Welcome! Ominous kitty is watching you sleep.
I will again list the players for the Sceptre of Flame group, and they are:
DaWay - Llathander
PoorWanderingOne - Durant
Nazard - Gilfroy Fezziwig
dathom - Badi Al'Mukhabat Nabih Ka'im
Papa-DRB - Abbas
overfiend_87 - Bahram Kalor
Now, we have an interesting situation here in that everybody but Gilfroy has the Finding Haleen trait. This could be a problem - I do encourage somebody changing traits, but it isn't strictly necessary. You could be a large family, or maybe there are more than one Haleen - yet everybody's description of the woman is the same? Intriguing. (or dull, your judgement, truly.) Do not feel pressured into changing traits, however.
What I want, prior to our beginning, is for you to discuss your backgrounds and get familiar with one another. Melding backgrounds is also encouraged, though this is expected for everybody with Finding Haleen as a campaign trait.
When the campaign starts, you will all have been travelling for a little over a week, from the town of Solku - and as such, you should all know each other on a name basis. I still want you to describe yourselves, and I won't frown upon an introduction - whether in past tense to when you first met one another or how else you prefer.
I will announce when we start, right now I need to do a LOT of preparations. Feel free to ask any questions you might have.
If I may: This is my first AP. And while I have myself to blame for hosting two groups instead of one, please be patient while I figure out how to handle everything. I will do my best to be a worthy DM.
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It's a family reunion.
Well, if you want somebody to switch traits, perhaps Gilfroy could switch to the Finding Haleen trait. It seems to be popular...oh, wait, you want less people with that trait. Well, never mind then.
Gilfroy is ready and waiting, and eager to decipher the mystery of this Haleen woman who seems to get around quite a bit.
Oh, and figure out what's up with this Kalmorene place. Not that that's likely anywhere near as juicy info as this Haleen puzzle.
Two players in the other group are curious about changing the energy type of their spells to thematically fit their characters. As such, I want to suggest a house rule for you as well.
Whenever you obtain a spell dealing energy damage, with an energy descriptor (fire, cold, electricity, acid, positive energy, negative energy, ect), you may change the energy type to one of your preference - this is mainly for thematic consistence.
However, changing spells that channel positive or negative energy removes its capability of healing the living or the undead. Furthermore, while you may modify a spell to either use positive or negative energy, it will not gain the quality to heal the living or the undead. Instead, consider positive energy as light and negative energy as darkness for the sense of theme. (this is a suggestion)
When a spell is changed this way, it is permanently modified. If you modify your Fireball to be a ... burst of light (positive energy) or a burst of electricity (I think scintillating sphere was essentially electric fireball) or an explosion of ice slivers (cold), then your spell is forever "Burst of Light" or "Ice Slivers", or whatever you wish to name your spell.
Any spells with a secondary effect that relies on the energy in question (such as Searing Ray, which deals extra damage versus undead or Ice Storm, which causes sleet and heavy rain in the area of effect) is very likely to lose its secondary effect when you change its energy.
I say this is a suggestion because I do not want to enforce any house rules upon you if you dislike it. It is only meant to support your concept and theme. You will also require my approval for any changed spells, so I can make sure balance is still maintained.
What do you think? Yes or no? Anything unclear?
Hmm, well, those with the trait who are human could be possible blood relatives of Haleen, if she is human of course. From the traits description, Haleen did a fair amount of traveling and my Background has her spending some time in Katapesh City, where Badi grew up. As possibly the oldest of those with the trait, at the ripe age of 37, Badi still sees Haleen as a sort of older half-sister, what with how quickly humans mature versus half-elves. With as much as the lady traveled, it is possible that we might not all know each other before we meet up in the caravan, but having a rough idea of a "family tree" might be good.
As for what DM Patcher suggested, I don't plan on Badi changing his spell type, but I think it might be good to limit the change to elemental spells only and leaving the positive/negative energy aspect as laid out in the Books. I am not too knowledgeable of spells, but I think most positive/negative energy spells already have its own opposite and it would be a shame to accidentally lose healing capabilities because too many spells got changed to negative energy.
Here's the party, reposted with race and class as well:
DaWay - Llathander (Half-Orc Paladin)
PoorWanderingOne - Durant (Human Monk)
Nazard - Gilfroy Fezziwig (Gnome Oracle)
dathom - Badi Al'Mukhabat Nabih Ka'im (Half-elf Wizard)
Papa-DRB - Abbas (Human Cleric)
overfiend_87 - Bahram Kalor (Human Ranger)
Haleen is a human, by the way. As such, we should define who are related by blood and who are adopted. We are in luck, though, that everybody with Finding Haleen are human or half-human.
