I think I am guilty of bad wording. I'm sorry, as I am not a native English speaker and I often mess up with words.
I aggree that CoCT would probably work better as a TV series too, but what I was trying to ask was:
Which one of the Paizo APs do you think would work better as a:
1)Novel?
2)TV series?
3)Animated series?
4)Comic book?
I'm sorry for the bad wording.
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I think I am guilty of bad wording. I'm sorry, as I am not a native English speaker and I often mess up with words.
I aggree that CoCT would probably work better as a TV series too, but what I was trying to ask was:
Which one of the Paizo APs do you think would work better as a:
1)Novel?
2)TV series?
3)Animated series?
4)Comic book?I'm sorry for the bad wording.
I don't think any of them would be particularly better or worse suited for any of those. All four of those handle plot and story fine, but not all handle a 6 part epic saga fine.
Have you watched Steven Universe? If you haven't, I would recommend it. 11-minute doses of daily positivity, although I would reserve judgement until episode 26, since it has a really slow pace.
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Have you watched Steven Universe? If you haven't, I would recommend it. 11-minute doses of daily positivity, although I would reserve judgement until episode 26, since it has a really slow pace.
Never heard of it, and "positivity" tends to have the opposite effect on my overly cynical brain these days anyway, so I think I'll stick to horror movies and MST3K which are much better at cheering me up.
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How are Black Blooded oracles affected by spells like affected by spells like Resurrection or Breath of Life?
"Positive and negative energy affect a black-blooded oracle as if she were undead—positive energy harms her, while negative energy heals her (this aspect of the curse has no effect if the oracle is undead)."
Does this mean that Black Blooded Oracles cannot be resurrected using techniques that restore life to living creatures?
Breath of life does damage to a black blooded oracle; she can't be saved from death by this spell and there's no negative energy variant to replace it. This sucks for the black blooded oracle, but that's not an error. It's somewhat intentional.
Resurrection and similar spells that bring you back from death work normally on them, since those spells don't actually inflict positive energy damage.
How much is the prize money for drinking Norah's "water" at The Hagfish? Also, what's the DC of the necessary Fortitude save?
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How much is the prize money for drinking Norah's "water" at The Hagfish? Also, what's the DC of the necessary Fortitude save?
The amount of prize money for successfully drinking varies, depending on how long it's been since someone last won and got their name on the wall. If you want to randomly determine this number, I guess roll 10d6 to determine how many silver pieces are in the bag.
As for the DC of the save, we statted up Varisian hagfishes in volume 56 of the Adventure Path. Using that as a guide, I'd say the DC to stomach a full cup of slime water would be DC 15.
Have you been watching the new season of MST3K then? Do you have any thoughts so far?
I've been looking through the Lady's Light (Pathfinder #62) and I only found two ways of escape: up the shaft in the false sepulcher (hope you remembered a rope), or via teleportation magic. Is there any I missed?
Have you seen any of the Black Mirror series on Netflix? As a horror fan, do you like this style of "horror through imminent plausibility"?
Have you seen, or heard of, the BBC series 'Inside No. 9'? It's on Netflix here in New Zealand, not sure about the US, but it's one of the best mixes of horror and super-dark comedy I've ever seen, with the occasional jaunt into soul-crushing tragedy. I thought it was incredible, and feel obliged to recommend it to everyone I possibly can...
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Have you been watching the new season of MST3K then? Do you have any thoughts so far?
I have been; I"m about halfway through the new season. Love it! They've managed to pick up the show and run with it almost like it had never been cancelled in the first place, and the fact that they did so while apparently not having bad blood with the previous actors is immense. Plus, seeing movies like "Reptilicus" and "The Land that Time Forgot" get the treatment is extra special, since I adored both of those movies as a kid. And while Reptilicus is NOT a good movie and has NOT aged well, "Land that Time Forgot" is still pretty charming in a quaint way.
