Sorry, Cheapy. Gotta save up for some Legends and Lairs, Malhavok, and Penumbra stuff. No room for a hit and miss book. I can work fine with a homebrew Swashbucker archetype for the Fighter based off of Complete Warrior.
Creative Director
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Are you watching this thread, James?
I'm aware of it, but haven't looked at it in detail yet.
Are you watching this thread, James?I'm aware of it, but haven't looked at it in detail yet.
Would you read it when you have time? There are things in it that I want to see you publish very badly, and they AREN'T class option books :D
Are you familiar with Pact Magic and the Binder class from 3.5 Tome of Magic? May there be anything similar in Pathfinder? And for the sake of speculation what do you think would be the source, Dark Tapestry etc.?
Are you familiar with Pact Magic and the Binder class from 3.5 Tome of Magic? May there be anything similar in Pathfinder? And for the sake of speculation what do you think would be the source, Dark Tapestry etc.?
Ok I just found out about 'Secrets of Pact Magic' and the conversion. But do you think the general idea of vestiges fits in with Pathfinder? Since the entire universe seems to be clearly split up into regions, even the Dark Tapestry is itself a location. Is there a place of almost nonexistence for the vestiges to reside?
Should I be proud that I own the complete works of Pathfinder in print, or sad that I now have to wait for a monthly fix?
You should be ecstatic. I just had to cancel my subscriptions =( and now I'm gonna fall behind the curve lol.
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Would you read it when you have time? There are things in it that I want to see you publish very badly, and they AREN'T class option books :DAre you watching this thread, James?I'm aware of it, but haven't looked at it in detail yet.
I've glanced through it. And there are indeed some pretty interesting ideas in there. And since I myself have a VERY good idea of what hardcover rulebooks we're likely to be publishing in the next few years... I can say that some folks in that thread will be delighted, while others will be bitterly disappointed.
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Did it have anything in common with either of the two editions of the Warcraft D20 game published by White Wolf's Art Haus label? Did you ever get a look at the latter? Which I think are still being sold as PDFs.Not counting my work on Dungeon or Dragon magazine... and not counting books like Monster Manual 2 or the Spell Compendium that picked up stuff I'd designed from elsewhere to reprint, the 3rd edition books I worked on were:
World of Warcraft Campaign Setting (this never saw print from WotC, but it was the first hardcover book I worked on for D&D)
The manuscript that I helped write ended up being sent over to White Wolf, in fact; you'll note I and the other authors got a special thanks on the credits page of the first edition of the game. They kept some of what we'd done, changed a lot of other stuff. When we were working on it, it was going to be out alongside Warcraft III, so it was a while ago... I had to kind of make up a lot of the stuff in there about Night Elves since Blizzard was still figuring them out, for example.
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Creative Director
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Are you familiar with Pact Magic and the Binder class from 3.5 Tome of Magic? May there be anything similar in Pathfinder? And for the sake of speculation what do you think would be the source, Dark Tapestry etc.?
I actually played a binder in Erik Mona's Age of Worms game; I really REALLY liked that class a lot. Even had my own custom-built vestige. And there's some binder stuff in the third-from-the-last installment of Savage Tide. Good stuff, that binder.
Won't be much similar for Pathfinder at all; that whole concept and idea is Wizards of the Coast's intellectual property. If we did... we'd probably link binders to Azlant or perhaps ancient Osirion. Not to the Dark Tapestry.
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Creative Director
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Hi
1) have you ever playtest an AP?
2) have you ever play a female character? if the answer is afirmative how it was?
3) in the campaing you had played how many TPK have ocurred?
4) in your home games do you still use beholders, humber hulks and the like?
1) I've playtested 3 Adventure Paths so far. I've run Savage Tide all the way from start to end. I played Age of Worms as a player from start to about midway through the 5th adventure. And I'm currently running Serpent's Skull; the party there is about halfway through the third adventure. In all cases, we started playing the Adventure Paths as the first adventure was being written (I wrote part 1 of Savage Tide and Serpent's Skull, while Erik wrote part 1 of Age of Worms). And in all cases, those APs quickly fell behind and ended up not working much for playtest of THAT AP (aside from the first adventure, of course)... but playing them has really helped me know how to build APs in general. (The structure of how APs work is how I've run campaigns for many, many years, actually; Curse of the Crimson Throne and part of Serpent's Skull, for example, were older campaigns that I ran back in the height of 3rd edition.)
2) Almost ALL of my characters are female, actually. It's quite fun! I enjoy the challenge of playing characters that aren't me, after all, which is the whole point of roleplaying.
