My first thought was a Mut vanilla druid with either a wolf or dog companion (based on what would be acceptable in the city).
But, I've never had opportunity to play a tiny race before... so I'm intrigued by the possibility of playing a Mite.
Couple more questions:
Is bardic magic treated the same as other arcane?
Are other weapons verboten like guns? Meaning something concealable (or at least not obvious) would be better for day-to-day on the street, whereas a greatsword strapped to your back would invite ridicule/suspicion?
You can be both. You can be neither. You can be one or the other.
It's not a point on a line. It's a point on a plane. Rollplaying is the X-axis, and roleplaying is the Y-axis. Imagine it a 20-point scale, from -10 to 10, with 10 being emphatic love, zero being "I can take it or leave it", and -10 being "bugger that crap, I hate it.
Personally I'm about a 7 rollplaying, 9 roleplaying, (and -9 if you add a third axis, "puzzles, mazes, riddles, and other stuff the player needs to solve instead of his character"), where my wife is a 4 rollplay, -9 roleplaying (and 10 puzzles, etc).
We're still operating with two different definitions of "rollplayer" here...
It's difficult to have this conversation when there's one group using it categorically, one group using it indiscriminately, and one group using it pejoratively.
If you are operating off of the original definition, comments like thegreenteagamer's don't make a whole lot of sense. I understand his point, but if we're not going to agree on a single definition, then this conversation is going to keep swirling around on itself.
There is probably a valid argument somewhere in here for what amount of descriptive language is required for one roll (like diplomacy) versus what's required for another roll. To me, this is just conflating a situational issue with a universal one.
"Roleplay" is contributing to the narrative, to the shared story we are all creating. I have certainly been guilty of making the "I swing at the nearest orc" attack action, so I will not condemn someone for taking the "I make nicey-nice with the NPC" diplomacy check. But, if that is your common practice across the length and breadth of our shared game time, then I can't call what you are doing "Roleplay".
You say "Roll Play" is pejorative, and doesn't carry the same definition it used to, anyway. Fine. So, what can I call it?
I must have a bad definition for these terms. My understanding of "rollplay" is that it is the absence of "roleplay".
I have never equated it with the mechanics of the game. It's merely someone who rolls dice with no corresponding descriptive dialogue.
The thing is that descriptive dialogue is not roleplaying.
Roleplaying is making decisions in the shoes of your character.
A fair point. However, there is a connotation to "roleplay" that includes "interactive storyteller".
While that may not be in the strictly denotative definition of the word, for me in my real life role as "other guy at the table with you", it is very important.
You might hit the orc reluctantly, or with righteous fury, or with delight in the carnage, or..., or..., or...
Roleplaying something great in your own head is... 1d20 ⇒ 6
I must have a bad definition for these terms. My understanding of "rollplay" is that it is the absence of "roleplay".
I have never equated it with the mechanics of the game. It's merely someone who rolls dice with no corresponding descriptive dialogue.
"I attack." *rolls* "I hit." *rolls* "X damage. I'll move here and end my turn."
I think everyone takes that kind of action from time to time. So, I'm not trying to shame anyone who does that. Some just do it more than others. Occasionally, you find someone who does it almost exclusively. That is what I would term a "rollplayer".
Male Demon-Spawn Tiefling Mythic Paladin 8/Bard 2/Champion-Hierophant 4
Stats:
hp 161; Init +6; Darkvision 60 ft.; Perc +10; AC 24, T 11, FF 24; CMD 24; F +18, R +11, W +15
Army Stats:
hp 16/16; DV 21 (+4); OM +10; Morale +1
Lol, Ezro & Alikia! Don't judge me too harshly. But, a lady working her tail off cleaning, while I'm rifling through paperwork and checking the mail...
This might be hitting a little too close to the mark!
(I'm glad my lovely, extra-patient wife isn't here to comment!)
Bradamante is not Arthurian, she's in the Song of Orlando, which is more the Twelve Peers of Charlemagne, and so horridly Italian/French/Spanish in nature, you dastard, you. Trying to pawn a heroic female in Le Morte D'Arthur onto us! As if such a thing could exist!
==Aelryinth
What the?! I said Charlemagne! Wait, let me check...
Beyond Spaniard and Frankish knights, there are Saracens, Ethiopians, Turkish and Egyptians in the Arthurian/Carolingian Legends. And at least one very successful female knight that I can recall.
So, that's.... Yeah.
Actually... if you are speaking of Joan of Ark she actually wasn't all that successful in the long haul... she had one big battle and then pretty much failed at everything else...
Firstly, no, I was not referring to Joan of Arc. She has absolutely no part in the legends of King Arthur or Charlemagne.
