Starting tomorrow, I will be on vacation on the North Carolina coast. there may or may not be good internet service or the willingness to use it. I will return next week -- maybe before that depending on the weather and how sunburned I get...
See you all soon.
Enjoy!
Have fun, and use lots of sun block on everyone.
Starting tomorrow, I will be on vacation on the North Carolina coast. there may or may not be good internet service or the willingness to use it. I will return next week -- maybe before that depending on the weather and how sunburned I get...
See you all soon.
I heard about the shark attacks over there. Was that the same beach you guys are at?
Just down the beach on the next barrier island over, so about 4 miles away. A bit spooky but what can you do. My wife read up on shark attacks and tells me I am more likely to be struck by lightening 3 times or win an Oscar or the Nobel Prize than be bitten by a shark.
She also just beefed up my life insurance, so....
Does your wife have a dorsal fin? If so, be cautious.
Guys, sorry I haven't posted in the last couple days. Thanks to the first big summer heatwave, I got slammed with several after-hours/weekend service calls in a row. I will post to gameplay later tonight, I promise.
Ugh. Sorry I haven't posted for several days. First I had internet issues late last week & then we had a major storm blow through that knocked out power until only this morning. Of course, I wound up working late as well.
I will read through everything & post later, I promise.
Hope you are all having a good weekend. It's a holiday weekend here in the USA, so we are bit slower to post I suppose. I am sort of waiting for actions from the group.
FYI - I am headed for Gen Con in the morning and will be mostly absent from the boards until Monday.
I'll be tied up with a play from the 18th-22nd and posting may begin to slow down leading up to that/during.
I'm also starting up a solo game for a friend who's interested in the game. Does anyone have any prior experience with such things, particularly appropriate encounter levels for a 1st level solo PC and what parts of the rules I should be showcasing? If anybody wants to weigh in with their two-cents that would be spectacular.
FYI - I am traveling for the next week and will be back home on August 30. I'll have limited posting until then, but I should be on some. And after I get back I am headed to Dragon Con on September 3 and will likely not post between the 3rd and 7th.
Waiting on Trig to post. Will take her action as DM-PC tomorrow if no post.
Just so you know, Blossom is not going to make it out of the tower scene alive. Please don't try to overly rescue her, she has to die to end the character. The rest of you will live. Ok, should live.
Ehehehe, thanks for the vote of confidence, doc. I'm not so confident at present. :P
Do we want to try to recruit a new player? If we require the character to be a cyphermage, that leaves a lot of room for a variety of different types of characters. A cyphermage could be any class that could be a scholar of cyphers.
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Fair point that. I'd be fairly confident with a four man party but wouldn't be adverse to recruiting somebody new. If favor someone we know rather than reopening recruitment.
I am always in favor of letting someone else play, providing we can find someone that can add to the game.
I'm cool with it. Anyone have someone specific in mind? I can call from a bunch of people but am happy to see new faces wherever possible.
So, Doctor, what do you think?
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I am fine to add, doesn't have to be a cypher mage, but it could be. I just don't want to have to recruit someone, so if you have a player in mind who doesn't mind my slooooow pace, then I'm down with it.
Woot. Level 5! Sahren takes another level in rogue. DM Doc Evil, would you mind If I converted to Unchained? Since Saphren is a strength build its not as big of an advantage but still there is some goodness to be had - mostly the conditions from sneak attack.
He gains a total of 7 hit points.
BAB and Saves stay the same.
He gains a feat and takes Furious Focus.
He gains 8 skill points and spends them thusly:
+1 Acrobatics
+1 Disabel Devise
+3 Escape Artist
+1 Perception
+1 Sense Motive
+1 Stealth
I have a bunch of PbPs going on, many with very fun characters in them. (I know that some of you are in some of them with me!) I'm sure we can find someone.
So Level 5 is it!
I'll post a level up later tonight.
Saphren already has an archetype (scout) right? As such he can't take an unchained level, or are you planning on dropping the archetype?
