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I agree, a more even mix of players of all gender identities would be nice. We probably have less then 20% non-male members.
Stuff that I want to see more: Female Players and GMs. Under twenty percent of our player base locally appears to be female. I want more women in PFS!Hmm
Last spring, we had a day when all four tables had female GMs. Heck, one of them was even cis.
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Stuff that I want to see more: Female Players and GMs. Under twenty percent of our player base locally appears to be female. I want more women in PFS!
Hmm
Of my stable of players in Hamilton I have 4 regulars that are women and I have less than 20 people that have come through my lodge.
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You know what we almost never seen in PFS scenarios? Orcs!
Half orcs are all over the place, as both PCs and NPCs, but you have to wonder where they come from. I know of one scenario set in the Hold of Belkzen, but I can't think of any other adventure with a full blooded orc in it. Given that they were the default evil humanoid back in first edition D&D and AD&D, I'm surprised they're so uncommon in Pathfinder.
Of course, we have goblins all over the place, kobolds are somewhat common, and even gnolls show up more often than orcs. Where are the orcs, Paizo?
There is a Cheliax one involving Orders and Gates that is heavily focused on orcs.
Yes! Bestiary Orcs are kind of disappointing (I mean, CR 1/3, what?), considering they're portrayed as these green badasses. I've recently played the adventure you've mentioned, and they also feature in a Season 7 scenario, but they're still kinda meh. Make these iconic characters more prominent!You know what we almost never seen in PFS scenarios? Orcs!
Half orcs are all over the place, as both PCs and NPCs, but you have to wonder where they come from. I know of one scenario set in the Hold of Belkzen, but I can't think of any other adventure with a full blooded orc in it. Given that they were the default evil humanoid back in first edition D&D and AD&D, I'm surprised they're so uncommon in Pathfinder.
Of course, we have goblins all over the place, kobolds are somewhat common, and even gnolls show up more often than orcs. Where are the orcs, Paizo?
Orcs are pretty vicious... Ferocity alone makes them pretty potent and combined with a falchion? That's harsh for a cr 1/3. Throwing three of them at a party can easily be a TPK if not prepared/poor tactics.
On the other hand, when you get a couple of levels under your belt they aren't that scary. My guess is the combination of these two points is why we don't see them very often.
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Illusionists are rather rare - it was noticing that that prompted me to make mine, in fact!
Elementalists are also rare. I used to know 1 guy who had a Terramancer (though I hardly, if ever, got to see him play it).
I don't believe I've ever seen a Hunter (personally, I think they should take the title Ranger and the title Hunter and switch classes with them).
I don't recall seeing any Psychics yet other than my own.
I have yet to see a Medium.
When I was getting started, I played briefly with a guy who had a Goblin Boon. He made his a Fighter who specialized in the repeating crossbow.
Oh, and my ultimate "rare PFS sighting" story: I played ONE GAME with a guy from out-of-state who possessed a ONE-OF-A-KIND Boon that allowed him to play a non-Evil, non-Good Pathfinder Society Assassin. As I recall, he said Mike Brock told him that they planned never to release another one. Unfortunately, he wasn't playing that character in the game we were in (or maybe he just wasn't high-level enough yet to start taking Assassin levels).
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Illusionists are rather rare - it was noticing that that prompted me to make mine, in fact!
If we want to talk about characters we have that are rare...
I have a character with a level of Sleepless Detective. I've never seen another one in play. Just on theorycrafting threads about how to get the most sneak attack dice. It is so rare in my area, in fact, that when I finally got the chance to play a scenario in Ustalav (Midnight Mauler), and I tried to use the fact that I was a Sleepless Dective to help intimidate someone, the GM, who was the VC at the time, stared at me blankly and responded, "What's that?" It did lead to fun roleplaying the character's frustration that no one in Ustalav had ever heard of the fancy group he belonged to, and they all kept telling him he should get some rest.
My Nagaji Monk was rare when Nagaji were still a boon race. Not that other Nagaji weren't around, but he was the only one that wasn't a Druid or a Paladin that I'd seen. Now, of course, they're legal, and Scaled Fist exists.
