smell of orange blossoms in the's page

I'll be losing internet access later this month, so if Root happens to die an awesome and cinematic death in the near future, that would be cool!

I'll keep posting until that happens or until I have to stop.

Fantastic game!

I'm saying goodbye to internet service later this month, thanks for the game!

Thanks for the game, I'm losing internet for the forseable future later this month. Please feel free to give Leaf an epic death.

Using average hp for monsters may be easy to setup and run from a prep point of view, but the variability of some watching some criters go down easy or harder than average is lost. Use of the lower end of the hp spectrum makes for a good addition to a fight that won't draw things out too long.

In a similar vein (hit point modification) I've been following someone's advice around here to increase monster hit points to 85% of maximum (up from 55%). So far this is working well, although I have 'gulped' at some of the new totals. Please note, I have not 'pathfinderized' monsters at all. If I have the time, I'll have a go at it for some of the more level-heavy baddies (Embril and her 2'nd in Command for example)

Overall increased hit points keep the horrible monsters around long enough for the party to experience more of the monster's flavour.

I'm starting to see utility spells and abilities like 'shield other' and bardic music used more often by the players.

I still don't think I've seen Flanus yet, though I dare say I shall catch his scent son. ;)

'Hey, right here, over here...not a zombiem it's me Root...holding the child! Watch my back!' he calls as he races back to the wagons with the girl.

Up to three now:
1. A fey sorcerer against the two skulks waiting to ambush the pc's at the start of J-rune (and yes, the player is still trying to live it down).
2. Warmage against Drathkar.
3. Soulknife against a spawn of kyuss.

Trapped between the t-rex and a spawn of kyuss (former party member), the party survived! I stayed with the 80% hit point and it worked fine.

hopefully we'll pick up speed now.

I'm interested to see all the feats in action. I saw a 7'th or so level fighter played with the whirlwind attack and it sucked. I'd always thought it would be super-powerful, so it was a shock to realize there is often no advantage in hitting several powerful enemies once (you'd think the lesson would have transferred from CRPG's where the successful strategy is almost always to target one monster after another).

Spring attack always seems to work awesomely, but I'd like to see trip/disarm and even the sunder feats used by a pc

Anyway, I don't think 'we've' [my pen and paper groups] ever had another character with combat expertise, so this will be interesting.

We've also only had one monk. He lasted long enough to be pulled apart by some sort of giant crab / octopus (AoW). Maybe someone will try a monk now that we are 'pathfinderized'.

Fighter/cleric is going to be an awesome combination! My alternate choice was a monk/cleric, which I decided on with the help of a handy website.

Right on!
Character looks like fun - spiked chain!

Sounds great! I apologize for not asking what you wanted your character to be up to. I am flexible wrt everything about Leaf, so if you have any plan, grand or otherwise, I can help with then I would be delighted to (help).

no, yes, lets do it here. if either of us forgets to check here, maybe a reminder on the game thread.

So, Leaf's been in the city for 38 days now after apparently being booted out of Celestia.

He's formal, a little bit autistic, not 'with the program' or really aware there is a program.

He's an Archon and LG, but he's got the infernal bloodline and some sort of diabolical pact powering his Warlock skills. When he bothers to think about it, Leaf is convinced there are pieces of more than one soul jammed together inside of him.

Interacting with him might involve:taking pity on him; having been casually tasked ('hey, if you run into this idiot Archon...')to help him; being more aware of whatever plot made him what he is; just attracted to an 'obviously' friendly 'face'.

I'd appreciate it if the initiative came from your character - I'm trying to keep Leaf low-key: part of the supporting cast. Partly because I'm having fun figuring out his personality as we go and partly because I think he's got some abilities that would be annoying for everyone if I used them all of the time.

Sorry if this is extra-convoluted...typing while prepping dinner..

So, +4 LA 1st-level gestalt characters? That is suitably impressive :P

How on earth did a lantern archon leave Celestia though? They're tied to the plane, just like petitioners are to various gods' realms.

I like to think we accomplished it because we're libertines. If not scofflaws!

I think I misunderstood.
A first level Cleric with this domain power starts with two domain powers and then gets domain powers for all her god's domains with one additional feat?

I thought it was start with one and then take two feats.

Regarding your example: At fifth level how often will a Cleric want to fire off a 3d4 fireball centered on herself? Neat that he CAN do it, but this will be like the 'shield of blinding' - sorta neat but weak for the level and can't be used without hurting the party too...except for the odd time the character is off by themselves and has nothing better to do.

I still say leave the clerics to channel positive energy. Maybe let them spend a spell slot to power 'x' uses of the domain channel ability.

Anyway, just an opinion. Hope you get some playtesting in. I will steal (as in no footnotes) this idea to add some WTF factor to a couple of NPC clerics, and I've got a player about to start a new cleric character...I'll point him to your post and let you know what he goes with.

