GMBP's In Pale Mountain's Shadow (Inactive)

Game Master Fighting Chicken

Hi All,

First thing to do is to develop the party. Everyone should probably pick different classes and maybe even roles. The adventure has the following suggestions:

LEVEL

Each PC should be 4th level.

BACKGROUNDS

Each player should choose a background from those listed on pages 38–39 of the Pathfinder Playtest Rulebook.

LANGUAGES

Inform the players that three languages—Auran, Gnoll, and Ancient Osiriani— might open up additional role-playing or investigatory opportunities in this chapter, and that they have access to those languages. However, knowledge of these languages isn’t required to complete “In Pale Mountain’s Shadow.”

PURCHASING GEAR

Each character begins with one 3rd-level item, two 2nd-level items, one 1st-level item, and 300 sp to spend on additional items. As the GM, you determine which items the PCs can start with, but they should have access to at least all common items of their level or lower. The characters already know each other, so they can pool their money to buy items.

PC CONSIDERATIONS

This adventure also makes use of exploration mode, so one or more PCs with wilderness skills are mandatory.

WHERE AND WHEN

“In Pale Mountain’s Shadow” takes place in northwestern Katapesh, a land in which frenetic and unfettered trade takes precedence over all things. The Pactmasters, the ruling caste of the nation, set the laws, following whims and rules that only they know. Trade draws all sorts of people from every corner of Golarion to the nation, seeking rare goods, slaves, or the popular drug, pesh. Most stay within the relative safety of the capital (also named Katapesh) and other cities near the coast rather than crossing the rolling dunes and forbidding peaks farther inland.

“In Pale Mountain’s Shadow” takes place in the year 4709 ar, beginning in the recently liberated town of Kelmarane and moving to the slopes of Pale Mountain—the same locations that feature prominently in the Legacy of Fire Adventure Path. This chapter assumes that the events of that Adventure Path have started and are in the process of playing out, with the events of this chapter occurring during the year of downtime built into the conclusion of Legacy of Fire’s first adventure, Howl of the Carrion King.

PLAYTEST GOALS

In this chapter, the focus of the playtest is to increase the complexity of combat encounters and to test players with challenging terrain features, strange hazards, and deadly traps. Many of the encounters become more difficult due to the characters’ disadvantage from the terrain. Do your players find these challenges fun and interesting, or do
such encounters become a slog? How long does it take to play out these types of challenges at the table? When the group gets into a battle in difficult terrain or with other environmental challenges, does it make that fight too difficult?

By determining how best to handle encounters made more difficult than
normal due to these conditions, you can help hone Pathfinder’s environmental and hazard rules to be more balanced and fun to play!

I'll be submitting a report when we're done with this adventure.

.
Initial thoughts are for a Goblin Criminal with Ranger Rogue feel and mechanics to play up the scrappy nature of the goblins. Though I am pretty easy going and willing to round out a party if another role is necessary.

I'm interested in a halfling or a human - both races I've heard interesting discussions about. More flexible on class, but I'd like to multiclass.

Wizard or Sorceror multiclassed into fighter or something might work better?

Both sound good to me! I'm interested to see how the multiclassing works. On paper it looks pretty great.

Ranger will be very good with this adventure.

I think I'll try for an occult sorcerer with a bit higher of an int. Should be fun to build!

^Coolio! I haven't done much a delve into the sorcerer yet. I like that they can choose from different magic traditions. Are they otherwise different than previous sorcs and/or more than the spontaneous wizard analog?

Oh, and I believe there will be traps as well (I haven't read all of the adventure yet). So TD's gobbo may have to handle those too, unless there's another rogue (or ranger) type in the group.

Hey guys,

It'll be fun to play with you all for a change. :)

I'm thinking about making a dwarf fighter.

Well, that was a lost day on the boards!

Welcome, R0B0GEISHA! Looking forward to your dwarf fighter!

I'm hoping to hear from one of a couple other folks soon. We've got most of the party roles covered. Not sure how important that is with PF2 yet...

I've opened up the gameplay thread so you can invisidot there if you have a toon you're planning on using (and if you want to dot with your main toon, that's fine too - I can move that alias to inactive later). That will allow your campaigns screen to update with posts to the discussion board.

I can't post in the gameplay thread, for some reason.

Me either

Huh, me as well. R0B0, you're listed as a player, but Harakani is not. I'll email the web folks.

Thanks for pointing this out!

