Upon Ivory Sand: Castaways of the Amber Isle (Inactive)

Game Master PirateDevon

Since gestalt is SO in and since I have also seen some other recruitments going on that have inspired me to dust off the ol' "notebook of ideas"

The Premise {Narrative}

You fair traveler were on a boat. A boat? Yes, a boat. You were going wherever that boat was going and were doing whatever you were doing when abnormal weather caught up your boat and you were thrown overboard...

A boat? Well any water going vessel. It could be a ship, a canoe, a raft or you could have been swimming for all the gods know. The one requirement of your backstory is that you were on, in, or near water and then weird weather threw you in to it.

And then? And then indeed! You, fair traveler, awake on a pristine white beach, naked as the day you were born, unequipped, unharmed (except for being a little waterlogged clearly) and in the presence of three total strangers. What happens next is the stuff of stories. Or a PbP game, ya know, whatever.

The Premise {Mechanics/What to Expect}

Its an island. With ruins and monsters and its uninhabited *cough* liar *cough* and 4 adventurers are going to try to figure out how to survive and, if circumstances permit, escape or do something else based on what you find.

Magic. Mystery. Etc. E6? Gestalt? Why? Oh the island is messed up. E6 presents a good dynamic to keep the power scale more in line with what the threats of the island are and gestalt helps you live. What will be fun is that everyone is from Golarion and it will be clear to the characters that things are messed up. In essence your characters will be conscious of their E6ness and gestaltness (in vague general terms) and depending on what happens that might actually be undone at some point. It sorta depends on if you live.

There are other strange things. I will mention them in the build instructions. I intend this game to be not for the faint of heart. Casters will have to track components (after all where is the bat guano on the island, hmm?) and divine agents will experience cosmic interference. Why is it every time I talk to Gozreh I get that weird echo? Crafting skills will be important. The island will try to foil you and in general (I think) much fun will be had.

Think Lost meets Robinson Crusoe meets Lord of the Flies meets...Aliens? Treasure Island? Lots of weird stuff.

Selections and Timing.

I have one, I need three more. The party has to be small to make this work the way so I cannot accept a bigger party (and I usually do). Sorry.

I want one representative for each elemental alignment. The one locked in player has Earth or Air. (This is why I was asking for two, so you have a backup) It will actually play a role in the game.

The twist: In addition to your own submission I will be asking each player to cast one vote for another proposal they would like to see on the island with them. (This will happen after the final sub phase.)

I hate picking and I want the folks that end up on the island to be invested and excited in the group dynamic.

I'll leave the thread open until 9:00pm -8 GMT Sunday August 30th for dots. Final subs will be due 9:00 PM -8 GMT Wednesday Sept 2nd. Votes will be cast for two days until 9:00 PM -8 GMT September 4th with an intended start of the weekend of Saturday Sept 5th.

Ask away.

Dottity. I've never played E6. Or gestalt. Is that ok?

Absolutely. Honestly I've only done E6 in a couple of short stints and I expect there to be some dialog as we hit 6 and the "epic tier" of feats after that.

Is there a reference somewhere I can read so I know what in walking into and don't plan a build that doesn't fit the rules?

By the way, planning a total every-man. Something like a farmer or lumberjack. That's my thought for now, at least. Elements would be Water and Earth.

Oh, edit, how do you feel about Strix, their fly speed, and their ingrained racism (especially toward humans)?

My thought's a druid/herbalist (a third party class I'm currently uploading to drive for your perusal, sign earth/water It's a very fun class I like, the druid allows some level of healing and is just, this character I feel would be an ideal wilderness survivor.

See Here

There has been some ongoing development (which you can actually search for on the boards) which is why I acknowledge the group will need to "talk" as we approach the level 6 barrier.

By the way, planning a total every-man. Something like a farmer or lumberjack. That's my thought for now, at least. Elements would be Water and Earth.

Oh, edit, how do you feel about Strix, their fly speed, and their ingrained racism (especially toward humans)?

