I look forward to the lucerne hammer's return to popularity.
I know it is a bit early, but is it possible to hear a bit more on the development/content of this book? I'm very eager, but even so I'd like to know a few things in advance, such as:
* Does the companion cover only mundane (or relatively mundane) items - or does it add additional enhancement options for items?
* Does the companion explore unusual bonuses (such as the resonance magic of ioun stones and wayfinders)
* How will the book address reach/close weapons (personally I like the elimination of the spiked chain as a munchkin powerhouse in the core rules - and I'd like to know whether this balance decision will be maintained into the companion)
* Will all the items in the companion be legal for society play
...and of course any additional information that can be divulged will be equally keenly assimilated. :D
I did about a third of this book, including a lot of the especially fun sections like new alchemical items. We were told to avoid making stuff that was significantly better than what you can find in the equipment section of the core rulebook. That's to avoid the problem of power creep you get in games as new designers try to "top" earlier designers.
(we're a competitive bunch :) )
We all had so much fun working on the book that we pretty much blew right past our word allotments. For that reason I think it best to let Sean comment specifically on what is or isn't in the book. He did the final cut after all so he knows what got chopped out.
I'll forward this to him so he can weigh in.
{* Does the companion cover only mundane (or relatively mundane) items - or does it add additional enhancement options for items?}
The focus of Adventurer's Armory is nonmagical items. We bend that "rule" a little bit with some new alchemical items, but the majority of the equipment is new nonmagical weapons, armor, and gear.
{* Does the companion explore unusual bonuses (such as the resonance magic of ioun stones and wayfinders)}
There is a section on how to enhance spells by using alchemical items as material components; frex, using a tanglefoot bag as a component to augment a web spell, or alchemist's fire to augment a burning hands spell.
{* How will the book address reach/close weapons (personally I like the elimination of the spiked chain as a munchkin powerhouse in the core rules - and I'd like to know whether this balance decision will be maintained into the companion)}
Yes, there is no "power creep" here--no items that are clearly better than items in the Core Rulebook; thus, no item like the 3.5 spiked chain.
{* Will all the items in the companion be legal for society play}
That is up to Josh to decide.
{Any chance we'll get holy symbols, musical instruments, or thieves' tools with +'s or other add-ons, the way weapons and armor already work?}
Yes! Though we don't want to build ways for people to get outrageous bonuses by stacking a bunch of small bonuses from several pieces of equipment, so you won't see climber's boots for +1, climber's gauntlets for +1, climbing rope for +1, a climbing harness for +1, and so on--that's all covered in the climber's kit in the Core Rulebook.
Hopefully it doesn't cover a lot of the same territory as Luven Lightfinger's Gear & Treasure, which is slotted for January. However, I know even after working on LLG&T, I'd still pick this up, and hopefully people will feel that both belong on their shelves.
Hopefully it doesn't cover a lot of the same territory as Luven Lightfinger's Gear & Treasure, which is slotted for January. However, I know even after working on LLG&T, I'd still pick this up, and hopefully people will feel that both belong on their shelves.
A quick google products search only shows me the Barnes and Noble pre-order page for this book.
Do you have any idea what will be in "Luven's", is it Pathfinder specific?
{* Does the companion cover only mundane (or relatively mundane) items - or does it add additional enhancement options for items?}
The focus of Adventurer's Armory is nonmagical items. We bend that "rule" a little bit with some new alchemical items, but the majority of the equipment is new nonmagical weapons, armor, and gear.
{* Does the companion explore unusual bonuses (such as the resonance magic of ioun stones and wayfinders)}
There is a section on how to enhance spells by using alchemical items as material components; frex, using a tanglefoot bag as a component to augment a web spell, or alchemist's fire to augment a burning hands spell.
{* How will the book address reach/close weapons (personally I like the elimination of the spiked chain as a munchkin powerhouse in the core rules - and I'd like to know whether this balance decision will be maintained into the companion)}
Yes, there is no "power creep" here--no items that are clearly better than items in the Core Rulebook; thus, no item like the 3.5 spiked chain.
{* Will all the items in the companion be legal for society play}
That is up to Josh to decide.
{Any chance we'll get holy symbols, musical instruments, or thieves' tools with +'s or other add-ons, the way weapons and armor already work?}
Yes! Though we don't want to build ways for people to get outrageous bonuses by stacking a bunch of small bonuses from several pieces of equipment, so you won't see climber's boots for +1, climber's gauntlets for +1, climbing rope for +1, a climbing harness for +1, and so on--that's all covered in the climber's kit in the Core Rulebook.
Sounds very nice. As my groups tend to play in the low levels, having more "fun" mundane equipment always makes me happy.
Thanks Sean :) your words go a long way to make me and my gaming group well keen for the release!
Thanks Sean :) your words go a long way to make me and my gaming group well keen for the release!
I'm down, sounds like a GREAT idea, I hope you guys shake things up some. I never thought that 3.5 handled weapon damages correctly, and having the greatsword end up the be-all and end-all of melee never set well with me.
What I'd like to see (not that my opinion matters for much);
More weapon/armor dependent special rules...rules that encourage you you to use them without building your class around them.
