Hello! I’m planning to run Kingmaker 2e in a pbem (play by email) format, and I’m going to need one new player, but with a possible need for one or two more, depending on my existing players’ availability. I’m looking for friendly, well-adjusted, and creative writers-who-are-gamers who haven’t played Kingmaker in any shape or form before (though I’ll make an exception if your character really wows me).
Here are the major points to consider:
- The game is NOT on the forums, it is pbem (play by email) based out of groups.io (where we also handle things like combat maps – we don’t use Roll20). You will need to sign up with your chosen gaming email; it is free. They will not spam you or sell your address. (Link sent on selection)
- We roll dice on a Discord server. You will need a Discord account; it is free. (Link sent on selection)
- Like any online game, you need to be prepared to play this game for years. Because of this, it’s also important that you fit into our gaming group well. We’ll judge this based on your written description and background, so make it count!
- Posting rate is relaxed – we all have jobs and are busy people. But if you can’t post at least once or twice a week, please don’t apply.
- We use a Word doc for a character sheet. It’s standardized and detailed copypasta, but a huge help to me (the GM); I make notes and look up rules for easy access on it. Please do not apply if you’re just going to throw a Pathbuilder or Herolab pdf at me. (If you want one of those for your own use, go nuts, but please send me the filled-out Word doc if you’re selected.)
Here’s what I’m looking for:
- You haven’t played Kingmaker 1e, 2e or the Owlcat game before. (Preference)
- You enjoy writing descriptive stories (avoiding the dreaded one-line reply), and are not opposed to using punctuation. (Mandatory)
- You won't ghost us.
Here’s the most basic breakdown for creating your character application:
- Don’t make a whole sheet – all we need is a concept (including intended class/ancestry), a description, and a background – not just a mechanical background (though that’s also cool), but an actual descriptive background of your character’s life. Basically, mostly fluff, very little crunch.
- PF2 Level 1
- World: Golarion. Nation: Brevoy (to begin with)
- Some 3pp may be possible, judged on a case-by-case basis.
- No evil characters (yes, I’m using alignments), heroes only
- You must have a reason to be in Brevoy at the start of the game, and you must have a reason to join and stay with the party. We’re talking internal motivation, here. I recommend looking at the Kingmaker’s Player’s Guide – the more connected to the story, the better. (There’s of course leeway to make connections with the existing characters if your character is selected.)
The full character generation rules are on the support site I built for the game, which I’ll send you the link to if you’re selected.
The current party makeup consists of:
- Human barbarian (Brevic Outcast)
- Human ranger (scout)
- (ancestry unknown) (celestial) sorceror
Possibly also (depending on availability):
- Half-elf witch (fervor patron, Borderlands Pioneer)
- Half-orc swashbuckler (bard)
About me:
I’ve been gaming since the late 80s (Chiefly DnD 2e/3.5e/Pathfinder 1e, some CoC, V:tM, GURPS), and running pbems since 2003. I’m a longtime PF1 GM, but PF2 is new to me (and most of my current players), so be kind! I live in Europe, so my time zone probably won’t sync with yours – if I don’t reply to a PM quickly, that’s why.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
I hope to make a selection within a week, or two at the most.
I'm planning to run a pbem in Eberron, using the PF1e rules, some of these conversions, and some house rules. I have a character generation rules page I can link you to in a PM if you're interested, as well as a Discord chat about it, if you're chosen. The game will be run out of groups.io, and an account there is free. You can add your character picture to your handle there. I'll also post your chosen character picture on the cast page of our support site, along with a few details of who they are for the other players.
I'm looking for 2-3 more players. The other players currently include:
- a sylph wandslinger (a houseruled swashbuckler archetype)
- a human (d'Cannith) artificer
- an aasimar "halfling" sorceror
- possibly a warforged brawler (might not join)
We'll be starting in Sharn. So far, everyone in the party has been a member of the Keen Company, under Garson Keen, who died on the Day of Mourning, getting his company out of Cyre. They escaped with the fog right on their heels.
Now, two years after the war has ended, they've received a letter... from Garson Keen. He has invited them to Sharn to help solve the mystery of what really happened on the Day of Mourning?
I'm looking for people who enjoy writing more than one-line replies. If you have a cool concept, a great backstory, a love of writing, and team spirit, this game is for you!
I'm not posting the character generation rules here, because at this point I'd mainly like to get a feel for your writing style and concepts. If you absolutely need a framework to start with, start with a 15-point ability buy (this has the potential to be altered later, according to my house rules), no evil alignments, and know that 3pp isn't out of the question if it's in my library or on d20pfsrd.
I'll let this recruitment run on several forums until I get the desired number of players - it's definitely NOT "first come, first served," but the sooner you reply, the better. I'll try to answer any questions you may have quickly, but I do work days and can usually only reply on my lunch break or in the evenings.
I'm at GMT+1, and expect you to post at least once during the week (and you're very welcome to post more often!); I make wrapup posts as quickly as possible, but usually once a week on weekends, to allow those of us who are busy a chance to respond.
I'm thinking of running an Eberron campaign, beginning with The Forgotten Forge. I would use PF 1e rules, and the conversions found here.
What I'm thinking of doing:
I'm not looking for applications yet, but I know I find it easier to come up with concepts if I know what rules are in use, so here you go:
I would tentatively allow 3pp, subject to review. Monster building as well, assuming an appropriate background for it, also subject to review, and restricted to a maximum of 14 RP.
I wouldn't use all the races available at the linked conversion site, just the standard Eberron core: all the core races + goblins (including hobgoblins and bugbears, I have already built those races for use), changelings, Kalashtar, shifters, and warforged.
We would use Hero Points and background skills (but without Artistry and Lore), and two traits, no drawbacks. I would accept any non-evil alignment (though as a warning, I use some definitions of the alignments that draw a clear line between "chaotic" and "evil"). I expect to play with heroes, not thugs.
