ReddestBaron's page

I would expect that your party won't be convinced by her lies, no matter how good they are. Expect the unexpected.

I don't expect the players to be convinced, but the characters are likely to be given the succubus' bluff, disguise and diplomacy scores. But yes, there's always the possibility of a 20.

Have it be punishment for trying to take advantage of said caster, so she is stuck in that location, unable to think about leaving or being humbled without the spell kicking in. Sure she could leave or scheme but every day she does she takes a -3 to every stat (up to -12) which would leave her very vulnerable (Str 13, Dex 17, Wis 14). This could give you some leeway on character interaction that you are looking for.p

I love this suggestion and had not considered a geas at all. The only issue would be that the party at this stage probably wouldn't be able to break a geas (unless the geas is specifically something they can help her achieve).

Misdirection can mask the magic aura from her Change Shape, though the person detecting magic gets a will save.

Will definitely consider this, especially as the party may be combat at some point and thus noticing her hiding behind them casting a spell may be less obvious (in the face of a howling babau, that is).

Will be giving greater thought to why she's trapped there and whether or not the group would be all that uncomfortable by knowing that she's a succubus. While they are mostly good, that alone won't make them want to get rid of her. I just like the idea of a big reveal a while later...

Well, let me ask you a question then... Do you *want* her to be found out as a part of the story? Or are you just trying to cover your bases in case the players are interested?

Some interesting tidbits in there, in particular the line of sight nature of Auras - I'd always assumed they permeated most materials (except perhaps solid walls of stone or earth). The fact that it can be blocked by obscuring vision is very interesting indeed.

I would at this stage prefer that they don't discover her, but would like to be prepared in case they do. She's not after conflict, so unless they seriously piss her off she won't try to kill them (as I feel like it'll be a hard encounter given they are only three of them).

Mmm, I am aware of the particular difficulties of grappling Succubi...

I'm planning to throw a couple of babau in the area as well, in order make the discovery of things like summoning rings a little less obvious.

The permanent magic circle vs. evil & dimensional anchor are obvious under detect magic. Sorry. Change shape 'functions as a polymorph spell' and the text for supernatural abilities doesn't say that it's not detected as magic, and that it is cancelled by antimagic field (so there is something magic there.)

Thanks for the clarifications on those ones, I'll have a think about different ways of approaching it then.

My group is shortly going to run into a succubus bound to a profaned temple, and I had a few questions about how they might determine that she is indeed a succubus. The group is level 7 and contains a sorcerer, a barbarian and a monk.

I'm considering giving the succubus a couple of cleric levels (thinking of something along the lines of this), and that she is permanently in the shape of a female human (using Change Shape). She's not designed as a combat encounter, rather she wants the group to break the binding holding her, with an ultimate intention to infiltrate a nearby city and gain power (inspired partly by the Sisters' Market). She will try to avoid displaying her true nature at all costs, and will try to convince the group to help her with words rather than any of her abilities.

Does the change shape spell result in a continuing aura of transmutation that is detectable by Detect magic?

Her dialogue will give the group an impression that she's not exactly what she seems, but are there any other mechanical ways (excluding sense motive's 'hunch' or a good arcana check) that they might work this out?

This is the first time I've looked into binding outsiders, and it seems that a permanent binding of a succubus to an area would be a relatively complicated procedure (a permanent magical circle against evil + dimensional anchor), and I'm not sure if a permanent magical circle laid out in silver underground would be a feasible thing, or if it would instantly obvious to someone with a magical background and detect magic. Any suggestions on how best to go about setting up that area/situations?

We've been using the standard Hero Points system for a while now, and I have only good things to say about it. It gives a sense of greater agency to the players and allows them to counteract those awful moments when the dice fall heavily against you.

I can't speak for other systems, but this some might feel like the HP system makes the game less gritty - the cheat death ability in particular changes the way PCs act. But for my party, that has now been together for over two years, a death to a random crit would feel decidedly unsatisfying.

The best part is that it encourages players to do awesome things, and because in our group any player can suggest awarding HP, it helps with the sense of a collaboration.

+1 Awaken.

The Blink Dog is Level 4, and a Worg is Level 5.

Biggles, as listed looks to be Level 3 with one level of Barbarian. Animals have d8 not d12, so he should have 2d8+1d12, assuming the 3d12 listed is animal plus class.

Compare the power of Biggles to the two monsters listed above. If not more powerful, then you should be OK. [Add a level of Barbarian when comparing to the Worg.]

/cevah

Yeah, he wrote 3d12 but used 2d8 + 1d12 for the calculation for HP.

