I am Xiongmao, the Kogata Oracle, saying hi.
Greetings, Xiongmao. I am Xiao Feng, a wanderer charting his course on the seas of fate.
Yulai, the tricksy kistune ninja on a quest for vengeance and answers. I promise not to brood more than the minimal amount required for quests of vengeance! XD
I posted my background in more complete form on the game site: Yulai's Backstory.
The writing contained therein is...well, meh to be honest, but it says what it needs to say, if not in the most compact or perfectly readable form.
So lets see... we have a mechanical teddy bear, a ninja fox, and an angry pirate.
Can't wait to see the others in our merry little band. :D
I believe we have a new age wizard brain surgeon and the Man With Disappearing Knives.
I believe we have a new age wizard brain surgeon and the Man With Disappearing Knives.
I cannot say that Chetna would share your assessment of her career, as she prefers molding the body to fit the mind, and to actually take a scalpel to the brain in an attempt to conduct even nominally beneficial surgery would likely horrify her.
Well, the words I could think of to describe it at the time and all. Perhaps a more appropriate descriptor would be "rational-thinking holistic wellness guru?" Or too bombastic?
I'm having trouble trying to decide what I want to do with Xiao Feng's rage powers. I like the spirit totem ability chain, as it speaks to me concerning the darkness within him and how it has tainted hiski. But I also want his other rage powers to be over the top in the manner of a manhua martial arts character.
I'm looking at something along the lines of Striding Cloud from the Storm Riders as far as attitude goes: ruthless, brutal, and capable of evoking death and inspiring fear in the hearts of others. And while I want that reflected in the powers I choose as well as a certain synergy with the abilities the character possesses, what I don't want is to come off as a min-maxing fiend.
So I come to you, those that will be impacted the most by the choices that I make. What powers and/or feat combinations do you think would work for Xiao Feng? I'm already looking at selecting (in addition to the spirit totem tree), superstition, witch hunter, and spell sunder for his rage powers. For feats, I like Godless Healing (for when he gets superstition plus Xiao Feng finds the idea of relying on any god to be... distasteful), Power Attack, and Improved Sunder. But even those options could change if there are better suggestions.
If you're gonna grab Power Attack, I find Furious Focus to be totally worth it personally. 1 attack dealing extra damage free of penalties? Heck yes.
Other than that, I don't think what you've described sounds like a "min-maxing fiend" at all. I mean, I'm trying to make myself a bit over-the-top too, but A) I don't think it's particularly min-max-ish and B) everyone else is probably doing something similar anyway.
Dotted gameplay thread...wait, starting once everyone has their stuff on the game site? I have to make a final decision on my stat and feat setup soon?
Oh god, my choices will be set in stone, agh!
Well, does anyone have a favorite method of sneak attacking? I picked the standard Improved Feint setup mostly because i'd done it before, but I hear there's more options out there now.
Flanking is of course always available.
I think I'll take another look at the Moonlight Stalker feat chain. It's a lot more feat intensive than just going up to greater feint, but you get some nice bonuses along the way and I was going to grab Blind-Fight anyway.
Might modify my class build a bit to start the game with the first feat in that chain if I can manage it.
Hmmm...
Ugh, Ninja are every bit as MAD as Monks. Making this work the way I want is difficult.
Question: is the Lore Warden archetype allowed? I'm not sure where you'd want to place that in your setting, but I think it makes sense for a ninja type combatant. The whole outsmarting foes rather than out-brawning them.
With 2 levels of Fighter (Lore Warden) I could start the game with weapon finesse, combat expertise, blind-fight, shadow strike (for sneak attacking people in my smoke bombs or otherwise concealed), and moonlight stalker, plus one more feat of my choosing...probably weapon focus (wakizashi) or extra ki.
I lose a die of sneak attack and my second ninja trick to do that though.
My other thought was to attempt to maximize damage on a single attack and multiclass into some sort of fighter after starting the game and hit up as many vital strike feats as I could, along with the obligatory weapon focus/spec combo...
my god, could I fit both into one build? That'd be really mean if it worked.