3) I've had 2 TPKs in Call of Cthulhu campaigns (and lots more in one-shot Ctuhulu games). I've actually never had a TPK in a game I've run for D&D or Pathfinder. I've had a few TPB (Total Party Burnouts), where either me or the players or both just got bored with the campaign and switched to a different one though.
4) Haven't used any of those since the switch to Pathfinder. I might use one some day, though.
I've glanced through it. And there are indeed some pretty interesting ideas in there. And since I myself have a VERY good idea of what hardcover rulebooks we're likely to be publishing in the next few years... I can say that some folks in that thread will be delighted, while others will be bitterly disappointed.Would you read it when you have time? There are things in it that I want to see you publish very badly, and they AREN'T class option books :DAre you watching this thread, James?I'm aware of it, but haven't looked at it in detail yet.
Based on what I've posted in the thread, will I be delighted? Not asking you to confirm anything or say what you will publish, of course. I know you can't do that. I just want you to say if I'll be happy with it.
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Has the story for all of the Runelords been predetermined?
More specifically Runelord of Pride Xanderghul? *No spoiler pls*
I've got some of the stories for the other Runelords in mind. A couple of them in a fair amount of detail. A couple of them only vague ideas. And a few in the middle.
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Based on what I've posted in the thread, will I be delighted? Not asking you to confirm anything or say what you will publish, of course. I know you can't do that. I just want you to say if I'll be happy with it.
I learned a long time ago that trying to predict people's reactions to RPG publications is difficult... but I'd guess that you'll probably be relatively happy next year... if all goes according to plan!
>.>
<.<
Awesome.
What should I call a wolf-like subrace of Catfolk?
Is the Krampus a regular demon or a form of Kyton?
Could just be lycan, named after that uppity bastid who was turned into a wolfy.
Any plans to make a book that is akin to Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Stormwrack? I really enjoyed those books and they still find use in my PF games.
Same here.
They were great books,with Frostburn in my opinion as the best of them.
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Caninites? Lupinoids? :)
I've glanced through it. And there are indeed some pretty interesting ideas in there. And since I myself have a VERY good idea of what hardcover rulebooks we're likely to be publishing in the next few years... I can say that some folks in that thread will be delighted, while others will be bitterly disappointed.Would you read it when you have time? There are things in it that I want to see you publish very badly, and they AREN'T class option books :DAre you watching this thread, James?I'm aware of it, but haven't looked at it in detail yet.
You are a master of the cold reading. Did you pen a horoscope in a previous life?
I enjoy the challenge of playing characters that aren't me, after all, which is the whole point of roleplaying.
In light of what you said above, what do you think about this quote from the NYT article announcing 5e?
“If all you’re looking for is fulfillment of your wish to be an idealized projection of yourself who gains in wealth and power by overcoming monsters, there are lots of ways to do that nowadays,” said Tavis Allison, a game designer in New York who has made his own role-playing game, Adventurer Conqueror King. “In the ’70s Dungeons & Dragons was the only game in town.”
The point of the quote seems to be that video games are poaching the popularity of tabletop RPGs since they have the same 'role,' i.e., playing only better. Do you think this is a sign of a design difference between games that let you play "an idealized projection of yourself who gains in wealth and power by overcoming monsters" and games that encourage you to "play characters who aren't me?" Personally, Mr. Allison's concept of what the point of roleplaying is doesn't encourage me to try out his game.
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Lycanfolk?
In any case James, how do you keep things fresh for players who may have played in/read an adventure before?
Lycanfolk sounds kinda silly. And at that point, why not just use werewolves anyway?
As for keeping things fresh, the trick is to mix things up. Replace portions of the adventure with other portions. For example, I'm running Serpent's Skull and Rob (who developed that entire AP) is a player. So far I've added the haunted house from "Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh" in place of the whaling thugs in part 2, and I replaced all of Tazion with "Temple of Death."
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1)What do hags think of rakshasa?
2)What do rakshasa think of hags?
Rakshasa look down on hags as things that should be worshiping rakshasas, as they do with pretty much ALL non-rakshasas.
And as a whole, hags don't really have a generic attitude toward rakshasas at all, any more than they do against wyverns or shambling mounds or other kinds of monsters.
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Any plans to make a book that is akin to Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Stormwrack? I really enjoyed those books and they still find use in my PF games.
No plans yet. For the current moment, it'll be in the format of an adventure set in such extreme regions that we'll be exploring rules for extreme terrains.
