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Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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CanisDirus wrote:

Any details on your plans for world domination by teaching PFS players about real archaeology hidden under the veneer of gaming? :P

(If a few things had gone differently for me before my Master's program, I would have been working as part of the City of David project in Jerusalem, so I am decidedly a willing convert!)

Part of what captured my interest in Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild in the first place was its overarching goal of archaeology (or at least the cinematographic quasi-archaeology espoused by Indiana Jones), which appealed to my background in classical western civilization and archaeology. There were certainly a few scenarios that felt more archaeological than others, but I've been really excited to push a few more through the pipeline.

Ultimately, archaeology as practiced on a daily basis is rarely so exciting as I typically aim to make a 4–5 hour Pathfinder Society scenario. Sure, I've fended off and/or relocated pet dogs, goats, wild turkeys, tarantulas, and a pair of black bears during my fieldwork, but that's hardly a toe-to-toe battle with dragons, chimeras, or heavily-armed enemy operatives. Instead, I like to intersperse some archaeological and anthropological elements into adventures as a tip of the hat to the underlying sciences (social and otherwise) behind what Pathfinders are doing off-screen. Like documenting finds—there should be more of that in Society adventures.

But does it lead to world domination? Nah. At the most, I'd enjoy inspiring others to look deeper into what archaeology has to offer, appreciate dissimilar cultures for their respective merits, and teach others that looting major sites for profit ultimately destroys historical records and diminishes our understanding of the world and our origins.

Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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Kalindlara wrote:
Should I disseminate your statement on the matter when the topic of slavery arises?

You're welcome to use it, but my interest in fighting out the moral implications of slavery on the messageboards has waned. Likewise, internal discussions have refined and added nuance to my statement, so while its overall message is the same, it's not 100% representative.

Slavery's an element of the campaign setting that works great as a motivating foil—a conceptual villain—against which to fight. It's not a great feature to include as a character option in a global organized play campaign.


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For the record, I'd love more aspects of archaeology - Jonesian or otherwise - to make their way into PFS. ^_^

Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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Hayato Ken wrote:

Can we get a PFS boon for the Lantern Lodge like the one for the shadow Lodge, which allows you to keep the faction?

That would be so awesome!

And thanks for 8-02 being in Tian Xia!

Unrelated:Support TianXia!

Perhaps. The Spirit of the Shadow Lodge boon doesn't allow one to remain a member of the Shadow Lodge; it empowers one to carry on its stated goals and aid his or her colleagues. The PC still needed to choose a new faction.

Ward Asunder turned out really well, thanks in large part to Mikko Kallio's writing talents.

I'm glad that the organized play campaign can consistently return to Tian Xia to explore new places. Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild remains a source of new Tien material in part because the continent as a whole interests me, and there's a lot of room left there to develop new stories, locations, NPCs, organizations, and plots. When it comes to brainstorming new Campaign Setting and Player Companion books, I'm regularly pitching Tian Xia options, such as Xa Hoi for Legacy of Dragons.

Is there more room for Tian Xia material? Absolutely. Is there a sufficient market for Asia-inspired options? Probably, but assessing that objectively isn't my role at Paizo. Either way, the continent's a delightful domain of design/development potential, and Pathfinder Society's going to continue supporting it a few times a year for the foreseeable future.

Silver Crusade

Isabelle Lee wrote:
For the record, I'd love more aspects of archaeology - Jonesian or otherwise - to make their way into PFS. ^_^

Kinda-sorta-but-not-related the Archeology skill they added to World of Warcraft was one of my favourite things they put into the game.

So I would definitely be interested in more archaeology stuff as well


Crossposted in AMA threads: it's a Paizopaloozaganza!

John.

Joooooooohhhhhnnnn.

Super-serious series of questions*:

* Nnnnnnope.

If you could have 1d4 ⇒ 4 different super-powers, what would they be and why?
(Assume corollary powers required to make a given power work are part of it; i.e. Since you'd need super tensile strength/durability to, you know, not-die when you made use of your super-strength power, you get them both when you say "super strength" as a singular option.)
Why?

If, instead, you could be a gestalt of 1d2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 super heroes, who would you gestalt to be yourself? Why? Which comic universe would you run around in? Would you prefer to be in that one, or this one?

On the other hand: BAM! You just gained 3d6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 5, 5) + 2 = 16 levels in a Pathfinder class (or classes)! Which class(es) do you pick, and why? Incidentally, if you could spontaneously switch races, would you? And if so, to which?

Similarly, you won the super-lottery, and gained mythic tiers! 3d3 + 1 ⇒ (1, 1, 3) + 1 = 6 of 'em! (And you gain class levels to match; please feel free to change your previous answer if this does so for some reason.) What path do you take? (Alternate option: substitute a single tier for a simple mythic template.)

Yet another query: you monster. Specifically, you CR: 1d30 ⇒ 23 (or less) monster! Which are you?! ... and would this have been your first choice? If not, which would be?

But the wheels of fate-time have spun again, and your everything has been transposed into that of someone else! You've just become a prepublished NPC from an official source! Which prepublished NPC is it?

What campaign setting do you run around in? Why?

As a final thing: blend any and/or all of the above questions into a single ginormous question: an optional blend of a prepublished NPC, monster, and some superheroes all walk into a bar... and out comes you, as a gestalt of those guys, the race you choose, some extra superpowers, and have extra class levels and mythic tiers on top! What are you?! (Other than "awesome" - naturally.)

Equipment is a non-issue (like adjunct super-powers; what you need to do <X> is assumed). Also note that any significant others can be brought with you.