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Have you seen any of the Black Mirror series on Netflix? As a horror fan, do you like this style of "horror through imminent plausibility"?
Have you seen, or heard of, the BBC series 'Inside No. 9'? It's on Netflix here in New Zealand, not sure about the US, but it's one of the best mixes of horror and super-dark comedy I've ever seen, with the occasional jaunt into soul-crushing tragedy. I thought it was incredible, and feel obliged to recommend it to everyone I possibly can...
I was a fan of Black Mirror years ago, so when the new season hit Netflix, I binged it that weekend. I quite love the series; its mix of sci-fi and horror and social commentary is rad.
Haven't heard of the other one.
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Do oracles need to have a focus for the spells granted to them by their mystery if that is part of the spells components?
"Oracles do not need to provide a divine focus to cast spells that list divine focus (DF) as part of the components."
For example, a Time Mystery Oracle is granted the spell Contingency which normally requires "F (ivory statuette of you worth 1,500 gp)". Do they need this or does the above quote extend to spells granted to them by their mystery/curse/archetype?
Yes.
Have you been watching the new season of MST3K then? Do you have any thoughts so far?I have been; I"m about halfway through the new season. Love it! They've managed to pick up the show and run with it almost like it had never been cancelled in the first place, and the fact that they did so while apparently not having bad blood with the previous actors is immense. Plus, seeing movies like "Reptilicus" and "The Land that Time Forgot" get the treatment is extra special, since I adored both of those movies as a kid. And while Reptilicus is NOT a good movie and has NOT aged well, "Land that Time Forgot" is still pretty charming in a quaint way.
I had the same thoughts on Land that Time Forgot. I remember watching that movie a million times on TV growing up, although I hadn't seen it in forever. That Plesiosaur attack is still great and holds up okay, compared to a lot of other MSt3K monsters.
Do you think Reptilicus would make a good Pathfinder monster? It looks cheesy as hell but the regeneration abilities would be pretty nasty to put on a dragon-like monster. Wouldn't mind seeing a nod to that creature down the line :P
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Do you think Reptilicus would make a good Pathfinder monster? It looks cheesy as hell but the regeneration abilities would be pretty nasty to put on a dragon-like monster. Wouldn't mind seeing a nod to that creature down the line :P
The terribleness of Reptilicus prevents me from being too passionate about a Reptilicus in Pathifnder. Just use a linnorm, I guess.
Speaking of giant monsters who got the MST3K treatment...
Are you a fan of Gorgo?
Mr. James Jacobs,
What does a Pharasmin wedding look like?
Complicated and memorable and exciting and emotional and delicious.Mr. James Jacobs,
What does a Pharasmin wedding look like?
Would it be safe to assume there's plenty of Mexican food?
Dear James Jacobs
How much would the following item be worth (as in, monetary worth) in a regular campaign?
A Diminutive-sized metal replica of a small bird, such as a nightingale or robin, which is actually a wind-up toy.
You can wind it up with a full-round action giving it up to 6 charges. The bird then starts chirping and making small leaps, moving 5 feet in a straight line each round expending one charge each round.
No spells are involved in the creation of the item, its movement and the chirping sounds are a purely mechanical effect.
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Would it be safe to assume there's plenty of Mexican food?Complicated and memorable and exciting and emotional and delicious.Mr. James Jacobs,
What does a Pharasmin wedding look like?
Nope.
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Dear James Jacobs
How much would the following item be worth (as in, monetary worth) in a regular campaign?
A Diminutive-sized metal replica of a small bird, such as a nightingale or robin, which is actually a wind-up toy.
You can wind it up with a full-round action giving it up to 6 charges. The bird then starts chirping and making small leaps, moving 5 feet in a straight line each round expending one charge each round.No spells are involved in the creation of the item, its movement and the chirping sounds are a purely mechanical effect.