Combat will happen so everyman is fine but be careful is all :p

As for the strix...well...who knows there might not be ANY humans in the group or common survival might test that cultural tendency.

Flight is not a problem. It will be just as useful and/or dangerous as anything else.

Obviously it wouldn't be ideal to have a bunch of CE or antagonistic characters per se but, well, I mentioned Lord of the Flies, THAT could certainly be interesting. Might make the game short but it would be interesting, lol.

Dot. However I fear this requires a high level of role playing which alas, is not my strong suit. I will tinker with some ideas but, I wouldn't expect a submission.

Oh duh.

20 points for stats, nothing below 8 after racial mod.
2 Traits

Jeez

Dotski

Ooh, this looks interesting.

I don't know if I'm just blind or what, but it looks to me like the first post doesn't actually say which level we start at? Lvl 1, maybe?

I'm interested in this. Never played E6 before, though I have played gestalt in a home game a couple times. I'm gonna look at the guide you posted, and as long as its not horrendously complicated I'll prolly post a submission.

One quick question: How are you gonna do animal companions/familiars? Are we gonna pick them up on the island or do they survive the briny deep with us?

Sorry if it's a silly question, but do we start at lvl 1 and then level up to 6 or start at 6?

I have a bloodrager/oracle necromancer idea that might work. My intention with him was to make a more interesting CE character. Not a mustache-twirling, puppy-kicking backstabber, but a seemingly pleasant but slightly deranged fellow who tells everyone he's giving the villains they killed some communal service by reanimating them. He half-believes it himself. Same for his claim that he's a follower of a good or neutral diety. In practice, since he violates the good gods commands but doesn't think he's evil nor worships evil gods, he doesn't have a diety. Would that work?

Although, since you mentioned 3pp: Dare I ask if the Taninim from In the company of Dragons are allowed? They are basically dragons-made-playable. I've been hoping to get a chance with one of them, and the E6 means they won't grow to gamebreaking proportions. (They start small, at lvl 4 they become medium.) They can't fly at lvl 1, so he might have been swimming, and even at lvl 4 he could still have been traveling by boat. But he does gain a fly speed at lvl 4, don't know if that messes with your plans to keep us on the island or not. Plus, I understand if it doesn't fit your theme, so let me know in that case.

Dottinson Crusoe :)

Dotting

Man, I KNEW it was too late to write that all up without another edit pass through. OH well.

Start at level 2.

@Deko - Good question! Just you show up. However, the island has copious replacement opportunities.

@Bificommander - So it's Golarion right? There is objective evil and the gods have labelled necromancy as such. Now, you might get lucky and end up with a bunch of people who don't know that or don't care. To a certain extent a character might be able to walk around not "knowing" they are evil but in the eyes of this universe, animating the dead is an evil act. Without a real deity and nothing to check himself against? Sure it could work. Will it work for anyone else on that island he is talking to? THAT is the question. Sadly I can't answer that one. :p As for the dragon thing I will mention below...

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In regards to 3pp I need to be more clear. If it is open game content and has been posted to sites like the pfsrd.com site I am willing to consider it because I can reference it easily. Provide a link for me and I will take a look.

I will probably turn down most races because Paizo has provided so many to this point. With their info I can understand how that race fits in Golarion and, honestly, its my biggest assessment weak point. I feel like I can judge the balance of a class or feat pretty well but races tend to throw me for a loop for some reason.

All that said, if there is a link to a legal site for me to review the content, I will look. Otherwise I will need to pass because I don't have the resources to purchase other content, and don't want to work out some grey market situation to have it. (And I need a copy or reference of whatever the players are using, I think that makes sense.)

I won't lie, I know Paizo lets things slip through the cracks but I, at a minimum, have the message boards here to consider the balance issues of a given mechanic. 3pp material is harder to "support" and so I tend to be more reserved about it. Not trying to discourage, just trying to be absolutely clear about it.

