Who created xiomorns? Perhaps you?
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Who created xiomorns? Perhaps you?
I created them. They first appeared in "Into the Darklands" when I wanted/needed a mystical otherworldly force capable of building an immense deep underground ecosystem that would work in the way D&D's Underdark worked but also admitted that science makes such a thing impossible to exist on Earth.
They were just called Vault Builders and Vault Keepers at that point. I didn't invent the name "xiomorn" until later. I think maybe in my dungeon level for "Emerald Spire."
While most of what they are is from my imagination, the two most singificant sources of inspiration to me were the Wind Dukes of Aaqa from D&D (I wanted Pathifnder to have a legendary, ancient elemental society akin to the Wind Dukes), and Dan Simmons' Hyperion cantos (which had a really interesting set of immense underground worlds with a linked heritage from alien builders).
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While dragons have arms, drakes don't. But house drakes clearly have arms. Do you think this monster is not named correctly? Would you have changed their name to house dragon if you have found out this error earlier?
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Would you ever consider doing a 3-book AP from 5-15 (or some other 10-level span)? Or is Paizo locked into 1-10 and 11-20?
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Having a blast going through Book of the Dead, were you involved in the update of the Nightwalker family of creatures?
The Nightwave is legitimately terrifying (some Subnautice vibes there).
Glad you're enjoying Book of the Dead. I was not involved in that book much at all.
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While dragons have arms, drakes don't. But house drakes clearly have arms. Do you think this monster is not named correctly? Would you have changed their name to house dragon if you have found out this error earlier?
Just like nightgaunts and trailgaunts both have the word "gaunt" in their name but are not really related, house drakes and the more powerful drakes are not really related other than both having the dragon type. It's not an error.
(Originally they were called pseudodragons, but in the 2nd Pathfinder novel, which was set in part in Korvosa, where there were a LOT of these critters, we couldn't use that word because novels aren't OGL, so Sutter and Dave Gross came up with "house drake" as the replacement name. The crossover with the drake creature is a bit awkward, I guess, but it's not an error.)
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So I've seen some conflicting information on this, so I thought I'd ask. If I worship a demon lord/qlippoth lord/daemon harbinger/whatever, does that archfiend "get" my soul after death? Or do I just wind up in the abyss/Abaddon generally?
If you worship a divinity and are a devout worshiper, your soul is generally going to go to that divinity's realm. There can of course be exceptions, but that's the expectation. If you are not a devout worshiper, you might go there, you might just end up a generic petitioner on that divinity's plane, or you might go there and end up being tormented for eternity.
There are no hard and fast rules, though. If the ultimate fate of a PC soul matters, the player and GM should work together to determine where that soul goes, but the GM gets the final say in their capacity of "roleplaying" Pharasma and controlling the reality your PC lived and died in.
I suppose other folks here at Paizo might answer this question differently, but you asked me, not them, for what that's worth.
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Would you ever consider doing a 3-book AP from 5-15 (or some other 10-level span)? Or is Paizo locked into 1-10 and 11-20?
Any level range is possible for an Adventure Path.
As an aside... I'm not sure how popular one where you didn't start at 1st level OR didn't reach 20th level would be, but I also don't really have much of an ability to know what is and isn't popular apart from looking at sales numbers, reading reviews, or looking at internet feedback and trying to parse what parts of the good and bad were from the adventure and what parts were introduced by the GM in play.
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Dear Jimmydean Saurusausage Rex,
The 3.X Monster Manuals all qualified monster alignments with an array of commonality-ranges: "Often" [~50%], "Usually" [~75%], and "Always" [99.99%] (maybe there were 1-2 more, I forget).
Anyways, Pathfinder BESTIARIES did away with those; not that it's otherwise a big deal to me, but I am curious as to the actual reason why.
