Free RPG Day

Free RPG Day is just one month away! If you haven’t ever participated I would suggest finding a store near you and joining in on the fun this year! It also marks the 3rd anniversary of our local FLGS The Wyvern’s Tale opening their doors. If you’re joining me at the ‘Tale, be sure and sign up for a seat at the table on the warhorn. This year I’ll be running the offering from Goodman Games Dungeon Crawl Classics Elzemon and the Blood-Drinking Box! I was disappointed to see that Fantasy Flight didn’t contribute a Star Wars module for their new Age of Rebellion, but I’ll be running the beginner box anyway.

Despite FF not contributing, the offerings this year look pretty awesome. Pelgrane Press is offering an adventure for their 13th Age system called Make Your Own Luck. I’ve never tried it myself, but I’ve heard very good things, and the maps and factions in the core rule book are really cool. They have a lot of great games going for them, including Timewatch, a kickstarter for a time-travelling RPG.

There are a ton of great books from Catalyst Game Labs this year. If you missed them last year, Battletech and Shadowrun are sharing a book with quickstart rules for each game, and the Cosmic Patrol quickstart is back! New this year is the Valiant Quickstart which looks like a really cool superhero game for the Valiant comic universe. It looks like they’ll be releasing a lot of free stuff in the coming months in support of this game, so keep an eye out!

It’s a great day to support your local friendly gaming store, try some RPGs, and have an awesome time! If I don’t see you around my table, I hope you participate this year and tell your friends! Game on!

 

Exercise in Character Creation, Part 3

We have finally made it to the end of this little journey! If you have not been following along for the past month or so, read up on these two past articles (Part 1 and Part 2). Here are the results from the last round of voting (from 33 responses):

• Personality – Lady Redfalcon (39%), Adris Redwing (33%), Longfang (27%)
• Class – Slayer (39%), Urban Ranger (33%), Swashbuckler (27%)

I now present Adrian Redfeather’s alternate persona while adventuring with the Pathfinder Society; Lady Redfalcon. To disguise himself from his father’s peers and keep his identity an upmost secret, Adrian decided to make over himself the most drastic way he could think of; as a woman. Borrowing a pair of fighting fans from his father’s collection of the Far East along with a kimono that was given to his mother and a long, black-haired wig, he is incorporating them into his new persona. Drawing upon skills learned from his father, Adrian is able to combine aspects of rangers and rogues to create the mystique of the shy and demure, yet positively deadly, woman known only as Lady Redfalcon.

I want to thank everyone who voted for voting. I think this was kind of an interesting process that I will definitely have fun with the results. Thank you all again!

Korsairs of Kortos – Pathfinder Swashbucklers

Here’s another themed adventuring party by yours truly. This week we take a look at the swashbuckler playtest class. I am probably behind presenting anything with playtest material, but I thought I would give the class the same treatment as I gave the gunslinger party (Thundersmoke) since the two classes are close cousins. I wanted to show everyone what types of characters you could create as a swashbuckler and break the traditional mold of The Three Musketeers.

I normally only create six characters for a party, but Grogg the half-orc came to me late to make seven. Out of this group I think that Taichyu may be the deadliest (Daisho at level 3 with Improved Critical for both blades at level 5) and the Princess may be the most fun to roleplay. Take a look at Bashir to see how Improved Trip would work with a swashbuckler then at Baedley and Johnas for the more Golarion-specific duelist types. And do not forget about Friedl the rabble rouser; he may be the most interesting of them all.

Now presenting for all you fun-loving swashbuckler-types; the Korsairs of Kortos!

---

Baedley Leafrunner (Male Half-Elf Swashbuckler)

A recent product of the academy in Taldor, Baedle Leafrunner has brought his formidable dueling abilities to Absalom in a sort of wanderlust. Wielding his falcata Chakre and buckler in the traditional Taldan style of Rondelero, he has subtly altered his style to focus more on blade speed than brute strength.

