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Paizo Employee Creative Director

wingermage wrote:

Balazar(Summoner) is the only Iconic who hasn't had a Meet the Iconics.

I really like this class.

What time can we see him?

Since we made the decision that Balazar is from Nex, we kind of want Erik to write his meet the iconics entry. That was months and months ago. Erik is arguably the busiest person at Paizo, and that's coming from the guy who's busy enough with Paizo stuff that he's posting a reply to the boards at 1:30 AM on a Saturday morning.

Which means that it'll probably be a bit longer before we get his Meet the Iconics online. I'll ask Erik again in a week—both of us are out of the office for work or vacation reasons fort he next 9 days or so... so hopefully I don't forget to bring the subject up next time the stars are right and Erik and I happen to be in the same building at the same time.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

wingermage wrote:

Hi,Jacobs

Can a barbarian who gains the pounce special ability form Beast Totem uses his pounce ability to make a full attack after a charge in a surprise round?

The barbarian of my team can kill most monsters in one round.It's the Standard line for barbarian designer?

No.

Liberty's Edge

James Jacobs wrote:
Marc Radle wrote:
The Golux wrote:


Also, in pathfinder as it is, thoughts on houseruling vital strike to be one scaling feat instead of a series?
Have you checked out the Scaling Combat Feats in the Pathfinder RPG article in Gygax magazine?
I glanced at it but haven't read it yet.

Oh geeze - sorry! I was actually talking to the original poster. My bad :(. However, James, if you do end up reading the article, I'D LOVE to hear your thoughts! :)


Since we know the general CR an Infernal Duke is, what would be the CR of the Whore Queens? Or the Malebranche?


Any theories on why questions on the blood money spell seems to pop up so often here?


So, I find myself more and more drawn to hobgoblins as of late. Yeah, I know, I'm a super minority, but you guys did a good job of making them interesting. The whole goblin Warband lifestyle and their technical aptitude above other similar races just make them interesting to me.

So, might we get some more Hob love in the future? Any good places to look for hobgoblin stuff?


James Jacobs wrote:
Since we made the decision that Balazar is from Nex, we kind of want Erik to write his meet the iconics entry. That was months and months ago. Erik is arguably the busiest person at Paizo, and that's coming from the guy who's busy enough with Paizo stuff that he's posting a reply to the boards at 1:30 AM on a Saturday morning.

But the guy posting that response knows how much we appreciate his sharing his insight and knowledge, right?


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

On the cover of Ultimate Equipment and Mythic Adventures there is a sword that is featured, one that Alain is reaching for and Mythic Valeros wields, What is that sword?


Hello James Jacob,

Spellbooks:
Descriptions, protections, preparation rituals, and spell content can be mixed and matched as desired from different books. Higher-level books can easily serve for lower-level casters—just drop the spell levels that aren't applicable and remove lower-level spells as desired. Similarly, if you desire longer books, combine two together or add spells or formulae of your choice to the desired levels. These books also work as spellbooks and formula books for new characters. Just copy the list, hand it to the player, and go.

So lets say that I own a ''Journal of the Beast Within (Level 10 Alchemist)'' and then later on I buy ''The Formulae of Master Gebr (Level 20 Alchemist)'' does it mean that I can merge/mix both spellbooks and get both rituals and new spells at the same time anytime I want?

My DM says that I have to buy them both at the same time in order to get two spellbook ritual abilities in a single book because they are two specific magic items that have to be costume crafted in has one, he says that I can later on attach more pages to the spellbook but that I can't merge/fusion them with diferent spellbooks and gain diferent types of rituals because the spellbook is already made that way.


Hmmm.....James I am here in Drumheller and what does my eye spy, but a store in front of the dinosaur museum called Fossil World" where one can buy real and reproduction fossils. Are you interested in something like that?

Sczarni RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

James, did you ever play Eternal Darkness on the Game Cube?

Did you know they are making a sequel?


THEY'RE MAKING A SEQUEL?!?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Odraude wrote:
Since we know the general CR an Infernal Duke is, what would be the CR of the Whore Queens? Or the Malebranche?

They'd be comparable.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Cheapy wrote:
Any theories on why questions on the blood money spell seems to pop up so often here?

Because a lot of players like making gold points to buy things with, and blood money lets them save gold points.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Albatoonoe wrote:

So, I find myself more and more drawn to hobgoblins as of late. Yeah, I know, I'm a super minority, but you guys did a good job of making them interesting. The whole goblin Warband lifestyle and their technical aptitude above other similar races just make them interesting to me.

