Heroes of Myth [Pathfinder - Path of War] - Interest check

Started by eternaldarkness, March 18, 2015, 11:50:32 AM

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yaracyrrah

Question about magical items.  In normal PF games, magical equipment is intentionally very piecemeal: you have half a dozen separate pieces of (e.g.) +1 equipment; combining multiple functions into a single item costs extra.  That's not wrong, but it doesn't exactly fit a world in which magic is rare and awesome.  With my tinkering hat on, I wonder if it might be more appropriate to replace the normal gp allowance for equipment with a rule that each character gets one offensive item of (say) +4 total bonus (potentially including special qualities per the usual rules), one defensive item ditto, and maybe one or two miscellaneous items (or perhaps just a reduced gp budget to buy cool toys).  What sayeth the Boss?

Meanwhile I'm working on fluff for Aete and the Amazons :) .

TheGlyphstone

Actually....that brings something to mind that I could propose to fit exactly that dichotomy, as another option for The Boss. In another PbP game here on E, we've been using a customized 'balanced WBL' rules variant written by Ghostwheel.

http://www.dnd-wiki.org/wiki/Balanced_Wealth_%283.5e_Variant_Rule%29

Its basic gist is to automate the +Stat items, the +Enhancement weapons and armor, and all the other finicky little bonuses that the game expects you to collect piecemeal to match up numbers-wise as a direct function of character level; at, say, level 6, your sheer raw awesomeness ensures that your otherwise mundane equipment is imbued with the appropriate bonuses for a Level 6 character based on the chart. That frees up a small allotment of 'free slots' for magic items that do cool things rather than eat up your body slots with static buffs. It feels appropriate, and I'm sure Ghostwheel would appreciate more playtesting of the system.

eBadger

Interesting alternative system.  I do like the idea of a couple items that will level up with you (so the family heirloom sword you started with at Level One can still help define your character) but I also rather enjoy my usual motley assortment of magical debris.  I'll give up stats for interesting abilities any day :) 

yaracyrrah

That's an excellent idea rather poorly executed.  I can fix 98.62% of the problem in two simple rules.

(1) Every character receives a +1 bonus to all d20 rolls, base AC, CMB/CMD, and maybe damage rolls, at L3, L7, L11, L15, and L19.  These bonuses stack with each other and all other bonuses.

(2) Every character's primary ability score increases by 1 at every even level.  The normal every-4th-level ability increases can only be applied to scores other than the primary.

Everything else is just epicycles.

TheGlyphstone

Quote from: yaracyrrah on March 20, 2015, 02:24:18 PM
That's an excellent idea rather poorly executed.  I can fix 98.62% of the problem in two simple rules.

(1) Every character receives a +1 bonus to all d20 rolls, base AC, CMB/CMD, and maybe damage rolls, at L3, L7, L11, L15, and L19.  These bonuses stack with each other and all other bonuses.

(2) Every character's primary ability score increases by 1 at every even level.  The normal every-4th-level ability increases can only be applied to scores other than the primary.

Everything else is just epicycles.

That doesn't actually fix anything, though, but does make it more boring. Especially in Pathfinder, where 'dead levels' are poisonous. Staggering the bonuses means something gets better at every single level, making it a continual progression of improvement.

yaracyrrah

Well, I'm sure you have more experience with Pathfinder than I do.  On the other hand, I learned GMing from systems that leave a lot of balance issues to the GM's and group's discretion rather than making them matters of law, so I don't agree that the differences between my proposal and the chart represent a serious problem.  If I were GMing, my proposal would work fine.  If our current GM would prefer the more complicated system, that too would work fine.

TheGlyphstone

#81
I'm just not sure what you think your fix is actually fixing. Complexity, fiddly numbers, and hard rules for stuff is just part of 3.x; the BWBL system isn't intended to reduce complexity so much as automate it by baking in the buffs that characters need to stay competitive against monsters as they level up, so that everyone gets the same amount of 'cool stuff' items instead of the status quo situation of warrior-archetypes needing to invest a larger portion of their total wealth into static gear compared to spellcaster-archetypes.

