Archade's Playtest #2


Alpha Release 1 General Discussion

Dark Archive

Okay, so we played our second session of a variant of the Curse of the Crimson Throne, and while the Pathfinder rules did not overly impact our game, a couple minor issues came up.

First, the players (all still 1st level) battled a rampaging otyugh. The otyugh’s improved grab and subsequent grapple attempts were totally ineffective. An otyugh only has a CMB of +4 or +5 with it’s low strength and reduced size modifier, so while it was manageable for the 1st level PCs, the improved grab (it’s only real gimmick) was totally ineffective. It got the base grab, so the PCs couldn’t go anywhere, but they were totally unhampered by hacking at it with swords. The poor thing only lasted 4 rounds. As well, how should a grabbed character be handled on future rounds for constrict damage? I ruled that since they were grabbed, constrict damage was automatic (seemed only fair, since the otyugh had tied up its tentacles to hold 2 pcs). It reduced the CR4 creature way down in power.

OBSERVATION: I think that the grapple in the case of monsters has been toned down too much. Either give critters with Improved Grab a +2 to their CMB, or take the size modifier to Large to be +2. As well, grapple needs to be fleshed out to explain situations like improved grab, or damage from a grapple.

Also, the party cleric started getting the hang of unlimited orisons, and started throwing guidance on everyone he could.

The party attempted to identify the magic silver dagger on the table from Verik, and with Zellara’s Harrow deck, the 1st level duskblade had a +19 to identify the dagger. They rolled remarkably well (a total of 32), and being the astute players they are, realized they could identify up to a 17th level caster magic item. While the story plot point was kept, it seems a little easy for a 1st level character to identify pretty much anything in the game with a mediocre roll and a 1st level spell.

OBSERVATION: I think rather than Appraise DC 15 + caster level to identify a magic item, it should be DC 25 + caster level, or something on that level of difficulty.

Anyway, that's my playtest feedback for that session ...

Sovereign Court

Um can't they already identify a 17th level magic item with one casting of a first level spell? I mean identify as written in the PHB gives you everything no matter the level. So the fact that there is now a failure chance, and as you said, the player rolled high. what if she had rolled a three?

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16

I'm curious how the 1st level duskblade had a +19 to his appraise check. With a 20 ability score, the most I can figure out is max ranks 4 + stat bonus 5 + 3 for trained skill + 2 for approrpiate feat that gives +2 to two skills for a total of +14. What am I missing?

Liberty's Edge

Identify grants a +10 bonus on the check, so +19 is really not that hard to get.

Sovereign Court

I don't even remember identify on the duskblades spell list

Dark Archive

That is because they don't. Not according to the PHB 2.

They get read magic, but not identify.

Dark Archive

lastknightleft wrote:
I don't even remember identify on the duskblades spell list

It's not ... they have the magic item Zellara's Harrow Deck, which can be used for Identify 3/day (which means as they level up, they'll be able to identify almost everything, becuase the deck has a CL of 10, so each use of identify can be used to id up to 10 items, as the spell is currently worded).

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