We would probably start with average gold to buy equipment with, assuming most of the players chose a 20 or 25 point buy.
The game would begin in Sharn, and I would expect the party to already have links to each other in their backgrounds, and a reason to be together as the game began. I'm thinking of running it as a pbem rather than a pbp, just because I like the format better, and also I've never run a game on the boards before (though I've run plenty of pbems). I would put up a campaign site with things like house rules, setting details, a cast page with pictures of the party members, and a collected archive of posts so that you could read them like a book, instead of trawling through hundreds of posts to follow the game.
Would anyone be interested in such a game? If so, what would your character concept (not crunch) be?
In the steaming jungles of Chult, on the wild and rocky coast where pirates prey on the unlucky - even in the very heart of the tropical city of Tashluta, where the air is redolent with exotic spices and the streets are packed with exotic peoples; everywhere in the sweltering heat, something wicked grows in the hearts of humanity. A tide rises, and all the world will be washed away before it... unless some brave souls were to take a stand against it.
To beat back the savage tide.
I'm starting a Savage Tide Pathfinder campaign set in the Forgotten Realms near Chult, with 3pp considered if it's in my library or on d20pfsrd... though, with certain caveats (for example, I restrict psionics to a custom race, the thri-kreen, for flavor reasons). We'll also be testing some of the alternate rules, like armor as DR and the vigor/wound rules. Posting rate will be 3-4 times weekly, should daily be too strenuous a schedule to keep, but I expect more than a one-line response. The characters begin the game in Tashluta, capital of the Tashalar, in the middle of the Chultan peninsula, on the 1st of Mirtul, 1375 DR. It's 15-20 point buy (explained on the support site), min.7 after racial mods, max.18 before racial mods. The catch is that it will be a pbem based out of Yahoo Groups, rather than a pbp. Here's the support site, which shows the rules we'll be using and the four characters already chosen.
I'm looking for two more players. Would anyone be interested?
The wind howled down from the crags like wolves, ravenous and sharp-toothed, stirring the deep mist between the trees, and in the valley below, the villagers shuddered. "An ill wind," the whispers said. What foul tidings blew down from high above, where Castle Ravenloft perched upon the mountain, ominous and dark? No one in Barovia had to ask.
The devil Strahd stirred.
I'm running Curse of Strahd in 5e as a PBEM (NOT PBP) based out of Yahoo Groups, and we're still early in the mod. I'm looking for a replacement player, as we're down to 3. Ex-PCs can be taken over, or a new PC can have been lured from the Forgotten Realms into Barovia by the Vistani. (We had a Vistani PC once, but I think it would be best to stay away from that in the future.)
The ex-PCs are:
Ascal Weaver, human wizard 3
Grey Jatan, tiefling monk 3
Dante Hatalithil, half-elf paladin of devotion (Torm) 3
If you do pick an ex-PC to take over, you'll need to familiarize yourself with their personality; other changes that don't dramatically alter the character are acceptable.
The current PCs are:
Perdita Imogen, half-elf rogue 1 paladin (Lathander) 2
Brother Attero Dominatus, human cleric of war (Torm) 3
Lissa, human barbarian 1 druid 2
Fair warning: My work has ramped up, so this isn't currently a fast game, but it chugs along. The party is currently in the town of Vallaki.
House rules:
- We use standard 5e point buy for abilities.
- PHB/Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide races/classes only, no 3pp. Note: No options that grant flight.
- Since we won't be on a board with a dice roller, either I handle the dice rolls in the background, or you can roll on our Paizo thread.
- No evil alignments. Also no evil alignments masquerading as other alignments. I prefer to work with heroes.
I'll let the recruitment run for a few weeks, since it seems hard to get people interested in non-pbp games.
I'm running a group in a few hours, and one of the monsters (a greater barghest) has the Change Shape special quality. I don't see anywhere what type it is (Su, Sp or Ex), so I'm assuming Sp for now (even though it isn't listed under the monster's other spell-like abilities), but is that right? I want to know for the purpose of determining if using it provokes an AOO. Is there some other rule that covers special qualities that I haven't found?
(I'm also assuming it takes the same time as the spell it mimics, though I'm not sure if that's right.)
I'm planning to run The Sunless Citadel, The Forge of Fury, and Red Hand of Doom (converted to Pathfinder) as a campaign, all set in the Shaar of the Forgotten Realms, 1279 DR. The game will be a PBEM (NOT PBP) based out of Yahoo Groups, with a support website for things like character portraits and a collected archive of the story.
What I'm looking for:
- Players with a strong grasp of writing, as I collect all the posts into a story for everyone.
- Dependability. If you can't show up to post regularly, please don't apply.
- Players who are "engines" - they keep the game running by always pushing forward with actionable posts.
- Character concepts, NOT builds. Just a race, class, description and background (no more than 5 paragraphs, please). (The quality of the writing will be what sells your character, so don't sell it short!)
- 3-5 players. I have one spot reserved for an old player (an elf magus). I'm looking to keep the party size to 6 players.
What I'm offering:
- A RP-heavy game.
- Dedication. I've never given up on a game yet, and I don't plan to.
- 3pp allowed, pending review. No custom races beyond these offerings: Loxo, thri-kreen, wemics, and zebra-centaurs (see below). Note that some options will be reserved for certain races for flavor reasons, such as psionic classes for the thri-kreen, gungineers for gnomes, and legendary rogues for halflings.
House rules:
- Once you pick a favored class bonus, it's what you get for the entire campaign.
- Anything that can be Unchained, should be.
- No evil alignments. Also, no evil alignments masquerading as chaotic or neutral alignments. This is a game for heroes.
- Gunslingers must have some connection to the church of Oghma (unlike gnomish gungineers). Emerging guns.