Hokay, level up:
+5 hp
Skill points: (6+2+1)
+1 Intimidate
+1 Sense Motive
+1 Spellcraft
+1 Stealth
+1 Heal
+1 Knowledge Planes
+1 Survival
+1 Knowledge Local
+1 KNowledge Dungeoneering
Feats:
Power Attack
New Spells:
Invisibility
New Abilities:
Bane - Imbue a weapon with a bane of your choice. This ability lasts for a number of rounds per day equal to the inquisitor’s level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Discern Lies - Cast discern lies for a number of rounds per day equal to the inquisitor's level.
The unchained version of the rogue is compatible with all previously published rogue archetypes.
Level up! +4 HP
4 skill points:
+1 perception
+1 Spellcraft
+1 Knowledge (dungeoneering)
+1 Stealth
Feat: Improved Initiative (Going first will help everyone!)
1st level spell: Glue Seal (like grease but sticky)
2nd level spell: Glitterdust
1 additional 2nd level spell per day.
If it's alright, I'll make some posts to try to recruit someone from one of the other games I'm in?
Saphren already has an archetype (scout) right? As such he can't take an unchained level, or are you planning on dropping the archetype?
Trig is right. Unchained is not an archetype but an optional rebuild for a number of classes: Monks, Rogues, and Barbarians I think. For Barbarians I have heard it simplifies the play, but does not really change the power of the class. I am not sure about this as I have not seen it played enough to compare. Monks now get full BAB at least for unarmed attacks, plus a few other goodies. They have been considered too weak offensively for a long time and Unchained tries to fix that.
For rogues its quite a rebuild but its focused on making a sex based rogue more effective. Rogues are pretty much universally accepted as the lowest powered class in the game. So they came out with Unchained rogues and recommended everyone convert. Even PFS lets you change over. It adds Weapon Finesses for free and gives you the equivalent of Slashing Grace (Dex to damage) for a specific weapon or two for free as you level. It also lets you apply a condition when you do sneak attack, limiting the enemy's offensive, or defense, or movement, for a round or two. And there are some skill specialities (Rogue's edge) that in my experience do not really do much. This is all from memory. Oh, also they nerfed Slashing Grace, making it not work for two weapon fighting. But the rogue ability like slashing grace still does. So now dexed based unchained rogues can two weapon fight with dex mod for damage but ninjas cannot.
If Saphren convented he would gain the ability to apply one of those conditions on a sneak attack. And if he was ever drained of strength he could switch over to Weapon Finesse and use Dex for both attack and damage bonus. And he would gain a single skill that he could use the Skill unlock for at the 5th level of ability These unlocks start at 5th level and increase every 5 levels.
An example is for Rogue's Edge that my PFS rogue took is edge in acrobatics. At level 5 he can tumble through threatened squares at full speed instead of half speed with the DC increasing by 5 instead of 10. And he is not flat footed when he tries acrobatics checks with DCs of 20 or more. I think people forget about this last one but if you are walking along a ledge with a balance DC of 20 you are denied your ex bonus normally.
At level 10 you can use your acrobatics -10 in place of a reflex save vs falling or CMD vs trips. I'lll never use this as acrobatics -10 will always be worse that those other stats. You can also avoid damage from falling when youFll by 10 feet + 10 feet for every 10 you exceed the DC. As you can see, these are not earth shaking.
My mistake on the unchained. Go ahead if you like. Still waiting on Magnus' level up info.
Trig - if you want to add one more, feel free to grab someone.
Ok, Saphren is updated to Unchained. Here are the changes;
1) When I sneak attack I can cause a "debilitating" Injury that lasts for 1 round. I can either add -2 to AC (-4 for me), -2 to hit (-4 against me), or hindered (half movement speed and can't 5' step).
2) I have weapon finesse. I can finesse a single weapon and get Dex modifier to damage. But unless I loose strength I will always be better off using Str to attack and damage.
3) I have Rogue's Edge in Perception - I am easier to wake from sleeping and range penalties to perceive are halved for me.
That is pretty much it.
Sounds great, Trig! I'd thought to ask my own gaming group, but most of them have shied away from PbP.
(62 total)
Two Skill Points (favored class):
Knowledge (eng): +1
Knowledge (history): +1
Weapon Training: Hammers
Feat: Steel Soul
I'm umming and ah-ing about my feat. But it's probably high time I picked up Steel Soul. I'm planning on filling out the Cleave tree from there, and perhaps pick up the Shatterspell line from the ARG.
