Mordo the Spaz - Forum Troll's page

This was me Superstar entry humor today.

Ring of Stealth Rules Clarity

Aura faint transmutation ; CL 1st
Slot ring; Price 500 gp; Weight -

Description

This obsidian ring, although barely magical, is valued by stealthy adventurers for the peace of mind it grants through its ability to distort shadows. The wearer's map square counts as Dim Light if at least half covered by shadow. Within line-of-effect of the ring combat counts as "distracting" and adds a 5-point penalty to Perception skill use. A five-foot step is sufficient movement for the wearer to use Stealth if the other requirements apply. When the wearer hides, the actions that end his or her stealth are those that would end invisibility. When the wearer moves stealthily, creatures he or she encounters must make a Perception check to notice the wearer. Darkvision does not interfere with the wearer's stealth, except that the light condition of Darkness then does not itself provide cover. Creatures from whom the wearer is hiding treat the wearer as invisible (they lose their Dexterity and Dodge bonuses to AC, the wearer has +2 to hit, and the wearer is immune to extra damage from sneak attacks and being a ranger's favored enemy). When attacking from hiding while making multiple attacks, only the target receives a Perception chek to notice the wearer, and the wearer applies any sneak attack damage only to the first attack unless he or she is using Pounce.

Construction Requirements Forge Ring, darkness; Cost 250 gp

Here.

Mordo has discovered the FAQ/Errata (link, link) stating crafters of many magic items can set the caster level to whatever they desire.

"He can set the caster level to whatever he wants (assuming he can meet the crafting DC)..."

So, theory-crafters, how can we abuse this?

For what spells would a high caster level be worth the extra expense when making a potion, scroll, or wand?

Making a really heavy object invisible? Aid a seige with really long castings of snapdragon fireworks aimed at the defender's battlements? Use haste on all the members of an elite military squad or slow on two dozen foes? Boring!

Here is one suggestion to get us started...

---

A wand of animate dead is expensive but could create a dumpload of minions.

Note that the spell explicitly allows controlling any amount of minions created with one casting.

The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. You choose which creatures are released.

Pricey, but most monarchs would want one when leading the army to war.

---

A better version would be a wand of Undeath Wordspell. This spell is only second level and has no material component.

But the wordspell has slightly different wording. A picky GM might decree that the bolded "additional" in the quotation below does include a large number of minions created with one casting, rather than only referring to subsequent castings.

The caster can control no more than 4 HD per caster level of undead creatures. If additional undead are created, the caster chooses which undead to lose control of to get back under the limit.

Me friend Staff Magus tenth level, have Staff Weapon (Su) ability.

He make magic staff.

Yes, can pick (see FAQ/Errata) use caster level twenty for +5 craft DC.

Make staff with one first-level spell cost ten charges. Cost 400 gp x 1 spell level x 20 caster level / 10 charges per casting = 800 gp.

Ta da!

This work?

Crossblooded Bloodrager with bloodlines aberrant and black blood get two abilities both named "abnormal reach". Cast long arm and enlarge person. Threaten 25 feet!

PCs named A, B, C, D. All have Spirit of the Corps.

Benefit(s): Whenever you are within 10 feet of an ally benefiting from a spell or effect that grants a morale bonus on a particular type of roll, once during that effect's duration, you can apply that morale bonus on a roll you make of that type. For instance, if an ally with this feat is benefiting from heroism, once during the duration of the spell you could gain a +2 morale bonus on one saving throw, attack roll, or skill check. You can use this feat only once per round, and only once per spell or effect.

Cast rally point.

Range 5 ft.

Area one 5-ft. square
Duration 1 minute/level

You create a spot that has the power to briefly hearten any good creature who comes into contact with it. A good creature who enters this square (even if simply as part of its normal move) gains a +2 morale bonus on attacks, saving throws, and 2 temporary hit points per caster level for 1 round. Nongood creatures gain no benefit from this spell.

A creature cannot benefit more than once from the same casting of this spell.

Round 1 A moves through, get +2 by spell. B, C, D get +2 through feat.

Round 2 B moves through, get +2 by spell. A, C, D get +2 through feat.

Round 3 C moves through, get +2 by spell. A, B, D get +2 through feat.

Round 4 D moves through, get +2 by spell. A, B, C get +2 through feat.

Not bad for first level spell.

