RPG Superstar 7 Season Star Voter, 8 Season Star Voter. Pathfinder Society GM. 1,103 posts (3,962 including aliases). 33 reviews. 1 list. No wishlists. 22 Organized Play characters. 9 aliases.
Str 8, Dex 17, con 15, int 11, wis 17, cha 10 [need to see where HP and skills wind up, may end up switching con/int...]
as far as build goes it will probably depend a lot on our final party, but maybe something like: 0,1,2,3
Feats: Focused study (skill focus 3x [Stealth, Intimidate, Perception]), 1st: Combat Reflexes, 3rd: Endurance, 5th: Outflank, Bonus Monk (Dodge), 7th: Crane Style, 9th: Dimensional Agility, Combat Trick: Crane Wing, 11th: dimensional Assault, 13th: Dimensional Dervish, 15th: Dimensional Savant
Talents: Dampen Presence, Emboldening Strike, Combat Trick, trap spotter, false attacker [1 bonus at 6 from FCB]
Advanced Talents: Stalker Talent: Hide in Plain Sight, Double Debilitation, Confounding Blades [1 bonus at 12 from FCB]
Favored Terrains: Underground and Urban
Terrain Mastery and Dominance: Astral Plane
Signature Skill: Intimidate, Stealth
Each of them was trying to recall, how had this woman, with no visible weapon, armor, or spellcasting ability talked her way onto this journey to the moon. Fortunately, there's more to her than meets the eye.
From the time she was a young girl in Oppara, Laara Tanner knew she wanted to travel the world. Street urchins there are taken in by the Brotherhood of Silence, the largest thief’s guild in the inner sea and quickly taught how to part a fool from his coin. Drannik taught countless pickpockets, but Laara was a star pupil, small and good at thieving. She may have had a good life with the Brotherhood, but she dreamed of travelling Golarion. Her daydreams became a concrete plan to she met a young maestro named Allyn Tanner who also wanted to escape his life with the Kith. The young lovebirds decided to elope and eventually hatched a plot to rob their respective employers. Shockingly, their little heist was successful, and they managed to get away from both organizations, although not without a fair bit of heat.
They used their skills at stealth, deception, and running away, to keep traveling and avoid any further danger from their past. Moving and carrying out minor adventures, while protecting the nest egg they’d stolen, proved a relatively easy life for the couple, who were infatuated with both each other than their respective wanderlusts. This might have continued, but the journey from the Hold of Belkzen to Brevoy went further north than it should have. When they passed the protection of the wardstones siege was laid upon them. Those who survived from the caravan did so by fighting back until the crusaders arrived and drove off the scout dretchs that found them. Allyn was torn apart by the demons and any possessions not on her back were left in the world wound itself.
After losing everything, and with a fresh hatred of Demons, she was mentored by an elven riftwarden, Irahea. Irahea taught Laara how to not only use the terrain of the world wound to her advantage to fight the demons, but also to tap into the ley lines of Golarion, and exploit the inherent dimensional magic. This became a hallmark of Laara’s style, using dimensional magic from the astral plane to shift in combat, a tactic that her foe of choice commonly employed as well. She stayed here for a while and fought for Queen Galfrey crusade, but staying in one place too long caused the past caught up with her.
Laara took the skills she developed with the crusaders and used them to pay the debt she’d incurred when she stole from the Brotherhood. Drannik wanted her to use her skill with subterfuge, and her credentials as a Mendevian crusader, to investigate a senator that the Brotherhood had misgivings about. Fortunately for her near term future in Taldor, the mission was a success. Laara’s invocation of the crusaders good name left questions to be answered, so she returned to the queen Galfrey. The queen would have probably been more upset, but there was a pressing mission where Laara’s unique skills could be applied. Crusaders had uncovered a ritual allowing demons to escape to the Moonscar and then escape back to Golarion, and the riftwardens had engineered a modification of the ritual that’d send brave heroes to fight there.
obviously the last bit can be modified as necessary to fit the story of why she is going to the Moonscar
Original questions:
1) I'd like 5+ points that capture the concept and story of the character. More are welcome, but no less than five.
Original from Oppara, decided she wanted to see the world rather than stay in one place.
Growing up in Oppara learned a plethora of useful skills that would serve here well in her travels.
During her travels, she lost most of what she had to a demonic ambush and joined the Mendevian crusade as a result.
Her skills were useful in finding and disarming the demonic traps and devices intent on sabotaging the wardstones, but wanderlust returned, and she left. She retrains her affiliation with the crusade, as the oath is one for life.
Other than Oppara and Nerosyan, she has never remained in one place too long.
She collects trinkets from everywhere she goes, typically non-magical.
