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I think it's important to remember that the term "Computer" means something specific in the Starfinder world, and does not refer to all of the myriad technological devices that may run computations.

Sure, a technological construct is capable of running computations -- but it is a construct; not a "computer" it does not use or follow the rules for computers and countermeasures. Yes, you can use your personal comlink to crunch numbers, manage your calendar, and surf the infonet -- but it's not a "computer" it's a comlink.

The computers skill is used to access computers and their linked systems; not to disrupt technological devices. Is this difference silly and pedantic? yes, probably. But based on RAW, I would not allow my players to use the computers skill to gain unauthorized access to any system or device that wasn't specifically a "computer".

As a person who loves to play a decker in Shadowrun, and was very excited at the idea of a exo-cortex mechanic, it is certainly a shift, but there's no reason from my understanding of the RAW that a character would ever be able to hack or disrupt a technological device or creature with the computers skill. In fact, if you could, it would render the already niche "Discharge" spell worthless.

Ok. Well I'll bite if only because I'd like feedback and I think it's a cool creature.

This wiry bipedal creature's gray hide is marked with pustules and boils. It carries a large, parchment filled bottle in its clawed hands. Beneath its bulbous sulfur-yellow eyes and long, crooked nose it bears a pointed, toothy smile.

Thought Filcher CR 6

XP 2400
Chaotic Evil Medium Fey
Init +10; Senses Low-light Vision, Blind-sense 60ft (Sentient Creatures only); Perception +17
Aura Mania (30 ft., DC 17)

----- Defense -----
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +4 Natural)
hp 65 (10d6+30)
Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +9
DR 10/cold iron; Immune sleep; SR 17;

----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee claws +8/+8 (1d4+3 plus forgetful touch)
Special Attacks thought torrent
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +15)
Constant — detect magic, read magic
At will — invisibility, dispel magic, clairaudience/clairvoyance,
3/day — suggestion (DC 18), silence (DC 17)

----- Statistics -----
Str 14, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 23;
Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative
Skills Acrobatics +17, Bluff +15, Disguise +15, Knowledge (Arcana)+15, Knowledge (History)+15, Knowledge (Nature)+18, Knowledge (Planes)+15, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Stealth +17, Use Magic Device +15
Languages Common, Sylvan, Draconic, Aklo, Elven, Gnome
SQ Change Shape (Human, Elf)

----- Ecology -----
Environment Any Urban
Organization Solitary or Cabal (2d4)
Treasure Standard

----- Special Abilities -----
Change Shape (Su) A thought filcher may take the form of a frail, elderly human or elf.
Forgetful Touch (Su) A thought filcher's claws often rend more than just flesh. Any creature struck by a thought filcher's claw attack must succeed a DC 17 Will save or take 1d4 Wisdom damage and lose it most recent memories as memory lapse. A successful save negates the memory lapse effect. This save is Charisma based.
Mania (Su) Any creature within a thought filcher's aura of mania can hear the telepathic chatter of the minds it has stolen. All creatures within the aura gain use of inspiration as the investigator class feature. This inspiration may only be used on Knowledge, Linguistics and Spellcraft checks, and is used reflexively on such checks unless the creature succeeds a DC 17 Will save. Any creature who uses the inspiration provided by a thought filcher's aura of mania, takes 1d4 Wisdom damage as it's mind slowly slips away. This save is Charisma based.
Steal Mind (Su) Any creature reduced to 0 Wisdom by either a Thought Filcher's forgetful touch or aura of mania has all of its memories completely stripped from it. This loss persists even if the creature later recovers from its Wisdom damage. Memories taken in such a manner can only be restored by the thought filcher releasing them, either willingly or upon its death; or by wish or miracle.
Thought Torrent (Su) A thought filcher may as a standard action shake its jar of thoughts and unleash them in a 30ft cone of chaotic mental energy, as lesser confusion(DC 17). This save is Charisma based.

Thought filchers are opportunistic, predatory fey who seek out and hunt, scholars, sages and mages. Originally created Shyka as research assistants, thought filchers have been found throughout time, seeking out mages and scholars on the cusp of breakthroughs, both aiding their manic research and stealing their knowledge.

