Andrew Jackson 394's page

I would love to make it in a similar configuration to the diagram but I think with enough spaces for a full 6 player game it would be too big and cumbersome.

Though I may try and lay it out to accommodate 4 players to see how it looks.

Close up of Character Spot

Yep it is pretty big, about A2 size at the moment but I can reduce it by a few inches either way.

I also use miniatures instead of the card but decided to have the board space for cards as well.

I have made a start on creating a board for the game (I know it's not needed) :o)

Let me know what you think and what you would do differently.

Picture of Board

I am using Mayday Games card sleeves. Green pack, size 63.5mm x 88mm and the cards all fit in the box in the right place. That's with everything from the core, character add on and burnt offerings.

I suspect there will be a space problem after another pack or two especially in the blessing or monster decks.

I would start with Book 5 myself rather than book 4. Have Ameiko stumble out of the forest of spirits, the adventures who helped her gett his far have all been killed in the Forest of Spirits. Fortunatley she stumbles into the Ronin Band and there are honourable heroes working with him eager to help her over throw the Jade regent.

Just about to return to Jade regent with this chapter. Looking forward to it as it seems to be a lot more involved than the previous books and really seems to be the start of the story to reclaim the throne.

Anyone run it have advice for things to look out for or change / avoid?

I have bought the first three comics and the stories are good and I love the encounter map that is included but the interior art is terrible. Really so bad I try and ignore it whilst reading the story. It's a marked contrast to the D&D comics from IDW which were brilliant in every aspect.

I will try and stick with it but I really really hope they get a new artist if they do a second story.

We are done with this one. We got into the first level of the penance and I really can't be bothered running the rest.

It's just a dungeon crawl seemingly just to fill a fourth book or to push up the characters levels. The story is an after thought.

I will summarise it for the players and we will pick it up again with book five.

At high level combat after combat just for the sake of XP is not fun for ou group.

If you want to flesh out the journey the land of the Linnorm Kings source book is very very good and provides the map you are looking for.

We will give it a go and if it gets boring I will give them a summary and move onto book 5 I think.

Not being able to rest and nova every encounter may make the dungeon at least more fun as a tactical combat game for a while.

The giants in the forest of spirits seems like a complete waste of time and purely there for XP.

I wouldn't start with an AP.

I would go with the linked 3 part module set that starts with Crypt of the Everflame. The first part is classic DnD and the second has loads of RP opportunity.

You can introduce the Pathfinder society which is a big part of the campaign setting and 3rd adventure is great finale.

The story won't take as much time commitment to complete but is still far more than a couple of one shots.

I am having a 50/50 time with it at the moment. I love the story but I can't be bothered with combats just for the sake of XP.

I wish APs ran just to 10th level but that's just me.

I realy want to finish JR but high level play is just not for the group I play with, combats when you are traveling and you only have one encounter a day are either pointless or long drawn out slug fests.

Hopefully now we are in the house of withered blossoms it will be a bit more interesting than the forest of spirits was.

I am also hopeful he last two books bring the story to the fore a lot more. So far it has been a very long road to get to the actual story.

That is why I banned summoners and the summon monster spell at the start of the campaign.

Far too powerful and they take up too much time at the table when used by the group I play with.

We are just about to leave Ordu Aganhei so I will bear this in mind and give her some extra protection and maybe a potion of haste.

:o)

I really enjoyed running this section of the AP. Gave me lots of opportunity to add personal sections for the characters. I have a star souled Gnome who is a reborn demon from the dawn war expelled from heaven by the gods in the first battle, when his forces tried to win the war by using the Star Stone (a living star) to destroy the fledgling gods. He has a piece of the star stone and if able to reunite the pieces may well rise in power to the point he will be able to take on the challenge of Star Stone and return to the heavens to oust Desna. He learnt a lot of his story by visiting the Namless Spires.

Ok so who said I have to stick to canon... :o)

Also the final battle was epic, the character couldn't rest as one of them is under the effects of the mummies curse so they are desperatley trying to get out from under the mountain and find help before they die of con loss. So they were low on resources when the fight began. Brilliant fight with characters dropping and getting back up until the LE Monk killed her with the Ghost Sword.

brock, no the other one... wrote:

caribet wrote:

I'd seriously love to subscribe - but I'm in the UK and the postage is just too expensive - I have to wait for them to be shipped over and buy locally.

