[We're good. I am 'that' Polaris just to set the record straight, and I can be extremely stubborn. Contrary to rumor, I can be convinced, but telling me "you're wrong" or pulling out the grognard/hater/etc card just raises my hackles and unfortunately you may have seen that.
Hey Polaris good to see you are still around, it's been a while since I see you around RPG.net or even the WOTC forums.
Looking forward for good debates here on paizo forums.
So you never had a web aplication glitch on you before? Apparently WOTC can't ever win.
WotC didn't have a Web glitch. They've had repeated failures, often of serious magnitude. They've admitted this themselves.
For the industry leader, their performance is nothing short of incompetent. Seriously, how many major foul-ups are necessary before it is we can blame them for dropping the ball? It's a rhetorical question, but a somewhat serious one. Their failures have gone far beyond the point that many companies would be making major personnel changes.
WotC can't win because they keep dropping the ball, not because they aren't being given a fair shake (OK, at least on this issue).
Those of you who are on Facebook may have noticed a neat little application called "Dungeons and Dragons: Tiny Adventures" that lets you play a quasi-4E character, go on adventures, gain xp and treasures, etc. It's been out for a couple of days, I believe, but I just discovered it today and I've been playing with lots of my friends (friends can't help you adventure, but they can heal and buff you while you are out adventuring).
This afternoon, the application started terminating for lots of folks, giving the message "User wizapps_wotc has already more than 'max_user_connections' active connections". I got back on, only to get kicked off for the same error message.
I point this out partly because I recommend Tiny Adventures, but mostly to say that I think this is an unpleasant, but sadly typical, example of WotC's ability to fumble any kind of web-based play/reporting/product launch/etc.
So you never had a web aplication glitch on you before?
How did Darl Quethos get through the portal and reach the island?
drsparnum wrote:
Also, can celestial and fiendish creatures be summoned? The adventure specifically forbids spells that summon creature's from the astral plane and plane of shadow. I would have thought all summoned creatures have to travel through the astral, but the adventure doesn't specifically mention a problem with summon monster.
My opinion: Goodman games has always wanted to be first with something, now is their chance. Unfortunately, their blind support for the GSL is distasteful, especially since Wizards of the Coast is damaging the 3PP community with their GSL failure, and damaging our game with their wonton destruction of the realms along with the video-esque incoherent, poor quality 4e. For these reasons, I find Goodman's zealous reaction to 4e distasteful, immature, and shows a strong level of insensitivity to our community. I've asked to be removed from all Goodman games advertisement email lists.
Eirip I suggest you give the game a chance, most 4E detractors I have met havent even played the game and have just dealt a judgement based on mostly web comments.
If you do play it and decide its not for you, well thats good, there are other stuff you can play. Go 3.5, 3.75.pathfinder,heck even go into any non D&D fantasy rpgs (there are tons and some are awesome).
Forget about skill and use attribute checks. Make up a feat called Riding thatgives +5 to any check related to horses. Then depending on the situation ask for attribute checks to simulate riding. ( Dex check for combat maneuvers, Wisdom checks for calming the mount during combat, STr checks for stopping the horse abruptly, etc.)
Thats the ppoint of the atribute modifires to simulate any other secondary skills.
Thumbs down to the sarcasm. On a more serious note, don't you think that the phrase "4E side" might be a touch polarizing? I like 4E, but I'm on Wotc's "side." I don't hesitate to call them out for stupid mistakes (GSL anyone?).
Its the binary situation, you are either with me or against me. It just doesnt have occured to them that we may like both things.
I'll be the first to admit that I have posted things that can be insulting or baiting or otherwise in poor form for discourse, but I have tried to contain myself of late.
Accepting that you have a problem is the first step towards a full recovery.
I realize there was a bit of snark in your reply, Pres, but I am trying to overlook it and not return with snark because my original question was not meant to be rude even though everyone seems to be beating on me pretty good for it.
I mean no offense by this, but there is no need to play the martyr. You made a post that people have seen as rude and got flak for it.
