Chapter 1 - Windward

[Retech]

Yeah, that's fine.

[archimage_a]

1) Leadership does not automatically grant you x amount of followers and a y level cohort, in accordance with the tables and charts. It would make it easier to get a follower or cohort, than someone without the feat, but it is not immediately granted

To the Graveyard!

2) Cohorts and followers, in the same vein as 1), are not mindless automatons. They don't just pop in with all the item creation feats and totally maxed out craft skills. Those would likely be more rare (something to search for, or work hard to attract)

To the Smithy!

3) Even if the chart says that killing followers only grants a -1 to leadership score, followers don't especially like it when you are recruiting them to be killed and turned into zombies

Good thing I didn't start printing the recuitment posters:

[hide]

[/hide]

4) (More of a guideline) It would be preferable to have non-combat or healing cohorts, so I don't need to run huge encounters with 12 individuals taking actions.

To be honest it makes considerably more sense to just say no the the Leadership feat if:

A) You don't want us to have skill monkey automatons

B) You don't want us to have combat monkey automatons

 

Personally I am reasonably happy if you subverted Leadership into an extra feat at level 7. (aka We gain an extra feat in exchange for not taking a feat which causes endless problems, and by your own tongue, doesn't give us any real benefit.)

 

Also if someone intends to use diplomacy or bluff very very heavily (like +20 or +30), please talk to me sometime or tell me so I can explain how I handle that.

I don't plan to...but I can, so might be an idea to tell me.

[Retech]

I am just rather concerned about how the leadership feat is going to be used. Another way to think about leadership is that you can do everything that you were planning to do with recruiting followers and such, but better. There are so many abuses to leadership, but I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt.

 

As for social interaction skills, they dramatically help with but do not replace roleplaying. So with good diplomacy and bluff, they will perceive your actions favorably and such (like if you blunder and insult someone, they might see it as an accident rather than a deliberate insult, or maybe see it as a joke). So it's not like walking up to a rampaging army, rolling a diplomacy check, and making them into your own personal task force. I suppose there is a way that I haven't thought of to roleplay that and convince them, but it's not just a single check.

 

Probably the best way to explain is: be reasonable.

[Nexaduro]

Don't want anyone besting Demons with mangoes, Retech? :P

 

What do you think of my Ranger conversion? I hope you don't mind that I have so many things strapped to my waist and back. A Ranger needs their weapons!

[Retech]

:D

 

Fortunately I've been around the cheese market long enough that I am not knocked unconscious by the smell of the strongest gouda.

[Nexaduro]

 

Fortunately I've been around the cheese market long enough that I am not knocked unconscious by the smell of the strongest gouda.

One: I can't see any of the emoticons you use

 

Two: What?

[Retech]

That's odd. Is it a website issue? Testing: :) :D :P

 

Nevermind about the Gouda

[Grim_]

I'd like to think that once we start actually meeting native peoples as a party I'd have a reason to take leadership, seeing as I intend to proselytize, gain followers, and generally try to bring the church of Thenatos back from the brink. To this end I have a question, to preach would I be allowed to use diplomacy or would I have to take ranks in perform: oratory?

[Retech]

Yeah, that's exactly why I kept leadership in the game. Any skills that are related to it like diplomacy or perform: oratory all help in achieving your goal, as well as leadership. The whole idea is that Pathfinder has a very strange approach with social skills, where they have set DCs that don't seem to reflect the circumstances. So with my approach, in addition to roleplaying, you can choose to make various dice rolls with your different skills to reinforce what you're doing and making it more effective.

 

Anything that seems relevant, you can use! It doesn't produce a concrete benefit like a circumstance bonus or what not, but whenever you use a skill to maybe keep your audience enraptured with your preaching or trying to convince them to even listen to you, I keep that I mind when I think about how they would respond.

 

This Perform: Oratory thing is not explicitly stated in the rules, but it's a great creative use for the skill and something that I would definitely encourage.

