James Risner's page

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Modules Subscriber

It's one simple change. Playing above your tier gives you 2 XP. That's all.

This would only work if there was also a 0 XP 500 gp option so people don't level out to retired after having screamed past their youth.

John, Mike, and I have talked over a few options and come to a decision

So we have to wait several months to learn the nature of the nerf?

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Modules Subscriber

Why would you punish a cleric or oracle that doesn´t need that much consumables? Or someone who regularly plays with one?

Presuming we are in the punishing game (punishing players who play up by nerfing gold), then the next step is punishing players who deliberately choose to not buy consumables so they have more gold for gear. They would in effect be as "powerful" as those that spend money on consumables.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Modules Subscriber

Another thought I had, what about players who never use any of their gold for consumables. They get the 2PP/750GP consumables and nothing else.

Say a scenario where someone plays on tier from level 1 to 12, but never spends a single gp on consumables. Wouldn't they also be vastly out of WBL calculation? Without ever playing up and gaining additional gp? Do we need to punish these players as well?

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Even with twice WBL is a character really going to ruin the game worse than a slumber hex happy witch?

A point few in the nerf wealth camp could understand.

The question becomes if the benefits are smaller than the costs (increased difficulty making tables, increased pressure to play up when out of tier) why should we bother adopting the new system?

To be clear, it is something that can be done that will appease the very vocal minority of folks screaming for a fix to a problem they probably don't fully understand anyway. What the minority calling for a fix like this doesn't understand just yet is this fix won't fix the problem they are witnessing. There will still be people dominating combats due to having a heavily optimized character. And everyone who isn't a part of the problem will be made to suffer as a result in the quest for fixing a problem.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Modules Subscriber

James, assuming your premise were true for a sec, what would you recommend that the campaign actually do about it?

There isn't much to do about it. So I'd say try to ignore it.

If something must be done about it, then the campaign needs to do some or all of the following (many of which are hard/impossible to do):
1) Examine what makes many optimized characters tick and prohibit it (stop CHA/INT/WIS 7 characters; avoid this item; avoid that feat; etc)
2) Empower DMs to manually adjust modules to cater to the PCs playing by increasing HPs or add monsters to balance it out (some DM can do this, some can not)
3) Have a voting system where players can vote on other players who are "not fun to play with" and publish this list to DM to reject play past a threshold.

In short, I think it is an intrinsic problem with organized play involving a rules system that allows for optimized characters.

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People keep saying "it isn't optimized characters it is wealthy characters causing problems".

I'm not convinced this is true, I believe optimization has more to do with making encounters trivial and the wealth has very little.

I'll try to work up a chart of the difference between playing up every mod, playing on tier and playing down by total wealth.

Then I'll look at every character I have, how often I played up, on tier, and down. Compare my wealth to the chart and subtract the amount of difference to see what items I'd be missing or how much this would effect me.

I think we are in one of the two states and I think this might help illuminate which one:
1) We are getting excited over a non issue since the extra wealth didn't contribute in a meaningful way.
2) I must be very ineffectual in spending money and there must be a way to spend money to be more obnoxiously effective I don't know.

Is it due to consumables? I've bought across all my characters 0 in consumables ever in roughly 60 adventures. The only consumables I'll buy are ones I can get with 2 PP. I don't ever spend gold (waste gold) on consumables. Does this make me more effective? (my quirk) or less effective? (because consumables are more powerful?)

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I think both of these options fix the "wealth" by level issues

Does it actually fix anything or just make us happy we fixed something?

It seems everyone I know likes to optimize PC's, and I'm not seeing people with obnoxious wealth by level.

You could say I'm an abuser, because for level 1 to level 7 of my Chan character I played every single encounter up. Every one of them. I was the lowest level in most of the sessions.

I'm currently level 11 and I have 5,630 gp more than Core p399 WBL chart suggests.

If we fixed this problem, here is a real world example of a character that would be directly harmed by the rule. I would be at least 10 to 15 thousand below WBL for my level.

I would have drastically changed my play behaviour to avoid playing down ever under any situation. Period. Am I a jerk? Maybe. But if you are under the curve, you are not going to catch up by playing down.

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You cannot put a number on optimization, you can put a number on Net worth.

True but I can optimize to the point of being a problem with little or no (0 gp), so it is fix that doesn't actually fix anything. It make people happy the problem was fixed tho, so I guess if we are content with a pat on the back that we "fixed" the problem then it does it's job.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Modules Subscriber

On another thought, I don't know if it is relevant to this discussion (I think it may be.)