There is no need to continue on that topic , so lets carry one with the new GSL discussion.
I agree completely Ixan, but how many from the other side have you seen crossing over into Pathfinder or even 3E forums to 'stirr up trouble'?
In all fairness, If he is like many of us, we dont look in the 4e forums, but instead look at the recently posted titles on the left of the screen of the message boards and it doesnt tell you what forum the title is from.
Many times Ive seen an interesting title, gone in and posted; and after the fact realized I was saying anti-4e things in the 4e forum. All I can say, is please understand, most of us aren't getting on anyone else who wants to play and likes 4e. Heck I don't like the World of Darkness Games either.:D
But expressing why we dislike it is as much our right as it is the the right of the folks to say why they like it. The issue comes from people who feel they have to argue that your opinion is wrong, and demand you to substantiate why you have your opinion...from either side of the house.
So I don't think its to stir up trouble. ;)
Well if that is the case, just look beforfe you post. :P
I have no problem when someone posts their opinions, actually this is what this board for discussion. But when some people get right out insulting and just post stuff to start a flame war, Well their intentions are pretty obvious.
As for when will it end, well that depends on when the forumites(or is that forumers?), stirring up trouble just because they cant stand a new edition, decide to stop.
To be fair and honest, there is equal amount of "stirring up" going on by people who can't stand people not liking a new edition. There is equal stirgin going on from all sides, and to claim otherwise is to run with blinders on.
I agree completely Ixan, but how many from the other side have you seen crossing over into Pathfinder or even 3E forums to 'stirr up trouble'?
See this isn't healthy though. There is a pretty big wound in the industry between the publishers as well as between the gamers. I don't think it will be healed any time soon (or ever?). WotC made this. Now they are trying to fix it. I just don't think it can be fixed no matter what the new GSL says. It's unfortunate.
That's a pretty defeatist actittude to take.
This not WOTC fault, its just nerdrage.
GSL has nothing to do with this, and by revising it they are not trying to heal anything.
It is just a business decision.
As for when will it end, well that depends on when the forumites(or is that forumers?), stirring up trouble just because they cant stand a new edition, decide to stop.
Okay. You said, specifically in your post that you were being sarcastic. I am only going on by what you have said. You admitted to being confrontational so trying to step back and say "Oh, double standard" doesn't really make much sense.
I don't think FakeHealer was really asking him to go away. He said he was not trying to be rude but was asking an honest question. I take what he said at face value much in the way I take what you said at face value.
Okay I will accept that you really belive what he said was not rude nor civil. I'll mark that as a description of your character.
alleynbard wrote:
Yes, because that would help continue the anti-4E assumption that paizo has on other boards. Something I very well imagine is good for business.
I was simply agreeing with you. What does it take to make you happy?
I'm just curious but I thought I would ask, you don't like Pathfinder Setting, you are a fan of 4E and, as far as I can tell, you don't like the Pathfinder RPG. Why are you here? This is Paizo. They make Pathfinder products and don't support 4E. It sounds like you should be over at WOTC's site judging by your preferences. I am not trying to sound rude or anything, I am just curious as to why someone would frequent a gaming site that they don't support or have interest in?
Well following your line of logic:
This is Paizo. They make Pathfinder products and don't support 4E. Why do they have a 4E only forum, they should just close it and be done with it.
I am not trying to sound rude or anything, just curious as to why a publishing company would mantain a forum dedicated to something they don't support or have interest in.
Sarcasm aside, this is a public forum so far. I ask you Fakehealer do you like 4E? do you support 4E? if not why are you on 4E public forum? shouldn't you be on a Pathfinder only forum?
I agree completely. I feel it's one of the worst arguments out there. Nobody EVER has any solid evidence to back it up other than WotC's word on the number of printings and the Amazon Best Seller list. I don't doubt it has sold well however there are two things I'm curious about.
1.) How many of those purchases were speculative, like my group's purchase, that were dropped after a month or two of giving 4.0 a shot....
