AlgaeNymph |
AlgaeNymph wrote:Because Alaushinyrra is one of the only places in the entire Abyss that isn't entirely immediately hostile to trade and visitors, for one. And because it caters to a lot of what other cities can't or don't cater to for another.James Jacobs wrote:Alaushinyrra is supposed to be one of the largest cities in the outer planes, and that means there's not many more its size or larger.Why's that? If the population of the outer planes is in the trillions I think it is, particularly since outsiders come from the souls of material plane inhabitants, why would there be so little urbanization?
What about the celestial planes? Any reason they don't have much urbanization?
Archpaladin Zousha |
Looks like the iconic Bloodrager is a Shoanti. BADASS! XD
And speaking of the Shoanti, do the Sklar-Quah exile members of their tribe for crimes and stuff? I'm just wondering if the Sklar-Quah's xenophobia prompts them to kill criminals among them who might help the tshameks against them, or who fall in love with a tshamek, and I use them as an example because they're one of the "most Shoanti" of the Quahs, with other clans being a lot more open to at least talking and trading with the tshameks, and would be more accepting of individuals leaving the tribe like the Hemlock brothers of Sandpoint.
What makes the Velashu Horse Lords different from their Shoanti ancestors?
Also, I just noticed that Besmara is a goddess of Kellid origin. This intrigues me. How does a faith that originates among hide-wearing barbarians become the chosen faith of puffy-shirt-wearing pirates?
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James Jacobs wrote:What about the celestial planes? Any reason they don't have much urbanization?AlgaeNymph wrote:Because Alaushinyrra is one of the only places in the entire Abyss that isn't entirely immediately hostile to trade and visitors, for one. And because it caters to a lot of what other cities can't or don't cater to for another.James Jacobs wrote:Alaushinyrra is supposed to be one of the largest cities in the outer planes, and that means there's not many more its size or larger.Why's that? If the population of the outer planes is in the trillions I think it is, particularly since outsiders come from the souls of material plane inhabitants, why would there be so little urbanization?
Beyond the fact that we haven't spent much time at all developing them and therefore don't yet have much to say about them?
There's certainly some cities as big or bigger than Alaushinyrra on the good planes. I just don't know what they are yet, and there's just not a lot of them.
James Jacobs Creative Director |
On the topic of Kingdom Builder rules, do you ever think you'll ever introduce feats or traits that would complement some of the kingdom building rules? A prestige class?
Unlikely. The kingdom building rules are their own thing, and using up PC resources to augment them isn't that great an idea to me.
James Jacobs Creative Director |
Looks like the iconic Bloodrager is a Shoanti. BADASS! XD
And speaking of the Shoanti, do the Sklar-Quah exile members of their tribe for crimes and stuff? I'm just wondering if the Sklar-Quah's xenophobia prompts them to kill criminals among them who might help the tshameks against them, or who fall in love with a tshamek, and I use them as an example because they're one of the "most Shoanti" of the Quahs, with other clans being a lot more open to at least talking and trading with the tshameks, and would be more accepting of individuals leaving the tribe like the Hemlock brothers of Sandpoint.
What makes the Velashu Horse Lords different from their Shoanti ancestors?
Also, I just noticed that Besmara is a goddess of Kellid origin. This intrigues me. How does a faith that originates among hide-wearing barbarians become the chosen faith of puffy-shirt-wearing pirates?
Exile does indeed come into play for the Shoanti.
What makes the Velashu Horse Lords different is that they're less about tradition and more modern, really. They're doing their own thing rather than repeating ancestor stuff that's thousands of years old.
Alexander Augunas Contributor |
Kilrex wrote:James, when are you going to get someone to update your photo on the Pathfinderwiki?Shrug.
I wasn't involved in the current photo being put there, actually. If someone wants to find a more recent one and put it up there, fine.
I vote for the picture of James with the goblin and dogslicer!
Jeff Erwin Contributor |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
You realise, of course, that given the synergy between the timeline on Earth and Golarion, that soon (within a decade) you will be able to create a 1920s Cthulhu Mythos game that also crosses over...?
Though, I have to ask, how does the Dreamlands interact with Golarion. Does it exist? Is it the Plane of Dreams? Can one travel from Earth's Dreamlands to Golarion's Plane of Dream?
