Kinda apples & oranges though. PFO was a decade ago. It tried to jump on the MMO bandwagon when MMOs were in rapid decline.
PFO had a lot going against it, but the two main things that killed it (totally my own opinion here, fwiw) are that 1) it was pushed out in alpha state, and 2) lack of accessibility. A finished game might have held on to more players, or at least not driven them away at the outset, enough so to keep evolving. The Eve-style MMO was also very niche, and was never going to catch a wide audience.
A modern APRG computer game is a lot more approachable from a casual gamer standpoint. Even as good as they are, the Owlcat games are pretty dense. This kind of game has a lot of positive potential for Paizo, Pathfinder and the industry.
I get that the genre isn't for everyone. I'm not a big fighting game fan but they're great fun with a couple friends hanging out. The same could be said for this -- thinking Shadow over Mystara from years back.
The replies in this thread though... so much salt & vinegar. I get that action games aren't everyone's cup of tea, but please try to tone down the negativity.
We already have 2 huge, amazing Owlcat turn-based games. I expect there will be a PF2-based one coming along in time. Having some breadth of genres flying the Pathfinder flag is good for the game.
Hey all! I haven't posted (obviously)... at first it was because I got busy, and later more deliberately because I needed the break. I've not checked out though, and plan to pick up again after the New Year.
I figured I should jump on and post an update. I hope everyone has had a relaxing holiday season!
Front page has shown Beginner Box "Releasing April 24, 2019" since I don't know when. There's a new hardcover coming out this month and another soon. Blog updates are current, but these are major releases. Did SF get forgotten?
So, Paizo didn't like being called DnD 3.75, then makes PF2. Now with the almost the offset of PF2, you tie yourself, yet, once again to DnD, again being 5.25?! Good luck, really.
Huh?
Seems you're trying to equate providing a 5e campaign bestiary with PF2 becoming a 5e evolution.
I really like the 3-part APs... shorter story arc that's less of a total commitment, and if they develop a few more, it would be cool to mix-match them in order for some interesting combinations. 6-part APs are great epic stories, but I really enjoy having the option to explore more stories in the lifespan of a character.
Vencarlo smiles, snapping out his own blade to return the salute. "You have my blessing. The hopes of all Korvosa's good citizens go with you, and the spirits of those lost in the unrest and pestilence wish for you to avenge them."
Vencarlo smiles and shakes his head at Absinthe, "Nay, the student has become the master... I am honored by your esteem, but you have quite surpassed my skills. And you have proven worthy of the mantle of Blackjack. You are welcome to those trappings you found in my academy -- Korvosa needs a new and vital hero in these dark times, and I am too old and scarred for the post."
Segang or Knowledge (local) DC 20:
There are three tribes of Shoanti dwelling in the Cinderlands, each of which has distinct traditions and unique lifestyles.
Lyrune-Quah (Clan of the Moon): The Lyrune-Quah are nomadic worshipers of Desna. A large group of Lyrune-Quah members often visit an ancient shrine to Desna called the House of the Moon.
Sklar-Quah (Clan of the Sun): The largest and most warlike of the Cinderlands Shoanti tribes, Sklar-Quah members endure dangerous trials before they become warriors.
Skoan-Quah (Clan of the Skull): The Skoan-Quah dwell in the easternmost regions of the Cinderlands, and frequently may be found at a place known as the Kallow Mounds. Many of their shamans, including Thousand Bones, have worked with Korvosa to try to build peace between their peoples; as a result the Skoan-Quah have been increasingly shunned by the other Shoanti. Yet since the Shoanti believe that the Skoan-Quah have the closest connection to the land of the dead and guard Shoanti ancestors from evil spirits, the other clans have grudgingly refrained from truly ostracizing the tribe.
@ Gregg Reece: I don't think anyone is arguing that the task of maintaining the old Frankenstein code behind the scenes isn't difficult. Said difficulty does not diminish the severity of this last week's epic server meltdown.
