Search Posts
Last year, there was enough space for improptu tables. I would have to suggest once showing up at Scotty's, ask around for PF players, figure out who wants to run/play, and then asking the manager to make sure there is space to setup a game as well as food. Due to space issues, ideally scenarios with a small map is preferred.
From APG: On a direct hit, an alchemist's bomb inflicts 1d6 points of fire damage + additional damage equal to the alchemist's Intelligence modifier. The damage of an alchemist's bomb increases by 1d6 points at every odd-numbered alchemist level (this bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit or by using feats such as Vital Strike). Splash damage from an alchemist bomb is always equal to the bomb's minimum damage (so if the bomb would deal 2d6+4 points of fire damage on a direct hit, its splash damage would be 6 points of fire damage). Those caught in the splash damage can attempt a Reflex save for half damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the alchemist's level + the alchemist's Intelligence modifier. Fire is an energy type. Bomb is a Supernatural ability. The discoveries will answer your questions on those. Read the APG's section on bombs again. It'll answer these basic questions.
At higher levels, your low level spells should be more about utility than combat. Summons are always good.
Or if you have Fast Study arcane discovery, you can leave a lot of low level slots open, and it only take 1 minute to fill those slots in the middle of the day.
Nah, It's my druids last scenario either way. I don't think I would bring her back, as long as she gets a "good death". I don't need three characters above level 12. Same. I have a 14 and a 12, so this is the end for my first ever PFS character. It's kind of funny that I needed Atonement twice for the 2 evil acts in Season 4. Perhaps he'd be a better agent for Krune than Pathfinders.
In for Waking Rune Hard Mode.did i get bumped? It'll probably be easier to setup this without Warhorn. You have your GM and your 6. Unless the Warhorn manager wants to setup a new slot and add all of those players in himself so people don't have time to fill it before everybody can reserve their spot. I'm still setup in the Warhorn spot for HARD MODE, if that was meant to be a different one from yours.
I have signed up as a player for this slot, but I think this was meant for John to run and others to play. I'll back out if that's meant for them.
All, The meetup groups for Washington DC and Baltimore is a great way to find PFS players in the area. I am no longer the VL of Washington DC, but I still run PFS scenarios regularly as listed on both group (although more on the DC group). There are certainly a lot of spillover from MD to DC to NoVA. I've live in MD for 20 years and VA for 3, so I know quite a few stores in the area and am willing to travel to any of them on a regular basis. I know Mike McKeown (and game with him). Your request probably just slipped through the cracks.
As "great" as that was, a simple wizard/cleric combo of haste + harm + another damage spell easily trumped that. There's probably a ton of other things that could be done instead that I forgot about or never found. There were a lot of combos in 3.0 that were good, some were broken. But 3.5 fixed a lot of that. Of course, the very engine of 3.0 and d20 cause other issues (like full attacks only with a 5' step, and concentration checks allowing spells to succeed when they took damage and lack of spell speeds). I'm fine with PF as it is, even with the creep. When PF 2 comes out, I'll take a look at it and decide if I want to switch or not.
Were they always restricted from play? I remember looking up them specifically before Gen Con to make a wizard. Were they removed from play recently? EDIT: Sometimes I forget what is listed is legal, and what is not list is illegal. But that gets reversed for the big books like APG, UM, UC, etc. I guess I'll just be a normal illusionist then.
You really think your players' characters are good and thorough enough to depopulate all of Golarion? On the surface and in the Darklands? Only 2000 goblins left? Did they go into Darklands and wipe out all of them there? What about the ones hobgoblins had? Or ogres? Maybe even a younger dragon. They hit all the various islands on Golarion? What about Tien?
I really don't think they could have done that.
Have you seen a SINGLE theorycrafter here not include this feat in thier Magus build. When a feat becomes a "must have" that means it needs a second look especially when it impacts so heavily on a build. I guess Power Attack is too good then.
Darkvision:
Darkvision is the extraordinary ability to see with no light source at all, out to a range specified for the creature. Darkvision is black-and-white only (colors cannot be discerned). It does not allow characters to see anything that they could not see otherwise—invisible objects are still invisible, and illusions are still visible as what they seem to be. Likewise, darkvision subjects a creature to gaze attacks normally. The presence of light does not spoil darkvision.
Based on your original question, the tiefling can see the elf at 65 feet out using normal vision. I would say the Darkness spell does not block line of sight, so a character would not necessarily know there is a Darkness spell in place if there is natural darkness as well. Deeper Darkness would block line of sight, based on how the spell says darkvision does not allow characters to see through it.
One of my players found a really annoying combo from Ultimate Equipment. He has the item that allows a character with sneak attack to withdraw as a move action if a sneak attack is successful. Then he has another item that when he withdraws, he turns invisible for 3 rounds. The problem seems to be that it doesn't say as per the spell, and therefore doesn't imply attacking out of it breaks invisiblility. I ruled it would, because I'm sure PFS won't let that combo go without control.
I haven't seen many Summoner or Paladin complaint threads recently (on Over Poweredness) this month. My only issue with the paladin is that Smite Evil overcomes all DR, regardless of alignment. It's like they don't even need magic weapons for a while. My issues with the summoner is just a ton of base rules that it breaks, making it more difficult to run/play the character.
