paizo.com Recent Posts in Archade's Ongoing Playtest Reportspaizo.com Recent Posts in Archade's Ongoing Playtest Reports2009-10-16T16:57:58Z2009-10-16T16:57:58ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsXuttahhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#952009-04-20T19:38:01Z2009-04-20T19:38:00Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Archade wrote:</div><blockquote> The cleric •was• the guy at negative hit points! :) Poor Gavin ... I suggested a scroll of Breath of Life might be useful, considering there's a Factotum, Mystic Theurge, and a Beguiler with Uber-UMD in the party.</blockquote><p>Now that they're over that threshold and starting to get insta-kill spells lobbed at them, it's probably a good idea to make multiples.Archade wrote:The cleric *was* the guy at negative hit points! :) Poor Gavin ... I suggested a scroll of Breath of Life might be useful, considering there's a Factotum, Mystic Theurge, and a Beguiler with Uber-UMD in the party.
Now that they're over that threshold and starting to get insta-kill spells lobbed at them, it's probably a good idea to make multiples.Xuttah2009-04-20T19:38:00ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#942009-04-20T19:20:25Z2009-04-20T19:20:25Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Xuttah wrote:</div><blockquote> Are you using -10 or -Con as the benchmark for dead? The cleric might also want to consider Breath of Life if he's high enough level for it. </blockquote><p>The cleric •was• the guy at negative hit points! :) Poor Gavin ... I suggested a scroll of Breath of Life might be useful, considering there's a Factotum, Mystic Theurge, and a Beguiler with Uber-UMD in the party.
<p>His character had a Con of 11, if I recall correctly. He was just over the negative hit points needed to stay alive, and that was after a quick Close Wounds.</p>
<p>To answer the other poster's question, we had put a DC 30 Heal check could revive someone reduced to negative hit points as a house rule way back, and this is the first time it came into play.</p>Xuttah wrote:Are you using -10 or -Con as the benchmark for dead? The cleric might also want to consider Breath of Life if he's high enough level for it.
The cleric *was* the guy at negative hit points! :) Poor Gavin ... I suggested a scroll of Breath of Life might be useful, considering there's a Factotum, Mystic Theurge, and a Beguiler with Uber-UMD in the party. His character had a Con of 11, if I recall correctly. He was just over the negative hit points needed to stay alive, and that...Archade2009-04-20T19:20:25ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsXuttahhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#932009-04-20T13:58:29Z2009-04-20T13:58:25Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Archade wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
As well, we had a character reduced to -12 hit points, and I allowed a DC 30 Heal check to revive him at -9 hit points, within the same round, and it worked well.
<br />
</blockquote><p>Are you using -10 or -Con as the benchmark for dead? The cleric might also want to consider Breath of Life if he's high enough level for it.Archade wrote:As well, we had a character reduced to -12 hit points, and I allowed a DC 30 Heal check to revive him at -9 hit points, within the same round, and it worked well.
