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Hi everyone, I'm sorry it's been quiet the last few days. The weekend was extremely busy (Superbowl, etc.), and now I've come down with some sort of flu-like bug. I'll advance things in character as soon as I can, but for now, I'm off to bed. Thanks for being patient. :)
Guy, I've been looking over Gaxsban's character sheet. Here are some comments and corrections... Gaxsban has 64 hit points. His Flat Footed AC would be 18, as he still retains his DEX bonus (due to Uncanny Dodge) His Climb and Jump skills should both reflect his -1 armor penalty. However, Jump should also have a +4 for movement greater than 30', so I have his totals as:
He can go ahead and take Shoanti as a bonus language, based on his background. Speaking of the background...I like what you have so far, but I'd like you to tie his story into the beginning of the adventure. How did Gaxsban come to know of the expedition into Bloodsworn Vale? What made him decide to join up with the merchant's caravan? etc. Finally, I'm not familiar with the Bag of Boulders...can you put a line or two on the sheet indicating what it does, how much it costs, etc? That's about it. Overall, good job!
Sean, I just looked over Hoban. First things first, he has 28 hit points. Beyond that, I can't find any problems with what you have there. As noted previously, he still needs languages, a full equipment list, and the bonuses for a good background (regional feat and skill points). Once that stuff is added, Hoban will be all set! :)
Okay, I'm back to work on character sheets...fear my wrath! :) Amardolem, let's start with Fleaux's skills... I believe that his armor check penalty needs only be -2, not -3, because his magical hide shirt is, by default, also Masterwork...hence reducing by 1 the armor penalty. So, you can go ahead and adjust upwards by one all the relevant skills. Hide looks like its missing a +3 from DEX, but it's also a cross-class skill...so I have +1.5 ranks +3 DEX +4 Size -2 Armor = +6 Total. Heal needs another a +3 from WIS, for +6 total. Also, Fleaux's Jump skill needs an additional -6 penalty due to his move being less than 30'. Total should be -6 after racial bonus and armor penalty. You can add another +2 to Survival due to Nature Sense special ability, for total of +5. Also, I can only see where you used 10 of the possible 12 bonus skill points for background. Did I miss the other two? Go ahead and take a look at these skills for me, please, and then I'll have one last look at Fleaux before calling him finished.
Hey all, I realized that even though we may still have some character sheet details to be approved, there's really no reason that you guys can't kick things off in-character, and do some role-playing. So, without further ado, here's the In-Character thread for the game! The opening scene is just for your PCs to establish their 'voices'. When next I post, I'll advance the scene to the arrival at the Fort proper. Please take this opportunity to talk to one another in-character about: your PCs motive for accompanying the caravan to the fort, hopes for future riches or rewards, past connections, boredom from the journey, or anything else you'd like. I'd also like it if your first post includes some sort of physical description of your character. Have fun, and meanwhile, I'll get cracking on those character sheets, I promise!
“Land, Gold, and Title!” Those are the things promised for taming the great swath of wilderness known as the Bloodsworn Vale, but so far, the journey there has been little more than hardship and boredom. As the miles roll past and the Mindspin Mountains draw ever nearer, the company of merchants you travel with has grown steadily more subdued. Some even whisper that the vale is haunted or cursed. After crossing through Icedeep Pass, the wagons pull up short to take in the view. Far in the distance, the ice-capped peaks of the Mindspin range are visible beyond a lush green wilderness. Below spreads a sea of leaves, broken only here and there by fields of blood-red roses. Perhaps twenty miles ahead, a wooden fort breaks through the forest canopy, with a thin wisp of smoke twisting into the air. Suddenly, the promises of “Land, Gold, and Title” don’t seem so far-fetched after all.
