LilithsThrall's page

To be honest, I've wrestled with leftist politics. How does one reconcile "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need" with the need to restrict population growth (which is the key factor in reducing the rate we're polluting the planet)? Should I not get my full reward for my own ingenuity and hard labor? Should not an entrepreneur get the full benefit of the risks he takes, for surely he will bear the downsides of that risk on his own? All I've ever heard in response to these questions were responses which were poorly informed and barely thought out.

A lot of that recently changed when I read the last chapter of MLK's last book. To be honest, I'm not fully convinced yet, but I am much more persuaded. For that reason, I want to post a link to it so that others who believe as I do may have something to think about.

http://wealthandwant.com/docs/King_Where.htm

Anybody else ever wonder, given the degree to which we refuse to adequately patrol the borders, just how easy it'd be to sneak a nuke, a dirty bomb, or a virus into the country?

In less than 8 hours, I'll have an MRI.

I tried to have it on Friday, but had a panic attack.

I had one done earlier this year without a problem. I think, though, that the fact that I've had chronic pain for so long and the fact that I'm on Norco (which has anxiety as a side effect) is making this MRI more difficult.

Its almost 4:00am, I haven't been able to sleep for hours. I woke at 2:00 from a nightmare.

I could use a prayer or some positive energy or whatever you could send my way.

I was sitting here minding my own business watching America's Got Talent when an idea snuck up behind me and slapped me in the back of the head.

Now, mind, I'm on some heavy prescription drugs and my clarity isn't always what it needs to be, so I'm tossing this idea out to you to get some feedback on. Maybe we can work on it together to turn it into something really useful.

The core idea is that instead of rolling Diplomacy to see how the target responds, you roll it know the target's motivations/desires/fears/etc.

I think this deserves some examination - Wizards/Clerics/et al on the one hand and Rogues/Bards/et al on the other hand.

I think this might even be a more critical issue than CMD. I'm not so worried about Invis vs. Stealth and Perception is always good to have, but, in many cases, spells are just plain better than skills. I'm also worried that Bards get relegated to second rank support. They very rarely take the lead except in social environments.

So, what do you all think?

there are three seperate topics in the forum right now which show that it's possible to optimize beyond min-maxing
Those topics are

1.) Allowing characters to take Charisma as a dump stat, but not penalizing them for it - after they use it as a dump stat, they ought to be able to say that their character is attractive and, thereby, gain positive modifiers to social encounters

2.) Allowing a Wizard to collect a god-like spell book without having to worry about keeping it safe

3.) Allowing a character to optimize towards big weapons and never have to worry about the down side of when those weapons shouldn't be usable (due to space requirements)

In all three cases, rather than min-maxing, the character maxes and then demands that the GM sweep the min under the rug where it will never be seen.

Am I simply old school? Does all the passion with which these things are argued influence the game designers? Does it indicate the future direction of the game?

When you're playing a class that depends on a spellbook (or witch's familiar), what prrotections do you actually put on your spellbooks to protect against theft/destruction/etc.? How many backup spellbooks do you actually have and how do you protect them?

I'm not asking about what kind of protections you might use, but about what kind of protections you actually do use (by class level please).

I'm curious because I want to see what risk mitigation strategies (given the limited wealth available as per WBL) are in actual play. On the one hand, every gold piece spent on protecting your spells is a gold piece you can't spend elsewhere. On the other hand, every gold piece not spent protecting spells known increasess the potential for cataclysmic failure.

So, how do the majority of real players playing real games handle this issue?

What do you think of giving the XBow the ability to attack as a touch attack? It historically had tremendous punching power and it currently gets overshadowed by the bow in the game.

Are there any legal experts here? I thought that any wealth gained as a consequence of committing a crime couldn't be retained by criminals.

If that's true, then what's the issue here?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/44257177#44257177

Is it worth the cost or should I just settle for the normal viewing?

This is a thread for talking about the missing cannibalism rules

I've seen people complain that fighter abiilities don't scale with spell casters.

Let's assume they did. As fighter abilities are combat feats, this would mean that there are some feats which the fighter can take at 1st level and there are feats he can take at 18th level and the feats he can take at 18th level are much more powerful than the feats he can ttake at 1st level (in the same way that meteor swarm is much more powerful than magic missle).