I do have a single-classed non-archetype (once I retrain out of Armor Master) Fighter. But that's probably not actually rare. He is a sword and board Fighter that doesn't TWF, though.
But probably the only truly rare character is my Kapenia Dancer.
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Illusionists are rather rare - it was noticing that that prompted me to make mine, in fact!
Elementalists are also rare. I used to know 1 guy who had a Terramancer (though I hardly, if ever, got to see him play it).
I don't believe I've ever seen a Hunter (personally, I think they should take the title Ranger and the title Hunter and switch classes with them).
I don't recall seeing any Psychics yet other than my own.
I have yet to see a Medium.
When I was getting started, I played briefly with a guy who had a Goblin Boon. He made his a Fighter who specialized in the repeating crossbow.
Oh, and my ultimate "rare PFS sighting" story: I played ONE GAME with a guy from out-of-state who possessed a ONE-OF-A-KIND Boon that allowed him to play a non-Evil, non-Good Pathfinder Society Assassin. As I recall, he said Mike Brock told him that they planned never to release another one. Unfortunately, he wasn't playing that character in the game we were in (or maybe he just wasn't high-level enough yet to start taking Assassin levels).
I've got a psychic! And my buddy has a medium.
My game group has most of occult adventures covered... One player has a spiritualist, one has a medium and kineticist, I have a psychic and occultist. Poor mesmerist has no love in my group, although I've been greatly considering making one with my new grippli boon. ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD!
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The variant chase in a... certain Season 6 scenario was absolutely fantastic.
I know there was a chase scene in
And another in
I do agree that Orcs are underwhelming. I ran a scenario tonight that had one orc. it got sneak attacked by a tiger, and the party was like "It only has 6 HP?" Ferocity be damned.
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If we want to talk about characters we have that are rare...
My Illusionist is due to pursue the Veiled Illusionist Prestige class, which I have NEVER seen anyone else with. He could have had a few levels in it already, but I want to reach 8th-level as an unadulterated Wizard so he's eligible for a certain Discovery.
My Cavalier is the only Cavalier I know of to be pledged to the Order of the Tome.
My Monk is a Hungry Ghost Monk, which I don't recall seeing anyone else playing.
My Alchemist is a Reanimator - again, never seen anyone else play that.
My Druid has the only Giant Slug Companion I've ever seen (and I plan to make it even weirder with levels, heh-heh-heh....)
My Sorcerer is the only one of the Razmiran Priest Archetype I've ever seen in the Society, as well as the only Sorcerer I've seen with the Martyred Bloodline.
I also have an aspiring Arcane Archer. I've never seen anyone else do that.
My Magus is a Dhampir of the Ru-Shi variety - Dhampir are of course very rare, but mine's the only Ru-Shi I'm aware of. I've also got a Svetocher, but I may have seen another one of those somewhere.
My Bard is a Wayang Shadow Puppeteer, which I've seen others of (though never otherwise played alongside), but he's also a Dirge Bard, which I haven't seen anyone else be.
My Occultist is the only Necroccultist I'm aware of around. I've heard some say it's not very good, but frankly, you could've fooled me.
I've got 2 Fighters at the moment (a BIG departure from my preferred classes); one of them is a Sensate, and the other is an Ustalavic Duelist whose favored weapon is the pata - I've never seen anyone else with those Archetypes, or wielding a pata (which is basically a superior punch dagger).
I've just made an Oracle who subscribes to the Solar Mystery, something else I've never seen anyone else choose - and Oracles are NOT rare.
Inquisitors are another not-rare class, but mine's the only one I've ever seen with the Oblivion Inquisition. He's also an Iconoclast, which I don't believe I've ever otherwise seen.
My Investigator is of the Spiritualist Archetype (published before Occult Adventures), yet another Archetype I've never seen anyone else take, and Investigators are yet another not-rare class. More interesting than that, though, may be the character's backstory: She's one of the 'Quick' citizens of Geb. Nothing stops you from coming from that background in Society, but I've never seen anyone else spring for it.
