Kyrinn S. Eis's page

I'm glad to see Paizo has made the .pdf a reasonable price.
They may just lead the way for other, responsible, companies bringing down the price of electronic versions of their products.

Best,

I recommend Basic Fantasy RPG

BFRPG

Hear! Hear!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels these ways about these topics.

Sword and Sorcery is dead, however its IP (including the Scarred Lands setting) will be going 4e under the control of Fiery Dragon Press (the Counter Collection people).

What a shame. :(

Sadly, KEJr, someone hogtied is helpless, and CdG'ing them is easy as pie; that's why it is done.

If the problem is being hogtied because a pair of baddies (one grappling, one tying) is the issue; again, that's the way things really go.

What if it were Iron Bands, or a Web or Deeper Slumber spell rendering the poor fellow helpless? Same end result.

No need to make this core.

Stands as a bulwark with other lovers of freedom, against tyranny. :)

How much does the Adamantine Leatherman cost? ;)

I'm toying with the idea that for each Iterative, you simply add an iteration of the attack damage on a successful, singular hit at Highest BAB.

Yes, Criticals would be rather spectacular.

I'll let you know how it goes if I do have the guts/daftness to try it in a session. ;)

I've HRd that all Darkvision-equipped creatures also automatically have Low-light vision at 4x human values (2x that of surface Elves), and that the Darkvision ranges represent the 'full-detail' view, whereas at further distances they are still (more) capable of Perceiving than those without, as it 'turns up' the details of the distant landscape like those with LLV have over humans and so forth.

Louis Porter Jr Design (www.lpjdesign.com) seem to be doing 3.5 fantasy material and what looks to be a nice range of adventures in the form of Sidetrek Adventure Weekly, and some stuff is available in hardcopy via Lulu.com (e.g. The Undead Chronicles).

I know Louis personally, and he has made it clear that while they have considered making a degree of GSL-esque products, the fan-base of 3.5/OGL is so great that LPJ would be foolish not to continue producing works for that system.

The reality is that whatever innovations PF makes will simply be folded into the batter of remaining 3.5/OGL producers. :)

I was once fiddling with saves for every ability score. My thought for Str was "Grip," to be used to avoid dropping things or being pushed.

There is a .pdf product entitled A Skill for Everything which asks that same question and related ones with skills, and BAB, etc. It is essentially creating a different game, but it is certainly food for thought.

For the price, you may find it worth a read. :)

As regards two-handed item: Shouldn't the Str x1.5 (or x2) be figured into the Disarm somehow?

Further, if the above weren't the case, I'd think that the attacked figure would still retain possession of the item, even if it weren't 'usable' in the given state. However, your point regarding a Bastard Sword does bring up the question of the effectiveness of the Disarm option.

As regards Grappling one-handed, I'd again say that the Str x1.5/x2 issue needs to be kept in view. If the target of the Grapple who is holding an object (or keeping a door closed, etc.) has superior Str, that ought to count for something.

However, in any other circumstance, I'd think that the target would be forced to make a 'retention check' to keep hold of the object (etc.), and would likely be open to AoOs during this point simply because of the distraction.

As regards performing actions while Grappled, I would certainly think it possible, as long as the objects are already in hand, and possibly if a check were made to reach them versus the Grapple.

I could list real world circumstances, but they are generally considered useless when placed within the context of the game rules.

What's wrong with a bullrushed character incurring AoO?[-snip-]If this game is even the least bit tactical, as implied by the presence of a battle grid and rules, then you should suffer if you put yourself in a bad position. If you can be bullrushed through a threatened area, that means you're surrounded, and "flanking" aside, being surrounded in a fight is bad. I don't think anyone deserves a break in that situation.

Absolutely.

Why not just create a scalabale Feat, something like: Adaptable [Fighter]

Adaptable provides Attack bonus of +3 per +6 BAB the recipient possesses. These bonus BAB points may be used defensively by adding to AC, or offensively by adding to attack. These bonus points may be further applied through other BAB-affecting Feats or magical effects.
This Feat may be purchased multiple times. The effects stack.

Points may be re-configured as a Swift Action each Round.

> shrug <

> WEG <
Thank you.

Riley, Merrik,

There is a thread in the Design: Sorcerer/Wizards section, on converting Warlocks to PF Sorcerers.

