Ruuak's page

Hello, I currently have 6 core rule books pocket edition for Pathfinder 2e and one of the same in hardcover in my sidecart along with my lost omens ancestry and beastiary 3 coming as a part of my subscription. I would like to cancel 3 of the core rulebooks pocket edition as I bought them for my players in store already. How would I go about doing that? Thanks again Paizo! Love your system and your community!

So the subject says it mostly, I am looking into taking a good amount my available free time and actually designing my own world for my players. I have the Game Mastery Guide and love using it, but was hoping for a bit more from other GMs and Players on the forums on this subject!

Thanks again!

I have loved RPGs for as long as I can remember, and one of the biggest things my friends and I have enjoyed about them is the ability to be extremely creative with everything you can do.

My friends and I love other games besides Pathfinder and other great tabletop RPGs, and one of our long time favorites has been the Elder Scrolls series and most recently Skyrim.

The reason I bring up Skyrim is that it is a game where you go in and you are classless, you don't have to fit any role you simply play the way you want and that is what you level up.

I am asking you as a community to help us as we continue to explore this idea of at least starting a classless system. Our first idea is similar to the point buy method for stats, only you don't use them for stats alone, you would use them for class abilities, so Rage, sneak attack, increased movement speed, trapfinding, animal companions, mounts, Eidolons, basically anything in the game can be brought through this point buy system and later as the character progress by spending XP similar to World of Darkness if you have used that system.

To make things easy we wanted to start off with each person having 100 points and still having one starting feat, 2 if human. (Racial archetypes we are leaving the same. )

So for example -
Rage is 25 points

having feats at every level is 25 points (instead of every other level as standard rules), feats would be 10 points if one wishes to buy a feat.

Good saves for everything is 45 points (15 points per save)

Total cost - 95 points

You have 5 points left over which will be giving to you at 5x100xp so you begin the game with 500xp to spend as you "level".

Or you could take those 5 points and give yourself 1 skill as a "class skill"

We could do a simple 0 or 1st level spells cost 10 points, all the way to 9th level which costs 90 points.

Every 100 xp would give you 1 point to spend, or something like that for leveling.

As you can see this is not balanced in anyway but its just something to give an idea of what we are trying to accomplish. We know this really throws a lot of things out the window and we are almost building from the ground up but we think it might be fun to at least think about.

We would love to be able to branch out and do something like if you swing your sword for long enough you get better at wielding a sword, but for now we are focusing on the classless system and the xp buyout idea. Feel free to comment on this we would love to hear from anyone who has tried this before and what did and did not work and why.

Thanks again

Ruuak

So here is the situation...

My party is playing in a mainly dwarven area in my world, and they are looking for a magic artifact known as the anvil of creation, as its name suggests this allows the user to create literally anything.

I am using a realm with similar alignment paradoxes as Dragonlance where there must be balance in the world between both good and evil, and when the dwarven diety created this powerful artifact, his own hammer was then changed into the Hammer of Destruction and can destroy anything. (He was LG and attempted to destroy his hammer but found he could not so instead he hid it away) This was considered an acceptable offering before The Elders (a high pantheon which rules over other dieties and is like a court for gods/goddesses)

The players don't know about the hammer piece yet but I want for some sort of evil druid/blighter cult to be going after this hammer of destruction to end the world, or at least attempt to.

I have been searching for a diety that would fit this role, one who has strong ties to nature, preferably a hatred of all living things and wanting to end life/existence, but one who wants to simply see the world destroyed, you know the kind who might keep a Tarasque as a pet...

The best I was able to find was Tharizdun (Cthulhu) but don't really want to use him. Again I am looking for an evil druidic kind of diety or someone who is tied to the elements in a strong way, if anyone has any ideas that would be great.

If there is any more information I can provide please let me know!

Under the rules it says that any swarm that is fine or diminutive cannot be targeted by a single target spell, does this mean that it is not effected by spells such as acid splash, but it would be affected by spells such as burning hands? Thanks again!

I am looking for some help in CR and how to calculate it. I have provided 2 examples of this but if I get it wrong please let me know.

If I have 4 CR 4 creatures this becomes a CR 8.

If I have 8 CR 6 creatures this becomes a CR 12.

What do I do for CR with less then 1 such as orcs? Orcs are CR 1/2 so does this make 4 orcs a CR 2 where I add them or a CR 4 + 1/2 as the book suggests? Clearly a ECL 4 party can take down 4 orcs quite easily, but the GM that "trained me" said that you have to follow the table on page 398 of the Core Rulebook and you don't add them you simply add the number they give to the creature, but this does not seem to provide even a slight challenge to heroes of that level.

