I'm wondering if any one on the boards has had a similar idea.
I've been prepping to run Kingmaker for a couple of months now. I've read Stolen Lands and Rivers Run Red cover to cover. Overall I'm excited by most of what I've seen, but I feel like the first third of the story arc deserves a better BBEG than a tribe of trolls.
So what do people think about the feasibility of adding in the important plot elements of the Dragon's Demand into the books 1 & 2 of Kingmaker?
Here's what I've come up with so far:
Hunclay is Bokken's other brother who relocated to a tower in this area that he might further his research in quiet and solitude.
Aeteperax lairs somewhere in the Greenbelt he is being courted by Nyrissa to be her lieutenant in the region. The dragon isn't yet convinced and is currently manipulating a tribe of kobolds (the Sootscales) through a surrogate (Tartuk).
I think I might replace the Dark Tapestry theme found in Dragon's Demand with the First World and the Fey in the hopes of foreshadowing events later on in Sound of a Thousand Screams.
So what do you think? Is this feasible? Thoughts and advice would be much appreciated.
Okay everyone, my group and I need your help. Rules sleuths to the rescue!
The Situation:
Party's Fighter: Shield Bash/Spiked Destroyer Build. Feats: Shield Bash, Improved/Greater Bull Rush, Spiked Destroyer. Basically he can attack with his Shield, which grants him Free Action Bull Rush
and a Swift Action attack with his Armor Spikes if the Bull Rush is successful.
Party's Summoner: Humanoid Eidolon. Evolutions: Reach, Slam, Grab. Whenever the Eidolon successfully hits with his Slam he can attempt a Grapple as a Free Action if his target is his size or smaller. According to the Grapple rules, success means that his target is pulled adjacent to him.
Both Fighter and Eidolon are adjacent to a medium sized enemy. Fighter Shield Bashes enemy does damage and Bull Rushes. Because of Greater Bull Rush this provokes an AoO from the Eidolon. Eidolon hits with his Slam and gets his free Grab attempt. It's successful.
So my questions are thus:
What happens to the poor enemy? Which forced movement occurs? Do both of them happen? If so, which happens first? What if the Fighter rolls well enough on his Bull Rush to force multiple squares of movement?
I know there's already a "ACG" Wishlist Thread out there. But I haven't seen a Predictions thread. So here goes!
We're about a year from the release of this book, so almost anything goes. What we do know is that there are going to be 10 new classes added to the game. These classes are going to be hybrid concepts of existing classes. Four of these classes have been revealed already:
So what are your predictions for the remaining six? What are your justifications?
Here are my thoughts:
Spoiler:
There are 55 possible hybrid combinations in the Core Classes alone. I don't think that they're going to open it up to Base Classes (much like the NPC Codex was Core only). Even in the Core there are plenty of options.
There are certain combinations that we can probably rule out. Barbarian/Paladin or Barbarian/Monk for example are too different to make a cohesive hybrid (IMHO). One cannot be a chaotic rager whilst also be dedicated to maintaining balance and order after all. Also, class concepts like the Bard/Sorcerer or the Cleric/Paladin overlap too much. Then there's also the class combinations whose niches have already been filled, like the Cleric/Sorcerer (Oracle) and the Fighter/Wizard (Magus).
My predictions:
Spoiler:
In order of likelihood:
1) Swashbuckler - (Fighter/Rogue) - There's been a lot of talk on the forums lately about adding this class to the game. James Jacobs is a pretty avid supporter of the idea, and Jason Bulmahn has talked about it a time or five. So that's both the head of the campaign setting and the head of the core mechanics reaching an accord. I think that's a virtual guarantee that we'll see this class.
2) Beguiler - (Rogue/Wizard) - This is a pretty classic combination. I recall this sort of thing being popular throughout many of the editions of D&D. So why not have it exist in Pathfinder?
