AI RECAP: Curse of Strahd Session 0

Les Hostetler | September 15, 2025 | Curse of Strahd | No Comments

Character Creation

A character sheet was created using Roll 20 and Pathfinder, with characters including a cloistered cleric and a dwarf barbarian 00:17

The topic of alignment was discussed, with some confusion about whether alignments are included in the new core book or Pathbuilder 01:31

Traits in the character sheet were explained, including how they convey information about rules elements and interaction with abilities, creatures, or items 05:33

Jukha is a deity with a divine font of heal and no sanctification, and her favorite weapon is the long bow 12:23.

Majha Firehair is another deity who can choose to be holy and has domains such as family, fire, perfection, toil, and sun, with a favorite weapon of scimitar 13:02.

Walgren the Bone Breaker is a deity with a favorite weapon that can be an axe, and has an anathema that requires wielders to create their own weapons, with the option to choose holy or unholy trait 20:43.

The discussion involves characters and their traits, including weaknesses to certain types of damage, with a specific example of a weakness to fire damage 25:52.

Sarenrae is mentioned as a healer god, possibly neutral, and Iomedae is referred to as a crusader goddess who is lawful good, with her followers needing to be lawful, neutral, or chaotic good 26:33.

Character Sheet Management

The character build process is being explored, including the use of online tools such as Roll20 and Pathfinder Nexus to create and manage character sheets, with the goal of finding a system that works well for the group 29:34.

The group is discussing how to share and access character books, with some members having the second edition core book and player core book, while others only have the player core book and second edition, and they are trying to figure out how to use the Demiplane and Path Builder tools to manage their characters 37:26.

They are having trouble dragging and dropping certain backgrounds and feats, such as Field Medic, into their character sheets, and are trying to find alternative ways to add them, including copying and pasting text from other sources 38:07.

The group is also exploring the features of the Path Builder tool, including its ability to save characters locally and export them as PDFs, and are trying to determine if it can be used to import characters into Roll20 41:02.

Character Setup

The characters in the game are being set up, with Tom playing a war priest cleric and Jim playing a monk, and the game master is helping them with their character sheets 51:07

The game master is assisting Tom in setting up his skills, including acrobatics, athletics, and warfare lore, and is explaining how to use the roll 20 character sheet 53:14

The game master is also helping Tom with his feats, including Die Hard, Shield Block, and Hold Mark, and is explaining the differences between ancestry and heritage feats 56:30

The characters have various skills and proficiencies, such as melee strikes, perception, and athletics, which need to be updated in their character sheets, and they can be trained or expert in certain skills 01:06:21.

The characters also have access to equipment, including class kits that provide items like adventurous packs and hide armor, and they will receive an additional 20 gold pieces to spend on equipment 01:09:38.

The character’s Mountain Stance class feat is being set up, which allows the character to enter a stance and gain certain benefits 01:15:06

The character’s skills and feats, including Intimidating Glare and Lengthy Diversion, are being organized and added to their character sheet 01:17:53

The character’s Flurry of Blows feat is being added, which allows them to make two attacks in a single action, and its details are being manually entered 01:19:43

The character’s unarmed attack is being set up, with options for a regular unarmed fist attack and a Flurry of Blows attack 01:23:10

The character’s Mountain Stance is being linked to their unarmed attack, with a specific unarmed attack called Unarmed Mountain using a d8 instead of a d6 01:25:36

Tenzin has a two-handed glaive and can enter a mountain stance, which gives him a plus 4 item bonus to armor class, but sets his dexterity to zero 01:27:31

While in mountain stance, Tenzin’s speed is reduced and his reflex save is also affected 01:28:07

Tenzin’s character has been set up with a crossbow as a ranged weapon, which has a reload time of one action 01:30:05

Character Finalization

The group is discussing their character choices, with Gwen considering playing either a barbarian named Grughilda or a cloistered cleric named Nelly 01:34:21

The players are finalizing their characters, including hit points, with Tenzin having 22 hit points 01:36:33

Players will be able to update their character sheets, including hit points and armor class, on a separate screen, which can be accessed and modified by the players between games 01:38:28.

The dynamic lighting tab is discussed, and players are informed that they have dark vision, allowing them to see in darkness and dim light, with the distance for dark vision being 30 feet 01:40:41.