Although the Gameplay thread is showing no posts, the game has been added to the Campaigns I'm listed in.

Weird.

^ Yup, you're actually dotted in, as of yesterday evening. Very weird. I've emailed the web people, hopefully the gameplay issue is resolved soon. In the meantime, we'll make characters!

I tend to make too many filthy hoo-mans. So I think I'll make a half-elf. And man, I rely on guides to pick my spells and there's no guides for 2e playtest! Occult seems like a lot of damage, buffs, debuffs, and trickster spells. Any advice on what kind of spells would be a good fit for the team and the adventure?

On reflection I might try to build one of the standards first. Cleric. Halfling or half-orc. If Azih is testing the half-x stuff I'll pick up halfling.

@ Azih: I also make many humans. And the occasional half-elf and half-orc. For me, I have trouble breaking free of the stereotypes of the other ancestries and making unique PCs. Because there's a lot of variation among humans and the half-races, I'm better able to get the creative juices flowing. Not that there's anything wrong with playing a dwarf, halfling, etc. I just make cardboard cutout characters when I play them.

As for spells, I haven't read over the spells in much detail yet, so I'm still largely in a PF1 mindset about them (caveat). I think perhaps things that help with mobility could be useful (both in encounter mode and in exploration mode). There is a lot of combat in this chapter, so direct damage and control could be useful as well.

@ Harakani: Sounds good! A cleric would be good to have along (or at least someone that has some healing ability).

So we have:

Azih: half-elf sorc
Harakani: halfling cleric
R0B0: dwarf fighter
TD: goblin ranger/rogue (multiclass?)

Board issues also delayed me getting out a PM to a potential player until this morning, so I hope to have a fifth soon.

Still haven't heard anything regarding the gameplay issue, but I imagine that there's bigger fish to catch for the webmasters at the moment.

We could try creating a new thread if need be. In any case I think it might be fun to go into telekinesis which has a pretty great occulty flavour actually.

So rough sketch
is

A: Half Elf
B: Scholar
C: Aberrant Bloodline Scholar

Cha > Dex ~ Int > Con > Wis ? Str

Gear: Light Armor

Spells:
Cantrip 4
Telekinetic projectile,

Levels 1 and 2

Telekinetic Maneuver

Hope you don't mind me doing a train of thought buildout here :)

Man, what the heck is up with the boards?

Ok, let me try and get my updated build in before the boards get blocked again!

Some of these I think I should pick in collaboration with the other players.

Kith Jeova Male Half Elf Scholar Aberrant Bloodline Sorcerer LN Nethys

Language ???

Speed 30 feet

Class DC 18 (4 + 4)

HP 36=8+(4x(6+1))

Perception (Trained) +4

Saving Throws

Fort Trained 5 (1 + 4)
Reflex Trained 6 (2 + 4)
Will Expert 5 (0 + 5)

Armor Class

AC

TAC

Ability Scores

Cha +4 (18)
Dex = Int +2 (14)
Con = +1 (12)
Wis = Str +0 (10)

Melee Strikes

Ranged Strikes

Skills 7 (5+2)
Expert
Occultism - Increased to Expert 3rd Level

Trained
Acrobatics - Trained 6 = 2 + 4
Arcana - Trained 6 = 2 + 4
Diplomacy - Trained (From Ancestry) 8 = 4 + 4
Intimidation - Trained 8 = 4 + 4
Lore: Academia - Trained 6 = 2 + 4
Lore: ??? - Trained 6 = 2 +4
Society - Trained 6 = 2 + 4

Untrained
Athletics 2 = 0 +2
Crafting 4 = 2 + 2
Deception 6 = 4 + 2
Medicine 2 = 0 +2
Nature 2 = 0 +2
Performance 6 = 4 +2
Religion 2 = 0 +2
Stealth 4 = 2 +2
Survival 2 = 0 +2
Theivery 4 = 2 +2

Ancestry Feats
* Initial: Half Elf (Speed, Diplomacy)

Class Feats
* 2nd: Familiar
* 4th: Occult Evolution

General Feats
* 3rd: Ancestral Paragon - Natural Ambition - Reach Spell

Skill Feats
* Background: Assurance Occultism
* 2nd: Oddity Identification +2 circumstance on Occultism checks to

identify Magic with mental, possession, prediction, or scrying trait
* 4th: Group Impression, Make an impression on two targets instead of

one.

