Midnight of Golgotha's page

I'm judging by a variety of signs. The very existence of a bandit list is reason enough to advise new players against offensive PvP for purposes of learning, regardless of whichever vigilante posting you might be referring to.

Savage Grace wrote:

Still out and about.

Visited Brighthaven Friday and Saturday, Kreuz Bernstein and Emerald Lodge on Saturday, Blackwatch Saturday and Sunday, and reached River Bank this morning.

Spent my time leisurely gathering resources in between each of these settlements.

Most people aren't going to fire on you, even if you are gathering resources. What do you think of that?

It's exactly what I expected, after ~70 days of not being jumped while gathering resources (except in good-natured consensual fun by an ally before husks came into the game). Besides the map is so very very devoid of players.

I've seen exactly ONE player outside of a settlement, even though the walkabout has spanned a weekend.

With the exception of miss-identifying my group as TSV and attacking us. Other than that I am sure Grim and Golgotha are sincere in their efforts to properly identify targets.

:)

We're bad bad people.

I don't know how anyone puts up with us.

Gol Tink wrote:

Quote:

Committing a crime is a moral offense.

And they call us evil.

You do not see stealing as a moral offense?

In the real world, the first man to erect a fence and claim all this is mine and none shall pass... that man was egregiously evil and the world would be a better place if he had been laughed out of civilization, rather than copied.

In our virtual world, I was one of the first E.E. territorial players because that is, in my opinion, the absolutely best way to roleplay the evil that my guild had chosen to play here.

So when I say, welcome to the dark side, I'm sincere.

Had my guild chosen to roleplay good, you'd see an entirely different personal player behavior (though I'd have to work within a group framework and most of those guildmates might have a difficult time accepting that, in the real world, they live in what I view as an evil society).

mmmm yummy yummy divine points.

Gotcha, well it is indeed more lenient in its current state. I don't see your evil settlement or characters being less powerful than your good counterparts. And I think it's safe to say being a bandit is just as easy as being the good guy. I'm almost positive that's not intended.

While being an *occasional* bandit is just as easy, that just points to a failure of the social control element that Lisa and Ryan put in PLAYER hands.

I'm amazed that Midnight doesn't get hunted down as the public face of coal killing (even though I know players who kill way more coal gatherers and bring home far more coal than Midnight).

Of course, Midnight does things that perhaps mitigate any calls for a posse. e.g. I bumped into a stranger who had a husk in the center of a gnarly pack of mobs and told them to let me pull the mobs away so he could get his husk. I hope that on the day a posse comes with a rope for Midnight, that whoever that stranger was fires an arrow that slices the rope, allowing me to escape.

But social control leniency has also allowed players to TRY a lot of things out and that should be improving crowdforging. I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of clemency movement at the Cataclysm or at OE. But it might also be a mistake for miscreants to depend on it.

<Kabal> Daeglin wrote:

Kryzbyn wrote:

It seems backwards to me to have the PVP stuff in place before the safeguards are in place or whatever needs to be in place to prevent this kind of thing from happening...

I honestly can't tell if you really don't understand or are deliberately exaggerating. Nothing "wrong" happened. The game played out as intended. Pvp occurred with consequences (not rep loss due to open pvp status, but social consequences such as increased aggression against Golgotha from neighbors), and rewards (loot drops). Some players on both sides changed how they play the game, and others quit because they finally experienced a major component of the game. This will happen again and again and again all across the map because it is the game. Hopefully, there wont be the rage as the people who have so far ignored information from the developers will now understand it better. The echo chamber is never a good place to learn things.

I'm not entirely sure but I'd guess the problem is (at this stage of the game) the consequences for murderers/bandits are far less severe than the victim's. And, as far as I know, that is not at all how it is intended or described.

As a tier 2 gatherer of 4 gathering types I feel the consequences of losing to banditry are usually inconsequential.

I could lose ~30 minutes of gathering if I wasn't smart enough to run away.

Yes, moving hundreds of recipes/spells/maneuvers from one bank to another in one load is risky, but that always remains a choice of risk versus time spent moving them one at a time (or some hybrid) for safety. That's a good thing in a game where choices matter.

Midnight of Golgotha wrote:

I want to be able to craft, gather, carry recipe drops, etc. without unreasonable risks. You can't get far in this game without doing that stuff.

Can you be more specific about what the necessary and sufficient conditions are for an unreasonable risk?

It is subjective for each person, obviously. Thus the need for whole INFORMED crowdforging thing, tempered of course by the devs' intentions and the way the game is/was marketed.

I'll offer some SUBJECTIVE personal views...

To offer you an Eve-online example, I didn't like 4 cheap destroyers being able to kill a far more expensive Mackinaw before the Concorde "guards" could stop them.

In this game I wouldn't want to see a throwaway 1,000 point character two shotting my tier 2 equipped character. (I don't think that can happen now, but I also don't imagine myself crowdforging to get such a gank-friendly world).

I completely agree with the crafters who want to be able to see the mini-map while having the crafting window open.

I didn't start crafting until the devs improved the Thornguard behavior to fire on an attacker flag (and I'd *still* like to see the mini-map).

People who PvP are competitive and want to see clear evidence they won. Everywhere. Even the forums. You can't put much import in these threads because at least half of every post is tactical verbal maneuvering, feints, and pushes to disable some ideas and and advance their own so they can win that too.

While there's some truth to that, there's also some fallacy to it.

There are times when you'll see legitimate honest crowdforging at the expense of PvP.

I have 2 crafters. I have a combat character that has killed a hundred (closer to a thousand) times more mobs than player characters. THIS character is a gatherer with far far more xp put into gathering than combat skills.

I want to be able to craft, gather, carry recipe drops, etc. without unreasonable risks. You can't get far in this game without doing that stuff.

I'll remind you, that it was Golgothan PvPers who invited the devs on the Hammerfall raid to show them how worthless Thornguards were. If you like Thornguards who fire on an attacker flag... thank Golgothan PvPers.

It is likely I and my mates accept risk (and even losses) more easily than those who have habitually avoided PvP, but we really are looking for the right balance of risk versus reward for the game in general.

And the low/no risk side has plenty of advocates. I can only hope people engage in INFORMED crowdforging rather than just what they read about in the forums. Especially because there are so few PvP voices to read.

I've seen myself and my Golgothan mates in action. This is just one person's view but I'll share.

There's no one size fits all strategy or tactic. People are different, each one has moods too, and then there's the complication of group dynamics as people come together.

