All's Well that Ends in a Well

Game Master Choon

I'm thinking about cleric/sorcerer. Those who have build gestalt characters before is this a good idea? Would the cleric or the sorcerer be the main?

Bows can be very effective. You won't typically have to worry about range penalties, but as long as your party works together to keep the baddies away from the squishies you should be fine. Cover will be prevalent so having some way to mitigate that will be important.

I don't even know how to start to make this work in Hero Lab. I think I'm going to have to build it by hand. Which opens me up for getting things really wrong.

I will probably be taking more time than usual in deciding the party and auditing the finalists. Having a few errors, even large ones, in your block will not be a barrier for entry. As long as I know what your capabilities are in general you should be good. If I notice errors I'll let you know and we can iron them out before gameplay starts.

You mentioned that psionics were allowed. Well, there happens to be a psionic option for the Cleric- the psionics domain. Since psionics aren't a thing in default Golarion, no deity has the domain. Would you be willing to let me swap out a domain one deity grants for the psionics domain, with in reason of course.

I haven't decided the character I want to play yet, but I want to know if the option is open. If potentially allowed, I would likely be swapping it out for the knowledge domain on a deity who grants that domain.

Doot doot dot.

I'm thinking about cleric/sorcerer. Those who have build gestalt characters before is this a good idea? Would the cleric or the sorcerer be the main?

Depends on what you are going for

Note: both of those classes work off different stats, you might want to go oracle instead

Also important to note is that sorcerers can't cast in armor whereas Clerics/oracles can

A blaster caster would make great use of flame/winter mysteries and the orc bloodline. Be sure to check our bloodline mutations if you go this route

Life oracle would provide some basic healing

Bones would be nice for a necromancer

Also on the sorcerer side, consider tattooed sorcerer for a much needed CL boost on your specialty

Regarding the archery thing, I was more interested in shooting arrows at things that I couldn't just walk up to and hit with my long shafted weapon, but it sounds like that'd be uncommon.

Should/can we prepare backup characters?

Should/can we prepare backup characters?

You can, yes, but keep it to one submission per player for the actual recruitment, please.

You mentioned that psionics were allowed. Well, there happens to be a psionic option for the Cleric- the psionics domain. Since psionics aren't a thing in default Golarion, no deity has the domain. Would you be willing to let me swap out a domain one deity grants for the psionics domain, with in reason of course.

I haven't decided the character I want to play yet, but I want to know if the option is open. If potentially allowed, I would likely be swapping it out for the knowledge domain on a deity who grants that domain.

I would allow that. You may also swap out one of Irori's, if you wish.

CariMac wrote:

I'm thinking about cleric/sorcerer. Those who have build gestalt characters before is this a good idea? Would the cleric or the sorcerer be the main?

Depends on what you are going for

Note: both of those classes work off different stats, you might want to go oracle instead

Also important to note is that sorcerers can't cast in armor whereas Clerics/oracles can

A blaster caster would make great use of flame/winter mysteries and the orc bloodline. Be sure to check our bloodline mutations if you go this route

Life oracle would provide some basic healing

Bones would be nice for a necromancer

Also on the sorcerer side, consider tattooed sorcerer for a much needed CL boost on your specialty

Thank you for the excellent suggestions. Sorcerer/oracle sounds interesting. I wonder if the Paladins would have a problem with a necromancer in the group. Could be interesting. "Sir Palidan please look behind us for enemies. I have NO idea why there are shambling undead heading toward our enemies. I'm sure they are all just having an argument before I got here."

Hmm... Would you consider a Halo Warrior psychic warrior? It's from Psionics augmented: Psychic Warriors, and while it has Animus, a Path of War mechanic, it doesn't use it for anything remotely PoW-involved. I'll likely make one more blasty than martial, honestly, with the ability to hold his own when the going gets tough.

Unfortunately, I would like to keep things within the set limits. Opened cans are hard to close, and I'd like to avoid deviating into additional material.