Finally, I've got a Shaman - Shamans I've seen plenty of, but mine's the only one of the True Silvered Throne Archetype I've ever seen!
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Venture-Agent, Netherlands—Utrecht
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My Occultist is the only Necroccultist I'm aware of around. I've heard some say it's not very good, but frankly, you could've fooled me.
I'm playing a Necroccultist, and I'm loving it. The archetype gets some nice goodies. Ghostly Horde is a nice thing, though not obscenely powerful, and the Life Drain is a once per day upgraded Enervation. But getting a free Wizard Necromancy spell per level is pretty sweet, considering how limited his spell list is. Necromancy isn't the most useful spell list, but there's still some nice stuff on there. The only downside is that he gets one less implement (for PFS anyway), but most archetypes have that.
I'm sure there are better archetypes for the Occultist (Battle Host is pretty popular), but I wouldn't call this one "bad."
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My Occultist is the only Necroccultist I'm aware of around. I've heard some say it's not very good, but frankly, you could've fooled me.I'm playing a Necroccultist, and I'm loving it. The archetype gets some nice goodies. Ghostly Horde is a nice thing, though not obscenely powerful, and the Life Drain is a once per day upgraded Enervation. But getting a free Wizard Necromancy spell per level is pretty sweet, considering how limited his spell list is. Necromancy isn't the most useful spell list, but there's still some nice stuff on there. The only downside is that he gets one less implement (for PFS anyway), but most archetypes have that.
I'm sure there are better archetypes for the Occultist (Battle Host is pretty popular), but I wouldn't call this one "bad."
My 1st Damphir is a Necroccultist as well.
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My Illusionist is due to pursue the Veiled Illusionist Prestige class, which I have NEVER seen anyone else with. He could have had a few levels in it already, but I want to reach 8th-level as an unadulterated Wizard so he's eligible for a certain Discovery.
"Hi! I'm Ula, and I'm a Veiled Illusionist too. Gnome veiled illusionists represent! I'm also a priest of Razmir!" *wink*.
"We're not as rare as you think."
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My Bard is a Wayang Shadow Puppeteer, which I've seen others of (though never otherwise played alongside), but he's also a Dirge Bard, which I haven't seen anyone else be.
"I no, I'm not unique. I guess I'll go cry in my breakfast porridge now," says Marženek with an underpinning of his already low self-esteem getting lower.
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"Marzie-baby, don't get so down on yourself. You are unique! You are all right in my book!" says an enthusiastic rat pimp. "In fact, I'll set you up with just the right date to make you forget your troubles."
Lucius is a ratfolk Thassalonian Love Specialist. Sure, many would say he's a lust wizard, but he'll be the first to tell you that what he sells is love... even if for the moment. So what if his favorite spell is unnatural lust. Sometimes that's extended, often persistent. And almost always followed by Riddywhipple, the Pimp Dragon, using a wand of deja vu on the target as a follow-up.
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If Veiled Illusionists were more ubiquitous, they'd be doing it wrong.
For what it's worth, we've got a pretty high concentration of prestige classes in our lodge. There's a Stalwart Defender, a Mammoth Rider, a few Evangelists, more than one Pathfinder Chronicler, an Arcane Trickster, a Duelist, a Low Templar, a Harrower, a Loremaster (maybe two), a Theurge (now retired), a level 3 character that will eventually be a Divine Scion...and some indeterminate number of Veiled Illusionists.
Oh, and two Living Monoliths. (One of each printing...)
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My 1st Damphir is a Necroccultist as well.My Occultist is the only Necroccultist I'm aware of around. I've heard some say it's not very good, but frankly, you could've fooled me.I'm playing a Necroccultist, and I'm loving it. The archetype gets some nice goodies. Ghostly Horde is a nice thing, though not obscenely powerful, and the Life Drain is a once per day upgraded Enervation. But getting a free Wizard Necromancy spell per level is pretty sweet, considering how limited his spell list is. Necromancy isn't the most useful spell list, but there's still some nice stuff on there. The only downside is that he gets one less implement (for PFS anyway), but most archetypes have that.
