Winter S Jackson's page

For better or worse, I've decided to step away from my usual planned-sessions for a sea-based, over-and-under-water open world style. I've got a map, settlements, and factions all partially planned, a loose plot in mind, and some semi-random encounters in mind for the first few levels...

So, question for anyone that has tried it or thought of trying it before. What should I be thinking of now, rather than after the first session?

I've always been a fan of the idea of body-reading, knowing a person's actions before they make them by reading shifts in posture and tension. But, when I compared that thought with the idea of monks, why not go one further?

This archetype is partially inspired by the prescience ability from the Dresden files, and represents an Order of monks who use a tiny amount of foresight to aid them in their abilities. Its a bit SAD, and trades out pretty much entirely the weaker features of both monk classes, so is far from "balanced" against the original class-but I'm happy with that.

Google Doc

So, after the great advice I got here last time, I thought I'd skim for ideas a second time. I'm planning a session for my players on a port city demiplane, designed for Merfolk and surface dwellers alike, and I haven't really done a downtime adventure before. I have a couple of ideas for things to come across, but rather than make it feel like I'm throwing the plot parts in whenever they run out of things to do, I'm instead playing with the idea of measuring time, giving them 12 hours of shore leave with the plot events happening at set periods. I'd love both ideas of mini encounters for them to do (and a reasonable estimate for how many half-hours you think it'd take), and opinions on how to make this work.

What I've got is as follows:

-Trawl the market. Each player can find any mundane item of less than 200gp with a half hour of searching, but for each half hour spent they can also find one extraordinary item from a generator I've got.
-Hit the bars. Some social checks to make some contacts and a possible barfight, with a pickpocket stealing the purse and running from the first player who does it. Easy to track, but tricky to follow, leading them on a goose chase around the city and giving them a chance to sightsee. Maybe a roll per hour.
-Specialty stores. Magic or intricate items, with the players finding out they need a license to buy such goods. The shopkeep offers to sell it to them under the table, but needs an off-the-books job done first. Half an hour per shop, then depends on the job.
-Library. The city is pretty damn ancient and outlasted the planet it came from, so there's a hell of a lot of knowledge. If they can't impress or convince the curator to allow them in, they may have to break in. They have a fair number of plot hooks they don't really understand at the moment, so this one is probably happening sometime.

Anyway, about 4 hours in, they come across a sometimes-ally of theirs called Adar, which (short version) leads to her becoming hostile and bolting. The local guard are particularly hostile to her and lead the charge against her, and turn against the party when she escapes. They get arrested, but end up with a whole lot more info on the ally than they've picked up so far.

Then tracking down Adar as the reason for her hostility comes to light and graduating into a full on bossfight and attack on the city. That'd be probably earliest 8th hour, with any after being epilogue.

So yeah. How would you run "shore leave" for your party and does this plan sound doable?

So, seeing as this board was immensely helpful last time, I figured I may as well test the waters on the other session I wasn't decided on. Just as the last area was run by the psionics version of a conjurer, the next is run by essentially a master transmuted. Now, originally I was planning a "damsel you rescued was the polymorphed psionics all along" approach but I think I'm overdoing the traitor approach.

So, I'm looking for other approaches. Assuming near limitless amounts of materials and creatures, but unable to leave your facility, what do you think a world run by a master transmuted would look like after a few thousand years of isolation?

So, seeing as this board was immensely helpful last time, I figured I may as well test the waters on the other session I wasn't decided on. Just as the last area was run by the psionics version of a conjurer, the next is run by essentially a master transmuted. Now, originally I was planning a "damsel you rescued was the polymorphed psionics all along" approach but I think I'm overdoing the traitor approach.

So, I'm looking for other approaches. Assuming near limitless amounts of materials and creatures, but unable to leave your facility, what do you think a world run by a master transmuted would look like after a few thousand years of isolation?

So, I've been DMing for a few months now, and for better or worse have been making my own adventures mainly from scratch. (I finally have a mat and miniatures in the mail, but they won't be usable until the new year). Anyway, the issue is this:

In the upcoming session the party is investigating what appears to be an age-old abandoned temple, hot on the heels of another party who have gone missing. A psionic item the first party owned gets in contact with them part-way through, and tries to guide them to where the first party was ambushed by the spirit of the high priestess. On the way the party is harried by golden spiritwolf guardians, who are sometimes amplified by rough statues (some of which are actually golems). In truth the whole thing is a constructed simulation by a powerful psionic entity masquerading first as the psionic item and then as the high priestess.

