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This might be what you're looking for...

Thank you sir. At first I didn't see the link in the word "This"...doh.

Through Maelstrom Rift for level 5 characters - it looks awesome. I absolutely love this big events - can't wait.

So what is the big Saturday night PFS event this year at Gencon - last year's event was incredible. Setting up all those bomb traps was really a 'blast'! The True Dragons of Absalom it was called.

I searched through the events but I guess I keep missing it. All I can find for PF Society is PF Society Academy events.

Thanks for the help.

This is not a new question, but I am hoping the forum can provide some advice on this.

My party is getting ready to enter a large and maybe challenging dungeon crawl of sorts. If they get to a point where they need to rest, how do I handle this?

1 - If they decide to leave the dungeon do I roll for random encounters on the way out?
2 - if they decide to stay do I roll from random encounters while they try to sleep, thus denying them the chance to recover spells?

How tough do you guys generally make resting when the party is working a dungeon? Can you add some kind of penalty of sorts for resting, like some rooms re-spawn?

I don't feel like just letting the PCs rest with no consequence would be very fun. What is a fun a fair way to liven up resting without being to much of a jerk as the GM?

Thanks!

So I can't purchase this unless I am a five star gm?

I loved going through we be kobolds at gencon, what a blast. Is this product available? I want to run it for my friends at home.

Hey guys - Can you let me know if they Kobolds adventure that was run at Gencon on Saturday night is available for sale? It was like We Be Goblins - but with Kobolds.

I wanted to run it for my guys - I had a blast playing in that adventure!!

Thanks,
John

Does anyone have any advice on how I can get a full sized map of Ordu-Aganhei from Jade Regent?

What is the best way to print out maps and mount them so I have something a little better than a hand drawn map? Sticker paper? What is the best source?

I would rather just buy a pre-printed map if they are available.

Thanks for the advice.

I would say the first step is to try to put the dice and numbers in the background. Try and focus on the players making decisions, not checks.

I found one of the best ways to engage the players was to create drama and conflict they have a good reason to be involved in.* Also, if there are things like a horse race, and none of the players have a rank in ride, switch it out for something completely different. Gladiatorial fight to the death against an evil outsider or something. Figure out what the players are specialized in, and allow them to use those skills. Try to present a problem that needs solving, rather then a specific thing that needs to be done.

*** spoiler omitted **

Yes to the spoiler question. You are right. I need to just go back to the basics of games - try to set-up interesting choices, tension, and mystery. I wish the tools I am using helped with that a little more than they do....

So my PCs are heading to a town next adventure. There they will encounter a location they have never been and meet a prince/ruler who may or may not be their friend. While they are figuring this all out there are some feasts they can attend where there will be some competitions - pretty standard fair I believe.

How do I make the visiting of the town and attending of the feasts more interesting? The Adventure path does provide for what will be served and how the events will work. But besides just reading off the menu and then declaring that the events are about to begin, who would like to participate...how do I add flair to the whole thing so we don't just rush through the feasts.

Ok, its the next day. Do you go to the feast? Yes, ok they are serving goose stomach today. Would you like to participate in the horse race?

As you notice, this is kind of blah, not many choices for the PCs, just kind of going through the motions. I can liven up the events a little as roles are made...but other than that....not sure how to make this more intriguing.

Thanks for any advice....

I am prepping a CR 6 level 7 ninja who has a potion of displacement. How many rounds does it last - the rules say 1 round per level.

Thanks.

\\

Also - is there anything my PCs might do to remove the effects of this? Does glitter dust do anything to this potion effect?

I am prepping a CR 6 level 7 ninja who has a potion of displacement. How many rounds does it last - the rules say 1 round per level.

Thanks.

So I am prepping Forest of the Spirits from the Jade Regent line and I noticed that there is a huge dungeon crawl to tackle at one point. So I am looking for some generic or AP specific challenges I can add to make a meat grinder more fun and interesting.

Some not so good ideas I have is

Having to guard a weak NPC through the grinder and get them to a specific point.
Having to find certain items throught the dungeon.
Having to keep certain bad guys alive for some reason.
Having to find certain weapons to use agains the big bad or he can't be defeated.

Thanks for any ideas guys and gals....

Gaberlunzie wrote:

NOTE since several people have said it was a single CR10 monster, OP has clarified it had at least 2 Babau demons and two more servants (without specified CR) so it wasn't a single encounter.

I missed that, but the enemies where still outnumbered with PCs using summon spells and under CR'd.

Now I'm starting to wonder if the OP and his players knows how SA, invisibility and DR works, as the nymph would have had to be hit by either cold iron or for almost 110 damage (unless this nymph deviates from the DR10/cold iron) in three attacks which most likely only one was a SA.

