When will recruitment actually be over?
Gheradescci County is named from the House that built Citadel Gheradesca so long ago. While no member of that ancient House has ruled the area for many decades, it remains a vital artery for Corentyn, if not the Longmarch Archduchy.
The County seat today is the small town of Spartaco three miles east of the northern edge of Anferita Wood. It is ruled by , the House Patriarch, and his Countess-Consort, , formerly of House Charthagnion; she is the niece of ArchDuke Kettermaul Charthagnion.
There are three principal features of Gheradescci County.
The first includes the northeast “L”-shape section of the Anferita Wood, stretching the NE edge south for forty miles (and twenty miles-deep into the Wood), and stretching the northern edge west for approximately forty-two miles where the forest ends (also twenty miles-deep into the Wood). This 160-square-mile forested region is where County soldiers become heroes or die. Count Spartaco is responsible for sending troops into this L-shaped stretch of Wood to capture heretics & thieves, kill roving monsters, and seek-and-destroy any potential raiders -- such as High-Kyng Mega-Skull’s army of forty minotaurs and his Annis Hag wife, blind Oracle of Nurgal. That threat was destroyed almost two years ago.
The second feature of Gheradescci County is the long area of rocky foothills south of The Eismont Mountains. Here, the fort town of Varni has recently been built up as the new Barony for Count Vocaturo Spartaco’s niece, Baroness Stella Spartaco. Varni was built a mile from the site of a recently discovered gold vein; mining continues. While the hills have long been a source of iron and copper, the discovery of gold nine months ago has made House Spartaco and the entire County a bit more ambitious. But the foothills of the Eismont range are no safe haven. Wild beasts have always been a problem for copper and iron miners and plenty of natural hazards abound. The new fort town and her young Baroness are anything but secure.
The final feature of Gheradescci County is a large rectangle of agricultural land east of the foothills and northern stretch of Anferita. Fifty miles north-to-south and twenty-five miles east-to-west, the heartlands of the county are dotted with villages and farmsteads producing grapes, olives, tomatoes, eggplant, peaches, cherries, Chelaxian wheat and several goat and pig ranches. While the wine produced from the vineyards here is well known in Longmarch, more desirable is the dairy: goat cheese, cream & milk, and the various salamis, pepperonis, capicola, and prosciutto. Here, in sight of the Anferita three miles west and the badland-foothills two miles north, the town of Spartaco serves as Count Vocaturo’s seat, his impressive castle standing sentry over the community of 800 townspeople, loyal to Cheliax.
Two unusual communities stand apart in Gheradescci County. The northern part of the county, on the edge of the foothills and the heartland, holds a small village of mostly Hobgoblins, Mog. Standing as the County’s northern border, these Hobgoblins are a well-trained and even better valued force, keeping the County safe from brigands. Count Vocaturo’s older brother , while not clever enough to have climbed the feudal ladder in Cheliax enough to hold the County, is the second most powerful person in Gheradescci and holds a Keep amongst the Hobgoblin village with his name. His Tiefling wife, is said to be more clever and ambitious than he, though she holds no noble blood of her own.
The second unusual village is on the southern edge of Gheradescci County; a mix of Kitsune, Catfolk and Half-Elves live with their human friends in the vineyard village of Valsecchi, named for the Kitsune who founded it, swearing loyalty to Asmodeus, House Thrune, ArchDuke Charthagnion and Count Vocaturo Spartaco. has not taken a wife and has no heirs, though the cosmopolitan members of his village are loyal to him and they are all quite ambitious for their little village and its winery.
@Joynt Jezebel, regarding Yaos,
I took a brief look at the PC, nothing seemed out of sorts though I've got to really look at it. It doesn't look like you spent your money yet.
And if you could, I'd appreciate it if you put how many Ranks you have in each Skill and where your +2 / +2 / -2 is in Ability Score from Race -- as well as where you put your 2 points from Level 4 and Level 8.
