Creative Director
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Ooooooh, just thought of something.
Will there ever be a 'War of the Monsters' module in a campaign, where the PCs must discover/recover/create their own 'Kajiu' creatures to counter the Spawn of Rovagug, whom are coming together towards the Pit of Rovarug in a ritual led by the followers of the Unruly Beast to break his chains once and for all.
PCs get swept up as the smallest, least worthy of the Spawn rampages through the town they are in before being brought down and 'sealed' by an elite, shadowy group. PCs end up being grabbed as well for a variety of reasons, and find a Venerable Elf is the leader, who witnessed the Tarrasque destroy his family as a child and has devoted the considerable span of his years (advanced even further by powerful magic) to finding a way to destroy the Spawn.
Can see some epic encounters where the PCs are battling 'normal' enemies and are also having to keep an eye out for the Spawn, and other Kaiju, that are fighting in the background. Battles could include the PCs having to dodge the raining debris, or the flailing limbs of the Kaiju even as they deal with the insane Cultists whom are using magical artefacts to draw the Spawn together, against their instincts.
PCs find the rare materials needed to empower Gargantuan Golemns, befriending ancient protectors, magically dominating savage monsters to be used as living War Engines and always striving against the Spawn and the insane Cult of the Beast to prevent the Spawn closing in on Rovagug's Prison to engage in a terrifying battle of Survival of the Deadliest, wherein the surviving Spawn will assimilate the fallen, descend to the Pit and devour the chains that bind Rovagug, freeing the Unruly Beast to ravage the world once again.
We've done an AP already with Rovagug spawn...
...so we're unlikely to do much more with them anytime soon. And since monsters the size of kaiju don't really work well with a game where the largest monster fits in a 30 by 30 foot square... it'd be tricky.
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Creative Director
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I was shocked at the price, until I saw the page count and the artist listing. I really want, but I might have to wait till tax return next year. Or live on ramen noodles and water for a few months...And my ginormous H. P. Lovecraft art book is pretty awesome.Ordered!
It's an incredible book. It's also expensive. But it's easily the LARGEST and HEAVIEST book I own.
How do you get any work done answering all these questions?
Would we see more products if we all just shut up?
Edit: how do we know it's james actually answering the questions and not his homonoculous??
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Creative Director
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How do you get any work done answering all these questions?
Would we see more products if we all just shut up?
Edit: how do we know it's james actually answering the questions and not his homonoculous??
I answer the questions on this board either when I'm not at work, or when I need a short break from staring at stat blocks or deciphering how to fix a broken adventure plotline. You would NOT see more products if this thread went away. That type of thing would require either more employees, or more madness on our scheduling side of things.
As for whether or not I'm a homunculus or not... the answers get provided either way, so does that even matter?
I hope not!
I think we should do a thread a opposite of this....where James Jacob(or any designer for that matter...) ask us questions. Do you think this is a good idea?
It is really unfair of us to ask all the question and not let you ask one.
Does benadryl make you loopy?
Why is the only allergy meds that work also make you go "wheeeeee!"? Note the "that work" clause, those wussy non-worky, non-drowsy meds can bite me.
Should I be posting while this loopy?
Will I be embarrassed later when I read this?
Is there any reason I shouldn't allow one of my players to cast a spell in the same round they maintain a Bardic Performance?
...so we're unlikely to do much more with them anytime soon. And since monsters the size of kaiju don't really work well with a game where the largest monster fits in a 30 by 30 foot square... it'd be tricky.
Ah, but it doesn't have to be that way.
The Immortals Handbook includes rules for above-Colossal creatures, and I think those rules are even OGL, though I could do without the names.
Perhaps at some point an expansion to the system)could deal with above-Colossal creatures. Epic springs to mind, but it wouldn't necessarily have to be an epic book. In any case, that would be keen.
If you could have any drink that is made in galorian what would it be?
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Creative Director
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Will there be an AP that takes place in the nation of Geb?
If so, how soon can we expect it?
If not, other than the Campaign Setting and Gazetteer books, where can we find more about Geb if someone wanted to play/GM a game that took place there?
We haven't done much about Geb yet. We're expanding it's entry from two pages to four in the upcoming Inner Sea World Guide, but beyond that... we've no plans in the immediate future to do much more with Geb.
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Creative Director
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What advice would you have for someone who's thinking about starting his own table top gaming store? How much money should someone have ready to invest into such a business? If my gaming store goes belly up and I go back to school to get a degree in English what is the likelihood Paizo will have pity on my unemployed soul and hire me?
Gaming stores are very, very hard to pull off. God speed, and best of luck is all the advice I can offer! And if you do go back to school to get a degree in English, whether or not Paizo might hire you depends on lots more than your degree. Getting a degree in English is a great start, though.
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Creative Director
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Does benadryl make you loopy?
Why is the only allergy meds that work also make you go "wheeeeee!"? Note the "that work" clause, those wussy non-worky, non-drowsy meds can bite me.
Should I be posting while this loopy?
Will I be embarrassed later when I read this?
Dunno, I don't take IT.
Because allergy med producers are all about making their customers loopy so they buy more.
Sure!
No way!
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Creative Director
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Is there any reason I shouldn't allow one of my players to cast a spell in the same round they maintain a Bardic Performance?
Actually, since maintaining bardic performance is a free action... that's 100% legal. A bard can cast spells, attack, and pretty much do whatever he wants once his performance is up and running and they're maintaining the performance.
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Going back to the Geb thing. Somewhere, I swear I read something like a list of laws and punishments in Geb. Where killing a mindless zombie or skeleton was nothing more than destruction of property. It gave other examples. Was this in the original CS or Gazetteer, or am I remembering something that didn't actually exist?
And if you do go back to school to get a degree in English, whether or not Paizo might hire you depends on lots more than your degree. Getting a degree in English is a great start, though.
Is a degree in Journalism equivalently useful for the purposes of being hired by Paizo?
How important is previous experience as a published, paid freelance RPG writer?
How important is being willing to pack up and move to Washington on our own dime with two weeks notice?
And if you do go back to school to get a degree in English, whether or not Paizo might hire you depends on lots more than your degree. Getting a degree in English is a great start, though.Is a degree in Journalism equivalently useful for the purposes of being hired by Paizo?
How important is previous experience as a published, paid freelance RPG writer?
How important is being willing to pack up and move to Washington on our own dime with two weeks notice?
on that note would beggin on the doorstep like a want-to-be aikido student, until the powers that be at paizo have pitty on the poor sole and hire him to at least change the light bulbs?
James, could you solve my Ability Focus dilemma exposed here?
If you could have any drink that is made in galorian what would it be?Not sure.
But in GOLARION, it'd probably be something to do with mojitos and potions of haste.
Huh. Mixed drinks with potions. Never thought of that one before.
Is this why they call you Creative Director, sir? Brilliant!
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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If you could have any drink that is made in galorian what would it be?Not sure.
But in GOLARION, it'd probably be something to do with mojitos and potions of haste.
Huh. Mixed drinks with potions. Never thought of that one before.
Is this why they call you Creative Director, sir? Brilliant!
So if you mix an energy drink with a fly potion... Red Aurochs!
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So if you mix an energy drink with a fly potion... Red Aurochs!If you could have any drink that is made in galorian what would it be?Not sure.
But in GOLARION, it'd probably be something to do with mojitos and potions of haste.
Huh. Mixed drinks with potions. Never thought of that one before.
Is this why they call you Creative Director, sir? Brilliant!
Or if an Alchemist combines the extract haste with fly. =)
Cell Phones: boon or bane to our civilization? Is it too early to tell? Is it a technology that is good, but mankind just isn't ready to use responsibly?
Cell Phones: boon or bane to our civilization? Is it too early to tell? Is it a technology that is good, but mankind just isn't ready to use responsibly?
Good thing that the Internet is used so responsibly. :)
Good thing that the Internet is used so responsibly. :)
Keeping this thing going, is there one single monster in the whole D&D 1st ED through to Pathfinder itself today that you've just been freaked right out by?
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Creative Director
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I got a cool idea. A hardcover for the Adventure Path line a whole AP going from 1-20, with a major event happening in Golarion What do you think? Possible for maybe a few years in the future?
Not likely. A brand new Adventure Path in hardcover format that goes to 20th level would more or less be impossible for us to produce at the same time we continue producing our current Adventure Path line. To do a book like this, we'd probably have to cancel the AP line. And canceling our strongest subscription line is not an option. Especially since canceling a subscription service for 6 months effectively has the same effect as canceling it forever, since traditionally it's VERY HARD to earn back subscribers' trust if you pull a stunt like that.
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Creative Director
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Going back to the Geb thing. Somewhere, I swear I read something like a list of laws and punishments in Geb. Where killing a mindless zombie or skeleton was nothing more than destruction of property. It gave other examples. Was this in the original CS or Gazetteer, or am I remembering something that didn't actually exist?
I believe that's in both the CS and the Gazetteer. Mindless undead like zombies and skeletons are used as "tools" and servants in Geb, so destroying one is akin to vandalism or arson or sabotage.
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I got a cool idea. A hardcover for the Adventure Path line a whole AP going from 1-20, with a major event happening in Golarion What do you think? Possible for maybe a few years in the future?Not likely. A brand new Adventure Path in hardcover format that goes to 20th level would more or less be impossible for us to produce at the same time we continue producing our current Adventure Path line. To do a book like this, we'd probably have to cancel the AP line. And canceling our strongest subscription line is not an option. Especially since canceling a subscription service for 6 months effectively has the same effect as canceling it forever, since traditionally it's VERY HARD to earn back subscribers' trust if you pull a stunt like that.
I wonder if he wasn't talking about essentially reprinting an existing AP, like Second Darkness or Legacy of Fire, and expanding it to go to 20th level? Wouldn't that be easier, and cheaper, than developing a whole new AP? You could do this for out-of-print APs, and potentially update the 3.5 ones to PRPG. Would this not be easy, (relatively) cheap, and profitable? It wouldn't interfere with your current AP line, as, technically, it would be a separate product.
I, for one, would absolutely love to have my hands on something like this. Especially for SD and LoF (since I had to sell my issues to fund my moving a year and a half ago).
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Going back to the Geb thing. Somewhere, I swear I read something like a list of laws and punishments in Geb. Where killing a mindless zombie or skeleton was nothing more than destruction of property. It gave other examples. Was this in the original CS or Gazetteer, or am I remembering something that didn't actually exist?I believe that's in both the CS and the Gazetteer. Mindless undead like zombies and skeletons are used as "tools" and servants in Geb, so destroying one is akin to vandalism or arson or sabotage.
Thank you! I'll look it up =)
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Creative Director
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And if you do go back to school to get a degree in English, whether or not Paizo might hire you depends on lots more than your degree. Getting a degree in English is a great start, though.Is a degree in Journalism equivalently useful for the purposes of being hired by Paizo?
How important is previous experience as a published, paid freelance RPG writer?
How important is being willing to pack up and move to Washington on our own dime with two weeks notice?
A degree in Journalism can certainly help, depending on the type of job you're going for. The BIG thing we're looking for is a mastery of the language if you can edit well and can write well, that's basically what we're looking for. And showing us something like an English degree proves it right out of the gate. Other degrees are less useful at proving that, but a degree in Journalism is better than a degree in Botany in that case, as an example. (And, alas... that extends to messageboard posts... watch for those missing apostrophes!)
Previous experience as a published, paid freelance RPG writer is also important, because that tells us right out of the gate that you've got your stuff together enough to get published; that tells us you're not only a good writer and know the rules, but that you're dependable and can hit deadlines. Multiple published credits are MUCH better than single ones, which could well be a "fluke." If you can prove to us that you're great with deadlines AND are a great writer AND know the rules well AND have the drive to endure the rigors of writing professionally without having a list of credits as proof... that works too it's just a lot harder to do.
Being able to move to the Redmond area and work a regular 40 hour week is a requirement. For the developer position... being able to move out here at the drop of a hat and start working immediately (or close to it) is nice, since that gets us a developer sooner, but it's not a requirement. In a case where there's two equally workable applicants, though, we'd pick the one who can start sooner.
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Creative Director
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on that note would beggin on the doorstep like a want-to-be aikido student, until the powers that be at paizo have pitty on the poor sole and hire him to at least change the light bulbs?And if you do go back to school to get a degree in English, whether or not Paizo might hire you depends on lots more than your degree. Getting a degree in English is a great start, though.Is a degree in Journalism equivalently useful for the purposes of being hired by Paizo?
How important is previous experience as a published, paid freelance RPG writer?
How important is being willing to pack up and move to Washington on our own dime with two weeks notice?
Probably not. It'd probably get you a free tour of the back seat of a Redmond Police Car, though!
I got a cool idea. A hardcover for the Adventure Path line a whole AP going from 1-20, with a major event happening in Golarion What do you think? Possible for maybe a few years in the future?Not likely. A brand new Adventure Path in hardcover format that goes to 20th level would more or less be impossible for us to produce at the same time we continue producing our current Adventure Path line. To do a book like this, we'd probably have to cancel the AP line. And canceling our strongest subscription line is not an option. Especially since canceling a subscription service for 6 months effectively has the same effect as canceling it forever, since traditionally it's VERY HARD to earn back subscribers' trust if you pull a stunt like that.I wonder if he wasn't talking about essentially reprinting an existing AP, like Second Darkness or Legacy of Fire, and expanding it to go to 20th level? Wouldn't that be easier, and cheaper, than developing a whole new AP? You could do this for out-of-print APs, and potentially update the 3.5 ones to PRPG. Would this not be easy, (relatively) cheap, and profitable? It wouldn't interfere with your current AP line, as, technically, it would be a separate product.
I, for one, would absolutely love to have my hands on something like this. Especially for SD and LoF (since I had to sell my issues to fund my moving a year and a half ago).
Oddly enough, you could just set a couple of GNinja Minions (anyone else get the mental image of Pathfinder-ized Gnome version of the Naruto teams?) take a stab at the boards, figure out which posters seem to have the right level IQs and personalities, ask them to help out with this for, oh, I don't know, signed posters of the Paizo Team or manuals, or maybe some other 'fans of the fans' reward for their help?
Hell, I think half the posters on these forums would do the victory dance over hot coals for the chance to turn around and say "I helped with that Campaign Arc!"
But then I'm still laughing at the Trekkie Monster, so ... take my ramblings as you will.
Edit: Cuz I spelz gud at 3 in the mornign, bah! Going to get get myself a shot of southern comfort and try to get back to sleep. JJ! Sure I can't send you a cat or four? Damn stray cat I found at the local garbage dump gave birth three months ago and now I'm up to my eyeballs in cats! They're well trained, affectionate *looks over his shoulder* and apparently practicing cannibals. BRB.
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Creative Director
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James, could you solve my Ability Focus dilemma exposed here?
Ability focus applies to one ability. In the case of a dragon, his breath weapon is that ability. As many dragons get older, they can use their breath weapon to cause additional effects—this is still his breath weapon doing the work, though, so his ability focus would count. His tail sweep or other abilities are NOT using his breath weapon, though, and thus would not gain that bonus.
"Use the same DC as his breath weapon" is not the same thing as "this is a breath weapon." It's a short-hand way for us to avoid having to say "the DC is equal to 10 + half the dragon's HD + the dragon's Constitution modifier."
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Creative Director
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Cell Phones: boon or bane to our civilization? Is it too early to tell? Is it a technology that is good, but mankind just isn't ready to use responsibly?
A little bit of both.
That said... people will find ways to be idiots with any new object or device. It's just that cell phones are so widespread and common that it looks like folks are more of an idiot with them than, say, less common technologies, like theramins.
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Creative Director
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I wonder if he wasn't talking about essentially reprinting an existing AP, like Second Darkness or Legacy of Fire, and expanding it to go to 20th level? Wouldn't that be easier, and cheaper, than developing a whole new AP? You could do this for out-of-print APs, and potentially update the 3.5 ones to PRPG. Would this not be easy, (relatively) cheap, and profitable? It wouldn't interfere with your current AP line, as, technically, it would be a separate product.
I, for one, would absolutely love to have my hands on something like this. Especially for SD and LoF (since I had to sell my issues to fund my moving a year and a half ago).
That would certainly be easier... but I'd still rank that as being tougher than updating the Inner Sea World Guide. And adding that project to our schedule RUINED said schedule. I would be VERY wary about adding a 1st to 20th hardcover reprint of an older AP as a result. It'd be possible (where I would call doing a brand new one IMPOSSIBLE), but really, really hard.
Ability focus applies to one ability. In the case of a dragon, his breath weapon is that ability. As many dragons get older, they can use their breath weapon to cause additional effects—this is still his breath weapon doing the work, though, so his ability focus would count.
Does this mean that there cannot be an "Ability Focus (Storm Breath/other breath-related ability)"? Or can it be taken and stack (or not) with Ability Focus (Breath Weapon)?
I got a cool idea. A hardcover for the Adventure Path line a whole AP going from 1-20, with a major event happening in Golarion What do you think? Possible for maybe a few years in the future?Not likely. A brand new Adventure Path in hardcover format that goes to 20th level would more or less be impossible for us to produce at the same time we continue producing our current Adventure Path line. To do a book like this, we'd probably have to cancel the AP line. And canceling our strongest subscription line is not an option. Especially since canceling a subscription service for 6 months effectively has the same effect as canceling it forever, since traditionally it's VERY HARD to earn back subscribers' trust if you pull a stunt like that.
Would it be possible to link two APs together to where you end at level 20 at the end of the second one and then combine those into one hardbound book?
How's it going?
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In the campaign I'm running the druid split from the party to go investigate a pirate ship nation (basically a floating fortress). He was attempting to find a prisoner on the ship and escape with her. Unfortunately, he was captured and thrown into the brig. Next session they're going to torture the poor guy to find out where the rest of the party is.
I'm going to look through 'The Book of Vile Darkness' for rules on torture but I wanted to ask; is there any rules for torture in any of the Pathfinder books?
Also, I plan on using the CRT Cards to have a better idea on what ability score damage should be applied for whatever they do to him, does that sound like a good idea??
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Creative Director
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Does this mean that there cannot be an "Ability Focus (Storm Breath/other breath-related ability)"? Or can it be taken and stack (or not) with Ability Focus (Breath Weapon)?
Ability focus applies to one ability. In the case of a dragon, his breath weapon is that ability. As many dragons get older, they can use their breath weapon to cause additional effects—this is still his breath weapon doing the work, though, so his ability focus would count.
The more I think about it... the more I think that Ability Focus (breath weapon) should ONLY apply to the breath weapon. You want to have that +2 on Storm Breath too? Take Ability Focus a second time.
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Creative Director
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How's it going?
Kinda annoying, alas. Taking a break from a frustrating development problem in an upcoming book that basically needs to have a page of rules crunch redesigned from the ground up at the 11th hour. And that 11th hour is late at night when I'd rather be playing "Assassin's Creed Brotherhood."
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Creative Director
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How helpful would you say a joint honours degree in Linguistics (mainly studying historical language change) and Mathematics be for RPG design?
Not very.
A degree in Linguistics would be helpful now and then when we're coming up with new names or words, I guess. And Mathematcis is helpful for crunching numbers... but there's a LOT more to numbers in an RPG.