Vernon Caldwell's page

In one PFS scenario in Taldor, you have to fight the nasty noble. He's high level & riding a large lion...

Being a Gunslinger of 8th level, I walked forward and used Targetting to his arm, and he dropped his magical sword. The judge was irate to read the module and find the noble was not carrying any other weapon... so he dismounted, picked up the weapon & remounted.

2nd round I do the same, and by this time all my party melee types have moved up and mobbed him.

In the third round I used Targeting on the lion & hit him in the head for the Confusion effect. The lion attacked the noble & finished him off.

My Gunslinger rolled no crits, and didn't do one hit point of damage; he just (figuratively) stun-locked the BBEG.

I don't tend to play multi-class characters, the only one is The Divine Sir Vernon Caldwell, Linnorm Bane - Gunslinger 8/Investigator 5.

I know a lot of people say to leave the Gunslinger class after you hit level 5 (which is when you get Dex to Dam), but sticking until level 7 gets you something really nice; Targeting (ex). I just finished putting Sir Vernon through The Eyes Of The Ten and ...

Since the Gunslinger levels were acquired first, the Investigator extracts tend to be utility items (he is 8 levels behind a mono-class Alchemist or Investigator). Things that nobody else brings along, like Monkey Fish and the very handy Longshot (Sir Vernon uses a pistol).

Suddenly a Ranged Striker has turned into a Skill Monkey (Headband of Intellect +4 in use), and the class bumps his Will saves.

Please remember that Deadly Aim is not applicable to touch attacks...

Deadly Aim (Combat)

Prerequisites: Dex 13, base attack bonus +1.

Benefit: You can choose... The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.

This takes 4 off of your damage for every shot. It does not affect the +7 to hit, as that math was off by 2 anyway.

Lots of adventurers go down that path because they are the 4th/5th/6th child. There is nothing for them at home.

This kind of orthogonal to the OP, but means that lot's of PCs will have normal childhoods.

Sir Vernon Caldwell is now running through the Eyes of the Ten. A level 8 Gunslinger/level 4 Investigator, he will soon open a Pathfinder Lodge in Brevoy, to operate out of his country estate.

His motto is "Et Tactu Quodam Attingit".

... Do you have any thoughts about what could have been done differently to address this time concern or was this a group issue based on the "problem players"? Were there any other parts you felt slowed things down too much or detracted from the adventure?

The slow down was largely the players; sometimes you just get a bunch that aren't imaginitive/good problem solvers. Like what I said about the Dark Bargain with Arenthea, the player just paid her price without any attempt to bargain/utilize diplomacy. When I played, we made the Knowledge checks to tell her things and did well enough.

Vis above, the players had two hours to prepare after Zarta's briefing, but they did nothing. They didn't bother to 'Knowledge Planes' to figure out what general devil resistances and immunities were. Neither did they stock up on Oils of Align Weapon (Good) which lengthened several of the fights.

The 'problem' players slowed things down in two ways. First, PP#1 brought in a spirit oni companion that floated about generally 20' over the his bard. PP#1 kept trying to get it to perform combat maneuvers like trip and bullrush, and I had to point out that the creature was tiny, so it couldn't do these things to medium creatures... (You'd think an 11th level bard's player would already know this sort of thing; I also had to correct him on Bardic Performance!) It also had an attack of 1d3 and couldn't get through DR. It was basically useless. (Perhaps it's really only supposed to be an invisible scout and this was just the wrong module for it?)

PP#2 had a guard dog & animal companion she wanted to bring along. I had her make handle animal checks to keep them from bolting back through the portal as soon as they got into Dis. The dog bolted, the companion stayed only to be as useless as the spirit oni.

Note: the Beast Rider also made a handle animal check to keep his combat dinosaur/mount from bolting. It too had to plow through the DR 10/good problem (like his master, no Oil of Align Weapon on it's claws) but did enough damage in combat to more than justify it's presence.

Note: the Diabolist did Commune to Asmodeus to find out about the Scriptorium, so the players skipped G2 & G3 on the way in. I just hand-waved the looting of these areas due to running long. I would suggest just skipping these areas entirely as the loot involved doesn't affect the final battle against Leventi/Vetretides... but passing through the portals involves additional Will 14 saves to not get more ink marks on you for cummulative minus's in the coming combat.

Also, the Diabloist summoned an Eriny to fight one of the [enemy] Erinyes in the Widow's Cry arena. I just had the two cancel each other out to move things along. But when he tried it on Leventi I told him the spell failed due to the Cold Iron hourglass. But I also told the player that it kept Leventi from summoning bearded devils, so it worked both ways. Mathew, was that kosher? It saved time by not putting 2 or 3 more figures into the fight.

If you're looking for feedback:
1. PFS: played it two weeks ago under a five star GM. Our group (low tier) went pretty much everywhere, talked to pretty much everyone and skated on the encounter at area A, as two of the three attackers were already free; the judge just commented about a potential attack, but wasn't going to run it with just Teena. We killed Leventi and no Dark Bargains were made. I belive that our judge forgot about the cummulative -1's for getting Leventi's ink on you going through portals... Two pp for everyone and we talked Zarta into giving up on Thrune; wasn't she a better person now?

