Not really a big deal to me (as a player) either way. But, rounding up their horses, weapons, and loose valuables when we're supposed to be making a quick-strike rescue of Arael, just feels a little meta-gamey to me. As if we're all desperate for as much cash as we can convert from everything our PCs loot so we can advance them with additional purchases of magical gear, etc.
I'm not saying that's anyone's motivation here. It just comes off feeling very incongruous from the story to try and ride off with everything. To me, there's nothing very heroic or noble about that. It comes off way too mercenary and self-serving...which is really an odd thing for me to be bringing up, considering I'm playing a CG cleric devoted to rebellious uprisings. ;-)
::shrug::
But that's just my two-cents,
--Neil
Well Marius might agree with you...but Waif I think is the sort of girl who will try and make money out off almost anything to do with the establishment.
Maybe Akorian should take the broad hints she has been dropping and try and convert her properly
First law of salvage: If it isn't nailed down, it's salvage.
Second law of salvage: if you can prise it loose, it isn't nailed down.
Waifrin's Third Law: If it belonged to a Hellknight, it's yours by right if you can take it off them.
Yes, Waifrin is a former thief. And a few other things as well.
I would just like to add, I'm loving the talk between Akorian and Waifrin!
Ditto on the Akorian-Waifrin discourse.
Guys, I won't be posting much until after Christmas. Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you enjoy the holidays.
Same to you tim..I douby many off us will be really activebut I'll try and keep the threads ticking over
Hey Set some bad news for Zarabeta...Summon Monster one no longer brings forth a riding dog.
Ugh... while we tried our best to make sure the Summon Monster lists were accurate, there is obviously some errors.
Errata is:
Change Giant Lizard to Monitor Lizard. (The lists don't support summoning a giant frilled lizard, but you could probably add them to summon monster V or summon nature's ally V.)
Change Riding Dog to Dog.
Change Ant, drone to Ant, worker.
Change Ant, soldier to Ant, giant.
The majority of these errors, I suspect, came from miscommunication between what was and wasn't changing with these animals in the switchover between the 3.5 Monster Manual and the Pathfinder Bestiary.
So say goodbye to Fang the Mastiff and say hello to Tiddles the Terrier
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Yeah, I was just reading that. I've got several characters that this will impact, as I've always been a big fan of the big dog in Summon Nature's Ally I or Summon Monster I (indeed, I rarely see any reason to summon anything else).
Zarabeta is a special case. I rarely play non-Cleric/Druids, and her personality interests me a lot more than her class. She's also terribly suited for this adventure, I'm finding, both in abilities *and* personality.
Or maybe it's just *my* personality rubbing the wrong way. It's probably the most reasonable interpretation (Occam's Razor, and all that) that if Zarabeta is warranting lectures and sideways warnings to others about how she's untrustworthy and 'should be watched' everytime she opens her mouth from both NPC and 'party leader' alike, that I'm the one messing things up.
...
Zarabeta is a special case. I rarely play non-Cleric/Druids, and her personality interests me a lot more than her class. She's also terribly suited for this adventure, I'm finding, both in abilities *and* personality.
Or maybe it's just *my* personality rubbing the wrong way. It's probably the most reasonable interpretation (Occam's Razor, and all that) that if Zarabeta is warranting lectures and sideways warnings to others about how she's untrustworthy and 'should be watched' everytime she opens her mouth from both NPC and 'party leader' alike, that I'm the one messing things up.
Ability-wise Zara is fine. I've accidentally nerfed her a couple times and she hasn't been a real showboat but she has made solid contributions. The dog helped chase off the shadow beast in the sewers, did good service in the rescue (helped bring down 1 armiger with Mother and damaged the rider enough that he had to go heal up before returning in that last charge) , and the color spray was awesome. Using Uqabi to watch for Hellknights from Rivad was a smart move. If any had come from that direction it would have saved the party's bacon.
Another reason she might not be shining super brightly in combat is you've got some stiff competition. The fighters have been very effective and Waif has done very well with her flash-bang attacks.