So, might we get some more Hob love in the future? Any good places to look for hobgoblin stuff?

The latest places we've done much with hobgoblins was Fangwood Keep and part four of Jade Regent. Nothing else hobgoblin related of not in the near future.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

AinvarG wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Since we made the decision that Balazar is from Nex, we kind of want Erik to write his meet the iconics entry. That was months and months ago. Erik is arguably the busiest person at Paizo, and that's coming from the guy who's busy enough with Paizo stuff that he's posting a reply to the boards at 1:30 AM on a Saturday morning.
But the guy posting that response knows how much we appreciate his sharing his insight and knowledge, right?

Yup!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

zergtitan wrote:
On the cover of Ultimate Equipment and Mythic Adventures there is a sword that is featured, one that Alain is reaching for and Mythic Valeros wields, What is that sword?

Something magic and powerful. It's not intended to be a specific sword, as far as I know.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Jose Suarez 916 wrote:

Hello James Jacob,

Spellbooks:
Descriptions, protections, preparation rituals, and spell content can be mixed and matched as desired from different books. Higher-level books can easily serve for lower-level casters—just drop the spell levels that aren't applicable and remove lower-level spells as desired. Similarly, if you desire longer books, combine two together or add spells or formulae of your choice to the desired levels. These books also work as spellbooks and formula books for new characters. Just copy the list, hand it to the player, and go.

So lets say that I own a ''Journal of the Beast Within (Level 10 Alchemist)'' and then later on I buy ''The Formulae of Master Gebr (Level 20 Alchemist)'' does it mean that I can merge/mix both spellbooks and get both rituals and new spells at the same time anytime I want?

My DM says that I have to buy them both at the same time in order to get two spellbook ritual abilities in a single book because they are two specific magic items that have to be costume crafted in has one, he says that I can later on attach more pages to the spellbook but that I can't merge/fusion them with diferent spellbooks and gain diferent types of rituals because the spellbook is already made that way.

Your GM is right.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

The Minis Maniac wrote:
Hmmm.....James I am here in Drumheller and what does my eye spy, but a store in front of the dinosaur museum called Fossil World" where one can buy real and reproduction fossils. Are you interested in something like that?

Real and reproduction fossils are certainly cool. I only own 2 so far—both reproductions: a velociraptor talon and a tyrannosaurus rex tooth.

That said, no need for prizes! Thanks for thinking of me though!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Thomas LeBlanc wrote:

James, did you ever play Eternal Darkness on the Game Cube?

Did you know they are making a sequel?

I played it for a few hours but that was it. I own a Wii, but it's not currently plugged in...

I did know they're doing a sequel though.


James, who owns Trampier's old AD&D art? Specifically the fire giant from the Monster Manual featured about 1/3 down this page? I'd love for that to be my avatar (like it is on Meetup and Facebook).

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Abyssian wrote:
James, who owns Trampier's old AD&D art? Specifically the fire giant from the Monster Manual featured about 1/3 down this page? I'd love for that to be my avatar (like it is on Meetup and Facebook).

Wizards of the Coast owns all that art, and as such it can't be an avatar here.


James Jacobs wrote:
Abyssian wrote:
James, who owns Trampier's old AD&D art? Specifically the fire giant from the Monster Manual featured about 1/3 down this page? I'd love for that to be my avatar (like it is on Meetup and Facebook).
Wizards of the Coast owns all that art, and as such it can't be an avatar here.

So lame. C'est la vie.


2 people marked this as a favorite.
James Jacobs wrote:
The Minis Maniac wrote:
Hmmm.....James I am here in Drumheller and what does my eye spy, but a store in front of the dinosaur museum called Fossil World" where one can buy real and reproduction fossils. Are you interested in something like that?

Real and reproduction fossils are certainly cool. I only own 2 so far—both reproductions: a velociraptor talon and a tyrannosaurus rex tooth.

That said, no need for prizes! Thanks for thinking of me though!

