I'm going to be running a 1e campaign for a new group fairly soon, and one of the players is playing a summoner (Vanilla, not Unchained). This is this player's first time playing pathfinder, and they aren't really an optimizer, so I'm not too worried about them running over the game. However at one point during their personal storyline, the BBEG of their backstory is going to realize that they're a threat and try to cook up something to take them out specifically. I want the encounter to mechanically feel like its a person designed and trained to beat the summoner character, without making the player feel like they're useless in a fight that's very much about them. It's a knife's edge, and after a few years of not running pathfinder, I'm not too confident in my ability to make the best encounter, so I'm looking for advice/resources that I can use to make the encounter better.
TL;DR Looking for help challenging a summoner without making them feel useless
After getting into Star Wars legends for some reason that I don't remember and due to the world building I'm doing partially based on an in game joke there came a need for proper lightsaber combat.
I tried to keep the styles as close to the spirit of the original while trying to balance them. The one exception is Niman which is essentially "it's easy to learn but really sucks in comparison to all the other ones" form so I made it instead the two weapon spellweaving style because it has some forms and strategies around that.
I'm just looking for some input to make sure I didn't completely break anything because one group isn't the most effective playtest.
Got a survey for a stats course that I need people to fill out, if you don't want to, that's entirely fine. The survey is in spoiler below.
EDIT: Should mention, the results and the survey are completely anonymous, I won't include any names and all information are going to be numbers seen on graphs, not attached to you in any way.
Survey:
Please circle the answer that most applies to you.
What is your gender?
a) Male
b) Female
c) Other
d) I’d rather not say
What is your age?
a) 0-5 years
b) 6-10 years
c) 11-17 years
d) 18-25 years
e) 25+ years
f) I’d rather not say
How many hours of TV on average do you watch in a week?
a) Less than 1
b) 1-10
c) 11-20
d) 21-30
e) 30+
f) I’d rather not say
How many books have you read for any purpose in the last 30 days?
a) Less than 1
b) 1-4
c) 4+
d) I’d rather not say
On a scale from 1 to 5 how much do you enjoy reading?
a) 1 I only read when I absolutely have to.
b) 2 I don’t like it, but I’ll do it in order to get something.
c) 3 I won’t go out of my way to read, but I don’t dislike it.
d) 4 I enjoy a good book, I like reading.
e) 5 I love reading! It’s my favourite pastime!
f) I’d rather not say
So my group's starting a kingdom building campaign focusing quite heavily on the kingdom, my idea is an inventor who makes all these crazy devices, vehicles, constructs, etc. I want to be able to use a bit of magic, even if it's just a high UMD, but I don't want him to be reliant on it. I don't really know where to go for builds, I just have the concept.
I've got a skeleton idea of most of them, need help with Engi and Pyro, and I may end up homebrewing something for Medigun and Engi but I am trying to use canon.
Scout - mobile fighter
Force a Nature (Double barreled Shotgun - UC)
Cleaver (Wounding, returning Chakram - UE)
Stock bat (Light mace)
Medic - Cleric
Crusader's crossbow (Spell storing Crossbow)
Medigun (Wand of Cure Critical Wounds and Stoneskin)
Vita Saw (Sickle)
Sniper - Slayer (Sniper)
The Classic (Railgun with Laser sight- TA)/ Huntsman (Longbow)
Darwin's Danger Shield (Toughness/ Belt of Con)
Stock Kukri (Scimatar)
Spy - Rogue (Knifemaster)
Stock Revolver (Revolver - UC)
Sapper (Wand of Dispel magic)
Stock Knife (Dagger)
Cloak and Dagger - Ring of Invisibility
Disguise kit - Hat of Disguise
Over the years of World Building I've fallen in love with using Necromancy to replace technology for a darker or Gothic meets steampunk/High tech setting.
However I've run into a bit of a problem as I have reached my creative limit for this fun little Psychotic corner of Magitech and would appreciate some fresh ideas.
Some stuff I have so far:
Menial Undead:
Very Simple. Animating flesh to serve as a labour force, for example, attaching 2 ends of an elephant's leg to a large gear and the floor of a wagon to create propulsion.
Zombie Plantation Workers, it's not slavery, they're mindless.
Some examples I had on my last thread are here:
Samasboy1 wrote:
Necrotech!
Land vehicles propelled by zombies enclosed in the wheels (hamster style).
Hollowed out armored zombie giants act as power armor.
Flying skeletal roc airships bombarding cities with ghouls.