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On the issue of flight (and other similar powers). The island doesn't like you. The things on the island won't like you (at least to start) and... I don't like you either. I'll be careful. You'll be dead! Sorry. Couldn't resist saying that.

Those sorts of abilities aren't an issue because escape won't be that easy. Getting an aerial view of the island could be really helpful. Just remember that there are things in the skies just as much as on the ground...

On the topic of 3pp contents, what about the Aegis class? Was wanting to pair it with the Brawler class. What you think? Still not sure on race yet.

On the topic of 3pp contents, what about the Aegis class? Was wanting to pair it with the Brawler class. What you think? Still not sure on race yet.

Yeah sorry, I like the psionics stuff in some circumstances but like I mentioned in the initial recruitment, those I won't be allowing at all. The power points thing tends to be a big boon in a material component light environment.

Dot on the landscape.

Hmm. Well I'll think on it. My first concept has been ixnayed, I'll see what else I can come up with.

@ Gotcha Devon. I'll make the necro, and be sure to invest in bluff :)

Since your vetting process includes the votes from potential fellow players, I'll rely on that to prevent getting into a party with paladins and others with enough Knowledge-religion ranks to know it's not true AND who doesn't intend to let my character get away with it. My character wouldn't care if others don't approve (or "understand" as he would say it), but I agree it won't work if another party member feels morally obligated to smite his minions (and possibly him) as soon as he makes them.

So, if you're character is Paragon-For-Life, don't vote for me!

Well I for one have designed a character with the same concept so you won't hear anything from me, well, actually that character WAS good. He just used some seriously questionable means.

I got to admit, I am really feeling some sort of slayer, swashbuckler mabye, or something along those lines. A sort of hunting tracker, but I don't know how I will play his alignment yet.

I'm not a huge fan of psionics at all (nor the rules bloat that comes from 3pp classes), but if the main thing keeping them out is material component scarcity I feel like someone should mention that sorcerers get eschew materials for free (and anyone else can spend a feat on it), plus several occult classes don't have any material components at all...

Reason I was going with the Aegis (and why it's my favorite of the Psionic classes) is because they have no Psionic abilities, and really no use for Power Points that I've been able to find. Not even sure why they gain them at all, as I don't think they have an ability that needs them.

But, if you say no then I can find something else to use. By the way, what's your ruling on animal companions/familiars?

@deko per my wall of text above, the familiars or companions will be gone but the character won't be penalized physically. New opportunities to get replacements will be available very soon after the start.

The Aegis gets power points because it can access power feats, acquire powers and is balanced against the rest of the psionic classes by proximity. It's a good class but its easier to nix the dreamscarred psionic books rather than cherry pick the exceptions.

That said the occult classes do have some similarities, some.

@Nate Lange You are right, of course, sorcerers have advantages although a wizard can take the same feat. The occult classes will have their own problems so I suppose it would be better to say that I have accounted for paizo's material and don't want to have to account for someone else's too...

On second thought (Sorry folks but its early yet) maybe it's best I nix 3pp altogether. The more I babble the more I realize I'm sorta not set up for it and I feel like I've already started a trend of saying no, so lets work with what Paizo gave us. Sorry for the waffling.

Edit: Note that the sorcerer might get a great head start but the island has some awesome stuff. Wizards will be rewarded for their efforts plus its why I'm making everyone gestalt so there is some fall back, lol.

That's no problem with me. I can easily come up with something else.

Actually, I know exactly what I want to do >:3

It's time for me to bring out Deko Dekoson, III. Son of Deko Dekoson, Son of Deko the First. He's going to be a Brawler/Unchained Barbarian. Let be work out the crunch and fluff, and I'll have it posted in a bit.

Right now I'm looking at mixing bard with something. Going support. I might not be a farmer, but I'm still aiming humble.

Would it be okay if I bring Squeeze Bits, a little Goblin troublemaker? Squee is an unchained rogue/snakebite brawler, who's always running from authorities- but he got more than he bargained for when trying to flee with a lot of food in a small canoe hit by a thunderstorm :D

Squeeze Bits. LMAO. Sure thing.

