Mr. James Jacobs,
Some Qlippoth Questions:
-What happens to souls pledged to Qlippoths lords after death? I was rereading your article about Qlippoths in Shattered Star and the question came to mind.
-Rovagug wants to destroy the multiverse. Does this include the Abyss and the other Qlippoths?
-Is it that the Abyss doesn't produce qlippoths at all anymore or just negligible amounts?
-How powerful or resonant would a Qlippoth Runestone linked to Rovagug before his ascension be? Additional: Would a Qlippoth Runestone in your estimation be a good source or tripper for mythic power?
Thank you.
Do you have a physical description (height/weight) for the Kasatha?
James,
(Trying to frame this as not to request a large amount of deliberately-as-yet-unrevealed information).
I'm making an android PC, and trying to reason out his lack of memory of his origin. I figure he has spotty memories of random places, and he guesses that was traveling, but doesn't recall why, whence, or whither. His first clear memory is essentially his decision to become his class, and the rest easily remembered.
Is that right, or should his earliest memory be becoming self-aware for the first time at some arbitrary location? If so, would this be similar to a human forgetting everything after becoming 18, but retaining all of their "book smarts" and instincts, and (probably) without the ensuing existential crisis?
If both cases are possible, do you prefer one or the other? I'm assuming androids are created for almost any reason that can be conceived, and can even be given different initial conditions, including "setting one out with no preset disposition or inclination, and seeing what it does". If that's also wrong, please correct me!
Thanks so much!
A simple one I hope. How was the Storval Rise created? And when, roughly? The geologist in me is curious.
Creative Director
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What do you think it would take to bump a Divine Source Mythic character up to Empyreal Lord status, if it was the end of a campaign and retirement for the PC?
It would take a campaign's worth of adventure, the sponsorship of another Empyreal Lord or deity, and some significant story events that would see the tier 10/level 20 Divine Source character discorperate and recorperate as a unique CR 26 outsider with racial hit dice and unique special abilities.
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Quick question on cleric with divine sorce mythic power.
Understanding the need for clerics to worship something in order to gain their power, I was wondering if they can gain access to all the domain powers they can give to their followers as well as the two from their deity?
A cleric can only have 2 domains active. Upon becoming a Divine Source they can swap if they want, and again when they take the ability 2 more times. I'd let them use retraining rules to swap further.
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Also I noticed while looking through the Falcon Hollow part of Towns of the Inner Sea that Thuldrin Kreed has gotten, how we say, Slightly less prone to getting an axe in the face by me (he's still on the list, just further down). Any reason for the change from his depiction in Guide to Darkmoon Vale?
As an aside I do like the explanation they give for his seemingly random acts of charity and goodwill towards those with bad luck.
Sometimes, especially when it comes to revisiting VERY early products we produced before we had our heads wrapped around what is and isn't appropriate or on-theme for Golarion, we make changes to the setting. We try not to do this too often... but sometimes the original version was just nonsensical or ended up simply not being appropriate for the world we ended up with.
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I just wanted to thank you for the write ups on Kostotchie and The King in Yellow. I've been a fan of Kostotchie since his cover killing legionnaires in the 1st ed days on the cover of Dragon Magazine.
The King in Yellow has always been my favorite Mythos power.
Enjoyed your take in both.
Thanks!
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Aside from Golarion, do you have any other campaign settings / worlds that you've used as a DM?
Which five non-Core races are you the most likely to allow as playable when you are DM?
Did any homebrew race you made (if any) make a transition to Golarion in some way?
I've GMd full campaigns set in:
Baria (my homebrew setting since the early 1980s... I've run more games in this setting than in any other) and Greyhawk.
I've GM'd partial campaigns and run one-shot adventures or short series of adventures set in:
The above two, plus...
Forgotten Realms
Mystara/The Known World
Dark Sun
Spelljammer
Ravenloft
Lankhmar
Planescape
Probably a few others I'm forgetting...
