Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy (Pathfinder)

Started by Inerrant Lust, January 11, 2014, 05:16:41 PM

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Inerrant Lust


A thousand years ago, the world's population was on the eve of reaching 10 billion. The dragons were nearly wiped out, the monsters and evil races of the realms were pushed to the frontier, and enchanted crops gave bountiful harvests year after year, providing for  the goodly races an unprecedented era of prosperity. The explosive growth of humans, elves, dwarves, and halflings began to plateau as they became less fertile.

Seven hundred years ago, the famines had begun in earnest. The magic that had sustained mankind began to fade from the world- the infrastructure of advanced civilizations began to fail and the farmland withered unto dust.

Three hundred years ago, clerics could no longer hear their Gods at all. They still drew scant power from the divine, but both divine and arcane magic was once again becoming a thing of myth- something unknown, something to be feared.

A hundred years ago, the barriers separating the planes began to weaken... Demons and devils began to roam the earth. There are places where time and space warps, where the planes break like waves upon the sand.

Now, less than 300 million people are estimated to eke out a living in the wastes. Many are infertile, others struggle to forage food from the toxic forests, all the while weathering the constant threat of the hellish invaders.

Game Concepts;
-High point buy (NPCs will probably have class levels and will be as tough as their world)
-Tough enemies will sometimes make outright fighting a pyrrhic solution. Think tabletop Dark Souls.
-Possibly... Tieflings as a playable race, though perhaps nerfed to reduce LA. They are one of the few races reliably fertile, and have been seeded into the material plane by the invading fiends to 'muddle the gene pool', most are unfortunate products of rape and inherently disdained.


Inerrant Lust

For which one?

Obviously, a little more thought has been put into the first idea but that doesn't mean I have a preference for it. The second is simply more vague because a lot of it is up for the players to decide. And it's supposed to be a comedy- I want maximum creative freedom to create and nurture comedic situations. :P

ExisD

Ohhhh, very interesting on both counts and I'm definitely interested.

I think mine's a bit more toward the first and I'd definitely be happy to play a tiefling in such a world. Though I'm unsure what class, mostly that one depends on things like starting level, which system, and what sources are available. Though I tend toward martial adepts or casters overall.

Muse

*waves* 

I'd be quite interested in the first game.  :) 

Is magic playable in that world? 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Inerrant Lust

While my laptop is out of commission, I won't be able to do much crunch. Off the top of my head, I would say point buy around 30, level 3 perhaps.. It depends really, on where you guys would like to start.

This is a world where people huddle behind fortresses and only a few experienced fighters and rangers venture out to gather food. Although some communities are safe by way of being hidden or inaccessible. The highest level people around are the ones who are able to wander from place to place by themselves.

So if you're low level, it likely means you are either young or sheltered, kept behind the walls or living in a community relatively unscathed by the blight and the demons and whatnot.

Of course, this being a campaign and an adventure, you won't be there for long...

A higher level game means you're likely more active, either risking life and limb for your community or traveling with a group.

I think there are exceptions, low level characters who are able to hide and sneak around monsters would likely survive longer on their own. And some places are relatively untouched, an oasis of peace. Many people live as slaves the fiends as well. Tieflings are considered one step up, but ultimately still mortal and still beneath demonic contempt.

Oh, and yeah- magic is fine though it may be nerfed somewhat across-the-board. Granted you'd be doing mystical things that most people have never even seen before. Even a cantrip would turn heads.

Muse

  What sort of tech level is the post apocolytpic game comign out of?  And will it be pathfinder? 

  Were there guns?  Bycicles?  Or was the time of prosperity a blend of magic and good orginizaiton? 

  Oh, pantheons.  People might not remember the gods too well, but to those who do, will we use the Golarion Pantheon?  Or soemthing else/  Or a blend? 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Ghostwheel


Laughing Hyena

I call shenanigans on that claim. But I do like the brass you have Lust. ^_^

But hey if you can pull it off then yer awesome. Seriously guys yer in the hands of a great DM here. Stick with him.

Inerrant Lust

For tech level, think Forgotten Realms at its zenith. Part of the reason there even were famines was because people had relied on magic so exclusively that even basic agricultural techniques were never developed. This made worse by toxic blight corrupting the land.

Basically magic was technology, and it started to go away..

To what few clerics and paladins exist, they draw divine power from
somewhere- they don't know who is granting them these things. Even to them, the Gods are esoteric beings that haven't really proven that they exist. Find an elf or a dwarf who was alive long enough ago to tell you...

Though infertility has hit the longer-lived races harder than most.

I do love Dark Souls very much. The undead may play a part in this as well, but it will hardly be as central a focus as it that game. I haven't yet figured out how or if I want to implement that... but I imagine ghosts and restless spirits are a common occurrence.

As for gameplay elements- challenges will not only be physical enemies but also some will just be dealing with the world. A pervasive blight has corrupted the earths largest forest and randomly shows it in patches outside of it. Burning blighted wood releases a toxin, eating corrupted flesh from animals is toxic.

I was toying with the idea of combining that element with the undead one- dying from the toxin makes you come back. Being bit by a blighted animal or something could lead to a nasty supernatural infection..

Ghostwheel

For what it's worth, as far as rules are concerned, I'd vote for Pathfinder, and higher-level at the start if possible.

It's just that there are so many games that start at a very low level and don't get anywhere that it'd be nice to start with some tools to keep things interesting for a change ;D

Inerrant Lust

I'm inclined to agree, a higher level gives you slightly more freedom plotwise as well.

Though of course... If I had to quantify the challenge rating of each part of the world... Deep in the forest would be epic level. The various little fiefdoms carved out by the fiends would be 10th to 20th level challenges, and everywhere else would be CR 9 or lower. Granted, given that the first two are steady expanding each year...

Marie Reynolds

Hmm i think the first idea is fun, Post Apocalyptic sounds good to me.

Muse

  well, my current best concept involves a sort of archaeologist determined to bring back the knowledge of true magic.  At level 8-10 she could have already begun the Loremaster prestige class. 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Ghostwheel

Good thing classes and when you find out what in-character can be reflavored ^_^

ExisD

Ohhh, my vague idea is sounding more and more fun now, tiefling alchemist. I'm not sure whether to do the fun that is Jekyll and Hyde or the hilarity the Mad Bomber, but party makeup would probably help make that decision.

Either way I'm thinking a mad scientist type who's convinced that there's a way to fix the blight if only we understood it more. Thanks to how much of a likely horrible idea this is and being overly passionate about it she probably met with even more scorn than her race normally would call for.

Inerrant Lust

I love it. I was considering directions to take the campaign and one of them was an undermountain-esque like trek to find an ancient city buried deep in the great forest. You'd be in a fairly large group of NPCs, but there wouldn't be any towns or exotic vistas to explore but the forest and the ruins within it. Both your characters would certainly fit in such an expedition.

I'm considering graduating 'breeds' of tieflings. There's ones directly sired by a demon, or by two tieflings. There's one with only a single tiefling parent. And maybe some 1/4 blood or somesuch. Anything further would be purely cosmetic. I imagine a lot of the half bloods living amongst humans are the children of raped women. Nobody wants their son or daughter hanging around them. Some communities would likely throw them out, but I figure others wouldn't be able to refuse another body to do work. Of course... For almost all of then, the allure of going over to the fiends and serving them is there.

And with the tieflings being one of the few reliably fertile races left... I imagine a lot of the men are loathed by both genders, but women are an object of lust to some men.

Oh, Muse- that works fine. It'd fit in perfect with the concept above. The ruins are full of ancient secrets...

If we do go with the above campaign, it's probably going to take you to epic levels...

Videospirit


Inerrant Lust

Hmmm. Rudimentary firearms might have existed a thousand years ago. The propellant might have even been magical rather than explosive. No doubt it'd be a potent weapon and not a thing people would want to forget how to make...

But procuring the ingredients for black powder might be difficult.

I should mention I intend to keep track of things like food and ammunition, since both may be scarce. Imagine the equipment load management of dark souls if you had to worry about food and supplies ::)

Anyways, as for the gunslinger- if you can justify it in the backstory and fluff, I'd have no qualms.


Videospirit

Considering a halfling musketman from a heavily fortified mountain city which is desperately looking for new methods to fight back against the encroaching demons and devils. They've even gone so far as to revive the highly dangerous art of making firearms, which are known for exploding and killing young gunslingers in training. He's not too well liked by his superiors, and is always getting sent out into the wilds on "suicide" missions he somehow manages to survive. He despises evil outsiders of all sorts, blaming them entirely for the gradual destruction of the world, and likely worships Iomedae if specific deities still exist as a concept at all.

Inerrant Lust

If this campaign traveled around civilization much, one of the themes I wanted to explore was the tenacity of the survivors. Anyone ever play Legend of Legaia? It was a weird post-apoc rpg where a pervasive mist was full of sentient machines that would attach themselves to you and turn you into a mindless thrall.

Half the towns you visited were full of these thralls which needed to be rescued before you could advance the plot or rest and buy equipment. The other half included a town with huge walls, a monastery with airlock-like entrances. A town with wind mills that kept the mist out. A town underground and a town so high up that the mist only settled in the lower levels.

I wanted to do the same thing, so a mountain town that mines saltpeter and makes black powder to defend itself certainly fits in cozily with the setting. Sounds like it could have been a dwarven settlement that didn't make it for one reason or another.

Although i would say they'd probably be pretty good at making firearms if they've lived there for more than a generation or two.

Videospirit

Well I have no problems with them being "good" at firearms. I just kind of... defaulted to early firearms only, since that's up to you and it took hundreds of years for more advanced firearms technology to develop in our own history. Early firearms have the whole firearms explode when you roll badly enough. If they've developed advanced firearms as well all the better I suppose, it wasn't even remotely critical to the character concept to be restricted to early firearms only.

Inerrant Lust

I meant that they'd probably be extremely cautious around them. :P

I'm trying to figure out a way to reflect the weakness of magic without nerfing it beyond recognition. One option is perhaps a level limit. Ie; forced multiclassing, you can only have half of your class levels contain arcane or divine spell casting. For classes like the paladin or ranger, going beyond that limit only advances their non-magical abilities.

Mysterica

#23
I think a Magus could be an entertaining class for this game concept.  Not as strong as a fighter, yet not a real mage either.  Adventuring both to grow stronger, and to learn more about the arcane arts of old.

And should that idea not work out so well, I could just multiclass a fighter/wizard or fighter/sorcerer to make up for the no more than half your lvl in casting classes.  Either way is fine as it will be played roughly the same way anyways.

