Presenting Invocations 13:8, former battle thrall, Nidalese rebel, and scarred survivor!
Invocations 13:8, who prefers to go by Voc, is a two-weapon fighter. He’s frontline melee.
Voc is a former Nidalese battle thrall, who now seeks to fight against the Umbral Court and find his freedom.
I’ve played Pathfinder for about seven years, and play-by-post for about two or three. I’m GMing several PbPs and I’ve run a few IRL games. I can help with maps on Google Slides, though I’m not the most talented with it.
Let me know if you have any questions, and I'm happy to answer.
GM, I am considering playing an inquisitor of Desna with the Returning Missionary trait. Would the Umbral Stalker archetype be available and appropriate for such a character? If not, I can just go straight inquisitor with no archetype.
Character Profile:
Suetonius Voltaire, NG Human Cleric (of Black Butterfly) 8.
Assumed Role in the Party:
Some healing/buffing/status removal, but also functioning as light infantry.
General Concept:
Nidalese citizen, trying to reconcile his shadow-fearing upbringing, with his personal philosophy of hope, and general wanderlust, after a 'Road to Damascus' moment, as a result of which he discovered the faith of Black Butterfly. His goal is to protect the common people (sometimes from themselves), and to do his best to fly below the radar of the Umbral Court... whom he *knows* are always watching.
Player Experience:
Well, I have been involved with Pathfinder since the debut of Season 0, and I am a 5-star GM (with several hundred tables worth of credit to my name). If you look at my profile, you will see the scores of PbP games that I have been a part of over the years, both as a player, and as a GM (including several APs, that have managed to go from Book 1 to Book 6, entire).
GM, I am considering playing an inquisitor of Desna with the Returning Missionary trait. Would the Umbral Stalker archetype be available and appropriate for such a character?
It's available, though I'm not sure it's the optimal choice since this is primarily a Darklands adventure. For instance, that archetype's stalking judgment and night hunter domain ability is unlikely to prove all that effective against most of the adversaries you'll face. So, while it might seem thematically appropriate for shadow-cloaked Nidal and the Darklands, it's actually the opposite.
Character Profile:
Suetonius Voltaire, NG Human Cleric (of Black Butterfly) 8.
Do you also have stats for your butterfly familiar, Arha? I'm assuming you'll use the listing from Ultimate Wilderness and then build from there using the rules for familiars.
Alright, thanks. I'll go straight inquisitor. Hope to have the alias up later today.
Alright, I’ve done some more thinking, and now I’m considering a Pharasmin who masquerades as a simple priest, gravedigger, etc. Even Nidalese need their dead buried, right? But he moonlights as an undead hunter, targeting the vampires, skeletons, etc who can walk more openly in Nidal than almost anywhere else in Avistan. Not totally sure what class yet, though Warpriest or Inquisitor probably make the most sense.
This is OSW's submission, Lesska Tamskar the Thrice-shamed (saw I was 6/3 male/female in my current PbP's so decided to change concept's gender even things up a bit...and found it really helped drive the story...)
Still have a trait and equipment to purchase...
Character Name: Lesska Tamskar the Thrice-shamed
Assumed Role in the Party: A native of Nidal with a few skills here and there as a professional Bodyguard. Lesska fights with a longspear and provides support and protectionto a designated ward/adjacent allies and those around her with her Order/altered challenge and with banner and bodyguard abilities. Essentially a support/martial.
General Concept: Lesska is an exiled Kellid Horselord from the Atteran Ranches looking to regain her ties to lost clan, land and honor and to bring a reckoning to those she feels are responsible for casting her out.
Player Experience: As commented upthread, I’m a GM in home games and a player these six years or so past on the forums here with about 6k posts among my PbP aliases. I’m ok with theatre of the mind and can cope with Roll20 if that is utilised.
Here is my finished character.
For my character, I was thinking about playing a chaotic good half elf named Ivander. Cleric of Desna 1 (Liberation & Travel domains)/ Rogue 7 (Unchained/Trap Master), with drow heritage in his blood. This would go well with the Dark heritage trait.
Just want to repeat my question in case it was missed, and I'll simplify: Nidalese elves, yea/nay? I couldn't find any info one way or the other canonically.
This is Brainiac's submission. It's mostly complete, but I still have some extra gold to spend.
Character Name: Lydia "the Liberator" Dalton
Assumed Role in the Party: Lydia is primarily a two-handed melee warrior, with some support spells and abilities to augment that role.