Round 5 use saddle surge for biggest morale bonus in game.

I will just say that reading Occult Adventures did not inspire me to create characters of any of those new classes...

...but I was inspired to compose house rules about how to create the mood of the literary genre about "occult detectives" who investigate and deal with creatures and cultists that have strange paranormal powers and dangerous esoteric knowledge.

Enjoy! Happy Halloween!

p.s. - please discuss these house rules here instead of in this playtest part of the forum.

Happy Halloween!

Have you ever wanted a Pathfinder adventure to have the mood of "occult detectives" who investigate and fight creatures and cultists with paranormal powers and esoteric knowledge?

Enjoy some house rules.

They can be used with any type of Pathfinder play, from only Core Rulebook to overlapping the new Occult Adventures playtest book.

Constructive feedback is welcome.

Just a note that Nine Powers, my two-player, kid-friendly, and diceless RPG, has been updated.

It is obviously very different from Pathfinder, which is designed for a party of PCs and lots of die rolling.

Enjoy!

I apologize that most of the sample adventures are not yet typed up at this time. Life has been busy.

Fueled by Vengeance

Raging Cannibal

Stack?

(Fueled by Vengeance say "You can gain no more than 1 extra round of rage each round." About itself? Or intentionally broad?)

About Metamagic Rager...

At 5th level, a metamagic rager can sacrifice additional rounds of bloodrage to apply a metamagic feat he knows to a bloodrager spell. This costs a number of rounds of bloodrage equal to twice what the spell's adjusted level would normally be with the metamagic feat applied (minimum 2 rounds).

Refer:

(a) all spell from Bloodrager spell list
(b) all spell from Bloodrager spell slots

Example: Metamagic Rager 5 / Sorcerer 15 -- can use rage rounds on Color Spray cast from sorcerer spell slot?

Someone is thinking of being GM, for me being a solo player of a gestalt PC for Emerald Spire.

Is his offer a fun challenge or a waste of time for both of us?

Any advice on which gestalt combinations might work?

No spoilers, please.

One example: Undines have Water Affinity.

Water Affinity: Undine sorcerers with the elemental (water) bloodline treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Undine clerics with the Water domain cast their Water domain powers and spells at +1 caster level.

The Water domain has five subdomains. Would an Undine cleric with the Flotsam, Flowing, Ice, Oceans, or Rivers subdomain get the boost?

Tanentially, does an Undine druid or inquisitor with the Water domain get the boost? Or does the text really mean only clerics?

The spell obscuring mist makes a "misty vapor" that is also called "fog".

Presumably this is "magic fog" as opposed to mundane fog, although I cannot find anything in the conjuration rules that specifically declares it.

A fourth-level Tempest Druid can see partly through it.

At 4th level, a tempest druid can see through 10 feet of magical fog, mist, gas, wind, rain, or similar inclement weather conditions, ignoring any concealment it might grant. This distance increases by 5 feet for every 4 levels beyond 4th.

A Cloud Gazer Sylph has a carefully worded ability to see through magical fog.

You can see through fog, mist, and clouds, without penalty, ignoring any cover or concealment bonuses from such effects. If the effect is created by magic, this feat instead triples the distance you can see without penalty.

What about a Shaman using either of the relevant two spirits?

Gaze of Flames (Su): The shaman sees through fire, fog, and smoke without penalty as long as there is enough light to otherwise allow her to see normally.

Water Sight (Su): The shaman sees through fog and mist without penalty as long as there is enough light to otherwise allow her to see normally.

Can the Shaman see though the obscuring mist because it is a kind of fog?

Or is the Shaman unable to see though the obscuring mist because the fog has a magical source?

Lacking the specific wording of the fist two PC abilities, I could understand either interpretation.

(The Burn Rider Barbarian and Flame Dancer Bard also want to know your answer.)

While creating my new Guide to Teamwork Feats and Animal Companions, I realized I never made a forum thread to discuss my now-classic house rules for Finishing the Poison Rules.

Please share your constructive criticism!

There must be some, because so many more classes and archetypes are designed to use poisons than when I first wrote that essay.

Thanks!

My old guides about Poisons and Hide in Plain Sight remain classics at the top of Google searches.

(Personally, my house rules about wrestling excite me more, but never took off in popularity.)

Now I introduce another guide: Teamwork Feats and Animal Companions.

