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I have a few things that come to mind on this topic, some of them a little more salient than others?
Are the people really dead? In most PFS games, once someone drops, we move on to another target. Often, but not always, the person is merely in the negatives and not dead yet. Are the GM's actually tracking the HP of these people, or are they assumed dead? There's a big difference here, as he might actually be killing people that should be possibly turned over to authorities or some such. Certainly Lawful characters will have an issue with that.
This raises something that bothers me about people's PC's. Why do I encounter so many people who want to play "Evil" characters, but be part of PFS? I play a necromancer, and he IS from Ustalav, so his perceptions of undead are different than others, but he's still yet to actively control/summon/create undead. He just uses primarily necromantic spells. But I've played with others who do raise dead bodies, pretend to be clerics of evil deities, etc. I find that strange.
Cannabalism is not in itself evil. But most thinking creatures probably find it repugnant. The fact is even orcs don't like the orc tribes that practice it. That said its probably less vile than one of your companions animating corpses. If the player is being unnecessarily graphic that's. A different issue.
.If we can't attack a party member then shouldn't we also avoid behavior that practically begs for violent intervention?No, we should avoid playing characters who's solution to a minor infraction of their moral code is 'violent intervention'. It's not the character eating the body that looks extreme in your example, it's your character's response.
Riiiight, because most of us are playing characters who reserve their violent problem solving to the procurement of material objects from others, but react like cultural anthropologists doing fieldwork when confronted with things that offend our sense of right and wrong.
Wrong. A minor infraction would be insulting people, or I don't know, streaking down the alley, or sophomoric behavior. Eating a dead guy would fall into the 'major' category, assuming I don't just think your ghoul fever peaked or something.
Why do I encounter so many people who want to play "Evil" characters, but be part of PFS?
Define evil. We're playing a game set in a brutal medieval society where torture and slavery are common and some of the biggest civilisations are utterly corrupt and/or devil worshippers. Taking a modern 20th century view of justice and morality makes no sense at all. I'm reading Game of Thrones at the moment, which is comparable in terms of the society it describes, and where even the noble knights engage in activity that I can't repeat on a family friendly messageboard.
The Society itself is True Neutral, so there may be as many evil members as good members. So long as they obey the Society's rules the people in charge don't really care what the moral compass of their members is. What they do care about is that we all cooperate and get the job done without bringing the Society into disrepute. That means a paladin who turns fellow Pathfinders over to the authorities is more of a problem than a cannibal, so long as the cannibal isn't too obvious. PFS characters aren't supposed to be the 'good guys'. We're grave robbers.
The PFS guidelines state no evil characters, but I suspect that's more for group harmony than anything else. I've found it's actually the Lawful characters that cause the most dissent though. The 'Evil' characters are usually easy to get on with, unburdoned by morality as they are.
And most of my characters are Good. They knew they might be travelling with less salubrious members when they signed up, so they can't exactly complain when they get lumped with worshippers of Asmodeus. That's just the way it is. The only reason I've not started playing my Crusader of Rovagug is because her obsession with destruction seems counter to the Pathfinder's obsession with preservation. It has nothing to do with Good/Evil.
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Why do I encounter so many people who want to play "Evil" characters, but be part of PFS?Define evil.
You're right about the violent/brutal times. I embrace that. But people who want to be undead lords, or other undead things, for example, is pretty patently evil in Pathfinder. And then there are the people, sort of like the cannibal person, who go out of their way to do really uncalled for things. Thankfully, it's not a HUGE number of people I see doing it, but I do certainly see it.
You're right about the violent/brutal times. I embrace that. But people who want to be undead lords, or other undead things, for example, is pretty patently evil in Pathfinder. And then there are the people, sort of like the cannibal person, who go out of their way to do really uncalled for things. Thankfully, it's not a HUGE number of people I see doing it, but I do certainly see it.Why do I encounter so many people who want to play "Evil" characters, but be part of PFS?Define evil.
