Rise of the Runelords Game:
Things are getting real. Two weeks ago we wrapped up the missing Black Arrow captain mystery. He'd been remade as a frost wight by a stone giant necromancer. Destroying the wight wasn't all that complicated, the necromancer on the other hand was not.
I jumped into this campaign just before the pixie incident. Therefore, I knew that in rescuing me they fought a villain who escaped them. What I didn't expect was for her to show up so quickly. She, and a former Black Arrow were working with the Necromancer. It was a tough fight, even with the assistance of a few hags, but we defeated them. Except our cleric got within range of a stonegiant's hammer. Two crits later we had cleric goo all over the place.
After a reincarnate spell, we now had a halfling cleric of torag. This doesn't bother the cleric or her player much.
We found a note about a planned attack on Sandpoint, so after a quick wrap-up with the nymph ghost we head back to warn them. We arrive just before Sandpoint is raided by stone giants, direbears, and a red dragon. We came out on top, but, once again, at a cost. This time druid's wolf, who has saved almost everybody in the party's skin more than once... didn't make it.
Worse, one of the stone giants was captured and interrogated. If seven stone giants and a red dragon are a scouting party. I don't want to think about a recon in force, or worse a proper invasion. Except that we've been promised exactly that, in less than a month.
We're on our way to Magnimar to gather up a few remaining extra diamonds for a resurrect spell. Then its off to see if we can thwart a powerful stone giant caster/clan leader.
Horsemen of The Apocalypse:
So, I'm now running a pickup Goloran campaign based on the horsemen making a move against the world. So far we have a Summoner, Cleric (of Desna), Dhamphir Rogue, Barbarian, and a Ninja.
It's interesting, first lesson it taught me though. Sickening the party with a truly disgusting dungeon sounds like a great idea for a pestilence themed area, and running lower CR monsters to make up for the sickened condition is ok, but pick something who's AC is low. A "trash mob", as the cleric calls them, of wererats with a couple extra levels in rogue didn't hurt them much, but were nearly impossible to hit. I cut a huge chunk of the dungeon out to keep players interested. I know now from conversations I probably could have left it in, but it wasn't my best session.
This game's every other sunday, so I have plenty of time to prep something cool for the transition from famine to the first stage of war.
Amtgard:
The Shire of Skywatch has risen in Abilene. I'm going to be at least the interim Guildmaster of Reeves (a whopping one reeve at the moment). The field keeps growing and growing. I'll probably have to make an attempt at abducting some players to reeve occasionally soon. Last week Lubbock's Irongate field sent visitors. We had a grate time. I might stick with it this time.
Everything Else:
I haven't even had time to keep up with RPGSuperstar. It's on its final leg. Go vote. Obsidian portal has a kickstarter to rebuild the site. I'm planning on getting into that. This month's rules demo in abilene was a bust, but I've rescheduled the same subject for next month. I've also started playing in a Marvel rpg. I'm playing Rogue... its caused me to dig for episodes of the old cartoon. It's cheezy, but still pretty good. I've found some issues with my NPC sheet at paizo.com. I'll be digging into those and updating shortly. I've done a few marauder II and panther customs and posted on the battletech board. I've painted a few battletech minis. This has been an amazing month, and with reapercon right around the corner I'm totally stoked!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Very Modern FIrearms for Pathfinder
Greg Christopher asked on google plus about simi-auto and automatic firearms in rpgs. His question was not system specific, but having thought about firearms for my gunslinger I had a D20/PFRPG option in mind. Here's what I suggested:
A real attempt to hit something (as oppose to close your eyes and squeeze) with a simi-auto in d20 is easy, pathfinder revolver rules with appropriate shots/round based on magazine.
Free-action to replace a magazine based on training is simply another example of the rapid reload feat.
For those who simply pull the trigger as fast as they can make a scatter attack, but at the -4 non-proficent penalty (even if they are proficient, because they're not using the weapon in a controlled manner, so a total penalty of -6) but only at the number of targets they have a bab for (so 1 if their bab is under 6, 2 if under 12, etc).
