Beek Gwenders of Croodle's page

Some days ago I saw a special price for complete adventure path bundles and bookmarked it, I was about to order today but they disappeared. Was that a one day limited offer???
I must have been blind because I didn't see the expiry date or I'd have bought the Legacy of Fire AP immediately!

I am running a Greyhawk campaign and my players are in Veluna right now. TSR never released a Veluna gazetteer and the LG website doesn't bear much information I can reuse. I would like to adapt some Golarion player's companion - what would you suggest? Taldor looked Ok but then I found it closer to Keoland or Furyondy. Veluna is a highly religious "holy kingdom" devoted to the god of Peace and run by a "pope"-like figure.
Any ideas?

A lot of friends of mine never understood or accepted the Armor Class rules of D&D and subsequent editions. Some others just don't get the abstraction of hp, the unrealistic skill systems etc.

I have never had any problems with D&D/PF system mechanics, as I really believe they're just fine for the kind of play I want at my gaming table.

That said there is one single thing that I have never ever managed to accept in D&D history and that is the spell system.

I am OK with Vancian magic. What I don't like is that only a few dozens (ok hundreds) of spells are known to man, regardless of the year you play in, where you studied magic, it's an innate spell like ability etc.

Learn a spell from a local traveling wizard? burning hands. Move to a different university in a near city? burning hands. Find a 10.000 years old thassilonian scroll? burning hands. Travel the other side of the world and meet a tribal Mwangi sorcerer? burning hands. Fight a demon or an angel? Burning hands. All the same, all the same effects.
I know it's a matter of playability that spells have to be standardized, yet I really cannot find a way to squeeze the spell system in a novel-like narration. We all agree RPG is collaborative fiction, but this part of the system intrudes so violently in the storytelling part of the play it's impossible to make it "realistic".

I was thinking about developing a Schools of Magic variation system.
I am still unsure how to handle this, but I was considering having different universities and course of studies somehow add metamagic-"minifeats" to your spells. This was the war wizards of cormyr magic missiles will be different from those of the red wizards, and even different from university to university. Lear magic missile in Arabel? It's going to be different from the magic missile you would have learned in Suzail. Of course one would be able to learn different versions of magic missile, even though there would be limits. You would never be able to learn Chult jungle cannibal sorcerer magic missiles for instance, since they're innate spell abilities. And you'll never learn a demon magic missile as well.

I always play with variations when dming my group, so spells often change from wizard to wizard, yet I never thought about formalizing the system in an appropriate way.

What do you think?

Yesterday my party encountered a trapper. The ranger stepped in the small dark room, failed the perception roll, and once in the middle of the monster, he was hit, damaged, and subsequently grappled and constricted (I assume the constrict damage is not to be dealt the same round it was hit... I started it the following round, am I wrong?).
However I am not sure exactly how to handle the rest of the encounter. The trapper is huge and has a reach of 10', and has combat reflexes too. I assumed he had a lot of tentacles outside of his body. Once the rest of the characters closed in, they were grappled by the tentacles on AOO and suffered full damage from each of these attacks (3d6+15!). This sounds weird since I thought it is the central maw that is able to deal such damage, and having the same damage on every tentacle hit seems wrong (although I guess by raw it works this way). Also how many tentacles can I use for AOO?
Also I am not sure what happened to the ranger which successfully escaped the grapple of the monster but is still in the middle of her body.
Also I seemed to recall a grappled character could only use small weapons but couldn't fine the rule, is it something from a previous edition?

The session closed before combat ended so I am thinking about alternate ways to handle the monster. My idea is having the tentacles inflict 1d8 damage, plus grapple, and that only ONE of characters that is under grapple can be chewed by the monster (full damage).

I know I haven't been not very clear, but I hope you understand what I mean eh!

I am playing the lost caverns of Tsojcanth, and my PCs are heading into a maze inhabited by two minotaurs that ride two bulls.
Are there any stats done for bulls? If not PF, 3.5 stats are ok.

Preparing to play The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth tonight (the players have finished the wilderness part), I was going through the rooms to take annotations on which monsters have already been converted and which ones have been not.