Juast check the sales for the modules and splatbooks, only people that continue gaming would keep buying stuff right?
Heck even Eric Frakking Mona has come out and said it, what was it? 70-80% of the RPG sales. That leaves the rest 20-30% to be split amongst the rest of the big companies ( White Wolf, etc.). So whats left?
realphilbo wrote:
I don't know - with the botched PR and online launch of 4E, the brand might not be turning a profit, (I have no proof) they might be willing to sell that just to dump it.
LOL, do you know how much revenue the D&D brand makes for HASBRO? Just check the Video game sales.
Also, I posted this at RPG.ney on a similar discussion:
nahualt wrote:
You know this reminds me of an interview with the guys from LOTRO. They were asked if their intention was to dethrone WOW and they laughed answering: " There is no way any other MMO can be as sucesful as WOW. I we can at least get 500k subscribers we would consider our game a success."
I guess this is the thinking behind Paizo and any other 3pp that will remain with 3E.
Eric Can you give us any numbers on how good pathfinder stuff sells, so we can try to gauge what is your % share of the market? (or even better just give us your perception of the %).
OK, I see a big house rule on mind-affecting spells coming up in my games...
Actually making monsters inmune to abilities is a type of gaming the designers tried to avoid. Undead are not inmune to charm nor sleep, so when subject to such spells they are affected by them. Try not think about it as skeletons actually sleeping, but being kept in check by the magic in use or actually severing the conecttion of the spirit animating the skeleton for a short while.
I was refering to a more general RPG magazine (covering generic material for other rpgs or material focusing on different genres), is KQ a general RPG magazine?
Funny enough, the more we play it, the more it feels like pre 3E D&D among by group. People have alluded to 4E being more of a descendant of BECM and that's a legitimate argument I find (the csomology/world and the alignment system feels WAY closer to BECM than 3E ever did for example)
I think the biggest "feel" difference is that there's way less focusing on the build aspect of the game. Which to our group seems to harken back to the days of 1e/2e where outside of character creation there was less focus on the build.
I have had this exact reaction, heck even a rules cyclopedia gamer who hated 3E (to the point of not playing with us when we played 3E)is back at our table and loving 4E.
As for the part of the DM, yeah its very nice just having to take 15-30 minutes of prep time instead of the night before to set up the adventure.
The more I Gm 4E, the more I think it was built especially for GMs!
Interesting topic. I am firmly in the PRPG camp now, and I don't think there is much WotC could do to get me back. Of course this wasn't so a year ago. I think there are a few things that would return me to the WotC fold:
1. Bring back Dragon and Dungeon in print form.
2. Keep the DDI free, not a subscription.
3. Revise the GSL to be less draconian.
Sadly I dont see any of those happening in a long time.
Regardless, the DDI + Dungeon/Dragon mags will be free for a year IIRC . That at least will allow for a transitional time plus it will at give tons of free stuff for the game.
Kradlo, I'm also waiting for the Revised 3rd Edition.
Yeah I was gonna buy 3rd edition until I saw that anouncement now I dunno if I should wait or buy the current edition.
Kradlo once you get it can you let us know how different it is?
BTW from the AEG forums I got this about revised edition:
Legend of the Five Rings, Third Edition Revised
Releases Summer 2008
(hardbound)
Return to the Emerald Empire, where honor is a force more powerful than steel.
In its triumphant third printing, the Legend of the Five Rings RPG Third Edition receives a major update! Now including material such as the Spider Clan, more intuitive combat rules, and more, the Third Edition Revised is everything players both new and old need to jump into the world of the Emerald Empire.
- New and updated character creation and development mechanics including the devious Spider Clan and its new schools.
- Updates to some existing schools such as the Daidoji Bodyguard and the Tonbo Shugenja.
- Updated rules for combat, dueling, and spells.
- Updated Timeline brings the story forward to the Race for the Throne.
- Horses! And much more.
Legend of the Five Rings Third Edition Revised is an excellent time for you to begin your journey in the Emerald Empire. Whether samurai or shugenja, courtier or artisan, your adventures begin here.