3) Mystic - (Monk/Sorcerer) - Paizo has talked about introducing psychic magic and Vudra for a long time now. While I don't think this is necessarily where they're going to do it, it would be cool. There's plenty of precedent for Mystics in fiction. Asian cinema is full of Kung-Fu warriors with supernatural powers and magic. There's even somewhat of a precedent in Golarion (certain characters in Dave Gross' Master of Devils).
4) Skald - (Barbarian/Bard) - Norse/Viking history and legend was passed on in an oral tradition thanks to poet warriors known as Skalds. I think it's a perfect historical precedent to blend two otherwise very different classes.
5) Warrior Poets - (Bard/Paladin) - Warrior Poets have long been a trope in fiction. From literature like Lord of the Rings and the Song of Ice and Fire to films like Braveheart and the Seven Samurai, we've seen righteous warriors who inspire both on the battlefield and off.
6) Rage Mage - (Barbarian/Sorcerer) - Honestly couldn't come up with a better name. So let's go with Rage Mage for now. Possible that this hybrid could set up well to go into Rage Prophet. It's a weak prediction for #6 but it's the best I could come up with.
What do you think?
Note that this is intended to be a predictions thread, not a wishlist/want list. That already exists. Try and justify your predictions with something other than "it'd be really cool".
I'm a veteran GM but have recently decided to take the plunge and start GMing for PFS. I've run a number of prewritten modules before (as well as a few AP's) and I always make sure I'm thoroughly familiar with the background story before I take my players through it. I'm afraid can't do that with PFS. There are so many scenarios across 5 seasons that I'm not quite sure what's going on.
Could you help?
I realize I'm jumping on the bandwagon a bit late so that's why I'm turning to all of you. I'm not looking for anything too in-depth. But a few sentences summarizing the overarching plot of each season would be delightful.
Having the plot of an adventure spoiled for you (as a player) doesn't adversely affect the amount of fun you have at the table.
Step 1) Do you agree or disagree with the above statement?
Step 2) Read this post and the response comment. Did you change your mind?
*While I am honestly interested to know how gamers feel about spoilers (whether it's in their game materials, movies, books, or whatever), I would be remiss if I didn't admit that I'm one of the co-authors of the linked blog and that this is part of an effort of shameless self-promotion.
I've been a longtime lurker on these boards. It's only been in the last year or so that I've become more active and joined in the conversation. But the overall sense of community that these forums has fostered makes me want to do what I can to give back.
I'd like to introduce Kill It With Dice, a pen and paper RPG blog authored by myself and a couple of friends from my local gaming group. We're fairly system agnostic right now but have a pretty strong background in Pathfinder/3.5 D&D which I think fits in pretty well around here.
We're trying to publish content about twice a week and so far we've been doing pretty well. If there are any particular topics you'd like to see discussed please feel free to suggest them. We're absolutely open to ideas, especially in these early days of figuring out what exactly it is we're trying to do and say.
You can check us out at Kill It With Dice or like us on Facebook. Comments, feedback, or other thoughts would be very much appreciated.
A friend of mine is starting Shattered Star in a month or so. I'm looking to to bring a Dragon Disciple to the table. I've never played this prestige class before and on paper, the build feels underpowered compared to the last few PCs I've made.
I'm curious about what people think of well my build will hold up.
Spoiler:
the Exile
Aasimar (Angelkin) Paladin/Sorcerer/Dragon Disciple
Comments:
the Exile is designed to be a viable switch-hitter who excels at adapting to enemies' tactics. Against powerful melee opponents, he can maintain mobility and ranged superiority. He can also move in close to disrupt spellcasters and archers when the need arises. Powerful combat tricks include Snowball (10d6+10 cold damage as a 1st level ranged touch spell [Bloodline Arcana + Intensify Spell]) and 1d6+Str Claws for up to 12 rounds/day as a free action.
