
F. Castor |

Joneth has indeed come in at 4th level, although with the WBL of a 3rd level character as per the Voice's instructions. That was done so that he is not ahead of the rest of you wealth-wise, seeing as how you are not exactly swimming in cash. Still, he is well enough equipped, especially considering he is a Bladebound Kensai Magus (has magical sword, does not wear armor). Besides, it was you that managed to gather whatever loot you have; with Joneth not being with you when you did so, not to mention that you just met the guy, I would find it a little weird if you chose to include him in the division of the loot. :-)
Joneth would not mind access to found spellbooks though, at least when time permits. Perhaps he will find a spell or two that interest him enough to copy into his own spellbook.

Harrol the Pilgrim |

I've been using the average from here on out? Should I start rolling or stick with that? hp roll?: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
+1 Wisdom (boost to skills, will saves, DC's)
additional 1st and 2nd level slot
touch of glory bonus now +6
Linguistics Rank: Celestial or +1 Perception
and a level away from extended heroisms for everybody. get excited!

Theodric Abernathy |

I still think I haven't cast a non-cantrip spell in this game. :P
My last two hit-point rolls have been 2 and 3. It almost has to get better, right? 1d8 Yay!
A reminder to everyone else: You don't have to roll if you don't want to. It's - what? half plus one or something if you don't roll?
Tell me about it, I went from Level 3 to Level 4 without ever memorizing a second level spell! ;-)
So, I'm not very knowledgeable about Mythic rules. Should I start looking them up on the SRD? Anybody have any suggestions?

Theodric Abernathy |

Mythic is still one major encounter area away - so you still have a bit of time. But they are indeed on the SRD if you want to get a headstart on them.
Will do. Joana, nice job with the loot list. I hadn't seen it until now and it's very helpful (and I need to write down some things in my profile it seems). Looks like we have some stuff to sell.
Anybody looking to make any purchases? I can make some scrolls with a little cash and some downtime, not that we really have any right now.

Harrol the Pilgrim |

Should we simply split the coin/trade goods four ways? Harrol would like to purchase some scrolls, and possibly some enchanted sling bullets if that could be arranged. First week back at uni and I've been dipping my toes into student theatre, but I'll iron out my purchases/profile before the week's out.

Theodric Abernathy |

Level 4 stuff:
+1 BAB
+1 WS
+7 HP (includes favored class)
+1 1st level spell per day
+1 2nd level spell per day
+1 Int
Spells added to spellbook: Protection from Arrows, Mirror Image
7 skill ranks: Arcana, Diplomacy, Local, Planes, Religion, Sense Motive, Spellcraft
*Looking for scrolls of enlarge person, see invisibility, glitterdust
If time, I'd like to copy some of the spells from the other spellbooks into mine as well.
And, YEESH, I didn't realize this at the time but the scroll found in the library spellbook is an 8th level spell (dimensional lock)!

Theodric Abernathy |

So my spellbook writing and scroll crafting and purchasing costs:
Copying mage armor, invisibility, and resist energy= 10 + 40 + 40 = 90 gp.
Scribing a scroll of ant haul and a scroll of mage armor = 25 gp
Buying scrolls of enlarge person, see invisibility, glitterdust, and communal mount = 25 + 150 + 150 + 150 = 475
All told, it's 590 gp. And later on I'm going to want to copy these last four in my book, most likely.
As for what to sell, does anyone want any of this?
masterwork composite longbow (+2)
2 masterwork glaives
masterwork scythe
bejeweled prayer book of Baphomet (appraised at 50 gp whole, 40 for just the jewels)
ranseur of the gargoyle (+1 ranseur that grants a +4 bonus on disarm checks rather than the typical +2 bonus a ranseur grants. Up to 5 times per day as a swift action, the wielder of a ranseur of the gargoyle can cause its skin to harden for 1 round, gaining a +2 enhancement bonus to its natural armor score)
1106 gp
pouch of semiprecious gems (worth 300 gp)
If we sell these things (less any of the armor or weapons that one of you want) and add it to the gem and Gwerm money, we should have a decent amount. I can sell some scrolls too, but the low level ones aren't worth much and the 8th level one might be cool to hold onto.
Thoughts? Does anyone want me to craft any more scrolls in the next few days?