This is why lawful settlements set some minimum standards as well as often debriefing after combat to decide if we really liked that result and should we do it again or would we do it differently next time. These are constant conversations because we are trying to strike a balance. Although we want to be an "evil" settlement and we want to attract and retain PvPers by engaging in PvP, we aren't going to attract the folks we want with egregious behavior. This is why other power blocs always try to paint our behavior as worse than it is. They hope to interfere with us recruiting the responsible adults we're looking for (that they hope will become part of THEIR military machine, instead). I'd ALWAYS urge you to weigh your own experiences with Golgothans far more heavily than the negative propaganda other power blocs post. Even when they are truthful about a particular incident, they are trying to get the world to pinpoint focus on that one sub-optimal aspect instead of the overall actual realistic picture of the thousands of interactions Golgothans have that aren't controversial.

Yes we weigh risk over reward at times, but you're leaving out one very important part of that equation... reputation cost.

The beauty of defensive grouping is that if you're in a non-PvP hex that's an awful lot of rep hits for someone (even a group of someones) to take. Besides the rep hit we'd also get attacker flags and now be subject to tab targeting and the GROUP focused fire that allows.

But if you're in an open PvP window, well... who is ignoring risk versus reward, now?

I've seen (and heard on comms) players get our grace and run by us unmolested many many times. And I've seen us pounce.

On comms you'll also hear us comment on the intelligence of our possible targets, including praise for the smart ones. I *like* smart gatherers. Sometimes being a smart gatherer just means running when you see Midnight on your mini-map.

They live. I gather coal faster. And by the time my pack fills they have probably finished the sandwich they went off to make. There are DOZENS of folks who just know to clear out and come back later, especially if the PvP window is open.

But I've also seen the low intelligence play like someone who (after being warned earlier about poaching and telling us he was just passing through) would try and lumber off Zombie Kitten Mountain with so much copper that he was inching his way across the map with a forum famous PvPer walking behind him (and I was calling for backup on comms just for help to carry the expected loot) and then I watched him stroll into an open PvP hex.

Surely he's going to turn around, I think. "Don't be a jerk" comes to mind. Game mechanics don't let you see what the next hex is until you enter (and I've already suggested that we crowdforge a change to that). So abiding by the "Don't be a jerk" rule I give him time to turn around and exit the new Open PvP hex. The "Don't be a jerk" rule AND then, just sheer morbid curiosity keeps me from shooting him for an extra minute as I watch him blithely stroll further and further into an open PvP hex.

Anyone want to guess how that ended?

And my thanks to Flynn Pontis for helping carry the copper back to Golgotha where it belongs. :-)

10 days ago I offered to present this course on Mumble for Pathfinder Online University but while trying to schedule it PvP livened up for a couple of days and I suggested putting it on hold because I was too busy doing combat to chat about combat.

The PFO-U rep I spoke to said that made the course even more germane and needed, and frankly I agree, but we’ll have to settle on doing this as a Paizo thread, and hopefully LOTS of experienced people can offer answers to any questions, as will I.

Mobile Nodes: How to avoid becoming one.

Presented by Midnight.

The instructor is a self described enthusiastic but mediocre PvPer who has Tier 2 in all 4 gathering skills and is pushing two gathering skills to tier 3.

This class excludes Tower oriented combat but may offer ideas you’ll use there.

Short lecture. There will likely be more questions and answers than lecture.

1) Get out there and do offensive PvP. It will make you a better defender as you see the various ways people defeat/escape you. Seeing what they do wrong or right when you’re not carrying anything important may make the difference when YOU are a defender and, thus, help you get those valuable resources, recipe drops, etc. to YOUR bank. You can practice offense in hexes with an open PvP window without reputation loss. If you find an often contested hex like a coal hex (where there aren’t many other coal hexes) you also aren’t likely to shock anyone and cause hurt feelings.

2) Stealth is your friend, not for hiding, but for cutting targeting range. Even turning it on for a few seconds can break someone’s targeting.

3) Speed and other buffs are your friends. Don’t forget you have them. You may not even need to fight. The Function One button will shift your focus to yourself in case the enemy attacks are causing you to auto-target them.

4) Don’t advertise you are carrying anything. Avoid encumbrance. Slow targets are juicy targets.

5) Be aware of PvP windows in hexes you operate in, as well as in hexes you might escape to. Be aware of the stereotypical demeanor of the folks in each neighborhood, unless scouting that is why are heading there in the first place.

6) The 60 second attacker flag. Your attacker might want to keep renewing it BEFORE it expires. Don't let him do that in a hex without an open PvP window. You want him to take the rep penalty he'll get if he attacks again after the attacker flag expires. The attacker flag can even remain valid moving from a hex with an open PvP window as you both move to an adjacent hex with a closed PvP window.

These are just very simple points, but hopefully they’ll lead to useful and educational discussions.

and to quote my 7th grade algebra teacher whenever he finished a lecture...

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? Cries of Anguish?

@Thod

Solo PvPers should have backup on comms. While I often patrol the coal hex myself, I always know that some of my mates will jump off the mountain to join me if I want some help. There are times I call for backup just because I can tell by how slowly my target is moving that I'm going to need help carrying all of our newfound wealth.. Thanks Flynn Pontis. :-)

I want to be clear that I'm speaking as an individual (but as an individual with enough characters to singlehandedly grab all of E.L.'s towers any day I choose).

There are 3 reasons settlements have towers:

1) Because they are mighty (or sneaky) enough and disciplined enough to hold them under whatever WoT game mechanics exist at the time.

2) Because their neighbors practice forbearance (for a variety of reasons, from diplomatic to military to propaganda value or fear of negative propaganda, or even because a settlement is seen as cute and lovable, or seen as being useful).

3) Because there is a surplus of towers.

---

#3 looks like it is going away, and will likely pressure the viabilty of many settlements relying on #2. That doesn't mean #2 can't work, just that it is likely to be more challenging.

There are quite a few reasons I haven't singlehandedly taken E.L.'s towers, the first being that I (currently) prefer being in my current settlement to the option of creating a company to take your (or anyone else's) towers and holding them as an indie (who could recruit more folks to help, obviously).

I also like nearly every E.L. member I've communicated with.

I'm intrigued with what you're doing, and simple curiosity over what will happen next is also a big part of my individual E.L. forbearance. RiverBank's Academy could also fall into that category soon or someday.

In fact the only thing working against you (as far as my individual forbearance) is the fact that if I took them it would mobilize a lot of people to your defense.

You might think that works for you, until you realize I like PvP and even a day of LOSING PvP can be better than a day without it.

But you can currently put up a sign saying: 47 days without Midnight capturing our towers. :-)

Considering WHY you can put up that sign should help you figure out how to keep that and over 32 other signs up.

I'm not trying to alarm you with the sudden realization that you have more people to worry about than the 32 settlement leaders you're already juggling. I'm just trying to offer one person's individual view on the strengths and weaknesses of your position and what you do and don't have going for you.

