I went ahead and spent the buck. Been toying with the character creation rules for a civilized, mercenary archer.
I can find nothing allowing a character to start play knowing a common spell, though, regardless of their skill level. Am I missing something?
Here's a quick glance at what I've thrown together (no money or gear, yet, and 10 skill points not spent) as my first attempt at a character under these rules:
The assumed setting gives the Common Magic skill as a Common Skill, as well as six known Common Spells. Because of the nature of Golarion, however, I'm treating it as an Advanced Skill, though you still get six spells if you take it.
Also, I'll need to know why you want to find Lamm - it needs to be something personal, and I'd suggest something based on the traits listed in the Crimson Throne Players Guide. I've got some extra skill bonuses listed for each one, based on the ones given in the guide.
Chris - It was an exercise in mechanical character building. I see that I made a couple of mistakes. One being that you are having Common Magic be an advanced skill. Two being that now that you said that, I remember the thing about 6 "levels" of spells.
These are the reasons I DO character building exercises!
I was kinda hoping to get an answer about my question of what you seem to have in the group so far, so that I can focus on filling a need with a build instead of just trying things out.
I understand getting an appropriate background for an actual submission.
Well, the group could probably use a dedicated magic user - divine or arcane makes little difference, since both have access to magical healing and attacks.
Family Size:
1d10 ⇒ 10 Aunts and Uncles on each
parent’s side
Reputation:
Reputation of excellent standing
Contacts, Enemies and Rivals:
1d3 ⇒ 2 Contacts or Allies
Connections:
No connections worth mentioning.
I've rolled this stats, and I'll update my Adventure sheet, but I'll leve it the names in blank, since Andy do not know her family other than her brother. I was thinking if we could add that into the history, and make her have another strong reason to defend Korvosa, since now she have a family, and they are in danger.
Currently playing with building a Varisian wanderer (Nomad) witch (sorcery) I'm starting with a pretty dedicated healer in mind, but as I was going through and trying to select spells for the grimoire, I realized that this was probably NOT something I should be doing without your involvement.
How would you like to handle the construction of a Varisian healer's grimoire?
EDIT: Working on building an organization, complete with grimoire, as the basis for discussion.
Order Skills: Dance, First Aid, Healing, Influence, Lore (Herbalism), Manipulation, Play Instrument, Sorcery (Wanderer's Comfort Grimoire)
Novice: Must be identified by a Varisian Fortune Teller as a valid candidate, must be Varisian and must have treated 50 Varisian illnesses and injuries
Apprentice: Must have 5 skills at 30% and cure 5 Varisians of major injuries or illnesses
Adept: Must have 5 skills at 50% and Disease Immunity
Magi: Must have 5 skills at 75% and Poison Immunity
Grand Magi: Must have all 8 skills at 75% and Empathic Wound
Note: Multiple copies of the grimoire exist. They are built into the traditional wagons of a Varisian caravan. Each spell is split between multiple wagons in a single caravan, with the portions of each spell being on the same portions of the wagons, with the exception of the final portion of each spell, which is on the inside of the fortune teller's wagon, hidden behind the cloth coverings decorating the interior of the wagon.
There are a variety of Varisian grimoires stored in this fashion, but any one wagon will be part of only a single grimoire.
Cross Between Drug Addiction (Other) and Love Lost (Widowed), but FAR closer to the Drug Addiction.
---
As an apprentice in the Varisian Healers, Jarl Purrun was sent to Korvosa to investigate the rumors of local drug dealers managing to addict many young, travelling Varisians on "Shiver". He was not sent alone, of course. Tarra was his superior in the investigation. The local magistrates refused to concern themselves with the problems of Varisian wanderers, so the two were left to find out what they could without assistance. They eventually worked their way into an unnamed bar on the edge of the Shingles, where a handful of the missing Varisians had been seen. Tarra made the fatal mistake of purchasing a drink after they started asking questions. She collapsed while Jarl was talking with someone who remembered seeing one of the missing young women, and was whisked away before Jarl knew it had happened and without a reaction from the man he was speaking to. That man claimed he saw Tarra walk away, of course.