Just noticed the posting, right here :)
As for what DM Patcher suggested, I don't plan on Badi changing his spell type, but I think it might be good to limit the change to elemental spells only and leaving the positive/negative energy aspect as laid out in the Books. I am not too knowledgeable of spells, but I think most positive/negative energy spells already have its own opposite and it would be a shame to accidentally lose healing capabilities because too many spells got changed to negative energy.
If it is a cause of worry, then it wouldn't be difficult to prevent cure and inflict spells to be changed this way, so that healing spells remain unchanged.
Bahram, Llathander, Gilfroy, do you have an opinion?
As far as Haleen is concerned I have both the adopted and finding haleen traits so as far as I am concerned she rescued Llathander when he was very young from the racial prejudices against those that are half-blooded.
I also believe I am the youngest at 19 so other older characters could have been involved in rescuing the young half-orc.
as far as the nature of spells is concerned I am indifferent.
Changing spells to positive or negative energy means that all energy resistance in useless, and it let's you drop positive energy balls on the other PCs to get at undead without any worries. Having to aim area spells is apart of using them.
I don't have any problem with permanently changing energy spells to another type of energy.
Changing spells to positive or negative energy means that all energy resistance in useless, and it let's you drop positive energy balls on the other PCs to get at undead without any worries. Having to aim area spells is apart of using them.
I don't have any problem with permanently changing energy spells to another type of energy.
Keep in mind that you cannot spontaneously change energy.
But since this appears to be a cause of concern, we will change the house rule (if accepted) to not include the ability to change to or from positive and negative energy.
@Badi Al'Mukhabat Nabih Ka'im: Looking over your sheet, I can't find the explanation for your saves - Wizards only have +2 base Will saves. Did I miscalculate or did you slip somewhere?
Also, your description for Scribe Scroll seems to be Weapon Finesse.
Maybe youcould make it a feat for those who want the option to do so.
Maybe youcould make it a feat for those who want the option to do so.
Could you specify?
It s just a thought but you could call it selective casting or something and those who want to can memorize the spell or cast it as if it took a level higher spell slot. So a fireball that would do a positive burst damage would be a level 4 spell.
Like I said just food for thought.
That suggests you can modify spells at a higher level, and makes it more of a min-maxing tool than a thematic suggestion (in my opinion) - the idea of being allowed to modify a spell's energy type (permanently) was in case anybody wanted to have specific types of spells - cold spells, fire spells, electric spells - in different flavours.
As is, with the houserule, you cannot spontaneously change your Burning Hands to electricity, for instance - upon gaining that spell, you would have a choice of what energy damage it would deal, and then it would permanently have that energy type, and no longer be fire; nor could it be prepared as a fire spell in the future (unless you took burning hands, again.)
Then again, this is only a suggestion, as mentioned.
Unless I misunderstood and you meant a metamagic feat in regards of positive/negative energy. Gilfroy did raise a valid point in that resistances essentially become useless - as such, I think I have to agree with him and spells cannot be changed into positive or negative energy.
I also vote for keeping positive and negative out of the mix. These two energy types are not like the others. As far as changing between elemental types I do think this should be possible. It will muck with balance however. Fire is the most common type of energy resistance and if you allow everyone to swap burning hands for electric hands encounters with the ER5-fire folks get a great deal easier.
So this is something to think carefully about. If it were up to me I would allow it but only for those casters who were STRONGLY tied to a elemental theme and it should cost a feat or a trait.
As far as changing haleen. I basically chose it at random. I could go reclaiming your roots but as a monk I have only a limited need for masterwork items.
Durant is probably not blood related to Haleen, she told him he was a foundling and she only raised him for 5-6 years before he entered the monastery so Durant should not overly intrude into another Halleenites background. Heck I think a group of us perhaps brought together by Llathander's vision might be fun. Mind you I don't see a drawback to keeping the background that you are a Haleenite and are seeking her but you actually have another trait. For a random example our friendly half orc could swap for Missionary and still bring the Haleen faction together while providing you with more flexibility .
I also vote for keeping positive and negative out of the mix. These two energy types are not like the others. As far as changing between elemental types I do think this should be possible. It will muck with balance however. Fire is the most common type of energy resistance and if you allow everyone to swap burning hands for electric hands encounters with the ER5-fire folks get a great deal easier.
