| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Woof Hooo ! Just got my email, it's coming, it's coming !
I got the charge on my account. I thought I would not get charged until next week. I had just enough in there to get it. It should clear by Monday, and then I can get my pdf while I wait for the book.
I just got this open and I am looking at the Weaver Worm. I noticed that as a CR 8 creature it only has a +9 to attack so I assume something must be wrong.
Here is my math
BAB 7 + Strength +7(24 score) -2 size(huge)=12
The book has it with a dex score of 18, and with weapon finesse, but why would any monster use weapon finesse and burn a feat to make it's attack ability go down. <--There is no question mark here because it is a rhetorical question.
I will probably replace that with weapon focus.
It also has far shot, which I guess is for the web attack. I guess attacking from a distance is a good idea if this monster is hunting so I will leave that one there.
The stats for the Vollensag Stalkers seem to be off as well. Their attack bonus with their masterwork greatswords should be at +12, not +10. (BA 5 + 7 Str + 1 masterwork - 1 size)
The stats for the Vollensag Stalkers seem to be off as well. Their attack bonus with their masterwork greatswords should be at +12, not +10. (BA 5 + 7 Str + 1 masterwork - 1 size)
I did not even catch that one. The error goes down to their nonraging stats also which should be at +10, and not +8 to attack.
|
The stats for the Vollensag Stalkers seem to be off as well. Their attack bonus with their masterwork greatswords should be at +12, not +10. (BA 5 + 7 Str + 1 masterwork - 1 size)
The Vollensag Stalker stats are correct. Note that in hybrid form, they are Large size, but they are carrying Medium-sized weapons so they can use them in human form. As such, they have a -2 penalty on their weapon attacks for using weapons of incorrect size.
That being said, it could have been spelled out clearer - they're normal, Medium-sized humans in human form, but grow to Large size in hybrid form (because their animal form is actually that of a dire wolf, as described on page 36, not a normal wolf).
In the statblock of the Menadoran Festrog (p. 53), under "Speed" it says "20 ft. (35 ft. on all fours)", while the "Four-Footed Run" special ability says it makes 50 ft. on all fours.
I guess 50 ft. is correct?
Hi there, I noticed that the final encounter seems to be incorrect. Aiden Vrood has 6th level spells (Circle of Death, Eyebite) suggesting he is CL 11, but his build is Necromancer 8/Agent of the Grave 3. The Agent of the Grave PrC only has a caster level progression for levels 2-5. This means that Vrood should only have 10 caster levels and should be ineligible for 6th level spells.
Is this correct, or should he be a level higher?
|
|
In the statblock of the Menadoran Festrog (p. 53), under "Speed" it says "20 ft. (35 ft. on all fours)", while the "Four-Footed Run" special ability says it makes 50 ft. on all fours.
I guess 50 ft. is correct?
The Menadoran festrog is wearing hide armor, which reduces its base speed from 30 ft. to 20 ft., and its four-footed run speed from 50 ft. to 35 ft. (Core Rulebook 53).
|
|
Hi there, I noticed that the final encounter seems to be incorrect. Aiden Vrood has 6th level spells (Circle of Death, Eyebite) suggesting he is CL 11, but his build is Necromancer 8/Agent of the Grave 3. The Agent of the Grave PrC only has a caster level progression for levels 2-5. This means that Vrood should only have 10 caster levels and should be ineligible for 6th level spells.
Is this correct, or should he be a level higher?
There was a late change to the PrC after the adventure was developed, but Vrood's stat block was unfortunately not updated to reflect that. It probably doesn't hurt the adventure to lower his CL to 10 (he only loses 2 spells), or you can give him another level of necromancer, which also increases his CR by 1 (and involves greater changes to his stat block).
|
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Where did you get that from? I really don't understand your post.So I dont know if this is posted somewhere else but this seemed like the place for this.
Some people may see this as a spoiler so...
** spoiler omitted **
Really? You don't have a problem with NPCs named Ivana Humpalot. I just don't think that the 'gothic horror' AP is the place for suggestively named (and drawn) NPCs, not if you want anyone to take them serious at all anyway.
|
Really? You don't have a problem with NPCs named Ivana Humpalot. I just don't think that the 'gothic horror' AP is the place for suggestively named (and drawn) NPCs, not if you want anyone to take them serious at all anyway.Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Where did you get that from? I really don't understand your post.So I dont know if this is posted somewhere else but this seemed like the place for this.
