When will I be able to spend money on this.
When will I be able to spend money on this.
Didn't they say something about still being able to buy into it after the kick starter was done? Or was that only for people who funded the KS and wanted to purchase other goals/addons?
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The plan is to complete the book sometime this summer. You could also ask about it on their Facebook or Twitter pages.
Additionally, here's the Kickstarter page.
Okey dokey, so thoughts on the Maladies.
A lot of these are quite harsh, with Occult Phobia seeming to teeter on the edge of a major malady due to making occultists very quickly. That said I realize that they were likely designed with that in mind. Some do seem more potent then the curse line, which may also be the intention.
I will say, most of these single out pact users, and as such I'd probably encourage DMs to stay away from maladies altogether if only 1 or 2 of their party uses binding. It'd be easy for them to feel singled out and punished for wanting to use the class and its features.
I could see some potential side quests / quests in which the party must help a person with a malady before they die, go insane, etc...
Oeverall, did a good job in making one not want to get Maladies, but also makes it something GMs should think over quite a bit before pushing onto their players.
Quick question that probably was answered somewhere in the 19 pages...
Say one makes good pacts with a starless spirit and another spirit and they have access normally to 2 constellation aspects. Can one choose two different aspects from the same non-starless aspect since starless don't have a constellation aspect? (I realize you can't choose the same one).
For example: Tim the Enchanter makes good pacts with Sybee (starless) and Al'Kra (Dark Beyond) and they have a normal allowance of two constellation aspects. Could Tim take the Vanish and Void Ray aspects for their allowed constellation aspects?
Quick question that probably was answered somewhere in the 19 pages...
Say one makes good pacts with a starless spirit and another spirit and they have access normally to 2 constellation aspects. Can one choose two different aspects from the same non-starless aspect since starless don't have a constellation aspect? (I realize you can't choose the same one).
For example: Tim the Enchanter makes good pacts with Sybee (starless) and Al'Kra (Dark Beyond) and they have a normal allowance of two constellation aspects. Could Tim take the Vanish and Void Ray aspects for their allowed constellation aspects?
As written, no:
An occultist gains one of the following supernatural aspects
of her choice whenever she makes a good pact with a spirit.
This aspect is chosen from the list associated with her spirit’s
constellation.
They don't have an "allowance" of 2 constellation aspects; each time they make a pact, they can gain a single aspect belonging to the spirit who they just made a pact with. If you don't choose to take a constellation aspect when you make the pact (eg because the spirit is starless), you miss out on the aspect.
Whether that was the intention or not is another question, of course.
They don't have an "allowance" of 2 constellation aspects; each time they make a pact, they can gain a single aspect belonging to the spirit who they just made a pact with. If you don't choose to take a constellation aspect when you make the pact (eg because the spirit is starless), you miss out on the aspect.
Whether that was the intention or not is another question, of course.
Fair enough and understandable. A bit disappointing, but still understandable. Thanks.
Did the third playtest come out? If it did, I'm not sure I got my link for my copy...
Did the third playtest come out? If it did, I'm not sure I got my link for my copy...
It's the same link in drivethrurpg as the earlier versions. Just go redownload it.
Check In: I'm home from PaizoCon!
I've got a lot of stuff on my plate as I try to make the world stop spinning, but I'll be back in a few days to go over everyone's comments.
Did the third playtest come out? If it did, I'm not sure I got my link for my copy...It's the same link in drivethrurpg as the earlier versions. Just go redownload it.
...apparently the link in my library is broken... I guess I just have to wait for the full pdf to come out... Thanks though.
edit: Nevermind, they fixed it.
Question with the Ravage Binder prestige, are the societal boons for ravage binder currently available?
I have ideas for a character using it, but without the boons I don't know the full details of the prestige class
Question with the Ravage Binder prestige, are the societal boons for ravage binder currently available?
I have ideas for a character using it, but without the boons I don't know the full details of the prestige class
Not yet. The Ravage Binders are one of Dario's pets, so he'll be the one to stat them up.