Well, I can start with characteristics:-
26 point buy /Racial/+4 lvls 4 and 8/ final total
Str 2 12 12
Dex 5 14 +2 16
Con 5 14 14
Int 2 12 12
Wis 2 12 -2 10
Cha 10 16 +2 +4 22
26
Will update the rest on my profile later.
@ Monkeygod,
Why don't I give everyone the weekend to continue working -- post what you can when you can throughout the week, rough drafts and ideas. There's no harm in sharing, no harm tinkering. And no harm in taking a few days.
I'm mostly interested in your Skills, Ability Scores, Skills and equipment, though odd material I need time to see and understand; the further removed from Core the more I need to understand it. And I'm eagerly looking forward to everyone's final choice for Race and Class -- and some backstory. Oh, and I want to see your Skills, too.
Let's see how many of the six put forth a final PC; I'd be most happy with four or five but there's certainly no harm in all six. (Or three if that's all that comes in.)
As for me, the week has been consumingly busy -- today's Monday right? And I still have a ton of work to do on Ilsurian (in Varisia) for my Saturday game. The bad news is that Arsenal lost today against Southampton in the League Cup; the good news is that my material for our PbP, the intro at least, is complete. I could start Gameplay tomorrow if necessary, though we will wait.
@ Rostam,
The concept is exactly what I'm looking for, a fine companion to our ambitious Summoner.
If you're completely open to from which House you are a fourth-son-of-a-third-son or what have you, I suggest House Arvanxi could be a fine choice. They are a, um, medium noble House that I have taken a personal liking to -- and am going to try to insinuate on the party as potential allies (With the success of the PCs may go the success of House Arvanxi.). I'm looking for them to rise. If you don't like Arvanxi or would prefer to describe something and have me recommend a House based on something specific, feel free to ask and I will come up with some choices.
I don't mind spending time in Discussion prior to Gameplay going over some of the finer details of your backgrounds. You've got eight levels of it, afterall, and this is a game of high intrigue and roleplay. While I want you to be, as it were, on your own out in Rahadoum and Diobel, Sargava and Nidal, Mediogalti and Isger, I want you to have good roots in Cheliax.
I've decided on the Inq 5/Inv 3. I'll be taking the Hersey inquisition along with the Heretic archetype.
Among other things, it should allow me to add my Wis mod twice to Bluff checks.
My character will likely be a member of the Order of the Godclaw, but even if he is not a part of the order, he worships them, hence the Heretic/Hersey. He's partial to their vision of Asmodeus as a clever strategist.
As for concept, he'll be a very social, skill focused character. I figure he'll probably be a minor noble, but more importantly a Hellknight.
He's often sent to a community to work on converting them to Cheliaxian rule, or worship of Asmodeus.
If possible, I was thinking he would have been instrumental in converting Mog or Valsecchi to Cheliaxian rule. Though I realize its entirely likely they swore allegiance long before my character was even born.
Both the Hobgoblins of Mog (named for Viscount Mogranzini Spartaco) and the Kitsune & Catfolk (and Half-Elves & Humans) of Valsecchi (um, named for the Kitsune Valsecchi) are relatively new to Gheradescci County, having sworn fealty to Count Vocaturo Spartaco in the last few years.
I have left much of the past few years in Count Vocaturo's fief blank in order to allow the PCs to add some history. Certainly the PCs can be brand new to the County -- even the Longmarch Archduchy in which it lies. But if you want to be from here, you've got room to maneuver.
Viscount Mogranzini Spartaco and his non-noble Tiefling wife, Carnacella, played a part in getting the Hobgoblin tribe to be a part of his younger brother's fiefdom, but your PC(s) could have, too.
Do humans loose their +2 to any ability score, and instead have the standard ability score array (+2, +2, -2)?
Yes.
Humans use the +2 / +2 / -2.
I hope that's okay.
Ugh, save me from today -- at work I have to find several thousand misplaced dollars from Sep 2016. And accounting ain't exactly my specialty.
