Mort's Strange Aeons (Inactive)

Game Master Just a Mort

My name is Mort and I’m interested in running a Strange Aeons game with Arcane casters only FOR SCIENCE!

I intend for this game to progress at a fast pace.

I WILL do multiple posts per day. Just look at Reign of Winter for pace. I expect that all of you will try for 2x/day posting.

Should you have RL commitments that make you unable to do so, please inform me in the discussion thread. I’m not totally unreasonable.

The maps will be provided on Google Drive. Please make sure you can access to Google Maps whatever device you’re posting on. I don’t discriminate against phone users, I am one myself.

Please read the player guide here, feel free to use any information in it. It is, unfortunately too big to copy paste here.

The setting is in Ustalav. Note that Ustalav is very suspicious as general of anyone who isn't human, but I won't restrict what races you play, I'll just get the local prejudice going =)

I would like to draw your attention to the following:

"You might be tempted to play a character that venerates a Great Old One or an Outer God, but that isn’t a great option for this Adventure Path. You’ll be fighting against cultists who worship these foul beings, and knowing all about the Elder Mythos hinders the horror of the unknown. Any of the other gods in the setting work just fine in this campaign, but if you want a deity with a connection to Ustalav (where the Adventure Path begins), consider choosing Desna or Pharasma as your patron.

If you worship a deity and draw power from your god, you awake with an understanding of that faith and can feel your divine connection. If you venerate a good deity, you might awaken with a vague sense of guilt or shame that you can’t quite put your finger on. Regardless of this lingering doubt, you feel that your god has granted you a second chance to redeem any misdeeds."

Even though it doesn't exactly apply since none of you are divine casters, the spirit of the wording does.

Basically the premise of Strange Aeons is you made the proverbial deal with the devil(or maybe Great Old One?)(leading to you losing your memories), and you’ve been given a second chance to fix the mess.

I will be running an adapated PFS scenario with your Strange Aeon characters to see how the team works together. I have prepped the PFS scenario, but will not start it until I am done with Reign of Winter.

At this point of time I have not read Strange Aeons yet so my knowledge is limited to what's in the Player Guide.

Please discuss among yourselves who's playing what - and feel free to ask me anything here if you have any questions.

Hey Mort, Ok, arcane only? I'm going to have to go take a look...

I was thinking of playing a magus, or a bloodrager if that counts as arcane.

I think I will limit it to 6th-9th level arcane casters only. Sorry. Magus is fine, bloodrager no.

Hey evandariel checking in :) thanks for the recommendation Robert! And the invite Mort!

I was thinking of a magus too but if you go for that I'll let you tackle it. I love arcane casters so I've played them all. Pure caster levels or are dips allowed in non-arcane? How about that multiclass rules where you exchange feats for the second class abilities?

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/character-advancement/#Variant_Multiclassin g

Pure caster levels =)

Go ahead and variant multiclass if you want =)

Oh and boots of the Earth are also not allowed.

I'm on vacation until Wednesday so when are we thinking of starting, I probably won't be able to do character creation until then?

I can't really give you a clear estimate I still have to finish ROW up...though the number of fights to the end can be counted on one hand.

Again even after the BBEG fight there will probably be some loose ends to tie up.

I've finished reading the first book, but I would rather read the whole set before I start asking backstory questions.

I currently feel that you should be writing your own backstories, you just won't be able to remember most of it once game starts. But I will need to set some requirements for those backstories.

I will probably have a clearer idea what requirements will be once I finish reading the whole series.

Greetings.

I intend to bring a Conjuror(Spirit Binder) - with the ultimate goal of turning my familiar into a solid melee combatant (although this won't really start to happen until 3rd level).

(I will use this alias, but, obviously, not this build.)

Oooh ROW BBEG fight!

*swishes tail*

Hey evandariel checking in :) thanks for the recommendation Robert! And the invite Mort!

Hey Evandariel, glad to be playing with you again, not sure what I'm playing yet, I will start looking tonight!

Yep good to be back in a not dead game thanks for keeping me in mind :)

Funny that your name is mort and avatar is a cat. My cat I had was named Morte and had a very human personality lol.