I couldn't find anywhere:
- Chasme Demon (I thought I had seen it somewhere recently)
- Fo(r)morian Giants
- Mar(l)goyles
- Gorgimeras
- Water Weird
- Piercer (??????? Intellectual property?)
And
- Fire Lizard
- Rhinoceros Beetle
(could be easily replaced I guess)

With all this goodness in Bestiary 2, I would really love to see a Book of Lairs manual!
Anyone else?

I remember reading, a LONG time ago, a Dragon magazine article that described three NPCs, one of which was an high-level wizard (14-16th level) that was aging despite he drank elixirs of youth and potions of longevity. The wizard was old and was looking for a fountain of youth.

Anybody could suggest me the name or magazine issue?

"Identify Spell Being Cast: Identifying a spell as it is being cast requires no action, but you must be able to clearly see the spell as it is being cast, and this incurs the same penalties as a Perception skill check due to distance, poor conditions, and other factors."

What is the DC to hear a spell with vocal component? Same as conversation? 0 for spell cast normally, 15 for a spell whispered?

Also, I guess rules do not cover this, but can you effectively whisper a spell with vocal components or the words of the spell have to be spoken with decision? How do you home rule it?

One last question, which is also the one I have bigger doubts about.
I always considered charme to be a spell that needed some interaction or at least eye to eye contact, but by RAW it seems you can charm basically everyone you can see.
I mean, you can keep watch on a street from the second floor of an inn, and target someone walking by, hitting him from behind, even if he has a hood and you have no idea of who he is.
Then you walk down the stairs and greet him and he will know you're a close friend of his.
Do you rule it this way?

"-4 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks."
Does it apply to damage as well or just to-hit rolls?

Also, does magic weapon cast on a sword make the sword immune to rusting grasp?

Can a Necromancer gain the Improved Channel feat?

I have read the rules on improved uncanny dodge and sneak attacks.
Assuming the rogue is of a level lower than the barbarian, which are the cases when I can use sneak attack on him?
Invisbile attacker no, flanked no, flat footed no...
I came with feint, barbarian climbing or swimming, but when else?

I'd like to test the system on the very opposite side of Epic, by letting my players build 1st level commoners with a barebone character point pool to spend on characteristics.
I was thinking about placing the adventure in the Sandpoint hinterlands, maybe in and around Grump's farm.

Ideas? How would you structure the encounters?

It is probably clearly stated but can0t find it right now.
Yesterday the summoner in my party evoked his eidolon, which now has reach 10'. He placed the eidolon right behind the barbarian which was facing a faceless stalker. I thought about using rules for ranged weapons, but then I couldn't figure how a creature with 4 outstretched arms could fight against a creature with a huge barbarian swinging a bastard sword in the middle. That would apply even if I use a whip, it just sounds impossible.
What's the official take on attacking an enemy 10 ft away with reach weapons if another character is already fighting him in the middle?

Also I read deciphering a scroll is a full-round action. But can you retry?

I like the idea of a boggard magus with a golden mace as chosen weapon.
Freely inspired by the villain in Dragon's Lair.
How would you write it up as a CR 13 villain?

Since there's a new class in town, maybe we'd like to discuss this theme as well.
Elven and half-even magi in particular are quite iconic.
Archetypes and alternate class abilities too might be interesting to discuss.
I know the class is still in Alpha, but it's never too early eheh.

I am just considering how would this prestige class work with this new class in town.
What about a 20th level magus vs a fighter 5/wizard 5/eldritch knight 10?

One of my pcs has a summoner, and yesterday, while playing The Skinsaw Murders, his eidolon scored 45 points of damage to a poor ghoul bat, shredding it into pieces in one round.

For the first time I took the sheet and begun doing some math:
The eidolon is a biped eidolon with 20 Str and 4 attacks each of which deals 1d6+5 damage.
Please tell me if the math is correct:

Evolution points: 8

[2] Ability increase STR (total of 20)
[1] Improved damage claws d4 > d6
[1] Improved nat armor +2
[2] limbs(arms)#2
[1] claws
[1] (can't remember)

My first question is if Improved damage applies to the whole claw/claw/claw/claw routine.
I read they're all primary attacks so no penalty on str and attack rolls.
So we have 4d6+20 of damage per round?

Since I still have to see pathfinder character sheet which includes rules from the APG I was wondering how should I call some of the specialists in the new rules.

