Character generation

We use the Pathfinder rules and my house rules, and a scattering of 3pp. There is an rtf sheet under Files on the subgroup; please use that sheet/format (and please don't change the font or indents). Please do make sure your character complies with the latest requirements for extra ability points! :)

  • Setting: The Chultan peninsula, Forgotten Realms. The second module is primarily a dungeon crawl. Later on there will also be city/wilderness elements.
  • Level: 3
  • Ancestry: Core, Featured, and some Uncommon (check with the DM). No ancestry building. Some races may take certain classes and options forbidden to others, see the house rules.

    Special notes on ancestries: I'd like to emphasize that nonhumans are not just humans with pointy ears/a beard/a tail/etc. Pet peeve, I find it incredibly annoying. Here are some 3pp options to help emphasize that:
    • Dwarves: Alone among the races, dwarves may take the feats of runic might by Super Genius Games, or the Rune Magic options from Deep Magic, by Kobold Press.
    • Elves: These characters may take the alternate racial traits available in 'Amazing Races - Elves' by Abandoned Arts (Elven Speed, Elven Grace, Inheritor of Wisdom, Perfect Recall).
    • Gnomes: Not the First World refugees of Golarion, but native inventors extraordinaire, with a sylvan twist. Alone among the races, gnomes have access to the Gungineer class by Flying Pincushion Games. This is a gunslinger-like class that makes said gun modular.
    • Halflings: Halflings are more like hobbits than 3e's "well-adjusted kender with no topknots." They wear no shoes, have hairy feet, and eat as much as a human (if not more). They gain the character traits and may choose the alternate racial traits from 'Amazing Races - Halflings' by Abandoned Arts (Adaptive halfling, Alertness, Compassionate Rider, Intuitive Knack, Living the Good Life, Natural Opportunist, Wary Warrior).
  • Class: All Paizo classes are legal (though some, like the samurai, had better have a damn good background reason to be here!); as always, 3pp has to be approved.

    Summoners must be unchained. Gunslingers must be either gnomes or worshippers of Gond.

    Most Paizo archetypes are fine; 3pp archetypes can be thrown into the arena of public discussion to see which survive (may the odds be ever in their favor).

    Potentially useful favored enemies for rangers atm include: humans, aberrations, and evil outsiders.

    No psionics, too many shenanigans.

  • Abilities: Point buy, min. score 7, after racial modifiers. Max. scores 18, before racial modifiers.
    • You start with 15 points.
    • For an optional additional 5 points (20 total), describe two positive qualities and two negative qualities of your character's personality, and why they have them. Try to incorporate your traits and feats into why your character is this way.

      Also provide at least one of each of these: goals, fears, regrets, and accomplishments.

    • For an optional extra additional 5 points (25 total), answer these questions (with thanks to 3am-dragon):
      • (POV: 3rd person) What kind of person does your character seem to be at a glance,
      • (POV: 1st person) what kind of person do they think they are, and
      • (POV: meta) what kind of person are they actually?

      In answering those questions, you get a lot of room to discuss various things. Appearance, mannerisms, vocabulary; then inner logic, self-perception, emotions; and then truths they may not be acknowledging, the flaws they may not see, and the strengths they're blind to.

    One last note on the abilities is that some people think that Charisma score defines how good you look - it isn't that (or at least, not completely that). It is how much personal magnetism you have. It is whether people pay attention when you speak, and follow where you lead. You can have a low Charisma and look good, or a high Charisma and be ugly, it is up to you.

  • Alignment: Alignment is the broad term for the collection of behaviors and beliefs that guide you in everyday life. You can pick any non-evil alignment. Please read the definitions we use for the alignments.
  • Traits and feats: No drawbacks. For traits, EITHER:
    - two traits from different lists
    OR:
    - one Tashluta district feat from the Player's Guide, which is located on the group under Files.

    We use the expanded feats from TPK Games' Feats Reforged line (I'll pass on the expanded information from the feats you choose to you if you don't have those books), which is extensive and covers a lot of feats (bonuses to nearly all Core, Advanced Player's Guide, Ultimate Combat and Ultimate Magic feats).
  • Skills: We will use Background Skills. Skill unlocks will be available to unchained/legendary rogues and anyone who takes the Signature Skill feat. The unlocks can be found here, under each individual skill.
  • hps: Full at level 1, thereafter average (half +1) + mods.
  • Hero Points: Begin with 3, max. 5. Hero Point feats/spells/items can push those values higher.
  • Equipment: Maximum class-based gold at level 1. Half Wealth By Level for anyone who joins after level 1.

    If you want to be a local, there are cost of living expenses at the bottom of this page.

