#pathfinder book for nds

[arihantpub]

Arihant NDA/NA Study Books for Defence Exam 

With the chapterwise topicwise division for better preparation, Arihant's NDA NA pathfinder book has been updated in a very lucid and student-friendly manner for the NDA exam 2023. The books are based on the exact pattern of the examination containing a complete syllabus, a huge collection of solved questions, and Practice material. Arihant's NDA book in hindi is also available for preparation.

[faeryarchives]

i have. so many manhwa tabs open. am i planning to read half of them? mmmmm. maybe. will i keep them open anyways? absolutely.

anyways a couple manhwa recs rq

The solider's ex-girlfiend (i'm pretty sure it was called that)

girl dies nd takes the body of fl of a shitty romance book. breaks up with the crappy ml and goes .+* live life *+. Constantly pestered to go on dates and shit, because prettiest girl in the village is free now!

Goes on date with one guy, decides to become bros (not romantic relationship because mc isn't into that rn). But dundunDUN!! Dude (to no ones suprise) is the demon dude in the cover, but is hiding this from fl.

Ngl there are so many red flags popping up left and right and fl is completely colorblind. but anyways proceed the manipulation.

And that's the start of the story, i quite like it since the relationship between the two leads is really fucking fluffy and although there are a fuck ton of plot twists leading to the end of the story everything gets tied up neatly. also shit gets cleared up with fl and ml, thank fuck.

even that one girl who was into the original novel's ml get's a decent end (except for the princess though. where is the swamp monster x princess content??? hello?????)

Is it the BEST ever?? fuck no. but definitely was an enjoyable read for me. solid 7/10.

Pathfinder

Girl gets into fight with parents, cue "man i wish i could go to another world" line, magical door opens and girl goes through it. bam boo, welcome to ur new life btw ur home world may or may not be frozen in time with all human life being completely wiped and the only way to get it back is to collect shiny things but TALKING ANIMAL!!!

other important thing to state she can go back to her homeworld and steal shit from stores and sell them in the other world for a shit ton because "wtf this doesn't need magic to activate??? cool i'll pay 50 gold."

she's. just kinda a pussy. but honestly realistic asf no one would immediately be adjusted to losing the world they've known all their life and being forced to survive in a new one.

this manhwa focuses i think a bit more on the fl's emotions and shit, rather than being more relationship oriented.

this one is still ongoing so i can't say exactly how satisfying the ending would be but right now it's got quite the riveting story line.

8/10 deffo on the better side of manhwas like these, but we'll have to wait and see where the story'll go.

(also, if i ever come back on anon, i'll tag myself as the 📚 anon.)

HI OMG NEW ANON ofc sure you can be 📚 anon and i haven't heard about these manhwas at all so thank you for recommending it i'll try to read it during vacation 🙏

and every time i read a manhwa and the fl is just like literally blind to the red flags i dont even feel disappointed at all instead i just laugh bc of frustration like miss girl do you need glasses i can buy one for you just don't be stupid pls u are a smart person u deserve a green flag😭

[demi-shoggoth]

2021 Reading Log, pt. 11

51. Monstrous Compendium: Dark Sun Appendix by TSR inc. The first book of Dark Sun based monsters. I think I overall liked the second one better. Many of the monsters here are more environmental hazards, but that comes with how monster writeups worked in 2nd edition. This book stresses the harsh, gritty nature of Athas to an almost comical degree. All the monsters are the deadliest and fiercest, and nothing is considered to be cute and cuddly. That said, there’s a lot of imagination on display, and I bet that this book was a breath of fresh (dry desert) air to GMs in the early 90s. Dark Sun doesn’t feel like other D&D.

52. How to Die in Space by Paul M. Sutter, PhD. I expected to like this book quite a bit, based on its cheeky title and its topic, dangerous astronomical phenomena. Unfortunately, the tone of the book is less dryly funny and more mean-spirited. In its guise as a travel guide for oblivious astronauts, the author makes frequent zingers about its reader’s intelligence, weight and mother. I do not like to be bullied by my books, thank you. A book with an antagonistic tone with the reader requires a delicate touch (see Unmentionable for an example where I think it works). The book is organized smartly, going from local threats (asteroids, solar flares) to ones of enormous cosmological scales (quasars, supermassive black holes) to the purely theoretical (cosmic strings, wormholes). Each chapter begins with an original epigram written in terrible blank verse (all supposedly stemming from The Rhyme of the Ancient Astronaut, but despite this differing wildly in tone, perspective and meter). And the book is horribly edited. Not just spelling mistakes, but switching words like “longer” and “shorter” or “millions” and “billions”, errors that actively hinder the understanding of the topic. Instead of reading this book, you would be better served by looking up the table of contents, then doing Wikipedia searches for each of them.

53. Pathfinder Second Edition: Bestiary 3 design leads Lyz Liddell and Mark Seifter. After my disappointment with Bestiary 2, this is a big step up. Less of this book is reprints than either of the previous 2nd Edition Pathfinder Bestiaries, with a lot of creativity in the new monsters both mechanically and conceptually. Like the brainchild, a living urban legend that gains abilities based on what the party believes about it, or the squirming swill, the undead leftovers from a hag’s cauldron that yield a potion when slain. The monsters that are conversions have more new abilities and expanded lore from their Pathfinder 1e equivalents. Some of the mechanics are more literally minded than I would like (there’s a kuchisake-onna in the book, and her “am I pretty” routine is multiple actions, involving saves and everything), but that is to be expected in such a rules-heavy system.

54. A Brief History of Misogyny by Jack Holland. This is the last book written by Holland, a reporter living in Northern Ireland during the Troubles—he died of cancer during editing, and the foreword is written by his daughter. The book focuses mostly on misogyny in the West, only talking about other cultures in the context of Victorian colonialism and modern fundamentalism (written in 2002, there’s a lot of discussion of the Taliban as a misogyny-driven state). The book is impassioned and brutally honest about the breadth and scope of misogyny as a human rights violation, and how it seems ubiquitous and excused compared to other bigotries. It is also deeply anti-religious (the last book I read that hated Christianity this much was written by Philip Pullman). It’s definitely not perfect—the author is a firm believer in gender essentialism, asexuality is viewed as an aberration, and trans people don’t exist in the narrative. Challenging and worth reading, but not the definitive word on the subject.

55. The Bird Way by Jennifer Ackerman. This is something of a sequel to the same author’s The Genius of Birds. While that book focused more on bird neurobiology, this book is all about behavior. Bird communication, deception, play, sexual selection and reproductive behaviors are all examined here, with a focus on current research. A running theme of the book is that much of what were considered generalities about birds were shaped by sexist (male biologists focusing on male birds) and geographic (American and European scientists focusing on their local birds) biases. As such, this book spends much of its time in the tropics and/or Australia. Multiple references are made to Where Song Began, a book about the evolution of birds in Australia I’ve been meaning to track down. Both highly informative and very fun to read.

[ananas-pineapple-thing]

Take two Peyyi bestie please tell me just how problematic the Todhunter Moon Triology is 🤔

THANK YOU FOR ASKING BESTIE 😤😩 it breaks my heart to see people reading such a toxic series and we NEED to get the truth out 🤬

tod almost drowning to see if she has gills is so problematic????? how are the readers supposed to know we shouldn’t try that ourselves??? ngl angie sage not specifically writing to not try this at home is so messed up it makes me sick 😠😠 by not writing that she is LITERALLY encouraging her fans to try it- most of whom are lgbtq and not to mention vulnerable minors, which makes her HOMOPHOBIC too 😤 tod is a HORRIBLE role model and her existence caused an increase in minors drowning (google tried to cover this up which is why you won’t find the info online 😠)

literally every character is portrayed as so evil and toxic??? even beloved characters from the first series??? like lucy is SO selfish 🙄🙄 she makes william getting kidnapped all about herself like SHE isn’t the one who got kidnapped here?? why is she getting so worked up SMH she really can’t let william get attention for anything even being kidnapped 😤 it’s so sick and normalizes bad parenting especially since no one calls her out on it????

