NIIIIIIIIICE stuff Nova.
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I've been writing guides for the Path of War classes as they've been coming out, now all conveniently located in google docs and centrally located in a thread on GiTP's forums. My latest guide is the Zealot, which I just finished and released. Here is a link to all my guides:
Link
Do you mind if I put these up on the new Dreamscarred site?
:)
So a few months ago in the old thread we had a small discussion on PB, rolled stats, and what PB you guys prefer designing with. It was a really cool discussion and I got some good insights from the PoW designers and my buddy Ssalarn.
Just recently Mark Seifter himself shared an insight in the Kineticist playtest thread that is pretty relevant.
Now we've got some new faces working on PoW, so I was wondering what Nova and Elric have to say to these questions. When designing classes, archetypes, ect what point buy do you prefer as a basepoint? How much do you shoot for a 15 point buy acceptable build? Do you prefer having MAD classes or SAD classes?
While we're at it, how do you decide skill point numbers? DSP products generally run 4+ with exceptions for a lot of Int based classes. What does a class need to do in order to earn 2+ and what how do they earn 6+?
Design Manager
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I know that Prince, who's leading the Path Expanded project, balances to a 20-25 point standard and absolutely hates the 15 point buy. Basically, classes like the Harbinger are pretty obviously geared more towards high fantasy.
6+Int is generally going to be the province of either specifically skill-monkey builds (like the Cryptic or Guru), or highly specialized builds that need to be well rounded to compensate a bit for their narrow scope (like the Dread).
2+INT should be the province of either INT based classes where the boost is already built in to the class by virtue of stat dependency, or a class that has unique ways of overcoming most challenges or supplanting skill use with an alternative method of challenge resolution (see: every full caster).
The Daevic's current iteration has 2+Int skill points, which is honestly something I still agonize over a bit. I made that decision primarily because the akashic system has lots of built in skill boosters, the Daevic chassis itself has built in boosts to relevant skills, and frankly, he just has way more facility than his martial peers while giving up very little elsewhere. Something had to give and I decided that making him more reliant on his veils for skill related tasks was going to be the best way to balance him out without giving up something important.
I generally assume 20 PB to be the standard. When it comes to skills, I only really have two personal questions: 1. How much does this class value Intelligence? 2. What skills does it need to fulfill the character archetypes I promised for it?
In other news, Harbinger PDF is experiencing a mild art-based delay.
I recommend a fighter archetype (or even a few of them) that have maneuvers as an alternate class feature.
I've been writing guides for the Path of War classes as they've been coming out, now all conveniently located in google docs and centrally located in a thread on GiTP's forums. My latest guide is the Zealot, which I just finished and released. Here is a link to all my guides:
LinkDo you mind if I put these up on the new Dreamscarred site?
:)
Please do.
EDIT-
Now we've got some new faces working on PoW, so I was wondering what Nova and Elric have to say to these questions. When designing classes, archetypes, ect what point buy do you prefer as a basepoint? How much do you shoot for a 15 point buy acceptable build? Do you prefer having MAD classes or SAD classes?
While we're at it, how do you decide skill point numbers? DSP products generally run 4+ with exceptions for a lot of Int based classes. What does a class need to do in order to earn 2+ and what how do they earn 6+?
Well, I'm not sure I'm the best to answer this question. I'm probably the least experienced on the team when it comes to designing stuff, I don't even have an extended homebew sig yet. :P
A lot of what I do is still winging it, which is part of the reason why I took on writing those guides, because it helped me understand the process more in depth.
The hardest part for me when working on a new class is the difference in baseline from what I play and what I design for. My preferred playstyle is 25 pt. buy, Max HP at all levels, with 2 traits; but when designing a class, I have to scale that back a fair bit, otherwise my playstyle assumptions will negatively affect the class's outcome.
I prefer SAD classes, but I tend to play them a bit MAD. I hate having negative stat modifiers, and will NEVER roll a character with less than 14 CON, I like living too much.
