My group has recently begun the Council of Thieves adventure path. We are going to be running our second session tomorrow, and I was reviewing the loot to ensure that everyone would get something this session.
The first session netted only 1 item, really. Just a masterwork dagger. They did get other things, such as a pound of Flayleaf, and other flavor items like that, but not much in the way of weapons or armor.
I see that pretty much all the weapons and armor in the Bastards of Erbus' lair is for physical damage dealers. There is a wand or two, but nothing much for the casters.
Is it just normal that at low levels all the weapons and armor are for the physical damage dealers, while casters just get scrolls/potions/wands? Or should I insert an item or two for them? Even in paging through the core rulebook, there isn't a lot to offer them. Anyone have any suggestions as to how to keep my casters from feeling like they got the short end of the stick without giving them a too-powerful item?
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32
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My lev 3 wizard helped the group immensely in boss fights with only tanglefoot bags and thunderstones once his spells were finished. Those things are useful! Or...
Maybe some notes on the Alchemical Power Components from Adventurer's Armory, and some components? If you don't have that, I'll happily explain...
Basically it's a list of ideas to use alchemical components to boost spells - like casting a fire spell and using alchemists fire as a material component to boost the spell or add secondary effects.
good ideas. i hadn't thought of giving those optional rules on boosting spells as in-game rewards. excellent!
keep 'em coming!
Remember also that for a Wizard, at least, a scroll can also represent another spell in his book, and that's a real gain.
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At level 2/3 a wand of magic missiles can make a caster feel a lot tougher (auto-hit, wears down opponents) and the skill boost items (ring of jumping, swimming) can be useful for imaginative players.
A scroll of pyrotechnics might be interesting - players have to create a situation in which it is useful.
all good recommendations. thanks guys!
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32
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A ring that grants a 3.5 reserve feat is really cool for a caster. For balance purposes, limit it to, say. 3rd level spells. Basically tapping into the energy of a spell you have memorized, without using it all up.
Example: As long as you wear the ring and have a spell with the [Acid] descriptor memorized you can shoot a bolt of acid every round as a standard action. Range 5' per level and damage 1d6 Acid per level of the highest [Acid] spell memorized.
Mind you, some of the PF wizard school powers eclipse this and make it not so useful anymore. Still, you could go for a sonic or electricity or whatever. Maybe a ring that, as long as you have a (Pattern) spell learned you can make a distracting flurry of lights appear in front of someone's eyes... DC = 10+spell level+int mod?
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A ring that grants a 3.5 reserve feat is really cool for a caster. For balance purposes, limit it to, say. 3rd level spells. Basically tapping into the energy of a spell you have memorized, without using it all up.
Example: As long as you wear the ring and have a spell with the [Acid] descriptor memorized you can shoot a bolt of acid every round as a standard action. Range 5' per level and damage 1d6 Acid per level of the highest [Acid] spell memorized.
Mind you, some of the PF wizard school powers eclipse this and make it not so useful anymore. Still, you could go for a sonic or electricity or whatever. Maybe a ring that, as long as you have a (Pattern) spell learned you can make a distracting flurry of lights appear in front of someone's eyes... DC = 10+spell level+int mod?
Hmmm... I'd be very wary about the reserve powers. I'd probably prefer something that doubles the number of 3+casting stat powers that a character can have
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32
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Yeah, Enlight_Bystand - it was more a "throw it out there see if it sticks" idea. Depends on the power level of the game, I guess. If it turns out to be unbalanced you could give it charges (per day). Though limiting it to a range of 10 or 20 feet is already scary for a mage :-)
Too true, Trader2699! Our party was stuck behind a barred door on Wednesday night when... I realised my mage had a scroll of Knock. There was no way I was using one of my two 2nd level slots to learn Knock, just in case, so it was perfect!
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Hmmm... I'd be very wary about the reserve powers. I'd probably prefer something that doubles the number of 3+casting stat powers that a character can haveA ring that grants a 3.5 reserve feat is really cool for a caster. For balance purposes, limit it to, say. 3rd level spells. Basically tapping into the energy of a spell you have memorized, without using it all up.
Example: As long as you wear the ring and have a spell with the [Acid] descriptor memorized you can shoot a bolt of acid every round as a standard action. Range 5' per level and damage 1d6 Acid per level of the highest [Acid] spell memorized.
Mind you, some of the PF wizard school powers eclipse this and make it not so useful anymore. Still, you could go for a sonic or electricity or whatever. Maybe a ring that, as long as you have a (Pattern) spell learned you can make a distracting flurry of lights appear in front of someone's eyes... DC = 10+spell level+int mod?
I would agree with Bystand here. If reserve feats are going to be allowed in game, then let the wizard take the feat. All the elemental reserves create some form of area of effect, like the fire = 5ft radius burst, cold is a 10ft. cone, lightinging is a 20ft. line... ect. They are a nice way of hurting multiple baddies without using a single spell. They were most effective in our second darkness campaign.