Creative Director
|
James, as a fellow Cthulhu fan I wanted to get your quick take on something. My players and I have all been playing together for about 10 or 12 years and with other groups at least a decade each before that. We are all very well versed in various game systems - especially CoC. Recently, I have taken to running shorter campaigns for my weekly Pathfinder game and something that has cropped up is each of my players has had, or will soon have, a campaign wherein their character is the "star". In talks with one of my players recently about his upcoming campaign he asked me to put together for him an actual Cthulhu game, but do it with Pathfinder rules and set it in our Fantasy World (which is a mash-up of Greyhawk 1000 years post the published setting with Golarion on the West coast).
My question for you is this: what "classic" CoC games/campaigns do you think would work best as a conversion?
My gut is telling me to try and do something with the Masks of N. But since you are such a fan, and I have noticed over the course of this thread my and your tastes in these types of things runs strangely parallel, I figured I might see if you were interested in sounding off.
I have about a year before the campaign is set to run, so I have plenty of time for the conversion work so level of effort isn't an issue. Here is the kicker, the player in question, while very familiar with CoC has had very limited access to some of the classic modules. He was in a At the Mountains of Madness game that fell apart and I know he played in a game that was a highly modified Kingsport run.
Any thoughts? As always, thanks for any response.
My take: I would look at some of the Dreamlands adventures first. Those adventures are already set in a fantasy setting, after all. Converting something like Masks of Nyarlathotep would be really hard... and weird, since there's a lot you'd have to change. Like, for example... what do you do about all the handouts in a world without newspapers?
Two related questions....
1. What was the first PATHFINDER (as in not Dungeons and Dragons 3.5) Adventure Path?
2. How come Second Darkness and Legacy of Fire Player's Guides had actual books and aren't free PDFs like the rest of them?
|
Creative Director
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
1)When did the Beastairy 3's release date get changed to December?
2)Have you seen Starman, the Last starfighter, Enemy mine, Innerspace, Saturn 3, Blackhole, Tron, Clockwork orange, Brazil, or Time Bandits? If so what did you think?
3)So are you against a Tiny/small magical beast that is as fast or faster than a quickling? What if it is from myth?
4)Have you seen the french films Amelie, City of lost children, or Priceless? If not you should. Aslo there is an animated french film called "A monster in paris" that coming over hear as well.
5)Did you ever find Waldo? catch Carmen Sandiego? Care who shot J. R.? Ask where's the beef? Do the safety dance? or cringe when you thought Disco was making a comeback?
6)What annoys you most Smurfs, talking colorful ponies, singing chipmunks, or house elves?
7)Do you like the old Max Fleicher cartons(Popeye, superman, Betty Boop)?
8)Do have a Favorite Charlie brown special? Favorite of those old stop motion specials like Rudolph?
9)Favorite Christmas special? Favorite Holloween special? Favorite other holiday special?
10)Will the Oni, Azura, or Rakshasa have Familiar options in the Beastairy 3? Are there familiar options in the Beastairy 3 that are Aberrations, plants, Undead, Monstrous humaniod, or Oozes?
1) Relatively recently, when it became apparent we were missing our planned November release date.
2) I've seen all of those. All fun movies!
3) I'm against it because that's what the quickling does. If there's an example of something fast from myth... I'd either say "cool" or I'd say "no thanks, we've got quicklings."
4) Yes, yes, and no. Amelie is a GREAT movie.
5) Yes, no, no, yes, no, no.
6) singing chipmunks
7) Meh... nah. Not really.
8) Nope. But I love the Christmas special with the Abominable Snowman... up until he turns into a good guy. That part sucked.
9) See above; has to do with Abominable Snowmen. Favorite Halloween special = "Halloween." HA. Actually, beyond "Rudolph vs. the Abominable Snowman," I don't really recall much in the way of greatness in the holiday special category.
10) Yes and some, yes.
|
Creative Director
|
Dear James Jacobs,
I'm incorporating your Kingdom Building article from Rivers of Blood in my latest game, and I had a question for you regarding the High Priest leadership role. Ultimately, I know this is my decision as GM, but I was hoping for you opinion on it.
