Before Earthfall, Thassilon used Thassilonian instead of Azlanti. But I'm not sure. Is Thassilonian different from Azlanti? I mean, American English and British English vary little in their essential features, with only occasional noticeable differences. Maybe that's why we call both of them English, instead of American and British. So I must ask you. Are Azlanti and Thassilonian essentially one and the same? I really wish that in Second Edition Thassilonian would be erased entirely and be replaced with Azlanti.
Which is why we tend to not talk much about it in print, cause the idea that pets are just cosmic energy that gets recycled over and over and over until there's nothing left tends to do just that... depress people.
Feel free to adjust as you wish for your game!
That's also what happens to dead children in this setting, isn't it? Reincarnate and try again?
Which is why we tend to not talk much about it in print, cause the idea that pets are just cosmic energy that gets recycled over and over and over until there's nothing left tends to do just that... depress people.
Feel free to adjust as you wish for your game!
Separate post for the separate question -
does anything prevent a dog or cat or spider or dinosaur from reincarnating as something intelligent for their next time through?
Low-int/no-int/premature mortals getting fast tracked for reincarnation makes a lot of sense when you consider that even fruit flies have souls...
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Before Earthfall, Thassilon used Thassilonian instead of Azlanti. But I'm not sure. Is Thassilonian different from Azlanti? I mean, American English and British English vary little in their essential features, with only occasional noticeable differences. Maybe that's why we call both of them English, instead of American and British. So I must ask you. Are Azlanti and Thassilonian essentially one and the same? I really wish that in Second Edition Thassilonian would be erased entirely and be replaced with Azlanti.
Azlanti and Thassilonian are NOT the same. It might be better to compare them to the differences between English and French, for example; both languages are spoken on the same continent in this world, and thus both languages could certainly have been spoken on Azlant as well back in the day.
Remember, Azlant was an entire CONTINENT, with all sorts of nations in it. Just like Avistan and Garund and Tian Xia and so on. And just like in those nations, there's one "Common" language and several others. Thassilonian was a regional language in Azlant in the same way Varisian is a regional language in Avistan even though Taldane is the Common Tongue there.
Making there only be one language in ancient Azlant is nonsensical.
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That's also what happens to dead children in this setting, isn't it? Reincarnate and try again?Which is why we tend to not talk much about it in print, cause the idea that pets are just cosmic energy that gets recycled over and over and over until there's nothing left tends to do just that... depress people.
Feel free to adjust as you wish for your game!
Talking about dead children tends to trigger folks. Decide for your own game and work with your group to come to a conclusion that works for you. I'm not gonna comment on how it "officially" works here. That's just an internet trap. Pass... next question please.
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Which is why we tend to not talk much about it in print, cause the idea that pets are just cosmic energy that gets recycled over and over and over until there's nothing left tends to do just that... depress people.
Feel free to adjust as you wish for your game!
Separate post for the separate question -
does anything prevent a dog or cat or spider or dinosaur from reincarnating as something intelligent for their next time through?
Low-int/no-int/premature mortals getting fast tracked for reincarnation makes a lot of sense when you consider that even fruit flies have souls...
Up to you. I feel like I've answered this question and I'm kinda not into the idea that I need to give case-by-case examples for every possible creature.
You might not be allowed to answer this question. Can you tell if you had enough Core Rule Books printed to satisfy the initial demand?
Given that it's centered in the mountainous middle of nowhere, how would the economy of New Thassilon work?
So do you know yet whether non AP modules will be considered to have happened for 2e? I'm especially curious about which game mastery modules are non canon and which are canonI do know this, for the most part. It's not gonna be presented in a bulleted list or the like anywhere, though; these effects will be integrated elegantly into the flow of text in all 2nd edition products going forward.
A HUGE number of the GameMastery adventures are pretty minor in scope and their effects are pretty minor in how they affect world lore going forward, and as such those adventures will mostly be left uncommented upon unless we happen to touch especially on a plot thread—which we already did in Doomsday Dawn, for example, with its subtle ties to Dragon's Demand, or in Tyrant's Grasp, in how it builds upon something that took place both in Crown of the Kobold King and in Runeplague.
