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![]() At this point, I'm working on a character inspired by Taliesin, a bard who I envision as having been present at the fall of Camelot, and is struggling to hold onto hope after the demise of that lovely experiment. Mechanically, his highest stats will be CHA and INT, and he'll fit my image of a bard who is equal parts story teller/musician AND lore master. One class will absolutely be Legendary Bard (adapted to Spheres of Power). Other options I'm playing with are Commander and Scholar (both Spheres classes) but I'm not 100% certain of those details yet...just that he'll be there to inspire and provide knowledge. I like the idea that, while he serves to inspire and lead others, he's got his own gnawing doubts after the downfall of Camelot. ![]()
![]() OK great, I'm pretty excited. Tiknesr Th'th'th'th'slifp's first incarnation was in a homebrewed Worldwound game (started before WotR came out) and he was created at L10...but I like the idea of refreshing him with a new backstory, straight from L1. Expect a Witch / Alchemist from me. It seems like a really great gestalt combo. By the way, I found the Sleep hex overpowered when I played him, so I'm inclined to houserule it to not exist...but let me know your thoughts. At any rate, he'll do his best to avoid the front lines, but will have a nice mix of hexes / bombs / spells to debuff and control the battlefield a bit. And the INT to master all the Lore skills...and being small and dextrous, he'll be able to tag along in a stealthy group without being too much of a nuisance. Also...I assume we're starting at L1, but should ask that too! Re Ratfolk: How common are they in your Cheliax? (Is there community of them in Westcrown's sewers?) I know there's plenty of prejudice in Chelaix; where are they in the social heirarchy? Re motivation: He's mostly interested in gaining power and esoteric knowledge. Would want to join/start/eventually lead a coven. Like any good ysoki, Tiknesr understands that you die fast if you don't take care of your swarm-mates. He knows he's squishy, and wants to have less-squishy friends who count on him, so that he can count on them. It's possible he could begin with an inclination to help House Arvanxi, and perhaps is employed by the House? I'm quite sure he'll never be Chelaxian nobility...but perhaps running a powerful behind-the-scenes coven? Could certainly see him in the DLS as well. ![]()
![]() This is all useful. Thanks both for the hooks and the background info! Sounds like we'll be some variant of morally grey folks looking out for our own (and each others') self interests/power...and maybe also some/all trying to advance House Arvanxi. Seem right? Ray, any concerns about Ratfolk? It's not 100% crucial to my concept, but I have a morally grey ratfolk witch I've played and enjoyed before, who would be fun to revive/explore more. Would probably gestalt to alchemist, to get more mileage from my cauldron. ;-) Also: any sense of build rules yet? Point buy, gold, HP? Thanks! ![]()
![]() Correction: that sweet $3.60 price is only as an *add-on* if you're buying a physical book from them. - - - Another couple Qs: 1) Do you allow the variant Tiefling and Aasimar heritages?
Edit, chatted with MG who said Pali is probably a poor fit here. ![]()
![]() Hi Ray, thanks for offering to lead this game! I'm considering it very seriously, and have a few Qs. I'd like to understand a bit more about what'll bring us together, and what kinds of motivations would(n't) be a good fit. You mentioned that the AP usually assumes a good party, but that you can see other directions too. I'll go on record as someone who often has trouble getting excited in the long term for evil parties and evil goals. (I like the idea of the novelty, but in practice I find I often lose motivation). That said, I'm open to trying something with great folks. DM Ray wrote: New Paths Compendium *Expanded Edition* By the way, I happened to notice that it's available for $3.60 right now, from the Kobold Press site. ![]()
![]() I hope your weekend travel goes well! Whenever convenient, another Q: Can the standard from Amazing Initiative be used to cast an SLA? Amazing Initiative wrote: as a free action on your turn, you can expend one use of mythic power to take an additional standard action during that turn. This additional standard action can’t be used to cast a spell. This Reddit thread says Yes, they're two different things and so you can...but I could see it either way. Thanks! ![]()
![]() Report in is my personal lean, though i could go along with a cautious scouting mission too I shared this a few weeks back but it's still my perspective:
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![]() Do the various bonuses granted by ABP function in an antimagic field? I saw Mark Seifter (designer who worked on ABP) says
Quote: They're definitely not spells, but we left it intentionally up to you whether they are Ex or Su, based on the needs of your game and how you want to explain the source of the abilities narratively. The deflection bonus, for instance, could be because you instinctively block attacks, or it could be the strands of fate literally twisting reality in your favor, or it could be a magical deflection field. Your call! Which basically sounds like he's saying "this is intentionally the DM's call" ![]()