I love gambling. I go to Vegas at least two times a year, and I usually go with about $1000-2000 in cash for gambling purposes expressly. My games are craps, Ultimate Texas Hold-em, blackjack, and blackjack switch. I know and can play Pai-Gow, roulette, most forms of poker, Let It Ride, 3 card Poker, and Mississippi stud. When I can visiting casinos on a weekend, I am very controlled and rarely play more than $200 per visit. When I am on vacation, I am much looser and play more widely, though still limited by my self-imposed cut-off (up to my $2000 limit). I take the free drinks at the casinos (with the $1 tip as the unspoken rule for the waitress), and I still make sound decisions. For me, the thrill of gambling, and the science of the numbers, odds, and casino edge is what makes it fun for me. I can spend my $2000 on anything during a vacation, but with gambling, I have a chance to keep it or win a bit pass the original amount (which I have done). Career-wise, my Vegas trips (about 8 of them now since I've started going as a routine) I am down about $4000. I play games that have a good casino edge and is entertaining for me. Odds isn't really the way to examine gambling in a casino as much as the edge. I realized a few years ago that one of the reasons I enjoy RPGs, craps, and Heroclix was because they all used dice, and I LOVED rolling dice. My personality and money sense are all very conservative however. I save a lot of money generally speaking and rarely make impulse purchases. I used to be more free with money, but I'm very tight with it in general with the exception of I spent a lot on eating out and fine dining.
I believe the problem is that ultimately, they are forced to heal in combat, and even though it's not the best tactic, it is necessary, and it is their best tactic at that time. Clerics have lots of buff spells of course, and with time, they are very good at getting the party setup offensively or defensively. However, I have seen over and over and over again, in home games and in PFS, that a cleric ends up channeling from rounds 2-4 in order to keep the fighter/barbarian alive so that character can deal 40+ damage per round to take care of the threat with other characters doing offensive things or trying to counter a spell. Even a well-played cleric might not have be able to do something better than heal the main damage dealer so we can survive this encounter. A optimized fighter will out damage a cleric. So the cleric gets discouraged and starts buffing/healing instead. It's not even because the cleric is a healbot or wants to do it, but because it is the MOST EFFICIENT way to end the encounter. A big boss encounter arrives. The wizard casts his powerful spell, but the boss saves. Boss attacks and does heavy damage to the fighter. Fighter has to stay in there to soak up damage and to dish it out. The cleric doesn't have time to cast a buff spell, and if the fighter goes down, the party is screwed unless boss fails a save against the wizard. So what ends up happening? The cleric heals the fighter, and is stuck doing it for the rest of the combat. Unfortunately, this scenario happens a lot, even with experienced players. I hated that clerics got channeling when I first saw PF because I knew they were going to fall back to that role, even if they weren't planning on it. I don't know where the line is between 3.5 CoDzilla and PF channeler is. We want fighters to deal damage. We want clerics to fight well and cast spells. But far too often, the cleric being effective and to contribute is to heal the main damage dealer or to channel and to heal everybody. Otherwise, people start dropping, and the fight ends really fast once that happens.
PFS has plenty of room, and we're always hoping for new players. The Venture-Captain of DC has moved north to Baltimore, so PFS presence has moved up there as well. DC still has a strong presence of course. As before, we're still light on people in the MD side around and beyond the Beltway for PFS. If there's a good place to run scenarios, please let us know, and we'll try and setup something there. Another place you might be able to find games is at Savage Mills. The Family Game Store is a place I used to play Heroclix at, and where I discovered Pathfinder back in 08 (and back when I lived in Greenbelt, MD).
I wouldn't necessarily go with blasting, although it seems like a natural choice. Spell casters ultimately are best when they can control the battle or buff an ally. Having 1 or 2 blasting spells is fine, but powerful support spells are better. Haste
If a person is going to dump STR, might as well dump to 7 and get the 4 build points.
I would allow it. But PF's timing rules are not very clear. Charging is a full-round action so it shouldn't allow a take-back, but plenty of GMs and players allow it. Ultimately, brace is a good idea but it's more for mass combat than small encounters.
PFS is quite active in the DC area. Email the group as posted already, and we can figure out where you are and where games are close to you.
Alaznist being above 20? I thought that was supposed to be Belimarius or Krune? I know JJ said something like he switched two of the runelords' levels around. I recall Xandergul being the "greatest", Sorshen was one of the strongest because of her enchanting presence. I would have also thought Krune might have been extremely powerful, given that he has access to Lissala and Peacock Spirit stuff as well.
Was this the one I ran for part 1? You played merisiel? I played the ifrit, so I think it was part 1.
There's a lot of options depending on what you want to do. You said generalist, but that's still vague. Step Up is usually useful for fighting classes, but not sure if you want to be in their faces. Combat Expertise opens up maneuvers, but you said you weren't going for feat chains. Combat Reflexes allows some stuff as well. Power Attack could work since you have BAB 4, and personally I hate taking it before BAB 4. I would not take Arcane Strike because it uses a swift action that you can use to Quicken something with a rod, and still have a standard/full to attack with. Step Up or Power Attack would be my choices.
Search Posts
Hello everyone! I am prepping a backup character I may (probably will) need for a Second Darkness game I am in. I like the idea of an at-will blaster type, and want to stick in that vein. Something like a 3.5 Warlock. We already have a blast exploit-focused Arcanist, so that is out. I recently played a Bomb-focused Alchemist too. We have SEVERAL fights in a given adventuring day, and I am more than happy to give up some blast power to have the ability to keep blasting through 4-5 fights a day. So, since I have never played, nor been at a table with someone playing a Kineticist or Calamity Caller Warpriest, can you give me any advice on these, or any other, at-will blaster types? I'm an experienced enough player to handle anything you can throw at me. We're 9th level. EDIT: The rest of the party are a barbarian, ranger, cleric, and arcanist. Help me out, fellow Paizo fans!