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You are a master of the cold reading. Did you pen a horoscope in a previous life?I've glanced through it. And there are indeed some pretty interesting ideas in there. And since I myself have a VERY good idea of what hardcover rulebooks we're likely to be publishing in the next few years... I can say that some folks in that thread will be delighted, while others will be bitterly disappointed.Would you read it when you have time? There are things in it that I want to see you publish very badly, and they AREN'T class option books :DAre you watching this thread, James?I'm aware of it, but haven't looked at it in detail yet.
That, or I was a whaler.
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I enjoy the challenge of playing characters that aren't me, after all, which is the whole point of roleplaying.In light of what you said above, what do you think about this quote from the NYT article announcing 5e?
“If all you’re looking for is fulfillment of your wish to be an idealized projection of yourself who gains in wealth and power by overcoming monsters, there are lots of ways to do that nowadays,” said Tavis Allison, a game designer in New York who has made his own role-playing game, Adventurer Conqueror King. “In the ’70s Dungeons & Dragons was the only game in town.”The point of the quote seems to be that video games are poaching the popularity of tabletop RPGs since they have the same 'role,' i.e., playing only better. Do you think this is a sign of a design difference between games that let you play "an idealized projection of yourself who gains in wealth and power by overcoming monsters" and games that encourage you to "play characters who aren't me?" Personally, Mr. Allison's concept of what the point of roleplaying is doesn't encourage me to try out his game.
Video games are absolutely getting in on a gamer's leisure time. It's not a question of whether or not video games are actually replacing the specific type of entertainment derived from a tabletop RPG, but a question of different entertainment options being available without a corresponding increase in the number of hours in a day.
One of the reasons D&D hit such highs as it did in the late 70s and early 80s is that it WAS the only game in town, as far as fantasy was concerned. In the 80s, there was a huge explosion of (mostly not very good) fantasy movies as a direct result of D&D's popularity... well, mostly as a result of Conan the Barbarian, I guess, but THAT movie came out at the height of the D&D craze or a little after, and that's no coincidence.
Today... you not only have more fantasy movies for gamers to spend time with, but more fantasy novels, more fantasy video games, and more fantasy RPGs.
Personally... I play a lot of video games, and it should be no surprise that my favorite genre of video game is the CRPG. And to a certain extent, the delight I derive from playing a CRPG is quite similar to that I derive from playing, writing, or running a tabletop RPG.
But I still play in a lot of tabletop games.
There's a LOT more out there to distract gamers these days, that's for sure. Which is why it's so much more important for us game designers to make particularly awesome games if we want to be able to stay in business. And know what? That kind of competition is good for the industry, I say.
Back to the quote, I think that "Play characters who aren't me" is nothing more than a more elegant and interesting way of saying "an idealized projection of yourself who gains in wealth and power by overcoming monsters."
I do think it's worth keeping in mind that the most successful RPGs are NOT only about "killing monsters and taking their stuff." Even in video games. They're increasingly including elements of crafting gear, relationship management/simulation, sightseeing, and other elements that take the immersion beyond the simple "kill and loot" mechanic.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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It looks like I'll be spending next Wednesday in Seattle and will have the night free. Is there anything you'd suggest as something to do while I'm in town, and any restaurant suggestions for dinner? I'll probably be staying near Downtown or South Union Lake and won't have a car.
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It looks like I'll be spending next Wednesday in Seattle and will have the night free. Is there anything you'd suggest as something to do while I'm in town, and any restaurant suggestions for dinner? I'll probably be staying near Downtown or South Union Lake and won't have a car.
Depends on how much money you want to spend.
You should definitely check out the Public Market on Pike, though, if you get a chance. The aquarium is cool too. Not sure how available those sites are after dark though...
My favorite restaurant in downtown Seattle is the Palace Kitchen; great food and deliberately slow service; it's as much a place to spend an entire evening as it is a place to get a great dinner.
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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Any plans to make a book that is akin to Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Stormwrack? I really enjoyed those books and they still find use in my PF games.No plans yet. For the current moment, it'll be in the format of an adventure set in such extreme regions that we'll be exploring rules for extreme terrains.
So rough seas and hurricanes in an upcoming AP? One with pirates and ships?
James, I have a question about stacking archetypes. By RAW, you cannot have two archetypes that modify the same ability. Well, what if the modifications do not conflict? For example, let's say I have a Magus archetype that changes my spellcasting from Arcane to Divine changes my spell list, and replaces my spellbook with a holy symbol. Let's say I wanted another archetype that has the Diminished Spellcasting (one fewer spell per level) modification. Let's say the Skirnir archetype (shield Magus) so that I can make a holy warrior. Does the RAW forbid me from taking both archetypes because they both modify my spellcasting, or does the fact that the modifications do not conflict with each other mean that I can take both archetypes?