General Concept: Lydia is an inquisitor of Desna hoping to help the downtrodden people of Nidal fight against the depredations of the Umbral Court. Her primary goal, though, is to rescue her brother Mikael, who was captured by Nidalese agents in the same raid that killed her parents.
Player Experience: I've been playing Pathfinder since its release, and D&D 3.0 and 3.5 for long before that. I've been running and playing in PbP games on these forums for a year and a half now, with numerous active games.
Quick question. I am retooling my Bloodrager a little. I agree that the Arcane bloodline might now work great. I was curious if the Black Blood Bloodline is acceptable. It is from the Advanced Class Origins. A softcover book that came out right after Advanced Class Guide hard cover. So it is 1st party Paizo, just not one of their hard covers.
Going to go with the same concept though. Was experimented on as a child. Injected with Black blood by someone. Now I have a small constant draw down.
Would this fit ok? Or would it fit too well to be too "on point" I know Orv is the lowest level of the Darklands. No idea what type of darkland adventure this will be.
Anyway, before I post a full alias, just wanted to check to see if it fit ok.
...would a Nidalese elf of some kind work?
There's no canon source (that I could find) which mentions any active elven communities in Nidal. I checked both the sourcebooks for elves and Nidal itself. That said, there are indications of half-elves in Nidal. That could be due to the rare instance of an especially sadistic elf outcast siring half-elven offspring there. Or, more likely, that disenfranchised half-elves found their way to Nidal and embraced its culture on their own. Among the most likely half-elves found there would be the dusk elves or half-drow who left the Darklands and took shelter in Nidal.
Quick question. I am retooling my Bloodrager a little. I agree that the Arcane bloodline might now work great. I was curious if the Black Blood Bloodline is acceptable.
Assuming you tied that to the Darkland Ancestry trait, perhaps it could make sense. But, on the whole, it just doesn't seem like a good fit. The concept kind of stretches in-game credibility a bit too far for me. A halfling with Darklands ancestry who picked up the Black Blood bloodline, and then became a bloodrager. On its surface, it just feels too mish-mashed together. But that's just my two cents.
Quick question. I am retooling my Bloodrager a little. I agree that the Arcane bloodline might now work great. I was curious if the Black Blood Bloodline is acceptable.Assuming you tied that to the Darkland Ancestry trait, perhaps it could make sense. But, on the whole, it just doesn't seem like a good fit. The concept kind of stretches in-game credibility a bit too far for me. But that's just my two cents.
Totally fair. Back to the drawing board. Need to pull out my Nidal book. Brainstorm while at Christmas parties!
Well, in general, there's no need for folks to look for lots of non-standard character classes, archetypes, races, or bloodlines, to stand out. And the same goes for lots of heavy tie-ins to Nidal itself (with shadow and darkness themes). After all, the adventure itself isn't going to focus that much on Nidal. There'll be one short dungeon crawl and some roleplay aboveground, and then we're headed into the Darklands and an entirely different culture altogether.
So, again, in general, the tried and true character concepts (i.e., fighter, wizard, cleric, rogue) are perfectly fine. Pair them with a standard race (i.e., human, elf, half-elf, half-orc, etc.) and give them a good backstory with a reason to be in northern Nidal, and that kind of character submission might have a leg up on some of the others during my evaluation process. These characters are meant to be 8th level adventurers. Not necessarily native Nidalese with lots of storylines to pursue in their home country. Instead, I'll be taking you on a journey to a different part of Golarion.
I won’t over complicate it. Mostly was curious to play a small bloodrager. The bloodline choice was somewhat of a random choice. But I also have really been interested in a arcanist or wizard. Level 8 is a good level to start feeling decent with a caster.
Thanks again for doing this. Will think of something classic with a good in world reason to be there.
Arcane:
None so far
Divine:
Grisaia – LG female half-orc cleric of Shelyn 8 () (no background yet, no campaign trait selected)
Ivander Gracelyn – CG male half-elf (half-drow) cleric of Desna 1/unchained rogue (trapmaster) 7 () (Darkland Ancestry)
Lydia “the Liberator” Dalton – CG female half-elf inquisitor of Desna 8 () (Returning Missionary)
Suetonius Voltaire – NG male human cleric of Black Butterfly 8 () (Eyes in the Dark)
Martial:
Lesska Thrice-Shamed – NG female human samurai (Yojimbo) 8 () (Horselord Ancestry)
"Voc" (Invocations 13:8) – CG male human fighter 8 () (no campaign trait selected)
Support/Skill:
None so far
Do you also have stats for your butterfly familiar, Arha? I'm assuming you'll use the listing from Ultimate Wilderness and then build from there using the rules for familiars.Character Profile:
Suetonius Voltaire, NG Human Cleric (of Black Butterfly) 8.