I can't find an official ruling anywhere, so hopefully someone can assist. Last night we had an NPC follower of a party member use a quickened spell-like ability that doesn't have a visible emanation. The debate came up that you can still roll Spellcraft to identify the spell. The GM decided against it, since the player had been waiting 12 levels of play to reveal their companion's Bouncing, Quickened, Ill Omen spell-like ability to move things along. (They can only do that once a day, but it IS objectively pretty cool.) But one player said you can still role to identify, and another swore they'd read somewhere that you can't identify Quickened spells or Spell-like abilities. Neither could find evidence to support their claim. Can you all please help us with finding an official ruling?
Okay, okay, to start off, I know most bonuses don't stack with the same kind of bonus. However.... My level 10th level Herald Caller Cleric picked up the Proxy Summoning feat at 9th, and I have a Metamagic Rod of Giant Summoning. Proxy Summoning
So both the Rod of Giant Summoning and Righteous Might say they increase the size category, and both give size bonuses to ability scores. The Rod uses the Giant Template, while the spell is more of a straightforward change, akin to Enlarge Person. If I was to summon an Ankylosaurus, for example, the Rod of Giant Summoning would increase it to Gargantuan. Then, I jump through the hoops of casting a touch spell to trigger Proxy Summoning, and then cast Righteous Might on my Super-Ankylosaurus. So....uh....what happens? It becomes Colossal, but do the size bonuses stack, or no? Do I use the size modification table in lieu of one or the other? Or is it as simple as both stacking, do to the size increase? Thank you all in advance for your suggestions. My GM is on the fence, so anything you all suggest would be great.
Hello everyone! I am building a druid, and I would love a second set of eyes to ensure I am building this correctly. This was set off by my recent interest in Druidic Herbalism, and I’ve always been fascinated by the Naga Aspirant racial archetype, so I thought I would combine them. Then I realized the potential craziness that this combination can create. However, I am at a bit of a disadvantage, having never played an Alchemist, and some of the Druidic Herbalism features function as Alchemist Extracts. Naga Aspirant:
Spoiler:
Class Features: Aspirant’s Bond (Ex)
0th—acid splash, bleed, daze, mage hand, open/close, ray of frost; 1st—charm person, divine favor, expeditious retreat, mage armor, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, shield, shield of faith, silent image, true strike; 2nd—acid arrow, detect thoughts, invisibility, mirror image, scorching ray, see invisibility; 3rd—dispel magic, displacement, fireball, lightning bolt, suggestion; 4th—divine power, greater invisibility. This ability replaces spontaneous casting. Aspirant’s Enlightenment (Ex)
This ability replaces resist nature’s lure. Naga Shape (Su)
This ability otherwise works like and replaces wild shape. Augmented Form (Su)
Charming Gaze (Sp): The druid gains a gaze attack that affects creatures within 30 feet as a charm person spell. Darkvision (Su): The druid gains darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Detect Thoughts (Su): The druid can use detect thoughts at will. Guarded Thoughts (Ex): The druid gains a +2 racial bonus on saves against charm effects and immunity to any form of mind reading (such as detect thoughts). Poison Immunity (Ex): The druid gains immunity to all poisons. The druid’s naga form must have at least one poison-based natural attack in order to select this ability. Poisonous Sting (Ex): The druid’s stinger becomes venomous. The naga form must have a tail stinger to take this ability. Sting—injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the druid’s class level + the druid’s Constitution modifier; frequency 1 round; effect sleep for 2d4 minutes; cure 1 save. Spit Venom (Ex): The naga form can spit her venom up to 30 feet as a standard action. This is a ranged touch attack with no range increment. Any opponent hit by this attack must make a successful save (see above) to avoid the effect. The naga form must have a venomous bite to take this ability. Sting (Ex): The naga form grows a stinger on the end of her tail, granting her a sting natural attack that deals 1d6 points of piercing damage. Swim (Ex): The naga form gains a swim speed equal to her base speed. Tough Scales (Ex): The druid’s enhancement bonus to her natural armor increases by +2. The druid may select this ability more than once. Its effects stack. Venomous Bite (Ex): The naga form’s bite attack becomes poisonous. Bite—injury; save Fortitude DC 10 + 1/2 the druid’s class level + the druid’s Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1 Constitution damage, cure 1 save. This ability replaces venom immunity, a thousand faces, and timeless body. True Naga (Su)
This ability replaces wildshape (at will). Druidic Herbalism: Spoiler:
Druidic herbalism is a nature bond option that can be taken by any druid at 1st level except those with archetypes or alternate class features that alter or replace nature bond or mandate a specific nature bond choice. Instead of granting access to a domain or an animal companion, a druid’s bond with nature can take a third form: access to druidic herbalism. A druid who chooses to learn druidic herbalism can use combinations of nuts, berries, dried herbs, and other natural ingredients along with appropriate containers to create herbal concoctions or magic consumables that function like potions. This acts like the Brew Potion feat, but only for spells on the druid spell list. Herbal concoctions are typically thick and sludgy, and their creation time, caster level, spell duplication capabilities, and all other variables and properties are identical to those of potions created using Brew Potion. Herbal concoctions created with herbs that cause special effects when ingested retain those effects as well as the appropriate spell effect. A druid can create a number of free herbal concoctions per day equal to her Wisdom modifier. Additional concoctions cost the same as creating an equivalent potion using Brew Potion. Druids can sell their herbal concoctions just as if they were potions (though NPCs unfamiliar with druidic herbalism may need some convincing before purchasing these wares). At 4th level, a druid’s increasing skill with herbalism means that she can disguise the effects of her herbal concoctions. When a creature attempts a Perception or Spellcraft check to identify one of the druid’s concoctions, the concoction appears to be a different herbal concoction of the druid’s choice unless the creature exceeds the identification DC by 5 or more. The druid must designate this false result when creating the concoction. If a creature exceeds the identification DC by 5 or more, it correctly identifies the concoction, though not that the druid tried to fool it. Additionally, at 4th level, when the druid creates additional concoctions, she need pay only half the normal cost to create them. It takes her only half the normal time to create her concoctions, and she can create concoctions of spells from any spell list, as long as she can cast the spell. At 7th level, when the druid creates concoctions with potential false identification results, a creature attempting to identify the concoction must exceed the identification DC by 10 or more to determine the concoction’s true identity. Additionally, at 7th level, a druid can create any herbal concoction in 1 minute. She can also create a special concoction of any spell higher than 3rd level that she can cast, but to do so, she must expend a spell slot of the same level. These special concoctions do not cost her anything to create and function like extracts created by an alchemist with the infusion discovery. So. Can I use Druidic Herbalism to create extracts of the newly-added Naga Aspirant spells? Can I use Druidic Herbalism to make extracts I can hand out of Personal-Range spells, like the afore-mentioned Divine Favor? I would also love your thoughts on this combination, and anything it inspires to be added to the character!
