So I'm starting a Reign of Winter AP campaign as a player and one of the newer players wants to play a "judo druid." What he means is that he wants to be able to grapple and trip stuff as a bear, and he really love playing monks. How would you build a judo druid to complement the following party:
Halfling Paladin (Oath of Vengeance/Sacred Servant)
Sylph Wizard (Wind Listener)
Human Oracle of Lore
Right now my current thoughts are Str/Wis based character that is either monk1/druidx or monk4/druidx with Shaping Focus feat, with the monk part being maneuver master. Normally I would recommend straight druid, but I think we're doing fine in the casting department.
Is there any thoughts on how I would build a character like this that would be effective for the majority of levels?
Isn't the existence of an additional document more bookworky for the online gm? Before it was: "Okay, what did you buy and what did you sell? I'll note it down on your sheet" to "also, send me your ITS sheet. Oh, you're emailing me a photocopy of your ITS because you play both online and offline? Okay guess I have to print out the sheet, initial it, scan it, then send it back to you."
This also means the player will have to print out a new ITS sheet to bring to their next offline game.
Isn't the existence of an additional document more bookworky for the online gm? Before it was: "Okay, what did you buy and what did you sell? I'll note it down on your sheet" to "also, send me your ITS sheet. Oh, you're emailing me a photocopy of your ITS because you play both online and offline? Okay guess I have to print out the sheet, initial it, scan it, then send it back to you."
This also means the player will have to print out a new ITS sheet to bring to their next offline game.
Except the size of the whirlwind is still not clear.
You can go, hey that whirlwind looks pretty huge! Therefore its huge size category! But the rules don't support that.
When you turn into a whirlwind, you have a 5ft base. When you move around on the ground, only people touching that 5 ft has to make a check. The size categories tells us nothing about what to categorize something that has a different size at every height level.
But I can see you won't accept that, so lets argue what I think the designers intended with two links:
At 2nd level, a Master of Storms becomes a physical embodiment of the fury of the storm. As a standard action, she can transform herself into a whirlwind (as whirlwind universal monster ability) for a number of minutes per day equal to her class level. This time need not be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments.
As a swift action, the Master of Storms can change the height of her whirlwind form from a minimum of 10 feet tall to a maximum of 20 feet tall.
At 4th level, and again every two levels thereafter, the maximum height of the whirlwind increases by 10 feet, to a maximum of 60 feet tall at 10th level. If the Master of Storms is underwater when she uses this ability, she instead transforms into a vortex of the same size (this functions identically to the whirlwind ability, but can form only underwater and can't leave the water). The Master of Storms can breathe water while in vortex form. If the Master of Storms does not possess a fly or swim speed, she gains one (as appropriate to her new form) equal to her base land speed when in storm shape. With a fly speed, she has average maneuverability.
The Master of Storms can damage and trap Small or smaller creatures caught in her whirlwind, dealing lethal damage equal to her unarmed strike damage to each one that fails a Reflex save (DC 10 + the Master of Storms's class level + the Master of Storms's Strength modifier) and lifting it into the air if it fails a second Reflex save.
At 4th level, and again every two levels thereafter, the size of creatures the Master of Storms can affect increases by one step, to a maximum of Huge at 8th level.
Here, the master of storm can start off turning into 20ft tall whirlwind. But by your interpretation of the rules, you should be able to pick up medium sized creature, except that they can only start off by trapping small or small sized creature, because he's medium sized. He gains a special ability added on that lets me pick up bigger creatures as he gains levels.
Now here's a link to the old version of air elemental, all the way back in 3.5
Creatures one or more size categories smaller than the elemental might take damage when caught in the whirlwind (see the table below for details) and may be lifted into the air.
Now, maybe Paizo just wanted to buff air elementals. Or maybe this was a consequence of them wanting to move abilities to the universal special ability section by copy pasting the 3.5 entry and removing references to specific creatures.
Now with those two links, coupled with the fact that whirlwind doesn't state it increases the size category, I think its a safe bet to say that the size category of the whirlwind is dependent on the person who's creating it.