Other threads.

-K

While I can see the OP's point, and out of necessity agree with the opposed PoV, what about (in a hypothetical bizarro PFRPG universe...) where all Class Skills automatically advance at a ratio based upon their importance to the class (in general).

** Radical Alternate Skill System **

EXAMPLE (and not balanced against the existing 2/4/6/8 Skill Point system)-

Rogue-
* Choice of two: Acrobatics, Climb, Swim, at L+3
* Choice of two: Disable Device, Knowledge [any], Stealth at L+2
* Choice of two: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, at L+1
* Int Modifier number of other skills at L+0

This would then be done for each class, in turn, offering 'skill packages', which automatically scale with the character's advancing in the Class.

Having two Classes which share the same Skill could very easily be handled as the higher of the two, +1, to show that the Skill in question receives more focus due to the exploits of the Classes.

To fully customise Skill Packages all that would need to be done would be to have alternate or Player/GM created lists.
--"I want my Fox Huntsman to excel at Riding, Survival, and Knowledge: Nature."
-"OK, make two of those three Level + 3, and one of them L+2."
--"Done. Now, what else do you think I should have?"
-"Well, the Baron hates poachers stealing from his preserves, so you should probably have some social skills to deal with Rangers and Guardsmen. I suggest Bluff, Diplomacy, and Disguise."
--"Hmm. OK I'll choose one of those as my second L+2, and the other two as L+1s. There."
-"Alright. Now, I definitely suggest that you consider Stealth and Heal."
--"Heal? Why?"
-"You may get injured fleeing from Rangers and have to bind your own wounds."
--Concerned::"Yeah, well, I think I better swap out a few here... I'll take Stealth and Heal as my L+2s and Bluff and Diplomacy as my L+0s.
-"I'll give you a few minutes to make certain that you are happy with them at this Level. Once you decide, I'll hold you to them until your next Level-up."
--"Yeah, I know. [...] Okay, I made a few other swaps. What do you think?"
-"Hmm. Your focus has changed a bit; more prudent. These look solid enough."
--"Alright then."

So each Level, instead of Skill Points, the player can shift their focus up or down one on each skill, in addition to getting their Int mod. in new +0 Skills.

This method would allow for more organic definition of a character's abilities, and less built-in obsolescence once the campaign or character's focus/idiom changes, while preserving an ever-increasing degree of competence in the areas of greatest use/utility to the character.

Not very BC, at all, but certainly an alternate Skill System which puts greater emphasis on the nature of the character than on their neurons.

Best,
-K

Yeah, yeah. Thanks a lot. :P

Hi,

Where is this explained/detailed?

Thanks,

And thus one of the Dark Lords has spoken.

However, with Protection From Evil up, I still wonder why so many things were changed, 'just so...'

Regardless, when the Hardback is out, then the b!thchfest can begin in earnest.

Say hello to Luci for me.

Okies. Gotcha'. And, it is just a setting with system-mods to make it self-consistent, rather than its own system.

If you do, I realised it is all smushed together as KyrinnSEis, rather than normal.

For me, the slightly different build I can deal with. What will be annoying is the consolidated skills, new feats, and new class abilities of the Pathfinder RPG NPCs. Unless every one of these Pathfinder RPG abilities is fully listed out in the stat blocks then I may as well be completely winging it as far as NPC stat blocks go.

I think this fact eludes some folks.

Granted, GMs ought to be able to adjudicate on the fly, but should they need to do so simply to use a product billed as 'compatible with 3.5'?

I'll go so far as to say that you have another copy of the Hardback sold, and reserve future excitement pending what I read there.

Much, if not most, of what has been done in PF is /interesting/ to me, in a rules-tinkering sort of way.

Here's looking forward to August! :D
-K

I was about to buy that stuff. Thanks for warning me off! More money saved.

Whoa! Whoa! -- I don't think that is either a major selling point, nor a reason to not get involved in IK.

The gritty gaming, and overall difference in feel and tone are what I think of when IK is mentioned.

