barry lyndon's page

Can you geniuses help me out with haunts?

The way I am understanding it is there is a perception or ability DC to notice a haunt that, if succeeded, will enable a PC to act in the surprise round.

Then initiative is rolled, with the haunt placed at 10.

I'm thinking that by the time the haunt goes off most of the party will have simply have left the area. Only those that have failed the Notice check and then rolled dismally on initiative will be affected.

Have I misinterpreted how they work or is that it?

Is there any reason why the extra holy damage vs evil can't be non lethal?

For myself, having played AD&D about 400 hundred years ago (roughly), finding out (young!) people were still playing RPGs last year was initially amusing. "WTH?! We did that before computers, certainly before the internet! Is that still going?!"

I gave it a go and felt bits of my brain, long dormant, firing up again and got re-hooked. Now it occupies most of the time I would normally have spent on consoles/Pcs/making sculptures out of chewing gum.

I'd be really interested to know what inspires other people to play this bizarre game in an age of such technological distractions. Any stories, sarcastic, edifying, horrifically over-shared, are welcome.

One of my players has just taken Wind Walk. I don't like prohibiting any options but so it isn't used just as different teleport spell in the world, I am wondering what has been people's experience with making this more interesting?

So far I am considering rolling for weather conditions once every x/hundred miles (I roll once or twice a day already) and constructing a random encounter table consisting of flying creatures and spot natural effects (low pressure drops, flocks of birds, etc). In my mind flying poorly at 60 mph means these types of thing aren't necessarily easily avoided so it will make it more challenging. The higher they fly the more chance they would have to re-roll fly checks, but the more devastating it would be if they fail.

Any thoughts/ideas?

I like to have an overview of Golarion and recently I've been focussing on gods. They're kinda important for many classes so I wanted to feel comfortable with what they actually were. The whole Starstone Test stuck out as a "thing" so I decided to work out what it meant in my world, the one I GM in.

I thought I'd stick it here to promote discussion or even help out anyone who wanted a backstory without putting the work in. It feels comfortable to me personally as, despite being an atheist, I like the idea of gods in Golarion.

Feel free to rip it apart or comment, nothing's locked in.

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Nature abhors a vacuum.

If there is an overarching god, one that created the entire universe, it is unknowable. But what is unquestionable is that there are incredibly powerful representatives of good and evil- and in between- that, while subservient to the immutable laws of the universe, are still unfathomably powerful to the denizens that inhabit the worlds. These facets of creation, these deities, though undying compared to mere mortals, are just as unknowing of the ultimate true nature of the universe. As such they war and strive and struggle to manipulate the worlds for their own ends, and they do this by utilising the flow of energy from the transitory but self-perpetuating and numerous mortal races. And so is the nature of worship. Those that share the alignment of these gods, as such they are known, strengthen them through their acts, be it by intent or accident.

The relationship of some of these power exchanges can be 2 way. Clerics and paladins for instance are directly empowered with a minuscule fraction of these beings' power. But regardless, the ebb and flow of the deities' struggles reflect the balance of the whole of existence, and the wars and power transfers of mortals reflect back to the gods.

Nature abhors a vacuum.

Good cannot exist without evil. Law and chaos each play their part. The wheel turns. The scales counterbalance.

And so, should there be an vacancy in the alignment of these forces it will be filled. It must be so. Some gods are literal forces of nature, only appearing in art or tales as having a design recognisable by mortals, for we cannot relate to that which we cannot conceive. Others have arrived in their own manner, from other dimensions, other planes, for their own reasons. Mortals tell tales of their kinships, alliances and oppositions, but they have no conception of how gods truly conduct their relationships. And yet there will always be found a mechanism to address any imbalance, should it arise.

On Golarion most recently the mechanism became the Starstone Test. A renowned gateway to godhood, the only requirements to enter: the desire to arise. Those that ascended are known, the manner in which they did, utterly unknown. But see: they each conveniently filled a role that balanced the alignments.