Advancement – Weapon Focus: Falcata (3rd), Taldan Duelist (4th), Endurance (5th)

Class Advancement – Horizon Walker (7th CL)

---

Johnas Northsun (Male Human Swashbuckler)

Hailing from the northern nation of Brevoy, Johnas Northsun took up dueling early in his life. After defeating many of those his age with his blade Excuri, he has sought out new challenges and adventure in Absalom at the Grand Lodge.

Advancement – Piranha Strike (3rd), Weapon Focus: Aldori Dueling Sword (4th), Dazzling Display (5th)

Class Advancement – Aldori Swordlord (6th CL)

---

Friedl Baredas (Male Human Swashbuckler)

The witty and carefree Friedl Baredas lives for the open sea and drinking the latest ale. Sailing the Inner Sea for Andoran, he sometimes (inadvertently, of course) blurs the line between pirate and privateer. With his rapier Geonal raised up high, he has pledged his blade to ending slavery on the open waters.

Advancement – Combat Reflexes (3rd), Extra Penache (4th), Sea Legs (5th)

Class Advancement – Inner Sea Pirate (6th CL)

---

‘Princess’ Furasha Busha (Female Human Swashbuckler)

The beautiful and intelligent Furasha Busha is a fiery swordswoman from Qadira. Trying to stand apart from her two hundred and eighty-eight siblings, she has become quite the master with her scimitar Jakia and strives to become the princess that she is destined to be.

Advancement – Retrain Slashing Strike with Dervish Dance (3rd), Combat Reflexes (3rd), Dodge (4th), Mobility (5th)

Class Advancement – Duelist (7th CL)

---

Bashir Narenan (Male Human Swashbuckler)

The quiet Bashir Narenan secretly revels in the dangers of explorating the unknown. He was once wrongly imprisoned in Osirion for exploring the wrong tomb and is now more attentive to who hires him and his khopesh Dread Talon.

Advancement – Combat Expertise (3rd), Improved Trip (4th), Piranha Strike (5th)

Class Advancement – Pathfinder Delver (6th CL)

---

Taichyu (Male Tengu Swashbuckler)

The pious Taichyu hails from the Far East and lives a code that almost mirrors that of the samurai. With his well-honed katana Yurashi, he intends to spread goodwill in the name of Grandmother Crow, Andoletta, and the Silver Crusade.

Advancement – Two Weapon Fighting (3rd; purchase wakizashi), Combat Reflexes (4th), Piranha Strike (5th)

Class Advancement – Paladin (6th CL)

---

Grogg Ironfist (Male Half-Orc Swashbuckler)

While growing up in the slums of Absalom, Grogg Ironfist did whatever he had to do to survive. Having been an enforcer, a gladiator and now an adventurer, he bears his morningstar and gladius seeking fame and fortune in the Worldwound for the Sczarni families.

Advancement – Piranha Strike (3rd), Weapon Focus: Gladius (4th), Mounted Combat (5th)

Class Advancement – Low Templar (6th CL)

---

Check out some more Pathfinder Adventuring Parties:

• Pacifists
• Snake Cult
• Cooperative Summoning

And some product reviews:

• Deep Magic by Kobold Press
• Ultimate Psionics by Dreamscarred Press
• Ultimate Campaign by Paizo

 

Exercise in Character Creation, Part 2

In last month’s ARTICLE I asked for help in creating my next character who would be the son of my very first PFS character, Danaris Redfeather. Over 50 people took the survey and the RESULTS came out great! After analysis, the proud and determined Adrian Redfeather will be a quick and agile (yet physically weak) swordsman from Andoran who is secretly joining the Pathfinder Society contrary to his parents’ wishes. Such interesting possibilities for this character! But we are not quite there, just two pieces of the puzzle remain; Adrian’s secret identity and his final class.

So, onto the final voting (only 2 questions this time!). This will determine the secret identity (and signature weapons) that Adrian will adopt and the class that he will proceed through his adventuring career through. Two of the classes are playtests and this could give me an opportunity (or excuse) to play one. We will not be worrying about a prestige class since voting was so close, but it could come up later if I think he needs some sort of boost. I will post Adrian’s final character sheet next week along with another one of my famous Pathfinder pre-gen parties – The Korsairs of Kortos.

 **** SURVEY ****

Thank you again for voting!