She was delighted when queen Galfrey told her that the Riftwardens had discovered a demonic ritual that may enable her to get to the moon! This was probably a good thing, because almost every other crusaders would be more apt to ask about how they’d return.
2) Two goals that you'd like the character to accomplish in-game.
Go to interesting new places and find new things.
Kill a few demons, she really hates demons…
3) Two secrets, one the PC keeps to himself, and one kept from the PC. I'll come up with a third that both the character and player aren't aware of, in hopes of shocking surprises within the storytelling.
She travels because she is scared that no one will accept her long term. (She keeps to herself)
Allyn was reborn through a demonic ritual, although not the same man. (She doesn't known)
4) 3-5 people that are tied to your PC by blood, love, rivalry, honor, etc. I'd like at least one enemy in a set of three or four, with no more than two for a set of five.
Drannik Ashenwell, a father figure from her time in the Brotherhood of Silence. She stole from him when she fled Oppara, but their relationship was always mutually affectionate. That affection spared her worse consequences when she was discovered.
Allyn, her human husband whom she shared a wanderlust with. His death was a defining memory of hers that cemented a hatred of demons.
Irahea an elven riftwarden who mentored Laara in how to fight demons and use dimensional magics against them.
Queen Galfrey, the leader of the Mendevian Crusaders. Laara, as a powerful member of the organization who doesn’t always use typical paladin tactics, has had frequent misgivings with her leader.
5) Three key memories that define your character as the person they are at the time of submission.
The first time she took something that didn’t belong to her. She cherished how easy it was, and she felt no guilt.
Demon’s tearing her husband asunder
The unqualified acceptance of her by the crusaders, not caring about her past, even once they discovered it.
Laara will mechanically be an unchained human rogue 12, monk 1, horizon walker 3. She’ll have the dimensional agility feats and use them (probably with unarmed strike, because I think its sort of funny the idea of an unarmed, non-spellcasting person who can still frontline effectively and deal damage with dimensional assault and sneak attack). She should be fairly good at skills, including signature skills. She should also be a fairly dodgy frontliner who synergizes extremely well, and can position herself as necessary with the dimensional abilities. I'm planning to give her outflank, since with dimensional savant, she'd flank with herself.
My investigator, Gandin Deep-crag, a dwarven tiefling (the dwarf part has no mechanical effect, per the rules of non-human based tieflings).
points:
1) I'd like 5+ points that capture the concept and story of the character. More are welcome, but no less than five.
1. His family has a dark secret in the past that afflicted him, making him a Tiefling rather than a normal dwarf.
2. He tried to be the most devoted Toragian that he could to try to find acceptance, learning crafting skills and planning a life at the forges, but his racial traits led to him not being accepted in dwarven society, so he eventually left.
3. Unsure of where to go, he thought he’d take his crafting skills to Magnimar, but upon arrival there an incident occurred with the golemworks factory, leading to loose golems on the streets. He was narrowly saved by a group of pathfinders, and decided that an adventuring life may suit him better.
4. He joined the pathfinder society because he thought that these archeologists may be able to uncover parts of his family past, about the curse on his line.
5. His cohort of pathfinder agent trainees included a half-elf bard that he both trained and adventured with. She taught him to find comedy, even in the most dire of situations. Despite his stoic dwarven upbringing, he tries to make light of even the drastic situations that adventuring brings.
6. He is still a devoted Toragian, and finds taking the front line to be the most comfortable situation to be in. He is dedicated to keeping his allies safe, putting himself on the line to accomplish this.
In character goals:
2) Two goals that you'd like the character to accomplish in-game.
1. Find out the more about Kolvas in the acadamae (or encounter him and free his great
2. Have all of his comrades survive the academae.
two secrets:
3) Two secrets, one the PC keeps to himself, and one kept from the PC. I'll come up with a third that both the character and player aren't aware of, in hopes of shocking surprises within the storytelling.
1. The curse on the Deep-Crag clan was actually a mutual contract between Kolvas and his 17th great grandfather (Durrin). Gandin discovered this in a mission to Jormunden, he keeps this to himself).
2. Gandin’s never been ‘cursed’. In fact, the Tiefling heritage that manifests at least once a generation was the promised reward to his clan, and their clan’s endurance is partially due to this. (Gandin doesn’t know this)
contacts:
4) 3-5 people that are tied to your PC by blood, love, rivalry, honor, etc. I'd like at least one enemy in a set of three or four, with no more than two for a set of five.
1. Valrus Magewright- A bomb throwing alchemist that taught him secrets of alchemy. Shortly after leaving his home, Valrus met Gandin and the two of them struck up a friendship. It was Valrus that convinced Gandin that joining the society would serve him well. Eventually a friendly rival that argue over the merits of consuming the alchemical substances and using a rapier vs making the biggest boom possible.
