Ahpook The Destroyer's page

A reporter is looking to write a follow up article to this article about ninja division in response to the AG letter and other new information.

https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/article79945867.html

They are looking to interview Kickstarter backers and customers who will make on-the-record statements and be asked questions.

The contact info for those interested is:

Audrey Dutton

Reporter/Investigative Coordinator

The Idaho Statesman

(208) 377-6448

adutton@idahostatesman.com

Yeah for crusty old gamers that are lucky they can even use Roll20 it was a nonstarter.

AtD

The problem with these maps is that the edges arent whole squares on most of them. Thus they will never align properly without some jiggery pokery. If one isnt versed in how to trim them with an art program like gimp, it can be very frustrating to get them to work. Thats why I made the tutorial.

AtD

OMG you are my favorite person in the world right now. I can't tell you how annoying this was until I saw your post.

Glad I could help!

Hey everybody! I made a thing!

This is a Tutorial, complete with pictures, on how to format and properly align ALL of the Dead Suns battle maps on your favorite VTT. Many people have expressed difficulty with this, so I thought I would try to help.

Enjoy and if you have any questions, suggestions to make it better, or need help, please feel free to hit me up. Huzzah!

From the Tutorial Introduction:

"My group recently started running Dead Suns on Roll20. My poor GM was having a really hard time of it because he couldn't get the maps to align correctly to the grid. After doing a little digging in forums I discovered that MANY people were having the same issue, and not too many of them knew how to fix it. I realized that my VTT-Fu was fairly strong, strong enough for this task and...voila!

This tutorial (which will expand as the final books in Dead Suns are released) will show you a quick, dirty, and fairly simple method for formatting and aligning these maps. I use Roll20, so that is the VTT environment I am going to be using here. I don't think it will be very difficult to adapt this to other VTTs.

I specifically chose this particular path to formatting, rather than say editing the maps themselves, because it requires no knowledge of graphic design or art programs. All you need is the free adobe acrobat PDF reader, a basic paint program or GIMP, and your favorite VTT."

TUTORIAL

As of now, there are at least 4 different formats for NPC/creature statblocks that have been published in official Starfinder books. 1 in First Contact, 1 in the CRB, 1 in Alien Archive, and one for mobs in the AP. I havent even looked at the standalone modules.
This is making things kind of difficult. There are many reasons, but the main ones affect those of us who play mostly or exclusively on VTT's and other digital mediums.
So my request/question is can we please please standardize the format for statting out creatures? Are there plans to address this? Moving forward and in reprints can you folks please use one single format and streamline things for us? It will make life SO much easier.

Thanks in advance!
AtD

I am curious to know if there are any feats etc that allow someone who is polymorphed or shapechanged to gain the various Ex Su and or Sp abilities of the form assumed. Monster feats? Anything like that?

Thanks so much in advance!
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This looks exciting! I have thought that the Azlanti were the coolest sounding badguys in the setting from day one.
Super pumped about the accelerated production schedule!
Just curious, could we get a level range for each installment? Thanks in advance!

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*chanting*
Living Ships! Living Ships! Living Ships!

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For those of you running games on roll20 I have found an AMAZING api for starship combat.
It places a rotating wheel with a direction indicator arrow on any miniature. You can also upload your own ring/arrow if you dont like their default.
Here is the link for it.

Enjoy!
AtD

The Azlanti are space Nazis. They are the Empie, the Peacekeepers, etc. They see everyone else, even nonazlanti humans as inferior. They have a slave economy, they are powerful both technologically and magically, and are totalitarian. Its all right there in their description in the book.
And yes, their civilization evolved from an orphaned colony of the original Azlanti Empire on Golarian, not the other way around.
That being the case, I see no reason they couldnt still be controlled by groups like the aboleths and their servitors.

AtD

Just fyi, mods have asked us in the past not to put FAQ Request in thread titles. Doing so probably doesn't help your chances of getting an FAQ.

Thanks for the heads up. Is there a way to properly submit something for FAQ?

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Ring of fangs makes it piercing.

What about a human bite with IUS but without the ring?

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Andy Brown wrote:

Looking at the Alien Archive, bites do Piercing, claws do Slashing

And without the ring?

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Sorry, I replied to the wrong person's comment...

Looking at the Alien Archive, bites do Piercing, claws do Slashing

And without the ring?

AtD

Looking at the Alien Archive, bites do Piercing, claws do Slashing

Its true that every race with natural weapons in that book has their damage type identified. Claws all do Slashing or Piercing, Horns do Piercing.

Reptoids
Natural Weapons: Reptoids are always considered to be armed when they are not using their change shape ability. They can deal 1d3 lethal slashing damage with unarmed0 strikes, and the attack does not count as archaic. Reptoids gain a unique weapon specialization with their natural weapons at 3rd level, allowing them to add 1·1/2 their character level to their damage rolls for their natural weapons (instead of adding just their character level. as usual).

