funny you should ask :) Its coming up soon:)
Well, one of the reasons I gave up on the arcane duelist and went with vanilla bard is bardic knowledge, so I intend to make good use of it :D.
Btw, I know it's usually not a good idea to split the party, but here it kinda seemed like the natural idea for Hasmir to have.
We did, but right now Hasmir wants to see if he can get any confirmation about the professor's cause of death. Bros before gaols, you know. Don't worry, we'll follow up on that place soon enough, not like it's going to run away or something :) .
BTW, does the XP in the campaign description mean we all get that much, or is that the total we've got?
Which experience track will we be using, incidentally?
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medium XP track.
Also, you have lost the Inquisitor and the Paladin. You have no trap guy at all. Would you like to continue as you are, or would you like to add one or both? If I do open a recruiting for you, it will only be for a trap Rogue and maybe a Paladin if you want one too. I'll wait for a final vote from each of you.
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I noticed some confusion about skills so here is a brief description along with a "house" rule that I use. Skills are either Prohibited (very few), cross-class (meaning you can still take ranks in it, but it costs 2 skill points to buy 1 rank) or class (no restriction and a +3 bonus to skill as long as you have at least 1 rank in it). Then they are also listed as trained only or not. Trained only skills require you to have at least one rank in them to even make a roll. However, as I recently learned, Knowledge skills (which are trained only) can be made untrained if the DC are 10 or less. This means that "aid another" knowledge skill checks, which is always DC 10, can be made by anyone. Normally, knowledge checks can not be aided. However, for research or study (like watching a creature for several minutes and discussing amongst yourselves) I allow the "aid another" option. In addition, for all "aid another" skill checks that involve collaboration I allow everyone to roll who is involved and use the best roll and use the remainder as the "aid another" rolls. I feel this gives the best "feel" for group research or collective efforts.
Excellent -- to be fair, I never really thought about it that way -- the "everyone discussing the bits and snippets they remembered to help trigger the memory of the person with the most knowledge" sort of thing... that certainly seems plausible.
Anyhow, in terms of adding people, we were a large group, so I'm not sure that we need 2 replacement characters -- however, the lack of a trap-handler is definitely a problem....
At the same time, losing a paladin and inquisitor does seem to "cut in" to our combat ability more than a bit.
My vote would be for a recruitment for a trap-handler -- but to not restrict it to rogues necessarily -- we would likely benefit greatly from a trapper-archetype ranger, for instance, as it would help fill the combat hole as well, or perhaps an Inquistior with the thievery subdomain (there are bard achetypes that would work also, but it would depend on the build, we don't want to have overlap with our "pure" bard).
Basically, I guess I'm saying is that I'd post recruitment based on the role we're looking to fill --- it's well worth encouraging people to be creative in trying to make a character -- and then we may end up with someone that fills more than one gap.
But that's me.
I'm fine getting a trap expert of some kind. We were "team brawn" so we might be ok combat-wise. A rogue might add some needed skills too as we go along.
I'm back! Essen was fun, but it's always too short to try out all the things you want to try. Plus, almost all of their RPG sessions are in German... and I'm not nearly enough at it to roleplay in it.
Anyway, more people could be nice. In PF, I think most high-skill characters can be decent trapfinders with good perception and disable device scores - rogues only get a bonus to the checks and being able to disarm magical traps. However, everyone with a good enough check (i.e. ranger, monk, inquisitor) can detect the trap, it's disarming that is a problem. Hasmir could probably do that himself, but he doesn't have THAT many skill points, and is a storyteller and wanderer, not a thief. Can we get a nice ninja girl around here? It's a bit of a sausage fest right now, we probably appear quite intimidating.
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Researching
So far there are two things of interest, the prison and the Whispering Way. Other avenues of research may open up also. There are four places to research, the professor's library (WW), the Town Hall (prison), Temple of Pharasma (prison, maybe WW) and the Unfurled Scroll (both?).