Soul Shards:
This one is a little more versitile. Soul shards are crystals charged with negative energy at the heart of the Negative Energy Plane. They function as recepticles for souls and can be used for a variety of purposes. A Soul Shard can hold a maximum of one soul.
Weapons The Soul Pistol and Soul Rifle function as their brethren from the Technology Guide, however they do Negative Energy damage and upon a critical hit the creature struck must make a DC 17 fortitude save or gain a negative level. One HD of the creature captured by the Soul Shard is equal to one Charge
Undead mastery Soul Shards can be aligned to improve the casting power of spells such as Animate Dead. If aligned in this manner, for every 2 HD the soul in the Soul Shard had, the caster level for animating and controlling Undead with Animate Dead increases by 1.
Deathly defenses Auramakers are a defense technology that uses souls to create an unholy aura that defends those around it. The Auramaker has slots for up to 5 Soul Shards, this creates a pool of HD that the Auramaker uses to create the Aura. For every 10HD in the soul pool, the wearer of the Auramaker gains a +1 Profane bonus to AC. This aura lasts 1 hour for every HD in the pool.
Soul Engines Soul Shards can be used to make explosions to propel a vehicle with a specially made engine. The power and consumption of the engine depends on the kind and quality of the specific engine.
I'm making an anti boss build Sorc using Mythic Disintegrate with Maximise spell, Empower Spell and the Channel Power Mythic ability to get 810 damage + 9 con damage/ray at 20th level. However I'm having trouble getting a good enough DC so far I have:
Spell focus (Greater, Mythic) and I'd like any other feats I could take (or items I could buy) to jack it up
3 guards stand in front of the door to the Gilded Crossroads Inn. The streets around it are deserted. At a table just outside another guard sits with many papers around him.
It’s been 2 Altarian years since The Rift was opened and the Zeselian ships came down upon upon us like birds of prey, they destroyed nearly 5 Drengii worlds and have destroyed innumerable fledgling cultures in an unstoppable rampage covering one fifth of the Galaxy. There’s not much hope left to stop them anymore, as their abilities that they call magic is simply too powerful for us. Beings from their dimension have crossed over as well. Mythological creatures such as Goblins, Giants and Dragons have come over as well. It has said that the Spectral Guardians have been stirring however. Perhaps the Seer of Thremzed holds the key to our survival. We can only wait and see.
This will be a hi tech campaign with magic being rare and those who have it are often persecuted being called Spies for the Zeselians or plain old witches and are burned at the stake (which is illegal but nonetheless happens)
Character Creation:
25pt. Buy
7th level
24000gp
Tech guide items allowed and Weapons are one Category simpler (Exotic to Martial, Martial to Simple)
Modern firearms 10% price (Martial weapons)
all other equipment full price
Magic items are quadruple price due to the rarity of magic and may not be available due to low caster levels however Psionic items can be found for normal price
Classes, all Paizo Classes and Archetypes as well as Prestige Classes allowed
Dreamscarred Psionics is allowed but is held almost exclusively by the Aelorans
Races- see below
Races:
Altarians- Humans
Aelorans- Elves but Elven magic is replaced with Naturally Psionic: (Aelorans begin play with 2 extra power points) and Penetrative mind: (Aelorans gain a +2 to penetrate Power resistance)
Half Drengii- Half orc
Half Aeloran- Half elf
Sktar- Dwarves
Yahress- Halflings
Fairykind- Gnomes(Yahress who were overwhelmed by fey magic when the rift was opened)
Android- as written
Aasimar- as written
Tiefling- as written
Drengii- Humanoid (Orc)
Standard(+2 Str, +2 Int, -2 Cha)
Medium
Linguist (Common, Orc)
Natural Armour +1
Ferocity
Weapon familiarity (Greataxe and "Orc" weapons)
Skill bonus (+2 intimidate)
Bonus feat (Improved Unarmed Strike)
This campaign will involve heavy ship to ship combat with time for Normal interaction, combat the like
The roles of a PC:
Captain- Leader of the Ship- Gains Leadership as a bonus feat (Cohort is first mate, all followers are experts (Hands on the ship)
Pilot- Gets you places- Gains skilled driver and Expert driver as bonus feats
Chief Engineer- Keeps the Ship running- gains Skill Focus and Prodigy with Craft (mechanical)
Chief Doctor- Keeps you alive- Receives 7 free ranks in Heal
Chief Gunner- Shoots things until they blow up- receives weapon focus with all ship mounted siege weaponry
Chief Security Officer- Anti Mutiny machine receives Skill Focus (intimidate) and Intimidating Prowess as bonus feats
I've heard some people like playing Superheroes in non superhero games. So I decided to make a game for that.
