Joshua Birk 898's page

My copy of AP5 came with two copies of both dawn flower's kss and Stole of the Inheritor. Should I have multiple copies of those cards?

One set of them came in the middle of the barriers section, between "deal with a demon" and "groaning gate." I have a total of seven barriers. Is that correct, or should there be 9?

Alyrs reads

"If deated you may immedatly attempt to close the locaiton this hencman came from; if you do display this card next to your deck. While displayed, the difficulty of your checks is increased by 2. At the state of your turn, 1 character at your lcoation may succeed at a divine 9 check to banish this card."

That all seems clear, but the scenario rules for 'Crusader's Legacy' say

"when you defeat Alyrs Harnaste, shuffle him into an open random location deck."

So, what happens when I defeat Alrys? Do I display him? Do I reshuffle him? Should the rules actually instruct me to reshuffle him when he is banished not defeated?

The Tower of the Fourth Sphere reads

"When permanently Closed: if you win the scenario, a layer may begin playing with the character Arueshalae, who chooses a mythic path card and gains the same number of each type of feat that another character gain."

My question stems from the upgrade you receive at the end of the 'Sword of Valor' AP, which reads. 'Each character gains skill feats corresponding to all checked skills on the troop Knights of Kenabres.'

Since Arueshalae only cares about the number of skill feats, not how they were distributed, is she free to assign those feats wherever she wants rather than having them distributed evenly? The wording on the tower seems clearly states that she can, but it seems a powerful effect relative to other players, so I wanted to check to make sure that it is intended.

If so, sign my up for +4 dex, +2 charisma.

I want to side step the debate about whether wrath is ‘hard’, ‘fun’, or ‘too random’ (though, for what it’s worth I love it and love the increased difficult), and instead focus on the relative balance of the base set scenarios. The base set scenarios are, in my mind, far more challenging than those of AP1. They have a difficulty curve that looks like an EKG chart. Moreover, I think they are poorly designed, because rather than pulling people into the game and gradually introducing them to more difficult scenarios, they front load the most challenging aspects of the game.

This isn’t just an opinion; data supports the idea that base set scenarios are incredibly challenging, as we can see from looking at Boon/Bane ratios, scenario rules, and the banes themselves.

Bane ratios
Here are the ratios of banes for the 10 scenarios in the boxed set, as well as the number of non-henchmen barriers (a number I wanted to include because of the particular challenge posed by cards like Demonic Hoard and Arboreal Blight). This ratio is particularly important, because boons general don’t threaten your hand and consume relativity minor amounts of resources. Banes are what makes the game difficult. I assumed a 5 person party for the purposes of the data set, but the general trends hold true regardless of Party size

B1 17/70 3
B2 36/70 10
B3 32/70 7
B4 25/70 7
B5 41/70 14

AP1-1 26/70 4
AP1-2 31/70 9
AP1-3 24/70 6
AP1-4 23/70 3
AP1-5 28/70 6

First, the basic scenarios have a lot more banes, particularly when you get past the soft ball that is B1. Most of the basic scenarios have more banes than every single scenario in AP1. What’s more, with the exception of AP1-2, barriers make up a smaller percentage of the banes in AP1, and you never get inundated with them like you do in B5, a scenario which all but assures you will have to face the worst of the barriers multiple times.

Banes are rough, and the base scenarios makes you fight many more of them.

Scenario Rules
This problem is compounded by the scenario rules, specifically the scenario rules that effect closing locations and cornering the villain. B2, B4 and B5 all offer additional rules that make it more difficult to win the game. Makes you have to go through the entirety of most location decks to permanently close a location, B4 has a villain which some characters may not be able to defeat who spawns an additional location, and B5 requires you to corner the villain twice and has a villain who can evade.

In contrast, none of the scenarios in AP1 make it harder to close locations. In fact, both AP1 and AP 3 make scenarios easier. AP1 closes location when you encounter henchmen and AP3 adds additional henchmen into locations, making a close more likely.

