Monster Mashup - Master Thread

Game Master CaveToad

For Tristalt the d12 hd of barbarian is actually quite good since you can make up for the other deficits by picking other classes. Also you delay the rage powers for a long time or give them up entierly by going bloodrager.

Bloodrager really does put the Paladin and the Ranger to shame, though, since it doesn't have Level-3 CL. If you want something fun that sorta double-dips Barbarian in a Tristalt, though, go Paladin//Bloodrager//Skald. Your main attributes all line up, you get lots of rage rounds, you make an awesome face, your action economy is great, you get access to divine and arcane spells, and you're metal as hell.

Bloodrager's spell list is significantly less good than the Ranger and Paladin spell lists, though. It's heavily slanted towards blasting spells, which is why they NEED to have CL = character level.

I won't deny that the Bloodrager is super cool, though.

Have you seen the Fey Bloodline?

Bloodragers more than make up for a lack of buff spell diversity by being able to cast those buffs as a free action. An Arcane/Fey Crossblooded Rager, by level 12, is effectively getting to cast 5 spells a round, and still make a full attack... and of those spells is probably true strike, or enlarge person, or something equally powerful.

Bloodrager's real power seems to be in adding buffs to rage. Certain bloodlines are great for making you harder better faster stronger for free when entering rage.

Going to try and keep this thread a little tighter now and keep chatter to a minimum. I absolutely love the build discussions, but I want to keep it focused now on any posts for anyone who may still be lurking out there that has not specifically posted or contacted me that might still be interested in getting in before the deadline this Wednesday.

Anyone still out there lurking? This isn't last call, but it helps me a lot to know if there are people out there actively working on a crunch to seriously submit.

Hello. I have to stat out my familiar and animal companion and choose a typical spells but I am complete enough to submit.

Click me for my profile.

Hi CaveToad! gyrfalcon here, introducing Yvra Sunscale, Champion of Sarenrae. (Reference image here).

Theme: The Dawnflower’s Redemption...or Justice.

Background: Yvra was once a slave to his own avarice and pride, seeking nothing but gold and shining gems. Archmage Goodwin exposed him to many teachings and paths, but quickly saw Yvra’s affinity to Sarenrae, and encouraged him in that direction. Sarenrae's connection to the Sun and Light appealed to the wyvaran. The Dawnflower’s disciples suggested that the shine of gold and gems were naught beside the shining light of the dawn, and soon Yvra had found a purpose (and a way to fight back his own urges toward greed and pride): to serve the Dawnflower, bringing compassion and redemption to those who will except it...and a swift blade or arrow to those who will not. Yvra still feels the temptation of his own greed--and when he does, he does his best to quell his weakness by focusing on his devotion to the Everlight.

Misc notes: Yrva will focus primarily on archery and expects to take on the Phoenix Champion PrC (when he gets to 6th level...and the PrC is--hopefully--out of beta or near enough. His goal (apart from rescuing Goodwin) is to prove his worthiness and ability to resist his natural impulses toward greed and pride. He’s trying to hide his nervousness about being back out in the world--and the temptations it will bring.

Excellent, I will try to get you both to tables.

I'm still interested. I've got the crunch done for a kitsune cleric of Tsukiyo-oracle (dual-cursed)-sorcerer. I'll post with the alias once I get everything fixed up in your format.

I'm still interested. I've got the crunch done for a kitsune cleric of Tsukiyo-oracle (dual-cursed)-sorcerer. I'll post with the alias once I get everything fixed up in your format.

Good to hear, I created another table, so we have a few slots there and on other tables.

Formal Recruitment will end tonight but I will leave it open until we fill a few slots at some of the tables. I will take newcomers yet. After those slots are filled all new applicants will have to wait for openings or enough people to start a new table.

Can I drop an interest for a table? Literally just saw this. I would have been on this so much earlier if I had seen it.

I am glad I caught you, but there's no way in the world I can make all that in a day especially since I'm at work right now.

I have 14,000 and some odd posts, and can post most days at work. Some are more busy than others.

Wow. Wow.

