Month: January 2015

Silver Screen Smackdown- Movie Review of The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies

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Movie– The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies

TL;DR-What the heck is this crap? 67%

 

Basics- Remember the last chapter or two of that book you could read from cover to cover in six hours.  Here is three hours about those two chapters.  As you can tell, I’m not going to sugar coat this one.

 

Story– If you’re a big Tolkien person like my wife is, you won’t want to see this.  In the book, Bilbo’s awake for about an hour and then he’s completely knocked out.  This movie adds in all kinds of crap that wasn’t in the books.  That would be ok, but some of it is completely crazy like orc tacticians, giant worm monsters that never get mentioned again, and armies of troll enforcers.  This is just one long fight scene that is way too long and make war boring. 2/5

 

Acting– Let’s start with NO back story at all!  Just throw some people in, then have them run around a bit.  About half way through, you might catch some names, figure out some of the background plot, and finally understand who is who.  I know a ton of things happen, but if you don’t remember people from movies you saw two years ago, you’ll be pretty lost.  Heck, some of the heavy hitters for the Lord of the Rings movies only get a name drop once. 3/5

 

Cinematography– There is a crap ton of CGI in this one.  It looks really cool.  This is the one saving grace of the whole movie. 5/5

 

Summary– Save your money and read the book.  Honestly, this is a mess.  From key parts of the book being left out or altered for no good reason at all, to a fabrication of two hours of movie that had nothing to do with Tolkien, this will only piss you off if you’re a fan of the Lord of the Rings.  If you just want to watch people die for two hours, then this won’t be a bad one.  But that comes with the caveat that you have to watch the previous two movies.  This movie doesn’t give enough background to really fill you in on what the heck happened before.  Ok, there’s a dragon, now here are people in some ruins, now there’s elves, hay here come some more dwarves, and then there is orcs!  Unless you have a vested interest, this starts a little to en media rez for the casual viewer.  Honestly despite the number of explosions in this one, this is by far the low point of the series.  Save you money.  Eventually this will be on cable some Saturday afternoon when some TV filler time is needed and you can tape/DVR it then.  This is a sad conclusion to the LotR movies as a whole.  67%

Daily Punch 1-1-15 Lich Bloodline Sorcerer for Pathfinder

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Why be a ghoul, when you can be a lich?

Lich Bloodline

Someone in your parentage was not alive.  Moreso, they were the animated corpse of a powerfull wizard or cleric.  Now, that power courses through you.

Class Skill: Knowledge(Religion).

Bonus Spells

inflict light wounds (3rd), Spectral Hand (5th), Animate Dead, Lesser  (7th), Animate Dead(9th), Fleshworm Infestation  (11th), Create Undead (13th), control undead (15th), Create Greater Undead (17th), Canopic Conversion (19th).

Bonus Feats

Combat Casting, Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion]), Spell Focus (necromancy),Sorcerous Bloodstrike, Toughness, Weapon Finesse,Uncanny Concentration, Undead Master.

Bloodline Arcana

Whenever you cast a spell that does necrotic damage, you are healed of 1/4 the hit point damage dealt.

Bloodline Powers

Necrotic Lance(Su)-Starting at 1st level, you can shoot a beam of pure necrotic energy at your targets as a ranged touch attack to a target in 30 feet.  This beam does 1d6+ 1 point of negative energy damage per two class levels you have.  You can do this a number of time per day equal to 3 + your charisma modifier.

Skeletal Appearance(Ex)-Starting at 3rd level, you gain DR-5/bludgeoning and resist 5 cold, electricity, and negative energy damage.  At level 9 this becomes DR-10/bludgeoning and magic and resist 10 cold, electricity, negative energy damage.  At level 15, you gain DR-15/bludgeoning magic and resist 15 cold, electricity, and negative energy damage

Fear Aura(Ex)-Starting at 9th level, you gain a fear aura, All creatures with hit dice of less then half your hit dice must make a Will save (DC 10+ your charisma mod + 1/2 your hit dice) or be shaken for a number of rounds equal to your hit dice.  A creature that makes this save is not affected by your fear aura for 24 hours.

