Olivier Rayé-Lalonde's page

Hey guys,

My DM plays with what can be found on the PRD, excluding add-ons like inner sea, pathfinder society, and 3pp. So we've basically got access to Core player's, Advanced Player's, Ultimate Combat & Magic, Advanced Class Guide, Ultimate Campaign and Advanced Race Guide.

I'm looking for the best Fighter (or full BAB class) variant in order to make someone be a maneuver-master. Someone who has bonuses to his CMB, high enough that as a medium sized human he will be able to trip and sunder large, huge, maybe even bigger creatures like gargantuans without help from the party's spellcasters.

Any idea on which are the best classes (from the list of availabilities above) to do this?

For now, I've got:
-The new Brawler with its maneuver training and high BAB
-The maneuver master monk

If you've any other ideas and tips (feat, class, archetype choices) for a human maneuver master, let me know!

Cheers.

Hi everyone.

In the Hunter's Animal Companion class feature, the following is laid out:

A hunter may teach her companion hunter's tricks from the skirmisher ranger archetype instead of standard tricks.

1) What is the DC to push an animal to use this trick (for handle animal purposes)? This is very powerful--by not using a slot to train an animal with a trick, all a player character has to do is succeed at the handle animal check to push it to perform ANY trick in the list. This almost feels spontaneous-caster-like (with a full spell list known) in terms of power. At least there's a skill check to pass in order to have this work.

2) How many times per day can these tricks be used? I sincerely believe they should be based on the Hunter's level and stats, but your mileage may vary--perhaps it's the animal's Hit Dice with its wisdom penalty/bonuses that count.

Perhaps, just like regular tricks, these effects are unlimited? Damn! If that were to be so, these tricks become really powerful. Imagine moving twice as a move action while keeping your stealth bonuses with Chameleon Step; using any "Attack" power as a free action before every natural attack (perhaps even STACKING THEM ALL for EVERY ATTACK: if I hit, the target gets -2 penalty to its attacks, is shakened for 1d4 rounds and entangled, moves at half speed... and if I miss I can re-roll the attack with a -5 to get another chance to inflict those conditions!)

When you stop and think about it, there ought to be a limit.

3) In order to read the ablities properly... Which words are replaced by which words in this context? For instance "The ranger may" would become "the animal companion may" to allow stuff like Tangling Attacks, Aiding Attacks or Rattling Strike. If this were to be, then what happens with stuff like Bolster Companion, Sic 'Em and Heel? Obviously if I was writing them I would take the book-space to specifically write out "the Hunter may use the command animal companion as a immediate action" in order to have the companion benefit from X-Y-Z.

4) There are some tricks which obviously don't work with animal companions, so they should not be part of the possibilities: Ranger's Counsel, Hateful Attack and Cunning Pantomime come to mind.

I think that overall there should have been an extra few paragraphs to clearly state how this ability works, much like how there's a list of slayer talents or pages of shaman spirit abilities: by phrasing them correctly in their own defined section, they would have worked without having to resort to a ton of interpretation, an upcoming errata or DM fiat.

Greetings.

INTRODUCTION
We are about to finish our ongoing campaign (ROTRL) which has been going for over three years. We are currently in Karzoug's mountain-top spire--getting past the death zone was quite a challenge! Now we are almost there, and sometime before this summer we will start a new campaign: Jade Regent.

I really enjoy the flavor of having the Eastern aspect played up to 11, and for this reason I am choosing to play a half-elf investigator with a katana as its alternate-racial-exotic-proficiency (which replaces skill focus).

WHY A HALF-ELF?
This choice is threefold:

1) thematically, the katana is awesome (and it's a weapon that I expect to find as a magic item in this campaign setting as opposed to any other, non-eastern-themed setting);

2) the half-elf has a really nifty alternate favored class bonus;

3) when we played the Sandpoint Glassworks I learned that Tsuto was part of the Kaijitsu family even though he was a half-elf... So "something happened" with one of Ameiko's parents regarding extra-marital indiscretions. Because I intend to be Ameiko's Younger Sibling, I will work a bit with my GM to understand how I came to be.

Now that you have my reasons of why I chose a half-elf, we can move on with my intentions of playing this class.

