1 - The Seventh Arch (GM Reference)


Gatewalkers


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

This is a spoiler-filled resource thread for the first volume of the Gatewalkers AP, The Seventh Arch by James L. Sutter.


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In Chapter 2 there is a machine that

Spoiler:
potentially grants ancestry traits.

Would this also give access to the appropriate feat pool at level up?

I'm unsure because:

Spoiler:
The wording on half elf (says you gain the traits, and then separately says you can select from multiple pools) and adopted ancestry (where it doesn't give the traits but does explicitly allow access to the feat pool) makes me feel like the traits and the feat pool access are not synonymous

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I gave this one a read last night and it combines some amazing themes from Jade Regent, Reign of Winter and Strange Aeons. An absolutely bonkers adventure path entry with truly memorable locations and situations.


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Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

On page 18, the Shadowshift Field routine makes every creature in the clearing make a Fortitude save.

On a critical success, one of the effects is "The land is healed 1d6 points by the primal magic."

I don't know what is meant by this.

Scarab Sages

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Event 2 on page 17 has the potential to TPK a 4 person party because of the abilities of the enemies.

Ran this the other night and by Round 2, one PC had 50% hp and two others were Dying 2. Ended on a cliffhanger so I'll update with the results.

It's worth mentioning that I removed one of their abilities before combat started because 1st level PCs shouldn't have to deal with that particular uncommon ability (yeah you know what it is).


Reebo Kesh wrote:

Event 2 on page 17 has the potential to TPK a 4 person party because of the abilities of the enemies.

Ran this the other night and by Round 2, one PC had 50% hp and two others were Dying 2. Ended on a cliffhanger so I'll update with the results.

It's worth mentioning that I removed one of their abilities before combat started because 1st level PCs shouldn't have to deal with that particular uncommon ability (yeah you know what it is).

What ability are you talking about? I'm reading the creature right now to prepare for this week game, and i don't see anything that look broken.


Is this about the Attack of Opportunity?


My group had this fight yesterday, didnt change anything, and they had no problem at all with event 2 and 3. Event 4 was a bit harder (Shillelagh is a no joke buff at lvl 1), but still manage with only 1 character down (and another when they untie the unicorn).

Still, great flavor there for the start of the adventure!


Reebo Kesh wrote:

Event 2 on page 17 has the potential to TPK a 4 person party because of the abilities of the enemies.

Ran this the other night and by Round 2, one PC had 50% hp and two others were Dying 2. Ended on a cliffhanger so I'll update with the results.

It's worth mentioning that I removed one of their abilities before combat started because 1st level PCs shouldn't have to deal with that particular uncommon ability (yeah you know what it is).

I'm also wondering what on earth this is supposed to mean... anyone have insight?


I ran the tamagyrs and my party took them down with no issue at all, even when the ones with Attack of Opportunity went for the backline.

I second that the shillelagh users + complex hazard was a much scarier encounter, the hazard hits very hard and I was lucky the shillelagh druids missed a lot of their attacks.

It's all very cool so far though and Bolan just ran away on the zipline


Just started session 1 last nite and went quite well so far.

But I'm still a bit confused on when I give each player their "dream" so they can power up their dev Ability.

Adventure start each player gets 1, 2nd level DA / no prob there

Then on page 17 it says to give each player the "professor dream", and that each player should have 1 of these by the end of the NEXT Adventure

So 1 dream for each player to get the Awakened Power Feat 1 time by the end of the 2nd Module??

So now a player can chose an awakened power from what they have, OR pick a new base DA power??

Need a bit of help with this please anyone.

Then in Mod 2 we have on page 35, after beating event 15 they get another awakened power feat.

So by the end of module 2 each player should have

Either up to 3 different powers, or 2 awakened powers from the same DA??

Or am I totally missing this

Thanks for any help here gang

Tom


I think if players want other base DA powers they are supposed to use their feats, with awakenings given for free at story moments.

I've been pacing the dream invasions about 1 each level so far, so a couple of nights rest between each dream.


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Also to make it so Bolan seem much more like the PCs, to really drive the point that he is also a Gatewalker, I gave him deviant backlashes, these are just copied from the existing ones but I just wanted something:

Minor: Bolan takes 2 damage as his own staff grows spikes
Moderate: Bolan is clumsy 1 and enfeebled 1 for 1 minute as his clothing impedes him.
Major: All plant-based material grows thorns and spikes, everyone within 30 ft must make a basic reflex save for 2d6 damage, Bolan automatically takes this damage without a save.

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Onkonk wrote:

I ran the tamagyrs and my party took them down with no issue at all, even when the ones with Attack of Opportunity went for the backline.

I second that the shillelagh users + complex hazard was a much scarier encounter, the hazard hits very hard and I was lucky the shillelagh druids missed a lot of their attacks.