Videospirit

No more than half your levels in classes that have casting abilities is certainly an easy nerf to do mechanically, and in theory, doesn't affect the balance of the game too negatively. It significantly impacts a casters ability to cast, but gives them the opportunity to pursue other classes a caster typically wouldn't branch out into.

I'm not playing a caster though, so it doesn't matter to me too much either way.

Inerrant Lust

I'm not really going to worry about the crunch until I get my computer back on Thursday.

In universe, magic is about at 1/5th power to those who still have it at all.

Also, it's worth asking- what do you guys want to see? Both in terms of the story, gameplay, potential sexiness, ect.

ShadowFox89

Call me Shadow
My A/A

ExisD

#27
For expectations, given what it sounds like so far. It's sounds like we'd be movers and shakers who's actions could majorly define the way their city lived. Discovering lost technology, making new areas potentially habitable, and the like. Though that's assuming that we're the good guys, which I think is a fair assumption. On gameplay, I'd hope that everyone would not make characters that would majorly step on each other's toes or drastically overshadow people. Likewise everyone's specialty would probably be useful at some point. On sexiness, I'm mostly ambivalent. I could be as much or as little as needed with whatever themes.

Shadow, there's a missing ) at the end of your links when I clicked through them. Those seem like interesting rules though, I've been using something similar to the first for my in person games recently. Though it doesn't fix the problem fully for anyone who needs more than one weapon and shield fighting, which tend to be weaker options to begin with.

I can't say I agree with the second since I find the plot ruining or heavily open-ended spells to be more problematic than the combat ones and this does nothing to fix those(scry, divination, teleport, fabricate, polymorph, long flying). Most of my group optimize enough that I can expect martials to drop at least one enemy per turn each which would probably be different here.

Edit: Actually, I just thought of something that feels important to ask. How familiar should our characters be with each other?

ShadowFox89

 Fixed the links.

I don't know about dropping an enemy a turn, I think the best character I've built for Pathfinder can do maaaybe 50 or so damage per round, at level 14, assuming everything connects.
Call me Shadow
My A/A

EroticFantasyAuthor

This looks very interesting, is there still room?

Inerrant Lust

My policy has never been first come first serve, but even so I think there's still room.

EroticFantasyAuthor

I'll see what I can come up with, thinking possibly a rangery-type character.

How rare are half-elves in the world? With the isolated cities I can see elves and humans not having as much interaction.

Inerrant Lust

Most non-humans are pretty rare. Elves are very rare, but half-elves less so.

It should be noted also that most people are... Strange. Some people have minor quirks, like gallows humor or a fondness for innocuous items. Other people might talk to a person or thing that isn't there... Or obsess on pointless tasks like collecting perfectly shapes branches. Some will be full on crazy, though not very many are homicidally so.

I imagine older people suffer from it more often, and long-lived elves or dwarves are particularly susceptible to losing their minds over time.

EroticFantasyAuthor

Was originally thinking a female half-elf raised by her elven father, being taught how to use nature to fight the demons.

Marie Reynolds

So just want to be sure are Half elfs off the table or just very rare?, Forgive the question i just woke so my brain is not all the when i read that dialogue about half elfs.

Inerrant Lust

Half-elves are allowed.

When I have my computer back on thursday, I'll write up something clarifying some things across the board, as well as establish teh crunch.

Ghostwheel

Will look forward to actually knowing the crunch so I know what's allowed and what's not before putting forward a concept, heh.

Miroque

I would love to join, but if its going to be highlevel, it draws away from the "survival" aspect of PostApoc. I vote lv 1-3(max) giving the fact that world as PCs know it, is unknown (to players) giving the exploration more impact, and demonic creatures would be something to avoid.

EroticFantasyAuthor

I was actually really liking that we would be starting at higher levels, a nice change from most campaigns.

Videospirit

The game would play a lot different if we started low level than if we started high level as well.

Low level we would just be struggling to survive, we wouldn't be making any real effort to improve the world's circumstances.

Miroque

except that when the Xp starts racking, it would have been gianed fame/notoriety, and would make deeper impact.

Inerrant Lust

Well, I mentioned taking a few inspirations from dark souls...

In that game, you can beef up your strength to swing around a great sword one-handed, or use the weapons of your enemies- some of which are about 20 feet tall...

You could consider that high-powered.. Until you see what you are up against.

I am considering adjusting it, maybe to 8 or something... But the story I'm considering (expedition to a lost city in the forest) isn't going to be a walk in the park either.

Some of the perils that make this world dangerous or existentially threatening include ;
Trace amounts of blight in water everywhere, not enough to provoke a Fort save
Blight in the soil, poisoning fruit and crops. The sun is also dim, so that doesn't help.
Varying levels of blight in animals, mutating them and making a lot of their meat poisonous
Breaking blight wood releases some spores, burning it creates a poisonous fog.
So, right there.. Finding food and staying warm.
Then there's undead. People occasionally come back. As ghosts or ghouls or zombies, ect.
Demons roam aimlessly killing and raping and eating.
Devils have settled in old ruins, laying claim to the surrounding areas
Acid rain? :P Probably something like 1 damage a minute. :P
More generally, the gradual loss of fertility and loss of sanity.

So.. Imagine your walking from one town to the other and a Balrog is on the road. :P

Miroque

hmm... quite highlevel then.. I think Im backing out.

Inerrant Lust


Videospirit

So who all do we still have interested in this?

EroticFantasyAuthor


Muse

*raises his hand* 

Me too.  :) 

I thought I had a concept, but I really need to hear the creation rules first.  :) 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

ExisD

Seconding Muse, I've got a few ideas based on how mechanics turn out.

Miroque


Ghostwheel

Still in, though like the others I'd like to hear the creation rules before finalizing a concept.

Mysterica

I'm still here and concur that we can't really decide for certain just what to play until that is finalized.


Videospirit

Well Lust, that's 8 interested, 1 on the fence. I think you've got a solid playerbase for this wonderful idea.

Is there anything you want from us before you make the crunchy decisions?

Inerrant Lust

#53
Starting Level: 10
Pointbuy: 30
Starting wealth: 3100 gp worth of non-magical equipment.
Limited Spell Levels
Possibly another one of Ghostwheel's variants. One lesser magic item.
Total bonuses would be; +5 to one ability score, +3 to all others, +7 AC, +2 to attack and damage, and +3 to all saves

Race Overview;
Humans; The most common among survivors, accounting for 70% of the remaining population, with half-human tieflings composing 20%
Tieflings; Half-breeds created by the fiends to breed out humanity. Must use an alternate for fiendish resistance and the SLA Darkness
Dwarves; In the beginning of the end, they dug deep into the mountains to hide from the encroaching forests and fiends.
Elves & Gnomes; The forest-dwelling subraces joined their more urban brethren in high-elevation cities located above the clouds, once known for their powerful magic.
Half-Elves & Half-Orcs; Can mostly be found attaching themselves to other communities, often human-led.
Halflings; Often found scavenging things from ruins, operating in small familial bands.

Undead; Beings who have come back from the dead, mostly during days where the sun is brightest. They are not immune to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms) and are eventually driven mad by their unlife. A corporeal undead that has its HP reduced to 0 has a chance to become an incorporeal undead.

Night Servant (Racial Feat)
Prerequisites: Undead, Neutral or Good Alignment
Benefit: As a full-round action, you may touch a character who is dying or has died in the last minute. Doing so may prevent a soul from becoming undead. As a full-round action, you may touch a willing undead and instantly reduce its hitpoints to 0. This is a divine effect.

...Might nix the Undead bit. It exists in the world, but isn't going to be the primary focus of this plot.

For this game, the main theme will be Blight and Nature. The basic story is this; One of the last noble lords/knights/adventurers has called together a group of little more than a dozen, including your characters- to embark on an expedition into Great Forest, seeking out a fabled lost city and what is rumored to be the source of all life. Once majestic, the forest has become a place of horrors, encroaching upon everything with its toxicity.

Muse

What about item creaiton feats? 

Specifically Scribe Scroll?  All wizards get it.  If you don't want me to scribe scrolls, may I swap it for a different feat?
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Ghostwheel

The very bottom of the page describes Scribe Scroll :-)

ShadowFox89

 You should read "The Dreadful" probably a bit more Wild West than you're planning, but seems to have the same style.

http://www.nuklearpower.com/
Call me Shadow
My A/A

ExisD

#57
I'm still going alchemist I think, but ouch on tiefling. Is it possible to use alternate race features for them?

I was thinking of taking the prehensile tail and clawed, along with the feat for a variant(daemon spawn) that drops WIS instead of CHA since that feels more in character for a mad scientist type.

Is there anything we can trade the resilience for since they look like weak elves mechanically without it? Same attribute mods, a very weak skill feat, and darkvision in stead of low light vision. The only benefit it the native outsider type since it gives resistance to some effects. Maybe using the random variant table at the bottom of the page?

I'll still pick tiefling based on fluff and interesting back-story either way.

ShadowFox89

 Also ouch on non-magical weapons. Kinda kills a lot of mid-level builds, especially for rogues/ninja.
Call me Shadow
My A/A

ShadowFox89

Call me Shadow
My A/A

Inerrant Lust

ExisD, yeah, that's fine- feel free to swap out your ability score modifiers for daemon-spawn without spending the feat. And instead of Fiendish Resistance and Darkness, you can pick one of the traits rather than rolling for it; http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/fiendish-heritage ...although probably run them by me first. :P

I'll edit my last post accordingly.

Although I should mention, Fiends will likely NOT resemble the ones taken from core. Therefore, there's no specific distinction of devil, demon, demodand, ect. They operate slightly differently.. Someone with ranks in History or Know(Planes) would tell you that it used to be the only way fiends could enter the material plane was by possessing a humanoid..



Ghostwheel

+26 knowledge check when identifying these fiendish fiends, reporting.

Inerrant Lust

Okay, I realize there's not much to go off on with the setting's peculiars, so hopefully this will answer some questions. I've been wanting to explain things but am trying to avoid making a wall of text or revealing too much, since ignorance beyond one's personal experience likely pervades this setting. So, I'll just do it in Q&A style. You should add me on AIM if you're curious, and i'll invite you to the groupchat!

Quote
How exactly did the world become like this?
Nobody knows, or has forgotten.

What happened to the people?
Generations and generations of not meeting replacement population levels.

How long ago did the demons invade?
Only in the last hundred or so years... in fact, they were always around, but could only possess people to manifest physically. It increased in frequency up until they were walking through (presumably) planar rifts. Blight's been around longer, magic started to fail 800 years ago.

What major cities are left?

Where could we have come from now, after everything went to shit?