I figure a specialist inelemental magic is an elementalist

* male human fire elementalist 3

But what about the others? How do they appear in stat blocks?

* male human brutal puglist barbarian 3
* male human animal shaman druid (bear) 3
* male human phalanx sodlier fighter 3
* male human admixturer 3
* male human banisher 3
* male human controller 3
* male human counterspeller 3
* male human creator 3
* male human enhancer 3
* male human foreseer 3
* male human generator 3
...
life... ??
phantasm...??
...

or is it more likely
* male human necromancer (undead) 3

This is actually an idea that I got yesterday as I was watching the 10 years old kids playing down in my yard.
I figured out it could be cool to ask them if they want to try the game, yet I believe Pathfinder might be a bit too tricky to grasp for a very young non-player. I was playing already at their age, but it was Holmes Basic, not AD&D!
So is there some talk of a super-slim system like that? I was thinking about something where your characters could be one day converted in Pathfinder rules by adding some details.
Something like a 32 page supplement with streamlined combat and magic, maybe were the whole combat system could squeeze in a single page.
The systems seems to adapt very well to such a thing.

PS: we tried to discuss about it in the "Pathfinder 2nd edition" thread bit it degenerated into useless jabber wabbler spam nonsense about sorcerer bloodlines.

Just for curiosity, what's the company take on possible new editions of the game? We will stay with this edition forever (hopefully but that's just my humble opinion) or there are already specific thoughts in this regard? Did you ever discuss this matter?

I couldn't find it. How many pinches of dust fit in a pouch of dust of disappearance?

Just curious, are there plans to add Archetypes alternatives for the new classes other than the Core ones?
Some like Oracle and Cavalier seem already quite flexible, but there might be good ideas for variant Witches for example.
I have seen there's already some unofficial thread, but I was wondering if something semi-official is being tested (Kobold?).

I was statting a 10th level Inquisitor with the Death domain of choice.
The following power however raised a doubt:

Death's Embrace (Ex): At 8th level, you heal damage instead of taking damage from channeled negative energy. If the channeled negative energy targets undead, you heal hit points just like undead in the area.

Does the power remain the same even if the Inquistor is not able to actively channel negative energy? The power sounds much less powerful than in the hands of a cleric.

Here is a first draft:

Borzuvog Garsahoxan, CR 11
XP 12,800
NE male flan human mummy druid 11
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +28
Aura despair (30 ft., paralyzed for 1d4 rounds, Will DC 16 negates)
-- Defense
AC 26, touch 13, flat-footed 23; (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +10 natural)
hp 162 (8d8+11d8+76)
Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +19
DR 5/—; Immune undead traits
Weaknesses vulnerable to fire
-- Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee slam +21/+16/+11 (1d8+9 plus curse)
Special Attacks
Druid Spells Prepared (CL 11th)
5th - 2
4th - 3
3rd - 4
2nd - 6
1st - 6
0 - 4

-- Statistics
Str 22, Dex 14, Con -, Int 12, Wis 22, Cha 16
Base Atk +14; CMB +20; CMD 32
Feats Augment Summoning, Dodge, Hover, Improved Initiative, Leadership, Natural Spell, Persuasive, Power Attack, Spell Focus (Conjuration), Toughness, Weapon Focus (slam)
Skills Fly +24, Intimidate +25, Knowledge (Nature) +23, perception +28, Sense Motive +28, Spellcraft +23
Languages Ancient Flan, Sylvan
Gear bracers of armor +3, headband of alluring charisma +2

-- Special Abilities
Despair (Su) All creatures within a 30-foot radius that see Borzuvog Garsahoxan must make a DC 17 Will save or be paralyzed by fear for 1d4 rounds. Whether or not the save is successful, that creature cannot be affected again by her despair ability for 24 hours. This is a paralysis and mindaffecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Curse (Su) Mummy Rot: slam—injury; save Fort DC 17; onset 1 minute; frequency 1 day; effect 1d6 Con and 1d6 Cha; cure —. Mummy rot is both a curse and a disease and can only be cured if the curse is first

removed, at which point the disease can be magically removed. Even after the curse element of mummy rot is lifted, a creature suffering from the disease cannot recover naturally over time. Anyone casting a

conjuration (healing) spell on the afflicted creature must succeed on a DC 20 caster level check, or the spell is wasted and the healing has no effect. Anyone who dies from mummy rot turns to dust and cannot

be raised without a resurrection or greater magic. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Nature Bond, Animal Companion (jackal),
nature sense:
Orisons:
Wild empathy:
Woodland stride:
Trackless step:
Resist nature’s lure:
Wild shape: 4/day
Venom immunity:

I need help to build a good spell roster, ideas for equipping the NPC villain with some devious magical item, and eventually good tactics I could use. I would like to stick to the Core Rulebook suggestions for a villain of this level (19 total levels but still CR 11, I copied it from Classic Horrors Revised)
Consider the characters are now very deep in a natural labyrinth dug into wet earth, full of insects, roots and underdark plant life, even if almost everything is now in undead semi-state. Very close is a nexus to the negative energy plane, so I was considering adding Xeg-Yi and similar negative plane elements.

Is the creature bound considered summoned?
Does the feat work with Planar Binding?

FYI

From D&D 3.0 ***

Shooting Stars
This ring has two modes of operation, one for being in shadowy darkness or outdoors at night and a second one when the wearer is underground or indoors at night.
During the night under the open sky or in areas of shadow or darkness, the ring of shooting stars can perform the following functions on command.
• Dancing lights (once per hour)
• Light (twice per night)
• Ball lightning (special, once per night)
• Shooting stars (special, three per week)
The first special function, ball lightning, releases one to four balls of lightning (ring wearer’s choice). These glowing globes resemble dancing lights, and the ring wearer controls them in the same fashion (see the dancing lights spell description). The spheres have a 120-foot range and a duration of 4 rounds. They can be moved at 120 feet per round. Each sphere is about 3 feet in diameter, and any creature who comes within 5 feet of one causes its charge to dissipate, taking electricity damage in the process according to the number of balls created.
Number of Balls Damage per Ball
4 lightning balls 1d6 points of damage each
3 lightning balls 2d6 points of damage each
2 lightning balls 3d6 points of damage each
1 lightning ball 4d6 points of damage
Once the ball lightning function is activated, the balls can be released at any time before the sun rises. (Multiple balls can be released in the same round.)
The second special function produces three shooting stars that can be released from the ring each week, simultaneously or one at a time. They impact for 12 points of damage and spread (as a fireball) in a 5-foot-radius sphere for 24 points of fire damage.
Any creature struck by a shooting star takes full damage from impact plus full fire damage from the spread unless it makes a DC 13 Reflex save. Creatures not struck but within the spread ignore the impact damage and take only half damage from the fire spread on a successful DC 13 Reflex save. Range is 70 feet, at the end of which the shooting star explodes, unless it strikes a creature or object before that. A shooting star always follows a straight line, and any creature in its path must make a save or be hit by the projectile.
Indoors at night, or underground, the ring of shooting stars has the following properties.
• Faerie fire (twice per day)
• Spark shower (special, once per day)
The spark shower is a flying cloud of sizzling purple sparks that fan out from the ring for a distance of 20 feet in an arc 10 feet wide. Creatures within this area take 2d8 points of damage each if not wearing metal armor or carrying a metal weapon. Those wearing metal armor and/or carrying a metal weapon take 4d8 points of damage.
Strong evocation; CL 12th; Forge Ring, light, faerie fire, fireball, lightning bolt; Price 50,000 gp.

*** From AD&D 2e
Staff of the Serpent: There are two varieties of this staff—the "python'' and the "adder."
The python strikes as a +2 magical weapon and inflicts 1d6+2 points of damage when it hits. If the priest throws the staff to the ground, it grows from its 6-foot length, becoming a constrictor snake, 25 feet long (AC 3, 49 hit points, movement rate of 9). This happens in one round. The snake will entwine if it scores a hit, the opponent being constricted for 2d4+2 points of damage per round. The victim will remain trapped by the python until he dies or the creature is destroyed. Note that the python will return to its owner upon command. If it is destroyed while in snake form, the staff is destroyed.
The adder strikes as a +1 magical weapon and does 2d2 points of damage when it hits. Upon command the head of the staff becomes that of an actual serpent (AC 5, 20 hit points). This head remains for one full turn. When a hit is scored, damage is not increased, but the victim must roll a successful saving throw vs. poison (strength E) or be slain. Only evil priests will employ an adder staff. If the snake head is killed, the staff is destroyed.
Neither staff has nor requires charges. Most of these staves—60%—are pythons.
Horseshoe of Varied Tracks
, (identical to boots of varied tracks, but
enable wearer to stay on top of soft snow; bear, goat, rabbit and wolf prints)

