I heard an interview on the Know Direction podcast the other day that said that Paizo was going to be experimenting with putting Golarion specific content into the RPG line of books. Then I come to check out what new books are coming. I gotta say, I do not agree with this new direction. Keep the campaign specific stuff in the Campaign Setting line, and keep the RPG line setting neutral. This should NOT be in the RPG line. I will not be buying this book, not because I don't like the idea of it, but because I don't want to contribute to Paizo thinking that all of us consumers are supportive of the blurring of the lines between the RPG and Campaign Setting stuff. I know this has been hashed out back and forth between plenty of people in this thread, and I understand both sides. I don't agree at all with the people defending this crossover. I'm not expecting them to agree with me at all either. I'm not posting this to renew this discussion. I'm posting to add my voice as an additional number to those that have spoken up about their disagreement with the crossover.
I just received Inner Sea World Guide and the Pathfinder shoulder bag as gifts from my mother. She ordered it herself, in her name, but had it shipped to my PO Box. Now, unfortunately I already have Inner Sea World guide, and my mother is EXTREMELY sensitive about people "not liking" the gifts she's given them, so I was wondering if there was some way that we could maybe do an exchange? I'll pay the shipping.
MordredofFairy wrote:
Except that in the Pathfinder system, they tend to group similar but not exactly the same weapon together as one weapon statblock to make sure there aren't a million different weapons to choose from. This has been happening ever since the beginning of the D&D/Pathfinder evolution, for example the Broad Sword getting folded into the Longsword when it went from 2nd edition to 3rd edition. They include the ability for the Composite Longbow to be used on horseback so that it can be both "Composite Longbow" and "Daikyu." As this isn't the Pathfinder Society forum, I'd say if you're concerned about it, just don't let characters that don't have Japanese style flavor (or having bought the composite longbow in a Japanese flavored area of your campaign world) use the bow on horseback. The image of a European rider wielding a (composite or not) longbow doesn't work in my head either, so I'd never make or play one, even though the shortbow is an inferior weapon.
mdt wrote:
I'm just saying that someone shouldn't dismiss the downtime rules because they don't like the retraining rules, as they are not intrinsically linked. The person's complaint about being too stingy with resources is a good reason to dismiss (or modify) them though. I don't agree, as building up resources isn't an easy thing to do. I could work my whole life and not have enough money to buy a brand new building, staff it with workers, and get purchase product to sell, because, unless I work some very lucrative position, I'm mostly spinning my wheels enough to support myself and make a modest savings. You make it too easy, and one would wonder why everyone in your world doesn't run a business. Low cost, high profit, no brainer.
Methabroax wrote: MDT, that's an amazing set of rules you linked to. I'm going to start running RoTRL adventure path soon and I love the idea that my players can have already fleshed out rules to build up businesses in Sandpoint. Now someone should come up with rules for guilds now, especially guilds of harlots.... Within those downtime rules, look at the rules for Teams and Organizations.
Thorri Grimbeard wrote:
What, exactly, do you think this ruling lets half-elves have access to? It allows Half-Elves to choose Elven Race Character Traits, I think everyone can agree on that. Now, you're the only one arguing that this ruling means that Racial Traits are also included (though I know I mistakenly used the term when referring to Race Character Traits in one of my earlier posts, the context made it obvious what I was really talking about I believe). IF your concept of what this ruling means holds true, the most that a half-elf could get would be trading in Elven Immunities, Low-Light Vision, or Keen Senses for Darkvision, Dreamspeaker, Elemental Resistance, or Urbanite. An elf would be able to make the EXACT same trades for the EXACT same cost, AND has Elven Magic and Weapon Familiarity that they would be able to keep or trade for other Alternate Racial Traits if they wished. Considering Elven Magic and all the neat Alternate Racial Traits an elf could trade it in for, I'd have to argue that the amount of stuff that a half-elf gets from the Elf that makes the Elf fun and unique to be FAR less than your "97%"
Thorri Grimbeard wrote:
So show me when and where in character creation you get to "pick" your racial traits. No, you pick a race, and that gives you your Racial Traits. You are then allowed to take the Racial Traits that you have and trade them for other Racial Traits. At most a Half-Elf or Half-Orc would be able to trade in Racial Traits that both their race (Half-whatever) and one of the other races (Human, Elf, Orc, depending on the halfbreed) have in common for a Alternative Racial Trait of the respective base race. Now, let's look at the Racial Traits of the Half-Elf and Half-Orc compared to their respective parent races. Half-Elf
Human
Elf
Half-Elf/Human Commonalities
Half-Elf/Elf Commonalities
Human Alternate Racial Traits Accessible to a Half-Elf
Elven Alternate Racial Traits Accessible to a Half-Elf
Half-Orc
Human
Orc
Half-Orc/Human Commonalities
Half-Orc/Orc Commonalities
Human Alternate Racial Traits Accessible to a Half-Orc
Orc Alternate Racial Traits Accessible to a Half-Orc
That's it, IF you're interpretation that Racial Traits are included and they didn't just mean Race Traits. Would you consider these to be game breaking, or making a halfbreed to be better than the parent races?
