Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Ultimate Combat: Meet the Samurai

Next Two Weeks: Change in Venue

Because Bruce is on the night shift for the next few weeks, we will be holding the Tuesday night game at Steve’s house for at least the next two weeks. His address is:

2031 Mattie Lu
Auburn Hills, MI

I plan to finish the current HEX playtest. What else we do depends upon how much time we have left. There is an alternate scene that we skipped that is slated as a web enhancement and we can try to run the chase scene to see how it plays now that you have someone that could pilot a boat.
 
I will be sending out the playtest feedback forms via e-mail. Please try to think of things that you would like to comment upon. It should give you the opportunity for a headstart on filling them out.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

night shift again

hiya gamers,
i have started the night shift again. i have tonight off, so I'll be here (3/29), but I've been told i will have no more nights off for the next two weeks (accept Sundays). so you'll have to make other plans for at least the next two weeks (4/5, and 4/12).

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Clarification on the Effects of Poison

Paizo posted a clarification on the effects of poison today. Check it out here: http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lc12

Monday, March 14, 2011

More thoughts on Loot

Bruce and I were discussing loot some more the other night. Neither of us are really keen on the challenge method that Dave proposed previously. I find it a bit confusing and I am concerned with keeping track of the challenges.

Bruce suggested that maybe we convert all of the treasure into cost values, total the cost of the treasure and divide by the number of characters to determine the share. Characters could then use their shares to "buy" items off of the list at cost (i.e. half price).

Refining this idea, I propose the following:

  1. Convert all treasure into its GP cost.
  2. Total the treasure to determine total treasure value (TTV).
  3. Divide the TTV by the number of characters to determine a share. Items deemed as "party treasure" are taken off of the top before the TTV is divided to determine the shares.
  4. Determine a pick order. Do this each time treasure is divided. (no more running pick order)
  5. Each character can use his share to "buy" an item off of the list it GP cost (i.e. half price). Characters would pick in order. Continue picking in order until the treasure is divided or everyone has opted out.
  6. If someone wants to take an item that has a greater value than their remaining share, the remainder of the party must cover the difference from their shares. The picking character will end up with a debt for the next time treasure is split and will receive no additional treasure from the current loot (unless the entire party agrees to allow them to continue adding debt.
  7. Whatever is not picked is sold to fund the remaining shares.

 An example of this system. A party of four characters defeats an evil band of brigands. The loot from defeating these opponents is:
 
730 SP – 73 GP
2000 GP
Jeweled belt buckle with “I fight for glory” on the front – 200 GP
8 – 100 GP pearls – 800 GP
400 GP worth of diamond dust – 400 GP
+1 longsword – 1157.5 GP
+1 dagger – 1151 GP
+1 studded leather armor – 587.5 GP
+2 Cloak of Resistance – 2000 GP
MW Full Plate – 825 GP
Wand of Cure Light Wounds (50 charages) - 375 GP
4 potions of Cure Light Wounds – 100 GP
MW heavy mace – 156 GP
MW Breastplate – 175 GP

The total treasure value is 10,000 GP. Assuming that the Cure Light Wounds wand is tagged as party treasure, the TTV reduces to 9625. The share for each character would be 2406.25 GP.

Let’s assume the pick order is:

Fighter (2406.25)
Rogue (2406.25)
Cleric (2406.25)
Sorcerer (2406.25)

A mock pick would sort out like this :

Pick round 1
Fighter – takes +1 longsword (2406.25-1157.5=1248.75)
Rogue – takes +1 studded leather (2406.25 – 587.5=1818.75)
Cleric – takes +2 cloak of Resistance (2406.25-2000=406.25)
Sorcerer – takes +1 dagger (2406.25-1151=1255.25)

Pick round 2
Fighter – takes MW full plate (1248.75-825=423.75)
Rogue – takes potion of CLW (1818.75-25=1793.75)
Cleric – takes MW breastplate (406.25-175=231.25)
Sorcerer – takes potion of CLW (1255.25-25=1230.25)

Pick round 3
Fighter – takes potion of CLW (423.75-25=398.75)
Rogue – takes potion of CLW (1793.75-25=1768.75)
Cleric – takes MW heavy mace (231.25-156=75.25)
Sorcerer – pass (1230.25)

Pick round 4
Fighter – takes belt buckle (398.75-200=198.75)
Rogue – pass (1768.75)
Cleric – pass (231.25-156=75.25)
Sorcerer – pass (1230.25)

The end result is the characters get the items they picked plus some money and the party has a wand to use as party treasure.