If it is accounts that don't balance, methodically check everything that could explain the discrepancy. Well, that is what I can remember from ages ago when I last did that kinda work.
I have a couple of questions re my character.
1 I am considering taking the feat Extend Spell Like Ability. The sole reason for this is to give us access to commune by summoning something that can cast it, the spell and therefore SLA takes 10 min to cast, so I need 11 minutes to get any answers, which means level 11 unless I take this feat.
So am I right about the rules and can I take the feat? And is retraining available? Cos once I get to level 11 its kinda useless.
2 I am taking versatile summons, and one of the templates I selected was aerial.
Question- if I summon an aquatic creature and give it the aerial template can it breathe air? The RAW I think is no, but they won't start to asphyxiate for too long to affect combat. But I think having the aerial subtype kinda means you can survive in air, but its up to you of course.
I want to summon schools of sharks that fly through the air crackling with lightning devouring those that disobey, uh, I mean attack me. Not so much effective as awesome. But using a manta ray for its blindsight has a lot of point too.
Lastly, I am working on backstory and further details of my character. She is an absolute b~+~~ from hell, at least if you get on the wrong side of her.
I was gonna whine about a penalty, but then I realized that it doesn't matter. With the generous point buy, along with the +2 at 4/8, plus being able to hand pick what the +2/+2/-2 goes to, the penalty doesn't really matter.
So, with that said, my human will have +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Str.
I am thinking his family is ancient, tracing it roots back to when Aroden was still alive, and possibly even further back. They claim direct lineage to Azlant, but of course, that's not something that can readily be proven.
Anyway Ray, any noble families that currently exist that you could recommend, or should I make one up?
It has been a long and grueling day so I'm just gonna answer a couple easy ones and get ready for an early night with no thinking whatsoever before bed....
@ Joynt Jezebel,
Regarding Extend SLA,.... brain fried. Too tired. Ask me later.
I think aerial just means one has a Fly speed (or at least Ranks in the Skill) but I dunno right now, no thinking for me tonight. How about take it to the Rules Forum, see what the RAW lawyers say.
She is an absolute bi+ch from hell, at least if you get on the wrong side of her.
.
Just as long as she's a team player with the other PCs.
.
.
.
@ Monkeygod,
I try to give Players a lot of power for their PCs, such as Ability Score points.
I remember one of my Players asking a few years ago if he could put his -2 into one of the +2 stats -- essentially getting only one +2. I said, at first, that I didn't think the math worked out and that my answer would probably be "No." Then I looked at my ARG, then still hot off the press, and saw that the +2/+2/-2 costs less than the straight +2. ....So I decided then that I would use the +2/+2/-2.
When I posted the answer for your Human PC earlier, it occurred to me for the first time that I could make either one the default. Rule that ALL PCs use the +2. Or rule that ALL PCs use the +2/+2/-2 like I've been doing for almost 10 years.
In future games I will consider which one to use, straight +2 or the +2/+2/-2 that we're using now. For our PbP, I'm sticking to Standard. After years of playing and DMing it with the 26 point buy & two points every four levels, I know how it plays in gameplay. There's something to be said for experience through playtesting.
On an off-note, anyone going to PaizoCon this year?
This will be my first EVER Con and I'm looking forward to it. Will I see any of you there? (Dinner on me one night!)
Very possibly, depends on what else is going on, and where/what I'll be doing at that point.
Base stats(before modifiers or level increases):
Str 14
Dex 13
Con 13
Int 14
Wis 14
Cha 14
After modifiers/increases:
Str 12
Dex 15
Con 13
Int 16
Wis 16
Cha 16
@DM Ray- Yaos will be a team player.
I don't stab other PCs in the back unless they are doing that kind of thing first.
And you prohibited it.
And it's dumb in this kind of situation.
And likely against imperial orders.
And we are LE not CE.
