So we were in a high-level custom dungeon crawl on Sunday, and my wizard stepped into an alcove that made him evil. (It also changed his gender, but that's irrelevant, and soon to be remedied with Break Enchantment.) Now, it happened that he turned back to good immediately after, but if he hadn't, what do you guys think is appropriate for a newly evil character? My first thought was to stab my party in the back during the next boss battle, but with no assurance that the boss would then make me his general or something, that would be too risky. Of course, he would have to hide it from the other PCs...
Long story short: if your GM turns you evil, is a TPK at a dramatically appropriate moment acceptable?
In a game I'm in now, I'm playing a 13th level god wizard, and my friend is playing a 13th level halfling ninja. He's very good at sneak attacking with shuriken and being the party face, but recently he's been pretty useless in combat against undead and elementals.
Are there any spells I could cast that would give him something useful to do in these situations? He's got 5 str and no weapon finesse, so I can't think of a useful polymorph form...
Hey guys, here's a thought experiment: how would you design a Rogue to disable and take out a high-level (10+) spellcaster? Assume the rogue is sneaky enough to get the drop on the caster; how would you take him out without getting leveled by a Dominate Person/Baleful Polymorph/etc., or losing him once he goes invisible and flies away?
Hey, all. I'm playing a Wildshape-focused Druid in an upcoming campaign, and I've decided I want a Rhinoceros as an animal companion. Here's what I've got so far for his feats:
For 1st, I was looking at three possibilities: Toughness, Light Armor Proficiency, and Improved Natural Armor. Which do you guys think is best? Also, Mage Armor can be cast on a rhino, right?
PS: Expecting to have a good time rolling Vital Strike with Strong Jaw, Improved Natural Attack, and Animal Growth at higher levels. ^_^
It seems to me that the druid could, in theory, make a great Combat Reflexes fighter. He gets large and huge shapes which, depending on the form you choose, can have 10 and 15 ft reach; and has a number of spells that create and let him navigate through difficult terrain.*
On the other hand, he gains natural proficiency with zero reach weapons, and receives penalties to Dex for becoming huge and large. To gain an advantage from Combat Reflexes while huge, he'd need at least 16 Dex pre-wildshape.
Does anyone have advice for how to create a good Combat Reflexes/Reach druid?
*Reach and Difficult Terrain:
For those unaware, having reach and the ability to take 5-foot steps in difficult terrain can give someone a huge advantage in combat. Since your opponent has to take a move action to get close to you (assuming your reach is longer than theirs), you get an AoO for them moving through your threatened area, and they only get a standard action to hit you; then on your turn, you can take a 5-foot step and full attack. Rinse and repeat.
I was looking for good deities and domains for a Shinto-style religion (i.e., worshipping kami/local spirits), but all of the pathfinder deities seem pretty monotheistic. Am I best off trying to convince my GM to let me houserule it, or is there a deity I missed? (I was kind of looking at Gozreh, but he seemed a little more like the Drowned God/Poseidon and a little less like what I was going for.)
Here's the character in question, incidentally. Advice is much appreciated!
Tengu Inquisitor:
Race: Tengu
Alignment: TBD - most likely pure neutral
Class: Inquisitor - Heresy inquisition
Stats (20 point buy)
Str 9
Dex 18 (2 racial)
Con 12 (-2 racial)
Int 14
Wis 16 (2 racial)
Cha 7
The character is designed as a skill monkey/monster encyclopedia that can also do pretty well in melee (especially if flanking). He also makes a pretty good lookout and party face, with his high wisdom, racial traits, and inquisition supporting initiative, perception, sense motive, and intimidate. I imagine the build will play somewhat like a divinely-empowered rogue that can "go nova" with Tengu Wings, Improved Judgment, bane, and spells.
It seems to me that Nimble Moves doesn't get enough love.
Nimble Moves
You can move across a single obstacle with ease.
Prerequisites: Dex 13.
Benefit: Whenever you move, you may move through 5 feet of difficult terrain each round as if it were normal terrain. This feat allows you to take a 5-foot step into difficult terrain.
Now, it's obviously not for everybody, but I see one big way to take advantage of it: if you and your opponent are on difficult terrain, and you have reach but your opponent does not, then Nimble Moves would let you practically double your attacks. If there's a 5 foot square between you, you can hit your opponent, but they can't hit you. If they take a move action to get closer to you, you get an AoO, and they get a standard attack. Then, you get to 5 foot step back and full attack, and the cycle repeats. Even if you don't use a reach weapon, I could see it coming in pretty handy whenever you run across or create difficult terrain, which for me is fairly often.
I feel like this is at least worth considering in some of the reach weapon/combat reflexes builds.
I'm an 11th level wizard in a homebrew game I'm in, and until now I've been specializing in battlefield control, especially walls and pit spells. But now we're starting to encounter a lot of flying enemies, as well as huge elementals that are too big for my pits and unaffected by a lot of other spells.
Now, summoning is always dandy, and I imagine casting Fly on a T-rex could have some fun results. But what other spells do you guys like to use on flying, huge, and otherwise troublesome opponents? (I really want Sirocco to be good for this, but it's only a DC15 fly check to stay in the air, which most things can make easily.)
Rewatched The Lion King the other day (don't ask why, I don't know), and my friends and I started up the old "what class would he be" thing. I thought, hey, roleplaying Timon and Pumbaa could be really fun. And there's one class that can do it...
Timon::
Halfling Summoner (Neutral Good)
Str 10
Dex 18
Con 14
Int 12
Wis 8
Cha 15 (+1 at 4th level)
Traits:
Highlander (+1 on Stealth checks, Stealth is a class skill; +2 instead if in a hilly or rocky area)
Fast-Talker (+1 on Bluff, Bluff is a class skill)
Timon is a brown-haired, tan-robed summoner with a penchant for blowing his mouth off. Out of combat, he makes a good party face, with his high Bluff, and a good scout with high Stealth. In combat, he buffs himself and his eidolon up, and rides Pumbaa into battle using Weapon Finesse.
Pumbaa::
Eidolon (Quadruped)
Size: medium; Speed: 40ft; AC: +2 natural armor; Saves: Fort (good), Ref (good), Will (bad); Attack: bite (1d6)
Ability Scores:
Str 14
Dex 14
Con 13
Int 7
Wis 10
Cha 11
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Improved Natural Attack
Though he appears a large brown boar, Pumbaa is of the "dog" build of eidolon - one nasty bite attack that gets a lot of Attacks of Opportunity. He also has skill focus: perception, so at least one of the pair can pay attention.
I'm pretty confident on my build for Pumbaa, but I'd like some advice on how to build Timon. Right now I have him as a weapon finesse battler that rides on Pumbaa, but I could also picture him as a sling/archery type. I know Summoners can't rely very much on their low amount of spells, but what's the best thing to go with them?
There's a druid spell in Ultimate Magic called url=http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/cape-of-wasps]Cape of Wasps[/url].