If the same treasure, minus the 2000 GP, was divided, the results would be something like this:

Pick round 1
Fighter – takes +1 longsword (1906.25-1157.5=748.75)
Rogue – takes +1 studded leather (1906.25 – 587.5=1318.75)
Cleric – takes +2 cloak of Resistance (1906.25-2000=-93.75)
Sorcerer – takes +1 dagger (1906.25-1151=755.25)

Pick round 2
Fighter – takes MW full plate (748.75-825=-76.25)
Rogue – takes potion of CLW (1318.75-25=1293.75)
Cleric – pass (-93.75)
Sorcerer – takes potion of CLW (755.25-25=730.25)

Pick round 3
Fighter – pass (-76.25)
Rogue – takes potion of CLW (1293.75-25=1268.75)
Cleric – pass (-93.75)
Sorcerer – takes potion of CLW (730.25-25=705.25)

Pick round 4
Everyone passes.

The end result is the characters get the items they picked and some characters get some money. The party has a wand to use as party treasure. The fighter carries a debt of 76.25 and the cleric has a debt of 93.75. The total debt is 170. The two characters with a positive balance take the GP hit subtracting 85 GP from their remaining totals. That leave the rogue with 1183.75 and the sorcerer with 620.25. Next time treasure is divided the fighter and cleric would have their shares reduced by their debt and the rogue and sorcerer would have their shares increased by a credit of 85 GP each.

I think I like this method. There is not too much extra bookkeeping as we need to determine the costs of items to sell the anyway. The debt and credits would also need to be maintained. Someone should likely be the "banker" to make sure that no one overspends. I think taht this will offer a more even distribution of the wealth and will allow characters that do not have anything they can use in a particular treasure the ability to purchase things that they need because they will have more money to spend.

Thoughts? 

HEX page updated

I have updated the attachments on my HEX page: https://sites.google.com/site/zombiehomepage/Home/zombie-s-hex-page

I have added a character sheet and two versions of the character creation cheatsheet for All For One (the one with pf in the title is printer friendly without all of the shading). I have also added both versions of the most up to date character creation cheatsheet for HEX. Also on the page is a character sheet for HEX and summaries of combat maneuvers and of combat itself.

To unclutter the section, I have removed some files that I do not expect anyone but me might use.

HEX Adventure Cover Art

Check out cover art for the German print versions of the two latest published HEX adventures.

The Miracle Stone of the Amazon:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w206/myranor/Wunderstein-Cover_low.jpg

The Frozen City of Terror:
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w206/myranor/Die-Stadt-des-eisigen-Schreckens_low.jpg

You can check out more of the artist’s work at: http://jonhodgson.deviantart.com/

Friday, March 11, 2011

Serpent's Skull Loot

Bruce created a list of the loot from his game. I posted it out on my web site.

Here is the link: https://sites.google.com/site/zombiehomepage/Home/zombie-s-d-d-pathfinder-page/ss1_loot.xlsx?attredirects=0&d=1

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Pathfinder: Ultimate Combat Playtest Round 2

In case you missed it on the Screen Monkey Chatter blog (http://screenmonkeychatter.blogspot.com/)...

The next round of the Pathfinder Ultimate Combat playtest began today. The materials include a re-worked version of the Gunslinger which is now a stand alone class. It is documented in an 11-page PDF.

I have not done more that an intial once over. It looks like there have been improvements made. I would have to play one before I could speak to how fun/playable the class will be. I could see it as a cool character in the right type of game.

The document can be downloaded at http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/v5748btpy8j5e.

I have also added a link to my Pathfinder web page at https://sites.google.com/site/zombiehomepage/Home/zombie-s-d-d-pathfinder-page.

Monday, March 7, 2011

New HEX playtest

I got an e-mail today asking if we are able to perform another HEX playtest. They would like feedback by the end of the month. I said yes and I expect to get the files in the next day or so. I will plan to run after Bruce is done with his current adventure. More details to follow.

Iconics 2

Iconics 2
New Paths Compendium: Pathfinder RPG Expanded Edition -- Kicktraq Mini
All for One: Satan's Playground -- Kicktraq Mini
Perils of the Surface World -- Kicktraq Mini
Revelations of Mars -- Kicktraq Mini
Space: 1889 - SF Role Playing in a More Civilized Time -- Kicktraq Mini
Leagues of Gothic Horror -- Kicktraq Mini
Quantum Black: Cosmic Horrors -- Kicktraq Mini
Globetrotters' Guide to London -- Kicktraq Mini
Perils of Mars -- Kicktraq Mini
Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos for Pathfinder -- Kicktraq Mini
Leagues of Gothic Horror: Shapeshifters & Vampires -- Kicktraq Mini
Leagues of Cthulhu -- Kicktraq Mini
Leagues of Gothic Horror: Ministry & Mordavia books and Dice -- Kicktraq Mini
Pathfinder: Kingmaker -- Kicktraq Mini
Starfinder Masterclass Miniatures -- Kicktraq Mini