it puts such a bad taste in my mouth to see everyone stanning the pathfinders like the concept of being discriminated for their glowing hair and skin is LITERALLY appropriating racism and as a person of color this makes me feel UNSAFE but go off i guess 🙄

and speaking of pathfinders?? the sarn twins?? are literally such problematic characters?? like ferdie loves to sew and spends her time babysitting william 🙄🙄 oskar loves mechanical things 🙄🙄 this REEKS of promoting toxic gender stereotypes 🤬 ferdie never gets a job in series because angie sage HATES career women 😤 this is why tod, marcia, lucy, jenna, and other working women in the series are portrayed as toxic 😩

while we’re on the subject of marcia, she’s literally so problematic for marrying a man and therefore promoting sexist stereotypes but none of you are ready for this conversation 🙄🙄

this is a criticism of the toxic fandom and not the series but don’t get me STARTED on people hating tod’s aunt mitza???? we can’t blame her for trying to kill tod?? she’s literally just grieving and probably has depression 😤 stop demonizing mentally ill people 😠😠 killing tod’s mum was OBVIOUSLY a call for help that was ignored so her actions afterwards make complete sense?? she’s just a woman struggling with a mental illness... and some of you hate women SO much just say you’re a misogynist and LEAVE. does your back hurt from reaching for reasons to hate women 🙄🙄 and seeing everyone so quick to paint her as a villain just shows how ableist this fandom is 🤬

and this shows how toxic tod is 😤😤 if she didn’t want her aunt to kill her maybe she should’ve tried harder to be a better niece?? and stop being so ableist?? judging by her actions, tod canonically blames mitza for her mental illness and depression 😠 it makes me sick to see people stanning her 😠 another sign of angie’s problematic writing, she should’ve condemned tod in the book so vulnerable minors won’t copy her problematic actions 😭😤

also jojo and marissa are FASCISTS and are CLEARLY promoting fascism??? like why else would they seize power like that 🙄🤬 why would they become the new rulers instead of restructuring the government so the people could rule? 🤔🤔😳😤 including their POVS is literally so messed up like vulnerable minors will read this series and think it’s okay to be a fascist? it’s CLEARLY irresponsible writing and also promoting and normalizing colonialism 😤😤 in fact the entire THM series is colonialist propaganda 😠😠

ferdie and tod are such toxic friends to oskar and are basically emotionally abusing him??? them not wanting him to hang out with the orm is SO ableist because oskar is ND coded and ferdie and tod are refusing to interact with his special interest??? just because the orm bites people and tries to kill them 🙄🙄🙄 it’s literally so gross it makes me sick

TO TOP IT OFF... apprentices in the series aren’t paid??? the series is obviously promoting breaking child labor laws and the concept of indentured servitude??? 😤😤🤬🤬🤬

AND everyone in the series is english too?? it’s so problematic and everyone normalizes it like being english isn’t inherently promoting imperialism 😤😤😠

[thecreaturecodex]

Demon Lord, Haagenti

Image © Paizo Publishing, by Sally Gottschalk. Accessed at her website here

[Commissioned by @tar-baphon. This may be the single longest monster I’ve written. Part of the problem was that I had my own ideas for Haagenti’s abilities, but I also needed to incorporate the canon Pathfinder material from Book of the Damned. So if this Haagenti is too lengthy or complicated for your tastes, cut the extracts and the internal alchemy ability. If you do, bump his AC to a more respectable-for-the-CR AC 47. I gave him a lower AC with the assumption that he would boost it on the first round of combat with shield, barkskin or both.]

Demon Lord, Haagenti CR 29 CE Outsider This creature is the epitome of a fiend, appearing as a massive bull-like humanoid with leathery wings and golden horns. Wisps of foul vapor emerge from his nose and mouth.

Haagenti, The Whisper Within CE male demon lord of alchemy, invention and transformation Domains Artifice, Chaos, Evil, Strength Subdomains Construct, Demon, Resolve, Toil Favored Weapon battleaxe Unholy Symbol image of the philosopher’s stone Worshipers alchemists, drow, transmuters Minions fleshwarped creatures, golems, retrievers For information on his Obedience and boons for his worshipers, see Book of the Damned

Haagenti, the Whisper Within, seems on first glance to be among the more enlightened and beneficial demon lords. He is patron of alchemy and invention, and by his tutelage many wondrous inventions have entered the world. But Haagenti chooses his battles carefully, and bestows his knowledge and devices to people he knows will use them to harm others, destabilize societies and overall spread misery and ruin. He is the originator of the philosopher’s stone, and by its use has ruined economies and returned villains from the grave.

Haagenti is a master of disguise, and enjoys experimenting with new shapes as a debutante tries on clothing. He always includes some clue to his true identity by incorporating some monstrous feature, although he may hide these or “accidentally” reveal them as he sees fit. This mastery of shapes applies to his battle tactics as well. Not only does he frequently change form in order to use new abilities, he also delights in transforming his opponents. He has mastered various types of transmutation magic, and his very breath turns creatures into warped parodies of themselves, in excruciating pain unless they obey his commands. Haagenti can transform his own blood, bile and bones into alchemical extracts, enhancing his own abilities or decanting them as boons to his minions and servitors.

The layer of the Abyss in which Haagenti dwells is known as Cerebulim. It is a seemingly endless laboratory, filled with libraries, menageries, workshops and galleries. It is also filled with secret passages and traps, and Haagenti can reshape its corridors and rooms at will from several carefully hidden control centers. Those that seek knowledge or a powerful tool here are subject to Haagenti’s cruel whims, and few of them escape unchanged in mind and body.

Ring of Haagenti Minor Artifact Slot ring; Aura strong (no school) CL 20th. Weight -; This plain brass ring is inscribed with a single rune representing Haagenti. An alchemist, or creature capable of preparing alchemical extracts, that wears this ring may prepare one additional extract of every level it has access to. 

Haagenti                CR 29 XP 6,553,600 CE Large outsider (chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar, shapechanger) Init +13; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect good, detect law, Perception +48, scent, true seeing Aura unholy (DC 30) Defense AC 45, touch 22, flat-footed 36 (-1 size, +9 Dex, +4 deflection, +23 natural) hp 717 (35d10+525); regeneration 30 (deific or mythic) Fort +30, Ref +32, Will +33 Defensive Abilities Abyssal resurrection, freedom of movement, master of shapes; DR 20/cold iron, epic, and good; Immune ability damage, ability drain, charm effects, compulsion effects, critical hits, death effects, electricity, energy drain, pain effects, petrification, poison, sneak attacks; Resist acid 30, cold 30, fire 30; SR 40 Offense Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft. (good) Melee gore +47 (4d8+13/19-20x3), bite +47 (2d6+13), 2 claws +47 (1d8+13), 2 wings +45 (1d8+6) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Infusions Prepared CL 20th 6th—analyze dweomer (x3), heal (x3), mislead (x2), walk through space 5th—dust form (x2), magic jar (x2, DC 30), planar adaptation (x2), resurgent transformation, sending (x2) 4th—arcane eye, cure critical wounds (x2), death ward, echolocation, fire shield, greater invisibility, restoration, spell immunity 3rd—amplify elixir (x2), arcane sight (x2), displacement, haste, heroism, protection from energy, thorn body, water breathing 2nd—barkskin, bear’s endurance, blistering invective (DC 27), bull’s strength, cat’s grace, eagle’s splendor, false life, fox’s cunning, owl’s wisdom, undetectable alignment 1st—anticipate peril (x2), expeditious retreat, identify, shield (x3), true strike (x3) Special Attacks augmented critical, internal alchemy, mutagenic breath, penetrating gore, powerful charge (gore, 8d8+26) Spell-like Abilities CL 29th, concentration +42 Constant—detect good, detect law, freedom of movement, tongues, true seeing, unholy aura (DC 30) At will—astral projection, baleful polymorph (DC 27) M, blasphemy (DC 29) M, flesh to stone (DC 28) M, greater dispel magic, greater teleport, stone to flesh 3/day—empowered caustic eruption (DC 29), control construct, harm (DC 28) M, quickened mass suggestion (DC 28), polymorph any object (DC 30), reverse gravity (DC 30) M 1/day—arcane cannon M, transmute blood to acid (DC 31), wish M M = Haagenti can use the mythic version of this spell-like ability in his Abyssal realm Statistics Str 36, Dex 29, Con 40, Int 40, Wis 31, Cha 35 Base Atk +35; CMB +49 (+51 bull rush and overrun, +53 sunder); CMD 72 (74 vs. bull rush, overrun or sunder) Feats Awesome Blow, Blind-fight, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Empower SLA (caustic eruption), Exhausting Critical, Fatiguing Critical, Greater Sunder, Hover, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (gore), Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Multiattack, Power Attack, Quicken SLA (mass suggestion), Skill Focus (Spellcraft) Skills Appraise +53, Bluff +50, Craft (alchemy) +53, Craft (armor) +53, Craft (traps) +53, Craft (weaponry) +53, Diplomacy +47, Disguise +47, Fly +46, Heal +45, Intimidate +47, Knowledge (arcana, engineering, planes) +53, Knowledge (dungeoneering, history, religion) +50, Perception +48, Sense Motive +48, Spellcraft +59, Use Magic Device +47 Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 300 ft., tongues SQ change shape (animal, dragon, elemental, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, plant, undead, vermin; monstrous physique IV, shapechange, undead anatomy IV, vermin shape II), demon lord traits, item mastery, ultimate craftsman Ecology Environment any land or underground (The Abyss) Organization solitary (unique) Treasure triple (Ring of Haagenti, other treasure) Special Abilities Augmented Critical (Ex) Haagenti’s gore attack deals x3 damage on a successful critical hit. Extracts (Su) Haagenti can prepare and use extracts as a 20th level alchemist with the infusion discovery. Internal Alchemy (Su) Haagenti can use one extract he has prepared each round as a swift action. Item Mastery (Ex) Haagenti can use all spell completion and spell trigger items as if they were on his spell list. Master of Shapes (Su) Haagenti cannot be affected by any polymorph or transmutation effect unless he wants to be. He can use his change shape ability as a move action, and whenever he does, he heals 4d8 hit points. Mutagenic Breath (Su) Three times per day as a standard action, Haagenti can breathe transformative vapor in a 40 foot cone. All creatures in the area that succeed a DC 39 Fortitude save are staggered for 1d4+1 rounds. A creature that fails gains the fleshwarped simple template and suffers from intense pain, taking a -4 penalty to all attack rolls, damage rolls, skill checks, saving throws and ability checks. This pain is alleviated for 24 hours when the creature obeys Haagenti’s orders, otherwise it is permanent. This effect can be removed only with a greater restoration, miracle or wish. A creature that succeeds its saving throw is immune to the mutagenic breath of Haagenti for the next 24 hours. This is a pain, polymorph effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Penetrating Gore (Su) Haagenti’s gore attack overcomes all damage reduction and hardness. Ultimate Craftsman (Ex/Su) Haagenti can make any magical or technological item, as if he possessed all crafting feats. Haagenti takes 1 day to craft an item per 10,000 gp of cost, and can create any mundane alchemical item as a standard action. In addition, once per week, Haagenti may spend one hour to create a philosopher’s stone.