Quote:
You summon a wasp swarm, which fills your space (up to 5 feet by 5 feet) but does not attack you. The dense cloud of vermin gives you partial concealment against ranged attacks. Any creature that makes a successful melee attack against you takes 2d6 points of swarm damage and poison from the wasp swarm, but is not affected by the swarm’s distraction ability. As a free action on your turn, you may have the swarm cling to you tightly, giving you a fly speed of 20 feet (poor maneuverability); when using the swarm to fly, it does not provide concealment or harm creatures that strike you. You can return the swarm to its protective shape as a free action on your turn.
My question is this: The spell states that the wasps fill at most a 5x5 square, so how does this spell behave if you wildshape into something Large or bigger?
Who likes getting +8 to strength? If you raised your hand, here's the topic of the discussion:
What is the best way to multiclass Alchemist and Barbarian?
Here's my initial thought: go Barbarian 1/Alchemist X, grab a greatsword and some medium armor, and tear s&++ up with Mutagen, Rage, and Enlarge Person (or your favorite buff of choice). Later on, you could have, say, a flying, hasted, invisible, raging beatstick!
As a battlefield control wizard, I love putting up walls, pits, clouds, etc. to trap and annoy my foes. But a lot of these aren't terribly effective against Huge or bigger enemies. What are your favorite spells or tactics against giant enemies, besides straight-up blasting?
I'm about to start a Dwarven Fighter 1/Inquisitor X that uses a Tower Shield, wears Full Plate, and has 16 strength. I'm not terribly worried about his chances to hit (Weapon Focus and Inquisitor buffs help with that) nor his out-of-combat use (he's a detective with high intimidate, sense motive, survival, etc.). However, I'd love to know about other things that would help out in battle.
What are your guys' favorite feats, magic items, and enhancements for your tanks? Bonus points if it works at low levels, since this is for PFS play. For example, the Antagonize feat is really great for distracting melee opponents and maybe letting teammates get in attacks of opportunity. Something that lets you provoke an AoO in order to be able to attack them yourself would be awesome. What else do you guys like for defensive fighters?
I was just looking for targets for some of the polymorph spells, and I noticed that while Monstrous Physique II and III let you take on the form of tiny and diminutive monstrous humanoids, respectively, I can't find any in PFSRD that are that small!
I'd love to have a Tiny or Diminutive form that still allows me to cast spells. Anybody know of some?
PS: Could someone with Eschew Materials cast spells as a raven or a parrot?
Am I right in assuming that you don't gain Weapon Finesse from transforming into a small (or smaller) creature? That is, even a gnome with a high dex modifier in the shape of, say, a viper, needs to have taken the feat Weapon Finesse before he has a snowball's chance in hell of hitting anything? Also, would an Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists be necessary to deal more than 1 damage per attack?
Thanks!
EDIT: Oh yeah, and Shield and Mage Armor continue to add their respective +4 bonuses when beast shaped, right?
As an alternative to my usual arcane caster/sneaky type character, I decided I wanted to try creating a detective character. I wanted this character to be good in melee and excellent at tracking down and interrogating criminals.
Here's what I came up with. I'm looking to make him even better. (This would probably be for PFS, so I'm trying to stick to Core, APG, UC, and UM, and focus on levels 1-11.)
Gruff was raised by his father, a Dwarven soldier, after his mother died in a riot. His father loved him, but kept a very orderly, militaristic household. Gruff learned to hate crime, and appreciated the stern, strategic, and unforgiving aspects of Torag, the Dwarven god of the forge. Eventually, he decided to become an inquisitor of Torag, to hunt down lawless criminals and others who would instill chaos on the land. While he might not give charity to beggars, he would hunt down lawbreakers to the ends of Absalom, and is equipped to do so.
For those who don't know, here's a quick rundown of Inquisitor features:
3/4 BAB progression, good Fort and Will saves
Proficiencies: Simple weapons, bows, patron deity's favored weapon; light and medium armor; shields
Skills: 6 ranks + int per level; many class skills
Spells: Wisdom-based spontaneous divine caster, not a ton of spells per day
Judgment: A bonus to damage OR attack rolls OR AC OR... lasts 1 combat, can change/start as a swift action; gets better as you level
Stern Gaze: +1/2 level to Sense Motive and Intimidate
Cunning Initiative: add Wis to Initiative
Detect Alignment at will
Track: +1/2 level to Survival to track something
Teamwork Feats/Solo Tactics: every 3rd level you pick a Teamwork Feat; you can change the last one selected as a Standard Action, and teammates are treated as though they have it.
Bane: at 5th level, weapon gains Bane for 1 round/level each day (nonconsecutive)
Discern Lies: at 5th level, free discern lies for #rounds equal to level
Str 16
Dex 10
Con 16
Int 12
Wis 16
Cha 6
Weapons: Dwarven War Axe, Composite Longbow
Armor: Breastplate
Feats::
1: Intimidating Prowess (add Str to Intimidate checks)
3: Power Attack
Teamwork 3: Duck and Cover (uses ally's Reflex Save roll)
5: Antagonize (can force enemies to attack you using Intimidate or Diplomacy)
Teamwork 6: Outflank (+4 bonus when flanking)
Skills:
-Conversion Inquisition -> Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate are Wis-based
-Stern Gaze -> morale bonus on Intimidate and Sense Motive equal to half inquisitor level
-Monster Lore (2nd level) -> Wis instead of Int on Knowledge checks concerning creatures
-Track (2nd level) -> Adds half level on Survival checks to follow tracks
0: Detect Magic
0: Guidance
0: Light
0: Sift
0: Brand
0: Create Water
1: Shield of Faith
1: Expeditious Retreat
1: Interrogation
1: Protection from Evil
2: Hold Person
2: Detect Thoughts
2: Resist Energy
2: Invisibility
Magic Items, in order of desirability:
Dwarven Waraxe +X
Belt of Str +X
Headband of Wis +X
Cloak of Resistance
Boots of Speed
Wand of Cure Light Wounds
Breastplate +X
Ring of Protection
Amulet of Natural Armor
alternate material arrows/weapons
So here's what this build looks like at 6th level, halfway through his PFS career.
Melee (assume +1 Dwarven Waraxe, +2 belt of Str, Power Attack):
+8 (+10 if using Judgment) to hit for 1d10 + 10
If using bane: +10 to hit for 1d10 + 2d6 + 12
AC (assume +1 Breastplate): 17 (19 if using Shield of Faith)
Intimidate: 6 ranks + 3 (trained) + 4 Wis (assume Headband of Wis +2) + 4 (Intimidating Prowess) + 3 (Stern Glare) = +20
Sense Motive: 6 ranks + 3 (trained) + 4 Wis + 3 (Stern Glare) = +16
The Serpentine bloodline for sorcerers has the following arcana:
Bloodline Arcana: Your powers of compulsion can affect even bestial creatures. Whenever you cast a mind-affecting or language-dependent spell, it affects animals, magical beasts, and monstrous humanoids as if they were humanoids who understood your language.
What spells does this affect, exactly? Can Charm/Dominate Person be used like Charm/Dominate Monster? How does Hideous Laughter work?
