Iron Gods - PFS (Inactive)

Game Master Andrew L Klein

Discussion thread for the Iron Gods campaign.

Everyone, congratulations!

Hi guys! I'm very excited to play in this game, especially with Andrew in charge of it. I have been in one other (stalled) Iron Gods game before, but we got almost nowhere. I can't wait to see how the story goes, especially now that we get PFS credit for it!

Howdy soon-to-be-friends, and congratulations on also making the cut!

I also am very much looking forward to running this adventure path. I'm looking to run it IRL in a few months time with some friends, so I'm glad to be getting the jump on it before I DM.

Hey everyone! I am super exited to be here. Ive always loved some tech in my fantasy and Ive heard high praises for this adventurepath.

I have not made an alias yet (im the kind of person that always takes 15 minutes in a computer game ti decide on a name).

I also wanted to discuss our final characters and the role we wanted to fill in the party.(and ask advice for my own character)
I wanted to make a life oracle, going for the 'oradin' build, but substituting paladin with warpriest. It makes it slightly more MAD as oracles cast with charisma and warpriests with wisdom. But we will already have a paladin in the party.

I see myself as the 'healer' of the party (substituting lay on hands with the warpriests fervor).
I can, and am still willing to finetune the build.
Apart from healing I can support with spells and be a flanking buddy in melee.

Yarr

Alias incoming later tonight. (or in the morning)

Smith is into creating and making things better. He's got the technologist feat so he can actually understand machines. I do plan on taking some creating feats with him (likely weapons/armor) but not until level 5.

And then there were 5!

Congratulations, everyone! I'll get to creating my alias later today. Looking forward to adventuring with you all!

My role will be melee tank and DD. I'll have some damage mitigation, and some arcane ability. Haven't decided yet on a weapon but probably something two-handed since I'll be casting Shield often.

Yay!!

Similar to Nefreet, my Paladin was designed as a melee tank and damage dealer. The archetype I took lets me ignore a bit of hardness (increase as I level up), as I figured there'd probably be a fair bit of metal we'd be dealing with along the way. That being said, the Stonelord archetype also gives a bit of leeway for also serving in a defender role, so if necessary I can head that way as well.

If for party composition reasons - and of course only if the GM is ok with it - I'm happy to totally change around classes and keep the same character backstory/flavour. I'll happily fill just about any role.

EDIT: As a way of introducing the character, here was the original pitch for those playing along at home.

I've thrown together Hroren to be played as a grumpy old curmudgeon. I'll try and fill out some more backstory stuff on him soon, but for the moment his full mechanical stats should be found on this alias.

Hroren is an ardent follower of Irori, and believes in physical perfection through hard work. He believes that just about anyone younger than him is inherently lazy, but that if he spends enough time with them, they will see his shining example and start developing better lifestyle habits.

He is not particularly smart, and as such, Hroren is wary of anything that he doesn't particularly understand (arcane magic and technology included). He has a particular hatred of robots and other constructs, believing them to be a direct affront to his deity: artificially engineered machines seek to emulate the perfection of organic life.

Hroren has travelled to torch to find out more about the robot that was recently dug up from the expedition, and to destroy any others that can be found under the mountain.

Im certainly taking the technologist feat and maybe taking crafting-cybernetics (if there is interest in this from the party members)

So we have:
- arcane caster (miranda aka cartmanbeck)
- Melee tank (hroren aka nerd)
- melee tank (nefreet)
- healer/support (woran)

Sorry rob I forgot what your type of character was.
We got some of the basic roles covered. We could use a skill monkey. And we all need some backup ranged weapons.

I changed his name from "Drømmer" to "Dromer" for ease of posting.

Rob's playing ranged/arcane, using a firearm of some sort. So we're heavy on arcane with three users. With Oracle and Paladin we have two divine. I think having two frontliners is a good thing for flanks and such.

I suppose we don't have a dedicated skill monkey.

