I think I'm going with something like this...
- Grapple doesn't necessarily pull enemies into an adjacent square, but it's always possible to attack the grappling limb. This is considered a called shot, though, so the attack suffers a -4 penalty.
- Creatures with constrict must still succeed on a Grapple check to sustain the grapple, but it can be done as a free action. The limb used to constrict the target is unable to attack, though.
Is that -4 in addition to, or overlapping with the -2 you already get? If the former, that sounds kinda hefty for creatures who can Grapple without being Grappled.
Not sure...
I might be a tad much, but OTOH, a creature who can grapple without being grappled should be really good at grappling... And that's not such a common ability.
Any creature with Grab can do it. Granted it takes an enormous penalty to do it, but it can do it.
Well... If they can do it with a -20 penalty, they deserve that +2 to AC. :P
Okay, I'm usually agianst changing rules mid-campaign without the consent of all players, but I think it's best I do it this time...
So here's a few house rules I'm going to implement.
1- I consider it to be your responsibility to remember what your character can do. The GM already has to remember too much stuff. So, if you forget about a bonus or ability on your turn, you have 'til whoever acts after you posts to correct yourself. If you don't, that ability/bonus will be ignored for that round instead of retconned in. Penalties will still be retconned. This applies to me as well. If I forget what a NPC's bonus or ability and you post before I correct myself, then that's too bad for the NPC. He lost that ability/bonus for that round. An exception may be made for Life-or-Death situations or similarly critical situations.
If I forget about a passive ability of yours, you have 'til your next turn to correct me. So make sure to keep your immunities and resistances in an easily visible place. If they don't fit in your character tag, add them to your Paizo character profile.
I use that rule in live gmes as well, and it does wonders for the flow of the game. I think it'd be even more beneficial in PbP.
Of course, immediate actions (i.e.: Snake Style, Liberating Command, etc.) can still retcon results, since players can choose at what moment they want to be used.
2- I'll add the Grapple/Grab/Constrict mechanics, but with the following changes:
- If the attacker has Greater Grapple or the Grab ability (or similar ability), its grapple doesn't necessarily pull enemies into an adjacent square, but it's always possible to attack the grappling limb. This is considered a called shot, though, so the attack suffers a -4 penalty.
- Creatures with constrict must still succeed on a Grapple check to sustain the grapple, but it can be done as a free action. The limb used to constrict the target is unable to do anything other than sustain the grapple, though.
3- This one I want your input. Whatever the majority decides will be applied.
Should I keep the "Natural 20 automatically confirms the extra damage from critical hits" houserule?
Yes, it should be kept. Natural 20s always deal extra damage.
No, it should be removed. Natural 20s must confirm the critical hit as usual.
On the one hand, it feels really nice.
On the other hand, I think back to all the times I've thrown a Scythe or gun wielding enemy at my players and had them roll a 20 and been like "Oh shit I kinda hope he doesn't confirm because dis gon be BAD"
I'll just go with what everyone else decides.
Hey, guys. Just a heads up!
I'll be moving to a different place this Saturday, so I don't know how often I'll be able to post, since it might take a couple days for my internet to be installed.
I'll still be able to connect from my cell phone, so there is that.
Sure!
Ayren somehow convinced you yo help him with his new scheme job: Bringing back a potion/medicine that is supposed to cure a very serious illness that is afflicting a very important person [ooc](though Ayren refuses to reveal who that is, apparently due to the terms of his contract);
The potion/medicine was supposed to have been brought to Blue Shell by an envoy of whoever hired Ayren. But that envoy never returned, so finding him became a secondary mission. Ayren was informed where the last envoy was supposed to meet the provider of the potion/medicine... And that would be a few miles east of Stony Brook... Somewhere in these woods... Close to where you are right now... Probably.. Hopefully...
Gotcha. It was that last bit that slipped my mind.
BTW, I'd appreciate some feedback on this.
It's my attempt to create a system that allows players and GMs to create and customize weapons that are both unique and balanced.
Looks good at a glance.
Seems like a cool weapon special ability (magic one) would be one that increases a weapon's "Craft points". +1, +2-3, or +3-4 for +2/+4/+6 Craft points, perhaps?
Probably needs a caveat that critical threat range and damage dice can't be changed (steps on the toes of Keen and Impact), and maybe critical multiplier as well.