In the same row it says the space is 10ft, and "typically" 8-16' tall.
The whirlwind has a 5ft base.
Therefore, its not defined.
Edit: Also, the weight of the whirlwind is not defined.
Edit 2: A large air elemental weighs 4 pounds. Does that mean its tiny? If that air elemental turns into a whirlwind, its still 4 pounds. Its also 40ft tall. If you look at that table, it means it can belong in two different size categories. Which one is it?
EDIT: ACtually this mmake doubt, does the monk uses his actual BAB for Power attack or does he uses his FoB BAB??
There is nothing stopping Monks from combining Power Attack with FoB. It's one of the few things that actually increase their damage in a significant way.
Not combining, i am talking about hte modifiers. FOr a 10th level monk using FoB it is -2/+4 or -3/+6??
Sequence:
A and B start 10' apart.
B announces the 5' step.
A's readied action goes off and he steps 5' away. A is now 15' away from B.
B performs his 5' step. He is now 10' away from A.
Since they were never adjacent Step Up never comes into play.
- Gauss
I think that would depend on how you define on approach in this case :P.
Anyways, thanks for the AoO clarification. I guess the person that told me was wrong.
Does an Oracle with sidestep secret lose dodge AC and reflex when suffering from dex damage?
I would rule it as no, even though dex damage applies a penalty rather than change a stat.
Gordon Pang wrote:
Does an orc with orc ferocity get knocked unconscious if their current health is below their nonlethal damage taken? Do they get knocked unconscious if their health is below 0 nonlethal damage?
Orcs's ferocity's intention seems to be to be able to continue fighting even when damage would've caused them to fall unconscious. So I say that they should still be able to fight.
Gordon Pang wrote:
If you ready an action to lunge and attack, and you lunge on your opponent's turn, when does the lunge 5ft range increase end?
Seems like lunge is treated as an offensive feat rather than a defensive one, so I'll have to say that the lunge increase ends after you take your readied action.
Gordon Pang wrote:
Can you use reposition combat maneuver to essentially position your allies to more strategic locations? What about drag? Bull rush? Does the movement provoke AoO?
Can you designate an ally as a foe for your turn? Can the "foe" let him automatically succeed? This happened to me once as a GM and I let my players do it (unconscious guy was next to 4 burning skeletons). I'd probably not let my players do it if they start cheesing it.
Gordon Pang wrote:
If someone provokes AoO, and they use an action (such as trip) that provokes an AoO, does that AoO provoke an AoO?
I'll admit I put this in here because I heard that an AoO doesn't provoke an AoO but never found the ruling. So I go with no, an AoO doesn't provoke an AoO.
Gordon Pang wrote:
If person A readies an action to 5 foot step away from person B on approach, and person B (with Step Up) 5 foot steps closer to person A, does person B gain an additional 5 foot step upon triggering person A's readied action?
Rule says you can never take more than one 5-foot step a round, and nothing in step up says you can do otherwise. But step up seems to implies it takes the 5 foot step action of your next round, so I'll allow it.
Alright, so I've been playing Pathfinder for a while, and I've collected a whole bunch of rule interaction that doesn't make much sense in certain situations. So my question is how would you guys rule the following situations if it came up during play?
Does an Oracle with sidestep secret lose dodge AC and reflex when suffering from dex damage?
Does an orc with orc ferocity get knocked unconscious if their current health is below their nonlethal damage taken? Do they get knocked unconscious if their health is below 0 nonlethal damage?
If you ready an action to lunge and attack, and you lunge on your opponent's turn, when does the lunge 5ft range increase end?
Can you use reposition combat maneuver to essentially position your allies to more strategic locations? What about drag? Bull rush? Does the movement provoke AoO?
If someone provokes AoO, and they use an action (such as trip) that provokes an AoO, does that AoO provoke an AoO?
If person A readies an action to 5 foot step away from person B on approach, and person B (with Step Up) 5 foot steps closer to person A, does person B gain an additional 5 foot step upon triggering person A's readied action?