Not yet. The Ravage Binders are one of Dario's pets, so he'll be the one to stat them up.
Okay, looking forward to seeing the rest of things for them. It looks like a fun prestige class already.
I'm playing with a rewrite to the pactsworn hunter so the class mechanics will work with the artwork that Dario has in mind for the archetype. Here's what it looks like: have at it!
Calling upon spirits from beyond our realm to serve her, a pactsworn hunter forges close bonds with occult spirits in order to summon those spirits as animals that live and fight by her side.
Diminished Spellcasting: A pactsworn hunter possesses 1 less spell per day at each spell level. A pactsworn hunter who would receive 0 spells per day only receives bonus spells earned at that level as a result of a high Wisdom score.
Bind Spirit: A pactsworn hunter may seal pacts with otherworldly entities known as spirits. In order to summon a spirit, the pactsworn hunter must learn the spirit’s ceremony, constellation, personality, and seal by completing its four Knowledge Tasks; see Researching the Spirit in Chapter 3 for more information on this process. A pactsworn hunter begins play having completed all four Knowledge Tasks for one 1st-level spirit of her choice that isn’t restricted to her (see restricted binding).
Each day, a pactsworn hunter may bind one spirit to her soul using pact magic; see Performing a Pact Ritual in Chapter 3. The spirit’s level may not exceed by the pactsworn hunter’s maximum spirit level, which is limited to 1st-level spirits at 1st level. At 4th level and every three hunter levels thereafter, the pactsworn hunter’s maximum spirit level increases by 1, to a maximum of 6th-level spirits at 16th level.
A pactsworn hunter possesses a binder level equal to her level. The DC to resist a pactsworn hunter’s supernatural powers is equal to 10 + 1/2 the pactsworn hunter’s level + the pactsworn hunter’s Charisma modifier. This ability replaces animal focus.Restricted Binding: At 1st level, a pactsworn hunter may only seal pacts with spirits that possess a vestigial companion ability, and this vestigial companion ability must function as either an animal companion or a vermin companion. Class doesn’t matter when determining if a pactsworn hunter can seal a pact with a spirit; the vestigial companion ability may function as a druid or ranger’s animal companion, a cavalier or paladin’s mount, and so on. In addition, a pactsworn hunter cannot gain the vestigial bond ability of spirits that she seals a pact with and she does not gain granted abilities from any spirit that she seals a pact with that are replaced by her spirit’s vestigial companion ability. For instance, if the pactsworn hunter seals a pact with Aza’azati, she does not gain the smaller is better granted ability because Aza’azati’s vestigial companion ability replaces smaller is better.
Spirit Companion: At 1st level, a pactsworn hunter gains a loyal animal that serves as her spirit companion. A hunter may choose any Animal, Magical Beast, or Vermin that can serve as a druid’s animal companion or vermin companion or as a wizard’s familiar to be her spirit companion. The spirit companion gains all of the benefits of being the pactsworn hunter’s animal companion, but it calculates its base Intelligence score as of it were a familiar, using the pactsworn hunter’s level as her effective wizard level to determine the spirit companion’s base Intelligence score. This ability alters animal companion.
Infuse Spirit Companion (Su): Beginning at 1st level, a pactsworn hunter shares additional occult power with her spirit companion, increasing its combat effectiveness. If the pactsworn hunter’s spirit companion is Small or smaller, her spirit companion can change its size to Medium as a swift action, gaining a +2 bonus to Strength that stacks with the normal Strength adjustments for increasing in size, as detailed under the polymorph subtype in Chapter 9 of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook. She can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her hunter level (minimum 1). This size increase stacks with size increases gained from obtaining additional Hit Dice, but not with size increases gained from magical effects, such as the animal growth spell.
At 7th level, the pactsworn hunter’s spirit companion can change its size to Large as a free action if it is Medium or smaller. At 13th level, the pactsworn hunter’s spirit companion can change its size to Huge as a swift action if it is Large or smaller. This ability replaces wild empathy.Animal Focus (Su): A pactsworn hunter gains this class feature at 8th level. This ability replaces second animal focus.