I generally build archetypes (I'm the archetype guy, not the class guy) for 20 point buy, and kind of assume a +3 as the highest stat modifier for a level 1 character. This means the stats are more spread out, but they give me room to see how many skill points, HP, and base modifiers are really being affected by the stats.
On the question of skill points, I assume most characters will have 4+INT, with sneaky or clever characters having 6+INT, and Full Casters having 2+INT. To me the skill points is more closely tied to the flavor of the class than the other stats, although I always adjust depending on just what I'm working on.
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So, I promised this awhile back. Now here it is.
Valor
Guardian Kristina looked with worry at the dark knights arrayed before her; all two dozen of them were armed and armored, with thick shields and cruel swords blackened by fire and blood. Their discipline was good, there was no doubt about that, but -
"You don't trust them," the erinyes next to Kristina said simply. "Or me. Which is perfectly natural, considering our respective positions. Guardian, I know your worry, but you can trust my word. You saved my life, when you had no call to. That debt must be paid."
"Mercy doesn't need requital," Kristina protested quietly. "I told you that, Mirishka."
Mirishka gave Kristina a crooked smile and put a hand on the Guardian's shoulder. "Neither Hell nor the Black Thorn Knights have any interest in seeing this world overrun by demonic hordes. Go, and summon your Guardians. We will hold the portal."
Kristina gave one last uncomfortable look to the assembled knights and took off her necklace; her skin softened visibly, as though losing several thick layers. The Guardian placed it around Mirishka's neck, causing the erinyes's skin to harden against assault. "Come out of this alive. We have business to finish between us, Mirishka the Fallen."
Mirishka smiled wistfully as Kristina mounted her horse and galloped off, leaving her alone with the Black Thorn Knights she had roped into helping her fulfill her oath. Wordlessly, Mirishka turned and marched into the cave mouth standing before her and the knights, trusting them to follow behind her. With hours to go before the portal was due to appear, she ordered her men to their ease and squatted down on her heels to wait.
* * * *
The first stirrings of the portal sounded in the shallow cave like a gunshot. Mirishka stood calmly while her knights arranged themselves into a defensive formation, two men deep with their shields locked against each other. The air sizzled and spat, loosing smoke that reeked of brimstone and fear.
"The Abyss bays at your world like the wolf at the door," Mirishka called over the sound, her voice edged with ancient hate. The erinyes strapped her shield to her left arm and drew her blade, made of blackened bone stolen from a thousand butchered sons of Chaos. "They think themselves assured in their victory. They laugh at you from the darkness of their pit and mock all that you hold sacred! Will you let this stand?"
"NO!" thundered the reply from two dozen lips.
"They think they can drown you beneath the tide of their mindless fury, but you will be the rock upon which their courage breaks! Scatter them like the rabble they are and when the day is won we will bathe in blood, for we are the true servants of Hell. For the Lord Below!"
"FOR THE LORD BELOW!"
The portal opened with a scream of sorrow and pain, and the hordes of the Abyss came pouring out of it in their hundreds. The wave of dretches emerged only six abreast - there was not room for much else - and broke against the shield wall of the Black Thorn Knights. Blackened blades swung in pristine arcs, parting flesh from bone and filling the shallow caverns with the shrieking sounds of death and suffering. "Push!" Mirishka commanded, and the knights stepped forward as one and shoved the wave of demons back. Black blades stabbed forward and the knights advanced again, until their wall blocked the portal.
"Hold the line," Mirishka called over the gibbering hordes of demons. "It's going to be a long night!"
For hour after hour, the dretches came and died just as fast as they could appear, until the mound of corpses before the knights was such that the berserk demons could barely even climb it. The trickle of dretches slowed, and then stopped.
“Switch!” Mirishka ordered; the front line of knights stepped apart and let their comrades in the rear through, swapping places in the formation. The new back line took a moment to uncap vials and flasks and take long drinks of fortifying potions, wincing as cuts healed over and cracked bones knitted back together. The dark knights raised their shields once more, falling back into tight formation and gazing grimly at the mountain of corpses before them.
“Come on, you wretched filth,” Mirishka muttered to herself, pacing behind the Black Thorn Knights. “I’m not through with you yet.”