So my gaming group will be starting our first Curse of the Crimson Throne game in about 3 weeks. I'm going to be playing a Shelynite Bard, and he's built with a high Perform: Oratory. I wanted to take advantage of that, and so I went about finding a song or two I could use over the course of the game. I know very little about the story of CotCT, so please stay spoiler-free. Here is a little more about my character if anyone is curious. Zach, stay out! Yes you, the yeti. Anyone else who ISN'T in our group, please read on. It will make my motivations a little more clear. Spoiler:
I'm not going to be a Shelynite bard at all. I will be playing a Hidden Priest of Milani, though the bit about the high Perform: Oratory is true. He is a Herald Caller/Hidden Priest, yes, with GM permission, and even the party thinks I am playing a bard. I am running with a Dervish Dancer, so they know I won't be able to use bardic music. Obviously it will come out eventually that I am actually a cleric, but it will be a fun ride along the way. Any suggestions on how to keep up the act are appreciated. I'll be taking a trait to make Bluff a class skill, and keeping it maxed, as well as using every roleplay opportunity to come off as a Shelynite. Here is the song. I've already made a few changes to it, though obviously I will need to change the names of the Americans to my adventuring party when I know what their characters are named. The names Jesus and Moses could be subbed out for Golarion-specific prophets, for example. Most of the song fits already. Please help me figure out a few appropriate changes to the song, namely anything that doesn't fit. I really want this to fit well, so when I spring it on my fellow players it works as seamlessly as possible. I bolded the changes I made.
Spoiler:
My Shot Lyrics [HAMILTON) I am not throwing away my shot! I am not throwing away my shot! Hey yo, I’m just like my country I’m young, scrappy and hungry And I’m not throwing away my shot! I’m ‘a get a scholarship to the Acadamae I prob’ly shouldn’t brag, but dag, I amaze and astonish The problem is I got a lot of brains but no polish I gotta holler just to be heard With every word, I drop knowledge! I’m a diamond in the rough, a shiny piece of coal Tryin’ to reach my goal. My power of speech: unimpeachable Only nineteen but my mind is older These Korvosan streets get colder, I shoulder Ev’ry burden, ev’ry disadvantage I have learned to manage, I don’t have a gun to brandish I walk these streets famished The plan is to fan this spark into a flame But damn, it’s getting dark, so let me spell out the name I am the— [HAMILTON/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN/LAURENS]
[HAMILTON]
[LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN/LAURENS]
[HAMILTON]
[LAURENS]
My shot! And I’m not throwing away my shot. [HAMILTON/MULLIGAN/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE]
[LAFAYETTE]
[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN]
[MULLIGAN]
[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN]
[LAURENS]
[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN]
[BURR]
[HAMILTON]
Oh, am I talkin’ too loud?
[LAURENS]
[HAMILTON/LAURENS/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN/ENSEMBLE]
I am not throwing away my shot
Let’s go! I said shout it to the rooftops!
Come on, let’s go!
Whoa! Whoa! Yea! [COMPANY]
Yea! [LAURENS]
Rise up!
Rise up! [HAMILTON]
Scratch that
[HAMILTON AND COMPANY]
[HAMILTON]
[HAMILTON/LAFAYETTE/
Time to take a shot! Take a shot!
Not throwing away my shot We’re gonna Rise up!
Rise up!
Rise up! Rise up! Ri— ri— ri— Time to take a shot!
[HAMILTON/LAFAYETTE/MULLIGAN/LAURENS]
[COMPANY]
Feel free to critique away; I'm curious what you think about this idea.
Hi everyone! My life got really, really crazy, and now I am finally able to sit down and be in a game again. I am looking at a summon-focused cleric, so I am thinking Herald Caller. Basically any non-evil Pathfinder deity is available, subdomains are okay, and we will likely go all the way to, or just before 20. A 20-point buy Curse of the Crimson Throne (no spoilers please!). I’ll be with a skill-heavy Rogue, a healer/battle Cleric of Iomedae, a straight Barbarian or Bloodrager, and an Arcanist who goes into Eldritch Knight. I’m pretty much free to do whatever I want, as long as I stay in a party face capacity. Here is where I could use some help. 1. First off, I am fascinated by the Divine Paragon archetype. Is having my alignment the same as my deities going to limit me too much? The DM said they would work together; I would essentially just have the domain spells from one domain. Is it too much? What domain/subdomains should I be looking at? Any deity suggestions? 2. I’ll be taking a few other summoning feats than what is granted for free from Herald Caller, but not more than a few. Probably Summon Guardian Spirit, Versatile Summon Monster, maybe Expanded Summon Monster or Preferred Spell later on for something like Heal or Harm. What should I do? I know reach cleric is a popular addition, but what suggestions have you got for me? 3. Any items or spells I should look out for? Thank you in advance!
