Enjoying my .pdf, and especially fond of Appendix 2 (Encounter Groups). Very good stuff.
(Now if we could just nudge Sean along on his "file off the serial numbers" book...)
It's a bard with Versatile Performance (Act). He doesn't need to put ranks into the bluff skill.
Although I reall wish they would state this more clearly in stat blocks. Performance skill equivaencies are not something I'll ever memorize...
You're one up on me -- I didn't even know there was such an animal.
The NPC Codex uses the Core Rulebook only in the creation of the NPCs.
I think I'll be skipping it then. I have way more than enough of those. I need more of the new classes.
|
I had a similar reaction. I coughed when I found the Tribal champion has weapon finesse applied to a shortspear. P. 216
Gosh it took me a long time to see it but I was wrong about this! They did not apply weapon finesse to the shortspear, I missed the combination of precise strike, a magical shortspear, and weapon training. Nicely done! Very flavorful build and very functional.
|
If the Grove Guardian monk's(pg. 109) combination of Spring Attack and Vital Strike in her tactics is an error, are there any suggestions for alternate tactics for her in a skirmishing role?
Basically looking at this character for some guidelines on making an effective DEX-oriented barehanded monk. Her barehanded approach, lack of dumpstats(a positive CHA score, even), and focus on DEX over STR was what drew me to that one. Just trying to account for the possible blank left behind if the Vital Strike/Spring Attack combo isn't actually rules legal.
Mithral Knight and Death Master both have stilled D-Door - legal, but kind of useless, since your applying Still Spell to a spell with no somatic components - they should consider stilling a 4th level spell and dropping the metamagiced spell down a slot.
What's with the comically oversized heads of some Haflings and Gnomes?
I can't believe someone actually thought that artwork on 105 and especially on page 130 looks good.
I can't decide who is hotter... Seijal Nightbane (p139), the serving wench (p243) or Ygulda Goldenbrow (p235)?
What, no love for Soufara Ebonwind (p. 59) or Vaeleus the Charmer (p. 183)?
I haven't had much time to look through the book yet, even to look at the art, but those grabbed my attention pretty quickly.
(I'd mention the cultist on page 249, but I think I saw her before in the GameMastery Guide. Yeah, there she is, on page 278 of the GMG. But then, I don't have a lot of Paizo books, so I don't know what other art in this book might have been recycled.)
I just got my hard copy. The .pdf looked great but somehow the hard copy just brings everything to life. Have some relatively minor concerns about some character build issues (spellcasters w/ 2 handed weapons when I thought it had been ruled that spellcasters need 1 handed to cast? Or was that in itself debunked?). But it looks great and I know it will be hella useful.
Pleasantly--very pleasantly--surprised by the appendices. Both the leveled animal companions and the suggested NPC encounter groups are extremely useful.
I am VERY glad this is core only, but I also hope this sells well enough they can make a 2nd codex with advanced/ultimate classes and archetypes.
Isn't it "presumably a free action"?
Just got this yesterday. The binding seemed stiffer than usual. There was more resistance to opening it up fully. Lots of cool NPCs though, and the art is extremely evocative. So many new character ideas, just based off of the art alone!
I just got my hard copy. The .pdf looked great but somehow the hard copy just brings everything to life. Have some relatively minor concerns about some character build issues (spellcasters w/ 2 handed weapons when I thought it had been ruled that spellcasters need 1 handed to cast? Or was that in itself debunked?).They need one hand free to cast spell with somatic componets but changing from wielding the weapon with two hands to one hand is a free action.
Thanks. I remember that being a subject of dispute a few years ago. I think what you said makes more sense.
Just received my copy. I'm loving this book so far, as making NPCs is one of my least favorite chores. I hope the sales will justify an NPC Codex II (and III, and IV ...) to cover the non-Core Classes (and races!).
The art is wonderful, and the quicky backstories are very nice. Just reading them inspired a few story arcs in my head. Kudos on another great product.
I think it is a great product and I hope that they publish more!!
|
Only staffers can answer that with 100% certainty, of course, but considering that the NPC Codex is a setting-neutral product as opposed to the setting-specific adventure paths and modules, I sincerely doubt it. The NPCs in the NPC Codex are generic NPCs for GMs to use in a pinch. Yes, there's flavor text to go along with the stat blocks but it's really rather generic in nature.
Does this book contain any spoilers for any future adventure paths or modules ?
No.
Will this book ever end up in th PRD? I see d20pfsrd.com is already working on it :-)
I really enjoyed this book. Personally I would have prefered to have the stats organized by theme - like "thieves guild", "elven village", and so on - but still a very useful tome.
Will this book ever end up in th PRD? I see d20pfsrd.com is already working on it :-)
Yes.
O.o.
I can't decide who is hotter...
Cutthroat Lawyer (p264).
We had to trim a bit of flavor text to make his description fit on the page; the cut text includes a mention of him casting liveoak once every 12 days, which creates a treant buddy for him.
On Amazon.com, NPC Codex is under review status. Any idea what that means or what caused it?
