Added Links for HEX Ritual Creation Rules

Added Links for HEX Ritual Creation Rules that I am working on to my web site: http://sites.google.com/site/zombiehomepage/Home/zombie-s-hex-page/modified-ritual-rules

If you have a chance, I would appreciate feedback. I am working on creating more rituals. If anyone else wants to give it a try I would be interested in what you come up with. If we agree on them, I can add them to the site.

I am also looking at creating a few new Traditions as well.

HEX Special Powers

The requirements for special powers in the HEX game all seem to work on similar mechanics. The character must have at least one Talent and a Skill or two (in some cases an attribute) to exercise the Talent depending on the effect that you are looking to implement.

Below are the basic requirements to pursue the special abilities paths. These can get quite expensive from an experience point standpoint. Each Talent and Resource (Artifact) costs 15 XP per level to purchase. The character may choose two Level 0 Resources instead of one Level 1 Resource at character creation. If purchased after character creation, Level 0 Resources cost 7 XP to gain and 8 XP to raise to Level 1. Psychic abilities must be chosen at character creation. At least one Psychic Ability Talent must be picked. The other special powers may be branched into over time. Atlantean Power Words are not available from character creation as no skill can be higher than 5 to start and it requires a Ligusitics of 6 to purchase the first Talent in the tree.

Artifacts both mystical and wierd science will require time, resources (money and raw materials) and experience to create and modify/improve.

If you are interested in playing a character with any of these abilities, please let me know and I will send you additional information. These characters will take more work to create and maintain. Imagine the difference between a fighter and a wizard in D20.

Psychic Abilities

Talent:

• Psychic Ability: Telepathy

--------->Psychic Ability: Mind Control 1-3

• Psychic Ability: Telekinesis

--------->Psychic Ability: Telekinetic Shield

• Psychic Ability: Extrasensory Perception

--------->Psychic Ability: Precognition

• Psychic Ability: Cloaking

--------->Psychic Ability: Enshroud 1-3

Skill: Willpower x2
Progression – Multiple Talents and increased Talent level.

Magic

Talent: Magical Aptitude
Skill:

• Sorcery – Necromancy

--------->Ritual Specialization

• Sorcery – Shamanism

--------->Ritual Specialization

• Sorcery – Theurgy

--------->Ritual Specialization

Progression -

• Rituals – levels 1-5

Alchemy

Talent: Transmutation
Skill:

• Alchemy
• Craft

Progression –

• Artifacts – Levels 0-5

Atlantean Power Words

Talent:

• Atlantean Language 1-3

--------->Atlantean Power Words 1-3

-------------->Atlantean Commands 1-3

Skill: Linguistics 6
Progression - Multiple Talents and increased Talent level.

Weird Science

Talent: Weird Science
Skill:

• Craft
• Science 4

Progression –

• Artifacts – Level 0-5

--------->Gadgets
--------->Weapons
--------->Vehiciles

Hollow Earth Expedition Resources posted

I have posted resources for the Hollow Earth Expedition game on my HEX page: http://sites.google.com/site/zombiehomepage/Home/zombie-s-hex-page

Please take a look.

I am still deciding what I am going to run. I hope to have a better idea by next Tuesday. I would like to be ready to run by the time Dave wants to take a break.

Pathfinder Advanced Player's Guide

Check out the announcement found at this link: http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lai0

Sounds cool and it will also be open playtest. Something to look forwand to for next year.

Hollow Earth Expedition

I am considering running Hollow Earth Expedition again. I would like to give it a shot on Tuesdays. I want to make sure that everyone is on board with giving it a fair shot.

A brief description of the game - The Hollow Earth exists. There is another lost world inside of this one. It is a game of pulp cinematic action. Adventures can take place inside and outside of the Hollow Earth. There is magic, and psionics and mad-science. There are Nazis and dinosaurs.

The game is a little different from other RPGs. The mechanics are very fluid and flexible. Role playing and character interaction is very important.

Last time I tried to run it, I went with pre-Generated characters to try to get everyone the feel for the system and me a feel for running the game. It seemed that some folks did not enjoy playing out-of-the-box characters. This time around, I will try to accommodate making your own characters. This will take patience as I only have one set of books. I am looking for resources that will help players create characters and learn the game.

If folks are interested. I could get the PDF for the rules so that we have more information and resources available. I do not want to make an investment of $40 to $50 dollars (all three books)unless we have interest in playing. There would also be some sections that I would not want folks to read (at least to start).