I've just started a Serpentine bloodline gnome in PFS, and realized that I have these cool fangs that are completely useless because of my low strength score. On the other hand, with a bit of work, they could be a really potent weapon.
Since I was thinking of making this guy into an infiltrator anyway (via invisibility, reduce person, etc.), would it be worthwhile to take Weapon Finesse and maybe one of the Beast Shape spells and going for the stealthed bite?
First, for reference, here's the Serpent's Fang ability - it really gets worthwhile at 7th level, where it requires 2 saves to heal.
Serpent's Fang:
Serpent’s Fang (Ex): At 1st level, you can grow fangs as a free action. These fangs are treated as a natural weapon inflicting 1d4 points of damage plus your Strength modifier (1d3 if you are Small) plus poison (Bite—injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 your sorcerer level + your Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1 Con damage; cure 1 save). At 5th level, these fangs are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming DR and the poison damage increases to 1d2 Con. At 7th level, your poison requires 2 successful saves to cure. At 11th level, your poison damage increases to 1d4 Con. You can use your fangs for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
And here are my stats:
Stats:
Str 6
Dex 14
Con 16
Int 12
Wis 10
Cha 18
Let's suppose it's 8th level and I've taken Beast Shape II, which allows me to turn into a Tiny or Large animal, and gives +4 Dex, -2 Str, and +1 Natural Armor (which I fear doesn't stack with the Serpentine Bloodline's NA). If I have 4 ranks in Stealth and a +2 Belt of Dex and I transform into, say, a Viper, I would have a Stealth check of +17 (including the bonus for being Tiny), an AC of 18 (bumped to 22 by Mage Armor and 26 by Shield), and a to-hit of +11 (or +13 and no dex bonus to the enemy if I'm invisible).
I'm imagining that eventually, I'll be able to use Greater Invisibility to bite an opponent a few times and run away, giving them an almost impossible to save against poison that whittles their Con away to 0 over the course of a few rounds. (Remember, every point of Con damage they take lowers their Fort save, leading to more Con damage, leading to a lower Fort save...)
Do you guys think this is viable for Pathfinder Society? If not, is Weapon Finesse itself worthwhile? Thanks for your critiques!
PS: Mage Armor and Shield continue to work when transformed, right?
PPS: If I choose to become a Raven, can I still cast spells with verbal components?
PPPS: The Polymorph subschool says that sorcerers maintain their ability to get claws, etc. while transformed, so I assume I keep my fangs and venom.
I was just looking at my "prepare everyday" spells for my 9th level wizard (coming soon to a game near me) and I'm now wondering if it's even worthwhile to prepare Mage Armor. Yes, it's a +4 to AC for a measly 1st level slot, but according to professor Q's equipment guide, you need a 19 AC at 9th level for AC to even begin to matter. Assuming a Dex bonus of +2, Mage Armor leaves me with an AC of 16. If I were to cast Shield as well my AC would bump up to 20, just barely above the threshold; but now we're at two 1st level slots, one of which has to be cast within minutes of battle.
So, I ask more experienced players: is Mage Armor worth it? Are there some higher-level foes for which it makes a difference, e.g. mage-on-mage knife fights? Or should I save my 1st level slots for extra copies of Silent Image, Grease, Magic Missile, etc.?
I've been thinking about what a front-line sorcerer would look like, and realized that certain parts of sorcerers dovetail beautifully with Monk.
For example, take the following character:
Dwarven Monk (Flowing) X/Sorcerer (Empyreal) X
Str 7
Dex 18
Con 16
Int 7
Wis 18
Cha 7
Right off the bat, this guy has an AC of 18, which can be pumped to 22 with Mage Armor and 26 with Shield. (At first level!) Not to mention the cool reposition/trip thing Flowing Monk allows. Assuming he takes Weapon Finesse as a Monk bonus feat, he'll start with a +4 (plus BAB) to hit, which means he should easily be able to hit touch AC with his favorite Sorcerer spells as the game goes on. Also, all of his saves are going to be amazing.
Starting with a base like this, how would you guys develop this character?
DESCRIPTION
You create a rolling sphere of churning water that can engulf those it strikes. The aqueous orb can move up to 30 feet per round, rolling over barriers less than 10 feet tall. It automatically quenches any non-magical fires and functions as dispel magic against magical fires as long as those fires are size Large or less.
Any creature in the path of the aqueous orb takes 2d6 points of nonlethal damage. A successful Reflex save negates this damage, but a Large or smaller creature that fails its save must make a second save or be engulfed by the aqueous orb and carried along with it. Engulfed creatures are immersed in water and must hold their breath unless capable of breathing water. They gain cover against attacks from outside the aqueous orb but are considered entangled by its churning currents, takes 2d6 points of nonlethal damage at the beginning of their turn each round they remain trapped. Creatures within the orb may attempt a new Reflex save each round to escape into a random square adjacent to the aqueous orb. The orb may hold one Large creature, 4 Medium, or 16 Small or smaller creatures within it.
The sphere moves as long as you actively direct it (a move action for you); otherwise, it merely stays at rest and churns in place. An aqueous orb stops if it moves outside the spell's range.
First, the description says they get a reflex save each round to escape; is that like Glitterdust, where they get a Will save each round not to be blind for free? Or is it more like escaping a grapple, where they actually have to take an action to break free? (They are Entangled, after all.)
Second, suppose I end the sphere in or next to someone's square using my move action. (If I end it in their square, they presumably have to make the saves; if they make them, I assume they're hiding in one of the corners of the 10-ft square.) Now I cast Hydraulic Push or Telekinesis to attempt a bull rush on them. If they fail, are they automatically sucked into the orb? What if I use the "violent thrust" version of Telekinesis?
Third, suppose I end the orb next to or extruding 5 feet over a Create Pit spell. Does it hover there until I can direct it all the way into the hole? At that point, what happens? You'd think the rules for falling onto a yielding surface apply... or does the orb just dissipate due to the force of the impact? Can I dismiss the orb as they fall (and if so, does that require an action)? What happens if they fall into a spiked, acid, or hungry pit?
Fourth, if I use a Persistent Rod, they have to make 2 saves for the first effect and 2 for the last (if they fail the first) every time, right?
Fifth, if I hoover up someone under the effect of Hideous Laughter, do they start drowning immediately? If I get a spellcaster, can they cast spells with somatic components?
Sixth, I can start the orb wherever I like within range, right? Including on top of some enemies?
Thanks a lot for your help, guys - I started out with two questions, and then the list started growing as I thought about it...
So, the feat Superior Summoning (requirements: Augment Summoning, which requires Spell Focus: Conjuration) says that each time you cast a summoning spell that conjures more than one creature, add one to the total number of creatures summoned.
So that means, with, say, Summon Monster IV, you could summon 1 monster off of the 4 list, 1d3+1 from the 3 list, or 1d4+2 from the 2 list.
I was looking at the math, and it seems to me that for summoning beatsticks (so we're not looking at SLAs here) for a given level of summon it's almost always best to summon from the second-best level if they can all get at the enemy. (In hallways these rules cease to apply.)