Good luck, and I agree with a lot of the sentiment of the people above.

Whether the current system is accidental, or not, I have to agree with Pino.. stopping at gathering 7 ought not be a wildly excellent min-max optimum.

That doesn't mean that some of my types of gathering won't stop at 7. It's already sort of a sweet-spot since you get access to better materials, and I'm ok with a t1 volume trade-off (as far as the supplemental types of gathering I'm not pushing to tier 3 this year).

But it *does seem* to be a trade-off, and making choices matter is (and should remain) important.

But you have my sympathy on the late night not really thinking choice, O.P. We've all been there on some feat.

Every settlement is capable of providing new player orientation.

They have simply been (largely) reserving that effort towards their new members.

The settlement where I reside has open forum pages where strangers can ask questions, and a TS3 commons channel that is either public or the worst kept secret in Golaria.

It might be that settlements should just be more helpful to the unaligned and make them aware of the resources at their disposal.

Perhaps easier said than done, but if anything, the O.P.'s announcement may be offering settlements the incentive they need to to start no-pressure orientation for even the unaligned, or be left out of the orientation process and it's resulting recruiting possibilities.

On a slight tangent, one thing I've noticed is that no player that I have defeated or sent running has ever messaged me to ask what they could have done better. In "that other game", it was fairly expected to get that question from someone you defeated and it was often answered in a helpful and respectful manner by the victor. Perhaps I need to take the initiative and start that conversation after battles but I haven't in the past because it might sound condescending for the victor to start it. (And when I've lost I've been fairly clear on where I screwed up).

"Reputation is a currency; it should be spent".

movie reference that making fun of my own transcription error.

Before the patch, I've seen many known PvPers logged in and stationary for long periods in what would be sleep times and work times in their stated timezones.

So I'm going to stick with my prediction that it will vastly slow down "unsanctioned PvP".

Most days, I could have gone afk 20 hours a day to regain rep, if I chose.

Most folks understand what's going on by now, (whether or not they approve), so I spent most of the last 2 weeks, for instance, at max rep, and never fell under 6,000 (all without afk-ing), even though I'm widely viewed as a scourge of the coal fields. (In fact, there are people with far more kills than me, even in "my" :-) coal hex).

So is 30 rep an hour good for PvPers or bad?

It is slower than before but faster than the 10 rep they chose when this patch was first announced.

The upside is if we get it back without being in game. I haven't tested it.

AFKing for rep gain was just stupid.

But it will vastly slow down "unsanctioned PvP",

or maybe just force me to play my characters in rotation. ;-)

Savage Grace wrote:

Hey, isn't Chribba the Swiss word for Thod? ;-)

How do I meet this Chribba?

** spoiler omitted **

Fascinating stuff:

Chribba articles and pics

I'm still pricing my tattoo of a mound of shiny rocks. ;-)

To read about another fascinating Eve personality

Vile Rat articles

Savage Grace wrote:

Gaskon wrote:

Savage Grace wrote:

I picture PvPers next year just being handed whatever gear they can use, and having it replaced by GRPs (Gear Replacement Programs).

Crafting will have little meaning to them because everything is free, just for showing up and PvPing.

The reverse of this, is that PVPers are just peons that kill what they are told, when they are told to, otherwise the gear spigot gets stuff off and they become useless.

"Mongo just pawn in great chessboard of life."

-Blazing Saddles

It's actually "game of life". That's key because it makes the line a reference to a more modern board game than chess. ;P

Savage Grace wrote:

And the rich settlement leaders will be the ones who strike the best balance. But I'm betting you see leaders be MUCH richer than crafters.

If the settlement leaders decide to collaborate on setting a "taxation standard", I'll be the first to sign up for la revolucion gloriosa.

Dude, you're going to be revolutionary zero no matter WHAT the issue. ;-)

Hey Kobold Cleaver, what are *you* rebelling against?

KC: Whatta ya got?

Oh, so far it hasn't become Eve (except in the whole big power blocs that might get a bit full of themselves ala BoB). I dig the leadership far and wide.

But it is very very early, and power corrupts, as does access to the wealth generated by underlings, when there is little accountability.

Plus once leaders can be unseated, we'll have the kind of leaders who'd unseat the leaders we like now.

If GW can makes resources scarce enough to bring out good competition... competition can get very ugly. But without competition, we could just play WoW.

We'll see how it goes.

He's not completely clueless, though. He was asking on the help channel where he could find coal away from Golgotha.

I guess he thinks the rest of you deserve a chance at the coal pinata. ;-)

Savage Grace wrote:

That's only as much coal as you get looting two of Grumpf's husks. ;-)

It takes a high level free holder 3 standard trips to move that kind of load and still stay mobile. With 2 trips the weight is almost unbearable , which would explain why that PC had a husk that was looted... :)

Yes, his waddle is what tends to attract my mates. It pretty much screams "ignore your rep and gank me, I'm worth it!"

200 Coal + 50 Lodestone; I got more Tier 2 Metals than you can shake a Kobold at. Try Me (looks at Midnight). :)

All my coal and lodestone goes to Benevolent Dictator's coffers.

But I also have no need to bid because all my armor comes from Benevolent Dictator's coffers.

My gatherer is still further along in her career than my Necromancer.

My understanding is that the KILLING shot gets the kill and a chance at loot gets spread across all members of the party that got the killing shot.

Each party member gets (a chance at?) INDIVIDUALIZED random loot and those with a higher knowledge skill in the appropriate category are rolling on a "better" loot table.

Your character doesn't have to get the killing blow, to get loot, if you are the only group fighting the monsters.

Midnight of Golgotha wrote:

The group doesn't have to be all gatherers. We already group sometimes with no gathering bonus. The gatherers fan out for nodes, while the "guards" kill monsters for their (group bonus) loot while exposing the nodes the monsters camp.

If the gatherers are near the guards when the mob is killed, they are getting the bonus loot just for being there. The "bonus" is actually a lower chance per person, but a higher chance per group, so if gatherers were treated the same, some nodes would have less (or even nothing) in them, while some would have more. Each gatherer would come away with less than if they were alone, but the group would get more in total. Since the chance of more than two items per node is starting lower than the chance of loot, I suspect treating gathering the same would actually be a hindrance.

Hmm, Yeah, I hadn't considered that a group shares a chance at monster loot but doesn't share gathering.

I wonder if gathering was shared, whether I'd be told to stop because I was weighing the party down. :-)

I'm going to have to dwell on this.

Displaying my ignorange: what group bonus currently applies in PvE?

I can't find the posts explaining it, but there is something like a 25% better loot chance in a full party of 6.

@Tyncale

The group doesn't have to be all gatherers. We already group sometimes with no gathering bonus. The gatherers fan out for nodes, while the "guards" kill monsters for their (group bonus) loot while exposing the nodes the monsters camp.