Actually here's where the name comes from.

But paizo doesn't provide that picture, so the closest I could get was a cat.

Mice ain't my thing.

Cats have personality traits similar to humans!

Ok, going to need some help here, I normally don't play casters, for several reasons, that I will resist the urge to explain to Mort AGAIN

So I'm thinking bard archeologist if we need a skill monkey or Summoner Synthesist for Melee. If I go Synthesist I'm going to need some help building my Eidolon. Any recommendations?

May multiclass, not sure yet. Could combine them; a wimpy archeologist that wanted to be tough so he made a deal with a great old one and ended up with a second skin...

I may possibly do something else, but I like Melee or skill monkey so will lean that way... decisions decisions

I'm headed back to bed...

Lol here's where my cat's name came from: Morte

I was looking at archaeologist too, but I can go either way. If you go bard and King goes magus I think we have meleeish covered (plus familiar)... Maybe I will go for a batman-esque versatile spellcaster. Thinking scroll master might be good for being able to cast from scrolls etc as if it was my own spell. I'll think about it.

I've never played a summoner but I can help you build an eidolon if you go that route. If you go archaeologist I may do summoner? Still unsure. How's the spirit binder work, is that going to make a summoner type class redundant?

Ah Planescape. You'll enjoy Strange Aeons then. It's got that kind of otherworldly feel to it.

As a group you DO need to deal with condition removal at some point of time - and Book 1 is rather rushed but there is a possibility of a crafting break(assuming you get the module stuff out of the way) in Book 3.

Archaelogist can only disarm magical traps at 6. So there's no use dipping per se - and generally for Syn summoners - you don't want to dip out of it (except for paladin 2 maybe).

"We all need to step out of our comfort zone."Said the Cat philosophically. Sure, I complain like hell when its my turn to melee, but I still do it, right? ;)

Ok - I've burnt some midnight oil and did a quick scan of all 6 books.

You can write your backstory as per usual - just that you need to keep in mind these things.

-You lose about 3 years worth of memories of your life, on Strange Aeon start. I'll fill in those gaps.

-What would make you enter a bargain with someone powerful(in the magical sense) to serve him? (Go find a reason)

-All of you have known each other (but you won't remember at the start of the game) - you were working together for that someone in question.

The PFS scenario will be held in Thrushmoor. For Reasons.

Also as a point of note:

Usually I am very frank and upfront with information to my players (just see ROW) so they can have the information needed to make their decisions quickly, but this time because of the nature of the AP (mystery based) I may just tell you things like - you don't know, or act mysterious.

Sounds good

If you are interested in a magus, evandariel, I was also looking at a Vigilante with the Warlock archetype. Otherwise, I was thinking to use the Eldritch Scion archetype with the aberrant bloodline.

@GM, would it work for a vigilante to have completely forgotten their social persona, and have that slowly come back?

Go ahead. The tasks that that powerful magicker would have sent you on would be more of the get your hands dirty type, but there could be some other things too.

Word of warning, I will be tying the PFS scenario to the AP(like a prequel), so what you do will affect the AP. What happens in the prequel is also part of the memories you will lose on game start.

For those who are first timers to APs - don't expect magic mart all over the place. This is not PFS. You may be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no place to resupply/sell stuff. That is normal.

I aim to start the prequel on 11th Sep 2017 (Looking at GMT +8 time here), 9 am.

Please start moving on character creation. I think you have sufficient information? If not, just ask here. If you need more time, let me know (i.e propose a specific date).

so we have five days to find an arcane caster type that we like and create a character... this may be harder than I thought...

I keep reading classes and archetypes and asking myself, what would Conan do?

It isn't pretty...

Skald, raging song and beat sh*t up. Though with a party of casters..the only person using the rage would be yourself, and possibly Howard's familiar.

Even controlled inspired rage from urban skald doesn't allow spell casting.

Alternatively go beast mode using alchemist. Mr Hyde?

Or you could be a dandy with a rapier^^

That would amuse me:P

I think he's really using a longsword, though

If it really helps, you'll get back your gear after 1 encounter.