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Dear Jimmydean Saurusausage Rex,
The 3.X Monster Manuals all qualified monster alignments with an array of commonality-ranges: "Often" [~50%], "Usually" [~75%], and "Always" [99.99%] (maybe there were 1-2 more, I forget).
Anyways, Pathfinder BESTIARIES did away with those; not that it's otherwise a big deal to me, but I am curious as to the actual reason why.
That's a better question for the design team to answer, but I suspect we got rid of that because folks took them too literally, and because too many people viewed them as creative straitjackets.
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So follow up for the gods. What alignments actually get you to a god's realm after death? I assume all the cleric alignments are fine (CN clerics of Desna for instance), but could a true neutral follower of Desna get to her realm if they were exceptionally faithful? How about a lawful good one?
Alignment is a handy shortcut to make those decisions for minor NPCs, but in the end, there's more to it than that. A non CG worshiper of Desna could end up in Desna's court, for example, if they were still devout and not a jerk.
The way I see it thoguh, alignment is not a cause but a result. It's set by your actions. It doesn't define your actions. And if you've been doing things to worship and honor a divinity devoutly by adhering to their teachings, you'll probably be that divinity's alignment anyway.
Alignment for a character of note (such as a PC) is the result of actions, not the cause of actions.
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Makes sense to me.
Do utukku cults (bestiary 6 qlippoth) actually require the titular qlippoth? By that I mean, if people form a cult that believes not in becoming an outsider but in merging directly with the great beyond, and the cult has the proper rituals, will that really happen?
Maybe! The various monsters we put in our bestiaries often have implied stories that they work in, but those implications are often even more interesting if something else happens.
Do powerful beings like Baba Yaga, Belimarius, Geb, Jatembe, Nex, Sorshen, and Tar-Baphon want to become gods?
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And now for a question - does memory modification or the like work on people after they're dead? So if an evil king were killed by an enchanter who tried to make him not want to return from death and then killed him, would his soul actually be unwilling to return in the event his vile henchmen want to bring him back?
As long as the duration of the effect of the modification persists, the memories remain modified in the mind of the creature, as long as the creature's mind retains memories. Once a soul is judged, all memories—real or modified—go away.
Do powerful beings like Baba Yaga, Belimarius, Geb, Jatembe, Nex, Sorshen, and Tar-Baphon want to become gods?None of those you listed do, except for Tar-Baphon.
Then can I assume that, while Urgathoa would like Geb very much, she would hate or perhaps be afraid of Tar-Baphon, since there's a high possibility that he would one day ascend and become a serious contender for the title of the god of the undead?
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Then can I assume that, while Urgathoa would like Geb very much, she would hate or perhaps be afraid of Tar-Baphon, since there's a high possibility that he would one day ascend and become a serious contender for the title of the god of the undead?Do powerful beings like Baba Yaga, Belimarius, Geb, Jatembe, Nex, Sorshen, and Tar-Baphon want to become gods?None of those you listed do, except for Tar-Baphon.
She's not afraid of Tar-Baphon. Even if he ascends to divinity, and even if he somehow skips past being a demigod, she's got a very good head start on him as far as power goes. Further, there's plenty of room for multiple undeath-themed deities. We already have several. One more wouldn't threaten Urgathoa, and if a new one did, they probably wouldn't remain a divinity for long.
Do powerful undead like Auberon, Erum-Hel, Geb, Malyas, Tar-Baphon, and Zutha worship Urgathoa?
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I have always thought that locathahs look like goldfish. But the art on page 164 of Second Edition Bestiary 3 reminds me of... I'm not sure, but... Coral? Jellyfish? Sea anemone? I have no idea what it is, but it surely doesn't look like a goldfish to me anymore. Is the art for locathahs in Bestiary 3 was a mis-step (just like the art for ogres) and will be swapped out eventually?
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I have always thought that locathahs look like goldfish. But the art on page 164 of Second Edition Bestiary 3 reminds me of... I'm not sure, but... Coral? Jellyfish? Sea anemone? I have no idea what it is, but it surely doesn't look like a goldfish to me anymore. Is the art for locathahs in Bestiary 3 was a mis-step (just like the art for ogres) and will be swapped out eventually?
