Samnell's page

The thing is, once you add ABP and 3-action economy, it's not really PF1 any more and likely not what many "please just fix few small things but I've never had a problem with +2 swords and swift actions" people want.

That's kind of where I am. A lot of the issues that people have had with the game going back to August of 2000 are things I either don't think are problems or are, at least for me, genuinely good for the game and ought to be preserved. I don't mean like caster-martial disparity, which is egregious, but stuff like the Christmas Tree effect, wands of CLW, or magic not being "mysterious" and/or "rare", neither of which it has ever been in any mechanical sense. I honestly don't even mind a lot that the game fundamentally changes when players get access to teleportation, flight, or divinations.

You could fairly easily bake stat increases into the system like Starfinder or ABP does. But I think there will always be a desire to have something like Thor’s belt of strength.

This is why I think having parallel ABP and magic items is the better solution.

As for moving stat items to other slots, I think that’s just to make it harder to buff multiple physical stats. We don’t want to have to have a belt of strength with gloves of dexterity and boots of constitution.

I actually do want that and think its being heavily wbl taxed in 3.5 and onwards was an undeserved nerf to martials. It ought to be reverted.

We're conditioned to the need for magic items that boost stats, but they kinda don't make sense, when you think about it.

It doesn't make any sense that either items exist which can do Thing X and other magic does not, or that magic does not and items do. If the items exist and the magic does not, it at least implies that nobody knows a non-item way to do this. That would only fit if stat-boosting items were some kind of artifact. If the magic exists and the items do not, then why haven't wizards who can put anything else into a scroll, potion, wand, etc have not managed it for this one?

We can solve both these problems if the items are permanent but of fixed bonus (like they are now) but the spells are of long enough (hour/level would do it, since that's functionally all day; most or all 10 minutes/level buffs should probably be hour/level) but unsure bonus (say 1d4+1). Which is how things were done in 3.0 when stat-boosting items were certainly desirable, but not nearly so mandatory as they became in 3.5. The norm then, to judge from what I saw on forums at the time, was that people eventually got stat boosts for the two to four stats they used most but the whole party probably had a mass bear's endurance running at higher levels. You'll never get a +6 out of the spell, but that's why you get the items for your primary focus.

So the issue with items like this is how they influence the math.PF has issues with the math requiring these items, the math being designed with them in mind. It stifles creativity in item design since you can't make an item that conflicts with those, and they're among the most boring magic items you can get.

We can give them other effects, but the only compromise I could see is just making all of these bonuses inherent and just give different items other unique things they can do. We could just make them tattoos or something like that, so you can still 'get stronger', but don't have the mechanical baggage of it.

The math requires +stat items, as it must or they rapidly become game-breakers. It also makes logical sense that such items would exist in-world. The notion that they would not, when magic does everything else, is nuts. Players are going to want them and in a game built around killing things and taking their stuff to advance, that's possibly the ideal way for them to come by such items. Yet, the slot congestion is real and means PCs pass up items that might be fun because they're occupying a mission-critical slot.

So why not remove slot affinities? Any magic item effect can occupy any body slot and transferring effects between slots is trivial. Like if you find a headband of Charisma and your headband slot is full, you could ask the party wizard to polymorph it into a belt or gloves or something. We functionally had that in 3.0 and it was the wrong move to insist in 3.5-onwards that the items must be better choices and they must further always occupy particular slots lest one pay a hefty penalty in creating the thing.

That may mean that the fighter can have +6 to all their physicals without paying a wbl tax for them, but that's basically fine. Removing the ability to do so was a stealth nerf to martials.

Alternatively, if the items themselves are really that objectionable, you could take the 3e route that +stat spell buffs last hours/level. Then the items are roughly interchangeable with the buffs and who takes what is largely up to party comp.

I used to be very regular about my PBPs. Most days I could get to all six, though there were occasional slips where I missed that I had a declaration or RL intervened. The past year and change of my life have not been all that great, including repeated illness for myself and loved ones, a lot of difficult family stuff, and generally poor mental health. It’s been a regular crap tsunami. As all of you know, I’ve struggled to keep up even after shifting to resolving each game every other day. You have all been great; I just don’t have it in me to keep going as I have been.