The Babau can see invisible and should be able to react within two rounds to the ninja.

Guess I should say that you really should max out all enemies' hp and not go for the avg they stat in the books. A CR10 monster should even be able to have above 200hp by then.

You make some interesting points here - I think I need to do more research on the bad guys. I don't see that she could resist cold iron though.

I also agree, I need more than one enemy. But I also didn't realize 5 PCs at level 8 equal a CR of 12.

So a lot of my issues come with my own ignorance of the rules. What i did to prepare was read through the chracter sheet, then write down on a sheet of not paper a quick summary of how all of Kat's spells worked so I could quick reference them. What I realized after the battle started though was it was difficult to keep the pace of the battle going while also trying to read through Kat's spells and picking the best one. In my haste to keep things going, I may not have made the best decisions or forgot to use her healing scroll.

there is that, its not about you killing off the PCs (though that should be a possibility it just shouldnt be the bar for things going well)

Other than that, one shot magic items are useful or if you know the PCs all have flight or always use the same tactic than mix up the encounters so their tactic of choice doesnt always work.

It also sounds like there was some confusion on how some things are supposed to work. Its very hard to get sneak attack bonuses on every hit without very good flanking support. Your Ninja did almost 80 damage from three hits, so maybe 25 per swing? where does that come from? Remember hit penalties for using multiple weapons, reduced strength bonus to off hand weapons, after you land a hit on somehting they generally know where the attack came from and there are no more sneak attacks to be had.

I do need to understand the PCs better so I can be sure I know the rules. We have 5 adults and 1 16 year old in the group. The 16 year old doesn't necessarily cheat but is sloppy with his record keeping and always seems to roll very high on his D20....

I am least interested in the crunchy rules of Pathfinder and most interested in the story and the experience.....I want to rely on my players to understand and follow the rules...and I think I can with the one exception.

ok, how did the ninja get the three sneak attacks? invisibility turns off after the first swing and no more sneak attack or flat footed AC after that, right? or was that over the course of three rounds (plus the two turns moving, so five turns total which is a normal combat length to me)

I am not sure on the details now....

I am going to just have to research the rules more carefully going forward. I need to take a lot of time to understand my PCs and the game rules.

That can be tough ... since I am also prepping the game session....

i am not familiar with the adventure path, did you have a single monster to fight against five players? No supporting enemies to slow down the PCs or anything?

She had 2 Babau Demons and Two Servants immune to physical damage. The Wizard but a dent in their abilities with a confusion spell.

Last night, I had a CR10 Nymph, Katiyana from Jade Regent, square off vs 5 8th level party members. Katiyana was slaughtered.

The main problem was a Ninja who could invisibly walk 150 feet in two turns and get 3 sneak attacks in on the Nymph doing almost 80 points of damage.

Once the Ninja was visible, Kat attempted Gale Aura to keep the bastard away, but the Ninja had a bat cloak allowing him to fly above the evil boss and drop down on her for an attack.

The rest of the party used their summoned beasts to take her out......it was anti climatic.

How do I keep up with my super powerful party members and make combats more interesting?? Help!!!

So what goes in general discussion?

Anyone playing Witcher III? I have really enjoyed it so far, about 4 to 6 hours in. I also impulse purchased the hardback walkthrough book with the bestiary, maps and characters.

Has anyone used a video game walkthrough as a tool for a campaign? There is so much information in there I was thinking if my guys had not played Witcher 3, I could run them through a PF adventure using all the material in the book.

I would have be flexible depending on the choices the players made. But my guys don't necessarily need to have infinite choices when they are playing.

I may try it .... what do you guys think?

What is the hardest thing to get used to when playing in a PFS game?

Is knowing the exact rules of play more important?

I am very experienced with Pathfinder playing home games but want to try my hand at a Gencon game.

What do you recommend?
What is normal mode vs core mode?

Thanks!
jwf

one last thing and i put it in a defrent post as it is actuyl something you might want\not want the players to use but should be legel and treaky

as the keys are "ghost keys" they might have the brain to try and use unseen servnet spell as that is a force effect that can be used on items ;)

I am not sure how unseen servant will be used in this. So they keys will be unseen servants? Or the keys will cast unseen servant? Can you give an example?

Thanks for the suggestions ZZA. Is putting a key in the door a move action or a free action? Yes, maybe 4 rounds after the keys are touched are needed.

The pond idea is a pretty good one - required perception check or something else the party can come up with. Maybe detect magic.

Wind room - maybe requires a STR check to walk through the wind a full move vs 1/2 movement...