If you could find a distributor who'd accept subscriptions and handle posting locally...?

The 15% Pathfinder Advantage discount I get by subscribing to the AP's means that the end cost of my subscriptions equals what I can get them for over the counter in the UK. It also means that stuff arrives a darned sight quicker than from Amazon and I also get a free PDF.

Do you have a friend that subscribes to the AP line who would be willing to subscribe to the Companions line and then sell you the print version at cost?

I also keep prodding for all of the EU subscription orders to be shipped in bulk to a re-distributor in the EU who then handles the final postage. Who knows, it might happen one day.

With you on that, would love to subscribe to pawns and hardcovers...

Keep on fighting the good fight!

+1 Would love for subscription to be a good option here in the UK.

Blue Hill gamerati filmed the seminar at paizo con with all of the authors, artists map makers etc. it's on you tube but I think you need the link to it.

Has the book already gone to the printers? Very sad if it has, I may still pick it up but only in PDF as that can be fixed later.

Hate errors in books, though I understand how they can creep in.

:o(

Doh! Apologies.

Deleted from twitpic.

Hi Cat-thulhu you could always use the ones produced by Fantasty Flight for their arkham horrow game - http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_news.asp?eidn=2998 They have a prepainted Hound of Tindalus in there.

I have been using the caravan sections to develop the characters personal stories. and using the suggested encounters as ideas and then running them using the standard rules or just roleplaying them out. It's been a lot of fun.

I remember the old school games a big part of the fun was the journey and exploring new places, seeing new wonders. I a hopeful that the hungry storm will bring a lot of that.

Thanks for the tips Jason I will certainly be using the narrative and flavour text for some of the journey.

My group is just about finished with the Night of Frozen Shadows and we will be taking a 4 week break. I will be preping The Hungry Storm during this time.

We have opted not to use the Caravan rules and play the journeys as pure roleplay sessions throwing in the odd combat encounter with the caraven used as a narrative back drop.

I have a lot of hopes and fears for this book of the AP because of the distance traveled. I know I can jump vast distances with a couple of scentences of description but I really want to capture the epicness of the journey.

Is anyone else running the AP without using the Caravan rules? If so any advice for this chapter?

My players were fleeing the castle after a hard fight. They made a break for the main gate when the ettercap and spider came out. Zaiobe helped them in the flight and I had her drop down and touch one of the characters so she could communicate.

She then flew off and approached them later when hey were resting in he crypt in the graveyard.

They bought it.

I actually had her keep to the bargain they made and they didn't end up killing her. However she was annoyed with them for killing her lover (well she is CE) so she caught and killed Spivey whilst they were raiding the keep.

She left them a love note and now her name has been entered into their book of grudges.

I actually do the resizing in poster razor. I crop the image using snip it in windows. As above I make sure to crop it to x by y squares. Then in poster razor set the image size to be x by y inches.

I went all out and made battlemaps of the whole of Brinewall Castle and it's Dungeons.

Look great.

Now I just have to resist the urge to put them down before I describe what happens. I always find doing that leads players to jump straight to combat without thinking of alternatives and I always forget to describe the room which gets spoils immersion a little.

Still when the chips are down and the dice start rollin these are great additions to the game.

Keep up the great work with the interactive maps.

Now that you have printed out your color maps, protect them for easy storage (multiple posters will fit in one ACP sheet protector) and during play with these wet erasable, ziplocked blueprint protectors.

They will also hang flat for storage using this blueprint protector.

Alvin ACP Blueprint Sheet Protectors

They look great. I may well invest as I think I will probably run Jade Regent for at least one other group so would be good to keep any maps I make in good order.

Thanks for the tip.

Now to see if I can get them in the UK.

I don't know if anyone has tried this before but I use a tool called posterrazor (shareware) to convert the interactive maps from the PDF version of the AP into battlemaps.

Results are pretty good.

Picture

It took 28 pages of A4 paper and a lot of cutting ans sticking but I think it worked out well.

Just have to do the other two levels now (or maybe run them thearter of the mind style)

:o)

I didn't want an exact route mapped out, but detailed maps of the three areas the players travel through (Varisia, Crown of the World and Minkai) Similar detail to the map found in the AP3 of Varisia for each region. We got that for the crown of the world but the other two maps aren't as useful for the Jade Regent AP.