Item Under Review
While this item is available from other marketplace sellers on this page, it is not currently offered by Amazon.com because customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it's described here. (Thanks for the tip!)
We're working to fix the problem as quickly as possible.
Kind of strange.
In the past, that message has had to do with complaints about their packaging. For example, I received my core rulebook from there just tossed in a padded envelope, and it got all beat up on the way to my house. Another big hardcover like the NPC Codex, and they've probably had some complaints about the state the book's in when it arrives; hopefully it will occur to their warehouses to put the thing in an actual box instead of an envelope.
This book is Awesome!!!! Pre-made NPC's, Townsfolk, prestige classes up to lv 20. Each has its own picture, and each is built differently from the last. Besides the bestiary 1, this will most likely be the 2nd most useful book for a GM!
I've just seen this one in the stores and I have to agree, it is awesome. There are some GREAT character ideas in here, though I think the NPC classes are almost more useful than the PC ones. Certainly the warriors could be reworked along the lines of the 'warrior subtypes' (basically NPC class archetypes) from the 3.5 Warriors book.
This book is Awesome!!!! Pre-made NPC's, Townsfolk, prestige classes up to lv 20. Each has its own picture, and each is built differently from the last. Besides the bestiary 1, this will most likely be the 2nd most useful book for a GM!
Agreed! I have already used it quite a bit in my game.
Ach! I meant to add this with the last post, but did anyone else get the idea that even thought this is all strictly Core Rulebook, that some of these characters could easily be reworked as some of the archetypes from the later books? The names sound awfully similar if nothing else.
Ach! I meant to add this with the last post, but did anyone else get the idea that even thought this is all strictly Core Rulebook, that some of these characters could easily be reworked as some of the archetypes from the later books? The names sound awfully similar if nothing else.
Absolutely. In fact I think a great way to add variation to the various NPCs is to throw in an archetype and adjust the gear as needed. It's a lot easier to add an archetype to a core character than switch out an existing archetype for another one, since it's sometimes hard to track what got replaced.
Could any of the characters in the NPC Codex be used as PC's in a pinch?
|
Could any of the characters in the NPC Codex be used as PC's in a pinch?
Well, there are the Iconic Characters statted up at several levels, and they could be used as is. Pretty much all of the other PC-classed characters could be used with the following minor tweeks: Adjust stats for different point buy, array, or rolled stats, and increase the equipment from NPC to PC level.
Dont know if anyone asked this but will there be any of these npcs turned into minatures by reaper. I would realy like several copies of the enforcer pg246 since with a minor conversion his appearance would fit a current pc idea perfectly.
Could any of the characters in the NPC Codex be used as PC's in a pinch?
I had a friend who needed a character in a pinch, and the iconic didn't suit but the general idea of one of the NPCs did. As Reckless noted, we updated point buy and gear, plus tweaked feats and such to suit her style, and it worked just fine. While I wouldn't say all of the builds are "optimized" they are effective and actually offer a some good ideas for different concepts.
The major shortcoming of this book in my eyes is that it did not include NPCS referenced in the Campaign Setting or Inner Sea Guide.
I want to see some of the various rulers/ factions leaders statted out. The ones in the book are cool, but I want to bring more life to the World of Golarion.
I also hope they do another one with all the new classes and some new prestige classes. I bet that will be a year off though
The major shortcoming of this book in my eyes is that it did not include NPCS referenced in the Campaign Setting or Inner Sea Guide.
I want to see some of the various rulers/ factions leaders statted out. The ones in the book are cool, but I want to bring more life to the World of Golarion.
This book is meant to be setting neutral and as such do not contain NPCs from our campaign setting.
This book is meant to be setting neutral and as such do not contain NPCs from our campaign setting.
Well it's good to know why you didn't include them.
You guys should start working on statting up those Golarion specific PCs. Golarion is too good of a damn world not to be fleshed out as much as possible.
At this point it's toe to toe with Forgotten Realms in my eyes pre 4th ed. trash. All you guys need is a few good Trilogies.
Any chance we'll get a volume of the Campaign Setting line that would be similar to an NPC Codex?
If you like Golarion, make sure you pay attention to the Campaign Setting Products, all of which I believe are labeled Chronicles (IIRC setting based material) or Companion (IIRC player materials for use in Golarion-based play).
Anything simply under the category of "Pathfinder Roleplaying Game" will be setting neutral, so make sure you look at those other lines of books. (Pointing this out generally to the thread.)
Any chance we'll get a volume of the Campaign Setting line that would be similar to an NPC Codex?If you like Golarion, make sure you pay attention to the Campaign Setting Products, all of which I believe are labeled Chronicles (IIRC setting based material) or Companion (IIRC player materials for use in Golarion-based play).
Anything simply under the category of "Pathfinder Roleplaying Game" will be setting neutral, so make sure you look at those other lines of books. (Pointing this out generally to the thread.)
Paizo stopped using the Chronicles label a while ago. Now the label's just Pathfinder Campaign Setting. The Player Companions, Adventure Paths, Modules, and Pathfinder Tales are all Golarion, though.