Out of Character (Application Questions)

[MidnightPoet]

Welcome everyone. I decided to take the plunge and GM a game on the forum.

This is a general OOC thread, but also primarily focused on the application process and setting for prospective players.

 

Welcome, and take a seat at the table.

Edited February 4 by MidnightPoet (see edit history)

[Inquisitor D]

*steals seat, runs out of room*

...

*sheepishly walks back into room, puts seat back down, hoping no one notices*

So I'm still thinking over character ideas. Unfamiliar with Grim Hollow. But I'm curious about the idea of not pursuing a transformation pathway. I like the vibe of a regular mortal trying to deal with something that's well above their pay grade. But... mm, I guess I'd like to start that conversation? I might backslide, but I'm curious about what sorta thing you'd do to even the scales in that situation.

Edited February 4 by Inquisitor D (see edit history)

[MidnightPoet]

Great question D. Each transformation has 4 levels, providing a boon and flaw suitable for level tiers of 1-5, 6-10, 11-15 and 16-20.

The easiest way is to give you an appropriate magic item for each of those tiers. Considering how rare magic items will be in this game, it will give you equivalent abilities to the other players. It will give you some versatility as you can switch out items and the flaws associated with each item to suit the monster you’re hunting.

I might also consider an artifact or intelligent magical item that gains more powerful abilities as you level. Admittedly, this will not feel too different from a transformation, but it is also an option depending on your character story.

[Inquisitor D]

Hrm... A perfectly reasonable answer! I can see character concepts for each of these options. Magical item access makes sense for a noble, growing their power base and resources. Or a magical researcher, developing an arsenal of their own. And there's all sorts of angles for an important artifact! Something from the Inquisition's vaults, a hidden secret of a family line, the sacred blade of the fighting school...

But... Mmm, that's kinda not where my first impulse is here. I'm leaning more towards someone anonymously ordinary. A regular person ending up in this life rather than someone well prepared for it. A bartender. A tailor. A scribe. They could still stumble onto an artifact depending on what it is...

I think the next move is to develop story ideas a bit further but does this basic 'feel' of character work without a transformation?

[Harding]

Quick question: What about the starting equipment/gold?

I took a gander at the advanced weapons, and they cost a lot of gold. So making, let say, a character based on firearms, would it be possible to start with at least 1 of those?

Edited February 4 by Harding (see edit history)

[JubalBreakbottle]

This Grim Hollow setting is very interesting.

In the character creation, you refer to a half-feat. What's that?

You mention that you would open to reskinning another for an official race. For example, reskinning an Aasimar for a human? Drow for a vampire elf

What are the mechanics around background talents? Found them

Where is this list of advanced weapons?

What is the standard equipment of a regular watchman? Armor, weapons?

With the gods dead, does cleric spell-casting work as normal? Do they have to revere an Arch Seraph?

Are you using Tasha’s racial customization to change stat bonuses?

 

cheers

Edited February 4 by JubalBreakbottle (see edit history)

[astronavigatrix]

Hey, uhhhh... before I get too far into considering this, how do you feel about Peace Domain Clerics, boss?

[MidnightPoet]

4 hours ago, Inquisitor D said:

But... Mmm, that's kinda not where my first impulse is here. I'm leaning more towards someone anonymously ordinary. A regular person ending up in this life rather than someone well prepared for it. A bartender. A tailor. A scribe. They could still stumble onto an artifact depending on what it is...

 

Magical items are crafted from monsters, so the majority of magic items will be obtained from your hunts. I will simply be giving you a monster trophy you later process into an item. Maybe you were an ordinary person who was attacked by a monster and miraculously beat it off. This would bring you into the monster hunting world, and give you a monster component that might be magically potent you can use.

4 hours ago, Harding said:

Quick question: What about the starting equipment/gold?

I took a gander at the advanced weapons, and they cost a lot of gold. So making, let say, a character based on firearms, would it be possible to start with at least 1 of those?

