A Tiny Little Frozen Village

Game Master Goddity

Welcome! Tomorrow I'll start giving the character sheets a detailed study. Please post where you currently stand on your character sheet, and how much you have left to do, if anything.

I'm excited!

Hello one and all!

Character sheet done and ready for review

Hey all!

I have no character sheet to speak of! Just the backstory and premises I posted in the thread. I should be able to have it done and up by tomorrow. I'll get a proper alias, too.

The only thing is the "special item." I'm fairly open as to what it could do mechanically, but I'd love some input for where the power level of it should be in its current state.

Personal item idea: The bones of a two-headed rat, through which Morsel communicates more deeply with The Thing in Her Head. I'm thinking the bones can be used as magical thieves’ tools, negating the disable device penalty on the Flair and Finesse talents of the Telekinesis sphere. Maybe they also give her a sixth sense for trouble, and grant something like the rogue’s trap spotter talent? And at higher levels it can allow me to get past magical barriers or some such.

Hi there. My stat block, backstory, and parents' backstory are all on my profile page.

I'm using Hero Lab, so the stats part is comparatively straightforward. I'll just double-check that it's up to date.

Notes on key abilities:

1) Channel Energy (2d6, 7/day), and yes, I have Selective Channeling.

2) 8 spell points per day

3) Nature: the plant package abilities, plus thorns and towering growth.

4) Life: Invigorate (3 temp hp), Cure (2d8+3 and restore movement), Restore.

5) Protection: base abilities plus Energy Resistance.

6) I have to have at least one hand free to cast, which I do by plucking one of the flowers that grows in my hair. I take 1 non-lethal damage each time I do. (GM, is that only when I spend a spell point, or is it any sphere ability, even the ones with no SP cost?) I don't think I suffer from arcane spell failure, but I also have no armor proficiencies, so it probably doesn't matter.

7) My magic is showy. There will be lots of light shows and plant-related stuff. Subtle casting is not my thing.

8) This was not in the book, but I'm doing it for flavor: in order to restore my SP, I have to sleep on fertile soil, broadly defined as any soil capable of supporting plant life (even if it currently doesn't but could).

Looking forward to this game.

Woo-hoo!
All decisions were made, just needed to format it.
I would like to rejig a few things, but the basis should hold.
What I had was in the profile.
Trying to build a Full Fighter for a party of casters;)

I am looking to try to build someone who can help keep casters safe, fill gaps, and do perception.

@mechaPoet: you're focusing on Disable Device, right?

@Hob: Yep! Morsel is a telekinetic burglar. I'll have the telekinesis and mind spheres, and I'm considering whether to take the warp sphere now or later. I also have some buffs and I think I'll focus on being a kind of support-melee rogue type.

We've got a pretty solid group!

2 front line warriors (1 buffer, 1 healer)
2 full casters (1 buffer/healer/controller, 1 illusionist)
1 rogue (telekinetic burglar)

All in all? Very balanced.

-------

Now, everyone gets 1 free magic item. For Thurin it is his Foehammer. I was thinking for everyone else...

Hob: As a smith, how about this? Anvil of the Skyseeker
http://www.archivesofnethys.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Anvil%2 0of%20the%20Skyseeker%20(Dwarf)

This small mithral anvil is sized for fine jewelry work and small enough for adventurers to carry. A command word causes it to grow large enough for crafting weapons and armor; a second command word causes it to shrink again. When enlarged, the anvil is a typical heavy anvil of mithral, weighing 200 pounds. When a dwarf crafts a magic item on the anvil while adventuring, she gains full progress for the hours she spends, rather than half.

Now, to customize it...instead of being "Anvil of the Skyseeker" make it something like "Nomad's Anvil." And replace "dwarf" with a "member of your tribe"

This would let you make full use of your blacksmith class, no matter where the adventure takes us.