2. Kreighton Shaine- The master of scrolls, a mentor who both taught him pathfinder skills that would serve his investigative mission.
3. Kolvas- The devil responsible for the curse on the Deep-Crag clan, and thus Gandin’s adventuring life and his eventual goal.
4. Kat- A female half-elf bard who taught Gandin to appreciate comedy. They were mostly friends, and occasionally more, during their pathfinder missions together.
key memories:
5) Three key memories that define your character as the person they are at the time of submission.
1. Bullying that led him to leave dwarven society.
2. The acceptance he found in the pathfinder society.
3. The shock of discovering that the curse wasn’t one inflicted in battle, but a mutual agreement.
backstory:
The day Gandin was born, his father Bogor knew than that Deep-Crag clan’s dark past would stay buried no longer. Gandin tried to be an exemplary dwarf, but his fiendish characteristics led to him being ostracized by peers from an early age. He more he was excluded, the more the attempted to be a ‘good’ dwarf, following the teachings of Torag and acting stoically about it, but one day he snapped. His fellow apprentice smiths knew he was resistant to the heats of the forges, and came up with a practical joke to test this resistance. He wound up burned and tended to by the local clergy, but had enough and decided to leave the Five Kings Mountains.
Gandin went to Magnimar, figuring life with humans may be easier, and thinking his skill with the forges would be appreciated there. He was correct in thinking that he’d make a reasonable smith, and was on his way towards working in the factories when an incident occurred with the golemworks factory, leading to loose golems on the streets. He was narrowly saved by a group of pathfinders, and decided that an adventuring life may suit him better. Valrus Magewright led the group of pathfinders that saved him, and they struck up a friendship. Unlike other’s he’d worked with, the pathfinders seemed to have no qualms about plane touched, halflings, or any other sort of person.
When the group of pathfinder finished their mission and decided to return to Absolom, Gandin decided to go with them. On the journey, Valrus taught Gandin how to apply the same basically craftsmen principles to alchemy instead of at a forge. Arriving in Absolom, he was trained extensively by Kreighton Shaine, the master of scrolls, in investigative arts that would help Gandin eventually attempt to uncover the secrets of his past. He focused on such arts, knowing that if he were ever going to uncover the past, he’d need the ability to investigate his families past and survive such explorations. He met Kat during this time, a fellow half-elf agent that would both be responsible for softening his demeanor, and teaching him how to find laughter even in the difficult situations. They had a friendly relationship going forward, and went on numerous missions together. She taught him numerous tricks that she’d picked up as a bard and even how to use her elven curve blade, which would become his favored rather than the hammer that’d he’d practiced with his entire life. The life of a pathfinder takes you all over Golarion, so they had adventures both together and separately.
One such mission was the exploration of Jormunden, an ancient dwarven sky citadel. During this exploration he found an account that referenced a magically binding contract between his 17th great grandfather and a devil by the name of Kolvas. He explored and eventually located his ancestors tomb, which yielded the parchment that was Durin’s copy of the contract. Unfortunately he found out that without the devil’s copy, the agreement could not be broken, his family would remain afflicted, and Durin’s soul trapped forever. Gandin resolved to track down Kolvas, and returned to the grand lodge in Absolom scoured the extensive chronicles there. A recently rediscovered chronicle from Eylysia held a clue that Kolvas had been involved, two hundred years ago, with events in Korvosa. Knowing that cities history, and the academae's background, Gandin hopes to use the breaching festival as an opportunity to further investigate his background.
Mechanics: I’m thinking Tiefling Investigator 13, VMC Bard. Gandin will be a good generalist at skills (including trap finding), he’ll be able to inspire courage, buff with alchemy, and should be passably competent at melee. For feats probably weapon finesse, power attack, lingering performance, maybe deific obedience: Torag. For investigator talents I’m thinking expanded inspiration, mutagen, sickening offensive, chronicler’s insight, quick study, and Rogue Talent: Trapspotter. Depending on the party selected and other things, I’ll probably rework things slightly, but that was what came to mind. Based on above rolls probably starting stats (before racial and adjustments, magic items): str 13, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 11, Cha 9
hp:12d8 + 8 ⇒ (2, 7, 1, 5, 3, 5, 6, 6, 1, 3, 4, 2) + 8 = 53 62 is higher, assuming by average you mean 4.5 instead of 5
@JoshB; decided to start with a level of swashbuckler first before moving into investigator, it helps with a 15pb, and if the plan is to have two trapfinders, picking up trapfinding at level 2 is ok.
brief backstory:
Olander Kaddren should have led a charmed life of a noble, but fate had other plans. They say that everyone who got ahead in Magnimar had some sort of dealing with devils, and the Kaddren family was no exception. What may have been a powerful half fiend a few generations ago, was now mostly harmless, except when the latent characteristics manifested as horns on his head.
