Loses me with the non-core spells, but otherwise a very flavorful item - nice job Chris!
The fortitude save is a strange DC as well - default for poison would be 14 or 16. 18 is between a 5th and 6th level spell.
Pricing:
Poison: SL 5th (heightened) * CL 10th * 1800 * 3/5 = 54000
H. Tongue: SL 2nd * CL 10th * 1800 * 3/5 * .75 (related effect, same pool of 'charges') = 16200
Swarm: SL 5th * CL 3rd * 50 (potion) = 750 [basically ignorable since this is the end use]
Total: 70200 - your price seems perfectly right on to me. Only about 50k if the poison DC had been 14 (appropriate for a 3rd level spell).
I just worked up this small (advancing to medium) bat companion as an option for a bat that isn't going to go to Large size.. It's based on the Hawk/Eagle/Owl bird, but advancing in size instead of only the +2 Str, +2 Con option.
Bat
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft.
(average); AC +0 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4);
Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14,
Cha 6; Special Qualities blindsense 40 ft.
4th-Level Advancement: Size Medium; Attack bite (1d6);
Ability Scores Str +4, Dex –2, Con +2.
Bird (Eagle/Hawk/Owl)
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 10 ft., fly 80 ft.
(average); AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 talons
(1d4); Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14,
Cha 6; Special Qualities low-light vision.
4th-Level Advancement: Ability Scores Str +2, Con +2.
You shouldn't add class levels to anything without an intelligence score. Other than that... it's a flavor thing. An intelligent ooze probably still shouldn't have fighter levels. Ditto for most classes on most intelligent plants (though plant druids could be pretty wicked).
The more specific guidelines is that things with low intelligence tend to advance by HD (or Giant/Advanced templates), instead of classes. But that's not required.
Edit: I feel the need to add that this is a DM/GM decision, not a player one. They cannot create ghouls with class levels, or anything like that.
Agreed, particularly the Scanderig - just as frightening as it should be.
However...
Runelords:
Spoiler:
I don't recall any use for the Denizens prior to Book 6, and the set encounter for them is likely not to even occur. Do they appear earlier in the reprint? Common seems too common for these guys, or is it just to get more of them available due to the number that appear, and potential future use (similar to Malfeshnekor)?
That means running about half of each new season as it comes out.
If you go back and look at your own sessions GMed, you'll probably find that quite a few of them are newer scenarios. You'll probably realize you might have come close to making the 5 star requirements for the current year!
Note: After re-reading this it sounded like I looked at your sessions. I did not, this is the ambiguous form of "you."
I understood how you meant it. For the record of the 12 scenarios I've run since Season 3 started, only one is from Season 3 (a sequel to my favorite scenario ever).
Kyle Pratt wrote:
This requirement was thoroughly discussed.
This is good to hear, and (to quote) I'm not bent out of shape over this. I obviously have a good ways to go before it would apply to me (I should hit 4 stars in 2013).
As someone who tends to dislike change, I thought it worth noting the hefty requirement to run new scenarios. Each season tends to bring a lot of change, and that can take some time to assimilate. For instance, this time last year, I was still somewhat hesitant about the whole Shadow Lodge stuff, it seemed a bit overdone. Now, a year later, I want to run a whole streak of Shadow lodge related scenarios.
I'm glad this aspect was reviewed by those it affects.
I was very careful to make sure that it didn't turn into a chore.
I think the 5th star requirements are pretty fair in general, but I do think #4 is a bit rough.
Guide to PFS wrote:
4. Run 10 different and newly released (for the current season) Pathfinder Society scenarios. These 10 scenarios count towards the required 25 total for the season.
That means running about half of each new season as it comes out. I can definitely see requiring different ones to be run (or the society will grow stale over time), but this is a hefty requirement that strongly restricts the ability to play classic favorites. Especially combined with the "5 exclusives" requirement, which likely will only be 1 new item, meaning 14 of the 25 required sessions are restricted from being any standard previous season scenario.
I'd say the highest non-cheese AC is the average of the rest of the group + 10. Past that point, the player is going for ridiculous and creatures will be vastly different over- or under-effective, depending on who is being targeted.
He's also saying that while the vast majority of the submissions were made in the last two days, only one of those made it into the temporary keep pile.
He also said "a spike", not "the vast majority" (though it could be theoretically).