Regarding awaken, given that it brings the HD up by 2 (which I believe has the flow-on effects to saves etc listed here: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/monster-advancement), doesn't that bring him up to ~level 6?

And where would the values such as improvements to saves be listed?

Edit: Also, we rolled for the awakened Biggles' intelligence and he's now the smartest individual in the party...

A player in my campaign asked if he could use the leadership feat, and given we're both reasonable adults I assented (I don't have any fear of him trying to min/max and it's a party of three, so it seemed reasonable).

He's level 7 and he has the appropriate leadership score for a level 5 cohort, and he wants to give his riding dog (been in the campaign longer than some of the players) class levels in barbarian.

I'm not 100% on how giving class levels to monsters works in terms of CR and cohort level, so I'd like some advice.

This is his mock-up of the riding dog Biggles.

At this stage I feel like it's less powerful than it should be (I get that cohorts aren't supposed to be able to wade in with their masters all the time, but this looks pretty weak...).

Any suggestions/places you can point me to to work out how things should go?

I actually just did a major encounter (higher level) with my group against cavaliers. They can actually be amazingly dangerous.

Remember the tactician ability lets you give the teamwork feats to others for a major fight. So consider what other PC's builds are like.
Do you have someone else who has a melee build and is likely to be able to keep up with you? Cavalry Formation and Coordinated Charge are great.

Escape Route will make it much less likely you will ever take AoO.

Pack Flanking Together with Outflank makes hitting much more likely.

Do you have an archer in the group? I forget the name, but one of them will give him a bunch of extra attacks.

Does the group try to be sneaky? Stealth Synergy can make this almost guaranteed.

I can see how high level cavaliers would be brutal as a group, especially once they have coordinated charge...

The group will at this stage be two half-caster/half-melee (sorc/dragon disciple and a fel-shaped druid) and a bow-using ranger.

I haven't yet determined what tactics the others will be using, so I've gone with outflank as a safe bet (and anything else could potentially be picked up at 9 with the second teamwork feat). I feel like I'll regularly have a flanking partner (what with my mount, the two melee characters and their two animal companions).

Hi all,

Making a level 6 cavalier for a friend's Kingmaker campaign, not sure if what I've gone with makes sense or if I've screwed something up...thoughts?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XELoxeeoQt4dSEOJlLzcg4sJpbi6-K4ASeR f2D4bTgU/edit?usp=sharing

Going NE Order of the Cockatrice for the time being (suits the character's theme way better than Dragon, which I wanted to go so as not to be a general jerk). Potential character growth by switching from cockatrice to dragon as time goes by.

Basic breakdown
Stats (25 point buy + 2 floating human bonus and +1 advancement increase):
Str 18
Dex 12
Con 16
Int 12
Wis 12
Cha 12

Feats (3 + 1 for human + 1 tactician + 1 cav bonus):
Power attack
Mounted combat
Ride-by-attack
Monstrous mount
Spirited charge
Outflank

Companion creature:
Griffon
Feats - Light armour, power attack, hover and improved natural attack (claws) [I realise that it won't be able to use this for a level, but I figure it's worth it when it can]

My equipment:
Lance +1
Full plate +1
Cloak of Resistance +1
Longsword (mw)
Shield, heavy steel

Griffon's equipment:
Chain shirt barding
Amulet of mighty fists
Cloak of Resistance +1

~10,685 gp

Any suggestions for further itemisation?

My advice grab a trait that gives an arcane cantrip and take arcane strike feat. Then reduce your strength the cost in other stats isn't worth it Kingmaker utilises skills in particular. Maybe go a shaman archetype as lvl 6 is the magic level for power increase and your summons are half round.

Ooo, that trait + arcane strike trick is very neat.

I'm assuming something like Magical talent (Choose a 0-level spell. You may cast that spell once per day as a spell-like ability. This spell-like ability is cast at your highest caster level gained; if you have no caster level, it functions at CL 1st. The spell-like ability’s save DC is Charisma-based) would be sufficient?

Given it's a bit of a sneaky workaround I wonder if the DM will have issues with it (the Arcane Strike wording is 'Ability to cast arcane spells', after all).

What would you suggest in terms of increasing other stats? I was considering going the warden (based on strength) as it also suits my backstory/being a druid.

One monk lvl for armor with wisdom.

Planar wild shape is a must

Wouldn't this be redundant with the hide armour?

Though with the free Improved Unarmed Strike from that dip I'd be able to take Improved Grapple...

