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I'm a little late to the party, but I came across some really cool pictures of Castlevania from the SNES days. It's a overlook of a castle resting on an Island over a lake, with long bridges connecting towers. Not sure which game it's from, but it's a good reference on pinterest.
How did the lance pounce rulings go?They did limit it (and similar effects) to the first attack Your link references the wrong rule errata. Right one (lance and pounce)
Ooo ... What if he's not immune? He doesn't recognize her, she does her dance...But how wrong is it if your mom is using "Seductive Dance" to defeat your team? I'm pretty sure I don't want to go there!Point, but it would up the sense of "wrongness" in that encounter a lot. Though I do like the idea that her child is somehow immune (it might be a hidden card in reserve for the GM to save the party if that encounter goes bad -- since it certainly has the potential to end in a TPK.) Oedipus springs to mind...
Permission to engage.
The first feat is a bit overpowered considering it requires nothing (not even BAB) and offers an offensive and defensive benefit...
But the small DPR you lose from judgment, wouldnt you get it back from the pet? Also the number of time per day you can use judgment seems really limited. I you are only doing a small amount of fights in a day it might be fine, but in a dungeon, what do you do? As an Inquisitor who undertook the hardships of levelling from 1 to where I am now, it doesn't hurt you that much. At my current level, I can use my Judgment 4/day, but rarely need it more than twice. In a dungeon, you don't activate your Judgment when you don't need it... In my party, I'm not the tank or primary DPS. It's their job to be ready for every combat. I just help clean up... Judgment's great for the times you need to up the ante, though. At lvl 14, when your BAB reach 14 ... What class are we talking about, again? Inquisitor is 3/4 BAB as well as the Hunter - at level 14, your BAB is +10.
...well what if the PCs need macguffin and said macguffin is evil by nature? Ie, an ancient orb to travel to another plane but also grants domination to the wielder... or a dark entity that knows another entity's weakness... regardless, it may be a great RP or even combat encounter to try and negotiate with the Paladin who's blindly against the idea.
Also, for relevance (on the Nation of Alkenstar): ...and further reading on that article (specifically "Geography" subsection) seems to indicate that the map is highly inaccurate, and that each "city" of Alkenstar is really more of an extension of the Capital itself.
I'd make a few adjustments to your map, even, based on the description of the Bridge of the Gods: ...seems to indicate that the Duchy isn't nearly as wide as the original map seems to indicate; as if the entire province is in fact barely more than a mile wide, from Dongun Hold to Cloudreaver Keep, with Alkenstar in the middle ("apex"). Also, don't most rivers run North>South? if so, wouldn't it be more plausible that the river runs from Cloudreaver Keep through Alkenstar towards the lake, placing Martel to the east of Alkenstar? ex: (emphasis fancy-pants map editing skills)
...my 2 cents.
While I agree that it would be a great resource for art, I just imagine that Paizo has better things to do than create a full list of all available options for every class applied in different ways. I own a copy of the NPC Codex myself, and I scan through it occasionally to find inspiration for random builds - they have all Core classes leveled 1-20, with each one having a different style and theme; full equipment, skill, spell, and feat selection; and a small blurb on background suggestions and combat tactics. Otherwise I'd use the internet/forums for inspiration on other builds. There are many other sites out there that offer guides/builds for different classes and styles within, and honestly it's really just a matter of compiling that into one navigable source.
Over-turned cart blocking the path/trail -> setup for bandit or orc ambush. increase CR by adding an Ogre or two, give them favorable conditions like attacking from behind cover. Classic.
I guess the main point would be to greatly expand the number of PFS legal builds. The number of legal builds is practically infinite; are you referring to the number of pre-mades characters? If so, then I would agree. I'd love for someone new to character creation to have easy choices for party roles. (Ie, I'd love to play a Sorcerer... but Seoni's an evocation specialist. What if I wanted to try a controller? or enchanter? etc.) So if you're referring to pre-generated "roles" for PFS, sorted by class and race, then I agree that it'd be nice to have... but I doubt Paizo will put in the effort of making every class option for you.