Love the vibrant colors on the artwork on p. 60. I'm a fan of artwork of spellcasters that isn't the ubiquitious 1) white-haired old man or 2) scantily-clad bodacious woman. The Runescarred Bloodline itself, from Thomas McQueen, is intriguing, with a much more specific theme than 'snake stuff' or 'elemental fire.' That's kinda neat, although, being less generic, perhaps limits its appeal. I could see it being well-suited to the former residents of Thassilon (particularly the Shoanti), or to Kellids, even if the dude in the artwork has more of a Varisian look about him.
Hey Set - thanks for the review, can't believe I didn't see it before. Shoanti/Kellid were definitely the main role-play focus of the bloodline, along with Varisians in Ustalav (which I'll be playing shortly actually). The latter is something of a double-whammy, historically speaking, making up for the more direct Shoanti history.
For anyone interested in the Runescarred bloodline who uses Hero Lab, I just finished coding it for use there, downloadable HERE.
You can just open the file from Tools-Launch Editor, but I think the file should go in the "Hero Lab/data/pathfinder" folder (which for me is under "C:/Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data").
I had a thought for a game I'm currently in of getting a Stave with Heal/Teleport, as those are two hugely utility spells our party doesn't have but really need (or rather, we dont have them yet, but my understanding is our Druid can recharge it in a level when he gets 6th level spells).
Druid will need to be 13th level to recharge, as he must be capable of casting Heal, which is a 7th level spell for Druids.
I have always assumed that if the wielder is able to activate the spell out of the staff, it manifests as whatever type of magic it would be if the wielder cast it from his spell list.
Spell-trigger items do not require arcane/divine/etc, they simply store the spells (unlike scrolls).
"Capable of casting" means: 1) Have spell slots of sufficiently high level, 2) Have ability score capable of casting spells of that level, and 3) Have access to the spell to cast it (not read a scroll of it).
For a Wizard, that means it's in your spell book. For a Bard/Sorcerer, it must be a spell known. For a Cleric/Druid/Ranger/Paladin, that means it being on your class (or domain) spell list, at a level you can cast.
It's a very simple phrase, that means exactly what it sounds like. It doesn't use "Know" the spell, because that's specific to Bards and Sorcerers.
I think staves are well priced. As LazarX mentioned, you're more likely to find or make a staff than to buy one. I recall a staff I found in Rise of the Runelords was incredibly useful, even though I could only cast two of the spells on it.
Just to be clear, Paizo has the PRD, where as there is also d20pfsrd.com
Which are you quoting?
OamuTheMonk wrote:
Strictly speaking, I don't think spells require you to be conscious to cast, either. Is it reasonable to execute spells or other component-free equivalents while asleep, or rendered unconcious?
No, it's not. Similar to the dead condition, you can't take actions while unconscious.
Spell-like abilities are very powerful, for this very reason. Magical creatures are likewise very dangerous, for this reason. Complications from classes like the Witch? Well, that is another topic, but shows just how much it belongs in the Advanced Player's Guide.
One thing I find annoying in planning my trip is that the hotel does not offer shuttle service to/from the airport. The approximated cost for a cab is $60.
There are definitely cheaper ways to get to the hotel.
Airport shuttles run ~$30.
Each year in the past there has been a board thread dedicated to sharing a cab ride, based on arrival times.
Last year my wife and I took the bus for very little. If we'd arranged a hotel shuttle from the bus stop to the hotel it would have been very convenient, but as it was it was a short (.5km) walk that was rather pleasant.
As for internet, that is a bit pricey, though not unique. Here was our experience with hotel internet on our honeymoon:
Spoiler:
London: cheap hotel, free internet
Delhi: cheaper hotel, free internet
Singapore: pricier hotel, $10+/day, free in lobby
Auckland: nicer hotel, free 200MB/day, $10/200MB after
Honolulu: not-so-cheap hotel, $10+/day, free in lobby (and hard to use)
Hilo: Bed & Breakfast, free internet
San Francisco: cheaper hotel, free internet
If I manage to get a homebrew game ready, I'll probably sink one of slots for a waiting list GM (so sign up!)
Darksmokepuncher wrote:
Can we get some general information of this Grand Convocation?
