Rakshasa

thunderbeard's page

Organized Play Member. 1,737 posts (12,594 including aliases). No reviews. 1 list. No wishlists. 55 aliases.


1 to 50 of 137 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | next > last >>

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pramxnim wrote:
Basically, Monks can have the highest AC in the game with enough optimization. All you need is to start with 18 Dex, keep up in terms of magic armor, and possess a level 14 common magic item type that most PCs will end up getting at some point.

Not in the early game. At level 1, Monks max out at AC 15 (but realistically, probably 13 or 14, since Monks' reliance on Athletics means they need to put Str first to use half of their class abilities). Wizards/Sorcerers can hit AC 16 (and Barbarians, though they're probably raging down to 15), Bards/Rogues can get to 17, and Fighters/Paladins can hit 18.


2 people marked this as a favorite.

So, I've been sitting around creating playtest characters with friends all day, and I gotta say: Monks have the lowest AC of any class. This feels really odd for a frontline fighter—am I missing something? Expert in Unarmored is only the equivalent of padded armor, and every other class starts out with something better (Mage Armor is equivalent at level 1, but grows much faster than the Monk's AC bonus, meaning even wizards and sorcerers wind up with higher armor).

Like, an 18 Dex monk (and that's burning quite a bit on maxing dex) has the same AC as a raging 14 Dex barbarian. I guess by level 20 the monk is sort of catching up, but considering most gameplay happens at low level, why is the monk the single easiest class to hit/is there a way to fix this?


4 people marked this as a favorite.
Wikrin wrote:
You're describing the Shirren. The Kasatha (and people with a pair of cyberarms) do not follow that at all.

Wait, you're saying cyberarms aren't only for mating?


3 people marked this as a favorite.
JetSetRadio wrote:
What is everyone's fascination with Sniper Rifles? You can't walk into a bar with one. It's likely not going to help you during a corridor fight. What if you are chasing door a mark through colony streets? Give me a Small arms laser rifle any day.

Uhhh unless you're a Technomancer, in which case, add Phase Shot (or Seeking Shot) to your Spellshot, and now you don't need to chase the mark through colony streets, because your spells phase through (or around) buildings and walls for 1000 feet until they find their mark.

Technomancers are the best snipers.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

Well... I finally have my computer back, which is good because of the two weeks of traveling.

Sorry for being so spacey previously.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

As a current player, just a breakdown of what we currently have, in case it gives anyone ideas:

-2 lawful gods
-2 chaotic gods
-3 neutral (regarding law/chaos) gods

-4 good gods
-2 neutral (regarding good/evil) gods
-1 evil god

Gods of:
-Fate, music, stars
-Rulership, justice, war
-Nature, predators
-Creativity, invention
-Secrets
-Elves (sort of), magic
-Atheism

No gods of:
-Death, afterlife, reincarnation, etc
-Any of the major elements (yet)
-Regular old chaos
-Light or darkness
-Trickery

-One pantheon, the "Gods of the Vault" of 6 gods who have taken a pledge to not destroy too much stuff

-One moon, "Kirtavo," home to constant storms of glowing magic and a race of glowing magic people

-No sun

-Two continents

-Two intelligent races (for anyone who wishes to play a new mortal just ascended to godhood): the "Irtara" (glowy, chaotic inventors who live on the moon; Tissari can provide more info), and the "Cull," giant hive-mind insects; Zakaz can provide more info)

-One demigod who could probably be promoted to full-godhood by an interested player (the TN "First Librarian," an Irtaran given power by Atheos to record and enforce the history and laws of the material plane)

-No outsiders of any type (yet)

-One outer plane (the "Great Axis," a LN plane arranged in rings of increasing/decreasing lawfulness, currently only populated by giant ant-dogs)

I think that's everything I can think of right now.


2 people marked this as a favorite.

But in a world without dots, how do we get anyone's attention? o.O


2 people marked this as a favorite.

Seems to have happened to everyone I talked to. This seems like a big issue.


2 people marked this as a favorite.

How fast do you anticipate levels going in this game?

Also: ...collect the ten gems .... and godhood will be yours ........ losing all hard-won levels and cash at the start of every cycle......... is this a Sonic game?


