Steven Muchow's page

This is such a fantastic resource. Thanks for this, Steve, and thanks for the rapid updates!

I think i fixed the page links issues as well!

Revision 1.3 is now out

Hi All,

This update adds Concentration checks, counterpselling, combining spell effects, and a re-tool of the knowledge skill page to cover which knowledge checks apply to monster type.

There are also minor details on initiative and actions drawing AoO (A little icon now appears).

I think all the core items are now covered. No more updates until at least August!

Read the SORD PF page regarding how to identify which pages to print. The ones in this release are 1-4, 7-11, 37, 39

Regards,

Steve

Hi All,

This update adds Concentration checks, counterpselling, combining spell effects, and a re-tool of the knowledge skill page to cover which knowledge checks apply to monster type.

There are also minor details on initiative and actions drawing AoO (A little icon now appears).

I think all the core items are now covered. No more updates until at least August!

Read the SORD PF page regarding how to identify which pages to print. The ones in this release are 1-4, 7-11, 37, 39

Regards,

Steve

Damon Griffin wrote:

Two symbols used in the early pages of the SORD don't appear on any symbol key. Both are used on p.3 in the header for Provoking Attacks of Opportunity; they are used individually in other places. What do those symbols represent?

I honestly can't remember! It had something to do with touch attacks and ranged touch attacks and ranged attacks in general, but as I look through the rulebook now, I can't seem to make a correlation. I did those items months ago and my memory is a bit hazy on this.

OK, I think the symbols are not related to ranged attacks but to AoO. A lightning bolt indicates the action *may* provoke AoO, while the bolt inside the cloud indicates that it positively provokes AoO. You can see the symbols on page 3 under 'Provoking Attacks of Opportunity' I think that is where I made a lame attempt at a key. Of course, this means that 'Use Spell-like Ability' has the wrong symbol.

Two symbols used in the early pages of the SORD don't appear on any symbol key. Both are used on p.3 in the header for Provoking Attacks of Opportunity; they are used individually in other places. What do those symbols represent?

I honestly can't remember! It had something to do with touch attacks and ranged touch attacks and ranged attacks in general, but as I look through the rulebook now, I can't seem to make a correlation. I did those items months ago and my memory is a bit hazy on this.

Steven Muchow wrote:

I didn't include that in the skills because I am concentrating on the combat side. No one Takes 20 in combat!

Also keep in mind that you cannot be in a threat situation and you can't be distracted - hard to do in combat!

I did see in this thread that combat was the SORD's original focus. Since some of the skills included in the SORD do explicitly state that you can Take 10 or 20, I just wondered why some other skills already included are silent on this point.

Well... I could be witty about it and hedge and hmm and propose some erudite statement that would say I'm so smart, but the truth is, I wasn't paying attention! I got caught up in the description of the skills the other night and just wrote all I could about them - combat-related or not! Silly me...

Elorebaen wrote:

Purchased! Loved the beta version and I love this one.

Issue: Links on ToC go to one page ahead. e.g. pg 4 link -> pg 5
I have ver.1.1 and am using Foxit ver. 2

Thanks!

I'm experiencing the same behavior with ver 1.2. Is anyone else having this issue?

Thanks.

I'm still trying to figure out how InDesign is doing the links. I know that if you set your view to full page, the links work perfectly. I'll keep plugging away at it.

Saw the changes great job, I was hoping on Knowledges you would list what monster types are from what monsters, cause thats the biggest combat part of the knowledges

I'll see about making a little list, but space is getting tight! The way I see it, such info happens extremely early - possibly before Initiative is rolled. As a DM, I would add that info to my notes and then consult the Skills 11 page when the players begin asking questions.

I notice that some of the listed skills explicitly state that you can Take 10 and/or 20, others say you can't Take 20, but for some there is no mention either way.

"Can I Take 20?" is one of the more frequently asked questions at my table and I always have to stop and consider...is there a penalty for failure?

I didn't include that in the skills because I am concentrating on the combat side. No one Takes 20 in combat!

I just uploaded Revision 1.2. Enjoy!

I love it. It's so clear and awesome and all. BUT where's Survival? So many other skills are represented and there's enough room on the last page after Use Magic Device so why not Survival? It's such an often used skill and it wants to be loved too. Knowledge - Engineering could care less, it's a cold b@~~!y skill but Survival wants to be used and loved and represented. Just thought I'd make a passing reference...

The original intent of SORD was to act as a combat helper, not a full-session companion. Survival never felt "combaty" enough to gain entrance into these pages. I'll consider it though.

