Fey Animal

Ninjamancer's page

** Pathfinder Society GM. 69 posts (75 including aliases). No reviews. No lists. 1 wishlist. 19 Organized Play characters. 1 alias.


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What is the plan for the PF1 v PF2 spread? 50/50? less?


I'm currently the bookkeeper for our campaign and I just set up a google sheets thing that I've slowly been adding stuff into as I think about it.

It started as a notepad file but that wasn't easily shareable, not to mention it was getting messy... now it has dropdowns for type of loot, columns for acquisition order, magic/mundane, options for marking to-sell and sold/used, etc.

makes calculating how much money we have much simpler.


fwiw, Draconomicon feats can be slotted into Pathfinder seamlessly.


Null + 60 is still Null :D


I'm a fan of "everything gets covered in glitter, but they don't have to roll v Blind since the explosion already happened"


if it was part of PFS there's a particular one that includes a rather nasty radiation leak you can set off.


Eh, demiplanes are crazy exploitable - I'd make him spend the space to go up as well - at LEAST 20', then handwave trees/etc that "go higher" but aren't actually reachable/etc.


I think that the -2 penalty and the WIS damage are all part of the failed Fort Save for addiction....

Drugs are weird tho, could be wrong...


One of my older groups used to put their hand on top of their head when they were speaking OOC, I still find myself doing that sometimes - but now as a Player I actually try to just have my Character Voice be different enough from my ACTUAL voice that I can just use that to denote in/out of character stuff.


Agreed. tho I wanted to put in another vote for Milestone/Plot XP - it just makes thing faaar simpler....


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I always viewed that sort of thing as an interrupt to normal flow of operators

Bard singing while at 2HP
gets hit for 10 damage
calculate all modifiers, would include guarded life.
the bard ends up with -4 and 3 temp HP
The Bard is now officially unconscious, so the song stops.


if you're comparing just on Carrying capacity, it's easy to get ridiculous numbers - I once built a PFS-legal build that had over 600,000lb carry capacity by ~level 6 or 8. that sort of build would significantly reduce the amount of RP superman would be. (granted, he's likely to still be a smidge over a regular race's RP, but hey :p )


Remember, you can bypass finding a caster with the spell by raising the Spellcraft DC by 5 and just wingin' it. In that case, the "usual" rule for such things is to calculate as if a Wizard/Cleric/Druid were casting it, then move on to the other various classes if they can't.

So calculate with a CL 7, with DC 5 harder. (or find a druid who will hang out with you for the entire crafting period)


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I'm running my second group through Rise of the Runelords and let me just say, your group will need that alpha strike capability.

Runelords was built on the standard "Fighter/Wizard/Rogue/Cleric" group, so with missing the Cleric portion you're going to have to rely on killing things before they can "do unto you" - otherwise you're going to have all sorts of issues.

The first book or two might seem like he's just OP, but as you get farther in you're going to need that Boom, especially if your DM isn't willing to adjust the "as-written" to accommodate your group makeup. On the whole, higher level things means smarter things - especially if bad guys start learning about his tactics before fighting him...


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Honestly, it looks like either a shield with wings, or just general armor frippery. I'd lean towards the latter, since that means the figure doesn't have any iconography on it and can therefor be of any deity with a bit of paint.

2/5

(wrong forum)

that said, the "Fashioned to surround the wearer’s eyes and cover the forehead and cheekbones" pretty much enforces the whole "head slot" thing. even if it melts into your face that usually doesn't matter.

you could argue it could be taking up a tattoo slot I suppose instead - that might work...


For people interested - PFS errata has it to be

------
Page 6 — A court poet gains the following ability:

"Practiced Orator (Su): At 3rd level, a court poet gains 3 more rounds of raging song per day. He gains 3 additional rounds of raging song at 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter. This ability replaces rage powers."
------

Which probably leans into what was originally intended.


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I probably wouldn't have her complete her transformation unless you're looking to challenge your players, but tossing a handful of various class levels at those lot isn't a bad idea.

Lyrie: Easy enough to bump wizard levels up, or turn to arcanist if you want to be fancy. but could even just do simple "+#" things to dice rolls and HP and then just grab a handful of higher level spells.

Orik: Basic fightery guy - easy level bumps, could even just add "+#" to all his stuff and call it good really.

Tsuto I actually re-worked to be a Slayer-Variant, but bumping up his sneak attack/etc wouldn't be hard. same as before.

