LazGrizzle's page

I understand the need for inclusivity and the broader appeal to allow everyone to enjoy a game, but if you are the type of individual that is "triggered" into anxiety or panic by *ANY* of the possible scenarios that may come up in a roleplaying game, I think it is your duty as a player to not limit the experience of the rest of the people at your table who may not have such a limitation, and in fact play the game looking forward to those type of situations that you are trying to avoid.

Perhaps we can have a labeling system, sort of like in TV shows and movies, that say on the cover: "warning, such-and-such content".

I have a minor seizure disorder akin to a much less severe form of epilepsy, and certain patterns of light can trigger it. So to prevent this from happening with my friends and ruining everyone's time, I choose not to participate when concerts or shows happen with huge light shows (looking at you, Disco Biscuits), instead of demanding the venue remove them so I can enjoy the show.

I hope I am not too dick-ish, as my wife has panic and anxiety disorder, as does my best friend, but they simply do not put themselves in situations where they may be triggered.

If someone is so prone to anxiety that imagining killing a horse can set them off, how is imagining killing a HUMAN any better?

My only gripe at a table thus far, online or otherwise, wasn't playing characters cross-gender, it's when males play female characters by using a high pitched, fawning anime girl voice. My god it's insulting, atrocious, and makes me cringe. I've witnessed it happen, with the male in question doing eyelash-flutters and blowing kisses and even "tee-hee"ing.

I mean, it was during Carrion Crown even. Not exactly the type of theme or genre for a Sailor Moon type ditzy bimbo played by a male who apparently has no idea how females behave, outside of animated ones from Japan.

I thought it was a fluke, and maybe like: "Okay, this is just his ONE character...give it a few weeks, maybe it's his PC's gimmick."

Nope.

Next character, a martial, same high-pitched, baby-talking, hitting-on-other-pcs-in-character, same bullshit.

So nobody really plays online, live with voice, except roll20 and fantasy grounds? That is strange to me. I thought that would be the more popular version as opposed to PBP, but what do I know!

I have been waiting my whole dang life to be able to play online like that...the feel of a live table, but without having to drive 30 miles to do so.

If anyone here is interested, I may just end up running Runelords or Jade Reagent for a long term campaign in about a month. PM me. It will be on roll20.

Exactly, GreenTea...

There seems to be a large contingent of RPGers that like to PREPARE to play more than actually PLAYING them.

With all this said, if anyone is interested in trying a group on Roll20, maybe Emerald Spire or something, drop me a line. On roll20 I'm just Green.

Not sure why anyone might be against play by post games?

Had a bad experience with one. Dice rolls were iffy, one player dominates by posting pages that the other players now cannot contradict, DM disappearing, etc. An established, set time with voice communication is ideal for my gaming preferences.

Just not my cup of tea.

@LazGrizzle — How do you know that the players/GMs you've had trouble with are "today's millennials" rather than your fellow 35-year-olds in their underwear with a micro-brewed beer and a joint (or any other demographic for that matter, such as overweight retirees with 30+ years of entrenched habits RPG experience)? Did your online RPG groups regularly disburse personal information or something?

This is totally fair, but in the circumstances I have experienced, the ones that vanish from the group with no warning or try and make a new character every session have been millenials, because we asked each other our ages. Not really an uncommon question in a game group. We didn't exchange social security numbers or ATM PINs or anything. But age is fairly common to know in a group, in my experience.

LazGrizzle wrote:

Appreciate the advice, but I find PbP to be maddening. They seem to lack the reactionary drama that is inherent in a live game that helps develop a voice and banter between characters. I find my previous PbP experience to be severely lacking in those areas. Plus, dice rolls are problematic.

That's not necessarily true, but on the other hand PbPs tend to be about as long-lasting as the live games you describe. It's about getting a good group together who are committed, and that's not easy in either medium I suspect.

It definitely could be a case of "one bad experience", but it was strange. I guess I was just spoiled by having a 2 year group out of the gate that went well for so long.

Appreciate the advice, but I find PbP to be maddening. They seem to lack the reactionary drama that is inherent in a live game that helps develop a voice and banter between characters. I find my previous PbP experience to be severely lacking in those areas. Plus, dice rolls are problematic.

I totally understand GMing is tedious and largely a thankless job. I am currently GMing Serpent's Skull, and I enjoy it, as do my players. I love tailoring music to fit with each scenario, giving the BBG's their own theme music and sound effects, and I love setting up maps and stuff...I just also want to play once a week!

I just thought maybe there was another roll20-ish site for online live games.

