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Lady-J wrote:
it would be 6x11x2000=132000x1.5=198000 however since they dont get to pick just any destination and its a very specific destination i would reduce the cost by 90-95% so 19800 or 9900

What's the 1.5 for?

Ok, so the crafting cost is 92,000 gp, but the actual price is 19,800 gp.

What about the Suggestion curse part? How would that affect the build-out?

Thanks Lady J! :)


I stink at item creation, so can you all check my math? Here goes...

Find the Path is a 6th level cleric spell (minimum caster level 11th).

Question: Find the Path has verbal, somatic, and material components. I believe I do not need to factor material components into the cost, correct? Do I need to assume Silent and Still metamagic spell feats (thereby raising the spell level by +2, i.e. minimum caster level 15th)?

Find the Path will be continuous use, meaning that the compass will always point toward the city (no command word required). Since Find the Path's duration is not measured in rounds, this means the base price is Spell level x caster level x 2,000 gp. A regular compass costs 10gp, so the base price is (6 x 11 x 2000 + 10 =) 132,010 gp.

The crafting cost would be half of this, or 66,005 gp, and the crafting time would be (1 8-hour day per 1,000 gp base price, or) 133 days.

Putting all this together:

Compass of Navigation
Aura moderate divination; CL 11th; Slot --; Price 132,010 gp; Weight 1/2 lb.

Description
This needle of this compass always points toward a specific location, which is determined at the time of crafting, as per the Find the Path spell. As with a normal compass, it also grants the user a +2 circumstance bonus on Survival checks made to avoid becoming lost, and +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks made to navigate underground, but only when travelling toward the predetermined destination.

Construction Requirements
Craft Wondrous Item, Find the Path; Cost 66,005 gp.

Does that look about right?

One other question: Let's say that, at the start of each day, the compass will silently/subtly compel its owner to go to the city, as per the Suggestion spell. Since this makes it more of a cursed item, how would that figure into things?

Thanks!


Lady-J wrote:
Ch3rnobyl wrote:
Starglim wrote:
How about a helping hand spell? Duration of a few hours and range of 5 miles may require some other plot mechanism to cast it.
No, I need it to be a wondrous item. The idea is to have an NPC give it to the PCs to tell them how to get to a certain city. Any ideas?
you could always make a custom item using the rules in the paizo books that way its technically not gm fiat

Yeah, I'm starting to think that's what I need to do. Maybe something based on the Find the Path spell perhaps.


Starglim wrote:
How about a helping hand spell? Duration of a few hours and range of 5 miles may require some other plot mechanism to cast it.

No, I need it to be a wondrous item. The idea is to have an NPC give it to the PCs to tell them how to get to a certain city. Any ideas?


I'm looking for a wondrous item that will lead the PCs to the adventure hook. I'd like to use something from published Pathfinder material (i.e. no GM fiat).

I don't want it to teleport them there, or fly them there, or otherwise transport them there. I don't want it to force them to go there against their will. I don't want it to tell them what they will find there, or give them any information about the destination other than the direction to head in order to get there. I don't want them to be able to change the destination, or be able to plot a return trip.

I'm thinking of something that acts like a GPS, i.e. pointing them in the direction of a fixed and predetermined locale.

Any suggestions?


As I read over the above, it sounds like the consensus is that Maximize/Empower alter the *effects* of the spell, and the self-inflicted damage is one of the spell's variable, numeric effects, so it should get modified by the feats.

It'd be great if someone from Paizo would weigh in here with an "official" ruling. Until then, I'm going to go with the above.

Thanks all! :)


Here's why I'm on the fence about this one.

The rules state that on a result of 51-75, the subject "Deals 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self with item in hand" which implies that the damage is coming from the subject, not the spell.

However, this is listed under a table called "Confusion effects," which implies that the damage (while dealt by the subject) is an effect of the Confusion spell. And the Maximize feat says that "All variable, numeric effects of a spell modified by this feat are maximized" (and similar wording for Empowered). A strict interpretation of this wording would lead one to understand that the 1d8+Str, being an effect, could be maximized and/or empowered.

Thoughts?