It seems I'm not the only one still having issues with their build design. Even now I'm still not sure if I've settled on what I want to start with and where to go with it once we get underway.
I had never looked at the Lore Warden before today. I must say that's one nasty archetype. If I weren't playing a strength-based build, I would most definitely play a fighter using that archetype (provided it's allowed).
If the DM does allow it, I might have to talk with you about the two of us teaming up for flanks. We might actually turn into a nasty duo once we get everything figured out about our builds. Whispering Wind to my Striding Cloud (Storm Riders reference). Besides, Xiao will be needing a first mate for his new ship....
OK, so I actually did manage a multiclass build that gets Improved Vital Strike by level 13, the earliest I could manage it with Ninja/Fighter while still getting in most of the tricks I wanted.
It eats up every feat slot I have except one, so "fun" feats are basically out the window with that build, but it manages a final tally of:
3d6+8 damage on each Vital Strike attack;
(+1 STR, +4 Devastating strike, +2 weapon spec, +1 Weapon training)
or 3d6+10 when Moonlight Stalker is active;
plus 4d6 precision damage on every hit that counts as a Sneak Attack.
My attack bonus before ability mods and enhancement bonuses is +13/8/3;
(11 BAB, 1 weapon training, 1 weapon focus)
+15/10/5 when Moonlight Stalker is active;
Generating concealment is Smoke Bombs, smokesticks, UMD for wands of obscuring mist, vanishing trick (depending on reading of invisibility), cloaks of displacement, Blur, etc. I have Blind-Fight and Shadow Strike to SA people within the concealment I create.
The other build would be to stay straight Ninja, scrap the situational Moonlight Stalker plan, and get the Vital Strike feats later, relying on Sneak Attack to keep up til then. It manages similar damage numbers, but I lose the extra to-hit bonuses from weapon training and moonlight stalker and the extra two points of BAB (so 4 less to-hit than the other build. Final damage tally at level 13 is:
2d6+3 damage (+1d6 vital strike, 1 STR, +2 Devastating Strike)
7d6 precision damage from Sneak Attack;
7 bleed damage from the Bleeding Attack trick.
So basically, the multiclass build can manage 7d6+10 at tops before weapon modifiers and whatnot, with a better chance to hit. Vital Strike damage is also not precision damage apparently, so I can deal more hurt earlier on things immune to SA.
The straight ninja-murder build can spike damage higher with 9d6+3, +7 bleed, but does noticeably less on things immune to SA and/or things immune to bleed damage, and also has a lower attack bonus. On the other hand, against things that I can Sneak Attack, I'll have Invisible Blade in the second build for full-attack SA madness, 2 feat slots free, and another master trick/feat to choose.
Oh I know that for sure. I've found through experience that I have more fun with a game when I have an effective schtick for most situations, and combat, especially in a d20 based game, tends to be the most complicated thing to design an effective schtick around.
That said, I think I'll be sticking with the straight ninja build, as it's not only more appropriate RPwise, but I also have more skill points to play with. as well. Not so much straight up fight power, but who fights fair, really? ;3
Okay...I've finally dealt with my build issues. I changed two of my feats (one is due to backstory and the other is because of the synergy it will have when Xiao takes that third level of barbarian). I changed his weapon focus from unarmed strike to nine-ringed broadsword (he's gifted with the saber after all) and changed Crushing Blow to Focused Discipline. The synergism with the savage barbarian's naked courage ability is a good one and the 1 round boost to combat abilities works well for him (a mini adrenaline or ki surge or for a barbarian, if you will).
I'm working on fixing up Xiongmao's background, but one point I was curious on are the history of the gear-men in general. How common are they, in general how do they work, are they built by a certain group or can anyone do it?. That kind of thing.
|
The Gear-men are ordinary Clockwork constructs that somehow gained sentience. The idea kind of stems from Tsukumogami. I wanted to keep the way they are animated ambiguous for story reasons and to allow the individual player to come up with a reason they think that they were animated. And for story purposes we can say that all Gear-men have questioned where they have come from at some point if not more often.