The five non-core races I'm most likely to allow to PCs (and indeed, the first four I've allowed already) are:
Aasimar
Tiefling
Tengu
Catfolk
Samsaran
Androids are a homebrew race that now exist in Golarion. As are significant portions of many other core and non-core race personalities, such as how elves aren't tied to the fey lands and are aliens who over time start to evolve to match their surroundings and environs.
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What is the meaning of this futile existence? Can you remember a time when we were not constantly being trampled by prancing beasts?
The meaning is to be good to and to entertain each other. And yup! I just turned over the last Wrath adventure yesterday to the editors, so for me, that particular prancing beast is off my back!
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Creative Director
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Mr. James Jacobs,
Some Qlippoth Questions:
-What happens to souls pledged to Qlippoths lords after death? I was rereading your article about Qlippoths in Shattered Star and the question came to mind.-Rovagug wants to destroy the multiverse. Does this include the Abyss and the other Qlippoths?
-Is it that the Abyss doesn't produce qlippoths at all anymore or just negligible amounts?
-How powerful or resonant would a Qlippoth Runestone linked to Rovagug before his ascension be? Additional: Would a Qlippoth Runestone in your estimation be a good source or tripper for mythic power?
Thank you.
Souls who are pledged to qlippoths end up being sent deep into the Abyss, but are almost always grabbed up by the Abyss and turned into larvae. The few that do make it to the qlippoth likely wish that they'd been caught by the Abyss and turned into larvae, though.
Rovagug wants to return reality to what it was before the Great Beyond was created, more or less. The qlippoth likely predate that.
The Abyss produces qlippoth as fast as it ever has... which is a tiny tiny tiny fraction of the amount of demons it produces.
That kind of runestone would be a great example of something that could be expose for mythic power... for a bad guy!
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Do you have a physical description (height/weight) for the Kasatha?
Not in print.
They're Medium, though. I'd probably peg them at about the same height/weight as a human, I suppose... maybe a few pounds heavier due to the extra arms.
But yeah, as a general rule if we present a humanoid race and don't say otherwise and list its size as "Medium" you can probably assume that means the race is close to human sized.
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A simple one I hope. How was the Storval Rise created? And when, roughly? The geologist in me is curious.
Long, long ago. The Storval Rise lies along a continental plate, pretty much... as does the Kodar Mountains. The northwest corner of Varisia is in a lot of ways inspired by the Pacific northwest, after all... and that includes the convergence of continental plates we have up here.
I'm about to run parts 3 and 4 of Burnt Offerings, any offhand advice?
How do you handle maps of dungeons? Do you use a gridded mat and dry erase markers on or do you use the map packs?
Do you just let the whole map lay open or do you cover parts and slowly uncover as you go?
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James,
(Trying to frame this as not to request a large amount of deliberately-as-yet-unrevealed information).
I'm making an android PC, and trying to reason out his lack of memory of his origin. I figure he has spotty memories of random places, and he guesses that was traveling, but doesn't recall why, whence, or whither. His first clear memory is essentially his decision to become his class, and the rest easily remembered.
Is that right, or should his earliest memory be becoming self-aware for the first time at some arbitrary location? If so, would this be similar to a human forgetting everything after becoming 18, but retaining all of their "book smarts" and instincts, and (probably) without the ensuing existential crisis?
If both cases are possible, do you prefer one or the other? I'm assuming androids are created for almost any reason that can be conceived, and can even be given different initial conditions, including "setting one out with no preset disposition or inclination, and seeing what it does". If that's also wrong, please correct me!
Thanks so much!
We'll have a LOT more information about androids out around the time we start up Iron Gods next August. At this point, I've got a pretty good idea in my head about how androids work (they're from my Unspeakable Futures game), but I'm not quite ready to reveal those all to the world.
Both of your options work fine, though, especially since you're playing in your GM's game and not mine! :-)
Both of your options work fine, though, especially since you're playing in your GM's game and not mine! :-)
Although we like sticking to Golarion as published as much as possible, you got me in that our version will necessarily be an imperfect match, since it's impossible to know everything you and Paizo know, especially in a case like this. I won't press the issue. Thanks for the time to answer, though! If Iron Gods comes out and I find my android retroactively isn't up to snuff... well, he was just malformed!