'During the rise of the Empire of Cheliax a great battle was fought in the valley now known as the Bloodsworn Vale between the emperor’s forces and the barbarian lords of the north. Although Cheliax won, countless soldiers were massacred in one of the bloodiest engagements of the Expansion Wars. Some say the fields of roses that dot the vale date to that time, and that for every soldier who fell, a blood-red rose grew to mark his grave. Today, Cheliax is a shadow of its former glory, rent by civil war and ruled by devil worshipers. The vale, once a vital trade route, has been reclaimed by wilderness. Only the rose bushes remain to remind travelers of the former empire.' -The Pathfinder Chronicles
I thought that required Ashendel's approval, based on background, but that's what I'd like to take. You can go ahead and add the Big Game Hunter feat, Sean! :)
Oh, and like Amardolem suggests...if you guys want to create a pre-existing friendship (like between Fleaux and one of the rangers), that's fine as well. The more you guys can get into the histories and personalities of your characters, the better the game will be! :)
I appreciate all of your enthusiasm to get this game rolling! :) The last couple of days turned pretty crazy on me, but I'm going to be able to go over the remaining character sheets soon. Thanks for hanging in there. As for the handbill...most likely, none of the PCs have ever met Captain Tolgrith, or been to Fort Thorn (although, if any of you want to write an acquaintance or friendship with the Captain into your background, there's really no harm in doing so. But, such an acquaintance would be from bygone days when Tolgrith was serving out of Korvosa...his assignment to Fort Thorn is relatively recent). I'm assuming that each character has noticed the handbill in Korvosa, and has signed up (for whatever motive suits your character) to go and talk to Tolgrith in further detail about the need to clear the vale and reestablish a vital trade route through the pass. As it happens, a merchant's caravan is heading into the vale to Fort Thorn to deliver supplies, so the PCs are all travelling along with the merchants. This will be the opening scene, and gives the PCs a vehicle to get to know each other a little bit (as they have been travelling together for a few days). It shouldn't be too much longer before I get the IC thread rolling, and then all should become clearer, if it isn't already. Just another day or two, hopefully.
Huh...well, thanks for posting that link, Pat. That is news to me, but I'm not going to refute Erik Mona. Okay, so we'll move forward with the understanding that common and Chelaxian are the same language. I don't forsee this having a very large impact on this game, but now we'll all be on the same page.
Actually, my understanding is that Common does exist, while other human languages (e.g., Shoanti, Chelaxian, Varisian) are separate tongues. According to the RotRL player's guide (I think) all PCs know Common, while the other human tongues may be known as a bonus language, if the character comes from the appropriate region.
Guy, welcome! :) Here's the current party breakdown, in a nutshell... Finrod Moruin, Elven Ranger6 (Archer) (by Camris)
So, with that lineup, I'd say the monk is probably a better choice than the bard. As it stands, the most durable PC is the druid, so frontline melee staying power may be a bit lacking. Still, I'd like you to play the character that interests you most. EDIT: As for how soon...well, the sooner I've got five character sheets approved, the sooner we can start! :)
Okay, here's most of Hoban. I still have to finish buying equipment, give a description, and write a background, but this is what I've got so far. It's a very good start, Sean! I'll wait until Hoban's a little closer to done before I delve in too deeply with my analyis, though. But at a glance, he looks good. :)
That's good to know, Will! You never know, an opportunity may come your way... EDIT:
Guy Humual, if you're out there, a spot has opened up in my Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale game, and you're the next alternate up. Please pop in to the discussion thread HERE and claim your spot if you're still interested. The game hasn't yet begun, so you haven't missed a thing. Hope to see you there. Thanks!
Billzabub, I'm not happy to see you go, but I respect your decision. And, I appreciate you letting us know in a timely fashion. Good gaming to you in the future, maybe we'll cross paths again! :) Now, to find a replacement...Guy Humual, you're the next alternate up for the spot. Please check in here if you're still interested. EDIT: I created a thread on the 'Gamers Seeking Gamers' section addressed specifically to Guy, so hopefully he'll see it!