Nualia: hard to say... If you do go full transformation, you could easily have her be a variant demonoid of some sort, even a out-of-CR one that has a "doesn't understand her new form" penalty applied to it. I'd probably stick with either one of the "pretty" demonoids, or go full opposite and be absolutely hideous. If you leave her alone, full battle-cleric build wouldn't be bad, having them be a party of 4 v PCs would be a pretty solid group of baddies. You can even justify them counter-picking your party's choices since they've fought them before. (e.g. Got a fireball wizard? Well looks like they all have resist fire on! etc/etc )

Orik pulls aggro, Tsuto jumps in with Sneak attack on a flank (or jumps a caster), Lyrie hits them with control spells (pit/wall/web/etc) and Nualia wades in after Orik with AoE Channel Negative(selective) and kukri/claw attacks (maybe get fancy and add negative energy to the claw or something)


EMF is strong enough that it is almost a force-pick on any caster capable of casting it, even if you only use it for super oh-s^&$#@ moments like IDing someone casting Power Word: Kill on you, or a surprise barbarian in your face or something.

As far as Eyes of the Ten goes, remember, it's a very early set of scenarios. That means by this point, people are a good chunk stronger than they expected when it was written. I'm not saying it'll be a cakewalk or anything, but if you're used to dealing with Season 8/9/10 encounters you should be fine.

Some of the top spells my Eyes Arcanist used to buff/etc:
Overland Flight
Life Bubble
Emergency Force Sphere
Phase Step
Dimension Door
<insert Brownfur shennanigans here>

I'd also make sure to pick up one of the best defensive items you can get for high level play - a Bead of Newt Prevention. it's only 1000g and can turn a bad day into a "phew thank goodness"

2/5

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There are plenty of people who get angry at the smallest things. If you're a seasoned PFS veteran, especially one who's GMd things as well, you're going to have have heard rumors of things on chronicle sheets and consider playing the scenario with someone who could use it.

For instance:

There's a scenario that has a good boon on it for <character type>. The table was run one week, and between then and the next time it was ran, there were murmurs of the boon those people had received (or first hand knowledge of the boon due to playing with those characters at another table) that were circulating around the various tables. Nothing concrete (unless they played with one of the people) and nothing that would in any way impact the choices made at the next table of the scenario - but enough of a "spoiler" that people who had that sort of character would try and get into the next table ran.

It's impossible to play in a vacuum, you'll always be spoiled about something, even if it's just "ah man, there was only 1 combat and it was joke in that scenario..." or " holy smokes we got destroyed in those combats, we almost TPKd!". It's all reliant on the honor system anyways - even if you are spoiled on something, it's expected that you don't act on that or let it influence your decisions.

Life is too short to not make fun characters.


Remember, Selective Spell only works with Instantaneous spells, not ones with a duration (which is why it doesn't work with Black Tentacles/etc) so only single-shot healing would work.

And while this is technically in the PFS Campaign Clarifications -
" Page 24—A phoenix sorcerer's bloodline arcana only affects instantaneous spells whose spell level is 1 or higher. "
Seems to imply that they had the more instant-boom spells in mind.

If we're talking straight RAW, then yea HP tanking could be a thing, but in any game where you're high enough level that it's doable, the GM should already be prepared for such silly shenanigans and adapt to respond. Remember, in the previous case with flaming sphere/ball lightning, it's a move action to keep the sphere up with you, so you're not able to move + cast + move balls - a smart enemy will force you to move out of the sphere and either deny you your action, or leave you with your action but in peril.

2/5

Seems like the 2nd one is for either plane - basically a way to open up Planar Conduit options for folks.


Historically I've never been able to do a pickup game in that hall till late late at night, but there's a handful of "hallway" table/chairs as well as the various evergreen/etc rooms. One set of those is dedicated to freeplay, but there's usually some other free rooms too - even if it's just one of the lottery rooms that finished early/ didn't fire/ moved/ etc (tho you want to be sure to be able to pack up before the next people show up).


Currently it's looking to be 60-80 with partly cloudy skies and a light breeze.

BUT since most of your day is spent inside there's something more important than the weather to consider - Air Quality. the Pollen is in HIGH GEAR right now, especially the cottonwood trees. If you have allergies to plant-based air particulates be sure to bring some extra meds to deal with it. I know I'm on 2/day during this season... :/


I want to say Registration pickup is like 730 or something technically (since games start at 8am), but once the line gets going they zoom thru the que.


Historically, no. Tho theres usually a lot of ad-hoc stuff going on in freeplay/etc.


Thar wrote:
Ninjamancer wrote:

This was the first year I've been able to sign up without a single problem/error/hanging/etc

GREAT JOB! Very impressed with you guys! :D

They are numerous events that only 4 people can sign up for.