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Ahpook The Destroyer wrote:

I guess a similar question is, can a Human with Improved Unarmed Strike bite a person for their IUS damage?

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I would certainly allow it.

Anyone making attacks unarmed, or with natural attacks, should probably have a ring of fangs anyways.

And would you have that monkey bite do Piercing or Bludgeoning damage?

AtD

I guess a similar question is, can a Human with Improved Unarmed Strike bite a person for their IUS damage?

AtD

Ahpook The Destroyer wrote:

There is a disagreement at our table right now about the interpretation of the Vesk's Natural Weapons ability.

One perspective is that, except for being nonarchaic and lethal, they only work as described on the weapons chart for Unarmed Strikes, doing bludgeoning damage only, and only with arms legs and tail. no bite.

Its not really about wanting a character who can bite. We want to know what the official interpretation is on this for rules reasons.

AtD

Of course a Vesk can bite!

A human can bite so done easily enough, so why not a Vesk? They've got all the right body parts for it.

But can he bite as part of his Natural Weapons racial ability? Thoughts?

AtD

There is a disagreement at our table right now about the interpretation of the Vesk's Natural Weapons ability.

One perspective is that, except for being nonarchaic and lethal, they only work as described on the weapons chart for Unarmed Strikes, doing bludgeoning damage only, and only with arms legs and tail. no bite.

The other perspective is that the Vesk natural weapons are three separate kinds of attacks that do different kinds of damage, and that these attacks do include the ability to bite, but are otherwise identical to above.

For Reference:

Unarmed Strike
An unarmed strike can be dealt with any limb or appendage. Unarmed strikes deal nonlethal damage, and the damage from an unarmed strike is considered weapon damage for the purposes of effects that give you a bonus to weapon damage rolls.

Natural Weapons
Vesk are always considered armed. They can deal 1d3 lethal damage with unarmed strikes and the attack doesn’t count as archaic. Vesk gain a unique weapon specialization with their natural weapons at 3rd level, allowing them to add 1–1/2 × their character level to their damage rolls for their natural weapons (instead of just adding their character level, as usual).

Vesk
Though they’ve long since adopted technological weapons, they retain the thick claws and teeth of natural predators and enjoy using them to intimidate “softer” races. In addition, they also have long, powerful tails—while these are primarily used for balance, some vesk martial arts incorporate formidable tail slaps

We are interested in feedback from the community, but it would be REALLY great to get a Developer in here to let us know what their Official Interpretation/Intention is.

AtD

I would like to see the inclusion of Racial Archetypes that players can take to broaden and enhance their racial abilities. It would allow for some of the potentially more powerful races (I am looking at you Grays and Dragonkin) to get their full suite of capabilities and still be balanced.

AtD

A question has come up at our table. Would an antimagic field or dead magic zone effect the flight of an air elemental? They never state what kind of flying it is. I know they effect supernatural and spell like abilities. A dragons flight would work while a bone devils wouldnt.
But what about that elemental?

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You can just choose to use that salvage as the fluff to explain why they get Build Points that level for their ship. There is a reason they dont have rules for salvage or prices for ship upgrades. All that stuff is just automatically included in leveling. Its all handwaved. Its up to you to come up with the fluff that explains it. Favors, deals, salvage, incentives, sponsorship, constant tinkering, whatever. Its all just BP's.

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It is so you can qualify for feats WiTHOUT getting a bonus to the modifier. Then point is that you don't get a bonus to your modifier, you JUST qualify for feats.

But why even do that? Like I said its like putting the cart before the horse. It just seems so random to put a pointless odd numbered limitation in there, only to then give you something JUST to overcome it with no other gameplay value. Especially with the way stats increase.

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I would really like to see a machine, maybe something for your ship, that can break gear back down into UPB's. Since money and UPB's are interchangeable, and literally everything except drugs are made from them, why not just make a device that converts them back? It would make it so a properly outfitted group would never have to worry about going back to town unless they want to.
Just a thought...

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As Owen said, to make it so people can qualify for feats that have 13.

1. I already covered that.

AtD

The plan was never to have it set up to you can have all even ability scores. The +1 from themes is mostly there to make it easier to have a 13 in an ability score you'd otherwise have a 12 in, so you can qualify for feats with a 13 in that ability score (which, obviously, involves a fair amount of future-proofing since we don't have a huge number of such feats yet).

But yes, we had a totally different point buy system in playlets when we did FC, and no part of it survives the final version of the rules in either Core or AA.

I have been going mad wanting to ask you this question:

Thank you.

