Creative Director
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I'm about to start GMing Jade Regent starting this May. I've been preparing for it the last couple of weeks.
My players want to use caravans but after reading all the conversations here on the messageboards about them, the rules don't seem to work quite as well as everyone had hoped. If you were to run Jade Regent, what quick modifications would you make to the caravan rules? Even a general direction would be helpful.
If this falls in the category of "help design my game," please ignore my question. I just haven't found a unified opinion on the subject in the messageboards and being a relatively new GM I'm a little confused.
Thanks!
I would make sure that the players knew that the caravans aren't meant to be the point of the adventure and that the AP isn't intended to be a "Merchant simulation" right off the bat.
It's been years since I've had my head in the caravan rules, but if I had to redesign them today, I'd probably set them up more so that they provide bonuses to PCs rather than replace their role in combat. Basically... it's the combat element that needs to be revised, if I recall correctly.
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Creative Director
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Okay, but what of my other question? At what age category is the dragon's head appropriately "shield-sized" that one could concievably utilize it for klar-making? At what point does a dragon's skull become so big that it'd no longer be considered appropriate for making a light shield?
I'd say that in order to make a small shield or buckler, the dragon needs to be 1 size category larger than the shield user. For a large shield, 2 size categories. For a tower shield, 3 size categories.
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Creative Director
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Which of the core 20 god's churches have hierarchies?
Pretty much all of them do in one way or another. And it's not something I'm prepared to go into in more detail here—there may or may not be more info in the upcoming Inner Sea Gods book (I wasn't directly involved in that book's creation so I can't say for sure...).
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When the bloody effing hell are we getting an extra bit for stuff NOT in the main books! My god. I wanna read about skinwalkers too! not fair!!!
Ummm... have you tried "Blood of the Moon?" That's the first time we ever mentioned skinwalkers in the first place. They're REALLY pretty new, in other words, and as such there's not much more about them at all beyond what's in that book.
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I kinda own one book. The core one. I am poor and credit card less. I like to read along. So I can stop feeling lost. James, I swear, if you don't stop being such a g%!%+*n genius with your writing I will commit credit card theft just to read all of your stuffs. If I actually have a chance, the school OFTEN finds me walking about with an Ipad reading the PRD. Because its all I have.
1) Have you accepted Iomedae as your Lord and Savior?
2) Do large numbers of Kytons serve Zon-Kuthon?
3) What is the relation between the Kyton Demagogues and Zon-Kuthon?
4) Besides Kytons and Blue Dragons (going on Kazavon from Curse of the Crimson Throne), what kinds of creatures might be expected to serve Zon-Kuthon? Like, from the bestiaries.
5) The thing I don't get is that the Kuthites are sadomasochistic...do they actively try to proselytize the virtues of pain-enjoyment to others, or just kidnap random victims and torture them to get their rocks on? It seems to me like no amount of torment is going to make someone like Zon-Kuthon any better.
6) I feel like I would find it hard to roleplay Kuthites or feature them in my game, if only because I can't quite comprehend the ultra-gritty, hyper-sadistic/sexualized, bizarre nature of their activities, without coming across melodramtic and/or silly. What, do I just research BDSM and medieval torture devices?
7) Would a Kuthite enjoy the SAW films? "Yes...so much pain!"
8) Would it make more sense for a Kuthite creature to have the Shadow or Nightmare template?
9) "Shadow-devils"...Shadow-templated devils that serve Zon-Kuthon instead of Hell. From a canonical perspective, is this a stupid idea?
10) Lastly, what creature do you think would fit the Nightmare template best (besides the Ettercap from B4)? :)
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Creative Director
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1) Have you accepted Iomedae as your Lord and Savior?
2) Do large numbers of Kytons serve Zon-Kuthon?
3) What is the relation between the Kyton Demagogues and Zon-Kuthon?
4) Besides Kytons and Blue Dragons (going on Kazavon from Curse of the Crimson Throne), what kinds of creatures might be expected to serve Zon-Kuthon? Like, from the bestiaries.
