manbearscientist's page

Incapacitation does not really matter in solar detonation though, you are using it when going against like 3 enemies, they will pretty much be your lvl or lower.

One of the most common severe encounters is a level +1 (60) plus two -1 (30). These are the encounters you need CC for.

The reason why I say Slippery Sheets is a better CC machine is that uneven ground triggers on hit or failed save. I gave a similar ability to kineticists in my homebrew version, and the uneven ground ended up triggering even on +2 enemies and above; Boss enemies will likely face Strikes / spells from multiple party members.

Keep in mind that Slippery Sheet also makes it extremely easy to force things prone:

Uneven ground is an area unsteady enough that you need to Balance (see Acrobatics) or risk falling prone and possibly injuring yourself, depending on the specifics of the uneven ground. You are flat-footed on uneven ground. Each time you are hit by an attack or fail a save on uneven ground, you must succeed at a Reflex save (with the same DC as the Acrobatics check to Balance) or fall prone.

It doesn't do great damage (it basically doesn't do any at all), but even a creature with Acrobatics will have a hard time making 3+ saves. Compare this to fire's Solar Detonation.

Slippery Sheets does 4d4 damage compared to Solar Detonation's 3d10, but Solar Detonation is gifted the incapacitation trait. If the ratio of successes against at +1 target is 25/50/20/5, then Slippery Sheets would deal 4.5 damage and Solar Detonation would deal 6.2.

But these are both utility spells. And Slippery Sheets can waste actions far more reliably than Solar Detonation. It provides its benefit 100% of the time, whereas incapacitation means Solar Detonation may very rarely work on the targets you want it to.

And the last part for water.

I'm surprised to hear you relatively okay with fire, but antagonistic against better fire.

And that's what water is, for the most part. Better fire. I rest my case on Blazing Wave vs. Tidal Hands.

Tidal Hands is level 1 rather than 4, an arguably better damage type, and far more flexible in its area. This pattern repeats with Winter's Clutch and Slippery Sheet.

Water gets more, better, earlier. They have a joke of a level 18 feat, but they will do dramatically more damage as-written throughout the course of a campaign. And I don't know about you, but I've found far use for waterbreathing then torches throughout my 2E campaigns.

There is a lot about burn here on the forums, and I wanted to use this as a jumping off point for discussion.

I want to put this out in front. I dislike Burn. I dislike it mechanically in 2E, and I absolutely disagreed with its implementation in 1E. I think it was overly complex, tried to solve the wrong problems, and didn't succeed at its own goals.

For those not familiar with burn, I won't dilute this post too much to 1E's implementation. Burn was the cost you paid when you used most 1E kineticist abilities. You paid modular amounts of burn to use these abilities, and each point represented taking nonlethal damage equal to your character level in a way that wouldn't heal until you rested. Burn is mentioned 53 times in the Archives of Nethys front page for the class, and is notoriously complex. I recommend reading what others have already stated about it.

Anyway, let's talk about one 2E and burn. I've seen two simple suggestions for Burn in 2E:

its fine for either, not that many enemies have attack of opportunity, and when they do you can easily just blast from 20ft+

Until you face a Lesser Death and you cry when you see its version of an AAO:

Lurking Death (teleportation); Trigger A creature within 60 feet makes a ranged attack or uses an action that has the concentrate, manipulate, or move trait. Effect The lesser death teleports to a square adjacent to the triggering creature and makes a melee Strike against it. If the Strike hits, the lesser death disrupts the triggering action.

This may have come up in a Level 16 playtest I did that resulted in a party wipe...

The following is a log of three combats starring the same characters: an azarketi intimidation sword/board fighter, a thief rogue, an elf sorcerer using a bow and cantrips, and a dedicated gate human fire kineticist (Con>Dex) taking the following feats:

1 Burning Jet
1 Warming Nimbus
1 Elemental Weapon
1 Flame Eruption
2 Eternal Torch
4 Blazing Wave
6 Stoke Element
8 Kindle Inner Flames
10 Chain Blasts
12 Furnace Form
14 Horrid Ignition
16 Effortless Impulse
18 Ignite the Sun
20 All Shall End in Flames

The combats were randomly generated through a utility I developed. All encounters took place in a 20x20 room with two ledges for cover on the opposite side of the room, and 3 columns granting total cover on each side of the room.

Enemies were randomly generated from a select pool, with only 1 enemy type per level. IE, all enemies at -3 to the party would be the same creature. Legal enemies including heavily featured undead, demons, and evil NPCs (this tool was developed for random encounters for 2E WOTR conversion). The enemies were also randomly placed in the room.

Each character was built to level 20, and provided reasonable gear at each level. The majority of the gold went to the Fighter, simply because they had more combat relevant needs. All rolls were prerolled in bulk.

An overall conclusion: the martial characters and the cantrip+bow using sorcerer (no spell slots or focus points consumed) significantly out-performed the kineticist in the encounters at 1, 6, and 10. The kineticist had some awkward turns, didn't do amazing damage even with the best combination, and accidentally BBQed the fighter. The Elf Sorcerer had greater control over their damage using Scatter Scree and Electric Arc, and a better array of damage types.

Level 1 Moderate Encounter (all weapons drawn at start of combat)
2 Weak Harrow Readers (-2)
1 Elite Begger (0)

Round 1
Weak Harrow Reader 1 Strides x2, Strikes Elf Sorcerer for 4 damage (Azarketi Fighter hits AAO for 3 damage)
Human Kineticist deals Gathers Power, Strikes x2 WHR1 for 4 damage in melee (1M, 1H); WR1 dies
WHR 2 Strides x1, Strikes x2 Elf Sorcerer for 3 damage (1H, 1M)
HF Strikes WHR2 for 7 damage, Strides, Raises Shield
ES Strides, casts Electric Arc (6); WHR2 fails and dies, EB succeeds
HR Strides, Strikes x2 Elite Begger for 8 damage
Elite Begger Strikes x3 (3M)

Round 2
HK Strikes EB for 3 damage, uses Flame Eruption for 1 damage, EB succeeds
AF Strides x2, Strikes EB for 8 damage. EB dies.

Total damage: AF 18, ES 9, HR 8, HK 8

Level 6 Moderate Encounter (all main weapons drawn at start of combat)
Assassin (8)
Gear: All one +1 striking weapon and +1 armor per party member
Gear: Fighter +1 Shield Boss, Minor Sturdy Shield, Full Plate

Round 1
HR nat20, AF nat20, Assassin 30, HK 25, ES 22

HR Strides, Strikes x2 (1H, 1M) for 11 damage
AF Strides, Double Slice (2H) for 8 damage (Assassin Nimble Dodges longsword)
Assassin Steps, Poisons arrow (Giant Centipede), Quick Draws longbow against ES (Crit), 8 Arrow, 9 deadly d10, 4 sneak attack x2 (42)
ES fails savings throw (15)
HK Gathers Power, Strikes (1M), Stokes Element
ES Strikes (1M), Strides x2 (Success on poison; 4 damage)

Round 2
HR Creates a Diversion (F), Strikes x2
AF Steps, Demoralizes (Success), Strikes (1M)
Assassin Strides x2 (Fighter AAOs, hit for 15), Quickdraws rapier (1M)
HK Strides, Strikes x2 for 10 (Assassin in Light Cover, 1M, 1H)
ES Strides x3

Round 3
HR Strides x2, Strikes (1M0
AF Strides x2, Strikes for 26 (critical hit)
Assassin Creates a Diversion (nat 1), Strikes HR x2 (2M)
HK Strikes x2 for 12 (1 CH, 1M), Stokes Element
ES Strides, Strikes (1M), Strides

Round 4
HR Strikes x3 for 50 (3H thanks to FF)
HF Demoralizes (fail), Double Slices for 28 (1 CH, 1M)

Total Damage: HF 77, HR 61, HK 22, ES 0

Level 10 Moderate Encounter (no weapons drawn at start of combat)
1 Weak Zombie Dragon
2 Tyrannasaurus Skeletons (TS1 spawned next to party, TS2 spawned away)
Gear: All one thundering rune
Gear: Fighter 1 striking rune, demon mask, force shield; Rogue ventriloquist's ring

Round 1
AF Battle Cry (all immune), Interacts x2 to Draw Longsword, Shield, Strikes TS1 with Shield Boss for 58 (near max roll) (CH)
TS1 Tramples for 19: HR CS, HK F, ES CS (nat20), AF S
HF AAOs (1M)
HR Delays turn
HK Gathers Element, Kindles Inner Flame
HR Strides x1, Quick Draws TS1 x1 for 25 (-16) (Precise Debilitation, 1H), Strikes TS1 x1 for 30 (-10)(1H)
TS2 Strides, Strikes AF for 27 (1H), Rib Skewers ES for 12 (succcess)
ES Quick Draws (Archetype) to strike Zombie Dragon for 24 (1H), Scatter Screes for 17 on TS1 (fail) & TS2 (S)
ZD Strides, Strikes AF for 56 (CS)

Round 2
AF Strides, DS against TS1 for 28 (-15) and 15 (2H); HR Opportune Backstabs (1M)
TS1 Tramples for 18: HK S, ES CF, AF F
HK Strides x1, Blazing Wave for 28: ZD F, TS1 F (-10), TS2 F (-10), AF CF (nat 1 dying 2)
AF fails recovery check (dying 3)
HR Strides, Interacts to draw healer's tools, Battle Medicine on AF (21 HP/W1 with Godless Healing)
TS2 Strikes AF 21 (dying 2), Rib Skewers AF for 24 (F, dying 3), Rib Skewers HR for 48 (CF)
ES Strikes ZD (1M), Scatter Screes ZD and TS2 for 28: ZD CS, TS2 succeeds
ZD uses Breath Weapon for 33, 2 round CD: HK S, HR CS, AF CF (dead), ES saves

Round 3
HK Gathers Power, Strikes ZD for 21, Stokes Element
HR Escapes (29), Battle Medicines (21), Strides
TS2 Strikes x2 for 25 (1H, 1M), Rib Skewers HR (CS)
ES Strikes ZD for 15, Scatter Screes for 22: ZD F, TS2 F
ZD Strikes x2 with tail ES (2M)

Round 4
HK Strikes ZD x1 (1M), Blazing Waves for 24: ZD F, TS2 S
HR Hides (S), Sneaks (S), Strikes ZD for 40 (CS)
TS2 Strikes HR x2 for 12 (1H, 1M), Rib Skewers HR for 21 (CS)
ES Strikes ZD (1M), Scatter Screes for 13: ZD F, TS2 F
ZD Strikes x2 with tail ES (2M)

Round 5
HK Gathers Elements, Strikes ZD for 26 (CS), Stokes Element
HR Feints (F), Feints (S), Strikes TS2 for 4Pi (-10), 18 Pr, 2 S (CS); DS: FF
TS2 Strikes HR x2 (2M), Rib Skewers HR (CS)
ES Strikes TS2 for 33 Pi (-10) + 2S; ES uses Scatter Scree for 13: TS2 nat 1s

Total Damage: ES 181, HK 132, HR 89, AF 86

For basic blasts without feats, they are basically magical stances with a melee and ranged component.