That goes for the proposed 3pp classes mentioned earlier. Sorry.

No problem. I wasn't sure how much of Dreamscarred Press' psionics was actually allowed. Should I ignore the entirety of the Augmented line, then?

I don't own that line and I haven't read them yet, so ya. Consider those off limits.

Ah well. That's a shame, but I'll live. Perhaps a Blaster/control manifester of some other sort... A psion or wilder, most likely. I don't like Martial Kineticist very much, even though it vaguely fits the same niche I was going for with halo warrior.

Edit: I highly recommend them, specifically the Psychic Warrior, Psicrystal, and Soulknife releases. They're incredibly cool, in my opinion.

Hey GM, do you care if I reflavor parade armor as a gambeson? I want to use the stats for studded leather, but I think I'd rather remove my left pinky toe than actually say I'm using studded leather. I guess I could just use regular parade armor, but I've been thinking a bit about my character's story and I'm not sure I like that so much. It's for an animal companion.

If you've got any questions about actual historical armor, I'd be happy to answer them.

And another question.

I'm planning on taking a Small Cat as an animal companion, which has the trip ability on its bite attack. If I take weapon finesse, do I get the bonus for the trip attack as well?

Weapon Finesse: If I have this feat, can I apply my Dex bonus to my combat maneuver checks instead of my Strength bonus?

It depends on what combat maneuver you're attempting. Disarm, sunder, and trip are normally the only kinds of combat maneuvers in which you’re actually using a weapon to perform the maneuver, and therefore the weapon’s bonuses apply to the roll. Therefore, if you're attempting a disarm, sunder, or trip maneuver, you can apply your Dex bonus instead of your Str mod on the combat maneuver check (assuming you're using a finessable weapon, of course). For other combat maneuvers, you use the normal rule for determining CMB (Str instead of Dex).

The Agile Maneuvers feat applies to all combat maneuvers, not just disarm, sunder, and trip, so it is still a useful option for a Dex-based creature that uses combat maneuvers.

The only real question is if the trip attack is actually using the bite or not. It seems obvious to me, but technically what is happening is that the cat gets a free trip attack when it lands a bite, and the weapon it uses for that trip attack isn't explicitly specified.

Whoh, 2 and a half pages in less than two days ... looks like your house is on fire Choon!

Considering the 1,5 Gestalt thing, there are two character ideas I have lying around waiting for a nice game (I sadly never got to play ether one).
I will just present them here, maybe you have a favorite? Or the one (requiring some GM Fiat and ruling because poorly written paizo-Archetype) is off-limits.

There is Simon Blue-Eye. He is a Catfolk Hunter ... trodding along him is Emily (a black panther) as his animal companion (also he may or may not have a pet-cat for added cat-overflow reasons). I will add a (unchained?) rogue in for sneak attacks - which work incredible well with the flanking abilities of the hunter&animal teamworking.

Then there is this ancient-old, dwarven oddball called 'Old Snowbeard' - this is because he has a ground-long braided white beard, and forgot his real name due to prolonged eremite existence. The concept for him is BEARD-FIGHTER-WRANGLER using the White-Haired Witch Archetype - also delivering Frost Magic Touch attacks for additional unpleasantness of a grappled enemy. Now the problem is the mechanix for this concept, since the White-Haired Witch Archetype - is probably one of the worst Archetypes ever published by Paizo. I have written a prelude for the concept to discuss with potential GM's. If you consider this concept as awesome (as I do xD) maybe read the prelude and tell me what you think about it and how you want to rule it.
In this game I would go plain Hexcrafter-Magus (main) and White-Haired-Witch (second).

So long - awesome recruitment, can't wait to hear from you Choon!

All right, one last question before I go to bed, this one is actually for anyone who's inclined to answer it.

Is there a battle in Recent Golarion history where the good guys lost? Where there was a side that was clearly in the right, another side that was evil as anything, and after several days of duking it out the goodies got absolutely slaughtered?

