Rise of the Runelords OOC

[DrK]

Well if you are happy with magus in a different flavour and ranged (to join Iris) then I'll build a melee character to join Lizuga up front.

[Ghostfoot]

You have exactly completed book one and left Sandpoint before any of book two events took place. Those two things are still waiting to happen, but there's no set timescale, so you can complete Lady's Light with no problem at all.

I hadn't even realised we had gone 'off piste' - it's been nice and seamless :-)

[Erloas]

I'm still really debating between the Zweihander Sentinel (Warden) and eldritch archer (magus). There are a lot more ranged spells to put into use with the magus compared to touch spells and easier to use, not having to move as much and not having to cast defensively, as well as all the outside of combat utility. But the warden (PoW) seem to have a lot more combat options and team support in combat, while giving up most out of combat utility.
I don't have a great feel for a character concept yet either.

[DrK]

Draft WIP for an elf stalker/investigator as a replacement. He'll fulfil a similar role to how I envisioned Adalbert would with stealth, utility and knowledge skills and trapfinding but replacing flanking and backstabbing for the subtle spells.

[Spore]

I see you are struggling and I would like to help out and reinvent Adalbert if I may?

[u-b]

Errr... welcome aboard?

I'd rather have DrK run Adalbert until he hands out his report to the Pathfinder Lodge and gets their reply. I want to run the scene with him at the character. But any and all preparatory steps can commence in parallel. Go ahead.

[Erloas]

I've got a general idea for a build, but I just haven't been in the right headspace to build the character or come up with a background yet. Lot of extra things going on with this trip, including adding a second trip in the middle of it.
I should be home and unable to do much else but computer time starting next week, so if I don't get it done before then, I should get it then.

[DrK]

I see you are struggling and I would like to help out and reinvent Adalbert if I may?

I hope I've done him justice while you've been away. Its a type of PC i think I just struggle to play - I'm rarely a primary spell caster

[Spore]

I hope I've done him justice while you've been away. Its a type of PC i think I just struggle to play - I'm rarely a primary spell caster

I saw a few posts here and there. You played it well. It's just that (imho) Sorcerers suck between 3 and 5.

I would want a general rundown on what happened? I assume you are in the caves below the Lady statue and got reamed hard?

[Spore]

Also I am of course waiting for official acceptance of ub.

[u-b]

Also I am of course waiting for official acceptance of ub.

Errr... welcome aboard?

Well, consider this as official as it possibly gets.

What do you want to build? I think DrK's Sorc VMC Bard is actually a sound idea to have more active action. Anything else?

[Spore]

Ideas include an Arrowsong Minstrel (for ranged attacks) , a Lore Oracle (for skills plus healing and control spells) and said Sylvan Sorcerer.

A few things I would like to know:

1) Which animal companion did DrK take? Was it even bound or summoned yet? If I decide on an AC, is it commanded through the DM/handling checks or directly player controlled?

2) I assume the group composition is Lizuga, Iris and Adalbert with Erloas still deciding. We have melee/healing, plus utility/tracking. We would need a second melee and an arcanist, right?

3) Did Adalbert's ominous "anger +1" effect get dispelled along the way?

4) Would it be feasible for Adalbert to get (oracle-)cursed along the way? I am looking at Powerless Prophecy right now, which is representing Adalbert overthinking his fellow adventurer's demise. For a mystery, I would pick the Lore mystery obviously. The thing is: I played this before.
If I invest in that, I will hit 30-58 results on knowledge checks (+9 from vmc bard and int, +20 from Focussed Trance, probably +1d8 from psychic searcher). And I expect not the whole campaign info laid barren to me, but I do expect some kind of knowledge only gods or spirits would know.

5) My attributes are fine for a bard, good even, but would a reallocation be okay for another build? Could I maybe pick "add a spell of your second highest spell level to your spontaneous caster list" from human as a FCB?

6) What in your eyes makes out Adalbert? Is it scholarly behaviour? Is it supporting allies? Is it the fey-angle? I want to stay true to the original idea.

7) Something tells me in my mind's eye, I should just go Wizard VMC Bard.

[DrK]

Ideas include an Arrowsong Minstrel (for ranged attacks) , a Lore Oracle (for skills plus healing and control spells) and said Sylvan Sorcerer.

A few things I would like to know:

1) Which animal companion did DrK take? Was it even bound or summoned yet? If I decide on an AC, is it commanded through the DM/handling checks or directly player controlled?

