Talk to Ashiel About Anything Mark II

[Zilrax]

Eh, games still fun. I'd stick to Apples to Apples if you're worried about offending anyone. Same game, but lacking the edginess.

[TOZ]

Cards Against Humanity is edge for edgesake, inspiring my despite. There are plenty of other similar games with the edge cut off.

[catman04221985]

That game looks really interesting.

And yes, I've found monsters or NPC-classed characters + spheres seems to be a very nice option.

I am quite impressed with the spheres system.

[Razade]

Cards Against Humanity is edge for edgesake, inspiring my despite. There are plenty of other similar games with the edge cut off.

It is, itself, a copy of Apples to Apples with more "adult" humor. It's hit or miss I find.

With all the talk about Pathfinder 2.0, I am more and more happy I stumbled on Powered by the Apocalypse in general and Masks: A New Generation in specific. It's good to know that while the mechanics first games are getting more and more...bland as they desperately seek to keep up with what the Wizards are doing, others are out there plying new waters.

[TOZ]

I am just going to be happy that my preferred system will be static and not releasing new content.

[Bartmanhomer]

Hey Ashiel. Have you tried any other card games beside MTG and COH?

[Ashiel]

Hey Ashiel. Have you tried any other card games beside MTG and COH?

Most definitely. Both physical and digital.

When I was younger I played the pokemon TCG when it launched, tried Gen 1 Yu Gi Oh, probably should have stayed for Gen 2 since the game seemed more interesting then, heard it got stupid shortly thereafter from some friends of mine who stuck with it competitively for a while. Apples to Apples is great (though strangely I find it more disruptive to play than CAU...somehow. My friends and family are weird I guess). Spellweaver is a pretty fun MtG-like game you can get for free on Steam (and IMHO has some better mechanics than MtG from a resources perspective), and I've not played a lot of it but Shadowverse is pretty popular (what I did play of it seemed fun) and is also free on Steam.

Some oldschool card games like Contract Rummy are fun as well. Also Uno, though I haven't played it in ages.

I am just going to be happy that my preferred system will be static and not releasing new content.

Yeah it's actually kind of a breath of fresh air. In some ways I wish they had stopped a while ago. It's kind of frustrating how much crunch-sludge you have to wade through sometimes to find something worthwhile. The bloat was real. I mean, for the lulz, just look at the list of Traits on d20pfsrd sometime. Jeebus.

[TOZ]

I think it would be great if HeroLab had an option to block specific options rather than just by books, as then I could set up custom campaign selections or just weed out all the useless options and reduce scrolling time.

[Lemmy]

Yeah it's actually kind of a breath of fresh air. In some ways I wish they had stopped a while ago. It's kind of frustrating how much crunch-sludge you have to wade through sometimes to find something worthwhile. The bloat was real. I mean, for the lulz, just look at the list of Traits on d20pfsrd sometime. Jeebus.

Spoiler: Rant

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I lost count of how many times I said that the design/busisness model of adding a billion worthless options that no one ever uses just to bloat up the books and be able to write "200 New Feats!" in the back cover was a terrible idea in the long run. No matter how much Paizo and its fanboys denied it, it was always clear that PF would eventually break under.the weight of its own rules. It happens to every system that continuously releases stuff every year... All that bloat achieves is speed up this process while making the game more expensive, less balanced, more annoying to muddle through, harder to learn and more intimidating to newcomers.

But... Nooo... Paizo Defense Force and their infallible God-Devs would insist that "it isn't bloat! It's options!"... Had they focused on thiner books with higher quality content, PF would be a much better game today, and could probably release material for another decade!

The trait list you mention is a hilarious example... It has a billion different traits that no one uses and another billion that do the exact same thing, but with a different fluff attached to it (take a shot for every trait that comes down to "you get a +1 to this skill becomes and it becomes a class skill to you".

As if that was not enough, in the last few 2~3 years or so... Paizo grew and realaized they had a horde of zombies in the PDF that would defend them and consume their product no matter what... Which is probably what made them confident enough to be hostile, unprofessional and downright venomous in their treatment to anyone who criticizes or simply or disagrees with a member of their staff. Also why they get away with an errata policy that is so dishonest and disrespectful to customers, I consider it to be bordering on a scam.

So now we have a good system that was burdened by every release and harmes by every errata... And a new system that is fresh and nimble... But also weak, restrictive, unfun and basically pointless (Seriously, why play PF2 instead of 5e? The latter is better designed and more popular).

Ugh... Sorry... Paizo design philosophy is so dumb and their errata policy is so repulsive, that every time I think about it, I risk going into a rant...