I wish this site had some PM ability to facilitate followup.

I figured those were just the five main dieties in the city and have been happily inventing/borrowing my own.

@Smell/Leaf: I'm open to whatever you might want to do. Simple enough to say that it's more than a coincidence that they both arrive at roughly the same time. Maybe the archon wasn't being punished but tasked-- and it looks like we both went with a 'against the grain' type of concept so far as what is expected of them.

Maybe they're to help eachother live up to their potential-- to, say, earn their wings?

Sounds good. 'Against the grain' is a great way to quickly build personality.

wow, didn't realize so much was going on here, I'll pay more attention.

I slowed down on posting as a result of a nasty flu followed by a bad cold. should be up and running now.

I think I like the idea. You're not going for balance right? I say this because of the difference between the effect of channeling the strength domain and the charm domain.

Seems like you took the long way around here though. If channeling positive energy (and spontaneous casting) is meant to free up clerics to take more fun/utility spells then removing the ability to channel positive energy means more of their spells will likely be used to heal. Will the new abilities make up the difference - likely not (for example a 5th level cleric channels for 3d6 in an area - arguably the equivalent of a 2nd or 3rd level spell). And instead of being able to choose from a wide variety of spells, the cleric has to use the same 'new channeling' power(s) all of the time. I think what this does is give the appearance of more variety while actually limiting options.

Maybe keep channeling of energy and instead allow spontaneous casting of domain spells (with some tweaking if you are also going to allow spontaneous cures). Make the different types of channeling you came up with into feats available only to clerics (hey, there are fighter-only feats) and scale their powers so they come roughly in line with other feats.

Ok, so I don't like the idea after all. Hope the feedback is useful.

Why not 'tenletters'?

oh poop, the party is 5'th level:
one ecl 6 warmage4/wererat
and 4 5th level characters
and 1 fifth level character about to turn into a spawn of kyuss.

So it's a weakened fifth level party about to take on a CR 8 monster. Anyway, sounds like good advice. Now as long as it doesn't score a nasty crit while it is in the 'could be dead' stage!

the t-rex is CR 8. It is appearing just after a combined CR5 (two ogre zombies) and CR 8 (two spawn of kyuss) encounter. The party cleric hoped to group all of the undead together in order to maximize the effectiveness of his 'channel energy'.

This is definitely one the party should run from (especially at this stage) but they've come at the encounter from an unfortunate angle and may not realize they have the option to retreat.

So, I've followed someone's advice to bulk monster hp up to about 80% of max (from 55%) in order to give 'Pathfinderized' Characters a more enjoyable/reasonable level of challenge.

This has worked well with minions and even bosses so far. But I am worried about the skeletal t-rex however: my formula boosts its hit points up to about 160 and this looks...ridiculous.

So, for people out there who have dm'd this bit, how much of a difference to the fate of your party would this 25% extra hit points have made?

Thanks!

I've found that my group hasn't had anywhere near the amount of deaths I expected in the SCAP so far. We've played 40 sessions are currently in Occipitus. There has been 1 death to date - the Hexblade who died in the Kopru Ruins fighting the Ogre Zombies of all things.

There have been 42 times that players have been unconscious though so the party is definitely being challenged. I give my players 3 Action Points per level to use. On a number of occasions now a player has used his action points to either stabilise himself or to give himself the Improved Toughness feat for a round (this keeping his hit points above the magic -10 figure and allowing someone to rush over and administer some healing).

I did expect a much higher number of deaths though.

Olaf the Stout

Well, one of the ogres critted the party cleric for 41 points, so I can see how that sort of thing could lead to a death.

Congratulations!

Rootabega Flanus wrote:

actions

Pressed for time today, sorry for quicky update

Root helps shoveling with the two guards. The third guard is indeed dead, a gaping orcish swordwound in his stomach. His comrades have taken his armor and weapons off and put silver pieces on his eyes. They lay his sword back on top of him and then once the hole is deep they place his corpse inside and fill the hole with dirt and stones.

"He was a good man, Tovar." The sergeant says. He looks at Root

"You a priest? Any words to say for a departing soul?"

"Well, he died with a sword in his hand and facing his foe; good for him. He gave his life for us, so here's hoping he gets some special consideration in the afterlife..." Root launches into a stumbling recitation of the Druidic rites for the dead and coaches the two guards through the supporting parts. He ends the ritual with a round from his flask and a generous portion poured onto the new grave.

"Best we leave no marker for him here. Carry it in your heart."

The funeral over, Root shares what he knows with Crystal.

I'm thinking of incorporating some stuff from Tailblazer to maybe bolster the effectiveness of the PCs, as even these encounters showed the fragility of everyone. Except Pendrick :D

Definitely more stressful playing Pendrik, he's been one good hit away from zero for quite some time.

