Bugaboo-X's page

Heard someone discussing a "Munchkin" adapted product for Pathfinder. Any legitimate news on that?

Let's say that you adopt a fledgling character from another player -- for whatever goofy reason, you're going to play and develop a multiclass character that you might not have otherwise intended. Just go with it.

Anyhoo, the basic material before you already three levels of one class and three levels of another. You'll never reach the tip-top level benefits of a single class.

So what's your long-term plan for class level balance? X levels of Class A and Y levels of Class B. And why? You can offer specific examples or in general -- you get to pick the classes for the purpose of this discussion.

With the release of the Eldritch Heritage feat and greater character access to the oft-unloved familiar through the arcane bloodline, it seemed an appropriate opportunity to ask: How the heck do you use that critter, anyway?

One of the most overlooked applications requires no additional prep, really -- familiars provide a second roll in several skills, notably knowledge areas and sense motive. Since the familiar gets to use the master's skill levels (using its own modifiers, naturally), you've basically given your character a another chance to know something.

>> For each skill in which either the master or the familiar has ranks, use either the normal skill ranks for an animal of that type or the master's skill ranks, whichever is better. <<

Yes, I know the following exclusion limits the usefulness of such skill-sharing for, say, diplomacy or bluff or healing ...

>> Regardless of a familiar's total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar's ability to use. <<

... But it's still not a bad benefit, regardless.

"I don't entirely trust my gut about what you're telling us. Let's see how my little furry friend here feels about about you..."

Next?

I'm looking for a little more teaser material, please. Something else to look forward to. As a big fan of arcane familiars, an advance list of some of the critters would be cool. Or sorcerer bloodlines?

Lovin' it. Thanks oodles.

Particularly tickled about the riding dog art. I showed it to my wife and she said, "That's obviously a happy dog who knows what his job is."

Can we expect optional familiars? ... And squirrels?! There's gotta be squirrels.

When you're dealing with a character's abilities that allow him to lend benefit to another creature (wizard divination school "diviner's fortune," for example: "touch any creature"), can you also use it on the character himself?

Hate to sound stupid, but I'm willing to take the shot for anyone else who's afraid to ask for the same reason...

What's the difference between the print products for alpha and final edition?

An even ability trade?

As you continue to refine and playtest the game, I'd suggest that you decide on a default perspective in regard to the (oft-overlooked) feats that provide skill bonuses.

Approaches that have been adopted in various other sources include:

* Basic skill focus: +3 bonus to Skill X.
* Related skills: +2 Skill Y and +2 Skill Z, with short explanation of why Y and Z are related. A limited number of such skill pairings are specified in the rules.
* Additional points: +Q points to spend on any skill(s), but may not exceed normal level-rank limits.

The simplest approach would be to offer a single feat that allows a +2/+2 bonus to any two skills -- chosen by the player -- as long as they're logically related and approved by the GM (ex: Sense Motive and Bluff, or Acrobatics and Stealth, but unlikely Appraise and Swim). Allow stackability. One feat written in an open-ended manner would save page space and provide flexibility. ... This would effectively eliminate the need for Skill Focus, of course, but that's not a big deal except in the case of prestige class prereqs.

Alternately, I would suggest the "additional points" option, which allows a player to swap out a feat for skill points. This would be a reasonable avenue of approach for the fighter to build his scrawny skills base - he already recieves a bunch of fighter bonus feats, so he could afford to give up a standard character leveling feat every so often if that's the player's concept.

The difference between those two should be obvious: The former provides a *bonus* that can raise a skill ability above the level-rank limit, while the latter reaffirms the character level glass ceiling for ranks. They both have their advantages, depending on your perspective. I'm sure you have an opinion for game mechanics reasons.

(Pesonally? I opt for the +2/+2 bonus option, as it has more of a sense of the lost synergistic skills element from previous 3.x rules. ... You could even name the feat "Skill Synergy" and kill two birds with one stone.)

Thanks much.

I've noticed in recent years that WotC and D&D peripheral designers seemed to be of two (or three) minds regarding the way PCs could gain access to abilities from other classes without multiclassing, ala "fine-tuning" or "tweaking":

1. Spend X, lose Y, gain Z.
2. Lose Y, gain Z.
3. Spend X, gain Z.

In the first and third examples, X is typically a feat that triggered access to an extra-class ability. No. 1 was most commonly found in Dragon magazine features -- expend a feat to allow the PC to swap out one existing feature (Y) for some other (Z). It is the most costly in terms of character development.

The second and third cases are cheaper and functionally equivalent -- a simple trade. No. 3 formalizes the swap because it requires the expenditure of a feat to gain a new class ability; No. 2 is more of an informal GM approval trade. These options were usually found in the hardback supplemental books (Complete class series or Unearthed Arcana).

As you move forward into Pathfinder design and plan for its flexibility, I'd ask that you please give primacy to one of these philosophies over the others and be consistent with your decision.

Add a squirrel familiar. Pleeeeeeease!!!

First, I really think the sorcerer's bloodlines should be moved to the same section as the wizard's magic schools and the cleric's domains. They are themetically similar, and it disrupts the class copy flow to leave the bloodlines where they are.

Second, you should probably clarify whether a wizard-sorcerer multiclassed character can have both a familiar and arcane bonded item.

That is all. Continue to do good work.