Skald, raging song and beat sh*t up. Though with a party of casters..the only person using the rage would be yourself, and possibly Howard's familiar.

Even controlled inspired rage from urban skald doesn't allow spell casting.

Alternatively go beast mode using alchemist. Mr Hyde?

Or you could be a dandy with a rapier^^

That would amuse me:P

I think he's really using a longsword, though

If it really helps, you'll get back your gear after 1 encounter.

Is Alchemist a spell casting class?

OH it is so a rapier! the highlanders basket hilt would be a longsword but the fop is definitely carrying a rapier.

Class: Only Arcane Casters with 6th – 9th level arcane casting (includes alchemists...

It is included in class choices because RAW their alchemy is treated as spell casting for spell trigger items.

An alchemist can utilize spell-trigger items if the spell appears on his formulae list,

Investigators, however lack that text.

I personally thought the blade of rapier was thinner and more needle like, but what does a spell casting cat know...

I'm not really sure how spirit binder works. I suspect Howard can take any class and use as the Base attack bonus and saving throws of the familiar.

Since thinking out loud helps me understand things, if I were Howard going that route I'd probably declare that the loved one was a paladin or a monk to get either good Fort and Will saves and full BAB or all good saves with medium BAB.

My guess is he'll get a mauler familiar as well for medium size.

So around level 3 you'll get a second Frontline, albeit with half of Howard's hp. The familiar gets all the familiar goodies like evasion and improved evasion, though.

Correct.

I'll be taking a Compsognathus familiar (+4 Init, and Strength 8 base), then piling the Mauler familiar archetype upon it, along with as many Evolved Familiar feat choices as I can lay my dirty little mitts on ;-)

That, plus high Con on my part, coupled with the Mauler's Endurance feat, and the familiar taking Toughness (since the archetype gives it feats), means that from 3rd level, it will be getting 7hp per level (at 3rd level, it will have 22hp), will be full BAB, and will be getting three attacks per round, with a fairly respectable armor class.

From 7th level, however, is when it *truly* comes into its own, once I get access to Monstrous Physique II (which I will continue to cast with wild abandon for pretty much every combat thereafter) :-D

I looked into a Mauler familiar once so I am familiar with it haha. Haven't read up on spirit binder though. Trying to see if there's a niche needing filling. Still leaning towards versatility of a Batman wizard.

Robert a fop with a rapier you did that already basically with Naomi :D

So far I'll say that there's not much in the name of condition removal and a party face. If you want to tank it with int it can be done

Vigilante Warlock has range but it's rather short(30ft). Again ROW party was pretty much had no range from book 2 to 4,unless you count fireballs...

Someone should also pick up a way to disable magical traps though it's pretty easy to do so.

Howard, I can see what you're doing to a certain extent, as I've told you before. We share many similarities...

Howard - remember to bump your cha for evolved familiar.

I only got to run in an AP once and it died rather fast... What are time constraints typically in an AP? I know there's a potential crafting etc break (for stuff you can't do while adventuring), but what about scenarios like resting to swap spells? Are we going to be so busy running around that's not going to be common? Or will there be ample chances to think through and rest/prep before doing stuff? Having versatility is only good if you get a chance to use it haha. Unless you focus on being able to hotswap spells or leave blank and take frequent breaks to fill slots.

Resting it can either be a time crunch (I suppose if you're in the middle of an enemy fortress it would be a bad idea), or you can choose when you want to stop for the day.

Bad ideas to stop to prepare spells: Enemy fortress
Times you can stop and prepare spells: Dungeon of totally unrelated bad guys.

Since ROW was all with spontaneous casters no one stopped mid day to prepare spells.

So to be honest I have no idea how the group will feel like it this time round. Though someone TRIED to sleep outside the BBEG room and I told them I wasn't having it. That being said, if they had planeshifted out to rest, that would have been valid too...

They'd get an additional encounter on their return, of course.

Mind you, please don't fight one fight, and go back to rest for the day. I'll clearly get irritated.

