| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Has anyone else noticed the ascetic oracle mystery for the fang monstasy part is missing? I am wondering what they intended to put for it...
What do you mean? It's on page 104. It's the biggest trolling Paizo has done so far -
"Here's an Oracle Mystery that allows you to gain a pretty powerful Unarmed Strike! Also: it doesn't have any revelations that would benefit from Revelation Strike."
True. Easiest fix I can imagine is making it get the Final Revelation of another Mystery, such as Ancestors or Battle.
And here's the final preview about mysterious villainous groups!
| 6 people marked this as a favorite. |
Is the Amnesia spell supposed to be low spell level?
I can't remember.
Is the Amnesia spell supposed to be low spell level? I feel like for such a debilitating spell, its spell level should be higher then 4th?
I agree. For combat effectiveness compare to Feeblemind at level 5. Amnesia wipes out all class abilities skills, and feats of anyone, Feeblemind only wipes out spellcasting abilities.
Out of combat compare to Modify Memory, which is the same level but only does a few minutes (no game effect) of modified memories, and is much easier to fix with Dispel Magic.
Amnesia should probably be at least two levels higher.
Checked it again and noticed Amnesia is a 1 round casting time, which is a pretty good balancer in combat, making the appropriate comparison Dominate Person. so it's not as bad as I thought.
About halfway through this so far (Merry Outlaws). Standouts are the Cruel Musketeers (variety of archetypes and builds), Carnival Troupe (cool vibe and mix of roles), and Arcane Society (my favorite rules stuff).
Worst so far are the Death Cult (the intro page has a boring style simply reciting the roles of the upcoming individuals that doesn't conform to the other organizations write up styles at all) and the Merchant Caravan (6!!! NPCs have unarchetyped rogue levels, the rest are generally the most boring unarchetyped, low level, basic fighter, cleric, bard, and illusionist you could imagine).
Overall I like this book a lot and endorse the format. I'm looking forward to the unfortunately named Adventurers Guide a lot to see how this can be applied to real organizations with history and backstory.
Mad props to whoever put the Bioshock Infinite skyhook into the Merry Outlaw section. Best equipment Easter egg since Dumbledore's lighter in Blood of Shadows.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Mad props to whoever put the Bioshock Infinite skyhook into the Merry Outlaw section. Best equipment Easter egg since Dumbledore's lighter in Blood of Shadows.
Apparently I'm the equipment Easter Egg master—I pitched both of those items....
(I've actually never played Bioshock, but I'm glad that it managed to evoke something you're clearly passionate about!)
Apparently I'm the equipment Easter Egg master—I pitched both of those items....
That reminds me, you mentioned this on the podcast but it's rather cool that the zip-line hook has improvisation rules, was a nice little touch considering how often swashbucklers do it with just whatever is at hand (or Is their hand in the case of hook-handed pirates).
| 6 people marked this as a favorite. |
To be clear: we discourage Easter Eggs in our outlines. (Being inspired by something in another property is cool--attempting to sneak in explicit/exact references is not.)
You'd have to be familiar with the source material and very good at pattern recognition to spot them. The latter isn't a common attribute.
Pattern recognition is a design flaw. Just ask my dogs.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Also: Why oh why could they not have illustrated the evil killer psychopath clown?!
I believe it was because some people would not buy the book if they did.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Also: Why oh why could they not have illustrated the evil killer psychopath clown?!I believe it was because some people would not buy the book if they did.
We have pictures of all the characters, and they'll appear in the pawn box. When there were two choices, the art team chose the one that was the best fit for that page.
I'm just glad to have killer clowns from outer space.
I'm just glad to have killer clowns from outer space.
Paizo actually did this in the book? XD
Mad props to whoever put the Bioshock Infinite skyhook into the Merry Outlaw section.
Can you use it for melee attacks and grappling? :)
|
To be clear: we discourage Easter Eggs in our outlines. (Being inspired by something in another property is cool--attempting to sneak in explicit/exact references is not.)