2) I assume the group composition is Lizuga, Iris and Adalbert with Erloas still deciding. We have melee/healing, plus utility/tracking. We would need a second melee and an arcanist, right?

3) Did Adalbert's ominous "anger +1" effect get dispelled along the way?

4) Would it be feasible for Adalbert to get (oracle-)cursed along the way? I am looking at Powerless Prophecy right now, which is representing Adalbert overthinking his fellow adventurer's demise. For a mystery, I would pick the Lore mystery obviously. The thing is: I played this before.
If I invest in that, I will hit 30-58 results on knowledge checks (+9 from vmc bard and int, +20 from Focussed Trance, probably +1d8 from psychic searcher). And I expect not the whole campaign info laid barren to me, but I do expect some kind of knowledge only gods or spirits would know.

5) My attributes are fine for a bard, good even, but would a reallocation be okay for another build? Could I maybe pick "add a spell of your second highest spell level to your spontaneous caster list" from human as a FCB?

6) What in your eyes makes out Adalbert? Is it scholarly behaviour? Is it supporting allies? Is it the fey-angle? I want to stay true to the original idea.

7) Something tells me in my mind's eye, I should just go Wizard VMC Bard.

On...
1) I didn't get an Companion yet as we didn't have time or an appropriate point after Justen died
2) On the composition I'm looking at a stalker with trapfinding/stealth/delicate melee striker to go with Lizuga, Iris, Erloas's new PC and if you rejoin a Adalbert mk3

[Spore]

That (plus not having Mage Armor and Enlarge Person to buff it) was probably a main reason we were struggling. I feel both spells are mandatory for Sylvan Sorcerers.

[Spore]

Adalbert as an Evoker Wizard (with a Sorcerer dip). I would just use his scholastic background as a reason to research Thassilonian magic (and discover his bath in the pool of Wrath has given him sortakinda superpowers). I put "Ancestors" as his patron theme (as Pact Wizard) since "anger or retribution or somesuch" did not exist. I'm not perfectly happy with the patron theme, but I welcome the curse at Pact Wizard's fifth level.

I used a few tricks to keep the skill list relatively similar (a combo from powerful traits and alternate racials), but overall I think the "Adalbert" feel stays while the general jist becomes more magical and less physical and support-y.

I am still on the fence of just going whole-hog on sorcerer (in which case it would probably just be primal fire).

[u-b]

3) Did Adalbert's ominous "anger +1" effect get dispelled along the way?

No, it's still with him.

Adalbert as an Evoker Wizard (with a Sorcerer dip). I would just use his scholastic background as a reason to research Thassilonian magic (and discover his bath in the pool of Wrath has given him sortakinda superpowers). I put "Ancestors" as his patron theme (as Pact Wizard) since "anger or retribution or somesuch" did not exist. I'm not perfectly happy with the patron theme, but I welcome the curse at Pact Wizard's fifth level.

1. I see MW Chain shirt there, but cannot locate a feat (or something) that allows to ignore spell failure chance while wearing it. I also see Mage Armor in there, which is strange given the metal armor.
2. Everyone got a level up, so you should build for level 5.

[Spore]

It sits in the armor slot so I dont forget I have it.

[Spore]

I think Adalbert is finished now. I am aiming for a very angry revenge-hungry halfling, that peruses the power of destruction magic to avenge his friends. Maybe the bath in liquid anger has something to do with it, who knows?

A few tiny questions:

1) Thrush familiars are stated to be able to talk. Familiars get the ability to talk to their master, and with the familiar's intellect of 7, I don't think this is simple mimicry. How do we rule this?

2) I picked a focus of sorcerer and scholarly wizardry to reflect my rebuild. I am not a fan of overly emphasizing bloodlines (to avoid the infamous Half-Fiend Half-Drow Draconic Orc Blood sorcerers) in my case, so I would prefer to adresse the bloodline situation as just "blessed" or "infused" with the essence of the Runelords, if you don't have a better idea. WotR would lend itself to my as-written Gold Dragon/Solar bloodline idea, but we are very far from that setting.

3) We need to sort out my gear. Now as a wizard, the items known as "Thassilonian spellscrolls" naturally interest me more, but DrK probably switched items. It feels wrong to re-itemize Adalbert from scratch but it would be the easiest solution.

[u-b]

1) Thrush familiars are stated to be able to talk. Familiars get the ability to talk to their master, and with the familiar's intellect of 7, I don't think this is simple mimicry. How do we rule this?