One way to make sure that the more powerful feats can only be taken at the higher levels is with feat chains.

So, why all the hate for feat chains?

For me, there are two things

1.) I want Charisma to be consistently and clearly defined. Currently, Charisma represents genetics (Sorcerer bloodlines), access to otherworldly power (turn undead), undefined ability (UMD), NOT social skill (the Witch's base skill, despite having her power come from her being a consort, is Int, not Cha), etc.

2.) I want race to be better defined. Right now, if you're human with an elven ancestor, then you are 1/2 Elf (a Race), but if you're human with a dragon ancestor, then you are a Sorcerer (a Class), or have your race reflected with a feat (Eldritch heritage). I want one game mechanic to reflect race, not an open-ended set of game mechanics (race, class, feat, what's next?)

what would you like to see in a 1.5 version?

see the thread title

Curious minds want to know

This thread is meant to be a free flowing discussion of an alternative game setting other than Golarian. Just post what you'd like to see.

I'd like to see something that hasn't been done before. It should not resemble Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk or Dark Sun or Ravenloft or Eberron. It might be a totally sea based world (akin to Pirates of Dark Water). It might be a post apocalyptic world (akin too Shanarra). It might be Stone Age. It needs to be something new.

I'd like a world in which the gods aren't known to exist - a world in which either Clerics don't cast Divine Magic or there is some other explanation for Divine Magic (such as the community's pure faith). Also, any church can have priests of every alignment (even if, by 'every alignment', some alignments must be in hiding). So, you can have evil Cardinal Richelieu in a good church.

I'd like a world in which outsiders aren't strongly aligned, but are highly _alien_ in nature.

I want a world with few magic items, but magic items can gain power the longer you own them.

Palladium, for all it's many flaws, had something I really liked - several codes of behavior (one for each alignment). I'd like to incorporate something like that. Mine would have a code of behavior for each faith. I want each code to be very severe, very difficult (just shy of impossible) to abide by - because non-cleric characters who do manage to abide by them will get access to two of the churches domains. (Cleric characters who abide by them will get something else). These characters will be called "Saints" (or "Avatars").
It's important that the power they get is balanced by the difficulty of abiding by the code.

I'm having some trouble creating the codes of behavior. Seeing some example codes might help get me started. So,..

Have you ever created codes of behavior for your campaign? If so, can you post them here?

has anybody heard about this or is anyone able to point to a professional review of this software? My mom lives on a limited income and is considering this. I'm trying to find any reliable sources on it.

Your help is appreciated.

At first, I thought Captain America, but he's more of a Paladin.
Batman doesn't count because Batman is a Rogue, Alchemist, etc.
I'm thinking Nick Fury might be the quintessential comic book fighter.
And that's interesting because I think Nick's schtick is ready access to a lot of military resources (tanks, helicopters, battleships, etc.)-something that the Fighter doesn't have. Maybe the Fighter should have a "Resources" value that gains in level and doesn't include his wbl.

What abilities, house rules, etc. would you add to make Int as valuable of an attribute to fighters as Str, Dex, Con, and Wis are?

How about a feat chain
The first feat in the chain let's the Fighter give the effect of a Teamwork feat he has to one other character in his party
The next feat in the chain let's the Fighter give the effect of a Teamwork feat he has to a number of characters in his party equal to his Int mod
The last feat in the chain let's the Fighter give any number Teamwork feat he has to a number of characters as long as the total number of feats/characters does not exceed his int mod?

I know all the boring feats that are typically suggested - adding int to damage, adding int to to hit, etc. I'm looking for something a bit more innovative and interesting.

