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That's not your backstory! That's the script from Smokey and the Bandit and you just replaced Burt Reynold's character with your own. I say sir, I will not be hoodwinked in this fashion.
I love that backstory. I hope you got something extra for that work :) Thanks! I hope to find some time to clean it up and expand on itt. I was writing it all in a bit of a rush. I also liked it as it was coming together and look forward to playing the character.
I am playing Raimden, a human swashbuckler. He is a young man in his early 20s, oilve skinned and dark haired. He has a charismatic smile he shares with any that would give him a minute. He is always talking, assuming everyone around him is a friend ready to share a drink or a story. Though he dresses well his clothing and hair is always unkempt. On his waist he carries a rapier in it's sheath, and a second matching but empty sheath. Though he often acts dense or uninterested Raimden is intelligent and perceptive. Character Build:
Working on this still. I wanted to mix something that was competent in combat and fun from roleplay perspective. I enjoy the charismatic/dramatic character archetype, so I was happy to try a swashbuckler for the first time. I was really looking at the investigator for a while and decided to multi-class, porbably not the best choice but I think it will be fun to play. I have started with the inspired blade archetype and plan on using sleuth for the investigator. Starting with Fencer's Grace and Combat expertise. I like Butterfly Sting so will pick that up, I see him as creating the opening in an opponent's defenses and letting his teammates exploit the weakness. Obviously the rapier will be the primary weapon I plan to use. Raimden's Background, kinda long:
“You see, the thing about Osirian tombs is, they know you’re going to try to break in. Lots of cultures bury their dead with their riches, but you people …. you have to build these grand pyramids it’s like you’re daring us to steal it, so, you know we’re gonna try. This one time I was on a hunt for the Society and it was starting to get intense. I had already made it past all the pit traps and the spike traps, all pretty standard at this point it’s almost insulting to think that would stop me but you know, it keeps the riff raff out. Anyway, past all the traps was the real showstopper, they actually tapped into the elemental plane of earth and had flooded the hallways with lava and “Fire” ….what?” Raimden had lost the place in his story, looked over at his mother not understanding. She frowned, “Fire, the lava came from the elemental plane of fire. If you’re going to tell these stories at last tell them right.” The flock of young girls that had gathered to hear Raimden’s story dispersed and flew away in a flutter of giggles and smiles quickly lost in the hustle and bustle of the Katapeshi marketplace.
“They were just starting to warm up to me too,” it was Raimden’s turn to frown. “It’s hard enough to get used to this city without you running of any girl that takes a minute to listen to me. We don’t all have tales of our heroic thieving for the Pathfinder Society.” “I know you think it was a time of thrilling heroics but there were just as many times where we were in the middle of a s~+$ty desert not sure if we would ever see another drop of water. I lost plenty of friends and I’m lucky that I lived to retire.” Ohra was a short women by most standards, but her presence filled any room she was in. Even here in the crowded market stalls of Katapesh her voice carried to every customer and her smile sealed the deal. The wares she sold at her stall were exotic trinkets from all across the Inner Sea, but she was as approachable as someone you’ve known for years. Raimden carried the same smile but it never felt as genuine as his mother’s. “Is that why we had to leave Absalom? Because you didn’t want to be reminded of the friends you lost? Or did you just get bored again?” Raimden kept his tone polite but an edge was starting to creep in. “There were many reasons to leave Absalom, but mainly I wanted us to have a fresh start. For so many years you thought I was just a merchant leaving on business when really the Society needed me, now that you know what was happening I wanted for us to spend some time together, make up for the time we’ve lost,” Ohra turned to her son, holding out her arms in an attempt to start making amends. “You could have just left me there, I would have been just fine staying and you didn’t seem to ever have a problem leaving me before,” Raimden threw a stack of silken blackest over his mother’s outstretched arms. The dip