|
Ooh, question!: Can we please have some sort of martial/combat type version of ISM?? Please, please, please??We've had a lot of requests for an "Inner Sea Combat" type book. It's not on the schedule yet, but folks have been asking for it. I'm actually not 100% sure what such a book would look like; we could certainly do martial versions of Chapter 1 and Chapter 3 and 4, but Chapter 2 and Chapter 5 are puzzlers. One thing I do NOT want to do is have a big chapter of feats in a book like this.
So... we'll see!
Not a question, but it seems pretty straight-forward to me. Use the Prestige and Fame rules from Factions and Schools, and apply them to things like the Aldori Sword Lords or special Monasteries, etc. They should each include possible rewards like special equipment or even trait-level combat bonuses that exist outside of feat slots.
Probably you had this idea already, and you're asking about the rest of the book, but still, the idea is really compelling to me.
Great.
Creative Director
|
Yup, but nothing all THAT major. I wanted "breath of life" to be called "cure deadly wounds" for example.I guess I'm broadly curious what sorts of ideas didn't make it out of brainstorming/design sessions/internal playtesting.
Ah. Well... that's a really huge question, frankly... and not one that I really have much in the way of answers for since I can't really remember much about it all that stood out. The vast majority was all there as part of the Alpha and the Beta, after all.
Hi, I had two questions. I tend to ramble too.
1. In my first Pathfinder game one of the players chose to be an Oracle and I found I really liked the class, especially the aspect-worship rather than the individual god worship. So I was wondering if it would be possible for an oracle to (I hate to use the word since it seems more in tune with paladins) fall? Like, if an oracle of battle became so disgusted by fighting he tosses away his weapons and becomes a preacher of pacifism? If so, mechanically, should it be handled like a paladin, where they lose access to their powers, or would they always be waiting? Obviously as a GM I could do whatever I wanted but thinking of an NPC and wondering if it's a feasible idea as oracles were intended.
2. Is there likely to be an evil book, in the vein of Evil and the Book of Vile Darkness? I really enjoyed Paizo's handling of it in the 2002 Dungeon and Dragon Magazines and in Lords of Chaos.
Hi, I had two questions. I tend to ramble too.
1. In my first Pathfinder game one of the players chose to be an Oracle and I found I really liked the class, especially the aspect-worship rather than the individual god worship. So I was wondering if it would be possible for an oracle to (I hate to use the word since it seems more in tune with paladins) fall? Like, if an oracle of battle became so disgusted by fighting he tosses away his weapons and becomes a preacher of pacifism? If so, mechanically, should it be handled like a paladin, where they lose access to their powers, or would they always be waiting? Obviously as a GM I could do whatever I wanted but thinking of an NPC and wondering if it's a feasible idea as oracles were intended.
2. Is there likely to be an evil book, in the vein of Evil and the Book of Vile Darkness? I really enjoyed Paizo's handling of it in the 2002 Dungeon and Dragon Magazines and in Lords of Chaos.
Mechanically they can't fall, but if it is for story purposes I don't see an issue with it. Many story things break rules. If they don't outright break them they are highly improbably by the rules.
You mentioned elsewhere that you wanted clerics to have to have a patron, and were "outvoted" by the rest of the design team.
Were there any other design decisions in Pathfinder (or elsewhere, if there's an interesting story to it) where you were similarly in the minority?
Yup, but nothing all THAT major. I wanted "breath of life" to be called "cure deadly wounds" for example.
Part of working on something like Pathifnder, though, is cooperation and compromising.
I got dinosaurs in there as animal companions, for example! :-)
Well, clerics having a specific deity or not is more of a basic rules thing, subject to change by the world design, or are you guys talking about Golarion's creation? Because in Forgotten Realms clerics must have a patron. In fact, and I had debates with some veteran Planescape players about the metaphysics of death in D&D (in the end I was like If you are playing Planescape, then you are right, but we are playing Forgotten Realms so the rules are as the FR book says, not Planescape), but if even a fighter doesn't have a patron they end up as mortar in a wall.
OH and on that note, does Golarion have any special rules on death that go against the base rules, like does a worshiper of Calistria go to her, or do they go to their alignment realm as a petitioner and such like normal?
|
How am I supposed to tell if a creature's flying ability is an extraordinary or supernatural ability (spell-like ability is easy, just look in the constant SLA section)? It matters in an antimagic field! is it just "look at the picture. Does it have wings?"Pretty much, yeah; if it has wings in the art, it's an extraordianry ability. If it has "fly" as a spell like ability (many wingless creatures fly this way) then it's magic.