"Official" and "Pre-published" are loose terms, but general expect something that has a solid publishing company and identifiable map/world/conceits behind it (like WotC for Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Dark Sun, Greyhawk, etc; or Green Ronin for Blue Rose, but not "True20"; or Paizo for Golarion, or the Maelstrom, or the upcoming Starfinder; but not "the Bestiaries" or "the Planes" or things like that - basically things that people can find and nerd out about with you). Similarly, if it has a solid AP out for it, that, too, is acceptable (like Legendary Planet; or any of Paizo's APs). It should probably be a d20 variant, but it can be whatever you like of those many variants (True20, Blue Rose, Paizo, 3.5, 3rd; etc.). That said, if a Homebrew or otherwise "weak" entry just needs to be there due to compelling reasons... okay. Similarly other systems. Let us know why! Computer and video game translations of such (Neverwinter Nights and/or expansions/sequels; PFO; etc) are acceptable as interpretations as well.

Similarly, for comics, it needs to be superheroes that people can reasonsonably be expected to come across - "that one I made up with my cousin as a kid" is an awesome answer, and worth noting and why, but prrrrooooobabaly isn't the best choice, unless it's just so powerful that you've GOT to. In which case: sure, but bring us along for the ride! Related, the super need not come from one of the "big two" in comics, so long as the people and world is both recognizes me and accessible - choosing The Incredibles world is valid (and awesome), as is Spawn (blech); you're not just limited to Marvel or DC. Similarly "standard" powers need not apply - so long as it is clearly communicable, it's fine (even if all the field specifics aren't clear, that's okay - knowing you're powered by our yellow star is fine; you don't need to know this, but it's acceptable if you do).

Finally, presume you have the basics necessary for a happy life. Your spouse, best friend, and so on, can all be considered to "come with you" (should they choose to do so) wherever it is that you go.

Oh, and one more thing: if you lived through a Legend of Zelda (as one of the Links); which would it be, and why?

Thanks! Enjoy!

Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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Um, wow, that's a long post with a lot of questions. I'm going to break it into a few pieces.

Tacticslion wrote:

If you could have 1d4 different super-powers, what would they be and why?

(Assume corollary powers required to make a given power work are part of it; i.e. Since you'd need super tensile strength/durability to, you know, not-die when you made use of your super-strength power, you get them both when you say "super strength" as a singular option.)
Why?

Your post showed four powers, so I'd go with:

  • Teleportation: I value mobility and have regretted several missed opportunities in my past from not being able to be in multiple places on a regular basis.
  • Telepathy/Mental Divination/Mind-Influence: Professor X's suite of related mind powers really inspire me, though like him, I find the idea of true mind control very unsettling.
  • Regeneration: Some form of accelerated recovery would grant me added confidence to explore the world (and other worlds) without worrying quite so much about falling into the trope of psychic superheroes having glass jaws.
  • Hypercognition: Although super speed as depicted for Quicksilver in some of the more recent X-Men movies isn't strictly necessary, I would really love be able to slow down my perception of time, such that I might rack my brain for solutions, assess my surroundings, and plan my actions—even as the bullets are flying.

    I should really consider something that's more resolution-oriented (i.e. can neutralize threats rather than just evading or understanding them), but ultimately I see myself as more of a team member or half or a superhero duo than I do a solo character. No doubt my companions would have powers that cover for my relative weaknesses.

    I have a soft spot for Banshee's sonic abilities and would consider those a great runner-up. I would also accept the feruchemy abilities from the Mistborn novels.

    Quote:
    If, instead, you could be a gestalt of 1d2+1 super heroes, who would you gestalt to be yourself? Why? Which comic universe would you run around in? Would you prefer to be in that one, or this one?

    Hmmm, I'm a little less familiar with the full breadth of super heroes, but I can safely say I'm a bigger fan of Marvel than of DC; X-Men nostalgia and recent depictions in movies are strong factors in that regard. I imagine combining Spiderman (agility, webs, senses) with Emma Frost (resilience and psychic abilities) and Nightcrawler (agility and teleportation) would result in something pretty cool.

    Quote:
    On the other hand: BAM! You just gained 3d6+2 levels in a Pathfinder class (or classes)! Which class(es) do you pick, and why? Incidentally, if you could spontaneously switch races, would you? And if so, to which?

    I think this has a lot to do with the setting in which I exist. In the real world, magical abilities would be especially extraordinary, and I think I'd go with 16 levels of bard (hey, knowing that you have tons of ranks in skills like Bluff is very handy) or cleric (the impact of true healing magic in the real world would be intense, and the ramifications of true divine power channeled from an unquestionably divine source would have very interesting ramifications on a global scale). If it were a fantasy setting, I'd likely choose to be a 16th-level wizard.

    Quote:
    Similarly, you won the super-lottery, and gained mythic tiers! 3d3+1 of 'em! (And you gain class levels to match; please feel free to change your previous answer if this does so for some reason.) What path do you take? (Alternate option: substitute a single tier for a simple mythic template.)

    I'm a developer, and a big part of my job is making other people look good. That makes me inclined toward being a bard 16/marshal 6.

  • Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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    Tacticslion wrote:
    Yet another query: you monster. Specifically, you [dice=CR]d30 (or less) monster! Which are you?! ... and would this have been your first choice? If not, which would be?

    CR 23? That certainly limits my options. Wow, I could be a solar or a great wyrm time dragon? Tough choices! I think I'd choose a solar!

