[ACO] GM Tiger's Shadows at Sundown (P2)

Game Master UncleFroggy

Feel free to discuss PC builds

I would be interested to join this. I can fill whatever the rest would take .

What does ACO stand for?

Oh boy! Level 11!

I get to dig up and level up my Sprite (Ardande) Wood Kineticist from a Seasons of Ghost campaign that didn't get far.

Expressing my interest again and to confirm my place in this adventure.

Just to confirm, by "don't go overboard", would Uncommon options such as classes, ancestries, heritages, spells and archetypes be OK?

What does ACO stand for?

My initials :)

"Something has spilled forth from the last decade? The gods of light and darkness conspire to both illuminate and enshroud whatever secrets pry against the will of their whisperers to self-release" Veracruz reads aloud to himself as he writes his manuscript in sharp quill pen "And so, armed with the..." he crosses that part out, starts again "So it is that we have come here - The Palatine Eye cannot avert it's gaze!"

Applying with an Palatine Detective Investigator with undecided Free Archetype. If accepted, I will flesh this L2 to L11 and choose a complimentary archetype to fill a party niche.

Expressing my interest again and to confirm my place in this adventure.

Just to confirm, by "don't go overboard", would Uncommon options such as classes, ancestries, heritages, spells and archetypes be OK?

I would allow uncommon. Rare - unless you have a boon that will allow it, you're gonna need to come up with an interesting story how you got it :)

Room for one more in here? I'd love to play a mid-high level adventure.

Same, starting at 11 seems quite interesting. I'm happy to role fill, including healer.

oh my... how do we decide the last seat?

MoFiddy
Sashaa
Rainzax
Chester Copperpot

I'm not running 2 tables... :)

As one of those with a (hopefully confirmed) seat, I'll put down my choice. I'd like to bring in a Dex/Int Toxicologist Alchemist with the Rogue Dedication. Never played one before and with the buffs, I'm hoping its fun. Starting at high levels means I get to have fun with the good poisons and alchemical items instead of the terrible low level ones.

She'll handle Crafting, Korvosa Lore, Stealth, Thievery, Religion and Acrobatics.
I have all the Feats planned out. Item and formula selection will take a while, so stay tuned.

Edit:
To choose the last slot, what if all the existing players PM'ed you their choices and you could cast the tiebreaker vote?

Mo posted first,
Rainzax is a better player,
And Matt is a past RPG Superstar

I'm going to withdraw my bid. I'm beat on multiple fronts.

MoFiddy wrote:

What does ACO stand for?

My initials :)

Ahhh..ok.

Is this for Pathfinder Society or just a regular PF2 adventure? If it's the latter, then I'm in!

The ones with a confirmed seat:

Thaumascourge
Farol
Chadius
Nomadical
Enchanter Tim

I didn't expect so much interest. It's flattering (and extremely humbling) to see.

So with Saashaa out, it's down to MoFiddy, Rainzax and Matt.

We could go with the suggestion that you can PM me your vote and I'll decide. If there's a further tiebreak, the dice god can do it.

Or -- why not the last 3 build a PC and let the rest of the group decide! :)

GM Tiger wrote:

MoFiddy wrote:

What does ACO stand for?

My initials :)

Ahhh..ok.

Is this for Pathfinder Society or just a regular PF2 adventure? If it's the latter, then I'm in!

PF2 -- the character doesn't need to be PFS legal but you can apply the credit to a PFS-legal PC.

12 XP
30 Treasure Bundles
24d downtime

I will allow GM Glyphs for extra hero points.

I will allow 1 PFS Provision per chapter.

Are we doing Free Archetype? I'm fine with or without.

Petal (or Sakura, she doesn't care) is a Wood Kineticist. She focuses on support, mostly by creating large patches of roots to punish foes for getting close, and for healing her friends.

If Ardande Sprite is no good, or we have enough healing, I have a Leshy Monk who was in a different adventure path I can bring back.

Free archtype is available. Don't need to use it if you don't want to...

I would greatly prefer free Archetype. If Petal has Healing and condition removal covered, I can focus on spamming as many poisons as (in)humanly possible.

Like most Alchemists, I should be pretty good at switch hitting. My damage might be alright? It's hard to tell with Alchemists. I'll try to keep it to a minimum, but there will be splash damage flying around. A Backfire Mantle helps - I've already purchased one.

