Creative Director
|
"This new mount does not gain the link, evasion, devotion, or improved evasion special abilities until the next time the cavalier gains a level."
When a Cavalier's mount dies and he multi-classes I'm assuming the mount doesn't gain any abilities because he didn't level Cavalier? Is that correct?
What if they had Boon Companion feat that increased the level of the companion?
Correct. Even if he has the Boon Companion feat, it won't work. He has to take a cavalier level to gain that benefit in this case.
|
Creative Director
|
Do you think if such a mind-blowing thing were to happen, Obox-ob would reclaim his throne and become prince of demons once again? Or would it be some other obyrith this time around?
Depends on the nature of the event; the last Dungeon magazine, which has the final Savage Tide adventure, does a fair bit about what happens in an Abyss-shaking event like that. I suspect Obox-ob would be in the top contenders for the prince role, but it wouldn't be automatic.
Dear James,
Am I correct to assume that the Channel Smite (Combat) feat will allow a character to channel energy as a swift action, even if the channeling is actually healing and not necessarily damaging an undead foe.
|
Creative Director
|
Why do writers INSIST on putting intelligent, abrasive chimp/monkey people in my otherwise wonderful adventures?
Seriously, humans are enough.
Seriously.
No more monkeys please.
Turns out that, like it or not, the charau-ka (the intelligent monkey people) are a significant part of our world, particularly in the Mwangi expanse. So when we do an AP set there, there'll be a lot of them to endure along the way.
There's not gonna be a lot of them in the Shackles, since they don't really have much of a role there, so the upcoming Skull and Shackles AP won't have a monkey problem.
|
Creative Director
|
From a Flavour point-of-view, would you rule it's legal for a Two-Weapon Archetype Fighter to use Unarmed Strikes with the Class Abilities, or does the old 'Unarmed Strikes are not Manufactured Weapons' ruling apply here?
From a pure flavor view, I would indeed say that a two-weapon archetype fighter wouldn't be able to do his thing with unarmed strikes. If he wants to do focus on unarmed strikes, he should consider multiclassing into monk. Or maybe waiting for Ultimate Combat to see if there's any options for him in there.
|
Creative Director
|
I was reading parts of the bestiary and noticed that Angels and Azata can't reproduce with other members of their race.
Now members of the race are created from ascended mortal souls.The text about demons is a bit less clear, even if it is clear that debased souls can spawn several demons when they reach the Abyss.
This is true for all the outsiders? or only those from the old "outer planes"?
It's not true for all outsiders at all; it's only a case for Angels and Azatas.
|
Creative Director
|
Dear James,
Am I correct to assume that the Channel Smite (Combat) feat will allow a character to channel energy as a swift action, even if the channeling is actually healing and not necessarily damaging an undead foe.
You can't channel smite to heal something, be they living or undead. You can only channel positive energy to hurt undead, or channel negative energy to hurt the living.
If you channel smite negative energy on a target who's undead, that channeled energy has no effect, same as if you do a channel negative energy to harm living foes and there happens to be undead in that area of effect.
|
What is your least favorite creature to encounter as a player character?
Girallons.
Uh-oh! I'm just about to start running Racing To Ruin and was going to throw in a viral on. Do you just dislike them because they are tough compared to your character, because they aren't dinosaurs or is there something I should beware of while using one?
|
Creative Director
|
Is there anything you could add about Obox-ob? What is his layer like? What are his minions and servitor demons besides ekolids? I read a little about it in the lost entries for FC1 but that was just like a teaser, you know. Any more information relating to or about Obox-ob you could share?
Not really.
Obox-ob was the main bad-guy god in my homebrew world. Had I not "sold" him to Wiards of the Coast, he would be in a similar role in Golarion. Instead, I "promoted" one of my other homebrew gods, Rovagug, to fill the role that Obox-ob did in my homebrew.
Obox-ob now belongs 100% to Wizards of the Coast—which is only fair, since I got the name from the 1st edition Monster Manual 2 in the first place.
But since he belongs to WotC, I'm not really comfortable in saying much more about him, really. You might want to check out the last few issues of Dungeon—Obox-ob plays a role there, but as for new stuff... sorry, but nope.
|
Creative Director
|
Uh-oh! I'm just about to start running Racing To Ruin and was going to throw in a viral on. Do you just dislike them because they are tough compared to your character, because they aren't dinosaurs or is there something I should beware of while using one?
