Kingmaker: A Light in the Dark (Inactive)

Game Master JDPhipps

I was talking with Jon earlier and suggested doing Ruby Phoenix Tournament with all monks.

Isn't that module a lot of combat? Which can be slow in PbP. But I am not opposed. I have never made a monk and I have only seen one in play so I may need a bit of help if monk is picked but I love trying new things. Any body got any other suggestions?

We seem to have changed gears rather suddenly. I thought Jon was going to run his Azlant-Kingmaker game, and someone else was talking about doing a single-class group?

What's going on?

Jon's not starting Azlant until he can get the more detailed map of the Azlant continent that's supposed to be included in the first book of Ruins of Old Azlant. So we're discussing the possibility of running a module in the mean time.

Ah.

Why not run an lead-in with the Azlant characters? Maybe a short seafaring module?

There aren't any seafarring modules that are low enough level.

I'll weigh in here for a moment.

If we wanted to run a prequel of sorts, I wouldn't mind running something that isn't a module. I just wanted to use a module for an unrelated game as I would prefer not to spend time working on messing with a short custom adventure when I could be planning for the full game. However, a prequel adventure of a sort before you arrive is something I wouldn't mind spending time on to do. If people would rather that than a module, I can get to work on something of that nature. It'd be something that would happen on the boat while you're on your way there. It could help to introduce some NPCs and such that will be making the voyage with you, so if people would prefer that I'd be happy to make an intro adventure.

I would prefer that, personally.

When should we have replacement PCs ready?

I'd say... well, I'm still gonna need some time to come up with this little prelude adventure. Maybe a week or two? If people aren't ready by that point we can hold it off for a bit. I was gonna start the game at Level 3, so I think I'll start this adventure at Level 2 and you'll level up by the end. Sound good? This should give me time to figure out how it might lead into the campaign proper and plan accordingly.

I am fine with either option actually. I will wait till we have a full vote before brainstorming. Not that i could manage much after the seven to five shift that was today.

I like the idea of a prequel...

Shadow's Avatar. Will finish the submission up likely Friday night.

Prequel gets a +1 from me.

So we have a magus, a bard, and a reoccurring Telekineticist. What is everyone one else wanting to play? I am torn between a paladin probably of Iomedae or Erastil, a summoner since the game where I was playing on died off, or a monk since I have never played one.

Or a druid because bear puns are wonderful!

There is a kind of strange, but kind of cool new Paladin archetype that hit in the last Player's Companion. It's ocean themed and gets some odd psychic style stuff and a hippocampus mount.

Being locked into a purely aquatic mount does not seem like a good idea, flexibility is important. Now if I could get a griffon I would be all over that. Griffons are awesome! But I would happily look at it when it shows up on the SRD. What is it called? I have some aquatic stuff coming up late in te game I am running

Well, that's what the Monstrous Mount feat is for.

It's called the Pearl Seeker, and it's only on the Archive of Nethys right now I think. They usually update before the SRD.

I'm keeping Gallidren as is.

That is an interesting option, I always forget about that website. In a straight aquatic game I would pick that, paladins are a lovely class. My favorite is the chosen one. I am in a game with one of those and their divine emissary is a chicken, a holy chicken :)

To give people some idea of what people are playing, by my estimation we have:

Annika Valarius - Magus
Donker Geddarn - Bard
Gallidren Aerenduill - Wizard
Kahurangi - Shaman
Marcus Cowl - Kineticist

I know Jericho was contemplating whether to stay as a sorcerer or switch to a ranger, and Jonathan was contemplating keeping a similar character or switching it up significantly. Prophet is definitely switching to something, and mentioned a swashbuckling sort, although hasn't decided on anything quite yet.

While I said I don't mind an unbalanced party (and I don't, I'll accommodate whatever party we end up with), here's my breakdown of 'party roles' and stuff that we might want.

It's a little long. I like theory-crafting and stuff, it got away from me a little bit.

Anyone who doesn't want to read my giant list examining your strengths and weaknesses, my summary follows. You guys are pretty set for buffing/debuffing, with several party members who can contribute. Face skills are solid, but having someone else who could pick up the slack could be useful. The same can be said for healing. Only one person at the moment has any roguish skills, so someone who could contribute some of those to help Marcus might not be a bad idea. Another melee combatant who can deal good sustained damage might be a good option. You don't have anyone dedicated to ranged combat, although Marcus can function as a switch hitter. Ranged attackers aren't really necessary, but if you like having them someone might want to invest in being dedicated to it or being another switch hitter.

A couple classes people have mentioned can definitely contribute to these roles. Ranger can cover a few of them, as could a paladin. A blaster caster (probably sorcerer, as they tend to be the best at that) could shore up a few of them as well. Inquisitor could do the same. A monk could be an interesting choice that help out with some of them as well.

