Looking at Osprey, myself.
I will address the PMs and in thread questions that have built up since my last series of updates tomorrow.
Ahhhhhh...too much input! I...I...I have to think about all of this.
Still probably go with Rogue...and maybe Delver or field agent?
Sounds like an interesting game!
I have NO idea about a Pathfinder to pick yet either.
Jereru here, still working on Makanaky, though it will look more or less like this.
I will address the PMs and in thread questions that have built up since my last series of updates tomorrow.
GM Shadow:
Weyve Murkwater (the vanilla version) has been accepted into another game.
If you would allow it, I'd still like to stat him up as Gestalt for this game, because:
1. You clearly are really invested in your games, and,
2. Your gestalt idea is an interesting concept, and,
3. I am not totally confident that the other game will last.
Once before I did a gestalt and non-gestalt version of the same character and played them both. And one of those games did die. The other game is still going.
If you are not okay with this I totally understand and will withdraw the application.
Ooh, awesome idea.
How about this character, a masterless familiar, once belonged to a pathfinder (probably Gilray) and now is on her own. A focus on spellcasting keeps her on par with everyone encounterwise.
Probably won't be allowed, always worth a try.
So trying to research my character's potential mother or just mentor...and I'm coming up with like two lines describing the character. Is there somewhere that actually has maybe a heavier backstory for them beyond just the wee little bit that paizo seems to focus on.
Koriah Azmeren is the one in particular I'm looking at. There have been mentions of her in other campaigns (I think the AP Shattered Stars is one she's featured in.) but her more notable thing is being in the Pathfinder Chronicles Volume 44....is that just a bit of background info they never delve into or is the Pathfinder Chronicles something you can actually read? (Besides the two line summary of the Volume)
Oh wow, I hadn't even thought of the Cerulean Seas races. They could work really well in this campaign, from what I've been told. It's been a few years, I feel, since I even opened that, now that I think about it.
Maybe scribe a scroll or two. We'll see - I may not have the budget for it once I purchase the rest of my stuff. I'm still working on it.
OK!
A question on the Field Agent: Do you treat your Field Agent level as your Rogue level for the Rogue talents?
Yes.
In addition, are there any other talents that can be selected multiple times besides Skill Specialisation, though possibly with level requirements for each instance (as in, need to be level X before selecting a second time)?
Know thy Enemy & Sneak Attack.
---
FYI, looking more closely at "Greater Casting" it seems the type of Special Training that would NOT apply on the Base Class side of the PRC. However, if a PC wishes to pick a Gestalt side Pathfinder Society Base Class that is NOT the Field Agent and on the other side pick a casting class that then shifts over to Field Agent, I suppose that could work. Otherwise, this particular Special Training is likely not useful.
Is some flavor of Aquatic Elf or Sea Elf an allowable race, or is the waterbreathing thing too overpowered for this game?
Paizo option: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/more-races/race-points-unknown/aq uatic-elves/
3rd Party option: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/3rd-party-races/alluria-publishing/sea-elf/
Pizo option. I allow 3rd party materials but where Paizo has official releases I would prefre they be used.
I would not say being aquatic is overpowered. There is an advantage but not so much so that I would consider it overpowered.
I'll be playing Human...which is creepy for me, I rarely do it. I'm really..leaning to trying to pull a Tiefling (Rakshasa Born) but I'm not sure if I can swing it. I have to really look at my Scion for a bit to try and figure out if I can manage. And of course talk to the GM about the slightly unusual race.
The biggest thing, and I think it's unoffically accepted is whether Slashing Grace will work with the bladed scarf, as Kapenia Dancers treat them as one handed weapons...which Slashing grace effect...GM decision? (It won't make or break the character idea just be an added little bit of viability combat wise.)
I'll allow Tieflings but if their ancestry is too prominent they'd likely not be chosen for the mission so eitehr tone down the features or fidn a way to hide them. :-)
I've looked at Slashing Grace and the Bladed Scarf for Kapenia Dancers, its a close one but I'll allow it.
I will address the PMs and in thread questions that have built up since my last series of updates tomorrow.GM Shadow:
Weyve Murkwater (the vanilla version) has been accepted into another game.
If you would allow it, I'd still like to stat him up as Gestalt for this game, because:
1. You clearly are really invested in your games, and,
2. Your gestalt idea is an interesting concept, and,
3. I am not totally confident that the other game will last.Once before I did a gestalt and non-gestalt version of the same character and played them both. And one of those games did die. The other game is still going.