Just Another Pathfinder wrote:
Something that I do that gets around the numbers is I look at the numbers and everything as the laws of physics of that world. You know your characters numbers because you are your character, and your character, having lived at least 15 years (less if you're a goblin or something), he has a fairly good idea of what he's capable of. But you don't know the number to anyone or anything else, because you don't have the familiarity with their body that they do. For me, this allows me to play the numbers, but IN game. The numbers become a huge part of what I base my character's personality and actions on. One drawback to this though, is that I come to expect "physics" to work a certain way, and when the verisimilitude of the numbers breaks (because the GM decided to fudge something, or a rule is forgotten and the GM makes an on the fly ruling) it breaks my mentality from the game, as the "realism" just got screwed with. It makes me a bit of a rules lawyer in my head, but I do my best to only speak up when its helpful to the game (or just when it breaks 'reality' too much for me).
jimibones83 wrote: Sweet I'll check that out. I'm trying to compile all the duplicate minis I could use. I've noticed some encounters have creatures that neither have a mini nor a pawn though. That kinda sux. I managed to dig a shadow out of a beastiary box but I only had 1 when it called for 3. Also I need a dozen freakin shock lizards next week and they are nowhere to be found I've been using the Pathfinder Paper Minis to fill out the stuff that the pawn collection doesn't have.
Thorri Grimbeard wrote:
Except that's not what's been opened up at all. They opened up Favored Class Bonuses, archetypes, and TRAITS. This word might cause some confusion, as the abilities listed under a race are called traits. But more likely is that they're saying you can choose Racial Traits as in the traits listed in the Player Companion books and the back of the APG. I don't KNOW if I'm right here, but I've seen that exact language trip people up before and one of the Paizo people coming along (I can't remember whom, or what thread, so I'm not claiming this as irrefutable truth or anything) and correcting that misconception and clearing up that it only refers to Traits as in the chosen abilities, and not traits as in what you get for being an Elf automatically.
Vic Wertz wrote:
And now that link is dead...... This information would be GREATLY appreciated.
Ishyna wrote:
The operating word in that sentence is OR. As mentioned, there is NO statement of equivalency, at all, in the rules. A standard action and a move action together normally take the same amount of TIME as a full-round action. A full round action takes 6 seconds (approximately) to complete, and that's why it's a full round action. Neither Mythic Haste, nor Amazing Initiative, give the characters more time for their turn, it allows them to quickly add in a move or standard action to the actions they're already able to do during the round. Unless an ability specifically says it gives an extra full-round action, it doesn't.
You misfire as much as you crit, which while not that often, it definitely gets in the way. I was able to actually sit back and relax and play my mysterious stranger without stress after I got the Stranger's Fortune class ability. Believe me, you're gonna want it. Ignoring a misfire is MUCH better than having to draw another gun, unless you've got quickdraw, or were planning on moving that round.
Matt Filla wrote:
Except that they can't be entitled. They can ACT as if they are entitled, but that doesn't actually mean they are.