Learn how a large but somewhat hidden combat sub-system involving animal companions, teamwork feats, and attacks of opportunity works by meeting Fred the Foundation, Nigel the Net-User, Shreve the Strong, Horace the Horseman, Cassandra the Caster, Alice the Archer, and Wallace the Whirlwind.

Constructive criticism is appreciated, as always.

I think the next character I play will be a neutrally aligned Hex Channeler Gravewalker Witch.

This seems like a super-Cleric. Heal your friends! Take control of undead! Cast both arcane and divine spells! And now Witches, at tenth level, can start using a flavorful version of the Druid's wildshape ability.

With variant channeling there is the option to heal one point of ability score damage with channeled positive energy, to alleviate needing the Healing Patron to add the restoration spells to the character's spell list.

That all sounds great!

How would you finish the character?

What race? Traits? Feats? Patron? Familiar? Etc.

I know one option is to use the traits Student of Philosophy and Pragmatic Activator he can be diplomatic and charming, and use magic items superbly. But I think the party will already have a "face character".

Recognizing it is not optimal power, my current inclination is still to make Doctor Doolittle. At first level use the Extra Hex feat to have both the Healing hex and the Feral Speech hex. Talk to every animal and heal everyone I meet.

The Hangover Cleric is a build that uses variant channeling to debuff. Channel energy is used by a neutral or evil PC with the "harm" variant to daze (Rulership) or nauseate (Ale/Wine) for one round, or even better make all the foes in the area provoke an AoO (Envy) for their turn's action. The feat Selective Channeling is needed, and Improved Channel is nearly as important.

The feat Channeling Scourge allows a Cleric 1/Inquisitor X to do the same thing. The obvious problem is that a high-Charisma Inquisitor is not focusing as much on combat.

I am wondering if a Varisian Pilgrim Cleric 1 / Sacred Huntsmaster Inquisitor X could fix this weakness, at least for the first ten or twelve levels, perhaps in combination with the feat Evolved Companion. (I recognize that animal companions lag behind in high-level play.)

Can an animal companion, variant channeling, domain abilities (perhaps from three domains?) and Inquisitor spells contribute respectably enough to the party?

(The Infiltrator Inquisitor archetype is also compatible, and could perhaps extend whatever we design to make an evil PC pretending to be neutral. But let's save that for later.)

Brawler, Level 8 have 3 bonus feats, four normal feat, race qualify for Arcane Strike. Have Martial Flexibility, Unarmed Strike 2d8

Feats:
Enforcer
Arcane Strike
Riving Strike
Nature Magic
Staggering Fist (need Level 2)
Dazing Fist (need Level 4)
Grasping Strike (need Level 5)

use Martial Flexibility for
Vital Strike (need Level 6)
Befuddling Strike (need Level 8)

One mega-punch can do:
-2 penalty save against spells, stagger, shaken, daze, entangle, confuse, and 4d8 damage.

Deliquescent Gloves adds corrosive property small boost.

Can pick Enforcer shaken trigger same punch sicken from Cruel Body Wrap?

Me know not fit in Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike), Dazzling Display and Gory Finish. Seem weaker. Also ignore Draining Strike. Fatigued? Meh.

Yes, actual character dole debuffs throughout day not nova. This silly theorycraftingstuffs.

How can we design better?

Me love this new feat!

Look! Ape riding ankylosaurus. Which druid? Uh-oh.

Undersized Mount - You can ride creatures of your size category, although encumbrance or other factors might limit how you can use this ability.

Animal Companions - Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can put ranks into any skill.

Animal companions with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can select any feat they are physically capable of using.

(Answer: neither druid. Two druids wild shape as earth elementals under you as both pets charge.)

My friend is interested in playing a "ninja" but in his mind this involves magic, not the features of the official ninja alternate class.

He does not want to read through all the Pathfinder rules to design his PC. What advice can we give him?

Here is my idea, a spell-casting knife-thrower raised by pirates...

Start with five levels of Sanctified Slayer Inquisitor. Then do three levels of Swashbuckler. Then resume the Sanctified Slayer Inquisitor.

Traits: Magical Knack, River Rat
Feats: Breadth of Experience, Quick Draw, Divine Protection

His domain could be Tactics (initiative) or Trade (movement) or Feather (animal companion, flight).