Basically, my players are considering to elect a High Priest of a deity that is unpopular among the locals, then incentify the locals into converting to that deity's religion with tax breaks. As a GM, my first instinct would be to rule that the High Priest role is technically vacant because the person they're placing into power is not meeting the spiritual needs of the kingdom. What do you think?
Depends entirely on the religion. For Abadar, this'd be spot-on. For Sarenrae, not so much. I would still say that the high priest fills the role, but I would start doing some other role-play type elements. Such as the so-called high-priest having some inquisitors of his/her faith showing up to ask questions about the heresies...
|
Creative Director
|
Now for my question. Why do you think that the molds, slimes, oozes and jellies have proven so successful and appeared in most if not all versions of the game? I have never really seen the appeal and wonder what I am missing. The main reason I ask is that the one Pathfinder society adventure I bought was about 1/3 slimes and molds. Not the norm, I know, but it did somewhat put me off and I did not start buying Pathfinder modules until almost a year later when I discovered this thread and you convinced me to pick up the adventure paths. Thanks for an insightful and entertaining read. I wish I had picked up one of the adventure paths first.
Because they're an interesting element to add to the game. Note that until 3rd edition, though, all those things were actually monsters.
But also... there's a LOT of slimes and oozes and molds and stuff like that in the old pulps; not just in Lovecraft's stories either. They're a popular topic in those old stories... which, like us at Paizo, inspired Gygax a LOT.
|
Creative Director
|
James,
If you were to go back in time and make any changes to the books that were put out before you and Erik took tighter control over Golarion lore, what would that be? We know of some changes (dragons, Paladins of Asmodeus, Darklight Sisterhood), but I'm very curious if there are any more "retcons" to the early books (Dragons Revisited, Korvosa/Absalom/Darkmoon Vale) you would like to make?
What few there are you can infer by looking at Inner Sea World Guide and noticing what parts were cut out of that book that WERE in the previous hardcover.
|
Creative Director
|
Now, for another question... Can a lycanthrope use his stats in Hybrid/Animal form to qualify for a feat? For example, if in Human form I have a Con of 10, but a wolf has a Con of 15, then can I take Improved Natural Armor with it's requirement of Con 13? Seems to me it would work, especially since the feat would be useless in human form anyway, since the Natural Armor is a Animal/Hybrid only feature.
He could, but when he was in human form and couldn't qualify for the feat, he wouldn't be able to use it.
|
Creative Director
|
As a Druid, I am always mindful of sustainability, and reducing waste.
From time to time during my adventures, I am forced to take the life of another being, often after transforming myself into the aspect of a Firepelt great-cat. Similarly, my ever faithfull feline companion is often engaged in such kills.Given that we are not fond of just letting the kill rot, we usually avail ourselves of a bit of a snack, or turn the occasion into one of our full meals for the day. The party seem a little uncomfortable when the meal extends to human cultists, and highway robbers, but so far they have accepted my 'green and environmentally sensitive' waste free ways. Life is natures way of keeping food fresh after all!
Now being that the meat is so frequently uncooked, it has occured to me that there might be all sorts of bugs and parasites present, so I have as a general rule always blessed anything eaten with a quick pass of 'Purify food and drink'.
I would like you to solve a quick conundrum for me though;
At what point does the 'food' become 'food' for the purpose of the spell?
Is it possible to cast the spell on living humans? Often they are being consumed as they are still alive and kicking, so techincally they are food when hit with tooth and claw, it seems strange to have to wait for them to be dead just so we can clean them up.
The point at which "food" becomes "food" is up to the GM.
The point at which "food" becomes "food" is up to the GM.
Thanks, I too felt it was a subjective area :)
I realise eating Bandits who attack you is not to everyones tastes (so may I recommend a dash of salt?).
The point at which "food" becomes "food" is up to the GM.
Thanks, I too felt it was a subjective area :)
I realise eating Bandits who attack you is not to everyones tastes (so may I recommend a dash of salt?).
Note to self; keep giant slug bandits away from Alcheringa.
Now, for another question... Can a lycanthrope use his stats in Hybrid/Animal form to qualify for a feat? For example, if in Human form I have a Con of 10, but a wolf has a Con of 15, then can I take Improved Natural Armor with it's requirement of Con 13? Seems to me it would work, especially since the feat would be useless in human form anyway, since the Natural Armor is a Animal/Hybrid only feature.He could, but when he was in human form and couldn't qualify for the feat, he wouldn't be able to use it.
