TRM's Second Darkness, a Pathfinder RPG game (closed)

[Walking Dad]

Will be back on Tuesday with a background

 

[Ambrus]

I found some spiffy images of Riddleport online. Thought some of you might like to take a look at the burg.

 

[The Rolling Man]

Damn. I had the stats for my kobold rogue, but lost it due to a glitch while uploading it. Fortunately I managed to save the character background I'd typed up. TRM, please take a look at it and let me know what you think. Feel free to also roll my starting gold and to suggest possible campaign specific feats and traits that you think might be appropriate. I'll wait to hear back from you concerning Pathfinder kobolds before I go about stating him up again.
[...] (snipped the background)
I'm considering taking the Dragonwrought feat from Races of the Dragon. Are you familiar with it or should I post the description for you?

Yeah, I really hate to lose posts, so I almost always try to save the longest one before trying to post them. But, back your character, it's not too late to post one. I think I'll only start the game around the end of next week. Here's what I have for a PC kobold :
[Sblock=Kobold]

• +2 Dex, -4 Str
• Small size: +2 bonus to Armor Class, +2 bonus on attack rolls, +8 bonus on Stealth checks. (see slight built)
• Humanoid (dragonblood, reptilian)
• Base land speed is 30 feet.
• +1 natural armor.
• Darkvision out to 60 feet.
• +2 racial bonus on Craft (trapmaking) and Profession (miner) checks.
• +2 racial bonus to sight and touch based Perception checks.
• Light Sensitivity: Kobolds are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
• Natural Weapons: Kobolds have two primary claw attacks that deal 1d3 points of slashing damage plus Strength bonus, and a secondary bite attack that deals 1d3 points of piercing damage plus 1/2 Strength bonus. Despite possibly being the weakest reptilian humanoid, kobolds retain a connection to their feral nature.
• Slight Build: The physical stature of kobolds lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever a kobold is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Stealth), the kobold is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A kobold is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. A kobold can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty. However, the space and reach of a kobold remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.
• Automatic Languages: Draconic, Common. Bonus Languages: Goblin, Orc, Undercommon.
• Weapon familiarity : Kobolds are proficient with light and heavy picks and treat greatpicks as martial weapons.
• The favored class of goblins is rogue or sorcerer. This choice must be made at 1st level and cannot be changed.

[/sblock]I basicly removed the constitution penalty and added everything from the web enhancement. This still makes them pretty weak (it's kobolds after all) but gives them a few interesting quirks. The only thing that worries me a bit is the 3 natural attacks + sneak attack. But, we'll see how it plays out. I also limited the perception bonus to sight and touch (makes sense with the search bonus) to bring it in line with the other racial bonuses to perception.

As for the Dragonwrought feat, I don't have the book, so you'll have to post it here or something.

[Sblock=About the background and traits]I really liked the background you wrote. The way you mixed kobold and Riddleport slang made it pretty funny. There's only one little problem, however : Riddleport doesn't have much of a sewer system. That's the way the paizo people made it and I'm incline to agree. It is after all a city that grew in size pretty quickly and without much vision, planning or a central authority. There is something that could replace the sewers however. A lot of the filth of the city just washes down into the river and ocean by the way of gullies and ditches, but part of the garbage ends up in a small salt marsh east of the city, called the Boneyard.

The Boneyard: This deceptively named place actually serves as the city’s dump and ship’s graveyard. Its name is derived from the many old hulks and collections of ships’ ribs that protrude from the swampy ground. The whole area is a partially flooded salt marsh that is generally 2 or 3 feet deep, although some hidden patches of quicksand are much deeper. Monstrous cockroaches, swamp barracuda, and (it is whispered) wererats infest this area.

Your character could have lived there instead of the sewers. Hiding in some ship's hulk by day and sneaking into the town at night. I figure that your kobold either ended up in the ocean and was brought by the rising tide into the marshes or Elias could have abandoned him there directly. Anyway, just some suggestions.

As for traits, there's one that fits your character pretty well.
Resilient: Growing up in a violent neighborhood or in the unforgiving wilds often forced you to subsist on food and water from doubtful sources. You’ve built up your mettle as a result, and gain a +1 trait bonus on Fortitude saves.
For the campaign one, it gets a bit tricky as none of the existing one really fit. I'm thinking it could be something named 'Curious about the Golden Goblin' which explains that your character is used to sneaking into all sort of places and he's planning to make a visit to the Golden Goblin during the gambling tournement. It could give a +1 talent bonus to stealth and stealth as a class skill but that's not really much of a bonus for a rogue. We might have to think of something else.[/Sblock]
Oh, and one last note, I rolled 100 gp for your rogue.
Edit: Yeah, that attacking Bunyip is pretty bada**.

 

[Ambrus]

Thanks for all the feedback TRM. I'll revise my character background with your suggestions in mind and go ahead with stating him back up with the racial writeup you completed.