If I cast Sands of Time on an adult creature, it advances to middle age and takes –1 to Str, Dex, and Con, and +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Can I do it again to bump it up to old? Can I do it a third time to make the creature venerable?

What happens if I do it again before the duration of the spell is over? Does the creature die of old age?


Specifically, if the target must do 1d8 damage to itself as a result of being confused, will Maximize and Empower cause this to become 12 points of damage?


The Extend metamagic feat will double the duration of a spell. Can you use two Extend feats to quadruple the duration?

While on the subject, is there any other way to stretch out the duration of a spell (other than Permanency)?


What, if anything, happens when a spellcaster uses the Veil spell to disguise her allies as enemies during combat?

For example, if the party encounters a band of orcs, combat ensues, and the spellcaster uses Veil to disguise the party as the orcs, does that impose any penalties on attack rolls? Would it count as concealment? Would there be any other reason why a spellcaster would want to do this?


Ok, well thanks guys. This helps clarify for me.


BadBird wrote:
You can move 20 feet across a room in one move action, yes, but you have to plot the movement 5 feet at a time, like normal movement. So if you want to move to a space 20 feet away that's on the other side of a large creature, you have to 'hop' around them, because you can't move through them in 5 foot increments.

Ok, so you can't Dimensional Hop through walls or other solid objects, but you can plot a nonlinear course around them.

A couple of more questions:
1. Can the cleric hop through a space occupied by an ally or enemy?
2. Could the cleric's dimensional hop end in a space that she can't actually see?
3. Does it work like Teleport, where there is a chance of a mishap (say, if the cleric attempts to end the hop in a space that is occupied by a solid wall)?

Thanks!


That is so weird. Ok, thanks folks.


One of our clerics has a domain that grants her domain spells that are normally limited to arcane spellcasters. She also has the Scribe Scroll feat.

If she scribes a scroll for one of her domain spells (in this case, teleport), and then gives the scroll to the party Magus, can the Magus learn the arcane version of the spell from the scroll?


BadBird wrote:
Read it like you were normally moving somewhere, but each 'step' is a teleport hop that doesn't provoke AoO's or have to obey normal movement issues like terrain.

Right, but must dimensional hop ALWAYS be limited to 5 feet?

Or could the cleric dimensional hop across the room for 20 feet in a single move action?


It says that Dimensional Hop (the domain ability, not the spell) must be used in 5-foot increments. Does that mean that the cleric can only hop 5 feet per move action? Or does it mean that the cleric must hop some multiple of 5 feet (e.g. 25 feet)?


Joana wrote:
Ch3rnobyl wrote:
And, while on the topic, what's the DC to hear the snoring of a character that is otherwise hidden from view. For example, if the guard is sleeping behind a crate or barrel or something.

Distance to the source, object, or creature

+1/10 feet

So if the guard was 20 feet away, the DC would be 2?


What is the penalty to Perception rolls when the character is asleep.

Say, for example, a party attempts to sneak up (using Stealth) on a sleeping guard.

And, while on the topic, what's the DC to hear the snoring of a character that is otherwise hidden from view. For example, if the guard is sleeping behind a crate or barrel or something.


One of my players insists that, since Scorpion Style was included in the core rulebook, and style feats were not introduced until Ultimate Combat, it means that, despite the descriptor "style" in the name, this is just a regular combat feat. As a result, a monk should be able to use it and a style feat at the same time (e.g. Dragon Style).

Does this argument hold water?


Is it possible to teleport into an occupied area without attracting attention by using Stealth?


Subject says it all.

Thanks,

Chernobyl


wolaberry wrote:
The room making a perception check to notice feels backwards. If the party notices the weak spot can they make stealth checks to keep quiet? To avoid the opposed roll, you could just say if someone gets a stealth check less than 10 it collapses. As above, the cave in hazard in the core rulebook sounds like what you're after. If you want the CR higher, bumping up the damage by 2d6 and / or raising the save DC by 1 should get you to CR 10.

Yeah, the cave-in hazard sounds close, except for the trigger ("A character can cause a cave-in by destroying half the pillars holding up the ceiling"). If I swap that for a Stealth- (or Perception-) based trigger, does that affect the CR/XP?