Okay, I'll bite. How soon do you need the crunch?

attributes: 5d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 2, 6, 2) = 16
attributes: 5d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 2, 6, 2) = 17
attributes: 5d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 2, 4, 3) = 16
attributes: 5d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 5, 2, 4) = 16
attributes: 5d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 4, 3, 4) = 19
attributes: 5d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 2, 5, 1) = 13
attributes: 5d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 5, 4, 4) = 22

That's 13,13,11,13,13,11,15
Kind of terrible rolls. Do I get a reroll?

I rolled about the same, you get base 90. (Roughly 15 to all stats)

Adjust how you like nothing below 8 or over 18. Add Racial.

13, 13, 11, 13, 13, 11, 15
15, 13, 13, 13, 13, 11. = 78 points +10 = 88.

You qualify for the boost up to the 90 point minimum!

Basically, you get all 15s, minimum, and can move stats up and down point for point. Nothing above an 18 (or below 8) before racials, though!

Sweet. If I have two primary natural attacks (Gore and Bite) does one of them become secondary to the other?

Primary natural attacks only become secondary when accompanied by manufactured weapons. Otherwise they stay primary.

You -do- lose the strength-and-a-half of having a single natural attack (but that's only an issue when you're denied a full attack!).

Can I drop an interest for a table? Literally just saw this. I would have been on this so much earlier if I had seen it.

I am glad I caught you, but there's no way in the world I can make all that in a day especially since I'm at work right now.

I have 14,000 and some odd posts, and can post most days at work. Some are more busy than others.

No super rush. The formal closing is flexible. I would like to fill the tables up so I want to get a few more people in. Indeed it may help, if you have the time and inclination, to check out the tables (2, 4 and 6) and see if you have a concept in mind to fit in with one of them.

A trial period has just begun, although its been pretty solid so far, and I don't predict many changes to the tables or play if things keep on going.

The campaign info tab has links to the various tables, characters and gameplay so far. If that is too overwhelming, feel free to just make a character, and I will find a home.

Sweet. If I have two primary natural attacks (Gore and Bite) does one of them become secondary to the other?

Welcome Kale ;)

I'm also going to to spend some time to look at the character creation tonight and see, because it sounds interesting.
As I understand, make a character ask to be put in an open group, after a while the final group is chosen from the people that were active in those trial tables? Don't want to waste anyone's time if it's already likely a group has been chosen

Ok, going to try this. Probably a Hobgoblin fighter/swashbuckler/unsure.

5d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 5, 2, 2) = 16 =13
5d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 6, 3, 2) = 19 =14
5d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 3, 1, 1) = 14 =12
5d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 3, 6, 2) = 22 =17
5d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 5, 5, 5) = 25 =16
5d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 3, 6, 3) = 19 =13
5d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 6, 5) = 16 =14

STR-13+1=14
DEX-17+1=18+4=22
CON-13-3=10+2=12
WIS-14+4=18+2=20
INT-13+3=16
CHA-14+4=18+2=20

So, Hobgoblin fighter(aldori swordlord)/ swashbuckler/ monk(MoMS).
For the Hobgoblin (9 RP):
Fearsome (4 RP)
+2 DEX (4 RP)
+2 WIS (4 RP)
+2 CHA (4 RP)
Battle Scarred (2 RP)
+2 natural armor (3 RP)

I'm also going to to spend some time to look at the character creation tonight and see, because it sounds interesting.

As I understand, make a character ask to be put in an open group, after a while the final group is chosen from the people that were active in those trial tables? Don't want to waste anyone's time if it's already likely a group has been chosen

That's pretty much right. I don't want to speak for the GM, but how I understand it is that he'll continue accepting players indefinitely. If there's room at a table, you can try to fit in, if not, you have to wait until enough new players apply to open a new table or enough old players drop out to give you a spot.

You go through a trial period first to make sure you can pass Cave Toad's posting requirements and fit in with your group, and if you pass, everything's good!

@Galahad, those are some great rolls! I'm jealous!

Kale "Seascum" wrote:

Sweet. If I have two primary natural attacks (Gore and Bite) does one of them become secondary to the other?