[Ashiel]

I think it would be great if HeroLab had an option to block specific options rather than just by books, as then I could set up custom campaign selections or just weed out all the useless options and reduce scrolling time.

That'd be neat. I haven't used Hero Lab, but I've heard nice things. It's a commercial product, right?

Ugh... Sorry... Paizo design philosophy is so dumb and their errata policy is so repulsive, that every time I think about it, I risk going into a rant...

I suppose the temptation was just too great. It was very lucrative to handle things like that, but it's super destructive mid to long term. I think the real bummer is how they really should have known better after watching the rise and fall of 3.5. Producing more non-rules content such as more modules, adventures, and supplemental things (like paper foldout minis) would have been far more sustainable.

There's a lot of ways I think they could have handled things better. I mean, they could have made PF 2e more of a compendium of balance revisions, errata, and splat material that was popular subsumed into a new core (I'm not saying that I trust Paizo in balance, errata, or splat material, but it's a good model in principle). Definitely far less risky than releasing an entirely new and drastically different system that has no compatibility with any of your existing audience's materials.

EDIT: Meanwhile in vidja gaemes.

[Zilrax]

Herolab is yeah. I use it for Mutants and Masterminds 3e. I don't wanna do it for pathfinder cus would have to license like every book and screw that noise :p. I'm fluent enough in the system to not need it really.

Yeah lotta games derp of late. EA is trying to get some good will back though by remastering C&C and Red Alert 1 and not having microtransactions and contacting the studio that made Grey Goo who are mostly Westwood's team to help. See how that one goes.

[Rynjin]

Not to start an edition war, but what is there that recommends M&M 3e over 2nd? I've tried playing both, and I'm not sure if it's bad luck or the system really is as frustrating as it seems, but every game of 3e I've played has been very frustrating.

[Zilrax]

Truth be told I don't actually know anything about 2e and my familiarity with 3e is... questionable. I just like making characters. I have not really... PLAYED the game much. Certainly not with anyone experienced.

[Ashiel]

I couldn't say myself. The only time I've really had my hands on M&M was when some other people asked me to play and them promptly didn't GM the campaigns they said they wanted to run after the characters were mostly done, either out of circumstance or losing interest. Since I didn't really have much need for a superhero RPG (D&D/d20 modern/Star Wars can get pretty super hero themselves) I didn't really ever pick it up.

[Lemmy]

I played a lot of MM 2e because one of my friends loves MM... He prefers 2e over 3e, but I honestly have no idea why, as I know very little about 3e.

[Zilrax]

I jsut like the ability to make powers and chars as I like most part. Spheres scratches a similar itch for me right now. I mean I just figured out how to make a twoheaded four armed martial caster wolf girl with two minds equally. So now I've a new boss, or technically two bosses in one body, I can throw at the party after my hobgoblin in a battle tank.

[Ashiel]

I jsut like the ability to make powers and chars as I like most part. Spheres scratches a similar itch for me right now. I mean I just figured out how to make a twoheaded four armed martial caster wolf girl with two minds equally. So now I've a new boss, or technically two bosses in one body, I can throw at the party after my hobgoblin in a battle tank.

"I just figured out how to make a two-headed four armed martial caster wolf girl"...

Elaborate?

[Zilrax]

There's a few ways to do it. The simplest way is rather basic. Alteration Sphere, Extra Limbs Talent. Done. Can be permanent soon as you hit level 10.

But why stop there? So those bits are still true. Start as a Rougarou. Or specifically two rougarous. One needs to be an alteration mage. I went with a Shifter. The other can be any, I went with an Armiger.

Advanced Talents include a talent that let's you fuze two people into one body. They combine hp, one has the dominant body and the other adds their stats to it a certain way. One can use the body a turn, the other can only use mental actions. So in this case the Armiger takes the physical actions while the Shifter focuses on spellcasting.

[Ashiel]

That's pretty neat. ^_^

Also, I went and got my nails done professionally today and a pedicure, which was the first time for both. It was really nice actually. Then I went to the Walmart to go clothes shopping and got some stuff to wear over the winter.

Spoiler: Pictures

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The image files are too large for the forums (I think) so rather than risk getting whacked by a mod for sourcing the pictures, here's some links instead.
Four hours of sleep means leaning on walls.
This one was too small. My figure's pretty terrible but this is an improvement (I've lost close 50 lbs, and need to lose another 50+).
Keeping my nails short 'cause I work with my hands a bunch. Also, my desk is messy.

