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Since this mechanic isn't SRD, it will be important to describe compelling NPCs and their organizations for DMs to backfill this part. The affiliations are one of my favorite things about STAP.
Same here however I don't understand how WoTC could own this part of DnD. I would think they would own the rights to the affliations that they came up with in STAP, PHB2...
Shouldn't you be able to use affliations...just change the mechanics of it a bit?
lol.. feel free to use this one then... and add a magazine to my order if you feel like paying me ;)
Anyway,
Group Membership
How to enter, who can enter
Fees/duties
Rank: And benefits accordingly. Both static, and also evolving ones.. for every 5 ranks in "Bahamuts slayers of Tiamat" you get +1 to bab and dmg against evil dragons.
General benefits, what kinds of potions/scrolls are available.. and at what cost. Can perhaps certain services be acquired almost free? Like perhaps a bound DAO serving for a week (wall of stone -at will), for the "castle builders association".
(pst, as a high level wizard i would enchant a ring of dao or other such tool, just for really cheap castle building.. and give it away for 300 days of the year, especially if that meant there were HUNDREDS of such castles, with men at arms to keep me safe, warm baths & fresh food around the world willing to give me shelter as a full and honored member of the castle builders association (as the builder of this one used my "ring" too) ;) )
The general vibe on affiliations has been that they're hard to use and in many cases feel tacked on. Trying to come up with fast and quick rules for what are often vast and varied organizations more often than not just seems a little too convenient. So, if we do rules for affiliations, they'll probably be another take of our own design.
But that's just mechanics wise. As early on as volume 1 of Pathfinder you'll get to meet the Pathfinders, a group of explorers, archeologists, big game hunters, treasure seekers, tomb raiders, scoundrels, and adventurers. This society might be best described as our world's answer to the Seekers or the Harpers, and they'll be fully fleshed out with details on who the Pathfinders are, where to meet them, how to join, what benefits members enjoy, etc, etc, all fleshed out by our own good doctor Erik Mona. The Pathfinders will appear frequently, both in Pathfinder (in the “Pathfinder’s Journal” every month) and in GameMastery Modules, so there will be ample chances to learn more about them—but even more often, there will be chances to learn more about our world from learned agents of the far-traveling society.
Will this be a PrC to join? Or will this just be an organization the players can be a part of and rise in the ranks of?
My players love the affliations. That way they can still build their character the way they want level wise, and can still join organizations they are interested in.
affiliations recreated with another name.
But as some affiliations have prc:s.. why not ;)
I wonder if I could make an affiliation tracker on my site...Hmmm...
Creative Director
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Will this be a PrC to join? Or will this just be an organization the players can be a part of and rise in the ranks of?
My players love the affliations. That way they can still build their character the way they want level wise, and can still join organizations they are interested in.
The Pathfinders is an organization. I'm sure they've got specialized prestige classes in their ranks. But we can't open the floodgates all the way on EVERYthing at once with Pathfinder; there's just no room.
It's a good thing we'll be doing another Pathfinder book every month! :)
The general vibe on affiliations has been that they're hard to use and in many cases feel tacked on.
I agree here. I never liked the way that ranks worked with affiliations: A numerical score of that type shouldn't let me leap to being the leader of an organization the instant I join it. I love having organizations fleshed out, but affliation scores seem /too/ mechanical.
As much as some people love affiliations I've had a problem with the mechanics since the concept was first introduced. I don't think the rules on affiliations hold up in long term play or make sense under direct and thoughtful scrutiny.
In other words I'd like to see what alternative Paizo comes up with. It might be better than the current affiliations rules.
I don't think there really has to be an affiliations mechanic. That makes joining an organization a bit too, well, mechanical. If you do a good writeup of an affiliation, it should give the DM everything he needs to portray the organization's public reputation in the campaign world and to roleplay PCs' interactions with members, attempts to join, rises in the hierarchy (if one exists), etc. I don't need anything telling me that you get 1 point for this action and 3 points for that action. Just give me a list of what looks good on the PC's resume and what looks bad, and I can take it from there.
it still is a xp and level advancement related system and thinking.. so some kind of advancement aside from social graces are necessary..
As far as I know the Pathfinders are an organization similiar to the Harpers, Seekers and Wayfinders. But does it have any tendencies regarding alignment? IMHO For example the Harpers tend to good, the Seekers to evil and the Wayfinders are for the most part neutral (of course dramatically simplified). So do the Pathfinders tend to good? Could there be some traitorous individuals within their ranks? What class is the typical member?
Oh to wait until August/September is so hard!
easy dont wait then so hard.
Im pretty sure JJ and others will be sweating and working their fingers to the bones in the few weeks before checking every little detail ;)
You shouldnt worry, you are the customer :D
Side note: Lilith - just checked out your DM Tools site.
Awesome! I have started another DM Tools site here:
http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/community/gaming/dnd/dMToolsSites& page=1#183688
(Sorry, don't know how to do links on these boards ;)).
Please take a look Lilith (and anyone else interested).
Sorry for sidetracking.