Thread of Unknown Purpose...OOC for Immortals

[Quarg]

Dayrunner fine....

I will entertain a martial ability replacement but needs to be reflected in what professions he has actually worked in...

[spiderwrangler]

Dayrunner fine....

I will entertain a martial ability replacement but needs to be reflected in what professions he has actually worked in...

I'll have to take a look through the list(s) and I'll post some character/backstory based possibilities for you to weigh in on.

[spiderwrangler]

From the Racial Point list (though I would view this less as racial and more due to his upbringing, nature vs nurture and whatnot... )

2 RP Traits (to replace Orc Weapon Familiarity - 2 RP)

Quick Reactions (2 RP)

Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: Members of this race receive Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.

Justification: As a pit fighter and muscle for hire, Arg'ak understands the importance of hitting first.

Gatecrasher (2 RP)

Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: Members of this race gain a +2 racial bonus on Strength checks to break objects and a +2 racial bonus on combat maneuver checks to sunder.

Justification: There are few things more demoralizing for your opponent than shattering their equipment.

Frenzy (2 RP)

Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: Once per day, whenever a member of this race takes damage, it flies into a frenzy for 1 minute, gaining a +2 racial bonus to Constitution and Strength, but a ÔÇô2 penalty to AC.

Justification: After fighting to stay alive for much of his life, Arg'ak is quick to mount a furious attack to overwhelm opponents before they can deal him further damage.

1 RP traits (take two?)

Defensive Training, Lesser (1 RP)

Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: Choose one subtype of humanoid. Members of this race gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC against humanoids of the chosen subtype.

Justification: Arg'ak has primarily fought against humans in the pits, as well as facing them in his other odd jobs. As a result, he is skilled at avoiding their attacks.

Fast (1 RP)

Prerequisites: Normal speed.
Benefit: Members of this race gain a +10 foot bonus to their base speed.
Special: This trait can be taken more than once, but each time it is, the cost increases by 1 RP. Its effects stack.

Justification: In early childhood traveling with his father, Arg'ak struggled to keep pace with his father's longer stride, but has become accustomed to moving rapidly as he matured.

Relentless (1 RP)

Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: Members of this race gain a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to bull rush or overrun an opponent. This bonus only applies while both the member of this race and its opponent are standing on the ground.

Justification: Arg'ak is skilled at using his size to overwhelm opponents in combat.

[Amara]

Sorry, the tiny note from before was more because I've been playing Dragon Age: Inquisition obsessively as a reprieve from finals studying. It wasn't meant as anything serious. :b

I can make him from wherever would make life easiest on you, honestly. I imagine he has traveled a lot and developed a very hodgepodge 'personal culture' rather than staying for any duration in any one place. As for race, while they are a "player race," I still don't really see dhampir as a proper race. They'd be an anomaly that would pop up here and there, typically when a recently turned vampire took advantage of a human female. I imagine a dhampir and human would simply have human offspring. A dhampir and an elf would probably produce a half-elf as normal. (Though I guess I could see it as eventual justification for the undead sorcerer bloodline...) Jäger sees himself as both a human, and as a monster, as paradoxical as that may sound. Overall, he looks human, and would do his best to present as such. Fangs aren't hard to hide; he certainly doesn't smile much. He's pale, but so are many people.

As far as altering back story to give him that sort of training, my idea behind him is simply that he is a character that has learned to use his training as a physician to hurt as well as heal. Preventative medicine is best, after all, and sometimes the best preventative medicine is simply killing the cause of all a group of people's pain, is it not? If you can do so stealthily and without anyone tracing it back to you, all the better. It lets you keep operating as a physician, and helping where you can best help. Sometimes pain is best relieved with herbs, a bit of healing light, and some rest and recovery. Sometimes, pain is best relieved with a crossbow bolt between the eyes. He travels extensively, so I don't find it too odd that he's learned to use a crossbow to defend himself as well.
Though, as far as training with healers, I do tend to assume that healers in D&D typically are some form of cleric, witch, or alchemist, in the case of an apothecarist, so I imagine he's learned from all of the above.

But...as far as editing back story to provide evidence he could have training in the things an inquisitor does, I'll confess I'm not certain how to, without explaining how I feel the class's abilities suit him on an ability by ability basis? He's philosophical, rather than deity bound, so he would be bound to that philosophy rather than a deity's teaching, and much of his ability would be "divinely granted" rather than learned in some church's chantry. Especially since he'd be a spontaneous, rather than prepared caster. Like a bard, his spells would be largely be tricks he's picked up along the way.