Are you using -10 or -Con as the benchmark for dead? The cleric might also want to consider Breath of Life if he's high enough level for it.Xuttah2009-04-20T13:58:25ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsSeeker of skybreakhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#922009-04-20T06:55:59Z2009-04-20T06:55:58Z<p>Is your DC for saving a dead PC based off something such as level? Or did you make it a flat DC 30 heal check from all levels 1 - 20</p>Is your DC for saving a dead PC based off something such as level? Or did you make it a flat DC 30 heal check from all levels 1 - 20Seeker of skybreak2009-04-20T06:55:58ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#912009-04-20T02:58:37Z2009-04-20T02:58:37Z<p>Tonight’s playtest had the intrepid heroes pushing deeper into Amberwall Castle. They fought a horrible undead lord festooned in scrolls inscribed with foul runes, and explored the depths of the Star Tower, losing their sinister allies to to keeper of the Star Tower. They went below, and fought the foul underground gugs, and upon seeing the holy sword Serithial were set upon by a foul twisted guardian of the sword …</p>
<p>Tonight the mummy lord used slay living, and I have to say the spell seemed very weak to me, a 5th level spell doing 30-40 hit points of damage from a 10th level caster.</p>
<p>As well, we had a character reduced to -12 hit points, and I allowed a DC 30 Heal check to revive him at -9 hit points, within the same round, and it worked well.</p>Tonight’s playtest had the intrepid heroes pushing deeper into Amberwall Castle. They fought a horrible undead lord festooned in scrolls inscribed with foul runes, and explored the depths of the Star Tower, losing their sinister allies to to keeper of the Star Tower. They went below, and fought the foul underground gugs, and upon seeing the holy sword Serithial were set upon by a foul twisted guardian of the sword …
Tonight the mummy lord used slay living, and I have to say the spell seemed...Archade2009-04-20T02:58:37ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#902009-03-16T19:16:31Z2009-03-16T19:16:31Z<p>So, our intrepid adventurers fought their way deeper into Amberwall, making their way to the upper level of the castle, and after fighting the Chained Spirit, beating a hasty retreat. They realized that there are four spirit anchors that need to be destroyed or released, and found one up on the third floor. Zellara's song suddenly makes sense to them, and they have newfound purpose ...</p>
<p>In our playtest this week, not a lot came up ... the evil NPC cleric tagging along with them has been utterly useless with his Channel Negative Energy, and negative levels scare the heck out of the players (although I was using a similar mechanic for permanent negative levels pre-Pathfinder).</p>
<p>The poor cleric with the Int of 7 is still upset that concentration checks are done with Spellcraft (an Int-based skill), although he was somewhat mollified when I told him one of the things Jason was considering was a Will save.</p>
<p>And our beguiler has taken the prestige class Shadowcraft Mage, and is using a shadow evocation version of Celestial Brilliance from BoED to weaken the undead ... duration 1 day/level?!?! Wow ...</p>So, our intrepid adventurers fought their way deeper into Amberwall, making their way to the upper level of the castle, and after fighting the Chained Spirit, beating a hasty retreat. They realized that there are four spirit anchors that need to be destroyed or released, and found one up on the third floor. Zellara's song suddenly makes sense to them, and they have newfound purpose ...
In our playtest this week, not a lot came up ... the evil NPC cleric tagging along with them has been...Archade2009-03-16T19:16:31ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#892009-03-10T14:31:18Z2009-03-10T14:31:18Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Xuttah wrote:</div><blockquote> <div class="messageboard-quotee">Archade wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
Also another weirdness – a cleric who gives off a burst of positive energy while invisible stays invisible, unless there’s a foe in range, in which case he becomes visible. It’s weird … okay, but weird … </blockquote>Not sure I follow you on this one. Is that because it does damage to undead it counters the invisibility? What if the targets were living and not excluded with selective channeling? </blockquote><p>The way invisibility reads, even if a foe is affected (including healing them), POOF you are visible. If you use selective channelling, and don't target or area affect a 'foe', you are not.
<p>Like I said, weird ...</p>Xuttah wrote:Archade wrote:
Also another weirdness – a cleric who gives off a burst of positive energy while invisible stays invisible, unless there’s a foe in range, in which case he becomes visible. It’s weird … okay, but weird …
Not sure I follow you on this one. Is that because it does damage to undead it counters the invisibility? What if the targets were living and not excluded with selective channeling? The way invisibility reads, even if a foe is affected (including healing them),...Archade2009-03-10T14:31:18ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsXuttahhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#882009-03-10T14:05:55Z2009-03-10T14:05:55Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Archade wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
Also another weirdness – a cleric who gives off a burst of positive energy while invisible stays invisible, unless there’s a foe in range, in which case he becomes visible. It’s weird … okay, but weird … </blockquote><p>Not sure I follow you on this one. Is that because it does damage to undead it counters the invisibility? What if the targets were living and not excluded with selective channeling?Archade wrote:Also another weirdness – a cleric who gives off a burst of positive energy while invisible stays invisible, unless there’s a foe in range, in which case he becomes visible. It’s weird … okay, but weird …