You make make one knowledge check (of the appropriate type) at each location per day spent researching there.
I've got a lot of other stuff going on in life right now, and I think I'm going to have to withdraw my character from the campaign. Thanks for giving me a shot at it, and I wish you all good luck in the adventure, I just can't devote the focus to it right now. Take care!
Sigh... I mostly wanted to to do this campaign with Vergil. I'm not sure I want to keep up with it myself in this situation. If there's one thing I know, it's not really worth the time to try and keep going in a game you're not really into any more...
I think it's best if I withdraw as well. Sorry.
New person here. Hello to you all. Thanks for the shot, Galahad.
Will make sure I got Morbury finished. I'm pretty sure he is, but, I tend to miss things. Done with going over the threads, so, I'm good barring any character sheet mistakes.
If there is anything I'm missing, just let me know.
Thanks again.
Greetings and well met!, Akydi here, Varisian Seer and possessor of a Harrow Deck, cuz I'm cool like that lol.
Akydi is actually from a different CC game which has stalled out due to our GM going MIA. We were in more or less the same spot as you guys, though some different things had happened.
I am going to drop him down to 1, and change his stats since I believe I have 5 more points to spend. I had planned to do that tonight, but between catching up on the IG thread as well as dealing with some stuff around my house, I ran out of time.
One thing, I can omit this is if would clash with everybody else: Akydi was employed by the Professor as a personal Seer, and as such spent a lot of time around the house and Kendra. Kendra, or as he calls her Kendy, and he became close and now that he's older, there was a bit of flirtatious relationship tween them.
Obviously such hasn't happened in this game, but if people would bothered by that, I can switch it to a more older sister/younger brother relationship.
Darcy and myself were in the same CC thread. We weren't too much farther along than where y'all are at right now.
Already planned on switchin, just haven't had time yet to sift through to find a new one.
One thing, I can omit this is if would clash with everybody else: Akydi was employed by the Professor as a personal Seer, and as such spent a lot of time around the house and Kendra. Kendra, or as he calls her Kendy, and he became close and now that he's older, there was a bit of flirtatious relationship tween them.
Obviously such hasn't happened in this game, but if people would bothered by that, I can switch it to a more older sister/younger brother relationship.
I'm cool with that (the character is not a minor, and by the pics I've seen looks quite fetching), and I was planning for my character to show some interest there eventually. He is holding back for now though, I felt that's it's better to wait a bit, what with her father still not cold in the ground and all.
Sorry about the delay guys. Things went a little haywire this weekend. I've got my real life game tonight, but should be able to read and catch up on the discussion and game threads after that. If you want to go ahead and get us introduced, I can catch up.
There are hardly any good male Varisian avatars, so I'm goin with this one till I can scour for a much better one. Will get stats done tonite. my weekend was also hectic n crazy, but mostly in a fun way.
Hey Monkeygod, try the pic on page 34; top line; far right. I'm not sure what a Varisian avatar is suppose to look like exactly, but that one might go pretty good.
Not sure what you're looking for either, as far as what he's suppose to look like in your minds eye, but I just thought I'd throw that out there.
DM
When I originally designed Darcy, she was designed as a Ninja, but the DM didn't allow that class. If it is allowed in your game, I'd like to redo her as a Ninja. If not I'm good with Rogue, but would prefer Ninja.
@Javell, tis good enough for now. Better than what I had for sure.
DM,
Pretty much done. Got to pick languages, but that's not overly important just yet. Other than that, I think I'm all ready.
And yes, I will be adding in more to description and a backstory, but it's late and I need sleep.
Suffice to say, Akydi's been having visions since he was rather young, and the Prof was one of the few outside of his family who believed him. He took the young Sorcerer under his wing and the youth traveled with him for a long time, as well as spending a fair amount of time at his manor, where he met and befriended Kendra. He left the professor's employ just two short years ago, but kept in contact through those years, until Lorrimar's death.
