Hi Granta,
Is the Buccaneer archetype for Bard allowed? I'm writing a backstory around a stranded guy, who doesn't know he's the heir to a noble family now forgotten which had their lands usurped by some other family. He grew up poor and eventually became a good-hearted buccaneer, until his talents got noticed by another rich noble in Taldan - who started paying for his food and shelter and introduced him to the rest of the cultural elite.
I'm building him around the Rising Star trait and the Lost Legacy feat. In terms of combat, he isn't really as effective as my companions, but I will try to focus on nonlethal damage and control.
Let me know your thoughts. I don't really have a sheet very fleshed out as I'm focusing mostly on the story, but wanted to double check to see if the stuff is approved.
Thanks!
EDIT: He's Human, Chaotic Good, worships Desna probably (or Sarenrae, still debating).
Thanks Granta. Do the other ideas sound okay too? I will have it complete by tomorrow (so you can see and do any adjustments you feel needed).
Hi GM Granta!
Some questions about Elaessa The Mouse, my rogue.
- Can I take the Thief of Legend Story Feat? It says she needs to have stolen a lot of GP or have a "Greed Background". If not, which Story Feat would you recommend?
- What would be a good "Craft Tool" if she takes Craft (Alchemy) as her free craft skill?
- She follows Cayden Caylean... What about having Profession (Brewer) instead of Craft (Alchemy)?
- The Fleet of Foot Alternate Racial Trait is valid, right?
- Can I select "Well-Prepared" as her level 1 Feat? I think it goes well with her Young Reformer trait.
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So I see a rogue and a bard so far?
You wouldn't have been able to meet the prerequisites yet for Thief of Legend, and I can't recommend another, that's too much a part of your backstory and personality.
So she can take thief of legend later on when she has the prerequisites?
If you mean for her free skill rank? No. But you could do Craft (beer).
I think I will do that. She will have her still for making beer.
Well-Prepared sounds fun. I'll allow it with an alteration. Change "You must pay for these items normally" to "You must steal these items normally." That means you'll need to actively steal throughout the campaign. Rather than taking specific items, you will gain charges. There will be a common sense standard, though. You can't pickpocket a beggar and then produce a noble signet ring. Also, you will need to keep a lot of available encumbrance.
Got it. About the noble signet ring, that is what her trait is for!
If you do want to do a lot of thieving, I strongly recommend training Appraise. People tend to forget that the skill can be used, "to determine the most valuable item visible in a treasure hoard. The DC of this check is generally 20 but can increase to as high as 30 for a particularly large hoard." I also allow that check to determine the best pickpocket target in a crowd, though it takes longer than 1 full-round, depending on the size of the crowd.
Sounds nice!
What is that "Greed" background?
So what’s the party need? I was thinking of building some type of Barbarian!
I think a barbarian or bloodrager would go nicely, Grumpel. Of course we can adapt to anything else, so please feel free to pick on your taste :)
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Barbarian would be good. We can coordinate teamwork feats if you want to think about some. I have a few ideas.
Bloodrager is also an available class. I only bring it up because I find them a little easier to build for social skills and if I understand this particular AP there is a lot of skill based encounters and often times long stretches between fights.
GM Granta please correct me if I have misinterpreted from from the players guide and you recruitment posts.
I can build to fit it. I’ll make it fun in my way. Definitely coordinate on feats.
Hey guys! Archlich here with my character. @Granta, please feel free to take a look and let me know if there's anything to change on the background or character sheet. Thanks!
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What is that "Greed" background?
A mechanic we aren't using.
I only bring it up because I find them a little easier to build for social skills and if I understand this particular AP there is a lot of skill based encounters and often times long stretches between fights.
Yes, there are a lot more non-combat encounters than normal, but they aren't necessarily social. The new "social" encounters use pretty much all of the skills.
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@ALL: Since two players haven't followed the rules now, I will assume they aren't clear enough and spell it out.