5) The thing I don't get is that the Kuthites are sadomasochistic...do they actively try to proselytize the virtues of pain-enjoyment to others, or just kidnap random victims and torture them to get their rocks on? It seems to me like no amount of torment is going to make someone like Zon-Kuthon any better.
6) I feel like I would find it hard to roleplay Kuthites or feature them in my game, if only because I can't quite comprehend the ultra-gritty, hyper-sadistic/sexualized, bizarre nature of their activities, without coming across melodramtic and/or silly. What, do I just research BDSM and medieval torture devices?
7) Would a Kuthite enjoy the SAW films? "Yes...so much pain!"
8) Would it make more sense for a Kuthite creature to have the Shadow or Nightmare template?
9) "Shadow-devils"...Shadow-templated devils that serve Zon-Kuthon instead of Hell. From a canonical perspective, is this a stupid idea?
10) Lastly, what creature do you think would fit the Nightmare template best (besides the Ettercap from B4)? :)
1) Nope. Iomedae < Sarenrae < Desna
2) Yes.
3) Unrevealed at this point... but it's probably akin to the relationship between demon lords and Lamashtu. Respect, jealousy, support, and fear.
4) Kazavon is not an indication of blue dragon interest in Zon-Kuthon. In fact, the fact that Kazavon worshiped Zon-Kuthon is one of the more unique elements of that dragon. Other creatures that would serve Zon-Kuthon? Vampires for sure. Probably some evil fey. Shadows and ankous.
5) A Kuthite derives the most pleasure from their own pain, but also revels in training others who don't enjoy pain to learn to love it. That said... they're not there to make folks like Zon-Kuthon. He's not a friendly deity.
6) Look to Hellraiser and some of Clive Barker's stories, or several of David Cronenberg's movies, to see how Kuthites might work. There's some other movies out there that would also work but they tend to be pretty extreme and they're not for everyone...
7) They probably would, although they'd be more into movies that are grittier and more hard core than the "Saw" movies...
8) Yes.
9) I'm not fond of overly blurring the lines between kytons and devils.
10) Pretty much ANY creature works well with that template, frankly. It's a template that has all sorts of possibilities in it. But the one that amuses me the most is the nightmare nightmare.
6) Look to Hellraiser and some of Clive Barker's stories, or several of David Cronenberg's movies, to see how Kuthites might work. There's some other movies out there that would also work but they tend to be pretty extreme and they're not for everyone...
Dread from the second Books of Blood immediately comes to mind.
How visible is the celebration of Newroz in the Seattle area?
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Okay, but what of my other question? At what age category is the dragon's head appropriately "shield-sized" that one could concievably utilize it for klar-making? At what point does a dragon's skull become so big that it'd no longer be considered appropriate for making a light shield?I'd say that in order to make a small shield or buckler, the dragon needs to be 1 size category larger than the shield user. For a large shield, 2 size categories. For a tower shield, 3 size categories.
So for a medium wielder, a Gargantuan dragon would be the max, and a Large one at minimum. Thanks! That helps a lot!
Were coats of arms ever designed for House Endrin and House Bromathan of Korvosa? We have ones for Arkona, Jeggare, Leroung, Ornelos and Zenderholm, but not the last two. If they haven't been designed, what would you say would be appropriate heraldry for them?
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Creative Director
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Were coats of arms ever designed for House Endrin and House Bromathan of Korvosa? We have ones for Arkona, Jeggare, Leroung, Ornelos and Zenderholm, but not the last two. If they haven't been designed, what would you say would be appropriate heraldry for them?
Nope; they were never designed. Open territory to design them how you want, in other words! ;)
How visible is the celebration of Newroz in the Seattle area?Not visible enough that I know what it is.
The Kurdish/Iranian/Zoroastrian New Year.
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Nope; they were never designed. Open territory to design them how you want, in other words! ;)
Were coats of arms ever designed for House Endrin and House Bromathan of Korvosa? We have ones for Arkona, Jeggare, Leroung, Ornelos and Zenderholm, but not the last two. If they haven't been designed, what would you say would be appropriate heraldry for them?
Thanks! Another band-related question, have you ever listened to Nightwish?