The female knight's name was Bradamante. She was heralded as an extraordinary knight, saved a Saracen named Rogelio(?) I think and led him to baptism and becoming one of the Kings twelve Peers/Paladins?
Secondly, I'm not sure what your definition of successful is, but Joan of Arc was incredibly successful in both short term and long term. She lifted the siege of Orleans in nine days, after five months without even a victorious skirmish. She created a strategy of seizing bridges along the Loire, captured several large towns without a fight, and accepted the total surrender of Reims four days after arriving with the French army. Less than two weeks later, Charles VII was crowned king, retaining his throne through the end of the Hundred Years War.
So, you've successfully proven that "no blacks in medieval Europe" is a fallacious argument. Shall I point out the fallacy in making that the basis of "All historical accuracy claims are a fallacy" arguments?
"Historical Accuracy" might be better termed "Setting Integrity". But, that still doesn't make it a fallacy in and of itself.
Meh... if you have infinite time and infinite resources, then nothing is a real challenge. But, if you only have one day to save the world, and the ticking bomb is on level two surrounded by CR appropriate challenges, then Tucker's Kobolds on level one are absolutely devastating.
I don't go in for the 15 minute workday schroedingers wizard argument.
Also, better weapons on the kobold wouldn't really change anything in either of these examples.
How do you design worthwhile orc encounters when orcs are hindered with negatives to all mental attributes?
Well, in addition to their horrible mental penalties, orcs have the benefit of owning all of the terrain that they'll ever do battle on. They have this secret power that allows them to manipulate it to give themselves every advantage with the swipe of a single dry-erase marker! They can summon weapons and equipment the way Neo and Trinity do. They have the power, at will, to summon additional packs of orcs anytime they need them.
And the really weird thing is, from the Monster Codex and NPC Codex to Adventure Paths to all the other 3rd party stuff out there, someone actually has done all or most of the work for you.
While we're at it, why don't we rearrange their stat array. And let's adjust their racial ability scores. And some of these racial traits aren't that useful, so let's exchange them for something else. I don't really need them to be undergound. And frankly, I've never really cared for the name kobolds... can we just call them something else?
Ummm.... In that case, are all the human commoners extinct too?
EDIT: Ninja'd by lemeres.
Except there are whole litanies of heroes to protect human kind?
The bestiary kobold is baseline version of a kobold. Just like the human commoner is the baseline version of a human. Just like every other creature is the baseline of its kind. If you want something harder, you can add templates, or class levels, or terrain challenges, or traps, or *du-dududuuuuhh* EQUIPMENT!
I am almost completely lost as to why you are so passionate about this, when all you're talking about is adding 1-3 AC and switching a d6 to a d8 with reach.
There couldn't possibly be an easier adjustment for a DM to make....
Has anyone said that you, the DM, can't give kobolds different weapons and armor? Because I've not seen that post. And frankly, I would laugh at the person who posted it.
I thought the question was more thematic. Why does the average bestiary kobold wield such weapons? Because they are small, weak, cave-dwellers with a penchant for traps over frontal assaults.
If you want all of your kobolds to be dervish-snipers with tanglefoot bags and poisoned bolts, I really don't have an issue with that...
Find the narrowest hallway in your house, and try to swing something akin to a pick or a sword with good effect.
You'll probably switch to something with more of a stabbing motion. You know... like a spear.
Now, imagine you are in a windy network of warrens, and you are trying to defend it from invaders that may or may not be your size. You point your crossbow, but wait! The tunnel curves away, giving you no line of sight until your enemies are right on top of you!!!
Why don't we mount this crossbow and have it go off when they come around the bend? We can put a trigger in the floor, and we don't have to be anywhere near it!
There's plenty of reasons why kobolds are the way they are. A racial bonus to mining doesn't mean that they're all expert miners. It means they are small, cave-dwelling, cold-blooded, darkvision-having, natural tunnelers that could be very good at mining if they made it their profession... usually as slave labor at the direction of a much more powerful entity.
You guys win man-- Kobolds bad/evil/dumb exist for the sole purpose of being mercilessly slaughtered by PCs and should always have only equipment that provides them with no statistical advantage whatsoever....
Kobold Mr.: Goodbye, dearest. I'm off to work.
Kobold Mrs.: What, in that hide? Go put on your nice leather.
Mr.: But, sweetie... it gets so hot in the mines.
Mrs.: And take your crossbow.
Mr.: But, it's so heavy. And you know the foreman loves to move me from one job to the other. I'll have to lug that thing all over the darklands.
