a cool, minor flavor bonus for my PCs that could be added to the game without messing with mechanics? Also, any flavor repercussions, considering the manticore is mutant and irradiated.

Every day, save vs. Low radiation. ;p


I remember pondering that when i was reading fires of creation as well.
How do you use disable device to open closed doors when there is no power?


as an untrained disable device (STR) check


Krinn wrote:
as an untrained disable device (STR) check

What?


I use a big hammer, but then people call the cops, especially if i'm the the one cutting the power;D


But seriously, I would imagine a space ship might have manual over rides on the doors, especially ones along an escape route, in case the worst happened


captain yesterday wrote:
But seriously, I would imagine a space ship might have manual over rides on the doors, especially ones along an escape route, in case the worst happened

Yes there are, it's usually a STR check DC 25 to open it manually (not break DC which is a little higher).

But i asked about the use of disable device in order to open it, especially when you are doing it without an e-pick (i can assume that the e-pick supplies enough energy in order for the door to open).


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thats what i'm talking about, a small switch hidden somewhere on the door or next to it that might release the pressure from the hydraulics or whatever they have, you know so they open easily in case the power is out and a quick escape is needed:)

it could even be a small fail safe on the frame of the door, something in a corner thats easily (for the original crew not the PCs) flipped to allow a quick evacuation:)

i guess the point i was making is with hydraulics, there is almost always a fail safe somewhere to release the pressure manually so it doesn't take so much strength to open, in case god forbid the worst happens, i work with heavy equipment like skid loaders and excavators so i know a thing or two about it:)


Also, am I the only one who thinks that certain spells should be restricted from this AP? Specifically spells like Disable Construct and Feeblemind. Both are spells that would allow PC's to functionally one-shot a lot of otherwise scary enemies in the adventure. (Disable Construct against robots, Feeblemind for the Technic League.) And they're not simply save or lose, they're both "roll really high on the die or lose." I bring this up in the message board for Lords of Rust because Disable Construct is a spell that has a half-decent chance of allowing the party to just murder Hellion (for GM's who don't like to fudge the dice).

For the record:
Yes, I am aware that Hellion has Mythic Iron Will and would roll twice.


@captain yesterday
Even when the doors slide into the ceiling when opened?

@Nakteo
Yeah disable construct might be a problem, a serious one, thankfully it's only on the wizard's and bard's spell list and it's a touch spell.
I wouldn't worry about feeblemind in this AP any more that i would worry in RotRL, and i wasn't really worried then because my players know that if their wizard start using nuclear weapons then the enemy wizards will also start using nuclear weapons, it's a M.A.D. thingy.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Best reason to take spectral hand I've seen all day.


captain yesterday wrote:

thats what i'm talking about, a small switch hidden somewhere on the door or next to it that might release the pressure from the hydraulics or whatever they have, you know so they open easily in case the power is out and a quick escape is needed:)

it could even be a small fail safe on the frame of the door, something in a corner thats easily (for the original crew not the PCs) flipped to allow a quick evacuation:)

i guess the point i was making is with hydraulics, there is almost always a fail safe somewhere to release the pressure manually so it doesn't take so much strength to open, in case god forbid the worst happens, i work with heavy equipment like skid loaders and excavators so i know a thing or two about it:)

Other locking mechanisms?

Edit: Basically, having to worry about a Lock as well as the opening mechanism.


What I was saying is when the power goes out there would be a way to release the hydraulic pressure (if they use hydraulics that is) of the the doors, just a way to rationalize using disable device, nothing more:)


leo1925 wrote:


@Nakteo
I wouldn't worry about feeblemind in this AP any more that i would worry in RotRL, and i wasn't really worried then because my players know that if their wizard start using nuclear weapons then the enemy wizards will also start using nuclear weapons, it's a M.A.D. thingy.

Unfortunately, I've played with people who don't consider such turnabout to be fair play and will complain loudly if it is employed. My solution is to just remove the obvious nuclear weapons before they can be used, and talk to players when and if they decide to invent new ones.

Shadow Lodge

In my game I won't allow disable construct to work on robots. It specifically disrupts the magic that animates magical constructs, which would do nothing to a robot since they aren't magical.


captain yesterday wrote:
What I was saying is when the power goes out there would be a way to release the hydraulic pressure (if they use hydraulics that is) of the the doors, just a way to rationalize using disable device, nothing more:)

And I understood that, what I mean is if there is a lock in addition to that?