So this is something to think carefully about. If it were up to me I would allow it but only for those casters who were STRONGLY tied to a elemental theme and it should cost a feat or a trait.
It is mainly for thematic consistency, and approval will be needed. I'll keep in mind fire resistances as well.
As soon as Abbas posts, I will go over all of your sheets and make sure everything is consistent. When that is done, and I am finished with preparations, the adventure will start.
I actually changed the energy of a single character in my carrion crown campaign because he was a Male Dhampire Paladin and Dhampires have a negative energy affiliation which means that like undead negative heals them but positive harms them and being a Paladin he produces positive.
I wavered it this time as it was a legitimate mistake and say that his deity has the power to override that, but only his abilities that produce positive can heal himself and others like lay on hands and so forth.
Concerning positive and negative energy channeling, the rule is that you choose when you make the character if it's positive or negative and it is stuck like that. There was a 3.x feat from the book of libris mortis where you could gain the ability to spontanously cast cures as well as inflicts.
I have a problem withthe Maleen. Problem is I can't look at the player's guide as it isn't free because it's part of pathfinder companion, however I got the trait of d20pfsrd and herolab. The info was interesting saying that either she was brought up as a child-hood friend or she brought you up herself like a mother or something like that. In my backstory it's a bit of a conflict as it has them as childhood friends and he's not that old.. I could ammend it to match Badi Al'Mukhabat Nabih Ka'im's.
Like I said indifferent on the matter
Also Patcher would you allow us to pool the remainder of our funds in order to buy something together like say a wand of cure light wounds?
Yeah, the mistakes you noticed are my fault Patcher. I used the template for a monk character I had made for another campaign and am in the process of changing it all. I will have those and other things fixed before the weekend is through.
If we want to make the trait fit for all of us, then for the young ones, Haleen, though possibly only 10-15 years older then, could be like a mother figure. Someone who took care of them when they were younger. Not knowing much on Haleen's background in the campaign, I had her as being born in Katapesh city and Badi and her spend their early years growing up on the streets together, thus they see each other more as childhood friends. When Badi got taken in my the Duskwalkers and he began his apprenticeship, Haleen left for wherever it was that she felt like going though she occasionally returned to meet up with Badi and exchange stories of what they had both seen. I am still looking at the other traits to see if I can incorporate one of them into his background instead, but having a tough time doing it without drastically changing his background.
On a side not Patcher, how much would you say a camel would cost?
I will switch to the Missionary trait and try to open a new temple in Kelmarane. I am away for the weekend and did not expect the characters to be chosen so soon, so my posting will be sporadic. Will work on a new background and character sheet and have something up by Monday night at the latest.
-- Abbas Garshta
Once my sword arm grew strong enough Haleen would have seen fit to have me go to a temple of Saranrae to become a Paladin. On a side not I am going to have to say that my trainer was from Taldor for my fighting style I was planning on going up the Rondelo style from the Inner Sea World Guide, if this would cause a problem I can always have him emulate the Dawnflower Dervishes.
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Also Patcher would you allow us to pool the remainder of our funds in order to buy something together like say a wand of cure light wounds?
I think this is a good idea, and see no problems with it. Please make sure that the gold you're supposed to pay does indeed vanish from your pockets.
I trust all of you to to take care of your monetary values on your character sheet - after all, who wants to play Pathfinder: The Accountant Roleplaying Game?
Once my sword arm grew strong enough Haleen would have seen fit to have me go to a temple of Saranrae to become a Paladin. On a side not I am going to have to say that my trainer was from Taldor for my fighting style I was planning on going up the Rondelo style from the Inner Sea World Guide, if this would cause a problem I can always have him emulate the Dawnflower Dervishes.
Can you show me more information on the Rondelo Style? Is it just fluff, or a feat? If the latter, I would like to see the mechanics so I can approve or disapprove it.
Yeah, the mistakes you noticed are my fault Patcher. I used the template for a monk character I had made for another campaign and am in the process of changing it all. I will have those and other things fixed before the weekend is through.
On a side not Patcher, how much would you say a camel would cost?
No worries.
Having looked up camels, I'll rule that they cost the same as untrained light horses (75 gp) - based on the fact that it is a possible mount choice for cavaliers instead of the horse. It won't be combat-trained, however. Also, keep in mind that you do have camels in the beginning of the campaign, though they won't be your personal property.
I will switch to the Missionary trait and try to open a new temple in Kelmarane. I am away for the weekend and did not expect the characters to be chosen so soon, so my posting will be sporadic. Will work on a new background and character sheet and have something up by Monday night at the latest.
