Creative Director
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Mr. James Jacobs,
As the resident Kaiju expert. In your estimation, how many kaiju would be need to create the amount of destruction usually involved in an apocalyptic event that precedes a post-apocalyptic event?
Just one, if you want a post-apocalyptic scene in a single city. If you want it faster and/or worldwide, probably a dozen would do it if they all hit major cities at the same time. Doesn't take much to collapse society once you get a perfect storm like that.
The Echo Wood is one of my most favorite regions on Golarion. A town of bandits, a fortress of the Hellknights, an ancient spire that reaches into the very vaults of Orv, and many ruins of Azlant... it's full of what I like. I wish Paizo would publish more books regarding this region. I even wish Paizo would someday remake the Emerald Spire so that it grows larger and becomes a fount of mythic power. But for this end, the developers should like this region. You are a great fan of Varisia, Cheliax and the Worldwound. Then who in Paizo is the great fan of the Echo Wood?
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The Echo Wood is one of my most favorite regions on Golarion. A town of bandits, a fortress of the Hellknights, an ancient spire that reaches into the very vaults of Orv, and many ruins of Azlant... it's full of what I like. I wish Paizo would publish more books regarding this region. I even wish Paizo would someday remake the Emerald Spire so that it grows larger and becomes a fount of mythic power. But for this end, the developers should like this region. You are a great fan of Varisia, Cheliax and the Worldwound. Then who in Paizo is the great fan of the Echo Wood?
It's sort of a "mini Golarion" by design, since it was tied originally to the Pathfinder Online game, and folks wanted "everything in Golarion" to have representation in the Online MMO game, but the realities of what could be included in the MMO game were pretty narrowly focused on the Echo Wood region.
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Is Tyrant's Grasp a way of sort of coming full circle with Pathfinder's history? It began with The Whispering Tyrant in Compleat Encounters and with this new AP it will end with him (at least until the new edition heralds the dawning of a new age)? I thought for sure Return of the Runelords was going to be the final AP until the edition change since it was coming full circle from Rise of the Runelords. Or is this me overthinking the game again and seeing patterns where there are none?
Is Pathfinder Tales ended and there will be no more novels? I ask this because I really wish to read a sequel to The Crusader Road.
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Is Tyrant's Grasp a way of sort of coming full circle with Pathfinder's history? It began with The Whispering Tyrant in Compleat Encounters and with this new AP it will end with him (at least until the new edition heralds the dawning of a new age)? I thought for sure Return of the Runelords was going to be the final AP until the edition change since it was coming full circle from Rise of the Runelords. Or is this me overthinking the game again and seeing patterns where there are none?
It's one circle. Runelords is another. Actually, it is better to call it a spiral. Comes back to the start but builds on it and then goes again and again.
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Is Pathfinder Tales ended and there will be no more novels? I ask this because I really wish to read a sequel to The Crusader Road.
The novels are on hiatus. Hopefully we'll do more in the future at some point, but I strongly doubt if we do that Crusader Road will get a sequel.
A tribe of merrow slaughtered the inhabitants of Mosswater in the River Kingdoms. Approximately how many merrows are there in the area around Mosswater? More than 300? More than 500? They live in the Glow Water Lake, and the lake is quite big. Thus I think there would be numerous merrows in it.
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Is Tyrant's Grasp a way of sort of coming full circle with Pathfinder's history? It began with The Whispering Tyrant in Compleat Encounters and with this new AP it will end with him (at least until the new edition heralds the dawning of a new age)? I thought for sure Return of the Runelords was going to be the final AP until the edition change since it was coming full circle from Rise of the Runelords. Or is this me overthinking the game again and seeing patterns where there are none?It's one circle. Runelords is another. Actually, it is better to call it a spiral. Comes back to the start but builds on it and then goes again and again.
Like Pharasma? ;)
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Creative Director
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A tribe of merrow slaughtered the inhabitants of Mosswater in the River Kingdoms. Approximately how many merrows are there in the area around Mosswater? More than 300? More than 500? They live in the Glow Water Lake, and the lake is quite big. Thus I think there would be numerous merrows in it.
Dunno.
I really don't have a lot of insight at all into Echo Wood and this area of the River Kingdoms associated with Pathfinder Online, in fact.