I haven't memorized the Paizo library; I can't read your character sheets and instantly tell what needs approval. It is your responsibility to ask the questions, not my responsibility to guess what they are.
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Thanks, that is good to know.
As it stands, Victor is invested in pretty standard inquisitor skills.
Craft Weapons
Intimidate
Knowledge Arcana, Nature, Local, Planes and Religion
Perception
Sense Motive
Our wizard has a very good list as well:
Appraise
Craft (calligraphy)
Intimidate +8
Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history) Knowledge (local) Knowledge (nobility) Knowledge (planes)
Linguistics
Spellcraft
All of which are bolstered by having a familiar.
The bard has or will have at level 2 many skills with more skill coming online with later versatile performances:
Diplomacy
Intimidate
Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nobility),
Perform (comedy), Perform (dance), Perform (oratory),
Sense Motive
Spellcraft
Use Magic Device
I focused on trained skills with above-average scores, for the most part, in this summary. We don't need to hit every skill, and it never hurts to double up on some of the big ones (Nobility, Sense Motive, Diplomacy, Perception likely bluff and intimidate). This is intended to be helpful please on one feel the need to build to missing abilities, but if your idea can bolster a weakness, I won't complain.
Hi Granta!
My apologies. Let me see try to list it all here (if there's anything else you want to hear about, let me know):
Archetype
Feats
Enforcer
Harmonic Spell
Lost Legacy
Racials
Traits
Arcane Temper (Magic)
Rising Star (Campaign)
Talented (Social)
Drawbacks
Equipment/Gear
Lamellar (Leather) Armor
Decorative Trim
Weapon Cord
Spring Loaded Wrist Sheath
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Enforcer Yes
Harmonic Spell Yes
Dimdweller See below
Unlearned No
Lamellar Already legal, but see earlier comments about exotic armors drawing attention
Decorative Trim Already legal, though what you want it to do will determine the price
Spring Loaded Wrist Sheath No
The rest of the list is already legal/approved. I am open to dimdweller, but it doesn't make sense with your other choices and backstory.
Thanks Granta!
About Lamellar: Light armor can be used under normal clothes. Especially for someone used to a travelling life, it could be expected his gear wouldn't be too traditional :)
About spring loaded wrist sheath: I will take it off his gear.
About decorative trim: I literally spent 1s on it. I don't want any mechanical advantages at all... It's just a little quirk. Like the hat... It doesn't do anything special.
About Dimdweller: anyone with a job that works mostly nights would have his eyes more used to the dark. The ship life is very dark - oil lamps and candles are used, but not as much as in a tavern (to avoid the ship catching fire if a strong wave pushes it around). As a buccaneer, it's very common for him to force himself to see things in the dark, fight in the dark, etc. - miner would be another such profession, for example.
EDIT: About Unlearned, I thought it was matching the background of someone raised in his conditions (and would be particularly harmful to a bard). If it doesn't work, how about Pride? Or would you have any other suggestions considering his background?
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Good point on the light armor.
If the decorative trim is just for fluff, then I'm not worried about the price.
Regarding dimdweller, what you described sounds to me like low-light vision, not darkvision. This one is out.
My problem with unlearned is that it's a completely meaningless drawback. A man who has been drawn and quartered, then had his limbs eaten by starving warthogs, can count on his remaining fingers and toes how many times in this AP you will be asked to roll an untrained Knowledge check of DC 10 or lower.
Pride is already legal, so the only question is whether you see the character as proud. And I am hesitant to suggest a drawback. Like story feats, those are crucial to the personality and your role-playing.
Edit: There's no "particularly harmful to a bard"; you traded out bardic knowledge. But yes, if you switched to an archetype that still has it, I would allow untrained.
I will keep Pride, then, as I can see him as someone like that.
What if I get "Draconic Heritage" instead of Dimdweller then (to match your comment on the low-light vision)? This could also go well with his talent for arts; maybe there's something draconic on his lineage (the one he knows nothing about).
