Creative Director
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Mark Twain once wrote that the "rules governing literary art in the domain of romantic fiction ... require that the author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and in their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones." You managed to do that for an entire town, which is a pretty neat trick in the context of a game rather than a novel; your own affection for the place shines through the story and background of "Burnt Offerings." After the very first session of my (sadly defunct) Rise of the Runelords campaign, I wrote this entry in my LiveJournal. If you have a few minutes (HA!), you might enjoy seeing how thoroughly the imaginary place you built captured my own imagination.
On the other hand (and to work a question into this post along with the unabashed Sandpoint fanboying)... Taldor? Really? As opposed to Ustalav, Belkzen, Geb... the Worldwound? What's so horrible about "somewhere in Taldor?"
Thanks for the kind words about Sandpoint!
And place like Ustalav, Belkzen, Geb, the Worldwound... there's some interesting stuff going on there that I'd like to check out. Taldor, so far, just has (for me) the exact wrong mix of non-interesting elements combined with unfriendly stuff that makes it too middle-of the-road for me to want to visit.
Given the commitment to doing three hardcovers a year, can we realistically hope to see an unusual environments book sometime in the next couple of years? Underwater adventuring might too much of a niche interest enough to sell a book by itself, but I would think that a single book that does for PFRPG what the set of Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Stormwrack did for 3.5 could do well. I know I'd go for it.The rulebook line isn't the only place we could do this, though. We could do an underwater AP or an underwater Campaign Setting book pretty well, I suspect.
..More rulebooks. Definitely more rulebooks. Can never have too many.
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Creative Director
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..More rulebooks. Definitely more rulebooks. Can never have too many.Given the commitment to doing three hardcovers a year, can we realistically hope to see an unusual environments book sometime in the next couple of years? Underwater adventuring might too much of a niche interest enough to sell a book by itself, but I would think that a single book that does for PFRPG what the set of Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Stormwrack did for 3.5 could do well. I know I'd go for it.The rulebook line isn't the only place we could do this, though. We could do an underwater AP or an underwater Campaign Setting book pretty well, I suspect.
Heh... I actually think it's quite easy to have too many rulebooks.
3) Sounds like you don't want to play high level games.
On the contrary, the one long term game I'm playing in right now is at 30th level though I will say without Paizo-tested and approved mythic rules I'm just about ready to begin anew at level 1. The amount of options a 30th level caster has is staggering.
I asked those questions as a DM (just finished Runelords module 3) and a player. When I'm putting together enemies (I scale up Runelords for 5 players and a cohort), it doesn't bother me much to add a bunch of standard gear. It mostly gets sold anyway.
As a player, any of the pure math items don't feel as cool as ones with interesting abilities. Yet they also feel necessary. Maybe I just need to play (or DM) in a campaign where the party plays it a bit unsafe and goes for the more flavorful items. But I do also like the idea of adding abilities to standard items.
I noticed that Jade Regent's item sections are all full of flavor and even the weapons have special abilities added on to the norm. I love this. But I've been loving the whole Jade Regent path.
Thanks for the answers.
Do you find this funny, James?Heh.
Is that a yes?
Heh... I actually think it's quite easy to have too many rulebooks...More rulebooks. Definitely more rulebooks. Can never have too many.Given the commitment to doing three hardcovers a year, can we realistically hope to see an unusual environments book sometime in the next couple of years? Underwater adventuring might too much of a niche interest enough to sell a book by itself, but I would think that a single book that does for PFRPG what the set of Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Stormwrack did for 3.5 could do well. I know I'd go for it.The rulebook line isn't the only place we could do this, though. We could do an underwater AP or an underwater Campaign Setting book pretty well, I suspect.
But I'll buy them.
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Creative Director
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Is that a yes?Do you find this funny, James?Heh.
It's a, "That was amusing but not enough to make me laugh out loud and it went on for far too long," I guess... ;-P
The rulebook line isn't the only place we could do this, though. We could do an underwater AP or an underwater Campaign Setting book pretty well, I suspect.
Or both; I've noticed there's generally at least one tie-in campaign setting book and one tie-in Player's Companion with each AP, e.g. the Dragon Empires book complementing Jade Regent.
I have fond memories of what was probably the very first underwater adventure module in print: "X7: The War Rafts of Kron." I think the sunken city of Colhador from that one could be adapted pretty easily to use as the ruins of Xin-Bakrakhan, or part thereof.
More rulebooks. Definitely more rulebooks. Can never have too many.Heh... I actually think it's quite easy to have too many rulebooks.
[Cough]D&D 3.5[/cough].
[Cough]D&D 3.5[/cough].
