Creative Director
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So when are you gonna start playtesting the Swashbuckler?I'm probably not, to be honest. I'm pretty happy with my characters as they currently stand.You could make a new character...
I'm sorry for the pestering but it's just that I find it odd that one of THE most vocal advocates for the Swashbuckler Class doesn't wanna Playtest it.
To me, playtesting is a different thing than playing. Playtesting is actually work. Playing is not. I'll probably make a swashbuckler the next game that I start up, but for now, I'm pretty happy with my two bards and my rogue. as they are. Furthermore, I'm pretty happy just PLAYING those games to relax rather than playing them to work.
Are you going to completely block out the playtest?
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Creative Director
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Are you going to completely block out the playtest?
Nope, not completely. But I'm not going to be much involved with it, since I've got a VERY narrow window here for me to enjoy and take advantage of some vacation time before I have to start work on Iron Gods in a few weeks. My chance to provide input on the book happens pretty much up until the day we ship it, after all... and started months ago.
AKA: The playtest isn't for me. It's for all of you.
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Creative Director
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That said, what makes an Eidolon that fits in the world continuity as you see it? What do you look for? What do you avoid? It is rather nebulous as to how much of it's nature that's drawn from the Summoner who brings it forth, and practially nothing is really told about thier origins. The only Eidolon bestiary entry is for those that were once Summoner bound but have been freed by some circumstance. The Eidolon does seem to be very reminiscent of those Ally Spirits that could be created by the mages and shaman of Shadowrun who were willing to accept the heavy investment and risk in creating one.
What makes an eidolon fit is when the eidolon looks, acts, and best of all is called something that already exists. Be it an angel, a deva, an azata, an elemental, a demon, a chaos beast, or whatever.
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To me, playtesting is a different thing than playing. Playtesting is actually work. Playing is not. I'll probably make a swashbuckler the next game that I start up, but for now, I'm pretty happy with my two bards and my rogue. as they are. Furthermore, I'm pretty happy just PLAYING those games to relax rather than playing them to work.So when are you gonna start playtesting the Swashbuckler?I'm probably not, to be honest. I'm pretty happy with my characters as they currently stand.You could make a new character...
I'm sorry for the pestering but it's just that I find it odd that one of THE most vocal advocates for the Swashbuckler Class doesn't wanna Playtest it.
Ah, I see, my apologies. I misinterpreted your replies as disinterest.
Have you played the Assassin's Creed Series? If so, are you playing ACIV right now?
I know it's been a while since I replied but I like to think about what I have to say before posting it. Also, it's partly procrastination and partly fear or angering a game designer (your tact and accommodation really is exceptional).
Yes, I will post my concerns on the Bestiary 4 thread, I'm simply seeking your input so that your answers can help me better prepare my argument.
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You: I would post your concerns in the book's thread, and do so in a respectful and non-raging way.
1. I was raging? Sorry about that. Yes, I'm being insistent but I'm not intending to be tactless.
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You: By "high CR monsters" I meant the ones above CR 25.
2. That's a short list, which includes the empyreals, demon lords, kaiju, and Great Old Ones. You mean to say you didn't design the kaiju or GOOs? That's surprising considering your interest in them.
3. How would you feel if Desna were merely a CR 30 empyreal lord and she got Int 18 because "she doesn't care about that stuff," and the Skills she does care about are lower than those of dumb brute demon lords?
4. Okay, so Int isn't important for CR. Wis (Will saves, divine spell DC) and Cha (supernatural and spell-like ability DCs) are, however. Why'd the designer make those low for Cernunnos and Vildeis?
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You: Empyreal Lords aren't intended to only be "powerful monsters to face demon lords." There's more to them than that.
5. That does raise an interesting point. How would you include them in a game?
6. Demon lords so far have a standard suite of spell-like abilities as well as several Skills in common (e.g., Knowledge (arcana) and Use Magic Device). How come?