I was actually wondering how you were going to power-up the Vrock. I thought you might bring it back as a different demon(?) each time (with a distinguishing mark or a t-shirt announcing who it is).

That would be about as subtle.

In my game I changed him to an advanced vrock so the name wasn't an issue. The party still didn't think he was evil until they got the reveal WAY later.

Advanced vrock eh? No-one in our group has ever faced a beholder, so I really want to have us experience that. Must be my inexperience, but once again I have no idea how they are going to survive.

As long as you don't refer to him as "Orbius." That was waaaay too much of a dead giveaway. I mean, its not quite as bad as Professor Lupine or Sirius Black, but it's pretty bad.

Especially with the pronunciation "orb" "eye" "us"!

Either that or I'll retroactively change his name to 'Lord Vader'!

My party tends to police each (in their 30's-40's though).
The big drawback I've noticed to using splatbooks is ending up with a powerful group of characters that suck as a party. There's a lot to be said for making sure the 'core roles' in any party are adequately covered off.
And there's a LOT to be said for ensuring full-progression spellcasters equipped with a good selection of spells in adventure paths in general.
If you go with the splatbooks, I recommend you spend a gaming session creating the party.

Thanks for the good advice - and for the tidbit about skaven's journal - I had overlooked that.

Yeah, Skaven screams to be played intelligently (and the diviner school makes him an awesome foe). They can expect to be 'rocked'.

I didn't read the book closely - I have the belief the undead section (at least the 'spawn' area) is closed off. I don't expect skaven to control the undead, just let them out to wander (I'll give it a closer read and see what he can do!)

yeah, my group only fought one and it was a huge fight. the stormblades saved them the trouble of having to fight the two in the malachite fortress.

Triel and her door nearly killed my party only a lucky 'decapitation' critical from the deck saved them. Idiot play got them into the mess.
The party immediately rested for 8 hours in her room, allowing Skaven (the halfling Diviner) to scry on them, and then set up a fantastic defense back at the lava tube overlooking the lake.

Then the party started happily exploring the complex, not bothering to map!

Am I being too much of a jerk having Skaven bottle up the party like this and then ruthlessly attempting to slaughter them? I'm pretty sure he'll call out a mocking warning so the party knows 'what's up'...(and one member of the party had a 'forshadowing' encounter with Skaven in the hallway outside of Triel's room - Skaven cast a phantasmal killer at him).

My feeling is this presents a cool, perhaps fatal, challenge for the party. If they are successful they might forget about their pasting by Triel. The party did kill the demon in the lake on the way in, and I'm considering having Skaven and his crew kill the other critter (Kopru?)just to make things easier to follow.

I've considered having Skaven open the doors to the 'undead section' too...

Any feedback would be helpful.

I let the Stormblades bring the house down. It added a nice feeling of finality to the Stormblades success at the expense of the party.

Although I did have the mimic ride out on the back of one of the constructs under a cloak (I was thinking of Andre the giant et al in 'The Princess Bride'. The duo ended up at the home of a pc with the noble trait. Currently the mimic is 'hanging out' guarding their treasure and the construct is available as a companion. The construct was a big morale boost for the party when it accompanied them on their attempt to kill Drathkar.

smell of orange blossoms in the wrote:

I hear there are some differences between the magazines and the hardcover (which I have). There may even be details around here somewhere?

Sounds like an epic job you've set for yourself. I don't play 4E, but it would be great if you could split the task over several DM's. However you get it done, if you manage to make it available, it will be quite the legacy!

Have you tried using google to see if another retailer is offering a pdf version of this adventure path?

Believe me, I recognise the size of the task i have set myself. But, I have 3 months off over the summer, what else am i going to do? (Beside revise/ learn greek and hebrew and read 500+ pages of Calvin's theology?)

I have already done most of the work of converting it to Eberron (in preparation for running it in 3.5), so it is basically the conversion to 4th ed this time. Once it is all done, I hope to be able to share it. Just need to work out how to do it without treading on Paizo's toes too much.

Greek and hebrew? Good for you! I'll never speak either, but I've recently been reading lots of A.N. Wilson and Chris Hedges...anyway...

I hear there are some differences between the magazines and the hardcover (which I have). There may even be details around here somewhere?

Sounds like an epic job you've set for yourself. I don't play 4E, but it would be great if you could split the task over several DM's. However you get it done, if you manage to make it available, it will be quite the legacy!

Have you tried using google to see if another retailer is offering a pdf version of this adventure path?

I think smite will turn out to be 'just right'.