So don't sweat. :)
@ Monkeygod
Build suggestion. A quote from DM Ray's character build guidelines-
"2 Ability points gained every four levels, to be used however the Player wants (instead of just one)"
This means you can put a +1 from your level based attribute increase into dex and con. That is bound to be more efficient, as only even no's give you benefits.
See GM ray, play hasn't even started and I am already a team player. :P
Well aware, however this character is much, much more cerebral than physical, so I don't really mind not bumping dex/con. Just not all that important.
The Pactborn
Pactborn are not born, they are made. Forged when humans and demi-humans strike deals with the powers of Hell, the Abyss, or Abaddon, they are the corrupted souls chosen by the greatest evils in the Great Beyond. While they physically resemble members of their former race, these fiends cloaked in mortal flesh often have small tells that indicate their true natures, pupils that flash red in darkness, an otherworldly grace, or a birthmark shaped like an unholy symbol. Within Cheliax, Inferal Pactborn are most often represented among the nobility and social climbers. In the Worldwound Abyssal Pactborn are more heavily represented, those cultists with special promise sometimes managing to acquire the twisted patronage of a demon lord.
A Pactborn can only be made by a mortal willingly selling their soul to a fiendish power and being instilled with the essence of the lower planes. Among the devils it is the Archdevils who have sufficient power to empower mortal flesh, in the Abyss the Demon Lords, and in Abaddon the Four Horsemen hold sway.
Type: Outsider(native) and Humanoid(human) (3 RP)
Size: Medium
Speed: Normal
Ability Score Modifier: Standard, modifiers are dependent on fiendish patron
Language: Pactborn begin play speaking Common. Pactborn with high intelligence scores can choose from the following: Abyssal, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Infernal, and Orc.
Racial Traits:
Defense:
Fiendish Resistance (3 RP)
Benefit: Pactborn gain cold resistance 5, electricity resistance 5, and fire resistance 5.
Senses:
Darkvision: Pactborn can see perfectly in the dark for up to 60 feet.(0 RP)
Other Racial Traits:
Fiendish Patron: Pactborn must select a Fiendish Patron from the list of Archdevils, Demon Lords, or Four Horsemen. Each Fiendish Patron imparts different traits and powers to their followers beyond the above universal ones. (7 RP)
Silver Tongued (3 RP)
Benefit: Pactborn of Dispater gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Bluff checks. In addition, when they use Diplomacy to shift a creature's attitude, they can do so up to three steps up rather than just two.
Skilled (4 RP)
Benefit: Pactborn of Dispater gain an additional skill rank at 1st level and one additional skill rank whenever they gain a level.
13 RP total
For Alternate Favored Class bonuses, racial feats, traits, or archetypes, Pactborn may choose from the options available to Tieflings or Humans.
Well aware, however this character is much, much more cerebral than physical, so I don't really mind not bumping dex/con. Just not all that important.
Oh yes. But why not do it like this:-
Base stats(before modifiers or level increases):
Str 14
Dex 13
Con 13
Int 14
Wis 14
Cha 14
After modifiers/increases:
Str 12 [-2 racial]
Dex 14 [+1 level]
Con 14 [+1 level]
Int 16 [+2 level]
Wis 16 [+2 racial]
Cha 16 [+2 racial]
In effect, you move a +1 from dex, where it does not do anything, to con, where it does.
I don't think you lose anything at all.
Pretty sure Ray wants us to do +2 physical, +2 mental, -2 anything for the standard array as that's what is from the ARG.
ALL Races shall instead conform to the “Standard” Ability Score Modifier Quality as defined in the ARG chapter four: Pick one Physical stat for a +2 / Pick one Mental stat for a +2 / and pick one of the other stats for a -2.
Hence, +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Str for my human.
OK, that is why.
Does your character need a 16 Cha? Consider-
Str 12
Dex 16
Con 14
Int 16
Wis 16
Cha 14
It is your character of course.
Yea, for sure. You'll see why when it's all finished, but having a higher cha vs dex/con is kinda essential to the character.