I DM a level 14 group that started at level 1 as PFS and left PFS at level 7.

We couldn't find enough modules that could be played together by level 1 (new players replacing ones that left) and the current level 7 players. If they got to level 8 the problem would have been worse.

So for level 8 the group voted to stop doing PFS and request me to do homebrew, which I have done.

Maybe we wouldn't have this option now with the AP added and other "one group together" options. But I feel the tension from the player base that want an optimized character and feel their reward isn't being provided if gold is reduced and the players just wanting to play will be increased by any thing that encourages players not to play for fear of being nerfed.

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6 is impossible. Its like trying to ban bad art, there's no objective standard.

I assume you mean my #6.

But the desire to fix the optimizers is where the idea to limit their wealth originated. I don't think the wealth changes will accomplish the goal.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Modules Subscriber

Short thoughts expanded below:

• 1. WBL as is today - works fine as is.
  
• 2. The New WBL - horrible idea and creates a bigger problem.
  
• 3. Double XP instead - The 1/2 XP was created to slow advancement for a reason.
  
• 4. Fame buying caps - May be too low as is.
  
• 5. Same gold all levels - perfectly workable solution.
  
• 6. Ban Optimized Characters (OC) from play - best solution
  

1) I'll start off saying I don't think there is a problem and I wonder if the problem is either in a vocal minority of players or frankly in whiny GM's hosting tables full of optimized players. There isn't anything wrong so don't fix it.

2) Doesn't fix OC's. You can OC Druids, Fighter/Monk Maneuver Masters and Archers to break games with little or no gold. I've DMed level 1 to 14 of a group with a game breaking Monk and Archer that dominates anything but severely overpowered encounters.

3) Not a problem, creates another problem of "what to do after level 11"

4) Lowering this is a bad idea, as most players I know have money saved up for big ticket items and are just waiting. Prolonging the wait won't make them spend it on smaller items. It just makes them unhappy they have to wait more.

5) This is a fine solution if you believe the problem exists (I don't) and you need a fix. This is the only good solution I've seen mentioned.

6) In the end, gear plays little in the power of a OC PC's. I'm pretty sure if no gold was every provided past the 150 gp starting, people could still build OC to dominate mods. This is the only true solution.

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You grow the claws when you take the feat.

Typically I'm inclined to believe that is RAI.

But all other feats that do grant weapons like:
Sharpclaw
Benefit: You gain two claw attacks

Instead of the way Claws of the Beast is worded:
Claws of the Beast (Ex): You grow a pair of claws.

This combined with:
Extraordinary Abilities (Ex): Using an extraordinary ability is usually not an action ... that are actions are usually standard actions

So since they bothered to point out it is an Ex ability, it makes me believe there was at least some intent to allow you to activate it.

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Or does it summon the materials that you need to create whatever you wish?

Need materials on hand, but it could (in theory) tear down one building to build another.

This is really an "Ask your DM" question, since I just gave you my answer I'd use in a PFS game if a player used it.

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Can you use the Ready action (CRB 203) to execute a partial charge? (CRB 198)

No, since you get a standard on the ready.

No, you are not limited to a standard action on your turn (but you did ready.)

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Wizards cannot cast spells from divine scrolls (not unless they use UMD or something similar).

But can a wizard add a spell from a divined spell scroll into his spellbook (provided that it IS on his spell list)?

Can't cast, then can't copy.

Ask your GM is the real answer.

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Nobody is criticizing him for something that would be fun to roleplay. They are criticizing the system that makes the "fun to roleplay" option also the "mechanically bad" option.

I don't see that they have to joined in that way.

I also don't agree that Vital Strike (standard action) is all that "bad".

Are you looking for barbarian pounce type stuff so that everyone can full attack after a move? Because I'm certainly not looking for that. I consider that a flaw in the system when that type of mechanics is beyond a minority.

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Because I'm looking for a RAW/RAI answer.

You will be looking for a while.

I've wanted this clarified since AA and APG came out.

The best answer is a SKR comment that they couldn't use unarmed strike benefits since they are unarmed weapon attacks and not unarmed strikes attacks.

But the actual RAW is debated and hasn't officially been clarified.

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They don't seem to be to me - which begs the question (unless for RP reasons) why spend a feat to learn one. But, I'd like to hear other opinions.

I'm pretty sure they are all superior.

In 3.5 days there was a weapon system calculator, that showed all (or most) exotic were in fact better than 100% (which was the baseline for martial.)