Every GM makes a promise when they start a game that they’re going to be here and try to give you a good experience. This is me breaking it because I just can’t anymore. I have told myself many times that next round or next week I’ll be back on the d20. I recruited for replacement players on that premise. It hasn’t happened. You deserve better than I can give.

I’m sorry. Thank you all for putting up with me and I hope I was able to bring some happiness to your lives through these games. Know that you brought some to mine.

I used to be very regular about my PBPs. Most days I could get to all six, though there were occasional slips where I missed that I had a declaration or RL intervened. The past year and change of my life have not been all that great, including repeated illness for myself and loved ones, a lot of difficult family stuff, and generally poor mental health. It’s been a regular crap tsunami. As all of you know, I’ve struggled to keep up even after shifting to resolving each game every other day. You have all been great; I just don’t have it in me to keep going as I have been.

Every GM makes a promise when they start a game that they’re going to be here and try to give you a good experience. This is me breaking it because I just can’t anymore. I have told myself many times that next round or next week I’ll be back on the d20. I recruited for replacement players on that premise. It hasn’t happened. You deserve better than I can give.

I’m sorry. Thank you all for putting up with me and I hope I was able to bring some happiness to your lives through these games. Know that you brought some to mine.

I used to be very regular about my PBPs. Most days I could get to all six, though there were occasional slips where I missed that I had a declaration or RL intervened. The past year and change of my life have not been all that great, including repeated illness for myself and loved ones, a lot of difficult family stuff, and generally poor mental health. It’s been a regular crap tsunami. As all of you know, I’ve struggled to keep up even after shifting to resolving each game every other day. You have all been great; I just don’t have it in me to keep going as I have been.

Every GM makes a promise when they start a game that they’re going to be here and try to give you a good experience. This is me breaking it because I just can’t anymore. I have told myself many times that next round or next week I’ll be back on the d20. I recruited for replacement players on that premise. It hasn’t happened. You deserve better than I can give.

I’m sorry. Thank you all for putting up with me and I hope I was able to bring some happiness to your lives through these games. Know that you brought some to mine.

I used to be very regular about my PBPs. Most days I could get to all six, though there were occasional slips where I missed that I had a declaration or RL intervened. The past year and change of my life have not been all that great, including repeated illness for myself and loved ones, a lot of difficult family stuff, and generally poor mental health. It’s been a regular crap tsunami. As all of you know, I’ve struggled to keep up even after shifting to resolving each game every other day. You have all been great; I just don’t have it in me to keep going as I have been.

Every GM makes a promise when they start a game that they’re going to be here and try to give you a good experience. This is me breaking it because I just can’t anymore. I have told myself many times that next round or next week I’ll be back on the d20. I recruited for replacement players on that premise. It hasn’t happened. You deserve better than I can give.

I’m sorry. Thank you all for putting up with me and I hope I was able to bring some happiness to your lives through these games. Know that you brought some to mine.

I used to be very regular about my PBPs. Most days I could get to all six, though there were occasional slips where I missed that I had a declaration or RL intervened. The past year and change of my life have not been all that great, including repeated illness for myself and loved ones, a lot of difficult family stuff, and generally poor mental health. It’s been a regular crap tsunami. As all of you know, I’ve struggled to keep up even after shifting to resolving each game every other day. You have all been great; I just don’t have it in me to keep going as I have been.

Every GM makes a promise when they start a game that they’re going to be here and try to give you a good experience. This is me breaking it because I just can’t anymore. I have told myself many times that next round or next week I’ll be back on the d20. I recruited for replacement players on that premise. It hasn’t happened. You deserve better than I can give.

I’m sorry. Thank you all for putting up with me and I hope I was able to bring some happiness to your lives through these games. Know that you brought some to mine.

I used to be very regular about my PBPs. Most days I could get to all six, though there were occasional slips where I missed that I had a declaration or RL intervened. The past year and change of my life have not been all that great, including repeated illness for myself and loved ones, a lot of difficult family stuff, and generally poor mental health. It’s been a regular crap tsunami. As all of you know, I’ve struggled to keep up even after shifting to resolving each game every other day. You have all been great; I just don’t have it in me to keep going as I have been.

Every GM makes a promise when they start a game that they’re going to be here and try to give you a good experience. This is me breaking it because I just can’t anymore. I have told myself many times that next round or next week I’ll be back on the d20. I recruited for replacement players on that premise. It hasn’t happened. You deserve better than I can give.