Alternatives to heavily used weapons (longsword, greatsword, rapier)
...and hopefully (I know this is a pipedream) some blunt weapons with damage dice appropriate to their battlefield use. A hit from a warhammer is far more likely to do real, fight-ending damage then a cut from a longsword. More then that, ANY contact with a blunt weapon is really going to hurt... It was always my biggest gripe in D and D.
I'm pumped.
Hopefully it doesn't cover a lot of the same territory as Luven Lightfinger's Gear & Treasure, which is slotted for January. However, I know even after working on LLG&T, I'd still pick this up, and hopefully people will feel that both belong on their shelves.
A quick google products search only shows me the Barnes and Noble pre-order page for this book.
Do you have any idea what will be in "Luven's", is it Pathfinder specific?
As with all the other 4 Winds Fantasy Gaming products, it's a Pathfinder Compatible product. As for the contents, I can't say too much because, well, an NDA for one, and for another, it's still being edited. That being said, I think there's a lot to be enjoyed about it.
For a preview, you can take a look at the sort of weapons and gear we put in Paths of Power - much of that was originally written for LLG&T.
Working on the Combat section of this book right now, just wanted to say that the "equipment tricks" that Hal invented are pretty cool, and a neat new mechanic that will let us do other neat stuff in the future. :)
Pre-ordered my copy.
I know several people who would love the extra alchemical options.
I was curious ... is the design of the book set up like a catalog (ala Aurora's Whole Realms)?
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I was curious ... is the design of the book set up like a catalog (ala Aurora's Whole Realms)?
An interesting question. Thus far the Companions have all been broken up into the standard sections despite their varying topics, but this book seems to be the most varied as far as that goes. I am curious to see how they'll handle the persona section and the area usually dedicated to a settlement or region.
Most of the book is a PC-friendly catalog of gear, gear, gear--weapons, alchemical items, skill items, class items, drugs, animals, and so on.
Then it has the standard Companion backmatter articles: Combat, Faith, Magic, Persona, Social.
Only one question remains:
Does it incorporate the Glaive? Guisarme? Glaive-Guisarme-Glaive-Guisarme Glaive? :)
Looking forward to the finished product!
How Golarion specific is it? I was a bit surprised when I noticed this wasn't a PRPG supplement.
This is intended to be the be-all, end-all book of gear (not counting "Eastern" weapons, not counting firearms) in an easy-to-afford 32-page book. It does include historical stuff, as well as Golarion-specific things. I believe the APG is going to have *some* gear as well, but we've tried to minimize overlap so you don't end up paying for the same content twice.
Does it incorporate the Glaive? Guisarme? Glaive-Guisarme-Glaive-Guisarme Glaive? :)
Glaive and guisarme are in the Core Rulebook. This book does have the glaive-guisarme. ;)
(not counting "Eastern" weapons, not counting firearms)
*Shines a bright light onto Sean*
So... these missing Eastern weapons, armors, kit-options... when will we see them?
I predict... in a future Tian Xia supplement! Whenever that may be. :p
Looking forward to it!
Curious question: Is the Adventurer's Armory's length/depth/time to develop have any thing to do with why there seems to be no Pathfinder Companion in March? Just been wondering and I didn't have any other idea where to ask.
We're behind schedule (adding the Core Rulebook and Bestiary to our pipeline without adding any new staff really threw us off). We're catching up, roughly at the rate of "one less week behind schedule every week that passes." So you're going to see some months soon where we're getting 2 books in the same line published in the same month, and then we'll be caught up again.
Excited about this one and the one full of NPCs the most.
I am assuming that this particular Companion volume does not have
"Each bimonthly 32-page Pathfinder Companion contains several player-focused articles exploring the volume’s theme as well as short articles with innovative new rules for social, magic, religious, and combat-focused characters, as well as a persona section detailing helpful NPCs and traits to better anchor the player to the campaign."
fair?
Adv Armory *does* have the usual Companion "back matter" articles about Combat, Faith, Magic, Persona, and Social, all of which related to equipment.
Adv Armory *does* have the usual Companion "back matter" articles about Combat, Faith, Magic, Persona, and Social, all of which related to equipment.
Oh cool. Then I am pleasantly surprised. Thanks
April? I was hoping that it would come in February but oh well. I wonder how that 4 Winds Equipment book is coming along?
probably a silly question but will certain weapons from the Pathfinder Campaign setting find their way in here like the sawtooth saber? I'm divided on whether I really want or do not want them but the upshot would be having them in an easy to reference companion tome to the Core instead of looking back in the campaign setting. Although I don't think you really changed enough to weapons that if I wanted to give my ranger a sawtooth saber as one of his favorite weapons I could use it as written in the campaign setting even though I am using Pathfinder rules.
Yes. My intent was that this book would update those Campaign Setting items to the Pathfinder Rules.
I'm SO looking forward to this book :-)
That makes two of us. I love item books, both mundane and magical. (My two favorite 3.x books to this day are Arms & Equipment Guide and Magic Item Compendium.)
Yes. My intent was that this book would update those Campaign Setting items to the Pathfinder Rules.
Stuff like this is why I subscribed to the companion in the first place. I look forward to the book coming out.
Any chance there will ever be a set of Item Cards using the object art from this book?
I would bet there is an excellent chance of it.