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Despite their green status, a group of fledgling Pathfinders have landed a coveted tour on the crew of Venture-Captain Calisro Benarry’s ship the Grinning Pixie, also known as the Arcadian Mariner’s Lodge. The merchant-ship-cum-Pathfinder-Lodge has been sailing towards the northwestern coast of Avistan for the past few days as the Pathfinders are given a chance to settle in to their bunks. The weather is clear, the sailing is smooth, and no doubt adventure awaits!
Hi all! I'll get the gameplay thread up soon for you all to dot in. In the meantime, could I please get the following information from you: Character Name:
We can also use this initial discussion to figure out what people want to play. We have one player new to PFS, so I expect we'll play this in the 1-2 tier unless they're okay with playing a level 4 pregen. I'll be aiming for a start date next week, perhaps Wednesday or Thursday (the 26th or 27th).
Hey all, I'm trying to fulfill a Pathfinder Society Liberty's Edge faction card goal that's very difficult for my kineticist. Here it is: In a region where slavery is legal, deliver a speech against tyranny, slavery, or corruption to a crowd of at least 20 participants. Doing so requires a successful Diplomacy or Perform (acting, comedy, or oratory) check (DC = 15 + your character level). My halfling kineticist is level 4, has 9 Charisma, and has no ranks in the relevant skills. So in order to hit the DC 19 Diplomacy check, I would have to roll a natural 20, and after level 4 it will be impossible. What I need is suggestions for ways to temporarily and cheaply increase my bonuses on the relevant checks. They also can't require any ranks in UMD (on my character at least). If they're from hardcover source books, that's also a plus. If I play scenarios on the slow track I have 5 scenarios to do this in. Here's what I've come up with so far: Parade armor (UE): 25 gold, +2 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy in a specific country. Crystal-sweet concoction (AA2): 50 gold, +2 alchemical bonus to Diplomacy Mulberry Pentacle (Cracked) Ioun Stone (SoS): 400 gold, +1 competence bonus to Diplomacy (and Bluff) Potion/Scroll of eagle's splendor (CRB): 300/150 gold, +4 Charisma Aid another action: ask people to come with me and aid another to increase my result Class selection: try to convince people to play their bards or glory/luck domain clerics, etc. Any other low investment ways to try to help me make this check?
So, the situation: I have a PFS character alias with more than 10 posts and as such the name is locked in. Since then I have made use of the level 1 re-build rules to take the character in a different direction (including a changed name) and want to play this character in an online play-by-post game. The question: I know that I cannot change the PFS alias's name now. But what do y'all do when you want to play a character online when the alias has an unchangeable and wrong name? I'm leaning toward using a non-PFS alias with the correct name and stats for the game, and adding links to both profiles to indicate which is the character's "real" name and which is their PFS-linked reporting alias. This seems like the most elegant solution I can think of, but what do other people think? Have you seen any other methods for dealing with this that seemed to work well?
Hey all, I'm looking for some advice on a vigilante build for Pathfinder Society games. I have a rebuild waiting for my playtest character, and I'm having trouble deciding how best to go about this. Here are the things I'm considering: - Doing a human avenger trip build has been pretty fun, so I've been using a guisarme for the reach and trip property. I'm planning to replace Combat Expertise with Dirty Fighting, and my other feats are trip focused things like the improved feat, Combat Reflexes, and Fury's Fall. I'd like to keep this core, and in PFS I'm hoping I'll be able to find plenty of humanoids to trip, but if there's another way to go about this or if it's really bad on a vigilante I'm open to hearing it. - I'm pretty sure the favored maneuver talent is actually not great for this build, and I may look at the one that gives me power attack instead. - What's the best 6th level talent for this build? I like vital punishment, but I could also pick up Greater Trip with the one that gives me a fighter feat right at level 6. - The main thing I'm debating is whether to take the psychometrist archetype. Focusing on transmutation implements could give me weapon enhancements, self enlarge for even more reach, and flight. I was thinking of taking evocation for my second implement school for some flexibility in terms of elemental offense and defense. I would be losing out on some key talents, and it would make my 7th level feat a choice between Greater Trip and Extra Focus Power (which I could use to gain the transmutation flight implement). - If I did go with psychometrist, I'd be getting rather MAD. How much intelligence is enough? 12? 14?
So, here's the thing: I occasionally see people remark that, by the rules of altering Perception DC's, the sun's distance from the planet (whichever planet your game takes place on) should render the sun completely unnoticeable due to the +1/10 feet Perception DC modifier. However, this supposes that the sun is a "Detail" (Perception DC is based on the "Detail" one is trying to notice) with Perception DC anywhere close to zero. Whatever the DC Modifier to notice the sun is, the DC it's modifying is, let's say, a negative number that is at least twice whatever the modifier is. But that's all rules talk. The Perception DC to notice the sun is likely a very large negative number, but is even more likely just-not-a-thing. Why would you ever need to make a Perception check to notice the sun? (Barring shenanigans, which I am open to having described if you can think of one!) I realize that there's a very good chance that the people who talk about the "impossible DC to notice the sun" are joking, with their tongues placed firmly in their respective cheeks. The point that I'm (slowly) trying to reach is, I suppose, a question about what the purpose of this kind of speculation is? The reasoning behind these kinds of statements has eluded me for some time, and it's bothered me just enough that I thought I'd ask y'all for some answers. Are people asking only in jest? Do people say this to mock the idea that this Perception DC would ever be needed in a game? Are they mocking the game for having this DC modifier not account for celestial bodies, without taking into account that the original DC would counteract it? What's the deal? No points will be given for answers that disparage others' intelligence. You're better than that!