Hiya all,

A friend of mine is planning to run a tweaked version of Kingmaker with characters starting at level 6, I've mocked up a build below for a wildshapin' human druid with a tiger companion.
Planning to be on the front line (hence Toughness), a primary damage dealer with secondary utility. Have you any suggestions/comments?

We're doing 25 point buy, so I went with:
Str - 18
Dex - 12
Con - 14
Int - 8
Wis - 14
Cha - 8

Added the human floating +2 to Str and the +1 from level increase to Str as well, leaving me with strength 21.

Feats:
Power attack
Natural Spell
Toughness
Improved Initiative (wasn't 100% sure about this one, but I figured extra init always helps.

Traits:
Reactionary (+2 to init)
Bastard (Kingmaker-specific-trait, +1 to will saves, -1 on Cha skill checks with certain NPCs)

Gear:
Scimitar
Heavy wooden shield
Hide armour
Ring of protection +1
Cloak of resistance +2
Belt of Physical Might (Con/Str +2)
~16000

Planning to be transforming into a dire tiger, and using an animal companion (big cat, mostly so I can take advantage of its awesome 7th level advancement) to flank and get dirty in melee. The cat has Power Attack, Toughness and Improved Natural Attack (claws) for feats.

...into a mech.

See here for details.

This is pretty much solely for flavour, no mechanical (heh) changes.

I think my favourite is:

Fast Movement (Ex): A mech can strike faster and harder than a regular person, and what is running but striking the ground with your feet? At 3rd level, a mech gains an enhancement bonus to his land speed, as shown on Table: Mech. A mech in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.

Heads up that he's a drunken monk/rogue, hence the sneak attack + drunken overcharge.

A capacitor just holds a charge. Why can't a pneumatics system hold extra pressure?

It's not that it can't hold extra pressure, I just feel like the pressure that could be held in a relatively small pressurised system is considerably less than could be held in a capacitance system of the same physical size.

That said, I imagine it depends on the efficiency of the conversion from electrical charge/pent-up pressure to movement of the suit as a whole.

All unfounded conjecture from me though...

To avoid the suit providing armor but still being a mechsuit, I suggest considering an Exo-Suit like so: http://thepropstop.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/wetaspecialitycostume9.jpg

This is exactly the sort of thing he's after, thanks for the great visual cue!

I just would say "um, no". Normally, that's not a response I hand out all willy-nilly, but...

He's a drunk monk in a world with limited technology. He shouldn't even be able to conceptualize such a thing as a mech suit. Even a magical version, as opposed to a technological one, would be a hefty investment for a caster to put together, and short of it being the PC himself, with many ranks in spellcraft, I again wonder how he could conceptualize it.

I completely agree with you that his character wouldn't even conceptualise it. But the player really wants it, and has been trying to work it into his character's backstory.

If you're married to the steam idea say it takes a certain amount of coal per day (no matter what) has to be regularly refilled with water (create water is fine, but without that or a stream he's in trouble) and can only operate so long per day.

I hadn't even mentioned this idea to him when I had these questions from him:

1) Do water elementals continuously create water and if they do

2) How much do they produce?

I'm investigating whether I can ensure a constant supply of steam for my mech by trapping a water elemental in the boiler (and a fire elemental in the burner).

He's clearly been thinking along similar lines...:P

You might get something out of this.

I really like this, and it's proving very helpful in getting my ideas together - I especially like the idea of a capacitor (though it doesn't fit with pneumatics, unfortunately).

Background:
The player (Drunken monk [level 6 human LN]) requested an open-fronted mech-suit (think the dock loader from Aliens):
http://redwedgemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/bloodrip2.png

It’s a homebrew campaign and there wasn’t really any background for this kind of thing before, but I’ve been thinking about it for a while and at the moment am going with a rising Machinists (Mechnomancers?) movement that would be interested in similar sorts of goals – though everything created would be a mix of pneumatics, alchemy and magic.

I am planning to have the suit function (mechanically) as the equivalent of a permanent enlarge person spell (+2 str, -2 Dex, -1 to AC and attack roll, 10 ft space and reach etc), with a cost of 2,500 gp. The only difference I foresee will be the flavor (no one will have seen it before, so he’s likely to get reactions when walking around in it) and the fact that he can get in and out at will (with probably a bit of a charge up time, not sure).

Can you foresee any problems with the above, or do you have any suggestions as to how I might make this work, both mechanically and in terms of world flavor?

