Jebadiah U.'s page

How do I change my shipping address?

I moved two months ago and as a result have not received my copies of Chapter 2, 3, and 4 of Curse of the Crimson Throne.

If I could get some or all of those resent, that'd be swell. If not, no big deal, I should have made this query sooner.

Finally, how do I change my name on the messageboards? I'm beginning to regret the consequences of using my real name...it's frightening how quickly a Google search reveals the depths of my geekiness.

I can be reached at jebadiah at hotmail dot com.

Thanks for all your help!

I want to know what kind of heat Steve packs. I took my girlfriend to the shooting range on Valentine's Day. It was her first time firing a handgun. When she brought her paper target into the office today and hung it up at her desk it caused a bit of a flurry.

I agree with the OP. I used to think these boards and their posters were the coolest on the interweb, but now I'm feeling a little discouraged at all the reflexive anti-4E sentiment.

My first thought when I read Mearls' post was "cool."

This development bums me out. I thought one PHB per year was a smart solution the splatbook problem. Guess not.

There's a reason the medieval church didn't treat the sins as having opposite sins...psychologically speaking, they just don't. So it's blind luck whether this will work for any given PC.

Mary

I think Mary's on to something. Linking each sin to a school of arcane magic was, in my mind, a mistake. Mary points out some practical reasons in her post. For me, the reasons are more conceptual. Since sin is a moral notion and notions of morality typically concern the divine realm, shouldn't the wielders of "sin magic" have been divine rather than arcane casters? I'd have rather seen the idea of sin magic brought to life by (and I'm just making this up on the fly) the Seven Lords of Sin, evil clerics who rule Cheliax through their infernal pacts with devils.

Conversely, when I heard the phrase "runelord", it evoked an entirely different flavor than what was eventually presented in the adventures. I was hoping for something primal, elemental, even barbaric -- certainly not as refined as what came to pass.

Finally, I was hoping the path would have introduced mechanics that would have made the magic of the runelords -- whether based on sins or on runes -- different than standard magic. No such luck.

That said, this is probably my favorite adventure in the path thus far. Steve really took the ball and ran with it -- and dropped a reference to Canadian metal band Voivod to boot. Nice to see another shredder on the boards.

James Jacobs has designed a mind-blowingly cool cosmology for Golarion.

The first real glimpse of this will come in the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting hardcover. Assuming there is interest, I'd love to do a whole book on the planes, with an associated series of modules supporting it.

I don't know if I'd make that a Pathfinder Adventure Path or something else, though.

If you don't go the adventure path route, my vote is for a linked series of GameMastery adventures or a fat 128 page mega module.

Foxish, I like what you say.

Fact of the matter is, I don't like planar adventure. I've always felt that any fantasy world should be fantastic enough to keep players occupied without having to travel elsewhere for high level threats or imaginative locations.

That said, the idea of a planar campaign -- as opposed to a planar adventure or two -- with a beginning, middle, and end occurring entirely on the planes, could be lots of fun.

I browsed most of Worlds and Monsters earlier in the week. Like Races and Classes, it feels like more of an explanation of the thinking that lead to 4E rather than an actual preview of 4E, since there are no mechanics presented. (Not even an example of play, which is an oversight, in my mind.) And I agree with most of the thinking about how 3E could be improved. I'm just not entirely satisfied with where that thinking lead them. At least from a flavor standpoint. A lot of effort was put into revising the cosmology, for example. The new cosmology is different from 3E, but not necessarily better. Then again, I was never really into 3E cosmology. In fact, there is a lot of canonical D&D flavor that never appealed to me, but that's why God invented homebrews. I think the modular nature of the new "points of light" core setting will be extremely useful to many homebrewers. And most of the revisions and updates to monsters, from dragons to illithids, appear to be pretty smart -- and certainly less of a jump than the 2E to 3E switch.

Now that WotC has ditched the Great Wheel cosmology, would Paizo care to (or be able to) leave Golarion for an adventure path consisting entirely of planar adventure, with stops at old school iconic locations such as the City of Brass and the Demonweb Pits, etc.?