Before you say anything, yes, I'm aware of this thread talking about maxing Craft skills. But it's been 4 years people! Surely we can do better! The highest listed previously was as follows for non-Alchemy Craft checks (Thanks to see):
Spoiler:
Crafting Check, Level 20 20 Ranks
Total of +63 and for Craft Alchemy Checks (thanks to alientude): Spoiler:
Craft (alchemy) Human lvl 20 Alchemist
For a total of +69. Some situational modifiers below: +20 competence bonus (not stacking with previous) - Crafting mundane alchemical substances (from Alchemist class)
That brings the total to +95. Now for the truly obscure: +5 from Genius Avaricious spell from Council of Thieves 6. For a grand total of +100. Surely with all the new feats, archetypes, classes, and spells, we can get Craft up there even higher! And if you're wondering, yes, this experiment has a reason: A friend is planning on playing the most Acrobatic Monk he can make, trying to get his Acrobatics checks made to jump as high as possible. That's easy, I say! So my accompanying character will be at the mercy of the advice boards. Help me make the best crafter we can! Anything Paizo is on the table; I can always just cut out whatever the DM says no to adding.
Hello! I've been a Pathfinder GM for several years, and recently picked up the Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition. I plan to run it straight through, and maybe even tack on a shortened version of Jade Reagent afterwards. F2F, not PbP. I'm in a new PbP Rise of the Runelords game, but have never been a player or GM for RotR. Can anyone offer any advice on what I should expect? Any changes that may need to be made? Any suggestions on continuing into another adventure path after the story is over? Even a link to a similar thread would be quite helpful. Lastly, other than reading Campagin Journals, which I plan to do, is there anything else I could do as prepwork for this game? My group is a mix of not-quite-new-anymore players, and very experienced gamers. Basically I'll take anything you have for me, forum-goers! 
=======================
The 30th of Erastus is Founder's Day; the celebrated anniversary of the founding of the kingdom. It's not actually known what day the kingdom was founded on, so instead the country celebrates the birthday of Althamar's founder, the hero Althalus. You are sitting in the town square in Dromston. the mayor of the city has officially announced the start of Founder's Week, a week-long celebration not found anywhere else in the country. Everyone realizes it is just an excuse to get more tourists and off-duty soldiers to spend their money here, but the festival is always so entertaining no one seems to mind. There are booths all up and down both sides of the street. Vendors are hawking everything from food, to arms, to clothing; even the occasional magic item. Crowds are milling about, and people from all over are excitedly running to and fro. You spot Joram, the retired paladin and part-time deputy to the sheriff of Dromston, watching the children run with a grandfatherly look upon his face. He's a human man, pushing 60, with stark-white hair. He's wearing his ceremonial armor, but is carrying live steel. Across the way is the booth for most celebrated event this festival, a traveling circus that timed their passing through to the carnival. They are set up in a series of large pavilion tents, in an empty lot adjacent to the Hare's Shanty. The Hare's Shanty is a dive bar frequented by men of ill-repute, and women of even iller intent. It's decidedly the worst drinking establishment in the city, but has been around longer than the rest. Since it is a piece of local history, it tends to get a pass from the constabulary. It has occupied the same building on the main drag for six generations. And, lastly, walking up the road is the mayor's son, Nathern Donsden, the heir to the Donsden trade empire. He is dressed, as always, in an outfit that probably cost over 50 gold pieces. While Nathern is something of a spoiled rich kid, he isn't a terrible individual. In a blatant display of wealth, he has hired three men to walk behind him handout out sweets to children, and occasionally tossing copper pieces into crowds. The festival is in full swing, and the weather is fine. A bright summer day, with enough clouds to take the edge off. Music and laughter rings across the city. As for entertainment, there's lots to be found. Exotic and inviting smells waft from food stands, townsfolk roar in excitement as they watch people spar with blunted weapons, professional dancers draw the eyes to the stage. There's a fortune teller, and an illusionist who showcases incredibly detailed visages of exotic architecture and hilarious caricatures. There is even a Haidowshen Katana Demonstration later today. Most of the festivities are still going for a few more hours, with the intention of ending at sundown. The day will end with a magic light show after full dark. Acrobats and jugglers have been pouring out of the large, colorful pavilion tent. They are accompanied by people holding signs advertising the circus. The circus had been having shows all day, but the Grand Cryptic Extravaganza show was tonight. It is the talk of the town. Once this parade was spilled forth, many of the carnival games switched from their original prizes, to tickets for the big show.
