My gaming group, which has been on hiatus for a couple of years now, is gearing up to start Ruins of Azlant this coming Saturday! It's been a long time coming and I can't wait to get back into the swing of things.
I was waffling between Strength Fighter (simple and to the point) and Swashbuckler Inspired Blade (very MAD considering the 15 PB), but have since settled on plain-Jane Swashbuckler.
15 PB pretty much means something is getting dumped and I went with Wisdom. I've seen where folks suggest tanking STR, but that seems like a raw deal.
Stats are as follows: 12, 16, 12, 10, 7, 16
I managed to mitigate the WIS/Will save issue via Iron Will (feat) and Indomitable Will (trait). My question is, how would you have skinned this cat? Plain ol' Swash needs a modicum of STR and CON and then lots of DEX and CHA. That leaves INT and WIS as the dump candidates.
What are your thoughts? How does one play a 7 WIS? Should I revaluate the STR angle? I do like being able to carry my basic load-out...
/ Campaign trait is Expert Explorer and I'm envisioning the love child of Calico Jack Rackham and Sir Ernest Shackleton.
// the rest of the party went Trog-style and dumped CHA. God help us all.
We recently acquired a valuable spell book and as the main Arcane caster in the party it was given to me. In parties past, the caster has always copied spells from the captured book into their own book and then returned the item to party inventory. From there, it would be sold as group loot and the proceeds divvied among the party.
That's how we've always done it... Now, out of the blue, the party's (self-appointed) Quartermaster has determined that the book is, in fact, my solely claimed property and as such is part of my "cut" of loot. Meaning that due to the massive value of the tome, I'm looking at getting little else from the loot pile.
I'm calling foul, here.
What gives? Have I/we been double-dipping all this time? Is it wrong for me to want to simply transfer the spells into my own spell book and not pay for the (apparent) privilege? I mean, the books value doesn't change whether I copy or not...
I'm trying to help out a friend of mine who wants a TWF'ing Rogue. In a previous campaign, he witnessed another friend of ours implement a Feint Rogue and he'd like to do that too.
What I think I've got here is a Rogue that can Feint in just about any situation and when he doesn't need to Feint (when Flanking with an Ally) he can maybe land to separate Sneak Attacks.
What are your thoughts? Where you take this chain past 7th level?
Note - Half-elf is locked in (I would have preferred Human, personally)
All this talk about Magic Shops and player expectations got me thinking about how I build characters.
I typically start with Race and then move on to Class. I get an array going and think about the type of PC I want (martial, mental, social, etc.) As I'm doing this I pinpoint whatever stat or "battery" I'm going to focus on. This leads me to looking stat pumps and magic items and what I plan to do in the future.
Here are two PC's I'm currently focusing on.
Aylia: Half-elf Rogue (Scout), has a 10 STR and will be dead-set on obtaining a pair of Agile Short Swords.
Cicero: Human Fighter, will be TWF'ing and is starting the game with a minimum 15 DEX. He'll be fully expecting to acquire a Belt of Dexterity +2 at his early convenience.
So what, am I doing it wrong or something? Am I completely out of line in wanting/needing these items?
Double Slice grants full STR bonus to Off-hand attacks; if you use it in conjunction with Power Attack, is the Off-hand damage calculated at full strength as well?
As my long-running (almost 3 years) Kingmaker campaign draws to a close (we're in the last chapter, getting stoned and such) I've turned some of my attention to a new PC. Aylia, the daughter of my KM Ranger, will be my first ever hereditary character. For me, it was a great boon to have the backstory pretty much ready to go. It was just so easy.
I have a character who really does come from rich parents! Not because I just pulled that out of thin air, but that's who this kid is. She's the daughter of the equivalent of a medieval Duke. It's quite scandalous really, when you consider how much a free-spirit she is. She's a two-weapon specialist like her mother, woodsy like her father. As a Scout, she's just like them but very, very, different.
Aylia Naaldir-Nuski
Fluff:
Aylia grew up in the Stolen Lands, in the Gnarlwood. Her official residence was in Celduron, an ancient Elven fortress that her father had rebuilt and revitalized into a bustling community of both elves and humans.
