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Robert Brookes wrote:

Oh, tacticslion. ;)

There's a temple in Into the Shattered Continent from ancient Azlant. The temple is a dual-dedicated to Pharasma and Desna and pairs their roles of stars and prophecy (at least when Pharasma concerned herself with prophecy). It also suggests that the two were romantically involved in some fashion, or that the Azlanti believed they were. It's admittedly subtext in the adventure, but I ship Prophecy Goddess/Stars Goddess.

So: 'Bobbert "B'astrology" Brookes', then?


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Robert Brookes wrote:
The first time someone called me Bobbert was my Sophomore year of High School. I am accustomed to that weirdness!

ah yes, after all these years you must be used to it (YOU'RE OLD).

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glittergore wrote:
Robert Brookes wrote:
The first time someone called me Bobbert was my Sophomore year of High School. I am accustomed to that weirdness!
ah yes, after all these years you must be used to it (YOU'RE OLD).

SHE'S ON TO ME.


So, on a scale of "yes," "definitely," or "absolutely!!!" How good an idea is it, to have a memory-wiped Aboleth character in this AP?

Also, do you know if I got the grammar right on that?


I mean, quotation marks, and commas, you know?

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Ok ok so

Are you suggesting the character is an aboleth who was memory-wiped? Or someone who was memory-wiped by an aboleth?

If the former, I don't think that would last very long. While aboleth can breathe on land, I don't know if they could pass the competency test to be a part of the Peregrine crew without making it readily apparent that something is fishy.

:D

to the latter, I'd need some more details ;)


The former. But, see, he's polymorphed (permanently?) into a human (Azlanti)* shape (negating most of his abilities), and has effectively total amnesia (negating the rest of them). He washed up on shore in Andoran (unless the AP starts somewhere that would be a problem, it's a placeholder until I read the Player's Guide) at the same time a Chelish slave ship crashed/sank into the sea. Believed to be one of the escaped slaves, he's been slowly trying to make a life for himself. Despite the kindness of many Andorans, others have treated him with deep prejudice and suspicion because he's different, so he wants to go to this island place or whatever it is that I've caught glimpses of. (Presumably the titular ruins of Azlant).

But of course the sailors will thin he's fishy! He's a fisherman!! (Also diver!)

* This presumably doesn't give any bonuses he doesn't already have.

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I'd absolutely allow it in my own game, that's a clever idea. I'd also use the aboleth corruption Horror Realms to show the effects of the polymorph "wearing thin". It has some interesting roleplaying opportunities later on down the line too!


Oooooooooohhhhhh!!! I like it!


You should totally pester Rick with questions.


Brookes. Brookes. Broooooooooooooookes. Brookes? Brookes!

... hello.

EDIT 1&2: Oh, wait, questions, right. "Hello?" Oh, yeah, I already had one. OHWELLNOGOINGBACKNOW~!

Contributor

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What's your favorite outsider, and what's your favorite plane?


Do you or do you not watch Rick and Morty?
Have you ever watched Dark Matter?
What are you going to play first when you play Starfinder? Or have you, already?


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Not a question, just a huge thanks for being a stand up mensch. Whether you know it or not, you make spaces like this better for many others, and I'm grateful.


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Ambrosia Slaad wrote:
Not a question, just a huge thanks for being a stand up mensch. Whether you know it or not, you make spaces like this better for many others, and I'm grateful.

What the Slaad said!

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Tacticslion wrote:

Brookes. Brookes. Broooooooooooooookes. Brookes? Brookes!

... hello.

EDIT 1&2: Oh, wait, questions, right. "Hello?" Oh, yeah, I already had one. OHWELLNOGOINGBACKNOW~!

I'm just going to give a random tangentally-related answer to this: the song "Hello" by Poe is one of my favorite songs. Unrelatedly, her album Haunted is delightful.

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Todd Stewart wrote:
What's your favorite outsider, and what's your favorite plane?

I have an undying love for Axis and Axiomites. For the same reason why the Vex from the video game Destiny tickle my fancy. I find the idea that the entire universe can be understood and manipulated by mathematics fascinating.

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Tacticslion wrote:

Do you or do you not watch Rick and Morty?