I’m sorry. Thank you all for putting up with me and I hope I was able to bring some happiness to your lives through these games. Know that you brought some to mine.

Nodding, Rikal pulled out the nanite gun and injected Chotka with it.

The black gun was equal to a cure moderate wounds, right?

If it wasn't right before, consider it right now.

Did Marcus manage to connect? Was his attack effective?

Looks like I accidentally skipped you. Will fix that...right now actually.

Skipped Marcus's action. He has enough damage to put the goblin down, so...

Marcus approached the goblin they had surrounded. Holding his sword high in a two handed grip, he let it fall with grim precision like an axe, to deliver Torm's judgement! His blow fell, taking the goblin with it. The crystals embedded in its oversized skull shattered and their inner light winked out as it died.

"And who granted you such a thing?" Amarekashu asked, noting that he hadn't confirmed the Kyuss part and checking the glowing symbol for lies.

Amar didn't see any evidence of lying.

"I have friends in high places. Pit Lord Sumbar called me in on it. He had the thing."

Jakun assumes his normal form and casts Detect Magic on the suit and on the helm.

Detect Magic + Spellcraft 1d20+12

Jakun sees no magic about the armor, but the helm radiates necromancy. Moderate strength.

Goblin ACs: 24, T12, F23

Round 4
Now behind the goblin, Bolkvar muttered words of power. His hands burst into flames as he unleashed his full fury on the goblin. It had felt like an eternity of crawling through the dark, jumping at shadows and chasing phantoms. And now? Now there was a foe to face. He wasn't going to let the creature sip away. His fists and feet pounded the goblin mercilessly, to the point that it ought to have died thrice over. He felt bones crack and saw the involuntary flinching and twitching where he struck nerves. But the goblin would not quite die.

Ranek narrowed his eyes. The goblin had some sort of protective...manifestation that was making him difficult to hit. This would be tricky. Still, the charge was not delivered, and he could still strike. Stepping down to the side, to leave room for Marcus and Thurvek, he hoped Barra would follow to provide a flank and attacked again.

Barra drives swords at the goblin from either side, letting out a wordless cry that's as much exaltation as it is frustration as he does so. Neither found a home in the creature's flesh.

"By Clanggedin's beard, save me a piece of him!!" Thurvek bellows as he continues his advance toward the blue goblin.

Aldon charges around the back of the Goblin, seeking to set himself up for a strike. He swung a fist, but could not quite connect. I think I forgot to move him last round, so I put him up into melee this time.

The goblin slipped out from the midst of the company and screwed up his face in concentration once more, only to lose the expression as he leaped to one side to miss Thurvek's incoming fist.

Order is Bolkvar, Ranek, Barra, Thurvek, Aldon, Goblin, Marcus. The Party is up!

Robo ACs: 21, T11, F21; DR 5/adamantine

Round 3
Karek fell back again from his attacker and hurled a final bomb at the clattering robot. It exploded in a shower of scrap and ozone.

Spidre fired more arrows, the second grazing Chotka's robot. Raven had better luck, striking hard at the same foe.

Seeing the success of the spirits, Rikal calls upon them again to hamper the other robot, continuing his war song and mixing in his chant as he did so. Just as fate twisted about it, the war leader brought his axe down through the metal man's chest. It exploded in a shower of rusted metal.

And you're out of robots.

In gaseous form, Jakun searches the area beyond the archway.

Take 20 for a 30.

Jakun found a chamber that mirrored the other, save for the cracked archway. The hoard numbered thousands of steel pieces, jewelry, and gems. Within it lay also a suit of plate and a helm of dwarven make.

Oh I see. Yes the shaft is reasonably narrow. You could maybe squeeze past the edge of the elevator and feather fall but it would be close. Doing so would leave the lift car abandoned and inaccessible from either end unless someone scaled the shaft to reach it. Dropping it does effectively the same thing, except it might not survive landing with its mechanism intact.

So I'm understanding right then, the plan is to let the car go and feather fall down in its wake?

Guess what has two thumbs, a Wrath PBP, and got its first cluster headache yesterday? :(

Blink did so, hoping nothing exploded in her face. Once she was sure there were no invisible axe-wielding minotaur spellcasters lurking behind the door, she began to move along the passages length. Hopefully it's secret nature would meant they hadn't thought to trap it.