Deko is here!

Edit: Forgot to say, his elements are Earth and Fire

Will be building an Unchained Monk//Hunter if thats ok. Dwarf. Earth/Air.

Devon, may I ask what E6 is?

It's a lvl 6 level-cap. With experience after that point granting feats instead. Special feat(chains) exist to increase cl and grant higher spell slots and the like.

Entirely new to E6, but this does sound very interesting. Perhaps a dash of Dr. Moreau?

I'm building an Internal Alchemy Vivisectionist Monk.

Unchained Monk/Alchemist (Internal Alchemist) (Vivisectionist).

Hmm, there is a link in my third or fourth post to a decent resource on the topic. There are also some message board threads that get into it. Escheton covered the rough basics right on though.

How far do you think the game will go? I figured till 6th level, obviously. But how far epic wise? And how are you going to do our feat progression after 6th level?

DOT. Love E6

How far do you think the game will go? I figured till 6th level, obviously. But how far epic wise? And how are you going to do our feat progression after 6th level?

How long depends, in part, on the group and its actions. I could easily see 20 progressions into epic (which makes cr10 fights possible if I recall) but there is the potential to undo the e6 and/or the gestalt and of course if everyone decides to escape to t could make things a lot shorter.

Right now, off the cuff I'm planning on a feat every 5000xp after 6. I think that was where the p6 settled. The group all together will talk about that as things progress as there are some mechanical debates to be had (what should be a feat, what's fair etc) that I'm happy to be more democratic about when the time comes. Retraining will be an option too.

Apologies if I missed it, lots of posts in a short amount of time, but what classes/roles is the locked-in player going for?

Do you use the con based witch. Doctor, or the int based? If you use the con doctor, I think I'm going to go Witch Doctor/Kinetecist for Con based tomfoolery.
Fluff is a dare devil who tried to ride a dragon through a storm over the inner sea from Absolom on a drunken bet. The dragon noticed sometime during the ride and he plummeted hundreds of feet into the ocean with dragons for following him down.

If you use the int based witch doctor, I'll be making a bard/cavalier.

Do you use the con based witch. Doctor, or the int based? If you use the con doctor, I think I'm going to go Witch Doctor/Kinetecist for Con based tomfoolery.

Fluff is a dare devil who tried to ride a dragon through a storm over the inner sea from Absolom on a drunken bet. The dragon noticed sometime during the ride and he plummeted hundreds of feet into the ocean with dragons for following him down.

If you use the int based witch doctor, I'll be making a bard/cavalier.

Not quite following, do you mean the scarred witch doctor?

Apologies if I missed it, lots of posts in a short amount of time, but what classes/roles is the locked-in player going for?

Right now it looks like air/earth. I'm gonna stay mum on the build because they have a concept but reserve the right to change it. With the voting element to the recruit I'm looking for a group of passionate concepts over "balance", frankly a group of all bards or monks or something would be sorta hilarious.

Squeeze Bits is in process of creation ;) he's probably Fire/Air hehe.

Choon's asking if you're using the pre-errata scarred witch doctor or the (much worse) post errata version.

Choon wrote:

Do you use the con based witch. Doctor, or the int based? If you use the con doctor, I think I'm going to go Witch Doctor/Kinetecist for Con based tomfoolery.

Fluff is a dare devil who tried to ride a dragon through a storm over the inner sea from Absolom on a drunken bet. The dragon noticed sometime during the ride and he plummeted hundreds of feet into the ocean with dragons for following him down.

If you use the int based witch doctor, I'll be making a bard/cavalier.

Not quite following, do you mean the scarred witch doctor?

He's asking because there was an erreta that changed the Scarred witch doctor to be int-based.

It's pretty commonly overturned by people who know about it in the first place. Not quite sure why they changed it myself.

Lmao, didn't catch the errata. Con away

Question, I've been wanting to do an unfortunately illegal alchemist build, would we be able to double up on a single class for the gestalt?