My party will be meeting with a misleading quest giver.
I haven't quite decided between a doppleganger, some other shifter, or just make her insane.
Though she will be referred to as 'the oracle', but she's probably not going to be an oracle (the class). Maybe a divination/trickery domain cleric.
I'm thinking level 8-10. The party is a group of five level threes, but are on the powerful side. (I usually pump crs up for them.
Does anyone like building villains?
I want her to be a manipulator and 'seer' much more than direct combat. She has an army of loyal fanatics for defense.
Mine, they'll start with a constructed companion, using build points similar to the evolution points of the eidelon.
Spell list is tiny, but they also get a cleric domain using engineer as their cleric level.
6 " schools", which decide their domain.
Clockwork - Construct Domain
Elemental Binding - Corresponding element's domain
Enslavement - Soul subdomain
Depending on their school, their companion has different traits. Elemental resistances and vulnerabilities for the elements, no bonuses or drawbacks for clockwork (other than winding), and a higher chance of an enslaved spirit construct turning against you.
They'll have a smaller than normal spell list. Enslavement gains the wizard necromancy spells, Elemental-focused gets conjuration-(elemental of choice), Clockwork has no school limit.
Spells per day and known are -1 the wizard, with no bonus for high int.
"Spells" must be built into a gadget, which are built for 500 x spell level. All gadgets use rules for "timeworn", but with no chance of regaining charges. That spot on the table is replaced with modified misfire rules. (First time Broken, second time explodes, doing 2d6, reflex save for half..
Its the beginning of dark times. Orcs are on the rampage (spreading out methodically, they seem united and almost regimented..) and the draw have upped their machinations, amassing an army and turning out flesh warped abominations that put their former works to shame.
The PCs were all arrive at the town, inexplicably led to an Oracle. (One by a prophet of their church... another by a magical scroll describing the beginning of the end.. A thief following the gold.. and a cavalier, strangely led by his mount.. which was dead moments before.)
They arrive the day before the ceremony.
The Oracle, having seen the things to come, decides her formerly closed organisation must grow. Perhaps with her sight and leadership, it can be prevented. (At least, that's her story....)
Spoiler:
The doors open, and two impressively large guards walk out, closing the doors behind them. Though one is a half-orc (traitorous brigand) and the other a half-elf (haughty avenger), both hold a gleaming greatsword, with a ornate silver longsword and a round wooden shield faced with bronze strapped to their backs. They are dressed in grey, with finely stitched red trim, and a red symbol of an eye on the sleeves. The shape of plate armor is blatantly obvious. They walk with an aura of authority and come to attention a few feet away from the door, facing each other.
A few moments later the door opens again and a robed figure gracefully exits, wearing the same stone-gray and blood-red style of dress.
( http://www.thegm.org/npcs_display.php?selected_npc=666 )
She purposefully flips back her hood, revealing a distinctly human face, with long black hair and brilliant blue eyes.
She eyes the crowd for a long time, purposefully focusing her attention on every single person. (with detect magic and detect thoughts if anyone has it active)
"Greetings, and welcome.
Some of you have specifically been called here, but the rest of you are not here by coincidence.
You all have a place in the dark times ahead. If you wish to turn back now, you may, but the coming events are everyone's burden- Your choice is not to be part of it or not. Your choice, is whether you want to be blind."
She pauses, giving you a chance to ponder your destiny.
"If you choose to continue, please step forward and behold the Oracle of the Crimson Iris."
She spins around, and strolls through the open door. The small crowd murmurs quietly, and the doorway beckons.
As you all step through, you enter a room approximately 30 feet square with an ornate high ceiling. The walls are stone-gray, and perfectly smooth.
Each wall is decorated with a large red and gold tapestry, with what you now recognize as the mark of the crimson oracle.
The guards respectfully ask that weapons by turned over, and no magic be cast. Their facial expressions allude that asking is merely a formality..
