Creative Director
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Given you seem to be a big fan of both the Cthulhu Mythos and Godzilla, how would you outline a crossover between them?
I would cut all of the campy and goofy elements from the Godzilla universe entirely and focus on the grim and cosmic elements of the Godzilla universe and have a stronger element of cult worship of the kaiju and less hope that humanity can even manage to resist the kaiju power at all. There would be no oxygen destroyer or mechagodzilla or any other human agency. The tone of a Godzilla story would shift from "we can stop him" to "how can we survive another day" on a day-to-day basis, full post-apocalypse, once Godzilla starts stomping around. The kaiju would become personified natural disasters; tsunami or volcanos or earthquakes or hurricanes in physical form with a rudimentary intelligence capable of focusing its wrath and reacting to hopeless attempts to divert or distract or destroy.
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It won't be part of the Sandpoint book, but there is a LOT of real world elements in there, mostly revolving around my home town of Point Arena. Some examples:
1) Point Arena's original name, "Punta Arenas," is Spanish for "Sandy Point."
2) There was a sign with a mirror on it that said something to the effect of "See yourself, traveler, as we see you," on the road into Point Arena in its early days in the late 18th century.
3) The town's original dump was off the side of the cliff into the ocean right next to the lighthouse, just like in Sandpoint.
4) A Japanese ship made the voyage across the Pacific to land at Point Arena, bringing travelers from Japan to the town in its early days, which inspired the presence of the Kaijitsus from Minkai in Sandpoint.
5) Schooner Gulch Road is the name of a road near where I grew up.
6) Despite being a town with a population of about 450, Point Arena has a big theater that kinda seems out of place in a small town.
As a note, the Sandpoint Devil was NOT my creation. That one came from Wes Schneider, who grew up on the east coast where the Jersey Devil was doing its thing.
Is naming places "Hook" another example or just a commonly used name? Eg. Hook Street in Sandpoint, Hook Street in Korvosa, Hook Mountain in Varisia, Bronze Hook in Katapesh, Broken Hook in the Shackles, etc.
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Is naming places "Hook" another example or just a commonly used name? Eg. Hook Street in Sandpoint, Hook Street in Korvosa, Hook Mountain in Varisia, Bronze Hook in Katapesh, Broken Hook in the Shackles, etc.
When you're generating thousands of names, patterns tend to develop... just like in the real world. There are a lot of repeated street and location names around us.
As for this one... I think that the word "hook" is powerful and evocative, and when appended to a location helps to make that location seem dangerous. I didn't name Bronze Hook or Broken Hook, though.
Given how there're night hags and astradaemons and human sacrifice all over the place, who goes to rescue stolen souls?
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Given how there're night hags and astradaemons and human sacrifice all over the place, who goes to rescue stolen souls?
Heroines and heroes.
AKA: PCs do.
(Although there's other outsiders out there; some aeons, some innevitables, some psychopomps, some celestials who help out as well.)
Similar to how there were rituals detailed for deliberately becoming a demon (without the whole dying and judgment and petitioner stages), any likelihood of seeing equivalents for other outsider races?
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I had been holding out hope for a while now that a hardcover conversion of Second Darkness and Legacy of Fire adventure paths would eventually come to be (as the only remaining adventure paths in 3.5), but now with that seeming highly unlikely with Pathfinder 2.0 on the horizon, I'd like to ask when converted by me to Pathfinder should the characters use the fast experience track- similar to what happened with experience progression in Rise of the Runelords and Crimson Throne when they were brought up to date?
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Similar to how there were rituals detailed for deliberately becoming a demon (without the whole dying and judgment and petitioner stages), any likelihood of seeing equivalents for other outsider races?
Not really, no. Not everything for every outsider needs to be represented for every outsider, otherwise they all start feeling the same.
Shouldn't stop an enterprising GM from using those rituals as a baseline for building their own for other outsiders though. And as written in Book of the Damned, the ritual already steps back from just being for demons and applying to any fiend (although in-world the ritual is usually associated with demons still), so it's not a big jump to reskin it for other flavors.
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I had been holding out hope for a while now that a hardcover conversion of Second Darkness and Legacy of Fire adventure paths would eventually come to be (as the only remaining adventure paths in 3.5), but now with that seeming highly unlikely with Pathfinder 2.0 on the horizon, I'd like to ask when converted by me to Pathfinder should the characters use the fast experience track- similar to what happened with experience progression in Rise of the Runelords and Crimson Throne when they were brought up to date?