The biggest thing with knowledge skills that would probably be useful is which skills identify the different creature types and a short run down of how the DC is derived.

Version 1.2 will have a 'Knowledge Checks' section (right after Use Magic Device). I will also pepper some of the other pages with check information where appropriate.

Also, from now on, when a page is modified, a small text entry on the lower inside edge will identify which rev it was modified on. It will be on its own layer so it can be hidden. That will make it much easier to figure out which pages need to be reprinted when an update happens.

Wintergreen wrote:

Excellent stuff. All the GMs for PaizoCon UK are receiving copies.

I'll check it out there then. Sample looked good. Not sure how much of an improvement on the GM screen it is.

Noticed no knowledge (XXX) skill section (sample p2), that comes up a lot in play.

SORD was originally intended to be a *combat* helper. I made a decision that Knowledge skills are not normally part of combat. I can pretty much guarantee that it would span at least 2 pages (if not more), and might put it in if there is enough call. Rev 1.2 will add ability buff/damage/drain info and fix any other errors that crop up. I am also looking at the poisons and they will probably be added.

Joey Virtue wrote:

Purchases it I already owned the 3.5 version

Im seeing one thing that reads weird tell me if its just me

On Page 4

Initiative Procedure
Make Dex Check
Each combatant makes a Dexterity check. Apply
your Dexterity modifier to the roll. Record the roll.

Is it a dex check what about initiative bonuses shouldnt it an initiative check

for long time players this doesnt matter but for newbies it might or is it just me?

The rules on pg. 178 say it is a dexterity check. What I forgot to mention in the text was to add any modifiers to that roll from racial bonuses, feats and what-not. I will clarify that in release 1.2.

SORD was originally intended to be a *combat* helper. I made a decision that Knowledge skills are not normally part of combat. I can pretty much guarantee that it would span at least 2 pages (if not more), and might put it in if there is enough call. Rev 1.2 will add ability buff/damage/drain info and fix any other errors that crop up. I am also looking at the poisons and they will probably be added.

Purchases it I already owned the 3.5 version

Im seeing one thing that reads weird tell me if its just me

On Page 4

Initiative Procedure
Make Dex Check
Each combatant makes a Dexterity check. Apply
your Dexterity modifier to the roll. Record the roll.

Is it a dex check what about initiative bonuses shouldnt it an initiative check

for long time players this doesnt matter but for newbies it might or is it just me?

The rules on pg. 178 say it is a dexterity check. What I forgot to mention in the text was to add any modifiers to that roll from racial bonuses, feats and what-not. I will clarify that in release 1.2.

Ok. latest version of Foxit.

Full page scroll, and full page display the links work. The full page scroll is ok, but my eyes can't take the full page display (type is too small). This is the only PDF where I have this issue, but it works correctly with the scroll settings you set, so I'll just deal with it.

-- david
Papa.DRB

Steven Muchow wrote:

Funny,

I just tried the same and came up with the expected results. I am using a different form of link from InDesign.
Can you try this? Make the view be a full page and when you scroll, it always goes to the next page.
Then try the links. It should go right to the proper page.
I'd like to know what this test reveals.

I'll see what can be done in a future release. Some of this seems to be Adobe-related.

Another thing I just noticed. The links from the point to the next page, ie. Unusual Terrain I should point to page 25, but it takes me to page 26. All of the links are one off like that one.

-- david
Papa.DRB

Steven Muchow wrote:

I have just uploaded rev 1.1 which corrects a few problems. You should see update messages if you set them in your purchasing preferences.

Funny,

I have just uploaded rev 1.1 which corrects a few problems. You should see update messages if you set them in your purchasing preferences.

Bought the SORD pf the other day and on the whole I am very impressed.

One glaring omission though is the AC bonuses for armour which still state the values for 3.0/3.5 not Pathfinder where medium and heavy armour got an uplift of one point (i.e. Full Plate is listed as +8, whereas in Pathfinder it is now +9).

Hopefully this will be corrected soon so I can download the new version :)

Yep, I will be doing an update. A few other items have popped up and I will be releasing a rev 1.1 soon.

Urizen wrote:

Steven Muchow wrote:

Urizen wrote:

I have the version from when Pathfinder was in Beta, but bought well after Pathfinder full-release came out. Wish there was an upgrade for those who already bought the beta version from there. :/

To be honest, I wrestled with just updating SORD Plus, but I realized there were significant changes - even things like Channel Energy - that brought it to the threshold of a new product. Just updating the Weapons tables took a good 10 hours. I added a ton of things to it.