If neither applies, chances are pretty much guarenteed that the creature's flight is supernatural. Read the description though; some creatures fly because they're lighter than air or have gas bags or other exceptional elements.
And in theory, we should be indicating as special qualities if a creature's flight is supernatural; we sometimes forget though, alas.
Heh, I guess the bone-devil is the exception with its useless wings. Remember the beholders from D&D? Their flight was extraordinary and I always thought that was bizarre (but then again, so are they).
|
Creative Director
|
Hi, I had two questions. I tend to ramble too.
1. In my first Pathfinder game one of the players chose to be an Oracle and I found I really liked the class, especially the aspect-worship rather than the individual god worship. So I was wondering if it would be possible for an oracle to (I hate to use the word since it seems more in tune with paladins) fall? Like, if an oracle of battle became so disgusted by fighting he tosses away his weapons and becomes a preacher of pacifism? If so, mechanically, should it be handled like a paladin, where they lose access to their powers, or would they always be waiting? Obviously as a GM I could do whatever I wanted but thinking of an NPC and wondering if it's a feasible idea as oracles were intended.
2. Is there likely to be an evil book, in the vein of Evil and the Book of Vile Darkness? I really enjoyed Paizo's handling of it in the 2002 Dungeon and Dragon Magazines and in Lords of Chaos.
1) If you want to have an oracle lose faith, I suggest handling it the same way it works for clerics.
2) We did just release two books in our Player Companion line; one for goblins and one for the evil religions—both of those embrace evil PC options. And we do books about fiends in the Book of the Damned line once a year—this year's installment on the Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the daemons of Abaddon is due out in a month or two. And our Adventure Paths frequently delve into relatively mature content. But a big hardcover book that's all about EVIL? Probably not. Just as we're hesitant to do a big hardcover book all about, say, wizards (since that limits customer purchase to those interested in only one option), we tend to try to make our hardcovers (which are only releasing at a rate of 3 per year) as broad in scope as possible. We include evil options in all of them, though—be they evil spells or things like the Antipaladin archetype or whatever.
|
Creative Director
|
Well, clerics having a specific deity or not is more of a basic rules thing, subject to change by the world design, or are you guys talking about Golarion's creation? Because in Forgotten Realms clerics must have a patron. In fact, and I had debates with some veteran Planescape players about the metaphysics of death in D&D (in the end I was like If you are playing Planescape, then you are right, but we are playing Forgotten Realms so the rules are as the FR book says, not Planescape), but if even a fighter doesn't have a patron they end up as mortar in a wall.
OH and on that note, does Golarion have any special rules on death that go against the base rules, like does a worshiper of Calistria go to her, or do they go to their alignment realm as a petitioner and such like normal?
I'm not talking about Golarion's creation. That part of Paizo's operation is more or less 100% under my control. The rules themselves, though, are not. I get to influence their creative direction and offer advice and suggestions, but Jason and the design team are the ones in charge of those things. I'm sure I've taken Golarion in directions that might annoy the design team, but just as they work to accommodate my needs for the rules, I do try to work to accommodate their needs for the world.
In Golarion, clerics must worship a deity.
What happens after a character dies in Golarion is that the soul lingers for a variable length of time (from a few seconds, or for forever if the soul becomes a ghost or other undead), then flies through the Astral Plane to the Boneyard—the outer plane ruled by Pharasma, goddess of death. The soul then gets in line and waits to be judged by Pharasma. When she judges them the soul whisks away through a portal to its final reward or final punishment—be that being reincarnated as a living creature, transforming into a petitioner and eventually into an outsider, being sent directly to serve the deity the soul worshiped in life, going to Hell or somewhere like that for an eternity of torment and damnation, or whatever. Once a soul is judged by Pharasma, it cannot be restored to life by mortal means. The length of time a soul spends waiting in line to be judged is also variable—but it's essentially up to the player or GM who controls that character to decide. If a GM wishes a dead thing to not be able to be brought back via resurrection or the like, he simply rules that the soul has been judged. If a Player wishes to not have a character return to life even given that option, he says the same (effectively this is the flavor for choosing not to be brought back to life).
|
Creative Director
|
Heh, I guess the bone-devil is the exception with its useless wings. Remember the beholders from D&D? Their flight was extraordinary and I always thought that was bizarre (but then again, so are they).