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James Jacobs Creative Director |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |
You realise, of course, that given the synergy between the timeline on Earth and Golarion, that soon (within a decade) you will be able to create a 1920s Cthulhu Mythos game that also crosses over...?
Though, I have to ask, how does the Dreamlands interact with Golarion. Does it exist? Is it the Plane of Dreams? Can one travel from Earth's Dreamlands to Golarion's Plane of Dream?
Weird how that timeline works out, huh? Almost like we did it on purpose, even.
The Dreamlands interacts fine with Golarion. Time is irrelevant, really, when it comes to dreams. And yes... just as you can travel from world to world by planar travel, you would be able to get to Earth via the dreamlands.
Rysky |
Jeff Erwin wrote:You realise, of course, that given the synergy between the timeline on Earth and Golarion, that soon (within a decade) you will be able to create a 1920s Cthulhu Mythos game that also crosses over...?
Though, I have to ask, how does the Dreamlands interact with Golarion. Does it exist? Is it the Plane of Dreams? Can one travel from Earth's Dreamlands to Golarion's Plane of Dream?
Weird how that timeline works out, huh? Almost like we did it on purpose, even.
The Dreamlands interacts fine with Golarion. Time is irrelevant, really, when it comes to dreams. And yes... just as you can travel from world to world by planar travel, you would be able to get to Earth via the dreamlands.
Woot! Planet and wakefulness hopping Dark Corners of the Universe AP!
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James: All other things being equal, which is more scary? 1) to live along a coast prone to hurricanes; or 2) to live in Tornado Alley?
2) Because tornados are harder to predict and get out of the way of, and tornados imply you're not living that close to a coastline, which is in and of itself scary.
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James Jacobs Creative Director |
Which regions of Golarion have the highest concentration of intelligent magic items? Where are they most often created and used? My guess is Nex and/or Cheliax, with the latter because Cheliax is partially about using eldritch sentient beings as tools. (or, thinking they're using them as tools)
I would expect the more high-magic a region is, the more intelligent weapons you'd see. Cheliax isn't really any more high-magic than Andoran or Taldor, so that's not really in the running in the same way Nex, Geb, or Jalmeray is.
James Jacobs Creative Director |
eldergod0515 |
James - Is there any creative / design decision (not ethically or morally offensive) that could be forced upon Pathfinder by the powers that be that would make you resign? To borrow an example from another universe, a "Greedo shot first" type mandate. Or, no matter how creatively repugnant the decision might be, you'd say "you're the boss" and make the best of it?
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James - Is there any creative / design decision (not ethically or morally offensive) that could be forced upon Pathfinder by the powers that be that would make you resign? To borrow an example from another universe, a "Greedo shot first" type mandate. Or, no matter how creatively repugnant the decision might be, you'd say "you're the boss" and make the best of it?
Yes, there's plenty of events, some of which would be forced creative/design decisions, that would get me to resign.
Lou Diamond |
James, I have to give you and the rest of the Pazio guys and girls a hand you all did a great job on the Slayer class. I really like the Favored Target class ability. I hope there are some better Talents then in the
play test. that is the only weakness in the class IMO. I hope there is
a Skirmisher talent added in the finial version of the slayer.
Can you give us a hint when the Slayer iconic is going to be previewed.
The Bloodrager is very cool also. How does raging and spell casting work?
Thomas LeBlanc RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32 |
Tels |
eldergod0515 wrote:James - Is there any creative / design decision (not ethically or morally offensive) that could be forced upon Pathfinder by the powers that be that would make you resign? To borrow an example from another universe, a "Greedo shot first" type mandate. Or, no matter how creatively repugnant the decision might be, you'd say "you're the boss" and make the best of it?Yes, there's plenty of events, some of which would be forced creative/design decisions, that would get me to resign.
What kind of creative decisions would you resign over?
CalebTGordan RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32 |
In looking at real world inspirations to expand the Golarion juju religion I found a couple curious things.
First, in the real world juju and voodoo are two different things. Voodoo is a religion and juju is more or less folk magic with similar practices. In fact I came across a few places where practitioners of voodon did very well in being clear that juju should not be confused with their religion. In some places it isn't even a practice of magic but a phrase that refers to a type of karma one might have based on their actions.