Paralyzing Touch(Ex)-Staring at 15th level, you now paralyze the living who touch you.  Any creature that willingly touches you must make a Fortitude save (DC 10+ your charisma mod + 1/2 your hit dice), or be paralyzed for a a number of rounds equal to your hit dice.  At the end of each round, the creature may make Fortitude save to end the condition.  This may be triggered by an attack on you or by you making a melee touch attack.

Lich Apotheosis(Su)-At level 20, you become a lich.  Create a phylactery as per the lich rules.  If you die, you may return to this phylactery if needed and you regenerate in 1d10 days.  In addition, you constitution score becomes 0, and your Fortitude save and bonus hit points per lever are now calculated based on your charisma modifier.  Your resistances from skeletal appearance now are 20/bludgeoning magic and immunity to cold,  electricity, sleep, negative energy , and non-lethal damage

 

Thoughts?

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of PFS Scenario #6–06: Hall of the Flesh Eaters

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Product– Pathfinder Society Scenario #6–06: Hall of the Flesh Eaters

System– Pathfinder

Producer– Paizo

Price– ~$ 4 here http://paizo.com/products/btpy9986?Pathfinder-Society-Scenario-6-06-Hall-of-the-Flesh-Eaters

TL; DR– A short dungeon crawl. 87%

 

Basics– Time to go to the Shackles!  Among the Gloomspires rests Sevenfingers’ treasure hoard.  A new finding by the Pathfinders will allow the explorers to find the proper shifting island where the hoard is buried.  Can the Pathfinders survive the island the treasure is hidden on and explore the dangerous depths of the cavern below it?

 

Theme or Fluff-This adventure was a fun one, but the fact that it was in the Shackles or dealing with pirates wasn’t a main focus.  It is more of a dungeon crawl.  But, the dungeon isn’t that large, so it’s hard to get going as you’re done before you almost start.  It’s fun, but you will have to add your own pirate focus to get the theme of a dungeon crawl for pirate treasure to come through.  Also, this is the first part of a few adventures on this island.  There is a record screeching halt in one area as the map basically give the equivalent of an invisible wall to hid the next adventure.  This will be filled in in later adventures, but I really don’t like having to tell my explorers not to explore! 4/5

 

Mechanics or Crunch– As I said in the theme, this is mostly a dungeon crawl.  Before the Dungeon is a short above ground section, but there is not much to do after an encounter happens up there.  In the dungeon there are some unique events and traps that make some of the later encounters more interesting.  The encounters that do happen are well balanced.  But, as a dungeon crawl, it’s pretty short and easy. 4.5/5

 

Execution-What is here is well done.  I like the spacing of the text, the maps, and the general layout.  I’ve written before that I would like more description in these encounter blocks, but that is a general issue I have with all the PFS documents. 4.5/5

 

Summary– This is a short, fun dungeon crawl.  It’s pretty linier, but that doesn’t make it bad.  If your players want to start some adventures in the Shackles, this isn’t a bad adventure to start a quest line off of.  I would have liked a bit more as it felt short, and a down to business party will get through this in less than two hours.  As a GM, it ran smooth, and my party had fun.  That’s the mark of a good adventure.  I don’t like invisible walls in an RPG, but I am curious what the next adventure will be. 87%

Daily Punch 12-31-14 Mass Inflict Wounds spell for DnD 5e

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What do you mean, mass inflect wounds  ISN’T in the PHB or the DMG for 5e?!  WELL, HERE IT IS!

 

Mass Inflict Wounds

5th Level Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 6o feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

You create a gate to the plane of negative engergy that sucks all life from an area in range.  Choose up to six creatures in a 30 foot radius sphere centered on that point.  Targets in the radius of the spell must make a Wisdom saving throw.  Those that fail take 5d10 necrotic damage.  On a save, the targets take half as much damage

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage increase by 1d10 for each slot level above 5th.