Welcome Kale ;)

I have the crunch skeleton put together now. Trying to decide if Warsighted Oracle for Martial Flexibility is worth it when I'll already have an obscene number of feats. Same for Holy Tactician--an ability to share teamwork feats is a little overrated if everyone can pick up teamwork feats pretty easily already.

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I have a couple friends who I think are interested, but one of them has an insane week at work right now and the other just moved. Would they be able to join in a few weeks?

I am not speaking for everyone here of course, but I found it really hard to fit in teamwork feats in my build, there are just so many other good things you can do (and I even have a mount that I want to share them with), so sharing teamwork would be very welcome.

I am not a huge fan of the brawler-mechanic to gain temporary feats(due to the action economy/bookkeeping required), but it certainly offer you a large amount of flexibility to deal with a wider range of situations. Best way to figure out if something is worth it is to make a plan. Figure out what feats you want for each level (at least to level 5, but preferably to 10 or even higher) then see what things the ability can do for you at each stage. If you find that it is useful at each level then it might be worth it(depending on what you give up). If you can't come up with anything you might want to use it for at several stages, then maybe you should look at other options.

I'll echo a lot of what Xanya said. In general, I tend to avoid teamwork feats, since they're largely situational and require multiple people to coordinate their builds. As such, it's best if anyone planning to use such feats has the ability to grant them to others. Overall, this improves the party's effectiveness, since there can be a greater variety of feats within the party, and the other members can be guaranteed to always have the feat you need when you need them to have it.

As for Martial Flexibility, I like to use it for a number of purposes. For one thing, it lets you gain short-term early access to a combat feat you plan to take next level, but can't afford right now. Another use is to pick up those feats that are only useful during a certain period of the character's career (I'm thinking specifically of the Cleave tree here). Lastly, Combat Expertise can let you pick up situational combat feats that aren't normally useful. This can be useful for combat maneuvers where your opponent is either particularly good at avoiding your favorite one or is particularly vulnerable to one you haven't got much training in.

Here are some scenarios in which you might want to use Martial Flexibility:

1) You're working your way through a feat tree, but haven't gotten the highest one you qualify for just yet. You're fighting a boss, and really want to gain the benefits of that next feat...

2) You're fighting an enemy who suddenly blinds you. This is something of a disaster. If only you'd taken Blind Fight...

3)You find yourself in the arena, fighting via the Performance Combat rules. Your charisma sucks, and you're likely to be failing a lot of those Performance Combat Checks. Fortunately, Performance Combat feats are combat feats, and if you had one, you could get a +2 on some of those checks...

4) You've made a tripping build, but you're going up against a large enemy with a shield that's really giving the party a hard time. You think you could sunder the shield and make the fight a lot easier, but you don't have Improved Sunder....

I am not speaking for everyone here of course, but I found it really hard to fit in teamwork feats in my build

Well, most of the good ones aren't available at level 1 anyway.

I will counter with: If you build it, they will come. I'd suggest if you go teamwork-heavy, either grab hunter or inquisitor (maybe even both!). It gives you teammates to use them with, and they are probably the strongest feats in the game for what they do. Special nod to Stealth Synergy; it's amaaaazing.

Also, the people playing with you will go 'oh, wow, that's nice.' and will almost reflexively take it... unless, you know, they've already got their level 30 builds planned. :p

I'm also going to to spend some time to look at the character creation tonight and see, because it sounds interesting.

As I understand, make a character ask to be put in an open group, after a while the final group is chosen from the people that were active in those trial tables? Don't want to waste anyone's time if it's already likely a group has been chosen

Everyone is chosen. There are multiple tables. The only people that won't make it through trial are those whose characters have some issue with and don't get fixed, or who disappear or don't post much during trial. ( the next few weeks ). So the bottom line is if you play and post a lot you are in. The original plan was to maybe have only one or two tables, but due to overwhelming interest and strong posting so far, I am running 6 tables concurrently.

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I have a couple friends who I think are interested, but one of them has an insane week at work right now and the other just moved. Would they be able to join in a few weeks?