2. PFS: just judged it today with a problem party. Problem, in that two of the players were known to me as the kind that make poor decisions and talk themselves into trouble. (Tholvinus almost abandoned them several times.) We went overtime in a convention slot as I asked if we could go long if necessary and then gave them extra time in the investigation phase (sorely needed). Despite the extra time, not all souls were saved. Game time despite GM cramming a few sections: 5.5 hours. (I _cannot_ recommend this adventure for anything less than five hours.)

High tier, with Leventi ending up dead. He tried to Dismiss the melee Assimar, who saved vs return to the Grand Lodge.

A Diabolist (?) who had already sold his soul made a Dark Bargain and sold his Emotions to Arenthea; no attempt was made to find another form of payment.

3. I see several mentions of body retrieval for 5pp above, for someone who got Plane Shifted. But also one that it would be 72 pp!!?? Neither number sounds right to me; isn't 5pp the price for retrieving your body from somewhere on the map? or maybe the Hao Jin Tapestry? getting a body (living or dead) back from an outer plane should be a much bigger deal... please advise.

My fellow Pathfinders,

As the owner of a country estate in Brevoy, I will start a lodge in the area should I survive the Eyes of the Ten.

Respectfully,
Sir Vernon Caldwell
Linnorm Bane

As someone who has run into a Linnorm in a PFS module...

I was informed that you had to kill one by yourself _and_ you had to be a native of the area. I kept asking if I could be a Linnorm Duke, or Linnorm Jarl, but never did get a good answer. So I settled for calling myself 'Linnorm Bane'.

I know PFS has limitations on equipment and money-spent-on-equipment that homegames do not, but what I saw in the Season 9 module leads me to believe you aren't go to solo one at less than 14th level unless you are very lucky. (And very well prepared.)

Powder Horn + Water Skin + fire/fuse

Add an Air Bubble to that and you're good to go.

Make a shape charge with gunpowder in an Ale Mug or a Bucket, glue it to the door with some Animal Glue, and blind them with science :)

Sadly, if the door is as difficult as specified, the ale mug/bucket are going to shatter first. Stand well back, or you'll be picking splinters out of your face...

As mentioned, the door has a hardness rating. The bullets would have to get damage through the hardness before you could start actually exhausting the hit points (also specified in the player book, by material and thickness if the module doesn't list it). Sort of like Damage Resistance. And like damage resistance, it can be penetrated with preparation. The way through hardness is adamantine bullets (60 gp each!) or bullets with the adamantine blanch, much more reasonably priced.

If your gunslinger is not a planner, then he probably doesn't have cold iron or silver blanched bullets, let alone the adamantine ones. So unless the gunslinger crits, he's pretty well stopped by the hardness rating.

BTW, the fastest way to destroy most siege weapons is to pour lamp oil over them, then light them up with a flask of Alchemist's Fire.

The way around this is to get reloading down to a free action, as mentioned above. That takes Rapid Reload & Alchemical Cartidges.

Alchemical Cartridges are more expensive; just file that away under your 'consumables budget'.

Lirai (?) the Gunslinger works pretty well, from my memory. Though it has been at least a year since I played her as a pregen.

Paladin rides into town. Shoots all who need to be shot. Rides outta town.

This guy?

Whilst all this discussion is interesting, it doesn't answer the original question. Lonnorm King or nothing? No alternate titles to be claimed?

I understand that to become a Linnorm King, you ave to kill a Linnorm by yourself & be a native of the Linnorm Kingdoms.

What title/accolade do you receive if you kill a Linnorm under less rigorous circumstances? Such as:
1. You solo a Linnorm, but aren't a native of the area?
2. You and your buds kill a Linnorm as a group, and are natives.
3. You and your buds kill a Linnorm as a group, and aren't natives.

Linnorm Duke?
Linnorm Earl? (Eorl?)
Linnorm Jarl?
Linnorm Bane?

Sadly, metal cartridges and other advanced firearms are illegal for PFS play.

Maybe have the Lair drop Stalactites on them from 60'up? 80+ lbs of stone dropping on you is no fun. Plus possible prone-ing them.

Hmmmm, 15th level swarm of Diminuative Vampire Bats with blood drain/Con loss?

As a Gunslinger, I can tell you that Firearms are expensive and feat intensive (as mentioned above). If you've got the money for a Firearm & ammo, you have the money for a Wand of Magic Missiles (wands don't trigger Attacks of Opportunity like reloading guns do). As time goes by, get yourself a 3rd level Wand for double damage, and maybe a Rod of Spell Penetration for those pesky Outsiders.

Vernon Caldwell wrote:

BTW, how does many-shot work out? In PFS, there are no firearms that support it (IE, no revolvers and no lever-action rifles). As in, you can't reload fast enough to make it work.