Secret Techniques
Prereq: Ki pool
The monk can explore, research, and discover secret techniques known to enlightened martial arts masters of yesteryear. The player chooses and describes the specific affect(s) desired from the following list. From this, the gold piece cost to uncover the secret of the technique and develop mastery in it can be calculated. Also, the amount of time required to uncover the secret of the technique and develop mastery in it can be determined.
Effect Base Price Maximum Bonus Notes
Ability Bonus (Enhancement) Bonus squared x 1,000 gp The maximum ability bonus for each ability can be no greater than 1/3 the character’s rating in Knowledge (History)
AC Bonus (Natural) Bonus squared x 2,000 gp The maximum AC bonus the secret technique can bestow can be no greater than ½ the character’s rating in Knowledge (History)
Save Bonus (Insight) Bonus squared x 2,500 gp The maximum save bonus the secret technique can bestow can be no greater than ½ the character’s rating in Knowledge (History)
Skill Bonus (Competence) Bonus squared x 100 gp The maximum skill bonus the secret technique can bestow can be no greater than the character’s rating in Knowledge (History)
Spell Resistance 10,000 gp per point The maximum spell resistance bonus the secret technique can bestow can be no greater than ½ the character’s rating in Knowledge (History)
Weapon Bonus (Enhancement) Bonus squared x 2,000 gp The maximum weapon bonus the secret technique can bestow can be no greater than one-third the Knowledge(history) skill rank of the studying monk
Unarmed Weapon Bonus (Enhancement) Bonus squared x 4,000 gp See Weapon Bonus note above
Command Word (1/day) Spell Level x Caster Level x 1,800 gp The maximum spell level * caster level for any command word technique can be no greater than the character’s rating in (Knowledge (History) * 2) The command word is typically a kiai or mudra or may be a gesture like Kuji-kiri
Use-activated/continuous Spell Level x Caster Level x 2,000 gp The maximum spell level * caster level for any use-activated/continuous secret technique can be no greater than the character’s rating in Knowledge(History) If a continuous item has an effect based on a spell with a duration measured in rounds, multiply the cost by 4. If the duration of the spell is 1 minute/level, multiply the cost by 2, and if the duration is 10 minutes/level, multiply the cost by 1.5. If the spell has a 24-hour duration or greater, divide the cost in half.

The monk must spend time exploring libraries, studying ancient scrolls, and practicing new techniques at a monastery. The total time required is one week for each 1000 gp in base cost of the techniques being studied. During the week, the monk must spend 8 hours in uninterrupted study each day.
Differences between magic items and secret techniques
Once a character learns a secret technique, it is forever his. Unlike a magic item, he cannot give the technique to another character or exchange it for another technique. Also, all secret techniques are slotless.
Upgrading Effects
Any special techniques learned cannot be removed from the character with anything short of a Wish. Further, the base price of all the character’s secret techniques is counted as part of the character’s wealth. So, the player is encouraged to make his decision carefully as to what special techniques he wants to learn. However, techniques can be upgraded. For example, if the monk previously learned a technique which gave him +2 Dex, he can upgrade this to +4 Dex. The monk must go through all the steps to learn the +4 Dex technique as if he didn’t already know the +2 Dex technique. However, when calculating the research time and gold required to discover and learn the upgraded technique, the research time and gold spent learning the previous technique is subtracted.
Interaction between secret techniques and Dispel Magic/Disjunction
The ability to perform these secret techniques is powered by a pseudo-magic called “ki” and is affected by Dispel Magic/Disjunction as if it were magic. Disjunction cannot permanently destroy secret techniques; instead it renders the monk unable to perform the technique for ten rounds. Secret Techniques do not function in an anti-magic area.

I think it'd be nice to have a thread for characters people are actually playing in their games. This allows us to see what kind of magic items class/level actually has, for example. Please post your character below. I only ask that 1.) this is the character you are currently playing and 2.) you include any relevant house rules.

As I've mentioned in the past, I'm unable to play right now - so I can't post anything - else, I'd go first

It appears that the DC for creating a Belt of Giant Strength +2 is the same as for creating a Belt of Giant Strength +6. Is this correct?

They don't seem to be to me - which begs the question (unless for RP reasons) why spend a feat to learn one. But, I'd like to hear other opinions.

By RAW, a character making a knowledge roll against a critter learns a couple of facts about the critter (the better the dice roll, the more facts learned. I'm considering treating each fact learned as being able to remove 5DR, but only for the character who makes the knowledge roll, no one else.
This is meant to give the Bard a bit of a boost in combat.

Thoughts?

(yes, Wizards will be able to take advantage of this, but DR doesn't work against most spells Wizards prefer to use.)

I've been studying 4e again lately. I've never enjoyed playing the game and a big reason for that is
1.) You get to do 'at wills' as often as needed. In addition to that, you get encounter powers, dailies, etc. In any particular combat, you may well have some encounters/dailies/etc. that aren't applicable and you quickly burn through the ones that are applicable. This means that you're stuck using your at wills over and over and over ad nauseum.