About the background: I left open the whole thing about he finding out about his true origin, hoping that it could come out at some point (so I could actually pursue this goal with the character). Is this something you can incorporate to the adventure?
Kind of a sketch of my background before I write out the more full version:
*Leontius is the fourth son of a cadet branch of the Vernisant family--close enough to power to see what it's like, but far enough from it that he has no reasonable chance of inheriting anything of note.
*He showed considerable curiosity as a youth, and excelled in his studies.
*When he was old enough his parents enrolled him in a school of magic (I don't know Taldor well enough to name one--anyone know one?). He left to start school...
*...and that's the last thing he remembers before yesterday, when he woke up in an inn room with the knowledge and gear of an apprentic wizard, including a bossy little familiar he doesn't remember getting but is sure is his, a note that he has an appointment Martella Lotheed, and another saying he shouldn't go home.
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What if I get "Draconic Heritage" instead of Dimdweller then (to match your comment on the low-light vision)?
That works.
About the background: I left open the whole thing about he finding out about his true origin, hoping that it could come out at some point (so I could actually pursue this goal with the character). Is this something you can incorporate to the adventure?
Absolutely! That is the whole point behind the story feats. And I will discuss those things privately with each player once we get closer to the start.
Huh, you'd think a nation as old and prestigious as Taldor would have some... maybe he would have gone for the Arcanamirium, or maybe I'll have to make up a Taldese magic school.
Or maybe he never made it to school at all, given that's when his memories stop...
New Story Feat idea for Elaessa The Mouse, my rogue.
As I see her, she is a champion for the cause of halfling equality on Taldor. She fights not for her, but for them all, and she thinks of herself not as a lone individual, but as an embodiment of the halfling community and sense of justice and equality for them all.
Her Well Prepared Feat, Inspired and Young Reformer Traits all go into flesh out that concept. She is helped by a vast network of anonymous halflings servants, low-level bureaucrats, and commoners. And in turn, she is willing to risk everything for them.
She is a daredevil, and follows Cayden Cailean, having the Craft (Beer) skill (I hope she can leave her still in a friendly temple, as it is not good for carrying it around).
After the explanation, my idea. Having the Fearless Zeal story feat. She is willing and ready to lay down her life for her ideals.
She needs to have the blessing of a high ranking Caiden Caylean member of the clergy (a Halfling ideally), making her a sacred champion of "The Drunken Hero".
How does it sound?
@JohnnyBlack: For much of the adventure, you will have a residence or base of operations for the brewing equipment.
Fearless Zeal depends on the oath. See if Paizo has published one anywhere for your deity.
I don't think they mean a published oath. They mention "the oath required of clerics and paladins" but I think they mean is not multiclassing to cleric, but becoming a zealot of your god. She must be willing to sacrifice herself to reach the goal she has devoted herself to. In this case, she must be willing to risk everything to her halflings become first class citizens on Taldor. And to take risks and trust her luck for that end.
So it is not a "published" oath, but a personal one.
What about:
"Follow Cayden Caylean path of bravery, daring and trust in our own luck to fight for the liberty and equality of all halflings of Taldor, allowing them to enjoy life, freedom, and happiness as full citizens of the empire. To risk everything in these times of change to be the difference for the betterment of halflings, all the citizens and the empire itself."
Curiously, there are no Paladins of Cayden Cailean, and their clerics are more "relaxed" than those of other religions (checked on the Champions of Purity book).
Specific actions? Let me see...
- Not to harm or steal from Halflings.
- Always act for the betterment of Halflings in particular and Taldor in general.
- Make a toast for Cayden Cailean whenever the opportunity lends itself.
Sounds good?
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There aren't any paladins of Cayden Cailean because LG isn't within one step of his alignment.
How about this?
A fearless zealot of Cayden Cailean must be of chaotic good alignment and loses all benefits of Fearless Zeal if she ever commits an evil act or breaks this code.