A hush descended over the battlefield. Instinctively, the knights raised their shields – just in time to protect themselves from the mound before them exploding outward, showering them with sizzling demon flesh. A wall of claws and fangs hit the line of knights, who set their feet and pushed back. The hezrou demons on the front lines of the Abyssal charge staggered back and then howled in pain as their flesh was rent by black blades. Mirishka opened her mouth to give an order, only to be interrupted; a small, sizzling spark hurtled at the shield wall and then exploded into a roaring flame that filled that shallow cavern.
The demons paused their advance to stare in astonishment at the unbroken line of knights, each sheltered behind the others’ shields. The Black Thorns rose from their covering formation, shields smoldering, and attacked in defiant silence. Behind them, Mirishka scanned the demonic advance. Where was – there, above the battlefield, was an airborne succubus preparing another spell. Almost casually, Mirishka took the rope from her waist and threw it at the she-demon.
“Strangle,” she commanded idly, and the rope obeyed. The succubus fell from the air and was soon trampled beneath the onslaught of her own troops.
The valor of the Black Thorn Knights could not make them invincible. As the minutes and then hours dragged on, they began to fall one by one. The back rank stepped forward nearly instantly, each hole in the front line replaced with a smooth motion that left the wall of shields unbroken. Mirishka paced behind her men with one hand on her bone-hilted blade, watching the corrupt blood rise past their ankles and smirking cruelly whenever one of the charging demons tripped over the corpses of its fallen kin.
“Hold the line!” Mirishka called over the din of slaughter. “Reinforcements are coming! Hold –“
The marilith burst out of the portal in an eruption of death, her blades flicking out like frogs’ tongues to puncture the throats of three nights. Mirishka leapt forward, raising her shield to block a rain of hateful steel from slaying one of her men. “Close ranks!” the she-devil snarled, her bone-hilted blade leaping into her hand to parry a pair of twin slashes from the marilith. Her men stepped in around her, shields moving deftly to pin the marilith’s swords. Mirishka stabbed at the demon’s exposed gut and laughed when she felt her blade crack ribs and sink deep. The marilith screamed in agony.
“You demons,” Mirishka began, kicking the serpentine demon off of her blade, “have no idea. You think you know pain? I come from a place where suffering is a sacrament and every scream is a hymn.” The she-devil swatted aside the marilith’s blades and then stomped on the prone demon, making it howl in agony.
“Pray with me,” Mirishka hissed in hateful glee, before slicing the demon’s head from its body.
Silence reigned over the battlefield, and for a moment the Black Thorn Knights let themselves believe they had won. Then, in the darkness on the far side of the Abyssal portal, an outline of fire appeared. Mirishka’s lips curved downward into a frown, and she spared a glance at her men.
“Retreat,” she ordered. “Hold the surface and don’t let them through. This foe is mine.”
The knights spared a glance to Mirishka, some in admiration and a few in genuine worry. She nodded curtly to the entrance to the shallow cave, and they finally broke ranks and retreated to the surface, reforming their formation in the misty light of the dawn outside.
“Come at me, filth,” Mirishka muttered bitterly, her grip tightening around the hilt of her bone blade. “Come pray with me.”
* * * *
The Empyreal Guardians and their allies pulled their horses to a halt when they saw the formation of Black Thorn Knights outside the cave. Kristina dismounted and approached swiftly while the reinforcements with her raided their saddlebags for wands, spell components, and other supplies.
“Report,” Kristina demanded, and the Knight before her actually saluted first.
“Field Operative Mirishka continues to do battle below,” the Black Thorn Knight explained. Kristina could hear the ring of steel against something, which sounded remarkably like striking lightning. “Our orders are to hold the entrance to the cave, Guardian.”
A priest loyal to the Guardians approached Kristina from behind. “It’s a balor down there, Guardian. We can’t seal the portal with that thing in there.”
Kristina sighed and nodded. “Form up with the Black Thorns. The confined space is just going to get us torn apart if we try to reinforce Mirishka.”
“Do you truly believe this devil can fight off a balor?” the priest asked skeptically.
“I…have no idea.”