I would have played an Undead Lord were it not for all the people complaining, and threatening to make me leave their table (on these boards, I never actually created the character in the end). She would have turned to a Death god to get her brother back (as a bloody skeleton unfortunately), who would then defend her. Consorting dangerously with evil magic, for sure, but no more evil than most other people. She would have detected as evil as the taint grew and infused her brother with ever more power, but she would have been a solid Pathfinder, reliable and trustworthy. Handy with swarms too. :-) Sadly she'll never see daylight now as everyone stereotyped them.
As for players trying to hog the limelight, that's a player issue. If it wasn't cannibalism it would just be something else instead. There are likely to be just as many of those people playing Paladins as cannibals.
Maybe Paizo should set up an Aspis Consortium Society and we can all take an approach to adventuring that leaves as many bodies on the ground as possible, then frame the Pathfinders for the carnage? I suspect there'll still be people complaining about evil characters in that game too!
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I would like to add that the player the OP mentioned at the beginning of this thread, last night, declared that he was going to eat the "still beating heart of the enemy while he was still alive" making clear that he was not waiting for the enemies to be killed in combat, but to kill them by eating them.
Plus I find it strange that he does this with every enemy he kills. I would be more okay with it if he just ate the "boss" but he insists on spending time eating EVERY enemy we encounter.
In my book, this person's particular actions are evil. (And I seem to end up at the same table as this guy too often.) In game, most of us just ignore him. I am not sure how the other GMs handle his character, but I think for the most part he is seeking a reaction from people and ignoring him does get him to quiet down a bit.
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Because "alignment" in the Pathfinder universe actually manifests as spell effects, the existence of outer planes, and the outsiders and divine beings which inhabit those planes, there IS "objective evil".
In other words, the argument of cultural relativism ("well, this particular tribe *honor* their dead via cannibalism, so for *them* it's not evil) doesn't really work. Cannibalism is either evil or it's not, and since the latter is just not tenable (certainly not from the basically Eurocentric, Judeo-Christian fantasy ethos which informs Golarion's fictional culture), it must be objectively evil.
There's a reason cannibalism tends to be a taboo - it involves *killing people* (they are easier to eat that way), and that's pretty much universally condemned as evil outside of unusual circumstances (like defending oneself in war).
Of course, literature is filled with the moral ambiguities encountered when trying to define an act as being objectively ("always on") evil - the theft of bread in "Les Miserables" is the classic example - but those fictional worlds don't have evil gods, living in evil planes of existence, which are strengthened (or whatever) by the act. In a universe with supernatural evil, stealing is *always* evil, even MORE so when it's a perversion of "innocent intent" (I need to feed my child!) THAT is objective evil.
In Golarion, I might be driven by necessity or permitted by ignorant culture (Orcs) to consume my brethren, but a demon is laughing about it *somewhere*, and that makes it evil, unarguably.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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I would like to add that the player the OP mentioned at the beginning of this thread, last night, declared that he was going to eat the "still beating heart of the enemy while he was still alive" making clear that he was not waiting for the enemies to be killed in combat, but to kill them by eating them.
Plus I find it strange that he does this with every enemy he kills. I would be more okay with it if he just ate the "boss" but he insists on spending time eating EVERY enemy we encounter.
In my book, this person's particular actions are evil. (And I seem to end up at the same table as this guy too often.) In game, most of us just ignore him. I am not sure how the other GMs handle his character, but I think for the most part he is seeking a reaction from people and ignoring him does get him to quiet down a bit.
Since by the rules one only needs to eat once per day, that a humanoid body provides more than one-day's worth of food, and that he is receiving no mechanical benefit for eating someone every encounter... yeah... talk to your local VL/VC; try to talk to the player about this behavior outside of the table; and if he continues being this extravagant, give him a warning about his alignment
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Since by the rules one only needs to eat once per day, that a humanoid body provides more than one-day's worth of food, and that he is receiving no mechanical benefit for eating someone every encounter... yeah... talk to your local VL/VC; try to talk to the player about this behavior outside of the table; and if he continues being this extravagant, give him a warning about his alignment
Actually, give him penalties to Dex and Con for being so overweight. And maybe sleepy too after such a large meal.