in Ohra’s smile was barely perceptible, but he had made the cut and tried to push away the guilt that swelled in. She had know that trying to rebuild the bond lost between her and her son would be difficult. For years they had lived in Absalom and she had secretly worked for the Pathfinder Society. Every time she would leave the city under the pretense of working as a merchant, she would leave him with this friend or that. It didn’t come as a surprise to any that he would clash with authority and the law repeatedly. Despite that none could say the boy wasn’t smart or cunning, just made it that much sadder for all involved. After a particularly dangerous mission Ohra decided to retire from the society and tell Raimden what had been happening. He was outraged at what he saw as a betrayal of trust and a clear sign that she thought him nothing more than an inconvenience. In the months since then she had moved them to Katapesh and opened a small store selling the exotic trinkets and prizes she had collected over the years. Things were difficult but slowly they were drawing together. Raimden listened to his mother’s tales of her time in the Society and would tell them to the merchants and customers, passing his mother’s achievement’s for his own. She didn’t mind, having found something that was finally brining them together. She thought that she had finally found a way to bring them back together, but fate rarely lets us have our way. Raimden’s morning had already started of badly. Though he assured the girl’s father that her virtue was still intact he found that the man was still not fond of the stranger in his home. The guards had made that even clearer when they threw him out and suggested that if he was caught again he would leave less of a man then when he entered. He had torn his favorite doublet when he tried to escape through the window, he was half way out and his escape assured when the young girl wrapped herself around his legs and declared her eternal love. He was walking into the market when he saw his mother talking to a man he hadn’t seen before. His mother was good at hiding her emotions behind her famous smile, but he could tell that something was wrong. The man turned to leave as he noticed Raimden’s approach, but Ohra grabbed his hand and held it in a more familiar way then Raimden had ever seen his mother act. The display gave Raimden pause as he walked up to his mother. Before he could say anything his mother smiled and reached out to greet him. He smiled and returned his mother’s embrace and before he could ask what was wrong, “I think it’s time to move back to Absalom.” Raimden was shocked, he had spent months pleading with his mother to return to the city he grew up in and now she seemed in hurry to go. She had already started to pack together the first crate in his absence. He was left speechless, “Yes, of course that’s what I’ve been saying we should go back.” Suddenly he was energized by his mother’s decision. He started clearing the line of nesting dolls his mother had brought back from Ustalav when he noticed something new that he hadn’t seen in the stall before. He turned to his mother holding up a pair of small silver scorpions set with green gems whose lust and shine seemed to fade in and out. “Are these new? I’ve never seen these jeweled scorpions.” “Scorpions? I don’t….no” the words barely came out of her mouth as she spun in place. Raimden never even saw her throw the knife that tore the first scorpion in two. Before he even realized it his mother had crossed the 20ft from the other side of the stall and slapped the second scorpion from his hand. He fell to the ground, caught off guard by her sudden display of celerity. The first scorpion lay at his feet torn in two, it’s mechanical legs and tail twitching and a green liquid oozing from it’s body. He had lost sight of the other, he looked up at his mother not understanding what was happening. He looked up into her face and was greeted with a sad smile that instantly crushed his heart. “I’m sorry she whispered. I tried to be a good mother. I just wanted you to be happy …” He still wasn’t comprehending what was happening, did he do something wrong? Were they not going back to Absalom together? Ohra held up her hand and they both could see the green glow starting to run through her veins, the same pulsing glow from the scorpion’s jewels. She fell there, into his arms. Repeating herself, “I just wanted you to be happy.” Raimden called for help and a crowd started to gather around the stall. The green glow flowed through her veins, pulling the skin taunt and leaving a green hue on her fairer skin. Desperately he cried for help as his