Welcome! I've opened the discussion thread a bit early to help coordinate character creation with Oceanshieldwolf. Here is what has been proposed so far:
Shadowlord: Sakura Yuzuki, human fighter
Matt Morris: investigator
Solicitor: divine sorcerer
JohnG: alchemist
Oceanshieldwolf: monk, thaumaturge multiclass
Hello everyone! And thank you, Brainiac, for having us!
I'm planning on playing a divine sorcerer who worships Tsukiyo, and who consults the various Psychopomp Ushers for advice. The Psychopomp bloodline provides my character with the Heal spell at level 1 and, as we gain levels, the ability to do very respectable damage to undead and fiends.
I can dip into Medicine and pick up some feats from the Medic archetype, but sorcerers tend to be rather limited in their skill increase and skill feat selection. I'd also need to invest in wisdom, which is fine, but it does tie down my ability scores to CHA-WIS-CON-DEX, and in that order.
If someone else feels like specializing in Medicine, go for it. Both the Familiar Master archetype and an Oracle multiclass are on my list of build options, and I have no qualms with adapting my build to what the group needs (or, doesn't need).
As for their background and fluff, right now I'm thinking of playing a 'regular' Tian human who is either an Outskirt Dweller or a Folklore Enthusiast. Whichever I end up picking, they only came into their powers recently and have tried to keep it a secret because for now, all of it is simply *too* much. Hearing whispers from beyond?! Seeing an incomprehensible glimpse of what is, was, and will be when shaking someone's hand?! It's a nightmare, not a blessing!
Good Morning!
So far she is a plain Iian human as well, with their background being Close Ties altered with foundling: outgoing. Almost certain she'll be an alchemist bomber. Working at the Thrice Blessed Inn as a server, her close tie is with Mother Otis.
She gets a lot of skills being an intelligence based. Though I believe from reading (since this is my first edition 2 alchemist) that I need both intelligence and dex, so wisdom will just be okay.
Thanks for putting this all together Brainiac.
I’m looking to play a Tian Human monk with the Outskirt Dweller background, and the Foundling (Mysterious) background adjustment.
Toying with taking a tiefling versatile heritage just for the extra mystery.
I’m fairly new to PF2e (have played a Hobgoblin Druid partway through Fall of Plaguestone and am currently playing a human Fighter in Menace Under Otari) and have a lot of unlearning of PF1 to work through, so apologies ahead of time if the Discussion thread occasionally gets peppered with the odd rules question.
Going to roll gender here:
It’s late here in Oz, so I’ll be putting the character together tomorrow.
Gooooooood morning!
I am playing a Tian fighter, who I modeled after a Ronin warrior. She fights with a katana and wakizashi, but I'm not sure if she'll be dual-wielding or two-handing the katana quite yet. She's strength-focused and will eventually get into some heavy armor. She plans on rushing headlong in danger, so I'm glad someone has healing to pick her back up when she gets knocked down! :D
For skills, she's got athletics locked down, obviously, but she's going to have a smattering of intimidation, diplomacy, nature and religion. Fighters aren't the best at skills, but I did take Skilled Human to try and get intimidation a little more. With only a WIS of 12 she won't be the best healer, but she's not the worst either? Maybe?
For background, she's a Willowshore urchin with the bitter foundling adjustment. She is not from Willowshore her parents were killed when they were visiting, and she was orphaned and taken in by our Investigator's (Matt's character) family. She and him tend to bicker a lot, having differing opinions on most matters.
I wrote up her full background with traits, flaws, quirks and a description at the bottom of the profile.
Being as the town is only 225 people, 75% of which are human, there is a good chance we might know of each other or met each other in passing.
Okay here is my alchemist. At least her start.
Tieflings are great in second edition, Oceanshieldwolf. My favorite is that they can be applied to more races than just human. Demon blooded halfings are cool.
Hope you slept well!
We have four humans so far in the group correct?
Here's my character! I'm Sakura's older brother, who definitely knows better than her, but sometimes forgets to brush my teeth or watch where I'm walking. My friends calle Kamo.