Personality -- getting that settled with the party in early levels is, for me, one of the best parts of the game. Lectures and warnings -- you guys as a group established a gestalt paranoia. If any of my major NPCs has singled her out as untrustworthy, I apologize. (Janiven and Arael's opinions are ultimately the only ones that matter.) (Can you remind me of which NPCs and how please?)
In my view she hasn't opened her mouth enough. You pulled her out of the discussion with Giobanni. Maybe that was just good RP of her sense of isolation. Maybe she should have mixed it up verbally. You've got a good chance for team-building with Marius right now.
If you are entirely unhappy with her, we can write her out and you may try another PC.
I have to add, I really like Zara as a character and I think in the long term her contributions will be considerable.waifrion has kind of eclipsed her as 'primary caster' because, as said, her flash-bang has been both lucky and impressive. In the long term it is Zara who will be the magic support to the group - Waifrin's powers will be limited in scope, always. She only looks impressive because her one power appears to do the work of four. I stress the 'appears' as Waifrin can't do much at range, and will likely be in the long term a blaster with a few tricks. Now blowing things up is fun, but it's Zara that will really even the odds later.
Alspo, Waifrin for one isn't suspicious of Zara. In fact, she quite likes her, as she is a friend, different and has different perspectives.
OK, gang. Let's roll to 2nd level. It's a good time in general, since most of the little groups you've broken into reach the city without incident. Akorian and Waif level up, but don't refresh your spell lists or powers. You two run into an encounter that might go south on the way back.
I'll write up your returns home and post them tomorrow or the 31st.
Dabbler, I received the email rationalizing Waif's psionics. Very nice.
Hooray! Do we roll hit points, or do you have a deterministic way of generating them?
(Note: I have an intense irrational dislike of rolling for hit points.)
Okies, I will level but assume that I don't gain any new powers or power points until I have rested. The new power I was interested in is:
Demoralize
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Psion/wilder 1
Display: Mental and olfactory
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Area: 30-ft.-radius spread centered on you
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Power Resistance: Yes
Power Points: 1
You fill your enemies with self-doubt. Any enemy in the area that fails its save becomes shaken for the duration of the power. Allies and creatures without an Intelligence score are unaffected.
Augment: For every 2 additional power points you spend, this power’s range and the radius of its area both increase by 5 feet, and the power’s save DC increases by 1.
Akorian is now fully leveled up.
His hit points for 2nd level...
+1 for Con
+1 for favored class
Marius levelled..Dodge as bonus feat..
HP for level 2 ..That's a nice bonus
Sorry, hogarth, I am a roll HP kind of guy. But, as I remember that awful feeling when you roll a natural 1, those may be re-rolled this time.
Wellard, better than Heather's typical, eh?
Set, I take it then you are pressing on with Zara? The party has got plenty of perceivers. Why is it a "must have"? (Although I admit I quite like it.)
Also, as a friendly hint to all: I can't remember ride as being useful for the next three AP segments. Maybe they bring it back in episode 5 or 6, I don't know. I haven't read them yet. Further warning, my memory is a wondrous and unreliable thing. Set, if you want to switch ride for something else, you may.
Luck be a lady this morning...
Nice!
Here is the hit point roll.
+1 for Con
I will make the necessary changes as soon as possible. Raven will be gaining evasion and a rogue talent, Finesse Rogue to be precise. Also, the favored class bonus will once again be a skill point.
Done. :-)
Mother is now updated to a fighter 1/ranger 1 with Favored Enemy (human).
Nice! That suits her background and fills in the party's only real blind-spot, our lack of a wilderness specialist - not that we are likely to be in the wilderness much, but it may come in handy.
I assume the favored enemy bonus against humans is intended as yet more nitrous oxide for Mother's über-grappling skills against the denizens of Westcrown and their Hellknight armigers? :-)
I wonder if it's possible for Rangers to have a variant combat style: Unarmed? They could pick feats from Improved Grapple/Trip/Disarm, Imroved Unarmed Strike, Superior Unarmed Strike*, Stunning Fist & Deflect Arrows.
Your unarmed strikes have become increasingly deadly, enabling you to strike your foes in their most vulnerable areas.
Prerequisite: Improved Unarmed Strike, Base Attack Bonus +3.
