A few notes, for those who don't know the spire:
1) Be sure to bring a build with darkvision (specifically for the 1st floor. Feel free to completely rebuild for the second). No really. Trust me. You want DARKVISION. Not torches or the light cantrip.
2) Do not bring a build that relies on charging, your charging opportunities will be limited.
3) To those unprepared for the dangers within, the Spire can be quite deadly. In that regard, you should all plan your characters around each other's. Get some synergy going. You'll want it.
Checking in!
So I've got two builds I'd be happy to take through the Spire. One is a counterspelling school savant arcanist and the other is a summoning and buffing undine adept druid. I'm happy to provide more details on either if so desired.
What does everyone else want to bring? It's kinda like an AP in that these characters are going to be working with each other for a long time.
|
I can be pretty flexible. I have a couple of builds that I've been toying with in HeroLab for a while, when I get home tonight I'll review and summarize them here. I'm also perfectly happy making something brand new for this run. Is there a particular backstory to the Emerald Spire that I can research to incorporate into my build?
I've ninja dotted into the gameplay thread!
For the full run, we are still playing this in legit PFS mode, right? I'm assuming so, but I just want to get my expectations in line!
I will be making an entirely new PC for this. My preference would be to play some sort of melee character, but I'm also willing to build up a support/healer if nobody wants to play that role.
EDIT: I have no reluctance playing a support/healer, it just isn't my first choice. Having a competent frontliner to support makes it better too ;)
REDIT: GM, I've found a player's guide on the pfsprep site. If it is cool with you, I can link it here for all to read.
I'd appreciate that! We are playing in full PFS mode, yes. Some floors will have to be slow tracked. I'll tell you in advance which ones.
Druid could help cover support/healer. It's got access to most of the healing spells (including heal), but is missing some like restoration and greater restoration.
Summoning part can also provide more bodies on the battlefield to absorb attacks and effects. Druid list is mostly limited to beatsticks, but it's a dungeon crawl with a high likelihood of many things to beat with sticks.
Arcanist would be mostly support with a side of debuff. No restorative spells, but lots of defensive effects.
Here is what I found for the Emeral Spire's Player's Guide!
There is a hefty disclaimer at the beginning that says it is a community created document, not an official Paizo product.
Had a little extra time, whipped up a Gnome Cleric of Milani that would function as a buffing/healing/hp battery. Gonna work on a melee build now.
EDIT: Feeling uninspired on the melee front. I'll have to think on it to see what grabs me.
Upon receiving some more information, I'd like to propose we run the tower in campaign mode. We'll definitely still do the PFS credit version.
With campaign mode, does that mean you will be giving us creation guidelines? I'm not super familiar with the mode myself.
Campaign mode lifts the restrictions of PFS from the characters. You can be pretty much any race, cast pretty much any spell, and use pretty much any item. Definitely allows for a bit more freedom, if you like that kind of thing. You can still totally bring what is essentially a PFS character to it, but, again, it just removes restrictions.
...time to play with some crazy races then! Still 20 point buy and all that?
|
Yeah, Zin & Gummy that's a good point. @GM: character creation guidelines, if you please. If it helps for reference when I GM campaign mode modules or APs my guidelines are: anything Paizo is OK. 20 point buy. 150 GP. 2 Traits. A Drawback gets you a third Trait but the Drawback must actually hinder your character mechanically and it can't be something disruptive to gameplay.
Oh. Yeah. Those are important.
Anything Paizo is OK, with a few exceptions. I support the Core Barbarian, not the unchained barbarian. I also support only the unchained versions of the rogue, monk, and summoner. 20 point buy. 150 gp. 2 Traits. No drawbacks.
|
|
Okay, it sounds like into the aether has arcane covered, and Gummy Bear probably has our healer/support covered. So we really need a trapfinder and a martial character to round it out. I'm comfortable either way. Hawthwile, any preference? (Anybody realize they want to go a different direction instead?)