![]() One more Q: The Controller wrote:
(my emphasis) Does #2 mean folks have one round to case hour/level buffs before entering the arena? Or more than that? Thanks again! ![]()
![]() I'd suggested the Fantasmanauts, which means the Ghost Sailors. That said, I think the Ghost Guard is at least as good. ...and I've really been overestimating my ability to get enough brain cells left after work and family to make a reasonably gameplay post. My apologies. I should have one tomorrow. ![]()
![]() Hi GM Wolf, are you familiar with the Spheres of Might / Power? If so, would you be open to it in this game? 5d6 - 4 ⇒ (3, 5, 4, 6, 1) - 4 = 15
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![]() Seb Where is an L15 gestalt T5 character in relation to a Praetor? Are they like Demon Lords? Deities? I'm wondering how little/big a fish my little mutant is, in his heretical opposition to them. Also, do you have an opinion about whether he's part of a small opposition (that he might lead) of phyrexian "race traitors" who've decided to side with Life? vs being the only anomaly that he knows about? ![]()
![]() Hey Monkeygod, 2 Qs: 1) do you know what other mythic fixes we'll implement? In particular, are you doing the suggested change to stats from the page you linked? 2) LIght Body Technique is an optional Spheres of Might rule that grants some Athletics mobility for free to anyone using SoM. Can we add that in for SoM users who want it? (Fine with me either way, but it'll fit my Phyrexian Mutant so I thought I'd ask.) BTW, I suspect that knowing what's in/out of bench press may not be trivial with builds this complex. I'll just go on record saying that if it seems like it'll improve the game to rebalance parties a bit (toning something up or down) after a bit of gameplay, I'm 100% down for that. BTW #2, I THINK I've finally settled my classes: L. Kineticist (*Kinetic Lancer) | L. Alchemist (*Physician, Subtle, Etheric Mystic). My main element is Machine, with some Void and Water thrown in. Getting it done by EOD is a bit of a stretch, but I'll be mostly there. ![]()
![]() I'm still in, and having a lot of fun building my Phyrexian mutant, who has tentatively taken on the name "Star Love", and whose second class probably won't be shifter...and might be either Legendary Alchemist or Legendary Cleric. Maybe too much fun, as I really DO need to settle down on final build soon, but it keeps unfolding in interesting ways. Looking forward to reading more builds. Oh, and to answer Sethris, I'm definitely Team Good. ![]()
![]() Hey Seb, when you have time, I'm curious to hear more about Phyrexia in your world. You said they have their own outer plane. Have they come to invited The The Material Plane (or whatever our realm is called)? I imagine that, in the process of assimilating some of this world's living beings, my character (and maybe some other small minority of the Phyrexians?) has/have learned Love. How established is the Phyrexian invasion in this world? Thanks! ![]()
![]() Sebecloki wrote:
Alright, I've been going back and forth but this put me over the edge! ;-) I'm building a Phyrexian Mutant (where their mutation is empathy for the living, causing them to turn good and rebel against the Phyrexian scourge). Inspiration drawn liberally from Marvel's Warlock. Will most likely be a Kineticist (technokineticist/machine element) | Shifter(SoP). Wheeee! ![]()
![]() Q3: I don't think exactly in those terms. If you needed an answer, I'd say PG or R both work for me...but let me answer differently: * I enjoy games where failure is a possibility, and characters sometimes die. (Not that I begrudge a game where the party always succeeds!) * I've enjoyed games where all violence is elided, anywhere to ones with a lot of explicitly described grit and gore. In the latter, I think it's worth seeing if anyone has any "lines and veils" (in a very informal way, or more explicitly, depending on the group's preferences). For instance, I have a lot of room for things like death of loved ones, character death, gore, and necromancy...but I'd rather no sexual violence in a game (or at least have it heavily veiled). I think the conversation around slavery has been thought provoking too. I think that it can come up in an RPG, in a way that's respectful, or that explores issues the table wants to explore...but I think going forward as a DM I'd avoid slavery in my games without an explicit discussion first. . . . Aside, I'm loving the thoughtful and amusing discussion in this thread. One Q back from me. You said "we are prepared to chat with folks for as long as it takes to find the right people". That seems very fair! Now that the conversation is underway, do you have a better sense of timeline/process on yall's end? ![]()
![]() stormraven wrote: the reason I like the players working out strategies and reminding each other of bonuses, even 'ganging up' on the DM, etc. is because it strengthens relationships. Characters interacting builds bonds in game. Players interacting builds bonds across games. OK, getting off my soapbox now. YES! You captured something I wasn't able to articulate. I think the "hard mode" has it's place in F2F games...but I think building those bonds is harder in PbP without something like this. (It's part of why I want Discord too. We can humanize ourselves a bit more there.) EDIT : Ha! Choon, you said everything I wanted to say in reply. Thanks! ![]()