 

 

Basically: Roleplaying first, but dice rolls help

 

Good luck! I'll be off for the night, but I'll respond to questions when I wake up tomorrow. Also I'll be maybe thirty minutes early to crossroads like normal, if you want to ambush me there (or on steam) for some real time question asking.

[Earth]

Nex, the Gouda part is is that he's done enough character crafting for the max values that he's not bothered by other people doing it. Make sense?

[Nexaduro]

Nex, the Gouda part is is that he's done enough character crafting for the max values that he's not bothered by other people doing it. Make sense?

Not when you explain it, nor did it need explaining anymore.

 

Does anyone see anything I'm missing in terms of equipment or abilities for my character post on page 14?

 

Plan is to lead with Longbow fire, then Quickdraw switch to Falchion and Buckler for melee (I'll be getting critical feats for Blinding Criticals and such later), with the Heavy Steel Shield and Bastard Sword in reserve in case I shatter the Buckler defending from a critical hit or get disarmed or something. The Spears are for utility, hunting, and combat with those I deem unworthy of my sword.

[Resistance]

You may be able to afford a magical weapon. A bow seems like the best option considering you're a ranger but I'm unsure about whether actual bows can be enchanted or only their arrows.

[Nexaduro]

You may be able to afford an enchanted weapon.

I've saved up a bit so that when I hit 7th level I can take Heavy Armor Proficiency, and leaving a little wiggle room so that if my Wealth By Level doesn't fully kick in I can still get Mithral Full Plate in a reasonable time frame.

[archimage_a]

Why don't you just get the Heavy Armour with the -2 penalty and not have to buy multiple armours/negotiate with Retech for armour at 240% of the price.

[Nexaduro]

Why don't you just get the Heavy Armour with the -2 penalty and not have to buy multiple armours/negotiate with Retech for armour at 240% of the price.

I don't quite understand what you mean, dear Brit.

 

I don't think there's any penalty associated with Full Plate as low as -2, and I do not need nor want more than one suit of armor at a given time. I intend to sell my Hide Shirt for some spare change to put into a new hammock, arrows and the like when I can finally afford the set I've set my eyes on. Whenever it may be that I can afford it.

 

Also worth keeping in mind is that any time an adventurer can't get a discount, a pirate almost certainly can.

[archimage_a]

Nonproficient with Armor Worn: A character who wears armor and/or uses a shield with which he is not proficient takes the armor's (and/or shield's) armor check penalty on attack rolls as well as on all Dex- and Str-based ability and skill checks.

So for Mithril Full Plate that is -3 on attack rolls...

 

Though I am not sure why you are buying half the things you are buying.

For the eventual settlement we establish:

 

I hereby establish the Shiekdom of Ratzenstar, may Allah watch over these strange people in their strange land, under the cloak of Thenatos, so as not to disturb their heretic ways.

I, Emir Crusoe of the Noble Archian family, who's dynasty comes from the prophet Muhammad, and who rule over the Shadow Plane, do name myself Shiek and Spymaster of Ratzenstar, and do call into being the Crusoe Sultanate.

 

"I swear by the one whose hand my soul is in that you will not enter paradise until you believe.

And you wont be believed until you love one another.

May I tell you something, that if you practice it you will love another, spread the Salam among you."

~The Prophet

 

Garmund is appointed Court Mullah, for his is the power of Allah, made real by his devotion of Thenatos. May Allah bring honour to him. I also grant Garmund the Barony of Skeleton Point for he is indeed wise and powerful.

ShadowWing is appointed Grand Vizier, for he is the most skilled amongst us, may his wisdom and insight guide us to do Allah's bidding.

Sedrial is appointed Marshal (When he arrives), for he is the greatest warrior amongst us. May his sword lay the heathen to rest.

Tena is appointed Steward, for she is wise in the ways of resources and to her Allah has bestowed the choicest gifts for mercantile enterprise. May gold always poor from her labours.