Like I said, I want you to play characters you want to play. However, if you would like to build to shore up the party's abilities, that's my personal assessment of gaps you'd be best suited to fill.

I am tempted to go for an alchemist, great buffs, some rouge skills, definitely ranged but they can go melee. I love this class.

A Druid is rather tempting. Melee with some decent spells to pick from.

I would like to say that barbarians make excellent faces, skilled trap breakers, amazing debuffers, and present a strong melee front.

Honestly I could play any class and have a blast with it.

Gallidren are you going as a crafter?

I've actually finished rebuilding Annika for the most part and she's got a lot of roguish skills. I have her growing up in Riddleport, so I figured that it would make sense that she would be skilled at sneaking and lockpicking and the like.

Yes, I'll be taking craft wondrous items and possible craft wand.

Can you list for me the new build requirements? Point buy, money, any restrictions, the feat stuff you changed. Please?

Sure thing.

We're using 20 point-buy as opposed to the original 15, but it's still on a point-for-point basis as mentioned in my house rule document.

Since I'm going to use Automatic Bonus Progression, you'll start with 3/4 of your WBL for Level 2, so 750 GP. We're using Level +2, so you have the benefits of ABP for a Level 4 character. If you play a character who doesn't wear armor, I will allow adding the armor bonus to a set of plain clothes, which just gives it a bonus equal to the enhancement bonus.

All Paizo material is allowed, third party content is available on a case-by-case basis. Two traits, you make take a drawback for a third. Please pick a drawback you're going to roleplay.

All my other changes are on my house rule document, which you can find in the header on this alias. That has feat changes, as well as changes to stuff like classes, skills, spells, Unchained rules, equipment, and the mythic ruleset. Everything you can imagine SHOULD be there, if it isn't let me know and I'll add it.

That should be everything.

Brilliant! I spent most of the day watching critical role and cleaning so I need to get on prepping for my live game tomorrow. But I will give it all a read though after my game for my decompression time and get started on something.

Also if you all have not watched Critical role you should watch it! It is brilliant and they are wonderful players and the story is so much fun to watch.

Anybody have any thoughts on a area that we feel we should fill in?

Oh man, Matthew Mercer? He's my favorite cowboy.

I forgot to mention, I have a homebrew class that Anninka's player created a while ago that I've finished and made adjustments to that is open to be played in this game. It's called the Grenadier, and is meant to be a hybrid class of the Alchemist and Gunslinger. I had a feeling that Jonathan's player might be particularly interested in this, but anyone who wants to play it can do so. It's worth noting that this hasn't been play-tested past around... Level 5, so things beyond that may warrant changes of some sort. Much of the later parts of the class were designed by me while trying to brainstorm ideas, so some of them may not be 100% balanced and will need some tweaking. However, this gives you a good idea of what the class is designed to do.

Sold. No, seriously, for the last two hours I've been trying to decide if I wanted to be the big meatshield with a heart of gold, the precise marksman with a heart of gold or a mix of both.

Now Imma be a mofokken Grenadier.

Sold, indeed.

Given the size of the party, a Skald would be very impressive. If anyone's still trying to decide, that would be my recommendation.

Jon, would allow a version of the Half-Giant from Dreamscarred Press that loses/replaces the psionic stuff?

I am seeing a half-giant Skald (War Drummer) with an enormous greatclub.

I am waffling between the War Drummer and the switch-hitter ranger build I want to try.

EDIT:

With the addition of the grenadier, I think the skald is probably a better choice for the party...

I am just going to leave this beautiful thing about gold and crafting. In my head it is cannon and just lovely :D

Oh man that Grenadier looks awesome. But I get to see it in play so I am good, hmm, that rules out the alchemist... Either a paladin, druid, or sorcerer.

Sorcerer would most likely be of a draconic bloodline and go into Dragon Disciple. I have never played a blaster, ever. Probably a human and starting out as a youth. But I am not opposed to a Aasimar, Tiefling, or a half elf.

Paladin of Iomedae. I would love an half orc, though they are venerable at 60. But there are some already in the party so I am guessing that is not to short of a lifespan. Can be a secondary healer and would be a frontliner. To be mentioned I would not want a strict and ridged person. He would drink, swear, and would have visited brothels in the past. Fun fact about the country of Lastall or as I call it the Land of the Inheritor's Paladins, there is a place called The Mourners of Arazni in Vigil. This is a place that does theater and comfort sex. The Paladin's of the Inheritor have really hard lives. So Paladins do not have to be prudes :)

Or the Druid which would be a Dwarf, cause Dwarves need love! Most likely a Wolf Shaman. Mainly melee with some healing and other fun spells.