Thegn Celduron, Lord Turin Naaldir, was a Ranger of great renown, having helped to establish the new Kingdom of Haldur and then save it from other-worldly Fey incursions. Jelohra Nuski was also a Ranger of equal stature and a natural cunning. It was no wonder then, that baby Aylia spent the majority of her early life camping in the wilderness. As she grew older, she would often travel alone to nearby communities such as Tatzylford and on occasion would go as far as her father’s old camp at Thorn’s End. Turin took great pride in his daughter's woodcraft and her natural affinity for archery. He was absolutely certain that one day she would lead Celduron’s elite company of Rangers, the Black Feathers. Aylia had other priorities and being a career-soldier wasn’t one of them.
Like her mother, Jelohra, who had once been the leader of the River Razors, a notorious gang of bandits who had pillaged up and down the rivers of neighboring Pitax, Aylia had an urban streak. She could often be found in the seedier parts of Stagfort, the capital city of Haldur. Her "Uncle" Valhalrik, a traveling companion of her father’s and a venerated General of Haldur, ran the local black market there. It was he who first introduced the girl to drink and vice and all things Calean. He liked to call it an education and her mother, had she known about it, wouldn't necessarily have disagreed. Her father, on the other hand, would likely have been less than amused.
Thoughts and critique are welcome (meaning if you could realize the concept differently, tell me about it). I haven't played a PF Rogue before so I'm kind of breaking one of my own rules, which is to play the Base Class before an Archetype. Scout was just too good to pass up. Lots of skills and an affinity for A.) the woods and B.) DEX/Weapon Finesse. What's not to like?
/ having just said that, I did try and do her up as a Fighter and it was just a flat no-go. I wanted Fighter to be the base for this PC, but the lack of skills, and resources it would take to get them, was just a deal-breaker.
The character concept is a relatively dexterous chap who is equally comfortable with a pair of matched short swords as he is with the greatsword strapped on his back. When the situation calls for it, he'll go with one short sword and a heavy shield. Remember Robert Di Niro's character from Ronin? He's the guy who said "it's all a tool box; you use the right tool for the job." That's the kind of non-specialist I'm going for.
So with that in mind, how would you play these stats?
STR: 20
DEX: 15
CON: 14
INT: 8
WIS: 10
CHA: 8
/ yes - I am aware that the Di Niro character almost certainly had a higher INT and CHA and lower STR. That character is not a medieval sword combatant either.
Like his cousin Anya* (no actual relation), Icaro is a typical fast-talking Varisian gypsy. He’s a little different from the average local as he’s half Elf. It must be that strange blood that drives him to learn as much as he can about all of these Thasolonian ruins that dot the land. Traveling with the caravan is a great way to fleece the unwary and see more of these great monuments.
Like most Varisians, Icaro has long, thick, black hair but his pale complexion and deep green eyes betray his Elven heritage. His quick reflexes and wiry build also belie a hidden strength. Desna is his God and he bears her holy symbol on a simple leather necklace. He has the outline of a Varisian 7-point star tattooed upon his chest.
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Icaro is my Shattered Star PC, the referenced Anya is another PC in the party. Please follow the link and take a look at the sheet and tell me what you think.
A quick overview - Icaro is a STR-based Magus who makes unique use of two alternate Half-elf abilities: Arcane Training and Dual Minded. My goal was to make a non-Dervish/DEX Magus via the core class and to succeed with it. In an effort to combat MAD, I focused solely on STR and INT.
What are your thoughts? Please bare in mind that the PC is set in stone, so any build alterations and/or changes in direction have to be made going forward from 2nd level
So this has been a hard week for me. We turned off DirecTV.
Disconnected. Gone. Stopped the signal.
We immediately acquired a wifi blu-ray dvd player and have begun digitizing the dvd library. The 2-yr old has gotten by with kid shows streamed in via Netflix. I've managed to stay current with the series that we were watching (Deadliest Catch, Nurse Jackie, Magic City & Game of Thrones) via the wonder this bit torrent.
What it comes down to is this; we were paying cable to program stuff for us. At $150.00 a month, that's an expensive convenience.
Plans for the future include a media server, newer LCD monitor and cat-5 ethernet in the walls. We're still debating an indoor HD antenna (in which case we'll need a monitor with a TV tuner).
So how 'bout you? Are paying for cable? Could you cut the cord? Have you already? Will die with your cable remote in your hand?