    What happened when the blight appeared?
    Minor dosage. Soil becomes infertile, food goes rotten faster, and animals develop necrotic tissue for no raisin.

    How did this affect the nations of the world? In what state are they in now?
    Nations have probably crumbled apart and fallen into county-lord county-lords* even. Pretty much. City-states mostly... if you can call them cities.

    So multiple county-states? How do they get fresh food if most everything's rotted?
    It doesn't rot right away

So the demons leave acres and acres of fields untrampled and unburnt and allow people to peacefully gather in food? How do they keep the demons out?
Demons can be kept out by hiding or by serving them. Usually hiding also means violently dealing with anyone who could lead them to you. Some combination of secrecy and powerful defenses. Some demons and devils also consider the world already conquered, or they fight amongst themselves.

How do people make food if they're hiding? Is the whole world covered in blight, or simply large enough patches that makes nations hard to form?
It's dangerous, but with everyone at least level 5- some go out to hunt or forage.

So animals survive in mass enough numbers despite the blight to be hunted and not go extinct? Same with vegetation? I mean, you need a TON of food to feed a whole city--how are those kept fed?
Yep. You just have to carve away 80% of the food to eat it unblighted... or just stomach through the poison.

This is why I suggested that the blight is a mutative agent rather than necrotic agent >.>
It is... Just not to humanoids.

So entire cities are fed by people hunter-gathering? Would that be correct?
A whole city might not be more than a few hundred. Crops can be grown, but very carefully. It makes maintaining the walls harder. Most likely, the agricultural people have some sort of agreement with the fiends to get off their back. Fiends also have servants and slaves, or tieflings. Need to feed them too.

So rather than hunting-gathering, the primary way to feed the cities is for people to play robin hood? Do demons have holdings on the material plane?
Likely. Stealing from the fiends would likely be very profitable.

Hellscaped cities with food that has been untouched by blight? The fiends and their servants don't mind and don't just go raze the cities? Or are all the cities hidden ones?
Some parts of the material plane ARE simultaneously in the hells. Planar rifts. But they also took control of some ruins and cities. The robin hoods likely are very good at what they do. :-P Yeah, most 'good' cities are hidden... or far away. There isn't a fiend for every square inch, afterall. And if you leave to go marauding, that other neighboring fiend might jack your shit. Or unintelligent fiends might rape/kill your servants.

So the entire "good" civilization is built off of a bunch of Naruto-like hidden gakure/cities where people for the most part generate food by stealing it from the followers of demon overlords? Would that be about right?
Could be. Also could be underdark-esque... eating moss and fungus and raising roth herds. :-P  Hunting is viable too. Probably less dangerous than stealing.

Sure, but you can't feed even a small population daily when 80-90% of what's foraged is unedible
A dire boar is what- 2000 pounds? :-P Most probably strip it of its meat on location and hunt for more rather than bring the whole carcass back.

Of the total fiends in hell... probably no MORE than 1/8th are interested or capable of going to the material plane. I haven't decided yet just how populous or not they are in the Material plane.. There's also, as I mentioned- physical difficulties getting onto the Material plane. Considering whatever happened has been in effect for a thousand years... it's a testament to their difficulty getting through that it's only possible en masse now.

How are humans surviving then if there's such powerful challenges?
They rise to meet them. Level 5 might be too low, in fact..

The main continent is divided into three parts, it's kind of crescent shaped. The West side is about 50% of it.. mostly european in style where this campaign is. The center is Greatforest, which is about 30%, the east side is eastern in style and is likely lightly forested all over since it's being consumed.
So easterners likely come in two flavors; stubborn types who will die in their homeland... and those smart enough to flee it by sea.

What city do we hail from?
You can make that up, really. :-P Not everyone will be from the same place. The lord who is leading this expedition has been preparing it for years now, trying to find heroes to bolster their ranks.

You might want to post all the above in your original post on the thread for background info for everyone else :-P

And also, a lot of things are mysterious. IE; Ask an easterner about their homeland and they could only tell you their personal experience. There ARE survivors, even in the forest... but they aren't exactly... conventional.
    Liberal usage of word survivor.

ExisD

#63
Explosive alchemist reporting in. Well mostly, I still have gear to buy and a trait to pick. Might shuffle skill points and a feat around as well based on what everyone else has. For instance, I didn't realize anyone else would have high disable device before.

One last question for chargen, how are we determining hp: rolling, max, average, some combination of the above?

Inerrant Lust

Oh, and everyone can get one lesser magic item. Though I should note, the creation of said items is mostly a lost art... and items once magical might have lost power long ago. Your magic item might be something worth describing how you got it.

My inclination is averaged HP.

ShadowFox89

Quote from: ExisD on January 17, 2014, 02:55:26 PM
Explosive alchemist reporting in. Well mostly, I still have gear to buy and a trait to pick. Might shuffle skill points and a feat around as well based on what everyone else has. For instance, I didn't realize anyone else would have high disable device before.

One last question for chargen, how are we determining hp: rolling, max, average, some combination of the above?

Two with a high disable device is good! Even better since you can dispel magic and I can't, so I'm ineffective at actually disabling most things T___T
Call me Shadow
My A/A

Inerrant Lust

Also, those of you with knowledge skills can feel free to ask me questions that I'm not answering in the chatroom... ::)

ExisD

Quote from: ShadowFox89 on January 17, 2014, 03:10:04 PM
Two with a high disable device is good! Even better since you can dispel magic and I can't, so I'm ineffective at actually disabling most things T___T

I actually can't dispel magic either.... Though we both have poison use so we can do something there.

Ghostwheel


EroticFantasyAuthor

So the demons and devils are more along that lines of possessions than encountering the various types of devils and demons from the bestiary? Didn't someone mention the possibility of encountering a balor on the road?

Also, why the variants? Why not just stick with good standard/regular Pathfinder?

As for magic items, with the variant, we basically just get one magic item that has the listed bonuses? "+5 to one ability score, +3 to all others, +7 AC, +2 to attack and damage, and +3 to all saves" And no magical weapons? Correct?

Inerrant Lust

Demons and devils; No, they are physically in the world. Some might have gotten there by possessing a person and morphing their body a la Diablo. Others might have simply walked into the Material Plane a la Doom. It's likely that ALL of them have the ability to possess people, but it's a slow and laborious process to do subtly.

Well, the magic variant is for two reasons; A. The story demands it! B. ...Pathfinder is terribly skewed in favor of magic anyways.

And the variant on magic items; no. YOU have those listed bonuses. A weapon you hold gets the enhancement bonus, an armor you wear gets the AC bonuses- or even if you don't wear armor at all.

It is meant to replace things like Amulets of Natural Armor, +whatever Armor, and Rings of Deflection and so on and so forth.

EroticFantasyAuthor

#71
If not through magic items, how are the bonuses that everyone gets explained, in character?

And would masterwork weapons still give a +1 to attack? I'm figuring, no.

Inerrant Lust

Well, point buy is already pretty high. Compared to the heroes and adventurers of old, you've lived through tougher times, faced tougher enemies and been doing all of that without much help, magical or divine or even material. You're simply better because of the world you've lived in.

The attack bonuses count as enhancement bonus so it doesn't stack with mastercraft.

Videospirit

I'm confused by this lesser magic item business. I'm not that familiar with Pathfinder magic items to begin with, and thinking about it, it doesn't matter too much, so I'll let you pick whatever weird little trinket my character has lust.

http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=766355 Crunch is done, will do the backstory later.

Inerrant Lust

Basically, pick a magic item roughly 4000gp or less and it's yours.

Also... 50 days of animal feed but no rations? ;)

I would say the gunslingers' damage output is a little low.. cause some of the other sheets have huge DPS capability (5d6+15 bomb, 1d6+2+5d6 sneak attack, 15d6 fireball) Monsters would likely be tougher to compensate for this, but that would make your character even less useful in comparison... Man, I forgot how bad Pathfinder was at times.

But on the plus side, your survivability is through the roof. The halfling gunslinger as a tank? <_<

Muse

Wowsa!  That guy's AWESOME, Video.  :) 

Not quite sure where the last 3 of your ranged attack bonus comes from, and didn't think that your Nimble rating would be this high allready, but I'm honestly impressed. 

Rapid Reload, Deadly Aim, Precise Shot.  :)  This guys doesn't miss a trick.  Don't let IL worry you.  I may be able to put 2 15d6 fireballs out a day, but you have an almost unlimited ability to do 1d10+17 damage that's not likely to miss much of anything without rolling a natural one. 

You're doing just fine with pathfinder.  :) 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Videospirit

Technically I've got a week's rations in one of those kits.

And if I absolutely need to put out some dps, I can full attack touch attacks of +13/+13/+13/+13/+8/+8 for 1d10+18 each if I want to burn through alchemical cartridges. Crits do 4 times damage too. Likely to have my gun explode if I try that before reaching level 13 though.

Inerrant Lust

I'm just an anal worry-wort.

It just concerns me more for fluff reasons... magic is supposed to be a forgotten art, a dying flame that's being barely kept alive. Technically, all (Su) abilities should be gimped in some form as well if the crunch was lore-friendly. Way too much rebalancing and book-keeping involved in that.

And there's always the problem with spell-casters being masters of utility with spells that have way more applications than hitting something really hard... which they can also often do.  :-\

Another thing, the party's make-up so far is... An elven wizard, a tiefling alchemist, a tiefling ninja, a possible tiefling/elven druid, and a halfling gunslinger. :P It's like... Only one in a thousand people have any sort of supernatural ability at all, and they're all in the same group. :P

Most of my concern is for fluff, but I hate restricting players from portraying the characters they want to play so it just prods that anal part of my brain to no end.  ::)

ExisD

Having a high concentration of the one in a thousand people all doing something dangerous that could save local civilization does make some sense though. After all, anyone else would just wind up dead  :P

The system is also, unfortunately, entirely balanced around having them around. Outside of magic, no one really gets notable healing abilities

ShadowFox89

 Pathfinder is one of the worst systems you could use for anything less than a medium amount of magic spread around, it just isn't designed for it.
Call me Shadow
My A/A

ExisD

There are worse for less than medium magic, like Exalted in everything but super gritty mode, but not too many that I know of.

I actually really like the variant spell casting rule that we're using to lower the overall magic amount.I'll probably adopt it next time I run a d20 game since it lets me run higher level without working about the game being broken over the caster's knees.

Anyway, mechanics are fun and all. But is anyone else planning on having traveled a lot before game starts? I was wondering what, if any, inter-party connections might be there.