[dailycharacteroption]

Roleplay Ramblings: House Rules part 3

Spell and Item Rarity

 Today’s entry is about less of a house rule and more about guidelines, though an individual GM might decide to make entire charts dedicated to today’s subject.

That subject is the notion of codifying the rarity and availability of certain spells, items, and even knowledge of techniques in the game world.

It is broadly assumed by most that the spells and magic items in the core rulebook of any system, not just Pathfinder, are the most broadly available choices (relative to their actual rarity and power level in game), with every hardback and softcover supplement coming after it providing rarer and more exotic fare, which very well might be the case. Then again, it might not be the case at all, depending on the subject matter of the book.

Pathfinder 2nd Edition has a rarity system build right into it’s core rules, which I feel is an odd choice and I’d very likely ignore it for all but the most obvious things like artifacts and powerful magic items. Spells, feats, and archetype dedications, on the other hand, could easily be developed oneself, or be included in the backstory of the character, rather than being something that the character must seek out in the game world to acquire (That smacks a bit too much of the old prestige class system, not that most people ever bothered to roleplay the act of learning about such special vocations).

In any case, most GMs are content to give a simple “yea or nay” availability when players ask about such things, but you could, in theory, go on a deep dive, making graphs for whether or not certain things are available based on various factors in the game world, which I’ll go over a few of those below.

 For some things, culture may be an issue. Pathfinder did this to some extent before with Racial archetypes and spells in Advanced Race Guide, though enough people disliked that to make other racial-themed options more open most of the time. Beyond matters of species, though, some things make sense to limit to certain cultures, such as eastern weapons to your fantasy Asia analogue, spells geared towards manipulating ocean water being nearly impossible to find in inland countries, and so on.

Indeed, the needs of the populace based on geography alone can influence availability. Herbal crafts may be extremely limited in a desert, for example, or a stablemaster in a temperate region might have griffons, but never even heard of a camel. Meanwhile, a druid who has never left his rainforest home may not be able to conceive of extreme cold without access to a mountain range, let alone know how to channel spells of ice.

Extraneous circumstances might also lead to an abundance or shortage, such as places where arcane magic is banned, or where the occult is all but unknown, or where alchemy is the preferred mystical choice, and so on.

 The list goes on and on, and you can go as in depth as you like with all of this. Even if you don’t go as far as to house rule this stuff, it’s something to consider.

That does it for today, but we’ll be continuing on tomorrow!

[mirage-babey]

if you’re gonna roast mirage for his (very practical and good) arena outfit choice then you can’t leave out the other legends

Bangalore: very good outfit actually i rate this pretty well, it’s got protective gear and space to store stuff. i’d probs personally add more pockets and make it more form fitting so there’s less chance of loose material snagging on stuff but that’s just me. ms anita you know what you’re doing and it shows. wait i just remembered she jangles when she runs bc of the smoke cannisters uhh might wanna muffle that

Bloodhound: yeah i rate this it’s got storage space, it’s got protective gear, it’s got a good colour scheme, the only thing is the weird pocket bandolier like just wear a normal belt it’s easier to grab stuff from

Caustic: y’all literally cannot talk shit about the yellow and the pockets in mirage’s outfit when this man is out here wearing an obnoxiously (heheheheh obNOXiously) bright yellow apron that he ducktaped pockets to as an afterthought man get this shit outta my face

Gibraltar: again a good outfit tho it looks too heavy to move around freely in also he has pockets already but i’d add more

Lifeline: sis are you wearing a tanktop with minimal arm protection in a bloodsport??? also u shld really tuck ur trousers into ur boots that shit’s gonna be dragging along the ground. Plus points for practical hair style, medical gloves, and lots of pockets tho. also how much does the DOC drone weigh like fr

Mirage: god we stan a practical KING i lov his outfit y’all are just mean. pockets? perfect for carrying shit you cowards. goggles? he wears them when he’s diving if u look back at his face and he’s the only valid legend bc of it. scarf? fashion babey. belts nd stuff? that’s for his jumppack and his zipline harness probs. the doodles? it’s fucking cute stfu. boots? were made for walking. leg armour? homeboy’s sliding all over the place the kneepads are a wonderful choice. the quilted yellow material? okay yeah this is a weird choice i’ll admit but in game it’s not as much of a beacon as u’d expect also his whole thing is to distract people lol his holograms gotta stand out somehow

Octane: bro??? ur middrift?? could get shanked so easily?? minus points for a complete lack of protective gear and a lack of pockets smh. i appreciate the goggles tho

Pathfinder: it’s a robot idk what else to say here. give him pockets tho

Wattson: y’all out here talkin abt how warm mirage’s quilt must be whilst this girl is deadass out here wearing a whole puffer jacket in kings canyon are u shitting me like ik insulation is kinda her thing but she’s gonna roast alive in that. also needs more pockets. i do like the rest of this look tho ngl

Wraith: needs kneepads and more pockets but otherwise a good outfit. apparently she took a page from the Elliott Witt Book Of Costume Design bc she too has a scarf and an abundance of belts. also v good hairstyle it’s practical so i rate it. yeah this just needs more pockets and protective gear tbh also the black and purple isnt exactly a camo colour combo lbr

[arthurhwalker]

Dungeons & Dragons, A Guide

While I was traveling recently, I had no less than three people ask me some variation of “my kids want to play Dungeons & Dragons, help!” I met a young lady that wanted to run her own table (omg, excite), a family that wanted to play together, and a friend whose kids wanted to learn the game. Thank you, Stranger Things. On the plane home, I met a young man who was interested in the game as well. Anyway, this write up is for them, and anyone that might be considering the game.

Disclaimer: I am a inimitable nerd, have been playing the game over thirty years, and have seen everything good and bad there is to see with tabletop roleplaying games. Prepare for crunchiness.

General Advice

Parents, play the game with your children (if they will let you). Run your own table, or sit at their table. I can’t stress how important this is. My best experiences playing the game as a young person was with my friend’s father, and with people my own age.

Start with Classic BECMI (Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, Immortal) Dungeons & Dragons from the 80s if you can source the books, OR the current 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons game. These versions have the best materials for both young, and new players. Most other editions assume you are already a Dungeons & Dragons veteran, or have a group to tutor you.

What version of the game is your child’s friends playing at school? Probably, 5th Edition.

Other Editions

1st Edition AD&D (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons) is the game in its purest, nerdiest, and most inaccessible form. Gary Gygax’s unapproachable masterpiece.

2nd Edition AD&D is marvelous, probably my favorite, but is, again, one of the least accessible versions of the game.

3rd Edition AD&D and the various iterations thereof is great, but the number of sources and materials for this version is exhaustive, and overwhelming.

4th Edition AD&D never existed as far as I’m concerned. ;-D I didn’t really enjoy it, or play it much, and it wasn’t well accepted by the community. If you do decide to source this version of the game, do so knowing it might be hard to find peeps to play with.