=======================
The 30th of Erastus is Founder's Day; the celebrated anniversary of the founding of the kingdom. It's not actually known what day the kingdom was founded on, so instead the country celebrates the birthday of Althamar's founder, the hero Althalus. You are sitting in the town square in Dromston. the mayor of the city has officially announced the start of Founder's Week, a week-long celebration not found anywhere else in the country. Everyone realizes it is just an excuse to get more tourists and off-duty soldiers to spend their money here, but the festival is always so entertaining no one seems to mind. There are booths all up and down both sides of the street. Vendors are hawking everything from food, to arms, to clothing; even the occasional magic item. Crowds are milling about, and people from all over are excitedly running to and fro. You spot Joram, the retired paladin and part-time deputy to the sheriff of Dromston, watching the children run with a grandfatherly look upon his face. He's a human man, pushing 60, with stark-white hair. He's wearing his ceremonial armor, but is carrying live steel. Across the way is the booth for most celebrated event this festival, a traveling circus that timed their passing through to the carnival. They are set up in a series of large pavilion tents, in an empty lot adjacent to the Hare's Shanty. The Hare's Shanty is a dive bar frequented by men of ill-repute, and women of even iller intent. It's decidedly the worst drinking establishment in the city, but has been around longer than the rest. Since it is a piece of local history, it tends to get a pass from the constabulary. It has occupied the same building on the main drag for six generations. And, lastly, walking up the road is the mayor's son, Nathern Donsden, the heir to the Donsden trade empire. He is dressed, as always, in an outfit that probably cost over 50 gold pieces. While Nathern is something of a spoiled rich kid, he isn't a terrible individual. In a blatant display of wealth, he has hired three men to walk behind him handout out sweets to children, and occasionally tossing copper pieces into crowds. The festival is in full swing, and the weather is fine. A bright summer day, with enough clouds to take the edge off. Music and laughter rings across the city. As for entertainment, there's lots to be found. Exotic and inviting smells waft from food stands, townsfolk roar in excitement as they watch people spar with blunted weapons, professional dancers draw the eyes to the stage. There's a fortune teller, and an illusionist who showcases incredibly detailed visages of exotic architecture and hilarious caricatures. There is even a Haidowshen Katana Demonstration later today. Most of the festivities are still going for a few more hours, with the intention of ending at sundown. The day will end with a magic light show after full dark. Acrobats and jugglers have been pouring out of the large, colorful pavilion tent. They are accompanied by people holding signs advertising the circus. The circus had been having shows all day, but the Grand Cryptic Extravaganza show was tonight. It is the talk of the town. Once this parade was spilled forth, many of the carnival games switched from their original prizes, to tickets for the big show.
Here is the discussion thread. Stop by and say hi!
This is a closed recruitment that is a carryover from a recruitment that closed last week.
Here is the discussion thread. Welcome aboard!
Dungeons and Dragons has always been filled with iconic monsters and traps, and has spawned several tropes accordingly over the decades. Yet, many players haven’t fought a dragon. Or a Mind Flayer. Or even just goblins/hobgoblins/bugbears. Pathfinder has continued this tradition of excellence in gaming, and people have developed more clichés as they play. I have a homebrewed campaign setting built around this idea that I’ve used successfully for several tabletop games. It is filled with iconic encounters, like rescuing a princess from a tower, fighting a red dragon to loot it’s treasure hoard, or protecting a village from bandits. I recently brought it to the forums, and I am looking to run a second table. This game will be in a world that isn’t dissimilar to the way many people fondly remember their first adventures: Through Rose-Colored Glasses of Nostalgia and Fond Remembrance…tempered by lots and lots of TV and Internet Tropes. Players would assume the role of classic heroes, intentionally using fantasy clichés to really play up the setting. Previous F2F characters include the farmboy who picked up a magic sword and found out he is the long-lost prince of the kingdom. The virginal priestess who rode a unicorn. The halfling rogue who was something of a klepto, but with a heart of gold. The bard who died. A LOT. (That was the same month the Gamers: Dorkness Rising movie came out, with the pile of bards, so it has really stuck with my gaming group, having been solidified in a way we would have never imagined!) Additionally, every time I run this setting, the party goes through a classic adventure module as part of the main questline. Previous modules include the Tomb of Horrors, Expedition to Barrier Peaks, and even a brief foray into Ravenloft. Would you like to come on this journey with me? It will be a Pathfinder-Rules-Play-by-Post.I have the expectation of at least one post a day on weekdays. I would prefer more, but one will be the minimum standard. Weekends are optional. While the premise does lend to some light-hearted moments, and occasional silliness, this will be a full-blown Pathfinder game. Be sure to make fun cliché characters, but nothing that would detract too much either. Setting: Spoiler:
Althamar:
Character Creation Rules:
Yes, I am lifting all that from GM Knightmare Knight’s background format, by way of GM Fez’s recent recruitment thread. Lastly, when the game starts, none of you will be heroes or adventurers. Please try to reflect this in your background. Level: Characters will start at 1st level. Stats: 25 Point Buy. No ability scores below 8. Races: All Paizo races are allowed within reason. That said, the core races are a bit more “classic”, and will likely have an easier time getting in. You’ll notice that the primary kingdom is very human-heavy, as it is the “Old Standard”, and as such if you aren’t a core race, you are very likely from another kingdom. Which is fine; just understand you may have less of a motivation to help the country in it’s hour of need. So be sure to work that into your backstory. Classes: Any Paizo class is allowed, excluding Gunslinger, since the tech level just isn’t there. Alchemist is allowed, but needs to have a more high-fantasy feel. This includes prestige classes at higher levels; just run them by me first. Archetypes will all be permitted unless something really crazy comes up. No 3rd party material, and no early-entry shenanigans. Alignment: Anything non-evil is allowed. Good characters are more “classic heroes”, and much like the core races, will also likely have an easier time getting in. Deities: Standard Pathfinder Pantheon. Skills: In addition to your normal skills, I am using the Background Skills from Unchained. They can be found on the PFSRD for anyone without the book. These should be relevant to your back story. I will be giving an extra skill point per level, that must be spent on Appraise, Craft, Perform, or a Profession skill. Three extra total. You’ll notice the heroes are often the best at what they do, even though you rarely see them ever practice. This is a fun way to acknowledge that, while making a roleplay skill easy to stay relevant. I’m also not of those GMs that punishes a group for not having a trapbreaker, or constantly screws people over for a lack of Perception or Sense Motive. Take those skills if you think your character would have them; don’t worry if you don’t. Traits: You may select two traits. Campaign traits from APs may be allowed, but I reserve the right to approve or deny them on a case-by-case basis. Please no drawbacks. Wealth: Max for your class. Hit Points: Max hit points at each level. About Me, as a GM: I've been playing D&D for over 20 years, and that is most of my life. I prefer grand, epic adventures; smart games, that are heavy on roleplay. Don't expect me to always guide you, instead, I prefer to let the party work together to make decisions and really go where they want to take the story. That said, I am on the boards for several hours a day, and will likely post multiple times a day. I try to adjust my posting rate to that of my players. I love incorporating backstories, and weaving tales that have people talking for years. As for houserules, I just make natural ones auto-fails for attack rolls, not fumbles. It helps with pacing for PBP, but NPCs can still fumble. You are heroes, after all. That, and successive criticals. You roll a 20, roll again. Roll another 20? Roll again. Etc, etc, until no natural 20 is rolled. Enemies don’t get this, not to worry. I am always available via PM. What I am Looking for: I'm not as concerned with posting count as I am with posting rate. I want a well thought-out character, and characters without backstories are very likely to not get picked. The more you have, the better. I try to give preference to active PBP DMs as well, but it isn't a dealbreaker, but more of a tiebreaker. Recruitment will run until Noon Pacific Time, Thursday the 7th of April. That is two weeks from today, at which time I will deliberate and pick a party of six PCs.
