Zaxomax's page

(other co-author of the linked blog)

I think my position (it's fun to be co-conspirator in upcoming plot points) comes from me GMing more than I play. I can enjoy collaborative storytelling with a side of dice even(especially) if I know where the story is going.

But hypocritically, I don't think everyone should know everything.
I like having bits of knowledge or secrets between the GM and individual players. The classic one is the PC who's actually a spy for the bad guys, but it doesn't need to be that extreme.

I like the characters' identities to be a core part of the story, and I feel like that's hard to accomplish in unmodified APs unless the players know a little of what's coming. Obviously if an AP is tweaked to fit character goals and backstories, that helps a lot. AP player's guides help too.

I found that as a vivisectionist there weren't a lot of discoveries (or higher level extracts) that I wanted, so I started in as a noble scion after level 7. Probably not an optimized choice as far as the PC is concerned, but it's been a lot of fun to RP and getting Improved Leadership definitely supported the hybrid healer/sneak attacker/dex tank role I'd been playing in the party, since the cohort can take one of those roles and let me focus on others.

Such agreements between the GM and a trustworthy player often make the game more memorable with new character concepts. The GM is favoring the trustworthy player, but only because the player has proven that he or she works toward the enjoyment of all players rather than hogging most of the fun for him- or herself.

Given that premise, let's us go wild to make the character concept work.

First off, that should be inscribed on all books for new DMs. Well put.

And yeah, the idea of having weapons on the claw arms is unappealing and cheesy. Originally I'd been excited about the idea of a bladed scarf (this campaign will be Rise of the Runelords) because I thought it was a double weapon that I could use like a Puppy Hammer and only use my hands selectively. It fit the idea of swirling around and tearing everything around me to shreds. It's too bad that didn't work out. The character right now is using dual cestus claw gloves, though she doesn't (in character) understand why, since she doesn't have Feral Mutagen yet. They're what her villainous father made her train with "for when she grows up".

Footclaw mutagen, or something like it, would be neat. I definitely want to keep the TWF element to get decent sneak attacks even when I'm not in feral mode though. But MM and I will go off to our homebrew corner to figure something out, and let the thread go back to discussing the actual rules regarding the build. Thanks Mathmuse.

Yeah, all the damage here is coming from Vivisectionist sneak attacks.

Helloo. I'm the alchemist in question. The OP, my lovely GM, says he's going to allow multiattack.

So now that that's sorted out... I'm wondering if there's a way to avoid spending the feat on Improved Unarmed Strike.

Natural attack rules say "...often a creature must forgo one natural attack for each weapon clutched in that limb, be it a claw, tentacle, or slam"

I'm intrigued by the words "often" and "clutched". For example, could I get around this by using a cestus, thus getting punch/punch/claw/claw/bite?

Also, believe it or not this is not about super-optimizing a character and breaking the game. The alchemist is actually dex-based, and often gives up some or all of these attacks to cower in fear or be overwhelmed with combat. But I'm trying to build her so that when she does go all out in killing machine mutagen mode, she's a River Tam style destruction engine.

Any clever ideas on how someone could get the TWF attacks AND the natural attacks without taking IUS? Any exotic weapons that could do it, especially dancer-flavored ones?