James please see it from my perspective. I started collecting Dungeon and Dragon Magazine during the Age of Worms era and loved it. Stayed with it through Savage Tide, hopped immediately onto the Pathfinder bandwagon from the end of the print magazines. I have been here before so long and subscribed all the way through. I have personally enjoyed every single piece of published Pathfinder material that paizo has ever produced. I am now in a position to say thank you in some way to one of it's long time and key employees, and I want to do it. If I were for example meeting George Lucas I would get something for Vic and Lisa, but instead I am here in Drumheller for the weekend, and I am going to get you a prize to say thanks. So don't feel guilty about it :P

And yes if I do meet George Lucas I will get something for Vic and Lisa, likewise if I come in possession of a llama I will send it to Patrick Renie.


Is the summoned Eidolon creature from the Iconic Summoner based on the Aitvaras from Latvian myth or just based on the more famous Cockatrice?

Its appearance really reminds me of the Aitvaras Dragon from Latvia, as it combines rooster and dragon-like features.

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

So, I know Vudra has Psionic Magic. Without needing to go into thing specifically, is there any sort of alternative magical system for Arcadia?


The Minis Maniac wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
The Minis Maniac wrote:
Hmmm.....James I am here in Drumheller and what does my eye spy, but a store in front of the dinosaur museum called Fossil World" where one can buy real and reproduction fossils. Are you interested in something like that?

Real and reproduction fossils are certainly cool. I only own 2 so far—both reproductions: a velociraptor talon and a tyrannosaurus rex tooth.

That said, no need for prizes! Thanks for thinking of me though!

James please see it from my perspective. I started collecting Dungeon and Dragon Magazine during the Age of Worms era and loved it. Stayed with it through Savage Tide, hopped immediately onto the Pathfinder bandwagon from the end of the print magazines. I have been here before so long and subscribed all the way through. I have personally enjoyed every single piece of published Pathfinder material that paizo has ever produced. I am now in a position to say thank you in some way to one of it's long time and key employees, and I want to do it. If I were for example meeting George Lucas I would get something for Vic and Lisa, but instead I am here in Drumheller for the weekend, and I am going to get you a prize to say thanks. So don't feel guilty about it :P

And yes if I do meet George Lucas I will get something for Vic and Lisa, likewise if I come in possession of a llama I will send it to Patrick Renie.

And I managed to procure a fist size piece of real dinosaur bone with authenticity card in its package. I will send as soon as I get home. Hope you will enjoy it James P

Paizo Employee Creative Director

2 people marked this as a favorite.
The Minis Maniac wrote:
... a llama ... Patrick Renie.

If you send Patrick anything llama related (or anything pug related for that matter)... the resulting display of shock and delight would be able to power the city of Redmond for a year.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

The Minis Maniac wrote:
The Minis Maniac wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
The Minis Maniac wrote:
Hmmm.....James I am here in Drumheller and what does my eye spy, but a store in front of the dinosaur museum called Fossil World" where one can buy real and reproduction fossils. Are you interested in something like that?

Real and reproduction fossils are certainly cool. I only own 2 so far—both reproductions: a velociraptor talon and a tyrannosaurus rex tooth.

That said, no need for prizes! Thanks for thinking of me though!

James please see it from my perspective. I started collecting Dungeon and Dragon Magazine during the Age of Worms era and loved it. Stayed with it through Savage Tide, hopped immediately onto the Pathfinder bandwagon from the end of the print magazines. I have been here before so long and subscribed all the way through. I have personally enjoyed every single piece of published Pathfinder material that paizo has ever produced. I am now in a position to say thank you in some way to one of it's long time and key employees, and I want to do it. If I were for example meeting George Lucas I would get something for Vic and Lisa, but instead I am here in Drumheller for the weekend, and I am going to get you a prize to say thanks. So don't feel guilty about it :P

And yes if I do meet George Lucas I will get something for Vic and Lisa, likewise if I come in possession of a llama I will send it to Patrick Renie.
And I managed to procure a fist size piece of real dinosaur bone with authenticity card in its package. I will send as soon as I get home. Hope you will enjoy it James P

Whoa!

Wow. Thanks!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Sincubus wrote:

Is the summoned Eidolon creature from the Iconic Summoner based on the Aitvaras from Latvian myth or just based on the more famous Cockatrice?

Its appearance really reminds me of the Aitvaras Dragon from Latvia, as it combines rooster and dragon-like features.

It's just an eidolon—a creature made physical and living through the magic of its summoner, drawn from his own mind and desires and from the raw potentiality of the Great Beyond. It's not anything more than itself, and does not exist beyond its role as Balazar's eidolon.