Why does Zon-Kuthon have the Death domain? It seems weird.
Zombies and skeletons don't suffer as mortals do, so self-torture is out of the question. With ghouls and vampires, it seems like they would be more into straight-out consuming people then torturing them. I mean...a vampire would exhaust his victim's blood supply pretty fast. What kind of allure does Zon-Kuthon have for vampires and necromancers.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
Not counting the Orc pantheon, which we know is going to happen, can we expect to see any brand-new, never before seen deities in Inner Sea Gods?
Was it RAI that Undead Mastery doesn't give control over the extra undead created?
6) I feel like I would find it hard to roleplay Kuthites or feature them in my game, if only because I can't quite comprehend the ultra-gritty, hyper-sadistic/sexualized, bizarre nature of their activities, without coming across melodramtic and/or silly. What, do I just research BDSM and medieval torture devices?
7) Would a Kuthite enjoy the SAW films? "Yes...so much pain!"
6) Look to Hellraiser and some of Clive Barker's stories, or several of David Cronenberg's movies, to see how Kuthites might work. There's some other movies out there that would also work but they tend to be pretty extreme and they're not for everyone...
7) They probably would, although they'd be more into movies that are grittier and more hard core than the "Saw" movies...
Best example I can think of a movie exploring Kuthite philosophy is Martyrs. Honestly, I can't recommend that anyone should watch that film without knowing exactly what you're getting into. It was by far the most disturbing film I've ever seen.
James: have you seen that one?
Why does Zon-Kuthon have the Death domain? It seems weird.
Zombies and skeletons don't suffer as mortals do, so self-torture is out of the question. With ghouls and vampires, it seems like they would be more into straight-out consuming people then torturing them. I mean...a vampire would exhaust his victim's blood supply pretty fast. What kind of allure does Zon-Kuthon have for vampires and necromancers?
I've always thought that it would be deliciously creepy if Kuthite clerics had access to the Healing domain. They'd use it to bring those on the brink of death back just enough to keep going with sadistic rituals, denying them the sweet, sweet kiss of death.
1)Will we ever find out what Zon-Kuthon looked like, his original domains, and what he was a god of before his transformation into what he is now?
2)Has there ever been a known instance were a person was transformed into a Kaiju on Golarion?
3)Are there any Kaiju on Castrovel, Akiton, or Triaxus?
4)Are there any more Kaiju on Verces?
5)In the Mythic Realms book it mentions a immense creature simple referred too as the "challenger". It says it was from heaven, so is this the actual heaven or from the heavens like as in outerspace?
6)Is Agmazar the only undead Kaiju?
7)So of the gods that were once human, which ones actually still look like they did as mortals?
8)Are there any stories on Golarion of a human ever becoming a real dragon?
9)Will fey use cold iron weapons?
10)Was this "challenger" creature a Kaiju, celestial, or something else?
Dear James Jacobs,
When are you (paizo) going to make the Cheliax vs. Andoran adventure path? You said in this video I watched on youtube that once paizo makes mass combat rules they'd start making the Cheliax vs. Andoran adventure path, and since we have Ultimate Campaign, are you going to start making the Cheliax vs. Andoran adventure path?
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Creative Director
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Thanks! Another band-related question, have you ever listened to Nightwish?Nope; they were never designed. Open territory to design them how you want, in other words! ;)
Were coats of arms ever designed for House Endrin and House Bromathan of Korvosa? We have ones for Arkona, Jeggare, Leroung, Ornelos and Zenderholm, but not the last two. If they haven't been designed, what would you say would be appropriate heraldry for them?
Nope.
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Creative Director
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Why does Zon-Kuthon have the Death domain? It seems weird.
Zombies and skeletons don't suffer as mortals do, so self-torture is out of the question. With ghouls and vampires, it seems like they would be more into straight-out consuming people then torturing them. I mean...a vampire would exhaust his victim's blood supply pretty fast. What kind of allure does Zon-Kuthon have for vampires and necromancers.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
Not counting the Orc pantheon, which we know is going to happen, can we expect to see any brand-new, never before seen deities in Inner Sea Gods?