I just want to point out that the option to take stance feats that modify the blast would be an interesting thematic addition to the class, and another action economy saver that could be tied to Gather Power.

Where should the expectation on damage be is my wonder.

I think that elemental blasts should be on-par with Thaumaturge or Inventor Strikes, regular impulses should be equivalent to cantrips, and big overflow impulses (3-action) should fall just shy of the best two-action focus spells.

It doesn't have to all of these at once, but they all need to be possible.

siegfriedliner wrote:

Honestly I would like to see a quick gather(like quick draw) action that gathers and kinetic blasts in 1 action.

Absolutely mandatory feats seem a bit silly.

Need something more baseline.

I don't think they were implying that this was feat actually. Could be, but could also be a baseline ability.

I think that in general, I am okay with 3-action overflow abilities matching focus spells or being around 1d6 behind. So if a 9th level dragon's breath does 17d6 (60) and a 9th level fireball does 18d6 (63) I'd like to see an 18th level, 3-action overflow deal between 16d6 (56) and 17d6 (60).

This is a pretty large difference from what we actually see. The Shattered Mountain Weeps is the top with 9d10 (50), while All Shall End in Flames is at the end with 7d10 (39). We'd need something between 10d10 and 11d10 to reach that level.

At level 1, the comparison that fits best would be Spray of Stars, at least from what I've found. That's 1d4 over a 15ft cone. Kineticist actually overperforms here with Aerial Boomerang or Tidal Hands, but scales up to better focus spells.

"benefit from kinetic aura"

Just FYI, using an overflow does not stop kinetic auras:

"A kinetic aura lasts until you
get knocked out, until the encounter ends, or until you
use a new kinetic aura, whichever comes first. "

Fixed, thank you. This was an assumption on my part; if you use even an elemental weapon when you use an overflow impulse why wouldn't you use up the much more dramatic displays around you? Not particularly intuitive.

If it does work, there are some very weird interactions like persistent bludgeoning damage. Also Elemental Weapon doesn't say a level one weapon, if you can take later and gain a much higher level bomb.

This would also arguably let you create common magical weapons at any level, not just the level you are at. For instance, a Major Buzzsaw Axe, which is a "one-handed simple or martial weapon" that is "common" despite being level 20.

This should almost certainly be a level 1, one-handed, simple or martial, common, non-consumable, melee weapon.

I'd also like to have the hand wielding it count as a free-hand for impulses because as written a kinetic loses the ability to use a Shield when they make an elemental weapon. It seems to me that the type of kineticist that would go to town with a created weapon would be more likely, not less, to want a shield.

I 100% disagree with how you differentiate the gates.

Have you seen my suggestions?

Dedicated = more damage and more focused

Dual = more variety but it actually combines two elements together for all blasts and impulses.
Fire and water = steam. Fire and earth = lava. Water and earth = mud
Etc etc.

Universal = can use any pure element but doesn't get the damage boosters of dedicated.

This is almost exactly how I differentiated the elements. I just didn't do it with numbers.

Dedicated = damage focus. They get a subordinate action to blast when they Gather Elements. If they wanted to be a turret, they could go Gather + Strike + 2-action overflow impulse every turn.

Dual = On demand variety, wielding both elements at once. Frankly speaking, I don't have a problem with them having full access to both elements or having hybrid abilities but the purpose here was not to write the treatise on how to make hybrid abilities.

Universal = versatility and utility focus.

Keep in mind that this solution is not at all about addressing numerical discrepancies across classes or 100% nailing down the differences between gate subclasses inside kineticist.

This is about primarily about making kineticist less clunky to play, and integrating CON in an intuitive way as a secondary objective.

Because the class is designed around what is effectively a 6 action basic combo, even using a single move action can noticeably reduce your efficiency. I won't say this is a bad thing just yet, but I wouldnt be surprised if having built in 3rd action choices that are almost mandatory means common 3rd action options will go unused, and the support systems built into the game won't interact with the class.

I don't think being derailed by a single move action is a healthy place to be. One of the absolute best features of 2E is the freedom the unbounded 3-action system gives it. Being unable to move, Raise a Shield, Demoralize, cast a cantrip from a multiclass archetype, &c. from the massive list of actions and activities is a bad thing.

I think there is a very simple solution to this, and a less simple but more flavorful solution. The simple solution is to let the kineticist Stride at half their Speed when Gathering Elements (going up to their Speed at some point).

The more flavorful solution is to let different elements or gate types do different things, in the same way Gunslingers reload differently.

I think the core system of this class that should not go away is the Gather Power > Impulse system. I am not opposed to this system at all, and I think Gather Power is leaps and bounds more flavorful and interesting than it was in the past edition.

However, two issues make the class clunky because of the playtest iteration of Gather Power: overflow actions, and elemental blasts being an impulse. A lesser issue I will also talk about is the lack of CON integration into the chassis.

Overflow

As written, there are no 1-action overflow impulses. This means that each and every overflow action takes up at least a full turn's worth of actions. This leads to somewhat odd turn management for the many damaging overflow impulses that take 4 actions, but could also lead to turret gameplay if there is a good 2 action overflow impulse to spam.

Overflow impulses are also pretty uniquely crippling. I would invite the comparison to Swashbuckler's panache. When a Swashbuckler loses panache with a finisher, they lose vivacious speed and the bonus to their panache-related actions. A kineticist that used an overflow impulse can't attack with elemental blast, use any impulse, or even swing with their prebuilt elemental weapon until they Gather Power again.

Elemental Blasts

Elemental Blasts being an impulse has two major downsides. First, as mentioned they don't play nicely with overflow impulses at all. One could even consider them diametrically opposed, favoring either kineticists that go all-in on elemental blast with STR/DEX or kineticists that eschew blasting to max their CON and use impulses with DCs.

Second, elemental blasts trigger AAOs because as impulses they have the manipulate trait. This is absolutely fine for ranged blasts, but melee blasts become far less viable compared to elemental weapon or other martial counterparts. There is no feat to help prevent this.

Proposed Solution

Treat overflow like panache: a feature you have to earn that activates your class features and can be cashed in for big rewards (overflow impulses).

I think it is pretty clear what needs to happen. Both panache and overflow require an action to activate as-is; overflow just needs to have a skill check. I don't think that this is too much rolling; it is the same gameplay loop that a Swashbuckler has already.

So what skill check? This is how you address the lack of CON integration. Assign skills to each element, being pretty heavy on Acrobatics and Athletics. Then make the skill check use either Nature or any of the associated elements skills using the CON rather than whatever the skill would normally roll. I would also recommend a feat letting you use CON for untrained actions using your element's skill(s), per the GM's discretion.

That check would yield the following results:

Critical Success You gain the normal and greater benefits from the gathered element until the next of your next turn. You may use an action with the overflow trait before the end of your next turn.
Success You gain the normal benefits from the gathered element until the next of your next turn. You may use an action with the overflow trait before the end of your next turn.
Failure You may use an action with the overflow trait before the end of your next turn. You may attempt to Gather Elements again this turn.
Critical Failure Failure You may not attempt to Gather Elements again this turn.

Go nuts on what you think normal or greater benefits might be.

I think there is a lot of room here, and that this is somewhat intuitive. Under this system, you still need to have the right element gathered to use an impulse of that element but you need 'overflowing' elements to use an overflow impulse, which takes you back down to 'normal' for that element. I am also fond of making elemental blasts their own type of Strike, rather than an impulse.

Finally, you can tie this all back into the gate subclass the kineticist chose at character creation. I would do this similar to how the Gunslinger's Way differentiated how each subclass interacted with reload. Here is an example of how that could be accomplished:

Dedicated Gate
You are adept at gathering your element and putting it into motion. You Gather Element, then immediately make an elemental blast Strike.

Dual Gate
You can pull both of your elements at once, albeit incompletely. You Gather Element twice, once for each of your elements. Unlike the normal rules for Gather Power, you are able to maintain both of your elements, but the second element you gather is less firmly under your control. You may still use non-overflow impulses, elemental blasts, and gain the benefits of gathering that element, but you cannot use overflow impulses with this element, and it dissipates at the end of your next turn.

Universal Gate
You can utilize your flexibility over the elements to help your allies. You Gather Element and create a kinetic aura with that element. You are considered prepared to aid an attack or any skill associated with the element you gathered, and can aid an ally anywhere in your kinetic aura. You may use CON for the ability for the aid check, rather than whatever other ability would normally be rolled.

I do think this is intended to be treat as a 5-ft burst with 30 ft of verticality, and is just poorly written to achieve that effect. I would stand the other way if said "square" rather than "square(s)".

It's interesting but in this action economy benefit (Gather + Blast) would be even better than just improve the damage maybe even more than just add some additional damage. This goes against the mathematical advantage you are trying to avoid and also will give even more other benefits.

Action economy probably is the most value thing in PF2.

This proposal isn't giving dedicated blast an action economy boost over dual/dedicated gate, it is giving all three a gunslinger deed equivalent and making the dedicated gate the 'deed' that is associated with elemental blast.

For a comparison, Dual might get Gather Power + Stride, and Universalist Gather + Ready Aid.

I did test in the first day in a lvl 3 one-shot, it does indeed feel better, played a dedicated water one.

Being able to do blast + tidal hands and next turn gather + blast twice was fine, and later that build could have 2 actions blasts to out in there like the one that strikes 5 creatures. I even managed water dance allies out of enemies range too and that was a cool as heck utility in battle

Gather element could have a small bonus on it depending of the element like a small circumstance bonus to AC if earth and so on, but it was not as bad as I thought would be.

Power wise impulses could indeed use a boost, but should be better than a cantrip but worse than inventor unstable actions per example.

Keep in mind that Water reads as significantly better than the other elements. For instance, Tidal Surge is equivalent, but better, to what Fire gets as its 4th level cone in Blazing Wave.