Mrs.: Robert Q. Scalysnout! What would you do if some nasty adventurer attacked? Throw rocks? And where does that leave me and the little ones? Now, put that spear away and go get your rapier.
Mr.: My rapier?! But, the guys all carry spears! I have to carry a spear!
Mrs.: ROBERT!
Mrs.: Yes, dear...
So, your argument is: If they're not intended to be adventurer fodder, then they should arm themselves to the teeth everyday? Seems a little backwards to me...
@OP: Yes, it's overvalued. For classes with explicit damage boosters, it's not needed. They can diversify and be more interesting. Power Attack is great for classes without damage boosters like the vanilla fighter or classes that just get accuracy bonuses like rangers. On barbarians, paladins, inquisitors, and so on, it's simply overkill to the point of being boring.
I guess if the only "diversity" in the game existed during combat. The nice thing about 2H Power Attack builds is that you're done building your characters combat utility at level 1.
Pump STR to where you want it, buy a good 2H weapon, take your first feat, and... nothing else. Maybe you take Furious Focus somewhere down the line.
Everything else you do from this point forward builds "diversity" into your character. Compare that to Archers and TWF and Maneuver Master builds that have to focus on that one concept at every single level, and maybe... just maybe achieve it in the early double digits.
In my mind, Power Attack allows for diversity. Not the other way around.
I'm trying something different-y with my Paladin in Wrath of the Righteous: "Paladin as Punishment".
Background:
“Ain’t you cold?” one of the mercenaries called back.
“Freezing,” Rakeesh stated flatly. “I feel like there is ice pumping through my veins.”
“Then bring yerself over to the fire, ya fool!”
“It is of no help.” Rakeesh looked wistfully off towards the south. “I was once one of the Lords of Osirion… a descendent of Ragathiel himself… a being of glorious golden fire… a child of the princes of Heaven, Hell, and Golarion all in one…” his voice dropped nearly to a whisper. “The retribution of the Empyreal Lord is terrifying, my friends. Do not neglect your duty. Do not squander the gifts of fire and blood.”
“Oh, yeah?” the corner of the mercenary’s mouth turned up in skeptical amusement. “And what brings ya on this trek to the most godsforsaken corner of the world, yer highness?”
“The General of Vengeance has taken the fire from my heart, but has replaced it with purpose. I go now to seek that purpose, to honor the nobility of my heritage. To be worthy of my heritage.”
“Ya thinkin’ to earn yer wings, yer majesty?” the bruiser laughed.
Rakeesh shook his head. “Ragathiel does not forgive. That I live is more than a miracle. Once he turns his eyes upon you in anger…” Rakeesh shivered. “No. I seek vengeance. Demonkind are foul, unholy creatures, unwelcome upon this plane. But, it is not for them that I hold this righteous retribution. I seek vengeance upon myself. It was the gift of my blood that I squandered, and by my blood shall it be paid.”
The mercenary nudged his companion, “Suicide by demon.”
Rakeesh glanced over to where his sword lay propped against a nearby tree. “I am not without some skill in the arts of war. Nor am I a fool, to be easily undone by the guile and deceit of demons and their ilk. A man must be a fool to believe he is invulnerable anywhere, much less on the very doorstep of the Abyss. Crusaders should not expect to live to a ripe old age. But, I do not plan to surrender my life cheaply.”
“I hear’d tell the spawn of angels glow like the sun, and heal folks with their tears. You don’t look much like any angel to me.”
“If you had seen me before, you would not speak such words,” Rakeesh smiled sadly. “My eyes glowed like molten gold, and my hair was a wreath of flame. Now…” he looked upon the man with dull grey eyes and ran his hand through his limp flaxen hair. He stood and stretched himself to his full, considerable height, turning his strong, slender frame to ease the tension in his back.
“Well, at least it makes for an int’restin’ story, yer lordship!” the man guffawed. “Beggin’ yer pardon o’ course!” A few of the other mercenaries that Rakeesh was traveling with chuckled at the joke. “Still, ya can’t kill no demons if ya catch yer death afore ya get there. Come and warm yerself.”
“The fire holds no appeal for me. It is a pale candle to the inferno I hold within…”
.............
Twenty years ago... Tarna Sah Anun spun to avoid the barbed stinger that lashed down. With a leap and another twist he avoided the massive pincer that grabbed at his ankles. He brought his sword in a raking strike across the creature’s foreleg. It barely scratched the surface of his carapace. “I cannot damage it!” he cried.
