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Are there elves who enjoy less high-minded or noble leisure activities such as gambling and stuff (in mainstream elf society anyway, obviously Merisiel would likely enjoy a good game of cards)? Or is it all music, hunting, magic practice, poetry and frolicking in Kyonin?
Absolutely there are PLENTY of elves who enjoy things like this.

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Mr. James Jacobs,
What do you call that feeling you get when you realize that you set up a situation in game that if things get fubared enough or if the players try hard enough they could literally change the face of the planet and kill millions of people... Or worse?
On a related note: What effect would Avistan suddenly disappearing have on the rest of the planet?
It's either bad GMing or good GMing, depending on how you run with it. If you allow your PCs to change the world significantly, then move on to a new campaign set in the results of the previous one, that can be really interesting.
As for your related note... that'd depend on HOW it disappeared... but I suspect that, regardless, the result would be upheaval, chaos, and mayhem that transforms the setting into something entirely different.

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Mr. Jacobs,
I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I can't find a definitive answer, but is the Archon's Aura of Menace ability supposed to stack with other Archons Aura of Menace? My GM thinks so because it's an untyped bonus, but it seems a little ridiculous when fighting say 5 hound archons, and the fighter failed all 5 saves, so he's sitting at a -10 to D20 rolls and AC.
It's not meant to stack, because yeah, if it did, it would indeed be ridiculous. Of course, your GM is the one who gets to make that call, and if he goes with that call, let him know that you or other PCs in your group will now be using conjuration spells to stack battles in their favor with your own summoned/conjured archons.

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So uh, party was somewhat interested in investing money in fixing up Shadowclock(I'm not sure if they want to turn it into base or club or something O-o). How expensive that would take? I already know it would take months, but not sure how costly it would be
That's something you get to decide for your own game. If you want it to be something the PCs do off-screen, make it relatively inexpensive. If you want it to be the genesis for a series of adventures, make it expensive and require it to have the PCs track down special tools, rare components/materials/supplies, or hard-to-convince-to-help experts.

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Mr Jacobs,
I am looking at designing a Katana for a player in my Wrath game. I want to give it a name that is tied to Golarion somehow. Is there a famous Samurai in Golarion that I could use in the name of the weapon? Or something similar?
I'm not asking for stats or anything. Just a name.
None pop to mind, but the best places to look would be the last two installments of Jade Regent, which has a lot of information about Minkai in there.
Alternately, you could just check out Dragon Empires Gazetteer and use a character mentioned therein.

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Rysky wrote:Quite often. Had a dream about a great white shark a few nights ago, in fact.James Jacobs wrote:Rysky wrote:Have you ever had a dream about Succubus?Of course!Heheh :3
Have you had any dreams about other creatures from myths or from the Bestiaries?
Good dream or bad dream?

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James Jacobs wrote:Good dream or bad dream?Rysky wrote:Quite often. Had a dream about a great white shark a few nights ago, in fact.James Jacobs wrote:Rysky wrote:Have you ever had a dream about Succubus?Of course!Heheh :3
Have you had any dreams about other creatures from myths or from the Bestiaries?
I've never had a good dream about a shark.

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Rysky wrote:I've never had a good dream about a shark.James Jacobs wrote:Good dream or bad dream?Rysky wrote:Quite often. Had a dream about a great white shark a few nights ago, in fact.James Jacobs wrote:Rysky wrote:Have you ever had a dream about Succubus?Of course!Heheh :3
Have you had any dreams about other creatures from myths or from the Bestiaries?
Aw, sorry.

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Turaidis Silverhelm wrote:It's not meant to stack, because yeah, if it did, it would indeed be ridiculous. Of course, your GM is the one who gets to make that call, and if he goes with that call, let him know that you or other PCs in your group will now be using conjuration spells to stack battles in their favor with your own summoned/conjured archons.Mr. Jacobs,
I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I can't find a definitive answer, but is the Archon's Aura of Menace ability supposed to stack with other Archons Aura of Menace? My GM thinks so because it's an untyped bonus, but it seems a little ridiculous when fighting say 5 hound archons, and the fighter failed all 5 saves, so he's sitting at a -10 to D20 rolls and AC.
James, wouldn't the reason they don't in fact stack be the rule from the Magic chapter of the CRB?
Bonus Types: Usually, a bonus has a type that indicates how the spell grants the bonus. The important aspect of bonus types is that two bonuses of the same type don't generally stack. With the exception of dodge bonuses, most circumstance bonuses, and racial bonuses, only the better bonus of a given type works (see Combining Magical Effects). The same principle applies to penalties—a character taking two or more penalties of the same type applies only the worst one, although most penalties have no type and thus always stack. Bonuses without a type always stack, unless they are from the same source.
Since the source in this case is the "aura of menace" ability?