Olander had a fairly normal childhood, or at least a routine one for the child of a noblemen. He trained with the finest tutors, fencers, and chemists in Magnimar but he progressed towards adolescence, latent demonic traits began to manifest. He even grew horns and his skin turned a bright red, and that was the day his father let him know he was unfit to carry the Kaddren name on. He was stripped of his signet ring, and told to make his own way.
His former friends and classmates wanted nothing to do with him, but he did still have his sword, the clothes on his back, and all of the years of training that his birthright had secured for him. This left him bitter for a while, with a personality to match his fiendish appearance. By happenstance, he ran into a group of adventurers who caused a ruckus with a local golemworks factory. He minorly aided their investigation, probably for the best as it put a stop to a few murders, but more importantly they were agents of the pathfinder society, a group of archeologists. In the society, ones obtained rank has nothing to do with birthright, and everything to do with what you can discover, and how you prove yourself. Olander journeyed to Absolom for training in the society and studied under the master of blades and the master of scrolls, learning more about using a rapier and about alchemy.
He was shocked when rather than being volunteered to journey to some far off ruin, he was instead sent right back to Magnimar…
appearance:
Olander is a well dressed man with jet black hair, carrying a rapier at his side with a side. He’d look like just about any other Varisian swordsman, if not for the horns and crimson skin….
statblock:
Let me know if you want a full statblock, I've put down the non-gear selections this PC would have to make. If selected I'll take a look at encumberance and may switch around the wis/str to make it work if necessary to carry his sword.
Str 8
Dex 15 +2 racial
Con 14
Int 15 +2 racial
Wis 10
Cha 8 -2 racial
Racial Traits: Prehensile Tail,
Traits: alabaster's outcast, Student of Philosophy
Feat: Fencing Grace
Swashbuckler (Inspired Blade) 1
Planned Alchemist (Empiricist) rest
Alignment: LN
I also have seekers that’d love to do those modules. I have a 13 melee (trapfinder) who is fairly defensive and a 15 mystic theurge who is mostly a conjuration wizard.
Hi Josh. I'm playing Eirnar with you in another game, so you can judge if my posting frequency would be sufficent for a trapfinder.
I'd be interested in playing an investigator who is interested in tomb delving. I'm thinking maybe alabaster's outcast, and that his refusal to give up on exploring and investigating is what eventually got disowned, which led to his joining of the pathfinder society. That means a native Varisian. I'll try to flesh something out over the next few days.
1) Dependability
I’m fairly dependable on posting. I played Peter in a recent game we shared, as an example of this.
2) Creativity
I’d like to think I bring concepts to life. Recent PbP games of mine include the characters Peter, Mal, and Ograk.
3) Flexibility
I’m flexible. The point system looks complex. I suspect that you’re going to have to rule on values and this will be hard to adjudicate. You might consider simplifying it by assigning a fixed value to high value feats, and lower value to others. There are systems that deal with feat gating already and a tweaks of those may be easier to implement.
I think there was enough in my post to give you good idea of what I was going for with Valuk both mechanically and as an archeologist dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.
One relatively minor question (with no bearing on the mechanics of how the character would function), would Artistry (Archeology) or would profession (Archeology) be more appropriate (i.e. is it a job with wages, or do you recreate a restored piece of art)? Whichever is more appropriate, I will split ranks between it and profession librarian.
I had intentionally left Valuk’s recent history vague since it needs to be developed to fit why he is joining the story now. One possible hook would be that he was translating runes in Heidmarch manner in Magnimar, when an contact’s relative was murdered. He started looking into it and quickly gets over his head, luckily…
As far as style, I’ve wrote a sample to give an idea of how he’d introduce himself, if its helpful.
Sample Introduction:
Valuk looks on in awe at arriving in the ancient rune of Jormunden. All these years, right under our noses. Who knows what we’ll uncover! As he waits for his fellow agents to finish assembling, he pulls out and peruses a few pathfinder chronicles, cross referencing any accounts referring to the sky citadels, ancient dwarven architecture, or artifacts of that bygone era. Eventually Venture Captain Zey gives his lengthy briefing, detailing the logistics, but for Valuk the pertinent details are they are to explore forges in the armory district. This is exciting because any magical arms of armor that were in progress, and the process by which they were constructed could still be there!
'They' are a team of assembled pathfinders. He lets the others introduce themselves, going last:
Erik the red, who clearly got that name years ago, as it no longer seems to apply, but with an axe and muscles that demand some attention.
Aleece, a devotee of Sarenrae, who should help with restorations if they come across anything dangerous, be it a guardian golem defending the forges, or a haunt.
Pittin Galcan, an rogue with a real talent for spotting pitfalls and disabling any safeguards they may find in the tomb.