3 people marked this as a favorite.
Rocks fall, everyone dies

Oh, also Atheos was once invited to another god's birthday party, and he showed up an hour late with a Sphere of Annihilation as his "date". When asked why, he replied "it's a dangerous object of great power beyond its intelligence, that only consumes what it touches without truly understanding, yet when it meddles in the affairs of mortals it is both destructive and unstoppable, just like the rest of you."

Nobody really seems to get along with Atheos except the extremely lawful or extremely chaotic gods.


3 people marked this as a favorite.
"Lord of Atheism" | Not-a-Lesser-God | Attack 3d6, Defense 5d6, HP 40

Origin: Once, the being now called Atheos was a powerful wizard and philosophical orator, known far and wide for his teachings of skepticism, reason, and the scientific method. Upon his death and disappearance, he discovered to his dismay that many of his old followers had begun to worship him as a god—and to his further dismay, he had somehow become one.

Holy symbol: A blank, featureless rectangle

Holy sites: "The Island of Korsolis, birthplace of Atheos and the state he once led, was once considered a holy site of Atheism, and featured the first temple to Atheos ever built. Immediately after its completion, the temple was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. A second, larger temple was built; this too immediately burned to the ground. The third temple, built of fire-proof volcanic stone, was destroyed by an earthquake before it was finished, and lightning struck the construction scaffold, leaving scorch marks on the scattered stone. The High Priest of Atheos, at this point, declared that clearly his god did was opposed to the building of a temple, and was also struck by lightning, leaving him forever burned, scarred, and scared to ever talk again; the next High Priest said nothing on the subject whatsoever, and finally Atheos was satisfied (or so the priests assumed)."

His paladin code was fun to write, I just took Sarenrae's and replaced "people" with "books," although I'm pretty sure Paladins of Atheism are just medieval redditors.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Inmate 14259 (Arcana DC 15):
This guy is known as the Console Cowboy, a glory-seeking adventurer who can point his fingers at people and make them explode.
Arcana DC 25:
He can make magic happen by speaking in tongues, and uses digital technology to combine magic into interesting effects.
Arcana DC 35:
The Console Cowboy's real name is Jason Majors, a white hat hacktivist and digital infiltration specialist.

Even with those special racial bonuses, literally impossible. DC 35 is "all but the most specialized level 20 characters wouldn't stand a chance." Nothing wrong with keeping things that difficult, it's just not worth anyone bothering to attempt the rolls.

"Jason Majors," Jason says, tilting his hat, though again eyeballing the various spots other prisoners have fled to. "Online whistleblower, plus kinetic combat and healing. I've broken a lot of windows taking on bad dudes, some of them literal, and I guess that makes enemies. Best I can tell I'm in here because of paid testimony from three crooked cops and a blood sample left at a crime scene in a city I've never visited."

"Still... 'Rapture,' as you call him, said he let some real nasty types loose in this yard, and that we'd have a fight on our hands in a few minutes."


1 person marked this as a favorite.
M Shifter (Wereshark-Kin) Monk 5 (Unchained)/VMC Barbarian

Sweet! Excited to try out some combat maneuvers I've never actually used in PbP.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

I actually might go to Dickens Fair with some friends next weekend! Will follow up if I do.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
NXSA-Infocorp Autonomous Program for Research on Interplanetary Life
Party Skill Buffs:
+1 Guns/Beams w/in 300 yd, +2 First Aid/Physician, +5 Diagnosis, +6 Surgery, +6 Tracking, +3 Mechanic/Repair (Robots), +5 Detect Lies, and other
Speed 5, Dodge 8, Will 12, Per 12+, HT 10, FP –; Gilligan: DR 30, HP 16/20; Skipper: DR 15, HP 5/5; Mary Ann: DR 1, HP 1/1

"I would... LIKE to PLACE a bet," APRIL responds, the voice now coming from her hovering quadcopter. "One SHIny new GAUSS pistol," which dangles conspicuously from her firing arm, "Against HATS. ALL of the PIRATE HATS worn by every SINgle other PERson who BETS against OUR man."


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

"Ugh... what is this, Heroes? I was hoping the government took out the actual baddies as well as the good guys, and we'd just need to deal with some kingpins and crime hobbyists. But, no, now we've got a monster with a potentially world-ending ability to amalgamate powers."