But my players killed my brain so I am going to go to bed. The wizard yelled for the party to get their murder boners ready. So much distractions out of that player all over a future ally in the distance with horns on its head. He is so lucky.

Well, I remain convinced to play a Grenadier. It simply appeals to me in every possible sense.

I have a question and a dilemma, though.
The question is, does the Focused Shot feat apply to firearms? I think the feat predates firearm rules yet I'd understand it not applying, specially considering for my wannabe Grenadier that would mean at least +4 to damage against anything not immune to precision damage and criticals.

And the dilemma... well, I can't help but think about Ratfolks as a perfect match for the Grenadier, yet they are extremelly short-lived. So I will need to think about which race Mister Bombs&Guns will be. Or Mrs, I can't know for sure.

My only comment on the Skald is that, at the moment, the party is very Dexterity focused. The Skald would likely be Strength-based for combat, and if we get a Paladin of Iomedae that makes two, but I count... at least three Dexterity-based combatants, and likely a fourth from Prophet if he does go with his buccaneer concept (I imagine he'd likely go with a Swashbuckler, although I suppose that isn't a guarantee). I believe there's an archetype that allows you to change Inspiring Raging, which Annika said was called the Urban Skald? However, I can't find any trace of it on the SRD unless I'm not looking hard enough. Alternately, I'd be willing to make an 'Unchained' Skald that uses similar changes to the Unchained Barbarian, being that you gain static attack/damage bonuses and temporary HP, as opposed to increasing stats. Up to you.

As for half-giant, I'm cool with it after dropping the psionic stuff. I've never really understood why half-giants were inherently psionic, considering that giants are not themselves known for their psychic powers? Either way, this idea is green-lit, if you want to take this route. A ranger could still give some meaningful contributions however, if you're more drawn to that concept. Either one works.

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Sorcerer is a good blaster, they're fun. Draconic bloodline is one of the best for blasting, other than Orc. Dragon Disciple is really better for melee than blasting, although nothing wrong with having options. A few levels of it gives decent melee capacity without losing out on high-level spells. Playing a young character is fine as I said, although a different race could also be interesting.

Paladin would shore up the melee portion of the party very well. Half-orc isn't too short, I don't think the game would go long enough in-universe that you would run the risk of dying of old age or anything. I'm cool with paladins who aren't, well, boy scouts. I certainly love a good Lawful Nice paladin, but a different take could be neat. Considering half-orc, were you thinking of perhaps being from Lastwall? It seems fitting, what with Iomedae and your race and all.

Dwarf druids aren't common, but I dig them. There was a Dwarven druid in one of the old R.A. Salvatore story lines; I think it was the Cleric Quintet? All these ideas sound neat. Feel free to use me as a sounding board, but they all seem like they could be useful.

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Emissary, somehow I figured you'd enjoy the Grenadier. I will give you a nice tip that I employed when I played one in the Skulls and Shackles game Annika's player ran; Tieflings make for EXCELLENT grenadiers if you make use of the alternate racial traits and feats that give your tail a lot of versatility. You can easily dual-wield weapons using the tail to reload, or use it to whip bombs around while you fire off your main weapon. I found it very effective, if such an idea interests you. Cheliax is nearby of course, and I can think of plenty of reasons a Tiefling may want to leave there and start a new life. Just a thought, depending on how far along your ideas are.

I was about to make a post regarding my dual wielding concerns (Mostly because Variel is a revolver totting dual wielder) and then I realised... Hellboy.

Only a gun, yet I need to make it large/increase its damage, with a prehensile tail and total darkvision. Complete with the heart of gold hide under a bit of gallows' humour.

I dig it. I may end doing him a dual wielder, but I dig it.

@Emissary: Awesome idea! Play a tiefling. Take the over-sized arms and prehensile tail alternate racial traits. Then take two iterations of the fiend sight feat.

The over-sized arms you will have to get permission to simply choose. It is result 16 on the "Variant Abilities and Physical Features" table.

Tieflings can do the prehensile tail pretty easily, it replaces fiendish sorcery which you would not want anyway as a 'slinger.

The darkvision: Fiend Sight twice gives See In Darkness which is pretty amazing.

Instead of dual wielding, maybe go the vital strike route?

Lurch, I'd kiss you if I could reach you.

Everything is starting to get shape in my mind. Hell, not being able to reload quick for now goes great with the whole BFG theme.

I still need a name, but I'm hapoy with the result.

I'm keeping Gallidren as is.

As I'd mentioned above, this is how I feel with Kahurangi. I can adjust spells and whatnot, but the core character is something I feel was not so well-used as to reroll. He's adept enough in the water anyway.

The Urban Skald has a variant Ragesomg that allows the listener to choose which ability they boost. It's only a +2 instead of +4, but for a party like ours it's still impressive. It stacks with most other skald archetypes.