He may be the most seasoned archeologist in the group, but leadership was wise to put others with more skill with blades in the same group. He introduces himself, ”Greetings! As the venture captain said, time is of the essence, so I’ll be brief. I’m Valuk, one of the preeminent scholars in the society, having dedicated my life to the pursuit of knowledge. I can’t bring an axe down any foes we find, or sink a dagger in their back, but I can identifying the nature behind each threat we find. I can also help your weapon find its mark by either making you vanish, making you faster, or just inspiring your innate courage.”
1.A life shaman (wandering spirit Lore). Primarily specialized in healing, knowledges, debuffing.
2.N The lady of fate doesn’t go to extremes, as all things are hers in the end. Eirnar knows his role is merely to delay the game, and with her blessing, tip the scales in his side’s favor. He makes no claim that anything else would happen.
writing sample:
Telling a few scenes from a single adventure to give a more complete flavor, but trying to keep it short.
An Ulfen man wearing a mithral breastplate and carrying a shield greets his fellow comrades as the set out seeking quest that is the namesake of the land of Linnorm Kings. " I am Eirnar, a shaman of Pharasma. If you'll accept the lady's blessing upon you. I should be able to keep you out of the boneyard today. She lets me twist the threads of fate to forestall your untimely demise for a short while, but she always gets her due regardless. For the dragon, my fate thread meddling will be far less benign."
…
They'd managed to make a few solid blows against the creature, but then it grew cautious and stayed in the sky. Eirnar watches as his ally’s arrows and bolts fall flat against the thick hide of the dragon. It finally descended to breaths fire upon them all, he takes the worst of it. Despite his injuries, he refuses to yield, and makes a quick gesture, tugging on his ally’s fate threads. As he does so, the burns on Ven, Erik, Gledrel, and Valros begin to close, and at the same instant he coughs up a large amount of blood.
A cautious man would channel the lady’s gift, heal them all, and wait for another opportunity, but the dragon is still close enough! Eirnar spits the blood as he gives the creature an evil eye, lessening its abilities to ward off the assault of his friends as he says, " Send this thing to the boneyard, quickly!."
His allys take the opportunity afforded to them, unsure of if there will be another. Gledrel charges in her tiger form, and savagely rakes it. Ven mutters a quick incantation and reaches out to touch Valros and Erik. All 3 instantly appear on the other side of the dragon. Erik's axe cuts a mighty swath through the it, and Valros makes a series of blindingly fast cuts against it. As his short sword finishes its final attack, the beast falls limp to the ground. If this were only a dragon, that'd be the end, but this, is a Linnorm...
…
Eirnar returns from the quest, “successful”. The Linnorm may have died, but so did almost all of them. Only Gledrel and he are left, and she'll spend the rest of her days cursed, a final taunt from the damned beast. Valros could have claimed a throne, as is his right, but succumbed to the curse the same night. As Eirnar beds down, after his prayers his final thought is This will not happen again. Next time, I’ll know what we face. I’ll be prepared!
Heres my submission. Talked to Garran and got his approval for backstory hook. I have only what he has said in messages and the players guide, so details on my recent involvement probably need refinement, but the general idea is there.
Would you like a full character sheet and alias?
Thanks,
David
Farus Alazar
N Human Bard 9
backstory:
Farus has always had good fortune, right up until the day he set sail for Varisia. Farus was born in Oppara to a a relatively large minor noble family. While he received the education that comes with such a background, as the 4th boy in a family with 7 children, he never had any aspirations of inheriting lands or titles. Seeing bards at court, he was fascinated by their singing and took every opportunity to do so himself. The supervision was lax enough that he was able to sneak away and perform in local taverns.
As Farus grew, his talents did not go unnoticed by the Kith, as agents of that organization encouraged him to apply to the Kitharodian Academy. Joining the Kith would also provide Farus with a way to develop into his own man so did joined and indeed excelled there. As he excelled at singing, he discovered that the Academy actually has darker ambitions, cultivating the skills that will be necessary for spycraft and transitioning those recruits into the Lion Blades, Taldor’s spies. Farus developed numerous espionage related skills, leading a dual life as a performer and carrying out missions on behalf of the Kith. He was quite surprised when he was asked to travel to Varisia, to seek out rumors of a faroff plot against the throne.