EDIT: It seems we have to include "no damage resistance" for this to be true, as well.
Assume 1d3+1 results in a 3, and that we have Augment Summoning (I've figured this into the math already). Let's also assume that all 3 can charge one enemy, which makes sense considering you can summon them anywhere within 25ft + 10ft/2 levels - or, failing that, they can attack different enemies. Here are some of the best beaters on the Summon Monster IV list and their attacks:
SM4:
Bison - gore +12 (2d6 + 15) or trample (2d6+15 - Ref DC 20 for half) - avg 22 damage if it hits/they fail their save
Lion - bite +9 (1d8+7 plus grab), 2 claws +9 (1d4+7), pounce, rake (2 claws +9, 1d4+7) - on a charge gets 5 attacks for avg 49.5 if all hit on a charge, or 30.5 on a full attack if all hit
Bear - 2 claws +9 (1d6+7 plus grab), bite +9 (1d6+7) - avg 31.5 if all hit
Hound Archon - bite +10 (1d8+5), slam +10 (1d4+3) or mwk greatsword +11/+6 (2d6+5), bite +5 (1d8+3) - avg 15 with natural, 31.5 with sword & bite
Compare that to the best of the Summon Monster III list:
SM3:
Aurochs - gore +9 (1d8+12), stampede, trample (2d6+12, DC 19) - avg 16.5 if gore hits, 19 if trample and enemy fails Reflex - which if stampeding (charging with 2 other) has its DC get +2
Leopard - bite +7 (1d6+5 plus grab), 2 claws +7 (1d3+5), pounce, rake (2 claws +7, 1d3+5) - avg 36.5 on a charge if all hit, or 22.5 on a full attack if all hit
Crocodile - bite +7 (1d8+6 plus grab) and tail slap +2 (1d12+3);
Special Attack - death roll (1d8+9 plus trip) - avg 17 on a regular full attack if all hit
Now, obviously, a single lion will hit with more of its attacks than a single leopard. However, a charging lion gets 5 attacks at +9, but 3 charging leopards get 15 attacks at +7 - obviously the leopards will hit more times total. Suppose half of the lion's attacks hit, and a third of each leopard's attacks hit (which is favorable for the lion): the lion would deal ~25 damage, and the leopards ~37. On defense, a lion has AC 15 and 42 hp; each leopard has AC 15 and 25, for a total of 75 between three of them.
What do you guys think? Also, did I screw up the math anywhere? (Entirely possible - I just got finished with a mechanical engineering final and my brain is still sizzling slightly)
PS: Comparing a dire lion (bite +14 (1d8+9 plus grab), 2 claws +14 (1d6+9), pounce, rake (2 claws +14, 1d6+9)) and 1d4+2 (avg 4.5) leopards: avg 63.5 if all hit for the dire lion, 155.25 if all hit for the leopards - but the dire lion has double the attack bonus of the leopards. Plus rolling 20+ attacks is a real headache.
EDIT: Noticed I did miss something - charging gets you a +2 on the attack, which I assume transfers to all the attacks in a pounce. I didn't include this in the math above, but it should favor the multiple creature case, since it lowers the difference in attack bonus between them and the single, bigger monster.
EDIT 2: Also forgot about applying the Celestial/Fiendish templates, which I think would also favor the smaller creatures, but not sure about this one.
The spell Shrink Item (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/shrink-item) lets you shrink down objects up to 2 cubic feet/caster level to 1/16 their size, and potentially also lets you change them to cloth.
Shrink Item:
EFFECT
Range touch
Target one touched object of up to 2 cu. ft./level
Duration 1 day/level; see text
Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)
DESCRIPTION
You are able to shrink one non-magical item (if it is within the size limit) to 1/16 of its normal size in each dimension (to about 1/4,000 the original volume and mass). This change effectively reduces the object's size by four categories. Optionally, you can also change its now shrunken composition to a cloth-like one. Objects changed by a shrink item spell can be returned to normal composition and size merely by tossing them onto any solid surface or by a word of command from the original caster. Even a burning fire and its fuel can be shrunk by this spell. Restoring the shrunken object to its normal size and composition ends the spell.
Shrink item can be made permanent with a permanency spell, in which case the affected object can be shrunk and expanded an indefinite number of times, but only by the original caster.
Now, suppose I have my 9th-level wizard, over the course of a few days, shrinks a bunch of 2.6 ft boulders down to a bunch of 2 inch pebbles and puts them in a bag of holding. Suppose he's traveling and devotes half his 3rd, 4th, and 5th level spell slots to this cause - say, 6 spells a day for a week = 42 rocks.
The next day, he gets in combat. He decides to fly up and empty his bag of holding onto the enemies, thus dropping 42 2.5ftx2.5ftx2.5ft boulders on the enemy(ies). What happens?
I'm a little confused as to how many uses of spell-like abilities things get per day. Let's take a Lillend Azata, for example: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/azata/lillend
Offense:
Speed 30 ft., fly 70 ft. (average)
Melee +1 longsword +12/+7 (2d6+8/19–20), tail slap +6 (2d6+2 plus grab)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks bardic performance (20 rounds/day), constrict (2d6+5)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th)
3/day—darkness, hallucinatory terrain (DC 18), knock, light
1/day—charm person (DC 15), speak with animals, speak with plants
Now, the Lillend casts as a bard (a spontaneous caster), so obviously when it comes to spells, she gets 2 TOTAL uses of either charm monster and/or cure serious wounds each day. But what about the SLAs? Can she cast 1 Darkness, 1 Knock, and 1 Light in a day? Or could she cast 3 of each of Darkness, Hallucinatory Terrain, Knock, and Light?
Similarly, Gnomes with CHA 11 or better get Gnome Magic:
Gnomes add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against illusion spells that they cast. Gnomes with a Charisma of 11 or higher also gain the following spell-like abilities:
1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation, and speak with animals. The caster level for these effects is equal to the gnome's level. The DC for these spells is equal to 10 + the spell's level + the gnome's Charisma modifier.
Can they use each of those once per day, or one of them each day?
As a wizard, what are some good spells/tactics for lowering an opponent's saves? I know both Shakened and Sickened give -2 on saving throws, so some effects that cause those would be nice.
Also, how do you know which of an enemy's saves is weakest? Obviously archers are going to have good Reflex, spellcasters will have good Will, fighters will have good Fort, etc.; but what about when its not so obvious? Could Knowledge checks do this, and if so, how should making them in the middle of a fight be handled?
I'm going to start playing a wizard soon, and I was curious about something. How do you guys and your DMs treat learning new spells as a wizard? By default you only get two new ones per level - hardly better than a sorcerer.
I know the default ways are stealing other wizards' spellbooks, finding scrolls, and recording them from other wizards' spellbooks. I'd much prefer the last, as it's very cheap and you get to choose what spells you get; but how often do your DMs let you do so?
The wizard I'm playing is going to be a Conjuration: Creation specialist - he's (I'm) all about finding unique solutions and fun spell combinations (Stinking Cloud + Summon Monster for earth elemental + Create Pit, anyone?), so I'd really like to be able to pick and choose from the whole spell list.