Everyone is led into a large banquet hall. As everyone takes a seat, a cloaked Samsaran enters from another room, and purposely walks up onto a small stage. She sighs loudly, portraying great sadness.
"Most beloved brethren: Urged by necessity, I, Brigitte, Oracle of the Crimson Eye, have come into these parts as an ambassador with a divine admonition to you, the scions of Humanity. I hoped to find you as faithful and as zealous in your service as the Gods have supposed you to be.
The Fates have put you as stewards over their people to minister their will. Happy indeed will you be if they find you faithful in your stewardship. You are called shepherds; see that you do not act as hirelings. But be true shepherds, with your crooks always in your hands. Do not go to sleep, but guard on all sides the flock committed to you.
Those who side with me and the Order should be prudent, provident, modest, learned, peaceable, watchful, pious, just, equitable, and pure. For how can the ignorant teach others? How can the licentious make others modest? And how can the impure make others pure? If anyone hates peace, how can he make others peaceable ? You must especially let all matters that pertain to the order be controlled by the law of the Order. And be careful that simony does not take root among you, lest both those who sell their loyalties be beaten with the scourges of nature through narrow streets and driven into the place of destruction and confusion. Keep the Order and its members in all their grades as free from the secular power as possible.
Let robbers and incendiaries and all their accomplices be expelled from the order and anthematized.
You have seen for a long time the great chaos in the world on the rise. It is so bad in some of your provinces, I have seen, that one can hardly go along the road by day or night without being attacked by abominations and agents of the Darkness; and whether at home or abroad one is in danger of being despoiled either by force or fraud.
Therefore it is necessary to enact this vow, which I have foreseen a long time ago in the time of your ancestors. I exhort and demand that you, each, try hard to have the vow kept in your hearts. And if anyone shall be led by his cupidity or arrogance to break this vow, by the authority and sanction of this council he shall be anathematized.
Under this cause, all followers are expected to earnestly keep the peace amongst yourselves, work to forward our goals to the best of your ability whether through peace or blood, to not shed blood needlessly nor needlessly let an enemy escape their fate.
Although, O sons and daughters of the Way, you have promised to keep the peace among yourselves and to preserve the rights of the free, there remains still an important work for you to do. Freshly quickened by the divine correction, you must apply the strength of your valor to another matter which concerns you as well as all enemies of evil. Though all of you are surely aware of the Orc's crusades, I have glimpsed many hidden threats. The machinations of the Drow have increased a hundredfold, but the goal of their vile rituals are obscured from my sight. The sudden influx of the beasts of Darkness seem proportionate to our successes as well. Their goals are varied and unfathomable, so be cautious on your tasks under my banner, and stand united evermore."
Speech needs a little editing work, but that's the draft. Its organisational, but with religious undertones.
I'm trying to wrack my brain to come up with a way to hint she's hiding something, but without making it blatant. I'd prefer to have great questions and rolls drop tiny clues- and have them gain meaning as more and more pile up. Ideally, with significant evidence piling up after several levels.
The no magic of any kind rule should be a slight clue.. She's hiding her true alignment.
(There's also a powerful anti-magic field on most of the time.)
The game is dark, horror, and noir...
The organisation currently is very small (5-10) and is currently initiating 40-50 members. The current members are well-vetted, but there may be some resentment since the current members spent decades proving their worth for admittance.
The organisation also has a major rival, (a cult of a dead God, who's prayers were answered when their leader suddenly became an avatar of the God.)
I do have a combat planned for the end of the session I guess, but its probably very short. (More dramatic than anything.)
I'm going to have my players join an organization and attend their 'welcoming ceremony'.
Plotwise, its integral. It introduces several NPCs, and gets the players at least trivially introduced to a major plot hook (collecting artifacts for the leader, a samsaran oracle, who is planned to gradually go insane from power...).
I'd like to have the entire session revolve around the ceremony, and the events immediately before and after.