Many (most?) (all?) of the evil extraplanar/undead monsters many feel will be 'liquified' by paladins under the pathfinder rules have a host of other abilities and minions to keep them safe. Paladins still have movement hurdles to overcome (and those with fancy mounts can't use bonded weapon abilities - even after 'Trigger' bites it).

So, it's a big IF whether or not Peter Paladin is going to make it next to Larry Lich long enough to punch his card. Likely, it will still require all the elements that make RPG's fun for a party to put the Paladin into this position.

A raging barbarian with the right weapon, or an undead killing ranger with a...well maybe not (I was going to go with 'good sling' and I suppose that is possible - are there a lot of people going with 'sling builds' these days?)....anyway lots of other character classes are very dangerous and will (must) kill mean creatures in one or two rounds. And most good Adventure Paths / Modules will give a party a heads-up about what is coming up. For example, I'm currently playing a paladin in Age of Worms, and I doubt we'll be facing unrelenting waves of demons as we finish the campaign!

Well said. PrCs should add flavor and provide player options, not overpower standard classes, as many have pointed out.

I've read builds for characters that dipped into every splatbook class I'd ever heard of (and some I hadn't!), and if that kind of cherry-picking to create the uber-character floats your boat, that's fine. It's just not for me. It's min/maxing to the point of distraction. A straight-class character should be as fun as anything else you can whip up.

The PrCs that blend spellcasting with other classes seem to do it just fine, IMHO. Expanding your repertoire comes at the cost of focus, but makes for some interesting characters with some fun options, so it's all good.

I think I'll be happy with the core and PrC classes as written for some time to come. If there are really problems with any of them, they'll become apparent in play. I intend to try it out thoroughly before tweaking anything. If the players like it, I like it.

Speaking of world-specific PrCs, I'd hate to have to tangle with the Red mantis assassins! Lotsa flavor there.

I agree whole-heartedly with the two of you.

I think I see what KaeYoss is saying, and I'd suggest this is starting to happen with the fighter - the long list of 'fighter-only' feats could be taken out of the list of feats and dropped into the fighter class description. Reminds me of Monte Cook's approach in the Tome of Experimental Might.

I do see PrC's continuing though: as a means to accomplish the truly weird (Mystic Theurge) and the campaign specific (Wormeaten(?) from the Age of Worms Adventure Path, for example.

Thanks for sharing. I sometimes wonder why we ever let our characters split up!

Is this going to happen or should I give up all hope?

Can't wait to hear what you think up about the Lantern!

Ok, I used the online d20 SRD to help with templates.

Sticking with the monk/cleric idea: Perhaps a githzeri with the stone-boned template? Half vampire is also appealing. This cluster of possibilities is power gaming motivated, though.

Otherwise, playing a pixie would rock, but shoe-horning it into a monk class seems to be an exercise in justification and would rob the character of some, if not all, of the pixie flavour. A pixie cleric/rogue would be awesome.

If there is some way to make a lantern archon into a viable character, that would be fantastic! I've always wanted to take one as a cohort, to play one could be a lot of fun (it might also turn out to be too limited to be fun...still, the floating skull in Torment was one of the best parts).

Your guidance at this point is appreciated!

Canada eh? My mind was BLOWN yesterday when a courier dropped off my very own copy of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook!
I have many of the splatbooks on in Pdf format, which ensures I have never read them! Still, I should be able to find whatever you reference

Hey, noticed this game in the recruitment thread along with the "no player limit".

I'd love to give it a go. I have some experience with PbP's and, to be honest, I have to look up what 'gestalt characters' are.

edit: looked them up :O

Love to play a monk / cleric and....so many choices for racial levels...

Confirming a 20 point buy - the existing characters seem higher. Also wondering about starting hp and any other happy-house-rules. Point buy and the mystic theurge seem like a bad plan. Noticed a cleric and a sorcerer in the mix...

I'll try out a druid...

Just checking the boards for the first time since the 'downloadstorm' began. I'll go forward with a caster build then (will check your links after dinner for extra clues as to how to be useful).

And my Core Rulebook arrived by mail today (canada, no less!)

I would love to play!
I'd like to play a spellcaster - maybe even heading towards mystic theurge - but I'm flexible.

Nice to be here!

Great, I'll throw something together. Looks like I can go with just about anything.

Hate to bother you, but do you have a link to a nice fill-inable character sheet?

Oh yeah, character creation rules: 25 point buy?

How many players are you looking for in total.

I'm interested, but it looks like I might be late to the party...

...as easy as it was free!
Glad you're running a mac, it'll be nice to have help with troubleshooting.

I'm PST. Wed or Thurs could both work for me. I'd prefer a 5:00 start, but 4:00 works too.

Hope this works out, it really is fantastic!

Fantastic!

I'll see what I can do on my own.

That's the store I was thinking of!

They have a downtown location too (and a small store here in Nanaimo).