Let me first just say, I'm doing this on a phone until my internet gets turned back on (hopefully tomorrow) so please bear with any spellcheck surprizes I may miss.
Actions in game are a bit confusing. We are coming from a D&D background with a few other game sets mixed in, but we are totally new to Pathfinder (I was told it was just like 3.5 and d20 but I don't see much of that in the new PT rules.
As we (my group and I. I am DMing, but we all have DM experience) see it, the game allows 3 normal actions per turn, plus reactions, bonus actions and free actions. It also seems that the 3 actions allowed are players choice.
This would allow a player with speed 25 to move 5, 10, or 15 squares in a single turn.
It allows, as we understand, a mage to cast 3 spells in one turn, provided it only has one component (V,S,M, etc) or only one spell that has 3 components.
It would allow a fighter to make 3 attacks in a single round.
A rogue can make 3 attempts at unlocking a series 3 skill challenge lock.
So, are we understanding this correctly, or did we miss something.
I'm thinking we missed summat but the others, who are players and will want every advantage, think we have the right of it.
A little clarification would be greatly appreciated herr.
In our game the ooze got the drop on our Paladino's because everybody blew the perception roll. Almost killed her. But, once everyone was aware of it, it was dead in three rounds.
The centipedes were a bit tougher, but our alchemist bombed them quite effectively with a critical hit and they, too were downed quickly.
I'm having trouble assigning XP to my players. I understand the awards are Mild, Moderate, and High and the awards are 30, 50, and 80 respectively, but where do you find out if a creature is Low, Med, or High? I've been trying to run Doomsday Dawn, but the creatures are referenced to PF 1 bestiaries, for the most part and the few that are listed in the adventure itself have no XP level or rating or anything. The encounters seem to be rated, but the words used do not match the PFPT Book for experience tiers and there seem to be more of them (Trivial 1, High 1, Low 1, Severe 1, Hazard 2, etc...)
Can someone please direct me to an explanation of how this works, because the book is not making sense with relation to the adventure.
Hey, staticPF, there is actually a conversation going on about this very topic in this thread here if you are interested. :)
Your thread gets the cool factor, though, because you got Vic Wertz to post on yours haha. (Thank you for making me aware of Jason Bulmahn's blog post, Vic! *waves*)
Yes, the blog post is definitely official. Jason Bulmahn is the Director of Game Design for Pathfinder. He's about as official as you get haha.
Thanks. Now if I could just get an admin yo move these posts to that thread... lol
Ah, those minor problems when you can't edit your original post.
I believe everyone has pointed that out least once, and most people seem to agree Intelligence makes more sense than Charisma. Now if only I could edit that post. lol
I feel your pain. If only I could read twenty thousand posts in one day so I wouldn't end up repeating previous sentiments lol.
Here's a thought. Add some originality. There's no reason you could not become a half-dwarf, half-gnome, or half-goblin either.
Part of the point here is that you can now do just that. See this blog, especially the next-to-last paragraph.
(But the fact that we can do a thing doesn't mean that the main rulebook is the best place for it.)
I was going to say, "What blog, but when I opened the reply window it became visible. I will look at it, but is it official?
And yes, the core rulebook is the best place for it. Many of us grow weary of paying extra money later for material that could, and should, have been in the core from the start.
You don't get feats at birth. You get them when yourcharacter becomes level one. That means, that your character had to become a human first, grow up and become an adventurer, and THEN learn how to become a half-orc.
Or half-elf.
No other race has to pay for being the race they are by spending a feat to become that race.
Does a Dwarf take a Dwarf feat to become a Dwarf? No.
Does an Elf, a Goblin, a Halfling? No.
The half-breeds are being penalized for having a mixed heritage.
Basically, someone got lazy and couldn't come up with enough initial feats to create s complete race, so they dreamed up this bonehead idea to beat a deadline.
Half-Orc only get one ancestry feat, because the other four are technically Orc feats, and Half-elves only two. All other races get ten to choose from, except humans who get only nine actual choices (unless you're suggesting a half-orc-elf), and that last choice between which half-breed you want to be, actually reduces humans to eight overall.
Just yo make sure you understand, let me quote from the book:
"You can create a half-elf [half-orc] character by selecting the Half-Elf [Half-Orc] human ancestry feat at 1st level."
This goes on to state:
"This gives you access to elf and half-orc [orc and half-orc] ancestry feats..."