[dice=Perception]1d20+10+2

The hidden door appeared safe enough to Blink. Opening it revealed a high terrace and an elevated lift in the form of a ten foot wide cage held aloft by an array of pulleys and chains. A set of double doors stood on the chamber's far end, on the lower level. Between them spread a large chamber contained within red hot, glowing walls. Heat wavered in the air. Wisps of vapor wafted up from the floor and walls alike. In the room's center squatted a huge forge made of black stone and red metal. Four snake-bodied humanoids worked the forge, bent intently over it as flames danced down their spines.

As the door swung open, Valissa's divination nearly overwhelmed her senses with the magnitude of abyssal taint beyond.

"The Worms you speak of, do you speak of the Spawn of Kyuss?" He glanced over at Maka. "And are they weakened by flame, lightning, acid, cold or another element?"

"Don't know if they burn more or less. The worm I got was the only one. Didn't want to waste it."

Samnell wrote:

This is the Temple of Ishtar. Isn't Horatio associated with the Temple of Ilmater?

Horatio is a cleric of Ishtar (see character sheet Male human cleric (blossoming light) of Ishtar) and was taken in by the local church The Two Tears (dedicated to Ishtar according to the guide to Dalath you provided) (see background sought refuge in the local Church, The Two Tears).

My mistake. Sorry.

Jakun wafted his way through the crack and found himself on the far side of the arch.

I guess I'll wait for the goblin to act before posting Marcus' action.

The goblin acted. He lost his power while trying to do it defensively.

Na, Kinetic drop with dynamic entry sounds good.

Surprise!

You mean let the elevator drop, then feather fall down in its wake?

"And before we do, I shall place a spell on you to make sure you speak the truth. Please do not make me break anything to make sure the spell works." Amarekashu moved forward to cast touch of Truthtelling.

"Nothing left worth lying about" Gunidu said. He submitted to the spell with a glower and for a moment the crescent moon obscured his face.

"Brothers I have returned now, you can wait outside while we interrogate this heretic."

This is the Temple of Ishtar. Isn't Horatio associated with the Temple of Ilmater?

Blink took a deep breath, trying to focus after the hideous message and the all-encompassing, soul-crushing guilt that came with it. She examined the door to try and figure out how to open it, and if it was trapped. Hopefully it didn't involve the standard loose stone/torch/manacle lock.

[dice=Perception]1d20+10+2
[dice=Disable Device]1d20+17

So far as Blink could tell, the door was not trapped. It would be an easy matter to open it, using a fairly simple concealed latch.

Goblin ACs: 24, T12, F23

Round 3
Marcus's eyes narrowed as he regarded the goblin. Low and dangerous he replied, "Will you now? Lets see what Lord Torm has to say about that!"

Bolkvar ran as fast as he could, moving to get into a flanking position. He reached around and got himself behind the goblin, almost climbing into the mummified dragon's jaws to get there.

Now he was close enough to strike. Ranek rushed forward, sword leveled, and struck at the goblin, delivering his shocking grasp. Alas, the blade stopped short of the goblin and glanced off a twist in the air just short of his skin. For a brief instant a translucent field of topaz scales surrounded his small form.

Trusting that the best thing to do against a spellcaster - not that he'd ever had cause to fight many, but the tales were pretty clear on this point - was to push them as hard as possible, Barra charged forwards alongside Ranek and drove a sword at the goblin's gut. The scales flared to life once more, blocking the blow.

Thurvek continues his charge against the weird blue goblin, closing the distance still further.

Aldon begins to call out tactics to approach this foe with a coordinated effort! As he spoke, the goblin laughed, "You have the honor of being slain by Thimdrul!" The goblin's brow furrowed and the crystals embedded in his skull began to glow, then Bolkvar jabbed at him and the crystals winked out just as suddenly as the goblin dodged the strike.

Order is Bolkvar, Ranek, Barra, Thurvek, Aldon, Goblin, Marcus. The Party is up!

Caitlyn shook her head at the absurdity of what she was about to try. She tool a pair of foot long iron pitons from her pack and by hand wedged them into the biggest crack a foot apart. She then gently used her hammer to force them in as far as they'd go easily, leaving them both stuck in the wall.