=====================
The festival is in full swing, and the weather is fine. A bright summer day, with enough clouds to take the edge off. Music and laughter rings across the city. As for entertainment, there's lots to be found. Exotic and inviting smells waft from food stands, townsfolk roar in excitement as they watch people spar with blunted weapons, professional dancers draw the eyes to the stage. There's a fortune teller, and an illusionist who showcases incredibly detailed visages of exotic architecture and hilarious caricatures. There is even a Haidowshen Katana Demonstration later today. Most of the festivities are still going for a few more hours, with the intention of ending at sundown. The day will end with a magic light show after full dark. Acrobats and jugglers have been pouring out of the large, colorful pavilion tent. They are accompanied by people holding signs advertising the circus. The circus had been having shows all day, but the Grand Cryptic Extravaganza show was tonight. It is the talk of the town. Once this parade was spilled forth, many of the carnival games switched from their original prizes, to tickets for the big show. You've left the Hare's Shanty, in some cases due to rambunctious nature of the massive bar fight currently happening, or perhaps because of the sheer volume, perhaps it is because your companion draws strange looks, and in one case due to your shift being over for the day.
Here is the lovely discussion thread. Stop in and say hi!
Dungeons and Dragons has always been filled with iconic monsters and traps, and has spawned several tropes accordingly over the decades. Yet, many players haven’t fought a dragon. Or a Mind Flayer. Or even just goblins/hobgoblins/bugbears. Pathfinder has continued this tradition of excellence in gaming, and people have developed more clichés as they play. I have a homebrewed campaign setting built around this idea that I’ve used successfully for several tabletop games. It is filled with iconic encounters, like rescuing a princess from a tower, fighting a red dragon to loot it’s treasure hoard, or protecting a village from bandits. I’m looking to bring it to the Paizo forums. This game will be in a world that isn’t dissimilar to the way many people fondly remember their first adventures: Through Rose-Colored Glasses of Nostalgia and Fond Remembrance…tempered by lots and lots of TV and Internet Tropes. Players would assume the role of classic heroes, intentionally playing on fantasy clichés to really play up the setting. Previous F2F characters include the farmboy who picked up a magic sword and found out he is the long-lost prince of the kingdom. The virginal priestess who rode a unicorn. The halfling rogue who was something of a klepto, but with a heart of gold. The bard who died. A LOT. (That was the same month the Gamers: Dorkness Rising movie came out, with the pile of bards, so it has really stuck with my gaming group, having been solidified in a way we would have never imagined!) Additionally, every time I run this setting, the party goes through a classic adventure module as part of the main questline. Previous modules include the Tomb of Horrors, Expedition to Barrier Peaks, and even a brief foray into Ravenloft. Would you like to come on this journey with me? It will be Pathfinder rules; probably Roll20. Play-by-Post, with the expectation of at least one post a day. I would prefer more, but one will be the minimum standard. While the premise does lend to some light-hearted moments, and occasional silliness, this will be a full-blown Pathfinder game. Be sure to make fun cliché characters, but nothing that would detract too much either. Setting:
Spoiler:
Althamar Althamar is a largely agrarian nation, ran by a family of Paladin-Kings. The Royal Bloodline is rich with Sorcerous power, and as such the threat of action by the King and his family is often enough to stay the hand of any would-be aggressor. Althamar’s population is approximated at two hundred twenty nine thousand people. About a third of the country’s population live away from towns or villages, and instead form a series of homestead communities with their closest neighbors. Often you will see four homes built very close together, forming a sort of square pattern, not unlike the Microsoft symbol. These families look out for one another, and foster a sense of community in their little neck of the woods. It is estimated that over 90% of the country’s population work in the farming industry, in one capacity or another. Halflings are by and large the most common non-human race in Althamarian cities, though they are actually third, not second, in population size. Althamar is unique in that it has several “kingdoms” within it’s borders: the Elven Kingdom in the eastern forests, the Sea Elves in the inland sea, and the dwarven kingdom in the northern mountains. Althamarian Geography Althamar is surrounded by mountains on about three sides, with coastal access in the southwest. Picture the country as a vast, flat plain of preternaturally-rich soil. The occasionally rivers and streams run all throughout the kingdom, and it has a large salt-water inland sea dominating the northwestern quadrant of the kingdom. Forests line the east and west foothills, with the forest on the eastern side being much larger. Character Creation Rules: Level: Characters will start at 1st level. Stats: 25 Point Buy. No ability scores below 8. Races: All Paizo races are allowed within reason. That said, the core races are a bit more “classic”, and will likely have an easier time getting in. You’ll notice that the primary kingdom is very human-heavy, as it is the “Old Standard”, and as such if you aren’t a core race, you are very likely from another kingdom. Which is fine; just understand you may have less of a motivation to help the country