far_wanderer's page

Page 46, the Wave Strike ability deals increased damage based on the shaman level of the target, not the character using it.

Cheapy wrote:

What aspects of the spell list are you looking for feedback on?

Its not really something I can crowd-source. Basing it off druid just does not feel right, despite the fact that it is a reasonable fit for the theme. I am still mulling it over, weighing options.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer

The spell list is actually my favorite thing about the Shaman, and I would strongly recommend against changing it.

Slayer is my favorite class. Not just in the playtest - overall. Here's why: thematically, I love Rangers. Competent, skilled warrior is my ideal character archetype. But I HATE conditional bonuses, and the Ranger is full of them. Slayer now gives me everything I wanted from the Ranger, but instead of the conditional bonuses, I get much weaker bonuses that I can use on whatever I want, whenever I want. This is perfect for me, and I love everything about the class and don't want it to change. Actually, I take that back, upon looking at the class again just now, I want it have Knowledge: Nature as a class skill. It just seems really weird to have all of the other wilderness based skills and abilities but not that.

If I were going to make the class weaker, I would drop Sneak Attack, as it is the ability I'm least attached too. It would still be my favorite class.

If I were going to refine the class a bit, I would make Slayer's Advance into a Slayer Talent, as it clearly feels like one and it seems weird to get this one specific talent that doesn't suit my playstyle at a specific (late) level with no other options.

If I were going to make the class better, I would add one level of Fighter Armor Training to the Slayer Talent list, as I really like that ability and it would be nice to move at full speed in medium armor.

First, keep in mind that you may be dealing with the good kind of meta-gaming: the party assumes that they are being super-paranoid at all doors, but when they know out of character that the coast is clear they stop wasting everyone's time with the whole routine.

As to actual solutions, a technique I've been trying recently for checks that I don't want to give second chances at is that a failed check doesn't just mean you don't succeed, it means there's a reason you don't succeed. Some examples:

Rogue: "I listen at the door"
GM: "A few termites have gotten into the door, and their chewing obscures whatever faint sounds you might otherwise be able to see."

Barbarian: "I lift the gate open"
GM: "It starts to budge, but the loose gravel under your feet shifts and you are unable to find enough traction."

This also has the beneficial side effect of not periodically making all characters look like incompetent fools due to a string of bad dice.

I'm quite blessed with me players, as I tend to give them significant mechanical freedom for creative purposes and they respond by not abusing the privilege.
This applies to Wild Shape as: my players can use the stats of any animal, at any size (for example - a large-sized wolverine) provided they can come up with an animal that makes sense for them to be able to turn into that would have those approximate stats. And "Dire" is a valid explanation. I have never had a problem with this being abused. The one limit I do place is that my group only has one copy of each Bestiary, and I get priority on their use. This means that they need to figure out their favored combat forms in advance and write them down.

People are mentioning kits and tools a lot, so I'm going to repost what I said in the last thread:

But the thing I want to see the most is both more "kits" (climber's kit, artisan's tools, etc.) and a breakdown of what is in them. The Arms and Equipment guide for Star Wars d20 had a few sidebars to this effect, and they were my favorite part of that book. It's really nice to know things like whether or not you need a whetstone if you already have an artisan's tools (weaponsmithing). And in my experience, it makes the PCs much more likely to improvise and come up with creative solutions.

Here are two examples of the kind of thing I'm talking about:

Spoiler:

Survival Kit (Masterwork provides +2 to survival checks) A survival kit provides the necessary tools for day-to-day existence in a temperate wilderness. It typically contains some form of fire-starter, a single set of camp dishes (fork, spoon, plate, bowl), refillable containers for a day's supply of water, very basic maps showing major landmarks, and a small utility knife. Masterwork versions contain higher quality gear and often add a guide to identifying flora and fauna.

Notekeeper's Kit (Masterwork provide +2 to skill or ability checks to remember information) A notekeeper's kit contains equipment to record useful information. A typical kit contains some form of journal or scrolls with enough space to contain a month's notes, a container and paper for up to ten detailed maps, and writing implements for the same. A masterwork kit usually adds an indexing system and a small ruler for more accurate maps, and is also alchemically waterproofed.

I definitely second the requests for both better treasure generation and an index of items by slot. I'd also really like to see a few standardized equipment packages for GM and player reference. Stuff like "woodland travel package: 1 bedroll, 1 tent, 1 walking stick (quarterstaff), 3 waterskins..." so that we can easily generate a basic equipment set for NPCs or new players.

But the thing I want to see the most is both more "kits" (climber's kit, artisan's tools, etc.) and a breakdown of what is in them. The Arms and Equipment guide for Star Wars d20 had a few sidebars to this effect, and they were my favorite part of that book. It's really nice to know things like whether or not you need a whetstone if you already have an artisan's tools (weaponsmithing). And in my experience, it makes the PCs much more likely to improvise and come up with creative solutions.

Here are two examples of the kind of thing I'm talking about:

Daroob made some excellent points about challenging your players while still allowing them to have fun. With that in mind, here are a few hints on how to challenge your players without crushing them utterly, and on how to push them to expand their skill sets while still allowing them play the characters they want to.
1 - Include decent ranged weapons in their loot. Thrown weapons and composite bows tend to work well for two-handed fighters. What you're looking for is something about 1-2 "+1"s below the party's main weapons - right in that spot where it's not worth selling right away but still good enough to be useful. Make sure to include at least one encounter where the ranged weapons come up BEFORE the PC's get a chance to sell them.
2 - Take the excellent advice given above about terrain and apply it to monsters that they have already defeated previously. Nothing spurs a party to adapt faster than taking three times as long to defeat an enemy they had previously stopped being scared of.
3 - Foreshadow the difficult fights. At this point they should be at least vaguely aware of the fact that some encounters are way more difficult for them. So give them warning that the next villain is a flying spellcaster, and hopefully they'll take steps to be ready. (Addendum - while I was typing this, Mathmuse gave an excellent example of how to do exactly this.)
4 - Don't beat them at their own game. What you want is for them to broaden their horizons, not continue to further specialize. That means that when they DO corner something in a flat-out brawl, they should be able to win spectacularly and have fun because of it.

but if we go with the specific spell and not the general statements then you would not get the natural attacks of the animal since neither wild shape nor any of the beast/dragon/etc. shape spells say you get them. they only say you get the listed abilities if the creature has them.

I see were my confusion is coming from. people see that under the magic section under transmutation in the polymorph section it states the when you are effected by a polymorph spell you get the natural attacks of the creature. then they are ignoring the part were it states you only change your bonuses if you change size.

Ie. it would seem people are only paying attention to what gives them bonuses. I thank you for your help I understand how it works now.

The spell does not mention anything at all about natural attacks (special abilities are a specifically different category) therefore the description given in the spell school applies.