Allafaz's page

We can discuss some things here, but really, most of what others use this for, we can probably get done on Discord.

Here we are! Let's see how this goes, as we explore a new game system!

Alright, so I have a couple problems with the first book of this AP.

1) A TON of data to relay to the PCs, without any help from the published module. When the "app" has a map of the place, well, by golly, my PCs want the map! And then there are 50 locations on the map, that are described in the text, but I'm not going to spend 4 hours going "Oh, A-3, yeah, that's another bar, with a 50s lounger's feel." And I can't just cut and paste 3 pages of the mod and give it to the PCs, because there are spoilers in there. This is just a rough way to start the whole adventure.

2) The NPCs. How about a picture of the whole group of Buzzblades? How about a nice summary of the NPCs in a location where I can just read it all off, or even a handout. Because, again, there's a ton of info, descriptions, etc, but I can't just cut and paste it because I don't want the PCs to know, "Cardinal Richelieu is secretly planning to take over France!"

How did everyone else handle this massive data dump with your players?

I tried searching, but I couldn't find an answer...

Simple question:

Can an Android wearing a suit of armor that has 1 upgrade slot, use an upgrade that requires 2 slots?

Eg: Can an android (1 slot) wearing second skin (1 slot) use a brown force field upgrade (2 slots)?

I know somebody took the Pathfinder Pregens and made .por files for them. Has anyone taken the time to input the Starfinder Pregens and make them available for Hero Lab Online?

Query: do natural weapons have the Operative quality? Like a Vesk’s claws? So can you trick attack with them, and use Dex mod for attack bonus?

They are level 14 items. Do I thus interpret that only a level 12 character that has it on a cert could ever get one?

I'm subscribed to the Starfinder mats, so no need to point them out to me.

Which of the Pathfinder flip mats do you guys recommend that I pick up for use with Starfinder?

I already identified Starship Chambers and Starship Corridors as must haves. Which other ones should I look at?

I'm subscribed to the Starfinder mats, so no need to point them out to me.

Which of the Pathfinder flip mats do you guys recommend that I pick up for use with Starfinder?

I already identified Starship Chambers and Starship Corridors as must haves. Which other ones should I look at?

I can't wait to explore it!

For effects targeting creatures by type, androids count as both humanoids and constructs (whichever effect is worse).

Do we interpret that as they can't be "healed" because they are constructs, and they can't be "mended" because they are humanoids?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that either caster class can dip 1 level in the other class and gain access to all Spell Gems in the game, with no loss in caster level.

Do I have this right?

Ok, so there are a number of creatures that explicitly cast spells as if they were sorcerers. My quick examples are dragons.

Faerie Dragons casts as a sorcerer 3. Other dragons cast as sorcerers per their individual caster levels.

Are there any creatures that do this same thing, except casting as oracles? If so, what are they?

Has anyone managed to put forth a way to make a true Dex U-Barbarian work?

Does it take 3 levels of U-Rogue?

Can Piranha Strike work?

TWF with short swords?

2H with Elven Curved Blade?

I don't need it to be completely optimal, but I want it to not suck.

Our home group has a campaign coming up which will start at 7th level.

Our GM has approved me to play a Faerie Dragon, and I believe I want to play an Arcane Trickster.

Here are the ground rules, and some of this will be me doing Math in public.

Despite having 3HD and the casting ability of a 3rd level sorcerer, a Faerie Dragon is CR2. This means, that for a 7th level campaign, I will be a baseline Faerie Dragon, with 5 level increases, and then a 6th increase as the mini bumps creatures get as PCs would give me 1.

Ok, for stats, again, we're using the straight up Faerie Dragon array: Str 9, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 16. I'd get a single stat bump, I was thinking Dex, with the next one going into Con.

Classes: I suspect that the optimal route for this plan is to do 1 level of sorcerer (non-archetyped, but choose elemental(cold) as the bloodline), (and thus casting like a 4th level sorcerer to meet the 2nd level spells requirement), 1 level of U-Rogue (non-archetyped), and then 4 levels of Arcane Trickster. This route uses the Accomplished Sneak Attacker feat, to get the second 1d6

The role I am looking to fill is the rogue role. Sneaking, scouting, skillsy, knowledge, etc. It is NOT my intent to fill the Arcane role in the party, although there might be some overlap.