Because his cult has a fair amount of undead involved in it, particularly vampires, and the Death domain is the closest thing to an Undeath domain, and because we wanted to spread the domains around anyway.
There are a few super obscure ones for sure that folks have likely forgotten. As for other brand new ones beyond the orc gods (who already existed in the setting but as nameless deities)... I don't think so. Maybe, but probably not.
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Creative Director
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who are the biggest elf hating groups in golarion?
and which is the biggest elf superiority group in golarion??
noo the drow really dont count
I suppose Tanglebriar.
The Winter Council, who...
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Creative Director
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6) I feel like I would find it hard to roleplay Kuthites or feature them in my game, if only because I can't quite comprehend the ultra-gritty, hyper-sadistic/sexualized, bizarre nature of their activities, without coming across melodramtic and/or silly. What, do I just research BDSM and medieval torture devices?
7) Would a Kuthite enjoy the SAW films? "Yes...so much pain!"
6) Look to Hellraiser and some of Clive Barker's stories, or several of David Cronenberg's movies, to see how Kuthites might work. There's some other movies out there that would also work but they tend to be pretty extreme and they're not for everyone...
7) They probably would, although they'd be more into movies that are grittier and more hard core than the "Saw" movies...
Best example I can think of a movie exploring Kuthite philosophy is Martyrs. Honestly, I can't recommend that anyone should watch that film without knowing exactly what you're getting into. It was by far the most disturbing film I've ever seen.
James: have you seen that one?
Yes, Martyrs is an excellent example of the movie I'm talking about. It's a great movie, but I didn't mention it because it's also an INCREDIBLY BRUTAL movie that will mess folks up. It's not the most disturbing film I've seen, but it's in the top 5.
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Creative Director
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1)Will we ever find out what Zon-Kuthon looked like, his original domains, and what he was a god of before his transformation into what he is now?
2)Has there ever been a known instance were a person was transformed into a Kaiju on Golarion?
3)Are there any Kaiju on Castrovel, Akiton, or Triaxus?
4)Are there any more Kaiju on Verces?
5)In the Mythic Realms book it mentions a immense creature simple referred too as the "challenger". It says it was from heaven, so is this the actual heaven or from the heavens like as in outerspace?
6)Is Agmazar the only undead Kaiju?
7)So of the gods that were once human, which ones actually still look like they did as mortals?
8)Are there any stories on Golarion of a human ever becoming a real dragon?
9)Will fey use cold iron weapons?
10)Was this "challenger" creature a Kaiju, celestial, or something else?
1) Unlikely, but maybe.
2) Nope.
3) Probably.
4) Maybe.
5) Unrevealed. That's one of the things we threw in to add more questions since we were answering so many... gotta seed for tomorrow's mysteries!
6) Unrevealed, but of the list in Bestiary 4, yes, he's the only undead one.
7) All of them can do that if they want.
8) Not really.
9) Given the right situation, such as a fey-hunting fey or a demon-hunting fey, yes.
10) Unrevealed.
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Creative Director
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Dear James Jacobs,
When are you (paizo) going to make the Cheliax vs. Andoran adventure path? You said in this video I watched on youtube that once paizo makes mass combat rules they'd start making the Cheliax vs. Andoran adventure path, and since we have Ultimate Campaign, are you going to start making the Cheliax vs. Andoran adventure path?
The mass combat rules in Ultimate Campaign are meant to cover situations where stuff like that pops up during kingdom building/management. They can also step in to cover the scene for adventures that dabble with mass combat, such as "Sword of Valor." But they are nowhere NEAR robust enough to support an entire warfare adventure path; even using them as much as we did in "Sword of Valor" I felt that they started showing a bit of the limitations of that system.
We aren't currently working on a Cheliax vs. Andoran Adventure Path, and have no plans to do so in the near future.
because we wanted to spread the domains around anyway.
Is that kind of thing why Urgathoa has the War domain? Or is it more the thematic link between War, Famine, Death, and Pestilence? (Since three of those four are DEFINITELY in her portfolio.)
