Well when the term fluff literally means “something trivial, superficial, and of no value” and you’re applying it to the bulk of someone’s work, something they devoted a lot of passion and energy to, it is. Tell that to my pillow, my couch, my comforter, or winter jacket. Flavor connotes an equally useless trait of a particular item. My breakfast's flavor isn't what sustained me through the day. I could have eaten a slurry of protein and carbohydrate powders in water and gotten the same benefit. Flavor makes the experience now enjoyable. Now, flavor can give us clues as to the function of a particular food, but in the end, the flavor doesn't *do* anything. It's irrelevant. I could sit on an elevated wooden board to watch TV. In fact, that would've been a lot cheaper than what I have. But I spent a lot of good money on a fluffy couch. The wood and metal structure does all of the work. Without the structure, the couch doesn't function. But don't tell me the fluff is useless! The fluff is the main reason I bought it! I will do my best to avoid using the term "fluff" now that I know that it communicates things I don't normally intend. But it certainly feels a little silly.
And with that, we're back to developing more scenarios, sanctioning more playable content, and working toward our best convention season yet! I hear there's a Drowned City whose seers could use some official Pathfinder Society sanctioning... :) If you're looking for suggestions, that is.
Also, there's literally no reason they could NOT take the trait. Traits do not have prerequisites. Whether you could USE the trait could be at issue. Shifter includes this line, whose language I hope is cleared up in the A shifters can take feats and other abilities that require wild shape; for the purpose of qualifying for prerequisites, her effective druid level is equal to her shifter level. A strict constructionist will say that the time you spend in wildshape is not a prerequisite. A loose constructionist will probably say that it's clear what they meant - that if you're dealing with wildshape, a shifter is a druid. However, there's also some interesting interaction with the FAQ that adjusts the duration to Level+WIS mod. Some things to discuss with your GM: 1) With BotS, how many hours of wildshape do I have? Twice my previous total? 2xLevel + WIS? 2xLevel? I can see any of those being your answer. 2) Do I use it in one hour increments or two? This one may depend on the first. For me, I would make it twice the previous total, useable in two hour increments, (so every shift is up to twice as long, but the number of shifts stays the same.)
Am I the only one who thinks the purchase guidelines at Stonefire Supplies border on ludicrous? A town of that size has a base value of 1,000gp. And it has a purchasing power of 5,000gp. It seems silly to imagine that they'd have any magical item up to 3,500gp. I feel I need to roleplay Uda's magic emporium as a place of quiet ostentation. Like, everything is a work of art. That table there, it's solid oak. The tooth under the glass dome? That came from the linnorm killed by the first linnorm King millennia ago. (Certificate of provenance is in the safe in the office.) Solid wood paneling with beautiful molding work adorns the walls. Exposed support columns have headers that you think might be gold, or at least gilded, hiding their capitals. Yes. This is a place of wealth that far exceeds what this town could otherwise support.
Kriklishik takes a 5ft step down the hall, holds his hands laterally, palms up. The air takes a decidedly cold shift in the room as the space around Kriklishik shimmers like a desert mirage. Candles and torches bend toward him, and their flames seem to stretch to meet him. "By the might of the one true god, I declare you an Apostate! Let his fires CLEANSE HIS TEMPLE!"
Also, snowball isn't particularly good anymore. That's why I only prepped it once. I still prefer it to produce flame. And it's still a good spell. It's just not game breaking.
I wonder what would happen if you cast silence on a spot of glass in a window, then broke the window right around that spot? It might cover the whole event, since the spot (and thus the silence spell) would be both in the window when it broke and at the floor when the glass landed! (Not that I'm advocating doing that; I like this plan better!)
Lots to unpack here. Let's see if I can address the issues one at a time:
Well, to be fair, there ARE house rules. They're listed in the Campaign Clarifications document and in the Guide to Organized Play However, that's not really what your asking, I think. You're wanting to know why you and your GM can't agree together on a few things that, well, aren't in the rules but really ought to work a certain way, so for today that's how it's going to be. The answer to that is simple: In a campaign like this, the design is to have the player experience as common across tables as possible. Now, we all know that doesn't happen perfectly - some GM's have a better grasp of the rules than others. Some GM's are more charismatic, and some GM's are better storytellers. But the basic idea is a sound one, at least in my opinion. I like the idea that if I go from my home in Tennessee to Sweden and play a PFS game, I'm still going to have a pretty good idea of how the world works. (Nobody's going to say, "Oh, well, at my table we consider potions to be weapon-like and let you draw them as part of a movement - provided you have a bandolier. What do you mean, you don't have a bandolier?")
The company line, as I understand it, is that Pathfinder (the product) and Pathfinder Society (the Organized Play campaign) have different goals. As such, the product folks have a lot of freedom to create and publish items, feats, and spells that may or may not fit well within the setting. Like any good game runner (a role often filled by the GM), the Organized Play staff have selected items and abilities that seem to fit well within the setting. I have not, personally, found the restrictions to be strangling. Quite the contrary - there is SO MUCH available that I have a hard time, in some cases, deciding what character to build next.