His later feats would round out what parts he wants to emphasize. (Boon Companion? Deadly Aim? Power Attack? Insightful Gaze? Improved Monster Lore?)

His character has a lot of Wisdom (spell casting, domain powers, monster lore, initiative) and Charisma (daily Panache pool, bonus to damage, bonus to all saving throws, limited daily use boosts to saving throws and AC, discern lies DC).

Strength and Dexterity are secondary (either can be used for to-hit rolls, one focuses on damage and the other on initiative).

Overall, he is wise, likable, contributes well in and out of combat, has very solid defenses, enjoys both Studied Target and Sneak Attack for "ninja flavor", and can cast invisibility and other "ninja magic" spells.

Comments?

Is there an early-entry Sorcerer/Something Eldritch Knight that can do the job even better?

From here discussing Sacred Geometry...

I think it's clear by this point that Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Occult Mysteries was intended for wizards who have the same Int score as their wizard IRL. At least Arithmancy doesn't requires potentially 20 dice rolls. You can calculate all spells ahead of time.

Me heartily support new trend.

Player want powerful PC? For game of pretending role in fantasy? Of course reward Player for his or her actual ability!

Other classes need this love. Me suggest more feats.

Barbarian - Player add +1 to die rolls when face flushed with anger. Add +2 if nose flared enough fit die inside.

Bard - +2 Diplomacy while Player speaks in iambic pentameter. +4 if speaks Shakespearean sonnet.

Cleric - See Arithmancy feat for define "digital root". When cast spell, as swift action for PC, Player has six seconds cite verses from real religious texts with digital root match spell name digital root. For each cited, up spell DC one.

Fighter - First combat round Player arm-wrestle other person in room. Win, get +1 damage. Subsequent combat rounds must pick new person and bonus damage increments +1. Once lose, stop until next combat encounter.

Monk - Player add +2 all saving throws while halving own pulse.

Rogue - Player add +1 to die rolls with dice stolen from GM. Add +2 if GM not know dice belong GM.

Alchemist - Player gain free Empower for extract if in one minute make GM obscure mixed drink GM requests.

Cavalier - Player add +1 to die rolls when on horse. Add +2 if horse rearing and pawing air during die roll.

Gunslinger - After turn, Player stand tall with hand by hip and silently glare at GM with beady eyes. If maintain pose motionless until start of next turn, +10 to initiative. Use once per combat.

Oracle - Before each die roll Player may predict number rolled. If predict correctly may change die to any desired value. If predict same number twice in same encounter loses spellcasting until encounter ends.

Witch - Player add +1 to die rolls if cackling frightens GM.

Your turn...

No one yet prove me wrong. Please try!

Ethics merely failure of Charisma!

Ethics try make people happy. But really Charisma make people happy.

Laws try make people safe. But really people take risks for chance enjoy other person's Charisma.

Most social norms tests not rules. Pass test by break phony rule.

Someone with much Charisma have options bypass ethical dilemmas. (See first link two examples.)

My personal fondness and experience with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu prompted me to create replacemet wrestling rules for Pathfinder.

Comments and constructive criticism is appreciated!

I hope the "wrestle golem" blend of Pathfinder and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu trademarks is humorous enough that neither business will complain. I will, of course, remove it if requested

In another thread Kobold Cleaver and Mordo the Spaz started something with great potential.

Let's obfuscate Pathfinder language with synonyms and homonyms to make riddles!

Please allow me to analyze Mordo's examples.

His best:

Me wizard toss magic effect against enemy consent rescue.

my analysis:

This is quite pure homonym/synonym use.
My wizard casts a spell against the enemy will save.
cast became the synonym toss
spell became magic effect
will became a somewhat forced synonym consent (as in, "Yes I will/consent")
save became the synonym rescue.

---

Also nice:

Me paladin recline on fingers as brief activity to mediate problem with self.

my analysis:

My paladin lays on hands as a swift action to heal itself.
lays became reclines
hand became a slightly imprecise fingers
swift action became the synonym brief activity
heal became the synonym mediate (as in "their disagreement would never be healed").

---

His sloppiest:

Me cleric offers gift of sacred percussion discs to cause water flow between two larger bodies of water.

my analysis:

An intermediate rephrasing step muddles this one.
Start with My cleric presents his holy symbol to channel energy.
Rephrase inaccurately as My cleric presents his holy symbol to energize the channel.
Then
present became offers gift
holy became sacred
symbol became the homonym cymbal (a percussion disc)
energize the channel became cause water to flow {through a channel} between two larger bodies of water.