![]() Hey Ebon, hey stormraven! I enjoyed playing in Mott's Fire Over Blackcrag with you, back in the day. I was "Big Al", the halfling cavalier...and my most memorable scene there was When she died in the jaws of a mythic tyrannosaur (the drama starts with this post, and goes on as the party tries heroically to save her...ends with her being swallowed...and then miraculously--thanks to Nic/Ebon (and a healthy dose of DM Fiat)--Big Al is brought back to sail through the end of the adventure. A few sample Player posts
I'm currently playing in a WotR campaign that has some of the most marvelous RP I've experienced. I'm playing the clan-liege of a Sarkorian tribe from a hidden valley where dinosaurs live...or did until the Wound opened. At this Example post she has recently awakened from a hundred years trapped in ice, and is wrestling with her failure to stop the destruction of her people's village. Here's me introducing a ratfolk witch (and his obnoxious man-faced ratling familiar named Aroden), as they joined an ongoing Reign of Winter campaign. And finally, introducing a cleric of Abadar, who replaced a character I retired in a game. I've done a bit of DMing, but none of it on the forums. I understand if that disqualifies me, but I believe that a setup like this--with other great players, who love to RP--would be a great first place for me to bring my DMing online. Build Rules
I'm fine with gestalt, or not. My fave version of gestalt picks one side of the build for the Saves/BAB/Skill Ranks, so that we don't end up with a party full of full casters with full BAB and all good saves. If we go for full gestalt, my preference is to encourage folks to build around a theme and still leave weaknesses in their builds. I *like* depending on one another. It can be fun to play support, or a tank...but if noone needs defending, or boosting, then the game loses a bit of shine for me. (The thing I love with gestalt is concepts like "Cleric of the God of Thieves", that's hard to do generally...though I'll note that I think the latter is much more possible when single-classed with the Spheres system's flexibility.) GM Qs
I think there are many ways/expressions of being Lawful Good (or a servant of a particular god). I want players who serve a god to think about what that really means for their character...and if it doesn't fit alignment neatly, that's less important. Morality: I've enjoyed both black/white and shades of grey. There IS a certain simplicity built into a world where everyone has an objectively measurable alignment, and that alignment has mechanical effects...but even within that there's clearly room to play. As with above, I love a world/game where folks can feel surprised and challenged, and where their characters can grow over time as people. That said, I tend to prefer Good/Neutral parties, unless the player(s) playing Evil characters are very mature and committed to the game. I've seen it work well...but Evil characters are often selfish and untrustworthy, and that can make it hard to build a thriving party. (As I write, I realize a party that coordinates well and takes care of each other is a BIG motivator for me in PbP. I can enjoy some tension between characters--especially when it's planned/desired by both players--but mostly I want the party to grow to really work together. Discord
A question from me: How do you feel about tabletalk?
In PbP, I mostly play where it's fine for the players to keep each other on track, or share info freely...but I think it's good to decide what's on/off limits in terms of discussing strategy during a fight. ![]()
![]() Ok, I'm going with a trap launching, stealthy, thing-knowing Spheres Scholar. @MG, I like the idea of sticking to a benchmark. I have to say, i think it'll be a challenge to not be blue+ for everything at L15, given current could rules (high rolls + custom races + gestalt + 3PP + high cash + ABP). I'm having trouble fitting under blue for much of anything, and from the builds i see, i think I'm not alone. Some thoughts:
I think either way, I'd appreciate a ceiling for ability scores added to the benchpress (whether it's 26 or 40 or what not) since high key stats chance DCs and etc ![]()
![]() Cool! I'll avoid Bender then. FYI, have you read the Legendary Kineticist? I highly recommend it. ----- Edit : Waskally, who/what are the two Diplomancers? ![]()
![]() What do applicants / ideas look like for the non-evil party? I'm thinking of:
Does anyone applying for Team Good have their concept/crunch mostly nailed down already? ![]()
![]() Hi Seb and MG, looks fun! My preference would be to be on a Good/Neutral team, and not to have PVP. (I think it's so easy for it to go poorly, especially with builds like this.) Dice: 24d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 4, 5, 1, 3, 1, 3, 2, 6, 6, 2, 6, 5, 1, 2, 3, 2, 6, 6, 6, 5, 6, 4) = 93 rerolls: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 4) = 8 Kept : 6, 4, 5, 3, 3, 4, 3, 6, 6, 6, 5, 3, 6, 6, 6, 5, 6, 4
total by roll:
666 - 18
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