We already know these breeds have limited feats to choose from. The argument will, undoubtedly, be made that this will open the Elf and Orc feats as well, but their are only four Orc feats so big deal, and the Elves don't have to jump through these hoops to get them in the first place. Also, why make a half-elf so you can pick from elf or human lists only. Both of these half-breed races have a long and full heritage in fantasy literature and roleplay. Why are they not entitled to have their own feats?
And since you brought it up, yes, it is also ignorant to have to wait until level five to be able to see through the eyes you've had since birth. Eyes tend to get worse with age, not better.
TL:DR - I don't believe Goblins should have +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Wis, +2 Free; I believe that Goblins should have +2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Wis, +2 Free. It makes more sense with their biography and common background.
Problem with your solution is it's inconsistent with the other non-human races.
They each have ONE Physical and ONE Mental stat bonus. Yours gives the Goblins TWO Physical.
I agree the charisma doesn't fit the rest of the racial profile, but I would suggest Intelligence instead of Charisma.
They may not be charismatic little buggers, but they had the nous to change their ways enough to mingle into larger-folk societies without being killed on site.
Intelligence would be good, and with a Wisdom penalty, it basically gives them the mental equivalent of low Dexterity.
Ok, that's just dumb. When you are born of two half-orc or one human and one orc, or one human and one half-orc, or one half-orc and one orc (I think that about covers it), you are born a HALF-ORC!
You don't grow up and learn how to become a half-orc.
This goes for half-elves as well!
Straighten this out. Eliminate that stupid (yep, I said stupid) half-breed by feat idea and flesh out these races.
Here's a thought. Add some originality. There's no reason you could not become a half-dwarf, half-gnome, or half-goblin either.
Please fix this. It was the very first eye-catcher in the rules and it's a BIGGIE!
Role-playing since D&D's inception but brand new to Pathfinder and I have a question. I've been reading the PFPT book and I cannot find a definitive statement about where Sig Skills start. One chapter alludes to the idea that it starts as an Expert level skill by stating they can be leveled up to Master or Legendary later on, but nothing states this definitely.
My question is simple: What proficiency level do Signature Skills start at?
She looked at me and asked “what the hell does that even mean?”. No idea, probably something related to attacks of opportunity was my guess. I wasn’t even sure where to go looking.
She lost interest immediately.
We spent nearly an hour trying to do this, jumping around to look things up, using the PDF (our books haven’t arrived).
We discussed the whole thing with my son, and he basically rolled his eyes. This is the one who breaks the game with clever, essentially min maxing, so he loves systems and he said “sounds like too much work for the fun after”.
We are bowing out. Good luck Paizo, we love your APs and will keep playing them for years to come, but PF is not for us.
I get it. I really do, but the problem lies in the fact that not one of those games you've listed has a decent book. Not one!
D&D's editors have gotten so bad over the years that the first thing I do when I get a new book is go through and make my own index. White Wolf's World of Darkness doesn't even know what an index is and has no concept of a proper table of contents. Iron Kingdom, Star Wars - no better. The worst of it is, we're talking about finished concept works here. I could make a mint if just one of these companies would let me write their index and/or tables of contents.
I'm having issues with the playtest book as well, and it sounds like we're not alone, but that's no reason to quit. Muscle up, give it a good try, and if your stuck, well, you obviously know where to come for answers.
I will be adding quite a few questions as well as ssuggestions myself. I'm sure, (ok, granted, sure is a bit loose here) that next year's release edition will have more of these things worked out. That's what the PT version is for, pointing out the bonehead stuff.
Full Name
Sister Julia
Race
Monk 1 / Vox Mesmer 3 / Trickster 1 | HP 33/ 33 AC 19 T19 FF14 | Trick 5/5 | MP 5/5 | CMB +6 CMD 21 | F +5* R +9 W +10* init +11 | Resource Tracker
Sister Julia
Female human mesmerist 3/monk (scaled fist) 1/Trickster 1 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Legacy of Dragons 14, Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 38)
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +11; Senses Perception +8
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Defense
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AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 14 (+4 Cha, +4 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 32 (4d8+12)
Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +10 (+1 vs. enchantment effects)
Defensive Abilities hard to kill
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +6 (1d6) or
. . unarmed strike flurry of blows +5/+5 (1d6)
Special Attacks bold stare (manifold stare [bonus feat]), flurry of blows, hypnotic stare (-2), mesmerist tricks 5/day (astounding avoidance, compel alactrity), mythic power (5/day, surge +1d6), painful stare (+1 or +1d6+1), stunning fist (1/day, DC 16), trickster attacks (fleet charge)
Mesmerist Spells Known (CL 3rd; concentration +7)
. . 1st (4/day)—burst of insight[OA], expeditious retreat, heightened awareness[ACG], hermean potential
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Statistics
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Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +2; CMB +6 (+8 grapple); CMD 21 (23 vs. grapple)
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Crane Style[UC], Deadly Aim, Dodge, Endurance, Enforcer[APG], Harrowed[ISWG], Improved Initiative[M], Manifold Stare, Power Attack, Stunning Fist, Unarmed Combatant
Traits charming, charming smile, cunning soul, poisonous slayer, reactionary
Skills Acrobatics +10, Bluff +13 (+14 vs. characters who could be attracted to you), Diplomacy +12 (+13 vs. characters who could be attracted to you), Intimidate +12, Knowledge (history) +7, Knowledge (nobility) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9, Perception +8, Sense Motive +9, Stealth +11
Languages Chakobsa, Common, Fremen
SQ consummate liar +1, family ties, finesse weapon attack attribute, no one of consequence[MA], paranoid, touch treatment 7/day (Minor)
Other Gear harrow carrying case, harrow deck[UE], harrow mat
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Special Abilities
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Agile Maneuvers Use DEX instead of STR for CMB
Combat Expertise +/-1 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Consummate Liar +1 Counts as Combat Expertise for some feats.
