Pathfinder Player Companion: Knights of the Inner Sea (PFRPG)

Many Awesome Things

While I think you're going to find a lot to love in Knights of the Inner Sea, keep watch early next year for Champions of Purity and our book on Crusaders. While Knights includes some bits on faithful knights, its main focus is on heavily armored heroes of all walks.

Champions of Purity is all about playing good guys of all walks, against not necessarily faithful characters, but there's a good deal of stuff for the more benevolent faiths. Crusaders, as a tie-in to the upcoming Worldwound Adventure Path, is about playing heroes of all walks driven by their faith (largely religious but sometimes philosophical). So what it is to play a devout rogue, fighter, sorcerer, yes, even cavalier.

So expect lots more for religious heavy hitters, both here in Knights but also in the coming months!

Sell me on the book please?

What is awesome, Crunch wise, that I need to add this to my shelf?
Flying Mounts?
More options for mounts for Fighters, Rangers, Paladins, Cavaliers?

Any kick ass feats? Particularly fighter only stuff?

Also, if I can put out my tin cup for a moment, Knights of the Inner Sea is the second example of the refreshed philosophy driving the Player Companion line. Patrick, Sutter, and I have put a lot of thought, effort, and love into redesigning this line and have tons and tons of awesome in store. But we only get to do it if it seems like it's what readers want. We think the new design and player-friendly focus is awesome, but we really need to hear from you.

SO! If you like what you're hearing about the new Player Companions, please check them out (at your game table, in your FLGS, heck, a PDF isn't even 10 bucks). And once you do, please don't be quiet about, let us know what you think on these threads, start new threads, give us your reviews (even if they're only a sentence), or--if you truly love what you're seeing and think your players will too--consider subscribing!

At the end of the day, words and dollar signs go a long, long way, so if you like the new direction for the Player Companions (or would like them more with some tweak), please let us know!

Wes I like this new way of the players companions are going. Especially the roles for the different character options. The Knights of the Inner Sea was really cool.

STR Ranger

No archetypes?

Absolutely love the new direction of the PCs!! Why? Because they are providing the information a player needs to craft a character for the setting. Moreover, the information is presented in a visually pleasing and logical manner. Specifically, I am absolutely loving the idea of Roles. Awesome advice for players.

There are new archetypes but they are special,

One Player Companion to rule them all,
One Player Companion to find them,
One Player Companion to bring them all, and in Pathfinder bind them.
In the land of the Inner Sea, where the players reside.

How's that for a Tolkien Week dedication. :) But I also mean every word.

So no new combat type feats?

It sounds like I want it but I buy these books hoping to see stuff, that adds to fighters.
Stuff like Style feats (that don't need Imp Unarmed Strike)

The only new feat is

Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of the new look. It just feels too busy and disorganized. Too much crammed into one page, I guess.

Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of the new look. It just feels too busy and disorganized. Too much crammed into one page, I guess.

Really? I like the double page Panoramas myself.

The Panoramas are nice, it's just the rest of it that feels too disorganized. I have to force my brain to pick out the actual content from the text in places.

I agree that it is a little harder to read cause of all the geometry going on in the new version but the info they are offering seems better and more then the old version which always seemed really plain and boring a lot of the time.

The Panoramas are nice, it's just the rest of it that feels too disorganized. I have to force my brain to pick out the actual content from the text in places.

Could you give me an example of a spread you find particularly guilty of this? There's 11 distinct page or spread treatments in this book and it would help us to know which ones you find particularly onerous.

Also, is this a matter of the headers being unclear or elusive? The sidebars being too similar to the body text? Or the TOC or For Your Character indexes being not helpful enough?

Additionally, is this coming from the actual process of reading or letting your eye bop about a page? (Both are valid.)

Lastly, I'm unclear on the distinction here between content and text. Could you explain?

Very helpful though, thanks for the feedback!

Waiting for PDF version next week.

Kvantum wrote:

The Panoramas are nice, it's just the rest of it that feels too disorganized. I have to force my brain to pick out the actual content from the text in places.

Could you give me an example of a spread you find particularly guilty of this? There's 11 distinct page or spread treatments in this book and it would help us to know which ones you find particularly onerous.

Also, is this a matter of the headers being unclear or elusive? The sidebars being too similar to the body text? Or the TOC or For Your Character indexes being not helpful enough?

Additionally, is this coming from the actual process of reading or letting your eye bop about a page? (Both are valid.)

Lastly, I'm unclear on the distinction here between content and text. Could you explain?

Very helpful though, thanks for the feedback!

It may be a background color issue, now that I think about it. Varisia was not nearly as difficult for me to read as KotIS. I have the same issue with the print and full PDF versions of the Anniversary Edition of RotRL as well, but not the white page background Lite PDF of it.