Living key is a funny image..interesting idea.

Thanks again, I appreciate the ideas.

I am working on an indulgent and contrived puzzle for my players - hey, I know this idea can be criticized, but I am enjoying it and I am the GM! :-) Seriously I am just trying to shake things up a bit and have some fun - then we will get back to the adventure path encounters that make more sense...can you help?

* Central room has a door requiring 6 ghost keys to advance....
* Every room is 30' x 30'
* There are six rooms surrounding that have a key that must be obtained through some challenge....
* Once any one of the keys are touched, the timer starts - they have 2 rounds to meet in the central room and open the door or keys disappear and they have to try again.
* Party = 5 PCs level 8 with one flying familiar...ninja, barbarian, monk , wizard and gnome bard.

What could the six short challenges/puzzles be? - not sure if they can be themed or not?

My ideas so far - Can you help me with better ideas?
- One room requires PC to draw a chase card and beat it
- Room is full of poison, PC must pass DC 20 FORT save or paralyzed
- Key is in a small cage that can be either broken or someone can slip through the bars (escape artist)
- Skeleton is in room holding key - (should be simple combat - one hit and Skeleton is dead)
- Key is hanging 100 ft in the air
- I have one set of four rooms where a CR 8 creature must be killed for one key, then the other 3 must be obtained quickly. So when the CR 8 creature is near death the party will have to plan out to move to the other rooms and be ready to grab the keys.

Thanks for your help pathfinder nation!!

Thanks for the help Seppuku.

I never would have realized disappearing gems is cliche, but thanks for letting me know.

Treasure hunter map is good. There are supposed to be answers to the questions of life here at this tower - and treasure. It holds a powerful worshiper of a Demon Lord in the Abyss. This worshiper is reeking havoc with the outside world.

I am also wondering how do I justify having random challenges in order to get the disappearing keys? I think it would be good tension to require them all to pass a somewhat random test (within a category) at the same time in order to make it to the next location.

Thanks!

John

I hear you. Combats get boring to me after a while, so I was trying to make the adventure more interesting.

PCs enter a large castle dungeony thing and have to make it through a minor puzzle thing to get to the boss of the castle. Here is what I was thinking.

I am going to have a few rooms that have one door but rotate around if they PCs find the device that drives the room. But that is not what I need help with. Once they are past the first room they will be basically heading down a long and wide hallway with a series of locked doors. To unlock the doors, they will need to collect gems before a timer runs out.

For door one, only one gem is required (slow build up to PCs can get the idea of what is going on). The gem will be in a room to the left, but to get it, some kind of skill check is needed. Once the gem is retrieved, the clock starts ticking. If they get to the door in time, it opens, otherwise a consequence - monster or trap or something.

For door two, 2 gems will be required which are located one to a room on the right and one in a room on the left. Once again, once one of the gems is touched, the timer starts before the gem disappears. This will be setup so that the party will have to split up and get the gems simultaneously.

The next door will require 4 gems (in four adjacent rooms), then 6 will be required for the final door. All of these will require the PC to go to their own room - pass some kind of test and then meet back at the door at the same time.

I wanted the challenges the PCs face to be somewhat random, but also categorized. So to get on gem, you will need to use a skill that a thief might have. To get another gem you need some kind of knowledge. But the check required (skill, save or other) will be random within the category.

I can do this, but it will be kind of meta gameish unless I can come up with a good story or good background. Does this make sense?

So one of the doors might have a 40% chance for an acrobatics check, 20% chance for a disable device check a 20% chance for a climb check, but a 10% chance for a strength check (just as a wild card). So the PCs will find these challenges for each gem, then they will plan who will go to which puzzle based on the odds. This will get them to do some team work.

What do you guys think? How can I make this work?

Thanks Nick. I thought about using the environment. I just need to come up with a win lose mini encounter. Your post is a good help in my brainstorming, much appreciated.

Just a post to add some comments after thinking a little bit....

I am trying to use the idea of the chase cards where you have 2 skills checks and you choose one - and transform them into mini encounter cards, where there is a small situation to work out that can either fail or succeed. Does that make sense. Level 8 appropriate, North Pole like environment.

Help me think of Level 8 appropriate encounters that PCs might face in searching for a Dragon’s Lair at the Cap of the World (North Pole).

Here is my idea so far which has evolved from something Dudemeister suggested to me in another thread on how jazz up a hunt for a Frost Drake.

1 – Dragon is attacking town once every 2 days

2 – Party is offered reward of 6 gems worth 5000 gold each upon returning with the Dragon’s head

3 – Party will face 6 short encounters on the way to find the Dragon – if the encounter is successful the party moves on, but if the encounter fails – the trip is delayed and the dragon attacks destroying one of the 5000 gems.