As for how common they are. They are more common in Human civilizations such as the Tong Shi, Teichi, and Kakushi kingdoms, but they can be found elsewhere as well.
Hey all, sorry for not posting over the weekend. I've got my gear all figured out, as I'll throw that all in tomorrow when I'm not busy. I think that's the only thing still missing besides copying over my background, though unless it's changed, there's also not really a spot for description and such.
|
|
@Endoralis (Jin Hebimoto), The Maven (Renzo Agasha), and Morrin (Xao Pa-Wu), you guys still need to put your info up on the website.
@Endoralis and The Maven, I have not seen any responses or posts from you in a while. If I don't see something soon as to your progress with your character I may have to drop you from the game for now so that they other players can start soon.
@Morrin, by the way there is a whole new forum for the Travelers that you can go and communicate with the others of your game. But it has been a few days since I have heard from you as well. So I may have to do the same as I am going to do with Endoralis and The Maven.
Also the three above. If you are no longer interested let me know so I can find replacements. And if I don't hear from you within two weeks of starting the game I will just drop you and replace you.
Sorry, but I want this game to be enjoyable to those that are taking it seriously.
I'll work on getting all the stuff up tonight!
While I'm finishing this up. Question. Will Knowledge: Psionics come into play? Just so I know if I should place points in it. Thanks.
Got most of the stuff up on the website last night. Will finish up today at work. Will try at work, but it may be blocked by work firewall, and will try by my phone as well. Either way it should be all set tonight.
|
|
Don't worry about getting it all up. I just wanted to make sure that everyone is at least here and helping to get things moving forward. As I said the other 2 I haven't heard from in weeks so I am not sure what is going on with them.
So the Dragon Empires Primer was released. I am allowing any and all material from it. So if anyone wants to use any material from that just let me know what you are changing.
Given that I'm not a companion subscriber and have no more room in my house for books of any sort, I'm stuck waiting til the 25th to get my PDF copy.
I've heard that the Kitsune racial feats are neat, but I also think they'll probably fit into the still unassigned feat slots I have in my planned progression later on, so I doubt I'll actually change anything about Yulai at this point. Maybe if there's a killer new martial arts style in there, but that'd probably wait until I could get the Unarmed Combat Mastery trick.
Yeah, I read that. They sound nice, again, but they're not the kind of thing I really need to start the game with IMO. If I can wrangle it, I'll grab them where I've already got empty feat slots. If not, I'll fill them with something else.
|
|
As a ninja you could benefit from them at some point (especially at higher levels) as you can change shape as a swift action, then charge an opponent, then pounce during the surprise round (getting you a full attack action with sneak attack on each of the attacks)
The feat names and requirements are:
Fox Shape - Cha 13, base attack bonus +3, kitsune
Swift Kitsune Shapechanger - Dex 13, base attack bonus +6, kitsune
Vulpine Pounce - Swift Kitsune Shapechanger, base attack
bonus +10, kitsune
But yeah, it is just an idea and there is no need to change your character at all. I just want to give everyone the opportunity to update anything they wish before we start playing.
Well, I've got open feat slots at 7 and 9 currently, those could work there. The last one, not sure yet. If we even get that far of course.
|
|
It was asked whether or not there would be a change in the honor rules since the release of the Dragon Empires Primer, which contains rules eerily similar to my own with some differences.
I guess the question I should ask is whether or not you guys feel that we should use the current rules or the ones within the Primer? The Primer ones seem a little easier to keep track of and is a bit more refined. (Which is expected)
I haven't had a look at the Dragon Empires Primer yet, but I do plan on getting the pdf before too long. Once I do, I'll let you know what I think.
I'm good with either one, honestly. One could make the case that in your world, which is not Golarion, honor works somewhat differently than in Tian Xia.