Hello James, I'd like to get back to this answer of yours and a similar recent comment you made on the product discussion for one of the Tyrant's Grasp adventures. I've skimmed through Crown of the Kobold King, but the only thing I could find was a mention that "... divinations reveal that a greater evil grows restless farther below the earth, a dread undead rumored to serve the infamous Whispering Tyrant." On the other thread you said, the module explains what happened to one of the lesser seals, but I can't seem to find that in there. Can you tell me what you were referring to there?
Running Hells Vengeance currently and was looking at the damnings of the thrice-damned house of Thrune... and I was wondering how well known they are in Chelliax. It's clearly referred to as the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune, but would the average person in Cheliax have any idea what the damnings were (self/family/nation soul)?
I am not sure that everyone in Cheliax knows what they are, let alone the rest of the world. I remember having my Chelish PC's family going to a great deal of trouble to try to figure out just what the third damning was and ensure that they were not affected by it. There is distressingly little information available as to just what the third damning entails.
When do PF2 questions become "fair game"? (End of September?)
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Running Hells Vengeance currently and was looking at the damnings of the thrice-damned house of Thrune... and I was wondering how well known they are in Chelliax. It's clearly referred to as the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune, but would the average person in Cheliax have any idea what the damnings were (self/family/nation soul)?I am not sure that everyone in Cheliax knows what they are, let alone the rest of the world. I remember having my Chelish PC's family going to a great deal of trouble to try to figure out just what the third damning was and ensure that they were not affected by it. There is distressingly little information available as to just what the third damning entails.
Oops, I just realized that I did something I shouldn't have.
So -- Is there anything that you can tell us about the third damning?
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Running Hells Vengeance currently and was looking at the damnings of the thrice-damned house of Thrune... and I was wondering how well known they are in Chelliax. It's clearly referred to as the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune, but would the average person in Cheliax have any idea what the damnings were (self/family/nation soul)?
I doubt they would know any more than, say, the average person in the USA knows what all of the amendments to the constitution are. They know they exist, but not necessarily the details on average.
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Hello James, I'd like to get back to this answer of yours and a similar recent comment you made on the product discussion for one of the Tyrant's Grasp adventures. I've skimmed through Crown of the Kobold King, but the only thing I could find was a mention that "... divinations reveal that a greater evil grows restless farther below the earth, a dread undead rumored to serve the infamous Whispering Tyrant." On the other thread you said, the module explains what happened to one of the lesser seals, but I can't seem to find that in there. Can you tell me what you were referring to there?
I believe that information was in the very VERY first of those semi-linked adventures—all the way back to "Hollow's Last Hope."
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Running Hells Vengeance currently and was looking at the damnings of the thrice-damned house of Thrune... and I was wondering how well known they are in Chelliax. It's clearly referred to as the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune, but would the average person in Cheliax have any idea what the damnings were (self/family/nation soul)?I am not sure that everyone in Cheliax knows what they are, let alone the rest of the world. I remember having my Chelish PC's family going to a great deal of trouble to try to figure out just what the third damning was and ensure that they were not affected by it. There is distressingly little information available as to just what the third damning entails.
Please limit your posts here to questions; I don't want this thread to be cluttered with back and forth discussion posts. Thanks!
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Running Hells Vengeance currently and was looking at the damnings of the thrice-damned house of Thrune... and I was wondering how well known they are in Chelliax. It's clearly referred to as the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune, but would the average person in Cheliax have any idea what the damnings were (self/family/nation soul)?I am not sure that everyone in Cheliax knows what they are, let alone the rest of the world. I remember having my Chelish PC's family going to a great deal of trouble to try to figure out just what the third damning was and ensure that they were not affected by it. There is distressingly little information available as to just what the third damning entails.Oops, I just realized that I did something I shouldn't have.
So -- Is there anything that you can tell us about the third damning?