Will have my profile updated ASAP. Just a heads up that I'm involved with more student theatre so I'll be tied up Wednesday through Sunday. Shouldn't be any call to bot me as I can still check in, just please don't assume my absence stems from a lack of interest.
Steel soul is a great feat for dwarves, I don't think you'll regret it. I've started putting feelers out there to see if anyone's interested.
I've got at least one nibble!
I'm the nibble! Lean was originally made for another Second Darkness game that died out.
My character concept is pretty odd though, so I won't be upset if it isn't a good fit for this game.
Llaen was around during the first darkness, back when the Drow were created. He's been locked away in the Dark Tapestry to be tortured and whatnot for betraying the very first Drow queen.
Now, with the sky falling and the darkness returning, he's managed to come back to the world. His goal is to warn people of what the Drow Queen is doing, but he doesn't know that he's way too late.
Mechanically, he's a Drow Noble Barbarian. He's tough as nails and very stealthy. He makes a great scout and a great frontliner.
Because he's from a matriarchal society he'll probably latch onto the most charismatic or powerful female in the group and act as a bodyguard/servant.
Given that the story right now is revolving around meteorites falling from the sky, I'd love to have Llaen's introduction to the game be him falling out of the sky too, having piggybacked on a meteor. (He's tough enough that he could probably survive the 20d6 max falling damage.)
If you like the idea and decide to have him fall from the sky, he'd have no gear to speak of. As a suggestion, having him start with a fist full of star metal to trade or forge might be a way to get around the expected wealth guidelines.
Please let me know what you think. Again, I won't be upset if you decide Llaen is a bad fit for your game. I know how weird this idea is.
Just realized autocorrect "fixed" my character's name in that last post. Isn't technology great?
First, welcome to the game discussion group and I hope you get into the game. BUT, I have to say that I'd prefer to not open up the playable races to drow. We are all core classes. Your base drow is a little overpowered by comparison and a drow noble is way over the top.
From the racebuilder rules a human is a 9 point build. Dwarves and Elves are 10. Gnomes are 10. Half elves are 10. My half orc is only an 8. But drow are 14 and Drow nobles are 41. Its just not on the same level of a core race. Not even close.
Maybe having him be an elf that was abducted from, say, Castrovel or something? We also have a lot of good melee types in the party currently -- perhaps a bloodrager or a magus would fit the character as well? Just a few thoughts.
(As an aside, the race points ranking humans below dwarves, elves, half-elves and gnomes seems pretty silly to me. If I wanted to be supremely optimized, I'd go for a human sorceror instead of a gnome.)
First, welcome to the game discussion group and I hope you get into the game. BUT, I have to say that I'd prefer to not open up the playable races to drow. We are all core classes. Your base drow is a little overpowered by comparison and a drow noble is way over the top.
From the racebuilder rules a human is a 9 point build. Dwarves and Elves are 10. Gnomes are 10. Half elves are 10. My half orc is only an 8. But drow are 14 and Drow nobles are 41. Its just not on the same level of a core race. Not even close.
I understand what you're saying. I have a couple counterarguments, if it helps-
1) I'm a level lower than the rest of you. That's on purpose.
2) As the game progresses starting attribute and ability differences matter less and less. A Tiefling's ability to cast Darkness is impressive at first level. By fifth level it doesn't matter because any caster can do it. Every race eventually "levels out" in terms of power scale by reaching a point that their bonuses don't actually give them a significant edge (the exceptions to this are races with extra limbs, or flight).
The rough estimate on the boards is that the Drow Noble levels out at around 5th level. By 7th level the the power level difference between a Drow Noble and any other race is fairly insignificant. Levels just matter that much more than racial abilities.
3) If I were min-maxing the character based around the attribute adjustments, I might see an issue with power scale, but playing a Barbarian means I'm not exactly playing to the strengths of the race.
Hopefully these will sway your judgement. If not, I'll withdraw. Thanks for the consideration.
I'm inclined to agree with Saphren but would welcome something a bit more in line with the rest of the party. My objection isn't entirely based on your power level, but also on your backstory which might detract from some of the later mysteries of the AP (one of the few left I haven't read!) for the rest of us.