I'll be running Hell's Rebels soon, and I've got a party together. I won't be running the encounter in Redroof with the: Spoiler:
tooth fairies because one of my players is uncomfortable with that particular type of nastiness. Does anyone have suggestions for alternate encounters to help out the tieflings of Redroof? The rumors that lead to the encounter are vague enough that I could easily replace the written encounter with something else. Would you replace them with similar creatures? What would be appropriate considering how that trouble originally sprang up (namely, some nefarious interference from one of Thrune's minions)?
As promised, a cadre of camels loaded with travel supplies awaits you at the city gates. The air buzzes with chatter about local market prices, recent events in the Inner Sea, and, of course, the sandstorm that uncovered a mighty pyramid in the inhospitable depths of the desert. The journey is dozens of miles across shifting dunes, taking four days under the brutal sun and four nights under a freezing star filled sky. On the fifth day, the pyramid comes into view in the distance. It seems to take longer to approach than it looked like it might at first - a combination of the heat-distorted air and the sheer size of the sand-battered stone. An incredible human-made mountain, the pyramid rises out of the desert sands, a relic of an earlier age. Its limestone casing blocks are weathered from millennia of scouring sands, but the structure seems solid and intact. A stone wall, buttressed by drifts of sand, surrounds the entire structure. On the south side of the wall stands a squat stone structure, connected to the pyramid by a long, covered causeway. No visible entrances to the actual pyramid's interior can be seen.
Howdy folks! Go ahead and check into the discussion here, introduce yourselves, etc. This module assumes that you all know each other already, so you can all work that out here if you'd like! It could be as simple as all of you meeting in a tavern in Sothis, where explorers have gathered to put together expeditions to this newly discovered pyramid. Everyone who cares about such things is talking about it, and it seems like a great opportunity for historians, thrill seekers, and the inevitable tomb robbers alike!
The desert sands of Osirion conceal an untold number of ruins and tombs, lost to memory over the millennia-long span of the nation's history. Even today, the fickle winds of sandstorms can reveal structures hitherto unknown for thousands of years, and seemingly untouched by time. Such unplundered tombs can be an archeological windfall, but would-be explorers should exercise caution, for the pharaohs of old jealously guarded their possessions against intruders with traps, unliving guardians, and potent curses.
Hello! I'm GM mechaPoet, and I have a bad habit of taking on too much when I try my hand at PbP GMing! So I thought I'd try a low level module instead. Here's the rundown:
Game specifics: Allowed Material:
Character Creation:
House Rules:
Maps: I'll try to get a map up on Google Drive, but I'm working mostly from my phone right now. So we might start with a more descriptive text based approach and see where to go from there. Posting: Please try to post once a day M-F. Weekend posting is nice but not required. For any other questions, feel free to ask them here or send me a PM.
So I've been looking over the occult medium class, and I want to try one out but I'm having trouble even figuring out where to begin on this class. Although most of the occult classes seem fairly complicated, this one is all over the place (often literally, as the standard medium relies on preparing its spirits in certain locations). I think I could approach this class in two ways: 1. Prepare stats/items/build stuff for each of the six spirits, and just take what you can get based on the places you have access to when performing your daily seance. Maybe come prepared to improvise a location to get the right spirit to come. 2. Focus on just a few spirits with a more focused build and hope for the best in terms of what spirit locations you can find. It seems like you'd have to carry around an awful lot of gear as well (martial/exotic weapons for the champion spirit, a shield or even different armor for the defender spirit), to the extent where I'm not sure what the most obvious build for this class is (or if there is one). Any thoughts on how to approach this? Focused/broad builds, things that would be good no matter what spirit you're using, etc? This is an extremely open question, unfortunately, but I'm just trying to get a jumping off point.
By RAW, this explicitly refers to overcoming Damage Reduction. But could an adamantine rare-metal infusion also bypass hardness less than 20 as an adamantine weapon?
Here's the ability for reference, with the most relevant text bolded:
Is it reasonable to assume that a kineticist with this ability can build up burn in their internal buffer in the undefined downtime between scenarios? I.e. start a scenario with a full buffer and no burn, assuming that they filled the buffer when a character could be doing their day job roll actions? My gut says yes, that's fine, and I don't think there would be too much table variation on this. But it would be nice to get an official ruling, or to have some similar situation ruling for precedent.
Hello all! Because of some recent errata, I've been considering some retraining, and I thought that while I'm at it I might as well try to figure out what it would take to reach my ideal retroactive build. This profile should contain an accurate character sheet, but I'll post the most relevant parts of what I have now and what I would like to get to: Current:
Retraining results desired:
Retraining math:
Have I done this right? Can anyone confirm whether or not the Weapon Finesse / Swashbuckler Finesse nonsense is needed?
So I just learned that the Amateur Swashbuckler feat's Opportune Parry and Riposte deed option is no longer legal. I have to rebuild this feat on my 8th level Dervish Dance paladin for Pathfinder Society play. Here are my options: 1. Keep Amateur Swashbuckler, and switch the deed to Derring-Do (nope) or Dodging Panache (...maybe?) 2. Replace it with a feat that has NO prerequisites. 3. Ultimate Campaign retraining? I need to look into what I can do with this in PFS. My build is on this profile, but for quick reference here are stats and feats: Str 13 Dex 22 Con 14
Feats:
I'm not sure what the best options are here. Any recommendations?