- No traits meant for APs.
- All races age at the same rate until maturity, whereupon the longer-lived races age more slowly.
New races: (I'm open to comments about these races.)
Centaur (13 RP)
Racial features:
+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, –2 Charisma: Centaurs are hardy and sensible, but lack social graces. (0 RP)
Centaurs: Centaurs are monstrous humanoids. (1 RP (-2 RP - no low-light vision or darkvision))
Large: Centaurs take a –1 size penalty to their AC, a –1 size penalty on attack rolls, a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a –4 size penalty on Stealth checks. A centaur takes up a space that is 10 feet by 10 feet and has a reach of 5 feet. (7 RP)
Fast Speed: Centaurs have a base speed of 40 feet. (0 RP (Quadruped))
Quadruped: Centaurs have a +4 racial bonus to CMD against trip attempts. Centaurs use weapons and humanoid armor (not barding) as if they were Medium (instead of Large). (2 RP)
Hooves: Centaurs have a hoof attack (1d6, x2, B). It is a secondary natural attack.(1 RP)
Desert runner: Centaurs receive a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue and exhaustion, as well as any other ill effects from running, forced marches, starvation, thirst, and hot or cold environments. (2 rp)
Languages: Centaurs begin play speaking Common. Centaurs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Shartaan, Dwarven (Dethek), Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Orc, and Sylvan.
A typical centaur stands 7 to 8 feet tall from front hoof to crown and measures 6 to 8 feet long from chest to tail, and weighing in at nearly 1,000 pounds. The horse portion of a centaur's body resembles a zebra - a trait that distinguishes him from the centaurs elsewhere in Faerûn - and his face is decidedly fey in appearance, with swept-back, angular features and somewhat pointed ears. He has golden bronze skin, light brown, black, or golden hair, and eyes in any of a wide variety of shades. Shaaryan centaurs prefer to wear their hair long, though they usually tie it back and weave decorative tokens into it. The number and kind of decorations a centaur wears indicate his rank in the tribe, though such distinctions are usually lost on outsiders.
Loxo (15 RP)
Racial features:
+4 Str, –2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence: Loxo are powerful, but lack finesse and forethought. (2 RP)
Loxo: Loxo are monstrous humanoids with the giant subtype. (1 RP (-2 RP - no low-light vision or darkvision)) Loxo may take the Trample feat, and apply it to themselves as though they had hooves, ignoring prerequisites.
Large: Loxo take a –1 size penalty to their AC, a –1 size penalty on attack rolls, a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a –4 size penalty on Stealth checks. A loxo takes up a space that is 10 feet by 10 feet and has a reach of 5 feet. (7 RP)
Normal Speed: Loxo have a base speed of 30 feet. (0 RP)
Two trunks: Loxo have long, flexible trunks that can be used to carry objects. They cannot wield weapons with their trunks, but they can retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action. They can maintain a grapple with their trunks and still make attacks with their hands.(5 RP)
Languages: Loxo begin play speaking Loxo and Common. Loxo with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Shaartan, Elven, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Orc, and Sylvan.
Loxos appear as large humanoid elephants with two trunks and bluish-gray skin. They roam the Shaar in hunter-gatherer groups.
Thri-kreen (13 RP)
Racial features:
+4 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence, –2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Thri-kreen are deft, but are unused to thinking outside the box or relating to other races. (1 RP)
Thri-kreen: Thri-kreen are humanoids (thri-kreen). (0 RP)
Medium: Thri-kreen have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.(0 RP)
Normal Speed: Thri-kreen have a base speed of 30 feet. (0 RP)
Multi-armed: Thri-kreen possess four arms. They can wield multiple weapons, but only one hand is its primary hand, and all others are off hands. It can also use its hands for other purposes that require free hands. (8 RP)
Darkvision: Thri-kreen can see in the dark up to 60 feet. (2 RP)
Alien mind: Thri-kreen gain a +2 to all Will saves. (2 RP)
Languages: Thri-kreen begin play speaking Common and Thri-kreen. Those with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Undercommon, Shaartan, Dwarven (Dethek), Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, and Orc.
Thri-kreen are insectoid humanoids with six limbs: two for walking and four to use as arms. Their heads have compound eyes and antennae. They primarily fight with two types of weapons: the gythka, a two-headed spear (treat as spear with the double quality replacing brace), and the chatkcha, a triangular crystalline throwing wedge (treat as chakram).
Wemic (15 RP)
Racial features:
+2 Strength, +2 Charisma, –2 Wisdom: Wemics are strong and sociable, but often lack patience. (0 RP)
Wemics: Wemics are monstrous humanoids with the catfolk subtype. (3 RP) A wemic may take Catfolk alternate racial traits, alternate favored class bonuses, and feats.
Large: Wemics take a –1 size penalty to their AC, a –1 size penalty on attack rolls, a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and a –4 size penalty on Stealth checks. A wemic takes up a space that is 10 feet by 10 feet and has a reach of 5 feet. (7 RP)
Normal Speed: Wemics have a base speed of 30 feet. (0 RP (Slow+Quadruped))
Quadruped: Wemics have a +4 racial bonus to CMD against trip attempts. (2 RP)
Low-Light Vision: In dim light, wemics can see twice as far as humans. (-1 RP (monstrous humanoid with no darkvision))
Natural Hunter: Wemics receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception and Survival checks. (4 RP)
Languages: Wemics begin play speaking Common and Catfolk. Wemics with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Shaartan, Dwarven (Dethek), Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Orc, and Sylvan.