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Weapon Focus: Unarmed Strike, and use Brass Knuckles, as a Monk, would you lose the +1?

I have played 33 games of PFS with a character that had WF Unarmed Strike at first level and BK as soon as he could afford.

In my experience, about half the tables (GM's) rule you can and the other half you can't.

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true unless the item says minimum caster level to make

Not sure of an example of this? Do you have one?

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Which is going to be a clash with the rules lawyer :/

Actually, the rules lawyers should be advocating for higher prices and avoiding the chart (SL x CL x 1800 gp) type stuff, since the rules say to use the chart as a last resort. ;-)

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The creator's caster level must be as high as the item's caster level, so you're looking at a minimum level of 7 before an Amulet of Spell Cunning could be crafted.

Caster Level in an item is simply the caster level the "generic" item of that type is found.

You can make a lower caster level so long as it is at least the minimum for a spell component contained in the item.

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If your DM is allowing you to use Vital Strike on a charge, your damage would be

Most won't allow it since, they are not allowed by the rules.

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Is there any limit on what spells you can put in the X/day or continuous use magic item?

No limit, but remember item creation is about power.

So a permanent shield item is going to be more expensive than 16000 (+4 shield AC) + brooch of shielding cost + something for brooch of shielding that never expires.

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4 people marked this as FAQ candidate. 2 people marked this as a favorite.

Fighter A is looking down a hallway with two enemies Goblin and Sorcerer. The enemies are in a line, Goblin is 20 feet away, Sorcerer is 40 feet away.

I'd be interested to hear how you're reading it.

In that scenario, this is the options the Fighter has (using my interpretation that I use unless requested by GM to use alternate):

Without Charge Through:
1) The fighter can't charge Sorcerer.
2) The fighter can only Overrun the first square of the goblin.
3) The Fighter then takes an attack at +6 (+4 prone and +2 charge) against the goblin or just +2 if he failed the Overrun.

With Charge Through:
1) The fighter can't use Charge Through while Charging the goblin.
2) The fighter Charges the Sorcerer, free action Overrun's the goblin (if successful he continues.)
3) The fighter then can Overrun the Sorcerer into his first square.
4) The Fighter then takes an attack at +6 (+4 prone and +2 charge) against the sorcerer or just +2 if he failed the Overrun.

This is how I start (with this interpretation) for my Druid with all these feats in PFS. I frequently run into GM's that scratch their head about why Charge Through exists because it doesn't "do" anything. Which is why I'd appreciate a little FAQ love from Paizo. Because I have two feat slots (as expensive as they are) taken up by feats that over half the GM's say they don't do me any good (Charge Through and Elephant Stomp.)

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Do people actually pay attention to SKR's rule interpretations?

I actually don't pay attention to anything that's not

1) Official FAQ/Errata
2) A post by Jason

Ok, let me rephrase then.

I do pay attention to SKR, and if you sit at my PFS table that is how I'll be interpreting BK's.

I should make it clear I have a 12th level character I'll be playing the 12th arc at Gencon that has BK and I use (prefer) the "BK are not unarmed strikes" interpretation unless the GM overrules my interpretation.

I'd love it if you could get Jason to answer one way or another. I couldn't care which way to interpret them, but with a known answer online (SKR way) I won't be intentionally ignoring his advice.

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brass knuckles is an unarmed attack and thus follows all pertinent rules, and this also means they can be used along with any unarmed strike abilities one might possess. At least, that is my interpretation.

That has been mentioned a number of times in the past.

A fine interpretation, but there are a number of people (me included) that disagree that table proves your assertion.

It disagrees with posts by Paizo staff (including SKR) saying that BK attacks are not unarmed strike attacks and things like weapon focus unarmed strike won't help a BK attack.

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Here is how I'd rule in the PFS games I run at major Conventions:

1) Does nothing
2) Does nothing

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Without this ruling it is possible to argue for an Overrun and Attack during a normal charge, which is clearly not the intent of the designers since they created the Charge Through feat.

While I appreciate your view that it wasn't intended, the existence of the feat Charge Through doesn't prove your point.

Even if they didn't wish you to Overrun & Attack, Charge Through allows a second Overrun, as you can't Overrun with Charge Through your Charge Target. It is my interpretation that you can't Overrun anyone by your Charge target without Charge Through.

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weapons can't be used to make improvised weapon attacks at all.

From a balance point, I think allowing a normal weapon to be used as an improvised weapon and still retain all it's bonuses and special abilities violates the entire spirit of 'can't use reach weapons to attack adjacent' and negates the entire concept of archetypes that allow such.

