Welcome to GM Barrister's recruitment for the Serpent's Skull AP. As there was a heap of interest generated with the check, I will be running this version, as well as a gestalt version, found here.
Recruitment runs until 13-Feb, and I'll pick the players on the 14th, when we'll promptly start.
About the GM:
I have been playing table-tops for around sixteen years, starting with 3.0 and moving through to PF. I was fairly active in PbP on the old WotC site as well as Enworld and a few others for about ten of those years, and had home games, D&D Encounters, and smattering of other d20 systems for seven years. I enjoy the mechanical aspects of gameplay, but take greater interest in the roleplay.
I know there are qualms about someone new to the boards hosting a full-length AP; two at once is just ridiculous. But if taken as individuals, removing the fluff, new monster stat blocks, and quirky other materials from the books, the adventure itself is quite small. PbP slows down the pace quite a bit, and for me, that is advantageous to running the campaign, as I have far more time to figure out what is going on than in real time at the table.
There is also the matter of commitment, but it falls on both player and GM. Having little history with the site, neither could prove themselves reliable, other than by being so. I won't be looking your profiles or post count when making my decision on who participates.
I will be accepting 4-5 PCs for this version, and 3 for the other. You are welcome to apply to both, but no one will be selected for more than one; if you choose to make a character for each, please note if you have a preference for either game. I would also prefer players who have not yet had the opportunity to run the AP, so please note if you have done it before in your application. I won't necessarily base the decision of who is accepted on this, and I appreciate honesty.
Crunch:
Point Buy: 20; no stats below 10 before racial mods.
Alignment: Any non-Evil. However, bear in mind that I view "Chaotic" as chafing under authority and/or generally not caring about restrictions. I do not expect a PC to behave as though he is possessed by Rovagug, so if you play Chaotic (particularly CN), be sure to tone it to this level. Likewise, you can be "evil-ish," but we won't be murdering children or otherwise vehemently evil (and inappropriate to the forum) acts.
Race: Core, Featured, and Uncommon races only, as listed on the d20PFSRD.
Class: Any Paizo. uRogue and uSummoner are the new trends, uBarbarian and uMonk are at your choice. Any archetype. Fractional Bonuses will be in effect when/if you choose to multiclass. No ABP, No Variant Multiclassing, No Words of Power or other alternate methods of casting aside from what is presented directly in a class.
Skills: Background skills are in effect, minus Lore.
Feats: No Sacred Geometry or Blood Money. This list is subject to increase if I find something I've forgotten.
Traits: 3, one of which must be from the Player's Guide. No Rich Parents; if you take the "Boarded" option that gives 200gp, this gold can only be spent on "mundane items," which do not include potions, scrolls, or weapons and armor. May take 1 drawback for an extra trait.
Max HP at 1, we'll use half+1 after that. 200 starting gold.
NO 3PP, NO Homebrew, NO Exceptions.
Background:
This is a level one start, so you likely haven't done much before now. However, I find a well-thought background makes it easier to act as the PC, and in a PbP RP, "being" your character is nearly the most important aspect. I don't have any particular requirements, other than I expect to have a good idea of who your character is from reading this. Your traits, alignment, and mechanical choices, however, should all be reflected in your history, so provide me as much as it takes.
In addition to your character, please also post a roleplay sample, either from a former/ongoing campaign or new one generated specifically for this.
You are free to make your character in whatever engine you choose, but I want your statistics to appear on-site. Take a look at one of my aliases-
-for a good idea of how I'd like yours to look. It doesn't have to be exact. Dividing individual sections into spoilers makes, for me, a much cleaner read.
I have a particular post style I like as well, and feel that if everyone posts in the same manner, there will be fewer instances of confusion. If you're accepted into the campaign, please be willing to format your posts in this fashion:
”GM Barrister” wrote:
This text describes GM Barrister's actions, emotions, reactions, and quirks.
”This is GM Barrister's speech, in Common.” Name of Any Other Language: “This is GM Barrister's speech in the named language.” ”These are GM Barrister's thoughts.” ”This is GM Barrister saying Cure Light Wounds, and then saying something else.” ”This is GM Barrister using Telepathy.”
Checks/OOC:
Hiding dice rolls-
Prof:Barrister:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (17) + 20 = 37
-and Out of Character comments behind a spoiler keeps Gameplay clean and our heads in our characters.