Not sure I follow you on this one. Is that because it does damage to undead it counters the invisibility? What if the targets were living and not excluded with selective channeling?Xuttah2009-03-10T14:05:55ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#872009-03-10T01:25:53Z2009-03-10T01:25:52Z<p>So, this session, the group was minded to travel to Amberwall, far to the north. They travelled overland to Oriador, and while they sought to commission or purchase a skiff to take them across Bael’s Deep, they were approached by Larendarae and Sial, both of the Church of Bolthamogg and known to them from prior events. They grudgingly agreed to travel north, and attempt to force their way into Amberwall in search of the sword Serithial. They forced their way through the gatehouse, across the causeway, and have now entered the haunted halls …</p>
<p>The characters leveled up to 9th level, and the party’s spiked chain fighter thought Disruptive was a great feat to take (we’ll see how it plays in).</p>
<p>Through the session, there was an issue where the invisible cleric/barbarian was shot while summoning a monster, and had to make a Spellcraft check – it wasn’t easy for him with his 7 Int and a lack of ranks in the skill.</p>
<p>Also another weirdness – a cleric who gives off a burst of positive energy while invisible stays invisible, unless there’s a foe in range, in which case he becomes visible. It’s weird … okay, but weird …</p>So, this session, the group was minded to travel to Amberwall, far to the north. They travelled overland to Oriador, and while they sought to commission or purchase a skiff to take them across Bael’s Deep, they were approached by Larendarae and Sial, both of the Church of Bolthamogg and known to them from prior events. They grudgingly agreed to travel north, and attempt to force their way into Amberwall in search of the sword Serithial. They forced their way through the gatehouse, across the...Archade2009-03-10T01:25:52ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#862009-02-17T03:03:36Z2009-02-17T03:03:36Z<p>So we finished up our adventure in the Theld ash wastes, with the adventuring heroes successfully defending Flameford and the Kozan-Mar against the predations of the Red Wraith assassins and the Ashwalker Gargoyles that were their allies. They were celebrated as members of the Marek, and were told the secrets of their ancestors, and now prepare to journey to the fallen keep of Amberwall on the borders of the Lands of the Black Ice to discover what they can about the Verddraaken hero Mandravius, and the sword Serithial.</p>
<p>In this session, the only thing that came up is the use of the spells Shadow Conjuration and Shadow Evocation – one of the party members (a beguiler/shadowcraft mage) laid out his new abilities to use Shadow Conjuration and Shadow Evocation, and some of the spells he duplicates as Pathfinder writes about it don’t work the way they should – while the shadow spells mimic other spells, no where does it specificially say the shadow spell gains the types or subtypes of the mimicked spell, which it should. After all, a shadow fireball does effectively do fire damage, which a salamander would be immune to. A mimicked evil spell that causes suffering and pain is still evil. I would suggest the wording of these two spells specifically say that types and subtypes match the mimicked spell.</p>
<p>Between sessions, some of the party members may be crafting magic items, and we'll see how the Craft DC goes, and if any cursed items are created ...</p>So we finished up our adventure in the Theld ash wastes, with the adventuring heroes successfully defending Flameford and the Kozan-Mar against the predations of the Red Wraith assassins and the Ashwalker Gargoyles that were their allies. They were celebrated as members of the Marek, and were told the secrets of their ancestors, and now prepare to journey to the fallen keep of Amberwall on the borders of the Lands of the Black Ice to discover what they can about the Verddraaken hero...Archade2009-02-17T03:03:36ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#852009-02-09T03:30:27Z2009-02-09T03:30:26Z<p>So we finished up our session this weekend, and continued to adventure in the Theld ash wastes. They successfully completed the Trial of the Totem, and returned to the Kozan-Mar village as members of the clan. However, there is a commotion as the Red Wraith assassins and their ashwalker gargoyles attack the village. </p>
<p>We did play two weeks ago, and dealt with the trial of Cindermaw (which was, ultimately, a single casting of Charm Monster …). In that session, I set up an encounter to really use Ride a lot. A few questions came up – should there be the equivalent of a Concentration check to use Channel Energy on a galloping horse? Should purple worm poison be DC 26 and 1 Str damage per round? How do you pass an object to a willing ally (see my previous post on that).</p>
<p>Two new players joined our group this latest session, playing a half-elf paladin and a human fighter – the players brought characters with multiclassed characters, and were a bit shocked to see their base class abilities were weakened compared to straight classed characters. Culture shock … the paladin build one player brought had the prestige class (Outcast Champion) draw on turn attempts, which are now drawn on smite attempts, making it very suboptimal, but other than that...</p>
<p>In the totem trial, the party wizard decided to use rope trick to tie up the totem and hold it upright – my gods, the only time Use Rope would have ever come in handy in a D&D campaign I’ve run in 20 years, now it comes up running Pathfinder!! I ended up using Craft (architecture) or a Dex check (whatever was higher).</p>
<p>Aside from that, the regular observations I’ve made in the past – smite evil, tumble, etc., etc., etc. Nothing really new to comment on.</p>
<p>Next session, they deal with the Cinderlander facing against Krojun Eats-What-He-Kills, over the tribal War Council Fire …</p>So we finished up our session this weekend, and continued to adventure in the Theld ash wastes. They successfully completed the Trial of the Totem, and returned to the Kozan-Mar village as members of the clan. However, there is a commotion as the Red Wraith assassins and their ashwalker gargoyles attack the village.
