Rachel Carter's page

I have been a spell caster in campaigns where I have started gear-less. It look us a lot of sessions to get the money for new spell books, making 2 of the 3 of us next to useless. That being said, there was a home-brew allowance to try to remember spells and cast them from memory, with pain and consequences if we failed. At times it was frustrating, but made the game interesting. The GM never put us against an enemy we couldn't take gearless, and it was less fighting more stealing or negotiating.

Other campaigns have started us as slaves and we have to go find the gear, or destitute and in need of a patron.

Others we are enslaved, and the gear stolen, and during our escape we have to decide if we go find it or take off (we went looking!)

I find that the best thing is to have an open discussion with the GM, maybe privately, if something bugs you. Most will try to find a way to make it fun for everyone.

Though I hated having my holy symbol taken as a cleric, I ended up loving the challenge of the game and trying to find it, and the GM made sure we found our stuff, or got new things.

It all about what the group finds enjoyable.

I am running a game and a new player wants to play something that is like Arya from GoT. I don't watch it (I know thats shameful!) and wanted to know what class/race/archetype to get her to look at?

From a quick search I get rouge-ish.

Thoughts?

In the campaign I am running, I have designed the world where there are a certain type of monster that comes out only at night. They like to destroy and hurt things, (not simply kill them, but it happens too). It makes travel at night much harder. Towns and cities are warded against these things, but I imagine that the party will want to leave town and travel at night. I have guides and traders that do this, but they carry with them portable magic circles against these things made out of metal slats and connected by silver chains and covered in magic runes. I'm trying to figure out how much, according to the math, they should cost. They are supposed to be nearly impossible to find and extremely difficult to make, as it is hard to find someone who can write in the secret rune-language.

Thoughts?

Hi There!

I am designing a small one-three session pathfinder game for some friends to try out. They play a lot of D&D 2.0, so are pretty familiar with roleplaying games. I was looking to make a level 4 game that was mainly a mystery. I have a basic concept, but am having a hard time designing the ins and outs of the mystery, so it feels like something they have to figure out.. I also tend to not see holes that appear in my plots, and appreciate a fresh set of eyes to help me catch anything before it catches me.

The players (plus a couple of NPCs) begin bound and chained in a dimly lit room. No one knows each other, and no one remember the last 48 hours. When they explore they will find there is no entrance or exit to the outside world. Everything is in shades of grey here, even the light does not have a warm glow. Through the dungeon they will find clues, gear, etc that will aid in an escape and knowledge about what is happening. They also find that they are all connected, or were discovering something, or unknowingly interfering with the bad guys plans...

My thoughts are that someone is trapping them there as a test. I originally thought psychological manipulation/experimentation, but am unsure. I want the whole thing to be attached to the Shadow Plane. There is a weak spot right here and now where elements of the Shadow Plane are bleeding though. I thought that perhaps the bad guy is trying to prove his worth to those on the Shadow Plane, might be making some type of gesture or offering to the dragon in charge of a city there, or the church of Zon-Kuthon...

I was also thinking that he/she was among the party to subtly push them in the direction they want. When discovered, they escape to a secret area that is heavily trapped for phase two.

Any thoughts?

I was assuming they would go a direction I was not expecting. Options I was going to prepare for was
-them escaping and seeing the world
-trying to take over the town
-deciding to go take treasure from other places and bring it back to the city
-if they decide to stay, eventually they will get to big for their 'home', or people would start to fear a small number of dragons living in a city close by
-perhaps other nobles would want to steal them and bring the dragons to their own city

I'm sure they will think of something else too.

I was thinking about the progression of time too. Perhaps they have to hibernate for months or years to grow? That could be interesting from a story perspective.

I was thinking of getting them to choose a type of dragon to start with, but start as a very neutral version or it. Like mutts I guess with a predominant bloodline? As they level that bloodline gets stronger?

Everyone starts off grey is cool too.

I will have to look at the Dragon Companion Handbook! The reverse wealth by level is interesting. Their hoard needs to get so big to boost themselves up. That attracts both worshipers and thieves?

Thats a good point on the hatchling stats and CRs. The Book of Drakes is where I was getting some customization ideas from.

I was also thinking of modified classes, so they can get some benefits of a class without actually taking class levels, and adding it to the point buy system from the Book of Drakes.

For an example:
Draconic Healer: 5 point cost: the first time this is selected it allows the dragon to channel positive energy like a cleric, using its HD as its caster level. The second time this is selected the dragon adds 1st level divine spells to the spells they can cast, etc.
Or perhaps increase the cost and have the ability increase as the dragon's level does?

Hi There!

I have been playing around with an idea for players to play dragons as opposed to humanoids, but haven't gotten much past the initial idea. I was hoping for feedback!

