Quests! Nice!  Btw, how do we explore the green belt?  We have to go to each hexagon on the map and say we explore it?  How does this work exactly?

Good question!

The Kingmaker Adventure Path utilizes a type of gaming called sandbox exploration. The essential element of the sandbox is that the world exists as a laid out area, and the PC's job is to explore it.

In fact, in 'Kingmaker', the PC's overarching quest is to explore the entire region known in the world of Golarion as the Stolen Lands, beginning with the Northern Greenbelt. To this effect, the Greenbelt has been divided into a hex map, with each hex covering a 12-mile area (that is, a line from one edge of the hex to the other is 12 miles long - overall, the hex covers an area of around 120 square miles). Each hex is dominated by one specific terrain type - plains, forest, hills, mountains, water - which affects travel time through the hex.

Traveling through a hex requires a certain amount of time, with the party's speed being determined by the slowest party member. Fully exploring a hex, however, requires that the party take much longer - whereas traveling through a hex is mostly a matter of hours, exploring a hex is usually a matter of days.

When you explore a hex, you not only go through the action of charting and fully mapping a hex, but you can uncover Sites of Interest. There are three types of Sites: Landmarks (example: Oleg's), which you uncover automatically once you enter a hex; Standard sites, which you discover automatically after exploring a hex; and Hidden sites, which require the PCs to pass some kind of skill test - usually, but not always, Perception - to locate.

Once you fully explore a hex and uncover all Sites within it, you are awarded XP for taking a step forward in completing your assigned mission.

Exploring the Stolen Lands

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:11, Sun 04 Dec 2011.

I think for a play by post game, in which the DM states he will try to post 2-3 times a week, a chase that can require up to 10 rounds (4 rounds if someone rolls double successes for every round) is not an efficient use of time.  You post once or twice a day however, which still means a chase will resolve after 3 days at best.

I dislike using skill checks to resolve combat/action encounters and don't feel they advance the story like a good fight or completing a quest.

This is only my opinion however, and if others feel that chases are worthwhile, I withdraw my complaint.

Apologies to everyone for stating my dislike for skill challenges.  I didn't like them in 4th Edition at all. =/

I would have to agree, I was actually really hesitant on running the chase portion of the fight on PBP.  I looked at it and though... wow, this might take 2 weeks or more for something that could take around 20 minutes on a chat.  but with teh advent of the make both checks, you advance 3 squares, that might make it faster.

Well so far I have posted a regular 4-5 times a week, so I figure this chase will be finished by the weekend or so, unless everyone's rolls are abyssal.

Anyhow, we're trying out a mechanic for the 1st time, and personally I'm enjoying it, if only because I liked coming up with 20 possible obstacles to interfere with a chase. Everybody has an opinion, and I think it advances the story in a more interesting fashion than continuing the chase as a lengthy fight scene.

I seriously doubt chases will come up too often in the game, so I wouldn't let this 1 case get under your skin, Alix. It's not like skill challenges where they will come up 2-3 times at least in a long module. And if they do come up again, I'll shop around for an alternative method of adjudicating one before relying on this.

So far I'm having fun with this, 'specially having to describe how I get past or fail my checks.  I like this mechanic so far, just worried if it's good for pbp.  Course, full attack and miss also sucks.

Your DC 20 checks for 1st level characters suck.  >|

Charles, remember the problem that gunslingers have when fighting with 2 pistols and reloading?

One poster on GiTP had a awesome idea for getting around that issue. Take 2 levels of alchemist, and use the 2nd level's discovery to take the Vestigial Arm discovery, granting a 3rd arm that can be used to reload your pistols, to the horror of all who behold you. :P

and while you do it you can groan out "Quaaaaiiiidddd!"

The 8-day chase is almost concluded!

WHOOOO chase over! it was grueling but we did it!

We will also loot the bodies.  We should also put all the bodies outside of Oleg's, far away, as if they never got there, just so no blame could be placed on Oleg.  Wouldn't want bandits coming and harassing them while we're away.   I suggest we put their heads on stakes, for intimidation factor. or we just hide them so its harder to find them. Course, if they're never found, Oleg might get blamed.

Heads on pikes.  Done.

My dear Alex, you think far too mundane.  If they see a head on a pike, they will just get angry.  That's their friend. and now he's dead, and his skull put up on display.  No no No..... I have much better plans.  When I'm done, they will see their friends, but it will be terror that fills them.  THey won't think they're dealing with government agents, they'll think they're dealing with monsters.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:54, Sun 18 Dec 2011.

so, we're meeting up with the Kobold King.  I like Kobolds, and always hated Mites, ever since AC.


EEEEEEEEE eeeeeeeeee eeeeeee eeeeeeeee!

We need to do another skype game.  It was baller.  Great fun.  Bravo.

Glad to hear it =)

I found a feat in Dragon Magazine that lets you use Int to determine bonus HPs instead of Con. The only downside is that every morning, you and another elf have to spend 15 minutes gamboling, frolicking, caroling, or engaging in an exuberant sensual act.

http://realmshelps.net/cgi-bin...e_Mysteries_Initiate

Well... glad that Girard counts as an elf.  Now who wants to spend some 'sensual time' with him?

Some book-keeping notes for experience:

-Each hex explored is 100 xp/3 = 33 xp (I mistakenly said 250 earlier)
-Each quest complete is 400xp/3 = 133xp each
-By DM fiat, the Stag Lord quest is worth substantially more at 1200xp or 400xp each

So for the quests and hexes in the last 2 sessions each PC gains an additional 669 experience. Also note that there are experience rewards for building a kingdom up over time.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:24, Mon 02 Apr 2012.

Some crazy PF news:

Top 5 RPG sales Q4 2011:
1 Pathfinder
2 Dungeons & Dragons
3 Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader/Deathwatch
4 Dragon Age
5 The One Ring
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/22214.html

Wizards of the Coast is still doing super well of course - the CCG market went up by 25% this year with Magic as the big winner.

PF will release Rise of the Runelords 5th Anniversary edition with PF rules instead of 3.5:
http://paizo.com/products/btpy8mqq


Also, any interest in chipping in for what looks like an awesome start to a 1-20 AP for $10?
http://paizo.com/products/btpy...k-One-Knot-of-Thorns
Summary: Eeeeevil adventure
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:52, Fri 06 Apr 2012.

Cool character creation rules from that AP I linked above:

Focus and Foible

Choose a Focus, an ability score at which you excel.
You receive an 18 in that score.

Choose a Foible, an ability score that is your weakness.
You receive an 8 in that score.

The other four, roll 1d10+7 four times in order. There
are no rerolls or moving of ability scores. Those are your
other four scores.

Wow.  Focus and Foible is great for 1 stat classes. (Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Wizard, Sorcerer)

Sure, con is a secondary stat for fighter, or maybe dex, but with a high strength, you can make anything work.

Glad to see Pathfinder and Deathwatch high up on the charts! I am going to post that on my face book in a second if I can.

I will gladly buy that "be evil" module..  Hell, I may buy it and give it to a friend here in LA who was interested in running a pathfinder game.

Will investigate further.

Heh...this image cracked me up: http://www.grogtard.com/kingma...ck-of-owlbear-zilla/

Don't read too much of the text though - there are some spoilers from the 2nd module. Also, the party's cavalier was ripped apart by 1d4 trolls.

I will not be available this sunday (tomorrow, may 27). So no game tomorrow~

Most horrifying campaign I've seen in a long time: link to another game