* * * *
The balor’s massive longsword crashed against Mirishka’s shield, swatting it aside in a burst of electrical energy. The erinyes lashed out with her bone blade, slicing the whip in the demon’s other hand in two and arcing past it to rip a chunk from the balor’s flesh. The demon roared in anger, but his furious counterattacks were met over and over by Mirishka’s shield, filling the air with the stink of ozone and the demon’s hateful screams.
“Why do you fight?” the balor demanded. “You gain nothing here, little devil! You will die here!”
Mirishka sidestepped a cleaving, two-handed blow and drove her bone blade into the balor’s arm. The demon howled in pain as Mirishka’s blow first clove his body and then tore through his mind. The devil’s grip on her sword was not enough to stop his thrashing from tearing it from her hands, but Mirishka stepped forward anyway.
“Nothing to gain?” she snarled, her shield beginning to glow with red-and-violet light. The sound of rattling chains filled the shallow cave. “Opposing you pleases the Lord Below, and that is enough!” The erinyes smote her foe with the edge of her shield, where sharpened metal tore into his profane flesh.
“Even if it did not, opposing you fulfills my sworn word, and that would be enough!”
Behind the balor, the hordes of the Abyss waited with baited breath, watching in mute fear as their champion desperately parried the devil’s vicious shield strikes.
“Even if opposing you fulfilled no vows, watching you suffer would be enough,” Mirishka snarled in fury, ducking under the balor’s counterattack to smash his groin with her shield. The demon hit his knees, his vision blurring in agony.
Mirishka was shouting now. “And if you could feel no pain, my hate alone would be enough!” Her shield slammed into the side of the demon’s skull, sending him sprawling with blood pooling beneath the ruin of his face.
“You can never kill us all,” the balor croaked.
“Good,” Mirishka answered quietly, before stomping the balor’s head in with her armored boot. “That means I never have to stop hurting you.”
The demon erupted in an explosion of profane flame that seared Mirishka’s flesh and poured from the shallow cave in a gout of blasphemy. When the smoke cleared, Mirishka was picking herself up from one knee, still clutching the broken ruin of her shield. The devil glared through the portal to the Abyss.
“Who else is ready to pray with me?”
The demons ran.
* * * *
Some weeks later, Mirishka found herself unexpectedly called upon; Guardian Kristina found her in an inn, where the devil had been reluctantly granted a table and was being glared at by a squad of local guards that stood lined up against the far wall. Kristina had a long bundle in her hands, which she set on the table.
“I never returned this to you,” Mirishka noted, reaching for the amulet around her neck, but Kristina shook her head. “Keep it, Mirishka. The Empyreal Guardians are very grateful for what you and yours have done for us. Your valor prevented a major catastrophe.”
“I am a woman of my word,” Mirishka answered humbly, but the devil smiled. “Truth be told, I made out like a bandit. Three more nations agreed to permit my presence, so long as I did no violence within their borders.”
Kristina did her best to look enthused about this news. “Open it up,” she suggested, gesturing to the bundle. Mirishka cut the twine that held the cloth around the bundle and unrolled it, revealing a gleaming adamantine longsword with a plain grip, its blade inscribed with symbols sacred to the powers of law.
“Its name is Oathbinder,” Kristina said softly. “Our gift to you, to replace the blade you lost.”
“You did not owe me this,” Mirishka answered quietly, her brow furrowing in confusion.
“Consider it…consider it a gift of friendship, Mirishka,” the Guardian replied, reaching across the table to squeeze the devil’s shoulder. She rose to leave. “Use it well.”
“Wait,” Mirishka asked; Kristina paused on her way to the inn’s door and turned, a curious look in her eyes. “Meet me here again, in a year and a day, as the sun sets. Dinner will be on me.”
“Whyever for?”
“Well…we have busy schedules,” Mirishka began. “But I’m told friends spend time together.”
Kristina grinned. “It’s a deal.”
@Eric
We have a lot in common in terms of playstyles and modes of thinking! I like asking questions like that because I prefer to understand a developer on a closer level. It helps me determine how much hype I should have, whether or not pre-orders would be a good idea and how to word my feedback. Also knowing biases of a developer will help me in constructive feedback.
