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As the go-to person about the Aldori Swordlords, I've a question about them that Purple Dragon Knight's questions sparked:
Since the Aldori Swordlords are, as you said, self-made, how do they run Restov in a civic sense? Since there doesn't seem to be any one leader to the Swordlords, and since rank isn't passed by bloodline, do they have some kind of "Swordpact Council/Senate" that makes diplomatic/civic/policy decisions for Restov?
Mr. James Jacobs,
What would you suggest as a good capstone ability if one was to import the 3.5 Pact Binder into pathfinder?
Also, are there any vestiges that you would reflavor, beside changing references to specific deities?
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Since the Aldori Swordlords are, as you said, self-made, how do they run Restov in a civic sense?
Follow-up: how much of their early Taldan influences are still present today? What are their relations with 'the old country'? Amicable or does their history books paint Taldor as an abandoner of colonies?
Creative Director
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As the go-to person about the Aldori Swordlords, I've a question about them that Purple Dragon Knight's questions sparked:
Since the Aldori Swordlords are, as you said, self-made, how do they run Restov in a civic sense? Since there doesn't seem to be any one leader to the Swordlords, and since rank isn't passed by bloodline, do they have some kind of "Swordpact Council/Senate" that makes diplomatic/civic/policy decisions for Restov?
I actually didn't invent the Swordlords, and a fair amount of their development has happened in the Player Companions and Campaign books not under my direct direction, but if I'm the go-to person about this because I'm the one who answers the questions the fastest, I guess that works.
There is a council of Swordlords who run Restov, more or less. I suspect it also has a single figurehead type person as well who works with the council. It's not something I've put much thought at all into; the bulk of the design work that's gone in about these folks is swordfighting and not politics.
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Mr. James Jacobs,
What would you suggest as a good capstone ability if one was to import the 3.5 Pact Binder into pathfinder?
Also, are there any vestiges that you would reflavor, beside changing references to specific deities?
I would have to re-examine the binder and think long about the exact details for a capstone, but it would end up being one that gets customized per vestige so that when you get it, you'd pick your capstone based on a vestige you favor.
I would reflavor most of the vestiges, and would cut some entirely and add others, to make them all work in the context of a single game world.
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Follow-up: how much of their early Taldan influences are still present today? What are their relations with 'the old country'? Amicable or does their history books paint Taldor as an abandoner of colonies?
Since the Aldori Swordlords are, as you said, self-made, how do they run Restov in a civic sense?
They're amicable these days. Not allied but not at war.
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Ellison is a jerk, but the "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" point & click adventure game is something I'd still recommend.
Anyhoo, so are other Mothers of Oblivion besides Black Magga and their "Wormlike spawn" something that will/might come up in future? Or is their existence just a rumor?
I have more video games than I can ever play already, many of which are based on the creative work of people who aren't obvious and public about being jerks, so no thanks. Not really interested in immersing myself in Ellison stuff.
We statted up the spawn in an early Pathifnder, one of the Runelords (volume 3 I think). They may well show up again in the future.
Hi James
I have a question about the gods of golarion, particularly about what they can and can't do according to their laws. I assume as gods they can physically do whatever they want. However I know they aren't allowed to directly interfere in the affairs of mortals.
ancient laws and edicts beyond mortal comprehension prevent her, or any off the deities, from taking a direct hand in mortal affairs...Iomedae can, of course, do anything she wants to the PCs, but she doesn't...
Could a God grant a mortal immortality? Could they transform a particularly faithful person into an outsider to become their herald? If caydan cailean got dared to turn all the hair of everyone on golarion purple could he do that?
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Hi James
I have a question about the gods of golarion, particularly about what they can and can't do according to their laws. I assume as gods they can physically do whatever they want. However I know they aren't allowed to directly interfere in the affairs of mortals. ** spoiler omitted **
What else aren't they alowed to do?
Could a God grant a mortal immortality? Could they transform a particularly faithful person into an outsider to become their herald? If caydan cailean got dared to turn all the hair of everyone on golarion purple could he do that?
Just as we haven't nailed down what gods are and aren't capable of by giving them stats (and we have no plans to ever do so), we also haven't nailed down the various laws and guidelines and restrictions about what they are allowed to do, other than a general "do not directly meddle in the affairs of mortal creatures." This is because we want the game setting to be about the PLAYER CHARACTERS being the primary movers and shakers and the ones to decide the fate of any one particular campaign (this is the same reason we don't have a huge cast of good or friendly high-level NPCs in the world who actively seek to do what we expect PCs to do).
That all said, a deity can pretty much do anything she wants. By not hard-coding these abilities, we leave it 100% open to let them do whatever we need them to do for whatever story we want to tell.