Wemics are a proud and noble people who may be the most skillful hunters in all Faerûn. From head to rump, wemics are 10 to 12 feet long, and they stand 6 to 7 feet tall from their front paws to the tops of their heads. They weigh around 600 pounds. Dusky golden fur covers them from head to tail. Their tails feature a brush of black hair, and the males have a long black mane. Wemics’ faces are a mixture of humanoid and leonine, and their golden eyes have the slitted pupils of a cat. Their ears are set high on their heads. All six of their limbs end in claws, but the ones on their hands and their front paws are retractable. Most wemics die in dangerous hunts on the savanna long before age can take them.
OK, that's all I can think of to add for now. Feel free to ask questions!
The wind howled down from the crags like wolves, ravenous and sharp-toothed, stirring the deep mist between the trees, and in the valley below, the villagers shuddered. "An ill wind," the whispers said. What foul tidings blew down from high above, where Castle Ravenloft perched upon the mountain, ominous and dark? No one in Barovia had to ask.
The devil Strahd stirred.
I'm planning to run Curse of Strahd in 5e as a PBEM (NOT PBP) based out of Yahoo Groups, with a support website for things like character portraits and a running story-format archive of the game. I'm running a number of other PBEMs with Pathfinder, but this will be my first 5e game. We'll start the game in the Forgotten Realms, on the Sword Coast, in Daggerford.
NOTE: It's a sandboxy kind of adventure, so there's a good chance of running into things not tailored to your level!
What I'm looking for:
- Players with a strong grasp of writing, as I collect all the posts into a story for everyone.
- Dependability. If you can't show up to post regularly, please don't apply. I'd like people to be able to post daily on weekdays, at least.
- Players who are "engines" - they keep the game running by always pushing forward with actionable posts.
- Character concepts, NOT builds. Just race, class, description and background (no more than 5 reasonably short paragraphs max., please). The quality of the writing will be what sells your character, so don't sell it short!
- 3-5 players, for a party totaling 4-6. I have one spot reserved (a barbarian-druid).
What I'm offering:
- A RP-heavy game.
- Dedication. I've never given up on a game yet, and I don't plan to.
House rules:
- We will be using standard point buy for abilities. I'll link the chosen players to a site with a 5e point buy calculator. It shouldn't matter for the concept, though.
- PHB/Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide races/classes only, no 3pp. I'm new to 5e, and I want to ease into DMing it. Note: No options that grant flight. Also available: Curse of Strahd options.
- Since we won't be on a board with a dice roller, I'll handle the dice rolls in the background.
- No evil alignments. Also no evil alignments masquerading as neutral alignments. I prefer to work with heroes.
I'll let the recruitment run until the end of the month, or thereabout. Let me know if you have any questions.
I'm not really familiar with 5e, but I love the old Ravenloft stuff from 2e. I understand Curse of Strahd is like an update of that older stuff. Has anyone out there converted the module to Pathfinder rules? Alternatively, are there good conversion guidelines out there somewhere? I've found some that go the other way, but they aren't official or anything.
So, my players didn't finish off all the critters on the Hambley farm, and that means more farmers will succumb until there's a raid on Sandpoint. Does anyone have suggestions for how I can stagger the raiders into manageable chunks in interesting ways? Or, perhaps, know of a module I could substitute for the event?
The party isn't that attached to Sandpoint thanks to their ongoing feud with Vinder, and some other... interesting diplomatic moments they've had. I'm also trying to think of ways to get them more friendly with the locals.
I'm running a game where the rogue has been kidnapped from the party and taken to meet her long-lost sister, now working for the villain in the enemy's fey army camp. Since that was one of the character's main goals, I thought it would result in some fun RP for the player, but her character has responded the same way she has responded to almost all other challenges - she withdrew into herself and is refusing to interact with her sister.
I'm kind of at my wit's end in thinking of ways to get this player/character more engaged with the story and the game. I do have one last trick up my sleeve, which is to have her sister kill an NPC the character clings to as a crutch, refusing to interact with the rest of the party. I'm hoping that a tale of revenge will prove more entertaining to the player than the mystery of what happened to her sister does, since she doesn't seem that interested in finding out (or even grilling her about the enemy's strengths and weaknesses, or doing other spy stuff).
Alternatively, she may forgive her sister, which opens the door to her redeeming someone from the enemy camp, which might also be interesting. I was planning on waiting for the party to catch up to her so they could witness (and join in on) this turn of events, but maybe it should happen while she's alone? It might be kind of badass for her to deal with it and escape on her own... but I have no idea if she'd actually try that. OK, I suspect she wouldn't.
I guess maybe I need an idea for a mini-adventure or hook or something that can engage the character to DO something. The player doesn't seem to be unhappy, and she's stuck with our group for over 10 years, so I really want it to pay off with something fun for her character to do while she's alone. While the rogue is technically a prisoner, she has the run of the army camp and the commander's tent. Can anyone give me good ideas for events that might happen that would be interesting for a shy, reticent character in her situation?
Like many others, I got the Humble Bundle, but my question isn't about downloading. Rather, I was wondering if it would be possible to swap out the Hell's Rebels adventures for Kingmaker ones? I realize I'm already getting a really good deal, but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask. :)
I'm trying to buy some pdfs, but it won't let me until I enter a shipping address, and when I click on Manage Addresses there's nowhere to enter a new one. Hitting Edit just loads the same screen that says I have no addresses, with nowhere to add an address.
When trying to pay, it allows me to enter a new address - but the popup is so small that I can't get to the bottom, and I can't scroll down, so I can't enter it there, either.
I've tried to enter an address in Chrome and IE (I can't use Firefox because it keeps crashing lately). Neither works. I'm using a Win7 machine.
I'm thinking of starting another PBEM campaign on Yahoo Groups. It suits the format of writing-focused roleplaying, and I handle most of the mechanics of the game behind the scenes to save time. I usually have 6 PCs to encourage posting to keep the game moving, and I'm planning on experimenting with 3pp (that I have access to) on a case-by-case basis.
The campaigns I'm considering are:
1) Kingmaker
2) Throne of Night
3) Serpent's Skull
Would this be of any interest, and if so, which campaign?