Tom’s character is set up with scale mail and a steel shield, giving him an armor class of 17, and his shield can be used as a backup in case the first shield is broken, with the shield having 20 hit points 01:42:02.

Gwen’s character, a female dwarf, is discussed, with her using a glaive or bastard sword, and her appearance, including a beard and braids, is decided using an AI tool 01:47:40.

The AI tool is used to refine Gwen’s character appearance, with the goal of creating a more feminine dwarf with a beard, and the character’s spell slots and cantrips are also discussed 01:49:13.

Character creation is being discussed, with a focus on a bearded lady character and choosing between scale mail and hide armor for her equipment 01:50:07

The character’s armor class and deck cap are being compared between scale mail and hide armor, with both having similar properties and penalties 01:53:34

The group is also discussing spell selection for a character, including cantrips such as Guidance, Shield, and Divine Lance, and deciding on the character’s spell list 02:00:27

Benediction is a level one spell with a two-action casting time, a 15-foot emanation range, and requires concentration to sustain 02:02:33

Character Builds and Equipment

The group is discussing character builds, with Gwen playing a dwarf barbarian, Jim playing an orc monk, and Tom playing an orc war priest, and Eric is considering playing a thief, possibly a goblin thief named Akuta Seline 02:07:53

The character is a goblin thief, raised as a street urchin in Absalom, with a bad childhood, bad attitude, and a potty mouth, but chooses not to be evil 02:15:35

The goblin is skilled at finding traps, climbing, and pickpocketing, and is armed with a dogslicer, wearing leather armor for defense 02:15:54

The character has feats such as “bouncy goblin” which allows them to bounce and switch with ease, and “trapfinder” to detect and disable traps 02:20:10

The character also has the skill feat “acrobatic performer” which allows them to roll an acrobatics check instead of a performance check when using the perform action 02:21:58

The group is discussing character creation, with one character, Akutagawa, being a goblin thief, and they are deciding on a deity for the character, considering Norgorber, the Grey Master, as an option 02:32:07.

Game Progression and Story Introduction

The group has not heard from some members, including Tom, John, and Dan, and they are considering stopping for the night or proceeding with the story 02:33:27.

The game master is taking liberties with the source material, creating a unique entry story for the players to get into the demi-plane of dread, and they are discussing how to proceed with the game 02:35:18.

The players are learning how to use the game’s interface, including editing and moving their tokens, and managing their inventory, with some technical issues and questions arising 02:36:13.

The group is reviewing their characters’ equipment and abilities, making adjustments as needed, and preparing to continue the game 02:37:10.

The dogslicer was added to the inventory, and it can be found in a specific location, or it can be added manually using archives like Nethus 02:40:08

Leather armor was added to the character’s inventory by typing “leather armor” and dragging and dropping the item, and it’s also part of the rogue equipment package 02:41:20

The character’s skills have proficiency bonuses, with levels including untrained, trained, expert, master, and legendary, and the character is trained in certain skills like society checks 02:45:12

The story begins in the city of Absalom, where the characters receive an invitation from Joachim Mousif, a notable Qadiran merchant prince, to meet at his office, and he asks them about their knowledge of the multiverse 02:49:33

Mousifexplains that his scholars have found a previously unknown planer region, separate from the prime material, that has slipped under the scrutiny of deity powers and theorists, and he believes this place can be traveled to 02:51:32

Mousif feels that this new, untapped plane that can be capitalized upon from a commercial standpoint and needs help to exploit this opportunity, providing an advance on the fee of 20 gold pieces to each individual 02:53:58

The merchant prince requires protection, martial capability, and divine casters to test the boundaries of this region, and magic users to examine, explore, and collaborate with his researchers 02:53:03

A wizard, who has been an employee of the merchant prince for over a decade, will be sent with the group as the de facto leader of the expedition, and the group will travel to the new plane in two days to explore and gather information 02:55:53

The sky above Absalom was mercifully still and the color of old ice. It wasn’t clouds, but rather a flat plate of inverted air that lay atop the island like a curve of damp wool. It stretched to the horizon, and deep in the distance to the south, way out over the docks and out sea, an infinitesimal flight of hippogriffs soared past, winged black specks coursing across a leaden sky.