There are some scrolls and some spellbooks around, so you won't lack for variety, but you won't also get everything you want, unlike ROW which I gave the arcanist basically a blank cheque with regard to spells available. Since otherwise there would have been no spellbooks the entire mod since it was all witches.

Right, I meant more for in between groups of encounters. Like today we infiltrate stronghold, tomorrow we fight an approaching army, next day we do detective work divination type stuff. If we end up running from one "adventure" to another it wouldn't pan out well for redoing spells.

Sounds like it should be fine for at least half the circumstances. Versus having to do half the path in a week in game lol.

Depends from AP to AP. Jade regent is more of the style you describe on chillax.

Strange Aeons as far as I looked looks more like traditional dungeon crawl style. It will be up to your discretion if you think you can rest in a dungeon.

I probably will not be forthright on yes/no on whether you can rest - but if your group REALLY needs the rest (as in ran out of resources), you can appeal to me here, and I'll probably let you get an uninterrupted rest(assuming you aren't too close to the BBEG room).

I'm not that cruel...

The point is yes, I run APs, but I also reward smart play(i.e preparations, thinking out of the box), and not just charging in without a care in the world or blowing all your resources in the first 5 min of the day.

As I've told Robert and Luke before - I feel it is a good idea to teach people how to use tactics.

Sounds good. I don't like begging the DM for things though, I like the real, referee interpreting events a lot. So I'd probably think up a way to rest safely if we needed to or suggest an extraction. :)

Got a lot of work to catch up on from being off for a couple days, but should be getting started working on char today and will definitely be done prior to game start.

Robert if you need assistance just let me know.

I don't want you to give anything away DM but if you are able to answer, one question I thought of was whether you recommend staying away from builds that focus on mind affecting or similar scenarios. Example, fighting tons of undead with an illusionist kind of sucks. I would rather you don't say as to not spoil anything, I like to be surprised, but maybe if someone makes a build that would be neutered you could hint to them that they might want to adjust.

I don't really care too much for illusionists(of the minor/major image variety), because it's hard to adjudicate.

If you want to do the full shadow evocation/conjuration line go ahead.

The premise of Strange Aeons is you fight followers of Great Old Ones and their ilk. Generally Great Old Ones themselves have good will saves.

I hadn't planned on shadow evocation (or fear or illusions) but just thought I'd ask for when I get a chance to think about character ideas :)

Robert a fop with a rapier you did that already basically with Naomi :D

Naomi wasn't a fop, she was very feminine with a mild streak of tom-boy and spunk...

on a separate note I'm studying up on Summoners

Hey Mort, any chance you would let me go Fetchling? What racial trait is it that bugs you, I could exchange it...

This:

Shadow Blending (Su): Attacks against a fetchling in dim light have a 50% miss chance instead of the normal 20% miss chance. This ability does not grant total concealment; it just increases the miss chance.

And this:

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): A fetchling can use disguise self once per day as a spell-like ability. He can assume the form of any humanoid creature. A fetchling’s caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. When a fetchling reaches 9th level in any combination of classes, he gains shadow walk (self only) as a spell-like ability usable once per day as a spell-like ability. A fetchling’s caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice. When a fetchling reaches 13th level in any combination of classes, he gains plane shift (self only, to the Shadow Plane or the Material Plane only) usable once per day as a spell-like ability. A fetchling’s caster level is equal to his total Hit Dice.

And the substitutions for that trait are also more powerful then a PC should be allowed.

Come on, you can aasimar it if you want. Is fetchling that important to your concept?

Also - none of you can spell trigger a CLW wand? UMDing? Really? So it's infernal healing throughout the mod?

I really liked the Shadow caller archetype, but I confess the shadow blending and the substitute trait 'Unnerving Gaze' is very appealing.