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Actually, give him penalties to Dex and Con for being so overweight. And maybe sleepy too after such a large meal.
Since by the rules one only needs to eat once per day, that a humanoid body provides more than one-day's worth of food, and that he is receiving no mechanical benefit for eating someone every encounter... yeah... talk to your local VL/VC; try to talk to the player about this behavior outside of the table; and if he continues being this extravagant, give him a warning about his alignment
And if he eats one too many corrupt nobles, I think it's time for Fortitude Saves vs. Type II Diabetes.
Cannibalism is either evil or it's not, and since the latter is just not tenable (certainly not from the basically Eurocentric, Judeo-Christian fantasy ethos which informs Golarion's fictional culture), it must be objectively evil.
There's a reason cannibalism tends to be a taboo - it involves *killing people* (they are easier to eat that way), and that's pretty much universally condemned as evil outside of unusual circumstances (like defending oneself in war).
Can I just say: the crusades, the spanish inquisition, witch burning; all belong in the Eurocentric, Judeo-Christian fantasy ethos. I find those to be more evil than cannibalism, but they were sanctioned by God so must be objectively Good. They required killing people too, so killing people must be objectively Good, even if they were helpless prisoners (to cross-post slightly).
Can I just say: the crusades, the spanish inquisition, witch burning; all belong in the Eurocentric, Judeo-Christian fantasy ethos. I find those to be more evil than cannibalism, but they were sanctioned by God so must be objectively Good. They required killing people too, so killing people must be objectively Good, even if they were helpless prisoners (to cross-post slightly).
Ah, but this implies that the 'God' you are referring to is Good to begin with.
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Killing someone to eat then is evil. Eating someone you killed is pretty dark, but I still in that grey area.
Can I just say: the crusades, the spanish inquisition, witch burning; all belong in the Eurocentric, Judeo-Christian fantasy ethos. I find those to be more evil than cannibalism, but they were sanctioned by God so must be objectively Good. They required killing people too, so killing people must be objectively Good, even if they were helpless prisoners (to cross-post slightly).Ah, but this implies that the 'God' you are referring to is Good to begin with.
I believe the word Good derives from the word God, so God is Good by definition. Do we have a linguist on the boards?
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Killing someone to eat then is evil. Eating someone you killed is pretty dark, but I still in that grey area.
I agree with this. Mostly.
I actually played an Orc (LN, non-PFS) who had no problems eating dead bodies. So long as they weren't diseased, or rotten, or something.
The first time the players saw me do it (I didn't give details, I just said that while we make camp I prepare the fallen enemies (beasts, monsters, or otherwise, as cooked, salted meats) they made a reaction.
- "You Can't Eat That!"
- "Why not. I didnt kill him to eat him. He attacked us. I'm hungry. It's just Meat. It's not like he's using it anymore. If I don't eat it, either a wild animal will eat it, or it will go to waste. There's nothing wrong with eating meat. It's good for you. Since you guys are my friends, if you would prefer, I won't eat your meat if you die."
- "So if you die, you have no problems with us eating you?"
- "Sure. No reason for you to go hungry. I don't expect you to carry around my dead body. Just save a hand or something for the resurrection - which of course I will pay for."
- "That's. Gross, but pretty logical."
Not once did I buy rations. The rest of the party was picky about their meat sources, so I kept the meat of beasts and bugs and monsters and stuff separate for them.
I never made a big deal out of it, and after that short explanation, neither did they.
After we fought in the wilderness, if we made camp, I would just say: "I make more salted meats." Make a "Profession: Cook" roll to see how good it was, and the GM would make a guess at how much cookable meat there was for me to prepare. Which I would then pack into a chest filled with salt on our cart.
Often, it was the meat of monsters. Sometimes it was bandits. Or bullywugs (I believe theyre still called bullywugs in pf) or kobolds. One time it was a wyvern. Another time a whole dragon (that took a while to prepare and I needed help, but at that point we had like 50 1st level followers to feed).
When we went to town, I wasn't carrying around a bunch of arms and legs, I just had a container of spiced and salted meats. Nobody has any idea what type of meat it was but me (since the party wasn't keeping track of which meat I stored where).