Here is what I have so far:

-players begin playing a hatchling/wormling dragon that is in a menagerie of some rich nobel somewhere. They are treated as the show piece to any visitors, but they initially see the humans as worshiping them or paying tribute (because, you know, they are dragons)

-mix brood so they can pick what type of dragon they are

Problems:

-a great part of the game is character customization, so how would you go about customizing a dragon? Class levels, or something akin to the build-your-own-drake section in this book: Book of Drakes. (the section gives you a set number of points per level of your drake companion for you to 'buy' things like increased damage dice, increase size, special abilities like trample or tremor sense, etc), or level them up like a dragon but let them change feats, spells, etc?

-gear and loot, a lot of it assumes your a humanoid, suggestions on how to adjust for this?

-how to inform obsession with gold and wealth?

-leveling up: the dragons in the book increase in size and CR with age, but should I adjust that for experience reaching a new level?

Thanks!

Hello There!

In a game I run the players are going to be in a city that I would describe as lawful evil, without trying to look that way to the outside world. They are an insular set of kingdoms, each has what it does best, and they only survive by trading with the other l/e kingdoms what they need. The major kingdom is run by the king, and all other smaller kingdoms pay tribute to him. They run off of a system of debt that is so bad that the people are no better than slaves, working forever to pay off a debt that just keeps growing. The upperclass is extremely wealthy. There really isn;t a middle class.

The party is in a mountain kingdom, and their major export is ore, minerals, etc. They are a walled kingdom and run off of the same system factory towns do, not paying their populace in gold but rather in notes that can only be used within their town. When people turn the age of majority, they sign contracts for the debt they have incurred thus far in life, and have to start to work to pay it off. The contracts I am thinking will go back to devils or vampires somehow (devils obviously the soul is the collateral, vampires if they default they become blood slaves). But this would not be obvious in the contracts.

I was thinking this could be a fun/frustrating town. They are starting here at level one and their birth days are coming up where they will be liable for their debt. I am thinking they might want to find work, or try to escape, etc.

How would some of you run/play here? I don't want them to start off knowing how evil the city is, but rather have it be a pleasant surprise later.

I was thinking of starting with demon cults, because though evil is fine, chaos is not here. It also gives the impression the city is fighting evil?

There are also stories of night demons that come out at night only, and no one survives them (or so it's said). The nearest town is 2 days away, so running is not really an option. The town uses fear tactics heavily to isolate its people.

I also agree about her not knowing his strength, perhaps she knows he is a devil, thinks he is a lesser one, or perhaps she just thinks he is a powerful, evil man?

I agree... I had built a series of prophecies into the spirituality and history here. I was thinking perhaps one of the major game changing ones involves her and he want to control her to control the outcome.

Idea #2 she is into ancient history, lore, and artifacts, I was thinking that perhaps she started to find and ancient set of artifacts, some he wants, one is rumoured to be able to kill -or worse - control him, and he feels he needs her to get to them.

I was just thinking that it could be entertaining if there are a couple of obstacles in their way, like a boarder guard who wont let them pass, or a town that is being raided by bandits that needs protection. The devil gets upset that they are getting off track and gets rid of the problem. So they come back to find that the boarder guard was brutally killed in the middle of the night and the new guy is very bribe-able, or all the bandits were killed or had a change of heart. Something that might make them think 'thats strange' but not put it together until the end.

The princess won't tell anyone that he is a devil to try to keep people out of it and 'safe'? Might help the shock of the big reveal at the end?

Another thought, perhaps the artifact is in multiple parts and she needs to find all of them? so she has a strong non detection part of it, but is after another part? Perhaps he has leaked false information to bait her and the party into a trap?

Also, should he be the knight, or inflitrated the head of the knightly order? Getting the innocent and well intentioned knights to actually help him? Damn their souls while he is at it?

Great! Thanks!!

Not sure if this has been asked, I did a quick search that turned up little. I have a player who wants to play an Android, that has 16RP as a race, I thought I remembered that above 10 had an adjustment of some type? I don't want him to be unbalanced with the party, so is there an unbalance? Level or CR adjustment?

The party has happened across a knight looking for a lost princess (cliche, I know, but bare with me).

The princess is rich, intelligent, and very nice. Her father (now deceased) was one of the lands greatest inventors, along with one of the kings. She has a number of craft feats and is a wizard. It was suggested by a friend that I make her spell book not a traditional spell book, but a set of glasses (like google glass). It fits with her because she has weak eyes as well and explains why she gets upset if anyone takes her glasses.

Storyline I was looking for help on: the princess loves history and information. She cannot fight and is very non-aggressive and trusting. She tends to disappear on treasure hunts looking for lost bits of knowledge and history. This brought her in contact with a devil prince from Dis. He became obsessed with her, seeing her intelligence as someone who could potentially play in his league. She cannot get rid of him. He has 'saved' her a couple of times, and proposed as well, and she keeps trying to separate herself from him. He attacked her two months ago, and once she recovered she went looking for an artifact she heard about that might be able to scare him off or keep him away from her.