Azih wrote:
Eh. I personally don't think there's any issue with emphasizing how badly this reflects on the company as long as there's no personal attacks or crudity of course. Committed fans being driven to comment are indicators of far more casual fans or potential new customers who will throw up their hands and leave with a bad taste in their mouths.
This is spot on my feelings on the matter! I'm a huge fan and supporter of Paizo and hope for their continued success. That is why this meltdown is equally disappointing. It was painful to be locked out of the messageboards for 4 days, then see the maintenance splash page for another 3.
I have no doubt the hardworking Paizo staff are also frustrated and disappointed.
"B-Blackjack?" the leader stutters, clearly taken aback. The others are shocked and awed as well. A few of the thugs in the back of the group peel off silently, retreating into the alleys.
"I, uh... we that is, didn't know you was here, uh... sir. Very sorry to bother you, sir." He takes a step back, making a clumsy sketch of a bow. Bumping into his companions awkwardly, they glare at him. "The Emp'ror sent us to see what you was doin', is all."
A few timid souls in the surrounding buildings, hiding from the thugs behind shutters and curtains, peek out to see Blackjack.
Vecna Lives! came out in 1990, when 2nd edition was still pretty shiny new, and nearly a decade before 3rd edition (and any 'edition transition' apocalypses) came out.
The VL intro is ridiculously heavy handed, but I guess the sadistic Call of Cthulhu side of me liked the way it set the tone. Recall that the 90s were the height of the 'storytelling' wave, so at the time, so it didn't seem too crazy to run. Certainly wouldn't fly nowadays, or if it were actual players' beloved PCs...
The parallels are there though between Vecna/Greyhawk and Runelords/Golarion... uber-powerful wizard from the past comes back and needs to clear the way for his rise to power. Need to make sure the powers-that-be don't get involved before its too late to stop! Outright killing isn't necessary -- and given the near-immortality of PF/3.5 high level PCs, nearly impossible without DM handwaving -- but could be done with convincing distraction (red herring, etc), trapping them outside the time/space continuum (pretty much handwaving), or the old 'problem is beneath our notice until its too late' excuse most major villains use (kinda lame).
What other parallels are there? Fistandantalus/Dragonlance basically possessed Raistlin. Still kinda fuzzy on that, to be honest. But there's an option: Runelords co-opt old PCs >> old PCs become the villains (until the new PCs can find a way to release them...)
After Absinthe's transformation into Blackjack, you take another pass through Vencarlo's home but are unable to turn up any clues to his present whereabouts. Frustrated, you head back out into the Old Korvosa streets, considering where to go next.
Just after you exit the home, a shadow detaches from an adjacent alley and walks hurriedly towards you. He holds his hands up, non-threatening, and calls to you in a loud whisper. He is a young man, wearing a tatty cloak that only just hides the quality of his clothing and the fine dagger on his belt. Even these, however, are torn and dirty.
"My friends, I'm so happy it is you!" The mixture of relief and delight is clear on his face.
D'oh! Yeah, its a move action, so he cannot do the full attack. I was thinking swift. Retcon out all but the first attack.
Absinthe takes a hit from the assassin, but side-dodges the follow-through, using her momentum off the wall to bring home a final stab. Her rapier runs through a gap in the man's shoulder plate, sinking deep. With barely a sigh, he crumbles to the steps.
End of Combat!
As you watch, the blood mist that surrounded the Red Mantis blooms, disintegrating the assassin's body and leaving behind only his equipment. You look back at the first dead assassin and see the same happened to him half a minute ago.
I finished reading through the last chapter a couple weeks ago and had a similar reaction. I was surprised that Ariadnah was the BBEG -- like you said, she's vaguely mentioned in parts 1/2, and has no apparent role in anything at all.
Plus, the party is quite literally chasing Lowls through the entire AP. When they finally reach him, he's basically a mindless beast. I'm sure there's a Lovecraft-ian moral story there -- the price of power and all that -- but it came across kinda anti-climactic. As I read it, anyway.
I'm years off from reaching the end (PbP campaign), so I don't know what I'll do, assuming we make it that far. I think having Xhamen-Lowls as the BBEG would be more satisfying, especially if the PCs have a chance to talk with him first... perhaps a few final, lucid moments before he is fully absorbed into X-D, which would be a pretty horrifying scene to play out IMO.