How about knowledges? For my character's backstory I'd prefer to hold onto Dungeoneering and Geography (+7 at 1st level). I'm sure one of the primary casters will take Arcana, and one of the technologists will take Engineering. That leaves us with History, Local, Nature, Nobility, Planes, and Religion.

If you want, I could drop Sense Motive and pick up Nature. I could even drop Diplomacy and pick up Arcana. Or I could drop Fate's Favored and pick up another one. Local would fit my backstory. VMC (Bard) gets you +1/2 level to Knowledges, too.

I'm just a huge fan of having a knowledgeable party.

I've got these three Knowledge's covered: Kn. (arcana) +10, Kn. (engineering) +11, Kn. (history) +8

I can always put a point in another of them when we hit 2nd level of course.

Oracles get 4 skillpoints. Warpriests a measly 2 (barring upping int).
If I want to take crafting cybernetics stuff, I will need a lot of points in heal (no prob. That fits with the concept) and knowledge engineering. Once I start taking warpriest levels, I wont have skills to spare.

So, to sum up:

- arcane caster (miranda aka cartmanbeck)
- Melee tank (hroren aka nerd)
- melee tank (Dromer aka nefreet)
- healer/support (woran)
- arcane/ranged (pirate rob)

I would say we are heavy on the "casters" (one palladin, one oracle and two arcane types).
The paladins will certainly sustain us in melee, and with a firearm, I think we'll have ranged damage in check. (as long as we all bring a backup ranged weapon)

I feel there is still some room to tweak my character idea depending on what we need.
Do we feel we need a full healer/support? More support? More heal? (Hroren wont get lay on hands, but Dromer will I think?) More something else? (I'm always up for something weird)
Suggestions are welcome, while I ponder this some more myself.

If I swap my Int and Dex I'd have 8 skill pts/level instead of 7, and I'd have a starting +8 in Knowledges. I could maintain Dungeoneering, Geography, Nature, and Planes at max ranks.

The other 4 pts/level would probably then go into Acrobatics, Climb, Perception, and a smattering of my other class skills.

I think that's a pretty good group, really. While a skill monkey would be cool, I think we should have most things covered without. :)

No gun here, just a recently freed android blacksmith trying to find out what happened to the forge and to find his place in life.

Think utility arcane. I almost went Spellslinger to wield a gun, but didn't want to give up the Metal arcane school.

Since we're discussing party composition and needs, I figure I'll throw in a couple thoughts.

Spoilered for length, not content.

I'd prefer 5 as well over 6 and think we'll be fine.

I think we'll be totally fine, personally. I always find it more interesting for the party to have a few deficiencies anyway, making us come up with more creative solutions.

I definitely prefer 5 over six, and I think everyone seems pretty comfortable with party composition.

i have precious few skill points, but I'm happy to shift my sense motive over into any knowledge gaps we have, in particular religion?

EDIT: I'm not value though given my 8 intelligence: "that there is a shrine to Zon-Kuthon, God of warm embraces, pastry and sunsets."

I'd prefer 5 over 6 as well.

Yeah, a point or two in Kn.Religion would likely come in handy, so if you're willing to do that, I think we'll be all set.

Five players is fine.
Im mostly trying to find some build, that I can use to be usefull in combat and do healing.
At first levels, using a wand or simple cure spells suffices, but later, you want some solid healing. Its not enough to hope you can make it trough combat and heal up full after.

I want to buff and heal you, but I dont want that to be the only thing I do.

Maybe I should let my idea of a ratfolk go. If you want to do anything in melee, the movement and strength penalty will hurt a lot.

Be ranged, and healy?

Hopefully this is my last avatar change, I promise! Dromer is young, and I want to portray some of that teenage angst. Something sleeping, and with a full head of long hair (opposite me IRL), I think captures him well... Even if his skin isn't grey =P

Lol "1/16-orc". Love it.

