Arelith

TimeAdept wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 6:54 am The massively bloated skill list was widely considered a problem with 3.5, which is why 4e, 5e, and pathfinder, as well as many other systems in general, work on a much slimmer list. Let's not go too crazy trying to reinvent the wheel here. No narrative engagement is gained by forcing a Ranger to dip Bard so he can max bluff alongside Spot so he can see someone without someone knowing he saw someone.

We coudl also split lore into knowledge skills. How's that.

Below are listed typical fields of study.

• Arcana (ancient mysteries, magic traditions, arcane symbols, cryptic phrases, constructs, dragons, magical beasts)
• Architecture and engineering (buildings, aqueducts, bridges, fortifications)
• Dungeoneering (aberrations, caverns, oozes, spelunking)
• Geography (lands, terrain, climate, people)
• History (royalty, wars, colonies, migrations, founding of cities)
• Local (legends, personalities, inhabitants, laws, customs, traditions, humanoids)
• Nature (animals, fey, giants, monstrous humanoids, plants, seasons and cycles, weather, vermin)
• Nobility and royalty (lineages, heraldry, family trees, mottoes, personalities)
• Religion (gods and goddesses, mythic history, ecclesiastic tradition, holy symbols, undead)
• The planes (the Inner Planes, the Outer Planes, the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, outsiders, elementals, magic related to the planes)

That's definitely overreacting to what the original intention was.

It's not a bad idea for an ability but rather than make it available to everyone, it should be a feat you purchase. The classes that might take it aren't necessarily super Feat-thirsty but you might still think twice before selecting it.

Feat - Shade's Vigilance
Requirements: 15 Spot, Hide and MS
Effect: (as per ability)

If it could be affected by distance that would be cooler. A bonus to the opposed Bluff check for every 10 yards/feet the watcher is away from the sneak. Light level and distance affect sneaking as it is, I don't know how easy it would be to code this ability to rely on them also. But it would add some depth to the feat.

With how important skill focuses are (for lore, for discipline - even for Spot/Listen, to keep up with how stacked the mechanics are in favor of Stealth w/o True Sight/Polymorph Self) and saves feats and PrC qualification feats, even discounting necessities like spell focii and expertise and the like - I don't think there actually are many builds that aren't "feat thirsty" anymore.

While having a way to help Spotters out if this decision is here to stay is important, I'm not sure gating it behind a feat will make it a very viable option for a lot of people.

sidenote: custom feats what interact with Arelith's homegrown systems would be very cool.

Turning this into a feat would only favor the already meta classes that have plenty of feats/skills such as wizard.
Your typical rogue or dedicated stealther is already feat starved as it is.


I think the detection change is fine as it was introduced and it deserves some trial in game. And as someone mentioned, this is something that would really happen in a PnP game and I love these sorts of automatic mechanics that adds flavor and would only be possible in PnP otherwise.

This isn't something that would happen in PnP though. There is no basis ni the stealth mechanic for it, nor is there a basis in the Bluff skill for it.

TimeAdept wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:07 pm There is no basis ni the stealth mechanic for it, nor is there a basis in the Bluff skill for it.

What do you mean?

Drogo Gyslain wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:40 pm

TimeAdept wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:07 pm There is no basis ni the stealth mechanic for it, nor is there a basis in the Bluff skill for it.

What do you mean?

PnP RAW doesn't utilize bluff to conceal spotting a stealther. The sole stealth mechanic is sneak vs perception.

Vespidae wrote: Fri Apr 24, 2020 5:01 pm It's not a bad idea for an ability but rather than make it available to everyone, it should be a feat you purchase. The classes that might take it aren't necessarily super Feat-thirsty but you might still think twice before selecting it.

Feat - Shade's Vigilance
Requirements: 15 Spot, Hide and MS
Effect: (as per ability)

Well, as the coder Inf said, it broke the game. It wasnt our feedback that stopped this change from going live, as far as I understand. But /IF/ it ever works without breaking the game and is not implemented live for everyone, then yes, it would be a cool cookie to waste feats on for some RP-30rogue-builds and the like.

You know what Stealth/Detection change Arelith could use?

Making it so if one person in a party Spots someone, they're revealed to everyone in that party. It's pretty silly when your one eagle-eyed buddy can't point out the assassin trying to creep up behind you in any way that provides some meaningful mechanical benefit.

Flower Power wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 9:30 pm You know what Stealth/Detection change Arelith could use?

Making it so if one person in a party Spots someone, they're revealed to everyone in that party. It's pretty silly when your one eagle-eyed buddy can't point out the assassin trying to creep up behind you in any way that provides some meaningful mechanical benefit.

That's a good point. If a sneaky boi can notice someone spotting them by automation, a spotter should be able to point them out to their allies by automation too.

Flower Power wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 9:30 pm You know what Stealth/Detection change Arelith could use?

Making it so if one person in a party Spots someone, they're revealed to everyone in that party. It's pretty silly when your one eagle-eyed buddy can't point out the assassin trying to creep up behind you in any way that provides some meaningful mechanical benefit.

They can face the direction of the assassin and go *points* "Look. Assassin." but it doesnt mean you've spotted them yet.