I want something filled with merfolk, tritons, sahuagin, skum, aboleths, and other underwater creatures. I want to explore their cities and ways of life, and play Pathfinder in an environment it doesn't typically go into. Does anyone else?
I'll put up the character creation rules if I get enough interest. Until then, I plan for all PC characters to be merfolk (the merfolk are the protagonists of this story), starting level to be 5th, and stats to be 25 point buy.
Additional character creation rules, house rules, and equipment rules to come if enough people want to do this.
Sounds awesome. Sahuagin have long been my favorite monster. Consider me interested. Are you looking for character concept basics at all yet, or only just gauging interest?
Also signalling interest. I have a master summoner character from a game that died I'd love to revamp, and that environment would allow me to explore some of the fun aquatic summons and eidolon form one rarely gets to use.
Basic character concepts are nice.
I plan to mostly focus on merfolk, sahuagin, tritons, and aquatic elves.
If you wish to play an aquatic elf instead of a merfolk, take this and add 2 to wisdom.
Merfolk and aquatic elves are the only intended PC races unless someone finds another aquatic creature of CR 1/3 that fits as a PC race. I already reviewed the gillmen, and don't want to include them in this campaign.
Also signalling interest. I have a master summoner character from a game that died I'd love to revamp, and that environment would allow me to explore some of the fun aquatic summons and eidolon form one rarely gets to use.
That will work.
Hmm...cleric of Gozreh...harpoon wielding paladin...cleric of Gozreh...harpoon wielding paladin...
Tough call. I'll have a concept up for by tomorrow evening.
I will take a shot at updating my summoner tomorrow when I get a moment, and see how she looks. Would this be a Golarion-based game or some other world (not that it really matters, I suppose, except for deities)?
One of the house rules I was going to use is that paladins can be LG, NG, or CG, if that helps you make your decision.
Then paladin it is. :) Now I just have to track down where the harpoon weapon is. I swear I've seen it before (if not I'll use a spear and call it a harpoon).
What world? Didn't think of that.
Hmm. Eberron without action points. Game starts in a merfolk settlement in the southern Thunder Sea. If you want an artificer, say so and I'll find a conversion for you.
The aquatic elves are close allies of the merfolk.
The CRB says you can't throw weapons underwater, but I rule that a harpoon can be thrown underwater since it's specifically designed for that. A spear can be thrown, but at half range.
Try looking in the D20 PFSRD.
Never played in Eberron before-anything I should know about it before setting to a concept for consideration?
No, there isn't. Eberron never really touched the merfolk subject, so you have room to create stuff.
In fact, I'll allow you to homebrew dieties. I'm sure underwater people have their own.
Never mind. No Eberron. Let's just use Golarion. Our settlement is in the Inner Sea, and aquatic elves and merfolk are still allied.
You can still homebrew dieties. I'm sure Golarion's underwater denizens have their own.
(Ringtail) Any objection to flavoring a ranseur as a large harpoon?
I'd suggest a trident with a 15 foot range increment as a harpoon, and a ranseur as the aquatic answer to a pike.
Thrown weapons normally don't function underwater, correct? Will there be any exception to this rule or will all ranged attacks need to be projectile with heavy penalty/magical in nature?
I apply the penalties as normal in most cases, but harpoons ignore them for the first 15 feet and spears for the first 10. Harpoons and spear type weapons are the only weapons that may be thrown. Harpoons are the most effective ranged weapons due to this, and combat is fairly heavily melee.
Not to be difficult, but if I were to want to use a net (normally a thrown weapon), just toying with the idea of net and trident, which is cumbersome and awkward in the water, would there be anyway to use in melee or at extremely close range?
I don't see why not. Why? Can a net not normally be used in close ranges?
I don't see why not. Why? Can a net not normally be used in close ranges?
A net is normally an exotic thrown weapon with a range increment of 10'. As a thrown weapon, by the rules, it cannot be used underwater (understandably-I'd have a hard time seeing even a weighted net tossed very far horizontally in water). But, since one can swim in 3 dimensions, I was wondering if perhaps I could ensnare someone with one who is adjacent or drop one onto a creature below me (whether such a thing is possible and whether it would be a touch attack or a reflex save is entirely debatable, I suppose).
I'll allow you to throw it at targets up to ten feet away or drop it from above.
Spellcasters are good. Sorcerer and druid both fit. Just don't take aquatic as a bloodline or archetype. It gives you stuff you already have.