I'll cover Medicine and be pretty decent at Recalling Knowledge about our opponents. (I'm starting with Known Weaknesses and Forensic Medicine methodology.)
I'm still working on my backstory, but I'm definitely convinced that most weird things that happen in town are caused by spirits.
In combat, I'll rush in to help out in melee, as long as I can figure out a good strategy.
No idea what I'm doing for my archetype yet, but hopefully something that gives me options when I don't roll a good strategy.
This is my monk’s alias, haven’t gotten a start on anything yet. Still checking out the tiefling stuff and figuring out if it fits the coalescing image I have for him.
@Sakura (and all): I would imagine we would definitely know each other - clearly Sakura and Kamo are related. Pagma and Cloud and Solicitor’s Sorcerer would likely be aware of each other. Cloud is a slightly odd fellow who, while friendlly enough, wears an outlandish helmet (outlandish given he isn’t per se a soldier) and tends to strut around meaningfully…while shopping for fruit or haggling over root vegetables. I would imagine he shares Kamo’s thoughts on spirit activity in Willowshore so they might have a common interest there.
No-one knows exactly where Cloud goes at night, and he doesn’t seem to be related to anyone in the village. He just appeared some years back, seems to be able to take care of himself, and has assisted numerous villagers with odd jobs of a manual labor variety.
Very nice!
I got most of my sorcerer's crunch done so all I need now is to put the dots on the i's of my background, and then I can set up Jing-De's paizo profile.
Like Yuzuki, Jing-De is a healer of sorts, but his focus lies on the spirit and the soul. This, apparently, involves a lot of talking and reflecting on life while enjoying a cup of tea. He also tends to a Tsukiyoan moonlight garden in which he grows special herbs and roots. Some are medicinal, others are for the soul, and a few offer doorways to enlightenment.
Ever since his awakening, Jing-De actively seeks out Elizeth Candorra, the town's priestess of Pharasma, for advice on how to cope with his 'condition'. She suggested that he ought to try to not just see the horror in death, and find a way to (re)normalize his relationship with death.
In an effort to achieve that, Jing-De has started offering therapy services to the bereaved. Rumors say that Jing-De has the ability to hear words from loved ones who have passed to the great beyond. Nonsense, of course, but Jing-De hasn't openly denied the rumor, knowing that this hope - false it might be - could lower the threshold for people to go out and seek help. The Gods Above know they can use some.
I've put up the gameplay thread so you can dot and delete to start tracking things. Please refrain from posting in the gameplay thread until everybody has finished creating their characters and potential starting bonds have been established. Thanks!
Ok, Cloud is finished. Cloud has no idea where he came from, no parents and few ties to Willowshore, but given all of that gravitates toward the town out of necessity and a strange compulsion. He has some strange ability to emulate tigers and wolves, and can come across as somewhat odd and feral, but also comical with his mannerisms, fondness for his fine helmet and mysterious background, or general lack thereof.
Although he looks like he can take care of himself, Cloud is not exactly a forest savant, more a rugged survivor (Mysterious Foundling background adjustment removes the Terrain Expertise (Forest) and replaces it with Streetwise) plus took rank in Survival to represent…surviving. And the reason he looks like he can take care of himself is because he has Society (from Streetwise) to watch and understand Willowshore folk….and…..helps himself to other people’s belongings (Thievery). He is lonely, and immensely conflicted about both the deception and the petty thefts he engages in to survive. He tells himself that he helps people out, which he does, and is a hard worker, if not as effective as people think he might be (no ranks in Athletics, but still strong).
Cloud does have a Healer’s Kit, if not a lot of understanding about the best way to use it. Medicine +2 from Wisdom only.
On a rules level, I’m still not exactly understanding how Flurry of Blows works. Do I make both attacks without MAP, and then apply MAP to any subsequent attack with either of my remaining two actions? Or do I apply MAP to the second attack of the Flurry? And if so, what is the point given more attack aren’t exactly going to be very successful. And Flourish means I can only Flurry once in a round, I get that.