And now for my tentative changes to the magus pact magic archetype.
Master of magic, martial combat, and the occult, the pactsworn magus combines her martial and occult traditions with the pursuit of arcane magic.Bind Spirit: A sibyl may seal pacts with otherworldly entities known as spirits. In order to summon a spirit, the sibyl must learn the spirit’s ceremony, constellation, personality, and seal by completing its four Knowledge Tasks; see Researching the Spirit in Chapter 3 for more information on this process. A sibyl begins play having completed all four Knowledge Tasks for one 1st-level spirit of his choice.
Each day, a sibyl may bind one spirit to his soul using pact magic; see Performing a Pact Ritual in Chapter 3. The spirit’s level may not exceed by the sibyl’s maximum spirit level, which is limited to 1st-level spirits at 1st level. At 4th level and every three magus levels thereafter, the sibyl’s maximum spirit level increases by 1, to a maximum of 6th-level spirits at 16th level.
A sibyl possesses a binder level equal to his level. The DC to resist a sibyl’s supernatural powers is equal to 10 + 1/2 the sibyl’s level + the sibyl’s Charisma modifier. This ability replaces arcane pool.
Soulbound Strike (Su): At 2nd level, whenever a pactsworn magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list or uses a granted ability of a spirit that he is bound to with a range of “touch,” he can deliver the granted ability through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack, otherwise functioning as spellstrike. This ability alters spellstrike.
Magus Arcana: A pactsworn magus can select a binder secret instead of a magus arcana. He must meet all of the binder secret’s prerequisites, if any. A magus cannot select a magus arcana that requires him to spend points from an arcane pool. This ability alters magus arcana.
Spiritual Recall (Su): At 4th level, a pactsworn magus learns to use his bound spirit to recall spells he has already cast. While he is bound to a spirit, the pactsworn magus can expend his spirit’s major granted ability for 5 rounds as a swift action to recall any single magus spell that he has already prepared and cast that day. This spell must have a spell level that is equal to the pactsworn magus’s maximum spirit level – 1. The spell is prepared against, just as if it had not been cast. The pactsworn magus can use this ability to recover a total number of levels of magus spells equal to half his magus level each day. This ability replaces spell recall.
Spiritual Conversion (Su): At 7th level, a pactsworn magus can use his bound spirit to spontaneously cast any spell that he has already prepared. By expending his bound spirit’s major granted ability for 5 rounds as a swift action, the pactsworn magus can “lose” any prepared magus spell that is not a cantrip in order to cast any other magus spell of the same spell level or lower that he has already prepared. For example, a pactsworn magus who prepared shocking grasp and mage armor can expend his bound spirit’s major granted ability as a swift action in order to “lose” mage armor in order to convert the spell into shocking grasp. This ability replaces knowledge pool.
Occult Training (Ex): Starting at 10th level, a magus counts 1/2 his total magus level as his fighter level for the purpose of qualifying for binder secrets and occult feats. If he has levels of occultist, these levels stack. This ability replaces fighter training.
Improved Spiritual Recall (Su): At 11th level, the pactsworn magus can regain a total number of levels of magus spells with his spiritual recall ability equal to his full magus level. This ability replaces improved spell recall.
If the pactsworn hunter’s spirit companion is Small or smaller, her spirit companion can change its size to Medium as a swift action...At 7th level, the pactsworn hunter’s spirit companion can change its size to Large as a free action if it is Medium or smaller. At 13th level, the pactsworn hunter’s spirit companion can change its size to Huge as a swift action if it is Large or smaller.
Is there any reason the medium > large increase is a free action, as opposed to a swift?
This spell must have a spell level that is equal to the pactsworn magus’s maximum spirit level – 1.
Should that be "less than or equal to"? Also, on the same line, there's an "against" where there should be an "again".
The new Sibyl archetype looks much better, in my opinion. Thanks. At first glance, I thought it was a bit too strong, but it then occurred to me how many good arcanas you're prevented from taking by losing the arcane pool, so I think it's ok.