That seems like a fine line, but I expect what you're really talking about if potential intellectual property infringement... which I don't think we're anywhere near with the equipment items in question.
That said, the most direct/obvious case of inspiration in this book is the Merry Outlaws clearly being patterned as an evil Robin Hood and his merry men... which has been public domain for a LONG time.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Just finished reading this book. My immediate reaction was "I want to play a Mirror Witch in Strange Aeons" so well done to whomever wrote that bit,
Over all, great presentation and great job with this product.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Also x2: Sure were a lot of high-level mesmerists in this one. I'm not complaining, mind. I get the feeling that class has some serious traction. It's by far my favorite occult class, for whatever that's worth.
I was actually just talking about this the other day with Code Switch's blogger, James—the mesmerist is basically the bad guy base class. Like, you don't have to be evil to play a mesmerist, but everything from the ability names to the class's flavor to the types of mechanics that the mesmerist uses (enchantments and illusions) just screams "bad guy."
As a result, it is VERY easy to envision a villainous organization with a mesmerist somewhere high up in the power chain, because the type of people who would be mesmerists are the type of people who would cause situations that heroes would want to thwart.
I noticed that as well. I was tempted to comment on it, but decided it was a feature rather than a bug. We even get the suggestion of multiple kinds of mesmerists: both the vizier "powers behind the throne" and the ringmaster "weaver of illusions and center of attention" are here, which is all I can really ask for.
Probably my only disappointment is that the unchained classes aren't used in this book, which I'm sure others have brought up as well.
Well, okay, second disappointment was that I would have statted the deadly courtesan as an investigator, but I can understand that this was the one chance you all had to show off that archetype.
And Chain Challenge plus Order of the Flame are absolute MUSTS for any Cavalier who is gonna be a combat monster.
OT question but what rulebook as the stats for the 'Order of the Flame'?
Thanks for that ref Luthorne.
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
|
| 6 people marked this as a favorite. |
So I was looking through my contributor copy that arrived this week and noticed that neither I nor anyone on the development side noticed that the final revelation for the ascetic mystery was missing. I just checked an earlier draft and it's in there, but not in the final turnover I sent back in January. I must've trimmed it out to make changes and never put it back in.
This is highly unofficial, so Mark, Stephen, Jason, Logan, or whomever should correct me on this. But, for GMs looking to use this mystery at their home tables, I intended the final revelation to function identical to the monk's perfect self ability. I'd recommend GMs use that as a rough patch until a more official answer comes.
Since there's no alignment restriction for the mystery the DR/chaotic part of Perfect Self doesn't seem perfectly apropos.
| 5 people marked this as a favorite. |
So I was looking through my contributor copy that arrived this week and noticed that neither I nor anyone on the development side noticed that the final revelation for the ascetic mystery was missing. I just checked an earlier draft and it's in there, but not in the final turnover I sent back in January. I must've trimmed it out to make changes and never put it back in.
This is highly unofficial, so Mark, Stephen, Jason, Logan, or whomever should correct me on this. But, for GMs looking to use this mystery at their home tables, I intended the final revelation to function identical to the monk's perfect self ability. I'd recommend GMs use that as a rough patch until a more official answer comes.
By convergence of design, I recommended perfect self as a stand-in at least for now earlier in this very thread.
I've read this one in the local bookstore, and it is a great piece of work. I love the horror story potential of that one ritual used by Nature's Scourge that turns people into beast-men, among other things.
The idea for PCs to get involved in fights where they'd have to choose the lesser evil against an even worse one is also a cool idea. Like supporting a community run by the Asmodeans against the Urgathoan cultists, Nature's Scourge, or one of the nastier kill-em-all groups in the book.
And the Ascetic oracle mystery is pretty darn amazing.
Also x2: Sure were a lot of high-level mesmerists in this one. I'm not complaining, mind. I get the feeling that class has some serious traction. It's by far my favorite occult class, for whatever that's worth.I was actually just talking about this the other day with Code Switch's blogger, James—the mesmerist is basically the bad guy base class. Like, you don't have to be evil to play a mesmerist, but everything from the ability names to the class's flavor to the types of mechanics that the mesmerist uses (enchantments and illusions) just screams "bad guy."
