Every week, Recall Knowledge recaps the Know Direction content of the past week, a preview of the Know Direction content of the week to come, and the director of operations, Ryan Costello, thoughts on the state of the network.
The title of today’s blog is a reference to how often the inventor’s feat traits are listed as Inventor, Unstable. Feat traits are listed in alphabetical order, as they should be, but this feels like a time where an exception could have been made.
As you might expect, I am all about the inventor right now. The KD Plays Guns & Gears recording originally scheduled for last Saturday was moved to tonight, Monday, January 18 at 9:00pm Eastern. I spent a lot of my free time this weekend refining my sharkfolk armour inventor, and I am extremely excited to see him on the battlefield tonight. And on the skillfield, he’s not just a combat character.
That said, today I want to use my editorial space to talk about the other guns & gears playtest class: The gunslinger. I want to elaborate on a comment I made during our interview with Mark Seifter and Micheal Sayre for last week’s Know Direction 241 – Pathfinder Guns & Gears Breakdown. I said that the gunslinger was not a class I was interested in playing or allowing in my game.
One part of that statement is just not true. As a GM, I would allow a player to play a gunslinger. Yes it’s uncommon, and as a GM I’m fully allowed within the rules to limit access to uncommon options. Certain options I might need convincing for flavour and setting reasons, but the uncommon options I’m most likely to allow with no explanation are ancestries and classes. Even a class I’m not likely to play myself. The extent to which I would discuss allowing the character is confirming that the player is comfortable with setting baggage of uncommon characters, like NPC reactions and limited access to relevant gear.
As for playing the class, that’s basically true. There are some classes I don’t want to play because the mechanics don’t appeal to me. Others I am not interested in the flavour. And some I just don’t think jive with my play style. The gunslinger is none of those. The gunslinger, like the wizard, is a class that just doesn’t excite me. Like Michael Sayre said during the interview, that’s an odd thing to say while surrounded by G.I. Joes. And while he didn’t bring this up, it’s also odd that I’m all in on the inventor but not the gunslinger, so it’s not that I don’t like technology in my fantasy.
Honestly, I can’t even quantify my disinterest in the class. I am looking forward to seeing how the class plays in tonight’s playtest. I don’t believe anyone went the crossbow route, which is unfortunate. Maybe I’ll have to play the class just to see how a crossbow gunslinger feels.
Also, thanks to listener Devon B for pointing out in the comments of Pathfinder Guns & Gears Breakdown with Paizo’s Mark Seifter and Micheal Sayre – Know Direction 241 on YouTube that the term for a crossbow archer is an arbalist. This is one of our most active videos for comments, in case you haven’t checked it out. Even I admit that I tend to forget about the Know Direction content on YouTube.
Speaking of Know Direction Network content, here’s a recap of what you might have missed last week from the Know Direction Network:
Recap of January 11th to January 15th
What happened last week on knowdirectionpodcast.com and twitch.tv/knowdirection?
Monday, January 11th
Twitch
KD Plays – The Guns & Gears Playtest
Featuring six PCs, each covering one of the three flavours of each of the two new classes, the gunslinger and the inventor.
Podcast
Adventurous 051 – Cooking Up More Murder
The last Adventurous release or a while, I’m afraid. Although last week I talked about the issues with releasing a political intrigue actual play podcast, that’s only tangentially related to the Adventurous hiatus. It was the reason we didn’t record an Adventurous on the 8th as we’d originally planned. However, we’d be releasing Adventurous 52 next week if it weren’t for cast not being available to record last Friday or this Friday.
Hopefully the playtest release next week in its stead tides you over until we are able to get back to Adventurous in early February.
Article
Recall Knowledge – No Escape
I was really happy with the “politically discordant times” term I used in this one.
Tuesday, January 12th
Podcast
Digital Divination 021- Making New Starfinder Characters
Like I said in the shout outs at the end of the last Know Direction, I appreciate John and Ron talking current events -both personal and political- to kick off their episodes. I feel like I know them better as a result.
This topic surprised me. It isn’t a step by step guide to character creation. It’s John and Ron going over their personal character creation methods. I liked the topic so much, I might steal it.
Article
Burst of Insight—Maintaining Creativity (in a World Turned Upside Down)
Andrew showed a lot of vulnerability in this article, sharing how the pandemic and the state of the world impacts his desire and ability to create.
Wednesday, January 13th
Twitch
Know Direction: 241 Live – Guns & Gears Breakdown with Designers Mark Seifter and Micheal Sayre
For anyone expecting another Secrets of Magic rant, sorry to disappoint. The Guns & Gears playtest might be my favourite 2e playtest. This episode was super fun, especially with such an active and entertaining audience.
Podcast
Game Design Unboxed 6: Misdirection
Misdirection designer Michael Langford talked about how he ran a successful Kickstarter despite (unintentionally) doing everything you aren’t supposed to do.
Thursday, January 14th
Podcast
Know Direction 241 – Pathfinder Guns & Gears Breakdown with Paizo’s Mark Seifter and Micheal Sayre
I’ve described a lot of recent episodes as “not our normal format”. This episode saw the return to our normal format, and I really enjoyed it. I’ve also enjoyed our last few episodes, in fact. Maybe we needed a break. Maybe Guns & Gears was exactly what we needed.
Article
Something Creates – An Archetype Pt. 2
Andrew Sturtevant echoes fellow Andrew’s sentiments, then shows off one of my favourite elements of the Something Creates blog: Andrew’s hand written notes.
Friday, January 15th
Podcast
Intrepid Heroes 051 – The Color of Space
This whole episode reminded me of magic missiling the darkness.
Article
Bend the Knee Heightened – Favorite Characters
Loren decided Bend The Knee needed a change. Instead always asking a question of three disconnect individuals, each associated with the gaming industry or the network, she will occassionally be asking a question of a group. In this case, Rick Sandidge, Rachel Sandidge, Jessica Jenkins, and Jordan Jenkins of Find the Path. Let us know what you thought.
Preview of January 18th to January 22nd
This is back to Block 1 of our 2-block schedule.
Monday, January 18th
Podcast
Stellar 015 — That’s Not All We Got-o, Mr. Robot-o
Call me a prude, but I don’t usually enjoy toilet humour. However, unusual introspection, word play, and pop culture references about toilets? That I’m there for!
Article
Recall Knowledge – Unstable Inventors and For Love of Gunslinging
Pew pew!
Tuesday, January 19th
Patreon
Patron’s Private Sanctum 13
Luis and Dustin jumped on to talk Guns & Gears with me and Perram.
Podcast
Legend Lore 018 – New Player Guide, Part 2
Luis and Loren’s series on introducing new players to Pathfinder continues!
Article
Fox’s Cunning by Dustin Knight
Wednesday, January 20th
Twitch
Know Direction Beyond 54 Live – Alien Archive 4 Review
Alex, James, and Vanessa crack open the latest Starfinder hardcover: Alien Archive 4.
Podcast
Presenting – Gamers Making Games: Ryan Costello
John interviewed me about my writing, my career, and the network.
Article
Guidance by Alex Augunas
Thursday, January 21st
Podcast
Valiant Episode 8
Article
Investing In by Rob Pontious
Friday, January 22nd
Podcast
Know Direction Beyond 54– Alien Archive 4 Review
Article
Monstrous Physique by Luis Loza
Now you know,
Ryan Costello
