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Hey! In an effort to level up my GMing, I want to spend some time focusing on using terrain features to make encounters more unique, interesting, and challenging. If you know a great source for ideas, let me know! Otherwise, let's start a list of terrain features that make encounters more fun! I'll give a few obvious ones to start...
Hey, all. I've recently moved to Gilbert and I'd really like to join a game. My first choice would be PF1, followed by PF2, and then DnD 5e. DM me if you might have an open seat at your table. I'm happy to "audition" to see if I fit in with your group. I have some experience running games, but I'd probably rather play to begin with for a new group.
Hey, all! I am an eternal student of the art of gamemastering. I love blogs like Johnn Four's Roleplaying Tips and Ryan Costello's Private Sanctuary. I'm looking for a good podcast that is almost a kind of lecture series on gamemastering. I've done some searching but haven't found too much that I've gotten into. Does anyone know of a good one? I'm not interested in actual play, as much, or product review. I'd prefer Pathfinder-focused but I'm open to other systems if the information is transferable. Thanks in advance.
I've been looking for a druid archetype that puts all of its eggs into the Wild Shape basket. I don't care if the animal companion and/or domain go away. I'd sacrifice some spellcasting, but probably not all of it. I just want to play a character whose whole shtick is Wild Shape. Early and frequently. Have I missed it in the rules? Any suggestions?
Hey, all. I've been out of the loop for a while, but I'm going to run a scenario for my brothers this weekend. I want to provide some pregen options, but for the life of me I can't find them. I've spent the last 15 minutes looking through the PFS page and a few digital resources I have. I'm sure they're winking me in the face, but I can't find them. Help?
I have been thinking about a rogue fix for a while now (like everyone else); something that makes the rogue more thematic and fun to play, something that gives it a specific niche. I liked some of the things done with the Unchained rogue, but my real problem is that Sneak Attack makes the rogue focus on hit point damage, when I think that he would mesh with the party in a more fun and unique way if he worked more like a combat debuffer than a damage dealer. I think the Debilitating Injury of the Unchained rogue was a step in the right direction, but they still have Sneak Attack damage. I looked at the conditions, but they don't really seem to scale up to high levels real well. So I went to the next source of debuffs, magic. There are great spells of every level that debuff. Why not make Sneak Attack a kind of a spell-like ability that grants a spell-like debuff rather than bonus hit point damage? I went through the CRB spell list and chose what I thought were the most appropriate debuff spells for each level and replaced Sneak Attack bonus damage with that spell effect. Here's my list. The target would get a Fort save with DC = 10 + rogue level + rogue's Dex mod, just like a spell but using Dex. The spell-like debuff can only affect the target of the Sneak Attack, even if the spell normally could affect others or be done at range or whatever. 1 - daze, 3 - ray of enfeeblement, 5 - blindness/deafness, 7 - ray of exhaustion, 9 - confusion, 11 - symbol of pain, 13 - eyebite, 15 - symbol of weakness, 17 - power word stun, 19 - power word kill Thoughts?
Hello, friends. I am thinking that never having attended a GenCon is becoming a black mark on my street cred that I can no longer allow. I've found the GenCon website with next year's dates, but I'm afraid I won't know enough to plan a really good time there. I'd really appreciate the help of any Con veterans... What's the deal with hotels? How early do I need to reserve a room? How early do I need to get a badge? How do I get the most out of my time there? What unknowns might I not know to plan for? What common pitfalls and mistakes should I be wary of? Thanks in advance.
I will be joining a Giantslayer campaign here very soon and I think it would be really fun (and funny) to play a halfling swashbuckler whose attitude is as big as his giant foes. Only, I'm afraid that small weapons vs giants would just plain not count for a hill of beans. I fully expect such a PC to be much more about his social role than his combat role, but I don't want to be useless. My only thought is to focus on Combat Maneuvers and be a kind of a melee debuffer. Any suggestions to make this idea a bit more viable? 
