D&D and Pathfinder 1/2 combat rules are abstractions of combat. AC, hp, and the combat round with alternating initiative are all unrealistic.
I do not play the game because it is realistic but because it is fun, and in my experience, while AoO is an interesting mechanic it slows down the game unnecesarily. Most experienced players know how to avoid AoO with 5’ steps and cover. I for one do not have the patience or inclination to watch players that are not as experienced as I am sit at the table, loudly counting squares, doing and redoing their movement - that is simply not something that I find funny and it is an aspect of combat best left out of the abstract equation.
In addition I want to move away from the grid, that makes the game rather game-boardy, and AoO simply becomes to difficult to adjudicate in a gridless game, if you are not forcing everyone to move a single inch at a time.
My conclussion: AoO are a fun rule, that detracts from the fun of the game.
I support the idea of doing away with AoO for a couple of reasons.
Firstly it complicates the game.
Second, I am a long term martial artist and I think the AoO rules are supposed to be realistic. Realism in Pathfinder or D&D, really? I would say if somebody wanders past then something like an AoO would take place, but you are just as likely to AoO allies as foes and people who are moved or tripped into going past are also going to suffer AoO.
Exactly!
After removing AoO play has sped up a lot. No need to sit and spend time figuring out how to get from A to B without getting hit. As an experienced player I will rarely not be able to find a path, but I don’t think it adds a lot of quality to the game.
And even allowing reload, ranged attacks and spells to not provokere AoO does not fundamentally change game balance. Believe it or not… but once, there were no AoO
I might be interested in your project, but I am very much not interested in sitting through videos. If you want me to check out your game, provide feedback, maybe eventually buy it etc, give me something I can read.
I doubt I am alone in that respect.
I am currently done with ability scores, races, classes (mostly), skills, feats, Fate!, armor and weapons, as well as combat end the magic system.
When I am done with spells (hard at work), I will have something I am ready to share. I expect in a couple of weeks.
As mentioned earlier, if you are interested, I can send something in writing, if you write me directly. I will need an email to send you a pdf. :)
I have not heard anything concrete about Core Finder, but suspect that it may have some areas, where it can fuse well with Avern Fantasy, but others, where you will have to make a choice of paradigme. For instance, Avern simplifies action economy with three categories double-actions, single-actions and free-actions, does away with both attacks of opportunity and gridded combat, and introduces a magic system, where spell power is determined by caster power checks.
This far I have only been able to make playtests with one group, but the system holds up pretty well and is bringing a lot of fun challenges to the table :)
Interesting, with first edition no longer being supported the idea of homebrew versions of pathfinder being created could be quite interesting? I just hope that i wont lose too many options in this unofficial remaster because I really hope it will succeed but there is a limit to how much options I'm willing to lose, after all the whole point of first edition is the massive number of options.
What I am making is mostly thought to be selfcontained. With that said, the Avern Fantasy RPG has is built around the framework of D&D3.5/Pathfinder. While Avern seeks to do away with the huge backlog of archetypes, feats are thought to make up the core of the customizability in the system. Still, you will be able to mix and match very easily. incorporating Pathfinder 1e monsters, adventures, feats, spells, treasure etc. will require none to minimum work.
The greatest changes are probably with regard to ability scores, the combat system (and turn economy), and the magic system.
I checked out the videos and I really dig what you're working on, but like glass above I'd like to be able to read over what you have, as well. And thanks for taking on a project like this!
As i said to glass, write me directly, and I will be able to send you a pdf. in a couple of weeks. :)
I might be interested in your project, but I am very much not interested in sitting through videos. If you want me to check out your game, provide feedback, maybe eventually buy it etc, give me something I can read.
I doubt I am alone in that respect.
I am currently done with ability scores, races, classes (mostly), skills, feats, Fate!, armor and weapons, as well as combat end the magic system.
When I am done with spells (hard at work), I will have something I am ready to share. I expect in a couple of weeks.
As mentioned earlier, if you are interested, I can send something in writing, if you write me directly. I will need an email to send you a pdf. :)
In 2019 I was kind of lost at Paizo making the PF2 game and leaving the legacy behind. I stuck with the original Pathfinder until I came to a realization around a year ago; that if I wanted support and something new and fresh in my Pathfinder game, that I would have to be the one doing it.
I AM MAKING A PATHFINDER 1e REMASTERED!
I call the new game Avern Fantasy RPG and am taking what I find to be the best parts of Pathfinder and trim it down to make it a more smooth game. In addition, I am throwing in some new rules that I find enhance the game and add elements of early D&D/AD&D editions that give the game what to me is a better classic flavor.
Combat is more deadly and realistic, and the classes are moving away from boardgamy combat towards a more flexible game. The grid has been eliminated making for a more organic tactical combat experience.
I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF YOU GUYS FROM THE PF1 COMMUNITY.
I have made a series of YouTube videos about the design philosophy, ability scores, races and base classes, and this week (Thursday) I am coming out with the last video about the specialist classes (druid, monk, paladin and ranger). Next week I am planning to make videos with solo play and procedural explanations of the combat system.
I HOPE YOU WILL CHECK OUT MY VIDEOS & GIVE ME FEEDBACK ON AVERN FANTASY RPG.
If any of you want to participate in an actual organized playtest, please write me a direct message here, and I will get back to you.
In 2019 I was kind of lost at Paizo making the PF2 game and leaving the legacy behind. I stuck with the original Pathfinder until I came to a realization around a year ago; that if I wanted support and something new and fresh in my Pathfinder game, that I would have to be the one doing it.
I AM MAKING A PATHFINDER 1e REMASTERED!
I call the new game Avern Fantasy RPG and am taking what I find to be the best parts of Pathfinder and trim it down to make it a more smooth game. In addition, I am throwing in some new rules that I find enhance the game and add elements of early D&D/AD&D editions that give the game what to me is a better classic flavor.