Make two unarmed Strikes. If both hit the same creature, combine their damage for the purpose of resistances and weaknesses. Apply your multiple attack penalty to the Strikes normally. As it has the flourish trait, you can use Flurry of Blows only once per turn.
So you spend one action to make two attacks with MAP. Besides being able to make two attacks with one action, you can also combine the damage to overcome resistance, which is useful.
It is true that any further attacks in the same round will be unlikely to hit, but unlikely doesn't mean impossible! And if you prefer to use those other actions to do other things, you can do so.
A typical opening round of combat for you might be to assume one of your Stances, Stride to an opponent, and make two attacks with Flurry. Without Flurry, you'd only be able to make one attack in the opening round.
For Flurry of Blows, you apply MAP to the second attack of the flurry. The big benefit is attacking twice for 1 action, so you can be very mobile or do things like Demoralize. If you are using agile weapons or agile unarmed attacks, there are also times when that MAP of -8 isn't going to be too bad, like if we get attacked by a crowd of lower level people or the enemy has been debuffed pretty well, like frightened and flat-footed.
After playing a monk, the best part about flurry is that it pretty much guarantees two attack per round. Even if you have to draw your weapon and stride, you get your attacks in. If you are multiclassing thuamaturge, it's also extremely good, since that eats up some of your typical actions in a turn.
Thanks for the answers and advice folks. I had an inkling it was about mobility, and had realised stances were a cost to enact/switch between but that all makes sense. Should be fun to play around with.
Sadly, my Thaumaturge aspirations are likely dust - the Thaumaturge Dedication has a Cha 14 prereq - my Background didn’t offer any boosts to Charisma, and even if I switched my free boost from Wisdom (thus cruelling the already poor Streetwise skill feat) to Charisma, it would still be only 12 and rejigging any other way would make what is already pretty MAD even worse. I guess I just don’t see why a Multiclass Dedication needs a prereq, kinda feels like oldskool Ability requirements.
I mean, a Monk/Thaumaturge *is* pretty silly, but it was exciting to me…I’m just not the sort of player who picks ancestries and backgrounds to make the optimised class, and pay the ultimate price…
I played a monk/thaumaturge in a one-shot and it was a lot of fun. I'm willing to waive the Cha requirement for you as it is rather arbritary. :D
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Thanking you DM! Let’s see if Cloud can live long enough to get to level 2!!!
Okay, gameplay thread is officially open! You may post at your leisure.
Happy we're starting!
For those that are new to playing with me, I am a visual person. I have a propensity to create the characters in my games to help me bring them to life and influence how I play my character in our shared story.
I've created my first picture of Sakura a few days ago.
Today I finished her brother, Kamo sitting on the bridge.
Both of the siblings are by the bridge, Sakura down below and Kamo up above. I'm assuming this is the bridge that exists between W16/W17 on the map which is relatively close to where they live (around W18/W19).
Over the coming weeks, I will reach out to each of you to help me create your characters as well so I can form a full party portrait eventually! :D
Woohoo! I look forward to seeing a monk/thamumaturge in action. How old is Cloud?
I’d say 18-19? It’s Saturday morning here, so doing….family type stuff..will post as I can.
It is the same stuff but degraded.
@Kamo: can you explain what you did on your turn? It looks like you use Devise Strategem to generate an attack number. Is the Recall Knowledge part of it?
Sure!
I used Devise Strategem to get an attack just number, as you said. I have the Known Weaknesses class feat, so I get to make a Recall Knowledge check as part of using Devise Strategem.
So Stride, Devise Strategem (free Recall Knowledge), Strike.
I usually put my actions explicitly in my post, but I was sleepy and forgot.
Did people pick heirlooms, from the Player's Guide?
I was thinking that "Supplies for an alarm snare, 10 sp, and two lesser ghost charges (Advanced Player’s Guide 253)." make sense for me, but I'm willing to do whatever.
For Pagma, probably "Two minor healing potions and one piece of common adventuring gear worth 2 gp or less of the PC’s choice."
