[PFS2] Dark Archives Case Files 3-9 (GM Watery Soup)

Game Master Watery Soup

Please discuss the characters you'd like to bring to this series of short adventures, or characters you'd like others to bring. It needn't be the one you posted in Recruitment with.

The parameters for character creation are exactly PFS's parameters. We'll start at Level 6, using either the item or lump-sum methods (do include an accounting of your purchases or item selection).

In between each adventure, I'd like you to take some time to constructively comment on each others' builds: what worked, what didn't work, etc.

Unless there is going to be overlap, this is the character I was planning on (but ultimately I am flexible).

Frozen Frost here. I am planning to play as a devotion phantom summoner for this series of adventures.

Thurgan is all up to date with what I had in mind.

The Orc-blood and his Grumpy bear otherwise good to go...

I'll be playing Garrush, an amulet/tome thaumaturge/guardian for these adventures and see how it works.

Garrush

Psychic (Kiresh by Paledim)
Summoner (Ashen by Frost)
Champion (Thurgan by Shifty)
Thaumaturge (Garrush by Ed)
+
Bard ("Q" by rainzax)

Devotion, Justice, Amulet - that's a full complement of reactions (↺) for our martials. Also, looking at 8 minis w/ Summoner, Beastmaster, Lepidstadt Surgeon - a Bear, Ghost and Zombie. Yikes!

@GM - when are characters "due"? (Asking for a friend)...

I anticipate a late January start date.

This could be interpreted as "today" for example...

=)

I am not sure why I have a hand crossbow as an item for my character, but I did not purchase bolts, so I am removing it from the list, and updated the accounting accordingly:

So ... how do you make an alias for the forum whithout making a PFS character?

Whoops! Didn't see any Updates to this thread and wondered why "no one has posted anything in Discussion. Huh, I guess I'll start...." Okay, I'm here.

@GM: Since we're using "PFS Standard" is it not reasonable that our characters would get a wayfinder for free after 2 adventures?

Also, every PFS character starts with a regional language in addition to their ancestry and INT bonuses, so we should include that, yes?

Lastly will we be collecting Pathfinder Provisions at the start of each scenario or not? Or not since these only award 2 XP so they're more like Quests than full scenarios?

I will stick with Pei Qata, the Palatine Detective Investigator.

So ... how do you make an alias for the forum whithout making a PFS character?

At the top of this page, My Account... Account Settings. Then below Messageboard Settings is a section for Messageboard Aliases.

Seeing an INT psychic and INT investigator (with a defense ties to RKing things), I am reconsidering my Enigma muse. Probably going to go with Maestro for the excellent focus spell, as well as play up the Opera Singer side of him.

=)

- Ed - wrote:

So ... how do you make an alias for the forum whithout making a PFS character?

At the top of this page, My Account... Account Settings. Then below Messageboard Settings is a section for Messageboard Aliases.

Ed - did you find it?

I see an "Ed 363" alias in your profile, but no Garrush.

---

Everyone has posted a character in Gameplay or Discussion, so as soon as Ed's alias is secured, we can start.

Kiresh's rogue'ish skills seem to overlap precisely with Pei's. However, given that we don't have a dedicate rogue this is probably okay.

I don't foresee any overlap with Champion, Summoner, or Thaumaturge except in maybe knowledge skills.

Perhaps we can do a rundown of our lores to make sure they are spread out? Everybody has PFS lore. Kiresh has Academia Lore.

For a Dark Archives run, I think doubling down on Arcana and Occult and other Tradition skills is a good idea.

Working hard to get my char done-done, hopefully by the time Ed responds!

Sorry about that, had been a bit disconnected. Let me see how its done and I'll get everything ready.

Aha! There we go. Neat thing. Now I guess I just post the link to pathbuilder? Or should I upload him elsewhere as well?

Oh! I can make his profile as well.

Live and learn!! Let's get started then, I'll fill in everything else tomorrow once I get back home.

Lores: Pathfinder Society, of course. Underworld Lore from background.

She also has the Investigator class feature Keen Recollection: You can recall pertinent facts on topics that aren’t your specialty. Your proficiency bonus to untrained skill checks to Recall Knowledge is equal to your level instead of +0.

If we find there's too much overlap between the characters, GM has said we can make some adjustments between sessions. So we'll see as we go.

GM,
My gnome will be taking Obsession and hoping to train / retrain Lore before / between missions to something relevant.