I'm just saying its goofy that gatherers don't get the same bonus for grouping that the guards get.

All suggestions that I just want large groups of gatherers to be holding 30% more resources on their husks when I loot them are scurrilous unfounded rumors. ;-)

7. Don't let it get personal. Some of us will exploit that.

Ok, so someone just shot you for mining their favorite coal hex. Don't run PAST your own husk to try and get revenge. You'll just get kited 5 hexes while the gal you chase is having friends loot your husk and another friend meet along your path to unleash on your face as you run by, too transfixed on the gal you are chasing. Assume that everyone is on voice-comms, and learn from experience how long certain groups take to mobilize. Some groups are very very eager to rush to any action, no matter how insignificant.

6. It is easier to mine copper or coal from a husk, than to run all over a hex collecting it.

:-)

In all seriousness, though, to new folks, get used to the idea that your gatherer won't always make it home safely. There are certain places where people exert territorial control over nearby resources, even at the expense of rep.

Sometimes, shorter more frequent gathering trips will net you more resources (and your opponents fewer resources) than a long gathering session.

You have to weigh travel time versus doing all that gathering for nothing if/when you get attacked by people who have rule #6 tattooed on the back of their hand.

When I reach my favorite gathering hexes, the first thing I look for are mobile nodes gatherers who will save me all the hassle of gathering for myself.

I have 2 jobs and I have lots of fun in PFO. My mates don't see much of me on weekdays, but I touch base with them and join them for an hour or 2 if they're doing something fun, or just do stuff (like gathering) on my own.

I make sure to gather the stuff we need, and because I'm not on as much as the rest of my mates, I also represent a low maintenance cost for them. For instance, I don't grind through gear as much so I'm less of a burden on the crafters.

It all seems to work out fine for me and I hear no complaints from my mates.

But to only average 2 hours a WEEK, as the O.P. writes about, that's the lowest level of casual I can imagine, and I can't see how the O.P. would even keep track of the game, unless they have many hours to read the web while stuck at work.

If you are a crafter and are worried that crafters will be ahead of you, remember that you can be crafting tier 2 gear in ~45 days, and tier 3 gear isn't showing up for nearly 300 hundred days.

Yes, if they do everything perfectly, the crafters that started first will be the first to pioneer new tier 3 gear into the markets... for a month. While that is a valuable opportunity, it really shouldn't be a deal breaker for late starting crafters.

I've shifted to putting things I want DEVS to look at in the GW forums.

Things I want to crowdforge before involving devs I post here because this is still where the people are.

I've been outed.

bwahahahaha

This is so very true. When I am gathering/traveling I tend to be looking at my mini map just as much if not more than my main screen.

There's a main screen? ;-)

Armor feats can help you take less damage as well as provide other bonuses (read the keyword descriptions carefully).

However, the gather nekkid philosophy was very popular before husks, because no armor meant no armor durability hit when you died.

Husks may have changed it so that players will want the armor bonuses in order to die less and leave fewer husks.

I'm still gathering both armored and nekkid depending on my mood (including if I'm gathering with a pack of my bloodthirsty combat PvP mates in tow).

Yeah, we'll don our +2 armor to gather coal, cuz that's how we roll. :-)

Who won the pool? :-)

Now the gankers use Marchmont for AFK rep gain after ganking newbies NEARBY Marchmont instead of inside

Goblin Works Crowdforging forum post

Currently, if you logout, your character remains and is vulnerable even after it looks like you are gone on the player's video monitor.

I'm proposing a safe logout command that announces that the character is logging safely in chat and through a (glowing?) animation, and has a countdown where other players can object by attacking (but lose rep if they aren't in a sanctioned PvP window).

Upon no attack after x seconds, the character becomes immobile and invulnerable and then logs out.

I don't want logouts to be an escape from attacks, but shooting people as they log in and out because they can't see or control their characters is cheesy.

The old logout mechanics could remain for those who think they are safe, are in a hurry or don't want to draw attention.

I would also like to hear proposals about our vulnerability upon logging in when people are getting shot before they can even see or control their character.

I don't want to play "station games" with the juiciest targets docking up in safety.

If you do get your safe spot because more players want to hide than raid... it should not provide rep or power regain nor allow /trade.

Nor should players be allowed to logout and login another character on an account while they have a character in this safe spot. Otherwise, Destiny's Twin becomes overpowered because you (and your DT mates) always have a fully efficient combat character to rescue your fully efficient crafter. DT has enough advantages already.

And if you get these safe spots, I predict you will find yourselves "caged" by your opponents.

Perfect play will lead to no deaths.

Less than perfect play used to only hurt the character who screwed up.

NOW, less than perfect play can screw up people who were playing perfectly.

I think that is a HUGE mistake for a game that wants social interactions... because you'll see players segregating into elite tiers of play that will tolerate no mistakes from other characters.

If you want a game where choices matter then the choice of sloppy play ought to directly harm the sloppy player, not OTHERS who have chosen precise and careful play.

Before the AI changes players could show tolerance for another player's mistakes.

If devs insist on an AI system that lets a sloppy player harm good players, you're going to wind up with segregation.

MAYBE that's what they want. MAYBE that's what we, as crowdforgers want. But I feel this is EXACTLY the kind of change that should have been DISCUSSED and CROWDFORGED before being implemented. It certainly needs crowdforging NOW.

My opinion is that I like being able to be tolerant (and having others be able to be tolerant) of less than perfect play in PvE.

If that is NOT what we want, I'll adapt; but we ought to be clear about what we want.

The Mordant Spire escalation have already expanded into the ROAD hex between the south entrance to Zombie Kitten Mountain and the settlement of Golgotha.

In another week or two it will be like a toll bridge you pay using durability. Sloppy travelers are already paying that toll.

Midnight of Golgotha wrote:

I'm not sure what orisons are. I think what I use is the acolyte's battle focus and an 81 xp point cantrip(?) called minor cure that we used to be able to spam for 50 point heals, but now does 150 point heals with a 6 second cooldown.

Cantrip = Wizard magical effect slotted into a wand or staff.

Orison = Cleric magical effect slotted into a focus.

Spell = Wizard magical effect slotted into a spellbook, and Cleric magical effect slotted into a holy symbol.

Cantrips and Orisons are bought from trainers, and can be improved at trainers.

Spells are dropped by monsters, and have a pre-set level.

Thanks.

I mostly agree that transportation is fine. I just want a way to get the thousands of ore a member thoughtfully mined... 30 hexes away back to our settlement with out spending all of my time in game for weeks moving ore.

Did you say THOUSANDS of coal?

