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Hi all,

Welcome to my laziest post ever, lazy to the point that if I get no responses I don't really blame you.

Anyway, how would you plan out a Sword and Board Inquisitor, 25pt buy, to level 12? He would be the frontline, so a good AC is important, but damage equally so.

Thanks!

Hi all,

I was just looking for advice considering the following aspects of the adventure path:

1) Serpentfolk Telepathy - with all the Serpentfolk being telepathically linked, wouldn't this give them perfect coordination any times the PCs attacked a stronghold like Thousand Fangs or the Temple of Ydersius? I'm thinking of dropping telepathy for the Degenerates.

2) Teleporting - with so many "bosses" later in the book having the tactic of teleporting away when near defeat I feel that this would get very frustrating for the PCs (I know it would irritate me after a bit). Do I simply drop subtle hints about spells like Dimensional Anchor (and maybe have it in a found spellbook)? Any tips?

3) Mind Control - what a horrible AP to run with a weak Will save. Any ideas to deal with the fact that a HUGE percent of the enemies in this AP have dominate person/charm/suggestion? Is this just par for the course at higher levels and the PCs have to learn to deal with it (Protection from Evil, Dispel Magic, etc)?

Thanks!

Hi all,

I've got a charismatic character that is morally ambiguous and am looking for ways to circumvent "Zone of Truth" and whatnot. There is the Glibness spell, but I can't imagine getting away with casting a spell while getting interrogated. There's also the Master Spy prestige class, but I don't really see that as an option. Anything I'm missing?

Cheers!

Hi all. I've been running Rise of the Runelords and have been finding the Wizard (currently level 9) to be very problematic in challenging. What I would like to do is take away his little trick (swift action teleport, unbelievable) for a major combat (that has no primary spellcasters) to make him sweat a little bit. I can see hitting him with a scroll of Dimensional Anchor, but the likely response is to become invisible and then fly away (although that would rob the party of his support for 2 rounds). Another option could be a scroll of anti-magic shell, but I'm worried that might be too effective and make him feel helpless.

Other than that all I can think of is some poison attacks that may paralyze or knock him unconscious. Any other cool magic items/spells/abilities that might humble him a little bit?

Hi all,

Working on a wizard which I haven't done in Pathfinder yet. I'd like to find a good control/Save or Suck type spell that targets each save to use Preferred spell on. As a result, the lower the level, the better. He'll be starting at 7th level.

My thoughts:
Will Save --- Slow (save and SR, but no restricted types)
Fort --- either Blindness or Baleful Polymorph (depending on if a Frog can cast if it makes the will save)
Ref --- Resilient Sphere?

Thanks!

Hi all,

I'm midway through book 2 of Kingmaker with my Cavalier 2/Bard 3. Yes, I know that this level combo is not optimal but I'm just not worrying about that to be honest.

My question is this - does Battle Herald actually add anything truly beneficial to this build going forward, or would it be better to simply go full bard from this point? I'm tempted to up Cav to level 4 at some point get Horse Master for a full HD mount. But honestly I feel that the increased spellcasting of the Bard is simply better than most of what the Battle Herald offers before max level. Maybe a level of Battle Herald for "Shake it Off", but nothing else seems very exciting.

As an aside, I'm definitely running the Character with a melee focus - 2H fighter/archer switch hitter (lots of stat points so don't worry about that). We just hit 5th level and feat wise I have Power Attack, Eldritch Heritage(Arcane), the skill focus from being a half-elf and my free teamwork feat (Escape Route). For my 5th level feat I don't know what to take. Right now I'm planning on Antagonize for flavour, but if there is something better then I'm open to it (if I progress into Bard then Arcane Strike seems nice).

Thanks!

Title pretty much says it all. I don't care about the subject matter too much so long as it can be adapted to Golarian (so sci fi is likely out).

Thanks!

Hi all,

I'm running a Serpent's Skull game right now and am troubled by the overwhelming negativity towards the second module, Racing to Ruin. I'll hide the relatively spoiler-free scenario I need to accomodate behind a spoiler tag just in case.

So, in essence I would love if there where some module that involved several factions working against one another in an urban setting. A nice mix of roleplaying and combat would be nice. I don't really care about who the publisher is or anything else but a nice framework to work from would be awesome.

As always, much thanks fellow gamers!