Too late! I already called you on it! :-)
I can't tell you anything about it. I didn't outline the Adventure Path and I only developed part 5. And I only got to play through half of the first adventure. Rob McCreary's the one who might know more.
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When do PF2 questions become "fair game"? (End of September?)
Let's say as soon as the dealer's hall opens on the first day of Gen Con.
Which from my point back in the safety of the Pacific Time Zone will basically be August 1st once I get to work.
But even then it remains to be seen if I'm going to be "allowed" to answer rules questions. I'm not really at this point for 1st edition, so that might not change, and you'll need to ask the design team instead.
There are several errors in the weapon naming and categorization in Pathfinder First Edition and D&D. For example, the term longsword is incorrectly used to mean what is more properly called an arming sword, the term bastard sword is incorrectly used to mean what is more properly called a longsword, falchion should be categorized as one-handed weapon instead of two-handed, and the like. Will these errors be corrected in Second Edition?
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There are several errors in the weapon naming and categorization in Pathfinder First Edition and D&D. For example, the term longsword is incorrectly used to mean what is more properly called an arming sword, the term bastard sword is incorrectly used to mean what is more properly called a longsword, falchion should be categorized as one-handed weapon instead of two-handed, and the like. Will these errors be corrected in Second Edition?
No.
Forty years of this game's history through various editions and publishers has pretty much standardized these weapon names into the popular culture and shared experience, so at this point, changing the names would be more confusing than helpful.
Dear James Jacobs,
Will there still be racial weapons in 2nd PF? Also will the Hellknights experience any change over in PF 2 IE like new leaders or something?
I hope this still counts as "Question", and isn't to trivial - I'm trying to come up with a name for a drow-raised half-drow born into house Vexidyre. Ideally, something that could be shortened to "Pally", because of… reasons.
Do you have any suggestions, either for the name itself or how drow names are supposed to sound like?
Any help is appreciated!
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Dear James Jacobs,
Will there still be racial weapons in 2nd PF? Also will the Hellknights experience any change over in PF 2 IE like new leaders or something?
I'm not posting spoilers to 2nd edition here. Please wait until August 1st, the official release date for the game, to ask questions. That way this thread doesn't get clogged with me answering what will in a few weeks, be obvious answers, and that way folks won't misunderstand my answers by taking things out of context and assuming the worst.
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Would flavoring slings as slingshots fit fine, or would they probably work better for a new weapon?
Up to you. I've always looked at slinghots as anachronistic and kinda silly to have in a fantasy game, because slingshots make me think of Dennis the Menace and more modern designs, and I associate them with children's toys instead of weapons. Same goes with yo-yos, which do have a weapon-based historical precedent I believe... but they still feel like toys to me and as such they don't perpetuate the flavor and theme of the game I prefer in my game or writing.
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Would flavoring slings as slingshots fit fine, or would they probably work better for a new weapon?Up to you. I've always looked at slinghots as anachronistic and kinda silly to have in a fantasy game, because slingshots make me think of Dennis the Menace and more modern designs, and I associate them with children's toys instead of weapons. Same goes with yo-yos, which do have a weapon-based historical precedent I believe... but they still feel like toys to me and as such they don't perpetuate the flavor and theme of the game I prefer in my game or writing.
Even if you give them to gnomes?
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I hope this still counts as "Question", and isn't to trivial - I'm trying to come up with a name for a drow-raised half-drow born into house Vexidyre. Ideally, something that could be shortened to "Pally", because of… reasons.
Do you have any suggestions, either for the name itself or how drow names are supposed to sound like?
Any help is appreciated!
I wouldn't. Something that short's to "Pally" sounds too much like a nickname for "paladin" to me, and to me, that sounds silly. In the same way I wouldn't name a character "Fighty" or "Wizzy" or "Bardy" or so on. It sounds too jokey for me, and in a game I was running, would feel like disrespect to the hard work I put in to setting up the game and disrespect to the other players.
So no suggestions, other than to go with something less jokey sounding. Well, that's a lie... I'd suggest checking out any one of the many naming generator sites online; there's even ones for drow name generation that work quite well.
