JFK68's page

I must have missed a e-mail. The expiration date on my card is updated, please get me caught up with my Adventure Path subscription. I think I'm only behind by 1. Thanks!

Any other DMs smacking their players around with all the grappling/constricting creatures in this AP? I've had nearly 3 TPKs with the Chokers/Darkmantles/Assassin Vine. Granted my dice rolling has been off the charts, but still.....

Also, I altered the Brindylow encounter, I gave the Queen the +1 Mithral shirt to wear. That also ended up being a TPK, but not due to the AC enhancement, but rather the Cleave feat and lucky dice...again.

The group is still enjoying adventure, just getting a bit fed up with all the grappling.

I have an entire party of Gillmen playing in my campaign, only one took the Slimehunter alternate race feature.

I'm here as well

Thanks Kalindlara, that was fast! My Dervish Dancer archtype bard picked up the undead template and I was bumming because I planned on using the Dance of 100/1000 cuts spell to full effect. I hope to get the group to houserule undead being effected by their own morale effects/spells.

Is a Bard that has become a lich now unable to use his nice morale affects on itself due to their undead immunities?

I don't think Great Cleave works on Mirror Image.

While I don't consider limiting the legendary surge/power "nerfing", (for the reasons earlier posted), I do acknowledge that it is problematic to adjust the rules mid campaign. Each group needs to make the changes that work best for them.

I am really enjoying this thread and your other one about the failed AP, and while I don't agree with everything, I am finding a large amount of very useful advice on your threads.

Thanks for taking the time for posting your thoughts.

Sounds like your group had a great night of adventuring!!! Definitely take someone out with the necklace.

Not to de-rail again, but did you broach the legendary surge/power thing with your fighter types? If so, what how did they respond? And do you think it would make a significant impact?

It is a ability for that you can select for a Legendary weapon, pg 172 of MA.

Re-reading the legendary power/surge sections, it looks like our house-rule holds a fair amount of validity.

Foe-Biting basically allows the wielder to double the amount of damage dealt at the expense of 1 legendary power point,or 2 points if the hit was a critical hit.

Sorry for the thread jack, I'll be quiet now.

Correct, it has its own pool of power, but we have ruled that the player, not the item has to take the action. I believe precedent had been set with the spell-casting ability of the weapon--that it allows the holder to use a spell as a SLA instead of the item being able to cast it as its own action.

I was just presenting this as a possible solution to the touch attack, foe biter problem, and fully acknowledge that this would be a house-rule and not RAW.

For times when multiple surges or power points have to be expended it is still only a immediate/swift action.

It does actually work for the GM and keeping his creatures alive a bit longer...at least in our group....and as long as the Ranger doesn't decide that it must die, that guy is really nasty!

Yep, that's the legendary surge (power) that I mentioned. The rules say that it is similar to the mythic surge ability of the character. In our game, we ruled that since the legendary item cannot take its own action (like casting spells, unlike intelligent items from the CRB) it costs the character their immediate/swift action to active a ability of the weapon (or item), unless otherwise stated. It just prevents stacking surges on an attack, i.e. character rolls their attack, uses a mythic surge to increase their roll, they would then be unable to use a legendary surge to further increase their attack roll if they missed, or use a legendary power to activate foe-biter to double the damage output.

In our game we have ruled that, unless otherwise specified, using a mythic surge, or a legendary surge is a immediate/swift action. That would prevent the touch attack foe-biter strategy. We are just finishing the 2 book and have found it to be fairly challenging, but our GM is playing the monsters very intelligently. We have a melee cleric, tower shield (very defensive) Paladin, Death dealing Zen Archer/Ranger, Witch, and a Bard. We have found action economy, in regards to mythic/legendary surges, to be a limiting factor. Remember if you use a immediate action prior to your turn you lose your swift action during your turn.

OK, gotta go burn something on the grill, have been greatly enjoying your posts and insights Magnus.

At this point my intelligent cloak which casts as a wizard drops enervation on the one enemy who has teleported behind us.