Two tunnels at the top of the cliff lead to arrow slits hidden by troll skulls. The middle of the path contains a landslide hazard, which will crumble into the landslide landing area if too much weight occupies its area (such as from creatures standing there).
Leviathan’s Terror
Three times per day the wielder of leviathan’s terror can call on the spirit in the weapon to bind it to herself, swelling her musculature, draining the color from her skin, and turning her breath to rolling fog. Infused with the spirit of a defeated behemoth, she can bellow a mournful wail as a standard action. She makes an Intimidate check to demoralize each enemy that is at least one size category larger than her within 30 feet. She also draws on the spirit’s massive strength, gaining a +1 size bonus to CMB and CMD, and increasing her effective size category for the purpose of attacks and abilities that limit their use on larger creatures (such as tripping creatures of a larger size category) for 5 rounds.
So in thinking about what spells I would include in the construction requirements of my item ideas, I took a look at some past top 32 items as well as some things from the actual books. I noticed that there seems to be some discrepancy between what published Paizo items tend to have and what some comments on Top 32 items seem to want. Basically, there seem to be two ways of determining what spells should be required: one based on spell effect, and one based on metaphor. First, there is the spell effect approach. For example, the flaming weapon property requires fireball, flame blade, or flame strike. This is a very simple sort of translation of spells that do fire damage to giving a weapon some extra fire damage. No complaints here, makes sense. Secondly, though, there are more metaphorical or "clever" requirements. The wondrous item Sovereign Glue, for instance, has only the spell Make Whole as its spell requirement. Make Whole is a spell that repairs items and has nothing to do with sticking two things together with magical super glue. But the name of the spell hints at the item's use by way of wordplay. So my question (finally) is whether we should be aiming to include requirements based on spell effects or wordplay, or whether people prefer one or the other. It seems that people have received criticism in the past for not going the spell-effect route. Monica Marlowe's item in the last contest was criticized by judges (or at least one judge) for using the plane shift spell in the requirements because the spell effect didn't really match what the item did. However, it was a ghost touch weapon; can you guess what the spell requirement for adding the ghost touch weapon property is? Plane shift! It just seems like a strange oversight, or that the spell effect is more appropriate than wordplay for this contest (or at least it was for some items in one iteration of the contest) even though the published material seems to value spell names more than spell effects. I'm not necessarily criticizing the way the contest had been judged in the past. Certainly it's a lot more intuitive to go by the spell effects, especially if you haven't been poking around the PRD looking at this particular element like I have! I'm just trying to get an idea of what other people are thinking about this as they brainstorm ideas or put the finishing touches on their entries.
Hey all, this is the discussion thread! I've decided based on your input and what I thought I could run best to set this campaign in Eleder, the capital of Sargava (click for Pathfinder wiki links!). Sargava is a former Chelish colony in southern Garund (colonized before the death of Aroden). It operates under the (expensive) protection of the pirate captains of the Shackles, and is a prosperous trade city whose wealth comes from trade in spices, jewels, slaves, and exploitation of the local Zenj tribe (a Mwangi ethnicity) for cheap labor. You could be a local colonial tradesperson, merchant, or aristocrat, an oppressed Zenj (or other Mwangi) native to Garund, or a foreigner looking for adventure and opportunity. But before I decide exactly what direction to take this campaign, here is the character creation outline so I can get a better idea of what you would like to play in this city: Rulebooks Allowed:
Starting Level:
Ability Scores:
Classes Allowed:
Races Allowed:
Campaign Traits: You don’t have to take a campaign trait, but these are available if you want them and they're a bit more powerful than most traits: Campaign traits:
Freedom Fighter: Whether you are a native Zenj living in the squalor of Outerwall, a privileged member of the Sargavan aristocracy, or a recent stranger to Eleder’s port with a keen sense for rooting out injustice, you sympathize with the rebellious elements within Eleder. Disgusted with the oppression of the native Zenj population and the ethnic Chelish profit from it, you have been in contact with the insurgents known as the Free Folk Alliance, providing shelter, supplies, and aid where you can. You gain a +1 trait bonus to Bluff, Disguise, Stealth, and Sense Motive, and one of these is a class skill for you.
Bounty of the Sea: You may be a fisher, a whaler, or even a Zenj pearl diver. Part of your living depended, even if it no longer does, on what the sea can offer, and you are also well-practiced in haggling the value of your catch. You gain a +2 bonus to Swim, and Swim is a class skill for you. Additionally, you gain a 10% discount at Eleder’s local markets. Prodded Aristocrat: By birth or by marriage, you are a member of Eleder’s aristocracy (or at least a parent of yours is). Perhaps your family has invested in one of Eleder’s major trade companies, or owns significant land around the city. In any case, you’ve not had to struggle to live comfortably, and your family has decided that it’s high time you moved out and did a little work--“to build character.” You gain a +1 trait bonus to Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Nobility), and Diplomacy, and one of these is a class skill for you. Additionally, you can make untrained Knowledge checks with regards to Eleder and Sargava in general. Northcoast Militia: You enlisted in Eleder’s milita when you came of age. Perhaps you are a local Zenj resident, for whom conscription and a two-year service is mandatory. You may have joined to gain training, wages, and career opportunity (to the dismay of many of the Zenj in Outerwall who consider you a traitor), or you failed to successfully dodge conscription (despite the relative ease of this tactic--perhaps you were unlucky, or just abnormally incompetent at lying). Alternatively, you may be from one of the city’s aristocrat, merchant, or trade families, serving proudly or forced into service by a family who thought you lazy. In any case, the militia drills you learned provide a +1 trait bonus to Will saves, as well as a +1 trait bonus to either your CMB or CMD (choose one). Sargava Club Regular: You frequent the Sargava Club, a tavern owned by the ex-adventurer half-orc Briga. Whatever your background, you consider yourself an adventurer, despite the official governmental distrust and discouragement of such practices in Eleder, especially from the ancient and wealthy Lady Madrona Daugustana. Spending your time with rough characters carrying untold diseases from uncounted voyages and port, and perhaps indulging in the tavern’s offerings of hearty food, beer, or local Zenj-brewed liquor called mupute, you’ve gained a hardy constitution and a knack for gossip. You gain a +1 trait bonus to Fortitude saves, and a +1 trait bonus to Knowledge (Local), which is always a class skill for you. If I'm not missing anything, I look forward to seeing your characters! Feel free to ask questions, and discuss what kind of characters you would like to play if you want to make them with collaboration in mind.