OTHER PLAYERS: Trip-maneuver Intelligent Fighter, TWF & natural weapon Socially-Able Rogue, Shapeshifting Druid, probably an arcane spellcaster. So I'm the fourth/fifth party member. It may happen that we end up without an arcane spellcaster if schedule conflicts occur, so bear in mind that my extracts MAY be the only arcane-equivalents we get until an npc joins us or something.

MY PARTY ROLES: Versatility, utility, textbook, melee combat. Rogue's buddy when infiltration/scouting/social is required.

1) I want to be useful in combat with my 14 str and katana (and eventually studied combat--although having a STR bonus REALLY helps the early levels before I get studied combat).

2) I also want to be quite useful out of combat, ideally at all times. Instead of this campaign being a classical dungeon crawl, I expect this NPC-centric campaign to be all about the caravan, the recurrent NPCs, and zombie-clown-mime-ninjas who stalk the night and creep us out with their oni overlords crossing their arms and delivering cheesy one liners*. So I want to play the role of the know-it-all who is partly the party's rogue, partly a support extract-maker (for instance to give buffs and "remove debilitating condition extracts" when needed but also to have useful movement abilities) and last but not least be a mini-bard with my huge amount of skill points and free inspiration. I look forward to tag-teaming with the rogue. He will probably LOVE ME for the infused invisiblity Extracts, oh yes!

*that last part may or may not be true in Jade Regent, I've yet to find out!

POP-CULTURE REFERENCE
So what I want is to be BATMAN--Good all around, best when PREPARED. Fits with the high intelligence score, eh? I say BATMAN, but...that's without the unarmed proficiency and the insane amount of money (I expect the game to be balanced loot-by-level).

I also want to be SHERLOCK, because class name + archetype mechanics is too good to pass up. Also, these videos:
video 1
video 2

So, ON WITH THE BUILD!
I want to have medium armor proficiency in there without having to multi class. As you can see, I haven't put it in there. Don't hesitate to suggest me something to replace in order to slot this in. My first guess is to never have power attack to favor a bit more defense with medium armor. I have no idea how my mileage will vary, defensively-versus-offensively speaking.

Restrictions: I want to avoid dumping charisma; 15 pt-buy. Only use what's available in the Jade Regent Player's Guide and the Pathfinder PRD (aka, "Core only").

CN Half-elf Empiricist Investigator

STR 14
DEX 14
CON 10
INT 15 (17) (Common, Elven, Goblin, Tien, Skald, Giant)
WIS 8
CHA 10

HP: d8 + toughness (3) = 11

Traits (I offset the low point buy with these traits and my 1st level feat for more survivability. Plus I get to be part of the Kaijitsu bloodline, which is extra-eastern-flavor-cool.)

Resilient (combat): +1 Fortitude.
Younger Sibling, Ameiko Kaijitsu (campaign): +1 trait bonus to Will saves

Alternate racials: Drow-blooded, ancestral arms. I'm a rogue-like who can see in the dark, as opposed to humans and halflings. Also, I get to use the most thematically-appropriate weapon of them all.

Favorite class bonus for Half-Elf Investigator: Inspiration and Extracts are my favorite features of the Investigator, along with "having almost all the skillz". So I want to capitalize on this by choosing: Gain a +1/4 bonus on all inspiration rolls.

This means at levels 4/8/12 I will get a FURTHER extra bonus whenever I use inspiration. At lvl 9 and up (where I can use it on attacks and saves at a less-steep-cost thanks to Combat Inspiration) this could probably save my life someday!

INI: +2 (dex)

Feats and level-based benefits

1-FEAT Toughness

....1-[Racial] Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Katana

....1-Inspiration 1/2 level + INT MOD = 3

....2-Ceaseless Observation (Use INT as attribute mod for Diplomacy checks made to gather information, Disable Device, Perception, Sense Motive, and Use Magic Device)

....2- Inspiration Pool = 4

3-FEAT Power Attack

....3-Free talent: Infusion

....3-Trap Sense +1 Reflex/+1 Dodge VS Traps

....3-Keen Recollection: Can use knowledge skills untrained

....4-Studied Combat (1/2 level insight bonus to melee attack and damage as a Move Action against a creature, lasts INT mod rounds)

....4-Studied Strike (End studied combat to gain extra damage)

....4- Inspiration Pool = 6 [+1 to inspiration rolls!]