Welcome and good luck submitting characters for this Carrion Crown pbp. Unfortunately, we've lost 2 players to real life. We currently have a witch, a ranger, and an inquisitor of Pharasma. We're pretty early on in the adventure. If this were a face-to-face game, we might even still be on our first session. I recommend you read (or at least skim) the Gameplay thread to catch yourself up. As you submit characters, I'd like for YOU to suggest how you'd bring your character in. I don't have a right answer in mind, so work yourself in however you'd best like to. Setting:
House Rules:
Character creation:
If I forgot anything, just post your question or PM me. Thanks and good luck!
I don't like Damage Reduction. It's a pain to track - my group forgets it half the time until halfway through combat. And when we DO remember, the added math slows down the game. It's messy keeping track of what bonuses overcome what. And a vulnerability mechanic already exists to build that theme into a monster. That's my reasoning - you may disagree - but merit isn't the point of the thread. How do I eliminate it? My first thought is just dump it and give all creatures with DR extra hit points equal to their DR multiplied by 5. Then they have a vulnerability to whatever overcame their DR, like cold iron for example. Help me think through ramifications, please. How messy would this get in terms of other rules and unforseen consequences?
So, I'm working on a concept for the WotR AP. I really want to play a celestial bloodrager, but I was thinking it would be more thematic and better for my support role (as the 6th PC) to have him learn and cast from the CLERIC spell list rather than the SORCERER spell list. I figured I'd also swap Knowledge (arcane) for Knowledge (religion). I don't see anything else that would need to change for the concept. This would also be nice because the hierophant mythic line is the only line not already filled. I feel like it's a minor change, but I'm not great at seeing down-the-line consequences. Does that sound fair and viable to you? Are there hidden pitfalls you see in a customization like that?
Dawn breaks as cold and dank as the evening was, but at least you're well rested. Breakfast in the common room is unexpectedly good - eggs, cheese, bread, sausage links, and cold chicken, with cold milk or a strong, hot tea to drink. You are expected at the Lorrimor home in Ravengro by noon. You should make it with some time to spare...if nothing waylays your journey.
Welcome! First off, I will nearly always be posting at night, FYI. My work has blocked Paizo so if something comes up, I won't see it until later. Second, the pbp guide I referenced in the Recruitment thread is actually by Doomed Hero, not Painlord. (His is for GM's). The guide I want you to see is linked HERE. The first post by DoomedHero about formatting and stuff is the one I wanted you to see. You don't have to read the whole thread, obviously. Finally, any questions, concerns, or comments about my expectations or houserules or anything? If not, I'll see you in the Gameplay thread tomorrow.
Welcome and good luck submitting characters for this Carrion Crown pbp. Disclaimer:
I don’t have tons of experience running or playing in pbp games. I’ve dabbled. I’m very excited about this and I have the very best of intentions, but I do beg a measure of patience from everyone. This is a casual game. I hope and intend to post daily, but may miss a day now and then. I expect players to post 5-6 days per week minimum. If I will ever be offline more than 2 consecutive days, I will try to inform the group. I expect the same courtesy. I know this is a slower pace than is “fashionable.” I’m trying to set realistic expectations. I’d rather underpromise and overdeliver than the reverse. Carrion Crown is a classic horror adventure set in Golarion’s Ustalav – a Renaissance-era Slavic country analogous to Transylvania with a long history of oppression and suffering. There is some great information for character creation in the Carrion Crown Player’s Guide. I will favor character submissions that fit the setting and theme. House Rules:
We will use the PFRPG rules with the following house rules: - Everyone begins play at 1st level with hit points equal to their full Constitution score instead of a hit die, regardless of class, plus favored class and feats and stuff, if chosen. From 2nd level and on, roll your class’ hit die twice and take the better result. No one likes being too squishy. - Everyone gets a free rank in a Profession skill of choice at 1st level. Give your PC some background and depth. - We’ll use Evil Lincoln’s Strain-Injury hp variant. It’s easily found on the Paizo boards. It makes magical healing more special and thematic, and it eliminates wasting time and spells healing up after every, single tussle. It lends itself to pbp very well. - Weapons normally affected by the Weapon Finesse feat (now called “finesse weapons”) simply work off of Dex instead of Str, even if your Str is greater. The Weapon Finesse feat allows you to