-- Abbas Garshta
I apologise for springing the groups on everybody this way.
Since Abbas will be gone during the weekend, I'm reluctant to begin until he's back. Any thoughts?
Taldan Duelist (Combat)
You trained at one of Taldor’s elite fighting schools and are
skilled at rondelero, the art of fighting with the falcata (see
the Advanced Player’s Guide) and buckler.
Prerequisite: Dex 13, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (falcata),
Shield Proficiency (buckler), Weapon Focus (falcata).
Benefit: When fighting with the falcata and buckler,
your shield bonus to AC increases by +1 and you gain a +2
bonus on Acrobatics checks.
Also, I'll put down 100 gold for a wand of CLW any others want to help?
I don't see a problem with the feat. Feel free to go for it.
I decided to ditch the houserule. If you have a great idea for a thematic modification that doesn't break the spell, then I may allow it. Otherwise, let's keep to the books as closely as possible.
Durant, your sheet seems to be missing several vital statistics such as AC and saves.
Well, there is unrestricted WIFI where I am, and I *always* bring my laptop so I do have access, and "She who must be obeyed" said I can spend some time online, so I will be able to post over the holiday weekend. I have my character sheet up, excepting the background.
The reason everyone takes Finding Haleen, is you get the equivalent of two feats with that trait (Toughness +1 hit point/level and <same thing for skills> +1 skill point/level). All Mercenary does is give a one time +1 bonus to Diplomacy. The Finding Haleen trait is really over powered.
-- Abbas Garshta
I will switch to the Missionary trait and try to open a new temple in Kelmarane. I am away for the weekend and did not expect the characters to be chosen so soon, so my posting will be sporadic. Will work on a new background and character sheet and have something up by Monday night at the latest.
-- Abbas Garshta
I apologise for springing the groups on everybody this way.
Since Abbas will be gone during the weekend, I'm reluctant to begin until he's back. Any thoughts?
Well, there is unrestricted WIFI where I am, and I *always* bring my laptop so I do have access, and "She who must be obeyed" said I can spend some time online, so I will be able to post over the holiday weekend. I have my character sheet up, excepting the background.
The reason everyone takes Finding Haleen, is you get the equivalent of two feats with that trait (Toughness +1 hit point/level and <same thing for skills> +1 skill point/level). All Mercenary does is give a one time +1 bonus to Diplomacy. The Finding Haleen trait is really over powered.
-- Abbas Garshta
Yeah - I am tempted to alter the trait, so it isn't as powerful, but I'm not sure what else it could be.
It's only that good for single-classed characters. Someone like Gilfroy would get very little benefit from it.
If you wanted to limit its power, you could cap the trait to +5/+5.
That's a good idea. Anybody else got some insight on Gilfroy's suggestion? Or an alternative?
So I've looked at your profiles. Here's a rundown.
GILFROY - APPROVED
Can't find any faults.
ABBAS - APPROVED
Everything is in order.
LLATHANDER
Everything is in order, except your traits. The adopted racial trait does not allow you to pick another race's racial trait, it allows you to pick a race trait. Please fix this.
BADI - APPROVED
Everything looks in order. May I ask why some of your spells have an asterisk next to them?
BAHRAM - APPROVED
Can't find any faults.
DURANT
Profile lacks a lot of information. No combat statistics, no skills.
Llathander and Durant, please inform me when you're ready for a re-inspection, so to speak.
Can everyone post their timezone? That way the DM won't be expecting posts in the middle of our respective nights.
I am EST (New York, USA), GMT -5, but right now we are on Daylight Savings time, so it is EDT, GMT -4.
-- Abbas Garshta
(-- david)
I'm one hour after abbas. London doesn't use daylight savings time?
I am GMT+1 / CET. Or something like that.
The asterisks are more for my own record keeping. All spells with an asterisk are conjuration spells. It'll help me keep track of what spells I can put in my school granted spell slot. Will most likely buy a camel anyway, Badi has the money to spend and doesn't have a lot in the way of carrying capacity. Plus, he is the type of guy that would rather over plan than underplan and be stuck unprepared.
I am currently posting from California (currently GMT -7 I believe). I will be heading to the Vermont area (GMT -4) for about 8 weeks starting in Mid June and will once more return to California in Mid-August.
Gilfroy currently has a pony, but that's probably not the best choice for the desert. Do they make an equivalent of camels for small people?
Updated and corrected
I am in Washington dc so i imagine that would be the same gmt as Vermont.