"And I still hurt everywhere. Maybe 'get chewed up' is something I should be avoiding next time."


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

So umm... Snapdragon's instructions when she joined the group were "if I seem dead, plant my feet in the ground, and get me sunshine and water" but I guess it's reasonable that people forgot...

Also, I'm currently at 0 body. Just negative several hundred stun, which means possibly unconscious for days.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

New lesson for Janice: don't throw cars if you're a scrub.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20
Project Violet wrote:
The important California distinction, I'm sure you will agree, is that Southern Californians needlessly complicate things by adding "the" in front of highway designations.

This is actually the worst thing. Carry on.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

More like "combats last more than a single round, and there's a lot less permadeath"


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

Yeah... but when I turn into a tree, my resistant PD is pretty darn high. And Janice is an optimist. :D


1 person marked this as a favorite.

White-haired witch is... not as amazing as it seems.

@Monkeygod: Consider the double-chained kama. It can be wielded in three ways: as a single one-handed weapon, double-weapon, or two-handed reach weapon, and you can switch between them as a free action. Which means you can one-hand it for spell combat, then switch to reach for AoOs. Furthermore, if you one-hand it it counts as a kama and can be used with the Weapon Adept's Perfect Strike. Its damage output starts a bit low, but it's one of the ultimate monk tripping weapons due to your ability to switch between 1H and reach as a free action.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Xanya Zellor wrote:
Just curious, but are you going to go into Bladecaster to actually make spellcombat work with maneuvers? Personally I would probably have gone witch or wizard on one side just to get access to more and higher level spells, but it's your character. You would still get two sides with maneuvers (even if the Bladecaster would get less).

No, nobody goes into Bladecaster to make spellcombat work with maneuvers (this actually got nerfed in errata to a reasonable level). You go into Bladecaster to get near-infinite reuses of maneuvers and massive AC boosts, ridiculous fast healing, and total immunity to magic because Martial Counterspell. It's a very, very defensive PrC.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Alright. Eventually, someone will need to shoot for the almighty Sculpt Sound at Bard 7.

Also, I think I'll go with a Rage Prophet build, just for fun. He might even call himself the Rage Prophet. Maybe back-up vocals and second guitar or keyboard or something (or: wind?)


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Rocks fall, everyone dies

They turned down the exclusivity clause, yeah.

I would also recommend not wholesale murdering every last ghoul immediately—the High Priest of Noktoria, apparently, is CR 23/MR 6


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Rocks fall, everyone dies

So... yeah, there's not a whole lot to Drisquar's story. According to rng, he was a Duergar warrior who lost an arm and leg in battle, discovered alcohol, and migrated to the surface to become a cleric of Cayden/build a tavern.

I guess that story's also been found out, more or less, through any questions he might have.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Rocks fall, everyone dies

Hmm. You can swap Str and Int, though I'm going to say no point buy for the harpies.

Devilbound creatures require actual boons from hell itself, so Illia- can't create one. But your good friend Ambassador Phistophilus definitely can! (And could "bind" your harpy to the ability set of any of the devils youv'e currently got in your city)

I'll get on the gameplay thread now.

It's been a crazy week, but so far my hour-long lecture to a room full of pre-meds went over well, I got paid $150 to sing for 5 minutes at a university 200 miles away, and I just got a phone number from possibly the most amazing woman I have ever met, so I'm riding a bit of an adrenaline high right now.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Rocks fall, everyone dies

Alright; this was fun! I wound up finishing the map. It's listed as "Kingdom Map" at the top of the campaign, but it actually shows the SE quarter of Sekamina; what you're looking at stretches from the Inner Sea to Jalmeray, and includes every darklands settlement I could find info on.

Some notes:
-White triangles are known passages to the surface, wide enough to march a squad of soldiers or a trade caravan through. White gates are hidden passages, usually precarious, single-file, and not well known, but which might be used by those with extensive knowledge of the local caverns.

-"Mountains" may simply be highly-connected caverns. Gray tiles represent disconnected caverns; they cannot be traveled through until a road ("tunnel") has been built in the tile, which requires a whopping 8 BP and takes two months of construction.