I'm sure there are better archetypes for the Occultist (Battle Host is pretty popular), but I wouldn't call this one "bad."
It pains me you can say your first and I would kill for that boon... I wish the race boons were made more available for people who can not always go to Cons.
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Venture-Agent, Massachusetts—Boston Metro
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There is a Cheliax one involving Orders and Gates that is heavily focused on orcs.You know what we almost never seen in PFS scenarios? Orcs!
Half orcs are all over the place, as both PCs and NPCs, but you have to wonder where they come from. I know of one scenario set in the Hold of Belkzen, but I can't think of any other adventure with a full blooded orc in it. Given that they were the default evil humanoid back in first edition D&D and AD&D, I'm surprised they're so uncommon in Pathfinder.
Of course, we have goblins all over the place, kobolds are somewhat common, and even gnolls show up more often than orcs. Where are the orcs, Paizo?
Which of course really doesnt have anything to do with Orcs.
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Their background information is "iffy?"More ratfolk are needed. Ratfolk are the best race.Plus reaper has all those great Mouseling models. Plus Redwall...
Honestly, seems like main issue with ratfolk is that their background info is iffy, I really think we need a more good-aligned variant of ratfolk added to the Inner Sea setting. Mousemen, or something.
Hard to put into exact words.
I'm a warhammer player, and Ratfolk for this game is a definite rip off of Skaven (one of the few races that group actually invented). Them being a rip off isn't an issue, but the Skaven are evil, and ratfolk have very odd background details which seems to allow them to be described as "good" while remaining evil in practice. Dunno about you, but I find disease warfare hard to justify as Good behaviour, and they have more than a couple options in this regard.
In particular, the alchemist racial archetype (Plague Bringer), which doesn't have an alignment requirement, describes itself:
A plague bringer feels no more remorse at unleashing his armaments on his enemies than an archer does when firing an arrow in the heat of battle. Disease is a tool, and the plague bringer is its master.
Anyway, just my opinion from reading the text.
I will also add that it seems odd that if they are such a good race, that they'd be limited by race boons. Since their description text:
It's common to see a successful crew of ratfolk traders...
Given PFS is absolom, the inner sea center of trade, seems like ratfolk would be more common than the wayangs and such. Since they aren't common, just reinforces my opinion that they are too evil for the setting, like why we aren't allowed to play Drow (which I'm not asking to play).
As for balance, the only possible issue I see is that swarming rule, but it would be super easy to just require players to swap it for Cornered Fury (which is actually a very PFS friendly option, as it resists TPK).
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Venture-Captain, Minnesota
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I have a Grippli Hell Knight that rides a Giant Gecko into battle to avenge the loss of his 3 brethren who perished in The Wounded Wisp a few months ago.
Yes. A Grippli. Riding a gecko. In full hell knight plate. It's awesome.
Aaron, you are my new hero. I must meet this hellfrog.
Hmm
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Venture-Agent, Massachusetts—Boston Metro
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Their background information is "iffy?"More ratfolk are needed. Ratfolk are the best race.Plus reaper has all those great Mouseling models. Plus Redwall...
Honestly, seems like main issue with ratfolk is that their background info is iffy, I really think we need a more good-aligned variant of ratfolk added to the Inner Sea setting. Mousemen, or something.
Hard to put into exact words.
I'm a warhammer player, and Ratfolk for this game is a definite rip off of Skaven (one of the few races that group actually invented). Them being a rip off isn't an issue, but the Skaven are evil, and ratfolk have very odd background details which seems to allow them to be described as "good" while remaining evil in practice. Dunno about you, but I find disease warfare hard to justify as Good behaviour, and they have more than a couple options in this regard.
In particular, the alchemist racial archetype (Plague Bringer), which doesn't have an alignment requirement, describes itself:
A plague bringer feels no more remorse at unleashing his armaments on his enemies than an archer does when firing an arrow in the heat of battle. Disease is a tool, and the plague bringer is its master.Anyway, just my opinion from reading the text.
