RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8. RPG Superstar 6 Season Star Voter, 7 Season Star Voter, 8 Season Star Voter. 10,114 posts (23,388 including aliases). 6 reviews. 9 lists. 1 wishlist. 42 aliases.
That is fair. Ghoul could certain stand to give her more details on the world while they walk.
Indeed. Rather than put up with her retelling of a Charles Dickens tale we know he probably is familiar with and maybe even performed in!
I wondered why he didn't just tell her he knows the story. But I guess then he'd actually have to tell her what his life was like, what he was like, before the bombs dropped and 200 years of ghoulification in a harsh world changed him. And he doesn't seem to to want to do that, other than to say, "I was like you once." Which isn't even really that true. Cooper in the past seems like a nice enough guy, but he's neither brainwashed by middle management principles nor ever seemed that optimistic.
Really enjoying this show again! But the once a week releases are killing me. What is this, broadcast television? ;) (Really it's fine, I just want to know what happens next!)
So interesting that they are keeping the Robert House who showed up in last season as a canon presence but also the House played by Justin Theroux? Does House have a body double? Is one of them supposed to be his brother Anthony?
Greylurker wrote:
but she really needs to consider. If the Ghoul thinks a group is so bad you don't want to deal with them...maybe listen to him
If the Ghoul had said, "Lucy, see these tunics? These are from Caesar's Legion, a band of murdering slavers that make me look like Santy Claus. Don't help them or you'll end up with a bomb collar 'round your pretty neck," and then she ignored him, I would say that was a bad move on Lucy's part.
But not only did the Ghoul give no explanation as to why he didn't trust these people, he also in the same episode stole Lucy's canteen, cut a man's throat (who from Lucy's perspective was entirely innocent), and began to eat said man. Which is bound to cause Lucy to view his actions compared to that of the strangers as not worth regarding.
Not to mention, this is also the same Ghoul who sold Lucy to organ harvesters, the same Ghoul who cut off Lucy's finger to punish her for defending herself against him, and the same Ghoul who has in general made it clear that he thinks no life whatsoever is worth saving save his own regardless of where they come from. If Lucy wanted to build on her past experiences with the Ghoul, she wouldn't have even been traveling with him. But she is putting up with him because he can lead her to her father and because she's convinced herself she can reform him (just like many a karma farming Fallout protagonist out to reform her crooked companions and colleagues). And he is putting up with her because she is collateral in his own dealings with Hank and because he has convinced himself he can corrupt her (just like many a bad karma farming protagonist out to corrupt his righteous companions and colleagues).
But she has extraordinarily little reason to trust him--he could tell her someone is trustworthy and they might just be more organ harvesters. If he tells her someone is untrustworthy, for all she knows they are good people he wants her to stay away from because they might give her hope for what is possible in the Wasteland, and he is desperate for her to be as hopeless as possible.
Is she still being foolishly naive? Of course!
But did the Ghoul give her any decent reason to actually listen to him? F~+& no.
Wegman's largely did our Christmas dinner, but we did make homemade mashed potatoes and stuffing as grammy's recipe is a must.
Christmas eve my dad showed my nieces how to make gołąbki (stuffed cabbage leaves), which my mom, grandchild of Polish immigrants, taught my dad to do. A Polish food that probably most Poles don't eat on Christmas eve, but none of us like fish that much.
I made these cheese-stuffed latkes this evening. There was loads of filling left over, so I mixed it up with some flour and a beaten egg, formed it into spheres, and made a batch of Fried Cheese Globes to go with them.
That sounds phenomenal. I mean holy cow. Only problem is I never want to go through the effort of processing the potato in latke recipes so I wonder if I can get someone to make them for me...
As for Uncle Roger... He (comedian Nigel Ng) makes great observations about screw-ups and inaccuracies, and he is often bang-on funny. I just grew to find his shtick, his Uncle "performance" as tiresome.
clutches pearls
HERESY
:)
Again, it's probably just me. Babish's and Josh Weissman's current onscreen personas actually irritate me, as does at least three of the more popular Transformers reviewers. My tolerance these days for what I perceive as affectations, fakery, and b*llsh*t is very low most days. I know part of it is my own mental baggage, and part of it is likely a necessary evil for branding & metrics to keep that diminishing Youtube revenue coming in.