For the very youngest potential players there is a new line of Young Adventurer’s books. They are keen, I bought what’s currently available for my 6 year old niece.

Worthy Successors & Derivatives

Castles & Crusades is, basically, AD&D 2.5 Edition. It is an excellent, streamlined version of my favorite edition of the game.

Pathfinder is, essentially, AD&D 3.75 Edition. It is astoundingly complex, quirky, and immensely fun.

Culture

Dungeons & Dragons was, back in the day, mostly a boys club. Women weren’t wanted or welcome, and the game was definitely marketed only to the young white male. In the last decade, in spite of great opposition, the game has become a welcome hobby for everyone. CONTINUE TO MAKE CERTAIN IT STAYS THAT WAY. Thanks.

Dungeons & Dragons has its own patois, customs, legends, cultural icons, tropes, and culture. Most of the folks that have tried to use Dungeons & Dragons for nefarious purposes have been forced out, or to the irrelevant fringe, where they belong. Where it used to have bad associations, it’s now very mainstream, complete with celebrities streaming their games on YouTube.

It pains me to see it go so corporate, but at the same time, it’s safer and more welcoming for the young people in my life than it has ever been.

Buyers Guide (Classic BCEMI Dungeons & Dragons)

BECMI Classic Dungeons & Dragons can be most easily procured by buying the PDFs via DriveThruRPG dot com. Finding the physical books on EBay is an option, but often an expensive one in the wake of Stranger Things. I used to be able to Classic D&D books and modules up for around twenty bucks, and now they are often over a hundred.

The Classic Books, version, and in order of how you should buy them:

D&D Basic Set - Player's Manual (BECMI ed.) (Basic) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/116578/DD-Basic-Set--Players-Manual-BECMI-ed-Basic?

D&D Basic Set - DM's Rulebook (BECMI ed.) (Basic) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/116619/DD-Basic-Set--DMs-Rulebook-BECMI-ed-Basic?

Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set Rulebook (BECMI ed.) (Basic) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/116581/Dungeons--Dragons-Expert-Set-Rulebook-BECMI-ed-Basic?

D&D Companion Set (BECMI Ed.) (Basic) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/17165/DD-Companion-Set-BECMI-Ed-Basic?

D&D Master Set (BECMI ed.) (Basic) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/17167/DD-Master-Set-BECMI-ed-Basic?

D&D Immortals Set (BECMI ed.) (Basic) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/17166/DD-Immortals-Set-BECMI-ed-Basic?

In each listing is a history of each of these books, details about the cover, and an introduction to some of the culture and history underlying Dungeons & Dragons. Even if you don’t buy these books, the entries are an interesting read.

There is a Rules Cyclopedia that combines a lot of the above mentioned books, much is missing, BUT you can order it as a softcover or hardcover POD (print on demand) physical copy, with a PDF for pretty cheap.

D&D Rules Cyclopedia (Basic) https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/17171/DD-Rules-Cyclopedia-Basic?

There are many modules (individual pre-written adventures), Gazetteers (books detailing the Classic Dungeons & Dragons world), and other materials in PDF form. I believe the entire catalogue is there for people to enjoy, and for pretty cheap via PDF or POD.

Buyers Guide (5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons)

Support your local game shop, Barnes & Noble, or bookstore before following any of the links below. If you can’t find a particular thing locally (support the community!) then go ahead and buy it online. Buying locally is also a good way to meet people, and learn where the D&D community gathers and plays.

For the youngest players, who might be a little young to play, but still want to participate, and know what’s going on.

Warriors & Weapons: A Young Adventurer's Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/1984856421

Monsters & Creatures: A Young Adventurer's Guide https://www.amazon.com//dp/1984856405

Dungeons & Tombs: A Young Adventurer's Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/1984856448

Wizards & Spells: A Young Adventurer's Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/1984856464

For the true beginner, that wants to just hit the ground running, with everything needed to learn, at a low stakes price.

Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit Game (Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition) https://www.target.com/p/dungeons-dragons-essentials-kit-game/-/A-76151594

Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set (Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786965592

For the novice, that’s serious now, for real D&D and needs the full and complete rules.

Player’s Handbook (Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786965606

For the aspiring Dungeon Master, that wants to set up their own game, and understand the underlying mechanics thereof.

Dungeon Master’s Guide (Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786965622

Monster Manual (Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786965614

Dungeon Master’s Screen (Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/078696619X

OR, get the gift set:

Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebook Gift Set (Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786966629

Having more than one Player’s Handbook in the house isn’t a bad idea, that way both the players and the Dungeon Master have one for reference, two people can make characters at once, and similar.

Conclusion

Dungeons & Dragons was a formative part of my youth. It got me interested in anthropology, philosophy, history, mathematics, statistics, logic, and game theory. It allowed me to prototype the worlds and characters that would eventually populate my novels. I also met many of the people as children that would become my greatest friends and allies as an adult.

My wife often asks how I just do math in my head, or apply statistical significance to my actions in real life, allowing me grant circumstances value, or liability. It came from the game, Dungeons & Dragons.

[adalidda]

Illustration Photo: Magadi pupils demonstrate how they use tablets in their library sessions. Kisumu, Nyanza, Kenya (credits: Book Aid International / Flickr Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0))

Digital Information Systems for Collaborative work to end Child Labour, Forced labour and Human trafficking

The fight against child labour, forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking includes a wide array of stakeholders including different government institutions, such as Ministries of Labour, Education, Social Development, Statistics Offices, protection and prevention programmes, workers’ and employers’ organizations, civil society organizations, among others. Effective responses to end these human rights violations require a great deal of coordination between all these stakeholders.

What are Alliance 8.7 pathfinder countries looking for that could be addressed through digital solutions?

Have access to real time data on child labour, forced labour and human trafficking cases even in areas with limited connectivity. Reduce the amount of time between the identification of child labour, forced labour and human trafficking cases and the referral to protection systems or programmes. Promote coordination and information sharing between national and subnational stakeholders. Information systems/frameworks that allow the involvement of multiple actors and provide means to make different information systems complementary and compatible. Cross-border information sharing to tackle human trafficking. In countries that are close to eradicating child labour, digitalised case management with cross reference to relevant stakeholders to allow identification and early prevention of children at risk of exploitation. Some countries have set themselves the challenge to integrate all topics under SDG Target 8.7, including child labour, forced labour and human trafficking under one single framework: this involves an even wider array of stakeholders and systems to coordinate. Relevant and real time data that allows for improving the design and therefore effectiveness of public policy. Information management systems/frameworks that reinforce identification and prevention by triggering alerts for areas at higher risk, thus facilitating decision making and the prioritization of resources. Present evidence on ‘what works or what does not’, in terms of monitoring the impact of national and local government policy intervention on fighting against child labour, forced labour, and human trafficking. Monitor and assess the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on child labour, forced labour, or human trafficking. Leverage the role of technology and AI in combatting child labour, forced labour, and human trafficking (e.g. monitoring and measurement).

Prize

There will be up to 3 winners

– Financial Support: USD 30,000 to develop and implement the proposed solution. One winning digital innovation proposal will be chosen to receive additional support from the from Research to Action Project to implement their project of up to USD 20,000 if it includes a compelling plan for innovative financing or shows the greatest potential for scaling up to other national contexts, through innovation financing mechanisms.

– Access to Technical Support: winning proposals will receive technical support to turn their ideas into ready-to-implement prototypes.

– Pilot: Once the prototype is developed, innovators and partners will test the solution through a pilot test in selected countries. – Visibility: winning proposals will benefit from global communication efforts including an invitation to a global event at the end of the year where the innovative idea will be presented to a wide range of stakeholders and to the next Global Conference on Child Labour in May 2022.

– Access to a wide network of experts in the area: winning ideas and shortlisted proposals will be invited to join an Innovation Network including a series of Regional Innovation Sandbox events. Through the network, members will have the opportunity to exchange with other innovators, to share their solutions with Alliance 8.7 partners, and hold regular discussions about different SDG Target 8.7-related challenges that could act as a basis for future innovation challenge calls for proposals, hackathons, and other innovation initiatives. The regional innovation sandbox workshops will respond to problems faced by countries in the effort to fill in gaps and tackle resourcing challenges to enhance policy action.

Application Deadline: 15 August 2021 (11:59pm Geneva time)

Check more https://adalidda.com/posts/GrJTTKoMNoR4AAH8w/digital-information-systems-for-collaborative-work-to-end

[anothersillyfanblog]

Not a story, a headcanon! About Marvin’s magic and where it’s from.

Marvin is a magic man with magic hands! He does magic things and most people in the fandom agree that he has actual magic, not just tricks. Now this is going off of artwork I see and the section on spells in my pathfinder guide.