My thinking behind the room having a Perception check was to account for the scenario where the characters enter the room without using Stealth. The room could make a Perception check to "hear" the sound of the party walking (DC 10) or talking (DC 0). It's sort of like the sound trigger of a magic trap, only not as sensitive. If there's a better way to do this, I'm all ears (pun intended).

wolaberry wrote:

No way to bypass? If this is the only way to the plot you could have PCs deciding to not risk the cave in and leave. Might work better if it's a faster way through but not the only way. What happens if they use a summoned monster to poke it until it falls?

Is the intention here to trap the party on one side of the debris so they must go forward to get out or just to soften them up before a big fight?

Nope, it's not plot-relevant at all. I'm running AD&D module G2: "Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl," updated to Pathfinder rules. Area #3 in the upper level is the Empty Ice Cave, which had some peculiar rules governing a cave-in. I'm snapping the whole module to standard Pathfinder rules.

Thanks,
Chernobyl


Happy Hump Day. :)

I'm trying to design a trap, and I'm having some trouble interpreting the rules. I'm hoping you can help.

The trap in question is a cave with a weakened ceiling. It wasn't constructed by anyone; it's just there. When the PCs enter the area and make a disturbance (e.g. they make a lot of noise), the ceiling will collapse and do damage to them.

Instead of perception checks, like a normal trap, I'd like to call for knowledge (engineering) checks to notice the weakened ceiling.

The trigger for the trap will be noise. I'd like the room to make perception checks vs. the DC of the activities that the characters in the room undertake (as in the "Notice Someone/Something" table in the core rulebook under the Perception skill). Success means the trap is sprung.

The effect will be falling debris, which will do piercing (stalactites) and bludgeoning (rocks) damage to all characters in the room. There will be a Reflex save to halve the damage.

The trap will not reset itself. There is no means of disabling or bypassing the trap.

How do I calculate the CR and XP for this trap? Are there any other features I should consider? The Average Party Level right now is about 9, so I'd like this to be in the Challenging range, around 10.

Thanks,
Chernobyl


Noir le Lotus wrote:
4/ Don't forget that digging makes a lot of noise. Enemies have a good chance of hearing it si=o they will try to defend themselves. they could summon an earth elemental to attack the diggers, or damage the tunnel.

What's the Perception DC to hear your enemies digging a tunnel up underneath your stronghold?

I'm running "Against the Giants," modified for Pathfinder rules. They're trying to figure out a sneaky way to get in & out of the Steading
whenever they want. There is quite a bit of rock below the Steading, so...

As an aside: The only player who is against the plan is the one & only spellcaster, who keeps reminding the others that she can cast teleport to get them in and out. But the ninja wants to dig a tunnel and has convinced the others that it's a great idea. They're debating it as I write this post.


Thanks, this is good food for thought. I appreciate the quick responses. :)


Hi Folks,

One of my players wants to dig a tunnel into the enemy stronghold. He has a shovel, and he wants to dig a tunnel with a 3 foot radius (cross-sectional area = 27 square feet) that goes 70 feet down, then 210 feet in a straight direction, and then another 70 feet back up, which will bring them straight into a safe location within the enemy base. (70+210+70)x27 = 9,450 cubic feet of earth that he needs to move.

The rules for the shovel state that it can dig 2 cubic feet per minute, which means that it will take him 80 total hours of digging to complete his tunnel.

My questions to you:
1. Is this a correct reading of the rules?
2. Is there anything extra he needs to do to make a tunnel (e.g. shore it up with beams)? If so, how much time/cost would that take?
3. Is there any special knowledge he needs (e.g. Profession[miner]) in order to complete this project?
4. Is there anything else that needs to be taken into consideration?

Thanks,
Chernobyl


According to the rules:

rules wrote:
You must successfully cast a conjuration (healing) spell on an ally after being hit by an attack of opportunity, or have the Battle, Chaplain, or Healed background.

So I take this to mean after you've been hit by an AOO, not the ally, correct?

And is it immediately after, or during the same turn, or battle, or session? The text implies it can be anytime after the hit, e.g. years later would still count.

