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Slavery in parts of Golarion is legal, but there are plenty who still abhor it. Working undercover - some as slaves, some as slavers - you are on a slave ship trying to discover the key players and document the slave routes in order to disrupt the business. Unfortunately, fate has another plan for you. A terrible storm strikes while the ship is deep at sea. You remember rain and lightning, and terrible thunder! The ship broke into two, and you were tossed into the sea. You were sure you drowned, and yet you find yourself washed up on a shore. Which shore? You have no idea.
I am looking for good story players with characters that fit together as a fun group. I will be accepting between 4 and 6 members. If you and a friend would like to submit as a pair, that is perfectly fine - just let me know.
- You will be starting at level 3. I want you to have a bit of survivability and skills to start, because you will start with little or no equipment. However, go ahead and use 3rd level wealth (3000gp) to let me know what you would have had. Never know - some of it might wash up on shore. Some items, such as rings, daggers, etc. might even make it with you - but if you were posing as a slave, I don't want to know where you were hiding it.
- 20 pt buy. No stipulations regarding min or max, but know that I will make your weaknesses feel like weaknesses, and I think you will have more fun with a balanced character.
- Race can be any of the core races: Human, Elf, Half-elf, Half-orc, Dwarf, Gnome, Halfling.
- Classes can be any from Core, ACG, Unchained, Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Magic or Occult Adventures. Same for archtypes and prestige classes. Notes that some classes will be easier to play in this environment than others. Wizards may find spellbooks and components hard to come by, and gunslingers are not going to find a lot of gunsmiths around. Familiars, animal comanions, etc. will be just as lucky as you and somehow survive the shipwreck.
- Not allowed: Leadership feat, Sacred geometry, Broken Wing Gambit.
- Hit points I prefer Max for level 1, average for additional levels. You can roll if you prefer.
- I strongly recommend that every character invest in at least one rank of crafting or profession. You might have to build your own equipment from time to time. Climb and swim will also come in handy. Survival is needed by at least one member of the party.
- Expectation is one post per day, although slower on the weekend is ok. If you can't keep this pace, this might not be the game for you. It tends to slow the game down to the point that people start to lose interest. Occasional absences are, of course, expected and acceptable -just let me know so we aren't waiting for you.
- I use Google Slides for combat maps so that phone users can at least access them.
- For expediency, I will roll perception and initiative at the beginning of combat, but I try to let you roll your own everything else. Passive perception rolls, of course, I will do, but you might not even know about it.
- As I am writing this specifically for PbP format, we should be able to avoid a lot of the slowdown spots I normally see in scenarios. But as this is going to be somewhat of a sandbox, I need people willing to decide on a course. I won't be railroading anyone in this one.
Feel free to ask questions. I will keep accepting submissions for 2-3 weeks, unless I find the perfect party before that.
By all means, if you want to just send me a concept before going to all the work of creating the crunch, go ahead.
i'll dot, sounds like an interesting idea.
i have a few ideas
i have an itch to play my promethean alchemist
but i don't think he'd fit terribly well. Though thinking about it, i have a half elf oracle tnat's work nicely.
He's a guy who despises slavery as much of his life he was one. Though not to people but fey. He'd definitely want to participate in ending it in other places.
Being familiar with being a slave he'd disguise as one
i'll write up my oracle and post when finished,
Dot. Sounds like fun. Would like to use an Investigator, disguised as a Slave Merchant.
Sounds interesting! Not sure what I'll submit, I've got a couple ideas floating around, leaning toward Druid. I'll have a better idea once I decide slave or slaver.
What are your thoughts about background skills, traits, and drawbacks?
I'm thinking of a pearl/treasure diver that got caught near the border of Cheliax. A few questions:
1. How much do you care to weave details from character stories dynamically into your own narrative realm?
2. Which adjectives would you use to describe the atmosphere you tend to set? Comedic? Dark? Whimsical? Driven? Etc.
3. What are your feelings about platypi?
4. How "balanced" are you wanting the party to be mechanically? For example, in a group of 6, would two divine casters bother you? Would a shifter druid and a caster druid?
5. What level of emphasis would we expect exploration/first contact/settling to have in the campaign?
6. Is our existence in a "lost" part of the world fixed? For example, if we turned 7th level and there was a wizard in the party, would we be able to scry "home" and arrange transport?
Many thanks, GM!
i don't have any 3rd party content, and am not looking to expand, so I am going to say no to that.
I decided not to do background traits but you can take 2 traits. I think adding drawbacks should be avoided, but if you really wan to take one to take a third trait, I will allow it.
I love your giantslayer campaign. Dotting this one while I think up a character.
Dotting. Thinking about a team submission.