I would make a case to argue it's not evil (though I imagine it's quite frowned upon in cities). But for the sake of PFS, I would say that the witch's cook person ability sets a precedent that it is, even if it makes no sense. (but then, making golems vs animating skeletons and the alignment issues therein are totally backwards and make no sense as well, so that's nothing new. Making golems involves kidnapping forcing the soul of an elemental into servitude, and quite likely, suffering and death. Making a skeleton involves using negative energy to animate inanimate objects that used to be animate.)
However, it does have the potential to be quite disruptive, depending on how its handled, or with really religious groups. I would avoid playing such a character with christian fundamentalists. But then I would avoid gaming with christian fundamentalists, as I don't think I could spend 4 hours in a room with them without things dissolving into a series of arguments.
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As a side note, you can make non-evil skeletons by other means.
Instead of using the spells to create undead, use the spells to animate objects.
As a bonus, if you do that as the GM and attack the PCs with them, they will be confused when none of the clerical abilities against undead work, since it's a construct instead. :P
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The difficulty with cannibalism in pathfinder is more its connections to incredibly evil creatures and powers, and as such the acts are tainted with a dark stigma in many people eyes. Animating undead actually distrupts the cycle of life into afterlife as the soul is drawn back and corrupted with negative energy. That being said, I think it is possible to run a character that practices cannibalism, or animates undead that isn't evil, though the use of moderation, use of context, and a careful consideration of character.
What about a cannibal that only practices willing cannibalism, when you have both parties (eater and food) agreeing to the action completely freely and willingly. Could that be considered evil... Maybe not. What about if the party are stranded on an island with no food for over 2 weeks. Does alingment then take president over survival. If the character can justify their actions in a way that makes sense to the players, then allow it on conditions. If the player is just doing it to be distruptive or 'because he can', then by all means give them the appropriate alignment knock for their efforts.
Running a moderate follower of Lamashtu or some other evil God should be applauded, especially if they can pull off the character in that way. The way I see such inderviduals in terms of the cult, they are more the people that are given the 'snipe hunts' or unimportant tasks like distributing flyers to the next cult orgy or meeting, more to keep them out of the cults hair with the more grisly and evil side of the activities. And what fun could be had if they end up in charge after the more violent and sadistic leaders and members are axed by local adventurers.
I'm hoping to run a CN Warpriest of Lamashtu at some point and running it as an insane, but ultimately mostly harmless member of the cult, that wound up being sent on a 'snipe hunt' to go undercover with the pathfinder society and aid the cause of the cult whenever she can(which would likely get her killed in record time). She naturally has very bizzare views on the actual cause of the cult, and is fanatical about these paticular views(possibly to the point of hostility with the more insane and violent members of other arms of the cult). Though the aura thing does lead to her holding a very odd belief that most Paladins are judgemental lunatics that will kill anyone that looks at them funny.
I view this as acceptable in an orcs CE society, but not elsewhere in golarion, like after a battle with cuthroats in an alley in Absalom, and warned him that its an evil act and he could lose his character if he keeps it up.
What should I do? He insists on saying he eats his enemies at each table he sits down at.
I think this sums it up really. In a CE society, people do evil things. Just because a whole society does it, does not make it good. The society he was raised in is still evil.
As for a 'RAW' answer, I usually go to the Blood Drinker Feat for Dhampirs.
The blood must come from a living creature of the specified humanoid subtype. It cannot come from a dead or summoned creature. Feeding on unwilling intelligent creatures is an evil act.
Common sensibilities say it's evil. RAW says it's evil... Therefore it's an evil act.
That said, it needs to be determined just what kind of reprecusions you'll get for it. The barbarian doesn't NEED to eat his enemies... Dhampirs?? They actually gain HP for it.
If the character doesn't have an alignment requirement (like Paladins) I'm not sure a few indiscretions would be enough to change their alignment. Unless it's a part of a string of evil things attached to it....