I know at least one standing army that could move that. The Bloody Hand can't be alone in that capacity.

I imagine that all that stands in the way of that coal being in your local bank is the matter of how much of a cut you have to give to whichever army you hire.

You might as well get it moved now, whichever army you hire is one less army that would be trying to intercept your caravan later (if caravans can be intercepted).

The time it takes to do transportation is what creates player encounters and #PFOcontent.

It also allows for some of the territorial control that some of us crave.

I don't want DISTANT opponents node-stripping us and CONVENIENTLY shipping their ill-gotten gains back home.

Of course it works both ways. If I can't find a material locally, then I too will have to transport *my* ill-gotten poaching gains. But I *want* player generated content. I enjoy sneaking/fighting my way through sentries more than I enjoy actually having the stuff I poached show up in my local bank.

I'm not sure what orisons are. I think what I use is the acolyte's battle focus and an 81 xp point cantrip(?) called minor cure that we used to be able to spam for 50 point heals, but now does 150 point heals with a 6 second cooldown.

Hello,

Is there an ETA on when the back-ordered portion of this order is expected to come in?

Thank you,

-Aux

R.I.P.

Making Fighters, Thieves, studded leather and kicking ass viable options since 1975...

Would it be possible to split the PF Advice forums into Player requests, character guides and optimization as one forum and another for GMs - for adventure suggestions, creature builds, GM questions/advice, encounter design and other GM toolkit related issues?

Due to ratio of players vs. GMs out there, much of the GM tools and ideas get buried in build/optimization requests or other player related gaming issues (actual advice). I would like a one stop location for GMs searching for tools, aids, etc - vs. having to sort through PC problems and guides.

Just an idea that would help GMs (new and old) by keeping creative content and guides in one location.

Now that the last of the Iron Gods Ap has shipped, please cancel by AP subscription.

Thanks

Would it be possible (and not sure if this is the right place) to set up some kind of notification system when an item is available for order? Be it a subscription item that can start a new sub or a backorder item?

I did a search of this subforum and most of the notification requests are threat/reply related. I am looking for a system to place an item on watch - be it in a sub, backorder, pre-order and then getting either an email or message board notification at the earliest point it becomes available (as sub or if the item is in warehouse/inventory).

For example - I am currently subscribing to Iron Gods AP but not the Campaign line - I want the map folio for this series which happens to be in the Campaign line and will be available in a few months. It would be nice to get a notice to "start with" for subscription when this becomes available instead of having to spot check upcoming items I am interested in without the need for checking each line.

Thank you for your time.

-Aux

I will probably sub back when the river packs are available.

Thank you,

-Aux

I don't think this order is actually ever going to be fulfilled and is going to be stuck in Limbo.

I'm not sure if this vendor went under/out of business as I've tried to contact Hammerdog with no luck. Unless you guys have heard otherwise and you are getting restocked on these screens some time soon I would like to cancel my side cart on this one.

I will re-sub again when the Iron Gods map folio roll around.

Thank you

I wanted to start this thread as inspired by this current one for Slumbering Tsar.
So this can be a forum for DMs who are running Rappan Athuk are considering running it or if you have any ideas or questions about running an RA campaign or anything associated with RA (Expansions, Lost Lands, etc) or even stories.

This thread is for DMs so if you plan on playing in this adventure/campaign you should probably stay out. Due to the nature of this thread putting spoiler tags on stories and exchanges won't work - so players would be best advised to not continue past this point.

---------------

One of the 1st questions I have would be how people are managing or plan on managing the wilderness encounters for starting (level 1 PCs). Are you going to start them at Zelkor's Ferry or do they have to get there? Will you steer them to the Mouth of Doom or the Tunnels of Terror or will you let them wander around the RA environs hoping they don't get killed?

Also, do you plan on running this in Golarion - if so, where? Or maybe the Lost lands (not heavily detailed as a campaign world as of yet) or somewhere else?

I want this to be a thread to share ideas about this meat-grinder of a mega dungeon.

All ideas are welcome!

Just a few questions about my recent subs.

I added the AP, Campaign and Map subs with the specific intent of getting Iron Gods related product: Starting with Iron Gods AP, Technology Guide and the Starship Chambers maps - each selected with the "Start With" option.

I don't know if this is an automated feature - but it has my starting products as the last two APs of the Mummy's Mask, Mummy's Mask Map Folio and City Gates Flip maps.

I just want to make sure that the "Start with" these products are what I actually start with - the Iron Gods related products. It's been awhile since I had a full set of subs, so I don't know if this is just a default (current products) feature of the order process.

Thanks,

-Aux

The secret has been revealed

It's a short free module, a little rail-roady but it is designed with new players/Dm in mind.

A large number of PreGens which seem to follow some of the rules for the online basic rule set. I don't how much of these classes abilities are made up by FGG as extrapolated from whats been released or if FGG has some kind of inside track to WotC. I don't have the starter box set so I don't know if there is more CharGen rules in the box set than what was released online today.

Wizard's Amulet

There is an interesting advert on the last page for FGG fans. IDK, more questions than answers at this point. I may be prematurely spilling the beans here, but it looks like FGG is going to be running a new KS tied to D&D Next.

link

A sad day on Sad Hill Cemetary.

True CN in The Good the Bad and The Ugly (and essay on the Chaotic Alignements).

Your acting in westerns affected my GM style and NPC interactions in many a Post-apocalyptic game.

Rest Well

GBU, 2nd to last scene

I will re-up after the Mummy's map folio ships to pick up anything and everything Iron God.

Thanks,

-Aux

Hello All,

Question: Can anyone here point me out to a good map making tool for gaming?

I would like it to cover all sorts of gaming: Fantasy, Modern, Sci-fi - but at this point a good wilderness map toolkit and a dungeon designer would work.

I'm looking for something that has the solid basics with one purchase (with options to add on), I don't want a subscription model - I want to own the software. If there is a really good piece of software for fantasy gaming with a modern/sci-fi/PA option I would also go for that. Just don't want to pay fees - I would rather pay up front for one or two purchases.

I've used the cartography tools that came out with the AD&D DVDs some years back - it had all the books, character, encounter and npc generator - it also had few options for making wilderness maps.

There was another piece of software I used years ago - Campaign Cartographer (?), maybe - can't remember the name.

I would like to be able to draw surface maps (above ground buildings), Dungeon or cavern maps and large area/wilderness/environs maps.
As I stated earlier, I would really like to be able to use this for other game types besides fantasy - so if someone has seen one that has ruins, wrecked cars or modern features (roads) that would be a big perk.

Not going to use this for VTT or for printing battle maps - just need these an DM/GM reference tool or for player handouts or if I want to provide a map for content that is posted online.

Thanks in advance...