I suspect that this is not an accident. Having a range of power levels for elements is a useful tool for a playtest. Aquakineticists seem to be the high water mark this time around. They get more versatile impulses, earlier, and often just deal more damage (such as getting 1d8 blasts). At a guess, fire is the roughest.

I don't think we want a situation where dedicated gate kineticists have a mathematical (damage/accuracy) advantage over dual/universalist gate kineticists. That leads to a mechanically 'correct' version of the class; there is a reason why specialist wizards don't get a damage bump over universalists.

Something like Stoke the Elements can be that, but worse. Not only can it imbalance the subclasses, hiding it in a feat benefits system mastery in a way not really found in 2E.

As an alternative to a direct damage increase, I think it would be interesting if each gate got some form of Gather Elements action economy booster and Dedicated Gate's was something like Gather + Blast. This would slightly slant it towards damage, but would also free up actions to do other things like move or Raise a Shield.

Later on, I wouldn't mind if a dedicated gate kineticist got access to a feat that let them keep up 2 kinetic auras at a time with some sort of condition. Perhaps a lingering aura feat that let them keep an aura active with a Fortitude save.

manbearscientist wrote:

Drained is ludicrously worse than Burn. Keep in mind that it cannot be easily healed, unlike most status conditions, and by default is reduced by 1 at a day's rest.

Many people are complaining about being 1 point behind in attacks for a majority of levels. Drained puts you as 1 point behind in everything. It isn't something to casually throw out.

I don't dislike adding CON damage based on a roll or action, but drained 1 is way to prohibitive as a condition.

It's only a penalty to con checks and a reduction in HP.

I was thinking of how Sickened/Frightened work and how negative levels worked. That said, I don't think you should discount con checks; these effects often lead to cascade failures. Fortitude saves are very often tied to diseases, poisons, and sickened conditions.

I feel like Status bonus to Speed for Air is wasted. So many Air abilities/auras already provide a Status bonus to Speed.

This is assuming a rewrite of the class where there wouldn't be conflict and the 'Gather Elements' ability has a function beyond switching elements or recovering from Overflow.

If you wanted 1E crossover however you could alternatively give air concealment (with the standard 'cannot hide' rider).

Drained is ludicrously worse than Burn. Keep in mind that it cannot be easily healed, unlike most status conditions, and by default is reduced by 1 at a day's rest.

Many people are complaining about being 1 point behind in attacks for a majority of levels. Drained puts you as 1 point behind in everything. It isn't something to casually throw out.

I don't dislike adding CON damage based on a roll or action, but drained 1 is way to prohibitive as a condition.

I would like to see two things.

First, a class archetype (Kinetic Knight) that prevented ranged elemental blasts (and maybe impulses) in exchange for medium/heavy armor proficiency. If possible, I'd like for such a class to also count as having a hand free for impulses if they were wielding an elemental weapon in one hand and a shield in the other.

Second, baseline benefits to each element when that element is gathered. IE:

I want to note that this impulse arguably stacks with a STR Apex item. It applies an item bonus to STR, but Apex items provide an untyped bonus.

I don't think it's going to get more. Right now it already gets more than Fury Barbarian does in relation to the other Barb subclasses.

I do feel like Stoke should just be baseline for them or something though. Kinda like a Singular Expertise for your element.

I think Fury is an exception to how they've done subclasses, rather than the rule. Almost all subclasses get a lot more focus and love.

I feel like too many impulses were upgraded to 3-actions simply because at level 19 the class can Gather Element as a free action, and at level 20 there is a feat to reduce 3-action impulses to 2-actions.

This can leave the class very clunky to play for the majority of the game. 3-action spells and abilities are relatively rare for reason, reserved for either flurries of martial actions (often including movement) or spells that affect the battlefield.

I think the class would feel much better without balancing around those late-game action economy bonuses.

I also think that it is a bit of a bummer that you can't Elemental Blast after using an Overflow impulse. It makes more sense to me that you'd need to 'rev the engine' to cast a big overflow spell, rather than killing the engine when you cast one and needing to restart it.

In that sense, Gather Power would empower you till the end of your next turn, but you wouldn't need to reuse it again in combat unless you wanted to rev the engine again or switch elements. You could still use elemental blast of that element, or other impulses.

You are comparing an ability with 120ft range to THE Melee Martial damage option, and looking at both from a one on one perspective.

Against the Bat Swarm, the Areokineticist will be using Arial Boomerang, and staying as far back as possible. I would much, much rather be the Areokineticist than the Barbarian against a bat swarm.

I am looking at a Strike, something literally every single character can access. If I wanted to be really discourteous, I would have pointed out that the air blast is also significantly weaker than an Elf Wizard with a longbow.

Same accuracy at 1 attack, -1 at 2, -2 at 3. But deals 4.5 damage instead of 2.5 and has deadly d10. That is 8.475 per round when attacking three times, compared to the air blast's 3.125.

Simply put, virtually no option in this game is as meaningless as a 1d4 dice attack with no damage boosts. And yet, it is entirely possible to make an dedicated gate air kineticist with that as your only damaging option.

I won't deny that Aerial Boomerang is the intended low level damage option over Air Blast, but my point is that it isn't really accurate to say that Air Blast can stand still and attack a bunch and get anything done at all. Keep in mind, they keep that damage unchanged up till +1 Striking Runes at level 4.

Air and fire can do this from range and be more accurate than any martial except a flurry ranger or a fighter.

Air basically doesn't have an elemental blast. I can't overstate just how piddly 1d4 physical damage is, even with ranged agile.

Take an Acolyte of Nethys, the first level 1 creature alphabetically. An aerokineticist will deal on average 2.5 damage at ranged, and will hit on a 9, a 13, and a 17. That means the they will deal:

The capstone blasts that take 4 actions aren't particularly competitive at fodder killing, and that isn't even a niche in this game. No group struggles with fodder.

They deal on average around 8d10 in a 20-foot burst (16 squares), for 44 damage. Keep in mind, Electric Arc can be cast twice for the same number of actions, is 50 damage to two targets, and can be cast at a higher DC.

For a huge percentage of the game's encounters, it will be better to use a scaling cantrip than the obvious big blast skills. Many encounters will not have 4+ enemies within 16 squares.

Fire is particularly terrible. They have the following damaging abilities:

Unicore wrote:

I think the “accuracy issue” is intentional. This is class that should not be trying to flurry of attacks at boss monsters. It is not a single target striker

I think the only fix needed for the "accuracy issue" is to transpose the order of Critical Element (moves to 7th) and Blast Expertise (moves to 5th).

Since then the Kineticist has the same accuracy as the Inventor and the Thaumaturge and we know from experience that's good enough.

The base Inventor can add up to 9 + 1d6 damage to their strikes, and use a bigger dice. The base Thaumaturge can add up to 12 damage. The base kineticist can add 0, and might be locked into 1d6 or 1d4 agile attacks.

manbearscientist wrote:

(for example, no easy way to attack a second time with agile at early levels with 2 actions).

what do you mean?

Blast is not iverflow, you dont lose your impulse.
So you can keep swinging as many times as you want per round once you've gathered.

If I'm using a normal weapon and an agile weapon, I can attack for 1d8, and then at 1d6 without needed an action to Interact to change my attack.

If I'm a dual-gate kineticist, I need to Gather Element after attacking with a non-agile blast to get the benefit of agile. Which defeats the point: getting both a decent damage hit and a likely to connect smaller hit.

POSITIVES
Favorite part of class

The Wuxia theming for the elemental abilities; much better than the plethora of feats named after spells in 1E. As a secondary, the base of elemental stances and starting off with 1/2/6 elements seems very solid to me conceptually.

Initial positive perceptions of the classes theme, feats, and abilities

The ability to do minor manipulations even at level 1 is core to the theme, and this does that better than 1E.

Some of the earlier feats seem pretty close to releasing to print: all the universal level 1 feats, clean as air, wings of air, geologic attunement, stone shield, eternal torch, deflecting wave, tidal hands.

Gather Power and Extract Element seem to do appropriate things with understandable text.

Balance of the class as a whole. For example:

Are the feats appropriate/fun
The universal gate theme is well represented, with ways to switch between elements, interact with the widest array of elementals, and even gather all elements at once or switch up abilities on the fly.

Earth and Air seem to have pretty lock-in identities as a control/melee and utility elements respectfully.

Aura Shaping and many of the auras seem to be unique and potentially quite powerful.

Are perceived weaknesses appropriate for the class? IE you wouldn't complain that a Wizard is physically fragile
​
The lack of expertise with martial weaponry and heavier armor are appropriate (though a class archetype for Kinetic Knight with heavy armor would be very popular).

NEGATIVES

Least favorite part of class

Simply put, the damage numbers. This is the lowest damaging class in the game, below even alchemist. Like the alchemist, investigator, and thaumaturge this class is locked into a lower hit range for its attacks and into 1H weapons. These classes get significant tradeoffs for their lower hit range and weaker weapons.

The alchemist gets persistent and splash damage and now has the the bomb variety to target pretty much any weakness. The investigator can predict critical hits, occasionally swing with Intelligence, and has the fairly large damage boost of studied target. The Thaumaturge has very high damage boosts from weaknesses, and useful effects from implements.

The kineticist gets nothing for its day to day attacks. It cannot easily target weaknesses, even as universal gate, and there is nothing in its base kit that really incentivizes the player to use elemental blasts at all except the requirement of having hands free.

A dedicated gate aerokineticist is particularly in the rough. Nothing in this game is currently locked into 1d4 damage attacks. Elemental Weapon is arguably mandatory for air kineticists just to get a proper 1d8 weapon in their hands, and that still is just getting to the point before where other classes add Rage, Exploit Weakness, Studied Strike, Sneak Attack, or action economy.

The other issue is that it seems most of the damage is locked behind system knowledge and picking the right feats. This goes against 2E philosophy, which puts scaling in the base class and variety in the feats. It seems to me that the damage of a kineticist that takes the best impulses will be much better than the kineticist that doesn't.

Initial negative perceptions of the classes on theme, feats and abilities

It doesn't appear to me the theme of 'wracked by elemental planes' is evident beyond needing CON as a nerf to the main attribute. I'd like to see something add CON to damage, even if isn't always active. For instance, making the first Elemental Blast after Gathering Power gain that damage.

There are a lot of feats that don't really improve the combat capability of the class, either because they aren't oriented to do so or because they are too weak. A short list: Voice of Elements, Blast Barrage, Command Elemental, Whisper on the Wind, Wiles on the Wind, Stepping Stone, Igneogenesis, Eternal Torch, Crawling Fire, Usurp the Lunar Reins. I'd like a second-pass looking at the weak ones, and perhaps making the others skill feats that require the ability to channel an element.