Some people may see this as a spoiler so...
** spoiler omitted **
Ah, Return of American Puritans 2: Electric Bogaloo. At least she doesn't show her nipples - imagine that children could see that!
On a slightly more serious tangent: "Sexy Romani Fortune-teller/Harlot" is a shtick that dates back to romanticism in culture and to Ravenloft in gaming. Heck, I would knock down Carrion Crown a notch if it didn't have one.
|
|
Ah, Return of American Puritans 2: Electric Bogaloo. At least she doesn't show her nipples - imagine that children could see that!
Nope not at all, I don't have a problem with having sexy gypsy chicks in an adventure. Its just that as soon as I saw her name, I thought that there is no way that anyone is going to take this broad seriously with a name like that.
I just expect Paizo to catch things like this. Madame Ivanja. Really?
And dressed like a pirate hooker on top of it. Really?
Come on. Paizo can do (and has done) better than this.
|
|
Ah, Return of American Puritans 2: Electric Bogaloo. At least she doesn't show her nipples - imagine that children could see that!Nope not at all, I don't have a problem with having sexy gypsy chicks in an adventure. Its just that as soon as I saw her name, I thought that there is no way that anyone is going to take this broad seriously with a name like that.
I just expect Paizo to catch things like this. Madame Ivanja. Really?
And dressed like a pirate hooker on top of it. Really?Come on. Paizo can do (and has done) better than this.
Ivana is a legitmiate Croatian name. Ivanja Reka (Ivana's Hand) is a district of Zagreb. I'm not exactly seeing the vaginal connection here.
The only issue that I have with the time-honored tradition of grabbing non-English names and dropping them in RPG products is that it sometimes produces results which are very funny to the original language speakers (Harsk and jadwiga being my pet peeves as far as Pathfinder is concerned).
|
|
Ah, Return of American Puritans 2: Electric Bogaloo. At least she doesn't show her nipples - imagine that children could see that!Nope not at all, I don't have a problem with having sexy gypsy chicks in an adventure. Its just that as soon as I saw her name, I thought that there is no way that anyone is going to take this broad seriously with a name like that.
I just expect Paizo to catch things like this. Madame Ivanja. Really?
And dressed like a pirate hooker on top of it. Really?Come on. Paizo can do (and has done) better than this.
Ivana is a legitmiate Croatian name. Ivanja Reka (Ivana's Hand) is a district of Zagreb. I'm not exactly seeing the vaginal connection here.
The only issue that I have with the time-honored tradition of grabbing non-English names and dropping them in RPG products is that it sometimes produces results which are very funny to the original language speakers (Harsk and jadwiga being my pet peeves as far as Pathfinder is concerned).
Ok, gotcha. You don't see it. Good for you.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ok, gotcha. You don't see it. Good for you.
Vah-jeh-eye-nah
I don't see it. They aren't spelt alike, they don't sound alike. They aren't anagrams either.
Some people see what they want to see.
|
|
Ok, gotcha. You don't see it. Good for you.** spoiler omitted **
I don't see it. They aren't spelt alike, they don't sound alike. They aren't anagrams either.
Some people see what they want to see.
Ok, guess I'm the only one to see this. It just seemed pretty obvious to me, but evidently not. Oh well.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
It's not
eye-vahn-jah
It's probably closer to
ee-van-yah.
/nitpicking
It's not
eye-vahn-jah
It's probably closer to
ee-van-yah.
/nitpicking
Thank you, Ice Titan. I stand corrected. ;)
On the Feldgau patrols chart on Pg. 45 some encounters are marked with "+" but I don't see anywhere what that's supposed to represent. Those marked have a WW curate or cultist does it represent that there is a limited number of these? Or maybe that this encounter can only be encountered once? I'm curious what the designers had in mind here.
On the Feldgau patrols chart on Pg. 45 some encounters are marked with "+" but I don't see anywhere what that's supposed to represent. Those marked have a WW curate or cultist does it represent that there is a limited number of these? Or maybe that this encounter can only be encountered once? I'm curious what the designers had in mind here.
Do you mean where it says something like:
Number Rolled
8 Burning Skeletons +
Whispering Way Cultist
CR #
It basically means that the creatures they find (8 burning skeletons) are encountered along with a Whispering Way Cultist (or curate if the table indicates it). One way to look at it is that the Cultist/Curate is in charge of that particular patrol.
The "+" is just being used as a short hand for "and a".