Is there any reason the medium > large increase is a free action, as opposed to a swift?
Its an error. All of them should be swift actions.
Should that be "less than or equal to"? Also, on the same line, there's an "against" where there should be an "again".
Both fixed.
The new Sibyl archetype looks much better, in my opinion. Thanks. At first glance, I thought it was a bit too strong, but it then occurred to me how many good arcanas you're prevented from taking by losing the arcane pool, so I think it's ok.
Its going to be confusing, but the sibyl is likely going to be an occultist archetype, assuming I can fit it. The new archetype is called the pactsworn magus.
I'm toying with the idea of giving the archetype diminished spellcasting, depending on people's reactions to it. I'm thinking its currently a little too strong too; the loss of the arcane pool is somewhat mitigated by the ability to pick up occult weapon, after all.
I think the new pactsworn hunter and pactsworn magus archetypes are great revisions.
I like how the pactsworn hunter's binding is still unique and meshes well with its look and feel.
I really enjoy the new pactsworn magus--the core features of the magus stay in place and it's no longer hindered by only being able to bind a single spirit since it retains its spellcasting.
I'm toying with the idea of giving the archetype diminished spellcasting, depending on people's reactions to it. I'm thinking its currently a little too strong too; the loss of the arcane pool is somewhat mitigated by the ability to pick up occult weapon, after all.
I see no problem with the pactsworn magus having Diminished Spellcasting; it seems it would be a fair exchange for what it gains with pact magic.
Soulbound Strike (Su): At 2nd level, whenever a pactsworn magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list or uses a granted ability of a spirit that he is bound to with a range of “touch,” he can deliver the granted ability through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack, otherwise functioning as spellstrike. This ability alters spellstrike.
Shouldnt this be limited to spell-like abilities and/or supernatural abilities?
I mean, some Ex abilities are things that really dont mix well with a full round attack.
Soulbound Strike (Su): At 2nd level, whenever a pactsworn magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list or uses a granted ability of a spirit that he is bound to with a range of “touch,” he can deliver the granted ability through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack, otherwise functioning as spellstrike. This ability alters spellstrike.Shouldnt this be limited to spell-like abilities and/or supernatural abilities?
I mean, some Ex abilities are things that really dont mix well with a full round attack.
All granted abilities are supernatural abilities (unless they're spell-like), so I'm not sure where the comment about the extraordinary abilities is coming from. Additionally, the granted ability needs to require a touch Attack in order to be a choice for this ability. If you can show me some abilities that work oddly, I'll take a peak.
Oh, i am sorry, i havent finished reading the playtest document and i still have some of the Tome of Magic vestiges in my head. But i will keep an eye on it. Otherwise it looks like a great and fun character to play.
Page 115, Jacques Gaston's name is inverted on the following abilities:
Moment of Greatness
Crowd Pleaser
Psychological Warfare
Vestigial Audience
Psychological Warfare: While you are bound to Gaston
Jacques,
Vestigial Audience has it wrong, then right again by the middle of the text.
Page 119, Sevnoir, the Meandening Mastiff.
When telling his legend, the text reads:
The elf was a wandering adventure in his youth
It should probably read "adventurer".
Random questions / thoughts after some thinking over of things.
- Would it be at all possible to get Ghost Touch added to the Occult Weapon secret? Since one can change the ability that's on the weapon daily, if one were to come across a lot of ghosts or other incorporeals I feel it'd be a welcome option.
- I was curious as to the why the change on Ubro's vestigial boon. It seems a sort of sudden change from his healing flavor whereas the last iterations, paladin mercy seemed appropriate (to me anyways). Not that I mind his having something offensive against undead / evil outsider, I just thought that was Cave Mother's and a few other's schtick is all.
- Also slightly surprised that Stealth isn't a class skill considering the occultists tendency to be hunted by occult magic haters. I doubt one would want others to see them snuggling away in a shack to make a pact with a fiend spirit. Just an observation, not really a critique or anything though. One could spend traits to get this.