On the flip side - any updates to SORD PF will be free - and I sooo want to add some things!

I will keep the price down to $3.95 while PaizoCon is running this weekend and maybe through the next, but the sale will end soon.

Regards,
Steve

Ah well. I personally thought the whole thing was dead in the water given the last file update on the beta version. A big caveat emptor error on my behalf.

I already own(ed) the 3.5 and the Beta (bought them at the same time). If I miss out on the sale, then I miss out on the sale. C'est la vie on my part. Good luck nonetheless. People will enjoy the product. :)

Me too. I was beginning to think you guys were out of business, so I am really happy to see you still here.

I've been busy writing the 4e version of the 'War of the Burning Sky'. That and some health issues have put other things on the back burner.

Found a bug....

Page 10:

Maneuver Resolution
Ø Roll a d20 and add the CMD and all bonuses. If the roll equals or exceeds the target’s CMD, the maneuver succeeds.

Should be Roll a d20 and add the CMB (Bonus) etc.

-- david
Papa.DRB

Edit: Same on Page 11 also.

I'll make sure to update it. Sometime over this next week...

I have the version from when Pathfinder was in Beta, but bought well after Pathfinder full-release came out. Wish there was an upgrade for those who already bought the beta version from there. :/

To be honest, I wrestled with just updating SORD Plus, but I realized there were significant changes - even things like Channel Energy - that brought it to the threshold of a new product. Just updating the Weapons tables took a good 10 hours. I added a ton of things to it.

I will keep the price down to $3.95 while PaizoCon is running this weekend and maybe through the next, but the sale will end soon.

Regards,
Steve

Good to hear.

SORD PF is now available!

Myth Merchant Press is proud (and relieved) to release the SORD PF game aid for The Pathfinder Role Playing Game.
With this aid, your combats will run much faster, you will preserve your beautiful core rulebook because you won't be flipping pages as often, and you can be a master of the rules without having to memorize any of the fluff along the way.
For more information, please check SORD PF here.

Hi All,
Just so you know, I have an "Almost Done" version of SORD PF. It is really only a few pages away from being in a releasable state and a few souls have received the "work-in-progress". Of course, the nice thing about one-page design is that the pages that are done are usable right away!
Redoing all those skills and combat maneuvers was a a huge effort!
Regards,
Steve

I hope you all get a chance to look at Jack99's reviews. On 'Scouring...', the review doesn't cover a revised release, so I personally think it should be bumped up a bit. We pay attention to our customers and many on ENWorld's forums are continually amazed at the customer service provided.
The 'Fire Forest...' adventure is really special and the third module which is in layout is even more grand.
If anyone has questions, feel free to ask.

Some notes: We have moved to a 6-week release schedule which provides more time to add encounter maps and allow for 3 levels per module. This means more content than ever before. I am the principal adapter of Ryan's fine work and also do all the new battlemaps needed for the adventures. I have recently posted a few teasers for module 3 and all the new battlemaps for 'Fire Forest...' at http://www.enworld.org/forum/e-n-publishing/

Enjoy,
Steve Muchow
Myth Merchant Press

Please note that base save progression for prestige classes seems to be changed in PFRPG.

Bookmark "Spells && Spell like actions" contains double "&".

Thank you for your hard work. It's really good for keeping items together.

Regards,
Ruemere

Yeah, I saw that strange && bookmark thing myself. An InDesign quirk I guess.

Cannot find CMB and CMB listing in my copy of SORD 1.1.

Revised Animal Companions would be nice.
Statblocks of Summon Monster and Summon Nature Ally would be of great help.

Regards,
Ruemere

Make sure you have SORD Plus, not SORD. You will find CMB calculations on the Attack Modifiers page (page 10). SORD Plus is also now at 1.4, so be sure to re-download it.

Animal Companions... another item to consider... :-)

Are the Diplomacy rules missing or am I too blind to find them? Steven, it would be cool if you could add those. SORD Plus is a great reference for my PFRPG campaigns!

My next update will include them. I am slowly branching out of the "just combat" approach.

After reading this thread I had to check it out myself - great job on the organization and presentation.

I do have one thought, though. As a DM, I use my laptop at the table, and if I could get this document formatted in a Landscape orientation, I'd be lovin' life. As it stands, it is hard to have the pages set where they can be easily read from the computer screen and have the full page visible at the same time. If the pages more fully used the screen, I could have my cake and eat it too - the world's most awesome electronic DM screen.