I own the L5R 1st edition, how different is 3rd edition?
It is less different, I think, than 2nd Ed was from 1st Ed. But all three are distinctive in some very specific ways.
Nahualt wrote:
What did they fix? what did they broke?
The biggest changes involve dealing with the issues that came up in 1st Ed about the relative value of Traits vs Skills. Kept dice ruled the roost, and buying skills was a mug's game.
In 3rd Ed, however, that's changed somewhat, because skills now have value beyond simply adding rolled dice. Abilities including Free Raises, additional Insight points, and special bonuses unique to each skill mean that buying a skill up to 5 or even higher is a very good idea. Traits are still important, and probably still outweigh skills in some respects, but it's no longer so clear-cut as to which is the better choice for your XP.
Nahualt wrote:
If I own 1st, should I consider buying 3rd or am I set with 1st?
I personally think 3rd Ed is a much, much better game. What 1st Ed wanted to be, 3rd Ed manages. YMMV, however.
When do characters start getting magic powers like that?
Currently, there ARE no powers that really pull stuff off like that, regardless of level. (Indeed, there are FEW powers in any class that aren't somehow straight-up damage effects). That's actually part of the difficulty, we're attempting to model it from scratch for a system that's actually HOSTILE to the very concept.
I dont see the hostility in the system. The system just doesnt have any "save or Die' abilities for the players, but those do exist in game (see the Orcus big save or die ability).
Actuallly adding this type of 'save or die' mentality would be rather easy to do.
But the question is:
Would you just add it to spell casters or would you make a martial exploit called "Off with his head" in which a Dex vs For hit means instant death?
(IIRC I remember Clark from Necro games talking about a book to reintroduce this type of gaming back into 4E)
Polymorph Other Wizard Attack 19
With a flick of your wrist, you alter reality itself to change your enemy into a toad..
Daily Arcane, Psychic, Polymorph, Implement
Standard Action Ranged 10
Effect: You polymorph the target into a small inoffensive animal. The polymorph effect lasts until the end of your next turn.(save ends)
Targets: One creature
Attack: Intelligence vs. Reflex
Hit: 3d10 + Intelligence modifier psychic damage, and the
Targets changes shape into a small inoffensive animal ( toad, rabbit)
Special: A polymorphed target is stunned until the effect wears off.
Sustain Minor: The polymorph effect persist.
Inspiration: An investigator is beyond knowledgeable and skilled - he also possesses keen powers of observation and deduction that far surpass the abilities of others. An investigator typically uses these powers to aid in their investigations, but can also use these flashes of inspiration in other situations.
An investigator has the ability to augment skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant inspiration. The investigator has an inspiration pool equal to 1/2 his investigator level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). An investigator’s inspiration pool refreshes each day, typically after he gets a restful night’s sleep. As a free action, he can expend one use of inspiration from his pool to add 1d6 to the result of that check, including any on which he takes 10 or 20. This choice is made after the check is rolled and before the results are revealed. An investigator can only use inspiration once per check or roll. The investigator can use inspiration on any Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft skill checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he’s trained in the skill.
Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration each time from the investigator’s pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action.
Trapfinding: An investigator adds 1/2 his level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device checks (minimum 1). An investigator can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps.
AC Bonus: When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and CMD. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every four monk levels thereafter, up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.
These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.
Bonus Feat: At 1st level, 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a monk can select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: Catch Off-Guard, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Improved Grapple, Scorpion Style, and Throw Anything. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.
Flurry of Blows: At 1st level, a monk can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When making a flurry of blows, the monk can make one additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. This additional attack stacks with the bonus attacks from haste and other similar effects. When using this ability, the monk can make these attacks with any combination of his unarmed strikes and weapons that have the monk special weapon quality. He takes no penalty for using multiple weapons when making a flurry of blows, but he does not gain any additional attacks beyond what’s already granted by the flurry for doing so. (He can still gain additional attacks from a high base attack bonus, from this ability, and from haste and similar effects).
