Obfuscation Through Volume

GM: After falling through the floor above, you land about 10 feet below. As the dust settles, you see that you’re in a simple stone room which appears to have been used in the recent past as a large creature’s den. There are bones scattered about, and a nest of some kind in the corner. The walls in the South East corner have been knocked away, and a ten foot wide tunnel extends beyond them. To the north is a simple iron door.
Lirnef: If we just fell into the nest of the Forest Serpent, then we need to get out of here. We barely escaped that last encounter. Lets head out the door.
GM: Does the party agree to exit through the door?
*Party nods*
GM: What’s your marching order?
*Party looks amongst themselves*
Merrag: Sedger, you have the most HP. I think I have spell to boost your saving throw prepared, let me cast that.
Sedger: Alright, I think I’m ready. I open the door.
GM: When you place your hand on the door’s handle-
Sedger: Woah, woah! I didn’t say I put my hand on the handle.
GM: Then how did you plan to open it?
Sedger: I kicked it open.
*GM facepalms*
GM: You…kick it open?
Sedger: Yup.
GM: Well since you didn’t turn the latch, you’ll need to roll a strength check.
*dice clatter*
Sedger: 28!
GM: The door falls inwards. The poison dart trap in the handle fires impotently into the stone wall.

Every GM is familiar with the scenario above. It is our bane, but sometimes we must ask questions which allows the players to easily infer some knowledge which they shouldn’t know. As GMs grow more experienced, they learn ways to counteract the most common of these questions. Marching orders can be established at the start of the dungeon, requiring players to speak up beforehand if they think they’d like to change it. And common actions, like opening doors, are performed using common methods unless the players specify otherwise in advance. Yet the problem remains. Even players who try to avoid metagaming don’t want their characters to get hurt, and if the GM tips his or her hand with a poorly timed question, who can blame a player for taking advantage of that?

A few years ago, I scrolled down below the Goblins comic to read Thunt’s blog. Normally his blog is just comic news, convention news, life news, things like that. But on this particular day, it was a collection of dungeon mastering tricks which had worked for him in the past. Unfortunately, there’s not really a good navigation for the blog part of the site, and google isn’t turning up the specific entry I remember, so I can’t link to the original. In the post he mentioned an idea which has stuck with me: the problem of a GM’s questions providing players with unintended information can be solved by asking ‘useless’ questions.

As an example, lets imagine that a player who wields a sword and shield is leading the group through a door. After failing a stealth check earlier, the orcs on the other side of that door, which the players don’t know about, have been alerted to their presence. As soon as the door opens, a half dozen orcish bows will fire arrows at whoever is standing in front. Since the lead player’s shield will have a strong impact on how many of those arrows hit him, the GM might ask “What do you do with your sword and shield when you open the door? You’ll need at least one free hand to grasp the latch.” This is the kind of question which any competent player will recognize as indicative of something unusual going on. That doesn’t mean the players will always make the right choice. The lead player may decide that their sword will be important as soon as he or she opens the door, and will tell the GM that they set down their shield. Or they might also choose to stand to the side of the door, and open it from a covered position. The problem isn’t the choice they make, but rather, the fact that those choices are informed by information they shouldn’t have.

Now consider the same scenario. Sword & Board leader, door, orcs with arrows, and the question. But this time, imagine that the GM had been asking simple questions at many of the previous doors as well. Not all of them, and not always the same question either. Three doors ago the GM had asked which hand was used to open the door. Two doors before that, the GM said the the door was just slightly stuck, and asked how the player wanted to apply additional force to get it open. There had also been that wooden door, when the GM wanted to know whether the players opened it inward, or outward. None of those doors had anything special behind them, and at this point the players don’t expect there to be. So this time, the player won’t set down their shield because they think they’ll need their sword more, nor do they stand to the side of the door and open it from cover because they’re worried about traps. The player does whatever seems the most reasonable, which is precisely what you want them to do. Not because you want them to fail or to succeed, but because you want your players to experience the game without outside influences.

Asking questions like this has an added benefit as well. In addition to obscuring a GM’s important questions, asking players to describe how their character perform simple actions gets the players thinking the way their character would. I can imagine that after a few sessions, players might even start offering some information without being asked, if they feel they may be in danger. So even the ‘useless’ questions aren’t entirely without value.

I’ve put together some examples of situations where the GM might ask questions, along with a selection of different questions to ask so you don’t start to sound like a broken record. Bear in mind that most of the time, only one of these questions should be asked at a time, and not every time the action is performed. The goal is to ask often enough that your players don’t read into your questions, but not so often that you slow down the game.

Opening a door or chest

What do you do with the items in your hand while you open it?
Do you open it particularly quickly or slowly?
It is somewhat stuck and does not open immediately. [Then, if the player decides to apply more force] How do you go about forcing the door open?
Which hand do you use to open it?
It opens both inwards and outwards. Which way do you open it?
Do you step through/reach in as soon as it is open?
It is particularly heavy and requires more strength than one hand. How do you apply greater strength?

Moving into or through a new area

Do you look back to see if there’s anything on the walls you just passed?
Do you walk through the light entering in through the cracks high on the wall?
How close to the statue do you walk?
[If the players indicate a door they would like to exit through, or object they would like to inspect] What is your path through the room?

An inventory item is used

[If the item is small] Where do you keep this item on your person?
[If the item is large, or if the previous question was answered “it’s in my pack.”] How do you remove it from your bag?
Do you need to take other items out of your pack to get to it?
How many of those do you have left?
[For potions] What do you do with the container once you’ve used the potion?

An object is touched or picked up

Which hand do you use to touch it with?
Are you wearing gloves?
Are you touching/grabbing it more gently, or more forcefully?
Do you look at it first, or do you place it immediately into storage on your person/in your pack.
Do you let the other party members see it?

Crossing a bridge

How far apart do you walk from one another?
How quickly do you cross the bridge?
[For a rope bridge] When the bridge sways, do you stop and hold on, or continue walking?
Where do you direct your eyes? At the other side,or at your feet?

Walking down a corridor

[If the corridor is wider than 5ft] This corridor is wide enough for you to walk two abreast. Do you, or do you walk single file?
Are you making an effort to move particularly cautiously or quietly? If so, what precautions are you taking?
Are you testing for traps with your 10ft pole?
Do you attempt to break up cobwebs before walking through them, or do you just ignore them?
Do you try to shield yourself from the water dripping from the ceiling?
Is the bard humming?
Are you paying any particular attention to the architecture?

Setting up camp for the night

Do you make a fire?
Do you cook any food, or just eat trail rations?
Do you leave the campfire burning while you sleep, or not?
Are you keeping watch? If so, what is the watch order?
Is anyone with abilities requiring 8 hours rest (Wizard, Cleric, etc) part of the watch rotation?
Do you leave your food out, or do you pack it away before you go to sleep?
Are you sleeping around the fire, or within a tent?
What direction does the tent face?
What are the sleeping arrangements?
Are you sleeping with your armor off, or will you take the exhaustion penalties tomorrow?
About what time do you decide to go to sleep?
Do you explore the area around the campsite at all before settling down?

Breaking down camp in the morning

Does the Wizard / Cleric wake up earlier than everyone else to prepare their spells, or do they wake up with the others and make them wait?
What time do you wake up?
Do you put out the fire before you leave?
Do you attempt to conceal your campsite at all?
Do you have breakfast before you leave?
What time do you wake up, and how long before you set out?

Looking for something in a city, or “asking around”

What types of places do you go to ask about/find what you’re looking for?
Do you attempt to bribe anyone?
How open are you in your questioning?
How do you phrase your questions?
To you tell people your name?
Do you tell anyone that what you’re seeking is urgent, or of great importance?
Do you lie to people to get answers if necessary?
Do you speak to anyone in a guard’s uniform?