I usually struggle with names but I just can't find one I like for this guy at all. I'm playing an Oread who fights with a shield. His non-elemental heritage is Dwarven. He has an Int of 7 (I dropped this intentionally from a die roll - it's not a dump) as I would like to play him as a very good hearted but naive individual. If you've ever seen Perfect Strangers he'd be Balki. Super positive but if someone does something bad then they get a shield to the face.
The counter to his good nature is that his simplicity can lead to tantrums when things don't go the way he likes. He hates when things change and he can't stand being called dumb. He knows his limitations and is glad to have smarter people call the shots, but don't call him stupid or he might flip out.
I'd love a name that is short (2 syllables seems about right) and kind of gutteral in a rock/earth/dwarven sense, not an orcish one. God I'm difficult to please!

Thanks for any suggestions!

Hi all,

I hate situation bonuses like FE. Sometimes they're overpowered (like the ranger a friend played in Castle Ravenloft - FE Undead for a free HUGE bonus against 90% of the enemies. Other times you pick a type that never comes up in a campaign.

I really liked the Wild Stalker archetype, but it seems like the consensus is that you lose ALL bonus feats and, even if you didn't, it seems like you were lose early access which is the reason I was playing Ranger to start (for Shield Master at 6th).

So, is there another good option? No FE, yes combat feats. I know there's scout, but it's a little ... bland. Might be my only good option tho.

Thanks!

So, the Thrune's Fang was lost ~30years ago and during that time the original 22 (in addition to Malakidna?) survivors have formed a little society and fostered children. In my thinking then, there could be some elderly members (although the weak are likely driven out or eaten) and must be some young children who are too young to fight.

My PCs will be attacking the camp either this session or next and I'm curious how people handle this side of things. Do you simply ignore their existence to facilitate moving the story forward? Would there be children (and possibly some elderly or mothers) that don't fight the PCs and survive the battle? Would having these survivors become the responsibility (and possibly useful guides) of the PCs work?

I think it would be really cool for the PCs to bring along any cannibals that are reformable as a real story reward (you really helped these kids, even if you did butcher their parents...hmmm) but I don't want their existence to derail the end of the adventure.

Any thoughts?

Hi all,

We're starting a campaign with level 1 characters and I'm looking for a little friendly advice. We are getting crazy high stats (roll 24d6, keep the highest 18 and assign three dice to each stat) as well as getting a bonus feat at first.

My concept is to play an Oread Ranger that uses a shield. The basic character sketch is a simple minded fellow that is extremely loyal to his friends but dislikes change. Regardless, with the Natural Armor alternate racial and Improved Shield Bash he has an AC of 21 at first level.

I'm worried that this will make things less enjoyable for the group. Would you recommend taking something else (Power Attack, TWF) so that on turns that he attacks he won't keep his shield bonus? At level 2 I'm opting for Shield Slam, so that would put off Improved Shield Bash to at least level 3 (still AC19 when attacking, 21 otherwise).

Thoughts?

PS: Breakdown of AC is Scale (+5), Dex (+3), Heavy Shield (+2), Natural Armor (+1)

Hi all,

I'm GMing a Serpent's Skull game (book 1, Smuggler's Shiv). The gist is the PCs (currently level 2) and some NPC allies are stranded on an island and there is a tribe of cannibals there as well. Things have been slow so far (very cautious PCs so far) highlighted by a scary fight when the first group of wandering cannibals found them. The PCs moved their camp by traveling down the coast at low tide and have set up a new camp to hide since one cannibal survived the first encounter.

To ramp up the tension of a somewhat slow starting campaign I really want to focus on the idea that the cannibals have identified that this group is on their island and is hunting them down. The trick is I'm not sure of exactly how best to go about this. There are also several other encounter sites left before reaching the cannibal camp and ending things once and for all.

I was thinking of having bands of cannibals 5-6 strong searching the island based on the last known location of the PCs but not engaging until they can bring numbers to bear (given their solid defeat on the last attack). I can track these movements on a day by day basis and see when they pass nearby the exploring PCs or their camp, possibly use sightings of these groups to nudge PCs towards other encounter sites, maybe allowing the PCs to get the jump on the odd group.

Are their any other ideas to really freak my PCs out in this scenario?

