Doug M's Way of the Wicked (Inactive)

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

I feel the regular summoner is pretty fine. They get an advantage over other casters early on with the eidolon, making them less than useless for the first 1-3 levels. Later on, the summoner turns into not much other than a buffer with a squishier fighter cohort. The master summoner has some ridiculous nova potential with all the summons they get, but generally won't break the game much more than a really well prepared wizard.

Then again,w e tend to have some pretty crazy games.

The word I used was "exploitable". For instance, it's easy to build a fourth level Summoner who can call up d3+1 Summon Monster I creatures with +4 Str and +4 Con, and then cast Haste on them. This will buzzsaw through most CR 4 or lower opponents. And the Summoner can do this three times a day, and then fall back on his eidolon. At higher levels, the combos get even more hair-raising.

The Summoner's glass jaw is that he's squish. But since he'll usually have the rest of the party plus his eidolon as meat shields, it's generally not a major issue.

(Have I mentioned that Haste is one of my least favorite spells ever? No? Well, it is.)

The Synthesist is also pretty bad. Honestly, the base classes generally are really a mixed bag. The Witch is fun but she's really a magic user archetype. The Inquisitor is fiddly and underpowered. The Cavalier is okay but could have been so much better. I love the Alchemist, but the class as designed forces you to specialize as either Bomber or Brute to make it work.

Let's not even talk about the Samurai or the Ninja.

i love the alchemist.

i have a Bard 3 Alch 4 in PFS and he is amazing

also am playing a chirgeon 3 on these boards

My Oracle helps offset any advantage we have from the summoner. On the power band they are definitely on the low side. He is made more for fun and interest though. Need to get to fourth and he will be a little more fun to play with 2nd level spells.

The Synthesist drives me nuts. You can effectively give your Summoner huge physical stats at no real cost.

Since I am more into the European medieval genre, I just find the Samurai and Ninja don't fit in. The Alchemist is ok, but still seems unusual. I view the Summoner as more of a Wizard specialist. I have tried to use an Oracle, but other than a single level dip, I have just never been able to get the feel for one, and they seem greatly underpowered. It seems that they are supposed to be the divine version of a sorcerer, but the sorcerer bloodline abilities seem much more powerful than most oracle revelations.

Really, almost any class can tweaked to overpowered. A straight fighter specializing in the bow can end up with a huge AC and be dealing massive damage. (focused shot, rapid shot, multishot, haste, point blank shot, etc.) In one campaign one player is playing a Rogue(Thug) with a greataxe and like a 20 or 22 strength. As long as he can get flanking, he can really rock the damage.

I love the ninja. It is, mechanic wise, what I always want in a rogue-type. I prefer the sneaky + magic archetype more than a pure sneak.

Of course, don't forget the sap-abusing rogue getting 4x sneak attack damage + always getting SA even when fighting 1 on 1 due to..something. Mercy weapon, Enforcer feat..can't recall all the specifics other than lots of dice.

Our table tends to have well optimized characters, with everyone helping each other out to design a well-rounded and working party that doesn't step on one another's toes. We're also good friends with our DM so we keep him knowing what to expect every level up.

How many days do we have before we land the first time?

About three more days to the lake.

Spells Prepared

0 Level

Daze, Detect Magic, Mage Hand, Message

1st Level

Mage Armor, Magic Missile (x2), Ray of Enfeeblement, Vanish

2nd Level

Bull's Strength, Invisibility, Scorching Ray

Cуровую prepared these at the group's request BUT I think we should not attack the Soothsayer until we are on land as well.

In character because she offered Cуровую a way out. One where in theory she can hide in a city underneath the waves from Baba Yaga. That is the one high motivation Cуровую has above all else.

In character and OOC

I think we can use the Soothsayer against the captain, and striking at her on board weakens us.

It doesn't seem to me that you can delay. You are going with her tonight and she is picking you up form the ship deck. If you leave with her I think you will be with her and her allies and remember she is supposidly going to destroy the ship after you are off it which means the rest of us are dead.
We have to kill her now or it seems to me the campaign is pretty much over if she kills the rest of us an sinks the ship.

she just wants to play jade regent

On the IC side, Cy swore an oath to Asmodeus. I am pretty sure this would violate that oath, with the resultant ramifications.

You mean that oath you signed in blood to serve the Lawful Evil god of contracts and his high priest here in Talingarde?

Meeeh.

goblin cross fingers!

1. Edmin is not an adventurer, he is a soldier. Ruined cities do not intrest him unless he has a mission there.
2. We tried to put her off and she said she was coming anyway. I am of thought that we take her on now. We still have the Captain to help.
3. We need the Captain to get us to our final objective.

Since the Judge is the team leader, I'll assume his dispositions prevail. (Except for the two sailors, who are still there, pacing and scratching, respectively.)

On the IC side, Cy swore an oath to Asmodeus. I am pretty sure this would violate that oath, with the resultant ramifications.

I think she promised that we would be put of reach of Baba Yaga and by default Asmodeus.

I very much want to play this campaign, DM (through the Soothsayer) just offered something in character which is very hard to turn down as my PC. In effect killing off my PC if I leave with the Soothsayer.

DM is crafty.

Cy, one question about your logic and fear of Baba Yaga. Why do you think that being able to protect you from the eternal hag would somehow also protect you from the vengeful gaze of the Devil. It would seem to me that the Arch-Devil and ruler of Hell would be far more powerful than a witch/wizard which has discovered the art of eternal life.

If you have a reason why you think that Baba Yaga is more powerful than Asmodeus

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That's comparative/relative/and speculative assessment.