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It notes that Feeding on unwilling intelligent creatures is an evil act. So as written, I could still ask someone politely for some of their blood, and then only feed on them if they were willing, and it would be totally okay. It's mostly the unwilling part that is where the evil is involved. Most cannibalistic creatures don't ever bother to ask the person they are going to eat if this is alright with them. Most people are not suicidal enough to let themselves get eaten.
However, it's the situations that a truely willing participant is involved in that will gladly kick normal convention aside. And by truely willing, I mean not forced into or conflicted about the decision. They are perfectly fine about being eaten by the cannibal. And granted, you can still have monsterous evil cannibals in your games, but the cannibalism is not what is evil. it's the fact they might be heartless, murderous, unspeecable evil with or without that trait. As is the case with most evil pathfinder creatures.
An angel that practiced cannibalism with extreme moderation would leave some questions, but if the emphasis was less focused on the 'eats people', and more on the 'custodian of justice and good' then really who might actually care. Now if the angel is evil, then the emphasis is still 'evil' over 'eats people'.
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It is a bit valid that this got necro'ed as there is a now PFS legal barbarian archetype from Occult Adventures that requires consumption of fallen foes to gain powers from them. So either that got missed or in that limited circumstance it's ok. I'm fine with either interpretation, just pointing it out.
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The blood must come from a living creature of the specified humanoid subtype. It cannot come from a dead or summoned creature. Feeding on unwilling intelligent creatures is an evil act.
Except for two things:
Can a corpse give consent? Does a corpse NEED to give consent, given that they are now 'just an object'?
And..
Carrion Sense: Many tengus have a natural ability to sniff out carrion. While their sense of smell isn't as keen as that of other species, it is particularly attuned to the scent of injuries or death. Tengus with this racial trait have a limited scent ability, which only functions for corpses and badly wounded creatures (50% or fewer hit points). This racial trait replaces gifted linguist.
Does this mean that all tengu with this feat are 'evil', because they can pick out possible food?
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The rules flip flop on the evil of cannibalism, but generally leans to "yes" being the answer. I do not agree with it myself.
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In PFS, it is an evil act. There's a ruling by Mike Brock stating that eating any sentient being is evil. LINK (Although I take it to be the more colloquial sentient meaning sapient, else every pathfinder would need to be a vegetarian)
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Does this mean that all tengu with this feat are 'evil', because they can pick out possible food?
Carrion Sense: Many tengus have a natural ability to sniff out carrion. While their sense of smell isn't as keen as that of other species, it is particularly attuned to the scent of injuries or death. Tengus with this racial trait have a limited scent ability, which only functions for corpses and badly wounded creatures (50% or fewer hit points). This racial trait replaces gifted linguist.
No, the ability could be used as an RP tool about overcoming racial stereotypes/genetics up to an include a vegetarian tengu. It could be to find sources of food that aren't/weren't sapient. Or even pick the weakest enemy to try and help clear the battlefield more efficiently. Among what I'm sure are many possibilities. It's a sense of smell ability it doesn't force you to do anything, you're just more attuned to the scent than others. Nice attempt at a reductio ad absurdum argument though, assuming that's what you were doing
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What is taboo in one culture is not in another...
I remember playing in a home game where there was a little mountain country (picture Tibet) where it was common practice to Animate Dead on your ancestors. A party of adventurers, on arriving in town found a Zombie chasing children is a fenced in yard. And did what adventurers do, only to be arrested for chopping up "Great Aunt Magrat". They had to pay to have her put back together and pay for the trauma caused to the children who had been playing Zombie Tag with her. Real culture shock. Different cultures, different customs.
I have played in a game where animating mindless undead was NOT an evil act. Just expensive. In that game Skeletons and Zombies were just robots - a bit unpleasant to be around, but not evil.
But we are playing PFS - and at this point it has been decided by the PTB that cannibalism is an evil act. So... we play by the rules laid down for us. We all agreed to play this game by the rules - even when we think some of those rules are ... misguided?
A hundred years ago, sex outside of marriage was taboo - and would have been an "evil" act. Our views on a lot of things have changed. If we were playing in a Victorian Adventure game (some Steam Punk setting say) the Calistra worshipers would be among the BBE guys... They encourage orgies! "Truly EVIL Acts!"... lol!