4 – The encounter should include as many of the party members as possible and be pretty short, but be more than just a skill check. Alternatively, there can be one encounter that focuses on each of them. Also, any team work related encounters would be cool.
Party – Level 8, Barbarian, Wizard, Bard, Ninja, & Monk – all are well equipped with magic items

I want the encounter to be challenging but not impossible. I am hoping they lose at least 1 or 2 of them so it doesn’t seem like a cake walk. But I would hate for them to lose all of them.

My ideas so far:
1 - They start sliding down a cliff face due to an avalanche. During their decent, they have to dodge things? Fight things attacking them? Actually not sure on this one – this idea was rightfully criticized in another thread.
2 – The barbarian runs into a creature or magic item that turns his alignment to evil. The party has to recognize this and quickly remove curse before he kills someone.
3 – The Wizard prides himself on having lots of knowledge, so I was trying to think of something interesting that used knowledge.

Thanks for your help!!

I can abandon the sliding down the hill thing. It seems like a bad idea based on your posts.

Using the hybrid chase cards idea for a dragon hunt kind of railroads the party I guess. If they don't like an encounter, they will be forced to do it anyway or mess up my plan.

I was going to have a social battle for another encounter to try and convince a group to help them out in some way.

I may start another thread and ask for short challenge encounter ideas.

OK cool. I understand where you guys are coming from.

As a GM it becomes more difficult to keep an adventure exciting as the players get more and more powerful. I was trying to think of a way to make finding the location of a Dragon more fun. If all of the challenges are DC8 then it will be silly.

The PCs were going to start with a reward of 30,000 gold. For each failed encounter, 5,000 was going to be reduced due to the delay of the party and an additional dragon attack on the city.

I trying to use an idea similar to the chase deck and to an idea Dudemeister had for me a couple of weeks ago when I had my party hunt for a Frost Drake.

How can I make searching for a dragon more exciting than 3 survival checks for level 8 PCs without having silly challenges for characters so skilled?

I found this discussion.
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2oqmn?Easy-Skill-DC-Medium-Hard

Any other thoughts?

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

I want to generate some skill checks for some encounters I am running for my party that is at level 8. How do I generate (perhaps randomly or specifically chosen) skill checks, knowledge checks and save checks that are level appropriate?

For example, I am going to have my party start sliding down a hill. They have to make 2 or 3 checks to make it down safely. Obviously some of the checks will be agility or acrobatics. But I was thinking that I would allow maybe knowledge geography for the wizard to figure out how to smartly roll his body to safely get down the hill. I might also allow a survival check. But what should the DCs be for these checks?

Thanks for any advice.

Fireballs, electric attacks, magic swords and charm spells all cannot effect a spiritual ally is that correct?

If someone attempts to grapple or trap a spiritual ally that has no effect, correct?

What are some clever ways to use Spiritual Allies vs my party?

Thanks,
John

I just wanted to post to provide some feedback on how I used this idea in my campaign.

I did create 9 cards with 2 skill checks on one side and a description on the backside, like frozen river or Tundra as described above. The party chose one card and it was flipped over. Each player was allowed to do 4 skill checks during the entire hunt. For each skill check they passed, they go an additional 5% chance to find the drake. But they only got to check if they passed 2 checks.

So for example, on card 1, they passed both tests. So they rolled a d 20 and on a 19 or 20 they find the Drake, otherwise we roll for a random encounter. I used the encounter guide in the back of the module.

On card 2 they only passed 1 test. So they earned a 5% chance, but didn't get to roll to find it after that card. On the third card they passed both checks, so now they roll a d 20 and on a 15 to 20 they find the drake, otherwise a random encounter.

I thought it worked out pretty well. It definitely made hungint the drake a lot more interesting. Thanks for the great ideasl.

I am looking for a fantastic magic ability to add to a crown that would be given to a Bard. Is a basic Charisma boost of +3 or 4 what they look for? The other guys in the party have pretty good magic items and the Bard has a tough time making much impact in battles (not that battles are all we do). But the Bard is due for some cool loot so I am looking for what most any Bard would really like to have at Level 7 or 8.

Thanks everyone....

Love it Dudemeister!

I plan on using this. I just need to come up with 5 more cards.

Thanks,
John

Wow, what a cool idea. So for each card, there is a negative consequence for a failed check - like becoming fatigued. There is only a 20% chance they will get to encounter the Drakes.

Once they encounter the drakes, could the drakes escape causing more cards to have to be encountered or is it life or death right there?

Love it - thanks for coming through with an awesome idea Dudemeister.