I have the thought of using a couple Metamagic Feats, some Metamagic Rods, and planning on largely being Improved Invisible any time I attack something.

I was figuring my bread and butter spells would be: Acid Splash and Snowball. Using Wayang Spellhunter and Magical Lineage one on each of them.

An Intensified Snowball for this character would do 8d6+4d6 damage against touch AC, with no SR allowed, using a level 1 slot.

A Silent Acid Splash would do 1d3+4d6 damage against touch AC, with no SR allowed, using a level 0 slot, so being able to spam them while Invisible.

I intend to use Alter Self to be able to be a Halfling on occasion. For this trick I will carry an extra set of small clothing, and a small MW rapier. I will likewise have a set of medium clothes, and a medium MW rapier for if I go with a medium humanoid.

Ok, so with all of that, what ideas do you have for me to round out the concept and make it viable, powerful, and fun.

I know how to get the 2d6 sneak attack in 2 levels, no problem there.

I'm looking for possible routes for a pseudodragon sorcerer based character to get a second level spell early if possible.

Since 4 ranks of three skills are required, entry earlier than 5th level is impossible.

Any suggestions?

While the difference between the normal rage +4 to STR and unchained rage giving a +2 to hit and DMG is pretty seemless for many functions, twohanded barbarians seem to lose out on a bit of damage in this calculus.

Am I correct in interpreting that the +2 DMG is not increased to +3 for an unchained barbarian wielding a two handed weapon?

So, color me confused.

Gnomes of Golarion clearly lists a Switchscythe, and that reference seems fully legal for PFS, but the silly book also gives no stats for it.

So what's the deal with this weapon in Society play?

Am I the only one who can't say the words "Super Star" without dragging it out a bit and picturing Molly Shannon saying it?

How about a banner that splashes on your screen when you achieve the voting Milestones?

Congratulations! You are now a Star Voter!

Or some such thing?

Since both the rookies and the 8 timer elitists have created their own threads for discussion, I thought we common people with some experience might need a place to swap lies and rest our weary selves.

We're under 40 hours left now.

I understand the desire to check and recheck your entry, but the site has been having a LOT of downtime lately. So much so that Paizo even posted a warning on the subject.

Please don't wait until right at the last hour tomorrow to submit, because if that is the middle of another 6 hours of downtime, then you're O-U-T!

The last couple years, industrious souls have stepped up and created a Google doc, or some such to keep track of all items that have shown up during the voting.

I'm not smart enough to do it, so I'm hoping the usual suspects are planning this.

The change in item types for this year's competition just made much of what we knew about submitting for this ancient history.

These classes of items are written quite differently from wondrous items.

They can have the "prized by," backgroundy stuff, and things like that in them.

Armor and weapons are priced differently, with price not being precisely 2X the cost.

I don't see how you can't have a bit of SIAC with a staff.

And both rods and staffs can definitely do weaponly things.

So, what is still useful? Well, make sure you template it right. Costing for the magic side of things is pretty darn close to the same.

It is my memory that in previous years when one was to "Preview" their submission using the tool, that it would give the word count for your item.

I just tried this and did not receive a word count, or at least I didn't see where it was.

Do folks from previous years also remember that the tool used to give you your word count when Previewing?

So how does the Oracle's Life Link work with nonlethal damage? Or a mix of lethal and nonlethal?

Does it heal both, or just one? If it heals both, if I have 5 lethal and 4 nonlethal presumably it heals it all? What about if you have 4 lethal and 5 nonlethal?

So many questions, but really only a couple reasonable ways it can realistically work.

Thanks for the help folks.

Dot on in folks.

First of all, WOW! You guys must have worked overtime to get all of the sessions posted up so quickly.

With that said, I have 9/10 of my sessions listed. How do I go about getting that last one in there, as I suspect you guys have got them all done, although it is my Sunday morning one which is missing, so maybe you still have a stack of them to enter?

So, let's say a 2nd level Paladin, or a 4th level Monk, catches a Disease of some sort.

Let's say it's not fatal.

Let's further assume they adventure on and make a level each. Now they are both immune to diseases, so they can't catch any new ones.

What happens to the ones they had? Are they grandfathered in?

I am starting this placeholder discussion thread for the purposes of prepping a campaign I want to run on here.