Would there still be a chance to apply or would the selection just be between those who already expressed interest? If that's not the case I'd also be interested; I had played like a couple of scenes of this before the GM ghosted us, so being able to actually do the whole thing would be great. I did have an investigator for it, but since I believe there's already one I'd just make another character.

Looks like Veracruz is in the dance off!

As for Investigator feats, I was thinking:

Investigator
1: Eliminate Red Herrings
2: Palatine Detective Dedication
4: Esoteric Spellcasting (Occult)
6: Esoteric Spellcasting (Divine)
8: Challenge Insight
10: Open the Blazing Eye

And for Archetype, since proficient in both "spirit" essence magicks:

Free Archetype (Exorcist)
4: Exorcist Dedication
6: Spirit's Absolution
8: Spiritual Sense
10: Blind-Fight

Looks like you have a wood kineticist and poisoner alchemist, any one with a seat have a character type preference?

I was going to edit but it seems that's only available for a brief moment after posting. Did not know that.

At any rate, if consideration is still open, I wanted to at least throw an idea out. I only know a couple of the existing party member's compositions, so I couldn't plan to not step on anyone, but at the moment I'd be considering primarily an Imperial Bloodline sorcerer for arcana, RK, and potentially facing if we lack it. Archetype in the air for the moment, so I can use it to fill any gaps that might be missing one the party is together.

I was going to edit but it seems that's only available for a brief moment after posting. Did not know that.

At any rate, if consideration is still open, I wanted to at least throw an idea out. I only know a couple of the existing party member's compositions, so I couldn't plan to not step on anyone, but at the moment I'd be considering primarily an Imperial Bloodline sorcerer for arcana, RK, and potentially facing if we lack it. Archetype in the air for the moment, so I can use it to fill any gaps that might be missing one the party is together.

Well, while recruitment isn't technically closed you can take your chances -- come up with a build and see if you get chosen (or see if you can win the game of musical chairs) :)

Wow, I'm glad I hopped in early.

Wood Kineticist, Investigator (FWIW, I love my Palatine Detective), and Alchemist.

I was thinking something martial, maybe a Vindicator Ranger? I've never played a ranger and Vindicator seems thematic. I'm open to suggestions tho, and we could maybe use a Face.

Sorry, really long day and I'm exhausted.

That said, of course I have some character thoughts, but I will not claim any of them to be final.

I wouldn't mind leaning into the ghost aspect of the adventure some. That screams Thaumaturge to me. That would solve the face role and give us a meleer. Maybe with the amulet?

For FA, I could do something fun like a thilpit contestant, claw dancer, or mindsmith. Ghost eater sounds cool, but they don't actually eat ghosts?

GM, is this really a ghost adventure or is that just the initial hook?

Edit: Or a divine bloodrager?

btw, I have never played Curse of the Crimson Throne (of which this is a quasi-sequel). All I have to go on is the available text of the book.

it's not a ghost adventure.

If it's not a ghost adventure, then how about a swashbuckler staff fighter, FA staff acrobat. Need to get the whipstaff ok'ed for staff acrobat but that seems reasonable for any non-pfs game.

Been wanting to play a simple staff fighter that can beat the snot out of swordsman. Hellknights (maybe?) would do.

Alright, in that case to have a more fleshed out build I've decided on the following. By focusing instead on RK I've changed up from a sorcerer arcane caster to a wizard, with a cleric dip for a pseudo mystic theurge. Depending on whether the group has a dedicated healer I can use those slots for healing/condition recovery plus nab a staff of healing. Otherwise some utility from the divine list. I've also dipped loremaster to help with RK.

Loose concept is a Kitsune wizard that was booted from their academy for constantly sneaking into the forbidden section of their library 'In the pursuit of knowledge and the advancement of magical sciences!'

She follows the School of Unified Magical Theory, and Either spell substitution or Staff nexus depending on if I'll carry a Staff of Healing as primary healer.

Ancestry Feats
Honestly mostly fluff and flavor

-Shapechanger's Intuition- Useful to figure out if your classmate is secretly a new breed of shapechanger

-Myriad Forms- Easier to sneak around when one assumes you only have one transformation

-Vulpine Scamper- Used to running around as a fox

Wizard Feats

-Counterspell- Hopefully usable, will plan to grab clever counterspell at 12 since iirc the adventure is 11-13

-Widen Spell- If there happen to be big groups, ally positioning permitting

-Nonlethal Spell- Because you can't interrogate someone for their magical secrets if they're ash

-Reach Spell- When they're a stride away, and that stride happens to have a raging barbarian engaged in a violent duel halfway through

-Knowledge is Power- Thematic, but also a way for her to info dump about enemies to give the party a bonus

-Quickened Casting- Self explanatory I think. Alternatively; SPEED.