We did play two weeks ago, and dealt with the trial of Cindermaw (which was, ultimately, a single casting of Charm Monster …). In that session, I set up an encounter to really...Archade2009-02-09T03:30:26ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsXuttahhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#842008-12-15T20:09:16Z2008-12-15T20:09:15Z<p>I can smell the angst from here.</p>I can smell the angst from here.Xuttah2008-12-15T20:09:15ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#832008-12-15T20:06:23Z2008-12-15T20:06:23Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Xuttah wrote:</div><blockquote> Only because Blackjack is a member of the party now. ;) </blockquote><p>Ah, yes, the reluctant hero. Jibben is still carrying around the bag of holding with the Blackjack gear in it, pondering if he should wear it ... maybe when he returns to Goethe ...Xuttah wrote:Only because Blackjack is a member of the party now. ;)
Ah, yes, the reluctant hero. Jibben is still carrying around the bag of holding with the Blackjack gear in it, pondering if he should wear it ... maybe when he returns to Goethe ...Archade2008-12-15T20:06:23ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsXuttahhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#822008-12-15T20:01:32Z2008-12-15T20:01:31Z<p>Only because Blackjack is a member of the party now. ;)</p>Only because Blackjack is a member of the party now. ;)Xuttah2008-12-15T20:01:31ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#812008-12-15T19:48:01Z2008-12-15T19:48:01Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Xuttah wrote:</div><blockquote> so, 1d8 plus 286 damage, eh? :) </blockquote><p>Not quite so bad ... :) She was dealing 1d8+17 damage against the render per hit, while the beguiler(!?!) totally immobilized the creature with a confusion spell.
<p>I swear, they are actually becoming competent! :P</p>Xuttah wrote:so, 1d8 plus 286 damage, eh? :)
Not quite so bad ... :) She was dealing 1d8+17 damage against the render per hit, while the beguiler(!?!) totally immobilized the creature with a confusion spell. I swear, they are actually becoming competent! :PArchade2008-12-15T19:48:01ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsXuttahhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#802008-12-15T19:42:38Z2008-12-15T19:42:37Z<p>so, 1d8 plus 286 damage, eh? :)</p>so, 1d8 plus 286 damage, eh? :)Xuttah2008-12-15T19:42:37ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#792008-12-15T19:28:22Z2008-12-15T19:28:21Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Xuttah wrote:</div><blockquote> <div class="messageboard-quotee">Archade wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS – Overhand Chop was a new feat taken by the party’s knight, and it worked to good effect. </blockquote>Out of curiousity, what weapon did she use? </blockquote><p>The character Deedri finally swapped out her +1 human bane rapier (giving it to Varo, the factotum) for a +2 axiomatic longsword she found (although it may have a teeeeeeensie little curse) and against the gray render decided to drop her shield and start to use her longsword two-handed ...Xuttah wrote:Archade wrote:
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS – Overhand Chop was a new feat taken by the party’s knight, and it worked to good effect.