Yes its ok if they join down the line, they may need to wait a bit if there is not an open slot at a table though. A new table may get compiled, at the risk of my own sanity :)

Kale "Seascum" wrote:

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I have a couple friends who I think are interested, but one of them has an insane week at work right now and the other just moved. Would they be able to join in a few weeks?

Yes its ok if they join down the line, they may need to wait a bit if there is not an open slot at a table though. A new table may get compiled, at the risk of my own sanity :)

Please don't burn out on us. It's hard enough to deal with one insane person...

CaveToad wrote:

Kale "Seascum" wrote:

--

I have a couple friends who I think are interested, but one of them has an insane week at work right now and the other just moved. Would they be able to join in a few weeks?

Yes its ok if they join down the line, they may need to wait a bit if there is not an open slot at a table though. A new table may get compiled, at the risk of my own sanity :)

Please don't burn out on us. It's hard enough to deal with one insane person...

I don't see it happening. It isn't that hard to manage multiple tables once you have the framework in place. Making maps is fun and coming up stories is really cool. Right now the groups are pretty similar in location and actions, once things get down the road, then stuff will get awesome.

To address Hotaru's comment above about level 30. Yes :) I don't see any reason why it could not happen if everyone is hardcore.

Here is the start, will have background a little later.

If we get beyond Level 20, I might want to turn some of my cheese dips into main classes unless you have plans for how each class will progress beyond their usual caps.

For example, I'm seriously considering a cheese dip into Cleric and Kensai Magus at some point down the line, but if I get to level 20, I might want to turn one or both of those dips into full-blown class choices, maybe to pick up a PrC or just to go all the way with them. At the rate we're going, eventually every character will have levels in every class!

I read "level 30" as "level 9+9+9+2+1"... so, level 9. Still quite some ways away, that.

I read "level 30" as "level 9+9+9+2+1"... so, level 9. Still quite some ways away, that.

Oh, that would make sense.

Here is the start, will have background a little later.

** spoiler omitted **...

Ok good start. Get an alias for him and I will see if I can find a table. I am still reviewing peoples characters and there is time to make tweaks yet until I have finalized characters.

What did you spend your racial RP on, and why do you have improved unarmed strike listed so many times under your SQ?

It was a weird mistake on Hero Lab, I fixed it. I put the RP expenditures on the first post where I rolled. When I make the alias I'll consolidate everything.

I am making a Kobold Paladin/Wizard/Swashbuckler.
How much would prehensile tail racial trait cost? It's +2 acrobatics, climb, and can draw hidden weapons as a move action.

Also stats
5d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 2, 4, 1) = 16 => 6,4,3 => 13
5d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 4, 2, 6) = 17 => 6,4,3 => 13
5d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 3, 2, 4) = 18 => 6,4,3 => 13
5d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 2, 6, 2) = 15 => 6,4,2 => 12
5d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 4, 5, 3) = 19 => 6,5,4 => 15
5d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 5, 2, 1) = 19 => 6,5,5 => 16
5d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 4, 4, 4) = 23 => 6,5,4 => 15

Plus 10 unplaced points, for stats

I am making a Kobold Paladin/Wizard/Swashbuckler.

How much would prehensile tail racial trait cost? It's +2 acrobatics, climb, and can draw hidden weapons as a move action.

5 RP

@Newbienice: I encourage Kobold tail weapons regardless—some of them are really, really good.

@Galahad: I'd work on a story summary as well. The parties are split, to some extent, by personality (the best generalizations I can make so far are):

Table 1 — Performers and martial artists, preference for stealth and nonlethal combat
(Themes: Dreams, Storytelling, Independence, Protection, Beauty)

Table 2 — Aberrations, self-reliant with a touch of madness
(Themes: Mastery, War, Urges, Napoleonic Complex)

Table 3 — Righteous warriors, paragons through example, seekers of justice and enforced peace
(Themes: Magic, Vengeance, Fury, Law, Enforcement)

Table 4 — Dinosaurs, dragons and ogres, not too sure about this one
(Themes: less clear)

Table 5 — Generally bestial creatures with a chaotic and sneaky/deceptive bent
(Themes: Chaos, Venom, Charm, Mischief, Snakes, Frenzy)

Table 6 — Holy warriors of Sarenrae, I assume generally interested in fire and redemption
(Themes: less clear)

Kale/caps here. Crunch is still in-progress and fluff is still in my head, but you can see what I have so far.