Oy yeah "duh"
|
Contributor
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
It's not
eye-vahn-jah
It's probably closer to
ee-van-yah.
/nitpicking
That's the correct pronunciation.
To answer this debate...Its Croatian (slavic-hebraic origin). Its basically another female version of the name Ivan and means something along the lines of "god is gracious" actually.
I usually do a little research on names to make sure they fit the mood and flavor of the setting.
In this case, I choose something with an eastern European feel. I wanted a common name, with an uncommon spelling. I also wanted one suitable for a prostitute. In english, the name translates to "Jane".
Even more cool, the editor's at Paizo are sharp enough to know all that, without doing a google search (something I try to do whenever I make up a character name).
Since I live there, I can attest to the fact that nobody is named Ivanja in these parts. Ivana is a very common name, but aside from Ivanja Reka, I have never ever heard before the use of that name.
Ice Titan wrote the pronounciation right, btw. It would have been better if she was named Ivanya, because some of our letters don't translate well into english, since english doesn't have them. :D
From what I know about Ustalav, it fits the setting completely and this isn't the first time that words/monsters have been borrowed from our history. For example, in Dave Gross' Prince of Wolves, he used the word 'Baba' for the eldest female in a Szcarni family, which means grandmother in Serbian. Baba Yaga is also our mythological creature, so know you can call her Grandma Yaga! :D
Also, little known fact is that Vampire is also a serbian word and first legends about vampires come from Serbia. And there's also a monster from Kingmaker's Bestiary called Drekavac, that's from our folklore etc etc.
|
Contributor
|
Since I live there, I can attest to the fact that nobody is named Ivanja in these parts. Ivana is a very common name, but aside from Ivanja Reka, I have never ever heard before the use of that name.
Ice Titan wrote the pronounciation right, btw. It would have been better if she was named Ivanya, because some of our letters don't translate well into english, since english doesn't have them. :D
From what I know about Ustalav, it fits the setting completely and this isn't the first time that words/monsters have been borrowed from our history. For example, in Dave Gross' Prince of Wolves, he used the word 'Baba' for the eldest female in a Szcarni family, which means grandmother in Serbian. Baba Yaga is also our mythological creature, so know you can call her Grandma Yaga! :D
Also, little known fact is that Vampire is also a serbian word and first legends about vampires come from Serbia. And there's also a monster from Kingmaker's Bestiary called Drekavac, that's from our folklore etc etc.
Again, more insight as to why I chose the specific spelling (or why I used a "J" instead of a "Y"/
I chose the least common spelling of a common name I could find because Ustalav isn't really eastern europe. Just like Tian Xia isn't really the far east and thus Pathfinder ninja and samurai have certain obvious differences from their real world counterparts. So yeah, Ivanna or Ivanya are the most common spellings, which I why I didn't use them. They evoke things that are too specific. Its also why I don't name paladins "Bob" (at least, i don't do it in a manuscript I send to a publisher that I want work from).
Er... according to the Bestiary, a Giant Tarantula is Gargantuan (20 feet. How's it fit into beast pen which is 10 feet, or 30 feet at the most if I were to assume it fills all the spaces it overlaps on the map; especially with those other beasts, some of them quite large.
On the other hand, it can fit into the lodge, but it will be squeezing during most of the battle. Should that affect the CR?
Was the Tarantula imagined as a smaller creature when the adventure was being written, or did the pen come out smaller on the map when it was graphed?
|
|
Er... according to the Bestiary, a Giant Tarantula is Gargantuan (20 feet. How's it fit into beast pen which is 10 feet, or 30 feet at the most if I were to assume it fills all the spaces it overlaps on the map; especially with those other beasts, some of them quite large.
On the other hand, it can fit into the lodge, but it will be squeezing during most of the battle. Should that affect the CR?
Was the Tarantula imagined as a smaller creature when the adventure was being written, or did the pen come out smaller on the map when it was graphed?
Keep in mind that the beast pens are actually in a cavern underneath the building pictured on the map, so there could certainly be enough room to hold the tarantula inside (it would be a squeeze to get him in and out, though).
To be honest, I think we forgot to take into account the size of the tarantula - the encounter should probably have been modified to work better.
That being said, it's an easy enough fix. As I said, the caverns not shown on the map are plenty big enough to hold the beastie, and you can just make the actual building larger as well to make it easier for the tarantula to get out. For the attack in the lodge, the easiest way to handle this is to have the tarantula trap the guests in the conference room (area D20) instead of the sitting room. This gives it just enough room to attack without squeezing. Once it comes under attack by the PCs, the tarantula can retreat to the grand ballroom (area D24) where it has more than enough room to maneuver.