Except for the gigantic plot holes in that scene, of which there are at least 3 that I can remember, having not seen the movie in many, many years.
1) Obi-wan gets cut off in that "air lock" system. Except... they used super speed to get away from droids in that very first fight. Why didn't he use it there? It seems like the perfect time to use it.
I think a simple explanation is fatigue... he just had to force leap up a couple levels -- this after intensely fighting Maul for a couple minutes. In game terms, he was low on "Force Power" or maybe Force Sprint was on cooldown. Doesn't seem like a big plot hole.
Irontruth wrote:
2) What the f@+@ are they fighting in? Is it some sort of generator/powerstation? If so, why were the Naboo worried about the Trade Federation? If you're capable of generating that much energy, you should be able to make a shield, fire giant lasers, etc. A couple droids on a ship would be nothing. They live on this lush, green world, so food isn't the issue and with that much energy capacity, everything should be solvable.
Well, I loved the setting because it evokes such an iconic Star Wars feel -- from the OT movies to games like Dark Forces, there's all kinds of chambers, devices and things that are massive in scale and of not-so-clear function. This is a space opera with laser swords and space magic in the distant future (past)... you might be applying too much logic here.
Irontruth wrote:
3) Why didn't Darth Maul cut Obi-wan in half when he flipped over him with no lightsaber? He hangs over him for a good half-second doing a flip, completely vulnerable to one easy swing of a lightsaber. In fact, 2 movies later, Obi-wan does this exact thing to Anakin when he tries the same maneuver.
Watch any boxing/UFC/fencing/etc fight and ask the same thing... "why didn't he just punch him in the face right there? he was wide open!" Perhaps he missed a cue, was looking for another opening and reacted late, Obi-wan had an effective feint, was off-balance, blinked at the wrong time, or a hundred other split-second reaction decisions that could have been right or wrong. You see it in sports all the time... its easy to armchair quarterback.
Obi-wan is clearly the better fighter (obviously, he wins in the end). Maul made a couple of poor decisions or missed a couple opportunities. Sometimes that's all the difference. You could argue the same on Obi-wan vs Anakin. Anakin pulls the flip move and Obi-wan was ready... he'd seen it (done it) before.
They didn't WANT Lucas to appear involved in any way because of how much HATE people had for him (despite him creating the entire thing to begin with, ironically). Even if they use his stories, it was poison to their brand.
I think HATE for Lucas is a bit much... I mean, who really has that kind of extra time and emotional energy to hate the guy (internet blowhards don't really count)? As many issues as the prequels had -- I liked them, but I know they aren't perfect -- if someone grew to HATE Lucas because of them, that means they probably LOVED the original stuff (a bit too much) and would go see anything Star Wars related, whether Lucas was involved or not.
I just don't see anyone in a Disney/Lucasfilm boardroom actually having this kind of discussion. He's not a Hollywood pariah like Mel Gibson. Lucas isn't poison to the brand outside of a few fringe cases. I'd argue that Abrams probably pissed off more sci-fi geeks with Star Trek: Into Darkness than anything Lucas did with Star Wars... still, we flocked to TFA in droves!
The Phantom Menace/Attack of the Clones/RotS: Sabers! SABERS EVERYWHERE! Kiddie-sized sabers! Double-bladed sabers! YODA GETS A SABER! AND YOU GET A SABER! AND YOU! AND YOU! ALL SABERS ALL THE TIME!
Being pedantic: TPM has only 3 sabers also... Qui-gon, Obi-wan and Maul. Sure, the other Jedi are on screen, but none of them are waving anything around. And I would argue the 3-way duel at the end of that movie is the best in the entire series!
Male Dwarf Psychic Warrior 4 :: 37/40 hp :: AC21, Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +5
Morthak isn't the most subtle, but we could take a page from Conan the Barbarian. Sneak in and rescue the princess (prisoners), then retreat and make an epic stand among the ruins... maybe with the spirits on our side, inspired by our heroism!!