Benefit: You deal more damage with your strikes, as shown bellow:
3rd level = 1d4
4th-7th level = 1d6
8th-11th level = 1d8
12th - 15th level = 1d10
16th - 20th level = 2d6
Special: A monk with this feat instead does damage as a monk 4 levels higher.
I assume the favored enemy bonus against humans is intended as yet more nitrous oxide for Mother's über-grappling skills against the denizens of Westcrown and their Hellknight armigers? :-)
Or maybe it just reflects the fact that we've fought 90% humans so far. :-)
I wonder if it's possible for Rangers to have a variant combat style: Unarmed?
Mother won't be investing many more feats in unarmed combat (just Greater Grapple); she'll start investing in ranged combat feats like Deadly Aim and Rapid Shot. Grappling is useless in some circumstances, so she needs something else to do in those cases.
That makes a lot of sense ... and it will stop Thom tearing his hair out I imagine <grin>. I have noticed that Mother's grappling is likely very effective against one opponent, but less so against multiple ones. The ranged option will fill the party out more as well ... it lands us with:
1 all-round Cleric (Akorian)
1 summoning-specialist caster (Zarabeta)
1 blaster caster (Waifrin)
1 all-round rogue (Raven)
1 tank fighter (Marius)
1 grappling/ranged fighter (Mother Vangelis)
I take Mother will be going for urban as her favoured terrain as well.
Marius can tank respectably though the next part of this adventure anyway.I gave him dodge as a feat to up his AC and touch AC as well which is always a good thing.
3rd level feat will be iron will and then its into the stuff that will make him a blurring buzzsaw of death.
I take Mother will be going for urban as her favoured terrain as well.
Possibly, but who knows? I'm not a fortune teller who can see two levels into the future. Maybe we'll be underwater for the next five adventures!
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Rolling hit points. +2 for Con, +1 for Favored Class.
Holy moly! Nice roll.
Set, I take it then you are pressing on with Zara?
The only thing that fits to change her to would be a Summoner, and it would be a pretty major change to stuff she's already used in-game (losing Color Spray and Prestidigitation, which she's used quite a bit, for instance, although she's probably going to stop prepping Color Spray in favor of the more situationally useful Grease and / or Hypnotism anyway. My nerdlove of Color Spray appears to have subsided.).
I'm generally not a fan of changing character stuff that's already been used significantly (or giving up so fast on a concept!), but if you don't have a problem with the Summoner, I wouldn't mind giving it a try.
The party has got plenty of perceivers. Why is it a "must have"? (Although I admit I quite like it.)
Oh, the 'must have' was just a fond memory of the minor protest that Perception was 'too good' covering Listen, Spot and Search.
Being an M&M player, I'm already used to Listen + Spot and Hide in Shadows + Move Silently being consolidated into Notice and Sneak skills. Skill consolidation was probably the least controversial Pathfinder change, for me. :)
Yeh I'm a big fan of skill consolidation too...
Me too. It makes your skill points go further and prevents the incongruity of being brilliant at one thing and useless at a very closely related skill. Forgive me, I thought Zara was a summoner specialist from her general background. Nonetheless, it wouldn't hurt her to specialise if she wants to, as we have enough spell-power to cover the bases she may be barred from using.
Good grief... Raven has less hit points than even the mage! Damn you dastardly dice! Damn... you... to... HEEELL!!! :-P
Don't feel so bad, he'd only have one less than Waifrin if she hadn't taken the Psionic Body feat!
Set, I take it then you are pressing on with Zara?
...
The only thing that fits to change her to would be a Summoner, and it would be a pretty major change to stuff she's already used in-game (losing Color Spray and Prestidigitation, which she's used quite a bit, for instance, although she's probably going to stop prepping Color Spray in favor of the more situationally useful Grease and / or Hypnotism anyway. My nerdlove of Color Spray appears to have subsided.).I'm generally not a fan of changing character stuff that's already been used significantly (or giving up so fast on a concept!), but if you don't have a problem with the Summoner, I wouldn't mind giving it a try.