I'm thinking of a pearl/treasure diver that got caught near the border of Cheliax. A few questions:
1. How much do you care to weave details from character stories dynamically into your own narrative realm?
Quite a bit, although because of the setup, not too much may be apparent for a while.
2. Which adjectives would you use to describe the atmosphere you tend to set? Comedic? Dark? Whimsical? Driven? Etc.
Dramatic adventure with comedic undertones. This could go dark, but it's not what I am looking for.
3. What are your feelings about platypi?
I think their awesome, especially in a fedora.
4. How "balanced" are you wanting the party to be mechanically? For example, in a group of 6, would two divine casters bother you? Would a shifter druid and a caster druid?
No, that would be fine. I might not pick two identical ones, but I have seen people play classes all sorts of ways. And while I think a broad set of features is ideal, if no one had divine spells, or there were no arcane spells, I would adjust a bit.
5. What level of emphasis would we expect exploration/first contact/settling to have in the campaign?
Pretty high level. You will have to explore your surroundings, meet some locals, figure out who you want to friend, etc.
6. Is our existence in a "lost" part of the world fixed? For example, if we turned 7th level and there was a wizard in the party, would we be able to scry "home" and arrange transport?
This you will have to wait to find out!
Thanks for the prompt reply! I'm looking to make my diver a ranger and should have time to write-up the story and crunch on Wednesday.
Will you accept this?
Race: Human (Giant ancestry)
+2 Str
* Dimdweller (darkvision)
* Bonus Feat: Racial Heritage- Storm Giant
Class Arsenal Champion Warpriest...or Barbarian of some type
Feats
Lvl 1 Class: Weapon Focus
Lvl 1: Storm Soul (immune to electricity)
Lvl 3: Storm Warrior (+1d6 electricity damage with any metal weapon)
Lvl 3 Class: Power Attack
Character concept: Part-Giant slave from the land of the linnorn kings. His father had been in a slave raid from the south, and many of his kinsmen were taken away in chains. He allowed himself to be taken in a subsequent raid, in the hope of learning who the key players are, and to exact vengeance against them. Ship wrecked with the other survivors on the ship, he joins them in exploration.
This seems fun and interesting, so I'm dotting. I do have a couple questions.
1. How strict are you about core races only? There's an idea I have for a Catfolk swashbuckler that I think might fit this campaign, but I understand if you won't budge.
2. Again on race, what's your policy on racial alternatives, detailed in the ARG? Should the race be played as its basic mode?
3. You say that having a Craft or Profession skill could be useful, could you suggest other skills that we'll want to consider investing into for this deserted island adventure?
Preliminary build
Name: Sven Olaffson
Race Human
* Dimweller (darkvision)
* Bonus Feat: Racial Heritage Storm Giant
+2 Str
Traits
* Bereserker of the society
* Freed Slave (+1 will)
Str (18/22/26) Dex (14/18) Con (15) Int (10) Wis (10) Cha (8) HP (32) Saves (7/5-7/1-3) Movement (40ft)
Combat with rage and mutagen
* To Hit: +10 (+3 BaB, + 8 Str, -1 Power Attack)
* Damage: Two Handed Weapon + 15 + 1d6 (electricity)
AC with rage and mutagen
10 + 4 + 2 = 16 (+ Armor)
Classes: Savage Technologist Barbarian (1) Mutagenic Mauler Brawler (2)
* Rage (9 rounds per day, +4 Str, +4 Dex, +2 Will, fatigued for 2x rounds)
* Fast Movement (10ft)
* Mutagen (1 hour prepare, +4 Str, +2 natural armor, -2 Int, standard action, 10 min per Brawler Level)
* Martial Training
* Brawler’s Flurry
* Brawler’s Cunning
Feats
Lvl 1: Storm Soul
Lvl 3: Storm Warrior
Brawler Feats
Lvl 2: Power Attack
Skills
* Intimidate: 3 skill points (+5)
* Perception: 3 skill points (+6)
* Survival: 3 skill points (+6)
* Climb: 1 skill point
* Swim: 1 skill point
* Profession Sailor: 1 skill point
Equipment hopefully washes up...
* Chain Shirt +1
* Masterwork Great Axe
* Cloak of Resistance +1
+ alcohol? Maybe some basic supplies...
This is a half-giant. Able to tap into his Storm Giant ancestry (mutagen and rage) he is a ulfen barbarian through and through.
Dotting...
Though I'm kinda tired with core races. Let me see what I can come up with.
Will you accept this?