A quick summary of settlements: (probably basic knowledge for your background)
-Cold Momugado is a major Skum city, located off the map but with extensive territory
-Ulat Kini, far to the East, is the Skum Holy City, a site of pilgrimages and priests
-Lavosha is just barely visible on the map; other Drow cities are located farther North
-Delvingulf is the largest Drow port, and does extensive trade between Noktoria, Momugado and Dwimovel
-Dwimovel is the Svirfneblin capital, forming a safer trade link between the Drow cities and the surface
-Nemret Noktoria, the largest ghoul city outside of Geb, is known to be surprisingly civilized, trading over long distances with both Osirion and Geb, as well as with the Drow
-The lands surrounding Noktoria, and a significant portion of the continent, are primarily the realm of feral ghouls, most concentrated in an area known as "The Carrion Fields"
-The Pallid Pits are the Darklands' primary Morlock hunting ground, though tribes have been known to range hundreds of miles in their raids on Gakenbode
-Gakenbode, located near the surface, is the mostly-peaceful Mongrelman capital
-Bloodcleft, home to the most concentrated population of Grimlocks, poses a violent threat to what would otherwise be a stable trade route between Noktoria and the deserts and undead of Osirion
-Minos-Pashat, located far below the surface, is one of the Vaults of Orv held sacred to the Urdefhan
-The Black Desert is one of the largest Vaults of Orv; it is notable as the home of the Undead Drow city of Shraen, ruled by a nobility of vampires and liches and currently at war with Nemret Noktoria
-The Garden of Nyl, located in a remote corner of the Darklands, is known to be a strange cavern filled with ravenous fungal creatures
-Gugs (not pictured), hailing from the Black Desert, tend to infest the caverns between Nektoria and the Pallid Pits


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Rocks fall, everyone dies

Update: Just got my computer back!

But let's say two levels (so: to level 12); then the next quest you guys finish, I can throw in another two, which should put us around 20 by campaign end.


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Rocks fall, everyone dies

Sounds good


1 person marked this as a favorite.
M Half-Elf Iroran Mummy Inquisitor 20/Oracle 5//Oracle 15/Fighter 2/Ninja 2/Unchained Monk 6
fnord72 wrote:
While DM's will frequently borrow some aspects (like monsters) from other genre's to what degree are you comfortable with potentially dealing with a multiverse? (like finding yourselves in France, 1916)

No, that's preposterous. 1916 France is DEFINITELY not part of the Pathfinder universe.

...you're thinking of 1918 Russia. o.O


1 person marked this as a favorite.
F Gnome (Gear Gnome) Oracle 4 (Lore)
Vitals:
HP: 35/35 | AC: 23, T: 16, FF: 18 | Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +5 | Init +1 | Perception +3, Low-light vision
Spells/Day:
Lvl 1: 8/8, Lvl 2: 4/4

Welp. Day one complete. I can actually feel my marrow (it feels like someone's pouring hot water through the inside of my bones), but as long as I keep icing them, I'm fine. Carry on!


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Mighty Morpher Martial Artist
Basic Stats:
DCV/OCV/ECV 9/9/5 DC 4d6 | END 40 STUN 45 BODY 18 | SPD 4 PER 14-
Variable Stats:
Veils PD/rPD 11/3 ED/rED 11/3 MD 20 | Ivy P 23/15 E 17/9 M 10 DC+4d6 Manuever | Wind P 19/11 E 15/7 M 10 DC+4d6 | Thorns P 30/19 E 22/11 M 10 DC+3d6+1d6 DEX | Leaves 11/3 11/3 10 | Lotus P 18/10 E 16/8 M 20

I got bitten by a radioactive algae, and am now algae man! Also that's a cool pic.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
F Gnome (Gear Gnome) Oracle 4 (Lore)
Vitals:
HP: 35/35 | AC: 23, T: 16, FF: 18 | Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +5 | Init +1 | Perception +3, Low-light vision
Spells/Day:
Lvl 1: 8/8, Lvl 2: 4/4

Oh, also, a note to all my games: I'll be donating bone marrow next week. I expect this to be mostly incapacitating wednesday-friday, but how much energy I have in the week before/after to post to games may depend on how much residual pain I'm in from the drugs/procedure etc.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Rocks fall, everyone dies

Ugh, my feet are in so much pain right now. Just say no to stilettos, everyone.

Meredian blasts one of the golems to pieces, leaving two injured ones remaining.