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James Jacobs wrote:Turaidis Silverhelm wrote:It's not meant to stack, because yeah, if it did, it would indeed be ridiculous. Of course, your GM is the one who gets to make that call, and if he goes with that call, let him know that you or other PCs in your group will now be using conjuration spells to stack battles in their favor with your own summoned/conjured archons.Mr. Jacobs,
I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I can't find a definitive answer, but is the Archon's Aura of Menace ability supposed to stack with other Archons Aura of Menace? My GM thinks so because it's an untyped bonus, but it seems a little ridiculous when fighting say 5 hound archons, and the fighter failed all 5 saves, so he's sitting at a -10 to D20 rolls and AC.James, wouldn't the reason they don't in fact stack be the rule from the Magic chapter of the CRB?
prd wrote:Since the source in this case is the "aura of menace" ability?
Bonus Types: Usually, a bonus has a type that indicates how the spell grants the bonus. The important aspect of bonus types is that two bonuses of the same type don't generally stack. With the exception of dodge bonuses, most circumstance bonuses, and racial bonuses, only the better bonus of a given type works (see Combining Magical Effects). The same principle applies to penalties—a character taking two or more penalties of the same type applies only the worst one, although most penalties have no type and thus always stack. Bonuses without a type always stack, unless they are from the same source.
The reason they don't stack is because allowing them to stack is ridiculous. If you can find rules to back that up, good! But you should never need rules to back up something that's common sense, I think.

John Kretzer |
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John Kretzer wrote:How did you get out of going to Gencon this year?By begging to get out of going to Gen Con the past 8 years or so. It finally worked. ;-P
When I do get to Gencon(one of these days) I hope you are there as I would love to meet you.
I get why you don't like cons...I fell the same way though I would like to go to Gencon and Paziocon at least once.
Do you like meeting with fans?

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James Jacobs wrote:John Kretzer wrote:How did you get out of going to Gencon this year?By begging to get out of going to Gen Con the past 8 years or so. It finally worked. ;-PWhen I do get to Gencon(one of these days) I hope you are there as I would love to meet you.
I get why you don't like cons...I fell the same way though I would like to go to Gencon and Paziocon at least once.
Do you like meeting with fans?
I generally do like meeting fans, as long as they're not creepers!
Paizocon is probably your best bet to meet me. I make no guarantees that I'll be at Gen Con next year.

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Do Issians ever become Aldori Swordlords, giving up their names and family ties to join the Swordpact, or are they pretty strictly "ROSTLANDERS ONLY!" due to the longstanding grudges between Brevoy's two parent-kingdoms?

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Do Issians ever become Aldori Swordlords, giving up their names and family ties to join the Swordpact, or are they pretty strictly "ROSTLANDERS ONLY!" due to the longstanding grudges between Brevoy's two parent-kingdoms?
Anything is possible, even if it's unusual. If it's unusual, it just needs more story and background to justify and explain WHY it is.

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Since I don't feel like this was a question that was ever asked, how would Nocticula react to her past actions as a demon lord if she was to be redeemed?
And, considering how popular she is, will she ever appear again in a published adventure/AP? *crosses fingers*
How else would ANYTHING react in such a case where they're redeemed from evil other than with shame and a need to atone or set right their evils?
Chances of Nocticula featuring in another adventure are relatively high, considering that she and her redemption plotline are something I want to cover in SOME way at some point.

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Seeing as so much of Avistan (and even some of Garund) has been influenced by Azlant, how much did that influence your impending/ongoing involvement with Ruins of Azlant?
As the creative director it would seem to make sense for you to have a special hand in the AP about the most influential civilization in the region's history.

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If my memory serves me correctly there are prophets and other future seers in the Inner Sea, and until Prophecy was shattered they were viewed very reliable but now while they still pop up they are prone to contradictory visions and madness.
My question is what would be a good way to stat up a born-as-prophet? Is there a certain class that works especially well as one, such as a Diviner or Oracle? Or is this kind of future sight more of a flavor thing beyond rules, such as a Barbarian driven mad by such visions?

Snowsarn |
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Hi James
1) is there an AP that you really want to play, but haven't had the chance to?
1b) if so which is it?
2) Which part of your home setting are you happiest about becoming a part of Golarion?
2b) If it is Sandpoint, what is number two?
3) Not sure if this is asking too much about internal Paizo "politics", but was you getting out of Gen Con something that ruffled some feathers, or was it amiable?
4) After begging for 8 years to get out of it, what made the difference this year?

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Seeing as so much of Avistan (and even some of Garund) has been influenced by Azlant, how much did that influence your impending/ongoing involvement with Ruins of Azlant?
As the creative director it would seem to make sense for you to have a special hand in the AP about the most influential civilization in the region's history.
Pretty much not at all. Ruins of Azlant is more or less all Adam Daigle. My involvement was pretty much "Oooh, that sounds good!" and then giving Adam some feedback and advice and guidance on the outline after he wrote it.