The Totem Skald who chooses Mouse (which could be reflavored to any other agile critter)has the ability to grant Evasion to everyone that heard it. For a Dex-heavy party, that's awesome.

To those keeping their old characters, just make sure to update them for new build rules; mainly, that you have 5 more points to spend on ability scores. I would prefer to keep it at an 18 as your maximum stat before ability modifiers, so 20 is your absolute max at this point. However, you're also getting the ABP of a 4th level character, and you have 750 GP total to spend on gear and such. If you have a campaign trait, you also don't need to keep it, but you can if it makes sense.

Emissary, feel free to take the larger arms alternate ability instead of standard darkness, I'm fine with that. See in Darkness as a later ability would be very useful, as you will have some times where you'll be spelunking down into some caves and ruins that will be below ground. I love the idea of using the massive, over-sized pistol and the potential burst damage isn't bad either. I dig the idea.

Found the Urban Skald on the PFSRD, the search link was broken previously, but I could back into it from another archetype. I don't see anything about the recipient being able to choose? I don't know if there was an errata or something, or if it's just wrong. I'd be willing to change that, or again go with the 'Unchained' idea. Looking at Totemic Skald, there are actually several of those that could be really useful. A high Dexterity party benefits from Evasion to a huge degree, but a Bear totem could also be useful; the party could free up their automatic bonuses for other physical ability scores and rely on the boost from the Totem power to increase their Constitution for more hit points. Increases to land speed also aren't a bad choice, since I allow you to move half your speed during a full attack. A couple of those options could really be neat if properly built for. Those also both actually stack with War Drummer, interestingly enough.

Thank you, Jon!

Last couple questions.

Can we precraft stuff? I wouldn't shy away from crafting the Twin Handcannon, or Double Trouble as I will cornily call it, so the 437.5 gp tag goes down... but mostly I'd be looking at ammunition, as even a 25% price thanks to Commonplace guns still means 3 gp per shot when using Alchemical Cartridges.

I am unsure on what does the Gunsmith feaat do, specially if I need it. The feat states you need not make Craft checks to build firearms or craft ammunition, with reduced cost per shot. Does the absence of feat means I can't craft them at all or simply that I need to invest on the appropiate skills?

And last one. Does this one look menacing and big enough?

I believe without the feat you technically can't make them at all? However, that's an oversight on our part, you should probably get Gunsmithing along with your starting pistol. Speaking of which, feel free to just take a double-barreled pistol as your starting gun. I will allow you to pre-craft ammunition.

That looks menacing, but I think you could get more menacing.

Not as productive over the weekend as I wished to be, L'll have this up at some point this week, sorry for the delay.

I don't see anything about the recipient being able to choose? I don't know if there was an errata or something, or if it's just wrong. I'd be willing to change that, or again go with the 'Unchained' idea.

My mistake. Looks like the Skald chooses. Still, that's pretty fantastic.

So in theory, you could have an Urban Totemic War Drummer. Very Shadowrun. :D

That is incredibly Shadowrun, and kind of awesome.

Can we precraft stuff? I wouldn't shy away from crafting the Twin Handcannon, or Double Trouble as I will cornily call it

If it's a double-barrel with monster heads, you're missing an opportunity to call it Demogorgon.

Or, since we're doing a semi-aquatic piratey game, you could add an underslung grenade launcher, model the heads off of sharks, and call it Luska (Pic)

(the three head thing works for Cerberus or Hydra also.)

Cerberus already has an owner, but both Luska and Hydra would be interesting names, both of which would be pretty thematic. One of the Innovations is even grabbing a grenade launcher, so that could definitely work. I think Vincent actually had a rifle called Hydra... but whatever. I've had that game on the brain for a while. Looking for a good picture did remind me how comically large that pistol is, since I think it's like 2 feet long or something obscene like that. I think Hydra might be an even better name for a weapon that just has a massive number of barrels, something like a Gatling Pistol from Deadlands, for instance.

Also, forgot to mention this, but we'll do my standard HP generation for 2nd level, so you can roll (re-rolling 1s) or take 1/2 HD+1, whichever ends up being higher. 1st level will be maximum, as normal.

PS: Give that Skald some cyberpunk shades and he's basically the essence of Shadowrun. Gotta love it.

There's a barbarian avatar pic with a hood that looks a lot like it's wearing sunglasses. It's actually supposed to be tattoos or warpaint or something, but it would work.

Jon, will you allow retraining an archetype feature back to the original class feature as described in the retraining rules?

Also, Urban skald and war drummer cannot be combined, as they both alter the weapon/armor proficiency of the skald.

But, if I chose tiger totem I would actually give the bonus to str, con, and dex.