7. What do you like about the stats given for the solar? What would you change?
8. What sort of AP would you consider appropriate for introducing an empyreal lord in?
9. If you were to stat up Arshea right now, what skills would you give hir? Also, what gender pronoun should I use for Arshea?
10. How do you feel about people making unofficial changes to monsters and publishing them for free? (i.e., "Here's my Google doc.") Also, is "publishing" the right word or is that too easily confused with for-profit work?
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[REDACTED - QUESTION ANSWERED IN PLAYTEST FORUM]
What human ethnicity would you say this fellow is? Where on Golarion would I have to be from to play as this?
James,
What would an evil worshipper or cleric of Pharasma do? What kinds of plot or adventure would they be involved in?
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Creative Director
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[REDACTED - QUESTION ANSWERED IN PLAYTEST FORUM]
What human ethnicity would you say this fellow is? Where on Golarion would I have to be from to play as this?
Looks Kellid to me.
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Creative Director
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James,
What would an evil worshipper or cleric of Pharasma do? What kinds of plot or adventure would they be involved in?
See Pathfinder #64, "Beyond the Doomsday Door" for what sorts of antics an evil Pharasmin gets up to. (He doesn't STAY a worshiper of Pharasma for long though...)
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Creative Director
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2. That's a short list, which includes the empyreals, demon lords, kaiju, and Great Old Ones. You mean to say you didn't design the kaiju or GOOs? That's surprising considering your interest in them.
3. How would you feel if Desna were merely a CR 30 empyreal lord and she got Int 18 because "she doesn't care about that stuff," and the Skills she does care about are lower than those of dumb brute demon lords?
** spoiler omitted **
4. Okay, so Int isn't important for CR. Wis (Will saves, divine spell DC) and Cha (supernatural and spell-like ability DCs) are, however. Why'd the designer make those low for Cernunnos and Vildeis?
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You: Empyreal Lords aren't intended to only be "powerful monsters to face demon lords." There's more to them than that.5. That does raise an interesting point. How would you include them in a game?
6. Demon lords so far have a standard suite of spell-like abilities as well as several Skills in common (e.g., Knowledge (arcana) and Use Magic Device). How come?
7. What do you like about the stats given for the solar? What would you change?
8. What sort of AP would you consider appropriate for introducing an empyreal lord in?
9. If you were to stat up Arshea right now, what skills would you give hir? Also, what gender pronoun should I use for Arshea?
10. How do you feel about people making unofficial changes to monsters and publishing them for free? (i.e., "Here's my Google doc.") Also, is "publishing" the right word or is that too easily confused with for-profit work?
2) What I mean is that I wrote all the CR 26+ creatures in the book EXCEPT the Empyreal Lords. I didn't write many things for the book. My actual design work in the book was the dinosaurs, the kaiju, the Great Old Ones, and the Demon Lords pretty much. I did a lot of work developing other parts of the book.
3) Demon lords are not dumb brutes. I would have assumed the fact that I gave them high INT scores would make that clear. Chaotic evil DOES NOT equal brutish and dumb. Nor does 18 Int equal stupid.
4) That is, again, a question for the designer. My guess is no one bothered to cross-check the Empyreal Lord mental stats against the other high CR creatures in the book, frankly. Or maybe they just felt these three Empyreal Lords aren't as smart as those three Demon Lords. That is a very real possibility.
5) As things that cultists or other groups worship. The demigod doesn't have to appear in combat to be part of an adventure. I put a few more notes on how to use high CR monsters in a game in the intro for the Demon Lords—that advice works just as well for any high CR demigod. OR: See Wrath of the Righteous for examples.
6) Because they're all demon lords. They need more than those two words to be similar. The fact that they have a similar suite of spell-like abilities and skills helps make them feel of a kind.
7) I wouldn't change anything; the stats are fine as they are. I developed them, after all, back when we were working on Bestiary 1... my chance to change things happened many years ago.
8) Any of them whose plot involves an empyreal lord.