Let’s start with me looking in a pretty old pathfinder book because, let’s be real, I want to. So there are two main magic classes- Sorcerers and Wizards. Yes, there are others, but these two are the most likely. Now I also think it’s more likely that Marvin is a sorcerer than a Wizard, mostly because that power comes from a bloodline and requires no practice.

Instead of setting my heart on a bloodline, I looked for a spell that would turn him into a cat and I found Animal form which includes cats. It’s a transmutation/polymorph spell which is gotten if the sorcerer is from a primal bloodline. The primal bloodline listed in this book is Fey: “A tryst in a moonlit grove or exposure to fey magic put the enchantment of the First World into your family’s bloodline.” Hey! I like this, for Marvin. Especially paired with the head-canon that Anti is a traditional Irish Faery- which are not nice creatures, for the record.

Head canon: Marvin was given his power by Anti.

So let’s move on from that mildly-terrifying-thought and look at what kinds of other spells a “primal bloodline” would give him. Well. These are all the ones I thought were the most interesting, also he couldn’t have all of these. Spells he’d already have: Acid splash, dancing lights, detect magic, light, read aura. 1st level spells: Charm, detect poison, goblin pox, heal, magic fang, pass without trace, shocking          grasp. 2nd level spells: Acid arrow, darkvision, endure elements, faerie fire, glitterdust, phantom steed, remove fear, resist energy, speak with animals, water breathing. 3rd level spells: Animal form, lightning bolt, neutralize poison, searing light, wall of wind. 4th level spells: Aerial form (birb), dinosaur form, fly, gaseous form, hallucinatory terrain, stoneskin. 5th level spells: Banishment, cone of cold, elemental form, moon frenzy, wall of ice. 6th level spells: Baleful polymorph (turning other people into animals), dragon form, true seeing. 7th level spells: Energy aegis, fiery body, mask of terror, plane shift, regenerate, sunburst. 8th level spells: Monstrosity form, punishing winds, windwalk. 9th level spells: Meteor swarm, shapechange, storm of vengeance. 10th level spell: Primal phenomenon.

Now these are just the interesting ones and I think most people won’t find them that interesting or read them all. So to summarize: various transformation spells, some elemental spells, some light spells, all from a fairy bloodline! Not sure if anyone cares about this post, but here ya go!

[restartnecessary]

Characters Thus Far

Itsari Phobos Pathfinder Conversion

Your description here.     Female Fetchling (Kayal) Dread 7 Mask

Earned XP 23,000 CN Medium, Fetchling Outsider (Native) Init +10; Senses low-light vision, darkvision 60ft., Perception +10 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 21, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 armor) hp 77 (7d8+21) Fort +5, Ref +12, Will +6

Defensive Abilities shadow blending (50% in dim), Immunities fear, Resist cold 5, electricity 5; +2 vs cold and electricity, +2 vs charms

-------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 conductive short sword +13 (1d6+3/19-20/x2), mw silver kukri +12 (1d4+2/18-20/x2), or +1 conductive short sword +11 (1d6+3/19-20/x2) and mw silver kukri +10 (1d4+2/18-20/x2)

Ranged comp(+2str) short bow +11 (1d6+2/x3) Special Attacks devastating touch +11 (1d6+12), Terror 15/day(horrible strike (+1d6, 2PP +1d6), mind drain (DC 18 Will), overwhelming fear (DC 18 Fort))

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th)

1/day – disguise self

Powers (ML 7th, concentration +12)

3rd—mental barrier

2nd – side step, true terror, strength of my enemy

1st – untouchable aura, lingering touch, mind thrust

Power Points 33, Max PP Use 7 -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 14, Dex 22, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 20 Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 24 Feats Extra TerrorsRegional, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Short Sword), Touch of TerrorDread, Dodge, Two-Weapon Fighting Skills Acrobatics +16, Autohypnosis +4, Bluff +7, Climb +6, Diplomacy +3, Intimidate +15, Sense Motive +2, Stealth +18, Swim +6, Use Magic Device +12, Perception +10, Knowledge (psionics) +7 Languages Common, Draconic, Netherese (dead language) SQ aura of fear

Combat Gear +1 conductive short sword, mw kukri, comp(+2str) short bow, 20 arrows, 20 silver arrows, +1leather armor, headband of alluring charisma +2, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +1, burglars outfit, wand of cure light wounds (50 charges), belt of dexterity +2, mw potion belt (potion of cure moderate wounds x2, potion of invisibility x2) Other Gear mw backpack, bedroll, water skin, trail rations (10), 30pp, 4gp,9sp, 4cp

 Sanity Score 43; Damage ___

Sanity Threshold 5

Sanity Edge 21

Madness’

Paranoia The afflicted character gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against charm effects, but takes a –2 penalty on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive checks. When the afflicted character attempts a Sense Motive check, the GM rolls the check in secret, and failure gives the afflicted character the impression that those whose motives he is trying to sense are plotting against him in some way. Lastly, any time the afflicted character tries to use or gain a benefit from the aid another action, or is the target of a beneficial spell or effect from an ally, he must succeed at a Will saving throw in order to take the aid another action or gain the benefit from the action, spell, or effect. Description A paranoid character is convinced that the world and society are conspiring toward his ruin. Typically those afflicted with paranoia are fidgety, argumentative, sullen, or extremely introverted.

*********************************************************************************************

Pertyr Grimthorne Pathfinder Conversion

Your description here.     Male Half-Drow Wizard 5 Fighter 1 of Mystra

Earned XP 28,483 LN Medium, Half-Elf Init +6; Senses low-light vision, Perception +5 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 19 (+2 Dex, +6 armor, +1 dodge, +1 deflection, +1 shield, +1 nat) hp 71 (5d6+2d10+21) Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +9; +2 vs enchantments, +1 will vs fear

Immune sleep

-------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Melee mw elven curved blade +9(1d10+6/18-20x2), +1 called heavy mace +9(1d8+5/x2), +1 adamantine frost long spear +9(1d8+7+1d6cold /x3) Special Attacks hand of apprentice (8/day)

Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 5th; concentration +10)

3rd – fireball (DC 18)

2nd – knock, scorching ray, web (DC 17)

1st – burning hands (DC 16), enlarge person, magic missile, sleep (DC 16), shocking grasp (DC 16)

0 (at will) – detect magic, light, message, prestidigitation

School Universal -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 18, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 20, Wis 16, Cha 13 Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 21 Feats Craft Wonderous Item, Dodge, Arcane Armor Training, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Cosmopolitan, Craft Magical Arms and Armor, Quick Draw Skills Appraise +12, Bluff +3, Climb +9, Diplomacy +3, Fly +7, Handle Animal +7, Intimidate +10, Linguistics +13, Ride +6, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +15, Survival +13, Swim, +9, Perception +5, Knowledge (arcana, dungeoneering, history, local, nature, religion) +9, Knowledge (engineering, geography, nobility, planes) +9 Languages Abyssal, Auran, Chondathan, Common, Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Halfling, Illuskion, Orc, Terran, Undercommon   SQ arcane bond(bonded ring), bravery +1

Combat Gear

mithril breastplate, buckler, mw elven curved blade,+1 called heavy mace,+1 adamantine frost long spear, amulet of natural armor +1, cloak of resistance +2, bonded ring of protection +1, ring of sustenance,

mw potion belt (cure light wounds (6), cure moderate wounds (2), cure serious wounds (2)), potion of bulls strength, wand of cure light wounds (24 charges)

Other Gear

spell book, travelers outfit, spell component pouch, backpack, paper (25), ink+pen, bedroll, 50ft hemp rope, scroll organizer, water skin,starry gonosis, bag of holding type II,utter dark wine, jewelry (100gp), 480pp, 78gp, 7sp

Sanity Score 49; Damage ___

Sanity Threshold 5

Sanity Edge 24

Madness’

Melancholia ??