On the cobblestoned streets of the city, the gravid sky did nothing to suppress the emerald dance of commerce. Absalom is a commercial city, first and foremost, and the ships that ply the Inner Sea look at Absalom like bees look at flowers rich with pollen. They visit, scatter what they’ve brought from elsewhere around the city’s pistil, take what is available, and fly their awkward, bumbling their way off to various points of the compass.

You walk these streets with purpose, for you have a meeting. Borne by a liveried servant on palest vellum, you yesterday received an invitation from a curious source: Joachim Mousif, one of the notable Qadiran merchant princes in residence in Absalom, requests your presence at his offices in the city at 3 of the clock. Completely absent of any context, the invitation was as enigmatic as it was enticing.

Ushered inside by those same liveried servants, you find yourself in a sitting room of opulent proportions. [slide] Two capable bodyguards stand behind the Qadiran Mousif, while a scholar stands off to one side.
After some formalities – greeting, an offer of refreshment – Mousif asks:

“What do you know of the multiverse?”

MARTIALS: “The what?”
DIVINES: “I’m certainly familiar with the concept of course, the idea of the multiverse is a cornerstone of religious thought…”
ARCANES: “Of course. Energies distilled from the planes are sources of power for some of the most complex and dynamic spells…

“Excellent. As you know, the multiverse is well mapped, and those persons with the power to pierce the veil that separates the Prime with those other places have traveled extensively and left entire libraries full of descriptions of these places, bestiaries of their denizens, and travelogues of their journeys. To those who have dealings there, this is well known and well documented. The only region of the multiverse that could realistically be said to be unknown – and it may weell be unknowable – is the hundreds of layers to the abyss.

“But that is a different story. What if I were to tell you that there is a series of planar regions – smaller than the greater planes certianly, but separate from the Prime – that have slipped under the scrutiny of both the major powers, along with their servants and acolytes, and the greatest thaumaturgists of the day?

PCS: Ummmm

“I believe my scholars have found such a place. As you may know, I’ve spent a great deal of money on furthering research into the multiverse – it’s something of a hobby of mine – and recently some of the arcanists in my employ came to me with a remarkable finding: an unknown place, catalogued in none of the available treatises, to which one might travel. As far as my researchers can tell, it’s completely unknown to modern planar investigation.

“Which, as you can imagine, creates a significant commercial opportunity.” [smiles] A completely untapped market, with the potential for even more untapped markets, that have never had contact with the Prime. Think of the goods we could sell them. Think of the unique and incredibly rare things they could trade to us! This was, as you can imagine, an opportunity that I could not pass up.

“So you’re probably wondering: why have I reached out to you with this information? I need help. You come highly recommended – no, I don’t want to mention who recommended you, just to say that their endorsement led me to approach you. What I want:

MARTIALS: “You prowess and ability. We know not what we might face in this place, other than some very basic knowledge compiled by a few single travelers that work for me. I need protection, and frankly my own cadres are not skilled in the manner that I suspect I will need.\

DIVINES: “I’m hoping that you test the boundaries of this region, most specifically whether this place is connected enough to the rest of the multiverse that you can still draw upon divine energies from your individual gods. We’re still advancing what we know about this place

ARCANES: “There is so much we have to learn, and having independent scholars and magi to examine, explore and collaborate with my own researchers, I can’t help but think that we could both investigate and seek out opportunities within these new realms.”

Do you accept? Excellent! We travel two days hence. Here’s an advance on your fee… and once we established a foothold in the new market, we will discuss your continued employment within my organization.

Building Pathfinder 2e Characters in Roll20: A Step-by-Step Guide from a Real Play Session

Tabletop roleplaying games like Pathfinder 2nd Edition (PF2e) offer a rich, collaborative experience, but the process of building characters—especially in a digital environment like Roll20—can be daunting for newcomers and veterans alike. In this article, we’ll walk through the process of creating PF2e characters in Roll20, as experienced by a group of players preparing for a campaign set in a unique take on the “Curse of Strahd” adventure. Along the way, we’ll explore the nuances of character creation, the challenges of digital tools, and the collaborative spirit that makes tabletop gaming so rewarding.