Joana |

Joana - sure, though will have to wait a week till I can get the PDF for me to see what it does :)
My subscription copy shipped today, so I just downloaded the PDF. The benefits of procrastinating about leveling up my character. ;)
Some interesting bard spells:
School conjuration (summoning); Level bard 2, druid 2,
sorcerer/wizard 2, summoner 2, witch 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a square of red cloth)
Range 0 ft.
Effect whiplike swarm
Duration 1 round/level (D (see text)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
You summon hundreds of Diminutive spiders, which cling
together in the form of a whip made for a creature of your
size. You can wield this object as if it were an actual whip,
except you make a melee touch attack with it instead of
a regular attack. Any creature you strike with the whip
takes swarm damage as if it were attacked by a spider
swarm (1d6 points of damage plus poison and distraction,
Bestiary 258). The swarm whip is able to damage creatures
with armor or natural armor, even if a normal whip could
not. It cannot be used to make bull rush, grapple, or trip
attacks, and (unlike a swarm) is subject to a miss chance for
concealment and cover.
The whip is immune to all weapon damage, is never
staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage, and
is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific
number of creatures (including single-target spells such as
disintegrate). The whip takes half again as much damage
from spells or effects that affect an area, but since it is
considered part of your gear, it takes damage only if you fail
a saving throw on a 1 or if it is specifically targeted by an
opponent. The whip does not have a swarm’s susceptibility
to high winds.
As a standard action, you can transform the whip into a
spider swarm (all squares of the swarm must be within 15
feet of you); thereafter it functions as summon swarm. The
spider swarm has 3 hit points and persists in that form for
2 rounds or until the end of this spell’s duration, whichever
comes first.
School evocation [sonic]; Level bard 2, bloodrager 2,
magus 2, sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range 15 ft.
Area cone-shaped burst
Duration 1 round/level or until discharged (see text)
Saving Throw Reflex half (see text); Spell Resistance yes
Up to three times during this spell’s duration, you can emit
a cone of powerful sound as a standard action. The first
cone deals 4d4 points of sonic damage to every creature in
the area. The second deals 2d4 points of sonic damage to
every creature in the area. The third deals 1d4 points of sonic
damage to every creature in the area. A successful Reflex
save against a cone halves that cone’s damage. After the
third cone of sound, the spell ends. Until you use all three
cones, you cannot use your voice for any magic-related
purpose (bardic performance, verbal spellcasting, and so on),
and cannot speak at any volume lower than a shout.
School transmutation [air]; Level alchemist 2, bard 2,
cleric 2, druid 2, ranger 2, sorcerer/wizard 2, witch 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a goose feather)
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 minute/level
This spell functions as air walk, except you can rise no higher
than 1 foot off the ground, you cannot pass over liquid, and
the air you walk on is less stable than solid ground. When
walking on air, you ignore difficult terrain that is less than
1 foot high, you do not trigger effects based on weight
(such as a pressure plate), and any creature trying to track
you through areas you crossed with this spell takes a –10
penalty on its Perception or Survival check to do so. However,
because of the instability of the air you walk on, your speed
is reduced by 10 feet (to a minimum of 5 feet) and you take a
–4 penalty on Acrobatics, Climb, and Ride checks.
If you have 1 rank in Fly, your speed is not reduced when
using this spell, and you can cross over liquid at half speed.
If you have 5 ranks in Fly, you can cross liquid at full speed
and do not take the penalties to your skill checks.

Joana |

The hunter may be a nature-y class I can actually play. I dislike Wildshape, and rangers just aren't magicky enough for me. (Otoh, when I do play rangers, I play the spell-less variety because I can't justify where the magic is coming from.)
I glanced through some of the archetypes for classes I'm playing now and didn't see anything that appealed to me.
There's a feat that allows you to roll Reflex instead of Fort that pretty much all of my PCs would find handy, but it has Evasion as a prereq, which puts it too late for anyone but a monk or rogue to use. If you have a big enough difference between your Fort and Reflex that you're willing to spend a feat on it, you haven't survived to mid-to-high-level without pouring resources into shoring up your Fort save. Also, it takes an immediate action and leaves you staggered until the end of your next turn. With those restrictions, was the prereq really necessary?
Apart from some of the spells, there wasn't anything in a quick page-through of the book that made me say, "Wow, I want to play a character with that!" Granted, I haven't looked at the new classes' mechanics in-depth yet.