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Lillie (Gwanod Leben) Pathfinder Conversion

Your description here.     Female Half-Elf Ranger 7 of Fenmarel Mestarine

Earned XP 27,000 CN Medium, Half-Elf Init +2; Senses low-light vision, Perception +18 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 21, touch 13, flat-footed 19 (+2 Dex, +8 armor, +1 luck) hp 90 (7d10+20) Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +7; +2 vs enchantments

Immune sleep

-------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 rhoka +13/+8 (1d8+6/18-20x2), or +1 cold iron Warhammer +13/+8 (1d8+6/x3), or mw short sword +13/+8 (1d6+5/19-20x2)

Ranged comp (+5 Str) longbow +9/+4 (1d8+5/x3) Special Attacks favored enemy (aberration +2, undead +4)

Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 2th; concentration +5)

1st – endure elements, detect animals or plants

2nd – spike growth

-------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 20, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 13 Base Atk +7; CMB +12; CMD 24 Feats Endurance, Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Rhoka), Double Slice, Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Luck of the Hero, Quick Draw Skills Acrobatics +7, Climb +14, Disable Device +3, Heal +11, Intimidate +10, Stealth +11, Survival +11(Track +14), Perception +18, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8 Languages Common, Damaran, Draconic, Elven   SQ favored terrain (forest), hunters bond (shared favored enemy bonus), track +14, wild empathy +7, woodland stride

Combat Gear +2 mithril breastplate, +1 rhoka, +1 cold iron warhammer, mw short sword, comp (+5 Str) longbow, cloak of resistance +1, ring of sustenance, slippers of spider climbing, mw potion belt (cure light wounds (10), cure moderate wounds (2), cure serious wounds (1)), potion of bulls strength, wand of cure light wounds (37 charges) Other Gear explorers outfit, backpack, spider silk rope (50ft), sun rod (2), 20 arrows (3), 3 orc slaying arrows, 3 grappling arrows, chalk (10), flint and steel, mug, piton (4), periscope, powder (2), earplugs, blanket, 916pp, 20gp

Sanity Score 38; Damage ___

Sanity Threshold 3

Sanity Edge 19

Madness’

Phobia ??

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Vairlim Greycastle Pathfinder Conversion

Your description here.     Male Aasimar Cleric 7 of Lathander

Earned XP 23,000 CG Medium, Aasimar Init +1; Senses darkvision 60ft., Perception +8 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 22, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (+1 Dex, +8 armor, +2 shield, +1 luck) hp 65 (7d8+9) Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +14

Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5

-------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 heavy mace +12 (1d8+5/x2)

Ranged mw crossbow light +7 (1d8/19-20x2) Special Attacks channel positive energy 11/day (DC 19 4d6)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th)

1/day – daylight

Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th)

9/day – touch of good, resistant touch

Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 7th; concentration +13)

4th – blessing of fevor, resoration, holy smited

3rd – blindness/deafness (DC 19), dispel magic, searing light (DC 19), protection from energyd

2nd – bull’s strength, death knell, gentle repose, grace, lesser restoration, shield otherd

1st – divine favor, doom, sanctuary, shield of faith, spiked armor, stunning barrier, protection from evild

0 (at will) – detect magic, light, read magic, stabilize

D domain spell; Domains Good, Protection -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 18, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 22, Cha 22 Base Atk +5; CMB +9; CMD 20 Feats Channel Smite, Extra Channel, Guided Hand, Quick Channel, Selective Channel, luck of the Hero’s Skills Bluff +6, Climb +3, Diplomacy +18, Heal +16, Intimidate +6, Sense Motive +14, Survival +6, Swim +3, Perception +8, Knowledge (arcana, nobility) +7, Knowledge (history) +6, Knowledge (planes) +9, Knowledge (religion) +10 Languages Chondathan, Common, Celestial, Draconic, Elven SQ aura

Combat Gear +2 mithril breastplate, +1 light steel shield, +1 heavy mace, mw light crossbow,  mw potion belt (cure light wounds (10)), headband of alluring charisma +2, belt of giant strength +2, Other Gear travelers outfit, bedroll, water skin, handy haversack, trail rations (5), holy symbol tattoo, bolts (10) x3, 510gp

Sanity Score 58; Damage ___

Sanity Threshold 6

Sanity Edge 29

Madness’

[demi-shoggoth]

COVID-19 Reading Log, pt. 13

66. Pathfinder 2nd Edition Bestiary by Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Stephen Radley-Macfarland and Mark Seifter. I disembarked the Pathfinder train with the end of 1st edition, but still (as you can tell on my side blog) have a lot of fondness for the setting. The 2nd Edition Bestiary is a pretty good monster book overall. The mechanics seem to be an attempt to give more monsters something interesting to do, and so monsters that have been in D&D for 40+ years get a few novel tricks here. The art is the usual high caliber of a Paizo product, and is better than the 1st editions’ first Bestiary (the mundane animals, for example, are quite clearly superior this time around). As previously noted, lots of the big muscular humanoids are illustrated with female examples, which is a nice touch. One thing I disliked was that, unlike in Pathfinder 1e, there are no guidelines for making your own monsters. They want you to buy another book for that.

67. The Tailor-King by Anthony Arthur. This is a history of the Anabaptist revolt of Munster, which created a brief theocratic dictatorship in the middle of Germany. The thesis of the book is that the Munster experiment is not an aberration of populist revolt or an unusual plague of madness—rather that it fits into the historical trend of charismatic leadership and authoritarianism. The story is a ripping good yarn, told well, and a glossary of names in the back is very helpful for keeping track of the cast of characters. Any resemblance to modern authoritarian demagogues who rule via cult of personality and completely ignore reality is… sadly relevant.

68. Fashion Victims by Alison Matthews David. This is a fascinating and depressing look at how clothing of the Victorian era was laden with poisons, proved fire and entanglement hazards, and facilitated the spread of disease. It’s fascinating in that it is well written and researched, organized around actual physical artifacts (some of them still lethally poisonous) in museum collections. It’s depressing in that it’s clear how little has changed in the 150 years since some of the events in the book. Cosmetics are still laden with heavy metals, clothing manufacture still creates wide scale industrial pollution, and women are still blamed for their vanity rather than corporations facing any consequences for their wide-scale malfeasance.

69. Tales from the Crypt, volume 2 by William M. Gaines et al. Okay, now I’m starting to see why the government slammed the hammer down on EC Comics. I certainly don’t believe in censorship, but there’s an awful lot of melting faces and cannibalism in these stories, and the ads and Crypt Keeper’s Corner column make it pretty clear that these books are being marketed to children. I mean, a lot of kids do love being scared. But Tales from the Crypt is pretty gnarly stuff for the young’uns. Like in the first volume, there are some stories that have clear precedents in horror movies and fiction, but they have gotten a lot more baroque and grotesque as the writing and artistic team have gotten settled in. For example, in Dead of Night, the first English language horror anthology film, there’s a segment called “The Ventriloquist’s Dummy”, about a ventriloquist who thinks his vent figure is alive and plotting against him. In the Tales from the Crypt version, it is. In fact, it’s his conjoined twin, who takes over his body to murder people by gnawing them to death! Shades of Basket Case, thirty years early!

70. What It’s Like to Be A Bird by David Allen Sibley. Sibley is a Big Name in American birding circles, and this is his attempt to make an all-audiences book for people who are intimidated by birding guides. Fair enough. The focus of the book is on bird anatomy and behavior, as illustrated by examples drawn from common birds of the United States and Canada. The introduction says that the book started out as a project for children, but became more elaborate than that, but I think that science-minded kids will still get a lot out of it. As is usual for a Sibley book, the paintings are gorgeous, and they are reproduced at a much larger, more appreciable size than in a field manual. There are a lot of redundancies in the text, however—this is a better book for flipping through on a coffee table than it is for sitting down and reading cover to cover.

[kayawagner]

Bloodlines & Black Magic - Episode 2: The House of Hollows

Publisher: Storm Bunny Studios

The House of Hollows

Episodes of Bloodlines & Black Magic are designed to be played in 3-4 hour sessions, but can easily be expanded or developed as needed.

The House of Hollows lives off the essence, dreams, and soul-stuff of humans in the throes of fear, excitement, and dread - consuming them each according to their needs, supping until all that remains is the hollowed-out shell of an individual- a Hollow One. 

The House of Hollows has taken many lives and, with them, many secrets. 

Do you dare plumb its dark heart and recover those secrets?

For 5-6 1st-2nd level O7 characters.

Note: This episode of Bloodlines & Black Magic is a little longer than normal, and includes 6 playable 1st level Occult 7 heroes, as well as maps for each room, extra boons and oddities, and what promises to be a punishing night of modern horror.

The Worlds You Don’t Know

  Hamlet had the right of it when he said, “There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

  The scope of human knowledge and endeavor is woefully limited, compared to the incalculable vastness of the cosmos as it truly is. Worlds – metaphysically speaking – lay atop, beneath, beside, and even within the warp and weave of the one that people take for granted as the truest, and perhaps only, face of reality. These many worlds abut and overlap one another, and, for the most part, those within any given plane of existence only perceive and interact with their own immediate environment. The average spirit in the infernal realm knows as little about what’s taking place in an Addis Ababa apartment as the people living in that apartment know about that’s spirit’s goings-on.

  The difference, of course, is that those existing firmly beyond the borders of mundanity are generally aware of the reality of the other worlds, and capable of interacting with the denizens of those places – though whether they can do so safely is another matter, entirely. The day-to-day world is a dangerous enough place, in many cases, and these realms beyond are even more so. It’s rare for entities originating in other planes of existence to visit the mundane world for what most humans would consider being benevolent purposes.