Also on groups of larger then 16 if there is a pattern I am not seeing it at the moment as 4 creatures is CR + 4 but 8 is CR +6, The only one I have really seen is if you double the number add +2 to the CR of the encounter. This would also make 32 creatures add +10... please help! :)

Thanks again!

Ruuak

So what are some of the upsides and the downsides to letting a party know about the campaign/world before or after the campaign has started?

What are some of the upsides and downsides to letting the party know what everyone else is playing prior to the start of a campaign?

What are some upsides and downsides of having the group be a party before the campaign or letting everyone come in blind and getting to know each other in game?

Just looking for more thoughts and opinions on this topic, as always thank you very much for your help on this one!

So my group has asked if we could do some larger battles such as 25 or more enemies, while I am almost sure I will have to give them some NPC help for this kind of thing, I want to do this but am unsure of what I can do for this and how I can adequately run this for them. If anyone has suggestions for this I would be grateful.

So this might seem like a silly question, but im looking for a good way to track Initiative as a simple way to keep things moving quickly, I have 2 groups I GM for, one plays over skype the other plays in person... tips on either system would be helpful.

Hello all,

I have thought that for some time there is not much that a true caster can really take for casting in the way of feats, and while I GM most of the time in our games it has caused many castes to not want to play a true caster route because in their words, in terms of feats there is not as many options for us to chose from. (If I am wrong and there are good magical feats to be taken please let me know as well as commenting about my house rules) I am somewhat new to house ruling but think this should be ok.

To this end we looked at Metamagic Feats and as they seem the most logical place to start for a true caster here is what I came up with and wonder how it might play out. Understand this, myself and the players I play with believe that magic should be far more powerful in scope then simply using a bow or another weapon, its magic and should therefore be fantastic. (When I play I play Barbarians/Fighters/Clerics/Rogues (typically archers for rogues) and the players I play with are really into playing the class they want to play not just, who gets the most kills, but really who can have the most fun with the character that they are playing at that time.

Here is how I have the rules written as of now for my players, please let me know what you think.

For all metamagic feats there will be no more increasing of spell level, only a level requirement for that feat. Also I will work it like the feat Stunning Fist. For clarity for everyone, I have included the important piece of the part of Stunning fist we will be using for a basis. A monk receives Stunning Fist as a bonus feat at 1st level, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. A monk may attempt a stunning attack a number of times per day equal to his monk level, plus one more time per day for every four levels he has in classes other than monk.

So what that means for a caster that chooses a metamagic feat, you may choose to amplify for spells with your chosen feat a number of times equal to your level in that casting class. You simply then apply your feat to any spell and take it off your list for that day. Example, Verul a 10th level Wizard has chosen the metamagic feats Empower Spell and Maximize Spell. He can then empower or maximize any spell that allows him to do so. So he chooses Fireball. He is 10th level, and therefore may use Empower spell and Maximize Spell 10 times per day. If he chooses he may combine both, however he would go down to 9 uses of each of that feat for the day. Also if you are playing a half caster such as ranger or paladin, you have uses equal to 1 for every four levels in that class. So a 9th level Paladin can do a maximized Cure Light Wounds 2 times per day. Again I am making this change to allow for more creativity and I believe this will help in that goal. For the basis of each metamagic feat I am using the system of how many spell slots you had to give up x3 for most of the feats in order to make calculations on what level you will be having access to your feat. Example: Enlarge spell normally would use 1 spell slot higher, and 1 times 3 equals 3, therefore you will have access at level 3.