KaeYoss, look me up on the Privateer Press fora (same [my] name there), and contact me via Message, and I'll set you up with a nice primer -- gratis.
---

Tying IK back to the topic, the Pain of Healing restriction on Divine casters who are not Healing Domain enabled makes for choosier combats given that Healbots, in general, are far fewer and further between than in most D&D settings. Also, Bardic Heal spells only transfer from Lethal to Non-Lethal, making combat healings possible, but less 'pop-n-fresh' than standard D&D, as well.

The overall, 'this is the way the IK works, thus these spells are gone/nerfed' methodology makes for a very different gaming experience, and combat and the reticence to engage in it carelessly, is but one concrete example. Given that a generic fantasy game system/rules set really cannot accomplish that without seeming incomplete, it is nice to see that settings are the proper venue for such modifications.

Perhaps that is the happy medium SW and I can hope for. ;)

I was thinking much the same, actually.

If a PrC, like the Assassin or Shadowdancer, is really taken for one ability (Death Attack or Hide in Plain Sight) or two at the outset (Shadow Jump, Poison Use), then perhaps those abilities should just be Rogue Talents, since that sort of fine-tuning / customization seems to be *exactly* what Rogue talents were made for in the first place...

A PrC, IMO, should be more than just one or two 'gimmicks.' And dragging a PrC into a 10 level class by having it just extend some of your Rogue progressions (such as Sneak Attack) IMO begs the question of why the character doesn't just take *Rogue levels* for those levels, instead of effectively 'dead levels' of Assassin or Shadowdancer that do nothing that Rogue levels wouldn't already have done anyway.

Now that you've said all of this in one post, I can see where you were coming from earlier.

I do like the suggestion...very much.

Iron Kingdoms and Midnight are two settings i've been meaning to check out, both seem like they're up my alley, albeit from different directions...

Both are wonderful. I'm almost certain you'll feel the same.

You really could say the same thing about a lot of the magical effects in the game, like dragon fire. It's dozens of times more damaging that a flamethrower. Dragon acid breath, which apparently will melt trees to nothing in a few seconds (like in Aliens). Being hit with a great club wielded by a colossal creature (which weighs way more than a human). Being hit by just about anything from a colossal creature!

There's a lot of "you REALLY should be dead" moments. But that's why we play the main characters/heroes/villains. Because we're awesome. And lava doesn't hurt us.

Precisely.

[-snip-]I ain't exactly "suicidal". I just think there should be a random "s**t happens" possibility when I play or I get bored. I can't help it, I prefer gritty low fantasy, non-heroic games to epic fantasy stuff. Leave the running on the bamboo treetops to the kids, I want to feel the rain in my face, the dirt on my boots and know that my character lives in a world that doesn't ensure that every encounter is "level appropriate"...

I certainly appreciate where you are coming from.

Do you play in the Iron Kingdoms setting? If not, you may be interested in checking it out -- albeit the books are now OOP and pricey, but can be found, if one is creative. ;)

Easily solved. Make sure to let them know when the NPCs (The main bad guy only!) use theirs. Also, reward your players for good roleplaying with an extra action point or two. When they're not so rigidly dispensed, players don't have a tendency to hoard them.

I hope that method works. I'll report back. Thanks.

As regards Action Points, I use them in my game, but have noticed that players seem to forget that they exist, and don't use them -- often to their chagrin.

How are you others implementing them in such a way as to make their use compelling? Do you remind the players, or are yours on the ball enough to control them?

While it is a nice mechanic, it doesn't do them much good if they don't avail themselves of it.

You might want to consider that yourself the next time you try and tell me what game I am talking about.

So, your opinion is absolute, and irreproachable?

Which says much for casual death not being a particularly useful element.

Of course that completely overlooks the rather different content of D&D to most other forms of social interaction out there.

And?

I am trying to build it up, not tear it down, despite your continued presumptions as to my motives.

I've yet to see any evidence of this.

As for considering its popularity, I note yet again that over the lifetime of the game a considerable effort has been made to reduce the rate of character death.

While that may be a side-effect of the video game syndrome which has affected RPGs, I rather doubt that it could be conclusively proven as being a primary cause. Folks tastes for more power and greater exploits have increased in proportion to what home console games have been providing, and game designers (when not part of that demographic as well) have realised that catering to those tastes provides additional sales.

Likewise given the continued decline of TRPGs as a hobby, whether or not D&D is the most popular one is not enough to sustain any system in it on reputation alone, particularly when that reputation may not be deserved.