I would be interested in playing a lancer paladin, who rides a moray eel. It might be a little cliched, but I'd love to see how it works under the sea. *smiles*
Dotting for interest with an mermaid Witch. If you are OK with that class?
When am I thinking of starting? Sometime in the middle of the week.
What's the point of riding a giant eel? You can swim faster than it can.
Interesting. I saw your other thread asking about how things would go, and it piqued my interest.
I'm thinking of a ranger, with the weapon and shield combat style.
The only thing I'm wondering, how does armor interact with the underwater environment?
Here is my mermaid master summoner. I'll get to work on Trig, her eidolon next. He'll be a utility eidolon with a focus on Use Magic Device. The wands listed on her inventory are actually intended for him to use.
Female Merfolk Master Summoner (Summoner) 5
N Medium humanoid (aquatic, amphibious)
Init +2; Senses Perception +0, low-light vision
AC 19 (armour +5, Dex +2, natural +2), touch 12, flat-footed 17
CMD 17
HP 43 (5d8+10+5)
Fort (1) +4, Ref (1) +5, Will (4) +5
Defensive Abilities None
Immunities None
Resistances None
Speed 5 feet; swim 50 feet
Melee
Longspear +5 (1d8+3; 20/x3; reach)
Dagger +5 (1d4+2; 19-20/x2)
Ranged
None
Special Actions
None
Abilities Str 14, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 19
Base Attack +3; Melee Touch +5; Ranged Touch +5
CMB +5
Feats
Extra Evolution (1)
Augment Summoning (MS 2)
Superior Summoning (3)
Extra Evolution (5)
Traits
Deft Dodger: +1 trait bonus to Reflex saves
Focused Mind: +2 trait bonus to Concentration checks
Skills
Linguistics (3) +8
Knowledge (Planes) (5) +10
Knowledge (Arcana) (5) +10
Spellcraft (5) +10
Use Magic Device (2) +9
Languages
Common, Aquan, Celestial, Auran, Terran, Infernal, Abyssal
Summoner
Caster Level 5; Concentration +11; Spell Penetration +5
Abilities
summon monster III (9/day): cast i]summon monster III[/i] as a spell-like ability with a standard action casting time and duration measured in minutes per level
Spells Known
Level 0 acid splash, detect magic, guidance, light, message, resistance
Level 1 enlarge person, rejuvenate eidolon (lesser), shield, unseen servant
Level 2
glitterdust (DC 16), haste, invisibility
PP – 0
GP – 61
SP – 9
CP – 0
Weapons – MW longspear (305 gp, 9 lbs), 2 x dagger (4 gp, 2 lbs)
Armour – +1 chain shirt (1250 gp, 25 lbs)
Alchemical –
Other Combat Gear –
Scrolls –
Potions –
Wands – cure light wounds (40) (600 gp), magic missile CL 3rd (25) (1125 gp), silent image (40) (600 gp), obscuring mist (40)(600 gp)
Other Magic Items – +1 cloak of resistance (1000 gp, 1 lb), ring of sustenance (2500 gp, -- lbs)[/i], handy haversack (2000 gp)
Mundane Gear – backpack (2 gp, 2 lbs), bedroll (0.1 gp, 5 lbs), scroll case (1 gp, 0.5 lbs), waterskin (1 gp, 4 lbs),
Unlike many who take up an adventuring life beneath the waves, Xara’s tale is one of a loving home created for her and her sister by two mixed-breed parents rather than a childhood marred by sahuagin attacks. Both retired adventurers themselves, Xara’s parents fully expected their daughters to both latch on to their own wanderlust and drive for excitement. They were quite puzzled when their oldest, Treya, held no interest in such things, preferring the more mundane excitement of attracting and leading on the mermenfolk and of their small town of Coralfall, a trading town 100 miles west of Absalom. Therefore, when the younger sister Xara did show interest, they lavished all their attentions on her and her training. Her father, Rommel, attempted to mold her into a warrior, with exercises of the body. She lifted weights, swam marathons, dodged spears, and trained with weapons, mainly a long spear like her father preferred. Her mother, Prayna, schooled her in the arcane arts of conjuration, molding her mind into the disciplined school of wizardry. Together, they thought to fashion for themselves a magus, one of the legendary warriors who blend weaponry and magic with such skill and mastery, so it was quite a surprise to them when Trig first appeared during summoning practice. Trig, so obviously fantastical and unusual, was the cause of much research, but once they realized they had inadvertently created a summoner, they embraced their youngest daughter’s success. Treya thought the whole thing quite boring, really.