The Vollensag Stalker stats are correct. Note that in hybrid form, they are Large size, but they are carrying Medium-sized weapons so they can use them in human form. As such, they have a -2 penalty on their weapon attacks for using weapons of incorrect size.
Wouldn't it be more logical to wear two sets of swords? I mean, how difficult is it for Str 21 lycantropes to do so? That reason sounds good in theory, in that actual fight is just giving them a -2 penalty and lesser damage dice with their weapons.
On the Ivanja-dirty-reference possibility:
Horror gets dull when it's all horror all the time. Just as notes of dark humor keep doctors and paramedics sane through years of heart attacks, notes of dirty humor keep the player interested and keep the horror from becoming commonplace. Even if you do see the reference (I admit I don't) then why feel the need to change it?
I'll be hitting this adventure in a week or so. I've made it this far on one PC. Are there any particular points where it gets deadly that I need to watch out for?
I'll be hitting this adventure in a week or so. I've made it this far on one PC. Are there any particular points where it gets deadly that I need to watch out for?
Wait... you're a player in this and you're in a GM reference thread? I've seen you in some spoiler threads too I think. I'm curious if your GM okay with this. Does he know?
I know a lot of GMs are open about campaign information but I've never seen one that relaxed.
Edit via second post: I just realized that you could have meant that you're running the game for a single-PC party and you're concerned about deadly spots for him/her. In that case please disregard.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Edit via second post: I just realized that you could have meant that you're running the game for a single-PC party and you're concerned about deadly spots for him/her. In that case please disregard.
Ya, I'm GM. I haven't gotten to just play in a game, any game, for years now.
GMing for one PC is hard. For one thing the PC needs to come up with all the insights, assumptions, deductions, and moments of clarity that you expect from a party of 4. For another thing do you know how much talking to myself I have to do?
Yes, yes I do and you have my condolences. Doubly so if there are NPC party members you have to play.
And I am well familiar with the woes that come from a small party and the patience it requires, you've got my respect for that one too.
As far as trouble spots go in this one... Well, it starts with a big social event that leads into an investigation. I'm afraid there will be lots of talking to yourself here. Plenty of misdirections on Estovian's and Belik's part and ways for the other lodge guests to prod/help the PC along if they get stuck could help.
A big issue might be lycanthropy. In larger parties if one or two get infected then they can count on the rest of the party to get them through it. If the single PC gets infected then they're on their own. It may be wise to plan a contingency for this very possible outcome. You have a unique opportunity. It could be interesting if the PC begins to fear that they're actually the werewolf in the lodge and offers a new avenue for fear of not being able to trust one's self. It's not like they have another trusted player to tell them "no you didn't change, I watched you all night".
Also, as far as deadliness in combat goes this module is relatively easier than the previous one. Encounters through the second and third parts are very straightforward, solid content without the frills. The only one that'll really require your PC to use his/her noodle is when rooting out the vilkacis... but even if they fail to figure it out it will eventually become apparent. The big name werewolves seemed to go down disappointingly easy. Adimarus might be a problem if you have a good-aligned PC. Vrood may be a tough spot, but he's supposed to be.
What class is your single PC?
As far as trouble spots go in this one... Well, it starts with a big social event that leads into an investigation. I'm afraid there will be lots of talking to yourself here. Plenty of misdirections on Estovian's and Belik's part and ways for the other lodge guests to prod/help the PC along if they get stuck could help.
A big issue might be lycanthropy. In larger parties if one or two get infected then they can count on the rest of the party to get them through it. If the single PC gets infected then they're on their own. It may be wise to plan a contingency for this very possible outcome. You have a unique opportunity. It could be interesting if the PC begins to fear that they're actually the werewolf in the lodge and offers a new avenue for fear of not being able to trust one's self. It's not like they have another trusted player to tell them "no you didn't change, I watched you all night".
Also, as far as deadliness in combat goes this module is relatively easier than the previous one. Encounters through the second and third parts are very straightforward, solid content without the frills. The only one that'll really require your PC to use his/her noodle is when rooting out the vilkacis... but even if they fail to figure it out it will eventually become apparent. The big name werewolves seemed to go down disappointingly easy. Adimarus might be a problem if you have a good-aligned PC. Vrood may be a tough spot, but he's supposed to be.