I was unable to sign up in numerous slots.

Is this going to be corrected?

if it's already at 4/4, they are leaving 1-2 seats open for drop-ins at the Con, either due to people buying tickets/schedule changes/etc, that way people aren't left hanging. If you want into one that is at 4/4, you'll have to join that crowed of at-con queing.


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Once again - everything was perfectly smooth and amazing... whatever y'all are doin, keep it up!

+5 Internet Cookies for all of you!


Zagig wrote:
Thank you TriOmegaZero and NielsenE. Due to work and family and my remote location, this will be the first time playing Pathfinder Society as well as the only time I play until I go to another con. I know that the special is the end of Season 10 and I know that I won't be able to connect things like regular PFS players will. In fact, I'm wondering if I should skip it just to give more regular players a better chance since they have more invested in this. I've never played in an event like this though and I was kind of thinking it might be a once in a lifetime experience for me as I probably won't get to go to these things every year.

even if a special was your first experience to PFS I'd still strongly suggest going to it - it's a pretty amazing spectacle


I've mentioned this before in previous threads on this, but if you've never been, Sharp's Roadhouse is absolutely fantastic. If you're lucky, you can get one of their French Dips before they sell out - best sandwich I've had.... making me drool just thinking about it :p


Stolen Light, while a bit pricey due to gem requirements, is the instant-Polaroid feature you might be looking for. :D


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oh man, if you guys had parts to do the Modular Airships from the Forest of Oakenspire that Hero's hoard kickstarted I could be seriously tempted...


Yea, just happened to be browsing thru it and went "uhhhhh, wait what?"

The special is also a lottery event this year apparently...

wish we had a bit more warning/info/etc :P


John Compton had mentioned stuff about bringing multiple characters/etc on that podcast a while back - are we going to find out more information on the special before we have to choose one in the lottery?


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Most of everything I use has already been mentioned, but one that I've recently come across is scrollbear.com (creator posts in this thread.) that can be used as on offline spell database. There's a spot or two that I play where I can't get wifi, so being able to not have to use my phone data is super handy.

Sometimes I'll have thematic musics or whatnot up.


IF you don't want to destroy the loot, you either need to have a GM who is willing to provide "extra loot" to make up for it, or a method of repair. That usually means a caster who has make whole/greater make whole, but for some stuff you can get away with mending and a day off to cast it enough.

Remember, you can CHOOSE to destroy the item or just leave it at 1hp. Sure you don't get the flow thru damage from Greater Sunder, but you also don't technically LOSE the loot.


If the Villain needs to monologue, just do it. If PCs try to interrupt, tell them to hold on till you finish the box text. If they insist, shrug and say OK. Then at the end when the failsafe activates and they all get blown up you shrug and say "well, he was trying to warn you that if you killed him his base would explode but I guess you didn't want to listen".

on a more serious note, as GM your word is law. If the gunslinger shoots the bad guy in the middle of it? the bullet richochets. the fighter charges? can't seem to get close to him. caster does a spell? it fizzles out halfway there. Don't abuse the fiat, but don't be afraid to use it when called for. the PCs need to understand that you're there to have fun too, and if that calls for a bit of monologueing occasionally? They need to learn to deal, find a new game, or GM themselves.


Further questions involving this fun Arcana:

With the Campaign Clarification of "This only works on instantaneous spells of level 1 and higher" what does that mean for fire spells that catch people on fire, or have other riders with the spell like entangle/etc?

like
Spontaneous Immolation

or
Tar Ball

The 4 main rulings I could see coming up off of this would be:

1) nothing but the initial fire damage happens, they get 1/2 as a heal

2) any fire damage applied with the spell as the source works, but nothing else (meaning burning would be 1d3 hp/round)

3) Initial Fire damage heals, then anything other than that acts as normal, meaning friendlies could be set on fire/entangled/etc

4) any fire damage applied from the spell as the source works, (meaning burning would be 1d3 hp/round) but anything non-damage would still happen (entangle/etc)

I feel like 1 or 3 would be the most likely...

edit: formatting


Don't forget, that even if you crit with it, Heal/Harm can't drop a targets HP below 1 - so that crit might not matter! :P


This is actually pretty useful - there's a few places I can play that end up being without wifi, and having this means I don't have to use the phone data constantly when bringing spells up.

nice!

2/5

My Arcanist would have been interested in trying the blood.... until he was told that it would dampen the ability to feel joy and remove his happiest memory... for a Gnome that's akin to a death sentence!

2/5

John Compton wrote:
We have a five months of Additional Resources updates we've been queuing for an upload this week. We'll be jumping to the next several months' products after that.