DM
When I originally designed Darcy, she was designed as a Ninja, but the DM didn't allow that class. If it is allowed in your game, I'd like to redo her as a Ninja. If not I'm good with Rogue, but would prefer Ninja.
NINJA GIRL AM BACK! JUBILATIONS!
Not trying to be argumentative, but this is the first time Darcy has ever been to this area of the world. She had one Tian Parent, and one Varisian Parent, and was raised by a Tian man, in Riddleport. She would definitely be considered exotic in this land, but her background supports it. I'll just go ahead with the rogue, but really don't understand the problem.
To be sure, I'd say the ninja doesn't have all that much flavor you can't represent in a few other ways. It's a more "supernatural" rogue, perhaps, but nothing a monk/rogue or an arcanist/rogue multiclass can't beat a few times over. Besides, what with monks, rangers, and whoever else having a pseudo-supernatural mechanic, I'd say the rogue could do a makeover too (I have an idea about using the inspiration mechanic from the 3.5 Dungeonscape class, the Factotum).
I'd say take away some of the weird stuff like ninjato/katana proficiency, and it should work quite well. Besides, ninja girls are awesome, even if they aren't actually ninjas :) .
I present to the party my character who just got accepted into the game.
As far as game play goes I can use my misfortune ability on your characters once per-day per character to force a reroll of any d20 before results of the roll are posted (you can infer when you roll a 1 or particularly low what the results will be). I'll normally be using this against combatants and it burns an immediate/swift action each time, but if it hasn't come into play during a round and you roll particularly bad on a save or wish to use it to help confirm a crit on a BBEG feel free to use it on a first come first serve basis.
When I gain class abilities or the ability to cast quickened spells this will most certainly change, but for now I don't have anything to use up my swift actions so I'll basically auto approve any reroll as first come first serve so all you should need to do is declare it as long as I'm not under any effect that robs me of swift/immediate actions. Just keep in mind that you can each only make use of it once a day and that you have to take the result of the reroll even if it's lower so try to use it only when you're almost certain you failed the check/save.
Pretty much done. Got to pick languages, but that's not overly important just yet.
Well I just got accepted into the game and as a consequence of my cursed class feature I'll likely only be able to communicate in Celestial whilst in combat or extremely stressful situations.
I'd suggest Celestial if you want to alleviate that impediment, but that would be meta-gaming and meta-gaming is bad, Mmmh'Kay.
Since it would be meta-gamey for players to pick up celestial at character creation it's probably subject to DM fiat on using that as bonus language. In any case if it can fit into your characters back story reasonably and DM doesn't rule against it Celestial would be my suggestion, since it would be nice to not be shoe-horned into only understanding and being able to communicate with 1 other member of the party under certain situations.
On Misfortune:
I'll be using my misfortune ability quite a lot and almost exclusively on enemy attack rolls, so for simplicity sake since as written I'm not allowed to see the modifiers of any given roll when deciding to use misfortune and you'll probably include modifiers when rolling for monster attacks ease of play. I purpose a simple method to handling the class feature.
In combat the first attack roll made any given creature makes where the roll itself without modifiers is equals (target [AC] - 3) or greater Kayela will target that creature with misfortune using up her swift/immediate action for that round and prompting a reroll.
If she's aware of modifiers (for example she or someone casts the bane spell on the target for a -2 to attacks she will add the modifier to the standard -3 for a -5 when determining to use misfortune or not; likewise if the party member is flanked pushing it from a -3 to -1) For show downs with obviously dangerous threats posed by a Big Evil Bad Guy consider the modifier a -5 if you feel Kayela is able to determine the threat is far more dangerous than the standard fare.
If that's too complicated let me know I can probably work out something simpler and am open to suggestions. Also feel free to make up any fluff when things go awry for our enemies and misfortune comes into play if that suites you.
