Golaripalooza [1e, Rotating GMs]

Game Master dien

Hey @Kubular: Constantine was also orphaned in the Goblinblood Wars and raised by one of the Asmodean orphanages. Even though it has been a while, it is possible that our characters could have known each other as children. If you want to explore that angle, I'm happy for that. Obviously, there are plenty of orphanages, so we don't need a previous connection. But it's there if we want to explore it.

Also yes: FCB comes with every level. The only reason that you wouldn't get as a half-elf it is if Ranger is not one your two favored classes or you traded away the multitalented trait and are starting in a class that is not your favored class.

I just built a half-elf that took blended view instead of multitalented and is starting as a 1st-level swashbuckler before progressing into investigator. His favored class is investigator, so he is not getting his FCB. But I mechanically shot myself in the foot.

Yeah man, that sounds like an interesting angle. I mean, what am I saying, of course they're from the same orphanage! If this were a TV show, how could they not be!

Seems like Constantine is CG, so he's made a complete rebellion against his guardians while [stillhaventthoughtofaname] stayed the course. I like the idea, but I want to make sure that they can work together. I imagine my character would resent and feel betrayed by someone who didn't graduate into service of the church with the way he would have been indoctrinated. But maybe that's fine to have simmering beneath the surface. As a Hell Knight armiger, he'd be one to want to put the mission first and bottle up his emotions.

I think Darkvision is worth at least 1 hp, so I don't think you've shot yourself in the proverbial foot.

@Ruin Explorer: bummerino, hope you're well.

(We definitely won't start tomorrow, lol. That's fine, I'm reaching out to others from the recruitment to see if still interested. But yeah, continue to hash out concepts, backgrounds, all that good stuff! Enjoying everyone's ideas so far.)

Aw, sorry to see you go, Ruin. Hopefully things will shape up for you soon.

As far as ties to the city, Talon will have been around over the last few years, so locals would recognize him, but he doesn't live there. That said, I'm open to having him know any of the other characters.

Hello, I got invited via PM. Nice to meet you, here are my stat rolls, as Kabular was eager to see them. :P

4d6: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 5, 2) = 16
4d6: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 1, 1, 5) = 8
4d6: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 6, 6) = 20
4d6: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 4, 6) = 14
4d6: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 6, 4) = 17
4d6: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 1, 3) = 11

16, 14, 14, 13, 10, 7, well there's a fun array! 19 points, so not too far off standard.

Welcome aboard!

So I worked with Dien to get all my character info sorted out, since I'm still not entirely fluent with the Pathfinder system yet. I'll be playing as Emma Blackford, a Paladin of Iomedae from Andoran. While that's one of the more militant deities out there I'm not planning on playing an overzealous one since that feels like it would be too inflexible.

Illiana, welcome to the fun!

Here's Sirio Regilianus, Hellknight Armiger of the Order of the Godclaw, Priest of the Church of Asmodeus, Proffesional Barrister, bringer of Law and Order, Isger Orphan, and holder of other important titles.

One little tiny thing about the Order of the Godclaw is that technically in canon the Order of the Godclaw was attacked and disbanded 6 years ago. If it's alright, I'd like to either retcon that and say it never happened, or we can say we're playing sometime before 4715 (ie. 2015), even though canonically the module would be taking place in 4716 (2016).

If we feel like we want to stay true to canon as much as possible, I can always switch to something different. I just liked Order of the Godclaw because it was local to Isger and it happened to also count Iomedaens in its ranks.

If anyone wants to hop on over to the discord to shoot ideas about possible connections, or maybe just how we met/will meet, I'll be on for another hour or so.

I had an idea about Sirio being the one to have a little "I'm putting together a team" montage situation.

I think that we can fudge the Godclaw stuff to not have happened. It has no bearing on the module, so sure, the Order of the Godclaw exists!

As for the 'putting together a team' -- the mayor of Saringallow will have put out a call to anyone in the General Area who wants to respond, so it is entirely possible that people are meeting for the first time when they respond to that call. Otherwise, geographically speaking, people might be fairly spread out-- not that Sirio couldn't have some knowledge of them, but it might be simpler to assume they just meet in response to the recruitment call.

My idea was that the church and its spies might have been keeping an eye on the comings and goings of sellswords and vagabonds, especially those that could be useful in the future. Sirio isn't the planner, he's the executioner and just keeps careful notes on the people he is supposed to gather for the mission.