Amardolem, I'll have another go at Fleaux's skill allotment later on today. Camris, thanks for getting Finrod's fluffy details written up. He looks good now, completely approved! That's 2 down, 3 to go. :)
Amardolem, Before I forget, let's give Fleaux 45 hit points. For the most part he looks pretty good. One thing I do notice is that I believe his Touch AC should be 15. He wouldn't get the bonus from his armor, but everything else should still apply. Also, there is a -4 size modifier to his Grapple score, so that nets to +0. The biggest thing I need help with is his skills. I am having trouble deciphering from the sheet's current format exactly how many skill points you have placed in each skill. Can you break it down for me in a way that indicates what numbers come from rank assignments, ability scores, miscellaneous bonuses, etc? More work, I know, but it really would make things easier for me. That's it for now. I still need to check out Vince, though.
Pat, I really can't find anything about Vel's sheet to quibble about. Let's give her 26 hp, and call her ready to roll. Fleaux, you're next! :)
Hi guys, The weekend got a little busier for me than expected, too! I'm trying to finish up going over Vel's sheet (haven't found any problems so far), and then I'll move on to Fleaux.
OK, I have recalculated the skills set, seems I've been doing cross-class skills wrong for eight years. Wow, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, man! But don't sweat it, I've discovered that some of my own rules understanding was lacking recently, as well. That's one of the nice things about this format, we can all learn from each other in a low-pressure environment. In any case, I am happy with Camris' skills now. Thanks for fixing them! The only thing he needs now is that background/personality/etc. C'mon, Fluff! :)
Sorry I haven't posted a character yet. I've been teching a show that opens tomorrow, so it's been a lot of working in just a couple of days. I should be able to post one by Sunday at the latest. No problem, Sean, I just wanted to make sure you're still with us! :)
Oh, almost forgot...Finrod's hp = 39.
Amardolem, I see that Fleaux's page is coming along little by little. Please let me know when his sheet is ready for my perusal. Pat, Vel will be my next target for sheet approval. Sean, we haven't heard from you in a couple of days. Everything okay?
Camris, I don't agree with all of the skill totals on Finrod's sheet. Here are the differences I note... Balance +7 (It's Cross-Class...I don't know where +2 Misc comes from) Climb +7 (I don't know where +2 Misc comes from...conditional use of rope?) Jump +11 (+4 bonus for movement 40', but I don't know where +2 Misc comes from) Ride +5 (DEX bonus +5, not +6) Survival +5 (I don't know where +2 comes from...conditional Knowledge skills?) Tumble +9 (It's cross-class) For Balance and Jump, the only thing I can think of is claiming a synergy bonus from Tumble, but he doesn't have enough ranks in Tumble, so that can't be right. I think the discrepancies in Climb and Survival might be due to conditional synergy modifiers from Use Rope and certain Knowledge skills, respectively. In those cases, I'd prefer if you noted that on the sheet something like this... Climb +7/+9 (with use of knotted rope) That way, I won't accidentally give you the extra bonus all the time. Anyway, please take a second look there and see if you agree/disagree with my numbers and conclusions. Thanks!
Pat, I like Vel's background. That's certainly enough to qualify for the extra feat and skill points. Camris, there's no need to e-mail me a character sheet for Finrod. I'll just refer to the profile here on the site. I'll have another look at his sheet, today or tomorrow, and let you know what else may be needed. How's everyone else coming along?
The party could potentially use a rogue, it's true, depending on how rogue-y Sean's guy is. Thanks for your comment about the handbill! I intend to post links to graphics, handouts, and maps whenever I can to enhance the game.
Camris, your ranger looks pretty good so far. I still need to go over his skills, but aside from that, I just have a couple of comments/questions. I didn't see a section for Languages. Do his attack and AC bonuses already include his Dodge feat and his Point Blank Shot feat? It looks like they do, but I just wanted to confirm this. Finally, I don't want to metagame too much, but I can tell you right now that you won't get much mileage out of either of the favored enemy selections you made. May I suggest any of the following as better options? They aren't the only good options, but I don't want to give away too much. Spoiler: Magical Beast, Humanoid (goblinoid), Fey, Vermin
Players:
The IC thread will begin with the PCs all riding along with a merchant caravan through the vale, on the way to Fort Thorn to meet up with Captain Tolgrith. Please reflect the above information in your backgrounds. Thanks!