And one final note. The paradigm example of this problem is the perception check. The GM asks players for a perception check to see if they notice something, and the players roll low. But since players aren’t dumb, they know that the GM’s announcement that they didn’t notice anything only means that whatever is out there is too stealthy for them. This problem is easily solved by making note of each character’s perception skill, and rolling in secret behind the GM screen, without any announcements in the first place. I sometimes roll meaningless rolls and glance at the result just so my players won’t come to associate unannounced die rolls with missed checks.

Colorful Characters 9: Raughm Saltbeard

Like all members of the Saltbeard clan, Raughm, son of Thulas, was born with stark white hair. And, also like all firstborn men of the Saltbeard clan, it was ordained that Raughm would join the clergy of Moradin. During his early life, Raughm met those expectations without complaint or incident. Though he had no skill as a scholar of Moradin’s teachings, he served his clan will with his simple wisdom, devotion to duty, and loyalty. He did not stand out amongst dwarven folk, for good or for ill.

Shortly after Raughm entered his second century, the stronghold of the Saltbeared clan was visited by travelers. They were dirty from the road, and claimed to be refugees from the Greenstone Clan, who lived far to the south in the jungle of Dejich. Their mountain stronghold, they said, had been destroyed by a great shaking of the earth. Only two score of Greenstone dwarves remained, and they asked whether they might be allowed to settle amongst the Saltbeards, as their numbers were too few to continue as a clan of their own. The Saltbeards, being an amicable people, accepted the Greenstone clan as full citizens.

The next few decades proceeded very normally for both clans. They mined for precious ores, forged weapons and armor of great beauty, and warred against goblins and orcs whenever the opportunity arose. The two clans had been living as one for thirty years before the woman approached Raughm. She was a Greenstone named Ryllen, and a picturesque example of dwarven nobility. At first she was simply flirtatious, flattering the simple dwarf. As the months progressed, though, she became more aggressive. She told Raughm that, for the good of her people, she wanted to be wed to him. Despite living together as a single clan for decades, the Saltbeards had been wary of endangering the white beards they were so proud of by becoming bonded with the Greenstones. It was Ryllen’s hope that seeing a “respected and honored paragon of Saltbeard values,” such as Raughm, wed to a Greenstone noble would break the taboo.

Raughm was excited to have the attentions of such a beautiful dwarven woman, and immediately agreed to the wedding. Ryllen had one stipulation, however, which she insisted Raughm meet before they announce their bonding plans. There were two items of great importance to the Greenstone clan which had been left behind in their destroyed stronghold. She would need Raughm’s help to retrieve them. Only them would she wed him. The task seemed minor enough, and Raughm agreed to accompany her on her quest.

The journey south to the Dejich Jungle was a long and difficult one. Raughm had never been more than a few miles from the Saltbeard clan stronghold before, and found the increasingly humid temperatures nearly unbearable. The two faced many challenges along the road, and Raughm grew ever more devoted to Ryllen during their journey. Finally, after six months of travel, the two reached their goal. The Greenstone clan stronghold. Just as the Greenstones had claimed, the mountain had split violently down the middle. Raughm wondered about what violent force could possible caused such destruction.

The two entered cautiously, and made their way through the crumbling hallways to Ryllen’s former chambers. A wooden shelf lay cracked and broken on the ground, exposing a stairway behind it. The two descended down into what appeared to be a hidden chamber. Ryllen gleefully ran over to some skeletal dwarven remains. She removed some unusual hide armor, and a great warhammer, from the corpse. Believing their great journey to be at an end, Raughm asked if these were the heirlooms they had been seeking. In response, Ryllen smashed him in the side of the head with the hammer.

Ryllen left him there to die. And as he lay bleeding on the ground, he called out to Moradin for aid. But no answer came from the All Father. Instead, the room began to warp and twist, the stone trembling. A bloody mist seeped into the room, and coalesced into the form of a 10ft tall dwarf. It spoke in a booming voice, sputtering acid onto poor Raughm as it spoke.

“Your weakling god cannot hear you here, cleric. I have profaned this room, which my servant brought you to. The hated dwarf god is blind here. But I will help you.”

“Who are you?” Raughm thought, unable to speak. He could feel his extremities growing cold, knew his life would leave him soon.

“I can give you back your life. I can grant you vengeance against she who betrayed you. I can make you my champion…all you must do is agree to serve under the sign of the Dead Mountain. I am Agg. Enthrall your will to mine and you will live.”

Raughm was no scholar, but he knew of Agg of the Dead Mountain. No god was so feared and loathed by dwarven kind. Yet death drew ever nearer, and Raughm was afraid. He found the strength to bloodily sputter the words out of his mouth: “I enthrall my will to Agg, the terrible, of the Dead Mountain. Grant me life. Grant me vengeance…”

Agg drew in a deep breath, and exhaled mightily, filling the room with ash. A moment later, Raughm emerged fully healed of his injuries. He had always been a temperate dwarf, but now he felt filled with unholy rage. He ran out the chambers, and through the dwarven citadel. He found Ryllen as she was descending the path leading back into the jungle below. He leaped upon her, taking her by surprise. She never even fought back as he smashed her head into the stone again, and again, and again, leaving nothing but a bloody mess in his hands.

When he stood from his bloody work, Agg was again standing over him.

“Don the armor, and take the weapon, then go forth into the world. Rot the trees and salt the earth. Let nothing grow where you have been.”

Raughm, unable to reject the will to which he had bound himself, merely nodded, and complied. Since that day, hundreds of years ago, Raughm has traveled from village to village doing Agg’s will.

Personality

Even among dwarves, Raughm is quiet. Amongst other races he does not speak at all, because he was never able to master the common tongue. He tries to appear friendly, offering healing to any in need. He often offers his healing spells to poor villages with sick or wounded members, who would otherwise be unable to afford magical healing. Only once Raughm is well loved and allowed to stay in the village, does he begin his work corrupting the land, spoiling the food, eventually forcing the entire village either to move, or to die.

Tactics

Raughm is not the greatest combatant, and avoids direct conflict when he can. If forced to fight, he will use his hammer and his spells as appropriate, but will flee at the first opportunity to do so.

Thoughts on use

Raughm is a good mystery villain, much like Hiles Gorefeet. The mystery can be set up one of two ways: either the characters are in a town whose land is dying, and are tasked with finding the cause. Or, alternatively, the characters can learn of a series of towns which each suffered similar famine-like conditions, and from there learn that the same dwarven cleric visited all the towns.

Raughm Saltbeard (CR 10)

XP: 9,600
Male Dwarf Cleric 11
CE humanoid
Init +0; Senses Perception +5 (+7 with regards to stonework.), Darkvision 60ft

Defenses

AC 14, Flat Footed 16, Touch 16 [10 + Armor(4) + Dex(0) + Size(0)]
hp 96 (11d8 + 33)
Fort +7 Ref +3 Will + 12 [+2 to any save v. poison, spells, or spell-like abilities.]