Combat is more deadly and realistic, and the classes are moving away from boardgamy combat towards a more flexible game. The grid has been eliminated making for a more organic tactical combat experience.
I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF YOU GUYS FROM THE PF1 COMMUNITY.
I have made a series of YouTube videos about the design philosophy, ability scores, races and base classes, and this week (Thursday) I am coming out with the last video about the specialist classes (druid, monk, paladin and ranger). Next week I am planning to make videos with solo play and procedural explanations of the combat system.
I HOPE YOU WILL CHECK OUT MY VIDEOS & GIVE ME FEEDBACK ON AVERN FANTASY RPG.
If any of you want to participate in an actual organized playtest, please write me a direct message here, and I will get back to you.
If you are playing a bard with perform comedy you should check this YouTube channel out. It is full of RPG fantasy dad joke that will make any GM cringe!
1: This has not been relevant in our game yet. From a strict RAW perspective this question cannot be answered, since there is no clear definition of the word "ally/allies".
I would tend to rule for "no", since an ally (or enemy) must have some sort of will of its own, which a corpse does not have.
2: Poison (aswell as curses and diseases) are not conditions. blahpers rightly points out that they might cause a target to be affected by conditions, but in themselves they are not conditions.
I would not classify "poisoned" as a condition by neither RAI nor RAW. Just as a grappler and a rogues sneak attack are not conditions, even though they both may impose the "grappled" or "bleeding" conditions.
Thank you Mike for the kind words, and for coming to Denmark. It has been a pleaure having you here and I know for a fact that your pressence has meant a lot to Danish players.
It is with a heavy heart that I must announce that I will step down as Venture-Captain for Denmark by the end of July (after PaizoConUK).
I have had a lot of memorable moments with the PFS and wish to thank Paizo, my fellow Venture-Captains and Venture-Lieutenants, as well as all the people I have encountered and played with the last few years. It has been a lot of fun!
I especially wish to thank Mike, Mark, Hyrum and Joshua for creating and growing this awesome campaign.
For the time being Denmark will still have an active Venture-Officer, namely Jacob Trier, who can be contacted on pathfinder.jylland@live.dk
Viking Lodge Game Days will be held in Copenhagen. We have a venue planned in Nørrebro (north district of Copenhagen), which is not official yet.
In 2010 it was at the community center Støberiet and 2011 at the music venue Stengade. Both in inner Nørrebro.
This year we also want it to be in the heart of the city 1) to make transportation easy for all 2) to ensure a great ambiance 3) to give opportunity to all participants to have a good time after gaming, without too much fuzz.
While Nørrebro might have a perceived bad criminal reputation this is very exaggerated and newcomers will experience a lively and friendly neighborhood.
I'm curious about what language you use at the table. I have no idea if the Pathfinder books have been translated into Danish, but I have a strong suspicion that the PFS scenarios are not. When you run games in Denmark, are the players all English speaking, or do you translate things on the fly?
If you do game in English, does the language barrier hinder your attempts to find players at all? If not, what challenges do you face trying to translate things yourself?
Language has never been an issue. Most Danes speak English rather well. No Pathfinder products have to date been translated to Danish and I suspect if such an effort was made, it would only make sense with regard to the Beginner Box.
We generally run games in Danish. Often we choose to read flavor texts aloud in English but more often than not we translate them on the fly or just paraphrase them. Of course GMs should always make notes about key information.
Twice I have had requests for games to be run in English to accommodate a non-Danish speaker. The Danish players where OK with this and the games ran smoothly.
English speakers in Denmark are hereby encouraged to reach out to Danish gamers. We can and will play with you regardless of language :)
With RAW I have put together a gunslinger who can fire a colossal gun for 272 hp dmg/shot. "One shot one kill!".
The UC rules for inappropriately sized firearms allows the use of firearms of any size at a cumulative -2 penalty, but with no change to effort.
I am convinced that this cannot be intentional on part of the designers, but I would like to know what the intention of this rules exception is, and possible have an FAQ.
Right now this looks to me like a loop hole the size of The London Eye! Everyone reading this please press for FAQ.
My Math:
The Core Rulebook has the following to say about weapon size:
PRPG p. 144 wrote:
Inappropriately Sized Weapons: A creature can’t make
optimum
use of a weapon that isn’t properly sized for it. A
cumulative –2 penalty applies on attack rolls for each size
category of difference between the size of its intended wielder
and the size of its actual wielder. If the creature isn’t proficient
with the weapon, a –4 nonproficiency penalty
also applies.
The measure of how much effort it takes to use a weapon
(whether the weapon is designated as a light, one-handed,
or two-handed weapon for a particular wielder) is altered
by one step for each size category of difference between
the wielder’s size and the size of the creature for which the
weapon was designed. For example, a Small creature would
wield a Medium one-handed weapon as a two-handed
weapon. If a weapon’s designation would be changed to
something other than light, one-handed, or two-handed by
this alteration, the creature can’t wield the weapon at all.
Whereas Ultimate Combat says this:
UC p. 136 wrote:
Inappropriately Sized Firearms: You cannot make
optimum use of a firearm that is not properly sized for
you. A cumulative –2 penalty applies on attack rolls for
each size category of difference between your size and
the size of the firearm. If you are not proficient with the
firearm, a –4 nonproficiency penalty also applies. The
size of a firearm never affects how many hands you need
to use to shoot it, the exception being siege firearms and
Large or larger creatures. In most cases, a Large or larger
creature can use a siege firearm as a two-handed firearm,
but the creature takes a –4 penalty for using it this way
because of its awkwardness.
This means a medium character could fire and load larger than medium firearms with no increase in effort.