AtD

I was looking over Maze Cores in AA and had a thought. Could you install maze core weapons into the weapon slots of power armor and have them still function normally?

Only powered or technological equipment can

be built as maze-core devices, and the items must be melee
weapons, small arms, longarms, heavy weapons, computers, or
technological devices.

RAW there doesnt seem to be anything not allowing this...thoughts? Would you allow it? Why or why not?

AtD

I am really enjoying your interpretations of the various races and their abilities. I dont always agree 100% but I always see where you are coming from.
That being said, the explanation of the Trill's abilities re: their past lives is a little vague to me. Can you elaborate on it a bit for me please?

Thanks in advance!

AtD

1. Does the Caster of the Maze spell know when or if the spell ends prematurely(IE target makes their INT check), even if they are no longer present when it does?

2. If the Target is invisible when they return, and the Caster is present, would they know it had ended?

3. Would others present have any indication the spell had ended without the Caster telling them? Especially if the Target came back invisible?

Thanks for your feedback everyone!

AtD

Whats the final level cap for this campaign? Its a bit lower than most of Pathfinder APs right?
Thanks!
AtD

The starting proficiencies are different for each class. Thus, they must be first-level class features.

Yes you get them for each class that you take at least one level in. And then at 3rd level you get specialization in them as well. Just as the book clearly states.

I think you are way off the rails with this question, and its clearly and concisely worded to be interpreted as Gary Bush said.

However, if you want even more proof that you get everything when multiclassing, including proficiencies, then I would draw your attention to the Weapon Specialization ability that every single class gets at 3rd level.

Weapon Specialization (Ex) 3rd Level
You gain Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat for each weapon type this class grants you proficiency with.

Kinda pointless if you dont get those proficiencies. It doesnt say you get these UNLESS you are multiclassing. It says you get Specilization with all the weapons this class GRANTS YOU PROFICIENCY WITH.

Is it clear yet?

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Guess I will take that as a "Nobody else has any idea either."

When crafting, technological items require the use of Engineering.
Magical items require the the use of Mysticism.
Hybrid items require the use of both.

My question is, can two characters, each with only one of the appropriate skills, work on a hybrid item together?

Thoughts?

AtD

The information is contradictory. On the one hand it implies that there are other intelligent species on the other worlds in their home system, but that they were so thoroughly dominated that they renamed their worlds Vesk-1, Vesk-2 etc. On the other hand it sates that they treat all those under their command equally. They are highly lawful...if that leans toward evil as well than that would imply a tendency for slavery.
Just not sure one way or the other.
Thoughts?

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Wait...how do you know what page Haan are on in the Alien Archive??

AtD

PCs can of course react however they like. At most you can tell them that the creature looks harmless. I expect most PCs would at that point focus their attention on that creature, as we all know that anything the GM tells you looks harmless is certainly the most dangerous thing around :)

To reiterate, the situation is that a succubus has set a scene for the heroes.

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You can always get Rhino hide as barding for your mount too. Great for those natural chargers like rhinos.

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Is there a spell or ability that forces a shapechanged individual back into their normal form? I am specifically wondering about the druid's Wildshape ability which cannot simply be dispelled like the various polymorph spells.

Thanks in advance!
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The situation is a Succubus pretending to be a damsel in distress when the PCs walk in on her and her acolytes. They go out of their way to save her from being sacrificed only to have her turn on them once they do.
So yeah I was wondering if they would be flat footed against her first attack.

From the Bluff skill
Feign Harmlessness

It’s often useful to attempt to convince your enemies you are no threat to them.

Check: You attempt to convince your target you are harmless through your actions and posture. If you are at least one size category smaller than your target and have taken no effective offensive actions that your target has seen, you gain a +5 circumstance bonus on this check. Even if you have proven yourself capable of dealing damage, an effort to present your previous success as a one-time fluke takes only a –10 penalty on the check.

Action: Taking steps to appear harmless requires a full-round action, though a GM may require more involved Bluff attempts to take longer.

Retry? You can attempt to feign harmlessness to the same target again, but each previous failed check increases the DC to convince your target by 5. This increase resets after 1 hour has passed.

AtD

If you use the Bluff skill to successfully feign harmlessness, does it make that foe flatfooted against you? They dont see you as a threat, perhaps even want to protect you and put you behind them. Does that mean their defenses are down? Its not explicit in the RAW but it certainly seems that way...
Thoughts?

AtD

You cannot combine the Vital Strike chain with any other kind of attack action. Thats not how it works.

"Benefit: When you use the attack action, you can make one attack at your highest base attack bonus that deals additional damage."

