So, haven't played PFS for a while, going to get back into it, so I'm thinking about character ideas. Out of curiosity, how tough do people think it is/ would be to navigate most PFS scenarios with a Phaasmin Redeemer because of the combination of needing to offer redemption to evildoers and also not desecrating/robbing tombs? In other words, would a lot of scenarios put that PC in a really bad spot? Or begins a problem child for the rest of the party?
OK, so I've got a basic idea for a PFS PC, but I'm not sure how I want to put it to paper (still getting lost in all the options out there), so coming here for some ideas / tips.
Basically, an ex-minion who's dedicated it's life to the person (or group) who rescued it / didn't kill it after defeating it's old master.
PFS, with no special boons to start, so I want to go goblin or kobold. (Could go other, but that just feels right.) Was leaning necromancer apprentice as background.
Champion is the obvious choice (bastion maybe?), but not loving the religious need. (Can live with it though).
Looking for other "bodyguard" options I'm missing, and interesting build thoughts/ opinions. (Including deity options if champion).
In generic terms, I want to play a small PC that rides an animal companion, but have a problem is with companion advancement. Hopefully someone can help me (a) make it work and (b) understand/not hate the reasoning behind it.
Why do companions have to get bigger when they mature? It makes this situation where either :
1 - you can't ride your companion at all until he gets bigger (at whatever level that's going to happen), which at least makes for (IMO) dumb character logic, or at worst, invalidates the character idea (I'm sickly and have problems with my legs and can't walk well, so I need to ride my dog. I guess I'll just walk around fine until 4th level...)
2 - you can ride your companion at the start, but soon it's too big, so you can't ride your companion a lot of the time, which leads to the same problems as above.
I get a mature animal may be too powerful for a 1st level companion, and giving it the young "template" makes sense in that regard, but the size shift part of it throws this wrench into the whole thing. Why not just do the numeric modifications but let the size stay the same?
Is there an option or rule I'm missing that would help me make this work? I don't want to have to start with one companion and switch to another when they "grow" (for continuity/ story), but it's the only way I see right now.
(Ideally, this would be for PFS use, so would need to be street legal.)
Hello all! Can anyone point me at any aids for a GM running the new (2nd ed) Crown of the Kobold King?
Mainly, I'm looking for a Falcon's Hollow map and an area map - both without numbers - that I can hand out to players. Other maps (without numbers) would be good, too.
If there are any stat block collections, faqs, xp progressions, GM discussions, etc, those would be great, too.
Hi all, sorry if this has been clarification (or fixed) somewhere, but I can't find it it's bugging me about an otherwise awesome scenario....
From A7: "If the PCs have removed at least two sacred prisms... when Ghalcor's spirit goes dormant... demons... resume their destruction... the scenario is on a countdown... at the same time, from outside the tower, Ollysta... rushes inside to alert the PCs."
From A8: "On initiative count 15 when they PCs enter the area, the shemhazain... On initiative count 10, Ollysta arrives..."
From sidebar: " Ollysta and two crusaders arrive through the southern door"
So the countdown starts (and Ollysta starts towards the PCs) when the ghost of Ghalcor rests/stops talking. Assuming the PCs hear the demons starting the destruction (DC10Perception), it's a good bet they open the door right away.
This means Ollysta goes rushing from "outside the tower", assumedly avoiding/ignoring the shemhazain, through the entire tower and to the south door IN ONE ROUND!?!?! Then on round two, charges the shemhazain anyway.
On the other hand, the "dramatic timing" works great if the PCs do the opposite of most, and wait/plan. But that makes no sense on the bad guys' end (other than giving the demons more rounds to damage the control panel).
Also, although it's an admittedly far -fetched possibility, there's no instruction given for how long Ollysta is "delayed" if A3 is bypassed and, more importantly, what the shemhazain does to the tower/PCs before she gets there.
Why not have her charge the shemhazain from outside on the first round after it blasts a hole in the wall - right after the PCs enter the room?
I have some friends who are looking to do a PFS-based home game. I was hoping to get some mods that would string together well - obviously there are short series' to use, but has anyone ever put together any potential "long arc" connections? Or groups and individual mods that work well together?
"Perhaps appending a shorter, usable-at-the-table-when-it-comes-up, bullet-pointed, step-by-step "light condition resolver" to the end of the blog might have been helpful?"
Okay, not exactly, but it got your attention, so help me out. ;)
I wanted fighter type (FTR, BBN, RGR, HTR, other?) that fights alongside his animal companion (leaning boar right now). Since he grew up with the boar, he would just use natural weapons.
Mad Dog barbarian half-orc is first thought, but that doesn't help a lot with the natural attacks stuff since rage powers and combat feats are slower (other than the Tusked trait).
Natural weapon ranger is an idea, but companion is late coming and weaker than above. (Would gladly give up spells or other stuff for earlier access - too bad there's no such archetype.)
Is there a way for a bloodrager to get a companion? Early?
I'd have to reread to be sure, but I suppose you could keep spending spell slots to refill your pool - but if you're doing that, you're not using those slots for spells, which seems counter productive. As far as scrolls, maybe I'm missing something (don't have it here), but I didn't think you could refill the pool with spells off scrolls?
I post the question (and ask for something 'official') for the exact reason Talon gives. We have a local PFS FL that insists on stance #2 because of the wording I quoted. No matter the opinions of the players, no matter the logic behind it. Just looking for something 'official' to show him.
Oh mighty POWERS THAT BE, please clarify this debate among those who seek only to know the truth of your proclamations!
There's been a bunch of questions posted about when a combatant stops being flat-footed in combat. There are two sides to the debate, and both have evidence in the rulebook. I (among others, I'm sure) would like to see an OFFICIAL response from one of the powers that be.
STANCE 1 : Once a combatant acts, be that in a surprise round or non-surprise round, he or she is not flat footed anymore. This seems supported by the flat-footed condition description ("A character who has not yet acted during a combat is flat-footed"; CRB, p567) and with wording under Unaware Combatants in the Combat chapter ("Unaware combatants are flat-footed because they have not acted yet"; CRB, p178
STANCE 2 : A combatant is flat-footed until after they act in the first non-surprise round, even if they were not surprised and acted in the surprise round. This side of the debate is supported by the wording under flat-footed in the Initiative section of Combat chapter ("before you have had a chance to act (Specifically, before your first regular turn in the initiative order), you are flat-footed"; CRB, p178) and some wording in the Surprise section on the same page ("a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin"; CRB, p176).
Stance 1 seems to garner the most support, probably because it makes more logical sense at first flush - once you act, you're good to go. (Also, stance 2 would create a situation where if an ambusher lost initiative to his victim, the ambusher would be flat-footed to the victim's attack after having already acting in the combat himself - a seeming contradiction to the "flat-footed" condition.)
Stance 2 is a more letter-of-the-law, semantic argument, making sense since surprise rounds are not "regular rounds" in the sense of having some irregular qualities (limited actions, not everyone may act). But are they intended as such - a totally separate combat round altogether. (Would that mean a separate initiative roll as well?)
Hopefully this question has been addressed, but I have yet to find an answer...
D.O. would be a very in-character fit for my samurai, but the Dragon Empire deities' obediences/boons aren't listed (Shizuru specifically). Is there a 'conversion' somewhere? (i.e. use Iomedae or Sarenrae or something?)
Every time I almost have a handle on this, someone argues nicely the other way, or another reference is brought up that contradicts something. Definitely need a FAQ/powers-that-be clarification on this...
My suggestion :
1 - Change the name of the Invisibility condition to UNSEEN. All the text remains the same, except :
(a) "invisible" is replaced by "unseen" (obviously),
(b) the fourth paragraph (the "notice the presence" and "pinpoint" language) changes - see below),
(c) the "Invisible creature is" table is modified and moved (see below),
(d) there would be a few other minor tweaks in the later language, but they are irrelevant to this conversation.
2 - Change first three sentences of the fourth paragraph (the "noticing"/and "pinpointing" language) like so:
"A creature can generally notice the presence of an active unseen creature within 30 feet with a Perception check opposed by the unseen creature's Stealth check +20. Success indicates the observer gains a hunch that "somethings's there" but can't see it or target it accurately with an attack. Pinpointing the square the unseen creature is in requires a Perception check against the unseen creature's Stealth check +40.
(Note this leaves all the miss chance and "feeling about" mechanics unchanged.)
3 - Okay, but what about all the situational modifiers, you say? Remove the "Invisible creature is" table from Unseen condition, but add the first five lines (the speaking and moving stuff) to the Perception modifiers table.
Voila!!
Invisibility is a spell that grants a condition (unseen). To find an unseen creature requires a Perception check. The Perception check is subject to modifiers. (The size of those modifiers can be debated elsewhere...)
OK, please help - maybe it's me being blind, but....
:
In H4/H5/H6 - Tesserick is in H4, but there's no statblock. H5 has 3 or 5 Feasters, and H6 has 1 plus Charito.
Is Tesserick counted as one of those numbers (like maybe he's the one Feaster with Charito?) or are they separate counts?
Also, when it says he "calls the rest of his allies" if combat breaks out - that includes Charito, yes?
Those two questions allow for a BIG swing in a possible combat in H4:
If he's separate and Charito comes, that's 5 (or 7) Feasters plus Charito
If he's NOT separate and she doesn't come, it's 4 (or 6) Feasters.
Okay, so a multi-classed sorcerer 2/oracle 2 has an animal companion from his sylvan sorcerer bloodline. Since the companion is figured as druid of sorcerer level -3 (minimum 1), it is the same as a 1st level druid's companion. No problem. When the character goes to 5th level, it would still be the same. (Still 3rd level -3 = 0, but min. 1)
But what if the character takes boon companion as his 5th level feat? (The abilities of your animal companion or familiar are calculated as though your class were 4 levels higher, to a maximum effective druid level equal to your character level.)
Do you figure the equivalent level as normal (to -1), then add the 4 levels? So, equivalent to level 3?
Do you figure the equivalent level as normal (to the "minimum 1"), then add the 4 levels? So, equivalent to level 5?
Do you add the 4 levels to the class, but cap it at character level per the feat (so 5), then reduce by the -3? So, equivalent to 2?
Do you add the 4 levels to the class, but not cap it at character level yet because you're going to reduce by the -3? So, equivalent to 4?
I'm pretty sure it's not just equivalent to level one companion, anyway. ;)
Maybe I'm just being blind, but I can't find the answer to what seems to me an obvious question...
minor plot point spoiler:
After being freed, what does Tomasz do after telling the PCs about joining the Cult? I assume he doesn't join the party, but that might actually make sense...
I guess my point/request is for a Power That Be to clarify : can you apply a chronicle from playing a non-1st level pre-gen to ANY PC (once that PC reaches the appropriate level)?
Yes.
Guide to Pathfinder Organized Play, v.4.2 wrote:
If you play a non-1st-level pregenerated character, you can apply the credit to your character as soon as she reaches the level of the pregenerated character played.
(Emphasis mine) It doesn't get much more explicit than that.
Bigwave, when you play the pregen you have to fill out the tracking sheet for the game and indicate which PC will get the credit for that game. As in PFS#-1 or PFS#-2, etc.
The PC you choose does not have to exist yet, but you do have to choose one. If it is a new PC then you can apply the Chronicle adjusted for level 1 immediately. Or I suppose, you could hold the Chronicle until that particular PC reaches the level of the pregen played.
@ Don : Good point about assigning the sheet to a number right away... I was aware of it, this question was more for future reference.
@ Johnathan : I DO understand what you're saying, and agree - I'm just trying to point out to the PTB that this part CAN be interpreted in more than one way, which is something we've had trouble with in the past, BUT ... (and sorry to go all grammar nazi here,)
Yes, it does specifically say "apply credit to your character" - the vagueness arises because since most players have more than one character, "your character" doesn't refer to a unique, unambiguous thing, and therefore is open to the possibility of interpretation. Since it comes right after talking about creating a new 1st level character, and doesn't specifically state "any existing character", it COULD be interpreted either way - whether "your character" is referring to the last specific example, (i.e. the new 1st lvl PC) or is in fact referring to any of the player's characters, either new or existing.
While it was nice to see the pre-gen chronicle rules for scenarios and modules condensed and unified, they are still vague on one key point. They say if you use a pre-gen of higher than 1st level you can either apply it to a brand new PC or hold it "until his character reaches the level of the pregenerated character". Is the character referred to as "his character" (a) a newly created PC (just saving the chronicle to apply later), or (b) any other of their PCs?
If it's the first Chronicle for the character, I'd say "A." If it's the second or later Chronicle, then it should be "B."
Isn't that kind of saying if you apply it to new PC "a" then the rule is "a", but if you apply it to existing PB "b" then the rule is "b"? I mean, I hope you're right that we CAN apply the pre-gen chronicle to an existing PC, butthe wording isn't really clear on that (to me). (Plus, you could theoretically apply rule "b" (keeping the chronicle until later) to new PC "a", too.)
I guess my point/request is for a Power That Be to clarify : can you apply a chronicle from playing a non-1st level pre-gen to ANY PC (once that PC reaches the appropriate level)?
While it was nice to see the pre-gen chronicle rules for scenarios and modules condensed and unified, they are still vague on one key point. They say if you use a pre-gen of higher than 1st level you can either apply it to a brand new PC or hold it "until his character reaches the level of the pregenerated character". Is the character referred to as "his character" (a) a newly created PC (just saving the chronicle to apply later), or (b) any other of their PCs?
Stepping away from the question of evil for a moment...
(1) Great job on 4.2!....
(2) ... except... sorry, I'm a little confused re. pre-gen chronicles:
"Page 29: If you play a non-1st-level pregenerated character, you may apply the credit to your character as soon as she reaches the level of the pregenerated character played.”
and : Under Applying Credit, added the following sentence, “A player who uses a pregenerated character must apply the Chronicle sheet to a newly created 1st-level character or hold the Chronicle sheet until his character reaches the level of the pregenerated character.”
The references to "your character" and "his character" - is that ANY other character (once they reach the correct level) or to a newly created 1st-level character (but you just hold the chronicle until the appropriate level)?
"powergames can be awesome. You just need to increase the effective encounter levels. The hard part with that is increasing it enough to make it challenging but not accidentally killing the players"
Maybe I'm the one missing something now... if one enjoys powergaming (which from your examples, I take to basically mean having PCs that blow away the enemy), and thinks that PC deaths should only be accidents, why would they want the DM to "make it challenging"? It seems contradictory to want to have a PC that has no weakness and dominates everything, yet also complain the DM doesn't challenge them.
Like in a video game - either play "cheat mode" and enjoy ripping through everything or play "normal mode" and enjoy the challenge. You can't really do both?
Okay, so we're going through some confusion here with this whole thing, because...
page 4 : “If you play a non 1st-level pregenerated character, you can apply the credit for it to your character as soon
as they reach the level of the pregenerated character played. You may also opt instead to apply the credit from the non 1st-level pregenerated character played
to a newly created character with the GP gained reduced to 500 GP (or 250 for slow advancement track characters). Equipment listed on the pregenerated character sheet may never be sold.”
page 23 : "If you play a pregenerated character, you apply the credit from the pregenerated character played to a newly created character, with the GP gained reduced to 1,398 GP (or 699 for slow advancement track characters)."
page 29 : "If the player is playing a non-1st-level pregenerated character, he may choose instead to apply this Chronicle to a newly created 1st-level character. If this is the case, reduce this value to 500 gp (or 250 gp for the slow advancement track)."
Needless to say VERY confusing. When is 4.2 coming, will it be VERY clear, and what should be done with the chronicle until then?? (And can the answers to these questions PLEASE be posted in the FAQ or elsewhere prominent? The current FAQ says the chronicle remains the same, but doesn't actually address new PC vs other PC, or whether the gp is 500 or 1398/699.)
Agree with Russell that mustering could be improved a bit. Signage helps - that and someone with a loud voice who doesn't mind telling people where to go. I'm sure we have more than a few of those around. ;)
As I said elsewhere, I think things went pretty well. Players and judges all seemed pretty happy - especially when they won things. As always, the PFS HQ guys were fantastic about getting everyone who wanted to play a seat. This would, of course, not be possible without those that stepped up to GM those tables, even if they were scheduled to be off or even playing - MUCH thanx to them.)
As far as numbers go, I think the blame falls mainly on the date shift, and somewhat on $, neither of which is controllable by PFS, so don't worry about it. Or look on the bright side - the lower number of tables run contributed to a low-noise environment.
This was my first time judging for PFS at Origins, though I've GM'ed there many times before (being a Columbus native), and I think PFS does everything pretty much spot on. I would suggest a Judge's Primer of sorts though, emailed before the con or handed out there, that ran down the basic expectations (timing, answer some basic questions) and procedures (ticket collection, boon rolls, raffle tickets).
Just because there are always nits to pick, the interactive on Thursday evening took forever to muster and get going. Also, do we know why PFS staffers/judges couldn't get Origins vouchers? (Towards food, etc?)
Yes, there ARE PFS games at Ravenstone. They played a bit last year, then (as Matt said), real life intervened and things petered out over the holidays. We have started getting things going again. In fact, the plan is to play this Saturday - though the time and scenario are a bit up in the air due to low response at this time. LOVE to get more people involved! Check out the Columbus Pathfinder Society page on Facebook - some of us are there.
The Infiltrator Ranger selects his adaptation (say natural armor +2) and can use it up to 30 min a day in 10 min increments. No problem.
What sort of action does it take to activate?
I'm preparing for playing a cavalier, and am running into many conflicting theories on how mounted combat works, from many esteemed but not actually official sources. Has there ever been an official clarification of the various rules? I haven't found one yet, hoping I'm just missing it. Maybe in a book I don't have?
The questions I'm really looking forward to getting answered are:
Basic charge attack - do the mount and rider BOTH get a single attack (with bonuses and penalties), or just one or the other? [I would lean to yes.]
Ride By Attack - You have to charge in a straight line to the first possible square to attack from. For this feat, you have to continue your charge line, which will take you right into your target most, if not all of the time. Which rule 'bends' to let the feat work? [I would say the charger can attack from the first possible square that allows him to also continue his charge past the target.] Though not stated, I would also assume this negates the mount's charge attack unless it also has Ride-By, which leads to ...
Ride By Attack / Charge Through / Improved Overrun / Trample - who has to have these feats in order to ride over something in the way of a charge? The rider? The mount? Both? Whose CMB does the charging pair use? [It would make sense that the mount would be the one doing the overrunning, but special paladin/cavalier mounts excluded, none would have these feats.]
Along those lines, but not strictly a mounted combat clarification - why do Gendarme Cavaliers need to take Spring Attack? Does that insinuate that he could use such a tactic while mounted (i.e. move up, attack, move away)? Wouldn't that insinuate that it's the rider's feats that matter, not the mount's? Or is it just something to do when not mounted (and to suck up other feat slots to get the prerequisites)?
Except that it doesn't say you can pick other feats if you've already taken one or two of the feats from the list - only if you've already taken ALL of them. And it doesn't say if you don't qualify for a feat then you can take another one instead.
I'm not 100% sure on this next bit, but I don't believe you can use Spring Attack with a charge. It doesn't explicitly ban it, but charge is (1) a special full round action, not a move and an attack, (2) charge specifically states you can't move after the attack, and (3) the straight line to (and, then with a Spring Attack, past) the nearest square from which you can attack the target would be problematic. (i.e. you can't charge up and hit, then run away to the side, if at all...)
I would love to find outthe true answer to this (as well as where it's definitively stated whether or not you need teh prereqs for teh bonus feats), so I'll keep an eye out.
PFS at the Guardtower would be great!! (The Armory is too far a jaunt for me.) I'll try to remember to check the boards and the Tower. (Or you can contact me at dave (at) veluna (dot) net. (I think that addy still works....)
Hey all - had a great time playing my first PFS scenarios, but just a heads up...
when I went and signed in to the website / registered my PC, the Pathfinder number I was given seemed to already be "occupied". There was a session reported from Bashcon (in Feb.). The faction was wrong too.
I'm guessing that either someone at Bashcon had a typo entering numbers, or my number was previously given out. I've sent a message to TPTB (well, customer service, anyway - any other addresses I should try?), but wanted to toss this out there, as either of the possible problems could mean there are a bunch more of these problems coming.
Dave
PS - Mucho thanks to Doug Doug and the other DMs that put up with Brik, Tikobos and Bryson, aka me, Brian and Lynn
