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So I'm in the midst of painting one of these bad boys for use in a potential Osirian campaign. I need a suggestion on what it should be.
1) The avatar of a Dead Osirian deity (any cool suggestions on a name if so?)
2) The survival plan of the fiend pharaoh of the four pharaohs of ascension (his new body)
3) Any other cool suggestion?
About Lycanthropes: in addition to their bonuses to stats, Ac, and so on, do they also get the bonuses from Polymorph (for example, Polymorph used as Beast Shape II grants precise stats modifications), since they have Change Shape functioning as Polymorph?
Creative Director
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Do you know if demons Belphegor and Yblis have been used in any incarnation of DnD?
Not sure about Yblis... but Belphegor showed up as a devil in D&D. First in the 2nd issue of "Dungeon," in the adventure called "Caermor," I believe. I was quite a fan of that adventure, and so put in a sort of Belphegor easter egg in the last "Age of Worms" adventure in Dungeon #135.
Do you know if demons Belphegor and Yblis have been used in any incarnation of DnD?
Yblis (under the name Eblis) is in the AD&D Monster Manual 2 (1983) as a resident of Pazunia in the Abyss (p.35). Not much info. Also a monster Stork-man appears as "Eblis" in the Land beyond the Magic Mirror. You are probably not referring to that one...
Iblis appears in GR's The Book of Fiends as a fallen angel.He also appears in Legacy of Fire #5 as part of the backstory of the Get of Iblis (pp.86-7). He was an evil archgenie who tried to rule all his kind and was defeated.
Interesting fact: Belphegor is the Patron Demon of France.
Is it safe to assume one could take a lantern archon as improved familiar? There seems to be an option for about every CR2 outsider in the alignment wheel except for lawful good, and the lantern archon is the only sample I have seen that somewhat fits the bill.
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Creative Director
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Thanks for your replies, guys.
James,
Will there ever be a Extra Familiar feat in Pathfinder?
Maybe... but unlikely. I can't predict the future, and even though I don't think an "Extra Familiar" feat would necessarily be good for the game (I don't like the flavor of said feat–a familiar should be only one thing, not multiple things), I'm not the only one who makes decisions as to what goes into the rulebooks.
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Creative Director
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Is it safe to assume one could take a lantern archon as improved familiar? There seems to be an option for about every CR2 outsider in the alignment wheel except for lawful good, and the lantern archon is the only sample I have seen that somewhat fits the bill.
Nope; lantern archons are not technically allowed as improved familiars. They have some spell-like abilities and aura powers that are too good for them to be familiars.
We'll be putting a legitimate lawful good familiar outsider option in a book by the end of this year.
I've just read the editing concerns thread (somewhere on the forum here) - and realized that for me to produce better submissions (for say, a hypothetical Society Scenario, or a entry for RPG Superstar) it would make a world of difference to have a reference sheet of terms and how to refer to them in a rules context.
What I mean is that currently I try to learn by example. If "Deadly Aim" didn't exist and I were to create that feat, I'd refer to Power Attack and try to formulate my feat based on that. This works great in the case of similar feats, but doesn't help that much when novel ground is touched.
(Aside from the issue that sometimes when we create something "novel", just a bit of re-thinking could make it fit nicely in the more established niches.)
Can you give any advice or perhaps references on this? Thank you kindly.
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Creative Director
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I've just read the editing concerns thread (somewhere on the forum here) - and realized that for me to produce better submissions (for say, a hypothetical Society Scenario, or a entry for RPG Superstar) it would make a world of difference to have a reference sheet of terms and how to refer to them in a rules context.
What I mean is that currently I try to learn by example. If "Deadly Aim" didn't exist and I were to create that feat, I'd refer to Power Attack and try to formulate my feat based on that. This works great in the case of similar feats, but doesn't help that much when novel ground is touched.
(Aside from the issue that sometimes when we create something "novel", just a bit of re-thinking could make it fit nicely in the more established niches.)
Can you give any advice or perhaps references on this? Thank you kindly.
The best way to do this at this point is to study how we set up similar rules content in our books, but even then, ability to mimic our style or formatting is secondary to a freelancer's ability to come up with creative stuff or evocative writing or just plain good grammar. A big part of our job is to clean up text and make it fit the Paizo house style—an author who is more worried about doing that job for us at the expense of doing what we hired him to do–provide well-written and imaginative content, is probably focusing his efforts in the wrong place.
At what point are my cats likely to forgive me for giving them the Dutch Oven treatment?
The best way to do this at this point is to study how we set up similar rules content in our books, but even then, ability to mimic our style or formatting is secondary to a freelancer's ability to come up with creative stuff or evocative writing or just plain good grammar. A big part of our job is to clean up text and make it fit the Paizo house style—an author who is more worried about doing that job for us at the expense of doing what we hired him to do–provide well-written and imaginative content, is probably focusing his efforts in the wrong place.
