Scott Calnan's page

The subject says it all. I want to look into some third party stuff for my build, as I have my GM's permission, and I'm playing a Skinwalker(Coldborn) Beast Form Vivisectionist Alchemist. With that in mind, I don't have bombs, so many discoveries become unnecessary or useless. I want to focus completely on my mutagens, outside of a using one for 'Infusion' down the line perhaps.

I'm pointing out that I WILL buy the pdfs for the material, but I don't want to buy it and wish I hadn't, and I can't find one to view online. (I usually browse at my local game store and them buy it if I like it; gotta support the people, after all.)

So, any books to look into?

I really do think you should replace him with someone else. Though who is a hard choice. Iesha is a good one, so is Lonjiku. Or if there is any NPC that your party has bonded more with, maybe that NPC?

Just, if the Strix is kept in the game, make it sting when they reach the misgivings.

Our Strix friend has been flirting with Ameiko (with poor success), and I really don't want to punish my players for making friends with the NPCs, which is why I initially leaned toward Iesha. While I think Lonjiku is a good candidate, I'm not sure what that would do to his relationship with Ameiko, bad or good. Then again, maybe he needs that.

Okay, so your real problem isn't replacing him as a combatant (that's easy; Foxglove manor is a creepy haunted house, you could put any ghoul down there), it's giving the PCs a reason to a) go to Foxglove Manor to fight things and b) follow the trail back to Magnimar.

I haven't read through the Skinsaw Murders in a while; is there any good reason why Aldern's debtors couldn't simply recover his corpse, turn him into a Ghoul, and set him loose on Sandpoint to collect more greedy souls?

Ghoul Fever affects the living, not the dead. The reason I'm thinking of going the Golem route is that that gives time for the body to be recovered, made into a Golem, give it sentience (There is an awakening clause), and unleash on the villagers and finish his work.

Something has to be dead before it can be undead. I would drive on with the adventure as normal by saying that the Skinsaw cult has him ghoulified so that he can spread their work. Things move on from there with very minor changes.

-Skeld

He is VERY dead. shot in the face with a musket at point blank range type dead.

Saldiven wrote:

Aldern later in the series is undead. Having him show up again as some sort of undead is actually particularly interesting, and the undead's obsession with the Stryx becomes even more appropriate since the Stryx was Aldern's killer.

Personally, I think there's an extra level of cool creepiness for a murdered, undead Aldern to show up again as the nemesis. You'll just need to concoct some degree of back story as to how his backers obtained his body and made him undead.

+1. This makes most sense, Aldern's body would probably be sent to his home for burial, allowing his re-animation to happen.

Also, I recommend posting this sort of thing in the right forum - The Rise of the Runelords forum, where many experts on this AP reside, rather than the 3rd party forum.

Soryry about that; didnt know there was one. I just saw the 'advice' tab and came here. You guys are a lot of help though.

They are sending his body to Magnimar, though, yes.

The issue I have with making Aldern a revenant is that he already unintentionally made his wife one.

And to you, Mr. Jacobs, I plan to pushing this into his face a little. I gave him the chance to change his mind, telling him there are consequences, and he followed through with it anyways. So this biting (perhaps literally) back at him makes for a good deal.

Aldern later in the series is undead. Having him show up again as some sort of undead is actually particularly interesting, and the undead's obsession with the Stryx becomes even more appropriate since the Stryx was Aldern's killer.

Personally, I think there's an extra level of cool creepiness for a murdered, undead Aldern to show up again as the nemesis. You'll just need to concoct some degree of back story as to how his backers obtained his body and made him undead.

I think the Skinsaw Man encounter is about the same CR as a flesh Golem; perhaps they used Alderns body to make one? gave it a slight amount of sentience and memory? That's something I could easily DM fiat for story.

well, either A. you could just say that he was already a ghoul and faked it, or B. aldern was resurrected to make sure he paid up his debts. I really don't like either option though.

C. award the gunslinger as much EXP as the entire 2nd book.

D. the cultists just send other agents to do the job, who become a ghoul perhaps. you'll have to give up on the obsession/notes thing though.

C made me laugh out loud. Thanks, I needed that :)

D sounds fair, and may be the best option thusfar.