I'm thinking of making a Gnome or Halfling character that uses Reduce Person to make himself Tiny. (This might be a PC, or it might be an NPC the party I'm GMing for fights - in which case, using a Potion of Reduce Person to do so is fine.)
He'd probably be a rogue or a vivisectionist alchemist - someone that likes sneaking around, possibly setting traps, and laughing at the big lugs that try to catch him while he pokes them in painful places. Obviously it would be a finesse build. A pure spellcaster is possible, but kind of defeats the point. (Arcane Trickster might be viable, though.)
Any fun ideas for this, guys?
PS: I know Tiny creatures don't threaten outside of their square, and they have to move into others' squares to attack (inducing AoOs) - does that mean they can end a move in an opponent's square, even though they take up a quarter of a square?
Right now I'm a level 8 finesse Rogue/Alchemist with a Mithral Shirt +1 (Shadow). I've got 22 Dex normally, which gives me a +6 to AC from dex, the max allowed by a mithral shirt. Unfortunately, that means that if I use Reduce Person or my Mutagen to increase my dex more, I don't get the increased dex bonus to AC.
Is there any way to enchant this armor or somehow otherwise raise the max dex bonus? If not, what armors have higher max Dex to AC besides quilted cloth and padded? (I'd like Celestial Mail, but that's not going to happen for a while.)
Right now my total AC is 10 + 6 (Dex bonus) + 1 (Dodge) + 2 (Ring of Deflection) + 5 (Mithral Shirt +1) = 24. If I use my Mutagen I get +2 Natural Armor, and if I use Reduce Person I get +1 from being small. Without the max dex bonus to AC, those bonuses would be +4 and +2.
I made the unfortunate mistake of having 10 Con whilst being a TWF (and so engaged in full attack melee somewhat frequently), so AC is really important to me. (I've only got 41 HP)
A little while back someone joked about a wizard that solely uses his magic to try to headbutt the enemy (the joke being, namely, that no one with that much int can be that stupid).
Challenge Accepted.
I want to build a wizard that focuses all his efforts on delivering touch spells in combat...
...via his head.*
*(Let's assume the DM lets us make an unarmed strike as a headbutt without taking a level in monk.)
I'm thinking a dex-based build. It would probably look like this:
Elf Wizard - Henry the Hard-Headed
Favored School: Transmutation (Enhancement)
Opposed Schools: Divination, Illusion
20-point buy:
Str 7
Dex 18
Con 13 (4th level bonus goes here)
Int 18 (other bonuses go here)
Wis 7
Cha 11
I know it's more optimal to switch Wis and Cha here, but this guy is kind of... the opposite of wise.
A few favorite spells at each level:
1 - Mage Armor, Shield (don't die!), Shocking Grasp, Cause Fear (fear my headbutts of horror!), Touch of Gracelessness, Reduce Person
2 - Touch of Idiocy, Ghoul Touch, Spectral Hand (spectral head?), Cat's Grace, Disfiguring Touch
3 - Elemental Aura, Force Punch, Vampiric Touch, Excruciating Deformation, Fly (FLYING HEADBUTTS)
4 - Stoneskin, Fire Shield, Bestow Curse, Calcific Touch
One of my players and I were screwing around and came up with a silly idea: a suit of armor for his dwarven monk (yes, I know monks don't usually wear armor) made of shurikens, such that at the beginning of a battle, he can flex his muscles and have the whole thing POP, sending shurikens flying everywhere.
I don't think he'll be playing that much longer, so I'd like it to be available to a level 2-3 character. I'm fully acknowledging how janky this is, but how would you guys implement something like this, and what would it cost?
I'm thinking it might end up as a few belts of shuriken that he wraps around his body, and can then make a Strength check to take some damage himself but have all the shuriken pop off and go flying everywhere. (So likely 2 shuriken in each of the 8 directions around his character, flying 5 or 10 feet and dealing normal shuriken damage (1/2 if the opponents can make a Reflex save).
The Swarm ability says: "Swarm Attack: Creatures with the swarm subtype don't make standard melee attacks. Instead, they deal automatic damage to any creature whose space they occupy at the end of their move, with no attack roll needed."
So, do swarms get a move and standard action like everything else? Can they move, damage/distract something inside them, then move again and deal more damage?
What are some of your favorite clever combos? One of mine has to be using Summon Monster III to get a few small Earth Elementals, then casting a Pit spell. If my opponent makes the save, I have the elementals Bull Rush him in. (I imagine if I have 3, I command one to earth glide beneath my opponent, pop up behind him to act as a setup, and command the other two to rush him.) Then I have them stand guard and smack him down if he tries to climb out. (Extra effective on Spiked and Acid pits!)
What are your guys' favorite fun tactics? Combat or roleplay.
I ran through the Beginner Box module for some friends of mine who never played before, and we all had a ton of fun. Last Friday I helped everyone with character creation (protip: this is best done 2-3 people at a time, not 6), and now we're getting ready to have our first adventure using the Core Rulebook.
I was going to do Hangman's Noose (and try to get it done in 2 sessions), but it seems half the players are out of town for Spring Break, so after this Friday we won't be able to play for 2-3 weeks. I don't want to do half of Noose now and half in a month, so I'm looking for a fun 1st-level jaunt that can be accomplished in one sitting.
Anyone have any recommendations? If there's nothing out there, I was thinking of a simple "town has bandit problems" scenario - a bit of roleplaying to get on the good side of the townsfolk (who might assume they're bandits at first), then two skirmishes with bandits (a scouting party and the main force).
I had a fun idea for a character that I was hoping you guys could help me flesh out. The idea is basically a Dwarf Barbarian that loves to throw things - mostly throwing axes, but maybe his trusty waraxe on occasion, too. Or the bodies of his fallen enemies.
Or at later levels, horses. (See: Rage powers, Hurling, Greater)
The idea is to take quick draw so I can throw throwing axes at my full rate of attacks, plus the Hurling series of rage talents so that by level 12 I can throw things one size category larger than I am. Note that throwing things is probably going to be a precursor to charging into battle in the characteristic barbarian way.
Here's what I have so far:
Dwarf Barbarian - Hurler (trade fast movement for +10 ft on all range increments)/Invulnerable Rager
Stats (20 point buy)
Str 16 (stat increases go here)
Dex 14
Con 18
Int 8
Wis 13
Cha 5
Feats:
Power Attack
Quick Draw
Distance Thrower
Sliding Axe Throw (pretty cool, lets you take a small penalty to attack in order to trip people with throwing axes)
Two-Handed Thrower (this would let me potentially throw several Greataxes in one turn... which would be freaking hilarious)
?
Medium Armor
Main weapon: Dwarven Waraxe, or maybe Dwarven Dorn Dergar
Alternate: at least 8 throwing axes (probably Masterwork ones, at least one or two with Returning)
What do you guys think? I might be willing to go Fighter, but I like the Barbarian flavor, Hurler abilities, and Str/Con bonuses a lot.