EroticFantasyAuthor

#81
Quote from: Inerrant Lust on January 17, 2014, 07:22:04 PM
Well, point buy is already pretty high. Compared to the heroes and adventurers of old, you've lived through tougher times, faced tougher enemies and been doing all of that without much help, magical or divine or even material. You're simply better because of the world you've lived in.

I would think that the high point by would be explained by the fact that our characters are special/unique and live in a tougher world.

To be honest, things like the +7 AC still seem like 'just because,' which is one of the pitfalls with these variants that really just needlessly oversimplify the game.

I'm a fan of just regular Pathfinder straight out of the books with the occasional homebrew that adds something new(class, race, spell, item, feat, etc) or a new alternate option(archtype, racial trait, etc) rather than those that just cause headaches by either oversimplifying or over complicating the existing rules to try to make them 'better.'

I'm afraid the the magic item variant just kills the campaign for me, which is a shame because I was rather looking forward to it and it sounded like a really cool setting. A big part of Pathfinder(to me) is the additional character customization due to such a wide variety of magical items along with the wonder of discovering new interesting magical items as rewards for exploration and combat.

I understand that the setting is low-magic, and while the mortal world may have lost the power and knowledge to craft magical items, I would still expect the demon/devils to be 'rolling in' them as normal. After all magical items are probably one of the main things that they tempt mortals with.

I don't know, I think it might be best if I bow out.

Inerrant Lust

Not really just because... Okay, the +7 AC... that comes from three sources; +3 Armor or Shield, +2 Deflection, +3 Natural Armor.

Amulet of Natural Armor, 18,000 gp (+3)
Ring of Protection,  8,000 gp (+2)
+2 Armor, 4,000 gp (+2)

That's what it is. Except those magic items aren't as common... so it's a replacement.

In-universe... it's not only that the knowledge of crafting magic weapons is lost... but that the magic itself is losing power.

I wanted to do 3.5, you all know... but pathfinder seemed to be the consensus. ;)

Videospirit

#83
Don't get +3 natural armor til level 11 >_>

And 3.5 isn't a great deal better for "Well we took away the magic", if any. At least the heal skill can you know... actually restore hitpoints in pathfinder.

And I don't have a SU or SA ability to my name! A man using the tools he has to survive in a world that hates him.

ShadowFox89

 Yeah, I'm just gonna bow out. Not liking the direction things are going and I already have a lot on my plate.
Call me Shadow
My A/A

Inerrant Lust

In any event, I'm sorry to hear you both go. Guess it's my fault for always wanting to do strange campaigns in systems not designed for them.  :-\

So then we've got..

Ghostwheel- Half-elf inquisitor.
ExisD- Tiefling Alchemist
Muse- Elf Wizard
Phaia- Druid?

Videospirit

#86
And the star of the show, you can't forget Arngrim Watcher, Halfling Gunslinger!

I'm going to sleep soon though so the tales of his Daring deeds will have to wait until tommorrow or maybe sunday.

EroticFantasyAuthor

Yeah, I guess I'd rather either have the items themselves or no item at all rather than a random bonus with no real in-character explanation. I just don't like messing with the game's mechanics/fundamentals, usually just leads to needless headaches, having to worry about remember over-written rules, etc. As I've said, I much prefer house-rules that add a new option to the game, like a new class, a new template, a new alternate racial trait, a new archtype, a new spell, new item etc.

Without the item variant rule, I am still interested in the campaign, please let me know if you decide to drop it.

In the meantime I wish everyone luck, fun and a long successful campaign  :-)

EroticFantasyAuthor

One last thing because there seemed to be some misunderstandings and I don't think I was communicating things well enough.

I fully understand where the bonuses are coming from rules-wise and what their purpose is.

In normal Pathfinder the in-character fluff answer is simple, the bonuses are given by a magic item. For example, let's look at a quick conversation behind two characters.

"Hey Eric the Cleric, how come those guys had such a hard time hitting you?" asks Carl the Commoner. "My armor is magically imbued to offer me greater protection" Says Eris the Cleric proudly.

With the variant, those magic items no longer exist. So then where are the bonuses coming from? What is the in-character explanation/fluff for the bonuses, since it's no longer a magic item? Let's look at the same conversation with the variant in place.

"Hey Eric the Cleric, how come those guys had such a hard time hitting you?" asks Carl the Commoner. "I'm not really sure, just because I guess" Says Eris the Cleric shrugging.

Getting the bonuses with magic items makes sense and is easily and simply explained, while getting those same bonuses 'just because' without the magic items doesn't make much sense, isn't as easily or simply explained, and breaks immersion a bit if a good explanation isn't found.

For a low magic setting I personally would much rather have the magic item system/rules be left alone, but give us lower starting wealth and a limit on how many magic items we can have. Yes the encounters will be more deadly, but everything would make sense from an in-character perspective and wouldn't break immersion.

Sorry if I seem a bit argumentative, but I wanted to hopefully explain my viewpoint a bit better. Know I'm probably being a bit close-minded about it and a little OCD with making sure I'm explaining my thoughts properly.

Muse

#89
Holly Evermead

  "Once upon a time, magic was everywhere.  It protected our children, healed our sick, fed our hungry.  Something has gone wrong with the world.  I don't know what, or why, but I do know this.  The magic is still here, all around us.  We just need to look for it." 


    "See the  holly and the ivy?  Ever living, ever growing.  Thriving in the hottest summers, green on the coldest snow.  The blight itself can wither it, sometimes twist it, but it rises again, ever vital, ever changing. 
    "My mother named me Holly so i would remember this.  The coldest night must see dawn.  The brightest day fades to twilight.  Strength can fail, health can falter, but hope springs eternal."


Age      148
Birthday   17th of May
Height:      5’6”
Weight      100lbs
Measures   34”D, 22”, 28”
Skin:      Fair
Hair:      Silky silver tresses falling free to the backs of her knees. 
Eyes:      Wide aquamarine. 
Style:      Holy favors well kept light blue dresses, low in the bust, with short skirts.  Her belt and boots are darker blue with silver buckles.  Around her neck she wears a silver medallion in the form of a crescent moon.  Her most prized possesoins are her spellbook—the result of almost a century spent recovering the lost art of magic—and her blessed fox fur quiver, “Honeywine’s Covenant.” 


http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=765837

A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Inerrant Lust

#90
Edit: Bad Math. :P

Well, the simple answer is for balance. Spellcasters are less reliant on magic items by default. Pure physical types have to rely on them much more. A wizard without magic items isn't as disadvantaged as a fighter or a rogue is.

The fluff answer? People are tougher and stronger and faster than they were a thousand years ago, mostly because they can no longer rely on fancy magic to protect them. Does this make sense for the various bonuses? Two out of the three. Natural Armor and even Enhancement (My skin's tougher and I know how to take a hit in the right place to avoid damage)... but less so for deflection.

LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT AHEAD, FEEL FREE TO DISREGARD


Also, magic items are rarer because not only are spellcasters less powerful than they used to be, but there's also a hell of a let less of them. Less in a gross amount but also less proportionally. A thousand years ago, maybe 5% of the population had the capability of casting spells.. that's 500 million. Now, it's probably closer to 1%, which would be 3 million worldwide. If this planet was earth-sized... that would be 1.5 people per square mile, and 1 spellcaster per 100 square miles. Granted, if this were an exact copy of Earth and we took away ocean surface area, Antarctica, and say... 80% of the remaining land area for being inhospitable, that brings us to... about 27 people per square mile and 1 spell casters per 5 square miles. About the population density of present-day Mali overall.

There's a reason this is happening... but it's sort of a plot element. :P Granted, there is only so many reasons something like this could happen on a world-wide scale.

TRAIN OF THOUGHT BACK ON TRACK


However! You're right- The increased Point Buy reflects this 'toughening' to an extent.

It could be... that this is whatever power's left putting things back into the hands of heroes. Clerics continue to receive divine gifts and spells (albiet not at full historical potency) even when they can no longer hear their Gods or detect their presence.[/i] They are no longer being given divine power but drawing it from a source. The same could be true of these last effort heroes.

I was strongly considering the pros and cons of this variant and the game without it. If I dropped the variant, I wouldn't be inclined to make magic items any more common. As a result of that, some players might be underpowered in comparison to other members of the party. But then again, I'm always super anal and worrisome about balance and 'lore'. ::)

I don't mind the argument, really. ;D As for the conversation between Eric and Carl... there's a lot of things neither of them know. "Where do you get your spells? Dunno. Where did the magic go? Dunno. Why aren't we as fertile as we used to be? Dunno. Why do some of us come back from the dead, more often after they've died in the daylight? Dunno. How come some undead who die at night come back with the power to instantly purge other undead? Dunno."

On that last note, everyone occasionally sees blue eyes in a skull when they dream. It's strangely comforting.

Ghostwheel

Quote from: EroticFantasyAuthor on January 18, 2014, 03:54:01 AM"Hey Eric the Cleric, how come those guys had such a hard time hitting you?" asks Carl the Commoner.

I prefer to look at it a little differently. Let's take an example that *actually* challenges our verisimilitude.

"Hey Eric the Cleric, how come you can fall from that 200' cliff and be able to run at full speed afterwards?" asks Carl the Commoner. "Because I'm just that good," says Eric the Cleric proudly.

Now let's apply this to the variant.

"Hey Eric the Cleric, how come those guys had such a hard time hitting you?" asks Carl the Commoner. "Because I'm just that good," says Eric the Cleric proudly.

And without the variant...

"Hey Eric the Cleric, how come those guys had such a hard time hitting you?" asks Carl the Commoner. "Because I've got magical armor that protects me," says Eric the Cleric sheepishly. "If you wore it, you'd be as hard to hit as me. In fact, I have the agility of a barn and am as hard to hit despite being a seasoned adventurer who has faced dragons and abominations of such incredible might that they would turn you inside out soon as look at you. Despite that, I've barely learned a thing about protecting my self from bodily harm and without my armor and all the magic items that adorn me, I could be as easily struck as you."

See, that doesn't make sense to me. Beyond the balance bits where the variant is needed to allow for a more balanced playing field, the simplicity of creating a high-level character (how much time will you spend sifting through pages to spend all that gold you get?), and the iconic-ness of the magic items belonging to characters created with the variant ("Flaming Katana" vs. +2 Corrosive Shocking Merciful Bane Shortsword--and in how many books do people usually have more than a few notable items?) the variant makes sense when the bonuses are innate. Don't think of them as magic, just what everyone gets as part of their normal progression for being freakin' super heroes who can survive a fall from orbit and run off regardless of how hurt they are.