If you are not okay with this I totally understand and will withdraw the application.
I am OK with the application moving forward. If the game you are accepted into is still ongoing at selection time I might hold it against you if the spot is between you and someone who is not already in a Ruins game.
As my game will not start for 3 weeks, if the one you are in is going to fail, they usually fail within the first two weeks or after about three months.
Once past those two periods I've seen games tend to last barring an RL issues which is the most common reason for PbP's not to last.
Ooh, awesome idea.
How about this character, a masterless familiar, once belonged to a pathfinder (probably Gilray) and now is on her own. A focus on spellcasting keeps her on par with everyone encounterwise.Probably won't be allowed, always worth a try.
Interesting, I have a PC in another game that is an Eidolon whose master was slain but remained on the Prime. This is a similar concept. How will the Familiar get over the spellcasting issues that plague animals?
So trying to research my character's potential mother or just mentor...and I'm coming up with like two lines describing the character. Is there somewhere that actually has maybe a heavier backstory for them beyond just the wee little bit that paizo seems to focus on.
Koriah Azmeren is the one in particular I'm looking at. There have been mentions of her in other campaigns (I think the AP Shattered Stars is one she's featured in.) but her more notable thing is being in the Pathfinder Chronicles Volume 44....is that just a bit of background info they never delve into or is the Pathfinder Chronicles something you can actually read? (Besides the two line summary of the Volume)
Pathfinder Chronicles - 44 This is all I found.
I do not think it is something you can actually read.
Feel free to take what is already known to exist about the Pathfinder you have selected and if you find nothing further, from there. The more compelling the read, more compelled I'll feel to pick such a PC submission :-)
I'll address the PM'ed questions later, I have to go play Star Wars, Meets Scooby Doo Meets Transformers now.
Interesting, I have a PC in another game that is an Eidolon whose master was slain but remained on the Prime. This is a similar concept. How will the Familiar get over the spellcasting issues that plague animals?Ooh, awesome idea.
How about this character, a masterless familiar, once belonged to a pathfinder (probably Gilray) and now is on her own. A focus on spellcasting keeps her on par with everyone encounterwise.Probably won't be allowed, always worth a try.
Presumably, the vocal and somatic componants are like a language, and thus created, rather than being somehow inherent, otherwise, people would be largely incapable of producing the required componants. Also, there are plenty of non-humanoid creatures with magic, aboleths, if I recall correctly as big whales with tentacles that live underwater with no air to make humanoid sounds, make a good example here.
Therefore, in her backstory, with some help she basically developed her own vocal and somatic componant "magic language" (like a substitution cipher of sorts) that fit her physical capacity and vocal range. Cats have over a hundred sounds they can produce, plenty for producing a full language, and being able to move ears and tail gives additional physical features to make use of.
It's more about material components and somatic componants. Complex gestures and handling magic reagents tend to require thumbs.
Still spell and eschew materials will probably be necessary without some gm handwaving
Or she could go psychic, then it is mental/emotional components.
... I really don't know if normal spellcasting is that questionable though. Can't familiars already cast some spells? They have to be able to do it somehow, or is that a spell-like ability instead?
Interesting, I have a PC in another game that is an Eidolon whose master was slain but remained on the Prime. This is a similar concept. How will the Familiar get over the spellcasting issues that plague animals?Ooh, awesome idea.
How about this character, a masterless familiar, once belonged to a pathfinder (probably Gilray) and now is on her own. A focus on spellcasting keeps her on par with everyone encounterwise.Probably won't be allowed, always worth a try.
Presumably, the vocal and somatic componants are like a language, and thus created, rather than being somehow inherent, otherwise, people would be largely incapable of producing the required componants. Also, there are plenty of non-humanoid creatures with magic, aboleths, if I recall correctly as big whales with tentacles that live underwater with no air to make humanoid sounds, make a good example here.
Therefore, in her backstory, with some help she basically developed her own vocal and somatic componant "magic language" (like a substitution cipher of sorts) that fit her physical capacity and vocal range. Cats have over a hundred sounds they can produce, plenty for producing a full language, and being able to move ears and tail gives additional physical features to make use of.