Actually, because its Dark Sun, more likely that the Dragon would happen to roll through and life drain us all. Ah well...
Braelex's brow furrows in confusion, "You say this Sorshen pretender appeared and attacked you, then you were suddenly her allies. What happened to end hostilities so quickly? Perhaps you and your sisters were charmed?"
Davaulus shakes his head. "Underlings? Mastermind? You think I am responsible for all of this?" He chuckles grimly. "You truly know nothing. I'm just a pawn in this game, much as you are. You try and play to my vanity, falsely. I have no concerns for my legacy or 'good name'... these are not things that matter to He Who Walks in Blood."
"You want answers? Go below and see them for yourselves... and meet your doom. Your fates were sealed the moment you walked through that door."
Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Apologies for sounding like a grumpy old man. But its like: "Sorry, sir... the filet mignon won't be ready for a while. But in the meantime, you can always go to McDonalds."
Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
This is concerning. I completely understand the reasons they delayed MM, but going well over a year between releases seems like it would be detrimental to the game's health. Without new releases in the market, awareness/interest in the game will surely wither. I don't think the class decks count for much except with well-established players.
I obviously don't have Paizo's marketing info, and hope I'm wrong...
Well, while I'm not super-happy that some good EU stuff is getting overwritten, at least Chewbacca isn't killed off by RA Salvatore and the githyanki... er, yuuzhan vong.
Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Hey all, as the OP, I figured it was worth posting an update.
We just finished AD1 and, as advertised, it was a *huge* improvement over the base scenarios! For anyone that is wary of buying into WotR due to the difficulty complaints, I'd say don't worry -- just skip the base and go straight into the main adventure path. The AD1 scenarios were very enjoyable, IMO.
To mitigate some of the pain, I removed 2 each of the Demon Horde and Arboreal Blight cards from the game, leaving 2 still in, I believe. I still had once scenario (1-4, I think) where we encountered a blight, horde and carrion golem all in short succession, but we muscled through them.
In hindsight, I think its worth noting how much the *locations* are part of the pain in the base scenarios. Many of them are tough on the characters exploring, some causing damage every turn, or forcing bury/discard to close with no rewards coming back. I think these played a subtle role in making the base scenarios so awful, because the locations in AD1 were much more "friendly", or at least the painful locations were thinned out -- 1 or maybe 2 per scenario, rather than the whole spread!
Anyway, I'm glad we continued and we are enjoying the game again. Just unlocked the mythic paths and can't wait to give them a try! =D
Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Thanks... I guess we'll give AP1 a try first then. Feels a bit odd skipping the intro to do an "easier" first chapter. In the past, we found the intro scenarios a nice way to learn your characters and try out what works and what didn't before moving into the real challenges.
This makes me curious about what the devs are planning for MM. If its going to be another set of continuous nutsack kicks, then I'm leaning towards cancelling my sub.
I know this topic has been brushed over a few times, but I did not find any full conversions for the Athasian bard into Pathfinder. I originally considered just designing a bard archetype, but the loss of all spell casting is a bit beyond an archetype's scope. The bard version on Athas.org is good, but seems very weak in combat, even more so than the rogue. While the performance abilities are strong, the loss of additional buffs from spells takes a huge toll from the bard's utility.
This version is basically a mash up of the original bard, with rogue/ninja tricks tossed in to offset the loss of spells. The theme of Dark Sun bards was always that of performer-by-day/assassin-by-night, so the poison abilities are prominent.
Concerns: While this bard has songs, tricks and poison, I'm still afraid it comes up weak in the combat department. Rogues and ninjas have sneak attack to offset (a little) of their flaws, but sneak attack didn't seem appropriate here. Rogues/ninjas are stealthy types, while bards seem to favor bluffs and misdirection. I'm considering ways to buff that theme here.
Any and all suggestions are much appreciated!!
Athasian Bard:
Athasian Bard
Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills: The bard's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Base Attack Bonus: 3/4 progression.