Some heavily-accented Taldane with a vocabulary the size like of a seven-years-old. That is to say, not bad at all, by any measure.

2) I picked a focus of sorcerer and scholarly wizardry to reflect my rebuild. I am not a fan of overly emphasizing bloodlines (to avoid the infamous Half-Fiend Half-Drow Draconic Orc Blood sorcerers) in my case, so I would prefer to adresse the bloodline situation as just "blessed" or "infused" with the essence of the Runelords, if you don't have a better idea. WotR would lend itself to my as-written Gold Dragon/Solar bloodline idea, but we are very far from that setting.

You've been to the pool. It certaily could have some side effects that took some time to develop. Evocation-themed or such.

3) We need to sort out my gear. Now as a wizard, the items known as "Thassilonian spellscrolls" naturally interest me more, but DrK probably switched items. It feels wrong to re-itemize Adalbert from scratch but it would be the easiest solution.

Well, no, not from scratch. I am not sure how you would do without a sellbook and having one magically appear is a bit of a stretch, but this can be sorted out in the city and the party has a spellbook from the magus they fought, so something-something and Adalbert gets to handle book magic.

[Erloas]

Well Lebwens spellbook should have been on his body. (In a waterproof bag in the masterwork backpack)
Which doesn't give a great selection of spells for your theme, but it's at least a start. We've also recovered at least one spellbook as loot but I forget what was in it, would have to check the thread for that.

[Erloas]

So I'm working on my Warden (Zweihander Sentinel). Half-orc currently named Krusk, though not sure if that's what I'm going to stick with.

I'm thinking he's going to be friends with, or at least acquainted with Maroux, the half-orc witch we meet on the shore before heading into the caves.
Going with the basic idea behind the Overlooked Mastermind racial trait, I figured I would go that route, purposefully making his armor and weapons look unassuming and unmaintained. He has spent most of his years in this general area, often working as a guard for merchants and similar traveling the roads, which would explain his protective and defensive skills. He's also worked with pathfinder society as well, doing some work for them.

I still have a feat or two to decide, a trait, and some gear.
I'm thinking about a horse or similar, which would make sense for the caravan guarding, but not sure if it would be all that practical for our group.

Stylewise I really like the bardiche, but I could do the same build with any heavy blade and not have to use a feat for it, and I'll end up with the same range either way at level 6. So maybe I just go with a falchion, or the ever present greatsword.

[Spore]

Krusk has a striking similarity with Lebwen? Is he Lebwen's twin brother?

@ub

You tell me when I interject with Adalbert posts, okay?

[u-b]

You tell me when I interject with Adalbert posts, okay?

Yes, I will say.

[Erloas]

So Krusk should be finished. I'm new to PoW, and with all the bonuses, traits, feats, etc. I'm sure I probably missed a few things.

While I liked the idea of a halberd or bardiche more, the fact that it would cost a feat and be functionally the same after level 6, it just wasn't worth it.

I wasn't really sure how to make the equipment seem organic. I put a fair amount of effort into survivability.

[Spore]

I am kind of curious why a melee character would have Int 18 and Str 15.

[Erloas]

I am kind of curious why a melee character would have Int 18 and Str 15.

All of the guides have warders with Int over Str because it is their Initiator stat, which drives a lot of their bonuses. Sort of like a Paladin and Wis.

It goes to my initiative, number of marks, number of AOOs, reflex save, and in various maneuvers.



Is it ok to monologue slightly for the new characters? Not sure how to really set up much initial "what he's doing" when there isn't anyone to talk to?

[u-b]

Is it ok to monologue slightly for the new characters? Not sure how to really set up much initial "what he's doing" when there isn't anyone to talk to?

Well, there is the whole city, including the people at the lodge, if he's there for some reason, but yeah, go ahead and monologue if you prefer it that way.

[Erloas]

So I'm guessing at least someone forgot to check the thread when it fell off the first page.

Haven't seen anything about DrK's new character, I assume they'll be showing up in town too?

[Spore]

I am subscribed to the thread now. Tell me a rough page number and I'll catch up on the game then, wrestling Adalbert from DrK's hands to force them to introduce their new character.

:)

[DrK]

I was thinking, if U-b agrees that Rakieth (the stealthy stalker/rogue/trapfinder) could be introduced when the Lady of the Lodge meets the party and they have to report and regroup.