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Creative Director
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Like Pharasma? ;)Is Tyrant's Grasp a way of sort of coming full circle with Pathfinder's history? It began with The Whispering Tyrant in Compleat Encounters and with this new AP it will end with him (at least until the new edition heralds the dawning of a new age)? I thought for sure Return of the Runelords was going to be the final AP until the edition change since it was coming full circle from Rise of the Runelords. Or is this me overthinking the game again and seeing patterns where there are none?It's one circle. Runelords is another. Actually, it is better to call it a spiral. Comes back to the start but builds on it and then goes again and again.
Or Yog-Sothoth. Yes.
A tribe of merrow slaughtered the inhabitants of Mosswater in the River Kingdoms. Approximately how many merrows are there in the area around Mosswater? More than 300? More than 500? They live in the Glow Water Lake, and the lake is quite big. Thus I think there would be numerous merrows in it.Dunno.
I really don't have a lot of insight at all into Echo Wood and this area of the River Kingdoms associated with Pathfinder Online, in fact.
Sigh. I'm so depressed to hear that. Can I assume that no one at Paizo particularly likes this region and thus chances are good that we should wait for a very long time before the Echo Wood receives attention from Paizo again?
Hi James,
How familiar are you with Sunless Sea?
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Sigh. I'm so depressed to hear that. Can I assume that no one at Paizo particularly likes this region and thus chances are good that we should wait for a very long time before the Echo Wood receives attention from Paizo again?
There's so much more on Golarion to explore. We've covered Echo Wood really pretty well, and it's time to move on to explore other regions.
On Golarion, people can use healing magic to cure diseases. Does that mean there is no place for mundane doctors on Golarion and thus they will soon go bankrupt, because healing magic is cheaper, faster, and better?
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On Golarion, people can use healing magic to cure diseases. Does that mean there is no place for mundane doctors on Golarion and thus they will soon go bankrupt, because healing magic is cheaper, faster, and better?
Nope. There's a place for science and mundane doctors. Healing magic is more expensive and rarer than herbalisim or medicine.
You have said many times that a witch's patron isn't a specific creature. But page 17 of Faiths & Philosophies said that witches trade their souls for petty magic with the unknown entities. Does that mean patrons are indeed specific creatures? Or is it a mistake made by the author of the book?
Are you going to Gen Con this year?
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You have said many times that a witch's patron isn't a specific creature. But page 17 of Faiths & Philosophies said that witches trade their souls for petty magic with the unknown entities. Does that mean patrons are indeed specific creatures? Or is it a mistake made by the author of the book?
That's a mistake caused by the fact that the word "patron" implies things the rules of the witch don't support. It's a mistake that LOTS of us, authors and gamers and everyone in between, keep making, and if/when we do a witch for 2nd edition, is something I want to fix from the start.
Actually, that content from Faiths & Philosophies was created as a part of an Iomedaean propaganda detailing why every other faith is bad. So can I assume that even people on Golarion erroneously believe that witches receive spells from unknown, malevolent entities?
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Actually, that content from Faiths & Philosophies was created as a part of an Iomedaean propaganda detailing why every other faith is bad. So can I assume that even people on Golarion erroneously believe that witches receive spells from unknown, malevolent entities?
No.
Can I assume that some time down the road, some other Demon Lord will take up the the Sin mantle of Lust now that Nocticula is no longer associating herself as a 'sin'?
When will we be able to know the title of the first adventure path of Second Edition?
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Can I assume that some time down the road, some other Demon Lord will take up the the Sin mantle of Lust now that Nocticula is no longer associating herself as a 'sin'?
Maybe... Shamira is probably the one most likely to fill the vacancy. But keep in mind that while demons themselves embody sins (and there are FAR more sins to embody than the so-called seven deadly ones), demon lords embody more than that.
As a demon lord, Nocticula's areas of concern were assassins, darkness, and lust. If indeed Shamira ascends to full demon lord she'd likely keep her areas of concern unchanged and stay lost dreams and seduction of the pure, and would pick up a third thing—maybe darkness, maybe lust... but ALL of a deity's areas of concern aren't "slots" that need to be filled.
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When will we be able to know the title of the first adventure path of Second Edition?
Some time between now and then.
Suffice to say, we WILL be doing adventure paths for 2nd edition, and we're well into the writing for the first one. I'll be developing it, and I outlined it half a year ago. In fact, just 10 minutes ago, I finished writing the art brief and finished the map order for part one of this Adventure Path.
The staging and timing of when we'll be announcing Adventure Paths is changing though, obviously—traditionally we would have announced this one half a year ago during Gen Con, but we knew that the playtest was going to be so "noisy" that everything else we announced would be drowned out.
