Out of Character Discussion/Character Creation Questions

[namo]

From what I get, the book sets the atmosphere (slightly post-apocalyptic, somewhat psychedelic, certainly sci-fi with a dash of fantasy), but does not describe every minute detail from the setting: the DM and players are invited to make up some of it.

So I'd say don't overthink it. The force disk makes me think of the Floating Disk spell, except you can probably just manipulate it with your hand. Or perhaps it's just a high-tech frisbee?

Invent what the Decapolis is (ten cities, literally, but perhaps 9 crumbled and the last one is...), with DM license.

High-tech seems to coexist with basic foraging, or repurposing of old, unsurpassed tech. So up to you if your greed is towards a secret tech that you could use to produce stuff, or a specific piece of equipment ("the Laser Garter of the Hegemon"), ...

 

TheGSE, may we use this variant, which goes together with the one above that lists utility talents in martial/magic spheres?

Also, what do you anticipate will be the balance between exploration, combat, social encounters, puzzles, ...?

 

edit: I hope we'll get at least one submission with a cat-related class. A Purrsician or a Matagot... 😁

Edited May 6 by namo (see edit history)

[Eborne1]

Archon-Blooded Aasimar?

[Ryfte]

What is a quarterling??? 😕

Also, is there an RP point constraint / target for the racial pick? I ask as even the core races really vary based on their RP breakout. Allowing the lower end RP core races to grab extra alternate traits to make up the difference is always nice from a balance perspective. *shrug*

Edited May 6 by Ryfte (see edit history)

[namo]

Quarter-ling = someone with a quarter of ling blood, whatever a ling is (one of the potential mysteries of the setting). Also clearly a continuation of the "pun" on half-lings (it's not clear that there are halflings in the sens of hobbits here).

[Ryfte]

2 hours ago, namo said:

Quarter-ling = someone with a quarter of ling blood, whatever a ling is (one of the potential mysteries of the setting). Also clearly a continuation of the "pun" on half-lings (it's not clear that there are halflings in the sens of hobbits here).

I sort of figured however... I wondered if there was an actual listing and if there were mechanics. My google-fu actually turned up a handful of results that vary a LOT!

@TheGSE Are grippli acceptable? They're an example of a lower RP race with 6rp but I still like 'em, lol.

 

 

 

Edited May 6 by Ryfte (see edit history)

[Lex Samreeth]

3 hours ago, Ryfte said:

What is a quarterling??? 😕

Also, is there an RP point constraint / target for the racial pick? I ask as even the core races really vary based on their RP breakout. Allowing the lower end RP core races to grab extra alternate traits to make up the difference is always nice from a balance perspective. *shrug*

I believe a quarterling is a human-halfling hybrid

[Eborne1]

2 hours ago, Lex Samreeth said:

human-halfling hybrid

I think you're right. But they should have called it a 3/4ling

[Thramzorean]

My flab has been gasted, colour me ultravioletly surprised - Ryfte is going with a halfling.

[Ryfte]

6 hours ago, Thramzorean said:

My flab has been gasted, colour me ultravioletly surprised - Ryfte is going with a halfling.

Hey, its a core race and not a goblin! Besides, I had considered a half-giant war-hulk ascendant as well. 🤣

Edit: Besides, its early still. I've got tons of time to change my mind a dozen times before settling on a final idea. 😁

Edited May 7 by Ryfte (see edit history)

[OzzyKP]

What are options for languages?

Also, what should we expect for the balance between combat, intrigue, survival, puzzles, etc? Since I rolled up a "Decapolitan ambassador", I'm planning to try out the Envoy class. That class looks fun, but won't be quite as useful if 80% of the game is fighting monsters.

Is it ok to use the ability score adjustments from old age?

is the Leadership sphere ok?

Edited May 7 by OzzyKP (see edit history)

[TheGSE]

On 5/6/2024 at 8:49 AM, Whitehart09 said:

Could I use the Soul Weaver Spheres class but instead of souls they are colors?

Certainly, there's room for weird wizards of every stripe in the UVG!

On 5/6/2024 at 9:58 AM, Mister Doctor said:

Is a Collective Wraith something you'd be willing to tolerate?

Sure, and in addition to namo's suggestion of Porcelain Princes, your character might be a unique sort of Ultra (After-Human body hoppers who possess others to interact with the world)

On 5/6/2024 at 12:21 PM, OzzyKP said:

Do you have any more information on the setting or lore? I've read through the player guide and it is mostly mechanics (like you said), but I can't quite get a handle on things. People live around a circle sea, there is a long plain and then a black city. Not really enough for me to understand who we are and our place in things.

I do, and will be filling out the world info tab over the next few days. namo does make some good points, and the way I see it is the things to the East of the Violet City are the province of the players. Who you are and where you come from are largely up to you, but the West is the domain of the GM.