Adapt Element is interesting, but takes entirely too much bookspace for what it does. This is particularly true of its higher level variants. I'd again recommend making these optional skill feats.

Extract Element works fine, for fire. The other 3 (and likely 5) elements are too focused on Bludgeoning or Slashing damage, and will face more enemies resistant to their damage without having an elemental trait. There are 59 creatures with the fire trait, many of which are dragons. There are 28 air creatures, 52 earth (many without resistances to B), and 42 water by my count.

Specific Imbalances of the class. For example:

Are there aspects that would be used excessively?

As written, water is a bit better as a ranged blaster than its counterparts. It gets access to better AoE impulses, and has two decent damage kinetic auras. Tidal Hands is just a better Burning Hands in bludgeoning, while all the other elements struggle to hit cantrip damage.

Chain Blasts and Aura Shaping are both significantly above the average feat for the class, which may say more about the other feats than either of those. Wings of Air is pretty above average for movement skills, effectively giving permanent flight at 8 instead of 17. Speaking of, it is unclear how multiclassing will work for abilities that get stronger by level and all classes could get this at 16.

Gather Amalgamation + Elemental Immunity is immunity to 4 elements, and it isn't fully clear what that means. Even more confusing with wood/metal thrown in.

Broken combos?

Assume Earth's Mantle arguably stacks with Apex items that boost strength, as one is an item bonus and the other is untyped. I doubt that the intention is for kineticists to reach 24 strength.

Aura Shaping and Winter's Clutch creates an up to 30-foot damage field dealing your level in cold damage to any creature forced to enter that field by your movement. This is substantially stronger than most of the overflow + three action feats.

Crowned in tempest's Fury doesn't have a duration.

What is too underpowered? Overpowered?

Underpowered:

I think that Stoke the Elements is a limiting factor to the damage. My guess is that they didn't want fireball level scaling damage with an additional +2 to +10 added in.

I hope that Stoke is taken out after the playtest, because the next turn clause is a bit clunky and because it may be a big balancing factor.

I'd also like to see a Psychic rework of the impulses. Ideally, I'd like to see some sort of big Amp effect on the major damaging impulses usable once per combat or round.

Something like "if you haven't used an impulse since the last time you used Gather Power, your elemental blast is stoked and deals additional damage equal to your constitution modifier."

Plus feats for other effects, and different effects baseline for impulses. Like how the psychic cantrips became fun nova options and modified at-will options, I hope to see impulses undergo the same treatment.

I don't think anybody uses a d4 weapon for damage except with damage boosters, but that's what air is expected to do.

Air seems to be about spamming Aerial Boomerang at early levels, to be honest, with Cycling Blast at level 6 to toss in a weak blast. A potential 4d4 in a 60-foot line with 'full' scaling (DC 17) is much better than a piddly 1d4 agile blast. Also scales up every two levels, which not everything does for kineticist.

manbearscientist wrote:

Saedar wrote:

manbearscientist wrote:

That said, I'm somewhat skeptical that Elemental Blast is intended to be their core weapon. It certainly isn't scaled that way. It seems that on-demand impulses are supposed to be the main damage, outside of outliers like Chain Blasts.

I don't really buy this. There are several feats that build off Elemental Blast across the level spectrum. They clearly think it is something that can be built towards.

Yes, but once you get those feats it is almost always terrible to use Elemental Blast itself. It is not at all comparable to any martial's attack; it is both less accurate and less damaging. For the first 6 levels of the game Elemental Blast caps out at "deals the same damage as a Sorcerer with a longsword and strength as a secondary stat".

IDK, longsword damage from 20 ft away seems pretty decent to me. The elven sorcerer with a longbow can't do that.

At level 1 with Flexible Blast it is at best +6 elemental blast 1d8+3 in melee, and +6 elemental blast 1d8 at ranged. It isn't longsword damage at ranged. It's longword damage in melee, and longbow damage at ranged, with worse action economy (for example, no easy way to attack a second time with agile at early levels with 2 actions).

I think that the capstones could use a bit of tweaking before live release. Some seem to do very powerful things, while others have barely any combat relevance at all.

Looking at the capstone feats for each element. These are at 18 unless otherwise listed.

INFINITE EXPANSE OF BLUEST HEAVEN [three-actions]

10-foot burst, many traits (lots of immunities). Effectively makes enemies flat-footed and fleeing while inside the tiny cylinder. While cool, this seems like it will most often play out as slowed 1.

CROWNED IN TEMPEST’S FURY [two-actions]

This has no listed duration, but I'm assuming it is supposed to be a combat buff lasting 1 minute. Adds a respectable 1d12 electric to elemental blasts and 2d12 kinetic aura.

ASSUME EARTH’S MANTLE (14) [three-actions]

Seems a little odd to me that this will usually make your defense worse, but is also practically an Apex item well before you could normally get one.

REBIRTH IN LIVING STONE [two-actions]

No listed duration, so I'm again going to assume this is supposed to be a 1 minute combat buff. Adds a lot of THP, immunity to critical hits and precision, and increases damage die to d10s or d12s. All solid.

THE SHATTERED MOUNTAIN WEEPS [three-actions]

9d10 on a 20-foot burst isn't competing with spells, but there is some chance to up to 20d6 more over a minute. In general, this will do decent but not great damage while controlling the battlefield somewhat.

ALL SHALL END IN FLAMES [three-actions]

This hits a bigger area than The Shattered Mountain Weeps, but it also deals significantly less damage at 7d10. In practice, the former is always better. This is far below what spells deal at this level range, and really is not an effective use of 4 actions. Keep in mind that in the same time, a Wizard could use 2 level 3 fireballs and deal a little more damage. This provides zero benefits other than damage, and bonus: this also hurts you! The phoenix ability is a neat touch, but this needs more time in the kitchen.

IGNITE THE SUN [three-actions]

This ability exists. It is calling Flaming Sphere, and it is available to casters at level 3. Kidding aside, the purpose of this ability seems to be the 1d6 fire damage it adds to Strikes, fire spells, and fire impulses. The laughably ridiculous 4d6 fire damage to orb itself deals at this level just isn't relevant, though it is nice that it grows. I'd prefer this as a 1 minute non-sustained buff without the slightly heightened Flaming Sphere attached to it.

RIDE THE TSUNAMI [three-actions]

This is water's part of the 'do a little damage' big overflow cycle. It does decent damage (8d10) over a decent area (60-foot cone). It doesn't really have any battlefield utility; 10 foot of forced movement has literally never been relevant in any 2E game I've ever played. It is an extraordinarily minor effect; I hope this at least knocks prone on a failure when released.

USURP THE LUNAR REINS [three-actions]

This is incredibly do-nothing in combat. Keep in mind that at level 1, a water kineticist can produce an endless amount of drinkable water using Gather Element. This can create a 20-ft burst of water with literally no listed combat effect, or make a similarly sized bit of water difficult terrain. Even in the extra rare water encounters I've seen, spending 4 actions to make a small cylinder of difficult terrain would not have been relevant of effective. I get that they were mainly aiming to replicate the non-combat features of Control Water, but this seems to be a pretty half-baked execution as a level 18 class feat. I'd prefer largely noncombat feats like these to be skill feats requiring a relevant elemental gate.

I believe at level 5 and 6, the kineticist will be -2 behind, not just -1.

Yeah, -2.

manbearscientist wrote:

That said, I'm somewhat skeptical that Elemental Blast is intended to be their core weapon. It certainly isn't scaled that way. It seems that on-demand impulses are supposed to be the main damage, outside of outliers like Chain Blasts.

I don't really buy this. There are several feats that build off Elemental Blast across the level spectrum. They clearly think it is something that can be built towards.

Yes, but once you get those feats it is almost always terrible to use Elemental Blast itself. It is not at all comparable to any martial's attack; it is both less accurate and less damaging. For the first 6 levels of the game Elemental Blast caps out at "deals the same damage as a Sorcerer with a longsword and strength as a secondary stat".

It gets one generally better than martial feat in Cycle Blasts, one equivalent but weaker due to dice/action economy feat in Maelstrom Blast, and two level 18 element specific feats that passively raise the damage up to more respectable levels. Before level 10, I don't think there's an argument that a kineticist using Elemental Blast as their primary thing is going to be competing in the martial olympics in any way.

This will put kineticists attacks at:

Well, I agree it's kind of weird that Constitution isn't widely used in the class, just class DC from what I could see, not counting the "basic" uses. But I liked the level 3 Extract Element skill, if I understand correctly you steal the element of an elemental target, and it deals damage, but the interesting thing is that you can now use the target's element to overcome your immunity? Like I caught fire from a red dragon, and now he is no longer immune to my fire attacks, and still loses 1 in AC? That's it? So he and a Thaumaturge in the party are the terror of elemental creatures lol!

That's basically true, but keep in mind that there are no bludgeoning or slashing elementals. This isn't quite as impressive for air, earth, or water.

It does seem that versatile cold or electric should be added to air and water. That said, I'm somewhat skeptical that Elemental Blast is intended to be their core weapon. It certainly isn't scaled that way. It seems that on-demand impulses are supposed to be the main damage, outside of outliers like Chain Blasts.

willfromamerica wrote:

Delayed weapon proficiency progression is confusing given that the kineticist is pretty much designed with the same brush as a martial.

It's doubly confusing because they otherwise still use standard martial proficiency.

It's only at specifically levels 5 and 6 that the kineticist is behind. It gets master at 13 just like Barbarians.

So like, what's so special about levels 5 and 6?

At level 5, martials will go from 18 to 19 in their primary attack stat but will go +2 off promoting to expert. Kineticist will go from 16 to 18 in their primary attack stat. It seems like they want kineticists to be at -1 to attacks from 1-4, and don't want them to go +0 from 5-10.

Not sure the payoff is worth it, at least for elemental blasts. It seems to be the cost for having access to Aerial Boomerang, Flame Eruption, and Tidal Hands, giving semi-reliable AOE damage at also -1 DC.