Iomedae only needed to prove she was worthy of the role, as did Norgorber and Cayden, with regard to their alignments. Anyone true to an alignment, that was missing in the balance, would have achieved the same result, drunken, lawful or otherwise. Once taken up, their mortal failings were discarded and their essence distilled to fill the role of that alignment. Norgober's infamous secrecy and Cayden's drunkenness are simply colour, embraced by their followers, their human failings long since discarded, for we need to reproduce the gods in knowable form to worship them.

The Starstone Test is not a test to be be passed to become a god, it is not a game. It is simply a gateway that those that can help achieve universal balance pass through. The universe is the ultimate arbiter.

Does the victim of a Retribution Hex get a save every attack or just when the hex is applied?

Retribution (Su): A witch can place a retribution hex on a creature within 60 feet, causing terrible wounds to open across the target's flesh whenever it deals damage to another creature in melee. Immediately after the hexed creature deals damage in melee, it takes half that damage (round down). This damage bypasses any resistances, immunities, or damage reduction the creature possesses. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to the witch's Intelligence modifier. A Will save negates this effect.

My players like it when I break up the AP with some random stuff they weren't expecting every now and then.

I'd like to have them enter the "local inn" at some point when they're just about to do a pub quiz. Then I will split them into teams. The kind of questions I want to ask them would be ones that generally help reinforce the world of Golarion as exists.

So, for this thread, the idea is that you answer the question and then pose one yourself. Then I will collate/nick them and use them in my game:)

Q1.

"Since you've obviously a particularation for fine wines and ales, which god would you be least surprised to find at your table, listening to your incredibly boring stories? Calistria, Cayden Cailean, or Erastil?"

Imagine an encounter where a barbarian is running at a Faceless Stalker (reach 10') who has the grab special attack. Once he gets into range he is going to eat an AOO from the Faceless Stalker.

The Faceless Stalker slams the barbarian successfully on the AOO and then as a free action makes the grab CM attack and grapples him.

If that is correct so far, what happens to the Barbarian? Does he still get to make his attack (even if he can use a 2 handed sword)? If so do the grapple penalties apply?

And would this all play out the same way if the barbarian was charging and the Faceless Stalker had readied the his attack without the AOO? Or even used it as an AOO and a readied action?

Thanks for any help on this.

Faceless Stalker

Melee mwk longsword +8 (1d8+4/19–20), slam +2 (1d6+2 plus grab)

I know it's a common thing for familiars to be used as scouts but how does that work? If a Wizard can't verbally communicate with it until she's lvl 5 how does she tell the familiar what she wants it to do? She can't very well explain through an empathic link that she wants her cat to have a look through a window and express an emotion back. Or is it just a wait until lvl 5 thing?

(not including ravens in this question)

Having a bit of a block on this and I want to be as fair as possible.

Scenario 1: Bandits are hiding in bushes by the side of the road, crossbows ready. Players riding past on horses, when they hear a cry for help. They dismount and approach the area on their guard, unwittingly approaching the bandits unless they can perceive them.

Scenario 2:

As above but there's no cry, they simply ride past the bandits who fire from the bushes.

Suggestions for 1. The stealth bonus for the bandits
Suggestions for 2. The passive perception for unaware PCs and/or stealth bonus for hiding bandits.

In a full attack round, imagining they are biting and clawing x 2, does that mean that if a ghoul/ghast succeeds on all 3 attacks the victim should make 3 x paralysis saving throws, + 1 x disease saving throw? Or is the paralysis attack a special full round thing? Or does 1 saving throw suffice?

Melee bite +3 (1d6+1 plus disease and paralysis) and 2 claws +3 (1d6+1 plus paralysis)

I've read some posts describing her as too easy. But my players (5 x lvl 4 plus 2 npcs) have just entered her sanctum and she's fully buffed up. Aside from the Yeth Hound probably scaring a few of them, Nualia is then going to be hitting at +12 for 1d10 +18, as far as I can tell.

I'm not sure why people think this is easy. I feel a TPK coming.

Approaching 2nd chapter, the anniversary edition is saying the PCs should be level 4 at the end of Thistletop but start Chapter 2 almost level 5.

What did you chapter-levelling GMS do?

I've read a few old threads on this but haven't achieved much clarity:

I've researched a bunch of stuff on Thassilonia online and scanned the preparation chapters on the campaign, so I feel fairly well-versed in the Runelords' activities and have a decent idea of the Thassilonian Empire pre-Starfall.

