Liam Warner's page

Only my second character and I just wanted to see if I'd make PFS legal selections.

Race: Kitsune
Class: Arcanist with blood arcanist (fey) bloodline*.
Alignement: CG
Deity: Tamashigo

Age: 16
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 126lbs

Faction: Scarab Sages
Languages: Common, Osiriani, Senzar, Sylvan, Tien

Str: 11
Dex: 15
Con: 12
Int: 16
Wis: 10
Cha: 14

1st level spells taken: Color spray, Endure Elements, Mage Armour, Silent Image

Skills: Craft (drawing), Knowledge (Arcana/Nature/Planes), Perform (sing), Spellcraft

Feat: Realistic Likeness
Traits: Cosmic Caravan (The Thrush), Magical Knack (Blood Arcanist)

Starting Gear
1) Arcanists Kit*
2) Masterwork backpack
3) Blanket
4) Canteen times 2
5) Chalk times 10
6) Ink Coloured (to go with the black ink in the arcanists kit)
7) Journal
8) Marbles
9) Sack times 2
10) Explorers Outfit 1 free, 1 purchased
11) Scroll of magic Missle (plus case)
12) Scroll of protection from evil (plus case)
13) Sewing Needle
14) Silk Rope
15) Thread

*
I assume 3rd party stuff isn't legal if it is there's another bloodline I want. I also have a few items in the arcanists kit (backpack, waterskin) I purchased better version can I sell these for 1/2 price?

I'm mainly looking to check these options are legal I'm aware they're not really the best/most powerful ones to take but they're largely what I want (the scrolls were just to have a bit of choice) or feel a first level character should have.

Anything with 20 point buy.

They're aware of the issue and they're working on it.

Thanks, 17+ int is too expensive but I do want to purchase others at different levels.

If you have played the character at level 2 or higher you can NOT change the characters race

Ok thanks, new character it is and dump the old.

Personally I'd go with Fey, I really want the ninetailed bloodline from the Kitsune companion (3rd party material) but since I can't pick that I'm going with fey as it has some associations with Kitsune.

I was just wondering its been awhile since I had a chance to play (my last module had my wizard switch from Lanturn Lodge to Osirion when LL was retired from play) and now I'm looking to get back into it Kitsune (which I love to play and asked the GM about when I made my first character) has become legal rather than requiring a boon and arcanist has been released.

So I was wondering as long as I describe the changes in my next module can I rebuild my existing PFS character from a human wizard to a Kitsune Arcanist keeping XP the same or do I need to stick the human in a drawer somewhere and make a Kitsune Arcanist to play?

I'm making my second character and I was wondering do I have to use the ability scores listed (the 4 sets in the character creation pdf) or can I make my own as long as I stick to the 20 point buy method?

On an unrelated note I can't select scarab sages with the character I'm creating for the online record as its out of date and only offers the original factions.

Honestly I've never understood why immortality is so high level given how little effect it has on most games. However since there already high level ones in place I wanted to keep this representative of a progression in power.

@Weirdo
I wanted to a potential exploit of them getting the mental bonus for aging over and over. This way you are physically younger with the associated difficulty of that age in controlling their emotions. Yep it'll vary a bit depending on luck but you literally can't have it cast more than 20 times and after 10 you have a better than 50% chance to fail base.

@Onyxlion
I never considered that however it requires you live on another plane.

Liam Warner wrote:

Runicblade wrote:

Would it maybe be more feasible to just have the party quest for some ambrosia or a fountain of youth?

No these are for important Npcs and rare wizards with a warped idea of appropriate motivation/lessons not for party immortality.

If that's the case, then it should an artifact, some kind of ritual, or an NPC-only ability. Spells exist in design space where it's expected both PCs and NPCs can use them.

They can take them I'm just not primarily designing them for them I do however want a way for humans to remain viable in longer games when they aren't a 20th level wizard.

Alexander Augunas wrote:

daimaru wrote:

So the question:
Any chance he could sleep warm while in human form because he's "really" a fur covered kitsune?