Also, though I'm not sure where to find it, PF Society has pre-made 'iconic' characters at levels 1 and 4 (maybe even 7?) for all the base and core classes. I'd expect work to be done on the new hybrid classes very soon as well. However, some are less optimal than others (I'm looking at you, Harsk), and none are made with min-maxing/power-gaming in mind. Though they are great for learning a class you've never played before.
It would really show off the versatility of Bards when you put them in tiered array, fighting them one by one (with their respective minions of course). Each "room" would have a different theme/style, so it would stay a separate encounter from the others; Magician encounter styled as a control encounter, Court Bard de-buffs you while his horde of lesser minions (peasant militia?) surround you, and then you would enter the "Realm of the Sandman" where time halts and everything just slowly fades into darkness (Sneak Attacks!). Point is, your PCs might not even realize they're fighting Bards every time! Plus, you can really show off their potential by keeping their level reasonably high and letting the mooks deal all the damage - their biggest drawback as a class IMO is their damage potential, but that's a separate discussion.
Noted. Editing, in my ignorant opinion, is kind of a big deal. Posting spelling errors now won't win you any favors in the long run. Attention to deal...
Right. Ironic?
Why? for the classes that need it and are appropriate for it, it's a class skill. and those classes have skill points to burn.Use Magic Device should be a feat or class feature.I never really thought of it that way before, but it's an interesting idea. Perhaps as a modification, in the case of rogue, to disable device? ...grazing into another ground of debate. Keep giving skill monkeys skills that no one else can take because they have the skill points to burn; meanwhile that fighter has to choose between swim, climb, or survival this level. To the topic at hand:
Also, for those interested: Pragmatic Activator doesn't make it a class skill, but builds on that Wizard's already atmospheric casting stat.
What about stacking talents with levels? In example, the Oracle class feature "revelation" usually grants one bonus whenever it's taken, which then advances at X level, and then again at Y level... So to refer to these listed talents, and indeed any Rogue talent, wouldn't it be great if we got "Improved feat" by taking the talent at level 2 or anytime after, but at level 8 (where BAB reaches 6, most other pre-req's are met) it becomes "Greater feat", without having to waste another talent or feat... If I take the talent at level 8, I still get both feats, but by taking it at 2 I'm not getting access to feats the Fighter doesn't even have. Also, +1 for talents usable more than once per day (like Resiliency)
While it may be impossible to completely stop a PC from casting, it would be honest and fair to warn them of the repercussions! If I remember correctly, there was a short cinematic (spoilers!) between Irenicus and Imoen where they cast spells at each other upon entering the city, thus provoking the wizards' council to intervene, while not allowing the characters to interfere. Showing the PCs that there are restrictions by showing the consequences right in front of them is probably the best way. Always reminding them of this restriction with the posted citizen-reminders, giving them that one warning when they slip up with lower-level casting (must be a lot harder to identify items...), but not compromising the threat by letting them slip up too often. Also, IIRC there were a lot of instances where you left the city in that game; travelling to other locations where magic was less restricted allows them to not feel too restricted by the law, where they can unleash their divine/arcane might unbound and enjoy their selected class and play style. PS, Love the references! Shadows of Amn was one of my favorite RPG's growing up... teaching me the confusing aspects of AD&D (wth is THAC0?) and introducing me the greatness that is the Forgotten Realms!
I'd throw in a vote for Sorcerer, second Witch, and third Cleric. ...but I must point out the obvious Bard, too. Being able to play many roles, she wouldn't have trouble trying to "fill a niche" as much as learning how to adjust her play style on cue.
Otherwise, Sorcerer for spell simplicity (I remember my first time reading spellcasters' "How to" - so confusing!) and access to all the great "mage spells" like Fireball and Magic Missile.
TL;DR- Don't forget the Bard!
