Tracing your origin

Game Master Azih

I may have found a deity closest to Kamohoali'i. Rowdrosh from the Mammoth Lords seems to be the closest in terms of what I think his domains and concerns reflect the shark god's concerns, just toward the oceans rather than the tribes... Thing is that Kepa's weapon will change from club to staff, once he decides to go Champion...

I will shelf the merfolk for now. I should probably stick to something simple while learning the forum layout.

There are a few other amphibious ancestry options that may be easier to play, but they are all uncommon. Are uncommon and rare options allowed?

Also, I forgot to include a few things in my introduction:
They/ Them, but I normally go by whatever my character's gender is.
No hard boundaries aside from graphic descriptions of sex or violence.

DM Doctor Evil: These are pretty solo experiences so you don't have to fill in a role here. Create any character you wish, and then jump into gameplay with the initial Stage 2 prompt! By now I've revealed the DCs of 5 to stand, 12 to toddle, and 31 to run, so you can roleplay it all out for your baby gnome or elf.

I have been play Magnus so I am trying to follow along

Magnus and Boudoon: For Stage 3 you've got ancestry choices to make? I've got the Ancestry character option link in the description that has the details but basically here are the options you are picking.

Ancestry:
Ancestry Boosts:
Heritage:
Feat:
Weapons: Starting weapon if you don't like the default club and sling.

Magnus will choose Gnome Ancestry, and add one boost to Int along with CHA and Con which are innate. His Heritage is Wellspring Gnome which allows for one non-primal innate spell. I chose Phase Bolt for him, and we can agree that the Phase spell results in a popping or BANG sound, from where is name is derived.

His Ancestry Feat is Gnome Obsession which allows a Lore skill and Assurance in that skill. It can be changed with a day of downtime. I chose Cartography for now, but can easily accommodate any Lore to be campaign specific.

Oh, and I got a free staff as my weapon of choice.

I will add a role-play post in the Game thread after dinner.

Largely, Uncommon and Rare just require the GM's approval, generally.

Seeing as a Kobold is Uncommon, I sure HOPE they're allowed :o

I totally forgot kobold was also uncommon. Haha. Since uncommons are allowed, I think a tripkee sounds fun. Was a tough choice between athamaru, azarketi, and tripkee.

I'll move on to stage 2, so I don't fall to far behind.

For Stage 4, Magnus will take the Background Student of Magic which gives him a boost to INT and DEX. It also gives him Academia Lore and one other skill. I choose Society for him there. It also gives him the Recognize Spell ability.

It appears I don't have a skill feat at level 1?

I will post a bit more about that in RP tomorrow

I totally forgot kobold was also uncommon. Haha. Since uncommons are allowed, I think a tripkee sounds fun. Was a tough choice between athamaru, azarketi, and tripkee.

I'll move on to stage 2, so I don't fall to far behind.

tripkee are adorable, and surprisingly badass

What about submerging in a bathtub? Is that enough, or does it have to be a natural aquatic environs?

EDIT: Rise of the Runelords would be one of the best choices for us to move into, as Sandpoint is a nice coastal town. Korvosa is more of a gross dangerous port (Curse of the Crimson Throne), but is also good, though large portions leave to go inland for a while...

I'm fine with Rise of the Runelords OR Curse of the Crimson Throne if that happens after this though I've played the first few scenarios of each I can separate character and player knowledge if need be. Whatever folks prefer.

I agree Sandpoint is pretty open to the unusual :)

To be fair, Rise was the first AP that I ran when I moved back to Kauai, some 15 years ago, back in PF1. It is one of my favorite stories that has happened in Golarion, though it hasn't aged well... I would be happy to go through it as a player, but I don't mind if the GM makes it their own and strays from the material but stays with the overall theme...

Sandpoint is one of my favorite home bases...

Boudoon your feat has an ethnicity pre-requisite that you'll have to run past a GM. It's good here though! Also note in the remaster ray of frost has been changed to frostbite and pretty different. You can use ray of frost here.

Since this is the first time anyone's cast a Spell. Here's an explanation of all that and let me know if any questions!