Alright, thanks that's what I thought but wanted to be 100% sure.
Another werewolf question I just thought of... Are only physical stats increased in hybrid/animal form if applicable? Cause say a human has a Wisdom of 8 then changes into a werewolf, which has Wisdom 12... does their Wisdom actually increase in Hybrid/Animal form, or is that +2 to wisdom already taken into account?
Say, James, have you ever had a look at the Don't Rest Your Head system? What's your take?Never heard of it. What is it?
It's deliciously creepy. My mate's just picked it up. The book itself is pretty small, was going for about 10-15 AUD. The players define their opening scene, powers, fears and regrets and get thrust down the rabbit hole into a realm of the bizzare and downright messed up. The system is pretty unique... d6 based and very rules light, but the setting is where it shines. I've read the book cover to cover. It was entrancing.
There's also a splatbook... Or rather, a book without a single rule in it... Called "Don't Lose Your Mind" filled with ideas for your "madness powers", from hearing voices to the T-Rex only you can see. What sold me on it though was some copypasta I read earlier this year about one GM who was breaking into his players houses to deliver personalised notes, hosting the game in an abandoned building and rigging the lights to flicker, basing the entire experience on his own very terrifying nightmares... It sounded really intense, if somewhat psychotic. (But hey, all the best GMs are, right?)
If I were to hazard a guess I'd say it'd be right up both yours and Mr. Pett's alley.
|
Creative Director
|
Another werewolf question I just thought of... Are only physical stats increased in hybrid/animal form if applicable? Cause say a human has a Wisdom of 8 then changes into a werewolf, which has Wisdom 12... does their Wisdom actually increase in Hybrid/Animal form, or is that +2 to wisdom already taken into account?
In the unusual case of a lycanthrope's Wisdom (or other mental stat) being higher than the base form, it's best to just apply the +2 Wisdom to the base creature's stat. If the animal's STILL got a higher wisdom... then yes, in animal/hybrid form his Wisdom goes up to that.
Frankly, I kind of wish we'd said that Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma don't change at all... but (shrug).
Well, the latest BBC dinosaur program is in full swing over here in the UK.
Microraptors gliding through ancient forests and CGI based on the latest on sinornithosaurus colouring.
Are we likely to see epidexipteryx turn up as an in-canon familiar option at any point? It occured to me that they look the right sort of size to maybe pass muster as one for a wizard or sorcerer with rather unusual background story.
What's an epidexipteryx? On that note... I would love to see Rex from Primeval in a future Bestiary!
|
Creative Director
|
Well, the latest BBC dinosaur program is in full swing over here in the UK.
Microraptors gliding through ancient forests and CGI based on the latest on sinornithosaurus colouring.
Are we likely to see epidexipteryx turn up as an in-canon familiar option at any point? It occured to me that they look the right sort of size to maybe pass muster as one for a wizard or sorcerer with rather unusual background story.
The more obscure a dinosaur gets, the less likely it is to show up as any sort of monster in Pathfinder. And since we still haven't done an archyopteryx... epidexipteryx is gonna have to wait even longer.
|
Creative Director
|
The more obscure a dinosaur gets, the less likely it is to show up as any sort of monster in Pathfinder. And since we still haven't done an archyopteryx... epidexipteryx is gonna have to wait even longer.Well, the latest BBC dinosaur program is in full swing over here in the UK.
Microraptors gliding through ancient forests and CGI based on the latest on sinornithosaurus colouring.
Are we likely to see epidexipteryx turn up as an in-canon familiar option at any point? It occured to me that they look the right sort of size to maybe pass muster as one for a wizard or sorcerer with rather unusual background story.
Well, yes - but, dinosaur familiar. Do you mean to say you have a better known conveniently familiar sized candidate lined up for spellcasters who are interested?
Edit:
Hmmm. I suppose Primeval did a certain amount to get the Coelurosauravus into the public eye - so there's another possible dinosaur familiar candidate.
Check out compsognathus in Bestiary 2.