Interesting. What would you recommend to a person for whom "clean up text and make it fit the Paizo house style" sounds like an awesome position? Is that what you usually have the editorial interns do? Does this kind of action include squaring up statblocks and the like?
Which Imentesh protean illustration do you personally prefer?None, so far...
I agree.
And on that note I'm going to (with no information) read far too much into that "so far..." comment. :D
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Developer
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After a recent PFS scenario we found we had some disagreements about how large a wayfinder is and where they can be easily worn.
About how large is an ioun stone, and on a related note, about how large is a standard wayfinder?
Furthermore, can a wayfinder be worn on a chain around one's neck without looking like a ridiculous rapper from the 90's?
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Creative Director
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The best way to do this at this point is to study how we set up similar rules content in our books, but even then, ability to mimic our style or formatting is secondary to a freelancer's ability to come up with creative stuff or evocative writing or just plain good grammar. A big part of our job is to clean up text and make it fit the Paizo house style—an author who is more worried about doing that job for us at the expense of doing what we hired him to do–provide well-written and imaginative content, is probably focusing his efforts in the wrong place.Interesting. What would you recommend to a person for whom "clean up text and make it fit the Paizo house style" sounds like an awesome position? Is that what you usually have the editorial interns do? Does this kind of action include squaring up statblocks and the like?
If you want to have that job, my recommendation is to go to college and major in English to get your editing and writing skills super-polished up. Minor in something interesting that gives you an edge that is unique and useful in game design. And start making a name for yourself by writing for game companies or self-publishing. Then, when a developer or editor position opens up at Paizo, throw in an application, and if you don't get in, repeat until the next opening pops up.
It's not the kind of tasks we have interns do, though; it's mostly what editors and developers do. It includes pretty much everything, from editing stat blocks to editing text to fixing broken storylines to rewriting text to punching up descriptions to balancing rules to helping create entirely new content and more.
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Creative Director
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James,
Glad to see the Land of the Linnorm Kings is getting much love in the upcoming AP and a future Campaign Setting book.
Are there any modules set in the far north scheduled to appear to coincide with these products?
We published "The Witchwar Legacy" and "Curse of the Riven Sky" last year, both of which were set in the north. No northern adventures currently in the works, though.
Why is a handsome dinosaur like yourself answering questions when you should be drinking lemonade by a nice pool or something?
Also, will the Gunslinger get his own archetypes in Ultimate Combat, or was the decision to separate him from the Fighter made too late in the planning phase for this to happen?
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Creative Director
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After a recent PFS scenario we found we had some disagreements about how large a wayfinder is and where they can be easily worn.
About how large is an ioun stone, and on a related note, about how large is a standard wayfinder?
Furthermore, can a wayfinder be worn on a chain around one's neck without looking like a ridiculous rapper from the 90's?
An ioun stone is about as large as a large gemstone. Let's say something the size of a blueberry or an M&M.
A wayfinder is about the size of a normal pocket compass; about 2 to 3 inches across or so. They're normally carried in a pocket. You could wear one on your neck and it'd look kinda silly, probably, but they're small enough you can wear them under a shirt without being obvious.
If you use the use magic device skill to activate a wand and fail you still loose the charge correct?
Will we ever see stats for a dire crawfish?
I'd say dire crawfish are unlikely as long as James has something to say about it; as I recall he isn't a fan of dire creatures in general (see here).
p 118 of APG
Warrior of the Holy Light
"She can call upon the power of her faith as a standard action. This causes a nimbus of light to emanate..."
Does this require one of the uses of lay on hands or can the paladin just do it whenever she wants?
:confused:
Thanks in advance.
Will we ever see stats for a dire crawfish?A dire crawfish? Probably not.
A giant crawfish, though? Very likely. Of course, if you can't wait, the eurypterids from Serpent's Skull #1 or just giant crabs will stand in well as replacements.
Tome of Horrors Revised includes 3.5 stats for a giant crayfish (or crawdad, as I was raised to call it). It's pretty easily converted to Pathfinder standards, but if you must have PF-compliant stats, chances are good that there's an updated version of it in the upcoming re-release of the ToH.
Ok,
Quick question. WBL is a guideline of power. However, is it absolute? For example...
Heirloom Weapon : This adds about 300gp to the character at 1st level.
Rich Parents : 900gp added at 1st level.
Leadership : Cohort could be considered to add GP to his wealth by level, since he comes with his own equipment that the PC didn't have to pay for.
So, do you subtract the GP of the feat/trait generated items from the WBL to adjust (thus not giving the PC who took rich parents anything for level 1 to 2), or do you just tack on the value of trait/feat generated resources to the character's WBL? IE: Rich Parents character would have a WBL at 2nd level of 1,900 gp, not 1,000.