2.) In earlier versions of the game, you could figure out creative uses of spells. The spells in earlier versions are very flexible. There are a lot of options and opportunity for coming up with tricks. In 4e, the powers are very specifically and narrowly defined and powers (such as illusions) which couldn't be very specifically and narrowly defined are just removed from the game.

These two facts have made it impossible for me to, in any way, be mentally invested in the game.

However, this post isn't just a rant. Several of my friends are playing 4e and I'm in a place where my gaming opportunities are severely limited. It so happens that these friends' game is one I could actually manage. So, how do I reduce the impact of the two points listed above so that I can get more invested in the game?

Due to medical complications, I've been nearly bed ridden and there's a good chance that I will continue to be for months. Needless to say, I'm bored out of my skull. To keep me mentally occupied, I'm considering writing an alternate rule set for Pathfinder - to implement various tweaks I prefer.

This is a huge project and will require keeping a mountain of notes organized/reorganized. What tools do you use to do this organization?

I'd like to juice up the non-spellcasters a bit to help them stay up in power with the spellcasters. What do you all think of mulitiplying all crit damage by 5?

I'm also thinking of giving characters a chance to be awarded "chits" through exceptional roleplaying or exceptional descriptions of combat maneuvers/stunts. Such "chits" could be turned in to deny a critical hit.

Vow of Poverty - the character must donate 90% of his wealth to a charitable cause agreed upon by the player and the GM. Any new wealth the character receives must first have 90% of it's value donated to a charitable cause. Any value left over can be spent as per normal.

Anyone can take the Vow of Poverty in front of the highest priest in his order. This vow is normally taken by monks, but non-monk classes can take it as well. Upon taken, the character is stripped of nearly all his wealth.

Often, this ceremony of loss of wealth is accompanied with religious sermons/lessons such as the need to rely only on one's god for all their needs and to learn to be clever with what is available and make the most of it. Different religious orders, as well as different races, tend to view the challenges of the VoP in different ways.

Initially, the VoP lasts 6 months. Upon completion of that six months, the person taking the vow many decide for it to be permanent.

For monks, this vow helps to purify them and increases the number of ki points they can have. It double's their ki points available. Also, they gain two new ki powers, "Peace in the Storm" (which gives them an Endure Elements effect which they can create at will) and "Absolute Tranquility" which renders sleep unnecessary as well as grants immunity to "Fatigue" and "Exhausted".

For both monks and non-monks, for each level the person gains a level while under the VoP, a new free feat is gained from the following list in the following order
1.) Defensive Combat Training
2.) Catch Off Guard
3.) Throw Anything
4.) Wind Stance
5.) Improvised Weapon Mastery
6.) Lightning Stance
Also, improvised weapons count as monk weapons

A lot of debate has been going on recently, so I thought something a little more relaxed might be a worthwhile change.

In this thread, I'll give a name for a spell and a spell level and then the next poster comes up with what the spell does and gives a new name for a spell (and spell level), the next poster comes up with a spell description and then adds a new name for a spell (and spell level) and so on.

Okay?

So, here's the first one

Roberto's Rabid Repair
level 3

A thought has been nagging me that the biggest problem with 3X and Pathfinder is the attempt to make it support mass gaming.
For example, some people enjoy PrCs because it gives them something to work for. The reason they don't think that a quest or a destiny or a revenge plot or whatever is sufficient to give a player something to work for is because these kinds of things don't work well in mass gaming. What does work well is a mechanical goal and PrCs offer that mechanical goal.
This turns table top gaming into a table top MMORPG.

The big problem is that trying to create a game system which supports both roleplaying and MMORPG style gaming is like trying to mix hot fudge and motor oil. Hot fudge and motor oil both have their uses, but what are you going to get out of them by mixing them together?

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-12-28-Drug-war-mexico_N.htm

It opens up hiring opportunities for police officers

I've been noticing growing trend over the past decade of mainstream news getting increasingly lazy and shoddy. There's been less news and more political grandstanding.
I'm not singling out any particular news agency - every news source (from Fox to CBS to MSNBC) seems to be just as bad as any other. What I do want to know is why journalism has fallen into the toilet.