+1

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How is anything else implied?

Because Bull Rush replaces the attack and Overrun doesn't say it replaces the attack, but it could.

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I am going to need a quote for that, mostly the part about the mw qualities, enhancement bonuses, and flaming. How does the weapon turn itself off?

Your not likely to find a quote for it, but you aren't using the weapon. You are using the stick that the longspear is part of. So any balancing (the MW property) wouldn't factor in since you are NOT using the longspear as a weapon, but rather using it as an improvised weapon.

No MW properties would be in use.

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reach weapon ... do you still threaten your 5' adjacent space ?

Depends on if your GM allows you to use a reach weapon as an improvised while not on your turn.

Otherwise you need spiked gauntlet/armor to do so.

Only if you're Tiny.

That is a 3.5 rule (3.5 DMG p29 iirc), they removed that in Pathfinder. Tiny do not threaten even with a Reach weapon now.

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1) Overrun can normally be done in place of an attack during a charge.

2) Overrun stipulates that I have to go to at least 5
3) can I just go to 8, even though I'm charging?
4) moving through threatened squares on the way to them still provokes?

You have 4 debated issues. There are no firm answers in the RAW to any of those questions, as the RAW spawns different interpretations for each.

I can give you my RAW interpretations, and I can say these 4 issues are heavily influenced by your GM's thinking (my 10th level Overruning Druid has lots of GM interpretation experience.)

1) I think this is very unlikely to be true. Nothing in the RAW says this, and the Overrun text is materially different than the Bull Rush text which explicitly says that it replaces the attack of the Charge.

2) That is not at all clear in the rules. Overrun just says you move into their space. I see no rule requiring you to go beyond the first square of theirs. With Elephant Stomp, you don't even enter their space during the Overrun action.

3) I say you may not, at least not using a Charge. Charge requires you move to the first square you can attack. Overruning with a Charge would allow you to move into their space at the closest square and then attack them while they are prone.

4) If you are performing an Overrun of the target (and not an Elephant Stomp Overrun) then you avoid AoO from the target for all movement as part of the Overrun (the Move or the Charge double move.)

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I don't get it. You use your standard action to overrun (sort of), your immediate/swift action to make an attack, and your move action to...make another attack?

I misspoke, for the move+attack example you are right. Elephant Stomp doesn't do anything.

For the Charge Example it does:
Charge (full round, move double, take an attack, overrun free action during)
Move up to the target.
Stomp (overrun without entering space) as an immediate action.
Attack as the charge +2 attack.

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Actually, now that I look at the feat Elephant Stomp, it makes Charge Through look like a model of clarity. Why would anyone ever want to use Elephant Stomp? Doesn't it just turn a successful overrun into a move + attack? If I wanted to move + attack, why wouldn't I do that in the first place?

Because the only way I can make sense of Elephant Stomp is it is an addition attack (especially since it is Immediate action.)

You get (with Elephant Stomp) move+attack+attack or charge+attack+attack

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1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.

You left the following paragraph out of your rules quotation.

I did in fact. That essentially means the paragraph I posted ("either threatens the other") is erroneous.

The rules only care about adjacency threaten, they don't actually care about threaten in general.

This rules block:
PHB p184 "If you shoot or throw a ranged weapon at a target engaged in melee with a friendly character, you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll. Two characters are engaged in melee if they are enemies of each other and either threatens the other. (An unconscious or otherwise immobilized character is not considered engaged unless he is actually being attacked.)
If your target (or the part of your target you’re aiming at, if it’s a big target) is at least 10 feet away from the nearest friendly character, you can avoid the –4 penalty, even if the creature you’re aiming at is engaged in melee with a friendly character."

To this block:
"If you shoot or throw a ranged weapon at a target engaged in melee with a friendly character, you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll. Two characters are engaged in melee if they are enemies of each other, adjacent to each other and either threatens the other. (An unconscious or otherwise immobilized character is not considered engaged unless he is actually being attacked.)"

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Pole Fighting (Ex)

Doesn't matter, since if you want to take a -4 to hit (with a reach weapon as an improvised weapon) there is no rule preventing you from doing so.

Of course the GM can always rule 0 you away from using Improvised Weapons rules.

Reach weapons check one thing; are you adjacent to an enemy? If yes, you cannot attack that enemy

PHB p145 "You use a reach weapon to strike opponents 10 feet away, but you can’t use it against an adjacent foe."

You are adding "This means if the target is both adjacent and 10 feet away, you may not attack it." which isn't in the rules.

