Mad Gene Vane1's page

The big boss battle can easily result in a TPK, unless the GM goes out of their way to not use all the bad guys abilities or hand waves somethings to keep a PC from dying 4.

The saves in this encounter would be more appropriate for levels 9-10 or higher. A level 7 character trained in a save, and a +1 ability mod would have a +10 save. The chances for failing saves are well over 50% this encounter. At best a PC in high tier may be a master in one type of save, so level seven master in a save, and with a +4 ability mod is a +17 save. There’s still a greater than 50% chance to fail some of the saves, if the PC is a master in the necessary save. The PC’s other saves won’t be as good, so if the weaker saves are what’s needed, then making that save is very unlikely.

The entire encounter is save or suck, with the chances of sucking being far greater than making the save.

I don’t normally complain about scenarios, but this big boss battle is so much more dependent on dice rolling high that it’s just not fun. I usually like hard encounters, but a good hard encounter has multiple ways for PC’s to prevail. In this encounter, more than half the party to the entire party can fail their saves, in which case GM not holding back can easily TPK a party in under four rounds.

"Wit

You are friendly, clever, and full of humor, always knowing just what to say in any situation. Your witticisms leave foes unprepared for the skill and speed of your attacks. You are trained in Diplomacy and gain the Bon Mot skill feat. You gain panache during an encounter whenever you succeed at a Bon Mot against a foe."

If a foe cannot hear you, or cannot understand you (whether due to language or mindless), they are not going to be unprepared for your attack.

Your witticism will have no effect.

If you tell me my mother was a hamster, and my father smelled of elderberries, but I do not understand your language, I would not be shocked at the silliness of your remark or be offended by your remark.

The style is not about making you feel good about yourself, but rather about making your enemy go "huh? what'd you say..." and therefore they need to be able to hear and understand you.

Nothing in the "Casting a Spell forma Scroll" section says you must be able to cast spells of the scroll's level.

The spell must be on your spell list and the moment you take the caster dedication, you are trained in that magic tradition's spell list.

So I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be able to cast any spell (of your tradition) from a scoll.

There's also no limit to caracter level. You could cast Time Stop from a scroll at character level 3 if you somehow got your hands on a scroll for that.

Thanks for the clarification. I honestly have some issues adjusting from 1e, with regards to how much nicer 2e is many regards.

I was mulling over making a Fighter, with Guard background, which gets Intimidation as a trained skill, which is charisma based.

I was playing around with a 10 charisma or 12 charisma, and I started to wonder how much difference is there actually between a 10 or 18 in a character stat.

On the bonus for a d20 roll, it’s just a 20% difference. When I think of the difference between a 10 and 14 charisma or 18 charisma (or another stat) in playing a character, it does not progress linearly like the bonus on the d20 roll does.

A 10 charisma stat I play as an introvert. A 14 as the life of a party, and an 18 like a superstar.

Outside of strength, which is quantifiable, with carrying capacity the other five stat categories are not really.

For example, at what dexterity stat number does character gain the agility of a gymnast? Or can barely touch their toes?

I’m just curious on what people’s thoughts are how much the value of a character stat affects how you play your character.

Thanks.

The idea of having a hand locked into a shield, while exploring is unnerving. I don't know why, but I get bad feeling about not having both hands free.

Just seems like you're inviting a pit trap to be sprung, which requires both hands to grab the ledge and pull yourself up, or a difficult climb, where you have to sheath the shield and when you get to the top there's an encounter. And now you have to spend 2 actions to don the shield and draw the weapon, which screws up your normal action economy.

Maybe I'm over thinking it or paranoid from playing too many RPG's or both.

Table manners come first, RP issues come second. Worry more about your relations with real people, and less about pretend problems in a pretend world.

If I wanted to deal with real world problems and real world people, I wouldn't be roll playing in the first place...bah...reality is overrated...

Thanks for the advice. Maybe I'll burn a feat on Skill Focus:UMD so I don't have to take a 1 level dip into another class to get it.

Did clear up some confusion for me.