Core Rulebook

Empower Spell — Increase spell variables by 50% Level 6
Enlarge Spell — Double spell range Level 3
Extend Spell — Double spell duration Level 3
Heighten Spell — Add + 5 to ones spells CAB Level 3
Maximize Spell — Maximize spell variables Level 9
Quicken Spell — Cast spell as a swift action Level 12
Silent Spell — Cast spell without verbal components Level 3
Still Spell — Cast spell without somatic components Level 3
Widen Spell — Double spell area Level 9
Advanced Players Guide
Bouncing Spell — Redirect a spell that had no effect on initial target Level 3
Dazing Spell — Daze creature with spell damage Level 9
Disruptive Spell — Target of spell must make concentration check to cast a spell in the next round Level 3
Ectoplasmic Spell — Spell fully affects incorporeal and ethereal creatures
Level 3
Elemental Spell — Inflict energy damage instead of regular spell damage Level 3
Focused Spell — Increase save DC of spell for one target in a group Level 3
Intensified Spell — Increase maximum damage dice by 5 levels Special*
Lingering Spell — Instantaneous area effect spell lasts for 1 round Level 3
Merciful Spell — Spell inflicts nonlethal damage instead of lethal Level 1
Persistent Spell — Creatures who saved against a spell must save again Level 6
Reach Spell — Increase spell range to higher range category Special**
Selective Spell -- Exclude targets from an area effect spell Level 3
Sickening Spell — Sicken creature with spell damage Level 6
Thundering Spell — Deafen creature with spell damage Level 6
* You may select this feat at level 1 but must use it on spells you have had for at least 2 levels.
** You may select this feat at level 1, for every step up you must have 2 levels, example if you wish to make a spell from touch to long, being 4 steps, you must be at least level 7. (1,3,5,7) you must take all previous steps in order to gain the next.
Ultimate Magic
Burning Spell — Spell with the acid or fire descriptor deals extra
damage the next round Level 6
Concussion Spell — Spell with the sonic descriptor gains a
debilitating concussive effect Level 6
Echoing Spell — Cast a spell a second time Level 9
Flaring Spell — Spell with the fire, light, or electricity descriptor
dazzles creatures it affects Level 3
Piercing Spell — Affected spell treats creatures with SR as having
an SR of 5 lower Level 3
Rime Spell — Spell with the cold descriptor also entangles
creatures if the spell damages them Level 3
Thanatopic Spell-- Affected spell’s death effects, energy drain, and
negative levels affect undead Level 6
Threnodic Spell -- Change a mind-affecting spell so it can affect
undead, but not living creatures Level 6
Toppling Spell — Spell with the sonic descriptor knocks targets prone Level 3

So the subject says it all but I wanted to start a post about some of your favorite moments as a Game Master. This can be anything you want it to be as long as you say what one or more of your favorite things about GMing or a favorite remembered session and why you choose those moments to share, and just to get things started, I will go first.

For some reason I play mostly with new players, a lot of them I am introducing them to the game and it is a lot of fun. One of my best moments in game was when the party was attemping to take down a monster that I had made. Think of it like a Mind Flayer mixed with a psion. Well they party had a heck of a time and after dealing the thing a lot of damage and 3 party members nearly dead they pulled it off and destroyed the monster, and to top it off it was thanks to a critical hit! The party cheered and leaped from the table and danced around the room, all but one of the players was brand new (this was their first campaign), the other had been playing for a few years and they still remember that fight and often go back to it.

I choose this moment as it was one of the first monsters I tweaked/created on my own and tried really hard to make it a hard but fun encounter. Also I really enjoy when my party has fun and if I can make them feel epic then I know I have done my job. I enjoy it the most when I see party members pull together and play as a team with one another and this was a wonderful example of this!

So how about the rest of you? Any of you care to share a favorite moment as a Game Master?

I think it says it all in the subject line but the way the Core Rulebook defines concealment makes it sound like its up to the GM to decide if something gives concealment. Can someone help me on this?

Is there any kind of bonuses one gets from being behind cover (partial or total) or being in concealment in anyway for making a stealth check?

Hey so I am planning a couple of encounters for my low level party and want to use Dark Creepers and Dark Stalkers for a couple of things. When I was going over the spell "Darkness" it makes no mention of darkvision being able to see through it, however when I was reading through "Deeper Darkness" it said that not even Darkvision can see through "Deeper Darkness" is this a misprint or something? I do have the first edition of the Core Rulebook and don't know if that is in any errata. This will be a key part to the encounter as they will be going through an underground passage to a dwarven city, led by dwarves, so if they can see through it it will really be helping the party out, as well as one half orc who is in the party, so this is pretty important. Again please let me know if Darkvision can see through Darkness but not Deeper Darkness. Thanks again!

Ruuak

Hey there Paizo Community, I have asked stuff like this in the past and you have been wonderful so I come to you once again. I have been a GM for a while but am always trying to get better.

I just started a new campaign with some friends, who while some are familiar with FRPGS, they are new to Pathfinder, and as a whole are new players themselves. (One of them is getting back in after not playing since Second Edition, so he has experience but its very different, or so he says, I am not familiar with that system.)

The party make up is wonderfully balanced. It consists of a human fighter, who is going melee tank type, half-orc Barbarian, elven melee rogue, human cleric, and a gnome sorcerer and a halfling sorcerer, one focused on ice, the other on fire.

We are doing a campaign they chose, I gave them a list of short campaigns I have on file and they chose one of my newest ones, The Forgemasters Revenge. It is basically where a dwarven craftsmen of ages past used a now almost mythical forge to create the world itself to life, and they must now find it before a necromancer takes control and uses it to power her own creations.
The main enemy types will be constructs and golems, and on the other side, undead and cultists. (I like having more then one enemy type in my campaigns.) I will be including others for sure but these two types will be the largest representation. I will also be doing a lot with dungeon crawls as much of this is simply exploring the mountains finding clues to its location underneath the dwarven mountains of Harrengar (the country of primarily dwarves in the world I created).