So she went missing, and is trying not to involve anyone to try to keep 'innocent' people out of his reach.

I intend her to get kidnapped by bad guys (maybe treasure hunters as well...?), hoping the party finds her, and then the devil shows up to threaten the party unless she gives him what she wants.

Thoughts...? Too cliche? In the party is a bard, barbarian, arcane magic user of some type (player undecided on class) and paladin.

Lich is great. Vampire might make sense if the rest of the party is doing it because then everyone has the same weaknesses.

The idea of exploring the angel/devil part of yourself might be interesting. I believe Aasimars can become outsiders at high enough levels, what if your progression was not towards an celestial outsider, as is implied, but a devil?

Contracts with devils might put you on that path too...?

I have designed a campaign that I was looking for advice for. Theres alot of writing, but I have recieved so many good ideas last time I posted my campaign idea that I was hoping it might happen again! If you make it to the end thanks so much!!!

Background:
I have a city that is controled by 9 guilds. The city formed when 3 extraplanar beings embodying balance came to the world and tried to help pull mortals out of the Dark Ages. They helped them to build a city that emulated what the gods built, pollitically speaking. The nine guilds match up with the nine alignments, each having their areas of concern when it comes ot governance and politics. An individual from each guild ran the city as part of a nine person council. To determine the leaders, teams would form, one person from each guild, to enter a competition that took place on a different plane. It was desgined to test the contestants and that changed every 5 years (matching the leangth of rule). The plane had nine different challenges, one designed for each guild. The team that completed the challenges the quickest was the winner.

Present Day:
People don't always want to cooperate and get along, so centuries later the teams are made up of only members of one guild trained in different areas. The winners for the last couple of decades have been the Odsaxians (LE, currupt, cruel) and they have been ruling in such a way that it is destroying the other guilds slowly through politically/financially means. A legitimate winning stredgy had become to kill everyone else in the Maze and be the last team remaining, hence the Death Maze nickname. The party is going in on behalf of the Sinope Guild (NG, peaceful, naturalists). There is something more sinister going on as one of the extraplanar beings has become corrupted and is throwing everything off balance.

Here are my ideas for the challenges along with some description for the guilds. I'm looking for feedback on the challenges or better ones. Thanks!

Task of Obedience (Kore Guild, LG, military, protection, loyality)
The key the party needs is right infront of them when the enter the room, but there are instructions telling them not to take it right away, followed with a set of pointless tasks/steps. If they just take the key they take damage of some kind, and the key disappears

Task of Healing (Sinope Guild, NG, herbalism, nature, forestry, farming)
There is a child that is sick and needs constant herbal cures. They child turns into the key when enough time has passed. Not to sure about this one though

Task of Impulse (Navari Guild, CG, experimentation, magic, alchemy, tinkering)
Known for doing their best work when they have no impulse control, this test is sucessful when the party doesn't think things through, not to sure on this though.

Task of Injunity (Kalyke Guild, LN, mutation, alchemy, augumentation)
Best known for their careful bio experimentation, this task involves a party member to take on a disfuguring body mutation (will have bonusus and negatives).

Task of Inner Fortitude (Dorithel Guild, N, necormancy, plague, healing)
Known for their suprising physical resilliance to disease and their abilty to survive otherwise lethal situations, I was thinking this task would be to injest a poision or disease, survive it, and perhaps create a cure from themselves, or simply to survive until the end with the disease taking its toll

Task of Inner Strength (Hati Guild, CN, war, strength)
Barbarians would expect a test of strength, but this test I was thinking should test their mental dicipline that led to their outer strength. Like an athlete needs dicipline to get to the top of their game. Not sure of the details

Task of Exploitation (Odsaxian Guild, LE, contracts, merchants, judgement)
Really not sure about this one. I was thinking sacrificing innocence, negotating in bad faith, making a deal with a devil?

Task of Silence (Ananke Guild, NE, spys, assissanations, information)
After going through a dangerous underground dungeon who ever opens the chest and reads the paper will know a secret, and told not to tell. If they do, they take mental damage and cannot remember the secret, nor can they ever get it back. It gets passed on and they have to keep it to the end.

Task of Curruption (Vasilis Guild, CE, trickery, selfishness, torture)
not sure. It has to be bad though. The Guild Leader is a succubus if that gives ideas

Thats alot to read and if anyone makes it to the end and has a suggestion I really apperciate it!!!

Thanks everyone, really like those suggestions!