I have plenty of dice (you can actually use any dice that you want) and style chips for everyone.

I should have enough in the way of adventures tied together to run about 6 sessions. There are more adventures out there and I may be able to pull some of my own together.

Humans: they get the shaft

I'm barely into the new Pathfinder opus and the first thing that leaps out at me is: why play a human? Every race can choose any favored multiclass now (half elves get 2!) so the vaunted flexibility that made it so easy to plan a build is now commonplace. If you plan on playing a character past 3rd lvl go for halvsies ( -orc or -elf).

PRPG Rules investigations

Just a few things that I dug up ...

Incorporeal is now a condition. It has changed quite a bit. Here is the description from page 567.

Incorporeal: Creatures with the incorporeal condition do not have a physical body. Incorporeal creatures are immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Incorporeal creatures take half damage (50%) from magic weapons, spells, spell-like effects, and supernatural effects. Incorporeal creatures take full damage from other incorporeal creatures and effects, as well as all force effects. Incorporeal Undead are also susceptible to any effect that Channels Positive Energy.

Sneak Attack:

I did not find this directly in the book but according to the Conversion Guide, rogue Sneak Attack ability now functions against most constructs, plants, and undead. It does not function against oozes, elementals, and incorporeal undead.

These are other situations that prevent Sneak Attacks:

· Splash Weapons cannot be used to make a Sneak Attack.
· Cannot make Sneak Attacks when Blinded.
· Cannot make Sneak Attack against a foe with Concealment.
· Invisibility prevents Sneak Attacks.

Whether or not a monster is susceptible to Sneak Attack appears to be determined by the creature type. For instance:

Elemental:
Immune to Critical Hits
Immune to Flanking
Immune to Sneak Attacks

Swarm:
Immune to Critical Hits
Immune to Flanking

Elementals appear to be immune while swarms are mostly immune but due to the lack of flank but there might still be situations where a Sneak Attack could occur.

Pathfinder RPG

I have books for David, Randy and Corey. I will bring them tomorrow.

For everyone, there are some free resources available on the Paizo site. The can be found at the following links:

1st Printing Errata v. 1: http://paizo.com/download/pathfinder/PathfinderRPGErrata.zip
Character Sheet: http://paizo.com/download/pathfinder/PathfinderRPGCharacterSheet.zip
Traits Web Enhancement: http://paizo.com/traits (still deciding if we will use these)
Bestiary Preview: http://paizo.com/store/downloads/pathfinder/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy89m5 ( Has information about some monsters, monster abilities and creatures for summoning and familiars.)
Bonus Bestiary: http://paizo.com/store/paizoExclusives/v5748btpy88x4b ( Some monsters and monster abilities.)
3.5 Conversion Guide: http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy89m6

Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook Sold Out!

All Preordered Copies Now in Distribution Channel, New Print Run to Arrive in Early November

Ten days before the launch of their much-anticipated Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, Paizo Publishing today announced that the first print run of the book has sold out, with all preordered copies on their way to stores for an August 13 release. With preorders more than five times greater than for any previous product in Paizo's seven-year history, orders for the Core Rulebook continue to mount even as the company speeds to produce another print run. Paizo.com has retained enough copies to handle all paizo.com subscriptions and pre-orders. Customers who have not already placed a pre-order with paizo.com or their game or book retailer are encouraged to seek out a copy immediately following the book's retail release, as supplies are expected to run out well before the arrival of a second print run in early November.

"We thought we had printed enough to last us at least until the end of this year, but skyrocketing demand from our customers and distributors has us reprinting already," Lisa Stevens, CEO of Paizo said. "We have a healthy amount heading to Gen Con, but we think even those will go fast, so don't delay in picking up your copy!"

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook is the first release in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game line of hardcover tabletop RPG rulebooks. Clocking in at a whopping 576 pages and at a weight of more than four pounds, this $49.99 rulebook is the newest incarnation of the 3.5 version of the world's best-selling roleplaying game. Playtested by more than 50,000 players over the last year, the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook is the most hotly anticipated tabletop RPG release of 2009. A massive electronic download file ($9.99) will remain available at paizo.com.

"The phenomenal support of the constantly growing community of Pathfinder RPG players has been a staggering sight to behold," said Paizo Publisher Erik Mona. "To sell out a hugely ambitious print run before the release date just goes to show what an immense audience this game will enjoy in the years to come."