    Quote:
    But the wheels of fate-time have spun again, and your everything has been transposed into that of someone else! You've just become a prepublished NPC from an official source! Which prepublished NPC is it?

    Y'know, sign me up to be Tabris, the chronicler of the planes and author of the Book of the Damned and the Chronicle of the Righteous. Tabris seems like he gets to get out and see a lot, even if he's made some enemies in the process.

    Quote:
    What campaign setting do you run around in? Why?

    Tabris fits into the Pathfinder setting, but I'd probably also poke around a few other settings for fun. I find the Dragon Age, Dark Sun, and Elder Scrolls settings very engaging, and taking some time to document them further would be a fulfilling experience.

    Quote:

    As a final thing: blend any and/or all of the above questions into a single ginormous question: an optional blend of a prepublished NPC, monster, and some superheroes all walk into a bar... and out comes you, as a gestalt of those guys, the race you choose, some extra superpowers, and have extra class levels and mythic tiers on top! What are you?! (Other than "awesome" - naturally.)

    Equipment is a non-issue (like adjunct super-powers; what you need to do <X> is assumed). Also note that any significant others can be brought with you.

    "Official" and "Pre-published" are loose terms, but general expect something that has a solid publishing company and identifiable map/world/conceits behind it (like WotC for Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Dark Sun, Greyhawk, etc; or Green Ronin for Blue Rose, but not "True20"; or Paizo for Golarion, or the Maelstrom, or the upcoming Starfinder; but not "the Bestiaries" or "the Planes" or things like that - basically things that people can find and nerd out about with you). Similarly, if it has a solid AP out for it, that, too, is acceptable (like Legendary Planet; or any of Paizo's APs). It should probably be a d20 variant, but it can be whatever you like of those many variants (True20, Blue Rose, Paizo, 3.5, 3rd; etc.). That said, if a Homebrew or otherwise "weak" entry just needs to be there due to compelling reasons... okay. Similarly other systems. Let us know why! Computer and video game translations of such (Neverwinter Nights and/or expansions/sequels; PFO; etc) are acceptable as interpretations as well.

    Similarly, for comics, it needs to be superheroes that people can reasonsonably be expected to come across - "that one I made up with my cousin as a kid" is an awesome answer, and worth noting and why, but prrrrooooobabaly isn't the best choice, unless it's just so powerful that you've GOT to. In which case: sure, but bring us along for the ride! Related, the super need not come from one of the "big two" in comics, so long as the people and world is both recognizes me and accessible - choosing The Incredibles world is valid (and awesome), as is Spawn (blech); you're not just limited to Marvel or DC. Similarly "standard" powers need not apply - so long as it is clearly communicable, it's fine (even if all the field specifics aren't clear, that's okay - knowing you're powered by our yellow star is fine; you don't need to know this, but it's acceptable if you do).

    Finally, presume you have the basics necessary for a happy life. Your spouse, best friend, and so on, can all be considered to "come with you" (should they choose to do so) wherever it is that you go.

    Ummmm... that's a complicated question and set of conditions. Ultimately, I'd enjoy living the highlight reel of a roleplaying game set in Golarion with a bunch of my friends—ideally in situations that challenge us without proving utterly lethal. I suppose that's a significant reason why I find the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game so engaging and endearing.

    Oh, and one more thing: if you lived through a Legend of Zelda (as one of the Links); which would it be, and why?

    As someone with very little Nintendo experience (I grew up with a Sega Genesis and much later a Playstation 2), I cannot make an informed decision.

    Thanks! Enjoy!

    Phew! Maybe some shorter questions next time?


    Sure! Sorry it was so long - but thanks for the answers! As I've noted elsewhere, it's always fun to see others' responses to such, as I like things, and I like people, and seeing how they I interconnect are really cool!

    I have to say: generally, I'm with you on the Marvel/DC divide (though the DCAU, especially Batman the Animated Series and Justice League were very awesome and relatively influential in helping me have a more positive view of DC properties)!

    So... short question: did you enjoy the con?

    :D

    Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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    Tacticslion wrote:

    Sure! Sorry it was so long - but thanks for the answers! As I've noted elsewhere, it's always fun to see others' responses to such, as I like things, and I like people, and seeing how they I interconnect are really cool!

    I have to say: generally, I'm with you on the Marvel/DC divide (though the DCAU, especially Batman the Animated Series and Justice League were very awesome and relatively influential in helping me have a more positive view of DC properties)!

    So... short question: did you enjoy the con?

    :D

    Yep, Gen Con went pretty well. The flights back made for a pretty horrendous experience spent being repeatedly delayed and bumped from flights before arriving in Seattle ~16 hours later than planned.

    Also, since it looks like you're posting these questions to many "Ask XX Anything" threads, don't forget Diego Valdez, who is far better versed in superheroes than I am.


    Oh! Thank you very much! I tried to get all of 'em that I saw, but as I'm on the phone during this time, it was very slow and aggravating to go through everything repeatedly. I'll ask as soon as I can! Thanks!

    Glad to hear about the con... terribly sorry about the flights! That's awful!

    So: what is your favorite class to GM for? What about to play?

    Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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    Tacticslion wrote:

    Oh! Thank you very much! I tried to get all of 'em that I saw, but as I'm on the phone during this time, it was very slow and aggravating to go through everything repeatedly. I'll ask as soon as I can! Thanks!

    Glad to hear about the con... terribly sorry about the flights! That's awful!

    So: what is your favorite class to GM for? What about to play?

    I like whatever class allows a player to a) understand her character's mechanics and b) inspires her to engage in lively roleplaying and goal realization. It's a bonus if I get to make the character feel threatened every so often.