So I have used a Devil Prince as an NPC in a couple campaigns, he is always the mastermind behind the scenes, but the party knows he is there. He normally shows up early and the PCs are tricked into making a deal with him, normally they get out of it because he sells the debt to a good NPC (makes sense in the story) and manipulates her and the PCs into doing work for him without them knowing (he shows up clearly profiting from their jobs, or clearly moving his plan forward)

He has a spy they know too well too, she's a Rakshasa Sorcerer, very manipulative herself and can change her shape and stuff so she is very good at disguising,

I know they are going to get to the point where someone gets angry enough (and confident enough) to take him on, but I have not stated him out yet. I'm looking for class suggestions. He's a high level, so multiclassing or prestige classes are do able. He is susposed to be very charismatic, extremely intelligent, slender built (not strength based) magically inclined, and avoids combat at almost any cost. He uses diplomacy, intimidation and manipulation and bribery to get what he wants.

I like class archetypes for flavour the wild hunter seems fun, or trophy hunter

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/ranger/archetypes/paizo---rang er-archetypes/wild-hunter

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/ranger/archetypes/paizo---rang er-archetypes/trophy-hunter

Using guns might also be fun, gunslinger or ranger. I'm sure there are other classes but the survival, track, and favoured enemy are nice for what you describe

How do other people connect point A to B?

I have the begining of a story, what I want to happen, what I hope the players learn (true or false) and an end. But I don't know what to do past the introduction to get them to the middle.

Intro Basics: PCs have been having weird dreams making them want to go to a place. They don't know until they get there where they are going. They are kind of in a haze at this point in time, until they get there. The dream is more of empathetic feelings of torment, betrayal, and torture. They are left remembering one detail for sure, the word Azreille.

Behind the scenes: There is a psychic/empath/whatever you want to call it that has been kidnapped and is being tortured. She can psychically connect to other people under certian circumstances, and is trying to ask for help, leading them to her. There was a prince that was searching for her before, but the man who kidnapped her has convinced her the prince is in on what they are doing to her. The bad guy's plan is to break the phsychic and use her to wage war on the prince because he feels the kingdom is rightfully his. He knows the prince will not harm the phychic.

I want the PCs originally to believe as the psychic does, which is the prince is a bad guy. I want them wandering around picking up clues from her life to find her. Then I want them to accuse the prince where the truth comes out and then they start looking for the real bad guy.

I don't know what types of things should happen in the middle though, or holes that are in it.

I would love some advice or ideas or inspiration. Or ideas of how other DMs get from the begining to the middle to the end?

Hello out there.

I'm designing a character that I need some advice on. I am making a character that is a thrill seaker. Early on in life he was a bit of an adrenaline junky, doing stupider and stupider things for the thrill of it, each time needing to do more dangerous things to get his thrill fix. One time, he died, but was brought back. He keeps dieing, and keeps coming back, encouraging him to do more dangerous things. He has become a masochist through this. I am looking for a class that would make sence for him (he is susposed to be terriable at magic) and a weapon. Through discussions with friends I like the idea that he allows himself to get hit in order to get in closer or give his opponents a false feeling that they are wining the fight. I was also thinking his weapon should do damage to him as well in order to do more damage to the opponent.

He tests new weapons as well (in my story its for a god of artifice), since he does not fear death, he tests them in very dangerous and stupid ways.

Thoughts?

From what I remember an angel was charged with recording everything out there. He disapeared for a while and was thought dead. He reappeared much later, his life's work complete. He recorded everything he saw as unbiased as possiable. The works on the lower planes, the Book of the Damned, offended the celestial planes. They ordered him retract the books, to ask forgiveness for his sins, for the offences in the books. He refused, saying they were true and accurate descriptions of the lower planes, that he did everything he was asked and recorded everything accurately. They banished him for it and ordered the books destroyed. Somehow, they turned up on another plane.

Hello everyone out there!

I have a game that I am running where the players have come into contact with a goddess of artifice. One of the ideas that I was playing with was to leave a bunch of strange gear lying around for them to play with. I have some ideas that I'll put here, but was hoping for feedback, and perhaps other ideas. I was bouncing ideas off of friends, but I don't want to give to much away, since my friends are also the players.

The more interesting/powerful the artifact, the more of a downfall, or hindrance I was going to include, on some not all.

Here are some:

Death's Amulet: upon death, the wearer and all possessions on their body are immediately teleported to a predetermined location (PCs don't know where that is) and the body is put into gentle repose.

Bracers of the Beast: the wearer may apply the lychenthrope template and transform for x number of rounds per day. They are in control while transformed. Every time they use it there is a 5% chance (perhaps it increases each time) that their blood becomes tainted and they contract lychenthropy. At this time they loose control of the transformations.

Neck Collar of the Night: the wearer may apply the vampire template bonuses with no negatives for a number of rounds per day. When they die they are raised as a vampire, under the partial control of the vampire who's essence was used to create the artifact (will saves if ordered to do something against their nature) Their alignment becomes neutral on the moral scale.