Like I said, Archetypes leaned into a cleric dip for mystic theurgy. Primarily because I didn't like all the feats in loremaster and also because thematically exploring another spell tradition fit with the character, and being able to step in as healer if needed would be useful.

Standard Archetype feats

-Cleric dedication

-Basic Spellcasting

-Domain Initiate- As a follower of Nethys, Knowledge Domain is her pick, all the better to succeed at RK

-Divine Breadth

From here, a Level 10 dip into Loremaster for its lore feature. I've left level 12 open between another cleric slot or assured lore depending on how things go.

Skill Feats
A blend of flavor and utility-

-(Background) Dubious Knowledge- Reading every book means also reading the hogwash and needing to filter that out later.

-Trick Magic Item- Having access to the divine list isn't enough for this kitsune; wands and scrolls for useful primal/occult spells are now on the table.

-Schooled in Secrets- Cults also possess valuable information, and so do secret societies. For someone a bit lacking in social graces, reading up on their known habits will hopefully suffice.

-Recognize Spell- Prereq for Clever counterspell, and also thematic

-Quick recognition- Traded a general feat to fit it, same reasoning for Recognize spell

-Orthographic Memory- I have pretty much all the decipher knowledge skills at about the same level, so I'm like half sure this isn't particularly useful, but just in case.

-Cognitive Crossover- When you only have 2 uses of scholarly recollection, this is almost as good for a backup; using Loremaster Lore and Arcana.

General Feats

-Toughness- To make up for being so squishy

-Sacrificed one for Quick Recognition

-Thorough Search- It pays to be meticulous when searching for forbidden texts

In terms of spells, I don't have the exact list written out, since I'd like to work around the party and fill as needed. Ideally it's utility and less direct damage, i.e stuff like illusion spells, grease, revealing light, haste, etc. As mentioned, divine spells can be more niche utility or healer oriented as needed

I'm unused to forum formats, so I'm not super sure how to format a link into the name of a given feat, else I would've hyperlinked everything. Would just using the URL brackets change it up automatically?

So just to compile everything into one post:

Confirmed members and their builds
Thaumascourge - Dex/Int switch hitter Toxicologist with Rogue dedication, covering Stealth, Thievery, Religion, Crafting and Korvosa Lore.
Farol - Monk or Barbarian
Chadius - Sprite Wood Kineticist, healing and area denial
Nomadical - Vindicator Ranger or Face?
Enchanter Tim - Swashbuckler staff fighter, FA staff acrobat

Applying players and their builds:
Rainzax - Palatine Detective Investigator with the Exorcist FA
Horsetornado - Kitsune Wizard with Nethysian Cleric FA, Sorcerer?
Matt - TBD
Mofiddy- TBD

Looking at our builds now, we should have a good number of front liners. If any of you are worried about not having flanking, I'll take Gang up next level.

Between my Alchemist and the Wood Kineticst we should have healing and Condition Removal covered, especially if the Wood Kineticist takes Dash of Herbs and Timber Sentinel. If she takes Ravel of Thorns/Drifting Pollen, I really hope she has Safe Elements. I can see some very cool synergy between your AOE of damaging roots and my poison that forces enemies to treat all terrain as difficult terrain.

Damage would be covered by a Monk or Barbarian and an well built Vindicator Ranger. The Swashbuckler Staff Acrobat might give the GM an aneurysm by keeping everything permanently Tripped/Grappled. (Remember that you can give yourself the ability to Grab things with a tail for the low low price of a 7th level item). If the Swashbuckler is our Face, I look forward to permanently Frightened enemies or +2 Circumstance bonuses from Aids.

Right now we could use some Casting to cover everything that the Alchemist and Kineticist can't cover, which are going to be Will saves, probably Reflex saves and Int skills. Elemental damage should be fine as I can chuck Elemental bombs to proc weaknesses. We'd need a Face unless the Swashbuckler was going to be the Face. Not going to comment on the proposed builds until they're all posted but I do find them to be competently built.

I've nearly finished building my Alchemist with the assumption that Uncommon items (like the Retrieval belt and some uncommon Alchemical consumables) are available. If that changes, please let me know and Ill adjust my build.

