Heh. I've seen my brother invaded by the in-laws for two weeks at a time, so I've seen firsthand how plans can go to the four winds. No problem, GM Todd. Maybe I'll post non-dice-rolling events and internal dialogue to keep "the dot" on the messageboard page.
I'm going to Canada tomorrow and will be in the land where using my phone to post will be expensive. I will be there until next Tuesday, so my posting will be less than usual. The GM should direct my character in combat if necessary.
Have a safe trip, Kalis.
Dragolan and GM Todd, what rules are we using for Dragolan's channels? The book (PRD) says "can choose to deal damage to undead creatures or to heal living creatures." GM Todd, are we playing the either-or? I'm just curious, since Dragolan used a spell instead of channeling on Kalis just now. I may have to change tactics, depending upon what Dragolan wants to do in battle.
(I never ran into this with my Healer playing tabletop 3.5. I was doing ranged touch Cure ______ Wounds spells at them.)
My understanding was that the damage vs. cure determination was made when the character actually channeled, not at character generation. Compare the language used for descriptions of neutral clerics:
A neutral cleric who worships a neutral deity...must choose whether she channels positive or negative energy. Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed.
(emphasis mine) The bolded sentence doesn't appear in the discussion of whether channeling positive energy heals living creatures or harms undead ones.
A good cleric (or a neutral cleric who worships a good deity) channels positive energy and can choose to deal damage to undead creatures or to heal living creatures.
So it seems to be either or. You can't heal your group and AoE the undead hordes with the same channel.
I guess he used CLW instead of channel on Kalis because CLW can heal a bit more damage. (not with his rolls though ;) ) Or just to safe some channels, I don't know, you'd have to ask Dragolan.CLW is a touch spell, Channel is 30 ft area. Channel also heals everything in the radius, which means even enemies (unless they're undead)
Of course you should.
Except Iron has a hardness of 10, which is basicly DR for objects, and the acid splash does a measly 1d3 damage. Even if its not halved because you could say acid is effective against metal, it wouldn't even scratch it. Might remove the dirt from it though :)
I guess he used CLW instead of channel on Kalis because CLW can heal a bit more damage. (not with his rolls though ;) )
That's right, rub it in ;-).
Channeling when you have both undead and living things in your channel always befuddles me from a logical standpoint. Positive energy is positive energy.. I don't see how it is weaponized strictly to either hurt undead or specifically heal living things. Your channel hits every living thing in your radius, but somehow the undead are exempt for the surge of energy and aren't damaged by it automatically... alternatively you could surge and your burst of positive energy only affects the undead and no living thing is healed even though the positive energy still bursts in 30ft and they save automatically from any effects of it.
Can anyone provide a nice flavorful reason for this? I know this is RAW but I might change this... much like how retrieving an object, like a potion on your belt, provokes an AoO but drawing your sword from the belt would not.
From what I have read on the messageboards, the "either-or" was specifically made to not overpower the cleric. Beforehand in 3E and 3.5 you had Turn Undead and Cure ____ Wounds spells. Pathfinder brought channeling to the game, but somebody in the playtest was vocal in that if clerics did this all the time, they were basically putting out a power that had no drawbacks whatsoever.
I chose the Healer from the Miniatures Handbook at my tabletop game a couple of years ago because I was tired of the damage-per-second emphasis on battle in 3.5. Then Pathfinder came out with the Oracle, the Inquisitor, and the anti-Paladin in the Adventurer Player's Guide.
So channeling is awesome in Pathfinder, nothing comes close to it until you get the Cure _____ Wounds, Mass spells around 9th level or so. But the authors made sure you can't just spam the undead and heal the good guys at the same time, or heal just your friends and not the bad guys unless you take a couple of feats.
Yeah, Channel is basicly a mass Cure spell. And I guess for that it had to have some drawbacks.
It affects enemies in the most inconvinient way for you, heals enemies or does not damage undead :)
True it doesn't make too much sense though, if it affects enemies it should affect undead at the same time.
Are there feats to only hit allies with it?