Feel free to add your own weird rule interactions and see how others would rule it!
I think there should be an HD or CR limit by your level for bought animals. A buddy of mine has a combat ram at level 1 and I don't think that's overly game breaking to the point where the GM has to play "Ah hah! Gotcha!" with the handle animal rules. Similarly, I can see a level 5 character using a bison and not overpower the encounters.
The ability to buy stronger mounts are needed because there are classes that are mounted combatants that don't get access to special mounts without multi-classing, like the Sohei.
That's a shame. I was hoping to use it in PFS to save any potentially grappled party members, so I have to go by RAW. At least I can give everyone at the table an amusing image of two guys grappling each other from 10 feet away.
Benefit: When you hit a creature your size or smaller with a two-handed weapon attack modified by the Power Attack feat, you can choose to push the target 5 feet directly away from you instead of dealing the extra damage from Power Attack. If you score a critical hit, you can instead push the target 10 feet directly away from you. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunities, and the target must end this move in a safe space it can stand in. You choose which effect to apply after the attack roll has been made, but before the damage is rolled.
Lets say medium monster A is grappling party member B.
If I use Pushing Assault to move A such that A is no longer adjacent to B, which of the following happens?:
1. The grapple ends
2. B is moved to be adjacent to A
3. A and B is no longer adjacent, but they still have the grappled condition.
I would call this character Taz. Agghauouthppppb! *spinning wildly*
That's the image I have in mind when I was thinking up this character :P
Now if only I can somehow gain more natural attacks, like growing a tail or a horn.
StreamOfTheSky wrote:
I think with all the massive penalties you're eating, you'd want to have some source of bonus damage like sneak attack to make it worthwhile, though. If you did do this, you'd want Multiattack feat ASAP.
Multiattack is definately on the list of feats to get. I plan to stay relevant damage wise through ranger favored enemies. At higher levels, I can use instant enemy to greatly boost up my damage.
As an added bonus, the extremely expensive Amulet of Might Fists would actually be viable!
The only problem is damage reduction, which I'm still trying to find a solution for.
Note that one of the two kicks is off-hand and therefore is only 1d3+2 unless you take double slice.
So...
+5 kick (1d3+4)
+5 kick (1d3+2)
+2 claw/claw/bite (1d4+2)
After checking the math, it looks like you're right!
Just like to point out a slight error. You can only take Combat Trick once unless you have Swashbuckler as one of your variants (which you can, because I'm not sure what having Rake does for your build, unless you're going for shatter defenses of course). Correct me if I'm missing anything about your build.
Interesting build that guarantees a sneak attack every time as long as there's no concealment!
So I'm guessing the average damage is 1d10+3+9+5d6 = 35 damage.
Now lets create this hypothetical feat that gives Dex instead of Str for damage. To balance it, you can never go above 1x dex damage(for example, due to 2handing). Lets set this damage as precise damage that does not multiply on a critical hit.
If we allowed this hypothetical feat, your damage would instead do 1d10+6+9+5d6 = 38 damage. On crits, it would do 2d10+6+18+5d6.
Against a creature with any kind of concealment (like say, dim light which grants 20% concealment), it would do 1d10+3+9 = 17.5 damage. To solve this, you need to take the feat Shadow Strike.
A Fighter with the Two-Handed variant would do, with the same weapon and 22 STR, 1d10+12+12+2 = 31.5 damage. Adding in something simple, like weapon spec and weapon spec, greater, you get 35.5 damage. So the rogue build with this hypothetical DEX damage feat would do 3.5 damage more than the fighter on single attacks (but a lot less in dim light unless you take Shadow Strike). Not bad for the STR Fighter considering that he has at least 8 more feats to take.
Benefit: You can use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on damage rolls. You do not gain 1.5x damage if you two hand a weapon. When using your Dexterity modifier in this way, the damage is considered precision damage and does not multiply on a critical hit.
I'm mentioning the Dice difference because they already have different equipment. Just like your dex fighter is wouldn't logically be wearing +2 Full Plate, the Str fighter won't be wielding a rapier.