So I scrapped the Bard plan and went with Urban Barbarian instead.
Janyss is CG to a fault; when she's a wrong it has to be righted. She firmly believes that it's up to her and no one else. Her prized possession is her father's curve blade. He was a noble man and she ever strives to live up to his standards.
More background to come - gonna try for a paragraph or two this time around.
I'm working on a 17 level Fighter/Rogue progression for an upcoming Council of Thieves campaign. I'm not considering anything beyond 17th level because APs tend to cap around 16 or 17 anyway.
Basically, 2 Fighter levels are going to cost me 6th level Bard spells but I will net +1 BAB, 2 additional Feats (at 2nd and 4th Character Level) and overall 3 good Saves.
Is that worth it? I mean, 6th level spells are nothing to sneeze at.
/ my dilemma mainly stems from wanting to multi-class with Half-elf.
So I'm talking with players A, B, and C about starting up a second game/campaign. All four of us have played together in the past, and I'm currently playing in a campaign with C right now. Neither C or I are currently GMing.
Based on preliminary talks, we're leaning towards round-robin GMing one-off modules or an AP.
Generally speaking, I'd jump on round-robin offer. But not this time... I have this urge to take the reigns and run with it. If I pony up, I'm sure my friends will say go for it. The point of my post is to get some feedback from the community.
Should I commit to an AP or should I pace myself with a 3-chapter module? I am confident that I am capable of running low-level stuff, say 1st-6th. After that, I'm not so sure. I am equally confident that I can learn the nuances and develop the skills to helm up an AP.
So what are your thoughts? Should I start small or just go for it and play in the big pool?
/ I have an excellent resource in the form of my current GM.
// the four players in this group are all friends and have no commitment issues (yet).
Are you exclusively table-top or have you delved into PBP?
My group (table-top) plays every other week, generally. We have 6 folks in the group and we miss a few sessions here and there. We try to do make-up sessions but sometimes it just doesn't work out. We usually play for about 8 hours at a time.
Right now, when you start a new AP, characters are typically allowed to select two Traits. One must come from the AP Player's Guide, the other doesn't have to.
Do you think it's a big game changer to add an additional Trait, from any source, into that mix (3 Traits)? Would you go as high two additional traits (4)?
As a GM, are you playing with the party or against them? Is it your job to challenge and frustrate the party and to keep them from "winning", or are you trying to challenge the party with a dangerous game-world where there is a real chance of failure?
Is it your game or their game or our game?
Let's say you're considering running a Paizo AP, how does that work? Do you present an AP as the one you are running, or do you ask your players if there is an AP they'd like to play in? How does that work? Who gets "their" way?
For me, whether I play or run the game, I'm all about the people at the table. It's our game and the world is dangerous and they can fail. But I'm not out to get them, I want them to succeed and have a good time. I'm not interested in limiting the players or dictating what they can and can't do. I work within the framework of the game. When we make changes to the rules, its because everyone at the table had a say.
In short, for the game I play in, there needs to be mutual respect for everyone at the table.
What would you do with the very *fabulous array? It was rolled via 4dl-DTL and the stats are in the order rolled.
My first inclination is to go with a Human Sorcerer. He's not a book-smart guy at all, his magic comes deep from within. He's got an excellent dexterity and that's a blessing, because he can't take a hit. He's strong enough to adventure and wise enough to perhaps even stay alive.
So, I ask you, what you do? Paladin, perhaps? How would work the different racial modifiers?
/ *It's equivalent to a 33 point buy, which is why I do describe it as fabulous. Granted, this was the 5th of 5 arrays rolled...
I'm switching gears and turning my attention towards TWF. In the past I've simply pumped DEX as high as it would go while lamenting my overall lack of damage. Sure, I was getting multiple attacks but it was all nickel and dime stuff. For this character, I'm taking a different approach. Firstly, I have a fictional character that I'm going to base the PC on. The wife and I have been watching Spartahussy and we both kinda like the Ganicus character. He's a TWF'er with zero wisdom and he does like the ladies.
STR - all level stat pumps go here
DEX - prereq for Imp. TWF assured
CON - we're gonna need HP and this is the bare minimum. FC class point will also go to HP. Toughness Feat is almost a lock
INT - because the FC point is spoken for, I couldn't dump INT.
