My best guess: At some point where adding a board game to the schedule will maximize the stress on the editorial and art staff because they're also trying to get several other products that are behind schedule out the door.So when will Paizo be releasing that Cheapass Game? :)Have you ever played Biting Off Heads?Yup.
So you are saying any day now.;)
Creative Director
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I have been away for a week or so but I like the new Avatar. Is this one of the unique avatars just for Paizo staff? or am I going to see more clones tricking me?
Is there an equivalent of The Gehreleths/ Demodand and why did they change the name in 3.5?
How much dose it change Golarion if you place it in great wheel cosmology, and what would Gloarion look like if the were part unwittingly a staging ground for the Bloodwar, I am guessing not that much different?
Anyway I have to get ready for my first Saturday in a very long time.
This is my own unique avatar, yup. No clones of this one!
In Golarion, demodands are demodands, thanks to the Tome of Horrors. We can't use the word "gehreleth" which is fine with me since it's a silly made-up word anyway. Demodand, on the other hand, comes from Jack Vance more or less (although he called them deodands).
The Inner and Outer Spheres of Golarion were designed to be very very compatible with the Great Wheel. If you replace the Spheres with the Great Wheel, things on Golarion won't really change at all... although the Great Wheel has less room, really, for expansion with new outer planes.
Congrats on the Saturday!
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Creative Director
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Ok, no more messing around.
James Jacobs, what is the ultimate question to the ultimate answer of 42?
42, of course.
Unless you're into conspiracy stuff, in which case the answer is REALLY 23.
My question was to know the question. Unless you are suggesting that the question is 42? and then the answer is a definitive 42.
So, either way, what is the ultimate question to life, the universe and everything?
If I knew that, I wouldn't be working at Paizo and thus wouldn't be answering these questions, I suspect.
How is it that everybody in starwars seems to understand Chubaka?
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Creative Director
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Hey James or anybody really...
How long does it take to search for traps?
How long does it take to remove traps?
Searching for traps is a move action (this falls under the "intentionally searching for stimulus" umbrella). Note that searching for traps does NOT carry a risk of triggering the trap, so for the most part, it's best for a trap searcher to just take 20 on the search, in which case the examination takes 2 minutes.
Disarming a trap takes 2d4 rounds (see the rules for Disable Device on page 94). Actually REMOVING it, as in pulling all the elements of the trap out of the area, can take hours; that depends on the GM's whim.
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Creative Director
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if i come up with a "really cool" idea and sneakily introduce it to golarion (in one way or another), what are the chances it gets introduce into the cannon? and what is the best way to do this? and the second best way?
The best way to do this is to make sure I hear about it and that it's an idea that I think is "really cool." The tricky part there is that what I think is "really cool" isn't always what anyone else thinks is "really cool."
The second best way is to get hired at Paizo, climb the ladder, and take my job.
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The gay iconics have not yet been outed.So...
I heard it from 4chan that Ezren the Wizard is one of the gay iconics. Is there any official word?
Any idea on when they WILL be? Since Paizo has gone to the trouble to make it known that one or more are gay, why then keep the details a secret? I'm curious - is there an actual, specific time slated for the info to become known?
What if we were writing fanfiction and wanted to get the facts right? Imagine if we were to slash some poor straight Valeros or something?
::is too amused to be serious::
For the purposes of fan fiction, it's easiest to assume all iconics are bisexual.
The second best way is to get hired at Paizo, climb the ladder, and take my job.
Would that involve cage match or would it be a Whipeout type scenario but with rotating knives, quicksand, flame throwers and a tight deadline?
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Creative Director
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Any idea on when they WILL be? Since Paizo has gone to the trouble to make it known that one or more are gay, why then keep the details a secret? I'm curious - is there an actual, specific time slated for the info to become known?The gay iconics have not yet been outed.So...
I heard it from 4chan that Ezren the Wizard is one of the gay iconics. Is there any official word?
Until we do some sort of fiction involving an iconic, and if that iconic's sexuality matters or is relevant to the work... never. And since we're not currently planning on doing much fiction with the iconics... it's probably not something we'll be revealing anytime soon.
It would combine elements of both.Would that involve cage match or would it be a Whipeout type scenario but with rotating knives, quicksand, flame throwers and a tight deadline?
The second best way is to get hired at Paizo, climb the ladder, and take my job.
Dammit I could probably take you in the cage match but that tight deadline obstacle I always fall over at that point. Your job is safe from me.
It would combine elements of both.Would that involve cage match or would it be a Whipeout type scenario but with rotating knives, quicksand, flame throwers and a tight deadline?
The second best way is to get hired at Paizo, climb the ladder, and take my job.
Listen all! This is the truth of it. Trolling leads to killing, and killing gets to warring. And that was damn near the death of us all. Look at us now! Busted up, and everyone talking about Civil Religious Discussions! But we've learned, by the dust of them all... Paizotown learned. Now, when men get to fighting, it happens here! And it finishes here! Two men enter; one man leaves.
That's sexist!