    Pet classes are sometimes discouraging, but I really enjoy them if the player trusts me to manage the pet's non-tactical behavior, be it a horse eating decorative flower arrangements, eidolons sassing their masters, or a black blade whispering insidious commands to urge its wielder toward world domination.

    Play-wise, I enjoy support-style characters. Bards, wizards, clerics, druids, skill rogues, alchemists, amd the like are all great fun. I'm also playing a shield brawler with great relish in a Wrath of the Righteous game. My Mummy's Mask character is a cleric of Nethys who likes to belittle non-spellcasters (in part because his fellow PCs always bully him). In James's Temple of Elemental Evil game, I play an abjurer who delights in keeping her party alive, finding scrolls, and mapping every inch of the dungeon.


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    Hi John, in a recent PFS game, a player had to change his character because the fox shape feat was a significant part of his concept, but the GM was of the view that as worded, the feat only allowed the fox shape to be taken once per day and that it would only last 5 minutes. The player's character-concept depended substantially on the understanding that it was an extension of the kitune's change shape ability (at will, indefinite duration).

    I told him there was probably a clarification somewhere on the boards, but to my surprise I could not find one.

    Fox Shape wrote:


    You can change into a fox in addition to your other forms.
    Prerequisites: Cha 13, base attack bonus +3, kitsune.
    Benefit: You can take the form of a fox (Pathfinder RPG
    Bestiary 3 112) whose appearance is static and cannot be
    changed each time you assume this form. Your bite attack’s
    damage is reduced to 1d3 points of damage on a hit, but
    you gain a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks made to
    appear as a fox. Changing from kitsune to fox shape is a
    standard action. This ability otherwise functions as beast
    shape II, and your ability scores change accordingly.

    Not the clearest wording, unfortunately.

    In your view, how often would the kitsune be able to change to fox form, would the duration be indefinite, and if not would he be able to seamlessly remain in fox form by surreptitiously using the ability every few minutes?

    Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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    FiddlersGreen wrote:

    Hi John, in a recent PFS game, a player had to change his character because the fox shape feat was a significant part of his concept, but the GM was of the view that as worded, the feat only allowed the fox shape to be taken once per day and that it would only last 5 minutes. The player's character-concept depended substantially on the understanding that it was an extension of the kitune's change shape ability (at will, indefinite duration).

    I told him there was probably a clarification somewhere on the boards, but to my surprise I could not find one.

    Fox Shape wrote:


    You can change into a fox in addition to your other forms.
    Prerequisites: Cha 13, base attack bonus +3, kitsune.
    Benefit: You can take the form of a fox (Pathfinder RPG
    Bestiary 3 112) whose appearance is static and cannot be
    changed each time you assume this form. Your bite attack’s
    damage is reduced to 1d3 points of damage on a hit, but
    you gain a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks made to
    appear as a fox. Changing from kitsune to fox shape is a
    standard action. This ability otherwise functions as beast
    shape II, and your ability scores change accordingly.

    Not the clearest wording, unfortunately.

    In your view, how often would the kitsune be able to change to fox form, would the duration be indefinite, and if not would he be able to seamlessly remain in fox form by surreptitiously using the ability every few minutes?

    Couching this in the understanding that this is not an absolute ruling-from-on-high (those are better handled through the design team), my interpretation is that there is no limit to the time spent in fox form. The feat makes no reference to the number of times per day that the kitsune can change shape, even if it's a little vague about the duration.

    Grand Lodge

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    Pathfinder PF Special Edition Subscriber

    Of your own PFS characters, who is your favorite to play and why? What would you like to share about this character?

    Same question as above, but for a non-PFS character.

    Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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    Andrew Hoskins wrote:

    Of your own PFS characters, who is your favorite to play and why? What would you like to share about this character?

    Same question as above, but for a non-PFS character.

    I often prefer talkative, knowledgable characters and often build some combination of Diplomacy and Knowledge into them. I'm basing my favorites on some of my older, more established characters and the fond moments I've had with them. In part this is because I realized several years ago that these characters represent different facets of my personality that get to play out in more self-satirical ways. In part this is because since joining Paizo, I haven't had the opportunity to play any one Pathfinder Society character a whole lot (the development scheduled and realities of getting around Seattle after work make it difficult to reach many events), so there are some newer characters that just haven't had a fair shake in the spotlight.

    Priyata Havati Gushtamasati (N Vudrani alchemist): Priyata is my first organized play PC, built during the alchemist playtest. She tends to get frustrated with humanity and her companions' life choices, but she's grown fairly attached to her long-running gang (together since her earliest adventures). She's also the first time that I remember having a character pine for another PC's affections, and she's since given up on romance after a fellow PC stepped in and snatched up her crush. Following the use of a rebuilding boon, I retooled Priyata to be a mindchemist psychonaut, letting her bludgeon fools into submission with a +50-ish bonus on all Knowledge checks.

    Caepio Alazzario (NG half-elf bard [court bard]): Caepio's my Pollyanna-esque optimism that there's good in all people and that even the most terrible people can be shown light and love. He's my super-high-Bluff/Diplomacy/etc. character, and in earlier years I delighted in turning combat encounters into non-combat encounters with his positive outlook and obnoxious rolls.

    Murahi (N sylph druid): Sometimes I build characters as a personal challenge. Murahi's my personal challenge to see if I could create a sufficiently engaging druid who uses almost exclusively air, electricity, and weather spells, with a smattering of water effects.