mother withered in his arms. The man from earlier pushed his way through the crowd and jumped behind the stall beside Raimden. His face was a mix of rage and sorrow. “Help her!” Raimden pleaded. Ohra’s smile was still strangely soothing, even as she wasted away, “No, Raimden. This debt was mine to pay. I pay it gladly so you can live. Promise me, promise me you’ll live for both of us.” She died there, in his arms. Everic tried to console Raimden that that was the death she wanted. The stranger had introduced himself some time later in the market place. He tried to tell Raimden that he had seen this happen before and that he should brace himself for what would follow. He had appealed to every temple cleric and sage in the city, yet each told him the same thing. The soul would not return to the body, something prevented the divine magics from working on Ohra’s body. Everic held his tongue, seeing the distress that Raimden was in. He had sold off everything in his mother’s shop to pay for the clerics and money was running out. A week later Raimden finally agreed to make preparations for a funeral. Finally, Raimden turned to Everic and addressed him for the first time since when they met, “Who are you and why did this happen?” Raimden was silent through Everic’s entire story. He told Raimden about Ohra’s last mission for the Society. An expedition to Numeria to steal secrets from a group called the Technic League. Ohra had been chosen to go because she had made contacts there long ago on another mission. Everic didn’t know the details of the mission but he knew that when Ohra returned she was intent on leaving the Society. She had made some concessions to the Society in exchange for their help in disappearing from Absalom. Everic was the only person she confided in before she left. She had given him some items for safe keeping that were important to her, but would be a risk to keep in her possession. She had left her journal and her sword with Everic in Absalom, where they still are now. “As for why this happened…. I assume it has to do with the Technic League. I saw a scorpion much like that little one in Numeria, though much larger. Much larger.I promised your mother that I would make sure you got safely to Absalom and would have enough money to start a life there, without the Society. To keep you out of the world she lived in.” Raimden looked at Everic, determination and seriousness crossing his face for the first time ,”Do you think that is going to happen?” Everic allowed himself a slight chuckle, “No, you are your mother’s son after all. You’ll come with me to Absalom though, you’ll want her journal at the least.” A familiar smile grew on Raimden’s face, “Good, on the way there you can ell me more about Numeria and the Technic League.”
Things have taken a unexpected turn in Torch. The strange flame that gives this town it's name has gone out. The merchants and traders that have come here seem to not know what to do now. I hear several expeditions have been sent in with mixed success. Even now the town has put a reward out for help investigating the ruins underneath the flame. On of the locals, an expert I assume on the flame has not returned from his second foray. Several of the others that i have sharing a table with at breakfast seem to have it in their mind to take a chance at the reward. I would have stayed out of the situation, but I had overheard a pair of locals talking of a Technic League spy in town. If there is a spy here it stands to reason that there could be a connection. I have agreed to help look for this Conner, so I had best make my intentions clear with the master of the caravan I was hired on with. Then we will see what lies underneath Torch.
A fair point. Still mostly brain storming. I am really liking vital strike with Greater weapon of the chosen. Seems almost broken as it does not seem to have a limit on uses. Prob best with a two handed weapon, but we already have two fighters with two handed weapons so I didn't want to be the third.
I guess I might be focusing to much on that picture of the iconic slayer that I really liked. My first thought was a dual wielding warrior with a dive dip for weapon of the chosen. Maybe I should consider straight war priest and jut use TWF as a feat. Also, as far as vital strike and TWF, can't I use vital strike when I charge or use move action abilities to keep up the lost damage from not making a full round attack and then just use dual wield when I can use full round actions? Or did you just mean it's not efficient? Honestly I don't make characters or play a lot so I miss stuff a lot so I wanted to get advice on this character from the community.
