DNDMC - 3.5E/PF

 

Game Notes

 

April 12, 2013

 

Guidelines for characters

 

• 10th level -This is tenth level, however you want to divide the levels, including multi classing and prestige classes.  You must qualify for any prestige classes per the rules. 
• Ability scores - 25 point buy
• Starting gold/magic - 64,000 gp in equipment.  
• All focus items and components that cost more than 1 gp must be paid for.  We won't bother with having them *bought* but any spell that requires Material components must have the gold in components and mark them off and Foci must be paid for as well.  
• Wizards/Clerics/Druids - limited spell/prayer books.  For a 10th level, single class character, spells known in book are 5/4/3/3/2 9/9/8/7/6.  For any mutli class, it will be a case by case basis. 
• Specialist wizards get an additional spell per spell level as long as each one is in their specialty school. Clerics also get to add both domain spells to their prayer book as well. 
• Wizards can also add their intelligence modifier to the number of spells they know by spell level.  Clerics can add their wisdom modifier to the number of prayers in their prayer book. 
• Healing spells can be cast as a swift action instead of standard, allowing the caster other actions in the round.  Healing abilities, such as lay on hands, take a move action. 
• Spells that are intended to enhance something the caster does can also be cast faster so that the caster can do something yet that round.  The spell I'm thinking of is Sure Strike.  That can be cast as a swift action and then used that round.  Same for Shocking Grasp, which allows an attack.  My intent is not to give casters the ability to cast more spells per round but let them attack with a combat type spell in the same round it is cast, rather than having to wait a round. 
• Any character who takes an item creation feat can use their starting money to buy those items at half price, to reflect that they could have made it.  

 

Bob's Excel Spreadsheet for Character Type & Group

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AhYs_DDrx1rpdFcycnVEVDYzVVhESlBvbkFvN2ZNdXc#gid=0

 

(Updated 2/15/2013) 

• Anything that gives flying, spells, spell like abilities or magic items, such as carpets of flying or cloak of the bat, are prohibited.  This goes for monsters as well.   The only things that can fly are those things with wings.  Levitation is acceptable.  
• Teleport is only possible between teleportation circles.  Dimension Door is okay.   Items that allow teleportation do Dimension Door instead.  
• While there is Raise Dead and the like, they are long rituals that have costs, in many ways.  If a character dies toward the end of combat and the player accepts all effects from a Raise, that is fine.  The point being that Raise Dead won't be a viable option in the middle of combat, which is why I suggested having more characters.   It gets you back into the action quicker.  

 

(Updated 2/16/2013)

• Clerics don't have a prayer book and aren't limited in spells.
• Wizards gain more spells, per the listing above.  

 

(updated 2/17/2013)

• Definitely no polymorph spells.  Need to look up the PF XXXX Form spells to see about those.

 

(updated 3/7/2013)

• I will not be doing individual initiative but group initiative.  Group initiative is a d20 against a d20.  There are no adders based on who is rolling it.  So, Improved Initiative won't come into play.  Probably.  There is maybe one fight that might be down to the individual level but most of what I have planned will be done by group. 

 

(updated 3/15/2013)

• Another point to remember.  The suggestion that we came up with after the mock fight was to spend your last thousand gold on various healing potions to have some form of healing available to you.  Hopefully each group has a cleric but if not and in case they can't get to you, you have an option.   
• As much as I want to do role playing, it's very tough to do in a big group.  So, there is not going to be as much of that.  To that end, make characters appropriate for fighting.  Skill rolls will be used instead, so don't completely ignore certain skills, but I'm not going to haggle for things bought or interactions with all but a few NPCs.  I mentioned this below but want to point it out again.  Again, plans subject to change.  

 

General ideas I will be using

 

I'm going "old school" on this so I will be using Pathfinder rules but 3.5 characters are fine.  This means save or die spells are viable.  I will NOT be using my rule that you can help someone if they go below -10.  Once a character reaches -10, they are dead.  
 

Bring extra characters!  I'm running with full save or die effects as well as large damage spells!  My thought is that if a character dies, as in can't be rescued from going down, that player sits out for two rounds (or less) and then brings in the next character!  I really want to make this a contest for something but have no idea how that would work!  

In general, I want to lean toward the fun. That’s the idea of this weekend! 