Saves: Reflex and Will good.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the bard.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A bard is proficient with all simple weapons, plus the bard’s friend, crossbow (any), garrote, greater blowgun, whip and widow’s knife. Bards are also proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields).
Bardic Knowledge (Ex): Per the standard bard class feature.
Bardic Performance: Per the standard bard class feature.
Poison Use: At 1st level, a bard is trained in the use of poison and cannot accidentally poison herself when applying poison to a weapon.
Versatile Performance (Ex): Per the standard bard class feature.
Well-versed (Ex): Per the standard bard class feature.
Trade Secret: As a bard gains more experience and notoriety, they gain access to secrets of their clandestine trade. Starting at 4th level, a bard learns one trade secret. She gains one additional trade secret at 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th and 19th level. Unless otherwise noted, a bard cannot select an individual trade secret more than once.
Accurate (Ex): A bard with this ability can ignore 1 point of natural armor bonus to AC or 1 point of armor bonus to AC. This trade secret may be chosen more than once, and its effects stack.
Assassinate (Ex): A bard with this trade secret can kill foes that are unable to defend themselves. To attempt to assassinate a target, the bard must first study her target for 1 round as a standard action. On the following round, if the bard makes an attack against the target and the target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, the attack has the additional effect of possibly killing the target. This attempt automatically fails if the target recognizes the bard as an enemy. If the attack is successful and the target of this attack fails a Fortitude save, it dies. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the bard's level + the bard's Charisma modifier. If the save is successful, the target still takes damage as normal, but it is immune to that bard's assassinate ability for 1 day. The bard must be at least 10th level before selecting this trade secret.
Blinding Bomb (Ex): Whenever the bard throws a smoke bomb, all living creatures in the cloud must make a Fortitude save or be blinded by the black smoke for 1d4 rounds. The DC of this saving throw is equal to 10 + 1/2 the bard's level + the bard's Charisma modifier. This trade secret cannot be combined with a choking bomb, but the bard can combine a blinding bomb with a poison bomb. The bard must have the choking bomb trade secret before selecting this trade secret. The bard must be at least 10th level before selecting this trade secret.
Choking Bomb (Ex): Whenever a bard throws a smoke bomb, all living creatures in the resulting cloud must make a Fortitude save or become staggered by the choking black smoke for 1d4 rounds. The DC of this saving throw is equal to 10 + 1/2 the bard's level + the bard's Charisma modifier. The bard can decide to create an ordinary smoke bomb or add poison to this smoke bomb as normal. The bard must have the poison bomb trade secret before selecting this trade secret.
Combat Trick: A bard that selects this trade secret gains a bonus combat feat.
Defensive Roll (Ex): With this trade secret, the bard can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the bard can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the bard must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC=damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can't use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll. The bard must be at least 10th level before selecting this trade secret.
Deft Poisoner: A bard with this trade secret can apply poison to a weapon as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity.
Evasion (Ex): A bard can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the bard is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless bard does not gain the benefit of evasion. The bard must be at least 10th level before selecting this trade secret.
Feat: A bard may gain any feat she qualifies for in place of a trade secret. The bard must be at least 10th level before selecting this trade secret.
Finesse Strike: A bard that selects this trade secret gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.
Forgotten Secret (Ex): A bard with this ability can recall one trade secret she heard of in passing or in her early apprenticeship. When she uses this ability, she selects one trade secret that she does not know and can use that trade secret for a number of rounds equal to her level. This ability can be used once per day, and the bard must meet and adhere to the selected trade secret's prerequisites and restrictions.
Improvised Materials: A bard with this trade secret can craft poisons from raw materials at hand instead of relying on specific ingredients. Doing so increases the Craft (poisonmaking) check DC by 5 but otherwise has no effect on the poison's potency.
Major Magic (Sp): A bard with this trade secret gains the ability to cast a 1st-level spell from the wizard spell list two times a day as a spell-like ability. The caster level for this ability is equal to the bard's level. The save DC for this spell is 11 + the bard's Intelligence modifier. The bard must have an Intelligence of at least 11 to select this talent. A bard must have the minor magic rogue talent before choosing this talent. This spell-like ability uses the rules for preserving and defiling magic.