I should also say this: If you want something 3rd party, run it by me. I may make some tweaks, but I do normally allow it in my home games.
Nothing filled into the profile just yet, but this may be your cleric of Milani!
I've got an entertaining idea for a cleric/envoy of balance aasimar channeler. GBear, did you want to run a frontliner?
I can do that too! I was just bored and excited about this game so I renamed an old alias. When I make a frontliner I'll rename it again!
If I frontline, Hawthwile brings a cleric, Aether brings an arcane, Zin Z'arin brings someone who can deal with traps?
Zin, I can also bring a trapfinder if you prefer frontlining!
Ok, cool, I'll bring the frontliner then!
For our casters, is there any sort of frontliner that would better fit with the type of caster you have in mind?
It looks like I'm going to be the only one up front, so tankiness will be a build priority.
Channeler's going to be buffing, summoning-lite, and buffing/debuffing/moving people with their channels. I'm thinking variant channeling (with the focus less on damaging opponents with the channel and more on debuffing them), so perhaps there's a flavor that would be beneficial to you, GBear?
Debuffing and moving works great with what I have in mind! I've made a dwarven two-handed fighter focused on using the Dwarven Dorn-Derger. He's got HP, Saves, and damage. AC is there, but nothing super crazy awesome.
Traits - Warrior of Old, Reactionary
Str: 16 Dex: 14 Con: 16 Int: 10 Wis: 14 Cha: 6
Feats
1 Toughness
B Combat Reflexes
2 Weapon Focus (Dwarven Dorn-Dergar)
3 Power Attack
4 Darting Viper
5 Advanced Weapon Training (Defensive Weapon Training)
6 Steel Soul
7 Lunge
8 Greater Weapon Focus (Dwarven Dorn-Dergar)
9 Iron Will
10 Weapon Specialization (Dwarven Dorn-Dergar)
11 Improved Iron Will
With my reach and combat reflexes, your force channel could be sick! I know it would only be 5ft, but it could still set people up to take more AoO's (they move 5ft back, I full-attack from reach and 5ft step back) and give me some maneuvering room if things get tight.
As a melee character, buffing and summoning lite are always helpful, so I think it is a good fit!
EDIT: The debuffing you do to our foes would be beneficial if it lowered their AC or their attack bonus, but anything that further tips action economy in our favor would probably be the best choice (the Hangover cleric build, for example). At the end of the day, any debuff would be helpful, so don't feel shoehorned into a certain rider effect if you aren't feeling it just for the sake of my opinion!
I'm planning on an Occultist-archetype Arcanist, which is the monster-summoning archetype. To say I love playing monster summoners is an understatement. Anyway, here's the bare bones of my proposed level 14 build. I always like to start at the end, then work backward. I'll provide flanking buddies, DPR, disposable bodies that don't need healing/restoration/etc. AND the full Wiz/Sorc spell list. I will probably tweak the build a bit but here's an idea of my starting point.
Male elf (Snowcaster) arcanist (occultist) 14 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 8, 78)
CG Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception -1
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex)
hp 72 (14d6+14)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +8; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep
Weaknesses light sensitivity
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Special Attacks arcane reservoir (21/31), arcanist exploits (consume magic items[ACG], familiar[ACG], greater metamagic knowledge[ACG], metamagic knowledge[ACG], potent magic[ACG], quick study[ACG]), consume spells
Arcanist Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +19)
. . 1/day—augury
. . 1/week—contact other plane
Arcanist (Occultist) Spells Prepared (CL 14th; concentration +19)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 7, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +7; CMB +5; CMD 17
Feats Augment Summoning, Dazing Spell[APG], Evolved Summoned Monster[ACG], Extra Arcanist Exploit[ACG], Improved Familiar, Quicken Spell, Run, Spell Focus (conjuration), Superior Summoning[UM], Versatile Summon Monster
Skills Acrobatics +2 (+6 to jump with a running start), Disable Device +14, Knowledge (arcana) +18, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +18, Knowledge (engineering) +9, Knowledge (geography) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (nature) +18, Knowledge (nobility) +10, Knowledge (planes) +18, Knowledge (religion) +17, Linguistics +9, Spellcraft +22 (+24 to identify magic item properties), Use Magic Device +20; Racial Modifiers +2 Spellcraft to identify magic item properties
Languages Common, Elven, Terran
SQ conjurer's focus (Summon Monster VII, 14 minutes), elven magic
Other Gear 150 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Arcane Familiar Nearby You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Arcane Reservoir +2 DC or CL (31/day) (Su) Pool of points fuel exploits, or can expend to add +2 CL or DC while cast spell.