Pray, tell us which is the superior RPG which appeals to more folk around the world, if not D&D? Moreover, which is the panacea that solves your 'all about the heroes' issue without die rolls or perils -- driven only by plot.

I wonder how you think that your radical suggestions, so late in PF's design process, are going to effect the change you seem so desirous of. Also, what, specifically ought Jason do about your suggestions?

My thought regarding your lengthy refutations and caustic remarks is that you simply enjoy the limelight you are afforded. Am I wrong?

I remember right after 4e was announced, I picked up a TON of splatbooks for like $10 a pop. That was probably my favorite thing about the whole ordeal. Now all of my friends think I'm loaded, when in actuality I just got them at the right time.

Absolutely. Right there with you. :D

Further, D&D is very much about the Myth of the Hero, or at least the protagonist. What do you think those stories were about?

If possible, please try to refrain from condescension, sir.

The -=game=- is an amusing pastime which may engender stories of daring-do, or other such, but need not be conceived of as high-art at each turn. Much of gaming is purely social, with a good portion being tactical and/or resource management.
If your pure brand of gaming is sullied by silly rules then I would think you should have written a better set to suit your own tastes. It would be better than trying to tear-down an existing set, considering how many of its players seem to 'get it' the way it is currently written -- or hadn't you heard, it is the world's most popular roleplaying game.

Goose/Gander and all that.

Agreed.
Some of my most memorable PCs were created in 'throw away' games who constantly dared against unlikely, if not 'impossible' odds and succeeded. Those that failed died well.

Likewise, fictional characters (in print), who die over and over again are perhaps just as 'boring' as those that never die. Once the risk is removed, it is often only an interest in seeing the plot through that makes such stories/books 'worth' reading.

It is a fine and razored line for both undertakings.

My error was in looking at the DMG. Most sincere apologies.

lol.
There were two PHB 3.5s on eBay for 20-ish, but since I've written that, one has vaped.

Not so.
'Games' such as ARIA, and NOBILIS, etc. are entirely about the Myth of the Hero.

However, we are talking about D&D/Pathfinder.

Samuel, may I suggest that you would perhaps find more satisfaction in writing than in gaming those sorts of issues, because as an author, you most certainly are in control of characters' fates, whereas in a game, there are rules which seem diametrically opposed to the 'heroes don't die' premise.

Rather than trying to marry the two, perhaps both would be better served remaining separate (if kissing cousins), and let one inform/inspire the other.

While I think the notion of needing extra rules to ensure the king remains dead is somewhat counter-intuitive, from a mechanical tinkering PoV, some of the suggestions are rather interesting.
After all, the whole notion of every PC *needing* magic items of increasing might to defeat foes is, itself, rather anti-literate in a fantasy book sense, yet it has become a feature of this sort of game.

Again, IMMORTAL, NOBILIS, ARIA the Canticle of the Monomyth, etc. are all much more geared toward the sort of game-play that you seem to be proposing than the D&D/PF vein.

YMMV,
-K

I imagine that stuff like the current craziness in PhB 3.5 prices -- over cover price! -- would be good for PFRPG, particularly if they had hard copy left (which they don't, alas, although there's still talk of a reprint).

*FAIL* DMG = Amazon, used $18+4 s/h

> sigh <

Yoda8myhead,

Although you may not have intended to come across this way, it reads as if you are confident that all the feedback offered during the playtest has been accepted, when clearly that isn't the case. Granted, not all of it could have, or should have been, but still, PF hasn't always moved in the direction of the Playtest audience's suggestion, but always in Jason's chosen tack.

True, even that is meaningless now, but simply because someone is raising points that they still feel fell short of the experience that had hoped for in PF, doesn't mean that 1). they hadn't raised them during the appropriate phase of playtesting, nor, 2). that anyone is b!tching simply by expressing their opinions.

There's rather a lot of uncritical fanboyism on the site, as well as, 'this feature is set in stone and won't be changed, but thanks for the input.' having been made clear, so it isn't that alternatives weren't offered, rather, they weren't accepted.

If the OP or anyone else isn't thrilled with PF, that's a shame, but not necessarily lain to their account.