In the extreme consequence that could be a colossal musket or worse a double hackbut at a -8 penealty. While -8 would normaly be a huge penalty for a firearm it is not so mutch, since it is often a ranged touch attack.
A semi-optimized 12th level dwarven gunslinger has Dexterity 22 (+6), BAB +12/+7/+2, Weapon Focus +1, Point-blank Shot +1, enhancement bonus +3, -8 inappropriate size, which sums up to +15/+10/+5 (with a double-barreled musket that is +11/+11/+6/+1). Considering that these are touch attacks they are not at all bad. On the damage side this character would be dealing 12d6+12 (avg. 54 hp/ shot).
With improved vital strike that is 36d6+12 (avg. 138 hp).
If we factor Deadly Aim, and a double-barreled musket into this we are looking at a +7 ranged touch attack for 72d6+20 (avg. 272 hp).
A semi-optimized 12th level human musket master gunslinger has Dexterity 24 (+7), BAB +12/+7/+2, Weapon Focus +1, Point-blank Shot +1, enhancement bonus +3, Rapid Shot -2, Deadly Aim -4, double barreled musket -4 which sums up to +13/+13/+13/+8/+3; for 1d12+20 (avg. 27 hp) which for 5 hits adds up to 135 hp / round.
I am sure someone can find minor errors in these calculations, as I am sure others would be able to squeeze even more damage out of this loop hole, but that is besides the point.
Yes. You can write your character up on a paper napkin if you must. There are no real requiremnets on format. But the guide to PFSOP has a charactersheet on the last page for your convenience.
However, I am confident your GM will appreciate a clean and easily readable charactersheet.
PaizoCon UK 2012 will run from 21-22 July with a pre-event Balti Night on Friday 20 July. So get those dates in your diary. Once again we will limit numbers for the comfort and sanity of players and GMs and we expect to sell out. Watch out for further announcements in the New Year.
GMs have a lot of influence on how every one experiences the game. An incompetent GM or one with poor social skills can ruin the game for everybody. I remember to have had this happen to me (as a player) once. It was not something I would care to experince again, that is for sure.
What I have tried far more than once, both as GM and player, is to have the game ruined by players. "Jerk players" by far outnumber "jerk GMs" and they have every bit as much ability to ruin the game as any GM. Even if the jerk player is kicked out of the game, the rest of the table can be left with a lingering discomfort by the antics/anti-social behaviour of a bad player.
So while bad GMing is a genuine concern it would be of far greater use to discuss what every player around the table can do to improve the gaming experience for ALL. Call it table rules or common courtesy, by supporting your fellow players and GM rather than antagonizing them we all can make RPGs an awesome experience.
related
From this I would extrapolate, that no sort of customizing is legal within PFS.
My understanding is that you cannot by or upgrade to anything not explicitly legalized in the core rules, additional ressources document, or a chronicle sheet.
Special items such as armor and weapons can therefore not be modified.
So many questions:
Sleeping characters do add +10 to the DC and every 10' of distance increase the DC by +1 (regardless of line of sight).
I would start roling Perception checks as soon as the DC is within reach of the character.
Speaking fighting etc. will trigger checks at much lower DCs (see table).
As for rousing I use the rules from Arcana Unearthed. According to them, a person that has just awakened from a successfull perception check must make a Concentration skill check (for PRPG i use Will save) DC 15. If the roll is successful the character can act normally next round. If it fails it is considered stunned next round.
But there are no set rules for this, so you can handle it however you want. If you think AU's approach is too harsh, the RAW assumes Perception checks are reactive, standing up from prone is a move action(that provokes AoO) and picking up a single item is also a move action (which also provokes an AoO), so there are plenty of RAW circumstances that will delay the characters ability to act effectively.
DSo many questions:
Sleeping characters do add +10 to the DC and every 10' of distance increase the DC by +1 (regardless of line of sight).
I would start roling Perception checks as soon as the DC is within reach of the character.
Speaking fighting etc. will trigger checks at much lower DCs (see table).
As for rousing I use the rules from Arcana Unearthed. According to them, a person that has just awakened from a successfull perception check must make a Concentration skill check (for PRPG i use Will save) DC 15. If the roll is successful the character can act normally next round. If it fails it is considered stunned next round.
But there are no set rules for this, so you can handle it however you want. If you think AU's approach is too harsh, the RAW assumes Perception checks are reactive, standing up from prone is a move action(that provokes AoO) and picking up a single item is also a move action (which also provokes an AoO), so there are plenty of RAW circumstances that will delay the characters ability to act effectively.
EDIT:
Scent does not automatically allow a sleeping creature to detect someone approaching within 30'.
Bestiary p. 304 wrote:
The creature can detect opponents within 30 feet by
sense of smell.
So can most creatures with sight, but that cannot be taken for granted while asleep. I would require a normal Perception check, unless the character/creature trying to sneak by has a particularly noisome stench.
As for the sleep hex, I assume it works like the sleep spell.
PRPG p.344 wrote:
Sleeping creatures are helpless. Slapping
or wounding awakens an affected creature, but normal noise does
not.
It normaly takes outside interference to wake a magically sleeping creature. Perception alone willnot allow the character to wake up.
.... Maybe have the baddies being led by Akiros who surrenders as soon as enough men fall and provides some insider info on the Stag Lord.
If you go by this suggestion I think it will work out better if Akiros turns on the bandits early in the fight and makes an obvious move to ally with the PCs.
... does a Full Attack Action encompass multiple attack actions OR is it something completely different.
The answer is, no.
This is why:
PRPG p. 180 wrote:
Provoking an Attack of Opportunity: Two kinds of
actions can provoke attacks of opportunity: moving out
of a threatened square and performing certain actions
within a threatened square.
