[PFS] GM Derek W's 5-06: You Have What You Hold (Inactive)

Game Master Derek Weil

Discuss!

w00t!

Apparently Malfeas is level 4 now... who knew! CErtainly not his player. I should probably upgrade his gear a smidge, he's still using his level 1 stuff.

I messed up by not using Walter for that one campaign.
So, he is only 1 dot above 2nd....

Naurin is at 8 xp (having not received credit for my replay of Prince of Augustana), so she is one away from 4th.

On the plus side, I learned that I have access to the spell "Ill Omen", which is pretty cool and doesn't have a save, so it might be a good choice for a wand.

I also found the feat Quick Channel. Potentially, Naurin could channel energy as a move action and a standard action, using three of the daily uses but healing 6d6 at 5th level, plus 5 hp each from up to 5 people through the Life Link (ave. of 26 pts. total for each person), while healing myself 6d6+12 (ave. of 33 points) with her Fey Foundling feat.

Quick Channel

Your divine energies flash with dazzling speed.

Prerequisites: Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks, channel energy class feature.

Benefit: You may channel energy as a move action by spending 2 daily uses of that ability.

Seems expensive, although it would be nice in a pinch!

Ill Omen? I never play divine caster, except for Inquisitor.

I have really never been a fan of the Cleric, although Paladin intrigues me.

Quick channel is a good 'Oh s%%~ I just rolled all 1s on my channel' insurance.

Johann is going to buy a pony and a masterwork tool for riding.

Most people aren't fans of the cleric, which is one of the reasons I play them, filling a need and all.

Yeah, Ill Omen, which is normally a witch spell but which is granted as one of the 'mystery' spells for Dual-Cursed oracles. I was trying to figure out whether to buy a wand of it, since forcing a critter (even the BBEG) to reroll and take the worst for its next d20 (no save, but spell resistance) seems pretty good, assuming Naurin can get close enough, and it beats missing with a weapon or doing 1d8 or something those rare times I do hit.

~~

Johann (or others), What are the rules for non-listed 'masterwork tools' in PFS? For Ride, there is a Military Saddle, but it only offers a +2 circumstance bonus to Ride in certain circumstances.

If you want, Naurin, Walter will cover some of the cost too.
That would be a nice asset for the group.
Maybe Walter will have to think about training his UMD.

Hmmm...just read this part.

That really seems vague.
I would think they would need some other type of knowledge check to realize the "prayer" part to negate the effect (for one round).

Does the spell actually allow the target to feel "unlucky"? And, therefore, suggests that making a prayer or good luck charm would work?

By RAW only someone who makes the spellcraft check or is familiar with the spell, which I would interpret as being able to cast it, can know that way of getting around it.

There is table variation, but generally you can buy a masterwork version of any tool or gear one uses iin a skill, and you'd get the bonus if the particular skill check uses that tool. A masterwork climbing kit won't help you if you're trying to climb without it. Masterwork reins wouldn't help on a ride check to guide a mount with your knees.

Well, on the table variation thing, I'm a bit of a hardass on this point. I mean, what the f- is a "masterwork acrobatics tool" or a "masterwork diplomacy tool", etc?

If there is a listed tool, and it can be associated with a particular skill, then you can buy a masterwork version of (for 50 extra GP) it to grant a +2 circumstance bonus on many checks.

The loosest interpretation matches Johann's experience.

In either case, you must have the tool in hand to use it. This often requires a move action. So don't bake them into your stat line, regardless of who's GMing.

In this case I am willing to say that a masterwork saddle would count for riding, and it would be "always on".

Which led me to search the guide for the terms "masterwork tool", "tool", and "masterwork". This rule does not appear there, so I don't feel like a jerk in making a limited ruling. If you own a sourcebook that says otherwise, or can find it int he Guide to Organized Play, I am always willing to submit to correction.

Yeah, that's about how I'd understand it as well. If you don't use a tool to do a skill, you can't get a masterwork tool for it. For acrobatics, I can think of masterwork tools for specific aspects of the skill -- for example, a well-made vaulting pole could give you a +2 to jumps when using that pole, but wouldn't help you evade attacks of opportunity or move through opponents' squares (which is, I believe, the most frequent uses of acrobatics).

I can't think of anything that would make sense as a Diplomacy tool, except perhaps things like a Blue Book where it gives you a bonus to gathering information in a given city. But that's already a thing in the game with a specific price and set of rules, and it's a rarely used function of the skill (which is why the book only costs 5g).

Anyway, so, yes, combat-trained Pony for 45g -- if it's alright with you, Derek, I'd like to fluff it as Johann purchasing the pony he rode in the Wardstone Patrol, whom he will name "Gizmo" -- as well as a masterwork military saddle for 20gp + 50gp for masterwork, and saddlebags for 4g.

Sounds good to me. I hadn't thought of the vaulting pole - not bad! But as you say, many of these would be circumstantial.

I had a wizard with a masterwork abacus (not in PFS), 'cause, you know, wizards like math... I told the GM he got a bonus on Craft (Financial Statements) checks.

@Derek, LOL!