Nefut Ira Tarna weaved her hands and chanted a litany of power to Ragathiel, bringing holy fire down on the back of the fiendish scorpion. Tarna dashed around the creature as it writhed in agony from the blast. With a massive swing of his sword, he sheared the end of the creature’s barbed tail. A spray of caustic black poison erupted from the wound, covering Tarna’s face. He fell to the ground retching, as the poison seeped into his wounds.
Nefut screamed in horror as the back of the scorpion’s massive claw swept Tarna away, leaving him lying broken dozens of feet from the battle. The Abyssal creature advanced on her, gouts of acidic bile still spilling from its wounded tail. Nefut drew upon her most powerful spell, channeling the divine power of the General of Vengeance directly into her frail body. Instantly her speed and power increased, rivaling that of her warrior husband’s. She charged, scooping up his sword as she attacked.
The raw divine power flowed unchecked through muscle and bone and vein. She swung the sword over and over, chipping away at the demon’s carapace. The fiend lunged at her with claw and mandible. She deflected the great pincer over her head, and drove towards the creature’s maw. As it bit down, she struck up. The sword drove through the creatures open mouth and deep into its brain, bursting forth through the iron-hard shell that had so far remained impenetrable.
Nefut crawled across the sand towards her husband. There was no bringing him back from the brink. All of the gifts of power Ragathiel had bestowed upon her were spent in the battle. The crucible of her final calling still burned white hot within her, divine energy permeating every pore… and deeper places she had not yet spoken of to her husband. “Do not despair, my love,” she whispered. She cradled his shattered head within her lap, and held it close to her stomach, close to her womb. “We are to be blessed.”
………………
One year ago... Rakeesh Sah Tarna reclined on the silken divan. The dancer was lithe and graceful, her movement pleasing, and showing the promise of greater pleasures to come. A scantily clad servant tried to fill his glass as he swayed to the fantasia being played by harp and cymbal. With a squeak she spilled the contents of the decanter across his hand, and on the sleeve of his robe. His eyes, normally the color of molten gold, turned fiery red in an instant. “Worthless, craven insect!” he shouted. “What use have I for a servant such as you?” The flaming mane of crimson that wreathed his head whipped itself into a full conflagration, and the heat pouring off of him forced the terrified girl back.
His mood soured, he stumbled drunkenly to his pagoda. Once he had cooled the inferno within, he would send for the dancer and some more wine. However, within the palatial tent he found an unexpected guest. Nefut did not frequently travel. Injuries from battle and complications in birth had left her corporeal self broken and weak, though she still carried powerful divine magic. “Mother?”
“My son. I have come to beg you once again, turn aside from this life of petty idolatries and vice. You have such gifts within you. Do not treat them with such disdain.” She stood and steadied her son, holding his face in her hands, forcing him to look her in the eye. “I granted you your youthful indiscretions. I stood aside as you pursued this life of ease and purposelessness. I stayed silent while you became a wastrel and a bully. But, I cannot stand silent any longer.”
Rakeesh shook himself free of her grasp, nearly falling in the process. “What would you have of me, mother?” he scoffed. “I’ll not throw my life away on some foolish crusade.”
“WORTHLESS, CRAVEN INSECT!” the words exploded from his mother’s throat, but they were not hers. The power behind them was so immense, Rakeesh was thrown to the floor by the very sound. “WHAT USE HAVE I FOR A SERVANT SUCH AS YOU?”
Blackness descended over him as if he had been suddenly submerged in the deepest ice-cold depths of the ocean. The last words he heard as unconsciousness took him was his mother pleading for his life…
He's not a bad person. He just really doesn't want to be in Mendev. He doesn't want to fight the demons. But, he hasn't been given a choice. We'll see how it goes...
When my fiance and I were looking for a church to hold our wedding service at, we were refused by several before we found one that would let us perform the service.
I suppose I should be in an uproar.
Umm... no. Seriously? They refused to provide me a service. There's nothing that mandates that they provide that service to me, or anyone. That's like telling the kid in your neighborhood he has to mow your lawn, just because he mowed your neighbors' lawns.
That's not how it works.
Everyone in the world gets turned down for services all the time. You get turned down for loans and credit cards. You get cut off at bars (I mean, they're really allowed to tell you that you've purchased too much of their product to continue purchasing it! Think about it.). Ever try to get a table at a really popular restaurant without a reservation? How many of you, right now, could actually join an organization that required a sponsor that was a member in good standing? or a country club? or a sports team? or a modeling agency?
Viable and effective? Clerics or Druids, I would guess.
Fun? Bards or Barbarians. Maybe Skalds for the best of both worlds!
There was a discussion on the boards once about how viable a party of four Paladins could be. I think it was in the lead up to WotR. Seems like it could work, if you expect a looooottt of evil stuff, though maybe needs some level dipping for skills.