I also found that juju was the only real world phrase or word in the write up in the Golarion religion inspired by voodoo, which juju isn't typically actually a part of.
This leads to asking why use juju for the name of the religion instead of coming up with a new one? Wouldn't doing so create less confusion?
Second related question:
There are essentially three versions of voodoo. West African Voodon, Haitian Voodou, and Louisiana Voodoo. The last one is the most well known and often used in popular culture. As you move from Africa to New Orleans it becomes more and more organized and also borrows from Catholicism more and more. Effectively the voodoo of New Orleans is very different from West African Voodon, with Haitian voodou being somewhere in the middle of both but still practically being its own form of religion. Kind of like how Catholicism, Mormons, and Baptists are all Christians but completely different in most respects.
In Golarion, would there be a similar religious phenomenon with juju (the Golarion religion)? Do you think there might be something like Louisiana voodoo that mixes juju with Varisian beliefs and worships saints of other religions with their wendo?
Alexander Augunas Contributor |
James Jacobs wrote:What kind of creative decisions would you resign over?eldergod0515 wrote:James - Is there any creative / design decision (not ethically or morally offensive) that could be forced upon Pathfinder by the powers that be that would make you resign? To borrow an example from another universe, a "Greedo shot first" type mandate. Or, no matter how creatively repugnant the decision might be, you'd say "you're the boss" and make the best of it?Yes, there's plenty of events, some of which would be forced creative/design decisions, that would get me to resign.
Wouldn't that kind of be like asking Superman to identity kryptonite for you? :-P
MagusJanus |
Tels wrote:Wouldn't that kind of be like asking Superman to identity kryptonite for you? :-PJames Jacobs wrote:What kind of creative decisions would you resign over?eldergod0515 wrote:James - Is there any creative / design decision (not ethically or morally offensive) that could be forced upon Pathfinder by the powers that be that would make you resign? To borrow an example from another universe, a "Greedo shot first" type mandate. Or, no matter how creatively repugnant the decision might be, you'd say "you're the boss" and make the best of it?Yes, there's plenty of events, some of which would be forced creative/design decisions, that would get me to resign.
So Tels is the Batman to James Jacobs' Superman?
Rysky |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Alexander Augunas wrote:So Tels is the Batman to James Jacobs' Superman?Tels wrote:Wouldn't that kind of be like asking Superman to identity kryptonite for you? :-PJames Jacobs wrote:What kind of creative decisions would you resign over?eldergod0515 wrote:James - Is there any creative / design decision (not ethically or morally offensive) that could be forced upon Pathfinder by the powers that be that would make you resign? To borrow an example from another universe, a "Greedo shot first" type mandate. Or, no matter how creatively repugnant the decision might be, you'd say "you're the boss" and make the best of it?Yes, there's plenty of events, some of which would be forced creative/design decisions, that would get me to resign.
Robin.
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James, I have to give you and the rest of the Pazio guys and girls a hand you all did a great job on the Slayer class. I really like the Favored Target class ability. I hope there are some better Talents then in the
play test. that is the only weakness in the class IMO. I hope there is
a Skirmisher talent added in the finial version of the slayer.Can you give us a hint when the Slayer iconic is going to be previewed.
The Bloodrager is very cool also. How does raging and spell casting work?
I actually had very little input on the Advanced Class Guide, with the exception of the swashbuckler. I've had a LOT of input on the Meet the Iconics and the design of the iconics though. Thanks for the kind words though and I'll pass them on.
It's not my place to give hints about the classes and when the previews are coming though... sorry!
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James Jacobs Creative Director |
James Jacobs wrote:What kind of creative decisions would you resign over?eldergod0515 wrote:James - Is there any creative / design decision (not ethically or morally offensive) that could be forced upon Pathfinder by the powers that be that would make you resign? To borrow an example from another universe, a "Greedo shot first" type mandate. Or, no matter how creatively repugnant the decision might be, you'd say "you're the boss" and make the best of it?Yes, there's plenty of events, some of which would be forced creative/design decisions, that would get me to resign.
Anything that makes me lose my passion for the game. Anything that promotes ignorance/hatred when it comes to diversity. There's more, I'm sure, but I'm not sure what the value is in going on unless you're fishing for ammunition to manipulate me into quitting Paizo? ;-)
James Jacobs Creative Director |
In looking at real world inspirations to expand the Golarion juju religion I found a couple curious things.