Having grown up in Oppara, Farus was quite ill equipped for the traveling life of a minstrel on the Varisian frontier. Outside of Taldor, it isn’t even safe to go it alone on the roads! After several missteps, including being robbed of virtually all of his belongings, Farus turned toward despair, and even began using shiver. These troubled times continued for a while, until he met a gruff man in a tavern in Sandpoint who told him he was twice a fool, both for traveling without the aid of a caravan and for using shiver. Garran helped him find employee as a caravan ‘guard’, a profession which requires more force than he was capable of, but his ability to cast a quick spell, or encourage his allies was well welcomed. He traveled as a caravan guard staying clean and eventually befriended another on one of the caravans, Allis, a practitioner of the Song of Spheres. The more Farus learned of Desna, the more interested he became in Lady Luck, as he’d always felt personally lucky, and was quite interested in this patron of Musicians. She even taught him how to use a star knife, which supplemented his otherwise quite meager personal combat abilities.
Having missed numerous checkins with the Kith, as he became clean and began performing his mission again, Farus eventually decided it was time to check in. The Kith were interested in the politics of Korvosa, and in particular a peculiar recent plague. They sent him to Korvosa to investigate, and there Farus found a town that was extremely different from the rest of lawless Varisia. While trying to investigate the origins, Farus ran into an old friend, Garran, who said that the two had similar goals, and may be able to help each other.
personality:
With a sharp mind, and relying on lady luck, Farus has yet to meet a challenge that he hasn’t eventually succeeded at. He takes setbacks relatively in stride, having had more than a few in his life. He has learned that it can be hard to trust people, as everyone has hidden motives, but has developed a few good friendships. He tries to be courteous, as you never know when you might need something from someone, or someone else might have designs to put a dagger in your back.
apperance:
Doing his best to fit into the frontier, Farus has dressed himself in a courtier's outfit not showing any outward markings or affiliations and a relatively generic gold chain around his neck. His clothes are clean, thanks to the aid of the prestidigitation cantrip.
Role:
Farus will primarily start bardic performances, and then cast spells or throw a star knife as appropriate. Outside of combat he’ll have ample magic abilities through spells, masterpieces, and other bardic performances. He also has his knowledges and skills.
Traits: Personal Addiction, Fate’s favored
Feats/class abilities: Human: Focused Study (Skill Focus: Perform Sing) , 1:Noble Scion (War) , 2: Versatile Performance: Sing, 3: Extra Performance 5: Master Performer, 6th: Versatile Performance -> Divine Fighting Technique: Desna, 7: Point Blank Shot, 8: Focused Study (Skill Focus: Perception), 9: Grand Master Performer
str 9, dex 10, con 14, wis 8, int 14, cha 26
Items:
Three Reasons to Live (9000)
Cloak of Resistance +1 (1000)
+1 Adamantine Returning Starknife (11024)
Circlet of Persuasion (4500)
Headband of Alluring Charisma +4 (16000)
Flawed Opalescent White Pyramid Ioun Stone (3000)
Skills: [81]
Bluff +25 (Versatile Performance Sing)
Diplomacy +19 [5(ranks)+3(class)+8(cha)+3(competence)]
Intimidate +14 [1(rank)+3(class)+8(cha)+3(competence)]
Knowledge Arcana +16 (7(ranks), 2 int, 3 class skill, bardic knowledge +4)
Knowledge Dungoneeering +14 [5(ranks), 2 int, 3 class skill, bardic knowledge +4)
Knowledge Engineering +10 [1(ranks), 2 int, 3 class skill, bardic knowledge +4)
KNowledge Geography +10 [1(ranks), 2 int, 3 class skill, bardic knowledge +4)
Knowledge History +10 [1(ranks), 2 int, 3 class skill, bardic knowledge +4)
Knowledge Local +16 [7(ranks), 2 int, 3 class skill, bardic knowledge +4)
Knowledge Nature +14 [5(ranks), 2 int, 3 class skill, bardic knowledge +4)
Knowledge Nobility +10 [1(ranks), 2 int, 3 class skill, bardic knowledge +4)
Knowledge Religion +13 [4(ranks), 2 int, 3 class skill, bardic knowledge +4)
Linguistics +6 [1(rank), 2 int, 3 class skill)
Perception +14 [9(ranks)+3(class)-1(wis)+3 skill focus)
Perform (Sing) +26 [9(ranks)+3(class)+8(cha)+3(competence)+3(skill focus)]
Perform (Wind) +21 [7(ranks)+3(class)+8(cha)+3(competence)]
Sense Motive +26 (Versatile Performance Sing)
Spellcraft +13 (8 ranks+3 (class) +2 int)
Stealth +7 (4 ranks+3 (class)
Use Magic Device +19 (5 ranks, 3 (class), 8 cha, 3 competence)
Spells:
3rd: Dispel Magic, Haste, Good Hope
2nd: Heroism, Mirror Image, Cures Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust (DC 20), Silence, Gallant Inspiration, Tongues
1st: Grease( DC 19) , Glue Seal ( DC 19), Heightend Awareness, Saving Finale, Remove Fear, Vanish, Expeditious Retreat, Unbreakable Heart
0th:
Masterpieces:
Symphony of the Elysian Heart, Triple Time
Human FCB for extra spells
I'm thinking of submitting a ranged human bard. I sent a PM to Garran and want to talk to him before I go much further with a concept. As a 4 player party, it’d be good to fill of much of a role as possible, so a buffing bard, that can use the buffs on his own thrown weapon.