Yeah... The craft point costs were calculate in a way that so that you can create a falcata-like 19-20/x3 weapon... But it must be a exotic weapon and it costs most of your craft points!
Just a reminder that I recently moved to a new house. My internet will only be back next week.
I will try to post on the forums and other games from my cel, but OSB will be on hiatus 'til I get internet access on my PC again.
Cheers.
So... I'd enjoy some feedback here, guys...
Are you tired of this game? Wanna take a break from it? Change something about it?
I understand not everyone has the same amount of free time I have right now (since my work schedule is nuts), but I was hoping to see at least one or two posts a day.
What parts do you like the most of PF? Combat? Social interactions? Exploration? What would like to see more (or less) in this game, if anything?
I enjoy all of the above, though if I had to rank them I'd say:
Exploration
Combat
Social Interaction
Social interaction is very fun between PCs, but not as much between NPCs except for a specific purpose, IMO.
Combat is fairly fun, but gets old.
Exploration is kind of the core of the game, seeing new things for whatever reason. I like seeing new stuff, though in my eyes it needs to be either completely free (exploration for exploration's sake), or with a VERY well defined purpose.
The problem with Ayren's missions, IMO, are that they don't fall into either category. There's not much exploring jsut for fun, and his missions are so...vague. I HAAAATE shifty allied NPCs, which Ayren and Nicos' douchey rangers have revealed to me. I like to be able to get straight answers from people, even if I have to hold them at swordpoint to get them.
This whole "Here go do a thing but I won't tell you why you're doing it" dealio irritates me. Like, not a ton, but enough that it sucks a lot of the fun out of things. Seeing him get walloped by a tree was cathartic, and I wish you'd harm him more so I don't have to.
I see...
The deal with Ayren, specifically, is that most of the nobles he work for don't want to openly associate with him (so they often require him to avoid naming them) and also don't want other nobles to find out anything that could be perceived as a weakness (such as a having a beloved pet kidnapped or having a important member of the family fall ill).
Ayren himself only cares about secrecy as far as it keeps his job. He might oversimplify and use intentionally vague terms when making a job proposition, for example, but is unlikely to give you false information or betray you, since his reputation of being a reliable "agent" is his most valuable asset. Generally speaking, he isn't one for silence, though like everyone else, he might not want to talk about his personal life or about his... Not quite legal activities.
But I get what you're saying. I'll keep it in mind.
(In fact, one of the reasons I wanted Ayren to have a "contact" in the forest was so he wouldn't be around for the rest of the quest unless you really wanted him to).
I have a lot of stuff planned for the island too. Not an adventure script by any means, but places, people and events. Personally, I highly value freedom of choice and interaction in RPGs.
I'm just driving myself insane playing Cyrus as I can't figure out a good plan for him in the future. =/ Plus his current shtick is somewhat boring and I know it's my fault.
Combat is fun, but our group kinda sucks at it. Could really use another PC or something. Want me to see if my friend(The one playing Kasshyk) wants to join? He has tons of time to kill.
I know how you feel... Oh, brother, do I!
I think Brother Cyrus would benefit from getting a few offensive abilities. That would add more decision-making and, well, the chance to actually roll a d20 once in a while.
Now you can have feats, "feats" and more "feats" of at-will cool stuff. XD
Go ahead and invite him. I think we are in need of a 4th player... Well... A 3rd one, actually, until Nicos comes back from Limbo. Then we'll have 4. XD
Hey all, I'm totally down to play.
Awesome!
If you have any doubt, suggestion of criticism of any house rule, feel free to tell us! Same goes for the setting or anything else, of course. :)
The quick rundown is that you've recently arrived in Blue Shell, a 50 years old city settled in a barely explored island of same name. The party is basically trying to find their place in the city while making a name for themselves.
Most, if not all, of the locals are excitedly expecting the Purple Moon Festival, a week-long celebration that occurs every 5 years when the moon suddenly turns a dark shade of purple and many mysterious occurrences happen the city.
Check [url=http://paizo.com/campaigns/OneStepBeyond/gameplay#23]this post[/ooc] for more detail on the festival.
The party is currently looking for a mysterious medicine that was promised (but not delivered) to a member of the Pillowstone family, a well known noble family from Blue Shell. To make things worse, the original courier, a Pillowstone himself, never returned. You managed to find the settlement of the bee-like women who promised the medicine.
Your mission is to return with both the medicine and, if possible, the original envoy as well (or evidence of his fate, whatever it was).