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Just out of curiosity, have you read any of the Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist?
I have. I quite love that series, but like the Mistress of the Empire series even more. My favorite of all his books is "Rise of a Merchant Prince" though, because it's so unlike the typical fantasy story.
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Creative Director
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As the go-to person about the Aldori Swordlords, I've a question about them that Purple Dragon Knight's questions sparked:
Since the Aldori Swordlords are, as you said, self-made, how do they run Restov in a civic sense? Since there doesn't seem to be any one leader to the Swordlords, and since rank isn't passed by bloodline, do they have some kind of "Swordpact Council/Senate" that makes diplomatic/civic/policy decisions for Restov?
I actually didn't invent the Swordlords, and a fair amount of their development has happened in the Player Companions and Campaign books not under my direct direction, but if I'm the go-to person about this because I'm the one who answers the questions the fastest, I guess that works.
There is a council of Swordlords who run Restov, more or less. I suspect it also has a single figurehead type person as well who works with the council. It's not something I've put much thought at all into; the bulk of the design work that's gone in about these folks is swordfighting and not politics.
The Lord Mayor (Sellemius) doesn't have the name Aldori, so infer he's not a Swordlord. If so, what's his relationship to this council?
Ally. Perhaps puppet. Perhaps opposition. I'm not familiar enough with what we've said about him to say for sure, but the idea that there's a sort of check and balance between the Swordlords and the Lord Mayor is pretty compelling.
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As the go-to person about the Aldori Swordlords, I've a question about them that Purple Dragon Knight's questions sparked:
Since the Aldori Swordlords are, as you said, self-made, how do they run Restov in a civic sense? Since there doesn't seem to be any one leader to the Swordlords, and since rank isn't passed by bloodline, do they have some kind of "Swordpact Council/Senate" that makes diplomatic/civic/policy decisions for Restov?
I actually didn't invent the Swordlords, and a fair amount of their development has happened in the Player Companions and Campaign books not under my direct direction, but if I'm the go-to person about this because I'm the one who answers the questions the fastest, I guess that works.
There is a council of Swordlords who run Restov, more or less. I suspect it also has a single figurehead type person as well who works with the council. It's not something I've put much thought at all into; the bulk of the design work that's gone in about these folks is swordfighting and not politics.
I meant that you're the person best equipped to answer questions about Brevoy, since from what you've said before, you've at least had a hand in developing the nation itself. You DO answer a heck of a lot more questions than any other dev, it seems, though. I meant no disrespect.
Does Alkenstar "hire out" units of gunmen to well-paying armies, or do they feel that carries too much risk of the secrets of gun manufacture getting out and undercutting their monopoly?
What are the months in Tian Xia called? It would be sort of odd for them to use the same names as the Inner Sea, since they have a different patheon.
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Did you have any hands-on involvement with the upcoming Inner Sea Faiths?
I helped outline it and approved the content and in several cases was the one who invented the deity in question. I wrote the chapter on Achaekek, but didn't write any of the others.
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I'm not looking for an official ruling, just interested in your opinion. There is a conversation about spells and the "light" descriptor in the rules forum, and it is crazy, but aside from the topic of that discussion I am curious as to what you think is a good way to deal with spells that do not have the light descriptor and their effect on spells that have the "Dark" descriptor. Such as, does a Lighting Bolt, a third level spell, counter, even temporarily, the Darkness spell, a second level spell, revealing the caster's position, or does it remain unseen because it does not have the Light descriptor and therefore cannot counter Darkness spells?
Only spells with the Light descriptor counter spells with the Darkness descriptor. That means a lightning bolt or fireball shot into an area of magic darkness does nothing to illuminate the darkness... but it still does damage as normal, of course.
This is one of several ways that magical darkness is different than normal darkness. And that makes magical darkness more interesting.
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Just out of curiosity, have you read any of the Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist?I have. I quite love that series, but like the Mistress of the Empire series even more.
Love those books!
What sort of class would you suggest for a character like Lady Mara, who is more of a political animal than a magician or warrior type.
Aristocrat, perhaps, or some sort of 'Noble' class, such as the Green Ronin attempts in that direction? Perhaps even a spell-less Bard, since she seemed to be able to 'inspire' greatness in those who followed her (Keyoke, Papaweio, Lujan, etc.)?
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Just out of curiosity, have you read any of the Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist?I have. I quite love that series, but like the Mistress of the Empire series even more.Love those books!
What sort of class would you suggest for a character like Lady Mara, who is more of a political animal than a magician or warrior type.