In 3.5, they were WAY overpowered for their CR. Their rend ability was super deadly. Every time I saw a girallion show up, at least one PC died. No joke. At least once... maybe twice (can't remember) the dead PC was mine.
They're all fixed in Pathifnder, but in 3.5... that extra damage from rend was a killer.
|
Creative Director
|
Ahh, tis a shame indeed. I was so curious. But it's only fair, as you said. And yeah, the last four Savage Tide articles were by far the coolest of them all.
I'd never heard of Rovagug before. I just looked him up and it's really really cool! Would the information about his minions and spawn be a good starting point to create Obox-ob obyrith minions of my own for a homebrew adventure on Zionin? Of course I'd change them up a bit.
And even though I already have plenty of my own ideas so far, do you have any advice on creating homebrew obyrith/qlippoth demons/demon lords that would be as awesome as the ones you have made?
Rovagug's been VERY detailed over the course of the last few years—his cult played a key rule in the Legacy of Fire adventure path for one thing. He's also the bug monster on the cover of "Gods and Magic." He's one of the main deities of the Pathfinder campaign setting, after all.
As for my take on qlippoth and demons and the like... "Lords of Chaos" is the best place to go. There's LOTS of new demons and stuff going on in that book.
From a Flavour point-of-view, would you rule it's legal for a Two-Weapon Archetype Fighter to use Unarmed Strikes with the Class Abilities, or does the old 'Unarmed Strikes are not Manufactured Weapons' ruling apply here?From a pure flavor view, I would indeed say that a two-weapon archetype fighter wouldn't be able to do his thing with unarmed strikes. If he wants to do focus on unarmed strikes, he should consider multiclassing into monk. Or maybe waiting for Ultimate Combat to see if there's any options for him in there.
I don't like the idea that to be able to punch stuff effectively involves taking monk levels, even if only multiclassing. The monk is pretty flavor intensive, and its hard to refluff why a boxer jsut got tongues and dimension door.
I'm hopefully you're strongly implying a viable fighter archetype for punching. Is that the case?
Hey James,
The Chosen concept from FR was a really cool concept. Beyond simply just taking levels in one of the various divinely linked classes, is there any way one could replicate this for PF?
Do the Golarion gods have something similar?
|
James,
I enjoy moonlit dinners, walks on the beach, and writing 7 page character backgrounds for my dm at 2:50am on a saturday morning.
Am I a loser?
(seriously though...) I did want to ask you if there was as much cheating on player die rolls at your gaming table as there is at mine...
(it happens at least 4-5 times a game for me)
Do you fell like slapping them for doing something so childish?
CC
Dear James,
Am I correct to assume that the Channel Smite (Combat) feat will allow a character to channel energy as a swift action, even if the channeling is actually healing and not necessarily damaging an undead foe.
You can't channel smite to heal something, be they living or undead. You can only channel positive energy to hurt undead, or channel negative energy to hurt the living.
If you channel smite negative energy on a target who's undead, that channeled energy has no effect, same as if you do a channel negative energy to harm living foes and there happens to be undead in that area of effect.
James, I notice that channel smite allows you to channel as a swift action. However, it appears to be used simply for damaging undead foes. Is there another feat that will allow the cleric to channel positive energy swiftly to heal his own companions while he is engaged in battle? Something similar to the paladin when he heals himself swiftly with his lay on of hands and then continues his attack that same round?
James, I notice that channel smite allows you to channel as a swift action. However, it appears to be used simply for damaging undead foes. Is there another feat that will allow the cleric to channel positive energy swiftly to heal his own companions while he is engaged in battle? Something similar to the paladin when he heals himself swiftly with his lay on of hands and then continues his attack that same round?
Now don't be greedy and ask for swift-channels. Instead look at Ultimate Magic that has a feat to allow a cleric to channel as a move-action. I believe that is satisfactory, yes? :)
|
|
It's not true for all outsiders at all; it's only a case for Angels and Azatas.I was reading parts of the bestiary and noticed that Angels and Azata can't reproduce with other members of their race.
Now members of the race are created from ascended mortal souls.The text about demons is a bit less clear, even if it is clear that debased souls can spawn several demons when they reach the Abyss.
This is true for all the outsiders? or only those from the old "outer planes"?