When we Wayne to paint us the summoner, the original version had a big bear. We ended up realizing that made the summoner look like a druid too much, so we asked Wayne to change it into a monster. We may have said "Make it snaky" but I doubt it... in any event, Wayne's the one to ask about the monster's actual inspiration. Wouldn't be surprised if it was based on the basilisk/cockatrice.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Stratagemini wrote:
So, I know Vudra has Psionic Magic. Without needing to go into thing specifically, is there any sort of alternative magical system for Arcadia?

Psychic magic is the term I favor, since it helps to set folks up for not being disappointed when what we do is VERY DIFFERENT from the rules for psionics.

There's no plans for alternate magic systems for Arcadia.

Dark Archive

1 person marked this as a favorite.
James Jacobs wrote:
There's no plans for alternate magic systems for Arcadia.

Aw, no Maztican pluma magic?

Wait, did I say 'aw?' I meant 'Woo, no Maztican pluma magic!'

On the topic of Arcadia and magic, how do you find the fine line (which is different for everyone, obviously) between too closely paralleling a real-world culture, and going so far away from (current perceptions of) a real-world culture as to make it seem more caricature than homage?

Paizo toed that line admirably, I think, with Dragon Empires. As much as I loved the Kara-Tur setting, it seemed, both in map and write up (in the Boxed Set particularly) to be almost *too* faithful of the idea of making a 'fantasy China' and a 'fantasy Japan', 'fantasy Korea,' 'fantasy Mongolia,' etc. instead of, as in Dragon Empires, designing nations that borrowed more from the fantasy than from real-world history (nation ruled by Kraken, naga-dominated jungles, etc.).

I'm curious as to whether or not you envisage Arcadia as having, for instance, Navajo or Iroquois or Aztec analogues, or something a bit further afield.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Set wrote:

On the topic of Arcadia and magic, how do you find the fine line (which is different for everyone, obviously) between too closely paralleling a real-world culture, and going so far away from (current perceptions of) a real-world culture as to make it seem more caricature than homage?

Paizo toed that line admirably, I think, with Dragon Empires. As much as I loved the Kara-Tur setting, it seemed, both in map and write up (in the Boxed Set particularly) to be almost *too* faithful of the idea of making a 'fantasy China' and a 'fantasy Japan', 'fantasy Korea,' 'fantasy Mongolia,' etc. instead of, as in Dragon Empires, designing nations that borrowed more from the fantasy than from real-world history (nation ruled by Kraken, naga-dominated jungles, etc.).

I'm curious as to whether or not you envisage Arcadia as having, for instance, Navajo or Iroquois or Aztec analogues, or something a bit further afield.

I would say that we've already demonstrated our philosophy on that fine line, with areas like the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, Osirion, Minkai, and so on.

Real-world culture is the best place to go when building a world, but it shouldn't be the ONLY place you go to.

As for how we find where that fine line exists... it's kinda just something I know when I see it.

There WILL be some Native American (both north and south) influences on Arcadia, but just as Asia wasn't the only influence on Tian Xia, those cultures will not be the only ones we look upon for Arcadia.


If a PC takes the Leadership feat, who gets to design the cohort - the player or the GM?

For that matter, should the GM present via roleplay a number of possibilities (at the right character level for the Leadership score), and let the player/PC choose a cohort from among them (and only then let the player see the nitty-gritty information like stats)?


What happens to the consciousness of a character possessed by a ghost's Malevolence? The text says it acts as magic jar but without a receptacle, so is the host creature unconscious/insensible for the duration of the possession or still aware of what's going on around it and what its body is doing but unable to act?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Bellona wrote:

If a PC takes the Leadership feat, who gets to design the cohort - the player or the GM?

For that matter, should the GM present via roleplay a number of possibilities (at the right character level for the Leadership score), and let the player/PC choose a cohort from among them (and only then let the player see the nitty-gritty information like stats)?

That's entirely up to the GM.

My preference is to let the player design the cohort. It's the player's feat, after all, and I as the GM have plenty of work already. Likewise, I require the player to come up with an in-game reason why the cohort is a cohort and wants to follow the PC.

An exception would be if the player wanted to make an established NPC ally into a cohort—in this case, I've got the stats done already and just hand them over to the player who gets to make all the level-up decisions.