But it seems to me to be the various Roles layouts that give me the most issues, when the text is wrapped around the art and emboldened and broken up into the various lines. I think it's just too many style variations in too small of a space.

I'm hoping somebody could provide some more info about the Squire feat. I have a character who would probably take that rather than leadership.. And another who would want both!

Turns out that both characters will be disappointed.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

I'm hoping somebody could provide some more info about the Squire feat. I have a character who would probably take that rather than leadership.. And another who would want both!

Fortunately for your characters, the Squire feat is a new kind of feat in that after you and your squire reach a certain level, it actually turns into the Leadership feat. Until then, it's similar to Leadership, but with some additional restrictions and rules. We haven't done something like this before, so we're really looking forward to seeing how people feel about the new dynamic.

Aww man. I tried to do a dice roll for a craft(cryptic message) check to answer the question without stating outright. Must've messed up the descriptive text somehow.

this is getting more awesome by the comment!

id be interested to know more about the combat medic squire and how it would stack up against a merciful healer archetype - would it be worth getting the squire feat AND dipping into a level of combat medic?

Quick question: Are the social traits you get for following the Knightly Codes taking the place of a feat or a trait. The header text (which could do with greater contrast. The pale cream on grey isn't blindingly clear) indicates they take the place of a feat, but they seem to be more in line with the power level of traits (plus they're called traits which adds to the confusion a little).

Quick question: Are the social traits you get for following the Knightly Codes taking the place of a feat or a trait. The header text (which could do with greater contrast. The pale cream on grey isn't blindingly clear) indicates they take the place of a feat, but they seem to be more in line with the power level of traits (plus they're called traits which adds to the confusion a little).

If I understand correctly, you're referring to this sentence in the header on page 26: "Knights who adhere to these rules receive the benefits of the associated social trait; this trait counts against a character’s maximum number of feats as normal." (Emphasis mine.)

Woops! Looks like that was a typo that slipped through editing. All of the boons on the Knightly Codes and Traits spread are indeed social traits, not feats. That sentence should read as follows: "Knights who adhere to these rules receive the benefits of the associated social trait; this trait counts against a character’s maximum number of traits as normal." (Emphasis mine.)

So are the majority of the player options in this book traits? I honestly don't like them very much (I just give all my players a bonus feat instead), and I was a bit disappointed how there was a huge number of traits in the Varisia companion, but only two feats and archetypes. The format and information about Golarion it gave were excellent, but I guess the player options really felt lacking.

21 traits
1 feat
4 archetypes (meant for squires)
8 spells
9 magic items
13 monstrous mounts
8 animal mounts
3 cavalier orders
8 roles

Paul Watson wrote:

Quick question: Are the social traits you get for following the Knightly Codes taking the place of a feat or a trait. The header text (which could do with greater contrast. The pale cream on grey isn't blindingly clear) indicates they take the place of a feat, but they seem to be more in line with the power level of traits (plus they're called traits which adds to the confusion a little).

If I understand correctly, you're referring to this sentence in the header on page 26: "Knights who adhere to these rules receive the benefits of the associated social trait; this trait counts against a character’s maximum number of feats as normal." (Emphasis mine.)

Woops! Looks like that was a typo that slipped through editing. All of the boons on the Knightly Codes and Traits spread are indeed social traits, not feats. That sentence should read as follows: "Knights who adhere to these rules receive the benefits of the associated social trait; this trait counts against a character’s maximum number of traits as normal." (Emphasis mine.)

That is what I was referring to. Thanks for the answer.

21 traits

1 feat
4 archetypes (meant for squires)
8 spells
9 magic items
13 monstrous mounts
8 animal mounts
3 cavalier orders
8 roles

*squeal like a girl* *mouth water*

I NEED THIS NOW! Someone make time go faster. Where is a Scepter of Ages when you need one

Can we please get some details on the new cavalier orders?

21 traits

1 feat
4 archetypes (meant for squires)
8 spells
9 magic items
13 monstrous mounts
8 animal mounts
3 cavalier orders
8 roles

Sounds great - looking forward to that.

What are roles?

Roles are an element of the new Player companion line. they're formatted as Follows:

TYPE OF CHARACTER, such as Gray Maiden, or Shoanti Outrider
DESCRIPTIONS OF ROLE
Race ______; Ethnicity ________

CLASS OPTIONS
Class ______; Class Features (of that particular class) ______
Class ______; Archetype ______ (of the class); Class Features ______
Class ______; Class Features ______

PREFERRED OPTIONS
Skills _______, _______, _________, _________
Feats ________, ________

DESCRIPTION
Insert description of the Type of characters this role describes here

ROLEPLAYING
Tips for Roleplaying this role as a player
Persona ________ (Particular personality quirks of this type of character)
Preferred Equipment ________; Preferred Languages _______

And so on. the template's a bit malleable. But you get the idea.