add Dex to damage rolls, instead of Str, when using a finesse weapon. Some character concepts are just Dex-based, not Str. - Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, and Power Attack are no longer feats, but simply combat options. They may be done freely by anyone with the requisite ability scores. Also, Point Blank Shot is no longer a feat. It’s just a natural consequence of being closer to your target. Please, still declare when you’re using one of these options though, for clarity’s sake. - The Improved [combat maneuver] feats no longer have as prerequisites Combat Expertise (Improved Dirty Trick, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Reposition, Improved Steal, and Improved Trip), or Power Attack (Improved Bull Rush, Improved Drag, Improved Overrun, and Improved Sunder) because those feats aren’t feats anymore. I would love for combat to be more dynamic and cinematic than just a hackfest. - Combat Maneuver attempts only provoke attacks of opportunity if they fail, or if the target of the combat maneuver has a greater feat in that maneuver than you. (no feat < Improved < Greater) Same as above, maneuvers make combat more fun. - Creatures under a fear effect receive a new save each round to decrease the fear effect by one step. (shaken < frightened < panicked) No one, not even the GM, wants characters taken out for long. Shake it off and get back in the action. - I will roll initiative for combat using the Combat Manager application and post the order. Everyone can post their action as they are able and then I will string them together into a cohesive narrative. I’ve never tried this before, but I hear it’s the smoothest way of doing it. This may mean I have to make some minor calls on your behalf (you attacked monster 1, but it’s dead now so I’ll just have you attack monster 2). It’s just faster than waiting for everyone to post what they rolled. - I will use each player’s passive Perception score (10 + bonuses) at all times, UNLESS a player indicates that they are actively searching something or being especially vigilant for something in particular. It just keeps things moving smoother. And I’m not a stingy GM with searching stuff anyway. I’m not going to pull the “You did SAY you look there!” nonsense on you. - We will use Hero Points from the APG. You’re heroes. - I realize that this is a fair number of house rules. I have only included rules that I believe will contribute to the style of game that I would like to run. If you have questions/concerns with any of these, please, speak up. Source material allowed: Core Rulebook and APG only. I’m sorry if that precludes your idea. I’m new to this and nervous about managing the game. I’d just feel better staying core.
I will take 4 players. Character creation:
--- First Letter Received:
Dear friend; I am reluctant to involve you in anything that may put you in harm’s way, but I fear that I have stumbled into a proverbial hornet’s nest. I haven’t the time to say much, but dark strangers have been seen around Ravengro and it appears that they have some interest in the ruined, old Harrowstone prison. While I can’t fathom what they would want with that creepy, old eyesore, I am deeply suspicious of their intentions. My best (and most feared) estimation is that the strangers are Whispering Way necromancers and that they are here to study whatever fell energies may still cling to that ruin. My friend, I admit that I am fearful. While this may all be nothing more than the imaginings of a bored, old adventurer, what if it isn’t?! I must know. If it is the Way, they must be stopped. Anything that would interest them surely bodes ill for the rest of us. I am sorry to be so brief, but I know almost nothing, as of yet. I just wanted someone I could trust to know what I was investigating should the worst come to pass. I will send word as soon as I have more to tell. I trust you will exercise discretion with what I have told you. The Way are wily enemies. Farewell for now. Your old friend;
Second Letter Received:
Dear Sir or Madam: It is with deepest regrets and sincerest sympathies that I must write to inform you of the passing of Doctor Petros Algernon Lorrimor, heretofore “the deceased.” Funeral services are in preparation and interment at the Restlands Cemetery in Ravengro is scheduled to be carried out after the customary ten days of mourning. The honor of your presence has been requested at the funeral services and the deceased’s family has requested your service as a pallbearer. Additionally, you are named and summoned for the reading of the deceased’s last will and testament. Please come with all haste that this matter may be promptly and appropriately resolved. Professionally yours,
Prologue:
As you round the small hill skirted by the southward road you’re travelling upon, a battered, grey building comes into play. It appears to have once been a very large, proud home which has since bent to the cold rain and long suffering of the region’s past. A bright, freshly-painted sign swings softly from a post in front of the gate with an optimism that seems very out-of-place in the gloomy dusk and drizzling rain. The sign cheerfully announces the Come On Inn…literally. When you come close enough to read it, the voice of a happy, old man – reminiscent of a sweet grandfather greeting his grandchildren – appears to come from the sign itself. “Welcome! Come On Inn!” Smoke pours from the chimney hinting at a warm fire and the mouthwatering smells of savory food surround the inn like a familiar blanket. Your longing to get out of the drizzle is compounded by the lure of supper and you quickly decide that this is as far you’ll get tonight. Ravengro should only be a couple of hours farther. You’ll still make it. You absentmindedly touch the pocket containing the two letters that brought you here (in spoilers) and feel another twinge of loss at the passing of your friend. A moment after you knock on the door, a middle-aged woman answers with a welcoming smile. She’s a handsome woman with very kind eyes, though the lines on her face betray a life of toil and hardship. She sizes you up momentarily and then pulls you through the threshold. “Come in. Come in. We must get you warm. You’re hungry, I’ll wager. Should still be plenty of room at the table. This rain… Hope the Grey Lady sees us shivering down here. The Lady knows we suffer. But sit. Sit. Will you have the roast goat or the lamb stew? And we have a wheat beer, a pumpkin ale, or a red wine. What please you? It’s 4 silver for the room and 3 more covers supper and breakfast. You can pay, right?” The common room is not so large as you’d have guessed from sizing up the exterior of the home, but that makes it seem all the more cozy. There is a large hearth of riverstones filled with a sizeable fire. In front of the hearth is a very large, heavy-looking oak table surrounded by matching chairs. Several of the chairs are already filled with fellow guests at different stages of their meals. Conversations pause as they look over to you. --- Your application for the game will be done in-character. Jump in at this point and introduce yourself however you please. Feel free to interact with everyone else – I’m assuming the others at the table are the rest of the applicants, though you may fill in NPCs that might illustrate your PCs character. I will be using your in-character introduction and interactions to get a feel for your character and roleplaying style. I want characters (and players) who can cooperate and communicate. Show me. In addition to your introduction at the Come On Inn, I would like a brief spoiler about you, as a player. Why do you want to play in THIS game? What’s your favorite part about RPGs? What do you hope for from this game and from me as a GM? There are no wrong answers. I just want to know my players. I look forward to hearing from you. I hope to have a party chosen by Sunday.
Hey, forum friends. I've moved to Chandler recently and this nonsense of not playing regularly is getting old. I'd love to join a group, or even help build one. I'm happy to play or GM. Been playing about 5 years officially. I'm an easygoing guy, I shower regularly, and I'm anxious to get playing. Get in touch if you can fit me in.
So, I was talking about using the Greek pantheon with a friend the other day and Phobos and Deimos came up, twin gods and personifications of fear and terror, respectively. I checked out their mythology and they are seriously badass. I could do so much with them, both as a player and a GM. So I looked into what their domains would be and obviously fear is the big one. But fear is only a subdomain of evil. I was disappointed to find it underwhelming and incomplete. So, here's my go of it...
*The Feed on Fear ability is not my own work but that of Paizo, as borrowed from the fear subdomain from Inner Sea Gods. All credit goes to them.
What do you think?
Cause I sure do! Paizo is a company apart. They do business in a way that I wish everybody could or would. They hire great talent. They produce exceptional quality material. They support it very well. Their staff is very approachable and friendly (esp James Jacobs with his "Ask" thread), and they really seem to listen to their fanbase/clientele. Also, recently I started a RPG club at the junior high where I teach and Paizo has gone above and beyond to support me in the effort...even making a donation that was more than I could ask for. I feel like Paizo are my friends, though I've yet to have the privilege of meeting any of them in person. They truly are a company of gamers, for gamers. I'm just really grateful and they have my loyalty. [/gush]
I had an idea for the foundations of a game world and I need suggestions to define it. In the setting, there's a universal conflict involving gods and outsiders, but the only people really privy and participatory in the conflict are adventurers. The lay people are mostly oblivious. This isn't exactly breaking new ground, I know, but I need to define the conflict in what I hope is a fresh way. Good vs Evil carries too many moral implications.