Morsel: "Personal item idea: The bones of a two-headed rat, through which Morsel communicates more deeply with The Thing in Her Head. I'm thinking the bones can be used as magical thieves’ tools, negating the disable device penalty on the Flair and Finesse talents of the Telekinesis sphere. Maybe they also give her a sixth sense for trouble, and grant something like the rogue’s trap spotter talent? And at higher levels it can allow me to get past magical barriers or some such."

Two Headed Rat
* Mechanically (Masterwork Thieves Tools: +2 Disable Device)
* Telekenetic Disarm (Negates -5 penalty for using Flair to perform disable device at a distance)
* Danger Sense (gains a +1 bonus on initiative rolls and gives a +1 bonus to perception. These bonuses increase by +1 every three levels thereafter: 3rd, 6th, 9th, etc)
* Trapfinder (can disarm magical traps)
* Trapspotter (Whenever a rogue with this talent comes within 10 feet of a trap, she receives an immediate Perception skill check to notice the trap. This check should be made in secret by the GM.)

That's my reading of what you were asking for? From where I stand it doesn't seem overpowered. D&D5 has a rogue archetype which can use mage hand to disable traps at range, and I've never heard anyone complain about it.

Yay!

hp: 8 + 2d8 ⇒ 8 + (6, 7) = 21
All I've got to figure out is my 'patron-us' and equipment, I think...

So far, the bonded creature is an ijiraq, possibly bound in some way by Kegan. I've built him as a transformative quadruped.
Companion HP: 3d10 ⇒ (7, 4, 10) = 21

I'll figure out equipment today.

Okay, other than my signature item, I think I'm done.

I'm not great at equipment....

Is there a preferred way you'd like us to do HP? I went with the method used in Pathfinder Society.

Thurin, yeah, that looks great! I'll go with that for now and see if our GM would like to change any of that.

My character sheet is complete except for equipment. I'm also not great at figuring out equipment, so you're in good(?) company, Ganzorig. :P

I already picked out a magic item; it's all in Katsa's backstory. Bracelets of Fey Charm. I chose them mostly for flavor.

As for HP, I've used average: I treated level 1 as if I rolled a six, and then alternated 3 and 4 after that.

To summarize (Sorry I didn't have much free time today. I have a lot tomorrow):

Thurin - Done
Morsel - Done except for gear and item. You have approval to take the item Thurin suggested upthread if you want it
Kat - Done. Only take the damage when you spend a spell point.
Hob - Done.
Ganzorig - Done except for item. Where are you currently living? The inn? A house?

Can't see any holes in anyone's sheet.

@Thurin - Thanks for all your character suggestions and advice

Okay, other than my signature item, I think I'm done.

Hmm. Perhaps something for Pyrope? An item that increases it's strength? Or enhances it's disguises?

Or maybe a magical trap or trap creating object?

Quick question: What's the preferred combat mapping solution for the group? I've seen these sorts of games use Roll20, Google Slides, another solution, or go mapless. I've recently GMed a few mapless games in reality, so I'm fine with that. Vote?
'

I'm pretty easy.
That said;
* Do you have maps already? If so, use a solution that allows you to just scan it in and move easily.
* Does anyone have access limitations? I can't use roll 20 from work - not a big issue as I usually don't post from there anyway.
* If mapless, does anyone have any abilities that rely on exact positioning. Hob has a few, but we could rejig him or them to get around it.

@Thurin: thanks, but I have an idea... and Hob could just carry a proper anvil anyway ;)

There was a 20000 gp Trapmaker's Sack which I was oogling... I still make the check, but it plants the trap instantly.

Alright... I have put the tweaks in Hob we talked about BBEGM. I have done a summary sheet, and put a copy in the profile. I link to the full (monstrosity) sheet there.
Only big change was I took Lonely and Armor Expert, and lost Muscular Reflexes, I think. Oh, and trade Weapon Fam (Orc) for Fae Thoughts from the half-orc template in order to get Knowledge Nature and Profession (Oratory/Storytelling). Sorta seemed like something he should have with his early background. Given the new orc description I dropped Savage for Scout.
Please tell me if there is an issue, and I'll try to fill in more about the sphere special abilities.