I just picked it up. What is included is great. I was hopping for a detailed map of Varisia though and a more detailed map of Minkai rather than the whole of Tian would have served the AP better I think.

Based on this one I'm not sure its a supplement I would buy in future.

Again though what is included is great quality and beautiful maps if you want to expand you general collection of maps of Gollarion.

Adventure Path No.3 has a map of Varisia in it which shows the location of all the point mentioned on the journey. Also has information on them if you want to flesh out the journey.

If you don't own the ap a quick search on bing for map of varisia will bring up several images which show the details.

Intro (Spoilers ahead)

A band of disparate characters united by bonds of friendship, family and a shared history. Each with connections to Sandpoint and the group of friends surrounding Ameiko Kaijitsu, the players have seen the danger posed by the Goblins of Brinstump Marsh and agreed to help eliminate the threat to the area; for suitable reward of course.

The Cast

Amrol the Dwarf – Sworn defender of Desna (Inquisitor), estranged from his clan and seeking a place in a world where strangers offered more kindness and understanding than his own people. For now he seeks solace in the wild places around Sandpoint but he needs a purpose and a future to call his own either that or there will be a reckoning with his clan someday.

Morticia Half Elven (Ranger) – Sees the world through bitter eyes. A product of tragedy she remains distant from her family and friends. Driven by revenge will she find peace once she has achieved it? Still she is a force to be reckoned with once she has her blades in hand and despite the chaos that rages in her soul she knows that her goals can only be achieved with the aid of those around her.

Brag Half Elven bard – A product of the same tragedy that befell Morticia but nurtured by Ameiko Bragg sees joy and many hued colours rather than black and white. Perhaps Ameikos influence was key as Shelelu who rescued Morticia carries her own bitterness and pain. With her skill Bragg could be a success in any of the major cities but she knows her place is by Ameikos side and senses there is a story about to break, the telling of which will immortalize her in the pantheon of the bards of Golarion.

Lini Gnome Sorcerer – Lini is an enigma, born of a race close to the earth and the creatures who dwell there she has always had her eyes on the stars. There is a mystery in the eternity of night that only she sees, it fuels her with power and drives her to seek out the knowledge of the ancients. She took up with the Varisian caravan master Sandru who showed her some of the wonders of the area and whilst he remains the closest friend she has, the other members of the small group are each touched by their own destiny, perhaps they don’t see it yet as it isn’t recorded by their deeds so far; but written in the stars.

Cricket Halfling Witch – Cricket is perhaps the most carefree member of the band, whilst she has Knuckles by her side she has everything she needs in the world. Koya watches over her and senses a power behind her that Cricket probably isn’t aware of. How did she come to be alone in the field and why did Koya’s caravan stop there that day. There is a destiny behind the small witch that for good or ill is tied into the fate of Koya and her friends.

Session 1 Recap.

The journey into the swamp to find the goblins was made trickier by the other strange denizens who dwell there. Though an ally was found in the form of the Halfling Ranger Walthus it was bought at the price of making a dangerous enemy out of the Faceless Stalker Volorog.

Already the Sandpoint Crawlers have brought honor to themselves by destroying the menace known as the Soggy River Monster who took the lives of young children from the areas around Sandpoint. Where the creature came from and what its own sad tale was may never be known but it is at least at peace now and the grieving families it devastated have some remains they can lay to rest.

Finding the Goblins proved easier after spending a night in the swamp and seeing the firework display they put on but when the group arrived at the palisade they found it had already been attacked seemingly by undead who seem to have killed many of the goblin tribe and then left spilling ancient Minkai treasure behind them. After watching the group through shuttered windows it appears that the goblins have regained some of their courage or at least foolishness and charged out to engage the party, the ones encountered so far were easy enough to dispatch but there was only a few and where in the village is their erstwhile leader holed up.

Anyone have any thoughts on the make up of the party I have running through the game. Seems they may have a few gaps but we are focusing on the RP so I will reduce combat lethality if needed

I would also keep most of the swords powers a secret only revealing them as the sword decides to use them.

Not for me but good luck.

I gave up on pc gaming a while back, if you can do an Xbox version I would be interested.

