Infused With the Planes

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

In a previous blog, I spoke generally about some of number of player-facing rules elements found in Pathfinder RPG Planar Adventures, giving rough numbers of different kinds of new mechanics for your characters.

Now I want to dig down a little deeper and talk about something brand new. Amid the archetypes, spells, magic items, and feats, Planar Adventures includes a new type of feats: conduit feats. Here's how the book describes them.

Illustration by Ian Perks

Conduit Feats

Conduit feats grant the ability to draw energies from other planes. The effects of conduit feats are supernatural and do not function in an antimagic field or similar effect. In addition, since these abilities require energies from other planes, you cannot use them in areas that are warded against planar or dimensional travel (such as those under the effects of dimensional lock or forbiddance) or when you have been denied this ability (such as via dimensional anchor).

There are nearly two dozen conduit feats, the most versatile of which is Planar Infusion. Each of the planes (and demiplanes and dimensions) detailed in Planar Adventures has a stat block listing things you've come to expect like alignment, gravity, time, and how magic works there, but the stat blocks also contain other new pieces of information. One of these is infusions. Infusions are meant to represent how planar energies can affect characters if exposed over a period of time or during a significant event. There are three tiers to infusions: basic, improved, and greater—each granting powers unlocked by the Planar Infusion, Improved Planar Infusion, and Greater Planar Infusion feats.

As an example, I'll share the infusions for a demiplane near and dear to my heart—Xibalba.

Illustration by Fabio Gorla

Infusions

Basic The dread horrors of Xibalba infuse your being, and there is little that can further unnerve you. Increase the save DC of fear effects you create by 1, and you gain a +2 bonus on all saving throws against fear effects.

Improved You can use phantasmal killer as a spell-like ability once per day.

Greater You can use insanity as a spell-like ability once per day.

Other conduit feats grant your character unique abilities, all deeply linked to a particular plane of existence. For example, Axiomatic Discourse helps you influence others, Blazing aura wreathes you in flame, Malleable Form converts you to a semi-gelatinous state, and Phasestrike lets you phase out a weapon and resolve attacks as touch attacks. Here's a full example of one of these conduit feats, the wonderfully named Chaos Reigns.

Chaos Reigns (Conduit)

The Abyss dreams of devastation; the slightest taste of its power is an incitement to bare-fisted violence.

Prerequisite: Knowledge (planes) 3 ranks.

Benefit: As a swift action, you can allow Abyssal wrath to overtake you. While in this state, you can use one of your hands as a slam natural attack that deals 1d6 points of damage (or 1d4 for Small creatures). A creature that does not have hands can instead use a different part of its body to make this slam attack.

You can use this feat's benefit for a number of minutes per day equal to your ranks in Knowledge (planes). These minutes need not be consecutive, but they must be spent in 1-minute increments.

That's it for now! Pick up Pathfinder RPG Planar Adventures here on paizo.com or at your local game retailer! Keep your eyes on the blog for more details about Planar Adventures.

Adam Daigle
Managing Developer

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Tags: Fabio Gorla Ian Perks Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Planar Adventures

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I hope we get some Metamagic feats that let your elemental damage spells bypass resistance or immunity in exchange for using a higher level spell slot. Maybe with cool names like Primal Fire, Absolute Cold, (etc etc). :D

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Rad.

RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16

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I wanna learn about duskwalkers!


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Cyrad wrote:
I wanna learn about duskwalkers!

One of the first character concept I came up with after the introduction of the Whispering Tyrant....was a soul sent by Pharasma to defeat any nemesis.....now with the introduction of this race....I can actually do this.


4 people marked this as a favorite.

*Squints at first picure*

Huh, I've seen this particular tiefling before.

Valeros, I'd suggest leaving right now, or a missing flagon will be the least of your problems.


Xibalba infusion sounds really lame. It's a +1 bonus for a narrow ability and +2 saves against a decently common type effect for a feat. The follow ups just plain old don't interact with the first ability and are just 1/day SLAs that depend on your (likely not great if you aren't just casting the spell anyways and are of a class that allows chaotic alignments) charisma to do anything.

Do these scale with the number of these feats you have? Are the others less lame?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Malefactor wrote:

*Squints at first picure*

Huh, I've seen this particular tiefling before.