Cape of the Eidolon: when in combat GM rolls a d% on a chart for a random evolution, that the PC may use in combat every 1d4 rounds. First round it gets used without the PC being able to control it. Every combat it is rerolled.

Circlette of the Prophet: user can use augury 2x per day, divination 1x per day, clearvoyance/clearaudience 2x per day, commune with pre determined deity once per week, deity does not identify themselves

Weapons/armor that evolve with the user once picked it cannot be changed, idea:
-Range weapon
level 1: pick one favoured enemy, take 15 on craft range arms and amunition, sneak attack at range
level 2: pick one combat style, infinite ammunition, greater invisibility
level 3: something good for the last one

-Melee Weapon
level 1: pick one weapon changes from two handed melee weapon to one handed melee and shield, or add 10 to movement when charging, or protection from those of an opposite alignment
level 2: pick one weapon does damage as it a size category bigger, weapon's reach increases by one step, use richeous might for 5 rounds
level 3: unsure

Ideas?

I like all those idea, thanks very much! I was thinking infiltration, bluff, diplomacy, etc. I also wanted her to be dex based rather than strength.

In a campaign I am trying to write I have an NPC I want the PCs to interact with though out. I want her to be a moderate/high CR because though I expect the PCs to interact with her early, I want her to be a challenge towards the end of the game. My idea for her is she works for/is owned by a Prince of Hell, and that she is a 'spy'. In the game I want her to convince the PCs to help her bring down slave traders because she was 'captured and beaten' when she is actually getting the slavers to pick up certain people, none realizing that she is controlling the show. She then gets everyone taken back to Hell, and the PCs will be fed miss information that will hopefully lead them to find a seer that the prince is after. Her plan is to get the PCs to look for the seer, and if they find her first she will retrieve them all.

So anyways, I wanted a kind of spy/double agent. I don't want her to be evil, more neutral and trying to find a way out of Hell, making the best out of a bad situation I guess. But I want the PCs to think she may be evil, but perhaps redeemable (if they consider it). I was thinking she should be able to alter her appearance, perhaps giving her a limited version of alter self as a spell like ability or in an item? Maybe there are three appearances shw can take on, her, her as a human, her as an Aasimar?

I'm looking for ideas on classes/prestige classes. I was thinking of making her a Tiefling rogue/sorcerer, but am not stuck at all to that. Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Would you start with a daemon and customize it, or a character and daemon-ize it, or just make something new, basing it on abilities simillar to the demon lords in bestiary 4 and the great old ones pointed out already?

So.... I have a party that is facing the apocalypse, and they found these weapons (had to undergo trials) that each were made from the innocent and moral soul that the horsemen possessed in life, before they became horsemen. My thoughts were that the horsemen can only be killed with the sword by confirming a critical, like a vorpal weapon. As for the end of the story, and maybe the begining of a new one, is that the original horsemen is reborn when killed as a child. The swords also have some spell like abilities. For an example, the sword of pestilence can remove disease, purify food and water, etc, the sword of death might be able to cast raise dead and cure spells, or channel positive energy.

The players are dead set on going after the horsemen, I know Charon, the horsemen of death is on the internet here Charon. , I like it, but am not sold on that build. The latest bestiary made demi-gods mythic...

Does anyone have suggestions on how to go about stating out the horsemen, should I use mythic if they are encountered in their own realm? Should they be wielding artifact weapons? Any suggestions on the weapon designs the party is going to wield?

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll have to double check with my players if it is really something they are interested in... One played a system where something like this was part of it as mentioned above (L5R I think) and they brought up the suggestion. Thanks for the feed back everyone.

Hey there!

I was talking to some friends about some house rule changes...and was looking for advice...

My thoughts were if you are fighting, bleeding, and injured, you would be far less effective in combat, so how could this be done in game? I was thinking at certian % of hit points loss certian stats, skills, and actions would take a penalty.

Here is an example
At 75% hit points players take a -2 to attacks, AC, combat maneuvers, and any strength, dexterity, or constitution based checks, maybe a speed reduction too?
At 50% this penalty changes to 3, and at 25% it reduces further...maybe to 4?

Maybe there is a bonus to checks, like looks pathetic for sympathy? Should spell casting with verbal or symatic components be effected, like spell failure percentage?

Thoughts?

Hahaha... Thanks, so no tapping my fingers together in front of my face either I take it then? Because that just looks silly without the laugh.

