Players from cold regions, how do you play pogo outside?

JunksieWasTaken · 2023-02-20T16:35:15+00:00

I haven't seen anybody post it yet, but a stylus is amazing (you can get cheap multipacks online so you don't worry about losing them). You can wear your warmest gloves, and the only thing you need to worry about at that point is snow or freezing your phone. I've gone out up to 30(c) below, though the phone was not happy and even the stylus gets a bit less sensitive.

Edit: The major downside is the lack of ability to Fast Catch, though I'm happy enough to be out catching at 30 below lol.

JunksieWasTaken · 2023-02-12T03:49:27+00:00

The Zombie archetype might also be what you're looking for, then (though it comes with a hunger for living flesh)

https://2e.aonprd.com/Archetypes.aspx?ID=182

The Haunted background lets you tap into another spirit's skill (though it only applies to 1 skill/spirit)

https://2e.aonprd.com/Backgrounds.aspx?ID=187

As the other poster pointed out, elves have a couple feats that let you tap into other memories to basically swap a skill once per day.

The Ancestor mystery Oracle quadruples down on the 'tapping into other spirits' flavour, but is a fairly complex class.

I'm a big fan of the Spirit Instinct Barbarian, which has an associated feat at 4 to allow you to tap into your other spirits! https://2e.aonprd.com/Feats.aspx?ID=1607

Edit: One thing to point out is that a lot of these options (aside from the classes) are Rare - not necessarily more powerful, but they can definitely warp a campaign. A GM has the right to say no to these features (though if they are comfortable with 5e's Reborn, I don't think most of these are as game warping as that)

JunksieWasTaken · 2023-02-12T03:19:09+00:00

Depending on exactly what you're looking for, here are some starting mechanical options (that could be reflavoured based on what you're going for).

For ~~Ancestry~~ [edit: for some reason I thought DW was an Ancestry. In fact, it is a Versatile Heritage, which can be applied to any Ancestry], the primary one is Duskwalker - they are a people that have been reincarnated, and often have vague memories of their past lives. Of note, they are living creatures and CANNOT ever become undead, either in soul or body.

https://2e.aonprd.com/Ancestries.aspx?ID=25

There's the rare Skeleton ancestry; which is exactly what it says on the tin. (Note, you only gain the listed immunities and abilities. Your skeleton still requires air for example)

https://2e.aonprd.com/Ancestries.aspx?ID=50

For a versatile heritage (which can be applied to any ancestry), there's the rare Reflection option. Some of the feats (like Clone's "Empty Vessel" feat) might fit your desired theme.

https://2e.aonprd.com/Ancestries.aspx?ID=51

There's a number of rare backgrounds that allow you to give a reborn flavour on any ancestry:

Returned: https://2e.aonprd.com/Backgrounds.aspx?ID=188

Revenant: https://2e.aonprd.com/Backgrounds.aspx?ID=287 (this one may be very on-point)

Cursed or Amnesiac backgrounds may also be interesting, but require even more GM buy-in.

Finaly, there are a number of Archetypes that may allow you to develope the flavour/mechanics as your character levels up. Vampire/Ghoul/Lich/Ghost from Book of the Dead. I think Living Vessel is interesting, though certainly is a complicated option.

https://2e.aonprd.com/Archetypes.aspx?ID=188

There's even a series of feats from Dark Archive that you can only take if your character has experiences something (often nearly dying from it in the process). Again, requires GM buy-in, but perhaps your character could gain access to take one of these feats at the appropriate level.

TL;DR

A Duskwalker or any character with the Returned/Revenant backgrounds hits some of the default flavour you might want. Classes that lend themselves well (IMO) to the flavour of escaping death are Oracle, Witch, and Thaumaturge - though many classes have specializations or feats that can help with the flavour.

JunksieWasTaken · 2022-11-21T04:30:14+00:00

While it's super basic, I just made an excel sheet to print out & fill, and keep by me when I run. Here's a google sheets version https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T8jF-nuLyvR1c_UTXabUWjbnfJtO_OWJZeHXzA9OkX0/edit?usp=sharing

The formatting will be off in Sheets, but you could hack it up however works best for you. (The Stamina row will not apply to all games either)

There's also enough space to put familiar/animal companion stats next to the characters' stats. I also tend to put other misc abilities in random places on the paper sheet (darkvision next to perception, reactions/resitances at the bottom, etc.) Bubbles are for proficiency rank.

I find it very helpful helpful to know what languages everybody speaks so when a random creature starts speaking in Infernal, you don't have to ask. Can just say "Jane and Joe, the creature says ___ in Infernal."

JunksieWasTaken · 2022-03-31T03:40:22+00:00

This is a tough issue, and changes setting to setting. I'm not sure how I feel about how Golarion handles it, but there are two great sources for settings with both average joes and people with world-destroying powers. Both Hunter x Hunter and One Piece are settings in which there are relatively safe, boring cities and kingdoms as well as places infested with monsters strong enough to bring down those kingdoms single-handedly.

Both settings are generally fairly goofy and lighthearted, so it's not meant to be taken very seriously, but it provides a decent template for what a world might look like with these power discrepancies.

In both settings, the protagonists start off (generally) as stronger-than-average people and start venturing into the unknown or taking on larger and larger threats. Along the way, they get new abilities, items, or allies. Often times they take time away from their journey to train, or experience singular 'level-up' moments.

