Unfortunately I just don't have the time to finish a character for this game; I've had too much going on this week, and having to reacquaint myself with the game has slowed the process. I'll just have to keep my eyes open for another opportunity.
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I'm looking to get back into a Pathfinder game after a few years without picking up a d20, be it physical or digital. I'm considering submitting either a monk or an ancestors shaman, in either case a human with the Aquatic Ancestry alternate racial trait and a grandfather who turned into a skum after he died. Would you be willing to allow me to slightly alter the background info of the Seasoned Hunter campaign trait? Mechanically it would remain unchanged, but it would be more appropriate to call it Seasoned Fisherman for the character background I'm considering.
Because artists don't usually work exclusively for one company, you will often see similar works in similar products. That's simply the nature of the industry: if you look back to early Pathfinder materials, before elements like tiefling and dragon appearance were formally defined, you'll see a lot of images that evoke WotC's visual definitions. It's the same thing. As long as original works were commissioned for Castle Age, they're going to generally be alright. Paizo does not own the rights to the artists' styles, after all.
I asked a while ago about a method of obtaining the encounter map in an electronic format, as Comixology does not include it. Any news?
Keyboard and mose acting up; gotta figure out what's wngack again soon.
Granted, but at the same time you have to be careful. As I said, there's nothing inherently wrong with a setting that features a selection of strong women in all possible roles. That alone is unlikely to cause any issue. Calling attention to it in order to illustrate some lack of gender bias, however, can. The male ego can be an extremely fragile thing. The simple act by a publisher of shining a spotlight on a perceived gender bias in these products, or lack thereof if that is the case, is likely to push male customers away from the product. These customers may or may not have an opinion on the matter, but the idea that they might is going to make many of them uncomfortable. This in turn results in the same behavior most men demonstrate when faced with emotional turmoil: Ignore the cause. It may not be something that has occurred in this industry yet, but it has in others, and it is a real concern.
Another real quick consideration regarding attire: if you feel your newest art piece for an upcoming product may be off in this regard, imagine a simple gender-swap. Envision the same character, same pose, same equipment, but the opposite gender. If there is a problem with the art in question, the result of this exercise will usually look truly ridiculous. The gender of the wearer is not the primary concern of an armor maker, the protection of the wearer is. Often it will be too late to replace an offending work before a product goes to print, but keep note of the problem anyway, point it out to the artist, and keep an eye out for it in the future. There are many similar, yet distinct, issues that arise in depictions of women in fantasy art. Like any other visual cue, they become easier to spot once you identify them for the first time. It's a talent you will have to develop over time, but it will prove worthwhile in the long run.
What games have this problem exactly? I would like to find this game that has so little objectification and sexualization of women that it somehow is unnatural and off-putting. None that I am aware of at this point, but then again I don't play much other than Pathfinder. My statement is not a matter of pointing out examples, but a warning that it can go both ways if the designers' focus is on the wrong aspect of the task. If you want an example, though, I would point out the initial post in this thread. There is nothing wrong with having a primarily matriarchal setting. This becomes an issue, however, when the designers feel the need to point this fact out, to parade it around in order to demonstrate how they are working toward bettering the gender representations within their products. Gender should not be a primary consideration in these works: The focus should be on story, theme, and character; these works stop being about the setting, and instead becomes focused on gender specifics; the content and value of the works are lost, because they ceases to be the primary concern of the designers.
I would recommend performing exercises such as this. The fact that a representative from LPJ felt the need to start this thread indicates that the company is trying too hard. LPJ has an admitted issue with portraying overly-sexualized and unrealistic female characters. That's a good thing to recognize, but it appears what you are attempting to do is overcorrect the perceived slight. By pushing your product line to include "acceptable" female imagery you are still going to end up creating an unrealistic and artificial setting. It is the focus on female characters that is the issue, not the specific depictions you have included thus far. Past depictions were focused on the characters' sexual appeal, which swayed the setting and your product design decisions. Now you're attempting to swing the focus in a less-sexualized direction, but the way you are doing this is still going to have an unbalancing effect. You need to recognize that most fantasy RPG settings are truly gender-neutral in terms of roles, professions, and achievements. Stop viewing your characters as male or female; see them on the merits of their personality, their objectives and goals, their mannerisms and personality; in a truly gender-neutral setting, male or female is simply an aspect of identity. The focus you are giving the subject here demonstrates you are making gender a deciding factor, which will prove just as disruptive. If you are designing a character, sending out for artwork, whatever, have the armor, clothing, and other equipment be defined, and possibly designed, before gender is identified. It should be based on the character's role in the setting, the demands of their lifestyle. It should reflect their personality, but also their place in the world. After the equipment is established, then you consider gender: Essentially, perform a fitting, just as a tailor or armorsmith would. This doesn't mean you should sterilize your setting; both male and female sexuality is a very real consideration, and a realistic setting is going to include aspects of it. That said, these considerations should be the exception, not the rule.