Hey all! I'm thinking about making an Arcane Duelist Bard for my next PFS character, using my Ifrit boon. I have some general build ideas, but I would love some input on what options I should consider. The general idea is to act as melee support, buffing the party with my bard spells and abilities while also wielding a longspear (eventually, perhaps, picking a Banner of the Ancient Kings) and using reach tactics. Race: Ifrit
Stats:
Feats (in no particular order): Lingering Performance, Power Attack, Combat Reflexes, Battle Cry (depends on whether the re-roll applies to any save or just fear effects; I'm not certain which way I would interpret it myself), Flagbearer, Lunge, Spear Dancer This is all very rough draft, so feel free to make suggestions!
Hey all! I have a Steelblood archetype Bloodrager, and I want to make use of her heavy armor proficiency. The question is: what armor to buy, and whether adamantine heavy armor is a worthwhile investment. She's still only level 2, and I haven't made any upgrades or replacements to the scale mail she started with. With a starting Dexterity of 14, should I invest in some heavy armor early, and then sell it when I can afford adamantine? Should I not bother with adamantine? Are there any specific magic armors it's good to aim for as a character with minimally reduced move speed in armor and Armor Training?
Apologies if this is a discussion that's already been had, but I couldn't find anything while searching for it. I'm curious why the sorcerer gets their bonus Bloodline Spell added to their spells known only (at least) one level after they are able to cast spells of the appropriate level. I suppose it makes a sort of sense; starting at 4th level, the sorcerer alternates levels between learning one spell of a higher spell level than they knew before and learning two spells without increasing their highest spell level. To do the reverse (for example, to grant the 2nd level Bloodline Spell to 4th level sorcerers in addition to learning a new spell of their choice, and then only granting one additional 2nd level spell known at the 5th sorcerer level) would, ostensibly, be front-loading the sorcerer's spells and potentially leaving the odd levels feeling a little bare in terms of class features. Then again, it seems a little silly for some bloodlines to gain their thematic spells "late." For instance, someone wanting to make a blast-y sorcerer with the Elemental Bloodline would, at least by RAW(?), have to wait to take burning hands until third level if they didn't want to be short a spell known. Certainly a solution is to simply allow a trade-in in a home game, but not everyone is so loose with the rules, and that doesn't do much good for those who play in PFS. Again, mostly I'm just curious about why the sorcerer's spells, including the Bloodline Spells, are structured the way they are.
Howdy. So, first, this is the relevant bit of what the guide says about replays:
Okay, that's clear, and what I've found in other threads with the search function. However! I accidentally replayed. I moved to a table that only had two players so we could meet the minimum 3-plus-a-GM(N?)PC (eventually a fourth showed up, though), and I thought I was playing the Part II of a scenario I had played the Part I of. In case you're wondering how that happened: the chronicle sheet for PFS Scenario 2-02: Before the Dawn—Part II: Rescue at Azlant Ridge has a typo in the title, and says Part I. Also, this was actually the very first PFS Scenario I ever played (I played 6-7 tier with a pregen), and the time disparity between then and now combined with a fairly generic first encounter made me not realize I was replaying the scenario until about a third of the way through! What I should have done was informed the GM as soon as I realized, but I didn't because 1) it was a little awkward, what with my not realizing I was replaying, 2) I wasn't planning on spoiling anything or acting on any metagame or previous knowledge (and I did not, as far as I know), and 3) the GM was talking before the game about disliking pregens and having a GM(N?)PC, so I figured he would have preferred to have someone replaying than play a DM(N?)PC. Oh, and 4) I was ignorant of how replay chronicles worked (this being unexpectedly the first time). But I didn't do the things above. As such, I ended up with a chronicle sheet with XP and gold on it when it should have nothing. How do I go about remedying this? Have I inadvertently screwed up scenario reporting? (If I have, I apologize and blame Cosmo.)