Race: Human (Giant ancestry)
+2 Str
* Dimdweller (darkvision)
* Bonus Feat: Racial Heritage- Storm GiantClass Arsenal Champion Warpriest...or Barbarian of some type
Feats
Lvl 1 Class: Weapon Focus
Lvl 1: Storm Soul (immune to electricity)
Lvl 3: Storm Warrior (+1d6 electricity damage with any metal weapon)
Lvl 3 Class: Power AttackCharacter concept: Part-Giant slave from the land of the linnorn kings. His father had been in a slave raid from the south, and many of his kinsmen were taken away in chains. He allowed himself to be taken in a subsequent raid, in the hope of learning who the key players are, and to exact vengeance against them. Ship wrecked with the other survivors on the ship, he joins them in exploration.
This sounds like a good concept. So rather than posing as a slave, you actually are one? That is perfectly fine!
1. How strict are you about core races only? There's an idea I have for a Catfolk swashbuckler that I think might fit this campaign, but I understand if you won't budge.
I was actually considering Catfolk and Ratfolk, and maybe even Oread, Ifrit, Sylph and Undines. Kitsune would probably be ok too. So if anyone wants to submit with these races, I will consider them.
2. Again on race, what's your policy on racial alternatives, detailed in the ARG? Should the race be played as its basic mode?
Racial alternatives are perfectly fine for all races.
3. You say that having a Craft or Profession skill could be useful, could you suggest other skills that we'll want to consider investing into for this deserted island adventure?
The main reason I was suggesting this was because you are not going to find a lot of highly civilized societies, so being able to make pots and pans, weapons, armor, etc. might be fairly handy, both for your characters and perhaps as part of diplomacy in contact situations.
I probably wouldn't take Profession: librarian or lawyer unless it was needed for your backstory.
I’m interested as well. My most likely PC is a half-orc witch pretending to be a slaver. I was thinking of an escaped slave returning to help others to freedom; using some of the alternative racial traits like scavenger and chain fighter.
What are your feelings about platypi?
Dalton!? Haha it’s me Rilka Featherfeet.
Thank you GM Fuzzfoot. I’ve got the alias up and will post fluff soon.
Mechanic question...for dim dweller it gives darkvision and (Whenever characters with this trait benefit from concealment or full concealment due to darkness or dim light, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate, Perception, and Stealth checks. Humans can take this trait in place of the skilled trait,)
I’d prefer not to worry about darkness or dimlight. Given his size and stature, could o trade the +2 on all of those for a flat +1 Intimidate?
Where is this trait coming from? I don't recognize it.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/core-races/human/
Alternate Racial. Replaces skilled. It seemed appropriate.
Though as I type this I realize that giants don’t get darkvision. So I am replacing it with Heart of the Wilderness (Heart of the Wilderness: Humans raised in the wild learn the hard way that only the strong survive. They gain a racial bonus equal to half their character level on Survival checks. They also gain a +5 racial bonus on Constitution checks to stabilize when dying and add half their character level to their Constitution score when determining the negative hit point total necessary to kill them. This racial trait replaces skilled.)
That seems very ‘giant-like’ to me. Much more so than dimdweller.
|
Definitely interested.
Would a human with improvisation (from Advanced Race Guide) be acceptable or is that ability to have all craft skills just far too powerful for your tastes? No problem if it is too powerful.
If allowed, that would definitely be the core theme that the character was built around. No idea what it would be other than that yet :-)
Edit: Are the list of books for classes also restricting other choices (spells, equipment, etc)?
Background
Sven sat below deck, dwarfing his fellow prisoners. The ulfen was nearly seven feet tall when he stood up...something which was impossible with the low ceiling. He was chained to the wall by manacles attached to his feet, much like the rest of the slaves. Nobody had said a word to him, which was fine. He preferred it that way. Even the guards didn't get too close to him, save for half-orc. If there was one thing that he couldn't stand, it was cowardice. The ship and its hold reeked of it. He looked up as he heard shouting on the deck, which drowned at even the pitiful crying of the woman-folk and the younglings.
-----
Snow fell onto Sven's broad shoulders. He stood alone on the shore, his back to the slaver ship. The slavers had come to shore to raid a village. Sven and his shield-brothers intended to intercept them as they returned. They had come to his village a year prior, while he was out at sea. He had returned to find it a smoldering ruins, the survivors forlornly looking through the embers for the fallen. So many had been taken away in chains. So many had fallen. Sven's face twisted into a mask of rage as he remembered finding his father's body. He had been stabbed from behind. Of his mother and sister, there had been no sign. The mere thought of it had made him want to howl in rage. The berserker had taken a small ship and had vowed to track down those who had committed such an atrocity.
Around Sven stood his shield-brothers. They were tall, proud warriors. They waved their axes and shields and yelled their challenges. Sven towered over them, a giant among men. Unlike the rest of him, he held an axe which even he had to hold in two hands. The slavers crested the hill, moving quickly with their prizes lest they be overtaken by pursuers seeking vengeance. They looked at the Ulfen in surprise, reaching for their weapons.
