Great guide as always, NJ!
A question: is there any remaining reason repeating crossbows are sub optimal? You wrote that the bad part was HRC being exotic. With the changes in errata it does not really matter for BA anymore.
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I just finished The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes. It is a fantasy version of Ocean's Eleven. The book is very humorous and the plot is ... complicated enough for my taste.
Many systems have this issue. In order to gain some of the better abilities you have to take several lower abilities. If you do not plan your advancement to a certain degree, you are never able to excell in anything. It is usually more of a problem with level based systems, as you have only a certain limited amount of character resources you are about to gain (skill points, feats, etc.). From what you are describing as your preference, you would be better off playing D6, Deadlands/Savage Worlds or some other skill based system, where you can change your character focus without greater repercussions.
Recruitment will be open until I feel like I have enough characters/players to choose from ... He obviously does not feel that way yet ;-)
Yeah, he would probably let you and even pretend he does not know what you mean the first time around. Then he might come up with a special nickname for you - Tomcat comes to mind (other names might not be tolerated on these boards) ;-)
I humbly submit Daiker, Half-Orc Slayer (Stygian Slayer) for consideration.
Daiker was born and bred on the Storval Plateau near Urgin. He moved to Kaer Maga some time back to get away from his human tribe as due to his ancestry he did not fit in well. A more cosmopolitan place seamed better to him. As a somewhat liberal follower of Desna, he shared her love of exploring the world. He is also a strong believer in luck, if one is willing to help it a bit. Upon his arrival he sought work as a mercenary, bodyguard and (later) as a general problem solver. He aims to be an investigator but he is more of a problem smasher at the moment. Not that he is quick to get violent, but his way of investigating sometimes leads others to attack him. It does look like Lady Luck is watching over him though, as he has survived so far. He has worked mainly freelance, not wanting (and not trusting) to stay with any one group for long. “I am not here for you to like me, I am here to solve your problem,” is his motto.
Fate’s Favored: Always relying more on luck than skill Daiker thinks he was blessed by Desna with a healthy dose of luck. He reinforced this believe with having his body tattooed in the orc fashion, though careful examining of his tattoos show many of them are stylized butterflies (Sacred Tattoo alternate half-orc trait). If anybody asks him about the tattoos, his usual response is “I love butterflies, you have a problem with that?” Friend in Every Town: Although his orcish features and tattoos combined with his lack of social grace do not make him especially likable (Cha only 8), he does seem to have a knack for making friends and finding information. This helped him during his childhood, when he was able to reduce the number of beatings he got from human children. It is helping him in his chosen profession as well. He likes to act the part of a dumb half-orc as others tend to underestimate him and reveal more information that way. “You seem like a very knowledgeable man, but I don’t get it. Who do you think could do that?” is one of his tactics.
In combat – melee (relatively strong offence, weaker defense) Out of combat – scout, some investigative skills (Knowledge(local), gather information, Perception, Sense Motive, Survival), secondary party face (Diplomacy, Intimidate)
Do you have links to games that were actually finished where I can compare? Actually the stop point was at 2642 posts, the last 5 are aftermath game stuff. This seems a bit weird. I do not believe you can run 6 adventures (even if one is reducted) with only that many posts. I would say it takes a minimum of 1000 posts for one part of an AP... I could be wrong, I am not that experienced pbp player after all...
13 Con (-2 racial, total 11)
I am thinking about making Sullustan spy (scoundrel lvl 1). Who is he spying for depends on the campaign. It is hard to create a background without knowing anything about that. lvl 1 feat: Skill focus (stealth)
Skills (4+3=7): Deception, Gather Information, Initiative, Mechanics, Perception, Stealth, Use Computer
Yep—if it hadn't come out later, it wouldn't be a prequel, it'd just be, uh... er... "in the right order"?There was a prequel of sorts, Rogue Planet, set in between Episodes I and II.Rogue Planet was a prequal, but it came out after the YV storyline had started. It sorta explains how the Yuuzhan Vong learned about the Jedi galaxy. Yub, yub commander! And Vector Prime would just be a... sequel ;-) But seriously, if anybody wants to start reading TNJO, he/she should not start with Rogue Planet. It is one of the most boring books I have ever read. It should have been a short story, not a novel.
Congratulations to everyone selected! Have fun!