I would think not, since he loses his bite attack as a human I'd assume he lost his "furry warmth" too. Any opinions?

As for this specific part of the question, change shape is a transmutation (polymorph) effect, which means when you turn into a human your body is literally changing. It is not an illusion. So you don't have a fur coat while you're in human form, so you would regulate body temperature as a human does.

OK, what I figured. :) So I guess it's just useful for roleplaying, why I like to sleep away from the group to keep my secret or why I let them know I'm a kitsune, or whatever.

I rather like the 3rd party supplements for this as they actually discuss things like the Kitsune having different teeth and finding human form better for eating various foods or keeping cooler in summer.

Would it maybe be more feasible to just have the party quest for some ambrosia or a fountain of youth?

No these are for important Npcs and rare wizards with a warped idea of appropriate motivation/lessons not for party immortality.

Ah so polymorph as a type of spell not as in the "polymorph" spells wish they wouldn't duplicate names.

Liam Warner wrote:

I know this is really a GM call but I'm curious how people see this. Is it more of a ongoing change e.g a Kitsune that takes human form has to constantly concentrate on maintaining it and will shift back to their base form if knocked unconscious or falls asleep. Alternatively and how I saw it is the change a one off thing e.g once they change forms (human, fox, a specific individual with realistic likeness) they'll stay that way till they choose to change shape again with no need to maintain it meaning they can safely sleep without instantly revealing what they are?

Its actually not a GM call at all. Change shape (which is what kitsune possess) has its own universal monster entry in the bestiary, which reads as follows:

Change Shape wrote:

A creature with this special quality has the ability to assume the appearance of a specific creature or type of creature (usually a humanoid), but retains most of its own physical qualities. A creature cannot change shape to a form more than one size category smaller or larger than its original form. This ability functions as a polymorph spell, the type of which is listed in the creature’s description, but the creature does not adjust its ability scores (although it gains any other abilities of the creature it mimics). Unless otherwise stated, it can remain in an alternate form indefinitely. Some creatures, such as lycanthropes, can transform into unique forms with special modifiers and abilities. These creatures do adjust their ability scores, as noted in their descriptions.

The bold emphasis is mine.

Kitsune can sleep in their alternate forms and maintain them if they fall unconscious because their change shape ability lasts indefinitely. Technically, the rules don't even say if you return to your true form when you die, as lycanthropes have their own, unique version of change shape that has its own, unique rules that go with it. (One of those rules is that a lycanthrope returns to its true form if it...

The issue is the Kitsune ability refers to alter self as its base spell whereas change shape refers to polymorph.

Liam Warner wrote:

LazarX wrote:

Tacticslion wrote:

Anyway, on a related subject, dragon shape shifting, if it does fall into that same paradigm, is not only effectively worthless until relatively great ages (because unlike regular races, where are you going to 'hide' when your disguise runs out?), but also fails most of the literature I've seen about them using it... just like a kitsune's ability.

It doesn't because what dragons and certain outsiders use is the Change Shape mechanic which is specifically written up as lasting as long as the user chooses to maintain the form.

So not relevant to the discussion at hand.

Please provide a link to this as I've never heard of it.

Universal Monster Rules wrote:

Change Shape (Su) A creature with this special quality has the ability to assume the appearance of a specific creature or type of creature (usually a humanoid), but retains most of its own physical qualities. A creature cannot change shape to a form more than one size category smaller or larger than its original form. This ability functions as a polymorph spell, the type of which is listed in the creature's description, but the creature does not adjust its ability scores (although it gains any other abilities of the creature it mimics). Unless otherwise stated, it can remain in an alternate form indefinitely. Some creatures, such as lycanthropes, can transform into unique forms with special modifiers and abilities. These creatures do adjust their ability scores, as noted in their description.

Format: change shape (wolf, beast form I); Location: SQ, and in special abilities for creatures with a unique listing.

Link is here.