Bane Quality
This one is more abstract, but the banes in the base set are more dangerous than those in AP1. The two most fearsome barriers in the game thus far both come from the base set. The most challenging monster, the carrion golem, is also from the base set. Most of the monsters that deal automatic damage (Mongrel Wizards, Mongrel Archers, the banes from Demon Rogue whose name I forget, etc), come in the base set. As a result, adding AP1 makes the game easier than just playing the base game. The threat of the worst of the banes becomes diluted, and you encounter the truly hideous cards less often

Net result – Or, ‘Why so many people hate The Elven Entanglement’
Nothing embodies how these factors come together better than B2, the elven entanglement. B2 has more banes in general and more non-henchmen barriers than anything in AP1. Those banes are quite dangerous, and you are very likely to face multiple copies of the hideous barriers. What’s worse is the scenario rules will turn additional boons into banes. And the lack of henchmen that allow you to close locations mean you will have to churn through a ton of extra cards and almost certainly rely heavily on temporary closing to win.

This is one of the most challenging scenarios in the whole of the PACG. IT SHOULD NOT BE THE SECOND ADVENTURE IN THE BASE SET. I love challenge and difficulty, but the game should build to this kind of test, not throw it to you out of the gates. This scenario is hard enough for experienced players, but it will turn novice players off of the game.

In general, the designers have done a wonderful job with PACG, but I think they missed the mark, and missed it badly, with the relatively difficulty of the base scenarios.

'The Wardstone Legacy' list the location 'Grey Garrison.' The location itself is called 'Gray Garrison.'

Do you suffer penalties when you summon a weapon that requires a proficiency to use without penalty? From the wording of the card, I would think the penalty would apply, but for practical purposes that makes the card exceptionally limited.

One of the options for shape change allows you to display the card to make your strength, Dexterity and Constitution Skill 1d12+2. My question is how this power interacts with skill feats. If Oloch casts the spell and has spent three skill feats on strength, do those bonuses stack? Is his strength now 1d12+5? Or do they replace the bonuses from skill feats, lowering his strength to 1d12+2? (A a small price to pay for the bonus he gets to other physical stats)

The sixth AP of Skull and Shackles has some nasty baddies in it. Its also the most fun I have had playing the game thus far. Grats to Mike and the crew for yet another stellar campaign.

This is a loot card that reads

"Discard this card to examine the top card of your location deck.

Remove this card from the game to gain a skill feat."

What is the timing on playing the second power. Do you need to include the card in your deck, wait for the scenario and then play it? Can you use the power in between games? "Remove the card" isn't a standard form for playing a card, so I would love clarification.

The card reads

"At This Location
Choose a random character. If that character is at another location, move her to this location; otherwise, move her to a random location."

Can we get a timing clarification on When this event occurs? At the start of the turn? After the move step?

How should we be reporting characters at the midpoint for the Skull & Shackles campaign? Should we use the same thread we used for Runelords? Should we start a new thread? Should we even other to report that data. Inquiring minds want to know!

The spell Geyser has the traits Arcane, Magic, Divine, Attack and Fire. Should fire be on that list? It seems wrong.

I just excitedly cracked open my newly arrived copy of Raiders of the Fever Sea. Much to my dismay, thought the box clearly says "raiders of the Fever Sea' it had been filled with the cards from the character add on pack, instead of the proper contents.

My character add on pack is supposed to arrive today or tomorrow. I suppose I might be lucky and the contents of that pack might be incorrect as well.

Paizo makes great products, and they are incredibly nice when you talk to them, but I have never had such incompetent service from a a game company.

I wanted to get clarification one Jirelle power "Reduce Structural damage to your ship by 1."

Does that mean

A) Reduce Structural damage to your party's ship by 1.

or

B) When you are commanding a ship, Reduce Structural damage to it by 1.

I have assumed it is A, and the rule book seems to use "your ship" and "your parties ship" interchangeable. However, the ambiguity of your (which can be both singular and plural) creates room for doubt.