We did have a chat but they are not honest about it...
I think you're off the mark. They almost certainly are being honest, but perhaps not as forthright and fulsome as you may want.
People play this game to be "heroes". There is a cooperative aspect to it, but each player wants to shine and wants to stand on his own. They are never going to chastise you for taking/using a spell like Saving Finale or Timely Inspiration. But, once again, just like in melee, it's an example of how you are swooping in and outshining them! At this point, they are not even allowed to stand out when they fail!
Keep in mind that all of this is not being fairly applied. It's the totality of it all that is angering them, so everything has become an offense. If you weren't outshining them in combat, they would be delighted for you to buff and saving finale and crowd control and face, etc. However, now you've breached that threshold. Any action you take is piling it on further.
Don't roll up another character. That's a major slap to your friends' faces. It's almost you conceding, "I made this guy too good for you to game with, so here's something a little more fisher price for you guys..."
Just dial it back. Maybe for several encounters. Maybe for several sessions. On your turn, double move to give someone flanking. Use a combat maneuver like trip, disarm, bull rush, or overrun. Toss out an aid another, or cast a heal spell. Don't immediately take over social situations. Don't generally take the lead in everything. Is that fair to you? No, probably not. But, in the long term, your friends will be much happier, you'll get to keep your character, you'll get to (eventually) play him the way you intended.
I'm all for an inclusive setting, but when 'inclusive' is being used to *subtract* options and make the world smaller, that's pretty much the opposite of 'inclusive,' as I understand it.
I would say the sign of healthy equanimity in the game would be the existence of one mysoginist that didn't threaten every female gamer everywhere. Lolth, in 3.5 Forgotten Realms certainly didn't make me shy away from the Drow.
I'm not sure where the equivalence is. Lolth is SUPPOSED to be evil, and most people back in the day who wished to play drow, weren't looking to be nice guys.
A female deity that actively and unashamedly despises males, and commands their oppression, measured against a male deity that has some more old-world, traditional views on family, community, and gender roles. You're right. There's not much of an equivalence.
The point was more that the viewpoint of a deity in a fantasy game shouldn't put you off of playing. And since I don't know many guys that refused to play Drow because of Lolth, it's a little silly to me that the original version of Erastil can't even be in the same sandbox as other options that you can pick from. Other options, by the way, that include three major female deities...
MannyGoblin wrote:
Okay here is a question. Is it possible to make Erastil LG but still have a 'Men hunt/work the fields while women take care of the kids/home' attitude?
That was more or less how he was originally written. It wasn't exactly "men hunt, women cook", but it was close enough.
Tacticslion wrote:
Yes it is. It's just very unpopular, and for understandable reason. If done poorly, it can be very, very dissonant and not-good, or even evil. It's a much harder line to walk, in other words.
This line of justification has never really held water for me. The bottom line is, no amount of editing is going to stop a DBAG-DM or a crass, vulgar player from making someone feel uncomfortable at the table. Sacred Calistrian Prostitutes, you say???
I'm not trying to derail this discussion with a new debate about Erastil's views. I just feel like both he and Torag had a lot more character before they were edited down.
(and anticipating that they'll sand off any sharp edges that Abadar might have)
Abadar isn't Lawful Good any more than Aroden was. They are & were both Lawful Neutral. There is less likelihood that they will feel the need to 'tone down' Abadar consequently.
And Sarenrae is Neutral Good, which is why redemption is part of her portfolio. But, apparently, is still the standard for Lawful Good.
Actually the Paladin Fall threads are a result of the details of the default paladin code(which is what most people use).
Except there is no "Default Paladin Code". The rules in the CRB are the rules for the Paladin's Code. Not the Code itself.
Torag's portfolio is Forge, Protection, and Strategy. His Paladins' Code, the original unaltered code, falls very much right into line with that. Toragdans don't leave a hammer half forged, or a war half won.
I bet someone will complain about this change, even though it was called for.
Challenge Accepted.
I actually liked the fact that all the LG deities were not squeaky clean. I guess we can just keep ironing out all of the wrinkles until they are all the same...
Nothing bland about that.
Except this isn't making them all the same.
It's making Torag actually Good.
This goes a long way towards explaining why there's a new "Paladin Fall" thread every week. Apparently there is only one correct way to Good. And anyone, whether it's a commoner or a deity, must fit all the way entirely into that box, or they're not allowed to call themselves LG!
"I will defeat them, and I will scatter their families."
To me, this reads as, "I will bring war to those who attack me. I will not stop until their capacity to make war is utterly destroyed. I will never leave an enemy stronghold intact."