Moving: Moving out of a threatened square usually
provokes attacks of opportunity from threatening
opponents. There are two common methods of avoiding
such an attack—the 5-foot step and the withdraw action.
Performing a Distracting Act: Some actions, when performed
in a threatened square, provoke attacks of opportunity as
you divert your attention from the battle. Table 8–2 notes
many of the actions that provoke attacks of opportunity.
Remember that even actions that normally provoke
attacks of opportunity may have exceptions to this rule.
Basically what this is telling us is that AoOs are provoked by individual actions actions.
PRPG p. 180 wrote:
Combat Ref lexes and Additional Attacks of Opportunity:
If you have the Combat Reflexes feat, you can add your
Dexterity modifier to the number of attacks of opportunity
you can make in a round. This feat does not let you make
more than one attack for a given opportunity,
but if the
same opponent provokes two attacks of opportunity
from
you, you could make two separate
attacks of opportunity
(since each one represents a different
opportunity).
Moving out of more than one square threatened by the
same opponent in the same round doesn’t count as more
than one opportunity for that opponent. All these attacks
are at your full normal attack bonus.
What this tells us is that a single action can only provoke one AoO. I.e. moving through three threatened squares with a single action only provokes one AoO; Likewise only one ranged attack in a full-attack action provokes an AoO.
The system plays out like this:
- Making 3 ranged attacks with a bow in a threatened square with a full-attack action; provokes 1 AoO.
- Running through an ogre's 6 threatened squares with a single move action; provokes 1 AoO.
- Running through an ogre's 6 threatened squares with a two move action; provokes 2 AoO.
- Moving out of a threated square and into another threatened square with a move action, then casting an acid arrow spell without defensive casting, and then fireing the acid arrow at an opponent; provokes 3 AoO.
Off the top of my head I cannot figure out a way to provoke more than 3 AoOs from a single opponent. (Bear in mind that Combat Reflexes is ussually necesary in order to make more than one AoO)
EDIT: Until now I was also of the mind that an archer making a full-attack would provoke an AoO for each shot made, but after reading it through again and considering the text I think that this is one more subtle change in Pathfinder.
I ended up doing the Kaer Maga connection as an extended side trek. Here is what happened.
spoiler:
After AP3 The Hook Mountain Massacre was over the party had a lot of down time. They spent the winter crafting and had getting Ft. Rannick and Turtleback Ferry back on their feet. The party's cleric actually has the Leadership feat and was appointed master of the fort. He therefore set out to consolidate his positionby making trade agreements with Ilsurian and visited both Magnimar and Korvosa to make sure he would not get in the way of either city.
At this point the party has Wen Histani visit them at Ft. Rannick. The party knows her from AP2 where she was their advocate in their trial for the murder of the Foxgloves. So they kind of owed her one. She told the party the situation as per SSoS and they were off to Kaer Maga.
In Kaer Maga I spent some time describing the city for the players and tried to create an ambient like the one in the Pathfinder Journal in AP3. After 3 days of scouring Kaer Maga in search of Tirana they find the dwarven merchant who tells them where Tirana is holed up.
When they reach the Halls of the Council of Truth they are ambushed by the Splitstreet gangs leader and a couple of his thugs. When they defeat the leader the party unleashes the Granule construct swarm which ends up infesting the party's rogue. The rogue passes out in spasm but after a minute wakes up and seems fairly OK all things considered. It is obvious to all that the swarm is inside of her, but aside from that all seems ok.
I describe the general ide behind the Halls and the many devices and traps there, without going into further detail.
When the party reaches the laboratory of Dr. Parault and his holding cells I make a big deal about describing the scene as a very morbid one. On the operation table the party discovers an inanimate flesh golem. They also find the Dr's journal which describes his work and a leter from the Wanton of Nature's Pagan Forms (Xanesha), thanking him for the Scarecrow and telling that if he can produce more of these "children" her master would be very pleased.
The party goes on to the lava chamber and are faced by Dr. Parault (who has been seduced by Tirana), the Swordpriest (which has been freed by Tirana) and Gruenar (whom Tirana has forgiven and charmed). Gruenar is now armed with a giant sized dorn-dergar (from Dwarves of Golarion).
The party has a masive fight here which ends with Gruenar dead, the Swordpriest defeated (but escapes in gaseous form) and Parault dimension dooring to safety when all seems lost. However, the party has lost one of its two arcane spell casters at this point.
In a last ditch effert to stop Tirana before it is too late the party goes on to find her at her rune circle attempting to awaken the Seven Swords of Sin. In stead of a force barrier the party's way is blocked by none other than Viorian who has come in search of the blade Chellan.
At this point Viorian is only a 16th lvl fighter, armed with a +3 scimitar, has no champion abilities and her inherent bonuses are only +2. None the less Viorian has been endowed with some 24hour protective spells for this jaunt outside Xin-Shalast. Mind-blank and a major ring osf spell storing with a silent word of recall and invisibility purge.
Viorian's role in this encounter is to foreshadow events to come and to keep the party occupied until Chellan is awakened (5 rounds). Should the party deal 110hp dmg to Viorian she would activate the silent word of recall and leave for Xin-Shalast without Chellan... an important victory if the party could puul it off.
As it went down Tirana awakened Chellan in round 5 and Viorian immediately departs with it leaving Tirana to fend for herself. Tirana (in this version a 13th lvl wizard) is defeated by the party.
At this point the party travels back to Magnimar with the six remaining Swords of Sin.
My group and I have almost finished HMM and I just realized thei will make exactly 9th level by the end. That leaves them an entire level behind the start level of FST.
To make up for this I am weavin the module The Seven Swords of Sin in between PF3 and PF4.
I think the Thassilonian theme and the exploration of Kaer Maga make a good addition to RotRL.