D'oh! Sorry!


leo1925 wrote:

@captain yesterday

Even when the doors slide into the ceiling when opened?

@Nakteo
Yeah disable construct might be a problem, a serious one, thankfully it's only on the wizard's and bard's spell list and it's a touch spell.
I wouldn't worry about feeblemind in this AP any more that i would worry in RotRL, and i wasn't really worried then because my players know that if their wizard start using nuclear weapons then the enemy wizards will also start using nuclear weapons, it's a M.A.D. thingy.

Exactly what magic is disrupted in the robot that endows it with life?

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I dunno, Clarke's Third Law is pretty powerful.


Misroi wrote:
I dunno, Clarke's Third Law is pretty powerful.

Well,the spell isn't called Clarke's Disable Construct.

What i'm trying to say is you don't need to restrict the spell.Playing it RAW is probably enough.There is even a single target for it in Lords of Rust.


Nakteo wrote:

Also, am I the only one who thinks that certain spells should be restricted from this AP? Specifically spells like Disable Construct and Feeblemind. Both are spells that would allow PC's to functionally one-shot a lot of otherwise scary enemies in the adventure. (Disable Construct against robots, Feeblemind for the Technic League.) And they're not simply save or lose, they're both "roll really high on the die or lose." I bring this up in the message board for Lords of Rust because Disable Construct is a spell that has a half-decent chance of allowing the party to just murder Hellion (for GM's who don't like to fudge the dice).

** spoiler omitted **

You can make a melee touch attack to send a pulse into the target, interfering with the magic that endows it with life. If the construct fails its saving throw, it becomes helpless for the duration of the spell.

magic?? what magic? robots aren't magic.


Pendagast wrote:


magic?? what magic? robots aren't magic.

We already have spells that can repair electronic components,which requires AI at the very least.My guess would be if SPELL believes that it's magic,then it's magic.

Might require bluff check though.


My group has started into Lords of Rust, but just prior to setting off for Scrapwall there was a rather interesting development.

The Story thus far:
The party previously ignored the hint to visit the warehouse, and in addition killed Meyanda and all her minions without interrogating them. This left them with no real leads on the potential ongoing threat to Torch. They convinced Kyte to Speak with Dead Meyanda, but she passes her save. However, rather than grill her for information, the party uses the conversation to convince her to accept a revival. Meyanda was incredibly suspicious of their offer which only required she not attack them or Torch, but a chance to serve Hellion again was worth the risk. Kyte uses the Resurrection scroll and poofs the android back to existence. He even grants a pardon on behalf of the Council because they are desperate for information.

Much to Meyanda's surprise, the party not only holds true to their word, but they immediately treat her as an equal. Kind treatment is just not what she was used to in Scrapwall, with its strict pecking order and constant infighting. In addition, she notes how the temple of Brigh manages to actually help people as well as not be half buried in rubble. Over the course of a few days and numerous good diplomacy checks, Meyanda starts questioning the outlook on life she got from Scrapwall. This is further compounded when she discovers her connection to Hellion has been severed. This is partly due to Hellion having trouble holding the connection through her revival and distance, but also due to his rage at her failure. Meyanda ends up telling the party enough to point them to retrieve the Power Relay and towards Scrapwall. When the party offers to take her along, she decides at the least her duty is to report back to the Lords of Rust.

That was a bit long, but it now leaves me wondering how Meyanda changes book 2. For my group at least, she is not quite an ally yet, but she is certainly going to abandon her initial plan to get revenge once she is back in her place of power. The party will have no trouble at the gate, but what else changes? The repercussions of having Meyanda back in the picture certainly shake up a lot of potential dialogues. How would you handle Meyanda back in Scrapwall?

My Idea:
I usually try to have a plan of what happens if the party does nothing. My current idea is that once back in Scrapwall Meyanda takes her leave to head straight back to the Lords of Rust headquarters. If the party escorts her there, they are stopped at the arena gate by some of the acolytes. Behind the scenes, word has already filtered back to Hellion of Meyanda's return, and he has decided to deal with her as harshly as he dealt with the Thralls of Hellion for the failure. When Meyanda walks in, her poor Sense Motive doesn't catch onto the malice and sarcastic mockery of her old comrades. Once she gives her report, Hellion will have her seized and sacrificed.