Also, now you're using a build which specifically favors Dex based characters. We can do that for STR too, with the aforementioned two handed builds, both using the Two-Handed Fighter Variant.
Level 11:
Str based 2 Handed would use a generic Great Sword.
Dex based 2 Handed would use a Elven Curve Blade since that's the only two handed Dex based core weapon available.
Right off the bat, you need 2 feats for this build. We'll ignore agile maneuvers for now, as that's not necessary at all for this build to function as a damage dealer.
According to the class features, you gain double STR damage on when making single attacks, and double STR damage on all attacks after the first on full attacks. Therefore, Dex would get +10 to damage while Str would get +18 normally and +21 on those common occurrences. In a full attack, if everything hits, we get a difference of 22 damage.
The elven curve blade would be doing 1d10 while the great sword does 2d6 damage, so that's a difference of 1.5 damage per swing. So taking that into account, if all three attacks hit, you get a difference of 26.5 damage.
As for armour, since you don't have armour training anymore, you'll have a +2 Leather Armour on the Dex build and a +2 Full Plate on the Str build. That's a difference of 2 AC in favor of the Str build.
To make use of the level 11 ability, Piledriver (free combat maneuver on single hits), he'll have to take Agile Maneuvers, making a third feat tax.
So the Dex based fighter would get +5 init, +5 reflex, better Touch AC over the Str fighter.
The Str based fighter would get +11 more damage (on single attacks), +2 AC, better Flat Footed AC, and 3 extra feats to play around with. (or 2 if the Dex based fighter doesn't care about Piledriver)
Now for ranged attack, the Str based would have -5 to attack, +5 to damage compared to the Dex based build.
I realize this isn't a fair comparison for the Dex character, but neither was yours for the Str character.
Level 11 Finesse Build
22 DEX, 13 STR, Belt of DEX +4, Weapon Finesse, Power Attack, Mithril Fullplate:
26 AC
+7 Reflex
+7 Initiative
+4 Hit
+7 Damage
How are you calculating 26 AC anyways? Armour gives 9 + 3 dex mod = 12 from armour and dodge, so 10 + 12 = 22 AC. And the dice damage would also make the str do +1 more damage. You also have a difference of 5 to combat maneuvers unless you take a feat tax.
Though, to be honest, at level 11 both those damage looks pretty bad as a CR 11 monster has an average of 145 Hit Points.
I believe the advantage of STR is that is can reach a much higher damage than DEX to be relevant in battle.
Compare a two handed str build to a two handed dex build, for instance.
I'd like to point out that you have 9d6+9 free damage against him if you have his moldy spellbook (an item that is pointed out to the players) and you position yourself properly (out of sight and within 30 feet).
Now that I read daylight and deeper darkness more closely, I find out that the two spells don't overlap each other (as I thought it did), and that they remove each other completely. That makes sense now, thanks!
What if its a shadow evocation spell that emulates daylight to light up normal dark light? Do people inside the daylight spell get a will save to see if they can see the place light up?
Say I wanted to cap spell save DC so that it does not because ridiculous against level appropriate encounters. How should the cap, based on level, be calculated so that other people other than casters can contribute to combat?
That depends on what you consider to be too high. What kind of success rate are you wanting them to have? (note your answer/goal will probably get you a good deal of comments by posters saying you can never have the DC's high enough, but i'm trying to get a general idea of what your goal is to help)
While I don't know a good number, lets just say 75% success rate against a bad save.
If others have an opinion on what a good number would be, they are welcome to suggest it.
75% vs a bad save sounds close to how i 'think' it is now.
Unfortunately, some people like to superbuff their DC with race/feats/traits/items to a ridiculous point. I'm trying to find a point where the spell save DC stays reasonable without venturing into the territory of "I win".
While I don't want to punish people for focusing on save. I don't want it to become stupid either.
I'll like to mention that a lot of my concern is high level based.