Getting Started: The Digital Character Sheet

Choosing Your Platform

The group in our session used Roll20 as their virtual tabletop, leveraging its built-in character sheets and integration with compendiums. Some players also used third-party tools like Pathbuilder 2e and Archives of Nethys to plan and export their characters, then transferred the data into Roll20.

Initial Steps

Create a new character in Roll20: This is typically done by the Game Master (GM), who assigns the sheet to the player.
Name your character: This can be as simple as “Gwen’s Rando Character” or as evocative as “Grunhilda, the Bearded Dwarf Barbarian.”
Select your character sheet template: For PF2e, Roll20 offers a dedicated sheet with tabs for abilities, skills, feats, inventory, and spells.

Navigating the Rulebooks: Alignments, Traits, and Deities

The Alignment Conundrum

One of the first hurdles the group encountered was the shifting role of alignment in PF2e. Some sourcebooks and digital tools (like Pathbuilder) have moved away from strict alignment requirements, while others retain them for certain classes or deities.

Tip: If you can’t find alignment requirements in your chosen tool, check the latest core rulebook or the Archives of Nethys. For most characters, alignment is now more of a roleplaying guide than a mechanical restriction, except for certain classes (like clerics and monks) and deities.

Traits and Sanctification

Traits in PF2e are keywords that describe how rules interact with abilities, items, or creatures. For example, a “holy” trait might make a character vulnerable or resistant to certain types of damage.

Sanctification: Some deities require their clerics to be “holy” or “unholy,” which affects how their spells interact with creatures like undead. The group discussed how this impacts damage types and roleplay, especially for clerics choosing their divine font (heal or harm).

Choosing a Deity

For divine casters, selecting a deity is crucial. The group explored various orc gods, weighing the benefits of different domains, favored weapons, and divine fonts.

Domains: Each deity offers specific domains (like Sun, Family, Fire) that grant unique spells and abilities.
Divine Font: Determines whether a cleric can cast heal, harm, or both.
Sanctification: Some deities require followers to be holy, unholy, or allow a choice.

Transferring Characters from Pathbuilder to Roll20

The Copy-Paste Approach

Many players prefer to build their characters in Pathbuilder 2e for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive options. However, Roll20 does not currently support direct import from Pathbuilder, so players must manually transfer their stats.

Ability Scores: Enter your base scores (e.g., 16 Strength) rather than modifiers (+3), as the sheet will calculate modifiers automatically.
Skills and Proficiencies: Use the gear icons next to each skill to set your proficiency level (untrained, trained, expert, etc.).
Feats: Some feats can be dragged from the compendium; others must be entered manually, especially if they’re from third-party sources or grant multiple benefits.
Ancestry, Heritage, and Background: These often require manual entry, especially if the compendium doesn’t recognize the specific option.

Dealing with Missing Features

Not all features or feats are available in Roll20’s compendium. The group found that broad or complex feats (like “Hold-Scarred” or “Battle Ready”) often need to be entered as custom features, with descriptions copied from Archives of Nethys.

Custom Entries: Use the “+” button in the relevant section (feats, skills, etc.) to add a custom entry. Paste the description and note any mechanical effects.

Equipping Your Character: Inventory and Weapons

Adding Equipment

Drag-and-Drop: Many standard items (weapons, armor, kits) can be dragged from the compendium into your inventory.
Manual Entry: For custom or less common items, enter them manually, including stats like damage dice, traits, and special properties.

Armor and Shields

Armor Class (AC): Set your armor type and proficiency using the gear icon in the AC section. The sheet will calculate your AC based on armor bonus, dex cap, and proficiency.
Shields: Remember to “raise” your shield as an action in combat to benefit from its bonus. Some sheets allow you to toggle this; others require manual tracking.

Weapons

Melee and Ranged Strikes: Add your weapons to the “Melee Strikes” and “Ranged Strikes” sections. Enter the correct damage dice, attack bonus, and traits.
Special Properties: Some weapons have versatile traits (e.g., can deal bludgeoning or piercing damage). Note these in the description.

Skills, Feats, and Abilities: Fine-Tuning Your Build

Setting Proficiencies

Skills: Use the gear icon to set your proficiency level for each skill. The sheet will add your level and proficiency bonus automatically.
Saves: Similarly, set your proficiency for Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves.

