Inuki Talespinner's page

Here is the discussion thread.

It's an exciting day in Brinestump Marsh. First, it was discovered that one of the goblins knew how to read and write. (Bad mojo, as everyone knows, writing steals the words from your head.) The goblins held him down and drew on his face, naming him Scribbleface, and then ran him out of town before setting fire to his hut. (Everyone loves a good fire.)

But before the hut was burned, His Mighty Girthness Chief Rendwattle Gutwad, found that Scribbleface had discovered the secret location of a cache of fireworks. The chief, impressed with the potential of a large quantity of explosives, has declared a festival and a competition to select an elite goblin squad to go and retrieve the fireworks. Right now, there is a barbecue going on, and the goblins are running around playing (and arguing about) various ball games, seeing what kind of things will burn, and just enjoying the general mayhem.

Describe what your character looks like and what he is doing.

I've been thinking about throwing my hat back into the GMing ring and I figure this is a short, easy, and fun way to do it. I would like to run We Be Goblins. This is an adventure for 1st level PC's.

I would like to invite players who are new to Play by Post, since this is a good fun intro adventure. Others may apply , but I will give preference to newer players.

Go ahead and make a character, but don't worry about spending a ton of time just to apply. If you haven't settled on a trait or a skill choice, no big deal.
You can use the pregens or make your own character. 15-point buy, any Paizo material.
I am a big fan of using skills an items in creative ways, so all characters get a chance to shine. So if you can think of a weird craft or profession skill, go for it.

Give me a paragraph or two describing your character. Just a basic idea is fine. No need for a 2-page background.

Also, give me a list of 3-5 things you have in your pockets. Not a list of equipment with gold piece costs, but a list of the weird things goblins collect, like a dead bird, or a button, or a broken toy.

This is a good opportunity for some fun role play. Golarion goblins love burning things, hate dogs, fear horses, and like to sing rude songs. They can be mean and crafty little dudes, but PCs in this adventure should not be downright evil, I think of them more as letting a bunch of kindergarteners run loose without any supervision whatsoever.

Frequency, once a day is fine. Weekend posts are not necessary. Time zone doesn't matter.

Any questions, please ask.

On my profile under aliases, it lists "Pathfinder Society Characters" and then "Aliases". Is there a way to move an alias from the second category to the first one? Or do I need to make a new PFS character identity from scratch and copy the information from the alias?

I have this order pending, which includes a subscription item (card game) and some sale items.

Can I add a subscription to the Player Companion (starting with Advanced Class Origins) and have it ship with this order?

If so, I would like to do this. And also, if possible, remove Doom Comes to Dustpawn.

Thank you.

3 related questions:

1. If I start a subscription, will (or can) that be shipped with items from the Great Golem Sale?

2. I'm not quite sure what the total is going to be for my order. If I click on that last step (the check mark to confirm the order), does that actually place the order, or do I get one more chance to confirm everything?

3. Do PDF items help reach the $100 threshold for $10 off shipping?

Thanks!

How would you go about building a character that can ride wild animals (and maybe magical beasts)? I don't mean someone with an animal companion or a bonded mount, but a guy that can ride anything. Maybe it is in the middle of a fight and he jumps on and harnesses it, or maybe he attunes to it horse whisperer style. Magic items allowed. Ideas?

What skill checks would be needed to do this? Control mount in battle (Ride DC 20, with a -5 for riding bareback and another -5 for an ill-suited creature)?

Campaign info HERE.

I will try to get this gameplay thread linked up with the recruiting and discussion.

I'm trying to start the gameplay in the thread "Absalom's Finest" but nothing shows up. What am I doing wrong?

Here is the Discussion thread for this campaign. For the moment, it is a place for applicants to role play while everyone finishes their submission. The scene is a tavern across from the police station.