All in all it seems good, though I have to admit that the by-the-book -4 penalty to Str seems a bit odd to me since the kobold's monstrous writeup lists them as having 9 Str; almost as strong as a human. Similarly, the Con penalty doesn't make much sense either since they've normally got 10 Con. I'm not complaining, I'd play one regardless of the stats, just saying it's a bit counterintuitive.

One question: Did you want to include the kobold racial variants from Classic Monsters Revisited too or skip them?

Here's the feat I'd mentioned.
[sblock=Dragonwrought]
You were born a dragonwrought kobold, proof of your race's innate connection to dragons.
Prerequisite: Kobold, 1st level only.
Benefit: You are a dragon wrought kobold. Your type is dragon rather than humanoid, and you lose the dragonblood subtype. You retain all your other subtypes and your kobold racial traits. Your scales become tinted with a color that matches that of your draconic heritage. As a dragon, you are immune to magic sleep and paralysis effects. You have darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision. You gain a +2 racial bonus on the skill indicated for your draconic heritage on the table on page 103.
Special: Unlike most feats, this feat must be taken at 1st level, during character creation. Having this feat allows you to take the Dragon Wings feat at 3rd level.

[/sblock]

 

[The Rolling Man]

@ Rolling Man: I think I missed out languages. With an Int bonus of +2, Tolly should have Common, plus two bonus languages, plus another human language, is this right? What would be a suitable language for a character with familiarity with old magic books? Draconic is usually considered the standard, but would Thassilonian be possible?

Right, common, 1 human language and 2 others. Thassilonian would certainly fill the bill but others could be possible. Elven (they learned magic first), Azlanti (dead language of the mystical 'first civilized nation of men', think Atlantis), or since there's a strong tradition of wizard in northern Garund (the pseudo-Africa) Osiriani or even Ancient Osiriani (to continue crude real world analogies, think arabic and ancient egyptian, respectively) could also work. Varisian would probably make sense too, given your background. I can't guaranteed how useful some of these languages are gone be in the long run.

Also, the starknife is a martial weapon so your rogue isn't proficient with it. Other then that, I didn't see anything wrong with your character sheet.

Like the Trait and I agree about just arriving in Varisia. I'll move the character over to the Rogues Gallery and update the Traits and Background later today. I'll also spend my money wisely.

Still not sure whether to take Tien instead of Elven. Although given the background it makes sense.

Thanks for posting your character in the RG. Almost everything looks good but there's just 2 things that would need some attention. First, the traits give you a +1 bonus but not an actual rank to a skill and you don't get the class bonus to a skill until you have at least 1 rank. Diplomacy and intimidate should then only be at +1. Of course, you can still move around your 5 skill points to change that before we start (with one rank your bonus to those skills would then be +5). Second, the unarmed damage of a lvl 1 medium monk should only be 1d6+str not 1d8.

 

[The Rolling Man]

One question: Did you want to include the kobold racial variants from Classic Monsters Revisited too or skip them?

I thought about it but with the green one giving another bonus to hide (or stealth), I didn't want it to stack with the increased size bonus kobolds are getting with slight build. Besides, I didn't really like the fact that some choices were pigeonholing those kobolds to a certain class. The breath weapons are cool but somewhat powerful for lvl 1. It could maybe come back as another draconic heritage feat (with some better scaling as you gain lvls) somewhere down the road.

You gain a +2 racial bonus on the skill indicated for your draconic heritage on the table on page 103.

The feat seems a bit powerful but I don't have a problem with it since you're just a lowly kobold . It also works well with the multi-colored kobolds of Goralion. I just wonder what color you are thinking and what skill is getting a bonus.

 

[Ambrus]

I thought about it but with the green one giving another bonus to hide (or stealth), I didn't want it to stack with the increased size bonus kobolds are getting with slight build.

That'd be the way I'd likely go, though the blue's +1 to Wisdom is also tempting.

Besides, I didn't really like the fact that some choices were pigeonholing those kobolds to a certain class.

Yeah, I largely agree. So, you want to drop the variants' bonuses altogether?

The feat seems a bit powerful but I don't have a problem with it since you're just a lowly kobold .

Watch yer tongue or I'll bite yer kneecaps off sunmeat.

It also works well with the multi-colored kobolds of Goralion. I just wonder what color you are thinking and what skill is getting a bonus.

The table in question includes pretty much every true dragon in the game including all of the extraplanar species (40+ sub-species in all) so it's pretty much pick-a-skill. If I've a mind to go with Stealth for instance (and I do) then I could go with either Black, Blue, Copper, Green, Li lung or White. For a creature living in the Boneyard, I'd imagine that a bonus to swim (Chiang Lung, Lung Wang, Oceanus, Styx, Tun mi Lung, Topaz or Yu Lung) might also be appropriate. The Emerald dragon's bonus to Knowledge (local) could also be helpful though. You tell me; is there a particular color or dragon species that's particularly appropriate for the area or plot?