Just as the title says. During the Boar Hunt, one of the PCs, a very paranoid and Xenophobic Strix Gunslinger, had enough of his obsession and rolled to shoot, thinking he was going to become an issue later. (he was right, but didn't know that.) Not only did he hit, but he criticaled... and dealt 40 damage. The other PCs turned him in, but now there is the question of the Skinsaw Man... My current idea so far is to alter the timeline so that Iesha is alive, and goes crazy, spiting the PCs, or rather the Strix in particular. She gets into some nasty stuff, leading her to contract ghoul fever, or possibly even setting her up without making her a ghoul. I'm really at a loss. Ideas, advice?

So, I recently started playing pathfinder about maybe a month and a half ago, but used to play 3.5, So I understand the basic rulings. That being aid, I've never been good at homebrewing, so I need a hand in this. I'm hoping to tailor classes for a Mega Dungeon type campaign based on the EO series made by Atlus, as well as make room for possible 'original' classes so that my players don't feel so confined. The issue of course is also balance within tiers. I understand this is a bunch to ask, but taking baby steps towards this would already be a big help, and I'm sure the experts around here could run circles around this homebrew. I'm unfamiliar with Unchained, so if anything can be covered by that book, I'd be more than willing to look into it if sited information. Thank you again!

Landshnecht/Gladiator: Like fulfilled most simply by the fighter or barbarian class types, the issue I find most glaring is the gap within the powers between the other classes. In other

Protector/Hoplite/Fortress: These are your tanky types, and usually have light healing abilities. With this in mind, Paladins, Warpriests, or Clerics come to mind. My issue here is figuring out how to not step on the Healer/Medic's toes. Clerics aren't just healbots, for sure, but the fact is from what I can see, is that they do it the best out of everyone.

Medics:These are an issue not by poor design, but rather by the solid design of PF. Healing classes are also fantastic melee/ranged combatants, and this class may just need to be left out to reflect that; we don't necessarily NEED the healer, and I can see where no one would want to be 'just a healer'

Sniper/Survivalist/Arbalist: These are generally your ranged aficionados, though they can get up close and are best suited to the ranger or rogue classes; maybe even the inquisitor class, being able to get right up there if needed (Arbalist not so much.) They are generally also skilled in resource skills, so they could play as your skill monkey as well. Druid is also a likely option

Alchemist/ Arcanist/ Rune master: If medics were one issue, here's the opposite spectrum; These three classes act as your magic users. We know magic is VERY powerful. And while I love the Alchemist class, the use of Mutagens are outside this classes criteria, and the range of elemental abilities are much better suited to a wizard or sorcerer.

Troubador: Bard. that wasn't so hard XD

Hexer/Arcanist/ Dark Hunter/ Nightseeker/ Ninja: While the Hexer/Arcanists are more backline fighters, they have a lot of synergy with the latter two classes. These are your debuff/status affliction classes, and your sneak attack/single target damage types. The witch, wizard, or sorceror would likely be solid picks for the former, while Inquisitors, rogues, assassins, and the like fit right in here.

Ronin/Shogun/Bushi: These are your glass cannons. some have some self-supplied elemental attacks, but this class is most suited for high DPS. Wierdly enough, I feel like the damage output is suitable for a Barbarian in 3.5.. these guys are meant to kill things fast and kill things hard. the downside is little to no armor proficiency, and a low defense/ HP, which makes them super squishy, sorta like a rogue.

War Magus and... Monk?!: Weirdly enough, monk plays a sort of gishy role in its appearances, acting as a sub healer and buffer(Possibly a Mutagen focused Alchemist with healing bombs?). This is similar to a point with the War Magus, which acts as a gish type class.

Gunner: Oh the Gunner.. You thought the gunslinger as a tier 5? Not in EO. It can hit multiple targets, buff, heal, shoot magic bullets, debuff enemies... Dear lord the thing the gunner class can do. and it does them WELL. It's a back-line fighter that makes your front line fighters suck up their place as meat shields. Forever. This is an extremely strong class, and I have no idea how to manage it. it's like a sorceror or a cleric with a gun. Maybe a ranged inquisitor?

Wilding: This can be done best by the Summoner class.

Unless someone wants to used an awakened animal or magical beast, I'll choose to leave out the 'Beast' Class.

Sorry for the huge blocks of text. any and all help would be greatly appreciated!