....4- +1 INT (don't forget to put 4 ranks into Escape Artist!)

....4- Unfailing Logic, +2 vs Illusion (can spend inspiration to use INT MOD instead of WIS MOD on illusions)

5-FEAT Expanded Inspiration (Ex): 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.

....5-Free Talent: Quick Study (Studied Combat as a Swift Action)

....6-Studied Strike 2d6

....6-Trap Sense +2 Reflex/+2 Dodge VS Traps

....6- Inspiration Pool = 7

7-FEAT Extra Inspiration (+3 to pool)

....7-Inspiration Pool = 10

....7-Free Talent: Sickening Offensive (When the investigator damages a studied target, that creature is also sickened [-2 to most checks] for 1 round.)

....8-Studied Strike 3d6

....8- +1 INT

....8- Inspiration Pool = 11 [+2 to inspiration rolls!]

....8- Unfailing Logic, +4 vs Illusion

9-FEAT Extra Investigator Talent: Combat Inspiration (spend 1 inspiration instead of 2 for attacks and saves)

....9-Free Talent: Amazing Inspiration (roll d8+2 for inspiration)

....9-Trap Sense +3 Reflex/+3 Dodge VS Traps

....10- Studied Strike 4d6

....10- Inspiration Pool = 12

11-FEAT Improved Critical (Katana)

....11-Free Talent: Eidetic Recollection (can take 10 on Knowledge checks; can take 20 by spending Inspiration)

....12- Studied Strike 5d6

....12- Inspiration Pool = 14 [d8+3 to inspiration rolls!]

....12- +1 INT (don't forget to put some ranks into 12 skills!)

13-FEAT ?????

....13- Tenacious Inspiration (roll two dice and take best when rolling inspiration)

....14- Studied Strike 6d6

....14- Inspiration Pool = 15

Skills (in bold: every level I add a rank to it)
I plan to have some skills fully maxed while others are more circumstancial. Eventually I will have all knowledge skills at 1 rank +3 class +3/4/5 INT MOD + free inspiration, but that's for the long term.

ODD LEVELS (lvl 1)
Knowledges x2 (Nobility, Religion, Nature, Planes, Arcana, Dungeoneering, Geography; +7 + free inspiration)
Diplomacy (+4)
Knowledge Local (+7 + free inspiration)
Linguistics (+7 + free inspiration, Giant then Abyssal@ lvl 3, Infernal@ lvl 5, Aklo @ lvl 7)
Spellcraft (+7 +free inspiration)
Perception (+2 racial, -1 wis +5)
Stealth (+6)
Use Magic Device (+4)

EVEN LEVELS (lvl 2)
Acrobatics +6
Bluff +4
Diplomacy (use INT instead of CHA when making Gather Information +5 change attitude/+8 gather info)
Disable Device (Trapfinding +1/2 level; @ lvl 2 use INT instead of DEX +7)
Knowledge Local (+8 + free inspiration)
Perception (@ lvl 2 use INT instead of WIS +10; Trapfinding +1/2 level)
Sense Motive (@ lvl 2 use INT instead of WIS +7)
Stealth (+7)
Use Magic Device (@ lvl 2 use INT instead of CHA: +8)

[lvl 4 skills to add: Escape Artist 4 ranks]

EQUIPMENT
Investigator kit (I removed some weighty stuff. Alchemy kit is at inn.)

Price 40 gp; Weight 15 lbs. (-9 torches)
This kit includes an alchemy crafting kit [5lbs], a backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, a flint and steel, ink, an inkpen, an iron pot, a mess kit, soap, torches (1), trail rations (5 days), and a waterskin. The kit does not contain a formula book because an investigator begins play with a formula book and does not need to purchase one.