This is hilarious! My party is using the commune and augury abilities that the amulet allows....which always gives an answer that benefits the amulet in starting the apocalypse.... And it is very funny because they don't know how it works yet, and it's amusing to see their interpretations.... I feel like a mean person

I love the story! And I'm glad I could give you a story idea! Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it. How would you suggest the crown be destroyed? Maybe breaking it is conveniently the last seal? Or the crown has one obscure weakness, like a certian colour dragon's blood, or the blood of a deceased god? (That will be hard to find). Maybe it can only be destroyed in Abadon? During an eclipse? Or maybe there is one spot in the world it can be destroyed by the forge that created it?

I spelt high wrong, sorry I meant high bonus!

Hello! I have a party that is decently high level, and they are about to have to deal with the apocalypse. I am using the idea of breaking the Seals to release the Horsemen. I had an idea for an artifact that creates a "false prophet". The idea is that it gives the user a Hugh bonus to knowledge planes and religion along with the ability to interoperate and predict signs of the end of days. It also appears to give them information on a network of magical places that can harness the power of deceased gods in order to stop the apocalypse and lowers their miss chance to teleport close to these sites. However it is not giving them information of this network, but instead tricking them into breaking the Seals.

Any suggestions on how this might work better... Or how it would be destroyed, or how the PCs could figure out what is actually going on? My original thoughts were an NPC would have the item to start with.

I like the idea of the test being not just a normal dungeon crawl, but testing their morals, ethics, and character, testing if they have the 'stuff' to be a god... and what type of a god they would make. I also like the mythic idea... The Emperyal Lord and Demon Lords in Bestiary 4 are built mythic...in their own realm at least... and to my understanding they are a kind of demi-god? So maybe the Starstone is the first step? Individualizing the tests for each character to reflect the type of god they would be is a great idea, but how would you make it dangerous for some characters, some characters are not bout danger or fighting?

The Gun Slinger has had a very tough past, he was abducted as a child, he met his father because a geas was put on him by a dancing lady to kill his father, he left to go find himself and found himself a mercenary for an angel, and then tempted to make deals with devils instead of working for her. He had to track and kill a lich, act as a bodyguard for a prophet, and then was told to get information on a man that turned up abducting this god he helped free (because what demi-god would really expect a human to be a threat?)

So he wants to be the god of those that have lost their way. My thoughts for him are that maybe his test does not get him to re-find his path, but realize that he has to make new one instead of wandering around as a hired gun. He lacks strong morals and ethics and instead does what he thinks needs to be done regardless of the consequences...I'll give him more thought unless anyone else has suggestions.

Would a 'dungeon crawl' be interesting, a maze of rooms and corridors each with their own tests, or just a couple of rooms with multiple tests in each, one you might be lost in, the other you might get claustrophobic in, if stuck in it for a while.

I was also thinking to test morals, ethics and character, maybe some tests are supposed to be failed, if failing the tests strengthens your ties to chosen domains or portfolios.

I know that the Test of the Starstone is susposed to be very difficult, only having three sucesses... but I have a player that is interested in taking it...

Here is a bit of backstory, my players helped to free a very weakened and injured god, and for their services to her they were all able to ask for somthing, one wanted a map and instructional manual of his test when he takes it. She was not opposed to this request, but didnt actually agree either.

So now he in on a quest to get as ready as he can for the test... I know there must be people out there with tons of ideas of how to run a test of the Starstone... and I would love some ideas!

This plans to be his level 20 task, so high CR stuff is great, in the description it says he has to get to the temple with no path, bridge, etc. It also says magic doesn't work as normal...

I have some ideas but they are as simple as big traps, gorges, golems, teleportation traps, big creatures, magic working in reverse, certian spells being replaced with others, only in certian areas, and 'wild magic'... but the magic is not a big deal because he is a gunslinger, but ideas for casters are great too because I have another player interested if I can put something together

Thank you so much! That makes sense to me, and I really appreciate you showing me how to do the math behind it! It there anywhere where more of the item creation prices are written in detail, I'd love to see what else could be created!

No exact formula is fine, how would I start trying to do the math on that though?

I have a limited idea of item creation, but have a player that wanted to get some pretty specialized gear made for him. His first request was for an item that has a kind of dead man's switch. He wants something that he wears that when he is reduced below 0 hit points (or out right dies... Depending on how the item would have to work) that his body would be automatically teleported back to a predetermined location (he was thinking where he is paying a cleric to revive him). How would that work, and how much would it cost?

Another item is a ring of polymorph, useable once or twice per day?

Can you have an item doing multiple things? How much would one cost with telepathic bond in it?

What do you think of items that teleports a person withing a network of symbols, like if you activate x symbol, it takes you to place x, activating c takes you to c... Could you do that with people to, teleport to one person who is wearing the appropiate symbol? Would it be better for it to be a stationary location that you have to get to to teleport somewhere else, like an elevator takes you to any floor in the building? Or could it be an item you take with you?

Has anyone else made interesting items?

I really like the look of the Necrocraft and graveknights! Shadows and wraiths are fun looking too, thanks!

