Pathfinder RPG - Come play! (next game: August 4th)

[Kinokokao]

This thread is for a Pathfinder Online Tabletop RPG. All are welcome to play, even complete beginners!

I will continuously edit this first post to keep track of all the relevant information.

HOW AND WHEN TO PLAY:

Scheduling might be difficult, but what works best for me would be Saturdays when I am at work from 10am to 6pm Eastern Standard Time. I am alone at the bookstore for 8 hours, so I would need to brb to answer the phone and help customers, but typically only for a few minutes at a time and I shouldn't think it would prevent us from playing. This might switch to Sunday some weekends. I will let people know my schedule and hopefully we can play around that.

The campaign I am thinking of running would be fairly simple for characters to drop-in/out as people's schedules permit, so if you're not able to make every single session that is okay. I'm also willing to just retcon "your character was here the whole time!" but please let me know if you plan to attend so I can scale the encounters appropriately. I will post summaries and keep track of things like XP/stats here on the forum.

I am using the Pathfinder system because it's the only one I have any experience with, and I think it's fairly straightforward. Also it is under an Open Game License, which means you can find all the relevant materials (for free) here: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/

If you need help creating a character, there is a lot of information here on the thread. Starfe has kindly volunteered to help guide new players. I am also available to help you build a character. Hit me up through PM or AIM with any questions you may have, or just post here. Please read through some of the Pathfinder SRD to familiarize yourself with the system. I've also begun posting guides here in this thread, so read through and you might find your question already answered.

PROGRAMS YOU WILL NEED:

We are going to try using instead the online roll20.net website. You'll just need an account, and I'll link to the weekly campaign session each week.


[/spoiler]


Also please post what Class you plan on playing, so we can create a fairly balanced party arrangement. If you're not sure, just mention what type of character you want to play (melee fighter, ranged fighter, spellcaster, healer, etc) and I can help you understand the class options.

KNOWN PLAYERS AND CHARACTERS:

Zamisk - A Rogue named Zamisk
noodles - possibly a dwarf cleric
Blaster Master - Verrine, a Witch
officedge - Hughes, a sorcerer of the djinn bloodline
Starfe - Half-Elf Inquisitor
Reynard-Miri - Halfling Summoner

DM Rules/Suggestions for Character Creation:

- Create your characters at Level 5, not Level 1. I think the game is more fun to start at a slightly higher level. I will keep track of EXP as a group. What this means is that periodically everyone will go up a level, regardless of whether or not you were able to participate in all the sessions. That way everyone stays at the same level and it is more fun/easier to play.

- You get 10,500gp initially with which to equip your character. You may spend no more than 5,000gp on any one item, however

- You may use anything listed on the pathfinder srd website with the exception of anything that is fan-created material, 3rd-party material, or 3rd-party/fan conversion material. If you see something you really, really want to have, just let me know and we can work it out. Also I'm willing to help make original/unique applications of the rules. For example, Zamisk's character has a boot dagger which we agreed gives him a +2 bonus to Escape Artist checks made to escape being tied up. I think that's a fun application of the existing rules.

- The available classes are: Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Wizard, Alchemist, Cavalier, Inquisitor, Magus, Oracle, Summoner, Witch, Ninja, and Samurai. You may not create Antipaladins or Gunslingers, nor may your character use any guns. They were added with Ultimate Combat and I think it's stupid mechanic, so that technology does not exist in my setting.

- Available races are: Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Half Elf, Halfling, Half Orc, and Human. Advanced/experienced players may use a Monster race with DM permission.

- To generate your starting stats, roll 3d6 and re-roll 1s and 2s. This means your possible scores will be between 9 and 18. Please be honest!

- To generate your starting hit points, roll 5dX whereas X is your class hit die.
You may re-roll as follows:
d6 hit die = re-roll 1s
d8 hit die = re-roll 1s and 2s
d10 hit die = re-roll 1s, 2s, and 3s

- Additionally each character begins play with two Traits. The list of available traits can be found online at the SRD. Traits typically grant simple bonuses like +1 on a skill check and represent a facet of your character's past.