[catman04221985]

Spoiler: BFG Man

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D
Male human elementalist (electrokinetic) 10
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +8; Senses blindsense 60 ft.; Perception +14
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 25, touch 17, flat-footed 19 (+8 armor, +1 deflection, +4 Dex, +2 dodge)
hp 110 (10d8+30)
Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +11
Defensive Abilities evasion; Resist electricity 10, sonic 10
Weaknesses energy focus, limited telekinesis
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (average)
Melee (L) +1 holy adamantine greatsword +12/+7 (4d6+11/19-20 plus 2d6 vs. evil) or
. . cold iron morningstar +8/+3 (1d8) or
. . destructive blast +8 touch (5d6+10) or
. . silver sickle +8/+3 (1d6-1)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 24
Base Atk +7; CMB +8; CMD 24
Feats Animal Ally, Boon Companion[UW], Cantrips, Extra Magic Talent, Extra Magic Talent, Improved Initiative, Nature Soul
Skills Acrobatics +16, Appraise +1, Bluff +8, Climb -1, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +8, Escape Artist +3, Fly +11, Heal +1, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Perception +14, Ride +3, Sense Motive +1, Spellcraft +14, Stealth +16, Survival +3, Swim -1
Languages Common
SQ casting, dancing weapon, destructive blast, divided mind, electric blast, electrokinetic stunts (bioelectric manipulation, electric charge, electroreception), energy satellite, energy sphere, favored element (favored element [electric]), forceful telekinesis, friction field, kinetic field, mobile bludgeon, orbit, powerful telekinesis, retributive blast, telekinesis, thunder blast
Combat Gear wand of infernal healing (50 charges), acid (2), alchemist's fire (2), holy water (2), tangleburn bag[UE] (3), tanglefoot bag (4); Other Gear +2 elven chain, +1 holy adamantine greatsword, cold iron morningstar, silver sickle, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cape of free will +2/+3[MA], handy haversack, headband of alluring charisma +4, ring of protection +1, bandolier[UE], bandolier[UE], candle (2), chalk, everburning torch, hammer, piton (4), sack (2), silk rope (50 ft.), small tent, sunrod (3), tindertwig (4), 59 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Animal Companion Link (Ex) Handle or push Animal Companion faster, +4 to checks vs. them.
Bioelectric Manipulation (Su) You may treat living creatures as metal objects for the purposes of your telekinesis and electrokinetic stunts.
Blindsense (living creatures, electricity) (60 feet) (Ex) Sense things and creatures without seeing them.
Boon Companion (Animal Companion) Companion or familiar abilities are treated as if you were a higher level.
Cantrips You can create a variety of small magical effects
Casting (CL 7, MSB +10, MSD 21, Concentration +17, DC 20) You can cast sphere effects.
Destruction: Destructive Blast 5d6+10 Ranged or melee touch attack deals 5d6+10 damage
Destruction: Electric Blast Destructive Blast deals electric damage
Destruction: Energy Satellite (DC 22) Form your destructive blast into a sphere that orbits you and can be discharged as an immediate action
Destruction: Energy Sphere (Speed 45 ft., DC 22) Turn your destructive blast into a movable sphere of energy
Destruction: Retributive Blast (DC 22) Spend 1 SP to make a destructive blast against a creature who misses a melee attack against you
Destruction: Thunder Blast (DC 22) Your destructive blast deals sonic damage and can deafen target
Electric Charge (Su) As a swift action, apply destructive blast to the target of a successful bludgeon
Energy Focus (Electric) You may only make a destructive blast of a single energy type
Energy Resistance, Electricity (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Energy Resistance, Sonic (10) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Sonic attacks.
Evasion (Ex) If succeed on Reflex save for half dam, take none instead.
Fly (20 feet, Average) You can fly!
Limited Telekinesis (Metal) You may only use your telekinesis on one type of material
Share Spells with Companion (Ex) Can cast spells with a target of "you" on animal companion, as touch spells.
Telekinesis: Dancing Weapon Improve your use of lifted objects as weapons
Telekinesis: Divided Mind (11 targets) Lift multiple objects at once
Telekinesis: Forceful Telekinesis Bludgeon objects deal damage as if one size larger, +2 CMB/CMD to maneuvers with telekinesis
Telekinesis: Friction Field Turn all squares in an area into difficult terrain
Telekinesis: Kinetic Field Creates a force field that stops thrown/fired objects under your max lift size
Telekinesis: Mobile Bludgeon Make full attacks with bludgeons, or move a bludgeon after attacking with it
Telekinesis: Orbit (Max size Small) Cause objects to float around yourself passively, no action required
Telekinesis: Powerful Telekinesis Move larger items with your telekinesis
Telekinesis: Telekinesis (Large, Speed 30 ft, DC 22) You can move objects and creatures with your mind, with several applications

Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at https://www.wolflair.com
Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Inc.®, and are used under license.