With FAQ requests not getting a lot of traction these days, I asked JJ the following question and received his response HERE! However, his response suggested a FAQ, so here it goes.

I'll just quote myself:

James,

You have, on several occasions, answered questions about doubling up on a stat to CMB, CMD, etc. Your answers have been focused on examples where things are usually a straight replacement, such as DEX for STR with Weapon Finesse.

Here's a question relative to the Inquisitor Class, which involves one of its Archetypes and one of the Inquisitions.

Infiltrator Archetype wrote:

Guileful Lore (Ex): At 1st level, the infiltrator's will is bent toward subterfuge and deception. She adds her Wisdom modifier on Bluff and Diplomacy skill checks in addition to the normal ability score modifiers. This ability replaces monster lore.

Conversion Inquisition wrote:

Charm of Wisdom (Ex): You use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Charisma modifier when making Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks.

The archetype clearly has you able to double up on CHA and WIS bonuses. The Inquisition just swaps WIS in for CHA.

So, the question is relative to Bluff and Diplomacy, is an Inquisitor in this niche position able to double tap their WIS modifier given the peculiar wording of the Archetype that obviously intends for you to have two ability score modifiers being added together?

Emphasis added to highlight the formal question.

The crisp chill of the Arcadian Ocean can be clearly felt as it sweeps across the fetid waters of Riddleport Harbor and onto the city streets, and the briny air inspires recent memories. Only a few days ago, back in Magnimar, Venture-Captain Sheila Heidmarch detailed the covert mission from behind the oaken desk in her office. “Lissala is the Thassilonian goddess of runes, fate, and obedience,” she explained. “Her followers are wicked and secretive, but they can be bought for the right price. The Aspis Consortium offered that price. In exchange for creating a back door into the Hao Jin Tapestry—a museum demiplane that we Pathfinders thought was entirely our own—the Aspis Consortium promised a river of wealth to the secretive cult. The Pathfinder Society ejected the Aspis Consortium from the Hao Jin Tapestry and the Consortium defaulted on its contract with the cult of Lissala. As you might expect from followers of a goddess of duty, the Lissalans are irate at the Aspis Consortium for defaulting. Tensions between the two groups are at their breaking point, and I need you to finish the job.”

“Vidrin Jenk is a silver agent in the Aspis Consortium, newly arrived in Riddleport and anxious to prove his worth to the organization. The Aspis Consortium recently purchased the Barracuda Cartage company, and Jenk operates out of the offices there. Jenk plans to patch up relations with the cult of Lissala, which is well hidden somewhere in Riddleport. To help him, Jenk requisitioned a group of Aspis Consortium specialists—all bronze agents led by a mysterious troubleshooter named Thestil Shadowtongue.”

At this point, Venture-Captain Heidmarch slid several bronze badges across the desk, some flecked with blood. “Those specialists aren’t going to make it to Riddleport. You are. I want you to pretend to be the Aspis Consortium agents Jenk requested. Do as he asks, but only to keep suspicion off of you until you find out where the cult of Lissala is hiding. Once you know that, I need you to do two things. First, sabotage the Lissalan safe house as completely as possible. Second, throw the blame for the sabotage onto the Aspis Consortium.”

“How you complete these tasks I leave to your discretion, but I want you to keep murder to a minimum. One of the Lissalan cultists is feeding us information, and I don’t want to risk you killing this valuable source. Furthermore, we want the Lissalans to remain alive so they can turn their full ire against the Aspis Consortium. Once you’ve accomplished these two mission objectives, return here.”

Heidmarch smiles broadly. “Welcome to the Aspis Consortium. Any questions before you leave for Riddleport?”

So, I batted it around and around, and I guess I'll use my Grymp alias for running a game. It's as good as any, and I believe THIS is the first post this alias has made.

Anyways, Branson/Zahir here.

I think we have 3 definites for this (Malleck, Dylara, and Beads), although not necessarily with those characters, and Traceni said yes, but I was confused on character choice? Curaigh had expressed interest as well.

We'll wait until Throaty Mermaid is completed before getting started.

That will give me a couple days to read the module, and to solve the technical problems of posting maps, on the off chance of combat or disagreement. Any suggestions on how to do maps?

I have trouble manipulating things in google docs, so that solution might not be best for me.