Character Creation:
40pt buy
All ARG for Races
7th level Gestalt 3rd tier Mythic
Core, APG, UC, UM, ACG, Psionics, other 3pp or homebrew by request for classes
14000gp
All Paizo for Equipment, homebrew gear by request
as you run away from the horde of animate corpses chasing you you come to the top of a hill where at similar times a bunch of different people arrive (The other PCs)
As you wake up, All you see is bright green grass, a bright yellow sun and mountains rising up on the horizon. You see a few other people on the ground around you.
" You have no idea where or when you are, were or will be. You'll wake up with some other people. It might be smart if you guys decided to get along."
This is another weird homebrew idea I thought up. Each PC will be from a different world with a different level of technology and magic. There will be 7 characters one for each "age"
Stone Age
Bronze Age
Steel Age
Industrial Age
Machinery Age
Modern Age
Information Age
Each age will have different characteristics and I hope they're all balanced.
Blanket Character Creation Rules:
5th level
20pt buy
Two traits, drawback for third
Equipment: All UE weapons and armour(except firearms) are allowed
Classes: Bard, Fighter, Rogue, Alchemist, Inquisitor, Magus, Gunslinger, Brawler, Investigator, Slayer, Swashbuckler, Warpriest, Machinesmith
Races: All Core, Catfolk, Dhampir
Equipment: Early firearms at 25% cost, Advanced firearms, full price
Modern Age Character Creation Rules:
Classes:Fighter, Rogue, Alchemist, Gunslinger, Brawler, Investigator, Slayer, Swashbuckler
Races: All Core, Catfolk
Equipment:Advanced Firearms at 10% cost, Modern Firearms at full price
You are denizens of a that was once two separate worlds. One of Magic, one of Technology. 1 year ago they merged seamlessly, as if it had always been that way. 3 months ago a powerful lich declared vengeance on all the world and cursed it. That day, the dead would not stay down. You killed them, they would get up until you killed them again, even that wasn't a guarantee. for the most part, the military's been overrun. There have been rumours about safe havens but no guarantees.
Your goal:
Survive
Character creation:
2nd level
20pt. Buy
Core, APG, ARG(first 2 chapters), ACG, UC and UM are legitimate sources. Others by request
Wounds and Vigor will be used
1000gp
Equipment:
Piecemeal is encouraged, you'll be scavenging for everything. It makes sense.
Modern era guns. All guns, including Modern Firearms are at 10% price. Spas-12s can be bought for 700gp (after reductions) which function as normal Shotguns from UC but have an internal cartridge and a capacity of 6. Brass cartridges cost 1gp
Tech Items exist and can be bought at normal price.
The ground was featureless for miles. All barren rock with no trace of life. A massive creature stands in the middle of a large open plain, it stands about 50ft tall and looks like a pitch black suit of spiked plate. It carries a shield and a strange sword that looks like two saw toothed blades placed side by side.
"The Legend of the Oblivion Lord, a Godlike force of destruction is true. It has also turned its sights upon our world. It's mere entry into our world annihilated all of Lojis and his rampages have destroyed most of Groden, Quirith and Hindarin. All attempts to stop him have failed so far... help?
Character Creation:
25pt. Buy
Gestalt 20th level/10th tier mythic
All Paizo although requests can be made
Monsters as PCs is allowed 1 Cr=1 level
4000000gp +1 minor artifact
All alignments allowed. You have bigger problems.
Leadership is allowed. It won't be too game breaking.
The Campaign:
It's a boss fight. Personality and Backstory aren't too important, doesn't mean I don't like seeing them.
I'm a first time PbP GM, bear with me.
If your character dies, roll up a new one here. Once I approve join the Gameplay thread.
When I remember something I inevitably forgot I'll post it.
As a major boss for my group in our homebrew setting, in honor of the Technology guide I want to make him a Cyber Soldier. Using 25pt. Buy how do I give him s~%# tons of cybernetic implants while having a good attack+AC+Saves?
Anyone have a radioactive undead template? I'm running a post apocalyptic game and my players are reaching a boss. He is a blast shadow necromancer with a uranium golem and I'd like him to have some special minions.
I hope I'm not commuting thread necromancy here but I need some ideas. In Pathfinder when homebrewing worlds, Gods are one of the hardest things for me to make so some ideas would be helpful. And who doesn't like 101 threads
So one of my player's has a half-orc barbarian who got a critical hit on Thesing Ulvauno Umbero in Bastards of Erebus. He role played it properly. His character was angry with Thesing for bullying his friend and charged him. Thesing was instantly killed and I need something for the rest of the Campaign.