On Guidance/Resistance Abuse:
While in obviously dangerous situations such as dungeon crawling unless time is an issue or otherwise noted Kayela will be casting guidance for a +1 to either her first attack roll or save along with resistance for a +1 to her first save. The fluff for this can be that when she feels she's in a dangerous place she's praying under her breath in Shoanti warding herself for safety. This obviously won't apply if say she's simply walking down the street and a band of ninjas get the drop on her or anything similar. Unless otherwise noted I'll be including this on her attack rolls/skill checks/saves. Feel free to throw penalties around for stealth checks or perception checks against her as you see fit and if it's an issue let me know so I know not to include it on my rolls.
On Initiative:
In case you hadn't already noticed my other revelation allows for 2 rolls on initiative and I get to pick either. Since I doubt I'll ever want the lowest one when rolling for Kayela's initiative roll twice and pick the highest.
Morbury has Celestial as a language.
And don't forget about the Linguistics skill. That's always an option.
The different colored eye bit is pretty cool there, Monkeygod.
Not sure if you keep up with baseball or not, but there is this pitcher for the Detroit Tigers that has one brown eye and one blue eye.(I think that's the color they were.)
Found it. Check this out: Max Sherzer
Morbury has Celestial as a language.
And don't forget about the Linguistics skill. That's always an option.
Yeah, Morbury was the 1 other member of the party I was referring to. Linguistics is viable, but that's a skill tax that can drag on less skilled characters.
Was merely suggesting a course of action since he hadn't picked his extra languages and assuming DM doesn't rule against it for being meta-gamey. It's not super important or anything, but it very slightly shifts the importance of starting languages so I thought it appropriate to at least mention.
Funny story Morbury is specifically why I decided against making a channel happy to harm undead cleric of repose/sun. I could have tried picking up selective channeling, but decided against the whole concept early on the feat-tax requirement.
The different colored eye bit is pretty cool there, Monkeygod.
Not sure if you keep up with baseball or not, but there is this pitcher for the Detroit Tigers that has one brown eye and one blue eye.(I think that's the color they were.)
Found it. Check this out: Max Sherzer
Thanks!! There was a book I read when I was in like elementary school called The Girl With the Silver Eyes(i think) about a girl who had silver eyes as well as telekinesis. That stuck with me for some 20+ years or so, and violet is the color associated with intuition and divine inspiration among the Varisians, so I thought it would be really cool to give Akydi eyes of those two colors.
And I do indeed follow baseball, I am 3rd generation Yankees fan, and I know Sherzer well, tho I did not know about his eyes. Very cool.
I am 3rd generation Yankees fan,
Rabid Sox fan here, .......and thus the party unity was utterly destroyed.
Yeah, that would put a strain on skill points. Didn't even consider that.
And I won't mention that I'm a Rangers fan. Cause I'm not. It's just too dang sad and painful. But mostly pathetic. REALLY pathetic. UTTERLY pathetic. Have I mentioned pathetic yet?
Actually, does Kayela look like someone who could wrestle a bear? From what I understand from her description, she's quite lean for that 18 in strength :) .
I imagined her more spry well toned amazonian rather than she-hulk (plus lady body builders weird me out). I figure life in the Cinderlands involves a lot of running away from horrible beasts and storms made of ember ash and fire. Darwinism probably weeds out the heavier folk or those without a long stride.
I doubt she could wrestle a bear; "they get like a +13 to grapple checks". Hunting a cinderwolf isn't out of the question though as evidenced by her trophy.
Totally forgot that Dhampir have the skin tone of a drow mixed with charcoal in PF. Willing to chalk it up to trick of lighting, momentary insanity, or an odd quip about the stranger half of Morbury's parentage and the undead taint that surrounds him. Take your pick.
I present to the party my character who just got accepted into the game.