Okay. One of my own before it is your turn to contribute...

The druids feral condition as an appalling pestering and an exceptional endure.

Your turn to make some fun mistranslation riddles!

Need Buckle Bunny - rabbit succubus cowgirl having exceptionally high standards yet strong denial of its lechery.

Money quote:

It’s about something weirder than that, about some fascination with providing the most macho guys on earth with the only brand of nurturing they will accept: a one-night marriage.

Source material here. Not for young. Not for easily depressed.

Your turn. Bestiary stats and details, please.

Me friend need help with PC.

Beast Bonded Witch for with "transfer feats" archetype ability.

Improved Familiar of either homunculus made with elf blood or beheaded elf. Either arguably half from elf.

Give familiar paragon surge with ability "...If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells."

What fun can happen?

Anyone tried Pathfinder backwards? Start level 20. Finish level 1.

"But I unfortunately was born at the wrong end of time, and I have to live backwards from in front, while surrounded by a lot of people living forwards from behind. Some people call it having a second sight."

Or "Defeating Arch-Lich save world but curse us. Now cleanse realm of his minions. But weakening fast!"

Time to share secret because Atarlost so close.

There is no way to role play any given stat because every stat that isn't purely physical is rank nonsense.

Int is maybe memory.

Wis is either some screwy combination of faith and eyesight and resemblance to Old Man Henderson and two of those are practically contradictory.

Charisma is some vague combination of personability and magical b#&*%@%! that is just flat out stupid. Outside Equestria friendship is not magic.

Golarion shared mass hallucination.

Real world luscious hyper-Edenic garden world of joy. No problems possible. Folk really ageless, sexless, enlightened creatures look like Hurkles who fart rainbows. Spend all day in nearly orgasmic camaraderie.

After millenia get bored. Hundreds of folk cooperate make big plan. Will use Friendship Magic to create dreamworld of excitement and adventure.

High Intelligence? You part of planning group. You know about pretend world. You know how spell of Friendship Magic work and can modify world.

High Wisdom? You slightly resistant to dream world. Have willpower. Perceptive because hunch that world hiding something.

High Charisma? You part of Friendship Magic spell casting team.

Ever feel like long time pass in between adventures? Cause real us wake up, eat luscious fruits, fart rainbows, have orgasmic camaraderie, sleep again and restart dream world Golarion.

Me know because putting together evil cult named Valentinians who try to share truth and "free" folk from dream world. You first members!

(You know you want this campaign arc.)

Beyond Character Classes is an essay I wrote about turning class abilities into feats and then giving characters two feats per level.

That essay provides more information, examples for how it could work with Fighter, Rogue, and Wizard (and one archetype for each), examples for how the Witch and Ninja fit in, and even a sample character to show how the end result is flavorful but not overpowered.

Perhaps the many thoughtful folk in this House Rules forum could turn my essay's thoughts into something more complete and valuable that revisits and rebalances classes and feats for the enjoyment of many Pathfinder players.

(Please pardon the double post. I wrote a very similar thing within the Advanced Class Guide Playtest's General Discussion forum but it is equally fitting here and may reach a different readership.)

A very different idea since folks are talking about how to blend two classes.

Beyond Character Classes is an essay I wrote about turning class abilities into feats and then giving characters two feats per level.

That essay provides more information, examples for how it could work with Fighter, Rogue, and Wizard (and one archetype for each), and a sample character to show how the end result is flavorful but not overpowered.

I really do not think Pathfinder needs more classes or archetypes. But a book about how to "multiclass" by going beyond the rigors of class and archetype could be valuable. I am sure the brains at Paizo and this forum could turn my essay's thoughts into something complete and valuable that revisits and rebalances the Core classes while adding new content for Pathfinder players would enjoy.

Me neutral good Troll. Why? Me read what happen after die in Golarion.

Ick Ick Ick

Abaddon (Neutral Evil): Get hunted by big Daemons. Best case is you evolve like Pokemon but still daemons catch and eat.

Hell (Lawful Evil): Tortured then do paperwork. If approved become wimpy Devil fire stuns. Other Devils laugh at you and throw fire.