Bonus questions:
Upgrades: would like it to be something that he can add to over time, so at the moment I’m thinking that I might elect for there to be a bunch of slots on the suit (equal to the amount of body slots), and that those slots won’t stack with the body slots. For the sake of balance I’m planning to have those upgrades equate to items (wall climbing pitons = spider slippers, structural reinforcing = bracers of armor), have you got any suggestions? They don’t have to be the equivalent of current stuff either, new flavourful upgrades?

Upkeep – Haven’t thought much about this, but I feel like maybe the suit would only be powered for a certain period of time depending on actions. My main worry is that I don’t want this to be too limiting (i.e. 'used all the suit’s energy for the day, now have to stay in the area because it can’t move and I don’t want it to get damaged'). Suggestions?

ReddestBaron wrote:

celestial cheetahs

More seriously, at a minimum I'd be having him make concentration checks because he's being towed along at the end of a rope that may or may not be attached exactly to his center of buoyancy (where ever that is). He's probably bobbing along like a fishing bobber in a swift stream.

Depending on how the barbarian moved that turn, it might be anywhere from vigorous motion (DC10+spell level) to extremely violent motion (DC20+spell level). I'd also throw in some of the mounted combat rules (not that the gnome is mounted) such as the one about if you make a ranged attack while your mount is double-moving, that attack happens at the mid-point of the mount's move.

Thanks SlimGauge, conceiving of it as similar to a mounted situation makes a lot of sense.

So tonight my group created a new tactic - the gnome balloon.

Basically the gnome sorcerer casts levitate on himself, ties himself to the barbarian, levitates ~20 feet up into the air and then lets himself be pulled around by the barbarian as rains fire down from above.

By doing this he:
a) doesn't have to spend any actions moving
b) can move far further than he would normally
c) is out of the range of most melee attacks

I can't see any reason in the rules as to why the gnome couldn't do this (there's an external force being exerted on him that doesn't interfere with the levitate), and given he's a tiny gnome being pulled by a usually enraged, enlarged half-orc barbarian, I don't feel like he'd significantly slow the barbarian down.

My main question is - is there something in the rules that I'm missing, any reason why they couldn't do this?

I really like the idea, and the mental image is a lot of fun, though I've already started trying to counter the strategy (in the initial fight there were archers that started targeting the floating gnome, but then he used invisibility and just started summoning celestial cheetahs).

Secondary question - can you think of ways to make the tactic less powerful (particularly once he's used invisibility)?
Considerations:
- the rope can be cut easily, which would leave the gnome hanging in the air (with the potential to be pulled down by an enemy).
- most intelligent enemies would still know where the gnome is based on the rope that disappears at one end, but that doesn't necessarily mean they can hit it.
- in certain areas (low ceilings) the tactic won't work.

Edit: By no means do I want to gut the tactic - I realise it requires preparation on the part of the group and uses 40% of the sorcerer's 5 level 2 spells per day, so it's not a cheap manoeuvre to use.

Thanks for your advice all, it's proved very helpful - some great ideas!

Also what protections will be provided by the event they are attending? Attendees may feel the security provided is sufficient. Finally what level are you working at?

The party is all at level 6, and the provided security is going to be fairly significant in terms of manpower (mostly in the form of members of the city Watch plus a small cadre of trained personal guards w/ some experience combating magic), but magical assistance is mostly going to be centralised around the royal party.

Surely the answer to the question depends upon the wealth of the nobles? Just because someone's noble it doesn't necessary mean they are wealthy by adventurer standards.

An excellent point - at this stage I'm planning to have three different tiers of nobles with varying resources at their disposal. The lowest nobles will mostly have static defenses like the cloaks of resistance/rings of protection, while those at the other end may have access to wands of teleport or dimension door.

Well obviously we are talking about werebear nobility.

An idea too good not to include. I have a mental image Beorn from the Hobbit appearing from nowhere and tossing opera chairs and attackers every which way...

Setting: Normal magic metropolis
Background: My group is attending a performance shortly, a performance also to be attended by the local nobility, wealthy merchants, high-ranking guild members and potentially a few members of the royal family. There have been threats on the royal family recently, so personal and public security is quite high. Up until now I've mostly been expressing personal protection via bodyguards and the like, but these might not be socially acceptable in a concert hall/amphitheatre.

What kinds of magical gear might nobles have to protect them in case of s$@~ hitting the fan?

Thoughts thus far - capes of various resistances/shield/mage armour; items with teleport charges on them (for the wealthier members of society); rings of protection; and an escort for the royal family (thinking a summoned marid using change shape to appear either as another member of the family or just a simple human bodyguard).

Bonus question: Would there be an equivalent of a metal detector (i.e. a person/entity checking out the magical properties of all items brought into the hall)?