Aristocrat, perhaps, or some sort of 'Noble' class, such as the Green Ronin attempts in that direction? Perhaps even a spell-less Bard, since she seemed to be able to 'inspire' greatness in those who followed her (Keyoke, Papaweio, Lujan, etc.)?
It's been decades since I read those books, alas, but bard or rogue or swashbuckler both sound like good examples, especially augmented by aristocrat levels.
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How far back can you trace your family history? Do you have any Wild West stories about them?
I've never really done much family history investigation beyond my grandparents, so not a lot before the 20th century at all. No wild west stories about any ancestors, although my grandfather and grandmother on my father's side were both pretty larger than life characters, with stories about slinging dead cats into churches that preached the resurrection to see if the cat would come back to life or using resources as part of the powder gang on a railroad building crew to use dynamite to play pranks and so on being part of the family history...
Just out of curiosity, have you read any of the Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist?I have. I quite love that series, but like the Mistress of the Empire series even more.Love those books!
What sort of class would you suggest for a character like Lady Mara, who is more of a political animal than a magician or warrior type.
Aristocrat, perhaps, or some sort of 'Noble' class, such as the Green Ronin attempts in that direction? Perhaps even a spell-less Bard, since she seemed to be able to 'inspire' greatness in those who followed her (Keyoke, Papaweio, Lujan, etc.)?
It's been decades since I read those books, alas, but bard or rogue or swashbuckler both sound like good examples, especially augmented by aristocrat levels.
I'm curious, when you're designing an NPC, aside from the class-name, is their something that a level of Aristocrat brings to a character like Lady Mara or Ameiko to help them feel like more of a noble or schemer?
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I'm curious, when you're designing an NPC, aside from the class-name, is their something that a level of Aristocrat brings to a character like Lady Mara or Ameiko to help them feel like more of a noble or schemer?
The class skill access helps a lot, especially if they supplement that aristocrat level with classes that don't normally offer Charisma-based skills as class skills. But beyond that, it just helps a bit with logic and verisimilitude to give such a character a few aristocrat levels; doing so doesn't significantly impact CR, so it's also a nice way to give them a few extra HP.
The more I read this thread and others, the more I realize that maybe I've been reading the Golarion-specific books wrong. I kept thinking that a lot of the ideas you guys put in there, you don't have super specific ideas about, and you're throwing it in there for an enterprising GM to pick up and run with, or at least, you don't know the entire reason for [blank] until you revisit a few years later. But now, I kind of think the opposite, why throw away word count on a half-established idea when you can use to flesh out an idea you know the complete [blank]. Which is the better way to think of the process when I'm reading a Campaign setting book?
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The more I read this thread and others, the more I realize that maybe I've been reading the Golarion-specific books wrong. I kept thinking that a lot of the ideas you guys put in there, you don't have super specific ideas about, and you're throwing it in there for an enterprising GM to pick up and run with, or at least, you don't know the entire reason for [blank] until you revisit a few years later. But now, I kind of think the opposite, why throw away word count on a half-established idea when you can use to flesh out an idea you know the complete [blank]. Which is the better way to think of the process when I'm reading a Campaign setting book?
In fact, a fair amount of what we put into books is laying foundations for things we have in the works a month, year, or several years down the road. Ameiko in Pathfinder #1 is a great example; one of the main reasons I put her into that adventure was to set up Jade Regent, which would end up starting with Pathfinder #49.
We often pick up threads from previous books to expand upon, and then add new threads when we do. Anything we do could end up becoming the basis of an entire book down the line.
What part of inner sea gods did you write?
Who wrote the magic items part of that book many of them provided good bonuses but with awesome flavor so I like those a lot?
Ally. Perhaps puppet. Perhaps opposition. I'm not familiar enough with what we've said about him to say for sure, but the idea that there's a sort of check and balance between the Swordlords and the Lord Mayor is pretty compelling.As the go-to person about the Aldori Swordlords, I've a question about them that Purple Dragon Knight's questions sparked:
Since the Aldori Swordlords are, as you said, self-made, how do they run Restov in a civic sense? Since there doesn't seem to be any one leader to the Swordlords, and since rank isn't passed by bloodline, do they have some kind of "Swordpact Council/Senate" that makes diplomatic/civic/policy decisions for Restov?
I actually didn't invent the Swordlords, and a fair amount of their development has happened in the Player Companions and Campaign books not under my direct direction, but if I'm the go-to person about this because I'm the one who answers the questions the fastest, I guess that works.
There is a council of Swordlords who run Restov, more or less. I suspect it also has a single figurehead type person as well who works with the council. It's not something I've put much thought at all into; the bulk of the design work that's gone in about these folks is swordfighting and not politics.