The 2nd edition is our look for them now.
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I have always thought that locathahs look like goldfish. But the art on page 164 of Second Edition Bestiary 3 reminds me of... I'm not sure, but... Coral? Jellyfish? Sea anemone? I have no idea what it is, but it surely doesn't look like a goldfish to me anymore. Is the art for locathahs in Bestiary 3 was a mis-step (just like the art for ogres) and will be swapped out eventually?The 2nd edition is our look for them now.
I wish to ask: Do you think locathahs look like goldfish in Pathfinder First Edition and D&D? Also, do you think Second Edition locathahs look vastly different from First Edition locathahs?
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I wish to ask: Do you think locathahs look like goldfish in Pathfinder First Edition and D&D? Also, do you think Second Edition locathahs look vastly different from First Edition locathahs?I have always thought that locathahs look like goldfish. But the art on page 164 of Second Edition Bestiary 3 reminds me of... I'm not sure, but... Coral? Jellyfish? Sea anemone? I have no idea what it is, but it surely doesn't look like a goldfish to me anymore. Is the art for locathahs in Bestiary 3 was a mis-step (just like the art for ogres) and will be swapped out eventually?The 2nd edition is our look for them now.
I don't think so.
In First Edition, a cleric chooses two domains among those belonging to his deity. These two domains are for free. But in Second Edition, if a cleric doesn't learn domain initiate feat, then he would have no access to the domains of his deity and thus would not be able to cast domain spells? In other words, while domains were for free in First Edition, they are not free anymore in Second Edition?
So unlike almost all other divine realms, Xovaikain is not located in the Outer Sphere. Does this mean that it’s not made up of quintessence?
If a newly ascended divinity wanted their divine realm to be a demiplane they had created, would their petitioners automatically get sent to that demiplane, or do they have to ask Pharasma/the Boneyard to set up whatever background stuff needs to happen to get the petitioners there?
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In First Edition, a cleric chooses two domains among those belonging to his deity. These two domains are for free. But in Second Edition, if a cleric doesn't learn domain initiate feat, then he would have no access to the domains of his deity and thus would not be able to cast domain spells? In other words, while domains were for free in First Edition, they are not free anymore in Second Edition?
The rules work different between editions, and classes are better balanced and more easy to mix and match between and have more to do overall.
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If a newly ascended divinity wanted their divine realm to be a demiplane they had created, would their petitioners automatically get sent to that demiplane, or do they have to ask Pharasma/the Boneyard to set up whatever background stuff needs to happen to get the petitioners there?
The process is automatic and does not require Pharasma's permission.
So I'm playing Elden Ring and I find these ruins in the deep dark woods so I start sneaking around and I find this huge ass treasure chest and I think to myself "It sure is weird there's nothing guarding this treasure chest!" So I sneak around another corner and I think to myself "I wonder why this wall is furry, and breathing?.." it's about then the wall gets up and I realize it wasn't a wall at all! It was a huge bear!! So I think to myself "Surely if I roll to the side and hide in these bushes he won't see me!" He saw me. Fortunately I realized this with enough time to roll out of the way as it literally tears apart the wall where I was just standing! He then took another swipe at me, and I must've rolled or something because while he did get a solid hit on me I surprisingly didn't die and his attack propelled me out the ruins where I promptly ran very very very very very far away and hid in a different bush until I could gather myself.
Do you have any favorite bushes you like to hide in in Elden Ring. Or possibly some tips on not running from dying to dying some more. I've obviously only begun playing it.