Ray,
Are we allowed to combine items? Such as +stat headband and circlet of persuasion into one item?
@ Almagafor,
I like the Pactborn though backstory-wise, it's pretty identical to the Devil-Bound Template in the Bestiary 4. This is a non-issue for me.
You scared me when I saw that 7RP Trait, Fiendish Patron. I was going to quickly point out that one can not have any Traits higher than three points and that Standard Traits can only be used. (And when I got home I saw it's not even a Trait in the ARG -- it must be some 3PP thing. ....But looking at it, it's nothing: +2 Bluff & Diplomacy and Skilled (which is suppose to be illegal at four points but I'm just not that hot-and-bothered by Skilled. .)
The Pactborn, whether it's a tentative name or not, seems like a fine Race.
@ Monkeygod,
I think RAW is that, when combining magical items, you take one-and-a-half times the more expensive item and add it to the less expensive item.
And I could be wrong but part of me thinks there's an additional condition that items stay in, um 'category.'
So a Ring of Evasion and a Ring of Freedom of Movement would cost $85K.
And a Belt of STR +2 and an Amulet of Nat AC +1 would cost $8K.
And one couldn't make a Ring of Evasion & Nat AC.
Is that RAW to y'all's understanding or is that what some rules expert told me years ago and I just think it is? (Maybe it's a throw-back from 3.5?....)
What do you guys think?....
Yeah, I was a bit unsure on skilled but figured it was worth trying. The idea of the patron is it's a package deal, each one is worth 7 RP but is some combination of lesser abilities.
I thought it was the less expensive abilities were at x1.5 cost on multiple ability items?
EDIT: Yup, I was right. third entry on the table Estimating Magic Item Gold Piece Values under category "special." Additional abilities are "Multiply lower item cost by 1.5."
Now that race is approved I'll start hammering out crunch and refining backstory. I hope I'll get it posted sometime this weekend but I have another 8 pages to knock out for an essay due Monday and I'm pulling a 12 hour overnight shift tomorrow.
Just curious, what are you studying and at what level?
History BA with a teaching certification and Russian language minor. I already have a BS in Psychology with an English minor but that didn't help my career prospects much.
And your favorite area in history?
(My specialty in history is British feudal history in the high and later middle ages and somewhat in US presidential history.) ((But I'm an English professor so what the hell do I know?!))
I have a few areas that I like: Sengoku Jidai Japan, Three Kingdoms China, early 20th Century political thought, America from 1865-1945, and the late Roman Republic. I wouldn't of thought it would happen when I started but I'm becoming something of an expert on Fascism and Leninism/Stalinism.
Ooh, ooh,
Who was a greater president for the US during his terms in office during those years, Teddy, Wilson or FDR?
Who is your choice for the worst president during those years -- not including Johnson?
And would you agree with my choices,
1 FDR (1st overall)
2 Wilson (3rd overall)
3 Teddy (4th overall)
And my choices,
Grant (worst of your chosen years)
Harrison (2nd worst)
Cleveland (3rd worst)
.
(if you can spare a moment and care.... feel free not to play my little history game)
.
Early 20th Century political thought
.
So, like, speak softly and carry a big stick or speak like Silent Cal: "You lose"? (best two word answer in early 20th century political thought!)
@ Monkeygod,
I think RAW is that, when combining magical items, you take one-and-a-half times the more expensive item and add it to the less expensive item.
And I could be wrong but part of me thinks there's an additional condition that items stay in, um 'category.'
So a Ring of Evasion and a Ring of Freedom of Movement would cost $85K.
And a Belt of STR +2 and an Amulet of Nat AC +1 would cost $8K.
And one couldn't make a Ring of Evasion & Nat AC.Is that RAW to y'all's understanding or is that what some rules expert told me years ago and I just think it is? (Maybe it's a throw-back from 3.5?....)
What do you guys think?....