OK, I'll allow it IF you select the Feat Natural Spell at first level as it does what is necessary for this type of character to cast spells. I'll waive the Wildshape class feature pre-requisite. You will need a 13 in your prime spellcasting Ability score but I'll assume that you will meet that pre-requisite.
The question is more a matter of why complex gestures are required, especially when they aren't an actual requirement but merely make things easier.
Eragon provides a very good answer, control and safety. In Eragon a language was made specifically to make it safer to use magic and provide greater control.
I haven't heard any other reason for somatic gestures that comes anywhere near that in terms of making sense and being plausible.
It's not like the laws of physics were designed just for humanoid creatures.
Also, examples like the aboleths demonstrate that humanoid form is not a requirement for casting magic, therefore, gm handwaving is not required to simply state that any creature learning magic learns gestures and sounds fitting to their natural form.
Also, the rules don't state the humanoid form is required. In fact druids can gain a feat to cast spells in animal form which means that animal forms are perfectly capable, but that it is simply a matter of learning the new form's method of casting. And that is from core.
Esoteric Magic
By way of example.
You are a level 3 Savant, you gain the Esoteric Magic Special Ability. You have chosen as your area of Expertise - Arcane Sorcerer. At this level you will gain a new 1st level spell. Esoteric Magic allows you to add a 1st level spell from the Druid or Cleric list instead of the Wizard/Sorcerer list to know for that level.
It does not allow you to select a special ability from the Base Class List of Druid (Wildshape) or Sorcerer (Bloodline Power).
List of Unusual approved Races.
I mean, when the author of Book II says that they would be a good fit for the Module, as a DM you have to allow them as PC options no?
I have now responded to all open questions both here and by PM.
This Recruitment is way easier than the All Gunslingers Kingmaker/Iron Gods Recruitment was ;-)
My thoughts had been to do very muted, so possible reptilian eyes, regular skin tone with scale like patterns on his skin, and a tail he keeps wrapped around and hidden under a sash at his waist except for when he plans on actually using it. (Partially to keep his tail hidden, but also partially to help hide his emotions better.)
The other thought was probably having these features as he grows more powerful in the Arcane Arts become less muted....if you desire. That's purely a flavor stand point.
LOL, I just now noticed I got ninja'd by the GM mentioning the very feat I referenced. Wow. I'm getting too spoiled on rpol. (rpol actually comes up with a warning that a new post has been posted, so can adjust your post before submitting it.)
I've heard a couple places that this AP is looking as though it will contain a lot of underwater combat, and while I do love the ridiculous build I've come up with, throwing weapons coated in poison won't work to well underwater. I basically will be incapable of attacking with them at all, which puts a lot of my build into the 'useless' category for those fights. So, I think I may save that build for another day. I'll have to think on stuff for this game instead. Maybe a Hexcrafter Magus with Student of War?
Dotting, almost forgot about this. Glad the DM said something. xP
List of Unusual approved Races.
I mean, when the author of Book II says that they would be a good fit for the Module, as a DM you have to allow them as PC options no?
Would you consider Aquatic Elf? That's what I currently have Spectrum statted as.
Is some flavor of Aquatic Elf or Sea Elf an allowable race, or is the waterbreathing thing too overpowered for this game?
Paizo option: (url to Aquatic Elf)
3rd Party option: (url to Sea Elf)
Pizo option. I allow 3rd party materials but where Paizo has official releases I would prefre they be used.
I would not say being aquatic is overpowered. There is an advantage but not so much so that I would consider it overpowered.
So, yes, he is allowing the Aquatic Elf but not the Sea Elf.
He has approved some additional races as well... I think that was just a list of some that were pre-approved. :)
Just so you know, Shadow, my wife grumbled at me yesterday, "Are you STILL working on that Pathfinder character?! You're putting way too much work in." HA!
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Just so you know, Shadow, my wife grumbled at me yesterday, "Are you STILL working on that Pathfinder character?! You're putting way too much work in." HA!
Heh, my wife wants to know who the hell runs that many games when I could be out making money. :-)
Way I had the gf grab some attention on 'those games of mine': I made a character named after her. Sadly she didn't get picked... But she spent days asking about it xD
For some reason I thought recruitment ended tomorrow....started panicking as I haven't got much done because my drive has been so low and my blood pressure has been through the roof thanks to being bounced around by AT&Ts garbage customer service and their inability to do a conference call to fix a customer's issue so things get done readily...And after five hours of their s@$& today...I literally got nothing done I feel and need a nap.