9) I would not use the word "hir" at all, first of all. I'm not a fan of made-up pronouns. My preference would be to use "she" for her, but that's only a preference. You can use "he" as well. As for what sorts of stats? I have no idea. I'd have to do a fair amount of research into the character first.
10) That's the whole point of the open gaming movement. It's one of the many reasons we make most of our stats open content. It's the whole point, in other words. Publishing is the right word. You don't have to make a profit to be a publisher.
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Creative Director
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James,
Are arcanists and bloodragers pre-established in Golarion or they are "new", like the summoner?
They're pre-established, but pretty rare.
Arcanists are pretty generic, flavor-wise. Any place that has wizards or sorcerers can have a few arcanists thrown in there and I don't know if in world a lot of folks would really notice.
Bloodragers are pretty rare, but can be found pretty much wherever barbarians are found (save for among tribes that are super superstitious).
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Looks Kellid to me.[REDACTED - QUESTION ANSWERED IN PLAYTEST FORUM]
What human ethnicity would you say this fellow is? Where on Golarion would I have to be from to play as this?
I thought so too. Thanks for confirming it. I might add that while I've removed my previous question about the potential redundancy of the new classes in the playtest (now that I know the rationale behind it from you guys it's a lot easier to understand), I...LOVE...the new barbarian-based classes like Bloodrager and Skald! This is exactly what my Arthurian-obsessed, Kellid-loving heart desired! Can't wait to see the finished product! THANK YOOOOUUUUU! XD
Ahem...okay. Now that that bit of fanboying's out of the way, how would Arcanists have been treated in Thassilon? From what I've gathered, Thassilonians were pretty snobby about how arcane spellcasters practiced their art, pioneering the concept of school specialization, and wizards and only wizards being allowed the highest status, with casters like sorcerers and such being treated with disdain. In a previous question I asked of this nature, you mentioned that only a Thassilonian Specialist wizard would even be allowed for consideration as a Runelord, something not really achievable even by a Specialist Wizard who ISN'T a Thassilonian Specialist who claims the previous runelord's weapon of office prior to the events of Rise of the Runelords, after which knowledge of the Thassilonian Schools are resurrected and slowly begin to spread. Would Arcanists, with their school focus stuff, have had a similar status to wizards? Or would a Thassilonian Arcanist NEVER ascend to Runelord status?
Mr. James Jacobs,
After reading the Succubus part of Demons Revisited! ted ted ted... I have some questions about their ability to breed demons. They can breed any kind of demon using the essence/seed they store within then once inside a bubble Abyssal Proto-flesh and the quality of the essence can affect the potency of the demon birthed.
-If the father was mythic is the demon likely to be mythic as well?
-Does anything of the father appear in the demon's appearance or mannerisms?
-If the first question is a yes would the origin of the mythic power have an affect? More specifically what would happen if the mythic power was Qlippoth in origin?
I'm pretty sure I need to buy you a drink at my first PaizoCon / GenCon. Maybe two.
Though I suppose they'd have to be something healthy.
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Creative Director
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Any idea if we would be getting meet the Iconic blogs for the new onces in the advanced class guide like the ones we got for most of the other Iconics?Yes. We'll have meet the iconics for all of them. Yes, that includes the summoner, who will have one before we start in on the new ones.Are you sure?
Absolutely no offense intended with the question, but from everything else I can recall on the subject of Balazar's background, the person you want to write it is always so busy that he just doesn't have any time to spare... so has some time opened up in the future? Or will somebody else be writing it if necessary?
It's just been so long that I feel like I need to make sure before letting myself get interested/enthused about finally knowing his history in the near (-ish) future.
Yes. I'm sure. I've told Erik he has until Friday to write Balazar, and if he can't get it done by then, I'm taking it away from him. At which point Rob or I will write it and get it online pretty soon.