So, until a change comes down from campaign management, the question "is cannibalism evil?" is answered yes.
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...I remember playing in a home game where there was a little mountain country (picture Tibet) where it was common practice to Animate Dead on your ancestors. A party of adventurers, on arriving in town found a Zombie chasing children is a fenced in yard. And did what adventurers do, only to be arrested for chopping up "Great Aunt Magrat". They had to pay to have her put back together and pay for the trauma caused to the children who had been playing Zombie Tag with her. Real culture shock. Different cultures, different customs.
I like that. Someday, I may liberally borrow that concept. Because that's just awesome.
A hundred years ago, sex outside of marriage was taboo - and would have been an "evil" act. Our views on a lot of things have changed. If we were playing in a Victorian Adventure game (some Steam Punk setting say) the Calistra worshipers would be among the BBE guys... They encourage orgies! "Truly EVIL Acts!"... lol!
I think that sound you just heard was the collective braincells of hundreds of thousands of gamers exploding at once, and then nothing
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It is a bit valid that this got necro'ed as there is a now PFS legal barbarian archetype from Occult Adventures that requires consumption of fallen foes to gain powers from them. So either that got missed or in that limited circumstance it's ok. I'm fine with either interpretation, just pointing it out.
Here's what I wrote to someone else inquiring about the same archetype:
In this case Linda and I looked at the nature of the ingestion, which is more in line with a token morsel with heavy spiritual significance rather than needing to bite off bleeding hunks of flesh or drain a creature’s blood (sanguine bloodline, I’m looking at you).
If it proves to be a problematic feature because some people are using it to be as disgusting as possible, we’ll revisit it. Otherwise it’s a chance for the community to demonstrate that it can handle a somewhat edgy theme in a reasonable way.
Be occult responsibly.
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Be occult responsibly.
Can we get a really terrible school health class special with you, Linda, and other Society luminaries talking about "responsible occult adventuring"?
It can include the answers to such questions as:
-How to talk to ancient relics.
-There's a really strange smell coming from down there. And the rattling of chains. And whispered promises of vengeance. Is this normal?
-I've got spirits in *places*. Help!
-Using Protection: When and how to properly ward your forbidden magic items.
-What happens when a cultist meets the Elder God of their fever dreams.
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Be occult responsibly.Can we get a really terrible school health class special with you, Linda, and other Society luminaries talking about "responsible occult adventuring"?
It can include the answers to such questions as:
-How to talk to ancient relics.
-There's a really strange smell coming from down there. And the rattling of chains. And whispered promises of vengeance. Is this normal?
-I've got spirits in *places*. Help!
-Using Protection: When and how to properly ward your forbidden magic items.
-What happens when a cultist meets the Elder God of their fever dreams.
Clever, but somehow I don't think that'll pass muster when we're brainstorming seminar topics for next PaizoCon!
Venture-Lieutenant, Washington—Pullman
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Clever, but somehow I don't think that'll pass muster when we're brainstorming seminar topics for next PaizoCon!
Be occult responsibly.Can we get a really terrible school health class special with you, Linda, and other Society luminaries talking about "responsible occult adventuring"?
It can include the answers to such questions as:
-How to talk to ancient relics.
-There's a really strange smell coming from down there. And the rattling of chains. And whispered promises of vengeance. Is this normal?
-I've got spirits in *places*. Help!
-Using Protection: When and how to properly ward your forbidden magic items.
-What happens when a cultist meets the Elder God of their fever dreams.
I would go to this panel so fast.
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It might be evil in PFS, but I would point out it is probably way less evil that going on a rampant massacre spree of a village, or systematically destroying a persons mind. Now I do believe in the lots of little evils make a big evil but unless you get to the point where a large number of enemies got cannibalised in a week or something like that by the players it really shouldn't cause your alingment to change much.
And in certain situations, there is no other option unless you are going to starve.