Then rolling her shoulders she gave them a practiced look before smashing her hammer into them for all she was worth!
[dice=Sunder with Power Attack?]1d20+10[dice=Damage]1d12+13
[dice=Sunder with Power Attack?]1d20+10[dice=Damage]1d12+13

Caitlyn felt like she'd hit a stone wall, but the blue-black stone did give just a little. It took more than an hour of hard pounding, but she worked a crack through the archway.

The surrounding torture chambers and their grisly contents dealt with, the crusaders had little choice but to accept Staunton Vhane's invitation. Back to the cellblock they went, where Blink redoubled her efforts to search the huge space. At length, she found the hidden door.

It's on the map.

The company, plus their new acquaintances, move through the dark streets of Dalath once more. Several times in the distance they hear the sound of whipping and once someone praying loudly.

They found Gunidu still held tightly by the temple of Ishtar, guarded by a group of four acolytes.

Hmm. She'll have to tell Arun to tell the mages to aim for the elevator when landing then :P

Could also tie her rope to the elevator and throw that down; but it doesn't feel like we have the time for that do we?

Sorry for being so pokey. It would be difficult for the opposition to fire arrows up at you through the shaft; the elevator floor is in the way. So long as you don't mind giving them more time to do whatever, you could tie off and climb down. You would be potentially exposed whilst climbing down the rope, though. Would depend on how brave they are, what they're armed with, and whether or not they're afraid of an elevator landing on their heads.

"We have some idea of what to look for now," Amarekashu added. "Let us be at it."

Where to, then?

[dice=Know Local (Have I picked up any information about Staunton Vhane over the years?)]1d20 + 14

Once Galin mentions it, Valissa realizes she's heard the name before in similar contexts. It just never registered to her as one she was likely to face herself. The fall of Drezen was long ago and even a turncoat dwarf might not have lived through the decades since, surrounded by so many demons and vile cultists. Few mortals did.

"Damn! This arch is also protected as was the other... Revered Daughter, do you have another spell to shape stone?"

GM, are there any cracks in the wall? Jakun could enter through a crack and investigate...

There are some cracks, but they're quite small and Jakun's not sure they go all the way through.

Robo ACs: 21, T11, F21; DR 5/adamantine

Round 3
Karek fell back again and hurled a third bomb, which engulfed the robot in lightning. Yet still it came.

Spidre opened fire on Karek's attacker, striking the core if its rusty machinery with her arrows. The construct staggered, but did not fall.

Rikal decides that more needs to be done to protect the Warleader. He instead calls upon spirits of bad luck to hinder the robot, then added a primal chant to his war song. He felt fate twist about the metal man.

Chotka continued his furious assault like a caged beast. Unfortunately, his wild attack failed to even come close to a solid blow.

Karek's robot continued to attack. Rikal's spirit chant twisted one blow clear from smashing the warrior's skull, but both still landed heavily upon his battered body. The other once again pounded upon Chotka.

Robo2 is misfortuned.

Order is Karek, Spidre, Rikal, Chotka, Robos. The party is up!

Sorry to keep you waiting again.

Goblin ACs: 24, T12, F23

Round 2
Muttering words of power, Bolkvar strode forth. The image of the dragon was unsettling. And this goblin could not be underestimated.

Ranek knew this creature would require all their efforts. His sword glowed as he charged it with arcane energy, and he cast a spell, causing electricity to crackle along its length before moving forward.

Both swords held in front of him, Barra's long limbs quickly outpace his stunty companions as he runs forwards as well.

Thurvek rushes toward the blue goblin, attempting to postion himself for a better attack point.

Damn, too far to do much back here. Aldon moves forward with his companions ready to face this new foe.

The blue goblin sneered at the approaching adventurers and the crystals embedded in his skull glowed. A strange aura of topaz light shot through with some kind of black grit rising from the urn engulfed him.

"We will kill you all!" he said, his voice somehow far deeper than any goblin's had a right to be.

Order is Bolkvar, Ranek, Barra, Thurvek, Aldon, Goblin, Marcus. The Party is up!

Jakun detected magic much the same as warded the eastern vault about the western. He'd have to either dispel it or rely on the Revered Daughter to get him around the effect.

Ranek, given the distance did you want to declare differently? Doesn't look like you can cast and reach Gobbo in the same round.