I'd also like to point out the obvious inherent buffs you have floating in there -
Idk why you're so worried, tbh. Don't let them forget their class abilities, they shouldn't die. ...also, don't throw overpowering CRs at them. Though an established PC party can usually handle EPL +3, they'll be a lot less likely to do so right from the start.
Sure. ...from the man that wrote the archetype himself. Thanks Cheapy
...wait, what'd you do with the other egg?
so much of which is available free through OGL that you don't even need to own a single book to play with just about every option thanks to websites like d20pfsrd.... This. People on forums only ever complain. I'm sure of you looked up the definition of a forum, that would be there. For the same reason no one ever posts a good review... if they're satisfied, they're quiet and content. But if you feel slighted, real or imaginary, you'd want to voice your opinion and feel validated. I like Pathfinder. It's a great system written by passionate people who actually give a damn about what their clientele have to say. And if someone doesn't like it, they can homebrew and houserule until they feel content again.
While Step Up is good, you must be adjacent for it to work (LINK), which is somewhere most reach-Bards don't want to be;
(Hooray Bards!)
Love what I've read ! Hate to post and stall momentum on what you two have gotten into so far; it's all so detailed and amazing. I did have a bit written up for you, but the message boards (in all their profound divinity and wisdom) decided it should not exist. But I'll post a quick recap: Dungeon section Idea: The Soulforge
Also, as an aside, @ Mark Hoover: you've always had fantastic posts when it comes to inspiring my inner-DM. A personal thank you to you!
If your characters exist in a world where education isn't freely available or widely spread... This is the thing that I considered the most obstructive reason why Knowledges cant be real "education"-based: There really is no such thing as public schooling or free education (beyond "on-the-job" training haha), so I would understand this being a reasonable counter argument. A world where bardic knowledge is made does exist, some what. It's called 4th Ed... While trying to avoid 4th E, I have been impresssed with certain aspects of it; this is something I think I could look into. Remember, you can make Knowledge checks under DC 10 untrained, and can Take 10 on Knowledge checks when you're not distacted. While I admit, I always forget about taking 10 on knowledge checks, I find it frustrating when I fail a DC 10 check (which could still happen, it being a stressful situation or combat) because I couldn't roll above an 11 (assuming min/max Ftr or Clr with Int 8). It seems that the majority of newer classes (Cavalier, Gunslinger, Alchemist, to name a few) tend to have a higher base of skill points than comparable classes (Paladin, Fighter, Wizard, respectively), and it makes me wonder if perhaps Paizo dev's tried to rectify this with the newer classes... but that theory hasn't been fully tested, so I'd be interested in any feedback on that as well. Finally,
Plus it would mean the 2 skill point/level classes aren't as terrible when out of combat. ...is my point. I personally tend to avoid classes that lack out-of-combat options, and this only seems like a minor fix to a much bigger issue to me. I'd like to try play-testing it as a house rule, but if anyone has personal experience with such a style please let me know!
I raise this question in response to lack of skills for many classes (ie, Fighter, Paladin, Cleric, etc): Should the knowledges (arcana, engineering, nature, religion, etc) require "training" to use? Why does my Fighter, a student of war, suffer in basics tactics and strategy? How come my Cleric, who spent years training under the tutelage of a monastery/temple/church, knows nothing about other religions or even his deity's realm of residence? Now, imagine a world where "bardic knowledge" was applied to every class, to a set of knowledge skills pertinent to that class. Ie, a Ranger would be good at Dungeoneering, Nature, maybe Local, without having to spend skill points; whereas a Cleric would have innate understanding of Religion, History, and even the Planes without letting his Diplomacy or Heal skill suffer. Instead of having to spend a skill point to train in this skill, they would both receive a bonus based on class level (not unlike Bard, perhaps even 1/2 level), and apply other modifiers from there. Here, it can be re-limited: Fighters may only benefit from 1 or 2 knowledge skills, while Wizards and Bards would still receive bonuses to a majority of knowledge checks. Classes like Clerics and Rogues (which have other skills they can allocate their points to) wouldn't suffer as harshly on even the simplest knowledge DCs. TL;DR: why must I spend my precious skill points to "train" in something I should most likely already have access to? Why not make it an innate class bonus? What do the rest of you think? Is this worth play-testing?