gbonehead wrote: Like then the people in my town put together a petition to try to force the town council to stop Dollar Tree from opening a warehouse, for example. And what "force" did they threaten to use if their petition was not fulfilled? That petition you're talking about probably didn't 'force' anything. It was probably nothing more than a list of citizens that didn't want that Dollar Tree Warehouse in their community. The Town Council had every right to make whatever decision they wanted to in that case. They might have had a whole town of unhappy people that wouldn't re-elect them next term, but I doubt there was any specific 'force' behind that petition. What I'm trying to get at here is the cultural concept that a petition forces anything is just plain wrong, unless that petition specifically states or insinuates what force would be brought to bare if the petition is unfulfilled. But even then, with the statement of force, it's no longer a request, and thus, no longer a petition, but a communal demand. No matter the context, if you get "strongarmed" or "forced" from the word petition, then you seriously need to 1.) re-evaluate your understanding of the English language and 2.) understand how force works, both on a social and physics level. When you even look for synonyms for petition, demand isn't even among them, the strongest word I could find was 'urge,' which is only to strongly request. The thread was not named "Demand for corrected cards," or anything, and there was no threatened action if corrected cards weren't provided (though one customer did cancel his subscription, it was AFTER Vic attacked the thread, and was due to that, not the lack of corrected cards). Thus Vic's reaction is WAY off base. Does it piss him off when his wife (or whom/what ever he lives with, if anyone/thing) asks (i.e. 'petitions') him to mow the lawn or fix a lightbulb? Does he tell Lisa Stevens that she's pissed him off because she asked (again, 'petitioned') him to take care of something at the office? Does he get pissed off at customers at a convention because they ask ('petition') him to maybe hand them a product that is behind the table so that they can look at it? TL;DR: The idea that a petition is FORCING anything is cultural garbage. A petition is a request, and nothing more, so Vic needs to get off his high horse and calm down.
In sources, do you have the bestiary checked? At the bottom of sources, is "No NPC races" unchecked? Are you creating a PC or an NPC? Also, while there are people here willing to help you with your Hero Lab issues, you'll get quicker, more complete responses by people specifically talking about Hero Lab at the Hero Lab forums @ Lone Wolf
Personally I use d20Pro. Most people don't like it because you have to pay for it, but as a VTT that was built from the ground up to support the d20 system, and the recent addition of options to run the pathfinder system specifically, it makes running combat a freaking BREEZE (though your up front prep time can be a little heavy, what with creating each creature). You can use as much or as little of the rules integration as you want though. It is a separate client, not browser based.
The thing that I really like about it is the rules integration, and they're making that more and more powerful every day. I love the fact that I don't have to pay such close attention to math and stats, and can just concentrate on telling the story while still being able to use the rules correctly.
This is probably a big fat NO, as I'm sure the price point has to do with linking it to Paizo's own VTT, but is there any way that those of us that use other VTT's (I use d20Pro because I want rules automation) could purchase these high-def, grid optimized maps for a similar price? I love the map packs and the flip mats, but the price of the PDF's are WAY too high.
The fact that you have support for metamagic spells is something that pretty much every other spell management program I've seen is missing. Add support for spontaneous casters, and you're golden. I'd like to throw in some encouragement for that eventual Android port. Maybe optimize it for a tablet before optimizing for a phone display.
Evil Lincoln wrote:
It's Hero Lab, MapTools/d20Pro, Dundjinni/Campaign Cartographer, Hero Machine, and Obsidian Portal/Realm Works all in one integrated package. Personally I think it's too big, and that it's gonna be vaporware. If they come out and prove me wrong, with full integration of the rules the same way that Hero Lab is (and d20Pro can be with some work), along with all the functionality of Dundjinni and Realm Works, then I will be switching over. But that's an extremely tall order, 4 extremely complex programs and a not too simple character illustrator all in one package?
I've always considered becoming undead to be preserving the body at the point of death, and as aging penalties represent the effects on the body to that point, I wouldn't reverse the physical penalties of aging. I wouldn't add more aging penalties either though. Now the mental bonuses I'd probably apply, to the maximum for normal for that race, though it would depend on the race, and the form of undead that they became.
Alright, so I'm creating a campaign setting that is set in the age of legends period of the world. The PC's (and significant NPC's) will be the ones that create the mythology of the world. Mythic Adventures is gonna be key in this campaign setting. Now, for my question. The setting is actually set in a time BEFORE the different planes of existence have been separated. The outer planes, the elemental planes, and the material plane are all still one, and the transitive planes don't exist as a result yet. The very nature of the reality of this world is infused with powerful, and chaotic, magic. Wizardly magic is slowly being formed (actually taught to the humans by the devils, but that's something different), and eventually, after the planes rift, a steadier, more set kind of magic will take precedence. So while I don't want to change how Wizards work, at all, I want to change what Sorcerers do (there won't be bards, as the combination of music and magic hasn't been made into a discipline yet, though a multiclass fighter/rogue/sorcerer could be the creator of it in this world), and divine magic other than Druids doesn't exist, as there are no deities yet (some of the PC's and NPC's shall become the first gods). I'm thinking to emulate the nature of magic for the druids, I'm going to make them into spontaneous casters. Anyway, as I said, the real issue is the sorcerer. I want to do something that creates the flavor of chaotic magic that these sorcerers can tap, at great risk, to be able to create effects that they don't already have in their spell list, or to cast spells of higher level than they normally can, and things of that nature. I'm not much of a game designer, so I was wondering if anyone here might have any ideas for how this could be executed. Thanks for helping out.