So yes. Cannibalism is evil, but it is something that can be avoided most of the time, and with moderation(very infrequently or without any other option) is less of an issue. Murder, Corruption, rape and (amoral)domination on the other hand... Evil, and way more likely to happen than cannibalism in most circumstances.
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Be occult responsibly.Can we get a really terrible school health class special with you, Linda, and other Society luminaries talking about "responsible occult adventuring"?
It can include the answers to such questions as:
-How to talk to ancient relics.
-There's a really strange smell coming from down there. And the rattling of chains. And whispered promises of vengeance. Is this normal?
-I've got spirits in *places*. Help!
-Using Protection: When and how to properly ward your forbidden magic items.
-What happens when a cultist meets the Elder God of their fever dreams.
1.politly and patiently
2. Unless your neighbours/families are watching a scroll of audiovisual legend retelling, or have a fetish for dead things, chains and promising vengence, contact your local lodge or proceed with care. You might have a ghost or angry spirit on your hands, which requires specialist help.3. Is the spirit hostile? If it is not, find out what it wants, and try to pacify it peacefully. If it is hostile, contact the lodge or your local mediums, spiritualists or adventurers. They should deal with it(though it is recommended that you stash all your valuables in case of rouge shenanigans)
3.when-often. Dangerous magic is no joke.How-depends on the item.
4.madness, passion, horror, joy, confusion, enlightenment, or death will follow. Note that more than one of these may occur, or even all.
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I have a Bloatmage (450 lb shirtless elf covered in leaches and tattoos) who is currently dabbling in the drinking of blood (responsibly) from creatures. I have also politely asked aasimars and tiefling if they would like to donate blood for arcane research. At this point its just roleplaying. He is learning how to acquire the bloodline powers from the blood (see Bloatmage's capstone). Some scenarios I do this but in most scenarios I don't. It really depends on the other players at the table, how they feel about it and how their characters would react.
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Hi! I'm a problem solver for Guaril Karela, and I occasionally like to take a nibble off of a variety of things. It's very scientific, I even keep a list of what I've sampled. I've sampled ghouls and ghuls, dust diggers and divs. I've sampled a variety of members of a variety of organizations, I've tasted Pure Legionnaires, a Technic League spellcaster, a Golden League assassin, and even a fellow Pathfinder (a odd little gnome by the name of Bahooley Gravestrike that insisted on being a part of my scientific expedition once he learned about it). There have been some less than palatable entries like boggards and marsh giants (it's a good thing I'm immune to disease!) as well as some inedible entries like lightning elementals, a myrmidon robot, and even a dark folk skeletal champion cleric of someone (I bit the cleric so hard she exploded!).
I don't let my grand experiment distract me from my main job, being awesome and keeping my fellow pathfinders alive.
This thread gave a whole new meaning to taking a bite out of crime...
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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It is a bit valid that this got necro'ed as there is a now PFS legal barbarian archetype from Occult Adventures that requires consumption of fallen foes to gain powers from them. So either that got missed or in that limited circumstance it's ok. I'm fine with either interpretation, just pointing it out.Here's what I wrote to someone else inquiring about the same archetype:
Be occult responsibly.In this case Linda and I looked at the nature of the ingestion, which is more in line with a token morsel with heavy spiritual significance rather than needing to bite off bleeding hunks of flesh or drain a creature’s blood (sanguine bloodline, I’m looking at you).
If it proves to be a problematic feature because some people are using it to be as disgusting as possible, we’ll revisit it. Otherwise it’s a chance for the community to demonstrate that it can handle a somewhat edgy theme in a reasonable way.
John, can we have blood biography revisited? My only PC who had it is 14th level now, but it also is a 'token morsel' vs sucking the target dry.
Of course PFS is also unique in that drinking souls (Deathknell, Cheliax trait) is legal, but eating flesh/blood isn't. ;-)
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-How to talk to ancient relics.
"Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball."
But back to the topic at hand, I really don't get the whole cannabilism = evil thing. What happens to a dead body isn't nearly as important as what happened to make them dead. Pathfinders kill people when it could have been avoided all the time. I'm talking probably 80-90% of PFS tables.
But maybe that's just me.