Hacking 3.x/this subsystem to be simpler - your proposal - is like waterproofing your car, making it bouyant, and strapping a motor to the back. You can do it, and it'll be functional, but you're better off just buying a boat. Similarly, if you were GMing, I'd strongly advise you to just use one of those different systems in the first place rather than squash 3.x or PF into their design space.

yaracyrrah

Aete and the Amazons, second draft
Aete is among the many children of Teio and Melfia.  Fiercely independent, she grew to adolescence as soon as she was born and promptly set out on her own.  A number of the world's notable geological features (for example, several unusual arrangments of very large rocks) can be attributed to her youthful play.  She patronized and even accompanied (in mortal guise) a number of legendary heroes, but as she observed the world's various cultures, her innate disinterest in men turned to active distaste. Thus she created her Amazons, and claimed a distant wilderness for their domain.  She continues to listen for and answer prayers from free-spirited and adventurous females of all races and cultures, but she devotes most of her attention to her own people and her other private games.

Amazon Racial Traits:
Type: Humanoid (0RP)
Size: Medium (0RP)
Base Speed: 30' (0RP)
Abilities: Advanced: +2 S,D,Co, +4 Ch, -2 W (4RP).  Amazons are physically superior to normal humans.  Their prowess and overwhelming self-assurance frequently inspire awe in allies and foes alike, but also breed overconfidence and disrespect for lesser races.
Languages: Standard (0RP) (Common and Amazon [which might be a dialect of Celestial])
Traits:
*Fast: +10' move (1RP)
*Stubborn: +2 vs charms and compulsions, and retry after 1 round (2RP)
=7RP

Amazons are asexual (as is Aete herself) and sterile; young Amazons are created directly by Aete as necessary to maintain a stable population.  The natural lifespan of an Amazon is 350-400 years.  The Amazons are governed, lightly, by the priests of Aete through the most capable and successful warriors.  Males are not forbidden in the Amazon lands, but neither are they welcome.  Non-Amazon females are viewed with suspicion unless they are worshipers of Aete who have made pilgrimage to petition the goddess to become Amazons themselves.  Most such petitions are granted.

Amazons generally stand between 5'8" and 6'6" tall (66+2d6 inches), and weigh between 160 and 240 pounds (140+20d6).

yaracyrrah

Quote from: TheGlyphstone on March 20, 2015, 03:30:05 PMif you were GMing, I'd strongly advise you to just use one of those different systems in the first place rather than squash 3.x or PF into their design space.

Indeed, that is exactly why I did not volunteer to co-GM this game.

eBadger

Looking back over the thread, this is what I see so far, not including interest-only comments:





TheGlyphStoneEldonHalfling Stalker
eBadgerAesaElven/Outsider Arcanist
yaracyrrahThioraAmazon (no sheet, not sure what class)

...so we definitely still need some people.  eternal, may I humbly suggest you edit the first post with all the character creation details and change the heading to "Recruiting"? 

eternaldarkness

Quote from: eBadger on March 21, 2015, 12:57:13 AM
Looking back over the thread, this is what I see so far, not including interest-only comments:





TheGlyphStoneEldonHalfling Stalker
eBadgerAesaElven/Outsider Arcanist
yaracyrrahThioraAmazon (no sheet, not sure what class)

...so we definitely still need some people.  eternal, may I humbly suggest you edit the first post with all the character creation details and change the heading to "Recruiting"?

Yep, this is a good suggestion. Sorry i've been so thin on new content lately, it was a long workday and my brain was fried, but i'm finishing up some setting details now.

TheGlyphstone

Quote from: eternaldarkness on March 21, 2015, 01:30:32 AM
Yep, this is a good suggestion. Sorry i've been so thin on new content lately, it was a long workday and my brain was fried, but i'm finishing up some setting details now.

Any thoughts on the innate WBL variant I proposed? If you plan on showering us with gold and treasure anyways, it's not really needed, and a primarily martial party is going to all have roughly the same gear requirements. But it's worked out great so far in the other games I've played with it in.

yaracyrrah

Thiora is a Warlord (Steelfist Commando).  I can post a draft of her sheet if folks want to see it, but I'm still waffling over some finishing touches, and of course awaiting a ruling on equipment.

eternaldarkness

#88
Don't worry about magical gear just yet; buy mundane gear, up to 5,000 Gp worth. Magical items are super-rare in the setting, but don't worry you'll get the magical bonuses you need in short order.