I am NOT a fan of the school of GMing where the GM hides lots of information from the players, including things like not letting the player see the stats for a cohort before accepting the cohort, as well as other things like rolling their perception checks for traps.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Joana wrote:
What happens to the consciousness of a character possessed by a ghost's Malevolence? The text says it acts as magic jar but without a receptacle, so is the host creature unconscious/insensible for the duration of the possession or still aware of what's going on around it and what its body is doing but unable to act?

The possessed character's consciousness remains in the body and can observe and feel everything normally; it just has no control over anything.

Scarab Sages

James,

Have you ever read stuff from Brian Lumley? In particular his, his Primal Land series? That series gave me a love for lamia's, which I one thing I liked about Rise of the Runelords.

As a follow-up, I also have a love of the sphinx. Any plans for them to feature as major monsters in an AP? Just the thought of the Paizo folk bending their thoughts towards fiendishly clever riddle dungeons leaves me creeped out a bit.

Silver Crusade

Well I just finished Dishonored and I think you've said you played it so did you play a low chaos or high chaos playthrough? If both which did you prefer?

Silver Crusade

Okay, James. Can you help me with this?

One of my players has contracted lycanthropy from a Wererat. Now, that's bad enough but I can roll with it. The problem is, the PC is a Tengu.

A Wererat Tengu? I can't see a RAW reason this doesn't work, but I just can't see it. What would you do?

Thanks for your time, as always.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Aberzombie wrote:

James,

Have you ever read stuff from Brian Lumley? In particular his, his Primal Land series? That series gave me a love for lamia's, which I one thing I liked about Rise of the Runelords.

As a follow-up, I also have a love of the sphinx. Any plans for them to feature as major monsters in an AP? Just the thought of the Paizo folk bending their thoughts towards fiendishly clever riddle dungeons leaves me creeped out a bit.

I've read a LOT of Lumley. I much prefer his short fiction, but the first 3 Necroscope books were fun to read as well. I own a book of his Primal Land stories, I think... and a few others that probably have stories from it in there, but haven't read them yet. Some of Lumley's stuff is, alas, really really bad. Particularly when Cthulhu's sister comes along...

As for sphinxes? We like them too! We've already done an article about them in Mythical Monsters Revisited, in fact.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Rysky wrote:
Well I just finished Dishonored and I think you've said you played it so did you play a low chaos or high chaos playthrough? If both which did you prefer?

I ended my playthrough in low chaos. Then played Knife of Dunwall and ended that in high chaos.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

uriel222 wrote:

Okay, James. Can you help me with this?

One of my players has contracted lycanthropy from a Wererat. Now, that's bad enough but I can roll with it. The problem is, the PC is a Tengu.

A Wererat Tengu? I can't see a RAW reason this doesn't work, but I just can't see it. What would you do?

Thanks for your time, as always.

Heh... yeah, a tengu can indeed become a wererat, and the resulting mix is kinda weird looking to imagine. If I were you, though, I'd be more concerned with the stat boosts that PC's gonna get!

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Voyd211 wrote:

Okay, this query has kind of a wordy leadup, so just bear with me.

Say you have an incredibly powerful LE spellcaster. He's got 20 levels of cleric under his belt, but he's on his deathbed from the simple matter of old age. With his last dregs of power, he calls up a contract devil.

My question: Can he contract the infernal slave for someone else? Like, say, his son or grandson? If so, would the spellcaster's soul be the only payment? It'd be kind of interesting to see a pit fiend bound by duty to protect a baby or something.

And yes, before anyone asks, this question was inspired by Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler.

From literature to stories from "The Twilight Zone", there are quite a few instances of INTENTIONS that start out like this. They never work out though, because quite frankly, Evil is Evil. And infernals are masters of making such contracts the downfall of everyone involved.

Or take it another angle, Mary Jane Watson agrees on sacrificing her relationship with Peter Parker to save his dying aunt, because she believes that true love always comes together no matter what, only to find, that by changing the circumstances of their relationship has aborted the existence of their future daughter. If an infernal contract doesn't bring out consequences worse than intended, it's not a contract that was done well.

Silver Crusade

James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:
Well I just finished Dishonored and I think you've said you played it so did you play a low chaos or high chaos playthrough? If both which did you prefer?
I ended my playthrough in low chaos. Then played Knife of Dunwall and ended that in high chaos.

Thankies for the response.

Did you have a favorite moment from the game as a whole?

Favorite character?