As you say, it would be simpler to assume they just met in response to Saringallow's call for aid, but if everyone is interested, it'd be a cool intro. I know it's a little more of a hassle, and I don't want to do it if not everyone is on board. So literally everyone feel free to veto, if that vote from dien doesn't already count as one.

On a slightly unrelated topic: Slowdrifter, no pressure if its not really your thing, but are you getting on the discord? (C'mon everybody's doin' it...)

Well, here's the basics of my character, a backstory and a decent amount of the crunch. I'd say he's functional, if not quite technically complete.

Welcome!

As I'm finalizing everything, it looks like I'm the only one with disable device as a class skill. I could reshuffle my skill points slightly to put a rank in at Level 1. However, armor check penalty could be an issue. I could take an armored coat instead of scale mail, and be able to remove the ACP with a full round. Or if we don't mind the mechanical aspects of donning and removing armor, I could take the scale mail just ask for help each time we find a trap.

Thoughts?

Slowdrifter will be running an Archaeologist Bard I believe. They haven't posted a sheet yet, but the Archaeologist has a pretty good bonus to to Disable Device, presuming they're still going that route.

Might still be a good idea for you to grab DD for redundancy just in case? Whatever floats your boat. Had no idea that Armored Coat did that though, that's really cool.

I will be going the DD route but it’s not actually a class skill. This seems a bit odd but it is balanced out by the bonus from Clever Explorer. That doesn’t kick in till 2nd level though but longer term at 6th level it equals the bonus for a class skill and exceeds it after that.

Yeah the neat thing about the armored coat is that you can don/remove it as a move action. So move action remove armor, move action remove shield, and you have no armor check penalty. Then do the disable device that you do, hope you don't trigger it with your negligible AC, and one round later you're ready for whatever ails you on the other side of the door (or trap).

It is really strange that the archaeologist archetype grants bonuses in disable device, but no class skill. If you still have room in your build for traits, then Criminal, Mechanical Expertise, Vagabond Child, Nimble Fingers, Keen Mind, and my personal favorite Voices of Solid Things can all give you Disable Device as a class skill. VoST also makes it charisma-based and is the most flavorful that every did flavor.

If you're planning to be the primary trap springer, those would be a great way to get that moving. I might still pick up a rank so that I can try to aid (and because it fits my background), but I would long-term leave disabling to your archaeologist.

Looks like classes are shaping up nicely so far.

My idea was that the church and its spies might have been keeping an eye on the comings and goings of sellswords and vagabonds, especially those that could be useful in the future. Sirio isn't the planner, he's the executioner and just keeps careful notes on the people he is supposed to gather for the mission.

As you say, it would be simpler to assume they just met in response to Saringallow's call for aid, but if everyone is interested, it'd be a cool intro. I know it's a little more of a hassle, and I don't want to do it if not everyone is on board. So literally everyone feel free to veto, if that vote from dien doesn't already count as one.

While their alignments and personalities probably won't make them immediate bosom buddies, I think the fact that they are so unlike one another might make the interactions between quite interesting. Having Sirio be the one who made contact with Talon could be fun.

For anyone who knows him or has heard of him around town, Talon would be an able hunter and archer known for being almost preternaturally perceptive and aware of his surroundings. And while he's likeable enough when he wants to be, he's also a bit snarky and sarcastic at times.

Ey Talon, I checked in on that to see how perceptive, and I saw your bonus was listed as 9, but I think you get +10.

1 Rank +3 Trained +1 Wis +2 Keen Senses +3 Skill Focus comes to 10 by my count.

I like the canon that Sirio and Constantine grew up together, especially being fairly close in age.

Connie definitely rebelled against his guardians for a variety of reasons that I have a feeling will come up in conversation. He has some complicated feelings about the Church of Asmodeus, not just given his (and others') treatment at the orphanage but also the things he has learned in the intervening years. I definitely think that they can work together, but it will be a relationship brimming with tensions. I love that kind of dynamic!

The whole "I'm putting together a team bit" would probably work well for Sirio and Connie. He has definitely been doing some *ahem* extrajudicial work recently. Whether he was caught and captured, or whether he has been able to cover his tracks is something we can figure out with GM Dien.

If anything, Sirio would remember Connie as a quiet, bookish boy with an independent streak who got into trouble a lot at the orphanage, often for breaking into places he wasn't supposed to be. Some of the other kids called him crazy because he would sometimes talk to people who weren't there. This is a reputation he still carries.