If you read it as "Must Genocide...!" maybe the problem isn't the oath.
Why shouldn't there be aspects of a deity that you don't like? Why shouldn't there be aspects you downright hate? Why shouldn't two LG deities have very different views on things like warfare and community, tradition and outsiders?
I bet someone will complain about this change, even though it was called for.
Challenge Accepted.
I actually liked the fact that all the LG deities were not squeaky clean. I guess we can just keep ironing out all of the wrinkles until they are all the same...
HP 9/9 | AC 13, T 13, FF 10 | CMD 11 | F +1, R +3, W +2 | Init +8 | Perception +5
GM_Runecat wrote:
"Hold on now, what's this?"
Nicat sees a lanky, olive-skinned and dark haired man in studded leathers step out of the crowd, flanked by two more men in brightly-coloured scarves. He strokes his well-groomed goatee with a vague sense of amusement. "Now, deputy, is that really any way to treat a man?" He says as he steps forward. "Even if he is a sorry excuse for a pickpocket?"
"I would say it's a poor way to treat a man by stealing his hard earned cash," Ilya counters. "If he puts his hand where he knows it shouldn't be, it's hardly fair to cry when my friend here breaks it..."
Changing careers is more like how humans multi-classed in Ad&d. Give up old job, take on new one. I would imagine precious few people quit their career, get a new one, work it for a little while, then go right back to the first one, which is what "dipping" seems like.
So, think of it more like this:
When I train new managers to be Assistant Managers, I train them in every aspect of working in a Restaurant, cooking, prepping, cleaning, serving, etc., just like I would train staff. Then I teach them how to train others in the same jobs. Eventually, they learn how to run a restaurant.
But, if they want to go on to become GM's, they also have to learn how to run a business. That's a different discipline. But, they need it to become the Mystic Theurge that is Restaurant GM...
Dipping isn't about straying from your path. It's about adding to your path.
Paladin: "Man, I only get two skill points per level, and that's if I don't drop my INT even by one! I guess I could use my favored class bonus, but I need that extra HP..."
Sorcerer: "I hear you man. I'm not much better off, really. Guess I'm not quite as MAD as you are, though. What are you putting ranks in, anyway?"
Paladin: "I don't know. Do you want to 'face'? I guess I can skip Diplomacy if you would."
Sorcerer: "You kidding me? I'm going to have to have Spellcraft and UMD. Somewhere down the line I'm going to need to learn to Fly! I mean are we going to have downtime? You want Craft-ed items?"
Paladin: "Yeah, but there's Heal and Ride. If I'm Ride-ing I need Handle Animal. Sense Motive, of course."
Sorcerer: "Okay, okay. You take Diplomacy and I'll do Intimidate. We'll 'Good Cop - Bad Cop' it. Then you get one more skill and I'll get one more. Sucks. I guess there's no chance we'll be Knowledge-ing anything until level two. Hope there's no Religion or Arcane stuff we need to know about..."
Bard: "Guys, relax... I got this."
Seriously... why is this an issue? Who is not happy to be taking all of this off of everyone's plate so they can play what they want, rather than one more thing "the game" mandates!?!?
HP 28/34; AC 19, T 10, FF 19; CMD 17; F +8, R +3, W +5 (+1 vs. fear); Init +0
Quote:
So I guess my first question – how are people feeling about Follow the Flood Road?
I am still really enjoying this game. I wouldn't mind getting into Belkzen soon-ish. Though, I won't complain about being in Freedom Town. It's a pretty classic fantasy setting. A lot of interesting stuff could still happen there...
Regarding Pyotr in the game: I am a little annoyed with myself for how he's acting lately. What I really wanted for him, character-wise, was to be a teenager putting on a veneer of self-assured maturity. The scene in Sharpe's bedroom was a good example of what I was going for. Lately though, he's been kind of the classic stick-in-the-mud paladin. (Part of that was the presence of undead...) Going forward, I may try to show a few more chinks in the armor, so to speak.
Aside from that, he's right where I want him to be.
Quote:
It does very much seem like he’s the prime protagonist, the ‘leader of the gang’ as it were.
I think part of it is coincidental. It's interesting how weirdly perfectly my unusual work/sleep schedule synchs up with a DM who lives in Borneo... I can honestly say it doesn't happen with DM's in my time-zone.
I'll certainly continue posting, and moving the things along. But, it won't bother me at all if someone else wants to drive things forward a bit. And for the love of orcs, you guys have to start claiming some of the loot! Pyotr can't keep it all!!! =)
Quote:
Fresh Blood?