Offense

Speed 20ft
Melee Deadearth Hammer + 11/6 (2d6 + 3/x3)
Channeled Energy: 6d6 [6/day; Negative Energy; Will DC: 16][May substitute normal effect to heal or harm earthen outsiders]
Prepared Cleric Spells (CL 11th; Concentration +16 [+20 when casting defensively]) (Domain Spell is in Bold)
6th (1 + 1)–Antilife Shell, Harm
5th (3 + 1)–Insect Plague, Unhallowx2, Wall of Stone
4th (4 + 1)– Giant Vermin, Unholy Blight, Cure Critical Wounds, Inflict Critical Wounds, Inflict Critical Wounds
3rd (5 + 1)–Contagion, Meld to Stone, Greater Rot, Cure Serious Wounds, Inflict Serious Wounds, Stone Shape
2nd (5 + 1)–Desecrate x2, Death Knell, Undetectable Alignment, Cure Moderate Wounds, Soften Earth and Stone
1st (6 + 1)–Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, Inflict Light Wounds, Curse Water, Rotx2, Magic Stone
0 (at will)– Stabalize, Create Water, Purify Food and Drink, Light
Domains Destruction, Earth
Domain Powers
Acid Dart (Sp)(8/day): As a standard action, attack a foe within 30ft with an acid dart as a ranged touch attack. Dart deals 1d6 + 1/cleric level damage.
Destructive Smite (Su)(8/day): Melee attack gains damage bonus equal to 1/2 of cleric level. (5) Must be declared prior to making the attack.

Stats

Str 13 (+1) Dex 11 (+0) Con 16 (+3) Int 4 (-3) Wis 20 (+5) Cha 13 (+1)
Base Atk +8/+3; CMB +9; CMD 19 (23 v. Trip & Bull Rush)
Feats Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Combat Casting, Extend Spell, Quicken Spell, Extra Channel, Elemental Channel (Earth)
Skills Appraise -4 (-2 for precious metals & gemstones), Diplomacy +25, Perception +5 (+7 with regards to stonework.)
Languages Dwarven
Gear Famine Hide Armor, Deadearth Hammer, Holy Symbol of Agg of the Dead Mountain, Four potions of Cure Critical Wounds, Ring of the Ram (PFCR Pg. 482), Glove of Storing (PFCR Pg. 515), Wineskin filled with Blackberry Wine, Wineskin filled with Acid, 250 gold pieces

New Spells

Rot
School Necromancy; Level cleric 1, Sorcerer/Wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range Touch
Target Food, earth, or plant
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)
This spell draws the nutrients from whatever it is cast upon. A pot of stew or plate of food can become fetid and unpalatable. A single tree, shrub, or other plant can will wither and die. A patch of ground with a roughly 10ft radius from the caster can be rendered completely barren for three weeks, killing all but the most hardy plants growing there.

Greater Rot
School Necromancy; Level cleric 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range Touch
Target Food, earth, or plant
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)
This spell functions as Rot, but with greater range. Greater Rot could be used to spoil an entire store room of food, or all the food in a decently sized kitchen. It can be used to kill 3d6 trees or shrubs, so long as they are within 50ft of each other. If cast upon the ground, Greater Rot causes an area in a 30ft radius to be rendered completely barren for two months.

New Equipment

Famine Hide Armor
Aura Strong Necromancy; CL 12th
Slot Armor; Price 18,900 gp; Weight 25lb.
This armor appears to be normal Hide armor, though it is somewhat discolored. The hide used to create this armor was harvested from an animal who died due to famine. Once a week, this +2 Hide Armor allows its wearer to drain all nutrients from an area of earth up to 100 square feet in size. This process takes a minute, and grants the armor’s wearer full health when it completes. The land will remain completely barren for a year.
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Circle of Death, Hide of an animal killed by famine. Cost 11,750gp

Deadearth Hammer
Aura Strong Transmutation; CL 13th
Slot none; Price 50,320 gp; Weight 16 lb.
This +2 Heavy Warhammer (two handed martial weapon, 2d6 damage for medium creatures) is crafted from stone harvested from the heart of a mountain, magically strengthened to be as hardy as steel, though much heavier. The 4ft long handle is crafted of mithril, with a leather grip. Once per month, the hammer may be smashed into the ground to cause an earthquake, radiating out as much as 2 miles from the hammer’s impact.
Requirements: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Move Earth; Cost 25,320 gp

New Deity: Agg of the Dead Mountain

Magmaheart, The Stonebreaker
Lesser Deity
Symbol A mountain on one side. On the back side is a mountain split in two.
Alignment Chaotic Evil
Worshipers Evil dwarven cultists
Domains Destruction, Earth, Chaos, Evil, Fire, Maddness
Favored Weapon Warhammer
Agg was once a celestial revered by the dwarves, called Aggonem. In ages long past Aggonem entered into a great battle with the demon hordes of the abyss. Details of the battle are not known, but it is said that he fought on tirelessly for years, as only a celestial could. After long ages of war, Aggonem was brought low by the demons. A demon general stepped forward, and struck Aggonem’s head from his neck with the celestial’s own warhammer. So strong was the force of Aggonem’s will, though, that his death caused a every demon within a mile to be sucked into a vortex centered on the place of his death. When the screams of the demons had died down, and silence momentarily covered the abyssal battlefield, Agg emerged. The evil god seeks the destruction of all which dwarves hold dear.

No More Overzealous Paladins

Life isn’t straightforward. It isn’t black and white. The stories of vile villains and righteous crusades that we were weaned on are fairy tales. But heroes? Heroes are very real. They’re not perfect, and there’s no army of them, but they exist. They are the naive idealists without any grasp of how the world works. They are the battle hard cynics who fight on to keep the darkness from encroaching for another day. They are the unknown soldiers who die alone in the dark, with nothing to comfort them other than the knowledge that they have done what is right. Heroes fight losing battles, they are manipulated, and too often receive nothing–not even success–for their trouble. Yet heroes fight on, because some battles need to be fought.
These are the incorruptible, the charitable, the fearless. These are the paladins.
-Anonymous /tg/ contributor

I am tired of seeing paladins consistently portrayed in an un-paladin like manner. In recent years, I don’t think I have seen a single paladin–either in a game or in some other media–who didn’t suffer from a painful overzealousness. Paladins are played as assholes who object to the very concept of tolerance. They look down on anyone who doesn’t adhere to their strict (often arbitrary) moral codes. And even a slight suggestion that laws are being broken or evil acts committed will cause such a paladin to react with force. A sizable portion of the time, the paladin is so over zealous that he or she serves as an antagonist to good characters. In other cases, paladins grow so overzealous as to be actively evil according to any rational definition of the alignment.

It’s not that I don’t get it. We’ve all dealt with this kind of paladin in real life. The door to door religion salespeople, the condescendingly self-righteous believers, the snarling fundamentalists demanding that one group or another be denied civil liberties on the basis of a religion. In the real world, people with an absolute sense of right and wrong based on their religious beliefs are often brutish and unkind. Those willing to go out into the world and ‘fight’ for their religion often choose to do so by trying to bring everyone who doesn’t agree with them down. I am an Atheist, I have no reason to defend religion whatsoever. But the needless association of in-game religion to real-world religion needs to stop.

Pathfinder and D&D are games of magic and monsters. Games where gods actually exist, and frequently interact with the material world in obvious ways. In real life, a woman who kills 10 people and claims god told her to do it is crazy. In Pathfinder, the authorites would find out which god the woman is talking about, find a cleric of that god, and have that cleric ask their god why those 10 people deserved to die. If the woman were, in fact, crazy, then the cleric could use the powers granted them by their god to simply raise the dead. Whether you are religious or not, I think we can all agree that religion in a fantasy world is fantastical. Not only does it grant magical powers, but the gods who head fantasy religions are beings which can be reached and spoken to with even low level clerical spells.

Like the religions they serve, paladins are fantastical. With the rare exception of those who have fallen, paladins are paragons of virtue. They never walk past a person who is hungry without stopping to feed them, nor could they walk past a person who was cold without giving away their cloak. This is not a matter of duty–though a paladin might disagree. Paladins act always to help those in need because they want to soothe every iota of suffering possible. And when a paladin stands to fight, it is not simply to defend their honor or that of their god. Paladins do not fight for kings or queens, nor do they fight for money or prestige. When a paladin draws steel, it is because they believe they stand between innocents, and evil. It is because the only way to soothe suffering is to defeat that which causes it–be it man or beast.