I was going to go for an oracle of life 4/Paladin 2 but I have a similar character in a recruitment right now. So I'm going to wait until that recruitment ends before deciding.

If he gets accepted I will come up with something different.

GM Choon: What would happen if you had two classes with sneak attack, like Rogue/Slayer ?

All right, one last question before I go to bed, this one is actually for anyone who's inclined to answer it.

Is there a battle in Recent Golarion history where the good guys lost? Where there was a side that was clearly in the right, another side that was evil as anything, and after several days of duking it out the goodies got absolutely slaughtered?

@ Gaurwaith:

How recent?

The rise of House Thrune in Cheliax springs to mind.

Also the Worldwound has overwhelmed a number of human settlements.

The fall of some Ulfen lands to Irrisen.

There aren't too many countries that are actively evil on a national level.

now that I have the time:

4d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 6, 2) = 16
4d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 5, 1) = 17
4d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 4, 2) = 10
4d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 5, 2) = 11

almost

4d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 2, 2) = 13
4d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 3, 4) = 12
4d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 1, 5) = 16
4d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 6, 2) = 18

Hell yeah! 11, 11, 15, 16.

I'm thinking either a Sorcebuckler or an Investigizard. Let me wriggle those out and see. Alternatively, if I look back through and see an overabundance of castys, I may make a double martial class like a punchbuckler or a rangurai, Maybe a Slonker or a slayslinger.

Stars and Stones the word salading is as fun as the concept.

I highly recommend them, specifically the Psychic Warrior, Psicrystal, and Soulknife releases. They're incredibly cool, in my opinion.

I will, thanks!

What would happen if you had two classes with sneak attack, like Rogue/Slayer ?

They advance at the faster of the two rates. They don't stack across the gestalt, unfortunately.

Whoh, 2 and a half pages in less than two days ... looks like your house is on fire Choon!

You're telling me. 2.5 pages and only 2 characters submitted, and only one of those finished! I'm in trouble, I think...

Build stuff...

I have already denied a faq request from one submission so it would be unfair to undo the White-Haired witch, no matter how horribly it's written (and I agree that it's awful). Sorry. I'm trying to keep things as fair as possible.

Understandable.
Then I'll just spill a-lot-of-cat's all over this recruitment and refurbish Simon for the setting (he was originally created for a Hell's rebels game)
;-)

4d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 5, 3) = 13
4d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 1, 1) = 9
4d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 4, 1) = 9
4d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 3, 3) = 15

Haha, nope. Try this again ^^

4d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 5, 5) = 16 = 14
4d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 6, 5) = 16 = 15
4d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 6, 2) = 13 = 11
4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 6, 1) = 15 = 14

Heck, now we're talking!
That's ... do-able xD

Must look at the build again (long time since I created him), but with those rolls, rules and Choon-GM ... how could I defy such a calling! :-)

@Nametinkering: Simon will then be a Roger? (Rogue-Hunter)
Or simple Hugue? (lol)
Mostl likely he will have lots of Hunger !!! xD

I'm working on a Marksman/Slayer or Marksman/Rogue. I want to follow up with the question on sneak attack. Lets say I go Marksman 8/Slayer 3/Rogue 1. Would my sneak attack be 1d6 or 2d6 at that point?

I'm also considering a Marksman/Eldritch Archer which would make the entire question moot, but that is a little MAD needing Dex, Int, Wis, and some Str. I should have a build up (minus purchases) soon

I'm going to have to say no to the Gillman. I'd prefer to stay within the constraints I set up above. Sorry.

Edit: I recognize that it's not a strong race, but I've had a hard time closing that can of worms in the past.

Wait! I could do an Undine! That would give me the aquatic stuff.

Okay....

So now I am thinking Undine Warpriest 4/Rogue 2. With some archetypes.

HD are d8 for both classes, sadly.

OK, this is coming together now.