@Knives
DAT STORY
Will these be in books or are these something we can expect to find as presents on the forums? Thanks for writing :)
@Eric
We have a lot in common in terms of playstyles and modes of thinking! I like asking questions like that because I prefer to understand a developer on a closer level. It helps me determine how much hype I should have, whether or not pre-orders would be a good idea and how to word my feedback. Also knowing biases of a developer will help me in constructive feedback.
Our biases don't excuse us from good design either, though. I know part of what made Harbinger the class it is today is that I felt constrained to make it functional in 15 PBuy, because I was informed that 15 is the game's assumed standard.
@Knives
DAT STORY
Will these be in books or are these something we can expect to find as presents on the forums? Thanks for writing :)
*Blush* Thanks for the kind words. The status of these fluff pieces is still up in the air. I can promise nothing.
A lot of people talk about "intent" and I think knowing a dev can help give feedback to help move the class in the intended direction. A good example is the Kineticist playtest with some people giving feedback assuming "Fighter Archer" should be the goal while others are giving feedback trying to push it towards "Bard Archer."
Even if they don't go in any books they're still fun to read and break up the mechanics speak on these threads and remind us that these books are to enhance our story.
Are there any updates on the Mystic and that juicy elemental discipline?
Are there any updates on the Mystic and that juicy elemental discipline?
Still in development! You're not the only one eager, my friend: I can't tease the new traditions out until Flux and Lance are where we want them to be! I'm vaguely considering releasing the Stained Glass Champions on their own, though...
In other news, it's Survey Time!
For the folks that have been asking where the stories and fluff I've been writing are going...well, they could go in Path of War: Expanded. Bossman's cleared me to include a lot of that stuff in PoW:E, but I wanted to ask you folks what sorts of things you do, or don't, want included. I'm sitting on a lot of material: NPCs, adventure hooks, places of power, expanded information on the Traditions, short stories, and background for the Harbinger iconics (all three of them), among other things. Obviously not all of that can go in the book, and whatever doesn't is going to find its way to the new DSP site in various forms. So: what do you wanna see on the pages you'll hold in your hands?
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To follow Paizo's example... I wouldn't put any 'fluff' in a 'coreline' book, except little pieces at the beginning of a chapter. However, for a 'setting' book...
Actually DSP follows that trend as well in the Ultimate Psionics.
Not to say I don't like or appreciate a good character write up, just I buy most of my books for the crunch. If I need a NPC for something I write it up. And we tend to strip/alter the fluff for the homebrew world we run in. I'd much rather 6 pages of crunch vs 6 pages of characters back story, tactics, etc. Rules and such that expand options for the characters > stuff I can make up myself on the fly.
If you have that much "fluffy" stuff. Maybe do something similar to Psionics Unbodied? A book of characters to be used and tactics for them might help those new to the system learn it as well as get the creative juices flowing for future character concepts.
A little bit of fluff is good, it puts things into perspective. Too much is bad, so it is a balancing act. Unfortunately the "right" amount depends on the person.
As I said on the DSP forums, I'm most interested in expanded Tradition fluff and short stories.
I am currently under the impression that these additions are like getting a delicious free dessert and are going to be there for flavor as opposed to filling page count for the printer.
Any chance we can get an archetype for the Brawler and Monk?
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The more I think about it, a good portion of that fluff could probably be packaged into a nice little book. Similar to the PFRPG Companions. Mix in the characters with story/backgrounds tied to plot hooks with places of power and NPCs with ties to the various traditions. Depending on how involved it is, do it in 16-32 pages.
It would be a good avenue to publish more fluff/setting material with sprinklings of crunch to entice those of us interested in such things ;)
For a book like PoW:E, I'm shopping for more options, more classes, more maneuvers and feats. More of what I got from the original book, lots of crunch for the players to pour over and tweak their existing characters/concepts. The expectation (or at least from my perspective it is) of expanding on the rules we got from the first book.