Have you ever watched Dark Matter?
What are you going to play first when you play Starfinder? Or have you, already?

I do watch Rick and Morty and generally I really like it. The fandom however is full of so many Jerrys.

I don't have any plans to play Starfinder. While I was involved in the internal playtesting and worked on the Pact Worlds book, the system itself isn't exactly my cup of tea.


I actually haven't been involved with the fandom (and I've never really seen anything other than S1), so I didn't know: thanks for the knowledge!

I find a lot appealing about it, but also some things I'm hesitant on, myself. Care to elaborate your opinions?

Are you also a "kitten flipper" like one of your colleagues? The public demands to know.

Why do you think Desna is so popular for designers to imply shipping with other deities (Cayden several, Pharasma you, Curchanus seems implied, and seemingly more, though that's all I've got at the moment)? Why do you think Calistria is less popular in that regard (as in the rather non-specific, "maybe everyone, maybe no-one, maybe some" suggestions)?

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Tacticslion wrote:
I find a lot appealing about it, but also some things I'm hesitant on, myself. Care to elaborate your opinions?

I'm not a huge fan of the way power levels are scaled, how equipment (specifically weapons and armor) work with a scaling system, and I'm not fond of the ad-hoc way NPCs are generated rather than by creating them as you would a character. A lot of these are similar to the things I didn't like about 4E when it came about. Admittedly all of that is personal taste, not that they're bad ideas.

Tacticslion wrote:
Are you also a "kitten flipper" like one of your colleagues? The public demands to know.

Thurston is the only kitten flipper (but Compton puts him up to it).

Tacticslion wrote:
Why do you think Desna is so popular for designers to imply shipping with other deities (Cayden several, Pharasma you, Curchanus seems implied, and seemingly more, though that's all I've got at the moment)? Why do you think Calistria is less popular in that regard (as in the rather non-specific, "maybe everyone, maybe no-one, maybe some" suggestions)?

That's a really good question, and one I don't know if I actually have an answer to. Though it does remind me that I have lingering questions about the relationship (just, in general) between the Black Butterfly and Desna.


Just a quick comment, as I've repeatedly run out of time: I actually agree with your general assessment of the "4E"-ness (and personal distaste) for those elements. I will say, I think the SF system is much, much more well-crafted than 4E: there are a bunch of little touches that help the world and system shine, even when it didn't work for 4E. Still not my favorite - I like that internal consistency and more reasonable in-world metrics - but better, I think, than how 4E handled it. Again: it's not bad ideas, just not my favorite. But there are really cool ideas, too, and things about this system that work better, so it's a trade off for me. :D

Maybe more later, but, as I'm out of time and this is an AMA, not a TMA: did you know I'm out of time?

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Not that it was a question, but since you mentioned the worldbuilding of Starfinder, I have personal qualms with that too. It's mostly from a storyteller perspective and seeing what, to me, feels like missed opportunities.

So, Starfinder is an alternate future timeline for Golarion. That's the basic conceit, that way Starfinder can't retcon future Pathfinder stuff. That said, I think Starfinder missed the mark with some of their ideas for just how divergent the world could be.

This was a chance to explore a parallel timeline where Aroden didn't die. For new players it wouldn't be any different than picking up the Inner Sea World Guide for the first time. Here's the God of Humanity Aroden and his herald Arazni and some other neat lore.

For previous Pathfinder players it would have cast the Pact Worlds in an entirely new light. Did prophecy still fail? If not, what were the repercussions of that? How did everything else shake out? What does this do to inform or not inform the Gap? Etc.

Starfinder's world feels too "close" to Pathfinder's and if I'm going to be basically playing in the same setting, I might as well play the game I'm familiar with. There's already rules for advanced technology, and if I want to involve starships we basically wrote the book on that for Aethera (conveniently).

Now, for other folks my personal qualms might not matter much at all. But for me, I feel like it could've been more interesting (to me!) and I can't stop thinking about that whenever I read material, and it kinda' drags me down.

Now, there's no saying I couldn't do that very thing in my own game, but that's a lot of work. If the story had grabbed me, or the system had inspired me, it might've been easier to get hooked from one side or the other.

I'm glad folks are enjoying it, though! I've just only got so much spare time, and I like Golarion more :)


I can totally see your objection to the world-building.