This page has some kind of endless redirect.

http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizoPublishing/rpgsuperstar/previous/ 2013/rules

This is a recruiting call for players in an urban fantasy setting based on Terry Pratchett's City Watch series. PC's will be members of a police force in Absalom, investigating crime and keeping order on the gritty streets of the city. Familiarity with the novels is not required. I will take liberties with the published setting, in particular a large variety of races may be present in the city including things like goblins or kobolds. The non-core races are tolerated but looked down on by most humans.

Fair warning up front: I am just restarting another game I GM after a year-long break, so it may be ambitious of me to start a second. So I can't promise how fast I will post or how long the game will last, but I want to try it.

Setting: Since people are familiar with the world, this will be on Golarion in Absalom. I will borrow heavily from the atmosphere of Ankh-Morpork in the Discworld books as well, which is to me a fantasy version of Victorian London (think Sherlock Holmes) with a little bit of film noir/hardboiled detective attitude. The new commander has been given leave to hire a new batch of recruits, including hiring non-humans for the first time, which has caused a certain amount of resentment.

Characters: You should be basically decent, law-abiding people. No evil or CN alignment. Lawful encouraged. You are enforcing laws and the commander likes to do things by the book. If you want to play a loose cannon CG type go ahead. The books are filled with humor and satire while still telling a serious story--I will try to reflect that in the game. You are encouraged to have some kind of comic weakness (more later). Feel free to incorporate tropes from modern police/detective movies/TV/books.

Crunch: 20 point build. Second level (but may advance quickly at first). Any Paizo SRD material plus the Advanced Class Guide is legal. See below for 3pp. You get 2 traits and a drawback (no third trait yet). If you want to make a custom drawback, subject to GM approval, go ahead. You are encouraged to have a comic flaw of some kind, for example: a phobia, extreme ugliness, vanity, OCD, excessive shirking of work, naivete, forgetfulness, too talkative. It does not need to cripple your character but it should affect him/her a little. I will award a bonus trait or maybe a feat for successful role-playing of the flaw.

Third-Party material. This is a pretty experimental game so I am open to 3pp classes and races. I will probably not accept 3pp feats unless they are specifically for a given race/class. I will definitely accept builds from the following books:
In the Company of Monsters [no giants]/Tengu/Fey, Fey Archetypes, Secrets of the Luckbringer (Rite Publishing)
New Paths Compendium, Ravenfolk (Kobold Press)
The Artisan (Drop Dead Studios)
The Genius Guide to the Time Thief, Genius Guide to Domain Channeling, The Kobold Kings (Super Genius)
Bite Me (Misfit Studios)
If you want to play something else that is avaiable online (or you want to buy me the pdf) I will consider it as long as it is reasonably balanced.

Classes:
Guns are not available. If you like the gunslinger deeds, we can work something out where you use a crossbow.
Any Paizo class allowed (including ACG as mentioned). I will probably lean towards martials and skill-based classes rather than full casters but if you have an interesting character go for it. I'd be especially open to some kind of clockwork tinkerer/artificer class. Multiclassing is fine.

Races: Weird races are encouraged, subject somewhat to my personal preferences. Most anything from the ARG Featured/Uncommon races is OK. Probably not svirfneblin. Goblins, dhampir, androids, minotaurs (Rite Publishing), gargoyles (Rite), skinwalkers, etc. are OK.

Initial submissions should include a stat sheet and at least a couple of paragraphs on your backstory. Don't worry about gear yet but you can identify your weapons and armor.

Gameplay: There will be a fair share of combat but expect social, knowledge, investigation, and physical skills to come in quite handy. I may use some PFS or other published adventures as well as my own material.

Leveling: I am not going to track XP, I will just advance everyone when it seems like it's time for some new abilities. I expect we will advance pretty quickly at the start and then I may slow it down.

Deadline: No firm deadline yet. I'll give at least a week from now, with a couple of days advance warning at least.

I am thinking about running a PbP based on the City Watch in Terry Pratchett's Discworld books. They keep order and fight crime in a gritty and industrious urban environment. It reminds me a bit of Victorian London. I would like to fit it in to Golarion since people are already familiar with the different deities, cultures, etc. Is there a city that has a published source book that would make a good fit? I plan on allowing a lot of unusual races.

I have the Kaer Maga book (City of Strangers) but parts of it are a bit too dark and gruesome for me. I guess I could work with that and tone it down. But I'll take other ideas...

I have a character concept for a rogue with a cleric (of Tsukiyo) dip to get the ability to be invisible in shadow (Night domain). Thought it would be a fun lead-in to Shadowdancer prestige class. Shadowdancer requires Combat Reflexes which seems to need a reach weapon to be very useful, while rogues lend themselves more to 2-weapon fighting to get max use of sneak damage. Is there a good way to take advantage of AoO's while being able to use 2 weapons?

In general, why would a warpriest (or a cleric or other divine caster) have his/her powers? Innately from birth? Chosen by the god? Devoted himself to the god? They just prayed for divine power in a moment of need? I need a backstory for a 4th level warpriest of Gozreh for a Skull and Shackles campaign but am interested in general ideas for inspiration.

Will slayers and investigators be able to take an "Extra Talent" feat? The existing feat is called "Extra Rogue Talent". And while we're at it, any chance for warpriests to get an Extra Blessing from one of their domains?

Is something wrong with the shopping cart/checkout system? Every time I try to check out it just sends me back to the shopping cart.

I'm sure this is a FAQ but give me a recommendation or three for a quick easy (hopefully inexpensive) way to make maps for PbP. Either web-based, Mac, or iPad. I don't need to have a zillion options, just something that gives me a grid and lets me make some grass and trees and a road or some dungeon rooms and a bit of furniture. I have the Battle Map 2 iPad app and it is pretty impressive. It is good at making terrain really fast, but even that takes several steps to get to a Google Drive document (which is how I was going to share the image)...email to self as a pdf, convert pdf to an image file (this bit took me a couple of steps), insert that into my Google document. Surely there is a better way?

Thanks!

Thorn Manor {location}
==========
When the elegant but run-down Thorn Manor was bought by a tall, silent newcomer known as Lord Rostau, no one paid much notice. But now carriages come and go at odd hours of the night, and strange blue flashes of light are seen from the upper stories. Rostau was an alchemist experimenting with necromancy who had taken a caliban called Vago as a servant. As Rostau progressed in his foul experiments, he became more cruel and mistreated his wretched servant. Filled with rage and loathing, Vago finally snapped and murdered his master. Now Lord Rostau wanders the halls as a ghost while Vago tries to replicate his master's experiments.

The Murderous Apprentice(CR YY) {encounter}
==========
This floor is taken up by an alchemist's laboratory. Tables are covered with flasks and beakers of fluid and shelves hold preserved specimens of strange creatures. Across the room a monstrous hunchbacked creature, man-shaped but with a bestial face, is dressed in a stained lab coat that is too small for him. He turns his attention to you and yells, "Me master now!" He is standing near an apparatus topped with coils of wire, humming and sparking with electricity. An unmoving man is bound to the machine by brass manacles.

Initially, the only active creature is the caliban but the others may be released or awakened as the encounter progresses. The caliban has been driven mad by the continual mistreatment of his master, and cannot be reasoned with. He needs to use his Share Deformity ability to gain enough intelligence to use the wand of Lightning Bolt, which charges the Infernal Apparatus, ultimately reanimating a zombie from Lord Rostau's corpse..

Creatures:

Caliban CR 2
XP 200
hp 22 (RPG Superstar 2013)
Melee 2 claws +5 (1d4+1) or share deformity (touch +5)
Ranged glass vial +4 (1d4+1 slashing + special)
Replace Intimidate +7 with Use Magic Device +7.
He is under the effect of a potion of Mage Armor and carries a wand of lightning bolt.

Tactics
The caliban first uses his Unsettling Scream to slow the players before beginning to throwing vials containing a preservationist alchemist's bottled allies (from Ultimate Magic): a bat swarm, a giant frog, and 3 dire rats. When the vials break, the creatures are released and grow to full size, persisting for three rounds before dying and withering away. The caliban uses Share Deformity on the first opportunity to increase his Intelligence. After this he uses the wand of lightning bolt to attack, which also charges the Infernal Device.

Bat Swarm CR 2
XP 600
hp 9 (Bestiary 30)

Frog, Giant CR 1
XP 400
hp 15 each (Bestiary 135)

Rat, Dire CR 1/3
XP 135 each
hp 5 each (Bestiary 232)

Zombie, Alchemical CR 2
XP 600
hp 24 (Bestiary 288, Classic Horrors Revisited 54)
This is an Alchemical Zombie with immunity to electric damage and double the normal hp.

Hazard: Sticky floor. The floor here is covered by a clear sticky substance, and anyone walking here becomes stuck to the floor. The effect is the same as that from a tanglefoot bag. PCs attempting to cross this area immediately upon entering the room get a DC 15 Perception check to notice there is something on the floor.

Trap:
Flash Trap CR 1
Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 20
----- Effects -----
Trigger {proximity 5 feet}; Duration instantaneous; Reset 1 round, automatic (6 charges); Bypass hidden switch
Effect (Multiple targets (all targets in a 15-ft. cone)). Blindness for 1d4 rounds. Creatures which make a DC 20 Reflex save are dazzled.

Room features:
1. Infernal Device. This device holds the corpse of the dead alchemist, recognizable by the players from the haunt in the entry hall. One end is covered with coils of wire. Whenever any electric spell or effect is used in this room, it charges the device, causing it to spark and hiss dramatically. After 3 such charges, the corpse is reanimated as an Alchemical Zombie. This causes the machine to become broken, requiring a Craft: Alchemy check of DC 25 to repair. Hitting the wiring with a weapon breaks the machine but deals 1d6 electric damage to the wielder if the weapon is a metal melee weapon.
2. These table are covered in flasks and beakers. Leaping over the tables requires an Acrobatics check (DC 12) to avoid taking 1d4 slashing damage from broken glass. Medium characters may crawl under at half movement while small characters may duck under the tables and move at full speed. The flasks may be identified by a Craft: Alchemy check (DC 10) or Linguistics check to decipher the writing (DC 20, +10 if the character knows Varisian). If flasks are chosen at random, roll d10 and use the following: 0-3) acid flask (1d6 splash), 4-6) harmless chemical, 7) universal solvent, 8) vermin repellent, 9) antitoxin.
3. Specimen shelves. These shelves hold preserved biological specimens, including the bottled allies thrown by the caliban. These are tall shelves which provide partial cover.
4. Sticky floor.
5. A glass dome in front of the window covers an ordinary flytrap plant and a buzzing swarm of ordinary flies. If the dome is broken or overturned, treat the flies as a wasp swarm but with no attacks. A DC 15 Knowledge: Nature check reveals the harmless nature of the contents.
6. The flash trap sits on a pedestal in this corner. It consists of a filament of wire which flashes brightly when triggered by stepping in front of it.

Development:
Several of the hazards here can be mitigated. Acid flasks are effective against swarms. Opening a window (a move action) will disperse flying swarms within 10 feet in 1 round. The giant frog can be distracted by releasing the swarm of flies. Universal solvent can neutralize the sticky floor.
When the zombie is reanimated, he breaks free and attacks the nearest PC.

A flowing mass of mud with embedded bits of pebbles, bark, and organic matter, this ooze usually appears in the rough form of a human, with a gaping mouth, two tentacle-like arms, and a broad base. It is drawn to sentient beings like a moth to a flame.