Hey all, I have some gold to spend in PFS on my paladin. This paladin continues to be the highest level character I've ever played, so I'm kind of in unfamiliar territory when it comes to what kind of gear to look for. Here are the basics: Paladin (Oathbound) 7 Notable feats: Weapon Finesse, Dervish Dance, Amateur Swashbuckler (Deed: Opportune Parry & Riposte) Stats:
Magical Gear: +1 Keen Scimitar, +1 mithral kikko armor, Cloak of Resistance +1, Belt of Incredible Dexterity +2, Headband of Alluring Charisma +2, Ring of Featherfall, Amulet of Natural Armor +1 I have a little bit over 5k gold available. Gear I'm considering:
If I could get some answers before the game I have tonight, that would be wonderful, but not required. I'll happily take suggestions after the fact, and I should have even more gold to spend if I survive tonight. :)
Hey all, back again asking for advice on builds for an Oread! I'm looking for ways to make use of the unique Oread abilities, like Treacherous Earth:
Once per day, an Oread with this racial trait can will the earth to rumble and shift, transforming a 10-foot-radius patch of earth, unworked stone, or sand into an area of difficult terrain, centered on an area the Oread touches. This lasts for a number of minutes equal to the oread's level, after which the ground returns to normal. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait. I also like the Stony Step feat chain: Stony StepOread Burrower Oread Earth Glider Murmurs of Earth seems pretty great, too, although it requires the lackluster Echoes of Stone. I'm just unsure what to do with this mechanically. I just know that I like the unique options available to this race, but I don't know what class(es) could make the best use of them.
Hey all, so I have an Oread boon for PFS that I'm trying to figure out what to do with. I'm also intrigued by the Nature Fang archetype for Druids, and I feel like this race would work pretty well with it. I'm not super sure what this archetype is good at, though. It's decent at combat, and it also comes with 9th levels of spell progression. I've never played a druid or any kind of full caster before, so I'm not really sure where to start, or where to focus. I'm thinking taking the animal companion would be best, to serve as a flanking partner, but again I don't really know what I would pick (although I would likely pick something based more because "that's a cool animal to have" than "well which ones have pounce").
I've created a halfling Stats:
I didn't want to dump strength too much, since I do have to carry around equipment and light armor. Dex and Con were naturally very high for a small kineticist. I wanted Int at least as 12, because that 2+Int skill allowance hurts. Wis 12 to make up for a weak will save, and it felt appropriate for a stoic and defensive Geokineticist. I could safely dump Cha with the halfling's bonus, getting back some points for the buy without being totally useless in trying to aid another at social skills, at the very least. Race: Halfling, with standard racial traits except for trading out Sure-Footed for Fleet of Foot. I figured the small size would help with the kineticist's AC and accuracy issues, not to mention that a small kineticist's blasts do just as much damage since it doesn't rely on weapon size or strength (ostensibly they do more damage with the size bonus to hit, unless you count the human bonus feat to get something like Precise Shot). Traits: I went for the Liberty's Edge trait Whistleblower to gain Sense Motive as a class skill. There's not a lot of options for a kineticist, and Sense Motive seems like a good option, again, for the more defensive and stoic Geokineticist (although I found, in game, that I wasn't quite so stoic as I had planned--more on that later). I also chose Focused Mind, because in a sticky situation, I want to be able to use the Kinetic Blast SLA in melee if I have to. Having to hit DC 15 at level 1 with only level+Con mod as a bonus seems difficult. I feel like it will also be important for any build that has to form their Kinetic Blade or Kinetic Whip defensively. Feat: Point Blank Shot. It works within the range that I can use Kinetic Blast, and it's an important prereq for Precise Shot. I didn't want to go for Weapon Finesse until I can reduce the burn on Kinetic Blade a little easier. Wild Talent: Oh man. So there are a lot of neat talents to choose from, but my #1 choice for the first level talents is hands down Kinetic Cover. It just seems like it has a lot of in-combat and out-of-combat utility, especially with an apparently infinite time duration (unless destroyed, of course). It might be interesting to see a class feature or feat that allowed me to use this as an immediate action. But maybe that's what the Defensive Talents are for. We'll see, I suppose. One other note: I've used a level one rebuild to make Dustwich, so they are starting with 1 XP and the resources from playing through The Confirmation. -- Statblock Dustwich
Defense
Offense
Wild Talents Concentration +6
Statistics
Equipment Explorer's Outfit; Dagger; Masterwork Chain Shirt; Acid x4; Alchemist's Fire; Holy Water x2; Wayfinder -- I'll put the actual playtest in the next post.
Hey all, I have an Oread boon for Pathfinder Society play, and I'm trying to figure out what kind of character to make with it. I thought it would be interesting to try to make something like the Crystal Gems from the show Steven Universe. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, some of the things I'd like to be able to do with this character could include:
It seems like a druid would be the obvious choice for these sorts of abilities, and the Oread has great stats for it, but I'm wondering if there's a way to achieve something similar without incorporating so much of a nature theme. If I do go the druid route, what would you all recommend, aside from reading the various guides about them? Also, would the Oread's Earth Affinity or Fertile Soil abilities (quoted below) apply to druids with the appropriate domains? Oread sorcerers with the elemental (earth) bloodline treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Oread clerics with the Earth domain use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level. Oread sorcerers with the verdant bloodline treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Oread clerics with the Plant domain use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level. This racial trait replaces earth affinity.