But I'm not sure when and what to give the players in terms of info at any time. How much Quink knows, how much could be researched themselves.

If it ultimately doesn't matter then I would love Quink to be able to rattle on and on about the Runelords and their enmities and the various ruins that exist around Varisia, in the manner of an over-excitable college professor. But if this would undermine the actual campaign discoveries obvious that would be bad. Also a few times the AP will mention a Thassilonian fact that "no one living knows".

Any experience GMs have had disseminating the info would be great.

Is there a list of all the potentially useful resources in Wayfinder that directly relate to RotR?

The bad guys love to do it and the players love to hear it.

So how do you handle Initiative in these situations.

[1] The bad guy appears but the players think he's a good guy, they discuss matters, and then he reveals/is revealed to be the bad guy during a monologue then raises his hidden crossbow to fire.

[2] The bad guy appears and the players know he's a bad guy. He monologues a bit first but the players have their weapons ready.

One of my players wanted to charge and grapple, and I let him, revisiting the rules after and giving my self a slap on the head.

So grapple is a standard action and therefore can't replace the attack action at the end of the charge. But...why? In 3.5 you could grapple at the end of a charge (I think), so why not now?

Someone pointed out that if grapple was an attack action you could use it with BAB multiple bonuses. I still don't see a problem. If you've got 2 arms, you can grapple 2 foes, with the penalties, Friar Tuck style. Bang their heads together.

So really my question is one of verisimilitude. Why wouldn't a barbarian be able to charge and wrestle someone to the floor (bearing in mind he can sunder, disarm, trip and bullrush)?

Can someone please help me out with this, I really want to get them in my game.

"All primary effects created by a haunt are mind-affecting fear effects, even those that actually produce physical effects. Immunity to fear grants immunity to a haunt's direct effects, but not to secondary effects that arise as a result of the haunt's attack."

Example: a haunt that triggers the room bursting into flames.

[1] Is the fire the primary effect?
[2] Presumably the room doesn't actually burn, it's an kind of an illusion? Do effected players take damage as though it was actually on fire though?
[3] If so would immunity to fear prevent that fire damage?
[4] What would people outside the haunt's influence see?
[5] What would be a secondary effect that might arise?

Anyone had their group fixate on The Old Light and just make it their mission to go explore? What do you do?

It takes an hour to brew a dose of mutagen which then last 10 min/level. Can this effect cease voluntarily or does it have to be waited out- for an hour at 6th level for instance?

What's the most interesting part he's had to play in your campaign?

Horrible feeling that this is going to be a previously addressed question but I couldn't find an answer in the multiple threads.

Is "full-attack action" synonymous with "full round action"? Ie, does Monk's flurry of blows "a monk can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action" take a full round, or can he also take a move action?

The money that scribing spells into the spellbook costs, that's payable to whom exactly?

And what for? Is it material costs, like a pen and ink? If so, can they just be stolen?

Does any one actually enforce this rule? If so, what are your thoughts on what it actually adds to gameplay?

I was messing around in Hero Lab, exploring unfamiliar classes, and I made an alchemist. All was fine and dandy until I looked at my creation and thought "What happens if he trips over his shoelaces?"

Notwithstanding the suspension of disbelief required for flying horses, dragons and magic and such, I do struggle to envisage the practicality of someone covered in easily accessible and smashable bottles/vials of acid and inflammables, regardless of them being inert until activated.

If any of you alchemy fans have rationalised this then I'd love to be given some inspiration.

(also if anyone can tell me how to receive email notifications for replies that would be a bonus)

I'm Gm'ing Crypt of the Everflame and after the first session decided to calculate experience points for the group.

In the module each mob has an experience point value which is easy enough, but each room also has a CR value and an XP value.

I'm unsure how to correctly calculate the XP, any advice would be appreciated.

For instance:

5. Shadowy Shapes (Cr3, 800 xp)

- Shadow XP 800

(If I take the room figures then the whole party has levelled after only half the top floor of a 2 floor dungeon, at medium pace.

If I just add the mob figures and rooms values with no mobs then they would have also levelled at fast pace.

Seems quick to me! )