Victims of a thought filcher often have no memory of their attack, and those who do remember often have trouble proving any wrongdoing or even capturing the creature. Thought filchers often pose as visiting professors or eccentric scholars always on the lookout out for good research assistants. They are patient creatures -- willing to wait months and even years for their victim's mind to slowly slip and their social support to dwindle before making their final move.

Generally poor combatants, thought filchers rely on their special abilities and invisibility to avoid and escape confrontation.

My least favorite character is my -1. I made a dwarven trapper ranger an hour before a roll20 game my roommate was playing in figuring that someone needed to pickup trapfinding.

She's a very dwarfy dwarf -- quickdraw shield and waraxe and the whole bit. Just not very interesting mechanically. As I played her some more she got a bit of personality, but it's not quite as compelling as my other character options. (She's racist against humans. "I mean when was the last time you've heard of a dwarven necromancer? That's right, never. Tar Bauphon? Geb? the runelords? all HUMAN. They are like rats or goblins, popping out progeny like sex is going out of style..." )

I haven't played her since the end of season 4. One of these days I might retrain her to something more interesting... we'll see.

Congrats everyone who made it to the top 4. It was a really solid showing from everyone.

Thank you for the critique. It was my first time entering and I honestly got really frustrated by the lack of feed back while voting was going on.

I hadn't considered the restricting player options angle. You're right though. It's an item you 100% want a cohort to use, and that's a pretty big red flag.

I had wanted the description to be simple but I see that lacking at least something appealing to latch on to, it was easily lost in the submissions.

Funny about the grappling mechanic; it originally did precisely that, but I edited it out thinking it would seem out of place on a spear.

As for the formatting, I posted it to this forum from my phone so I'm sure that's where the space problems came from.

Thank you to everyone comments!

Ok. I know I'm late to the critique thread, but here's what I've got. This is the latest edit of the item I submitted, that didn't even survive the first cull, and I'd like to know why.

Hidesplitter
Aura Faint Enchantment and Transmutation;CL 5th
Slot none; Price 10,310 gp; Weight 8 lbs.

Description
This +1 Boar Spear's tarnished blade features a blood red sash fastened to its crossguard. Hidesplitter's steel blade is specially attuned to slaying woodland terrors and is considered both silver and cold iron.

Upon striking, the wielder may choose to embed Hidesplitter as a swift action, applying a -5 penalty to damage reduction or natural armor bonus to the target struck. This penalty can never reduce a creature's natural armor bonus or damage reduction below 0. This ability has no effect on creatures whose damage reduction is not overcome by Hidesplitter itself.

While Hidesplitter remains embedded, the target may not take a 5ft step and may only move with a successful drag maneuver against the wielder. Attempting this maneuver does not provoke attacks of opportunity, though any subsequent movement provokes as normal. Hidesplitter's wielder may release the weapon as an immediate action, avoiding this drag maneuver, though Hidesplitter remains embedded.

Creatures can remove Hidesplitter from themselves by succeeding a DC 10 strength check as a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Hidesplitter's wielder may remove it without a strength check as an swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

While embedded, Hidesplitter can not be used to make attacks, but provides a +2 shield bonus to your AC against the effected creature, as if it had been used successfully against a readied charge.

Construction
Requirements Craft Magical Arms and Armor, hold person, versatile weapon ; Cost 5310 gp

umm I'm not sure you've got it right. There's actually been very little/ no time travel. Or at least, none that could have the sort of impacts you're referring to.

It remains unclear if the sky key is actually capable of bringing things across time, or if it in its broken state only brings quasi real (or more like, contingently existent) things into existence. If it is the latter, the past remains immutable. If it's the former, the only time it would have made a change would have been right before earthfall, and the whole island got pretty much destroyed anyway.

Congratulations Tonya! You've worked really hard and I'm glad to see you at the helm.

Jelly Babies for everyone!

Looking over the final encounter, and I can't figure out why Pratt chooses to fight to the death instead of using his scroll of Dim Door to escape the building and run ala Torch.

The haunt is as Entangle, therefore using the radius of the entangle effect, centered on the point within the marked area closest to the PC's when they approach.

While running this several dozen times at Pax Prime, I allowed the PC's to damage the haunt so long as they were in the area effected by the entangle -- specifically because it says Dr. Quoloroum recommends hurting it with torches if they don't have another way of dealing with it.

Oh and don't forget to take advantage of your movement advantage since the monsters are floating and even without the entangle effect the area is hindering terrain.