Abyss (Chaotic Evil): Eat and eat as a worm. Eventually become a demon. Like Very Hungry Catepillar but turn into disgusting Dretch.

Petitioner eaten or become low rank Devil or Demon. Not sure which worse. Nobody smart be evil.

Blerg Blerg Blerg

Purgatory (Neutral): Become skeleton, earn becoming Aeon.

Limbo (Chaotic Neutral): Bobbly wallowing then become Protean.

Heaven (Lawful Good): Janitor in heaven then become Archon.

Elysium (Chaotic Good): You be hedonist then become Azata.

Any sound fun to you? Butterfly Girl sound nice until realize spend eternity running errands as underpaid musician.

Runner Up

Utopia (Lawful Neutral): Riddles on skin. Decipher to become smart Inevitable.

Me Troll. Me appreciate regeneration. But even Troll not want be smarty pants for eternity. "Me not robot servant, me wise advisor pain in hiney! Oooh, me go fight chaos army even if CR 2!"

Best

Nirvana (Neutral Good): Become animal. Seek and achieve true enlightenent. Become wise Agathion who avoids combat danger.

Guaranteed eternity as cross between Enlightened Master and Cheshire Cat? Woot. Sign me up. No other destiny come close.

So who me worship? Lots neutral good deities. As mendicant fraternal suave athlete Troll me have shrine to Kurgess cause me like travel, like sports, like Cayden Cailean parties, and like spontaneous fun with Desna girls.

Heh heh. Part two of me crafty plan.

Yesterday start this thread about awesome Monk stories and examples. Folks shared nice. Complimented what Lord Twig tried to start.

But me know Barbarians! Not let Monks show off without flaunt how Barbarians do it better.

As me said twice now: Pathfinder about storytelling. So purpose of Monk is storytelling.

Purpose of Barbarian is storytelling too! Show those Monks you do it better. Yur! Yur! Allons-y!

Me miss recently closed brainstorm about Monks. Yay for Lord Twig for trying to start something great.

This thread for more sharing of awesome monk stories and examples.

As me said there: Pathfinder about storytelling. So purpose of Monk is storytelling. Old thread prove awesome Monk stories exist. So awesome Monks exist. End of tautology. No more argue here. You have problem with tautology, go argue with president of tautology club.

(Folks have no awesome monk stories? Make some! Perhaps continue with Little Old Evil Lady challenge.)

Note: This not thread for discuss Monk class, or if strong, or houserules/fixes. This thread only for fun accounts of awesome Monks. Non-awesome Monks go somewhere else please. People without stories post somewhere else please.

Rangers not treated fairly.

Famous books have lots of nifty Favored Enemies. Why these not for our Rangers?

Favored Enemy (Cultists) - modern classic
Favored Enemy (Escaped Criminals) - for town watchmen
Favored Enemy (People On Wanted Posters) - for bounty hunters
Favored Enemy (Nobility) - power to the people!
Favored Enemy (Members of Other Religions) - ancient yet still popular
Favored Enemy (Hatfields, Montegues, etc.) - feuds always fun times
Favored Enemy (Merchants) - popular among smart NPC bad guy urban thugs
Favored Enemy (Cripples) - popular among stupid NPC bad guy urban thugs
Favored Enemy (People On Roads) - for experienced highwaymen
Favored Enemy (People Who Drive Their Cart Too Close in Front of Me On Roads) - no need explain this one
Favored Enemy (Women More Attractive Than Me) - used by many women I know
Favored Enemy (Men Less Attractive Than Me) - used by the other women I know

Your turn brainstorm...

Sing with me...

Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a Goblin. E-I-E-I-O.
With a burn! burn! here and a burn! burn! there,
Here a burn! there a burn!, everywhere a burn! burn!.
Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.

Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a Stirge. E-I-E-I-O.
With a flap! suck! here and a flap suck! there,
Here a flap! there a suck!, everywhere a flap! suck!.
Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.

Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a Mimic. E-I-E-I-O.
With a <silence> here and a <silence> there,
Here a <silence> there a <silence>, everywhere a <silence>.
Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.

Your turn. If possible, please maintain bold for creature names and italics for sound effects.

But, of course, we all know how this famous song ends...

Old McDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a Tarrasque. E-I-E-I-O.
With an <utter destuction> here and...
Old McDonald had a farm...

Actually, you do work. Me eat popcorn.

Think this with me...