Two days later, Jarl found Tarra's violin in a pawn shop. A little effort got him the name Gaedren Lamm, but nothing else. Now Jarl is trying to find this Gaedren Lamm, without getting himself killed first, because he seems to be set against the investigation into the missing and dead Varisians.
Sorcery Order - Modified from earlier post:
The Varisians have an array of mysticism and mystics as part of their interface with the settled folk upon whom their economy depends. Some of it is flim-flam. Most of it is not. There are formal groups of Fortune Tellers, Healers, Protectors, Entertainers and Thieves.
The Varisian Healers are a Sorcery Order dedicated to preserving their common culture and the people within it. They do not select their own members, however, depending instead on the Fortune Tellers to identify candidates for their training. This arrangement has yet to fail the many families.
Varisian Healers
Common Magic: Cauterize, Entertainer's Smile, Protection, Repair
Order Skills: Dance, First Aid, Healing, Influence, Lore (Herbalism), Manipulation, Play Instrument, Sorcery (Wanderer's Comfort Grimoire)
Novice: Must be identified by a Varisian Fortune Teller as a valid candidate and must have Culture (Varisian) at 30%
Apprentice: Must have 5 skills at 30% and Culture (Varisian) at 50%
Adept: Must have 5 skills at 50%, Culture (Varisian) at 75% and Disease Immunity
Magi: Must have 5 skills at 75%, Culture (Varisian) at 100% and Poison Immunity
Grand Magi: Must have all 8 skills at 75% and Empathic Wound
Note: Multiple copies of the grimoire exist. They are built into the traditional wagons of a Varisian caravan. Each spell is split between multiple wagons in a single caravan, with the portions of each spell being on the same portions of the wagons, with the exception of the final portion of each spell, which is on the inside of the fortune teller's wagon, hidden behind the cloth coverings decorating the interior of the wagon.
There are a variety of Varisian grimoires stored in this fashion, but any one wagon will be part of only a single grimoire.
How hard is in this game to raise one of the stats? For example, I'm planning to begin the game using a falcion or a war sword, but later I would really love to use a great sword, but the stats it require is kinda hard to meet with a "initial" 80 points (13 str/11 dex).And I really want to move to a armor-sword-magic user. That being said, I would need all stats to be above average (really, no dumping here) while still being a tipical rogue (It really seens impossible to me at this point). A little help here is appreciated.
Magic:
Okay, I've been thinking on creating a Sorcery Order, something like Order of the Sorcery Sword (just a example, not a so ugly name as that), Can I do it myself? Or you will create the orders/cults? Or we do it together?
Profission:
Is there any chance of creating a new profession?Anything that mix a thief and a sorc? or a Warrior and a Sorc? It would really be good. Anyway I'll need to change the background a little to have the skills and such.
Catcher: I recommend picking something to START good at, and then add capabilities as you go. Trying to be good at everything out of the gate (Specialist's weapon, multiple advanced skills AND Sorcery?) means you're gonna be GOOD at nothing.
Having the ability to build to any concept and having the ability to start with any concept fully realized are VERY different things.
You seem to be trying to build a multi-class character whose already in the mid-tier of capability on EVERYYTHING. That's not how characters start.
Mhadron Vis, Lythande and Hanse Shaowspanw (from Sanctuary), the three together seem to have the skill set you want to start with. Maybe I misunderstand.
@hutonj Yeah, you understood wrong. I'm not trying to be good at everything. In fact I'll be good at nothing. I'm not looking for a specialist character, I just want to a certain access to various things, and later in the game get to especialize in a certain aspect. As far i'm concerned, she will have some "thief" training, but not be really good at it (more or less 50% in some skills) and have some "warrior" training and get at first to use sword and shield (about 60%) and then common magic and sorc (both at 40% more or less.) I got a bunch of stuff but not really good at anything. Anyway like I said, I trying this because I don't know how difficult is to gain access to skills in game after you start it. But I'm wating for Chris to explain to me about it, and after that, I'll decide what to do with the character. But even though is not up to you, thanks for the concern.