Not much. Even though no spells are involved in creating it, the best way to quantify costs for things like this is to map them out as if they were a magic item that uses spells, since those rules are well defined and we've got a HUGE number of spell effects to draw from. That's how I figured out the costs for all the technological items in the Technology Guide.
Taking that advice, looking at this effect, it's about on par with a 1st level spell, I'd say. Baseline cost for that would be 2,000 gp. Since it has to be charged up by winding as a full round action, I'd cut that price in half to 1,000 gp.
At that point, the chirpwalker is as much an art object or toy as it is a utility. If clockworking and mechanical construction is super common in your setting, I could see cutting its price even further, down to say 100 gp or less.
The role you expect it to play in your game also matters. If it's basically intended to be nothing more than a fancy child's toy, I would keep it at 1,000 gp (or more) and have it be an extravagant toy that rich folks give their children, and have the bulk of its value be in the same category as art or jewelry.
I've been doing a bit of research into Numeria lately, and I'm a bit confused. Most description details it as barren flat plains but almost every picture I've seen of it drawn or on the blogs has a more Badlands feel (Think like New Mexico and Arizona).
Do you have any insight onto the area's geography?
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I've been doing a bit of research into Numeria lately, and I'm a bit confused. Most description details it as barren flat plains but almost every picture I've seen of it drawn or on the blogs has a more Badlands feel (Think like New Mexico and Arizona).
Do you have any insight onto the area's geography?
It's a mix. There's certainly badlands feel to the eastern parts, and also in the western parts, but down the middle it's got more plains. It's a big area—there's plenty of room for all sorts of terrain. Check out the Iron Gods adventure path for a more detailed look at several regions in Numeria, as well as the 64 page Numeria book itself.
Mr. Jacobs,
Have you ever played, or GM'ed, Tome of Righteous Repose?
If yes;
Which story arc?
How did it turn out?
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Hey James, can Aquatic Elves breathe in freshwater as well as saltwater?
Follow up, how do you feel about Freshwater dwelling Aquatic Elves? Would their stats/racial abilities be basically the same?
They can breathe water regardless. Aquatic elves don't live in freshwater, because that's not thematic for the race on Golarion. They can live there if you want them to in your game, of course, and even in Golarion they have no problem breathing fresh water.
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James... Is there anywhere in Golarion that acts as a natural anti-magic barrier or field? Barring that, a land that was so saturated with dispelling magics and defences that it slowly corrupted and became resistant or able to block spellcaating?
There's the Mana Wastes, which is a place that is anything BUT natural (it's a place where warring wizard nations screwed up the way magic works and now magic is not predictable there or at times just doesn't work at all).
There is not anywhere on Golarion where magic simply doesn't work. I've always felt that trope is kinda lame, frankly, since it shuts off so many player characers. It's as lame as there being an area where you can't attack or can't make skill checks. It feels like lazy gamemastering to me.
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Hi, Mr.Jacobs
In setting, when anyone use Spell-Like Abilities(Sp),Supernatural Abilities(Su) or Extraordinary Abilities (Ex) , Will any special signs show up?
For example, a Cleric use its Luck Domain ability "Good Fortune" on
a Diplomacy check , will the NPC notice that?thanks you.
Up to your GM; use common sense, I guess, or go with whatever sits well with the story. But once the decision is made, stay with it for the whole campaign.
How much (if any was needed) research did you do into cultures worldwide? I can imagine firstly for inspiration, and also to make things realistic and understand some about what makes a culture.
Before the start of Rise of the Runelords, how many months prior did Nualia first meet with the goblins?
About how many goblins are in each of the tribes near Sandpoint?
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How much (if any was needed) research did you do into cultures worldwide? I can imagine firstly for inspiration, and also to make things realistic and understand some about what makes a culture.
It varies. I didn't keep track. Especially since in some cases, this research has been happening all my life as I read and explore and experience different points of view.
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Before the start of Rise of the Runelords, how many months prior did Nualia first meet with the goblins?