*** From AD&D 2e
Hat of Stupidity: This hat is indistinguishable from any other magical hat, even when most carefully detected by magical means. Only by placing it upon the head can its powers be determined. Of course, once on the head, the wearer will believe that the hat is a beneficial item, for he will be overcome by stupidity. Intelligence is lowered to 7, or by -1 if the wearer has a 7 or lower Intelligence normally. The wearer will always desire to have the hat on—especially when he is engaged in any activity which requires thinking, spellcasting, etc. Without the benefit of a remove curse spell or similar magic, the wearer will never be free from the magic of the hat. If released, the wearer's Intelligence returns to its normal level.

Where would you start?

Some items don't seem to have a direct conversion , and some were not yet invented at the time this adventure was released (headbands of intellect for instance) so i am a bit fought between doing a straight conversion (converting magic items and spells as well) and a more "customized" one.

OK now I won't sleep until august!

Hmm. No Europe...

I am looking for some extremely basic RPG system, on the line of Swords & Wizardry, a system that fits in less than 10 pages and one could learn in a single evening.
I am looking for an universal system, but more specifically aimed at fantasy. I was thinking about something extremely easy, where you just roll a 6-sided die for just about any resolution.
Is there something like that around?
I have heard about tri-stat, basic rp system, harp (maybe even true20?) but haven0t read anything yet. S&W looks alluring, but I would like something a bit more universal/consistent/sophisticated in its simplicity, some sort of hypoercondensed Hero System if you know what I mean.

In regard to Eando Kline journal,

I know she is presumably dead, killed by the hellknight in Korvosa, but any chance she is held captive in some prison? Are there any official answers on her current whereabouts? I haven't finished to read the whole series of stories, but do they explain what is contained in the skull puzzle boxes stolen from the Red Mantis?

I was reading Carrion Hill tonight, and I found this in the appendix:

Carrion Hill
Small City standard government (mayor); AL N
Demographics
Population 9,200
Racial Mix 82% human, 5% halfling, 4% half-orc, 4% gnome, 3%
dwarf, 2% other
Rulers
Vanton Heggry, mayor of Carrion Hill (N male human aristocrat 9)
Law Enforc ement
The Crows, city watch (900 N human warrior 1 guards, 45 N
human fighter 2 sergeants, 9 N human fighter 4 captains)

Now, assuming I don't have any 3.5 manual but only PFRPG books, where do I find an official guideline for statting and formatting cities? I couldn't find anything related in the Core Rulebook. Should I wait for the Gamemastery Guide?

UP

My characters decided to retreat after killing Nualia, leaving the last chambers unexplored.
As they were retreating, the goblin tribes in the woods, headed by shaman Gogmurt, burnt down the shack on the "thistle top" and the PCs escaped using the safety boat, up to the port of Sandpoint.

Now they want absolutely to go back and "finish the dungeon" despite the main menace of Nualia being stopped. I tried to hint not to go back (very subtly) but they insist on going.

They will probably land on Pauper's Graves (question 1: any more information of this shore?), tie the boat there, and proceed into the thorny woods.
In the woods I'd like to have some goblin commandos annoy them with nasty traps. Gogmurt should be some sort of tribal shaman that unites the goblins that fled from Ripnugget's egemony... how would you make this encounter nastier?
Only 1-2 days have passed, do you think the goblin would already have found a way to re-ensablish the bridge?
How would you evolve the story?

Any idea for playing large scale battles in PFRPG? Is the idea of a new battlesystem ruleset being considered?

One of my players' character died last session, after a 50 hp critical hit (a bit hard for a 3rd level character).
He want to play a paladin now, but I don0t want him to start at 1st level, but maybe 3rd or 4th to put them at the same level of the rest of the party.
What are the rules for starting equipment for higher level characters?
Should I pick npc suggested equipment from 3.5 DMG? How do you handle that choice?
Also if the rest of the players finished Burnt Offerings at 4th level, should I make him start by playing a 3rd level character?