The Lord Mayor (Sellemius) doesn't have the name Aldori, so infer he's not a Swordlord. If so, what's his relationship to this council?
I'm running Kingmaker right now and the material lists a Lady Jamandi Aldori (Half-Elf Ftr 14) as the cheif Swordlord (at least in Restov). I think this was before the Aldori Swordlord prestige class was implemented so I stated her out as a Ftr/Swordlord. I also have her more or less running the big political decisions and letting the mayor do the day-to-day running of Restov.
The fleshing out came about because my PCs wanted to make a formal alliance with the Swordlords against Pitax in exchange for their support against Issia in my Kingmaker game.
So I guess there is an Aldori leading Restov? Her level and race were listed in the city block for Restov in Kingmaker book 3.
Mr. Jacobs,
In a certain module, i see a monster i'd like to downgrade in CR.
It's a high CR 12 ooze, designed for a prty of lvl 9, but as i need to adjust it to a party of lvl 6-7, how would you advice i work on this?
Thanks in advance.
Edit:
@ Alleran: Cthulhu
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I have question on the Tarrasque's design that sort of crosses over with real-world biology, in relation with its depiction in Pathfinder.
If a creature has spines on it, they biologically tend to function as a warning to predators larger than it, as a defense mechanism (reference from Wikipedia).
What sort of creatures in Golarion canon are big enough, nasty enough, and deadly enough that the Tarrasque might have spines as a means of protecting itself or fighting back against them? Kaiju? Creatures from the Dark Tapestry/Dominion of the Black/whatever?
Essentially, what sort of thing is mean enough that it could be a predator species for the Tarrasque? Other Spawn of Rovagug in the Dead Vault?
I'm pretty sure that as spawn/herald of Rovagug, the reason why it has spines is "Because it can shoot them and Tarrasque with ranged attack is even worse than one without" rather than there being anything that would hunt unique most powerful abomination godspawn.
Anyhoo, is there a source where I can find stats for goblin hero Big Gugmut? Also, is he big enough to be medium or just big for small sized creature?
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Creative Director
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What part of inner sea gods did you write?
Who wrote the magic items part of that book many of them provided good bonuses but with awesome flavor so I like those a lot?
Little bits here and there. I did secondary development passes on several sections, and organized/wrote a big part of the heritages at the end, but overall I didn't really write much at all for that book. I'm not sure who wrote the magic items.
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I'm running Kingmaker right now and the material lists a Lady Jamandi Aldori (Half-Elf Ftr 14) as the cheif Swordlord (at least in Restov). I think this was before the Aldori Swordlord prestige class was implemented so I stated her out as a Ftr/Swordlord. I also have her more or less running the big political decisions and letting the mayor do the day-to-day running of Restov.
The fleshing out came about because my PCs wanted to make a formal alliance with the Swordlords against Pitax in exchange for their support against Issia in my Kingmaker game.
So I guess there is an Aldori leading Restov? Her level and race were listed in the city block for Restov in Kingmaker book 3.
It's been YEARS since I've had my head in that part of the world, so I really don't have much more off the top of my head to add to things. Go with what's written in the books and not my guesswork posted here nearly a decade later.
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Creative Director
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I have question on the Tarrasque's design that sort of crosses over with real-world biology, in relation with its depiction in Pathfinder.
If a creature has spines on it, they biologically tend to function as a warning to predators larger than it, as a defense mechanism (reference from Wikipedia).
What sort of creatures in Golarion canon are big enough, nasty enough, and deadly enough that the Tarrasque might have spines as a means of protecting itself or fighting back against them? Kaiju? Creatures from the Dark Tapestry/Dominion of the Black/whatever?
Essentially, what sort of thing is mean enough that it could be a predator species for the Tarrasque? Other Spawn of Rovagug in the Dead Vault?
First off; remember it's a "MAGICAL" beast, not an animal. The magical part means that biology doesn't need to be obeyed. Additionally it was spawned by the god of destruction. It has spines not because it "evolved them" but because it makes it scarier and more frightening. There is no predator species. It was created to give those species nightmares.
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Mr. Jacobs,
In a certain module, i see a monster i'd like to downgrade in CR.
It's a high CR 12 ooze, designed for a prty of lvl 9, but as i need to adjust it to a party of lvl 6-7, how would you advice i work on this?Thanks in advance.
Edit:
@ Alleran: Cthulhu
I'd replace it with a lower CR ooze. Something like an ochre jelly perhaps?
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Creative Director
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I have question on the Tarrasque's design that sort of crosses over with real-world biology, in relation with its depiction in Pathfinder.