I have a couple ideas (like a merchant selling discounted items outside- but giving change with a different face on the coins for a spy to cast enter image).
The organisation is a mashup of races and cultures, so conflict is reasonable, but all out combat is not.
I'm looking for ideas for skill checks and rp to implement.
Have you had anything similar in any games you've played or ran?
I think the rider might be considered forced movement which doesnt provoke...odd question glad it got asked.
That's something I assumed, was a mounted cavalier might not provoke if his mount moves.. But the rules say it counts as the cavaliers move it's just at his mounts speed.
Okay, so a friend is going to run a pathfinderized X-crawl, and my build idea has evolved into a strength-based wild shaping druid of Lamashtu.
(Perhaps was the offspring of a cleric with the 'Demon Mother's Mask.)
I have a few questions.. Third-party stuff is okay with DM approval.
1. Any ideas for my race? Oread is an obvious choice if I wanted to minmax, but considering orc or half-orc. Bonus to strength or wisdom, without penalties to either. Preferably something similar to a monstrous humanoid, or at least, animal-like.
2. Any way to add the fiendish template to SNA summons? Or my animal companion?If not, I may go saurian shaman.
I'm running my first evil game soon, but its more "Evil PCs are allowed" rather than "Evil campaign".
its the "save the multiverse" sort of game.
In a nutshell, proteans introduced artifacts of great power to the world, so that humans will kill each other for them.
Losing followers weakens the deities of the pantheon, whom protect earth from total destruction.
A friend is gonna run an X-crawl next month, and its probably going to be level 4-5.
My first thought was "Oh, level 4? Pet would be good.. Druid wildshape kicks in at 4.. "
*drools*
"Strength-based druid!"
Now for those who don't know, X-crawl is like a pathfinder/hunger games mashup.
Lots of challenges, not much combat, but PvP is going to happen at some point- Only one player can win.
Any advice for a druid build?
(Both for the background RP details AND the build itself.)
I was thinking half-orc thrill seeker in it for the excitement (and genuinely thinks he's top dog.. Like the worlds an action movie an he's the hero) or a animal rights activist wanting to bring his cause into the mainstream.
Advice welcome. Stats will be rolled.
Depending on my roll, wisdom has to be at least, what is it, 15?
Hoping my array will be Str/wis/dex/con/int/cha
If I roll poorly, Wisdom might have to be first, since I'll get a str bonus.
Likewise, if I roll well, I might drop wis a slot and swap cha and into.
Well, I skimmed over the archtypes for her, and she picked mooncaller, but not for the lycanthropy effects. She likes the idea of being nocturnal and worshipping the moon.
I know some archetypes can be combined, so thats what I was looking for.
I was experimenting with a aberrant sorcerer that intimidates, but.. I'm open to ideas.
I'm not trying to min-max and break the potty little PC's modules, but I do want something fun to play.
Not sure if I want to focus on illusions or evocation.. Probably split down the middle somewhat.
Ideas for traits, spells, and the like are appreciated. I will mention, our pfs dms aren't great. Silly stuff with unseen servant and diplomacy will rarely, if ever, be usefully or even allowed.
His backup weapon is a cold iron shortsword and a crossbow.
In the backstory, he was driven to join PFS because hes regarded with extreme distrust by other gnomes- they fear him.
My motivation is only to imply that the characters aren't heros, and the world does not bow to their desires.
Occasionally, a martial might break his blade. A wizard might lose his spells.
Not often, maybe just once the whole campaign.. but it will, hopefully, be memorable.
It obviously wont be often, but how 'mean' is it to force players into combat before they get their spells?
How should this effect CR of the encounter?
For example:
Everyone has done the surprise attack at night, which (probably) keeps divines from recharging, but what about mundane things that restrict sleeping? (Like a thunderstorm, for example...)
An adaptive bow responds to the strength of its wielder, acting as a bow with a strength rating equal to its wielder's Strength bonus.