So I am going to play in a Wrath of the Righteous campaign and I have stated to float together a kinda of random idea. I have this image of the tall Osirian man dual wielding Kukris from the Advanced Class Guide in the slayer section and I really like it. In my mind he is a follower of Tanagarr (gives him favored weapon kukri), he is a sort of divine assassin, takes care of problems in a way that the church and faith cannot do so openly. There was some fantasy group or something that had the motto "we stand in the darkness to protect the light" or something close and always thought it sounded cool. So some of the ideas that have floated together. -I want to add some sort of divine connection so this brought it war priest. -This also allows for Weapon of the chosen line which seems great for WotR, seems to basically give you the "Good" alignment to your weapon as long as you can give up the swift action. -Dual wield kukris seems ok, if I go into greater Weapon of the Chosen vital strike line seems good too. Since both Weapon of the Chosen and Vital strike are combat feats I can use Slayer talents to pick them up with slayer talents as well as dual wield through ranger combat style. -Since we go mythic, mythic vital strike seems good too. -Was disappointed in Deliverer archetype, to bad because it sounds like EXACTLY what i wanted, but vanguard might be ok So after all that I am thinking Human Slayer 1/ War priest 1 (Starting at lvl 2) and prob take all the levels in slayer from there. Start with
I have the Heros and Horror on the way, but I want to start a skeleton for the rules. The idea us fir there to be some small ositive effects if the save is passed as well as the minor negative effects.
Well, no. You make your save and are most likely just shaken. Which is the same as making the save against the spell. The poibt is that will be alot of fear effects in the game and I dont wang ut to just be the same effect over and over.
Well, I guess I can try to track that down. In the mean time I'll expand on what I have here. Traits -Listen to logic and reason: You always try to think logically, even in stressful situations. You may use your Int modifier instead of Wis for fear checks. -Always the bully: You were always the biggest kid on the block, your strength gives you an edge against the unknown. You may use your Str modifier instead of Wis for fear checks. -Calm under pressure: You know others look to you in stressful situations and your strength of personality pushes you forward. You may use your Char modifier instead of Wis for fear checks. -Accustomed to the blood: You have lived in the bad parts of town or worked a job where death was part of day to day life. Dread level 1 has no effect on you. Dread Levels: Each level adds 10 to a fear check. 1: A normal murder scene, dead bodies but mostly intact.
2: A particularly grisly murder scene, body parts strewn about and such
3: A murder scene with obvious supernatural involvement, blood drenched walls, partially eaten bodies, arcane symbols drawn in blood on the walls.Obvious supernatural involvement. 4: Large scale supernatural activity.
5: Supernatural involvement on a grand scale.
I plan on running a game soon that is based out of Caliphas in Ustalav. Long story short the PCs will part of the city guard, investigating crimes and strange occurrences. Think of X-Files meets pathfinder. Anyway I want the idea of fear and the mechanical use in game to be more interesting, I want it to be a central idea in the game. I wanted to post my ideas and get some opinions and suggestions. At the heart of the system is the fear chart, a % table to roll on when ever a "fear effect" hits a PC. 01-15: Insane Courage: Your mind refuses to allow the source of your fear to overtake you and sends you into a headlong charge at the source of your fear. You must immediately charge the source of the fear effect. 16-25: Muster the courage...: The source of your fear drives you back, but you prepare yourself to face it. You are shaken for 1 round. The round after the shaken effect ends you gain a +1 to attack and damage rolls (maybe scale by levels?) against the target of the fear effect. 26-50:Do not let the fear win: You fear takes hold for just a moment, you take hold of yourself and prepare to fight on. You are shaken for 1 round. 51-65: The fear takes hold: The subject of the fear sends you running. You are frightened for x rounds (x = caster level of effect or HD of monster) 66-75: Terror takes hold: Your mind snaps and you race from the source of the terror with all speed. You are panicked for x rounds (x = caster level of effect or HD of monster). 76-95: In the grip of terror: The subject of your fear becomes all encompassing and you lose the will to fight. You cower for 1 round and are then panicked for x rounds (x = caster level of effect or HD of monster). 96-100: Fear beyond reason: You give in to the source of your fear completely. You cower until the end of the encounter. This is what I have so far. Make your save and roll on only the 1-50, fail and its a full roll. It would still be a WIS based will save. Same DC as the generating effect wild normally have. Other points I am thinking about. - Campaign traits to let you sub your Char, Int, or Str for Wis on fear checks. -Dread Level 1-5, add 10 to the fear check per level. Locations would have a dread level based on setting and such. -Feat to let you re-roll the fear check or automatically reduce the effect by one. -Any PC generated effect which gives a bonus vs fear saves also gives a step reduction on the fear chart. I would love to hear ideas, suggestions, concerns.