- Going off of the last bit, I'm actually sort of surprised that Verbose doesn't give a bonus to stealth in any way, or make it a class skill while she's bound to you considering her Major ability relies heavily on it.
Anyways, don't know why those popped into my head, but there they be. Can't wait to see the societies though.
1) Since a constellation aspect is considered a minor granted ability for the purpose of how it interacts with all effects, including feats, spells, and magic items, if you make a good pact with a spirit that you choose to gain a vestigial companion from, does it count as a granted ability of the spirit to which the vestigial companion belongs, or no? I presume the answer is 'no', but I thought it would be worth making sure.
No, because the granted ability comes from the occultist class feature, not the spirit.
2) For Astute Binder, while it is clear that you use either your Intelligence or Wisdom modifier when it comes to making a pact, and to determining the Difficulty Check of the pact, but do abilities you can use a limited number of times based on your Charisma - such as 3 + your Charisma modifier - count as one of 'the benefits of your granted abilities'?
Yes.
Category A consists of Forash and Verbose. Forash's favored enemy is Humanoid (dwarves and elves), and Verbose's is Humanoid (giants, goblins, kobolds). Category A explicitly lists them, and the dwarven alternate favored class bonus definitely applies.
Applies.
Category B consists of Vishgurv. His favored enemy is Humanoid (any non-aquatic). Most elves, giants, goblins, and orcs are going to fit in this category (aquatic elves do exist, and a few aquatic giants). It is a favored enemy that definitely includes monsters with the elf, giant, goblin, or orc subtype, but does not explicitly list them. Does the dwarven alternate favored class bonus apply?
Applies. Doesn't matter that it doesn't list them, it is listing a quality of a creature, and elves meet that quality.
Category C is similar to Category B. It consists of Achaelous, Aza'zati, Hessant, Gwendolyn's Ghost, Jacques Gaston, and Milo of Clyde. All of them have favored enemies who doubtlessly include instances of elves, giants, goblins, or orcs, but not all elves, giants, goblins, or orcs should apply. As an example, Achaelous' favored enemy is Humanoid (adventurers and bachelors). There are undoubtedly elves, giants, goblins, and orcs who are either adventurers and/or bachelors, but not all of them, which is why it is distinguished from column B, since all normal elves fall under the category of non-aquatic humanoids. Does the dwarven alternate favored class bonus apply?
A profession is not a creature, so it does not qualify.
In your examples, you should get it for A (because obvious) and never for C (professions are not creatures, and the dwarf bonus is asking for creatures). B is a "sometimes," and a great area for you to talk with your GM. For Vishgurv, I would say that he applies for several reasons. Its broad enough that even if the fact that there are aquatic elves is questionable, there are no creatures with the orc subtype that are aquatic, and the dwarf bonus says, "or," meaning you only need one of those creature subtypes / types present for the bonus to activate. Generally, dwarves hate surface elves and surface orcs, and as surface-dwelling creatures Vishgurv would be fine. Plus considering that Vishgurv would LOVE it if you died and were subsequently reincarnated as an abolethian servant, he would do everything in his power to appeal to as many races as possible, and dwarves with their racial hatreds make an easy target.
In short, Bs are up to your GM, but in this specific example I would rule, "Yes."
- Would it be at all possible to get Ghost Touch added to the Occult Weapon secret? Since one can change the ability that's on the weapon daily, if one were to come across a lot of ghosts or other incorporeals I feel it'd be a welcome option.
I think ghost touch is appropriate for an occult character.
- I was curious as to the why the change on Ubro's vestigial boon. It seems a sort of sudden change from his healing flavor whereas the last iterations, paladin mercy seemed appropriate (to me anyways). Not that I mind his having something offensive against undead / evil outsider, I just thought that was Cave Mother's and a few other's schtick is all.
A couple of different reasons. First, Ubro was always more oracle then paladin, so dropping it wasn't a big deal. Second, the temporary hit points ability doesn't lend itself to ability score healing, and I didn't like the idea of tying a vestigial boon to a limited-use minor granted ability.
