Pre-game and "mother-may-I"s with the DM

[ariasderros]

I am working on my skills, and I got a question: how does traits like abrasive work in your skill system, AD?

Trait: Abrasive (+1 Intimidate, -1 Bluff and Diplomacy)

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@ all
As a point of clarification for everyone, flaws and traits that affect old skills affect the new ones when using them for that purpose. e.g. Hard of Hearing normally forces a penalty to Listen checks, here it applies a penalty to Perception checks using your hearing, and it  normally grants a bonus to Spot checks, here it applies a bonus to Perception checks using your eyes.

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How are Honest and Polite to work under the houserule, exactly?

Honest grants a +1 bonus to Persuasion when trying to negotiate with someone or convince them to agree to something or do something, so long as you are trying to "sweet talk" them, not threaten or lie. It causes you to take a -1 penalty to Persuasion when trying to lie, and to Perception rolls to read peoples body language and read in to their under-tone.
Because  "You are naturally straightforward and sincere. This quality helps you persuade people to your viewpoint, but you have difficulty telling lies and seeing deception in others".

Polite grants a +1 bonus to Persuasion when trying to negotiate with someone or convince them to agree to something or do something, so long as you are trying to "sweet talk" them, not threaten or lie. It causes you to take a -2 penalty to Persuasion when trying to get what you want from someone using threats, or when trying to cow someone.
Because "You are courteous and well spoken".

In-game, these traits operate mechanically the same as they otherwise would without the houseruled skill re-write is the intent.

apply it on the corresponding action (+1 when trying to scare people, -1 when being nice to people)?

Made that one easy.

[VennDygrem]

Can I play a Flamespeaker? I've been looking for a pyromancy class that fit my liking, but most of them were either weak, confusingly convoluted, or just didn't fit my needs. Or they were a PrC for normal casting classes, and that also didn't work. I generally find the Spellshaping classes to be fairly balanced, and this one seems to hit most of the flavor and mechanics I'm looking for. I was preparing to homebrew my own class (which I'll probably still do, separately) before I remembered the Flamespeaker, googled it, and said to myself, "Oh yeah, I have heard of this somewhere! Of course!"

[geniussavant]

Equipment has got me Hung up, any idea what we'll be doing, or what I should plan for?

[Jackinthegreen]

Equipment has got me Hung up, any idea what we'll be doing, or what I should plan for?

Plan for things to be Nintendo Hard at first, then ease off somewhat as we have to go looking for the big bads over CR 8.

Basically, look at what will be most effective for your character since the world is definitely a harsh place, though go easy on cheesy stuff like that egg bomb with no save.  Can't remember what it is eggsactly, but I think you know what I'm talking about.

[ariasderros]

Can I play a Flamespeaker?

Yes. I plan to be using Elemental Adepts in the world (because I liked Tyurru), so I need to get onto reading those rules anyway.

Basically, look at what will be most effective for your character since the world is definitely a harsh place, though go easy on cheesy stuff like that egg bomb with no save.  Can't remember what it is eggsactly, but I think you know what I'm talking about.

Dust Eggshell Grenade, OA p78.

Cheese is okay once in a while, I like a good Alfredo Pasta, but it gets old eating a Grilled Cheese sandwich for every meal.

Equipment has got me Hung up, any idea what we'll be doing, or what I should plan for?

You guys may be dealing more with outlaws than monsters off the start.

If Venn is playing a Pyro, I think you can skip the Tindertwigs. And I think throwing lamp oil on your enemies just got a lot more evil.

Otherwise, I'd think the adventuring basics: Crowbar; Pole; Superballs; Skill Kits; Rope; &c.
Basically, things to help get over, around, or through stuff. Honestly, your Shapesand + Phae's should cover 90% of that.

[VennDygrem]

Well, Flamespeaker is a somewhat-strangely melee class, range-wise (their spellshape attacks are changed into melee touch rather than ranged fireblasts). But I'll be fairly mobile, what with the high movement speed.

Tindertwigs could still prove useful for everyone. You could even throw them into enemy squares adjacent to me and I can see through the smoke. I was planning on buying a few myself. I don't have any way of creating smoke myself, without formulae anyway.

Anyway, thanks for approving the class, arias. I started putting together my sheet already just in case, so I'm a good way toward being done. Shouldn't be long now!

[ariasderros]

Tindertwigs could still prove useful for everyone. You could even throw them into enemy squares adjacent to me and I can see through the smoke. I was planning on buying a few myself. I don't have any way of creating smoke myself, without formulae anyway.

You're thinking of Smokesticks and Liquid Smoke. Tindertwigs are just big matches.

[Jackinthegreen]

I wonder what would happen if Dunewalker focused his Eldritch Blast through a magnifying glass...  Chances are he's tried already just to see what would happen.

[VennDygrem]

Tindertwigs could still prove useful for everyone. You could even throw them into enemy squares adjacent to me and I can see through the smoke. I was planning on buying a few myself. I don't have any way of creating smoke myself, without formulae anyway.