If a creature has spines on it, they biologically tend to function as a warning to predators larger than it, as a defense mechanism (reference from Wikipedia).
What sort of creatures in Golarion canon are big enough, nasty enough, and deadly enough that the Tarrasque might have spines as a means of protecting itself or fighting back against them? Kaiju? Creatures from the Dark Tapestry/Dominion of the Black/whatever?
Essentially, what sort of thing is mean enough that it could be a predator species for the Tarrasque? Other Spawn of Rovagug in the Dead Vault?
I'm pretty sure that as spawn/herald of Rovagug, the reason why it has spines is "Because it can shoot them and Tarrasque with ranged attack is even worse than one without" rather than there being anything that would hunt unique most powerful abomination godspawn.
Anyhoo, is there a source where I can find stats for goblin hero Big Gugmut? Also, is he big enough to be medium or just big for small sized creature?
Again... this is the ask James thread, not ask anyone thread. Please limit your posts to questions, not answers, so as to not clutter the thread.
Big Gugmut is probably large enough to be Medium... I think we might have statted him up in one of the comics in fact.
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Ah, sorry X-x; Its too easy to get too excited
Huh, he is in one of comics? ._. Gotta check if its one of ones I have, because I might or might not need his stats if players get inspired to go bounty hunting goblin heroes :'D
Anyway, speaking of being too excited, I've been reading all chapters on the book again. So I have question on Eye of Avarice: text does mention earlier on page with Ghlordfaex that Karzoug does keep draconic slave in the Eye. However, the Runewell allows creation of blue dragon of same size. I've noticed that quite lot of people on forum assume dragon is created from runewell, but nowhere it is actually stated to be the case. Is dragon intended to be regular one or one created from runewell?
And anyway, if I go with the dragon being not created from Runewell, how long does creation of new dragon take? Like, can Karzoug create new one(since 8 hours wait limit doesn't apply in that scenario) during the fight or would it take too long?
Who wrote up Arazni for Mythic Realms?
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Creative Director
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Ah, sorry X-x; Its too easy to get too excited
Huh, he is in one of comics? ._. Gotta check if its one of ones I have, because I might or might not need his stats if players get inspired to go bounty hunting goblin heroes :'D
Anyway, speaking of being too excited, I've been reading all chapters on the book again. So I have question on Eye of Avarice: text does mention earlier on page with Ghlordfaex that Karzoug does keep draconic slave in the Eye. However, the Runewell allows creation of blue dragon of same size. I've noticed that quite lot of people on forum assume dragon is created from runewell, but nowhere it is actually stated to be the case. Is dragon intended to be regular one or one created from runewell?
And anyway, if I go with the dragon being not created from Runewell, how long does creation of new dragon take? Like, can Karzoug create new one(since 8 hours wait limit doesn't apply in that scenario) during the fight or would it take too long?
The dragon in the runewell is intended to be a creation of the runewell, as far as I can recall. He can't make one during a fight but if the PCs flee and come back, feel free to let him get reinforcements if they kill the first dragon.
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Okies, it's been a bit so figured it'd be okay to ask, have you beaten The Old Hunters yet?
If so, what did you think of the final boss?
What did you think the final area, especially when you saw its name?
Have you done any of he Chalice dungeons?
I have not. I've explored everywhere, but haven't defeated the last boss or the optional boss.
The final area was my absolute favorite zone in all of the game, and might be my favorite zone in all the souls games. In part for it's theme, of course, but also its design and all that.
I've done lots of chalice dungeons.
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Do you have any idea what city is pictured on page 17 of Sargava: The Lost Colony? Thanks!
If it's the green one with all the overgrown things that we re-used for the opener for the region in the Inner Sea Guide, then it depicts the old part of Kalabuto if I recall correctly.
Mr. James Jacobs,
In your estimation would the epic feats, including the epic vestiges, for pact binders be acceptable options for a mythic binder to choose from for mythic feats and abilities?
Separate from the above question, since creating a capstone for each vestige is not something you or most GMs would want to do, would allowing one of the epic vestiges be the capstone be acceptable to you?
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Okies, it's been a bit so figured it'd be okay to ask, have you beaten The Old Hunters yet?
If so, what did you think of the final boss?
What did you think the final area, especially when you saw its name?
Have you done any of he Chalice dungeons?
I have not. I've explored everywhere, but haven't defeated the last boss or the optional boss.
The final area was my absolute favorite zone in all of the game, and might be my favorite zone in all the souls games. In part for it's theme, of course, but also its design and all that.
I've done lots of chalice dungeons.
Yay, I was hoping you would like it, and I'm glad you did :3
What do you think of the Chalice dungeons?