The Selective Channeling feat, which I'd link to if the SRD wasn't blocked at work. Lets the channeler exempt one square per point of CHA bonus from the AoE of the channel.
As far as flavor, I choose to assume that the cleric has to focus his positive energy, choosing the benefit it will have. It doesn't make a lot of sense, probably, but otherwise, as has already been stated, it becomes too overpowered in undead scenarios.
As for the AoO example you mentioned, I tend to agree with you. I don't like granting unnecessary AoOs, so I'll often ignore them for such actions. Now, if you were to take a drink from said potion, it's a different story, as you would be taking your full attention away from the combat at hand. But that's just my two cents.
Waiting for Jasper to, ahem, "do this thing" and attack that lock on the sea chest. If not, well, I hope that chest is waterproof and buoyant, hint, hint.
Waiting for Jasper to, ahem, "do this thing" and attack that lock on the sea chest. If not, well, I hope that chest is waterproof and buoyant, hint, hint.
It's brittle already from the water. We just have Dragolan sit on it :))
Or someone smashes it open with an attack.
...And our band of adventurers sailed away from Smuggler's Shiv forever more inside an opened treasure chest.
Sorry Dragolan- you had to stay behind due to the weight restrictions of the craft. >:)
Hmph. Dragolan is waterproof and buoyant, too. Just tow him alongside. Or make him push.
At the dentist's office until midday. Should just be a cleaning, hopefully! (Getting old - 39 - stinks.)
39?! Old? Shut up, you. Kids these days. (51, here.)
I'm 29...I got nothin...
21! Huzzah! I'm the baby of the group!
Well, I'm back. 3 cavities, appointment in August. Never had but 1 cavity my whole life until I was 35, now I'm getting 2-3 a year. Every time I visit the dentist, they find more. I'm going to stop going. ;)
WOw, just realised we have almost 900 posts in the gamethread already. Nice.
XP is close at 1,200. With url-links to where we got them, just in case. We're working our way to 2,000 xp for 2nd Level, I believe. But yes, 900 posts is good.
I'm keeping track still! Including anything we get off of the Golden Bow here.
Thought I mention it here as well:
I was just reading through this thread: What house rules do Paizo game designers play with? and Sean K Reynolds posted an interesting houserule he uses.
steps-based level advancement system
Just thought I mention it here, since I thought it's actually a pretty cool idea.
I actually like that variation a lot. It's pretty different, and I'd have to rethink some of my rewards for not just defeating enemies, but also accomplishing some of the overhanging objectives. I'm worried that I'll level you up too quickly, as PbPs move at a different pace than traditional games.
Let me think on it, but if you guys like the sound of it a lot, let me know and I'll see what I can do.
I actually like that variation a lot. It's pretty different, and I'd have to rethink some of my rewards for not just defeating enemies, but also accomplishing some of the overhanging objectives. I'm worried that I'll level you up too quickly, as PbPs move at a different pace than traditional games.
Let me think on it, but if you guys like the sound of it a lot, let me know and I'll see what I can do.
Yes, I've been thinking about this, and one idea might be this:
Keep the normal XP rewards just like they are, as a measure how fast we're progressing, since there's not really anything like a "session" in PbP.Every 1/4 of a level we'd gain one of those steps. So we'd have 2 now, the next at 1500, and at 2000 we'd be 2nd level as normal.
3rd level is at 5000 so thats 3000 difference, so that would mean ever 750 would be one of those steps.
I guess everyone should say they're ok with it though before we use that.
I'd like to try it out. I might be using this for my own game without the 1/4 level in XP as a guideline. This would be very interesting! I'm for it.
Because Adventure Paths have a recommended leveling for each stage and each book ("Players should be Level X when this happens, and Level Y when that happens.") I don't mind going xp-less for this game. I know players tend to kill everything in sight until they hit the mid-levels just to get the xp, so switching to AP leveling is all right.
Otherwise we're going to hit a xp "cap" pretty quickly in this "sandbox" module. If Brin was still here GM Todd would have to change the encounters to six-player instead of the iconic four-player.