Fantastic.

I didn't want to short my players on the wealth-per-level scale when I ran this adventure and the doomsday scenario happened, so I had the transformed Raknian throw them their winnings with a scornful laugh before departing. I believe his parting shot was something like "My thanks for a job well done, Heroes! Try not to spend it all in one place!", spoken in such a way as to suggest that he didn't think that they (or Greyhawk itself) would be around long enough for them to enjoy it.

Awesome.

After the quickest of glances, my impression is that this adventure is awesome. At least conceptually. We'll see if the execution delivers on the promise of the concept...

The reality is that 4E is here. It is highly unlikely that there will be significant third party support for 3.5 once 4E launches. Not from Paizo, not from anyone else. It could turn out that I'm wrong, but I doubt it.

Kaer Maga and Osirion.

I'm startled to find Logue's name associated with torture porn and splatterpunk. If it were Pett, that would be another matter. (Which is why I love Pett.) Logue's adventures aren't always to my taste...typically because I find them too genteel and cultured. No, I'm serious. Logue is a theater geek and there's a certain level of theatrical artifice to his work. If "Sweeney Todd" were ever adapted for D&D, Logue would be your man. Myself, I like my action a bit more raw. I hope Paizo doesn't take all this griping about R rated content too seriously. I haven't bought any of Logue's GameMastery modules, but now that I've heard they're hardcore, I think it might be time to spend some of my year end bonus.

Many of the flavor changes I've seen turn me off, but I've never really been into the flavor of the default setting. Overall, I'm really looking forward to 4E.

Personally... I'm not fond of the majority of the flavor changes I've heard about 4E, but I'm quite excited and eager about the majority of the rules changes I've heard.

Agreed. Apologies to all for the threadjack.

Merfolk have a very specific and important role built into Golarion already. They're in there, they have breasts, and there's a reason.

I got paid to write that! This job rocks.

Jealous.

Thanks to all for the feedback. This has been a lot of fun for myself and probably everyone else involved.

Dehydrated Gelatinous Cube:

Long ago the demon lord Juiblex granted its followers the secret to creating dehydrated oozes, powdered jellies, and instant puddings; the knowledge is now widespread amongst spellcasters of both mischievous and nefarious intent. The most common variant is the dehydrated gelatinous cube, which appears to be a one-inch square inert cube of gelatin. It is often kept wrapped or boxed. The cube produces a burning sensation on bare skin but causes no damage until rehydrated with water or similar liquid, when it quickly grows into a standard gelatinous cube (MM p201). Rehydrating the gelatinous cube is a standard action. The cube takes one round to return to normal size—after applying water, most possessors either throw the cube or drop it and run. Creatures caught within the cube’s area at the start of its initiative count must make a DC 13 Reflex saving throw or be engulfed as described in the creature’s extraordinary ability. It is in all respects a normal gelatinous cube and cannot be commanded, controlled, dispelled, or unsummoned.

Faint conjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item; summon monster III; Price 850gp.

NIMDYD wrote:

Larry Niven - Footfall (his best collaboration, absolutely IMHO)

Better than Lucifer's Hammer?

Come, now...

I would argue The Mote In God's Eye beats them both.

Henning, I'm down with your plan. I look forward to the update.

Just finished reading this. Among the very best 32 page modules I've read. Does a great, great job of turning the screws on the players. Kortes, you are the man.

Hope 4E makes liberal use of Unearthed Arcana, which is a great resource.

I read Jesus' Son in college and thought it was one of the better "modern" books they had us read. What's Angels about?

It's like Jesus' Son in that it's gritty and depressing, but unlike Jesus' Son in that it's not written in a minimalist style but something much closer to Joan Didion or Robert Stone. The book starts when a single mom gets on a bus in Oakland with her two kids, meets a guy who is clearly homicidal, and for no particularly explicable reason decides to stay with him. It gets worse from there. This guy reappears in Tree of Smoke as a supporting character.

Awesome.