Ah thanks, interestingly that refers to it functioning as polymorph whereas the Kitsune one I initially referenced says it functions as alter self. http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advancedRaceGuide/uncommonRaces/kitsune. html

Tacticslion wrote:

Anyway, on a related subject, dragon shape shifting, if it does fall into that same paradigm, is not only effectively worthless until relatively great ages (because unlike regular races, where are you going to 'hide' when your disguise runs out?), but also fails most of the literature I've seen about them using it... just like a kitsune's ability.

It doesn't because what dragons and certain outsiders use is the Change Shape mechanic which is specifically written up as lasting as long as the user chooses to maintain the form.

So not relevant to the discussion at hand.

Please provide a link to this as I've never heard of it.

Anyway, on a related subject, dragon shape shifting, if it does fall into that same paradigm, is not only effectively worthless until relatively great ages (because unlike regular races, where are you going to 'hide' when your disguise runs out?), but also fails most of the literature I've seen about them using it... just like a kitsune's ability.

Yep more forms but only 1 minute a day initially and they can only do it 3 times a day rather than over and over like a Kitsune.

There's already a youthful appearance spell. Just have the first spell be called "greater youthful appearance" and have it function as youthful appearance except the subject adjusts their physical ability scores.

I'm not a fan of the second one at all.
1) Immortality is generally a 20th level ability. This really should be a 9th level spell at least.

2) The diminishing returns risk is rather complicated to calculate. I don't really understand it myself.

3) It's generally not cool design to have a spell potentially kill its own caster.

I deliberately placed it at 6 so in the mid tier spells highest level you had a risky, limited way to extend your life and then on the highest tier 20th level you had thr proper I.e safe immortality. I vaguely remembered an item in 1st Ed that did this and that's what it's based on. The purchase values straightforward 1% for each year younger you make them plus a cumulative 5% for each time it was cast on them.

EDIT
You'll never live less than your normal lifespan it's just the longer you extend it the greater the risk all the extra years will catch up with you.

It's not just items the Kitsune Shapeshift to human form functions as per the alter self spell so does that mean every 50 seconds my 1st level Kitsune trying to disguise themselves as per the lore needs to assume human form again or revert?

"Ahhhhh a werefox ate our caster."
"Hey I just haven't had time to shave my legs this morning."
"And the muzzle?"
"... Obviously an allergic reaction to something I slept on."
"You have a tail."
"And you have a growth on your nose if we want to get personal however I assure you I'm human."

Gm "... I don't even know where to start with that sense motive check."

I allow kitsune to maintain their shape indefinitely, despite the rules not quite allowing it. My bard has only revealed herself maybe twice in the entirety of her PFS career.

Yeah its the otherwise functions as alter self that worries me it gave me an image of a first level Kitsune trying to blend in ducking behind various objects every 50 seconds to reapply the change for another minute.

Lore does include kitsune losing partial control when frightened, particularly by dogs. Also has kitsune able to turn trash into the illusion of something else, particularly leaves into money. Since they can't do the second in Pathfinder and nothing mentions the first I'd be strongly inclined to let them sleep as humans and not lose control. As an NPC or house rules, almost anything goes of course.

Leaves into money is nicely covered by the illusion spells for a magic user and if I get a nice gm I can go with partial shifting e.g. Popping out the ears/tail when scared for better hearing or balance. Since I'm going with the Kitsunes compendium of storytellers spreading multiple tales about their abilities and the like a deliberate shift in reaction to a perceived threat becomes a lose of control when frightened.

your understanding of the word consensus is a bit misguided lol.

shadowcat says 5, gilarius says 4 and cyrad says 4. general consensus of 4.
unless they are planning to use this as an interrogation technique a 4th level spell is fine. even if it was for interrogation a will save and sr at 4th level maybe resave per 1 hour of memory shared. 1 save ends the spell sounds fair to me.

Er no Gilarius said 5 was about right but could go to 4 if made clear it was a special case while Cyrad said they agreed with the others and would make it a FLAT HOUR at 4th while I want an hour per level. So it was one 5, one probably 5 and one I agree 5 sounds good for hour per level.