I understood it is secret, just thought that the priest could be an old acquaintance of the employer, who recommended Tomcat not for a specific job, but “just in case you need someone like that”. Being priest he could even get some notion (divination etc.) that the employer might want to know about such a person without really knowing any details. As my weekends are really time-sensitive, here is a quick (and definitely not exhausting) draft of personality and history. That is all I can do before Monday. Personality:
Tomcat is generally friendly but distrustful of new people, as he has been hurt by some who seemed to be friends in the past. Though once he gets to know someone, he becomes protective. Sometimes even overprotective - he is able to sacrifice himself for his friends as he feels the need to prove himself worthy. Being the last surviving member of his village left him with guilt and remorse. He is often quick to act and even might appear to be suicidal at times. Background: He grew up in his father’s tribe’s village in the savanna of central Garund. When he was teenager, his tribe was betrayed by a band of travelers masked as archeologists. One night during rain season they approached the village and not long after they were offered food and shelter, they unleashed host of devils upon the unsuspecting village. All catfolk were slain save the young Tomcat, who was outside the village when the attack begun. He saw the slaughter from afar but was too afraid to approach. He fled into the wilderness and spent the night alone in the bushes shivering in the constant rain. When he returned the next day, there was no sign of the attackers. He buried the whole village which took him several days and vowed to never again to be a coward and to do anything in his power to be prepared for any unexpected encounters in the future. He also decided to bury his name with his family. He spent the next several years travelling and attending several universities around the Inner See. His aim was to gather information about any and all natural and supernatural dangers the common folk might be facing. He also sought any information about the mysterious travelers and their reason to attack his village. While his first goal was easily achieved and his knowledge of the unknown and dangerous grew constantly, he has yet to find any clues about the origin of the evil group. During his travels he battled evil whenever he encountered someone he deemed was worth saving. He often fled soon after the deed as he found out quite early in his life that not everyone including authorities had the same view on the matter of who or what is evil and needs to be neutralized. Fortunately he often found like-minded individuals who helped him in his endeavors at least for a time. His quest has led him north to Ustalav. Shortly after his arrival he was waylaid by a group of incorporeal undead and while he escaped them this experience was quite traumatic. He ended up staying with an old priest of Desna, with whom he shared not only religion, but also penchant for telling stories. This proved to be fortunate as the locals were vastly more xenophobic then the people living around the Inner Sea. The village where he was staying became the center of several weird occurrences. A weird cabal of several supernatural creatures was preying on the inhabitants. Creatures, which are usually not known to work together. A vampire and a werewolf led the group, but there was even some evil fey involved. It seemed like someone was pulling the string in the background, but this was never proven. Tomcat joined a group of hunters and they successfully dealt with the threat. During the festivities that followed he was attacked by a couple of drunk locals and he hurt them badly defending himself. He was forced to leave and once again decided to head to the Inner Sea, this time to visit the fabled Absalom.
I humbly submit Tomcat for consideration. Stat Block:
Tomcat Male catfolk bard (archivist) 5 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 80, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Race Guide 90) N Medium humanoid (catfolk) Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 17 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +4 Dex, +1 natural) hp 45 (5d8+5) Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +4; +4 bonus vs. magical traps, language-dependent effects, and symbols, glyphs, and magical writings of any kind -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee cold iron dagger +7 (1d4+2/19-20) or . . silver dagger +7 (1d4+1/19-20) or . . 2 claws +7 (1d4+2) Ranged composite shortbow +7 (1d6+2/×3) Special Attacks bardic performance 15 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate [DC 15], inspire competence +2, naturalist) Bard (Archivist) Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +8) . . 2nd (3/day)—cat's grace, heroism, versatile weapon[APG] (DC 15) . . 1st (5/day)—expeditious retreat, grease, heightened awareness[ACG], vanish[APG] (DC 14) . . 0 (at will)—detect magic, light, mage hand, message, prestidigitation, read magic -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 14, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 16 Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 20 Feats Arcane Strike, Black Cat[ARG], Weapon Finesse Traits armor expert, seeker Skills Acrobatics +12, Climb +14, Escape Artist +10, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +10, Knowledge (geography) +6, Knowledge (history) +6, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (planes) +10, Knowledge (religion) +10, Linguistics +6, Perception +8, Perform (oratory) +11, Spellcraft +10 (+12 to identify magic items or decipher scrolls), Stealth +13, Use Magic Device +10 Languages Catfolk, Common, Elven, Kelish, Sylvan SQ bardic knowledge +4, cat's luck, jack-of-all-trades, lore master 1/day, magic lore Combat Gear cold iron arrows (50), daredevil softpaws, silver arrows (50), wand of cure light wounds, wand of shield (50 charges); Other Gear +1 mithral chain shirt, arrows (20), cold iron dagger, composite shortbow (+2 Str), silver dagger, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, ring of protection +1, backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, flint and steel, hairbrush (0.3 lb), ink, black, inkpen, journal, mess kit, mirror, pot, silk rope (50 ft.), soap, waterskin, wrist sheath, spring loaded (2), 86 gp -------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Arcane Strike As a swift action, add +1 damage, +1 per 5 caster levels and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Armor Expert -1 Armor check penalty. Bardic Knowledge +4 (Ex) Add +4 to all knowledge skill checks. Bardic Performance (standard action, 15 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects. Black Cat (1/day) Once per day, make enemy reroll an attack vs you with a -4 penalty. Cat's Luck (1/day) (Ex) Can roll 2d20 for a Reflex save and take better result. Climbing (20 feet) You have a Climb speed. Daredevil softpaws (10 rounds/day) +5 to avoid AoO moving in threatened squares (on success +1 to att vs that foe). +2 to track DC for your tracks. Jack-of-all-trades (use any skill) (Ex) You may use all skills untrained. Lore Master (1/day) (Ex) Can take 10 on any trained knowledge checks. Activate to take 20 as a standard action. Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in low light, distinguishing color and detail. Magic Lore +2 (Ex) +4 save vs. magical traps, language-dependent effects, symbols, glyphs, and magical writings. Letter of Introduction:
My esteemed colleague and dear friend, I greatly appreciate your interest in our community and our well-being. The situation here is finally getting better and returning to normal. The appearance of those strange phenomena truly caught us unprepared and were it not for actions of some unexpected allies it would have dire consequences for us all and threatened the very survival of our community. And it is one of these allies, who greatly contributed to rectifying the situation, whom I want to write to you about. Where shall I begin. Perhaps at the beginning would be the best. It was on a stormy night several years ago when I heard a knock on the door followed by a sound of a body falling down into the mud of the street. My body is not as fast as it was when I was younger, so it took me quite a time to reach the door. When I opened them I found someone lying on the ground. Just as I was leaning to see who it is and in what condition he finds himself in, a lightning flashed and I saw the stranger was actually a man-sized black cat dressed in tattered clothes. I had heard about the cat people before, but until that time I never had the opportunity to meet one. But as we say “Be ready for challenges and unexpected friends”. I noticed the being was unconscious but otherwise seemed unharmed. I dragged him inside, took of his wet clothes, lied him down by the fireplace and covered him with one of my blankets. Over the course of several days I have nurtured him back to full health, at least physically. Emotionally, he was quite a wreck. He wear haunted expression, at least I thought he did, as reading his face was not that easy for me at the time. He stayed mostly silent at the beginning, but slowly opened himself. He shared my passion for traveling and we spent many hours recounting our adventures. His storytelling skills amazed me and I the tales he told me were interesting no matter what the actual subject was. I kept him mostly inside my house. As you well know, Ustalav is not a friendly place for strangers, especially ones that look more like animals than people. Unfortunately my neighbors do not share my opened views and if he moved freely among them, it would have invited a beating at the least. It is interesting that one such as himself should have saved the village. Although my new friend had many tales to tell, there was one thing he was unwilling or unable to tell me – his name. I just called him Tomcat, he did not mind. But he did tell me about his past eventually. It was quite a long tale, so I just mention the highlights. He was born in a village somewhere in Garund to some kind of their noble family. He was growing up in quite a comfort till an unfortunate day when something old and evil attacked the village and slaughtered most of its inhabitants. The young cat-man ran away and as I understand, to this day he is ashamed that he did so. It makes him a bit unpredictable as he sometimes has tendencies to sacrifice himself for others. Later he often joined me during my visit to the university. He often spent hours hiding in the library and perusing the tomes on various topics. Fortunately the librarian is a friend of mine and a fellow Desnan, so he did not share this nation inhabitants’ distrust of outsiders. He even let Tomcat spent many nights there, while I was teaching and spending evenings with my academic colleagues. This all was interrupted when the strange occurrences started. For reasons you are well aware of, I will not put the specific to words in this letter, though you might rest assured I will gladly share them with you if the opportunity arises and we meet again. What I wrote to you before might have been more than was wise to put to paper. Important fact is, Tomcat proved very knowledgeable about many facts and creatures that appeared during that time and greatly helped the other hunters to locate, identify, protect against and bring down those creatures. Sadly his existence was revealed to the public here and they proved to be as xenophobic as expected. Even I was not able to calm them and was forced to send Tomcat away. During our last evening together, I suggested he might enjoy a more cosmopolitan place and gave him some advice where to stay and what to visit in Absolom. He seemed thrilled by the prospect and I expect him to want to stay there for a while. Should you have a need for such a character, I assure you do not hesitate to contact him. You can trust him. As always, I wish you luck with pursuits you are currently involved in.
P.S. One more thing you should know about Tomcat. While he enjoys research and is able to patiently peruse books for days and discuss any topic for hours, once the action starts, it is quite easy to mistake well-thought-out with spur-of-the-moment with him. They look exactly the same. I would probably not go so far to say his actions are rash, but they certainly might be described as surprising or unexpected.
Sneaky knowledge guy with buffing possibilities. No plans for multiclassing.
What source are you accepting for Gnolls stats please, I couldn't find any via a paizo source. Gnoll statistics are given as an example on page 225 in the Race Builder chapter of the Advance Race Guide as an example race. They may also be found here: Gnolls. I would say that is official enough ;-)
*10=100 Finally, here is the full write-up of Gabriel the Hand Backstory:
Parched Dunes… several weeks ago "Gabriel, rise!" The voice was the first thing he heard. It was the first thing he heard for a very long time. How long? He felt the scorching sun bathing his naked body with its life-giving rays. He felt the sand under him. He did not dare to open his eyes yet. The brilliance he saw even through his closed eyelids was more than he could take at the moment. When was the last time I felt the sun above or the sand under me? "Gabriel, it is time for you to serve the Lady again. You have been resting long." The voice was continued. Resting, I do not feel especially rested.. "Whrr…" his mouth was parched. He swallowed and wet his lips, then he tried again. "What lady?"
Gabriel tried hard to remember. To remember anything, but his memory was blank – tabula rasa. Easy for you to say.. He slowly opened his eyes. Just a little at first. He saw a plate-clad woman with large bird wings augmented with pieces of metal. The armor was adorned with skulls. A pair of glowing eyes was all he could see of her face in the open-faced helm. "Are you an angel?" He though the being sighed, but could not be sure. "Gabriel, the Lady of the Graves demands your services again. You have been most resourceful agent in the past and she was always pleased with your performance. Almost always." she paused as if thinking of some past event. "Nevertheless you have a new task in front of you. The Lady saw a most disturbing occurrence about to happen. You will go to Wati, where the Necropolis has been reopened. You need to become one of the new explorers. Fate will give you an opportunity to enter the Necropolis. That is why I have been instructed to bring you back to life." Gabriel tried to sit, his head was hurting. He listened to the being but he could not make sense of what she was telling him. "I live… I live again?" The being was patient, she might have been patience incarnate. "Gabriel, you are the Hand. You go where the lady sends you and you do what needs doing. You have always done so. Now it is time for you to head to Wati. Trust in fate. It will show you what to do." He felt his mind was slowly starting to work properly. Well, go to Wati, do what needs to be done. The task seems straightforward enough. But more information would not hurt. "Can you tell me more?" he asked. "Gabriel, you should know I am not permitted to share any more details with you. You have to find what is going on for yourself. I cannot be seen to help you. That is the way it works. That is the way it has always worked." the armored women told him. "All I can do is give you this. It should help you start your new life once you find your way to the civilization." she handed him a purse and a sheathed dagger. "So long, Gabriel. We will meet again." she nodded and vanished. Nice trick. He unsheathed the weapon. It was a double-edge ceremonial dagger with a dull gray blade. The pommel was decorated with a stylized depiction of a woman’s face and hair. He looked around. Desert, I am in the middle of a damn desert. She could at least take me somewhere more hospitable. He stood up and started walking… Recent history:
The Necropolis… several hours ago "Hello, Gabriel" the voice surprised him, he thought he was alone in the room. He rolled from the makeshift bed, both daggers springing into his hands. He crouched in the corner, ready to face the unknown person. Then he recognized the voice. It was the first thing he heard after the long sleep. “Hello, you.” he said and followed by casting a ball of light onto one of his daggers. The plate-clad winged woman stood across the room. Yeah, it is her. Again. I am thrilled. "Gabriel, you may put the weapons down, you know who I am." the being said, her eyes glowing more brightly inside her helmet. Actually no, I do not. But I know who sent you. Or who you claim sent you. he thought. "I remember you, all right. You are the one who left me in the middle of nowhere, almost naked, with only a purse full of coins and a dagger. And with a cryptic message. You know, money is great. If you have somewhere to spend it. In the desert – not so much. Some food and a better weapon would be preferable." he looked at her angrily. ”I was hunted by some oversized vermin across the desert, unable to defend myself properly. It was no fun, no fun at all. I am not feeling particularly grateful, trust me." "But you survived, Gabriel. As I knew you would. You needed incentive to awake properly." the woman said calmly. "Bones and ashes, awake properly!? You must be kidding." he almost shouted. She waited, watching him. He calmed after a while. His voice became low and icy. Somehow, he sounded distinctly more dangerous than before. "You know, last time we met, you asked me to search my memory, my feelings. I did. I still do not know who I am or was. Memory evades me. But not so my feelings. I do not like you. I never did. I even do not much care for the Lady. Yes, I agree with her on most points. The important ones. But I think we do not see eye to eye. We never did. And her clergy, I like them even less. Most of them are a bunch of self-serving, pompous and smug boneheads." "Let me tell you a short story. After I escaped those crawling monsters, I arrived to Wati. I hooked up with an adventuring group bound to enter the reopened Necropolis – they called themselves Tomb Claws. There was a lottery and they were one of the groups that won." "The funny thing is, one of the Claws was a Pharasmin cleric – that was the initial reason I chose to join them. But I found out he was actively opposed to helping poor and destitute people in the city. I thought he was only joking the first time, but through our exploration of the Necropolis, other clues gave him away. He was an uncaring bastard who thought the only way to serve Her is to kill the monsters. When one of the other Tomb Claws was mortally wounded, he behaved as if he had no way to cure him just because he feared he will need the healing for himself as more enemies were closing in. Later I overheard him saying that before the lottery he had been passing a pregnant woman in a side street near the market and he laughed at her when she begged him to help her deliver the child but was unable to pay him for it. He even found it to be a funny enough story to share with his companions. Oh, it was funny for those Tomb Clowns, all right." he stopped, sheathed one of his daggers and put the lighted one on a slab of stone. Then he picked up his canteen and took a swing. The glowing eyes seemed angry now. Could it be she does not know about such behavior of her clerics? Or she does know and is not permitted to do anything about it? Gabriel mused. "They were not having such a great time when next we met some of the denizens of these ruins…" he paused, taking another sip of the water. "Gabriel, what happened next?" the women enquired. "I let them deal with it. Did not feel like spending any more time with them." "You have been known to enact more… permanent… solutions, Gabriel. But it is for the best. You did right to enter the Necropolis. Now you have to join forces with another adventuring group you meet here. They are the ones who will help you with your destiny. You must agree to accompany them anywhere their quest will take them." "A quest?" Is her tone pleading this time? What is going on? "Yes Gabriel, they have a quest set before them, but they do not know it yet. They will ask you to join them. You will accept. It is the Lady’s will. That is why I was sent here tonight." He was taken aback. Cryptic again, aren’t you? Can’t say more, can you? "All right, I will do that…" "Good," she paused. "So long, Gabriel. We will meet again." she nodded and vanished. Again? At least she has not left me in the middle of a desert this time. I should count myself lucky. Or perhaps not. He extinguished the light, sheathed the dagger and returned to his makeshift bed…
Appearance and Personality:
Gabriel is of average height and weight. He has athletic body and no fat to speak of. His skin is tanned and crossed with so many scars, it is a surprise he is still alive. Some of the scars are from standard weapons but others are of decidedly strange origin. He has a butterfly shaped tattoo on his left hand. Although he looks to be around 25 years old, his dark brown eyes seem ancient. He keeps his blackish hair short and wears no jewelry. He wears travel stained clothes but keeps them reasonably clean. He bathes regularly to keep his odor to minimum. Gabriel has no social skills to speak of. He is direct and usually quite truthful – often to the point of being annoying. He is not exceptionally talkative but usually says what he thinks with no regard to what others may think about him. This does not make him many friends. He does not care. He has low opinion of churches in general. He values the services some of their representatives provide to the common folk (healers, midwifes etc.), but finds most of them to be too rigid, self-absorbed, haughty, lecturing, greedy or power-hungry fools. It cannot be said he believes in or even reveres gods. He knows they exists, but finds them to be no better than the majority of people and definitely worse than some. His relations with Pharasma are something even he does not understand. He feels they are connected somehow but as he does not remember almost anything from his life before he awoke in the desert, he is not sure how. All he has are brief flashes and feelings. He thinks laws and rules in general are good as long as they do not impede people doing the right thing. This approach usually does not endear him to authorities. He does not really have problems with authorities as long as he considers them competent, but it is safe to say many authorities have problems with him. He has hard time trusting people as he usually expects the worst. He may seem paranoid at times, but as the saying goes “Just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean they are not after you”. He has been proven to be right several times. He cares about folks. It does not mean he is nice to them, but if someone really needs help, he does his best to aid him/her to the best of his ability. This usually means facing some threat – ordinary or otherwise. He hates anybody who preys on innocents or on those who cannot defend themselves properly. This holds especially true for undead and other monsters, but applies to bad people as well. Personal recount of Gabriel’s departure from TC:
"Well, if you really feel like you need to know. The Tomb Clowns were a pitiful bunch, I would never joined them if I knew what sort of people they were. They are just glorified tomb robbers, self-centered bastards who do not care much about each other and even less so about anyone else. I decided I was safer alone down here than in their company. If you meet them, be careful. They might seem friendly but it will change when it suits them the most. If they are still alive... They were about to have some company when I took my leave. I reckoned, there was no reason to risk my life for the likes of them. Oh, and they are not really called Clowns, they call themselves Claws. But in reality - they resemble clowns more closely." Statblock: Gabriel Male human (garundi) inquisitor of Pharasma 2 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 38) N Medium humanoid (human) Init +5; Senses Perception +8 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+5 armor, +2 Dex, +2 shield) hp 16 (2d8+3) Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +6; +2 trait bonus against death effects. -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor) Melee dagger +5 (1d4+4/19-20) or . . dagger +5 (1d4+4/19-20) or . . morningstar +5 (1d8+4) Special Attacks judgment 1/day Inquisitor Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd; concentration +5) . . At will—detect alignment Inquisitor Spells Known (CL 2nd; concentration +5) . . 1st (3/day)—cure light wounds, expeditious retreat, protection from evil . . 0 (at will)—create water, detect magic, disrupt undead, guidance, light, read magic, stabilize . . Domain Spellkiller inquisition -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 19, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10 Base Atk +1; CMB +5; CMD 17 Feats Disruptive, Intimidating Prowess, Toughness Traits armor expert, resurrected Skills Acrobatics -3 (-7 to jump), Heal +7, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (arcana) +4, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (nature) +4, Knowledge (religion) +4, Perception +8, Sense Motive +9, Stealth +2, Survival +8 Languages Common, Osiriani SQ monster lore +3, spellkiller, stern gaze +1, track +1 Other Gear scale mail, heavy steel shield, dagger, dagger, morningstar, backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, candle (10), crowbar, flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), mess kit, pot, soap, spell component pouch, torch (10), trail rations (3), waterskin, wooden holy symbol of Pharasma, 2 gp -------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Armor Expert -1 Armor check penalty. Detect Alignment (At will) (Sp) Detect chaos, evil, good, or law at will. Disruptive +4 DC to cast defensively for those you threaten. Inquisitor Domain (Spellkiller Inquisition) Deities: Any (with GM approval). Granted Powers: You gain the Disruptive feat as a bonus feat (even if you do not meet the prerequisites). Judgment (1/day) (Su) Variable bonuses increase as the combat continues. Monster Lore +3 (Ex) +3 to Knowledge checks when identifying the weaknesses of creatures. Resurrected You do not die until your hit points drop to negative 15 or lower. Spellkiller (+2 Sacred, DC 14) After defeating enemy, gain +2 sacred bonus to AC for 2 minutes. End the effect when hitting an arcane spellcaster to stagger your opponent. Track +1 Add the listed bonus to survival checks made to track.
I humbly submit Gabriel (Inquisitor of Pharasma) for consideration. I quickly checked the group composition and as you have all the usual bases more or less covered, I think an inquisitor might fit well. I will prepare the crunch later, but outside the campaign trait Resurrected nothing is set in stone and can be changed based upon the group needs. It is the fluff I like most about this character so I am opened to suggestions regarding the actual game mechanics (as long as they do not interfere with the given backstory). Gabriel is going to fight with one-handed weapon and shield in the initial draft. I have no problems whatsoever with your house rules – although some might take a bit of time to getting used to so if I am chosen please do not harass me out-of-character for not following them strictly (in-character consequences are expected). The fluff:
Backstory:
Parched Dunes… several weeks ago "Gabriel, rise!" The voice was the first thing he heard. It was the first thing he heard for a very long time. How long? He felt the scorching sun bathing his naked body with its life-giving rays. He felt the sand under him. He did not dare to open his eyes yet. The brilliance he saw even through his closed eyelids was more than he could take at the moment. When was the last time I felt the sun above or the sand under me? "Gabriel, it is time for you to serve the Lady again. You have been resting long." The voice was continued. Resting, I do not feel especially rested.. "Whrr…" his mouth was parched. He swallowed and wet his lips, then he tried again. "What lady?" "Maybe too long, Gabriel." the being murmured under its breath. "Gabriel, the Lady is in need of your services again. Search your memory, search your feelings. You should remember at least something." Gabriel tried hard to remember. To remember anything, but his memory was blank – tabula rasa. Easy for you to say.. He slowly opened his eyes. Just a little at first. He saw a plate-clad woman with large bird wings augmented with pieces of metal. The armor was adorned with skulls. A pair of glowing eyes was all he could see of her face in the open-faced helm. "Are you an angel?" He though the being sighed, but could not be sure. "Gabriel, the Lady of the Graves demands your services again. You have been most resourceful agent in the past and she was always pleased with your performance. Almost always." she paused as if thinking of some past event. "Nevertheless you have a new task in front of you. The Lady saw a most disturbing occurrence about to happen. You will go to Wati, where the Necropolis has been reopened. You need to become one of the new explorers. Fate will give you an opportunity to enter the Necropolis. That is why I have been instructed to bring you back to life." Gabriel tried to sit, his head was hurting. He listened to the being but he could not make sense of what she was telling him. "I live… I live again?" The being was patient, she might have been patience incarnate. "Gabriel, you are the Hand. You go where the lady sends you and you do what needs doing. You have always done so. Now it is time for you to head to Wati. Trust in fate. It will show you what to do."