Remember: a round does not occur in a turn order. Everything that every NPC and PC does happens simultaneously in a span of six seconds. I will roll Initiative and pre-combat checks for the PCs and NPCs in the GM post, as well as NPC actions and checks. Players will then post their actions and checks, and I'll follow up with a recap of the round and we'll go on.
As much as I like to hear myself talk, I don't like to read my own typing; in the Discussion tab, I've provided convenient links to all of the Skills. Check the common DCs, and then preview your rolls to see if you've accomplished this before you compose the actions of your posts.
Yes, I want you to preview. The Gameplay thread should read like a story, and the narrative is interrupted when checks are independent of the flavor. I realize that means people can cheat; those whose enjoyment of the game is based so narrowly on being the best will do it regardless. Please don't cheat.
Please post your entries below, along with any questions/comments/concerns.
Welcome to GM Barrister's recruitment for the Serpent's Skull AP Gestalt. As there was a heap of interest generated with the check, I will be running this version, as well as a non-gestalt version, found here.
Recruitment runs until 13-Feb, and I'll pick the players on the 14th, when we'll promptly start.
About the GM:
I have been playing table-tops for around sixteen years, starting with 3.0 and moving through to PF. I was fairly active in PbP on the old WotC site as well as Enworld and a few others for about ten of those years, and had home games, D&D Encounters, and smattering of other d20 systems for seven years. I enjoy the mechanical aspects of gameplay, but take greater interest in the roleplay.
I know there are qualms about someone new to the boards hosting a full-length AP; two at once is just ridiculous. But if taken as individuals, removing the fluff, new monster stat blocks, and quirky other materials from the books, the adventure itself is quite small. PbP slows down the pace quite a bit, and for me, that is advantageous to running the campaign, as I have far more time to figure out what is going on than in real time at the table.
There is also the matter of commitment, but it falls on both player and GM. Having little history with the site, neither could prove themselves reliable, other than by being so. I won't be looking your profiles or post count when making my decision on who participates.
I will be accepting 3 PCs for this version, and 4-5 for the other. You are welcome to apply to both, but no one will be selected for more than one; if you choose to make a character for each, please note if you have a preference for either game. I would also prefer players who have not yet had the opportunity to run the AP, so please note if you have done it before in your application. I won't necessarily base the decision of who is accepted on this, and I appreciate honesty.
Crunch:
Point Buy: 25; no stats below 10 before racial mods.
Alignment: Any non-Evil. However, bear in mind that I view "Chaotic" as chafing under authority and/or generally not caring about restrictions. I do not expect a PC to behave as though he is possessed by Rovagug, so if you play Chaotic (particularly CN), be sure to tone it to this level. Likewise, you can be "evil-ish," but we won't be murdering children or otherwise vehemently evil (and inappropriate to the forum) acts.
Race: Core, Featured, and Uncommon races only, as listed on the d20PFSRD.
Class: Any Paizo. uRogue and uSummoner are the new trends, uBarbarian and uMonk are at your choice. Any archetype; ask me if you see something that doesn't make sense in a gestalt, and we can work out what to do about it. Fractional Bonuses will be in effect when/if you choose to multiclass. No ABP, No Variant Multiclassing, No Words of Power or other alternate methods of casting aside from what is presented directly in a class.
Skills: Background skills are in effect, minus Lore.
Feats: No Sacred Geometry or Blood Money. This list is subject to increase if I find something I've forgotten.
Traits: 2, one of which must be from the Player's Guide. No Rich Parents; if you take the "Boarded" option that gives 200gp, this gold can only be spent on "mundane items," which do not include potions, scrolls, or weapons and armor. No Drawbacks.
Max HP at 1, we'll use half+1 after that. 150 starting gold.
NO 3PP, NO Homebrew, NO Exceptions.
Background:
This is a level one start, so you likely haven't done much before now. However, I find a well-thought background makes it easier to act as the PC, and in a PbP RP, "being" your character is nearly the most important aspect. I don't have any particular requirements, other than I expect to have a good idea of who your character is from reading this. Your traits, alignment, and mechanical choices, however, should all be reflected in your history, so provide me as much as it takes.
In addition to your character, please also post a roleplay sample, either from a former/ongoing campaign or new one generated specifically for this.
You are free to make your character in whatever engine you choose, but I want your statistics to appear on-site. Take a look at one of my aliases-
-for a good idea of how I'd like yours to look. It doesn't have to be exact, but as that one makes clear (and other examples {complete ones, too; I never finished her, so pardon the mess} probably do even more so), higher level gestalts have a lot of information. Dividing individual sections into spoilers makes, for me, a much cleaner read.