Augment Summoning Summoned creatures have +4 to Strength and Constitution.
Conjurer's Focus (Summon Monster VII, 14 minutes) (Sp) Cast summon monster spells with points from arcane reservoir.
Consume Magic Items (3/day) (Su) Move act, destroy potion/scroll or -5 wand chg for +1/2 spell level to reservoir. Staves better.
Consume Spells (3/day) (Su) As a move action, expend a spell slot to add its spell levels to arcane reservoir.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Dazing Spell You can cast a spell that dazes those injured by it (duration = spell's level in rounds, Fort negates).
Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar (Su) Your familiar can deliver touch spells for you.
Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Elven Magic +2 to spellcraft checks to determine the properties of a magic item.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Evolved Summoned Monster Apply a 1-point evolution to a creature you summon.
Greater Metamagic Knowledge When preparing spells, can exchange bonus MM feat for another that qualify for.
Light Sensitivity (Ex) Dazzled as long as remain in bright light.
Quick Study (Ex) Use 1 reservoir as a full rd action, consult spellbook to switch out mem spell (provokes AoO).
Quicken Spell Cast a spell as a swift action. +4 Levels.
Run Run 5x your speed in light/medium armor or 4x speed in heavy armor and keep Dex when running.
Scry on Familiar (1/day) (Sp) You can scry on your familiar, as the spell.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Speak with Animals (Ex) Your familiar can communicate with animals similar to itself.
Speak with Familiar (Ex) You can communicate verbally with your familiar.
Spell Focus (Conjuration) Spells from one school of magic have +1 to their save DC.
Superior Summoning When summoning more than one creature, summon an extra one
Versatile Summon Monster (Aerial Creature, Fiery Creature) Add 2 templates to summoned monsters.
Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at https://www.wolflair.com
Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Inc.®, and are used under license.
And that does bring up several good questions for the GM:
- How is experience for campaign characters being tracked?
- How is wealth being implemented? Are we selling and buying things in town? In Absalom?
- What level are these characters expected to reach?
- Will there be downtime between floors (for earning extra income, selling/buying inventory, etc.)?
So many flanking buddies! :D We are gonna tear this thing up (famous last words...)
|
|
Nice! I love the Occultist archetype; I have a PFS character with that who is a blast to play.
I'll get working on the crunch for my Crypt Breaker tonight. @GM, would love feedback to know that delaying trapfinding until level 2 isn't going to be a serious impediment. Also, Crypt Breaker is very powerful vs. undead, but less so vs. other opponents. Will that be an issue in Emerald Spire?
For experience, I think I'll just do an all at once level up type thing. i.e. This floor says it's designed for level 3, so, you're now all level 3.
For wealth, since time isn't really a thing (as far as I can tell from my skimming), feel free to sell in Absalom. I'd like to implement a rule used in my home game rn. That is, if you find an item on a body, you may "buy" it from the party for it's crafting price (typically half off). From there, we'll be ensuring that at every floor you start with Average Player Wealth worth of items (again, found items are half price). Seems to keep things balanced enough.
Looks like the characters will make it to Level 12.