Good to keep healing supplies around, just in case she blows up the shack.
We get to have one overlap since there are 5 of us. correct?
No preference for me.I’ll wait to see what the other want and take what’s left or choose if need be.
Yes there is one overlap on heirlooms.
I was thinking of the lump of cold iron…
Sure!
I used Devise Strategem to get an attack just number, as you said. I have the Known Weaknesses class feat, so I get to make a Recall Knowledge check as part of using Devise Strategem.
So Stride, Devise Strategem (free Recall Knowledge), Strike.
I usually put my actions explicitly in my post, but I was sleepy and forgot.
Ok. But how did you arrive at your strike number? You rolled a 19. Added your Int modifier of +4. That gets 23. How did you get 25, and what part does the RK play?
Ok. But how did you arrive at your strike number? You rolled a 19. Added your Int modifier of +4. That gets 23. How did you get 25, and what part does the RK play?Sure!
I used Devise Strategem to get an attack just number, as you said. I have the Known Weaknesses class feat, so I get to make a Recall Knowledge check as part of using Devise Strategem.
So Stride, Devise Strategem (free Recall Knowledge), Strike.
I usually put my actions explicitly in my post, but I was sleepy and forgot.
Ah, now that you say it, I did mess up a little. (It should have been 1 higher!)
Roll: 19
Int: 4
Weapon Proficiency: 3
Total: 26
(I think you left out the weapon proficiency.)
The Recall Knowledge roll is separate. I just get to make the check as a part of Devise a Strategy because I have this class feat:
Known Weaknesses Feat 1
Investigator
Source Advanced Player's Guide pg. 60 2.0
Whenever you Devise a Stratagem, you can also attempt a check to Recall Knowledge as part of that action. If you critically succeed at the Recall Knowledge check, you notice a weakness and gain a +1 circumstance bonus to your attack roll from Devise a Stratagem. If you immediately convey this information to your allies as part of the check, each ally gains a +1 circumstance bonus to their next attack roll against the subject, as long as their attack is made before the beginning of your next turn.
So, if I get a critical success, I do get a +1 bonus, as does everyone else.
(Technically, the Recall Knowledge is a secret roll, but it's just easier if I roll it and don't metagame.)
Yep, I figured out I forgot proficiency a little later, but it still didn’t make sense!
Ok, thanks for the explanation.
Another question: the Recall Knowledge - my understanding was that the DM tells you whether RK is successful (or the level of which). How can you know if you get a critical success? Or will Brainiac determine that and alert you/us?
Yep, I’ll alert when there is a critical success. RAW, Recall Knowledge rolls are supposed to be secret, but it’s easier on PbP to have the players roll them.
Yep, I’ll alert when there is a critical success. RAW, Recall Knowledge rolls are supposed to be secret, but it’s easier on PbP to have the players roll them.
Do you mean “secret” as in the DM rolls behind the screen and doesn’t tell anyone what the result was?
That's correct.
Sometimes you won’t know whether you succeed at a skill check. If an action has the secret trait, the GM rolls the check for you and informs you of the effect without revealing the result of the roll or the degree of success. The GM rolls secret checks when your knowledge about the outcome is imperfect, like when you’re searching for a hidden creature or object, attempting to deceive someone, translating a tricky bit of ancient text, or remembering some piece of lore. This way, you as the player don’t know things that your character wouldn’t. This rule is the default for actions with the secret trait, but the GM can choose not to use secret checks if they would rather some or all rolls be public.
I'll upload an interactive town map tomorrow so you can track your location in town. In the meantime, please indicate which Exploration Activity you are taking.
Sakura will scout.
Cloud will Investigate, using Society generally in the town, or Thievery if looking at a specific building, structure, object, dead body for traps/snares etc.
Cloud, where is your home on the map?
Cloud’s “home” is a collapsable lean-to tucked into the bole of a tree a little to the east of the Great Willow (W29) at the base of the low rise that sits above the letters “ui” as part of the word “guide” in “Players Guide” on the map on page 16. According to the guide, there might be foraged foods and non-metallic raw materials in the vicinity. ;)
I've added a link to the town map at the top of the campaign page. Battle maps will also be added to that presentation when needed.