Also, would you allow me to take the Dragon Wings feat at 3rd? Essentially it grants a +10 to jump checks, negates falling damage and allows one to glide short distances from a height. Actual flight can only be gained at 6th level by means of yet another feat: Improved Dragon Wings. If so, then I could start off with a pair of useless vestigial wings that'd grow more useful over time.

Here are a couple of ideas I had for traits, the first would serve as a campaign trait. The second is based on the kobold rogue's 1st substitution level from RotD. I'm also considering taking Reactionary since it seems appropriate for a kobold who lives by his wits.[sblock=Traits]Guileful Pickpocket
The lure of wealth has drawn many to the Gold Goblin's gambling tournament, but not all are pinning their hopes on a winning streak to gain their share of the stakes. Not being one for games of chance, you plan to skip the gambling altogether and use the tournament's hubbub as a backdrop for larceny. With a bit of skill, luck and guile you hope to lighten the purses of a few competitors before making your escape with none the wiser. You gain a +2 on Sleight of Hand checks to take something from another creature.

Rapid Retreat
Kobolds learn to survive by retreating quickly from dangerous situations. Any time you use the withdraw action, you gain a 5-foot bonus to your speed.[/sblock]
Edit: I was looking over equipment and found a few items that I was wondering if you'd permit. I could make the first two cheaply by taking a rank in Craft (alchemy) [sblock=equipment]Sundark Goggles
from Races of the Dragon
(10 gp cost / no weight / DC 15 Alchemy check to create)
The smoked lenses of these goggles block light. They are typically fixed into a band of canvas that clasps together at the back to keep the goggles from falling off. Sundark goggles negate the dazzled condition experienced by a creature with light sensitivity whille in bright illumination. As a side effect, they grant the wearer a +2 circumstance bonus on saving throws against gaze attacks. A creature wearing sundark goggles can't use a gaze attack, since other creatures can't see its eyes. Creatures without low-light vision or darkvision that wear sundark goggles take a -2 penalty on Search and Spot checks.

Bitterleaf oil
from Races of the Dragon
(25 gp cost / no weight / DC 15 Alchemy check to create)
Kobolds use this salve to keep their scales healthy and shiny. Each bottle of bitterleaf oil holds enough for ten applications. If the oil is applied each day (a full-round action), it staves off shedding indefinately. In addition, on any day when bitterleaf oil is applied, the character naturally heals 1 additional point of damage per HD (max. 5) with a full night's rest.

Tumbling bolt
from the Arms and Equipment Guide
(5gp cost / 0.2 lb.)
A tumbling bolt resembles a standard crossbow bolt except for a few minuscule holes and vents along the shaft. A channel allows air to pass through the bolt, which causes it to tumble when fired. The bolt deals +2 damage but only has one-half its normal range increment due to the way the projectile moves through the air.[/sblock]

 

[ghostcat]

Thanks for posting your character in the RG. Almost everything looks good but there's just 2 things that would need some attention. First, the traits give you a +1 bonus but not an actual rank to a skill and you don't get the class bonus to a skill until you have at least 1 rank. Diplomacy and intimidate should then only be at +1. Of course, you can still move around your 5 skill points to change that before we start (with one rank your bonus to those skills would then be +5). Second, the unarmed damage of a lvl 1 medium monk should only be 1d6+str not 1d8.

TRM. I've reworked the skills and changed the Unarmed damage. I think I've got it right now.

 

[Dr Simon]

Also, the starknife is a martial weapon so your rogue isn't proficient with it. Other then that, I didn't see anything wrong with your character sheet.

Oops! Didn't spot that. Well, it was only meant as a flavour piece anyway, and as I think he might need a bit of coin to waste in the Golden Goblin I'll swap it back for the 25 gp. Lucky I kept the reciept.

Edit: I see that's a nice reeflcaw someone's caught in that third picture. Of course, that's nothing compared to Ol' Meatclaw back in Korvosa, but then no-one's ever caught him.

Further Edit: I think I've beaten the cyphermages to figuring out what the arch does - it's a Stargate!

Edit edit edit: Looks at Rogue's Gallery. .... Yeah, I'm definitely going to be the one doing the talking to regular folks...

 

[The Rolling Man]

@ Ambrus : Sorry for the delayed response but here we go. First, yes, no variants from classic monsters revisited for your little guy. We'll stick with the races of the dragon stuff. As for a type of dragon, I would prefer if you choose amongst the classics, ie metallic or chromatic dragons. The most likely (geographically) in the ones you listed are probably black, green and white but others can work too. The dragon wings seem alright as are the traits you proposed. Sundark goggles and bitterleaf oil are also no problem but I'm not sure I like the tumbling bolt. A range reduction isn't much of a penalty for +2 damage. I'd accept it if the bonus was only +1. I think that's everything. I'll hold up reviewing your character in more details until you completely finish it up.

@ Mark Chance : All power attack, all the time ? Interesting I didn't see anything wrong with your sheet. A few lines about Kronk's background would be great however.
Edit: Actually seems like Kronk could have another language.

@Dr.Si & ghostcat : Thanks for making the changes.