Yes, I do - I have added them as a spoiler at the bottom of Suetonius' page.
Would a follower of the Prophecies of Kalistrade be allowed in Nidal? I was thinking someone coming to Nidal for commercial opportunities and wondering they could be openly a follower or would it have to be in secret?
Looking at Returning Missionary or Liberator’s Calling if the Desna worship is non-negotiable. Probably leaning more to Liberator's Calling anyway.
Not necessarily native Nidalese with lots of storylines to pursue in their home country.
Heh, guilty as charged! Lesska's redemption quest isn't really supposed to be successful at this time, nor do I particularly want to drag the party through the minutiae and nuances of Kellid Horselord cultural practices...
Instead, I'll be taking you on a journey to a different part of Golarion.
Understood.
Posting this for Leunadrarr
Fukopp Starbranch is a friendly halfling that was born in Nidal years ago, and has set out of many adventures beyond it's borders, to further his magical studies, and to see the world, and to be able to worship Desna freely.
He is a Halfling Wizard, with the Teleportation subschool of Conjuration as specialization, and with Evocation and Necromancy as opposition. And will have the Darklands Heritage and the Eldritch Delver as traits.
He is a nice guy, who likes to see the world, but is coming back home, after hearing rumors of dark stirrings in Nidal, and with a renewed hope to find his family, and hopefully take them to a safe place. And if he can help other worshipers of Desna, that would be very lovely indeed.
As a note, GM spicer, I realize that I have Cleric listed for 1st level but Ivander is primarily a support class skill monkey Rogue. The Cleric was just a bit of diversity in ability.
Just noticed I forgot the campaign trait. I'll take Eyes in the Dark to gain low-light vision.
You mentioned to ask if we want to use splatbook content. I'm interested in the Dwarven Scholar archetype for the bard. Is that available?
Would a follower of the Prophecies of Kalistrade be allowed in Nidal? I was thinking someone coming to Nidal for commercial opportunities and wondering they could be openly a follower or would it have to be in secret?
Given that they're viewed as a quasi-religion and their Hour of Victory end-goal is to "own the world"...I'm guessing they'd still be shunned and/or persecuted in Nidal. That doesn't mean that intermediaries couldn't still engage in trade between the two nations. It's just that the Umbral Court wouldn't look favorably upon its citizenry being openly proselytized to join the Kalistocrats.
Looking at Returning Missionary or Liberator’s Calling if the Desna worship is non-negotiable. Probably leaning more to Liberator's Calling anyway.
Either could work. A cleric of Shelyn could be a secret missionary to the people of Nidal just as easily as a follower of Desna.
How would you fee; about the Harrowed Society Student archetype for the Arcanist? It is from Occult Origins.
Since I'm steering away from Occult Adventures and there's no decent "hook" within the adventure related to the Harrow, I'm going to say no.
Also, how does item crafting interact with starting wealth, if at all? The requirement to spend 25% on weapons and armour doesnt seem to make much sense for most arcane casters who are unlikely to want any of them.
Weapons for an arcane character could include rods and staves, in addition to some of the more potent wands. Armor is inclusive of any protective device (i.e., bracers of armor, cloaks of resistance, rings of protection, various magical robes, etc. Item crafting reduces the cost of those items if you manufacture them yourself (usually by half). If you're looking to craft something custom (i.e., not in any given published Paizo resource), I'll have to take a look at it to determine if I'm okay with it.
You mentioned to ask if we want to use splatbook content. I'm interested in the Dwarven Scholar archetype for the bard. Is that available?
Perfectly acceptable.
As a note, GM spicer, I realize that I have Cleric listed for 1st level but Ivander is primarily a support class skill monkey Rogue. The Cleric was just a bit of diversity in ability.
Noted. I'll update it the next time I post the submission tracker.
I thiiiink that I'm finished with Ailis (pronounced AY-lish).
She is a dwarven bard who is capable of sharing her teamwork feats with allies. She can share both offensive and defensive capabilities, and she is a somewhat-competent fighter even when she's alone. Her spells are split between movement, divination, and buffing.
In addition to melee support, she has traditional roguish skills (trapfinding, Acrobatics, Stealth) and three Knowledges.
She is a card-carrying member of the Pathfinder Society.
Her image reference is Cerys an Craite, from The Witcher 3.
As for me, I've been playing Pathfinder seven years. I've DMed multiple PbP games lasting longer than a year, and currently play one lasting longer than four years. I've finished three APs and written two campaigns which each lasted longer than a year as GM in F2F.