Pathfinder Second Edition provides dozens of spells a magic caster can choose to use right from the first level of play. Each is unique and defines its own rules on how many actions it takes to cast and how it interacts with the world. Follow the rules of the spell to cast it.

If the spell calls for a saving throw, then it is the target of the spell that is forced to make a roll to try and avoid the spell effect. The number the target is trying to meet or exceed is the caster’s Spell DC or their class DC.

Drunken Turtle, do you want to get advice on how to create an 'alias' for Krrs'tall on these boards?

Oh and go ahead with choosing your ancestry options so we're ready for Stage 3!

Ancestry:
Ancestry Boosts:
Heritage:
Feat:
Weapons: Starting weapon if you don't like the default club and sling.

I was trying to figure the alias thing out, yeah. Sorry, for being slow with this.

No apologies needed!

I was trying to figure the alias thing out, yeah. Sorry, for being slow with this.

You're not being slow. Paizo.com is an old, weird website. They've interlinked the functionality of their blog, webstore, and forums too much, in my opinion.

To make an alias, click "My Account" in the top right corner of the site. Hovering over it will bring up a menu of options, but you can ignore the menu this time. Just click "My Account," and you'll be taken to a page where you need to confirm your username and password before being taken to your My Account page.

Your account page has two columns of boxes. The third box down in the left column is called "Messageboard Aliases." Click the "Create New Aliases" button. You'll be taken to a page with a text field for an Alias name (with Paizo's suggestion that you'll probably want to replace). Put in your own alias' name, but it has to be unique. For example, when I created my alias for this thread, I originally wanted 'Nepka,' but someone out there is already using it, so I added an extra 'P'. If you want, you can then click the "Submit Changes" button, and technically be done. The new alias will appear in your "Messageboard Aliases" box and also in the drop down menu beneath the text field when writing a new post.

If you want to add an Avatar image for an alias, you can do so before you click Submit, or you can can do it later by clicking the Edit button next to your alias name in the "Messageboard Aliases" box. By default, the site will show you every single Avatar image available. You can narrow the available images down using the filters to the left, if you want. When you've found the image you want to use, hover over the image and click the "Select this Avatar" button that pops up. Then you'll need to click the "Submit Changes" button on the screen you're taken to.

If there's a limit to the number of aliases that a user wants to create it must be very high. There's a thread somewhere on the forums, for example, of users joking about having a race to create 400 aliases, and the guy who started it is at 529. Way more than anyone is likely to ever need.

To make an alias, click "My Account" in the top right corner of the site. Hovering over it will bring up a menu of options, but you can ignore the menu this time. Just click "My Account," and you'll be taken to a page where you need to confirm your username and password before being taken to your My Account page.

Thank you for the help! Seems like there weren't many good options for frog people avatars, though. Haha.

Oh and go ahead with choosing your ancestry options so we're ready for Stage 3!

I decided to let the early life failures add another splash of color to the idea I already had for the character.

Ancestry: Tripkee
Ancestry Boosts: +Dexterity, +Charisma, +Wisdom, -Strength
Heritage: Windweb Tripkee
Feat: Jungle Strider
Weapons: Fist (or tongue) and blowgun

I've got the Ancestry character option link in the description

Hey GM, it looks like that link is bad. It doesn't lead to where you intend. FYI.

Hey GM, it looks like that link is bad. It doesn't lead to where you intend. FYI.

Archives of Nethys

Fixed the ancestry link, thank you very much Neppka. Basically the link just describes the choices that are to be made at this point which are:

Ancestry:
Ancestry Boosts:
Heritage:
Feat:
Weapons: Starting weapon if you don't like the default club and sling.

Status Update!

Boudoon: Has made ancestry and background choices, currently playing through ancestry scene.
Ho'okepa: Has made ancestry and background choices, I will post Background scene sometime next week.
Krryst'all: Has made ancestry choices. I will post Ancestry scene sometime next week.
Magnus: Has made ancestry and background choices, I will post Background scene sometime next week.
Neppka: To make ancestry choices.
Qwerk: Has made ancestry and background choices, I will post Background scene sometime next week.

Neppka: To make ancestry choices.

Ancestry: Tengu (the scary journey mentioned in the gameplay thread was his family's storm-tossed journey from Kwanlai.)