Since the lore includes kitsunes marrying humans for years i'd be inclined to let them sleep like that.

I do however like the werewolf thing where you can lose your form if you lose control.

I tend to view it as once a form is assumed it remains till they take another however they need to learn to control their abilities and direct the change. So you have young Kitsune who'll have a fox's, ears or tail, fur over their body or the like because they didn't get the change right or older ones affected by injuries e.g they burn a paw they may not manage to change it to a human hand.

EDIT
Like the one here. . .
http://mangafox.me/manga/ghost_sweeper_mikami/v36/c005/11.html
http://mangafox.me/manga/ghost_sweeper_mikami/v36/c005/12.html
http://mangafox.me/manga/ghost_sweeper_mikami/v36/c005/13.html
http://mangafox.me/manga/ghost_sweeper_mikami/v36/c005/16.html

This occurred to me while watching an old movie this morning and I was wondering how people would react to doing this. When you create a simulcrum you need to make a disguise check to see how good the likeness is so could you use that check instead to make them look different? It's inspired by Bubba Ho Tep where one of the main characters said they were John F Kennedy dyed black and abandoned in a nursing home after the assassination attempt.

So could yo make a simulcrum of someone and make them look completely different with the disguise check (older, younger, different race/sex)?

I know this is really a GM call but I'm curious how people see this. Is it more of a ongoing change e.g a Kitsune that takes human form has to constantly concentrate on maintaining it and will shift back to their base form if knocked unconscious or falls asleep. Alternatively and how I saw it is the change a one off thing e.g once they change forms (human, fox, a specific individual with realistic likeness) they'll stay that way till they choose to change shape again with no need to maintain it meaning they can safely sleep without instantly revealing what they are?

I've been thinking about ways to extend life for various shorter lived races and I've a rough spell but I wanted to get some feedback on whether this seems like a reasonable start for spells to do this.

Spell:Youthful Appearance.
Level: 3
Spell resistance: Yes
Save: N/A (see text)
Components: V, S
School: Transmutation
Duration: instantaneous

This spell physically transforms the subject to a younger age at a value of up to 2 years per caster level to a minimum of 1 year old. This change adjusts physical and mental attributes but doesn't change maximum life and the subject still dies when their time is up. That is a 40 year old with a maximum life exptancy of 92 turned into a 15 year old will still die in 52 years I.e at 67 years old physically. This spell automatically fails if cast on an unwilling subject.

Spell: Fountain of Youth
Level: 6
Spell Resistance: Yes
Save: Fortitude
Components: V, S, M (A goblet of clear springwater)
School: Transmutation
Duration: Instantaneous

This spell transforms the subject to a younger age at a value of up to 2 years per casting to a minimum of 1 year old. This effectively resets their biological clock adjusting physical and mental attributes as well as having them count as their new age for maximum life exptancy I.e. A 40 year old with a life exptancy of 97 turned into a 15 year old won't die till their 97 (penalties and bonuses for each lost age category are applied).

However multiple castings of this spell on an individual are risky. There is a 1% chance per year lost plus a 5% chance per casting that all years removed this way will be applied at once potentially killing them. For example the previous 40 year old would have a 30% chance any previous years would be applied (25 years +5%) in this case Zero. If they did it a second time in would be a 35% (25 years removed + 5% for the first casting and +5% for this one) that rather being restored to 15 years old they would instead be aged to 65 years old.

Thanks, missed that line in the greater one as I was focused on the leser.

My doubts on picnics arr due solely to wording and it saying magic rather than supernatural or the like, may be easier to just create a higher variant without that line.I suppose they may not want to tell you vital information like that.

With ignore components you just summon it with raw power and when it dies it goes fwoof without dissolving into snow.

Nice to see I'm not the only one interested in this sort of magic, I'll take a look at those suggestions.

What I mean by ordinary spells is not necessarily utility spells but the spells an ordinary non-adventuring wizard would be interested in. Things like prestidigitation, endure elements, mending, control weather, sort, glasssteel, hygiene, clean, locate object and the like. Spells to warm a room on a cold morning, change a person's sex or trace the ancestry of a particular person..