House rules

Notes on character generation and posting

  1. Sadly, I've found it's necessary to emphasize this: rule #1 is Don't Be A Jerk. All your actions (and your character's actions) should be made with the rest of the players and their characters in mind. Let's keep it fun for everyone! (Also see the definition of griefing below.)
  2. Post early and post often. Nothing kills a game like waiting forever for other people to post. Posting rate: As often as possible (minimum: once a week). If you're in the game and you realize that you're going to be unable to post for a while, please let me know ASAP, so I can arrange to sideline or bot your character (ESPECIALLY if we're in the middle of a combat encounter!). Remember, you get out of the game what you put into it, so make those posts! :)
    • Related note #1: No time like the present: Don't wait your turn in initiative to post - just post what you can.
    • Related note #2: Posts or it didn't happen: A remark on Discord is not the equivalent of a post. If you want it to happen, post it in the group.
  3. You need to be adventurous and cooperative. Don't wait for things to happen to you, make things happen. Be an engine of adventure that drives the story forward!

  4. I won't accept any "lone wolf" characters. Teamwork = good. Please remember to consider that teamwork when building your character. If a few are far more powerful than the rest not only will it be more difficult to balance encounters, but the underpowered characters will have unhappy players. Similar rule in effect for making a character with a bad prejudice against anyone else in the party - I'm not saying don't have it, I'm saying work WITH the other player. We're here to have fun together, yeah?

  5. "That's what my character would do!" is not a good excuse to disrupt everyone's fun. If you ruin the game because you stayed completely in character, the game is still ruined. Your actions can contribute to the group enjoyment or take away from it. Work with the rest of us. If you could go off and do something alone, find a reason to involve the other characters instead. In the same way, if your character could decide to act in a disruptive way (refusing to go on the quest, attacking harmless NPCs or other PCs, etc.), slant your actions to decide not to do those things.

  6. If you get frustrated or bored, don't start griefing the game. Tell me and I'll try to help you out. DO NOT FAFO. Note that if you feel you're stuck, you can use a Hero Point to get a clue of what to do. (A quick definition of griefing: Doing things that hamper other players' enjoyment of the game; causing trouble just to be contrary. This includes starting fights or feuds with other characters without clearing it with their player(s) first, or sabotaging their relationships with NPCs with the same caveat.)

    Notes on formatting

  7. Quote the text you're responding to, and any text that comes after it, so I know where to hook it up in the collection post. On a related note, please don't cut in to do anything that would change other things that have already been done/said/whatever.

  8. Put an empty line between your paragraphs. That way people don't get a huge wall of text, but manageable bits to read. It also makes archiving easier for me.

  9. Please keep emphasis between _underscores_ and thoughts between *asterisks.* Also, please keep punctuation inside those things, too. It makes archiving easier for me, since I do the html manually. :)

  10. Wall of text: Put an empty line between your paragraphs. That way people don't get a huge wall of text, but manageable bits to read. It also makes archiving easier for me. <3 :D

  11. Ignoring what other players write: Please do read all the posts available before replying, and adjust your post to include them. Nobody likes to be ignored!

  12. During combat, tell me your intent as well as your current actions. This will help speed the rate of combat posts. Also, don't wait for your turn in the initiative order. Just post. That way, if someone else doesn't post, we can skip their turn and move on.
    • Combat is slow in pbem, and by the nature of the game there is a lot of it, so please post as soon as you can so we can move on!
  13. Please avoid extensive time-jumping when replying to posts, as it can be difficult to connect disparate bits and identify where a conversation should hook up again (as often two separate threads get mixed together and things are replied to in an earlier conversation that happen in a later conversation). If you do need to time-jump a little, please put three asterisks (***) between each time-jumped bit of text and the next/current text. This helps me to hook together the appropriate bits of conversation in the archives.

  14. On a related note to time-jumping, please do read all the posts available before replying, and adjust your post to include them. This also cuts down on the amount of editing necessary for the archives.

  15. Please keep your writing in third person, past tense. Then when I put it in the archives it will read like a cohesive story. :)

    Notes on general rules

  16. Aid Another: If you can't succeed at the skill check when taking 20, you cannot aid another. Always explain how you are aiding, as in some cases a really good explanation is needed (such as for aiding Stealth or Knowledge checks) to even allow the action.

  17. Banhammer: Limp lash, reincarnation, Antagonize, and any other rules I find silly are rules we won't be using.

  18. Death: Characters die at one hp below their negative Con score rather than at -10 hps.

  19. Haunts: Surviving them gets you half their XP, and destroying/ending them nets you the rest. Haunts are treated as rapping spirits after they've manifested but before they're dismissed/destroyed.