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Even if you give them to gnomes?Would flavoring slings as slingshots fit fine, or would they probably work better for a new weapon?Up to you. I've always looked at slinghots as anachronistic and kinda silly to have in a fantasy game, because slingshots make me think of Dennis the Menace and more modern designs, and I associate them with children's toys instead of weapons. Same goes with yo-yos, which do have a weapon-based historical precedent I believe... but they still feel like toys to me and as such they don't perpetuate the flavor and theme of the game I prefer in my game or writing.
Not sure why that'd make a difference.
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Not sure why that'd make a difference.Even if you give them to gnomes?Would flavoring slings as slingshots fit fine, or would they probably work better for a new weapon?Up to you. I've always looked at slinghots as anachronistic and kinda silly to have in a fantasy game, because slingshots make me think of Dennis the Menace and more modern designs, and I associate them with children's toys instead of weapons. Same goes with yo-yos, which do have a weapon-based historical precedent I believe... but they still feel like toys to me and as such they don't perpetuate the flavor and theme of the game I prefer in my game or writing.
Whimsy.
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Whimsy.Not sure why that'd make a difference.Even if you give them to gnomes?Would flavoring slings as slingshots fit fine, or would they probably work better for a new weapon?Up to you. I've always looked at slinghots as anachronistic and kinda silly to have in a fantasy game, because slingshots make me think of Dennis the Menace and more modern designs, and I associate them with children's toys instead of weapons. Same goes with yo-yos, which do have a weapon-based historical precedent I believe... but they still feel like toys to me and as such they don't perpetuate the flavor and theme of the game I prefer in my game or writing.
Does not this line of thinking open a Pandora's Box of other silly things?
What's the deepest hole you've ever dug.
Would the Red Mantis Assassins take out a contract on the Whispering Tyrant (with a contingent of Death Slayers from Adventurer's Guide) or is he off limits as a ruler... he had a pretty extensive empire he ruled for a long time, does his imprisonment make a difference to them?
Can any god make a recommendation to Achaekek to kill someone or does he only listen to specific ones or does he act completely autonomously? If the former, why didn't Aroden send him to kill Tar-Barphon initially, it seems like what he was made for?
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Does not this line of thinking open a Pandora's Box of other silly things?Whimsy.Not sure why that'd make a difference.Even if you give them to gnomes?Would flavoring slings as slingshots fit fine, or would they probably work better for a new weapon?Up to you. I've always looked at slinghots as anachronistic and kinda silly to have in a fantasy game, because slingshots make me think of Dennis the Menace and more modern designs, and I associate them with children's toys instead of weapons. Same goes with yo-yos, which do have a weapon-based historical precedent I believe... but they still feel like toys to me and as such they don't perpetuate the flavor and theme of the game I prefer in my game or writing.
What's silly to person A is not to person B.
What's silly to me, as creative director of Pathfinder, though, takes precedence over what most others think, since part of what my job pays me to do is to curate this sort of content, so that the whimsy appears in appropriate ways, the horror appears in appropriate ways, and so on.
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Would the Red Mantis Assassins take out a contract on the Whispering Tyrant (with a contingent of Death Slayers from Adventurer's Guide) or is he off limits as a ruler... he had a pretty extensive empire he ruled for a long time, does his imprisonment make a difference to them?
The Red Mantis Assassins don't take out ANY contracts on their own. They don't hire themselves. They are hired by others.
Now... would they accept a contract to take out the Whispering Tyrant if someone approached them with that job offer?
THAT is a good question, and one I'm not gonna answer here. Because it's sort of a spoiler for something I might be working on soon... ;-)
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Can any god make a recommendation to Achaekek to kill someone or does he only listen to specific ones or does he act completely autonomously? If the former, why didn't Aroden send him to kill Tar-Barphon initially, it seems like what he was made for?
He's pretty much autonomous. He doesn't take orders from anyone, but when the time comes, he pretty much knows who needs to go and who needs to stay. And those choices, and the logic behind them, aren't ones that anyone else gets to be part of. Other gods can try to influence him or make requests, but just as with the Red Mantis themselves... he gets to pick and choose.