Urath DM wrote:
Not the GMG or the NPC Codex. The NPC Guide is a Pathfinder Campaign Setting book, with some playtest PC's in the back. It says that since they are equipped at the same level as a PC, that their CR is equal to their character level. I don't remember where it was stated in the forums, but it was said that the CR for the iconics in the NPC Codex will be the same, as they will be outfitted with PC-equivalent gear.
Evil Lincoln wrote:
Actually, based on what is said in the back of the NPC Guide, and from what I've heard about the iconics in the NPC Codex, PC's, due to the amount of wealth they have, are CR=Character Level.
HTC Wildfire S (Android 2.3.4)
Though I use HeroLab, and would love to see Lone Wolf come out with a smartphone/tablet version, I think a character tracker app would be cool from you guys as well. A spellbook app would be PHENOMENAL, one that could keep track of spells known, in which spellbook (as a Wizard can often end up with many), as well as spells memorized, spells/day and spells used, support for metamagic spells, save DC's, number of creatures, area of effect, etc. calculated for the character, and of course the description of the spell right at hand. Battle tracker, like an initiative tracker, but also with HP, click to roll attack, damage, and saves, maybe even with a database of creatures from the bestiaries.
bigkilla wrote: As a avid user of D20Pro and player of Pathfinder I DO NOT want to see Paizo released stuff for the D20pro marketplace unless it would be unique to D20Pro Marketplace materials, just rehashed AP's and other stuff that I already own and are extremely simple to enter into D20Pro has 0 value to me. So importing the maps, and making all the creatures with their special abilities programmed in, setting fog of war, using tiles to set up closed and open trap doors or other secrets, setting up markers with information for the traps or other special spaces or just important information, typing out a text file with all the boxed text for the adventure, etc. That's all extremely simple for you to put in yourself? Show me how, cause I can't get the grids in the AP maps to fit for the life of me, the grid will NEVER match up. The grids in the Map Packs match up, and a friend of mine told me that the flip mat pdfs match up, but the maps from the APs and modules won't. Even using Hero Lab, inputting creatures takes forever, 'cause there will always be mistakes between the Hero Lab version and the one that d20Pro makes. Also, none of the special abilities come programmed in the transfer. Same with tiles and markers. It all takes time, and in the case of markers, time that often isn't worth it, but if it were done for me, would make my gaming just that bit easier. Plus, I don't own too much of the AP's or modules, but I'd probably start buying them up like hot cakes if I had them already programmed into d20Pro.
Pathfinder content for the d20Pro market place would be awesome. Adventure Paths, Modules, and Scenarios would be pretty awesome for sure, but what I'd like to see sold in the marketplace are the GameMastery Map Packs and Flip-Mats formatted for VTT use. I could just buy them from Paizo directly, rip the images out, modify ones like the Map Packs so that they fit the particular tile size that they are (little room in the City pack, I'm lookin at you!), and then import the maps individually into d20Pro, but if I didn't have to, I'd pay an extra dollar or so over the regular PDF price.
Go with Hero Lab. At least that's what I would suggest. Using it, I've been able to make PC's of 20th level in less than 15 minutes. It can literally be 3 or 4 minutes for a 1st level character. It's more than just a character creator too. I use it as my character sheet these days. You can track items, spell memorization and use, buffs, conditions, and even different tactics, such as fighting defensively or higher ground, all with the math done for you. And it's so straightforward and easy to use. PCGen I've found a little difficult to navigate in. The only problem with Hero Lab is it can get a bit expensive if you want a lot of the Pathfinder stuff beyond core programmed in for you.
Jeremy Mac Donald wrote:
I know this isn't seriously accurate combat simulation, but just go check out some LARP or just regular boffer combat. You'll see beginners wielding spears that are able to hold against the experienced sword fighters, and the experienced spear fighters end up dominating battles. Not only are spears longer than swords, but their sweet spot is at the END of the weapon, not in the middle as it is with a swung sword. Also, thrusting a spear is faster and easier to re-ready than swinging a sword, and switching ranges with a spear is easy, just slide your grip up or down the shaft. With a sword, you're stuck with one range and one range only. A spear is also capable of being wielded as a "double-weapon" with a quarterstaff like end, historically often capped off (at least in Europe). Finally, even if you do sunder the tip off of a spear, it's still a staff. Oh, then there's just the straight superiority of poking rather than slashing. Slashing leads to more flesh wounds, or injured limbs. Poking pretty much just kills. Spears punch through armor easier than a sword slices through it. Swords are superior weapons only in the hand of a superior warrior, or in cases where close quarters restrict you from using weapons with long shafts. For a decent cinematic expression of this, think of the part in Legend of Drunken Master where Chan is dueling the old man under and around the train. A lot of the time Chan was on the defensive because the spear never allowed him within striking distance of the old man.