I'm with Steve. I bought it due to Logue's enthusiasm (which could have been a terrible mistake, since he's enthusiastic about EVERYTHING, especially ogre lovin') and after just a quick browse found myself engrossed by a multitude of really smart ideas.

I think I skipped "Shadow Serpent" when it was published. It looked...uninspired. "Quicksilver Hourglass", however, is a really smart piece of work. I am intrigued...

Les Miserables is a Great Book. I'd skip the chapter on poop in the Paris sewer system, though.

Yet I find myself strangely intrigued...

Recently finished China Mieville's "Iron Council." The second book of his I've read. They were both okay, better in some parts, worse in others. Now I'm less than 100 pages into "Tree of Smoke" by Denis Johnson. It is definitely literature...but I'm enjoying it anyway. I've read a few magazine articles Johnson's written (he did a really great piece for Harper's about Charles Taylor's child soldiers in Liberia--they're called the Small Boys Army) and two novels, "Jesus' Son" and "Angels". I preferred the latter.

Under 1000gp.

Urk.

Another vote for urban...however, I urban adventure that find a way to use many monsters as foes, not just classed humanoids.

Jebadiah Utecht wrote:

Nicolas Logue wrote:

Look at how well R-rated movies do compared to PG-13 ones on average.

Actually, R-rated movies do worse.

Yeah, we covered that ground. My bad.

Sorry, Logue. I had one eye on Paizo and one eye on Project Runway. Now that's torture porn!

Look at how well R-rated movies do compared to PG-13 ones on average.

Actually, R-rated movies do worse.

Submitted. I was in China during the "Flight of the Red Raven" contest and missed it completely. I wasn't going to miss this one. I think my wondrous item is pretty fun for something dreamed up in one night; I'm looking forward to seeing the 32 items that beat it. Good luck to everyone!

Takasi, please stop! You're devouring my intellect!

Zing!

Jebadiah Utecht wrote:

James, I thought GameMastery is the part of your line meant to act as standalone adventures, and Pathfinder the part meant to act as adventure paths? Isn't it best that Pathfinder work as part of a whole, and let GameMastery work on its own? In other words, shouldn't Pathfinder be the place I can be guaranteed to find a tightly-plotted AP, if that's what I'm in the market for?

Correct. I personally think that the Rise of the Runelords adventures DO work better as a whole. It's very tightly plotted. This thread actually makes me think it's TOO tightly plotted in some ways, in fact, and that Curse of the Crimson Throne could do with more obvious links between adventures.

Thanks, James. The point I was trying to convey is that I'm not of the opinion that each chapter in Pathfinder has to work as a standalone adventure for people not playing the path. If those people want a standalone, they can go to GameMastery. (So far I've bought Seven Swords of Sin and Gallery of Evil and have enjoyed both.) Pathfinder, however, needs to work best for those running the whole path, and each chapter should feel like a vital part of a larger whole. As always, thanks for listening to our input.

And everybody in America seems so darn charming and English.

Agreed. The guy at my comic book shop does a hilarious bit about how the main character, a convict, talks/thinks/acts like the graduate of an English boarding school

Jebadiah Utecht wrote:

I've gotta second Mona on Jack London's Martin Eden. (I don't think I've thought of that book in ten years.) It's got a section three chapters in length that details Eden's 100 hour work weeks and perfectly captures exactly how soul crushing a job can be.

That's a great book for anyone who wants to be a professional writer, in my opinion. God bless Doctor Coffee at Emerson for forcing us to read it (and Candide!). I question whether Martin Eden is a key book in Western Civilization, but I do think I'm a better person for having read it.

--Erik

Emerson '96. Coffee was a great teacher, that was a great class. I can still see/hear him in my head reading from his handwritten notes, acting out the role of every character in the Bible. I miss Boston. Erik, do you have any idea if he's still alive?

From the description in area B6: "The smell is disturbingly flavorful."

We really do try to make each volume of Pathfinder work on its own, either with the backmatter and bestiary, or by keeping each adventure at least somewhat workable as its own standalone.

It's good to hear that it might be accomplishing that goal! WHEW!