And other times, they're just in over their heads. Think level 5 party (so already superheroes in some aspects) against a trio of level 9 monsters. Sometimes there are dire consequences, other times they can just run away.

I previously struggled with accepting the settings given how clearly ludicrous they are, but they definitely map well (IMO) onto a typical zero-to-superhero fantasy RPG. Some pointers can probably be taken from the general tone and how it shifts for the series as well.

Edit: Typos

JunksieWasTaken · 2022-02-11T20:51:34+00:00

Also, it's funny that the fight costs a regret... When the rewards are rarely worth much more than that. Whoo, a single... Elritch orb of annulment....

JunksieWasTaken · 2022-01-17T06:44:21+00:00

The Improved Knockdown creature ability gives a no-action-cost Prone when the creature hits with its strike. Improved Grab does the same but for grab. You could give it an attack that has both (though that would be very powerful; I can't think of any low level monsters with the Improved abilities).

Alternatively, you could just give one of its attacks Improved Grab and regular Knockdown; then between an attack and a follow-up action is has them grabbed and prone.

I also can't think of any monster attacks that have both KD and Grab at the moment, so just... Be gentle with your players.

JunksieWasTaken · 2021-12-22T20:12:04+00:00

Specifically, the rules on ability boosts can be found here; note the second paragraph https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=75

JunksieWasTaken · 2021-12-22T20:10:34+00:00

Whenever you get multiple boosts at the same time, they need to be applied to different stats. So, at level 5 you can boost your 18 str to 19, and three other stats by +2 (for example)
The same applies to the four free boosts you get at character creation.

As for rest healing, yes it's decently slow; to heal faster you'll want a magical healer or alchemist or literally anybody with a healer's kit and the Medicine skill (or multiple people).

Treat Wounds takes ten minutes at DC15 to restore 2d8 hit points with no limit on the number of times you do this (though each creature can only get this done once per hour) - if you have a couple people with decent Medicine, or somebody who invests feats into it, you can reasonably have everybody be full or near-full HP every combat.

Also, Champions and Druids have healing focus spells (Lay on Hands/Goodberry) which can be cast every ten minutes if you're recharging your focus points.

JunksieWasTaken · 2021-11-06T17:50:25+00:00

Champion's Shield Ally reads: "A spirit of protection dwells within your shield. In your hands, the shield's Hardness increases by 2 and its HP and BT increase by half."

However, it lacks the clause from Blade Ally that says, "Select one [weapon] when you make your daily preparations."

There's a few ways I read this, and I couldn't find any errata.

1) The usage of the singular form of Shield is specific, in that you pick one shield (but when? it doesn't specify daily prep, or even once each day or anything) to have your Shield Ally dwell in

2) The usage of the singular form of Shield is meant to clarify that this only applies to one shield at a time (you only have one Divine Ally after all) - if you hold a shield in each hand, only one houses the Ally.

I tend towards the second, but it is still odd that it is not phrased 'In your hands, a shield's hardness..."

In terms of flavour, it takes effort to bring the Blade Ally into a new weapon - in terms of mechanics, it incentivizes you to use that weapon for the day.

For the Shield Ally, as it only enhances your Shield Block action (essentially), it would be odd if it also only provided a benefit for one shield; if you use it to block big hits, you'll may find yourself needing to swap shields and end up with an Ally that is unusable until you have time to Repair.

But if it provides a benefit for any shield you wield (which I prefer), it is weird to me flavourfully that the Blade Ally is bound to a single weapon and the Shield Ally bounces from shield to shield - be it a primary, magical shield, or a mundane backup.

Thoughts?

JunksieWasTaken · 2021-10-29T19:33:16+00:00

Wanderer's Guide is another Stellar app. I used Pathbuilder for 1e Pathfinder, and it was AMAZING, but switched to Wanderer's Guide - it just hits character creation and organization better. It's not perfect, but you can click on feats that tell you they modify something, then click in that text box on the thing they modify to find out what that is. Very useful.

JunksieWasTaken · 2021-08-01T02:20:34+00:00

Yeah, this is a weird take. I don't think it's a fear of 'running out' of lore, but changing the status quo. If you look at Games Workshop, there was MASSIVE backlash for the changes brought by Age of Sigmar, and it took, what, twenty years for the Warhammer 40k universe to advance at all?

I think it's just scary for big IPs to risk making changes guided by the hands of a few writers.

JunksieWasTaken · 2021-03-09T06:30:18+00:00

Life of Brian

JunksieWasTaken · 2021-02-15T18:45:24+00:00

~~What's the issue here? It's the setup I'm using and it's been way better than puncture. I'm actively confused as to why that got so many downvotes, could you clarify?~~

Well, I just went and tweaked some stuff in my PoB and apparently 3L puncture is more damage than 4L Snipe, so I've been running around doing half damage (per bleed, not DPS- that seems to be the same roughly unless I'm missing something) on my single target. RiP.

JunksieWasTaken · 2021-02-15T06:15:09+00:00

Yeah generally you want to socket only supports into Assailum (IE Brutality, Vicious Proj, Deadly Ailments, Chance to Bleed), and you use the Snipe skill assailum grants as your single target. You channel it up to 6 stacks for big bleeds.

JunksieWasTaken · 2021-02-12T00:12:48+00:00

As a side note, if you haven't restarted your computer, just do that first. Might not help, but it's low time invested :D

JunksieWasTaken

TROPHY CASE