Does anyone have suggestions for published adventures/modules to run as a prelude to Red Hand of Doom? I'm thinking of starting the game at level 1. Refluffing isn't a problem.
I'm running a Pathfinder-modified version of the Dungeon #90 adventure Elfwhisper (3.0, I believe), and the final boss encounter is set up to be a TPK against my party. I'd like to avoid that.
The party consists of a lvl.7 diviner with virtually no offensive spells (for house rule legacy reasons), a lvl.7 bow ranger, a lvl.6 antipaladin (who I'm allowing to smite evil for story reasons, with the use of hero points and some good RP), a lvl.6 shadow sorceror (with a shadow raven familiar), and a lvl.6 NPC cleric (their rogue is currently missing). They don't have a great deal of magical or alchemical equipment - only the ranger and antipaladin have low-grade magic weapons. They do have the aid of a dying lvl.4 NPC bard, who was attacked by the boss, and the antipaladin is being protected by elven spirits as though he were under a stacking mage armor effect. The party has proceeded to attack the boss over a harp of charming it has.
The boss is an advanced half-fiend shambling mound with some odd powers. It has fire resistance 30 and cold and acid resistance 20, a fairly high AC and attack as well as hps, and the thing that concerns me most: its spell-like abilities, which it uses as a 14th level sorceror. The one that concerns me most is blasphemy. That one, cast at such a high CL, could be a TPK on its own. If you have the magazine, you can see the others, but they don't concern me as much (except maybe for unholy aura, which would grant it SR 25 vs good spells/spells cast by good creatures once cast!). Honestly, the spells appear to be chosen out of a hat full of "let's destroy the party." On top of that, the boss is supposed to be able to use the harp of charming, which might conceivably take out the party's main firepower/muscle if they fail their saves. Its main concern is to kill the sorceror, who is an elf. She has currently gotten too close, and is grappled. Did I mention that it has a reach of 20'?
I don't want to nerf the encounter entirely, as it should be hard, but obviously I don't want to slaughter the party. On top of that, they've been grumbling about not succeeding at their other quests, so they probably will be unhappy even if they survive this unless they defeat the boss somehow. Since the game is supposed to be fun for them, and we've been playing a long time (pbem) without what they consider significant victories, I want to make it possible for them to defeat the boss - but I don't want to make the boss a pushover, either. I hinted earlier in the game that the boss could be controlled by the harp it now has, but a) they don't seem to think they can get the harp without killing the boss, though the familiar is holding it along with the boss, and b) they don't seem to have realized that the boss IS the boss I hinted about.
Since they aren't carrying much in the way of offensive power that can defeat the mound, especially with its fire resistance (which might as well be immunity when it's that high), their choices are to simply run away and come back better equipped, which they don't want to do because they're in the middle of tracking down the missing rogue, or abandon the harp entirely, which they don't want to do because they think it's important to the plot. OR... we're looking at TPK material. Or I DM fiat that they win somehow, which is a pretty hollow victory.
Other details:
- the boss can speak so long as it's within a 40'r of a dead tree (unhallow tongues effect), in the center of a clearing in some ruins, which is its lair. It doesn't want to go too far from the tree due to the SA spells centered on it, but can be lured away because it's not too bright (though it doesn't speak like a caveman or anything). It has dropped some plot hints about the antipaladin, and wasn't inclined to attack him (or anyone but the bard (a half-elf) and the elf PC) at first, but now he has attacked it and the gloves are off.
- the boss has, in the story, been killing off elves in the region for a long time. Not just once long ago, but continuously since it arrived; it just arrived so long ago that, combined with general hostility towards elves in the area, most of the killing was long ago, and no one worries about a missing elf here or there now. The harp is instrumental to keeping it under control, and the boss knows that the harp can do that. The boss is actually the pawn of a greater power, the true villain of the campaign, which the party doesn't know about yet (though the missing rogue does).
- there is an escape hatch nearby (within the clearing): a fairy ring that leads to the outer part of the forest. I've described a desecrate effect on the dead tree as the Weave unravelling into wild magic just around it, again for story reasons. (The diviner can see this.)
- I do allow hero points to be used to get hints on how to deal with situations.
So... is there a way to save this situation without being extremely heavy-handed with hints and cheating in favor of the PCs? They do have plenty of hero points (due to an old house rule that removed the limitation of max.3), so they can avoid insta-death, but... well, they haven't come up with anything clever and neither have I. Best-case scenario at the moment is that the boss crushes the elf, then drops her and leaves her for dead (though with judicious use of hero points she wouldn't be) and... I don't know, goes away for some reason. Maybe they even sever the branch holding the harp before it can use it (the ranger severed the vine it used to grab the harp before, but no one got to it before the boss picked the harp up again - not sure why she thinks it won't work again), and grab the harp. But I doubt they'd let it go (or use the harp to control it, since they don't seem to have understood that this is the boss the harp was meant to control, and with the bard dying and no one inclined to help him, no one can play it anyway), and if they did, they'd be unhappy about another "defeat." Quandary!
TL;DR: The boss is too tough for the party (with their limited resources) to win at the moment, but I don't want to nerf it too much. I would prefer that they have some sort of victory, even if they don't manage to destroy the boss. Ideas on how to achieve this? I'm no good at building monsters, which is why I used a published one in the first place. I suspect a story solution is called for, I just can't see the forest for the shambling mound. :P
I'm running a semi-homebrew game in which the PCs are going to discover that there's a link between the elves of Faerûn (1345 DR) and the Sidhe/Unseelie of legend, and the campaign is going to revolve around that and an Unseelie invasion. I have one elven PC, a star elf, who was enslaved from birth by an evil wizard in the Moonsea. She escaped him by joining the Church of Shar (in my version of the Moonsea, the Dark Gods (led by Bane) more or less rule, in that they are worshipped largely unopposed), whose main purpose in keeping her is to avoid adding her power to the Brotherhood of the Cloak, a guild of mages who are supposedly under their control, but in reality are a faction that vies with the Church and the nobles of the Moonsea. The PC doesn't know anything about who she really is, or where she came from, or how she came to be enslaved.