Edit: I'm not sure, for a moment there, i misclicked and was thinking that hutonj was Chris. Anyway Chris, can you explain to me about getting new skills in the game?
I think you have a bad idea about what good means for a starting character. The build I provided has 3 skills at 60% or better, and only 1 of them had any skill points assigned against it.
It has 6 skills in the 50's, and 5 of those 6 needed skill points to get there.
From what I've worked out while going through the rules so far:
Sorcery requires 2 skills ([manipulate & sorcery (grimoire)] only the second of which NEEDS to start "big"), and there's a third that can help (meditation). Common Magic is an additional skill requirement.
Melee combatants REALLY need a combat skill, evade, persistence and resilience, but multiple combat skills would be better, of course. Really, EVERYBODY needs persistence and resilience, but that's another issue.
A thief should have evaluate, perception, sleight, stealth, mechanisms and probably streetwise.
According to the chart on page 43, anything over 50% is identified as a professional level of skill; 76% and better is an expert level of skill; 101% and better represents Mastery of the skill; and 126% and better is a grand master of the skill.
So, you're talking about professional quality thief and combatant skill subsets with nearly professional quality spell casting. An interesting concept of "not really good at anything."
You are correct, your build isn't really my concern. I like playing with game engines, though, and I am trying to offer some friendly, helpful advice, nothing more. What you say you are trying to do and how I understand the system both works and describes things don't mesh properly.
According to what the book says about gaining skills, the problem is going to be three-fold. 1) Money. 2) Time. 3) Availability. Given that we are in Korvosa, number 3 should pretty well not be a problem for most things. The month of downtime required to learn a new advanced skill is a little more daunting, obviously.
Actually, I've been thinking about reducing the points spent on Manipulation in order to "top off" those almost professional skills and improve another skill or two a few points as well. 15 or 25 points could make a difference if spread around a little more.
In addition, if you want to use a two handed sword but don't want to look like Arnold Schwartzenegger in his prime, go with a longsword. A longsword and a bastard sword were basically the same thing historically - a primarily two handed weapon that sufficiently strong people could use in one hand. It'll give you the same damage die, though I think there's a combat manoeuvre you don't get to use, so if you don't want to be primarily melee right from the start, you're better with that than with a great sword (which represents the six to seven foot long doppel handers of medieval germany).
Availability is not a problem - if you want to learn an advanced skill, there will be someone who can teach you. If you want a specific type of weapon, you'll be able to find it (magic weapons will be rare, but master crafted weapons are far better in this system than in Pathfinder - and are substantially more expensive as a result). So yeah, you will probably want to take two handed sword as a combat skill in order to be able to use a bastard sword two handed (unless you want to use a sword and shield, or else a war sword by itself and a shield if you find one), you may want to pick up Common Magic (10 points to unlock it, and up to 20 points towards improving it) and you'll definitely want to improve your thieving skills.
As to Common Spells, you get six to start with, if you have Common Magic unlocked, and I'd suggest ones that suit thievery.
Yeah, I got it, I've send you a excel sheet with the char information. Tell me what you you think of it. I've unloked common magic, but not really invested into it, I Invested in sword and shield, evade, resi, pers, and the thief skills, and I've brought some itens to help (lens, cimbing kit, shoes that help sneak). Anyway I kinda liked it, but I'll wait for your opinion. :)
Edit: Here is a really cool excel sheet for legend.
Sorry Huston - I'd tried to send a reply from my phone and failed, but then forgot that I'd not actually sent it. That order sounds pretty cool, and I can't think of anything that needs changing.
Chris, to you have in mind a date to begin the game? Also, from what I was reading from combat, if you keep the full rules in a pbp it will take weeks with a 3 times/week posting rate. Just one more question: Do you say the Adventure sheet I sent you?
I'll be going back to university in a week or so, at which point it'll be far more feasible to start. As to combat, yeah, that's going to be rather slow - which is unfortunately unavoidable in pbp. I can mitigate it though. For one thing, there will be far fewer combats - you don't get XP from fighting, so there's no point in running into groups of enemies who are only there to get you to a certain level on time.