"Can you tell me more?" he asked. "Gabriel, you should know I am not permitted to share any more details with you. You have to find what is going on for yourself. I cannot be seen to help you. That is the way it works. That is the way it has always worked." the armored women told him. "All I can do is give you this. It should help you start your new life once you find your way to the civilization." she handed him a purse and a sheathed dagger. "So long, Gabriel. We will meet again." she nodded and vanished. Nice trick. He unsheathed the weapon. It was a double-edge ceremonial dagger with a dull gray blade. The pommel was decorated with a stylized depiction of a woman’s face and hair. He looked around. Desert, I am in the middle of a damn desert. She could at least take me somewhere more hospitable. He stood up and started walking… Recent history:
The Necropolis… several hours ago "Hello, Gabriel" the voice surprised him, he thought he was alone in the room. He rolled from the makeshift bed, both daggers springing into his hands. He crouched in the corner, ready to face the unknown person. Then he recognized the voice. It was the first thing he heard after the long sleep. "Hello, you." he said and followed by casting a ball of light onto one of his daggers. The plate-clad winged woman stood across the room. Yeah, it is her. Again. I am thrilled. "Gabriel, you may put the weapons down, you know who I am." the being said, her eyes glowing more brightly inside her helmet. Actually no, I do not. But I know who sent you. Or who you claim sent you. he thought. "I remember you, all right. You are the one who left me in the middle of nowhere, almost naked, with only a purse full of coins and a dagger. And with a cryptic message. You know, money is great. If you have somewhere to spend it. In the desert – not so much. Some food and a better weapon would be preferable." he looked at her angrily. "I was hunted by some oversized vermin across the desert, unable to defend myself properly. It was no fun, no fun at all. I am not feeling particularly grateful, trust me." "But you survived, Gabriel. As I knew you would. You needed incentive to awake properly." the woman said calmly. "Bones and ashes, awake properly!? You must be kidding." he almost shouted. She waited, watching him. He calmed after a while. His voice became low and icy. Somehow, he sounded distinctly more dangerous than before. "You know, last time we met, you asked me to search my memory, my feelings. I did. I still do not know who I am or was. Memory evades me. But not so my feelings. I do not like you. I never did. I even do not much care for the Lady. Yes, I agree with her on most points. The important ones. But I think we do not see eye to eye. We never did. And her clergy, I like them even less. Most of them are a bunch of self-serving, pompous and smug boneheads." "Let me tell you a short story. After I escaped those crawling monsters, I arrived to Wati. I hooked up with an adventuring group bound to enter the reopened Necropolis – they called themselves Tomb Claws. There was a lottery and they were one of the groups that won." "The funny thing is, one of the Claws was a Pharasmin cleric – that was the initial reason I chose to join them. But I found out he was actively opposed to helping poor and destitute people in the city. I thought he was only joking the first time, but through our exploration of the Necropolis, other clues gave him away. He was an uncaring bastard who thought the only way to serve Her is to kill the monsters. When one of the other Tomb Claws was mortally wounded, he behaved as if he had no way to cure him just because he feared he will need the healing for himself as more enemies were closing in. Later I overheard him saying that before the lottery he had been passing a pregnant woman in a side street near the market and he laughed at her when she begged him to help her deliver the child but was unable to pay him for it. He even found it to be a funny enough story to share with his companions. Oh, it was funny for those Tomb Clowns, all right." he stopped, sheathed one of his daggers and put the lighted one on a slab of stone. Then he picked up his canteen and took a swing. The glowing eyes seemed angry now. Could it be she does not know about such behavior of her clerics? Or she does know and is not permitted to do anything about it? Gabriel mused. "They were not having such a great time when next we met some of the denizens of these ruins…" he paused, taking another sip of the water. "Gabriel, what happened next?" the women enquired. "I let them deal with it. Did not feel like spending any more time with them." "You have been known to enact more… permanent… solutions, Gabriel. But it is for the best. You did right to enter the Necropolis. Now you have to join forces with another adventuring group you meet here. They are the ones who will help you with your destiny. You must agree to accompany them anywhere their quest will take them." "A quest?" Is her tone pleading this time? What is going on? "Yes Gabriel, they have a quest set before them, but they do not know it yet. They will ask you to join them. You will accept. It is the Lady’s will. That is why I was sent here tonight." He was taken aback. Cryptic again, aren’t you? Can’t say more, can you? "All right, I will do that…" "Good," she paused. "So long, Gabriel. We will meet again." she nodded and vanished. Again? At least she has not left me in the middle of a desert this time. I should count myself lucky. Or perhaps not.