Ok, no questions about how these interact with respect to the attack, damage, and strength parts of Deadly Juggernaut.

I interpret Deadly Juggernaut that all of it's bonus are Luck bonuses, even the DR. Do people concur? It's certainly unusual to have such, but that seems to be how the spell reads.

If that's right, then after I drop an opponent, I'd have DR 3/- right? After two it is DR 5/- and so on maxing at DR 11/-. Not that you gain DR 3/- for each opponent dropped, thus maxing at DR 15/-, just like you're not gaining +2/+2 on attack and damage per opponent, you figure it normally per the spell and just add 1 from the trait after the spell calculations.

Thanks in advance.

This thread isn't about casting from a Staff with UMD, just about recharging.

Let's say I'm a caster, from a class that doesn't have any of the spells from a staff on my list.

Example: I'm a 10th level Bard, and we're talking about a Staff of Fire.

None of the spells in the staff are on the Bard list, but I DO have 4th level spells. Now, a Wizard would cast that at 7th level, a Sorcerer at 8th, and a Druid at 9th.

Can I make a UMD check in the morning with a DC of 27 in order to "emulate a class feature" and use one of my 4th level castings for today to put a charge into the staff?

It seems pretty clear to me that "fooling" a magic item into thinking you have a spell on your class list is exactly what UMD does. It specifically does this for wands, staffs, and scrolls, albeit slightly differently for each.

Note, I am not trying to argue for emulating a specific caster level, or to fool the staff into thinking I can use a 3rd level spell to do the recharge. I actually want to pump a 4th level spell into the staff as required, because otherwise we'd be violating some law of thermodynamics or something.

Ok folks, so let's discuss.

If a Merciful Healer is using a cure spell, either spontaneous, or otherwise, to damage undead, is she subject to AOOs?

I'm split. It's a "cure" spell, but not a "healing" spell at that point, and the ability definitely states "healing."

There are a number of classes and Prestige Classes that give 1d6 of sneak damage at first level and they state the damage stacks.

Here's my question, if you dip them, do you get the 1d6 at each first level, or so you need to sum the levels to determine stacking?

Concrete example, Rogue and Inner Sea Pirate both give 1d6 sneak attack damage at first level. Will a Ranger-7/Rogue-1/ISP-1 have 2d6 sneak attack damage?

Paladins obviously have a special form of Detect Evil, and I don't want to get into the whole discussion on that ability. But, for however you adjudicate a Paladin's Detect Evil, for the special 3 round observation part, would it be a proper assumption that Paladin's could make great use of Detect Expertise? And to go further, there is no requirement that a creature actually be Evil for the Paladin to get this further information, only that you used an appropriate Detect spell on them.

At 6th level, my Bard will use Dance as his versatile performance, however it doesn't seem trivial for him to gain a form of flight.

What suggestions does the community have?

Our group is about to start Throne of Night, and I'll be the tank. We're doing this incredibly dwarfy, and I'm going to wield the dorn-dergar.

I've had my eye on this build ever since it was first posted

I intend to follow it reasonably closely, of course as a dwarf, I'll be a feat behind, sort of. I'll avoid Cleave early on, and have Power Attack be the sacrificial 4th level feat. Anyways, what mods would the experts recommend I do with this build, for this weapon and AP?

And, as the title suggests, what are the pros and cons of the two named archetypes for the build? I'm looking for hideous amounts of damage here.

I'll have an 18 STR from the start, so the doubling of STR damage from the two handed archetype is significant, but you lose the Weapon Training and such, so let's here it.

Alright advice geniuses, anyone have advice for making a 9th level Oread Cleric for Doom Comes to Dustpawn? I'd want an Earth Domain cleric, and thematically appropriate Oread/Earthness able to heal or melee, and do support/utility casting.

20 point buy.

I'm not trying to drive a truck through the rules here, just asking a question.

When playing a sanctioned module, can those wishing to gain PFS credit use their own legal character or a pregen, and those not caring about credit using any character they want of appropriate level? Thus having a "mixed" table.

Anyone else having trouble with this combination?

I have posted a question to Hero Lab's tech support, but wanted to ask my fellow players.

Mine is a simple question.

Rangers get bonuses to various skills for various reasons, and different ones from archetypes, but I'll keep this simple.