I think the best way to demonstrate this point would be to relate a story of a paladin played correctly. This story has been floating around the 4chan sub forum /tg/ (for Traditional Games) for a number of years now. It is one among many such stories, though for the life of me I cannot find any others which I want to share. I’ve edited the story to work in a non-image board format. I believe it demonstrates the paladin archetype with actions better than I can demonstrate it with words.

My Warforged paladin was alone with the villain atop his tower. The villain had wings, and could fly away at any time, but since I was alone he chose to taunt me.
“Have you ever stopped to think about why you protect others?”
“On occasion, why?” I replied.
“It’s all programmed in, you know. You care about humans because you were built by humans and programmed to care about humans. You believe in everything you do because they chose for you to believe it. Look at yourself! They made you so that you like being helpful and protective, and it’s all a lie! Join me, and I can free you from it all. From the shackles they put on you. You can be a pure and perfect being, immortal and superior, with all the power you’ve ever wanted.”
“Yes, but isn’t that desire programmed in, as well? Even if none of my emotions are true, they feel true. Even if my cause isn’t really mine, it feels just. All you can do is exchange one lie for another. I’ll keep the one that makes everyone else, the ones with real emotions, happiest.”
With that, my character leaped forward and grappled the villain. I knocked him from the tower and rode him down to the rocks below, using my weight to prevent him from flying.
Just thought I’d share my characters last moments with you.
-Anonymous /tg/ contributor

Paladins are not self righteous. They are not over zealous. They are not eager to spill blood for their gods. They aren’t perfect, but nor do they suffer from the weaknesses which often characterize the “forcefully religious” in the real world.

What paladins are is goodly and just. They are heroes, and I would like to see them portrayed as such.

Pathfinder Online: Goblinwork's Development Strategy

In case you haven’t heard, there’s a Pathfinder MMORPG in the works. It’s being developed by a company called Goblin Works, and today they just made their first blog post detailing the upcoming development of the game. The post focuses largely on business aspects and broad development strategies, rather than anything specific, but there’s a lot here to be learned!

I like a lot of what I’m hearing. I’m not experienced as an analyst, but companies don’t typically talk about how little money they’re spending on a game, so I would guess that this is the truth. In fact the entire post reads like something you would never hear a game developer say. Goblinworks admits to spending a minimum amount of cash, to reducing the amount of time they’re going to be developing the game, and even to expecting to lose 75% of their new players every month. While this may be discouraging to some, it has been my experience that those who work with the least resources, tend to become the most resourceful.

I find the idea of a cap on new players to be a really cool one. By limiting new players to 4,500 a month, Goblinworks basically ensures that they’ll be able to avoid the launch-day issues which have plagued every halfway decent MMO release. And by slowly, but steadily expanding the game as the player base grows, it seems like there will consistently be new and polished content released at a good clip. But maybe I’m reading too much into things.
I’m still taking the “wait and see” approach, but Pathfinder Online is starting to look a little shinier than I first dared to hope.

Succubi Deserve More

Warning: I do discuss sex a great deal in this post. I’ve tried to keep things clean, but this is an extended post about sex demons. Consider yourself forewarned.

I love Succubi. Not because they’re often portrayed as sexually aggressive women with fangs and wings. The overuse of that trope is precisely the problem, actually. My fascination for succubi is similar to my fascination with vampires; as monstrous foes, they are unique in their use of guile and charm. While vampires have been characterized in many different ways, particularly in recent years, my favorite kind of vampire has always been one which suffers from all the many weaknesses of his or her kind. Must avoid garlic, must avoid holy symbols, cannot cross running water under their own power, cannot enter a building unless invited, and of course, cannot go out during the day. Vampires are more defined by their weaknesses than by their strengths, and they compensate for these manyfold weaknesses with charm. They are suave, persuasive, and seductive. Before you know it, your attractive, pale lover is nibbling your neck. And not as foreplay.

In a fantasy world, Succubi are sex. They don’t have sex, they embody sex. Assuming you play a game with good lore, succubi are also demons. Demons are pure manifestations of chaos and evil. Ergo, succubi are everything which is chaotic and evil about sex, made manifest. They draw their greatest pleasure from adulterous spouses, breakers of chastity vows, and authority figures who abuse their power for fleshly pleasure. Any sexual immorality which exists in your game world is one which a succubus will seek to cause. And the greater the damage, the greater the succubus’ pleasure. Breaking up a marriage is lovely, but bringing down nations or causing a genocide? That’s what really gets a succubus off. Helen of Troy was perhaps the greatest succubus of all time.

Lamentably, succubi are never portrayed this way. If they happen to appear in films or literature, it is almost always as an extremely sexually aggressive woman. There’s nothing wrong with a succubus being a sexually aggressive woman, mind you, but that attitude is one tool among many, not their baseline attitude. Succubi are masters of seduction. They can switch their personalities to fit the preferences of those around them as only a master manipulator can. Of course, the portrayal of the succubus in games is arguably even worse. The index of monsters invariably includes a picture of a beautiful demon woman, naked or nearly so, resting seductively next to a statistics block which describe her ability to magically charm & dominate. D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder actually describe the succubus’ ability to bestow negative levels with a kiss.

I get it. There are not many people who want to sit around the game table feeling uncomfortable while the GM uses NPCs to play out sex fantasies. And I understand that D&D still suffers from a lot of stigmatization. Neither WotC nor Paizo want to be featured in a Fox News segment about the corruption of America’s youth. But most of the images I’ve included in this post? They come right out of D&D / Pathfinder books. I don’t think any parents are being fooled about what the succubus is. I couldn’t find a good scan of the succubus from the D&D 3.X Monster Manual. That one actually has visible areolae. Bright red ones. How’s that for cognitive dissonance? Visual representations of exposed breasts are fine, but the raciest we can get in the text is “kiss?

I would like to make clear that I am not arguing that including a succubus in a game requires a GM to allow wanton eroticism. But these are powerful and interesting creatures with a unique place in human mythology. I don’t like to see them reduced to a thinly veiled excuse to include a pair of tits in the adventure. Too many times have I seen a succubus used as a wandering monster, as if they were no more sophisticated than a skeleton or imp. And once encountered, GMs rarely attempt guile, preferring the crack of the succubus’ inexplicable dominatrix whip instead.

I like to explore the mythology behind fantasy tropes. Often it’s a great deal more interesting than the tropes themselves. I’d like to take this opportunity to share some of the succubus’ mythology, to help illustrate my point. Bear in mind that I am not a scholar of medieval Christianity, nor am I well versed in Jewish mythology. Most of my information on the subject comes from google & wikipedia. And even assuming that the information I read is accurate, I could easily have misunderstood something. In other words, I am not a credible source.

A great many cultures have tales of demons and spirits which resemble the succubus. The succubus we know today draws primarily from the legends of medieval Europe. The Catholic church was even more ridiculous about sexual morality back then than they are now. So if a fellow awoke in the morning to find that he had pitched a tent, or – ahem – had a nocturnal emission, it wasn’t an innocent occurrence. Sex was so taboo that the source of these disturbances was deduced to be demonic. And thus was the succubus invented; a demoness who appears in men’s dreams in the form of a woman. Her goal was to steal men’s seed for her own devious ends

A likely satirical tome called the Alphabet of Sirach provides an origin for the succubus. I’m not sure if this book was responding to existing folklore about succubi, or if said folklore only took hold after the book was written. According to the AoS, Eve was not the first wife of Adam. Before her, God created a woman from the earth and called her Lilith. And then, as the story goes:

Adam and Lilith began to fight. She said, ‘I will not lie below,’ and he said, ‘I will not lie beneath you, but only on top. For you are fit only to be in the bottom position, while I am to be in the superior one.’ Lilith responded, ‘We are equal to each other inasmuch as we were both created from the earth.’ But they would not listen to one another. When Lilith saw this, she pronounced the Ineffable Name and flew away into the air.