Thoughtstealer Ooze CR 5
XP 1600
N Medium Ooze
Init +7; Senses Blindsight 60 feet; Perception +5

----- Defense -----
AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 10 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, 2 natural)
hp 45 (7d8+14)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +4
Defensive Abilities ooze traits; Resist acid 5
Weaknesses vulnerable to fire

----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft., climb 15 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d4+2 plus mind drain and grab), 2 claws +2 (1d4+1)
Special Attacks mind drain (1d4 Int, DC 15)

----- Statistics -----
Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 15
Base Atk +5; CMB +7 (+2 Grapple); CMD 20 (cannot be tripped, +2 vs. grapple)
Feats Dodge, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative
Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +5, Stealth +4 (+12 in swamps), Swim +3; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +8 Stealth in swamps
SQ ooze traits, compression

----- Ecology -----
Environment temperate swamps
Organization solitary, pair, or colony (3-6)
Treasure standard

----- Special Abilities -----
Thoughtsense (Su) A thoughtstealer ooze can locate accurately any creature of Intelligence 3 or higher within 60'.
Sticky (Ex) Anyone who hits a thoughtstealer ooze with a melee weapon must make a DC 11 Strength check or that weapon is stuck in its body for one round.
Mind Drain (Sp) Once per round, a thoughtstealer ooze may do 1d4 Intelligence damage to a creature hit by its bite attack. If successful, it gains an equal temporary Intelligence bonus for one hour, to a maximum Intelligence of 10. The Will save DC of 15 is Charisma-based.
Awakened Intellect (Ex)
As the thoughtstealer ooze's Intellegence increases, it gains new abilities and begins to employ more advanced tactics, while its features become more defined in resemblance of its mind drain victim(s).
At Intelligence 3, it avoids being surrounded and can speak one language of its mind drain victim(s).
At Intelligence 4, it can grab a weapon which hits it, forcing the enemy to succeed in an opposed Strength check to free his weapon. It the ooze wins this check, it gains control of the weapon and can attack with it in lieu of a claw, though not proficiently. The ooze can hold two weapons in this way.
At Intelligence 6, it gains the weapon proficiencies of its mind drain victim(s) and takes advantage of flanking opportunities.
At Intelligence 8, it gains a +2 attack bonus to secondary attacks and can use tools.
At Intelligence 10, it learns Aklo and all the known languages of its mind drain victim(s), plus it gains their Knowledge skill ranks. (These ranks do not stack.)

Spawned by the shoggoth godling Nuruu'gal in cruel mockery of humanity, these oozes have bodies that are crude imitations of the human form. They are instinctively aware of the intellect they were intended to have but do not possess, and are drawn to sentient creatures in an attempt to feed on their mental energy.
A thoughtstealer ooze desires nothing more than to gain Intelligence, and quickly applies its new abilities. Some have even been known to use tools and build cunning traps. Unfortunately for the oozes, this awakening is short-lived. Hours after feeding, all they are left with is a pile of treasure they cannot use and some rock-scratched writings they can no longer understand.

Skinchanger (Witch)
In remote wild regions such as the Narlmarches, it is whispered that there are witches able to inhabit both the minds and bodies of beasts. At home among the birds and beasts, they shun the companionship of their own kind. These are skinchangers, witches with a close link to the animal world. Some befriend animals while others wrest them to their will. Some are even said to adapt so well to life as an animal that they forget their original form.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The skinchanger may wear the skin of an animal she has slain as a hide shirt. She is proficient with this armor and it does not interfere with her spellcasting.
Diminished Spellcasting: Skinchangers cast one fewer spell of each level than normal. If this reduces the number to 0, she may cast spells of that level only if her intelligence allows bonus spells of that level.
Patron: A skinchanger replaces some of her patron spells with the following:
2nd—charm animals, 4th—speak with animals, 6th—dominate animal
Hexes: A skinchanger can select the following additional hex:
Beastly Gaze (Su): The witch may use hexes while in animal form.
A skinchanger may choose Beast Eye as a normal hex rather than a major hex beginning at 4th level.
The following hexes complement the skinchanger archetype: beast of ill-omen, feral speech.
Skintaker (Su): The skinchanger may preserve the skin of a slain medium or small animal. By performing a ritual, she bonds a portion of the animal’s life essence to the skin. This ritual lasts for one hour and must occur within 24 hours of the animal’s death. Thereafter, when she wears the skin, she may transform into that creature. She may use this ability once per day for each taken skin, for up to one hour. This ability otherwise works like a 4th level druid's wild shape. This ability replaces the witch’s 4th-level hex.
Major Hex: The skinchanger may choose the following additional hex:
Control Animal (Sp): The witch may inhabit an animal's body with her mind and take complete control of its actions. This takes a standard action to initiate. A will save negates this effect. While she is doing this, her own body remains in a trance and does not move.
Run Free (Su): At 16th level, a skinchanger can transform as a free action while wearing a taken skin, and remain in animal form for an unlimited amount of time. This replaces the hex gained at 16th level.