Pros:
Decent melee combatant. Powerful direct-damage spells. Able to self-buff. Decent saves (thanks to Divine Grace) and Resistances to energy. Eventually will have a net +7 to Natural Armor, +10 Str, +2 Con, and +2 Int.
Cons:
Typical shortcomings of a hybrid character. Slow spell progression and will only ever get access to 6th level magic. Doesn't innately have the AC/hp to frontline with dedicated martial types.
I'm not looking for spoilers, just a "you'll do fine" or a "have you considered this [option]?"
Currently brainstorming ideas for a blasty-sorcerer that will probably move into Dragon Disciple. I'm trying to figure out what would the best spell be for the Magical Lineage based on the following criteria:
The spells I'm weighing are currently Snowball and Scorching Ray (Cold b/c of Primal bloodline). Metamagic Feats I'm thinking about are Intensify Spell, Rime Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell, and Disruptive Spell.
After Bloodline Arcana I figure the following:
Intensified Snowball - 10d6+20 Cold (55 damage average) to one target and Fort Save (usually pretty low DC) or Staggered for 1 round. Bypasses SR.
-or-
Rime Freezing [Scorching] Ray - 3x 4d6+8 (22 damage average per ray / 66 damage average total). Auto Entangle. Does not bypass SR.
Freezing Ray vs. Resist Cold takes a -15 point hit whereas Snowball is only -5. Snowball is a 1st level spell vs. Freezing Ray's 2nd level. But Freezing Ray is an auto debuff compared to Snowball's relatively low save.
Whelp. Is one definitely better than the other? Are there other spells I should be looking at?
I apologize if this has been answered elsewhere, but I haven't been able to find mention of it.
Can a Cleric cast a spell via a divine scroll that directly opposes his alignment and that of his god? If he can, does it require a check (Caster Level/Spellcraft/UMD)?
For example:
In my game there is a Cleric (CN) of Caiden Caylian (CG). His party recently looted a Divine Scroll of Order's Wrath. Order's Wrath is technically on the Cleric's spell list, but there's this:
the PRD wrote:
Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells
A cleric can't cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity's (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaotic, evil, good, and lawful descriptors in their spell descriptions.
We all know that RotR can be a grind. It was designed with tough encounters and even tougher bosses. But the PCs want to give up.
My players are currently in the watchtower before descending into the Valley of the Black Tower. They're looking down at the valley full of giants and despairing. There are overwhelming thoughts of "We're not strong enough to do this" and "It's impossible."
The players want to continue playing, but they're having a hard time justifying why their characters haven't bailed and fled to a different part of the world to let someone else deal with the problem. They're talking about holing up in Fort Rannick and waiting for the armageddon they suspect is coming.
Morale has steadily declined since the Xanesha fight at the end of Skinsaw Murders (she nearly TPK'd them and they fled). And I don't know how to bring it back. The overall feeling of fun is gone and the campaign feels much more like a grind than a game. How do I address this?
Memento Mortis Marathon Voter Season 6, Marathon Voter Season 7, Star Voter Season 8
Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
Anyone else wish that there was a write in section for when you DQ'd an item? I know it should be obvious if an item should be DQ'd for breaking:
Submission is not a wondrous item.
Submission is not anonymous.
Submission exceeds 300 words.
Submission does not conform to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game (it must contain the proper mechanics and flavor); see pages 496-532 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook for examples.
Submission is copied from a previously published source.
Submission uses rules, monsters, or copyrighted material from publishers other than Paizo.
But what if it's not that clear cut?
Most often I've found items that should be DQ'd are breaking the first rule. They've got artifact level power. Is this enough to hit the report button? Or do I just vote for the other one?
Just ran through "the Wrath of Nature" adventure at the back of the Mythic Playtest pdf. Session lasted from 6pm to 11pm. They were the least fun five hours in gaming that I've had with my group in a while. Now we've been going on a high streak of some great session in Rise of the Runelords lately, so it could be just us regressing back to the norm. But I'll leave my first impressions of Mythic here for further discussion.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE ADVENTURE ABOUND!!!