First, in the real world juju and voodoo are two different things. Voodoo is a religion and juju is more or less folk magic with similar practices. In fact I came across a few places where practitioners of voodon did very well in being clear that juju should not be confused with their religion. In some places it isn't even a practice of magic but a phrase that refers to a type of karma one might have based on their actions.
I also found that juju was the only real world phrase or word in the write up in the Golarion religion inspired by voodoo, which juju isn't typically actually a part of.
This leads to asking why use juju for the name of the religion instead of coming up with a new one? Wouldn't doing so create less confusion?
Second related question:
There are essentially three versions of voodoo. West African Voodon, Haitian Voodou, and Louisiana Voodoo. The last one is the most well known and often used in popular culture. As you move from Africa to New Orleans it becomes more and more organized and also borrows from Catholicism more and more. Effectively the voodoo of New Orleans is very different from West African Voodon, with Haitian voodou being somewhere in the middle of both but still practically being its own form of religion. Kind of like how Catholicism, Mormons, and Baptists are all Christians but completely different in most respects.
In Golarion, would there be a similar religious phenomenon with juju (the Golarion religion)? Do you think there might be something like Louisiana voodoo that mixes juju with Varisian beliefs and worships saints of other religions with their wendo?
When it comes to reducing currently active real-world-religion to game mechanics and flavor, we make changes. What you see as "confusion," I see as "changes made out of respect."
Feel free to adjust things as you wish to make them more interesting in your game. (Furthermore, I've actually not been directly involved much at all with this part of the world—it's a better question for Wes.)
James Jacobs Creative Director |
I've noticed that Pathfinder campaign-setting-specific stuff sometimes pulls monsters from the Tomb of Horrors Complete. Is there a master list of what things in the Tomb are canon for existing in Golarion's universe? Also, do you pull from any other 3pp stuff that I haven't noticed yet?
Also known as the Tome of Horrors Complete! :-)
We've been using monsters from the Tome of Horrors from the very start—the first Pathfinder had a bunyip and a tentamort in it, after all.
There's not a master list of the things that are canon, though. I suppose someone could go through what we've published and make a living document of what is and isn't part of the world, but I'm not interested in making that list before hand, since I don't know which creature is and isn't appropriate for any one adventure that far in advance.
We also pull material from Green Ronin's Book of Fiends and Advanced Bestiary a lot. We've pulled material from elsewhere as well, but those are the big ones.
James Jacobs Creative Director |
SAMAS |
1) Did the guys who had Kurgess killed live long enough to kick themselves?
2) Will a later bestiary have a Redeemed Fiend template(as a counterpoint to the Tortured Soul in Bestiary 4) like with what happened to You-Know-Who in WotR? And if so, can the image in the book be of a Glabrezu or Bearded Devil?
3) Have you seen Space Battleship Yamato 2199? (sorry, couldn't think of a good third question and didn't want to leave it at just two!)
Tels |
MagusJanus wrote:Robin.Alexander Augunas wrote:So Tels is the Batman to James Jacobs' Superman?Tels wrote:Wouldn't that kind of be like asking Superman to identity kryptonite for you? :-PJames Jacobs wrote:What kind of creative decisions would you resign over?eldergod0515 wrote:James - Is there any creative / design decision (not ethically or morally offensive) that could be forced upon Pathfinder by the powers that be that would make you resign? To borrow an example from another universe, a "Greedo shot first" type mandate. Or, no matter how creatively repugnant the decision might be, you'd say "you're the boss" and make the best of it?Yes, there's plenty of events, some of which would be forced creative/design decisions, that would get me to resign.
Depends, if it's Dick Grayson, I'm down, because then I get to become Nightwing.
Tels wrote:Anything that makes me lose my passion for the game. Anything that promotes ignorance/hatred when it comes to diversity. There's more, I'm sure, but I'm not sure what the value is in going on unless you're fishing for ammunition to manipulate me into quitting Paizo? ;-)James Jacobs wrote:What kind of creative decisions would you resign over?eldergod0515 wrote:James - Is there any creative / design decision (not ethically or morally offensive) that could be forced upon Pathfinder by the powers that be that would make you resign? To borrow an example from another universe, a "Greedo shot first" type mandate. Or, no matter how creatively repugnant the decision might be, you'd say "you're the boss" and make the best of it?Yes, there's plenty of events, some of which would be forced creative/design decisions, that would get me to resign.