I've tried to avoid overlaps with people too much. I've dropped all but one bear trap, and he's probably best thought of as a Ranger.

He's got the Sphere equivalent of the Bodyguard feat, Cover Ally, so he can help 1 ally per round who is next to him.

Got some stealth, so hopefully he's not too irritating, but nowhere near a proper scout (pesky full plate armor...)

Do you have maps already? If so, use a solution that allows you to just scan it in and move easily.

I don't, but if people need exact positioning I could work something out.

There was a 20000 gp Trapmaker's Sack which I was oogling... I still make the check, but it plants the trap instantly.

Hmmm. To be honest, I'm not sure why that item is so pricy. Approved, unless one of our rules experts can point out something I'm missing.

Alright guys! I put up a first gameplay post, since we're mostly done. You can hold off until your sheet is filled if you like.

And if anyone ever has any feedback on my GMing style, I try to always be open to that. Please tell me! Especially because this is my first time GMing this medium.

I’m ok doing theatre of mind, with google drive maps when needed for clarity.

Also that sack does seem quite overpriced...I see nothing wrong with it.2/

As far as maps go, I've found Google Slides to be quite useful for these games. Roll20 is nice but I can't access it when I post from my phone. For PbP, I tend to like having a map, especially now because so many of my abilities have specific range requirements. Otherwise I'd be concerned about either having to verbally confirm all of my distances (which I imagine may be annoying), or to be not so worried about that in which case I'd be concerned about ignoring the rules potentially in my favor too often.

So ultimately, I vote a Google Slides map if you (BBEGM) are more concerned about me following my close-range distance rules on my abilities correctly, or mapless/light mapping if you're more concerned about the technical stuff getting in the way of the game flow. We can always switch or try out different things, too.

Ganzorig wrote:

There was a 20000 gp Trapmaker's Sack which I was oogling... I still make the check, but it plants the trap instantly.

Hmmm. To be honest, I'm not sure why that item is so pricy. Approved, unless one of our rules experts can point out something I'm missing.

I think the reason it's so expensive is that 1) it requires a high level caster to create, 2) it has a combined effect of being an extra-dimensional space (it's got a workshop's worth of trap supplies in a 2-pound bag) with the trap creation element, which increases the price, and 3) it creates basically something out of nothing very quickly, which tends to jack up the costs of these things.

That's just my guesses for why it's at the price point it's at, though. It doesn't seem overpowered to me, and it may actually be a way to introduce more PC-trap-using, which is fun. The only change I might suggest is that instead of it creating a trap up to CR 4, instead it can create a trap up to a CR equal to Ganzorig's HD. That way it's a little tamer right at level 3 but it can scale in a nice way once we get to higher levels.

Would Hob know Katsanóron Vazrasti? I feel like he would. I can do a knowledge roll if needed.

Undoubtedly. In a village with only a couple hundred people, everyone will know everyone.

I see 2 mapless and 1 google slides votes. We'll wait for the others to chime in, but it seems like we'll either be doing really basic maps or none at all.

@Hob I wouldn't be surprised if he did

As long as trap placement can be handled simply enough at reasonable choke points.

I know if we do slides I'll have lots of fun with images and drawings within Ganzorig's 10' cube.

Google Slides has been working well in my other game.

Got all my gear done! Including a pet rat. It's not magical or anything, just a standard, mundane rat. I'm assuming a little bit of agency for it, hope that's okay. Maybe an effect of the rat bones is that it makes rats like me.

Could VMC Wizard for a familiar.

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/unchained/skillsAndOptions/variantMultic lassing.html

School: At 1st level, he chooses a school of magic in which to specialize. For all powers of that school, he treats his character level as his effective wizard level.

Familiar: At 3rd level, he gains a familiar, treating his character level as his effective wizard level.

School Power: At 7th level, he gains the 1st-level powers of his chosen school. If any of those powers grant an extra effect at 20th level, the character does not gain that extra effect.