So I've started a new character for a home game, and I've encountered an issue and was wondering if anyone knew of a solution.I came to the thread expecting you to be asking about that pesky SR that your compatriots have to deal with any time they try to buff or heal you! #SRproblems ;P
Though still viable if starting with Finesse first, then EWP: Curveblade
Um... All those races you've listed are Humanoids, not Monstrous Humanoids. To be fair, he did say "monstErous humanoids", though that technically isn't a word...
dot! Maybe some Gnolls, Troglodytes, Sahuagin (etc) are in order?
I think Atarlost said it best up above: Clerics fill a needed role beyond simply Cure spells. Between Lesser Restoration, Raise Dead, Heal (to name a few), you won't be able to cover all the bases unless you went full divine caster. You won't be inspiring anyone if the whole party is dead... Some could argue that the best defense is a good offense... but I digress. At OP: Archer Cleric! Archer Cleric! Archer Cleric! Do it! I was thinking of something along the same lines myself, but I wouldn't go Community or Animal domain. I'd argue Law is a better domain, with the ability to guarantee that 11 roll every time you need it. Animal gives you control over animals (blegh!) and eventually an animal companion (3 levels too late...), so if I had to trade away one domain, it'd be that. Unfortunately, since you mentioned being limited to Core-only, that restricts access to great sub-domains like Feather and Growth :-/ so Community may not be that bad.
I think it's common enough trope to be used in character. In this example (I don't recall this specific BBEG), is the villain counting down a doomsday device that the players may know about? You already mentioned that he's holed up in his quaint little dungeon, but seems to be making no moves aggressively? I don't see any reason as to why they should run at him face-on when they know there may be a secret backdoor or kryptonite weapon they could learn about/acquire first. If they want to spend a little time "leveling up" before dealing with the BBEG, what's the difference? However, meta-gaming can be a huge problem in worse ways; IE, knowing the guy who used sneak attack last round probably has a low Will save, and would be very susceptible to Suggestion would probably be going a bit too far. Make the players justify their actions in character, and you really don't have to worry.
Undines (link) may be the best race selection for you - they're basically Human, but of an ancestral line with some strong ties to Outsiders from the water plane. While I am unfamiliar with Naruto, and that specific character's relative abilities, Wikipedia has informed me of their inherent control of water-like abilities. Now, this is along the lines of more uncommon races, and thus would be at the discretion of your GM of whether or not it should be allowed (typically, it's safe to assume all non-Core Rulebook are disallowed without GM discretion). however, perhaps a Naruto-style campaign wouldn't be out of the question? On that same website, you can find rules for races with ties to the other 3 core elements in Pathfinder (air, earth, fire), which may balance the party and encounters somewhat. Hope this helped! Have fun!
One idea I found very logical is that if the orc chieftain wants half-orcs because they are smarter, the orcs aren't going to go kidnap human WOMEN. That's worthless, yielding only a very few half-orcs. No, they will be going for a few strong young men. *mental image of female Orc trying to seduce male Human* ...I, just... I just don't see this working out well. Call me racist...
Build list, please? I've been thinking of a similar character myself, and would like to see how you go about it!
If you're looking for optimization I would recommend using a scimitar. If you use your arcane pool to make your sword keen, you will crit 15-20, As does the Katana
I like your stat placement (I'm thinking along the same character build myself), but I'd switch your Cha and Wis. Neither one is extremely useful, but at least the Wis boosts Will saves and Perception rolls. Having a high Int is pretty important to you, as is Str/Dex. Most of your arcanas are based on your Int modifier, but your attacks/damage are Str-based and Dex will help your low AC early on, as well as your poor Reflex saves. As soon as you can, get Mage Armor. It'll supplement your lack of armor bonus, and it should work with your Canny Defense ability.