I also find it very appropriate that it was the two of us who got into a gif-off on the Discord.

I like the canon that Sirio and Constantine grew up together, especially being fairly close in age.

Connie definitely rebelled against his guardians for a variety of reasons that I have a feeling will come up in conversation. He has some complicated feelings about the Church of Asmodeus, not just given his (and others') treatment at the orphanage but also the things he has learned in the intervening years. I definitely think that they can work together, but it will be a relationship brimming with tensions. I love that kind of dynamic!

The whole "I'm putting together a team bit" would probably work well for Sirio and Connie. He has definitely been doing some *ahem* extrajudicial work recently. Whether he was caught and captured, or whether he has been able to cover his tracks is something we can figure out with GM Dien.

If anything, Sirio would remember Connie as a quiet, bookish boy with an independent streak who got into trouble a lot at the orphanage, often for breaking into places he wasn't supposed to be. Some of the other kids called him crazy because he would sometimes talk to people who weren't there. This is a reputation he still carries.

I also find it very appropriate that it was the two of us who got into a gif-off on the Discord.

Haha I totally didn't even think about it, but in literature we call that F o r e s h a d o w i n g .

My terrible sense of humor out of the way, just wanted to say we could hash out a simple connection over discord if you have time a little later tonight. I've got to put the kids to bed, but I'll be free in an hour or so.

Ey Talon, I checked in on that to see how perceptive, and I saw your bonus was listed as 9, but I think you get +10.

1 Rank +3 Trained +1 Wis +2 Keen Senses +3 Skill Focus comes to 10 by my count.

Ha! Thanks. I think I forgot the WIS bonus. Good catch, and much appreciated.

Though, this is for the GM, Dien, is that too much? I could put his +3 Skill Focus elsewhere if the +10 at first level is going to be an issue. Figure it's better to deal with this before play rather than later, if need be.

So, it's:
Talon - Ranger / Archery
Constantine - Occultist
Roger - Ranger / Freebooter
Emma - Paladin
Siri- Cleric
Slowdrifter - Archeologist
Dien - ?

That look about right?

So how do we feel about Variant Channeling? Yea or nay? (it gives additional effects to your channel but makes it so they always deal/heal half damage, the will save will be to resist the effect instead of halving the damage again)

Asmodeus’ primary portfolios are Tyranny and Contracts, but I feel I can make a case for the others that are associated with his domains: Fire, Magic, Trickery, and Law. I might also make a case for Rulership, as he is the King of Hell. Just to be up front, I’d “only” be planning to use Tyranny, Fire, Magic, and Rulership if I got the green light. The others feel too situational or weak. I’ll ultimately defer to dien’s call, but I think since the rest of us are planning to DM at some point, I’d like to hear others’ opinions.

EDIT: @Talon: I guess virtual assistant sounds like villainous assistant.

I also did saved this for my own amusement. I wasn't going to post it, but since Talon did:

I have never played with a cleric that took variant channeling. It looks like fun!

Also +10 to a skill that you go all in is quite reasonable at level 1. Half-elves are meant to be ridiculous.

*Cries in +0 perception*

EDIT: @Talon: I guess virtual assistant sounds like villainous assistant.

I also did saved this for my own amusement. I wasn't going to post it, but since Talon did:

Constantine Fioritura - Occultist - Escaped Asmodean Orphan

Talon Oakhart - Half-elf Archer Ranger - Wants to make enough money to build a tavern

Jolly Old Roger - Freebooter Ranger - Middle aged retired pirate, running low on his savings

Emma Blackford - Iomedaean Paladin - “Smites Evil with Sword” is her native name

Slowdrifter’s Archaeologist - Archaeologist Bard - Local Librarian Lifts Loot

SO, EDIT it's:

Talon - Ranger / Archery
Constantine - Occultist
Roger - Ranger / Freebooter
Emma - Paladin
SiriO - Cleric
Slowdrifter - Archeologist
Dien - ?

That look about right?
Better?? :D

Also, might do a slight rebuild of Talon to set him on an eventual path to arcane archer...and see if he can earn the prestige class through gameplay. Never tried that before. I'll let you know later this evening. Beyond that, same character.

As for variant channelling, I've never played with it before. I'd be ok with it, I think, with a drawback like that, but it's Dien's call.

Huh, I thought Variant Channeling was you only picked specifically one domain's alternative channel at character creation, not that you got to switch around between your deities channels. That's why I never thought it was something to check out.

