It is that time of year again! Walking Dead is back on, I'm kinda bored with schoolwork, and I'm finally comfortable enough with the numbers and stuff to run my own homebrew!
So like I said, Zombie apocalypse. Not just zombies though, Necromorphs, mutating beasts, Pseudomagical creatures and opponents, and enough survivors to make for a balanced Roleplay and Combat game!
The big Part is that this takes place in the "Real World" and not Golarion. I'll literally be taking screenshots from Google Maps and such. That said, nearly every class and race is acceptable per approval. Allow me to explain: You are all normal humans, nothing special, no significant class or racial distinction, in fact you begin the campaign at what I'm calling Level 0. You are special, though, in that you have a rare genetic anomaly that makes you a candidate for a genetic super soldier infusion.
I am a major numbers guy, and I have as many house rules as I've ever seen. That said, I know Pathfinder, and all my little adjustments do make sense. For instance, rolling a d20 plus a stat mod is an extremely wide variance of results and extremely low variance between players. Therefore some things are rolled low variance, like a DC17 d6+STR check. A character with a STR of ten couldn't do it at all, but one with 16 or higher is automatic success because someone that strong could indeed open the stuck door with little effort.
The one that you need to know right off is that there is a seventh ability score, Spirit or SPR (Subject to change). This measures your overall ability to carry on in a sane and healthy way and affects your sanity pool, which is more or less what it sounds like. Suffice to say, it's kind of an intangible constitution and you really don't want to dump it.
Also, This is a Sci-fi campaign with fantasy undertones. Magic casters are allowed, but every ability has to be Flavored so that it works in scifi, not magic. no flavor, no spell. Also, the flavor CAN affect the way some abilities may work, so be mindful. And finally, I reserve the right to reject or modify flavor, and I will gladly help you find the right one for your ability!
Make a character concept, any Paizo race or class. (3pp is discouraged as I just don't have time or attention span to review.)
SEVEN point buy, (You heard me right, Your scores will increase drastically throughout the game, you can assume a roughly 20 point buy by level one.)
Don't forget the extra stat, SPR
NO EQUIPMENT Don't worry, I got you when that time comes, you get what you want more or less.
Make the Human, unskilled version of yourself This is what that seven point buy is for. You're in a small town in Northern Georgia, USA, playing pathfinder on the college campus. 2 Traits should be non-magical and be flavored by vocation, Major, hobby, or some real world situation. Feel free to pitch your own trait ideas. Also, think about how the Genetic or Cybernetic enhancements will give you your Race and Class.
Your personality and physicality MUST fit your ability scores and such just a pet peeve really, but a ninety pound chick shouldn't have a STR of 14 and so on.
And How do you know me? I am an Outdoor education major at the school, involved in pathfinder, Drama, and music heavily, and Generally recognized around the college and the town. Feel free to make it up, mostly anything goes!
I'll probably add more stuff before this is a sure thing, but as it comes to me.
Like this, Gunslingers... Not disallowed, but will probably have to be modified. I say this because I like the Gritty tone of the class, but Firearms in this campaign become exceedingly rare and are way more overpowered than in Pathfinder proper. And I jut EDITed in the me section above!
Well that's it! so tell me, can the messageboards stand one more Zombie apocalypse? What are your thoughts slash Characters? Thanks for stoppin by!
Alright... I will dot this for interest!
I'm thinking of making a bard type character, that is really skill/support heavy. IRL, I'm the sort of person who could motivate others into doing better, more focused work (like a team leader), yet must admit I am not too strong nor dextrous. I'm great for real life 'mental skills' so will keep that in mind with the seven point buy.
Str: 8
Dex: 8
Con: 9
Int: 12
Wis: 12
Cha: 14
Spr: 14
I could definitely be the sort of guy that is the one trading equipment/trying to talk peace between rival groups.
I like it, mate. Sounds like the kind of guy that could really go far in the Apocalypse, or get eaten right away xD No in between.
An idea suddenly struck! If I am able to become a summoner who animates a pile of scrap.
Also, what is Spr?
I like that a lot! There will probably always be stuff for you to animate, so just let me check on summoners because I am not real familiar.
Also:
The one that you need to know right off is that there is a seventh ability score, Spirit or SPR (Subject to change). This measures your overall ability to carry on in a sane and healthy way and affects your sanity pool, which is more or less what it sounds like. Suffice to say, it's kind of an intangible constitution and you really don't want to dump it.
Concerning Backstories:
I expect your backstories to be those of more or less regular folk. So long as you have a good reason to be in Toccoa Georgia and know me, then we're good. Feel free to make it as audacious as you please, or as mundane. So long as you have a feel for who this character is, have fun. :)
That said, The campaign assumes that you are not a doomsday prepper or a rich sword or gun collector. (At least not ones that you have with you.)