:(
I was already thinking how it will fit nicely in my cosmogony. I like the idea of evil guys doing their deeds for the "reward" of becoming a devil or demon (same thing for good guys and angels, azata, ecc.) and the dependency of the outer planes from the right souls to get more population.I think I will use that bit kind of religious background even it it will not be Golarion canon.
James, flicking through my old Monster Manual and the Ultimate Magic, I notice the Stats for the Pig familiar and the average Dog from the Monster Manual are just about interchangeable. Would you personally rule it viable for a Sorcerer/Wizard/Witch to have a 'Dog' familiar, using the Pig Familiar stats?
|
Creative Director
|
I don't like the idea that to be able to punch stuff effectively involves taking monk levels, even if only multiclassing. The monk is pretty flavor intensive, and its hard to refluff why a boxer jsut got tongues and dimension door.
I'm hopefully you're strongly implying a viable fighter archetype for punching. Is that the case?
I'm actually not familiar enough with Ultimate Combat to know if there's an archetype like that for fighters in particular, but I do know that there's a bunch of martial arts feats that aren't limited to just monks.
And you CAN make a pretty potent unarmed strike fighter already. You don't have to be a monk if you don't like the class. Barbarians also make pretty compelling unarmed fighters.
But as a general rule, don't expect to be able to keep up with the super-numbercrunched weapon wielding fighter when it comes to damage. The game is not built so that every option is equal—and fists are simply not as deadly a weapon choice as, say, a sword, given everything else is equal. That's pretty much why we invented swords in the first place.
|
Creative Director
|
Hey James,
The Chosen concept from FR was a really cool concept. Beyond simply just taking levels in one of the various divinely linked classes, is there any way one could replicate this for PF?Do the Golarion gods have something similar?
You could just use the rules for the Chosen right out of FR if you want, of course—the game's compatible enough to absorb rules from 3rd edition books.
There's not really an exact parallel with the Golarion gods. They all have heralds, but these are unique CR 15 creatures meant to be great choices for clerics to call up with greater planar ally, not things for PCs or NPCs to aspire to become.
The concept of the gods choosing someone as one of their chosen is something I'd like to explore, though... but probably not until we figure out what's going on with post-20th-level adventures—whether or not we put such rules IN the post-20th-level stuff or not not being the point (I just want to know how those rules work so I can make an informed decision about where such rules should show up).
|
Creative Director
|
Were Rovagug's minions/spawn originally created for Obox-ob and then continued in Pathfinder as Rovagug's, or did you create them for Rovagug specifically?
They were created for Pathfinder's version of Rovagug. Neither Rovagug nor Obox-ob had specific links to the Tarrasque (or other giant monsters in that vein) in my homebrew.
Are all the obyrith lord-controlled layers in The Abyss as inherently dangerous and hostile as Zionin? Are they more dangerous than tanar'ri controlled layers since you said if the obyriths ruled the entire Abyss it would be much more deadly than it is currently?
Nope; while every layer of the Abyss is dangerous, some are less so and some are more so. The reason I think the Abyss would be more deadly if the obyriths/qlippoth ruled it is more or less because those guys don't partially rely upon human souls in any way. Humans are less than useless to them, unlike demons.
But it's like saying a 30 megaton nuke is more dangerous than a 29 megaton one, to a certain extent.
|
Creative Director
|
I enjoy moonlit dinners, walks on the beach, and writing 7 page character backgrounds for my dm at 2:50am on a saturday morning.
Am I a loser?
Depends on whom you're trying to impress!
I did want to ask you if there was as much cheating on player die rolls at your gaming table as there is at mine...
(it happens at least 4-5 times a game for me)
Do you fell like slapping them for doing something so childish?
I've had plenty of experience with both cheating players and players who I strongly suspect are cheating—for whatever reason, that was more of a problem in college. And when they got caught, it was usually red-handed by other players who were only too eager to call them out on their cheating, which was a pretty good way of shaming them into shaping up.
Today, I either have the fortune of not having cheater players, or I'm just not as observant as I was in college. I'd like to think it was the former.