Appearance and Personality:
Gabriel is of average height and weight. He has athletic body and no fat to speak of. His skin is tanned and crossed with so many scars, it is a surprise he is still alive. Some of the scars are from standard weapons but others are of decidedly strange origin. He has a butterfly shaped tattoo on his left hand. Although he looks to be around 25 years old, his dark brown eyes seem ancient. He keeps his blackish hair short and wears no jewelry. He wears travel stained clothes but keeps them reasonably clean. He bathes regularly to keep his odor to minimum. Gabriel has no social skills to speak of. He is direct and usually quite truthful – often to the point of being annoying. He is not exceptionally talkative but usually says what he thinks with no regard to what others may think about him. This does not make him many friends. He does not care. He has low opinion of churches in general. He values the services some of their representatives provide to the common folk (healers, midwifes etc.), but finds most of them to be too rigid, self-absorbed, haughty, lecturing, greedy or power-hungry fools. It cannot be said he believes in or even reveres gods. He knows they exists, but finds them to be no better than the majority of people and definitely worse than some. His relations with Pharasma are something even he does not understand. He feels they are connected somehow but as he does not remember almost anything from his life before he awoke in the desert, he is not sure how. All he has are brief flashes and feelings. He thinks laws and rules in general are good as long as they do not impede people doing the right thing. This approach usually does not endear him to authorities. He does not really have problems with authorities as long as he considers them competent, but it is safe to say many authorities have problems with him. He has hard time trusting people as he usually expects the worst. He may seem paranoid at times, but as the saying goes “Just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean they are not after you”. He has been proven to be right several times. He cares about folks. It does not mean he is nice to them, but if someone really needs help, he does his best to aid him/her to the best of his ability. This usually means facing some threat – ordinary or otherwise. He hates anybody who preys on innocents or on those who cannot defend themselves properly. This holds especially true for undead and other monsters, but applies to bad people as well. Abilities: =10
Total modifier +3... new rolls: =11 (0) (1 p)
This seems to qualify
I think it was me and not Fabius who wrote that "I do remember the art depicting different types" of ethnicities. I might be wrong, although I still think there were some asian and eskimo types there. I also wrote "You have to remember all humans came from Sarlona not so long ago. 4.000 years is not long enough for major differences to appear." so not having ethnicities (if that is the case) is consistent with the internal history of the setting. Certainly you do not have to like the setting, but to say that it is racist because there is only one type of human (when there are so many actually different playable races - as in most of the fantasy settings) is weird. And to stop playing a game because of that is even weirder especially when you may houserule the ethnicities/skin color without any adverse effect on the crunch or fluff of the setting.
]uh, they were evil, and worshipped the scorpion deity (also evil btw), they were also the southern dark skinned former slaves of giants, explain how that isn't racist, and only one human ethnicity is super racist! (i mean c'mon! an entire planet of white people! how isn't that racist?) I do not understand why "southern dark skinned former slaves of giants" should be racist... Only one human ethnicity is quite smart considering there are many other races present. If you go with more human ethnicities, it opens the door for elven, dwarven, etc. ethnicities as well. And then it starts to be quite complicated. But as far as just features and skin color goes, I do remember the art depicting different types. You have to remember all humans came from Sarlona not so long ago. 4.000 years is not long enough for major differences to appear.
I loved all aspects of the setting. @captain yesterday: If there is one setting, where race is not important, it is Eberron. There was general xenophobia, but it was based on country of origin and not on race. @GreyWolfLord: You said it yourself, you never read the setting. I am suprised you have such a strong opinion, you should not have any at all... ;-) On the other hand if someone told me a setting is just magic punk, I would probably not be looking toward it either.
If Castor gets selected, I am ok either way (3rd or 4th level).
Are you ok with Castor's history as is for now, with the understanding that if he gets picked, I will update it? Initial thouthts on updating Castor's history:
Castor's aims:
Castor's developement (crunch) largely depends on the party composition, he may even multiclass but will stay primarily a caster in the long run. If you want anything else at this stage, please let me know.
No problem. I like the campaign concept (and the influences), but unfortunately I do not have the time to come up with a new character and interested backgorund right now. Or maybe I could submit Castor Drey. Again some changes are needed - but the concept would stay. What kind of characters (classes) are you actually looking for?
I submit Gabriel for consideration. Obviously the history has to be remade a bit (I have already done so once - the current history was made for Spooky's campaign) but all it really needs are different places. The concept stays.
I'd like to try the investigator. a very short blurb:
That depends on the situation and should be decided IC, even if the solution is not always the best one. As you put it - the question is not "player behaviour regarding skill checks", but "player behaviour in general". And as I said in my first post:
@thejeff You are making assumptions or I might not have been clear enough. I never said what you are implying. The issue in the original post was not who goes first, but why the characters/players with low skills attempt them. That is what I was responding to.
I agree wholeheartedly with your last two paragraphs.
Response to the initial post> Those are all wrong questions. It does not matter who rolls the Diplomacy check if he role-playes along with the check in a way consistent with his character. It might be fun for everybody. If the other characters are having problems with this, thay have to tell him IC. Unless they do so, everything is fine. The point is to have a game which is fun for everybody, not to play the best way possible.
On the other hand, if you have a player who annoys other players (not a character annoying other characters - that is fine), than do not play with him next time or even kick him out during the play.
Congratulations to all selected. If you have need of more investigators in the future, Gabriel will be ready to join the team. He will strike out on his own till that time.
GM, you missed Gabriel in your list of applicants :-(
I updated Gabriel's profile with Appearance and Personality section. Also, I noticed the hit points for levels above the first should be rolled, so here we go:
Good, no need to change the final number, as it stayes the same in total as the half HD+1 method.
Congratulations to all and especially to Sunny - no tail hugging here ;-) Yeah, but why is all the rum gone?!
I present Gabriel - the chosen of Pharasma. He was originally created for a Mummy's Mask campaign, but I reworked him extensively. I hope he will fit quite well here. I really like the campaign concept, so I got a bit carried away with Gabriel's background. Sorry about the length...
You missed Kairo
I humbly submit Kairo for consideration. He traveled far in his quest for revenge, only to become a slave on a Chelish vessel. He is looking forward for an opportunity to ply the waters of the Inner Sea, get acquainted with the rest of the crew and seek both the assassins and those who hired them for the awful job on that fateful Night a long time ago. As he has been waiting for his revenge for such a long time, he is nothing if not patient and able to wait for it a bit longer. Meanwhile he would be honored to serve with those who saved him from the clutches of hell spawn slavers and gave him a new chance.
Sure, I will post him soon. I got a bit carried away with his backstory, so it took a bit longer to finish.
I am finishing my characters backstory, but I have one question. Where on Golarion is Freeport located?