Quick question Duiker, is your cloak a intelligent item out of the CRB or the Legendary Item from MA? A Legendary Item does not have an action of its own, unless you have house ruled this. I ask, not to be sniping/snarky, but because I was very disappointed to see that the LI was not like the CRB intelligent item and not able to take its own action to cast.

We just entered Drezen in our campaign, my cleric killed the Soltengrabbe in 1 round, melee combat, minimally buffed. So, yea, I agree there is substantial power creep, but if you're having fun, so be it.

Good gaming!

I'm playing a Cleric/Holy Vindicator of Iomedae with plans for the Vital Strike feat chain, currently Cleric 7/ MT 1 and doing fine as far as damage is concerned. Plan on being a front liner and helping the Paladin and Zen Archer, we also have a Witch and Bard. Str>Cha>Con>Wis>Dex=Int. Also taking Eldritch Heritage feat chain (Orc). Fairly boring, expected and plain, but I wanted simple.

Isn't it double the points? So you could do 2nd lvl spells 3/day, but yea, I see your point.

Don't think so, my read says 5th lvl spells max. I don't think you can save up the points.

Oh, OK, got it, thanks a bunch!

How long are the teams employed? If I recruit a team of elite archers for 380gp (or the appropriate outlay of goods/influence and labor),is the cash a recruitment cost,or is that a monthly/semi-annual cost?

Thanks

+1

Anyone considering adding Mythic levels to Karzoug? If so, how many? I was thinking of adding 4-5 levels with the PCs gaining 2-3 through the adventure.

Any thoughts about this would be appreciated.

I would consider uping the DR, but overall I like this a lot. I used the "regular" Tarrasque against a party of 20+ level characters, and they didn't have much of a problem.

Thanks for your effort.

I'm preparing to run the updated version of RotRL, and I've got a random idea rolling around in my head that I want to get some outside input on. I was thinking of bringing some elements of JR into RotRL, specifically giving each PC a campaign trait from both APs (we roll randomly and I'm not letting them know that the additional trait is from JR) and letting them select an additional trait,(so they begin play with 3 traits). Then as the AP progresses, introducing the letter from Amieko's grandfather--possibly finding it on her brother after they rescue her. This would put the PCs in a position to choose which route they wanted to pursue. I would play up that there are other adventurers that would pick up whatever "job" they did not want, i.e. they wouldn't feel like they were abandoning either Amieko or the town. My thoughts on this is that they would pursue the JR AP and then at the conclusion they would recieve word that their counterparts are overdue/missing requiring them to investigate---jump into the RotRL AP about midway through the 5th installment, and then finish it up. Unfortunately if they do go the JR route they will miss the Skinsaw Murders and Hook Mountain Massacre. If they decide to go with RotRL right off the bat, no problems, I'll just run with it, just thought it would be different to give them a curve ball their not expecting. Any thoughts????

All this makes me fondly remember issue #100 of the Dragon, remember that, with the heavyweight embossed cover?

I still have it!

JFK68 wrote:

#97-100 as a 4 volume "Mythic" AP.....Ofcourse we would need the "Mythic" rules by then.....yeah, that would be just fine thanks.

That's never going to happen; the adventure paths are their bread and butter and it would never do for them to take on that much risk.

What I'm hoping for is a separate mythic subscription (too bad I'll never see the Pathfinder Mythic Subscriber tag), which includes something like a module or two, part 7 of 6 adventure path volumes, and a sourcebook per year.

I really don't think it is that much of a risk, it IS one hell of a lot of work for the staff though. Granted, some may cancel their subscriptions and start them back up at #101, but I doubt it. Many (myself included) have bought APs that they have not cared for just for "idea" generators. If Paizo puts out a 4 volume Mythic AP every 8 years, I think subscibers would still get them even if they don't initially plan on playing through them. Besides, who is going to want to miss out on issue #100????

I'm going to have potions worth 2-3000gp,and would like to protect them. I have a "evil" GM who may want to try and sunder a steel vial,so I figured I'd go for adamantine.

Thanks for the feedback.

My GM requested that I put this question to the board.

How much are you folks charging for a adamantine vial? I'm using it to protect my potions for alchemical allocation.

I suggested 150-200gp, the price of 2-3 adamantine arrow heads.