If it is anything at all like three years ago, it will be fantastic! That one was essentially low-pressure, high-energy live-action role-playing with dice gaming blended in. You can probably find more details with a forum search, but I'd actually suggest going in "blind" (and perhaps costumed), and just enjoy.
It's not hate. It's disappointment that the class does not live up to expectations.
This has always been so bizarre to me. I truly feel the Rogue class is probably the strongest class in the game, that gained the most in the 3.5 -> PF transition (6 more rogue talents, which can equal feats or better; the changes to and consolidation of the skill system; the massive change to sneak attack; hit-die bump; etc.)
I *don't* really love rogues, but I'd never tell someone they were underpowered.
I think that dog eared Tarot cards are more scary... I would like them to look worn.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to intentionally wear out the cards (of a second set) without completely destroying them. I'll be using them in character for Carrion Crown.
Soak 'em? Wrench them around? Looking for a leathery sort of feel - crinkled too much would just be unwieldy.
Frankthedm points out why it will not work in this case. Other answers to the question:
1) Your GM has to approve taking the feat to begin with (as it is a monster feat).
2) Most of those abilities make specific mention that it takes a standard action to perform the full thing - shooting an arrow is not a spell-like ability, so it doesn't make sense for it to be quickenable.
3) The most recent (5th printing) errata has an answer to what spell level it should be considered.
It's fairly straight-forward. The command word is required for a spell-trigger device (wand or staff generally). Command word is easily learned by identifying the magic item. Without such word, you have to "activate blindly", DC 25. With such word, but without spell on spell, you have to "use wand", DC 20. That's a "+5 bonus" for knowing the word.
My advice would be to ban the Magic Item Compendium prices. The majority of that book is severely underpriced.
Craft DCs when missing spells (caster level requirements are very rare, see ioun stone for an example) can actually get fairly difficult, especially when the group seeks to also increase the speed (another +5) of the crafting. Be sure to calculate it, and don't allow taking 10.
As for custom item crafting, if you're comfortable with the rules, and willing to say "hmm, this needs an ad hoc x2 (or x10) modifier", it's usually not that much trouble. Most custom craft horror stories involve incorrect pricing, or attempts to circumvent the *specific* pricing guidelines (such as bonus squared * 1000 for armor bonuses).
My first year I got to *hear* about a late night session of "Are you a Werewolf?", just about the most fun party game ever. Second year: late Sunday "random" game using the Gamemastery Guide - hilarious and tons of fun.
Lesson Learned: Make sure you have a late night or two to play something really different, with new people. It'll can easily be the most memorable part of your trip.
Dragnmoon wrote:
Kyle Baird wrote:
Lesson Learned: Be more vicious with a pair of white dragons.
My 2 Very old white dragons tore the level 11s up, they stepped out after the first round.
2nd round! And no 11's, a 9 and 3 10's. But yeah, torn up is very accurate description.
my NG cleric of Sarenrae when fighting neutral creatures not engaged in evil activity usually tries to use nonleathal force ... Sadly I take a -4 penalty to deal nonlethal with a lethal weapon and since a sap is a martial weapon, but your paladin can use it.
You might want to look into the trait, "Blade of Mercy" - lets you deal nonlethal with a scimitar at no penalty, and get +1 damage to boot.
I've been running modules solo against myself with 15 point buy 1st level characters. Its incredibly fun and is helping me learn. Actually I use the "elite array" which is a set 15,14,13,12,10,8 before mods.
I ran a long-lasting campaign with the default/elite array under 3.5. Worked fine, even for pal/monk. Would work better in PF due to additional abilities (acid darts, etc.) that round out characters capabilities ( so a particularly low stat is detrimental less often.)
Would it be easier to just buy loads of oils of shillaleigh? More expensive but wouldn't need to multiclass.
Only issue harder to overcome DR since you only get +1 never higher (unless ally cast GMW on it).
Shillelagh only lasts 1 minute per caster level, so oils are pretty low duration (unless you pay tons more).
I'd say go for it - decent alternating back and forth. A domain might be good, although an animal companion could give you flank. Plant Domain is pretty awesome with unarmed strike, but that wouldn't apply. Go up to level 4 druid eventually (to even out the BAB) - treat the wild shape as a scouting tool, not combat. Then go the rest monk.
FYI Starbuck, GMW doesn't help with the higher DR's.