Unless you want to add a bunch more encounters, you should absolutely play 3.5 Adventure Paths with the fast track, since the XP progression in 3.5 was actually even faster than the fast track. SO... even if you use the fast track, you'll need to add more encounters and story awards along the way.
hi, JJ
In the Shining Crusade the Whispering Tyrant is defeated by the brave Arnisant.
I quote a part of the book "[...] In the climactic battle of that decades-long war, the Whispering Tyrant attempted to transport Arnisant's still-beating heart into his hands by means of a wish spell. The Shield blocked the spell, but was shattered by the power of the lich's magic.[...]".
Given this, if Aroden's shield had not been there, would the Whispering Tyrant have killed Arnisant, ripping his heart from his chest?
Without any chance of saving?
Hi James,
How do you feel about an adventure module or even an adventure path taking place in an alternate-history Golarion?
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hi, JJ
In the Shining Crusade the Whispering Tyrant is defeated by the brave Arnisant.
I quote a part of the book "[...] In the climactic battle of that decades-long war, the Whispering Tyrant attempted to transport Arnisant's still-beating heart into his hands by means of a wish spell. The Shield blocked the spell, but was shattered by the power of the lich's magic.[...]".
Given this, if Aroden's shield had not been there, would the Whispering Tyrant have killed Arnisant, ripping his heart from his chest?
Without any chance of saving?
If Arnisant were a PC, he likely would have been allowed a saving throw to resist. But Arnisant was not a PC, so it doesn't matter—in cases like this, where we're telling stories and setting up history and having things happen to set up future plot lines, game mechanics take a back seat and we get to decide the outcomes without rolling a single die.
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Hi James,
How do you feel about an adventure module or even an adventure path taking place in an alternate-history Golarion?
Uninterested.
It's enough work building Golarion up as it is so that we can have adventures take place there. What your'e asking is, in effect, to throw all that work out and start over. No thanks.
If Arnisant were a PC, he likely would have been allowed a saving throw to resist. But Arnisant was not a PC, so it doesn't matter—in cases like this, where we're telling stories and setting up history and having things happen to set up future plot lines, game mechanics take a back seat and we get to decide the outcomes without rolling a single die.hi, JJ
In the Shining Crusade the Whispering Tyrant is defeated by the brave Arnisant.
I quote a part of the book "[...] In the climactic battle of that decades-long war, the Whispering Tyrant attempted to transport Arnisant's still-beating heart into his hands by means of a wish spell. The Shield blocked the spell, but was shattered by the power of the lich's magic.[...]".
Given this, if Aroden's shield had not been there, would the Whispering Tyrant have killed Arnisant, ripping his heart from his chest?
Without any chance of saving?
Honestly it was also a way to understand a spell complicated as wish.
Especially if even when the standard limits of the spell are exceeded, asking just the heart of a PC or NPC, which clearly means to kill it, it was thought to be a saving throw.
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Creative Director
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If Arnisant were a PC, he likely would have been allowed a saving throw to resist. But Arnisant was not a PC, so it doesn't matter—in cases like this, where we're telling stories and setting up history and having things happen to set up future plot lines, game mechanics take a back seat and we get to decide the outcomes without rolling a single die.hi, JJ
In the Shining Crusade the Whispering Tyrant is defeated by the brave Arnisant.
I quote a part of the book "[...] In the climactic battle of that decades-long war, the Whispering Tyrant attempted to transport Arnisant's still-beating heart into his hands by means of a wish spell. The Shield blocked the spell, but was shattered by the power of the lich's magic.[...]".
Given this, if Aroden's shield had not been there, would the Whispering Tyrant have killed Arnisant, ripping his heart from his chest?
Without any chance of saving?
Honestly it was also a way to understand a spell complicated as wish.
Especially if even when the standard limits of the spell are exceeded, asking just the heart of a PC or NPC, which clearly means to kill it, it was thought to be a saving throw.
Wish is only as complicated as a GM makes it. The spell is, in my opinion, far simpler than most others—it's powerful enough that a GM can use it to get away with pretty much anything she/he wants in order to propel the story forward.
That said, it's always best to remember that automatic no-save death things are not good to inflict on player characters.