They kneel, hands clasped in prayer; let them never be the wiser that their god's 'providence' came in the form of a man stooping to the lows they could not allow themselves to fall to. Perhaps it is better they remain ignorant, though it is a pity. So much could be accomplished if hands busily raised to the heavens were instead put to work accomplishing what they pray for. So much more would get done, that way.

► Show Spoiler

Domain or Inquisition: I have not decided for certain here, but I am leaning toward Knowledge. It is best to study creatures, after all; one should learn their enemy's capabilities.
Jäger was small, frail, and often sickly as a child. He learned to defend himself by first determining what his 'enemy' was capable of, and then anticipating their action so that he could prepare himself, and react... He would never match their physical strength, but preparedness more than made up for that. This mentality has stuck with him as an adult. He studies his enemies carefully. The better he knows the monsters he hunts, the better he can lay them to rest before they harm again. Sometimes, these monsters are human... Demons disguised in flesh.
or
Revelation Inquisition But careful study is not enough. These demons must be revealed for what they are. All must see. No one should suffer their torment again.

Judgment : People are chosen for a reason. Tell Jäger this and he will likely laugh in your face; though it is a sad, bitter sound. Chosen is the wrong word; some people are cursed with the neccesity to do what others cannot, and to go further than they would allow themselves because of their 'morals'... The end result is always more pain.
Perhaps he is chosen. Be that the case, it is merely another burden which he must carry so that others do not have to. (This one is hard to really explain someone learning... I always saw the more divine powers as just sort of 'granted'. I suppose he might have studied with a cleric or paladin in his travels, but their rigid deontological morality would quickly rub him the wrong way. I can't imagine he'd have stayed long.) He's learned many things. Among them, is that sometimes a monster simply must die.
Monster Lore: Through careful study, it is revealed that all things have weaknesses. These Demons walking amongst us are strong, but they have their own weaknesses. These must be exploited.
Stern Gaze: (This I actually see as a throwback to one of the vampire abilities; almost a weakened dominate. He cannot control others, but he does seem to be supernaturally intimidating when inclined to be. Alternately, insert stern angry German doctor stereotype here?)
Cunning Initiative: When you are weaker, you learn to be reactionary. You must act quickly, skillfully, and more importantly you must act first.
Detect Alignment: Over time, Jäger has trained himself to become a very good judge of people and their intentions. Most individuals are simply going about their daily life. Some...are merely demons in human skins, waiting for the appropriate opportunity to spread misery and pain. These must be found, and swiftly.
Track : Worse, these demons hide. In the city most trails can be uncovered through paper left behind. Sometimes, however, the monsters escape. They are tangible. They leave footprints. Signs. The faster they are tracked down, the faster they die.
Solo Tactics: It is too much to hope others will be competent.. It is far better to learn how to act without their assistance. Doing the work of two men is exhausting, but necessary when it becomes a matter of life or death.

Otherwise, I can try writing something more detailed about his travels, and things learned amongst them later, but I'll confess for D&D that's something I've found easier to adapt as I go. More flexibility for me and the DM that way.

[Quarg]

Spider
I noted this when reviewing things:

City-Raised Half-Orc with this trait know little of their orc ancestry and were raised among humans and other half-orcs in a large city. City-raised half-orcs are proficient with whips and longswords, and receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (local) checks. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.

My only problem with your suggestions is that it really deprives you of having any greater than simple weapons (without spending a feat) that may not be the best idea in this campaign...I leave you to think on that...but I will accept any of those substitutions except the fast...

And I might allow another low (1RP) trait with Defensive Training, but I'd prefer it to be defensive...

Amara,
Flexibility is good
As for the race...I just dislike the Pathfinder set up of them...your character's backstory on his origin is fine but there is now a race that reminds people of your character...and they are not exactly anyone someone would like to meet...

My problem is really the Judgement ability...I don't see that ability, and the way it can work, without some training by someone with a closely related ability.
(replace the witch with a Heretical Inquisitor perhaps?)

[Amara]

But... being a heretic would add a new judgement, remove monster lore (the ability I like best from vanilla inquisitor,) to replace it with a new class ability that makes no sense, and would require Jäger to actually be a member of a faith in order to violate its precepts.

I always saw judgements as being divinely granted. But then, I always envisioned clerics and other divine classes that are philosophy bound instead of deity bound to still be a pawn of whatever deit(y/ies) their ideology falls in line of.
Unless you meant fallen inquisitor, in which case he's just a worthless ranger with only 3/4th bab, no companion or bond, and no spellcasting.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Oops. Forgot about this.