Not sure why Lilith can fly. Again, I’m no scholar, but my guess would be that “the Ineffable Name” would be the true name of god. Speaking it is blasphemous in the Jewish tradition, so perhaps simply by speaking she has already taken on demonic traits such as wings.

Regardless, Adam then calls to God, complaining that his woman has run away. God pursues her, but finds her unwilling to return, and so she is cursed so that each day, one hundred of her children will die. God then returns to Adam, and makes Eve out of his rib. Apparently, ribs make for much more demure, obedient women than earth does. Lilith later mated with an archangel, spawning the demon queens, and eventually, the entire race of succubi.

So, as established above, succubi harvest semen from sleeping men. But what do they do with it? I found a couple different explanations, but my favorite comes from an Inquisitor named Heinrich Kramer in 1486. To quote him:

Another terrible thing which God permits to happen to men is when their own children are taken away from women, and strange children are put in their place by devils. And these children, which are commonly called changelings, or in the German tongue Wechselkinder, are of three kinds. For some are always ailing and crying, and yet the milk of four women is not enough to satisfy them. Some are generated by the operation of Incubus devils, of whom, however, they are not the sons, but of that man from whom the devil has received the semen as a Succubus, or whose semen he has collected from some nocturnal pollution in sleep. For these children are sometimes, by Divine permission, substituted for the real children.

There is no better fantasy sourcebook than religion.

The emphasis above is mine. To put it into slightly more clear language, what the inquisitor is saying is that a succubus is able to transform between the female form, and the male (incubus) form. So first, the demon harvests a man’s seed as a succubus, then transforms itself into an incubus, and impregnates a woman with the semen stolen from the man. And let me just say that, as a philosophy major, it tickles the hell out of me to see respected scholars like Aquinas taking this stuff seriously.

Of course, we need not tie ourselves to mythology as though it is dogma. Study of the source material merely gives us some perspective to help ground our own ideas. Part of the fun of being a game master in a fantasy game is the opportunity to place our own fantastical ideas next to time tested ones like the succubus, vampire, or Medusa. We can even modify those creatures themselves if we so choose, though, my experience is that keeping a creature grounded in its core concept always produces the best results.

So, all of that having been said, here are some things I like to add to the succubus

Taking on pleasing forms is basic to a succubus’ art. They become tall, short, blonde, brunette, thin, round, whatever their victim desires most. So for a creature which relies on its shape shifting ability constantly, a permanent mark which cannot be shape-shifted could lead to interesting situations. Perhaps many succubi get tattooed in obscure locations to associate themselves with a specific demon lord or lady. And while most weapons would leave no scar on a succubus, a weapon of strong good alignment could leave a small mark behind even after healing. Not much of one, but something a perceptive character could spot.
Succubi have their own aesthetic. In their natural state, all succubi demonstrate some number of demonic traits. Some have cloven feet, some have tails, some have spines. Some even have scales or glowing red eyes. The only demonic traits which all succubi share are wings and horns. But there is a great deal of variance in the types of even those two features. Some wings are leathery, while others are feathered, and still others seem to be made of shadow, or silk. Horns most often sprout from the head, but they could sprout from the chin, or even the cheeks of a succubus, and they form in any number of shapes.
Succubi have the ability to enter into the dreams of any sleeping character at will. While in a character’s dreams, the Succubi plants enticing suggestions. When the character wakes, he or she will be less capable of resisting the succubus’ charm.
Succubi have no technical gender. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say they are all hermaphrodites, capable of switching between the male and the female form at will. So each succubus is also an incubus.
Succubi may breed with any species that reproduces sexually.
Succubi have absolute control over their own reproduction. They may choose the gender of their children, gestation period, and even how many children will be produced from a single coupling.
They may also control how much of their demonic blood infuses the child. At their will, they may produce a small flock of imps, a half demon, a creature which appears completely human, or anything in between. Their only limitation is that they can never birth a child with no demonic blood whatsoever. At the very least, the child will have a predilection for chaos and evil.
Succubi are immune to disease themselves, but may store and pass on diseases to others.
Succubi feed on the suffering which sexual immorality causes. They can gain experience from any acts which result from their manipulations. (Ex. Helen of Troy would get experience for every Trojan and Greek killed. Ka-ching.)

As a final word on this post, I would like to give a shout out to one of the few sourcebooks which I felt actually did succubi some justice. Two of the best supplements which ever came out for Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 were the Fiendish Codex I & II. FC I: Hordes of the Abyss, provided a lot of detail about demons, and the abyss they live in. Aside from including some very useful demonic archetypes (along with charts for each archetype, indicating how likely it was for a particular type of demon to fill that role), the book introduced Malcanthet, queen of the succubi. A mere four pages were all they were able to devote to her in a book which was packed tight with awesome abyssal lore, but those four pages (plus the dragon magazine article released about the same time) were fantastic. I would heartily recommend the book to anyone, regardless of what system you use.

Product Review: Pathfinder GM Screen

Today I got around to doing my budget for the new month, and realized that I could afford a trip to my favorite Friendly Local Game Store; Fantasium. The owner, Paula, was there, so I got a chance to talk to her a little bit about my feelings on Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Dungeons & Dragons. Unfortunately she didn’t have Confessions of a Part Time Sorceress in stock, so that one will need to wait a little while. By the time I left, I had spent a great deal more money than I intended to, got a stock date for the Pathfinder Bestiary 3, and purchased the subject of tonight’s post: The Pathfinder Game Master Screen.

I know I have a few readers who are unfamiliar with the basics surrounding tabletop RPGs, so let me take this opportunity to explain what GM screens are, and why they’re awesome. In pop culture, the screen is possibly even more iconic than funny shaped dice as an indicator of role playing geekery. The benefits of the screen are many fold, but its purpose is actually quite simple: to allow the GM to do things ‘out of sight’ of the players. Behind the screen are game notes, maps, monster stats and abilities, all the sorts of things which a GM needs to reference, but which must be kept hidden from players. Two of the primary side-benefits are what is printed on each side of the screen. On the player side is normally some a dramatic piece of adventuresome artwork to help get the players into the mood. On the GM side of the screen is printed as many quick-reference game rules and cheat sheets as the printers can manage to fit on there.

And without further ado, here is Pathfinder’s game master screen:

Blogger kills the quality of images, but you can click them for a (much) higher resolution.

For the sake of this post, I’ll be comparing it with the trusty GM screen I’ve used for years, published by Wizards of the Coast for the Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 game.

I’d like to make a note first regarding how the two screens unfold. It may be difficult to see from the photographs, but both screens are composed of four segments separated by a fold. The D&D screen folds in such a way that the center of the screen is closest to the characters, and the edges of the screen curve back towards the GM, like a U shape. Whereas the Pathfinder screen’s segments are angled in-and-out in an M shape. At first this was quite a turnoff for me, but as I played with it a little more, I found that I much prefer the folding style of the Pathfinder screen. It may seem somewhat unimportant, but I think it looks better. And I’ve always been annoyed by how far back the sides of the D&D screen go, feels like they’re crowding me.