I have a particular post style I like as well, and feel that if everyone posts in the same manner, there will be fewer instances of confusion. If you're accepted into the campaign, please be willing to format your posts in this fashion:
”GM Barrister” wrote:
This text describes GM Barrister's actions, emotions, reactions, and quirks.
”This is GM Barrister's speech, in Common.” Name of Any Other Language: “This is GM Barrister's speech in the named language.” ”These are GM Barrister's thoughts.” ”This is GM Barrister saying Cure Light Wounds, and then saying something else.” ”This is GM Barrister using Telepathy.”
Checks/OOC:
Hiding dice rolls-
Prof:Barrister:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (19) + 20 = 39
-and Out of Character comments behind a spoiler keeps Gameplay clean and our heads in our characters.
Remember: a round does not occur in a turn order. Everything that every NPC and PC does happens simultaneously in a span of six seconds. I will roll Initiative and pre-combat checks for the PCs and NPCs in the GM post, as well as NPC actions and checks. Players will then post their actions and checks, and I'll follow up with a recap of the round and we'll go on.
As much as I like to hear myself talk, I don't like to read my own typing; in the Discussion tab, I've provided convenient links to all of the Skills. Check the common DCs, and then preview your rolls to see if you've accomplished this before you compose the actions of your posts.
Yes, I want you to preview. The Gameplay thread should read like a story, and the narrative is interrupted when checks are independent of the flavor. I realize that means people can cheat; those whose enjoyment of the game is based so narrowly on being the best will do it regardless. Please don't cheat.
Please post your entries below, along with any questions/comments/concerns.
This will be the OOC discussion thread for the campaign, however there are some examples I wanted in an easily-available location. Please utilize the existing DCs for things you try to do, unless I give you a specific DC otherwise.
Here is a quick reference for all skills, useful for assigning your own DCs.
This will be the OOC discussion thread for the campaign, however there are some examples I wanted in an easily-available location. Please utilize the existing DCs for things you try to do, unless I give you a specific DC otherwise.
Here is a quick reference for all skills, useful for assigning your own DCs.
The land rush is on! Sent south by Brevoy, the heroes have the unenviable task of venturing into the infamous Stolen Lands and annexing the territory, facing down monsters, bandits, and worse. It's hard enough to conquer territory—but does a ragtag band of adventures have what it takes to found and defend a burgeoning kingdom from the terrors of the wild?
Is what it says. I'll probabaly start in about a month, possibly sooner if there's sufficient interest and I can get all of Soul's ready to go.
I have the AP on paper, and without shredding my copies I don't have an easy way to get the maps on a site. I'll probably draw up something simple for combat encounters (think X's and lines). If I have enough in the entertainment budget and I like how everything goes, I might just swing for the PDFs; if not, consider it "theater of the mind."
Thinking 25 PB, gestalt. No variant multiclassing, automatic bonus progression, or Occult Adventures materials. Background skills would be okay, but let's leave out Lore. Artistry is fine; Bob Dylan put plenty of points in that, but not quite enough into Perform...
No 3PP, no homebrew. Not sure on races; this in an interest check though so I'd say it's okay for now, but I'm leaning to Core only. I'll probably hand pick a few extras that I'll allow between now and the actual recruitment thread.
Probably 3 players since it'd be gestalt. Posts every 1-2 days, again I'll make it more clear on the actual recruitment, but I won't go below one post/2 days barring RL incursions.
If there's super, super interest, I could possibly run 2 concurrently; wouldn't have to do a terrible amount extra if it's the same AP.
Everything else is pre-made, so I think I got everything covered.
Oh, and my personal preference is for players who have not done the AP. I'm not a fan of people replaying things they've run to death, as it gets increasingly difficult for said people to mitigate metagaming and stay IC. Having played it before isn't an auto-exclusion, but my preference stands.
This will be the OOC discussion thread for the campaign. There are some examples I wanted in an easily-available location, as I'm going to be using the Campaign tab as a running commentary from the "hosts."
Here is a quick reference for all skills, useful for assigning your own DCs.
Acrobatics - 10(DC)F Appraise - XF Bluff - F Climb - 10(DC)F Craft - XF Diplomacy - (DC)
Disable Device - (DC)
Disguise - 10F Escape Artist - (DC)F Fly - (DC)F Handle Animal - XF Heal - (DC)
Intimidate - (DC)
Knowledge - 10(DC)F Linguistics - 10(DC)F Perception - (DC)
Perform - XF Profession - (DC)F Ride - F Sense Motive - (DC)
Sleight of Hand - 10(DC)F Spellcraft - (DC)
Stealth - (DC)F Survival - (DC)F Swim - 10(DC)F Use Magic Device - (DC)
__________________________________________________________________________
10 - PCs may "Take 10" on this skill when not in combat.