I have no problems with you taking Variant Channeling, but just to be sure we're on the same page, Roger's right that you have to pick one of the domains-or-subdomains, and can't switch between them.

When you create a cleric character, decide whether she uses the standard form of channel energy or a variant presented here based on one aspect of her deity’s portfolio. Once this choice is made, it cannot be altered.

And as a cleric of Asmodeus, you're functionally channeling only to harm-- so better take that Selective Channeling, etc. Which is gonna be hard with your CHA stat.

Personally, other than a few REALLY specialized builds that heavily invested in it, I've never seen Variant Channeling seem worth the headache to me, but I'm not gonna say it isn't a very cool flavor/image-- the idea of channeling and causing enemies to burst into flame is amazing! But there's a lot of drawbacks, especially for a cleric with a penalized CHA.

Though this is as good a time as any to say: I have been in the position of having picked things for my characters that seemed great when I made them, and down the road I realized 'this was a feat/etc choice that is just NOT WORKING OUT.' Personally, I prefer to be lenient regarding re-builds if someone discovers they wound up with a mechanical choice that isn't fun for them.

I'm not even crazy about the idea of having to pay retraining costs, since it basically feels like an IC penalty for things that are usually an OOC issue-- i.e., not understanding how some specific rules interact, not grasping that a certain creature is type X rather than Y, yada yada. In my opinion, making an innocent mistake as a player shouldn't set you back in-world resources in order to fix it, which then arguably puts your character behind a wealth curve, in however minor a way.

So, unless people have serious objections, I'll say that whenever there's a level-up, people have the option to do a free retrain of a feat/etc if something is just not working out in their favor. It really doesn't sound like anyone here is building for pure optimization and is likely to try and abuse things by suddenly 'retraining' a bunch of feats at level 7 in order to qualify for a tree they now want to have-- if it does turn into that, that would be something to address, but this is meant to fix cases of player error or ambition without in-world penalties to match as it were.

Ahh that makes a lot more sense haha. Should've read that more closely.

I think I still definitely want to do it even though I'd be locked into one, because harm channel feels like a waste of an action normally. I've got channel smite, which solves the issue of accidentally hitting allies and the issue of wasting actions, but it also feels a little bit bad wasting the AoE.

Rulership seems best to me, but I like the other ones as well. It feels a little bad that it's a will save to negate the penalty from Tyranny, but thems the brakes. Fire seems pretty powerful but only early. Magic seems like it would just be a really useful anti-mage option to keep in the back pocket. I really want Law to be good, but I can't envision a use case scenario.

I'd like to go with Rulership if that's alright.

Re: Retraining

That seems like a really good idea to maintain the longevity of the game. I really appreciate you thinking ahead like that.

I have no problems giving you Rulership variant channel.

Belatedly, Talon, nah, pump that Perception, it makes sense for your character. I have no issue with anyone getting any skill as high as they can legally do so. :3

It sounds like people's characters are coming together, so maybe we can aim to start this coming Monday.

I'll definitely be ready before then! My sheet might need a little once-over to make sure there aren't any errors but once I fix my gear, I should be good to go.

Talon is ready for review. I think he's fine, but if there's errors, I apologize in advance and will edit them out. :)

Re. retraining, that all seems fair enough to me - keeping it fun for everyone and playing the character you want is the most important thing.

Next Monday should be fine. I’m away currently and being held back a little by a combination of phone only and awful wifi but it’s coming together.

Gotta pick a feat and a trait, but that shouldn't be too hard.

I'm done with my gear. Got a pack mule for 8 gold and I now have 3 GP and some change left.

Asmodean Advocate's Devil in the Details ability appropriately requires a g*@!@@n lawyer to read. If someone else wants to check my reading of the ability, that'd be nice. I think I have it down, but this was my interpretation

Bonuses to Profession (Barrister) skill but not checks apply to Bluff and Diplomacy checks. Bonuses to Diplomacy or Bluff checks apply to Profession (Barrister) when using it to make Diplomacy or Bluff checks. (Heart of the Fields is a skill bonus to Profession (Barrister) and therefore applies to Diplomacy and Bluff. Devil in the Details is an insight bonus on Profession (Barrister) checks, and therefore does not apply on Diplomacy or Bluff checks. The viper familiar bonus applies a +3 bonus to Bluff checks and therefore enhances Profession (Barrister) when used in this way)

I'll spend some time looking over other peoples' sheets

Talon: Your gear's total weight seems to be 69 lbs. (nice), but your light load capacity is 58 at 14 strength. Also, not a big deal, since you probably won't be using it much, but it looks like you forgot to add the +2 to your longsword damage from your strength bonus. Everything else seems good.