I figure if they dont specificaly say monks are proficent, and its not on the monk entry, then they need to take the feats. The "monk" attribute on the weapon only refers to it being able to be used with monk special abilities like flurry, not that monks can use it for free.
So basically what we saw in transition from 2E to 3E then. Because that's practically what happened. Feats, Skills, Prestige Classes, Saving throws condensed, the removal (or a revision if you wanna call it) of THAC0, Multiclass made available to everyone, radical racial changes, elimination of level caps, [snip] a level-by-level character progression instead of 1 class overall or starting off with dual-class.
Agree, agree, agree.
Diffan wrote:
the complete change in how Turning/Rebuking Undead works,
Actually, the Turning Check worked mechanically in almost an identical manner to 1st edition - just the presentation was very different. I found it rather elegant. Certainly a "revision" worthy of THAC0 though.
I was shocked to find I *liked* the changes at the time, and the same could happen again. It certainly didn't in the last instance.
Now I'll agree it's certainly possible Paizo's writers intended for 'all your' to mean singular, but if so they were fail on English 101 and that's not what they technically wrote.
It *is* what they technically wrote. As you pointed out yourself, they technically wrote it both ways.
A clearer way would be:
"you all take the highest roll and each add all your modifiers to Stealth."
The idea that all the modifiers from each participant stack together is a bit far-fetched. A group of 5 1st level goblin rogues could make well over a 100 DC stealth check. Paizo simply does not design anything to create such impossibly high checks.
Player A: Stealth modifier +10, Die roll= 15
Player B: Stealth modifier +5. Die roll= 5
So both players take the highest roll (15) and each add all modifiers (+10 and +5) for a result of 25 and 20 for A & B respectively.
thats not a lot of free damage. its a feat, and its +1 to damage, with a swift action, for every 5 caster levels.
It's +2 to damage at 5th level (+1, *plus* +1 per 5 caster levels), and higher later, with every weapon you wield, and making all of them considered magical.
Weapon Specialization is +2 to damage with *one* kind of weapon. No increases, no other benefits.
It's a lot of free damage (for anyone who qualifies, and doesn't use swift actions constantly).
You make a very good point Vinyc. I think I was letting the dissonance of +1 adamantine full plate being available (technically) at 1st level, while +2 adamantine full plate would require something around 7th or 8th level influence my thoughts.
I agree, if you can purchase the armor itself, you can purchase the +1 enhancement. Even if +2 might be a long long way off.
Consider that bloatmage initiate (the prerequisite to the bloatmage prestige class), and the bloatmage class's primary class ability have the same effect.
... They don't actually. Bloat and Blood pool have nothing to do with caster level. Your point about the rest not having types stands though.
The issue is that when checking if you can enhance an existing item, you have to look at the total price of the item. +1 Weapon/Armor/Shield is always available, but since the base item of dragonhide is not, that would seem to call in the max gp requirement.
Essentially, the druid could not purchase "+1 dragonhide breastplate" at current fame, so cannot upgrade to that either.
The issue is a lot easier to notice when considering things like mithril full plate (10,500 gp), and at what points you can add +1 (or more) to that (11,500 gp, 14,500 gp, 19,500 gp, etc.)
Congratulations to all the new VCs and VLs (special gratz to drayen/Marcus!)
Michael Brock wrote:
We are still in need of additional Venture-Captains in some regions and you can find the list here. If interested in applying, please contact me after reviewing the application process in the previous link.
FYI - the list of locations needing a VC on the right side of that link needs updating. Still lists Perth/Sydney for one.
Absolutely not when it comes to fighters. Their abilities do nothing to the magic enhancement of a weapon, they just give them additional bonuses to hit and damage. They don't let them bypass DR/magic (or DR/adamantine with +4 weapon training), or anything else of the sort.
Magus abilities on the other hand, *yes*, many of them would add to the weapon's total effective enhancement bonus and be subject to the +10 cap.
Just remember, if you are the GM you are allowed to change the rules to suit your game.
Agreed (though agree with the rest that it does not work). The biggest issue to remember if you allow it is that Rogues can get minor magic rogue talent and get caster level = rogue level. That's a *lot* of free damage with Arcane Strike (all for a swift action that rogues rarely use).