Hello all, I'm looking for a bit of feat and maneuver advice for my new Bloodrager in Pathfinder Society play. This alias has her full stats. The basics: Half-Orc Bloodrager (Arcane Bloodline); archetype: Steelblood Str 17 Dex 14 Con 14
Feat plan:
I had also hoped to maybe sneak in the Step Up feat in here, but it looks like it would require sacrificing some focus on one of these maneuvers. Not necessarily a bad thing, but that's the cost. The idea is to create a heavily armored mage-killer. The Steelblood archetype gets me heavy armor (and even the Fighter's armor training), and the Arcane Bloodline gives me some good tools for shutting down magic users. I figured that Sunder and Overrun would be good maneuvers to invest in, for getting through the front lines and destroying spell component pouches and such. Also, in Pathfinder Society play, I won't have to worry as much about destroying potential loot! I also get some bonuses to these: the half-orc Gatecrasher trait gets me +2 to sunder attempts, and the Steelblood archetype gets Indomitable Stance, which grants a +1 to overrun. Any advice on this? Whether these maneuvers are worth investing in/how worth investing in they are? Thanks in advance!
So, I've been thinking about playing a Bard with the Arcane Duelist archetype for Pathfinder Society games. I also think it would be fun to have her use a light or heavy shield as her only weapon. This would be a strange, more martial and highly defensive bard. For stats, I'm thinking Str>Cha>Con=Dex>Int>Wis. The feat progression would look something like this: 1: Improved Shield Bash, Arcane Strike-B
Does this seem like it could work out? I'm not really sure what to take for spells, or traits. Maybe this is too martially focused for a bard (even a more martial archetype). Maybe it's just too goofy. What recommendations could y'all offer for this sort of build?
So I've seen a couple of other rules question threads about this feat, but I didn't see my specific question addressed. Feat text:
I've seen some suggestions of how to use this feat that involve getting opponents to some fear-level through various means, and then using Dazzling Display to activate Disheartening Display. However, is it possible to trigger this ability by just using Dazzling Display twice? Like so: Round 1: Enemy is not affected by a fear effect. PC uses Dazzling Display.
It seems like this should work. Additionally, what is the duration of Disheartening Display's escalated fear effect? Does it use the duration of the initial fear effect?
Hey all, I was hoping to get some advice for where to take a Daring Champion build. I have the credit to start this character at level 3 with 5,700 gold, but everything is mutable. Here's what I've got so far: CG Lady Dwarf Cavalier (Daring Champion) 3
Stats:
Feats:
Traits:
I'm not particularly sure where I would want to take the build from here. Everything is technically changeable, but I still want to make a swashbuckler-y dwarf lady who's good at fighting and flirting. For future feats, I was looking at continuing the Dazzling Display chain, although I don't know how useful that would be. I have my strength at 13 to pick up Power Attack, but between precise strike and challenge, I don't know if I need too much extra damage for PFS. If the points don't go into strength, I imagine they'd go into Int, maybe Wis? As a dwarf, I don't need that much strength to carry my equipment anyway. For equipment, I figured I would make use of the Daring Champion's medium armor proficiency and dwarf's non-speed reduction in armor until the nimble AC bonus actually makes a difference (mithral armor in the future?). Any suggestions?
Hello friends. So, I've come to you all to help me brainstorm how to fulfill a character concept: I want to play a character analogous to Julie d'Aubigny, aka La Maupin. Here's a link to how utterly cool she was. Here's the core of the concept:
To me this sounds like the new ACG Swashbuckler, but bards are really the only ones who can seem to make practical use of the perform skill. Perhaps some sort of bard/swashbuckler multiclass? Also, I'm more interested in the core of this concept, rather than creating La Maupin literally. That is, this character doesn't necessarily have to be a human with a rapier, but does have to be a badass finesse fighter who cares more about making out with hotties than caring about what people think of them. I briefly flirted with the idea of a dwarf swashbuckler with Slashing Grace (Dwarven Waraxe), thinking that a dwarven Dex-fighter is pretty tradition-breaking enough, but I'm open to suggestions. Since this is for PFS, point buy is 20. Allowed sources are the core rulebook, Advanced Player's Guide, and Advanced Class Guide. I have some floating credit I can apply to a new character, so the build could start at level 1 or as high as level 2.
So, I was thinking: why would anyone actually worship Rovagug? As it says in his entry in Gods and Magic: "Rovagug literally wants to destroy everything." He encourages his followers to find a way to free him and his spawn (his herald being the Tarrasque), offering them divine power to wreak destruction on all things. But what is the reward for freeing Rovagug and his spawn? Nothing, save knowing of the destruction that it will bring--and being the first to be devoured. The worshipers of Rovagug behave in a manner that takes the Chaotic Evil alignment to its extreme. If someone actually played a devout follower of Rovagug as they are described, they'd get kicked out of that group instantly as the worst kind of explicitly disruptive murderhobo that you could imagine. So why does any creature worship The Rough Beast? "Of course," says Gods and Magic, "anyone who praises a god that wants to destroy everything is at least a tiny bit mad" (emphasis mine). There is a problem here, and it's been bugging me lately. This generic conception of "madness" is a fairly common trope in the medieval fantasy genre (and others, but I'm focusing on this right now). Whether it's the lunatic shouting apocalyptic rantings in the city marketplace or ghosts that have gone insane with grief, mental instability is often painted as nonsense, raving, and violence. The problem is that this simply isn't accurate. The problem is that the explanation for why the followers of Rovagug commit heinous acts of violence without reason is that they are insane. The problem is that not only does mental illness not make people go on murderous rampages, but that these people--especially those perceived to be the most abnormal--are far more likely to experience violence directed at them. (Note: I do not have the definitive statistics on this, but it's not like stigmatized groups aren't often mis-categorized as "dangerous" in order to justify violence against them.) And listen: I'm NOT accusing anyone. I'm not trying to point fingers at SKR (who wrote Gods and Magic), or call anyone at Paizo or within the greater medieval fantasy creative community a bad person. I just feel like this is a common enough trope that reinforces a negative and inaccurate stigma, that I'm curious what can be done about it. I can accept Rovagug as a deity, but I cannot accept that rampant murder, destruction, and capital-C, capital-E Chaotic Evil is embodied by some undefined "madness." Again, the question is: what can be done about this? What is the best way, in this setting, to uncouple madness from evil? EDIT: So I'm describing what I see as a larger trend, but my knowledge of all things Pathfinder lore and general fantasy is definitely not all-encompassing, or even particularly broad! If there are any good counter examples, either in Pathfinder or fantasy more broadly, I would love to hear about them!