 

(updated 2/18/2013) - With as many players that are going to be there, I have ten already confirmed at this point, I have come up with an idea I want to try.  Instead of all of you thinking of yourselves as one big group, I would prefer if we instead handle this instead as if there are multiple groups that are caught up in the same events.  I think this will give everyone much better focus.  The cleric of a group only has to worry about his sub group, not the group as a whole.  Likewise, the fighters of a sub group can worry about their friends first, and their new friends second.  To that end, I'm going to ask all of you to divide up into these groups and even sit with your groups!  That way the sub groups can coordinate among itself better.  That's my thought, anyway, and I want to see how it works.  I'm open to comments and thoughts on this!  

 

I am setting this around a town called Sandpoint in Golarion.  I'm suggesting that your characters have a reason to be there and perhaps a hook into some of the NPCs from the town.  

 

Here are some ideas for characters classes:  

A massive threat is emerging in Varisia and mustering its forces. Only a group of cagey adventurers can put an end to this evil, and they’d better be prepared for what they face. The following tips can help when designing characters.

 

Ancient Lost Cultures: The adventure deals with lost magics and old kingdoms as well as powerful rituals.  To that end, characters skilled in Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (arcana) are best suited to putting the pieces together and fighting the magics. 

 

Dangerous Denizens: The adventure brings player characters face to face with lots of monstrous threats. A prepared character should be suited to challenge monstrous humanoids, giants, and magical beasts.

 

Explorers: Characters with skill sets appropriate for adventuring in dungeons and crumbling ruins can give the party an edge. Knowledge (dungeoneering) and racial low-light vision or darkvison would be helpful in those dank and dark places. Since many of these locations have been warded and secured by their builders, a character who can bypass some of those protections just might help the party live to fight another day. Since Varisia is an untamed frontier, characters who are good at dealing with natural threats and excel at finding their way in forests and mountains would be assets to an adventuring party

 

Giant Hunters: Rumors of giants mobilizing in the wilds of Varisia are spreading, and the people of this frontier land need saviors. Player characters ready to take on threats like this are well suited to this adventure.

 

 

Sandpoint:  Here are some of the NPCs of the town and can be used for your hooks to be in Sandpoint.  

 

A welcoming, largely unprejudiced community of colorful locals call Sandpoint home. Presented here are but a few of the town’s most noteworthy residents.

Kendra Deverin: Town mayor.

Cyrdak Drokkus: Grandiloquent actor, gadabout, and proprietor of the Sandpoint Theater.

Belor Hemlock: The gruff but protective town sheriff.

Ameiko Kaijitsu: Ex-adventurer and proprietor of the Rusty Dragon inn, rebellious daughter to nobleman Lonjiku Kaijitsu.

Lonjiku Kaijitsu: Stoic noble, owner of the town Glassworks.

Jargie Quinn: One-legged owner of the Hagfish tavern.

Titus Scarnetti: Tradition-minded noble who controls Sand-point’s bustling lumber trade.

Ethram Valdemar: Oldest of the town nobles.

Ven Vinder: Owner of Sandpoint’s best-stocked general store.

Abstalar Zantus: Sandpoint’s mild-mannered local priest.

Veznutt Parooh: Owner of the local map store

Maver Kesk:  Local jeweler who gets help from his wife, Pennae.

Garridan Viskalai: Quiet and somber owner of the White Deer, Inn and tavern.

Gorvi: Half-orc that serves as the town's dungsweeper.  

Brodert Quink: local, cantankerous sage on history and engineering. 

Volioker Briskalberd: local locksmith who is a big follower of the playhouse.

Risa Margravi: retired adventurer who spends her time at her tavern, although it's now run by her children.

Larz Rovanky: this perfectionist runs the tannery and works long hours.

Savah Bevaniky: Runs Savah's armory and has all manner of arms and armor, including magical.

Das Korvut: Das' temper is well known and he has no patience but is suffered because he knows his job as blacksmith.

Aliver Podiker: Accomplished herbalist and gardener, Aliver sells some spell components, potions and medicines.

Nisk Tander: Runs Bottle Solutions and is an alchemist.  

Jesk Berinni: Half-orc that runs Carcktooth's Tavern, near the Sandpoint Theater.

Alma Avertin: Runs Sandpoint Savories with her twin daughters, Arika and Aneka.  

Sabyl: Runs the House of Blue Stones, teaching meditation and unarmed fighting skills.

Madame Mvashti: Local seer using cards or carved bones to divine the future.

 

There is more, including the brewery, meat market, fishmarket and others.  If you need a hook, let me know!  

 

Ideas for hooks:  Family lives here.  Several of the daughters could be love interests.  Bought land here.  All of you are high enough level to own a fair amount of land.  Even with the mayor, you could be prominent enough that you have political pull.  