Strike that. Whenever Jason Bulmahn threatens a critical hit when he's the GM, he rolls to confirm the critical hit using a d20 carved from the remorseless heart of a space-borne stone of ill fortune (it's a d20 carved from a meteorite). That die rolls unusually high. I suspect it's either because it's not properly balanced to be random and skews toward the high end of things, or because it's under the dire influence of something just beyond a sane mind's ability to grasp. In either way, it feels like he's cheating.
|
Creative Director
|
James, I notice that channel smite allows you to channel as a swift action. However, it appears to be used simply for damaging undead foes. Is there another feat that will allow the cleric to channel positive energy swiftly to heal his own companions while he is engaged in battle? Something similar to the paladin when he heals himself swiftly with his lay on of hands and then continues his attack that same round?
Not that I know of.
|
Creative Director
|
I was already thinking how it will fit nicely in my cosmogony. I like the idea of evil guys doing their deeds for the "reward" of becoming a devil or demon (same thing for good guys and angels, azata, ecc.) and the dependency of the outer planes from the right souls to get more population.
I think I will use that bit kind of religious background even it it will not be Golarion canon.
How it works in the officially published Golarion and how it works in your home game's version of Golarion (or for that matter, your home game set ANYWHERE) doesn't have to be identical.
As for Golarion canon... until we decide to do a story that says so for sure one way or the other, I'm probably going to leave the case undefined for as many outsiders as I can until I have to make that choice in print.
|
Creative Director
|
James, flicking through my old Monster Manual and the Ultimate Magic, I notice the Stats for the Pig familiar and the average Dog from the Monster Manual are just about interchangeable. Would you personally rule it viable for a Sorcerer/Wizard/Witch to have a 'Dog' familiar, using the Pig Familiar stats?
...I suppose... but in my games, no. I'm not keen on familiars that are larger than Tiny sized, and don't allow Small familiars to creatures unless they themselves are at least Large sized.
|
|
You remember the Faurun "Initiate of ..." feats?
I have always liked their flavour and I think a lot of players using a cleric would like something similar.
So:
- you ever think to do something similar for the Golarion deities?
- there are intellectual properties problems in doing something like them?
|
Creative Director
|
You remember the Faurun "Initiate of ..." feats?
I have always liked their flavour and I think a lot of players using a cleric would like something similar.
So:
- you ever think to do something similar for the Golarion deities?
- there are intellectual properties problems in doing something like them?
I do remember them, and I quite like them. The probelm is that a feat like that takes up a LOT of room when you have dozens of deities to cover.
That said, I initially wanted to build specific feats for EVERY religion/deity. You can see the first one in Pathfinder #1's "Burnt Offerings," which has a Lamashtu feat. Once upon a time I wanted to do one or two feats for all of the deities like this... and since then, we've had some come out here and there but not in any real sort of organized way.
We can't call them "Initiate of ..." feats, but beyond that, there are no real intellectual property or copyright issues with doing feats in that theme.
|
Creative Director
|
What changes rules-wise might you make for a Centaur Cavalier?
The type that would probably drive our design team batty.
And so I probably shouldn't say much here... but it'd be something along the lines of letting centaur cavaliers use all the mount related powers and stuff without actually having a mount at all. Whether or not that makes centaur cavaliers too powerful or not as potential PC choices is, in my opinion, irrelevant, since PCs shouldn't be playing centaurs in the first place. They're too big and too weird shaped to make sense as PCs in a game built for human shaped and human sized PCs.
|
|
I do remember them, and I quite like them. The probelm is that a feat like that takes up a LOT of room when you have dozens of deities to cover.
Lot of room and lot of time and work to balance them.
As I am starting my first full pathfinder campaign (so far I have played a "bastardized" 3.5-Pathfinder game) I don't feel confident enough to develop them in house for now.
I will snatch up those that get published for now.
BTW: thanks to you and Paizo for the AP. For a old master with little time to develop stuff they are a great backbone for a campaign.
I am adding my stuff to them and editing them, sometime a lot, but the material is useful and well done and always useful.
The only possible complaint is that you produce too much material, if I continue to add subscriptions my wallet will start to cry and I will never find the time to play all of them.
You know some friendly first edition illusionist that will cast Tempus fugit on our gaming room? I would like to get a x6 multiplier to our gaming time.