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So I'm playing Elden Ring and I find these ruins in the deep dark woods so I start sneaking around and I find this huge ass treasure chest and I think to myself "It sure is weird there's nothing guarding this treasure chest!" So I sneak around another corner and I think to myself "I wonder why this wall is furry, and breathing?.." it's about then the wall gets up and I realize it wasn't a wall at all! It was a huge bear!! So I think to myself "Surely if I roll to the side and hide in these bushes he won't see me!" He saw me. Fortunately I realized this with enough time to roll out of the way as it literally tears apart the wall where I was just standing! He then took another swipe at me, and I must've rolled or something because while he did get a solid hit on me I surprisingly didn't die and his attack propelled me out the ruins where I promptly ran very very very very very far away and hid in a different bush until I could gather myself.
Do you have any favorite bushes you like to hide in in Elden Ring. Or possibly some tips on not running from dying to dying some more. I've obviously only begun playing it.
My favorite hiding spot in Elden Ring is always the closest spot. Doesn't matter if it's a bush or behind a rock or whatever. :P
Dying is part of the game. My tip is to not view dying as a failure, but as part of the experience. Note how you died and then try to avoid making that mistake again, but do head back to where you died to pick up the runes you dropped! And that said, running in to grab treasures from a dangerous area and then getting killed before you escape is a 100% viable tactic if you don't care about the runes you leave behind, because once you grab treasures, they stick with you even if you get killed an instant later. Sometimes, the treasure you grab will be something that'll help you in that encounter, even!
If I find myself dying too many times in an area, I'll either summon aid to assist me (be they spirit ashes or co-op players), or I'll go somewhere else. The game is MASSIVE and there's always a new place to go, and for most of the bosses there are options to avoid them. Very few of the bosses in the game are required.
Once you get Torrent, riding around on him gives you increased mobility and speed, and many tough fights are made easier if you fight while mounted, but keep some raisins handy to feed Torrent if he gets hurt (or alternately, drink your flask to heal; that'll heal Torrent too).
And those giant bears are gonna remain scary the entire game. They're rough.
Is there a festival, celebration, or holiday in-setting that you enjoy the most?
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I realized that there's no treant in Bestiary. Do they not exist in Lost Omens anymore?
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I realized that there's no treant in Bestiary. Do they not exist in Lost Omens anymore?
As with a few other creatures, we renamed this D&D monster (itself a name that D&D had to rename from their original unlicensed use of the word "ent" from Tolkien back in the early days).
Check out the arboreal near the start of the book.
So I'm playing Elden Ring and I find these ruins in the deep dark woods so I start sneaking around and I find this huge ass treasure chest and I think to myself "It sure is weird there's nothing guarding this treasure chest!" So I sneak around another corner and I think to myself "I wonder why this wall is furry, and breathing?.." it's about then the wall gets up and I realize it wasn't a wall at all! It was a huge bear!! So I think to myself "Surely if I roll to the side and hide in these bushes he won't see me!" He saw me. Fortunately I realized this with enough time to roll out of the way as it literally tears apart the wall where I was just standing! He then took another swipe at me, and I must've rolled or something because while he did get a solid hit on me I surprisingly didn't die and his attack propelled me out the ruins where I promptly ran very very very very very far away and hid in a different bush until I could gather myself.
Do you have any favorite bushes you like to hide in in Elden Ring. Or possibly some tips on not running from dying to dying some more. I've obviously only begun playing it.
My favorite hiding spot in Elden Ring is always the closest spot. Doesn't matter if it's a bush or behind a rock or whatever. :P
Dying is part of the game. My tip is to not view dying as a failure, but as part of the experience. Note how you died and then try to avoid making that mistake again, but do head back to where you died to pick up the runes you dropped! And that said, running in to grab treasures from a dangerous area and then getting killed before you escape is a 100% viable tactic if you don't care about the runes you leave behind, because once you grab treasures, they stick with you even if you get killed an instant later. Sometimes, the treasure you grab will be something that'll help you in that encounter, even!
If I find myself dying too many times in an area, I'll either summon aid to assist me (be they spirit ashes or co-op players), or...