I couldn't find anything to answer this question with a forum search, or under the guidelines for Additional Resources, so I apologize if the answer to this is already clear and available. :P I just picked up the Advanced Class Guide, and with all the archetypes and feats, there are a number of ways to get other classes' features. However, if I don't own certain books, how much of the features can I use if they are referenced? Example 1: There's a Hunter archetype that gains a vermin companion. However, it says to reference the list of vermin companions in Ultimate Magic (if I remember correctly--I don't have access to my PDF at the moment), but I don't have that book. Can I use this archetype? Example 2: There's an Arcanist archetype that gets a Black Blade a la the Magus archetype. Again, I don't have Ultimate Magic, so can I use this archetype (I'm not sure if the archetype provides the Black Blade info, or just says to reference UM)?
Hello, friends! We haven't heard from one of our players in a very long time (April 4th), and the time has come to replace him, unfortunately. I am fairly new to PbP gaming, and this is my first attempt at PbP GMing. But I've run this AP in meatspace up through a decent chunk of the second book, among other games. To prepare your delve into dangerous jungles, colonial disasters, and ancient, forgotten ruins, I suggest that you read through the Serpent's Skull Player's Guide, located HERE.
Frequency Once a day would be nice, but we've slowed down a little bit. Four or five times a week is probably closer to the expectation at the moment.
Please submit your character in a spoiler tag or an alias. Feel free to post as the alias, or simply provide a link to the profile. A fully completed backstory is more important than a fully completed stat-sheet for your application! Your Role in the Party
Races Flexible. Probably sticking to things from the Advanced Race Guide is best, though. The more "monstrous" races may have a harder time fitting in during the time spent in more "civilized" areas though, so be prepared for that if you want to apply with one.
Feel free to ask questions if you have any concerns, either here or via PM.
Dot here, please!
I'll be joining a Rise of the Runelords group since they lost a player, so I'll be replacing their fifth member. They're still level 1. Right now they are:
I was thinking that another front liner might be nice for them, perhaps a reach-weapon "tank." I was also thinking a debuffer of some kind might be nice, either a witch or something focused on combat maneuvers. Build info (not looking for a full build, just providing this info to help with the advice):
Hey all, I'd like to run The Confirmation for the Official Pathfinder Society PbP Game Day. This is a scenario for levels 1-2, and is especially rewarding for new characters with no other chronicle sheets. Almost all Pathfinders undergo extensive training for three or more years to learn the tricks of the trade, and their last test before graduating from the ranks of the initiates to the status of a full Pathfinder agent is the Confirmation, a special research project that involves considerable fieldwork and is designed to simulate the initiates' future work as a Pathfinder. Even the noteworthy field commissioned agents sometimes participate in such trials as a way to familiarize themselves with the Pathfinder Society’s rules and expectations. Although Confirmation is typically an individual affair, the society recently discovered a site on the Isle of Kortos that would be perfect for initiates but perhaps too dangerous to handle alone. Successfully uncovering this site’s secrets will not only contribute to the society’s body of knowledge but shape the exciting careers ahead for each of the prospective agents. I can take up to six characters: first come, first serve. This game will not start until April 5th. This game is part of the Official Pathfinder Society PbP Game Day. For more information please visit: http://PbPGameday.com
This is the discussion thread! Dot once you're here, so that you can see when there are new posts.