Two reasons:
Not so much fun. Yes, maybe you came out with a win, but you also probably walked away thinking, "Geez, I could've stayed home." So while this isn't a competitive event, it is important for everyone to have fun. And when one person is severely overshadowing everyone else, it stops being fun. (Honestly, it can stop being fun for that person, too.) Second, the writers have to base their writing on the expected power level of the target PCs. So keeping game balance roughly the same is important. Introducing third party material (or even some of the really overpowered Paizo material) into the campaign makes that impossible, and you end up with PC gods fighting ants, or you end up with dead PCs. Now, Organized campaigns aren't everyone's preference; I get that. You may decide that you'd rather play a game where your good friend Ellie runs a game she makes up as she goes for you and a few other people, and that's awesome. (If you were in my area, I'd ask for an invite!) But hopefully, at least, this will give you a little better idea of why Organized Play campaigns do things the way they do.
Thanks, Dean. Do you have any information concerning the RSS/Atom feeds?
Maybe Paizo will cooperate today. Every time I got on yesterday to post, it was down. Perhaps it was just poor timing, I dunno. But it was annoying. Nice to see we made it past the guards. Also, I reread recently that secreting something on your person is a use of Sleight of Hand you can make untrained. Can I make a check to hide that document? If so, would the robes we're wearing (or my cloak of resistance under them) count as heavy/loose clothing?
"I'm down to go upstairs. Or down, for that matter. I'm ready to get this stay over with. Pushing his buttons today was fun and all," Kriklishik pauses, running his tongue over the newly repaired tooth, "But I don't really want to enter into another fight without my fire. I think we should, any time we go out at night (and I think it should be at night), be prepared for it to be our last night here - that we plan on being prepared to remove the man in black, deal with the guards, and get what information we came for. Pack your bags and carry them with you. Be ready for a leap off the wall if it comes to it. "Maybe we get caught, maybe not - and we certainly try for 'not.' The more we can learn, the better. But I don't want to get caught with my pants down, as it were."
Tactics, first round:
Find a rock on the ground near me, then pick it up. If I don't have to actually move to get it, position myself (ideally) so that there's an "ally" between me and Blackrobe. Even better if they don't provide cover but I can still bluff that I'm aiming at them. Then I will shout to Fran. "I don't know about you, Fran, but I always thought that fortune favored the prepared!"
Fran:
Fortune hex? I won't use it against any of us. Trust me.
Kriklishik dons his mask and follows obediently. I wonder how Desna feels about this. Already some stroke of foul luck has befallen Thomas. Honestly, I hope he's still alive. He certainly wasn't moving. And I would've thought he'd at least show a sign of being alive. But I didn't smell urine.So either he was dehydrated, or he's not dead yet. I don't know what I'm going to do while I'm in here, though. Do I reveal my abilities, or do I act the commoner? I suppose I'll know the time. For now, well, I can certainly understand the appeal - especially to those less fortunate. "They're rich because they're greedy and controlling. We should take it away from them." "Heh" Krik's inner monologue briefly breaks into the external. He glances around furtively - not an easy task in the mask. It's a siren song few can resist...
Kriklishik, upon seeing the fleas, activates his searing flesh ability. I'm not ready to burn it outright, but at least I can kill the ones that bite me. With that, he'll lie down on the cell floor beside the mat, pushing it over of needed, and try to ignore the angry rumbling in his slowly emptying stomach
"So, we're here to investigate the temple. And this Reginar fellow, he's going to be our handler?" Kriklishik idly dunks a cookie in his tea. "And the reason we're investigating is that they send out groups of explorers who don't all come back?" Maybe we should investigate the Pathfinder Society! Kriklishik looks around at the others. "I'm totally down to investigate this group, but are we sure we'll find anything? It sounds like your every day run-of-the-mill adventuring club. What's the society's interest in all this?"
"Halfling? I always just figured she was short. Ma always had me call her Aunt Tolal when I was growing up, but I haven't seen her since I was pretty little. Ma said she needed some help and was living up near Tamran. Halfling? Huh." Kriklishik puts on a bewildered look.
Krik looks suddenly concerned. "We're supposed to hate each other? Oh. Hmm. Nobody told me that. Well, if it's all the same to you, I think I'll leave that aside. Seems to me mistrust among the elemental planes was what caused most of the mess of the past year, isn't it? But anyway, unless you're opposed, I'm still happy to take third watch in its entirety with you and Shayna. But, if that's how we're going to do it," Kriklishik looks around at the rest of the party. "I should probably get some rest. Someone wake me for supper?" With that, Kriklishik hangs his cloak on a protruding nail and, folding his chain shirt to use as a pillow, stretches out on the hammock, facing the wall.
Kriklishik wipes his hand across the glyph. "...He Who Wakes At Night Sent You?" Kriklishik blinks a few times. She recognized the glyph. But what's this about someone waking at night? I got a note from one of the VC's, some Drengle fellow. Curious... Can't get it out now, though! "...Yes.... Yes, I too am here looking for work. It was suggested that..." "Good day to you. Do you mind if I share this table, and hopefully some conversation? The Open Road here's been a lonely one thus far." "Of course! I don't believe anyone's sitting here, and I would welcome another to our delightful conversation! In my experience, I tend to find paths that cross well cross often." Bluff 17 secret message to Vlazis, Ray, and the half-elf:
Yes, we are pathfinders. Sit, but maintain discretion. "So tell me of your travels! Did Desna smile upon your journey?"