I will also add that it seems odd that if they are such a good race, that they'd be limited by race boons. Since their description text:
It's common to see a successful crew of ratfolk traders...Given PFS is absolom, the inner sea center of trade, seems like ratfolk would be more common than the wayangs and such. Since they aren't common, just reinforces my opinion that they are too evil for the setting, like why we aren't allowed to play Drow (which I'm not asking to play).
As for balance, the only possible issue I see is that swarming rule, but it would be super easy to just require players to swap it for Cornered Fury (which is actually a very...
1) I doubt Warhammer Fantasy came up with the concept.
2) The fluff in the book that you are pulling from often at times has nothing to do with Golarion to the point where races look completely different and never brought up again.3) Also, given PFS fluff they kind of are really uncommon which actually gets brought up as a part of Season 8's plot.
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Well, if we're just going to list out our own rare PC's, here are some of mine that have characteristics that I've never seen anyone else around here do:
- Sorcerer with the Deep Earth bloodline
- Halfling Opportunist prestige class
- Priest to the goddess of beauty (Shelyn) with dumped charisma
- Gnome prankster bard
- Cleric of Besmara
- Druid with the Nature's Fang archetype
- Sylph Sky Druid
- Paladin with a familiar (Chosen One archetype)
- Single class wizard with a positive strength bonus and a composite longbow
- Dwarven Foehammer Fighter
- Inquisitor with the Infiltrator archetype
- Worshiper of Nedari
- Inquisitor with an animal companion (Sacred Huntmaster archetype)
- Witch with all healing and buff hexes (including taking the Extra Hex feat twice so far, at level 4)
- Grippli Fiend Keeper Medium
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Contributor
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Classes I have never seen played in PFS(including pregens):
Vigilante
All Psychic classes except kineticists (I have our only local occultist, although as a Reliquarian she isn't technically a psychic class)
Shaman, Skald, Investigator, Inquisitor
I played a sylph investigator in Ben's evergreen scenario a few weeks back...
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Well, if we're just going to list out our own rare PC's, here are some of mine that have characteristics that I've never seen anyone else around here do:
- Sylph Sky Druid
- Dwarven Foehammer Fighter
- Worshiper of Nederi
I have a Sky Druid (from a few years ago so it used a boon)
I'm not sure how many Foehammers I've seen, but this is an archetye I recommend constantly.I have an actual Cleric of Naderi.
I do a lot of weird things, but one I expect is extremely rare is I have an Oracle with the Wrecker curse. I always warn people that I *can* use their CLW wand, but it will use double charges. They never take me up on it.
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I played a sylph investigator in Ben's evergreen scenario a few weeks back...Classes I have never seen played in PFS(including pregens):
Vigilante
All Psychic classes except kineticists (I have our only local occultist, although as a Reliquarian she isn't technically a psychic class)
Shaman, Skald, Investigator, Inquisitor
Oh that's right. How inspired!
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I'm a warhammer player, and Ratfolk for this game is a definite rip off of Skaven (one of the few races that group actually invented). Them being a rip off isn't an issue, but the Skaven are evil, and ratfolk have very odd background details which seems to allow them to be described as "good" while remaining evil in practice.
There is a two page, Golarion specific background in 'Inner Sea Races', which is the one I used for the ratfolk in my Skull & Shackles campaign, and it doesn't read as evil at all - I think you may be extrapolating Skaven traits onto the race just from familiarity. It talks about Ratfolk looking for peaceful solutions to conflict, valuing friendship and respecting the customs of other races.
As for them only being available with boons, my understanding is that the freely available races are core plus ones that were opened up by specific Seasons of scenarios - i.e. Oriental and Elemental races. Maybe season 11 will be 'year of the anthropomorphic animal races becoming freely available'...
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Thought about making a Treesinger Druid. Then I saw how limited how Plant Companions and Wild Shape Plant were. I have not seen anyone play a Treesinger in the Chicagoland area.
I had a 1st level Beastmaster Ranger. I thought it would be awesome to gain a dino-raptor as a pet. Then I read the Archetype loses its 6th level combat style feat and its animal companion does not gain the favored enemy bonuses. As a result, I 1st level trained to core ranger.