Salt spray leaps up on the sides of the ship, providing a refreshing mist under the still-hot setting sun and clear skies. The Jenivere is right on schedule to arrive in Sargava, having miraculously encountered no resistance or unmanageable weather in over one hundred days of travel since it left Magnimar. The crew swarms the ship, managing ropes and sails, cleaning the deck, securing and re-securing cargo. Captain Alizandru Covack has taken on several passengers, all of them at least familiar with each other’s names unless they have worked especially hard to hide it. Aerys Mavato is a severe half-elf woman who boarded in Port Peril, where she immediately got into a fight with one of sailors and left him with a sizable black eye. Since then she’s spent most of her time in her bunk, emerging only to arrive late to meals and leave them early. Gelik Aberwhinge, a sharply dressed gnome man from Magnimar with inky fingers, spends most of his time writing in the ship’s common areas. However, he often interrupts his chronicling to share long-winded stories or make sarcastic quips to whoever will listen. Ieana is a bookish Varisian woman who mostly keeps to herself. She says she’s traveling to Sargava to investigate ancient ruins, but rumors among the crew suggest that she’s secretly the Jenivere’s owner, a Chelish agent, or even Captain Kovack’s secret lover. She has grown more reclusive and involved in her studies as the ship approaches Eleder. Ishirou is a scruffy Tien man who boarded in Bloodcove. He is quiet, and aloof but polite. He keeps his conversations with the other passengers short, and spends a lot of time stonily frowning at the ocean at the ship’s bow. Jask Derindi was brought aboard at Corentyn in chains. This soft-eyed, middle aged human man resides in the brig. The captain has insisted that he be left alone. Sasha Nevah is a young, red-haired human woman who boarded in Ilizmagorti. Initially sullen and bad-tempered, she has grown boisterous and optimistic since leaving that port, talking with the crew and other passengers and enjoying the fair weather. No one has yet asked her about her missing left pinky finger. The pre-dinner bell has rung, and several passengers have gathered below deck to await their food. At the long dinner bench, Sasha and Gelik idly chat together, with Sasha occasionally laughing at Gelik’s jokes. Ishirou maintains his usual silence, sitting politely and looking thoughtfully down at his napkin. Aerys Mavato unhappily stands to the side against a wall, arms crossed, her eyes red and her head occasionally drooping with sleepy nods. Indistinct sounds of an argument can be heard overhead, before the first mate Alton Devers stomps down into the lower deck. Although he’s usually very friendly with the passengers, he only spares them a forced half-smile and a nod before heading lower down into the ship. The captain comes down after him, and seeing the passengers gathered, his angry face turns placating. “Good evening, folks. Dinner will be ready in just a moment. I’m sorry for the delay, but I’ll provide an extra alcohol ration tonight, on me, to make up for it. Now, if you’ll kindly excuse me, I must have a word with my first mate.” With that, the Chelish captain scratches his beard and heads down after the first mate. OOC:
Salt spray leaps up on the sides of the ship, providing a refreshing mist under the still-hot setting sun and clear skies. The Jenivere is right on schedule to arrive in Sargava, having miraculously encountered no resistance or unmanageable weather in over one hundred days of travel since it left Magnimar. The crew swarms the ship, managing ropes and sails, cleaning the deck, securing and re-securing cargo. Captain Alizandru Covack has taken on several passengers, all of them at least familiar with each other’s names unless they have worked especially hard to hide it. Aerys Mavato is a severe half-elf woman who boarded in Port Peril, where she immediately got into a fight with one of sailors and left him with a sizable black eye. Since then she’s spent most of her time in her bunk, emerging only to arrive late to meals and leave them early. Gelik Aberwhinge, a sharply dressed gnome man from Magnimar with inky fingers, spends most of his time writing in the ship’s common areas. However, he often interrupts his chronicling to share long-winded stories or make sarcastic quips to whoever will listen. Ieana is a bookish Varisian woman who mostly keeps to herself. She says she’s traveling to Sargava to investigate ancient ruins, but rumors among the crew suggest that she’s secretly the Jenivere’s owner, a Chelish agent, or even Captain Kovack’s secret lover. She has grown more reclusive and involved in her studies as the ship approaches Eleder. Ishirou is a scruffy Tien man who boarded in Bloodcove. He is quiet, and aloof but polite. He keeps his conversations with the other passengers short, and spends a lot of time stonily frowning at the ocean at the ship’s bow. Jask Derindi was brought aboard at Corentyn in chains. This soft-eyed, middle aged human man resides in the brig. The captain has insisted that he be left alone. Sasha Nevah is a young, red-haired human woman who boarded in Ilizmagorti. Initially sullen and bad-tempered, she has grown boisterous and optimistic since leaving that port, talking with the crew and other passengers and enjoying the fair weather. No one has yet asked her about her missing left pinky finger. The pre-dinner bell has rung, and several passengers have gathered below deck to await their food. At the long dinner bench, Sasha and Gelik idly chat together, with Sasha occasionally laughing at Gelik’s jokes. Ishirou maintains his usual silence, sitting politely and looking thoughtfully down at his napkin. Aerys Mavato unhappily stands to the side against a wall, arms crossed, her eyes red and her head occasionally drooping with sleepy nods. Indistinct sounds of an argument can be heard overhead, before the first mate Alton Devers stomps down into the lower deck. Although he’s usually very friendly with the passengers, he only spares them a forced half-smile and a nod before heading lower down into the ship. The captain comes down after him, and seeing the passengers gathered, his angry face turns placating. “Good evening, folks. Dinner will be ready in just a moment. I’m sorry for the delay, but I’ll provide an extra alcohol ration tonight, on me, to make up for it. Now, if you’ll kindly excuse me, I must have a word with my first mate.” With that, the Chelish captain scratches his beard and heads down after the first mate. OOC:
This is the discussion thread! Dot once you're here, so that you can see when there are new posts.
Hello, friends! This is a recruitment thread for the Serpent's Skull Adventure Path. I am fairly new to PbP gaming, and this is my first attempt at PbP GMing. But I've run this AP in meatspace up through a decent chunk of the second book, among other games. To prepare your delve into dangerous jungles, colonial disasters, and ancient, forgotten ruins, I suggest that you read through the Serpent's Skull Player's Guide, located HERE. I'm looking to accept 4-6 players. I would rather not drag out recruitment, so submissions will be accepted until the evening of Sunday, Feb. 16.
Frequency 1/day posting is what I’ll be aiming for. Please provide notice if you expect to be gone for a little while!
Please submit your character in a spoiler tag or an alias. Feel free to post as the alias, or simply provide a link to the profile. A fully completed backstory is more important than a fully completed stat-sheet for your application! Races Flexible. Probably sticking to things from the Advanced Race Guide is best, though. The more "monstrous" races may have a harder time fitting in during the time spent in more "civilized" areas though, so be prepared for that if you want to apply with one.
Feel free to ask questions if you have any concerns, either here or via PM.
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