And so the announcement of this Adventure Path is still waiting for the right time. I can't say exactly when it'll be announced, but don't expect anything this month or the next. It'll CERTAINLY be announced well before PaizoCon.
Page 80 of Runeplague said that, at night Starbreath Pool emits a pillar of cool light that reaches all the way up through the sky toward a single star that hovers permanently over the pool. Is this star Cynosure, the realm of Desna? That would mean Desna created Starbreath Pool, I guess.
Can you provide some insight as to how goblins became the "signature" creature for paizo? Who's idea was it? How did it catch on?
Did the Azlanti gods who survived Earthfall (and there seems to be quite a few of them) simply loose interest in Golarian after the tragedy or could they/do they still pay attention?
What titles are "off limits" to Red Mantis assassins? They wouldn't touch the King (or queen of Korvosa)- even though that's not a kingdom- would Mayor Grobaras of Magnimar enjoy the same exemption? Would Kendra Deverin? The Jade Regeant- while the throne rejects him? I just wonder where they draw the line with titles- I mean would Pilts Swastel of Old Korvosa be exempt? Thanks for your insight.
Do you ever take time to reflect on how your creativity, efforts, and extension of Dungeons and Dragons have affected people? For instance, I have a close friend who has been a close friend for 20 years through gaming and the last 10 of those have been games you are directly involved in. Likewise, my relationship with my sister has been solidified by gaming at a table supported by Pathfinder Adventure Paths. It seems like you should know how you efforts bring people together, but I wonder if you actually do. I thank you for it regardless.
Hi! I feel confusing about Dual Identity, the class ability of Vigilante, and Splinter Identity from Splintersoul, one of archetypes of Vigilante.
1. Can I revere two different deities, one in my society role and another in my vigilante role. Even more, in some case of classes and archetypes related with deity.
For example, I'm an 1-level vigilante and 1-level cleric. Can I be a cleric follows the faith of Sarenrae who can use the power from Fire and Glory Domain with my NG alignment in my social role, and turn into a cleric follows the faith of Cayden Cailean who can use the power from Chaos and Travel Domain with my CG alignment in my vigilante role.
2. In the case of Splintersoul, if I'm a cleric of Sarenrae with my NG alignment in my social role, and when I changes into my vigilante role with CE alignment, what should happen to me? Can I become an cleric follows a CE deity? Or I should become a ex-cleric?
3. Follow the above question, if I will become an ex-cleric, when I become my social role again, do I need Atonement to regain my class abilities and spells? When I become an ex-cleric in this case, can I choose an archetype for ex-cleric? If I can, how should I choose the archetype? The first time I become an ex-cleric and never change again, or everytime I become into my vigilante role?
Expecting your answer.
Thanks!
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Creative Director
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Page 80 of Runeplague said that, at night Starbreath Pool emits a pillar of cool light that reaches all the way up through the sky toward a single star that hovers permanently over the pool. Is this star Cynosure, the realm of Desna? That would mean Desna created Starbreath Pool, I guess.
Unrevealed. (I wasn't involved in the creation or development of that particular magic pool so I can't give you any additional insights.)
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Can you provide some insight as to how goblins became the "signature" creature for paizo? Who's idea was it? How did it catch on?
When we launched the first Adventure Path, one of the things I really wanted to do was take a monster that, traditionally, was regarded as "boring." Until then, goblins in D&D were really pretty much not that memorable, and were generally used as fodder encounters in the background of more interesting fights and foes. So I built the first adventure, "Burnt Offerings," to feature goblins as not only dangerous foes but fun and memorable ones. Wayne Reynolds provided the key bit of awesome and inspiration for me with his painting for that cover, and after that I wrote the goblin song and the top 10 things about Pathfinder's goblins that set them apart from D&D's goblins. And it all seemed to delight everyone, and it just built quickly from there, succeeding FAR more than I hoped it would.
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Did the Azlanti gods who survived Earthfall (and there seems to be quite a few of them) simply loose interest in Golarian after the tragedy or could they/do they still pay attention?
They're still there. You're thinking about gods in reverse. It's not the gods' interest that determines if they have a big role to play but their worshipers, and with so many of their faithful slain by Earthfall, the ones who DID get remembered simply eclipsed those who didn't. If an Azlanti deity still lives, it can still grant spells and be worshiped, and may indeed BE heavily worshiped elsewhere on the Material Plane still. Those ones just aren't so much these days in the Inner Sea region.