Of course, I could also just get off my butt and take it to Kinko's to have it printed, bound and laminated - that would work too :-)

Keep up the good work!

Hmmmmm..... I have to think about that a bit. I would definitely beef up the hyperlinking to make it even more useful (since it is on a computer). The other advantage I see is adding notes (and so could you).

Midnight: new turn on the old cliched fantasy setting - evil won and the pcs try to survive in a harsh world.

Who is that made by?

Fantasy Flight Games.

I might be biased, but I think SORD is a must-have. Fluff and all is fun, but the crunch that SORD provides will be beneficial at the game table each and every session. The best $2 you will spend. Ask Pax Veritas, or read the posts here Paizo's Thread.

In the SORD, under armour class modifiers, Helpless is not listed, as well as notation number 3, listed for ranged vs grapple (but attacker is not), which says: Roll randomly to see which grappling combatant you strike. That defender loses any Dexterity bonus to AC.

Oops. slipped by me. I will have an updated SORD and SORD Plus available within the hour.

Regards,
Steve

Hey Steve,

I didn't notice any mention of rules regarding attacking a grappled creature.
Example: Bob the Fighter and Gimaltiax the Large Creature are grappling, Bob's friends Joe the Ranger, Hal the Wizard, and Mark the Rogue want to attack Gimaltiax; Joe with a Bow, Hal with a Maze spell, and Mark with a shortsword.

What would happen, and what are the appropriate mods for each attack? I tried finding any mention of it, and couldn't

Hmmm.... I'll have to go look. At first blush, the grappled guy has a has no change to AC (SORD Plus pg.11 - he is grappling but attacker isn't +0/+0). I'm not sure if a specific example is addressed in the SRD, but it can be easily extrapolated. Don't forget that firing into a melee incurs a penalty as well (pg. 10 -4 penalty) for ranged weapons.

In any case, Pages 10 and 11 were the only pages consulted and the Firing into Melee and Grappling State are covered. That should do the trick.

Pax Veritas wrote:

Are you double-siding and laminating AND spiral binding. Are you going through kinkos, or are all the pages loose? Just wondering & thinking of doing same.

I'm using kinkos to do the fancy printing (on heavy paper) but then using page protectors (like Avery Diamond Clear) and a 3-ring notebook to hold it.

In my current campaign, I have a notebook which holds the adventure (also page protected), my notes, copies of the characters, and stuff like that - the SORD will sit on top for reference.

**grin**

You guys are great! and to think SORD started out as a moment where I got PO'd at the way we present RPG rules! Don't get me wrong, I love fluff and all, but when it gets down to play, I want just the facts ma'am. That's all.
If I ever get stup... err... enterprising enough to write my own RPG, it will be a presentation worthy of the Pulitzer!

Regards,
Steve

Sorry, I was confused - I was reading the product as a rules compendium kind of thing not just a combat aid. With or without Appraise, this is a great source of information!

Thanks for being responsive to the community.

Why sorry? You got what you wanted!!! We gamers have got to stick together! This is a pure joy for me and I am (I'm going to date myself here) tickled that I can be of use to you! I LOVE this hobby and I am proud to serve it after it has served me over the past 30+ years. Seeing you guys enjoy SORD Plus is a great honor and I am humbled by it all. You guys are great!

Regards,
Steve

Because Dithering Fool asked for it, I found a way to cram the Appraise skill in between Acrobatics and Bluff.

I also reset the pdf to be Acrobat 6.0-style rather than 9.0-style just to see if it fixes a FoxIt problem that one customer encountered.

So enjoy rev 1.1!

Regards,
Steve

Steven, I just bought your Pathfinder SORD. It rocks my boat, but for some reason it doesn't work under my PDF viewer of choice - FoxIt. I have to run it under the pure evil that Acrobat Reader is nowadays.

And yes, hyperlinks would be cool too !

Send me an email to steve@mythmerchant.com regarding you SORD issue and I'll see what is wrong, I just ran it under Foxit 3.0 with no problem.

Steven, I just bought your Pathfinder SORD. It rocks my boat, but for some reason it doesn't work under my PDF viewer of choice - FoxIt. I have to run it under the pure evil that Acrobat Reader is nowadays.

And yes, hyperlinks would be cool too !

I built it under v1.7 PDF format (Acrobat 9), so that is probably the disconnect. I will re-release it under v1.5 (Acrobat 6) and that should allow FoxIt to run it.