Sorry to keep y'all waiting. If we do have a Swash/Face then I'll stick with my Vindicator Ranger. Planning a Minotaur (and I'll even apply the chronicle to my existing Minotaur character) with a returning spear for his natural Reach and short Ranged attacks especially with the level 8 Silence the Profane feat. (Oh wait, that feat is "PFS Limited," meaning it needs a boon. Anyone know if there's actually a boon to allow it? Would GM allow it anyway? Cause, damn, that was kind of the basis of the build.)

Not sure what Free Archetype to take yet, as I'm just getting started on the build.

If no Swash/Face, and we have enough melee/martial, then I can do a Bard to cover casting versus Will saves as pointed out and backup healing.

I don't think we're running on PFS limitations here since we're playing on Adventure mode.

The main issue with Vindicator Ranger is having enough Str/Dex to reliably hit while also ensuring that your Wis is high enough to actually spellcast effectively. Your effectiveness is also heavily tied to your deity's domain Focus Spells and whether or not you took the good Vindicator and Ranger Focus spells. If you took a spear, you'll need to follow a deity that has the spear as the favoured weapon in order for Silence the Profane to work.

https://2e.aonprd.com/Weapons.aspx?ID=365

Your action economy would also be heavily constrained between Hunt Prey and Vindicator's Mark but as a Ranger player you're probably already used to that.

I didn't expect so much interest. It's flattering (and extremely humbling) to see.

well, demand is high. If you keep this recruitment open for a week or two, you would be spoiled for choice.

Myself, I was looking for a new game to join for a while now, only to be afk yesterday - and missed opportunity, I guess.

If the running is still open, I'd like to play a ranged gish, either based on a Magus or the Eldritch Archer. Something with Int, a Bow and some spells. Maybe there's some Witch in there? A dark patron is always good for RP and for the GM to give the player a nudge

No PFS Limitations -- just don't go overboard...

Ellioti you can throw your name into the hat but understand there's 5 of you circling the lone chair in this game of musical chairs...

Swashbuckler won't be the face. Not enough CHA points and skill points most likely.

That was when I was thinking Thaumaturge previously. So it would be good to have someone with good social skills.

I'm already excited for this actually... Chapter 1 will go fast

I'll post something today that can face, backline, and cover some spellcasting. Leaning bard or oracle, but I need to think about my character concept a bit--I was thinking of being a retired janitor from the Acadamae :P

Thanks for the excellent summary, Thaumascourge.

I don't think we're running on PFS limitations here since we're playing on Adventure mode.

The main issue with Vindicator Ranger is having enough Str/Dex to reliably hit while also ensuring that your Wis is high enough to actually spellcast effectively. Your effectiveness is also heavily tied to your deity's domain Focus Spells and whether or not you took the good Vindicator and Ranger Focus spells. If you took a spear, you'll need to follow a deity that has the spear as the favoured weapon in order for Silence the Profane to work.

https://2e.aonprd.com/Weapons.aspx?ID=365

Your action economy would also be heavily constrained between Hunt Prey and Vindicator's Mark but as a Ranger player you're probably already used to that.

Having messed around with Vindicator a bit, it's also very helpful if you can get divine lance from ancestry or archetype, for when you are hunting prey, but don't have your focus spell available. Should be really viable by 11th; it's a bit of a tough road to play from 1st, but ranger is such a good chassis that its workable.

there's 5 of you circling the lone chair in this game of musical chairs...

Bah! I'm interested, but there's no way I can get a character made in time to not be annoyingly late.

I'll still work on one (I should probably just have more characters ready to go in general), but if I'm going to expect it wouldn't have it ready for another 48 hours, so if you need to make the choice, make it without me.

sigh... let me free up bandwidth for a second table. once one is under way, the second should be easy... :)

I'm totally blown away by the interest, especially with the people who I play with (and who have to put up with me!) :)

I am also humbled by the interest.

If there is a perspective other table I'll throw my hat back in, if that is alright.

I submit a (Shoanti) Human (Suli) Sorcerer that attended the Magaambyan academy and has since come home to Korvosa. His magic focuses on his elemental heritage.

Sorcerer, fire elemental bloodline
Oracle dedication (storms)
Magaambyan Attendant dedication
Halcyon Speaker Dedication
Rogue dedication (via Multitalented)

Damage focused with some ability to tank damage.

Well dang, I just noticed this today and Tiger already has enough interest he is considering a second table! I'll throw my hat in for that, if there's room (Ill submit a basic character idea later just in case). If not, (I see lots signed up already) then congratulations to all and happy gaming.