Do you have a physical description (height/weight) for the Kasatha?Not in print.
They're Medium, though. I'd probably peg them at about the same height/weight as a human, I suppose... maybe a few pounds heavier due to the extra arms.
But yeah, as a general rule if we present a humanoid race and don't say otherwise and list its size as "Medium" you can probably assume that means the race is close to human sized.
Thanks!
Mr. James Jacobs,
Further qlippoth questions if you don't mind:
Devils want to corrupt, demons want to desecrate, and daemons want to end all things. What would you define as the qlippoth raison d'etre? How does qlippoth evil differ from demon evil? The sin thing already being accounted for.
How would you differentiate cultists of the qlippoth and cultists of the demons?
Additional is there a qlippoth specific half-fiend template?
Have you been watching Once Upon a Time in Wonderland? I kinda like it, but to me their bandersnatch was way off. No claws!
Speaking of evil outsiders...
Where do the Dorvae come from? I get what makes them distinct, but not sure what their planar origin is, and what they form from?
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James, does Iobaria have any relations with your homebrew world?
No.
The fact that my homebrew world's focus continent is called "Baria" and that this part of Goalrion is called Iobaria is a coincidence. Not sure who named Iobaria... I think Erik... but he wasn't aware of the fact at the time that my homebrew has a similar name.
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Creative Director
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Mr. James Jacobs,
Further qlippoth questions if you don't mind:
Devils want to corrupt, demons want to desecrate, and daemons want to end all things. What would you define as the qlippoth raison d'etre? How does qlippoth evil differ from demon evil? The sin thing already being accounted for.
How would you differentiate cultists of the qlippoth and cultists of the demons?
Additional is there a qlippoth specific half-fiend template?
Qlippoth want to be the only thing there is. Their current focus is to destroy all free-willed mortal life, thereby destroying the capacity to sin, thereby stopping the fuel that is creating demons, thereby giving them a chance to move on and then clean up and destroy the demons that are left.
A qlippoth cultist is much more nihilistic and insane than a demon cultist; they're a lot closer to cultists of the Great Old Ones.
There is not a specific half-fiend template for qlippoth. Just use the half-fiend template for now.
A simple one I hope. How was the Storval Rise created? And when, roughly? The geologist in me is curious.Long, long ago. The Storval Rise lies along a continental plate, pretty much... as does the Kodar Mountains. The northwest corner of Varisia is in a lot of ways inspired by the Pacific northwest, after all... and that includes the convergence of continental plates we have up here.
Hmm. Parts of the Rise are contoured in such a way as to suggest a meteoritic impact, especially near the Storval Stairs. Was the area affected in this manner, or by Earthfall in general?
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Hmm. Parts of the Rise are contoured in such a way as to suggest a meteoritic impact, especially near the Storval Stairs. Was the area affected in this manner, or by Earthfall in general?A simple one I hope. How was the Storval Rise created? And when, roughly? The geologist in me is curious.Long, long ago. The Storval Rise lies along a continental plate, pretty much... as does the Kodar Mountains. The northwest corner of Varisia is in a lot of ways inspired by the Pacific northwest, after all... and that includes the convergence of continental plates we have up here.
Nope.
Remember, the Storval Stairs are a Thassilonian construction, and as such must have existed BEFORE Earthfall as a result.
Is the Oliphaunt of Jandelay really thousands of feet tall as the mention of Spindlehorn strongly suggests in Mythic Realms? If so, that is one awesome monster.
Hello Mr. Jacobs! My friend and I were discussing Zon-Kuthon earlier today. He doesn't see how he could possibly be LE, he views him as CE evil as it comes. I myself am a bit sketchy with why exactly Mr. Kuthon is LE, could you please explain to us why he is LE when as my friend put it, "He is a torture fetish maniac of chaotic proportions!"? Thank you sir in advance!