Regarding the art, I think Paizo rolled a critical failure. Take a look at the D&D screen I posted, or any number of other screens. They depict dynamic scenes of adventure. The kind of scenes which depict what should be going on at the table, and inspire the players to get into the adventure. Pathfinder, for some reason, chose to instead show static images of the characters who represent their core classes, as well as the Eldritch Knight for no explicable reason. And not only are these images bland and uninteresting, they’re re-used. These are the exact same illustrations which accompany each class description in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. Honestly, that makes me a little upset. It’s easy enough to make a GM screen by propping up two binders and paper-clipping notes onto the inside of them. The draw to purchasing a professionally produced GM screen is the art. This failure is particularly disappointing because Paizo normally excels in getting fantastic artists for their products.

It’s not so much that I’m angry, Paizo. Just…disappointed.

The major selling point, for me, was the construction of this GM screen. This thing is as sturdy as a dwarven barstool.* My D&D screen is a very basic cardboard. It’s not quite paper, but it’s really only sturdy enough so it doesn’t flop over. The Pathfinder screen, however, is thicker than the covers of most hardback books. The Pathfinder screen also has a glossy coating which, I think, is somewhat water resistant. I’m not eager to try, but it’s certainly more durable than the D&D screen. This may seem like a minor thing, but I’ve often worried about damage to my GM screen during travel, or when a drink is spilled at the table. The higher quality of the construction for the Pathfinder screen is a big plus for me.

There’s not a whole lot to say about the differing sizes of the two screens. The D&D screen is longer, whilst the Pathfinder screen is higher. This really comes down to a matter of preference. Personally, I like the height of the Pathfinder screen, and I’ve never liked how wide the D&D screen is. My only concern is that I’ll be spending more of my game time standing. I already sometimes have trouble seeing things over the screen.

The final element to the screens is the GM side, with the quick-reference guide for the rules. First, the new Pathfinder screen…

…and then the old D&D screen.

Now, truth be told, I’ve never actually used the quick reference rules on the GM screen. I have a lot of respect for the utility of printing them there, but as a GM I prefer to simply make a ruling on the spot based on whatever seems most logical. That said, I think the D&D screen actually has much more useful information printed on it.

Here are some of the items on the D&D sheet which I think would be more useful than much of the information on the Pathfinder sheet.

DCs to break or burst an item.
Information & stats for common types of walls.
Information & stats for common types of doors.
Increasing weapon damage by size
Decreasing weapon damage by size
Graphic demonstrating what to do when a thrown weapon misses
Common types of actions (drink potion, prepare oil for throwing, drawing a weapon) and what type of action time they require, and whether they provoke an attack of opportunity.
Information on movement and distance both in tactical, and overland
Light sources and illumination

But at least the Pathfinder GM screen has information on how to calculate the DC for a longjump check. It’s difficult to remember that +1ft = +1DC.

I think it’s somewhat obvious that I’m disappointed in Paizo’s Pathfinder GM Screen. Aside from the construction, it really feels as though no work went into this. I’ll certainly use it, because I do like the construction so much. And bland as the art is, I’m sure my players have grown tired of looking at the same dragon for so many years.

Still, Paizo, come on. I’m deep in your camp, I am a believer, and I don’t like being in a position to speak ill of you, but this is not a good product. Step it up with the next GM screen.

*Yes, that was ridiculous. I decided to go with it, so you can just stfu Mr. or Ms. Critic! >.>

Colorful Characters 8: Orom Huntsorc

The childhood of Orom Huntsorc is not so different from that of any half-orc. He believes he probably had a human mother, though he does not know. He never knew his mother, and his first memories are of the streets of the small city of Ilton. He merely assumes that she was human, because everyone else in Ilton is. The opportunities available to Orom in his formative years were few. The only education he received was that which could be learned stealing food, and fighting other children so he could keep it.

It was during his childhood that Orom gained an affinity for dogs. There was a number of strays in the city, and they tended to congregate wherever the castoff children did. The children spared what food they could, and the dogs provided some protection from adult criminals, or worse, the city guard. The dogs had no prejudice towards Orom’s heritage. The simple creatures were loving, loyal, and helpful.

By the time Orom was fifteen, he was so much larger and stronger than the other children that he could easily have started or joined a gang, as most of the other children his age were beginning to do. But to Orom, joining a gang meant tying yourself to Ilton. He didn’t want that, he hated Ilton. All his life he’d known nothing but hardship and suffering, and he knew there had to be some place where he could live the way he saw everyone else live. With a home to return to, plenty of food to eat, and a reasonable expectation that you’d never get stabbed for that food.

Eager for an alternative, Orom found a posting for a bounty nailed to the board outside of a guard station. A petty thug who had fled the city with 300 gold pieces stolen from a local merchant. He was believed to be hiding in the woods surrounding Ilton. Orom gathered eight of the strongest dogs, and ventured outside of Ilton for the first time. His hunting was clumsy at best. He was a city slicker, and nearly died in the wilderness due to a complete lack of survival skills. But through determination and luck, Orom not only survived, but found the thief he had been chasing. He dragged the man back to town, and was rewarded with 15 gold pieces. A pittance compared to the amount which was taken, but more money than Orom had ever been able to earn doing any other kind of work.

The young half orc continued hunting bounties, and became a great deal better at it. Within a few months he had enough to begin renting a small apartment of his own. But he rarely stayed there. Each time he returned to town with a bounty, he eagerly began searching for a new one to go after. The more time he spent in the forest, the more the city felt alien to him.

When Orom was twenty five, he was drinking quietly in a tavern when a fight broke out. Orom was, by then, a cool and collected warrior. He didn’t feel the need to join into the brawl. But then a small, wiry man fell back onto Orom’s table. The man was clearly drunk, and when he pulled himself up, he saw Orom, shouted that the thrice-damned orc had shoved him, then pulled a dagger. Orom quickly drew his own dagger, and buried it in the man’s chest. The fight–a good clean affair, with nothing more deadly than fists up until then–stopped. Everyone turned to look at Orom, and he suddenly realized he needed to make his way out of the tavern as quickly as possible.

Now with a bounty on his own head, Orom fled Ilton, and traveled deep into the forest, further than he had ever gone before. After two weeks of travel, he found a dirt road passing through the woodlands. Drag marks on the road indicated that it was used for hauling logs south, likely from the ironwood groves to the city of Asterem, which exported the rare wood. Orom considered following them, but stopped himself. He had never been happy with city living, and another city would be no better, he decided. So he set up camp a few yards off the road in order to have some time to think.

He was still thinking a few days later when a group of men using horses to drag logs along the road passed by. That’s when the idea struck Orom, and he began following the loggers stealthily. When they camped for the night, so did he. And when they left in the morning, he remained. He remained in that area for three weeks, watching as the loggers came by. They consistently reached this part of the road by late evening, and set up camp not long after.

So Orom began clearing trees in a large area by the side of the road. It was slow work, but he was in no rush. Methodically he dug a foundation, and began constructing an Inn for the loggers to stay at along the road. It took him months of work, and the loggers took note and began to joke with him as they passed, or sing songs about the ‘crazy woodland orc.’ After six months, the Inn was finished. It wasn’t pretty, but it was functional. He christened it “The Tree Grown Orc” after his favorite of the jovial songs sung by the loggers during the construction. Orom became well beloved by the loggers for his warm accommodations, and his strong ale. Though his cooking was bad enough that, after a few months, the loggers begged him to hire someone to prepare the food. He told them that if they brought him someone, he would hire them for 50 silver a week. The next group to come back from Asterem had an old woman named Ysilla with them, and she’s worked for Orom ever since.

For fifteen years, Orom has successfully owned and operated The Tree Grown Orc, happy to live a life of playing with his dogs, brewing ale, hunting game, and listening to loggers sing drinking songs.