Ubro actually got his powers from (and was ultimately consumed by) an evil outsider. He doesn't care for them much.
- Also slightly surprised that Stealth isn't a class skill considering the occultists tendency to be hunted by occult magic haters. I doubt one would want others to see them snuggling away in a shack to make a pact with a fiend spirit. Just an observation, not really a critique or anything though. One could spend traits to get this.
Most occultists are scholars, not vagabonds. They prefer to be offensive with their hiding via the Disguise skill (which should be on their list) rather than on-the-run with the Stealth skill. It makes a lot of sense for a character, which is where traits should come in, but it isn't intrinsic to the nature of the class.
- Going off of the last bit, I'm actually sort of surprised that Verbose doesn't give a bonus to stealth in any way, or make it a class skill while she's bound to you considering her Major ability relies heavily on it.
She likes talking too much to want to help you stay quiet.
She is, after all, verbose. ;)
She likes talking too much to want to help you stay quiet.
She is, after all, verbose. ;)
True. Mechanically the use of a skill in place of AC works. If her speaking so much that she's not going to hide is the case though, Stealth for that skill seems an odd choice flavor wise. But, I guess it does make sense that one is suddenly hiding from the enemies attack. Honestly though, I feel like Bluff would be hilarious for it. More a, "Look a unicorn!" and the enemy might look away or might not haha.
In any event. Thanks for the responses Alexander.
Hey folks, I need your help!
I'm working on Chapter 8, the Occult Realms chapter, in Pact Magic Unbound, Grimoire of Lost Souls. This section features a treatise on Pact Magic that is finally set to answer your most burning questions about the world and history of pact magic.
Except I don't know what your most burning questions are. Help!
Here are some examples of questions that are getting answered in this section:
Are All Spirits the Same?
Can Spirits Act on Their Own?
Do Spirits Interact?
How Does One Become a Spirit?
How Many Spirits Are There?
Where Do the Spirits Reside?
Why Were the Spirits Created?
I would like to see solid information on how/why a spirit is made/comes into existence. Mostly due to our campaign being homebrew (ongoing for like 20 years) so having background and reasoning for fitting them in or creating our own would be nice. We often "steal" mechanics due to the flavor not being right for the game, but for something like this, that has such a niche role, a direct port would probably be doable.
YAY less work for the GM and I! Sorry.. Just being honest!
I don't know that you would want to put a limitation on how many spirits there are, etc. Just because it rather narrows or blocks your possible future products regarding the material and prevents others from adding to it as well "cannon". More options are good, more limitations usually aren't.
How come the spirits can be controlled and why is this method able to bind them?
When was pact magic discovered and by whom (what culture?) and how long ago?
Are there any cultures that practice it as a cultural art?
These last few may have been answered, but I haven't had time to read the most recent version yet. Work has been really busy and I've gotten involved in a PBP game. I plan on reading it this week.
I would like to see solid information on how/why a spirit is made/comes into existence. Mostly due to our campaign being homebrew (ongoing for like 20 years) so having background and reasoning for fitting them in or creating our own would be nice. We often "steal" mechanics due to the flavor not being right for the game, but for something like this, that has such a niche role, a direct port would probably be doable.
YAY less work for the GM and I! Sorry.. Just being honest!
I don't know that you would want to put a limitation on how many spirits there are, etc. Just because it rather narrows or blocks your possible future products regarding the material and prevents others from adding to it as well "cannon". More options are good, more limitations usually aren't.
I will give you this one now.
When a spirit is "created," it enters a realm that most scholars believe is outside reality, which means its also outside time. This means that spirits (and their rituals and legends) can spontaneously appear as history itself is altered to accommodate them. For example, if in 50 years some guy pisses off a god and gets turned into a spirit, that spirit is available to binders from the moment time began to beyond time's eventual end. This means that a binder that lived 45 years ago could figure out how to bind this "new" spirit, and then it would appear in my notes, but I wouldn't have any recollection of never NOT taking notes on that spirit.