I've decided that star elves have an even closer link to the Sidhe/Unseelie than the other elves of Faerûn, but I could use some input for interesting ideas as to who this PC should really be, or how she ended up enslaved from infancy. She shouldn't be a Sidhe/Unseelie herself, as I have special plans for them, but... I'm kind of ramming my head against the wall when I try to come up with new ideas. Total brain burnout. Can anyone help me?
I always think of asking the forums about 3 seconds before I need to get to sleep. Please don't be offended if I don't respond to great ideas right away!
I'm running a 1345DR FR pbem game in which one player has given his character a level of antipaladin in service to Bane. He has agreed with me on a character arc that has his antipaladin eventually rise to become a normal paladin, though he hasn't chosen another god (and I'm kind of hoping he won't for metaplot reasons, so that he can gain his new powers from a new force I'll be introducing, though this would hopefully be a surprise, so I can't tell the player about it now).
Other background: his PC has a serious crush on another PC from the same area, who is ostensibly a follower of the same dark pantheon as himself (I gathered a handful of deities and made them a new pantheon under Bane), but who in reality is a follower of Mielikki. I'm thinking she could help advance the antipaladin's character arc, but I haven't made any agreements with her player yet.
Other other background: The campaign will have a strong fey presence. Also, it being a pbem, we're a pretty RP-heavy group.
So far I've just been sending the PC nightmares about an upcoming event, with urgings to commit dark deeds in preparation for standing against it - but with a slender ray of light offering another path, referencing his long-gone parents. I was hoping I could get some more ideas of how to encourage the PC to make a decision between good and evil, ramping up the intensity until the change takes place. I've considered having him find an intelligent weapon belonging to the new force (and making it the source of the light in his nightmares), but I'm not sure if that would be too railroady. Then again, since we've agreed on his arc, I'm not sure railroady is a problem.
So, any fun ideas? Or lacking that, any interesting metaphors I could place in his dreams?
When I go to look at The Order of the Stick comics, I keep getting bounced back to this page: http://paizo.com/store/booksMagazines/comics. Is Paizo no longer selling these, or is there some other problem?
I'm wondering if a glitterdust spell continues to affect anyone who walks into it after it has been cast, or if it only affects those caught in its radius when it is cast?
My friend is saying that only emanations have an effect that continues to affect those within its area after it has been cast, and glitterdust is a spread, not an emanation. Does this hold water?
I once read this article about how characters who had suffered a brush with death (i.e. been raised) could be eligible for new feats that played off that connection to the dead. I cannot for the life of me remember what issue it was in, or find it anywhere. Please help!
I'm running Burnt Offerings for play-by-email on Yahoo Groups, and player dropout has left some openings. I'm looking for one or two people either willing to take over an existing character (female half-elf rogue or female half-elf barbarian) or to create a new character using only core races/classes, who has been captured by the goblins of Thistletop and will be released shortly by the party.
Again, this is for pbem, NOT pbp.
Preference will be given to players who can spell and punctuate correctly. If you're interested in one of the existing characters I can tell you more. If you want to make a new one, right now I'm just looking for a short background/concept - don't go to all the trouble of making a whole sheet.
The current composition of the party is:
male half-orc wizard (evoker)
female human paladin (Sarenrae)
male gnome cleric (Desna)
male human fighter (possible the player may drop out)
female half-elf rogue (up for grabs)
female half-elf barbarian (up for grabs)
I've been playing on and off in a long-lasting solo game. In the beginning the DM said, "make your character anything, any level," so I came up with a munchkin character and for a while we had a blast. We didn't use the rules (2nd Ed. back then) as anything but a stepstone for ideas, and though the plots were cheesy, the DM was really good at NPC characterization and we had a lot of fun.
Within the last few years, though, his tendency to take away the control of my character, have him do something bad, then say something like, "Suddenly you're back in control of your body" and have me deal with whatever s+&$ situation he's come up with has increased to the point where half the time I'm not responsible for anything the character does. On top of being held responsible for it anyway, his NPCs have taken to insulting my character on a regular basis, my character can't deal with anything above a lvl.5 challenge (I either get my ass handed to me by DM fiat or told that my solution flat out won't work - only for his DMPCs to come in and say/do something similar that saves the day), he never gives me enough information to act on without me having to pull it out of him like I'm pulling his teeth (but if I do something wrong because I didn't know what my character should be able to see, LOL SRY TOO BAD), and he's completely screwed over my character's backstory with his current plot. He also penalizes my character for my own lack of charisma/tactical knowledge/whatever.
I'm starting to feel like an unwelcome extra in his DMPC-focused story extravaganza. The problem is that he's really touchy, and any criticism can set off a tantrum where he threatens to take his ball and go home. He views himself as a great DM (and he really used to be one!), though has never actually played IN a game, so I don't think he understands how frustrating this s$&~ is. I offered to de-munchkinize my character in case it was getting too hard to deal with, but I immediately regained all my powers by his doing. He seems willing enough to play the game on the occasions we meet, and I try hard to go with the flow of the story even when it's borking my character up, so the vibe I'm getting is that he thinks it's fun to do this - not for me, but for him.
At this point I'm really attached to the characters and invested in the story, but playing is a gorram frustration. I can't discuss it with him frankly because he'll blow his top, but I don't want to give up on the game. Maybe someone with better charisma than me can explain how to let the DM know he's not being as great a DM as he thinks?