Forgive me if this post is in the wrong area, It's more of a musing on the foibles of online tabletop RPGing than a specific call to action per se, but it seems that having a group last longer than a year online is extremely difficult, and no surprise to anyone on this forum, I'm sure.

I have a hard time finding games near me...I live in a very 'urban' area, so not many RPG fans around me, and to trek to the nearest gaming store is just logistically not an option.

I fell in love with roll20's interface and the potential to "have my cake and eat it too" (meaning playing in my underwear with a micro-brewed-beer and a joint).

I even got incredibly lucky out of the gate and joined a group that lasted a little over 2 years. We played Carrion Crown until 10th level when the GM had a personal issue come up.

That was last year, and since then, it has been a succession of disappointments. I joined a Kingmaker group that became a "one-man-show" of one player basically forcing his character into the spotlight every session, including making his dhampir Cleric of Urgathoa (no idea why the GM allowed it in a LN kingdom)rape a prisoner to death in front of the citizens. What? Read that again. It happened. Next session, my druid attempted to save a baby owlbear and bring it back to the kingdom, and it became a giant "to-do" because same player (the raper) thought it was "too much". Although I protested, I eventually capitulated to the group (who supported this guy, because they were all in a gaming group together on another day as well). Needless to say, that group dissolved soon after that, after a few months of play.

The next was a Giantslayer game that lasted the first book before the GM called it due to personal reasons. After that, a Hell's Rebels Campaign where a cocky GM thought he was so good at what he did that he could "wing it" (his words) with little to no preperation. What followed was a few 4 hour sessions with about 2 hours of actual play, peppered with spans of GM silence while he read the book as we came to the parts...the group recently dissolved, and the GM blamed the players for "not liking his style".

In summary, I wasn't just writing to b%!#% and whine, but to ask for other's experiences. Am I doing something wrong? Am I expecting too much from online groups? All I want is to play an AP from Book 1 to the end. I think they are a phenomenal idea, and something I have always wanted as a player.

Are today's millenial players too "all-over-the-place" to see a game t through? I constantly see younger players who bring a PC to the game, only to begin planning a new character one session later, and make questionable choices to basically commit suicide just to get the new character in.

I'm not even that old...I'm 35, and consider myself fairly youthful still, so I shouldn't be going all "Abe Simpson" on the kids, but sheesh! Can't a guy get a game 'round here?

Are there other community sites like Roll20 that feature that sort of integration? It seems to be sliding more 5E than PF these days.
I would try PFS, but I like the idea of one consistent group, not a "mercenary" style game.

Am I expecting too much?

I played up to 10th level with an Aero/Water Kineticist and I loved it. Damage wise I held my own, and although he eventually fell victim to a TPK with the rest of the party, he lasted the longest. Just be smart about how you build and understand what your strengths and weaknesses are. It's pretty sweet hitting touch AC from 120' away every round.

He was slightly insane, and believed he was the Son Of Gozreh due to his powers.

I will for sure play a kineticist again in the future.

People just want everything...not every PC has to be the best at everything. Any perceived weakness is amplified and blown out of proportion on these boards.

Valantrix1 wrote:

I'd love to see The Black Company books done.

Dang! Ninja'd!

It would make for a very deep series.

You know I tried to get into that series, but something was off to me. Maybe I started not with the first book or something, but narratively-speaking it seemed like a mess. Is there a specific starting point one should look for?

Then again, I tried it on the heels of reading Locke Lamora, so anything after that would be difficult to live up to. It's like starting your meal with a filet mignon appetizer.

The Gentlemen Bastards by Scot Lynch.

or

The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie.

Zaister wrote:

The only thing you can achieve by pitching something like that here is make sure that Paizo will certainly not create an adventure path in that vein.

To expand upon Zaister's thought - it's because the last Paizo wants to is to wrestle with a lawsuit.

Or rather - the last thing they want to is to have you lose the lawsuit, because of the " Users posting messages to the site automatically grant Paizo Inc the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, sublicense, copy and distribute such messages throughout the world in any media." boilerplate.

Which means that by posting here, all your ideas are belong to Paizo. So before you post any works of yours that would not fall under the OGL anyway, think twice.

I don't think any of us considered this an official meeting, or expected a job offer from a forum thread. Give us some credit. Some people just enjoy sharing ideas without being reminded how other people reduce creative fun into monetary opportunities. The only thing you achieved was dropping a steaming butt brownie on a fun internet thought experiment.

I failed at being a writer, mainly because I'm lazy, so this is a way I can write part of a story and have some friends "write" the dialogue.

I dig it! I'll keep it kind of brief...Rough skeleton, anyways

[Tentative] Title: Rain of A Thousand Bullets

Location: Alkenstar/Mana Wastes

Premise: In the untamed, unpredictable Mana Wastes, a small group of heroes are tasked with the unenviable job of establishing an outpost of Marshals to stem the rising tide of scavenging bands of mutant gnoll raiders. Aberrations, mutants, and wild west gunslingers would be the theme, There would be a focus on defending forts and waystations, resource management, supply lines and gunfighting duels. Sort of like Hell's Rebel's Rebellion rules meets the Hexploration of Kingmaker, but with the tactical deployment of Wrath of the Righteous' Army rules. PC's would establish Sheriffs, Deputies, Detectives, Marshals, etc.

- (First AP) Marshal Law:

As above...Heroes in Alkenstar are tasked with establishing order in remote parts of the mana wastes. Their first task is to eliminate a roving band of mutant gunslinging gnolls.

- (Second AP) Sniper In The Shadows:

A single sniper can be a devastating tool to squash a skirmish. PC's must deal with a gang of Ratfolk assassins who prefer to strike from long distance...tracking, survival, suspense abound! Will the PC's stop their reign of terror?

- (Third AP) The Demigod Cannon:

The real threat of the Ratfolk Snipers has been revealed...led by a hideous Barghest who has united the mutant tribes into a formidable army, The Giant Gang (badass name TBD) seeks to forge a weapon in which to assassinate the gods of Golarion.

- (Fourth AP) TBD

- (Fifth AP) TBD

I have woken screaming from dreams wherein there is no adventure path after Strange Aeons, because the return of the Great Old Ones brings about the end of the multiverse. After Strange Aeons, there are only board games and one off modules set in pocket dimensions that have yet to devolve into madness-- pocket dimensions whose reality is only evanescent, and whose doom haunts their inhabitants' nightmares.

Dang that would be a sweet module...*pipe dream time* after Strange Aeons, have it be one in which the Elder Gods have already won, and the PCs are fighting in a bleak, hopeless alternate future Golarion. Sort of "Days of Future Past"-ish.

Fair enough...makes sense. Well done.

I didn't read the entire thread, so pardon me if I'm repeating things, but am I the only one who wants to see more with the Mana Wastes and Alkenstar? I mean, Mutant gunslinger gnolls? It's like the "Mad-Max" post-apocalypse version of Golarion. I think that would make for a fantastic AP. Have rules for hodge-podge crafting a la' Fallout 4, maybe Radiation Magic, random mutations, etc.

I think its safe to say if a weapon gains the ability to deal piercing or slashing damage, then it becomes a piercing or slashing weapon, otherwise unarmed strikes wouldnt be specifically recommended as an option for a snake style swashbuckler by the developers.

By this logic then, with Weapon Versatility, ANY one handed or light weapon can be used for Slashing Grace?

Just Curious.

Hey guys, great stuff in this thread, but a lot of the links are defunct...did anyone make like a daily checklist for the island or anything? I like to prepare as much as possible in advance, and all I have is a shitty Word knockoff. And Jackal, looks great!

I will be GMing this as my first Pathfinder AP! I come from a Call Of Cthulhu background mostly, but have played PF for a couple years now, and I think I'm ready!

I play a goliath druid that uses a club with shilleligh, I feel your pain.

I will second "Toppling Spell" with Magic Missile. Just made a Psychic for my Carrion Crown campaign, and he loves to knock mo-uckers prone.

I think the difference here is also "effective level" vs. "character level". I'll have to look for it, but I read in a thread not too long ago that dealt with something different. "Character Level" is immutable and never changes, other than leveling up. "Effective Level" fluctuates. Boon Companion is based on a max of "Character Level", not "effective level". Even though the Robe gives an "effective level" that is 4 times higher it still isn't changing the "character level", which trumps all. This is the impression I was left with, anyways.

Think "Clive Barker writes North Korea"

If the Inner Sea Pantheon replaced the religions of the Real World, but otherwise it was exactly the same, what deity's followers do you think would get the most negative media coverage on Fox News?

Here's a great article from KD recently about this very topic

http://knowdirectionpodcast.com/2015/08/behind-the-screens-lawfully-evil-pa rt-1/

I heard something in one of my literature classes regarding the difference between a Hero and Villain when it came to motivation...to the effect of:

"A hero is someone who suffers a tragedy, and does what they can to make sure NOBODY has to suffer a similar fate, and a villain is someone who suffers a tragedy, and does what they can to make sure EVERYONE suffers a similar fate."

How about: Flip the instances of the Bluff check... So you roll opposed Bluff Check when you want to tell the truth, but not when you want to lie.

I like to think of Lawful Evil as the "antihero" alignment, if done right, moreso than CN.

To me Lawful Evil would be better understood as "Lawful Not-Good". Think Magneto, Sinestro, current incarnations of Lex Luthor, and even Rick Grimes from Walking Dead. The "Honorable Killer" motif from Kung-Fu movies, and I would say even Varys from Game of Thrones.

Lawful Evil means you work with others, you do not randomly kill, and all your actions have reasons behind them, it's just that those actions are merciless, and those reasons could be anything from a noble cause to personal revenge.

Think even the Punisher. He is basically just murdering criminals. He wouldn't hurt a little kid or an innocent person, but he has killed quite a few cops and countless mobsters and villains that get in his way.

In your case, it could be "he works for/alongside the Devils more to just tolerate them and eventually kill/overthrow them and take their place", or he is "subservient to them, but f#$*ing hates it, and can't wait for the day he gets to take revenge"

James: I may have missed this answer, and it may exist, but is there any material yet on the Mana Wastes besides that entry in ISWG? You guys can't just tease me with "mutant gnoll gunslingers" and leave a guy hanging...

Have you ever read Reamde by Neal Stephenson? 'Cause that's sort of a really huge issue about halfway through the book. :)

I'm reading Snowcrash right now...it's pretty intense

I can't wait to see what sort of Post-Apocalyptic, Mad-Maxian style shit goes down in the Mana Wastes...kind of reminds me of the old Palladium/TMNT "After The Bomb" series. Gunslinging Mutant Gnolls for the wiiinnnnn

So I am playing an Unchained Monk, quick backstory, we are 10th level, just had a rough fight, and ended up in front of Pharasma. My character, Rezan, was sort of a mindless puppet of Asmodeus that gained freedom and fled, and ended up in the party, blah blah blah. He is all about fate, letting chance rule, and leaving things to randomness. That being said, Pharasma offers a gift...If the Monk chooses to serve her, she will "re-create" me into a Divine Servant. Well, after a brief out-of-game meta-discussion of what he would do, it was decided that he would leave it up to Pharasma to re-create him as she wishes.

So we whipped up a couple quick random tables, rolled, and Pharasma has re-furbished my monk into a Tiefling Inquisitor.

I totally accepted and gave in to this, because to be honest, the character was a little boring to me and I thought this would revitalize both the RP/Personality aspects, and give a little momentum to his story.

So, having never played an Inquisitor before, and never even really looking at the class, I am now at a loss as far as how to build. I want to keep with the theme of Fate/Chance, and I definitely want to focus on melee.

I can pick any archetype that works, and I was considering the Slayer one or Spellbreaker.

Any input would be appreciated!

At least I didn't roll Troglodyte

...while fighting a Barbed Devil, my 9th level Ratfolk Beastmorph Alchemist was slain, only to be reincarnated by our handy Druid...

Into a Kobold.

Now, I had my BM Alch specced to be a melee beast, with 2 levels of Master Chymist.

Now the Kobold has thrown a wrench in my gears...my Str dropped, I had just got a neg level from Urgathoa, and now 2 more neg levels.

My plan is to try and retrain my 2 levels of Master Chymist into Arcane Bomber and make this lil lizard a ranged threat, but I don't foresee 3 weeks of downtime in the middle of Carrion Crown.

What can I do to fix this wrench in my gears? Die again and hope for a better reincarnation? Try and convince the party to take a 3 week breather?

Totally down to try this out! Looks great!

Nice guys, thanks a bunch!

The rest of the party so far is Dungeon Rover Ranger, Unchained Monk, and I think a whip based Swashbuckler...one other player is undecided.

Having just read what I wrote, it's probably better for the sake of the party to focus either on blasting or heal/buff.

So here I am making a character for a semi-regular Emerald Spire crawl, and I realized I have never played a full caster for more than one session.

So in breaking my all-martial-or-skill based streak, I would like to focus on a buff/debuff style full caster.

I have been looking at a Hex Channeler Witch, or Heavens Witch Doctor Shaman, but then again for being a "magic rookie" I was considering leaning Sorcerer (less 'bookkeeping').

In your ever helpful and infinite wisdom, Oh Board of Messages, what Sorcerer bloodlines and builds would be good for this? Or should I stick to Witch?

I am open to all race, class and archetype suggestions that fulfill my 'character skeleton':

-20 pt Buy, 2 traits, Full Caster, little to no melee, focusing eventual on either buffing or debuffing.
-I like the idea of a slightly unstable primitive style magic user who is a little loony and unpredictable.

LazGrizzle wrote:

Lamontius wrote:

1. Counterfeit Mage Rogue

2. Swashbuckler/Scout Rogue
3. Swashbuckler/Scout Rogue
4. Underground Chemist Rogue
5. Thug/Scout Rogue

Stealth Synergy Teamwork feat and high UMD scores all around

Very Cool...mine was similar:

1. Counterfeit Mage Rogue
2. Underground Chemist Rogue
3. Tengu Swordmaster Rogue
4. 1/2 Orc Skulking Slayer Rogue
5. Sniper/Scout Rogue

hi5

dang I forgot about the Tengu racial archetype, that is a good one

I am not sold on the Sniper though, it is kinda an all-or-nothing build, where either your damage is crazy good or practically non-existent

Yeah you are right about sniper...and the skulking slayer isnt what I remembered...I guess I would toss in your Scout/Thug rogue in there in place of the Sniper and call it a day.

There are several archetypes that focus on Improvised Weapons, and I think the Flying Blade Swashbuckler is cool too...basically all your weapons are thrown blades, aso they can be hidden on your body. Add in 2 Spring-Loaded Wrist Sheaths, Quick Draw, and a high Sleight of Hand, and you'll not even need armor.

Or play a Ninja with a high Disguise skill

1. Counterfeit Mage Rogue

2. Swashbuckler/Scout Rogue
3. Swashbuckler/Scout Rogue
4. Underground Chemist Rogue
5. Thug/Scout Rogue

Stealth Synergy Teamwork feat and high UMD scores all around

Very Cool...mine was similar:

1. Counterfeit Mage Rogue
2. Underground Chemist Rogue
3. Tengu Swordmaster Rogue
4. 1/2 Orc Skulking Slayer Rogue
5. Sniper/Scout Rogue

Go Gunslinger, but take a one-level dip into Zen Archer for Precise Shot as a bonus feat, plus Wis to AC. Gun-fu monk.

I really dig this idea!

Maybe take a cpl levels of Monk so your unarmed strike is a little beefier. Or 1 level Zen Archer, 2 levels Brawler or something.

I think an Inspired Blade Swashbuckler could really benefit. Dex and Int based, although you are limited to a rapier.

Hey buds and babes, quandary time:

Playing Iron Gods, just hit 3rd level. I have a Numerian Liberator/Breaker Barbarian who is a tank in the making.

I have Blighted Physiology as a trait and Improved Natural Armor as a feat, along with Power Attack.

He has 38 HP based on some killer rolls, and with his gear and abilities he is at a 19 AC, so for 3rd level, 38 HP and a 19 AC is very tanky.

We have a 4 person party, pretty standard with Scout Rogue/Tech Wiz/Lunar Oracle (w Big Cat companion) and my Barb.

I am torn with choosing the 3rd lvl Feat...I can maximize the HP and go toughness, get more offensive with Furious Focus or Cleave, or improve my shoddy +2 Initiative with Improved Initiative.

Any thoughts? Should I continue focus on HP and AC? Get a little more Offensive?

Nice! I already planned on Taunt for sure, but the Snake Style is definitely an option...I had a Rogue/Monk that never got hit...until he did...by wraiths...many times. Zero Constitution sucks.

I was always told that the "required level" on the Improved Initiative table is gospel, and you can't circumvent that regardless of what the archetypes say.

Hey guys! Help with my 9th Level Swashbuckler.

Making him as a backup for my Carrion Crown campaign, and my concept is a Spider-Man level "Harasser"...a shit-talking, motor mouthed little jerk that insults and infuriates his enemies. The Mouser is perfect for getting up in people's faces, and the Mysterious Avenger is just dang flavorful and fits the current slant of the AP.

My question, as always, is feats. I am definitely going Step-Up (take advantage of the Mouser bonuses), and using a Longsword (most commonly found weapon, really)with Slashing Grace, Weapon Focus, and.

I want to give him a high Bluff and using Taunt, possibly Antagonize as well.

I like the idea of the Mysterious Stranger using the whip...would it be worth using Two Weapon fighting to use the whip and sword concurrently?

Would it be worth it using Mobility and Spring Attack?

Am I missing any clutch feats to make a trash-talking, witty little jerk?

My weapon, I think, and I hope it isn't OP or corny, but I was considering a +1 Adamantine Impact Longsword, to boost damage a little bit.

Any thoughts?

Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad: Steady (Dub Reggae/Americana)
Subsoil: Dirt Worship (Psychedelic Hip Hop funk)
Spiritual Rez: (Volcanic Reggae Rock)

I'm playing Carrion Crown now and just got a trove of poisons for my Ratfolk Alchemist. Too bad most enemies are Undead. That's the main thing with poisons...too many creatures immune.