I would like to find what PFS says about it, but the Masterwork Tool (UE) seems like a good rule. (I just wish they would come out with more tools and other mundane gear.)

...

Some skills have no appropriate tool or masterwork tool—no nonmagical item exists that grants a bonus for all uses of that skill. For example, just because a certain perfume is favored by local nobles (granting a +2 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks to influence them) doesn't mean that perfume has the same effect on a member of the thieves' guild, a foreign berserker, or a medusa. Likewise, just because a fake beard woven by dwarves out of the beards of famous dwarves may grant a +2 circumstance bonus on Use Magic Device checks to emulate the dwarven race doesn't mean the beard has any effect on using that skill to activate elven items or paladin items, or to decipher a written spell.

Individual GMs may want to allow masterwork tools for other skills at the listed cost. The circumstance bonus for such a tool should never be more than +2. The tool should either have a limited number of uses (such as the disguise and healer's kits) or only apply to certain aspects of the skill (such as the balancing pole's bonus on Acrobatics checks to traverse a narrow surface or the magnifying glass's bonus on Appraise checks for detailed items).

I wonder if you could have a masterwork 'instrument' for Perform (Sing) or (Oratory), perhaps a tuning fork and collections of great speeches and anecdotes? I also would like to see masterwork tools for the Professions; it would seem that my Sailor, Norine, would have a great set of personal tools she would take with her from ship to ship.

I use the Pathfinder Chronicles (50 gp, 1 lb. per skill) as the equivalent of masterwork tools for knowledge skills.

I would also like to get a Traveler's Anytool sometime soon, but it's one that, for PFS, I could use more information on what it can and can't do. Can it do a pot or a bucket? A coffee pot? It can to a shovel (long handled?), but can it then do a balancing pole? It also seems that, to act as masterwork artisan tools, it must be able to form a number of small tools at once (a vice and a plane for carpentry, for example).

Also, masterwork studded leather barding for Gizmo, 200gp. Don't want the poor guy to get killed.

I was thinking about buying my horse, too, but I wondered about stabling and getting the horse from here to there. I guess all of that would be 'hand waved' away in PFS: You're here, now you're there, nothing in between but maybe a Day Job check.

I wonder if you could get some effects applied to your character, say the intimidation bonus after using Orc Trail Rations for a week, by paying the 7 gp to represent using it for the last week leading up to the mission briefing. That would be good for Walter. (I assume that I've read my Blue Book for whatever city in the morning before the briefing, although I wouldn't think that she will have read it every day.)

So, if I am reading these Orc Trail Rations correctly, if Walter ate every week prior to a mission, then he would receive +2 forever as long as he only eat those everyday?

It seems so, as I was reading it. The question is how it would work in PFS, since time before or after a mission is in that weird sort of limbo. But, a bit more expense per mission and per day of the mission (which often isn't well tracked) would seem reasonable to me.

Well then 7gp plus 1gp per mission day sounds like a well worth it investment to me. Thanks, Matt!

The mission briefing is up!

Walter has purchased 14 days of Orc trail rations, eating for 7 days prior to the mission.

Cost: 14 gp

Is this PFS legal?
And--if it is--what is to prevent Walter from never "deactivating" it?

Although, he would have it dyed blue--of course!

AFAIK, it is. The problem I would have is that it would 1) make it hard (well, impossible) to use your two-handed longspear (or whatever) at the same time and 2) it takes up a shoulder slot, and I would prefer to have a Cloak of Resistance. (As I read it, it is only a shield when you are holding its edge with your hand.)

I might go for a buckler, which would either provide its shield bonus or, when using a two-handed weapon (other than a bow or a xbow), only inflict a -1 penalty.

Matt's right, it would effectively take up both your shoulder slot, and one hand. You'd be better off using a +1 buckler and Cloak of Resistance/something else.

It's a little late, unless we have some shopping time in Tymon, but here is my purchase list.

5 Blue Book (Tymon)
267 Screaming Bolt
12 Shortspears (CI), 2
200 Sleeves of Many Garments
750 Wand of Ill-Omen
200 War Paint of the Terrible Visage, 2

Walter will occur some of the Wands cost.

Thanks, Walter, but you can't do that in PFS. You can buy something and let someone use it, but you can't permanently give someone something or go in jointly on something.

You should just buy something that works well to help you and the group overall.

Malfeas upgraded his bow to a +1 and picked up some alchemical dodads. the 4k price range has a lot of the good stuff for him.

He's got his ki pool now, so 3 arrows a round now, muahaha

I also would like to see masterwork tools for the Professions; it would seem that my Sailor, Norine, would have a great set of personal tools she would take with her from ship to ship.

Having been a professional sailor I can attest to these existing. I used to sail on different ships and always took my personal navigating tools / maps / life saving devices / sailors knife etcetera with me when I transferred ship.

The issue there is that some professions have perfect examples of masterwork tool options, others, not so much, and I think that Paizo just said that if we can’t get stuff for everyone, no one should really get it, because then you have imbalanced professions.

Malfeas has Profession, Soldier (for hire) and unless he can use his bow and adventuring equipment as his MW tools for the profession, there really isn’t something that fits well for it. MW orders? MW CO? MW drills?