James, I thought GameMastery is the part of your line meant to act as standalone adventures, and Pathfinder the part meant to act as adventure paths? Isn't it best that Pathfinder work as part of a whole, and let GameMastery work on its own? In other words, shouldn't Pathfinder be the place I can be guaranteed to find a tightly-plotted AP, if that's what I'm in the market for?

It's not at all that I expect the players to confront the Runelord right away at first level; it's just that everything leading up to this final epic confrontation is so disjointed that, as it was put previously, I am having a really hard time finding the themes to hit on to make sure my players know this is a "campaign", and not just episodic random adventures in Varisa.

I just feel that it would be more thematic if every adventure in the AP had 2 of its 4 or so chapters heavily steeped in the thematic elements of the overall campaign. So the players arnt fighting the Rune Lord in Burnt Offerings and Skinsaw, but there should be lots of rune magic, rune mysteries, rune creatures . . .runes runes runes! The players should know early that "hey, this ain't called Rise of the Runelords for nothin!"

Anyhow, I'll of course continue to purchase the Paizo products, as I am always delighted with them, in general - please no one take this as some blanket condemnation that will cause me to cancel my subscription. At the same time, however, I'd like to provide this constructive critism, and join my voice with Takasi requesting that the next AP do a better job of making the major theme of the campaign readily apparent throughout the greater majority of the adventures.

Agreed on all points. My biggest problem with every AP to date -- and it's a big problem -- is that the metaplot doesn't become apparent to the players until halfway through. I'd like to see the threat hit earlier -- page one, for example. That said, I'm finding RotRL to be really, really meaty. Each adventure has had great set pieces that DMs not running the AP should be shamelessly stealing -- Thistletop in Chapter 1, Foxglove Manor and the Shadow Clock in Chapter 2. And, um, gee, the homicidal hillbilly farmstead, the ogre-conquered fort, the dam covered in skulls, and Hook Mountain itself in Chapter 3. Point being, I don't think a more tightly plotted AP will diminish the value of Pathfinder to those DMs who aren't running the AP, because Team Paizo is talented enough to keep the threats and locations varied and memorable. I might not ever run an Underdark adventure, for example, but I can't wait to see (and steal) what Paizo does with aboleths in "Second Darkness."

I've gotta second Mona on Jack London's Martin Eden. (I don't think I've thought of that book in ten years.) It's got a section three chapters in length that details Eden's 100 hour work weeks and perfectly captures exactly how soul crushing a job can be.

Sounds like a great fit, Keith. I bought the PDF and haven't yet finished reading it, but it looks promising. Hope you'll tell us how it goes!

If I was running a one-shot adventure, I'd go with the deadliest meat grinder I could find. Paizo's Seven Swords of Sin fits the bill, as does Monte Cook's Temple of Mysteries or WotC's Tomb of Horrors. All are available as cheap or even free PDFs.

You can easily write 3.5 adventures, and then put 4.0 version change docs on the web for monster stats and new feats/items/spells/classes that you introduce.

At the end of the day, we need the adventure idea, setting, maps, and characters. The stats are mutable.

Thats why people still want updated versions of old adventures, and why old favorite characters like Orcus are in high demand.

Agreed. I'll be buying Second Darkness because I'm excited to see what Paizo does with an Underdark campaign, period. Whether it's 3.5 or 4E makes no difference to me.

More of my private speculation on AP-3

** spoiler omitted **

That would be a very cool AP.

Somewhere I read that the designers are attempting to make the power curve more linear and less exponential. My guess is that means 4E 1st level characters will more closely resemble 3E 3rd level characters (in other words, they'll be able to slay a lot of goblins straight out of the gate) while high level spell effects (such as save or die spells) will be removed from the game to reduce the wild swings prevalent in high level combat. Also, abilities and powers appear to be shifting to per day, per encounter, and at will abilities. My sense is that the designers don't necessarily want 4E characters to kick more butt than 3E characters, but do want them to kick butt longer before resting for the night.

EDIT: Right, what Laithoron said.