(DC) - I will provide a DC for all instances of this skill, except as noted under F.
X - This skill will have no applicable in-game use (Exception: Handle Animal if you bring a companion).
F - PCs are welcome to take liberties with this skill in RP and fluff situations. Check the DCs under the skill in question, and if it is an achievable result (i.e. your mod is +15 and the DC is 30, but not if your mod is +2 and the DC is 25), feel free to RP as though successful. Anyone abusing this will have their "License to Fluff" suspended.
Non-Combat NPCs
Shopkeepers, bartenders and the like are all off-limits for character interaction; that is, PCs should consider them akin to video game NPCs. They will serve you drinks as you please, provide you with merchandise, but will not otherwise engage or interact with players in any way. If you find yourselves in a tavern, it's up to you to have the barkeep get your ale, or for the saucy wench to slap you as you make a pass at her. This works both ways as well, and PCs are free to search rooms, cast spells, and other actions typically considered inappropriate given RL-personas to NPCs, without interference or penalty. I value RP, please make some use out of your environment, and remember, this is reality TV!
The Following Six Posts
...are examples of how I intend to run rounds, and what I would like to see from each PC; I hope to also illustrate exactly what I mean by "assign your own DC". This alias is the GM, and Al Harrington is an NPC. The remaining three aliases represent PCs. Ignore their stats, I didn't want to make new ones just for this example.
Legends abound of the games of the Fae, where mortal and God alike are oft playthings for the Lords of the First. Despite the numerous claims, few manage to show any proof, relegating these stories to wife's tales and the delusions of Gnomes. But this realm is real, and the court of a wicked prince, in their desperation to assuage his boredom, have select people from across Golarion to play in a game for his amusement...
Hello, and welcome to the recruitment thread for "The Gauntlet of Demesne." This is my first attempt at running a PbP Campaign, and as many of the experienced GMs on here have noted, it is best for all involved if I start with something small.
In this campaign, twelve* contestants are selected from across the world; brought to a strange locale via powerful magic, the PCs have no previous knowledge of each other, and come from a variety of backgrounds. After the introductions, the party is faced with a series of challenges of increasing difficulties; these will be as varied as outright combat, Diplo-mancy, and RP interactions involving no mechanical aspects at all. Each "round," a number of contestants will be eliminated, until ultimately only one remains to claim the grand prize.
Yes, PCs will be leaving the party at regular intervals; death is not always the cause (and when it is, the contestant is revived before being removed from the game), and so your hard work at creation doesn't result in a dead end, but perhaps an interesting bit of backstory when you pick up that character again.
I will handle this via random roll in the Discussion tab. PCs will be listed in no particular order, and an hour later I will make another post containing the roll. This will only apply if a PC is not killed or otherwise removed during the round. I will then post in the Gameplay thread detailing how the PCs who are being eliminated meet their fate.
*The Introductory round will eliminate four "GMPCs" from the game. I am only looking for eight PC contestants. However, if there is sufficient interest, and you would like to submit a PC to the "First Four," feel free to do so; just make sure you note that you understand you will be eliminated immediately. We can also work together on some quirky method of your death!
"Rounds" of the game are delineated in the following spoiler:
Campaign Timeline:
17/Jan-30/Jan - This is now. Recruitment/Questions. I will select the players on 31/Jan, who may then make their introduction in the Campaign tab.
1/Feb-7/Feb - Introductions. Free-form RP, wherein the PCs get to know one another and examine their surroundings in a mechanically-lax fashion. This is where the "First Four" will be eliminated. Also, consider the campaign "reality-TV" for the First World; PCs should plot to make alliances, feign friendships, and all of that cheese.
8/Feb-22/Feb - The First Round. No spoilers, but expect your fairly-standard encounter. Two PCs will be eliminated this round, unless more actively get themselves killed.
23/Feb-29/Feb - The Second Round, pt. 1. The remaining 6 will be split in two, each group determined at random by me. They will then be placed in a new setting, and given time to rest.
1/Mar-14/Mar - The Second Round, pt. 2. Each group will have different tasks. One PC from each group will be eliminated.
15/Mar-21/Mar - Interim. Rest period for the PCs. They will also meet the Prince.