In other words, timey wimey stuff. Plenty of fun for a particularly enigmatic GM to add to his campaign. >: )
I don't know that you would want to put a limitation on how many spirits there are, etc. Just because it rather narrows or blocks your possible future products regarding the material and prevents others from adding to it as well "cannon". More options are good, more limitations usually aren't.
The answer is basically, "An infinite number. You just haven't found them all yet."
Regarding Aging effects from the Esoteria chapter:
I would recommend two things:
1) put a minimum amount of 1 for any given aging effect to ability scores. Aging effects are powerful enough as it is without flat or killing someone due to gaining a -8 to an ability score going from adult to infant.
2) For infant, juvenile, and child age categories, there should also be a maximum ability score limit. If we have a 20 Str barbarian going to infant, that means we have a 12 strength infant on our hands. As a father with two "infants" right now (based on your table of birth - 2), there's just no way an infant would be that strong. I'm thinking maybe a cap of 3 for the infant category, 5 for the juvenile category, and 9 for the child category (and maybe no cap for the child category at all).
Alternatively, add a toddler category between infant and juvenile (say 1-2, with juvenile taking 3-5), then make toddlers a cumulative -3 to all the other -2 penalties, and infant another -5, with a minimum of 1.
This makes our 20 Str barbarian becoming an infant take -14 total to make a Str 6 infant. Still outlandish, but at least a bit more reasonable than a Str 12.
Edit: based on my post, suggested age categories would be: infant (birth - 12 months), toddler (1-2), juvenile (3-4), child (5-7), youth (8-14)....
Ravager Spirit (page 343) says that if you fail your binding check by 10 or more, there's a cumulative 10% chance by spirit level of a Ravager spirit blight haunt showing up.
Do you also bind to your spirit as normal (with a poor pact)?
The haunt text says "ravager spirit manifests, as detailed in the spirit’s summoning rules." Which summoning rules, the one on the same page (page 343) or the one starting on page 87?
Are spirits capable of changing, and if so, do they change throughout all time at once (and thus no one has any recollection of what they were like before)?
How do binders discover new spirits? Some might come from actually encountering the individual, but if the events that led to the spirit being created haven't happened yet, how do they know the legend and how to summon them?
What determines when a spirit is created, as opposed to something just ceasing to exist?
Is it possible for a person who will later become a spirit to encounter and/or bind the spirit they will later be?
1) put a minimum amount of 1 for any given aging effect to ability scores. Aging effects are powerful enough as it is without flat or killing someone due to gaining a -8 to an ability score going from adult to infant.
That's a good catch.
2) For infant, juvenile, and child age categories, there should also be a maximum ability score limit. If we have a 20 Str barbarian going to infant, that means we have a 12 strength infant on our hands. As a father with two "infants" right now (based on your table of birth - 2), there's just no way an infant would be that strong. I'm thinking maybe a cap of 3 for the infant category, 5 for the juvenile category, and 9 for the child category (and maybe no cap for the child category at all).
Alternatively, add a toddler category between infant and juvenile (say 1-2, with juvenile taking 3-5), then make toddlers a cumulative -3 to all the other -2 penalties, and infant another -5, with a minimum of 1.
This makes our 20 Str barbarian becoming an infant take -14 total to make a Str 6 infant. Still outlandish, but at least a bit more reasonable than a Str 12.
I'm increasing the penalties to –2 (Child), –3 (Juvenile), and –4 (Infant) for a total of a –11 to Str/Con/Wis, –7 Dex, and –9 Int/Cha. There are a couple things to keep in mind with the infant rules. First, your infant is a Tiny creature. That means its carrying capacity is reduced to something crazy like 1/32 based upon its Strength. That's MAYBE a couple ounces of moving force, if I'm remembering the table correctly.
The big problem is that you're looking at the rules from a developmental standpoint while I'm looking at them from a regression standpoint. As a teacher, I personally don't think that a baby is born with its Adult Strength score preset. Instead, a developing infant would roll its ability scores or its point-buy points and slowly increase its ability scores as it grew up and focused itself. Nurture over Nature, in a sense. On the other hand, I expect someone who spent their entire life physically training themselves (your Strength 20 barbarian) to be a surprisingly buff baby as something of a remnant of its Adult self (regression).