Hopefully they just needed a bit of extra time with the server hiccups and we'll see the AR updates this week... >_>

2/5

Preston Hudson wrote:

The benefits have been announced. On my phone so I am unable to link to the post but the favored skills for Concordance are

Handle Animal
Knowledge (Nature)
Knowledge (Planes)

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2v5yl?Faction-Pin-Addition#1

AH! Thank you a billion! Sure wish they'd update the main page for these.

2/5

Personally I like the quality/design of the concordance pin a lot more than the other ones, it's textured and whatnot and just feels nicer.

Can't do much with it tho since I don't think any pin-benefits have been posted for them, but I have one to be ready for it!


WiseWolfOfYoitsu wrote:
Judy Bauer wrote:


10. Bring layers! The high will be in the 60s the first two days of the con, and even inside, the level of AC can vary wildly between rooms.
Shorts and flip-flops weather. Bring on all the AC! =D

Yea, it's looking like high 60s - low 70s all weekend, add in hundreds of people and that temp feels like 20 higher...

11.) Be ready with your stuff! When you sit down to play, have your things you need ready to go - combat takes long enough as is, (especially if it's a high level game) don't make your fellow partymembers wait extra long on your turns and risk not finishing in the time slot!

12.) When in doubt, follow Wheaton's Law. We're all here to have fun!

2/5

Slyme wrote:

Ok...I have an idea for a character, and I was wondering if the concept would be PFS legal, as it verges kind of close to re-skinning.

The idea is for an Alchemist character who was born human, but due to an accident with a mutagen containing orc blood when he was learning to become an alchemist became a half-orc. His motivation would then be to find a cure, only to fail at every turn...possibly making things worse (grows a random tentacle, or a third arm, etc)

Mechanically the character would just be a normal half-orc alchemist, just the fluff would be that he wasn't born that way.

My backup story would just be that he is a true half-orc who hates his orcish heritage and is trying to 'cure' it through alchemy, but I think the other version is more flavorful. :)

All of these fluff/flavor things boil down to "Is there a mechanical/numberical/etc benefit or is it just there to change the looks/roleplay/etc of the thing?"

If it would give a numerical, quantifiable advantage/disadvantage in any non-GM fiat way, then it's not allowed for PFS.

You want to have a St. Bernard animal companion? Skin the wolf and call it a day. Zero change.

You want to be a human who's been alchemical-ized into a H/O? Sure, done. no effect - as long as on paper they're built as a H/O, with all H/O rules/restrictions/etc.


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GM Rednal wrote:

My feelings are pretty straightforward - if the players can do it, so can the villains. And, as a serious question, how many of us want things like undetectable domination used on players at our tables?

(Even if it's the "smart" thing for a villain to do, my guess is that most players will not find it particularly fun to hand over their sheets on a regular basis.)

If your Villain is specced into undetectable casting, go for it. Not every fight has to be about punching people in the face till they die, sometimes you want to do a different style of fight. If they're built for being hard/undetectable , that means they're giving up other feats/etc that they could be using. As a DM, if you're constantly throwing this sort of thing at your players, you probably should expect to be lynched - and rightly so, it's not a "use constantly" thing.

Also, without the ability to hide manifestations, you're basically outlawing all spells in any non-dungeon crawl scenario in PFS, since there are plenty of times where you're a caster, with all sorts of spells you can cast, and are dropped into some situation where you can't cast anything since everyone will just see you doing it and it would ruin the point.

I'm not saying remove manifestations, just give a legit option to be able to hide your spellcasting via a feat/etc investment.

I want my spy to be able to cast SOMETHING while disguised without instantly losing the disguise because of magic sparkles floating around "random Guard #3" when he(I) casts detect magic to see if the vizier is buffed up and ready to fight or something. As it is, there is literally no way of being able to use the vast majority of spells without being instantly seen/noticed/detected/uncovered/etc.


As much as I love that Bones are nigh-indestructible, the WizKids stuff are amazingly primed to paint - the primer is fantastic. And the fact that most packages come with male & Female versions of the figure-type makes it much easier to find figs for certain characters - not to mention they include spell effects, which make things look pretty cool.

As far as I know the material/primer used in both is probably the same - I've never noticed a difference, Scale-wise they're all the same, and like I mentioned - the Paint goes on SUUUuuuper nicely.

I've been cherrypicking thru them and using them to augment certain chracters I've been having problems finding minis for.


I got my Email letting me know signups were open on May 3rd. Sure, it's a weekend after they opened technically, but for the lottery thats fine.