Survival

Rangers get Favored Enemy, Favored Terrain, and Track, each of which provides bonuses to Survival.

It is clear to me that the Track ability would stack with either Favored Terrain or Favored Enemy, but can the Favored Enemy and Favored Terrain bonuses stack? They both seem untyped, and thus they would.

A very simple example:

8th level Ranger, with Favored Enemy Human +4, and Favored Terrain Forest +4, will he get a total of +12 from Class abilities (including the +4 from Track) for Survival when tracking a human in the forest?

Obviously Track is only involved for Survival, but the same question can be applied to say Knowledge (local) when done by an Urban Ranger in his favored city regarding his favored enemy.

Any chance we can get the Round 4 rules posted shortly after Round 3 submissions are in?

Menkaure’s Zombinarium
==========
Sitting on the southern shore of the Axanir river, on the outskirts of Mechitar, one can find Menkaure’s Zombinarium. This blackstone oblong pyramid is the headquarters of a zombie trade empire that stretches across Geb and which is run by the necromancer Menkaure (LN male human wizard 12). Overlooking the Zombinarium is Menkaure’s home, a whitewashed and repurposed temple once dedicated to Abadar, from which he can observe his zombie slaves working the fields and being overseen by his ghoul underlings. A gangway stretches from the hill to the slanting roof of the Zombinarium, providing Menkaure with a relatively short commute for the occasions when he comes to the Zombinarium personally. In front of the Zombinarium is a breakwater made of coquina with a cobblestone and mortar surface which serves as a dock, where one will frequently see Menkaure’s large dhow, Urga’s Redeemer, when it isn’t out procuring raw materials or delivering finished product. The Redeemer is captained by Menkaure’s chief lieutenant, Ahmose (N male half elf fighter 5), a disgraced former member of the Osirion navy, and manned by a mixed crew of ghouls, zombies, skeletons, and even a few humanoid toughs who accompany Ahmose when he is ashore. Ahmose regularly sails the Redeemer to various slave markets of the Inner Sea, particularly those of Katapesh, where he purchases the dregs of the slave trade, including those who didn’t quite make it to market with breath in their bodies, to use as raw materials for the Zombinarium. If his crew eats a few along the way, Ahmose turns a blind eye to what keeps the crew happy.

As a necromancer and aristocrat, Menkaure has been aided by Arazni, the Harlot Queen, to obtain his preeminent position in the zombie trade, but her assistance comes with a cost. He is charged by Arazni with monitoring the trade that enters and leaves Mechitar, paying particular attention to transactions that might indicate impropriety by other officials and aristocrats (living or undead) which could be used to blackmail them at a future date. To this end, Menkaure maintains a ring of spies and informants throughout Mechitar who regularly report to him, and he provides this information, or most of it, to Arazni.

Menkaure leaves the day to day operations of running the Zombinarium to Senbi, a ghast. Senbi oversees a staff of three ghouls that manage fourteen zombies who provide the manual labor to support the zombieman’s trade. General business is conducted in the Front Foyer. Completed contracts and shipping records are stored in the Records Room. Newly arrived corpses and other supplies (such as herbs for the transformation process) arrive via the large double doors into the Receiving Room, either carried by zombies, or in the handcarts. Any corpses that are so damaged as to not make for good zombies, are tossed into the “lunch parts” pile, for the employees to eat as necessary. Skeletal remains are stored in a pile out on the dock for Menkaure’s business associate, Q’eena (NE female human oracle 7), who runs a local Skeleteria in Mechitar and regularly brings a boat to the Zombinarium to pick up Menkaure’s leavings. Corpses are moved from Receiving and sorted into piles within the Sorting room based on the overall quality of the corpses. The better specimens are intended to be used as household servants, whereas the rougher ones will be relegated to work as soldiers, porters, field workers, and ship’s crew. From the Sorting Room, corpses are moved into the Cleaning room and cleaned using a variety of methods depending on their quality. Batches of corpses are then tossed into the Reviving Room cauldron along with shovels of rare herbs that activate the revival process. Revived corpses climb out of the cauldron on their own as zombies, and are directed into the Quality Control and Intermediate Preparation Room. Within Quality Control, zombies are checked for blemishes, strength, looks, and other qualities which might differentiate them. The very best specimens might make it into the pleasure harems of Geb’s elite, whereas the lowest of the low may be condemned to spend time as oarsmen on river barges. In Dressing and Final Prep, zombies are provided with whatever garb might be appropriate for their designated occupation. Some zombies are provided protective gear: gloves, shoes, and helmets. Some are provided with a client’s livery. Some are provided with nothing but modesty garb, recognizing that their future owners will clothe them. In Storage and Shipping, some zombies are kept for immediate purchase, while many are turned out into the Zombie Pens behind the Zombinarium. Those zombies planned to be shipped overseas, are grouped into bunches and marked appropriately. While the Zombinarium can process over 500 zombies in a day, a typical day has just 50 zombies being processed.