I just looked up the rules for combining items. Core p559 "Adding New Abilities". If you are upgrading from say a sword +1 to sword +2, the cost is that of a sword +2 less that of a sword +1. Otherwise, the cost is the same as enchanting a non-magical item.
Except if it is an item that takes up a slot [last para of section], then the cost of the ability added is 150% of normal. If you are making the item at one time, you can chose which order you enchant them, so if you have half a brain it will be the least expensive that cost 150%.
On the "category" point, this is contradicted by the last sentence of the 1st para of the section quoted. You may have in mind 3.5 or a house rule.
So that is the RAW. Pathfinder allows you to make any kind of magic item. Imho this can be abused by putting spells in things to make new, custom items and putting silly restrictions on things to make them cost less, which should be disallowed. But that is a GM thing.
What Monkeygod wants to do seems fine to me by RAW and RAI.
History BA with a teaching certification and Russian language minor. I already have a BS in Psychology with an English minor but that didn't help my career prospects much.
I don't doubt you know what you are doing, but that is very surprising.
In Australia history and Russian language are not going to be great for getting a job. I mean you could teach either, but teaching English is about on par I think. Psych- well I don't think it is taught in schools.
PM not really necessary unless the others don't want to see it. I don't mind talking about it, gets my mind of this paper for a little bit and let's me rearrange my thoughts.
Wilson was a racist bigot who is only loved because he bent over backwards for labor (the only way he could get elected) and his idealism in trying to get the League of Nations established. The only reason he was elected is because Teddy split the Republican vote and he only got reelected because he "kept us out of the war," people really should have noted the past tense nature of that campaign slogan. For any indication of the quality of the man, he's Nixon's favorite president.
The best president in the era would probably be FDR, though there is an argument that can (and has) been made that his actions increased the length of the Depression. I'm not sure where I fall on that argument, both sides have some good points. His genius was the coalition building he did for the Democratic Party, something that Al Smith (1928 Democratic candidate) never could because he was unable to get the Southern whites on his side because they wouldn't vote for an Irish Catholic. Note: Reagan's favorite president. there's a whole story there but essentially a well connected historian was writing about FDR and managed to interview all the surviving presidents at the time about the man, (this was the early 80's) Reagan was the only one who spoke glowingly about him. In fact, conservative Reagan did very little about the New Deal, dismantling Johnson's Great Society on the other hand was fair game.
The worst is hard to pick. I'm leaning toward Hoover but he kind of gets a bum wrap due to the 1929 stock market crash. His actions in the immediate aftermath are thought to have been either too much or too little, he did just enough to make it worse. One of his issues is he didn't really know how to play politics, the first election he ran in was the presidential one. He came up as one of these cosmopolitan intellectuals and was plugged into the bureaucracy and because he was Republican pretty much walked into the White House.
"Early 20th Century political thought" is the nice way of saying I study the lead up to World War I and Communism and Fascism. Things like French Revanchism, the interlocking economies that had people thinking no-one would go to war, and "the stab in the back," as well of the influence of Marx and a lot of interrelated stuff. The nature of mass movements is something of a fascination as well, Eric Hoffer has been a strong influence. I've been rounding out by picking up a class on Revolutionary Europe up through the Italian and German Unifications which is where my prior knowledge picks up.
The Russian minor was something I picked up in case I make a play for a job in the State Department, I've got a few connections and am working on getting a few teaching jobs overseas that would get me plugged in. It also helps me read my Lenin without worrying about finding a good translation.
History is my main thing and while it's not as shop-able as a STEM degree it's reasonably competitive.
Psychology was my first degree that I got 6 years ago and did serve me in securing work in the medical field, but after a few years of that I decided it just wasn't for me. Though I did learn that the local school district does offer Psychology courses in high school when I talked with the head of one of the high school's social studies departments. If I end up staying in town they are hiring. The issue with that plan is the girl I'm interested in is moving to another state when she graduates and I think I might be falling for her... There are worse problems to have though.