Illia- teleports approximately 800 feet to the side of the closest aboleth, leaving her in the middle of a swarm of surprised, armed Skum. (she can take a move action, but not make any attacks on this turn)


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Roonfizzle Garnackle wrote:
Additional question: What is your feeling on the feat Breadth of Experience? As a Gnome, 100 years falls into Middle Age. Would it be permissible to handwave the stat adjustments so that they fall PRIOR to the stats you have listed? ie, a 16 stays a 16, instead of shifting to a 17, or 15 depending on what it is?

Why would you ever not want to be middle-aged, as a character focused on knowledge/profession?


2 people marked this as a favorite.
Rocks fall, everyone dies

Heh. A bit busy this weekend... I take Halloween VERY seriously.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

There was a BIG 3.5 Avatar adaptation a while back that might be worth looking into.

Otherwise, may need to work up something involving cabbages. (although they become more useful weapons in a gestalt game)


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Rocks fall, everyone dies

Heh. The really fun one is when you realize you can use Banishment free-rein on a party that's journeyed to the Shadow/Aligned/Elemental/whatever planes as part of a quest.


6 people marked this as a favorite.
"Lord of Atheism" | Not-a-Lesser-God | Attack 3d6, Defense 5d6, HP 40

I have created this monstrous spreadsheet. If you see ANYTHING you don't like, please change it, but I think having all that info centralized could be massively helpful in playing out this game.

First Mother Ishalla wrote:
Unrelated - I can't believe the god of uncivilization is the only one considerate enough to bring a gift for our host. Unofficially naming it in honor of Zodaxus: Awesome Jungle Murder Dance Seed.

What are you talking about? I brought the gift of endless reason! Tharros brought the same Gift he brings everywhere!

@Vortae: Elemental planes don't belong to any gods and generally aren't subject to fights for control, so I'm not too worried about what we wind up doing with those.

EDIT: I'm an idiot. Link changed to one you should be able to edit.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
"Lord of Atheism" | Not-a-Lesser-God | Attack 3d6, Defense 5d6, HP 40

From the Forgotten Reams Wiki: "Cyric had no divine allies, but made himself a hated enemy of [half the pantheon]"


2 people marked this as a favorite.
"Lord of Atheism" | Not-a-Lesser-God | Attack 3d6, Defense 5d6, HP 40

In his private Wordforge, Atheos balanced on one leg, his face a picture of indecision. "I understand the equations,” he called out impatiently, ”But what does it do? Explain it to me as you would to an ordinary, uneducated human, as a thing without a simple purpose is a thing not truly understood by its creator.”

”Well…” began the Assistant Head Librarian for Special Projects, preparing to recite the project’s mission statement.

”No,” the god cut him off, in a voice stern but not angry. ”This is the problem with Axiomites—when you first arrive on my plane, many of you still need to learn individuality. Use your own words. Write on the walls, if it helps. And think, first, for as long as you need to. I will wait.”

Finally, an hour later, the librarian spoke. ”It undoes, by example.” Atheos nodded, and the librarian continued. "It does not destroy, or argue against. It simply seeks out miracles, and those who perpetuate them, rewinding their effects, step by step, exposing the spells used, the words spoken. Any gods called upon are called again, with the same rites observed—any proper divine spells are repeated. Hidden tricks, sleight of hand, arcane deception; all these are made clear in the undoing or the repetition.”

”Inevitables hunt down and punish specific transgressions against the law,” the librarian continued, and Atheos raised a single disappointed finger. ”Ah,” he corrected himself, "Thank you. The vast majority of Inevitables previously constructed and demonstrated useful were designed to punish specific transgressions against the law. This one is no different from that general standard, only subtler than average in its targets and their punishment. It seeks out charlatans of all kinds, and it punishes them by exposing the truth. You asked for an Inevitable more practical and questioning than the vast majority we left behind on Axiom, and I think this may be a useful direction. It’s a project that’s been in the works for centuries, and I’m somewhat surprised that it’s stalled for so long—but now we have a prototype.”

Atheos paced the room, eyeing the humanoid construct, its flawless features, its artistic mithral tracery. ”And if some ‘miracle worker’ should take offense at being proven a fool, and seek to destroy our valuable creation?”

”The armored plating,” the Librarian responded, ”Highly resistant to magic. More so than a typical Inevitable of this size. An obvious precaution.”