All around him Sven's shield-brothers charged. Sven though...he started shaking as he reached deep down inside of himself. He reached into the potential within his blood, to the giant-blood that stormed through his veins. His eyes went white, and he seemed to grow in size. He lumbered forward, right behind his brothers. Lightning began to dance along the blade of his axe. The slavers, true to form, met the assault with a barrage of nets, to entangle their attackers, and thunderstones to disorient them.
As the two lines met, the slavers quickly realized that this was not a raid. But a fight for survival. Sven was quickly entangled in a net.
-----
Sven rested his head against the wall. The battle had been one sided. They were far too outnumbered. The shame of being taken alive weighed heavily on him. He had seen Bjorn die, bleeding out from an artery on his leg being cut. He had seen Skarphedon fall, an arrow to the neck. He had seen Brunhilda get run through. She had been pushing her thumbs into the eyes of a slaver, and the man's comrade had thrust his blade through her unprotected back. He didn't see Lief die, but he had heard the man's screams. The slavers did not even try to take any of them alive. But Sven? Sven the Giant-Blooded? Sven the Berserker? Sven, Breaker of Shields? The shame was crippling.
He had been entangled in nets. Deafened by thunderstones. Surrounded on all sides by trained men, who saw him as a prize worth taking. His ears ringing, his mobility hampered...they had cut away at him. With the bodies of his comrades and their victims staining the snow red, it was like a bear fight. Sven was the bear, chained, while the slavers were the dogs. Before long he bled from a dozen wounds, and then a dozen more. Roaring his rage he would swing his axe, daring any who got near. But he could not defend himself from every angle.
Bit by bit he weakened. His axe grew heavier in his hands. The rage left his mind. Even the power of the blood became harder to hold on to. As his mind cleared from the battle haze, he realized too late that he had not found vengeance. He had not even found a heroic death like his comrades. For him, this was no battle worthy of a saga.
Barely on his feet, Sven looked past the slavers and saw their captain, smiling at him. The coward hadn't joined the battle, instead he stayed back with the chained slaves that were being led to his ship. He thought to himself, that he would kill this man. He would kill him, and the men who had hired him. He would-
----
He woke, chained below deck. His mail armor, his axe, his shining helm, all were gone. His wounds had been treated, for what use was the corpse of a giant like him? No, he would sell well in the slave markets in the south. Of that the slavers were certain.
The yelling above deck grew louder and louder. Sven thought grimly to himself The Sea take you all! And that was when he heard the ship began to break apart...
This sounds interesting.
Do you have any preferences when it comes to alignment? I'm asking because I'd possibly be looking at a CN character devoted to a CE divinity. The idea would be that the character was just part of the ship's crew. One who, while sympathetic to their plight, didn't even know there were undercover people aboard.
The CE divinity would be Guyuku, the Oni Daimyo of piracy, tsunamis and tea.
Would we be building our own little settlement or some such as a base of operations or is that even an option? If yes, how would you choose to deal with it?
Hmmm - is it possible to use craft or profession to gather the materials needed to make magic items? I'm primarily thinking of Brew Potion & Wondrous Item.
Dot goes here.
Definitely interested.
Would a human with improvisation (from Advanced Race Guide) be acceptable or is that ability to have all craft skills just far too powerful for your tastes? No problem if it is too powerful.
If allowed, that would definitely be the core theme that the character was built around. No idea what it would be other than that yet :-)
Edit: Are the list of books for classes also restricting other choices (spells, equipment, etc)?
As long as you meet the requirements, this feat is fine.
Spells and equipment from any Paizo published materials should be fine.
This sounds interesting.
Do you have any preferences when it comes to alignment? I'm asking because I'd possibly be looking at a CN character devoted to a CE divinity. The idea would be that the character was just part of the ship's crew. One who, while sympathetic to their plight, didn't even know there were undercover people aboard.
The CE divinity would be Guyuku, the Oni Daimyo of piracy, tsunamis and tea.Would we be building our own little settlement or some such as a base of operations or is that even an option? If yes, how would you choose to deal with it?
This would be ok. No evil characters though.
Hmmm - is it possible to use craft or profession to gather the materials needed to make magic items? I'm primarily thinking of Brew Potion & Wondrous Item.
Yes.
Thinking about a catfolk buccaneer bard and freebooter ranger, taking the menacing combat style.