Unnerving Gaze: Some fetchlings gain an upsetting gaze attack that they can activate three times per day as a standard action, affecting all creatures within a 30-foot cone that can see. All creatures that meet the fetchling’s unnerving gaze are shaken for 1 round (DC = 10 + 1/2 the fetchling’s character level + her Charisma modifier; Will negates). When the fetchling reaches 9th level, her gaze instead causes creatures to be staggered. When the fetchling reaches 13th level, her gaze instead causes creatures to be stunned. Unnerving gaze is a mind-affecting fear effect. This racial trait replaces the fetchling’s spell-like abilities.Source PPC:AoE

But I haven't worked on back story at all. I'm thinking a dex./cha. based street urchin who makes a bargain to have his Eidolon. this is assuming that we need someone who will handle traps, using the 'trapfinder trait'

Also - none of you can spell trigger a CLW wand? UMDing? Really? So it's infernal healing throughout the mod?

So if my charisma is high enough can't I Use Magic Device - to activate a wand?

Ok, unless you change your mind on fetchling I'm going to go with Vishkanya. Kunala was originally Vishkanya and he will be again.

I really like the idea of playing a Kali-like eidolon

Kali (AKA 'Baby Hecatoncheires')

Base Form: Quadruped or Biped
Evolutions: Limbs (Arms), Limbs (Arms), Limbs (Arms), Limbs (Arms), Limbs (Arms), Ability Increase (Strength)
Feats: Martial Weapon Proficiency (light weapon), Multiweapon Fighting, Double Slice

A lot of Eidolon builds end up looking pretty ridiculous, but this one takes the cake. Add as many pairs of arms as you have the points for, then take Martial Weapon Proficiency (Shortsword) or similar and watch your Eidolon ginsu everything in its way. You can go for a Biped for a Kali lookalike, or take Quadruped with Pounce to make some kind of demented centipede. You'll be rolling a crazy number of attacks, but any amount of DR will kill you and equipping your Eidolon with that many good quality weapons will drive you bankrupt. Still, it looks scary as hell.

After watching Hastur, I need to make sure this form will work well so I don't embarrass myself :-)

Edit: Or maybe I will just do a tiger... or a centaur decisions decisions...

Unnerving gaze is too powerful an ability to have for no investment. Hey, all you did was pick a race, right?

Besides with shadow caller archetype, it opens up the road for you to summon shadows which can be both boon and bane. It violates cardinal rule of undead creation - do not create anything that can create spawn. Because once the summon duration wears out, all those spawn your shadows created will come after the party.

I basically banned everything above 15 RP, drow I banned because you get killed on sight everywhere in Golarion. Light blindness is kinda painful too.

If no one else can I'll take that int to umd trait and pump it for wand or scroll use.

I did want to give investigator a go in the past, fits will some missing party stuff and should theoretically function the same as alchemist (it has extracts exactly like alchemists and can learn wizard spells). If you'll allow it I'll add it to my list of potential character choices. Investigator in a cthuluesque game sounds pretty fun.

@ evandariel, if your going investigator, I will not worry about disable device, and I will try to use the Cha. for either diplomacy or bluff or both... just let me know,

I've basically decided to go summoner, not sure if it will be normal or unchained, or what archetype... Need to weight out options.

Hey Luke, any recommendations? I've looked at Hastur's page, tempting just to copy him :-)

Normal summoner is better then unchained. If you want simplicity, do it like I did Night, Synthesist, Biped, two handed with weapon. The only thing you worry about everyday is mage armor, and possibly barkskin + shield.

Evandariel - I'll allow investigator, and I'll even throw in a kicker...that investigator alchemy works like Alchemist alchemy so they can use spell trigger items(but not spell completion).

Afterall a dev back then said:

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck. If you line up Daffy Duck, Donald Duck, Duckman, and Howard the Duck, from a game standpoint it makes sense that a +1 duck-bane arrow is going to do +2d6 damage in addition to normal arrow damage if you shoot any of them, because they're all ducks. And if you shot that arrow at "Duckie" from Pretty in Pink, it wouldn't get any bonus damage, because he isn't a duck. And you should be able to see why those first four are ducks and the last one isn't.

If the investigator blurb says like an alchemist, so like alchemist, it is a duck too and can do what ducks can do. *Quacks*

Like an alchemist, an investigator prepares his spells by mixing ingredients and a tiny fraction of his own magical power into a number of extracts, and then effectively casts the spell by drinking the extract.

To tank UMD with int