Ok more world building stuff from me. And now: Planes! So what kinds of planes do all you people like to use, beside the normal elemental planes and the typical outer planes.
I've been looking at Eberron a bit and I really like Shavarath
I also really like Warrior's Rest from A Player's Guide to Faerun
So how about you, and how would you fit them in to a normal cosmology
As I said on the: I need to fill my world thread I'm going to make a world that incorporates the ideas on the I need to fill my world thread that just didn't quite work. And my own ideas that I bring to all of the worlds I alone make.
Jalameray: the first country I ever created! I created it in 2008 and I don't know when Golarion was created but trust me, I only learned about Golarion in 2011 so I did NOT copy this name off the Vudran State Jalmeray. The Empire of Jalameray is a vast expanse encompassing the Trimind Jungle and the Neuric Desert. It was created using 3.5 rules and is a hub for Psionics. The great city of Nabaschonir is built above an ancient Illithid (probably aboleth now)artifact that gives great mental talent to many of Nabaschonir's citizens.
Shaplian: this great empire is home to the legendary Dragon Emperor. (but now dragon rulers for eastern fantasy settings are becoming very cliche, any better ideas are certainly welcome) The great palace of this god-king is called The Serpentine Halls which are dwarf made of serpentine that rises up from the surrounding jungle in magnificent glory as sun dances across its roof in mesmerizing patterns. Shaplian has a caste system similar to that of feudal Japan. Emperor > Samurai > Craftsmen > Merchants > Labour > Slaves > Rebels
Macklut: A country comprised of undead. They constantly seek to create more spawn and thereby expand their population, they are ruled by the Council of Graves: a council comprised of the most powerful and influential of each kind of intelligent undead, and they use The Silence League: a powerful undead intelligence agency created by the council to look for and destroy any signs of dissent or rebellion, spy on other nations, and assassinate any key members of any other opposition.
Drakus: this tyrannical kingdom believes in work, the serfs here are worked to death and their numerous slaves even harder, the corpulent nobles relax and do nothing other than give out harsh orders. But if the ends justify the means then Drakus is one of the best nations ever
Zircal: The Land of Magic, Zircal is almost always neutral in all affairs, in the capital crystal spires and stone towers as well as iron fortresses and golden temples are in abundance graduate mages and priests walk out of such buildings every day for these are a collection of the greatest magic universities the world has ever seen
Cerannor: the steppes of the east are home to the horse lords of Cerannor. These men are the best horse breeders the world has ever and very likely will ever see, their horses are obedient, tough, strong, swift and have a very smooth and steady gait, their riders are even more widely feared than their horses are famous for when they raid, their are few remains and no survivors
I'll be sure to give more examples as I find them on I need to fill my world or this thread
More traps CR 1-20 to give dungeon crawl makers some new cool ideas
Some I'd like to see - Chlorine gas
Vorpal Scythe
Lava traps
Disintegrate
APG/UC/UM spell traps
So I'm working on a world with a couple of friends and while building it we decided that we would each get 2 continents of our own but I have too few countries on the one so I would like some more options.
Continent A. Country 1) This country has a decent level of Magitech(firearms and elemental binding), is a capitalist monarchy and it's culture and economy are based entirely on invention. Their Navy is nearly unparalleled and their land army is comprised of career soldiers and clockworks. Every Major city has a large area where inventions can be tested and numerous contests are held throughout the year
Country 2) This country is a diabolist nation that is a cross between Cheliax and Ancient Rome.
Country 3) This country is a large stretch of land home to hundreds if not thousands of city states devoted to a demon lords, The only thing keeping their enormous population from overrunning the rest of the continent is the fact that they are constantly fighting each other.
This entire continent is special because it escaped an ancient cataclysm that destroyed much magic on this planet relatively unharmed
My favourite invention for fantasy ever is Magitech. This thread is basically where we can all share different ways that we manifest this idea in our campaigns.
PLEASE Do Not criticize anyone else's methods, Thank You
The 2 ideas I'm working with right now are:
Elemental Binding: Using Planar binding spells to force elementals into items to power them, eg. Ice Elemental powered Refrigerator or Fire+water elemental powered steam engine or Airbound Sails
Arcanite: These peculiar gems channel raw arcane energy into deadly spell like effects, Power and range depend on the quality of the cut, energy type/spell effect depends on type of crystal.
Please do post any ideas of your own or any comments on mine.