His parents were captain and bosun of a merchant vessel based out of Magnimar. They got greedy and took a job out of their usual route. The ship was taken by pirates near the Shackles, and crew sold to slavers, but not before they made young Felos walk the plank. He managed to cling to the wreckage until a merchant marine vessel picked him up. Since then, he’s been making a name for himself as a pirate (the Sea Lion, which he despises, but it serves its purpose), trying to gain himself enough of a reputation to crack into the slaver world and find his parents and crew.
He managed to work himself up to be bosun on the slaver ship before the shipwreck.
I have a Halfling rogue in mind, one who was undercover as a slave at the time of the ship wreck. Good at seeming a harmless slip, but one who also likes leaving nasty traps that can't be traced back to him. His master may have even suffered an unfortunate shaving accident shorty before the ship went down.
Are we using Background skills?
No for background skills.
I like this idea for a game.
I have an idea for a character from a monster race who was captured, sold, and being shipped to some fighting pit. I'm thinking a Kobold, Wyvaran or Lizardfolk, since I've had an impulse to play a reptilian race for a while.
Alternatively, I could play a monster from the island, a local who is rescued or helped by the PCs early in the game and decides to stay with them.
This character would be True Neutral or Chaotic-Neutral, and fairly animalistic, but would latch on to people who show kindness and slowly learn morality.
Would that be acceptable?
I just read up on the background skills options, and if you all really want to use those, I can accept that. Quite frankly, you may need the extra skills.
Regarding races, there sure seems a lot of interest in non-core races. Really, it isn't going to affect my plans if all of the characters are a mish-mash of whatever, and it does fit into the slave ship story ok. So, I am willing to open it up to anything in the advanced race guide, Core, featured, or uncommon. You still can't make up your own, and some of these I might have a hard time seeing fit in, but I am willing to look over your character with an open mind. So that makes kobold an option.
Just keep in mind that I am looking for a fairly good-hearted group. Many of these races do not tend towards this. I don't want a group of characters that are just waiting for the right moment to turn on the others.
No one can be a native, though. You all are coming from the ship and lands in Golarion that are known. (Of course, any replacement characters that become necessary would most likely be native...)
I am also not planning on using a lot of undead. I am not saying there won't be any, but it will be extremely limited.
Also, I see I never answered a question about settlement or base of operation. I haven't really decided on this yet. I will be open to discussing it when the time draws nearer.
Sven counts as a core race...right? Anyways, he is good-hearted. Chaotic Good to be exact. Though good doesn’t always mean nice...he is an ulfen afterall.
Also glad to hear we will have background skills. I’ll get the profile updated.
Edit: Updated.
He now has Survival (used for not getting lost, and finding food), Profession Sailor and Carpentry. Great skills to have as an Ulfen Sailor/Merchant/Explorer/Fisherman.
Also freed up a skill point for Diplomacy. Important for being a good natured giant. Not very charismatic (+3) but it’s something. Quite happy with the changes background skills has allowed.
It might help if you had specifics, but if your character has faith, I think faith based traits are fine. If it is a trait specific to a deity, that might be trickier.
I think you would need a heck of a story as to why a shaman worships a deity, though, since the spells come from the spirits and not the deity. I would think the spirits would be angry at the shaman worshiping something else.
Is this for a specific flavor, or just to edge in more power? If it is for the latter, I would recommend something else. If it is a conceptual fit, though, go ahead and I will take a look.
Felos the catfolk pirate, mostly ready for inspection.
Since we're opening up the races...
Here is Shakaro Jun. He is a primitive Nagaji from the coast of south Garund, who came north in search of the pirates that enslaved his village. He is pretty primitive and plays a lot like a barbarian.
I made him for a Skull & Shackles game which didn't work out. One of his traits is a S&S campaign trait, which could be changed. Alignment was originally CN but that was intended to fit in a S&S campaign, which is vaguely evil. Could be switched to CG. Though I want him to worship Gozreh, I think.
So I will need to revamp his stats for 20 point buy and for level 3. The story really only needs a bit at the end that explains how he got involved with the other anti-slavers (he would be very keen to join such a mission). For that it would be helpful to know a bit more about who is sponsoring this mission (Bellflower Network? Eagle Knights? Someone else).
How high level do you expect this to go?
Here's the rough version of my Halfling Rogue. He still needs some equipment sorted out.
A free Halfling who works undercover in slaving countries, trained to be unremarkable. A good slave that no one pays any attention to, until it's too late.
His craft skills are traps and rope. He is also a cook.