Isn't the pounce feat BAB minimum 10?
Thanks for all the feedback. I'm not to worried about optimization. I like the character concept and want to run with it. Cheapy, thanks for the ideas. The "what to do" when i've finished the buffs is what I'm trying to decide. I was considering Bard as the main but I'm open to other ideas.
I want to put together a party support character for PFS. I started with the idea of a Tian themed Bard that plays a koto (think something along the lines of vertical harp) and then added in the witch. The idea is I start with inspire courage then can start giving out Fortune that I can keep up with cackle. I just don't know where I want to go from there, the character basically does what I want it at level 2. I think Inner Beauty and Altruistic Diplomat for traits. I plan on taking the Lotus Geisha type for bard, don't think I'll take one for witch. I'll take Extra Hex so that I can use Fortune and Cackle at level 2. I was planning human, but elf may not be bad yet. This is all I've pulled together idea wise, any other ideas or suggestions? We've just started PFS so I'm not sure if there are any bases I should consider covering.
I think that often people forget that the point of this game is to have fun. Rules exist so that we can all come to the table with certain expectations and a common understanding of how a game is going to unfold. Following the rules in organized play is even more important since you are drawing people together that may have very different styles of play. When I run a game I think that having fun is the most important point, I have no problem bending some rules so that players can create the characters they want and have fun. I as GM am there to open a world in which the players can tell the stories of their characters. This thread like many others I have read come down to RAI and RAW. I think that you just have to understand that in organized play you have to sacrifice some personal preferences so that the group as a whole can have a higher level of enjoyment. This post is a little generic but I've gotten the same feel from so many threads, this is finally the one that made me post.
So, after playing Pf since release I've decided to try to start a PFS group in my local game store. I have a steady gaming group that I've been with for years now and I GM about 97.555% of the time so I'm hoping to encourage some new people to give the other side of the GM screen a try. I'm wondering if people have any advice for new start up groups or common problems I may run into. I've been GMing for several years and have been event coordinator for many other gaming types (mostly tabletop minis) so I am not to worried about organizing or planning events in general, or rules/mechanic questions.
I have the First Steps series ready, are there any other lower level adventures that experienced players recommend? I have all the base books and rules (inc PFS rules), is there anything else I should have ready? Any common problems with starting new groups or first time PFS GM sessions? Any advice is welcome, thanks in advance.
Thanks for the info from both of you.
So... yeah. I admit I posted my wondrous the night before the deadline and I didn't put nearly enough into it (time, effort, thought, love, your choice). I did so mostly at the urging of my gaming group who I thank for their support and effort to push me into the competition. I really didn't think much about the competition after the submission, you'd think things would slow down a little more in the retail world after Christmas. I did think I submitted an interesting item but I am hardly surprised not to find it in the top 32. The interesting point in all this (which I hope you fought through the above bit to get to) is that I am really excited for the competition next year. I'm not sure why but all of a sudden I find myself thinking of dozens of other ideas that I should have refined and submitted. I want to thank Paizo and all those involved for the work they put into this competition, and certainly hope that it continues with such fantastic support from both sides. I want to congratulate all the top 32 finalists and I will make sure to continue with the competition. Now, I did have a question or two I hope someone out there could answer for me. While reading the judge's comments I see the abbreviations SIAC and SAK, from context I guess they refer to effects that duplicate an existing ability, but could someone captain dummy talk it for me and break it down? Does Paizo ever make the threads of the non winning contestants available? I ask knowing that there must be thousands of threads and this may be a bit of an undertaking with very little point for most people and actually a problem considering future entrants now that I think about it. That aside, I am eager to watch how this year unfolds. I've been using Paizo products since Rise of the Runelords and had never seen this competition until this year so I'm glad I get to see one start to finish for once. |