Of course, I can't claim to have come up with this all on my own - THIS may help
Love the references to barber-surgeon! Battle Oracle seems the best best, IMO. Level 1 Revelation being Skill at Arms, of course, for access to the War Razor, along with a few nifty armor proficiencies. As for the Caladrius Bird, you can take Eldritch Heritage at level 3 (being a Cha-based character, this shouldn't be too hard to pull off) for access to Arcane bloodline's Arcane Bond (familiar) - something that would allow you to deliver your cure spells to distant targets! Something like a Thrush seems to fit the bill, while adding to your (somewhat limited) skills! I can't think of a specific way to introduce the "four humors" mechanically, but you could always re-flavor your spells in such a way as to give them notice. Hope this helps, and have fun!
Well they could always hire on mercenaries - a trained hireling, like a low-level warrior, costs something like 3 sp/day. Alternatively, I don't insist my players fill certain roles, like 'tank', or 'trap-spotter', but I do assume they have their own way of handling certain obstacles, like summoning spells, especially if such obstacles are to be expected as a majority of encounters, as combat is. These players will do well, in the first encounter. They may even do well in the second encounter. But once they've exhausted all their 1st level spells (shouldn't take long), they'll realize the advantages of having someone there to take/dish the physical damage, especially if you planned a combat-centric campaign. Don't fudge the rolls. Let the dice speak for themself. The players may be excited to play the challenging party they have, or they may get upset that things seem so hard. In the case of the latter, remind them of the path they chose, and let them re-roll a character or two without penalizing their XP/gp. Hope your campaign goes well - we all had to go through the awkward stages of learning to GM. Key is: keep having fun, and make sure your players are, too.
Firstly, I applaud your creativity! But, I'd like to weight in a bit:
I like this a lot more than the original idea. Having them face the "zombies" (while potentially not at full strength, having just woken up on the shore), then meeting the cavalry soon after gives the impression that the cavalry were hunting the same group, and thus exist as some sort of enforcement/hunting party (establishing threat). Maybe diplomacy happens, maybe it succeeds, maybe it fails, it all leads to the players travelling with this organized unit (either as prisoners or as not-so-honored guests)... then introduce the Great Wyrm! Now, the players have a chance to escape/seek shelter - lo and behold, a giant stone complex! you're still keeping the same tone, without too much room for misinterpretation on the players part. They still feel in control, and you've completed your story arc. This all being said, you have to account that things aren't going to go the way you planned. "No plan survives initial contact with the enemy" is a great rule to live by when writing out encounters. What if the players hide from the cavalry? what if the players attempt to fight the Wyrm? Having simple solutions to get the players back on track isn't a bad idea. That Archaeologist/lore-guy could be just inside the "dungeon" entrance. Maybe he did find a way deeper into the complex. You may not even know until the players find out! Just keep it interesting for the players, and don't expect them to follow your written stuff to the 'T'. As long as players get through this to Point B in your campaign, who cares how they got there? EDIT: As to OP question, I'd award XP for every encounter, won or lost. If they manage to get the cavalry to back down without a fight, is that not worth some experience? If they get captured, but manage to take a few down with them, is that not something you learned from? Even if they throw down their weapons and surrender, I'd award them something for progressing the story line! good luck in your adventure! I hope it goes well!