Wilson was absolutely a bigot. Absolutely a racist. Absolutely wouldn't have won in '12 without TR going after Taft. ....But I think he was a great president. He accomplished more domestically than TR or Taft, hey -- and he did it by working with them instead of, you know, the 'TR method.' I enjoy thinking about what could have happened internationally had he not gotten that stroke. Any opinions on Wilsonianism?....
I really like Hoover. Shame about his presidency.
Ooh, here's one you mentioned that I like to ask, if Al Smith could've actually really worked with McAdoo & Hearst, do you think they could've beaten FDR in the '32 primary?! Do you think that if the Dems threw Smith & Garner at Hoover in the General they could have won?!
I have a couple of questions re my character.
1 I am considering taking the feat Extend Spell Like Ability. The sole reason for this is to give us access to commune by summoning something that can cast it, the spell and therefore SLA takes 10 min to cast, so I need 11 minutes to get any answers, which means level 11 unless I take this feat.
So am I right about the rules and can I take the feat? And is retraining available? Cos once I get to level 11 its kinda useless.
2 I am taking versatile summons, and one of the templates I selected was aerial.
Question- if I summon an aquatic creature and give it the aerial template can it breathe air? The RAW I think is no, but they won't start to asphyxiate for too long to affect combat. But I think having the aerial subtype kinda means you can survive in air, but its up to you of course.
I want to summon schools of sharks that fly through the air crackling with lightning devouring those that disobey, uh, I mean attack me. Not so much effective as awesome. But using a manta ray for its blindsight has a lot of point too.
Hey GM Ray- Just repeated my older post so you don't have to search for it.
I ran these questions past another player in a PbP game who seems to know the rules backwards.
On 1, he said it was a third party monster feat, which I knew but forgot to mention. And he would not allow it.
On 2, he agrees with about the RAW and allowing it is a GM call.
I am not sure how far this gets us.
Thanks for the reminder.
Of course, my only concern is that it'll be used for more than Commune. That being said, I don't know how broken it could potentially be on certain other spells. But it's not as though you've got a zillion Spells Known.
....In my Homegames when Players ask me these things, mechanics of which I'm unsure how they'll affect the game, I almost always say "yes," provisionally. The provision being 'let's see how it plays and, if it looks like it's breaking the game, we'll have to work together to change it back.' ....So I'm going to say "Yes." Please, if it does start to be used on other things and your PC starts looking a step ahead of everyone else's because of it, I hope we'll be able to take another look at it. (Assuming it's used more than for Commune.
I have no problem with retraining.
OK, I 100% understand.
As far as I know, the only spell extend SLA will allow me to cast, indirectly, is commune. The point is it has a 10 min casting time, so a summoned creature has to be around 11 min to cast it.
It will also mean I can have summoned creatures from the SLA last 12 min rather than 8 3 times a day. About 98% of the time this will make no difference at all, they usually last for a whole combat, unless killed, and no more.
I even approve of the proviso if it proves game breaking you will say no retrospectively.
It is not as if I do not have other things to spend feats on.
Alrighty, let's get PCs up by Thursday sometime so I have a day or so to look over them.
I'll open Discussion next Monday morning, giving you a chance to, in character, discuss ideas on how to ambush Francesco Phandros, the Baron-Consort's caravan, so he can't make it into Gheredescci County, or if you're going to strike in the badlands/foothills, before the caravan reaches the new Barony.
We'll start Gameplay a couple days after that and you can get right to it.
Hello DM Ray-
A few things.
First, a question. I looked at your languages house rules and the inner sea guide. I understand us Cheliaxian's speak Cheliaxian and there is no common.
Rahadoum speaks, in the ISG, common and Osiriani. Does that mean just Osiriani?
Isger is listed as just common and Mediogalti as common and Infernal.
What languages are spoken here?