Has anyone made a build of this monster for PFRPG?

I just got my subscription Items with order 1335138.
Inside the package instead of Classic Horrors revised, Mother of Flies and Andoran, I got TWO copies of Andoran and NO Classic Horror Revisited.
As an added problem, even if you send me the Classic Horror Revised compendium I would have to pay 6 euros of custom fees.
I guess we can shrink a bit the fees if you enclose the missing manual in the next shipping instead of sending it alone, yet I would pay anyway the € 5.50 + 4% of the manual cost at the customs... shall I aks for a small discount?

Some years ago I played a high-level solo adventure with a friend of mine which involved him to become a dragonslayer (it was still AD&D 2E so we came up with a "kit").
How do you think I should convert that old character today. Is there something like a Dragonslayer prestige class or should I have him take a few levels of ranger (dragon enemy) or inquisitor?

WOW! Will there be a subscription plan for novels as well?

Okay this is ridiculous but my rule lawyering players actually had to discuss it.

So we were talking about the fact that you can drink a potion as a move action. Fine. Retrieving a potion out of your belt pouch or backpack is a move action as well. Fine.
Drinking a potion in battle takes two move equivalent actions, so a full round is wasted.

Now we also discussed is that if you have the item handy, like a sword you just need to sheath, or a potion in a bandoleer you could drink a potion as a move equivalent action if you have at least a +1 BAB and move in the same round, just like with weapons.

Then we started discussing if you need to have free hands while drinking a potion in combat. It seemed obvious to me but they said if I ask the character to sheath the weapon to use his free hand to look for a potion, it will take 2 rounds to complete the move.

1) move -> sheath weapon, move -> retrieve the potion
2) move -> drink potion, move -> draw weapon (or move and draw weapon)

I think that you have to do this only if you're using two weapon, or you grip a large shield since you need a free hand, and if you only have a weapon you could just do that in one round using the other free hand

1) move -> retrieve potion, move -> drink potion (using thumb to pop the cork)

but in their opinion, playing things this way would penalize too much fighters with large shields or two weapon fighters. They will take twice the time to drink potion AND they could not threaten any areas while the weapon is sheathed AND they would be provoking attacks of opportunity when they draw the weapon again (these last two penalties do not apply if using two weapons of course).

How do you see it? I don't think it's a matter of balance, but of good sense. Maybe the rules do not mention it explicitly but I guess it's obvious that you need a free hand to retrieve an item or drink a potion.

The barbarian in my campaign recently used cleave to strike to villains which were respectively on his north and east "facing", so they were not sharing a common line but just a corner, diagonally. Should I consider them as contiguous for Cleave matters? Also there was a wall between them (marked as a X on the diagram below)

VX
BV

Could the Barbarian use Cleave against both Villains?
This also brought me to another question, what if the two Villains had cover?

BX
VV

One of my players asked me to home-rule that you can switch a feat every few levels. How would you see it and do the rules mention anything like that?

Yesterday the rogue in my campaign was grappled by a Kelubar demodand, and tried to break free with no success. Understanding the demodand was a tough wrestler, he decided to use his ring of blinking to "blink" out of grapple. I made him do it, but I was wondering how one should have played strictly by the rules. Can someone use worn items when grappling?

I am still unsure when and how to call for a Perception roll.
The rogue character in my party approaches every door by placing her ear close to the surface and listening to noises from the other side. Should I grant her any bonuses? Or the roll is the same as one walking BY the door while exploring the dungeon and listening "casually" to environmental noises.
Does the fact of being actively looking for noises give a bonus (or a malus if you're not caring or distracted)?

As for the subject, my party just vanquished the goblin king and decided to rest at the entrance of the dungeon to recover spells and fatigue.
I was thinking about the dungeon's ecology. Is Orik supposed to live in his room all the time? Is Bruthazmus supposed to sleep in the harem all day long? Is any of the inhabitants supposed to reach surface every few hours... of course I understand the npc location is the one more likely he's going to be encountered, but where do they actually move within the dungeon?