I believe it's just tacked on (meaning the worst 'offender', leadership, would add about 8% more resources to the character at 20th level, given the NPC comes with 75K worth of gear) but it's come up recently, so I thought I'd ask the intent. I can houserule it either way, but prefer to know what I need to add to my houserule doc and what I don't have to because it's RAW. :)
Tome of Horrors Revised includes 3.5 stats for a giant crayfish (or crawdad, as I was raised to call it). It's pretty easily converted to Pathfinder standards, but if you must have PF-compliant stats, chances are good that there's an updated version of it in the upcoming re-release of the ToH.Will we ever see stats for a dire crawfish?A dire crawfish? Probably not.
A giant crawfish, though? Very likely. Of course, if you can't wait, the eurypterids from Serpent's Skull #1 or just giant crabs will stand in well as replacements.
:)
Tome of Horrors Revised includes 3.5 stats for a giant crayfish (or crawdad, as I was raised to call it). It's pretty easily converted to Pathfinder standards, but if you must have PF-compliant stats, chances are good that there's an updated version of it in the upcoming re-release of the ToH.
If it was in Tome of Horrors, chances are 100% that it is in the upcoming re-release. Personally, I'm especially looking forward to the updated N'gathau. And the fact that I'll get it as a PDF.
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I apologize if this has been answered already... but I was wondering if you could clarify, a monk of the empty hand... if they pick up a random item (from a quill to a mug etc)... do you treat it as an improvised weapon? or do you break it down to the three listed items? OR are those three weapon equivalents only for a monk of the empty hand that chooses to pick up an actual weapon?
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Return of the clones.
Another clone question. What is the age and life expectancy of a clone?
He has the same age of his parent, the age he had when the flesh piece was taken or he is a new body with the starting stats?
Same question for a simulacron.
His apparent age is that of the thing copied, but its actual age and life expectancy are based on the age of the copied creature or start afresh?
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Creative Director
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p 118 of APG
Warrior of the Holy Light
"She can call upon the power of her faith as a standard action. This causes a nimbus of light to emanate..."
Does this require one of the uses of lay on hands or can the paladin just do it whenever she wants?
:confused:
Thanks in advance.
It doesn't mention using uses of lay on hands, so it doesn't use uses of lay on hands. She can do it at will. The powers themselves are limited in other ways, such as only being able to affect targets with specific effects once per day. Remember, she's losing ALL her spellcasting to gain this power—that's a pretty significant loss of utility and options, so what she gains in return needs to be pretty tough and compelling.
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Creative Director
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Ok,
Quick question. WBL is a guideline of power. However, is it absolute? For example...Heirloom Weapon : This adds about 300gp to the character at 1st level.
Rich Parents : 900gp added at 1st level.
Leadership : Cohort could be considered to add GP to his wealth by level, since he comes with his own equipment that the PC didn't have to pay for.
So, do you subtract the GP of the feat/trait generated items from the WBL to adjust (thus not giving the PC who took rich parents anything for level 1 to 2), or do you just tack on the value of trait/feat generated resources to the character's WBL? IE: Rich Parents character would have a WBL at 2nd level of 1,900 gp, not 1,000.
I believe it's just tacked on (meaning the worst 'offender', leadership, would add about 8% more resources to the character at 20th level, given the NPC comes with 75K worth of gear) but it's come up recently, so I thought I'd ask the intent. I can houserule it either way, but prefer to know what I need to add to my houserule doc and what I don't have to because it's RAW. :)
For what it's worth, Rich Parents is too good and, in my opinion, should be reduced down to 300 gp or thereabouts.
Cohorts aren't PCs, and thus don't get traits unless the GM allows the Additional Traits feat in his game. So normally, a cohort wouldn't get either of these traits. If your GM allows cohorts to have traits, though, any extra gear and equipment granted by the traits is over and above what the cohort would normally get. In any case, if you're letting a cohort gain traits, you're already deep into houserules territory, so go ahead and keep adjusting things so as make sense to your group.
Leadership is itself a VERY powerful feat. It's not really a good option to let players have if there's more than 4 players in a group, in fact, and not just because of power creep—it's not a good option simply due to economy of action in play—a player whose PC has a cohort gets twice as many turns in the game as the other players, and that can get annoying.
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Creative Director
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I apologize if this has been answered already... but I was wondering if you could clarify, a monk of the empty hand... if they pick up a random item (from a quill to a mug etc)... do you treat it as an improvised weapon? or do you break it down to the three listed items? OR are those three weapon equivalents only for a monk of the empty hand that chooses to pick up an actual weapon?
Those three weapon equivalents are for weapons only. Non weapons like quills and mugs are treated as normal improvised weapons.
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Creative Director
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Return of the clones.
Another clone question. What is the age and life expectancy of a clone?
He has the same age of his parent, the age he had when the flesh piece was taken or he is a new body with the starting stats?