As a result, it is VERY easy to envision a villainous organization with a mesmerist somewhere high up in the power chain, because the type of people who would be mesmerists are the type of people who would cause situations that heroes would want to thwart.
Huh, and here I see the Mesmerist as a very good good-guy class if you want to stop people without killing or maiming them. Just charm/dominate/hold person them, and fight's over!
And I like the art of the mutagened-up alchemist with the slavers. I always wondered what feral mutagen looked like; I had this mental image of something like a jacked-up Larry Talbot Wolf Man. Guess I was wrong.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Also x2: Sure were a lot of high-level mesmerists in this one. I'm not complaining, mind. I get the feeling that class has some serious traction. It's by far my favorite occult class, for whatever that's worth.I was actually just talking about this the other day with Code Switch's blogger, James—the mesmerist is basically the bad guy base class. Like, you don't have to be evil to play a mesmerist, but everything from the ability names to the class's flavor to the types of mechanics that the mesmerist uses (enchantments and illusions) just screams "bad guy."
As a result, it is VERY easy to envision a villainous organization with a mesmerist somewhere high up in the power chain, because the type of people who would be mesmerists are the type of people who would cause situations that heroes would want to thwart.
Huh, and here I see the Mesmerist as a very good good-guy class if you want to stop people without killing or maiming them. Just charm/dominate/hold person them, and fight's over!
And I like the art of the mutagened-up alchemist with the slavers. I always wondered what feral mutagen looked like; I had this mental image of something like a jacked-up Larry Talbot Wolf Man. Guess I was wrong.
Mutagens are inherently unstable, morphic concoctions, so no reason it can't look different for different alchemists!
|
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4
|
By convergence of design, I recommended perfect self as a stand-in at least for now earlier in this very thread.So I was looking through my contributor copy that arrived this week and noticed that neither I nor anyone on the development side noticed that the final revelation for the ascetic mystery was missing. I just checked an earlier draft and it's in there, but not in the final turnover I sent back in January. I must've trimmed it out to make changes and never put it back in.
This is highly unofficial, so Mark, Stephen, Jason, Logan, or whomever should correct me on this. But, for GMs looking to use this mystery at their home tables, I intended the final revelation to function identical to the monk's perfect self ability. I'd recommend GMs use that as a rough patch until a more official answer comes.
You and I need to synchronize our psychic convergences to at least come before copyediting! :)
|
Crap, how did I not notice the final revelation for the Ascetic was missing?
Anyways I have other questions.
1.) How is the Vile Admiral getting all of this bonuses with the Cutlass? It's a slashing weapon and doesn't get any of his finesse bonuses from swashbucklers finesse, he lacks Slashing grace, and even if he had said feat it only works while wielding the weapon one handed. Am I missing something?
2.) The Cad in Secret Society can't wear heavy armor and lacks a feat to return his proficiency, so either his atk needs to be +11/+5 or their armor needs to be changed. Also, how does he and the Rake have 22 STR and 22 DEX respectively without having an enhanced stat array? Is this supposed to be the potions from before combat factored in and if so why isn't there a before buffs listing like with every other character like the barbarians, the experimenter, or the eminent spellqueen?
|
Two-Weapon Grace, p.224:
This feat allows Fencing Grace, Slashing Grace and Starry Grace to work with TWF. It even grants half dex mod to dmg with the off-hand. Was the intent to also allow Precise Strike swashbuckler ability? My opinion is yes, as this is clearly a swashbuckler oriented feat so all deeds should work with it, but I'm not sure my opinion is in accordance to the RAW.