”And against weapons?”

”No vulnerability to any blade,” and now the librarian dared to smile, just a bit, recalling the hard work done, ”Armor protects the internal weak points and power core, thick and sturdy metal, and the thing has excellent reflexes for dodging and parrying.”

”And when your average peasant, used to an unchallenged life, sees this thing denounce his local god, and begins flinging rocks, mud, and stick at it in anger?” Atheos asked, pulling a pebble out of the air and flicking it forward with his finger. With a loud crack, the the pebble caught in a neck joint, and whirring gears pulled it inside the construct with a series of sickening crunching noises. Ten seconds later, the Inevitable collapsed under its own weight, began to emit gray smoke, and with a loud bang sent its head flying across the room, shattering one of the many writing boards on impact.

”It’s a good project,” Atheos explained, to a stunned and speechless Assistant Head Librarian. ”Hopefully it won’t be another three centuries before I see the next prototype—and then we can start asking the hard questions. Welcome to the team, and let’s get back to the drawing board.”


2 people marked this as a favorite.
"Lord of Atheism" | Not-a-Lesser-God | Attack 3d6, Defense 5d6, HP 40

I’ll look up those NPC gods later. Right now, Atheos’s favorite gods (and the ones he considers “friends”) are Vortae and Zodaxus, while his least favorite (and possibly “enemies”) are Scrapeknee and Michazra.

As for Atheos’s thought process, as a “god of atheism"—roughly, he categorizes the other gods in two categories: powerful and inevitable forces of nature that do not exist as “real” entities, whom he often has no interest in treating with; and powerful extraplanar entities who he does not regard as “gods” but still interacts with more frequently, hoping to learn from them or teach them the error of their ways.

Adriel is not a god. He’s a big guy, with wings, who likes hitting monsters with swords, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Atheos appreciates Adriel’s beliefs in equality and the blank slate he grants to his worshippers, judging them on their actions just as the god of skepticism does; but he regards Adriel as somewhat naive and dense, who would be better served rewarding all good in the world than tying it to his own worship. As a result, while Atheos has no quarrels with the followers of Adriel, he has little interaction with the great angel either, and his followers likewise take little interest in debating members of Adriel’s clergy.

Babaki does not exist. Somewhere, in the darkness of the outer planes, there is a primal force that drives men to madness and despair. But it is older than any name, more omnipresent than any mere personification. Perhaps the carnival is a manifestation of this itself, or perhaps the thing called “Babaki” is a parasite of immense power living off this force. Atheos recognizes Babaki’s church and practices as a dark force of destruction and pain on the universe, but is as yet unsure of whether this is a necessary and unavoidable evil or a blight to be removed.

Cil’dr is not a god. He is a child, striving blindly out of need and fear, stuck in the instincts of a primitive society because that is all he knows. If he grows up and learns to do something with his vast extraplanar power, perhaps he will be worth speaking to, but Atheos regards him as an entity not worthy of worship or note, and his followers are encouraged to undermine or aggressively convert worshippers of Cil’dr by showing them a better, more interesting world.

Ishalla does not exist. “If she loves animals so much, let them worship her, while she leaves humanity in peace” (See: Tharros for further opinions)

Michazra should not exist. Hers is a dark presence in a world laden with too much divinity, and the universe would be better off without her scheming. Michazra’s human flaws—her greed, deception, and “petty” ambition—represent everything Atheos dislikes about organized religion and the concept of “gods” as a whole. (While Atheos has no special hatred for the undead, he regards them as badly-built constructs, dangerously prone to malfunction and rage)

Osoro is not a god. He may be a force for good, a benevolent entity whose protection was far more valuable when mankind still lived in hunter-gatherer societies, but his providence is narrow, guarding and guiding only a narrow spectrum of humanity. If he finds something more useful or widespread to apply his efforts to, Atheos may have more to talk to him about, but currently simply tries to taunt Osoro and his followers into thinking outside the box.

Scrapeknee does not exist. Atheos acknowledges a troubling force for chaos that sometimes personifies itself. But Scrapeknee cares only for chaos, not change for the better, and Atheos regards him as a general spell of bad weather that the universe mysteriously suffers from. Scrapeknee is, a way, universe's “ultimate griefer,” and Atheos generally refuses to acknowledge his words, presence, or existence in any way.