ALUN GREENSTONE
Male Halfling (Nomadic) Rogue 3. CG Small humanoid (halfling)
Init +6; Senses Perception +6,
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 11 (+4 Dex, +1 size, ), hp 21 (3d8)+3
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +1, +1 Reflex to avoid traps
Defensive Abilities Danger Sense +1, Evasion,
Melee dagger (small/cold iron) +7 (1d3+4/19-20)
Ranged dagger (small/cold iron/thrown) +7 (1d3+5/19-20), within 30 ft. +8 (1d3+5)
Special Attacks Sneak Attack 2d6,
STATISTICS: Str 11, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 15
Feats Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Finesse
Skills
Acrobatics +9,
Appraise +6,
Bluff +6,
Climb +4,
Craft (Rope) +6,
Craft (Traps) +7,
Diplomacy +5,
Disable Device +13,
Escape Artist +9,
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +6,
Knowledge (Local) +7,
Perception +6,
Perception (Trapfinding) +7,
Perform (Act) +7,
*Profession (Cook) +6,
*Profession (Servant) +6,
Sense Motive +5,
Sleight of Hand +10,
Stealth +13,
Survival +2,
Swim +5,
Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, Varisian
SQ Finesse Training, Fleet of Foot, Nomadic, Polyglot, Trapfinding, Trap Spotter, Wanderlust, Weapon Choice (Dagger), Weapon Familiarity,
Possessions thieves' tools (masterwork); Wrist Sheath, Spring Loaded [ Dagger (Small/Cold Iron); ];
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Danger Sense (Ex) You gain a +1 bonus on Reflex saves to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by traps. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus on Perception checks to avoid being surprised by a foe. This ability counts as trap sense for any feat or class prerequisite, and can be replaced by any archetype class feature that replaces trap sense. The bonuses gained from this ability stack with those gained from trap sense (if you have trap sense from another class).
Evasion (Ex) You can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If you make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, you instead take no damage. Evasion can only be used if you are wearing light armor or no armor. If you are helpless, you do not gain the benefit of evasion.
Finesse Training (Ex) At 1st level, a rogue gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. In addition, starting at 3rd level, she can select any one type of weapon that can be used with Weapon Finesse (such as rapiers or daggers). Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed. Whenever she makes a successful melee attack with the selected weapon, she adds her Dexterity modifier instead of her Strength modifier to the damage roll. If any effect would prevent the rogue from adding her Strength modifier to the damage roll, she does not add her Dexterity modifier. The rogue can select a second weapon at 11th level and a third at 19th level.
Fleet of Foot Some halflings are quicker than their kin but less cautious. Halflings with this racial trait move at normal speed and have a base speed of 30 feet.
Nomadic These half lings were born on the road and most follow it until the end of their days. They travel fast and light and never miss a chance for either profit or adventure. These half lings have the f leet-footed, polyglot, and wanderlust alternate racial traits.
Polyglot Some halflings, especially those who spend a lot of time traveling, develop a talent for learning new languages. These halflings gain a +2 racial bonus on Linguistics checks, and it is always a class skill for them. Halflings with this racial trait also begin play with the ability to speak Common, Halfling, and any one other language of their choice (except for secret languages, such as Druidic) in addition to bonus languages due to high Intelligence. They still gain the normal list of halfling bonus languages.
Reactionary You were bullied often as a child, but never quite developed an offensive response. Instead, you became adept at anticipating sudden attacks and reacting to danger quickly. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Initiative checks.
Sneak Attack (Ex) If you can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from your attack, you can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Your attack deals 2d6 points of extra damage anytime your target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC, or when you flank your target. Should you score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage, you can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. You cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty. You must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. You cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment.
Talented (Perform (Act)) You are a virtuoso musician, actor, or storyteller. You gain a +1 trait bonus on checks with a single Perform skill (your choice), and all Perform skills are always class skills for you.
Trapfinding (Ex) You add +1 to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks. You can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magical traps.
Trap Spotter (Ex) Whenever you come within 10 feet of a trap, you receive an immediate Perception skill check to notice the trap. This check should be made in secret by the GM.
Wanderlust Halflings love travel and maps. Halflings with this racial trait receive a +2 bonus on Knowledge (geography) and Survival checks. When casting spells or using abilities that provide or enhance movement, halflings treat their caster level as +1 higher than normal. This racial trait replaces the fearless and halfling luck racial traits.
Weapon Choice (Dagger) (Ex) Dexterity to Damage with Dagger
Weapon Familiarity (Ex) Halflings are proficient with slings and treat any weapon with the word "halfling" in its name as a martial weapon.
Campaign trait is fine since you have some history to go with it.
I don't have a level cap in mind. If we can make it up to 20, I'm game! But that seems pretty far into the future right now.
OK, got an idea together.
Nathan is a fairly experienced member of the Gray Corsairs, recruited for this mission since there would need to be someone to captain the vessel after it was successfully hijacked.