Ever read the Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson?
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(I suspect what happened was that the art order was "Paint us a picture of a giant eagle, and put an elf on its back so we can get a sense of the eagle's scale" and then our art director sent Merisiel as a reference for an elf, and the artist thought he/she was being asked to paint that specific elf on the eagle's back, and then gave Merisiel a lance and shield because it would look cool.)
((AKA: Very very very few art directors and artists know the rules of the game, and even those that do often make choices that make for cooler art without worrying about the rules.))
Its worth noting that in the class free Pathfinder online it wouldn't be too hard for a rogue style character to pick up training in a lance and shield...
Now if they can hop on a giant eagle... that'd be really awesome wouldn't it?
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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In many different editions of D&D and Pathfinder I've found that PCs seem to like jumping on larger monsters and attempting to ride them or stay on their back either to avoid their attacks or keep a tactical position where they can attack the monster (especially useful against flying monsters.) I've always used different mechanics to simulate if a PC can keep their perch, ranging from ability checks, Climb, Ride or Arcrobatic/Balance skill checks, to Reflex saving throws.
What would you say is the best way to handle this situation in Pathfinder RPG? What types of modifiers would you apply for if the monster is actively trying to dislodge their unwanted rider, or if the PC had a weapon dug into the monster to create a handhold? Would the monster's speed or movement types affect the outcome?
James, since you were sick, I wanted to re-ask my question, since I think you missed it. (If it was just too boring to answer, then sorry for asking it again.)
Visiteriez-vous plutôt la France ou le Québec?
Dónde está la biblioteca?
Dónde está la biblioteca?
Je ne suis pas James, mais je sais la réponse. Un endroit en Italie. Cela est plutôt étonnant, toutes choses considérées.
1)How do you make the letters on this forum darker when typing?
2)What are your favorite monster(s) from misfit monsters redeemed?
3)Have you seen "Hugo"? if so did you like it?
4)Do you have a favorite of the 5 new races in Dragon empire primer/gazeteer?
5)Do you like the Twilight zone movie?
Some questions about Sandpoint mayor Kendra Deverin...
Was there any real-world or fictional inspiration for this character?
Does she have a love life that anyone knows about?
Are there any plans for her to appear in upcoming game products?
1)How do you make the letters on this forum darker when typing?
Type out [ b ] the words you want darker [ / b ], without the spaces in the brackets.
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Creative Director
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James, since you were sick, I wanted to re-ask my question, since I think you missed it. (If it was just too boring to answer, then sorry for asking it again.)In many different editions of D&D and Pathfinder I've found that PCs seem to like jumping on larger monsters and attempting to ride them or stay on their back either to avoid their attacks or keep a tactical position where they can attack the monster (especially useful against flying monsters.) I've always used different mechanics to simulate if a PC can keep their perch, ranging from ability checks, Climb, Ride or Arcrobatic/Balance skill checks, to Reflex saving throws.
What would you say is the best way to handle this situation in Pathfinder RPG? What types of modifiers would you apply for if the monster is actively trying to dislodge their unwanted rider, or if the PC had a weapon dug into the monster to create a handhold? Would the monster's speed or movement types affect the outcome?
The best way to handle this would be to use a combination of Climb and Acrobatics checks, along with giving the monster a fair number of attacks of opportunity (that could be negated by Acrobatics checks). You can also simulate it with grapple checks, I guess, or just doing a plain-old CMB versus CMD roll. Treating it as a grapple works pretty well, actually, since that's got built-in rules for disengaging from a grapple.
By the way...
I speak English. I took two years of Spanish in High School and two years of French in college (If I'd been smarter, I would have taken Spanish in College, but alas). That was a long, long time ago.
It's not perfect, but it explains what we were saying.
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Creative Director
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Some questions about Sandpoint mayor Kendra Deverin...
Was there any real-world or fictional inspiration for this character?
Does she have a love life that anyone knows about?
Are there any plans for her to appear in upcoming game products?
No real-world inspiration for Kendra. Nor have details on her love life been published.
She'll be in the upcoming Rise of the Runelords hardcover, of course, but beyond that... no plans for her in particular at this time.
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Creative Director
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1)How do you make the letters on this forum darker when typing?
2)What are your favorite monster(s) from misfit monsters redeemed?
3)Have you seen "Hugo"? if so did you like it?
4)Do you have a favorite of the 5 new races in Dragon empire primer/gazeteer?
5)Do you like the Twilight zone movie?