As far as game play goes I can use my misfortune ability on your characters once per-day per character to force a reroll of any d20 before results of the roll are posted (you can infer when you roll a 1 or particularly low what the results will be). I'll normally be using this against combatants and it burns an immediate/swift action each time, but if it hasn't come into play during a round and you roll particularly bad on a save or wish to use it to help confirm a crit on a BBEG feel free to use it on a first come first serve basis.
When I gain class abilities or the ability to cast quickened spells this will most certainly change, but for now I don't have anything to use up my swift actions so I'll basically auto approve any reroll as first come first serve so all you should need to do is declare it as long as I'm not under any effect that robs me of swift/immediate actions. Just keep in mind that you can each only make use of it once a day and that you have to take the result of the reroll even if it's lower so try to use it only when you're almost certain you failed the check/save.
Pretty much done. Got to pick languages, but that's not overly important just yet.Well I just got accepted into the game and as a consequence of my cursed class feature I'll likely only be able to communicate in Celestial whilst in combat or extremely stressful situations.
I'd suggest Celestial if you want to alleviate that impediment, but that would be meta-gaming and meta-gaming is bad, Mmmh'Kay.
Since it would be meta-gamey for players to pick up celestial at character creation it's probably subject to DM fiat on using that as bonus language. In any case if it can fit into your characters back story reasonably and DM doesn't rule against it Celestial would be my suggestion, since it would be nice to not be shoe-horned into only understanding and being able to communicate with 1 other member of...
After a few instances of this nonsensical babble, Darcy will probably we motivated to try and figure out what you're saying. Can't have the Paladin be the only one interpreting your speaking in tongues. :-)
Totally forgot that Dhampir have the skin tone of a drow mixed with charcoal in PF. Willing to chalk it up to trick of lighting, momentary insanity, or an odd quip about the stranger half of Morbury's parentage and the undead taint that surrounds him. Take your pick.
Yeah, that's what I figured. That's why I just threw that out there about the lighting. It seemed plausible enough. :)
Does the 700 XP go to us new players as well? or are we behind by 700?
Also, what's Trust 22? is that how much we trust you as a GM?? lol
Just my two cents, but I think it's some type of measure of the town's trust towards the pc's.
I have a tendency to be wrong, though, more often than not.
I think you're right about that as I've heard similar comments about this AP.
The only two complaints I've heard mentioned about this AP is that the trust system is flawed as written as it was added late in it's development apparently they didn't include enough ways to raise trust to the maximum level presented in the rules. I'm pretty sure James Jacobs said something about either doubling the earnings of trust or encouraging DMs to provide more opportunities to earn it. I'm pretty sure it's a little important, which would make sense why an evil PC could quickly throw a wrench in the game via personality and are bared (even if its a common practice to bar them anyways).
The other complaint was something about paladins/clerics being the only ones to competently challenge most the encounters usually which play off the weird haunt mechanics.
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Ok for new people, yes you have the 700XP also, it would be too much of a pain to have seperate tracks and this way the leveling stays the same. Yes, the trust score affects your interactions with the town. I also knew that the system was flawed and have made adaptions. Anyone with knowledge religion can ask about 'haunts' and I will explain the mechanics. (they are actually pretty cool).
A friend of mine in my regular gaming group GM'd a little one-shot game for Halloween that relied heavily on the haunt mechanics. The most trouble we had was targeting the things, being that their quasi-undead area of effect traps. Positive energy seemed to do the trick well enough, so would Cure light Wounds as a touch attack or Lay on hands be effective? Likewise with the spirit siphons & holy water? I doubt our cleric can channel to harm undead effectively without risking killing our dhampir. I picked up a Battle aspergillum on the off-chance that we go toe to toe with incorporeal critters/things, just in case.
Do they also have that strange destruction mechanic where you have to do something weird to banish them or they'll just reset a certain amount of time later? The Spirit Planchette will be invaluable if so, unless they behaving like spooky rapping spirits which should be easier.