Twine Double seems like it might do for some of your purposes.

Aside from the 1 Min a level duration it would.

As I said I just intend to use it for company and I want to get an idea of limits first.

I'm not sure psychic powers are magic.

So general consensus is 5th level thanks.

Hmmm if you lose the ability to use 3rd level spells can you use the martial abilities of an Eldritch Knight? And what about psychics with the new rules for those coming our.

I want to change the 2nd level share memory http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/share-memory so that the length of the memory shared can be hours per level rather than a flat 1 minute. I'm thinking that 4th might be an appropriate level for the new spell given no other factors are changed and your merely experiencing someone's memories not changing anything. Does that seem right or should it be higher/lower?

It will probably be harmful to immersion, but if you really need to, just say "Hey guys, look, the AP is built to adventure in Korvosa. There is nothing out of the city for you to do. If you really want to leave though, we could just find another AP"

And yes, you really can find another AP, I had a group that tried Serpent's Skull book 1 and hated it, so we RP'd that our characters took a boat to WestCrown and started book 2 of Council of Thieves.

Great now I have a sudden urge to have one character do all the AP's one after another . . .

As you arrive in the town smithy the black smith turns around and say's "Ahm sorry lads and lassies but we've been having problems with the eternal flame in the past few weeks mayhap you'd be . . ."

He is suddenly cut off as a mysterious cloaked figure who was holding a horses reinss suddenly throws back their head and screams "NOT AGAIN. Why is it everywhere I go I get dragged into these things? Korvosa, the shackled isles, Sand Point THREE TIMES when I thought staying in the same place would work, Osiron, a cruise ship and NOW HERE TOO??"

vomit twin

I know the duration is short but it's all in good fun right.

Hmmm a number of problems for what I have in mind but an interesting spell.

1) Not by RAW, GM may allow it.

2d is correct. Spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities are all magical. Extraordinary abilities are not and so technically the lesser kitsune simulacrum would keep the bonus to enchantment... except that it can't use enchantment spells so the bonus is irrelevant.

EDIT: The simulacrum does keep a +2 racial bonus to acrobatics, bite attack, and low-light vision. Also note that the simulacrum is half the level of the original, so if you start with a 10HD target, you get a 5HD simulacrum, not a 10HD / 10th level one.

Really? I'm away from home and couldn't access my books so I was going off the SRD where does it say the simulcrum is half the level of the original? Not complaining mind you because if that is the rulling it nicely fixes my problem with the arcanist I have in mind being 1 level to high to cast the spell while using mythic to ignore the material component cost. If they can only create a half hd copy then they are fine creating a simulcrum half their level within the price range of what they can ignore.

Hmmm weird oh well I'm mainly looking at this from the companionship angle and the wizard has spells to change sex/race of the simulcrum so I can work around the weirdness of a Kitsune with realistic shape that can't change shape. Now all I need is to find a spell to share their memories/experiences so when the simulcrum goes poof the arcanist gets its memories (or downloads them prior to said poof).

These a few things I'd like to have clarified about these spells (please don't post about how broken they are as I've seen those threads).

1) Can you change the HD of the simulcrum your creating compared to the original. That is if your making a simulcrum of a 10th level character can you instead make it only 5th level to save on the cost or do you need to make it a full 10HD (or fail if your caster levels not high enough to do that).

2) The lesser version states that it has no magical abilities, what exactly are these? For example lets say the character is a 10th level arcanist Kitsune can the simulcrum . . .

a) Use the arcanist magic spells and exploits i.e. cast 1st level spells?
b) Use the Kitsune's shapeshifting into various forms which is supernatural?
c) Use the Kitsune MAGIC (bonus to enchantment and dancing lights 3/day) which is Extraordinary/Spelllike? Presumably the bonus is extraordinaryy and the dancing lights is spell like.
d) None of the above giving you a fox shaped humanoid with the hitpoints, saves and skills of a 10th level character but can't change shape, use their racial abilities or the core abilites of its class?
e) other.