Thank you! Great advice! The dying hasn't diminished my appreciation for the game as I'm always up for a challenge!
I've been playing as a confessor so far after trying out a warrior without any success. What is your favorite class in Elden Ring?
Have a wonderful day!
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I've been playing as a confessor so far after trying out a warrior without any success. What is your favorite class in Elden Ring?
I've only played it once so far; as soon as I put my 200 or so hours in, I went back to finish Horizon Forbidden West, and now that that's done I've gone back to finish Dying Light 2. Three games that came out back to back in reverse order of what I wanted to play them in. Once I'm done with Dying Light 2, Deathloop is next on the list...
...but at some point I'll 100% for sure go back to Elden Ring.
I went with a bandit on that first playthrough, mostly because I wanted to start with a bow. In all previous souls games I ended up doing a dexterity-faith hybrid, and this one wasn't MUCH of a difference although I dipped further into strength because the shield block counterattack mechanic really spoke to me in a way that parry tactics never did.
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Finished running Abomination Vaults book 2 yay :3
Curious, was it ever decided which velstrac demagogue Urevian is fulfilling contract for? If not, then for my headcanons, was there any velstrac demagogue who still has close ties to hell?
That's a question for Ron, I guess. I only wrote part 1 (and designed the maps for all three adventures), so I don't really have any insights into things from the 2nd or 3rd adventures. Unless they relate directly to Nhimbaloth, that is!
When I first saw Pathfinder, I was a little bit disappointed because it doesn't contain kuo-toa. What monster would be the best alternative for kuo-toa in Lost Omens? Skum? Gillmen? Deep ones? Deep merfolk?
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When I first saw Pathfinder, I was a little bit disappointed because it doesn't contain kuo-toa. What monster would be the best alternative for kuo-toa in Lost Omens? Skum? Gillmen? Deep ones? Deep merfolk?
Kuo-toa are one of the creatures WotC didn't put into the SRD, like beholders and mind flayers and carrion crawlers.
Skum are the closet thing to a "replacement" they have, and in fact, there's a large city of skum in the Darklands I put there for just that purpose.
When I first saw Pathfinder, I was a little bit disappointed because it doesn't contain kuo-toa. What monster would be the best alternative for kuo-toa in Lost Omens? Skum? Gillmen? Deep ones? Deep merfolk?Kuo-toa are one of the creatures WotC didn't put into the SRD, like beholders and mind flayers and carrion crawlers.
Skum are the closet thing to a "replacement" they have, and in fact, there's a large city of skum in the Darklands I put there for just that purpose.
Actually I thought that deep ones are the closest thing to a replacement for kuo-toa, because I heard kuo-toa are heavily inspired by deep ones. But if the best replacement for kuo-toa are skum, than perhaps kuo-toa and deep ones are not alike that much?
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Actually I thought that deep ones are the closest thing to a replacement for kuo-toa, because I heard kuo-toa are heavily inspired by deep ones. But if the best replacement for kuo-toa are skum, than perhaps kuo-toa and deep ones are not alike that much?When I first saw Pathfinder, I was a little bit disappointed because it doesn't contain kuo-toa. What monster would be the best alternative for kuo-toa in Lost Omens? Skum? Gillmen? Deep ones? Deep merfolk?Kuo-toa are one of the creatures WotC didn't put into the SRD, like beholders and mind flayers and carrion crawlers.
Skum are the closet thing to a "replacement" they have, and in fact, there's a large city of skum in the Darklands I put there for just that purpose.
Lovecraft's deep ones likely inspired the original creation of the kuo-toa, the skum, and the sahuagin. All four of those are kind of the same thing... but the deep ones were first, by about a half century. So to me, that gives them a bit of extra nostalgia and preference.
Pick your favorite, I guess.
To me... Skum are the Darklands ones, deep ones are the surface ocean ones, and sahuagin are my least favorite and I'd rather just use deep ones.