Class Features:
Spell List: Occult
Signature Skills: Acrobatics, Intimidation, Occultism, Stealth
Granted Spells:
Cantrip: Daze
1st: Phantom Pain
2nd: Enlarge
Bloodline Power
Tentacular Limbs

Gear: Light Armor

one 3rd-level item:

two 2nd-level items:

one 1st-level item:

300 sp:

Spells:
Cantrip 4
Known
* Telekinetic projectile
* Shield
* Light
* Detect Magic

* Daze (Bloodline)

Levels 1 (4 spells per day)
Known
*
*
*

* Phantom Pain (Bloodline)

Level 2 (4 spells per day)
*
* See Invisbility
* Telekinetic Maneuver

* Enlarge (Bloodline)

Spontaneously Heightened Spells for the day
* Phantom Pain
*

Build
A: Half Elf HP 8 Size Medium Speed 25 feet
Boosts: Dex, Cha
Feat: Elven speed 30 feet, Gifted Speaker (trained in Diplomacy)
B: Scholar
Int, Cha
Occultism Assurance Skill Feat
Academia Lore Skill Trained
C: Aberrant Bloodline Scholar
Boost Cha
Four boosts
Cha, Int, Dex, Con

Ok! Looks like we're back up! I'm traveling for work and driving across Texas today and tomorrow morning. This state is ridiculous.

I'm liking what you're doing Azih and hoping to see some buildouts or description everyone asit will help me get a better handle on everything to see what y'all are thinking/ planning.

As the boards were sputtering along last week I heard from OGGM who indicated interest. Hopefully he'll be along shortly.

Gameplay issues are still ongoing sadly.

And we're back?

I couldn't dot the gameplay thread...I think...but I am here.

I'm going to build whatever we need, because I have no idea in 2.0 how it's going to work. And as a short playtest, I won't get too attached. (I say now.)

Yeah, we've been having issues with the gameplay thread from when the boards started going down. Only one person besides myself has been able to dot in.

I reported it to the webmasters, but I imagine they have a large to do list. When we get to that point, if it is still nonfunctional, I'll unmerge this thread and create a new gameplay thread to go with it.

Regarding what to play, here's the list:

Azih: half-elf sorc
Harakani: halfling cleric
R0B0: dwarf fighter
TD: goblin ranger/rogue (multiclass?)

Depending on what TD is doing, we may need a skill type and/or a wilderness type.

This adventure has some overland travel and works on a timer, so having someone with survival is necessary.

Nice to have you on board, OGGM!

Thanks! Apparently the dot for the Gameplay thread works, because the campaign shows up in my list, but I still can't see the dotting post.

Let me get on Hero Lab, and work a couple of concepts so that I'm ready to go.

*comes out of bunker*

Is... is it over?

Well gameplay still isn't working....

It seems to be over!

Well, except our gameplay issues. At least you all can dot into the thread. I'll send the webmasters another email this weekend.

Fifth try...
I'm looking at a healing focused cleric at the moment.

I'm torn on considering a negative channeler, given heal can now be cast by negative clerics without issue. What do people think?

Ok, this is where I'm going. Let's see if you can create an all-offense barbarian in 2.0!

Just need to figure out how get the Herolab statblocks to copy and paste...

@Harakani: give it a whirl, that's what we're doing here! I went with a base class- no frills -just to work out the rules for myself.

Yeah I'd say go for it. We're all here to experiment and have fun and figure stuff out. If it leads to a TPK then eh, so be it.

I need to flesh out my occult spell list and figure out my gear. Maybe I'll pick up wands and scrolls or something like that.

@GM: What's the initial setup of the adventure. How do the PCs know each other and what will they be trying to do?

I have to be honest...after reading the starting items (1x level 3, 2x level 2, etc) I'm going through trying find something suitable, and...

I am NOT a fan of the whole item level thing. Wasn't a fan in Starfinder, not a fan so far in 2.0. I think it's an unnecessary complication of equipment. For me at least, I don't see the point. Maybe someone can clue me in?

I think it's supposed to simplify equipment from a GM's perspective. Is an item reasonable to give out to the party? Instead of calculating current WBL of the party by tallying up the cost of the current items and comparing it to the item's cost just check the level of the item and done.

BTW some kind soul on reddit's pathfinder_rpg group is putting up docs of all the spells by level and that's helping me pick spells immensely.