You guys! Stop doing so much damage! Let Cloud take some combat actions next time! :P
Uh, sorry Cloud. I will try to be less effective next time.
Hard to beat fighter with magic weapon at level 1. Not all fights will be over so quickly, I’m sure.
Heh, I’m not really fussed about missing combats. I think it is a matter of different time zones as I am in Oz…
@DM - another clarification please - is the Governor’s House completely disappeared, without a trace, or razed to the ground? Just trying to work out if it has been attack and destroyed, or magically…bamf’ed.
The governor's house has vanished without a trace. Disappeared, not destroyed.
***
I've added red lightning bolt icons to the map for quest locations, and gold suns for shrine locations.
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How Sakura and Pagma became friends
Years ago, when Sakura and Pagma first met as children in Willowshore, it was an encounter neither would forget.
Pagma had just moved into town and was already eager to delve into her alchemical experiments. On this particular day, she was testing a new kind of firework potion she'd read about. In a secluded part of a meadow, she mixed together various elements, holding her breath in anticipation.
Meanwhile, Sakura was not too far away, in another part of the same meadow, rigorously practicing her katana strikes. Her blade sliced through the air, her face focused and determined. She paused every now and then to do a few push-ups and sit-ups, committed to maintaining her physical fitness. Barefoot as she often preferred, Sakura felt connected to the ground beneath her, as if drawing energy from the earth itself.
Just as Sakura finished a complex sword routine and was transitioning into a set of lunges, she heard a loud pop followed by a colorful explosion in the sky. Startled, she looked around and saw Pagma, who was standing amidst a cloud of colorful smoke, looking both thrilled and a bit shocked.
Intrigued but cautious, Sakura sheathed her katana and walked over, her grip tight on the hilt, almost as if ready for another form of training. "Hey, what was that? You didn't start a fire, did you?!"
Pagma looked up, noticing Sakura for the first time. "Oh, hi! No fire, I promise. Just some alchemical fireworks. I—uh—I was experimenting! But don't worry, it was supposed to be a smoke bomb, not a real bomb."
Sakura glanced at the residue that stained the nearby tree a plethora of colors. "But it EXPLODED!"
Pagma grinned. "Just a little tiny explosion, no one will ever be able to tell. My name's Pagma, by the way. I love mixing things together to see what happens!"
"I'm Sakura," she replied, her eyes scanning the setup. "And you do this often? Make trees colors and whatnot?"
"Whenever I can! Are you training for something?" Pagma asked, her eyes following the katana at Sakura's side.
"Yeah, I train every day. You have to be prepared for whatever comes your way," Sakura said, taking a deep breath as if to center herself.
Sakura hesitated before taking another step closer to Pagma's experiments. "Uh, do those things explode too?" she inquired, pointing at the array of potions and vials.
Pagma chuckled. "Only if I want them to. Usually."
From that day on, despite their differing interests—one devoted to the way of the sword and physical discipline, the other to the unpredictability and excitement of alchemy—they became fast friends. They respected each other's passions and even found ways to integrate them, like the time Sakura used her katana to finely chop ingredients for one of Pagma's experiments.
As they grew older, their friendship continued to be tested and strengthened by various challenges, including the infamous "Blastberry" incident—a colorful explosion caused by one of Pagma's experiments that stained them both and left them walking around town like vivid specters for days. But rather than driving them apart, such incidents only solidified their complex, enduring friendship.
Hiya folx, I’m finding I’m not a good fit for this game so I will exeunt. Thanks to Brainiac for inviting me and you all for being welcoming and taking the time to explain various minutiae of 2e. I’m sure Willowshore is in good hands.
We'll miss you OSW. Feel free to reach out if you ever need anything.
I am very sorry to hear that Ocean, and apologize if anything I posted made you think you are not a good fit. I hope you continue trying to explode 2e, and have a hundred thousand awesome games of every kind.