Menkaure’s Office (CR 3)
==========
This comfortable room contains shelves of books along the south wall, and a large mahogany desk with a swiveling chair that faces out the western window towards the river and Mechitar beyond. The south wall is adorned with various collectibles from around the world: Tian vases, Taldan portraiture, Mwangi masks, Ulfen helmets, and a brass ship’s bell can be easily identified among the flotsam and jetsam of a collection owned by a man with wealth and access to a wide variety of trade goods from the world’s seafaring fleets. Prominently displayed on the north wall is Menkaure’s diploma from the Ebon Mausoleum. The desk is covered with papers, maps, a globe, and various implements of the zombieman’s trade. The couch along the north wall appears well used.

The door leading to this room is locked (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 25, Disable Device 20), although there is a key that fits it in the north desk in the Front Foyer, as well as the one carried by Menkaure. Included among the papers on the desk are two pieces of paper carrying the sign and seal of the Harbormaster of Mechitar, Vernetta Xenopha (LE female mohrg fighter 12), but are otherwise blank. These can no doubt be used for a variety of purposes by crafty PCs. Beneath a false bottom in the desk drawer (perception DC 20), there is a metal box (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 25) with a lock (hardness 15, hp 30, Break DC 30, Disable Device 25). The box contains detailed incriminating documents about the Harbormaster of Mechitar, and several other local officials. Among the many books on the shelf detailing zombies, skeletons, and other undead, Menkaure keeps a worn and dog-eared copy of Order of Numbers. On the back of a map of Okeno are some handwritten notes in a code, which can be read with a DC 22 Linguistics check and translates as “Come Sarenith at the Sign of the Ebony Lantern. Captain Hector will have the girl at the Blue Grog Tavern.” PCs can determine that Captain Hector is a fairly vicious member of the “Zombie Pirates” with a DC 20 Knowledge (local) check. An additional Knowledge (local) (DC 25) or Profession (sailor) (DC 20) check allows PCs to recognize the “Sign of the Ebony Lantern” as a euphemism for a solar eclipse.

Creatures: The two portraits of Taldan nobility on the south wall are in actuality portrait phantoms charged with protecting Menkaure’s privacy. If anyone other than Menkaure or other Zombinarium employees enters the office, the portrait phantoms will wait long enough to determine the intruder’s intent before taking action. Casual interlopers will be ignored and permitted to leave, but if they stay for more than two minutes, or if they start searching, looting, or in general demonstrating they are up to no good, the portrait phantoms will step out of their pictures and attack the nearest enemy.

Portrait Phantom (2) CR 1
XP 400 each
hp 13 each (R2)

Development: If one of the portrait phantoms is destroyed, the other will attack for one more round before moving to the ship’s bell on the wall and starting to ring it. Once the bell has been rung, Senbi will arrive in 3d4 rounds with two zombies from the Receiving Room. It is unlikely that Senbi will be in a talking mood when she arrives.

I just went in to try to preview my submission, including wordcount, but I got an error after the step where you "I Agree" to the rules telling me "This round of the contest is closed."

When will the submission tool ne operable for Round 3?

I'm guessing that except for specific nuances for this year's round 3 (which will likely include "make an urban encounter" since the monster round was urban), that this year's rules and templates are virtually identical to last year's.

So for those of us that aren't graphic artists, what the heck is this 72-100 dpi thing? Yes, yes, "dots per inch," I get that, but is it a setting in a scanning, photo, or document program, so that mine has the appropriate level of fidelity or something?

Basically, how do I ensure I meet this criteria?

Any other advice for designing an encounter?