If Arnisant were a PC, he likely would have been allowed a saving throw to resist. But Arnisant was not a PC, so it doesn't matter—in cases like this, where we're telling stories and setting up history and having things happen to set up future plot lines, game mechanics take a back seat and we get to decide the outcomes without rolling a single die.hi, JJ
In the Shining Crusade the Whispering Tyrant is defeated by the brave Arnisant.
I quote a part of the book "[...] In the climactic battle of that decades-long war, the Whispering Tyrant attempted to transport Arnisant's still-beating heart into his hands by means of a wish spell. The Shield blocked the spell, but was shattered by the power of the lich's magic.[...]".
Given this, if Aroden's shield had not been there, would the Whispering Tyrant have killed Arnisant, ripping his heart from his chest?
Without any chance of saving?
Honestly it was also a way to understand a spell complicated as wish.
Especially if even when the standard limits of the spell are exceeded, asking just the heart of a PC or NPC, which clearly means to kill it, it was thought to be a saving throw.
Wish is only as complicated as a GM makes it. The spell is, in my opinion, far simpler than most others—it's powerful enough that a GM can use it to get away with pretty much anything she/he wants in order to propel the story forward.
That said, it's always best to remember that automatic no-save death things are not good to inflict on player characters.
Of course, it is not my intention to kill a PC without the possibility of salvation.
Only I have always thought that cast wish = end game
James, what is the chance you guys will host the 1st Ed PRD somewhere, even after 2nd Ed comes out? I would really appreciate that.
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Creative Director
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James, what is the chance you guys will host the 1st Ed PRD somewhere, even after 2nd Ed comes out? I would really appreciate that.
Noted, but I'm not answering 2nd edition-related questions on this thread yet. Nor am I the one who makes decisions about what our website hosts.
With some of the gods being so much more powerful than others, how would a god go about increasing its power?
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With some of the gods being so much more powerful than others, how would a god go about increasing its power?
By having someone write a game product or novel or other story that has that god gaining power. AKA: We don't have rules for how gods gain power or lose power, so it's 100% up to the GM or the storyteller in question as to how it happens, and it should be different for each situation.
Dear James Jacobs,
With regards to Orcus in Golarion, would it be feasible (or at least realistic) in your mind for him to do long term stragetgy to ensure his rise in a game featuring a druidic drug dealing Santa, Krampus, the Mace of St. Cuthbert, Hellknights, and some rather tricky planar magics?
Are humans on Golarion from Androffa?
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Dear James Jacobs,
With regards to Orcus in Golarion, would it be feasible (or at least realistic) in your mind for him to do long term stragetgy to ensure his rise in a game featuring a druidic drug dealing Santa, Krampus, the Mace of St. Cuthbert, Hellknights, and some rather tricky planar magics?
Nah. I'm a big fan of Orcus, but his stories have already more or less been told as far as I'm interested in being involved in them (see "Headless" and "Savage Tide" in Dungeon Magazine).
For Golarion, I'd rather focus on Kabriri and Zura when it comes to undead and demon lords mixed together.
If you were a pathfinder class in real life, what one do you think you would naturally be? And disregarding which one you would fit best, what class would you want to be?
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If you were a pathfinder class in real life, what one do you think you would naturally be? And disregarding which one you would fit best, what class would you want to be?
Naturally? I guess an expert. The one I'd want to be is a bard or a cleric of Densa.
What is going to be your "Village of Homlet" for PF2? In 3.5 it was Falcon’s Hollow, in Pathfinder it was Sandpoint (although admittedly that was 3.5 and Pathfinder). But is there some troubled little village that you're going to develop that will "feel like home" for the new edition?
If so, are you ready to talk about it?
Also, are you guys preparing another multi-adventure path arc like RotRL, SS, and RotR for the new edition?
Hi James,
How are relations between Kyonin and Jinin?
Are you doing any of the design work for P2? I know that in the past you have talked about certain design ideas that were shelved to maintain maximum backwards compatibility with 3.5. Were any of your past ideas considered for P2 (without getting into specifics)?
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What is going to be your "Village of Homlet" for PF2? In 3.5 it was Falcon’s Hollow, in Pathfinder it was Sandpoint (although admittedly that was 3.5 and Pathfinder). But is there some troubled little village that you're going to develop that will "feel like home" for the new edition?