I can fix a lot of high level issues about cheesed up DC's: ban spell perfection. Truly at high level, just make sure that you pick stuff that have appropriate saves. Going again with a human fey sorceror:
Spell perfection (dominate monster), spell focus + greater spell focus (enchantment)
10+2(focuses)+2(bloodline)+4(perfection)+9(spell level)+13 stat (20 starting + 5 at level 20 + 5 book + 6 headband for 36 stat) = DC 40 which is 85% against good save. Throw out perfection it's 65% against good save. Don't give your casters a +5 book of casting stat, that's 50% against good save and 75% against bad save. Not a sorceror? That's 40% against good and 65% against bad. Honestly, DC's are only an issue at low...
But now I cannot give out loot such as +5 books of casting stat in order to maintain the type of DCs that I want. If there was a cap, I wouldn't have to worry about balancing DC. I can give out all the books I want. It might even make the players less obligated in wearing a headband of +stat if they have already hit the cap, and perhaps put something more fun in that slot.
However, it seems like I'll be removing Spell Perfection from my games if I choose not to cap my DCs.
Say I wanted to cap spell save DC so that it does not because ridiculous against level appropriate encounters. How should the cap, based on level, be calculated so that other people other than casters can contribute to combat?
That depends on what you consider to be too high. What kind of success rate are you wanting them to have? (note your answer/goal will probably get you a good deal of comments by posters saying you can never have the DC's high enough, but i'm trying to get a general idea of what your goal is to help)
While I don't know a good number, lets just say 75% success rate against a bad save.
If others have an opinion on what a good number would be, they are welcome to suggest it.
According to the monster creation chart, we're already typically looking at 65% against bad save before any DC capping.
Oh huh.
Looking at that chart, it seems a lot different than some monsters of the same CR.
Some examples:
CR13:
Good save: +16 Poor save: +12
Say I wanted to cap spell save DC so that it does not because ridiculous against level appropriate encounters. How should the cap, based on level, be calculated so that other people other than casters can contribute to combat?
That depends on what you consider to be too high. What kind of success rate are you wanting them to have? (note your answer/goal will probably get you a good deal of comments by posters saying you can never have the DC's high enough, but i'm trying to get a general idea of what your goal is to help)
While I don't know a good number, lets just say 75% success rate against a bad save.
If others have an opinion on what a good number would be, they are welcome to suggest it.
75% vs a bad save sounds close to how i 'think' it is now.
Unfortunately, some people like to superbuff their DC with race/feats/traits/items to a ridiculous point. I'm trying to find a point where the spell save DC stays reasonable without venturing into the territory of "I win".
While I don't want to punish people for focusing on save. I don't want it to become stupid either.
I'll like to mention that a lot of my concern is high level based.
Say I wanted to cap spell save DC so that it does not because ridiculous against level appropriate encounters. How should the cap, based on level, be calculated so that other people other than casters can contribute to combat?
That depends on what you consider to be too high. What kind of success rate are you wanting them to have? (note your answer/goal will probably get you a good deal of comments by posters saying you can never have the DC's high enough, but i'm trying to get a general idea of what your goal is to help)
While I don't know a good number, lets just say 75% success rate against a bad save.
If others have an opinion on what a good number would be, they are welcome to suggest it.
Say I wanted to cap spell save DC so that it does not because ridiculous against level appropriate encounters. How should the cap, based on level, be calculated so that other people other than casters can contribute to combat?
Lately there have been people in the games that I've been running/playing trying to cast spells with verbal components either while invisible or while hiding. At first people were being allowed to whisper their spells, but I now realize that casters can't do that because they have to cast in a 'strong voice'.
My question is, what sort of penalty should people get to their stealth checks for trying to cast a spell with verbal components while hiding? Maybe they could try to make a 'sniping' check so their spot isn't found...
Straight DC20 perception for me.
Edit:
A creature can generally notice the presence of an active invisible creature within 30 feet with a DC 20 Perception check. The observer gains a hunch that “something's there” but can't see it or target it accurately with an attack. It's practically impossible (+20 DC) to pinpoint an invisible creature's location with a Perception check.