Did you ever find yourself just sheathing and unsheathing the sword (things way too frickin hypnotic)?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
Joana wrote:
What happens to the consciousness of a character possessed by a ghost's Malevolence? The text says it acts as magic jar but without a receptacle, so is the host creature unconscious/insensible for the duration of the possession or still aware of what's going on around it and what its body is doing but unable to act?
The possessed character's consciousness remains in the body and can observe and feel everything normally; it just has no control over anything.

I always thought that the subject of a ghosts possession was treated as a life force with no place to go, i.e. slain, much like the Banshees of Warcraft D20.

Grand Lodge

This question is not mine, but one found unanswered on another forum. I'm hoping you can answer it, James.

"A small Cavalier can take a wolf mount at level one. A wolf has 13 hp (2d8+4), AC 14, and a 1d6 bite attack.

If you're at 4th level, you can get a dog mount. A dog has 6 hp (1d8+2), AC 13, and a 1d4 bite attack.

....How does that make sense!? You get access to an (objectively) less powerful mount at a higher level?"

My guess? Is it because the dog starts out small sized, then is medium at 4th level? If so, you guys might want to spell this out to people a little better.


Questions about the Magus:

In the last session, I used my Hexcrafter Magus in this way:

a) Cast chill touch, try to hit.
b) Then casting Frostbite, trying to hit.
c) Then casting Frigid Touch, trying to hit.

Now, a couple of question arised:

1) What if I miss with Chill Touch and/or Frostbite? Te spell text says I get one touch per caster level, so, if I miss, do I waste a touch? Or I effectively use them only when I hit?

2) As per Chill Touch description, once I have Chill Touch+Frostbite touches remained, if I cast and discharge Frigid Touch through my simitar, I should deal (1d6+ by Str scimitar)+(1d6 + possibily 1 Str damage by Chill Touch)+(1d6+CL nonlethal + fatigued by Frostbite)+(4d6 + staggered by Frigid Touch). Is that correct?

The main question is only if I miss an attack with forstbite/chill touch, what happen? Do I waste one touch or do I retain until hit?


Bellona wrote:

If a PC takes the Leadership feat, who gets to design the cohort - the player or the GM?

For that matter, should the GM present via roleplay a number of possibilities (at the right character level for the Leadership score), and let the player/PC choose a cohort from among them (and only then let the player see the nitty-gritty information like stats)?

James Jacobs wrote:

That's entirely up to the GM.

My preference is to let the player design the cohort. It's the player's feat, after all, and I as the GM have plenty of work already. Likewise, I require the player to come up with an in-game reason why the cohort is a cohort and wants to follow the PC.

An exception would be if the player wanted to make an established NPC ally into a cohort—in this case, I've got the stats done already and just hand them over to the player who gets to make all the level-up decisions.

I am NOT a fan of the school of GMing where the GM hides lots of information from the players, including things like not letting the player see the stats for a cohort before accepting the cohort, as well as other things like rolling their perception checks for traps.

Thank you for your response!


A couple of questions on the Runelords (I seem to have a definite pattern with the topics I'm most interested in...):

1) Throughout the history of Thassilon, how often were Runelords actually brought under the forcible sway of other Runelords using magic? Not just things like Sorshen allying with and then betraying them, but actual effects like the Crown of the Iron King (Ultimate Equipment), Dominate, simulacrums loyal to the one doing the controlling, and so on and so forth.

2) If this took place, did it ever happen to Xanderghul and/or Sorshen?

3) The Swords of Sin. Which Runelord first had the idea to make them? Or did they all sort of collectively come to the conclusion that they wanted/needed champions who would have special weapons? (Xanderghul at least intended to - at first - personally wield Baraket, based on Artifacts and Legends.)

4) Which of them decided on swords? Runelords obviously don't customarily wield swords as their "signature" weapons.

5) Following on from the previous questions, which was the first sword actually made? (Which Runelord was first and which sword was first may, after all, not be the same thing.)

6) Were the Swords of Sin a relatively late invention of Thassilon, or closer to the beginning? Or did they spring up separately throughout the history of Thassilon in ones and twos?

7) At any point, did the chosen champions of the Swords try to go against the Runelord when said Runelord succeeded a previous Runelord who had appointed the champion?

8) The description for the Swords of Sin says that without the Runelord awake/active, they only have the powers of a +2 weapon with the noted special abilities from the Core book. Does this also include, for example, the +5 to Bluff checks of Baraket or the immunity to Enchantment effects of Asheia, or is it solely the attributes like Flaming, Spell-Storing, Speed and so on?

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