Cantrip: At 11th level, if he has an Intelligence score of 10 or higher, he chooses a wizard cantrip from his chosen school and can cast that cantrip as a spell-like ability at will. He uses his character level as the caster level and Intelligence as the cantrip's key ability score.

Discovery: At 15th level, he gains an arcane discovery or wizard bonus feat, treating his character level as his effective wizard level.

Greater School Power: At 19th level, he gains the 8th-level power of his chosen school.

So it replaces your lvl 3, 7, 11, 15 and 15 feats.

At lvl 3 you get a rat familiar. This gives you +2 Fort saves, and a familiar, of course.

At lvl 7 you get an arcane school.
- Teleportation School: Swift action (short range) teleport! Very useful and stylish
- Enhancement: +2 Dexterity (good for any rogue)
- Abjuration: Very campaign specific

At lvl 11 you get a cantrip. Useful, though not sure how it will go with spheres. Mage Hand is thematic.

----------------------

You can also get a familiar archetype:

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/familiar/familiar-arch etypes/

My favorite is Figment, as it makes the familiar a product of your imagination. Thus it can't die! Though pilferer could be thematic. Lots of good options with the archetypes.

Anyways, just a suggestion if you want that rat to grow with you. :)

Sounds like Slides it is. I'll work on making some maps for when we get to combat.

@Morsel - The rat is a nice touch!

@Ganzorig - Probably should've asked earlier, Morsel's pet talk reminded me. Would you like control of Pyrope or would you prefer that to be a GM thing? He's your companion, so I'll give you the choice.

25lbs of small wax-wrapped cheese wheels

Okay, so I saw this on your inventory and I have to ask. What for?

Check the massive document linked in the profile ;)

HABITS
Wayland has vague memories of how the Orcs lived, and they carried through even into his time among humans. Fey tend to love milk - if only for rarity - and therefore cheese. He’ll often put out a saucer of milk when he thinks there’s a fey about, along with carefully stating a polite message that thanks them for being good neighbours, or asks them to move on. Small, wax covered cheeses of a half pound to a pound keep a long time in the cold, and when he’s in an area where he thinks a fey might be (a large description) he’ll often leave a little cheese with a similar speech. Does it work? Well, he’s rarely attacked by Fey. Of course he’s also a seven foot tall terrifying mountain of muscle plated in steel and carrying cold iron…

I don't think it's going to work, but I think he's going to think it works.

@Ganzorig - Probably should've asked earlier, Morsel's pet talk reminded me. Would you like control of Pyrope or would you prefer that to be a GM thing? He's your companion, so I'll give you the choice.

I see it like a cleric's God, or a warlock's patron. Ganzorig has to be a good boy if he wants treats. Pyrope is a capricious little devil. Sometimes it says what Ganzorig wants to hear, sometimes it wanders off, almost like it has two personalities. Ganzorig's addiction draws them together eventually.

Until it has Mount and Ganzorig has Ride, I won't be doing much in the way of maneuvering or getting into the thick of things. I trust you won't have it wander off unless it's for interesting reasons. If there's truly a conflict, maybe a Diplomacy roll?

...So far was drinking with a tiefling, a gnome, and now in came a blue-skinned...elven plant-woman? Some kind of spell gone wrong, obviously. He'd have to keep an eye on her. And now an orc as well!...

Sorry, I'm confused... Are Katsanóron and Hob in the inn? I thought they were out by Katsa' house.

As far as I know, we're just standing outside my house. I hope we can get everyone in one location soon, it's rather confusing having multiple scenes running simultaneously.

I recommend doing it like this.

No more confusion

I recommend doing it like this.

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

No more confusion

Makes sense to me until we're all together.

I think I need to post faster than once a day...

Sorry for the confusion. I'll see if I can fix that in my next post, which will be up as soon as I've written it.

And in conclusion, coming up with GM posts is a lot harder than player posts. Whew.