Nathan grew up around the docks of Almas, the capital of Andoran. His father was a shipwright, and he learned much of the shipbuilding trade. Even as a youth he showed a great affinity for the water. This was assumed to be just due to spending a lot of time around the harbor and his father's workplace. As it turned out, it went beyond that as he started to exhibit a strange mastery of water, particularly ice. His uncanny abilities led to him being recruited by the Eagle Knights in their ongoing crusade against slavers.
His expertise in shipbuilding (after years of apprenticeship) lead to him gravitating to the Gray Corsairs, and partaking in many privateering missions against slaving vessels. He became a stalwart member using both his skills and his strange control of ice.
Nathan is of average height, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He normally dresses like a sailor of his standing (a bosun). At the moment he's in rags.
He has a fairly easy going disposition for a crusader against slavery, but he does it out of a sense of responsibility of what his uncanny abilities allow him to do rather than any personal tragedy or demons that drive him. Hence he's lacks the fanatical nature of many of his fellows.
Nathan -Fuzzfoot Castaway
Human hydrokineticist 3 (Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 10)
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +6
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 30 (3d8+12)
Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Special Attacks kinetic blast
Kineticist Wild Talents Known
. . Defense—shroud of water
. . Infusions—draining infusion (DC 15), extended range
. . Blasts—cold blast (2d6+2 cold)
. . Utility—basic hydrokinesis, water alteration
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Statistics
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Str 12, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 17
Feats Dodge, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Traits indomitable faith, reactionary
Skills Acrobatics +9, Craft (ships) +4, Heal +4, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +6, Profession (sailor) +6, Swim +7
Languages Common
SQ burn (1 point/round, max 7), elemental overflow +1, gather power
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Special Abilities
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Burn 1/round (3 nonlethal/burn, 7/day) Burn HP to gain greater effects on your wild talents.
Cold Blast (Sp) Level 1; Burn 0
Draining Infusion (DC 15) Blast only effects targets with the same subtype as your blast, but ignores DR, immunities or resistances
Elemental Overflow (Ex) Gain a bonus to hit and damage with your blast when you use burn.
Extended Range Kinetic blast has range of 120ft.
Gather Power (Su) Move: reduce the burn cost of a blast by 1 or Full-round: reduce the burn cost of a blast by 2
Kinetic Blast (Sp) The kineticist can unleash her kinetic blast at a range of 30 feet at will.
Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into melee.
Water Alteration (Sp) Alter the salinity and temperature of 2 gal./kineticit level of water.
I didn't do any equipment choices. He's fairly self sufficient, but would have a set of ship building tools and a cutlass normally. Maybe he'd also have boots of the cat for use in the rigging. As he was posing as a slave, he wouldn't take any of his valued items with him.
Sorry...but I've made some changes to Sven.
* Ancestry changed from Storm Giant to Frost Giant (It makes more sense given where he is from)
* Feats changed from: (1) Storm Soul (2) Storm Warrior (3) Power Attack to...(1) Born of Frost (2) Extra Traits (3) Dragon Style
* Extra Traits are (1) Northern Ancestry and (2) Heavy Hitter
* Changed starting equipment, which he may or may not have anyways
* Changed profession carpentry to profession cook, as we already have a ship-builder present. That, and I couldn't tell whether carpentry was craft or profession.
What are the effects of this?
* Electricity (immunity) lost, but Cold Resistance 2 gained
* +1d6 electricity damage with metal weapons changed to +1d6 cold damage unarmed
* Going from fighting with a great weapon to fighting unarmed
Thematically, it just made more sense to me for Sven to come from Frost Giants instead of Storm Giants. It also seems a bit less OP for him to have cold resistance 2 instead of complete immunity to electricity.
This means that he will be fighting with his fists...which makes sense to me given his large size. It will make the most use of his brawler levels as well.
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Snow fell onto Sven's broad shoulders. He stood alone on the shore, his back to the slaver ship. The slavers had come to shore to raid a village. Sven and his shield-brothers intended to intercept them as they returned. They had come to his village a year prior, while he was out at sea. He had returned to find it a smoldering ruins, the survivors forlornly looking through the embers for the fallen. So many had been taken away in chains. So many had fallen. Sven's face twisted into a mask of rage as he remembered finding his father's body. He had been stabbed from behind. Of his mother and sister, there had been no sign. The mere thought of it had made him want to howl in rage. The berserker had taken a small ship and had vowed to track down those who had committed such an atrocity.
Around Sven stood his shield-brothers. They were tall, proud warriors. They waved their axes and shields and yelled their challenges. Sven towered over them, a giant among men. Unlike them he was not obviously armed. His left arm was covered in a gauntlet and vambrace made out of darkwood. His right was bare. He made a fist and frost formed on it. To think that he was unarmed would be a mistake.