Any suggestions? I'd like to make the conflict something that could be fairly universal, enough so to involve gods at least. Doesn't have to be good vs evil necessarily; there could be both good and evil on both sides, conceivably. Something elemental maybe? Help me out.
I was going to resurrect an old "favorite houserules" thread, but they were all buried pretty deep... So, Dodge is a feat that I would honestly never take unless I need it as a prereq for a build; the +1 to AC is pretty insignificant. I had an idea to make it a more enticing option: The Dodge feat allows you to add your DEX bonus to your AC twice, but only when you're wearing light armor or no armor. So, a rogue with +2 DEX bonus adds an additional +2 dodge bonus. I know this is much bigger; rogues and rangers could have +5 or better DEX bonuses by mid levels. Personally, I like the idea of a rogue being SUPER-slippery in combat and I think an option like this would be a badly-needed boost for a rogue. Rangers, on the other hand, would find this really enticing, too, and they don't need a power boost. Does ranger abuse tip this idea into the "overpowered" category? It is overpowered anyway? Or does this sound like a reasonable boost?
In episode 157 of the Private Sanctuary podcast, Ryan points out a number of reasons why it makes more sense to have numerical enhancement bonuses to weapons and armor be a result of superior craftsmanship, not magic. This happens to fit very nicely into the vision of my homebrew setting. The purpose of this thread is NOT to discuss the validity of this idea, but its implementation. If you don't agree with doing this, great. I do. That's not the topic at hand here... My question is this, if +x numerical enhancement bonuses were to come from superior craftsmanship ship instead of magical enchantment, how would you say that should affect the item value and, by extension, the crafting cost? Half the current cost? Leave it the same? This would mean that a +1 longsword no longer overcomes DR/magic because it's not a magical weapon, just a superbly crafted one. Also, a +3 longsword will not overcome DR/cold iron because it's still not a magical sword...just an exceptionally well-made one. What is the ability of magical weapons to overcomes DR's worth in gold pieces? Also, any other ramifications that I'm overlooking?
I'm working on an E6 (probably E7, really) home-brew campaign setting. My idea is that the world is filled with spirits (working name) of myriad forms, similar to spren in Sanderson's Way of Kings. It is by bonding with these spirits that PCs become extraordinary. Sorcerers get their powers by bonding with elemental spirits. Clerics by bonding with divine spirits. Etc. I have a different kind of spirit that bonds with each class, which is essentially what MAKES THEM that class. The spirit that will bond with a fighter is called a "valkyrie." However, the idea is that each spirit imparts some form of powers to the person (rage for a barbarian, animal companion/spells for a druid, spells for a sorcerer, etc.). My problem is that fighters, while awesome in their own way, are entirely mundane. What kind of powers could I have a bonded spirit impart to a fighter? So far, I've been thinking it would be free magical enhancements to weapons/armor, similar to how a paladin can use Divine Bond to make their weapons holy, etc. Or maybe it would be more frequent ability score increases. Or maybe I could just say that fighters get extra feats because their valkyrie teach them those extra feats...but that seems dull. So, I turn to you, oh great and powerful Paizo hivemind. Please, I know there's potential for fighter hate to creep in here. That's not what I'm looking for. (I actually quite like playing fighters.) I just need help skinning them as a little more mystical.
Does anybody know of a good FLGS that supports Pathfinder and pnp gaming in the Gilbert or Chandler areas of Arizona? I've done some searching and found 1 or 2 prospects, but nothing that looks real solid. Can anyone offer suggestions?
I am not an experienced game designer or theory crafter, so I'd like some input on a house rule that has just occurred to me. It sounds like a good idea...but many of my ideas turn out to be quite bad once I work may way through all of the consequences. Your CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is welcomed and highly appreciated. So, here it is... Weapon Proficiency [xxxx] skills replace BAB
Challenges to consider:
I think that's all I've got. Again, this is all coming right off the top of my head. It's almost certainly not something that could be easily implemented. For me, it was more of a thought exercise than a true consideration.