Pre-adventure adventuring:
Greengold? Kyonin? So it's to be elves. Wonder what it means that the locals are too recognizable. Infiltration? Hmm... Kriklishik makes a stop at the offices of the Dark Archives to requisition some supplies, then he heads out into town. On the way to the docks, he makes a few purchases. (See Discussion Thread.) Kriklishik uses the voucher to secure passage with a caravan. The time passes easily. During the day, he sleeps. During the night, he helps with the watch or reads back over the reports of the last couple of missions. (He always keeps a copy for himself.) Hard to believe a haunted tomb in Ustalav lay dormant all this time...
A thin, unassuming man enters the inn, his long black hair pulled into a tight bun at the base of his head and held together with a plain bit of black cord. He wears a simple traveling cloak, boots, and a plain traveling dagger in a simple sheath on his belt GM info:
Kriklishik is attempting to appear human. Disguise is +13 with my new hat, but changing races is -2. Disguise is supposed to be rolled in secret, so that's up to you. The hat is disguising itself as the cord in my bun. He walks aimlessly up to the bar, pulls out a stool next to the longspear that leans against the bar, and smiles at Grimby as he takes his seat. "What's the hot plate this afternoon? It's been quite a day! And bring me the coldest water you have!" When his water arrives, sets it down between himself and the half-elf, and casually spins the cup before taking a sip and setting it down elswhere. "What brings you here?" he says, as he idly draws his finger through the ring of water left behind like so.
Bluff take 10 for 17: Pass a secret message - "I'm looking for someone, and that someone can finish this symbol."
Here he is, dressed to kill :) Click Here if you'd rather not click into his listing. On the PbP page, if it displays character info (gender/race/class etc.) it should all populate in the first couple of rows.
Sorcerer runs up next to fighter. "Grab on!"
Fighter 5-foots and grabs barbarian. Barbarian grabs a tuft of the hunter's companion's fur. "Come on, Llwellan!" The Ettin tries to smack the Barbarian. He misses. Hunter runs up and lays a hand on the sorcerer's shoulder
Sorcerer casts. Done.
Spellstrike is not a standard action. It's a way of delivering touch spells. If you're holding the charge from a spell already, you can spellstrike with it at any time that your weapon strikes someone else. I'm not aware of any errata, but I'd see no problem with your using this ring to deliver a touch spell from 30ft away. If a bad touch cleric wanted to do the same thing, I'd allow it, provided they used an unarmed strike, not just a touch attack. The touch spells rules allow for unarmed strikes, and the ring allows for unarmed strikes, so I'd see no conflict. It's once/day, and the action economy is pretty bad. It's fairly powerful, but I don't think it's game changing. And for the price, you should get a pretty decent reward.
So, with blur and mirror image active: 1) Roll the attack
A) Roll d(images+1)
B) If attack + 5 >= AC
C) Roll miss chance
Sound about right?
To the best of my knowledge once its applied to a character its a done deal and can't be undone. It hasn't been applied, though. It's still sitting in limbo. Talk to your venture captain. They may be able to help you get it settled. I assume you were playing campaign mode? They might be able to move the credit to another PC number for you.
A3: When I describe it, I'm going to say that it looks almost like it's a magical device, rather than a creature. Part 2: I plan to describe locations, not individuals. "You see the tribal leader's tent, a tavern, a smithy, what appears to be an animal training pit, a sparring pen, and, behind the tavern, some kind of obstacle course. Where would you like to go?" From there, I can get them to their people.
The best thing I did for this was to add an encounter at the beginning. (I know, but...just read.) This module is short, so doing so was no big deal. The pathfinders meet in a bar in Absalom to discuss their upcoming adventure across the sea. While there, they learn that the bar, now apportioned in Andoran blue, is thinking of changing themes to an Ulfen setting, replete with nautical references, stuffed game heads, weaponry on the walls, etc.. A group of vocal individuals is trying to convince the bartender to stay with the current decor. You're tasked with convincing him that he should change the decor. This "encounter" adds no threat and uses no resources. What it DOES is give the players a chance to assign their skills at the beginning, gives them a dry run at the mechanic, and lets you (the GM) have a dry run at running it. I used the tier 1-2 stats in the back. I also didn't run it all the way to completion. Once we had it figured out, we moved on to the actual adventure. I strongly encourage other GMs to do likewise. The scenario does too many things at once. It introduces a new mechanic AND it tells you to lose without looking like you're taking a dive. It's hard to lose without looking like you're losing when you KNOW the mechanic. Harder still when you're just learning. My players had a great time. They really enjoyed it. One who had GMed it before said he wished he'd done a dry run first. Is adding an "encounter" legal? Strictly speaking, no. But does this dry run carry any of the risks that a normal encounter carries (death, conditions, consumption of resources)? No. So I think it's a good practice, and I suggest it.
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