22/Mar-5/Apr - The Third Round. PCs will switch bodies with each other. This will involve a rather complicated process that I will detail in the Discussion tab. Please be aware of this, and if you are not interested in this unusual mechanic please do not enter the full contest.
6/Apr-24/Apr - The "Final" Round. There will have been instances up to now allowing for the PCs to attempt escape, or learn about what has happened to them. This round, you will interrupt the game and try to break free. At random intervals, two more PCs shall die.
25/Apr-End - This is the final bit, with the two remaining PCs deciding much of what happens and how long it takes. Perhaps one will walk away the victor after all?
Times subject to change based on active events.
I expect 1 post per day, minimum. During the free rounds, and especially the introductory round, I expect you to be as active as in the middle of combat. In fact, I would hope you would be more so (as schedules allow), since turn order is of less relevance. My ideal situation would be players able to make multiple posts per day, but I understand not everyone has that ability.
I like clean posts. For accepted players, please be willing to follow this format with your posts in the Gameplay tab:
IC Posts wrote:
This text describes GM Barrister's actions, emotions, reactions, and quirks.
"This is GM Barrister's speech, in Common." Name Of Any Other Language: "This is GM Barrister's speech in the named language." "These are GM Barrister's thoughts." "This is GM Barrister sayingCure Light Wounds,and then saying something else." "This is GM Barrister using Telepathy."
Checks/OOC:
This is where dice rolls:
Prof:Barrister:1d20 + 18 ⇒ (20) + 18 = 38
And Out Of Character comments go.
During immediate rounds of combat, I will be rolling initiatives and pre-combat checks. Outside of combat, I will likely ask the players to make certain checks. I would also prefer a minimal amount of OOC text in the Gameplay tab. Here's an example player post, following my request for Sense Motive, Know:Local, and Appraise Checks:
Character looked quizzically at the merchant; despite knowing nothing of the man's reputation, Character picked up on the subtle nuances of his sales pitch, and he recognized the merchant as a member of his own order.
"Friend, friend. I speak to you not as a customer, but as a traveler on the river of life. Objects come, and time shapes them into nothingness. Yet beyond each bend the river still flows, bringing new and luxurious delights with each passing day."
Sense Motive DC X:
Bluff Secret Message: Character conveys his membership in the Order of the Material Continuum successfully. He hopes the nearby constable is as dim as she appears.
I promote the use of preview to dictate your actions in regards to requested rolls. In the above example as well, Character interacted with the NPC in a way that mandated his own Bluff check; note how he included that roll in the first spoiler, and explained it in the latter. This speeds along the posting process, as I am able to respond directly through the NPC, rather than requiring multiple OOC posts to dictate actions and delaying the game.
If you're still with me, here are the character creation guidelines.
Crunch:
25 Point Buy. Max HP/lvl.
Level 5 Start, with standard WBL (crafters PM me).
Any Core Race, except Gnomes. They left the First World, and aren't welcome back.
Nothing from Occult Adventures. I'm sorry. Any other Core/Base/Alternate/Hybrid Paizo class is allowed. No 3PP. No Homebrew.
2 Traits, No Campaign. May take 1 Drawback. These must tie into your basic character backstory, described below.
Unchained classes at your option. No Downtime, Background Skills, Automatic Bonus Progression, or any of the other UC/Unchained material.
Cost to add spells to Spellbook= (spell level squared)x15 gp
Background: Obviously, you came from somewhere, and have done things before now. I expect a moderate level of detail to this, but it does not have to be a novel, and your character is more than welcome to be a crotchety hermit Alchemist who has done little but grow mold and blow up small forest animals. However, the traits and/or drawback you choose must be represented in some way through this background.
In addition to posting your crunch, please include a roleplay sample post, hidden behind a spoiler; this may be an existing post from an ongoing/former campaign, or you may generate one specific to this character.
Include with your character entry the minimum number of posts you are able to make in a day. Also, vote if this minimum should extend to weekends.
Please follow this format to answer:
Format:
Posts wrote:
Minimum/Day: X
Weekend Minimum Yes or No
Also, I will be hosting the maps on Roll20. You will need to make a free account in order to move your icons. Nothing else will take place there, and you're free to use the chat feature for OOC functions.
Quick Summary: Seeking 8 players for game. Recruitment ends 30/Jan. Quirky reality-show gauntlet of challenges for a Fae Prince.
I think I covered everything. Please post(preferred) or PM me any questions. Special thanks to Painlord for his PbP GM Guide!