Same question for a simulacron.
His apparent age is that of the thing copied, but its actual age and life expectancy are based on the age of the copied creature or start afresh?
A clone's age is the same as the age of the source when the clone is created, but it ages at the same rate as if it were alive. Its life expectancy is the same as the creature it clones. Clone is not a way you can cheat death from old age. Switching bodies from a dead body to a clone basically works as if the character had been raised from the dead, and as such retains age unchanged.
Same with a simulacrum; its age and life expectancy is the same as the actual age of the creature copied.
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Helpless and Reflex ST.
In another thread it was said that a helpless (paralysed, unconscious, ecc.) target get a Reflex ST (applying a dexterity of 0).
It seem a bit silly but the RAW of the rules seem to confirm that (under helpless there is nothing about failing Reflex ST).
What is your opinion and those of the Paizo developers?
"She can call upon the power of her faith as a standard action. This causes a nimbus of light to emanate..."
It doesn't mention using uses of lay on hands, so it doesn't use uses of lay on hands. She can do it at will. The powers themselves are limited in other ways, such as only being able to affect targets with specific effects once per day. Remember, she's losing ALL her spellcasting to gain this power—that's a pretty significant loss of utility and options, so what she gains in return needs to be pretty tough and compelling.
Just a note - the newest PDF says the following about the Warrior of the Holy Light power:
"She can spend a use of her lay on hands ability to call upon the power of her faith as a standard action."
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So James, not sure if this has already been asked or not but, what classes do you prefer to play the most when you game.
And I've just started collecting miniatures for our games. Would this be a worth while investment to make for someone who plans on gaming for a very long time or should I stop now while I'm ahead??
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Creative Director
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Helpless and Reflex ST.
In another thread it was said that a helpless (paralysed, unconscious, ecc.) target get a Reflex ST (applying a dexterity of 0).
It seem a bit silly but the RAW of the rules seem to confirm that (under helpless there is nothing about failing Reflex ST).
What is your opinion and those of the Paizo developers?
The significant penalties you'll take to your Reflex save from having an effective Dex of 0 are good enough to model the disadvantage you have for not being able to dodge and duck and all that, but it's not good for the game to completely remove a Reflex save just because you're helpless. Remember... ALL saving throws also include luck in there—so even if you're motionless, you can still get lucky and make a Reflex save. It'll just be harder to do so.
If you want to house rule it so that being helpless removes your ability to make a Reflex save, keep in mind that'll make Reflex save effects WAY powerful against PCs who are, say, fireballed when they're sleeping. A house rule like this is in the same category as house ruling falling damage to do more damage—the game's fundamentally not built to work that way, and you'll be killing a LOT more PCs (and the PCs will be killing a lot more foes) than you can plan for.
The game works much better when you can always make saving throws, regardless of circumstances.
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Creative Director
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"She can call upon the power of her faith as a standard action. This causes a nimbus of light to emanate..."It doesn't mention using uses of lay on hands, so it doesn't use uses of lay on hands. She can do it at will. The powers themselves are limited in other ways, such as only being able to affect targets with specific effects once per day. Remember, she's losing ALL her spellcasting to gain this power—that's a pretty significant loss of utility and options, so what she gains in return needs to be pretty tough and compelling.Just a note - the newest PDF says the following about the Warrior of the Holy Light power:
"She can spend a use of her lay on hands ability to call upon the power of her faith as a standard action."
Which newest PDF? We do a lot of those.
If you mean the newest errata, then there you go.
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Creative Director
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So James, not sure if this has already been asked or not but, what classes do you prefer to play the most when you game.
And I've just started collecting miniatures for our games. Would this be a worth while investment to make for someone who plans on gaming for a very long time or should I stop now while I'm ahead??
My favorite class is bard. My second favorite is a tie between cleric and rogue. My favorite TYPE of character are fast, mobile, chaotic good swashbuckler types.
Miniatures are really handy for Pathfinder, and the visual element of being able to put the exact right type of mini down on the battle mat when the PCs encounter it is really fun. I would say it's very worthwhile investment if you're planning on gaming for a good long time.
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Creative Director
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So I take it from what has been mentioned about the Dragon kingdoms Gazetteer that cat folk are not going to be a playable race?
Correct. The "Core" PC race options for the Dragon Empires are:
Human
Tengu (bird humanoids)
Nagaji (reptilian humanoids)
Kitsune (shapechanging fox humanoids)
Wayang (Small shadowy humanoids)
Samsarans ("spirit-folk" type humanoids)
Of the six races, four of them (nagaji, kitsune, wayang, and samsarans) are going to be more or less brand new to Pathfinder
Of those four, two (nagaji and samsaran) are going to be brand new, while the other two (kitsune and wayang) are based on mythology or folklore to a certain extent.
No cat folk PC race options in the Dragon Empires.