WIS - here's our dump stat. It's unfortunate because WILL is already a weak point for the Fighter Class. C'est la vie, Ganicus is ruled by his emotions anyway.
CHA - Ganicus is a bit of pretty boy so we can't dump CHA either. It's not optimal but that's the character.
Feats that I was also considering are; Imp Init, Iron Will and Imp. Iron Will.
I'm considering going with the Weapon Master Fighter Archetype. I think it sacrifices Fighter Armor Training and I'm willing to role/roll with that. I figure Ganicus wouldn't go higher than Med Armor anyway (not unless Mithral was involved.)
Skills will focus on Acrobatics (maxed) and Diplomacy (1/2 level) with everything else being on a level-by-level / need vs. flavor basis.
Thoughts?
/edit - unlike the inspirational character, this one will wear pants.
So my wife and I like to play the movie game at dinner; you get to ask a question and the other person answers it, then asks a question of their own. Questions range from titles to genres to actors to directors etc. And yes, 5 Degrees of Kevin Bacon even makes it in occasionally.
I'll start off with asking this - what's your favorite Jim Jarmusch film?
So I got some of the collection stored on the network. It's pretty cool being able to watch stuff on different PCs throughout the house. I need a wifi TV now.
I used to really like the plastic minis that WoTC introduced, but then I realized that painting your own metal can be lots of fun. What I like about painting your own is that you can choose a mini and then whatever color pallet that suits you. If you don't like the weapon in hand, lost of times you can change it. You can really customize the mini to represent your character. With plastic, you're just kinda stuck.
My thinking is that the low CON can be mitigated by a Trait and the use of the Favored Class bonus. If HP really becomes an issue then there are magic belts and Toughness.
What are your thoughts? Would you take a negative CON mod out into the cold world of adventuring?
I'm working on a Fighter that potentially could A.) perhaps make it into an online game, or B.) become a replacement for my current table-top PC (should he ever pass into the great beyond.)
Sir Boranon Leifson was severely disfigured when he was a young man and he didn't adjust well at first. He went through quite a phase of anger and outrage over his plight and told his family that he wished he was dead. In response he was taken to a temple of Pharasma, perhaps as a visual way to scare to him. It had the opposite effect on him; he actually listened to one of the clerics as he spoke to some new acolytes. It became clear to Boranon that had Pharasma wanted him, he wouldn't be here now. It also occurred to him that he owed this God and the only way he could pay was with fresh souls.
The Hound of Pharasma
Sir Boranon Leifson - LN, Hu-mon Fighter 12
Str 24 (+7)
Dex 16 (+3)
Con 16 (+3)
Int 9 (-1)
Wis 12 (+1)
Cha 7 (-2)
The Hound's main tactic is to use his superior AC (37) to move up to the front of the party and run interference for the artillery section. Due to starting wealth restrictions, he only had 54k to spend on items. That money was spent mainly on armor and magic defense.
Belt of Physical Might (STR/DEX) +2, 10000
Full-plate +3, 10500
Heavy Darkwood Shield +3, 9107
Ring of Protection +2, 8000
Ring of Natural Armor +2, 8000
Bastard Sword +1, 2670
Cloak of Protection +2, 4000
So what are some thoughts on this guy? My only concern is that he really isn't that dynamic of a combatant, but then that's not really his job.
/Note: I have considered going the Paly route so thoughts and suggestions regarding that class are very welcome.
I understand that what I'm proposing doesn't really fit with the rules for mithral. Be that as it may, I don't think this type of armor constitutes bad/broken. The mithral chain shirt is still better (weighs less and protects better for a mere 75gp extra.)
My question is, as a GM or player, would you use or allow this armor? For me, I just want an alternate solution to the MCS. I have no problem with that armor type, I just want something different (that still provides a good armor bonus with a high DEX bonus.)
I wiped my laptop this morning. Got rid of Windows 7 Pro (nothing wrong with it, running that OS on the family box), replaced it with the newest flavor of Ubuntu Linux. Just for fun and because I like to stream Netflix, I installed Oracle's open-source version of Virtualbox. That was a chore. Then I installed a virtual copy of Windows XP Pro. That was (and is even now) more of a chore.
Let me tell ya, learned a lot about Linux and gparted this evening. It was worth it though, because first-hand experience really is the best teacher.