People are supernaturally skilled and strong. They are awesome because they are awesome, not because of their magic weapon or their armor. It's just that they are that good, since characters in Pathfinder very quickly outstrip almost anything a human being can do. ("Oh, I got run through by a sword (crit) by someone? Barely a scratch!") The variant simply continues that train of though, rather than veering off course and forcing you to be an 120 lbs weakling who can't take care of themselves when without a plethora of magic equipment. Plus, if you want to play Rambo, armed with nothing but your jungle knife, this variant lets you do that and stay relevant.

Phaia

Well GW here is a question for ya, based on your varient does a duid loose the AC and to hit bonus' when in wild form? I asked the GM [IrLust] but I am curious as to how you see this. Since by the rules in a polymorth the armor and its enchantments would not add to the wild form without a 'wild' aspect on the armor. As far as I can see there are no items that let a weapon enchantment be used on natural weapons as well...so even though its highly useful shifting to wild form [which my druid will use often] she would loose all the benifits gained... I would actaully perfer with a druid being able to buy magic items....druid vest...amulet of mighty fist.

Part of what I see is things like items that actaully help out the non caster....there are plenty of items that anyone can use that now are not aviable to people...example lens of detection...+5 to perception and cheap...and perceprtion is used more then any other skill...

also the way it is limits choices...i would much rather have that +3 armor enchantment as a +2 Wild enchantment...but lust is not using the parts that might allow that of the varient
Wild armor would really help her in wild form ...considering some of the shapes I may be limited to have a much lower ac...[ie based on how I am reading things there should be no elemental body allowwed in wild form]

I am looking at this. Limiting wands is another factor...limiting our choice in getting them...750gp for a level 1 spell with 50 uses can be very good, i could easy list 4-5 1st level druid spells that would be very useful to have on wands...

Btw Lust have you considered the changes in society with the inferitility. Any woman that has given birth to a child would be considered very valuable...a treasure in herself...
Also fishing has always been one of the key ways to provide food and should still be

Anyway I will work on my druid a bit more...still not sure I like the varient...it works well with very speaific classes...

phaia

Videospirit

Looking at the variant, The bonus to armor and weapons probably wouldn't apply, raw, if you did not have a weapon or armor to apply it to. You should be able to get "wild" armor as your least magic item(at +3 it would be able to apply to light or medium I believe, +5 wild heavy armor becomes available, if I'm understanding the pattern to this).

Also, since this is a 3.5 variant, not a pathfinder variant, do we ignore

QuoteNote that the increase to Intelligence from this variant, either from Enhancement bonuses or other ability bonuses, does not grant more skill points per level for future class levels or retroactively.

Ghostwheel

Quote from: Phaia on January 18, 2014, 12:55:51 PM
Well GW here is a question for ya, based on your varient does a duid loose the AC and to hit bonus' when in wild form? I asked the GM [IrLust] but I am curious as to how you see this. Since by the rules in a polymorth the armor and its enchantments would not add to the wild form without a 'wild' aspect on the armor. As far as I can see there are no items that let a weapon enchantment be used on natural weapons as well...so even though its highly useful shifting to wild form [which my druid will use often] she would loose all the benifits gained... I would actaully perfer with a druid being able to buy magic items....druid vest...amulet of mighty fist.

Quote from: Videospirit on January 18, 2014, 01:28:49 PM
Looking at the variant, The bonus to armor and weapons probably wouldn't apply, raw, if you did not have a weapon or armor to apply it to. You should be able to get "wild" armor as your least magic item(at +3 it would be able to apply to light or medium I believe, +5 wild heavy armor becomes available, if I'm understanding the pattern to this).

Actually...

Quote from: Balance WealthFor example, a level 7 character would have a +1 Enhancement bonus to all attacks with a single weapon, even an unarmed or natural attack (attack and damage, as per a +2 weapon), +2 armor Enhancement bonus (as though whatever armor they wore had a +2 bonus--even if they're not wearing any, and this may apply to shields or armor, but not both)...

Bolded for reference--it applies even if you're not wearing anything, so it even helps the druid while shapeshifting or a monk. Also, I think we're simply not starting with much of the second half of the variant except for a single least item because the DM wants magic items to be rare--I'm sure we'll find more as we go.

And you can still apply the enhancement bonus to natural weapons--you'll need to split it up though if you want more than one to get use out of it, just like someone using two-weapon fighting would. For each one you split it to, the total bonus drops by just one, so at high levels you can have 3 +3 natural attacks or 2 +4 natural attacks, and so on. And Phaia, I think you mean a Monk's Robe, right? You can still totally find one as it's a lesser item, and we are able to use them at this level.

Quote from: Phaia on January 18, 2014, 12:55:51 PMPart of what I see is things like items that actaully help out the non caster....there are plenty of items that anyone can use that now are not aviable to people...example lens of detection...+5 to perception and cheap...and perceprtion is used more then any other skill...

You can totally get that--it's a least item, so you could even get it right now no problem.

Quote from: Phaia on January 18, 2014, 12:55:51 PMalso the way it is limits choices...i would much rather have that +3 armor enchantment as a +2 Wild enchantment...but lust is not using the parts that might allow that of the varient
Wild armor would really help her in wild form ...considering some of the shapes I may be limited to have a much lower ac...[ie based on how I am reading things there should be no elemental body allowwed in wild form]

How do you figure that? Why wouldn't you be able to do elemental body? It's a class feature, not a spell, so it's not affected by the limited spell rules.

Quote from: Phaia on January 18, 2014, 12:55:51 PMI am looking at this. Limiting wands is another factor...limiting our choice in getting them...750gp for a level 1 spell with 50 uses can be very good, i could easy list 4-5 1st level druid spells that would be very useful to have on wands...

That's a sticking point *nod* I wasn't able to think of a way to balance wands with the variant, as they basically give you infinite castings per day of spells stored in the wand. Same with staves--I'm open to suggestions though, do you have any?

Quote from: Phaia on January 18, 2014, 12:55:51 PMAnyway I will work on my druid a bit more...still not sure I like the varient...it works well with very speaific classes...

I hope the above clarifications have made you feel more at-ease with it :-)

Quote from: Videospirit on January 18, 2014, 01:28:49 PMAlso, since this is a 3.5 variant, not a pathfinder variant, do we ignore <int increase giving more skill points>

That's up to the DM to make that call since, as you mentioned, we're playing Pathfinder. Though just for reference, that would give a wizard 15 skill points per level if they start with a 20 in Intelligence, and 16/level if they're Human or took it as their favored class bonus.

Inerrant Lust

Ah, I was mistaken before then, Phaia. Listen to Ghost Wheel. :P

Videospirit

Quote from: Ghostwheel on January 18, 2014, 02:08:12 PM
That's up to the DM to make that call since, as you mentioned, we're playing Pathfinder. Though just for reference, that would give a wizard 15 skill points per level if they start with a 20 in Intelligence, and 16/level if they're Human or took it as their favored class bonus.

That's what a wizard who started with 20 int, put all his 4th level bonuses to int, had a +5 inherent bonus to int from wishes, and a +6 enhancement bonus from an item, would have had in pathfinder, and that's not even that unreasonable a thing for a wizard to do. Although you should clarify we're talking about a level 20 wizard.

At level 10 the wizard only has 11(12 if human) skill points/level in the variant.

Inerrant Lust

Hell, for the purposes of book-keeping, the intelligence bonus counts retroactively for skill points.

Worst comes to worst, I can raise DCs. Though I hope to include scenarios in which people have to get creative to solve problems.

Ghostwheel

It's not so much for the DC, it's more that we can be fully trained in more things. So a wizard could be fully trained (have max skills) in 15 different skills.

Inerrant Lust

That's what I meant... I'm not worried about you being able to make checks for your main focused skills... I'm worried about the whole party breezing through even when using their cross-class skills. :P

In any event;

This campaign will take start in the lands sometimes known as Loth Carnon/Sunon... the large area west of the Great Forest (on the right of the map)

The scale is... continental. The North arrow is bent for the curvature of the Earth. :P

Quote

Phaia

Gots some more questions!
Which roles you need filling? A druid can be either a melee or caster druid [not both easily]. As a melee druid would have a nasty companion [10th level] and decent combat ability but not a tank, more a dash in slash and flank type. The caster though is also nasty, flyer casting multiplue summon nature allies that draw off attacks [and many have very nice abilities...image 10 striges attacking a huge CR beast each one that hits does -1 con damage a rd until they have done 4 con damage and they stay grappled meaning it takes an attack to get rid of them. Or maybe 5 cheetahs all doing trip attacks!] At the same time the druid can do other nifty spells.
I can see either role it depends on what you all feel is needed but once i set a path I cant really alter it so let me know what you think would be best for the group?

Now On to other questions, GW and IRLust. I would have a +2 weapon enchanement is that a floating enchanement for a wild shape? what I mean is variuos sahpes have variuos attack forms; bites, claws, gore, trample, etc. DO I get to choose when my druid takes a new form how to apply the magical enchanement or do I need to set it as a static plus ...ie always on claws or always on bites?

GW has said that the AC enechanements shift to her wild shape...would that also include the base armor she would wearing...ie normally druids wear leather which would be +3 by the varient...does this now mean the leather can also be applied in the wild form?

IRlust how would you like to decide on the beasts known that she can shape into? Knowledge nature? are ther any shapes you would not allow? FYI at the level she is now she can shift into a HUGE beast!

Phaia

Ghostwheel

Quote from: Phaia on January 19, 2014, 10:25:52 AM
I would have a +2 weapon enchanement is that a floating enchanement for a wild shape? what I mean is variuos sahpes have variuos attack forms; bites, claws, gore, trample, etc. DO I get to choose when my druid takes a new form how to apply the magical enchanement or do I need to set it as a static plus ...ie always on claws or always on bites?

At the start of your turn you can have it affect whatever weapons you wanted, natural or manufactured, and could choose again at the start of each turn. So yes, you can totally choose claws one turn, bite the next, and so on.

Quote from: Phaia on January 19, 2014, 10:25:52 AM
GW has said that the AC enechanements shift to her wild shape...would that also include the base armor she would wearing...ie normally druids wear leather which would be +3 by the varient...does this now mean the leather can also be applied in the wild form?

No, it doesn't change the rules, it simply lets you have a +3 enhancement bonus even when you don't have armor. You don't get to include the regular armor on top of that if the rules don't say you get it.

Inerrant Lust

As for roles, well... we have;

Wizard (Control)
Alchemist (Damage)
Gunslinger (Reliable Damage)
Inquisitor (Tank/Detection?)
Magus (Control/Damage?)
Ranger (Damage/Exploration?)

A healer would be appreciated by the others, I'm sure- which a Druid could certainly do. Purify Food and Drink is likely a valuable spell in this setting...

