These are some great minis. The nightmare dragon is going to be amazing and I can't wait to use that mini in a campaign.
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So happy to read this! I have had several Ifrits in the past and to use a proper miniature representation I have always needed to modify a miniature (painted or unpainted)
I already have hundreds of unpainted minis from Reaper and other companies. Wizkids now following route just makes me *sigh*. I guess I'll need to see more of the sculpts to decide if they are another group of minis just sitting on my shelf waiting to be painted. I do like the idea of how they are setting them up into packs. I think that will make picking what figures to buy and paint that much easier. And I hope the iconic heroes won't be the only ones in the heroes packs. Some generic hero types would be good for PCs.
I finally got this set. Needed to order it online, as my local shop was unable to get it in stock as their distributor hasn't had any new pathfinder miniatures come in for months. So I;m still out of luck for Iconics 4,5 and 6 :( Anyway, the figures are great overall. And I'm really happy with the two replacement figures, save for the fact that they are both bug-eyed! It's like the painter went overboard making sure eyes were on these figures. But at least Feiya doesn't have a melted face so if I want repaint the eyes I at least can do so. I just have to say that I love this set and see why it's popular. I actually think that my favorite miniature is Beaky. He is one of the best looking owlbear miniatures I have seen and I'm glad I got four of him so I can use him in some great encounters. Already had a fun scenario play out with my husband as we were unpacking the set. Quivering cube slides up to the bar: "I'll have a human please"
I love that half-elf bard! But I'm really concerned about this set given the track record with human figures in previous sets. Melty faces, bad paint applications etc. Unless it was mentioned somewhere that this set is going to be produced the same way the Iconic Heroes sets are. Does anyone know? Because the Iconic Heroes are amazing.
There are lots of islands, or even make it a trek on the mainland through some jungle. There are some nice jungle encounter tables in heart of the jungle. You could have the spring guarded by an evil fey or something that values the spring for its powers and doesn't want to share.
I'm not overly fond of that colour wagon. I think I'll have to paint that wagon.
In an epic campaign I was playing in, my husband had an evil cult summon Cthulhu. The cult didn't know that my PC recently found a summoning ritual for another powerful being, and so the group summoned Godzilla! Godzilla battled Cthulhu and won. Godzilla then gave us a ride home cause he was such a nice guy. It was one of those campaigns. 25th level characters riding around on Godzilla after the world was nearly destroyed.
Just read that article. I think I'll handle it with the explanation of wishwarp. Since the alignment of the PCs are neutral to good, I think they won't want to have any effects from that manifesting. Thanks for the suggestion on the article.
They are fully aware it is one wish per year, the Marid made that perfectly clear. They still want to use the crew to gain more wishes. I'll go look for that article in Legacy of fire.
Well, the PCs just encountered the Marid after defeating the cyclops. They ended drawing them towards their fort after killing the chief and running. Then used the crew and a trap of Ballista to take them out. They talked to the Marid finding out what happened to her and offered to find a way to free her. So she offered them the deal with the wishes. 4 PCs, four wishes, with one used to free her. They liked the idea but decided to leave her in the well while they cleared out the cyclops village. (The great mother was still hanging around) So now the PCs want to return with other members of the crew to gain more wishes! Which means they could end up trying to bargain for 20+ wishes! Clearly the encounter is only meant for the PCs to get the wishes. So how am I going to have the Marid when faced with the option of freedom turn down giving away all those wishes? I was thinking of having the crew start claiming to want to wish for extravagant things, like a pair of solid gold dancers, or becoming pirate lord. Plus if the more unsavory members of the crew learn about the Marid and then they don't get their wish, I think they might turn on the PCs. But I don't want it to come to that. I would rather a reasonable explanation from the Marid as to why she can't grant all those wishes. Thanks for any help.
Is there any significance to the red X's on the Bonewrack Isle map? (Area C3, C4, C5) I just assumed it was to indicate what 1/5 mile square the encounter was located in.