DM - Voice of the Voiceless |

It is frustrating when they decide to lump feats like that with secondary and even tertiary costs. Like rogue talents which are only usable 1/day, or feats that need Combat Expertise or Power Attack as a pre-req.
I'm intrigued and my interest is piqued by the previews and tidbits sneaking out online... but still have to wait another five days :P

Eudocia Fairday |

Eudocia's leveled up. I put skill points in Disable Device so she'll have to buy some thieves' tools to use it: Should be interesting to buy from paladins. ;)
Also, I took the Snap Shot rogue talent. (It's disheartening how many of those either require ki or interact with Sneak Attack, neither of which she has.) If she can't make a ranged attack in the surprise round, for example, if she doesn't have her bow equipped, or doesn't want to for some reason (like she'd rather cast a spell while she has the chance), can she act on her normal initiative in the surprise round or does she have to not act?

Joana |

What? Like the squeaky-clean good-guys have something to hide? I'm sure Harrol can quote some kind of scripture about nothing being hidden that won't be brought to light. ;)
In ACG news, there's a Robin Hood archetype for rangers: gain a swashbuckler's panache, only with bows instead of piercing weapons. Might be interesting.

Twigs |

Hey, brilliant! I'm quite excited for the swashbuckler. I really like the grit system but haven't really found a game that screamed "a gunslinger will make an interesting and thematic choice here!". Pile on top of this a half a dozen "unique" elven gunslingers in PFS and I've really not had any desire to touch the class.
Harrol is leveled up but his purchases havent been made. I assume we're selling all of the weapons and armour. Eudocia and Gregori are the only ones that can really put any of it to use, and Eudocia's proficiencies are limited and Gregori is pretty much set. I mean to purchase/craft some a big multiple-spell cure scroll with Theodric's help for a bit of backup healing, some remove x spells and a two demonbane slingstones (332gp 1sp). Depending on what's left of my budget (how much is a four way split once we sell everything? Forgive my laziness but my time/internet access is pretty limited for this week.

Joana |

Loot to sell:
dagger x3 = 2gp x3 /2 = 3 gp
light crossbow = 35 gp /2 = 17 gp, 5 sp
wand of longstrider (10 charges) 750gp /5 /2 = 75 gp
masterwork chain shirt x3 = 250 gp x3 /2 = 375 gp
masterwork composite longbow (+2) = 500 gp /2 = 250 gp
masterwork glaive x2 = 616 gp /2 = 308 gp
masterwork scythe = 318 gp /2 = 159 gp
chain shirt = 100 gp /2 = 50 gp
ranseur of the gargoyle = 4310 gp /2 = 2155 gp
That's 3392 gp, 5 sp. Add in:
40 gp of jewels from destroyed prayer book
300 gp of semiprecious gems
1086 gp
for a total of 4818 gp, 5 sp.
Split four ways, that's 1204 gp, 6 sp, 2 cp, and a halfpenny each. ;)
However, I'm also going to have to point out that it's utterly unfair to split it four ways when Gregori already has a weapon that's worth about as much as our total loot combined and will, I presume, scale with level without him ever having to put a single copper piece into it.
EDIT to point out I have no quarrel with Gregori. It's just something that repeatedly annoys me about Paizo APs: the way the loot distribution tends to reward one PC at the expense of the rest of the party.

Joana |

Thanks for doing that, Joana! One thing--there are two glaives, which you posted but forgot to double. So that should be an additional--nevermind, you caught it it seems ;-)
Yeah, I made my list, then I was going through the loot list on Eudocia's profile striking things through and realized I'd forgotten to multiply by two. I'd also missed the 300 gp pouch of semiprecious gems and edited that in as well. It might be worth doublechecking my math, as it's not my strong suit. I used a calculator, but that's no guarantee. :)
We're left with the following undistributed utility items:
spell component pouch x2 (fluff to explain where all the casters are refilling theirs from?)
potion of cure moderate wounds
potion of invisibility x2
alchemist's fire x2
tanglefoot bag
antitoxin

Gregori Arcanthus Shadowbane |

As long as we're consistent, and the next time somone gets a valuable item from loot it's factored exactly the same way when loot is distributed....then I don't have a problem with Gregori not getting an equal share this time in lieu of the sword.
If the assumption is that it scales and Gregori always takes a lesser share..then no.