The slavers crested the hill, moving quickly with their prizes lest they be overtaken by pursuers seeking vengeance. They looked at the Ulfen in surprise, reaching for their weapons.
All around him Sven's shield-brothers charged. Sven though...he started shaking as he reached deep down inside of himself. He reached into the potential within his blood, to the giant-blood that stormed through his veins. His eyes went white, and he seemed to grow in size. He lumbered forward, right behind his brothers. Lightning began to dance along the blade of his axe. The slavers, true to form, met the assault with a barrage of nets, to entangle their attackers, and thunderstones to disorient them.
As the two lines met, the slavers quickly realized that this was not a raid. But a fight for survival. Sven was quickly entangled in a net.
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Sven rested his head against the wall. The battle had been one sided. They were far too outnumbered. The shame of being taken alive weighed heavily on him. He had seen Bjorn die, bleeding out from an artery on his leg being cut. He had seen Skarphedon fall, an arrow to the neck. He had seen Brunhilda get run through. She had been pushing her thumbs into the eyes of a slaver, and the man's comrade had thrust his blade through her unprotected back. He didn't see Lief die, but he had heard the man's screams. The slavers did not even try to take any of them alive. But Sven? Sven the Giant-Blooded? Sven the Berserker? Sven, Breaker of Shields? The shame was crippling.
He had been entangled in nets. Deafened by thunderstones. Surrounded on all sides by trained men, who saw him as a prize worth taking. His ears ringing, his mobility hampered...they had cut away at him. With the bodies of his comrades and their victims staining the snow red, it was like a bear fight. Sven was the bear, chained, while the slavers were the dogs. Before long he bled from a dozen wounds, and then a dozen more. Roaring his rage he would swing his fists, but he could not reach them. He tore at the nets, but there were so many, and they weighed him down. He could not defend himself from every angle. One slaver got too close, and Sven managed to grab him. The man screamed as the northerner's icy hands gripped him. He struggled to free himself, even as his skull caved in.
Bit by bit he weakened. Blood flowed from his many wounds. The nets grew heavier. The rage left his mind. Even the power of the blood became harder to hold on to. As his mind cleared from the battle haze, he realized too late that he had not found vengeance. He had not even found a heroic death like his comrades. For him, this was no battle worthy of a saga.
Barely on his feet, Sven looked past the slavers and saw their captain, smiling at him. The coward hadn't joined the battle, instead he stayed back with the chained slaves that were being led to his ship. He thought to himself, that he would kill this man. He would kill him, and the men who had hired him. He would-
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He woke, chained below deck. His mail armor, his axe, his shining helm, all were gone. His wounds had been treated, for what use was the corpse of a giant like him? No, he would sell well in the slave markets in the south. Of that the slavers were certain.
The yelling above deck grew louder and louder. Sven thought grimly to himself The Sea take you all! And that was when he heard the ship began to break apart...
When forced to do battle, Sven most commonly wore a fine mail shirt with white fur pelts hanging from his shoulders and a sturdy steel helm. On one hand was a darkwood vambrace, used to block incoming blows, while the other was completely exposed. He prided himself in his ability of wading into battle in a berserker rage, laughing as he fought.
Lvls 2-5: Mutagenic Mauler Brawler (with FCB)
Lvls 6-8: Furious Guardian (+2 rounds of rage per level, rage as immediate action, lesser elemental rage always using cold)
Lvl 9: Winter Oracle (Child of Ice for constant endure elements cold, and lame curse for -10ft movement and immunity to fatigue)
Lvls 10+ Mutagenic Mauler Brawler
At lvl 9 his unarmed strikes will only do 1d8 damage base. However, he will have 15 rounds of rage per day, and will do +2d6 cold damage per hit. He will still have cold resistance 2, and will have endure elements cold. RP wise, the lower movement speed will represent the chill of winter within him.
Submitting Nathaniel Whitecloak, human psychic! This will be a team submission along with Zokama (Zanbabe). Together we should effectively be able to take care of most skills/face/arcane portions of the party roles.
Might continue making minute tweaks to the backstory, etc, to better fit the skills and abilities, but it's enough to make a decision from, I think.
Thanks for the consideration, GM Fuzzfoot!
I've finally stopped dithering and created a character.
Atisuto Kurafuro (Kuraf for short) is a devout Cleric of Shelyn dedicated to spreading beauty throughout the world in the form of items that are both very functional and works of art at the same time.
He is very well traveled and has picked up a huge assortment of skills in the process. He is well versed in crafting just about any kind of item and has practiced more professions than he can remember.
The ship that he was traveling on was recently taken by pirates and he is currently a slave. Given his skills he is, fortunately, a well treated slave. He has been biding his time before attempting to make his escape.