The Senate Saturday voted to end a longstanding ban on gay troops serving openly in the US armed services – a move comparable to President Truman’s ending the ban on racial segregation in the military in 1948.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2010/1218/In-historic-vote-Senate-mov es-to-end-don-t-ask-don-t-tell

I never thought I'd ever see anything more ridiculous and embarrasing than the LARP "Lightning Bolt!" flick.

I was wrong.

For your viewing pleasure
http://blastr.com/2010/12/live-action-fan-recreatio.php

Before I get into this, I want to say that violating computer security is a crime in most every country in this world. The person who hacked computer security in order to get these documents committed a crime and Assange might be justifiably considered an accomplice (I said -might- be).

Having said that, the fact is that this will not be an isolated incident. Government computer security around the world is pitiful (I don't believe it really matters what government you're talking about), data mining technologies are getting better every day, and the fact that Assange has become a celebrity encourages other people to try to do the same thing.

I want to circumvent discussion of the morality of what he's done. However, I do want to point out that there are people on both sides of this argument (e.g. the US government vs. Journalists without borders). I point that out only to say that the moral aspects of this incident aren't so clean cut as that everyone agrees on one side or the other.

What I want to focus on is what I view as the central question in this whole issue, "what now?" To the extent that I view this not as an isolated incident but as one of the most notable, this is the cannon shot across the bow, so to speak. I believe this is a turning point in world politico-economics whether or not everyone is able to see it at present. So, like I said, "what now?"

It's been true that governments have needed their secrets in order to operate, but it is also a fact that "secret" is becoming an out-dated concept (whether or not it should, it is). We've been lucky for the most part up to now because politicians don't understand technology (e.g. "the Internet is a series of tubes" - a quote from a Republican Alaskan politician - no, not that one). But we all understood that, one day, there would be a breed of politicians who understood technology. The alarm clock just went off.

The reality is that the government won't just take up a new structure - one without secrets. They'll try to create ways to keep control of information - not just here in the US, but all over the world. They'll fail, of course, but, in the meantime, we should pay attention to what they will be doing in response to this incident.

Earlier, I posted this link

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/bishops-say-pope-still-anti-con doms-for-hiv/story-e6frg6nf-1225958832267

And Ambrosia Slaad pointed out and gave several references which supported that condom use is very effective in preventing the spread of AIDS.

I, also, pointed out that

The Catholic Church has a "sex only in marriage" policy. This is -not- a "anti-HIV policy" as anyone who has even the smallest knowledge of HIV knows that HIV can be contracted outside of sex.

That previous thread only ended up with me being called a "heterosexist" (among other things) by certain posters and led Liz to jump in and say

While the topic is an excellent point of discussion, the behavior in this thread has not been so exemplary.

Nevertheless, I do believe we can have a civil discussion on this topic.

To do that, I'd like to repeat a question to Mathew Morris

What's the Pope's recommendation, for example, if a Nurse or Paramedic or someone like that accidentally exposes themselves to a contaminated needle? Is having sex only in marriage really going to prevent them from passing that disease on to their spouse?

Along these same lines Ambrosia Slaad asked

Matthew, I'm certain you are aware that law enforcement, lab techs, doctors, emts, paramedics, etc. all come into regular contact with possibly contaminated needles and/or blood & tissue samples. Also, since most of the world's billions are stuck with Third World medical care (if any), the lack of medical precautions and sanitary conditions lead to an even greater risk of infection. Since many of these people lack the money to buy food, ready access to HIV testing isn't exactly convenient. So those people all choose to live with high risk?

Ah, what about trauma and organ transplantation? Risk, gotcha. If you hadn't been driving to work, you wouldn't have gotten t-boned by an idiot and need blood donations and a new spleen.

And of course, HIV tests never come back with false negatives. And blood- and organ-screeners never screw up.

Oh yeah, before I forget, what about female genital mutilation and rape? But that comes back to choice and risk again, right?

And a simple reminder that viruses readily mutate. Just because a strain of HIV does not currently spread via other fluids or skin-to-skin, doesn't mean it won't always.

And again, in this discussion, please refrain from the derogatory insinuations about GLBT people for being born non-hetero.

I hope we can discuss this topic without any posters being called names

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/bishops-say-pope-still-anti-con doms-for-hiv/story-e6frg6nf-1225958832267

Apparently, coming out in favor of a strategy which acts against AIDS is against the Catholic God's will.