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If my memory serves me correctly there are prophets and other future seers in the Inner Sea, and until Prophecy was shattered they were viewed very reliable but now while they still pop up they are prone to contradictory visions and madness.
My question is what would be a good way to stat up a born-as-prophet? Is there a certain class that works especially well as one, such as a Diviner or Oracle? Or is this kind of future sight more of a flavor thing beyond rules, such as a Barbarian driven mad by such visions?
Oracle.

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James,what areas in Golarian does Horror Adventures take place in or is it setting neutral?
As with all the Pathfinder RPG hardcover books, Horror Adventures is designed to be world-neutral but to fit well into Golarion, more or less. The Campaign Setting line book "Horror Realms" contextualizes some of the new content in Horror Adventures, but not all of it.

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Hi James
1) is there an AP that you really want to play, but haven't had the chance to?
1b) if so which is it?
2) Which part of your home setting are you happiest about becoming a part of Golarion?
2b) If it is Sandpoint, what is number two?
3) Not sure if this is asking too much about internal Paizo "politics", but was you getting out of Gen Con something that ruffled some feathers, or was it amiable?
4) After begging for 8 years to get out of it, what made the difference this year?
1) Yes.
1b) Reign of Winter.
2) The deities Abadar, Desna, Erastil, Gorum, Norgorber, Pharasma, Rovagug, Sarenrae, Urgathoa, Zon-Kuthon, Achaekek, Ghlaunder, Groetus, Milani, Sivanah, Ydersius, Zyphus, Cyth-V'sug, Treerazer, Nightripper, Xhamen-Dor, Menxyr, Murnath, Ovonovo, Shamira, Yamasoth, and as of Pathfinder #109, Nhimbaloth.
3) Me going to Gen Con was ruffling more feathers than me not going to Gen Con, but I assume there are some ruffled feathers somewhere, since feathers gotta get ruffled.
4) The cumulative evidence of 8 years of how going to Gen Con disrupted my work morale and health and sanity and attitude.

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Hello Mr. Jacobs,
If it were up to you, would you allow a Goliath Druid, who can only wild shape into Giants, Dinosaurs, and Megafauna to also include flying prehistoric animals such as Pterosaurs? I feel that its fits the flavor of the Goliath druid and am looking for your opinion on it, not an official response, though if one exists that would also help.
Thank you

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Hello Mr. Jacobs,
If it were up to you, would you allow a Goliath Druid, who can only wild shape into Giants, Dinosaurs, and Megafauna to also include flying prehistoric animals such as Pterosaurs? I feel that its fits the flavor of the Goliath druid and am looking for your opinion on it, not an official response, though if one exists that would also help.
Thank you
Nope. I don't like goliaths.
Since it sounds like you're using 3.5 WotC stuff, I would direct you to the primeval prestige class in Frostburn, which is a prestige class I designed to give players an option to play a character who can change into prehistoric animals. It's not really a spellcaster class, but if you're turning into a tyrannosaurus or the like, you should probably be more interested in melee combat than spellcasting anyway.

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Falcar wrote:Hello Mr. Jacobs,
If it were up to you, would you allow a Goliath Druid, who can only wild shape into Giants, Dinosaurs, and Megafauna to also include flying prehistoric animals such as Pterosaurs? I feel that its fits the flavor of the Goliath druid and am looking for your opinion on it, not an official response, though if one exists that would also help.
Thank you
Nope. I don't like goliaths.
Since it sounds like you're using 3.5 WotC stuff, I would direct you to the primeval prestige class in Frostburn, which is a prestige class I designed to give players an option to play a character who can change into prehistoric animals. It's not really a spellcaster class, but if you're turning into a tyrannosaurus or the like, you should probably be more interested in melee combat than spellcasting anyway.
Sorry, I was referring to the druid archetype Goliath Druid for the Pathfinder Druid. The character itself will be a dwarf who turns into Giants to fight them better.

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James Jacobs wrote:Sorry, I was referring to the druid archetype Goliath Druid for the Pathfinder Druid. The character itself will be a dwarf who turns into Giants to fight them better.Falcar wrote:Hello Mr. Jacobs,
If it were up to you, would you allow a Goliath Druid, who can only wild shape into Giants, Dinosaurs, and Megafauna to also include flying prehistoric animals such as Pterosaurs? I feel that its fits the flavor of the Goliath druid and am looking for your opinion on it, not an official response, though if one exists that would also help.
Thank you
Nope. I don't like goliaths.
Since it sounds like you're using 3.5 WotC stuff, I would direct you to the primeval prestige class in Frostburn, which is a prestige class I designed to give players an option to play a character who can change into prehistoric animals. It's not really a spellcaster class, but if you're turning into a tyrannosaurus or the like, you should probably be more interested in melee combat than spellcasting anyway.
Ah! First I've heard of that archetype.
I would absolutely allow anything prehistoric.

donato Contributor |
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I finally took the time to sit down and read through the Hollow Mountain series. To what capacity were you involved in the creation of the comic?
Also, how much of the content is considered "official" in your mind? For example, there was a point where Ezren was consulting a map. Is that map "official" for Hollow Mountain or just created for the comic?

