Creative Director
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Hello James,
I am about to start GMing a new campaign with my group and we wanted to try something a bit unconventional this time.
It's going to be set in a quasi-historical scenario in XI century Byzantine Empire, so I went through the class, spell and feat lists and pruned out a lot of stuff that is (IMO) a bit too flashy for the intended flavor. The players seem to be cool with the concept and the limitations (so far!). I've done some reading on the subject (although I am by no means an historian) and spent a week in Istanbul during the summer holidays to familiarize with the setting.Have you ever GMed/played in a (semi)-historical setting? Do you have any suggestions or words of wisdom? Or do you think it is madness to try this with the Pathfinder ruleset and I should opt for a different game system altogether? :D
I've GM'd and played in LOTS of historical settings...almost always using the Call of Cthulhu rules. I've barely tinkered with playing historical games with D&D or Pathfinder, but I think it's an interesting idea.
Let's say we have a 5th-level Oracle of Bones, who decides to learn animate dead. They adventure around, kill some dudes, and DING! Lv6!
And here's a problem: animate dead is the Lv6 bonus spell for the Bones mystery. What should be done in this situation? Do you retroactively give the oracle a different 3rd-level spell, along with the normal level-up learning?
Here.
I want to go to there.
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Creative Director
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When you think of the 9 Different possible Alignments, what is the first Race/Class choice you think of for each?
HA! What a cool question. I'm dumbfounded it took this long!
LG: dwarf paladin
NG: human cleric of Sarenrae
CG: half-elf fighter/bard of Sarenrae
LN: human fighter Hellknight
N: human cleric of Pharasma
CN: elf rogue
LE: human inquisitor of Asmodeus
NE: tiefling bard
CE: human cleric of Nocticula
I suspect I'd have different reactions depending on where I've been thinking and what day it is.
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Creative Director
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James, I'm curious about your work on The Midnight Isles. How difficult is it to collaborate on a project with another author? I'm admittedly more of a "if you want something done right, do it yourself" kind of guy, but I imagine that the amount of dialogue and cooperation necessary might make it easier to just do it yourself. The purpose in splitting it was that you didn't have enough time to do it alone, right? Would you say that you've saved time, even after all of the collaboration? And are you happy with what's been written, even if it wasn't quite in line with what you might have done yourself?
It's actually not all that difficult at all. For every Adventure Path, I end up being a silent collaborator. In some cases, I'm rewriting only relatively small portions, but in others I can end up writing entire sections. Whenever I end up writing half or more of the adventure from scratch, I take a co-author credit.
So in this case, Greg basically wrote his half and I wrote mine and then just seamlessly went into developing his section at the same time. It certainly helps, of course, that I've been working in this way with Greg for about a decade now, and his and my writing styles and sensibilities are VERY similar.
Yes, the purpose in splitting was that neither of us had time to write a whole adventure. I did indeed save time as a result, since it's MUCH easier to develop Greg's text than come up with brand new text! I'd say I probably saved about a month and a half of my personal freelance time, which was already filled to the rim and overflowing, so if Greg hadn't helped, I wouldn't have been able to write the adventure at all.
I'm quite happy with how it turned out, though. Particularly the 2nd part, which is really kinda sandboxy and set in an evil city. I could have written an entire adventure out of the 2nd part!
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Creative Director
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I meant PLAYERS making ravener miniatures out of lizard bones.EDIT: Another question. What would you think of people using, say, actual lizard skeletons to make miniature raveners and such?As for miniature raveners... maybe with some illusion magic to trick the locals, but an actually wimped up ravener doesn't really appeal to me.
OH! Oh!
That's kinda cool! BUT ONLY IF THE SKELETONS WERE FROM LIZARDS WHO DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES!!!!!!
What if they were made from the bones of fish that you caught and ate yourself? That's recycling!
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Creative Director
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Do otherwise-aligned outsiders have counterparts for nascent demon lords? By this, I mean are there weaker ranas, immortals, kami lords, qlippoth lords, etc.?In some cases yes. In others, no. We haven't decided on all of them yet.I've always assumed you can get the "nascent equivalent" by checking out each Outsiders' CR 20 creature.
Asura = Blasphemous Sages (under Asurendra)
Kami = Elder Jinushigami (under Jinushigami)
Rakshasa = Rajadhirajas (under Maharaja)
Kyton = Eremite Overlord (under Eremite) with the CR 25+ being Demagogues
. . . and so on.I've always figured that Demons were the exception to the rule since they have both Balor Lords and Nascent Demon Lords, and Qlippoth since they only have the Iathavos and the Qlipppoth Lords.
James, would this be a fair way of looking at it?
Probably.
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Creative Director
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Let's say we have a 5th-level Oracle of Bones, who decides to learn animate dead. They adventure around, kill some dudes, and DING! Lv6!
And here's a problem: animate dead is the Lv6 bonus spell for the Bones mystery. What should be done in this situation? Do you retroactively give the oracle a different 3rd-level spell, along with the normal level-up learning?