Let me know if you need me to adjust, explain, or justify anything.
Also, if any other players would like to be either a friendly rival or a professional contact, let me know! Ailis thrives with friends, after all.
I thiiiink that I'm finished with Ailis (pronounced AY-lish)....Let me know if you need me to adjust, explain, or justify anything.
Everything looks mostly in order, however, the dwarven scholar archetype is supposed to provide dwarven training at 2nd level in place of versatile performance. That means Ailis won't be eligible for martial performance or any other advanced versatile performance.
|
Thought I'd ask the key mechanical question first. Note, the character will be a lot more than a stat block but class archetype IS pretty crucial :-). And involves at least one splat books.
Would the Warrior Poet Samurai archetype be acceptable? Following the Order of the Songbird, of course :-).
Thematically - a very mobile melee character with quite good social skills on the side.
Edit: Happy Holidays :-) :-)
|
Very interested and been waiting for this since I saw you mention it on the product thread! Currently ruminating on several options, but interested in filling the arcane or support slots.
How do feel about the magus archetype Jistkan Artificer from Blood of Ancients. I just love the flavor of the golem arm, and would not be doing any crazy min-max magus shenanigans. Loss of the arm would be tied to the character arc, possibly due to either Nidalese torture or shadow infestation. Can imagine this character serving as partner/guard for someone with the Returning Missionary trait, and would probably take Liberator’s Calling or Eyes in the Dark.
If no, then probably going more straightforward arcanist or wizard with Shadow Savant trait. My application will probably cut it close the deadline because of the holiday break.
Would the Warrior Poet Samurai archetype be acceptable? Following the Order of the Songbird, of course :-).
I'd think I'd rather pass on this concept. It's a bit too thematically tied to Tian Xia rather than the region where this adventure takes place. Plus, there's already been one other samurai archetype proposed up thread. I only allowed it, because the player agreed to reskin it as a Kellid horselord with similar traditions of honor. The warrior poet archetype seems a bit less malleable to do the same.
How do feel about the magus archetype Jistkan Artificer from Blood of Ancients....If no, then probably going more straightforward arcanist or wizard with Shadow Savant trait. My application will probably cut it close the deadline because of the holiday break.
I'd suggest going with the latter. A lot of these fringe archetypes from distant Golarion cultures (either geographically or historically), aren't going to be good fits to the adventure's themes. I can understand the player appeal for them, but as GM, I'd have to shoehorn them into the story, whereas more traditional concepts fit better.
Arcane:
None so far
Divine:
Grisaia – LG female half-orc cleric of Shelyn 8 () (no background yet, no campaign trait selected)
Lydia “the Liberator” Dalton – CG female half-elf inquisitor of Desna 8 () (Returning Missionary)
Suetonius Voltaire – NG male human cleric of Black Butterfly 8 () (Eyes in the Dark)
Martial:
Lesska Thrice-Shamed – NG female human samurai (Yojimbo) 8 () (Horselord Ancestry)
"Voc" (Invocations 13:8) – CG male human fighter 8 () (Eyes in the Dark)
Support/Skill:
Ailis Slagdam - LG female dwarf bard (dwarven scholar) 7/unchained rogue 1 () (Cave Diver)
Ivander Gracelyn – CG male half-elf (half-drow) cleric of Desna 1/unchained rogue (trapmaster) 7 () (Darkland Ancestry)
You're right about versatile performance, whoops!
I'll just move those skill ranks and remove that feat then.
EDIT: Weapon Focus and bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy removed. I've also commuted 2 ranks from Perform (strings) to Sense Motive.
Here you go.
Character Name: Nikolai Corvus
Assumed Role in the Party: Nikolai is a human arcanist specialising in infiltration, deception and aquiring new knowledge. As an arcanist he can access a wide range of different spells as needed and with a high Int he has a large range of skills. His strongest areas of skill use are related to infiltration (disable, escape artist) and social skills (bluff and diplomacy in particular but he is decent with disguise if needed). He has all of the knowledge skills but they are not his primary focus. In combat he tends to buff (invisibilty, haste, heroism) and control (shadow trap, glitterdust, shadowmind, shadow conjuration). He will not be multiclassing and has no archetype.
General Concept: Nikolai is a spy, he was trained by a minor House of the Umbral Court, eventually fleeing from their vileness and now works with the Desnans to disrupt their activities. He was an urchin, taken in at a young age and molded to be used as a weapon. Saved by the kindness of the house servants he tried and failed to save them. Their fates still prey on his mind.