Only to me at least the whole thing sounds a bit flat. I've had some failures and some successes so far, and this is a plot-session some of the players have been looking forward to, so I'd really hate for it to fall flat. Any advice?

Being only a 1 HD humanoid monster, I felt it a little of a waste not to convert this god-animated statues into something a player could use. Instead of the half-construct race, I have used the constructed racial trait of the androids.

As follows:

Humanoid (Celedon)

Medium Size

30ft movement speed

Constructed: Celedons count both as humanoids and as constructs. Androids gain a +4 racial bonus on
all saving throws against mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, and stun effects. They
are not subject to fatigue or exhaustion, and are immune to disease and sleep effects.

Standard: +2 str, +2 wis, -2 int

Granted power: The Celedon gains the first granted power of a single domain or inquisition within
the portfolio of their creator deity.

Song of the gods: Celedon's have the bardic performance of a bard of their level. Rather than Perform,
a Celedon uses Knowledge(Religion) when relevant. They can use this ability a number of times per day
equal to 4 + her Wisdom modifier and can employ either her voice or any musical instrument.

Bonus Feat: Skill focus(Knowledge:Religion)

So, the group has been warned of a one-off session coming up as follows. A Dark Sun survival session where at least at first, the players start with nothing.

Now, I know there are plenty of ways of producing equipment and armor out of nowhere, but I want to embrace the full ascetic aesthetic. I'm planning Unmonk->Bloodforge's Mongrel, crossed with Steelfist commando so I can actually fight back. Are there any obvious goldmines I'm not considering, or would this be one of the best ways of kicking ass in your "outfit worth no more than 10gp" and nothing else?

-Character level 6
-All Paizo books, including both recent and players companions
-All Dreamscarred press products, with other 3pp allowed on a case by case basis

So, details would take a long time, but the important ones are that my group of 3 (Most likely a warlord, a Psion, and a Brawler) are going to have their dreamselves end up fighting a load of non-spiritual Caulborn of various types. Oh, and allowing the players' weapons at least to count as ghost-touch for the sake of the martials.

Now, I'm still somewhat new to making encounters, but I've a real problem with making it too easy and easing off when the players start having trouble. So, I want to make an encounter that is a bit of a challenge on paper, and stick to that.

I'm thinking at least 3 Caulborn in some ratio of basic to Thoughtkeeper, with more coming in after a round or too as reinforcement. Probably no Chrestomath, just because I can't see them attacking intruders.

So, any ideas or further questions? How much of a boost to ECL is being Incorporeal?

So, picked up the Occult Bestiary today and was happily surprised to find 3 new player races: A variant Samsaran whose soul went to the astral realm for a bit before reincarnating, an underdark psychic human race called Munavri, and a sort of Greater Duergar.
Now, each has a few nice psychic tricks, but in the case of the duergar and Munavri have pretty high stat bonuses.
What are people's opinions on these races, considering the normal array? Are +4s to Dex or Con enough to make you wary of your players using them?

As it sounds like, I've been setting up some xenophobic Merfolk for my campaign and after some tinkering realised the merfolk-cavalier-enabling and order parts actually split pretty neatly. Still, I'd appreciate some opinions. The 15th level stuff isn't going to come up, but I'm aware its probably potentially a bit strong.

The Archetype is designed for a city intended for both Merfolk and surface-dwellers alike, with waist high-waterways everywhere and rings of water-walking everywhere. These Cavaliers would be the lightning-fast response team and police, using the environment against any outsider infiltrators.

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So, some context first: I'm not the only dm who doesn't trust their players with T1 and T2 classes, though with my group its more about overshadowing eachother than much munchkinning or abuse. Still, I've had a ban on clerics, sorcerers and wizards since the beginning, and have been grudgingly allowing the Oracle for short of a better option.

Now, the Reliquarian Archetype from the latest player companion seems pretty perfect to me. It's an Occultist archetype exchanging the second implement school from first level and its SAD-ness for a Cleric domain and counting as a divine caster. As I see it, a pretty good way to make it work A La the elvish lorekeeper Oracle archetype as a mystic theurge.