PS: Hurler says the thrown object deals falling damage + STR - anyone know how much this is, exactly? Also, what are the rules with 2-handed weapons and Hurling Charge?
PPS: Ways to abuse Hurler would be nice too. I've heard of Bags of Holding full of boulders... Certainly would be an interesting way to get a teammate across the field. (Hope they have feather fall! Actually, could an Acrobatics check reduce the damage from this?)
I was looking at the Tumor Familiar alchemist discovery.
Tumor Familiar:
The alchemist creates a Diminutive or Tiny tumor on his body, usually on his back or stomach. As a standard action, the alchemist can have the tumor detach itself from his body as a separate creature vaguely resembling a kind of animal suitable for a familiar (bat, cat, and so on) and move about as if it were an independent creature. The tumor can reattach itself to the alchemist as a standard action. The tumor has all the abilities of the animal it resembles (for example, a batlike tumor can fly) and familiar abilities based on the alchemist’s caster level (though some familiar abilities may be useless to an alchemist). The tumor acts as the alchemist’s familiar whether attached or separated (providing a skill bonus, the Alertness feat, and so on). When attached to the alchemist, the tumor has fast healing 5. An alchemist’s extracts and mutagens are considered spells for the purposes of familiar abilities like share spells and deliver touch spells. If a tumor familiar is lost or dies, it can be replaced 1 week later through a specialized procedure that costs 200 gp per alchemist level. The ritual takes 8 hours to complete.
It seems like you can use a different animal every time you detach it from your body, each type of animal gives a different bonus, and absorbing and re-detaching a familiar takes only a standard action apiece. Therefore, by absorbing and detaching a familiar, an alchemist gets +3 to almost any skill he wants.
I'm thinking of trying to make a "glasses-pushing assasin" type character - I'm thinking a Vivisectionist Alchemist with high dex and int and low charisma, and a true neutral alignment.
Using an Elf with 20 point buy, I'm thinking
Str 8
Dex 18
Con 14
Int 18
Wis 10
Cha 7
He'd probably use a Dex-based mutagen (with Weapon Finesse, of course) and take Feral Mutagen for hella sneak attacks. He'd want to keep stealth, craft(alchemy) and disable device maxed out, and would have a fun toolbox of alchemical items and extracts.
What would you guys do for a character like this? Any nice multiclass options I should consider?
I'm a bit confused about how natural attacks work.
Suppose I'm a Rogue 6/Alchemist (Vivisectionist) 2, and I choose Feral Mutagen as my discovery. I already have Two Weapon Fighting (with twin short swords). My BAB is +5.
How many attacks can I make in a standard action, and how many in a full attack? What about when my BAB reaches +6/+1? If I attack while flanking, these are all sneak attacks, right?
I'm currently running my first Pathfinder campaign; I joined at level 4, and now I'm a Rogue 5/Shadowdancer 1. My original plan was to get up to Shadowdancer 4 then go back to Rogue for the rest of my levels (not sure how high this campaign will go). But recently, I had a new thought.
Here's the character as is - a skirmisher/scout/party face, fragile but very stealthy, and without many options in combat besides "stab them."
Reynard, Human Rogue 5/Shadowdancer 1
Str 10
Dex 21 (including magic items and stat boosts)
Con 10
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 14
Items:
+1 Shocking Burst shortsword
just found another magic shortsword, unsure of qualities
2 Hand Crossbows (handy for mid-range sneaks, but relatively low to-hit)
Mithril Chain shirt (+4 AC)
Boots of Speed
Hat of Disguise
Handy Haversack
Gloves of +2 Dex
Cloak of Resistance +2
Wand of Grease
2 Tanglefoot Bags
1 Smokestick
Skills:
Maxed Stealth, Bluff, Disguise, Acrobatics, UMD, Disable Device
Good at a decent number of others, since I was getting 11 skill ranks per level (8 rogue, 1 human, 2 int bonus)
(I have no idea how I'd manage to play a sorcerer that dumped int and gets 1 skill rank per level)
So, the previous plan for my next level was take another level of Shadowdancer, with Spring Attack as a feat. (DM ruled I can spring from and back to stealth, which should help survivability; I know it's not quite optimal with TWF.)
But I had a new thought: My character, of low strength but keen intelligence, has decided to increase his strength... with the power of SCIENCE!
Take a level in Vivisectionist Alchemist.
I get:
-Mutagen - for 1 fight/day, +4 dex, +2 AC, -2 Wis
-Formulae - likely will be used to cast Reduce Person twice/day; +2 dex, -2 strength (doesn't affect attack rolls thanks to weapon finesse), +1 to hit, +1 AC, +4 stealth bonus; slightly lower damage, because of a smaller weapon and lower strength, but most damage comes from sneak attack and shocking anyway
-Throw anything, for the lulz
-Ability to use Cure Light Wounds and other wands without a UMD check
Feat: Master Alchemist
Buy a Portable Alchemy Lab & Alchemist's Kit
Assuming my DM lets me take 10 on craft checks, I can craft ~90GP of alchemical items per day. Craft bonus = 7 skill ranks + 3 class skill + 2 int bonus + 1 alchemist bonus + 2 Master Alchemist + 1 portable lab = +16. So every day I can make a Tanglefoot Bag and, say, 2 smokesticks, or a thunderstone, or a smokestick and alchemist's fire, etc.
Also, with the rest of my money, get my Mithril Chain upgraded to a +1 Shadow Mithril Shirt (+1 to AC, +5 to stealth checks)
So I get a much bigger bag of tricks via alchemical items and formulae, plus a pretty darn decent stat boost if I have 2-3 rounds notice to buff. I'm thinking after the 1st level of Alchemist, I take 3 more levels of Shadowdancer to acquire all of its good tricks, then go back to Alchemist for the rest of the game.
What do you guys think? Obviously it's not really optimized, but I think this is the best option for continuing this campaign.
When I'm looking over the sorcerer/wizard spell lists, I usually just skip over the touch attacks, even the ranged touch ones. However, there are a lot of primo Necromancy spells (and a few others) that rely on touch.
How would you guys go about building a sorcerer or wizard that uses touch attacks and/or ray attacks?
Vermillion (named for his bright orange eyes) was the result of the human rape of an elvish woman, part of a tribe of elves. His mother, an elvish woman named Elriella, was picking herbs deep in the woods when she was assaulted by some human soldiers passing through the area. Vermillion grew up with the elvish tribe; he hated humans for the sad look that passed over his mother's face whenever they came up in conversation. His human heritage blessed him with impressive strength, and his dexterity and constitution were bolstered by his years in the woods. Unfortunately, his humanity also caused many of the other elves to ostracize him in public, leading to a lack of charisma. It also gave him a very hot headed streak - he frequently got into fights with others. He is, nevertheless, decently intelligent; he frequently used strategy to bring prey down while hunting, and loved to hear the village elder tell stories.
At the age of 16, Vermillion was far away from his village, when he saw a caravan of human slave traders passing by. Furious, he disregarded the advice of his elders and mother and attempted to ambush the slavers that night. Needless to say, he was captured, and forced to travel many miles away, where he was eventually sold to a colosseum. At first, he repeatedly attempted to escape; however, these too met in failure, as well as severe lashings. Eventually, he relented and settled into the ways of the colosseum, but the scars on his back strengthened his hatred.