Anybody wish to share what they are doing in their campaigns?

Thanks

#97-100 as a 4 volume "Mythic" AP.....Ofcourse we would need the "Mythic" rules by then.....yeah, that would be just fine thanks.

Never mind, found supporting rules, very nice job with the build.

Cheapy wrote:

wait what, how do you have 37 AC at that level?

Half-Elf Ranger 2/Vivisectionist 8 and a bunch of other cool stuff.

I think you need 2-weapon fighting to avoid some nasty penalties to hit. Even though the bite and claws are considered primary weapons, once you throw the scimtar into the mix things get messed up.

I think you could attack with the scimitar and bite and still be ok, but again the claws create a problem.

Am I wrong about this????

Still a nice build, I may use it as a base for my pirate/ships doctor in SS.

We use the Character Lounge, If you are absent, then your character goes and has a seat. We do not award XP, we all level together. One campaign has differing levels due to a Deck of Many Things, but otherwise, everyone is of equal level.

But yea - this thread calls for a "cheese" build:P

Your's is pretty interessting but wont let him compete in this case.

Yeah, I missed that everything from 3.5 was allowed, in which case my build has no business being here, BUT, the OP did want to stay as close to Pathfinder as possible.

But, yes you are right.

That being said, in my opinion, for straight cheese you can do no better than the Book of Exalted Deeds.

Skillfocus?

Steadfast Determination (-> Endurance)???

To be honest... I would not plas such a build. As sorcerer Maleconvoker maybe or... i dont know but this is just a little bit weird:P

Yes, Endurance is required for Steadfast Dtermination, I tanked my Wisdom and increased my Con, I have 119 HP at 11th level. Skill Focus is required for Loremaster. I'm playing this character as a bookworm/nerd, I have all the knowledges except Nature, my ability checks are 21 in each,except for Arcana, that is 27 due to skill Focus, the knowledges have come in VERY handy during CC.

Just in case you don't kknow about SD, you use your CON modifier for your Will saves.

As a Loremaster I'll be getting 2 feats on every odd level, certainly not min-maxed, but I assure you he is very playable.

I'm playing a Conjurer with the Teleportation sub-school in Carrion Crown, the guys been rocking. Given that you are 5th level and running up against CR 10s does nerf your little beasties that you summon. At 5th level I was running around summoning Lantern Archons, nice DR and a ranged touch that bypasses all DR. Now I'm 11th level (10 Wiz/1Loremaster) and am summoning Bralani(s), they are pretty bad-ass too.

My Feats are as follows:
Endurance (Bonus for Human)
Steadfast Determination--3.5, tanked my Wis
Scribe Scroll
Spell Focus Conjuration 3rd lvl
Augment Summoning 5th lvl
Extend Spell 5th lvl bonus
Superior Summoning 7th lvl
Skill Focus Knowledge Arcana 9th lvl
Craft Wonderous Items 10th lvl bonus
Acadamae Graduate 11th lvl (Crimson Crown Player's guide, DC 15+ SL FORT save or fatigued, but you get you monsters summoned in 1 SA)
Dimensional Agility 1st lvl LM secret

My DM has allowed for a little 3.5 material, and also allows me to use Dimensional Agility with the Shift ability. I also have a staff as a bonded item. Besides summoninga bunch of stuff, I also use the Conjure Pit line of spells along with Black Tentacles, Stinking Cloud and Cloudkill. We have a 5 member party--Inquisitor, Oracle of Life (man can he heal), Ftr/Cleric, and a Bard who buffs everyone once my guys show up.

For your particular problem of the bad guys beating your DCs, get a Rod of Persistance--makes them make 2 saves, then hit them with the pit and Stinking Cloud spells. (I have a Diviner with this Rod, really pisses the DM off, lol)

I've had a lot of fun playing this guy, hope things work out for you.

Yea, what Meatrace said. 1ed is totaled, having some of the same problems APG and Bestiary 1, rest of the products holding up fine.

Thanks, looks interesting, I don't recognize the cover so I must not have that issue. Unfortunately I don't have the Hordes of the Abyss or Fiendish Codex as it appears that it was written up in one of those books. Definately something I'm going to look into.