I was thinking in terms of scrapping her and starting a new PC. I too don't like huge revisions to previously established PCs, especially previously used character features.
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Being an M&M player, I'm already used to Listen + Spot and Hide in Shadows + Move Silently being consolidated into Notice and Sneak skills. Skill consolidation was probably the least controversial Pathfinder change, for me. :)
I like the skill consolidation too. It helped make up for the net reduction in skill points at first level. I used to love scattering skills around in all kinds of useless places to bolster my idea of a PC's background.
I like the skill consolidation too. It helped make up for the net reduction in skill points at first level. I used to love scattering skills around in all kinds of useless places to bolster my idea of a PC's background.
Me too - and I was frustrated at first when I saw I couldn't do that in Pathfinder. Then I realised that by level two I could 'backfill' skills I hadn't used and do it much more effectively, now I wouldn't change it for anything ...
I have a bad feeling about where this adventure may go ...
just as long as we shoot first...
sorry guys couldnt resist that one
By the way all those who think Akorian is an arrogant supercilious prig raise your hands..
raises hand
I'm interested in taking part in my first PbP and over Christmas I have slowly been working my way through your adventure and I just wanted to say how brilliant it's been. Currently I'm at mid-December and its been great fun to follow the exploits of Mother, Marius, Waifin, Zara and Raven. Of course a special thanks goes to TheRealThom for taking the time to run this.
It's credit to you all that even a complete outsider can just read and enjoy it. Well done.
All those that think Akorian is never going to hear the end of commoners and poorly educated people not being able to make decisions, also raise you hands!
<raises hand>
Edit: Thanks Gr4ys, you are very welcome, I'm glad you've enjoyed our writing.
By the way all those who think Akorian is an arrogant supercilious prig raise your hands..
raises hand
Mother just catches 40 winks whenever Akorian starts blathering on about politics. A mature lady needs her beauty sleep, you know.
lol..well done mother...
Gr4ys...glad to see someone is reading this other than us..and hopefully we can continue to keep you entertained
By the way all those who think Akorian is an arrogant supercilious prig raise your hands..
raises hand
Oh, I am SO going to whip up a rebellion that would make Milani proud in retaliation for that comment!
;-)
I see my characterization for Akorian is coming off just about how I'd planned. He's Good-aligned...but also Chaotic. So, the thought of a democracy rather than the accepted rule of those with noble birth? Perish the thought! ;-)
I'm interested in taking part in my first PbP and over Christmas I have slowly been working my way through your adventure and I just wanted to say how brilliant it's been. Currently I'm at mid-December and its been great fun to follow the exploits of Mother, Marius, Waifin, Zara and Raven....
*Ahem*!!!
I believe you left out the most important character in this poignant tale! ;-P
No, I was included.
LOL, but isn't Chaotic requesting freedom for all? And if you have no say in your destiny, you are not free (see Waifrin's spoilered comment in her last post ...). Waifrin associates lack of authority with lack of freedom, so the society Akorian wants is Lawful Good, not Chaotic Good.
Currently I'm at mid-December and its been great fun to follow the exploits of Mother, Marius, Waifin, Zara and Raven....*Ahem*!!!
I believe you left out the most important character in this poignant tale! ;-P
No, he's talking about the exploits that are fun to follow, not the exploits that are a chore to follow.
:-P
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LOL, but isn't Chaotic requesting freedom for all? And if you have no say in your destiny, you are not free (see Waifrin's spoilered comment in her last post ...). Waifrin associates lack of authority with lack of freedom, so the society Akorian wants is Lawful Good, not Chaotic Good.
Not just lawful, but uber-lawful, even draconian, it seems, from how much Sir Henderthane both kowtows to Janiven's authority, and browbeats others to submit to same.
He'd make a fine Asmodean. And, given the quality of Neil's writing, that's probably no accident at all, having the 'freedom fighter' be constantly struggling against becoming a tin-plated tyrant in the making (shades of Lenin or Castro, 'saving' their people from unjust and dictatorial rulers in popular revolutions, only to institute equally dubious regimes). While I hadn't fleshed it out as cleverly, Zarabeta thinks of herself as a coldly practical mercenary sort, and yet has gotten herself caught up in an enterprise meant to benefit a city she *hates* at no benefit to herself (other than the everpresent risk of a painful torturous death...).