Vermillion had some training with whips from his elvish life - they were used as part of the traditional dances performed in his tribe. He quickly and bloodily refined their use in combat, using them to trip and entangle his opponents. His gladiatorial training also trained him in light armor, and a variety of other tools and weapons.
After a few years at the colosseum, Vermillion was a respected fighter, but also a loner; he ate alone and had no friends. One day, he was approached by a relentlessly cheery and talkative human youth named Markus. At first, Vermillion was cold to him, his hatred of humans ever-present in his mind. Nevertheless, Markus persisted, sitting with Vermillion and talking away, telling stories of his home and upbringing, despite the half-elf's silence. Slowly, very slowly, Vermillion warmed up to the lad - he still had a love for stories, despite having not heard any in years. Eventually, the two formed a close friendship, though Markus still did most of the talking.
One day, Vermillion walked out into the coliseum grounds for a fight - the bright sun shining on the same scene he had viewed every day for years. Today, though, was different. Today, the enemy that approached him was not some nameless brute, that Vermillion could dispatch heartlessly. Today, it was Markus that Vermillion was slated to slay.
To be continued...
Stats:
Str 19 (including +2 bonus) (boost at 4th)
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 13
Wis 8
Cha 7
Weapons: Scorpion Whip* (primary), Heavy Flail, Switchblade, maybe a Composite Longbow
Light Armor (no proficiency in heavier armors and shields, thanks to Lore Warden)
Traits:
Prehensile Whip (whip can be used as grappling hook)
Elven Reflexes (+2 on initiative) (note: requires parent be a member of a wild elven tribe)
This guy is wonderful at tripping, in theory - in this thread I calculated his bonus to trip at level 7 to be about 24. However, I'm sure my DM will send us up against spiders or flying creatures or something, and whips don't do a whole lot of damage... I'm also not sure what to do after level 7. Advice, please! (Thanks!)
PS: Greater Whip Mastery seems a little useless to me - what do you guys think?
*EDIT: Changed from regular whip to Scorpion whip.
Hi, everyone! I was hoping to clear up some confusion I had about whips and some other regular combat stuff from those of you who've had lots of experience.
Suppose I'm playing this character:
Indiana, 7th-level Fighter
Archetype: Lore Warden - +4 on CMB at level 7, plus free Combat Expertise
Race: Half-Elf - Ancestral Arms trait gives weapon proficiency: Whip
Strength 20 (+5 bonus)
Dex 14 (+2 bonus)
BAB = +7/+2
Weapon Training: Flail (includes whip) (+1 to attack, damage)
Weapon: Frost Whip +2 (aka Cool Whip) (+1d6 cold damage on hit)
Alternate weapon: Flail (in pack)
Feats:
Weapon Proficiency (whip) (from Half Elf)
Combat Expertise (from Lore Warden)
Weapon Focus (whip) (+1 to attack rolls)
Whip Mastery (no AoO from using whip, whips can deal lethal)
Improved Whip Mastery ("While wielding a whip, you threaten the area of your natural reach plus 5 feet.")
Improved Trip (+2 to trip, no AoO)
Greater Trip (another +2 to trip, tripping opponents provokes AoO)
Combat Reflexes (extra AoO equal to dex bonus)
Power Attack (-2 to attack, +4 to damage at level 7 - choose to use before making an attack roll)
Felling Smash ("If you use the attack action to make a single melee attack at your highest base attack bonus while using Power Attack and you hit an opponent, you can spend a swift action to attempt a trip combat maneuver against that opponent.")
So, a few questions:
1. Say I make a Full attack, with my first attack as a trip: it gets a bonus of 7 (BAB) + 5 (Strength) + 4 (improved/greater trip) + 4 (Loremaster) + 1 (Weapon Focus) +2 (whip's enhancement bonus) + 1 (Weapon training, as a fighter) = +24 to trip.
a) Assuming that attack hits (I should hope so, with a +24), can I immediately make an AoO via greater trip? If so, can I use Power Attack with that?
b) Does the Cold effect deal damage?
c) Does rolling a natural 1 make me drop my whip, even though with my bonuses I'm likely not failing by more than 10?
d) Suppose I then want to make a regular attack with my +2 BAB. Can I use Power Attack? And is this math right? -> Attack bonus would be: +2 (BAB) +5 (strength) -2 (Power Attack) + 1 (Weapon Training) +1 (Weapon Focus) +2 (whip enhancement) +4 (opponent is prone) = +13, for damage of 1d3 + 1d6 (frost) + 5 (str) + 2 (whip enhancement) = 1d3 + 1d6 + 7
2. Can I use two hands on my whip to apply 1.5x my strength mod to damage? (The whip is one-handed, not light.) If not, is there any downside to me using a shield in my off-hand?
3. Improved Whip Mastery says that I threaten the range of my natural reach +5 feet. This means that I threaten a 5x5 square around me, right? If someone walks toward me, I get an AoO when they're standing in front of me, before they attack (assuming they don't lunge or spring attack or something); if I use the AoO to make a successful trip with my whip, they can choose to either attack me with a -4 bonus or stand up, in which case I can get another AoO (thanks to Combat Reflexes), which I can use to trip them again. Right?
4. Can I use Power Attack with AoOs? If yes, can I use the Felling Smash feat to trip them? (I don't think so, because I'd need to use a Swift Action). If it's my turn, can I do a Felling Smash as part of a full attack? (So attack for damage, if it hits use my swift action to trip, then attack for damage again)
5. If I'm Hasted, could I Full Attack to trip one person with +7 BAB, trip another person behind me at +7 BAB, and take a 5' foot step and try to trip yet another person with +2 BAB?
6. Before I get Improved Whip Mastery (to be able to make AoO with my whip), could I hold a dagger or some other light weapon in my off hand, and make attacks of opportunity with that?
7. A scorpion whip is a whip lined with sharp teeth; it's a light weapon, deals d4 slashing damage, and says "If you are proficient with whips, you can use a scorpion whip as a whip." Do all my feats apply to it? If I were to later invest in TWF, could I use a whip in one hand and a scorpion whip in the other with a -2 on each? (And can you imagine how sick that would be?)
Thanks for your help, gentlemen. If anyone has any critiques about this build, I'd also love to hear them; I'm not really certain if I should maintain pure fighter or maybe take a small splash of Barbarian or something.
I'm thinking of playing a gnome that specializes in enchantments and illusions. Would bard or sorcerer be a better choice? Bard seems to have some nice buffing, decent spellcasting, and good out-of-combat utility, but sorcerer has excellent casting and cool bloodline abilities. Plus, if we come up against mindless enemies, it might be nice to have some blasting on hand.
What do you guys think? I don't have any party or level ranges in mind - this is just in a vacuum for now.
I intend on starting a wizard character soon, and I was wondering how all you casters keep track of your spells. I'm thinking a 3-ring binder can act as my spellbook - I'd put a printout of each spell I know in it.