  20. The shortsword is considered a P/S weapon.

  21. Rolling on our Discord channel:

    You will need a (free) Discord account, so you can join our server/game channel and roll your own dice rolls. Send your handle to the DM and you'll be invited to the server.

    GM rolls initiative, secret rolls (e.g. Sense Motive), and Knowledge checks. Players roll the rest via the Discord server. Players may choose and declare the use of any "use after the die roll but before the GM declares success or failure" abilities (ex: Greater Aid, Fortune, and Against All Odds abilities, and some Hero Point uses) after they make their rolls, but before posting and note such (and the final result) in the OOC portion of their posts. Such choices must be made and posted prior to the DM posting results of the player's rolls. If the player doesn't roll and post within (X period of time), the DM will roll on their behalf (and the player will forfeit the chance to use modification abilities referenced above). The DM also reserves the right to make any rolls needed to move the game along efficiently.

Alignment

LG LN LE
\ | /
NG - TN - NE
/ | \
CG CN CE
Good - Neutral - Evil
Lawful - Neutral - Chaotic
Lawful A lawful character believes in authority and hierarchy. If a law is wrong, it should be changed in a lawful manner.
Chaotic A chaotic character believes in personal judgement and freedom. If a law is wrong, it should be ignored. Unlike in some games, 'chaotic' is not another word for 'crazy' or 'evil.'
Neutral "Neutral people draw the line around those people they know, those they care about and those whose lives affect them. A neutral villager will help out his neighbour if there is a bad harvest, but is less likely to help out the next village. He's likely to defend his home village with the other villagers, but you won't catch him volunteering to go fight someone else's war. The Neutral person is not indifferent to the suffering of others, he just looks after himself and his own first, dealing with the problems he can see rather than the ones he cannot. He might not send food to the starving village ten miles away, but he won't refuse a meal to a starving man on his doorstep. They see the people they know as people, but those they do not know are an abstract."

- Dabbler

Good A good character has compassion for others, sentient or not, and demonstrates respect for them (i.e. doesn't put his own good ahead of theirs). Good is defined as a willingness to go out of your way to aid and avoid harming others.

"Good people know that the line has no boundaries. They know that the people in the next village are just like them and just as deserving of compassion and mercy. To the good person, there are no abstract people.

- Dabbler

Evil An evil character behaves selfishly and is willing to use and harm others to have their way; they always think of themselves first. Evil is defined as the willingness to harm others needlessly and deliberately. (Evil people rarely think of themselves as evil - they just think they're wise to the ways of the world, or that their actions ultimately benefit others, or that they have a right to do what they're doing, or that it isn't really their fault.) Evil is selfishness magnified.

"Evil people draw the line much closer to home, usually just around themselves. Few evil people actively enjoy hurting others (though the worst ones do), they really are indifferent to it. They have no problem harming others because they are indifferent to such harm. The evil person looks after himself first and foremost. To the evil person, everyone else is an abstract. - Dabbler

"Your goals don't have to change. Change how far you're willing to go to attain them.
Because nothing is forbidden anymore."
- Mikaze

    "I am Evil and generally it means....
  1. ) I am concerned with my needs above the needs of others.
  2. ) I am concerned with my wants above the wants or rights of others.
  3. ) I have no personal issues with Killing/Stealing/Lying/Assulting/ect... to get what I need or want.
    Evil does not mean.....
  1. ) I ignore the concept that there are ramifications for my actions (going to jail, being killed, having people hate me).
  2. ) I do not plan ahead and refuse to look at the big picture.
  3. ) I do not care what people, even my friends think about me.
As an Evil Individual, I know better than to flaunt my evil. That is a quick way to loose friends and allies. Even us evil people like to have friends and have feelings for people. Evil is capable of love and caring about people even if in a very selfish possesive way. I still value my companions company though never more than himself.

I realize that I will sometimes have to do things these softhearted friends/allies of mine what me to do even if I dont get immediate compensation for doing it. After all I need those allies to cover my ass later when there is a large payment waiting for a task to completed.

I care about my personal safety. Your damn right I surround myself with good aligned allies rather than evil or neutral ones. Good allies wont sell me out. Good allies wont murder me in my sleep and take my stuff. Good allies will risk their lives to rescue me. Heck even when I screw them over, my Good allies will not immediately kill me, their stupid morals say killing is wrong. They have to trap me and try to convience me to change or at worst throw me in jail until I have paid my debt. As long as I dont force them into a corner and threaten them with serious bodily harm they arent allowed to kill me. Even if I try to escape they have to try to catch me without killing me first. Why you ask? Cuz they are good. Heck if I can get them to like me and care about me enough I can even get them to cover for me when I do something bad that they know is morally wrong. Why? Because their sad little soft sappy hearts dont want something bad to happen to a good friend and they know that deep down in side I'm really just a confused scared person that needs love. Excuse me while a vomit.