If there is at least one day of Downtime between missions, may I select a Lore either based on a loose description of premise or initial documents or GM hints?

Else I will just opt for Dark Archive Lore.

Lmk!

Since this is Adventure Mode, you can freely retrain Lore between the individual parts, and you can select the Lore based on the initial documents.

Ashen Driftborn (Frozen Frost)

I like your use of stars to indicate the proficiency level for saves. I may steal this for my own characters! One thing to be aware of, though, is that at the higher levels, the saves come with (S->CS) conditions. They're often, but I don't know if they're universally, associated with saves going to Master proficiency. How do you intend to mark them at higher levels?

Mechanically, it seems like most of the summoner feats you plan to take are "baked in" to your macros, so I don't expect, for instance, your style of play to change across levels 6-13. Is that pretty accurate?

Garrush (Ed)

Your shield appears to be a steel shield (10 BT) which isn't going to last very long at this level. Do you have enough to buy a sturdy shield?

Kiresh (PaleDim)

I hear that changes are coming to the psychic dedication; I don't know if any of those changes will apply to the psychic. This game will follow whatever rules PFS adopts, so it's possible that you'll have to do a major revision somewhere along the line. I don't own the Remastered Dark Archive sourcebook, but I do have the Unremastered, so I think I have everything, but as always, if I'm missing something, please speak up. Also, it'll be your responsibility to account for cycling your psyche. As you probably know, I usually post the round number with the combat tracker, but on occasion, I do forget to advance the round number.

Pei Qata (Nomadical)

As a note, I do not own the Divine Mysteries sourcebook, so I'm unfamiliar with Palantine Detective. I've given AoN a cursory skim, but if there are things I miss, please don't hesitate to remind me.

To keep things flowing faster, are you okay with me pre-posting spoilers with Recall Knowledge information for Known Weakness, and for Strategic Assessment?

This will require that I post the DC. Part of this is agreeing to no metagame shenanigans.

Quatar Linxax (rainzax)

As a note, I do not own the Rival Academies sourcebook, so I'm unfamiliar with Lepidstadt Surgeon. I've given AoN a cursory skim, and it seems like your feats are mostly around giving you a construct companion. I don't see any special rules for this companion over any other companion, but please let me know if I miss something.

Thurgan / Grump (Nik B.)

I've seen Thurgan before, so I don't have a lot of comments or questions, but is the religious symbol going to be connected to anything from March of the Dead?

Quatar Linxax (rainzax)

As a note, I do not own the Rival Academies sourcebook, so I'm unfamiliar with Lepidstadt Surgeon. I've given AoN a cursory skim, and it seems like your feats are mostly around giving you a construct companion. I don't see any special rules for this companion over any other companion, but please let me know if I miss something.

That is about half of the class. The other half is "Doc brings you back to life" including regaining HPs with successful First Aid so long as Wounded condition is 0. So. Once per fight, max.

Medic dedication, to compare, gives you preventative medicine. Lepidstadt Surgeon, by contrast, gives you reactitive medicine (so, not "as good" because "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"), but plus a construct companion.

Fun fact: Construct Companion has language for "treat Crafting as Medicine checks" with "dying" as replaced with "sparking". This dedication restores Medicine to "act as Crafting to act as Medicine" which is thematically full circle, if obtuse. =)

To Summarize: It's a "thing" not a "creature", so Heal / Stabilize does nothing. It can go down once (per fight), and I think "Q" can also prop him (and other PCs) up once (per fight) using Medicine. Something like that. I will always provide first-source text when these things come up though, as sometimes it's actually going through it that the text finally makes sense (understanding interaction of nested traits, etc).

So, "Q" will sick his companion upon foes, and respond after an ally falls to bring them back, while doing bard stuff in the meantime.

One thing to be aware of, though, is that at the higher levels, the saves come with (S->CS) conditions. They're often, but I don't know if they're universally, associated with saves going to Master proficiency. How do you intend to mark them at higher levels?

I usually note the class feature or skill feat next to saving throws or skills.. I might add (S→CS) as a reminder when a feat or feature works that way, since it’s easier for me to keep track of it.

Mechanically, it seems like most of the summoner feats you plan to take are "baked in" to your macros, so I don't expect, for instance, your style of play to change across levels 6-13. Is that pretty accurate?

Yes, that’s a fair assessment. There shouldn’t be much change across those levels. If something ends up not feeling good in actual play, though, I’d be open to revising the build.