Tharros does not exist. Atheos regards Ishalla and Tharros (or “Life" and “Death" as he considers their names unnecessary) as two sides of the same coin, both important natural forces that keep each other in check, but not ones that benefit from personification, worship or prayer. Atheos understands that both decay and life are important, in the cycle of natural life, with entropy as a driving force for change and movement. (Atheos encourages those of his followers who fear death to instead seek out reincarnation, with both forces of life and death being necessary for this). Atheos is, however, wary of Tharros’ drive to ultimate destruction, as he fears the effect that too much decay might have on the universe. As the shepherd and preserver of destroyed knowledge, he also worries that decay might wreak havoc on his library, while he finds Ishalla’s antipathy to civilization just as troubling.

Vortae is not a god. But he is something else, strange and ancient and powerful, and the God of Skepticism acknowledges this. As a sustainer of forgotten knowledge, Atheos is extremely interested in the sustainer of forgotten worlds, and seeks new ways to bring what Vortae preserves—or at least an archived list of what he contains—into existence (though he has so far had a bit of trouble figuring out how to ask for permission first).

Zodaxus is not a god. But he is a great, immortal magical creature of extraordinary power and skill, someone who may one day be able to help Atheos understand his own past. Atheos holds Freedom Zappers in higher regard than any other living creatures, often granting them more direct protection than he gives to evangelists of his own church. While Atheos acknowledges the positive influence of Zodaxus and his followers, he and the Church of Atheism treat the God of Freedom with incredulity, wondering how much of his work could really be accomplished by a “drunk magic owl” versus simple fortunate chance.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
"Lord of Atheism" | Not-a-Lesser-God | Attack 3d6, Defense 5d6, HP 40
Yuugasa wrote:

"If there is one thing you need to know about Gods..." Said the old Wizard, as he tapped the ashes out of his pipe then refilled it with fresh pipe weed.

"...it's that they are all, without exception, and that includes the good ones..." The Wizard continued as he knocked the ash from his long white beard and relit his pipe.

"...A bunch of f~$+ing dicks."

...

"Each other." The Wizard replies with a thoughtful look. "If this multiverse had one God instead of twenty perhaps there would be peace, but the Great Game continues on between them and we are the pawns on the board, if we find ourselves one of the individuals unfortunate enough to be caught up in it, any conceit we may hold that we are masters of our own...

Now THIS GUY sounds like a follower of Atheos!

(by which I mean: Atheos protects all atheists, regardless of whether or not they worship him)


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Kobold Kingmaker could be hilarious, yeah.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Looks like this is where we're at. People may still be missing; feel free to repost and add yourself.