Automatic weapons are treated as above except they actually have the scatter ability so the penalty is only -2. An automatic weapon grants a proficient user the many-shot feat, even if the user doesn't meet the requirements. A user who has the many-shot feat already can fire 4 rounds as a single attack. (Another example of better training and control). Manyshot options are not restricted to the first attack with an automatic firearm.
This isn't a hyper-realistic option, but d20 isn't hyper-realistic, and shouldn't be. However, it covers controlled fire, and spray and pray, for both classifications of weapons discussed.
Feel free to tear it apart for me.
A real attempt to hit something (as oppose to close your eyes and squeeze) with a simi-auto in d20 is easy, pathfinder revolver rules with appropriate shots/round based on magazine.
Capacity: A firearm's capacity is the number of shots it can hold at one time. When making a full-attack action, you may fire a firearm as many times in a round as you have attacks, up to this limit, unless you can reload the weapon as a swift or free action while making a full-attack action. In the case of early firearms, capacity often indicates the number of barrels a firearm has. In the case of advanced firearms, it typically indicates the number of chambers [or magazine size] the weapon has.Quote: PSRD
Free-action to replace a magazine based on training is simply another example of the rapid reload feat.
For those who simply pull the trigger as fast as they can make a scatter attack, but at the -4 non-proficent penalty (even if they are proficient, because they're not using the weapon in a controlled manner, so a total penalty of -6) but only at the number of targets they have a bab for (so 1 if their bab is under 6, 2 if under 12, etc).
Automatic weapons are treated as above except they actually have the scatter ability so the penalty is only -2. An automatic weapon grants a proficient user the many-shot feat, even if the user doesn't meet the requirements. A user who has the many-shot feat already can fire 4 rounds as a single attack. (Another example of better training and control). Manyshot options are not restricted to the first attack with an automatic firearm.
This isn't a hyper-realistic option, but d20 isn't hyper-realistic, and shouldn't be. However, it covers controlled fire, and spray and pray, for both classifications of weapons discussed.
Feel free to tear it apart for me.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Pixies
This maybe a "you had to be there post" but here's a recap of the best random encounter I've been in to date:
The game: Rise of the Runelords
The scene: a wooded trail on the way to the Shimmerglens
The characters: Male Human Druid, large and armoured Wolf Companion, Male Human Evoker(me), Female Dwarven Cleric, Female Dwarven Gunslinger, Male Dwarven Fighter, Male Elf Bard, Female (?) Rogue/Magus, and 5 bored Pixies.
The group is walking when the dm asks for a perception check. Most of us rolled pretty low, but the gunslinger manages to hear a child like laughter from nowhere, so our first warning is the gunslinger drawing weapons and moving out in front of the party. This is followed by quick "corner of the eye" flashes of pixies with bows, and the wolf suddenly passing out.
Next up, I raise my hands above my head and move forward, announcing that we mean no harm and wish to precode with out harm to us. The answer comes in a whisper "Harm is such a relative term" and more laughter.
More of us move forward, and we get to the pixies again. Now the pixies using permanent image to manifest a huge spider-like creature in front of the bard, and a Glabrezu in front of the fighter. The bard is now screaming in panic at nothing, and the dwarf charges to the side of the party and is swinging at mid-air. One pixie attempts irresistible dance on the druid, but the druid makes the save.
The druid has figured out he can't wake the wolf, and ask the party for assistance. For some reason, all the party ignores him. I spend my turn trying to figure out whats wrong with the bard and fighter, and convince them they're seeing things. The cleric succeeds on a dispel magic on the bard.
The round comes back to the druid, he asks for help to carry his wolf again, and doesn't see any signs of assistance, so starts dancing anyway. Apparently, pixies think druids can't dance. So when the perform check is low, one of the pixies looses it, and becomes visible, literally rolling on the ground laughing.
The magus/rogue things this is a good chance to bring some sanity to the situation, and grabs the pixie. The pixie's ill health is now noticeable, so the magus asks what's wrong. The pixie proceeds to point at the dancing druid and continue laughing. "Silly time" has struck the table.