I'm not opposed to it. But, I'm not enthusiastic about it. Alagor may still return. I just added a Squire. And we should have enough money, now, to pool into a party wand or two, for healing's sake!
Quote:
DM Transparency
Hmmm... thinking on that one...
The Gameplay index has been invaluable, not to mention the Dramatis Personae! A plot compendium will be quite an undertaking, but incredibly useful.
I'm looking forward to what the next 1000 posts bring!
HP 28/34; AC 19, T 10, FF 19; CMD 17; F +8, R +3, W +5 (+1 vs. fear); Init +0
DM Tadpole wrote:
Pyotr wrote:
"What is the state of things here?"
Pellius wrote:
"How's Dierik? Any trouble from the Sharpes?"
Dierik’s state remains much as it was,” explains Santrian as he leads the adventurers to their paymaster’s tent. “No worse yet no better.”
“Skaraben Sharpe was here, in the company of Marshall Oswald. He took back his ring, and Pellius’ promise of Khozin in chains. I see he is not among you. What befell the thieving half-elf?”
"Khozin has fled." Pyotr looks east.
"If Skaraben has the Marshall's support, then we should prepare for an icy reception in town from this point forward."
Congratulations to everyone on reaching Gameplay post #2000!!!
DM Says: *Random NPC* is coming down the hall as you approach the throne room.
DM Means: GRRRAAR! This guy is so incredibly crucial to the story! How have you not introduced yourselves yet?!?! You have to talk to him this time! You have to! I can't cold approach you! It would give away too much! He's critical, but you can't know he's critical until the critical moment! You, Bard, wave and say hello, or so-help-me I'll poison your next wineglass. Barbarian, make a rude gesture or something. At least threaten him, or block the hallway. No! You don't need a perception check! What the hell...? Sense Motive? You desperately want to get to know this guy. But, I can't just say that. A wave? A nod? Come on! Throw me a bone, here! You made three diplomacy checks with aid anothers on the stupid kennel keeper, and he's nobody! NOOO! Don't enter the throne room without... GAH! Ok, deep breath. I'll just bring him back in, because he forgot his cloak or something. They can't possibly be so dense as to ignore him twice in one session... can they?
HP 9/9 | AC 13, T 13, FF 10 | CMD 11 | F +1, R +3, W +2 | Init +8 | Perception +5
Nicat Brightluck wrote:
"Not to worry, Eostre," says Nicat, oblivious to the many theatre-goers turning to stare at him and hush him into silence as they anticipate the lifting of the curtain, "it's only when you're trying to talk to Ilya that you're really, really entertaining. You remind me of those two guys in the story, the tall one and the fat one, who confuse each other talking about a roll-ball player named First, but who also goes first...or maybe his team's in first? Anyway, that's what you remind me of."
Ilya allows himself to become distracted by all the glitz around him. The patrons in their glittering outfits, and the theatre lit by candelabra. Nicat's words call back his attention, though.
Who? What...? I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't know that story...
Role playing good inter-party conflict requires a natural "Foil" for your character. An Anti-paladin is not the foil of a Paladin.
A Paladin's natural foil is a chaotic good thief that constantly breaks the law to accomplish good things, or an ironclad LE Hellknight that refuses to see mercy as a benefit to society.
A true "Nemisis" needs to be able to utter the phrase, "We're not so different, you and I..." Otherwise you are just creating meaningless conflict...
A LG Paladin of Abadar and a LE Inquisitor of Abadar would be good.
A LG Paladin of Shelyn and a CG Bard of Shelyn would be good.
HP 28/34; AC 19, T 10, FF 19; CMD 17; F +8, R +3, W +5 (+1 vs. fear); Init +0
DM Tadpole wrote:
Not wanting to contradict the Bellknight himself...
By all means, contradict away! I am by no means an authority on the setting. I try to read as much as possible, of course. I actually played through CoT, but I don't own it. I understand the deity write-ups have been reproduced (and cleaned up) in Inner Sea Gods, but I don't own that either.
I don't think it bends the story too much for Pyotr to place the sword in the knight's grasp as he lies dying. Hopefully, it still appears as a noble gesture... =)
HP 28/34; AC 19, T 10, FF 19; CMD 17; F +8, R +3, W +5 (+1 vs. fear); Init +0
DM Tadpole wrote:
... superbadass arthritis (with complications)...
I don't know why, but this made me laugh...
DM Tadpole wrote:
“That young rascal,” he remarks “So he’s finally returned to Lastwall. No doubt you’ve heard there was a woman involved when it came to Dierik and Haisnar, though I’ve always believed there was more to it than that."