You'll note that bone devils have fly as a constant spell-like ability, so that's where their flying power comes from—not their stubby broken wings.
And of COURSE I remember beholders. I actually wrote the beholder chapter in WotC's Lords of Madness and detailing how they can fly was part of my assignment... Fortunately I had books like "I, Tyrant" to build off of...
What are the chances of 64 pages Kyonin book in the Campaign Setting line?Somewhere between 10% and 90%.
Okay. What are the odds of that chance being between 60% and 90%?
|
Creative Director
|
What are the chances of 64 pages Kyonin book in the Campaign Setting line?Somewhere between 10% and 90%.
Okay. What are the odds of that chance being between 60% and 90%?
They rise higher the more requests we get for the product, but stagnate if no one cares or seems interested, but then rise higher when and if we do a product or something that takes place in Kyonin, which falls again if we've already done that (like we have), but then rise again when the creative director is personally interested in the region because it's from his homebrew game and he likes Treerazer a lot.
|
They rise higher the more requests we get for the product, but stagnate if no one cares or seems interested, but then rise higher when and if we do a product or something that takes place in Kyonin, which falls again if we've already done that (like we have), but then rise again when the creative director is personally interested in the region because it's from his homebrew game and he likes Treerazer a lot.What are the chances of 64 pages Kyonin book in the Campaign Setting line?Somewhere between 10% and 90%.
Okay. What are the odds of that chance being between 60% and 90%?
Consider this a request.
And this isn't just from me, I've canvassed 240,000,000 paizonians and they all agree.
honest
|
Creative Director
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hello Mr. Jacobs.
As Paizo's Creative Director, what makes you smile the most on your way to work?
As Paizo's Creative Director, what makes you smile the most when you're headed home, after work?
Regards,
-- Andy
On the way to work: The fact that I work at Paizo.
On the way home: The fact that I don't LIVE at Paizo.
I know that is a lie. Because if there really WERE 240,000,000 Paizonians, I would live in a mansion, not a one-bedroom apartment.Consider this a request.
And this isn't just from me, I've canvassed 240,000,000 paizonians and they all agree.
honest
You can at least make it two.
And while I'm busy making request, I'd also like one Varisia-based product a year from the Campaign Setting Line - there's been so much done on Varisia already, that it seems the perfect candidate for being the part of Golarion that's for GMs who like as much pre-made material as possible.
Any plans or thoughts about a pirate or at least sea-based adventure path (or module at least?) set in Shackes/Sodden Lands areas? With the Pirate archetype in Ultimate Combat, a Shackles based Adventure Path would be so cool, not to mention the chance to flesh out Port Peril :)
Any plans or thoughts about a pirate or at least sea-based adventure path (or module at least?) set in Shackes/Sodden Lands areas? With the Pirate archetype in Ultimate Combat, a Shackles based Adventure Path would be so cool, not to mention the chance to flesh out Port Peril :)
Look at the next AP after Jade Regent.
|
|
They rise higher the more requests we get for the product, but stagnate if no one cares or seems interested, but then rise higher when and if we do a product or something that takes place in Kyonin, which falls again if we've already done that (like we have), but then rise again when the creative director is personally interested in the region because it's from his homebrew game and he likes Treerazer a lot.What are the chances of 64 pages Kyonin book in the Campaign Setting line?Somewhere between 10% and 90%.
Okay. What are the odds of that chance being between 60% and 90%?
Alkenstar first!
|
Creative Director
|
Any plans or thoughts about a pirate or at least sea-based adventure path (or module at least?) set in Shackes/Sodden Lands areas? With the Pirate archetype in Ultimate Combat, a Shackles based Adventure Path would be so cool, not to mention the chance to flesh out Port Peril :)
Yes. As mentioned above... the AP after Jade Regent is all about pirates and is set in the Shackles.
|
Creative Director
|
Alkenstar first!They rise higher the more requests we get for the product, but stagnate if no one cares or seems interested, but then rise higher when and if we do a product or something that takes place in Kyonin, which falls again if we've already done that (like we have), but then rise again when the creative director is personally interested in the region because it's from his homebrew game and he likes Treerazer a lot.What are the chances of 64 pages Kyonin book in the Campaign Setting line?Somewhere between 10% and 90%.