This duty falls to Nalakai, but he is bit hesitant to just outright kill the only other Lord of Rust that has the same sense of piety as himself. So instead he gives Meyanda to the Blood Ghost to gain her favor, hopefully for an eventual alliance against Kulgara. Since she will sacrifice her anyway for her own profane purposes, Malakai doesn't feel he is violating Hellion's orders and he washes his hands of the matter. However, this works in Meyanda's favor, as she knows what Zagmaander really wants. She can convince her that although she cannot break the curse herself anymore, the party of people she entered Scrapwall with could and Meyanda could convince them to do it. The delays are really growing tiresome for Zagmaander, but she is increasingly suspicious that Hellion never really intends to help anyway. This new group may have new opportunities, and if keeping Meyanda alive is required so be it.

And so Meyanda remains captive at the Lair of the Blood Ghost until the PCs arrive to sort out the situation. This is the logical train of thought I had for what might happen on Meyanda's return. I tried to track the motivations (and madness, in Hellion's case) of the characters involved. Anyone have any thoughts?


Angry Cow wrote:

My group has started into Lords of Rust, but just prior to setting off for Scrapwall there was a rather interesting development.

** spoiler omitted **

That was a bit long, but it now leaves me wondering how Meyanda changes book 2. For my group at least, she is not quite an ally yet, but she is certainly going to abandon her initial plan to...

This is an interesting problem. I might also run into it. I was thinking that Meyanda would be maybe reluctant to return to the Scrapwall, as she would be recognised to easily and the trip would end up in her certain death.


Angry Cow wrote:

My group has started into Lords of Rust, but just prior to setting off for Scrapwall there was a rather interesting development.

** spoiler omitted **

That was a bit long, but it now leaves me wondering how Meyanda changes book 2. For my group at least, she is not quite an ally yet, but she is certainly going to abandon her initial plan to...

My version:
Converting Meyanda is all about crisis of faith.Idea is,Meyanda is not stupid.She knows that after severing divine connection,she is deemed a failure.So,in my case she reverts to the basic programming(or instincts,whatever):Hellion is clear and present danger.Removal of this danger is necessary for her to continue to exist.Either that,or run,and she does not seem running type to me.So,she joins the adventurers...problem being,she is android in crisis of faith.She literally doesn't understand that she needs to proactively provide information for the operation to succeed,and players probably don't know the right questions.

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Vlad Koroboff wrote:
She literally doesn't understand that she needs to proactively provide information for the operation to succeed,and players probably don't know the right questions.

This is exactly how I have been treating it, and will probably continue going forward. Meyanda knows quite a bit, but doesn't make the kind of connections about the threat Hellion presents nor does she just blurt out what the party would want to know.

I take that a step further. In Meyanda's mind, she doesn't understand the danger Hellion now presents to her personally. In her time working for him, her lack of emotional understanding has caused her to confuse Hellion's madness and rage as a kind of fierce determination for the cause. Since it has thus far not been directed at her, she still treats the Lords of Rust as the only family she has known. She is just now beginning to see how dysfunctional it is compared to, say, how the party operates. I perhaps should have noted earlier Meyanda doesn't actually know why the connection was severed, just that she can no longer commune with Hellion. So in my mind she heads back to Hellion confused and with the mistaken hope it will take her back in.

How Vlad or Gratz see this seems valid to me too, though. All depends on where you want to take the character and what you think is best for your party.


Angry Cow wrote:
I perhaps should have noted earlier Meyanda doesn't actually know why the connection was severed

Difference being,in my Iron Gods Meyanda was metaphorically talked to death.

So she knows exactly why her connection was severed.She did it!

My point being,in any case,killing off Meyanda is a waste of good character.


When interrogating the Smilers at the beginning, the text says you can get information from them with an appropriate Intimidate Check or Diplomacy DC 34. Though the DC for getting info through Intimidate is 10 + HD + Wis Mod, so for the Smilers, that's a DC 13. Am I thinking about this incorrectly?


What are the main factions of scrapwall, my wife has an idea for an Elf scraper from there.
i dont need a lot of info just the basics to get her started, i'll be getting Lords of Rust next weekend:)


captain yesterday wrote:

What are the main factions of scrapwall, my wife has an idea for an Elf scraper from there.

i dont need a lot of info just the basics to get her started, i'll be getting Lords of Rust next weekend:)

As of about a year before Adventure Path starts,Steel Falcons(badass martial artists and strongest gang around),Smilers(crazy cannibals),Redtooth's Raiders(oldest gang,ratling-only),and Lords of Rust&Thralls of Hellion(enemies).