The capital city is Invictia, and you will all have come along with countless other would-be heroes to answer the kings call for brave souls willing to go on a dangerous quest on his behalf. This is beyond a doubt the most powerful kingdom ever to have existed, with armies that rule much of the known world and counts many other smaller kingdoms as satrapies or allies. The game will start the night before you are to have an audience with the king. You'll all be at the Golden Bull tavern, a normally very exclusive establishment in the garden district that has been opened to the general public along with the garden district itself at the king's command.

TheGlyphstone

5000 gold worth of mundane items? Well, time to go find some absurdly expensive special materials.

yaracyrrah

Thiora
Thiora, CG Amazon female Warlord (Steelfist Commando) 6 (23,000 XP)
S 20*, D 16, Co 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 18
AC 21 (touch 16, ff 15), HD 6d10+12, Hp 72, Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +5/+7
Init +4, BAB +6, CMB +13, CMD 29
Weapons:
*Unarmed: Attack +13/+8, Dmg 1d6+6 (20/x2) (+2 with BB maneuvers)
*Amazon greatbow: +10/+5, Dmg 1d8+5 (20/x3)

Amazon Racial Abilities: +2 S,D,Co, +4 Ch, -2 W; +10' move; +2 and retry vs charms and compulsions
Chosen of Aete: DR 10/magic

Class Abilities: +2 dodge; while in a stance, +1 atk, +1 dmg, +2 CMB/CMD, +[Ch] stealth

Traits: Acrobat (+1 Acrobatics, +3 to Climb quickly), Bloody-Minded (+1 Init, +1 Intimidate)

Feats: Skill Focus: Acrobatics (1st), Improved Unarmed Strike*, Weapon Focus: Unarmed (3rd), Greater Unarmed Strike* (3rd), Precise Strike* (3rd), Dodge (5th), Power Attack (6th)

Skills (24): Acrobatics 6 (+16), Climb 1 (+9), Intimidate 6 (+14), Perception 1 (+3), Sense Motive 1 (+3), Stealth 1 (+11), Survival 1 (+3), Swim 1 (+9), 6 open

Items: Amazon greatbow (masterwork, mighty 5); fantastic beasthide "shirt" (+5/-0)

Gambits (3): Acrobatic Gambit, Unbreakable Gambit, Victory Gambit

Maneuvers Known (9): Encouraging Roar (B, GL1), Flurry Strike (BB1), Offensive Roll (TD1), Pommel Bash (BB1), Shards of Iron Strike (BB1), Bronze Knuckle (B, BB2), Knuckle to the Blade (BB2), Kill the Wounded (GL3), Steel Flurry Strike (BB3)

Stances Known (3): Pugilist Stance, Iron Hand Stance, Broken Blade Stance

eternaldarkness

Also, everyone please include a wish list of items you'd like to have somewhere on your character sheets.

TheGlyphstone


eternaldarkness

Quote from: TheGlyphstone on March 21, 2015, 08:11:23 PM
Price cap? Or do we just shoot for the moon here?

No price cap, though don't feel the need to go crazy. Special materials are fine, and you'll want to think about what your character might have needed up until this point. If you killed werewolves in your background, for example, you probably need a silver weapon.

eBadger


rotburn

Bwahaha~
This is great.
All this information is making my head swirl.
This really is something like EPIC fantasy :P

eternaldarkness


MrBubbles

Working on a Warder (Zweihander Sentinel), I'll probably get the mechanics done sometime tonight but the fluff will take a bit longer.

TheGlyphstone

Should we include the essentials like magical weapons/armor, stat-boost items, save-boosting items, etc. in our wish list? Or are you primarily interested in the specialty stuff?

Rhynarion

I'm back!

Since it seems like there are only three sheets up and no Wilder yet made, I would like to toss my name in for a Wilder 6 (Blasting Archetype)

My sheet isn't done yet, namely because I have a few questions.