But thankfully my assumption about recruitment was wrong...and I'm off to curl up in my bed and sorta weep.
How much gold are we starting out with?
Sorry if this has been answered already, I was late to the party. x)
Starting wealth max for the non-Pathfinder class.
The Wayfinder is the Pathfinder Loot.
Just so you know, Shadow, my wife grumbled at me yesterday, "Are you STILL working on that Pathfinder character?! You're putting way too much work in." HA!Heh, my wife wants to know who the hell runs that many games when I could be out making money. :-)
My girlfriends ask me about the games I'm in all the time. They love the stories.
Grumblejack is the unanimous favorite. (He's been dubbed Evil Shrek)
Just so you know, Shadow, my wife grumbled at me yesterday, "Are you STILL working on that Pathfinder character?! You're putting way too much work in." HA!Heh, my wife wants to know who the hell runs that many games when I could be out making money. :-)My girlfriends ask me about the games I'm in all the time. They love the stories.
Grumblejack is the unanimous favorite. (He's been dubbed Evil Shrek)
I got my girlfriend into DnD and she always asks about my games on Paizo. I feel so blessed. I think she just likes to hear the horrible things I have planned for my players.
I'm still toying with new ideas, but right now a Bloodrager is on the table for me. I might go looking to see what other people are building so I can fill a gap, however.
Just so you know, Shadow, my wife grumbled at me yesterday, "Are you STILL working on that Pathfinder character?! You're putting way too much work in." HA!Heh, my wife wants to know who the hell runs that many games when I could be out making money. :-)My girlfriends ask me about the games I'm in all the time. They love the stories.
Grumblejack is the unanimous favorite. (He's been dubbed Evil Shrek)
I love Grumble too ;-)
Just so you know, Shadow, my wife grumbled at me yesterday, "Are you STILL working on that Pathfinder character?! You're putting way too much work in." HA!Heh, my wife wants to know who the hell runs that many games when I could be out making money. :-)My girlfriends ask me about the games I'm in all the time. They love the stories.
Grumblejack is the unanimous favorite. (He's been dubbed Evil Shrek)
I got my girlfriend into DnD and she always asks about my games on Paizo. I feel so blessed. I think she just likes to hear the horrible things I have planned for my players.
I'm still toying with new ideas, but right now a Bloodrager is on the table for me. I might go looking to see what other people are building so I can fill a gap, however.
My wife is long over the stories, I just don't kill enough PCs for her taste. When I do and they get Resurrected it really pisses her off. If she ran a game people would leave the table weeping after each session...
I should probably put together a list of submissions...
Maybe Friday I'll do it.
My wife is long over the stories, I just don't kill enough PCs for her taste. When I do and they get Resurrected it really pisses her off. If she ran a game people would leave the table weeping after each session...Just so you know, Shadow, my wife grumbled at me yesterday, "Are you STILL working on that Pathfinder character?! You're putting way too much work in." HA!Heh, my wife wants to know who the hell runs that many games when I could be out making money. :-)My girlfriends ask me about the games I'm in all the time. They love the stories.
Grumblejack is the unanimous favorite. (He's been dubbed Evil Shrek)
I got my girlfriend into DnD and she always asks about my games on Paizo. I feel so blessed. I think she just likes to hear the horrible things I have planned for my players.
I'm still toying with new ideas, but right now a Bloodrager is on the table for me. I might go looking to see what other people are building so I can fill a gap, however.
She doesn't want me to kill too many PCs. After all, she usually is once when I play at a table, so that's a dangerous precedent to set. I can't say I leave people weeping, but evidently a session was scary enough to have someone be reduced to a fetal position, so there's that.
I should probably put together a list of submissions...
Speaking of which, I have one of those for you.
My wife is long over the stories, I just don't kill enough PCs for her taste. When I do and they get Resurrected it really pisses her off. If she ran a game people would leave the table weeping after each session...
Sounds like she'd be the perfect DM for Rappan Athuk. I would join the party just for the challenge. Kind of like being thrown into the arena with a tiger ... no armor, and a stick, which isn't even all that pointy anymore. A mostly-hopeless fight for survival... but if you can get the crowd on your side, you never know.
Her house rules could be that any damage over 50% of your total HP has a random chance of permanently maiming you, and that resurrection also has a high chance of triggering Baleful Polymorph.