    Feast of Sigils:
    While he's fun, perhaps his finest aspect is his "animal companion," a completely mundane otter named Kwan Lo, which he's taught a few tricks. Among these is Perform, which Kwan Lo typically expresses by setting up on his haunches, waving his little forepaws around, and chirping excitedly. During Feast of Sigils, a bloatmage PC decided that Kwan Lo's trick clearly demonstrated an aptitude for magic, which involved said bloatmage spending copious investigation time trying to instruct a river otter the finer points of burning hands—perhaps so that Kwan Lo could pretend to cast spells and freak out bystanders, allowing the bloatmage to cast more spells without being arrested.

    Unfortunately, Kwan Lo had a pre-established tendency of begging other PCs for food by emphatically clapping his paws against one another. When the PCs were presented with the sigil wafers, most said no, including Murahi. The bloatmage eagerly ate one, and seeing that it was snack time, Kwan Lo tugged on the bloatmage's clothing and motioned that he wanted a treat. Amused, the bloatmage fed Kwan Lo six sigil wafers!

    The otter enjoyed having 4 Intelligence for a full calendar year, including when we accosted the Krune. As the runelord emerged from millennia of stasis, Kwan Lo scampered over and hugged his leg, as if realizing that this was a master worth serving. Sadly for otter-kind, the PCs triumphed, and Kwan Lo's Intelligence has since sunk to its earlier levels. He remains, however, neutral evil, having never atoned for eating half a dozen souls. This concerns Murahi, as Kwan Lo now tends to make stabbing and throat-slitting motions whenever the party takes captives or is struggling to convince somebody to cooperate.

    Jokhas (LN Kellid witch [hedge witch] "cleric of Razmir"): Jokhas lets me embrace my inner salesman, pitching his overly forgiving interpretation of Razmir's faith. Playing him once in a play-by-post adventure really let me wax poetic and develop his apostate dogma, including numerous typed pages of Bible-style verses of Razmir's teachings written by numerous prophets over the past decades.

    —————

    As for non-PFS characters, I've had a few fun ones.

    Growf (NE goblin rogue [cutpurse]): I don't know what drove me to play a goblin in Legacy of Fire, but my GM was very accommodating. Growf was the party's financial manager, in part because he could get such good prices for selling the team's loot. He was also the one packing the best social skills by far, so he often led our negotiations—including the times he'd sneak ahead of the group, bribe some bugbears to leave the group alone, and then act as though it were natural that big brutes would bow to a goblin of his importance when the party ran into that encounter.

    His greed eventually drove him to join the Prophets of Kalistrade, an organization he only partly understood. He also married a marid. Growf was weird.

    Haas (NG gnome abjurer [scrollmaster]): Haas is currently playing in James Jacobs's Temple of Elemental Evil game, and she's the group's cartographer (we can't play a 1st edition module without doing all of the mapping) and one of two arcane experts. Trained in part by the Blue Warders of the Five Kings Mountains and the disciples of the empyreal lord Irez, Haas has an obsession with paper products and unraveling rival spellcasters' spells before their very eyes (she's a dispel magic and counterspelling expert). That campaign has a bunch of dueling personalities that Haas and Xotchil (Adam Daigle's cleric) try to steer toward actionable consensus. I find that she is often the one who proposes which direction to travel and that the group should keep moving rather than fight over whether it's morally objectionable to decapitate a fallen enemy and parade his head around. That happens a lot.

    The Exchange

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    John Compton wrote:
    Murahi (N sylph druid): Sometimes I build characters as a personal challenge. Murahi's my personal challenge to see if I could create a sufficiently engaging druid who uses almost exclusively air, electricity, and weather spells, with a smattering of water effects.

    Murahi is in fact very engaging, despite being probably John's least "talky" PC. He's one of those characters that always has that one weird spell prepared that makes the encounter take a 90 degree turn from how it was written (in a fun way). He was a part of one of my favorite GM experiences (despite having to cram 10-12 hours worth of stuff into a 5-hour slot). There was a lot of fun stuff that happened in that dungeon with some good players and amusing interactions but Murahi's one-on-one duel is still the part that gets me laughing every time I think about it.

    Murahi and his companions come across a creature literally made of smoke and air. What's even better is they have the chance to prepare the battlefield before facing it. "I got this!" exclaims Murahi. "Let me do this on my own! This is exactly what I was born to do!"

    So Murahi has the party lock him in the room before releasing the creature. The enraged creature charges Murahi but he uses his mastery of the winds to stymie it. It can't get to him. It can't get anywhere. A creature of smoke and air is no match for a Sky Druid! Murahi proceeds to taunt it and begin damaging it, proud of his control of the elements. Then the creature solidifies.

    "I don't got this! I don't got this!" yells Murahi as he scrambles towards the door...

    Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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    Belafon wrote:
    John Compton wrote:
    Murahi (N sylph druid): Sometimes I build characters as a personal challenge. Murahi's my personal challenge to see if I could create a sufficiently engaging druid who uses almost exclusively air, electricity, and weather spells, with a smattering of water effects.

    Murahi is in fact very engaging, despite being probably John's least "talky" PC. He's one of those characters that always has that one weird spell prepared that makes the encounter take a 90 degree turn from how it was written (in a fun way). He was a part of one of my favorite GM experiences (despite having to cram 10-12 hours worth of stuff into a 5-hour slot). There was a lot of fun stuff that happened in that dungeon with some good players and amusing interactions but Murahi's one-on-one duel is still the part that gets me laughing every time I think about it.