What class is your single PC?
Talking to myself is fine with me as long as my voice holds out. It's less fine for my PC as I can tell when she's getting bored. When three or four NPCs have to monologue it gets pretty boring to just sit there and watch me switch voices all the time. That's why we never finished Serpent's Skull.
My PC is a CG Inquisitor of Calistra so alignment shifts would be pronounced but not class-breaking. I do run a LN GMPC Summoner but she's a bow/buff caster who stands in the back and eidolons can't get lycanthropy. If the Summoner gets into melee then enough has gone wrong that lycanthropy is not my main concern.
I might have to use your "omg what if I'm the werewolf?!" idea. That sounds like the very note of fear this adventure needs...
My PC is well versed in the Then Don't Stand There(TM) tactic of avoidance and strategic retreat. Multiple encounters already have been handled by railing kills, running past it, and alternate routes. Just as an orc sitting on a treasure chest for 20 years waiting for the PCs seems dumb I consider expecting a small party of intelligent PCs to grind through a mansion killing everything just because it's there also dumb. Especially when talking to the guy out front gets you in the back door. That's how
Thanks for the intel. Trial of the Beast had some fairly rough moments. I'm glad I can relax a little bit with this one.
I noticed something in the description of the werewolves' packs.
Jezeldans or Demon Wolves: The smallest and most recently formed pack in the Shudderwood
Vollensag or Primals: The smallest of the Shudderwood’s tribes
What's happening there? :D
Well, obviously they're both trying to claim the illustrious title of Smallest and Runtiest Pack.
Also, ANebulousMistress, I feel the need to warn you about the giant tarantula that appears in The Wildening event. That thing hits like a truck, has those nasty barbed hairs, and enough reach to be a nightmare for any melee focused character. This hurt could be worse if focused on fewer opponents.
3d6+18 plus the really nasty poison on a bite attack is an eyeopener. When I ran this encounter it got a crit on the first attack and took a magus of mine from happyland to paintown in a great big hurry.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I feel the need to warn you about the giant tarantula that appears in The Wildening event. That thing hits like a truck, has those nasty barbed hairs, and enough reach to be a nightmare for any melee focused character. This hurt could be worse if focused on fewer opponents.
3d6+18 plus the really nasty poison on a bite attack is an eyeopener. When I ran this encounter it got a crit on the first attack and took a magus of mine from happyland to paintown in a great big hurry.
Thanks for the heads up. I have some plans for that encounter, like enforcing the rules on big things in small spaces. And NPCs and eidolons make good meat shields.
Vollensag are the dire werewolves and there's about 30 of them, which would make the Jezeldans the smallest in the physical size.
The map included with Broken Moon does not have any of the encounter entries keyed to it. Is there a version of the map available for download anywhere that shows the locations for where the encounters should take place?
Not really, just ploink them wherever you feel they need to go. The First Encounter (the into with teh Tower) occurs at the boundary of the Forrest. Thats the only one I can pin point.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I just got this open and I am looking at the Weaver Worm. I noticed that as a CR 8 creature it only has a +9 to attack so I assume something must be wrong.
Here is my math
BAB 7 + Strength +7(24 score) -2 size(huge)=12
The book has it with a dex score of 18, and with weapon finesse, but why would any monster use weapon finesse and burn a feat to make it's attack ability go down. <--There is no question mark here because it is a rhetorical question.
I will probably replace that with weapon focus.
It also has far shot, which I guess is for the web attack. I guess attacking from a distance is a good idea if this monster is hunting so I will leave that one there.
I just noticed this one has a +18 initiative when it should be a +8.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I just finished running book two and I've got some good ideas regarding book three. I wanted to run them by you guys(and girls) to see what you thought.
I've never been much for voices but I know that this book is full of NPC's so I decided to print out a picture for each of them, full color glossy, so I can put them on the outside of my GM screen when they begin to talk to that NPC. I might not do much with voices but I'll change the tone, making it softer for females, arrogant for the educated or more home-spun for the common man. It's not much but I'm hoping it'll work.
This is where my question comes from:
What I need to concentrate on is having little notes available for each NPC, fearing that the players will ask a question and I'll give the wrong answers. I'll have to write down if they were at the lodge when the Whispering Way came through, what their motivations are or their attitudes towards the party.
Is this how you guys do it or am I just getting old and prone to forgetting too easily?