So, I've searched the boards and found some helpful advice and opinions on roleplaying ability scores, but there wasn't an obvious, central location for that advice. If such a thread already exists then I ask your forgiveness for diluting the boards. I get pretty into the characterization of my PCs, but I find the translation of ability scores into roleplayable characteristics to be a little slippery. What does Wisdom really mean on a fleshed-out character? How low does my PCs Intelligence have to be before it really becomes obvious? What would a high Strength, low Constitution person look like? I have written up some blurbs for each ability score that were originally intended for my own characterization purposes, but I thought that having the collective collective experience of my fellow Paizonians might give me even more to work with. This information is 100% my opinion and I gratefully accept other opinions, as well. I am aware that this topic could be flamewar fodder, but I'm sincerely seeking input and advice…so please keep it civil and constructive. Without further ado…
So, there have been threads, and James Jacobs has spoken up about who would play the iconics…but what about the deities?! Here are my picks. What are yours? Abadar - Aidan Gillen
A few of these were really tough, as you can probably tell by less-than-stellar choices. (Asmodeus, Sarenrae, and Zon-Kuthon) Anyway, what do you all think? I'm sure the community can do better on many of these.
My personal GMing philosophy limits NPCs to 5th level, except for some exceptionally rare extraordinary individuals (like the PCs). However, my philosophy is not the point of this thread.
OOC Discussion thread started for...ooc discussion.
In-character speech should be posted in bold.
Out-of-character speech should be in "ooc".
Dice rolls should be done using the boards' dice roller.
Spoiler anything that the others wouldn't/shouldn't know.
In orc: "I'm double-crossing these fools."
Korvosa, the “Jewel of Varisia,” has long sparkled on Varisia’s southern shore. Established 300 years ago by Cheliax at the empire’s height of expansion, the city-state now commands its own destiny. A line of Korvosan kings and queens emerged to rule the city, establishing an infamous seat of power – the Crimson Throne. Rulers have sat upon the Crimson Throne for more than a century, and the city has flourished. Yet the monarchy always seems on the brink of disaster. The Crimson Throne is not a prize to be won – it is a curse. No monarch of Korvosa has died of old age, and none have produced an heir while ruling. Even though the current king, King Eodred II, controls Korvosa more fully than any previous monarch, that control remains tenuous, and many secretly count the days until their latest king falls to what they call the “Curse of the Crimson Throne.” This will be my first attempt at running a pbp on the Paizo boards. I am very excited, but admittedly a little nervous. I hope that any players chosen will understand that I’m giving this my first go. I have run some games at a table, so I’m not entirely “green,” but I expect to learn some things about pbp as we go. I will be adapting CotCT to the Pathfinder RPG rules and the game will use those rules throughout. I am looking for 4 PCs, as suggested by the AP’s authors. We will use a 15-point buy, also as suggested. We will use the medium XP level advancement track. No ability score may be dropped below 7 or raised above 18, before racial mods. Material from the Core Rulebook, Advanced Player’s Guide, Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Magic, and the Advanced Race Guide is admissible. I must be frank though, I am hoping for an “old school” feel with this campaign. I tend to favor simple builds far more than exotic ones. For example, while a dhampir holy gun will be considered, I’ll honestly probably choose a human barbarian over the gunslinger. That’s just my taste. Sorry. I will be choosing PCs based largely on backstory. This will be a very RP heavy campaign and I want to know you’re going to contribute some awesome RP. I will expect every player to have read the CotCT Player’s Guide in its entirety. (It’s free to download from paizo.com.) Every player will get to choose 2 traits, one of which must come from that Player’s Guide. The Player’s Guide suggests that PCs with strong ties to Korvosa will fit in best. I want to emphasize that. If your PC wasn’t born in Korvosa, he/she should have been living there for a good while at least. Every PC gets a free +3 to Knowledge (local) checks connected to Korvosa and this skill can be used untrained when referencing Korvosa. No evil characters, please. I’m not experienced enough a GM to handle one well. And no jerk PCs either. This AP assumes that the PCs cooperate and I expect the same. PCs start at level 1 with hit points equal to their Constitution score rather than a hit die (+ feats and favored class and all that, but NOT Con bonus). Subsequent levels will be rolled, as usual, or you may just take ½ your hit die +1. (d8 = 4 + 1 = 5) A couple of house rules:
Link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jcp6udyHU-cURn5u7MzunsOfrCruk0ywDkvmdVk 0fGQ/mobilebasic?pli=1 -Initiative will be based on the order that PCs respond, not a die roll. When a combat situation presents itself, the first one to respond is the first up in initiative. -For the sake of keeping things moving smoothly, I will be using passive Perception (10 + total skill bonus) at all times, unless you clearly state that you’re searching or paying special attention. -Every PC must have a profession and gets 1 free rank in Profession (your choice). That’s it. Good luck. I expect to have the party chosen and notified by Private Message here on paizo.com within a week or so. Feel free to PM me with any questions.