In the Ranged strikes section of the character sheet write sling.

In the damage section for that weapon write down 1d6. Also fill in B for Damage type.

This may be only PF1 thinking, but wouldn't the damage for a sling be 1d6 + your Strength modifier?

Question: Neppka's Srength mod is +1, but even though that shows under the modifiers for Athletics, the total bonus for that skill is 0. Should it actually be 0, or is this a bug in the sheet?

GM Stargin wrote:

Neppka: To make ancestry choices.

Ancestry: Tengu (the scary journey mentioned in the gameplay thread was his family's storm-tossed journey from Kwanlai.)

Ancestry Boosts: Dexterity and Free (Strength)
Heritage: Stormtossed Tengu (electricity resistance)
Feat: Storm's Lash (scaling electric arc cantrip!)
Weapons: I'm good with the default club and sling for now, but obviously he'll switch out the club for a more appropriate weapon.

GM Stargin wrote:

In the Ranged strikes section of the character sheet write sling.

In the damage section for that weapon write down 1d6. Also fill in B for Damage type.

This may be only PF1 thinking, but wouldn't the damage for a sling be 1d6 + your Strength modifier?

Question: Neppka's Srength mod is +1, but even though that shows under the modifiers for Athletics, the total bonus for that skill is 0. Should it actually be 0, or is this a bug in the sheet?

Slings are Propulsive which means you add 1/2 your STR mod to damage, unless (like Magnus) you are negative, then you add all of it.

If your STR is +1, then Athletics should be +1 also unless there is some other penalty against it.

DM is right about Propulsive needing a STR of 2 to have an effect on damage.

Andostre is right too though. There's a bug in the sheet that means STR is not connected to Athletics... INT is >:(.

If I ever get access to the Adobe subscription again I'll fix it, I added the calculations to the sheet in a 2 week trial period and that's long gone.

Ha ha, no worries. I should be able to remember when I add the stats to Neppka's alias.

And thanks for the clarification, DM DE!

Boudoon: Your stage 3 prompt is to cast ray of frost at the incoming fish.

Qwerk: Has made ancestry and background choices, I will post Background scene sometime next week.

I hadn't really picked a Background yet that I recall. I went looking for something involved in Fishing and deckhand and sailor were the closest things I could find but I hadn't settled.

Let me browse a bit

Gonna be on a plane for most of today. I will be in and out. Going to try to check in once in a while through the week, but visiting family and may have limited time to post.

Absolute clutch passing the Acrobatics check in my gameplay post. I had already written the flavor, when I remembered I had to actually roll it... with only a +1. Was almost a heartbreaking moment.

Absolute clutch passing the Acrobatics check in my gameplay post. I had already written the flavor, when I remembered I had to actually roll it... with only a +1. Was almost a heartbreaking moment.

That would have been a MAJOR Buzzkill indeed!

GM Stargin wrote:

Qwerk: Has made ancestry and background choices, I will post Background scene sometime next week.

I hadn't really picked a Background yet that I recall. I went looking for something involved in Fishing and deckhand and sailor were the closest things I could find but I hadn't settled.

Let me browse a bit

At this point, I'm torn between Graverobber (He learned dead people could have GOLD?), Deckhand, or Cook

Okay since I need to get off my butt and pick already, unless the GM prefers I don't, Qwerk will take Graverobber as his background. Dungeons are just graves that have public approval for looting :)

Busy at work, so will probably not be able to get back at this before Thursday.

Also struggling with work-genocide balance.

Busy at work, so will probably not be able to get back at this before Thursday.

Take all the time you need, Friend.

Yeah, no worries! I only have time to post because I am waiting for my brother to finish work... ^_^

I second taking what time you need, GM. No rush.

But also, for when you're back, I just want to make sure that you're not waiting on anything from me...

GM Stargin wrote:

Neppka: To make ancestry choices.

Ancestry: Tengu (the scary journey mentioned in the gameplay thread was his family's storm-tossed journey from Kwanlai.)

Ancestry Boosts: Dexterity and Free (Strength)
Heritage: Stormtossed Tengu (electricity resistance)
Feat: Storm's Lash (scaling electric arc cantrip!)
Weapons: I'm good with the default club and sling for now, but obviously he'll switch out the club for a more appropriate weapon.