Some basic notes:

Con / 8 HP
Nature + 3 Skills
T/E/E/T in Perc/Fort/Ref/Will
Elemental blasts scale off unarmed attack, benefit from handwraps
Blasts deal between 1d4 agile and 1d8 damage, and don't benefit from constitution at all (standard str/dex to hit, str to damage if melee or propulsive)
Choose between more elements and more feats at level 1 (1/3, 2/2, or all/1)
Basic actions from leveling up: Gather Element, Adapt Element, Extract Element (for getting around elementals otherwise immune to you), and 7th and 11th level bonuses to Adapt Element
Gather element isn't a buff or burn reducer, it gives you a clump of elements that you can use for impulses (non-spell magic)
No damage/burn in basic class layout
Fighter-type flexibility feat, letting you pick an 8th or lower feat at 9 and two 14 or lower at 15
No focus point interactions
Not a lot of Constitution interaction

1
Elemental Weapon allow you to make a semipermanent simple or martial 1H weapon
Flexible Blasts lets you add use dexterity for melee elemental blasts or use strength for ranged, reducing MADness.

2
Kinetic Activation lets you activate items
Voice of Elements - So long as you've gathered an element, you can speak the associated language and make requests of mindless elements of that element

4
Blast Barrage >> Impulse to fire 3 Elemental Blasts at different targets; your MAP increases normally. Note that gathering takes 1 action and needs to be done first.
Command Elemental >> - Overflow (lose element) to control or more likely slow an elemental, but ends if you attack said elemental. Mostly worthless against almost anything you can face: does nothing on success, and against a minion level mob (your level - 2) it still only slows if no allies attack the elemental.

6
Cycling Blast > - You Elemental Blast then Gather Element to switch elements. Only available for those with extra elements.
Stoke Element > - Dedicated element only, adds status bonus to damaging impulses (including elemental blast). 2/3/4/5, doubled on overflow.

8
Aura Shaping - Can change shape of auras, and target creatures to make immune.

10
Chain Blasts >> - You can keep hitting enemies within 1 ranged increment of each other, up to 5, with no increase to MAP in the middle. Extremely potent.
Deconstruct Element R - Counterspell
Fusion Blast >> - Add another element's weapon dice to your elemental blast. No other bonuses doubled.

Each element gets a lot of specific feats. Some highlights:

Air - Invisibility, wall of wind, 8th level fly
Earth - Shield, Healing, can get benefit of Apex item to STR at 14 without counting as Apex item (highly doubt this goes to live)
Fire - Level 1 AOE, can create a miniature sun that lightly tickles enemies at 18, easily spreads persistent 3d6 fire that enfeebles
Water - Healing, Wall of Ice, can create damageless pure water field at 18 or make a small amount of difficult terrain in water at 18

To me, there seem to be some pretty big imbalances in later feats and some damage wonkiness. There are a few efficient actions in there, but the baseline damage and accuracy seems to be really low, at a maximum STR/DEX of 16 to start and only 1H weapon scaling.

Alright, I'll try to update these by end of the week. As far as some balancing:

1. Hellflame; I will change this to 3d6 fire with a 1d6 evil rider. The intention was to land roughly around Scorching Rays, but slightly better against good enemies.
2. Strikes/Slam scaling: the physical part scales with striking runes, while the elemental part does not. So major striking would be 4dX + 2d6 elemental

I've updated to incorporate all of these in the new version up on Pathfinder Infinite.

Thank you, I will make these changes Mondayish and should have an updated version available.

That's an utterly incredible job. I love the low level options here, and 21+ levels are done really well. There are a lot of typos, though. I can try to list them, if you'd like, here or in PMs.

Absolutely. Feel free to list any typos here, I'll try to address them as soon as possible.

This was a one-man job, and one of the unfortunate side effects is not being able to recognize typos; after the 50th time you've read the same sentence, the mind tends to just skip over it and send what it wants to read instead.

Mythic Powers: A Comprehensive Sourcebook

I've finally released my hopefully final version of a mythic system for Pathfinder 2nd Edition. This product is an evolution of the Mythic Advancement PDF I created a while back, but its not a just rebranding.

I am confident that this product (and some additional resources I will link below) is all any player or GM will need to run mythic content in their games.

What is mythic content? Mythic content is material intended to provide an alternate and additional path for character advancement. Pathfinder 1st Edition created the mythic system somewhat as a replacement for D&D 3.5's Epic Leveling system, which also provided another route of character progression.

This book draws on both of those sources, as well as Owlcat Games's Wrath of the Righteous, which converted the 1E Adventure Path of the same name which a much changed mythic system.

The book creates epic leveling progressions for each currently existing class. It also gives tools every table and resource they need to create campaigns for such characters, including expanding treasure, monster, NPC, and hazard creation tables. Running alternate or variant systems and worried about the ramifications? Each and every one is discussed.

It also gives spellcasters a vast array of new options for their old spells, letting them heighten their spells past level 10 for additional effects.

But this biggest thing I've added for both epic characters and characters playing in 'normal' level ranges is an entirely new system: mythic archetypes.

Like normal archetypes, these allow you to take archetype feats with your class feats after taking the dedication. These run alongside the normal archetype system, representing the source of power your character draws from; taking a mythic archetype does not like you out of taking an archetype or vice versa. There is even a mythic free archetype system.

The 36 new mythic archetypes represent a massive range of potential sources of power. For those not content to simply play 'like' a lich or a dragon, many archetypes even include a high level feat that will allow a player to permanently transform into the source of their power.

For those that liked the mythic paths of 1st Edition, I have also converted each of them to this new system, potentially letting 1st Edition characters with mythic paths be converted to 2nd Edition. I've even added in new archetypes for Primal and Occult spellcasters in the same style as the Archmage and Heirophant. Note that the Champion path became the Martial Master mythic archetype, due to the Champion and its multiclass archetype already existing in 2E.

This book also has many landscapes, character arts, and portraits made by me using secret and arcane techniques to overcome my total lack of artistic talent.

Finally, I'd like to link some very helpful resources I've co-opted, knowing that whatever I made would not be nearly as good.

Presumably, casting a mythic-heightened fireball from a third-level slot would be less powerful than casting it from a fourth-level slot, yes?

So, basically it's jsut saying that if you mythic-heighten you can't hold anything back?

Functionally, there is no difference between the two of you mythic heighten them. This has worked in tests because of the opportunity cost.

Mythic heightening works like a metamagic. By using it, you are foregoing your third action (most of the time) and you aren't adding any other metamagic to the spell. A fourth level fireball can do 8d6 damage with metamagic, or 8d6 with a Shield cantrip or Stride, or 10d6 with mythic heighten. A low level fireball isn't going to be as useful or safe, even if they function the same way when going all out.

As far as why this is necessary, spell casters are going to be facing things +1 higher than normal, without access to either the additional spell slots or the higher level spells they normally would have against said opponents. Mythic heightening in this way extends their day and their peak so that they can maintain effectiveness.

Here is how the spellcasting chassis for archetypes work:

Each spellcasting archetype gets the initial and basic spellcasting benefits with the dedication. They have feats for expert, master, and legendary spellcasting benefits. The last is not unique to mythic archetypes, and is intended for epic play (it is a level 22 feat that adds a 9th and 10th level spell slot, with the caveat that a character can only gain one additional 10th level slot through feats).

Each mythic casting archetype also allows casters to mythic heighten spells when they take the dedication. This is a special use of the Surge ability. It is slightly different from the original way I handled this. Cantrips, focus spells, and 10th level spells are always mythic heightened once you have the ability. There are also feats to mythic heighten spells from items and ancestry feats as well.

Finally, whenever you mythic heighten a spell cast from your spell slots, you give up one of your highest level spell slots instead of the slot you cast the spell from. For example, if a 7th level Wizard mythic heightened fireball, it would heighten to 5th level and they would have to give up one of their 4th level spell slots. They can still cast their 3rd level fireball from its original spell slot later; they can even mythic heighten it. They had used all of their 4th level spell slots instead, they could choose to lose their prepared fireball spell slot or another 3rd level spell slot, as that is the highest they have left.

There is an exception for 10th level spells, which are never 'used up' in this way.

Anyway, a lot of the power and 'mythicness' of the spellcasting archetypes will be contained in the mythic feats that they allow you to access and the unique feats for their archetype. For instance, Archmage allows you to take feats that accomplish the following:

This sounds incredibly good. I already liked the previous iteration of your Mythic rules, as well as your Kineticist homebrew; this seems like an all-around improvement. I'm mostly interested in Elemental. Will it have options for both casters and martials, and will it have para-elemental options like lightning and ice?

Currently I do not have para-elemental options. The elemental archetype is on the martial spectrum, but I think most of the archetypes will have appeals to both martials and casters.

Because it is on the martial spectrum, it will give 4 Hit Points per feat, advance a single skill to expert, and give a level 1 or 2 fighter Feat. It will also modify Surge, however, and both martials and casters will benefit from this. Their Surge has the passive effect of increasing elemental damage after using Surge, and gives the option to change the traits and damage types of abilities you control.

For instance, you could convert Fireball into an Electric Air trait spell that deals electricity damage (which is passively increased by the other effect). Or into an Earth trait spell that does bludgeoning damage.

It also has a feat that allows you to easily travel between the Material Plane and a plane corresponding to your element; this also gives you access to the four elemental languages and a circumstance bonus to Intimidation or Diplomacy check against creatures with the elemental trait.

It also has three focus spells: Elemental Blast (which can be used to heal you or creatures of the appropriate elemental trait), Elemental Cascade, and Elemental Landscape.

"A dangerous path," Ibn Taaib says. He studies the traveler.

Can I sense motive to know if it's a trap?

"Be not sorrowful," Ibn Taaib says calmly, propped up and observing the entire exchange silently. "For thy story has not yet ended. To Wish is to gamble with Fate, and to ask a misty, capricious Presence for aid where cold steel cleaves cleanly in a clear field."

In other words; wishing for something incurs a lot of risk for an unknown answer, while doing it yourself is clearer and more gratifying.

Ibn Taaib considers the discussion, and picks up a rock, and tosses it at one of the cacti.

Last Fadilah mentioned, she refused to surrender the astrolabe until we know the genies inside the proverbial bottle.
I.e. after we use divination magic to identify all the genies within so we don't inadvertently release Jaafar just in time for Aladdin 2: Zakhara Boogaloo.

Ibn Taaib learns the forms and how to parry.

The sheikh blinks the frost out of his eyelashes, as he pushes himself up slowly, holding his blasted chest. He stands up, tapping Frackit's shoulder in silent thanks as he breathes out. His wipes his frost-rimmed sword with a piece of his turban, sheathing it, and looks up to see the dead bloodied sorceress.
The man's eyes lower, shaking his head in shame and disappointment at how this all ended.