Is Tocca Georgia a real place? If so is it fine to add something like an art fair?
It is real, but feel free to add in whatever you like.
dotting
If you do not have it, I would check out Rasputin Must Die from the Winter AP. It has WW1 era guns.
What about a fragil Boy Scout (future ranger) who is into horror movies, think of Norman from the Paranorman movie.
Str:9
Dex:14
Con:8
Int:14
Wis:12
Cha:8
Spr:12
A modern artist that works in metal sculpture. I am in town because of a convention. The few hotels were full, so I am staying with you. We know each other through a mutual friend.
Wake up. Brush your teeth. Eat breakfast. Go to school. Have classes. Talk with friends. Eat lunch. Go to more classes. Go home. Do homework. Eat dinner. Write stories. Take a shower. Brush teeth. Go to bed.
Rinse and repeat.
And thus it was for Michael Riter, the boy doomed to do the same things every monday through Friday. The only variation to his schedule would be the various books he read on his free time, or who he hung out with on the weekends. Day by day, week by week, it was the same thing.
However, there are times that are different... when Michael played Pathfinder. There, he could be everything he was not in real life. Everything from a brave, devil slaying, eight foot tall paladin to a wisened sage reigning down magical destruction on every one of his foes.
But the game has to end eventually.
Rinse and repeat.
Wake up. Brush your teeth...
Traits will be Savant: (Dance) (I am a pretty good dancer) and Birthmark...
I have no idea how to stat myself. I am 6'4" 350lbs. I bench 400 and ran the 40' dash in 5.00 at my best. I walked on to FSU and made the practice squad. I get sick maybe once every 3 years, don't get flu shots. I do have goute though and take medication for that. I finished with a MIS degree and work in IT for the state. I mean I don't think I'm that smart or anything but can't dump it. I have always been the life of the party and able to manipulate situations and make things happen. I can dump wisdome. I make dumb decisiions all the time and still act like a big kid. I'm sure my wife would agree. I don't mind dumping dex, but I'm a pretty good shot with gun and bow. I shoot target archery most weekends and have won a few shoots and fight most weekends. I'm in the SCA. So help me to stat myself please.
@Ashe, I think I got em. I'd say it makes a pretty nasty initial build for a Barbarian, which would also account for being so fast for a big lineman.
Str 15
Dex 10
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 7
Cha 11
Spr 8
I'd say your weekend activities could be put into a trait that gives weapon familiarity to firearms or bows. So what do you think? Also, You don't HAVE to play you, that's part of the fun of Roleplay, but I do realize that the opportunity to do so is pretty cool!
@Doombringer, That is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for! For one of them at least. I like variety too.
@Nohwear, I like the build, but I should mention that I'm not actually in town at the moment everything goes to crap. But you could well be staying with our mutual friend :)
@SamuraiRuy, Sweet, we'll need someone with survival ability!
I do believe there is enough interest to make this a reality, not just an interest check, but I like to have some choice in the party comp, and it'll be a bit before I'm really ready to start anyway :P Loving what I'm seeing so far!
Dotting for interest with my and my friend but we'd like to join together
but we were wondering a few things
Do you plan to keep the game going when your studies pick up or put it on hold?
Are languages the same?
How important will Spr be?
Any idea on when you plan to start it?
How serious will it be?
if we have any more I'll try to post soon and update so I don't clutter forum, sorry
I'm Zoey's friend. My idea is for a Daring Champion Cavalier (Dragon) I tend to have a set of rules that I live by that no one else seems to follow (Wheaton's Law is a big part of it). I'm rather lacking in the physical stats pre-mutagen... but post-mutagen, that could probably be fixed up.
My second idea is to go with a Synthesist Summoner, and flavor it as creating and maintaining a suit to keep myself protected, mobile, and the like. Cavalier is my first choice, but Synthesist is also a cool idea, if it isn't outright banned. I'd also want to work with you to keep the eidolon function from becoming absolutely broken. :)
My stats would probably be (for either build):
Str 9
Dex 12 +2 (14)
Con 9
Int 13
Wis 12
Cha 12
Spr 10
While I do fairly physical work each day, I highly doubt I'm as strong as folks in the pathfinder setting are on average. Especially given that I have an autoimmune. My job is mostly outmaneuvering animals and the like. I'd like to think I'm fairly intelligent, I tend to be rather intuitive, and people tend to like me for god knows why. That being said, I have anxiety issues, but being neck-deep in movies and games means I'm probably more capable of not getting wrecked by mindscrewiness, balancing out spirit.
|
I'm tall lean and fast, I play Rugby, (Real) Football and Basketball. I also do track and field. Jumping, Javelin, Shotput, and 200 and 100m are my events. I'm an honour roll student as well. I'm also good with languages. For kicks I run around the forests in our neighborhood so I have a decent balance as well.