You're still allowed to have an opinion, and it isn't just you noticing pretention on YouTube.
Someone linked to a really "great" movie criticism video and it's just a guy in a stupid hat pointing out "plot holes" that aren't actually plot holes, just him overthinking very simple s@%#.
Also, I don't know Weissman but I agree with you on Babish (no autocorrect, not "Banish"). I used to really love his channel. But he ran out of ideas and is now doing the same s%@# other channels do with an unearned sense of superiority. I miss him when he was just hands.
Non-italicized from timeline from gameplay post by the GM. Italicized posts are about our heroes. Everyone good with the following order of events?
2018:
January:
February:
March: March for our Lives protest brought numerous well-meaning citizens to the capital to march for gun control. The call to enforce existing laws and to not add new ones won out.
April:
May: The super villain Pele tried to conquer the Hawaiian Islands causing the Kilauea volcano to erupt. She was eventually defeated and driven off by the Pacific Rim Watchers. Also in May, the US pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal. Iran made general threats against the US and the Crimson Jihad declared they would assassinate the US President when it was least expected. Major Marvel has been on high alert since then and has been in contact with numerous other supers trying to maintain a protective net around the US and the President.
June: Kenny (Freefall) meets Nick (Gust) while windsurfing.
July: While Nick and Kenny are windsurfing at the beach, a plane crashes into another one; The three that will become known as the Scions of the Sky save the day.
August: While the Scions (not in hero gear) are enjoying the show, and Sigil is there about a magic item, something happens that is the first team-up of all 5 of the heroes.
September:
October: Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida panhandle early in October. Vibora Bay was devastated by the hurricane. Cleanup has been ongoing.
I like Jamie Oliver fine, but his "I can make this in 15 minutes" generally would take about 45 for me. He forgets folks don't necessarily have the technique/practice he does. But I appreciate in his minimal ingredient meals tips on how to boost flavor without adding a ton of prep.
I also agree with Amby on You Suck at Cooking. Beyond being hilarious, the recipes are really good and generally reasonably small batch.
Hi all!!! I have missed this thread! I've been busy but that's because I got a new job! This is a good thing.
Not been very adventurous cooking of late though I did make a bourbon and molasses marinated turkey breast for our small Thanksgiving gathering a couple weeks ago. Turned out tasty! Though I think I'm still partial to just slathering the turkey with butter.
Man, I have always wanted to play this AP. But some questions:
1. I've been playing the video game version recently, would that cause a conflict of interest?
2. Please see my "About me" in my profile and let me know if that would cause a problem.
3. Are you definitely planning to do gestalt? If so I'm probably out.
4. I'm in EST. I can generally post daily, but I am very uncertain I could post the same time every day due to the nature of my work and other obligations.
So: I got hit by an attack of sanity and realized we are only a few weeks before the winter holidays, and every time I have been involved with a PBP that got started this time of year, it lagged (understandably) during that time and then it was hard to get restarted because we'd only just begun. And I know I will be distracted during the holidays and don't want to lose my own potential momentum.
So: barring unforeseen circumstances, I will probably run a Dragon's Demand game, but I will wait to formally recruit until January. I will absolutely give the folks who have expressed interest here first consideration and will let y'all know when I recruit. The recruitment will not last long given there's already a decent sized pool of interested players.
I am very sorry to lead folks on (and I'm also sorry I couldn't have gotten the ball rolling sooner, but I needed time to read the module), but I think it will probably be for the best to just have a fresh start in the New Year. I'll be in touch.
So with all the myth allusions, feels like we have the makings of an already established team. Freefall has suggested how my character and others may have met, Voltage what about you? Atlastic maybe we helped you out of a jam at the circus?
I know some folks are hitting delays (and BTW I'll be slow the next few days) but any thoughts on that?