Player Experience: I have a lot of experience both playing and running Pathfinder as well as other game systems. I play and run a lot of PFS with 400+ games run and played. I primarily play and run online and am one of the more prolific Roll20 based online PFS GM's. I have built dozens of different Roll20 tables for everything from simple scenario's to modules to whole AP segments. I am just starting to run War for the Crown on Roll20. I am happy to help out with the various different features.
Non "Core" Material
Nikolai uses a few things from outside of the CRB and hardback book like.
Equipment
The Talismans are from Occult Advenntures which is a part of the hardbac line but you anted to avoid Occult material. They are fairly straight forward but I can change them if you prefer.
The staff is from Inner Sea Gods. It provides effectively umlimited CL3 magic missile and is mostly there to give him something to do in combat when he doesnt want to waste a spell slot.
Spells
Infernal healing is from Inner Sea World Guide (and a few other places). He would prefer not to use it but sometimes needs must as arcane healing is few and far between. I can change it to cure light if you prefer and rely on my UMD or hope we have someone who can use it.
Shadowmind and Shadow Trap are from blood of shadows. They seemed themstically appropriate and otherwise there arent that many useful choices for the Shadow Savant trait.
Is Accomplished Sneak attacker a legal choice? If it is I'd definitely be building an Arcane Trickster...
I'm not sure I understand the nature of your question. Accomplished Sneak Attacker is a feat from the Dirty Tactics Toolbox, a Paizo publication. So, it's "legal" in the sense that it's allowed, if you want to take it. You just need to meet the requirements before you can select it, and, when you do, your resulting number of sneak attack dice can't exceed half your character level (rounded up).
|
|
Is Accomplished Sneak attacker a legal choice? If it is I'd definitely be building an Arcane Trickster...I'm not sure I understand the nature of your question. Accomplished Sneak Attacker is a feat from the Dirty Tactics Toolbox, a Paizo publication. So, it's "legal" in the sense that it's allowed, if you want to take it. You just need to meet the requirements before you can select it, and, when you do, your resulting number of sneak attack dice can't exceed half your character level (rounded up).
I thought that only things from hardcover books were automatically legal. My mistake.
Ok, Arcane Trickster it is then. I'm busy doing family stuff all tomorrow, should have a character you sometime Thursday.
Dotting for interest, i'm thinking of a castor of some sort, but I have to read deeper into all the material you have offered.
I thought that only things from hardcover books were automatically legal. My mistake.
Ah. I see now. And, yes, I've asked that folks check with me on non-hardcover material first.
Alright, so I'm set on making a castor of some sort.
My first concept is a human Wizard from a prestigious family who is distantly related to the runelord of wrath, who was kicked out of Korvosa Acadamae because of his inability to cast Conjuration and Abjuration spell's reliably because of his connection to the runelord of wrath. Disgraced and on his own, he would run to Nidal to hide from his family who seek to now use him as throw away son in case they need to marry him off to another family for political clout, as well as a different organization.
And my other idea -
A Osirion Noble heir Wizard, or oracle who is one of many who is capable of succeeding Ruby Prince Khemet III. He would be a worshiper of the old beast headed gods, specifically Ra. Because of who he worships, he would have a strong affinity to the light and a distaste of the dark. Yet at the same time he would hold a deep magical curiosity with shadow magic, studying it to learn it's weaknesses. This would naturally drive him to head to the only place in the inner sea that is quite literally controlled by the god of darkness.
These are just idea's, i'd just like to know if either of them are worth pursuing, and if both are, which one sounds better.
Edit: Osirion would be taking the Shadow Savant trait, College man would take eye's in the dark.
I think it’s unlikely I’ll be able to pull this together in time. Bummer, but that’s life sometimes. Best of luck everyone!
My first concept is a human Wizard from a prestigious family who is distantly related to the runelord of wrath, who was kicked out of Korvosa Acadamae because of his inability to cast Conjuration and Abjuration spells reliably because of his connection to the runelord of wrath.
I'd recommend going with this one, but drop the overt family lineage tracing back to the Runelord of Wrath, and just say he struggled to cast conjuration and abjuration spells, got kicked out of the Acadamae, and now strives to prove himself worthy of his family's respect by heading to Nidal in hopes of excelling at illusion magic only to become disillusioned by the Kuthonite customs. Then, this adventure will offer the first real opportunity to turn his life around in a way he can find acceptable.
I think it’s unlikely I’ll be able to pull this together in time. Bummer, but that’s life sometimes. Best of luck everyone!
Sorry to hear that, Chris. I was looking forward to your submission, but best wishes!