I have been cast away forced to live by my own survival skills. Or rather the skills of using money to buy what I need, even if it is at a higher price because someone thinks I am a threat, or too disgusting to get the prices normal people get. It is to be expected, my people and humans, elves, or dwarves do not tend to get along well and many wars broke out between my people and them. They treat me better than my own kin, who threw me out once I shared to the tribe the truth of the gods. Magubliet, and whomever the higher gods are, are just powerful magic users. And someone like myself could accend to this 'godhood'. They disliked the fact I not only spoke against Mags but also that I plan on treason.

This was not the first time they shunned me. Many suns ago adventurers came to raid. I was able to steal a book and some scrolls, presumingly from a mage. I self taught myself to use magic, and when the others found ot they were furious, but they kept me around because I provided great protection to the clan. And when we are not being attacked, they would bother me with things like getting a stuck kite out of a tree or chill their drink or die their hair. It was frustrating but I dealt with it because I knew my services would keep me living there. Oh if I had not opened my fat mouth that day I could have died of old age at home camp, but instead I have to tread through mud, talking to humans, and have to walk a long way.

Goblin mage. Familiar: unknown.

[spiderwrangler]

My only problem with your suggestions is that it really deprives you of having any greater than simple weapons (without spending a feat) that may not be the best idea in this campaign...I leave you to think on that...but I will accept any of those substitutions except the fast...

)

Fast was the one I felt the justification was a reach on. I hadn't intended to have him use any weapons other than unarmed strike, though your foreshadowing has me nervous now.

[Quarg]

But... being a heretic would add a new judgement, remove monster lore (the ability I like best from vanilla inquisitor,) to replace it with a new class ability that makes no sense, and would require Jäger to actually be a member of a faith in order to violate its precepts.

I always saw judgements as being divinely granted. But then, I always envisioned clerics and other divine classes that are philosophy bound instead of deity bound to still be a pawn of whatever deit(y/ies) their ideology falls in line of.
Unless you meant fallen inquisitor, in which case he's just a worthless ranger with only 3/4th bab, no companion or bond, and no spellcasting.

No...not that Jager is a heretic...
my idea was that he met and studied under a Heretic rather than a witch...And adapted the Heretic's ability to commit Judgement based upon their moral sense of right and wrong to his own Philosophical sense of right and wrong...

[Amara]

AH
Okay. That makes more sense then. Sorry for the misunderstanding! That could be workable.

[Quarg]

My only problem with your suggestions is that it really deprives you of having any greater than simple weapons (without spending a feat) that may not be the best idea in this campaign...I leave you to think on that...but I will accept any of those substitutions except the fast...

)

Fast was the one I felt the justification was a reach on. I hadn't intended to have him use any weapons other than unarmed strike, though your foreshadowing has me nervous now.

Which is what I thought when you started talking about giving up the orc weapons feat...and that may be fine...but people with swords have a damn long reach compared to an unarmed Orc

[spiderwrangler]

but people with swords have a damn long reach compared to an unarmed Orc

Huh?

Swords aren't reach weapons... Am I not correct in thinking that there is no mechanical difference between dealing damage via (Improved) Unarmed Strike and using a weapon?

[Synch]

I'll work on a character over next few days.

[spiderwrangler]

I think you'd said it was going to be point buy, and that we could either get +2 PB or two traits? What is our point buy value? Some of the racepoint/feat/trait/skill stuff I'm looking at might depend on what his attributes end up being.

[Synch]

Quarg, I've got a lot of ideas so happy to pick whatever one you prefer or whatever works best for group synergy. Please let me know if any you dislike.


Ranged attack: Gunslinger or Peltast (Knife Thrower)

Rehash Dalsein Stormcrow (maybe diff race): Wild Stalker (hybrid Ranger/Barbarian)

Rogue/Druid hybrid: Nature Fang

Healer-type: Dwarven Menhir Savant (Druid)

[Quarg]

Spider,
As a Brawler your best damage weapon is your fists..both agreed on
However, the inherent problem as the GM I see is getting close enough in some situations to use them...
Yes...the genius of DnD didn't define a reach differntial between unarmed and armed combat with a sword...
Eh...likely won't make a difference in the end...not to a monk/fighter...really it depends on how your character faces the challenges at the time...

Amara,
Yeah, just have some mentor be close/similar skill set but inquisitors really have poor overlap on the judgement thing...

Burns,
Don't mind the first person narrative but how old is our Goblin and what is his/her name?

Synch,
Didn't think you were going to play...but welcome...

All,
Point Buy and other details in post 2 on this thread...

[Synch]

Synch,
Didn't think you were going to play...but welcome...

Just been busy. Let me know which class from my list above suits you best.

[Quarg]

Well as a group you have
1 - Healer/Gitmo Senior Intergator
2 - A flanker (Brawler)
3 - A mage
4 - unknown
5 - unknown
6 - unknown
NPC - Dragonfire Adept (Not completely sure how I will use her but I might make her half to be circumspect...)