There will be downtime. At almost any point you may leave the tower and come back. Just note: As we're in campaign mode, I'll add realistic reactions to leaving a floor early (more traps, better prepared enemies, etc.). Between floors, though: unless something links floors together, there will be no effect when leaving the spire for a few weeks. Some floors say that "other things move in", so I may have a few random encounter style things here and there in floors you've already completed, but that's the worst thing I'd do.
Looks like the characters will make it to Level 12.
As in, characters will finish the final floor and level up to 12 (and never be played at lvl 12), or they will be lvl 12 for the final floor?
I'm not sure how that home-game loot rule will work, but I'm willing to see it in practice first. I can make an inventory sheet to keep track of what we find (and who's using what).
I'll try to have my build up later tonight or tomorrow! Looks like fun!
Characters will play the final floor at level 12. I've changed my mind on the loot. I'll be making sure everything balances on my end, instead of burdening you guys with it.
I had another idea I a while back that I think I'll try with this character: magical lineage trait on burning gaze and have my improved familiar shoot dazing laser beams from its eyes using its own standard actions, which would come online as a 4th level spell—character level 8. Here's my starting build; just need to spend the rest of my starting gold (which will be on scrolls).
Male elf (Snowcaster) arcanist (occultist) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 8, 78)
CG Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception -1
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex)
hp 7 (1d6+1)
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +1; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep
Weaknesses light sensitivity
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger -2 (1d4-2/19-20)
Special Attacks arcane reservoir (2/5), consume spells
Arcanist (Occultist) Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +5)
. . 1st (3/day)—color spray (DC 15), grease
. . 0 (at will)—acid splash, detect magic, message, read magic
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 7, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +0; CMB -2; CMD 9
Feats Run, Spell Focus (conjuration)
Traits magical lineage, resilient
Skills Acrobatics +1 (+5 to jump with a running start), Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (nature) +8, Knowledge (planes) +8, Spellcraft +8 (+10 to identify magic item properties), Use Magic Device +7; Racial Modifiers +2 Spellcraft to identify magic item properties
Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Sylvan
SQ conjurer's focus (Summon Monster I, 1 minute), elven magic
Other Gear haramaki[UC], dagger, arcanist starting spellbook, backpack, bandolier[UE], bandolier[UE], belt pouch, silk rope (50 ft.), spell component pouch, wrist sheath, spring loaded, wrist sheath, spring loaded, 116 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Arcane Reservoir +1 DC or CL (5/day) (Su) Pool of points fuel exploits, or can expend to add +1 CL or DC while cast spell.
Conjurer's Focus (Summon Monster I, 1 minute) (Sp) Cast summon monster spells with points from arcane reservoir.
Consume Spells (3/day) (Su) As a move action, expend a spell slot to add its spell levels to arcane reservoir.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Elven Magic +2 to spellcraft checks to determine the properties of a magic item.
Light Sensitivity (Ex) Dazzled as long as remain in bright light.
Run Run 5x your speed in light/medium armor or 4x speed in heavy armor and keep Dex when running.
Spell Focus (Conjuration) Spells from one school of magic have +1 to their save DC.
Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at https://www.wolflair.com
Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Inc.®, and are used under license.
Alright folks, meet Felix! A herald caller cleric of Pharasma who is here to correct the mistakes of the past and restore the strands of fate to their rightful weave.
Proposed Build:
Traits: Reactionary or Seeker, Sacred Conduit
Stats: Str 7, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 19
Feats:
1. (Cleric) Selective Channel
2. (Cleric)
3. (Cleric) Channel Force
4. (Cleric) Bonus: Augmented Summoning
5. (Cleric) Versatile Channeler
6. (Envoy of Balance) Incisive Spells
7. (Envoy of Balance) Improved Force Channel, Endowment: Spiritual Equilibrium
8. (Envoy of Balance) Contravening Armament
9. (Envoy of Balance) Improved Channel, Endowment: Twinned Channeling
10. (Cleric)
11. (Cleric) Fateful Channel or Greater Channel Force, Bonus: Superior Summoning
Keeping with the fateful theme, he will use the Luck variant channeling to boost his allies's and lower his opponents's d20s. If the GM decides that doesn't fit Pharasma's portfolio, he could use the Fate variant channeling to lower his opponents's d20s with the harm channel and maybe find a different variant for the healing channel.