I, in fact, feel the opposite of how you did (to a limited extent): that is, there are a number of things that have been changed that I wish would have remained consistent to Pathfinder (such as the appearance and characterization of the lashunta; though, to be fair, their changing appearance and characterization in Pathfinder has been kind of 'eh' for me, too, so...).

That said, I do love some of the changes they've made (ala undead and inherent evil).

... and, yeah, there are some things that really feel like they should be further afield (the drow matriarchy is one of these).

One of the things I kind of wish was more of a thing (though I understand why it isn't) is the Oma - such a cool concept that has been bypassed for the Drift - it makes sense, because the Drift is much faster than the Oma, and won't, you know, eat you alive on accident. But still~! SPACE WHAAAAALLLEEESSS~!

EDIT: I never actually made my point: I actually really like the world-building aspects, over-all, and I find a lot of the hints and mysteries interesting. One of the major things I hope that SF doesn't keep that PF does is a mandate to never, ever answer the mysteries. I lurve me some Aroden, but I'm becoming less enthused, over the decades, about the idea of his death: it slowly becomes less and less relevant and interesting to me, as a player or GM. On the other hand, the mysteries in SF are still fresh. I kind of hope SF is willing to answer some of those things, later, rather than leaving them an eternal question. Anyhoo, I like it, and many of the themes and elements.

Space Fantasy is awesome!

... speeeeaaaaaking of, have you ever seen Dark Matter? It's a surprisingly excellent "Starfinder" show (if you ignore the setting and magic-specific aspects).

Also, have you seen either Star Wars: Clone Wars or Star Wars: Rebels? Or any of the new SW movies?

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Dark Matter is great! I'm extremely bummed it was apparently cancelled after a cliffhanger season finale, though. Reminds me of Farscape.

I've watched nearly all of Clone Wars and a handful of Rebels. I plan on catching up with Rebels once it finishes its last season and just binge it all.

As a gigantic Star Wars fan I've seen all the movies, and am currently doing my best porg shriek in anticipation of Last Jedi!


:D AWESOME!

And yeah, the Dark Matter/Farscape comparisons were... not lost on me, either.

I've only seen the first three Rebels, but it's really good andn I hear it's only getting better.

Have you seen the "Lost Episodes" (13 episode "season 6"?) of Clone Wars?

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Tacticslion wrote:

:D AWESOME!

And yeah, the Dark Matter/Farscape comparisons were... not lost on me, either.

I've only seen the first three Rebels, but it's really good andn I hear it's only getting better.

Have you seen the "Lost Episodes" (13 episode "season 6"?) of Clone Wars?

Those were some of the best episodes!

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Aldo, if folks wanna discuss archetypes I designed for Ultimate Wilderness I did:

Elementalist Shifter (shifter)
Fiendflesh Shifter (shifter)
Oozemorph (shifter)
Rageshifter (shifter)
Verdant Shifter (shifter)
Weretouched (shifter)
Commando (gunslinger)
Feral Champion (warpriest)
Filidh (bard)
Water Dancer (monk)
Wasteland Meditant (monk)
Menhir Guardian (monk)
Cultivator (bard)
Nature Bonded Magus (magus)

I wrote other parts of the book, too, but those are probably the most fun to talk about at the moment!


I... I want to know what ALL of those do!


Also: here are a couple of questions you might want to answer, though you might want to go back and experience the amazing er, get the context by reading the beginning of the thread up to that. Yeah. Tooooootwlly necessary. >.>


(gunslinger) Commando
(bard) Filidh, Cultivator
(monk) Water Dancer, Wasteland Meditant, and Menhir Guardian

Okay; limiting it just to these: tell me eeeeeeeverything - where the name comes from, the basic idea, if you have any group/organization concepts, and so on!


Robert, barring that this doesn't make any actual sense (we'll just use "hand-wavium" to make a square peg/round hole fit): if you, in real life, could have the nearest equivalent of 20 levels in a class, but had to have an archetype from a completely different class (again, ignoring specifics; presuppose you get the benefits and rrrroooouuuugggghhhhllllyyyyy equivalent losses) which class and which archetype (from what other class) would you choose?