Additionally, the character description "When she’s in command of a ship, she can steer it through the most dangerous waters with ease," suggests that the answer could be B.

So, how do you you play this?

I think the flowing combo is game breaking. It's easy to achieve and trivializes the game. Here is an explanation of the combo, from hawkmoon.

I did miss that a bit. I don't see what would stop you from doing that other then boredom and your fellow players being angry with you. Radillo would potentially have to repeat it quite a bit to get all those Magic trait cards on top. Say...

1. Radillo plays Augury and says "items" and she find 2 items in the top 3 cards, only 1 of which has the Magic trait. She shuffles the non-item back into the location deck, puts the Magic trait item on top followed by the non-Magic item.
2. Radillo recharged Augury.
3. Radillo plays detect Magic and encounters the Magic item. She acquires it.
4. Radillo adds Augury back to her hand.
5. Radillo recharges Detect Magic.
6. Radillo plays Augury, this time says "weapons" and finds 1 weapon in the top 3 cards. It has the Magic trait. She shuffles the rest back in, and puts the weapon on top.
7. Radillo recharges Augury.
8. Radillo adds Detect Magic back to her hand.
9. Radillo plays Detect Magic and encounters the weapon. She fails to to acquire the weapon because she has d6 Strength.
10. Valeros curses at Radillo.
100. Radillo continues the cycle, acquiring some cards and banishing others.

So, a couple things will break the cycle.

A. If there are no magic cards or cards of that type in the top 3 when she plays Augury. She can put the non-Magic cards on the bottom of the location deck, but she'll be playing Detect Magic blind. Granted, she can repeat still, but eventually she'll probably give up after 5 or 6 cycles with no magic to detect.

B. Other players ask you to stop getting rid of all the good boons.

But in general, I think you can do it. You'll have to keep Detect Magic in her deck long term. And once you have a turn where you play another spell, the cycle is broken.

Also, Radillo looks designed to tempt you to get yourself killed. She has more powers to encourage you to draw a card, bury a card, and banish a card than anyone I've seen so far. All those things thin out your character deck which pushes you near death, especially with a...

Radillo can go through a location, loot it for all magic boons and leave the henchman/villain on top [edit: or stack a couple valuable non-magic boons to make them easily accessible), and then move to the next location. She can do this using two B spells, one power feat, and getting a +3 bonus to int/arcance/recharege. I think this loop presents major problems and needs to be addressed in some manner.

Now that we have a plethora of options, I'm curious which characters people are drawn to for various classes.

So, let's hear your votes for your top pick for each of the seven classes currently available for organized play. Share who you like most, and add a brief explanation why if you are so inclined. I'll tabulate the results and we can all chip in to send a potion of lucubration to the winners.

Top Vote Getters

Bard: ?
Cleric:?
Fighter: ?
Ranger: ?
Rogue: ?
Sorcerer: ?
Wizard: ?

Since it has no blessing timer, is it possible to simple lose into the eye without dying? Is there any way to back out if things go poorly, or is this a "come back with your shield or on it" moment?

I just wanted to my congratulations to the designers on the conclusion of Rise of the Rune Lords. I have been working my way through the final Adventure Deck, and it delivers a very satisfying epic conclusion. I am one of the players that has generally found the game incredibly fun but easy (I play with an extra location, for what its worth) , and while I enjoyed Xin-Shalast, I didn't find it that hard. I pushed up against the blessing clock in 'Scaling Mhar Massif' (mostly because I went slow out of deathly fear of Leng Spiders), but I never felt like I might lose or that a character might die.

And then I went 'Into the Eye'. I don't want to spoil the experience for those who like surprises, but it is far and away the most punishing experience in PACG thus far. Sajan, Seoni and Seelah struggled to stay alive, and I shudder to think about how some of my more fragile parties will survive that scenario. It came down to the final two die rolls, an a failure on either would have meant a total party wipe. I edged out the first of the two rolls by a scant two points. It was the most exhilarating experience I have had in the game thus far. Kudos to all of you.