I big troll Master Alchemist who can make Brewed Reek (40 gp, DC 25) ten times faster. No question there. By self takes 1.8 hours to make nice stinky Brewed Reek.

base DC 25 + extra DC 10 = 35 DC
Craft check also 35. 10 from Take Ten + 5 comp. bonus + 2 circ. bonus + 2 Master Alchemist untyped bonus + 16 Skill
Then (check * DC) / 7 days * 8 hours = 21.9 gp per hour
So 40 gp cost / 21.9 gp per hour = 1.8 hours

Also have Leadership and five followers of single level: all Wizards with Cooperative Crafting and Valet Familiars who also have that feat. So me happy little group have ten helpers.

Each can use Aid Another for untyped +2 bonus. That increases Craft Check to 55. Time per Brewed Reek down to 1.16 hours.

Each can also "double speed".

You provide a +2 circumstance bonus on any Craft or Spellcraft checks related to making an item, and your assistance doubles the gp value of items that can be crafted each day.

(I read that final sentence of the Cooperative Crafting text as halving the time required for crafting, since the feat cannot be doubling the length of the workday.)

Here question: How does "double speed" stack?

Does help of ten Cooperative Crafters mean make Brewed Reek in 1.16 hours * (1 / 10) = 7 minutes? With ten helpers it takes one-tenth as long

Does help of ten Cooperative Crafters mean make Brewed Reek in 1.16 hours * (0.5 ^ 10) = 4 seconds? Each of ten helpers halves the time

Either way job can be done in between dungeon rooms. Put magic cauldron on wheelbarrow to keep handy.

Rereading GameMastery Guide after long time. (Took while to relearn letters.)

Why GameMastery Guide not rules?

Yep yep the GM get to change rules, make house rules. Still GameMastery Guide is rules. Just 'cause GM can change it not make it advice or goblin burps.

Think 'bout...

"From your seat at the game table, you can always tell who's engaged and who's not. The goal should always be to figure out what's going to grab the bored, distracted, or annoyed players and get them back in the game (without sacrificing the fun of the others, of course)." (page 10)

"If you design an encounter that strains your paladin's commitment to his beliefs, make sure the player enjoys that sort of thing." (page 11)

"If the fighter's player likes to jump into the middle of groups of monsters and hack away, be sure to include such encounters every so often so that player gets to do what he likes best. If he has the Cleave feat, set up situations where he can cleave an adjacent foe; if he has Great Cleave, make sure every now and then he can go cleave-crazy on a horde of weak opponents." (page 40)

I troll forums lots. Read lots of "GM upsetting me" or "GM jerk to Paladin" or "got Cleave but GM never let use it".

Why forum posters never call GMs on breaking these rules?

Forum posters say "Your GM being mean" not "Your GM breaking GM rule on page 10 of GM Guide". Why? Everybody Chaotic instead of Lawful or something?

If my peer break rule I tell him. Might eat him first, but then belch and tell him. Not right to ignore rules.

After years of slow development (I am the househusband caring for four-year-old and one-year-old boys) I am finally ready to ask my friends on the Paizo forum for help critiquing my RPG, Narrative Adventures Made Easy.

Let's start with the eight intelligent races.

I'll also add that my RPG is about as different from Pathfinder as possible. Pathfinder shines in its use of teamwork, miniatures combat, and dice. NAME is designed for solo adventures, and miniatures and dice are optional. Yet perhaps its game mechanics and sample setting both have a few gems that folks here will enjoy stealing for Pathfinder play.

We all know those kind of wall posters, right? This community needs a Pathfinder version!

Let's start brainstorming. Maybe something will get published?

1. Life's struggles are much more manageable with at least three close friends.

2. Even Barbarians do not go to bed angry.

3. At the end of the day what matters is not how much of a beating you took but whether you and your friends get eight hours of rest.

4. Accept that not all archetypes are equally heroic.

5. Before starting a new career, plan out your feats.

Your turn...

Let's do some brainstorming inspired by this post by LazarX.

When I GM and plan an adventure, it tends to fall into one of several categories. I have listed four below.

So...

What other options are there for planning adventures, that I am overlooking in my rushed brainstorming?

How do these (and your other) alternatives relate to the "living world" concept mentioned in that thread by thejeff, a term I have never heard before.