So, I've always been fascinated by the druid class, most likely because of my personal interest in and appreciation for Nature. The flavor of the class sounds really fun to me and I really wanna get in on that. I'm planning to roll up a druid for some PFS play, but I find myself with a bit of writer's block. Why would a druid join the PFS? Why would a guardian of Nature seek initiation into a bureaucratic organization full of strange explorers with ulterior motives? Probably not for glory or riches. So what for? Obviously, not all druids are grim, reclusive sentinels of natural places and things, but I'm just struggling to come up with a compelling backstory that makes sense to me. I'd love suggestions.
So, I've been trying to think of a way to tweak the PF character sheet to accomodate some house rules and I'm honestly just not computerific enough to figure it out. Ideally, I'd like to just go in and edit the existing sheet, but I can see why that might be taboo. I'm willing to start from scratch (though I'd rather not), but I just don't know how. I played with Adobe Acrobat on my brother's computer thinking that's what I needed, but I don't think it is. I may be in way over my head for a beginner here, but can anyone get me going in the right direction? Is this something I could trial-and-error my way through, or is this graphic designer level stuff?
I have never been to a gaming convention in my life. I have dreamed of going to PaizoCon for the last 2 years. I was crushed that my plans to go to PaizoCon 2012 fell through. That was really a very difficult weekend; the most acute disappointment I've felt since I was a kid. But, for the sake of being optimistic, I'm looking forward to next summer. Having never attended a con before though, I need everyone's opinions. I can't afford both. So which do I choose? PaizoCon 2013 or GenCon 2013?
This a one-on-one campaign starring Toretan, the oread Monk of the Sacred Mountain. Observers are welcome, but please don't post unless you've been invited.
So, I am a gamer with an interest in woodworking. Lately, I've been daydreaming about how I would build the perfect table for a PFRPG group. What I'd like to hear from you are the little things that would make up your dream table. How should it be shaped to maximize play pace? What details would take it from cool to awesome? Everything from the obvious cupholder to a dice tray or built-in GM screen. Go nuts!
I've searched the boards and not found quite what I'm looking for... I have tried a couple of different things, but have yet to find a satisfactory method of hiding/revealing dungeon maps. I'd really like to have maps drawn and ready to go before the session - for speed and detail - but I want to minimmize metagaming. I've tried Gaming Paper, flipmats, and blank grids. What do YOU use and how does that work out for you?
I imagine this has come up before, but I won't be able to come to Redmond this summer and I'd love to find some way to get in on stuff from home. Does Paizo sell remote viewing or even recordings of the panels and workshops?
I am a middle school science teacher and a PFRPG addict. Recently, I've been seeing lots of research about video games and cognitive development, decision-making skills, etc. I have posted some of my findings here: I would like to try an experiment next year. I plan to pattern my classroom after the PFRPG. Rather than "points" for work done, students will earn "XP." Rather than working toward an "A" or a "C," they'll try to reach "level 5," or "level 3." Tests would be "bosses." "Achievements" or "feats" can be earned for special assignments. Etc. What I would like is to hear the ideas that you all can come up with. Many of you have been playing RPG's much, much longer than I have and some of you may even be educators. Share your wisdom and creativity, please. I'm really hoping this turns out to be a lot of fun for the kids, and maybe even really motivating to a kid who wouldn't normally try so hard.