For another, while 3-4 posts a week is ok for most of the game, during combats I may have to insist on at least one post per day to keep things moving. In that case, I'll either post once everyone else has posted, or at my earliest convenience the next day, whichever happens first - if someone hasn't posted, I'll just assume they're using their action defensively.
Finally, most of the nameless mooks you face will use an optional rule from RuneQuest 6: they get their CON+SIZ/5 as hp, rounded down, and once they take a major wound, they die.
As to your sheet, you may want to put a few more points into common magic (if you can; I can't see where you put points into it). When your character is done, I'd prefer to see the stats in your profile.
Finally home!
You mentioned in an earlier post that you'd converted campaign traits.
Also, I've converted the Traits to give some additional skill bonuses - these will be given before you spend your 250 points.
Couldn't find where you may have posted these.
Thanks
Yeah, I was kinda waiting for people to actually get to that point - that being said, I actually have given details to those who've actually given their background already - the traits are along the same lines as the Pathfinder versions. They're basically +10% to whichever skill maps over to the Pathfinder version, or in the case of Advanced Skills that aren't already trained, the ability to use that skill.
huh. I'm looking for the post where I did that, but apparently I didn't... I'm sorry about that. Right, Addiction (other) gives you either +10% lore (korvosa) or else unlocks Streetwise. Widowed gives +10% Influence, Missing Sibling unlocks Streetwise and Tortured, my recommendation for Catcher, gives +10% Evade. If you already have a skill that gets unlocked, add 10% to it instead.
OK
I think I'm going to go with the Framed - Drop out trait.
Basically, my guy will be an initiate in the more standard sorcerous arts, but having been booted from the Acadamae has had to foster some street skills to survive, his education in the magical arts for the time being in hiatus.
Also, you never did answer another question I posted:
Craft Herbalism or Lore Herbalism?
At this point, I'm thinking the active skill is Craft Herbalism. Why? Because there are herbalist's tools (mortar and pestle, for openers - but I'm not an herbalist so I don't know what the full tool set might be) and torture is explicitly a craft skill, so that the implements of torture can be purchased as craft tools, I'm guessing.
Not that Josef can afford crafting tools. He can barely afford to dress himself poorly after purchasing both a Healer's Kit and a single First Aid kit. He can't even afford a dagger! <g> I think he'll do fine without one for a bit.
I need to verify the build, tweak the build, add the gear, money and trait bonus and repost it (with spoilers) again so it is all in one spot. Not tonight, though.
I'd go with Healing, personally. Craft is making things, while Lore is theoretical knowledge. Healing would encompass medicinal use of herbs, and learning about how to cure poisons or diseases involves learning about those poisons and diseases. You'd need a healer's kit, which would contain pretty much all the herbs you'd need, as well as the pestle and mortar.
The herbalism is in addition to the Healing. More of a Varisian Wanderer attempt at self-sufficiency from the city-folk. A caravan group tends to be small enough that I figure the healer and herbalist will be the same person.
Again, one of the craft skills specifically named in the book is Craft Torture, so I'm thinking that Craft skills are not defined by the creation of a product.
Right, Jakthion, one of the things with weapon styles in Legend is that you can just use one of the weapons with that style (for example, sword and shield allows you to just use a single handed sword). So you can pick a different third combat style if you wish.
Next up, we've got professions. I'd suggest that both Balian and Jakthion take the Soldier profession, which gives +5% to Athletics, Brawn, Evade and Resilience, and +10% to two combat styles appropriate to your culture. It also opens up Lore (Tactics). For Catcher, I'd suggest Thief, which gives +10% to Evaluate, Perception, Sleight of Hand and Stealth, and opens up Streetwise, Disguise or Mechanisms (your choice).
Also, Jakthion may add +10% to Influence (since this is used for intimidation, so it makes the most sense)
Sorry for the dearth of posting; I have been sick.
I do not understand your first paragraph. If the weapon style, pistol and rapier, just allows for me to use a pistol and a rapier, then I don't need to take either pistol or rapier as separate skills as I can use them both separately because I can use them both together.