Powers
"Windrider Form [Wind]:
Fly like the Wind!: Flight 7 [Fly 250 mph/ 0.5 miles per round], Living Air: Immunity 5 [Immune to suffocation, heat, cold, and inhaled poisons; Sustained (+0)]
(19 points)
Wind Power Array [Wind; Notos also has Heat, Boreas also has Cold]:
Libonotus the Driving Wind: Move Object 7 [Winds push objects around, Nick can control how precise; Damaging, Precise; Linked with 1 rank of environment control: the area gets windy]
Alt: Notos the Sirocco: Environment 8 [Superheated gales change the temperature to extreme heat (4 ranks) and reduces movement speed by 2 steps (4 ranks) in a 250 foot radius; Selective]
Alt: Zephyr the Healing Wind: Healing 4 [A soft breeze restores the health of others; Ranged, Area, Energizing]
Alt: Kaikias the Blasting Wind: Blast 10 [A concentrated, swirling blast of air harms enemies]
Alt: Apeliotes the Subtle Wind: Insubstantial 2 [Nick himself becomes the wind (gaseous) and can travel nearly anywhere; Reaction]
Alt: Euros the Storm Wind: Affliction 10 [A small tornado traps the target (hindered, immobile), Fort Save DC 20; Concentration, Ranged; Limited to two afflictions]
Alt: Boreas the Freezing Wind: Environment 8 [Icy winds change the temperature to extreme cold (4 ranks) and reduces visibility to a -5 penalty (4 ranks) in a 250 foot radius; Selective]
(35 points)"
Equipment
"
Standard Equipment
Bicycle (Size M, Speed 4, Tough 5) (4 ep), Cell phone (1 ep)"
Advantages
Benefit 1 [Courier building pass], Defensive Roll 2, Equipment 1, Evasion 2, Instant Up, Move-by Action, Redirect, Uncanny Dodge
Offense
Initiative +8
"Kaikias the Blasting Wind +10, Damage , Damage DC 25
Unarmed Strike +10, Damage , Damage DC 17"
Defense
Dodge 14, Parry 5
Toughness 6 (Def Roll 2), Fortitude 5, Will 4
Power Points Abilities 66 + Powers 54 + Advantages 10 + Skills 11 + Defenses 9 = Total 150
Complications
"Motivation: Behave worthily to continue to earn his gifts
Alternate Form/Power Loss: Nick has to activate his windform and does not have his powers otherwise
Motivation: Find out who killed his father and why"
Background
(The rough points, not the full narrative)
* Nick Aelopoulous grew up in a family which told tales about past ancestors who could control the weather or summon winds, but he dismissed it as fluff.
* His family runs a pizzeria; he was always a delivery boy but in adulthood has split off to create his own successful courier business; they were upset he left the family business.
* He comes home on a rare occasion to speak to his father only to find him dead.
* A few days after this he is visited in his dreams by someone claiming to be his ancestor--Aeolus, the god of winds. He was told "something is coming" that he must prepare for, and it is related to his father's death, but he received no other information. Aeolus to call upon him when he needed strength. Later in the day he did so and learned he had gained his wind powers.
* He has to call on the god Aeolus to activate his powers, otherwise he is an ordinary human if he chooses to transform. He has a secret identity .
Funny, I hadn't read Voltage's backstory when I began working on my character, and I'm also going for some Greek mythological ties. More obscure lesser God ancestry though. But it should create grounds for connection at least. :)
Going with wind powers. That should complement the electric guy and the windsurfing teleporter. Yeah, GM Drake, I was thinking kind of a charismatic guy so he can be the "good cop."
I'm thinking either wind powers or water powers.... I feel like either way that could be compatible with the surfer.... but if it's too close I can move in another direction.
I've got a busy week coming thru Thanksgiving. I will confirm for sure whether I will run or not after Thanksgiving. If in the meantime someone else comes in and offers before I decide, by all means I will defer to them.
Does Heroforge have data for MM4? I love previous versions of M&M, but I was not sure I wanted to buy the new book considering how little I played the last edition.
1. HeroForge is just miniature/portrait creator.
2. I think the GM switched to 3e so we wouldn't need to purchase the playtest rules.
Hmm... I might (please note might) run it if I could get a copy of the module. Imma look at my options.
You could literally run anything you like. Wouldn't have to be THIS module. Just sayin'. I love that you're considering running something.