Anyone have any feedback on the opening? Positive or negative.

Sure.

1. When starting a play by post, if you're not starting immediately after recruitment, tell all the players to post a "dot" message in the gameplay thread. Their campaign pages won't show them the campaign until they've posted there. I didn't know that, and fell a bit behind because I kept checking the Discussion thread to see if we'd started (and still somehow missed it).

2. Starting in the middle of the action is good. I'm still not exactly clear on who these humans are who apparently fought with a Spirit Wolf and some of the local orcs, but I imagine that will be cleared up soon.

3. Doing separate scenes was very confusing; the spoiler approach that Thurin suggested helps a lot. If we wind up doing split-screen things later, we should do that.

4. Pretty soon the party is going to need to discover some common goal -- or at least interests in common -- so that we can form an actual party rather than a loose assembly of people working at cross purposes.

So ... a little rough, but I think we'll have our feet under us pretty soon.

Agreed on all points. But to add: I really liked the individual character introductions at the beginning, and your npc writing is on point. So far so good, looking forward to seeing where this goes

I really liked the opening!

I'm not a big fan of spoilers where knowledge isn't actively being concealed (you can run into pages of them because one person is split from the group, and they are hard to search or reply to).
On a similar vein, though, something I've seen done well is putting a header at each location like

==============
The Inn
==============

Something happened

==============
Katsa and Hob
==============

Something else happened.

You actually did this in the first post. It was just as people started coming together that the extra direction was needed, I think.

Extended split groups are a bit of a nightmare in PbP, so if possible we should form up and stay formed up.

I find your NPCs compelling - I've engaged with all the NPCs I've met so far, and had a clear vision of them.

I do like spoilers for mechanics, as (especially at later levels) you can get half-page mechanics from the number of attacks some characters get!

All up, I'd say you're a great GM. You've got a knack for writing. You're open to suggestions. You're genuinely trying to get better.

All the formatting stuff can be learned. Writing a GM post is about 500% harder than a player post, so look for ways to offload anything that is making it harder.

I really love the atmosphere you've built. The confusion was minor, we'll get over it.

Due to some weird formatting bug, I can't comment in discussion from my phone. (the submit button is off screen.)

Thank you all very much, that's really helpful. I'll work on all of that.

Pretty soon the party is going to need to discover some common goal -- or at least interests in common -- so that we can form an actual party rather than a loose assembly of people working at cross purposes.

Hoping this'll start off as a group investigation of the mansion. After the initial confusion is sorted, anyway.

Just to prevent any confusion, Morsel posted their response while I was busy composing Katsa's, so I edited it to make things a little more consistent. If you caught it between edits go back and check to see if anything changed.

I hate doing exposition. I always feel guilty about it.

I think and hope this should end the confused beginning.

Nah, that was good!

Looking at the mechanics of what Ganzorig wants to do:

Alter Morsel to look like Morrow: Disguise(+10) check (-4 for race and gender) vs Perception(Phe)
Throw own voice, ask Phe for a spare key: Bluff(+10) check vs Sense Motive(Phe)
Sneak into the room: Stealth(+7) check vs Perception(Morrow) (-10 for unconscious)
Steal the message: Slight of Hand(+8) check DC 20 vs Perception(Morrow) (-10 for unconscious)
Return the message: Slight of Hand(+8) check DC 20 vs Perception(Morrow) (-10 for unconscious)
Sneak out: Stealth(+7) check vs Perception(Morrow) (-10 for unconscious)

The big question is: Does the disguise count as an Illusion(costs 1SP) or a Trick? The stumbling point I think is the lip synching, which we might fudge by obscuring the mouth, but if this pushes the limit of Alter already then I don't mind spending the point. The Sphere Talent Illusiory Disguise would add a +10 bonus to the attempt, so I do think it's possible with the core Illusion.

I know I need Morsel because I don't have the telekinesis to pick things up with an illusion, but since I have her, I wondered if I could use my sleeves and Alter to possibly save the SP.