    Murahi and his companions come across a creature literally made of smoke and air. What's even better is they have the chance to prepare the battlefield before facing it. "I got this!" exclaims Murahi. "Let me do this on my own! This is exactly what I was born to do!"

    So Murahi has the party lock him in the room before releasing the creature. The enraged creature charges Murahi but he uses his mastery of the winds to stymie it. It can't get to him. It can't get anywhere. A creature of smoke and air is no match for a Sky Druid! Murahi proceeds to taunt it and begin damaging it, proud of his control of the elements. Then the creature solidifies.

    "I don't got this! I don't got this!" yells Murahi as he scrambles towards the door...

    I was so confident that I could whittle it down on my own. Thankfully the other PCs were within shouting distance and managed to save Murahi before said creature tore him into tiny, sylph mcnuggets.


    Any plans to rework Eldritch Archer to make it PFS legal? It's a good concept, but I can see why it might be a bit overpowered in its current state.

    Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

    Mizuno Qenido wrote:
    Any plans to rework Eldritch Archer to make it PFS legal? It's a good concept, but I can see why it might be a bit overpowered in its current state.

    There are currently no plans to issue clarifications or revisions to the eldritch archer.


    Did you have a good Thanksgiving?

    Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

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    Tacticslion wrote:
    Did you have a good Thanksgiving?

    It was a good time. Two of my long-time (back to grade-school and longtime members of my gaming group) friends hosted the event, and we shared it with their friends and family. As has become quasi-traditional, I supplied pumpkin pie and cranberry bread, the latter which ended up more cake-like because I accidentally doubled the butter in the recipe.


    John Compton wrote:
    Tacticslion wrote:
    Did you have a good Thanksgiving?
    It was a good time. Two of my long-time (back to grade-school and longtime members of my gaming group) friends hosted the event, and we shared it with their friends and family. As has become quasi-traditional, I supplied pumpkin pie and cranberry bread, the latter which ended up more cake-like because I accidentally doubled the butter in the recipe.

    Awesome!

    Did you know that, thanks to your recommendation, I made a new friend on the forums?

    (At least, I consider him a forum-friend!)

    Thanks! (We have a lot in common; fun conversations.)


    Boop-beep!

    So hype to watch you GM~! :D

    Liberty's Edge

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    Hi Mr. Compton,

    I've been researching the relationship between magic enhancement bonuses and overcoming DR.

    My question: what is the cosmological reason for why magic bonuses overcome DR for specific materials?

    That is:
    +3 overcomes cold iron/silver,
    +4 overcomes adamantine,
    +5 overcomes alignment-based

    Why in this order?

    Note: I read an article from 1977 (The Dragon Magazine Volume 1, Number 8) by Gary Gygax arguing that there was a relationship between a creature existing on varying planes simultaneously and the magical bonuses needed for cutting through that number of planes (so a +5 would cut through five planes of existence, thus touch all of the creature that exists contemporaneously on 5 planes).

    Is any of this true in Pathfinder still?
    Thanks!

    Dark Archive

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    With Kingmaker game coming out, and a whole set of figures for Kingmaker in the making, can you give us an estimate on the Adventure Path getting sanctioned for Society play?

    Paizo Employee Organized Play Lead Developer

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    Tomppa wrote:
    With Kingmaker game coming out, and a whole set of figures for Kingmaker in the making, can you give us an estimate on the Adventure Path getting sanctioned for Society play?

    With our expanded team, we’re finding that there is more opportunity between other projects to work on sanctioning. That means we’ll be seeing a significant number of other sanctioning projects finished in 2018. However, with more and more convention publication projects going in full force, I don’t want to make any promises in terms of ETA; getting the large number of scenarios—including the larger number of monthly Starfinder Society scenarios and the numerous adventures that use the Second Edition playtest rules—ready and out the door takes precedence in our schedule.

    Linda's been heading the Kingmaker sanctioning project, which is partway complete. She's also taking a lead on more projects over the next couple of months, so I do anticipate her (and all of our) next several months will be very busy. Even so, I recognize that getting those adventures sanctioned around the same time that Pathfinder: Kingmaker goes live would be a great opportunity to cross-promote.


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    In regards to The Reaper's Right Hand.

    Damn! Bravo man!!

    A question? Right!

    What is your favorite Jim Morrison quote, song lyrics, or poem.


    How are things going these days?

    Paizo Employee Organized Play Lead Developer

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    captain yesterday wrote:

    In regards to The Reaper's Right Hand.

    Damn! Bravo man!!

    A question? Right!

    What is your favorite Jim Morrison quote, song lyrics, or poem.

    Huh, um...I don't have one?

    I have some difficulty connecting faces with names, particularly when I only have a few minutes of interaction with them (which is always plenty awkward at conventions). I consider it a win if I can walk away from each Gen Con with the ability to reliably recognize and name another four people.

    This is far more pronounced in how I process celebrities. I do an okay job of recognizing faces or voices, but I'm rubbish when it comes to naming who was in a particular movie. I have some exceptions, usually because I really like their work. My music knowledge is even flimsier.

    As a result, I didn't know who Jim Morrison was until I looked at his Wikipedia article just now—or perhaps I had been educated about him before but had since forgotten due to lack of reinforcement. I recognize The Doors as a rock band from the 1960s–1970 time period; I wouldn't be able to name a song attributed to them, though I'd probably recognize some of them by sound.

    Meanwhile, though, my knowledge of various fictional settings and ability to recall obscure facts are considerable. I guess we all just have different memory talents.

    Paizo Employee Organized Play Lead Developer

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    Tacticslion wrote:
    How are things going these days?

