Thanks, Drake! And yes, he's active in his games as well, I can vouch for him, too.
The Orc is a Hold-Scarred Orc. I'll get the character on the site tonight.
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I'm willing to join! I've got an Orc flame Oracle ready to go, freshly made. I've played by post for over a decade, and I'm just getting back into things after a short hiatus, and learning PF2 from scratch (but have tons of PF1 and other games for experience).
That would depend on the nature of the multiverse. (Full disclosure: I don't know what all has been presented in the past 6 years; a lot of this is conjecture, anyway.) So we know that Pharasma (and maybe Zon-Kuthon) came from the previous universe, but that the Abyss was already there. So, it might be better said that Pharasma colonized the qlippoth's universe, and changed it to something new. The thing that allowed it was the invention of souls. (And it was probably the daemons who invented them.) So, the reason everything exists as we know it is because of this first souls, first gods, first outsiders. In any case, it created a place with far more stability. So, if all the souls go to the Good planes, the daemons starve. The question is whether that instability gives the qlippoths the way to break through, and free Rovagug. In such a scenario, it would be interesting to figure out which god will start the next multiverse. Groetus, perhaps?
I'm happy with the discussion. It's covering the effects and what might need changing.
A bitter taste remains still from when I bit my tongue hearing my GM explain the AP expects all PCs should be medium sized, so not finding any small sized armor and weapons is the price I should expect to pay for playing a Halfling.The point of the 'magic mart' is to allow players to build a character that isn't completely dependent on the authors of published adventures, the benevolence of the GM, or the party spending the feats and downtime for crafting when gearing up. Yeah, I'd never do that to a player. If they've got a halfling, there will be Small magic gear found as treasure.
I've been thinking about using PF1 in an OSR way. And that led me to wonder: what happens to the martial-caster disparity if metamagic rods just don't exist? What if you can't find them, can't buy them, can't make them?Is this idea coming from 'personal experience' with these rods, or just from seeing them on the item lists? Two things, mainly. First, every build for a caster I see involves a time of "just add metamagic rods," and that regularly suggests to me that they're too important as part of a build, and thus improving diversity in the space involves banning them. I wanted to be sure there wouldn't be some unforeseen effect from doing so. Second, I greatly dislike the magic mart and will not allow the simple purchase of magic items (except for some low-level potions and scrolls). However, I'm aware how Wealth By Level expects the ability to convert gold into magic items without issue.
Sure you can! You just have to make sure that defeat does not automatically mean death. Allow for retreats (on both sides). Let the BBEG have other goals. Accept surrenders. And just the fact the party suffered a defeat can do two things: teach humility, and stoke grudges. Great for storytelling! Also, regarding the Superman Paradox, by high levels, PCs should be looking to do something different than adventuring. Find ways to invest their riches into greater goals, building a legacy, and finding ways everything they've done matters. Of course, WBL expectations incentivize PCs never to settle down, never establish a base, never spend coin on anything except combat effectiveness. So, the GM has to be ready to throw encounter balance as written out the window, and help players to see that the way to greatness involves more than the next BBEG fight. Those fights still need to take place from time to time, but it's worth it to structure them a bit differently, if to at least prevent rocket tag. But the way to beat the paradox is to recognize that there is something more than larger and larger battles in an attempt to challenge the party. Don't tell me what the challenge is. Tell me what the challenge means.
I'm honestly less worried about optimization and such, and more about making sure that the players feel like their PCs meaningfully contribute--which can mean different things to different players, but gimp a PC enough, and it becomes clear.
I've been thinking about using PF1 in an OSR way. And that led me to wonder: what happens to the martial-caster disparity if metamagic rods just don't exist? What if you can't find them, can't buy them, can't make them?
I'll sign up! I'll bring an Orc Oracle, focused on buffing/tanking, with some face and possibly Champion Dedication. I've got no problem with daily responses or the long haul. I'll gladly give bot instructions if I'm ever out for a bit. Definitely no problem with playing however you want to run initiative; we'll just make it happen. Thank you for the opportunity!
"Aroden is very much like Tsukiyo. Tsukiyo is a god who is good, but was once dead. Aroden was a god, and is now dead. Good."
Any low level PFS1 recruiting? I've got a number of low level characters that could participate as well.
We know why the Red Revolution in Gault was begun, and who created, or at least controlled, the Gray Gardeners.Neither of these was a mystery, the explanations were just changed from broadly satisfying to broadly unsatisfying. How were they broadly satisfying before?
Aroden *sucked* by the way. Fixed it for you. ;)He was never meant to be a good guy. If he were we would have made him lawful good and not lawful neutral! ;-P I suppose the real question is whether he was "not a paladin" LN, "OG religious hero don't question him" LN, or "Golarion's Homelander" LN.