Personality

Orom is stoic, and quiet. He doesn’t talk much to anyone, and he doesn’t talk at all to those whom he finds unpleasant. If he needs to communicate with them, he’s most likely to simple gestures, grunts, or in extreme cases, blows.

Orom does get along well with his regulars, though. They all like him for making their hard journey much more pleasant, and Orom has found that he likes being liked.

Tactics

Orom is a powerful foe with either his trademarked falchion, or his composite shortbow, and his four dogs can prove very useful in combat.

Orom likes to remain at range and hidden if possible. If he can get away with it, he will move to different positions around his foes, so they’ll never be able to predict where his arrows will come from. If he is able to fire from concealment within 30 feet of his prey, Orom will send in his dogs. His increased accuracy at that range makes Orom more confident that he won’t harm one of his friends.

If he runs out of arrows, his foes begin advancing on his location, or one of his dogs is harmed, Orom will switch to his falchion and charge. He likes to use the heavy weight of the massive blade to sunder weapons and armor. Not only does it often cripple opponents more quickly than attacking them directly, but it also keeps them alive to be turned in for the bounty.

Thoughts on Use

Inns are a staple of tabletop gaming, so GMs are always in need of good colorful Innkeepers for them. Orom can be a fun one. And if the GM is in the mood for a filler adventure, bounty hunters from Ilton could always come looking for him.

Orom could also be used to hunt down players who cause trouble in or near his Inn, such as skipping out on payment. He might even be used by the city of Ilton to hunt players down in exchange for a pardon.

The Tree Grown Orc

The Tree Grown Orc is a very simple building. A single story, the building consists of a main hall with a hearth and general sleeping area. Four private rooms with very basic amenities are spaced around the east and west sides of the Inn. A simple kitchen can be accessed through a door across from the entrance to the main hall. And, through the kitchen, are doors to both Orom’s private room, and Ysilla’s private room. A third door from the kitchen opens into the outdoors, and forty yards away from the door is Orom’s distillery.

Orom Huntsorc (CR 3)

XP: 800
Male Orc Ranger 4
CN humanoid
Init +3 (+5 in forests); Senses Perception +9 (+11 v. dwarves, or in forests), Darkvision 60ft

Defenses

AC 16, Flat Footed 13, Touch 13 [10 + Armor(3) + Dex (3)]
hp 47 (4d10 + 12)
Fort +6 Ref +7 Will + 3

Offense

Speed 30ft
Melee Falchion + 8 (2d4 + 4/18-20 x2) (+2 to attack & damage rolls against dwarves)
Ranged Composite Shortbow + 7 (1d6 + 3/x3) (+2 to attack & damage rolls against dwarves)(+1 to attack & damage rolls within 30ft)
Prepared Ranger Spells (CL 1st, Concentration +3)
–Level 1 (1/day): Calm Animals (Pg. 252 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook)

Stats

Str 17 (+3) Dex 17 (+3) Con 15 (+2) Int 9 (-1) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 8 (-1)
Base Atk +4; CMB +7 (+9 when sundering. No AOO.); CMD 20 (+2 v. sunder.)
Feats Point Blank Shot, Endurance, Power Attack, Improved Sunder
Skills Craft(Brewer) +6, Handle Animal +6, Intimidate +4, Perception +9, Stealth +10, Survival +9 (+11 when tracking); [+2 to Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks concerning dwarves.] [+2 to Knowledge(Geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival in forests.]
Languages Common, Orcish
SQ
Favored Enemy – Humanoid(Dwarves)
Wild Empathy – (Pg. 64 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook)
Combat Style – Archery
Favored Terrain – Forest
Power attack – May choose to take a -2 penalty on attack rolls in exchange for a +4 on damage rolls.
Endurance – (Pg. 122 of the PF CRB)
Gear +1 Falchion, Composite Shortbow, 24 arrows, large quiver, Studded Leather armor dyed dappled shades of green and brown, one dagger in his belt, one dagger in his boot, steel toed boots, 20lb of caltrops, 3 sets of manacles, flint and tinder, 58 gold pieces

Greadhut

Orom’s Animal Companion, Greadhut is as the dog listed on page 87 of the Pathfinder Beastiary, except as noted below.
hp 16
bab +1
Fort +3; Ref +3; Will +0
Skills Acrobatics +3 (+11 jumping)
Feats Improved Bull Rush
SQ Link, Share Spells
Tricks Attack, Come, Defend, Fetch, Guard, Heel, Seek

Moot, Hornt, & Forvet

In addition to his animal companion Greadhut, Orom has trained three other dogs which he cares for. Each is as the dog listed on page 87 of the Pathfinder Beastiary. Each knows the following tricks: Attack, Come, Defend, Fetch, Guard, Heel

Pathfinder: Percentage of a Living Body Comprised of Liquid

Penny Arcade continues to showcase Pathfinder!

It’s really good to see Pathfinder getting the attention it deserves from webcomics. Wizards of the Coast seems to be working out a lot of product placement deals lately. Not that product placement is necessarily bad. In fact it’s all been classy and entertianing. Nothing wrong with a nerd comic taking money from a nerd company to showcase a nerdy product which fits within the comic’s nerdy theme, and which the comic’s nerd audience will enjoy. But considering that Pathfinder is currently a more popular game than D&D fourth edition, It’s good to see Gabe & Tycho paying attention to it.

I must confess, I would love to have Tycho as a GM. He’s beyond insidious, he’s positively evil. That kind of harsh game environment holds a certain appeal. Plus, the man has a way with words that I could never hope to match in a hundred years of studying the craft of writing.

Puzzling Obstructions

A Pathfinder GM has any number of time tested challenges to present his players. The most common is combat, but to focus on combat exclusively is to lose much of the flavor which makes fantasy role playing so entertaining. Bargaining with an NPC, planning a raid, exploring the wilderness, crossing a river of magma, or any one of innumerable challenges can be utilized by a skilled GM to provide players with engaging games that keep them coming back to your table for more. One of the most maligned, and most poorly implemented, types of challenge is a puzzle.

I’d like to define precisely what I do, and what I do not mean by ‘puzzle’ before proceeding further. Note that these are not common definitions, simply terms which I find useful to facilitate clarity of discussion.

An obstacle is anything which hinders a character’s progress towards a goal. A lock would be a very basic example of an obstacle.

An obstruction is a simple, or even natural, type of obstacle. Obstructions are general-purpose, and likely identical to any number of similar obstructions of the same type. Examples of obstructions would be locked doors, walls, pits, or even most traps.

A puzzle is a more elaborate form of obstacle than an obstruction. It is almost always created by an intelligent force, and is likely unique in its design. Examples of puzzles would be riddles, a door which only opens when four statues in a room are turned to face each other, or a box with no visible lid which opens only when submerged in holy water.

Puzzles are some of the most difficult obstacles to manage successfully, and should be used sparingly. In fact, a great many GMs I’ve spoken with over the years believe that puzzles should be considered verboten. And they have an excellent point! Puzzles can stop a game in its tracks. Almost by definition, puzzles have only a single answer. So instead of the players attempting to concoct their own solution (a great strength of tabletop RPGs) they’re attempting to figure out what the GM’s solution is. And if they get stuck when trying to figure that out, then the progress of the game can come to a screeching halt. And that’s when people start looking for a new GM.

But I hold that puzzles have their place. Maybe it’s it’s simply because the early Legend of Zelda games are near and dear to my heart. No dungeon, temple, or crypt seems quite complete without a puzzle. Recently I ran a game where the players faced several puzzles crafted for them as a test by a master illusionist. All of the puzzles challenged my players, without becoming game-stoppers. I’ll use those puzzles as examples.