Do we have to take the backgrounds as is, or can we exchange certain applicable parts, like the given lore?

Neppka: No you're set for tomorrow hopefully.

krrystal: Let me know what the base background is and what you want to swap out. It should be fine.

Ho'okepa: Has made ancestry and background choices, to make Class Choices!
Boudoon: Has made ancestry and background choices, to make Class Choices!
Magnus: Has made ancestry and background choices, to make Class Choices!
Krryst'all: Has made ancestry choices, to make background choices.
Qwerk: Has made ancestry, to make background choices
Neppka: Has made ancestry choices, currently playing ancestry

Ok, three of you are at the class stage so let's talk about it so you can start making your choices.

Honestly class is the biggest determinant of how your character will interact with the world as poor Boudoon is about to find out.

You get so much!

Hit points: Hit points added from class on top of the ones you already got from ancestry, this is what makes first levels have higher hp than in d&d and pf1. I think it might be fun to have backgrounds give hp too... but that's homebrew and we're not doing that here.

Roleplay Tips: Kind of a guide on how a standard interpretation of the class will see and be seen in the world. These are useful in understanding the class but not necessary to follow.

Initial Proficiencies: we've been seeing proficiencies, but they apply to more than just skills, they apply to saves, armor, weapons, spells, it really ensures that every one of your abilities are governed by the same numerical rules, and the class makes that clear. Let me know if you have any questions on this.

Spellcasters get spell attack proficiency which affects Spell DCs and others have character DCs that fulfill a very similar role (used for special abilities that might be there).

Class features that are unique to the class. This includes class feats which provide a lot of customisation for the class. A lot of classes (though not all) also get a 'class subtype' type of feature like Druid Orders.

You also get a single attribute boost that's defined by the class, it might be a choice like for Fighter or it might be baked in like for Cleric, or it might be adjusted by a class feature choice.

This is where spellcasting is also introduced in depth though a lot of you experienced spellcasting earlier thanks to ancestry choices!

So here's the new things you get as a list!

Class:
HP:
Class attribute boost (might be a choice):
Proficiencies (some are choices):
Level 1 Class features (Might include a class feat choice or 'subclass' type choices):
Spellcasting details (for spellcasting classes and will include a choice of spells):

So Ho'okepa, Boudoon, Magnus, let's start discussing Class Choices!

Krryst'all, Qwerk, and Neppka, let me know how you're doing with your play and choices. No rush!

Class: Psychic
HP: 17
Class attribute boost (might be a choice): Intelligence
Proficiencies (some are choices): Perception (T), Fort (T), Ref (T), Will (E)
Level 1 Class features (Might include a class feat choice or 'subclass' type choices):

psychic spellcasting
spell repertoire
psi cantrips and psi amps
Unleash Psyche
subconscious mind: Wandering Reverie
conscious mind: The Unbound Step

Spellcasting details (for spellcasting classes and will include a choice of spells):

Cantrips:
Eat Fire
Shield
Light

First Rank:
Force Barrage
Thoughtful Gift (From conscious mind)

Psi Cantrips
Distortion Lens
Phase Bolt
Warp Step

Qwerk: Kobold in progress

Ancestry Kobold- Size Small, Base Speed 25, Attribute Boosts (Dexterity, Charisma, and Free-Let's go with wisdom.) Attribute Flaw (Constitution), Dark Vision, HP 6 (But see Heritage)
Heritage- Dragon Scale -' gain 10 Hit Points from your ancestry instead of 6. You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to saves against dragon breath, effects with the sleep trait, and effects that would make you paralyzed.'
Ancestry Feat- Dragon Presence
Weapons- Club and Sling
Background: Graverobber (Ability boosts chosen Dexertity and Charisma) ( You're trained in the Stealth skill and the Underworld Lore skill. You gain the Experienced Smuggler skill feat.)
So, BEFORE Class choices, abilities are at Str +0, Dex +2, Con -1, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +2

That's before class pick (Which will be sorcerer) and the last round of ability boosts (Need to put one on Con when that happens)

HP before class at 9 (With Heritage Feat and weak con)

EDIT: Hope I got that right? Let me know if I need to do anything else so we can continue

krrystal: Let me know what the base background is and what you want to swap out. It should be fine.