My DM is running us through the War of the Burning Sky AP, and I have a greatsword-wielding fighter that just hit 2nd level. His feats are Cavalry Errant (a background feat from WotBS), Dodge, Weapon focus: greatsword, Mobility and Power Attack. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what feats I should take through lvl.20? Obviously I'll be taking the weapon specialization and focus tree, and I'd like to take improved critical and weapon supremacy (from PHB2), but other than that I don't know. The DM said I probably won't need the mounted feats.
I need some new players for our RotR play by email campaign. The group is still in the beginning of the first module (just entered the Glassworks), and currently consists of a human half-Varisian cleric of Shelyn, a human Ulfen ranger, and a halfling bard.
I'd like to recruit people who can write well (so we'll have a fun story to read when it's all done) and who can post at least daily.
We're using the Pathfinder rules, but only Core races and classes (archetypes are probably OK, but please check first). You get two traits, and in addition one of the feats from the Player's Guide if you're a Varisian native. 25-point buy for abilities.
You don't need to post any crunch here, just a concept and character background. If you get picked, there's an RTF sheet to fill out on our Yahoo group under Files. Our website is here.
I'd like to run the Freeport adventures in Golarion with the Pathfinder rules, and I want to offer some cool campaign traits. I'm aware that KQ has some, but they appear to mostly presuppose that the PCs are from Freeport, while the adventure states that the PCs should just have arrived from elsewhere. I'm an uncreative lump at the moment, so tell me: what do you think would make good campaign traits for newcomers to Freeport?
Yesterday I made a post about this that got shunted into Suggestions/Homebrew/Whatever for some reason, never to see the light of day again, so this time I'll keep it short and sweet.
I need advice/ideas on how to challenge a low-level party that has to climb the tallest mountain(s) in the world (infested with rocs) and then travel through a forest full of über-dire wolves. I don't want to TPK them, but challenge them with these foes (and possibly some abberations) - preferably in a way that doesn't need to lead to combat. Puzzles of some sort would be nice, and ideas of how to make the trip fun and memorable.
Suggestions on aberrations to use are also welcome.
Some facts:
The PCs will start at lvl.1 having to climb the mountain and go through the forest
They will have no wizards, rogues or paladins, but possibly oracles or summoners.
The PCs are flavored as Neanderthals, with Neanderthal equipment
In any case, I'd like to start my very first fully-homebrew game with an all-human Neanderthal Epic 6 story. I'm not doing anything mechanically to differentiate Neanderthals from regular humans; instead I plan to alter the Cro-Magnon a little. But that's a tangent, sorry.
I've been brainstorming all day, and I've come up with a story that seems okay, I think... but now comes the part where I have to translate it into actual scenarios with opponents and game mechanics. Yech. Which finally brings me to my point: is anyone interested in helping me come up with a fun scenario for the first adventure?
The gist of the first adventure is: The Bird of Thunder clan has seen something strange far to the north, where the frost never touches. Having journeyed to the top of the tallest Sky Mountain to see this for themselves, the party must go there through the forest of the Ur-Wolves.
I want the challenge to have something to do with the rocs that live on the Sky Mountains and of course the Ur-Wolves in their forest, but I'm drawing a blank as to a fun thing to do with them. I don't want it to be just some hackfest, but to maybe have a puzzle or something. Maybe the Ur-Wolves are semi-intelligent, and let the PCs pass if they save a pup in trouble, or something. Any ideas, anyone?
It says Spark can light unattended Fine objects... but it seems odd that it couldn't light a torch, which is meant to be lit, though it isn't Fine. In fact, it seems odd that it could only (potentially) light torches or lanterns that are unattended. Could someone clarify? Thanks!
I'm running a homebrew where one of the PCs is looking for her long-lost sister. I decided to make the sister one of the minor BBEGs in the campaign, which is about a fey invasion. The PC will have a chance to 'convert' the sister, or they'll have a showdown and (I expect) the sister will die, perhaps whispering a few clues for later and setting the PCs against the evil fey. In the meantime, I've set it up so that all the cannon fodder for the evil fey army (goblinoids mostly) are terrified of her, and due to how she's been talking up her sister the PC, they're afraid of the PC too.
The sister has been abducted by the fey to their realm for a while, where a lot of time has passed, allowing her to become more powerful than the PC(s). I've decided that this was because of her mixed human and fey blood making her a good go-between for minor villains used by the main BBEG. That's why I'm thinking she should be a feyblooded sorceror, circa level 10 (the PCs are currently level 6).
I could use some advice on her build - feats and spells, mostly. I want to emphasize how badass she is to scare the cannon fodder like that, preferably with fey-themed abilities (dreams, shadows, animals, phantasms, etc.). Or if someone has alternate class/prestige class ideas, I'd like to hear about them, too.
If anyone has any bright ideas about how I could extend the fey blood theme to the PC somehow, that'd be great too. I thought about offering her a bonus fey feat, but thought that'd be unfair to the other PCs. I also thought about making a special prestige class to offer her, but I have no experience doing that, so it'd probably end up unbalanced.
The party has just cleared the thistle maze and more or less all resistance on the first level of Thistletop, capturing Ripnugget (they captured Gogmurt too, but let him go). They haven't yet discovered the dungeon levels, but when they do, I think they'll turn back to Sandpoint to restock and recover.
My question is: with the goblins wiped out, what would Nualia & Co.'s response be? Surely she wouldn't just keep on researching as though nothing had happened? How would they set up a defense of the fort without the goblins if they have a day or more to prepare?
Where would they set up to cause the most grief to trespassers? Any specific tactics they might use would be welcome.
If it helps, the party has just hit 3rd level. One of them is a paladin of Sarenrae who used to know Nualia. I imagine a chance for her to redeem Nualia if she plays her cards right.
Anyone who enjoys writing interested in joining an ongoing Rise of the Runelords pbem played on Yahoo Groups? We're still early in the first adventure. Only core classes and races, though.