As for your place in the world, you are individuals who are seeking the near-mythical Black City, probably to use its strange Long Long Ago magic and technology to overcome some otherwise insurmountable problem you have back East. In service of this goal, you have signed on the caravan of the Cat Lord Jaya, plying your skills in his employ as you travel toward your shared destination past the horizon.

On 5/6/2024 at 12:21 PM, OzzyKP said:

I tried the random prompts from the guide and got a Decapolitan ambassador (what is the decapolis?), driven by sheer industrial greed (does this place have an industrial economy? Factories, technology? What kind of resources?), carrying a translucent dinner plate-sized force disk (what is that?).

So, the Decapolis is described as "Nine to thirteen viciously independent, smallish city states controlling most of the Circle Sea coast from the Metropolis to the Orange Lands. Famed for their trading prowess, industriousness, venality, fetishistic fascination with magic of all sorts, and utter ineptitude setting up anything comparable to the Purple University." The nearby Metropolis, also called Emerald City, is described as an "Industrial, ecological meta-topia", and your force disk could be a flavor of Sphere ability, piece of equipment or magic/technological item.

On 5/6/2024 at 12:21 PM, OzzyKP said:

Also, how much of the game will reflect the player's guide? Should we expect a survival-focused exploration game? Or are you just using the setting for your own thing? Will we use the equipment listed in the guide?

You should indeed expect a survival/exploration game, and might build a character to magically feed your caravan or navigate/otherwise divine your way across the UVG. Standard PF equipment, including the technology guide and Spheres gear/magic items, though feel free to use the guide for inspiration/guidance on what you shop for.

[TheGSE]

On 5/6/2024 at 3:32 PM, namo said:

TheGSE, may we use this variant, which goes together with the one above that lists utility talents in martial/magic spheres?

Also, what do you anticipate will be the balance between exploration, combat, social encounters, puzzles, ...?

Utilitarian progression is allowed. My ideal mix would be more social and exploration than combat, and more combat than puzzles. Maybe a 40/30/20/10 mix, or 35/35/20/10

On 5/6/2024 at 4:16 PM, Eborne1 said:

Archon-Blooded Aasimar?

Allowed! Probably some kind of para-human lineage descended from some Long Long Ago humans biomodified from baseline to be exceptionally virtuous or pure, or the result of Lingish dream magic, or a horse of a different color!

On 5/6/2024 at 5:00 PM, Ryfte said:

What is a quarterling??? 😕

Also, is there an RP point constraint / target for the racial pick? I ask as even the core races really vary based on their RP breakout. Allowing the lower end RP core races to grab extra alternate traits to make up the difference is always nice from a balance perspective. *shrug*

Quarter-lings are "Several remote and moderately rare human phenotypes retaining lingish characteristics (like exceptional hand-eye coordination and fur coverage of certain body parts), but are otherwise mostly baseline. Many subscribe to neo-lingish origin myths and cling to various cultural traits as though these were the Long Long Ago lingish originals."

As for RP constraints, let's just stay away from the monstrous power level races, and maybe once I've made selections those whose races are really under-rp'd can shop for new features.

6 hours ago, OzzyKP said:

What are options for languages?

Also, what should we expect for the balance between combat, intrigue, survival, puzzles, etc? Since I rolled up a "Decapolitan ambassador", I'm planning to try out the Envoy class. That class looks fun, but won't be quite as useful if 80% of the game is fighting monsters.

Is it ok to use the ability score adjustments from old age?

is the Leadership sphere ok?

I'm not at home, but will publish the list of languages in the world info tab once I'm back at my laptop. Game balance I'm aiming for is 35-40% social, 30-35% exploration, 20% combat, 10% puzzles.

Age adjustments are allowed, as is the leadership sphere.

[crowe9107]

Definitely interested. What level firearms?

[Ryfte]

2 hours ago, crowe9107 said:

Definitely interested. What level firearms?

Its spheres... you don't need firearms... you can be an Armorist (Blaster) and blast away with your arm cannon all day long. :D

 

@TheGSE Are Mountebank and the archetype Phantom Thief for it acceptable? As Reaper was approved I'm figuring they're fine but asking just in case. Also, are the actual spheres races in play as well?

[TheGSE]

11 hours ago, crowe9107 said:

Definitely interested. What level firearms?

I think I'll go with Commonplace Guns: While still expensive and tricky to wield, early firearms are readily available. Instead of requiring the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat, all firearms are martial weapons. Early firearms and their ammunition cost 25% of the amounts listed in this book, but advanced firearms and their ammunition are still rare and cost the full price to purchase or craft.

 

9 hours ago, Ryfte said:

Are Mountebank and the archetype Phantom Thief for it acceptable? As Reaper was approved I'm figuring they're fine but asking just in case. Also, are the actual spheres races in play as well?

Mountebank and its archetypes are allowed. Sphere races are allowed.