Where you are getting confused is the difference between an attack action and standard action.
A single attack action takes a standard action to do.
Just like casting a spell requires a standard action to do.
Just like picking a lock requires a standard action to do.
Just like Double Strike requires a standard action to do.
See?
They are all the same kind of action.
Its the old logical game, all attack actions are standard actions but not all standard actions are attack actions.
Finally, the mighty strike ability just gives you the first two Vital feats for free, you still have to follow all their rules. The only limit is that apparently you can only do it in melee, not ranged. A pretty good trade since you are getting Improved VS like 3 levels early.

Hope that clears things up!
AtD

My interpretation is that you can hang with your tail any time, but with feat, doing so gives you some unique bonuses.

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You can get an Amulet of Mighty Fists with ghost touch cast on it. Just toss to your summoned critter first round.

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Huh I did not notice that it was a 3rd party creature. The ambiguity makes more sense now.
Its described as an aura, but I found no official explanation for Auras in the SRD oddly.

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I am not quite sure as to when to apply this ability. The version I am using is from the Bleeding Horror creature:

Horrific Appearance (Su)

A living creature within 60 feet that views a bleeding horror must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Strength damage. This damage cannot reduce a victim’s Strength below 0, but anyone reduced to Strength 0 is helpless. Creatures affected by this power or those that successfully save against it cannot be affected again by the same bleeding horror’s horrific appearance for one day.

Do I apply it only the creature's turn? Only on the player's turn? Anytime they the enter the range? If it is only on someone's turn, is it if they start their turn there, end it there, any time they enter but only on their turn? etc...

Right now, it seems from the text that its any time they enter within range, regardless of whose turn it is or when. (assuming they haven't already saved successfully)

Thanks so much in advance!

AtD

Here is the crux of my concern: I think Paizo is being too hesitant when it comes to their support schedule for Starfinder. Having to wait almost 2 months for the Bestiary\Alien archive AND the first adventure path is bad enough, but then new stuff only coming out on a bimonthly schedule makes it that much worse. It makes it so we cant even start when the main book comes out. We have to just sit around for another 6 weeks waiting to start with our engines idling. FRUSTRATING.

I understand, when the idea was new you folks weren't sure that the community would be into the idea of a science fantasy game, you wanted to not impinge on your regular pathfinder line and its schedule etc. But I think you can see that the response has been by and large not only positive, but hugely so. I have even James and others in interviews saying how surprised you guys have been with just how huge the response has been. That should give you an indication of where the market and the fans are.

I think the core philosophy behind this schedule release and even down to the way the books are conceived needs to change. I mean, to put out the main book without a bestiary and without and AP for nearly two months...its just a tease. All three of those books should drop at once.

Also, one book a month wouldn't kill you OR the production line. I know you plan to have the main "setting" and "supplement" books combined with the AP under the same philosophy of fewer books less often, but that's lame too. I have never enjoyed it when gaming companies released books that players could only look at part of. Palladium was always guilty of that. Each book had a "look no further if you are a player" section. Well that's lame, why would I buy it then if I cant read the whole damn book? It seems financially self defeating for you guys too. Separate out that setting info and put out one additional book so we get one new thing a month.

My main concern is that you are going to lose people to this extra slow creeping publication schedule. I am also concerned that you are going to lose money by making it so the books that you are releasing about the setting, most of the audience cant even read half of so making it pointless for them to buy. And then the setting gets discontinued.
And nobody wants that...
Right?

AtD

I (as the DM) have a rule about Leadership; "You may look for a specific type of cohort/followers, but I will create and control them." A player wants an awakened gorilla cohort, but wants to create and control them.

So my questions are;
1- What Effective Cohort Level would you suggest for a 5hd gorilla?
2- Is "You may look for a specific type of cohort/followers, but I will create and control them" clear?
3- Do you think I am unreasonable to enforce my "I will create and control them" rule?
4- Do you think that rule is arguably RAW?
5- Or does the player have a reasonable expectation that they will create and control a cohort from Leadership?

To answer your questions specifically:

1- An awakened gorilla would have a CR of 4 (2HD to start, +2 from awaken). Anything left gets to become class levels of some sort. Remember, level adjustment doesnt exist anymore, its purely based on CR/HD now. So a leadership score of 10 which allows a Cohort with of 7th level, using this example, would allow for 3 class levels for Bongo.
2- Your random house rule is totally clear if unfair, unfun, and neither RAW nor RAI.
3- Yes. Totally and completely unreasonable. Why on earth would you do that to your player? How is it fun for them in any way? This is a game meant to be fun and you are taking their hard earned fun away from them. Boo on you.
4- As said above, it is neither RAW nor RAI in even the slightest. It makes me wonder why would you do it in the first place. Do you simply not trust your players?
5- Based on the RAW and the RAI the player would have more than a reasonable expectation, they would have an absolute iron clad expectation that they would run that cohort. Thats whats fun about having a cohort in the first place!

Hope this clears things up for you...

AtD