Average Lifestyle 10gp (this also means that we're not tracking purchases of 1gp and below which is why I sometimes only track weight, not acquisition price)
Formulae Book (3lbs, free)
Rope, silk (10gp, 5lbs)

What better way to avoid being encumbered than to have a litteral MULE to ferry your 'wares around? If it lives until we leave with the caravan, it will also be a mascot/cargo animal. I'll also have an evil overlord white cat.

Cat, Mule (8gp), Pack saddle (5gp)

Bandolier (eight objects like flasks, daggers or wands, each) x2 -
Chalk x6 -
Charcoal x6 -
Vial x5 -
Whistle -
Lamp oil x1 (1lb)
Flint & Steel -
Paper x10 -
Glue Paper x5 -
Pouch -
Sack -
Extra Inkpens x3 -
Twine/string x2, (0.5lb ea)
5 marbles -

Club (3lbs)
Dagger (2gp, 1lb)
Longspear (5gp 9lbs)
Studded Leather (25gp, 20lbs)

53lbs/58lbs light or 116 med [+5lbs if I have the alchemy crafting kit with me instead of at the inn/in the caravan]

105gp/105gp

I need to buy these two items as soon as I can get a few pocket change:
-Shovel (2gp 8lbs) [not purchased at character creation yet]
-Crowbar (2gp 5lbs) [not purchased at character creation yet]

In MULE [86.5/100lbs light load or 200 pounds medium]
Bucket (2lbs)
Pack Saddle (15lbs)
5 days animal feed (50lbs)
Twine/string x5, (2.5lbs)
10 iron spikes with loop ends (1 lb ea = 10 lbs)
Hammer (2 lbs)
5x 1-pound flour sacks (5 lbs)

Leftover’s: East Shore's only Inn

/huge sigh of relief and sense of accomplishment

Hey guys!

After working for over 12 hours on this (getting up early, sleeping late) I managed to finish my round 2 submission way ahead of schedule. I am quite happy with my work and the speed at which I was able to produce it.

I want to encourage all who are working on round 2: may your map be voted in the next batch!

Cheers and good luck!
-Olivier

Hi!

I was glad to receive an email announcing that I was one of the top 32 candidates. Considering I am not a native English speaker, this is good news!

I have a few questions for round two:
1) Must the map be of an "over world area" or can I make a battlemap or encounter map? For instance, a landscape with a scale based on miles versus a castle, a city building or an abandoned ruin with 5 foot squares.

2) If my illustration software lets me choose file dimension in inches and has pixels per inches, does a 8,5 x 11 inch template with 150 pixels per inch achieve the requirement of being at (or near) 150 DPI? If not, could someone point me to the right settings please!

Cheers and thanks,
-Olivier

Ring of the Investigator
Aura strong divination; CL 11th
Slot ring; Price 20,000 gp; Weight —

Description
This ring is a thin leather band with a blown glass orb that contains an eye-shaped onyx gem. The ring allows a wearer with inspiration pool to store up to 4 points from his inspiration pool in the ring as a swift action. These points remain in the ring until used. A wearer can spend inspiration pool points stored in the ring as if they were his own, or can keep them stored to benefit from them in each of the following ways.

As long as there is at least one inspiration point stored in the ring, the wearer gains a +2 competence bonus to Perception and Sense Motive checks.

As long as there are at least three inspiration points stored in the ring, whenever the wearer approaches within 30 feet of one of the following targets (or the target approaches within 30 feet of the wearer), he receives a check to notice them as a free action, regardless of whether he is interacting with (or looking for) the target or not.

• Perception on disguised creatures
  
• Perception on invisible creatures
  
• Perception on secret doors
  
• Perception on non-magical traps (a character with trapfinding can also roll to notice magical traps)
  
• Will save on noticing illusion (glamer) effects for what they truly are

Construction Requirements
Forge Ring, Detect Secret Doors, See Invisibility, Cost 10,000 gp.

Greetings. On June 10th 2008 you sent me a confirmation mail regarding my order numbered#964945.

I would like to enquire about the delay that is happening right now. It has been well over the estimated 7-11 days of shipping time stated in the confirmation mail. We might consider this a whole month!

I would like to know where my package is, and if there is a tracking number I can use with Postes Canada (Cana Postal Services) to inquire directly about the parcel and its whereabouts.

Thanks for your support.