Similarly, if you gained the equivalent of 20 levels, but ten had to be in a Prestige Class, which class and prestige class?

As a frame of reference, any d20 system more-or-less compatible with PF (including SF, though that brings a whole can of worms itself, the various 3.X, and anything else you think is relevant) is available.


HOLY CARP, DUDE

THAT CW SEASON 5 ENDING, AND SEASON 6 START

O.O

Silver Crusade

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Robert Brookes wrote:

Aldo, if folks wanna discuss archetypes I designed for Ultimate Wilderness I did:

Elementalist Shifter (shifter)
Fiendflesh Shifter (shifter)
Oozemorph (shifter)
Rageshifter (shifter)
Verdant Shifter (shifter)
Weretouched (shifter)
Commando (gunslinger)
Feral Champion (warpriest)
Filidh (bard)
Water Dancer (monk)
Wasteland Meditant (monk)
Menhir Guardian (monk)
Cultivator (bard)
Nature Bonded Magus (magus)

I wrote other parts of the book, too, but those are probably the most fun to talk about at the moment!

Neat.

I really like the Nature Bonded Magus, but loosing Arcane Pool hurts a lot.

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Tacticslion wrote:

(gunslinger) Commando

(bard) Filidh, Cultivator
(monk) Water Dancer, Wasteland Meditant, and Menhir Guardian

Okay; limiting it just to these: tell me eeeeeeeverything - where the name comes from, the basic idea, if you have any group/organization concepts, and so on!

Commando is basically the gunslinger version of Rambo. They can make traps, fight in the wilderness, and generally ruin somebody's day. It's a gunslinger that is less Wild West and more wilderness warrior.

Filidh was a request from the design team and is closely hewn to the real-world idea of a filidh. They're divination-focused bards who can see into the future.

Cultivator bards are all about affecting plants with their magic and cn make vegetation grow to aid them. The name is just a "makes sense" once you think of their role. They cultivate and nurture nature!

Water Dancer is one I'm really proud of. They're a monk who eschews unarmed combat for kineticist water blasts. They can even walk on the surface of water to avoid enemies. Part of my inspiration was Chinese fantasy movies and a strong dose of Avatar the Last Airbender.

Wasteland Meditant is a hermit-like monk who gains a lot of powers that help them survive in desert environments and can turn their enemies into literal pillars of salt.

Menhir Guardian is a monk that protects things like druid circles and sacred sites. Their unarmed strikes pack a punch and can send enemies flying.

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Rysky wrote:

I really like the Nature Bonded Magus, but loosing Arcane Pool hurts a lot.

It definitely does. The plant companions rules weren't fully written when I completed my work, so the idea was that the companion was supposed to mitigate some of the loss from losing arcane pool.


AWESOME!

Hyyyyyped!

And now a question (which may or may not involve one of this listed above!):

So, Robert, barring that this doesn't make any actual sense (we'll just use "hand-wavium" to make a square peg/round hole fit): if you, in real life, could have the nearest equivalent of 20 levels in a class, but had to have an archetype from a completely different class (again, ignoring specifics; presuppose you get the benefits and rrrroooouuuugggghhhhllllyyyyy equivalent losses) which class and which archetype (from what other class) would you choose?

Similarly, if you gained the equivalent of 20 levels, but ten had to be in a Prestige Class, which class and prestige class?

As a frame of reference, any d20 system more-or-less compatible with PF (including SF, though that brings a whole can of worms itself, the various 3.X, and anything else you think is relevant) is available.

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Probably some kind of kineticist, honestly. More likely air for lightning stuff. I've always liked that kinda' thing.


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Robert Brookes wrote:

Aldo, if folks wanna discuss archetypes I designed for Ultimate Wilderness I did:

Elementalist Shifter (shifter)
Fiendflesh Shifter (shifter)
Oozemorph (shifter)
Rageshifter (shifter)
Verdant Shifter (shifter)
Weretouched (shifter)
Commando (gunslinger)
Feral Champion (warpriest)
Filidh (bard)
Water Dancer (monk)
Wasteland Meditant (monk)
Menhir Guardian (monk)
Cultivator (bard)
Nature Bonded Magus (magus)

I wrote other parts of the book, too, but those are probably the most fun to talk about at the moment!