At this point I have the material in the module itself and the Pathfinder Journal entry from PF3 to flesh out Kaer Maga. I am interested in fleshing the city out and making the dungeon fit in seemlesly with the PF AP.
I would love suggestions on how to incorporate the module into the AP. Suggestions to additional encounters and reference to further Kaer Maga material.
I will look forward to your replies and to discussiong your suggestions.
Isn't Jaagrath Kreeg described as taking pleasure in biting faces off in a grapple? I read that barbarian raging bite attack description and immediately thought they put that in the rulebook just for him.
Otherwise, thanks for saving me some work!!
That is a very good point.
Roused anger should probably be changed for animalistic fury in stead.
I don't intend to offend, but this is the lamest discussion (or close to) that I have seen this far.
I found it to be an entertaining read. Of course everyone knows that a wizard can have more than spellbook. They could have since the 70s. Only DM_Blakes' apparently mentally handicapped DM thinks otherwise. And strange as it be, there is nothing in the corebook suggesting you could have more than 1. On the other hand, there's nothing indicating you can't either except circumstantial evidence which you could also interpret for the other side.
Page 218 tips the favor in multiple spellbooks ;-)
However, every player knew that already... except for that DM.
I guess I am lacking of patience. :)
I often get frustrated when, to me, absurd rules interpretation are given credence.
Blake, just to talk to you about the using prepared spells from another person's spell book to scribe a replacement.
I think the obvious inference is;
Was the spell in the spell book you lost? If yes, then you can prepare it and cast it. When it checks to see if you can prepare a spell in your spell book, it isn't checking to see if it is lost or not, merely that you copied it into your book. If you did, you can prepared the spell from the borrowed spell book.
When seen in that light, its not contradictory at all.
As for the talk of no phrase the expressly prohibits you from having multiple spell books....
BOOYAH!
Pathfinder Core Rulebook Page 218 wrote:
Preparation environment: ...Wizards must also have access to their spell books to study from and sufficient light to read them. There is on major exception: a wizard can prepare read magic even without a spellbook.
What do I win?
Thanks!
You are The Man.
I don't intend to offend, but this is the lamest discussion (or close to) that I have seen this far.
I take it that game designers think people are just into the game and have been so always.
In 2e there where both 100 p. spellbooks and 50 p. traveling spellbooks for this same purpose.
Also for those familiar with Dragonlance, Raistlin had an assortment of spellbooks.
It is always good to know your rules, but please keep to common sense, and try reading the whole book before you try to rip its logic appart.
• Lay on Hands: 7 uses = ½ Paladin Level 5 + Cha +5 / 2d6+4+8 hp healing per use = d6 hp per two Paladin levels, +2 hp per die rolled from Fey Foundling feat, +8 hp per healing effect from Planar Infusion feat
• Hospitaler Channel Energy: 8 uses = 3 + Cha +5 from Hospitaler archetype / d6 (channel positive energy as a cleric equal to paladin level –3)
• Ki Pool: 6 = ½ Ninja Level + Cha +5
• Smite Evil: 1 = 1 Hospitaler Paladin Level one + 1 every six levels
Bluff +12 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +5, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Diplomacy +21 (Rank 8, Class +3, Cha +5, Persuasive +2, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Disguise +12 (Rank +1, Class +3, Cha +5, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Intimidate +21 (Rank 8, Class +3, Cha +5, Persuasive +2, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Arcana +9 (Rank 1, Cha +5 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Dungeoneering +9 (Rank 1, Cha +5 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Local +12 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +5 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Nature +9 (Rank 1, Cha +5 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Planes +18 (Rank 7, Class +3, Cha +5 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge Religion +12 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +5 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation)
Spellcraft +5 (Rank 1, Class +3, Int +1)
Swim +3 (Rank 1, Class +3, Str +3, ACP -4)
Use Magic Device +19 (Rank 8, Class +3, Cha +5, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Five levels x 3 Skill Points ( 2 Paladin + 1 Int) = 15 Two levels x 9 Skill Points ( 8 Ninja + 1 Int) = 18 One level x 5 Skill Points ( 4 Oracle + 1 Int) = 5 Rebellion rank 2/7 bonus = 2
TOTAL: 40 Skill Points
–– BACKGROUND SKILLS ––
Craft Alchemy +5 (Rank 1, Class +3, Int +1)
Knowledge: History +12 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +5 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge: Nobility +12 (Rank 1, Class +3, Cha +5 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge: Geography +9 (Rank 1, Cha +5 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Knowledge: Engineering +10 (Rank 2, Cha +5 ‘Lore Keeper’ revelation, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Handle Animal +12 (Rank +1, Class +3, Cha +5, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
Linguistics +12 (Rank 8, Class +3, Int +1)
Perform: Sing +12 (Rank +1, Class +3, Cha +5, Circlet of Persuasion +3)
16 skill points => Eight levels with 2 Background Skill Points per level
Circlet of persuasion; Lucky horseshoe; Minor bag of holding; Meditation crystal channel focus; Cold Iron Morningstar; MW Cold Iron Greatsword; Alchemical Silver Dagger; Bardiche; Backpack; Weapon cord; Tea of Transference x 24; Scroll of Shield, Scroll of Remove Sickness, Scroll of Summon Monster 1, Scroll of Remove Fear, Scroll of Protection from Evil, Scroll of Obscuring Mist, Scroll of Mindlink, Scroll of Identify, Scroll of Expeditious Retreat, Scroll of Endure Elements, Scroll of Detect Undead, Scroll of Detect Evil, Scroll of Comprehend Languages; Cold Iron Spiked Gauntlet; Chain mail +1 - Soothsayer’s Raiment (Lore, Focused Trance); Smelling Salts; Rope; Crowbar; 2 x Wooden Holy Symbol of Irori
Lvl 1: 13 Hit Points = 10 Paladin, Con +2, +1 Fav. Class Lvl 2: 7 Hit Points = 5 Oracle, Con +2 Lvl 3: 9 Hit Points = 6 Paladin, Con +2, +1 Fav. Class Lvl 4 & 5: 7 Hit Points = 5 Ninja, Con +2 Lvl 6 to 8: 9 Hit Points = 6 Paladin, Con +2, +1 Fav. Class
• Lvl 1: FEY FOUNDLING: Prerequisites: You may only select this feat at 1st level. Benefit: Whenever you receive magical healing, you heal an additional 2 points per die rolled. You gain a +2 bonus on all saving throws against death effects. Unfortunately, you also suffer +1 point of damage from cold iron weapons (although you can wield cold iron weapons without significant discomfort).