Please evaluate

Contraptionist

It is widely believed that Sorcerers inherit their power from a bloodline or through a fluke of magic. Sorcerers have done little to convince the common folk otherwise. Even highly knowledgeable sages and wizards usually only have the vaguest of suspicions that the bloodline concept is often a myth. For, if the average man really knew where many Sorcerers really got their power, nations would likely join together in giant hunts to round all such characters up and put them safely away.

The Contraptionist has been driven insane by the constant whispers of a world long dead. These whispers speak of power quite unlike anything that exists today. Their dark secrets concern a twisted form of mechanics and engineering dreamed of by the very mad. Driven by these tormenters, the Contraptionist begins to cut into his body to achieve the very perfection these voices promise him - he begins to transform himself into what could only be described as more machine than man.

Class Skills: Knowledge [Engineering]

Bonus Spells:
Mage Armor (3rd)
Pyrotechnics (5th)
Fireball (7th)
Fire Shield (9th)
Fabricate (11th)
Chain Lightning (13th)
Delayed Blast Fireball (15th)
Iron Body (17th)
Meteor Swarm (19th)

Bonus Feats:
Spell Focus Invocation
Greater Spell Focus Invocation
Master Craftsman
Improved Fortitude
Skill Focus [Craft]
Arcane Shield
Combat Casting
Craft Wondrous Item

Bloodline Arcana:
The Contraptionist may apply any metamagic feat he knows to an Invocation spell at one less spell level modifier per metamagic feat. Also, he may apply metamagic feats to Invocation spells without increasing the casting time of the spell.

Bloodline Powers:
1st Lost Arts
The Contraptionist can add his class level as a Contraptionist to his skill level when making Craft skill rolls.
3rd Minor Mods
The Contraptionist gains a natural AC bonus of +1. This increases by 1 for every four levels the character has in Contraptionist.
9th More Machine than Man
The Sorcerer can heal himself by casting Mending or Fabricate on himself. Mending heals 1 hit point per casting. Fabricate works as a Heal spell.
15th Soulless Machine
The character gains spell resistance vs. Necromancy. This spell resistance is equal to the character's class level as a Contraptionist + 10. However, this spell resistance applies to cure spells as well.
20th Full Conversion
The character is immune to poison, no longer needs to breath, and has planar adaptation as a permanent effect.

Sorcerer of the Void

It is widely believed that Sorcerers inherit their power from a bloodline or through a fluke of magic. Sorcerers have done little to convince the common folk otherwise. Even highly knowledgeable sages and wizards usually only have the vaguest of suspicions that the bloodline concept is often a myth. For, if the average man really knew where many Sorcerers really got their power, nations would likely join together in giant hunts to round all such characters up and put them safely away.

The Sorcerer of the Void gains his power from things which creep between moments of time and flicker into and out of existence in the furthest reaches of the mind. Perhaps the Sorcerer did not originally seek out such beings - the alien thoughts and schemes of such beings may have led them to seek him out - but the Sorcerer soon succumbed to their entreaties or eagerly embraced them.

Class Skills: Knowledge [Planes]

Bonus Spells:
Cause Fear(3rd)
Hideous Laughter (5th)
Phantom Steed (7th)
Black Tentacles(9th)
Contact Other Plane (11th)
Shadow Walk (13th)
Insanity (15th)
Horrid Wiltiing (17th)
Weird (19th)

Bonus Feats:(8)
Deepsight
Keen Scent/Smell Fear*
Toughness
Magical Aptitude
Skill Focus (Intimidate)
Skill Focus (Knowledge [Planes])
Iron Will

*The Sorcerer of the Void may ignore the racial prereqs for these feats

Bloodline Arcana:
Whenever you cast a spell, you may make an attempt to Demoralize the target(s)
as a move action. Any target which makes a saving throw vs. your spell is, also, immune to your attempt to demoralize. The choice to attempt to demoralize must be made before the spell is cast.
You also have keen senses.