Yes. I'm sure. I've told Erik he has until Friday to write Balazar, and if he can't get it done by then, I'm taking it away from him. At which point Rob or I will write it and get it online pretty soon.Any idea if we would be getting meet the Iconic blogs for the new onces in the advanced class guide like the ones we got for most of the other Iconics?Yes. We'll have meet the iconics for all of them. Yes, that includes the summoner, who will have one before we start in on the new ones.Are you sure?
Absolutely no offense intended with the question, but from everything else I can recall on the subject of Balazar's background, the person you want to write it is always so busy that he just doesn't have any time to spare... so has some time opened up in the future? Or will somebody else be writing it if necessary?
It's just been so long that I feel like I need to make sure before letting myself get interested/enthused about finally knowing his history in the near (-ish) future.
I understand why, but I guess he probably wasn't too happy about that.
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Creative Director
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Mr. James Jacobs,
After reading the Succubus part of Demons Revisited! ted ted ted... I have some questions about their ability to breed demons. They can breed any kind of demon using the essence/seed they store within then once inside a bubble Abyssal Proto-flesh and the quality of the essence can affect the potency of the demon birthed.
-If the father was mythic is the demon likely to be mythic as well?
-Does anything of the father appear in the demon's appearance or mannerisms?
-If the first question is a yes would the origin of the mythic power have an affect? More specifically what would happen if the mythic power was Qlippoth in origin?
I"m not sure who Ted is...
That said, there are no rules for how they can grow demons from protoflesh because that should be left in the GM's hands. You could have one grow a mythic demon from mythic source material, and the father/mother's traits might or might not carry through. It's left totally open so the GM can tell whatever stories they want.
Qlippoth essence is not something a succubus would use, in any event. It's best to use sinful mortals as source material.
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Creative Director
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Ahem...okay. Now that that bit of fanboying's out of the way, how would Arcanists have been treated in Thassilon? From what I've gathered, Thassilonians were pretty snobby about how arcane spellcasters practiced their art, pioneering the concept of school specialization, and wizards and only wizards being allowed the highest status, with casters like sorcerers and such being treated with disdain. In a previous question I asked of this nature, you mentioned that only a Thassilonian Specialist wizard would even be allowed for consideration as a Runelord, something not really achievable even by a Specialist Wizard who ISN'T a Thassilonian Specialist who claims the previous runelord's weapon of office prior to the events of Rise of the Runelords, after which knowledge of the Thassilonian Schools are resurrected and slowly begin to spread. Would Arcanists, with their school focus stuff, have had a similar status to wizards? Or would a Thassilonian Arcanist NEVER ascend to Runelord status?
Thassilon is all about wizards. Particularly a specific kind of specialist wizard. Sorcerers existed but were pretty rare. I suspect arcanists were 100% unknown in Thassilon.
In order to be a runelord, you need to be a specialist wizard in one of the 7 Thassilonian schools. That limits you to wizard.
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Creative Director
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I'm pretty sure I need to buy you a drink at my first PaizoCon / GenCon. Maybe two.
Though I suppose they'd have to be something healthy.
I'm probably not going to be on the diet by next Paizocon/Gen Con, but neither am I big into drinks. I generally head straight to bed after dinner if I can, and usually proxy Jason or Wes or Rob or Adam or someone to be my drinker.
I"m not sure who Ted is...
That said, there are no rules for how they can grow demons from protoflesh because that should be left in the GM's hands. You could have one grow a mythic demon from mythic source material, and the father/mother's traits might or might not carry through. It's left totally open so the GM can tell whatever stories they want.
Qlippoth essence is not something a succubus would use, in any event. It's best to use sinful mortals as source material.
The ted ted ted was an echo... *draws circle in sand with finger in sadness*
I'm probably not going to be on the diet by next Paizocon/Gen Con, but neither am I big into drinks. I generally head straight to bed after dinner if I can, and usually proxy Jason or Wes or Rob or Adam or someone to be my drinker.I'm pretty sure I need to buy you a drink at my first PaizoCon / GenCon. Maybe two.