 

Deities:  (I'm including the evil ones so they are known but please lean toward good characters!)

Deity	AL	Portfolios	Domains	Favored Weapon
Erastil	LG	God of farming, hunting, trade, family	Animal, Community, Good, Law, Plant	longbow
Iomedae	LG	Goddess of valor, rulership, justice, honor	Glory, Good, Law, Sun, War	longsword
Torag	LG	God of the forge, protection, strategy	Artifice, Earth, Good, Law, Protection	warhammer
Sarenrae	NG	Goddess of the sun, redemption, honesty, healing	Fire, Glory, Good, Healing, Sun	scimitar
Shelyn	NG	Goddess of beauty, art, love, music	Air, Charm, Good, Luck, Protection	glaive
Desna	CG	Goddess of dreams, stars, travelers, luck	Chaos, Good, Liberation, Luck, Travel	starknife
Cayden Cailean	CG	God of freedom, wine, bravery	Chaos, Charm, Good, Strength, Travel	rapier
Abadar	LN	God of cities, wealth, merchants, law	Earth, Law, Nobility, Protection, Travel	crossbow
Irori	LN	God of history, knowledge, self-perfection	Healing, Knowledge, Law, Strength, Rune	unarmed strike
Gozreh	N	God of nature, weather, the sea	Air, Animal, Plant, Water, Weather	trident
Pharasma	N	Goddess of fate, death, prophecy, birth	Death, Healing, Knowledge, Repose, Water	dagger
Nethys	N	God of magic	Destruction, Knowledge, Magic, Protection, Rune	quarterstaff
Gorum	CN	God of strength, battle, weapons	Chaos, Destruction, Glory, Strength, War	greatsword
Calistria	CN	Goddess of trickery, lust, revenge	Chaos, Charm, Knowledge, Luck, Trickery	whip
Asmodeus	LE	God of tyranny, slavery, pride, contracts	Evil, Fire, Law, Magic, Trickery	mace
Zon-Kuthon	LE	God of envy, pain, darkness, loss	Darkness, Death, Destruction, Evil, Law	spiked chain
Urgathoa	NE	Goddess of gluttony, disease, undeath	Death, Evil, Magic, Strength, War	scythe
Norgorber	NE	God of greed, secrets, poison, murder	Charm, Death, Evil, Knowledge, Trickery	short sword
Lamashtu	CE	Goddess of madness, monsters, nightmares	Chaos, Evil, Madness, Strength, Trickery	falchion
Rovagug	CE	God of wrath, disaster, destruction	Chaos, Evil, Destruction, Weather, War	greataxe

 

Adventures

 

I’m again thinking of gaming on Friday as people arrive with the main thrust of it being Saturday. 

 

Friday - The Scouting

 

Saturday - The War Against the Giant Space Hamsters Cabal Drakken Blueleaf and the Halbred Elderberries Poverty Brook Jam Sports Reality TV the Exec who canceled Firefly  

 

(updated 3/8/2013)

The role playing idea of the weekend is this.  All of your groups were in Sandpoint when the attack on the town happens.  There are other groups in town, so not just your group, as well as the local sheriff and militia.  It will be up to your groups to make the biggest difference in the attack as all of you represent the most powerful adventurers in town!  

 

The game idea is to embrace that we are doing a board game with some role playing in there.  So, I'm trying to set up some role playing situations, especially among and between the groups, but the focus will be the individual group's battles as part of the overall attack.  I will be using group initiative and we will roll each round.  When the monsters go, they go for that area/group. When the PCs go, you guys tell me the order in which you go.  So, if you want the cleric to go first this round so he can cast a buff and then move and then the (now buffed) fighter goes and attacks, that's fine.  My hope and plan is that while I'm running group A, groups B and C are making plans and so on.  Certainly things can change but that's the thought.  

 

Further, I'm going to be using "fantastic terrain" in some ways.  For example, #1 on the map below is the church and those near it can move toward it to get healing.  #23 is the local theater and a point of pride for the locals such that if the attackers get that far, anyone defending that building gains morale bonuses to hit and damage.  Things like that.  

 

I'm also going to be having many locals present and on the map, and they can help but also might need help!  

 

The shops of the town are going to be there and if raided or damaged, that means supplies between might be scarce.  

 

I'm not going to spell out everything but do hope to have it laid out for the game itself.  As usual, if you have questions, send an email to the group!  

 

 

Here is Sandpoint:  

 

And here is the Sandpoint area: