delslow's page

Hello,

For some odd reason you guys determined that I should get two separate shipments for this month. Both boxes "shipped" a while ago, but only one of them arrived today. Unfortunately, it was the box that contained Adventure Path 2 and the promos. The other box, which I assume contain the Class Add-on Deck, did not arrive today. This means it's another weekend without being able to really play the game. Ridiculous. Absolutely asinine.

You guys use the excuse of shipping once a month to put all the items together in one shipment. Then how did this happen!? There was plenty of room in the first box to stick the Class Add-on Deck in there.

I've always sang the praises of your company to all that will listen, but this is just the mother of all flustercucks.

/rant

edit: shipping dates.

So, totally broken, or not playing it right? I know you can only play one weapon per check, but the wording seems to imply you can dual wield this. I have a swashbuckler dual wielding this and a cat o' nine-tails and he rolls a 10 even if he rolls 1's on all his dice.

I'm pretty sure this is wrong, but he insists he "knows how these things work."

Hi,

I want to play the Alchemist, but it looks like he is supposed to start with a bunch of things that are not in the base set. Any suggestions on how to remedy this? Or do we all just wait for the Add-on?

Paizo seriously, SERIOUSLY, dropped the ball on this.

Can I use his potion chucking ability more than once per check? ie, Can I throw my hand at a villain?

Subscribers *are* top priority.

You have to see it from our end... it just doesn't feel that way. Here are three things you can easily do to remedy that feeling.

1. Eat the shipping cost for subscribers this month and next.
2. Get your products to subscribers before the street date.
3. One free class deck of our choice.

MightyJim wrote:

So, will those of us who started subscriptions with character add-on deck still get the August promos?

Some kind of proper announcement on this would be good.

I was told promos would ship with the add-on, so no worries there.

Just got off phone with CS. I was told the only thing going out today was the base set. Everything else, including promos, will be shipping "mid september."

GG, Paizo. I'll wait for the official post before going into full lunatic mode. =P

Just got off phone with Paizo CS. Let's just say a bunch of people will not be happy. I'll wait for their official post on this.

/sad

Mine says complete. Tracking number is just shipping label printed though. Been that way for days.

Same here. When are the boxes actually going to be leaving their facility?

I can't seem to locate the previous thread on game difficulty, and a new thread to discuss the "difficulty" of the game seemed appropriate.

I find that our normal group of 4 or 5 people tear through the game because of three main factors:

1) Each character is able to close a location on their first or second turns pretty consistently (except for the fighter, that is). We even poke fun of each other if we fail to close a location on our turn. There needs to be a mechanic to place henchmen and villains closer to the bottom of the deck (maybe a Pandemic type system).

2) Our players NEVER fail a monster check (1 fail per 3 play sessions). Monsters' checks should be higher and they should scale with the number of players in the game. Most monsters should always do some combat damage making armor much more valuable.

3) Blessings make encounters trivial. Here are some suggestions on how to curtail some of their usefulness:
- Blessings always add a D4.
- Blessings can only be used by players in the same location. (?unless you have the divine skill?)
- Only one blessing may be played per check by anyone.
- Blessings played by players in other locations are always buried. (?unless divine skill?)

I know you don't want to over complicate an already complicated game, but I find our play group quickly losing interest in the game because it is waaaaay too easy. I told them A4 would be harder, but the first two scenarios might have been even easier than the previous adventures.

=(

What I get from this and our multiple play sessions is that the game is too easy for larger parties. 6 possible blessings on a check plus all the other bonuses make many "difficult" encounters laughable. I hope the dev team looks at balancing the game for larger parties for the next core set or even as an errata. Some of the examples I've seen include limiting the number of blessings that can be played on a check, making all blessings only add a 1d4 die, and only allow blessings from your current location + adjacent open locations.

Is this right? We just added it in, and we are already removing it from game?

Maybe we should limit the number of blessings that can be played per check ? I do like the blessings only add a D4 rule. Could give some of the classes a "+1, +2" power line for blessings as well.

edit: the druid having an extra D4+2 to EVERY SINGLE check is pretty OP.

A new version of the Rulebook has been posted, incorporating all of the resolutions to date from the Rules Questions section of the FAQ.

Paizo,

Is there a nice printable FAQ somewhere? I understand maintaining the FAQ on your website is easier, but sometimes it's not convenient to look up the site every time we have a rules question while playing.

Also, is there a quick reference somewhere for all the changes to cards? (ie, Scorching Ray not having the Basic trait and Bugbears having the Goblin trait)

Thanks!

I read something about not being able to use an "additional explore" if I never used my turn based first explore. Since I am forfeiting my turn based first explore, may I not use an "additional explore?"

So far, we've been playing it right. I've maybe used cure incorrectly twice or so. Nothing game breaking. Do most spells have location restrictions?

Hi,

I have a few questions on the timing on using the Cleric power to heal.

1) Can I do it before I move? after I move? after I play a spell?
2) If I forfeit my first exploration for the turn to use the power, may I then use a card to explore (blessing/ally)?

Thanks!

The curer and the curee must be at the same location, but I don't remember the wording. It is very explicit though.

I'm asking because I don't remember reading that on the card. Plus I asked on the forums if people had to be at the same location for spells/blessings, and was told "no." Unless it explicitly says so on the card, they may be played at any time and any place.

I kinda hope I've been doing it wrong, actually. It would change the game a bit. We had people cast Levitation on someone at another location to bring them to their location, kinda like a town portal spell.

Well, if you've been doing Cure wrong, you may be doing something else wrong that is making it seem too easy. However, doing cure from any location to any other location is, in my opinion, enough to make the game seem too easy. Having to be in the same location disrupts whatever location strategy you were pursuing as someone moves to the other player's location.

Does Cure say "at this location" on the card? I don't have a copy in front of me atm.

As mentioned above, Cure is already restricted to "at the same location". So are Lem and Valeros's powers to aid others. Hopefully, you're only using those powers to help people at your location.

But I do agree that the game is fairly easy. One suggestion I've heard to make it harder, which I haven't gotten around to trying yet, is to add an additional location. With 5 players, that would mean 8 locations instead of 7. It doesn't really increase the chance of death, but you do have to explore faster to win before running out the blessings deck.

Another possible suggestions to make it tougher is just go with a smaller blessings deck. But I think I prefer the extra location idea.

Has Cure been errata'd or am did I not RTFC correctly? And, yes, we are playing the PC powers correctly (location wise). I do like the idea of adding an extra location to our play sessions, however.

5 Players: Cleric, Bard, Ranger, Fighter, and Monk.
7 Locations

We decide which two locations to close quick, then we spread out to each location that each of us are capable of temporarily closing. It's worked every time. Generally, we find henchmen and close off a few more locations before we hit the villain, but we haven't failed once we learned how to play.

Are there restrictions on how many times the bard/fighter/ranger can use their +1d4 ability? I've been asked if we are doing something wrong because we can bumble our way through each scenario with no problems. I just tell them, "Paizo wants us to have fun. Losing isn't fun." Oh, but sometimes losing IS fun!

/sadface

So, we've blown through most of the game already and it seems to be pretty easy. We have had zero deaths and have failed a scenario only once (our PCs had no idea what they were doing). I understand the game is meant to be easy, but it may be just a bit TOO easy (especially if we hit a henchman or two really early in a location deck).

I have some suggestions on making the game a bit harder:

1) After setting up the location decks and before adding in the Villain/Henchmen, shuffle the location decks than randomly place the Villain/Henchmen on the bottom of each location deck. This would make for longer and harder play sessions (shuffling a location is semi-desirable now, and Harsk's scouting talents would be stronger).

2) Limit the number of blessings that can be used per check attempt? Many times, battles become silly when everyone in the party volunteers a blessing on a roll. I mean a d4 melee roll becomes a 6d4 (5 blessings) + 3d4 (ranger, fighter, bard assist) melee roll very quickly in a 5-player game.

3) Limit the range of cards being played. Maybe I shouldn't be able to cast cure or use a blessing on someone who is not at my location?

Cool, thanks for the quick response, again!

1. Shouldn't Hell Hounds have the "Fire" trait?

2. The Mill adds checks vs. slashing. It's worded ambiguously. Are checks easier with slashing or harder with slashing?

3. The Old Light? (add 1d6 to checks with Fire trait). What does that mean? If I use any weapon/skill that does fire, the check is 1d6 harder? If I encounter a bane that has fire, the check is 1d6 harder?

These may be obvious, but it was confusing enough to give us pause the last time we played.

4. Last statement: is there a complete breakdown of order of operations for checks? Does revealing temporarily take a card out of your hand so that if you take damage, you don't/can't discard the revealed card, etc?

magi210 wrote:

BRIAN HACKER 162 wrote:

magi210 wrote:

Mundane61 wrote:

raven614 wrote:

Yeah a little upsetting I can't even get package tracking info yet.

I'm in the same boat. My order shows it was shipped on the 25th but still no tracking info.

No tracking info for me yet either, even though it says it shipped on the 25th. Hopefully not a case of labels being processed, but not actually shipping yet.

Add me to the this list. I'm very disappointed by the lack of information. When I contacted customer service Wednesday, the response was basically "be patient." Five business days into a 3-10 shipping window, I would like some tracking data. I don't think that's an absurd request.

I do now have tracking info, but it shows as received Nov 1 with a projected delivery of Nov 7.

I'm in the exact same boat which is a sick joke imho. Take my money for a week while saying it is shipped (hmmm...wonder if they did that to a ton of just the PACG people to keep their money? My bet says hell yes they did because they knew that was pretty close to the date people would get fed up and cancel their sub because they could get it in stores before it would hit their house.) then ship the thing AFTER it has hit everywhere in the world. That falls under my definition of fraud, Paizo. That was a blatant, last-minute money grab which is only befitting NYC street merchants (Rolex watches for $20, etc).

Fraud is a VERY strong word. At the worst, they've been incompetent, but absolutely not criminal. I have faith that Paizo will fix this and make it right. But they HAVE been avoiding this thread like the plague since it's gone heavily negative.

IMHO, subscribers should have their items at least a full week in hand before street dates. Even a soft discount doesn't offset the price of shipping in my case. I could just go to my FLGS and pick it up for less money and still get the promo. Why exactly should I continue to subscribe?

Per your shipment notification email:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Order #XXXXXXXX is expected to ship from the Paizo warehouse by Friday, October 25 via Standard Postal Delivery, estimated 3 to 10 business days in transit.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Due to the high volume of orders that leave our warehouse during a subscription run, when your order is processed for shipping and when it leaves our warehouse may not be the same date. Tracking on your package is provided by Mail innovations and usually becomes active 3 business days after your package has been processed by their facility. It is also possible that your package may miss a scanning point but still be on its way to you. The 3-10 business day estimate for transit means your package should arrive between October 30th & November 12th.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please let me know. Thanks!

Sincerely,

XXXXXX XXXXXXXX
Customer Service

Not sure how I feel about this. Other people have already received their shipments and mine is still at your warehouse? I'm being told that my subscription might not even beat the street date. Would I be better off supporting my LGS instead of buying direct from Paizo?

/sadface

I was hoping to have the new adventure for this Saturday's play session.

Your initial location choice happens under "Place Token Cards":

Rulebook wrote:

Each player chooses a location and puts her character’s token card near it.

So your initial choice isn't called moving in the rulebook.

Also, "Move" is defined in the rules under "Your Turn":

Rulebook wrote:

Move: You may move your token card to another location. Moving triggers any effects that happen when you enter or leave a location. (If you do not move, your character is not considered to have entered or left a location.)

So your initial choice, which happens outside of "Your Turn", doesn't meet the definition of moving.

So no, the effect doesn't trigger.

Thanks for the quick reply. You guys are the best. Best, best, best!

There are certain locations that have an effect that triggers when you move to them. If you are setting up to begin a scenario and you choose to start in one of those locations, does the effect trigger?

Thanks!

Hi,

This came up yesterday. Lem has a mace and a wand of missiles. On a combat check, can he use both, since it's not two weapons?

Additionally, when starting a new scenario at a location, do we trigger the "when moving to this location" effect? (Are we at an inn, moving to those locations to start the adventure, or do we all just simply start at those locations?)

Thanks all!

I know it says mid-october, but I'm getting really antsy. We need more content to keep our game going! =P

Any news at all? Will subscribers get theirs first or will our LGS?

So I apparently missed out on the first two promo cards, because I didn't subscribe to the game until I already owned the base set and character add-on. Is there any way for newer subscribers to get the older promo cards after the fact, without spending $20+ each to get them from eBay?

Check your PMs.

I'm completely in love with the game.

I haven't seen a post about this yet, so I'm gonna throw it out there. Has anyone else noticed that the backs of the cards are darker/lighter than others? We can sometimes tell if a card comes from the base set or one of the expansion sets based on the back coloring. We've even gone as far as to have to close our eyes to draw a random card from the deck as to not go after the better loot.

I think Paizo has said they printed the entire base set and all the expansions in one go. I wonder how QA didn't catch this. I mean, it's not like they ran over to a Kinkos or something. If WotC can print millions and millions of MTG cards with the same back, I'm sure Paizo can easily print theirs more uniformly.

/rant

I have actually created a PDF based on Questions and Just resolution , I would be happy to pass it on.

My man!

Anyway, think of how clean the 2nd base set is going to be after all these little changes they've picked up. No matter how good your Beta testers are, there is no real substitute for good ol' nit-picky rules lawyering players.

I stumbled across this the other night when I was playing a solo, two character game. We were both in the same location and we came across this barrier. None of could pass this check so our adventure basically ending with us all buried underground. Not the must heroic way to go.

If desperate, you may discard cards while resetting hands. This way, you can each try to have a blessing in hand and burn them all on a check. Of course, you'll be that much closer to death. =P

Not every card is a problem, but some do feature unnecessarily small text, notably the lists of scenario and location cards.

I too thought that some of the text was a bit harder to read than it should/could have been. (Have you guys ever tried to read Yu-Gi-Oh! cards?)

Hi,

I couldn't find it in the rules book. Do we give out the bonus for completing Scenarios every time (even after the first completion)? I'm pretty sure we don't give out the feats/skills for completing the Adventures again.

I actually have all my characters (all 11) pre-made with the default layout, minus the blessings sitting in the character deck area of the box.

So if I start showing a new group of people how to play, their characters are already set to go, just have to add the proper number of blessings to their stack.

This also has the effect of stripping out a lot of the basic weapons, armor, items, spells from the leftover decks. So when adventuring, the chance of getting that +1 elite magic weapon is greater than picking up a basic dagger, for example since the basic weapons are not there. Gives the players a bit more of that "cool" factor in finding that special weapon or armor while adventuring.

I might do that. I've noticed that the loot/upgrade factor has been a big let down so far.

Does not state the "at this location" modifier. So if I'm in a cave and my buddy encounters a trap in the town hall, I can use my tools to help him? Seems odd roleplaying wise to help others with certain items from different locations.

Matt Filla wrote:

delslow wrote:

I hear you, Vic... but sometimes you run across those rules lawyers. =(

Why would anyone be a rules lawyer over a cooperative game?

Some people's greatest joy in life is being right. I call those people "folks I don't want to hang around with."

WHERE ARE THE UP ARROWS!!? =P

Karui Kage wrote:

Yes, the pre-built decks have a few issues, that are easily solved.

The easiest solution is just not to worry about the fact that a couple of the cards are non-Basic. None of the decks are anywhere near broken...

I hear you, Vic... but sometimes you run across those rules lawyers. =(

Just to make sure, were you aware that the back of the rulebook had suggested decks for each of the characters? That's what I've used when introducing the game, and it speeds things up a lot. :)

Yes, I was put off by the fact that some of the items listed in the "Pre-Con" chars were invalid (Paladin has two elite Half-Plate listed and the Ranger has an elite Starknife, I believe). The Paizo team threw together the list hastily and did not bother to double check afterwards.

Plus, I'd rather not "throw away" one session as a learning session with every new player.

Depending on your character, your deck will look WAY different after a play or two anyway. Half of the monk's items will have been banished, and you'll have way more cards than you started with most times. I usually find that most new players can jump right in with the preconstructed decks, and learn enough about how the game plays to rebuild them on their own.

That's just been my experience.

It's a roll playing game, and my players love rolling new characters. If this were a session of PF-RPG, would you suggest they just start with one of the pre-mades?

I'd like to suggest something other than "Hey, look through these classes and their abilities. Make sure you note their hand sizes, preferred cards, and how many of each type of card you can have. Then, why don't you look through all these cards and find the ones that say "Basic" on them. Those are the cards you may choose from to build your starting character. When you are done, why don't you pass that pile onto the next guy so he can start his character."

Even if it's not included in the game, maybe some official Paizo PDF of the cards that new players have access to and a quick run down on each character. I want my players to go "oooh, I like the druid, and I think I'll start with these cards." Instead of that mess I described in the previous paragraph. I think it will really help the learning curve and the immersion factor (I don't want my players seeing all the loot that is available before we even play).

If we are instructed to Banish something, we place it back into the box with the unused pool of cards. If something is "Removed from the Game" do we create a new pile of cards never to be used again?

I'm just wondering how at higher levels, we don't keep seeing the same lower level banes/boons.

Sounds awesome. I would love to see some screenshots or something... I know it's a lot of trouble. But I'm not sure about dropping coin on numbers if I don't have content for it.

Anyone?

delslow wrote:

1. Do ranged touch spells suffer the -4 penalty for shooting into melee?

2. Do either of the feats Point Blank Shot or Precise Shot work for Ranged Touch spells?

a) It SEEMS that the -4 penalty only applies to weapons, and the feats only apply to weapons as well...

3. Follow up question: How does this affect the new Hand of the Apprentice?

1. Yes

2. Yes, both work.
2a. "Ray" is generally considered a weapon type.
3. Hand of the Apprentice is an ordinary ranged attack, just guided by your mind. It suffers the -4, and benefits from Point blank shot.

I can't seem to find where it goes over that. Do you happen to have a page reference? The feats descriptions specifically state weapon, and the firing into melee specifically state weapon... so I guess I have to find where it states Ranged Touch attacks to be considered weapons.

Help anyone?

1. A naturally perfect flying creature begins the round on the ground.
2. Can I use Fly-By Attack?

Is there a good reference on how to run aerial combat?

1. Do ranged touch spells suffer the -4 penalty for shooting into melee?
2. Do either of the feats Point Blank Shot or Precise Shot work for Ranged Touch spells?

a) It SEEMS that the -4 penalty only applies to weapons, and the feats only apply to weapons as well...

3. Follow up question: How does this affect the new Hand of the Apprentice?

Hi everyone, thanks a lot for interest in my sheet! I think I have now nailed what I want in my sheet and it will be ready soon. I'll post a link in here when it's done!

Eagerly awaiting it.

erian_7 wrote:

Are you using OpenOffice, and if so is it up-to-date? Are you using Microsoft Excel, and if so is it from the XP or 2003 Office suite? If yes to either XP or 2003, do you have the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats?

Open office doesn;t seem to like me and I downloaded that Compatibility pack and I STILL get the "?NAME" errors. I guess that doen't like me either! :(

Running Excel 2003 with comparability package... many ?NAME errors.