Just met him at Monsterpalooza (in Burbank CA) around 10 minutes. Great guy, got a signed artbook from him. Discussed some of his artwork in Darksun and Book of Vile Darkness. Funny thing, this is primarily a horror effects and art con, whereas I immediately recognized his work from D&D.

Paizo or FGG - commission some work from this guy!

Anyway - going in to see a panel on the War of the Gargantuas.

So, who's going to bite the dust in the second half of the 4th season?

Predictions?
Upsets?

I can only pay out in quatloos, but knowing that you won on the Paizo Messageboards and internets should really be reward enough.

I am going for the low hanging fruit and guess that before this next season is closed out we will see:

-Glenn or Tyreese die, possibly both.

I could be wrong about this, because at this point I am make wild claims.

Here is your chance post your picks and to win at the internet.

Why was this post allowed to stand, yet most all subsequent post that quoted part of this were removed?

Jessica Price (to name a specific moderator) seemingly has a gender-role axe to grind and frequently will let certain post stand that are in obvious and direct violation of forum rules/but in-line with her personal views on the matter, while she will delete posts that she disagrees with or moves off the (inevitable) subject of gender politics.

Do modern values have any place in a fantasy game? About as much as medieval ones do.

A fantasy setting rarely has any connection to historic issues. Take homosexuality - it was perfectly acceptable in many places and many cultures until the spread of Christianity. We have solid records of Egyptian officials, Roman Emperors, Japanese Samurai and many other engaging in the homosexuality. Often on the side of marriage, true, because children were almost universally considered important to carrying on a legacy (and how many PC characters stick to that social custom?) but it was there.

Now take Golarion. The same level of homophobic behaviour makes no sense because at least three goddesses are engaged in a three way sexual relationship. How do you declare mortals are wrong to do it when the Gods themselves partake?

Same with woman. While there were exceptions to woman staying at home and being mothers, those women were often abused, raped and murdered for daring to be different. And that was considered a reasonable response. Again, something that makes no sense in setting like Golarion where there are female Gods - one of the primary warrior gods is Iomadae, a woman.

Let's face it - Pathfinder isn't a very good representative of the real world. If it was the Fighter would die to septic shock when a Kobold ran a dirty spear through his guts, the wizard would be burned at the stake for devil-worship, the Cleric would be a sociopath spreading his faith with sword and fire (and not casting pesky spells - withcraft again!) and the Barbarian would have smashed his skull during a fit.

Mostly the excuse 'I wanna be realistic to medieval times' is just that - an excuse to get all those pesky non-white people out of the setting (Which is, historically, a massive mistake - there were plenty of non-white people wandering Europe) or putting women in subservient roles with maybe one or two exceptions - who are usually 'tamed' by marriage to the hero.

And frankly, if you want that kinda literature, where white men are the saviours of all and all is right in the universe, just throw a rock in the fantasy section of the library - it's the rule, not the exception. It's nice to see both Wizard of the Coast and Paizo seem to be moving past that stuff these days, and honestly, anything else is a step backwards to such horror stories as a GM telling a woman at a convention, 'The only time a woman should have her mouth open at my table is to suck my dick.'

I know that for the most part that this is a hard left leaning company - which is your prerogative, but is this political view going to be extended out to how you guys moderate threads?

So now we can say things like "suck my dick" if it's illustrative of how one poster felt women were treated in the hobby in the past?

Please cancel my RPG subscription, thank you.

I just wanted to make sure there were no current issues with my order. When I received the notice email a few weeks ago there was some kind of error with my card (Ship-to address which is my work somehow got tied to my CC account billing address).

I fixed it that day or the day after but I never saw the hold charge on my account and wanted to make sure that there are no issues on my end holding up this order.

Thanks

Story

Good song
Great song

Influenced Rock, Punk and Goth music scenes. Brilliant guy.

I am currently working on a personal project to create what I consider a "true" AD&D 3rd edition. It is d20 based but not d20 obsessed (I will be using charts and tables for many things – attribute scores, etc – and not just scaling values). That being said it does borrow some of the better mechanics that are utilized in 3rd ed and PFRPG - open ended AC, Skill values and Saves.

Without getting too involved in detailing that project (I can post it here if anyone is interested) I did introduce a quality class to Saving Throws (currently we have Good and Bad save qualities). This is the "Average" Save quality. I will also detail how I will be using it in my AD&D3 project - but it can easily be incorporated into PFRPG using my samples. The core offering - the Average Save category and its applications are not sexy, crazy or outrageous, just presenting an additional value to current the Good/Bad save categories.

So here it is, the Average Save category (I have the current Good and Bad Saves also listed as a comparison):

Here is how I plan on using it for AD&D3
Base Classes -
Fighter Saves:
- Fort: Good
- Reflex: Average
- Will: Average

Rogue:
- Fort: Average
- Reflex: Good
- Will: Average

Cleric:
- Fort: Average
- Reflex: Bad
- Will: Good

Wizard:
- Fort: Bad
- Reflex: Average
- Will: Good

Anyway, the purpose of the thread was to offer a 3rd Save progression path and to provide some examples of how this new progression path could be applied to the classes that exist in the PFRPG (or 3rd ed for that matter).

Let me know what you guys think: impact, shoring up martially inclined classes, possible use for creatures and potential game impact, etc.

I'm sure this may have already been posted somewhere on the forums, but I wanted to throw out and idea over here to and see if I can get some feedback.

The primary focus of this thread is to allow martially inclined characters a built-in way to average out their attacks as a choice selection each round, in some cases lowing their first attack, in others eliminating their lowest attack so their other attacks have a chance to hit - all by using total BAB as the variable.

These alt attack values may be more effective when the player has a good guesstimate as to target defenses, would rather increase the chance to hit with two attacks instead of rolling three and hitting only with one, etc.

The idea would be that the player picks the attack routine at the beginning of the round. For the purpose of book keeping (for the players) I will probably only stat up two schemes (core and 1 alt).

Here it is:

The numbers always add up to total BAB (including extra attacks), one rule, cannot go over base BAB for total level. In an open allocation system, the player could decide the array as long as it doesn't go over total points or over total hit die and maximum number of allowable attacks at level(so no: +1/+1/+1/+1/+1/+1/+/+1/+1 for a 7th level fighter).

So you could write out a scheme that gives +14 BAB for first attack for a 13th level fighter/1st level cleric, since total level = 14.

My main focus was to dump or average out that extra +1 or +3 attack into a tighter attack scheme. I know Trailblazer does something similar, but this I believe is different (at least the math is).