Addendum: PCs will level up between rounds, starting with the First. You may plan a character accordingly, bearing in mind they may or may not last the round.
I would like to propose a Play-by-Post campaign wherein the PCs are all NPC-Expert classed. Located in Absalom (or a similarly large setting in a homebrew/other product); our "adventures" would include all the social interactions inherent with living in a city this size. Combat would not be entirely out of the question, but would obviously be minimal and low-tiered. We could even use a 20-Point Buy to give a little extra "umph" to our lacking combat mechanics.
I am looking to play, rather than GM.
My personal character would be focused on Profession (Barrister). Who needs to be a rules lawyer when you can be a lawyer within the rules!
In a run of Jade Regent, my party skipped around a bit; we had several new players, and everyone agreed this was the best way to go. The party that completed The Brinewall Legacy went no further in the campaign, but now that the group has gotten their teeth into the mechanical aspects, they want to go back and revisit the original, overly-complex-for-new-players PCs they had originally rolled, and we're advancing Golarion as though the entire AP had been completed.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?:
Now, these PCs are in the good graces of the Empress of Minkai, and she will gladly give them the ruins of her ancestral fortress town in Varisia. I'm wondering if this has happened to anyone else, and if so, how did you handle the rebuilding?
I'm far more a fan of the 3.something Stronghold Builders Guidebook that the materials presented by Paizo for this type of task. If the PF rules were in place, and the above applied, did it seem to work well? If it didn't apply, or didn't seem to run smoothly, do you see the validity (and mechanical wealth aspects) from the SBG meshing well with the PF system? Unusual magical devices aside or converted to meet modern spells.
I'd like some feedback on an archetype I've designed that switches the focus of the Ranger class to an animal trainer bend. I am particularly interested in balance issues. I'd also like general thoughts on the theme, and perhaps reordering some of the abilities.
Items in bold are new or modifications of existing class abilities. Items in italics are unchanged from the base Ranger.
Class Skills: Replace Knowledge (Dungeoneering) with Diplomacy.
Weapon and Armor: Gain proficiency with the whip, crook, mancatcher, bolas, lasso, and net, and lose proficiency with shields, except bucklers. Would also be willing to hand-pick some of the Martial weapons rather than giving all, if this seems like too many proficiencies.
Spells: "Orison-like" detailed below; I need a good name for this. Spell progression as normal. Replace Ranger spell list with Hunter spell list, all 1st-4th are known. Spells are spontaneous and Charisma-based; though not prepared, an hour of meditation on animal-like things is required to attune the Tamer each day, or maybe an hour spent grooming animals, or something like that. I'm not terribly concerned with the large number of spells at the disposal given how limited castings it gets, but I also wouldn't be averse to making a unique (and smaller) spell list for it; just didn't want to right off unless people felt it was an issue.
Class Levels:
1 = Track, Wild Empathy "Orison-like": Create Water, Detect Poison, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Read Magic, Spark at-will.
Natural Affinity: +2 bonus on all Handle Animal, Ride, and Knowledge (Nature) checks. - Replaces 1st Favored Enemy.
2 = Combat Style Feat: The Tamer can only choose from the Archery, Crossbow, and Mounted Combat styles.
3 = Expert Trainer: As the Cavalier class ability, but applies to any creature to which the Tamer can apply his Wild Empathy ability. - Replaces Endurance.
Tough Love: Gain the Enforcer and Bludgeoner feats, and you may use a wild empathy check to duplicate an Intimidate check rather than a Diplomacy check. - Replaces 1st Favored Terrain.
4 = Game Hunter: The Tamer gains +1d6 Sneak Attack, as the Rogue ability, at 4th level. The damage increases by +1d6 every 4 levels thereafter. - Replaces Hunter's Bond
5 = Improved Wild Empathy: At 5th level, the Tamer gains a +2 bonus on Wild Empathy checks. In addition, choose one of the following types of creatures: elementals, magical beasts, lycanthropes, plants, or vermin. The Tamer may influence that type of creature that has an Int < 3 with Wild Empathy (negating the -4 penalty vs magical beasts). The Tamer gains this ability again at 8th, 11th, 13th, and 17th levels; bonuses stack, but a new creature type must be chosen each time. Tamers may not gain the benefits of the Greater Wild Empathy feat from any source. - Replaces the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Favored Enemy and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Favored Terrain abilities.