It is spread over several separate threads, but if I were to use a single post it would be the following, in reference to the mention of paladins of Asmodeus:
Additional statements go on to state why no such paladins exist in Golarion, and that no such paladin will ever be included in any published material.
Hmm.. Now I'm thinking of creating a paladin of Asmodeus. He's always (unknowingly) been taught lies about the religion, and believes it's just been given a bad rap this entire time. He's out to show everyone how good of a religion it really is.Stop. Just stop. Don't open that can of worms again. Quick summary from a very lengthy and heated discussion: Not on Golarion. On Golarion paladins have to follow the same one-step alignment rule as clerics, and even then only specific deities call paladins. Asmodeus is not one of them. There was a mention of paladins of Asmodeus in an AP volume, but that was in error and should have never made it into print. It has been officially retconned. Everything else is up in the air. Decide for yourself if it is appropriate for your home game.
Hmm.. Now I'm thinking of creating a paladin of Asmodeus. He's always (unknowingly) been taught lies about the religion, and believes it's just been given a bad rap this entire time. He's out to show everyone how good of a religion it really is. Stop. Just stop. Don't open that can of worms again. Forget the thought ever occurred to you. Or at least act like you've forgotten it. Please.
Go for it. The game needs more atypical paladins.
The Advanced Race Guide is a setting-neutral book. It contains no information specific to Golarion, and some of the races it describes don't even have a presence within the setting. In addition to what has already been stated tengu also have a large presence on the continent of Tian Xia. They can be found throughout its lands, and they even control their own (fractured) nation of Kwanlai.
Role-Play him like The TICK! Isn't the Tick a paladin with some well placed low scores? Yes, I believe you'd be correct.
I like this. Amusing and appropriate for the deity. If it's a stunning piece of art, nude or not, why would a paladin of Shelyn destroy such a thing? Exactly. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the character develops. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much chance for levity at this point in the campaign: travel to the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, expect a warm welcome only to find the village sacked by cannibal marauders, and have to venture into the cold, dark night in the hope of finding survivors. He's going to have a sense of humor, but there's not really anything funny about the situation he and the rest of the party are currently in. >.<
I'm currently running a paladin of Shelyn that carved a nude statue of a vacationing noble. She regretted posing for the piece afterwards and demanded it be destroyed, fearing what would happen if her fiance found out. He sent the statue to her fiance as a wedding present. Paladins can have a sense of humor. They may be paragons of virtue and righteousness, but they still have a pulse.
I should be clear that in Golarion the Qlippoth and Dark Tapestry have no direct connection as written, however, both being closely related to Lovecraftian horror, it is my own assumption that there is a tacit connection, which is why I draw a dotted line from Skum to the Dark Tapestry through the Qlippoth (more specifically, the ex-Qlippoth demon lord Dagon and some of his demon and Qlippoth associates) in my own campaign. Yeah, there are a lot of opportunities to tie things that share literary origins together, even if those links are severed within the basic setting.
Elamdri is correct: They do not stack.
Anything like BoEF plan to be released? Or just some of the feats in it plan to be brought back? Some of the feats could be traits. As far as I understand no, there are no plans. I believe JJ went so far as to say Paizo did not want to be associated with such content. EDIT 3PP cannot even publish such content while using the Pathfinder Compatibility License, so we're unlikely to see the material from any other publishers any time soon.
But unlike Heaven's Agent, our entangle affects all creatures who wander into it, not just foes, to the full effect. Honestly, it mostly serves to slow down combat the way we run it. That's how we use it; things are getting too ugly too fast? Entangle. Enemies are trying to escape? Entangle. My interpretation was from the initial printing of the Core Rulebook. I don't know when it was changed.
I would use the following pricing scheme: Command Word Spell Effect = Spell level x caster level x 1,800gp = 7 x 13 x 1,800gp = 163,800gp (Base Price)
Next consider similar items already present in the game: Amulet of the Planes Cost: 120,000gp; Replicates the effect of a 5th-level divine spell. The generated effect is less accurate than the spell itself.