My party has been requested to gather the horns, claws, teeth etc. of 4 different creatures. They have obtained 3 of these items but still need the venom or scales of a Frost Drake. These items will be given to a town to help them create a protective magical barier about their town in the north. In exchange the party will receive a crown of Charisma.

How do I jazz up a hunt for a Frost drake. My party is level 7 and can probably take it out pretty easily. There is a Bard in the party that I believe is the one who will get the crown. The crown belongs to the Hearthmistress of the town. What can the crown be that would be cool for a bard? It has to have something to do with Charisma.

Thanks for any brainstomr ideas Pathfinder fans!!!

Another thing to check out would be Achievement Feats, although I'd suggest making your own, as a lot of these are garbo.

In the same vein, Story Feats also accomplish a lot of the same things and are slightly better done.

Rather than random achievements, it gives the party something to shoot for, which can be very rewarding.

These are great N. Jolly, I appreciate you sharing this. I am going to purchase the story feats...

As I understand it gods and demons grow in power if they have worshippers on the material plane, especially if there are sacrifices involved.

The text I quoted suggests Sithhud is still is in the Abyssal realm (a small pocket dimension) of Jhuvumirak, in hiding, and using his demonic powers to communicate with his few remaining worshippers. He hopes that the sacrifice of thousands of humans in his name will give him enough power to be able to defeat Kostchtchie himself.

I had Sithhud speak directly to the PCs through an idol at the entrance to Katiyana's tower, and try to persuade them to worship him as a god. (Only one of them did.)

Oh cool. I like that idea. Thanks for sharing it. He needs humans to sacrifice for power - I didn't connect the dots on that either.

Matthew Downie wrote:

"Sithhud once completely controlled the cold Abyssal realm of Jhuvumirak until the demon lord Kostchtchie arrived with his army and defeated the incumbent and claimed the realm as his own. To this day, Kostchtchie rules in Jhuvumirak, while Sithhud hides in the highest peaks of the realm where the Deathless Frost has yet to search." (Source: top result googling Sithhud.)

The battle didn't take place on the Crown, or even on the same planet, or plane of existence.

OK cool. That makes more sense. So in order to gain power on this other plane of existence (Abyssal), Sithhud needs to gain power in the 'normal' or material plane of existence?

I guess I don't need to worry too much about all that for this adventure, but I am curious and am wondering how I can work it in. There is a short Wiki that talks about the Abyss and the Abyssal planes of the demon lords. That is where Sithhud is trying to get back to .. is that right?

"Sithhud once completely controlled the cold Abyssal realm of Jhuvumirak until the demon lord Kostchtchie arrived with his army and defeated the incumbent and claimed the realm as his own. To this day, Kostchtchie rules in Jhuvumirak, while Sithhud hides in the highest peaks of the realm where the Deathless Frost has yet to search." (Source: top result googling Sithhud.)

The battle didn't take place on the Crown, or even on the same planet, or plane of existence.

OK cool. That makes more sense. So in order to gain power on this other plane of existence (Abyssal), Sithhud needs to gain power in the 'normal' plane of existence?

I guess I don't need to worry too much about all that for this adventure, but I am curious and am wondering how I can work it in. I will google stuff about this Abyssal plane...

Its been awhile since I ran this book but my impression was that the weather control and the megaliths were part of Sithud's plan to claim the land and continue to rebuild his power. So he is essentially doing what you're wondering about.

Sithhud is trying to regain power, but there is no mention of Kastchtchie in the module. Katiyana seems to have only men to battle for dominance of the Crown.

What happened to Kastchtchie?

So the background for the Hungry Storm says that Sithhud lost his power to the demonic armies of the demon lord Kostchtchie. Sithhud has someone helping him regain this power.

What happened to Kastchtchie. Are his demon armies still roaming the crown? If no, why doesn't Sithhud just come in and claim the land?

Thanks.

How do you subscribe to a thread so you can see the replies on your phone?

I tried using Pocket and Feedly to subcribe to message threads but was unable to make it work. I can get the message to show up on my phone, but any updates do not come through. I used to use Google RSS reader long ago.

I guess I need an idiot proof APP. Any advice?

Yes Mark Hoover, I like it. Some achievements will require a skill the party will not have maybe. They might choose to ignore some of the achievements, but there will be some that will be enticing.

I will have to keep the organized and documented or I am afraid they will be forgotten as the main story progresses.

Some of the achievements might be much more simple - maybe rolling to criticals in a row or something. Not sure if that would be worth tracking, but it might be fun.

Thanks!

Yeah sure, you can have them.

I suppose this list might be relevant:

achievements

Nice, thanks for the post.