Stunning Fist: At 1st level, the monk gains Stunning Fist as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.
Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s attacks can be with fists, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk can make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk can apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes. A monk’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, although he can choose to deal nonlethal damage with no penalty on his attack roll. He can make this choice while grappling as well.
A monk’s unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
Psychic Meddler: At 2nd level, a psychic detective receives a +1 bonus on saves against psychic spells and spell-like abilities. This bonus increases by 1 at 5th level and every 3 levels thereafter, to a maximum of +6 at 17th level. Starting at 5th level, the psychic investigator adds half this bonus on caster level checks to dispel psychic effects. This ability replaces poison lore, poison resistance, swift alchemy, and poison immunity.
Keen Recollection: At 3rd level, an investigator can attempt all Knowledge skill checks untrained.
Trap Sense: At 3rd level, an investigator gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, granting him a +1 bonus on Reflex saving throws to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by traps. At 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter, these bonuses increase by 1 (to a maximum of +6 at 18th level).
Phrenic Dabbler: At 3rd level, a psychic detective gains a small pool of phrenic points equal to 1/2 her psychic detective level, as well as one phrenic amplification, as the psychic class feature. This does not allow the psychic detective to qualify for the Extra Amplification feat. This ability replaces the investigator talent gained at 3rd level.
Studied Combat: With a keen eye and calculating mind, an investigator can assess the mettle of his opponent to take advantage of gaps in talent and training. At 4th level, an investigator can use a move action to study a single enemy that he can see. Upon doing so, he adds 1/2 his investigator level as an insight bonus on melee attack rolls and as a bonus on damage rolls against the creature. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) or until he deals damage with a studied strike, whichever comes first. The bonus on damage rolls is precision damage, and is not multiplied on a critical hit.
An investigator can only have one target of studied combat at a time, and once a creature has become the target of an investigator’s studied combat, he cannot become the target of the same investigator’s studied combat again for 24 hours unless the investigator expends one use of inspiration when taking the move action to use this ability.
Studied Strike: At 4th level, an investigator can choose to make a studied strike against the target of his studied combat as a free action, upon successfully hitting his studied target with a melee attack, to deal additional damage. The damage is 1d6 at 4th level, and increases by 1d6 for every 2 levels thereafter (to a maximum of 9d6 at 20th level). The damage of studied strike is precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit; creatures that are immune to sneak attacks are also immune to studied strike.
If the investigator’s attack used a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), he may choose to have the additional damage from studied strike be nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. If the investigator chose to make an attack with a lethal weapon instead deal nonlethal damage (with the usual -4 penalty), the studied strike damage may also deal nonlethal damage.
The investigator must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. An investigator cannot use studied strike against a creature with concealment.
Obedience: In order to maintain the abilities granted by the Evangelist prestige class, including all abilities gained from aligned class (see below), Quinn must perform the following daily obedience to Irori:
Over the course of 1 hour, spend an equal amount of time practicing with a weapon or your unarmed strikes, reading any text that you have never read before, and braiding a length of hair while contemplating the mysteries of the multiverse. Hang the length of hair around your neck when your obedience is complete and wear it for the rest of the day. Gain a +4 sacred bonus on all Knowledge checks.
Skilled: Evangelists possess a range of skills across multiple disciplines. At 1st level, an evangelist selects two skills to add to her class skill list (Appraise and Use Magic Device). Once selected, these class skills can’t be changed.
Aligned Class: Evangelists come from many different backgrounds, and they show an unusual range of diversity. At 2nd level, the evangelist must choose a class she belonged to before adding the prestige class to be her aligned class. She gains all the class features for this class, essentially adding every evangelist level beyond 1st to her aligned class to determine what class features she gains. She still retains the Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saving throw bonuses, and skill ranks of the prestige class, but gains all other class features of her aligned class as well as those of the evangelist prestige class.