I'm just having trouble finding a combination that fits both the flavor and mechanical direction of the character. The Musical Prodigy was my first choice, as it fits the musical culture I imagine tree frog people would have. The only problem is the skill feat is not useful for my build. Acrobatic Performer would be much better, as I will be leaning all in on that skill. Almost no background gives a skill feat without the matching skill proficiency, but I would be taking Acrobatics as one of my class skill choices.

Proposed alterations to Musical Prodigy background:
Skill Feat – Acrobatic Performer instead of Virtuosic Performer
(If needed) Skill – Acrobatics instead of Performance (Will fill in the gap with class skills)

It's a lot for a Wizard...

Class: Wizard
HP: 15 (+1 Con ancestry)
Class attribute boost: INT
Proficiencies: Arcana
Level 1 Class features: Arcane Thesis (staff nexus); Arcane School (unified theory - add a feat); Unified Theory Feat: Familiar: Raven (named Nevermore); Familiar Ability: Speak (Fey); Master Abilities (from Familiar):Restorative Familiar; Arcane Bond and Drain Bonded Item

Spellcasting details (for spellcasting classes and will include a choice of spells): spellbook contains: (Bold indicates currently prepared)

Cantrips - Caustic Blast, Detect Magic, Ignition, Light, Message, Prestidigitation, Read Aura, Shield, Telekinetic Hand, Telekinetic Projectile

1st Rank - Burning Hands, Color Spray, Grease, Mystic Armor, Summon Animal; Thunderstrike

Focus Spell: Hand of the Apprentice

Staff Nexus allows Magnus to add Light and Mystic Armor to his staff to cast outside of prepared spells.

Class: Champion
HP: 10
Class attribute boost (might be a choice): Strength
Proficiencies (some are choices): Fort (Expert), Ref (Trained), Will (Expert), Perception (Trained), Religion (Trained), Nature is the skill that my deity gives (trading out for Survival), Trained in all armors, Trained in unarmored defense, Trained in class DC, Trained in spell attack and DC.
Level 1 Class features (Might include a class feat choice or 'subclass' type choices): Attribute boosts (Str, Dex, Con, Cha), Deity (Kamohoali'i, aspect of Rowdrosh (Mammoth Lords), Edicts aid your community, protect those you have authority over, treat animals with respect
Anathema abandon your community, neglect those in your care, torment animals, Sanctification Choosing neither, Deific Weapon (staff), Champion's Aura, Cause (Justice, Retributive Strike), Feat (Deity's Domain)
Spellcasting details (for spellcasting classes and will include a choice of spells): Focus Points (2 pt), lay on hands, vibrant thorns

Neppka. Im good with your proposed changes so justblet me know what you end up with.

Neppka. Im good with your proposed changes so justblet me know what you end up with.

I'm confused. What changes are you referring to?

Gah, I meant Krrrystal!

Gah, I meant Krrrystal!

Already sneaking past the GM and blaming it on others. Sneaky Frog, mission complete.

So, I went ahead and made new flavor for the background, but it doesn't have to be used, if you had something planned for Musical Prodigy already.

Background: Nimble Performer (altered Musical Prodigy)
Flavor Text: The most beautiful of sound and motion flows out of all the cracks of the world, echoing in the deepest caverns and winding through the densest forests. You are a vessel for this performance taking it to the wild places and back again, regardless of distance or obstacles. Perhaps you are a bard performing ballads of heroes to far away villages, an tribal musician spreading the songs of your people, or an artist wanting to capture the beauty of the untamed wild through dance. No matter the details, you have tumbled through confrontations and balanced on the edge of death to share your art, and the life of adventure seemed as natural a decision as a nice stretch before starting the day.
Attribute Boosts: Dexterity or Charisma, and the other is a free ability boost (Krrys'tall will take +Dex and +Cha.)
Trained Skill: Acrobatics
Trained Lore Skill: Dance Lore or Music Lore (Krrys'tall will take Music Lore.)
Skill Feat: Acrobatic Performer