It's always fun to have one's PC be a bit of an unreliable narrator, and see themselves differently in the mirror than how others see them. It allows for a sort of 'hero's journey' of self-discovery for the character, in miniature, as they reconcile who they should be with who they really are, and face the difficult choice of A) living on in denial, saying one thing while doing another, B) improving to actually 'walk the talk' and becoming as good as they always thought they were or C) falling into despair and disillusionment and becoming a gritty anti-hero.
I haven't decided which path Zarabeta is going to take yet, when she's self-aware enough to recognize that her selfless actions in no way fit what she believes to be her selfish 'principles.' It's probably best not to plan it out, and have her continue to react to the situation. Right now, her exploration of selflessness has led to some fairly discouraging / unwelcoming rebukes, so she might reactively become even more hard-edged, the sort of person she liked to think she was, earlier. How long she'll get stuck on that false path, before realizing that she's allowing the opinions of others to choose the disposition of her very soul (and gets royally pissed at herself for doing so, since she's determined to not be anyone's victim), remains to be seen.
If the character wasn't so interesting, I'd probably have ditched her by now. The last time I really enjoyed playing a wizard, they were called 'magic-users.' :)
...but isn't Chaotic requesting freedom for all? And if you have no say in your destiny, you are not free (see Waifrin's spoilered comment in her last post ...). Waifrin associates lack of authority with lack of freedom, so the society Akorian wants is Lawful Good, not Chaotic Good.
Really long, thoughtful stuff about Akorian's principles:
Here's my take on that situation, because it's really hard to play Akorian differently from my own natural inclinations (i.e., I'm very pro-democracy as a person). But, then, I've never lived life as an established aristocrat. But I imagine it's got to be a fun place to be. So, I doubt Akorian's going to naturally want to set that aside.
So what's he really got going on his mind? All that stems from his faith in Milani the Everbloom. And I'm trying my hardest to interpret that faith as best I can from the small snippet we get in the PCCS. Basically, as I read it, Milani's faith doesn't so much revolve around well-defined strategies for what government should be. All they really know is that people should be "good"...hence, the Good element of Milani's CG alignment.
At the same time, though, they're change advocates. When they sense an existing government has gone too far in legislating every little thing...or that it's tipping the scales towards evil...that's when they agitate for open rebellion, rising up to throw themselves at taking down the establishment. What comes after that is better left to other people, hopefully those attracted to the cause of doing the good and noble thing in throwing down a tyrant. The PCCS goes on to say that after a successful coup, Milani's faithful go back to living peaceful lives as caretakers and healers...but ever-watchful for the next time they'll be called upon to throw off the yoke of another tyrant.
So, to me, Milani's faith is a bit flawed. It's Chaotic Good actions with no clear plan for what comes after those actions succeed. I'm trying to play out Akorian that way. He is stoutly kindhearted. But he's also misguided in the sense that he sees nothing wrong with the current government (i.e., a feudal hierarchy or imperial ruler) as long as it proves benevolent and takes good care of its people. The current situation in Cheliax and Westcrown does not fit that bill. So, he needs to rise up and oppose it. And, what's more, his position within the aristocracy is what allows him to better do so. In fact, I very much suspect he would advocate that the existence of the aristocracy helps position future members of Milani's faithful to continue serving in this watchdog capacity. And, changing things to a democracy isn't something he's comfortable trusting just yet. Though, in theory, a democracy could very likely serve Milani's "uprising" mantra even better, given that the people could sustain their own society by voting out corrupt leaders and tyrants themselves...without a need for Milani's worship.
Of course, that would mean Akorian becomes completely expendable...both as a noble and as a priest of the Everbloom. And that's something he wouldn't be able to come to grips with this early in his adventuring career. Somewhere toward the end of the campaign (if we make it that far), I might take him down that road. In fact, the opportunity to put a democracy in place where the people can look after themselves might be the penultimate way to martyr himself in Milani's cause.
Just food for thought,
--Neil