That's just my two-cents though, and stylistic differences aside I'd love to add another dedicated player to the game. I think we played together briefly in a doomed Kingmaker game a few years back? I'd welcome a chance to do it again.
We all were highly encouraged to play core races. And we all did. I am not the DM so its not at all my call so we will have to wait for our DM to weigh in. I did feel strongly enough to weigh in before the DM did.
Does it have to be all or nothing for you? If you cannot play a character based on a 41 point build it not worth playing? Doc Evil is a great DM and I am having a blast with an 8 point race. I would as you to reconsider.
I'm not interested in rebuilding this character. He's intended to be a Drow Noble. Anything else doesn't seem right. I can come up with some other concepts that might suit this game better if the GM doesn't like this one.
Taking a look at your party makeup, I noticed you have no healer.
As an alternate to Llaen, I have an idea for a human Hospitalar paladin, or a human Shaman or Life.
Any preferences or thoughts?
Shamans are pretty effective. I personally like Lore with Life as a wandering spirit.
Shaman sounds fun! And lessening some healing burden on Reva would be much appreciated ;)
Shamen are fun to play, and now that they have errataed the Shamen's Life Link to work like the Oracle's its much easier to keep people healed up.
If you don't mind I'm going to swap Reva's second level spell gain to Flames of the Faithful.
I've been working over my idea for a shaman, and I've come to the conclusion that I just don't have the attributes to pull off what I want.
A Lore/Life shaman needs wisdom highest, because that's the shaman's main attribute, and then also needs high intelligence (lore) and high charisma (for channeling). They also need Constitution reasonably high because the Life shaman's main trick is to heal people by taking damage on themselves.
So that means I would need to completely tank strength and dex. Not something I really want to do. I don't like dump stats to begin with, and the idea of a professional adventurer who can't lift their own weight and trips over their own shoes goes against my ideas of what an adventurer aught to be.
SAD classes make me sad. :(
So, instead of being a Shaman I think I'm going to go with Oracle.
First, Llaen thanks for your interest. Sorry I have been inattentive to this thread for a bit, but my work life has really been a drag for the last few weeks and has taken up most of my time.
Honestly, I don't see that changing in the near future, so just be on notice that my posting will be slow slower slowest for a while. I may have to throw in the towel totally...
That said, if you still want to join, we'd be please do to have you. As the rest have said, a drow just doesn't fit this story as a PC. In fact the AP specifically says PC's should be discouraged from running drow players. AT this point the in the known lore, drow are a mystery. A rumor perhaps in the places like Shan'Rekorath, but unknown to the vast majority.
If you want to bring a core race concept forth, I am happy to look at it. Oracle or Shaman are both fine for me.
I've been working over my idea for a shaman, and I've come to the conclusion that I just don't have the attributes to pull off what I want.
A Lore/Life shaman needs wisdom highest, because that's the shaman's main attribute, and then also needs high intelligence (lore) and high charisma (for channeling). They also need Constitution reasonably high because the Life shaman's main trick is to heal people by taking damage on themselves.
So that means I would need to completely tank strength and dex. Not something I really want to do. I don't like dump stats to begin with, and the idea of a professional adventurer who can't lift their own weight and trips over their own shoes goes against my ideas of what an adventurer aught to be.
SAD classes make me sad. :(
So, instead of being a Shaman I think I'm going to go with Oracle.
Shamen are new and different, but I agree oracles are in general a better choice.
Ok, I have my character nearly complete. I decided to go with the Shaman after all. Half elf instead of elf.
I have a couple of mechanical questions before I finish the character up though
1) I'm planning on taking improved familiar at 7th level and acquiring a Fairy Dragon. In the mean time I have to pick a familiar. My thought was to have my familiar be a very young or developmentally stunted fairy dragon and use some kind of lizard or bird for the mechanics. This is essentially just a cosmetic/thematic change. I just wanted to make sure it was alright before I did it.
2) The Campaign Traits pretty much all deal with characters starting in a city that we are no longer in. Should I still pick one of those, or should I choose a different trait instead?
An archeopteryx or a rhamphorynchus would be fairly similar in theme.
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