I forgot to mention that. It’s been added. You have starting equipment, 150gp living expenses, and your choice of a magic item or 500gp of equipment (weapon, armor, silver weapons, healing potion, alchemist fire, etc)

3 hours ago, JubalBreakbottle said:

In the character creation, you refer to a half-feat. What's that?

You mention that you would open to reskinning another for an official race. For example, reskinning an Aasimar for a human?

What are the mechanics around background talents?

Where is this list of advanced weapons?

What is the standard equipment of a regular watchman? Armor, weapons?

With the gods dead, does cleric spell-casting work as normal? Do they have to revere an Arch Seraph?

cheers

Half-feat is any feat that gives you a benefit and a +1 to an ability score.

Yes, you would be considered human but have the abilities of an aasimar.

For each rank in a profession, you choose 1 talent from the list at the end.

Weapons are in the grim hollow player guide. I will post a list later.

You can decide what is appropriate for a guardsman. I imagine it is a chain shirt, shield, and a light mace.

Spellcasting works as normal. The only difference is that there are fewer divine casters in the world compared to other settings. And you can choose the source of your power. Does it come from an archseraph or archdaemon, or from somewhere else?

5 hours ago, astronavigatrix said:

Hey, uhhhh... before I get too far into considering this, how do you feel about Peace Domain Clerics, boss?

Peace domain is overpowered and destroys bounded accuracy in the early levels. I would allow it, but would not let emboldening bond stack with bless.

[JubalBreakbottle]

Sorry. Snuck another question in there.

Are you using Tasha’s racial customization to change stat bonuses?

cheers

[astronavigatrix]

No worries! I wasn't exactly married to the idea (mostly just to. cleric in general...) so I can pick another domain if you'd prefer!
edit: actually i just had an incredibly absurd thought that I'd need Twilight domain for, so I'll go with that-

Edited February 5 by astronavigatrix (see edit history)

[Escheton]

Hello all.

I'm curious to explore a Lampmaker.
Light domain Cleric, Elemental Transformation probably. With the Common Professional Background, Merchant, but preferably (Guild) Crafter. It just doesn't exist yet.

@GM: The transformation stat boon, how does it work? Does it stack with anything to go over 16, or is there just an incentive to not pick transformations that buff your main stats?

[MidnightPoet]

2 hours ago, JubalBreakbottle said:

Are you using Tasha’s racial customization to change stat bonuses?

Yes

1 hour ago, Escheton said:

The transformation stat boon, how does it work? Does it stack with anything to go over 16, or is there just an incentive to not pick transformations that buff your main stats?

You can ignore the limit. It was an oversight on my part. I’ll fix it later.

Edited February 5 by MidnightPoet (see edit history)

[Escheton]

To clarify, we don't get the normal backgrounds, but instead the Profession Background and a feat that doesn't boost stats, right?

I've been loving the tinkering options. Some interesting combos. Water Primordial Paladin for instance can use 1 point of lay-on-hands to heal 1+1d6+con mod.
Up to 5 x Paladin level per day. Which, given the rest changes and likely resource management needs seems huge, and so fitting some of the character archetypes of the class.

[MidnightPoet]

3 hours ago, Escheton said:

To clarify, we don't get the normal backgrounds, but instead the Profession Background and a feat that doesn't boost stats, right?

Yes.

[Inquisitor D]

So, now I've sketched out the basic idea of my main characters, I realized... I should check if one of these concepts is even remotely viable!

Okay, I know it's not an easy sell. But is there any possibility for a member of the Arcanist Inquisition collaborating with the Society of the Occult? I get that the most radical and faithful would never go for that, but there's gonna be different levels of faith within the ArcInq. That was at the heart of my pitch with Irata; someone who isn't in this out of religious duty and is kinda terrified at the prospect of having to do the work. But it kinda feels like even that may still be a bridge too far with the organization's basic precepts.

Mmm. I can rework Irata or concentrate on Mika, this isn't an end either way. Just want to be sure/take the temperature.