With this particular configuration, I think I might actually be able to make a go of full-time Linux. We shall see!
In my games, when character's die, the typical method that is employed by the group is to loot the body and then bury or cremate it...regardless of whether or not the group has access to raise dead or resurrection. The new character comes in one or two levels below the average party level. As for equipment, the understood rule by everyone is that the GM chooses what starting equipment - mundane and magical with which the new character begins play. Player input is taken into account, however the GM determines what is appropriate for the campaign at hand NOT the player. We've been doing things this way since 1989 and have no plans to change it. Die at your own risk.
I have no issues with PC death being real, meaning no Raise Dead, Resurrection, etc. Where I do have an issue is the whole negative level thing being applied to new characters. For me, I fail to see the advantage of starting a new PC at any level other than that of the party. What is the advantage? I mean, you've denied the group access to all the raise dead stuff, now it just seems like you're adding insult to injury.
So there is it is; character death sucks, why make it even harder? I'm not saying that the Gendo Method is wrong, I'm just not understanding how this is advantageous to the players and the campaign.
I just got the itch to play SimCity 2000. Can't really do that on 64bit Win 7... Installing my very old copy of Win XP now, via VirtualBox. Should be fun, yeah?
This is just kinda sad. I added up my 9th Level Ranger's magical equipment and it was quite the eye-opener. I had no idea that I was sitting on this much loot. In all fairness, most of this stuff was found throughout the course of our adventures. Skybolt, too, is a special case as I just acquired that.
I knew I had a lot, I just had no idea that I was packing 1.5x the suggested WBL.
Skybolt: Shocking/Thundering Composite (STR 18) Longbow +2 - 32,775gp
Efficient Quiver - 1,800gp
Short Sword +1 - 2,310gp
Darkwood Buckler +2 - 4,215gp
Studded Leather Armor +1 - 1,175gp
Belt of Giant Strength +4 - 16,000gp
Staglord's Helm - 2,500gp
Cloak of Elvenkind - 2,500gp
Ring of Sustenance - 1,250gp
Ring of Animal Friendship - 5,400gp
Total Retail Value: 69,925gp
Suggested Wealth by Level: 9th, 46,000gp
Our stalwart Fighter/Rogue bit the big one two sessions ago. Zombie ate his brains, so our only option was Reincarnate.
Player was happy with this choice and gamely rolled to determine what form his new body would take. He went from a nearly 7' Hu-mon male, to a rather short Elven female.
Our GM has determined that this new body was "prepared" for the PC, out of the nothingness of space and time. So basically, the PCs soul is ensconced in this shiny, new wrapper.
I am in no way unhappy with the GMs call here (not even my character), rather it was just not how I might have done it. I guess I just sort of thought that an elven girl died many hundreds of years ago, and was now brought back to life (albeit with a Hu-mon's soul inside.) After talking to the GM, I like his idea better.
I'll start with the set I rolled up yesterday. I've decided to go with a Rogue. I'll make him an Elf, name of Benjin. He's not the swiftest of cats, he's about as weak as you'd expect an Elf to be, but he's quick as a cat. I think he'll do fine as long as stays out of prolonged combat.
Personality wise, Benjin seems to be a nice enough sort. He's not immediately offensive and people tend to react well to him. He's not wise by any stretch and probably a bit gullible, at first anyway. He's not the brightest bulb in the package, but then that's not his role in the party anyway.
For an equivalent 11pb, I think Benjin is quite playable and I look forward to playing him.
Combat Style: Archery
Point Blank Shot (2nd)
Manyshot (6th)
My 8th level Ranger is half-way to 9th level and I'm pretty well sold on Vital Strike. I know it only works on a single attack, but when you couple it with something like Gravity Bow, it just seems like a natural choice. Having said that, my animal companion is a Large Thylacine and I'm considering using him as a mount. I wonder if Mounted Combat wouldn't be a bad choice. Turin is a Wood Elf and just the thought of him loping along, on the back of Brun, is really cool.
Basically, as you can see, my attributes aren't exactly optimized, so I'm a little worried about what the future may hold. I want to make the very best choice that I can.