I felt mercenary was the best fit as my profession, as Jakthion is an associate of the Sable Company Marines, a mercenary company. The skill sets of the soldier and mercenary are similar and both grant the advanced skill of Lore (Tactics), but mercenary seemed a wider dispersal more in line with a ranger type than soldier which seemed more suited to a fighter.
Pistol and Rapier is a melee style that allows you to use both in melee, or just a rapier in melee. You don't need a separate style for just a rapier. The reason I suggested a separate style for just a pistol was so that you can use double dexterity for your ranged attacks. If you don't mind using strength + dexterity for those, you can use the same style for that too. Also, feel free to use mercenary instead - the professions I suggested were just those - suggestions.
Also, seeing as Healing involves curing diseases and the like without magic, that would involve knowing about which herbs to use, how to recognise them, how to mix them and so on. That knowledge would also include how to make poisons, since making medicines and making poisons are practically the same skill. Torture, meanwhile, doesn't really have any other applications, so it gets its own skill.
I think I have made adjustments covering everything discussed. Given your stance on Healing and herbalism, I also removed herbalism from the sorcery order.
I may yet make changes/expand the background (there is a lot of room to do so, currently) and appearance blocks, but I will not make any changes to the rest (at this point) without guidance to do so.
Is it just me, or do both of those characters have 78 point builds instead of 80 point builds? I see that cirle rolled his characteristics, so I get the different value. I'm not sure I get it for Balian.
Also, Balian, your Native Language is only at 50%? All cultural backgrounds get Language (Native) at +50, so you get the advanced skill and another 50%.
Also, Balian, your overview indicates that you speak both Taldane and Varisian, but you only have the one language listed in your advanced skills, and don't specify which one of the two it is.
Again, just pointing out things that I see. I have no authority and don't want to claim to have any.
Uh yeah. It was meant to be 80 point buy, so Cirle, feel free to add two points anywhere you like. Also, I believe I said that you also get +50% to Language Common (everybody does, since it's a trade language that just about everyone is fluent in), and your Language Shoanti should be at its default + 50%; not just 50%. Also, because everyone gets Common for free, that frees up 10 points for you - you may want to put them into your pact skill (that would be my suggestion). Otherwise, everything looks to be in order.
Everything appears to be in order for Balian's sheet, though I would like to know where the 250 points were spent.
As to Jarl, I'd like to see the damage modifier separately - I'm guessing it's -1d2, but it's something I'd like to be able to see in case you need to punch someone or the like.
Catcher's stuff is fine, but again I'd like to know where the points were spent (I had trouble making that out on the spreadsheet).
I need to spend my skill points. It's 250 points, right? Do you have a preference for showing our work? I was planning to express my expenditures thus, [skill name] base + expenditure = total.
I took the Varisian regional trait: Local Know-it-all which give a +2 on Knowledge (local) checks for a community in which you have lived for 5+ years. How is that expressed?
When rolling, my target is under the skill percentage? For example, if my skill is at 56%, I need to roll a 55% or lower to succeed on the check. Is that right?
I think you answered this already, but I'm not seeing it. Is common magic a common skill or an advanced skill? Are advanced skills like trained only skills in that you have to have placed points into them to be able to use them?
When rolling unopposed, you need to roll the % or less, not only less. When rolling opposed, you want to roll as high as possible and still within your percentage, because if both succeed, the higher roll wins, and if they are the same roll, then the one closer to the skill limit wins. For some reason, opposed rolls make critical successes less desirable. <shrug>
Common magic is an advanced skill for this game.
Common skills are ones that everyone can attempt without special training. Advanced skills require special training to attempt. Your culture and profession can both grant you training in advanced skills. If you wish to add training in additional advanced skills, that training costs 10 of your 250 skill points for each additional trained skill, and those 10 points count against the limit of 30 points which can be assigned against any single skill during this part of character generation.
Based on his feedback (just) above, Chris does want to see how the points were assigned. I used a method similar to what you describe, but I included the assignments from culture, profession & GM assignment [Language (Taldane)] as well, so that all the work for skill assignments can be seen.