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Creative Director
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because we wanted to spread the domains around anyway.Is that kind of thing why Urgathoa has the War domain? Or is it more the thematic link between War, Famine, Death, and Pestilence? (Since three of those four are DEFINITELY in her portfolio.)
Sort of.
Another element is that when we have pretty much a dozen words to summarize a deity's whole ethos... throwing in an unexpected domain, like War for Urgathoa, or Water for Pharasma, or Air for Shelyn lets us with one single word establish some unique flavor and mystery and intrigue to a deity.
Was it RAI that Undead Mastery doesn't give control over the extra undead created?No idea. Not even sure where "Undead Mastery" comes from.
Sorry, should've looked up the name of the feat I'm asking about to call it by its proper name: Undead Master
Undead MasterYou can marshal vast armies of the undead to serve you.
Prerequisites: Spell focus (necromancy), the ability to
cast animate dead or command undead.
Benefit: When you cast animate dead or use the
Command Undead feat, you are considered to be four
levels higher when determining the number of Hit
Dice you animate. When you cast command undead, your
duration is doubled.
My question is: Command Undead doesn't animate, did it mean control for that part?
Side question: as you can tell, I'm partial to necromancer clerics, but the stuff for them is kinda sparse; any new divine necromancy stuff in the works?
Btw thanks.
because we wanted to spread the domains around anyway.Is that kind of thing why Urgathoa has the War domain? Or is it more the thematic link between War, Famine, Death, and Pestilence? (Since three of those four are DEFINITELY in her portfolio.)Sort of.
Another element is that when we have pretty much a dozen words to summarize a deity's whole ethos... throwing in an unexpected domain, like War for Urgathoa, or Water for Pharasma, or Air for Shelyn lets us with one single word establish some unique flavor and mystery and intrigue to a deity.
I thought war fit really well, armies of undead, that just fits thematically to me.
Good afternoon James! Hope spring is heading your way and making everything great.
1. In AP #50, in the article on Shelyn, it gives some descriptions of how the evil gods would 'love' her. My question is, how would Charon show his love? The only thematic thing I can think of is growing old with her, but that seems way too sweet for such an evil being.
2. Are there daemons above CR 25 besides the horsemen?
3. Are there any official rules on having sorcerers with draconic bloodlines from the imperials or primals? It's easy enough to make the rules up based on what exists, but I was curious if there was anything written.
4. What exactly is a forest dragon's breath weapon? It says piercing, but is it wood shards or stone shards?
5. What is your favorite type of creature to design from scratch?
6. I recently read about Aokigahara in a Wes forum, and was curious if there is anyplace like that in Minkai? Or does the Forest of Spirits fill that role?
7. Demons seem to be the most popular bad guys in many tabletop rpgs, why do you think that is? What is it about demons that tickles people's fancy? Or do they just have a really effective PR department?
8. Ice cream has been around on earth for a very long time, so is there anywhere on Golarion one of my characters could get such a tasty frozen treat? (I just realized I ask a lot of food questions...)
Unrelated, and I'm not sure where to put this so I'll do it here, but I just wanted to give a shout out of thanks to the Paizo layout team. Every pathfinder book I've picked up is very visually appealing, and while it's maybe something people gloss over I really appreciate the hard work everyone there puts into your products. Thank you guys.
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Creative Director
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Was it RAI that Undead Mastery doesn't give control over the extra undead created?No idea. Not even sure where "Undead Mastery" comes from.Sorry, should've looked up the name of the feat I'm asking about to call it by its proper name: Undead Master
Undead Master
You can marshal vast armies of the undead to serve you.
Prerequisites: Spell focus (necromancy), the ability to
cast animate dead or command undead.
Benefit: When you cast animate dead or use the
Command Undead feat, you are considered to be four
levels higher when determining the number of Hit
Dice you animate. When you cast command undead, your
duration is doubled.
My question is: Command Undead doesn't animate, did it mean control for that part?Side question: as you can tell, I'm partial to necromancer clerics, but the stuff for them is kinda sparse; any new divine necromancy stuff in the works?
Btw thanks.