That said, as a self-respecting GM, I'm willing to purchase the PF Hardback and see what I'll use, and what I'll change, just as I've done with every RPG since 1982.

Respectfully,
-K

Formerly a Gestalt campaign, deconstructed into a Multiclassing game.

* Brandon
Human male NG Cleric of Asclepius 10, Fighter 5
Heroic Path: Healer (from the Midnight setting)
--Started out as an EMT on Earth, circa 2025

* Desmond
Half-Elf male CN Fighter 2, Abyssal Sorcerer 4, Eldrich Knight 8 (I think)
Heroic Path: High Born (lol, yeah, I see the irony)
--Bent on finding lasting victory over his demonic ancestry

* Helora
Tibbit female CG Rogue 5, Shadowdancer 10
Heroic Path: TBD
--Formerly a Rogue-Scout, re-trained by a shadow-organisation as their field agent. Her Shadow Companion is 'Jav' and has the cat Familiar template via a Feat from Mega Feats II.

* Yarek
Human male CN Bloodrage Barbarian 3, Draconic Sorcerer 3, Dragon Disciple 7 (I think)
Heroic Path: Beast
--Just joined, background TBD

I dole-out 1 Feat each level in this campaign, in case the math seems off.

I'm thinking about adding the Shadow Blade (Tome of Magic) Class Features, whole-cloth, minus BAB and Saves, to the existing PF Shadowdancer, to achieve the combat oomph it is lacking.

Thoughts?

Why, exactly, is it good to limit players/GMs?
I thought playing RPGs was to have fun, not be restricted.

Have I been wrong all these 28 years?

Maimi, Florida, USA.

- I think that assassins should keep their spellcasting as an option. Create a class ability called 'dark knowledge' and let them have either spellcasting or a form of favored enemy that gives them bonuses to hit and damage creatures. Obviouslly, all assassins would choose 'human' so all assassins favored enemy type should be their own race, maybe.

A very good suggestion, IMO. It strikes a nice balance and works toward preserving BC with existent lists of Assassin spells. Good move.

Kyrinn S. Eis wrote:

Former AOL Tech Representative

How long did therapy last? ;-P

1.5 years. :S

Kyrinn S. Eis wrote:

Now a cat controlling a Sphere of Annihilation...!

All hail Scratch Fury, Destroyer of Worlds!

Quick! Throw more Nepeta cataria onto the braziers and fluff the comfy pillow!

Jason,

There are plenty of proposed fixes for the Shadowdancer, so I won't begin that litany, in full.

However, *Shadowjump, the *Shadow companion, and *Shadow Illusion are all features which have proved unsatisfactory-enough to continually crop up in these discussions. I do hope that the combined sagacity of the playtesters here will influence you as regards polishing the SD. :)

The inclusion of some sort of Offence power/feature, though, seems paramount, whether it be granting or continuing dice of Sneak Attack, or a sort of Ghost-Touched 'Shadow Blade' attack which bypasses defences.

If these features (in some fashion and combination) are not addressed, please reduce the Requisites to a commensurately low level to represent the limited gains this PrC provide.

Thanks so much for your time and effort,
-K

I wonder whether the rule shouldn't be invoked after all. It was the skill monkey's equivalent to minimum BAB - something they could get earlier than others.

* > waits to be crushed after noticing that ray of sunshine < *

oh?
meep

Ah, you have reached the stage of being mentally ready for Marriage, Parenthood, and the Customer Service industry.

Muahahaha...

...

Ahem...

Carry on.

LoL

1). Divorced
2). Yup
3). Former AOL Tech Representative

Yeah...I'm qualified.

Wow, that's a great article Kyrinn... I did not know that. Makes Lava and Brimstone even more ridiculous.

--Lava Vrock!

Thanks.

Thank you Abyss Bunny!
:: Vrock-Vrock! ::

;)

It's one of those things.

After suffering bites through each hand from my Russian Blue-Siamese cat, I'd have to agree that a cat could kill a human -- if only from infection -- and he's not that large a cat.

I guess my point is that in a game, with Fortitude Saves, Restoration of Negative Levels, and Wish magics, falling in lava just seems like ydx damage, Massive Damage save, and a lot of potions.

Now a cat controlling a Sphere of Annihilation...! > gasp <

:D

Yeah, I finally accept that I am wrong.
:(