Back around to me, I move back towards the party, and attempt to convince the fighter it's all in his head. Once again, no luck. The cleric attempts to dispel the image on the fighter, fumbles, the DM determines that this instead dispels the barkskin potion the fighter had taken, and that the fighter sees the image wiggle its claws as the barkskin is dispelled. Oh joy.
The gunslinger, who was just going to leave, decides that maybe it'd be wiser to help the people that rescued him from a fort basement prison, and comes back to help convince the fighter its all in his head. More on that later.
I'm not going to bet to the druid to help with picking up the wolf, but I’m still thinking "logically" hence my it's all good, I'll cast enlarge person from here an the druid can carry the wolf on his own. So I cast enlarge person, druid grows, but what does the druid do on his turn? He picks up the paws of the unconscious wolf and continues to dance.
Now we have three laughing, prone, visible pixies. The cleric attempts grappling a second pixie, and misses, badly... and once again asks what made them this way. She's referring to their sickly appearance. DM rolls percentile for the three of them, determines that they all point at the druid. Cleric is annoyed.
Okay so the gunslinger's idea of "helping" fighter realize its an illusion is to get in front of the fighter, and stand there dodging swings and ask what the fighter's fighting. Roll for disbelieve illusion, fail, fighter sees the demon eat the gunslinger. The fighter continues attacking.
The bard has his head on straight again, so he attempts a knowledge nature check to see whats wrong with the pixies. He rolls a 1. I know skill checks can't be fumbled, well DM says they can. So the bard's player says "Wait, I'm not at the bank!" to represent his fumble. Next is one of the remaining pixies.
Permanent Image again, failed roll again, the bard IS at the bank.
Magus? She's making friends with the pixie she's got by the waist.
Druid continues dancing.
Gunslinger, attempts to pistol whip the fighter prone. Hits, doesn't knock prone, fighter things the demon hit him. This really only makes him angry.
Cleric asks again, this time she specifically asks "Why are you sick?" Pixie makes a knowledge nature check, rolls a 6, answers "Umm, something down in whitewillow... must have... pthththth." yeah, the pixie shrugs and raspberries. Cleric looks at the dm with a look. Dm says "I rolled a 6!" Of course, the someone asks of the pixie really broke the fourth wall... Dm rolls percentile, and determines, yet again that weirdness happened. The pixie really does answer "I rolled a 6!"
Me, I'm ready for a little sanity, my staff is the UE Hurricane Staff it's already over my head, so a couple of spins, "Enough of this Tomfoolery!" and gust of wind. I knock the two pixies who'd stood back up prone again, and the one in front of me (who I couldn't see) falls prone and is also visible.
It doesn't really help, but someone loudly asks if anyone knows what happened to the pixies. The final pixie voluntarily becomes visible and explains that none of them were there for whatever happened, but for it to affect pixies this far out, something very bad must have happened in Whitewillow.
Peace is made, we offer to help, since we're headed that direction anyway and looking for a lost human who was obviously in love with a nymph. They mention they've not seen him in quite some time. We head off.
As a leaving gesture, the (remember female) magus/rogue attempts to steal a pixie's underwear. They aren't wearing any.
So a "combat" that lasted maybe four rounds in game (that I probably don't recall the proper order of things happening). Took most of the night, and made the night like no planned encounter ever could have. It was mad, goofy, and excellent, and I expect this game to have more nights like it before its over.
Most of all, I don't know if I'll ever be able to say the word pixies with a straight face again.
Next up, I raise my hands above my head and move forward, announcing that we mean no harm and wish to precode with out harm to us. The answer comes in a whisper "Harm is such a relative term" and more laughter.
More of us move forward, and we get to the pixies again. Now the pixies using permanent image to manifest a huge spider-like creature in front of the bard, and a Glabrezu in front of the fighter. The bard is now screaming in panic at nothing, and the dwarf charges to the side of the party and is swinging at mid-air. One pixie attempts irresistible dance on the druid, but the druid makes the save.
The druid has figured out he can't wake the wolf, and ask the party for assistance. For some reason, all the party ignores him. I spend my turn trying to figure out whats wrong with the bard and fighter, and convince them they're seeing things. The cleric succeeds on a dispel magic on the bard.