Puzzle The First

GM says: “You enter what appears to be a small grassy field within the tower. The walls and ceiling are made of dirt, and a dirt path at the far end of the room leads down. There are [number equal to the number of characters present] horses present, docilely grazing.”

Additional Information: The horses were very friendly, and could be ridden easily. If any character attempted to walk down the dirt path, they were asked to make a reflex save. Failure meant they fell into the path as though it were water. A round later they fell out of the walls or ceiling of the room, taking one point of damage. After one player did this, the voice of the wizard filled the room with “Your feet won’t work there! You’ll need these!” and as he speaks, clovers sprout from the grassy ground.

Intended Solution: The players were supposed to ride the horses down the dirt path. If they did, they would suffer no adverse affects. The clovers were a hint about cloven feet, but if they’d strapped the clovers to their feet somehow, I would have allowed them a half-success. They would sink up to their waist, and be able to slog their way down the ramp. I also would have accepted simply jumping off the edge, down to the bottom of the ramp. Though though as it was a 20ft drop, falling damage would apply if they didn’t make a successful acrobatics check.

What they did: My players were, at first, very wary of the horses. Just outside the tower they had been dealing with a stampede of horses, and didn’t want to get thrown off another raging horse. They did attempt to walk down the ramp, and triggered the hint. Someone suggested strapping the clovers to their feet, but before anyone tried that, one of my players decided to mount a horse and go for it. It worked, so everyone followed suit. The entire puzzle took perhaps 3-5 minutes to solve.

Puzzle The Second

GM Says: “This is a small room with a stone floor. There is a line on the floor ten feet away from a door opposite where you entered. The line is painted on a single, long piece of stone, and beneath it is written in common ‘You must stand behind this line to open the door.‘”

Additional Information: The stone which the line is printed on is 12ft long, and loose. Characters can pry it up easily, and beneath it is a 15ft coil of rope. The door is on on hinges which allow it to open both in or out. Pushing on the door while between the line and the door will be next to impossible. However, the door will open easily to even small amounts of force, so long as the originator of that force is behind the line.

Intended Solution: None, really. Though I did have three expectations of how the puzzle might be solved: The 12ft long piece of stone might be used to push the door open, the rope might be tied to the door, and pulled from behind the line. Or, alternatively, the players might throw heavy objects (or even each other) at the door.

What they did: My players really surprised me with this one. Rather than doing what I expected them to do, they first tried to open the door by taking the rope they found beneath the stone, and laying it out right next to the door, then trying to push the door open. When this didn’t work, they tried the same thing, but this time they moved the stone with the line on it. Given the way I worded the rules, I decided that this should work, and allowed them to open the door. However, if I had decided that the line was somehow intangibly tied to its original spot, I think my players still would have figured the puzzle out promptly. This one was quick. Perhaps 2 minutes tops.

Puzzle The Third

GM Says: “There are 5 buckets hanging on the wall with labels on them. Each apparently has a different color of paint in it–red, blue, green, yellow, and black. Across the small room from the entrance is a plain door.

Additional Information: Behind the door is a stone wall. However, when the door is painted, opening it creates a portal based on the color used. The color/portal associations are as follows: Red opens a portal to the doorway the PC’s entered this room through, Blue successfully allows the PCs to progress to the next room, Green opens a portal to the first layer of hell, yellow causes those who pass through the portal to simply come back out of the portal again, and black opens into space looking down on the planet (a wall of force stops any air, or players, from going through the black door.) The labels describe these locations, but are written in gnomish (the language of the illusionist who created this trial). This was intended as a hint to the illusionist’s identity. He had thus far presented himself as a 9-ft tall humanoid.

Intended Solution: To paint the door blue.

What they did: My players probably struggled with this one the most. I probably should have provided better clues. Rather than paint the door, they painted the stone wall behind the door, but I decided to allow it. It took them perhaps 5 or 6 minutes to progress past here.

Puzzle The Fourth

GM says: “There are three iron doors exiting this room. High on the wall is a window made of grass. A green light filters into the room, the blades of grass creating a collage of lines and edges over every surface the light touches. In the center of the room is a large lens mounted on two axes so it can be turned in any direction. It is presently focusing a small beam of light onto the floor, warping the lines and edges created by the grass window’s light.”

Additional Information: All three doors open easily, with no trouble. This is the first puzzle the players encountered which was truly dangerous, as two of the doors led to particularly deadly traps, the natures of which are not important to the puzzle. If the characters examine the area of distorted light, they will notice that the lines & edges of the light form the word “look” in common. Directing the lens toward the doors will identify them either as “Death” or “Forward.”

Intended Solution: To go through the door which reads “Forward” when the light is directed at it.

What They Did: I must confess, my memory is somewhat fuzzy on precisely how this final puzzle played out. I do recall that they were somewhat confused by the lens at first, but they did notice that it said “look.” (I allowed them a passive perception check to notice it.) After that they made the leap to directing the lens at the doors, and found the correct way out easily. The entire process was brief, perhaps 2-4 minutes.

I view all four of these puzzles as successes. The players enjoyed themselves, and had some good discussion about what solutions they should attempt. Up until that point, these players had participated in sessions which focused on exploration and combat, so it was a good way to give them a new type of challenge. As mentioned before, setting up a good puzzle can be extremely difficult, so it’s important to proceed with caution if you’re planning to use one. While hardly exhaustive, I find these tips very useful in designing my puzzles.

Puzzles should almost never be required for progression through the adventure, and if they are, they should be easier than normal. You might notice that the four above puzzles were in fact required for progression, since the characters were after the illusionist for help. But neither were any of them particularly difficult to sole, and I was flexible with my solutions. If you do make solving a puzzle a necessary, then you risk the players becoming stuck. And if they get stuck, the GM is left with two options. One, the GM can give them out-of-character help, or somehow allow them to bypass the puzzle. This steals player agency, and makes players feel as though they’re being railroaded. The other option is simply to allow them to remain stuck for as long as it takes, even long after they’ve lost interest. Both responses suck the fun out of a game. Since the GM is the fun facilitator (or the funcilitator!), sucking the fun out of a game is a pretty severe failure of GMing.
Make sure there are clear hints to help players succeed. Looking at the puzzles above, the first one had the four leaf clovers, the second had its conditions spelled out, and the fourth had the spot of light which formed the word “look.” Only the third puzzle lacked a clear hint, and that was the puzzle which stymied the players longest.
Allow “half solutions” which help the players get there. If the players try something that doesn’t work, they’ll rarely attempt subtle permutations of what they’ve already tried. So if they attempt a solution which is close to the answer, but not quite, then after they fail they’re likely to try something completely different, rather than try something similar to what has already not worked. If the solution your players come up with is near the mark, give them some indication of that. If it’s a door they’re trying to open, have the door open just a crack, but no further. In the first puzzle above, I would have allowed players to have some success by putting the clovers on their feet, even though this was not the “correct” answer.
What is obvious to you as the designer of the puzzle will never be as obvious to the players as those challenged by the puzzle. This rule is absolute. Err on the side of caution. It’s better that your puzzles be too easy, than too hard.
In order to help with that previous point, confer with a third party before the game. Asking a friend who won’t be playing in the game to solve your puzzle will give you a better sense of what works and what doesn’t.

Pathfinder: Pillars of Motherfucking Salt

Pathfinder made an appearance in today’s Penny Arcade! You may want to click back a few comics to read the rest of the storyline. Essentially, Gabe (the fellow in yellow) is GMing a 4th edition game, but he’s lost control of it. He’s allowed his players to become overpowered, and is no longer capable of challenging them. Tycho (the fellow in blue) is a much more experienced GM, and has resolved to help his friend teach his players a harsh lesson.

Because GMs are all about the harsh lessons.

Regular Wednesday post will come this evening.