Cold North Leshy's page

Just started this book last night. The PC’s manage to keep most of the castaways alive (i had about 30 in addition to the NPC’s) so where hailed as heros. They took a few days to celebrate befor they got down to the decifering of the notes. They split up and each went in search of there befriended npc’s who also happened to be the ones helping them take the notes on the shive (Gelik, Ishiro and Jask).

It was then they found out that everyone else had already started working on it and there where already something like 10 expositions planed but only 5 or so of any significance. They did not get in touch with the Red Mantis faction and they will not be reaching out as Sasha didn’t get along with most of the PC’s.

I am also reducing the Pirates to a minor group and adding an alliance of the Aristocracy and the Hellknight order of the Coil. The PC’s seem to be leaning toward the Aspis due to them offering way more gold but we will see.

I completely removed the concept of experience for the players and let them know that dragons become more powerful with time, not through adventuring. Adventuring gets them LOOT for their hoard. The little 'time skips' allow for them to grow in power and spend downtime managing their territories (aka 'little kingdoms').

We run a lot of adventure paths so we go by milestone rather than exp most of the time. To the loot aspect have you had them keep an amount of there treasure for there hoards? Do you give out more treasure so they don’t fall behind? I am debating using automatic bonus progression and saying x amount must go to your hoard. Not sure yet on that.

In the 'lore' that I set up, dragons require mentoring by older dragons ...

Council of Wyrms has something similar. I definitely want to make them feel like top of the food chain when out in the world then little fish in a big pond when dealing with dragon politics.

The biggest thing to watch out for is that dragons ... are TERRIFYING to normal people. Its a good thing to stress to the players in the game. All dragons tend to believe that their presence ought to be acknowledged by others, but each alignment handles it differently. And, depending on their age, remind the characters that they still have child-like urges and thought patterns, tiny temptations to go after shiny things and the like.

That is not something I had thought much of but you are absolutely right. I will make an effort to push the terror into the RP. Even with there enemies to a degree.

1. What are some things you're hoping to cover that aren't currently?

Nothing specific. Blood of the sea and i believe somewhere in skulls and shackles have an overview of swimming and underwater combat and I was hopping for something along those lines. Something that points at answers to questions I didn’t know to ask.

2. Oh, man. 3rd's Draconomicon was just chock full of all kinds of crazy stuff. Items to make dragon's natural attacks better, metabreath feats. But all of it definitely felt unnecessary.

But when it comes to dragons, I think going back to the classic tropes can be refreshing. Stealing princesses and whatnot. Maybe add a little twist; the dragon wooed the princess and won her heart, and now the two are in love, and she carries the dragon's heir within her. The players have to defend her from self-righteous knights?

I have the Draconomicon somewhere, I will track that down. I also like the idea of self righteous knights. For that mater appropriately righteous knights if the PCs decide to be chromatic.

If you can, I'd look through the book "Dealing with Dragons". It's a light-hearted story for young readers, but a princess having to shoo away unwanted knights and such--seems like it could have some good story seeds for you.

Love that series. By first solo book and I read them once a year. Council of Wyrms definitely has a proper manners and order vibe and I will lean into that. Getting “but that’s how it’s done!” From on high and there enemies will likely push a few over the edge.

I would definitely consider having multiple waves of adventurers; first you've got your standard dungeon-crawlers. Then the knight in shining armor. And finally, grim and ruthless, the professional dragonslayers.

I was thinking doing this early as juveniles or young adults but if I push it later I could let the Players run some of the guardians.

I will be running a modified Council of Wyrms using pathfinder for my upcoming game. I am using the Dremscared press monster classes true dragons for the PCs but I was hoping for some more options for them and had a few questions myself.
1. Is there any more in-depth description / discussion of the fly skill? It will come up a lot and I want to be on top of the nuances.

2. Do you have a favorite dragon related feat, item or bit of lore I should work into the story?

3. Is there a good one shot adventure that features a dragon as the final boss? I am looking to have the PCs watch someone’s lair, just for a minute, and they have to deal with an adventurer infestation.

If you’ve done something similar and there were any unexpected pitfalls I would love to hear other advice as well

As an (Ex) ability I wouldn’t apply the enchantment label.

The bonus to damage from Arcane Strike is based off of Caster Level, starting at +1 and increasing by +1 for every 5 CL’s. How dose that interact with CL boosters?
For example, lets say we have a level 4 Magus. Would any of the following take her to +2 damage from Arcane Strike?

Orange Prism Ioun Stone (+1CL)

Arcanist Reservoir (Free action +1 CL for any one spell)

Varisian Tattoo (+1 CL for one School of Spells)

Pyromaniac Gnome Race Trait (+1 CL to Fire Spells)

Gifted Adept Trait (+1CL to one Spell)

There are a few Creatures that have a touch attack and do not have the incorporeal subtype. When using Polymorph spells do you gain those attacks as Touch attacks or would the default to Standard attacks.

For example

Fey Form 2 gets you the poison of your form.
Nereid- Medium Fey
Melee touch +10 (poison)

42. Invasive plants have been turning up in unexpected places. The Kudzu was bad but the Whipweeds are dangerous and the willows seem to be moving without any wind.