If your GM is gracious, he lets you swap out the animate dead you learned at 5th level for a replacement spell.
If your GM is not gracious, you lose out on a spell slot. A player should know beforehand if the GM is gracious before picking spells!
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Let's say we have a 5th-level Oracle of Bones, who decides to learn animate dead. They adventure around, kill some dudes, and DING! Lv6!
And here's a problem: animate dead is the Lv6 bonus spell for the Bones mystery. What should be done in this situation? Do you retroactively give the oracle a different 3rd-level spell, along with the normal level-up learning?
If your GM is gracious, he lets you swap out the animate dead you learned at 5th level for a replacement spell.
If your GM is not gracious, you lose out on a spell slot. A player should know beforehand if the GM is gracious before picking spells!
Theoretically, the oracle's ability to swap a learned spell for a different one could be used at level 6 to swap out the previously-learned version so it can then be re-acquired via the mystery...
When you think of the 9 Different possible Alignments, what is the first Race/Class choice you think of for each?HA! What a cool question. I'm dumbfounded it took this long!
LG: dwarf paladin
NG: human cleric of Sarenrae
CG: half-elf fighter/bard of Sarenrae
LN: human fighter Hellknight
N: human cleric of Pharasma
CN: elf rogue
LE: human inquisitor of Asmodeus
NE: tiefling bard
CE: human cleric of NocticulaI suspect I'd have different reactions depending on where I've been thinking and what day it is.
I'm actively planning out my Dark Souls inspired Test of the Starstone now and was trying to find a way to get ideas for the different NPCs they will encounter.
I really didn't see a cross-class coming!
I believe you mentioned before that the Covenants in Souls map to the 9 alignments, how would you map it out?
And were you part of the Chaos Servants Covenant?
Let's say we have a 5th-level Oracle of Bones, who decides to learn animate dead. They adventure around, kill some dudes, and DING! Lv6!
And here's a problem: animate dead is the Lv6 bonus spell for the Bones mystery. What should be done in this situation? Do you retroactively give the oracle a different 3rd-level spell, along with the normal level-up learning?
If your GM is gracious, he lets you swap out the animate dead you learned at 5th level for a replacement spell.
If your GM is not gracious, you lose out on a spell slot. A player should know beforehand if the GM is gracious before picking spells!
Would Society qualify as gracious?
Hi james.
Can you give us a very minor random spoiler from bestiary 4? Pleassssseeeee!?! *Carbuncle + Almiraj puppy eyes* :-p
PS A hint / riddle / cryptic thing will all do to! I love me some riddles :p
Fine.
I'll do one.
Wow. Just wow. I am SO glad my subscription covers this book now. Um, question.....
Did you have any hand in developing that fine fellow?
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Creative Director
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I believe you mentioned before that the Covenants in Souls map to the 9 alignments, how would you map it out?And were you part of the Chaos Servants Covenant?
I ended up mostly being in the Warriors of Sunlight, but dabbled with the Forest Hunters, Chaos Servants, and the Path of the Dragon.
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Creative Director
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Would Society qualify as gracious?Let's say we have a 5th-level Oracle of Bones, who decides to learn animate dead. They adventure around, kill some dudes, and DING! Lv6!
And here's a problem: animate dead is the Lv6 bonus spell for the Bones mystery. What should be done in this situation? Do you retroactively give the oracle a different 3rd-level spell, along with the normal level-up learning?
If your GM is gracious, he lets you swap out the animate dead you learned at 5th level for a replacement spell.
If your GM is not gracious, you lose out on a spell slot. A player should know beforehand if the GM is gracious before picking spells!
That's a question for Mike, Mark, and John... but my gut says no.
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Creative Director
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Hi james.
Can you give us a very minor random spoiler from bestiary 4? Pleassssseeeee!?! *Carbuncle + Almiraj puppy eyes* :-p
PS A hint / riddle / cryptic thing will all do to! I love me some riddles :p
Fine.
I'll do one.
Wow. Just wow. I am SO glad my subscription covers this book now. Um, question.....
Did you have any hand in developing that fine fellow?
I designed all three Great Old Ones in the book.
And I did a development pass on the entire book.
I believe you mentioned before that the Covenants in Souls map to the 9 alignments, how would you map it out?And were you part of the Chaos Servants Covenant?
I ended up mostly being in the Warriors of Sunlight, but dabbled with the Forest Hunters, Chaos Servants, and the Path of the Dragon.
Ooo, nifty! I really enjoy Warriors of Sunlight for my Justice Bolts.
Did you end up
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Creative Director
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I believe you mentioned before that the Covenants in Souls map to the 9 alignments, how would you map it out?And were you part of the Chaos Servants Covenant?
I ended up mostly being in the Warriors of Sunlight, but dabbled with the Forest Hunters, Chaos Servants, and the Path of the Dragon.
Ooo, nifty! I really enjoy Warriors of Sunlight for my Justice Bolts.
Did you end up ** spoiler omitted **
Nope. He died. Had to put him down. Both playthroughs.