Constantine: Didn't check your weight because you have EIGHTTEEN STRENGTH. I'd estimate you're carrying around 75 lbs. of stuff, but that's just a quick guess. Everything is pretty easy to find, but I kept thinking I had caught something but it turned out you had already noted it down.

Jolly Old Roger: As you mentioned, you still need to pick a skill and another trait. No worries there. No-dachis are cool, I guess ol’ Roge made his way all the way to Tian Xia back in the day? I might suggest Weapon Focus or Toughness since you’re going to be our big melee guy.

Looks like you haven’t applied your ACP to Climb and Swim unless I’m mistaken.

Masterwork parrot haha. How much gold did you spend on that?

Looks like you might also be short on some adventuring equipment. Like a backpack. But I guess none of it is wholly necessary. Maybe you’ll just be asked to carry everyone’s rope or something since you’ve also got 18 strength haha.

Slowdrifter: Hopefully you can post your character as soon as possible. Constantine is technically a caster, but it’d be nice to get some more arcane spells in the mix. Get a donkey, or maybe just use mine, I dunno. Stay strong, dex based character.

Emma Blackford No I didn't forget you, what are you talking about?

Everything looks really good to me. Weight wise I think you're okay as well. Going with the wood shield was a good idea here.

Technically we don't even know if we are going to leave town. Maybe the investigation is a spooky ghost noise from the bottom of the well!

As for the nodachi, I'm sure Jolly Old Roger would love to tell you a definitely true and not made up story of how he got it. :P

And yup, forgot about ACP! Thanks.

And.. gah, alas, it seems I don't have enough money for my masterwork parrot, I missed that we all get 150 gp.

Talon: Your gear's total weight seems to be 69 lbs. (nice), but your light load capacity is 58 at 14 strength. Also, not a big deal, since you probably won't be using it much, but it looks like you forgot to add the +2 to your longsword damage from your strength bonus. Everything else seems good.

Ah ha. Good catches!

@Jolly: Man the idea of a masterwork parrot cracks me up!

@Dien: Forgot to mention, love the retrain idea.

Very close! My inventory weighs 78.5 lb, and my light load is 100 lb. Gotta love that strength.

It does seem quite appropriate that an archetype for the Prince of Hell would need some careful reading.

Very close! My inventory weighs 78.5 lb, and my light load is 100 lb. Gotta love that strength.

It does seem quite appropriate that an archetype for the Prince of Hell would need some careful reading.

Heart of the Fields: Profession (barrister) + half character level (no minimum) = 0

Class Skill = 3

Rank = 1

Ability Modifier = 3

Devil in the Details: half character level (minimum +1) on Profession (barrister) = 1 (insight)

Total = +8

Familiar bonus = +3 on Bluff checks. It seems silly that the archetype would give you a familiar that grants Bluff bonuses that wouldn't apply to the skill you're actually using to Bluff, otherwise they'd give you a Tauhoti.

I have ruled similarly with shenanigans like a Bard's Versatile Performance. A bard is using their training with performing to expand their versatility towards other skills. Most of their bonuses (skill focus, traits, etc.) would probably apply natively from the Perform skill. But they would not get double-stacking. An azata-blooded Aasimar bard that has racial bonuses to Diplomacy and Perform only gets to apply a single racial bonus. Similarly, they're not actually using an violin to make their Diplomacy check, so a masterwork violin will not confer its circumstance bonus. But I would allow a Book of Letters to apply if they used that to make the check.

So I would say you have a +8 Profession (barrister) that you could use to make Diplomacy checks (at +8) and Bluff checks (at +11). You also get a +1 on Linguistics to detect forgeries. By Level 10, assuming that you put a rank in Profession (barrister) at each level, get a +2 headband of wisdom, and put at least one of your two ability bonuses into Wisdom, you will have:

Heart of the Fields: half character level = 5 (racial)

Class Skill = 3

Rank = 10

Ability Modifier = 5

Devil in the Details: half character level = 5 (insight)

Total = +28

With a +31 to Bluff if you keep the viper instead of getting an imp. And that's...