Minor Magic (Sp): A bard with this trade secret gains the ability to cast a 0-level spell from the wizard spell list. This spell can be cast three times a day as a spell-like ability. The caster level for this ability is equal to the bard's level. The save DC for this spell is 10 + the bard's Intelligence modifier. The bard must have an Intelligence of at least 10 to select this talent. This spell-like ability uses the rules for preserving and defiling magic.
Poison Bomb (Ex): Whenever the bard throws a smoke bomb, she can decide to include 1 dose of any inhaled poison she possesses. This poison affects all creatures in the smoke and lasts as long as the smoke lasts. She must pay for the poison normally. The bard must have the smoke bomb trade secret before selecting this trick.
Poison Resistance (Ex): A bard with this trade secret receives a +4 bonus to saving throws against poisons.
Quick Thinking (Ex): A bard with this trade secret is trained to react quickly, and gains a +2 bonus on Initiative checks. This trade secret may be chosen up to three times, and its effects stack.
Scorpion's Touch (Ex): This ability adds +1 to the DC of all poisons applied by the bard. This trade secret may be chosen more than once, and its effects stack.
Slippery Mind(Ex): This ability represents the bard's ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a bard with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw. The bard must be at least 13th level before selecting this trade secret.
Smoke Bomb (Ex): This ability allows a bard to throw a smoke bomb that creates a cloud of smoke with a 15-foot radius. This acts like the smoke from a smokestick. The bard can center this smoke on herself, or throw the bomb as a ranged touch attack with a range of 20 feet. Using this ability is a standard action, and can used a number of times a day equal to 3 + the bard's Intelligence modifier.
Ventriloquism (Su): As a swift action, the bard can throw her voice as if using the spell ventriloquism. She can use this ability for a cumulative total of 1 minute per bard level, per day. Each individual use of the ability consumes a minimum of 1 minute.
Lore Master (Ex): Per the standard bard class feature.
Jack-of-All-Trades (Ex): Per the standard bard class feature.
I've been a silent lurker on this thread for a while now, but want to throw in a vote of support and confidence! I was a big fan of ToB when it came out, and this project has totally resparked my interest in the maneuver system. I don't have the time to playtest or proofread, but I wish I could help out! Either way, this is on my *must buy* list for when it gets the green light...
Question for DSP (apologies if this got answered already), but does the Work in Progress bundle include the POW2 items?
Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
I'm just now wrapping up Forest of Spirits in my pbp campaign. I figured it would be a good time to share some of the things I tweaked along the way.
Ordu-Aganhei: After the grueling hike over the Crown, coming back into civilization was enjoyed by the party, especially with the gracious welcome they receive from Prince Bat. I looked forward to, and enjoyed using the city for some meaty role-playing sidebars and PC/NPC bonding. The feasts started off great, and the players were able to integrate their parts in nicely. Where the train went off the rails was at the marriage proposal. I tried to use situation, and Prince Bat in general, in a mostly awkward/comedic fashion... Unfortunately, the player proposed to took to all *very* seriously and ultimately quit the game because of it. I probably could have handled it better, but I honestly thought it would come off more silly than serious... the joys of electronic communication!
Instead of ambushing the party in the city, I had them get attacked while they were split/exposed in the palace and at the caravan. In my mind, it set up better to stress the group, and also kept them from blaming the prince. They took the hint and fled the city.
Lastly, I introduced Miyaro early on, insinuating herself as a cultural adviser. She sprang to help during the ambush, later revealing her true nature.
Forest of Spirits: Once free of the city, I kept the road encounters quiet until they entered the forest. To play up the place's strangeness, I highlighted its seemingly 'stasis-like', unchanging nature. The spirit encounters I ran were kinda cool and awkward at the same time. The semi-haunt mechanic didn't seem to mesh well ('if everyone passes their save, does the spirit just leave?') with the descriptive elements of the encounter. If I could run them again, I'd probably re-think how to mech these.