What was your favorite Armor set in Dark Souls? I really liked Ornstein's, but you couldn't upgrade it, so I'm loving my Armor of Favor for now.
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Nope. He died. Had to put him down. Both playthroughs.
I believe you mentioned before that the Covenants in Souls map to the 9 alignments, how would you map it out?And were you part of the Chaos Servants Covenant?
I ended up mostly being in the Warriors of Sunlight, but dabbled with the Forest Hunters, Chaos Servants, and the Path of the Dragon.
Ooo, nifty! I really enjoy Warriors of Sunlight for my Justice Bolts.
Did you end up ** spoiler omitted **
The messed up thing is that's the good ending for him.
Let's say we have a 5th-level Oracle of Bones, who decides to learn animate dead. They adventure around, kill some dudes, and DING! Lv6!
And here's a problem: animate dead is the Lv6 bonus spell for the Bones mystery. What should be done in this situation? Do you retroactively give the oracle a different 3rd-level spell, along with the normal level-up learning?
Nope, Oracles don't get level 3 spells until level 6, so no getting Animate Dead at level 5 anyway.
I just noticed the people who made Dark Souls also made one of my favorite Xbox games, Otogi: Myth of Demons. Had a dark feel to it, the undead theme, but more mystical, seems like something up your alley, did you ever play it?
What does the Sign of the Seekers Spiral look like? I will be playing a character with the Riftwarden Orphen trait when my group gets to Wrath of the Righteous and I wanted to know what the cannon symbol was in case I draw out my character.
Half question, half suggestion: should the rules in the faq about bypassing Epic DR be copy-pasted from Mythic Adventures to Bestiary?
Would a scroll of animate dead run on the creator's HD, or the user's?
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Only one problem with that scenario... You can't swap out level 3 spells until you hit 8th level. I'm afraid that your oracular friend is going to pay the price for not waiting until 6th level.
That's actually not true. Sorcerers have that limitation, oracles don't. Belle Mythix's objection is still correct, though.
Aside from the obvious choice of Gozreh, what Clerics might use animal and terrain domains?
Is it possible to be a Werewolf (either natural or afflicted) and be good in alignment?
Will we be seeing racial mythic powers?
Is there any plans for a Metamagic feat that would allow a spell that deals a specific kind of energy damage to deal half damage to creatures with immunity to that kind of energy?
Will we be seeing either new artwork or an updated stat block of Thais (aka Cayden's "Accidental Herald") in the upcoming manual about the gods of Golarion?
Assuming a group of SIX adventures were all 20th level, had their ability scores built via 25 point build, and possessed gear equivalent to 20th level heroic characters, what would be the MAXIMUM challenge rating a DM should throw at them?
How would the class level part of the stat block of a chaotic neutral human 20th level cavalier with 10 mythic tiers look like if he has selected the dual mythic path feat (and thus has Champion and Marshal as his Mythic paths)?
Will the famous paladin (aka Elicia Stormraven) and the famous red dragon (aka Metterak the Dragon Prince) who both were played in Gencon 2011 ever make official appearances in Golarion?
What would be the best mythic path for a Trench Fighter?
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Creative Director
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What does the Sign of the Seekers Spiral look like? I will be playing a character with the Riftwarden Orphen trait when my group gets to Wrath of the Righteous and I wanted to know what the cannon symbol was in case I draw out my character.
It's not revealed. I've imagined it looks pretty simple though; a spiral with a few circles drawn into it here and there.
We probably should have illustrated it, but it was a pretty late addition to the game and doesn't play a big role... feel free to use anything that looks cool!
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Creative Director
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Is it possible to be a Werewolf (either natural or afflicted) and be good in alignment?
Will we be seeing racial mythic powers?
Is there any plans for a Metamagic feat that would allow a spell that deals a specific kind of energy damage to deal half damage to creatures with immunity to that kind of energy?
Will we be seeing either new artwork or an updated stat block of Thais (aka Cayden's "Accidental Herald") in the upcoming manual about the gods of Golarion?
Assuming a group of SIX adventures were all 20th level, had their ability scores built via 25 point build, and possessed gear equivalent to 20th level heroic characters, what would be the MAXIMUM challenge rating a DM should throw at them?
How would the class level part of the stat block of a chaotic neutral human 20th level cavalier with 10 mythic tiers look like if he has selected the dual mythic path feat (and thus has Champion and Marshal as his Mythic paths)?
Will the famous paladin (aka Elicia Stormraven) and the famous red dragon (aka Metterak the Dragon Prince) who both were played in Gencon 2011 ever make official appearances in Golarion?
Lycanthropes don't have alignment restrictions, so sure... but it's not likely going to show up in print often since werewolves are more interesting as evil monsters.
Not something we're currently looking at oing.
No plans that I'm aware of.
You'll have to wait and see.
30, since that's where the CR table stops.
Dunno yet.
Probably not. Since I'm not sure how famous they're are if the Creative Director of the company isn't sure who they are!