About the elementalist Shifter:

designing questions
1) what's the reasoning behind not allowing Elemental Strike class feature during a polymorph effect, like Elemental Form class feature?

2) what about restricting Elemental Strike to melee attacks? Wouldn't be thematic, aside as cool, to apply it to ranged attack or even make energy balls ranged attacks?

3) Elementalist keeps Final Aspect class feature of Shifter, shouldn't it get modified considering that Elementalist doesn't gain a fifth aspect at that level?

4) Why no Aether? Or wood element? it may be good fit for the same book to put some Wood related powers

5) what's the idea of limiting speech and language during Elemental Form? Just consistency with base Shifter class?

mechanics questions
1) elemental strike mentioning energy infusing attacks depending on element chosen. I'm blind, I cant find the part which says what energies are associated to each element, I guess it's like: air -> electricity, fire -> fire, water -> cold, earth -> acid?

2) Elemental Form, it's written "but she gains only the benefits listed in her elemental aspect". Does that mean that it discards normal rules of polymorph gaining base speed and natural attacks of the morphed new body, right? If so, why each elemental aspect then gives Improved Natural Attack (Slam)? It seems to imply that the slam attack of elementals creature is acquired

3) a Shifter at 20th may combine all of her minor aspects, this stays true for Elementalist Shifter. Should this work with Omnielementalist class feature, accessing so to each combined power altogether?

Grand Lodge

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Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

I am curious about the initial submission for weretouched and if the empty levels left by chimeric aspects removal were intended.


Happy post-Thanksgiving!


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Hi, Robert!

So... what's coming down the pike for the Aethera Campaign Setting?

(BTW, I just got my promo comic from the Kickstarter! Very nice!)


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Hi, Robert!

We haven't seen you around the boards for a while, and we miss you.

Have you backed away from tabletop game design?

Is your day job eating all of your time?

Hope you return someday!


What’s up, Bobbertcup?


... nothing? Nothing?

... cool.

(I'm guessing you're busy! Or suuuuuuuuuuper offended by my naming scheme! Either way, hope things are going well!)


45ur4 wrote:
Robert Brookes wrote:

Aldo, if folks wanna discuss archetypes I designed for Ultimate Wilderness I did:

Elementalist Shifter (shifter)
Fiendflesh Shifter (shifter)
Oozemorph (shifter)
Rageshifter (shifter)
Verdant Shifter (shifter)
Weretouched (shifter)
Commando (gunslinger)
Feral Champion (warpriest)
Filidh (bard)
Water Dancer (monk)
Wasteland Meditant (monk)
Menhir Guardian (monk)
Cultivator (bard)
Nature Bonded Magus (magus)

I wrote other parts of the book, too, but those are probably the most fun to talk about at the moment!

About the elementalist Shifter:

designing questions
1) what's the reasoning behind not allowing Elemental Strike class feature during a polymorph effect, like Elemental Form class feature?

2) what about restricting Elemental Strike to melee attacks? Wouldn't be thematic, aside as cool, to apply it to ranged attack or even make energy balls ranged attacks?

3) Elementalist keeps Final Aspect class feature of Shifter, shouldn't it get modified considering that Elementalist doesn't gain a fifth aspect at that level?

4) Why no Aether? Or wood element? it may be good fit for the same book to put some Wood related powers

5) what's the idea of limiting speech and language during Elemental Form? Just consistency with base Shifter class?

mechanics questions
1) elemental strike mentioning energy infusing attacks depending on element chosen. I'm blind, I cant find the part which says what energies are associated to each element, I guess it's like: air -> electricity, fire -> fire, water -> cold, earth -> acid?

2) Elemental Form, it's written "but she gains only the benefits listed in her elemental aspect". Does that mean that it discards normal rules of polymorph gaining base speed and natural attacks of the morphed new body, right? If so, why each elemental aspect then gives Improved Natural Attack (Slam)? It seems to imply that the slam attack of elementals creature is acquired

3) a Shifter at 20th may combine all of her minor...

Years later, I still would love clarification on all of this if possible. My Elementalist Shifter is the first character I've been a part of a campaign with, and I'd love some design insight.

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