For the younger players:
Tempus Fugit (Illusion/Phantasm) Reversible
Spell Level : 5
Range : 0 Components : V, S
Duration : 5 turns / level Casting Time: 5 segments
Area of Effect : 1" radius Saving Throw : None
Description: This powerful illusion affects the minds and bodies of all those within the area of effect. The spell causes those affected to perceive the passage of time in a much faster manner. Those entering the area after the casting is completed are similarly affected. Every turn spent under the Tempus Fugit spell seems like a full hour to those within the area. Because of this, all functions of affected individuals are speeded up accordingly. They must eat, sleep and so forth accordingly to an accelerated rate. The duration of the spells cast within the spell are also sped up accordingly. One hour is as six to them, four hours a full day. This acceleration of time allows rest, renewal of spells and recovery of hit points lost.
Sigh, I am so old that I remember seeing it used.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
What changes rules-wise might you make for a Centaur Cavalier?The type that would probably drive our design team batty.
And so I probably shouldn't say much here... but it'd be something along the lines of letting centaur cavaliers use all the mount related powers and stuff without actually having a mount at all. Whether or not that makes centaur cavaliers too powerful or not as potential PC choices is, in my opinion, irrelevant, since PCs shouldn't be playing centaurs in the first place. They're too big and too weird shaped to make sense as PCs in a game built for human shaped and human sized PCs.
No worries there, it's for an NPC enemy =p
I don't like the idea that to be able to punch stuff effectively involves taking monk levels, even if only multiclassing. The monk is pretty flavor intensive, and its hard to refluff why a boxer jsut got tongues and dimension door.
I'm hopefully you're strongly implying a viable fighter archetype for punching. Is that the case?
I'm actually not familiar enough with Ultimate Combat to know if there's an archetype like that for fighters in particular, but I do know that there's a bunch of martial arts feats that aren't limited to just monks.
And you CAN make a pretty potent unarmed strike fighter already. You don't have to be a monk if you don't like the class. Barbarians also make pretty compelling unarmed fighters.
But as a general rule, don't expect to be able to keep up with the super-numbercrunched weapon wielding fighter when it comes to damage. The game is not built so that every option is equal—and fists are simply not as deadly a weapon choice as, say, a sword, given everything else is equal. That's pretty much why we invented swords in the first place.
On the other hand, I wouldn't dare approach Bruce Lee (Dead or alive) with a machine gun. And that's the kind of unarmed fighter you'd wanna play in an RPG.
I think brass knuckles have gone a long way to help, but if there would just be a pathfinder feat along the lines of Superior unarmed strike, or a prestige class (or archetype) with a similar mechanic to the kensai, then that would make a big difference towards playing a brawler without needing the wonky monk stuff.
I do love monk. It's just not right for everything, and I think any class has a reason to fight unarmed. Fighters in an arena, Rogues brawling in a back alley, the barbarian who crushes skulls, the ranger who uses the weapons nature gave him, etc.
So thanks for reading this looking for a question when there is none, sorry. You're super cool.
When will we see previews for the Innersea magic?
Do goblins have skin colors other than green in Golarian? like ice blue or musterd yellow?
Are the ruins of the Azlanti the closest thing to the bramuda triangle or is there some where better?
If you were going to stat up the Leviathen would you make like a whale, a sea serpent, a dragon, or something else?
Since we are going to have the advanced races book and in the near furture goblins of golarian, are there going to be any more single races book after goblins? if so before or after advanced races?
|
Creative Director
|
When will we see previews for the Innersea magic?
Do goblins have skin colors other than green in Golarian? like ice blue or musterd yellow?
Are the ruins of the Azlanti the closest thing to the bramuda triangle or is there some where better?
If you were going to stat up the Leviathen would you make like a whale, a sea serpent, a dragon, or something else?
Since we are going to have the advanced races book and in the near furture goblins of golarian, are there going to be any more single races book after goblins? if so before or after advanced races?
We already did a few art previews of Inner Sea Magic. I'm not sure yet about doing previews for the words yet...
Goblins are usually gray, but can be green or even brown or tan.
Azlant isn't really like the Bermuda Triangle—there ARE regions like that, but we haven't revealed many of them yet.
Leviathan would be a combination of all three, likely.
We haven't announced any more race books like "Goblins of Golarion" yet. We're sort of waiting to see how folks react to that before doing much more like that...
On the subject of Goblins, Hobgoblins are the result of Goblins magically mutated by a powerful artefact, if I recall correctly. Does that mean that Bugbears are, in term, another off-shoot/mutation of the original Goblin race?