Limitations on wild shape would be mostly... what she's seen, what she's been around. Where did she come from? How did she learn how to be a druid? There was the major issue though of the blight and what I brought up in the PM... how does this effect her, fluff-wise? All her non-magical furry friends would be in various stages of corruption. Although... magical and summoned animals would be no different. Because of the fluff of the Blight, they might even be worse...  :-\

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

I feel like I should have made the eastern part of the continent lower... :P It was my intention that the bottom part of the GreatForest was tropical and rainforesty... with the warm plains region slowly becoming rainforest...

Inerrant Lust

Oh, I nearly forgot.

Max HP at 1st level, average from there on out (round up)

Also, a solution to the animal companion dilemma... you keep your animal companion unblighted by virtue of some unspoken connection or symbiotic magic. Granted, this may mean they can't eat blighted food or it will poison them.. or maybe they are slightly imperceptibly blighted and your connection keeps it from getting worse.

Phaia

Druids are not great healers...best is cure moderate at 2d8+10
If the group needs a healer then a cleric works best...can then channel 5d6 healing to everyone that needs it!
Let me look at that if you perfer a cleric!!

Phaia

Videospirit

#105
Arngrim Watcher

  "This is all a punishment the gods have bestowed upon us for relying too heavily on magic. If we're going to reclaim the gods favor and rid our world of this blight, it will be humanoid ingenuity and perseverance that does it, not some lost art of the ancients." 


    "So, this foolish expedition into the forest is the latest suicide mission they've found for me? First things first, I don't work for any of you. My job is to make it to the city and report back. Keeping you all alive is a secondary objective. The only one who can give me orders is me. With that out of the way, anyone of you who isn't ready to die should leave now. If I catch you running away when the shit hits the fan I'll kill you myself if you try and come back."

Age      38
Birthday   18th of December
Height:      3’4”
Weight:      38lbs
Skin:      Gruff
Hair:       Short Brown
Eyes:      Narrow Hazel 
Style:      Arngrim dresses practically in a long blue duster with good quality hiking boots. His belt however, is a mess of powderhorns, pouches, and other containers. His most prized possesoins are his Firearms, works of art he constructed himself, and the magical ring upon his finger, a memento from his mentor and romantic interest.




Inerrant Lust

A cleric isn't strictly required, and Ghostwheel is going for a oracle now anyways.

I am more interested in hearing fluff, though. A druid isn't impossible, but I am curious to hear your spin on it. :P

ExisD

I'm going to be mostly self-sufficient for out of combat healing, though more is always appreciated. In combat is a problem I suspect everyone has since we don't have the heal spell.

I'll also note, I'm damage and control. Each bomb is also a stinking cloud with a rather nasty save v being nauseated. That or a trip against whatever's hit.

It's time to finish her fluff though since mechanics are nailed down. 

Ghostwheel

Like IL said, feel free to do something else :-) I'm switching to Oracle, focusing on tanking, debuffing, and healing :-)

Inerrant Lust

Also, for both adult and non-adult situations... what is everyone looking to see or do?

It's going to be somewhat of a dungeon crawl through more than just foresty terrain, though you'll interact with fellow party members PC and NPC along the way... and possibly other things. As for sexiness, what's everyone's limitations and such? Non-Con? If so, opinions on Non-Con with what?

Videospirit

#110
Re: Sexiness.

I'm personally only attracted to females, and would not find any erotic scene without at least 1 vaguely female creature sexy. Kinks include mind control, corruption, body swapping, and transformation.

But I will play through any scene my character finds themselves in. It's not like I find the rest of the dungeon crawl sexy, and I still play that  :P.

As far as how much I expect to happen? I didn't plan for it even a little. I figured Arngrim would do a lot of scouting ahead of the expedition to try and get a heads up on any dangers while travelling, do a little hunting while camps getting set up, take part in 4/5 watches and mostly stick to himself when back at camp.

EroticFantasyAuthor

I am still very interested in this campaign and would like to submit a character if I'm still welcome.

Despite my initial close-mindedness in regards to the in-character explanation/fluff of the magic item variant learn, the more I think about it, the more it just doesn't seem to really be that big of an issue. I've always seen the benefit of the variant rules-wise and do agree that it does help to make things more balanced.

The two character concepts I'm currently considering are basically two different versions of the same character. A female hunter of evil outsiders, like a Ranger/Inquisitor combo.

One version is a half-elf, the other a tiefling, but if I remember correctly; someone else is already considering a tiefling character, or is that not a concern/problem?

The half-elf version would have her being raised by her elven father, can you please elaborate on elves a bit more? Specially regarding the longer lived races losing their minds, how often does it happen? Despite being around 200 or so, would it be likely that he still has his sanity, or when doe elves after experiencing the first signs of the on-set, if it's a common occurrence.

As for the tiefling idea, would a PM be okay(provided of course that I am still welcome to submit a character)?

Muse

E.F.A., we've got a couple of elves and half elves, who are really rare in the world at large.  Teiflings on the other hand are quite common these days.  : )
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Inerrant Lust

We just lost our inquisitor (Ghostwheel is going oracle) and they would fit in with the fluff very well. Especially outsider-hunting ones. I imagined Paladins being more the stand-and-fight demon hunter kinds... while inquisitors are adept at rooting out demon-possessed humans or devil worshippers in disguise.

Half-elves and tieflings don't bother me that much. It's improbable, but would not be entirely implausible to have a group of all half-elves or tieflings. Having more than one tiefling isn't really a problem, and I am curious to hear your idea, so you should totally PM me. :P

As for elves, it's likely 200 years old is fine. But those who are old and starting to approach venerable are caught in a world they really don't belong in anymore. Some  do not develop this madness, but it's also there to accelerate the abandonment of old traditions and ways of thinking.

Phaia

I have like 2700+ gp left

How is that possible you may ask?...Jahtera [druid] does not have armor, has 3 weapons, a backpack and some small gear.
She does not need a horse, lots of rations [survival dc10 to get enough food for herself and purify food and water to make it eatable]

Phaia

Phaia


Inerrant Lust

I hope to start this late this week or at the start of the weekend.

EroticFantasyAuthor

#117
Thank you  :-)

PM Sent

Apologies if I missed it, but Traits and Drawbacks?

As for sexiness, the more erotic scenes, the better in my opinion. My on-offs are a bit vanilla though. Non-Con depends on the situation, for example: a fondling hand from a mischievous horny ghost, perfectly fine. While violent rape and such is a no go.

Muse

Oh, Phaia!  Very sexy, I like her.  (Both the portrait and the sheet.  :)  )

I.L. please feel free to molest my Holly in bizarre and wonderful ways and with bizarre and terible monsters.  Just be sure to take the time to make sure she's excited before the tentacles penetrate and driven to screaming bliss in spite of herself.  :) 
A link for all of us who ever had a shouting match with our muse: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

How to set this Muse ablaze (O/Os)

When the little angel won't appear no matter how many plum blossoms you swirl:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=135346.msg16474321#msg16474321 (Major update 5/10/2023)

Ghostwheel

Character Sheet (will do mundane items in a bit)
Name: Anton
Race: Half-Elf
Class: Oracle

Background:
Born to a small settlement, the young man grew quickly into his role as the settlement's healer and protector. When corrupted food was brought back from foraging, it was his duty to clear it of the corruption. When dirty water could have sickened the entire village, he was the one who must stand over the water and make sure to expend his power to make sure none got sick. When food was stolen from the demons' followers, it was he who made sure that none of it had been poisoned on purpose. It was never an easy life, but in his duty he found a semblance of ... not happiness, but satisfaction, and perhaps even peace.

All that changed the day the demons found their encampment. Anton was out that day, leading a raid on the servants of the demons and they never expected what happened. They had always kept their location secret lest the demons find out where they were and kill them--or worse. But even worse than that happened, an ambush that took Anton and the others entirely by surprise. The only one to escape, Anton ran back as quickly as he could to the settlement where he found little but smoking ruins, ashes, and unrecognizable corpses. Tracks led away, but his skills in the wilderness were paltry and he was unable to follow the demons. Denied even his revenge he slept in the ruins of his home.

It was there, beneath a floorboard that had a strange, hollow ring as he lay his head down that he found his father's armor. Etched in a strange, silvery metal, it fit him like a second skin. Donning it he realized that everything he knew was gone, and that there was no going back to it. He had always put the expedition off as something silly, and he had always had more important duties to take care of. But now... That day he left his home with little left to lose, determined to find something new. Perhaps it might pay off after all. And if not, at least he wouldn't die defenseless like his family and friends had.

Combat Roles: Healing, buffing, debuffing, tanking.

Marie Reynolds

For sexiness, I would prefer be but through sense deprivation more psychological torment the being brutalized or disembered or sexual accosted by monsters. placed in embarrassing positions by traps. Sexual tormented by sex toys and such or the threat of being used sexually but kept on edge as it does not come. Sexual hijinks and harmless pranks between party members is always fun as well. Bondage is always  fun to include also. My sheet will be up shortly. IL do you use both Abysal and Infernal as languages.


Lipstick Epitaph

This story sounds like it could be a lot of fun!
Are you currently accepting new characters?

Inerrant Lust

I won't turn you away, but you've got a limited time to come up with a character before we start.

Marie; Oh, you guys already met Honeywine? I was thinking of possibly introducing her as a character later on. :P

Demonic and Abyssal will likely be irrelevant, as this setting isn't strictly carrying the same fluff about the planes and various Evil Outsiders. When I have the time, I'll elaborate on the different kinds.

A drawback for a third trait is fine.

Marie Reynolds

Okay, well you can also introduce her again tapping us to clean up more of nature this way you have a recurring npc to ask us to take care of things. So any suggestions for languages to speak to the evil creatures then? since they are my favored enemy and what not.

Ghostwheel

#125
Figured I'd do an update on what we have so far:
Videospirit - Gunslinger
Phaia - Druid
Ghostwheel - Oracle
Muse - Wizard
Marie Reynolds - Ranger
ExisD - Alchemist
ShadowFox - Ninja
Mysterica - Magus

Mysterica

Name: Velatha
Race: Elf
Class: Magus

Background: Velatha grew up in a small village far removed from the rest of society where the people lived a simple life with little risk of being discovered.  According to the village elders this lifestyle was the only sure way to ensure their way of life continues, but Velatha simply couldn't accept that.  She couldn't help but notice that as time went on their lives grew harder.  Over time more and more of their natural resources became tainted and unusable.  If this continued it was only a matter of time before they would have to either venture out into the world in the hopes of finding a new home or die.  Velatha couldn't accept the idea of just giving up and left in the middle of the night, hoping to find a way to reverse the effect of the blight.