• Lvl 3: POWER ATTACK: Prerequisites: Str 13, base attack bonus +1. Benefit: You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all melee damage rolls. This bonus to damage is increased by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a two-handed weapon, a one handed weapon using two hands, or a primary natural weapon that adds 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier on damage rolls. This bonus to damage is halved (–50%) if you are making an attack with an off-hand weapon or secondary natural weapon. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every 4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the bonus to damage increases by +2. You must choose to use this feat before making an attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.
• Lvl - free feat Rebellion rank 4: PERSUASIVE: Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate skill checks. If you have 10 or more ranks in one of these skills, the bonus increases to +4 for that skill.
• Lvl 5: PLANAR INFUSION (Positive Energy Plane, Basic): Benefit: You’ve been infused with raw life force, and whenever you’re healed by a positive energy effect (including all cure spells), you regain an additional number of hit points equal to your total Hit Dice. You gain a +4 bonus on Constitution checks to stabilize while dying.
• Lvl 7: EXTRA REVELATION: Benefit: You gain one additional revelation. You must meet all of the prerequisites for this revelation. Special: You can gain Extra Revelation multiple times.
damage.
• Lvl - free feat Rebellion rank 9: IRON WILL: Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on all Will saving throws.
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-- DRAWBACK --
• Meticulous (Drawback): You plan and prepare everything in detail, and aren’t good at improvising when things don’t go as planned. Effect: You take a –2 penalty on skill checks for skills with which you’re untrained.
-- TRAITS --
• FATE’s FAVORED (Faith): Whenever you are under the effect of a luck bonus of any kind, that bonus increases by 1.
• MAGICAL KNACK (Magic: Paladin): Pick a class when you gain this trait—your caster level in that class gains a +2 trait bonus as long as this bonus doesn’t raise your caster level above your current Hit Dice.
• EX-ASMODEAN (Campaign): You gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls […] against agents of House Thrune and worshipers of Asmodeus, including most (but not all) devils.
• CLASS SKILLS: Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
• PALADIN WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFICIENCY: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).
• AURA OF GOOD: The power of a paladin's aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.
• DETECT EVIL (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell. A paladin can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is evil, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, the paladin does not detect evil in any other object or individual within range.
• SMITE EVIL (Su): Once per day, a paladin can call out to the powers of good to aid her in her struggle against evil. As a swift action, the paladin chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is evil, the paladin adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack rolls and adds her paladin level to all damage rolls made against the target of her smite. If the target of smite evil is an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the paladin possesses. Regardless of the target, smite evil attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess. In addition, while smite evil is in effect, the paladin gains a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier (if any) to her AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the paladin targets a creature that is not evil, the smite is wasted with no effect. The smite evil effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the paladin rests and regains her uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: Paladin, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.
Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage. • HOSPITALER Smite Evil (Su): This functions as the paladin ability, but the hospitaler can smite evil one additional time per day at 7th level, and every six levels thereafter (instead of 4th level and every three levels thereafter).
• DIVINE GRACE (Su): At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws.
• LAY ON HANDS (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 her paladin level plus her Charisma modifier. With one use of this ability, a paladin can heal 1d6 hit points of damage for every two paladin levels she possesses. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the paladin targets herself, in which case it is a swift action. Despite the name of this ability, a paladin only needs one free hand to use this ability. Alternatively, a paladin can use this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures, dealing 1d6 points of damage for every two levels the paladin possesses. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity.
• AURA OF COURAGE (Su): At 3rd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.
• DIVINE HEALTH (Ex): At 3rd level, a paladin is immune to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases, including mummy rot.
• MERCY (Su): At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, a paladin can select one mercy. Each mercy adds an effect to the paladin's lay on hands ability. Whenever the paladin uses lay on hands to heal damage to one target, the target also receives the additional effects from all of the mercies possessed by the paladin. A mercy can remove a condition caused by a curse, disease, or poison without curing the affliction. Such conditions return after 1 hour unless the mercy actually removes the affliction that causes the condition. All available mercy options can be found here. These abilities are cumulative. For example, a 12th-level paladin's lay on hands ability heals 6d6 points of damage and might also cure fatigued and exhausted conditions as well as removing diseases and neutralizing poisons. Once a condition or spell effect is chosen, it can't be changed.
• HOSPITALER CHANNEL POSITIVE ENERGY (Su): When a hospitaler reaches 4th level, she gains the ability to channel positive energy as a cleric equal to her paladin level –3. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. Using this ability does not expend uses of lay on hands, as it does with other paladins. This replaces the standard paladin’s channel positive energy ability.