Theodric Abernathy |

Eudocia should take the +1 item, right? Joneth doesn't need it, Gregori doesn't need it, and Harrol and I shouldn't really be relying on weapons too much.
As for the trade in item, a quick glance at available items closest to 4,400 makes me lean towards the +2 stat items, bracers of falcon's aim, +2 cloak of resistance, and first aid gloves. What do you guys think?

Joana |

Eudocia should take the +1 item, right? Joneth doesn't need it, Gregori doesn't need it, and Harrol and I shouldn't really be relying on weapons too much.
Eudocia has no business going into melee with a 14 AC, and she doesn't have the feats to spare to ever be more than an average-at-best archer. Harrol has a +10 with a sling and Precise Shot. I say, give him the +1 weapon.

Theodric Abernathy |

Theodric Abernathy wrote:Eudocia should take the +1 item, right? Joneth doesn't need it, Gregori doesn't need it, and Harrol and I shouldn't really be relying on weapons too much.Eudocia has no business going into melee with a 14 AC, and she doesn't have the feats to spare to ever be more than an average-at-best archer. Harrol has a +10 with a sling and Precise Shot. I say, give him the +1 weapon.
Fair enough, but I was thinking more of a bow. And Harrol usually memorizes magic stone for his sling, right? If you took a +1 bow and traded for bracers of falcon's aim, that would give us some pretty hefty ranged support, don't you think?
If not, what item do you guys think we should trade for?

Twigs |

I'm all for bringing Joana up to par with what you suggested. I'll be able to cast an all-day heroism on her if she's struggling to hit, as well as on Joneth, Gregori and myself as we level. I tend to proscribe to Treantmonk's philosophy for bard feats (and clerics at that) and pad out my combat style while letting spells plug the holes. Joana, I'm curious what you had planned for Eudocia's feat path? Precise shot with some summons and an enlarged gregori might be a good game plan, leaving the hefty battlefield control to Theodric and Gregori and Joneth protecting our squishy butts.
I wholeheartedly agree with Theodric's suggestion. Braces of Falcon's Aim are fantastic, but Harrol cant put them to use with a sling. I'd say those or a stat bonus item are our best bet (although with a little downtime we have an abjurer and a cleric who can make some very nice scrolls that make them moot). I'd also vote for falcons aim bracers on Eudocia.

Joana |

Eudocia now, firing into melee through soft cover: -3 to attack, 1d6 damage.
Eudocia + 6,330 gold, firing into melee through soft cover: -1 to attack, 1d6+1 damage.
To spend that kind of money to still suck is just obscene. The wider crit range isn't even terribly valuable, since most threats we're dealing with are unlikely be hit with an accumulated 18. It'll be three more levels before she can get rid of the -4 to fire into melee, even assuming I'm willing to pour all my feats into archery, which, again, is madly shoveling resources into an attempt to achieve near-mediocrity. Spending more than 5000 gold and two feats to maybe do 1d6+2 damage once a round at 7th level is a waste of resources that could be spent making PCs who are already good at what they do better.
Joana, I'm curious what you had planned for Eudocia's feat path?
I don't pre-build my characters. It's like reading the last chapter of a book first; I lose interest in the journey if I know what the destination is.
My original intention was for her to be a mobile fighter/flanking provider, but we lost our sneak-attack dice and her AC and hp are far too low for her to ever get within an enemy's reach on purpose just to give someone a +2.
Archery's not really a viable build for her. It's too feat-intensive, and you have to carry around too many arrows. She's already technically in medium encumbrance just carrying 38 and will have to drop some before we leave.
I don't know; she's really good at opening and closing doors? *shrug*

Joana |

They only loosened the filter in the last few years. Used to be your PC couldn't cock an eyebrow; you'd have to merely raise it or look like you were doing something really filthy.
How about this: "The role of Bert the chimney sweep in Mary Poppins was played by Dick Van D&*!."
Ha! His first name used to be censored as well. They are getting to be libertines here. :)