Basically, I am evil, I sure as hell wouldn't trust me and so I don't trust anyone like me either. So I make sure all of my friends and companions are sappy soft hearted saps. I sleep better at night knowing that."

- FreelanceEvilGenius

For the record: monsters in my game are not innately evil unless they're Evil outsiders such as demons or devils, or unintelligent undead and the like (see the entry on alignment in the Bestiary, page 5).

Decide to react differently -
A clarification of slanting your actions.

This is a post Rich Burlew made on the Giants in the Playground site, related to the "slant your actions" article at Errant Dreams. He didn't make a link to this specific part of his post, so I'm reproducing the relevant section of it here:

"Have you ever had a party break down into fighting over the actions of one of their members? Has a character ever threatened repeatedly to leave the party? Often, intraparty fighting boils down to one player declaring, "That's how my character would react." Heck, often you'll be the one saying it; it's a common reaction when alignments or codes of ethics clash.

However, it also creates a logjam where neither side wants to back down. The key to resolving this problem is to decide to react differently. You are not your character, and your character is not a separate entity with reactions that you cannot control. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a player state that their character's actions are not under their control. Every decision your character makes is your decision first. It is possible and even preferable for you to craft a personality that is consistent but also accommodating of the characters the other players wish to play.

When you think about a situation, ask yourself, "Is this the only way my character can react to this?" Chances are, the answer is, "No." Try to refine your character so that you can deal with situations that conflict with your alignment/ethos without resorting to ultimatums, threats, etc. This will often mean thinking in terms of compromise and concession to your fellow players, or at the very least an agreement to disagree.

Here's another example: In a campaign I DM'd, the party's bard lifted a magical sword behind the back of the party's Lawful Good monk. The monk had basically decided that the bodies of several fallen knights would be buried without looting, and rather than argue, the bard just grabbed the sword. The bad news was, the sword was cursed; it was the blade that had belonged to a ghost that roamed the castle, and whenever the bard drew it, the ghost materialized and attacked him (and only him). Eventually, the bard 'fessed up that he had stolen the sword. The monk (and the monk's player) became furious, and declared that he could no longer travel with the bard. Either the bard had to leave, or he would. It became a huge argument between characters and players, and it was entirely unnecessary. The monk did not have to react with an ultimatum; the monk did not even have to be angry, no matter what his alignment was. The bard had already suffered the misfortune of having his Charisma drained by the ghost repeatedly; the monk could have chosen (for example) to lecture the bard on how his theft had brought him nothing but misery. He chose to create player conflict when it was just as easy to not.

Personally, I blame the paladin for this. The original paladin class created the precedent for one player thinking he has the right to dictate the morality of other players. That drives me nuts. Ever since, players who select a Lawful Good character automatically assume it is up to them to police the rest of the party, and too often, the rest of the party lets them. As far as I'm concerned, no player has the right to tell another player how to act. Lawful Good is not the "right" way to be, and it is unacceptable to push your character's ideals on other players whether they want them or not.

Another useful application of this concept involves accepting story hooks your DM gives to you. Try to never just say, "My character isn't interested in that adventure." A lot of people mistake this for good roleplaying, because you are asserting your character's personality. Wrong. Good roleplaying should never bring the game to a screeching halt. One of your jobs as a player is to come up with a reason why your character would be interested in a plot. After all, your personality is entirely in your hands, not the DM's. Come up with a reason why the adventure (or the reward) might appeal to you, no matter how esoteric or roundabout the reasoning.

If the paladin is to blame for the last problem, this one belongs to the druid. Druids have such a specific set of principles that players often mistake them for being a free pass to demand that each adventure revolve around their goals. Raiding a dungeon for gold doesn't appeal to the druid mindset, so what are you to do if you play one and are presented with that goal? You improvise. Maybe the gold will enable you to purchase magic items that will let you protect the wilderness. Maybe the ruins contain unnatural monsters that need to be killed regardless of the treasure. Maybe, just maybe, the other PCs are your friends and you are willing to help them just because. Too often that last part is forgotten; I don't think anyone reading this has never spent the night doing something they'd rather not because a friend asked.

So if you're really paying attention, you may be thinking, "Hey, don't those two points contradict one another? First he says to separate what your character thinks from what you think, but then he says your character doesn't have its own reactions." Well, no. Separate your character's thoughts from your own thoughts, but don't forget who is in control of both personalities. The division between your personality and that of your character only goes so far as it helps the game; once it begins becoming a disruption, a player has a responsibility to alter his or her character's decisions in the interest of the group. In the end, your relationships with the people you are sitting in someone's living room with are more important than your character's internal consistency."

- Rich Burlew