Or rhamphorhyncus in Souls for Smuggler's Shiv, even though he's not technically a dinosaur.
Dear Mr. Jacobs
May Sleight of Hand be used to hide your fist? Or your fist with a Gauntlet on it?
Just curious. They both seem to be light weapons.
James,
At 9:46 pm on Tuesday, you became a Smurf for 2 minutes.
Does this happen often? If so, why?
Are smurfs somehow superior to the dinosaur? :P
*Edit: Oh ... I think I may have figured out why. :P But feel free to answer the rest.*
|
Creative Director
|
James,
At 9:46 pm on Tuesday, you became a REDACTED for 2 minutes.
Does this happen often? If so, why?
Are REDACTED somehow superior to the dinosaur? :P*Edit: Oh ... I think I may have figured out why. :P But feel free to answer the rest.*
Now and then. Because they infest the place. And no... they're very definitely sub-dinosaur in the cool scale.
I don't see why not. Kind of like hiding your fist/gauntleted fist in a pocket or behind the back and then POW. Right in the kisser.Dear Mr. Jacobs
May Sleight of Hand be used to hide your fist? Or your fist with a Gauntlet on it?
Just curious. They both seem to be light weapons.
Thankee
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
James, have you ever called the Inner Sea World Guide the "Izz-wig"? It makes me happy every time.
Are you happy that the book sees so much use as to induce a necessary abbreviation?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
James, thank you so much for allowing me to inundate you with floods of questions again and again while you were wandering the Paizo booth at Gen Con. This time, I've got a couple Age of Worms related questions for you.
First, my group is about to start 'Into the Wormcrawl Fissure' and I wanted to know if you could give me some advice to, or point me toward resources that would help, update the stat blocks for both Dragotha and Kyuss for PFRPG use. Can't seem to find PFRPG fan updates for either of those baddies anywhere.
Second, if you could pick any of those AoW miniatures I commissioned Dark Platypus to sculpt that I showed you at Gen Con to have as a gift, which would you want? I have extras of all and wanted to present a custom painted miniature to you at the next Paizo Con for helping to make AoW the coolest campaign my friends and I have ever played (I also have an Ulgurstasta being sculpted now too, if that floats your boat).
Is the "False Focus" feat intended to be exclusive to Razmiran priests, or is it reasonable for a sorcerer or wizard with strong faith in another deity to take it? I think it would be especially appropriate for a wizard or especially sorcerer of Nethys since his church doesn't care if you are divine or arcane you can be a high priest based on your overall magical skill, but other deities less but maybe still?
|
Creative Director
|
How real is 'quasi-real'? Do phantom steeds have mass of their own which can potentially trigger traps, or do they only exert downwards pressure equivalent to the weight of any rider (plus gear)?
Quasi-real is indeed real enough to trigger traps that are triggered by pressure plates. They also leave foot prints.
|
Creative Director
|
Dear JJ
We are still playing Kingmaker here and something odd came up. Somehow, I was able to inflict bleed damage to a golem because there was no rule that said I couldn't. The only rule I can seem to find on bleed is that it is stopped by regeneration and anything that is immune to sneak attack, and a golem is not immune to sneak attack the last time we checked. Same goes for undead. So how am I making them bleed to death? Heck, I made a ghost bleed.
Golems and undead and a few more creatures are immune to bleed damage; this was errata to the rules (mostly because bleed was a relatively last-minute addition to the core rules, and we missed including it in the list of immunities for creatures of the construct and undead types).
|
Creative Director
|
James, have you ever called the Inner Sea World Guide the "Izz-wig"? It makes me happy every time.
Are you happy that the book sees so much use as to induce a necessary abbreviation?
I have never called it an Izzwig. I'm happy the book's getting used a lot though! I'm just not a fan of speaking in acronym.
|
Creative Director
|
Is the "False Focus" feat intended to be exclusive to Razmiran priests, or is it reasonable for a sorcerer or wizard with strong faith in another deity to take it? I think it would be especially appropriate for a wizard or especially sorcerer of Nethys since his church doesn't care if you are divine or arcane you can be a high priest based on your overall magical skill, but other deities less but maybe still?