Good point. I just remembered that thaumaturges cannot use shields unless its their implement... which is why I was going to use it in the first place before deciding to go back to amulet because the shield was going to break all the time...

Here's the fixed version. Thanks for noticing!

Garrush (Shield)

Kiresh (PaleDim)

I hear that changes are coming to the psychic dedication; I don't know if any of those changes will apply to the psychic. This game will follow whatever rules PFS adopts, so it's possible that you'll have to do a major revision somewhere along the line. I don't own the Remastered Dark Archive sourcebook, but I do have the Unremastered, so I think I have everything, but as always, if I'm missing something, please speak up. Also, it'll be your responsibility to account for cycling your psyche. As you probably know, I usually post the round number with the combat tracker, but on occasion, I do forget to advance the round number.

If you have the original in pdf, they will be sending out Remastered versions in early Feb. I guess hardcover owners don't get that, which seems kind of unfair.

Pei Qata (Nomadical)

To keep things flowing faster, are you okay with me pre-posting spoilers with Recall Knowledge information for Known Weakness, and for Strategic Assessment?

This will require that I post the DC. Part of this is agreeing to no metagame shenanigans.

Of course.

Kiresh (PaleDim)

I hear that changes are coming to the psychic dedication; I don't know if any of those changes will apply to the psychic. This game will follow whatever rules PFS adopts, so it's possible that you'll have to do a major revision somewhere along the line.

I was expecting this, and I'm prepared to do that remastering. I have another Psychic PFS character I have to do this for (Dark Archive is one of my favorite books :D).

I don't own the Remastered Dark Archive sourcebook, but I do have the Unremastered, so I think I have everything, but as always, if I'm missing something, please speak up.

Once they release the PDF I'll have it in my downloads, and I'll be promptly reviewing the psychic changes.

Also, it'll be your responsibility to account for cycling your psyche. As you probably know, I usually post the round number with the combat tracker, but on occasion, I do forget to advance the round number.

No problem. I'll develop some sort of consistent notation to track the cycling of adding/removing energy, and the energy collected in Kiresh's Entropic Wheel. Then we'll see how these mechanics make it out of the remaster.

Thurgan / Grump (Nik B.)

I've seen Thurgan before, so I don't have a lot of comments or questions, but is the religious symbol going to be connected to anything from March of the Dead?

Thurgan’s hand grips the small holy symbol at his throat, roughly crafted and deep in meaning. Wood pulled from the chapel of Pharasma on Lady’s Hill. Lawric had given it to him when they parted after their work purging the stain of undeath from Fiorna's Faith, no speeches, just a call to purpose and a simple phrase "THIS WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN BY THE LADY".

Thurgan exhales deeply, driving calm into his body to fight off the sense of concern. The halfling had always walked too close to death, trusting fate and Pharasma to see him through. Thurgan wonders who stands between Lawric and the dark now, and the thought leaves him uneasy. Duty lingers, even when the one you guard is gone.

"Halfling?, Where? asks a confused Garrush as he looks around until someone points out Thurgan.

He looks at Thurgan, then his eyes move upwards as he recalls what he knows about halflings and he frowns.

"What did I miss?" he asks to no one as he continues trying to remember if haflings are supposed to look like orcs.

"Wierd mammals..." he finally mutters.

Slides are up and I've started in Gameplay.

Please arrange yourselves in marching order and fill out your Perception and Initiative modifiers on Slide 2.

For those that are unaware, the Dark Archive case files begin rather abruptly - they're meant to be integrated into other, longer adventures, so each adventure begins the same way - you fall asleep, cross the somnambulist's bridge, and wake up somewhere else.

Even though this is not a PFS adventure, I'm willing to honor the GM glyph system - the Hero Points will not reset between adventures, though.

I’m deciding whether to go for a Pearly White Spindle Aeon Stone or keep the Killer’s Belt. What does everyone think? Once I’ve decided between the two, I’ll spend my remaining coins on healing potions.

I have three glyphs to share.

Pearly White Spindle Aeon Stone is standard issue when I can get it on my characters. Auto-recovery between encounter with enough time seems worth it.

3 Glyphs @ Thurgan, Pei, Kiresh

I vote Killer's Belt - always go for theme over same-ol'?

=)

True, if it's thematic do it. Like Arfsnarf's clacky rock or waffle iron.

Khun Pei (well, her alter ego Nomadical anyway) has 2 glyphs to share also.

= 8 glyphs so far...