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I finally took the time to sit down and read through the Hollow Mountain series. To what capacity were you involved in the creation of the comic?
Also, how much of the content is considered "official" in your mind? For example, there was a point where Ezren was consulting a map. Is that map "official" for Hollow Mountain or just created for the comic?
I was involved in script approvals, but that's about it. I wasn't involved in creating the story line.
The maps are not "official." What's good for a comic book is not good for game play, and vice versa.
If/when we do an adventure set in Hollow Mountain, it'll use the comic material as a starting point, but will use the material in Dungeons of Golarion more.

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Could you please tell me if Kintargo/Ravounel ever had its own flag (or similar symbol)? If so, what was on it? Thanks!
It never did. It's always been part of Cheliax, and uses the Chelish flag. Pre-Age of Lost Omens, it was just the Chelish Cross. Chelaxian cities generally don't have their own flags.

Steve Geddes |
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Steve Geddes wrote:Do you have a plan to retire at a certain age?Nope. Although the plan when I do retire is to move somewhere mellow and take up writing full-time, if I haven't done so already, which sorta means not retiring, I guess.
Cool. Your writing is amongst my favorites.

Steve Geddes |
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Alayern wrote:Pretty much not at all. Ruins of Azlant is more or less all Adam Daigle. My involvement was pretty much "Oooh, that sounds good!" and then giving Adam some feedback and advice and guidance on the outline after he wrote it.Seeing as so much of Avistan (and even some of Garund) has been influenced by Azlant, how much did that influence your impending/ongoing involvement with Ruins of Azlant?
As the creative director it would seem to make sense for you to have a special hand in the AP about the most influential civilization in the region's history.
I've really appreciated the efforts you've made to broaden the pool of creative people who get to work on the APs in recent years. Has it proved difficult personally to kind of 'let go' and see things move a little further from your control? (Even if you enjoy the resultant stories, I could imagine it being something of an unsettling experience).

Monkeygod |
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James,
Just finished Inner Sea Faiths, and WOW it was freakin awesome!! I am really looking forward to Paths of the Righteous now more than ever!!
Three questions about ISF:
1) In Sivanah's entry, it mentions seven colors a bunch, but never says which colors.(That I could tell. Perhaps I missed them) Is it supposed to be up to the individual worshiper, or is there a specific set of 'official' colors for her faith?
2) Who was the artist for the first image of Zyphus in his chapter on page 88?
3) Who are your top three favorite deities from that book? As a player and a GM.

Snowsarn |
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....
2) The deities Abadar, Desna, Erastil, Gorum, Norgorber, Pharasma, Rovagug, Sarenrae, Urgathoa, Zon-Kuthon, Achaekek, Ghlaunder, Groetus, Milani, Sivanah, Ydersius, Zyphus, Cyth-V'sug, Treerazer, Nightripper, Xhamen-Dor, Menxyr, Murnath, Ovonovo, Shamira, Yamasoth, and as of Pathfinder #109, Nhimbaloth.
...
Wow I didn't realize that you had created all those deities :-O
1. Do I recall correctly that some of those deities carried different names in your home setting?
2. If I do, whose names were changed?
3. If so, why were they changed?
As always thank you for answering our questions, it is so cool to have access to the people behind the game like this :-D

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On a scale from 1 to NOPE NOPE NOPE how horrifying is this image?

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James Jacobs wrote:I've really appreciated the efforts you've made to broaden the pool of creative people who get to work on the APs in recent years. Has it proved difficult personally to kind of 'let go' and see things move a little further from your control? (Even if you enjoy the resultant stories, I could imagine it being something of an unsettling experience).Alayern wrote:Pretty much not at all. Ruins of Azlant is more or less all Adam Daigle. My involvement was pretty much "Oooh, that sounds good!" and then giving Adam some feedback and advice and guidance on the outline after he wrote it.Seeing as so much of Avistan (and even some of Garund) has been influenced by Azlant, how much did that influence your impending/ongoing involvement with Ruins of Azlant?
As the creative director it would seem to make sense for you to have a special hand in the AP about the most influential civilization in the region's history.
Very very difficult, especially when having to let go is unexpected (as was the case for Jade Regent and more recently with Strange Aeons).