It's intended primarily for sorcerers who "worship" Razmiran, but it was indeed phrased, if I recall correctly, so that anyone who qualified could gain the advantage of it. Up to the GM in the end, in any event.
|
Creative Director
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
First, my group is about to start 'Into the Wormcrawl Fissure' and I wanted to know if you could give me some advice to, or point me toward resources that would help, update the stat blocks for both Dragotha and Kyuss for PFRPG use. Can't seem to find PFRPG fan updates for either of those baddies anywhere.
Second, if you could pick any of those AoW miniatures I commissioned Dark Platypus to sculpt that I showed you at Gen Con to have as a gift, which would you want? I have extras of all and wanted to present a custom painted miniature to you at the next Paizo Con for helping to make AoW the coolest campaign my friends and I have ever played (I also have an Ulgurstasta being sculpted now too, if that floats your boat).
I'm not sure updates for "Wormcrawl" to Pathfinder exist, so I can't really help you there.
As for a gift... CRIKEY! Ulgurstastas are cool, in any event, but ANY of them would be neat. Thanks!
I'm not sure updates for "Wormcrawl" to Pathfinder exist, so I can't really help you there.
Well, if you were to run a party against Kyuss and Dragotha would you try to 'wing it' with a minimum of updates to their stat blocks, such as with the 3.5 conversion guide for the PFRPG, or would you rebuild them from the ground up using the Bestiary/Core Rules? Can Kyuss and Dragotha even be remade using PFRPG, considering their 'epic' stat blocks?
Also, will Ultimate Equipment feature a new character class(es), like the other 'Ultimate' books have, such as a gadgeteer, artificer or some other equipment oriented class?
|
Creative Director
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Can Kyuss and Dragotha even be remade using PFRPG, considering their 'epic' stat blocks?
Also, will Ultimate Equipment feature a new character class(es), like the other 'Ultimate' books have, such as a gadgeteer, artificer or some other equipment oriented class?
Nope; we're pretty much done doing new classes for now, I suspect. We wanted to get all the base classes out there earlier.
As for Dragotha and Kyuss... sure!
Can a creature/character with natural or magical flight be knocked prone?
|
Creative Director
|
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Can a creature/character with natural or magical flight be knocked prone?
Not when they're flying. You can mess with a creature in the ways detailed in the Fly skill, which might make them fall, but you can't make a flying creature prone. Or a swimming or burrowing or climbing creature, for that matter.
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'm sure this one was brought up before, but: folks, James is a *Creative Director*. He doesn't write rules, he doesn't errata rules, heck last time he even said he didn't have the time to read the entire UC yet. He's the "Golarion Guy" first and foremost.
So if you want to know what happens when a gnome with alternate racial trait X casts the spell Y while under the effect of feat Z from book V, perhaps Jason or Stephen or Sean would be better target for such questions. As an added bonus, their answers are pretty much "what the designers think", while James can tell you "how I would do that in my home game".
I just finished to read "City of Strangers" and I wonder if, someday, Kaer Maga could make an appearance in an AP. Not in an entire AP but maybe in one or two volumes, slightly in the same way you did with Scuttlecove in the Savage tide AP.
I just finished to read "City of Strangers" and I wonder if, someday, Kaer Maga could make an appearance in an AP. Not in an entire AP but maybe in one or two volumes, slightly in the same way you did with Scuttlecove in the Savage tide AP.
Well, Knightfever might restrain it but I will go further:
Is a megadungeon AP still on the short list?
Is Kaer Maga on the short list of settings for said hypothetical AP?
Litany of Righteousness
It is an Inquisitor and Paladin only spell, but a Inquisitor dont have a aura which is needed. Is it right a Inquisitor MUST multiclass to use it?
stuff
Wow ... your post really threw me for a loop. I glanced at the page and said "Huh! I posted in the James Jacobs thread!?!?!"
Oh, by the way, nice avatar :)
stuffWow ... your post really threw me for a loop. I glanced at the page and said "Huh! I posted in the James Jacobs thread!?!?!"
Which post would that be?
Oh, by the way, nice avatar :)
Thanks!
1)Why aren't elementals immune to disease, sickened, or Nausiated conditions?
2)why aren't Angels, Demons, Devils, and many other powerful outsiders immune to diseases or at least non-magical ones?