While I was working on making SORD Plus, I tried to do what I love to do with all my WOTC 4e books - create my own hyperlinks in the PDF document. That way I can bounce around from one section to another with ease and not rely on just the standard bookmarks. For example, I have links from the armor table which bounce over to the weapons table and back. Individual armor types are referenced from the table for quick access to their descriptions.

Spells are another huge section that begs for hyperlinks.

In terms of finding info quickly, the ability make these links in Acrobat (if you have it) is invaluable.

Unfortunately, the Beta document does not allow this. That is HIGHLY frustrating to a guy who wants to *mark up* his book to facilitate his ability to play.

Now, if WOTC allows its books to have this capability, what reason exists to not have it available in Pathfinder?

The disallowing of hyperlink creation is a huge detriment to the usefulness of the book and I would be more than happy to demonstrate to Erik (or anyone else) how much value can be added by its restoration.

Regards,
Steve Muchow
Myth Merchant Press
steve@mythmerchant.com

Devlin 'Dusk' Valerian wrote:

Just let your players check the rules and let them decide (maybe after "forcing" them to a trial session). I am willing to almost guarantee that they will go along afterwards.

I did just that. I told them all the new cool stuff the classes got, and they got curious. They also thought the idea of it being an open playtest was cool too.

If you send me an email, I will provide you with a copy of SORD and SORD Plus so you can compare the 3.5e vs. PF changes (and get a cool set of products to boot). These two documents will lay out very clearly the way the PF has streamlined the system and made play a lot more *playlike*.

Steve Muchow
Myth Merchant Press
steve@mythmerchant.com

Hi All,
Myth Merchant Press has just released SORD Plus, which is tuned to work with Pathfinder. If you have questions on what SORD is, read Pax Veritas' posts regarding it at http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/community/gaming/dnd/singingPraisesFor SORD.
You can find SORD Plus on sale at RPGNow.com

Lords and Ladies,

SORD Plus 1.0 is now available at RPGNow.com. I'm going to sleep now...

Regards,
Steve

Steve I hope that you continue to do 3.5 stuff even after Pathfinder is Launched (i have some players who dont want to switch)

I'll support 3.5 on certain lines and won't go PF all the way. I'm also trying to keep certain lines 3.5e-specific (ie. Don't Panic) even as I sell other lines that are 4e (like my Tankard Tales). That separation was the primary reason the Giddy Ghost Inn was removed from my freebies.

Hi Pax,
Feel free to email me at steve@mythmerchant.com with your ideas. They mesh with something I am investigating, but not necessarily for SORD. The product will complement it in a way for the GM. I have a working title - SKABARD. Don't ask about the acronym. It's secret.
Regards,
Steve

I think you might need to paraphrase the fact that it's for pathfinder as the OGL expressly forbids indicating compatibility with a trademarked name, unless you have express permission to do so. And since Paizo are only doing a Pathfinder license once the game is final I think you can't say that right now.

In my zeal, I forgot all about that. The document and associated advertising has been corrected and it now has vague references. I feel like I've been hit by a 20d6 fireball! Silly me, bouncing around like a gnome archetype created by Weis and Hickman.

Purchased. Love it! Hope to see a PRPG version in the future.

OK ALL!!!!

I put a preview up on RPGNOW.com. Enjoy it for what it's worth (like free!!!).

I'm looking at 2 or 3 more days to get this thing out. Just before Thanksgiving...

Regards,
Steve

Steven Muchow wrote:

I'm fallible. If it is wrong, then I will correct it. I may have culled the data from the compendium and not realized the disconnect - or, more likely, I was writing that section at 2:00 a.m. and no Jolt!

Like all of us. Hope you didn't take it as an offense. I really enjoy your product.

But if you can allow me one more thing: for overrun in case opponent avoids, it is said that it is considered a standard move action, which is confusing. I would say a normal or regular move action.

I'm too old to take offense! Either that, or life's too short.

Agreed, it's very well done, but I noticed an error, at least, it's different from what it's written in the 3.5 PHB.

Determining cover against ranged attacks for big creatures is different than it is for melee attacks. You can't aim at one specific square.
Is it intentional ? Does it come from another book I don't know about ?

I'm fallible. If it is wrong, then I will correct it. I may have culled the data from the compendium and not realized the disconnect - or, more likely, I was writing that section at 2:00 a.m. and no Jolt!

Hi all,

I am working as fast as possible on a Pathfinder version. I'll post a teaser tonight. Just got the Perception skill done on a single page!

Regards,
Steve