Arkhamir VanRooke
Pale moonlight filtered through the breaks in the port skyline, washing over largely vacant streets. Much of the daily bustle died down by this hour, only a few rounnd-the-clock workers still moving cargo on the piers. Small puddles of rainwater collected in the side-alleys, murky from the treading of uncounted footsteps. A scattered dozen men roamed the streets without purpose, dour expressions ranging from dazed to utterly drunk.A pair of ruffians hid amongest these lost souls, waiting in restless anticipation for unsuspecting prey to come along the road leading to the wealthier section.

The air thickened without apparent cause, growing heavy with withheld breath. The few men still self aware made signs of warding against magic, ineffectual fallacies that hardly balked true evocations. A tall figure rounded the corner seeming on cue, leaping forward with every merry step. Baggy clothes hid his build on the gloomy night, though the rich crimson fabric spoke of apparent wealth. A wide-brim felt hat obscured his face from a distance, clearly picked to accent the outfit. The pair picked him out instantly, only pausing once when they noticed the crocodile following the man - refuted as a threat when a shaft of moonlight revealed it to be but the size of a small dog.

Arkhamir brushed the ruffled sleeves of his shirt, idly plucking at the gold embroiderings of his shirt. He didn't want a spec out of place this evening, far too much fun planned for him to ruin it. He chuckled wildly to himself with glee, positively glowing from his amusement. He never noticed the ruffians as they closed in, lost to his own world until he staggered from a pair of forceful hands on his swinging arms.

Confusion gnitted on his smooth features, overtaking his mirth. Tock scurried between his legs in rapid figure eights, making gurgling squawks to proclaim his distress. The third ruffian hurried around to Ark's front and began frisking him in search of coin, grimy hair concealing beady eyes and a lip split too many times to heal properly. Realization spread across Ark's features now that his daydream crashed to an end, and he shook his arms with surprising strength.

"I have quite little time for this. Unhand me at once!" His voice split the air, flowing from hushed babble to a roar.

The brawnier thug shook him roughly, causing his compatriot to curse and fumble the coin pouch he nearly palmed. "Shut your yapper!" He proclaimed, still shaking Arkhamir.

"Would you hold him still!" The smaller thief all but sputtered, eyes furtively glancing over his shoulder. Someone would surely call the watch if this commotion came up. Thinking quickly, he seized Ark's chin in his palm and pulled him level to his gaze. "Look. We just want your money, ain't no need for trouble."

To his credit, Arkhamir appeared entirely unfrightened; he leveled his attention much more on the man's grimy fingers and unkempt fingernails, expression dry but gaze never rising to meet the ruffian's. He shook his head free with an indignant huff, before laughing recklessly at the two of them. His viole eyes began to gleam in the dark night, swirling with mystifying flames. "I think you have made a mistake. I gave you your warning, though."

The scoundrel before him blinked in confusion, admittedly stunned that this man seemed to think he remained in control of the situation. When Arkhamir's laughter continued with no end in sight, he balled his hand into a fist and reared it back - only to hear his partner laughing along with their prey. A puzzled look crossed his features for a tick, but soon he felt a surge of giddiness rushing through his body.

Though he tried valiantly to avoid the fate of his brother, he failed to hold back the floodgates and soon became wracked with a fit of giggling to express his utter joy. He stumbled backward from Arkhamir, tripping over the squawking croc and falling to the hard ground. The stinging pain jolted him enough to realize their folly, the captors now turned prey by the grip of this man's strange laughter.

Arkhamir's laughter died down after a few minutes, and he cleaned off his face with a hidden hankerchief. A glance toward the skyline told him he was not yet late, and so he turned to the chucklestruck pair with his original expression of joy. "I recommend finding honest work, boys. The thug life is a risky buisness, never know what you might run into."

Salted tears streamed down the brothers cheeks as Arkhamir leaned down, though their enforced joy left no room for fear. The enigmatic man dropped a gold dubloon in each of the pockets, patting them on the head with a frighteningly bright smile. "You have honor, and I respect that. So enjoy a few days fortune, and do heed my advice."

He stepped over the larger scoundrel and continued on his way, clicking his tongue once to bring Tock back in line. The tiny crocodile kept pace with him easily, waddling steps offering a whimsical air to what otherwise remained a fearsome creature. He whistled a jolly tune as he left the street, a streetlamp revealing his lupine shadow for a few seconds.