Asmodeus is the Adversary, the dark lord of the hells. But he has the whole multiverse to tempt and corrupt. The Ninth Knot is but one of a million plots and intrigues he has put in motion.

Baba Yaga has long kept a stable of daughters and granddaughters, a few dozen perhaps, that rule in her name, but ultimately answer to her and her alone. And ever so often, the Eternal Hag needs to use one of her scion to ensure her life continues.

In modern world terms look at it this way - (with some input from my friend)

Cуровую is New York City. Baba Yaga is a terrorist cells dirty bomb. Asmodeus is ballistic nuclear warhead.

New York fears both a dirty bomb and the threat of a nuclear warhead cutting though the skyline. But a dirty bomb exploding in the center of time square is far more likely.

Baba Yaga is that dirty bomb, and she has my name, number and address.

I am interested in hearing it, otherwise, I am confused by your logic.

-

You can't apply logic to abject paranoia.

______________

Or just ignore all the above and shall we say its role playing and a Style Thing, Jax and Xen would understand the latter.

No one have style like Goblin!!!

No one have style like Goblin!!!

Hallelujah!

;)

Cymu I just started a Rise of the Runelords on the boards, take a look HERE and see what the goblins I have ready to go look like.

They are on the left side, you might need to zoom in

You've got fourteen goblins facing off against your PCs?

Sorry for delay, last couple of days have been busy. Yay trying to figure out new career paths..

Whoa, interesting. Like what?

BTW, I will be back in the US for three days in early August -- central Florida.

Just as a note, next Wednesday I will be driving to the east coast and will have limited internet on Wed-Thursday. My family is moving to the east coast and I may or may not have reliable internet access (or I may have tons if it gets set up). I am the advance party with the rest of the family following in a few weeks.

If I am slow on posting, this is likely why. I shall attempt to post at least once per day, but I really do not know how reliable my posting will be for anywhere from a day or two to two weeks. We are going to get internet from Comcast, and that is always a crap shoot at best.

With Comcast a big part of it is where you are located on their network. My current location is great but I have had issues at other places...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ilMx7k7mso

US cable is right up there with "US cell phones" and "the US health care system" on the list of things that make foreigners say "Wha-?".

now Zimu they are all Brefs! That is what is scary

Hmmm, how are salt water dolphins able to survive two days sailing up a frozen fresh water river? I suppose DMDM never said it was fresh water, just wondering. LOL.

Whales and dolphins can go up rivers without any difficulty, and do so pretty often. They're mammals, after all. They can swim in either fresh or salt water, much as you or I. A couple of years back, a grey whale got stuck up the Klamath River in Oregon; it lasted almost two months.

There are a few species of dolphins that have evolved to permanently live in rivers -- google "river dolpins". But plain old ocean-going dolphins can hang around in fresh water for days if they want to.

Which raises the question:

Does dolphin raised in fresh water taste better or worse than dolphin raise in salt water?

Sorry for delay, last couple of days have been busy. Yay trying to figure out new career paths..

Exciting! Good luck Jax!

Just as a note, next Wednesday I will be driving to the east coast and will have limited internet on Wed-Thursday. My family is moving to the east coast and I may or may not have reliable internet access (or I may have tons if it gets set up).

Good luck with the move Judge. Where you headed?

- - -

Since we are all comparing notes, everyone leaves New York in August, same with me. I will be in Japan, (maybe Hong Kong) and Thailand for an Asian tour with friends on the 2nd week to third week of August.

I will try to post once a day but I don't know how the internet service will be and I will be on other peoples joint schedule as well.

Hopefully we deal with our captain before then.

Well it is not Japan or anywhere glamorous, but I am taking my daughter to the Texas State Softball Tournament tomorrow to Sunday. Not sure of internet so postings after tomorrow noonish may be slim until Sunday.

Your taking your daughter to a game and spending quality time with her, one I am sure she will remember.

Throw in some ice cream and that's a tough act to beat Edmin.

Less exciting and more: "Well what I planned on doing didn't pan out..now what?" At least I have enough connections to find -something- until I figure out a master plan.

Also going to go ahead and say a dolphin in seawater would taste better..brined and all.

Anyone want to make bets on who dies to the Soothsayer's pet?

Anyone want to make bets on who dies to the Soothsayer's pet?

The boat?

Hahaha

Wait. That's not funny. I'm on the boat.

Welp, I guess there's no way to get her into the boat.

That's fine. Recurring antagonists, they're good too.

Edmin, please assist with the Diplomacy or Bluff.

In my 2nd Ed Temple of Elemental Evil game I am rolling 18s and 19s with my Elven Cleric/Ranger and MISSING the cleric of Lloth!

Scary stuff.

Remember, AD&D had different rules. AC and "to hit" worked quite different.

Who remembers THAC0?

Who remembers THAC0?

I remember when death happened at 0 HP and you lost a point of CON when you got raised and had to make a system shock roll and that was the way it was AND WE LIKED IT!

i am following judges lead on this, if Xen is told to attack he will hit her now with the touch of gracelessness charge that he is holding.

i suspect if we attack the orca will ram the boat and we will have to deal with the captain coming up

I remember 1st level wizards with 3 hp and one Magic Missile spell. No cantrips or school powers, either. You shot that one Magic Missile, and then you pulled out your dagger. And if something hit you for 3 points of damage, you died on the spot.

Good times. Good times.

Oddly enough, I was just thinking about the old Gaze Reflection spell the other day. 1st and second edition were full of those specialized spells that were incredibly circumstantial -- instant win if you faced a medusa, completely useless otherwise.

3.x kept a few of them around (looking at you, Shatter) but mostly they're gone the way of the half-elf fighter/magic-user/thief.

You could make the soothsayer an old school Lvl 1 Wizard