Rock Stepper is a good alternate racial trait, as it lets you make 5' steps in difficult terrain, at the cost of Stonecunning. A swashbuckler can use Rock Stepper far more than Stonecunning.
From the start of Golarion as a campaign world, there have been lots of mysteries and lose ends scattered everywhere. I know much of it was done like that on purpose to have all sorts of hooks for all sorts of campaigns. Over time, as we learn new lore, it's possible that some of these mysteries have been definitively resolved. Not everything, of course. But what, if any, has?
yeah, the absolute morality is what I started this whole thing to complain about. it chafes as it allows for no nuance and reinforces very colonialist ideas. Absolute morality does not reinforce colonialist ideas. Colonialism will say, "Those people over there, with their different culture and by extension their different religion, are bad, but we are good because we have our own culture and religion that is not theirs." However, if we apply this to even Lamashtu, it falls apart. Lamashtu is a goddess of monsters, yes, but she's also a goddess of people. She's a goddess to Chelaxians. A goddess to Andorans. The main thing that stops most humans from becoming Lamashtu's faithful is that there are other gods that grant more comfort and security much more easily, and that's the reason Lamashtu isn't worshipped. She is not the religion of those people over there. She is the religion of everyone here and now. Have you ever seen the World of Arcanis? In there, the gods have no religion, and you can easily find both good and evil worshippers of the same god all the time. Also, I've got to ask: do you feel alignment really extends linearly from Chaotic Good to Lawful Evil, and that Lawful Good and Chaotic Evil are kind of oxymorons?
Forgot to mention this seems great. Though I’m a little tempted to forgo the whole druid spells in only forest terrain. Entirely up to you, but it would make it simpler to manage, so I would welcome it.
Do we have any PCs with Arcana and Planes Knowledges? Honest question: Do we need them?
Bloodragers are interesting! I actually first considered a bloodrager. What would you like to know about them?
Background and appearance added to Daglan.
Also, DMKoolK, thanks for running this! Yes, thank you! This is exciting!
Thank you for the link! I have prepared Daglan as a human sylvan sorcerer for the campaign. I'll add the background/appearance soon. I also have a wolf animal companion; if we all end up with wolves I can try something different (or not, and we just enjoy being a wolf pack).
Mine is a human Sylvan Sorcerer.
Are we talking about the Poster Map Folio? I could buy it for you for a place at the table.
Not pretty good. Amazing. No roll under the average.
All three work for me! I'll join with Findlefarb.
That's six! We'd still need a GM and an adventure. As for characters, I've got seven level 1-2 characters I could play:
I'd say Cazithiel, Findlefarb, and Copper Tam are my favorites, but I'll play any of them, depending on the roles the party needs.
Character background idea: C. Oliver Vandermeer Occupation: Architect
Ollie Vandermeer was born and raised in New York City, the child of a reasonably well-off family. From an early age, he always loved buildings. The taller, the better. He watched as the Singer Building, then the MetLife Tower became the tallest occupied building in the world. His family got him into Columbia University, where he studied to become an architect. During his studies, he kept up knowledge of building materials, their strengths and weaknesses. He also sought out information about buildings all around the world. On late nights, he sometimes feels like there's a connection between them, leaning on ideas like ley lines and feng shui. Stone circles like Stonehenge remind him of medicine wheels in the American Great Plains. He was just finishing up his studies, walking back home for the day when he witnessed a fire on the 8th floor of a building. He stood in shock as he watched what became known as the Triangle Shirtwaist Disaster, watched people jump out of the building, stood helplessly as people burned within, as the building did nothing but serve as a charnel oven. He volunteered to pick through the aftermath, seeing how the structure survived, what could have been done differently, how people could have been saved. And he has never trusted fire since. Not since that disaster. Not since seeing that figure crawling among them. Not since... no. Avoid the fire. Build strong. He has his own practice now, smaller than more famous names, but still a solid shop well-known for designing with fire protection in mind. That's the one thing he never compromises on. He's also convinced that we'll be building taller from now on, and there's nothing stopping us from building an occupied structure that rises higher than a thousand feet!
I've got a whole bunch of Level 1-2 characters I could use to fill a table with Ruby, so I'm happy to be a second.
I'd love toto join! I'm familiar with 5th edition, so 7th is new, but otherwise, it'll be good!
(Multiplying everything by 5: STR 50
...Hoo boy.
Okay, here's my submission: Sluagh! Notes: I still have to work on equipment, and I took the Slippery trait that is normally reserved for the Bellflower Network, but I think you'll understand why I think it's appropriate for Sluagh. I'm using a base tiefling, no grimspawn or shackleborn. Name: Sluagh Race: Tiefling (halfling, small) Class: Alley Witch Languages: Common, Abyssal, Infernal, Halfling, Elf, Draconic Alignment: True Neutral Strength 8
Combat Stats:
Init +3* (+3 Dex) Fort +2 (+0 base +2 Con) Ref +4 (+0 base, +3 Dex, +1 trait) Will +3 (+2 base, +1 Wis) HP 9 (6 +2 Con, +1 FC) AC 14/ff 11/touch 14 (+3 Dex, +1 size) BAB +0 CMB -2 (-1 Str, -1 size) CMD 11 (10 -1 Str, -1 size, +3 Dex) Move 20' Attacks:
Tiefling Racial Features:
Small Size, 20' move Favored Class: Witch Native Outsider type Darkvision 60’ +2 racial bonus to Bluff and Stealth Cast darkness 1/day as a spell-like ability Cold resistance 5, Electricity resistance 5, Fire resistance 5 Alley Witch Class Features:
Alley Witch archetype (Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the Street) Weapon Proficiency: Simple weapons Armor Proficiency: None Witch’s Familiar: House Centipede holds Sluagh’s spells Crowd Patron: Patron spells come from the Crowd Patron list Child of the Streets: Bluff and Knowledge (Local) are class skills, Knowledge (Planes) and Knowledge (Nature) are not Speak to the City: While in Korvosa, Sluagh gets +2 to Initiative, Knowledge (Local), Perception, Stealth, and Sense Motive checks. Feats:
Stealthy (+2 Escape Artist and +2 Stealth) Skills:
Adventuring Skills: Perception +1* (+1 Wis) Escape Artist +10 (1 rank, +3 class, +3 Dex, +2 feat, +1 trait) Heal +5 (1 rank, +3 class, +1 Wis) Spellcraft +8 (1 rank, +3 class, +4 Int) Sense Motive +2* (1 rank, +1 Wis) Knowledge(Arcana) +8 (1 rank, +3 class, +4 Int) Knowledge(Local) +8* (1 rank, +3 class, +4 Int) Stealth +19* (1 rank, +3 class, +3 Dex, +4 size, +2 racial, +2 feat, +3 familiar, +1 trait) Bluff +5 (1 rank, +3 class, -1 Cha, +2 racial) Background Skills:
Traits:
Unhappy Childhood: Tortured (Campaign): +1 Reflex Vagabond Child (Regional, Urban): +1 Escape Artist, Escape Artist is a class skill Slippery (Combat): +1 Stealth, Stealth is a class skill Anxious (Drawback): -2 Diplomacy, speaks slowly, always assumed to be whispering Equipment:
180 gp Total Encumbrance: Light: 0-26 Medium 27-53 Heavy 54-80
Spells:
Known Spells:
XP: 0 Background:
Appearance: Sluagh is scrawny, pale, and greasy. Malnourishment combined with her halfling heritage has left her looking like the picture-perfect example of a street waif, an urchin, a mudlark. One might think that this would lend her to earn sympathy in others, but no. Something is always terribly off about her. Whether it’s the black oil that hangs on her face or runs down her limbs, or the way there always seems to be something skittering in her long, black straight hair, people always know there’s something wrong about her. Personality: Sluagh is quiet, mousy, and used to being pushed around. She is used to living in fear, living with abuse in the home. She expects to be disrespected, harmed, bullied. None of that would drive her to stray. But there is still a spark of self-worth within her. She might not speak up, but she knows she can slip away and get things done herself. And, of course, she’s no longer alone.
I'm thinking a Tiefling Alley Witch might be fun here, a creepy waif who was left for dead by a crime boss. I might go grimspawn or shackleborn. Would that work?
What's Elephant in the Room?
I'd be happy to join a PBP AP, any one. It's just fun to keep building a character within the events of a story!
Not joining this one, but I've got a number of Level 1-2 characters that I'd enjoy playing.
Is there anything more we're waiting for?
Interesting! I hadn't thought about copyright for PCs before. I suppose it's important, today! By the way, was there anything further we needed to do in preparation?
Can you total up the points you used on abilities and advantages? I'm trying to see if you are within the 150 point total. 46 points in Abilities, 2 points in Advantages. It's towards the top.
Since the party looks like 3 frontliners and a cleric perhaps an unchained rogue to do the scouting and in case of traps? Investigators also can work traps like rogues, so they should still function well in this role.
Okay, I present... Spoiler:
Hero Name: Miss Calaveras Real Name: Catrina Xochitl Ortiz Abilities 46 Powers 75 Advantages 2 Skills 16 Defenses 11 = 150 Origin: Endowment/familial history Theme: Mexican-style death-adjacent magic Strength 1 Stamina 0 Agility 3 Dexterity 2 Fighting 4 Intelligence 3 Awareness 4 Presence 6 Skills:
Advantages:
Powers:
Defenses:
Complications:
Background: Catrina Xochitl Ortiz was born and raised in Angels Camp, CA. Her father worked at one of the local livestock ranches, and she spent her early years tagging along and helping him whenever she could. She quickly took to riding horses and spent much of her childhood riding alongside the other ranch hands. She grew up to be a lovely girl, with long black hair and large dark eyes. With the attention she had gained, she was encouraged to join a local beauty pageant. She wowed the judges with her poise, her skill on horseback, and her looks, and was named Miss Calaveras, in time for her quinceañera. The quinceañera was a lovely affair, by the way. She picked out a fancy red dress, was escorted to the party riding a white horse, and the whole town came out to watch their little celebrity of the day have a wonderful party. She received her presents from all her friends and family, danced late, and finally returned to her room, exhilarated and exhausted. And there, on her vanity, was one more gift. She looked at the tag, and the name tag said it was from her great-grandmother. She loved her great-grandmother, but she had died years ago. She didn't mind, figuring this was from her family. She opened the present. Inside was an old framed black-and-white photograph, depicting Nana Soledad, wearing a beautiful dress, flowers in her hair, and her face painted as a decorated skull. This filled her with joy. The whole idea of her beloved Nana dressed as La Catrina Calavera was beautiful, her reaching across the years and death to be with her on her special day. And she heard back, "Oh, my sweet little baby, how you've grown up! You're a woman now, and it is time you had my most precious possession." Catrina looked up, wondering why she heard Nana's voice. And in the vanity mirror, she saw that her face was painted with the same decorated skull in the photograph. "The secrets of death have been in our family for generations," Nana continued. "I need to teach you all about them." And since then, Nana Soledad has watched over her, showing her how to speak with the dead, how to speak with the bones, how to reach between death and life to help others. And Catrina, as Miss Calaveras, has never been more thankful.
I've checked: I haven't actually played Wounded Wisp yet! I can use the following characters to fill out the party: Level 1: Cazithiel, speedy Elf Cleric
Level 2: Traceni Skrit, mystic Human Nature Oracle 1 / Fey-Serpentine Sorcerer 1
I'm happy to fill whatever role is needed.
Thank you! Also, what's a reasonable defense target? Does Willpower 10 mean decent, excellent, or super strong?
Oh, that's great! Definitely a mystery for Catrina. I can see her arguing with her great-grandmother about what it all means, Nana just completely confused at the technology and insisting it shouldn't work like that, but confirming that you're not dead yet.
Cool, I'm curious! Also, where is Zion High? ETA: Also also, I've still got 27 points to spend, and I don't know what's appropriate power levels for things, so I might need to improve a power or skills or defenses (I haven't been able to figure out how to buy up defenses). She's a (local) beauty queen, so she should be likable, despite the death theme. And regarding death, I know dying is not a typical concern for a high school supers genre, but I figure more of "our relationship to the dead and ancestry" still makes sense. Given that, do the powers work, or are they against genre?
Here's what I have so far for Miss Calaveras. Big thanks to GM SuperTumbler for assistance! Spoiler: Hero Name: Miss Calaveras
Real Name: Catrina Xochitl Ortiz Abilities 46 Powers 63 Advantages 2 Skills 12 Defenses 0 = 150 (27 points left) Origin: Endowment/familial history Theme: Mexican-style death-adjacent magic Strength 1 Stamina 0 Agility 3 Dexterity 2 Fighting 4 Intelligence 3 Awareness 4 Presence 6 Skills:
Advantages:
Powers:
Defenses: Complications:
I've got a number of level 1-2 characters. I've played WW before, though.
Suddenly, the idea of Miss Calaveras came to mind. Would this make for a costume?Strange costume for a hero (the skull motif on her face made me think of an anti-hero or villain). Yeah, it's a cultural difference, is all. The character concept is that she's a local beauty queen from Calaveras County, California. However, she just recently received death-related powers as a family tradition. This doesn't mean she's some killer-monster, though. Death is just a part of life, after all, and people are always looking for ways to speak with ancestors and the like. The connection is through the Aztec goddess Mictecacihuatl, who guards the bones of the dead and presides over festivals for the dead (see Dia de los Muertos for the most commonly known one). I'm going to need some assistance with character design, I feel, since I'm new to M&M. Powers I'm considering are communing with spirits, healing, affliction/weakening through talking directly to her target's bones (paralyzation, maybe pain but I don't want to be a bad guy). Perhaps some physical defense from spirits coming to her aid, or a general immunity to death, in some way. If you prefer I can run with a different concept, but this came to me, and I kind of like it.
Suddenly, the idea of Miss Calaveras came to mind. Would this make for a costume?
I'm in! I'll look the rules over and design the character from there. |