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(a) Room-by-room event scripting

The PCs wander through the dungeon. When they enter a new room (or other place with a planned encounter) the event happens. If they do not enter that location the event does not happen.

(Of course I might fudge things as the GM, and delay or rearrange events if that helps the story. But for this post I am talking about the adventure as planned without any GM fudging. I also realize that improvising adventures can be fun, but that is also not what this post is talking about.)

Example: many Old School style dungeons, such as this one

(b) Level-by-level event scripting

This dungeon follows the traditional trend of descending a level opens up a new or more difficult stage of the adventure. But each level is "active" as a whole. Monsters might move from room to room, hunting the PCs or fighting each other. Items carried or guarded by these mobile monsters might thus also change hands or guardians.

Example: hm, I lack any ready examples aside from the Rouge-like computer games -- I have not run this type of adventure in a while!

(Of course most adventures themselves fit this category on a large scale. I imagine a story about a village bothered by a werewolf, but do not worry about it until the PCs are traveling and might be stopping at a village.)

(c) Clock tick chronological event scripting

This adventure has NPCs with plans and these plans proceed until the PCs intervene. Often the PCs know the basics of the plot early on and feel a time crunch deadline.

Example: lots of my urban adventures: stop the cultists before midnight, prevent the mob boss feud from flaring and wrecking the town, etc. I am now in the middle of running an adventure using the Waterfront Tavern flip-mat where the PC knows an assassination attempt will take place there that night and wants to prevent that: the tavern has NPCs that will arrive, talk, act, leave, etc. at preset clock times except for how the PC affects that default timeline.

(d) Clue path chronological event scripting

This adventure is a mystery. The PCs advance the plot by discovering clues. The clues suggest new places to visit and new NPCs to meet. I often plan the adventure as a "clue web" where one event leads to another (non-linearly) but the next stage begins not at a predetermined time on the clock but as the PCs accumulate clues.

Example: most of my mystery adventures, which I sadly have not had time to type up -- the most recent was in a haunted theatre using the Theatre flip-map

Continual Flame coins are handy light sources. But they do not last forever. They are turned off by Anti-magic fields, people casting Dispel Magic, or darkness spells of second or higher level. And when you place them in sconces around you mansion or Dwarven Mine people steal them. So despite the "permanent" duration they do indeed sometimes need replacing. Which leads us to ponder...

Q: How many Wizards does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: One. He casts the spell and then installs the new coin in the proper location.

Q: How many Witches does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: None. She has her Spectral Hand do it.

Q: How many Bards does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: Three. One to hire the wizard to cast the spell, one to install the new coin in the proper location, and one to Inspire Competence for the first two.

Q: How many Order of the Cockatrice Cavaliers does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: One, who refuses to share the spotlight.

Q: How many Shadowdancers does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: None. They leave the room in dim light.

Q: How many Archaeologists does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: Three. One to change it and two to argue about how ancient the old one was.

Q: How many Nonflying Diminutive Swarm Creatures does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: We're not sure how they do it, but there are exactly 1,500 of them.

Q: How many Goblins does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: Fire!

Q: How many Paladins does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: None. Paladins radiate The Light without a minor magical item.

Q: How many Priests of Rovagug does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: Five. One to hide the old yet functioning coin and then a group of four to spread The Darkness.

Q: How many First Level Sorcerers does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: No one knows. First Level Sorcerers do not last as long as Continual Flame coins.

Q: How many Barbarians does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: Barbarians not filthy wizard-casters! Why ask stupid question? Getting angry. [Sniffs.] You filthy wizard-caster!?

A: One.
Q: How many Oracles does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?

Q: How many Bewildering Koan Gnomes does it take to replace a Continual Flame coin?
A: Cherry blossoms falling on a Winter evening.

Your turn...

A typical deer has an AC of 14 and CMD of 15 (with CMD 19 versus trip). If the deer is surprised both of these are penalized by the same amount.

A typical hunter has average ability scores. His or her Strength and Dexterity are the same. He or she has the same chance to succeed with a weapon attack or combat maneuver.

Without a special feat, a hunter who charges can gain a 10% (+2) bonus to hit but only for a attack with a melee weapon or combat maneuver.

The result? Hunters in Golarion are 5% more successful with charging up to a deer and grabbing it than hitting it with an arrow or spear.

Can't make a stupid tangent if the thread has no topic!

Ya' know what I like best about a Ranger? Its liver!