I have posted the setting/scenario below. Please take a look at it and think about your character's background and origin. You may be as elaborate or simple as you like with it. If you have a specific quest/motive you'd like to incorporate, please let me know (ie, your character is a runaway noble, a wanted criminal, etc). I'm perfectly happy to work with you guys to make this as fun as possible for everyone.

GAME SESSIONS:

06/02/12 Session #1 - The Farmers and their Fields *complete*
06/02/12 Session #2 - Prince Toben is Missing! Part I
06/23/12 Session #3 - Prince Toben is Missing! Part II
0?/??/12 Session #4 - Prince Toben is Missing!, Part III
07/14/12 Session #5 - Interlude: Small Scales

07/21/12 Session #6 - Prince Toben is Missing!, Part IV*current!*

Please let me know if you can attend this weekend's game!

[zamisk]

Name: Zamisk
Race: Half-Elf
Class: Rouge

More later or whatever

[Kinokokao]

Setting/Scenario:

You all are members of a guild of adventurers known as the Pathfinder Society, formed within the rising city of Etria.

Etria lies along the banks of the Nym river, in a settled land colloquially known as the River Kingdoms. There is no centralized ruler of this land, as each outpost, town, and city squabbles for control of land and trade. Order is kept by loose agreement of the affiliated rulers of the cities, who hold governance under a council known as The Federation. Meetings of the Federation take place in the largest and most powerful city in the region, Varnhold, ruled by the fat but competent Lord Varn.

Etria was established a hundred years ago by twelve ambitious families, foremost among them the Mallon family. The current ruler of the city is Queen Helena Mallon, a handsome and proud widow of 40-and-few. Her daughter, the Crown Princess Victoria, is betrothed to vain Lord Sven of the neighboring city of Swordsmet. The other royal children are Princess Flora, a lively girl on the cusp of womanhood, and young Prince Toben, a charming boy of 12 is who known for mischief.

Within Etria there is the Castle, a Marketplace, a Black Market, a Magic Item Shop, the a Blacksmith, the Tavern, the Temple, the Docks, and your Pathfinder Guild Hall. Each of these establishments may prove useful to you in your adventuring. Etria is surrounded by walls on three sides with the river bordering the south. Across the riverbank is a small outpost with a Watchtower, and beyond that the Oakheart Forest, a wild and dangerous place half-rumored to be full of fey and worse. To the north of the city runs the Main Gate and Road leading toward Swordsmet and, beyond that, Varnhold. East and West of the city are farmlands and forest, with small trader paths toward less important cities.

DM Notes:

Each game session will feature the players going on a quest that is posted to the Guild Hall. Periodically story events will pop up that involve the greater politics of Etria, the Mallon family, and the diplomatic relations of Etria with the neighboring city. Royalty and specific townspeople (ie, the owners/workers at the listed establishments) are NPCs, but if you wish to have your character belong to one of the 11 other noble families, we can work something out. Characters can be from Etria, Swordsmet, Varnhold, or a different city in the River Kingdoms of your own creation. You are allowed and encouraged to be creative with your character's origin and background.

You are required to show teamwork. No stealing or harming fellow adventurers, no double-crossing, no secret assassins, etc. You have theoretically undergone an admissions process to become members of the Pathfinder Society. This rule is so everyone can have fun and work together.

Specific DM Notes:

I have borrowed some of the actual "Pathfinder" setting, but otherwise it's fairly original. This is because I'm deviating from how the game is normally played to make it a bit more Etrian Odyssey like. :3

For Clerics or Oracles who need to follow a deity, you may use any of the pre-created religions or create your own, so long as you follow the domain rules and let me know what domains your deity holds sway over. If that makes no sense to you, don't worry about it.

[Skele Von Mann]

Name: Nanashi
Race: Human
Class: Samurai


yeah have no idea what else never tried this sort of thing


and damn my lack of knowledge of differences between time zones

[Kinokokao]

For the USA, those possible game times are...