Aura moderate transmutation; CL 7
Slot shoulders; Price 12,000 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
Description
This glossy black, scaly cloak is made from snakeskin. It closely adheres to the wearer’s back and upper arms, with a hood flaring out like a cobra’s. The wearer’s movements become lithe, granting him the compression monster ability and a +2 dodge bonus to Reflex saves. His voice becomes sibilant, and he may use Speak with Animals with any reptilian animal three times per day. The wearer’s body temperature drops and he is treated as a cold-blooded creature (rendering him less attractive to certain monsters). However, whenever he takes cold damage, he is slowed for one round. Furthermore, the wearer is slowed whenever the ambient temperature is below freezing. Once per day, the wearer may shed the cloak as a serpent sheds its skin. This is a swift action which does not require any free hands. If the wearer is grappled or entangled about the torso, shedding the cloak grants automatic success on an Escape Artist check that round.

Construction Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, Speak with Animals, Animal Aspect, Freedom of Movement
Cost 6,000 gp

OK, my two boys wanted to make some aquatic characters: a gillman and a merfolk. Both are amphibious and can go on land or water. I'd like to write an adventure involving exploring a huge river like the Amazon, in a remote jungle. It would be big enough to have aquatic cities or ruins in the river and of course huge aquatic creatures. There could also be stuff going on above ground in the jungle. Any ideas for good plot hooks, types of locations, etc? Useful source books? Obviously I could make up my own locations, but is there a good regional setting for this on Golarion?

Has anyone run an adventure about, or are their modules available for an elaborate team heist, in the tradition of Mission Impossible or Ocean's Eleven or a gazillion other movies? There should be confidence games, false identities, elaborate break-ins, daring escapes, etc. It might make for a complicated game but it would be fun in a fantasy setting to use rogue skills, illusions, shapechanging, and so forth. For a great example of this sort of thing in a written fantasy, see the novel The Lies of Locke Lamora about a band of audacious thieves in a Renaissance-type setting.

If a cleric takes the aquatic (druid) domain, granting him the Sealord power (channel energy to heal or command aquatic creatures), is that in addition to his normal cleric's channel energy uses?

OK, this may be kind of dense of me, but I can't figure out how to watch certain threads and see when they get new posts? Can I do that?

After 20+ years of not playing RPG's, I have started playing some with my two boys, ages 6 and 10. We have always played a lot of board games and some CCGs so they pick up rules pretty fast. We went through the Beginner Box adventure and they loved it. Now we're on Smuggler's Shiv. In the last session, they were losing interest with the freeform exploration and a couple of repeat encounters. I may have to skip them along to some of the highlights. This is a learning experience for me as a GM too so something a bit more linear might move along better. Anyway, I'm looking for good adventure suggestions, wondering if I should get the next one on this adventure path or try something else.

Bonus points for:
Age-appropriate/not too dark (I can tone down some things)
Easy to run

Thanks,
Clay