Here are the arms of the Duke's Companion, Thegn Turin Brunnen
Azure a compass rose Argent within a bordure of eight quarterfoils Or
After much deliberation with the Hu-mon "heralds" Thegn Turin resigned himself to these foreign flavored arms. The colors are right and the devices are appropriate, yet they pale to the grandeur found in the Elven Court. Alas, what is an Elf to do?
As I mentioned in a previous thread, I need to make a Wizard for an upcoming campaign. For me, the first thing to do is get a set of stats and see where things go from there.
I rolled 3d6 and got the following (in order)
STR: 12
DEX: 13
CON: 10
INT: 10
WIS: 9
CHA: 12
From there, I modified it out to a 25 PB (standard for my group)
STR: 14
DEX: 15
CON: 12
INT: 14
WIS: 11
CHA: 14
Because I want a Wizard, after applying points equally, I applied the reaming points to INT. What I have here is fairly smart and very dextrous adventurer. I will go with either Human or Elf, not sure which. One question I have, is this array Gishable? Can you succeed with a ranged Gish?
Another thought, I wonder if multi-classing an Elf Wizard/Rogue is possible? Certainly I think this array supports that idea.
It's all in the subject line, simple questions really. If you'd like to state why you do one or the other, I'd like to hear about it.
My current group (only took me 20 years to find the best crew ever) is RAW intensive. We've discussed House Rules but haven't instituted anything. We're mostly roleplayers, but that's not to say we don't appreciate rollplaying (at least I do, anyway.)
I'm pretty sure we're not the most optimal group out there, but we have fun and we love Bob's Magic Emporium.
Side Note: oddly enough, I can think of one House Rule (involving my character). DM let me sleep in my Hide armor with no ill effects. Starting that way from 1st level, it was a nice perq for a Wood Elf Ranger.)
Well, per the threads title, I've been mandated by my group, that the next character I play has to be a caster of some sort. This is not wholly unexpected or unwanted by me. I've played martial types over the last 20 years or so, I guess it's time to muddle around with these things called spells...
I've perused the various classes, looked at spells and it has basically made my head hurt. I simply have no idea where to start.
How does a caster n00b get it going? Does anyone have a few tips or a primer they'd like to share? On first thought, I wouldn't mind going with a summoner, but again, it's all Greek to me.
I GMed this (subtier 3-4) at GenCon for a table of very experienced players. Several players remarked that it might be the best PFS special they've played. I found it relatively easy to prep and run as multi-table specials go, with smooth flip-mat transitions and well-organized stat blocks. As for the story, my veteran players and I loved the callbacks to earlier scenarios and the heavy involvement of the factions in the first half. The second half combats were rushed at GenCon, but the tweaks implemented afterwards will make this better for smaller cons going forward. The boons are flavorful and fun, and the post-GenCon clarification helps with those too. I highly recommend this well-written and well-executed special!
A previous review is full of spoilers and vitriol, and I'm sorry that group missed out on what should have been a good time for all. This is one of my favorite low-level adventures. It invites players and their DM on an interesting adventure with encounters that aren't based solely on dice-rolling and monster-bashing -- although the combats definitely reward intelligent tactical play. The story is intriguing and the NPCs are real people with real motivations. The tone is both creepy and humorous, and mature players who play with a capable DM are likely to have a great time.
I played this at a Seeker table at GenCon in the midst of nearly 1000 Pathfinders. My table was six 13th level Venture-Captains playing subtier 12-13, with good balance except without a dedicated healer. Our GM was solid, the atmosphere in the Sagamore Ballroom was outstanding, and the interactivity between tiers was excellent (we really appreciated the help from the tier 1-4 tables). Overall it was as satisfying a play experience as I've had in PFS, surpassing all previous PFS Specials and most interactive events from previous OP campaigns.
I GMed this at Brewfest, running a subtier 1-2 table of four players at an event of approximately a half-dozen total tables. My players were tacticians who worked together well and achieved multiple successes in both combat and skill encounters. The interactivity between tiers was critical to the ultimate success of my table and the entire room.
This event is a battle interactive, and smart players who enjoy tactics, teamwork, and/or efficient play will enjoy it very much. Those who don't enjoy that kind of challenge, or who play at a table or event where not everyone is cooperating and contributing, will not have a great experience. This event maximizes the fun of the interactive format whether the event is five tables or 100. I enjoyed it so much that I hope to replay it someday.