Listen all! This is the truth of it. Trolling leads to killing, and killing gets to warring. And that was damn near the death of us all. Look at us now! Busted up, and everyone talking about Civil Religious Discussions! But we've learned, by the dust of them all... Paizotown learned. Now, when men get to fighting, it happens here! And it finishes here! Two men enter; one man leaves.That's sexist!
Two men enter; one woman leaves?
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Two men enter; one woman leaves?Listen all! This is the truth of it. Trolling leads to killing, and killing gets to warring. And that was damn near the death of us all. Look at us now! Busted up, and everyone talking about Civil Religious Discussions! But we've learned, by the dust of them all... Paizotown learned. Now, when men get to fighting, it happens here! And it finishes here! Two men enter; one man leaves.That's sexist!
Two men enter one woman; leaves.
Strangest jump-cut in cinema history...
Hey James,
How would you deal with a domineering older brother who treats you like a secretary and gets all the chicks?
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So, why did Tom eat all the other T-Rexes...?
Which brings me to the next question.
What is the proper pluralization of T-Rex?
How is it that everybody in starwars seems to understand Chubaka?
Its so ironic. Everyone is taught how to speak Shyriiwook in Galactic Grade School, but only Wookiees speak it. If only everyone could speak it, it could replace Basic as the means of communication in the galaxy.
Plus, why the Hell does every other species besides Wookiees and Ewoks speak Huttese?
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Creative Director
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That is unacceptable. It is being rectified.The local gaming group would like to clarify if that was a 'I have not seen the film' or an 'AIEEE!!! Not if it was the last movie on Earth!' "NO!". (Their words not mine)
Also, what is your take on the announcement of a Godzilla remake due in 2012?
It is: I have not seen the film but since I'm a big Ultraman fan, I wish I had.
Wow.
It has now been rectified. I has stacks of Ultraman sitting on my desk RIGHT NOW. (boggle)
Thanks! :-)
Wow.
It has now been rectified. I has stacks of Ultraman sitting on my desk RIGHT NOW. (boggle)
Thanks! :-)
SHWA!!!
Two men enter; one woman leaves?Listen all! This is the truth of it. Trolling leads to killing, and killing gets to warring. And that was damn near the death of us all. Look at us now! Busted up, and everyone talking about Civil Religious Discussions! But we've learned, by the dust of them all... Paizotown learned. Now, when men get to fighting, it happens here! And it finishes here! Two men enter; one man leaves.That's sexist!
1. (Just to make sure everyone gets it - this is the internet after all) I was joking.
2. This is the "Ask James Jacobs thread. Please address any future queries to the dinosaur-editor, please. ;) (And I hope that didn't come of as snarky, it wasn't meant to.)
Why are bad movies so painfully bad?!
Who kept financing Roger Corman? Not even robots in the front row helps...
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if i come up with a "really cool" idea and sneakily introduce it to golarion (in one way or another), what are the chances it gets introduce into the cannon? and what is the best way to do this? and the second best way?The best way to do this is to make sure I hear about it and that it's an idea that I think is "really cool." The tricky part there is that what I think is "really cool" isn't always what anyone else thinks is "really cool."
The second best way is to get hired at Paizo, climb the ladder, and take my job.
i see... so other than dinos, anything else that would help us into your idea of "really cool"?
Do the shaken affect stack from demoralize? In second printing errata it said no, but the errata wasn't included in 3rd or 4th printings.
Why does my son not understand that after the 4 am feeding is not a good time to be awake?
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Creative Director
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Why are bad movies so painfully bad?!
Who kept financing Roger Corman? Not even robots in the front row helps...
Bad movies are painfully bad because when you watch a truly bad movie you realize you could have given them advice to not be as bad a movie, had they only asked you.
THAT SAID... I think there's two kinds of bad movies. The worst are things like "Godzilla" from the late 90s, or Transformers 2, or speaking of Roger Corman, Forbidden World. These are movies that are just plain terrible; boring or dull or insulting or, in the worst case scenario, actively destructive to entertainment.
The other kind of "bad" movie are the movies that often end up on MST3K. These movies are "so bad they're good," and despite being terrible are quite entertaining.
And THAT said... I have a soft spot for sci-fi, horror, and fantasy movies, and a lot of them that most film critics would call "bad" I actually really quite enjoy. Movies like "Angry Red Planet," "C.H.U.D," and "Captain Ron" all come to mind.
As for Roger Corman, he's actually a rather brilliant producer. People keep giving him money... and in fact CONTINUE to give him money today, because he not only delivers entertaining movies (even when they're "bad") but does so in a reliable manner that doesn't cost folks money. Even bad movies make cash. And now and then, Corman actually DOES make movies that are legitimately great, such as "X, the Man with X-Ray Eyes" or "Frankenstein Unbound" or "Dinocroc." And on top of that... he's actually discovered a fair amount of really talented folks, gave them jobs, and encouraged them to work in the biz. Without Corman, we wouldn't have Jack Nicholson, for example, or James Cameron. And without Cameron, I doubt we would have Guillarmo del Toro's upcoming "Mountains of Madness."