    Eh, I've had better years. Stress from various projects has taken a serious toll on my well-being and ability to concentrate. That said, I've signed onto many of those projects voluntarily, and I'm typically quite pleased with the final products. Mid-2019 should have a lot of great books coming out as a result. I just need to do a better job of balancing my life against my writing projects.

    Scarab Sages

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    John, what is you hat size?

    Silver Crusade

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    John Compton wrote:
    Tacticslion wrote:
    How are things going these days?
    Eh, I've had better years. Stress from various projects has taken a serious toll on my well-being and ability to concentrate. That said, I've signed onto many of those projects voluntarily, and I'm typically quite pleased with the final products. Mid-2019 should have a lot of great books coming out as a result. I just need to do a better job of balancing my life against my writing projects.

    *offers hugs*

    Grand Lodge

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    Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

    John, what can we do in Organized Play to help you destress a little?

    Hmm


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    More hugs from me! And since I’m not a succubus*, you don’t have to worry about level drain!

    You may have to worry about my own, personal brand of “con crud,” though. I don’t even know why I can’t get healthy.

    But I feel you! 2018 was haaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrd. Here’s hoping things go better!

    * That you know of...


    1 person marked this as a favorite.

    Which Pathfinder Society Scenario features Azlant? I know Rescue at Azlant Ridge and Beyond Azlant Ridge have Azlanti elements, but are there more?


    Tacticslion wrote:

    More hugs from me! And since I’m not a succubus*, you don’t have to worry about level drain!

    You may have to worry about my own, personal brand of “con crud,” though. I don’t even know why I can’t get healthy.

    But I feel you! 2018 was haaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrd. Here’s hoping things go better!

    * That you know of...

    And I don’t even attend cons!


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    Thank you, and thank you to your team for keeping the PFS scenarios free of overly mature, offensive, and disturbing content. I've just started GMing an adventure path (Hell's Rebels) and am currently filtering through what descriptions and depictions of torture and other vileness I want to keep in the game and what will never make it to the table. It's presence made me realize and appreciate its absence in PFS.

    Paizo Employee Organized Play Lead Developer

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    Woran wrote:
    John, what is you hat size?

    I don't rightly know. I'll have to investigate further, as my attempt to track down my one fitted hat last night failed.

    Paizo Employee Organized Play Lead Developer

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    Hmm wrote:

    John, what can we do in Organized Play to help you destress a little?

    Hmm

    Stress comes from a lot of sources, and a big chunk of that tends to be from trying to get through all of the projects while knowing that there are yet other projects that aren't getting done. With the new edition coming up, we're going to be launching a bunch of scenarios that aren't as intricately tied into the First Edition metaplot as Season 10 has been, and that means we're always on the lookout for inspiration. Knowing what people enjoy seeing in scenarios—destinations, themes, creatures, organizations, and NPCs—helps spark in-office brainstorms that often spin into full scenarios.

    Otherwise, keeping things constructive in the criticism and positive in the overall ambiance is nice. Tabletop game development is not a get-rich industry, and fans' enthusiasm helps many of us keep making what we love.

    Paizo Employee Organized Play Lead Developer

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    Aenigma wrote:
    Which Pathfinder Society Scenario features Azlant? I know Rescue at Azlant Ridge and Beyond Azlant Ridge have Azlanti elements, but are there more?

    We've not done a whole lot with Azlant in Pathfinder Society. Some scenarios touch on Azlant in small ways, but we've never traveled there outside the Ruins of Azlant Adventure Path. Before that Adventure Path, we didn't have a lot of information to go off of in creating scenarios. After it came out, there were just so many other stories that we were hoping to tell that Azlant just hasn't been in the cards.

    It's definitely something that would be worth revisiting in the future.

    Paizo Employee Organized Play Lead Developer

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    DM Livgin wrote:
    Thank you, and thank you to your team for keeping the PFS scenarios free of overly mature, offensive, and disturbing content. I've just started GMing an adventure path (Hell's Rebels) and am currently filtering through what descriptions and depictions of torture and other vileness I want to keep in the game and what will never make it to the table. It's presence made me realize and appreciate its absence in PFS.

    That's a result of a combination of factors.

  • Our team has many years of experience with running and playing at organized play tables, and we have a good sense of how certain themes can be dramatically hit-or-miss depending on a pick-up group's maturity. What's more, we know that some of those themes are ones that are fine to explore with a group of close friends, but they're deeply uncomfortable among strangers.
  • Although we don't make Pathfinder Society and Starfinder Society specifically for children, we do create them with the understanding that there might be children at the table.
  • We've definitely done some scenarios that involved more mature themes, and some of those experiments did not go well. Those lessons have not only taught about handling those specific themes, but they've also prompted us to apply the same lessons proactively to other topics.

    There are definitely some more mature themes that we want to continue exploring, and for those we benefit from a combination of compassionate storytelling, showing discretion on what really needs a full description (e.g. "This is a torture chamber with carefully maintained implements" instead of going into grisly detail about the room's contents), and bringing in authors who really know that subject material well. That's especially true for a recent Starfinder Society scenario about PTSD.

  • Scarab Sages

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    John Compton wrote:
    Woran wrote:
    John, what is you hat size?
    I don't rightly know. I'll have to investigate further, as my attempt to track down my one fitted hat last night failed.

    Thank you for checking!

    Horizon Hunters

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    Hi there i am currently playing through kingmaker and it is great. and i would love to know if the Adventure Path getting sanctioned for Society play ? if so how do i go about getting my sheets for it or would i have to do it at a pfs event to get them ??