Though I suppose they'd have to be something healthy.
Soooo... what you're saying is, Jason, Wes, Rob, and Adam are your followers?
Who is your cohort?
I"m not sure who Ted is...Mr. James Jacobs,
After reading the Succubus part of Demons Revisited! ted ted ted... I have some questions about their ability to breed demons. They can breed any kind of demon using the essence/seed they store within then once inside a bubble Abyssal Proto-flesh and the quality of the essence can affect the potency of the demon birthed.
-If the father was mythic is the demon likely to be mythic as well?
-Does anything of the father appear in the demon's appearance or mannerisms?
-If the first question is a yes would the origin of the mythic power have an affect? More specifically what would happen if the mythic power was Qlippoth in origin?
Going by the episode title I'm guessing a Catholic priest fighting eldritch, tentacled horrors.
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Creative Director
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I'm probably not going to be on the diet by next Paizocon/Gen Con, but neither am I big into drinks. I generally head straight to bed after dinner if I can, and usually proxy Jason or Wes or Rob or Adam or someone to be my drinker.I'm pretty sure I need to buy you a drink at my first PaizoCon / GenCon. Maybe two.
Though I suppose they'd have to be something healthy.
Soooo... what you're saying is, Jason, Wes, Rob, and Adam are your followers?
Who is your cohort?
GWANGI! The pseudodragon golem my mom made me!
Sleep.
An essential human activity, or a strange behavior only exhibited by others?
With the new Advanced Classes Guide classes, do you anticipate finding them all places somewhere in Golarion, or are there any you think do not fit the theme so well? Additionally, do you anticipate doing something tying them closer to specific locations, e.g. gunslingers = Alkenstar, summoners = Sarkoris?
On that note, have there existed any culture on Golarion prior to Alkenstar that also knew of and used some variety of firearms?
Have you played the Assassin's Creed Series? If so, are you playing ACIV right now?I have indeed. They're great fun, but I'm ready for them to do a full game with a female protagonist. Haven't started ACIV yet. I'm kinda waiting to play it on a next-gen console.
They're doing an updated HD version of Liberation, which had a black female protagonist, I don't know if that means consoles though...
Who was your favorite character of the previous games?
Hey James,
Any chance of Hastur or his minions/cult showing up in an AP or module?
Thanks!
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Creative Director
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With the new Advanced Classes Guide classes, do you anticipate finding them all places somewhere in Golarion, or are there any you think do not fit the theme so well? Additionally, do you anticipate doing something tying them closer to specific locations, e.g. gunslingers = Alkenstar, summoners = Sarkoris?
On that note, have there existed any culture on Golarion prior to Alkenstar that also knew of and used some variety of firearms?
Several of them have roles in Golarion already... MOST of them do, in fact. And yes... the rulebook lines need to fit as best they can into Golarion and vice versa, so all 10 classes will be present in the world. Some moreso than others, in that we've already said there are things like skalds and swashbucklers and hunters and investigators and more in the world. They'll not be as common as the core classes, of course.
And yes... the dwarves of Dongun Hold, who invented firearms predate Alkenstar by a long, long time.
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Creative Director
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Have you played the Assassin's Creed Series? If so, are you playing ACIV right now?I have indeed. They're great fun, but I'm ready for them to do a full game with a female protagonist. Haven't started ACIV yet. I'm kinda waiting to play it on a next-gen console.They're doing an updated HD version of Liberation, which had a black female protagonist, I don't know if that means consoles though...
Who was your favorite character of the previous games?
As far as I know, Liberation isn't available on consoles—AKA any system I can run.
My favorite protagonist is hands down Enzio.
Absolutely. And how sure are you that none have already appeared? ;-)Hey James,
Any chance of Hastur or his minions/cult showing up in an AP or module?
Thanks!
Did I miss something!?!?! :) Tell me how I can give you guys more money...