Another fun encounter that relies a lot on the environment was the final encounter of Monolith. While the Morlock is pretty likely to get a surprise round / win initiative, without getting gamey with his climb speed that fight is over really quick. It particularly sucks that there's no mention of the ceiling height.

In my experience, the hardest part of the set was University. The 8 day DC 15 dominate person will wreck a first level party -- particularly since the mind-slaver mold should be targeting the first person to enter range (usually a martial with a low will). I ended up TPKing a group when Krow the Bloodrager got dominated and proceeded to kill everyone else. That said -- save the dominate for when the NPC gets killed accidently (no reason to show your best tricks early).

The pull mechanic in Epicenter is pretty brutal too. Since the Cerebric Fungus can take AoOs as they climb and pull them off the cliff face and drop them. Also if the players don't bring good light sources, the dim light provides concealment for it to stealth every round and continue throwing people into the pit.

Also IMO the small ledge around the other side of the map should require acrobatics checks (like a DC 10) given it's size and the fact that it's covered in wet mold according to the room description.

Those are my thoughts at least. Remember that the point of the quests is to help draw new players in and don't worry too much about RAW.

Continuing last week's series with 1-52 City of Strangers Part 2: The Twofold Demise.

Warhorn

Weekly Roll20 games continue to work through the back catalogue. This Week, City of Strangers Part 1: The Shadow Gambit

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Let's see...

There's Hellknight Delani Saletore, owner of the Saletore trading company, chosen of Iomedae, and Mistrix of the Saletore Estate of Korvosa.

She brings her commanding aura of authority (she famously ended an ambush by demanding the bandits explain themselves and pay reparations), her intimate knowledge of chelish political women (Para Countess Zarta Dralnen and Field-Maralictor Elixia Makorios have both paid personal visits to her country estate) and the divine vengeance of Iomedae. Also a strong disdain for fey.

Yoshiko Kitsu brings the love and understanding of Shelyn everywhere she goes. Her training as a sensei of the sacred lotus and her fervor as an inquisitor of Shelyn and her tactical expertise gained from the order of the dragon in mendev make her a valued asset to every team, making sure that no one faces pharasma before their time. She has taken a strict vow of nonviolence which she has never broken despite her 18 deployments by her less peaceful venture captains. She also brings her wooden glaive, her silk kimono and her masterwork calligraphy set.

Lastly, Krystal Leah Gavix brings a whole host of excitement and wonder. Maybe you've heard of her sister Janira? Well they aren't really sisters, Janira is actually her second cousin thrice removed on her mom's side, or rather well it was her mom's stepdad's side, but he was a really nice guy and so her mom took his name and so he's really like her grandfather, so Janira is like blood you know?

Anyway she was super excited when she found out that Janira had become and field agent and then when she saw that two years ago Janira was published in the Pathfinder Chronicles, well that was it, she had to go congratulate her sister and try and become a new pathfinder herself. She's not quite as good at remembering things as Janira, but then again Janira has been a field agent for years and that's not really a fair comparison when you really think about it.

She loves the motto of the Grand Lodge, you know, explore report cooperate? That's just great it's like everyone is on the same team going on a giant field trip to learn exciting things and meet new people. Krystal was at the top of her confirmation class you know, ok well not at the tippy top, but she was like in the top twenty two and that's pretty much the top, or at least not at the bottom.

PFS at Asgard is coming back!

Join us every 1st, 3rd and 5th Saturday at 6pm for your favorite game, now back inside the 610 loop.

We're kicking off with a mystery and investigation theme. Kidnappings, murders, hidden lore, we've got it all! Bring on your investigators and grab your spyglasses, it's time for your best sherlock impression -- Golarion style.

September 5th:
5-04 The Stolen Heir (1-5)

September 19th:
2-13 Murder on the Throaty Mermaid (1-5)

At Asgard Games, 3302 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, 77098
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Be Indiana Jones. Win all the ladies and /or gentlemen with your sheer wit. Always escape by the skin of your teeth and look dashing while doing so! Find the traps, see the plots (or pretend that you see them anyhow).

All the buffs, for you, for your friends, for you, for people who might be your friends later, for you, for people who used to be your friends but then there was that really weird night with a bottle of booze and well you both regret it but it's not really something you talk about anymore and I guess you should probably just let it go, but they always look at you in this weird way that seems to suggest that they know something that you don't and it's just kinda awkward now; Oh and don't forget you.