Protective Grace: The evangelist’s chosen deity rewards her with heightened awareness and reaction skills, making her more difficult to strike in combat. At 2nd level, the evangelist gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC. This bonus increases to +2 at 7th level. The evangelist loses this bonus when she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC.
Traits:
------------------------------
TRAITS
------------------------------
Pragmatic Activator: While some figure out how to use magical devices with stubborn resolve, your approach is more pragmatic. You may use your Intelligence modifier when making Use Magic Device checks instead of your Charisma modifier.
Young Reformer: Perhaps you were born at the bottom of Taldan society and you’re tired of seeing your friends and family toil endlessly with no hope of a better life, or maybe your privileged outlook was shattered by empathy or tragedy. Either way, you know the system is broken, and you’ve dedicated your life to fixing it. But tradition rules Taldor as much as any Grand Prince, and change requires more influence than you have… so far. You’ve got a few friends and allies, and plenty of determination, but while you work toward the power you need to change the nation, you’ll have to resort to more discrete ways of righting wrongs and curbing the abuses of the upper class. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Disable Device and Knowledge (local) checks, and one of these skills is always a class skill for you. Once per day, you can call upon your coconspirators to have “made arrangements” on your behalf, allowing you to attempt a Knowledge (local) check in place of a single Bluff, Disable Device, Intimidate, or Sleight of Hand check. The DC of this Knowledge (local) check is equal to the DC of the skill check it replaces. Whatever arrangements you make - for doors left unlocked, guards strong-armed out of your way, stolen keys left for you to find - must be reasonable to have anticipated and achieved beforehand; you could arrange to have a noble convinced you’re a very important diplomat traveling in disguise, for example, but if a fight breaks out you could not rely on your network of contacts to feint for you in combat. You don’t have to use this ability in advance; you can announce its use as you encounter a challenge, implying you foresaw this challenge and made arrangements prior to your arrival.
Feats:
------------------------------
FEATS
------------------------------
Deflect Arrows: You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this feat. Once per round when you would normally be hit with an attack from a ranged weapon, you may deflect it so that you take no damage from it. You must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed. Attempting to deflect a ranged attack doesn't count as an action. Unusually massive ranged weapons (such as boulders or ballista bolts) and ranged attacks generated by natural attacks or spell effects can't be deflected.
Deific Obedience: Each deity requires a different daily obedience, but all obediences take no more than 1 hour per day to perform. Once you’ve performed the obedience, you gain the benefit of a special ability or resistance as indicated in the Obedience entry for the god to whom you performed the obedience.
If you have at least 12 Hit Dice, you also gain the first boon granted by your deity upon undertaking your obedience. If you have at least 16 Hit Dice, you also gain the second boon. If you have 20 Hit Dice or more, you also gain the third boon. Unless a specific duration or number of uses per day is listed, a boon’s effects are constant. If you have levels in the evangelist, exalted, or sentinel prestige classes, you gain access to these boons at lower levels as a benefit of your prestige class. If you have no levels in one of these prestige classes, you gain the boons marked as exalted boons. If you later take levels in sentinel or evangelist, you lose access to the exalted boons and gain access to the new boons appropriate to your class.
If you ever fail to perform a daily obedience, you lose all access to the benefits and boons granted by this feat until you next perform the obedience.
Empath: You can use either Perception or Sense Motive when reading an emotion aura with the read aura occult skill unlock. Reading a creature’s emotion aura takes you only a full-round action instead of 10 minutes, and if you succeed at your check, you also determine whether that creature is currently affected by a fear or mind-affecting effect and the relative strength of that effect (minor, moderate, strong, as defined in detect magic). You don’t learn the source of the effect or the actual effect.
You can also use the read aura occult skill unlock to read emotion auras more than once per day by opening your innate mental defenses. For 1 minute after you use this feat, you take a -4 penalty on saving throws against fear and mind-affecting effects (regardless of whether you succeeded at the check). During this time, you’re also unable to attempt to read emotion auras. Using this feat doesn’t use up your one daily use of the read aura unlock, which you can still use either to read another type of aura or to read an emotion aura without taking the penalty associated with this feat.