Took me a bit to bang this together, but here's my (Matt's) potential character:

Gund Glasshome was a janitor at the Acadamae until he was forced into retirement. You wouldn't believe the things he's had to clean out from the wizards' cellars.

Highlights
-Face, Skills, and Backline, plus buffs and a few spells.

Lantern Implement:
-Gives him trapspotting+, makes invisible creatures concealed, give bonus on perception and recall knowledge, and can negate concealment.

Regalia Implement (giant ring of keys):
-Bonuses to Diplomacy/Deception/Intimidation, benefits from Follow the Expert (and I'm trained in every skill, so you can follow the expert on anything), Aura: +1 vs mental effects, +2 damage rolls, lessens frightened.

Share Vulnerability: One ally can get my Exploit Vulnerability benefits
Breeched Defenses: Can bypass resistances instead of triggering weaknesses.

Rallying Anthem. (Which should help with the semi-squishiness of our frontline.

And he can ask animals for favors. He likes rats!

I'm out.

Sorry, but something has come up, and I'm going to have to drop. There's one more seat for those waiting.

Well, if there's 12 of you now, we can close recruitment since there will be enough for 2 tables. Bear in mind that Table 2 won't start immediately as I still need to clear up some bandwidth for it.

T1

Enchanter Tim
Thaumascourge
Chadius
Farol
- 2 others - (take a vote when the builds come out)

T2

- whomever is left! -

Well, if you are going to do two tables, here's Drallin Battlehungry.

He's a dwarf champion. Healer and kicker of asses. He's a frontline tank, fast for a dwarf.

If I end up in the same table with Gund, maybe we could be cousins or clan-mates. I think we'd work well together and we have some of the same ancestry feats.

Well, if there's 12 of you now, we can close recruitment since there will be enough for 2 tables. Bear in mind that Table 2 won't start immediately as I still need to clear up some bandwidth for it.

T1

Enchanter Tim
Thaumascourge
Chadius
Farol
- 2 others - (take a vote when the builds come out)

T2

- whomever is left! -

You forgot about Nomadical in table 1, GM.

Edit: he backed out.

Right now the table 1 layout the way I see it looks like:
Thaumascourge - Str/Int Toxicologist with Guardian and Inventor dedications, covering Athletics, Arcana or Occultism (not fully committed to either), Religion, Crafting and Korvosa Lore.
Farol - Dex Monk taking Thievery to master (unless we have skill monkey covering it), + acrobatics on master. For other skills they are trained in Nature + Survival.
Chadius - Sprite Wood Kineticist, healing and area denial
Enchanter Tim - Swashbuckler staff fighter, FA staff acrobat, not a Face.

Right now we've got 2 dex martials, 1 pseudo caster and healer with AOE? (Kineticists usually take 1 AOE) and the Str Toxicologist with theoretically good striking potential with poisons and Alchemical healing/Condition Removal. We almost certainly need a Face and a spellcaster that can hit Will saves, and with my lack of bomb throwing someone that can hit elemental weaknesses.

GM Tiger wrote:

Well, if there's 12 of you now, we can close recruitment since there will be enough for 2 tables. Bear in mind that Table 2 won't start immediately as I still need to clear up some bandwidth for it.

T1

Enchanter Tim
Thaumascourge
Chadius
Farol
- 2 others - (take a vote when the builds come out)

T2

- whomever is left! -

You forgot about Nomadical in table 1, GM.

he backed out.

Hello? Am i To Late? Im From Malaysia, This Is My First Time Playing it, Though i never Played Real Pathfinder 2e Games, Even I don't Play Ttrpg Games So Im Newbie.

Here Are My Character, If Viable Via Rules:

Lvl 1
Ancestry: Human (Versatile Human (and i pick Incredible Initiative))
Background: Scholar (Arcana)
Class: Fighter
Ancestry Feat: Unconventional Weaponry (and pick Falcata)
Class Feat: Snagging Strike

My Character's Concept is Kinda Like Magus, In Fact Im Fully Gonna Use Magus Dedication and Pick Spellstrike Later levels (maybe lvl 4) and maybe Pick Magus Spellcasting Feats at later levels, im Using Fighter because Fighter Good at Any Weapon And Falcata is Advance Weapon and im Pick UW Just Because of Fatal d12 So if i Critical Hit -> 3d12 + 6d6 Damages From 3d6 Gouging Claw (Auto-Heightened Rank 2) = Chef Kiss.

Am my character Build Ok or Not Good?

(Sorry for Poor Grammars, i think i have -1 Cha on myself lol)