6 = Combat Style Feat
7 = Woodland Stride <--Would like to change this, as thematically it doesn't fit, but I don't know what I'd replace it with. Maybe something Heal-related?
8 = Swift Tracker Game Hunter +2d6
Additional Improved Wild Empathy
9 = Evasion
10 = Combat Style Feat
11 = Additional Improved Wild Empathy Quarry: The Tamer gains this benefit only against creatures the Tamer can influence with the Wild Empathy ability.
12 = Game Hunter +3d6
Undetected: As Camouflage, but only against creatures the Tamer can influence with the Wild Empathy ability.
13 = Additional Improved Wild Empathy
14 = Combat Style Feat
15 = Gift of Sentience: Awaken as a Spell-Like Ability (At-Will or 1/day, same thing), can only be used on animals.
16 = Improved Evasion Game Hunter +4d6
17 = Additional Improved Wild Empathy Animal Form: At 17th level, the Tamer gains the ability to assume the form of any animal of Diminutive to Large size, three times per day. The ability functions as Beast Shape III, except as noted here. The effect lasts 1 hour for every 2 levels of Tamer, or until voluntarily ended. Changing form is a standard action and doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. The form chosen can be any animal the Tamer is familiar with. A Tamer loses the ability to speak while in animal form, being limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as the new form. This is a Supernatural ability. - Replaces Hide in Plain Sight.
18 = Combat Style Feat
19 = Improved Quarry - As normal, but modified as the new Quarry.
20 = Game Hunter +5d6
Master Hunter: Always move at full speed while using Survival to follow tracks without penalty. Standard action, make a single attack against his quarry at his full attack bonus; if the attack hits, the target takes damage normally, and must make a Fortitude save (DC 20 + Charisma modifier) or take an amount of nonlethal damage equal to its current hit points. A successful save negates the nonlethal damage, but not the initial damage. The Tamer can use this ability once per day against each creature type they are able to influence through their Wild Empathy ability, but not against the same creature more than once in a 24-hour period.
Special thanks to the people of /r/Pathfinder_RPG who've helped me define it so far. And additional thanks to the people here!
I'd like some feedback on an archetype I've designed that switches the focus of the Ranger class to an animal trainer bend. I am particularly interested in balance issues. I'd also like general thoughts on the theme, and perhaps reordering some of the abilities.
Items in bold are new or modifications of existing class abilities. Items in italics are unchanged from the base Ranger.
Class Skills: Replace Knowledge (Dungeoneering) with Diplomacy.
Weapon and Armor: Gain proficiency with the whip, crook, mancatcher, bolas, lasso, and net, and lose proficiency with shields, except bucklers. Would also be willing to hand-pick some of the Martial weapons rather than giving all, if this seems like too many proficiencies.
Spells: "Orison-like" detailed below; I need a good name for this. Spell progression as normal. Replace Ranger spell list with Hunter spell list, all 1st-4th are known. Spells are spontaneous and Charisma-based; though not prepared, an hour of meditation on animal-like things is required to attune the Tamer each day, or maybe an hour spent grooming animals, or something like that. I'm not terribly concerned with the large number of spells at the disposal given how limited castings it gets, but I also wouldn't be averse to making a unique (and smaller) spell list for it; just didn't want to right off unless people felt it was an issue.
Class Levels:
1 = Track, Wild Empathy "Orison-like": Create Water, Detect Poison, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Read Magic, Spark at-will.
Natural Affinity: +2 bonus on all Handle Animal, Ride, and Knowledge (Nature) checks. - Replaces 1st Favored Enemy.
2 = Combat Style: The Tamer can only choose from the Archery, Crossbow, and Mounted Combat styles.
3 = Expert Trainer: As the Cavalier class ability, but applies to any creature to which the Tamer can apply his Wild Empathy ability. - Replaces Endurance.
Tough Love: Gain the Enforcer and Bludgeoner feats, and you may use a wild empathy check to duplicate an Intimidate check rather than a Diplomacy check. - Replaces 1st Favored Terrain.
4 = Game Hunter: The Tamer gains +1d6 Sneak Attack, as the Rogue ability, at 4th level. The damage increases by +1d6 every 4 levels thereafter. - Replaces Hunter's Bond
5 = Improved Wild Empathy: At 5th level, the Tamer gains a +2 bonus on Wild Empathy checks. In addition, choose one of the following types of creatures: elementals, magical beasts, lycanthropes, plants, or vermin. The Tamer may influence that type of creature that has an Int < 3 with Wild Empathy (negating the -4 penalty vs magical beasts). The Tamer gains this ability again at 8th, 11th, 13th, and 17th levels; bonuses stack, but a new creature type must be chosen each time. Tamers may not gain the benefits of the Greater Wild Empathy feat from any source. - Replaces the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Favored Enemy and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Favored Terrain abilities.