Note on multi-classing: Combine BAB of all classes to get Base BAB number. This is the number you would work with for the character in question. So a 5th level Fighter(+5)/5th Level wizard(+2) would be on BAB +7 = +7/+2, Alt attack: +5/+4 (Total BAB 9). Since he is 10th level he can decide to make 1 attack at +9 or since he has high enough BAB for two attacks: +8/+1 or +7/+2 or +6/+3 or +5/+4.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

As an a aside alt rule: I was considering using up BAB points for extra combat maneuvers (min +5 BAB worth of points).

Example. 12th level fighter with an alt attack scheme of +10/+6/+5 sacrifices the last +5 so that he has +10 (combat maneuver included)/+6
So in effect, you roll that +5 into one of your other attacks as a standard action to perform a maneuver.
So +10(CM)/+6 or if the player likes: +12(CM)/+4 for the best chances to get that CM in.

Some combat maneuvers that can be included:
Aid another (attack or AC bonus of adjacent ally)

Bull Rush (as part of combined attack)
Disarm (as part of combined attack)
Over run (as part of combined attack)
Sunder (as part of combined attack)
Dirty Trick (as part of combined attack)
Drag (as part of combined attack)
Reposition (as part of combined attack)

All would still invoke AoO, unless you have the appropriate feat, but manuvers would be part of attack scheme. All rules are the same - though the manuver added attack must hit, and them CMB/CMD contest and checks occur as if conducting the move as a standard action.

Just a thought exercise.

Gouge away –is it crap for martials or a good alt to that annoying +2 or +3 attack that probably isn’t going to hit anyway?

Cast In Ruin.

These scuplts look great. Not sure how many people have heard about this and I wanted to get this out there for any old school PA gamers who might be interested. These could work for old and new Gamma World and easily for a TMNT/After the Bomb game.

So far they have a sculpt of a Gallus Gallus 5/13 and Buggum warrior up, plus a work in progress for the Hoops.

Gallery

Due to mounting medical cost at this time I will have to cancel all 5 of my subscriptions. I don't know if I will be back soon, but I hope to be able to pick them up again in the future if the situation permits.

Thanks to everyone at Paizo, you guys are a great company and nice group of people.

The card I have set up for my monthly subs was compromised over the weekend, as it currently stands I won't have a new card till the end of this week (probably when the order will ship).

I do have other methods to pay but your site has a message advising against changing payment methods for individual orders.

Thanks in advance

Not sure if this is the right place

Was re-Dling some AP files and AP 30 is corrupt. Get some error about 'QXJLDF+SteelMagnolias' with a message saying that "some characters may not display or print correctly".

It isn't my adobe, I a have DL'ed all the prior AP installments in the series and those after it with no issues.

I've come up with some minor fixes to round out a few of the non-caster martial classes.
They are pretty minor, but they make these classes flow somewhat closer to their older edition counterparts. I find it interesting that most casters get more than one good save (except wizards and Sorcerers) while the non-casters got left out in the cold. I ommited monks due to their pseudo-magical class abilities and their already high saves.
The last parts about feats apply to all classes which qualify.

Simple proposition and fixes

Fighters
Fighters get one additional "Good" saving throw besides Fortitude. This is chosen at the first level of the class and cannot be changed at a later time. At 1st level the fighter may opt to have either Reflex or Will be his second "Good" save path. The saving throw catagory which is not selected remains unchanged.

Barbarians
Barbarians now get a "Good" save path for Reflex saving throws.

Rogue
Rogues get one additional "Good" saving throw besides Reflex. This is chosen at the first level of the class and cannot be changed at a later time. At 1st level the rogue may opt to have either Fortitude or Will be his second "Good" save path. The saving throw catagory which is not selected remains unchanged.

Cavalier
Cavaliers now get a "Good" save path for Will saving throws.

Changes to feats – These are now considered “combat feats”*

Iron Will and Improved Iron Will
Lightning Reflexes and Improved Lightning Reflexes
Great Fortitude and Improved Great Fortitude

The above listed feats can be selected with any combat feat slot or class ability which allows the selection of combat feats.

Let me know what you guys think.

Hello

Not sure if my order is being held up again by the Otherworld Demon Idol, if it is I would like it to be moved to the side cart so that the rest of my order and subscribed items can be sent out.

If it is holding up the order is there any way to find out when this mini will actually be coming in?
I placed the original order in April and every month since then I have had to get part of my original Otherworld order moved to a side cart. This is the last mini from that April order and I know it's a special order so I don't want to cancel it - but is it possible to just put it aside indefinitely until it actually arrives in the warehouse? I would give you permission to ship this one item separately as soon as it arrives, but at this point it just seems to hold up my other orders every month.

If the whole order is going to go out (with the Idol) and you guys just haven't processed mine yet then please disregard this message. I am just taking precautions since this item has been an issue for the last few months.

Thanks

I just want to make sure that special order Demon Idol is not holding up this order. If it isn't yet available I would like it moved out to a sidecart so the rest of my order is not held up, thanks.

I'm reposting this from another thread as a potential product idea to support the new GMG

Seeing the concept of the excellent new chase rules in the GMG (pg 232-233) would you guys consider making sets of pre-printed chase cards, maybe as part of the gamemastery series of decks?
Each card would detail multiple chase option relevant to the environment and circumstances with extra events thrown into the mix just to make things even more random.

I could see two possible sets out of this:

Set 1 Vehicular/Mounted/Assisted chase through environment
Open Road + town cards
Wilderness (rugged terrain)
Water (w/ships, maybe add some notes on small vs. large ships)
Event Card - not a chase terrain but something that affects both the hunter and the hunted, bad luck, hunter moves up one, extra split path – then draw the next card

Set 2 On foot
In city/town
Wilderness (forest, mountain, etc)
Other/open terrain (plains, desert, ice, etc)
Underground
Flying
Event Card - not a chase terrain but something that affects both the hunter and the hunted, bad luck, hunter moves up one, extra split path – then draw the next card

Cards could be laid out in a grid with some choices and paths known or drawn from split decks with only the first card up in the deck as a know option with the rest of the run being a random draw after with some path options.
You can also run to simultaneous races from different starting points/directions to the same locale – DM determines how many cards will be in each group’s path to reach the destination first (assuming no teleport of course), the team that gets there in the shortest number of turns wins. Then they can set up the ambush for their rivals.

The actual events on the cards can be so generic that some of the subdivisions could be condensed or you could have multiple DCs for different terrains listed on each card with a different option(s) based on the environment the card is supposed to represent.

Sample card - Mounted Chase
Forest – Chase option 1
Chase option 2
Cavern/Darklands – Chase option 1
Chase option 2
City - Chase option 1
Chase option 2
Fit as many various terrain circumstance DC checks you could put on the card so you could maximize the use of each card in the deck.