Spoiler:
The adventure is scaled for four level 6 PCs. I had five level 7 PCs. So the first thing I did was scale up the difficulty.
First encounter was originally 1x Mythic (Agile) Dire Wolf and a bunch of CR 1 to 2 critters. I cut the critters and added two more Mythic (Agile) Dire Wolves.
Second encounter was a Treant with two Mythic (Savage) Grizzly Bears. I dropped the bears and added an additional Treant and allowed them to use their "Animate Trees" ability.
Next was a 30ft chasm they had to cross while Gozreh tossed 8d6 lightning bolts at them.
Last encounter was supposed to be a Mythic Hydra. I chose a Mythic Ettin and brought back the two Mythic (Savage) Grizzly Bears.
Party consisted of the following: Dhampir Bard (archer build), Half-Elf Ranger (archer build), Tengu Inquisitor (archer build), Gnome Fey-Blooded Sorcerer, and a Dwarven Fighter. Yes there were 3 archers in the party. Yes, their DPR was insane, even more so with Mythic Feats.
the Bard went Marshal. The Ranger went Champion. The Sorcerer went Archmage. The Fighter went Guardian. The Inquisitor went Dual Path and chose Champion and Marshal.
Encounter 1: 3x Mythic (Agile) Dire Wolves. The wolves used their high movement speeds and multiple turns per round to get into great positions for full attacks. Rarely hit anyone except for the Sorcerer (average party AC was low 20's). The party focus fired them down efficiently while taking negligible damage.
Encounter 2: Treants got a "oh ***t from the Dhampir Bard who'd chosen Wood as his Material Weakness. Treants got some good slams in against the party and managed to surround them with their Animate Trees ability. Once again, focus fire brought them down within one a few rounds.
Encounter 3: This nearly defeated the party. Simple obstacle. DC's between 20 and 30. Basically a series of Skill Checks with a dash of Lighting Bolts thrown in. Party didn't use Mythic Powers that much.
Last Encounter: Ettin was rebuilt using 3 Mythic Tiers of Champion on top of an Advanced Ettin. He got to make a few really cool attacks. But ultimately died early on to a combination Amazing Initiative, Improved Rapid Shot, and Rally. Bears died like chumps before becoming much of a threat.
Overall impressions:
There are a lot of actions flying around. Marshals grant additional actions, Swift Actions can be used to grant movement AND attacks. Amazing Initiative gives you another whole turn's worth of actions. My group is used to operating under Haste (or similar effect) almost constantly, and we felt overwhelmed.
Mythic Powers feel like they trivialize encounters. Fighting non-Mythic things means that the PCs can use Amazing Initiative to get a whole ton of damage out before their opponents can even act. Mythic Power means that you can add up to +6 on any d20 roll and the Marshal's Focus ability means that they can essentially reroll 1's or 2's for free.
Mythic adds a layer of complexity to the game that some of my players did not find necessary. Many, if not, most of the Path Abilities felt more like "crunch" than it did "flavor". As one of my players put it, "We got bigger numbers to play with but we didn't feel any cooler while we did it."
Player's didn't know when or on what to use their Mythic resources. This could be related to the lack of familiarity we had with the new rules. But My players where hoarding their mythic uses per day.
Inorganic character building felt even more obvious. The players in my group had leveled their characters from 3 all the way to 7 by playing through a homebrew. Suddenly getting 3 Mythic Tiers added on suddenly threw everyone. In some situations it felt like their characters did what the did better. But in others it felt like the players didn't know what their characters did anymore.
What we liked about Mythic:
1) The idea of accomplishing trials and earning your powers is really appealing. It's like getting your rewards for putting in your due diligence.
2) Mythic Templates on monsters or enemy NPCs is great. They can make solo encounters into epic fights, especially if that monster can balance out the action economy with things like Amazing Initiative and Fleet Charge.