preliminary thoughts:
Probably focused extensively on spellcasting, buffing, and ranged via a starknife and divine fighting technique
Human: Focused Study (Skill Focus: Knowledge: Arcana)
1: Extra Performance Pathfinder
2: Versatile Performance: Sing
3: Eldritch Heritage: Arcane
5: Master Performer
6th: Versatile Performance -> Divine Fighting Technique: Desna
7: Point Blank Shot
8: Focused Study (Skill Focus: Perform Sing)
9: Grand Master Performer
str 9
dex 10
con 14
wis 8
int 14
cha 24 +7
Atk w/ inspire courage: +21
Dmg w/ inspire courage: [1d4+13]
Items:
Three Reasons to Live (9000)
Cloak of Resistance +1 (1000)
+1 Returning Starknife (11024)
Circlet of Persuasion (4500)
Headband of Alluring Charisma (16000)
Human Sorcerer 8th Wildblooded (Sage bloodline), Razmiran Priest
goals:
The pursuit of knowledge is Valuk’s goal. He seeks out Thasalonian runes because they may contain magics and lore that are presently lost to the world.
brief history:
Valuk was born in Razmir to a librarian and his wife. His parents enforced the importance of schooling upon him, and in particular the importance of knowledge as power. The only living child of his parents, they spent an extensive time training him classically in virtually every discipline, emphasizing a focus on self-perfection. Shortly after turning 14, he witnessed the violent capture and arrest of some sarenrite missionaries who had come to his town to spread the good word of their god. His own body created a resonance off of their magical items and the guards brought him in as well. Realizing that these powers stemed not from the divine source, but Valuk’s deeper connection to magics, he was released but brought to an academy for training as one of Razmir's faithful. There he trained for the next 4 years, harnessing a deeper and deeper connection to magic, but he came to realize that what he was learning here was in direct contradiction to much of what he’d learned as a boy. After graduating the academy, he returned to his parents who told the now young man that his indoctrination into the Razmirian 'clergy' was wrong, and their goal in Razmir. They preserve knowledge and pass it on for future generations, keeping it safe from the cult of the living god. They encouraged Valuk to use the skills he had learned, but to seek out the pathfinder society, a group they had secretly joined long ago. He joined the society and went on numerous missions with them, from crypt delving to missions of espionage. During these missions, Valuk discovered that he can exploit the innate magics within many things, which led him deeper on a path of self-perfection through magic. Eventually, he even began to venerate Irori and his teaching of self-perfection and learning. After this point he stopped spreading the teachings of Razmir, but he still uses each and every arcane skill that he has developed. Finally, one of these missions lead him to Magnimar, where he heard rumors of murders.
personality:
Valuk is a guarded person who seeks to know as much as possible before speaking. His innate curiosity can lead him to dangerous situations, but his skill with magic has kept alive in those situations so far.
appearance:
A reasonably fit man, Valuk has modeled much of his life based on the teachings of Irori. He wears fine cloths, that are impeccably clean (prestidigitation), but only a courtier's outfit.
Crunch:
Valuk is human sorcerer with a lot of focus on knowledge skills through Comprehensive Education, deific obedience: Irori, and VMC for bardic knowledge. He is no longer spreading the word of Razmir, focusing on his own enlightenment instead, walking the self enlightenment path of Irori. This has lead him to study the ancient fallen civilizations, for two reasons 1) as you don’t know history and its powers, you’re doomed to repeat it and 2) Ancient artifacts hold immense power. He uses battlefield control type spells, and next level will be able to use his own spell slots to power divine spells from scrolls (at spell level +1). This gives him a lot of versatility, which he will use with his knowledges to succeed in the groups missions to come. He will specialize in knowledges and buffing spells, along with using a few key debuffs.