Valeros, I'd suggest leaving right now, or a missing flagon will be the least of your problems.

Yup!

I'm certain it's not me taking advantage of my cosmic power to insert another of my characters into the game, though! I would never do that! :-P

Contributor

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James Jacobs wrote:
Malefactor wrote:

*Squints at first picure*

Huh, I've seen this particular tiefling before.

Valeros, I'd suggest leaving right now, or a missing flagon will be the least of your problems.

Yup!

I'm certain it's not me taking advantage of my cosmic power to insert another of my characters into the game, though! I would never do that! :-P

Nobody would ever do such a thing! Never!

Grand Lodge

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Todd Stewart wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Malefactor wrote:

*Squints at first picure*

Huh, I've seen this particular tiefling before.

Valeros, I'd suggest leaving right now, or a missing flagon will be the least of your problems.

Yup!

I'm certain it's not me taking advantage of my cosmic power to insert another of my characters into the game, though! I would never do that! :-P

Nobody would ever do such a thing! Never!

Perish the thought!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

8 people marked this as a favorite.
deuxhero wrote:

Xibalba infusion sounds really lame. It's a +1 bonus for a narrow ability and +2 saves against a decently common type effect for a feat. The follow ups just plain old don't interact with the first ability and are just 1/day SLAs that depend on your (likely not great if you aren't just casting the spell anyways and are of a class that allows chaotic alignments) charisma to do anything.

Do these scale with the number of these feats you have? Are the others less lame?

If we publish 100 things or 2 things, one of them will always be lamer than the other. Whether or not any 2 people will agree is the question. And also, keep in mind that GMs can use these feats for NPCs as well. Not EVERY feat in the game should necessarilly be all about making something a great new option for every character. In fact, at this late stage in the game's edition, I much prefer seeing more focused feats that allow PCs and GMs more options to make niche builds for whatever reason they want.

This particular infusion feat was included in the blog I suspect because Adam is proud of the Xibalba stuff, and I think he did a great job with it.


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Comparing the 4 example feats with others, they are of pretty much average power level, hence ok.

There is a huge gap between what some players expect from feats (gamechangers or significant numeric boosts) and the intended power level since 3.0 (small tweaks to focus your character). The fact that a few feats are gamechangers (allowing you to fly etc.) or offer significant numeric boosts (Power Attack etc.) just supports the gap - players consider these few feats normal and dismiss the rest as "crap". The latter also helps them to cut down an enormous number of choices to a manageable amount.

Sovereign Court

James Jacobs wrote:
deuxhero wrote:

Xibalba infusion sounds really lame. It's a +1 bonus for a narrow ability and +2 saves against a decently common type effect for a feat. The follow ups just plain old don't interact with the first ability and are just 1/day SLAs that depend on your (likely not great if you aren't just casting the spell anyways and are of a class that allows chaotic alignments) charisma to do anything.

Do these scale with the number of these feats you have? Are the others less lame?

If we publish 100 things or 2 things, one of them will always be lamer than the other. Whether or not any 2 people will agree is the question. And also, keep in mind that GMs can use these feats for NPCs as well. Not EVERY feat in the game should necessarilly be all about making something a great new option for every character. In fact, at this late stage in the game's edition, I much prefer seeing more focused feats that allow PCs and GMs more options to make niche builds for whatever reason they want.

This particular infusion feat was included in the blog I suspect because Adam is proud of the Xibalba stuff, and I think he did a great job with it.

If it helps (and to further prove your point) I looked at that feat chain and went: "Swell! An interesting and flavourful feat chain for a mesmerist or a necromancer, I like it."


deuxhero wrote:

Xibalba infusion sounds really lame. It's a +1 bonus for a narrow ability and +2 saves against a decently common type effect for a feat. The follow ups just plain old don't interact with the first ability and are just 1/day SLAs that depend on your (likely not great if you aren't just casting the spell anyways and are of a class that allows chaotic alignments) charisma to do anything.

Do these scale with the number of these feats you have? Are the others less lame?

Sounds like a great feat to give an Intimidate-focused Bloodrager; he gets a bonus on the DC for his Terrifying Howl ability, and his decent Cha score gives him a decent chance of turning his normal role on its head and smacking someone with Phantasmal Killer or Insanity - a very fun option for someone who would normally just be smacking enemies with a weapon, and occasionally buffing himself. Also very nice on an Improved Dirge of Doom Bard.