"I must thank thee for thy aid, great giant," the sheikh says, looking up to the giant. "Indeed, if thou hast chosen to side with the sorceress, we would have truly been doomed."

Ienmar sets out into the cleared wilderness, careful to keep the trident head-up and pointing away from dwarf-flesh. As the world seems cleaner, he begins to sing a merry travel-tune.

"O'er the hills, o'er the streams,
"To homes warmed and hearths fired,
"Into stout halls with wooden beams,
"Our minds are wary, our feet tired,
"At home we we rest and sleep and fix our seams,
"and sink our armchairs mired!"

First time I tell my character's full story and it's to an NPC. xD

Ibn Taaib speaks loudly enough to properly tell the story, so everyone probably managed to hear it.

Shafazal says, "You seek my counsel."

Her ploppy belly jiggles a bit as she moves

She is a bit guarded and says, "Well, I am intrigued, I cannot say I am well versed in cursed especially major ones. I have known varying sorcerers to place the Evil Eye on people from time to time but. So, my honored Sheikh, please ask away."

The sheikh nods, and sits down before the giant and the sorcerous veiled lady, and begins to tell a strange tale.

Part 1: The Long Shadow music
"All good stories have a beginning, my lady, and my story begins with the Long Shadow, Qassim, and it took place once upon a time.
"Qassim [Distributor], or Sheikh Qassim as he was known in the Haunted Lands, was a hard-eyed and cruel man, a despoiler. Heart filled with resentment towards all other tribes and peoples, he observed no ancient rite or tradition, followed no gods and obeyed no Caliph. He was a slaver, a bandit, and a thief who terrorized travelers of the region from Utaqa to Halawa. He drove his tribe to join him on his hateful crusade, and although many refused, such as his blind eldest brother Aabid [Devoutee], many more joined him. As Aabid was his brother and equal in the tribe, Qassim left his family, his wife, and his two sons, Aasim and Amr, and lived in the mountains with his gang, leaving the innocents and righteous of his tribe to fend for themselves."

The man looks into the fire at the oasis, giving a long pause. A shadow lurked behind his eyes, which were narrowed with pain.

"It mattered not to Qassim if the travelers were Men or of other races, if they were religious pilgrims, nobles, or escaped slaves. He would strike, rob, enslave, or murder, and disappear into the desert with the rest of his band. Sixty ruthless men and women of his tribe and of other exiles and sa'luks, who were known as the Carrion Eaters, or Aakili-Aljeeaf.
"It was said that he, or someone among the band could employ birds somehow--vultures, crows, and eagles. How else would he knew the pathway caravans take, and whether they were too protected to assault? How would he avoid random free city patrols, and avoid falling into ambushes? He never struck where retribution would be too great? Did he employ dark magic? Was he driven by dark idols and gods, or was he possessed by demons?
"Many pursued and hunted him; heroes, relatives of enslaved men and women, mamlukes to avenge their brethren, agents of robbed merchants and nobles, and free city commanders and their forces. If he could defeat his foes, he lured them into traps and pounced upon them. Those he could not defeat, he would evade, escape, and exhaust. He would ride deep into strange ruins and abandoned cities, into innumerable caverns in unknown mountain paths, or into unknown valleys. As he knew his foes but they knew him not, he was called "The Long Shadow", and the Carrion Eaters, were feared and hated for their depravity.
"One night, he returned to his estranged family with only six of his band. Qassim approached his blind brother Aabid, who said, "What would you want of me, younger brother? I will not partake in wicked deeds or stray from the righteous path. Your children I raised as my own, and gods willing, they shall not follow the path you set."
"Verily, my brother," said Qassim. "You are blind in body but are clear-eyed in spirit. I return to you not as Qassim, for I distributed nothing but wickedness and evil. I am Qassim no longer, but Taaib [Repented]."
"And though Aabid feared deception, it was, astonishingly, not so; it was as if Qassim was a man possessed or changed. He and his six companions donned the robes of pilgrims, abdicated rulership of his tribe to his brother, declared that the Carrion Eaters has been disbanded, and resolved to go to the Golden Mosque in Huzuz to cleanse his soul, carrying his ill-gotten gains to be returned to his victims, and perhaps meet his fate at the hands of the Caliph to complete his repentance. Perhaps paying the ultimate price would truly redeem him."

Ibn Taaib's eyes fill with tears as he fingers his wooden rosery.

Part 2: The Caravan of the Dead music

"Sheikh Qassim--nay, Taaib was my father. Three nights after he set out, a stranger visited my uncle during one of his full-night prayers. He was not of the region, and spoke in a strange voice that seemed too deep to emerge from a human throat, and asked, without introduction or word of peace, "O Blind one, speak in truth and answer me: Where is Qassim of Banu Ghurab, and where did he take his loot?" My uncle explained that Qassim was no more; Taaib left to repent of his life of wickedness, and his loot would be returned to its true owners. Upon waiting for a reply, Aabid heard nothing. Being blind, could not see where the stranger with the terrible voice went.
I learned upon my own pilgrimage years ago that he died en route and never reached Huzuz. His stolen goods and his six companions never reached the city either. My uncle Aabid abdicated the leadership of the tribe to my brother Aasim, who abdicated it to me, for he feared becoming as my father, and was more like my uncle in disposition. I led my people for years since, trying to purge the resentment and hatred my father implanted into my people, and many of Banu Ghurab have obeyed and became good men and women, while others left, never be heard of again.
Lately, however, there has been something stirring in the haunted lands. A presence that brushes against the dreams of the sleeping and minds of beasts and children, striking fear to the waking and nightmares to the sleeping. A strange red sandstorm appears and disappears, red in the color of blood, not sand. It appears and disappears suddenly, contrary to the Laws of the World, and leaves travelers dead, robbed of their valuables, and desiccated in its wake, with marks and fatal wounds that appear like..."

His eyes harden, as he says, "Human teeth."
He pauses, and then adds, "I fear this storm of death. Mashael, my little girl, once woke up and told to me that she saw in her dream a stream of white snakes swimming in eerily calm waters, following the shadow of a great dying tree tipped with red leaves. That held portents and signs, and my uncle interpreted the dream. The red sandstorm heralds a caravan of dead men, who will restlessly march in the Haunted Lands, murdering all in its wake. The land has become cursed, struck by the darkest ritual or Evil Eye."

Ibn Taaib reaches to his side, where two empty sword scabbards lie. The first looks valuable and once held the blade that belonged to Azaltin. The second was simpler and was rough and cheap. He carries up the empty sheathe, and says, "My men found this in the wake of the Caravan of the Dead. It belonged to one of the Carrion Eaters who refused to join my father when he repented. I do not know what happened on that fateful day my father turned from Qassim into Taaib, what my father stole or did for this to happen, what the secrets of the Caravan is, or the fate of my other tribesmen who persisted in the path of Evil. I have set out on this journey to seek the aid of those who might help me."

He then lowers the empty scabbard.

"So," he says with a small smile. "What wisdom may you offer me, Lady Shafazal?"

Ibn Taaib was thankful for the breakfast, and expressed as much.
During their journey, he reflected on the empty scabbard of the bronze scimitar he found. Now he carried two empty scabbards, and only his tribal sword remained with him.

When they stopped for noon, he milked his camel and fed her ground date cores, and observed the trail.

Survival 14: 1d20 ⇒ 1
Perfect result

Ienmar lifts his shield and holds firm against the minotaur's fetid barrage. He hefts his hammer over the dark waters and strikes with furious anger, augmented with Johnny Boy's music.

Attack!: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Attack w/Advantage: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Damage!: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Extra Damage!: 1d8 ⇒ 7
Total 16!

Alright, in that case here is my post.

Round 5: 3/2
The dancing blade began shaking after the rapid series of cuts. Noticing this, Ibn Taaib sheathed his other sword, and reached out to the bronze scimitar, grabbing it and turning to slash an enemy with a full body strike.

+1: 15 - 1d20 - 1 ⇒ 15 - (1) - 1 = 13
The blade flew out of his hand, however, shaking with the magic within.

The sheikh went after it.

Hold the phone, what's attacking us?
@Zairiah: Noted, I'll put a mark indicating you have it.

"Amber makes a good point, but tha trails lead ta 'ere," Ienmar says.

We're going down the long hallways of door 2, but blindly, in fact, until someone can succeed on the DC 15 Perception check.

The descriptions really are *chef's kiss*.

Do we have a date and calendar? I remember reading that this was year 1367, but I don't know the month or day.

I ask because since this campaign has been going on for a while (and will hopefully continue for a while yet), I thought it might be prudent to make an in-character campaign log. Maybe in the form of letters scribed by the sheikh describing his travels in story form (1001 nights?)
I'll provide a link, but rest assured I will try to make it have the most use possible (for tracking other things, such as Raschad's service pledge to Fadilah and Nura, which is apparently a year and a day), as well as any required trading elements.

I allowed commenting by everyone. If you want to add anything to the doc, just write it in, and I'll incorporate it as soon as I can.

Really liking how the party is coming together. Everyone seems so interesting, and GMEDWIN (GM Edwin?) seems to have done a great job so far.

Johnny Boy winces as the talk inevitably turns to an underground bunker. 'Just when I think I'm out they briiing me back in!'

Not going to lie, that elicited a lol from me. He doesn't like cramped spaces much, does he?

Ienmar surges ahead after felling one of the frogmen, feinting with his shield, before sending another hammer-blow to crush another invader, moving to flank with Johnny-boy as his blood pumped with the war-chant.

Nice pick of music!

Attack!: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Ienmar flanks if possible. If so, I think he receives advantage on attack. If so, here is the roll.
Attack!: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Viridel's Epilogue Music

Viridel visits Ambassador Perishial office, giving him a brief of the events, and thanking him for his prayers to Desna and Calistra. He sent another a report to his father Theawynn, the head of the Ashel'Dalore household, as well as a report to Queen Telandia of Kyonin (something, he noted with wry amusement, that his father would appreciate, suspecting it as a ploy of some kind), as well as briefed them that he will visit the clan-hold of Grymwold to witness the safe deposit of the clan's lost artifact.

Viridel was not surprised to learn that the Headmaster mismanaged finances--what value does gold have when he mismanaged the futures (and souls) of his students? He took his share of 19,664 golden sails, and with some of the reward money, erected a monument outside the Academae's walls, dedicated to the fallen students and to show the resilience of humankind. He visited the Grand Cathedral of Pharasma, asking for them to bless the monument once it was completed, and to assure the victims that the souls of their loved ones have passed on to their after-lives.