I build all my NPCs exactly by the book, then ignore the recommended NPC gold value. No way is my opposing adventuring group going to have 20% gold value of the players.
My goal is to make reflex saves important and HP damage deadly while not drastically slowing down the game. Here are some houserules I've been tinkering with and thinking to apply to our games.
51~100% hitpoints: No penalties
26~50% hitpoints: -2 to attack, damage, concentration, saves, DC and initiative. Must cast defensively. DC for defensive increases by 3 if being threatened.
below 25% hitpoints: -4 to attack, damage, concentration, saves, DC and initiative. Must cast defensively. DC for defensive increases by 6 if being threatened.
Can full attack and full move at a -4 attack penalty
Can full attack and half move at a -2 attack penalty
all classes gain vital strike line for free
15 PB, with the following stat rules in effect:
Each -1 str modifier gives -1 HP per HD
Each -1 cha modifier gives -1 will saves
The inverse is not true.
This makes reflex saves important, healing a viable tactic, and easy in game book keeping. This applies to monsters too of course.
Therefore, assuming 14 con and +2 con belt (can't dump str anymore) a wizard would have 85 HP while a ranger at level 10 would have 105 HP. A level 10 fireball would deal on average 55 damage on a failed, 27 on save. On fail, the ranger would be (barely) put under -2 penalty while the wizard would definitely be put under the -2 penalty. On save, which the ranger has as a better save, both are unaffected.
Special Qualities
AC Bonus, Fast Movement, Gnome Magic, Gift of Tongues, High Jump, Keen Senses, Maneuver Training, Drunken Ki, Drunken Strength, Obsessive, Purity of Body, Slow Fall, Weapon Familiarity, Wholeness of Body
Possessions
belt of incredible dex + 4; bracers of armor +2; cloak of resistance +2; headband of alluring charisma +4; brass knuckles +1 (guided); ring of protection +2; mulberry pentacle ioun stone
leaves 2k for potions
Key abilities DRUNKEN KI (with deep drinker):
A drunken master can drink a tankard of ale or strong alcohol and gain two temporary ki point. The act of drinking is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
BEWILDERING KOAN (Gnomes of Golarion):
Prerequisites: Bluff 1 rank, ki pool class feature, gnome.
Benefit: As a swift action, spend 1 point from your ki pool and make a Bluff check by asking a creature one of the impossible questions you ponder when meditating. If the creature fails its check, you choose whether it loses its next action or you gain a +2 bonus on all damage rolls you make against that creature for 1 round.
Tactic:
Activate Bewildering Koan on boss every turn. Boss has no actions for rest of battle. If went first on initiative, boss is permanently flatfooted until monk is taken care of.
Fighting off the poison should count as an interruption, so he has to rest for an extra hour. If he fails his second save, the 2d4 hours of poisoned unconsciousness don't count as restful sleep.
Quick question: PC is suffering from drow poison and has delay poison cast upon them. By my calculations, it is going to wear off during resting. Is this going to affect the 8 hours of rest to recharge spells?
Given that spiritual weapon does pretty much the same thing, but better, for clerics one spell level lower, why on earth is twilight weapon level 3? Seriously, 1d4, no damage bonus, can't flank/sneak attack on its own, and doesn't attack its target unless you actually attack it again? Why is this thing higher than 2nd level?
From what I understand, Twilight Knife does not need a move action to redirect. That means that a level 8 sorcerer can cast Twilight Knife 4 times before battle, then use a crossbow to do 4d4 + 8d6 with twilight knife each round for the next 4 rounds (the knives will flank for each other). Throw in some extend spells for fun.
Call to Daggers
Anyone know any rule why this would not work ??????????
Otherwise you are going to make a lot of Arcane Trickster Happy !! ..hehe
(Inquiring mind want to know)
Personally, I've limited it to 1 out at a time, just to prevent any potential abuse. This may be a knee-jerk reaction against nova damage though, and people are welcome to convince me otherwise.