Traits: Extremely Fashionable (Diplomacy), Scholar of the Ancients
Feats: Focused Study (Skill Focus: Knowledge Arcana, Use Magic Device), 1: Lingering Performance [if retraining is allowed or spell focus conjuration if not], 1: bonus False Focus 5: Deific Obedience (Irori) 7th bloodline: Improved Initiative
VMC Bard +4 to all knowledges, bardic performance (Inspire Courage and Inspire Competence as 10th level bard, 10 rounds per day)
Skills (8+2 (background))
Knowledge bonus:ranks+17
Spoiler:
3 (class skill (Comprehensive Education OR additional +1 bonus if it already was) ) + 4 [Sacred bonus from Deific Obedience], +4 [Bardic Knowledge] +6 (int mod)
Bluff +13 [4]
Diplomacy +8 [1]
Knowledge:Arcana +25 [3]
Knowledge:Dungoneeering +20 [3]
Knowledge:Local +20 [3]
Knowledge:Geography +18 [1]
Knowledge:Nature +20 [3]
Knowledge:Religion +21 [3]
Knowledge:Planes +21 [4]
Knowledge:History +26 [8]
Knowledge:Nobility +18 [1]
Knowledge:Engineering +18 [1]
Perception +13 [8]
Profession: Librarian +8 [8]
Spellcraft +17 [8]
Use Magic Device +19 [+23 divine] 8ranks
Spells Known
1st Glue Seal, Grease, Heightened Awareness, Magic Missile, Identify, Liberating Command, Mage Armor, Protection from Evil
2nd Glitterdust, Web, Aid, Darkvision, False Life, Resist Energy
3rd: Dispel Magic, Haste, Heroism, Remove Disease
4th: Greater Invisibility
Items: Headband of Vast Intellect +2 (4000gp), Cloak of Resistance +2 (4000 gp), three reasons to live (9000gp), Circlet of Persuasion (4500 gp), lesser meta magic extend rod (3000 gp), eyes of the eagle (2500 gp), courtier's outfit, 50gp necklace with the golden open palm of irori (100 gp golden holy symbol), spell component pouch, scroll of remove fear 2x, scroll of remove sickness 2x, 710 gp
str 8, dex 12, con 14, int 22, wis 10, cha 14
The venture captain I’d probably bring is also a veteran of all for immortality. Level 14 grandfathered mystic theurge who is mostly a conjuration wizard.
I was thinking of playing my wizard here, but it looks like my bard would work very nicely in this party. He mostly gives people plus 5 to attack and damage. The bard still does knowledges and can both prevent and remove some status conditions (saving finale, remove fear, purging finale, dispel magic) but wouldn’t have 4th level spells (or fly, for that matter). The bard still wouldn’t do traps.
I have an 11th level cleric, a 13th level druid, a level 12 melee (with 4 levels of war priest), and a 10th level shaman, all of whom will benefit from knowing that. Thanks!
So we currently have a melee samurai and a melee druid with an animal companion? If I bring my wizard it still looks like a skill focused PC would still be lacking.
@grandlounge
I thought shamans were like clerics and had to prepare all of their spells at 1 time each day. If they can leave open slots that is seriously good news for my shaman.
It looks like there might me an open spot in this game. I could potentially bring a level 9 bard, or a level 10 life shaman, although the latter looks redundant with others in the group.
Especially in light of the delay it might be worth mentioning that I have a level 10 shaman I could bring that can cast breath of life. He specializes in debuffs, healing and can wandering hex arcane enlightenment to bring any sorcerer wizard spell. I didn’t realize our kineticist was a switch hitter, so that may be more valuable than my tanky melee, but I am curious what the rest of you think.
One of my fondest memories of PFS play was a barbarian becoming charmed, and being told to save the BBEG from the rest of the party.
He bullrushed her to safety because the barbarian couldn't think of anything else that would keep the BBEG alive. She escaped safely with a Dimension Door and they lived happily ever after until the charm wore off...
The Jingasa is now a ring of protection that *will* protect you from the first set of flanking babaus you encounter in a scenario.
It should have been left as a luck bonus, and the single use should have been a *may* effect. I understand that current design is to remove these things from Pathfinder but as it is this item is likely to prevent a few points of damage in a situation the wielder would rather simply taken.
It seems to me clarification of issues serves only to force gms to do it one way. I've found most people I've gamed with allow the caster to use the bol scroll from whoever went down. If they don't have one that is far more contentious, but I think most gms prefer not to punish those trying to cooperate and keep their party members alive. You may have a strong opinion on one side of the issue, but do you honestly want a ruling here?
Interesting how posts that begin with "here is a completely voluntary thing to help some enjoy pfs more" get decried and described as bad for the campaign by people who have no interest in doing so. I recall similar arguments about the core campaign.
One thing is for sure, the ring causes a dramatic amount of table variation over the polymorph rules since the gm is the final arbitrator. I bought one and have not used it but am firmly of the opinion that one can not use the styles of the monkies, cranes, and snakes or necessary parry and riposte as a raven...
Missing from this discussion regarding atonement losing the boons is the fact that if you have a neutral character willing to accept the power from an evil item they MUST receive an atonement or be removed from play...
This seems very counter productive to make sure only good PCs (who would probably be the ones who shouldn't take these items), are the ones who can use them under this proposal.
I definitely think the idea of drawbacks has some merit, particularly those with hooks into metaplots.