How is the art done for the APs?
(Like is the developer deciding "I'll need a portrait for that NPC, and this scene drawn, and that will be the title picture"? Or someone else? And who approves the art to be printed or vetoes it in the worst case?).
Hope this counts as one question, as I'm interested in the general process :)
Is there anything known about Tar-Baphon before he became a lich?
In addition to Golarion, are there any other Pathfinder or D&D settings that you think that we players should check out?
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What do you think would have happened to the Armageddon Echo after the events of Second Darkness - would it have kept on going in its cycle forever, eventually dissolve, or stop immediately once the PCs escaped?
(curious as I just sent a different group in there as a Teleport mishap seeing as I was familiar with the place)
It'd eventually dissolve, I guess. We've told that story and if we go back to Celwynvian, I'd wanna tell a different story probably.
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How is the art done for the APs?
(Like is the developer deciding "I'll need a portrait for that NPC, and this scene drawn, and that will be the title picture"? Or someone else? And who approves the art to be printed or vetoes it in the worst case?).
Hope this counts as one question, as I'm interested in the general process :)
The developer reads the text and picks out the things they want to have illustrated, then that developer writes an art brief into filemaker with those descriptions, then an art director assigns those descriptions to artists, and then the art director and developer provide feedback for the artist based on the sketches, and then the art is done!
The art director and the developer both have veto power, but we try not to use it since art is expensive, and when and if art comes in that's off in some way but still usable, we almost always find ways to adjust the text to make it work.
For example, we recently had an illustration of a glabrezu demon come in at the last minute. The art is GREAT, but the artist forgot to include the glabrezu's smaller arms on its chest, and due to the racing speed we're at in building up to the 2nd edition Gen Con launch, we never noticed this lack of arms in the sketch. With no time to add arms, I decided that the glabrezu in the encounter was one that got punished by a god and had two of its arms removed. Not a GREAT solution, since I would have rather had that sort of character trait be a significant element on a specific named glabrezu and not just one that's basically just "a monster in a room"... but it let us keep the art, which is otherwise really good looking art. (And incidentally by keeping the art, we didn't have to write, develop, and edit a brand new pile of 500 words to replace the missing art at the last minute!)
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Is there anything known about Tar-Baphon before he became a lich?
Yes. A fair amount. Spread out over lots of books. Might be easier to ask for details on antoher thread where you can get a back and forth with other players.
Since as it plays out, most of those books that have revealed pre-lich Tar-Baphon info have been written and developed by people other than me.
I can say this...
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In addition to Golarion, are there any other Pathfinder or D&D settings that you think that we players should check out?
I'm not familiar with any other Pathfinder settings from 3rd party publishers, alas. One of the unfortunate side effects of working at Paizo is that I don't really have a lot of time to dive into other settings and explore them, in part because I really value my free time either to be used in playing in Golarion or in pursuing non-RPG entertainment to keep me from burning out.
For D&D, my favorite setting is Greyhawk. There's a LOT of Greyhawk DNA in Golarion. I also quite enjoyed Forgotten Realms, Mystara, Dark Sun, and Planescape.
Glarataxus is mentioned to be a male red dragon that's plagued Korvosa for a couple hundred years, but is only mentioned in passing as far as I can see. My question is two part: is this dragon featured at all in Age of Ashes, and if not then what age category might it be?
For D&D, my favorite setting is Greyhawk. There's a LOT of Greyhawk DNA in Golarion. I also quite enjoyed Forgotten Realms, Mystara, Dark Sun, and Planescape.
How did you feel about Ravenloft?
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Glarataxus is mentioned to be a male red dragon that's plagued Korvosa for a couple hundred years, but is only mentioned in passing as far as I can see. My question is two part: is this dragon featured at all in Age of Ashes, and if not then what age category might it be?
He's not in Age of Ashes, nor are there any plans to do anything wiht him anytime soon, if ever.