The characters in my campaign are 20-22nd level, that's one reason I made it a little more powerful.

Yeah, it is a work in progress...I was unsure about the 1/4 damage and some of the spell like abilities...I was looking to build something that is just too damn big to hurt. I wanted the idea of walking up to this thing, with anything but a axe, to be idiotic.

As a living castle, maybe he should be more powerful than Treerazor?

The Witchbole CR 23

XP 819,200
Colossal+ Plant (Outsider Evil)
Init -4; Senses Tremorsense 240 ft, Darkvision 360 ft, True seeing; Perception +43

Defense
AC 37, touch -2, flat-footed 37 (-2 Dex, +35 natural, -10 size, +4 deflection)
HP 580 (40d8+400)
Fort +40 Ref +17 Will +20
Defensive Abilities plant traits; DR 15/slashing, good and adamantine
Immune Electricity, poison Resist acid 10 cold 10 and fire 10; SR 40
Weaknesses Vulnerable to fire

Offense
Speed 15 ft
Melee 2 slams +34 (6d6+15/19-20)
Ranged Rock/impaled bodies +27 (4d6+15)
Space Reach
Special Attacks rock/body throwing (360 ft), Impale (4d6+22), Smite good 3/day as a swift action (+3 to hit, +40 dam)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20)
Constant--True seeing, unholy aura (DC 21)
At will--Plant Growth, Dimensional Lock
3/day--Slow (DC 16), Blasphemy (DC 20), Black Tentacles (DC 17)
1/day--Earthquake

Statistics
Str 40, Dex 8, Con 30, Int
12, Wis 16, Cha 16
Base Atk +29 CMB +44; CMD 52
Feats Alertness, Improved Critical (slam)
Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam),
Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow, Improved Natural Attack (slam),
Impale (like snatch only thrown creatures go 2d12+12 x10ft and suffer 1d6/10ft),
Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike, Greater Vital Strike, Throw Anything, Intimidating
Prowess, Critical Focus, Bleeding Critical, Deadly Aim, Great Fortitude, Improved Great Fortitude, Lightnign Reflexes
Skills Diplomacy +13,
Intimidate +45, Knowledge (nature) +23,
Perception +43, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +8(+24 in forests);
Racial Modifiers +16 Stealth in forests
Languages Common, Sylvan, Treant
SQ animate trees, double damage against objects, treespeech

Ecology
Environment Tanglebriar
Organization Unique creature
Treasure Special

Special Abilities
Animate Trees (Sp) The Witchbole
can animate any trees within 360 feet at will,
controlling up to twelve trees at a time. It takes 1 full round for a tree
to uproot itself, after which it moves at a
speed of 10 feet and fights as a
treant , gaining the treant’s vulnerability to fire. If
the Witchbole terminates the animation, moves
out of range, or is incapacitated, the tree immediately takes
root wherever it is and returns to its normal state.

Double Damage Against Objects (Ex) The Witchbole or animated
tree that makes a full attack against an object or structure
deals double damage.

Treespeech (Ex) The Witchbole has the ability to converse with plants
as if subject to a continual speak with plants spell, and most
plants greet them with an attitude of friendly or helpful.
Impale (Ex) Any creature hit by a confirmed critical is impaled and subject to being thrown on subsequent rounds, the impaled creature is considered grappled. Creatures may escape by cutting themselves free, AC 27 HP 58. The Witchbole can hold 40 medium sized creatures at a time. Freedom of Movement is NOT effective versus this attack.
The Witchbole’s bark has the resistance properties of adamantine and takes ¼ damage from piercing and bludgeoning weapons. If defeated the bark is able to fashioned into several* suits of full plate and weapons with adamantine properties that are useable by druids. The Witchbole is able to manifest attacks in all areas but is unable to impale characters when they are in the interior.
*Whatever the GM determines is appropriate.

As always thoughts are welcome.

Thanks

Has anyone statted this creature up yet? I've seen nothing concerning abilities or specific characteristics....just that it is Treerazors abode.