Out of curiousity, what weapon did she use? The character Deedri finally swapped out her +1 human bane rapier (giving it to Varo, the factotum) for a +2 axiomatic longsword she found (although it may have a teeeeeeensie little curse) and against the gray render decided to drop her shield and start to use her longsword two-handed ...Archade2008-12-15T19:28:21ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsXuttahhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#782008-12-15T19:23:10Z2008-12-15T19:23:08Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Archade wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS – Overhand Chop was a new feat taken by the party’s knight, and it worked to good effect. </blockquote><p>Out of curiousity, what weapon did she use?Archade wrote:GENERAL OBSERVATIONS – Overhand Chop was a new feat taken by the party’s knight, and it worked to good effect.
Out of curiousity, what weapon did she use?Xuttah2008-12-15T19:23:08ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#772008-12-15T01:06:51Z2008-12-15T01:06:48Z<p>So we continued our playtest campaign, returning to our ongoing campaign, which is a variant of COTCT. We saw the departure of 2 players, and the joining of 1 new player this session, and 2 new players our coming next session. </p>
<p>Our new player wanted to play a mystic theurge, so he rolled up a wizard 3 / archivist 3 / mystic theurge 2. He chose the 24d6 pool of dice method of generation, which went very well again (he got one 18, and other stats down to 11). One question came up … as a generalist wizard 2, he gets a bonus 1st-level spell — is that one spell that remains the same from then on, or does it mean he can memorize one bonus 1st level spell, which he gets multiple times per day, but can re-choose each day? The language in this section seems vague. As well, he took an improved familiar pseudodragon, and I was very happy to see the tweaks that have been done to familiars, but if familiars get to use their master’s base saves, skill ranks, and half their hit points, shouldn’t they share their master’s feats?</p>
<p>They proceeded on to explore the Acropolis of the Conjurer Drawmij, and finished looking about, finding the levitation chamber and went below to gain the Waymakers Mark of the Silver Queen. Afterwards, they went on to the Moon Clan’s lands, and after dealing with an ash waste creature (an advanced abyssal gray render!), gained the gratitude and hospitality of the Moon Clan. Eventually, they met with their Truthspeaker, and made preparation to go forth and seek out Cindermaw…</p>
<p>GENERAL OBSERVATIONS – Overhand Chop was a new feat taken by the party’s knight, and it worked to good effect. Several magic items were identified, and I still believe the DC of Appriase should be increased by 5, as it is far to easy as-is. As well, when Identify is used to Appraise a clutch of loot, we found that one Appraise roll used for all items targeted by the one use of the spell worked well.</p>So we continued our playtest campaign, returning to our ongoing campaign, which is a variant of COTCT. We saw the departure of 2 players, and the joining of 1 new player this session, and 2 new players our coming next session.
Our new player wanted to play a mystic theurge, so he rolled up a wizard 3 / archivist 3 / mystic theurge 2. He chose the 24d6 pool of dice method of generation, which went very well again (he got one 18, and other stats down to 11). One question came up … as a...Archade2008-12-15T01:06:48ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#762008-12-08T16:29:20Z2008-12-08T16:29:19Z<p>So, our ongoing playtest continued with the second part of a one-shot adventure, with new players to our group. In this session, the characters continued to investigate the mystery of Salvator Scream’s paintings coming to live and slaying key nobles in Old Goethe.</p>
<p>In this session, the party fought an Invisible Stalker, and in the encounter I noticed a discrepancy in the rules – in the rules for blindness, the blind character strikes a random square, where in fighting an invisible foe, even if a character hasn’t targeted the opponent, they can pick a likely square to fight into. What specifically happened in our encounter was the sorcerer’s pseudodragon familiar used its blindsense to locate the invisible stalker, communicated it to the sorcerer, and the sorcerer was shouting out locations. I would think that unless someone made their DC 20 Perception check, they would attack a ‘random square’ next to them, to remove some metagaming from fighting an invisible foe, but I’m not overly worried or passionate about this, it’s just an observation. Using Perception as a consolidated skill was nice though, because it rolled listening or spotting an invisible foe into one neat, tidy roll.</p>
<p>The party also encountered an animated rope, and the chances of being grappled by the rope were so remote as to be a waste of time. I still strongly believe that the target DC for a combat maneuver such as grapple should be a variant of AC, and not the opponent’s CMB +15…</p>
<p>Backhand Swing continued to be an effective tool (but please change the name – see my previous post).</p>
<p>We came across a situation where the party wizard had to cast a spell defensively while engaged with an NPC rogue. Rather than use Spellcraft DC 10 + spell level as a ‘concentration check’, I tried DC 15 + opponent’s BAB, as it has been bandied about on the Pathfinder boards before. It injected a sense of fear and unknown into the game that made the encounter more exciting.</p>So, our ongoing playtest continued with the second part of a one-shot adventure, with new players to our group. In this session, the characters continued to investigate the mystery of Salvator Scream’s paintings coming to live and slaying key nobles in Old Goethe.