  In truth, there are seven “worlds” that exist within reality, at least as we know it. These worlds are the mundane, the secret worlds, the invisible world, the ethereal plane, the astral plane, the celestial plane, and the infernal plane. 

Playing an O7 Game

 Occult 7 - shortened to O7 throughout this book - is a variant rules system based on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Like much of the core of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, O7 is a game of enigmatic heroes who rise up against terrible dangers and overcome powerful, diabolical and earth-shattering foes. However, instead of using Pathfinder’s usual 20 levels of character progression, O7 uses only the first seven levels. This keeps characters in the “sweet spot” of adventuring. They are tough enough to take on the darkness but are still manageable. Adapted from the Epic 6 rules variant (add footer here), O7 is designed specifically for Bloodlines & Black Magic and is intended to work with the classes presented in both Pathfinder Occult Adventures and the Pathfinder Advanced Class Guide, both of which are suggested for this setting.

Seven Secrets of Bloodlines & Black Magic.

1. Magic is real. For most of the world, magic is one of two things: a series of well-crafted illusions designed to entertain, or the unsubstantiated believe in loosely connected, human-driven events. While most people give magic little more than lip (or card) service, the truth is quite simple; magic exists.

  2. There are global elites. Both the occult and conspiracy communities have long pointed to a nameless, global, ruling elite who they believe is holding them back. While most rational humans wave off such conjecture, the truth is stranger still – there are global elites and they have a vested interest in keeping the masses dumb, fat, and divided.

  3. Monsters walk the night. Parents, the world over, tuck their children in with the same reassurances over and over. They open closet doors, look under beds, and click on night-lights to hold back the darkness, all of them repeating the same refrain; there are no monsters, go back to sleep. Those parents, like so much of the world, are wrong.

  4. The Power is in the Blood. Beyond the glass towers and exotic retreats of the global elite, a stranger group of people – many of who occupy thrones in the Invisible – play an even more delicate game with the world; these blooded humans, collected into bloodlines families, are the secret lineages of those who truly rule. Although some have waxed in influence, many of these bloodline families still exercise considerable power in the mundane – making kings from fools, changing national borders, and even reorganizing societies to suit their own, personal agendas.

5. We are Legion. Made famous in the New Testament, the Goëtic Spirits have long been at odds with the Archons, taking on forms from a wide array of cultures and myths. Some of the spirits could easily be traditionally considered demons or devils, although they are clearly in the minority. The Goëtic Spirits comprise a much larger, more diverse group than those commonly identified by the various monotheistic faiths.

  6. The Veil is real. Occultists, conspirators, refugees, activists, veterans, protestors, magicians, gamers, and weirdos – all of them have their own ideas of what is really going on in the world. Some of them actually have a clue, too. But the truth is, while some of those wild ideas might actually hold a little water, most of them are little more than hyped-up conjecture riding shotgun with a bunch of speculation. Which is exactly what the Archons want. The truth should make you sound crazy. Why? Because that’s how the Veil works...

  7. The Archons have a mission. Most people have no idea who or what the Archons are, much less what sort of mission they might have. The truth is, whatever the Archons are trying to do, it’s a slow march toward completion and keeping humanity in the dark is a big part of that mission. The few magicians who have discovered them know little about them, although a single word does keep reoccurring in plenty of conversations – stability. What that word means to them, however, is still a mystery for most.

The Bloodlines

With over seven billion people dominating the Earth, there are countless bloodlines that cross time and space - all of them carrying specific strands of DNA - that many come to learn to hold their own secret potentials. Although those with extremely narrow understanding rely on exterior appearances and or one’s ethnicity to judge the true worth of an individual, the wise know this is the first step down the path to folly. Racism is a deplorable human trait, one that most rational people would be happy to see wiped from the planet, but those who have pierced the veil know it is an altogether dangerous trait, as well. With billions of humans all vying for power at every level of society, those with the capability to do a little more - to pierce the darkness and see reality for what it really is, are a rare lot.

 For eons, these individuals grouped together, marrying into select families that could trace their roots to ancient peoples and, it is whispered, to the very entities that command the invisible realms beyond. Of course, these could be calculated fallacies - a longstanding fabrication used to justify everything from cronyism, nepotism, and in some of the darker corners of history, incest. Only those who have walked into the invisible know the stark, sobering truth….Some families hold power.

There are seven bloodlines. They are:

The Fey Blooded - Delicate and lively, individuals who carry the blood of the fey display strange insights. Some claim to suffer from otherworldly visions of both the future and past. Prominent throughout the Old World, fey blooded individuals often display interests in nature, environmentalism, and history - especially history related to Ireland, Scotland, Gaul, and even some of the Nordic lands. Mischievous to a fault, these individuals often rally around pranks, their impish and coy demeanors betraying their better nature. Quite a few display connections to the natural world that, in the past, would have marked them as witches and saw them burnt at the stake.

Nearly eliminated during the Dark Ages, this bloodline has seen a resurgence in the modern world that some have suggested could only be the work of the Seelie court itself.  Humans with this bloodline generally begin to display its traits during puberty.

Infernal Blooded - Cunning and strong, individuals with ties to this bloodline rarely discover the power of their blood until late into their teens, although some don’t manifest their abilities until their mid-twenties. Naturally intelligent, these individuals combine their wit with their strength, outwitting or strong-arming others into following their directions, regardless of their will.

 Unlike many others, individuals with infernal blood have an almost unnatural understanding of the Infernal realm’s three most profane laws; might makes right, self-preservation trumps sacrifice, and stupidity is a sin. Born with deep, almost reddish complexions that often match their demeanor, these individuals frequently display small, physical imperfections that set them apart, be it a blemish, mismatched eyes, off-color strands of silver or golden hair, and other oddities that are clear deviations from the norm for their ethnicity.

Dragon Blooded - Born cold, calculating, and prone to dreams of conquest outsiders rarely understand the dragon-blooded are a confident line – some who whisper their heritage is as old as the serpent that encircles the cosmic egg.

 Although many people chuckle at the idea of sleeping dragons, these individuals know all too well that the blood is as cold as it is ancient. Individuals from this bloodline often spend decades dedicated to self-mastery, tempering their spirits and directing their will in ways that, in the dawn of history, built entire empires. Although some dragon blooded humans claim their blood comes directly from dragons long lost to the modern world, nearly all humans from this bloodline can trace their ancestry back to the ancient empires of the world, both in the east and the west. Whether as royal emperors, peaceful philosophers, or modern dictators, the individuals who lay claim to the blood of dragons are not to be trifled with.

 Dragon-blooded humans always manifest their natural gifts before puberty. These bright children, when others of their kind notice them, are groomed throughout their young lives, growing into adults that naturally command their lessers. For some, this means long lives sequestered away in mountaintop temples, while for others it might mean something far more public – like ruling a nation.

Jinn Blooded - As passionate and dedicated as any modern dervish, jinn blooded humans have ties that predate the modern Middle East, their heritage arising from the Assyrian, Sumerian, and Babylonian conquerors who, under a burning red sun, worked ancient magic in the earliest dawn of man. Wise and tenacious, these individuals display a resilience rarely found in the modern world, many choosing paths that are anything but easy. Naturally predisposed to conflict, these men and women often excel as diplomats, as well - luring their enemies into a false sense of security before ending them with a single swing of their sword or, worse, an uttered word of ancient, lost magic.

 Although many jinn blooded humans can trace their heritage to the Fertile Crescent, not all of them hail from there. Natural explorers with a strong understanding of trade, many jinn blooded humans have settled throughout Europe, Australia, and the Americas - making them one of the most widespread bloodlines on the globe. Most humans that carry this bloodline begin to manifest its traits during puberty, although some late bloomers may not manifest their abilities until their early twenties.

Seraphic Blooded - Nearly as famous as their infernal siblings, seraphic blooded humans are wise and comely, many displaying a natural charisma that reveals their angelic roots, attracting others who simply want to bask in the presence. Attractive to a fault, these individuals display their bloodline in a number of physical ways; they have bright eyes, angular features, and silky hair that range from the dark of ravens’ feathers to the golden hues of the Valkyries themselves. A rare bloodline that has expanded to nearly every corner of the globe, seraphic blooded humans are incredibly uncommon, making up a part of the global population that is never recorded on any census – which is just how their families like it.

 Claiming a heritage with ties to divine figures or, in some stories, the very angels themselves, this bloodline is sometimes mistakenly attributed to the prophets of the Abrahamic faiths, leading to all sorts of cults, secret societies, and conspiracies. Whether or not these hold any water, of course, is a secret these individuals are not want to discuss.