I have a level 10 party that has been exploring a demi plane with something weird going on in it. As it turns out there is a lich/antipaladin controlling the plane, and since he knows they are there and has been watching them, he has time to prepare for them. I was thinking that I would have a necromancer working for him and that both he and the necromancer would have a number of minions with them to make the final two fights more of a challenge. The traditional zombies seem to weak for my players, and was hoping to come up with something that might catch them off guard. I thought that a melee lich would throw them off, but I wanted some good minions too. Does anyone have any ideas of creatures/characters/templates that would be interesting? I'm not tied to them all being undead, in fact I think that all undead would make my bard feel useless since he has nothing but mind effecting powers, and I don't want to make him useless.

Also, it was suggested I build my necromancer as a cleric, I found a dread necromancer build here: http://www.pathfinderdb.com/character-options/classes/full-class-list/1430- dread-necromancer. Any thoughts on best necromancer builds?

Any advice is appreciated, thanks a lot!

I have a level 10 party that has been exploring a demi plane with something weird going on in it. As it turns out there is a lich/antipaladin controlling the plane, and since he knows they are there and has been watching them, he has time to prepare for them. I was thinking that I would have a necromancer working for him and that both he and the necromancer would have a number of minions with them to make the final two fights more of a challenge. The traditional zombies seem to weak for my players, and was hoping to come up with something that might catch them off guard. I thought that a melee lich would throw them off, but I wanted some good minions too. Does anyone have any ideas of creatures/characters/templates that would be interesting? I'm not tied to them all being undead, in fact I think that all undead would make my bard feel useless since he has nothing but mind effecting powers, and I don't want to make him useless.

Also, it was suggested I build my necromancer as a cleric, I found a dread necromancer build here: http://www.pathfinderdb.com/character-options/classes/full-class-list/1430- dread-necromancer. Any thoughts on best necromancer builds?

Any advice is appreciated, thanks a lot!

And auto correct changed the name from Geas to Gears, sorry about that!

Lesser Geas/Quest lasts days per level, does the regular version of the spell last that long or longer or permanent? Also, what happens if the Geas/Quest was to help the caster complete a task, but the caster is killed before the Geas is complete? Is the spell broken, or should they try to bring the caster back to complete the Geas?

Geas-Quest

School enchantment (compulsion) [curse, language-dependent, mind-affecting]; Level bard 6, cleric/oracle 6, inquisitor 5, sorcerer/wizard 6, witch 6; Domain ancestors 6, charm 6, honor 6, nobility 6

CASTING
Casting Time 10 minutes

EFFECT
Target one living creature
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes

DESCRIPTION
This spell functions similarly to lesser geas, except that it affects a creature of any HD and allows no saving throw.

If the subject is prevented from obeying the geas/quest for 24 hours, it takes a -3 penalty to each of its ability scores. Each day, another -3 penalty accumulates, up to a total of -12. No ability score can be reduced to less than 1 by this effect. The ability score penalties are removed 24 hours after the subject resumes obeying the geas/quest.

A remove curse spell ends a geas/quest spell only if its caster level is at least two higher than your caster level. Break enchantment does not end a geas/quest, but limited wish, miracle, and wish do.

Bards, sorcerers, and wizards usually refer to this spell as geas, while clerics call the same spell quest.

Geas, Lesser

School enchantment (compulsion) [curse, language-dependent, mind-affecting]; Level bard 3, inquisitor 4, sorcerer/wizard 4, witch 4

CASTING
Casting Time 1 round
Components V

EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one living creature with 7 HD or less
Duration 1 day/level or until discharged (D)
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

DESCRIPTION
A lesser geas places a magical command on a creature to carry out some service or to refrain from some action or course of activity, as desired by you. The creature must have 7 or fewer HD and be able to understand you. While a geas cannot compel a creature to kill itself or perform acts that would result in certain death, it can cause almost any other course of activity.

The geased creature must follow the given instructions until the geas is completed, no matter how long it takes.

If the instructions involve some open-ended task that the recipient cannot complete through his own actions, the spell remains in effect for a maximum of 1 day per caster level. A clever recipient can subvert some instructions.

If the subject is prevented from obeying the lesser geas for 24 hours, it takes a -2 penalty to each of its ability scores. Each day, another -2 penalty accumulates, up to a total of -8. No ability score can be reduced to less than 1 by this effect. The ability score penalties are removed 24 hours after the subject resumes obeying the lesser geas.

A lesser geas (and all ability score penalties) can be ended by break enchantment, limited wish, remove curse, miracle, or wish. Dispel magic does not affect a lesser geas.