So Corman's A-OK in my book.
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Creative Director
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i see... so other than dinos, anything else that would help us into your idea of "really cool"?if i come up with a "really cool" idea and sneakily introduce it to golarion (in one way or another), what are the chances it gets introduce into the cannon? and what is the best way to do this? and the second best way?The best way to do this is to make sure I hear about it and that it's an idea that I think is "really cool." The tricky part there is that what I think is "really cool" isn't always what anyone else thinks is "really cool."
The second best way is to get hired at Paizo, climb the ladder, and take my job.
Anything to do with Lovecraft. Cats. Pulp fiction stuff. Great writing. New ideas. Female characters in strong and non-cliched roles. Lack of half-dragons. Artistic map turnovers. Proper use of the words "decimate," "penultimate," and "its."
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Creative Director
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Do the shaken affect stack from demoralize? In second printing errata it said no, but the errata wasn't included in 3rd or 4th printings.
As Jason Bulmahn is so eager to point out, what I'm about to say is not a ruling on the rules, nor should it be taken as errata or the law...
...but no, shaken effects from demoralize should not stack. Frightened and Panicked are too overwhelming a condition to arise from a simple series of skill checks in my mind.
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Anything to do with Lovecraft. Cats. Pulp fiction stuff. Great writing. New ideas. Female characters in strong and non-cliched roles. Lack of half-dragons. Artistic map turnovers. Proper use of the words "decimate," "penultimate," and "its."
dam it! my idea has nothing to do with any of that (well maybe the good writing...)
Lack of half-dragons.
Why does my son not understand that after the 4 am feeding is not a good time to be awake?Is he evil? Check his scalp, under the hairline, for a "666" shape!
Otherwise, maybe he's just getting back at you for not letting him stay up to watch late night monster movies.
I am all for letting him stay up and watch monster movies, once his eyes figure out how to focus. And no 666, on his head, although I guess that could be fixed. :D
How common is Bounder outside of the Varisian continent?
Would it be unreasonable to assume that a set of loaded dice found anywhere else could just as easily be a Bounder set?
Now that Seltyiel has been re-purposed as the Iconic Magus, is he purely the iconic Magus or is he now a Magus/Eldritch Knight multiclass?
How much time passes during an Adventure Path? Do they occur in sequential order in canon? If they are, who 'saves the world' at the end of each arc or is this left unaddressed?
Also...
Would Tom Rex and an M1A1 Abrams result in Dino Tank?
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Creative Director
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Do you play Starcraft 2? Do you think that it can be translated into rpg using Pathfinder rules?
I actually really REALLY hate Starcraft. The original game made me swear off the Real Time Strategy genre pretty much forever. It's just not fun to me. If I wanted to spasm all over the keyboard and click mouse buttons 300 times a minute just to be able to get to the next level, I'd get a caffeine IV drip instead.
Wizards of the Coast actually built a d20 version of Starcraft back in the day. It failed miserably, for various reasons.
Chances of a Pathfinder RPG based on Starcraft are pretty much nil.
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Creative Director
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How common is Bounder outside of the Varisian continent?
Would it be unreasonable to assume that a set of loaded dice found anywhere else could just as easily be a Bounder set?Now that Seltyiel has been re-purposed as the Iconic Magus, is he purely the iconic Magus or is he now a Magus/Eldritch Knight multiclass?
How much time passes during an Adventure Path? Do they occur in sequential order in canon? If they are, who 'saves the world' at the end of each arc or is this left unaddressed?
Also...
Would Tom Rex and an M1A1 Abrams result in Dino Tank?
Bounder is not that common, since I'm not sure what it is you're talking about, which indicates it's not at the forefront of my knowledge and thus not a significant part of world canon.
A magus can still benefit from eldritch knight levels. Whether or not any particular stat block for Seltyiel will have eldritch knight levels will probably depend on timing and the whim of whoever's statting him up at the time.
As for how much time passes during an AP; the answer there is "However much time passes in your game when you run the AP." It could be a few weeks, it could be years or decades. They do not occur in any order; you can play the APs in any order you want. We don't assume ANY of them become part of world canon because the resolution depends on your group of player caracters.
And, yes. Tom would approve.
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Would illiteracy be worth a free trait? I've got a barbarian concept here that doesn't work as well with the whole reading thing and the player was wondering if giving up reading and writing is worth anything.
You and your friend should read this comic NM. There's a character in there called minmax who trades all sorts of things for more abilities, including the ability to rhyme and see in colour hehe.
A question for james now as well I guess, Do read any web comics such as Order of the stick or the Goblins one I posted above James?
They never fail to make me laugh with their take on DnD and adding the rules as every day talk. I highly recomend them if you get the chance or inclination.
Cheers
Would illiteracy be worth a free trait? I've got a barbarian concept here that doesn't work as well with the whole reading thing and the player was wondering if giving up reading and writing is worth anything.
Try this:
This trait can only be taken at 1st level. You lose this trait if you ever learn to read and write.
[From Wayfinder #2]