It's all very cool so far though and Bolan just ran away on the zipline

I removed the AoO and they almost TPK'd the party.

The hazard was easily bypassed by the Witch.

My players stomped the shillelagh users.

Scarab Sages

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Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Skya wrote:
Reebo Kesh wrote:

Event 2 on page 17 has the potential to TPK a 4 person party because of the abilities of the enemies.

Ran this the other night and by Round 2, one PC had 50% hp and two others were Dying 2. Ended on a cliffhanger so I'll update with the results.

It's worth mentioning that I removed one of their abilities before combat started because 1st level PCs shouldn't have to deal with that particular uncommon ability (yeah you know what it is).

What ability are you talking about? I'm reading the creature right now to prepare for this week game, and i don't see anything that look broken.

Yep AoO on a first level party considering the creatures can literaly jump out of shadow next to a squishy spell caster. Had to remove it. They almost TPK'd from it.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Reebo Kesh wrote:
Yep AoO on a first level party considering the creatures can literaly jump out of shadow next to a squishy spell caster. Had to remove it. They almost TPK'd from it.

Ok, so they appear next to a spell caster (something that they can only do once a day), and make at most one attack. On their turn the spell caster Steps away (doesn't trigger the AoO), and then either strides further away or casts a spell, neither of which triggers as they are out of reach.

I don't see the issue.

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Darrell Impey UK wrote:
Reebo Kesh wrote:
Yep AoO on a first level party considering the creatures can literaly jump out of shadow next to a squishy spell caster. Had to remove it. They almost TPK'd from it.

Ok, so they appear next to a spell caster (something that they can only do once a day), and make at most one attack. On their turn the spell caster Steps away (doesn't trigger the AoO), and then either strides further away or casts a spell, neither of which triggers as they are out of reach.

I don't see the issue.

Critical Hits from a bite attack vs a spell caster with low AC tend to remove the ability to Step away.

Cause they're at Dying 2.

This happened twice in that one combat.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Reebo Kesh wrote:

... and Critical Hits from a bite attack vs a spell caster with low AC tend to remove the ability to Step away.

Cause they're at Dying 2.

This happened twice in that one combat.

"You carefully move 5 feet. Unlike most types of movement,Stepping doesn't trigger reactions, such as Attacks of Opportunity, that can be triggered by move actions or upon leaving or entering a square."

https://2e.aonprd.com/Actions.aspx?ID=87

Or you're saying that they teleported in and critically hit on the attack, which meant that the ability to AoO wasn't involved in it.


The attack does like 1d4+4, so a crit is between 10-16 damage, it can take out a squishy caster if you are unlucky (probably sitting on something like 15-16 hp) but sometimes the dice are hot for the enemy. The woes of low levels ^^

Acquisitives

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

finished reading this book today... and man, what a great adventure.

and the connection to DEAD SUNS? i gotta run this.

but also, the heights of the treehouses were said to be listed on the map... and they aren't?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I notice that about the heights, but...

It does tell you how far up the first one is, and various other rooms have how far up/down they are from connecting rooms, so it is (just about) possible to calculate them all.


Every Gatewalker gets the throat tattoo? First thing my players will ask - what does it look like?


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

There's an image in the Players Guide on page 4.

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Darrell Impey UK wrote:
Reebo Kesh wrote:

... and Critical Hits from a bite attack vs a spell caster with low AC tend to remove the ability to Step away.

Cause they're at Dying 2.

This happened twice in that one combat.

"You carefully move 5 feet. Unlike most types of movement,Stepping doesn't trigger reactions, such as Attacks of Opportunity, that can be triggered by move actions or upon leaving or entering a square."

https://2e.aonprd.com/Actions.aspx?ID=87

Or you're saying that they teleported in and critically hit on the attack, which meant that the ability to AoO wasn't involved in it.

The general rule is AoO in monsters in rare in Pathfinder 2e and even rarer at low levels. Most players knowing this will assume a monster doesn't have AoO at 1st level and just try and move out of range which would lead to an AoO.

This specifically happened twice in that combat so I hand waved it for just this combat to save two to four players rolling new characters in session 2.


Reebo Kesh wrote:
Darrell Impey UK wrote:
Reebo Kesh wrote:

... and Critical Hits from a bite attack vs a spell caster with low AC tend to remove the ability to Step away.

Cause they're at Dying 2.

This happened twice in that one combat.

"You carefully move 5 feet. Unlike most types of movement,Stepping doesn't trigger reactions, such as Attacks of Opportunity, that can be triggered by move actions or upon leaving or entering a square."

https://2e.aonprd.com/Actions.aspx?ID=87

Or you're saying that they teleported in and critically hit on the attack, which meant that the ability to AoO wasn't involved in it.