The price does seem to be somewhat on the steep side from a purely analytical perspective. There are a few final considerations to keep in mind: how unbalancing is this going to be for your campaign? How soon in the campaign will the item be obtained? It is effectively going to add six levels of paladin-lite to a character for 13 rounds; that might prove rather overwhelming if you're not careful. Given the strength of the spell's effect I'd say 100,000 - 120,000gp feels about right, especially if it still keeps the character's head-slot open for a Charisma-boosting headband. That would significantly boost the item's effectiveness. EDIT Bart Vervaet is correct; you would use 114,660gp / 5 = 22,932gp. My calculations have been changed to reflect this. If priced at this point, though, you might see it crafted as early as level 7, or even 6. That might be a concern to you, but it might not be.
The Warcraft planet is sentient??? There's the next expac I reckon! *grin* Destroying the planet in the end raid of the next expansion? Yeah, that would fit.
So it does; they changed it at some point. The spell used to specify "foes," instead of "creatures." I just checked my Core Rulebook to be sure.
Checked with the player: He didn't truly read the AP, though he admits to flipping through it and making an art-pass. I can tell he picked up more than just the art, though, probably without realizing what else he was seeing around the images. Spoiler:
The most obvious example is he knew the importance of Cusswell's violin as soon as his character saw it, and had a really good understanding of how to get it from Grok and what to do with it once he did. He didn't know how foul-mouthed the halfling is, though. It really surprised him when Cusswell started thanking his character for retrieving the instrument by insinuated his scantily-clad sylph spellcaster was a whore. I'll try to keep this in mind going forward, though I worry what impact this might have for major fights at the end of chapters and volumes. These encounters are often well-illustrated, and the player admits that he tends toward metagaming.
Normally the area is homogenous plant aggression, so melee PCs can't move into it to engage entangled PCs. Actually not true: the entangling plants only attack foes of the spell's caster; The party's front-line fighters still have to cross difficult terrain, but the plants won't attempt to entangle them if they venture into the spells area of effect.
I would strongly recommend drawing price examples from the Core Rulebook only. Doing so from any other source is like making a photocopy of a photocopy: the result may be serviceable, but you may never know what the final image lacks.
When you're designing new items, details such as default item slot are yours to determine. That said, you can draw queues from what the item does and compare it to other items that are already established to get an idea. Bestow Grace of the Champion grants a character some of the powers of a paladin, including: detect evil at will
That's a lot of things, even if the spell only has a duration of 13 rounds. Cloaks are a favorite choice for items that allow you to cast a spell, but it's probably better to look at what the spell grants rather than the spell itself. Of these only one ability is really tied to standard cloaks in the Core Rulebook: the bonus to saving throws. Cloak really doesn't fit at all. There is one item in the Core Rulebook that strikes me as having the same grandeur and breadth of abilities as the item your describe: a helm of brilliance. As such I would have the item take up the head slot. other options that I think would be particularly fitting are the finger (ring) or waist slot. Another option is to allow the item to be slotless. Perhaps a goblet or holy symbol that does not have to be worn to be activated: really, as a slotless item it could take any form that was significant to the character.
A Druid's animal companion you might have to worry about, but a Ranger's shouldn't be very powerful. They might be used to help flank, yeah, but you can always scare the ranger by attacking his companion a few times. That should make him a bit more reticent. ;) Indeed. And even a druid's doesn't usually end up being too disruptive.
what if you scatter a handful of seeds across a large area and then cast entangle ? The spell does not cause plants to grow, so they would remain seeds. Maybe they'd start jumping or something, but they would be completely ineffective at the task of entangling foes in the effected area.
Intellect devourers were present in 3.5, but in Pathfinder they've taken on a life of their own. They have their own city and society, and since they can take class levels they would be ideal as high-level threats with a body-snatchers vibe. If you have access to A History of Ashes, its bestiary section includes stats for the Havero. More Lovecraftian horrors from the Dark Tapestry are detailed in the bestiary section of Wake of the Watcher, including the Colour Out of Space, the Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath, the Dimensional Shambler, the Elder Thing, Mi-Go, and the Star-Spawn of Cthulhu. Mi-Go could be an ideal choice for your game as well. The denizens of the Dark Tapestry have taken no real interest in Golarion up to this point, which is lucky because it would be insta-poof-gone if they did; Golarion, its solar system, and its deities have absolutely no defense against them. As a result there are very few examples of these creatures on the planet. Spoiler:
The adventure in A History of Ashes also includes an encounter with an Havero, demonstrating how this creature can be used as part of a lower-level encounter. It's safe to assume Wake of the Watcher also includes encounters with creatures from its bestiary, but I have not read that volume as I'm playing in a Carrion Crown game. Why Skum? aren't they in the same kinda category as Goblins/Sahuagin/Lizardfolk. My party is currently terrified of water in general (I never knew how deadly plain water is when a PC falls in and doesn't have swim ranks). I am bringing them to the edge of lake Caliphas so I do have the oppertunity for an aquatic bad guy. Skum are the creation of aboleths, and it would be easy to tie the fish-like aberrations to the Dark Tapestry in some way.