About how many goblins are in each of the tribes near Sandpoint?
It's been years since I had my head in Burnt Offerings' timeline, but off the top of my head, I'd go with six months.
As for how many? As many as you need there to be, frankly, to tell the stories you want. You can look at Burnt Offerings to total up all the goblins in Thistletop, and at Brinewall Legacy to get a good count of the Licktoads. Extrapolate as needed from there. I do know that the Mosswood goblins are the largest tribe.
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Hello, James.
How do you think character's death in a game? Especially in a long, Continuous story, such as Adventure Path?
Last month, I held a meeting to tell my HR , GM style...etc.
But when we talked about "death" , there was disagreement.
I think,this is a important part of a game, we will grow in what we meet and we might die in this dangerous world without any reason. If your character dead, you can rewrite a new one rejoin the team, that's OK.
Player said: That's truth, but in the story, adding a new character that has nothing to do with the previous story will cause many problems for both of us.
James, what is your view of death in the game? How did you deal with the death of the character when the story goes halfway ?
Thanks you.
I think that the THREAT of PC death is far more important to a game than actual PC death. In a story, when a main character dies, it's to accomplish an important beat in the evolution of the tale, and it doesn't make you, the reader, have to stop interacting with the tale; you can still experience the story in the same capacity as you did before the character died. Perhaps not with as much enjoyment, but still.
In an RPG, a player isn't merely reading a story or watching a movie. They're ACTIVE in the role of the character, and any effect that takes away that agency and prevents the player from being able to interact with the story and the game is frustrating to that player, be it a few rounds of stun or paralysis, or long term things like petrification or death.
To a player, if your character dies in a combat and that combat goes on for 3 combat rounds that take 3 hours to resolve in real life... that's a significant portion of the game session that you don't get to play the game. You just sit there and watch everyone else have fun... and if you feel that your death occurred because of an error in another player's tactics or a misapplied rule or simply as the result of a bad die roll or something, you're also sitting there frustrated and angry.
It's INCREDIBLY EASY for GMs to not get this. After all, when a GM's character dies, he has a whole worlds' worth of other characters to play. A GM is always playing and always has agency in the game, even at times when every bad guy in the battle is killed. There's never really a point in the game where the GM can't play. Furthermore, the GM knows how close to success or failure the party is at all times—the players do not. The GM might know that after a fight against a dragon that the player characters NEVER had a chance to even get hurt, but from the player side, they don't know this. They might just think that they got lucky or had good tactics or whatever... they don't know what you, the GM, have in your arsenal, and as such, every encounter could well be something unexpected.
The best thing a GM can do to address this is to play a campaign where they are a player, and to play that character for a year or two and level that character up. Experience what it's like NOT being in total control, what it's like NOT knowing the exact level of threat or what looms in the future. Then, when you go back to being the GM, you can use what you know to imply threat and the potentiality of death and not feel like "No one died in that encounter, therefore the encounter was too easy and no fun."
Now, to speak specifically to some of your comments, I disagree with one in particular.
If you're playing a character and that character is interacting with the story for multiple sessions, builds relationships with other PCs and NPCs, and invests their story in the world you're running, having that character die is traumatic and disappointing. It's often NOT appealing to merely "rewrite a new one and rejoin the team" because that new character has no weight behind it; there's no tradition or nostalgia. A new character will always feel like a replacement. Think of a show like the X-Files... then think of how the show changed when they replaced Mulder or Scully with other characters who tried to fill the same role. It's not the same. The show (X-files or whatever) is usually less interesting.
The same goes for player characters. When my character dies in a game, I have a VERY difficult time continuing to be interested in the game. If my character dies in the first or second or third session, before I've had a chance to figure her personality and role in the story out, that's less of a problem, but each session my character survives, her place in the story grows more solid and thus, if she dies, it's more and more likely that rather than simply make a new character I'll just quit the campaign entirely if she can't be resurrected. THAT SAID... if she dies in the climactic battle, or dies in a way that finalizes her story in a satisfying way, then absolutely is that okay... but most PC deaths don't happen that way. They happen because someone makes a mistake, someone rolls a bad roll, or the GM or another player causes something unfair to happen. Very unsatisfying.