Shadow Blooded - Of all the bloodlines, those who carry shadow-touched blood are perhaps the strangest of all the bloodlines. These rare individuals openly display a love of the dark and many of them openly avoid the daylight, some of which suffer from minor medical conditions that discourage activities like sunbathing, hiking, and a host of other outdoor activities. While others are quick to write them off as weirdos with gothic sensibilities, most who carry shadow’s blood don’t mind. In fact, many shadow blooded individuals are clannish wanderers who are as distrustful of outsiders as they are of them, creating a sort of mutually-beneficial xenophobia that has left this bloodline precisely where it wants to remain – in the shadows.

Predisposed to the divinatory arts, many shadow blooded humans claim that their knowledge of the supernatural exceeds that of the most notable of the Old World’s hermetic houses; whether or not this is true is open to debate, but one thing remains true - their understanding of magic far exceeds that of many other bloodlines. Shadow blooded humans commonly manifest their abilities in their late teens.

Spirit Blooded - Attuned to a world visited almost exclusively by dreamers, spirit blooded humans claim a heritage older than that of any other bloodline, many claiming that their very bodies are the world’s ancient spirits made flesh. Others claim they are the children of the dreaming realms, readily pointing to the Astral Plane as their original home. Natural medicine men, healers, and wise women, these individuals enjoy a degree of diversity many other bloodlines cannot lay claim to, with many individuals tracing their family lines back to central North Africa, the steppes of northern Asia, Aboriginal Australia, and pre-colonial North America.

 A bloodline with a strong connection to the Astral, spirit blooded humans excels as spiritualists and shamans, applying their innate understanding of the invisible world to modern problems, offering insights uncommon to our modern world. This connection, however, often haunts them, as many spirit-blooded humans have a hard time separating the two; the world of the spirit plaguing them in ways few grasps. Still, more and more of these individuals are stepping into the modern world; using their understanding of the spirits they court, this bloodline pushes back the darkness.

Spirit blooded individuals normally manifest their abilities during childhood, their invisible friends remaining by their sides throughout their adult lives.

Price: $6.99 Bloodlines & Black Magic - Episode 2: The House of Hollows published first on https://supergalaxyrom.tumblr.com

[atomicgm]

In Which I Read From The Pathfinder Playtest: Classes, Levels, and Core Mechanics

Alright, let’s start digging into the playtest document.  And as is only appropriate, I will do the logical thing you do when you start to read a book: start in the middle.  That’s where all the cool stuff is.

Straight to Paladin. They’re cool as hell, right?  The level progression looks very different.  No BAB, no saving throw bonuses, no spell list. Ancestry feat, Paladin feat, General Feat, Skill Feat, all kinds of feats.  Looks like feats are broken up into non-interfering categories now.  Maybe stinkers like Alertness and other skill-boosters will actually see play.

Cross-checking with Sorcerer, it looks like classes receive most of this stuff at even rates, but the Sorcerer receives roughly half the number of Sorcerer feats as the Paladin does Paladin feats.  These are class features, by the way.  Divine Grace requires you to be 2nd level and grants a +2 to all saves (Side note: +1 and +2 seem to be the rule of the day; is this the Pathfinder version of 5e bounded accuracy?).  Attack of Opportunity is 6th level, so you’ll be able to get that outside the Fighter, thankfully!  Shield Champion is 20th level, and if your shield would be broken, angels sweep it up to heaven to repair it for you, returning it to you the next day. That’s kind of awesome!  (More on broken shields later.)

So that must be a capstone, those bits that entice me to stick with a class until level 20.  I wonder how multiclassing works?

…Well…

So, p2 uses the 4th edition DnD system of multiclassing: giant piles of feats.  I can definitely appreciate the simplicity of folding the archetype, multiclass and prestige class systems into the feat system.  I worry that these feats will be too weak to entice me, especially as power creep sets in four years and twenty supplements roll down the line.  So far they seem fine, though.  One feat nets you cantrips, a second grants 2nd level spells, a third grants 6th level spells, and a fourth and final feat grants 8th level spells.  You do gain only one spell per day of the leveled slots, though (a branch in the feat tree grants a bonus spell slot of all but your two highest spell levels, so that might help).  At least you should be capable of casting some decent spells at high levels when multiclassing.

Each tree is between six and eight feats long.  There is a tree for the classic four classes (Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Wizard), plus the Cavalier and Pirate archetypes and the Gray Maiden prestige class.  I am looking forward to seeing multiclass feats for the other classes.  I will, however, greatly miss choosing which class I will become when I level up.  The added flexibility that allowed was nice as well, letting you pick a level in Rogue or Fighter if you desperately wanted to pick up a new skill or feat for roleplaying reasons.  Now you might spend 3 levels waiting for a chance to learn underwater basket weaving from the master you just apprenticed yourself to.

And now for something completely different: proficiencies!  I actually knew a bit about this from the playtest, but I got a far more complete picture here.  The Paladin’s Saving Throw section reads thusly: “Expert in Fortitude; Trained in Reflex; Expert in Will”.  Proficiency is now broken into five categories: Untrained, Trained, Expert, Master, and Legendary.  This breaks down to -2, 0, +1, +2, and +3.  (You also add your level to all checks of all kinds. Squee, my wildest dreams come true!) Base attack bonus, saving throws, skill checks, spell save DCs, and spell attack rolls now all run off the same system.  (Side note, you actually add your level to that bonus above to determine your proficiency modifier.  A 5th level Master rank is a +7 bonus.  You add this bonus to your AC when wearing appropriate armor. Autoscaling AC without magic items, double squee!!)

So yes, from what I’ve seen so far, this edition of Pathfinder will be anything but rules lite. It is filled with crunchy baubles and feat slots and trinkets that will give you minor bonuses that will satisfy any fan of Pathfinder.  But the refinement in the core mechanics will mean that these trinkets will all run precisely the same, cutting down on overhead and keeping your game moving smoothly. After the let down that was the action system last time, this was a massive success.  I am incredibly hyped to see more of the proficiency system and how common raising your ranks might be.

Next time, we’ll either look in to ranking up skills, or re-examine the spell section with regards to the action economy.  Either way looks fun.  I’m really being torn in multiple directions with this.

…Ooh, what if casting spells beneath your max level takes fewer actions?

…Is Skill Focus dead now? Legendary skills are mathematically equal to Skill Focus now.

…Okay, I’ll shut up.

[dailycharacteroption]

2nd Edition Pathfinder: My Thoughts part 5

Outro

 There’s a lot to like and dislike about P2E, and I don’t knock anyone that finds the pros outweighing the cons, good on them.

I just wish they had maybe done things a bit differently, you know? Simplicity is good, but I’ve always found detractors claiming that P1 was too “math-y” or was suffering from “system bloat” to be lacking in a certain ring of truth.

On the former note, the fact that pretty much every character sheet I’ve ever seen, official or otherwise is built for you to add all your bonuses into a total together, meaning you pretty much only have to do any adding once per level-up or the addition of new equipment, which is no big deal.

As for the latter, can we just consider that Pathfinder is a 10 year old system? 10 years, that pretty much never happens with tabletop rpgs and strategy games. Certainly it all looks imposing when you view the full body of hardbacks and paperbacks associated with it, but I’ve never found it to be that bad. In fact, I’ve found it to be quite the opposite. The vast array of different options provides a literal whole world of possibilities, with even similar options demonstrating subtle nuances that exist out there.

Consider the concept of the samurai warrior, for example. Another system might simply have you build the character using a pre-existing martial class, just reflavored, or perhaps put out a supplement for eastern fantasy that included an option for samurai. P1, however, not only put out a samurai class which was a parallel to the western cavalier, but also later supported it with various archetypes to fill in a lot of those Japanese tropes that the class didn’t already cover!

 Moving on before this devolves into a tangent, maybe it’s just the nostalgia in me, but one of the big appeals I felt for P1 back in the day is the fact that it seemed made to preserve and build upon the feel of the 3.5 edition of the World’s Oldest Roleplaying Game in a time when that system was being replaced by a simplified (and widely controversial) system.

Does that make me some sort of grognard unwilling to accept change? Some might make that claim. However, Pathfinder did plenty to change the game as well, though in much more subtle ways than outright dropping the previous system in favor of a new one, that is until now. I can’t speak for the future of P2E, but I can’t help but see a parallel here.

 But who knows? Maybe I’m wrong and there will be some big update to 2nd edition that lights a fire in me? Maybe there will come a time when I truly shelve the 1st edition books for good… (And maybe if frogs had wings they wouldn’t bust their bums every time the land, HA!)

We’ll just have to approach the future with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. See you all next week with more entries!