You could even just make one set of very generic chase features for both vehicular chases and ones that occur on foot. Also they could take a very vague incident/event approach without specifics to terrain but more on the detail of bad luck, obstacles, shortcut, etc.
As a DM I would personally would prefer a more specific level of detail to the chase with events cards being vague enough as to make them generic and easy to apply to all circumstances.

The DM could make specific decks and shuffle or stack them as they please.
Ex - maybe a stack of 5 open road cards and then 5 city cards as the chase is "supposed" to come into town, shuffle each set of five then place road on top of town. Maybe throw in an event card into each mini stack just to add even more random elements.

A small single page insert could cover the rules and use of the cards for those who have not picked up the GMG.

Anyway, there it is.

Normally I have all my orders to set to ship with my AP but I just changed it my subscription to ship "Not hold anything".

My question/concern is this: I made this change to reflect that additional items have held up my order in the past. There are few items I ordered from back in April and a few items I just added recently.

Ideally I would still like all of these to ship together if possible, my concern is that I do not have one item (special order of Other World minis from April, or a single backordered Map of Mastery) hold up my orders - as they did last month. So I would like to combine as much of the items in my order which are available to ship as soon as the subscription orders roll out.

Thanks

Not a 4e fan in any way, shape or form but I just thought I would put this out there for any 4e gamers to share if they haven't seen it already.

Article

Couple of very cool little things I noticed when I was reading through the AP

Tribute to HPL pg 21

My regular PF items seem to be held up by me adding in Otherworld minis to my order. The order was placed some time ago last month but it still shows "special order" next to each miniature.

My questions are - Since part of the miniature order was broken out to next month I assumed that the minis which were bundled with my current order were in stock.

Are the minis listed with my current subscription orders actually at the warehouse and my order just hasn't come up for packaging and delivery?

Or is this an indefinite hold up since half the items are not there and you have no idea when they are going to arrive?

Thanks

I was having issues with my finacial institution I bank with, as it stands everything has been cleared and settled. I had cancelled all my orders and subscriptions
link.

Would it be possible to reinstate my subscriptions and pending orders
(+ sidecart) or do I need to reapply for all my subscriptions and re-create the order for the extra items?
All my account info/credit card, delivery addresses are unchanged.

Please cancel all my subscriptions and pending orders.

I gotta say, I was very pleased with the nice tribute encounter to B2 - The Keep on the Borderlands

Good work guys!

Another idea I have been kicking around to expand on Kingmaker AP1, was the addition of another group of explorers, the B-team if you will.

I know on pg 13 it mentions one team of explorers being sent to explore and map the the Northern Greenbelt (in addition to the teams sent to the Glenebon Uplands, Nomen Heights, and The Slough) but I thought of a variant/addition to spice up some action/adventure seeds by adding another low-level team to also explore and compete with the party. The B-team can be comprised however you like, but should reflect a good cross reference of skills similar to standard PC party designed to fight and explore.

I think it's a good way to foster adventure or scenario seeds, threats, and or a place to draw from if players have their PC endure an early retirement due to death. So I'll just put out some ideas as points since there is no one concrete direction I have decided to go with on this:

In any of the variants the party can end up trading info, gear, magic items (even with the scum option) and they can serve as an extra source for the DM for getting out leads, intel, etc. In the last version (which can be combined with the first) the party can mine this group for potential replacement PCs who die. These guys could end up being the PCs best friends and even end up in their cabinet as trusted administrators and politicians - (think of early US history) once the higher level Kingmaker aspect kicks into gear.

In any case these are just some ideas, they each have a different purpose and can be used to minimal or major impact. The smallest being the B-team as scum, since that would probably (unless it's a guild) get worked out rather quickly. It is also possible to have a B and C team, the B-team being good guys while the C-team could be a group of villainous (but discrete) scum. The B-team helps party, becomes best friends and of course gets slaughtered by the C-team while they are exploring in the wilderness - maybe they were helping the party search a tough area, or aiding in covering ground – in the end, murdered. If the B-team and party become fast friends you should expect your PCs to show little or no remorse when it comes time for revenge.

Could be other variants, B-team is scum, but actually it's their leader who is heavy handed, most of the guys in the crew are rough around the edges but not villainous bastards, they may even get tired of their leader and leave/seek out work on their own or even work for the party later on.

Let me know what you guys think or if there is something I am missing, always appreciate feedback!

A concept I have been kicking around in my (mostly empty) head is the idea that there would be a rear base (Oleg's) support npc or team of npcs to help and support the party.

Primarily I was thinking of a scribe research npc to help with any research on flora/fauna, redraw maps (with party cartographers help) and maybe just be a good info/intel guy. Could provide for some comic but real value help (think Dr. Marcus Brody from Raiders) and maybe serve as a non-optimized backup caster (Expert/wizard or cleric would be good). Could make for some good role-playing situations, scenario leads and serve as a tether to the civilized world.

Of course depending on the relationship with the party, they will either have him as a retainer who will need to be paid or friend which they support by giving coin, items, etc. He would need money for cartography and mapping equipment, books, and possibly the building of a small residence/office which can be right near the trading post and can serve as a private den for the PCs if they don't want to be around other people while talking up their next moves. Since I plan on using spies, politics and some more intrigue as the campaign unfolds this kind of lodge/safe house may be invaluable (plus whatever bolt hole they may set up in the wilderness).

A second npc would work with the first - maybe a weapon and armor smith who can help make or repair the party’s gear. Also a strong and reliable guy, maybe throw him in if the party needs muscle or some backup. Could be an ex-forester or ranger who is lame (bum leg) with some experience but little ability to travel for long periods (but can still kick ass). The party's adventures and exploits serve as his experiences by proxy.

Both npcs would probably use the fast track (vs. medium) but would only get a fraction of xp based upon what the party brings back, needs researched, worked on, etc so they would advance at around the same rate as the pcs.

Also to a point of DM style: I try to make my npcs as real and as involved as possible, the assumptions of these npcs is they are not fodder or there to be abused and or exploited. If a party is detached or disinterested in the fates of those who help them then I would be inclined to run these guys as strictly business and just another resource which needs direct compensation for services.

Is the Colossal Black Scorpion a tribute to the B-movie monster of the same name?

Just a minor observation.

Is there any way to break this up in how it is charged so I can get the pdf for the Bestiary freed up? I switched my subscription to "Do not Hold" and the order is still being held up by the Seekers book.

I would like to order a few more items but I already placed my order. If I do a second order today will it all ship together - or can I just add a few more items to the orignal order?

Simple question, how does turn resistance aid undead creatures vs. the PFRPG Channel Energy ability?

In the past turn resistance helped weaker undead from fleeing to easily (being turned) and also not be destroyed. How does it help now - does adds to the save to not flee/take damage?

Was going to place this under cleric, but since it's an ability that more than one class can use I put it here.