Extra Investigator Talent: You gain one additional investigator talent (Empathy). You must meet the prerequisites for this investigator talent. You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you do, you gain another investigator talent.
Improved Initiative: You get a +4 bonus on initiative checks.
Improved Unarmed Strike: You are considered to be armed even when unarmed - you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you attack foes while unarmed. Your unarmed strikes can deal lethal or nonlethal damage, at your choice.
Stunning Fist: You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). Stunning Fist forces a foe damaged by your unarmed attack to make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wis modifier), in addition to dealing damage normally. A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next turn). A stunned character drops everything held, can't take actions, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC. You may attempt a stunning attack once per day for every four levels you have attained (but see Special), and no more than once per round. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be stunned. A monk receives Stunning Fist as a bonus feat at 1st level, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. A monk may attempt a stunning attack a number of times per day equal to his monk level, plus one more time per day for every four levels he has in classes other than monk.
Toughness: You gain +3 hit points. For every Hit Die you possess beyond 3, you gain an additional +1 hit point. If you have more than 3 Hit Dice, you gain +1 hit points whenever you gain a Hit Die (such as when you gain a level).
Investigator Talents:
------------------------------
INVESTIGATOR TALENTS
------------------------------
Empathy: When attempting a Sense Motive check, the investigator makes two d20 rolls and takes the higher result. If an investigator uses inspiration on a Sense Motive check, he rolls the inspiration dice twice and takes the higher result. Once per day, the investigator can expend one use of inspiration to target a single creature that he can see and hear within 30 feet. Upon doing so, the investigator detects the surface thoughts of the target’s mind, as if he concentrated for 3 rounds while using the detect thoughts spell, unless the creature succeeds a Will saving throw. The DC of this save is 10 + 1/2 the investigator’s level + his Intelligence modifier. If the target fails, the investigator can continue to detect the surface thoughts of the target creature for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 his investigator level. An investigator must be at least 5th level to select this talent.
Expanded Inspiration: An investigator can use his inspiration ability when attempting Diplomacy, Heal, Perception, Profession, and Sense Motive checks without expending uses of inspiration, provided he’s trained in the skill.
Phrenic Amplifications:
------------------------------
PHRENIC AMPLIFICATIONS
------------------------------
Defensive Prognostication: When casting a divination spell, the psychic sees a glimmer of her future. By spending 1 point from her phrenic pool as she casts a divination spell, she gains a +2 insight bonus to AC for a number of rounds equal to the linked spell’s level. She can instead spend 2 points to increase the bonus to +4. This amplification can be linked only to divination spells.
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GEAR/POSSESSIONS
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Coin: 1590 gp
Headband of Intellect +2
Belt of Dexterity +2
Cloak of Protection +2
Amulet of Mighty Fists (+1)
Ring of Protection +1
Dagger
Handy Haversack
*Acid Flask x2
*Charcoal
*Flint and Steel
*Grappling Hook
*Ink
*Inkpen
*Masterwork Thieves’ Tools
*Parchment x7
*Rope
*Scroll: comprehend languages
*Spell Lattice (lvl 1 - liberating command)
*Wand: endure elements (48 charges)
*Stored in Haversack
Bot Me!:
Background:
This is Quinn’s diary! If you’re not Quinn, you better bugger off! I mean it!
25 Lammasan Lamashan 4899
Mother and Father gave me this journal for my birthday - which is today! Mother says it is for me to practice my letters in. I will write every day and make them happy!
26 Lamashan 4899
Father took away my favorite blanket today. He said it was because he wanted me to grow up and become more indepandant independent, but I think it’s because he doesn’t like how I sometimes wear it like Mother’s sarong wrap. I don’t know why he’s so mean!
17 Neth 4715
Mother and Father announced at dinner tonight that they had arranged for me to study abroad for the next year. They were very quiet about where exactly, which means they must not be terribly proud of it. Why would they send me someplace like that? Is this because I wore the pink and cream apple blossom dress instead of the burgundy velvet breeches when the mayor came to visit last week? I know Mother picked them out specifically for the occasion, but I couldn’t bring myself to wear them that day. I know she knows I don’t do it to hurt her or Father, but neither of them seem to understand that some days are easier than others to pretend for them.