This approach was made possible when Pathfinder severed the link between xp and item creation, which I remember in the 3.0 and 3.5 days as being the only reason some wizards got out of their isolated towers.
All right. I've slept on it, and I really like the stepped advancement idea. I'm still going to track and award XP, but we'll award "step" rewards at every 1/4 level - at least until we get to the end of the first chapter and I have a better sense for PbP advancement.
So, to recap quickly, there are four categories of "rewards" from which you can choose. They are, as follows:
A) Hit Dice/hit points/base attack bonus
B) Saving throws
C) Skill points
D) Special
Upon achieving a "step," you choose one of the four rewards from your next level. At the second step, you choose one of the remaining three; the next one of two; and the final step you choose your remaining bonus and are officially a higher level.
To date, you have all earned two steps, and so you may choose two rewards.
To track this, I ask that you make note of the step rewards you have taken in your character profile.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Just to make a few things clear though, since it can be a tiny tad confusing, from what SKR said in the thread:
Stuff like fighter or wizard bonus feats for example, are part of "Special", while the normal feats are given at full levels, just like before.
Basicly everything from this table is given at full levels, while everything that's given by the classes themselves is split up in those 4 categories.
Also, taking Special as a caster gives you access to your spells of the next level, already, so yes, a 4D wizard would get his 3rd level spells already, but his CL is still 4. So his fireball would do 4d6 damage.
I'm not sure about Favored Class bonus. I guess you can say it's locked to category A, because of HD, or you could say you get it the moment you decide which class to take next (aka take any one category).
Hmm... I think I'll take Skills (I definitely need them to unlock a couple more classskills) and... Hmm... Special to finally get good Bluff and Sense Motive? or BAB to hit better. I'll let you know
Yes, good points. The step rewards are only related to your class - not the universal level up rewards.
I'm not sure how others do it, but I'm going with Favored Class Bonuses are awarded upon selecting your next class level at step 1.
EDIT: It's early, I'm not communicating well.
Your Favored Class Bonus is gained at the first step of each level. At that time, you must choose which class you will choosing for your next level. If it is your favored class, you receive the bonus.
Now that I've actually read the PDF document it makes more sense. It's "pulling" your next level's achievements one-by-one at your current level by 1/4th until you reach next level. It's not new or bonus, unless you count Favored Class in that realm.
Petry will go for 1AC, i.e., hit points/BAB & skill points.
GM Todd, remind me, how are we doing hit dice at each level, do we roll or take the average?
Edit: Looking back at the 1st OOC post, it would be rolling each level.
HP:
Petry is weak on the WIS skills! No ability bonus! So that's primarily where I put my skills. I'll have to wait for all the Knowledge skills not shared by others here until we reach a library in Eleder.
Survival is more important than I originally thought in this game.
Special and Hit Points!
Huzzah! No more one-hit death by flying lizards and prestidigitation!
I haven't had a chance to review the doc yet, but will do so later today and pick rewards.
One other thing--I'm going to be on the road for a few days around this coming weekend (no, not GenCon; off to Upper Michigan to visit in-laws and possibly camp). Internet access will be via phone from Friday through Sunday night, and the last time I was up there 3G coverage was kind of iffy. If that's still the case, I may be pretty-much incommunicado for the duration. GMT, you can play Dragolan as a DMPC while I'm gone; I'd hate to have things grind to a halt for a few days when we've been going so well.
ETA: I'll be checking the document *much* later today; SKR's website is blocked at work. One of these days the filter's going to catch Paizo, and then I'll be stuck.
Hey guys - sorry for the lack of posting. It's been a crazy day. I'll try to move things forward later tonight or first thing tomorrow morning.
No worries GMT! This game is flyin' by anyways so what you actually mean is that you apologize for today's pace being a typical PbP game's pace. ;)
I read over the doc, and that sounds like an interesting variation. Dragolan will take A and C for his rewards.
Second level HP:
Skills: All the same, except for taking a rank in Knowledge (Religion) over Spellcraft.