Not sure how you meant this, but you cannot qualify for a prestige class the same level you take it. In other words, you have to take the Bloatmage Initiate feat at least one level *prior* to taking a level in the class.
I don't want to poor water on your cool idea, but Tyrannosaurus is not on the list of Ranger animal companion options.
Core Rulebook wrote:
badger, bird, camel, cat (small), dire rat (see the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary), dog, horse, pony, shark, snake (viper or constrictor), or wolf.
To answer questions (as if it were a L.10 Druid animal companion):
Natural Armor: Starts with +4, gets +3 for the size shift, and +6 for level (+13 total), as you indicated.
The attack would be at +13, because of -1 to size?: Correct
Armor proficiency light generally isn't worth it, since MW studded leather or mithril shirt doesn't have an armor check penalty. Can be worth it to get medium or even heavy armor though. (T-Rex in Full plate?)
Weapon Focus probably better. Vital Strike also good for the 9th HD feat. Power Attack is awesome (DR can be a real issue for animal companions).
Combat Reflexes > Improved Initiative. Go slower, but get a free bite more often.
It actually sounds like your GM both created the problem, and solved it. Your GM artificially raised the DCs of the poisons to make them exceptionally challenging to your group. DC 26 for a 9th level Fighter requires a roll of 20 minus con mod and item bonuses, that's rough, and higher than the CR 12 Purple Worm's poison. Since that bends the spell to counter it out of whack, a correction was made.
If you're looking for an in-game/in-system solution, Delay Poison works wonders to prevent death while you attempt to neutralize the poison. But your GM's solution works fine for an artificially created issue. Also sounds like Great Fortitude would be a good idea for the whole group, and if anyone has a strong Heal skill, that can give a +4 bonus to the save.
It's hard to optimize caster level, but it's not hard to optimize vs. poison. Lots of delay poison, great fortitude (& improved), heroes feast ASAP, and perhaps a wand of lesser restoration. It's honestly much *better* in Pathfinder, even with the non-auto neutralize poison, because the poison damage is spread over several rounds, rather than a huge hit right up front, then a minute later.
Also remember, you pretty much can't take poison damage more than once per round (from the same poison), since additional hits simply increase the duration and DC.
Every bad experience I have had with PFS is related either GMing or playing 7 player tables.
This.
It's not that they are always horribly bad, but they are the only times that PFS is horribly bad.
I really think "I'm sorry, we're just full up and no one is willing to step up to run a second table" is far better than "Sure, pile on" and having a decent chance of walking away with a terrible experience.
I would rather run 2 tables at once, than a table of 7.
A sorcerer can cast Chill Touch, move 30' and deliver the spell with his Claws.
I don't believe this is true. Casting a touch spell grants a free melee touch attack, not a free natural attack. The spell can *of course* be delivered with a natural attack, but I don't believe you get a free attack with one. Is there anything that states otherwise? I'd actually be quite interested if there were.
For the OP: the "one free" attack with a weapon doesn't preclude the spell being delivered with another attack, just as the "one free" touch attack doesn't preclude making another touch attack later if it missed (or even if it didn't in case of Chill Touch). Make sure you mentally separate the first sentence of the spellstrike description (can deliver touch attacks with a weapon), with the next part (can opt to change out the free touch for a free weapon attack to deliver).
Yes. Street date is currently scheduled for October 26th. That may change because of some shipping SNAFU or something, but that is what we are shooting for.
Will this have the usual approx. two-week shipping lead time for subscribers?
The one-handed text is something of a holdover sage advice/errata correction to make it clear that just because you can wield the "two-handed" double weapon in one hand due to size, doesn't mean you can attack with both ends, with a single hand. (And particularly that you can't dual-wield smaller double weapons and make attacks with all four ends).
It could use cleaning up, since it appears to have been edited for clarity towards one respect (what happens if you use it as a two-handed weapon), without being aware of the other reason for the language.
To answer the OP: Only Shattering Strike would apply if you're wielding the double weapon as two weapons (1H/L).
Dire Mongoose makes the very good point of the actual slot being the most valuable one of all "Held".
Aside from that, there are no "Still" metamagic rods, because the use of the rod is considered a somatic component. Thus anyone who is tied up (unable to use somatic components), cannot use a metamagic rod. A ring that bypassed that would be *significantly* more powerful than a rod.
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