Furthermore:

rules wrote:
Completion Benefit: You automatically succeed at concentration checks for conjuration (healing) spells caused by taking damage.

I assume this means that if you have taken damage while casting a healing spell, then you automatically pass your concentration check, correct?

Thanks.


CampinCarl9127 wrote:
Generally it means coming from different kinds of sources.

So what if it's two identical sources? For example, let's say a character had two identical weapons (for example) that both did 1d4 bleed damage. If the character made two successful attacks (one with each weapon) against a target, the target would suffer 2d4 bleed damage per turn?

Also, what if it's the same source but different kinds of damage, e.g. lethal and nonlethal? For example, let's say a character used a bleed damage weapon to attack a target normally. Then, on a subsequent turn, the character used the same weapon and took the -4 penalty to deliver nonlethal damage. Would the bleed from the first attack stack with the second?

Thanks!


Sorry, one more question.

What constitutes, "different kinds of damage?"


Thanks! :)


CampinCarl9127 wrote:

You are correct about how multiple bleed effects from the same source work though. They overlap, they do not stack. Basically, if the character in your example rolled a 4 (the maximum number possible), they wouldn't even need to roll more bleed dice later unless the creature somehow stopped bleeding.

Hope this helped!

Chess Pwn wrote:
nope, you roll the bleed damage each time if it's a die roll. So if you rolled a 4 the first time you still need to roll the second time.

Thanks guys. I'm still confused, but I think I'm starting to get it.

I think the thing that's throwing me is the 1d4. Am I correct that the "worse effect" is the 1d4, and not number rolled on the 1d4?

Assuming I am, the victim in the above example would roll 1d4 at the start of his/her turn. So the victim might take 1 point of bleed damage one turn, 3 points the next 2 the following, and so on.

Thus, the attacking character can ignore bleed damage on subsequent attacks, because he/she will never do better than 1d4 (unless he/she has a different attack that does bleed damage).

Is this correct?


I find the rules for bleed damage a bit confusing, so I want to make sure I understand it before I play it.

A character has an attack that deals 1d4 bleed damage (in addition to normal damage).

On the character's first turn, she attacks and hits a target. After resolving normal damage, she rolls 1d4 and gets a 1. At the end of the round, the target takes 1 point of bleed damage.

The next round, the character attacks the same target and misses. At the end of the round, the target takes 1 point of bleed damage.

The next round, the character attacks the same target and hits. After resolving normal damage, she rolls 1d4 and gets a 3. At the end of the round, the target takes 3 points of bleed damage.

Is this correct?


I prefer 2e.

My #1 reason is familiarity. 2e is very similar to other d20-based games, so it's easier for my players to adapt. "If you've played Pathfinder or D&D 3.5," I tell them, "then this is almost the same." Instead of explaining to them how the mechanic works, I can just highlight the major differences (e.g. Toughness Saves, no AOOs) and move on.

In contrast, 3e is very different from other d20-based games, so it takes players longer to get the hang of it.

As an aside, they made a lot of pointless changes (IMO) in 3e. I suspect most of this was just to distance the system from D&D, Pathfinder, etc. For example, "feats" became "advantages," but they work almost exactly the same. So why change the name? Another example is ability scores, which went from 6 to 8, and changed from a more familiar 3-18+ scale to a -5 to +5 scale. If you're new to roleplaying, it's po-TAY-to vs. po-TAH-to, but if you're coming from any other mainstream d20 game, it takes some getting used to (needlessly).

I do like how M&M 3e handles powers better than 2e, especially when it comes to designing Devices and Equipment. But 2e isn't bad enough to make me want to upgrade to 3e.

2e also has a better selection of sourcebooks. In 3e it feels like they went to a lot more online content (Threat Reports), which, to be frank, feels like they're nickel & diming me. I'd rather pick up one sourcebook with a wide range of new rules, characters, and info, than a bunch of piecemeal PDFs. Also, I like having books on the table, rather than have to look things up on my laptop. You can find almost all of the 2e sourcebooks on Amazon or eBay for reasonable prices.