Don't forget, every Wizard has their scrolls, too! things that buff his allies (ie Haste, Mass Enlarge Person, etc) and things that could be situational (ie Resist Energy, Protection from [alignment], etc) are best left in his scroll case, rather than his spells prepared. Also, I believe he can still cast opposition schools from scrolls, but I'm not 100% on that one. Don't be afraid to prepare multiple incantations of things that could be spammed (like Magic Missile, Fireball, etc). Or don't - firing off just one fireball kind of gives the impression he has a lot more up his sleeve (figuratively of course, Eschew aside), and should make an intelligent PC think twice before leaving themself open. As for a Cohort: why not make it a messenger of this deity? Like how some deities send a symbolic/specific creature to send a message - this cohort could be a symbol of his allegiance to this said god. It may drop a hint as to the scale the players are really up against, if they suspect he's more than just another agent.
Hello Abugaj! Firstly, I like where you started, as I've had similar ideas in the past (borrowing from other sources, of course). Second, I'd like to get into some issues I see:
2.) Armor Proficiency seem too unnatural for a shapeshifter such as this, I'd drop it; the character'll have access to thick hide, natural scales... why would he walk around in "plate" ? Or with a shield, for that matter? 3.) what does he have access to from the core class? can he still spontaneously cast Summon Nature's Ally? Does he still have his companion? Same proficiency regarding weapons, shields?
I thought she said she casts Magic Weapon instead of having the +1 spear... 6 of one, half dozen of the other... Both apply the same bonus to attack/damage
In the game I participated in, we did have a lot of free time, and could craft quite a bit - in fact, we had a portable alchemist lab set-up in a cart to drag along with us when exploring. But that was our GM, and he kind of regretted it. Still though, later arcs in the AP still offer downtime for the PCs, since ruling a kingdom for 1 month requires only 1 actual week of work (huh...), but your GM may decide it takes longer or fill in the gaps with random encounters. Cavalier has a lot of opportunities in this AP, and I kind of wish I ran one of those... as stated, druids/rangers/barbarians/clerics-who-worship-nature fit thematically, but there's nothing barring wizard-alchemists/fighter-smiths/rogue-carpenters taking up the call to form a kingdom.
Polar Bears do seem more in line with being correct CR (5), but seem to have stats that far outshine the Grizzly (also CR 5). Still, comparing it to the Tiger seems unfair, as the tiger has the same strengths (including the grab ability, and on both its claws and bite) and then some (pounce, rake). Perhaps the tiger is a bad comparison though, as most other cats compare at CR 3.
It is a lot harder to determine appropriate CR when dealing with larger parties of PCs, especially with the action economy! I found that when this happened in a pre-written module, most encounters were a joke (unless someone screwed up big-time). My best solution for the problem? More monsters. Using the "Party Level = Encounter XP Budget" is great guideline, since you'll have so many more players.
As ArmouredMonk13 put it, Terrain and ranged combat are other great factors - throw a few minions up behind parapets, where they have the advantage of cover and higher ground! Or toss those Kobolds with longspears on the far end of a wobbly bridge or spiked pit - now the players have to cross while provoking AoOs! And don't forget the mundane stuff - tanglefoot bags, flasks of acid, smokesticks, and nets will really mess with players (especially since the net is a touch attack, you really don't even need proficiency with it against the big armored folk - the people who tend to charge in first!) Hope this helped, and happy gaming Edit: typos and last-minute thoughts
-Crocodile Warriors are the least numerous, because their fighting style typically does not work well in jungle environments. They are the heaviest infantry, wearing armors made from crocodiles, dinosaurs and other scaled creatures. This reminds me vaguely of Warhammer Army: Lizardmen (also themed on central american civilizations), who had an elite Temple Guard unit. These elite were not only lizard-y ("Saurus") but also had the best armor and weapons their temple had. Perhaps these armored lizards could be a form of temple/city guard? Also, since you're keen on creating new lycanthropy anyway, perhaps you could alter the DR to reflect the differences - say, Gold weapons instead of Silver? It'll draw it away from European fantasy a little bit, but will also catch your players off guard (thus reducing the risk of meta). * Finally, debating on if the priest of the cult should be Clerics or Druids? Or a combination of both? Or Oracles? Idk, just seems to me to fit, being cursed by the very gods you worship, in Aztec culture... |