1) See above. (clicking the "SHOW" button on "How to format your text" at the bottom of your text window when typing a response gives a bunch of other options)
2) My favorite monster from Misfit Monsters Redeemed is the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing, to the extent that I never really regarded it as a misfit in the first place. The monster that I think got the greatest upgrade from misfit to cool is the dire corby, to the extent that I went from mocking them every chance I could get to using them as a significant monster in an adventure.
3) I have seen it. It's brilliant. One of the few instances of 3D being used well.
4) I like the samsarans a lot, but tengus remain my favorite even if they're not TECHNICALLY new.
5) Yes.
Dónde está la biblioteca?
<Where is the library?>
Visiteriez-vous plutôt la France ou le Québec?
<Would you rather visit France or Quebec?>
Dónde está la biblioteca?Je ne suis pas James, mais je sais la réponse. Un endroit en Italie. Cela est plutôt étonnant, toutes choses considérées.
<I am not James, but I know the answer. Somewhere in Italy. This is somewhat surprising, all things considered.>
Who is funnier: Steven Colbert or John Stewart?
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Since you do like Bond, did you see the two Largo Wich movies? (not really Bond, but as style goes, the Craig Bonds are the closest match I can think of...)
Are you looking forward to the holidays?
What are the next three movies you plan to see in cinema?
As always thought but far not often enough said: thank you for sharing your time with us on these messageboards and thank you for hours of fun with some great adventures that bear you name on them!
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Creative Director
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Since you do like Bond, did you see the two Largo Wich movies? (not really Bond, but as style goes, the Craig Bonds are the closest match I can think of...)
Are you looking forward to the holidays?
What are the next three movies you plan to see in cinema?
As always thought but far not often enough said: thank you for sharing your time with us on these messageboards and thank you for hours of fun with some great adventures that bear you name on them!
I have not seen those.
I am!
Probably Sherlock Holmes, Mission Impossible—Ghost Protocol, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Although The Darkest Hour might mix that order up a bit.
No problem!
Taldor, so far, just has (for me) the exact wrong mix of non-interesting elements combined with unfriendly stuff that makes it too middle-of the-road for me to want to visit.
Does that mean that we shouldn't hold our breath on a Taldor AP any time soon?
James,
Another question related to James Bond. Have you seen the old "Casino Royale"?
Also, would you agree that something that's listed as an "Artifact" can break the rules of a campaign and thus could do impossible things?
-Tundra
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Creative Director
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Taldor, so far, just has (for me) the exact wrong mix of non-interesting elements combined with unfriendly stuff that makes it too middle-of the-road for me to want to visit.Does that mean that we shouldn't hold our breath on a Taldor AP any time soon?
There are other reasons why you shouldn't hold your breath for a Taldor AP. First and foremost, because we're hesitant to mix the stomping grounds of the Pathfinder Society campaign with the AP that significantly, but also because we've got several much more interesting AP plots to explore first.
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Creative Director
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James,
Another question related to James Bond. Have you seen the old "Casino Royale"?
Also, would you agree that something that's listed as an "Artifact" can break the rules of a campaign and thus could do impossible things?
-Tundra
I believe I have seen the old one, but I can't really remember much of it.
And breaking a campaign's rules and doing impossible things is PRECISELY what artifacts should do.
Who is funnier: Steven Colbert or John Stewart?
None of them's as funny as Jon Stewart. ;)
Goblins.
I do agree you make wonderful games just I was hoping that I could one of the most infamous dungons made in pathfinder
Nothing stopping you from doing it on yourself--we can't, though.
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In many different editions of D&D and Pathfinder I've found that PCs seem to like jumping on larger monsters and attempting to ride them or stay on their back either to avoid their attacks or keep a tactical position where they can attack the monster (especially useful against flying monsters.)
Also, see Monkey Style from UC for entering a larger creature's space. It's the second or third feat in the chain, looks like fun. That will give you some ideas even if your players don't want the feat itself.
There's also a feat for grappling with an impaling weapon, I believe "Cornugon somethingorother".
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Will Paizo ever do tomb of horrors or will WOTC not sell you the rights?What Liz said. Tomb of Horrors isn't our adventure. WotC isn't likely to come to us with an offer to redo it or any other of their adventures for Pathfinder... and frankly, we're not likely to go to them to ask, since I think we're doing pretty dang god in the adventure department on our own.
Also, Paizo's adventure design philosophy seems to encourage APL-appropriate encounters and discourage save-or-die effects (not to mention no-save, just die effects), and marginalizes traps to the point where they might as well not exist. In other words, Paizo's adventure design philosophy runs directly opposite to doing a version of the Tomb of Horrors that isn't neutered beyond recognition.
I'm not sure that you can ever really do a proper version of the Tomb under a d20 rulesset. WotC's version was also neutered beyond recognition.