While on the subject of sourcebooks, I really like Freedom City, and they don't have a version for 3e. I've not looked at Emerald City (the 3e city sourcebook) yet, but I've heard from the reviews that it's junk. Besides, the only copy I could find on Amazon was $60, which is way too much.

I do wish 2e had an online reference document, like 3e does. But again, it's not enough to make me want to upgrade to 3e.

I kind of hope they come out with a 4e that goes back to the d20 roots, but combines it with the better power rules from 3e. That would be enough to get me to upgrade.

Hope this helps.


Hi All,

I may be nuts, but I recall coming across an optional rule somewhere regarding the impact of the city on the heroes' campaign. Basically, as the city gets worse, things get harder for the heroes; as the city improves, things get easier. The idea is that the heroes' actions have consequences, e.g. if they fail to stop some supervillain or disaster.

I've searched through all of my sourcebooks, and for the life of me I can't find this one.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Could I maybe be thinking of a different rpg?

Thanks,
Stephen


Diekssus wrote:
Frankly I'd consider any profession skill the same. If you use the skill profession (gambler), And you use the skill checks to generate income, it simulates you going to the local gambling ring/establishment and gambling, your skill will allow you to at least break even, and your roll simulates how successful you are.

So what benefit would you get from using tools like marked cards or loaded dice, skills like Sleight of Hand or Disable Device, or spells like Mage Hand? The rules say nothing about these things.

Diekssus wrote:
If you want simulate cheating of any kind, I'd advice just using individual games. As rules about cheating for that exist and simply assume that if you cheat while generating cash with the profession skill, no cheating will be either possible or profitable (much like a normal casino, even if they cannot prove you've cheated, if its likely, you'll be asked to leave anyway).

So what benefit you get from things like marked cards and loaded dice in a one-off game? The rules are vague on this issue.


Ch3rnobyl wrote:
The gambler who ops to cheat makes a Sleight of Hand or Disable Device check; if he/she rolls 10 or higher, he/she gets a +2 to the Profession (gambling) check (like using Aid Another).

And if he/she rolls below 10, he/she gets busted trying to cheat.


Slacker2010 wrote:

I have a character with Profession (Gambler). While I understand the rules for wages under most professions, I think Gambler would have an exception.

If you did it like most professions you couldn't lose money. Of Course this has a built in cap. What if you are willing to risk it and can find a higher level (society) game. Where the stakes are much higher? How would you handle your player playing poker in higher stakes game?

Good point. What if instead of halving the result of your Profession (gambling) roll, you subtract 5 from it? So if you roll a 1, you lose 4 gp that week, but if you roll a 20, you gain 15 gp that week. On average, you'll make 5 gp a week.


How's this for the Profession check: The gambler who ops to cheat makes a Sleight of Hand or Disable Device check; if he/she rolls 10 or higher, he/she gets a +2 to the Profession (gambling) check (like using Aid Another). Using marked cards or loaded dice give him/her a +2 circumstance bonus to the Profession (gambling) check (like using a toolkit). However, if the player rolls a natural 1, he/she is caught cheating and must face some consequence that is roleplayed out sometime during the week (either the guards arrive to haul the character off to jail, or an opponent gets angry and demands his money back).

So the likelihood of getting caught is low, but on the flipside the character can't get more than 2 gp extra per week from cheating.

What do you think?


Kahn Zordlon wrote:

Hi,

Off the top of my head, I would add their bluff/slight of hand modifier to their profession check to come up with what is earned per week. I would make a separate roll bluff/sense motive or slight of hand/perception check to see if they are caught. In addition if the players are dedicated to cheating, i would give the people who are cheated often a bonus on their roll.
-KZ

For the weekly scenario, I'm assuming the player specifically says that he/she is going to spend 6 or more hours a day for the entire week on gambling, and that he/she is going to consistently cheat (e.g. using Sleight of Hand and aces hidden up the sleeve).

So let's assume the gambler's Profession bonus is +3 and his Sleight of Hand is +2. So according to your recommendation, I would have him/her roll d20+5, divide by 2, and that's how many gp he/she earns.
Then, to determine whether he/she is caught, I would have him/her roll a Bluff check, opposed by... what? Whose Sense Motive check am I using? Do I create a generic character to represent all of the folks that he/she gambled with during the week? And if he/she fails, then what? I would think that the person being cheated would call the local authorities, or maybe attack the character. This sounds like a great combat opportunity that I'd hate to pass up.
Any thoughts?