Color me unconvinced. :)

The WBL is a tally of of character's TOTAL wealth. I never use it to decide what to give a character. What's the difference if I exceed the WBL or just hand out a truck load of +2 items to a 2nd level character? Unless Resonance factors in here - which I have yet to try it and see -but item level is not solely related to being magic.

I just don't see the value in item levels. Take a Barksin potion for example. It's a level 3 item. It has exactly one use. Compare that to a Bracers of Armor level 1. It is a lvl 1 item, but it provides the +1 bonus forever. Why would a one-off item be more 'powerful' in terms of level and cost compared to an item that provides a perpetual bonus? Vanedar here has an expert-level greataxe. That's a level 2 item. I know which one I'd rather have compared to the Barkskin potion!

In my mind, that makes zero sense.

The only thing I can think of is that the item level rule is a poor attempt to prevent new GMs from going 'Monty Haul' with their players. You can't give your fighter a +3 longsword if he isn't high enough level. But what if he's running a group that wants to play with all the shiniest toys at low levels? Why 'legislate' that into the game?

All that said, I'm open to play with the system and see how it works!

The only thing I can think of is that the item level rule is a poor attempt to prevent new GMs from going 'Monty Haul' with their players. You can't give your fighter a +3 longsword if he isn't high enough level. But what if he's running a group that wants to play with all the shiniest toys at low levels? Why 'legislate' that into the game?

I think this is the logic behind it.

Let's aim to finish up PCs this week and start next Monday, or earlier if everyone is ready to go.

If the site stays up I'll type up my PC from paper.

I think I read somewhere that an "item" is 10 consumables.
So if you take a level 3 barkskin potion as one of your starting items, you get ten of them. If you take +1 armor (also level 3) you get one.
Seems to make sense.
Can't find it now, though.

Ladies and gentlemen - Kalum.
One day he'll be able to post in gameplay.

If the site stays up I'll type up my PC from paper.

I think I read somewhere that an "item" is 10 consumables.
So if you take a level 3 barkskin potion as one of your starting items, you get ten of them. If you take +1 armor (also level 3) you get one.
Seems to make sense.
Can't find it now, though.

I'll have to look that up, that would make more sense.

I'm not in this game but I'll probably be lurking to see how the 2.0 stuff plays out.

While I'm here, glad to see you're back and well R0b0! The Sons of Dammerhall are still slowly and steadily making their way through the cavernous earth to reclaim their ancestral homeland.

Please lurk away, Galorit! Feel free to chime in as well.

Kalum, crunch looks good at first blush.

I like the 10 consumables = 1 item rule, but I don't recall seeing it myself. I'll take a look and see if I can find it as well.

Kith, you've got a spoiler tag hanging out under your offense tag. PC looks good. Is your background from a previous PC? We'll be going to Katapesh for this chapter.

Vanedar, it looks like you still need the "offense" section for your application.

TD, R0B0, how are the characters coming along?

Hey, Galorit! I'm glad to hear the Sons of Dammerhall are still playing. Dasur's posts were always a pleasure to read. :D

My character is almost done. Should have it up by tomorrow.

Okay, I've nuked the old gameplay thread and attached a new one to this game, so folks should be able to dot/post.

Go ahead and get a post into gameplay with a little description of your PC, and we'll get going ASAP, boards willing.

Setup is mostly in the first gameplay post. Other than what's there, you all know each other, and are a band of minorly renowned adventurers.

Ok. I think I'm ready to go. Man Sorcerors don't need much in the way of equipment. Oh well it fits my conception of Kith here as a man who enjoys having a lot of spending money at hand. He's got a lot of silver to buy expedition requirements.

He's an ass but a charming one. And thus far has coasted by on his sharp mind and inborn powers.

Also he has a pet slug.

Really I wanted to give him a raven, cause why not embrace stereotypes, but weirdly enough having a familiar with a fly speed just makes the familiar less versatile in 2nd edition.

They'll need a splat book in the future to give different tiny animals different fun options I think. Kinda disappointing right now.

Sorry I haven't got my character up yet. It's been ready for a while, but the board has been down every time I had a chance. I should have it up tonight.

Just finalizing my gear, and I'm stuck on something I can't seem to find in the rules.

So 10 L Bulk items make for 1 Bulk, but when you buy a stack of 10 torches or 10 arrows, the item table marks them as L Bulk. So my question is are stacks of those things simply L bulk, or is each individual thing L bulk?

I hate how fiddly this is.