If possible, I'd love to complete the image with the Fate subdomain - but somehow that is not a domain of Pharasma, even with her portfolio including fate and prophecy. GM permitting, I would take that domain - otherwise, the Repose domain would be very entertaining if someone else can stagger opponents and the Thought subdomain could be useful. The Herald Caller archetype limits him to one domain.
I'm open to suggestions or ideas on how this could fit with the rest of the team more effectively.
I'll get working on the crunch for my Crypt Breaker tonight. @GM, would love feedback to know that delaying trapfinding until level 2 isn't going to be a serious impediment. Also, Crypt Breaker is very powerful vs. undead, but less so vs. other opponents. Will that be an issue in Emerald Spire?
If Trapfinding is the biggest draw to that archetype, you might consider the Trap Breaker archetype. Standard bombs and trades out poison use/resistances for blowing up traps at range and creating land mines.
Felix, if you are truly on the fence about your traits, I'd take seeker. Zelphar is no good at it and I will be exceptionally mediocre. As a fighter, my skills are meh anyways, so I'll max it out, but someone in addition to our trapfinder alchemist with a god perception mod would be sweet!
I support laser beam familiars. Does the occultist get standard action summons?
Lol we are going to have so many combatants on our side! This is gonna be great. Making my profile now.
Two-Handed Fighter is here!
Has anyone built up fluff for their characters? I haven't quite yet so the alignment is likely going to change. There will likely be some sort of deity in there too. Since my character is way less conceptualized than I think the other two posted are, I'll adapt a little to them so I don't make a character antithetical to them :P
Does the occultist get standard action summons
Hell yeah they do, and they last 1 min/level. They cost arcane pool points so they're a managed resource. But I got my CHA to 16 so I can consume spells 3x/day to refill the pool, and plan on taking consume magic items so I can turn found/unwanted scrolls and stuff into more arcane pool points as well.
Well. Action economy is taken care of. TWO summoners. Both very different in skillset outside of summoning. This should be quite entertaining to see.
I'll leave you guys in charge of your summons with one rule: You summon, they attack your enemies. If you wish for them to do something eles, you have to be able to communicate with them.
So, from what I've seen, we've got an Occultist Summoner, a Two-Handed Fighter, a Cleric Channel Summoner, and probably an Alchemist. Delaying trapfinding won't be a hindrance.
Well, the cleric's fine:
The herald caller and her summoned monsters can understand each other’s spoken words as if they shared a common language.
And as an avid monster summoner, I am well aware of the communication thing. For a non Herald-Caller...the animals summons you're kinda SOL without some cheese like speak with animals SLA you can get from a trait. Or a heavy investment in Handle Animal that's just not worth it.
So it'll be the difference between fast summons from the occultist and easy communication with summons from the cleric. Good to have options!
Felix has to be true neutral and will be fine with most things as long as we destroy any undead we find and don't create any ourselves. Thought about worshiping Rhombodazzle for domains and portfolio, but Fateful Channel is too good to give up. So Pharasma it is! GM, any word on the Fate subdomain and Luck variant channel?
Feel free to use variant channeling! I've never seen it used, and I've always wanted to see it in action!
OK, I bought stuff and I'm all ready to go! Profile fully updated. Besides a few misc scrolls (enlarge person, expeditious retreat, obscuring mist) I got a single scroll of infernal healing. I could swap one of the others for another infernal healing.
Please introduce yourselves in character on the gameplay thread, and fill out your details in the slides (linked here, and below my name above)
Bump.
Hats off to Gummy_Bear for posting already!
Felix is fine to be in the middle of the party. He's not very heavily armed, but it's the easiest place to channel or buff people.
Also, I added a slide to the handouts so we can put our icons in ideal marching order.