[Pathfinder] Burnt Offerings

[Ambrus]

My only trepidation with the engineer concept is that it doesn't lend itself to a very sneaky-jumpy rogue.

Thanks to the trait, perhaps your journeyman can learn to apply his intuitive understanding of engineering principles to the body; quickly identifying and targeting the keystone that supports the whole structure with effective sneak attacks. Maybe "seeing the math" could become the process by which your character seeks to resolve most problems.

I can tweak Elyra to make her a hand-to-hand combatant, since we may come up short on melee fighters. Let me know your thoughts.

My dragon is a primary melee combatant, as is our half-orc cleric I believe.

 

[jkason]

Wait, you can't have that! That's Elyra's backstory!

Seriously, if you want to go that route, we could have them be siblings or cousins. Have a look at her backstory and see what you think. No reason they couldn't be strangers -- There must be some number of Varisians whose teen rebellion consisted of leaving their nomadic life to take up, er, a nomadic life.

As noted, I'll drop Elyra's Disable Device and pick up an alternative. Are you leaning more toward a melee-centered rogue or a ranged one? I can tweak Elyra to make her a hand-to-hand combatant, since we may come up short on melee fighters. Let me know your thoughts.

Ack! Sorry 'bout that. I had skimmed Elyra's background, but caught the 'wandering swindlers' part without managing to catch the performers. My bad.

I had thought of Tac's tribe as a more honest lot, where he left them not because they were bad, but because his analytical mind just wasn't right for the instinctual, free-spirits of his kin. But if you want to co-mingle backgrounds, I'd be all for that. And having a cousin in Sandpoint might give Elyra more reason to be visiting?

I haven't finished statting him, but at a thought: Tac didn't have the same moral dilemmas that Elyra had, but since he knew he didn't love performing so much as figuring out how things worked, maybe he begged to accompany Elyra when she left (I think he's going to be slightly younger than her)? She took him along to keep an eye out for him, until he found apprenticeship in the engineering guildhalls.

As for combat, I think I've been looking at melee support. Weapon Finesse and Dodge for feats, I think, hoping to get into flanking position for sneak attacks, so no need to worry about futzing with your ranged stuff.

 

[mfloyd3]

I haven't finished statting him, but at a thought: Tac didn't have the same moral dilemmas that Elyra had, but since he knew he didn't love performing so much as figuring out how things worked, maybe he begged to accompany Elyra when she left (I think he's going to be slightly younger than her)? She took him along to keep an eye out for him, until he found apprenticeship in the engineering guildhalls.

That works. There can be some ambiguity, too -- We can make Tac her cousin, and his branch of the family was not quite as criminal. Also, Tac being younger may not have been as aware of it. Elyra may never have discussed it with him in great detail, wanting to spare him, so it might surprise him to know the depth of her feelings on the subject.

Is Tac a permanent resident at Sandpoint? If not, we can leave it that Elyra heard from a mutual acquaintance he was in town, and took the first job headed that way (which, perhaps, happened to be with a PC).

As for combat, I think I've been looking at melee support. Weapon Finesse and Dodge for feats, I think, hoping to get into flanking position for sneak attacks, so no need to worry about futzing with your ranged stuff.

OK. And as Ambrus pointed out, the dragon and the priest are melee combatants as well.

Why am I worried about melee combat, anyway? We have a dragon! Admittedly, he has warm brown eyes and a fuzzy coat, but he's still a dragon!

 

[Merlin's Shadow]

My dragon is a primary melee combatant, as is our half-orc cleric I believe.

Yes, Grokk quite enjoys getting in the thick of things.

 

[Merlin's Shadow]

Okay, the mechanical aspects of Grokk should be done. I'll get his background posted later tonight.

 

[jkason]

That works. There can be some ambiguity, too -- We can make Tac her cousin, and his branch of the family was not quite as criminal. Also, Tac being younger may not have been as aware of it. Elyra may never have discussed it with him in great detail, wanting to spare him, so it might surprise him to know the depth of her feelings on the subject.

Sounds good. Maybe Elyra ran into Tac's branch during her initial travelling, and when the more-naive Tac expressed an interest in leaving, she volunteered to take him as a means of keeping his idealism intact. Of course, his interests being different than hers, she left him in the hands of the engineers, knowing he could leave word for her at guildhalls if the need arose.

Is Tac a permanent resident at Sandpoint? If not, we can leave it that Elyra heard from a mutual acquaintance he was in town, and took the first job headed that way (which, perhaps, happened to be with a PC).

I think long-term temporary. I don't think he did all his training there, but he's been there for quite some time helping with rebuilding the temple. And since he's finally 'graduating,' he left word for her, hoping to re-connect?

 

[Ambrus]

Are all our humans Varisian? If so it'd be good if everyone had Varisian as a language. I might be wrong, but I believe it's the default spoken language throughout Varisia.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Ambrus, starting gold for your dragon will be 75 gp.

 

[Ambrus]

Can I ask how that figure was arrived at? And how do you want to handle the issue of my starting with a magic item?

 

[Merlin's Shadow]

Added a description and brief background notes to Grokk. I do have a bit more to add in that last department.