In the Forgehammer Clanhold
Viridel assists in relaying the tales along with Grym, but his soft-spoken voice is more often than not drowned over by the cheers of happy dwarves and the clanging of metal tankards on tables. More in tune when the more somber ceremony takes place, Viridel knows enough of dwarf-lore that he says all the right things at the right time in impeccable dwarven, correctly using dwarf-lore and sayings of old, and observing the dedications to the mighty Lord of the Dwarf-folk, Torag. He congratulated the clan, Grymwold's family, and Grymwold himself, and affirming the continued friendship between the elder races of the world.

Viridel's Epilogue: Monument to Youthful Passion
The following weeks pass with surprising energy for one to whom time passes as the blink of an eye. Viridel stayed as a guest with the Ambassador during his stay in Korvosa, trying to help where he could. When the monument was completed, Viridel witnessed the unveiling.

The cold stone-carved faces of the students bore expressions of resilience, youth, and heroism. Their faces headed eastwards to receive the sun as the veil fell, wands, staves, and hands raised against a horde of horned shadows. The heroes stood high above the great pedestal that bore their names, and upon the white stone pedestal, carved in letters of silver, were the names of the victims of Belzeragna. Below the names, on a plaque, was a dedication penned by the arch-mage.

"It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years within we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule."

Under the plaque, barely visible except in dim light (which elven and half-elven eyes see the best), was something written in Elven.

The trauma of the reveal of the Breaching Trial would shake Korvosa for years if not decades, the diviner knew, eyes misting. The families that have grieved for centuries can finally find relief to their pain and confusion in the light of truth. Justice has been done, but not always is that enough. Time would heal some hearts, and kindle hatred of Evil in others to birth new champions of Good, he knew--for some in the crowd seemed to be travelers and soldiers. Paladins, people of good hearts, and noble adventurers would come to see the site, perhaps visit it as pilgrimage, and remind themselves that evil is relentless and insidious, and only by working together (even if one's party is unconventional) would we be saved from Evil. Perhaps the true dedication could be gleaned by students and their masters, for it is a strange bond they share.

Viridel's eyes could not leave the carved names of his students even as he stepped back and others approached to place ever-lit candles and flowers below the statue. Three flowers were already there, one below each of his students' names. It was a monument to youthful passion extinguished by ancient evils, and a monument to students whose masters were not there for them when they needed guidance the most.
Oh how it shone in the sunlight... he thought. It appeared misty in his eyes--and it shone the further he looked until a tear slipped down his cheek.
With a wave of his staff and a broken heart, he disappeared with a ripple of fey sorcery.

I've been on and off this forum since 2012 or so, and it feels like there's less traffic now than a few years back. Still plenty of activity; just, less than there was a few years back.

This is just an impression, but... does anyone else see it too? (And is anyone tracking or keeping statistics that could confirm or refute it?)

We don't have that kind of data on traffic or user statistics, but I've noticed it as well. You can jump to any number of previous pages and find much more activity.

I have no data to prove it, but the fandom split between PF1e and PF2e might have also contributed.

Since only the epilogue remains (and Anethra's post, assuming Bayard doesn't chime in one last time), I wanted to give my review.
I loved this adventure. Well done, everyone!

I had Viridel as a character concept for who knows how long (maybe 2005, before I even knew D&D). He was the quintessential wise elven wizard, inspired by Lord of the Rings's Elrond and Warcraft III's Kael'Thas Sunstrider (of all people, though to be fair he was wise in the beginning before Burning Crusade).
I'm therefore happy I finally managed to close an adventure with him, especially with excellent interactions with other excellent and flavorful other characters, such as Grymwold and Laree! The fact that we turned the elf-dwarf rivalry on its head was just icing on the cake, and the master-student/family-friend relationship was masterfully done.

I loved Anethra's roleplay as well, she really nailed such a hard character concept to pull off in these circumstances (an evil devil-worshipper helping overthrow a devil-home), but what else should I expect from an actual published author? Bayard felt like a rock and a counterweight, and I'm sure, had we all played more, we would come to enjoy the party's dyanmics more than we already did.

Our DM made everything feel impactful, really played on the dread aspect from the beginning to the end, and made exploring the world feel mysterious and dangerous, so that when we were heroes, we really acted heroic. I don't know how much you planned ahead, DM, but knowing our history and your quality of DMing, it is impossible to know what was planned and what was improvised.

The fights were also excellently-run (despite Pathfinder's tendencies to swing too much to the player's side, especially at high levels). The tactical choices we had to make sometimes were tough, and when we dismissed the threats we got punished. In short, we felt like big damn heroes who fought big damn villains. It was very good. The mental image of the skull staff floating around and casting spells was especially evocative, and the serious impact our adventure had in-universe (with us possibly reforming or closing the Academae, with the ripples of consequences in the game-world) is something that makes this a little bit more real for me. The school definitely had enough victims.

I wonder (on the side) if the mark Viridel got disappeared once the demiplane collapsed, or if it's still there a la Frodo's morgul blade scar. Either make sense, really. A blind oracle is a nice theme, as is a forehead mark.

Ultimately, this is one of the best adventures I went through, in no small part due to how high-level we are. I'm glad we got the good and avoided the bads involved.

To the Professors/Audience

Viridel nods slowly, and he dips his head in a corresponding gesture. Perhaps it was just the nature of wizards to be more curious than angry, but Viridel wanted to know exactly who was behind this.

"I will agree to engage with the Academae to get to the bottom of this," he declares. "Though the souls that were once trapped in that realm are now freed, they do not continue to the Beyond unscarred."

He could not help a small smile from coming to his face as Grymwold's vice grip held the headmaster in place. He, for one, will get what he came for.

To Laree

Laree dragged her brother with her (as if devils might swoop in and spirit him away) and held Maganrad's hand. Noticing this, Viridel approached the trio, and said, "I will do my best to solve this. You must retire and rest; care for yourselves and one another."
"And Laree," He said, pausing, and then smiled, adding, "You did exceedingly well. Give my best to your family."

That is, assuming Laree isn't going to invite Viridel (or the party) to a family dinner :)

To Bayard
"You have done honor to your faith, executioner," Viridel says with resepct to the armored warrior of the faith. "I might need you once more as we uncover the secrets of the Academae. Do I have your axe if fiends once more threaten the realm?"

To Grymwold
"I think congratulations are in order," said the mage as he approached the dwarf, before switching to speaking dwarven. "Othok Zal gen zahk honzar ruk tu Kazamar, en E Umri Kal', Nar kol E vat-a eron ukavilth bil da sirk. Hal Tha ru ruk sa tur othok ath E thane ov E giml ter-kargol ov tul anek khazad a par Yoth dahur a-Khazad?"

To Anethra
Viridel approached the devil-blooded priestess, studying her.

Sense Motive for Insight: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (1) + 21 = 22

He said coldly in Infernal, "N de jeh sbmna nidea n de jeh rmwl. N flbnlwl hrni zpghrlgld oepg mnai mjd hrmh ez oepg dlwnb-ved mh ieal wenjh."

A thought passed his mind like an electric shock. Used Prescience to roll twice
Sense Motive for Insight: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (16) + 21 = 37

His countenance softened as his eyes turned to the skull staff. He knew something was trapped in it, and Anethra claimed it for some reason. Perhaps there was more to her than meets the eye, and he added, this time in Common, "But as I said, I do not claim wisdom I do not have. You helped free hundreds of souls, and saved us more than once from a terrible death in that hell-pit. For that, Lady Anethra, I thank you."

This was fun. I was satisfied by how I managed to salvage or create a character arc for Grothog (DM helped a lot). His pacifism gave way to despair, which gave way to bloodlust (and PTSD), which ultimately gave away for a realization that a hero is defined by their actions and not out of self-perception. Clowns to heroes!

I also loved that Katala was the anchor and unofficial leader/spokescat of our team, and how Pandir was a positive actor that always added a unique and funny twist (especially loved the plant-like descriptions and flavor of how she consumed potions, rested, etc.), and Finch was a great fun to read and interact with (especially with her using Grog as a prop/umbrella/coat stand/totem pole/etc.)
I think this crew/party was perfectly fit to have one another.

I likewise don't find that 2e is a perfect fit for me. Maybe it's the multiclassing, maybe it's how the action system and the wide choices of reaction (which doesn't fit PBP), or maybe it's something else.

The game, storytelling, and the stories we had along the way is what kept me here.

I still grin when I remember Finch's psychotic bluff with the fire elementals...
Threatening hostages only works if you care about them, huh? XD

See you guys around.

Groggy out.

the feast is loud and colorful as the Wayward Wonders' members lighten the mood. The sense of goodwill and happiness and dancing people and laughing children is a little alien to the large orc, who sits on the floor, marveling on how their gratitude over his aid blinded them to what he was. He smiled, the tension from before relieved.

Yes, he killed again. Perhaps, however, heroes can kill if there is a good reason to. The happiness of common folk, settling of old feuds, was surely good. It surely felt that way for him, a stranger exiled from a stranger land.

When Grothog slinked away from the festivities to visit Myron's grave, he lowered himself to touch the fresh soil, and pulled his employment contract. On the paper was his rough signature--gently invited out by the good circus manager. The orc wrapped it up into a scroll, and placed it on under a stone.

"'fanks," he said roughly. He could still hear the cheer and impromptu feast from the distance, and smiled. Perhaps the world was not so dark after all.

After all, a wise dwarf once said, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

Medicine to Heal: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Critical heal for 4d8
HP restored: 4d8 ⇒ (2, 4, 1, 6) = 13

Grothog gets up, munching on some weeds from Pandir's healing plaster, and hangs his pick and shield on his body, before hauling several victims over his shoulder as if they were potato sacks.

"Lez go."

Grothog marches out the hermitage, with a strange budding feeling in him now that the rage has faded. He didn't consider it yet. Perhaps they were all just a bunch of clowns, but they were all Abberton had. Abberton did not have any heroes--but the fact that the clowns did the rescuing maybe meant they became the heroes.
An orc whom not even his own people wanted, an unnammed rigger on a small traveling circus has somehow became...

Grothog emerges into the day with his comrades with the rescued victims over his shoulders.

--a hero.

The axeman descends on bright angelic wings, which dissipate as his heavy boots hit the disintegrating ground. He leaves without looking back as the world collapses, reciting a short obedience to Damerrich, as his shield flew to his open hand.

The Executioner left with confident ease, leaving a world he executed.

Theatric exit somehow :)

Grog says nothing for a long moment, observing the gate of the sanctum with the pearl in his hand.