Ah. Yeah... you'll have more undead than you can control at once for sure with that ability, but that said, it's better suited for an NPC, particularly an undead NPC, who wouldn't really need to worry about the undead minions turning on him. Also, there's other methods to control undead as well, and the ones you leave guarding rooms in your lair don't need to be directly controlled anyway.
Undead master type builds are sparse because they're not really appropriate for PCs, frankly. We actually do a fair amount with them in adventures, where we now and then put in new magic items and ad-hoc abilities for NPCs to use though.
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Creative Director
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Good afternoon James! Hope spring is heading your way and making everything great.
1. In AP #50, in the article on Shelyn, it gives some descriptions of how the evil gods would 'love' her. My question is, how would Charon show his love? The only thematic thing I can think of is growing old with her, but that seems way too sweet for such an evil being.
2. Are there daemons above CR 25 besides the horsemen?
3. Are there any official rules on having sorcerers with draconic bloodlines from the imperials or primals? It's easy enough to make the rules up based on what exists, but I was curious if there was anything written.
4. What exactly is a forest dragon's breath weapon? It says piercing, but is it wood shards or stone shards?
5. What is your favorite type of creature to design from scratch?
6. I recently read about Aokigahara in a Wes forum, and was curious if there is anyplace like that in Minkai? Or does the Forest of Spirits fill that role?
7. Demons seem to be the most popular bad guys in many tabletop rpgs, why do you think that is? What is it about demons that tickles people's fancy? Or do they just have a really effective PR department?
8. Ice cream has been around on earth for a very long time, so is there anywhere on Golarion one of my characters could get such a tasty frozen treat? (I just realized I ask a lot of food questions...)Unrelated, and I'm not sure where to put this so I'll do it here, but I just wanted to give a shout out of thanks to the Paizo layout team. Every pathfinder book I've picked up is very visually appealing, and while it's maybe something people gloss over I really appreciate the hard work everyone there puts into your products. Thank you guys.
1) I doubt he would. The Horesmen are pretty much not about love.
2) Nope. Although there might still be surviving horsemen from previous eras out there somewhere.
3) I think we might have covered this in a Player's Companion, but I'm not sure.
4) Wood shards is what I've always assumed.
5) Aberration.
6) I'm pretty sure there should be and thus that there is! :-)
7) They show up a lot in Pathifnder APs because they're MY favorites, that's for sure. I like them because they are so varied and there's so many different ways they can be portrayed. Devils are too limited in my opinion... although that can also be viewed as a strength.
8) Yes.
And you should put that into the customer service folder; let them know so that they can send word on to the art team!
Yes, Martyrs is an excellent example of the movie I'm talking about. It's a great movie, but I didn't mention it because it's also an INCREDIBLY BRUTAL movie that will mess folks up. It's not the most disturbing film I've seen, but it's in the top 5.
So what is your top 5 most disturbing films you have seen?
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Creative Director
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Yes, Martyrs is an excellent example of the movie I'm talking about. It's a great movie, but I didn't mention it because it's also an INCREDIBLY BRUTAL movie that will mess folks up. It's not the most disturbing film I've seen, but it's in the top 5.So what is your top 5 most disturbing films you have seen?
I suppose that list would be...
Martyrs
Frontier(s)
Megan is Missing
Irreversible
Wolf Creek
Add to that list Cannibal Ferrox and Cannibal Holocaust, I guess, but those aren't just disturbing, they're also kinda reprehensible for the animal cruelty that they engage in.
James, regarding how you run your own games:
1) How do you manage conditions and buff tracking for higher-level groups? Do you use combat management software, whiteboards, etc.?
2) Do you let your players level-up their characters abilities as soon as they acquire enough XP to hit the next level, or do you wait until the end of section, chapter, or the end of the scenario?
Why does Zon-Kuthon have the Death domain? It seems weird.
Zombies and skeletons don't suffer as mortals do, so self-torture is out of the question. With ghouls and vampires, it seems like they would be more into straight-out consuming people then torturing them. I mean...a vampire would exhaust his victim's blood supply pretty fast. What kind of allure does Zon-Kuthon have for vampires and necromancers.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
Not counting the Orc pantheon, which we know is going to happen, can we expect to see any brand-new, never before seen deities in Inner Sea Gods?