I don't think either one is particularly more or less difficult to keep track of really.
|
|
Also I just want to apologize if things seems to die off a little last week. I just started school and work again. I am just having to get used to the new schedule (which is why I was figuring we wouldn't be starting till the 1st) and since it is nearing the end of the second week things are calming down a bit.
So starting next week we should be starting the game at least with introductions.
Not a problem, thanks for the heads-up!
And now that I've thought about it, I think I'm leaning towards Paizo's Honor system for play. Not because it's official or anything, but because it seems to be so focused on generating roleplay elements that mesh with the feel of the setting, and the kinds of story differences that necessarily arise out of differing cultures.
Having had a look at the Paizo Honor system thanks to a friend, I'm in agreement with Yulai. The roleplaying elements it generates are pretty good. That said, I think you should use your own system. You went through a lot of trouble to create. Be a shame to let it go to waste.
I looked at Kobold Quarterly #19 today and saw a barbarian archetype that suited Xiao Feng. It's called the deathrager. In case you haven't seen it, here it is:
Deathrager (Barbarian Archetype)
Deathragers make fearsome and terrifying opponents whose power increases the closer they approach the grave. Few can match the strength of their link to the spirit world , a bond that can sustain them past the edge of life. Indeed, the most powerful deathragers can return from the brink of oblivion to wreak bloody vengeance on their would-be slayers.
A deathrager has the following class features.
Toughened Body (Ex): At 1st level, a deathrager gains Toughness as a bonus feat. This ability replaces fast movement.
Toughened Soul (Ex): At 3rd level, a deathrager gains a +1 bonus on saves against death attacks and to prevent level loss as a result of energy drain. These bonuses increase by +1 every three barbarian levels thereafter (6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th). This ability replaces trap sense.
Spurn Death (Su): At 5th level, a deathrager gains Diehard as a bonus feat. Additionally, once per day, the deathrager automatically succeeds on a saving throw against a single effect that would kill him outright (whether from a trap, spell, or attack). This ability replaces improved uncanny dodge.
Indomitable Soul (Su): At 17th level, if the deathrager is slain while raging, he can continue to rage for as long as he has rounds of rage left and has at least one opponent in sight. The deathrager ignores all ability damage, physical damage, and death effects as long as his rage continues, but he gains no benefit from healing effects or attempts to return him to life. When the deathrager’s rage ends, he dies immediately and can be raised or resurrected as normal. Any time spent raging while using this ability is ignored for the purposes of spells such as breath of life or raise dead. This ability replaces tireless rage.
Rage Powers: The following rage powers complement the deathrager archetype: flesh wound *, greater spirit totem *, guarded life *, increased damage reduction, lesser spirit totem*, renewed vigor, and spirit totem*. Powers marked with an asterisk (*) are from the Advanced Player’s Guide
The concept suits him very well - the darkness that the nameless master sensed within him could be a result of Xiao Feng's inherent rage combined with the fact that he is truly touched by the spirits of death. If I were to take this, it would mean giving up both the savage and urban barbarian archetypes (they and deathrager are incompatible as both have abilities that replace fast movement and trap sense) and it would mean further changes would have to be made to him. That I don't mind doing, especially if it would bring the character closer to what I envision. My only concern is whether you would allow its use, as the archetype falls outside what is allowed. If not, then I understand.
|
|
I will allow that. The name made me a little wary since it sounded like some kind of necromantic barbarian, but it is not.
I have decided to continue to use my Honor system, and I will try to finish the rest of the information soon. If you have any questions about interactions just ask.
Also, I am planning on getting an introductory post up today. So keep an eye on the gameplay thread.
I just want to apologize for not getting the site completely finished, or even really fleshed out a little. I will try my hardest to get as much of it filled in. It has just been difficult since I am doing a lot of it on the fly since this game wasn't really pre planned.
Understood. And thank you.
To be honest, I didn't give a lot thought to the name but I can see how you could get that impression.
I do. Why do you ask?