You're thinking of Smokesticks and Liquid Smoke. Tindertwigs are just big matches.

Gah, you're right. That was dumb of me. Wellll, time to burn the evidence.

[Jackinthegreen]

Gah, you're right. That was dumb of me. Wellll, time to burn the evidence.

All I can think of after reading that is a quote from a WoW character named Ignis the Furnace Master: "BURN! Burn in the maker's fire!"

[ariasderros]

I wonder what would happen if Dunewalker focused his Eldritch Blast through a magnifying glass...  Chances are he's tried already just to see what would happen.

...The arcane energies that you channel are a distinctly different spectrum, much less 'frequency', from light. Your blast would hit the glass, and probably break it. That said, there are likely to be some pieces of optically cut gems inside the warlocks scepter, assuming magical sympathy is in effect, which is how a lot of the 'pure' magics, like Binding and Soulmelds, work.

Trust me, I've had full conversations with Head Professor Ravenos while at work. If there's any magic-related questions you'd want to know, I've already resolved the answer. There are some, though, that I wouldn't answer purely to preserve certain mysteries (basically, anything about the maelstrom).

[VennDygrem]

I'm pretty much done with my character except for equipment. I'm not particularly well-versed in outfiting a level 3 character. Besides that, I'm fairly self-sufficient, though there are always ways to plan for the myriad shortcomings of such a focused character. Mostly I need to figure out what to choose as my single magic item. If we were a bit higher level, there's no question that I'd start off with a Lamen, just as any sort of warrior is likely to start with a magic weapon. They start at 3000gp though, so out of the price range. I'll have to find something else that's useful.

I'll post what I've got so far in the sheets thread, though.

[phaedrusxy]

I'm pretty much done with my character except for equipment. I'm not particularly well-versed in outfiting a level 3 character. Besides that, I'm fairly self-sufficient, though there are always ways to plan for the myriad shortcomings of such a focused character. Mostly I need to figure out what to choose as my single magic item. If we were a bit higher level, there's no question that I'd start off with a Lamen, just as any sort of warrior is likely to start with a magic weapon. They start at 3000gp though, so out of the price range. I'll have to find something else that's useful.

I'll post what I've got so far in the sheets thread, though.

No room for the Mercantile Background feat?

[ariasderros]

I'll post what I've got so far in the sheets thread, though.

(A) awesome character.
(B) where'd you get that pic?

They start at 3000gp though, so out of the price range.

Huh, I'd looked over them before, briefly, but I'd never noticed that they cost (Bonus² X 3000)gp before. That is a bit much. I'll ask DonQ about it.

[VennDygrem]

Well, considering a magic weapon costs 2000 + MW cost + weapon, it's the difference between 3000 and about >=2305

(A) awesome character.
(B) where'd you get that pic?

A) Thanks!
B) I found it by scrounging around DeviantArt, which is my traditional go-to for character portraits. I had almost given up since most of my searching didn't turn up anything good (and the site's selection in general has become way too fetishist and weird for my tastes. Besides the huge stock of terrible drawings...), but eventually I got more creative with my keywords and that image turned up. There are still some really talented artists there, however. I've also taken to just searching Google image search, and there are a couple sites I got from Agita that have a good selection, too.

These are the other two that I had narrowed it down to:

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and

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But in the end, the one I ultimately chose matched what I was going for the most.

Also, for those not interested in doing the legwork, my character's name may sound nice, but it's not particularly original. From the names' meanings, her name comes out to: The Burned One, Born of Fire.

[Concerned Ninja Citizen]

It was mentioned on the interest thread that there might be a free space in team 2?

If so, a build idea:

Doppelganger 3, possibly headed into Greater Doppelganger.

A cuckoo child of sorts who was raised by humans. Is very interested in medicine and the advancement of mundane medical techniques which he sees as vital to the survival of a world with limited magic. His goals are to continue with his studies of healing and medical matters (anatomy is major interest of his, he would like to compile data on the anatomy of various races) and also to raise the awareness of and desire for mundane medical study among rulers and powerful people.

[ariasderros]

It was mentioned on the interest thread that there might be a free space in team 2?

Since I'm a little tired of patience, you're in. If I end up with 7, oh well.

Doppelganger 3, possibly headed into Greater Doppelganger.

 

[Concerned Ninja Citizen]

Awesome, thanks.

I would like to take Iajutsu Focus, possibly refluffed to emphasize "I know anatomy so I can hit were it hurts" rather than "I charge up my ki."

[ariasderros]

I would like to take Iajutsu Focus, possibly refluffed to emphasize "I know anatomy so I can hit were it hurts" rather than "I charge up my ki."

[Concerned Ninja Citizen]

Change Shape does not grant natural armor bonuses, or racial bonuses to skills, unlike Alter Self which does, correct?