Relevant text
This spell functions as simulacrum, except you can’t create a simulacrum of a creature whose HD or levels exceed your caster level, and it has no magical abilities.

Lesser simulacrum This what you want?

Nope, I knew about the Simulcrum ones and lesser is a bit too expensive for what I'm after.

I'm just sort of musing about a wizard who 90% of the time likes to be alone in their tower on some forgotten mountaintop but every so often wants to create a companion they can chat too, have help with getting in a fruit harvest from their apple trees, play a game with or just alieviate being alone and then when they're done have it vanish back into the ether for another few decades.

The problem with the simulcrum spells is you either have a creature permanently created or with lesser its 50GP of powdered rubies per hit die and since I tend to like Kitsune it having no magical abilites is a mixture of worrying (shapechange and innate abilities) and reassuring (its not going to challenge a magic user when it can't use magic.

As for unseen servant like you said no good to chat with or play a game and pathfinder seems to have dropped the horde version so you can only get one.

Although since I'm not planning to actually use this in anything I suppose I could steal the 3.5 unseen servant horde and modify lesser simulcrum. Since if it weren't for the expense that one would have been good as with unseen servant horde for the harvest all I need is a 1st level being every few decades to alleviate the lonliness of immortality. Maybe up the level and restrictions for a reduction in cost hmmmm . . .

I miss grimalkins having a familar who's personality shifted to match the wizard made for a being you could associate with for millenia.

EDIT
Actually I forgot something else that could work with this. Lesser Simulcrum just became viable IF I can voluntarily make a creature of less HD. I.e take a 20th level wizard and make a 1st level version of them using it.

I'm not that familiar with that AP but a few general options for making someone stay in a single city.

1) Let them leave and hunt them down. I don't mean constantly hit them but if whoever died was important you can make it clear they're safer in the city in a lot of little ways. Wanted posters (assuming magical divination of the culprits). Patrols of troops looking for the criminals who made it out of the city. Cases of mistaken identity where someone was arrested in the belief it was them. Basically make it clear in a city they're one of thousands, out in the country they're a lot more noticeable.

2) If they have backstory you can use to draw them back let them leave and then have them receive word a friend/relative is in trouble and needs their help.

3) Provide non-combat options i.e. encourage them to form a base of operations (thieve's guild, trading house) essentially give them a physical reason to stay in the city and build up their power there rather than being rootless wanderers.

4) Look for potential plot hooks in the city e.g. you hear rumours of X and can try to aquire it.

These as I said are just generic ones I"m sure people familiar with the path can suggest more targeted ones.

Necklace of Ki serenity, Ki Mat, Sword of Subtlety and Aspect Mask (Sure you can find a hunter aspect you want to use) or false face mask...the rest varies depending on what kind of campaign you are doing.

No specific campaign just like to plan ahead and get an idea of generally useful items.

I'm not planning to use this in any games however I do personally like the idea of having the ability to create a duplicate of yourself even a weaker one every now and then for specific circumstances. Help with a crops harvest, have someone to chat too and bounce ideas off, read a book your interested in while your busy that sort of thing. Normally I try to get a familiar for this but it occured to me if simulcrum creates a permanent copy of yourself could there be a spell in some third party suppliment that does the same only for a shorter period of time e.g. create a 1/2 level clone for 1 hour per 5 levels. So does anyone know of a spell that creates a duplicate of yourself (even if its X levels lower) for a short period of time preferably hours+ a level or a set period of a couple of hours other than simulcrum?

I was wondering given the ascension here hits everyone around including at Gm discretion Npcs and the link between a magic user and their familiar could you also ascend a familiar to become mythic in its own right?

No one has any thoughts for or against?

Hmmm what if you combine E6, 1% and the coin flip method. That is you take the calculations from above 1 in 2, 1 in 4 etc to get initial numbers of each level e.g 5000 20lvl PCs on earth and then from that work out the 1% Wi have paper levels (57) however you then take all the remaining people and redeploy them as lvl 6 (8 or whatever you like)? So half the 5k overflow are now lvl 1, 1/4 lvl 2 and so on for a modern world with lower challenge and higher population?