NOTE: These are my views for a Pathfinder or similar game. For a game like Call of Cthulhu, those views are flopped on the head. In Call of Cthulhu, it's not about your character's story—it's not your character who grows more powerful as the game progresses. Character death in Call of Cthulhu is expected and helps to build the horror of the game, and it's usually VERY easy to bring in a new character and continue to adventure with relative ease alongside of characters who have survived, since the power level difference between a new character and one who's been on dozens of missions is nowhere NEAR as vast in Pathfinder or other level-based games.
If you're running a game, how do you strike a balance between maintaining the threat of character death, but not killing characters? In the case where the fall of the dice indicates that a character is going to die...
Would you fudge rolls? Allow the character a chance to flee and save herself? Bring in a deus ex machina? Or just give the characters quick and easy access to resurrection? And do you impose penalties (like a permanent Constitution loss) for resurrections?
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If you're running a game, how do you strike a balance between maintaining the threat of character death, but not killing characters? In the case where the fall of the dice indicates that a character is going to die...
Would you fudge rolls? Allow the character a chance to flee and save herself? Bring in a deus ex machina? Or just give the characters quick and easy access to resurrection? And do you impose penalties (like a permanent Constitution loss) for resurrections?
If you run an encounter where the monsters are causing damage to the PCs... presto. The threat of character death exists. I also am not afraid to adjust encounters on the fly, and have monsters suddenly have reinforcements if things look too easy or if it looks like there's a TPK on the horizon or a PC is about to die, I have a monster make a poor choice or have some other deus ex machina manifest. I prefer NOT to do deus ex machinas because they tend to remove that threat, but when I do, I tie them to previous character successes. For example:
"Remember 3 sessions ago when you decided NOT to kill the orc chief? Well, he shows up and saves you to repay your mercy... good thing you all made that choice to spare him!" In so doing, the deus ex machina is perceived by the players not as something you just came up with, but as a scripted event that was always intended to play out that way as a result of a previous success.
I also use hero point type systems, where I give players a limited resource (usually plot twist cards or harrow cards) they can use to undo things when they go bad. This really helps to prevent sudden death via a bad roll or bad luck.
I don't generally fudge rules, but I do change the way rules work often in subtle ways to keep players enjoying the game. For example, when a monster paralyzes a PC I will usually give the PC a series of new saving throws to shake off the paralysis, akin to how hold person works, just to give that player something to do when it comes to their turn.
I also often throw in things like scrolls of resurrection or the like early in the game so that if something bad happens, they DO have a means to undo the sudden death. Giving out an expensive scroll of resurrection early in the game makes it feel like the PCs actually found legitimate treasure, rather than "what they were due for their level." And since such a scroll, despite its GP value, isn't something a group will sell, it doesn't really impact the economy at all.
I don't impose penalties for resurrections. That's lame and petty. The humiliation of your character dying and the frustration of not being able to play while you're dead is penalty enough.
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hey James Jacobs question.
ingame wise, are Demons considered living or existing . Con score aside which rule state con score = living. Because to me they exist but do not live since they were created from evil souls. My view that they exist stems from BG2:throne of Bhaal and banter between Jaheira and Seravok with jaheira telling him that he did not live but existed, he had a con number too him which would be a score to go with it if transfer to 3.x.
I never can explain thins clearly as Id like too.....
this thread is where it started.
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pezp?Paladins-and-Torture
Anything with a Constitution score is alive. Throne of Bhaal is from a different company and a different game, so that's not really an appropriate thing to go off of when talking about Pathifnder content.
Are you familiar with Granfaloon from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night? It seems like such a bizarre monster that it would be right up your alley.