Also it's assumed that there is a few smaller gangs,but they are not as important.


thanks!
from the sound of her character it would seem she's going for an Elven Tank Girl:)
archaeologist with technologist feat:)


captain yesterday wrote:

thanks!

from the sound of her character it would seem she's going for an Elven Tank Girl:)
archaeologist with technologist feat:)

Sounds like someone who went into Srapwall already trained and with specific goal in mind.

I have a similar situation.
Leader of my PCs is gal who hails from Wasteland Rangers,made-up Alkenstar scout organization.Gives a good excuse to have a fair hand with technology.


nope, she is a self-taught scrapper, not every class has to go to a university to learn their thing they do:)

real life and knowledge handed down from generation to generation are the best schools sometimes:)


captain yesterday wrote:

nope, she is a self-taught scrapper, not every class has to go to a university to learn their thing they do:)

real life and knowledge handed down from generation to generation are the best schools sometimes:)

"You know nothing Jon Snow."


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Everything I know about Game of Thrones I learned from South Park and skimming Grantland, so not much:)


Guy St-Amant wrote:
captain yesterday wrote:

nope, she is a self-taught scrapper, not every class has to go to a university to learn their thing they do:)

real life and knowledge handed down from generation to generation are the best schools sometimes:)

"You know nothing Jon Snow."

did you get a hair cut there Guy, you look different.. can't put my finger on it....

:-p


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captain yesterday wrote:
Everything I know about Game of Thrones I learned from South Park and skimming Grantland, so not much:)

It's a bit of a running gag, When Jon Snow think he know/has figured something, there is a certain character who keep telling him that line. Eventually, he end up telling himself that.


So I'm running Iron Gods on story-based leveling up, where the players just level up when they reach a certain milestone in the campaign, so I'm not worried about XP. That being said, would it be feasible to simply skip Aldronard's Grave and have the party just move on to Scrapwall? I'm thinking about doing this partly because a player of mine has to leave the game in mid-December, and we're hoping to finish Book 2 before he has to leave, so I feel like I should cut some corners.

Alternatively, what are your guys' suggestions for perhaps modifying the encounter at Aldronard's Grave to where things are a bit more condensed there? Say, the Sarenites are actually not attacked until the PCs actually enter so combat with the Smilers is reduced to only a single encounter?

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Either that, or have the Smiler's assault on Aldronard's Grave fail. The paladins there took some captives, and since the party has questions for Scrapwall natives, they'd be happy to let them interrogate them. I'd definitely drop the DC 34 to get info, if not remove the need for a roll entirely. I think the purpose, besides handing out some more XP, is to let the PCs know what they're getting into in Scrapwall.


Misroi wrote:
Either that, or have the Smiler's assault on Aldronard's Grave fail. The paladins there took some captives, and since the party has questions for Scrapwall natives, they'd be happy to let them interrogate them. I'd definitely drop the DC 34 to get info, if not remove the need for a roll entirely. I think the purpose, besides handing out some more XP, is to let the PCs know what they're getting into in Scrapwall.

I should probably also note that not only did they keep Meyanda alive, they plan on redeeming her. That, and one of the PCs is from Scrapwall and has only come to Torch in the past year or so.

Dark Archive

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Well, if they can manage that, then yes, drop Aldronard's Grave. She can give them all the information they need, as well as the importance of increasing their scrap-worth.


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Espagnoll wrote:

I think I am going to have tons of fun with Hellion.

"Look at you, barbarian, a pa-pa-pathetic adventurer of meat and bone, raging and panting trough my dungeon corridors"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOFZ5fv_pb8

I was going to keep the SHODAN quotes for Unity. Seems more appropriate (though I have not read the last adventure).

Silver Crusade

So... what's the damage modifier for a large chainsaw?

Had a fighter get enlarged and then I realized there was no translation for 3d6's medium to large.

I'm guessing it's 3d8? or 2d12?


Ayanzo wrote:

So... what's the damage modifier for a large chainsaw?

Had a fighter get enlarged and then I realized there was no translation for 3d6's medium to large.

I'm guessing it's 3d8? or 2d12?

Unfortunately the only guideline we have it's the improved natural attack feat, if we go by that then a large chainsaw does 4d6.

Silver Crusade

Smiler gunslingers have bullets but no black powder. I'm assuming the 'gunsinger pistol' so they might be metal cartridges.

I already passed this encounter and just assumed they burned what black power they had on their shots.

Should take 1 dose of black powder + bullet to fire them since I had that come up on other games. Some GMs handwave the black powder cost (since it makes each shot 11 gp) but it's usually the price you play as a gunslinger.

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