RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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I was wondering what everyones take on what alignments would be good for this campaign. Would evil work? My problem with evil is that everytime someone plays an evil character they are only "out for themselves" and don't give a crap about anyone else it usually turns into backstabbing.
Also races, this seems like a good oppurtunity to play many different races, but my concern is town's reactions to various races should the pc's dock at certain ports. I was thinking bugbears, etc. The more monstrous races. But would it really matter in the long run? Are the PC's going to be docking at any lawful, or good towns.
Evil characters can work if you have mature players who know that this is a cooperative game and aren't out to ruin someone else's fun. I generally will allow LE characters, with the understanding that the character has some loyalty to the party and will work towards the benefit of the other members. Evil characters can have friends too, and won't necessarily backstab their friends. In fact, they may be downright vicious in defense of their group and its goals.
That having been said, many players that want to play evil characters want to play backstabbing jerks, not antiheroes. I would be cautious about allowing it if you don't trust the player's maturity.
As far as your race question, I assume the Shackles are cosmopolitan enough to allow any normal PC race with no problems. Really weird things are a judgement call, you may have to wait for the adventures to come out to really know the answers to your questions.
I would avoid evil races just because it tends to give people this idea that their characters can flee the plot because they're not obligated to help.
If your PCs are good about the social contract involved in finishing the adventurers, though, that problem is defeated.
My group right now is a hobgoblin, a vishkanya, a catfolk and a fetchling. The catfolk is cursed to have cat ears by Besmara, the fetchling is a Red Mantis's son with a pirate from Shadow Absalom, and the hobgoblin is a slave likely sold into work from Sargava.
If you can make them fit well, any wacky race can be great for the campaign.
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As I understand it, the Shackles is an area whose government is literally run by pirates. Given the historical precedence for piratical culture to be more open-minded and democratic than the rest of civilization, I'd think you'd be fine. If you're docking, you're not attacking. If you're not attacking, you're probably spending money. I don't think it's likely that a bugbear crew member is going to incite a riot in Tortuga.
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evil is as annoying to me as some peoples ideas of paladins. my friend thought that if anything had evil in the align he had to destroy it right away, no questions asked. not reasoning either. i tried to explain to him that all paladins dont have to be that zealous. but same token, most people ( that i have played with) put evil in their align and automatically act like demonic devils. so as a DM i banned evil. its all according to ur players. look at captain hook. he was evil. but he did it in a more stylish way. a fun evil CAN be done. just depends on whos playing it
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Some of my players are looking at S&S as an opportunity to branch out of the core races, in particular with tieflings, another insisting a drow would be valid, and finally a couple of catfolk advocates insisting this is the perfect scenario for a PC.
I'm having flashbacks to the old Spelljammer games of 2E when no one played a core race, not when you could be a giff or hadozee or scro or...you get the idea.
I'm relatively new to the Golarion setting after years of making Greyhawk the default setting and my GH sensibilities are struggling with the Golarion norm. Sure, I can make the world my own, yadda-yadda-yadda, but what is "logical" for Skulls & Shackles? A catfolk ship? Tiefling crew? Looking for opinions across the board....GO!
with the exception of half-orcs I will *only* allow non-core races as PCs in this AP:
Orcs
Half-Orcs
Goblins
Hobgoblins
Tengu
Kobolds
Tiefling
Catfolk
Ratfolk
Kitsune
Drow (no nobles)
Dhampir
Fetchling
Changeling
Grippli
Ifrit
Gillman
Nagaji
etc. etc.
I think the real concern is Lawful in this AP. James Jacobs has already come out and declared it might be an issue.
For me it really isn't. I've always played lawful differently. To me a lawful thief would be the best kind in a guild because they're going to be pretty rigid in following the rules of the guild, and it would be a high moral violation to rat on his society (the thieves guild in this case).
I'm curious why Lawful alignment would be so rough in James' estimation though. I mean the shackles are run by pirates, piracy is the social norm in the shackles. A LN person from the shackles would be expected to pirate, no? I expect piracy does not itself have a good or evil connotation to these people, it's just the transmission of goods from one party to another via the service of violence (or lack thereof).
I'm still seeking the right circumstances to explain my monks life of piracy though.
I think the real concern is Lawful in this AP. James Jacobs has already come out and declared it might be an issue.