Well, if I'm considering the existing applicants who weren't chosen, it's probably better to go with the module they designed their characters for, and I've wanted to read the Dragon's Demand anyway.
I was thinking earlier about running something but it was very different and would require entirely new applications ("0-level" sort of game).
All this said, whether I run this or another adventure I need some time to read and prepare so if someone wants to step forward to take this on I certainly won't get in the way. I can't honestly commit in this moment.
I am really intrigued by the proposed rules and the focus on writing; it tickles my English major fancy. I have an elf ranger (or slayer) on hand who has been in a couple Kingmaker games that died early on who I'd love to give another chance to.
This said, due a few kerfuffles, albeit rare, I feel it best to post an about me/disclaimer:
I am an experienced poster who generally can post once a day to every two days. I will communicate when I can't post or if I have concerns that can be easily resolved through civil discussion. I can point to prior GMs and players who can vouch for me as a player if needed.
I've also gotten into disagreements with some GMs--and chose to leave games as a result--over two issues:
1. I advocate for player agency; save for obvious circumstances (e.g., consented-to botting, GMs performing standard issue Perception or Sense Motive checks for PCs, GMs summarizing combat actions already made, mind control), players should describe their own PCs' actions, feelings, and reactions, and neither GMs nor other players should write those things for them. Note: I think your token system for occasionally overtaking a PC, presumably for the purpose of botting, can get along fine with this as long as players don't use it as an opportunity to manipulate a character unfairly or unkindly, which I sense you would not abide.
2. Given we are in a public global forum full of strangers, I do not as a rule wish my PCs to engage in scenarios involving flirtation, propositions, romance, affectionate or intimate touching, sex, abuse, or harassment. I ask anyone wishing to do any of these things to my PC for any reason obtain my explicit consent first before approaching my PC with those kind of actions. I do not, in these specific instances, like to be surprised and will not abide a "seek forgiveness rather than permission" approach.
If you think these things would make me a poor candidate for your game, please let me know not to apply. I would like not to waste your time. Thank you.
Not sure I'll apply myself, but wanted to make sure you were aware the site's going down tomorrow for the big site upgrade. My understanding is it may be down for a few days. Would that impact your Nov 7 deadline?
... I also invented a cost and weight of a bar stool, which is related to a character quirk and can be omitted.
I love the addition of the barstool!
I once had a D&D barbarian who used a discarded table leg as a maul. The idea was that he was a shop owner who finally got tired of it all after his shop was broken into. He would go into a rage shouting things like "I just folded those!" and "No credit!" (inspired by my friends who work retail...)
Gazul Ironfist wrote:
While the stool is nice, I adore her background. I’d love to see the moment in a campaign where she finds Sturmstriek. Especially if it is in the lair of a certain wounded dragon….
Thanks for the compliments both! Trying to go for that fantasy feel that threads the needle between some amusing, humanizing (or dwarfizing, as the case may be) traits and some potential for epic drama.
Now I'm done making my character I can read everyone else's backstories!
Due a few kerfuffles, albeit rare, I feel it best to post this:
** spoiler omitted **
If anything within the spoiler appears to be problematic or indicates to you I am not the right applicant for your game, please let me know and I will withdraw my application, no arguments and no questions asked.
Die rolls:
4d6 12
4d6 9
4d6 16
4d6 7
4d6 15
4d6 18
That is a fascinating array. While I could probably do something more well rounded w/ point buy, let's stick with it and see what happens.
She is a dwarf barbarian. She has some equipment from Ultimate Equipment and some alt racial abilities from APG and ARG, hope that's okay. I also invented a cost and weight of a bar stool, which is related to a character quirk and can be omitted.
I may change things as I notice errors or rethink something.
Please also know if there are any objections to my disclaimer in my original post.
Due a few kerfuffles, albeit rare, I feel it best to post this:
Player Disclaimer:
I am an experienced poster who generally can post once a day to every two days. I will communicate when I can't post or if I have concerns that can be easily resolved through civil discussion. I can point to prior GMs and players who can vouch for me as a player if needed.