• DIVINE BOND (Sp): Upon reaching 5th level, a paladin forms a divine bond with her god. This bond can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed. The first type of bond allows the paladin to enhance her weapon as a standard action by calling upon the aid of a celestial spirit for 1 minute per paladin level. When called, the spirit causes the weapon to shed light as a torch. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: axiomatic, brilliant energy, defending, disruption, flaming, flaming burst, holy, keen, merciful, and speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the spirit are determined when the spirit is called and cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. The celestial spirit imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the paladin but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the paladin. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. A paladin can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level. If a weapon bonded with a celestial spirit is destroyed, the paladin loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the paladin takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
• CURSES:
- Legalistic: Whenever you break your word (either purposefully or unintentionally), you become sickened for 24 hours or until you meet your obligation, whichever comes first. However, once per day, you can make a vow to yourself that grants a +4 morale bonus on any one roll you make while trying to fulfill a promise made to another individual.
- Wolfscarred Face: Your face is deformed, as though you were born with a wolf ’s muzzle instead of an ordinary nose and jaw. Many mistake you for a werewolf, and in areas plagued by lycanthropes, you must take pains to hide your face. You have a severe speech impediment, and any spells you cast with a verbal component have a 20% chance of failing, wasting your action but not expending the spell. You gain a natural bite attack that deals 1d4 points of damage if you are a Medium creature or 1d3 points of damage if you are Small.
• REVELATIONs:
- Oracle 1st level revelation: MISFORTUNE (Ex): At 1st level, as an immediate action, you can force a creature within 30 feet to reroll any one d20 roll that it has just made before the results of the roll are revealed. The creature must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll. Once a creature has suffered from your misfortune, it cannot be the target of this revelation again for 1 day.
- via Extra Revelation feat: LORE KEEPER (Ex): Instead of encyclopedic knowledge, you learn most of your information through tales, songs, and poems. You may use your Charisma modifier instead of your Intelligence modifier on all Knowledge checks.
- via Soothsayer’s Raiment: FOCUSED TRANCE (Ex): You can enter a deep meditation, blocking out visual and auditory stimuli and allowing you to concentrate on a single problem, philosophical issue, or memory. This trance lasts 1d6 rounds, during which time you can only take move actions. During this period, you gain a bonus equal to your level on all saves against sonic effects and gaze attacks. When you come out of your trance, you may make a single Intelligence-based skill check with a +20 circumstance bonus. You may enter your focused trance a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier.
• NINJA TRICK: Forgotten Trick (Ex): A ninja with this ability can recall one trick taught to her by her ancient masters. When she uses this ability, she selects one ninja trick (not a master trick or rogue talent) that she does not know and can use that ninja trick for a number of rounds equal to her level. She must pay any ki costs associated with the trick as normal. Using this ability expends 2 ki point from her ki pool, plus the ki cost of the trick she chooses.
• KI POOL (Su): At 2nd level, a ninja gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy she can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in the ninja's ki pool is equal to 1/2 her ninja level + her Charisma modifier. As long as she has at least 1 point in her ki pool, she treats any Acrobatics skill check made to jump as if she had a running start. At 10th level, she also reduces the DC of Acrobatics skill checks made to jump by 1/2 (although she still cannot move farther than her speed allows). By spending 1 point from her ki pool, a ninja can make one additional attack at her highest attack bonus, but she can do so only when making a full attack. In addition, she can spend 1 point to increase her speed by 20 feet for 1 round. Finally, a ninja can spend 1 point from her ki pool to give herself a +4 insight bonus on Stealth checks for 1 round. Each of these powers is activated as a swift action. A ninja can gain additional powers that consume points from her ki pool by selecting certain ninja tricks.
• Wis: -2, Str: +2, Cha: +2
• TYPE: Outsider (Native)
• SIZE: Medium
• DARKVISION
• WILD HEART: Ifrits with this trait are as swift and dangerous as a blazing wildfire. They gain a +4 racial bonus on initiative checks. This racial trait replaces energy resistance.
• EEFRITI MAGIC: Some ifrits inherit an efreeti ancestor’s ability to magically change a creature’s size. They can cast either enlarge person or reduce person (the ifrit chooses when using this ability) once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equals the ifrit’s level). The ifrit can use this ability to affect other ifrits as though they were humanoid creatures. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.
• FIRE IN THE BLOOD: Ifrits with this racial trait mimic the healing abilities of the mephits, gaining fast healing 2 for 1 round anytime they take fire damage (whether or not this fire damage gets through their fire resistance). The ifrits can heal up to 2 hit points per level per day with this ability, after which it ceases to function. This racial trait replaces fire affinity.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Ignan
Iroran paladins meditate on self-perfection and train relentlessly, knowing that their example can inspire others to excel.
An Iroran paladin embraces law and goodness as other paladins do, conducting himself with honor and protecting the innocent.
An Iroran paladin avoids entanglements that would distract him from the pursuit of perfection, i.e. he would not incur debts nor give loans to others—though he could be encouraged to give freely to those in need.
Irori offers no universal paladin code— each paladin in his service creates his own code as part of his spiritual journey, seeing the adherence to such a self-formulated creed as one of the many tests one must face to reach perfection.
___________
Using MISFORTUNE:
So team, I need to inform you all about mechanical stuff related to Kenji that affects all of you!
MISFORTUNE revelation - REROLLING ANY d20 ROLL BEFORE KNOWING THE RESULT
Misfortune (Ex): At 1st level, as an immediate action, you can force a creature within 30 feet to reroll any one d20 roll that it has just made before the results of the roll are revealed. The creature must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll. Once a creature has suffered from your misfortune, it cannot be the target of this revelation again for 1 day.
The trickiest thing for everyone to keep track of in a PbP format is his Misfortune revelation. Basically, Kenji can require anyone (including allies) to reroll a d20 once/day.
Caveats: it uses his immediate action (so it's not available when he's still flatfooted) and it has a 30' range limitation.
This means that
a) I can use it on you once/day per person;
b) but I can only use it once/round (since it uses my immediate);
c) so as an ally try to stay within 30' of Kenji if possible.
To my fellow players: In a PbP format, I think one good way to handle this is for you each to decide for yourselves if you want to use the ability and just be sure that someone else hasn't already used my immediate previously that round.