As such, I'm envisioning something about the size of the tree in Avatar, perhaps a bit smaller, giving some slam attacks ala the Treant and the ability to throw some of the bodies impaled on it's branches. I'll probably throw in some spell like abilities and physical attributes designed to hamper the PCs through/around the tree. It'll probablyhave a fairly high SR too, I'm thinking 40ish.

Looking for some advice/suggestions. My view is that this "tree" should be in the CR 22 range.

All thoughts, comments, and snide remarks are appreciated.

Thanks!

Please cancel my roleplaying game subscription. But please continue sending my APs!!!!

Thanks a bunch,
Jeff

Anyone else considering giving the Zen Archer Snap Shot at 9th level instead of Reflexive Shot? They appear to be pretty much the same--except for the Rapid Shot requirement. Giving Snap to the ZA would also open up then Improved/Gtr feats without the need to take Rapid Shot.

Any thoughts??

I plan on Improved Init, Combat Reflexes, Cloud and Spider Step, and possibly Gtr Grapple. Then Improved Precise Shot @ 6th, Improved Crit @ 10th, and Pinpoint Targeting @ 14th. Haven't put a lot of thought into it though, kind of waiting until I get my hands on UC.

Enjoy your Archer, he'sgoing tobe a blast to play.

APG p. 170 wrote:

Steel Soul

You are especially resistant to magic.

Prerequisites: Dwarf, hardy racial trait.

Benefit: You receive a +4 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities. This replaces the normal bonus from the dwarf's hardy racial trait.

Normal: Dwarves normally receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities.

Thanks, missed that.

If I would play a Dwarven Monk, my first level feat would be Steel Soul. You won't be stopped by magic. Ever.

Steel Soul? Is that in Ultimate Combat?

Very nice!! How many hours? I did something like this for the pirate lair in the Savage Tide AP, well worth it. Again, well done.

Go with the Zen Archer, I'm playing a 4th lvl Dwarf Zen Archer and he is just sick!!!

At 4th my feats are Perfect Strike, Point Blank Shot, Deadly Aim, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (Comp LB), Point Blank Master, and Improved Grapple.

Not really sure why I took the last one, (I'm kind of hoping that the GM will let me replace it when we recieve Ultimate combat.)

Str-16,Dex-14,Con-14,Int-9,Wis-18,Cha-5 20pt buy

Yea, not your typical dwarf fighting with a composite longbow, but very effective.

Start with Mazing the fighter types.

They also have him statted up as a Nascent Demon in the last entry of the Serpent's Skull AP.

Ravingdork wrote:

My crazy mind is hard at work yet again. Please confirm or deny the validity of my latest cheese:

Craft a staff of limited wish (inclusion of other spells is optional).

Done.

You can now cast limited wish once per day without paying the 1500gp material component. If you don't have the 93,200gp it would take to craft such a staff, increase the charge cost in order to lower the creation cost (so a staff that lets you get a free limited wish every 5 days would only cost 18,640gp). Furthermore, you can add a second equal or higher level spell that uses all ten charges to reduce the overall cost of the staff.

LOGIC: Like with wands and other spell trigger items, you don't need to pay for the material component, because it was already paid for during the staff's creation. This is all fine and well for things like wands, but with rechargeable staves, you can keep them going forever (albeit, only once per day--less often if you're a cheap bastard).

Put this in the hands of a level 20 arcane sorceror. Now your GM hates you.

I have a player in my campaign that has both Limited Wish and Wish on his Arcane bonded item. Yea, it is a bit of a pain, but we have a agreement on what is acceptable use. The party level is in the low 20s, so I have no problem letting the Sor. hand out +5 Inherent bonus'. One of our agreements is that he may only hand out his level in bonus,(4 +5 at 20th, or 20 +1, or any combination). I believe he has his staff set up so it takes 2 charges per Wish. I also ruled that if his character died (which has happened once), his staff would be destroyed, so he had to use a normal Wish to get it back. All said it hasn't been as big a pain as one might think, but you really need to have the GM and player on the same sheet as to what is going to be tolerated.

Yes, it is he, the TPK from AP#8. GRRRRRRR.