+0 hours is you are Eastern (10am-6pm)
+1 hours if you are in Central (9am-5pm)
+2 hours if you are in Mountain (8am-4pm)
+3 hours if you are in Pacific (7am-3pm)

You'll want to start reading on the Pathfinder SRD site

Here are some good places to start reading:

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/alterna ... es/samurai

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat

^ reading through how combat works will explain a lot about how the game functions, and what sort of things you can and can't do

Also for everyone making characters, you might find it helpful to look at:

http://www.pathfinderdb.com/character-s ... cter-sheet

The official character sheets. You may find it useful to print and work on it in pencil. I'm looking into an editable PDF version, since we'll be doing this online rather than in person. I'll want everyone to submit to me a completed character sheet, so I can have something to reference and to get an idea of what your abilities are.

Something else I forgot to mention, and I'll modify my first post with this updated information, is the rubric to use when generating stats and hp. I'll take care of that now.

Edit:

Here is a great, simple PDF version of the character sheet:

http://www.pathfinderdb.com/character-s ... cter-sheet

[Starfe]

Excellent!

@Scheduling: Yes. I am done with finals after the 6th. I'm Pacific time, and could probably do mornings on Saturdays during the summer without an issue. Probably better actually, my girlfriend hates when I'm gone all evening playing D&D or something on weekends. Starting June 11th, my schedule is pretty standard 9-5, Monday - Friday, so if anything ever needs to move to a weekday I can work in that.

@ORPG: I haven't used it in some years. Some of my friends still do, and back in the day it was the gold standard. I'll check it out again. It always had good systems for creating dice macros (for easy skill rolls etc) if people are interested in that, but it works very basically around a /me (action here) and [xDy+z] system. Though it may have become more GUI oriented in recent years. The biggest shortfall was always the map. I'll see how that is now. If anyone else knows an alternative I'd love to look at it!


@Character Building: I will try to finish a character and post a full sheet sometime this week. I have a German final Saturday morning, but after that my life improves greatly. (Until I get my German result), so I'll get it up on Saturday at least. If anyone has questions or is wondering if something is viable or they're reading a rule incorrectly or something feel free to PM me or message me on Skype or something.

@People who need some direction: I'll try to post a write up of what you can do with each character class (basics) for those who aren't familiar, or who have perceptions of those classes from different game types.

@Any other questions: Again, PM, Skype, whatever. I'll try to get back to you in a timely fashion!

[PLA]

I can't play because I'll be busy reading about the material instead. ´:3
That's typically how I "play" anyhow.

[noodles]

[Kinokokao]

At least for the summer, that's really the only reliable "me" time I have! Otherwise I have to compete with my husband's schedule, and he is an unemployed, thesis writing, summer vacation grad student, and my own schedule, which is typically 11am to 6pm 5 days a week, and excepting Saturdays when the boss isn't there... So weekdays, at least right now, are not very easy for me to do.

This Saturday I am available to play, but it looks like not everyone will be available or have characters ready, so I might just establish that as a test-run/understanding the system day where I hang out in a chat room all day and help everyone build characters or something.

Otherwise June 9th and 16th I will actually be in Oklahoma, for my brother's wedding and my husband's family reunion back-to-back.

June 23rd - 24th should both be days I am at work/available to play.

[Yoonah]

[PLA]

One thing 4E really had going for it was those glitzy, colour-coded cards with all the calculations done.

[noodles]

fuck cards

[PLA]

^ Motorcycles.

[Kinokokao]

I just make my own spell cards on regular index cards.

Besides, we're using Pathfinder, so this really isn't the place to discuss what system you like best. There's the regular PnP RPG thread for that :3

@Pacific Time

We don't have to start at 7am your time, if that's too much of an (understandable) imposition. Perhaps more like 10am your time, which is 1pm my time, or something like that. Those are just the hours I will be available to DM.

[zamisk]

+0 hours is you are Eastern (10am-6pm)
+2 hours if you are in Mountain (8am-4pm)

This Saturday I am free from 8-10 and then 3-4 because of a stupid voice group rehearsal I didn't know I had until today, and my dad wants me working for the rest of the day. This sucks, I've spent so long on me character and I don't want to miss this. Argfjkhbsrkl >:[ >:[ >:[