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What titles are "off limits" to Red Mantis assassins? They wouldn't touch the King (or queen of Korvosa)- even though that's not a kingdom- would Mayor Grobaras of Magnimar enjoy the same exemption? Would Kendra Deverin? The Jade Regeant- while the throne rejects him? I just wonder where they draw the line with titles- I mean would Pilts Swastel of Old Korvosa be exempt? Thanks for your insight.
It's limited pretty much to rulers who ascend to the mantle via a legitimate path, be it a cruel one or a righteous one or simply by chance. Rulers placed by votes or councils generally don't count. We've never actually spelled it out exactly, but if I had to today, they'd not kill people with the titles of king/queen, emperor/empress, and so on. But things like "mayor" or "baron" or the like would not be exempt from the rule. Someone like Pilts isn't covered either, because he just calls himself an emperor. It doesn't mean anything. If he managed to rule Old Korvosa for a significant time and then his role as ruler became a legally recognized position and he passed it down to an heir, maybe so.
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Do you ever take time to reflect on how your creativity, efforts, and extension of Dungeons and Dragons have affected people? For instance, I have a close friend who has been a close friend for 20 years through gaming and the last 10 of those have been games you are directly involved in. Likewise, my relationship with my sister has been solidified by gaming at a table supported by Pathfinder Adventure Paths. It seems like you should know how you efforts bring people together, but I wonder if you actually do. I thank you for it regardless.
Sometimes, but probably not often enough. I'm more susceptible to noticing negatives than positives, so it's always nice to hear how my work's positively influenced and inspired people. Thanks for the kind words!
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I am a GM of a PFS game, my PC asked me if he can use CANDLE OF INVOCATION, ignite and then go out to get high-level spell slot and then use Planar Ally, Lesser, how much time is left in CANDLE OF INVOCATION? Extinguished after ignition consume 15 minutes or 1 hour? So can this candle be ignited again because of high-Wisdom to get more high-level spell slots?
Rules questions need to be asked in the rules forums. I don't answer them here at this time; sorry!
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Hi! I feel confusing about Dual Identity, the class ability of Vigilante, and Splinter Identity from Splintersoul, one of archetypes of Vigilante.
1. Can I revere two different deities, one in my society role and another in my vigilante role. Even more, in some case of classes and archetypes related with deity.
For example, I'm an 1-level vigilante and 1-level cleric. Can I be a cleric follows the faith of Sarenrae who can use the power from Fire and Glory Domain with my NG alignment in my social role, and turn into a cleric follows the faith of Cayden Cailean who can use the power from Chaos and Travel Domain with my CG alignment in my vigilante role.2. In the case of Splintersoul, if I'm a cleric of Sarenrae with my NG alignment in my social role, and when I changes into my vigilante role with CE alignment, what should happen to me? Can I become an cleric follows a CE deity? Or I should become a ex-cleric?
3. Follow the above question, if I will become an ex-cleric, when I become my social role again, do I need Atonement to regain my class abilities and spells? When I become an ex-cleric in this case, can I choose an archetype for ex-cleric? If I can, how should I choose the archetype? The first time I become an ex-cleric and never change again, or everytime I become into my vigilante role?
Expecting your answer.
Thanks!
A couple of things:
1) I don't answer rules questions here at this time; you need to ask them in the rules forums or in the product page forum.
2) Please don't do lists of questions; keep them one to a post so it's easier for me to answer.
That all said, the basic gist of how I would answer these is that your alignment and faith in a deity does not get to play fast and loose with the vigilante's weird alignment restrictions. If you're a vigilante and you worship a deity and want to do so in a way that won't get you excommunicated or labeled a heretic, BOTH vigilante alignments MUST be in the range acceptable to the cleric. The WHOLE POINT of worshiping a deity so devoutly that you gain supernatural powers (which is what a cleric is) is that you are focusing your personality and beliefs and ethics and everything else that constitutes alignment into something that matches that deity's teachings and philosophies and, thus, that deity's alignment. If you don't, you're not following that deity's teachings, and thus can't be a cleric.
As a semi-imperfect metaphor, think of a deity as a city, and the direction of travel to that city as your alignment. If you don't follow that direction, you'll never get to the city, and thus aren't really going to the city even if you tell everyone you are.
There are small rivers near Sandpoint, Thornkeep, Kalsgard, Jol, Yanmass, Ilizmagorti, and many other settlements which have detailed maps. But these rivers and ponds are not detailed in the map of the Inner Sea region in Inner Sea World Guide. In Second Edition, will these small waters be detailed in the world map accordingly? I also wish the Shackles should be drawn more precisely in Second Edition. After seeing the beautiful map of the Shackles in Skull & Shackles, I started to think the Shackles in the world map is very poorly detailed.