I just hope it’s not someplace “good for my physical and mental wellbeing” - those’ve always had so much pomp and used the most ridiculous experimental techniques.
18 Neth 4715
Of course it is.
19 Neth 4715
Father and I had a long discussion in the smoking lounge tonight. Tomorrow morning I board the Bee’s Knees for Cassomir, then the Grinning Nixie for Niswan in Jalmeray. Father and Mother have arranged for me to stay at the Gilded Rose inn in the Commerce District until I am able to request admittance to one of the Houses of Perfection. Father has informed me that he would be most pleased if I were to be admitted into the House of Untwisting Iron and return “a man with a proper backbone of steel”, but he and Mother would of course be happy with anything I accomplish abroad. His stiff posture and how he stared at my shirt - which was certainly a welcome relief from his usual demands for eye contact, but still - tell me that he is unhappy. I asked if this was too expensive to afford. He said it was not. I asked if he and Mother were not in agreement on this course of action. He denied any difference of opinion. I asked if this had to do with the mayor’s visit a week ago. He said it was not - but his lips tightened and he suddenly because much more interested in pulling his pipe from his pocket than continuing the conversation. I bid him a good night and returned to my room to finish packing my things for the journey.
2 Abadius 4717
It has been over a year, a month, and a day since I arrived in Niswan. This is an occasion for measuring progress and changes.
I have adjusted to the noise and number of inhabitants. It was overwhelming at first and I could not leave my room at the inn for two days. The first purchases I made for myself here were a Vudrani dictionary and a guidebook for tourists that I discovered later was almost a century out of date. But the High-Holy district is much the same now as it was then and the maps were largely accurate, meaning I could explore at my own pace without needing to hire a guide. That was where I found myself.
The Temple of the Open Hand is also much the same now as it was then - quiet and unassuming. I have never observed the abbot to give a sermon or lead a group prayer. When I asked her about that, she answered that her role was to remove obstructions for those around her - not to dictate anyone’s path to perfection or the pace at which they traverse it. For me, that has taken the form of long hours in the monastery studying the teachings and philosophies of Irori. I have recently begun to perform a librarian’s role. This is much easier than pretending to be the perfect child, the perfect heir, the perfect son my parents certainly sent me here to become. I have surely disappointed them by still not seeking entrance to any of the Schools of Perfection, though the abbot has mentioned that the archives of the Monastery of Unblinking Flame contain much more information on the occult and esoteric than the one here. Perhaps I will someday study there - but for now, there is still more I wish to learn of myself by studying the example of the abbot and the Master of Masters.
31 Pharast 4718
Father has written to me. I could be troubled that this is the first time he has answered my correspondence, but he is him and I am me. I am more troubled by the content of the letter. Mother has taken ill and fallen into a deep sleep with no waking. Her lack of eating and drinking has been compensated for with a ring of sustaining magic from the family vaults, for which I am relieved. Father did not say how long she has been unresponsive, so I must assume it to have been at least a week, possibly two, for him to have become worried enough to write and ask me to return home. And then several days for the messenger pigeon to arrive.
1 Gozran 4718
I have informed the abbot of my return to Taldor. To Yanmass. To home? No, home is wherever I am now. She smiled and wished me a clear and mindful journey. I knew she was not speaking merely of the voyage across the Inner Sea. I bowed to her and told her I wish to be unto others what she had been to me. She said nothing in response, but the sudden reflectiveness in her eyes and how her hands were suddenly still (as opposed to resting) in her lap revealed how the words had created a change in her harmony.
Now, once again to be a passenger on the Grinning Nixie, I lie down in my bunk and wait for dawn.
Appearance and Personality:
A human with a shaved head and comfortable, moveable clothes. Quiet, practical, to-the-point.