And although I like the abilities...how is a Wild S wind up in a multiverse Venice?

[spiderwrangler]

Spider,
As a Brawler your best damage weapon is your fists..both agreed on
However, the inherent problem as the GM I see is getting close enough in some situations to use them...
Yes...the genius of DnD didn't define a reach differntial between unarmed and armed combat with a sword...
Eh...likely won't make a difference in the end...not to a monk/fighter...really it depends on how your character faces the challenges at the time...

If I'm in melee range (adjacent space), I'm in range to attack... so unless facing off against waves of archers/mages, that shouldn't be the issue>

I think your desire for there to be a reach differential between unarmed and armed is misplaced... That would necessitate a range differential for daggers, another for short swords, another for long swords, etc. While combat is modeled as opponents in adjacent tiles, taking that too literally has them standing squared off against one another American Gladiator style, just flailing their limbs about.

[thumbnail]http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ln6PAh2faK4/maxresdefault.jpg[/thumbnail]

I picture the tiles in combat being a bit more fluid (flavorwise, if not game mechanics wise), where a swordsman may shift his feet as he attacks, while the unarmed opponent ducks, shuffles and lunges forward to connect a blow across the swordsman's chin, each returning or centering in their tile at the end of their turn.

[Synch]

Hmm very good point. I wasn't sure if we would be exclusively in cities or travelling through the wilderness etc, but given you've said its very Venetian-esque then I will go with the Gunslinger or Knife Thrower. How common or uncommon are firearms in your world? If they are near non-existant I'll go with the Knife Thrower.

[Tea]

Yeah, Tea

Don't know what happened to Jacon's thread at all...unless your talking about another thread...

And currently we don't have an excess of people (and I doubt too much idiotic bumbling since I focus more on story than dice rolling...)

hey the worst thing that happens is you get some experience building a character in pathfinder...

Yes, my few turns of life were over in Jacon's game (I'm not sure what's happening over there either, then again, from a subtitle I saw awhile back, Ask's Jalapeno had a one month intermin, so I'm hoping it picks back up again and takes everyone by surprise otherwise, I have the nagging suspicion that Mr. Refuses To Cooperate Because He Has The Attitude Problems of An Unruly Teenager (Aak, I'm looking at you right now) has accidentally done something to ward off the DM.

Meanwhile, the idea I'm playing with has decided she wants to have a rather strong desert theme in her background, and then I found out that Earth has quite a few distinct desert regions (American Southwest desert is very different from Sahara desert), so, now I have the question: What are the deserts in this world (if any)?

[Quarg]

Yeah, Tea

Don't know what happened to Jacon's thread at all...unless your talking about another thread...

And currently we don't have an excess of people (and I doubt too much idiotic bumbling since I focus more on story than dice rolling...)

hey the worst thing that happens is you get some experience building a character in pathfinder...

Yes, my few turns of life were over in Jacon's game (I'm not sure what's happening over there either, then again, from a subtitle I saw awhile back, Ask's Jalapeno had a one month intermin, so I'm hoping it picks back up again and takes everyone by surprise otherwise, I have the nagging suspicion that Mr. Refuses To Cooperate Because He Has The Attitude Problems of An Unruly Teenager (Aak, I'm looking at you right now) has accidentally done something to ward off the DM.

Meanwhile, the idea I'm playing with has decided she wants to have a rather strong desert theme in her background, and then I found out that Earth has quite a few distinct desert regions (American Southwest desert is very different from Sahara desert), so, now I have the question: What are the deserts in this world (if any)?

Yes...though I am going to note that it is more likely for a person from a coastal desert location to wind up in Navadia though truthfully the rain shadow deserts of the far western united states are close to the sea also so really any type would be possible...even arctic...

[Arch Lich Burns]

He is around 5 or 6, and his name is Speaks Gibberish.

[spiderwrangler]

All,
Point Buy and other details in post 2 on this thread...

Is 1 approved trait and 1 bonus PB also okay?

Is starting gold the standard 10,500gp listed in Character Advancement? Are there any restricted or otherwise tweaked items?

[Arch Lich Burns]

Also let us keep to the base races here people...

Any class restrictions?

No...I haven't seen anything overly powerful at the moment in Pathfinder Classes...
If you want a 3.5 class (or have a 3.5 class) IM me and we'll see if we can get it to work...

And I realized that there is a difference between the standard race list I had and the base races listed on the web site...so the following additional races are also 'available'

Goblins - Thuntonian not Pizaro's versions
Orcs
Koblods
Kitsune - Though IM me if you want to play this race please
Gnomes

where is the link to thuntian goblins at?