Pure curiosity has led me to wonder what class is the best at finding and disarming traps. Rogues are generally thought of as underpowered, but sometimes trapfinder can be a fun job. Here are the "rules":

1) The trap must be found and disarmed using disable device, no tripping it with summons, etc.
2) The character must be able to find/disarm magic traps.
3) Classes that use the appropriate stats (Wis for finding, Dex for disarming) are obviously a bonus.
4) Class skills are less important since Traits can fill in in a pinch.
5) At the end of the day Trapfinding is only a single aspect of a character. He best still be able to perform some combat function well (ie: DPS, battlefield control, buffing, etc). If you end up worse than a rogue, what's the point?

Thank you for your input!

Hi all. I'm playing a Kingmaker game as a LN Battle Herald. He's King, extremely egotistical and a bit of a glory hog to boot (order of the Cockatrice). At 7th I will certainly be taking Leadership but I want a cohort that makes me look good so I was thinking of a buffer. I'm guessing that Summoner/Wizard/Sorcerer are likely the best bets but I'm not sure.

Wizard has more variety of spells and won't be too conspicuous, but a cohort smarter than me might get on my nerves. A summoner seems ideal, especially if he's a Synthesist and can serve as a durable flying mount.

Ideas?

Hi all,

Just started running Smuggler's Shiv this weekend - I'll post a little summation in the sticky when I have a chance. Anyway, I have two PCs that I think could be tied into the story in a very direct way and was looking for some advice on how/where to do it.

The first is a Ranger "with amnesia" - yeah, I groaned too. However, I think that it would be fun if he might have stumbled across a hidden cult of Serpentfolk (or even Yarzoth) and been mindwiped to keep him quiet. Not really sure why the Serpentfolk would let him go (maybe an implanted suggestion?). Maybe I'll give Yarzoth an automatic success on her Suggestion at the end of the Shiv and show some familiarity. That should get the PCs on her trail in a hurry.

The second is an Elf Sorceress with the Draconic (green) bloodline. She's playing that her father was a Green Dragon and she has spent the last couple decades seeking him out. A rumour of a Green Dragon inhabiting the Mwangi Expanse has drawn her to the area in case it is her father or may know something of his whereabouts. I'm not sure where to tie this in but I would love for it to be no later than mid book 3. I'm not too familiar with the books after Shiv just yet, so I'm wide open with this one.

Thanks in advance!

Hi all. Pretty simple, really. I want to go with a real barbarian - nothing but a loincloth between him and the world. In that sense, I'm looking to acquire crazy DR to offset the horrible AC. It's for a Swords & Shackles campaign (thinking an enforcer-type role). I'm looking for advice on how to maximize his DR without rendering him combat impotent. Stats aren't an issue - no one here does point buys. Assume crazy stats.

Human: Dodge
Lv 1 - Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager): Improved Unarmed Strike
Lv 2 - Barbarian: Superstition RP
Lv 3 - Fighter (Unbreakable): Endurance, Die Hard, Crane Style
Lv 4 - Barbarian
Lv 5 - Barbarian: Stalwart, Reckless Abandon RP
Lv 6 - Barbarian
Lv 7 - Barbarian: Power Attack, some RP
Lv 8 - Barbarian:
Lv 9 - Oracle (Lame Curse): Bolstered Resiliance
Lv 10 on - Barbarian

Milestones: At level 5 I would have DR6 when fighting defensively due to stalwart (assuming 3 ranks in Acrobatics).

At level 9 I would have DR7 when fighting defensively, doubled to DR14 against a single attack each round.

At level 12 I would have DR9 when fighting defensively, doubled to DR18 against a single attack each round.

Add-ons: Improved Stalwart is available at level 13 to up DR by 4 (although it competes with Raging Brutality).

Flesh Wound RP is available at level 12 to pretty much completely ignore one attack per round with a Fort Save (halves damage and the remaining damage is non-lethat, which my DR is doubled against).

Improved Damage Reduction RP is available in place of any feat or RP starting at level 10.

Hi all,

I've been playing in a biweekly Pathfinder game since the books came out, so I'm pretty comfortable with the rules and all that. However, it looks like I'm on deck to take up some GMing responsibility and it's likely been over 10 years since my last foray into the GM chair.

All I'm really looking for is any advice you have to help keep the game running smoothly. Do you keep a store of premade NPCs so you always have a fleshed out character up your sleeve? How much prep work do you put in before a session? That sort of thing. My only real concern is for the PCs to have a good time. If it makes any difference I think I will be starting the players at the beginning of the Serpent's Skull adventure path.

Thanks all,
Cheers!

Hi all. My group is gearing up to start the Kingmaker campaign and I was just wondering - is there a recommended XP progression for the PCs?

Thanks!