PlungingForward's page

I wasn't going to get this, but it was marked down to $15 and ... can't ... resist ... pretty ... box. So now my Mentzer books have a nice, new home and I've got a new starter game to check out.

But where are the character creation rules? Do I really have to decipher a character out of an encounter with some goblins EVERY TIME I want to create one? That's not so great. I mean, I'd just barely made peace with the lack of 3rd level advancement, and now THIS. It just doesn't seem like a great introductory set - if this was MY introduction to the hobby, I don't know if I would have enough tools to develop an ongoing interest.

The best thing about the old Moldvay box I got ever-so-many years ago was that everything about it was pure, largely open-ended, imagination fuel. The new box seems like too linear an experience. I still hope the future role-players of the world love it, though!

It is a testament to the Paizo boards that I felt I could come here to get this off my chest. In three words ...

...This Bothers Me..

Perhaps later, when I can think clearly, and the artiste-rage (that petulant cousin of nerd-rage) has died down, I can clearly articulate why. It's not that I see my Moldvay/Cook/Marsh B/X or my Lost City dungeon module as totally unassailable. It's not that I don't think there's a good chance the stuff the guy's talking about is any good. It's closer to simple, headbanging frustration at poorly-considered comparisons and a lack of respect where it's due.

Does it bother anyone else?

Thanks Paizo boards and community, for being here for me to vent this.

(I don't know if this belongs in the OGL forums or here in OT, so if the threadmasters think it needs moving, by all means do so. Also, my computer may have posted this twice - but I think I deleted the other.)

While the problems of the MM Ogre Mage as a viable monster have been hashed out elsewhere, I have an Ogre Mage PC (as per Savage Species) in one of my groups and he's actually been working out very well well ... until now. So far, he's pulled his weight effectively as a "utility player" using his magical "tricks," fair fighting ability (with a reach weapon) and, more recently, his flight speed (which, at level 4, might have arrived one or two levels too early as an 'always on' ability.) But now, charm Person and Sleep don't pack the punch they used to, he's only got 3d8 hit points at level 6 (with all the skill points that entails), and all gaseous form, darkness, and invisibility seem to accomplish is to bail him out of danger. He's actually still an effective variant meat shield - he doesn't last as long as a proper bruiser and packs much less of a fight - but can usually get away and come back for the next fight regenerated. We like the character, and the monster class in general, but everyone in the group agrees the guy needs a boost.

Options currently on the table:

1) Give him a neat magic item beyond normal treasure distribution. I tend to keep the number of items low, so this could make a difference. (Any suggestions?)

2) Consolidate his next two levels into one, which will give him some stat boosts, spell resistance, polymorph self and an all-important Hit Die. (Which seems like a lot for a regenerator.)

3) Let him pick up a class level in something before going back to racial levels. This would give him some specialization in something, depending on what he picked.

4) Upgrade the Sleep and Charm powers to something like Deep Slumber and Charm Monster.

5) Take suggestions from the Paizo board.

Thanks for any help or insight!

After cashing in on the scrap book special issue, the retrospective and the "death of demogorgon" graphic novel, Demogorgon is big enough to warrant not one but FOUR replacements competing for the "Prince of Demons" title:

Demi-Gorgon - A monocephalous version of big D who claims to have shed his other personality. (This is secretly the victor of the "clone war.")

Diminu-Gorgon - The Aspect of Demogorgon who was busy with a cameo in Expedition to the Demonweb Pits. Now vested with more of the demon prince's power, this Size L menace may be (comparatively) little, but he's tough!

MechaGorgon - An advanced Lemorian Golem claiming to be invested with the soul of Demogorgon.

Diablogorgon - A Lawful-Evil version of the Prince of Demons with a different suite of powers and a slightly different look.

When Demogorgon returns due to public outcry, flagging sales and the unappealing storylines of his replacements, these four, and this whole sortid publicity stunt, will quickly be forgotten.

In the end there can be only one.
Here's to a "Super" Prince of Demons!

-PF

Dear Paizo,
The illustration of a dire corby in Dungeon 150 is sweet. Thanks for that.
Now I want it for an avatar. Please add it to the avatar selections posthaste!
Thank you!
-PF

Prince of Demons Spoilers, of course...

St. Kargoth appears to be on foot, but he has a high ride bonus and various mounted combat feats. Is this accurate? I suppose the argument would be that he used to be a paladin, used to have a warhorse, and at that point would have selected these feats. Did I miss his mount? If not, I'll just retrain him with some help (and feats) from the PHB2. I want this to be a really scary encounter (possibly the climax, as I'm sure my PCs will want to grab the pearl, frame somebody, and get out before demogorgon attacks), and want him to be able to bring everything he has to bear on the PCs.