Large creature:
Is it an opponent? Yes
Is it 10 feet away? Yes
Is it adjacent also? Yes
Is there an exclusion clause? No
Can you attack with the reach weapon to the 10 ft away square? Nothing prohibiting in rules
Does the monster get cover from this use of a reach weapon? Yes PHB p195 calls for Soft Cover
Can you attack with the reach weapon to the adjacent square? No, a rule prohibiting exists.
Can you use the reach weapon as an improvised melee weapon and attack adjacent? Yes at -4

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One medium and one large would be the same example.

Another example is using a reach weapon as a -4 improvised weapon for adjacent targets.

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By the way, there was an older thread on the same topic:

Yea, I just read that thread. It mostly solidifies my interpretation.

use the attack as your overrun

It is very clear the difference between Bull Rush and Overrun, clear enough to me that you keep the attack of the charge.

which is counter to the point of Over-running, namely that you move past the target after the maneuver.

I think of it more like you move into their square (not beyond them) and the Charge attack is made against them with you in the nearest square to you of their space. I don't think you get to move past them or through them (without using Charge Through.)

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1. Or is it a standard attack?

2. does it mean it's flat-footed against all attacks that come before it acts in the first round?
3. Charge Bull Rush
4.Where can I find the ranges for improvised weapons?
5.Is the masterwork cost included in the magic enhancement cost
6.Is the Hit Die at first level considered maximum
7.Do necromancy spells count as evil spells for a good cleric
8. 16(+3) STR, +6/+1 BAB, TWF, ITWF, one-handed melee weapon in one hand and a light melee weapon in the off-hand.

1) & 2) see above

3) The Bull Rush happens instead of the attack, you get a +2 CMB bonus to the Bull Rush and you take -2 AC.

4) PHB p141 10 ft

5) 2315

6) First PC class level is max, so 6 for Wizards. Don't roll.

7) Only if [evil] tagged.

8) 7/7/2/2

9.What’s the difference between the campaign types presented on page 16

10.Do favorite classes apply to NPC classes?

11.How many hours of work/day are necessary while crafting?Can you do overtime?

12.Do I use Perception to search a room, loot, scavenge, etc, and how?

13.Can you combine the Improved Counterspell feat with a Ring of Counterspells?

14.Can you take the Toughness feat multiple times?

15.Does a Cleric need to make a CL check in order to cast a cure spell on an ally with SR?What if he casts it on himself and he has SR?

16.Can divine spellcasters counterspell, and can a counterspell be counterspelled?

17.Can you prepare low level spells in higher level slots(for example, Magic Missle in a level 7 slot)?

18.Are the changes in AC and attack related to size derivated from the modified Str/Dex or do they stand alone and stack with the new modifiers?

19.What is the normal, average falling speed in this game system?

20.What are the turning speeds and general speeds of siege machines?

Again, thanks in advance!

9) Ask your GM, it changes how many points to spend on abilities the players have.

10) If chosen as favorite, yes.

11) 8 hours, ask your GM about overtime (not in the rules explicitly allowed)

12) GM calls for a roll, tells you results.

13) No way to combine, the ring acts before you get a chance. If you ask can you put a higher level spell in Ring using Improved Counterspell then No. But ask your GM, as this is a grey area.

14) No, look at "Alignment Channel" feat. It has a line "You can gain this feat multiple times" without that you can never take a feat multiple times.

15) Yes, unless the target used a Standard action to lower his SR for 1 round.

16) Yes and No (ask your DM on the No, as that is grey area.)

17) Yes

18) Stand alone, but if your side change comes from a spell/effect it will tell you all the changes.

19) Typically 60 ft for some effects (like Fly expiring) or ask your GM for anything not explicitly mentioned.

20) Not sure a rule exists for this, ask your GM.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Modules Subscriber

1) Yes
2) Yes

PHB p184 "you take a –4 penalty ... if they are enemies of each other and either threatens the other."

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what is stopping a character armed with a reach weapon from attacking an adjacent huge creature by targeting a square two spaces in the air

Nothing

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What effect does an overwhelming magic aura have?

No effect, the caster of Detect Magic just knows it is either a 10th level spell or a 21st caster level item (artifact.)

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Just found this thread.

I've played a Charging Overruning Wild Shaping Druid for 10 levels now in PFS.

Every game is different interpretation of the rules.

I'll shortly post these points in the "What are Highly Debated Rules Topics Crying Out For FAQ / Errata / Blog Treatment?" thread. But for now, I'll put my interpretation here.