Okay. What are the odds of that chance being between 60% and 90%?
Not while I'm making the decisions.
Not while I'm making the decisions.Alkenstar first!They rise higher the more requests we get for the product, but stagnate if no one cares or seems interested, but then rise higher when and if we do a product or something that takes place in Kyonin, which falls again if we've already done that (like we have), but then rise again when the creative director is personally interested in the region because it's from his homebrew game and he likes Treerazer a lot.What are the chances of 64 pages Kyonin book in the Campaign Setting line?Somewhere between 10% and 90%.
Okay. What are the odds of that chance being between 60% and 90%?
How about a Mythic Adventure going into Baba Yaga's Hut, say as a sequel to the future Irrisen AP?
|
Creative Director
|
How about a Mythic Adventure going into Baba Yaga's Hut, say as a sequel to the future Irrisen AP?
We have not announced any Irrisen Adventure Paths.
That said, if we do decide to do an Irrisen Adventure Path, NOT including Baba Yaga or her hut in some way would be a tragic error and a missed opportunity, and that includes "saving" the hut for a mythic-level adventure.
How about a Mythic Adventure going into Baba Yaga's Hut, say as a sequel to the future Irrisen AP?We have not announced any Irrisen Adventure Paths.
That said, if we do decide to do an Irrisen Adventure Path, NOT including Baba Yaga or her hut in some way would be a tragic error and a missed opportunity, and that includes "saving" the hut for a mythic-level adventure.
That sounds awesome, can't wait for you to announce that.
|
Creative Director
|
That sounds awesome, can't wait for you to announce that.How about a Mythic Adventure going into Baba Yaga's Hut, say as a sequel to the future Irrisen AP?We have not announced any Irrisen Adventure Paths.
That said, if we do decide to do an Irrisen Adventure Path, NOT including Baba Yaga or her hut in some way would be a tragic error and a missed opportunity, and that includes "saving" the hut for a mythic-level adventure.
You know what they say about the word "assume," of course...
|
Creative Director
|
My good sir,
How do you feel about this?
A little annoyed at the scaling issues. That dinosaur should be a lot bigger.
You know what they say about the word "assume," of course...That sounds awesome, can't wait for you to announce that.How about a Mythic Adventure going into Baba Yaga's Hut, say as a sequel to the future Irrisen AP?We have not announced any Irrisen Adventure Paths.
That said, if we do decide to do an Irrisen Adventure Path, NOT including Baba Yaga or her hut in some way would be a tragic error and a missed opportunity, and that includes "saving" the hut for a mythic-level adventure.
You are right I shouldn't assume it will be an AP. I know you guys will do something with Baba Yaga well she is around in 2013.
They rise higher the more requests we get for the product, but stagnate if no one cares or seems interested, but then rise higher when and if we do a product or something that takes place in Kyonin, which falls again if we've already done that (like we have), but then rise again when the creative director is personally interested in the region because it's from his homebrew game and he likes Treerazer a lot.
Bah. None of that is numbers. How am I going to do a Bayesian analysis of a posterior probability if you don't give me numbers, but instead give perfectly reasonable explanations?
|
|
If you're in Elemental Body attacking a swarm with Whirlwind would you take damage from the swarm?Yes.
Damage reduction can block a swarm attack, though, so if you get damage reduction, you'll be fine.
But merely being in a whirlwind form won't save you.
Should've clarified, what about while they are captured by the whirlwind having failed a second reflex.
|
a couple questions about Ancient Osirion:
aside from the pharaohs being seen as god-kings did they have their own pantheon of gods or did they worship the same gods as listed in the modern Osirion list in the Inner Sea World Guide?
by pantheon i dont necessarily mean similar to actual egyptian gods, just a different set than they worship in Osirion today...
also are the current rulers of Osirion also considered divine?
|
Creative Director
|
Should've clarified, what about while they are captured by the whirlwind having failed a second reflex.If you're in Elemental Body attacking a swarm with Whirlwind would you take damage from the swarm?Yes.
Damage reduction can block a swarm attack, though, so if you get damage reduction, you'll be fine.
But merely being in a whirlwind form won't save you.