Because his cult has a fair amount of undead involved in it, particularly vampires, and the Death domain is the closest thing to an Undeath domain, and because we wanted to spread the domains around anyway.
There are a few super obscure ones for sure that folks have likely forgotten. As for other brand new ones beyond the orc gods (who already existed in the setting but as nameless deities)... I don't think so. Maybe, but probably not.
So Zon-Kuthon has the Death domain just because a couple of his followers are undead?
Why do vampires actually serve him? It seems like they would have to prioritize between feeding on their victims or tormenting them in Zon-Kuthon's name.
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Creative Director
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Why does Zon-Kuthon have the Death domain? It seems weird.
Zombies and skeletons don't suffer as mortals do, so self-torture is out of the question. With ghouls and vampires, it seems like they would be more into straight-out consuming people then torturing them. I mean...a vampire would exhaust his victim's blood supply pretty fast. What kind of allure does Zon-Kuthon have for vampires and necromancers.
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
Not counting the Orc pantheon, which we know is going to happen, can we expect to see any brand-new, never before seen deities in Inner Sea Gods?
Because his cult has a fair amount of undead involved in it, particularly vampires, and the Death domain is the closest thing to an Undeath domain, and because we wanted to spread the domains around anyway.
There are a few super obscure ones for sure that folks have likely forgotten. As for other brand new ones beyond the orc gods (who already existed in the setting but as nameless deities)... I don't think so. Maybe, but probably not.
So Zon-Kuthon has the Death domain just because a couple of his followers are undead?
Why do vampires actually serve him? It seems like they would have to prioritize between feeding on their victims or tormenting them in Zon-Kuthon's name.
Far more than a couple of his followers are undead. Remember, he's heavily associated with the Plane of Shadow, and undead have a strong presence there.
Vampires serve him primarily in that they have a pretty strong role in Nidal, his theocracy nation. And there's more to Zon-Kuthon than torture. He's as much a god of darkness, envy, and loss as he is a god of pain. Darkness and loss in particular are VERY strong themes that appeal to vampires.
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Creative Director
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James, regarding how you run your own games:
1) How do you manage conditions and buff tracking for higher-level groups? Do you use combat management software, whiteboards, etc.?
2) Do you let your players level-up their characters abilities as soon as they acquire enough XP to hit the next level, or do you wait until the end of section, chapter, or the end of the scenario?
1) Varies... but I usually let the tracking of a party's conditions and buffs be tracked by the players, not by me. I sometimes use condition cards, but the party also uses all sorts of things ranging from notes on the whiteboard to Hero Lab to just jotting things down on scrap paper.
2) As soon as they get enough XP to level up I let them do so. I only give out XP at the end of a game session though.
James, how do you map your own games? Do you let the players map things out, or are you the cartographer? Do you use a dry erase mat, printed art assets, digital tabletops, or something totally awesome that we don't know about?
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Creative Director
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James, how do you map your own games? Do you let the players map things out, or are you the cartographer? Do you use a dry erase mat, printed art assets, digital tabletops, or something totally awesome that we don't know about?
I draw out the maps on the tabletop, using TacTiles or a battlemat or gaming paper if the map is something that has combat on it. If no combat is involved, I'll sometimes instead map things out for the players on the whiteboard.
Mr. Jacobs,
I was thinking about how you seem to like grim, gritty games and lower fantasy, but I believe you mentioned how you tend to give players bonuses and magic items with multiple enchants and things. How do these things relate?
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Creative Director
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Mr. Jacobs,
I was thinking about how you seem to like grim, gritty games and lower fantasy, but I believe you mentioned how you tend to give players bonuses and magic items with multiple enchants and things. How do these things relate?
One of those things does not necessarily negate the other, in my experience. And my Pathfinder games can certainly be grim and gritty, but they're not lower fantasy. And they sometimes have mirth and whimsy as well.
Dear James Jacobs,
When you have soft-cover from a person, can the attacker accidentally shoot the person in the way (giving the cover)?