@cr500Cricket ~ Sounds like a dex and intelligence character to me, perhaps Rogue? or one of the more athletic Bards? I'm rather partial to Swashbucklers if you decide you're charismatic, and Witch, wizard, and Arcanist all work if you're up for the challenge of flavor. OOOH I just had an idea for a Magus and a way for a Black blade to be an AI prototype weapon. (also I find it hilarious that we applied for Each others' games)
@Hotaru looks like a good build! I do like a Swashbuckler, and that Cavalier twist is intriguing.
@Zoey,
~I have no problem with package deals if you to jive with the rest of the crew.
Do you plan to keep the game going when your studies pick up or put it on hold?
~Studies rarely interfere with online games, and if they do, the delay will usually last less than a week and will be forewarned.
Are languages the same?
~Real world languages. I expect you all to speak English more or less as the game starts with a group of friends/ acquaintances in Georgia. Until you take class levels, you can take bilingual as a trait but not as an INT bonus yet.
How important will Spr be?
~My goal is to make SPR be just as important as the other six, but I expect that I'll go a little overboard once I get it fully figured out, then get bored of it mid game, then bring it back into balance eventually... I'll explain better eventually.
Any idea on when you plan to start it?
~I'm going to Work on it this week hardcore, as I'm on fall break. Probably within a week or two I'll be good to go.
How serious will it be?
~Do you mean the overall mood of the story or how dedicated I am? To the former, the very nature of the thing lends itself to be very dark, but I'm not above throwing in things to lighten the mood a bit. To the latter, I am new to online GMing so I have to learn maps and things, but frankly I have nothing better to do and can commit to Keeping the game pace up pretty well.
Hope I answered your questions well enough! Feel free to ask and suggest more!
You did thanks working on a built right now that will likely turn into a rogue or a slayer
Str 11
Dex 13
Con 10
Int 12 +2 (14)
Wis 10
Cha 9
Spr 12
Also I did mean the tone of the game so thank you for answering
any idea on if we can expect to be moblie or if we are going to have a home base? Cleaner could be cool for traps or ambushes
would you allow some kind of reflavor to this trait since it adds knowledge arcana which I'm guessing wouldn't fit the world but its only one I can find that gives knowledge engineering as a class skill.
Okay so how would I stat out a a 35 year old. Former US marine signals intelligence analyst. 5'8" average build. with a bachelors degree in Criminal justice. I am thinking if it is supposed to reflect me then Int, Wis, and Spr would be my high stats. so something like this.
str 9
Dex 10
Con 11
Int 13
Wis 12
Cha 8
Spr 14
I personally think I am pretty resiliant mentally and while not any stronger than average I would like to think I am fairly tough. Not sure what to make of stats like that though.
I can imagine SPR being a bit like Sanity in Call of Cthulhu (please correct me if I am wrong)... Though am interested in HOW CoC did it. The more intelligent you were, the more skills you had... but you were also more likely to understand the cosmic horrors that they were facing and thus were FAR more likely to go insane. The big dumb brutes who shot things (a lot) until they died (or stopped moving) couldn't comprehend what a shoggoth is, and so could go on with their lives perfectly ignorant... however they had less skills.
Sounds good. I think I will go with
Str 14-16 +2 Human
Dex 7
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 7
Cha 14-16 +2 Human
SPR 10
Dual Talented Human. Mutagenic Fighter 1. Mutagen is my Goute medication, b/c I am stronger when not in pain :) Feats will be Amature Swashbuckler and Extra Panace. That will give me 5 panache to use with parry riposte which will reflect my ability to sword block more than getting out of the way. Pretty much how I fight anyway in the SCA. I will take Heirloom weapon Katana, I have taken Iaido and Akido. This will let me use it one or two handed. Level 2 would probably be a barbarian or bloodrager level and then Level 3 would be Swashbuckler so I can take slashing grace and get panache back when using the Katana. Other trait would either be fencer to get the +1 to attack when making a parry or Undead Slayer to get the +1 to damage to reflect in watching all the zombie movies and knowing how to kill the bastards.
Will make and Alias if chosen. Thanks.
Igonorance is bliss sometimes. All you need to know is that if it bleeds it can die :) Though I guess a lot of undead don't bleed, but they can be destroyed so whatever.
I have decided a new thing!
Since you are level zero and we will be building points so heavily on day one, and also, you will be getting a "race" when you are upgraded, I'm gonna say no Human bonuses or racial traits! You can pick it up later.
@Doombringer, I like that concept. There will be a similar mechanic here, but I will make it worth being its own stat.
@33, Sounds great, and it fits REALLY well into the theme of the game.