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There are small rivers near Sandpoint, Thornkeep, Kalsgard, Jol, Yanmass, Ilizmagorti, and many other settlements which have detailed maps. But these rivers and ponds are not detailed in the map of the Inner Sea region in Inner Sea World Guide. In Second Edition, will these small waters be detailed in the world map accordingly? I also wish the Shackles should be drawn more precisely in Second Edition. After seeing the beautiful map of the Shackles in Skull & Shackles, I started to think the Shackles in the world map is very poorly detailed.
No, due to the difference in scale between a map as "zoomed in" as a city map compared to a regional map.
We have different cartographers do different maps, and so it's not a surprise that one would prefer the style of one cartographer over the other, in the same way different artists who illustrate the same thing have different fans.
There are two kinds of maps of the Inner Sea region. One was revealed before Inner Sea World Guide, and the other was revealed with Inner Sea World Guide. In the first map, the Stolen Lands was not detailed that much. But in the second map, which was revealed after Kingmaker, the small rivers in the Stolen Lands were described in detail. Thus I hoped we would see a more throughly detailed map of the Inner Sea region in Second Edition. Detailing every small pond in the world map would not be possible, I guess, but rivers can be displayed in lines. Is there any hope for this kind of upgrade in the world map, or would Paizo simply use the same map which was used in First Edition?
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There are two kinds of maps of the Inner Sea region. One was revealed before Inner Sea World Guide, and the other was revealed with Inner Sea World Guide. In the first map, the Stolen Lands was not detailed that much. But in the second map, which was revealed after Kingmaker, the small rivers in the Stolen Lands were described in detail. Thus I hoped we would see a more throughly detailed map of the Inner Sea region in Second Edition. Detailing every small pond in the world map would not be possible, I guess, but rivers can be displayed in lines. Is there any hope for this kind of upgrade in the world map, or would Paizo simply use the same map which was used in First Edition?
As we detail areas more, and as we update the main map, we'll do our best to incorporate those updates in the newer versions of the main map. But not before. It's more rewarding and fun and easier and artistically satisfying to develop areas in detail when we have the chance to focus on that area in particular in a product devoted to that area than it is to make random stuff up on a map with no context.
Which god can be considered the god of time? Except for Yog-Sothoth, of course, because he is a crazy villainous outer god and thus not suitable for PC clerics to worship. Maybe there is no other god of time and Yog-Sothoth is the only god that lives in the Dimension of Time?
Apologies, back for another obsessive question (2) relating to the Ancient Osirion Deities,
I really like the Domain rules changes for 2e, and after reading Mark Seifter's blog I have to ask:
1. Even if we do not get further lore material on more obscure gods like the Ancient Osirion Pantheon, could we at least get their new 2e entry info like updated Domains, Edicts, Anathema, channeled energy and potential alignments (if different from their 1e entries)?
While I would love deific obediences/boons and summon lists, those of us that love this pantheron would likewise love the above as at least something.
It feels very weird summoning inevetibles rather than psychopomps or more "Egyptian-flavored" outsiders as a LG Paladin of Anubis...
2. Wouldn't the Ancient Osirion PAntheon have egyptian-themed outsiders?
I'm currently getting caught up on Channel Zero (Finished Butcher's Block last night). What do you think of the show, and do you have a favorite season?
If you haven't watched it, I think you would really enjoy it. It leans a lot more heavily into cosmic horror and lovecraftian tones than say...American Horror Story.
Sorry, Forgot the rules.
This is the second Question:
2. Wouldn't the Ancient Osirion PAntheon have egyptian-themed outsiders?
Like Angels, Inevitables, Demons, Daimons, etc that match Osirion?. Tian Xia get Oni, Rakshasa are Vudran...
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Which god can be considered the god of time? Except for Yog-Sothoth, of course, because he is a crazy villainous outer god and thus not suitable for PC clerics to worship. Maybe there is no other god of time and Yog-Sothoth is the only god that lives in the Dimension of Time?
Yog-Sothoth is one of the few Outer Gods that IS remotely appropriate for PCs to worship; he's Chaotic Neutral, after all. I made him so intentionally to open up another time god option.
Otherwise, Brigh is also an option for those who want to worship a god of time. And while it doesn't specifically use the word "time" in his areas of concern, Irori is the god of history, so that can work too. And there's also Pharasma, who is somewhat of a time-assocaited deity with her associations with birth, death, and fate.