A barbarian in my game is trying to use a Knockback bull rush against the mount of a mounted opponent with the Mounted Combat feat. Since you can negate a hit on your mount with this feat, does it function against combat maneuvers?
If a Handy Haversack is sized for a Small character (we don't use magical item resizing), is the capacity smaller, or does the fact that it's a magic item overrule that?
I've joined a campaign that has gotten to 16th level, which is by FAR the highest level I've ever played. At first I built a camel-riding paladin, but the setting and general uselessness of the paladin (can't even convert anyone, that's taken care of by the cleric) has convinced me to switch characters.
Now I'd like to try an elven rogue in the hope of actually being useful for a change. Elven due to campaign concerns, rogue because we already have a fighter and a ranger and I'm nervous about remembering all the options at this level for other classes. But I've never really run a high-level character besides the fiasco that was the paladin, so I could really use some advice on an awesome build, from stats to feats to magical equipment. OR an alternate class build if the rogue turns out to be a bad choice.
Can anyone help me out? Most splatbooks are acceptable I think, assuming either I or our gaming club have them (which is likely). The new adventure starts on Monday. Piles of internet cookies for everyone who helps! :)
We've lost the player of our dwarf ranger, and we need a replacement. I'd prefer that someone just take over the dwarf ranger, but I'll consider interesting new concepts, too.
The group is currently assaulting Thistletop, so any new character will be found there, probably as a captive of the goblins. Everyone is lvl.2, core classes and races only. Concepts please, not stats.
If you'd like to take over the existing dwarf ranger (yay!), here's some info on him:
He came to the town of Sandpoint during the Swallowtail Festival specifically to find a half-elf (one of the PCs) that he's infatuated with (whom he knew would be attending), but she's recently changed into a terse killer and his affection is unrequited.
He lost his father's battleaxe under Sandpoint (shattered) and now uses a fancy handaxe he found on a mutated goblin-thing.
His name contains the rare-in-Dwarven "th" sound.
He doesn't believe in bathing, but believes his 'natural scent' hides him from predators.
His favored enemies are goblins.
Anything else you want to know about him, ask.
The rest of the party consists of:
A half-orc evoker
A human paladin of Sarenrae
A gnome cleric of Desna
A half-elf, half-Shoanti Shadde-Quah barbarian
A half-elf rogue (the dwarf's interest)
I'll wait a week or so for volunteers before choosing. Cheers!
Our RotR pbem game stagnated due to lack of posting, and now we're looking for people committed to frequent posting and entertaining writing. You can take over one of the old characters (a Shoanti druid, gnome frost sorceror or halfling rogue) or make a new character that has a reason to go adventuring with the Heroes of Sandpoint.
The party is 1st level and has just defeated a goblin raid on the town of Sandpoint the day before yesterday. Now they're investigating a goblin lair, where they might find the new party member(s). 25-pt buy, no evil characters, core material only for class and race (though I'll usually accept archetypes). The current party includes an Ulfen ranger, a Shoanti monk and a cleric of Shelyn; we could use a rogue or arcane caster. I'd like to see some basic concepts here before you go to the work of statting out a character.
Our group on Yahoo Groups is rotrdk, with a link to our website on it.
Can anyone recommend a 1st-lvl adventure where there's little combat and mostly roleplaying? It can also be 3.5 and even something from Dungeon; I'm planning on running a pbem game for total RPG newbies, and I find it best to restrict combat severely. However, I feel too shaky as a DM to design an adventure myself, so any recommendations are really, really welcome.
The pregen characters at the back of WBG includes an alchemist, but I'm a little uncertain about the extracts he has. Specifically their number. As far as I can tell, he should only have 4 at lvl.1(2+2 for Int), but he has 6. What have I overlooked? Could someone please explain this discrepancy to me?
In the pbp game I'm in, when I post as my alias Patch Cullen, I get the message that I can only post 10 times before the name becomes permanent, which I never got with my other aliases. The only other time I've seen it is when I first posted on the boards. Is there something weird going on here, or does that message show for all aliases now? I'd rather not change my original alias to Patch Cullen!
I've got a non-optimized 15th level desert paladin (complete with divine warcamel mount) that has proven to be far too squishy, mainly because I didn't outfit her very well. Now I've been encouraged to cheese her up equipmentwise (within the means of a 15th level character), and I need some advice.
Due to her desert background she's leery of metal armor, so she has bracers of armor and some homebrew "spidersilk" armor that stacks with them, but her AC still sucks. I'd like a non-plate armor method of beefing up her AC. Losing the spidersilk is not a problem.
She's specialized in using a glaive or, at closer quarters, a falchion. However, the ones she has aren't magical and basically suck. She deals something like an eighth of the damage of the other combat characters in her party. Somehow I don't think her god is impressed with her nearly dying every fight she's in.
I can probably argue for anything found in an official 3.5 splatbook, and possibly even non-official splatbooks, but I've never played such a high-level character before and just don't know HOW to cheese her up. Any advice is appreciated!
I'm doing a bachelor project on gaming (game literacy and social ties that bridge the digital divide), and it would really help me out if as many online roleplayers as possible would answer a few questions for me within the next few days. I've made a short questionnaire with just 10 questions here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FF8WYHB
If you have any questions, post them here and I'll do my best to answer. Thanks in advance for your help! :D
Has anyone converted the domains from the Forgotten Realms to Pathfinder? The closest thing my search turned up was this.
If not, I'd appreciate suggestions for the Hatred, Tyranny, Pestilence, Suffering, Undeath and Retribution domain powers (and spells, if you're feeling generous). I'd like them to be dissimilar to existing domain powers while remaining balanced - balance is my big Achilles' heel.
Of course, if FR isn't your thing, feel free to post conversions of other domains in this thread, too! :)