Next, my character has been much updated. Still not final, click on Yaos to get it. On this:-
1 I have re-done my skills, hopefully as you wanted and in line with your house rules.
2 Feats have changed. I have Familiar Bond and Improved Familiar now, summon Evil monster has to go at least till level 9 [pain, something had to]. The familiar is a Air Wysp, chosen mostly for this:-
"Servitor (Ex)
A wysp is a natural servitor. When it uses the aid another action to assist a creature benefiting from its resonance, the wisp can grant that creature a +4 bonus instead of +2. No other effect can increase this bonus beyond +4."
Note its interaction with Versatile Summons. Submitted for GM approval.
3 After all the talk of Quicken SLA I found out there is actually a rule you can't have summoned creatures cast SLAs that would have expensive spell components if cast by a PC. As that was the whole idea, commune, I am going to go without. I am a bit embarrassed, my apologies.
4 Background on sheet.
To finish PC I will need the Wysp, if you don't say no. As said earlier, I want to talk to other PCs before finishing the eidolon.
Equipment is mostly done. Not on the sheet yet, soon.
I am most eager to start. :)
I am thinking his family is ancient, tracing it roots back to when Aroden was still alive, and possibly even further back. They claim direct lineage to Azlant, but of course, that's not something that can readily be proven.
Anyway Ray, any noble families that currently exist that you could recommend, or should I make one up?
Ray,any chance we can come up with something for this?
Hey fellow PCs:-
My character is a minor noble who married into a major noble house. If there is anyone who is from a powerful noble house and the story's are compatible and the player wants to, I could be your sister in law. I like the idea we have some history, rather than meeting in a tavern and deciding its a good idea to subvert the surrounding countries.
Second, I am a master summoner who plans to use my eidolon mostly for skills. This can be used to plug "holes" in what the party has available.
Also, if you have looked at GM Ray's house rules on languages there are a lot we need. Some working together could be indicated here.
1 paper done *fist pumps* couple more to go but this was the one I was worried about.
Yaos: Works for me, still finishing details but I'll have at least one brother who has the actual duchy title, I'm going to go for a lesser, non-hereditary title in the same domain to act as his agent trying to stir up trouble and push our fiendish agenda. If you would rather not be married to the duke, a third brother would be easily doable or one of the twin brothers' children (I plan on having two bastards and my brother having several legitimate children as well as some acknowledged bastards). It going to be a big, screwed up, diabolist family.
Note: I plan on my character and his brother being rather old, they're aging slowly due to their pacts with Hell and have been around since the civil war.
Wilson was absolutely a bigot. Absolutely a racist. Absolutely wouldn't have won in '12 without TR going after Taft. ....But I think he was a great president. He accomplished more domestically than TR or Taft, hey -- and he did it by working with them instead of, you know, the 'TR method.' I enjoy thinking about what could have happened internationally had he not gotten that stroke. Any opinions on Wilsonianism?....
I really like Hoover. Shame about his presidency.
Ooh, here's one you mentioned that I like to ask, if Al Smith could've actually really worked with McAdoo & Hearst, do you think they could've beaten FDR in the '32 primary?! Do you think that if the Dems threw Smith & Garner at Hoover in the General they could have won?!
On Wilsonianism: Not a huge fan personally. While I'm not an isolationist, I believe that the interventionism espoused by Wilson and taken up by later American Progressives is inherently deleterious to both the spread of freedom and our own national interests. I very much am one for ideological/economic warfare in which the free market of ideas determines the winner, I think it's more than anything what worked on the USSR and that if we stuck to it we would still be the good guys rather than the world's bully. The spread of democracy is good, just not the way they want to do it.
Smith: He might have been able to take FDR but he had spent a lot of political capital four years prior where FDR had spent the time gaining strength. FDR "recovering" from polio, his gubernatorial strength and especially the staff he gathered, and then the Roosevelt name counted for a lot. Smith's problem would have been the South, Cactus Jack might have gotten him Texas but the remaining states would have been a fight and the Catholic Hunkeys in the industrial heartland might have been a task too much even with the labor priests pushing for the Dems. Smith might have been the one man the Dems could run in '32 that would lose to Hoover.