I'm working on a Marksman/Slayer or Marksman/Rogue. I want to follow up with the question on sneak attack. Lets say I go Marksman 8/Slayer 3/Rogue 1. Would my sneak attack be 1d6 or 2d6 at that point?

Depends on how you gestalt. I can see it in your levels that the slayer and rogue are on the same side so you would have 2d6. However, if you were to have a Marksman 7/Roge 1// Slayer 4 you would only get 1d6 as the sneak attack was split across the sides of the gestalt.

I am working on a Standard Drow and I was going threw their racial traits and came across something I had to question.

Spell Resistance: Drow possess spell resistance (SR) equal to 6 plus their total number of class levels.

Would this be 6 plus 4 levels or 6 plus 4 primary levels plus 2 gestalt levels?

I'm submitting a Human Hydrokineticist 4/Unchained Monk 2. The crunch is done, I just need to come up with a name and give him a backstory.

Kind of tempted to just call him "Steve" or something like that.

I am working on a Standard Drow and I was going threw their racial traits and came across something I had to question.

Defensive Racial Traits wrote:

Spell Resistance: Drow possess spell resistance (SR) equal to 6 plus their total number of class levels.

Would this be 6 plus 4 levels or 6 plus 4 primary levels plus 2 gestalt levels?

6+4 primary levels.

That's what I thought, but it never hurts to try.

I'm working up a Oracle/Sorcerer. Should have the backstory and most of the crunch done by the end of the weekend.

That's what I thought, but it never hurts to try.

No Shame, man. No shame.

Before I forget again. I have a PDF of the Rapan Athuk players guide. Would anyone be interested in a read only link to it? GM Choon is that ok to link it?

Ya, I don't mind having a player's guide available to guide youall in your builds. Thanks!

Before I forget again. I have a PDF of the Rapan Athuk players guide. Would anyone be interested in a read only link to it? GM Choon is that ok to link it?

Yeah, that would be appreciated. I didn't know such a thing existed.

Here's the submission for markofbane. Tihn is a ratfolk wizard (diviner, foresight) 4 // Investigator (empiricist) 2. His crunch and background are in his profile, and I've copied his background below here too. Thanks for considering me!

Rappan Athuk Player's Guide Here you go. The link should work.

Poo. Dropbox
Can't use that on my phone
Gonna have to wait a couple hours for me to access

Thanks for that CariMac. That's certainly an interesting take on a player's guide. I like it. Youall would do well to listen to those who have gone before. :)

Thanks, CariMac!

How recent?

About 250 years. Maybe a little more, but that's the maximum range. More recent is better.

GM Choon any answer to my question about a reflavored parade armor for animal companions, or for weapon finesse and its applicability to the trip off a bite attack?

And thank you, CariMac.

I don't mind re-flavoring. Just be sure to note what item you are derriving the stats from.

I have always understand special attacks like trip or grab to employ the same weapon they trigger from. In your case, the cat would use any modifiers applied to its bite.

Sweet, thanks.

Alright, I think I'm going to build a Psion 4// mesmerist 2. Not sure If I want to make her an Elan or a Human (both work for the theme I'm going for).

I do have a couple of questions though.

1. Is multiclassing on either gestalt side allowed?

2. What are your thoughts on magic/psionic transparency?

1. You may have up to two classes on either side of the Gestalt. PrC requirements can come from either side of the Gestalt.

2. Magic and Psionics will be completely transparent. Saves me work.

Rappan Athuk Player's Guide Here you go. The link should work.

That's certianly fascinating. I'll go about reading it tonight.

Here is Ma'an, Undine hydrokineticist 4/unchained monk 2. I was writing the backstory and realized that it worked better if Ma'an was an Undine with the Mostly Human alternate racial trait, not an actual human.

Then I read the Player's Guide and rethought half my equipment selections.

Anyway, here he is, ready to brave the depths of Rappan Athuk and catalogue the great history of such a place.

If they don’t figure it out, that’s what dice and blank character sheets are for.