This is ambiguous. "Up to" instead of equal is how I interpret it, but.. It is definately worded strangely. However, the argument could be made that if it reacts to the owners strength, why does it even have to be a compound bow? The rating makes sense as a maximum, as compared to a meaningless number unless magic is dispelled.
Quote:
The wielder can fire it with a lesser Strength bonus (and cause less damage) if desired.
You all make the argument that Roger the Ranger can 'desire' to use less strength to fore his bow.
I interpret it as Roger the Ranger just got weakened, and lost his strength. However, he 'desires' to fire his bow, so he can, albeit with less damage. It does not say "Can be fired for a character's strength bonus, no matter the bow's rating."
Something you need to keep in mind - for recurring villains to be, well... recurring, they need to survive. That means most if not all of them need an 'out' to keep them from being easily slain. At higher levels this is a bit easier with access to things like Teleportation spells but at lower levels its a bit tougher. And to that end, I'd recommend that each time the two groups meet you have at least one of the baddies designated as expendable, so that the PC's feel like they're making progress even when most of the rest of the group escapes.
Another thing to consider is having a 'tweener' member of the villian's group, one that develops a fondness for one of the PC's or is with the bad guys due to unusual circumstances, someone that can create some grey area or betray their group... or perhaps one that enjoys being a double agent. Its definitely something to consider not having the sole interaction between the two groups be combat.
I ran a campaign once with a recurring 'rival' party and learned some very valuable lessons from that.
Well, the rivals aren't a group.
They are individual, and will usually have mooks and/or a backup plan.
The other adventuring parties... well, they are individual minor NPC's that will fill in if the PC's decide not to take a mission or get stalled. There are also side-quests. Not all follow straight to the bbeg climax.
Essentially, the PC's get first choice, but if the go all sandboxy, after a while, the person will just hang out in a tavern and see who shows up (like rpgs usually start, it seems).
The sword doesn't want the owner to seek to remove the curse, so tries to find a balance between manipulation and usefulness.
If it could get a wish, it would either be for its master back or for power.. depending on its mood.
The blade is as much cursed by its owner as the owner is of it.
The blades owner had a daughter he didn't know about, who was born a drowned noble... The drow noble killed both her parents- the mother with a blade, and the blacksmith with a poison- the blacksmith tried to escape, but died of his wounds (or in a fight that he couldn't win due to the weakening affect of the poison) hence the dead drow with a blade the fighter found...
It was the cursed black blade of a Drow magus blacksmith. He attempted to upgrade it with his blacksmithing skill often, but always seemed to fail.
He didn't like the fact that it cursed opponents, preferring to fight with honor. (He lived among humans, and preferred their culture to the ruthlessness of the Drow. The blade resisted his alignment changes, and shifted chaotic evil. Thinking it should share the drows' hatreds and preferences for racial company, but may have been influenced with the Magus' personality as well.
The constant attempts to modify it weakened its abilities, but not its will. Perhaps it still triggers random spells that the Magus cast in the right situations. It seeks power.
The curse cannot be removed except by a wish, and will resist all attempts to do so, sometimes violently.
I'm giving *special* things to all my players, based on their background.
One player wanted an eleven curve blade, so I asked how she got it since its a well-kept secret to the elves.
She decided she stumbled upon a dead elf and took their weapon, and my fun began.
Little does the PC know, the elf was killed by a slow-acting poison from a drowned noble who wants the blade.
Its a cursed intelligent NE weapon, but without the negative level normally imposed.
It does have quite the ego, but wont vie for control unless neccesary. It knows that a spell could free it and lead to its destruction.
It seeks power, and may get more powerful than the PC if certain events happen- (However, by then it might decide it likes the weak-willed ifrit fighter wielding it, and only seek to manipulate her alignment into that of the blade.)
It will have a few spell-like abilities that have to be 'unlocked' by a mechanism I haven't decided yet. Perhaps via bribes to the blade- which may also result in the aforementioned alignment shift. The malevolence of the blade will only be hinted at occasionally.