Araniel - No build yet
Cronossuss (Johnny Panic) - Portfolio: Time, Domain: Time, Mighty Time Thief/Godling/Psion (I thought the Mighty template was banned, though?)
The Lady of Laughter (thunderbeard) - Portfolio: Performance Art, Domain: Construct, Nightmare Lord Arcane Trickster/Monk/Inquisitor
Arkothus (TarkXT) - Portfolio: Ruin, Domain: Construct, Alacritous Resolute Limbjack Machinesmith/Godling/Aegis
Sariel (Rednal) - Portfolio: Temptation, Domain: Divine, Corruptor Fortune-Blessed Psychic Mesmer/Oracle/Warlord
[http://paizo.com/people/JadgaelFallenOfBetrayal]Jagdael[/url] (Rynjin) - Portfolio: Betrayal, Domain: Tactics, Stalker/Soulknife/Monk
Iaidionnel (Xentik) - Portfolio: ?, Domain: Restoration, Negative-Energy Dread Wraith Sovereign Oracle/Monk/Magus
Mamoniel (JonGarrett) - Portfolio: Greed, Domain: Greed, Fortune-Blessed Bard/Psion/Gunslinger
Harlequin
(MordredOfFairy)
- Portfolio: Death, Domain: Deception, Suzerain Inveigler Dread Lich Alacritous Herald of Death Shaman/Magus/Monk
Da-Mavet (The Lion Cleric) - Portfolio: Death, Domain: ?, Template? Rogue/Wizard/Gunslinger
Azrielan (Bigrig107) - Portfolio: War, Domain: Catastrophe, Negative-Energy Unholy Graveknight Herald of War Slayer/Magus/Wizard
Balthamel (TannerNielsen) - Portfolio: Lies, Domain: ?, Negative-Energy Inveigler Dread Ghost Antipaladin/Monk/Thrallherd (Note: should remove second +Cha to Fort save)
Cuan - No build yet
Shanalotte (Johnnycat93) - Portfolio: Fire, Domain: Ash, Magus/Inquisitor/Cavalier
TheArchlich - Portfolio: Secrets, No build yet
Vharalathsis (Monkeygod) - No build yet
HighonHolyWater - Portfolio: Rage, No build yet
PhiloPharynx - Portfolio: Patterns, No build yet
Bane88/Ithirael - Portfolio: Madness, No build yet
Tamlakos (Battlespy) - Portfolio: Protection, Domain: Defense, Diamond Eldritch Acid Two-Headed Half-Fiend Barbarian/Inquisitor/Cleric (can a Fiend be a half-Fiend?)
Solomon (Tenro) - Portfolio: Judgment, Domain: Knowledge, Lawbound Warder/Battle Templar/Fighter
Billybrainpan - No build yet
rorek55 - No build yet
Cthulu_Eats - Portfolio: Blasphemy, No build yet
Gobo Horde - Portfolio: Gluttony, No build yet
Newbonomicon - Portfolio: Mind, No build yet
Browman - Portfolio: Rage, No build yet
Dragonflyer1243 - Portfolio: Retribution, No build yet
Nidoran Duran - Portfolio: Zealotry, No build yet


2 people marked this as a favorite.

Sorry, Rednal, but I think I went with Johnnycat's line of reasoning on this one.

Legendary Hands Tattoo: Memento Mori:
A Lillend’s hands are large, but also long and graceful, with fingers intended for playing music. Over decades, the Lady of Laughter has strengthened hers with magic, building up the power to damage truly powerful foes with her bare hands. The Memento Mori is a set of two inscriptions, scrawled in Celestial across the knuckles of her left and right hands, one word coiling around each finger. "Death comes to all," reads the first, followed by "Will you go gracefully?" on the second. Over time, the magic has caused her hands to acquire an intelligence of their own; and though it can be somewhat disconcerting arguing with her own fists, Seiyasha has found great use from both the enchantment’s offensive powers and the ability to tear open portals between the planes with her bare hands.
-Base Ability: Mythic-Bane +5 Unarmed Strike
-Added Ability: Gloves of Spell Snaring (9k) (Snatch Arrows 2x/day as immediate action; can instead make an attack roll to block spell targeting self or adjacent ally)
Legendary Powers:
-Upgradable
-Intelligent x4 (20 Int, 16 Wis, 12 Cha)
--Plane Shift 3/day
--Blindsense

Legendary Headband Tattoo: Crown of Truth and Beauty:
(Charm might also be appropriate, though not Up, Down, or Strange)
In place of a circlet, the Lady wears an abstract tattoo, filigreed silver and gold encircling her head just below the hairline. Into this base, she’s weaved a number of inks in delicate colors, each adding a subtle but powerful enchantment to aid in thinking or protect her mind against assault. Lately, finding herself attracting followers, she has added a few new powers of subtlety and influence into the enchantment.
-Base Ability: Headband of Mental Superiority +4
-Added Ability: Circlet of Persuasion (4.5k)
Legendary Powers:
-Adroit (surge for +20 to Perform oratory)
-Rejuvenating (2 power to remove any condition)
-Upgradable
-Undetectable (no spells can see through user’s invisibility)
-Powerful (4 power reserve)

@Rynjin: Tell me what your items do, and I can give a bunch of suggestions (or, ask anyone you want to for advice, if you feel like it?)


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Wow, this has stayed chatty (we've still got until Monday...). Just figured I should stop by to remind everyone that I and all the other early character-submitters are still around, and that you're not going to be forgotten either if you don't follow up in a long-running recruitment (but if you want to keep posting, feel free to).


2 people marked this as a favorite.

You're welcome! As a biologist, I enjoy giving people build advice based on areas of expertise other than the system at hand.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

@Rokar: Snow Tiger?

1 to 50 of 137 << first < prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | next > last >>