When Xara was ready to head out into the world to seek her adventure, her father gave her a longspear of her own, specially crafted for his adventurer daughter, and her mother bestowed upon her a scroll case – hard leather and monogrammed with an ‘X’. Xara hugged her family good-bye, promised to write often, and left to seek her fortune.
Rangers are fine.
The armor check penalties still apply, but you only need to make swim checks when attempting some sort of maneuver, and your +8 bonus for having a swim speed means that even with armor you are still a good swimmer. To figure out how much armor costs and how much it slows you down, use the barding values.
Witches are allowed.
I'll have equipment rules up soon.
What kind of racial bonus do merfolk get?
When am I thinking of starting? Sometime in the middle of the week.
What's the point of riding a giant eel? You can swim faster than it can.
This is a very good point. I'm not used to having an effective 50' speed! Would it be possible to have an eel equivalent of horseshoes of speed? Either way, he wouldn't be able to serve as much of a mount until I hit 7th level and he counts as a large creature. Still, I like the idea of a paladin, and fighting with a lance seems to be a very good idea for pathfinder. Alternatively, a manta ray might serve as a suitable mount at current level. It's fast enough, though not nearly as awesome as riding a giant eel, in my opinion.
Jaiyana Nejem - CR 4
Female merfolk paladin 5
NG Medium humanoid (aquatic)
Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +5
Defense
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 19 (+6 armor, +1 Dex, +2 natural, +1 shield)
CMD 20
hp 57 (5d10+25; 10, 5.5, 5.5, 5.5, 5.5)
Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +7
Immune disease, fear effects
Offense
Spd 5 ft., swim 50 ft.
Base Atk +5; CMB +8
Melee trident +8 (1d8+3)
Ranged net +2 touch or
trident +6 (1d8+3)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks Smite Evil 2/day
Statistics (25 points)
Str 16, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 17
Feats Dodge, Power Attack, Toughness
Skills Diplomacy (5) +11, Heal (3) +6, Knowledge (religion) (1) +6, Perception (5) +5, Sense Motive (5) +8, Swim (1) +10
Languages Aquan, Taldane (common)
Special Abilities Aura of Courage, Aura of Good, Channel Positive Energy (DC 15, 3d6), Detect Evil, Divine Bond (weapon), Divine Grace, Divine Health, Lay on Hands 5/day (2d6), Mercy (sickened)
Traits Deft Dodger, Reactionary
Equipment
Gear breastplate, light steel shield, net, trident
Carrying Capacity
Weight Carried
Armor Check Penalty
Typical Spells Prepared (CL 1; concentration +4)
1 (2/day) - Lesser Restoration, Protection from Evil
This is a very good point. I'm not used to having an effective 50' speed! Would it be possible to have an eel equivalent of horseshoes of speed? Either way, he wouldn't be able to serve as much of a mount until I hit 7th level and he counts as a large creature. Still, I like the idea of a paladin, and fighting with a lance seems to be a very good idea for pathfinder. Alternatively, a manta ray might serve as a suitable mount at current level. It's fast enough, though not nearly as awesome as riding a giant eel, in my opinion.When am I thinking of starting? Sometime in the middle of the week.
What's the point of riding a giant eel? You can swim faster than it can.
Manta ray is fine if you are an aquatic elf. Merfolk cannot have mounts, as they have no legs.
The available armor is leather, hide, and coral. Hide uses the breastplate stats, coral the full plate stats, and leather the studded leather stats. There are no armor check penalties to swim checks.
Weapons are coral, obsidian, shark tooth, and other widely available underwater materiel. This effects appearance, but the only stat effect is that coral armor wights half what full plate weighs and all weapons are half weight. Longswords are not available, but the wooden thingies with tooth, rock, and bone jammed inside them (I forget the name, but I think I saw them in UC) are available. Spears, battleaxes, handaxes, tridents, daggers, clubs, maces, and lances are available, other stuff is available by GM fiat. If you want something I didn't mention, ask me.
I would argue that merfolk don't need to have legs to ride a mount under water so much as a free hand, such as good old
manta riders here, but that's your call. *smiles* I think the elves aren't worth the trade off from the merfolk. I'd still like to do something here, but I'm trying to figure out what exactly that is! I'll post back later with some idea when inspirations strikes me.
That looks like it would be exhausting on the arm and difficult in combat, and not worth an extra 10 feet of speed.