Here is my main tester char. I kind of went all over the place with feats. He feels pretty versatile.

[catman04221985]

That's pretty neat. ^_^

Also, I went and got my nails done professionally today and a pedicure, which was the first time for both. It was really nice actually. Then I went to the Walmart to go clothes shopping and got some stuff to wear over the winter.

Spoiler: Pictures

Show

The image files are too large for the forums (I think) so rather than risk getting whacked by a mod for sourcing the pictures, here's some links instead.
Four hours of sleep means leaning on walls.
This one was too small. My figure's pretty terrible but this is an improvement (I've lost close 50 lbs, and need to lose another 50+).
Keeping my nails short 'cause I work with my hands a bunch. Also, my desk is messy.

2nd on the very nice comment.

[Ashiel]

Today I'm up to my evil GM antics as usual. Minion-based classes give a lot of bang for your buck. Got some savage (no gear except clubs & slings) druids w/ animal companions, so between the two of 'em they're 135 XP (animal companion is included w/ druid, druid has -1 CR due to no gear), and of course can spontaneously cast summon nature's ally for good measure.

The party's decided to take on a quest of sorts involving a ruined keep currently occupied by some evil druid fellows. In addition to some neat stuff lying hidden around the keep (which the party already knows is supposed to be there), the keep itself is a prelude to a PC wanting to become a landlord so soon they'll have a fixer-upper that they can use as a base.

Here's some maps I put together. Fairly small keep honestly, so I imagine it'll be quite amusing with the hordes of baddies.
Keep Exterior
Keep Interior

[Lemmy]

This one was too small. My figure's pretty terrible but this is an improvement (I've lost close 50 lbs, and need to lose another 50+).

Wow! That's seriously impressive! You have my admiration... And my envy! I'm struggling to lose 9 kg (about 20 lbs, for you savages). I have a huge penalty to Will saves vs food and candy...

Today I'm up to my evil GM antics as usual. Minion-based classes give a lot of bang for your buck. Got some savage (no gear except clubs & slings) druids w/ animal companions, so between the two of 'em they're 135 XP (animal companion is included w/ druid, druid has -1 CR due to no gear), and of course can spontaneously cast summon nature's ally for good measure.

The party's decided to take on a quest of sorts involving a ruined keep currently occupied by some evil druid fellows. In addition to some neat stuff lying hidden around the keep (which the party already knows is supposed to be there), the keep itself is a prelude to a PC wanting to become a landlord so soon they'll have a fixer-upper that they can use as a base.

Here's some maps I put together. Fairly small keep honestly, so I imagine it'll be quite amusing with the hordes of baddies.
Keep Exterior
Keep Interior

Ah... Druid NPCs... I remember the last time I thought "How can I make this BBEG have super cool spells, be badass in melee and have extra actions without increasing his CR? Oh... I know! Druid!"... Fun times!

EDIT: Well... Since I'm already here, might as well shamelessly plug my Revised Shifter for PFRPG. It's a work in progress, but I'd still love to hear what you all think!

[Bartmanhomer]

Hey Ashiel. Have you ever heard of the card game called Boss Monster?

[Zilrax]

Huh. It's weird how much you look like my sister. They're doing the same thing. Though I think they're heavier.

I don't have a good mapmaker really so I just use google usually. I was using this last time. https://i.redd.it/45aa9s2d7faz.png

[Tels]

Wow, I haven't received a notification of activity in this thread since August, and I missed the glorious return of our Lord and Savior!

If it hadn't been for a thread on Reddit where Ashiel was referenced twice, I probably wouldn't have noticed. After reading the Goblin post again, it got me wondering, who here has been watching the Goblin Slayer anime? If you haven't, you should. It's heavily based on D&D, according to commenters on Reddit.

Gonna go back and read everything I missed now.

[Ashiel]

Happy Thanksgiving! Replies imminent. (^_^)

[Ashiel]

Wow! That's seriously impressive! You have my admiration... And my envy! I'm struggling to lose 9 kg (about 20 lbs, for you savages). I have a huge penalty to Will saves vs food and candy...

It's not easy but it's worth it. I'd definitely recommend totally cutting carbs and sugars out of the diet (or at least minimizing them as much as possible) and eating a diet very high in healthy saturated fats (animal fats, butter, cream, avocados, coconut oil), green vegetables (kale, spinach though maybe not too much spinach it's hard on your kidneys, broccoli, etc), and meat. You can go nuts with most seasonings you want so you needn't worry about stuff tasting bad and if you need a little sweet now and then, I haven't found any evidence that Stevia causes you to grow feet in your brain or anything so I've been using it to sweeten stuff like lemonade (simplest sweet beverage to make, water, some lemon juice, a dash of stevia, shake and enjoy).