In this session, the party fought an Invisible Stalker, and in the encounter I noticed a discrepancy in the rules – in the rules for blindness, the blind character strikes a random square, where in fighting an invisible foe, even...Archade2008-12-08T16:29:19ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#752008-12-01T01:44:13Z2008-12-01T01:44:11Z<p>So, since our regular game night is in flux with me moving, I decided to run a one-off in our game with a group of new players. </p>
<p>I told everyone to roll up new characters, and they did. Most chose to use the 4d6, keep the best 3 method, but one of the players took me up on my offer to use the 24d6 pool method previously posted by a brilliant soul on the Paizo boards, and it worked very well – I highly encourage you to include them in the final edition of the rules.</p>
<p>So we ended up with an elf barbarian 8, two human fighter 8s, a (homebrew race, effectively a half-githyanki) rogue 8, a human sorcerer 8, a human wizard 8, a (homebrew race, effectively a quarter-lycanthrope) cleric 7 / barbarian 1, and a dwarven cleric 8, for a total of 8 players. Quite the crowd!</p>
<p>The adventure went really well, fighting slithering arcane octopi, making their way through Old Goethe, with liberal use of Diplomacy and Knowledge (local) checks. The octopi had improved grab, and it wasn’t horribly effective, but I still think the DC should be a variant of touch AC (a Maneuver AC), and I’ve posted elsewhere on that.</p>
<p>With two barbarians we did test-run the rage powers, and the Animal Fury power works well as a swift action, allowing a ‘mini-pounce’, with a move, attack, and the Animal Fury bite.</p>
<p>We got through a number of encounters, and finished half-way through the adventure, and hopefully we will finish the session next Sunday.</p>
<p>RECOMMENDATIONS – Our local rogue lamented the loss of Intelligence affecting Search, since Wisdom affects Perception. I’d recommend creating a feat in the style of Intimidating Prowess (let’s call it Cunning Eye), allowing characters with this feat to add their Intelligence modifier to Perception checks, in addition to their Wisdom.</p>
<p>Backhand Swing worked marvelously well, and it had a brutal effect on our 8th level game, allowing a character to hand out over 29 points of damage on one shot. Wow! But it needs a better name (Crushing Swing?)</p>So, since our regular game night is in flux with me moving, I decided to run a one-off in our game with a group of new players.
I told everyone to roll up new characters, and they did. Most chose to use the 4d6, keep the best 3 method, but one of the players took me up on my offer to use the 24d6 pool method previously posted by a brilliant soul on the Paizo boards, and it worked very well – I highly encourage you to include them in the final edition of the rules.
So we ended up with an elf...Archade2008-12-01T01:44:11ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#742008-11-13T14:16:55Z2008-11-13T14:16:55Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">lastknightleft wrote:</div><blockquote> Well the cha bonus to hit has always been a good thing, but the fact that power attack deals more damage than smite bugs me how does he feel about it? LoH is awesome now, but I note he used lay on hands and not channel. </blockquote><p>Well, I reminded the paladin that his smite wasn't the uber-extra-dice-smite, and he said it was important to drop these guys, and he would get his +8 damage on 2 attacks this round, and 2 attack next round. It was an effective bonus, and took out the already wounded assassin where a non-smite would not.