It seems the Archetypes in the Advanced Player Guide were rough draft versions of the Advanced Class Guide. The Beastmaster Ranger looks like the Hunter Class. The Guide Ranger looks like the Slayer Class. The Skald Bard like the Skald Class.
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Well, if we're just going to list out our own rare PC's, here are some of mine that have characteristics that I've never seen anyone else around here do:
- Sylph Sky Druid
- Dwarven Foehammer Fighter
- Worshiper of Nederi
I have a Sky Druid (from a few years ago so it used a boon)
I'm not sure how many Foehammers I've seen, but this is an archetye I recommend constantly.
I have an actual Cleric of Naderi.I do a lot of weird things, but one I expect is extremely rare is I have an Oracle with the Wrecker curse. I always warn people that I *can* use their CLW wand, but it will use double charges. They never take me up on it.
My Sky Druid was from a boon, too. I just have so many PCs that despite having this one since GenCon 2013, I only just finally got her to level 4. Which works out nicely, since she got to visit the plane of Air in a 1-5 adventure that just came out last month.
My Naderi worshiper is a rogue. I never actually mention her religion. It just defines her personality and how I play her.
And my foehammer is a walking stereotype of a dwarf. He's a blacksmith with a Scottish accent, who goes on and on about dwarven made weapons. "If i' nae Dwarven, i's crap!!!"
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Maybe season 11 will be 'year of the anthropomorphic animal races becoming freely available'...
One...I hope to all that is potentially holy not. It's hard enough to try to leave a trail of dead Kitsune behind me.
Two...much like the Aasamir and Tiefling before them, the elemental races could very well be a season long thing.
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Venture-Captain, Netherlands
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Hard to put into exact words.
I'm a warhammer player, and Ratfolk for this game is a definite rip off of Skaven (one of the few races that group actually invented). Them being a rip off isn't an issue, but the Skaven are evil, and ratfolk have very odd background details which seems to allow them to be described as "good" while remaining evil in practice. Dunno about you, but I find disease warfare hard to justify as Good behaviour, and they have more than a couple options in this regard.
In particular, the alchemist racial archetype (Plague Bringer), which doesn't have an alignment requirement, describes itself:
A plague bringer feels no more remorse at unleashing his armaments on his enemies than an archer does when firing an arrow in the heat of battle. Disease is a tool, and the plague bringer is its master.Anyway, just my opinion from reading the text.
I will also add that it seems odd that if they are such a good race, that they'd be limited by race boons. Since their description text:
It's common to see a successful crew of ratfolk traders...Given PFS is absolom, the inner sea center of trade, seems like ratfolk would be more common than the wayangs and such. Since they aren't common, just reinforces my opinion that they are too evil for the setting, like why we aren't allowed to play Drow (which I'm not asking to play).
As for balance, the only possible issue I see is that swarming rule, but it would be super easy to just require players to swap it for Cornered Fury (which is actually a very...
I've played warhammer quite a bit in my time (now I sound old...), and I actually have a skaven army. Which still isnt fully painted...
Ratfolk in golarion are in no way like skaven. Skaven mutate, torture, destroy and defile at will. They embody all the bad things about rats, and a few things people have made up about rats.Ratfolk embody the best things about rats. Community, teamwork, curiosity, cleanliness and inventiveness. They are not necessarily completely good (too much curiosity can be dangerous. Too strong a community can turn xenophobic. They will eat all your food).
There is also a big difference in description in the Advanced Race Guide, which is build for people to use with their own world, and the Monster Codex, which is specific for Golarion.
Ratfolk was a Tier 2 Gencon boon, and those have a limited time of exclusiveness. They are also part of the Featured races, which untill season 8 all needed a boon (some rarer then others). Now the elemental races are boon free. And it looks like ratfolk will become less rare now.
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Venture-Lieutenant, Netherlands—Leiden
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Between catfolk, skinchangers, birdfolk, foxfolk, three types of snakefolk... I find it a bit hard to claim that "oh gosh, rat anthropomorphs are clearly stolen from this one other specific game".
I think they're actually an interesting take on a nonevil race that has what it takes to survive the darklands.