6 = Combat Style Feat
7 = Woodland Stride
8 = Swift Tracker Game Hunter +2d6
Additional Improved Wild Empathy
9 = Evasion
10 = Combat Style Feat
11 = Additional Improved Wild Empathy Quarry: The Tamer gains this benefit only against creatures the Tamer can influence with the Wild Empathy ability.
12 = Game Hunter +3d6
Undetected: As Camouflage, but only against creatures the Tamer can influence with the Wild Empathy ability.
13 = Additional Improved Wild Empathy
14 = Combat Style Feat
15 = Gift of Sentience: Awaken as a Spell-Like Ability (At-Will or 1/day, same thing), can only be used on animals.
16 = Improved Evasion Game Hunter +4d6
17 = Additional Improved Wild Empathy Animal Form: At 17th level, the Tamer gains the ability to assume the form of any animal of Diminutive to Large size, three times per day. The ability functions as Beast Shape III, except as noted here. The effect lasts 1 hour for every 2 levels of Tamer, or until voluntarily ended. Changing form is a standard action and doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. The form chosen can be any animal the Tamer is familiar with. A Tamer loses the ability to speak while in animal form, being limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as the new form. This is a Supernatural ability. - Replaces Hide in Plain Sight.
18 = Combat Style Feat
19 = Improved Quarry - As normal, but modified as the new Quarry.
20 = Game Hunter +5d6
Master Hunter: Always move at full speed while using Survival to follow tracks without penalty. Standard action, make a single attack against his quarry at his full attack bonus; if the attack hits, the target takes damage normally, and must make a Fortitude save (DC 20 + Charisma modifier) or take an amount of nonlethal damage equal to its current hit points. A successful save negates the nonlethal damage, but not the initial damage. The Tamer can use this ability once per day against each creature type they are able to influence through their Wild Empathy ability, but not against the same creature more than once in a 24-hour period.
Special thanks to the people at /r/Pathfinder_RPG for help getting to this point. And to those here!
So, I'm writing a series of stories, set in Golarion under (mostly) PF rules; the characters are largely gestalt, but I'm classing them more for thematic purposes than solely min-maxed. I have a few ideas I want to throw out here and get some advice on; I'd prefer them to work, in addition to holding to a theme.
The star is a Fighter-Magus (no archetypes), at least until he hits 7 and then Magus may become something else, not sure yet. Don't really feel like this guy needs work.
I have a half-Drow Sound Striker Bard-Vivisectionist/Internal Alchemist, functioning out of combat as a courtesan-spy. Figured I'd feat her with the Whip Mastery line to make her somewhat combat useful; I would appreciate other ideas, as I want to keep her classes but she's rather encounter-stupid if she doesn't initiate it.
Next is a Vudrani Were-Ape Monk-Magus. I'm not sure on the Magus bit, I feel like it could be better served as a different class, but I do like the idea of gorilla-slapping with spells. Haven't archetyped him yet, and would appreciate thoughts on that.
Lastly, I have a Dwarf Spellslinger Wizard-Hunter, possibly Packmaster but unclear on that. He's where I'm getting stuck. I love the Spellslinger, and don't want to change it much, but his second class is throwing me off. I say Hunter now, but I have also considered Slayer, Ranger, and (possibly my new choice) Eldritch Archer Magus. I feel like Spellslinger and Eldritch Archer makes one hella-beefy gun, but I'm also having some difficulty reconciling why he'd choose those paths rather than fully studying both, or going straight wizard-gunslinger.
In addition, I'm also looking for missing bits for the party, as well as fun little ideas for other characters. The main argument I'd have against some ideas is time; how do these people have the time to learn a Gestalt sum of class features? For example, the Drow has been in possession of a Ring of Sustenance since she was 12, and is now in her 30s. The Dwarf is older, and it doesn't much matter if he goes Spellslinger-Eldritch Archer, since after a fashion those are the same thing.
The entry for this ability states, among other things, that the Archer can choose to use a bow to Feint in combat. It also states that using a bow for various combat maneuvers is at a -4 CMB. Feint is not technically a combat maneuver, and doesn't use CMB. Does the -4 penalty apply to the Bluff check for success, or is Feint unpenalized?