One can't hope to change something they know nothing about so Velatha wandered until she found a city with a real library, and began to study.  It was then that Velatha began to find dusty old books of the arcane arts of old, and miraculously she could understand them... to a certain extent.  She began training both her mind and her body in the hopes that she could do some good for the world.  Perhaps if she could explore the ruins cities long since forgotten she could find more information to help end this miserable plague and bring the world back to its former glory.

EroticFantasyAuthor

How would an inquisitor's deity be handled exactly?

Lipstick Epitaph

Quote from: Inerrant Lust on January 21, 2014, 01:44:30 PM
I won't turn you away, but you've got a limited time to come up with a character before we start.

Marie; Oh, you guys already met Honeywine? I was thinking of possibly introducing her as a character later on. :P

Demonic and Abyssal will likely be irrelevant, as this setting isn't strictly carrying the same fluff about the planes and various Evil Outsiders. When I have the time, I'll elaborate on the different kinds.

A drawback for a third trait is fine.

I don't want to be a burden. I've played a lot of table-top games, but never Pathfinder in particular.
Muse has offered to help me create a character. Do you think there will be time?

Inerrant Lust

Clerics, Paladins, Inquisitors, and any divine spell-casters are no longer able to directly commune with their God. They think they can talk to them, but there's no indication that anyone's listening. Despite this, they can still draw divine power from... somewhere. Many times, even questionable clerics or paladins who don't take their vows very seriously can still receive divine spells and abilities.

So... is it a gift freely given, even without worship? Or is it random unattended divine energy just being gobbled up by whoever seeks it? A parasitic drain of some source of divinity? Maybe something more insidious?

Some people who have lived for hundreds of years, or very knowledgeable scholars- they could tell you the names of all the Gods. Most commoners will tell you they don't exist, or they don't matter. Some will say they never existed. Some will say that the demons ARE gods, finally stepping into the world to rule in person.

Lipstick, I'm torn.. I don't know how large I want the party, and I absolutely abhor having to turn away a good concept or role in the party just to keep the party at a maneagable size. By all means, though- go for it. I likely won't be deciding anything until Friday or so. I'll put up the OOC thread and IC thread this weekend.

ExisD

#130
This took far too long to get out, sorry about that. I blame getting a massive amount of writing and editing work dropped on me this week, though that isn't much of an excuse.

for the question of sexiness... I'm pretty sure I'd be ok with anything everyone else has listed along with things even further to the Extreme category. I'm pretty much ok with most things up to mutilation with some specific things that hit for more or less, but a lot of it depends on the character and situation. Monsters and other party members going after her, NC or not, whatever is fine. Though as far as romance goes, I'm not really good at anything save F/F.

Now onto fluff. I spent way too long looking for an image.





Nsia Leece

"The Blight, it touches everyone, everything. But does anyone really understand it? I don't think so. I'm closer than most, I've been living in it for years. More years than most of you have lived, will live even. It hasn't consumed me yet, I don't think it ever will. If you want a guide through the worst of it, you will find no one better."

"Know this before we embark. It is strange and terrific this forest, but we can understand it, master it. It can be beaten: through blade, through flame, through axe. Of this I am sure, it is just a question of if we can beat it before it consumes all."

Age          128
Height:     5'2"
Weight:     100 lbs
Skin:        Eerily Fair
Hair:         Red
Eyes:        Red 
Style:       Nsia wears an amalgam of armor, clothing, belts, pouches, vials, and blighted-animal parts that tends towards browns and purples. Most of her clothing she made herself in a semblance of the only style she knows, the one of her childhood, that is over a century out of date. The only consistent piece is a well worn bandoleer that she pulls seemingly endless vials out of when they are needed.

Background: Nsia is an old tiefling. Born to a  prosperous city before the invasion began she had time to learn what remained of the magical sciences. Not the amazing power of the ancient mages, but the means of manipulating the magic that exists within all matter. She had a true gift at it, rivaling those decades older than her. She also could see just what this knowledge could do, figure out the Blight and defeat it. Or so she thought.

The alchemist was almost uniquely predisposed to being able to handle the Blight better than most and she knew it. Her experiments made her resistant to toxins and she had a much easier time than most feeding. Though her teachers warned her against this, she journeyed out into the forest to discover its secrets and learn as much as she could.

When she returned, her city was no more. Only smoking ruins remained, sacked by the invaders. Without a home she went back into the wilds. She spent as much time as she could there, sometimes spending months at a time without ever seeing another person. Only when her supplies ran out or she needed a break to work on a new formula would she return, usually never visiting the same place twice and leaving as unexpectedly as she came.

Nsia was always tempted to go further in, surely if she had purer examples to study she would have her break through, but it was too dangerous for a single girl. No matter how good she had gotten at mixing explosives and hiding from the beasts lurking within. To do that would take a team, to interact with people in a way she had not done for so long she could barely remember the last ones.

Phaia

#131

Jahtera

"Life always finds a way to survive. Even in the blighted areas you can find life fighting free all we need to do is help it along. Destroy the blight and let life spring forth. Of course it is not that simple, the blight is stubborn and almost everywhere and no one seems to know how or why it is here"

"There are paths through the forest still, some almost forgotten, if one is careful and stays hidden one can move deep into the dark woods and find many things"

" I am not concerned about your views on morality or what is proper, I wear what I choose and if it shows to much for your senses, deal with it. In my wild forms I am nude why should it matter what I wear when I am not?"

"Children are precious and everyone of us should strive to protect them no matter if they have 2 legs or 4."

Race:       Human
Age:        25
Height:    5'7"
Weight:   127 lbs
Skin:        Healthy and unblemished with a light tan
Build:       Athletic
Hair:        Dark rich brown with golden highlights
Eyes:       Brown shot with hazel
Style: Jahtera favors attire that is closer to a monks, flowing sashes and bound strips that has various small pockets here and there and shows a lot of her lovely figure. She carries a scimitar at her side and a dagger on each thigh but does not seem to bother with armor. She also is always well groomed. Clean. Well Kept. Jahtera moves with a sensual almost feline grace and pays quiet attention to most everything around her. She wears the symbol of 'The Druid Circle' on a headband as well as various other symbols here and there.

Background: Born on the Emerald Isle, home of the one of the oldest human orders ' The Druid Circle'. It is also one of the last bastions of unblighted lands left. Jahtera spent her childhood and youth roaming the island and helping with the daily grind of keeping the island free of the blight. Her Grandfather being one of the great elders she learned much on the ways of the land. The Isle has become a refuge for humans, elves, gnomes, halflings and even a few tieflings who have all banded together to keep it safe and clean and provide untainted seed and seedlings to others.

Before she was 18 she had her first child with a Ranger twice her age. The girl is doing well being raised by the order and her father and when she can get home by her as well. The child is already very good with a bow and looks to be ranger like her father. Her grandfather gave her a new 'uncle' a year after the birth of her daughter. Jahtera's second child was part of an agreement with the elf enclave on the island. The boy is being raised by the elves. Part of the agreement was the small pearly white stone that swirls around a foot above her head.

The past few years she has roamed the mainlands looking for answers. The Order knows that even their efforts can not keep the blight at bay for much longer and now the demons are sniffing around sending probes  across the water. So she and a few others left to find aid and answers. She has saved small groups and travelers in the wilds and word of her exploits has begun to filter in, rumors and tales among the various peoples. Yet the recent 'Battle of Harrow's Glen' may be the tale that she will become most known for.

Jahtera is naturally an upbeat type of person, she likes to smile and chat with others and in her elemental forms she can talk and still do other things, which can be very disconcerning to others. She has a healthy view of sex and enjoys a tumble. She respects others and expects them to respect her. She does treat her animal friends more like people then she does some people. Often talking with them before others. Bright, sexy, sensual, dangerous. She listens and watches before talking but likes being around people, two legged ones and ones with four legs as well.




Inerrant Lust

#132
So far;

Nsia Leece, Tiefling Alchemist
Anton, Half-Elf Oracle/Arcane Savant
Angrim Watcher, Halfling Gunslinger
Velatha, Elven Spell Dancer
Nialda Stillstride-Teldirrin, Half-Elf Ranger
Jahtera, Human Druid
Holly Evermead, Elven Loremaster

This is very hard... It doesn't make it easier that some of you I've chatted with regularly over the past few years. :P I don't want that to factor in my choice if I need to shrink the party. I guess I'll just type out my stream of consciousness... :P

Fluff; So the theme is a journey into Great Forest.. Any ranger or druid would naturally fit. It'd almost be mandatory. Nsia's backstory also revolves around investigating the Blight, which is very appropriate... but the same effect could be accomplished by jahtera or Nialda, albeit with different, more spiritual, methods.

The Great Forest has been cut off from outside contact for hundreds of years. A character like Velatha and Holly could go a long way in deciphering 'what was' and what happened.

Anton and Angrim might not have as strong a connection to the overall plot of the forest and the blight, but they've got grittiness and tone- both are extremely thematically appropriate. They'd also be good to ground the others to something more

So that's three fluff-roles... and if I went with 4 characters, we could have two characters fulfilling the same fluff role.

Crunch/Roles;
Nsia; DPS, Mezzer, Buffer, Utility
Anton; Tank, Healer
Angrim; Tank, DPS
Velatha; Tank-ish, DPS, Mezzer, Utility
Nialda; Utility, DPS
Jahtera; Mezzer, Control, Healer
Holly; DPS, Buffer, Batman-ish

The last thing to consider is... practically, the players themselves. If I go with more players, chances are the game won't be debilitated by the sudden disappearance or loss of interest in someone... but there's also the chance that having real-life interrupt for even a few days can severely keep you out of the loop and off the funk in a large group game. There's also the chance that having so many moving parts will stress me out as a GM when I have a busy work schedule and might throw off players who don't post as frequently as others. :P

So... I haven't had the chance to scrutinize the writing styles of everyone here too deeply, but I have to say... if you have the tendency to post just a handful of lines back and forth between you and another character, filling up like 5 pages in a 24 hour period... Please don't do that. At the same vein, I sometimes hesitate to post as a GM because I know how it feels to miss a day and then suddenly have a big bomb drop on the plot, where everyone's actions drastically alter things... all the while you have no input because you were 'afk'

Arrgh. 4 is the minimum party size. 8 is the maximum, I think (We have 7 sheets so far) ...In the case of the latter, I'll likely split the party up into groups for certain 'sessions'. Most likely two groups at a time, sometimes three. I'd ask for your patience- but also your cooperation in keeping things at a decent pace.