Crane Style Fight defensive pen reduced to -2. When in style, dodge bonus increases by 1.
Deadly Aim -1/+2 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Endurance +4 to a variety of fort saves, skill and ability checks. Sleep in L/M armor with no fatigue.
Enforcer If you deal nonlethal damage with a melee weapon, make a free Intimidate check to demoralize.
Family Ties Not fulfilling family requests: -2 penalty on all Wis and Cha based ability & skill checks (DC 20 Will negates).
Finesse Weapon Attack Attribute Finesse weapons use Dexterity on attack rolls.
Fleet Charge (Ex) As a swift action, use 1 power to move speed & attack (+1 bonus, bypass all DR).
Flurry of Blows +1/+1 (Ex) As full-rd action, higher BAB and combo unarmed/monk wep as if two-weapon fighting.
Hard to Kill (Ex) Automatically stabilize when dying, and only die at neg Con x 2.
Harrowed +1 on saves vs. enchantment; can draw Harrow cards for bonuses.
Hypnotic Stare (-2, 30 feet) (Su) As swift action, target creature takes penalty on Will saves.
Improved Initiative [Mythic] When rolling initiative, use 1 power to treat the roll as a natural 20.
Manifold Stare (bonus feat) Gain Manifold Stare as a bonus feat.
Mesmerist Tricks (130 feet, 5/day) (Su) Implant hypnotic bond with allies. granting edge vs. foes.
No One of Consequence (DC 15) (Ex) Creatures must succeed at a Will save to remember information about you.
Painful Stare (+1 or +1d6+1, 2/round) (Su) As a free action, hyp. stare target takes extra precision dam from a hit.
Paranoid Aid Another DC 15 for attempts to help you.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Stunning Fist (1/day, DC 16) You can stun an opponent with an unarmed attack.
Surge (1d6) (Su) Use 1 power to increase any d20 roll by the listed amount.
Touch Treatment (Minor, 7/day) (Su) Remove certain conditions from creature touched.
Unarmed Combatant Always considered armed, no attack of opportunity on grapple attempts.
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Description:
Sister Julia doesn’t look physically intimidating, if anything most find her to be a really quite attractive Fremen girl, with a slim figure, lightly tanned skin and demure smile. She may not be particularly tall or particularly strong, but she is as fast as the devil and twice as cunning.
Anyone who considers her a pushover is in for a rude surprise, for she has been initiated in the mysteries of Prana-bindu and the weirding way. She fights with an uncanny grace, knowing exactly where and how to strike for maximum effect. Deep intuition and extensive training has instilled in her an instinctive feel for when to dodge and when to hold firm.
Personality:
Part of something far bigger than herself, Julia is very mission focused and her sense of humor is as dry as the desert sands. Her true loyalty lies to her Bene Gesserit sisters and the dream of a green Arrakis. She has been instructed to pave the way, instilling faith in prophecy with mysticism and hidden skills. Frequently consulting the tarot cards, she sees signs and portents.
The one thing she can not abide is the unbeliever, especially the Harkonanns who have pillaged and despoiled Arrakis. Working against them she is utterly ruthless.
Draw back:
Before any event of some import, your MUST do a Dune Tarot reading
Roll a D4 if the result is even; you may use your wisdom mod as a bonus on any one roll in that event that affects the whole party. IF it's odd, the GM will add your wisdom roll to a roll that affects the whole party in a negative way.