That isn't to say your "fluff" isn't good (what I have read is good and enjoyable), but most of it isn't going to mesh with what is going on in a currently running homebrew/home game. Thus it doesn't have much marketing value in such a scenario. Giving a page of tradition background and a page of crunch for it, means I am probably going to have to rewrite or disregard a page of the book to fit it into the game we run. It isn't that it is "bad" it just isn't "useful" for my game. As the world has been in play since 2nd edition, it isn't very often something comes out and can be transplanted right out of a book fluff intact, into our games. Way more often, it gets tweaked and placed in an appropriate place that has preexisting background. I would imagine that would be the case in games that haven't been running as long as ours as well.
I mean I'm not going to lie, I'm going to buy the book one way or another. And any others for the PoW that come out "fluffy" or "crunchy", but I know that isn't necessarily an option for everyone. Just like I subscribe to the companions, adventure paths and modules. I've supported DSP for a long time, our group enjoyed ToB and we will enjoy PoW. I'm just the type of consumer who would prefer my crunch and my fluff in mostly separate books. It is kind of like when you had to haul around books, I would have my rule books all the time, and extras as needed. It is much easier to flip through a crunchy book (in PDF form using search as well) looking for what I need than to read through a book with them both interspersed when we need questions answered.
I have to agree with the general sentiment that the full cater classes don't really need it, but I would love to see it for the Inquisitor & Majus. I certainly understand your wanting to be careful with the hybrid classes, though I would love to see a Skald, Slayer & Hunter archetypes.
The Swashbuckler class practically demands at least one archetype for it. To be honest I would love to see it rewritten as a martial class type with its panache change to Ki & it maneuvers changed into specialty maneuvers for that class. Kind of like how the Monk at one point was made into a psi class (or as least psionic compatible). I don't know how feasible that is though.
As far as the fluff goes, I'm most interested in the places of power, expanded information on the Traditions and background for the Harbinger iconics. Maybe some adventure hooks.
Also I'm really excited about the new Harbinger class. Are any of the "old" PoW classes going to get access to any of the new disciplines?
The more I think about it, a good portion of that fluff could probably be packaged into a nice little book. Similar to the PFRPG Companions. *snip*
I can support this.
So Warpaths give the class a full initiator level?
Currently the classes with access to a Warpath are: Cleric, Warpriest, Inquisitors, and Druids.
This means that they would have access to all 9 levels of Maneuvers+the benefits of Defined Warpath.
I actually have a problem with this as it's better than the entire Martial Training feat line and it's accessable at such a low cost to two full casters and a powerful half caster. Not as worried with the Warpriest, but still is probably a bad idea.
I would prefer either the standard initiator level (1/2 class level) or a progression on level like the Psy War and Soul Knife archetypes.
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Hello, everybody!
Divine warriors have been on the front lines of battle for some time, so we're rolling out some initiation love for them in the form of Warpaths. Warpaths let the holy (or unholy!) classes like clerics, inquisitors, and warpriests replace domains or blessings with a maneuver progression from a discipline of their choice.
I am a big fan of this Warpath idea. Doubly so when I consider the Warpriest. Does it work as Insain Dragoon reads it though? I am not sure based on my reading. Do Warpaths grant eventual 9th level maneuvers?
I am a big fan of this Warpath idea. Doubly so when I consider the Warpriest. Does it work as Insain Dragoon reads it though? I am not sure based on my reading. Do Warpaths grant eventual 9th level maneuvers?Hello, everybody!
Divine warriors have been on the front lines of battle for some time, so we're rolling out some initiation love for them in the form of Warpaths. Warpaths let the holy (or unholy!) classes like clerics, inquisitors, and warpriests replace domains or blessings with a maneuver progression from a discipline of their choice.
The design paradigm we're working with right now is that only Initiator Classes (Stalker, Warder, Warlord, Harbinger, Mystic and Zealot) get 9th level maneuvers. Other classes will get full IL via their archetypes, but only 6th level maneuvers. Similar to how the Soulknife and PsyWar work.
On Warpaths I couldn't find language to limit them to 6th level maneuvers, maybe add another xolumn to the chart?