I am considering handling combat in a way where you will PM me a loose set of rules dictating your characters actions. I'll run maybe 5 rounds at a time and post it, pausing if something drastic happens so you can reassess things.

Your rules can be anything from 'Heal anyone below 30 HP' to 'Round 1; Buff with __, Round 2; Attack' to something as vague or specific as you'd like.

Edit: 3 rounds might be better, now that I think about it.

ExisD

Ouch, that's not an easy decision.

Though I do have one thing to point out. Until next level at minimum Nsia is only a buffer for herself, no one else can benefit from her infusions right now. Being able to brew potions could also count there, but I'd think of that as more of a support role.

Three rounds with general rules for actions sounds like a pretty good idea since combat is one of the things that bogs down pbp games a lot.

Videospirit

Doing the battles on macro is no big deal, I don't have any special attachment to rolling my own dice either.

May have to cut the 3 rounds off early if something really unexpected happens, like a two handed/ranged weapon user getting into a grapple and being unable to their weapon.

Ghostwheel

Due to this exact reason I'd say keep it in one-round spurts, since most battles are over within 3-5 rounds and if you're going skipping 3 rounds at a time you lose almost all of the tactical decision-making inherent in Pathfinder.

Inerrant Lust

An Elliuki is up, with some QC on the sheets; https://elliquiy.com/wiki/Refuge#PCs

OOC thread will be up this afternoon, and possibly an IC today or tomorrow.

Videospirit

I'm pretty sure my hp calculations checked out, are we not taking max hp at 1st level? Arngrim's hp would be 106 if that's the case, since he spent 8 of his favoured class bonuses on the halfling gunslinger favoured class bonus.

Inerrant Lust


Phaia

#139
Druid build 30 point buy Human
                                                               level
    start         +racial        +varient     +advancement
03 Str    13          13        [+3] 16               16
05 Dex  14           14       [+3] 17        [+1] 18
07 Con  15          15       [+3] 18                18
03 Int    13          13       [+3] 16                16
10 Wis   16  [+2] 18       [+5] 23       [+1]  24
02 Cha  12          12       [+3] 15                15

where is the problem??
shapes at botttem are wild shape forms...she uses I did not add in her air elemental form she is often in!!
large cat tends to be dire cat and her 'combat' form..add in ceslestial template from feat!

Phaia

do i need to change my 'purify food and water' from orsion/cantrip to 1st level?

Videospirit

#140
Quote from: Phaia on January 25, 2014, 12:24:35 AM
Druid build 30 point buy Human
                                                               level
    start         +racial        +varient     +advancement
03 Str    13          13        [+3] 16               16
05 Dex  14           14       [+3] 17        [+1] 18
07 Con  15          15       [+3] 18                18
03 Int    13          13       [+3] 16                16
10 Wis   16  [+2] 18       [+5] 23       [+1]  24
02 Cha  12          12       [+3] 15                15

where is the problem??
shapes at botttem are wild shape forms...she uses I did not add in her air elemental form she is often in!!
large cat tends to be dire cat and her 'combat' form..add in ceslestial template from feat!

Phaia

do i need to change my 'purify food and water' from orsion/cantrip to 1st level?

The variant gives a +3 enhancement bonus to all stats including the main stat, in addition, it gives a +5 to the primary stat(For a total bonus of +8), and 5 +1s that can be distributed freely among every stat but the main stat(That also stack with the enhancement bonus). there are no bonuses to stats gained every 4 levels like normal.


ExisD

#141
Wait, it gives +3 to all and then +5 to the main? So +8 main and +3 to the rest? I think I messed that up as well.

Edit: Yeah, I definitely messed that up, I'll keep a record of my current stats, in case IL goes with what he wrote for it, and update her sheet to show the corrected versions in case we go with what it written there.

Ghostwheel

#142
Quote from: Videospirit on January 24, 2014, 04:06:09 PM
I'm pretty sure my hp calculations checked out, are we not taking max hp at 1st level? Arngrim's hp would be 106 if that's the case, since he spent 8 of his favoured class bonuses on the halfling gunslinger favoured class bonus.

Quote from: Inerrant Lust on January 24, 2014, 09:30:39 PM
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=195311.new#new

IC 1 and IC 2 will be imminent.

HP is averaged all the way.

You mentioned that HP is averaged and rounded up; are we still doing that? So 1d8 becomes 5, 1d6 becomes 4, and so on. You also said that 1st-level is max HP--is that still a thing?

ShadowFox89

 You get:
+5 Inherit to 1 ability score (hereafter referred to as primary ability)
+3 enhancement to all ability scores, including primary
+5 split up as you see fit among abilities, other than primary, which replaces the +1 every four levels.

QuoteFurthermore, replacing the need for Tomes and Wishes as a way to boost scores, we change the way that stats are boosted at each level. Characters choose a primary ability score; that score rises by +1 at every even level (2, 4, 6, etc). In addition, they may raise any other ability score (apart from their primary one) by one at every even level (though not necessarily the same one each time). This replaces both the normal +1 to ability scores every four levels, and the ability to raise ability scores through Tomes, Manuals, or Wishes and similar abilities.
Call me Shadow
My A/A

Ghostwheel

Quote from: ShadowFox89 on January 25, 2014, 01:36:34 AM
You get:
+5 Inherit to 1 ability score (hereafter referred to as primary ability)
+3 enhancement to all ability scores, including primary
+5 split up as you see fit among abilities, other than primary, which replaces the +1 every four levels.

Yep, reading OP.

Phaia

#145
ahhhh okay...so i get to add a +3 to main and still have 3 more to add?
i may need to redo all the atributes!!

Phaia

Phaia

#146
Quote from: Phaia on January 25, 2014, 12:24:35 AM
Druid build 30 point buy Human
                                                               level
    start         +racial        +varient     +advancement
03 Str    13          13        [+3] 16               16
05 Dex  14           14       [+3] 17        [+1] 18
07 Con  15          15       [+3] 18                18
03 Int    13          13       [+3] 16                16
10 Wis   16  [+2] 18       [+5] 23       [+1]  24
02 Cha  12          12       [+3] 15                15

do i need to change my 'purify food and water' from orsion/cantrip to 1st level?

so would this be correct then

Druid build 30 point buy Human
    start            +racial  + primary  +enhancement  + extra
05 Str    14          14           14      [+3] 17               [+1] 18  [add +2 att/dam]
05 Dex  14          14           14      [+3] 17               [+1] 18
05 Con  14          14           14      [+3] 17               [+1] 18
05 Int    14          14           14*    [+3] 17               [+1] 18   
07 Wis   15   [+2]17   [+5] 22      [+3] 25               [+1] 26   [adds 1 spell?]
03 Cha  13          13           13      [+3] 16                       16   [adds +1 mod]
*use for skill points: +2 sp per level

phaia

Inerrant Lust

Let me put it all in one place. Some things might be different, or might change your sheet- I apologize, I've been inconsistent and this should rectify it. :P

Starting Level: 10
Pointbuy: 30
Starting wealth: 3100 gp worth of non-magical equipment.
Limited Spell Levels
Balanced Wealth
Total bonuses would be; +5 inherent to one ability score, +5 inherent to the others of your choosing (Replacing the ability score increases every 4 levels), +3 enchantment bonus to all other abilities
+3 Armor or Shield Enhancement Bonus
+2 Weapon Enhancement
+2 Deflection
+2 Natural Armor
+2 Resistance to all saves
The enhancement bonus to Intelligence does not count for skills. Everything else is retro-active for simplicity's sake.
Max HP at 1st, average from there on out.
3 Level-1 Potions
1 least item of value no greater than 4000gp


Phaia

Quote from: Inerrant Lust on January 25, 2014, 01:46:46 PM

The enhancement bonus to Intelligence does not count for skills. Everything else is retro-active for simplicity's sake.
Max HP at 1st, average from there on out.
3 Level-1 Potions
1 least item of value no greater than 4000gp

okay i need to drop 10 sp...
average. per die or for 9 die ? round down?

i will add 3 potions?

check the above to see if i have it correct in atributes?!

phaia

Inerrant Lust

Basically, 8+(4x9) so... 44 base + con (4x10) = 84.

And yeah, the above is correct for your attributes.

Phaia

okay sheet changed it should now be correct!!

Phaia

Inerrant Lust

Let's move this to the OOC thread. :P

I am planning on redrawing the map to include elements of your backstory and some more specific items. Are there any ideas you had on the location of places like High Holdfast, Emerald Island, or Angrim's city? Just curious before I stick it anywhere. :P

ExisD

The only location of note in my back story is a sacked and ruined city. It can go anywhere really, though somewhat near the forest would probably be likely.

Videospirit

#153
People seem to be posting their sheets in the ooc still so I'll wait a bit to give everyone a chance for that before I start talking there.

So we're doing below average hitpoints? Max hp at 1st and 9 levels of average on a d10 would normally be 10+ 5.5*9=59|, but I should go with 55 instead?

Also, the +3 enhancement bonus is not retroactive for skill points? I've spent too many skill points than.

Edit: And just from looking at the map, Arngrim's city would probably be up in the cold mountains north of the forest, there's even an odd little bulge where the forest hasn't expanded uniformly towards the mountains which matches up with them scorching everything every generation.

Inerrant Lust

Errr, yes.

Forgive me. HP is averaged by the roll;

So..
1d6 is 3.5
1d8 is 4.5
1d10 is 5.5
1d12 is 6.5

So you'd be at 89 instead, phaia.

Videospirit

#155
Arngrim's sheet should be fine now. The ruling on the enhancement bonus to intelligence is kind of confusing though. Does it do anything besides boost int based skill checks and help him resist unconcious from intelligence damage/drain?

QuotePermanent Bonuses: Ability bonuses with a duration greater than 1 day actually increase the relevant ability score after 24 hours. Modify all skills and statistics as appropriate. This might cause you to gain skill points, hit points, and other bonuses. These bonuses should be noted separately in case they are removed.

So normally the enhancement bonus actually would be giving skill points in pathfinder.

Edit: And that stat row Phaia displayed had her adding one of her Secondary stat bonuses to her primary stat.

Ghostwheel

Yeah, didn't you say earlier in this thread that we're using our current, permanent-after-bonuses modifier for the purpose of extra skills from Intelligence since this is Pathfinder? Now I'm confused...

Inerrant Lust

Oh, yeah. Blargh, I'm a mess. Been working on the first post too.

Yes, skill points are retroactive since it's duration longer than 1 day.

And yeah, I missed that on Phaia's stats. x_x

Phaia

oh okay not on the primary stat have to change it a bit trhen