The approach to the ward zone and kami meeting I ran pretty much as printed. I analogize it to the ent moot in LotR, and tried to give it that bearing.
Withered Blossom Gardens: As the group neared the House, the climate steadily changed from winter to balmy heat, given off by the energy of the House. This accounted for the more jungle-like, overgrowth feel of the gardens. After the group defeated Munasukaru and broke the wards, this effect died out and the gardens slowly returned to winter.
I used Richard's rough draft of the garden terrace encounters to flesh out the approach to the House. After a couple spider fights, the party just cast air walk and skipped the rest. I'm glad I didn't make up a whole map!
House of Withered Blossoms: Knowing the dungeon was going to be a grind, atop the sloooow pace of pbp, I went in planning to cut/merge encounters in the module. I also wanted to skip the whole aranea section unless the group wanted to push it. They were pretty mission-focused, and basically ignored Akinosa's crew. I introduced the conflict between the hobgoblins and aranea right as the group entered the main floor, walking into an ongoing melee.
In all, I was surprised by how easily the group dealt with the encounters. Only a couple of fights really stressed them. Granted, their make-up was 5 PCs (monk, magus, oracle, vanguard and bard) and 1 NPC (Kelda), but I amplified most every fight with either additional enemies, advanced template, better gear and/or increased/max hp.
Here's a quick summary of the encounters I used/changed:
Again, I didn't run anything from the upper levels.
B2-B5 Wall/Entrance Gauntlet pretty much as written, though combined and with a Sister of the Broken Path leader.
The Great Cavern/Buto the party skipped by scouting and air walking over the top.
Party entered the Mockery Pagoda semi-quietly. I included one major encounter around the Shrine of Munasukaru with a sister and several leper hobgoblins (instead of warriors).
I removed most of the rest of the foes here. The clay golem lasted 1 round, I think.
Party air walked over the lattice, encountered Ichirou and his mistresses in bed.
I removed the whole barracks C14-C16 area. After the lattice, they went straight to the Drain; no guards there either (too awkward to run).
Note, the gars in D1, and for that matter, the elementals in C1, were no factor with air walk in play.
I combined the foes in D2-D6, and D9 into one running battle, worked nicely though the giant gorgon got stopped by hold monster on round 1. Ryosanjin was a cool foe, but even buffed up he didn't last long.
I moved the destrachan into E1 to act as torturers. It played well and made more sense than them just standing around in a corridor. I removed the 2 spawns. A foot of water covered the floor also, making the room difficult terrain, mostly ignored by air walking PCs.
I ran the 2 x naga as printed, but changed the chamber to be half-full (~10 ft deep) of water. This gave the naga a small advantage for mobility and stealth, but was (again) mostly negated by air walk. The naga didn't pose much threat; in hindsight I probably should have added a third, and buffed them up more.
The final fight was in E3-E4, combining the pair of kytons, some lepers and sisters, with a naga and destrachan that managed to flee the preceding encounters. This was a fight to the death, to keep the party from entering Munasukaru's sanctum. I pondered bringing her into the fight halfway through, but preferred to keep her face-to-face meeting as written to allow for some (brief) dialogue.
Munasukaru: Probably the most drastic change I made was by respec'ing Munasukaru as a ToB:Bo9S Warblade. Love it or hate it, the Bo9S maneuvers are pretty flavorful for the mobile/wuxia/oriental vibe I was going for with Munasukaru. Additionally, just having Uncanny Dodge kept her from dying in the first round. She got a few colorful hits in with her maneuvers, but still died rather quickly once the melees got to her. Even with max hit points, a haste-flurrying monk and 2 x spell-striking gish make life short for solitary foes!