A note on the large/ huge size in small areas, squeezing sucks,(-4 to hit and AC). There are not a lot of ways to combat this but one that works well is the Universal Monster Abliltiy compression. 1/4 space with no squeezing and 1/8th with squeezing will get you threw most small spots.

The easiest way to get this is the Belt of the Weasel. A dex belt over str isn't ideal but is nice with the combat reflexes. The moving and attacking wile prone can also be nice.

I have a player who is growing a Gourd Leshy in a game. He has shown me two places online where it says that creatures with the Shapechanger Subtype are “Proficient with its natural weapons, with simple weapons, and with any weapons mentioned in the creature’s description”. Neither of the the descriptions say what book that comes from.

Wile a Leshy with a sling is not exactly game breaking I am curious. Is that wording is from a Paizo source or some sort of odd holdover?

Thank you.

Lamashtu to opposed. Rovagug is discribed as one of her three greatest enemys.

Groetus to ally because of their mutual interest in destruction.

A dwarf with a further +2 vs saves could be fairly great but it seems reasonable. I would say give them a short list and they can pick one or two.

Per the Item creation rules 900 or 450 if it has 50 charges. That is create water at CL1 as a command word. I would likely not allow it as it seems to devalue wands but I like a high consumable turnover in my games.

From a direct comparison you are correct that the dinosaurs have the advantage in Str, AC and attacks but as you pointed out Plants and Vermin do have some advantages.

First to the Plant Master. Plant focus suffers from no early Str bonus but you do get an ok defensive buff- Brambles, stab your attackers with thorns. As to the companions, as plants they get a bunch of immunitys- all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms), paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, and stunning. That alone is worth a second look.

They also have some unusual (for an animal companion) attacks. There are several with ranged attacks making teamwork feats like target of opportunity and Volley fire an interesting option. They also have things like acid damage, swallow whole, defensive needles, rage, double damage against objects and others I am forgetting. So definitely some fun stuff to chose from.

On the Verminous Hunter your Vermin Focus is actually better than the usual version. the real jem for me is Worm- fast healing 1+ and 25%+ chance to avoid crits and sneak attacks. On the vermin companions you are right that mindless inset ideal. I would likely up the int as soon as I could.

Again you have some unusual options with the animal companions. Firstly most of them have a fly speed, several are very good at it. There are also a lot of climb speeds. There lots of poisons and even a poison stream (likely as gross as it sounds). You've got Trample, Defensive bristles, sonic resistance, tremorsense, blood drain, susceptible to salt (not a good thing but still), iterative attacks, acid damage, ranged attacks and more I am sure.

So all and all other than the magic item slots I think both the Plant and Vermin companions hold up well.

As a story progresses sometimes it is helpful to have a bit of help. A Linguist to translate the runes on the fly, a porter or mule to carry all that loot, or a Bard to detail your adventures and inspire courage. Other times they are forced on you. The prince you just saved, the mayors accountant making sure the town gets what it paid for, the little old lady you are helping cross the River Styx.

So to the advice- What can be done to keep henchmen and the like alive and doing what they need to do? As you go up in level and they stay the same what can be done? I specifically am wondering how to keep a Orsheval and Snapdragon Leshy alive in level 10+ Hell's Vengeance and crew in Skulls and Shackles at all levels?

Vine Leshy also works and doesn't have a penalty to Strength, a bonus if you are looking to wild shape for combat.

So fire/cold ward gel is my go to for this. If you are orc or similarly warlike a War Spirit Pouch out of the advanced race guide can get you some temp hit points. Even for the price ward gel is the better investment. Think of it this way - 7.5 gp per hit point saved.

Aid Another is a Melee attack roll against AC 10, not the AC of the opponent. That made life a lot easier.

Wands do not provoke attacks of opportunity and Potions do. I had that backward for years.

I am DMing for a group that has no full casters. The party healer is an alchemist, the most arcane of the bunch. We are starting book 6 this Sunday. They have been having a great time. As has been said plan your strategy and have at it.

I had a situation a few years ago as a GM. The players asked for a Angel, Movanic Deva 12HD. They did it in preparation for the labyrinth of crazy hard puzzles or some such. I had the Gods send a Angel, Cassisian, normally 2HD but buffed to 12 though they didn’t know that. The Cassisian have a perfect memory. Long story short it was way more helpful then the Deva would have been.
Hopefully if a GM gives you something other than what you want or expect it is to your benefit. The reality is, as has been said, check beforehand.

So Ghorans and Vine Leshy have the plant type but lack the immunities to mind-affecting, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, and stunning effects that type usually has.

Plants breathe and eat, but do not sleep.

So obviously without the immunity they can be put to sleep such as by a Sleep spell but would they otherwise sleep on a day to day basis?

As the Plant Type says they must eat then they do need to eat. I would say that it would vary with GM interpretation as to what counts as eating. I had a player buy nutritious soil at the same cost as rations. She had fun going to local gardens and complaining about the “taste”.

Reincarnate would work, but if you use the table in Inner Sea Races there is virtually no chance of coming back as another Vine

From the Reincarnate spell-For non-humanoid creatures, a similar table of creatures of the same type should be created.

Depending on GM interpretation it could be anywhere from just the Vine Leshy and the Ghoran with there restricted Plant Type to any of the Leshys or even low CR plants.

Cyclic Reincarnation would work regardless.