Given that spiritual weapon does pretty much the same thing, but better, for clerics one spell level lower, why on earth is twilight weapon level 3? Seriously, 1d4, no damage bonus, can't flank/sneak attack on its own, and doesn't attack its target unless you actually attack it again? Why is this thing higher than 2nd level?
From what I understand, Twilight Knife does not need a move action to redirect. That means that a level 8 sorcerer can cast Twilight Knife 4 times before battle, then use a crossbow to do 4d4 + 8d6 with twilight knife each round for the next 4 rounds (the knives will flank for each other). Throw in some extend spells for fun.
One of my PC belongs to a cult that believes Aroden is not dead and wants to bring him back to the world.
In the current campaign, the PCs have been transported via an artifact to a shadow world that is a representation of the past. In here it is only a couple days before the events of Earthfall and, by extension, 5294 years before Aroden becomes God. Being central to his character, I feel I should make this as authentic as possible. Where can I find information of Aroden before he becomes a God and the culture of Ancient Azlant? Seeing as he's immortal as a human, how well known was Aroden in Ancient Azlant culture?
Two questions here really, on pickpocketing and being pickpocketed.
1) In a campaign I used to run, one of the PCs will literally steal from almost every NPC ranging from farmers to shop keepers (yes, he was evil, and yes, it was my first time DMing). Being a mid level rogue, this is quite hard to stop. Apart from making every shop keeper a retired level 20 adventurer, what are some tips to prevent this from happening?
2) In my current (non-evil) campaign I'm running, the PCs (level 2) are and will be operating in a pirate town for several weeks (Riddleport from the Second Darkness adventure path). Naturally, being a pirate town, I feel the PCs should be a target of pickpockets once in a while (especially since batman's multitude of scrolls makes him a juicy target). What do you think should be a reasonable frequency of being pickpocketed? Keep in mind that, since this is an urban adventure, they have safe rooms to store all their stuff, meaning they don't have to carry all their belongings with them for day to day activities (which batman insists he should). Am I being too harsh for having the player's stuff be stolen because they aren't taking specific steps to prevent it?
Firstly, a PC named Batman... awesome
Second, a dc 20 to pickpocket a "small" item off someone is the required check. This is to succeed the pickpocket mind you, they can succeed and get be noticed as well. While I don't recommend giving the player being picked a perception check EVERY time it happens, any other players looking in the general direction at the time get one opposed to the SoH, not to mention possible guards or an upstanding citizen if there are any.
It also depends how your players dress, alot of campaigns gloss over this fact but adventurers are really quite easy to spot in a crowd of normal-joes. If they take steps to look normal, things will work out better than if they go walking about in their full battle attire, weapons, pouches full of gold and such.
If the player wants...
Yes, I'm refering to batman the concept, sorry!
But I guess the real question is, should the players be punished for walking around a pirate town looking like adventurers.
Two questions here really, on pickpocketing and being pickpocketed.
1) In a campaign I used to run, one of the PCs will literally steal from almost every NPC ranging from farmers to shop keepers (yes, he was evil, and yes, it was my first time DMing). Being a mid level rogue, this is quite hard to stop. Apart from making every shop keeper a retired level 20 adventurer, what are some tips to prevent this from happening?
2) In my current (non-evil) campaign I'm running, the PCs (level 2) are and will be operating in a pirate town for several weeks (Riddleport from the Second Darkness adventure path). Naturally, being a pirate town, I feel the PCs should be a target of pickpockets once in a while (especially since batman's multitude of scrolls makes him a juicy target). What do you think should be a reasonable frequency of being pickpocketed? Keep in mind that, since this is an urban adventure, they have safe rooms to store all their stuff, meaning they don't have to carry all their belongings with them for day to day activities (which batman insists he should). Am I being too harsh for having the player's stuff be stolen because they aren't taking specific steps to prevent it?
I was wondering if there were any PFS groups in the Vancouver area? If there isn't, I've been considering in starting up something here, and is interested in seeing if there is anyone out there willing to participate.