I'm worried that the feat cuts off access to Precise Strike, which is one of the main swashbuckler deed.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Two-Weapon Grace, p.224:
This feat allows Fencing Grace, Slashing Grace and Starry Grace to work with TWF. It even grants half dex mod to dmg with the off-hand. Was the intent to also allow Precise Strike swashbuckler ability? My opinion is yes, as this is clearly a swashbuckler oriented feat so all deeds should work with it, but I'm not sure my opinion is in accordance to the RAW.
I'm worried that the feat cuts off access to Precise Strike, which is one of the main swashbuckler deed.
You add what the feat says, which does not include precise strike. Precise strike is a damage fixer for the low damage of the single-handed fighting style, so ideally we will never publish something to use it with other styles that already do higher damage like two-weapon fighting, archery, etc.
|
|
You add what the feat says, which does not include precise strike. Precise strike is a damage fixer for the low damage of the single-handed fighting style, so ideally we will never publish something to use it with other styles that already do higher damage like two-weapon fighting, archery, etc.Two-Weapon Grace, p.224:
This feat allows Fencing Grace, Slashing Grace and Starry Grace to work with TWF. It even grants half dex mod to dmg with the off-hand. Was the intent to also allow Precise Strike swashbuckler ability? My opinion is yes, as this is clearly a swashbuckler oriented feat so all deeds should work with it, but I'm not sure my opinion is in accordance to the RAW.
I'm worried that the feat cuts off access to Precise Strike, which is one of the main swashbuckler deed.
Darn! I will have to rely on the magnanimity of my GM here (home game) and hope his reading of the precise strike sentence, "cannot attack with a weapon in her other hand" interweaves well with the wording of blade and tankard fighting technique's sentence, "you can [...] in place of attacking with it"
:P
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
You add what the feat says, which does not include precise strike. Precise strike is a damage fixer for the low damage of the single-handed fighting style, so ideally we will never publish something to use it with other styles that already do higher damage like two-weapon fighting, archery, etc.Two-Weapon Grace, p.224:
This feat allows Fencing Grace, Slashing Grace and Starry Grace to work with TWF. It even grants half dex mod to dmg with the off-hand. Was the intent to also allow Precise Strike swashbuckler ability? My opinion is yes, as this is clearly a swashbuckler oriented feat so all deeds should work with it, but I'm not sure my opinion is in accordance to the RAW.
I'm worried that the feat cuts off access to Precise Strike, which is one of the main swashbuckler deed.
Funny. Just last week a feat was released that allows precise strike with two handed glaives :)
|
Funny. Just last week a feat was released that allows precise strike with two handed glaives :)You add what the feat says, which does not include precise strike. Precise strike is a damage fixer for the low damage of the single-handed fighting style, so ideally we will never publish something to use it with other styles that already do higher damage like two-weapon fighting, archery, etc.Two-Weapon Grace, p.224:
This feat allows Fencing Grace, Slashing Grace and Starry Grace to work with TWF. It even grants half dex mod to dmg with the off-hand. Was the intent to also allow Precise Strike swashbuckler ability? My opinion is yes, as this is clearly a swashbuckler oriented feat so all deeds should work with it, but I'm not sure my opinion is in accordance to the RAW.
I'm worried that the feat cuts off access to Precise Strike, which is one of the main swashbuckler deed.
He said styles, not weapons :3
Funny. Just last week a feat was released that allows precise strike with two handed glaives :)You add what the feat says, which does not include precise strike. Precise strike is a damage fixer for the low damage of the single-handed fighting style, so ideally we will never publish something to use it with other styles that already do higher damage like two-weapon fighting, archery, etc.Two-Weapon Grace, p.224:
This feat allows Fencing Grace, Slashing Grace and Starry Grace to work with TWF. It even grants half dex mod to dmg with the off-hand. Was the intent to also allow Precise Strike swashbuckler ability? My opinion is yes, as this is clearly a swashbuckler oriented feat so all deeds should work with it, but I'm not sure my opinion is in accordance to the RAW.
I'm worried that the feat cuts off access to Precise Strike, which is one of the main swashbuckler deed.
Hence "ideally"; there was also almost an archetype that added it to bows a while back.