Adding Feats

Compendium Search: Search for your feat in the compendium and drag it onto your sheet.
Manual Entry: If the feat isn’t available, add it as a custom feat and paste the description.

Special Features

Ancestry and Heritage: Some features grant special abilities (like “Orc Ferocity” or “Bouncy Goblin”). Enter these in the appropriate section, noting any mechanical effects.
Backgrounds: Backgrounds often grant skill training and feats. Make sure to add these to your sheet.

Spells and Spellcasting

Adding Spells

Cantrips and Spell Slots: Enter your cantrips and prepared spells in the “Spells” tab. Use the compendium to drag spells onto your sheet, or add them manually if needed.
Divine Font: For clerics, track your heal/harm spells in the “Focus Spells” or “Innate Spells” section, depending on your build.
Spell Descriptions: If a spell isn’t in the compendium, copy its description from Archives of Nethys.

Managing Spell Uses

Daily Uses: Track the number of times you can cast each spell per day. Some sheets allow you to set this; otherwise, use a notepad or the notes section.

Visuals: Tokens and Character Art

Creating Tokens

AI Art: Some players used AI tools to generate character portraits, specifying details like “female dwarf with a braided beard” or “gray-skinned goblin with a dog slicer.”
Token Stamp: Use online tools like Token Stamp to crop and frame your portrait as a square or circle token for Roll20.
Uploading: Add your token to your character sheet under the “Avatar” section. The GM can assign it to your token on the map.

Token Settings

Bars and Vision: Set your token’s green bar to hit points, blue to AC, and red to temporary HP or other resources. If you have darkvision, the GM can enable this in the token’s dynamic lighting settings.
Control: Ensure your token is assigned to your player so you can move and edit it during play.

Party Composition and Collaboration

Building a Balanced Party

The group’s party included:

Grunhilda: Female dwarf barbarian, focused on frontline combat and crowd control.
Zandarius: Orc war priest cleric, blending martial prowess with healing and support.
Tenzin: Orc monk, specializing in unarmed combat and mobility.
Akudagawa Seline: Goblin rogue, expert in stealth, acrobatics, and trapfinding.

The players discussed their roles, ensuring coverage of essential skills like healing, trap disarming, and frontline fighting. They also considered backup characters in case of in-game deaths.

Sharing Knowledge

Throughout the session, players helped each other navigate Roll20’s quirks, shared tips for entering data, and collaborated on party strategy. The GM provided guidance on rules interpretations, especially where digital tools diverged from the printed books.

The Campaign Hook: Entering the Demiplane

The Story Begins

The party was summoned by a wealthy merchant prince in Absalom, who had discovered a new, unmapped demiplane. He hired the group to explore this unknown realm, test the boundaries of magic and divine power, and establish trade contacts. Each character received an advance of 20 gold pieces and the promise of further rewards.

Preparing for Adventure

With their characters built and equipment purchased, the party was ready to embark on their journey. The GM set the stage for a campaign blending exploration, commerce, and the supernatural, with the players’ choices shaping the story to come.

Lessons Learned: Tips for Digital Character Creation

1. Use Multiple Tools

Pathbuilder 2e: Excellent for planning and exporting characters.
Archives of Nethys: Comprehensive rules reference for feats, spells, and items.
Roll20: Central hub for gameplay, but may require manual data entry.

2. Be Ready to Improvise

Not all features are available in every tool. Be prepared to enter custom data and cross-reference sources.

3. Collaborate and Communicate

Work with your GM and fellow players to resolve questions, share resources, and ensure everyone’s character is ready for play.

4. Embrace the Process

Character creation is part of the fun. Use it as an opportunity to flesh out your character’s backstory, personality, and role in the party.

Conclusion: The Joy of Collaborative Play

Building characters in Pathfinder 2e—especially in a digital environment—can be complex, but it’s also a deeply rewarding process. By working together, sharing knowledge, and embracing the quirks of your chosen tools, you’ll not only create memorable characters but also lay the foundation for epic adventures. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the world of virtual tabletops, remember: the journey is just as important as the destination. Happy adventuring!

Tags:091425, Recap, Session0