Elgretor is appointed Chief Qadi, for he is the bravest of us all, and only the bravest may judge others without fear that corruption will cloud his judgement. May Allah provide much enlightenment.

 

Ma'a salama.

 

[Retech]

Based on this settlement thing, WBL might not actually be a viable option anymore, so I will just try my best to keep it somewhat balanced.

[Nexaduro]

Based on this settlement thing, WBL might not actually be a viable option anymore, so I will just try my best to keep it somewhat balanced.

I'm starting to have reservations about going back there, if I'm honest. I think I'll probably just rent a nice, quiet apartment in the Shackles or something, and try to find a way to hold onto the pirate ship so I can pay them a visit now and again.

 

I also may just sell it, buy a dinghy, and row there.

[Alg]

Going to miss the next session because of a baseball game.

[Retech]

Alright. Have fun. :)

[Retech]

Btw since Crossroads was cancel and I'm totally free, I'll be in #Inn to talk and answer questions.

[Nexaduro]

Nonproficient with Armor Worn: A character who wears armor and/or uses a shield with which he is not proficient takes the armor's (and/or shield's) armor check penalty on attack rolls as well as on all Dex- and Str-based ability and skill checks.

So for Mithril Full Plate that is -3 on attack rolls...

 

Though I am not sure why you are buying half the things you are buying.

The only acceptable reason to decrease attack is to increase damage. After a certain point AC just doesn't go much higher, you fight opponents who can ignore it, et cetera.

 

I think my equipment choices should be fairly self-explanatory... The waterskin holds fresh water, the signal horn is for signalling things, the waterproof bag is to hold things I don't want to get wet, the hammock and pitons were for variable altitude slumber, the Ioun Torch is to offset my new lack of Darkvision, the potions are for emergencies, the potion sponges are for underwater emergencies, the Adventurer's Sash is for holding all that crap, the Rod of Extend is a cheap and versatile replacement for Boots of Striding and Springing, the Belt of Giant Strength is for having a strong enough back to carry everything and then some, the Cloak of Winding Serpents is to do what AC doesn't, the Pendant of the Blood Scarab is to ensure folks get their due from my Falchion later on, the Hide Shirt is for making me less naked, the Buckler is for keeping me from spontaneous death due to critical hits, the Heavy Steel Shield is my backup and an extra source of AC just in case, the weapons are for hitting stuff with...

 

Pretty basic if you ask me.

[Grim_]

*the waterproof bag was given to me by grim and should be returned to avoid his skeleton/zombie filled wrath

 

General suggestion: Instead of having one centralized society where everyone plays one part in a higher order, why not have anyone who is gathering a following (which may or may not entail taking leadership) act as their own nation state, which would then work as part of a confederacy. We would all work together, but it would give us all far greater control of our nation's affairs.

[archimage_a]

Ehhh, my backstory.

 

Moreover it would make more sense to work as a collective, each responsible for different parts of the city...It would make a more interesting game than Hegemony by the backdoor. Not least because it normally follows that everyone with a ounce of power sets themselves up as a tinpot dictator and so we have five banana republics, zero ability to work together, and Retech ends up running five sessions a week to avoid running five more or less seperate games.

 

Added to which if we each set up our own state then we end up getting preoccupied with that, which makes it next to impossible to actually quest.

"Hey guys, I found this map"

"Hey, great, I just need to wait for the Smithy to open so I can commission my new armour, and then, once that is finished, I can go with you."

"Oh, ok then, I will just go on this quest in the meantime"

 

 

With Retech not playing I doubt there will be the all or nothing gambits which end the game in the first decade, I just think that, at the moment, only one character is designed to hold a following, and if we start a silly race to gain our own followings (hey, we will get them leading part of the city anyway), then we just end up weak and divided...

[Retech]

Also, related. Please make sure that the group has some sort of notes on the city composition, as I will be working to run the game and I'm bound to misplace something eventually.