Nevermind the obvious thought experiment no one's bothered with. If you place a potted plant in a grassy field and cast entangle on the vicinity, does the potted plant respond? This was, in fact, considered and discussed.
I'm not seeing how this is different from Option 1 in Pirate's list.
You're talking about epic-level play; I tend to stay clear of that as a general rule. I would recommend you abandon the idea of using Illithids as your heralds, though. Natives of the Dark Tapestry already reside on Golarion, and if would probably fit better to use them in this capacity. I recommend using intellect devourers.
This can't really be a serious topic. This is tame compared to some of the threads that pop up here.
Ouch. One Piece? Indeed. I find anime is the source of many players' attempts to bend/break the rules.
Unfortunately I can't really change the adventure too much. I agreed to run a published AP knowing I wouldn't have enough time once classes start to create my own campaign content.
Stifle that creativity! Stifle it until there's only MMO players left! The idea is hardly creative. (Link) Players should be encouraged to be creative, but this is an example of twisting the game's rules to justify an entirely baseless interpretation of a spell effect. It's a big difference.
In response with Pirate, the answer is number 1. I'm glad to hear common sense and rules savvy has supported this elsewhere. Edit: That does beg the question that if new plants enter the area (unlikely as mundane plants are not very mobile, but just the same) do they then become entangling? So long as the duration has not expired, plants entering the effected area would being entangling foes as well.
It's become apparent that at least one member of my S&S game has read sections of the AP. The character has now acted upon information I have not revealed several times, and knows exactly what to seek out and how to obtain it. The player failed to reveal this fact to me during recruitment and character creation; it is not something I would have allowed if I had known. So now I find myself with a player that knows what to expect next. How should I deal with this?
No need to FAQ this. The entangle effect would occur in the square of the potted plant. Noting more. And even then an entangled character would not be anchored to the ground.
It's also important to watch your CMD; even an AC 100 isn't going to help you if you get bull rushed off a mountain cliff, or in case of a character belonging to a friend I know, a river of molten gold. He had an AC of 42. A dragon literally backhanded him into the gold with ease; it only needed to roll a 12 or better. The character sunk to the bottom and died very quickly.
What I mean is that the way you say it implies something a little different. People not being able to cross to the Starstone isnt the same as them being denied the test for some unknown/unknowable reason.:) Though it is the same thing. The reasons that some methods of crossing work while others do not is totally unknown. We know that no two hopefuls have ever crossed in the same manner, but beyond that the process of crossing the chasm and being able to access the test is a mystery.
I have to say I agree with this. If your wife is focused on the RP aspects of the game, she needs to consider that characters are supposed to be living being that adapt to change over time. A rogue in this situation should be learning from past mistakes and change its behavior accordingly. This is the expected response from a roleplayer's perspective, and by doing otherwise she is actually rollplaying: She has stopped considering her character's responses as an intelligent being and is sticking to her own preconception.
It is a 20 point build with the racial alt trait that gives you an additional 2 to Charisma. It was made in Hero labs. Hmmm, it's not in the AR guide. Maybe Hero labs is borked? Hero Labs is borked. That's a human alternate racial trait. I've noted similar mistakes over the past couple of months in various character created using the software. The character's not OP. If anything, you've made choices that will hurt your ability to be effective in combat dramatically. You will be unable to lay on hands without dropping or sheathing your weapon first, for example, making the ability largely inaccessible during combat. And that's only one issue that the build faces.
Nope, I'm not confusing it at all. No one knows why some methods work while other don't. It's simply the way it is.
Most of my gear wasn't magic, and what was were things that a fighter really can't do without. My armor, for instance: selling it to buy a weapon would not have left me with enough coin to replace it with a mundane set. If I had sold my shield as well, maybe, but then I would have had the lowest AC in the group, too. Selling off useable items that are vital to your class is never a realistic option. You are always going to end up with less wealth than you started with, and you will be less effective at your role.
Still imposes a mandatory 15-minute work day, though. And even in the best situation there is no net gain for the party: I would have been buffed to effectiveness, but then the cleric was rendered ineffective. If the other PCs suspect him of picking their pockets, did they never go through his stuff to make sure? And then wonder about this odd-looking shortsword he never shows to anyone? He sold the short sword for half and pocketed the coin. IC we had no reason to check his stuff. As I mentioned, we all knew he was a thief, but there was no indication of how much he was pocketing. We didn't even know that until the GM told him to tally his cache.
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