Have you played the Assassin's Creed Series? If so, are you playing ACIV right now?I have indeed. They're great fun, but I'm ready for them to do a full game with a female protagonist. Haven't started ACIV yet. I'm kinda waiting to play it on a next-gen console.They're doing an updated HD version of Liberation, which had a black female protagonist, I don't know if that means consoles though...
Who was your favorite character of the previous games?
As far as I know, Liberation isn't available on consoles—AKA any system I can run.
My favorite protagonist is hands down Enzio.
Did you like him better young and full of bravado in AC2, or older and wiser in Revelations?
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Creative Director
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Did you like him better young and full of bravado in AC2, or older and wiser in Revelations?Have you played the Assassin's Creed Series? If so, are you playing ACIV right now?I have indeed. They're great fun, but I'm ready for them to do a full game with a female protagonist. Haven't started ACIV yet. I'm kinda waiting to play it on a next-gen console.They're doing an updated HD version of Liberation, which had a black female protagonist, I don't know if that means consoles though...
Who was your favorite character of the previous games?
As far as I know, Liberation isn't available on consoles—AKA any system I can run.
My favorite protagonist is hands down Enzio.
Both; same character, and the fact that we get to see him evolve over his whole life is what makes him my favorite in the series so far.
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If I recall well, you don't follow Order of the Stick, but this is a little tribute to you, I think.
The lizard saved in the last panel by the raven familiar actually is a polymorphed Tyrannosaurus Rex.
:D
Does Paizo have any plans to release the following material o'James of the Old Ones (?):
An Advanced NPC Codex featuring NPC's with class archetypes as well as Sorcerers with new Bloodlines and Oracles with new mysteries?
An Archetype for the Cavalier class that replaces the Mount and Charging abilities with some sort of Inspirational Tactics ability or such (aka making the Cavalier more of a foot-based Commander and less of a mounted knight)?
An Archetype for the Ninja alternate class that gives the Ninja an animal companion (like a dog or a wolf)?
An Devils Revisited book featuring some half-devil templates (including a possible Half-Erinyes template)?
An Undead Hunter archetype for either the Ranger or Inquisitor that kicks as much undead ass as the Hunter of the Dead prestige class of 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons?
An Draconic Codex which details things like more Dragoncraft items (cloaks, weapons, etc etc) and prestige classes (for humans and dragons), information on Apsu, Dahak, and (if possible) Tiamat, and stats/lair/hoard information for one of each kind of dragon as well as some of the members of dragonkind.
An entirely new type of Dragonkind mirroring the Felldrakes of 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons (aka creations of Apsu to help aid metallic dragons and good-aligned mortals)?
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Creative Director
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Does Paizo have any plans to release the following material o'James of the Old Ones (?):
An Advanced NPC Codex featuring NPC's with class archetypes as well as Sorcerers with new Bloodlines and Oracles with new mysteries?
An Archetype for the Cavalier class that replaces the Mount and Charging abilities with some sort of Inspirational Tactics ability or such (aka making the Cavalier more of a foot-based Commander and less of a mounted knight)?
An Archetype for the Ninja alternate class that gives the Ninja an animal companion (like a dog or a wolf)?
An Devils Revisited book featuring some half-devil templates (including a possible Half-Erinyes template)?
An Undead Hunter archetype for either the Ranger or Inquisitor that kicks as much undead ass as the Hunter of the Dead prestige class of 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons?
An Draconic Codex which details things like more Dragoncraft items (cloaks, weapons, etc etc) and prestige classes (for humans and dragons), information on Apsu, Dahak, and (if possible) Tiamat, and stats/lair/hoard information for one of each kind of dragon as well as some of the members of dragonkind.
An entirely new type of Dragonkind mirroring the Felldrakes of 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons (aka creations of Apsu to help aid metallic dragons and good-aligned mortals)?
We don't make a practice of confirming or denying our plans beyond what we've announced.