Sissyl wrote:

But you wouldn't have to deal with a hundred years of nothing, which is a very obvious retort for the younger race: "Okay, I get it, you're more than a hundred years old. And my magic missile is STILL the same as yours, retard."

The retort to that

that may be true, but i slept with your mom, grandma, great grandma, oh and your sister too.

Or a particularly knowledgeable elf with magic "That may be true but I slept with your great grandma, grandma, mother and". . .

Casts illusion "I was Bob your first guy."
If it's an Npc elf casts charm person spell followed by custom change sex spell "Now it's your turn honeysuckle."

I remember those original elves may account for part of my problem here. I am coming down on the side of long lived races don't have the initial easy learning humans do but do have better long term memories when the learn something so even after 300 years of not drawing they can still produce one with no loss of quality.

I miss the thousand year elf lifespans.

I think I'll give all the long lived races and any particularly old humans like Ezrwn breadth of experience for free.

I don't known about the age categories eternally young elves tends to go with eternal elves. Although I could see moving the age categories around, will need to look at those.

I know the basics +x weapon, +x saves etc but id appreciate suggestions on what items would be good for them based on experience that may not be immediately obvious.

Personally I dream of having a familiar I can give Pc levels too as my cohort for leadership. . .

"We've been attacked? Ninja kitty vanish."

Generally I use the extra Npcs as higher ups in my trading empire. Generally the cohort (as I'm yet to get my ninja cat familiar) is the ceo and the others are various ship captain's, merchants, shopkeepers. Then again I tend to wind up being the one who gets asked to build the new stronghold and the like, as well as buying selling in the lands we go through. Although I have done a few strongholds and thr like, doesn't really slow the game down much since I don't use them as extras in the adventures so no combat rolling.

Maths is messing with my head. If you reverse the progression I.e 0.5% of the 20th level ones, 0.25% of the 19th level ones and so on you get the exact same number for each one as a result e.g. 6 billion people, 5722 20th level, 28.61 is 0.5%. 6 billion people, 11444 19th level, 26.81 is 0.25% very odd.

EDIT
More usefully assuming 1% of the population has 1 or more pc levels it drops the number significantly I.e. From 6 billion total population only 57 would have one or more pc levels and be lvl 20 the other 5600 would be all npcs e.g. Expert. Assuming a part of 5 with 2 martials (striker, tank etc), one skill monkey, one arcane and one divine we end up worldwide with a mere 12 million martials with a Pc class at first level ranging up to 23 lvl 20s worldwide. 6 million and 11 for the other 3 categories.

Is that so bad though? You have one 20th level Belgian who may be a 20th level commoner. As for the thousand movers and shakers in new York they could also be wholly or partly Npc levels, only moving and shaking in art/finance/politics/high society and while very influential in the state of new York less so in the rest of America and only heard of by experts in their field overseas.

I'm playing a one-off session with no hope for longevity. Any help would be appreciated!

We need more details. What content is thr gm allowing, do you mean best as in most powerful or best as in fun since there's no long term plan needed.

Liam Warner wrote:

Grinding wouldn't do you much good after the initial powerup you need to study and learn like someone normally would.

Except studying doesn't give out experience in Pathfinder, unless you're house-ruling that library-assisted knowledge checks grant experience.

Also, would world leaders like Kim Jong Un count as like level 10 aristocrats? In which case they could be used for experience.

As I think I said earlier you only gain xp from killing things if your doing the Ap route once your back in the real world you work by real world rules and need to study/practice to improve, killing someone even a confirmed lvl 8 from this won't help with that.

Of course this is just raw level it doesn't address how big a percentage is pc vs Npc level (1% us meant to be pc classes isn't it) and I'd expect a higher number of the high level range to be pc level.

I'll check the link for training at xp per month tomorrow night after an exam. However I think it would be a better representation of a modern world than a Golarion one.