I've also gotten into disagreements with some GMs--and chose to leave games as a result--over one of two issues:
1. I advocate for and expect player agency; save for obvious circumstances (e.g., consented-to botting, GMs performing standard issue Perception or Sense Motive checks for PCs, GMs summarizing combat actions already made, mind control), players should describe their own PCs' actions, feelings, and reactions, and neither GMs nor other players should write those things for them.
2. Given we are in a public global forum full of strangers and I do not know any of the players personally, I do not wish my PCs to engage in scenarios involving flirtation, propositions, romance, affectionate or intimate touching, sex, abuse, or harassment. If someone for narrative reasons wants to go in that direction, I expect the player/GM to reach out to me about it first out of character and gain my consent and agreement to the interaction first before posting it in game.
I will leave any game in which the players and GM do not respect the above boundaries.
If anything within the spoiler appears to be problematic or indicates to you I am not the right applicant for your game, please let me know and I will withdraw my application, no arguments and no questions asked.
Definitely interested. Was in another Dragon's Demand PBP but it ended early on in the adventure (actually I left it because the GM was being a creep, but it apparently ended shortly thereafter anyway). So I know very little of the adventure other than the very beginning.
I would assume until told otherwise that the recruitment hasn't started yet as Plastic Dragon said he was planning to post a separate recruitment thread.
I'm torn when it comes to "core only." On one hand, it feels "fair." In that those with and without system mastery are on an even playing field. It takes away a lot of what might be called "unbalanced." On the other hand? It means taking away part of what makes Pathfinder so unique: the customization. I mean, when everything is on the table you can have a grippli cleric who heals people at range by touching them with his tongue, alongside a dwarf with who wrestles people with his beard. Very different campaigns!
To be honest, I think people who prefer Core-only are less looking for a hold on “balance” or more looking to restrict the feel to that oldskool classic fantasy. No grippli tongue-healers, no dwarf beardwrestlers. A good GM can hold the line on balance, but once you open the door to gonzo concepts, well then you have to have folks up for a gonzo game.
The reason I don’t like Core-only is because I find the Core mechanics stifling in terms of feats (which EitR goes *some* way to ameliorating), traits, classes and archetypes. I’m definitely not wanting to play with the more gonzo tongue-healers and beardwrestlers, but I do want to be able to play a Witch or an Inquisitor. I’m not a powergamer or cheesebuilder so those crazy trait/archetype/feat builds don’t interest me.
Classic games just can’t tell enough stories that are even in “classic” tales.
FWIW, my favorite "simplified" approach is Core + Advanced Player's Guide + Unchained + Ultimate Equipment. Not so much for the added classes, though they are nice, but just a *few* archetypes, alt race abilities, feats, spells, better rounded gear, and, especially, traits to help reflect that background without requiring a whole new class to do it. Unchained is part of the group because it adds improved rules/fixes for Barb, Monk, Rogue, and Summoner, and the option of background skills. All allows for some modularity and building to a specific concept without requiring the players or GM to memorize dozens of books' worth of complex systems.
I myself prefer not to play Core Only most of the time, but for a change I'm definitely open to it, and I appreciate how its limitations force me to get creative in other ways (e.g., backstory and approach to playing the character). While it's true the feat tax issues become more apparent with Core only, you at least don't have many competing feats to take the "requisite" feats' place. As it is I find I often choose core feats for characters regardless of allowed sources... Precise Shot, Combat Casting, Power Attack, etc. all are preferred go tos before I start looking at combat styles and the like.
In a way, it's actually cool it's so ancient. Because it means it's been in constant, regular use since the days when webforums were a common way to communicate, before people abandoned them for social media. The fact people still come here in reasonably large enough numbers to merit its continued existence is pretty cool.
I'd be interested. A core only game I was just in ended so it would be fun to try again. When the time comes, knowing stuff like posting expectations would be helpful.
Yeah, having finally gotten to play some D&D Whatever This Most Recent Edition is Called, for switching to something simpler and streamlined, it feels like the way to go. Otherwise I'm still playing the Devil I Know just for sheer customization lunacy (PF1).
Though I'm curious about how the PF Remaster stands out from 2.0. Is there a good summary to read that anyone can recommend?