Scott Betts wrote: Importantly, however, is that there is less story disconnect this way than if such things were not instanced, and the villain simply kept respawning in the same place so that each group could kill it in turn, in full view of everyone else waiting their turn to kill him. Not to me. Just as much story disconnect for me. MMO's don't fit my play style, partly due to continuity issues that may not be such a big deal to other people. Now, can we please stop attacking my perfectly valid opinion that I don't like MMO's because of these issues, and get back to talking about digital gaming aids to traditional PnP RPGs?
Matthew Koelbl wrote:
And that's one of the reasons I don't play PFS or any other living campaigns either. Quote: This isn't a problem that has arisen due to the 'evil interwebs', it is a problem intrinsic to any shared-world game system with a massive number of players. Yes, some discrepancies arise, but typically the coherency of the story for any individual character remains intact. I never said it was a problem that arisen due to the 'evil interwebs,' and never said that the problem was limited to that format. I said that the format has that problem, nothing else. I really don't understand where you got that I thought it was because of the internet that these problems in story continuity can exist. To me, if a character runs into another character that went on the same adventure outside of the original character's story, the coherency of the story for both characters is no longer in tact. Quote: Now, there are genuine limits to story impact and interaction that are imposed, both by the MMO format and by CRPGs in general. That's absolutely true. But several of your comments here seem to making some assumptions that aren't actually true, as well as attributing causes to the format (video game) rather than other elements that can be just as much an issue when sitting around a game table. In no place did I attribute the cause to the format, only that the format has those issues. Someone said that the kind of digital tools I was speaking of in the original post were akin to playing MMOs, and I was refuting that, on the basis that those digital tools do not restrict storytelling or roleplaying, nor do they create a shared world with respawning quests or continuity issues. Now, what assumptions am I making that aren't true?
Actually, an MMO I do like is Minecraft. I like that it's questless, meaning that no one goes on the same adventure you do, and that the entire environment is manipulable and persistent. Let the players on the server create the stories and quests for themselves, rather than creating stories for them to run through. I'd like to see an MMO with that basis, but add typical RPG statistical and ability elements.
Arnwyn wrote:
It is really spiffy. I really hope it lives up to my expectations, and since it's by the people that have put together Hero Lab, I have no reason to think it won't.
TOZ wrote:
I wouldn't agree. Complaining that other players on OTHER servers are doing the same instance is like complaining the group at the next table is running the same module. The next table metaphorically is a different server. The other players at the table with you are the players that are metaphorically on the same server with you. To give a PNP example of what I'm talking about, how would you feel if your GM ran you through "The Temple of Elemental Evil," and on another night during the week, runs a different group through the same adventure. Then later the GM decides to find some way to get the two parties together. There's a lot of story disconnect when you run into that other group that went through the exact same adventure you did. What is the explanation for both those groups defeating the exact same villians in the exact same places under the exact same circumstances? With this "Phasing" thing you're talking about, sure, they may be invisible to you if they aren't on the same phase, but once they ARE on the same phase, they got there by finishing the exact same quest you had to to get to that phase as well. The respawned quest problem to the RPing in MMO's isn't gone with the "Phasing" concept, it's just changed a bit. Now, I'm not saying that MMO's are bad. I'm saying I personally don't like the limits to story continuity that the MMO format imposes, and these are limits that aren't gonna go away without programming entire ecosystems and economies into the game, extensive increase in AI capabilities, and a quest system that would put together various story combinations almost randomly each time someone came into a "quest zone" or something. So have fun with your MMO's, me, I'm gonna stick to PnP and single player CRPG's.
LazarX wrote:
Sounds to me like that makes it even more true than before. Now, not only do you "save" the town only to have the next person come through find it in the exact same predicament that you just saved it from, but while you're running around buying stuff and talking to townsfolk after rescuing it, there's someone else running around the same town at the same time, trying to save it from flames and Horde that don't exist to you. Major disconnect there. Coherent story = gone.
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