 

Thoughts?

Book Bout-Book Review of The Fuller Memorandum

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Book– The  Fuller Memorandum

Author– Charles Stross

Voice- Gideon Emery

Book- ~$8 http://www.amazon.com/Fuller-Memorandum-Laundry-Files-Novel/dp/044102050X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420247010&sr=1-1&keywords=the+fuller+memorandum

Audiobook- ~$15  http://www.audible.com/pd/The-Fuller-Memorandum-Part-1-Audiobook/B004V4O9W6

TL; DR– Sit down and learn about the Laundry.  93%

 

Basics-Bob Howard has been pulling a few too many hours at the Laundry.  He makes a rookery mistakes that shouldn’t happen, and now is sent out on personal leave after someone dies.  However, strange cults across the world never take personal leave.  Can Bob survive an attack on the Laundry, keep his sanity, and learn more about some ancient Laundry secrets?

 

Characters– Bob’s really Bob in this one.  Moe is Moe, and you also get to learn a bunch more about the other characters in the Laundry with this one.  Based on the previous books, every character is well described for the new readers, and every character stays in character all the way through this book.  Excellently done.  5/5

 

Setting– I have never been to England and much less to London.  But, Stross does a great job of describing the city and making me see places and geography in my head.  It almost makes me want to go and see if I could track Bob through the city and see the hidden sights Bob describes. 5/5

 

Story-The Laundry is a book series about middle management always screwing with the people who actually get the work done.  However, I can’t see how anyone might get their work done when they have to account for everything even when they know the penalty for such actions is not being able to get fired?  I’m complaining a bit, but I don’t enjoy the amount of possible threats from inside the Landry.  That kinds of gets a bit boring.  What I did enjoy was the amount you get to learn about the history of the laundry.  Stross does an excellent job of telling bits of Landry and character history over the course of the novel.  I loved that even if I didn’t enjoy the internal threats and bureaucracy as much. 4/5

 

Summary-I really like the Laundry novels.  Stross does an excellent job of bringing Cthulhu mythos to the masses while still being true to its roots.  I do bet a bit bored with the inter-Laundry problems, but this one is a great read.  I got to learn a bunch about the Laundry and its members.  This was done in some text dumps, but it was done in a smart way throughout the book.  If it’s at least as good as this one, I can’t wait to pick up the next one!  93%.

 

Audiobook Extra- Gideon Emery is Bob.  And, he also does a great female voice with an accent as Moe is in this novel a lot.  Well done! 5/5

Daily Punch 12-30-14 Lich Patron Warlock for DnD 5e

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Ya, I have been playing a ton of 5e lately?  Why do you ask?  Here is some more ideas for your 5e game-Lich patron Warlock?

 

The Lich

Power comes when things die.  What kind of power can come from something that refuses to die?  You’ve meet the creature in its tomb lair.  It offered you power along side its smell of decay.  You said yes.  Now you do the bidding of the cadaver itself.

Lich Expanded Spell List

Level          Spell

1st        inflict wounds, protection from good and evil

2nd      phantasmal force, blindness/deafness

3rd      animate dead, protection from energy

4th      Phantasmal Killer, evard’s black ttentacles

5th      cloudkill, mass inflict wounds

 

Dead Speech

Starting at 1st level, you patron bestows upon you the speech of the dead.  As an action, you can cast speak with dead.  You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

 

Life Draining Touch

Starting at 6th Level, your patron teaches you the secret of draining the life of others.  When you at the subject of a melee attack, you can cast vampiric touch as a reaction to the attack.  You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

 

Command of the Dead

Starting at 10th level, unintelligent undead will not longer attack you.  In addition to you gain resistance to all damage dealt to you from all undead, intelligent or otherwise.

Also, at 10th level, you gain the bonus spell create undead once per day.