3)Is there any culture on Golarian who's language and/or culture is like the French?
4)Are there any more creatures from myth/old D@D that you guys made into a player race like the Ifrit, Oread, Sylph, and Undine?
5)If Gnomes can't crossbreed with other races/cretues then how do they become sorcerers? Why did you guys decide this anyway?
6)Are there any spells to bring one's familiar back to life? if not then why not?
7)Why didn't undine get waterbreathing? Why didn't Oreads get +1 natural armor(-2 dex maybe as well)?
8)Have you seen The Justice league(2001-2005), Teen titans, Young justice, or the Avengers cartoon? is so what did you think?
9)Why is the Wendigo so high a CR? I just don't see this guy being stronger than Scylla, Charibdus, most dragons, and it can create more of it's kind. Why not have made it a template?
10)Where on Golarion did the Lamia originate from?
|
Creative Director
|
Dear JJ
Is there any real good reason for a PC to take the spell resistance alternate trait for a dwarf? Let me clarify here. At first it seems neat at 5+character level, but when you look at it, that is worthless since the opposing roll is d20 plus caster level. As it is in kingmaker right now, since we are in the last book, the only way for a caster to fail is to roll a 1 since every caster is the same level or above us. I just feel like I wasted a racial trait there. And no, the "it makes the caster roll an extra dice" reason is not a good one to me since, like I said, casters only need to roll above fumble usually in mid to late game. Would be nice if there was a feat I could take to increase spell resistance.
Sorry for the big block of text here and sorry if this seems like a rant.
Depends on the type of character you want to play. Not all choices make the best sense for every type of character.
|
Creative Director
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'm sure this one was brought up before, but: folks, James is a *Creative Director*. He doesn't write rules, he doesn't errata rules, heck last time he even said he didn't have the time to read the entire UC yet. He's the "Golarion Guy" first and foremost.
So if you want to know what happens when a gnome with alternate racial trait X casts the spell Y while under the effect of feat Z from book V, perhaps Jason or Stephen or Sean would be better target for such questions. As an added bonus, their answers are pretty much "what the designers think", while James can tell you "how I would do that in my home game".
Actually... I DO write rules. The majority of the new rules subsystems for the Adventure Paths are written by me; the latest being the extensive rules for caravans. I designed the first draft of the alchemist. I wrote the majority of the elemental-themed spells in Advanced Player's Guide. I designed the rules for haunts, chases, insanity, nautical combat, and more in the GameMastery Guide. I designed the mass combat rules and the kingdom/city building rules in Kingmaker.
Saying "I don't write rules" is blatantly incorrect.
What IS true is that my role at Paizo isn't to know every single rule and how every rule interacts with each other. If that job belongs to anyone at Paizo, it's Jason Bulmahn and the design team, but it just as much belongs to every GM out there. And as a general rule, what the GM says is right is right when it comes to rules interpretations; if players disagree and the GM isn't willing to adjust his ruling, players are free to "vote" with their feet and seek other games (which, at times, is not an option, alas).
And as such, I'm not a fan of players looking for "ammunition" to use against their GMs—"James said this so you have to abide by it and let me do this overpowered thing!" Especially since there's a lot of folks out there who want "permission" to do option A, but won't ASK directly about that option, and will instead ask about options B, C, and Z, hoping to trick someone into implying that option A is okay.
I know not everyone who asks for rules answers here is doing that; I suspect very few are... but enough do that it annoys me, and so my answers to direct rules questions, ESPECIALLY if they come from the hardcover rulebook line which I generally don't have as much expertise with (unless you happen to ask about part of such a book that I do know all about, of course). Alas, the parts of the hardcovers I know a lot about are sort of random.
Rules questions about content that shows up in any other book we do, though? I have a VERY good chance of knowing all about those rules, especially if they're more recent and said rules are still fresh in my mind.
Anyway... sorry for the wall of text.
If you have rules questions, feel free to ask them here. I shall answer them if I can, but when I can't I'll let you know.
And there's no need for anyone to step in to "defend" me or to deflect rules questions—in fact, DON'T do that. I'll answer any question folks want. It just might not be an informative one, or it might not be one you want, or it might just be advice on who you SHOULD ask. That still helps get questions resolved.