Juraigamer's page

It would help to know what level the players are, so this can be scaled appropriately.

Generally speaking, you seem to have too many abilities on the weapon. Toss transformable off, and intelligent. Don't overwhelm the players with that much stuff at once.

Use intelligent later, just have it start chatting/yelling at the player who holds it at some point. Makes for fun roleplay.

The spear doesn't need an ability for each part, however, it does need something special that sets it apart from other weapons.

The extra powers, ecto, linger, empower, extend and quicken, seem way too much. Instead go with the spears main purpose, to extend a weapon to do damage, so extend works very well.

Need more info before I can try to give more advice.

1. Role Playing - How do you encourage good role playing? Our group tends to be predominantly out of character while playing and many of us (myself included) are guilty of being “roll players.”

I start by telling the players I give more xp if they have good roleplay, however I also state that each member must contribute to the once a game xp reward for it to cycle around again, IE: if a certain ranger is a terrible RP, while everyone else is great at it, until he gets into character no extra XP.

I also have players give me their characters backstory, normally at least a page. I ask them questions, have them type it all out. I also state their backstory may make certain things easier to obtain, but not allowing them to backstory their way to great items.

2. Subtle Inclusions - What subtle little things have you used in your campaigns that really made the game more fun and intriguing to your players?

I keep a log of everything that occurs. If the players really talk to a certain npc, I have the npc do something more than just be a random npc. I also introduce plot hooks and enjoy having npcs backstab them, disappear only to appear much later.

However the main thing I do is make sure the players have a goal (in backstory) and work that into the game. It's their adventure after all.

3. Plot Hooks - What are some of your favorite plot hooks? If there’s one thing that I’ve seen go wrong numerous times, it’s the clunky, awkward transitions. “Why are we on this quest again?” is something I’ve said and heard far too often.

Stealing an item from the players works well to pull them into something. I keep an element of surprise in my games, and the best way to do that is to create you own custom boss enemies. (example) They fight their way through a nercomancers lair, only to not find a nercomancer, but a man simply assembling bones and snapping his fingers? WHAT?

4. Rules - How closely do you follow/enforce the rules? Do you make your players write out the contents of their spell component pouches? Do you double check the potential encumbrance of characters? How do you do crafting magic items? What are some typical homebrew rules that your group uses?

I give leeway over most things mundane, but basic rules in the book are to be followed at all times. Same with encumbrance, but I normally state ammo doesn't count unless its excessive amounts. Spell components that aren't named are counted, for me, as always being in the pouch.

5. Starting levels - Do you start your campaigns at level 1? What levels work for your group?

I've found a good deal of my games work far, FAR better starting at level 3. This gives room for backstory and allows the players to not have to start as a nobody if they don't want to.

6. Campaigns - Do you buy them, or make your own? The precedent in our group is that we’ve all made our own thus far. Any suggestions for designing your own campaign?

Make my own, all the time. This is were the real skill of a GM comes from, making captivating works, adventures and plots/enemies.

7. Gaming Materials - What materials do you use for your games? Do you think they make the game more enjoyable? Most of what our group uses is pretty basic. We generally use paper with grids and drawings, but also a kind of white eraser board with grids. I have some good friends that are awesome artists and they drew our characters for us, which one of our group’s players scanned,...

Paper for maps of areas, I will draw crude sketches of the dungeons they go through and I provide the character sheets, dice if needed, pencils and so forth. I have had EXCELLENT experiences with dry erase paint, look it up. It has made my life so much easier. I will also print off images and handouts for the players, either copied from other campaigns or created myself.

---Some final notes---
Never fumble rolls, if you actually kill a player, you do.
Challenge players not with damage, but with debuffs. Why toss fireballs when you can just shrink them?
Give your enemies battle plants and tactics, the players are walking into their base after all right?
Think about what the players would expect, then toss them for a loop. That chest in the final room? Unlocked, not trapped, but when opened the floor drops and they fight the REAL boss.
OR! Door to safe, with all that loot. Leave it unlocked :D :P
Always leave a backdoor to your dungeons. The enemy boss might want to run away, makes to a good recurring character.

Hey everyone, got a quick question for anyone who knows about the Council of Thieves paizo adventure path.

Our group recently had a character die near/at the end of the second book, at character level 5. The character died with 5200+ gold in items, and the other (3) player characters have a comparable amount, now of course plus the divvy from this characters goods.

What would be a good starting gold amount for a new character coming in at the very end of the 2nd book or the start of the third?

Any thoughts and comments are appreciated, Thanks!

I see, so I need to be able to normally cast spells at whatever level to get those domain spells. Thanks for the info, I did feel a level 1 having call lightning was a bit... much.

I can't seem to figure this out:

My level 1 cleric has 16 wisdom, giving him a bonus spell at level 1, 2 and three. Does this mean I also gain my domain slot and subsequent spell from this?

Many thanks.