So my PCs just cleared out the Fort and found area B33. They are in the process of hiring some stone masons to help rebuild the fort. I assume that they are going to fix the hallway leading up to B33. My question really is where would the Eel hide if B33 is not as secure for him as it is meant to be in the adventure? Would he still use it? Perhaps just trap/lock the doors leading into the room? Although my PCs are notorious for being suspicious and will have patrols going through the fort. I was thinking area Q5 but is the sunken shrine too far away for him to continue with his plans?
This set is great. The detail is really crisp. I hope this is the direction that all the miniatures are taking.
normally I just maximize hit points when I find that my PCs are plowing through everything. It doesn't change the encounter by adding extra creatures, and it just makes the fights last a little long. And they never know, really.
What an exciting battle with Inkskin. My PCs also flayed the map off Inkskin' back. It's like one can't pass that up.
When they are investigating the spy ring they go Bag Island and talk to Slip, the Brine Banshee is the information he is looking for in order to tell them what he knows about the spy ring.
The PCs I’m running just defeated Zarskia Galembar in the Jasperleaf Apothecary. They captured her alive and turned her over to Tessa Fairwind. Then they had a brilliant idea. The bard in the group used disguise and pretended to be Zarskia so the PCs could “buy” the apothecary from her. So as far as a legal stand point in Port Peril, the PCs own Jasperleaf. The group is now searching for a way to set up teleportation circles to and from their ship into the apothecary, so they can sell plundered items directly at the new Jasperleaf Emporium. They have not done this yet, as they are pricing costs and trying to figure out if they will be able to trust a wizard powerful enough to cast the spells needed. Since the group is 8th level average and is not able to do so on their own. My biggest concern (besides using ultimate campaign to figure out how profitable it will be) is what other problems would they run into trying to and running a shop directly connected to a sailing ship? I can’t find anything about guilds within Port Peril. OR if there would be a business fee, or they have to pay taxes to the Hurricane King. I also wonder, since the group is planning on keeping the wizard at the store (if they get a teleportation network set up) and having him make magic items and sell them. I’m thinking other wizards within Port Peril won’t take to kindly to new competition. And with it being a pirate port I was thinking that a gang of thugs or constant attempts at robbery would happen. I don’t want to discourage my group from coming up with their plans regarding this. But I’m trying to have realistic “repercussions.” Also, I know they will be kicking themselves for going to far into a business in Port Peril, when the Island of Empty Eyes is just around the corner. Any thoughts or suggetions?
Pegsworthy is sailing under the banner of Tessa Fairwind and has been a constant friend to my PCs. He was down in the area hunting the Dominator and so when the PCs ran into the Dominator they snuck away and called for aid from Pegsworthy. Together they set a trap for the Dominator and captured it. Pegsworthy took most of the damage, but he also took the Dominator back to Tessa. This gave the PCs an automatic in with Tessa, and set them up as her semi agents before they actually get to meet her in Port Peril. Currently my PCs are trying their hand the plug in Raid on the Emperors Hand. They captured the ship by holding it in a bottle (magical item that they picked up by robbing a treasure hunter) and now still have no plan to deal with that ships massive weapons and crew numbers. They have been going over this plan for three weeks! Sadly my PCs haven't gotten into the real meat of the adventure path. They have just been sailing around attacking pirate ships. So I haven't gotten to change much.
Very excited for Nautical Heroes, I hope it arrives soon.
I actually had my PCs loot a pirate ship that was actually owned by a treasure hunter. So most of the hooks where scraps of paper or clues that the treasure hunter had picked up over the years and had various success in finding further clues or tracking down themselves. The treasure hunter had the ship in the bottle which ended up acting like a sort of genie in a bottle, in that it could trap a ship inside along with the crew, and release them when wanted, so long as the command word was known. Currently my PCs are trying to figure out the command word!
I agree, really nice way to use the adventure path plug-ins.
I had it that since Fishguts has been around, and was with the PCs when they took over their own ship, he gave some advise on what to do. He told them, that running around taking ships without Free Captain's status while they are at "low levels" is all well and good, but soon they are going to attract the attention of someone who will take exception to this. Becoming Free Captains will give them some protection from this. And getting in good with a Pirate Lord will certainly help. But again, the need to be free Captains. I had Pegsworthy working for Tessa Fairwind. After the first meeting he came to them with an offer to hunt down the Dominator for Tessa. Pegsworthy and the PCs caught the Dominator and Pegsworthy escorted the PCs through the shackles to Quent to claim their reward. It was kinda impressed upon them that with Quent being a pirate haven/tropical paradise that is was a place they would want to visit without needing Pegsworthy to protect them. In port I have only given them a fraction of gp for selling loot, as they are not Free Captains, and merchants who regularly deal with Free Captains don't want to piss them off by showing the same treatment to ones who don't follow Shackles rules. And also my PCs really want to stay in control of Tidewater Rock. They married the Lady of the Rock, and insisted (while she was alive, long story) that her "lord" must be a free captain. So really, there are plenty of ways, you just need to tailor it to what you know will hook your PCs.
Its funny that I was thinking about this island and here is an awesome map for it! Thanks. I'm going to use it for my PCs
Are either of you accounting for the weird storms on Bretheda (since we've already brought up Distant Worlds) that seem to have ties to the Eye of Abendego? Not really. Like I said, I'm just going to use my idea because I know my players would love it. I have no concern over what the real reason is.
Just because I know my group would get a kick out of it, I have a plan that the center is actually a vortex ripping open slowly for all these years and out of it will spring Cthulhu. It doesn't really make sense, in terms of Golarion (as far as I know) but like I said, my players will love it. And once one of them is the Hurricane King, it will be an awesome sort of end of the campaign battle. Also the wizard in my group wants to summon Kaiju when he gets to 18th level. And at the end of a campaign I'm cool with that.
honestly if you aren't into it, skip it. No point doing something you won't be into, its not fair to you, and its not fair to a group if you go through and half-a$$ it. Talk to your GM, see if they will discuss what their plans on, and maybe give it a try for a session or two. But I talked to my group about ship to ship, and at first they wanted to skip it, but now they really are digging it, and once it gets into boarding its like a regular encounter. Anyways, good luck with your choice.
For my expansion of Rickety Squibs, I had that some swamp hags had dammed up the river to create more of a swamp. They found this out because of the Naga attack, and the villagers worrying that this drought was much worst that previous. The breaking of the dam release a sudden rush of water which ended up disturbing the giant wasps. So when they returned back to Ricketys they saw the swarm of wasps flying towards the villagers and arrived back just as that battle was going on. I then ran everything as in the book.
I'm running this path without guns. But I'm at the end of the second book, so I haven't gotten to the Hurricane King yet. But for me, I'm going to give him a bit of a rewrite to remove his guns and cannons. But so far, without guns and cannons it is just as fun. My players don't notice any difference, since they have never had guns or cannons. So its not like they were ever missing anything. As for your problem of players not wanting to play this AP, if you are running go through the APs and find two or three that you really really like. Give the players a list and a small overview of what happens in the AP. Then see what everyone chooses. I did that, with my group before we started. I had Skulls and Shackles, Kingmaker and Legacy of Fire. It ended up being Skulls and Shackles obviously, but only by a margin. And the other players still liked the overview enough that they had no problems jumping into the game. Oh and if you don't want guns and cannons, tell your players up front! I ran into this problem where a player wanted to build a gunslinger because you know, pirates. IT worked out though, as I straight up said, as GM I was not allowing it/nor comfortable with having it in my game.
So my husband and I got our case today. The positive:
Negative: While the improvement on paint for the larger minis was nice, the details on the human figures are still atrocious. A figure I was looking forward to using Feiya, the witch, looked like her face had melted. No eyes, a smudged mouth, face color melted into her hair. Baba Yaga had two large white dots with a small black dot for eyes that take up half the face. One of the other figures had eyes painted on the cheeks. One had an eye on the forehead and the cheek! I was hoping there would be a tighter quality control, especially after the last mini set which had a lot of poor paint jobs. I'm rather upset that my husband paid a great deal of money for the case and now I'm going to have to touch up a good third of the minis that arrived. Truthfully I don' even want my gaming group to see this set of miniatures, since they laughed at the last set we got and our continued support of pathfinder miniatures.
I always have liked to think that since elves live much longer than other races that they are in no rush to leave the care-free days of youth behind. A human in this society would have to give up childish pursuits in the face of a reality ie monsters, magic, untold evil etc Since their lives are short they quickly have to adjust into the life of an adult if they want to accomplish anything with their lives Elves have the time of spend days thinking about poetry or spending months learning a new spell because he doesn't feel rushed and wants to party with friends while still learning. They can still be has carefree and put off entering into the adult world, because they will have 500+ years of it! But I think an elf growing up in a strictly human environment would be forced into adulthood much quicker. If he was physically mature at 25 or so, then his adoptive parents might put more adult demands on him. They wouldn't let him be care-free, as say elven parents would. He would have to help run the human family business, or make his way in the world because his parents can't afford to look after him. (depending on the circumstances) I guess I'm just trying to say, elves living longer lives doesn't mean they aren't mentally mature at around the same age as humans, but that elves are just more lazy because they have the years to do so.
I have to see what DDN looks like. And it has to be pretty awesome for a change. We lost the love and faith after everything they did to the Realms in 4E. We love everything about pathfinder in my house. (although it might be fun to fight a beholder again... wait who am I kidding, as an adventurer I say no it would not be!)
Shaun, I really like your take on Tarin's Crown. It is very interesting and inspiring. I already tossed out the basic plot hook, but none of my PCs took the bait. I think something like you came up with might help entice them, as I really want to get them into this little island.
I just wanted to say that aside from the fun adventure that is being presented here, I really like seeing the stat blocks for the PCs. I like seeing the mechanics of characters. Please keep up the great work!
My PCs did. Its a hooded skull (missing lower jaw and one eye socket) giving two boney middle fingers on a field of black Ship is called the Reavers Revenge
played it as was. A friendly NPC saw the set up when the other two went down into the bilges. He took off to warn the other PCs who managed to slip away from jobs to help. Not that it was needed, as lucky dice rolls saved the day. And then the three PCs had to deal with Plugg who came down to investigate. He beat them, but lucky the Man's Promise was on the horizon.
All of my PCs took backgrounds that they were from the Shackles to begin with. They were all raised there. I read over the books and the adventure path at least a month before we started the game. And since nothing in the adventure path would be spoiled by reading the books on the areas I told them they could read them. They actually read the Isles of the shackles and have read bits of the others as well as Heart of the Jungle. I told them flat out, your character is from the region, get to know it a little. Otherwise I won't take the time to go over everything for lazy players.
I have mostly elves and half elves in my Campaign. But the Captain is a female Dhampir. Plus they have had Tengu crew members. There is a product (not by paizo) that has several notorious pirates and one happens to be a treant, which I am going to use. So I personally don't see why you have to limit races. I think The Shackles lends itself to all walks of life simply wanting to become a pirate. Or even as slaves, considering the slaving that goes on in the area. I think it adds some nice flavor and with a good background I don't see why anyone would bat an eye.
Yes, which is a shame since an option within that adventure is to use it to link with another part of the series. And I'd really like to know how the two fit together better since I know that's the option my PCs would take! But I like this little "side trek" for the PCs I think they are going to enjoy cutting through enemies in Tarin's Crown.
I have it that regular crew earn 1 level for every 3 the PCs are going up. The officers on ship which act (in my campaign at least) as cohorts really since many have gone on adventures with them level up 1 for every 2 levels the PCs go up.
I have a rule in my campaign that if a PC dies they can only use a replacement from the ship. Especially if they are out at sea or in a small town which would not have a mid-high level PC just sitting waiting. Obviously if the ship is in or nearby a large port or has just captured or plundered another ship they have the chance to have a PC remade at the level of the lost PC. It has surprisingly kept my PCs from acting like lunatics because they don't want to drop to a low level crew member until the rest of the PCs decide to go into a port to find an suitable replacement. I would suggest that if they want to continue to play ASAP, then tell them that the options are to play as crew members trying to get away from Tidewater Rock. And there are ways to start the next part without having taken Tidewater Rock. It comes under attack by a pirate, why not just have the PCs ship come under attack instead. Good luck.
As a player I have only really named my weapons if they are magical. And then the names wildly vary, based on magic abilities, or the primary creatures I'm fighting or after an important event in the PCs life, etc. And this is only with my one adventure group. The other players in my second group sometimes name weapons.
I had everything taken. They ended up getting it back when the got their equipment. There are other places on the ship for the PCs to find money/items if they are inventive enough.
So my PCs have settled on renaming the mans promise to The Reavers Revenge. They wanted just the Reaver, but liked the Revenge part for what they plan on doing to Harrigan for press ganging them. I had suggested while they where stuck on a name to call the ship The Chopper. So when they needed to get back to ship they could yell "Get to da choppa!" in an Arnold Schwarzenegger voice. Oh well.
Thank you for the information, PoisonToast and Simon Hacker. I'm hoping since tonight we are going to get into the ship to ship combat I'll find out either way if they like it or don't like it. If it ends up going fast with magic use, I might not have any problems.
So my PCs don't really want to do ship to ship combat. They want to use quick rules and just get to the boarding actions. I'm fine with this but I'm concerned about how to figure out damage to ships, because otherwise they will end up with ships to sell and add to fleets without a scratch on them. Because even the quick rules you basically have ship to ship combat. I was thinking of just breaking the ship up into sections, they either hit or don't hit. They roll a d10 to determine how bad the damage say, section 1 got hit with a 5 so its at 50%. On a roll of 0, the PCs have punctured a hole through the ship. And of course sails or ores count as their own section. Then its just a roll to grapple and begin boarding. Any thoughts? Has anyone skipped the actual ship combat parts and just did the boarding? How did you handle it? Thanks.
I think that later in the adventure path a group of pirate lords come to assess which of the PCs become pirate lords. So that implies to doesn't necessarily have to be the Captain. Because they are only awarded the Isle of Eyes, after the regatta. Not an automatic seat on the Pirate Council. I would assume that if the Pirate Council find two or three PCs capable then they all could be granted the title of Pirate Lord. I have only read through the whole AP once, and I'm only in book 2 so I'm a little fuzzy on the actual details. But from what I can remember, it seems like every PC has a chance to become a Pirate Lord.
I had sort of a similar problem. But it was sorted out rather quickly. My group is playing all neutral characters with the exception of a chaotic good elf. But what happened was, the first morning the lone female in the group attempted to seduce Plugg even before jobs where given out. Plugg did not taken kindly to that, used the whip and chained her to the main mast. She was released at Bloody Hour to see the keel hauling of Jakes Magpie. And was already set on getting revenge for her treatment. But the other PCs at that point already had started playing it cautious. And so when she started to get serious, they stepped in and settled her down for me. I was lucky that way. But I just let her do what she wanted and watched how the other PCs where starting to react towards her wildness. It provided a lot of fun, but they really mellowed her out and provide great opportunity for the group to come together and work out some of her crazy schemes to make them work for all four of them. I honestly would say let your PC act how they want. IF he wants to test himself against Plugg have Plugg put him in his place. Maybe Plugg stops short of killing him, since he knows Harrigan needs the crew. Try to impress upon him that he is very outmatched, especially if his wild ways are not winning friends within the crew. (The NPCs might be turned off from him and not hang around him during the evenings) Hopefully if your other PCs can't temper him, then the PC himself will see that he needs to bide his time before he sets out getting revenge. |