By player request, I'm running Night March of Kalkamedes on Sept 3rd.

New players are always welcome!

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As a Gm from gen con with this year's changeling boon, will there be an update to the additional resources to allow them add legal play choices for boon holders?

Does the boon also extend to racial feats and archtypes?

Honestly, my biggest peeve about the the races in pfs is the fact that most players don't put any thought into their character's history. Like not knowing where they were raised, or even how they became a pathfinder.

Oh you little cinnamon bun. Too pure, too cute, too meta. You'll never make it into the top 32, but you'll live on in my heart.

I'm not sure what the overlap of players is, so since there has been more response on the google group, please sign up there.

I guess I'll set up a warhorn for the next one :p

Sadly, I've been called in to work tomorrow, so I will have to postpone this session until the 20th.

Wonderful! glad to have you.

I think I've got my entry ready. Time to head to bed and look at it in the morning and hate everything :P

This was the one scenario that I got to play at Gen Con between my tier 1 HQ Volunteering, and I loved it though I can see the comments about the puzzle and run time.

We played high-tier with a heavy melee comp, a Unchained Barbarian, a Bloodrager, a War-priest, a Paladin/ Hell-Knight (me) and an Arcanist. I don't remember a 6th player (which would make sense as I was seated as a generic).

We didn't have anyone to make the knowledge nature checks, so we resorted to heal checks from the warpriest augmented with the paladin casting lesser restoration daily on the Desnan guides and ample anti-toxin.

We split our group up after meeting with the mayors, having one group head the investigation of the tower and the other (those of us with social skills) head around town and gather information at the bar.

The combats all went pretty quickly, with our 3 no-ac all dmg characters dishing out big numbers and me alternating between tanking and providing ranged support with my comp longbow and +1 feybane arrows.

Henbane was an intriguing encounter -- we didn't jump to fight her, but when she indicated that she wanted to build the fey circle again my hellknight decided it was time for smite chaos. Burned a boon (Tanbaru's Respect from Tapestry's Toil) to area dispel her invisibility (since our arcanist didn't have glitter dust, that fool) and she went down quickly.

GM called the final fight (Two smites remaining, and with no allies it was going to be a short fight anyway).

The puzzle portion was interesting. Our GM used colored markers to highlight which portals were what color (which was essential to understanding the puzzle). I agree that the polyhedra markings on the floors seemed to be a red herring and had us wasting some time. Same goes for the hash marks on the floor note. Ultimately it was only the colored indicator arrows and trial and error that helped us solve the puzzle.

One thing I noticed today while sorting through my gen con boons and records, it seems like the high-tier slow progression gold is wrong. The normal gold for high-tier is 3252, so the slow progression total should be 1626, not the 813 that's indicated on the chronicle.

I'm looking to run the older scenarios that I never got a chance to play. First on the block, Slave Pits of Absalom. Great adventure for your liberty's edge character to accomplish some of the harder goals.

Post here for reservation

Grats! Kelley, I know this has been a long time coming.

rknop wrote:

I think the point is that the Core Campaign does not modify the standard PFS campaign in any way (with two small exceptions). The standard PFS campaign will continue has it has. The Core Campaign is a new and different thing. The Core Campaign need not influence or change anything about the standard campaign or how it is run.

This is inevitably untrue, unless they plan on presenting new Core Chronicle Sheets for each and every scenario/Module out there. If not, then it's going to lead to Core Chronicle material influencing Normal PFS Chronicles to make allowances for special rewards for Core Play. I guess we will see when Core becomes 100% official (the guide is out, all questions answered)?

Why would they make special rewards for core play when there is a major incentive from a player perspective to play modules that provide non-core rewards? Any material, boon or equipment beyond the CORE assumption is still legal for core play if and only if it appears on a chronicle sheet.

Half of the point of CORE is to allow people more opportunities to play.

I'm also going for a Mystic Theurge.

A hidden cleric of Asmodeus from Rahadoum, (yes a banned cleric, traitor, and likely a chelish spy) with Magic and Trickery domains who simply pretends to be a universalist wizard. Takes actual levels in wizard because it's useful...and then learns to unite the two.

Cleric of Asmodeus 1 / Wizard 3/ 7 Mystic Theurge.