So, I've had something gnawing at the back of my mind in the few short years that I've been playing. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I find myself secretly (and inexplicably) disappointed by a session of gaming more often than not. I'd started to wonder if I like the idea of tabletop RPGs more than I actually like playing tabletop RPGs. Then I read the final book of Paolini's "Inheritance" series and I think I might have figured it out. When I finally met the BBEGs of the Inheritance series, my first thought was "Oh, sh*t." Reflecting on the games I've played and run, everything has always been scaled nicely to be within the player's realm of possibility. I've never felt the "Oh, sh*t!" factor in a game. That's great for PC confidence and all - I know player's want to feel important - but I don't think that style of play evokes any visceral response. It FEELS like a game to me, and not a dynamic story. Does anyone else see what I'm getting at here? How have you GM's dealt with this? How can I evoke real emotion in my games as a GM (and feel it as a PC)? Is the answer to just throw in the occassional insurmountable challenge? Or how else have you done it?
So, I've never really thought about it before, but it's come up in a recent discussion, but I find divine scrolls kind of funny. With an arcane scroll, you've written out the learning and procedure required to cast the spell quickly. When someone reads the scroll, it completes the casting of the spell and the magic is activated. Cool. This flavor really highlights the academic nature of arcane magic. Divine spells are the result of a petition to a divine being, usually in the form of some sort of prayer in my mind. So, when a divine caster scribes a scroll, the divine being is basically agreeing to grant the power in the moment that it's needed. Doesn't that make divine scrolls tantamount to a coupon that you can redeem at will for an answered prayer? That's a little silly to me. How do you all flavor your divine scrolls? I'd even be open to some other (hopefully REALLY similar) mechanic, like a small holy token being imbued with the power of the spell to be released when needed. What have you got?
In Ultimate Combat, the rules for the saving throw against the effects of a Called Shot state that "the DC is equal to the Armor Class hit by the attack." That's just not processing in my brain and I don't feel confident about it. So, if I get a total attack roll of 20 and hit an enemy with an AC of 18, is the save DC for the Called Shot an 18 or a 20? If the DC is determined by the target's AC, then that means that the exact same Called Shot fired at a level 1 warrior (AC 15) and a level 20 fighter (AC 30) will be easier for the warrior to shake off than for the fighter. That's illogical. But the rules say Armor Class, not attack roll. Help me understand.
So, I had an idea to run a Count of Monte Crist type revenge campaign. I would set up the party to have a very clear and powerful enemy, then take everything away from them, then give them virtually limitless wealth with which to seek revenge. What I want to know is...would that completely break the game? Or could it be done? Surely, they'd have access to enormous power in the form of magic items and hired help, but the availability of these things wouldn't be unlimited. And the BBEG would be hugely powerful. Not just any old assassin would be able to take him down. And it's not like Holy Avengers would be available at the corner market. Help me to think through this one. It may be unusable, but it sounds awesome to me.
So I had a completely awesome idea (if I do say so myself) that I'd like some help devloping, the "Character Secret." It would be kind of like a character trait, I suppose, in that each character would choose one to flesh out their character. It should be something that the PC would keep pretty close to the chest, but it would work its way out in roleplaying as the game goes on. Everyone has some secret, especially heroes, and this could go a long way in helping PCs to RP better, espeically players who are new to gaming. So, my first choice would be to have every PC come up with a Character Secret that's relevant and appropriate to their character, but I'd also love to have a list of ideas to inspire them. Maybe it could even be made into a table to roll for random secrets for NPCs? So fire away. I want to hear what you all come up with. I'll start with one or two, but this is just coming to me so I haven't thought on it much myself.
I've been thinking of basing a character concept on the incomprehensible and alien nature of the elves. It says in Elves of Golarion that other races find them "confusing," "contradictory," and "unpredictable." I have gotten some fun ideas from that book, but I thought I'd ask you all what you've tried; what works and what doesn't. How do I, with a human nature, roleplay an elf who has such a foreign nature? I'd love specific ideas. (I'm going for typical high elf, not Forlorn or wild elf.) |