Good catch on the Heart of the Fields not having a minimum.

My understanding was that the bonus from Devil in the Details does not get added to Bluff and Diplomacy checks because it's a bonus to Profession (Barrister) checks, not to the Profession (Barrister) skill. So when I use the Profession (Barrister) skill to make a bluff check, I wouldn't get the bonus from Devil in the Details. Conversely, I can benefit from the Viper's +3 bonus to bluff checks when using Profession (Barrister) to make a bluff check.

So it looks to me like it should be a +8 on Profession (Barrister) checks, a +10 on bluff checks, and a +7 on diplomacy checks by my count.

But I'd be happy to use your ruling as well if dien permits it.

Maybe, but that's too nitpicky for my tastes. Quibbling between what applies to a skill vs a check is splitting hairs. As far as I'm concerned, getting the bonus on "all Profession (barrister) checks" includes the outlined uses for Bluff and Diplomacy. The point

Again, it reads to me like Versatile Performance, which was clarified by the designers here to accept all those bonuses. Otherwise, you'll only benefit from a central class feature when making Profession checks to earn money.

It hardly seems broken, either. You still can't qualify for feats that depend on ranks in Bluff or Diplomacy without actually having the ranks. Bluff and Diplomacy are both good, but I doubt either will break the game.

Yeah, after snooping the boards and looking at
James Jacobs' ruling on Versatile performance, it seems like you're correct. It seems to be within the spirit of the ability at least.

You guys are hurtin' my brain. LOL

Don't you worry none, I've been hurting my own brain plenty.

Alrighty, I’ve got my stats up. Still going back to equipment but assuming weapons/armour as listed and carrying a medium load.

woo, sheets are comin' together! Thanks for your set of eyes, Kubular. I'll go over sheets myself too this weekend at some point.

And I'd agree with the ruling about versatile performance, in terms of this, so you're good Poly.

Quick question, would you object to Talon having a: bundle of pages/parchment/spellbook with him SOLELY for roleplaying purposes at this point, that he's studying towards the eventual level of Wizard he's going to take? That won't happen until at least 6th or 7th level, also after his next ability boost of +1 that he'll add to his INT.

Again, this is just for rp'ing, and won't actually include ANY actual spells or anything he can use for combat or whatnot. It'll simply be a book given to him by his mother of elven arcane theories and practices. Something to look over in whatever downtime the group has.

Basically, I don't care for characters who suddenly "BING" level up and suddenly have all their new class bonuses without at least an attempt at playing it out beforehand.

Whatcha' think?

I have no problems with that. In general, I like people getting to have minor personal possessions that don't have any material or mechanical effect and are just there for RP, and I generally dislike how on a level 1 character sometimes you just can't afford those things 'by the rules.' Like I've wanted numerous characters to be able to start play with a journal and ink pen, and it turns out those things are pretty dang expensive and you have to sacrifice things that actually help you survive in order to purchase them... which annoys me.

So sure, you can have some paper-age. If anyone else wants a similar sort of 'this is a minor possession i'm having solely for RP with no mechanical benefits or impact', please feel free. It makes the game richer.

Quick question, would you object to Talon having a: bundle of pages/parchment/spellbook with him SOLELY for roleplaying purposes at this point, that he's studying towards the eventual level of Wizard he's going to take? That won't happen until at least 6th or 7th level, also after his next ability boost of +1 that he'll add to his INT.

Again, this is just for rp'ing, and won't actually include ANY actual spells or anything he can use for combat or whatnot. It'll simply be a book given to him by his mother of elven arcane theories and practices. Something to look over in whatever downtime the group has.

Basically, I don't care for characters who suddenly "BING" level up and suddenly have all their new class bonuses without at least an attempt at playing it out beforehand.

Whatcha' think?

I like stuff like that too. My only concern is how underpowered Arcane Archer is. Is the reason you wanted to go Arcane Archer to be an caster Archer? If so, can I recommend Eldritch Archer as being able to perform that identity in a much smoother fashion?

If the fantasy/identity you're trying to carry out is the multiclass itself, then carry on. Don't want to force you to optimize your character. Especially if it impinges on your fun.

Also, I'm thinking about taking Power-Hungry for my Drawback. Dunno if it's relevant enough to the game, but it certainly feels in line with the primary vulnerability I envisioned for this character. Thinking about either Reactionary or Focused Mind, or Fate's Favored if I'm feeling extra greedy.