Right then, there's a game here...

Robo ACs: 21, T11, F21; DR 5/adamantine

Round 3
Undeterred, Karek fell back and hurled a second bomb. It erupted about the shambling metal hulk and send new scents of ozone into the air.

Spidre moves in further to assist Karek as Raven follows. "Help them!" she directs, indicating Chotka and Rikal. Her creature swung its blade, but failed to connect even as she lodged an arrow in the robot.

Rikal continued his war chant, and again thrust at the robot to push it into the warleader's path, without success.

Despite the blow, Chotka showed no sign of slowing his assault. If anything, he seemed even more enraged as he laid into the thing. He landed a solid blow that knocked loose some of the metal man before him, yet still it persisted and returned his strike with two rusty blows. The second narrowly missed the war leader's eye.

On the other side of the fray, Karek weathered two punishing blows that nearly drove him to his knees.

Order is Karek, Spidre, Rikal, Chotka, Robos. The party is up!

Sorry but i"m going to have to drop out. 2019 has hit me like a hammer and I don't have the free time I used to. My first priority is the games I'm running so I'm dropping most of the games I'm playing in.

I'm sad I have to do this, I've had fun in this game and hope you keep going.

I've been having an eventful several months myself. :(

Good luck with your games, Karek.

No winching though! Jumping and Feather Falling : )

I misunderstood then. :) Lu knows if she lets go of the elevator while it's in the shaft where it is, there'd be no easy way to get it back up for the others. Is that a concern or are we good to go?

Zummabu gave Horatio a knod of acknowledgment, more a gesture among equals than that of a teacher congratulating his pupil.

Arundel nods in agreement, then looks questioningly to Zummabu. "Would you like to come with us, to hear his reports first hand?"

"It would be better if I could, but I am still a watched man. If my brother were to take an interest...we smart mightily enough beneath the God-King's rod. Most likely he'd see it as a way to increase his standing in the church by taking command of such creatures."

The room appeared safe, so far as Blink could tell on a careful search. Confident of that, the crusaders pressed on to check the doors in sequence. Behind each they found a smaller torture chamber wherein lay the fresh and heavily mutilated remains of what appeared to be Mendevian peasants, all pointing in a generally westward direction. Each of them lay near an Abyssal inscription written in their own blood upon the floor which. None was a complete message, but they formed one when taken together.

Your death awaits behind the secret door by the stairs. Come soon, or not as you like. Mendev is full of farms. -Staunton Vhane.

It took some puzzling out, but Mariel believes she has a map of a way from Skullcap -labeled Zhaman on the map- to the gates of Thorbardin.

Amarekashu raised an eyebrow, but if Zummabu didn't object then he wouldn't either. "What is it that you have recalled?" he asked, partially out of curiosity.

Zummabu shrugged, "Horatio can be trusted."

Lu gestures for Arun to fly up and update the dwellers on the top of the elevator. Then she grabs a hold of Janus and draws her sword. "All right! Let's see if zis is just dumb enough to work ..."

And that we can access the elevator from down there :P

So the plan's to winch yourselves all the way down and come out fighting?

[dice=Knowledge (Religion)]1d20+7 I might just know something.

Horatio knows of various sorts of zombies and similar undead purported to be unkillable, but only one has a close association with worms: the spawn (or sons, in some older authorities) of Kyuss. Though not truly unkillable, they are markedly more dangerous than ordinary zombies of their size. They are impossible to distinguish from more run of the mill zombies at a distance, only on drawing near would one mark the segmented green worms that writhe in every orifice. Of course to get that near, one risks being seized by the unnatural fear they command and driven to rout before one can get that close look. He believes they are more difficult to harm than usual, possessing a kind of supernatural resistance to mundane weapons as well.

Spawn of Kyuss are quite rare, with some believing all those in existence were created by an ancient archmage of that name who lived in the days of the Old King, or perhaps was a Thayan some centuries ago. A few believe him to have been one of the High Artificers of the ancient and hated Imaskari, godless enslavers of the Untheric and Mulhorandi people slain by the gods at the dawn of time. It might be that Kyuss is not a proper name at all, but rather a collective term used for a cabal ancient necromancers. Others argue that the secret of their creation exists in a particular tome or, rarely, more obscure sort of record which is itself called Kyuss.

So where to?