Hmm. Parts of the Rise are contoured in such a way as to suggest a meteoritic impact, especially near the Storval Stairs. Was the area affected in this manner, or by Earthfall in general?A simple one I hope. How was the Storval Rise created? And when, roughly? The geologist in me is curious.Long, long ago. The Storval Rise lies along a continental plate, pretty much... as does the Kodar Mountains. The northwest corner of Varisia is in a lot of ways inspired by the Pacific northwest, after all... and that includes the convergence of continental plates we have up here.Nope.
Remember, the Storval Stairs are a Thassilonian construction, and as such must have existed BEFORE Earthfall as a result.
Ah. I haven't caught up with all of my PF reading yet, so I hadn't been aware that they were a Thassilonian artifact. Thank you. (Which source material is that from, by the way?) Also, if they existed before Earthfall, they might not have been formed as a direct result, but could they have been affected?
Mr. James Jacobs,
Sorry to bother but I have another qlippoth question:
If a qlippoth were to rise to the level equal to a demon lord, how would Lamashtu, Sarenrae, and Asmodeus react? Also, if that qlippoth were to rise further into full godhood how they and the rest of the gods react?
I have a couple questions regarding Ultimate Campaign.
"An Apprentice is typically a 1st-level bard, sorcerer, summoner, witch, or wizard."
"A Mage is a skilled but not especially remarkable arcane spellcaster, often a 3rd-level bard, sorcerer, summoner, witch, or wizard."
1. Since the two quoted phrases use the words "typically" and "often" when referring to the class of the "team" do you think it would be within the rules to specifically recruit an alchemist instead or is it supposed to be a solid restriction?
2. If allowed, would you place restrictions upon being able to recruit such a "team"? Perhaps something like forcing the recruitment to take place in an area where alchemists are known to be (as their recruitment is atypical) and introduce the rules for paying to move a recruited team?
Thanks in advance
Is the Oliphaunt of Jandelay really thousands of feet tall as the mention of Spindlehorn strongly suggests in Mythic Realms? If so, that is one awesome monster.
Well, its space is given as 80 feet with an 80-foot reach... That said, the Oliphaunt does what it pleases, has air walk, and looks bigger in the art.
James: Could a Sable Company Marine Ranger get its hippogriff companion with its level 4 advancement immediately at level 4 if it took Boon Companion?
Is the Oliphaunt of Jandelay really thousands of feet tall as the mention of Spindlehorn strongly suggests in Mythic Realms? If so, that is one awesome monster.Well, its space is given as 80 feet with an 80-foot reach... That said, the Oliphaunt does what it pleases, has air walk, and looks bigger in the art.
James: Could a Sable Company Marine Ranger get its hippogriff companion with its level 4 advancement immediately at level 4 if it took Boon Companion?
space never means actual size...mogaru has a space of 60ft in his stats but " stands 140 feet high...and is nearly 300 feet long from nose to tail".
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Hello Mr. Jacobs! My friend and I were discussing Zon-Kuthon earlier today. He doesn't see how he could possibly be LE, he views him as CE evil as it comes. I myself am a bit sketchy with why exactly Mr. Kuthon is LE, could you please explain to us why he is LE when as my friend put it, "He is a torture fetish maniac of chaotic proportions!"? Thank you sir in advance!
Look at Hellraiser, for starters. In those movies, the Cenobites are VERY regimented on the rules they follow. That's one of the sources that inspired Zon-Kuthon.
Torture itself is evil, but is also used often in societies where law is powerful and overwhelming after all.
Anyway... Gods of the Inner Sea will have plenty more about him soon enough.
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Ah. I haven't caught up with all of my PF reading yet, so I hadn't been aware that they were a Thassilonian artifact. Thank you. (Which source material is that from, by the way?) Also, if they existed before Earthfall, they might not have been formed as a direct result, but could they have been affected?
The Storval Stairs were built to allow easy access up and down the Rise. If the Rise wasn't there before... they wouldn't have built stairs.