After long consideration, I'm going with Skills and HPs.
I pondered Special instead of HP, but I want to learn Cure Light Wounds, and I wanted Dragolan to show me how to do it, so I got some more time how to practice :)
Also... not being a one-hit target is good. Hopefully I roll decently:
Hitpoints:
Ah, not too bad.
Skills: Added 5 more skills at rank 1. Escape Artist, Knowledge (arcana), Perform (Oratory), Spellcraft, Stealth.
Sense Motive and Bluff will finally be taken care of as well, once I take Special :)
Sorry, today was a travel day, so no posts. I am back from Canada, but I am off of work for the rest of the week. I will be posting more, but still not my normal amount.
In any case, I have read the .pdf and have no problem progressing that way. Kalis will take A & C although I really want the specials. I figure the hit points and skills are more important right now.
(+1 Con, +1 Favored Class)
Skills:
Acrobatics, Climb, Survival, & Swim
I will adjust his profile accordingly.
Jasper hasn't replied yet but am I correct in seeing everyone go "1AC" in their picks? Is that predictable or a failing of Level One weaknesses? :)
Obviously it can change at any level, but I thought it funny that everyone ('cept Meraxes) chose hit points and skills.
Also, taking Special as a caster gives you access to your spells of the next level, already, so yes, a 4D wizard would get his 3rd level spells already, but his CL is still 4. So his fireball would do 4d6 damage.
Are you sure about that? The PDF mentioned nothing about Special including caster level and spells. "Special" under a class usually means class specials, which I could see at "less than full level", but getting 2nd level spells and spells per day at 2 and 1/4 would make no sense. Getting bloodline spells or abilities does make sense, however.
If 3rd Level and 5th Level are more "intense" (because the "good" spells come at 2nd level and 3rd level), then I can see all the casters taking 2D and 5D, respectively, just to have the firepower. If it works that way. Otherwise, Special means bonus feats or special class abilities, not spell levels and spells per day.
Actually it says so in the pdf:
Hit Dice/hit points/base attack
bonus, saving throws, skill points, and special
(all other class abilities, such as a rogue’s sneak
attack, wizard spellcasting, and so on).
Also SKR confirmed it in the thread here
Yeah I took HP mainly because level 1 is extremely fragile. Skills I took mostly because those from 1st level weren't enough to flesh out my character how I envisioned her, so I gave her a couple of skills she should have had at the beginning now.
Most likely in future levels I'm going to take Special first.
Oh and Meraxes took AD not AC :)
The captain's hat told me to pick special instead of skills! Honest!
Has everyone taken their step rewards? If so, is it reflected in all of your profiles?
I've updated my profile. It seemed like skill and combat effectiveness increases were pretty easy to justify, given that Dragolan has used just about every one of his skills, and has done some fighting.
Re reward selection, it seems like taking A for your first reward at first level is a no-brainer--doubling your HP for the last 3/4 of the level goes a long way towards enhancing your character's survivability.
In fact, I'd argue that unless that's a desired outcome, it might be worth prorating HP increase after taking A. If you take it any time before the level break, roll your total HP--get half right away, then half at the next reward. I'm not recommending messing with the house rules now, just thinking out loud.
(I'm not sure I would ever take saving throws any time before the level break at any level, either. So the most common reward sequences will be ACDB and ADCB, I'll bet.)
I'm going to go with A and D. I need to pick up my talent and I will have all of it updated on the board by the end of the day.
Increased survivability = tougher battles and increased rewards. I'm fine with it. I've fudged some rolls and stuff to this point, so knowing that you're not ridiculously fragile anymore will actually make the adventure more fun and dangerous for everyone.
Just trying to get my spells straight for today.
We fought the zombies and skeleton ships today, right?
I believe it was skeleton ship, flying reptile-bird, then zombie/ghoul ship, then finding the Captain's and Ieana's landing point. Three battles before lunch. Which is the reason Petry's out of points right now.
Yes, I was making sure I had gotten my spells right.
I used Grease in both skeleton and zombie fight, so i'm actually out of 1st level spells too.