James,
In the Pathfinder Setting, are there any evil outsider races that have a dedicated hate on for each other? Like do demons hate Rakshasa most of all for having such continuous access to the material plane? Or do they all just kinda hate everyone all the time for forever?
Demons and Devils loath each other, as do the Qlippoth and Demons. I'm sure there are more conflicts than just these two, but I don't know them up the top of my head.
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James, I have a question about stacking archetypes. By RAW, you cannot have two archetypes that modify the same ability. Well, what if the modifications do not conflict? For example, let's say I have a Magus archetype that changes my spellcasting from Arcane to Divine changes my spell list, and replaces my spellbook with a holy symbol. Let's say I wanted another archetype that has the Diminished Spellcasting (one fewer spell per level) modification. Let's say the Skirnir archetype (shield Magus) so that I can make a holy warrior. Does the RAW forbid me from taking both archetypes because they both modify my spellcasting, or does the fact that the modifications do not conflict with each other mean that I can take both archetypes?
The more you stack archetypes, the more you run the risk of building a character that becomes too complicated or starts to break the system, first of all. As a result, no matter WHAT you do when you start selecting multiple archetypes, you need to have permission from your GM. And if something ends up working weird and the GM decides that, due to an unforseen complication, the combination of archetypes is broken or otherwise undesirable, you as the player need to be willing to abandon the complexity if the GM requests.
For that reason, my take is that even when two modified abilities don't seem to conflict, they still modify the same ability. If one ability modifies a base class feature, that base class feature is technically no longer that base class feature—it's modified to something new. And as a result, another archetype that modifies that same base class feature wouldn't find that feature in your modified character, since that base class feature has already been modified to something else.
Again... ask your GM for clarification. But my take is that modifying the same ability means the same whether or not the resulting modified powers conflict at all.
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James,
In the Pathfinder Setting, are there any evil outsider races that have a dedicated hate on for each other? Like do demons hate Rakshasa most of all for having such continuous access to the material plane? Or do they all just kinda hate everyone all the time for forever?
Yes; there are indeed rivalries between the evil outsiders. In fact, to a certain extent, there are rivalries between ALL of the various types of evil outsiders. Sometimes even within a single type—demon lordss, for example, don't usually get along well with other demon lords (although alliances also exist). There's no "Blood War" in Pathfinder (that being the intellectual property of Wizards of the Coast), so while devils and demons don't get along merely because of philosophical differences, they don't particularly wage open war against each other at all.
The various books of the damned go into further detail, particularly regarding devils, demons, and daemons.
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So rough seas and hurricanes in an upcoming AP? One with pirates and ships?Any plans to make a book that is akin to Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Stormwrack? I really enjoyed those books and they still find use in my PF games.No plans yet. For the current moment, it'll be in the format of an adventure set in such extreme regions that we'll be exploring rules for extreme terrains.
Yup.
Or jungle exploration in Serpent's Skull. Or frozen polar travel in Jade Regent. Or high-mountain exploration in Rise of the Runelords. Or desert survival in Legacy of Fire. And so on.
How many standard goblins would it take to defeat the Paizo golem?
It's important.
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Creative Director
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How many standard goblins would it take to defeat the Paizo golem?
It's important.
We statted the golem up on these boards here.
It's a CR 20 monster... so the answer is probably "ALL of the goblins." And even then, they'd probably all get squashed.
Hey, James, do you like hunting?
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Creative Director
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Hi.
1) have you ever play an evil character? how it was?
2) have you ever play in an evil campaing? how it was?
3) have you ever use celestials against Pcs?
4) why most archon and angels are humanoids, and why most are mix of fighter and cleric?
5) did you like the concept of the blood war?
6) how much are celestial involved in golarion affairs?
7) are there celestials with oriental and other flavors?
1) Yup; it was interesting, but not as fun as playing good guys, since too much energy was spent making sure that your fellow party members weren't gonna betray you.
2) Sean's drow campaign is technically an evil campaign... but it's really heavy on the combat and not quite so much on the roleplaying, so aside from the fact that we fought angels more often than demons, it didn't feel THAT different from any other game. Plus, see #1 above.
3) Yes.
4) Because the less like a human something looks, the more monstrous it looks, and the more monstrous something looks, the better it fits an evil role rather than a good role. As for why they're a mix of fighter and cleric... I don't think they are, so I'm not sure what else to say there.
5) It's interesting, but it tends to be used too much and is too overwhelming; there's other elements to Hell and the Abyss than just demons and devils fighting.
6) That varies from region to region. In some areas they're not involved at all, and in other areas they've founded nations.
7) Yup; see Bestiary 3 and the Dragon Empires Gazetteer.