I have the following feats:
Greater Overrun (including Improved)
Charge Through
Elephant Stomp (Sarg)
Power Attack + Furious Focus
Vital Strike
Improved Natural Attack + Shaping Focus

With this armor:
Rhino Hide

Rules Interpretations I use (several are debated):
I can not Charge Through someone except by using the Charge Through feat.
I can Charge Through one (a single) target and it can't be the target of my Charge.
This Charge Through target is my Furious Focus bonus attack (since it's the first in the turn.)
I get an AoO on the target of my Charge Through Overrun if I knock them prone.
I can't continue my Charge if I don't successfully Overrun the Charge Through target.
My charge target gets Elephant Stomp-ed by combining the Overrun with the Charge using my Furious Focus bonus if not used on a Charge Through target.
If I succeed high enough that the target of my Charge would have been knocked prone, I choose to take the free immediate attack from my Elephant Stomp.
At the conclusion of my Elephant Stomp I am immediately in front of the target (and I never entered their square.)
I then take my +2 melee attack on my Charge target, and on successful hit I deal an additional 2d6 from Rhino Hide armor (which isn't an activated item.)
My Charge Through target I Overrun can not make AoO against me approaching/entering/leaving his space.
My Charge target can not take AoO unless he has reach.

About half the DM's ask how I'm doing what I'm trying and ultimately change how my mechanics work (which I always accept without question.)
The other half either allow it or allow most of it as I understand the rules.

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James, the author of Boon Companion has posted about his intended interpretation, which correspond to your "Middle" position.

Sounds like debating... ;-)

Yes, Russ did. But James Jacobs said in the same thread that he wouldn't allow that interpretation (so it wouldn't help single classed Rangers.)

Domain: animal ... At 5th level take boon companion and have your companion at full HD.

Using the above Conservative interpretation: No Middle: Yes Liberal: Yes

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Boon Companion for single classed Druids/Rangers
"as though your class were four levels higher, to a maximum bonus equal to your character level."

Conservative: Single class Druids gain no benefit, as their character level limits their Druid level to the same. Single class Rangers have a -3 effective level (their druid level is -3 their Ranger level), but their ranger level is still capped at their character level. So Rangers also gain no benefit for example: 5th Ranger = ((5+4) limited to 5)-3 = 2nd level companion.

Middle: Single class Druids gain no benefit, but Rangers get to negate the -3 because the feat works on their effective Druid level and not their effective Ranger level for example: 5th Ranger = (5-3)+4 limited to 5 = 5th level companion.

Liberal: Single classed Druids/Rangers gain a benefit if their AC has less HD than they do. For example: A 5th Ranger's AC has 3 HD, so he would gain 2 additional levels. A 20th Druid's AC has 16 HD, so he would then have a 20 HD AC.

I subscribe to Conservative view.

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Can a merfolk take a 5-foot step while on land, even though their base speed is 5?

No

PHB p189 "Any creature with a speed of 5 feet or less can’t take a 5-foot step,"

And I'm late to the rules post game ;-(

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Modules Subscriber

Do you have a link to such a forum post?

yes with a very strick reading you are correct.
ups your effective druid levels and not your effective ranger levels.

There is another thread that comments on the author (Russ) view and has a dev saying it doesn't help single classed rangers. I couldn't find it, but I did find this one where James Jacobs recommends against allowing it to work with single classed rangers.

http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizoPublishing/pathfinder/campaignSet ting/products/seekersOfSecretsFeats&page=1#22

It certainly does not read that way, and I could not find a supporting post for this interpretation.

I see three valid interpretations for the feat (your interpretation is one of them.)

Boon Companion: "as though your class were four levels higher, to a maximum bonus equal to your character level"

To demonstrate my interpretation, here is a sample 5th level Ranger:
Class has 5 levels of Ranger
Character level is 5

"as though your class (ranger 5) were four levels higher (ranger 9), to a maximum bonus equal to your character level (5)"

So in excel:
min(5;5+9) = 5

Since your character level is 5, your class (ranger) can not gain any effective levels over a ranger without the feat.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Modules Subscriber

195 of the Core Rulebook has a footnote on Grappling. That says that you lose your Dex bonus to AC. Which in fact means that you are still vulnerable to sneak attack.

Summary? This needs errata. Either remove those footnotes from the grappled and pinned entries on the table, or add those effects to the text.

Text vs Table, go with Text.

PHB p567 says you lose -4 DEX. So you don't become Sneak Bait.