Torvald Nom's page

Not sure if it's already been posted, but Samurai x Unchained Monk for some sort of 'Zen Swordmaster' or 'Bladed Mystic'. Just thinking of the term "Flurry of Blades" or "Bladed Flurry" fills my imagination with Samurai Jack-styled swordfights :)

Also slightly off-topic, but more Tian Xia-inspired class alternatives, like a Wizard-alternative called Shugenja.

Torvald Nom wrote:

Dear Mr. Jacobs,

Is there a difference between Spell Type and Spell Descriptor? I'm attempting to create my first ever primary spellcaster and am getting a bit confused with different Sorcerer bloodlines like Efreeti and Elemental respectively referring to a change in Spell Descriptor and change in a spell's type.

Also (and far more importantly)...Do you know the Muffin Man??

A spell descriptor is a (usually) one-word phrase that gives a key word for a spell, like acid, fire, evil, light, or mind-affecting, that then sets that spell up in that category.

"Spell type" isn't a rules term.

So the difference is that one is a rule, the other is just language.

If you meant "energy type" in there instead of spell type, then the difference is that a spell descriptor is a keyword that categorizes a spell into a category, whereas energy type is merely a type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic, for example) that inflicts damage of that type of energy.

Usually a spell's descriptor syncs up with the type of energy damage it does, but not always.

The muffin man is part of the reason I got fat. He can take his delicious carbohydrates and take a long walk off a short pier as far as I'm concerned.

Cool thanks - I'm starting to wrap my head around descriptors...

With spell type, I was more trying to understand what it means when something like the Sorcerer's Elemental Bloodline Arcana mentions spell type in the second sentence: "Whenever you cast a spell that deals energy damage, you can change the type of damage to match the type of your bloodline. This also changes the spell’s type to match the type of your bloodline." I just wasn't sure if it was meant to be spell descriptor or something else.

Playing casters doesn't come naturally to me, but if I'm going to play a comically CN pastiche of Aku from Samurai Jack, I figured why not try to two birds with one stone and attempt to learn casters a bit at the same time :)

I empathise - I'll find that muffin-b*stard one day :P

Dear Mr. Jacobs,

Is there a difference between Spell Type and Spell Descriptor? I'm attempting to create my first ever primary spellcaster and am getting a bit confused with different Sorcerer bloodlines like Efreeti and Elemental respectively referring to a change in Spell Descriptor and change in a spell's type.

Also (and far more importantly)...Do you know the Muffin Man??

Torvald Nom wrote:

Aku - for PFS, please :)

Back story:
http://samuraijack.wikia.com/wiki/Aku

That... is not a PC, is my first thought. It's your basic story (non-RP) antagonist who really should be unbeatable but who loses because the author says he should.

If he has to be a PC, then the 12th level limit in PFS is going to be a problem. This is a sorcerer of 18th level or higher I think, and started that way, possibly gestalted with metamorph alchemist - no, PFS.

OK. If you're willing to accept that this is somehow Baby Aku then we can produce a character. A sorcerer with the aberrant bloodline is the starting point, additional duration on polymorphs is going to be appropriate and maybe help. A tiefling (maybe div-spawn) is as close as you can get to starting as a demon; if that's a problem then don't sweat it, we're starting in a world before Aku's backstory in order to make him not 18th+ level.

Most of those abilities will be spells. I can see shapechange, interplanetary teleport, burning gaze, scorching ray, scrying, dimension door, telekinesis, at least limited wish, animate dead, lightning bolt, control weather, foresight, wall of stone, unconscious agenda, object possession and shout. Before he's high enough level to get those he may get lesser versions. The regeneration might be handled by infernal healing (or greater), possibly combined with ablative barrier for greater effect.

Since he's a sorcerer and has some ability in a fight (though less than a front line type) he'll need to spend most or all of his feats on combat abilities. Starting with toughness I suspect.

Thanks!

LOL he would normally most definitely NOT be a PC :)

I was thinking more of a comical pastiche of Aku (pretty much so I can use my 'Aku voice' for RP shenanigans. He will definitely be CN (as close to 'evil' as possible), and will be simply a loon who is obsessed with amassing as much power, gold, magic, influence, etc as he possibly can, all the while 'using' the society (this will actually be a delusion, and part of his crazy persona).

Aku - for PFS, please :)

Back story:
http://samuraijack.wikia.com/wiki/Aku

I have a character in my campaign using the old 9th lvl spell Summon Elemental Monolith, so these guys are showing up quite a bit in my campaign.

I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for toys that could be glued/nailed/set on a base and would make good gargantuan elementals.

"Crusher" from Skylanders. I picked one up a couple of months ago, just waiting to be able to use it. Perfect mini for what you're after :)

EDIT: you can even cut the massive warhammer off if you don't want him to have a weapon.

Dear JJ,

Just need a bit of advice with a dog-themed PFS character I'm making...

If you were to make a character with a Tiny-sized dog familiar for PFS (say, a pug, since I recently got a miniature for one off Reaper Mini and inspiration struck like a lightning bolt!), would you "re-skin" another animal's stats (if so, which one?) or just modify its stats down as though a Small dog had a size reduction?

Hi James,

Is there any chance of Paizo either reprinting (or re-releasing) out of print flip mats (such as Darklands or Deep Forest) for evergreen scenarios (even in the 'Flip Mat Classics' series)?

Are there ways for a Crane style monk to keep up in damage, or are they stuck with high AC and no actual killing ability?

My current level 1 monk can put out 9.2 damage using flurry and crane style, and only gets hit on an 18 when attacked by a CR 1 creature's low attack, which I'm happy with, but I'm concerned with not keeping up in damage at later levels. I've seen instances of Crane builds that were simply avoided by enemies because the monk didn't do enough damage to threaten anything.

Dragon style pumps the damage up, and monks already get AC boosts so the Crane bonuses may just be overkill. I'm not looking to one-shot monsters, my goal is to do ~50% of a CR-equivalent creature's hp in a round, considering chance to hit and crit bonuses. I'm running a front-line melee character, that should be acheivable.

TL;DR I think Crane style is cool, but would switching to Dragon work better in the long run?

I use Dragon Style with my Unchained Monk/Bloodrager to nice effect ("big damage" without the one-shot let-down. But, I chose it primarily because of the character concept (will hopefully one day become a Dragon Disciple, so Dragon Style seems 'walking the path').

My suggestion is to go with what best fits with your character concept :)

What part of Pathfinder do you want to know more about?

And should this be a multiple-choice poll?

SARUSAN!!! :)