If so, are you ready to talk about it?
Also, are you guys preparing another multi-adventure path arc like RotRL, SS, and RotR for the new edition?
In hindsight, I'd say that Sandpoint was the "Homlet" for 3.5 AND for 1st edition.
I'm not answering 2nd edition questions yet though. Try again in a year and a half or thereabouts.
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Are you doing any of the design work for P2? I know that in the past you have talked about certain design ideas that were shelved to maintain maximum backwards compatibility with 3.5. Were any of your past ideas considered for P2 (without getting into specifics)?
I developed the Playtest Adventure and have been providing suggestions and feedback and change requests to the design team, but I'm not actually doing any of the design work for 2nd edition. My time over the past few years while the design team was working on 2nd edition has been focused on 1st edition hardcovers from Curse of the Crimson Throne/Bestiary 6 onward, as well as picking up the shattered pieces of Cradle of Night and Construct Handbook after they both hit significant problems during the writing phase, and ramping up for Return of the Runelords, which will be consuming my time for the next 6 months or so.
I developed the Playtest Adventure and have been providing suggestions and feedback and change requests to the design team, but I'm not actually doing any of the design work for 2nd edition. My time over the past few years while the design team was working on 2nd edition has been focused on 1st edition hardcovers from Curse of the Crimson Throne/Bestiary 6 onward, as well as picking up the shattered pieces of Cradle of Night and Construct Handbook after they both hit significant problems during the writing phase, and ramping up for Return of the Runelords, which will be consuming my time for the next 6 months or so.
Is part of the reason you moved to a more active role in the RPG line because others on the RPG line were moved over to P2?
They're on opposite sides of the world and are not connected via elfgate. The two nations don't really have any interactions at all.Hi James,
How are relations between Kyonin and Jinin?
I figured that might be the case, but given Kyonin's above-average access to wizards, I hoped they could at least visit via teleport once a decade or so.
So, how are relations between Kyonin and Sovyrian?
What's your opinion on per-encounter abilities?
How much military power is wielded by the regional governors of Minkai? Basically I'm wondering if they are more like daimyo or magistrates.
Was the war in Minkai leading up to the "Battle of Eight Bridges" part of a full-on warring states period, or more of a binary conflict between the imperial forces and those of the shogun?
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I figured that might be the case, but given Kyonin's above-average access to wizards, I hoped they could at least visit via teleport once a decade or so.
They do know about each other, and there are visitors from time to time, but the availability of teleporting isn't widespread enough in either nation to allow for regular international shenanigans.
So, how are relations between Kyonin and Sovyrian?
Friendly, but not common.
I'm mainly asking about the civil war that ended with the emperor's victory over the shogun in the early 4600's. The transfer of power from the shogunate to the empire. Was that a many-sided conflict with lots of dudes vying for power (like the warring states/sengoku era in Japan)? Or were there only two main combative forces, the shogunate and the imperial army that rose up against it? Sorry if this is a really obscure question.
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Hi James,
I'm preparing a campaign that will essentially be a tour through the Darklands, starting in Nar-Voth and working it's way down to Orv. Because they are a fairly similar, how can I make sure the Aboleth and Neothelids feel distinct in both personality and combat, aside from one being a fish and the other a worm?
The biggest thematic difference between the two is that aboleths are incapable of understanding faith and do not use divine magic ever, and are all about enslavement and transforming their slaves into creatures more appropriate for servitude, whereas the neothelids are all about faith and are worshipers of the Great Old Ones; you can look to the Cthonians from Brian Lumley's stories and the Call of Cthulhu RPG for inspiration on them, or simply play the neothelids as monstrous agents of the Elder Mythos.
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I'm mainly asking about the civil war that ended with the emperor's victory over the shogun in the early 4600's. The transfer of power from the shogunate to the empire. Was that a many-sided conflict with lots of dudes vying for power (like the warring states/sengoku era in Japan)? Or were there only two main combative forces, the shogunate and the imperial army that rose up against it? Sorry if this is a really obscure question.
It is indeed obscure, and I've done very little thought on the topic. Feel free to expand upon it however you want in your game. I've got nothing significant to add to the situation.
Oh, since it came up, what are some of the design ideas that had been shelved, for any of the stuff you worked on (not including PF2 obviously)?