in it’s hour of need. So be sure to work that into your backstory. Classes: Any Paizo class is allowed, excluding Gunslinger, since the tech level just isn’t there. Alchemist is allowed, but needs to have a more high-fantasy feel. This including prestige classes at higher levels; just run them by me first. Archetypes will all be permitted unless something really crazy comes up. No 3rd party material, and no early-entry shenanigans. The Varient Multiclassing system in Unchained is permitted. Alignment: Anything non-evil is allowed. Good characters are more “classic heroes”, and much like the core races, will also likely have an easier time getting in. Deities: Standard Pathfinder Pantheon. Skills: In addition to your normal skills, I am using the Background Skills from Unchained. They can be found on the PFSRD for anyone without the book. These should be relevant to your back story. I will be giving an extra skill point per level, that must be spent on Appraise, a Craft, or a Profession skill. Three extra total. You’ll notice the heroes are often the best at what they do, even though you rarely see them ever practice. This is a fun way to acknowledge that, while making a roleplay skill easy to stay relevant. I’m also not of those GMs that punishes a group for not having a trapbreaker, or constantly screws people over for a lack of Perception or Sense Motive. Take those skills if you think your character would have them; don’t worry if you don’t. Traits: You may select two traits. Campaign traits from APs may be allowed, but I reserve the right to approve or deny them on a case-by-case basis. Please no drawbacks. Wealth: Max for your class. Hit Points: Max hit points at each level.
Dungeons and Dragons has always been filled with iconic monsters and traps, and has spawned several tropes accordingly over the decades. Yet, many players haven’t fought a dragon. Or a Mind Flayer. Or even just goblins/hobgoblins/bugbears. Pathfinder has continued this tradition of excellence in gaming, and people have developed more clichés as they play. I have a homebrewed campaign setting built around this idea that I’ve used successfully for several tabletop games. It is filled with iconic encounters, like rescuing a princess from a tower, fighting a red dragon to loot it’s treasure hoard, or protecting a village from bandits. I’m looking to bring it to the Paizo forums. This interest check thread is to see if people would like to play in a world that isn’t dissimilar to the way many people fondly remember their first adventures: Through Rose-Colored Glasses of Nostalgia and Fond Remembrance…tempered by lots and lots of TV and Internet Tropes. Players would assume the role of classic heroes, intentionally playing on fantasy clichés to really play up the setting. Previous F2F characters include the farmboy who picked up a magic sword and found out he is the long-lost prince of the kingdom. The virginal priestess who rode a unicorn. The halfling rogue who was something of a klepto, but with a heart of gold. The bard who died. A LOT. (That was the same month the Gamers: Dorkness Rising movie came out, with the pile of bards, so it has really stuck with my gaming group, having been solidified in a way we would have never imagined!) Additionally, every time I run this setting, the party goes through a classic adventure module as part of the main questline. Previous modules include the Tomb of Horrors, Expedition to Barrier Peaks, and even a brief foray into Ravenloft. Would you like to come on this journey with me? If I get enough interest, I will gladly post a recruitment thread. It will be Pathfinder rules; probably Roll20.
So we have a game starting up soon, and I am putting together an arcanist with tons of metamagic. I'll be taking Additional Traits to grab Metamagic Master and Magical Lineage. I'll be starting with Outlander for the increase to caster level for 3 spells. Little Information about the character: He'll be a Half-Elf Brown-Fur Transmuter, and I'll be also focusing on raising my caster level for dispel purposes via the Counterspell Exploit. Since I won't be using Dispel Magic terribly often, I'm not 100% sure if I should make Dispel Magic or Greater Dispel Magic one or two of the spells I raise with Outlander. So lots of counterspelling and ally buffing. My question is in 3 parts: What other spells to choose for Outlander? Any particular buff spells that jump out as benefitting more from an extra caster level? My initial thought is of course spells that have a duration counted in rounds. Secondly, what spells should I work reduce the metamagic costs on with Metamagic Master and Magical Lineage? Please keep in mind I'm not thinking blasty spells or metamagic feats. Lastly, what metamagic feats should I actually take, and what feats to acquire via metamagic rods? Here is Metamagic Master: Choose a spell of 3rd level or below. When you use the chosen spell with a metamagic feat, it uses up a spell slot one level lower than it normally would. And Magical Lineage: Pick one spell when you choose this trait. When you apply metamagic feats to this spell that add at least 1 level to the spell, treat its actual level as 1 lower for determining the spell's final adjusted level. Lastly, Outlander: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks, and Knowledge (arcana) is a class skill for you. If you cast arcane spells, pick three spells on your spell list. You are particularly adept at casting these spells, so they function at +1 caster level when you cast them, and their save DCs (if any) gain a +1 bonus. I will taking Craft Wondrous Item to grab the Kimono too, not to worry there. So, what input can you offer? I'm liking the idea of the Extend Spell and Spell Tinker combination to ensure that my buffs last forever, but otherwise I'm drawing a blank. |