Do you have any tips/hints/ideas I could use for this campaign? want to make it a good one as this will be the first one for at least 3 of them. Thanks again!

So I was talking with someone today about RPing games and the topic of both dnd/pathfinder and pokemon came up in the same conversation, well that got me to thinking could you create the Summoner with the brood master archetype to be a pokemon trainer? If you did so how would you go about spending feats and evolution points per eidolon? Thanks again, just a fun idea and I thought about sharing!

Just wondering if there is a website or something where I might be able to find monsters listed under Type, CR, and Location found such as Monsterous Humanoids, CR 4-7, Cold Mountains or if there is something like this in the books. I know we have this in the books but I am looking for something that might compile all the books into one source just to make things easier rather then have 4-5 books open at once.

Ruuak

So what would some of you say to GMs making a PC or if you like an NPC that they play that is helpful to the party but one that sticks with them and shares in xp and loot and anything else?

If you do agree that GMs could play a party member, do you have any tips on how to keep some of the metagaming to a minimum, such as players knowing that this is a GM character and asking every plot twist/enemies weakness and anything like that.

Also should the GM not play or at least try to avoid playing one class over the other due to tipping the balance in some way, and alternatively is there any class or type that works really well?

Thanks again community!

So reading over the Master Summoner and it says that you can cast summon monster 1 as a spell like ability equal to 5+Cha mod times per day. It also says that there are no limit to how many Summon Monster 1s you have out on the field, however if you summon your Eidolon then only one summon monster may be in effect while your Eidolon is summoned.

Question is does this mean that the first or the last creature summoned remains in play or is it players choice which creature stays and which goes back to being unsummoned?

Also is it only Summon monster 1 that he has uses equal to 5+Cha per day as the spell like ability or does he gain that ability for each Summon monster up to 9 as he continues to level?

Hey all, might be a question I will get flamed for but willing to ask it anyway... Are there any really interesting ways to kill/challenge the party? Bear in mind that I am not trying to outright kill them, (thats easy if I want to be a jerk being the GM I can simply say rocks fall no save you all die, but thats boring and stupid, and would probobly kill any dynamic of the group.) I have heard from friends about monsters, dungeons,traps and other things that were used that were up to -4 APL and still either made a TPK or almost TPK and the party had a great time with it... just wondering about how I can improve on upping the challenge in my campaign without just saying rocks fall you die.

I am a fan of games where players and GM create the story together, so if anyone has any advice on that as well please let me know.

Thanks again!

Ruuak

So I am making a Barbarian/Cleric who is going to be a grappeler for use as an NPC in my upcoming campaign, I want him and his followers to be a recurring group in the campaign so I want to make sure that I have the rules right.

Rules 1.
He is a Vasharn cleric who is evil and his ideal is that the stronger should rule over the weaker, his cult does this through competitions of strength and other ways of brute force. Would he have to worship a diety for this to work or could he simply have the idea being the survival of the fittest would be where he draws his power from? Being that he and his followers are Vasharn I thought about making them Ur-Priests and just trying to steal the power from the gods but don't know how well that will work. If there is a diety that already holds this idea who is evil, (I found Kord from 3.5 but he is good and won't work for this character) please let me know.

Side note 1. How would you build temples or arenas or something that would showcase you are going to his area?

Rules 2.
Don't know if this is in the rules already of if I just missed it, but I am planning on him and his followers using armor spikes, would this simply make someone who is grappled with him take 1d6 per round, or just the first round of combat (when the get hit) and when they are done (when the spikes pull out)

Side note 2. They also see the use of weapons as pathetic and weak, they believe that ones own body and armor should be all you need in a fight, is it possible to make a disarm attempt and a grapple attempt in the same round?

Thanks again!

Hey guys, I have played roleplaying games for about 6 years and have really tried GMing for about a year. My question is any tips for a relative new GM and gestalt campaigns? Right now my gaming group consists of only 3 players and myself. We chose gestalt so that we could cover more bases with fewer players in our sessions. (our preferred group size is 5-6) The Players are currently ECL 8 and have an LA of +2. We have two lycans and one half dragon to make up our party. The current campaign is one which seems quite popular right now... magic is banned by the current ruler and wishes to eliminate it at all costs, part of the campaign was that one of the gestalt classes had to at least have some spellcasting capability, which no one minded, so they are all on the run and trying to kill the emperor at the same time. My issue is that even right now with using the gestalt rules of CR +1 for appropriate encounters they are still ripping through everything. Any Tips to a somewhat new GM? Thanks again and any help with be appreciated.