I know that there has got to be actual numbers out there for this, but last night in the game the bard asked how he could convince another to do or believe something completely contrary to their nature. The example they used was angels vs. demons. They got themselves into a situation where they were dealing diplomatically with the daughter of a demon who seemed like she might be a demon herself. She was not threatening the PCs and did not detect as evil. She was trying to get away from angels with a paladin like nature to them that were after her. The PCs believe that just as angels can fall, demons and devils might be able to rise... and the Bard wanted to convince the angels to spare her. They are very militant angels interested in cleansing every plane from the infection of the abyss which includes all demons and their bloodlines, at least according to what the PCs have heard. The player wanted to know the exact mechanics behind the rolls and saves that would have to be made for both parties to get everyone to get along, and to know exactly what everyone's true intensions are. Any opinions? Would the call be on story line progression, or is there math for the penalties and bonuses to this?

I have a PC bard sandman archetype that has glibness cast on him. I also have a NPC that can read thoughts via Seek Thoughts, does the NPC have to make a caster level check against the bards glibness to read their thoughts since they might be looking for the truth or answers, or, because seek throughts does not state it it forcing him to tell the truth nor directly decerning his lies, is there no caster level check?

Glibness
Your speech becomes fluent and more believable, causing those who hear you to believe every word you say. You gain a +20 bonus on Bluff checks made to convince another of the truth of your words. This bonus doesn't apply to other uses of the Bluff skill, such as feinting in combat, creating a diversion to hide, or communicating a hidden message via innuendo.

If a magical effect is used against you that would detect your lies or force you to speak the truth, the user of the effect must succeed on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against a DC of 15 + your caster level to succeed. Failure means the effect does not detect your lies or force you to speak only the truth.

Seek Thoughts
Similar to detect thoughts, seek thoughts allows you to sift through the surface thoughts of those around you. You may scan for either the answer to a simple question (such as “Where is the hidden lair of the wererats?”) or for information on a general topic (such as the beliefs of an evil cult). You detect the number of creatures who are thinking about this question or topic within range, as well as their location if they are visible to you. Seek thoughts does not let you read actual surface thoughts, only if a given creature is thinking about the topic you are concentrating on. A successful Will save prevents you from sensing a creature's thoughts for the duration of the spell.

You can maintain concentration on seek thoughts while you engage in normal conversation, allowing you to ask leading questions about topics of interest. A creature conversing with you while you concentrate can notice that you are distracted with a successful DC 25 Sense Motive check.

How about having an intelligent item with a proclivity (word of the day) toward chaos as the end boss. The item has taken control of past contestants who now enact its will. This leads to a series of combats as you have to take out each of the items wielders to finally take control of the item yourself. With each successfully defeated wielder (which does not require death just that you wrest them from the control of the item), the item teleports itself to the next wielder. I would have the final wielder be a fallen paladin who has fallen due to the chaotic (not evil) influence of the item. This means a group who wants epic and diverse combats can get them and a group who wants more noncombat solutions can get them. The final battle is more a battle for redemption than a battle to the death. I would make the paladin much higher level than the group, but have him regain control occasionally giving the group the chance to see his true nature and to decide if they should grant him a merciful death or try to free him from the item.

cool idea, how do you make an intelligent item? how does it change the weilder?

Bunch of 10th level PCs, you want a final poss around CR 14, which would be a 13th level lich.

But here's a thought. You know who likes mazes? Baphomet, the Demon Lord of Minotaurs. He lives in the Endless Maze, and he is -- I quote -- "the embodiment of savagery, an insidious force that worms its way into the heart of his followers to deceive them into embracing brutality". YMMV, but that sounds like a pretty good fit to me. Oh, and bonus points: it's canon that Baphomet has a secret cult on Golarion, the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth.

So the Bad Thing at the center of the maze is something that worships Baphomet. That could be a demon, or a half-fiend, or (my favorite) one or more demon cultists. The demoniac PrC is rather neglected; this could be a chance to take it out for a spin...

Doug M.

I was also thinking about having a bunch of minotaurs in it and using the savage species guide from 3.5 to make some different minotaurs and have them wandering the maze. I didn't think of Baphomet though, thats a good thing to think about, thanks!

Rachel Carter wrote:

rorek55 wrote:

I would say go knight of the sepulcher anti paladin archetype and have then others be under his control

What would you put under his control to make it a challenging but do-able fight?

There are multiple parties competing, right? So, everyone from other parties in the dungeon that your PCs kill, get raised and have the appropriate undead template tacked onto them as if the antipaladin was a high level necromancer.

This gets to the heart of the moral quandry. The more you simply took the easy way out and killed the competition, the harder the fight is. Sprinkle hints and such throughout, don't just make it a hidden calculation.

I like this, is there a way to make an anti paladin a necromancer too, or make the anti paladin a lich combining your idea in it too where the maze could be the phylactery? Or would that be getting to complicated for my players? I really do like the moral problem though and the consequences