<p>He couldn't use channel, because it would have healed the assassins as well. They were mixed in well with the rest of the group.</p>lastknightleft wrote:Well the cha bonus to hit has always been a good thing, but the fact that power attack deals more damage than smite bugs me how does he feel about it? LoH is awesome now, but I note he used lay on hands and not channel.
Well, I reminded the paladin that his smite wasn't the uber-extra-dice-smite, and he said it was important to drop these guys, and he would get his +8 damage on 2 attacks this round, and 2 attack next round. It was an effective bonus, and took out the...Archade2008-11-13T14:16:55ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest Reportslastknightlefthttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#732008-11-13T13:50:00Z2008-11-13T13:49:22Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Archade wrote:</div><blockquote><br />
<br />
In our playtest, we ran into a few paladin playtest items – lay on hands was used to save the party cleric who got caught in the crossfire of several assassins. The smite evil was used, and with the non-uber smite, the 9th level paladin rolled to hit the assassin, and the +3 Cha modifier made the difference to hit, and the paladin then rolled damage with his greatsword of 2d6 +26 (+6 str, +12 power attack, +8 smite).</blockquote><p>Well the cha bonus to hit has always been a good thing, but the fact that power attack deals more damage than smite bugs me how does he feel about it? LoH is awesome now, but I note he used lay on hands and not channel.Archade wrote:In our playtest, we ran into a few paladin playtest items – lay on hands was used to save the party cleric who got caught in the crossfire of several assassins. The smite evil was used, and with the non-uber smite, the 9th level paladin rolled to hit the assassin, and the +3 Cha modifier made the difference to hit, and the paladin then rolled damage with his greatsword of 2d6 +26 (+6 str, +12 power attack, +8 smite).
Well the cha bonus to hit has always been a good thing, but...lastknightleft2008-11-13T13:49:22ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsArchadehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#722008-11-13T05:15:12Z2008-11-13T05:15:10Z<p>Tonight, our intrepid adventurers went into the Theld, met with the Merak-Mar Clan and through a sredna match, won the respect of Krojun Eats-What-He-Kills. After that, at the advice of Takar Thousand Bones, they trekked through the ash wastes to the edge of the Firecrown Uplands, and found the Acropolis of the Conjurer, once home to Drawmij. Inside, they battled Red Wraith Assassins and tentacles of a horrible beast below. They retreated to a room, and are briefly resting there.</p>
<p>In our playtest, we ran into a few paladin playtest items – lay on hands was used to save the party cleric who got caught in the crossfire of several assassins. The smite evil was used, and with the non-uber smite, the 9th level paladin rolled to hit the assassin, and the +3 Cha modifier made the difference to hit, and the paladin then rolled damage with his greatsword of 2d6 +26 (+6 str, +12 power attack, +8 smite).</p>
<p>The assassins used their acrobatics to try to tumble past the party, and the 15 + BAB caused them to fail after their third or fourth target, which seems reasonable.</p>
<p>The havero tentacles grappled some summoned crocodiles in the pool, and when I gave them +2 to their CMB for Improved Grab, they grappled them 80% of the time, squishing them with their constrict ability in 2 rounds.</p>
<p>Lastly, the party factotum finally converted his skills over to Pathfinder, and in most cases the skills were equal to the old list, with the small exception that his +16 Search was now a +12 Perception.</p>Tonight, our intrepid adventurers went into the Theld, met with the Merak-Mar Clan and through a sredna match, won the respect of Krojun Eats-What-He-Kills. After that, at the advice of Takar Thousand Bones, they trekked through the ash wastes to the edge of the Firecrown Uplands, and found the Acropolis of the Conjurer, once home to Drawmij. Inside, they battled Red Wraith Assassins and tentacles of a horrible beast below. They retreated to a room, and are briefly resting there.
In our...Archade2008-11-13T05:15:10ZRe: Forums: Playtest Reports: Archade's Ongoing Playtest ReportsXuttahhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs2iocy&page=2?Archades-Ongoing-Playtest-Reports#712008-11-05T04:57:17Z2008-11-05T04:57:17Z<p>Will I get to do my Darth Vader grip on anyone? ;)</p>Will I get to do my Darth Vader grip on anyone? ;)Xuttah2008-11-05T04:57:17Z