To the GM: With regard to foes, I'm fine with the GM reflecting the misfortune hex against a foe, using the following priorities:
- Enemy attack rolls: If a foe threatens a crit against an player that has only 20 hp left then Kenji will immediate action misfortune the initial attack roll.
- Enemy saving throws: When they have to make a save and have rolled 13 or better on the d20 roll then Kenji will immediate action misfortune the reroll the saving throw.
I hope this was understandable! :-)
Thanks to GM Abraham from whom I copied major portions of the text above as he is also using Misfortune with one of his characters.
— BOT ME IN COMBAT —:
-- BACKGROUND --:
Born into slavery and sacrifice in the church of Asmodeus in Egorian
Kenji was born in the capital of Cheliax, the City of Thorns Egorian, as the unfortunate child of a Tian slave that was raped again and again by beings from the elemental plane of fire. His mother and many, many other predominantly human and Halfling women were used as the toys of an Asmodean sorceress that regularly experimented by cross-breeding his tortured slaves with the planar creatures that the sorceress summoned to the material plane.
Kenji’s mother was a broken woman and although she gave him his name and tried to secretly teach him about her roots in Tian Xia, she died too soon to prevent the Asmodean indoctrination that Kenji and his “sisters and brothers” faced day to day.
As Egorian is the heart of the faith of Asmodeus, and the largest concentration of his worshipers can be found there, the allegiance of the sorceress to the church of Asmodeus was not surprising, and thus this led to the young slaves of the sorceress to be tortured and ‘educated’ in the The Midnight Temple in Egorian.
Kenji can still remember the Black Altar in the Temple of Asmodeus that resembled a devil with large wings and horns and which was the place where many of his siblings had to prove their ultimate loyalty by volunteering! The sacrifice of nine slaves were made to the deity at midnight on the first day of every ninth week. The wings closed around the sacrifices to hide the killing blow, and no corpse remained when they opened.
Although Kenji was once clearly a worshiper of Asmodeus, seeing his ‘family members’ die week after week made him slowly lose the only faith he knew. Being asked to give up something dear as a sacrifice, the life of a newly born or older brother or sister, was too much to bear.
Freedom and purpose within the Sacred Order of Archivists in Kintargo
Maybe it was fate or maybe it was the Master of Masters plans but one day a concerted strike on the evil sorceress’ hideout by the Pathfinder Society and the Bellflower Network led to the freedom of all slaves! The Halflings and humans were liberated and Kenji was able to see the world outside of the hell that he called life.
The Pathfinder and Bellflower network agents had a hard time to convince all of Kenji’s ‘family members’ to reclaim their freedom because they had simply never met anyone who opened their eyes and showed them the truth—that Asmodeus does not care for his followers, and that there are other deities, organizations and communities that do. After this event, Kenji and many in his family aided the Pathfinders and the Bellflower network, and as a result, his family was hunted down and all that were found were punished and even executed. Ever since, Kenji has vowed to get justice against the church.
During this time Kenji and some of his siblings received a more formal education by a human Pathfinder agent from Kintargo that was allied with the Bellflower network and as a Paladin of Irori, the God of history, knowledge and self-perfection, saw the need to guide the former slaves. The story of a mortal man who ascended to godhood by attaining pure physical and mental perfection was so intriguing that Kenji and some of his siblings followed the Paladin.
Although no official Iroran temple existed in Kintargo, the semi-secret Many-Steps Monastery worked against House Thrune’s constant redactions and rewriting of history. Hidden under Hocum’s Fantasmagorum in Kintargo’s Redroof district, the Many-Steps Monastery was home to the Iroran Sacred Order of Archivists, and it was here that Kenji found a true home and started to learn more about the world, about himself and about the beliefs that he wants to focus on.
Training to become a Paladin in Absalom and life in the Pathfinder Society
While not interested in direct confrontation, the Iroran scholars taught Kenji to seek out documents and relics crucial to maintaining an accurate picture of the past, and safeguarding them for those who might legitimately seek out their secrets. During this time the Archivists expanded beyond Cheliax, establishing cells wherever corrupt governments, extreme nationalism, or prejudice might cause people to sweep inconvenient truths under the rug.
Because of that Kenji accompanied the Paladin that originally introduced him to the faith of Irori to Absalom where he helped Kenji to get accepted to the Tempering Hall, a Iomedaen combat school that traditionally trains paladins of Iomedae as well as those Paladins called by Abadar, Irori, and Shelyn, as well as those dedicated to fighting evil! The three-year course of study and training was a valuable preparation against powerful foes.
Wanting to follow in the footsteps of his Iroran Mentor and former Pathfinder, Kenji also joined the Pathfinder Society to gain and protect the knowledge of the past across the Inner Sea and beyond! Although Kenji gained significant experience in the Society, he soon realized that his goals as an Iroran of the Sacred Order of Archivists sometimes put him at odds with the Pathfinder Society, as his superiors all too often were interested more in locking away knowledge and securing power than in careful stewardship as well as proliferation of knowledge.
Return to Kintargo
When he eventually learned of the Night of Ashes, during which Thrune agents attacked the Monastery and took control of it from the Order of Archivists, Kenji decided that it was time to return to Kintargo to see if he could reclaim the seized relics and books. Kenji realized that the city had significantly changed since Barzillai Thrune’s takeover of Kintargo, and he immediately decided that it was time to resist the agents of House Thrune. When he tried to contact some of his Tiefling friends in the slums of Devil’s Nursery he was shocked to learn that also the Cloven Hoof Society was hit hard and that many Tieflings and misfits are unprotected again.
Now he has heard of a group of heroes that have started to resist the Thrune regime and Kenji is eager to join their ranks and support them!