If you wish to play a fighter or rogue, use these classes. If you are not a fighter or rogue, use the Pathfinder classes, not the Kirthfinder classes. If you wish to play a cavalier, play a fighter. The Kirthfinder fighter replaces the Pathfinder fighter and cavalier. Use the default Pathfinder iterative attack values for your BAB, not the higher Kirthfinder values. Use the Pathfinder save bonuses for rogues and fighters, not the Kirthfinder bonuses.
The Kirthfinder rogue and fighter may look more powerful at a glance, but they are not. They have increased versatility that the rogue and fighter desperately need, but their power is about the same.
What material should a light shield be crafted of for use?
I'd recommend hide or leather. Treat it like wood stats wise.
How much starting gold do we get?
Here is some crunch for my Witch, still need to finish up a few things though:
dex: 12 +2racial 14
con: 14 +2racial 16
int: 16
wis: 10
chr: 14 +2racial 16
HP:
AC: 14
BAB: +2
Melee: +2
Ranged: +4
CMB: +2
CMD: +14
Fortitude: +4
Reflex: +3
Will: +7
Skills:
Perform singing
Knowldege arcana
Knowledge history
Knowledge planes
Knowledge nature
Spellcraft
Use Magic Device
Heal
Spells per Day:
Cantrips: 4
1st level: 3 + 1
2nd level: 2 + 1
3rd level: 1 + 1
Hexes:
Healing
Charm
Slumber
Patron: Enchantment
2nd—unnatural lust, 4th—calm emotions, 6th—unadulterated loathing,
8th—overwhelming grief, 10th—dominate person, 12th—geas,
14th—euphoric tranquility, 16th—demand, 18th—dominate monster.
Familiar:
Octopus, Blue-Ringed
N Tiny animal (aquatic)
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +1
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 12 (+5 Dex, +2 size)
hp 4 (1d8)
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +1
Defensive Abilities ink cloud
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft., jet 60 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d2–1 plus poison), tentacles +5 (grab)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 8, Dex 21, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 3
Base Atk +0; CMB +3 (+7 grapple); CMD 12 (can’t be tripped)
Feats MultiattackB, Weapon Finesse
Skills Escape Artist +15, Stealth +25, Swim +13; Racial Modifiers +10 Escape Artist, +8 Stealth
Special Attacks poison
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Ink Cloud (Ex)
While within water, an octopus can emit a 5-foot-radius sphere of ink once per minute as a swift action. This ink provides total concealment and persists for 1 minute.
Jet (Ex)
The octopus can jet 60 feet in a straight line as a full-round action. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Poison (Ex)
Bite—injury; save Fort DC 10; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1 Str; cure 1 save.
I found that thing full of obsidian/shark teeth you were talking about, the terbutje.
Are you assuming the stats of the steel version? The other has the fragile weapon property.
This is a very good point. I'm not used to having an effective 50' speed! Would it be possible to have an eel equivalent of horseshoes of speed? Either way, he wouldn't be able to serve as much of a mount until I hit 7th level and he counts as a large creature. Still, I like the idea of a paladin, and fighting with a lance seems to be a very good idea for pathfinder. Alternatively, a manta ray might serve as a suitable mount at current level. It's fast enough, though not nearly as awesome as riding a giant eel, in my opinion.When am I thinking of starting? Sometime in the middle of the week.
What's the point of riding a giant eel? You can swim faster than it can.
Ironically, because of the three-dimensional nature of underwater combat, an underwater environment might be the best possible place to make use of mounted combat. The difficulties that one normally finds with mounted combat (able to make only one or two charges per adventure because most encounters don't allow it and terrains that don't permit mounts at all (cliffs, thick forests) aren't present underwater. Might still have the problem with underwater ruins/dungeons, though.
It's fast enough, though not nearly as awesome as riding a giant eel, in my opinion.
On the other hand, you could copy this aquatic elf.
I'd like to play such a character, actually, but would probably change it to some form of sea-serpent/dragon.
It's fast enough, though not nearly as awesome as riding a giant eel, in my opinion.On the other hand, you could copy this aquatic elf.
I'd like to play such a character, actually, but would probably change it to some form of sea-serpent/dragon.
What class would you use to mimic that?
You all have 10,500 gp.
The Synthesist Summoner archtype, since the fluff says the Eidolon appears transparent around you. I'll start working on it today if you allow Synthesist.
As much as I hate summoners, I will allow this.
I'm actually going to have to pull Xara out of consideration. Seriously underestimated my work load for the next while. Thank you for your time, and good luck with the game.