@zoey, I expect the game to have a Kingmaker feel at first, Using the College as your home base and exploring the area. But the rest is up to you. If you've seen the Walking Dead, yeah that. Eventually I'm gonna build a few settlements using UC kingdom rules and give you options of founding one or taking over one or something. Short answer, Trapfinding will help a lot. Also, I think Arcana is gonna be switched to its flavor, but it will still work. There are a few skills I'm gonna repurpose into things like Knowledge(Electronics)
In that case, my SPR should drop by 2 since that's where I put my +2 from the human bonus. Should we each also get one feat, or do level 0 commoners not have acess to that kind of thing just yet?
@Vin Goodman: Sage Bloodline for Sorcerer. It fits flavorwise, I'd think. It's about figuring out how to work you new spiffy 'magic', rather than simply having it come to you organically. Crossblooded would let you take another bloodline as well if you don't think it's a good fit. Otherwise, most of your mutation might bump up your charisma or something. :)
As for Traits, I'm leaning towards:
Centered
Supportive
or Theoretical Magician
Centered: Part of my job is service. If you've ever worked a service job, you understand.
Supportive: I'm good at rounding out my friend's strengths and weaknesses... and I almost always have something to say that I -hope- is helpful.
Theoretical Magician: I Roleplay in a lot of systems, watch a ton of movies, read a ton of books, and play a ton of games. If there -is- such a thing as magic, you'd be hardpressed to come up with a way that it works that I don't understand on some level.
Finally, why is Spirit a separate stat, while Will exists to already maintain 'sanity' and the like via willpower? I feel Wisdom is one of the weaker stats already, and sniping part of its function is a bad idea. But it may well make sense for you :)
So What changes are you looking at making to the Gunslinger class. The stats I came up with really match the Gunslinger class better than any others
Ok so I've made a bunch of decisions as you all have asked questions and such, so I'm gonna try to make a new, complete Character creation template including the background that PC's would know leading up to the adventure. I'll have that up by Tomorrow morning.
@adventurer#33 Right now I am thinking I'm just gonna limit it to the Bolt Ace and Gun Scavenger Archetypes. The latter would land you with a weapon like the modified nail gun from Highschool of the Dead or maybe you could modify a paintball gun to be lethal.
@Hotaru, You're mostly right about Wisdom, but there are a lot of things in this campaign that will damage or otherwise affect your Spirit score, I didn't want that to place Wisdom classes at a disadvantage. Also, I tend to make players regret their wisdom dumps anyway ;)
Looking good all of you!
I'll wait for the new template to post my character :) but almost everything is done.
for those that like zombie Apocalypse stuff. John Ringo has a new book series about a zombie Apocalypse call the black tide rising series. I just finished the third book in the series. They are pretty enjoyable.
Bolt Ace: An interesting problem that's never been addressed by Paizo, that I read on the forums in another thread I was applying to: They don't lose the
At 1st level, a gunslinger gains one of the following firearms of her choice: blunderbuss, musket, or pistol. Her starting weapon is battered, and only she knows how to use it properly. All other creatures treat her gun as if it had the broken condition. If the weapon already has the broken condition, it does not work at all for anyone else trying to use it. This starting weapon can only be sold for scrap (it’s worth 4d10 gp when sold). The gunslinger also gains Gunsmithing as a bonus feat.
Do we need to list our skills yet like heal and stealth or should we wait for level 1 for that?
Doombringer DM, Bard
Nohwear, Summoner
Adventurer #33,
SamuraiRay, Ranger
Ashe, Fighter
Pathfinder Zoey, Slayer
Hotarukin of the Society, Cavalier
Cr500Cricket,
VinGoodman, Wizard/Sorceress?
Let me know if I need to update or change anything, I’ll try to add stats and the questions he has for us later.
Hey sorry about the delay guys, Today was my birthday so I didn't actually have time to do much :3 I'll get the new stuff up soon
Thanks for the list Zoey!
No rush :)
Well, happy birthday then.
Happy birthday mate!
Thanks all, I'm back and typing away!
Happy birthday and welcome back, can't wait to see what you've gotten written up
Sorry about the wait, this is one of those studies delays, not more than a day or two, but still, Sorry about the delay. I'll put the finished bit up soon.
Ah, don't worry about it ^_^
Toccoa? Wow. My girlfriend's mom lives there. I've been there, like, a thousand times.
I'll be watching this one closely. :D
Yeah I go to school here in Toccoa. The first little bits of the campaign will come with actual Pics of the buildings and such until you branch out farther.
I'm wanting to do a clever character, may or may not be a leader, but definitely clever. Whenever he has a problem, things just occur to him, he's quick on his feet and always open to improv. I'm thinking
Str:10
Dex:11
Con:10
Wis:13
Int:12
Cha:11
This is just off of the top of my head, but I'll get a more solid concept beefed out later.
Don't forget your sanity!
Bumping for hopes