Hmm. Interesting points.

One idea might be to have manuals and guides that could be studied - the drill manuals, books on combat techniques, The Art of War - and these could give circumstance bonuses, I think, to just about any skill. Who doesn't read a manual or look things up?

I have been debating on any major purchases for Walter, but I think that I will hold out for a cloak of resistance +2....

C'mon, we can get to 50 posts in the gameplay and only have like 7 of them be on topic!

Indeed. I will post more tonight. Ability to post at work will be limited to very short items on occasion for the foreseeable future.

Funny tangent from my last game post. Once you’ve built a rep of being the sober guy in a group (usually college), you can start making up stories and ppl will believe you. A few of my buddies have drunk stories that were completely made up by yours truly. The best ones are still legit, but the look on their faces when you tell them all these things they did and have NO memory of, is priceless.

So my 2-year old just tossed my laptop on the floor tonight. Now I have black splotches in the upper left corner of the screen. Not long till I'll need a replacement...

ouch.

Hey Pa!

Yes Jimmy

Can we go a fish'n?

Of course!

Later...

Hey look Pa. A ship!

So it is. I wonder...aaaggghhh!

Pa!

Hello everyone,

I must first off, apologize for the delay in getting this posted, it has been a rough few weeks and gaming took a low priority. I could give a number of reasons, but what it boils down to is that I’m stepping away from the Paizo site for a while, at least until my life settles down, perhaps longer.

RPing with many of you has been enjoyable, and for those I just started playing with, I wish it could have been longer. For games I’m a PC, feel free to bot or remove my PC however you see fit. For those I am GMing, I leave it up to you to decide if you want to find a replacement or let the game die.

If anyone is interested in a more detailed explanation of what’s going on, feel free to PM me. I may not divulge every personal detail, but I could provide a bit more to those I have spent so much time with.

Sorry

I appreciate the post Malfeas / Angus. I wish you the best of luck and hope your life settles down

As I said on the other game, I'll really miss having you around Ryan/Malfeas and I hope, more importantly, that things improve for you in real life.

~~~~~

Similar to what I suggested on the other game, I guess we should decide what to do with this game.

On one hand, we are only at the first non-social encounter and could think about recruiting another to the group. For various reasons - variety of players and characters, more activity, my cowardice at being in small groups... - I like to have 6.

On the other hand, we might consider taking a break and coming back to the game when everyone is less committed, such as after the game day, and then deciding how we want to do things.

~~ Matt/Naurin

I'm kind of in a bind. Obviously, I haven't been at top posting rates, but I did get this scenario for free as part of the game day. So I was planning to focus more on it now that my mini-vacation is over.

I could suggest that we take a short break after this game to focus solely on Dragon's Demand until it's over, but Matt is not in that game.

Just let me know your preferences here. Thanks, and good luck Mal/Ryan. I hope everything works out for the best.

It would be OK with me for you to take a break and work on Dragon's Demand, although, peeking in, it does seem that you are a long way from the end, at levels 1 and 2, and have lost Mez there, too. Hmm.

I have enjoyed gaming with you, Mal/Angus, and I hope to do so again.
I hope everything turns out fine.

Hmmm....if I may suggest? Why not have Matt roll-up a character for Dragon's Demand, then we finish this one and just play that one until completed.
That would allow some flexibility with only that one going after this one for awhile.

Oh, I appreciate the offer, Walter, and keep getting tempted by that game (and several others), but I don't really have a character idea for it. Lame, isn't it? I've half-joked that I should start breaking out the pregens.

I also haven't had the chance to go through the playtest document at all. I wouldn't have a clue as where to start or a guess as to what is needed in the group.

I had originally wanted to do the Dragon's Demand with everyone, though, for the company and since then I would have under my belt (and so better be able to GM) a 'campaign mode'-capable module set.

I will be very curious to see the final confrontation with the dragon since I don't see how anyone survives the kind of repeat damage they can do in PF with their breath weapon. (Just a guess that there will be one, what with the title and all...) I guess a whole bunch of Protection from Energy's and Resist Energy's? That is a level of play I haven't gotten to yet with any of my characters, only having played up to 3rd level.

Anyway, the best course might be to recruit another from the groups you know, or perhaps from another Dragon's Demand campaign that didn't make it. Or maybe one of my unused characters will wander into town at the appropriate time.

We started it as a way to try out the ACG play test classes, but there's no reason to restrict yourself to those if you want to play something.

As for this game, we need to at least finish this encounter before we could introduce someone new. So I'm moving things ahead a little.

I would like to say that I greatly enjoy these 4 PbP games that I am in with you guys.
I completely understand that life happens and this is for our entertainment and enjoyment.
I truly hope that everyone feels the same.
Glad you are back Derek!

I would like to say that I greatly enjoy these 4 PbP games that I am in with you guys.

I completely understand that life happens and this is for our entertainment and enjoyment.
I truly hope that everyone feels the same.
Glad you are back Derek!

Well said!

Walter may actually be a Bard at heart...lol!

Also, Derek, did he get an AoO from them stepping up to him, swinging their scimitars? If so, I rolled one. Thanks.