Billzabub: It's fine with me if you want to go a different route. Camris: Thanks for finishing Finrod so quickly. I'll take a look at the numbers in a bit, and let you know if I have any questions or need to request any corrections. I'm going to post a little bit about the intro to the game momentarily, which will help with his background. Pat: Sounds good, I look forward to seeing your warmage!
I would also like to substitute the uh... "Obnoxious Sniper" or whatever it's called Ranger ability from Players Handbook II, which replaces the Animal Companion.Anyone know of a similar substitution for sorcerers w/ their familiars? I don't really feel the need to have one, and am wondering what other options are available. The only alternative I can think of is from the PHB2, called 'Metamagic Specialist.' It involves replacing the familiar with the ability to apply metamagic feats to spells without increasing the casting time. I don't know if that sounds like something you had in mind or not...
Amardolem, good name and avatar for your druid! I would like a section for skills in Fleaux's profile page...in fact, I would like a full character sheet, so that I can refer to it easily when needed. As for the format...that's another thing, because I've never actually done one myself. I'm not too picky about how it looks, as long as I can find the information I need without too much trouble. Maybe one of the 'Paizo PbP' veterans of the group has some tips to offer? EDIT: It looks like Sean, Bill, and Pat have all created PC sheet 'aliases', so maybe have a look at what they've done. You can click on their names to link to their various aliases.
Camris, I'm good with both of those choices. One less animal running around to keep track of is probably a blessing, anyway (what with a druid and multiple rangers in the group). I think the variant from PHB2 you're wanting is 'Distracting Attack'...although 'Obnoxious Sniper' is much funnier, IMO. :) As we play, I'll probably need reminding about the extra flanking, though, so that's on you.
It's gonna take me a day or two to get my character together . . . That's fine, I don't want to rush anyone. But then again, the sooner the sheets get done, the sooner we can get this thing rolling! :)
Allrighty, then! If you guys are cool with that lineup, I'm cool too! I have to say, it does look like a very wilderness-oriented team. :) Let's get crackin' on them character sheets, hmm?
Welcome Camris! If you indeed want to go with a fighter/ranger/archer-type, and Amardolem shifts over to a druid, then it might be advisable for Sean to rework his guy into a bit more of a front-lines warrior-type. Then again, as Amardolem said, you might be good as is. It's up to you.
Character Creation Rules Well, as we've already talked about, please ask before using anything from outside the core rules. I'm open to a lot of other ideas, but I just want to make sure nothing too outlandish slips by. Also, I will ask you to crib on your character sheets the crunchy bits of anything you use that's not found on the SRD online. Characters start at 6th level, with 15000 xp. No psionics, no evil alignments, no Book of 9 Swords, no Incarnum. Stats generated by 28 point buy, then adjusted for race and leveling up. Purchase equipment (magical and mundane) with 13000 gp. There is a cap of 4500 gp for any single item. I will determine your hp's, based on a fixed method, so I'll give you those after the rest of the sheet is approved. With a good background (detailing how the PC came to Korvosa, and got involved with the plan to clear Bloodsworn Vale...more on that later), each PC may take one bonus feat selected from the Rise of the Runelords player's guide. Also with a good background you may take 12 bonus skill points, and divide them among one or two Craft, Perform, or Profession skills of your choice (which will then be treated as class skills). These skills must be consistent with the character's background. Please create your character sheet as an alias on this website, filling in all necessary information. Please also select an avatar to represent your PC, which I will then use to create a token for combat maps. Hopefully, that should get you guys started! Let me know if I've forgotten anything, or if you have any questions. Thanks!
I'll do a little recap here, based on the primary interests displayed so far... Pat o'the Ninth Power...Warmage
That foursome has a pretty nice mix of arcane firepower, melee toughness, and mobility. The only thing really lacking is some healing, so I'd think the fifth PC ought to be a cleric or druid, if you guys go with the above lineup. I'll post some more character creation rules in a few...