The round comes back to the druid, he asks for help to carry his wolf again, and doesn't see any signs of assistance, so starts dancing anyway. Apparently, pixies think druids can't dance. So when the perform check is low, one of the pixies looses it, and becomes visible, literally rolling on the ground laughing.
The magus/rogue things this is a good chance to bring some sanity to the situation, and grabs the pixie. The pixie's ill health is now noticeable, so the magus asks what's wrong. The pixie proceeds to point at the dancing druid and continue laughing. "Silly time" has struck the table.
Back around to me, I move back towards the party, and attempt to convince the fighter it's all in his head. Once again, no luck. The cleric attempts to dispel the image on the fighter, fumbles, the DM determines that this instead dispels the barkskin potion the fighter had taken, and that the fighter sees the image wiggle its claws as the barkskin is dispelled. Oh joy.
The gunslinger, who was just going to leave, decides that maybe it'd be wiser to help the people that rescued him from a fort basement prison, and comes back to help convince the fighter its all in his head. More on that later.
I'm not going to bet to the druid to help with picking up the wolf, but I’m still thinking "logically" hence my it's all good, I'll cast enlarge person from here an the druid can carry the wolf on his own. So I cast enlarge person, druid grows, but what does the druid do on his turn? He picks up the paws of the unconscious wolf and continues to dance.
Now we have three laughing, prone, visible pixies. The cleric attempts grappling a second pixie, and misses, badly... and once again asks what made them this way. She's referring to their sickly appearance. DM rolls percentile for the three of them, determines that they all point at the druid. Cleric is annoyed.
Okay so the gunslinger's idea of "helping" fighter realize its an illusion is to get in front of the fighter, and stand there dodging swings and ask what the fighter's fighting. Roll for disbelieve illusion, fail, fighter sees the demon eat the gunslinger. The fighter continues attacking.
The bard has his head on straight again, so he attempts a knowledge nature check to see whats wrong with the pixies. He rolls a 1. I know skill checks can't be fumbled, well DM says they can. So the bard's player says "Wait, I'm not at the bank!" to represent his fumble. Next is one of the remaining pixies.
Permanent Image again, failed roll again, the bard IS at the bank.
Magus? She's making friends with the pixie she's got by the waist.
Druid continues dancing.
Gunslinger, attempts to pistol whip the fighter prone. Hits, doesn't knock prone, fighter things the demon hit him. This really only makes him angry.
Cleric asks again, this time she specifically asks "Why are you sick?" Pixie makes a knowledge nature check, rolls a 6, answers "Umm, something down in whitewillow... must have... pthththth." yeah, the pixie shrugs and raspberries. Cleric looks at the dm with a look. Dm says "I rolled a 6!" Of course, the someone asks of the pixie really broke the fourth wall... Dm rolls percentile, and determines, yet again that weirdness happened. The pixie really does answer "I rolled a 6!"
Me, I'm ready for a little sanity, my staff is the UE Hurricane Staff it's already over my head, so a couple of spins, "Enough of this Tomfoolery!" and gust of wind. I knock the two pixies who'd stood back up prone again, and the one in front of me (who I couldn't see) falls prone and is also visible.
It doesn't really help, but someone loudly asks if anyone knows what happened to the pixies. The final pixie voluntarily becomes visible and explains that none of them were there for whatever happened, but for it to affect pixies this far out, something very bad must have happened in Whitewillow.
Peace is made, we offer to help, since we're headed that direction anyway and looking for a lost human who was obviously in love with a nymph. They mention they've not seen him in quite some time. We head off.
As a leaving gesture, the (remember female) magus/rogue attempts to steal a pixie's underwear. They aren't wearing any.
So a "combat" that lasted maybe four rounds in game (that I probably don't recall the proper order of things happening). Took most of the night, and made the night like no planned encounter ever could have. It was mad, goofy, and excellent, and I expect this game to have more nights like it before its over.
Most of all, I don't know if I'll ever be able to say the word pixies with a straight face again.
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