No, I was just curious as to where you as the Creative Director refuse to take Pathfinder/Golarion. Kind of a 'what can I expect *not* to see come out under James Jacobs as Creative Director'.
I really enjoy where you and the Paizo team have gone with things (mostly), so I was curious as to what kind of things you absolutely refuse to do.
It also says something about your character to know what kinds of things you absolutely refuse to be a part of you know?
James Jacobs Creative Director |
If you were forced by circumstance to join a cult of one of the Elder Gods, which would you choose and why?
Are you actually talking about the Great Old Ones and the Outer Gods, none of whom are actually Elder Gods? Or are you actually asking about gods like Nodens? Because in that case, I suppose Bast, because I like cats. That also supposes you buy into Chaosium's placement of her as an elder god, though. Also that I'm remembering that correctly in the first place.
James Jacobs Creative Director |
1) Did the guys who had Kurgess killed live long enough to kick themselves?
2) Will a later bestiary have a Redeemed Fiend template(as a counterpoint to the Tortured Soul in Bestiary 4) like with what happened to You-Know-Who in WotR? And if so, can the image in the book be of a Glabrezu or Bearded Devil?
3) Have you seen Space Battleship Yamato 2199? (sorry, couldn't think of a good third question and didn't want to leave it at just two!)
1) Unrevealed, but probably not.
2) No. Redemed fiends and fallen sols and the like should be hand-crafted and unique, not something reduced to the status of a template. The broken soul template is a different thing entirely.
3) I haven't, but I've seen the original back in the day and loved it.
James Jacobs Creative Director |
Would Freiya and Valeros make a nice couple?
If someone were to kill Asmodeus, who would be the likely suspects?
Would Lini and Balazar make a cute couple?
Which of the Iconics would you most like to meet IRL?
Also what percentage of Dinosaurs do you believe were endothermic?
If you mean the witch, her name is Feiya.
I suppose.
Pretty much anyone and everyone. He has a lot of enemies.
Nope.
Merisiel, of course.
97%
James Jacobs Creative Director |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
** spoiler omitted **
James Jacobs wrote:Tels wrote:Anything that makes me lose my passion for the game. Anything that promotes ignorance/hatred when it comes to diversity. There's more, I'm sure, but I'm not sure what the value is in going on unless you're fishing for ammunition to manipulate me into quitting Paizo? ;-)James Jacobs wrote:What kind of creative decisions would you resign over?eldergod0515 wrote:James - Is there any creative / design decision (not ethically or morally offensive) that could be forced upon Pathfinder by the powers that be that would make you resign? To borrow an example from another universe, a "Greedo shot first" type mandate. Or, no matter how creatively repugnant the decision might be, you'd say "you're the boss" and make the best of it?Yes, there's plenty of events, some of which would be forced creative/design decisions, that would get me to resign.No, I was just curious as to where you as the Creative Director refuse to take Pathfinder/Golarion. Kind of a 'what can I expect *not* to see come out under James Jacobs as Creative Director'.
I really enjoy where you and the Paizo team have gone with things (mostly), so I was curious as to what kind of things you absolutely refuse to do.
It also says something about your character to know what kinds of things you absolutely refuse to be a part of you know?
Well... if it all goes my way, then the world at large won't ever know what things I refuse to let into Golarion, both because I'm doing my job and because I'm never put in a position where I have to make that choice. I prefer to focus on the parts of Golarion that DO end up existing, rather than the countless terrible ideas that don't. And given the internet's fondness for pedantry, I'd rather not start up a conversation that gives folks a chance to constantly ask "What about this?" with a never-ending list of outlandish, tasteless, or silly what-if scenarios. Hope that all makes sense!
James Jacobs Creative Director |
Can you please tell us if the naturalist bardic performance the archivist has can be used on multiple types of creatures(all identified) in the same performance?
I cannot, because I don't know what you're talking about. My gut would be that yes, it affects all creatures, which is par for the course for bard performances.
And if you get a result of "OMG THAT IS TOO POWERFUL!" then it's about time folks said that about bards! :-P