Anyway, the reason this is in the S/HR/H forum and not the advice is the following: some ideas at focusing and boosting the Reliquarian a bit more towards the Cleric, Oracle and old-school Archivist respectively. These were made pretty late and are more theories at this point than finished products, but...thoughts? (Also, the Reliquarian can only take one of the three options, of course).

Divine font: At 6th level and again at 14th, the divine font may choose to gain an additional Domain instead of an additional Implement school. Your level for the purpose of access to spells and abilities from this domain is equal to your level -3. In addition, at 1st level then increasing 1d6 at 5th and every four levels after, you gain the channel energy ability of a cleric.

Divine conduit: Instead of gaining a cleric domain, you gain a Mystery as with the Oracle class. At 3rd level then every 4 levels after, the Divine conduit may choose to gain a Revelation of their mystery instead of a new focus power. Any reference to Charisma in these powers is instead switched with Wisdom, and vice versa.

Divine Mind: The divine mind casts his spells as if they were both divine and psychic, and requiring both types of components. In addition, at 6th level you gain a “Dark Knowledge” pool with points equal to 2+ your INT modifier. As a swift action, you may spend a point from your Dark Knowledge pool to identify a creature. Make an appropriate Knowledge check at DC 15. If you succeed, you gain all appropriate knowledge about the creature. In addition, you gain a +1 insight bonus to attack and damage rolls against this specific creature for every 5 by which you exceed the DC for the rest of the day. This replaces the Implement schools gained at 6th level and 14th.

This mini-project originally started with just the food-themed names, before expanding to some background characters, before turning into what it is now. My only rule is Small races only (for now) and ones that are relatively well known. Requests and reviews welcome!

Link

So, my players managed to liberate an artificial intelligence in a sandbox game I ran recently, and I'm inclined to let them keep her as an NPC party member (as they're a small group and lacking much of a Knowledge-monkey).

So, I'm planning on making her a weak caster and skillmonkey, and am looking for opinions on what would help fit this niche. No race points, obviously, because "No physical body" isn't exactly among the options.

Could just go flat +6 to each of the mental scores, and maybe a 1/day Knowledge reroll for flavor. Am I overthinking this?

I'm in the planning stages for a new campaign featuring a massive undead presence (because who doesn't love the old zombie apocalypse plan) and am planning it to be facilitated by a previously unknown artefact. Now, that's not a thing I've had to make before, so would appreciate some opinions on power and utility.

Blackhallow Staff
Slot none; Aura strong (Necromancy); CL 20th; Weight 5 lbs.
DESCRIPTION
A long staff of blackened, lightning-struck wood and topped with a cracked, broken skull, this potent artifact contains highly concentrated energy from the darkest corners of necromancy. Unlike a normal staff, a Blackhallow Staff contains a maximum of 112 charges that cannot be restored through any normal means. When the charges are expended, it breaks into worthless shards of burnt wood (See destruction). To find the number of charges in a found Blackhallow Staff, roll 1d100 and add 12.
Using a charge raises those affected as with the Animate dead spell, except it affects all viable corpses within 1,500ft and can only create a random assortment of generic skeletons and ghouls in a ratio of 3:2 (achieved by applying the skeleton and dread ghoul templates, except the created ghouls cannot create spawn or command other ghouls). As an addition, for each creature affected this way, there is a 2% chance for an additional Shadow to be created, with the same hit dice as the original creature. All creatures created this way remain under the control of the staff’s wielder until it is broken or used by another person, even if the undead's total HD exceeds the normal limits.

-Animate dead (112 charges)

A wielder of the staff capable of activating it gains spell resistance equal to 10+ their caster level, immunities as described in “undead traits”, and a +4 profane bonus to three stats of their choice, chosen when the staff is first used and remaining until the staff is used by another. Once chosen, these stats cannot be changed.
DESTRUCTION
A Blackhallow Staff can only be broken if a wielder uses all of its charges, raising at least their HD in undead each time. If the last charge is used and the wielder has not fulfilled this requirement, the staff insteads fades into black smoke and reforms at a random location, killing the wielder in the process. Doing so restores 1d100+12 charges.