If there are any other items that need to be corrected let me know.
So no takers on the wand pool thenhuh?
Updated and corrected
I am in Washington dc so i imagine that would be the same gmt as Vermont.
If there are any other items that need to be corrected let me know.
So no takers on the wand pool thenhuh?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but your HP is:
d10 + 1 con modifier + 1 Finding Haleen;And the amount of skill points you're supposed to have is:
2 base + 1 int modifier + 1 Finding Haleen;
Where is your Favoured Class bonus? Or is my interpretation of the Finding Haleen trait wrong, and you don't get +1 HP/Skill point in addition to your Favoured Class bonus of +1 HP or +1 skill point or alternate racial favoured class bonus?
Hp d10 +1 con +1haleen
Skill points 2 +1 int +1 Haleen +1 fav for a total of 5
Where is your 5th skill rank, is what I'm wondering. I only see 4.
Regarding the wand pool. Unless some of us knew each other pretty well before the trip from Solku started, I don't see how we could have pooled money to buy a wand before. Once on the road, I don't think there would be much opportunity to stock up on supplies unless we happen upon a caravan that carries such things. That, and that fact that Badi's own preparations are leaving him with a total of almost 7gp means that he wouldn't be able to contribute nearly enough to cover his part of the cost.
Gilfroy currently has a pony, but that's probably not the best choice for the desert. Do they make an equivalent of camels for small people?
Not to my knowledge, I'm afraid.
Abbas changed to Missionary from Finding Haleen - that means we have 4 Finding Haleens, 1 Missionary and 1 Seeking Adventure, am I wrong? Reason I'm confirming is that I am currently trying to tie together the strings and find out how to do the introduction.
I have summarised your backgrounds thusly:
GILFROY
Born in Finderplain. Went to Solku to pursue his dreams and survived on painting.
LLATHANDER
Born in Kalapesh. Was adopted by Haleen. A priest from Taldor took him in; he left Kalapesh for training.
BADI
Lives(Lived?) in Kalapesh. Jalim al'Fahir Akil gave him his current life. Befriended Haleen during his erranding days.
BAHRAM
Lived around Kelepesh. Haleen freed him.
DURANT
No backstory on profile.
ABBAS
No backstory on profile.
Am I missing anything? Bahram, your profile did not specify where you were held as a slave, and as such I assume you lived in or near Kelepesh.
Llathander, Badi, Bahram and Durant, unless any of you decide to change your trait, it's fair to assume you know each other. I don't know if you all regard each others as siblings, or even friends, but you would know each other - any objections to this statement?
The man who is hiring you at the beginning of the campaign, Garavel, is looking for extra men, and is advertising that the job involves the areas around Kelmarane, east of the Pale Mountains. You all have reasons to join, but why would the four "siblings" take along the missionary and the gnome?
All fixed sorry about that.
Gilfeoy might allow Durant to make an attachment. Gilfroy dresses in monkish clothes, and may even passhimself off as some sort of martial artist, albeit a pretty bad one. Putting forth that kind of deception is totally in his character.
Perhaps he's looking for a sparring partner?
ABBAS
No backstory on profile.
Background in profile.
-- Abbas Garshta
I was thinking that for the trait, it could be set up to give an extra HP OR skill point above the favored bonus, instead of granting both. If that is still too overpowered, it could grant that bonus every other level as well.
sorry for the delay RL exploded. done asap
re trait. perhaps +1 class skill as she encouraged us to follow our interests.
I was thinking that for the trait, it could be set up to give an extra HP OR skill point above the favored bonus, instead of granting both. If that is still too overpowered, it could grant that bonus every other level as well.
I like this suggestion, and agree with Durant that it ought to be an extra skill point because of her encouragement. If there are no protests, then this will be how Finding Haleen works:
Although Haleen chose to become a swashbuckling adventurer, she always encouraged you to seek your own path, and her support is the primary reason you chose the class you did at 1st level. This class is always a favored class to you, and your dedication to it is such that every time you take a level in the class, you gain +1 hit point or 1 additional skill point over and above what you would normally gain.
LLATHANDER - APPROVED
Sheet is now in order.
ABBAS SUMMARY
Not sure where raised. Trained priest of the Dawnflower, under(?) Mother Patrice. Assigned to Majordomo Garavel to retake Kelmarane and open a church to Sarenrae.
I also want to ask what measure of freedom I have with your backstories' elements.
Go to town.
Go to town.
I have arrived. What groceries were I supposed to get again?