For me it really isn't. I've always played lawful differently. To me a lawful thief would be the best kind in a guild because they're going to be pretty rigid in following the rules of the guild, and it would be a high moral violation to rat on his society (the thieves guild in this case).
I'm curious why Lawful alignment would be so rough in James' estimation though. I mean the shackles are run by pirates, piracy is the social norm in the shackles. A LN person from the shackles would be expected to pirate, no? I expect piracy does not itself have a good or evil connotation to these people, it's just the transmission of goods from one party to another via the service of violence (or lack thereof).
I'm still seeking the right circumstances to explain my monks life of piracy though.
James is more conserned with Paladin by RAI than just lawful, but yeah, lawful might not fit that well.
Creative Director
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Correct. Paladins are the elements I'm most concerned with. Lawful characters are not so much an issue, since the "lawful" alignment doesn't have the same amount of expectation baggage that players and GMs associate with a paladin's code.
Lawful characters beyond paladins should be fine (if a bit more challenging to play, based on your style) for the AP... not the BEST choice, but not a cripplingly unplayable one. The MAIN concern I have, honestly, is players who use rules elements to "justify" being difficult or obtuse... and the paladin's code gives that play style a LOT of ammunition and inspiration, alas.
Excellent, I was a little worried about a more strict interpretation of lawful, thanks for taking the time to post James. Our group is really looking forward to the AP!
I am planning on allowing 3 races Kobolds Goblins and Chara-Ka. Waiting for the ARG for more options.
I'm allowing any race, class, and alignment choices. My group of players are going to be a Nagaji Fighter(LN) and a Tian-Sing Magus(CG) who were pirates from Tian. Their ship was caught in a storm near Minata and destroyed. They popped out of the Eye of Abendego near the Shackles. They really have no idea where they are and have spent a month or so in the Shackles learning to speak common. Another will be a Goblin Oracle(CG) with the Tongues Curse but he thought of the Lame with Pegleg curse, a Daemon Spawned Tiefling Rogue Pirate(NE), and an Ulfen Witch(N). It should be lots of fun.
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Regardless of evil alignment (LE, NE, or CE), a good player knows that an evil character should be:
1. Cruel, vicious or dishonest to the outside world, BUT
2. Protective of his/her allies (aka the party)AND
3. Deals with party conflicts in subtler ways that open combat or total betrayal.
A good player running an evil character will confront and attempt to defeat a good-aligned player through philosophy, not bushwhacking. Many gaming groups can have excellent cohesion between the philosophical arguments and conflicts that would erupt between a LG paladin and a NE necromancer. Both may unite for a common goal in defeating a dungeon or villain, but they may go out of each other's way to point out flaws in on another's strategies on the roleplaying end of things.
Personally, I don't have much patience for players that don't understand this. If I think one of my players isn't understanding that cooperation between players comes before roleplaying a character, I'll have a rather in-depth "coaching" session with that player. This kind of "etiquette" should be a well-known expectation for each game session!
In the three days since I've posted my advert, I've gotten requests for catfolk, changelings, vishkanya, and gripplis...half-tempted to take them all. After all, they do end up with a ship called the Motley. Or, what used to be called the Motley. Still, there's something to be said for fairly classic RPG races. Decisions, decisions...
Edit - Oh look, a kitsune app.
I'm a pretty restrictive GM, and tend to like to stick to the core (or mostly core). I am allowing an evil, but only one, and not chaotic. As far as races, I only allow core, but for someone that allows more options, think of it from the first step.
Since it starts with a press gang, allow what a pirate, through short simple observation, would decide to take.
- No on with a racial swim speed, how can you press-gang someone that can jump ship and swim away?
- Same with wings, see above
- Probably not likely to take kobolds, considering they are considered by most to be very weak and pathetic.
- What about Drow, with light blindness, do you really want someone that is hindered during the majority of working hours?
- Strong races may be encouraged, but if they TOO strong, how do you contain them without it having to take more men than usual?
- I've seen character entries for a lot of old sailors, but do you really want to press-gang someone that looks like they are on their last leg?
- I've even had someone offer a blind oracle, which isn't too bad, but the ranges you deal with in open environments could prove to be a problem.
With stuff like that in mind, allow what would be obvious choices for the initial press-ganging. After that point if they die, anyone else may hire on voluntarily, and WANT to be part of the crew, but until then, the enemies should maximize their options.
I made a rule that anyone making a kobold would get to start at level 2.
Sadly, no takers.
But,if you don't play a kobold, you can do this...