 

Wrath of the Lich

Starting at level 14, you can point at a creature and fire a beam of negative energy at it as an action that can be avoided with a charisma saving .  If you succeed, you inflict 5d8 necrotic damage on the creature and the paralyzed.  You heal half the amount of damage dealt.  Each turn the creature can make a saving throw at the start of its turns.  If it fails it continues to be paralyzed and take 5d8 necrotic damage, and you continue to heal half the damage dealt.

You can not do this again until you complete a long rest.

 

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Ring Side Report-Board Game Review of Skull & Shackles Adventure Deck 2 – Raiders of the Fever Sea

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Product– Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Skull & Shackles Adventure Deck 2 – Raiders of the Fever Sea

Producer– Paizo

Price– ~$20 here http://paizo.com/products/btpy95dj?Pathfinder-Adventure-Card-Game-Skull-Shackles-Adventure-Deck-2-Raiders-of-the-Fever-Sea

Set-up/Play/Clean-up– 30 to 60 minutes per scenario (1 to 6 players, five scenario)

TL; DR-BEST AD SO FAR! 98%

 

Basics-Let’s be bad guys!  In the last adventure deck, the pirates get their first ship.  Now it’s time to be real pirates.  Loot as many ships as you can, earn the favor of Tidewater Rock, and go on an adventure in the deep sea!

 

Mechanics– The game really ties the theme to the mechanics.  It still has the randomness that somewhat hurts the theme, but the new mechanics really hit the theme hard like a sledgehammer on a tack.  Pirate hunting with the chance of catching the attention of the authorities?  Awesome.  Having to find a particular villain to open up a dungeon?  Even better!  It’s a well done adventure deck! 5/5

 

Theme- This game really hits home the theme.  It has lots of piracy with the mechanics to back it up.  Also now new mechanics for the specific missions are introduced to really make a dungeon crawl come alive.  Well done!  Do this more often! 5/5

 

Instructions– The base instructions are all you get besides the stuff on the cards.  I still want a sheet with more story and instructions for the game.  What is on the cards is good, but I still want a bit more.  Also, explaining who the characters are, especially the allies, would help me get a bit more into the feel of things. 4.5/5

 

Execution– Tell you what, Paizo has heard some of what I’ve said and this proves it.  It’s a card game, so it’s got good card stock and art.  Fine, I expect that.  But you know what, SIDE OPENING FLAPS! I can open up the package while not destroying the box.  Here is your five for that. 5/5

 

Summary– This adventure deck is the best adventure deck so far for either season of the card game.  I felt like a pirate.  The mechanics are slick.  The theme is awesome.  THE BOX OPENS ON THE SIDE!  Well done!  98%

Daily Punch 12-29-14 Dark Lance spell for DnD 5e

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I think there should be a spell that does negative energy at range.  Who else wants this?

 

Dark Lance

Necromancy Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V,S

Duration: Instantaneous

A dark lance of negative light shoots from your hand to the target.  Make a ranged spell attack against the target.  On a hit, the target takes 1d10 necrotic damage.

The spell’s damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10)

 

 

Thoughts?

 

Silver Screen Smackdown- Movie Review of Big Hero 6

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Movie– Big Hero 6

TL;DR-A nice movie about family and belief 93 %

 

Basics- Hiro, our hero of the film, is the orphaned robot design prodigy.  His older brother sees him wasting his design potential away with underground robot fighting and convinces him to compete for a scholarship to a robot design university.  He wins, but fire at the competition clams Hiro’s brother’s life.  Hiro finds that his award winning robots were stolen in the fire, and now Hiro must team up with his lost brother’s last robot project to defeat the evil villain who stole his project and his brother’s life.