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Mr. James Jacobs,
Sorry to bother but I have another qlippoth question:
If a qlippoth were to rise to the level equal to a demon lord, how would Lamashtu, Sarenrae, and Asmodeus react? Also, if that qlippoth were to rise further into full godhood how they and the rest of the gods react?
Depends entirely on the situation. Rovagug certainly got a lot of folks' attention, after all!
But yeah... depending on circumstances, there might be an alliance of sort that forms to oppose the qlippoth... or there might not if it's a pretty minor event.
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I have a couple questions regarding Ultimate Campaign.
"An Apprentice is typically a 1st-level bard, sorcerer, summoner, witch, or wizard."
"A Mage is a skilled but not especially remarkable arcane spellcaster, often a 3rd-level bard, sorcerer, summoner, witch, or wizard."1. Since the two quoted phrases use the words "typically" and "often" when referring to the class of the "team" do you think it would be within the rules to specifically recruit an alchemist instead or is it supposed to be a solid restriction?
2. If allowed, would you place restrictions upon being able to recruit such a "team"? Perhaps something like forcing the recruitment to take place in an area where alchemists are known to be (as their recruitment is atypical) and introduce the rules for paying to move a recruited team?
Thanks in advance
1) Yup. That's exactly why we use words like "Typically"... to allow exceptions.
2) I probably would not.
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Do qlippoths and daemons ever work together as their goals seem to match up pretty well other than qlippoths still want themselves left instead of total nihilism. Well there is the whole daemons being involved in the creation of demons incident, which might be a sticky issue between them, but qlippoths can't blame the entirety of daemon kind for what one member did can they?
Not on a mass scale. Maybe now and then on a small scale, but not for long and not often. Both races more or less want to get rid of each other anyway. They don't play well together.
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Is the Oliphaunt of Jandelay really thousands of feet tall as the mention of Spindlehorn strongly suggests in Mythic Realms? If so, that is one awesome monster.Well, its space is given as 80 feet with an 80-foot reach... That said, the Oliphaunt does what it pleases, has air walk, and looks bigger in the art.
James: Could a Sable Company Marine Ranger get its hippogriff companion with its level 4 advancement immediately at level 4 if it took Boon Companion?
Space and reach aren't exactly the best things to use to estimate actual length and height.
No.
Is the Oliphaunt of Jandelay really thousands of feet tall as the mention of Spindlehorn strongly suggests in Mythic Realms? If so, that is one awesome monster.Well, its space is given as 80 feet with an 80-foot reach... That said, the Oliphaunt does what it pleases, has air walk, and looks bigger in the art.
James: Could a Sable Company Marine Ranger get its hippogriff companion with its level 4 advancement immediately at level 4 if it took Boon Companion?
Space and reach aren't exactly the best things to use to estimate actual length and height.
No.
I just want to say thank you for doing this.
Not just thank you for taking the time to be so interactive and hands on with your player base, not just at this late hour on a Saturday night, but after all these years.Side note, I'm on some panels at Bent-Con this year and over the course of the weekend there are 4 sessions setup to teach people how to play Pathfinder. It felt good to pitch in help expose not just Pathfinder but table top RPGs to yet another group of new people, and that wouldn't be possible if Paizo didn't produce such an excellent and involved product.
So, once again, thank you for everything that you do.
James, I have started a poll over in General:
How many rounds does a typical encounter last for your group?
How many encounters per in-game "day"?
How many encounters per gaming session?
And for you devs:
How many of each do you design a AP for?
Finally do you mind if I include your answers in my poll?
Dear Mr. Jacobs,
My Burnt Offerings Campaign is going quite well, especially with all the excellent advice and help you've given in this thread. Every session, I find things to tweak and that I can do better, and my players do nothing but praise, it's awesome.
With the Plot twist cards, I'm having a hard time making them have a real impact during combat, I have to change gears from tactical logic to creative think on my feet. Can you give some examples of how you and your players have used them?