Er, alchemical cartridges plus Rapid Reload makes reloading a free action for pistols, Musket Master archetype expands it for muskets.

Also, it's obviously not PFS.

Er, that's not right if you are using early fire-arms. Loading a one-handed or two-handed fire-arm is a standard action. Rapid re-load and alchemical cartridges both reduce loading time to move action, then to swift action. You get one swift action per turn, period. So: shoot, reload with a cartidge/swift, shoot, re-load with your move action (cartridge or powder) and you are done. You can't use Many Shots, because the shots are separated by a re-load. Re-loading causes an Attack of Opportunity if you close with him.

This does not hold true if the Gunslinger has a revolver; re-loading all barrels is a full round action. Rapid Reload and cartridges take that to a move action... Also the two-barrel pistol (early fire-arm), now that I think of it.

Hmm, I'd situate a couple of City Guards nearby, buy some blank cartridges and let him attack you with them. If he doesn't, tell him the blanks were a joke and certainly don't let him go into combat with them.

I'm not responsible for the coma, he took a bunch of intelligence damage. Saving him was somebody elses choice.

he's a level higher than me, so he has manyshot w/ seventh level

I completely forgot about alchemist's fire! that could go well.

i could take his stuff, but the DM is pretty strict about good/evil acts.

Hide his stuff, and yours. If he tries to start a fight, go at him at an equal level. IE, barehanded. After everything is sorted out, show him where both your stuff is. Run this past your GM, as you are trying to settle things without lethal consequences.

BTW, how does many-shot work out? In PFS, there are no firearms that support it (IE, no revolvers and no lever-action rifles). As in, you can't reload fast enough to make it work.

I seem to remember mention of a 'rebuild' boon. am I wrong? if not, what exactly did it do?

Normally when firing a bow, you use your Dex stat to hit, and get no Str damage. A +2 Str bow (of any type) is one that let's you utilize up to +2 of your Str damage bonus. So damage is (bow type) +2. Not +4.

The book also says that the +2 damage on the bow is justified by have a higher draw tension, meaning to use a +3 Str bow, you need 16 Str. If your Str will vary due to spells/enlargement/rage/etc then get an Adaptive Composite Longbow. That will accomodate any Str rating, and the Adaptive enchantment costs 1000 GP.

Are your sessions local or at a con?

Regardless, VCs have a lot of access to the reporting system and can fix a lot of stuff. If you are able to get a hold of your VC, or another for that matter, they may be able to help you get it straighten out.

But what matters is your physical copy of the chronicles.

All of my sessions have been at cons, so far. As I was told early that physical copies were paramount, I have them all. But I do hesitate to burden a VC with all this extra work when someone at Paizo is supposed to be doing it. Maybe a VO?

Considering my handwriting, I am not at surprised that some of my -1's and -2s might have been confused. I understand human errors, and that to a large part, PFS is volunteer run.

My complaint here is that no one seems to be answering error reports.

At the risk of sounding like a nag, there are multiple problems with my sessions reporting (I have yet to judge any PFS). I reported the first four (there are many more than four, but I didn't want to overload whomever was fixing things).

These four problems have not yet been fixed, more than three months later. Character xxx-01 is getting credit for sessions played with -02 and -04, etc. character -01 is not getting credit for sessions played...

What's the point of the "report problems here" link, if no one is going to actually look/act upon the reports?

If you don't want to have alignment problems (or Detect as Undead problems), I recommend settling down in Cheliax.

You could try Belzeken (sp?) if you get on with Orcs... hmm, half-elf beck when you were alive? Please tell me that you are not a species-ist. You could just Polymorph the chicken into an Orc and it's all good. You make friends with the local Chief by frying a few spear-chuckers and demanding a nominal tribute. And by nominal, I mean so small that it's obvious it's just a token payment. Offer to take any Orcs due for a death penalty off the CHief's hands whilst cacckling...

Thanks guys I have been running around with my sack full of Society gold trying to figure out how to wisely spend it. Looks like plus 1 keen is worth saving 8k for. I have went through 6-7 adventures so far and haven’t confirmed a crit yet. I thought keen may be the best way to assist getting a crit roll

The 6,000 gold can get take your +1 weapon to +1 Keen, or +2. Think carefully before you make your investment. A +2 weapon means you hit more often, for more damage. Your overall throughput damage goes up.

A +1 Keen weapon increases your odds of getting a Critical hit. So your crit/surge damage goes up. If you just barely miss conforming crits a lot, then go Keen. If your rolls to confirm crits are under 5 a lot, then getting Keen won't help.

... And here is where I point out that Occultists have a surprising number of options for healing and status removal/suppression. Panoplies and archetypes like Reliquarian or Haunt Collector can add more options.

** spoilered list omitted **...

Not being very familiar with Occultists, which occult class are you referring to? Or is this a amalgamation of things several occult classes can manage? Is one equal to a standard Cleric in healing capacity?