This is the tale a NPC told the party when questioned about the festival.
"You see, when they first founded this city, 49 and a half years ago, the 3 grand families were not sure of how rigorous winter would be around these parts, so they decided to start moving in during spring, this way they would have full 9 months before winter came along and possibly forced them to halt work. A great idea, of course, but it meant they would stay 9 months completely oblivious to what would happen next..."
He finally unfolds the scroll, revealing it to be a panflet for the purple moon festival, with a large drawing of a smiling purple moon over 3 differently colored stripes on the background.
"During the last day of autumn a full moon rose, only to reveal itself to be a deep shade of purple. The settlers were astonished, torn between fear and wonder. Some believed it was a sign of the gods, others thought the whole region was cursed, and a few didn't even think anything of it, just a local curiosity."
"In the week that followed, rumors start spreadings... Sightings of ghosts and spirits grew more and more common. Mages and priests often reported magic mishaps and disappearances became just as common as unexplained appearances of weird creatures, which is to say, really common" he says with hopes to spook at least on of his listeners, and seem slightly disappointed when no one is scared.
"After all of that, whoever thought the region to be cursed left town, so all that remained were those who believed the moon to be a good omen, a sign that the gods took special interest in this city. 5 years later, the same freaky phenomenon happend once again. This time, the citizens of the then 5-years old Blue Shell quickly improvised a city-wide festival." he says, pointing at the panflet on the table. "They embranced the rumors about mysterious apparitions and sudden disappearances, and created the tradition of wearing a mask over their faces and sometimes vanishing completely during this week, sometimes longer. Of course, this creates a great opportunity for those who want to escape something or get rid of someone. It's downright impossible to tell how many of such occurences are caused by the supposed supernatural forces that inspired the celebration and how many are just the natural consequences of having faceless people walk around town for a whole week... Oddly enough, there is little to no damage caused to the city buildings, but that's mostly because the Grand Council threatend to ban the festival if more depredation happened."
Ayren leans back on his chairs and finishes his story
"This year, the festival will coincide with Blue Shell's 50th Anniverssary! The Grand Families, the Grand Council and the Merchant Guild are all working together for a particularly spectacular festival. Or at least, that's the word on the streets." says Ayren, before he adds an extra note of his own "Well, to be honest, there is a 9 months discrepancy, but that won't stop the bigwigs from making some extra gold, so we got a double celebration coming in about 5 months. Which is completely fine, if you ask me."
The festival is the main event on the whole island and well known in the nearby regions, such as Promise.
Most people of the Inner Sea are barely aware of the island itself, though. Those who know of it, inevitably know about the festival as well, but most of those don't think there's anything particularly special about it.
BTW, guys, I'm removing the "Nat 20 autoconfirm the bonus damage" rule... No one presented any decisive opinion about whether or not it should stay, so I'm sticking with my "no rules changes mid campaign" rule of thumb... Except in this case I haven't used the "auto-confirm bonus damage" rule at all so far, so removing it actually means not changing the rules.
I promise to post...tomorrow
Is cyrus prepared or spontaneous? speak with dead is a spell we should try to use way more often
I believe he uses spontaneous casting.
I added Jarken and Lady Qirra to the list of NPCs and added all the information you have about your current quest in the Campaign Info tab.
Ah, yes... I'm not sure if I've ever made this clear, so here it goes!
The city of Blue Shell doesn't have [i]nobility[/b] per se... In fact, it was established by rich families who were tired of being looked down by nobles who never worked a day in their life.
There are nobles in the city, but they are outsiders who visit or live in Blue Shell for one reason or another. Their titles have no legal weight in the city, but their wealth more than compensates for that.
Why it's not unusual for people to refer wealthy people as "Lord", "Lady" or similar titles, this is mostly a sign of respect and politeness or just an informal way to point out someone's status. When speaking of a "noble" family, unless they are talking about a foreigner family, the word "noble" is mostly being used literally, as in "someone honorable, worthy of respect". If that is said sincerely or just out of politeness or formality varies greatly from case to case.
Will be a bit sporadic posting through MAYBE Monday. Moving out of this house today, and driving 16 hours to get to the new one on Saturday. May be able to get internet Saturday, maybe not.