Sidenote: I see Soothe can be used to heal constructs per "Targets 1 willing creature" according to popular messageboarder agreement. Bookmarking so as not to catch us off-guard? This will certainly come up for "Dr. Q" and Eureko!

With spell selection 99% done, I will put the polish on equipment tonight, and my PC is finished.

=)

Thanks for your ideas. I'll keep the Killer's Belt, then. Then I'll purchase minor healing potion x2, and lesser healing potion x1.

GM "Senses" Meta for Q and Eureko!

Q
Low-light vision and Illusion Sense:

When you come within 10 feet of an illusion that can be disbelieved, the GM rolls a secret check for you to disbelieve it, even if you didn't spend an action to Interact with the illusion.

Eureko!
Precise vision, imprecise hearing, and vague touch senses (all akin to human so far); but no sense of smell or taste.

Essentially, I will be relying on my party for light.

Got my copy of Remastered Dark Archive today. I'll do the character updates this weekend if that's okay.

If possible, I would actually prefer that you wait until the end of this adventure, or when PFS forces everyone to do it, whichever comes first.

1. Because I don't have a copy, it'll take me a while to find one.

2. Sometimes there are rulings or errata that PFS needs to make.

This is fair. I will hold off (but starting reading... DA was one of my favorites :D)

Generally for PFS characters: I asked tonight on the Org Play Discord and got the answer that there *is no rebuild period* for the new books (!!)

What does no rebuild period mean? That it's supposed to be done immediately (like, mid-Scenario if people are playing PbP)? Or that they're not going to force people to update ever?

I think he means when Player Core launched and PFS allowed free rebuilds until a certain date.

Any new text of same-name abilities, feats, spells, become effective errata.

For example, the Psychic Multiclass Dedication no longer grants a unique psi cantrip with the dedication feat alone, instead that got moved to a higher level feat in the Archetype. So, if you PFS Magus dipped into the Psychic Dedication to add one of those unique psi cantrips, the moment PFS sanctions Dark Archives Remastered, you would lose that unique psi cantrip. But, you could still utilize the Retraining rules as normal to Retrain into that new higher-level feat that grants unique psi cantrips.

In short, the forums are going to explode with "PFS hates it's players" hyperbole because they are choosing to close the loop of a couple of exploits via effective errata, without allowing free rebuilds like when Remaster first dropped.

=)

Yeah, actually I may have asked the question wrong. When I said "rebuild", I did just mean applying errata, not "making new choices" about character creation.

Runs off to clarify.

I think the real answer is: Errata Rebuilds (that "rebuild" word sure implies a lot more freedom than I was going for :sweats:)

For example, the Psychic Multiclass Dedication no longer grants a unique psi cantrip with the dedication feat alone, instead that got moved to a higher level feat in the Archetype. So, if you PFS Magus dipped into the Psychic Dedication to add one of those unique psi cantrips, the moment PFS sanctions Dark Archives Remastered, you would lose that unique psi cantrip. But, you could still utilize the Retraining rules as normal to Retrain into that new higher-level feat that grants unique psi cantrips.

Correction, it no longer grants a Focus Point. Still grants one (non-unique) psi cantrip, just not a way to Amp it until later feat selection.

=)

I've asked for clarification in the Lodge thread.

I've asked for clarification in the Lodge thread.

Everyone will play pre-Errata for the remainder of this scenario. We'll level up after this, with a limited rebuild, so it shouldn't be a problem.

I can't open the map from the tinyurl link. It either times out or gives a Privacy Error. Probably just a wifi issue from Bangkok airport

I've clicked the link successfully on an Incognito Mode browser (no logins) so I think it must be on your end.

Is anyone else having the same problem?

Refreshes page several times to be sure. I must've left the post on the preview :/ I had been pretty sure...

The site is wonky. If you ever get a "backtracked too far" page, the last thing you did may or may not have happened.

Or, you left it on preview. That happens to everyone.

Pei Qata wrote:

I can't open the map from the tinyurl link. It either times out or gives a Privacy Error. Probably just a wifi issue from Bangkok airport

I've clicked the link successfully on an Incognito Mode browser (no logins) so I think it must be on your end.

Is anyone else having the same problem?

It's working now. It went to one of those "Verifying you are human" pages, but didn't make me do anything, then went to the slides just fine.

Putting the tracker into a separate post so I can quote it later and save some of the formatting.

Learned this trick under chadius' GMing.

It saves me time and helps me compartmentalize my own GM brain.

=)