Also, I can't make the penalties too harsh or that will make the aging spells ridiculously potent; specifically alter age and greater alter age. Those spells allow for no saving throw (only spell resistance), so basically what will happen is that wizards and clerics will simply try to auto-defeat enemies by turning the biggest threat into an Infant every round. That's not particularly fun for the PCs or the GM.
I completely forgot about reduced carrying capacity based on size! Maybe add a one line reminder in the text?
I also agree with your regression vs development argument. My college training has also led me towards a developmental view point (I'm a toxicologist), and there has to be some leeway between how things really are and how a game works.
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Hey folks, I need your help!
I'm working on Chapter 8, the Occult Realms chapter, in Pact Magic Unbound, Grimoire of Lost Souls. This section features a treatise on Pact Magic that is finally set to answer your most burning questions about the world and history of pact magic.
Except I don't know what your most burning questions are. Help!
Here are some examples of questions that are getting answered in this section:
Are All Spirits the Same?
Can Spirits Act on Their Own?
Do Spirits Interact?
How Does One Become a Spirit?
How Many Spirits Are There?
Where Do the Spirits Reside?
Why Were the Spirits Created?
Is it possible for a spirit to return to our reality or be destroyed?
SM
Luthorne! I'll be looking at your rules notes in a day or two. This week is hectic because its the district's last week before summer break. For everyone, hold tight and keep reporting any oddities that you find!
Is it possible for a spirit to return to our reality or be destroyed?
This is an interesting question that is indirectly answered in what I've written this far. The short answer is "Sort of" to the first question and "Unknown" to the second one. So far, the fact that the gods don't like mortals binding with spirits juxtaposed with the fact that they still exist makes it seem unlikely that beings from our reality can assault beings from the spirit's reality. I like the idea of a god trying to destroy spirits getting trapped in the Spirit Realm and becoming a spirit himself, though. That might have to be a spirit concept that I visit in the future.
Can an individual be trapped but alive such that their spirit becomes eligible for binding? (as in the abyssal layer in Savage Tide that escapes me now)
Can an individual be trapped but alive such that their spirit becomes eligible for binding? (as in the abyssal layer in Savage Tide that escapes me now)
Yes. Loh'Moi is a perfect example of a spirit that this happened to. ;-)
That would make for an interesting campaign idea: spirit destroyer on a mission from the gods, with plenty of occultists trying to protect the spirits.
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Why are the gods apparently so leery about Pact Magic, Spirits, etc?
The gods are so leery of Pact Magic, is there a god of pact magic?
Are there ways to travel to the spirit realm and return, without being trapped?
Are all spirits entities that came from our reality(or other realities for that matter) and were trapped there, or are there beings that are "native" to that realm?
Are there beings other then spirits there? Maybe beings that can travel back and forth?
Is there anything in the spirit realm other then spirits? I mean is it just an empty place full of nothing but spirits and "windows" to view other realities?
What, if anything, prevents spirits from going insane given that they're eternally stuck in limbo?
I haven't forgotten about this thread! haha.
Ok. So, for the Son of Dobb, under his Twice Blessed major ability, it says "Whenever you roll a d20, you roll 1d6 and add the result to your d20 roll after the results are revealed as an immediate action..."
Now, it's probably just me, but it sort of reads like you automatically use this ability since it's missing "can". Perhaps: "Whenever you roll a d20, you can choose to roll 1d6 and add the result to your d20 roll after the results are revealed as an immediate action.
For Son of Dobb's Stone Step ability, does one use the duration of Meld into Stone.
Just to make sure, Occult Weapon can only be used as a Vestigial Boon / Companion replacement right?
Also, any chance in one of the new chapters that we'll get some info on the Tartarus that Tartarus the spirit sends others to? Like, what it's like in your version of it? is it possible to escape? If so, how? If not, why?