Each day's spells is where it gets a little trickier. I was thinking I might get two openable rings (similar to the ones in binders), get some index cards, and use a hole-punch to put holes in them. I could write in pencil on the cards which spell I've prepared plus a short description (casting time, damage, save effect, etc.), with a separator for different level spells. As I cast each one, I move it to the other ring. That way, I can see at a glance which spells I have left, and easily sort them by level; at the end of each day, I simply erase what's on the cards, and the "spent" ring becomes the "unspent" ring.
I'm playing a Rogue 5/Shadowdancer 1 two weapon fighter build at the moment, and feeling rather outclassed by my comrades. The Paladin consistently heals the party and tanks and occasionally smites evil, the barbarian deals and absorbs ridiculous quantities of damage, the ranger can deal great damage from halfway across the map, the sorcerer uses haste and blazing immolation to own everything... and I can maybe get a sneak attack in every other round, occasionally deal 2, and usually then get hurt and have to hide at the back of the room until combat ends. In two shadowdancer levels I get a shade that deals strength damage, but that's a ways away...
I'd love some way to disable people without killing them - somehow immobilize them, handicap them, or disable them. Two maneuvers I like are a 1) throw a tangleroot bag or 2) cast Grease on their weapon using a wand, but the former is not super common, and the latter requires me to roll 9 or better on a UMD roll, and even then enemies seem to be making their DC11 Dex saves more often than not.
What else can I use to immobilize, disarm, blind, trip, nerf, or otherwise annoy my enemies? Poison is too slow and too expensive... Is there a feat tree or strategy that might help? I was looking at the improved ____ feats, but I'd need Combat Expertise and the feat that lets you use dex in your cmb first. My plan was to go Shadowdancer until level 4 to pick up the sweet abilities, then back to rogue. It's my first Pathfinder campaign (in fact my first rpg game ever), so I know my character isn't exactly optimized, but I'd appreciate advice.
PS: My character uses 2 magical short swords for close range and 2 hand crossbows for longer range attacks. He has a stat spread of 10 strength - 21 dexterity - 10 constitution - 14 intelligence - 10 wisdom - 14 charisma, and is quite the skill monkey out of combat. He has lots of skill points in disguise, bluff, stealth, and acrobatics. His feats are Dodge/Mobility (our DM combined them), Quick Draw (so I can get two crossbow shots, then when they come over to me whip out my short swords and get a full attack), Two Weapon Fighting, and Combat Mobility to be able to do shadowdancer. He's great at slipping to the enemy's back lines unnoticed.
I was brainstorming uses for a monkey familiar the other day when I came up with the idea of using it to reload my crossbow for me. Now I'm trying to figure out the exact mechanics of it.
It's a free action to drop something, a move action to put it away, and a move action to reload a light crossbow. I'm trying to finagle it such that I can alternate between shooting one round and casting the next, with my monkey reloading the crossbow, handing it to me, and taking it from me.
Since it's a free action to drop and a move action to put away, maybe I could argue that it's a swift action to hand a crossbow to (or take it from) my monkey. Alternately, maybe I could just shoot and drop it, and my monkey could spend one move action picking it up and another to reload; then, on the next round, I could cast, and afterwards the monkey could spend his action handing to back to me.
What do you rules lawyers think?
PS: Do I have to have both hands free to cast a spell?
PPS: Think I could have my monkey hand me a particular scroll from my bag as a swift action for me/standard action for it? That is, I could move, have my monkey hand me a scroll, and cast that scroll in the same turn?
I'm playing a Rogue/Shadowdancer TWF that loves to sneak past the main ruckus to the back lines and disable mages and other squishy high priority targets. Unfortunately, I'm having a lot of trouble actually killing people - I can get a pretty nice sneak attack in, but then they'll cast, say, Mirror Image, or a meatshield will come to back them up, and I'll be in trouble. At the very least, I'll have trouble finishing them off.
So, my question is, are there some useful ways to disable people for a few rounds while I point my attention elsewhere? I've used Tanglefoot Bags and a Wand of Grease (to make swords, bows, etc. slippery) to great effect in the past. I've looked at poisons, but they don't seem very powerful for their cost, and not that great for my purpose.
Suggestions for other handy items (especially ones that help me sneak attack or get by unnoticed) are appreciated; I can think of a couple good uses for smokesticks. (Before you ask, yes, I know I can't sneak attack something with concealment.)
Thinking of making a conjuration specialty wizard, and I have a few questions about summoning.
First, correct me if I'm wrong: the time to cast a creature is 1 round, meaning you spend a full round action, and the creature pops into existence at the start of your next turn. If it's large, at least one square of it must be in your range. On that turn, the creature is allotted a move and standard action. You decide where it shows up right before it does, not when you start casting.
Second, about swarms: swarms basically get one move action, and after that, anything inside them takes unavoidable damage and has to roll to avoid getting distracted (fortitude save). Swarms take one AoO while moving to occupy a square (is this two if the other creature has a long reach?). If someone starts their turn outside of a swarm, and walks through it on their turn, are they impeded in any way? Does the swarm get any sort of AoO, or distraction, or at least act as difficult terrain?
Third: does Augment Summoning affect swarms in any way?
Fourth: does the Smite function on the celestial/abyssal templates do anything if the summoned creature has 11 or less charisma?
Fifth: are the attacks listed under the various summons (e.g., 2 slams +3 [+5] (1d6+2) [1d6+4]) standard attacks or full attacks? If standard, do they get any sort of bonus for full attacking? If full, what is the standard attack?
Sixth: the Summon Monster ability says that summoned monsters can't summon anything of their own, but the summoned creature: dretch (summon monster III; monster description is here - http://bit.ly/tyZiKt) has "summon (level 1, 1 dretch 35%)" as an ability. What's up with that? Also, I if the dretch has "stinking cloud (DC 13)", that means the saving DC for its spell is 13, right? How does that compare to if you cast the spell yourself?
Seventh: Summoning doesn't break an Invisibility spell, right? Granted, you do have to speak while casting - I take it that any nearby enemies (call it ~15 ft?) would be able to hear you and attack as if you had total concealment.
Many thanks to anyone courageous enough to brave this summoned creature: wall of text. (DR 10/short attention spans)
I really want to take Mad Monkeys - the thought of sending a swarm of monkeys at my opponents makes me giggle like a schoolgirl. But if Augment Summoning doesn't improve it, I might want to take different feats.
Target one object or 10-ft. square
Duration 1 min./level (D)
Save see text; SR no
A grease spell covers a solid surface with a layer of slippery grease. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. A creature can walk within or through the area of grease at half normal speed with a DC 10 Acrobatics check. Failure means it can't move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Acrobatics skill for details). Creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check and are not considered flat-footed.
Sorry if this is covered somewhere else, but I've been wondering: What is the DC of the initial reflex save supposed to be, exactly? Also, does moving into a grease-covered square trigger the acrobatics check, or moving out of one? And if you walk straight from one side to the other, you only have to make one check, right?
Reynard_the_fox