 

Story– This is a kid’s movie, and therefore a bit too short.  But that’s a good feeling!  I’d rather be left wanting more than being bored.  This movie doesn’t pull any punches though for a kids movie.  Lots of different themes are discussed, and the villain when he/she shows up is well conceived, not over the top, and somewhat sympathetic.  It’s a sleeper hit just like Meet the Robinsons.   4.5/5

 

(voice) Acting– The dialog is well done here.  There is even a Wayans brother in this one, and it’s well done!  All the characters feel real. 5/5

 

Cinematography– It’s a cartoon world, but it still does look well done. Everything is the right amount of cartoony while still looking semi-realistic.  I like what I see in this one. 4.5/5

 

Summary– This is a fun little movie.  It’s over way too quick, but the stories and characters in this one are a blast.  Honestly, this movie and Meet the Robinsons seem to be on par with one another.  Both are animated sleeper hits.  Great fun, but overshadowed by some other movies that recently came out.  93%

 

Daily Punch 12-26-14 Arcane Warrior for Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG

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I love fighters who have just a bit of magic to them.  How about making for for DCCRPG?

 

Arcane Warrior

Level Attack (Magic Die) Crit Die/ Table Action Dice Known Spells Max Spell Level Ref Fort Will
1 +d3 1d10/III 1d20 3 1 1 1 1
2 +d4 1d12/III 1d20 3 1 1 1 1
3 +d5 1d14/III 1d20 4 1 1 2 2
4 +d6 1d16/IV 1d20 4 2 2 2 2
5 +d7 1d20/IV 1d20 5 2 2 2 2
6 +d8 1d24/V 1d20+1d14 5 3 2 3 3
7 +d10 1d30/V 1d20+1d16 6 3 3 3 3
8 +d10+1 1d30/V 1d20+1d20 6 4 3 4 4
9 +d10+2 2d20/V 1d20+1d20+1d14 7 4 4 4 4
10 +d10+3 2d20/V 1d20+1d20+1d14 7 5 4 5 5
Titles
Level Title (all alignments)
1  Spell Squire
2 Mage Errant
3 Mage Knight
4 Warlock
5 Eldritch Warrior

 

You have mastered the blade as well as the spell.  It is a hard road that not many can master as it is both mentally and physical demanding.  Many of called, but you however has risen to the challenge.  You are a wanted commodity for any side of a conflict, but your uniqueness also makes you a target foremost.

 

Hit points: An arcane warrior gains 1d8 hit points at each level.

Weapon and Armor Training:  An arcane warrior can use all weapons he or she wants, however, an arcane warrior needs one hand free to cast any spell.  Arcane warriors can wear any armor they can afford.  No worn armor interferes with spell casting of any kind.

Alignment: Arcane warriors have no natural drive toward law or chaos.   You my choose to study black magic as a chaotic wizard or follow control over the elements as a lawful wizard might.

Attack Modifier: Just like a warrior (DCCRPG p 42), you roll an extra die when you make an attack  called a magic die.  This die is added to the attack and to damage from his or her weapons or damage from any spell.

Caster Level: An arcane warriors caster level is equal to his or her current level.

Magic or Might: You are a unique breed of fighter and wizard.  You know spells like a wizard (DCCRPG p48) but also know the ways of the warrior’s mighty deeds of arms ( DCCRPG p43).  Spells are learned just as a wizard with the first three spells being selected at random at first level.  An arcane warrior may learn any spell that a wizard is able to.  Before you make an attack roll, you may select to cast a spell or to do a mighty deed.  If you select to make a spell, you’re attack must hit, the result on the magic die must be a 2 + the level of the spell you wish to cast, and then you cast a spell just like a wizard.  However, instead of adding the arcane warriors intelligence and level to the action die, an arcane warrior rolls his magic die and the action die and  adds the result to his or her intelligence score to determine the effect of a spell.  The second roll for the spell determines if the spell is lost or not.  An arcane warrior may elect to just use the magic die result from the initial attack roll or reroll with the second spell roll.  Casting a spell in this way is part of the same action die use.  Mighty deeds are resolved as normal per a Mighty Deed of Arms using the result of the magic die in place of the Deed Die (DCCRPG p 43).

Luck: An arcane warrior adds his or her luck modifier to all magic die rolls.

Action Die: A arcane warrior uses his action die for spells, attacks, or Magic or Might attacks.  At level 6, an arcane warrior gains a second action die for use in the same combat round’s action.