The code requires that she disobey illegitimate authority, support halflings whenever possible (aid when needed or requested, not cause harm, give preferential treatment over other races, and so forth), never decline an alcoholic drink, and punish those who harm or threaten halflings.
Sounds good. Just some observations.
Disobey illegitimate authority: What about "Don't recognize illegitimate authority"? If they order her NOT to murder someone, it is not like she will have to disobey them and murder him/her.
Give preferential treatment over other races: I wouldn't like her to become a Halfling supremacist. I am all on helping and protecting Halflings always and accept (almost) all requests from them, but if a halfling asks her to do an evil act, or she has to decide on saving a halfling or letting 10 humans die, I would expect her to do the sensible thing and save the 10 humans, and not do evil things, even if a Halfling asks her to. But to be clear, yes, if not an evil act, she would always help halflings even at the cost of her safety/life/property.
Never decline an alcoholic drink: Caydenites are not drunks (even if many people thinks they are). They enjoy drink but don't over-indulge. Also, if there is good reason to think a drink is poisoned, is not like she HAS to drink it. Or does she?
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Disobey illegitimate authority: What about "Don't recognize illegitimate authority"? If they order her NOT to murder someone, it is not like she will have to disobey them and murder him/her.
A legitimate order from an illegitimate source, or vice versa, could count either way.
Give preferential treatment over other races: I wouldn't like her to become a Halfling supremacist. I am all on helping and protecting Halflings always and accept (almost) all requests from them, but if a halfling asks her to do an evil act, or she has to decide on saving a halfling or letting 10 humans die, I would expect her to do the sensible thing and save the 10 humans, and not do evil things, even if a Halfling asks her to. But to be clear, yes, if not an evil act, she would always help halflings even at the cost of her safety/life/property.
I see preferential treatment as a bias rather than prejudice, if that makes sense?
There will absolutely be conflicts between your code and other values, and dilemmas about how best to honor each. I would rather see those as role-playing opportunities than try to write them out of existence.
Never decline an alcoholic drink: Caydenites are not drunks (even if many people thinks they are). They enjoy drink but don't over-indulge. Also, if there is good reason to think a drink is poisoned, is not like she HAS to drink it. Or does she?
I once had a Caydenite cleric who sometimes had to skillfully avoid being roped into drinking, and imagine you might run into similar situations. Whether you're worried about poison or just don't want a hangover in the morning, it will be up to you to role-play.
I can tell you two things: first, I very rarely penalize players for good RP, and if I do it will probably be a situation where the player knew it was coming and felt the penalty was worth it. Second, I try to avoid RP choices where one alternative just sucks. Ideally, each alternative should have pros and cons.
Having said all that, there will be some difficult decisions in this AP for you. There is a definite possibility that you will break the oath, lose the feat's benefits, and have to atone. However/hopefully, that will be fun.
I can tell you two things: first, I very rarely penalize players for good RP, and if I do it will probably be a situation where the player knew it was coming and felt the penalty was worth it. Second, I try to avoid RP choices where one alternative just sucks. Ideally, each alternative should have pros and...
Sounds fair...
Fearless Zeal is her story feat then.
This is my character alias.
I think she is ready, does she looks good?
So I'm think that to integrate nemesis and the types of items that he has, some of the equipment and the contacts he uses for young reformer and in his knowledge local mw tool we lifted from a former colleague. I imagine Victor, when splitting off took the 'more ligitimate' clientele where the outright criminal clients were left with Victor's Nemesis. Something he is assuredly angry about. This break up was contentious but maybe there was a unspoken temporary truce while they rebuilt until something in the story forces them into conflict.
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@Elaessa: Meticulous and chaotic alignment could clash. Do you have a plan for making sense of those potentially conflicting parts of her personality?
It looks like you calculated encumbrance off Strength 9, not 8; and misplaced the decimal on the weight of your sling bullets.
@Victor: So you basically stole half the rolodex, including the relevant debt markers and blackmail evidence? Works for me.