Bloodline Powers:
1st Leech
The Sorcerer gains an aberrant symbiot pulled from the Void itself. See below
3rd Corruption
The Sorcerer of the Void may increase his Intimidate skill by as much as half his level at the cost of reducing his Diplomacy skill by a similar amount. This choice is made each time the character gains a new level. Also, in direct relation to his Diplomacy penalty, NPC responses not assisted with Intimidate are increasingly unfavorable.
9th Plunder the Rift
Once per day, the Sorcerer of the Void may cast any spell on any spell list as long as he is of a level able to cast such a spell. For example, if he is a 9th level Sorcerer, the Sorcerer can cast any spell castable by a 9th level Cleric, a 9th level Druid, a 9th level Wizard, etc. However, he must first succeed against a Phantasmal Killer spell cast at his Sorcerer level against himself. No magic can improve his odds against this Phantasmal Killer (so, a Helm of Teleportation, for example, provides no benefit, neither does any magic item which raises his attributes)
15th Bulwark of Insanity
Having witnessed horrors far beyond the comprehension of most mortals, the Sorcerer of the Void has developed a powerful ability to withstand mental assault. Treat the Sorcerer of the Void as having the Rogue talent Slippery Mind.
20th Damned
Your body becomes truly unnatural. You are immune to critical hits and sneak attacks. You have damage reduction 5/-. You have arcane sight as a permanent effect.

Are there any professional junior high/high school teachers on these boards? I'd really like to get some advice on changing careers to teaching. I'm concerned about retirement if I make this switch.

Since it's apparently okay to post a thread asking to raise money for one hate group (the Boy Scouts), I'm wondering about other hate groups?

What other hate groups are raising money?

Are the kiddies for the Ku Klux Klan doing a car wash?

Is Mecha doing a marathon race?

I noticed that Paizo deleted the other thread which pointed out the hate mongering of the BSA. Are they defending them?

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/1107/In-Spain-Pope-Benedict-XVI- lambasts-aggressive-secularism

Seriously?

I mean, am I the only one who finds it rather hypocritical to be lambasted by the leader of an organization which has -this- track record when it comes to morality? I need this guy about as much as I need radical fundamentalist Muslims. Being lambasted by him is like putting China on the UN's Human Rights Commission.

On a positive note, I was cheered that the LGBT community organized a kiss-in in protest.

Is it just English? Are there plans to add new languages in the near future?

Can a Sorcerer (with UMD) use a Candle of Invocation?

I've got a 13th level monk and need a character sheet for it. The character sheet in the back of the core book doesn't work well for monks. The monk needs a substantially larger place to record BAB; base attack, flurry of blows, Medussa's wrath, extra attack from ki point, perfect strike, etc. The character sheet needs more space to record movement; jumping, spider step, tumbling to avoid attacks of opportunity, falling, dimn door, etc. The character sheet needs more space to record defenses; immunities to poison and disease, spell resistance, evasion, etc. Add to that stunning fist effects, ki pool effects (forex. adamantine fist vs. object hardness, etc.).

In short, I need a character sheet for monks. Does anybody know where I can get one?

Many fantasy stories have the conceit that the setting takes place after our modern world has ended. Shanara comes most readily to mind as an example. There are some game systems, such as Earthdawn, which draws upon this trope as well. But I can think of no published world from any major RPG publishing house which draws on this idea for d20.

Have any of you GMs had your players unexpectedly stumble upon Cheyenne Mountain or Hoover Dam or any other ruin of the modern world?

Imagine a world in which no one has been over 16th level in oral history.
When the PC Wizards get to that level, they have to go on significant quests just to find spells and spell components.

1.) Has any of you ever played in such a world?

2.) Are there any known problems with such a world?

On page 154 under "Perfect Strike" "Benefits" the APG states, "Roll twice for unarmed strikes and take the better roll".
On page 166 under "Perfect Strike" the APG states, "You must use one of the following weapons to make the attack: kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, and siangham".

Which of these is right?

Also, on the same page (page 166), it states, "A monk may attempt an perfect strike a number of times per day..". Should that be, "A weapon master or zen archer may attempt an perfect strike a number of times per day.."?

Is it legal to apply weapon finesse to unarmed strikes?

Do you think the racial diversity of players matches the racial diversity of the real world at large?

Is Pathfinder, disproportionately, played by white people? I'm sure this is difficult to answer because of black swan events.

I honestly can't remember the last time I had a black person at my table and I've been playing RPGs for a couple of decades.