The general rule is AoO in monsters in rare in Pathfinder 2e and even rarer at low levels. Most players knowing this will assume a monster doesn't have AoO at 1st level and just try and move out of range which would lead to an AoO.

This specifically happened twice in that combat so I hand waved it for just this combat to save two to four players rolling new characters in session 2.

You'd think after it triggering the first time they would figure out that it was a thing...

Also, you can give it out as info on a Recall Knowledge.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
KawasakiNinja wrote:
Reebo Kesh wrote:
Darrell Impey UK wrote:
Reebo Kesh wrote:

... and Critical Hits from a bite attack vs a spell caster with low AC tend to remove the ability to Step away.

Cause they're at Dying 2.

This happened twice in that one combat.

"You carefully move 5 feet. Unlike most types of movement,Stepping doesn't trigger reactions, such as Attacks of Opportunity, that can be triggered by move actions or upon leaving or entering a square."

https://2e.aonprd.com/Actions.aspx?ID=87

Or you're saying that they teleported in and critically hit on the attack, which meant that the ability to AoO wasn't involved in it.

The general rule is AoO in monsters in rare in Pathfinder 2e and even rarer at low levels. Most players knowing this will assume a monster doesn't have AoO at 1st level and just try and move out of range which would lead to an AoO.

This specifically happened twice in that combat so I hand waved it for just this combat to save two to four players rolling new characters in session 2.

You'd think after it triggering the first time they would figure out that it was a thing...

Also, you can give it out as info on a Recall Knowledge.

Isnt it also kind of meta gamey to assume every lvl monster doesn't have AoO , but since a fighter does have it from lvl 1 there is still alot of lvl 1 monsters that has it aswell actually most fighter based creatures or classes has it..I think your players are misinformed or you told them this and ..well :)


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Party just beat Bolan. One of them got close to him, looked out the window, and saw the zip line. They put 2 and 2 together, and just reached out with their polearm and cut the zipline.

Queue a very 'Well this is awkward' moment from Bolan. In his defense, he dropped one unconscious with the spikes, and almost dropped the rogue with her own shirt, so he deserved it.

Also, as an aside, a hero point alone saved my Sorcerer from becoming a victim of Massive Damage from the stove. 2d10+13 is INSANE Damage from something with a DC as high as it has. That is RIDICULOUSLY capable of critting and one-shotting a level 1 PC.


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What's with the Desa-Desa having no save on their explode ability?


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Junker wrote:

Isnt it also kind of meta gamey to assume every lvl monster doesn't have AoO , but since a fighter does have it from lvl 1 there is still alot of lvl 1 monsters that has it aswell actually most fighter based creatures or classes has it..I think your players are misinformed or you told them this and ..well :)

Actually there isn't a lot of monsters that have it.

According to AoN 428 Creatures out of 2604 monsters have Attack of Opportunity which amounts to 16.5% of all monsters.

Assuming they all have an Attack of Opportunity would waste valuable Actions with Stepping and be worse off for the PCs.

If an AoO does trigger then you know for the rest of that combat to be careful but being careful constantly without knowing if there's an AoO is poor tactics.


Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
TRDG wrote:

Just started session 1 last nite and went quite well so far.

But I'm still a bit confused on when I give each player their "dream" so they can power up their dev Ability.

Adventure start each player gets 1, 2nd level DA / no prob there

Then on page 17 it says to give each player the "professor dream", and that each player should have 1 of these by the end of the NEXT Adventure

So 1 dream for each player to get the Awakened Power Feat 1 time by the end of the 2nd Module??

So now a player can chose an awakened power from what they have, OR pick a new base DA power??

Need a bit of help with this please anyone.

Then in Mod 2 we have on page 35, after beating event 15 they get another awakened power feat.

So by the end of module 2 each player should have

Either up to 3 different powers, or 2 awakened powers from the same DA??

Or am I totally missing this

Thanks for any help here gang

Tom

Jumping in to agree that I'm not sure how I'm supposed to distribute these powers as well, but I'm inclined to have a group dream and give everyone something at the same time, rather than stringing out abilities over the course of 8 levels.


The Seldon Plan wrote:

...

Jumping in to agree that I'm not sure how I'm supposed to distribute these powers as well, but I'm inclined to have a group dream and give everyone something at the same time, rather than stringing out abilities over the course of 8 levels.

This was discussed more in a different thread, but I think the shared dream is a great idea. If you can spread it out it might build the suspense more, but I didn't do that very well so a shared dream sounds good.

Vigilant Seal

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Has there been any clarity on what this means?

"Critical Success The creature is unaffected and immune for 24 hours. The land is healed 1d6 points by the primal magic."


reevos wrote:

Has there been any clarity on what this means?

"Critical Success The creature is unaffected and immune for 24 hours. The land is healed 1d6 points by the primal magic."

I assumed that everyone and everything on the land was healed.

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