Ok, looks like I'm an alternate alternate. If I get in I'd like to play a bard, cleric, or druid. Fighter types don't interest me too much and I'm sort of wizard-ed out from my pen and paper savage tide campaign (check out my Lidu diaries if anyone is interested). But I can play whatever class you guys need (if I'm needed). Guy, thanks for weighing in here. If Camris doesn't show up within a day or two, the fifth spot will belong to you.
French Wolf, it's no problem at all. I'm sorry to see you go, but I understand completely. I've already posted the call for first alternate on the recruiting thread, and I'm sure it won't be too hard to find someone to take the spot. I appreciate you letting me know so forthrightly. Best Wishes,
So far, I'm thinking either elf battle sorcerer (from the Hypertext SRD) ala the OD&D elf class, if it'll work with a warmage, or maybe something real different, like a samurai, in name only, and w/o the japanese flavor. Of course, having two heavy hitters would be good, so I see no problem there. Let's see what everyone else comes up with . . . Billzabub, I don't have a problem outright with a battle sorcerer, but I'm afraid the concept might overlap too much with Pat's warmage/blaster sorcerer idea. I won't veto it outright, but I'd want to make sure those two PCs don't step on each other's toes too much (and that no other important role in the party gets neglected).
I was thinking half-orc barbarian/rogue: rippling muscles, mighty thews, and greatsword with a sneak attack. (I've been playing spellcasters of late and this will be nice change) And, I have found that a wizard with evoc school, spell focus, and Varisian tattoo:evoc (I forget the Varisian name) feats makes a hell of a blaster type caster! (just food for thought) If anyone's dead set on this sort damage dealing, damage absorbing tank, I'm fine with any number of alt's; Halfling druid has been floating around my subconcious for months... Amardolem, I think your concept of the barbarian/rogue tank would be a great one for the party's primary melee character. Of course, a halfling druid would be awesome too! Either way is fine with me.
Hi all, French Wolf has decided to decline his spot in this game, so that means the fifth spot belongs to an alternate. Camris, you're first up to claim the spot. Please head on over to the Discussion thread (linked above) and claim your place, if you are still interested. If I don't hear from you within two days, we'll move on to Guy Humual. Thanks!
Pat, Warmage would be an allowable class.
Okay, congrats again to the five of you who got your numbers drawn. Now, I should have full details for character creation up here soon...either tonight or tomorrow, at the latest. In the meantime, I'd like to open things up to discussion amongst the players. Please talk to each other about your PC ideas, so we can end up with a nicely balanced party. Also, you should know that I will want to approve/veto anything that's not from the core rules, so if you have any thoughts on that, feel free to ask away. Thanks, all! I'm really stoked about this game! :)
And there it is, fellas! The lucky numbers are 7,1,10,4,6 Congrats to: Sean, Minister of KtSP
If the five of you could head on over to the Discussion Thread for this game, we'll get you cracking on your characters. As for the rest of you, thanks for your interest. Also, you might want to keep an eye on things here for a few more days, because if any of the above don't show up, we'll keep going down the list. So, the first three alternates would be Camris, Guy Humual, and Tarren Dei. Thanks, all!
Terry Dyer, you're #14. LongreachJones, you're #15. And, with that, gentlemen, the time has come to close the recruiting process, and draw the players. The process has been open for a full three days, and we have 15 interested applicants. That's plenty fair, as far as I'm concerned. To recap the potential players: 1. French Wolf
Okay, I think I'll do this by heading over to Invisible Castle, and tossing a d15 a bunch of times. The first five non-duplicates to come up will be the players chosen. If anybody bows out or no-shows, the next guy on the list gets the chance to take the spot. Okay, here goes nothing...back in a few.
Camris, you're #12. Guy Humual, you're #13. Hey all, I think I'm going to go ahead and cap this at 15 entrants, just to preserve some kind of odds for you all. This recruiting has been open plenty long now, I think, for a fair shot to be given to any who are interested. So, next two people to throw in hats are the last. Drawing will take place tomorrow, in any case.
Sorry, French Wolf, one per customer limit. :) |