As James said (more politely than I'm about to), not all feats in the game are meant to be tailor-made for the style of game you prefer. Adam states in this blog that there are "nearly two dozen conduit feats" (which suggests there are still other combat, social, etc. feats beyond that), and he only listed 4 of those feats here, 3 of which change into completely different feats based on the plane you choose, turning those 3 feats into like 30 feats, so maybe get off your high horse?


I'm sure the answer is no, but I wonder if the Material Plane will get Infusion options?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Cuup wrote:
I'm sure the answer is no, but I wonder if the Material Plane will get Infusion options?

Nope. The metaphysical quality and conditions that allow infusions to occur is lacking on the Material Plane, and it lacking from the Material Plane is one of the key significant ways that the Material Plane is what it is.


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Gotta say, I love the name of that Abyss Infusion feat. I can tell somebody's been talking to undead foxes.


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I wish conduit feats were the center of the PF2 cleric and/or paladin (although righteous ally seems like a second cousin) and "channel outsider" seems more interesting than "channel energy", particularly with PF's expansive list of outsiders.

Scarab Sages

Looks pretty cool!


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Slam attacks?! I'd ragers just got was at cooler! :)


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Id ragers got way cooler. So excited I didn't check auto correct...


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Id ragers (and their lack of slam attacks) were actually the inspiration for Chaos Reigns. ^_^

Silver Crusade

Isabelle Lee wrote:
Id ragers (and their lack of slam attacks) were actually the inspiration for Chaos Reigns. ^_^

Woohoo!


I'm currently at the third book of Strange Aeons so I hope to find some neat Dimension of Dreams related feats for my players.

Liberty's Edge

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And all it requires is to channel the raw energy of the Abyss, you say?

-Draws tiefling horns and a tail on his Angelkin Id Rager, whistling innocently-

Silver Crusade

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An angelkin id rager, you say? ^_^

Liberty's Edge

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Ooh, a kindness rager. That one's been on the bucket list - hilarious defiance of type and surprisingly good synergy with the rager!

Actually, reading over this now, I kinda want to see a Kindness Rager 5/Heritor Knight. Opening Strike would put an interesting spin on the Mighty Strike class feature. Plus it has flavour in spades.


Berselius wrote:
I hope we get some Metamagic feats that let your elemental damage spells bypass resistance or immunity in exchange for using a higher level spell slot. Maybe with cool names like Primal Fire, Absolute Cold, (etc etc). :D

It looks amazing!

Can anyone take the Conduit Feats, or do you have to currently be travelling in one of the planes?

I guess I am asking if the pre-req of Planar knowledge is actually the only pre-req, or if there is a catch?

Paizo Employee Managing Developer

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The vast majority of the conduit feats only require a certain number of skill ranks in a skill (or skills, in some cases). A few have other prerequisites, Planar Infusion for example.


Adam Daigle wrote:
The vast majority of the conduit feats only require a certain number of skill ranks in a skill (or skills, in some cases). A few have other prerequisites, Planar Infusion for example.

OK, that's what it seemed to say, I asked because it seemed a little OP to get a spell like ability for a tier one feat, and some skill ranks.

But then, I plan to abuse the crap out of it for my npc villains...


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NPCs are certainly going to get the most value out of conduit feats, as with any limited resource. ^_^


Have I missed something or has the book already been released? I hope like heck I can get a copy of it.


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Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
DungeonmasterCal wrote:
Have I missed something or has the book already been released? I hope like heck I can get a copy of it.

It has been out since yesterday. You can now purchase a PDF and get it immediately.


Thanks, David. I'm not a fan of PDFs, personally. I'll just wait until I can lay my hands on the hard copy.


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Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
DungeonmasterCal wrote:
Thanks, David. I'm not a fan of PDFs, personally. I'll just wait until I can lay my hands on the hard copy.

Well, I was just giving you the latest status update. I would bet that you can find it in your local game store now or in your local book store in a few days.


I do appreciate it. I hope I didn't come across as snarky.


Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Same here. I was second guessing how my tone might have been coming across.


No snark detected from you here!


Are you about to go do the Hunting of the Snark?

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