The "Holy cow" bit is a joke from an MUD I played for a little while some time ago. Minotaur Paladins were a pretty decent build and we're caked holy cows.

Table 5 Actually has half the games submitted druids. We have some Chaos (No Law), but a lot more neutrality. Nature might be a better tag for us than snakes or venom.

I add my suggested corrections for the table because I actually like this little table and how it gives a very rough idea of each groups specialties/aims

Kale/caps here. Crunch is still in-progress and fluff is still in my head, but you can see what I have so far.

The "Holy cow" bit is a joke from an MUD I played for a little while some time ago. Minotaur Paladins were a pretty decent build and we're caked holy cows.

I'm not sure you did your stats right. If you are under 90 after adding the 10 points you go to 90. You don't get 90 plus 10 more on top of it. Basically if after your initial rolls you add 10 and still arent at 90, just take (6) 15's and then arrange 1:1.

What MUD by the way?

I think I'll submit a Minotaur Sorcerer/Oracle/Hunter to table 2. He'd be a good fit there.

@Newbienice: I encourage Kobold tail weapons regardless—some of them are really, really good.

@Galahad: I'd work on a story summary as well. The parties are split, to some extent, by personality (the best generalizations I can make so far are):

Table 1 — Performers and martial artists, preference for stealth and nonlethal combat
(Themes: Dreams, Storytelling, Independence, Protection, Beauty)

Table 2 — Aberrations, self-reliant with a touch of madness
(Themes: Mastery, War, Urges, Napoleonic Complex)

Table 3 — Righteous warriors, paragons through example, seekers of justice and enforced peace
(Themes: Magic, Vengeance, Fury, Law, Enforcement)

Table 4 — Dinosaurs, dragons and ogres, not too sure about this one
(Themes: less clear)

Table 5 — Generally bestial creatures with a chaotic and sneaky/deceptive bent
(Themes: Chaos, Venom, Charm, Mischief, Snakes, Frenzy)

Table 6 — Holy warriors of Sarenrae, I assume generally interested in fire and redemption
(Themes: less clear)

Tables 2, 4 and 6 have openings. 6 would definitely work well with paladins although we may be on paladin overload soon there.

Lotham wrote:

Kale/caps here. Crunch is still in-progress and fluff is still in my head, but you can see what I have so far.

The "Holy cow" bit is a joke from an MUD I played for a little while some time ago. Minotaur Paladins were a pretty decent build and we're caked holy cows.

I'm not sure you did your stats right. If you are under 90 after adding the 10 points you go to 90. You don't get 90 plus 10 more on top of it. Basically if after your initial rolls you add 10 and still arent at 90, just take (6) 15's and then arrange 1:1.

What MUD by the way?

I did them right. They add up to 90. I saw someone say we got a base of 90 and assumed I got to add 10, so I wrote that down. Before I finished I saw the other person give the more correct information, so I used that.

RetroMUD. I only had the one character, a Minotaur Paladin, and he only went to level 10 (10 and under is considered the noob levels there).

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I'll probably go for table 2 or 6. Not sure if he'll be more of an Erastil type or more of a Sarenrae type... or if he'll emphasize the Oracle side of things and be more of a servant of the pantheon of Good gods.

This is sarpadian's submission. It's still a work in progress.

EDIT: I forgot that there were a couple of questions I wanted to ask. How would Goodwin have felt about neutral oracles who use inflict spells? I can redo Cardau as a Neutral Good oracle if that would fit the campaign better. Also, as I have it written up now, Cardau used his rank in Linguistics to learn to read lips, per the PFS FAQ. Is that OK? If not, I will choose another language.

Table 5 Actually has half the games submitted druids. We have some Chaos (No Law), but a lot more neutrality. Nature might be a better tag for us than snakes or venom.

I add my suggested corrections for the table because I actually like this little table and how it gives a very rough idea of each groups specialties/aims

I was just listing what people's profiles gave as "themes." You had two separate people choose "snakes" is all.