_________________________

He arrived at his destination with a few minutes to spare, glad that he bribed a local to show him some of the secret routes while the sun still shined. Fluffing his attire to some measure of regality, he walked up to the high-class lounge only to be immediately halted when he attempted to cross the entrance threshold.

The bouncer shoved Arkhamir backward, appearing entirely displeased. "We don't serve you-."

"I have an invitation! Now if you will excuse me..." He reached into his vest and procured the gaudy sheaf of paper, handing it to the burly man and stepping past him.

The bouncer squinted at the page, delicately pulling a pair of reading glasses from his suit pocket. He placed them on his brow, taking a moment to adjust them with his meaty fingers. Sure enough, everything checked out. Something off about the man tickled his brain, and he turned to stop him one final time.

Arkhamir sighed dramatically as he heard the man shift, whirling with a flourished spin and pulling his signature hat from his brow. He crickled the hat against his chest, shaking his head sadly from side to side. "I know that invitation is good. So please don't hold me up any more? The show is about to begin!" His violet eyes flashed in the dim hallway, gaze spellbindingly potent.

"Umm... Err... It's nothing, go ahead." The bouncer slurred his words, thoughts tainted by a fog of confusion. Another pair approached as he struggled to grasp his original thoughts, forcing him to leave Arkhamir to be someone elses problem. All the befuddlement caused him to allow the croc to follow his master without pause, something sure to earn him a demerit if his snooty employers found out.


Above is a snippet of the character, though it was written in free writing before I decided to sit down for this epic game of pathfinder. The idea was that he has no emotional dial, in that he feels everything intensely - his power being the ability to enforce these manic emotions in others. I have included a my questions in a second spoiler because I got long winded.

Questions
-There is no pathfinder power to mimic the effects of Hideous Laughter and I find it to be an iconic thing to Ark, making people laugh (to death) intead of being all scary, dark, and edgy. Could we make one, preferably with augments to achieve the full effects shown in the snippet? Hopefully a power that can be taken at first level (or as a talent) but doesn't get to really frightening points until 6th ((7-10)(12th or more if it must, would take anything conceivably reachable in the course of the game.) manifester level. I am Blasting archetype and can't surge blast to kill people with laughter early on. At the very least I would love to simply be able to mimic Hideous Laughter, minus the +4 because it is a compulsion and not a joke being told.

-You said that all Dreamscarred was available so may I take Blasting Archetype? I was looking at Free Surge with Warping as my back up.
-Will using my 13 powers known to shore up the idea that Arkhamir messes with peoples emotions harm the party at all? I know it is a low magic game.

-Does the adjustment of 13 race points to say human mean that I can take the base (9) and add 13 points of mods, or the total points must equal 13 when I am finished modding? Not looking to powergame, first time playing pathfinder and only my DM friend has been helping me with putting my sheet together.

-Would the child of an unknown entity and a witch/gypsy fall under human or Tiefling? I ask because base Tiefling is very demonic oriented and Ark is more of a strange not-were shifter creature. (His base/alt form is not shown in the snip but it is your commonly seen biped werewolf.) He is at worse a half-breed were but more likely a strange hybrid that happens to look like a were (he isn't bound to the moon, as an example. Also doesnt have/transfer the curse). I would like to avoid taking Sorc/Witch dips because EUPHORIC MIND BLASTS is much truer to his theme and personality. Not getting the beautiful capstone of Blast Wilder is just sad.

-Is the runt Crocodile / Runtier Dwarf Camain possible within the rules? I was told by my friend that the animal could simply be bought and kept close through handle animal checks? As DM, do you write for animal companions/minor animal tag-alongs or is that up to the player? I am told each DM does that differently. Is there a way to have Tock take a slightly more active role than your average animal (but not flank as druid companions do or do things of that nature) without class dips? Again, first time pathfinder and hoping to better understand the rules. Bonus points for not having to make a handle animal check every round.

As a last few things, I would adore some suggestions on where to spend my race points. I would prefer not to play as a Witchwolf Shifter because of the - to all Cha-based checks in my were form being really crippling to my intended role as the party face /  being a wilder in general.


I hope I am not intruding with this.