I am struggling with Pathfinder after level 8. How is this a challange for level 10 characters? With 22AC and only 129 HP a Paladin could easily solo kill it in two rounds. With the rest of the party around it would be a breeze to do it in one.

Now I realise that you can change the encounter and add more stuff but by the book I thought a CR10 creature was an average challenge for 4 10th level PC's. Heck even a group of 8th or 9th level PC's would be able to kill this beast quite easily.

Lovely art work though.

Ouch £200+ to be able to buy the dragon, think I will take my chance on finding it at a store.

Jessica as the Grey Maiden gets my vote.

16 DEX is not "high DEX", especially for an Elf Fighter. 1`6 DEX merely allows him to use all of his DEX for AC with Armor Training 1 & 2, without the need of investing in Mithral Full Plate. Upgrade that Full plate up to +3 and you have a very solid AC.

This build is not overpowered, it's just good at what a 2H fighter build does well: dishing out respectable damage to a single target.

Furious Focus is very valuable to your DPS: +3 to hit on your primary attack (and only attack when not using a full round attack...) is very significant.

Watch your WILL and Reflex saves -- and look at spending some feats on improving them, as they are your primary weakness.

I took the trait which increases will save and the +2 Cloak of resistance so my saves are -

My AC is 24 with Half Plate +2 and dodge and amulet of natural armour +1

I could swap out the belt of giant str+4 for one of +2 to str and con.

That might help a bit.

Thanks all some really good suggestions and things to think about. I usually make characters with strong back story and a good mix of skills. I didn't put the full build in as I was concerned about how much damage it appears to be doing.

He already has toughness as a feat btw I think 88 hit points.

I may play with a dwarf ax and board build see how that turns out.

Jaryn Wildmane wrote:

Vital strike is a standard action and as such can't be used as a full attack. It only allows for one attack.

Ok so no vital strike but that only reduces the maximum damage output by 1d10.

Though reading vital strike it just says as part of an attack one of your attacks does more damage. The wording could go either way. I will look at the rules forum see if that has been clarified by a developer.

Vital strike is a standard action and as such can't be used as a full attack. It only allows for one attack.

Ok so no vital strike but that only reduces the maximum damage output by 1d10.

I am playing Kingmaker and I have lost a fair few characters so I thought I would go for an Elf fighter and really aim to kill things quickly.

We are 9th level using 20 point stats.

Str:22
Dex:16
Con:12
Int:12
Wis:10
Chr:10

I have a belt of Giant Strength+4 and an Elven Curve Blade +3

My attacks are - +22/+17 1d10+16 Crit: 15-20 x2.

With Power Att +19/+14 1d10+25 Crit 15-20 x2.

With Haste I would have another attack so with vital strike my maximum damage output (3 crits +7d10)= 220

That seems like a stupid amount of damage, is it too much, will the character break the game or marginalise other PC's.

I really don't want to do that. I haven't played Pathfinder long enough to know if that is the damage output you should be getting from a fighter at this level but as I only used the core book and have no prestige classes in there I don't see how it can be broken.

Any advice much appreciated.

Andrew Jackson 394 wrote:

Excellent thanks.

Have fun!

Out of professional curiosity what are you running?

Voice in the Void. Was great adventure, we will continue to use Pathfinder society adventures to fill in between adventure paths.

Andrew Jackson 394 wrote:

Hi all, I need some quick advice. I am running a PFS home encounter tonight and I may have 6 pcs. Should I do any thing to up the encounter difficulty to account for the extra players?

Thanks for any help.

You do add 1 to the APL calculation as per the APL calculation guidelines in the Guide, and if that pushes them up a subtier then you run it at that subtier instead.

Otherwise, no they are meant to be run it was written.

Excellent thanks.

Hi all, I need some quick advice. I am running a PFS home encounter tonight and I may have 6 pcs. Should I do any thing to up the encounter difficulty to account for the extra players?

Thanks for any help.

I bought the first book by David Gross and I really couldn't get in to it. Don't know why but it didn't work for me.

I don't want to be put off the entire series but a bad first impression has left me a little wary of picking this one up. I've never read any of Elaine's other work, can someone point me to where I would find some of the short stories so I can see if her writing style works for me.

I'm not saying there was anything wrong with Prince of Wolves it just didn't drag me in personally.

Andy