In fact, I'd probably be a lot thinner if I hadn't got a job at a Dominos Pizza. Fast-food pizza is probably one of the worst things you can eat (I've looked at the ingredients on things like their dipping sauces and it's lots of soy and vegetable oils and fake butter which are terrible for you, and I suspect they probably use much the same in their doughs and such but it's speculative), but it's often hard to turn down free food (if an order is cancelled while it's in the oven or a pizza has to be remade, we generally get to gobble it down, and I am a weak soul when it comes to pizza). However, having indulged on pizza for a while, I have regained my focus and have returned to trying to be more responsible with my eating.

The thing that upset me though is, virtually everything we're told about eating healthy aren't just lies they're damn lies. You do not need carbs at all. If someone says you do, they are lying. Our bodies can actually synthesize the minuscule amounts of glucose a small part of our brains need from fats in a process called glucogensis. Further, "vegetable" oils are horrifically bad for you (avoid anything that says vegetable oils, conola oils, and any of the other seed-based oils) and use things like coconut oil, uncooked olive oil (do not cook it or it becomes toxic), and animal fats (lard, tallow, butter, cream). Saturated fat is your friend, sugar/carbs is your enemy, fructose is your mortal enemy, and vegetable oils are the betrayers.

Further, counting calories is mostly crap. I've lost way more weight eating like a king while eating the right things than I ever did counting calories and trying to maintain a calorie budget (in fact in many of those cases I gained weight). And this is because your weight gain and loss is governed by hormones like insulin, cortisol, and growth hormone (which ironically is better at making you thinner and more muscular than it is with making you swell up). It's been proven that caloric reduction is only a short term solution anyway (there's a reason you don't see Biggest Looser reunion episodes) as the body just adapts to having less calories and your metabolism bombs and you swell back up or worse.

If you want I could link you some youtube videos concerning some of this stuff.

EDIT: Well... Since I'm already here, might as well shamelessly plug my Revised Shifter for PFRPG. It's a work in progress, but I'd still love to hear what you all think!

Neat! I'll check it out as soon as I'm done working on this adventure.

[Ashiel]

Hey Ashiel. Have you ever heard of the card game called Boss Monster?

Nope, I sure haven't. What's it like?

Huh. It's weird how much you look like my sister. They're doing the same thing. Though I think they're heavier.

I was much heavier, and estrogen actually makes losing weight harder I'm afraid, but where there's a will...
You could pass along some of the stuff I told Lemmy. It's done wonders for me (went from 275 lbs. to 234 over the course of some months and felt great and didn't balloon back up).

I don't have a good mapmaker really so I just use google usually. I was using this last time. https://i.redd.it/45aa9s2d7faz.png

I grab lots of stuff off the net too, but MapTools is pretty convenient for making maps for your campaign generally speaking so throwing together some maps in a hurry is usually just a matter of using some of the drawing tools and some textures and tokens. It's also nice if I want to use another map as a base but make some changes. I'm kinda weird when it comes to verisimilitude so I like my dungeons to have things like restrooms and baths and such in them (even if it's something simple like a set of wooden chairs over an ooze monster pit), which can double as an encounter or hazard if someone is pushed in or something.

[Ashiel]

Wow, I haven't received a notification of activity in this thread since August, and I missed the glorious return of our Lord and Savior!

I've missed you too.

If it hadn't been for a thread on Reddit where Ashiel was referenced twice, I probably wouldn't have noticed.

Oh wow, neat! (@_@)
I didn't think anyone talked about me anymore.

After reading the Goblin post again, it got me wondering, who here has been watching the Goblin Slayer anime? If you haven't, you should. It's heavily based on D&D, according to commenters on Reddit.

Gonna go back and read everything I missed now.

I haven't watched it but a friend of mine loves it. I've heard conflicting opinions on it, ranging from it's a great gritty anime to some stuff commenting on poor world building and some fridge logic situations. I myself haven't seen it though so I can't really say one way or another. I will admit that I was amused when my friend mentioned they poisoned their arrows with poop, because my goblins in D&D have been doing that stuff for ages.

Another fun D&D-based anime I have watched and enjoyed (albeit it's old and so the English dub is a little sketchy at times) is Record of Lodoss War. IIRC the entire thing was based on a D&D campaign, but I'd have to double check to be sure.