Stats, if you're interested...:
Female ja noi warblade 9
LE Medium outsider (oni, goblinoid, native, shapechanger)
AC 28, touch 17, flat-footed 23 (+7 armor, +2 deflection, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural)
hp 228 (6d10+9d12+105); regen 3 (acid/fire)
Fort +18, Ref +14, Will +10
Weaknesses negative level
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Speed 20 ft, fly 40 ft (good)
Melee Thundering Blade +23/+18/+13 (1d8+14/19-20/x4)
Melee Claws +21 (1d6+7)
Spell-like Abilities per ja noi
Manuevers Known (IL 12) Charging Minotaur (SD), *Death From Above (TC), Disarming Strike (IH), *Mithral Tornado (IH), Mountain Hammer (SD), *Rabid Bear Strike (TC), Rabid Wolf Strike (TC), Steel Wind (IH), *Sudden Leap (TC)
Stances Known Blood in the Water (TC), Giant's Stance (SD)
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Str 24, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 12
Base Atk +15; CMB +21; CMD 37
Feats (8+2 bonus) Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (naginata), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Martial Study, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (naginata), Weapon Specialization (naginata)
Skills Acrobatics +15, Perception +20
Languages Common, Goblin, Tien
SQ per ja noi, warblade
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Gear do-maru of broken flesh, Thundering Blade of the House of Sugimatu, flawed crystal ball, pink rhomboid ioun stone, ring of protection +2
I also improved the stats on the Sugimatu naginata significantly, to bring it closer to par with Suishen. Essentially +2 shrieking thundering naginata, with greater shout (CL 15) once per day. I didn't bother with the flying/crossbow tactic (see: air walk). I think the agile template and mythic boost (like Xeno posted above) would make her a better (solo) end boss, depending on the party.
After she died, I had the kami sweep in and clear the rest of the dungeon, a la the Valar host in the Silmarillion (sorta).
In summary, I really enjoyed this module, from the role-playing bits in O-A, to the flavor-heavy dungeon crawl. There really isn't another dungeon crawl like this the JR path... I especially enjoyed the graphic artistry displayed in nearly every room, which gave a memorable evil vibe to the place. Many thanks Richard!
If it wasn't obvious, this is the big end fight of the module, so if you want to use your Harrow boon (LINK to way back when), this will be your last real opportunity.
Malnival hastens the party with his magic as Maeve shares her own inspiring spell and performance. Heng shoots forward, crossing the wide expanse in a matter of seconds. Harlan hops on Skygni's back, following Heng alongside Parity.
Bormurg casts a spell, invoking Sithhud's name and imbuing himself and the consorts with divine fervor.
Spellcraft DC 19:
The spell Bormurg/Katiyana cast was blessing of fervor.
Ameiko surrounds herself with illusory duplicates as she hops onto the lead wagon and stands tall over the encroaching melee. Kelda and Ulf move up to form a defensive line by Maeve. Sandru waits for an opening. Shalelu steps up and fires an arrow at the leading yeti, making a rare miss short. Koya moves to the center, summoning a spiritual ally to her side.
The yetis charge in, a consort leading several of the others from the crevasse towards the caravan. They get close enough to reach with their long arms and freezing claws, laying hard wounds into Ulf, Kelda and Maeve.
The second consort moves to intercept Parity, missing him but dispelling one of his mirror images. Two other yetis close on Heng, cutting him deep with their claws.
I'll start doing the same... As we make splits, I'll remove them from the tally. It will be up to you to keep track of your own wealth and possessions from that point on.
The tavern’s battered front door bursts open, letting in a gust of cold air and swirling flurry of snow. The people within, a handful of patrons, the proprietor and her maid, look up in surprise. Business this time of year is slow, and generally limited to a few local regulars. The figure now standing in the door, letting out the comfortable warmth, is not one of those.
With a sigh of relief, the new arrival pulls off his frosted scarf and throws back his hood, while kicking the door shut behind him. Warm air from the twin fireplaces rushes in to banish the frigid draft. He is an older man, perhaps in his fortieth winter, and the silver shows in the week’s growth of beard on his rough face. His eyes are a warm hazel, reflecting the drab green of his woolen cloak. The man’s face is unscarred, but the bridge of his nose is notched from an age old break.
Marta, the proprietor, stands up from beside the right side fireplace, where she had been poking the embers to new life. “Welcome, stranger. We don’t see much patronage here this time of year, but we can accommodate you. What will you be needing?” She starts toward the short bar.