As long as they're able to still bite and sting, why wouldn't they be able to hurt you?
|
Creative Director
|
a couple questions about Ancient Osirion:
aside from the pharaohs being seen as god-kings did they have their own pantheon of gods or did they worship the same gods as listed in the modern Osirion list in the Inner Sea World Guide?
by pantheon i dont necessarily mean similar to actual egyptian gods, just a different set than they worship in Osirion today...
also are the current rulers of Osirion also considered divine?
There were indeed ancient gods of Osirion; they were not all the same gods as those listed in the Inner Sea World Guide. In an Osirion game I just started running at work, in fact, many of those old gods of Ancient Osirion are Egyptian gods.
The current pharaoh of Osirion is not considered a god, but he is a pretty powerful spellcaster anyway.
Dear James Jacobs,
How will you be celebrating Labor Day this year?
If Labor Day existed in Golarion, which deity(s) do you think would must support it and which deity(s) (if any) would find it a travesty?
Not while I'm making the decisions.
Alkenstar first!
Do you not like Alkenstar & the magic-dead region of the Mana Wastes? Or is it just not one of the areas you'd rather focus on?
Regardless of your answer, feel free to elaborate and tell us why.
|
Creative Director
|
Dear James Jacobs,
How will you be celebrating Labor Day this year?
If Labor Day existed in Golarion, which deity(s) do you think would must support it and which deity(s) (if any) would find it a travesty?
Dunno yet. Might go see "Apollo 18" if I haven't seen it yet. Or I might, ironically, go to work anyway.
For whatever reason, the second part of that question confuses me, though... I guess it's because I've never thought Labor Day had much to do with religion.
|
Creative Director
|
Not while I'm making the decisions.
Alkenstar first!Do you not like Alkenstar & the magic-dead region of the Mana Wastes? Or is it just not one of the areas you'd rather focus on?
Regardless of your answer, feel free to elaborate and tell us why.
I'm just more interested in Kyonin than I am in Alkenstar.
|
I'm just more interested in Kyonin than I am in Alkenstar.Not while I'm making the decisions.
Alkenstar first!Do you not like Alkenstar & the magic-dead region of the Mana Wastes? Or is it just not one of the areas you'd rather focus on?
Regardless of your answer, feel free to elaborate and tell us why.
There are a lot of us interested in Kyonin. :)
Is there any chance that Kyonin book will have some elf-specific PrCs?
|
Creative Director
|
I'm just more interested in Kyonin than I am in Alkenstar.Not while I'm making the decisions.
Alkenstar first!Do you not like Alkenstar & the magic-dead region of the Mana Wastes? Or is it just not one of the areas you'd rather focus on?
Regardless of your answer, feel free to elaborate and tell us why.
There are a lot of us interested in Kyonin. :)
Is there any chance that Kyonin book will have some elf-specific PrCs?
Yes, there would be a chance.
Do you pay attention to favoriting posts for feed back? For example, if I also was interested in a Kyonin book, would you prefer that I favorite the original post or that I respond with +1 or whatever?
Mr. James Jacobs,
Do you think the inherent illiteration in your name destined you for writing as a career? It just rolls off the tongue.
Second, are we there yet?
(Man have I had too much coffee today.)
If you take off, have a great holiday.
|
|
Dear James Jacobs,
How will you be celebrating Labor Day this year?
If Labor Day existed in Golarion, which deity(s) do you think would must support it and which deity(s) (if any) would find it a travesty?
Dunno yet. Might go see "Apollo 18" if I haven't seen it yet. Or I might, ironically, go to work anyway.
For whatever reason, the second part of that question confuses me, though... I guess it's because I've never thought Labor Day had much to do with religion.
I didn't even know there was a Apollo 18 film before your post. How it is?
For Labour day: Adabar I think. Labour day is about just wages for the work you do. something that Adabar will support.
And probably Asmodeus and Zon-Kuthon will find it a travesty as you should pay your workers as little as possible.
For whatever reason, the second part of that question confuses me, though... I guess it's because I've never thought Labor Day had much to do with religion.
It doesn't, but that doesn't mean that different deities wouldn't have their own opinions on a holiday, right?
I didn't even know there was a Apollo 18 film before your post. How it is?
Haven't seen it yet myself, but the previews make it look to be like Paranormal Activity, except replace the house with a space probe and the demons / ghosts with the monster from Alien.
And since I'm linking space-y stuff as it is, SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!
Speaking of Portal 2, Dear James Jacobs,
Have you ever played Portal or Portal 2? If so, what did you think? If not, why not?!