You just tell me when it's appropriate to find a giant lizardwoman in the area, I'll be fishing until then
Do you have a background in mind for your character? The party is in a swamp right now. Lizardmen could actually live there! XD
I have a tentative backround, pending approval. And yes, I was thinking its pretty easy to insert a lizardfolk into a swamp as well. From what Ive read, its a pretty hostile and uncharted swamp region?
No intelligent creature lives in the central area of the swamp (That's the area they call "The Boiling Swamp"), but the outermost areas are inhabited by quite a few people and even has a few tiny settlements... Though its denizens do have to contend with the sort of stuff you'd expect to see in a swamp in a fantasy world... So it isn't an easy life.
EDIT: BTW, you can post your character's background here or send me a pm.
That sounds perfect! Ill send you my backstory
How much information about the Moon Roses is common enough that I may know? Or should I make a Nature check before I ask that?
Jaazkara is pretty young, and the moon roses are either unknown or seen as fairy tales by most inhabitants of the island. Still, there are a few bits of information she'd have heard while growing up... I sent you a PM with it. Nothing very concrete, though.
BTW, add your Sense Motive bonus to your Class/Level line after Perception. Include any special senses you have as well.. Anything that changes during rage, add its value between brackets next to the unmodified value.
e.g.: AC 23 [21], ff 21 [19], tch 13 [11]. Fort +9 [+11], Ref +7, Will +4 [+6]; (+3 vs Magic). That +3 vs spells, slas and su abilities, you can just add +3 vs magic to shorten the text. You'll be the one rolling your saves 99% of the time, anyway.
I also prefer that your Initiative modifier be placed after all other information, as it makes it easier for me to find it, but it's no big deal and doesn't really bother me.
Oh, yeah! One more thing! And this goes for everyone!:
In your character profile, before your backstory, appearance description and actual character sheet, add the following skill bonuses somewhere easy to see:
- Knowledge (all you have trained)
- Perception
- Sense Motive
- Survival
Spellcraft may possibly use passive checks, but I generally require active examination/consideration for it to "take effect", unless it's a very easy check.
These are common "passive" checks that I assume you're taking 10 all the time (unless taking 10 is not possible for whatever reason), so it really helps if I can just click on your profile and quickly find them.
Last but not least, while you don't have to do it, I find having a list of bonuses of your most commonly used skills is very helpful. If you're rolling them often, it's faster and easier for you to see your numbers if all you check your character profile. It's particularly useful if you have multiple characters, since it's difficult to remember the proper bonus for each one of them.
Check out Donovan's profile to see the way I think is most helpful to players and GM.
Hello, everyone.
So... I'll post more sporadically for the next couple weeks. I'm now in São Paulo, visiting my family. This time I brought my notebook and campaign notes, though, so I'll be able to post normally when I'm home (i.e.: my father's home, anyway).
I'll do my best to post at least once a day.
Okilie dokilie.
Hello, everyone! Happy New Year!
I apologize for my absence, but my family and I traveled somewhere where the wifi was awful. The only internet that worked was the cell phone's...
So why didn't I use my cell phone you ask? Well... I would. But my phone was broken in a bus accident (I'm fine, though ^^). I'll resume posting very soon. Probably today.
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Cheers!
A belated Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings to you also. Glad to hear that you are unharmed.
Thank you. It wasn't too bad of an accident, anyway.
I was texting in a bus, some dumb lady tried to run across the street, so the bus driver steered the bus away from her and ended up hitting a street light. I managed to hold myself, but my phone flew away and hit the wall pretty hard.
A few people got some minor wounds from hitting their heads or scratching/cutting themselves at the moment of impact. All I got was a small bump in my head and a broken phone. :P
Stupid street-crossing lady... ¬¬'
Of all the vehicles to take a chance at dashing passed, a bus!? Sheesh
My apologies, I totally forgot to include the penalties for fighting underwater. I will keep them in mind, but for the most part I will probably be jumping out to strike.
Just make sure to point out when you include it, otherwise, I might accidentally include it as well, inadvertedly doubling the penalty. :P
BTW, is anyone not at full health?
Frederick's profile says he's wounded, but I'm guessing that's just because Sundakan forgot to update it. :P
Not sure. It's been a while.
Well... Last battle was in the previous day and Brother Cyrus had lots of Channel Energy and healing spells left when the characters went to sleep, so just assume you're at full health.
C'mon, someone must want to be an elf for a couple rounds, right...?
Do you guys want me to control him for the time being?