Agreed, 1/16 Orc is top-notch :D

Sorry guys, I'm going to start tomorrow instead. I've got a pounding headache and watching a screen long enough for an intro is too much right now. This should also give Woran some more time to solidify his character.

I've got a pounding headache and watching a screen long enough for an intro is too much right now.

Get well soon!

Hope you feel better soon Andrew.

I tought about going ranged. But you either need adamantium arrows or clustered shots early to beat DR.
While I doubt we'll run into serious DR soon, a ranged build has a certain feat tax, and some builds take a good long while to get there.

I'll stop 'draaikonten' soon, and buold my character.
Im in the bus to work at the moment, and tonight it is PFS night at my lication so I'll be home late. I will try to put at least a small character build up so we have something to work with.
Details will follow as soon as possible.

draaikonten = turn butts?

Haha, yes, butt turning. Its a saying. It doesnt translate literally, but its akin to being indecisive.

I'm hatching a Warpriest/zen archer in my head.
Question is, scred fist archetype, or plain warpiest. Hm... I like the idea, I just need to think about it a little more.

Ok. I realise I've been making it too had on myself with weird ideas. I think I'll save the warpriest/zen archer shenenigans for PFS.

I'll make an Iron Priest Cleric of Brigh. Probably later go into evangelist.
It will provide healing and buffing, work with the crafting feats, and give more skillpoints once I go for evangelist.
Its also a great fit for the backstory I envisioned for a ratfolk.

I wont be your damage dealer in combat, but I'll make a solid flanking buddy for our melee friends.

I'll start building ASAP

Got Iantha statted up, with some preliminairy inventory. Will add more info and backstory tomorrow, so far, we have something to work with.

If andrew wants to start: My general backtround is that the Narili family is a traveling caravan of ratfolk, goint round the towns of numeria to help the locals in exchange for money, goods or just a hot meal.
Torch is on their regular route, and they know a lot of people in the town.

More towmorrow, its 2:20 and I need to work tomorrow

Sounds good. I'm working on the intro right now.

Starting post is on the gameplay thread. Go ahead and introduce yourselves, and each of you has your own small spoiler of info.

Its 8:06 and I need more coffee, or the next user with a srupid attitude dies ;)

As your shift ends mine begins, I'm off in ten minutes to go deal with the same type of stupid, technologically inept users for 8 hours...

Just as an FYI, Pirate Rob and I will be at DunDraCon this upcoming Friday thru Monday (12th-15th), so our posts may be limited.

That's fine. Have an excellent time :)

Just as an FYI, Pirate Rob and I will be at DunDraCon this upcoming Friday thru Monday (12th-15th), so our posts may be limited.

Haha. Google dutch carnaval. I dare you. (this is happening now. Its a thing. Dont judge us. Or do, we dont care ;) )

Thanks for the heads up!

I can tell I'm going to love this angsty teenage half 1/16 orc already lol

Google dutch carnaval. I dare you.

Haha! That looks like fun!!

I'm loving that we have such a motley group of personalities. I think it'll make for fun times ahead.

Indeed, it will definitely be interesting as we get into the more in-depth RP encounters as opposed to the general intro.

I have a question for everyone in combat encounter preference.

I had planned on using Google Docs, but it occurs to me that a Roll20 table doesn't disappear automatically, and that I could use that for combat and it would stay for however long we take for an encounter, and would still allow full control of everyone's characters.

I'd like to know everyone's preference, if you have one.

I have a preference for google docs, but no objection to roll20.

I'm indifferent, I've used both in the past.

I would prefer Google Slides, but really it's whatever you prefer for GMing.

I can't access roll20 on my phone, so during combat I'd need others to move me around. If we use Google Slides, I can move things around on my phone.

Hey, another quick side question whilst I remember: what timezone is everyone in? GMT +11 (Sydney, Australia) here.

GMT +1 (Utrecht the Netherlands)

Oh god my hangover.

Also: cant use roll20 on my phone.