"So it always seemed," Pyotr nods. "I have never pried into Ironcoffer's personal business. Rosenholt's hatred for me was always so straightforward and superficial. But, he hardly noticed me once Dierik was in his sights. That alone says much."
DM Tadpole wrote:
“So the poison is no doubt that of the black twincap, hence the delving into Arith-Zind’s lair. One assumes you were successful, and if not, at least the poison is slow to conquer its quarry – there’s still time.”
Pyotr eyes the senior knight with raised eyebrows. "A remarkable conclusion. It was not an easy task to learn about this rare poison and its curative. Nor to secure a guide that could lead us to it. A pity we did not find you first."
DM Tadpole wrote:
"Come, gather your supplies and your horses and join our camp. This close to the Hungry Mountains, the more company we keep the safer we’ll be.”
"It would be my honor to join you, if my allies are willing, and if Leodograine can endure our presence." Pyotr smiles uncertainly at the young girl. "I would be happy to hear about your patrols, and the trials of squiring for such an accomplished knight."
I think there's a certain amount of knee-jerk reaction on the part of people who happen to be male, cisgendered and heterosexual - none of which are wrong or bad in the least - that their actual gender and orientation is being attacked. There is nothing any more wrong with liking to look at sexy women than liking to look at sexy men. Having adult sexuality should never be a punishable offense.
But, it's still a pie issue. If you can't serve pie to Team A and Team B equally, it's probably better to dial back on the pie service because it's going to cause (obviously) some resentment between the teams. The issue just gets worse because Team A's pie basically IS Team B, and that is another can of worms all by itself when people who want to be players are told that they are actually going to be served to the real players on the other team as decorative dessert, that is their expected function.
Is there some anger and resentment being generated at guys who want to look at boobs? Absolutely yes, but not for the reasons most people would automatically assume. We just want the disparity in who gets served pie to be a LITTLE less blatant and unwelcoming. That could mean both teams being served the same amount of pie, or it could mean pie service being dialed back to the point that it doesn't come at the expense of the rest of what's supposed to be on the menu, which is a cost that is always going to be paid by both teams regardless of who is enjoying the pie.
The Pie analogy is absurd. Please just drop it.
Because otherwise, what does "equality" look like?
AP's are written for four PC's. If 50% of the player base were made of people attracted to women, and the other 50% were people attracted to men, (ignoring the potentiality of people playing opposited gendered characters) then 2 male and 2 female romance options would be perfectly valid.
But, what if it's 75% to 25%? Would 3 to 1 be valid? With reasonable expectation that GM's modify to suit their particular group?
Because, as a restauranteur myself, that is exactly how it would be served...
Zon-kuthon was less a fanservice example and more a "someone requested a figure who was wearing just enough clothing to cover his sexy bits and carried weird sexual overtones".
Frankly, I don't think he's any more or less scary than a lot of these examples of supposedly sexualized women that are really just horrific freak shows who don't happen to be wearing layers of clothing.
I'll second this. If we're counting the horror show that is Urgathoa, because... once again, boobs... then Zon Kuthon counts.
Except this thread was not an argument about sexism. It was a claim of disparity.
However, every arguement contrary to that point is met with claims that all of us terrible, world dominating, straight guys have no understanding or authority to make any claims of anything AND somehow we are still manipulating the executive decisions of Paizo with our boob-lust and penis-dollars.
You really can't see how that came off as you saying that fanservice only exists in the context of art that appeals to men?
You really can't see how that was a response to his example, which used a female artist, a female character and a female audience?
Ssalarn wrote:
The conversation the OP started is one about sexual inequality. They imply several times that females are more sexually exploited in the art more than males, but that it wouldn't be an issue if the exploitation was equal.
I've responded and discussed the fact that the male iconics are far more hyper-sexualized than the females. The OP requested a male deity who needed a floating bit of material to disguise...
So you, presumably a straight male, are more well-versed, aware, and are a more trustworthy authority to determine whether male characters are hypersexualised than women and non-straight men?
Because that's what you're arguing here. You're arguing that you are more informed on a matter that does not relate to you or your sexuality than the people who are actually well-versed on the subject.
As opposed to all the others saying everything with boobs is male sexual fantasy???
I'm sorry... but if Seltyiel and Sajan are out, then so are Seoni and Merisiel. They are not attractive. They have breasts. Of course, they are female, so it would be weird if they didn't. But, leather needs to breath and casters' robes need to allow free movement. So, in that context...
I love that subtlety, pose, expression, background, and even personality all play a role in masculine sexuality.
Apparently, all of us straight guys are sitting here slobbering, scratching our crotches, and shouting, "I like boobies!"