The design paradigm we're working with right now is that only Initiator Classes (Stalker, Warder, Warlord, Harbinger, Mystic and Zealot) get 9th level maneuvers. Other classes will get full IL via their archetypes, but only 6th level maneuvers. Similar to how the Soulknife and PsyWar work.I am a big fan of this Warpath idea. Doubly so when I consider the Warpriest. Does it work as Insain Dragoon reads it though? I am not sure based on my reading. Do Warpaths grant eventual 9th level maneuvers?Hello, everybody!
Divine warriors have been on the front lines of battle for some time, so we're rolling out some initiation love for them in the form of Warpaths. Warpaths let the holy (or unholy!) classes like clerics, inquisitors, and warpriests replace domains or blessings with a maneuver progression from a discipline of their choice.
That's what I thought. The class seemed to have too few stances and maneuvers known to be a full initiator.
Any chance we can get a Marksman Solar Wind combat style?
Maybe a Monk archetype?
Any chance we can get a Marksman Solar Wind combat style?
Maybe a Monk archetype?
sounds like it would be made for...the marksman class.
Insain Dragoon - I think that's an excellent idea and welcome anyone interested in writing it up. :)
Insain Dragoon - I think that's an excellent idea and welcome anyone interested in writing it up. :)
Just realized this probably belongs as a PM.
When is that material coming out? WE WANTS IT! Especially Discordant Crusader! I love a dichotomous character concept.
I have a question about the level 1 Mithral Current stance Reaching Blade Stance. Does the extra +1d6 come in at levels 8 and 16, or do you get the first +1d6 when you learn the stance and then get an additional +1d6 at levels 8 and 16? I was just wondering since it doesn't seem clear to me as do similar stances like Stance of Aggression and Scarlet Einhander.
I have a question about the level 1 Mithral Current stance Reaching Blade Stance. Does the extra +1d6 come in at levels 8 and 16, or do you get the first +1d6 when you learn the stance and then get an additional +1d6 at levels 8 and 16? I was just wondering since it doesn't seem clear to me as do similar stances like Stance of Aggression and Scarlet Einhander.
Its +1d6 total at level 1, +2d6 total at level 8 and +3d6 total at level 16. Same for the other similar stances I believe. I'll see about clearing up the wording.
I have a question about the level 1 Mithral Current stance Reaching Blade Stance. Does the extra +1d6 come in at levels 8 and 16, or do you get the first +1d6 when you learn the stance and then get an additional +1d6 at levels 8 and 16? I was just wondering since it doesn't seem clear to me as do similar stances like Stance of Aggression and Scarlet Einhander.Its +1d6 total at level 1, +2d6 total at level 8 and +3d6 total at level 16. Same for the other similar stances I believe. I'll see about clearing up the wording.
Thank you for the clarification. That's a nice thing to find out after an organic chemistry exam.
I know that feel Namaru.
If you're a Biochem major it gets easier for most classes and super duper hard for a few others.
Also sending in my support for the team writing PoW2! You guys are dynamite and I know that when this is over we'll have an amazing, high quality product to gush over!
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Woohoo @Andreas!
I've personally never particularly liked racial favored class Bonuses. I don't like how it makes certain races overly favored or disfavored sometimes.
I wish they were instead organized as
1 HP
1 SP
A Class specific option available to all races
I agree with Minoritarian. We just have to trust DSP to make sure that they are balanced. I doubt it will be a problem.
I am sad school had to kick into overdrive for me though. I really wanted to play a bigger part in the Zealot and Harbinger playtest.
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Happy Holidays folks! We've got a new playtest release for you available now: All the Feats for Path of War: Expanded!
There are over 80 feats in the document for you to peruse and enjoy, so have at it!
Y'know, I was just thinking to myself that the Warlord running a 2 hand build would run out of awesome feats after power Attack, Furious Focus, and Discipline specialization! Now I got even more cool stuff to invest in.
Yeah, on the DSP forums we already have people noting which feats are under/overpowered and dev responses investigating fixes!
Love the new Style feats!