What is a fair ego amount for it to give a fighter a chance at resisting? (The blade will gain abilities- and ego- as the player levels)
Well in my game, telepaths have a 'tell' in that their eyes subtly glow for a second when they use their class ability.
I'd rather her have non-psionic ability. Lately I've been considering sorceror or oracle with the 'psionic talent' feats to get some ability, or the other way around-
Stats aren't a problem, since she can be a 'monster race' that can pass as a more normal humanoid of some sort.
There's already a tiefling and drow noble as major npcs, so they're off the table.
So I need help with my bbeg. Originally she was an oracle, but in this incarnation of the campaign, psions are allowed...
She enters a town, and becomes a non-denominational religious icon.
People come to her seeking wisdom, and they receive it freely.
The people seeking help don't realise she uses them to get information (probably through straight conversation, with spells as a backup). She has the appearence of a total pacifist, and plays the role of a victim very well.
A LE cult leader (of Zon Kuthon) has identified her, but is foiled at every attempt to destroy her. He doesn't want her outed- He wants her captured or dead. Outing her to the public would ruin the cat and mouse game he enjoys so much.
She's attractive in a girl-next-door kind of way, and relatable to everyone. She is Chaotic Neutral- All she wants is more power, but the campaign revolves around 'shards of power' that fall from the sky.
Eventually, she will send the PCs to find them, but for now (at level 3) shell ask more mundane things, like spying on the LE cult and fetch quests that always are more than they seem.
For game reasons, she needs a really great will and fort save, but feats can augment this.
Was thinking 4 levels of Psion (Telepath) and 4 levels of something great at divination, but I'm not sure. I want her to be a mind-reading and future-telling one trick pony. Level can go a bit higher, but she'll level as the story progresses. (I'm doing the chapter-based leveling, no XP)
Growing tentacles and arms sprouting from your chest seems pretty terrifying...
Half-orc alchemist? Even more so!
If you really want terror as a full caster, I'd reccomend sorceror.
Cha as a casting state?
Intimidate is cha based. You can scare the bejesus out of them and *then* cast spells to make them panicked and flee while they pee themselves.
The group is level 3, and I'm going to let one of them (the evil cleric) get poison use and access to the poison.
I'm thinking:
La Petit Morte ( POISON )
Type poison, Injury, Contact; Save Fortitude DC 13
Frequency 1/minute
(Onset: 10 minutes for Contact)
Initial Effect; Target is Fascinated and 1d2 con drain, 1d2 cha drain
Secondary Effect: Shaken, exhausted, 1 damage per minute; Cure 1 save
Originally developed by the druids of Shades of the Duskwood, this poison is a fermented variation on a naturally occurring poison. In its original form, its a mild sedative and aphrodesiac, but fermented, it represents Zon Kuthon's ideals perfectly- It deals pain that the victim doesn't even notice due to the overwhelming 'pleasure'. Oddly for a poison, its a powder that can be sprinkled on items to be used as a contact poison, mixed with a liquid and painted/poured on an item, or mixed with oil to coat weaponry.
Is this too powerful for a level 3 player?
What should the market value be?
Essentially, it forces them to... er.. climax, and take damage. (Hence, fascinated).
I thought about making it contain a low version of unnatural lust, but that may get awkward with players...
For the risk of failure, I'd use a critical fumble deck for magic (and another for normal attacks).. the penalties can be similiar to a umd/concentration check failure, like using a random same-level spell, having the magic go off in a random direction, or having the spell go off in 1d10 minutes, randomly, instead.
Zen archer doesn't have the same primary state as the fighter.
However, monk could work with the Druid.
I think the Druid's rival should be either an oracle.or ranger, though.
Leaning ranger, so he can have a mnemonic vestment the Druid can use if need be and it goes that way, and they can talk about nature-y things.