    Paizo Employee Organized Play Lead Developer

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    purpletigerlily wrote:
    Hi there i am currently playing through kingmaker and it is great. and i would love to know if the Adventure Path getting sanctioned for Society play ? if so how do i go about getting my sheets for it or would i have to do it at a pfs event to get them ??

    Yep, Linda led the charge on this Adventure Oath’s sanctioning. You should check out the blog she wrote for more information, plus the sanctioning document link at the end. You can also get the sanctioning document from the different volumes’ product page.

    And yep, you can run the game at home. Be sure to read through those first couple pages in the sanctioning document for details.


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    Greetings, Mister Compton.

    There is a list of Pathfinder Society 5-star GM requirements in Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide (pg. 18). I don not understand "Run 10 or more specials or exclusives":
    - must them be all different?
    - or I can run some exclusives more than one time to qualify (like once 8-00, 9-00, 10-00, 6-97, 6-98, 7-98 and Bonekeep 1-2-3 twice)?

    Paizo Employee Organized Play Lead Developer

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    Fedor Checherov wrote:

    There is a list of Pathfinder Society 5-star GM requirements in Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide (pg. 18). I don not understand "Run 10 or more specials or exclusives":

    - must them be all different?
    - or I can run some exclusives more than one time to qualify (like once 8-00, 9-00, 10-00, 6-97, 6-98, 7-98 and Bonekeep 1-2-3 twice)?

    The special events don't need to be different. There are a bunch of GMs (including me) who earned their fifth stars back when there were only a handful of these specials. My fifth star happened after I had run #2-00, #3-00, and 3-EX several times each. The prospective list of specials you've included seems like it should be plenty.

    Grand Lodge

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    Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path, Pathfinder Accessories, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

    I think I have Siege of the Diamond City 4-5 times for my specials count.


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    Greetings, Mister Compton.

    Thank you for your previous answers.

    Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide (PFSRPGG) says that players must have Core Rulebook and proofs of other resources used for character (pg.5) and that GMs duty is to check character sheet and most recent chronicle sheets (pg.10).

    But what is correct way to behave when player has no proofs of purchase of used material? ( I can not find it in PFSRPGG and can not show answer to this question and show it to players)

    - Remind player that it is his (players) duty to have resources and proofs but let that character play in this game?

    - Propose use other (legal with proofs) character or pregenerated character?

    - Deny participation in this game? Must this character be reported dead?

    Must GM inform event organizer (or officer, if this GM is this event organizer and does not know what to do)?

    Paizo Employee Organized Play Lead Developer

    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    Fedor Checherov wrote:

    Greetings, Mister Compton.

    Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide (PFSRPGG) says that players must have Core Rulebook and proofs of other resources used for character (pg.5) and that GMs duty is to check character sheet and most recent chronicle sheets (pg.10).

    But what is correct way to behave when player has no proofs of purchase of used material? ( I can not find it in PFSRPGG and can not show answer to this question and show it to players)

    - Remind player that it is his (players) duty to have resources and proofs but let that character play in this game?

    - Propose use other (legal with proofs) character or pregenerated character?

    - Deny participation in this game? Must this character be reported dead?

    Must GM inform event organizer (or officer, if this GM is this event organizer and does not know what to do)?

    Eh, I'm hesitant to use this thread to dictate campaign policy, so I'm just going to convey what I typically do in these situations.

    If there's a character option I'm not familiar with, I usually ask the player if they have a copy that I can review. It not only helps me understand what's happening at the table as a GM, but it's a polite way to check if the player's bringing the resource in question to the game. If they don't have the resource but I do (I have about 70% of player-facing content on my tablet), then I politely ask them to have the resource on hand for future games with that character. Sometimes that's the start of a conversation; there might be entirely valid reasons that the player can't bring all of the needed books (e.g. would have to carry a heavy load on public transport or had to play a particular character unexpectedly to balance a table). It might also be that the player's trying out a character build in the 1st-level rebuild window and wants to test drive a concept before buying the book and hitting level 2.

    If neither the player nor I have the resource, it kinda depends on whether they at least have a secondary source for us to work off of, like a HeroLab summarized description of the rule or a printout from the srd. If it's not a terribly complex rule, sometimes that's enough to at least run the character for that scenario and have the player bring the resource next time. If it's a really complicated rule for which we don't have a good source, then that's when we really have to either explore using a pregenerated character for that session or play that game with the character option in question "disabled" (e.g. don't prepare that spell, use that feat, or whatever). I don't mark these characters as "dead," and I endeavor to find a fast and fair solution that helps the player participate.

    I'm generally most forgiving for newer players and lower-level characters. Those are the folks who are usually trying out concepts, are less likely to know the campaign's expectations, and haven't necessarily committed to purchasing a bunch of books yet. I'm generally less forgiving of more experienced folks or those with higher-level characters, for unless they're someone I know owns all of the books already, I come away with the impression that the person's been ignoring the "bring the resources" rule.

    Ultimately, my aim's to be fair, fun, flexible, and not overly prying. Asking to see a resource to better understand an ability is a fairly casual way of spot-checking, and as a GM it gradually expands my knowledge of what's in the game. If somebody occasionally doesn't have a resource, I try to adapt in a way that keeps the game going. If someone habitually seems to be thwarting this rule, then I get more persnickety. If it's becoming a big problem for a particular player or is endemic in your area, then check in with your venture-officers to work together and determine the right approach. After all, each region is a little different, and the venture-officers are often in the best position to resolve these issues.

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