Hi All,

A few of my players want to try their hand at gambling. I have a couple of questions that I'm hoping you can help answer.

Specifically:
Regular play: The Profession (Gambler) skill allows you to earn 1/2 your check result in gold pieces per week of dedicated play. What if you're playing with marked cards or loaded dice, or regularly using things like Sleight of Hand, the Secret Stash deed, Mage Hand, etc.? How do these affect your result? How do you factor in the chance of getting caught?

Individual games: The Gamemastry Guide says that "luck should rule the day." It goes on to say that "cheating is the only way to change your luck in a game of chance. If someone at the table wants to cheat, Sleight of Hand is the most useful skill, but Disable Device might also be allowed. In addition, magic can be quite useful for cheating. Spells like mage hand, silent image, and modify memory can turn bad results into good results. Getting caught, however, can turn these good results into much, much worse outcomes." Again, how would cheating affect the result, and how do you factor in the chance of getting caught?

Thanks,
Chernobyl


HectorVivis wrote:
1. I think it's a no. First because it sounds really silly, next because it would create a bug exploit where mending makes you save money.

I'm thinking it might represent shoddy craftsmanship. You can't afford to craft it properly, so instead you build it on the cheap and accept the associated penalties.


Hi All,

I'm looking over the Craft skill, and I have two questions:
1. Can you craft an item with the Broken condition to reduce the raw materials cost by 75%?
2. Per the rules: "If you fail by 5 or more, you ruin half the raw materials and have to pay half the original raw material cost again." For items that take multiple weeks to craft, is this half the total raw material cost, or half of the remaining raw materials (i.e. excluding progress you've made thus far)?

Thanks,
Chernobyl


Other than choosing a class with a high wealth die (e.g. cavalier, fighter, paladin, ranger), rolling high on the wealth check, or taking the Rich Parents trait, is there any other way to start a 1st level character out with a little more gold?

Or is 900 gp pretty much the ceiling for 1st level characters?

Thanks,
Chernobyl


What about upcoming adventure paths?


One of the guys in my gaming group has been pestering me to run a mythic adventure. Ok, well fine, but before I dive into that one I'd like to run a published mythic adventure path.

Any suggestions on which is the best?

Thanks,
Chernobyl


Pan wrote:
Can you provide more information? Are the PCs dead smack in the middle of a dungeon delve? Are they miles upon miles away from the nearest village, town, or city? Are they on the road and traveling non-stop even if there is a near by town?

Sorry, yes, of course.

They're in the middle of a desert, several day's ride from the nearest town. They've pursued a pair of drakes to their lair, a cave atop a rocky crag, and have the beasts at fewer than 20 hp apiece. They'll likely slay them and have their treasure hoard next session.

They are on their way to find a crypt in the middle of the desert. They have to get in and stop some bad magic before awful things happen to their loved ones. So they don't have time to go off and find a nearby town (the drakes were a random encounter along the way).

The player in question is a sorcerer.

Thanks,
Chernobyl


Hi All,

I'm looking for some GM advice.

One of our players is going to be out of town for several sessions. I need a good "in game" way to explain his absence and sudden reappearance when he returns. He's willing to play along with anything that his character would reasonably do. Any thoughts?

I was thinking maybe some sort of cursed item found in a monster treasure hoard (it just so happens the group just defeated a pair of desert drakes, and have not yet explored the hoard). It could trap his character in some quasi-portable form, so the rest of the part could bring him along and revive him when he gets back.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Chernobyl


Deadalready wrote:
Where's the sense in achievement if you do a "tough" quest when you know you're allowed to die multiple times.

Couldn't agree more!


Thanks all.

We ended up using a "special" staff of life that didn't impose the negative levels.

Now, after two random encounters, the party has used up all the charges! They're now completely terrified of dying and are being suitably cautious as they proceed through the dungeon. So I'd call it a success.

Regards,
Chernobyl

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