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And we encourage other publishers to do open playtests - it's made a drastic difference since we started doing it for Psionics Unleashed.
Feedback on the new feats so far:
This is more of a nitpick, but I think Blight Fight could use a better name.
Primal Fury Style: Is this enhancement bonus necessary? It is already limited in that it only applies to charges. Also, the Running Hunter's Stance already applies an enhancement bonus to speed. I think that it either needs to be changed to a different bonus, or that it should have wording that allows it to stack with all movement bonuses provided by the Primal Fury discipline (And no other discipline).
Also, randomly feedback on Piercing Lance discipline:
Stance of the Piercing Lance feels very strong compared to similar 1st level stances. Most notably, Scarlet Einhander, which while being very similar, forces a character to use a one-handed weapon in one hand. Stance of the Piercing Lance provides similar bonuses, while also eventually granting +5 feat of reach.
I really appreciate that Piercing Lance discipline doesn't require a horse. Sure, it benefits greatly from one, but many of its maneuvers stand so solidly without a horse that I wouldn't mind taking this discipline in an underground campaign, or other similarly anti-mount campaign.
Announcement: The Privateer Class Template has been given a major update. Privateers can now choose to learn from a number of Ploys to improve their combat effectiveness. These ploys can be taken in place of a bonus feat (Warlords) or an Art (Stalkers).
Here is (another) link to the Class Templates document: link
This is going to be pretty interesting. Being a stalker with gambits, or being a warlord with deadly strikes. Really cool blending is going on in the Privateer.
This is going to be pretty interesting. Being a stalker with gambits, or being a warlord with deadly strikes. Really cool blending is going on in the Privateer.
The Privateer has the most blended class features of its base classes, that's for sure. I struggled for a while with how to give gambits to the class without making it too "Warlordy" and giving it the extra damage/sneakiness that it needed without making it too "Stalkery." I think I managed to hit a happy medium.
An unrelated plug: I've been doing guides for the PoW classes as they come out (I posted a link in this thread further up I believe), but I don't feel comfortable doing guides on the Class Templates or Mithral Current as I wrote them. So if anyone is interested in doing guides for the Bushi, Privateer, Hussar or Mithral Current Discipline please let me know!
I have in fact read all your guides, and would love to see guides for these templates and disciplines. Sadly, I doubt I could make these guides as in-depth and informative as you. I do see the problem though, since as their writer you may possess biases. Though you may also know of synergies for your content that nobody else thought up, since you know how all the puzzle pieces are supposed to fit.
I'd love to try though, at least for the Bushi. If I did get around to doing it, it will be after the PoW: E PDF is out, so that I work with more final information.
I have in fact read all your guides, and would love to see guides for these templates and disciplines. Sadly, I doubt I could make these guides as in-depth and informative as you. I do see the problem though, since as their writer you may possess biases. Though you may also know of synergies for your content that nobody else thought up, since you know how all the puzzle pieces are supposed to fit.
I'd love to try though, at least for the Bushi. If I did get around to doing it, it will be after the PoW: E PDF is out, so that I work with more final information.
You really flatter me with that. I don't know that I'm all that talented with writing guides, its mostly a matter of pushing through. Most of the stuff is common sense, and PoW is really written to be accessible and easy to understand.
I look forward to seeing what you discover when/if you decide to go ahead with the guides!
We are endeavoring to go through and fix some of the issues you guys have brought up with our new feats (especially style feats). In particular, Riven Hourglass Rewind, we have a proposed fix that we'd like your opinion on:
Riven Hourglass Rewind [Style]
You are able to reverse the flow of temporality to recover from debilitating effects for a short time
Prerequisites: Riven Hourglass Style, Autohypnosis 7 ranks
Benefit: You can expend a readied counter maneuver as an immediate action to suppress one ongoing condition affecting you for 1 minute (see conditions in the game mastering section). This only suppresses conditions which have a limited duration (those expressed in rounds/minutes/etc.), and does not end the condition if it is suppressed for longer than the duration of the condition. Once Riven Hourglass Rewind's suppression effect ends, the condition resumes its effects as normal.
So, pick it apart boys and girls!