What we didn't like about Mythic:
1) Mythic makes it harder to fail. Failure is a part of the game. Failure is what makes triumph so sweet. It felt like the Mythic PCs in the playtest were trouncing the encounters. There was never really any fear of death or loss.
2) It felt like we could have told the same story with a similar heroic feel without the Mythic Rules. In fact, it felt like Mythic took away from our gaming experience. Going back to a previous observation, the Mythic Playtest feels very crunch heavy. Bigger numbers, bigger bonuses, and more actions did not make us feel like demi-gods or chosen warriors. It felt like we were cheating and breaking the game.
Okay. It's 1:15AM EST and this GM is tired and dissatisfied. Those are my preliminary observations. I'll try writing up some more with a clear mind tomorrow. I'm still optimistic about Mythic overall. I just wonder if I could somehow have GM'd that session better...
My RotR game has been experiencing a few character deaths recently, and may players and I have realized something sort of disturbing:
Being resurrected is the wrong choice, from a purely mechanical standpoint.
If you roll up a new character, the party gets to loot the corpse of their dead friend and then have a new friend show up armed and equipped to the teeth. If you get resurrected, the party gets no new loot, and has to spend a fairly large chunk of gold on resurrection + restoration.
You could bring in the new PC at a lower level, but even then the sheer pile of redistributed gear will usually offset that. Also the player will probably have less fun.
If a player's PC were to die, he might want her resurrected. But it's strange to think of that as the selfish choice when "suck it up and reroll" would be so beneficial to the party.
With the Mythic Playtest coming up, my group is getting ready to try out a full mini-arc designed to take advantage of the new rules.
I (the GM for this game) am thinking of running a six part adventure (designed to take six four-hour sessions) taking place on the layers of Hell. I have a storyline and protagonists lined up already. But I'll need help with PCs. Since it's only going to be a short campaign I want to use pregens so that I can better craft the story around characters whose limitations I'm aware of.
I want to generate a "balanced" party built around the four-square. One arcanist, one tank, one skill monkey, and one divine caster.
So give me what you got, Paizo forums. Help me build a Mythic Party. I'm thinking Level 15. 20 Point Buy. No equipment please. The party will be limited to what they can loot off of Devils in Hell.
As a GM I hate Summon X Spells, whether they’re the Monster, Nature’s Ally, or variation thereof. I get that they’ve been nerfed in Pathfinder but I still think they’re overpowered. I’ve a pretty solid understanding of the mechanics behind these spells, so my question doesn’t relate to the rules.
I’m interested in what people think about the flavor behind the Summon Spells. Can a player summon an animal or monster that's on the spell list that the character doesn’t have in-game knowledge of?
For example, in my Runelords game, I have a druid in my campaign who has never been outside of Varisia. He has most likely met an befriended a dire boar or two so it makes sense that he can summon said dire boars or their kin. But what if he wants to summon a Deinonychus? On Golarion, dinosaurs only exist in the Mwangi Expanse. Flavorwise, it doesn’t make sense to me that a druid can summon an “ally” he’s never met or couldn’t possibly have heard of. The same is true of Cyclops and the like. From my understanding, Cyclops are in a global decline on Golarion so there’s little chance that the druid would have encountered one.
Yes. I confess this is a veiled attempt to further nerf Summon Nature's Ally. But I want a flavorful reason for it instead of GM's fiat.
Longtime reader, first time poster. I recently started Rise of the Runelords with my group. We've decided to post the game play summary for people to read and enjoy. I figure this forum would be great because thanks to all of this communities' contributions, I was able to add a number of things to the first module that really brought life to the world.
Our current gaming schedule is currently only once a month (4th Sunday usually) so expect updates to be at least that infrequent. Sorry, nothing to be done about that I'm afraid. Anyways, hope you enjoy.