GM, you missed my character
I present Gabriel - the chosen of Pharasma. He is currently 20pb, as most games here are 20pb and I created him without specific recruitment thread in mind. I will update him to 15pb if choosen. From the description above, he is probably ISTP - The Mechanic, although he is not good with mechanical things.
So he is probably something between the three. As to the way he met the others in the adventuring group - he is a quick replacement for someone on the team who died (or disapeared or just decided not to participate at the last moment) - he did not cause it, he just took advantage of the opportunity.
I have applied for a position in the original recritment thread and I am still interested in playing. Human diviner Castor Drey of Tymon is ready to find out, why the good professor asked for him in his will.
Sorry, busy today. -Posted with Wayfinder
Great sheet, Seraph! -Posted with Wayfinder
Lets do it -Posted with Wayfinder
Congratulations to all selected! Have fun!
I am ready to continue. We can always find new survivors downthere. -Posted with Wayfinder
Ninja - in this case, it is a combination of special training and inner strenght/talent. Nothing really mystical about it. Ninja just seemed to be the perfect spy/special operative Breakstride - there are certainly shifts, it is not 24/7 job, and Jabrim prefers day shift to meet the arriving caravans and evening ones to observe the most people. He should be able to have a special arrangement or just do part time if shifts are not an option. Actually he must have some understanding with the halfling proprietor to allow for his longer leaves for special assignements.
I am interested in this game. Marten was created for an entirely different game. If you need another class (skill or martial), I may change him with little alteration of the background.
Here is my half-orc (raised by dwarves) cleric ready for exploration of dungeons.
Torgan Axebearer: Male Half-Orc Cleric 3 N Medium humanoid (human, orc) Init +0; Senses darkvision 90 ft.; Perception +2 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor) hp 27 (3d8+9) Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +5 Defensive Abilities copy cat (su) -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Melee dagger +6 (1d4+4/19-20/×2) and . . masterwork greataxe +8 (1d12+6/×3) Ranged heavy crossbow +2 (1d10/19-20/×2) Special Attacks Channel Energy 2d6 Spell-Like Abilities . . 5/day—copy cat (su) Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; concentration +5): 2nd (2/day)—lesser restoration, bull's strength, invisibility 1st (3/day)—longstrider, bless (x2), magic weapon 0 (at will)—guidance, resistance, stabilize, detect magic -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 18, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 8 Base Atk +2; CMB +6; CMD 16 Feats Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (greataxe) Traits adopted, armor expert, tunnel fighter Skills Heal +8, Knowledge (religion) +6, Stealth +4; Racial Modifiers cavewight Languages Common, Orc SQ aura, domains (exploration, trickery), door sight, orc blood, spontaneous casting, variant channeling (trickery variant channeling [±1 sacred]) Combat Gear Acid (3), Alchemist's fire (3), Holy water (3); Other Gear Masterwork Breastplate, Dagger, Heavy crossbow, Masterwork Greataxe, Backpack, masterwork (empty), Flint and steel, Holy symbol, silver (God), Rope, Waterskin, 35 GP -------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Armor Expert -1 Armor check penalty. Aura (Ex) The Cleric has an aura corresponding to his deity's alignment. Cavewight +1 Knowledge (dungeoneering) and Survival checks while underground. Cleric Channel Positive Energy 2d6 (2/day) (DC 10) (Su) Positive energy heals the living and harms the undead; negative has the reverse effect. Cleric Domain (Exploration) Associated Domain: Travel Cleric Domain (Trickery) Granted Powers: You are a master of illusions and deceptions. Bluff, Disguise, and Stealth are class skills. Combat Expertise +/-1 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack. Copy Cat (Su) (5/day) (Sp) Create a single mirror image duplicate Darkvision (90 feet) (Acute Darkvision) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only). Door Sight (5/day) (Su) By touching a door for 1 minute, use clairvoyance on the other side. Orc Blood Half-orcs count as both humans and orcs for any effect related to race. Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage. Spontaneous Casting The Cleric can convert stored spells into Cure or Inflict spells. Trickery Variant Channeling (±1 Sacred) Bluff, Disguise, Sleight of Hand,Stealth bonus/Perception penalty Tunnel Fighter +2 Initiative and +1 critical damage while underground.
Very interested! I will submit character tomorrow.
I present Jabrim Lightfoot for consideration. I tried to integrate him into Solku society as much as possible. If you require more information, please let me know. Appearance:
Jabrim is a common looking Halfling, quite unremarkable. People usually do not remember him unless he wants them to. He has cinnamon skin, light brown hair and dark brown eyes. He is often dressed in cheap looking light robes, perfect for local weather, not hindering movement and offering many possibilities for hiding stuff. He usually wears disguised light armor under the robes. He is quite adept at changing his looks to best suit his duties at the moment. Reasons for being in Solku:
Jabrim is a resident and an employee. Also, he loves his town and would protect it at all costs – or die trying. This means he might definitely not be considered good as he is not above any underhanded tactics including assassination (although he would not enjoy it). Day job: Bartender at Breakstride who also acts as a runner with pitcher of beer to send arriving caravan members to the inn. Part-time job: thief at New Market under the direction of Beza Duri True job: Special operative to Lord Kel-Kalaar charged with observing and studying the visitors of Solku and reporting anyone that might pose a threat to the town to Marjan Hediyeh. He utilizes both his "official" jobs for his day-to-day duties. He is sometimes charged with special assignments. Plans for next seven days… as usual, given his jobs. Preliminary Stats:
Note: nothing is set in stone, if the character concept is approved, any crunch can be changed. Male Halfling Ninja 4
Futher developement depends on the campaign.
Lets wait till the end of the week. -Posted with Wayfinder
I sent him PM yesterday. So far no answer.
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