21 traits

1 feat
4 archetypes (meant for squires)
8 spells
9 magic items
13 monstrous mounts
8 animal mounts
3 cavalier orders
8 roles

I just special ordered this from my fave FLGS (they only carry hardcovers as they lack the space right now), and I was wondering if someone could list the new mounts for me to tide me over until it arrives.

Pretty please with flumph sauce on top?

Monstrous mounts:
Blink dog
Dragon horse
Dragon, young
Dragonne
Giant owl
Griffon
Hell hound
Kirin
Pegasus
Shadow mastiff
Sleipnir
Unicorn
Worg

Animal mounts:
Chiardar
Dort charger
Fell pony
Lastwall jasper
Taldor jennet
Chernasardo riding elk
Erutaki husky
Qadiran dromedary

Monstrous mounts:

Blink dog
Dragon horse
Dragonne
Griffon
Hell hound
Pegasus
Shadow mastiff
Sleipnir

Animal mounts:
Chiardar
Dort charger
Fell pony
Lastwall jasper
Taldor jennet
Erutaki husky
Qadiran dromedary

Cool. :)

Dragon, Young
Kirin
Worg

Animal mounts:
Chernasardo riding elk

Awesome! :D

Unicorn

&$@# YES

Monstrous mounts:

Blink dog
Dragon horse
Dragon, young
Dragonne
Giant owl
Griffon
Hell hound
Kirin
Pegasus
Shadow mastiff
Sleipnir
Unicorn
Worg

Animal mounts:
Chiardar
Dort charger
Fell pony
Lastwall jasper
Taldor jennet
Chernasardo riding elk
Erutaki husky
Qadiran dromedary

THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU

unicorn rider archetypes?

Monstrous mounts:

Blink dog
Dragon horse
Dragon, young
Dragonne
Giant owl
Griffon
Hell hound
Kirin
Pegasus
Shadow mastiff
Sleipnir
Unicorn
Worg

Animal mounts:
Chiardar
Dort charger
Fell pony
Lastwall jasper
Taldor jennet
Chernasardo riding elk
Erutaki husky
Qadiran dromedary

Kirin as a mount.......JOYGASM......and much twitching.....

Oh man, so close... I was hoping for a Krillin mount, but I guest a Kirin will do.

I am writing a college paper at the same time as I am waiting for this PDF to be purchasable. 4-page rough draft of a paper in 6 hours whilst dealing with the desire to stare at the computer screen and do religious chanting in hopes of seeing the PDF appear and celebrate in a ritual frenzy at the dawn of new awesomness. (Warning: sacrificing of small animals may occur.)

Regarding the Squire feat, is it meant to have "Character level 4th" as a prerequisite? Unless I'm missing something, no character could take this feat until 5th level. Is it possible this is supposed to be classified as a combat feat so that those who get bonus combat feats at 4th level could take it?

Oh buy, halfling paladin on a blink dog here I come. My GM may end up w/ male pattern baldness just yet.......

I am writing a college paper at the same time as I am waiting for this PDF to be purchasable. 4-page rough draft of a paper in 6 hours whilst dealing with the desire to stare at the computer screen and do religious chanting in hopes of seeing the PDF appear and celebrate in a ritual frenzy at the dawn of new awesomness. (Warning: sacrificing of small animals may occur.)

You're writing a paper; I'm grading them *sigh* No small animal sacrifices though. My wife has small dogs and she'd kill me... :D

Are there any other hell knight orders other than the main ones mentioned?

You still need Leadership to get a monstrous mount.

Excited to see some more work on what is arguably the most iconic of all Fantasy classes (round table and such).
Was disappointed with the Cavalier in the APG, but some house rules have fixed that.
Looking forward for material to bolster those of us who like the idea of an armored dude on a horse who does not cast spells being decent :)

Also, if I can put out my tin cup for a moment, Knights of the Inner Sea is the second example of the refreshed philosophy driving the Player Companion line. Patrick, Sutter, and I have put a lot of thought, effort, and love into redesigning this line and have tons and tons of awesome in store. But we only get to do it if it seems like it's what readers want. We think the new design and player-friendly focus is awesome, but we really need to hear from you.

I really like the revised Companion line; but if there's one thing I would suggest: 64 pages. I would prefer to get a Companion half-as-often, but have that Companion be a thick deliciousness. I could picture the Campaign Setting and Companion line switch positions every other month:

January, March, May, ... Companion
February, April, June, ... Campaign Setting

If they start making the Campaign Setting line bimonthly, I'll cry. You don't want me to cry. Just sayin'.