He then turns to his party. He takes a deep breath, and looks at their faces.

"Ow'aight," he starts, voice starting with its usual gruffness but rising. "Wez nervous yez? Wez confus'd yez? But nobodyz elz iz 'ere yez? No more 'eroes; itz just uz."

He turns to the gate and back again, and adds, "If dis waz a story, a right shoiny knight shou'v been 'ere, aww right'us and 'oly, but all 'dem are dead. No more 'eroes. Iz jus' us. Wez got no godz or gre't destiny, but we 'ave ourselves. Da's wut Myron sayz: 'Everyone cud be interestin', and I trus' in Myron"

He raises his fingers carrying the pearl, and says, "Fer Myron."

He then pushes the pearl forward, and readies himself for battle.

@GM: I open the door.

Grymwold joins the onslaught, repeatedly sending his shield to batter the other osyluth, the corpse of which is soon flung back through Anethra's blades.

That's some dank Mortal Kombat imagery. I absolutely love it.

Once the cleaver flew, a shadow fell over the orc's face.

Action 1: Activate a very appropriate Rage

With a dark grimmness to his expression, Grothog methodically strikes at the woman with bloody intent, aiming squarely at her head.

"You made me do dis!" he declares darkly, moving his body with a surge of violence, his efficient blows concealing a scream for deliverance and salvation. "Iz your fault! Iz your fault!"

Action 2: Attack 1: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Damage: 2d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (6, 4) + 4 + 2 = 16
If a critical hit, it's this roll instead
4d10 + 8 + 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (2, 6, 10, 1) + 8 + (6) + 2 = 35

Action 3: Attack 2: 1d20 + 11 - 5 ⇒ (17) + 11 - 5 = 23
Damage: 2d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (6, 4) + 4 + 2 = 16

| ◆ Flurry of Whiffs against Green

XD

Katala, if you're uncomfortable roleplaying this scene just give me a heads-up and I will retcon it.

Viridel shook his head.
"We left behind the Hall of Shaping." Viridel said. "It might be too dangerous, and the key-lights we found might take us far enough."

He closed his eyes for a moment.
"Besides, we might be too drained to tackle the real threat later...that thing that is the true test of the Breaching Festival."

He remembered the blackness, and the disappearance of all those souls as moths who touched and succumbed to an invisible flame.

@Pandir
I thought Pandir might benefit as well, but it messes with the monk's action economy and combat rotation.

@Finch
While you are concealed from a creature, such as in a thick fog, you are difficult for that creature to see. You can still be observed, but you're tougher to target. A creature that you're concealed from must succeed at a DC 5 flat check when targeting you with an attack, spell, or other effect. Area effects aren't subject to this flat check. If the check fails, the attack, spell, or effect doesn't affect you.

It's a 25% miss chance that takes an action and a successful perform (dance) check. I think we can flavor that as TACTICAL CLOWNING TUMBLING AROUND.

Of course it could also help Katala as well.

"Also, by the by," she adds in a chillingly nonchalant tone, "before you open your stupid mouth to threaten me again... Hostage-Takin' 101: they only work if the other side cares about whether they live or die—I couldn't give less of a sh*t, so long as we can haul back whatever charred-to-bone mangled mess is left. Now, I'll give you one chance to get the f*ck outta here before we come up there and I start gettin' creative. What'll it be?"

The fact that Finch is rolling intimidate to convince the elemental(?) and not bluff scares me on a meta level.

Grog, after pushing off Viktor, walks over to the other side (to the Menagerie) and crouches, setting up (in front of the entire audience) a prop; pulling up a giant slab of wood as if a target wheel, and effortlessly turning it around behind Katala's target, grunting a circus theme.

Athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Aid requires DC 20, so that's one hero point on my part

Athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

@Anethra:
I love it. We took some time for Bloodsworn Vale, but this time we hit the ground running. The mood is heavy, the stakes are high, and the characters involved are looking great.

Behold: The Compact of the Hammer

Scary but fair in its own way. If you want me to change anything, point it out, but I feel this is a good balance between dense and focused.
Also, the fact that is is of 9 pages exactly is entirely a coincidence, Ms. Hell-Lady.
Bonus points to whoever finds the most references. :D
Also, if anyone is a master of photoshop, I can toss the raw word file their way for better presentation.

Music I was hearing while writing that had no effect on how I wrote contract.

@DM:
I think the headmaster has nothing much to hide, but if there is something I don't know or understood wrong, drop me a PM to change any clause.

@Grymwold:
The contract is up for you to sign. It's pretty fair, giving you some abilities (ensuring he will comply), and noticeably, you don't NEED to survive exiting the Hall of Wards, but have to enter it by your own Will.
So if Grymwold feels that the sacrifice of his life to bring back honor to his clan and to his god, that is a very real possibility.

This is what I mean by the stakes are high.

Grog was quiet during the entire exchange until it was over. His thick lips turned up in a small grin.

"Wot a nail-biting exchange."

"I will not give you counsel, saying do this, or do that. For not in doing or contriving, nor in choosing between this course and another, can I avail; but only in knowing what was and is, and in part also what shall be."

Viridel enters the ring. A support specialist diviner wizard, he can support with a foretelling (luck bonuses), more often than not act first on initiative with a defensive spell, and can support with telekinetic charges for the front-liner to close the distance quick and zip around the battlefield. This does not include classic high-level wizardry like hastes, slows, dispel magics, prismatic sprays, legend lore, and the most powerful spell of them all--Grease.

Viridel enters the academy to discover the meaning behind the portents and dreams he has been having, and to discover what lies beyond even his far sight, learning the fate of some students who entered the Breaching Festival but never survived it.

A limit on aid would be a more graceful solution, I would think, instead of overcorrection.

Err...
I mean...

A limi' on aid would makez a mawe gracefol solu'ion, i fink, instead uv diz overcawrec'ion, gov'naw.

Pandir agitates when Grog hears her mumbling. Oh, Mister Grog! Okay, smile. "Reincarnation. When you... eh, die... you are simply moved into a new body. Most don't recall their previous lives, so this is very hard to prove unless you are in tune with your past. Or a Samsaran. ...

Grog seems unusually focused at this speech. He hunches forward in focus. Something sparked in him. Pandir never spoke of this before...

[b]"I... I believe everyone will reincarnate. But I do not want it to happen preemptively." She smells the incense from Myron's tent. "Myron's time... was not today." She glares at the insane halfling. "That's not right."

At Pandir's words that Myron was unready, something seems to leave the orc's eyes. The curiosity--a very un-orc-like shade seems to fade and die.

"So--daz it den," he murmurs. Something wilts in him. "'e'z gone fer ne reason."

He pauses. "Even orks? Da reinkarnashin."

The blood of the giant rat and the halfling finally mixed. The color was grotesque.
Grog reacts dully to the discussion of a murderous cult of Gozreh. That would probably mean more killing. Sitting still on the ground before the murderer of his boss.

"War," he murmured to himself.

Killing Myron, a wandering circus ringmaster for esoteric fears of intangible corruption seemed so strange to the orc. Myron didn't hurt anyone. He was unable of harming even himself.

"'E woz good," Grog said to himself.

"--reincarnation will not halt that way."

The orc blinked.

"Wot?" he asked. He rises to the leshy. "Wot'd you say?"

If we're continuing after rest or moving on to show burial rites, Grog will look for an opportunity to ask Pandir about reincarnation.

Grothog stomps into the tent--before the enchantment strikes a chord with the fading high. He stomps left and right, huge body shaking the ground. Not completely enchanted nor completely clear-of-mind, Grog sways.

Grog is hanging in the back for support.

This is hilarious! xDD

After doing some reading, it looks like Pf2e shed off previous editions’ idea of encounter-balance-by-attrition (i.e. the old pathfinder and 3.5 adage of 6-8 encounters per day). In the old design paradigm, hp was an attrition-able resource (as well as a lot of other daily powers that recharged slowly or which consumed other resources), but most of those were changed so that the only daily resource (and effectively attrition point) is daily spell slots.

Design-wise, the game now assumes (and enables) the party to start each encounter with full hp and all resources—hence deadlier and swingier combat and traps. More frequent TPKs might be a result of this design choice, but I’ll need more experience in the system to judge that.

The wounded condition is also mechanically tied to this to prevent wack-a-mole that is in pf1 and 5e (if you drop to 0 hp, your one ‘failed death save’ per drop causes a serious threat of death, compared to lack of counting low negative hp in previous editions).

So really, we should always enter combat with full hp, and take the time to top off. It’s not a recommendation anymore.

Grog's lazy and watery eyes very slowly track Ceija, "If i 'it myself an' am 'urt am i weak or am i pin' pong?"

As an aside--this medicine to heal is absolutely busted. I'm not used to consistent nonmagical healing.

Grog hulks ahead, before he looks on the floor with sudden interest. He stops, and those behind him bump into the giant figure. He leans forward, before stooping to look closer.

"Ye--da floor iz made of floor."

Natural 1 Perception. I'm beginning to feel we need to hire adventurers for this XD

“Got some extra coin from these idiots. They seriously thought those drunkards had a chance. Here, your share. Oh, some idiot bet a stupid berry. You can have that too.”

Grog reaches for the coins, slipping them into his shirt pouch--before they clattered on the floor and slipping through the ripped pocket. He gathered them up again, and followed into the tent, clutching his coin in a huge fist. He begins counting on the way.

Backstage
Grog enters the backstage, and sees the gathered performers. The wind is taken out of his sails, and once the euphoria of a hard-won brawl fades, he remembers that his boss is dead.

Turning to Grog, she slowly shakes her head. "Cap'n, you're in rough shape. What was going on out there?"

He grunts as she handles his wounds. She says something about hot water, which Grog thinks might be a nice drink to reflect upon--whatever tinkture is, it must make a good cuppa.

Skilled as Ceija is in medicine, she is no match for an orc who doesn't know what she is doing and begins picking at scabs and pressing bruises to see how the color shifts once she looks away. He occasionally looks to where Myron was found. He then speaks up, asking, "Find someth'n?"

Oi, I kill’et, I munch’it

'ey, lovely jubly dungeon master.
Kindly advoise if grothog 'ad the chuffin' necessary actions ter perform 'is submitted turn activities fer da combat round.
Also, can I use me 'ero points ter impose misfortune on the bloody cockatrice attack (just as I could get fortune--but in reverse).

Dis' iz fun.

I used the map's front page to show Grog's employee ID picture. feel free to remove it if it's out of place.