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She doesn't want me to kill too many PCs. After all, she usually is once when I play at a table, so that's a dangerous precedent to set. I can't say I leave people weeping, but evidently a session was scary enough to have someone be reduced to a fetal position, so there's that.
My wife is long over the stories, I just don't kill enough PCs for her taste. When I do and they get Resurrected it really pisses her off. If she ran a game people would leave the table weeping after each session...
Years ago I ran a game in the Midnight Setting (imagine middle earth if Sauron had won).
My players can be unabashed power-gamers, and this was at the tail end of 3.5 when the power creep was at it's highest. I told them to do their worst. I even let them start at 2nd level because no one likes first level. They brought a full-on wrecking crew to the game. They didn't understand why I was so happy.
They were troubleshooters who had just joined the resistance and were looking to prove themselves. First session, I set up a fairly normal plot hook of "the townsfolk of Little Podunk are being mistreated by the evil church" and let the players come be Big Damn Heroes. The townsfolk didn't want their help, but the players chalked it up to fear and indoctrination. They wiped out the priest and his acolytes and gave the food the church was hording to the townsfolk. Instead of being thankful, they were all pissed. "You've doomed us all. When this foodstuff don't arrive for the army, they're going to send Legates to find out why." The players, of course, said "let them come!"
Next session, they came. One cleric and his five orcish bodyguards.
"The Orc's weapon does a d12+6? In one hand!?"
"What do you mean 18 misses? What the hell are these guys wearing?"
"Did you say 3d6 channel damage? As a move action!?"
The party, to their credit, lasted longer than I expected them to, but it ended in a TPK. After all the work they had put into the characters, they were maaaaad.
The next session, I told them to make 1st level characters, all members of the Resistance who had been the contacts and sponsors of the original party. It was a few days later and they were investigating what happened to the new badass recruits.
They roll up into Little Podunk and the whole place is a charred ruin with a pile of smoking corpses at the center of town. There were still Bad Guys dragging in bodies to add to the pile.
After the last session, they're paranoid as hell. All their characters are specc'd for stealth. They edge up and take a better look.
They see their old characters, now obviously undead, cracking jokes and occasionally taking bites out of corpses while they finished cleaning up the mess after wiping out all the people they had originally tried to save.
The original party of overpowered munchkins became the new party's primary recurring villains for four years.
They don't really powergame anymore. To date, this is my proudest achievement as a GM.
They don't really powergame anymore. To date, this is my proudest achievement as a GM.
CACKLE!!
OK Shadow. Diomedes is done except for equipment. Oracle of Waves/ Field Agent, Legacy of Drandle Dreng. I have left a ton of plot hooks in his backstory to play with if picked.
Tentative dot.
Shadow, What do you think about Dreamscarred Press' High Psionics rule for Soulknives, which gives them Gifted Blade's manifesting for free, without taking away their Psychic Strike?
And what do you think about Psychic Armory? It's an archetype for Soulknife, that changes his Mind Blade to Panoply of Blades - soulknife forms multiple blade of each type, 1+Wis light, 1-handed and later 2-handed each. Possibly daggers with an Armory Tactics (new name for Blade Skills). Soulknife then shoots them, using Wis to attack and to damage. Later you can get do some fun things, like bursting your blades and creating a difficult terrain, or shooting them all in a line, or making a protective wall.
Here's the link for Psychic Armory with manifesting. If free manifesting is a no, then it takes away Psychic Strike, as usual.
Tentative dot.
Shadow, What do you think about Dreamscarred Press' High Psionics rule for Soulknives, which gives them Gifted Blade's manifesting for free, without taking away their Psychic Strike?
And what do you think about Psychic Armory? It's an archetype for Soulknife, that changes his Mind Blade to Panoply of Blades - soulknife forms multiple blade of each type, 1+Wis light, 1-handed and later 2-handed each. Possibly daggers with an Armory Tactics (new name for Blade Skills). Soulknife then shoots them, using Wis to attack and to damage. Later you can get do some fun things, like bursting your blades and creating a difficult terrain, or shooting them all in a line, or making a protective wall.
Here's the link for Psychic Armory with manifesting. If free manifesting is a no, then it takes away Psychic Strike, as usual.
PM me that question Madcaster as I'll need to look a bit closer and think about it before I say yay or nay.