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Goblin Squad Member. Organized Play Member. 51 posts. No reviews. No lists. No wishlists. 4 Organized Play characters.


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1 person marked this as a favorite.

What happens to those who refuse to change factions?

Can a character continue as a Shadow Lodge (or Lantern Lodge) agent, losing out on the faction prestige point on all new scenarios, or is the official campaign stance "change or be retired"? Do I refuse to seat someone at a table who will not change factions, or can they still play and simply not get the chance for a faction mission? How do I report it? Treat them as Grand Lodge but willingly failing the assignment?

As an aside:
I doubt this will come up much with the Lantern Lodge, given the satisfactory way that was handled, but many Shadow Lodge characters (my own included) don't feel betrayed at all. Torch got the information out of the asset (that we couldn't) and killed her (which we were going to do anyway) and then he headed out to fulfill his plan, which we've been working towards all this time. He's got something to hold over the Decemvirate, great! Isn't that what we wanted?


Patrick Renie wrote:
Hope this clears things up!

Thanks so much!


Patrick Renie wrote:
Just so people are aware, I am still in the process of evaluating the Charger/cavalier discrepancy (as well as other potential errata posters have pointed out), and am formulating an official response.

I don't think anyone has mentioned it in this thread, but if the Spell Sponge feat really means "harmless" then there are only two spells I can find, of any level for any class, that are both marked harmless and have a target of "you".

I made a rules thread but it's not going anywhere.


Adam Mogyorodi wrote:

I don't think the belt slot is strictly necessary for a druid's companion, thanks to a new animal feat called Spell Sponge. Being able to automatically extend all buff spells means a six minute bull's strength at level 3, and going up from there.

Because Spell Sponge applies to all buffs, I would take it before I took Extra Item Slot. Headband to get permanent intelligence increase is tempting, however.

Bull's Strength doesn't have a target of "you" so it's not valid for spell sponge. It's also not harmless, though it's unclear if they really mean harmless or just non-harmful. I made a thread asking about this here: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pjpo?Spell-Sponge-feat-and-allowed-spells#1


joeyfixit wrote:
I looked around and couldn't find one Golarion deity that offers the undead subdomain that WASN'T evil.

Option 1: Allow agnostic (atheist?) clerics. Clerics who dedicate themselves to a divine concept worthy of devotion free of a deific abstraction. Clerics always have a deity in Golarion, but it's an option for a non-Golarion campaign.

Option 2: Don't make the Undead subdomain available in the campaign.
Result: Player takes the Death domain instead. This opens up the following non-evil deities: Ancestral Spirits, Fandarra, Hanspur, Pharasma, and Shyka.

Hanspur is awesome.

Pharasma can work if you consider the companion to be a soul that has been judged in the boneyard, and allowed to return as penance or to correct a terrible wrong. Pharasma has allowed souls to return before, to pass along important messages, or even as haunts. So 'sanctioned' undead, which are powered by souls that have passed judgement, don't corrupt the souls natural journey, so it should be OK. (The church of course doesn't see it this way) She wouldn't want you casting animate dead and stuff, but there's a Pharasma-friendly variant Death domain here: http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lbvp?Golarion-Day-Other-Gods-and-New-S ubdomains


3 people marked this as FAQ candidate.

Spell Sponge is from the new Animal Archive, it's a feat your familiar can take.

Quote:
Whenever your master targets you with a harmless spell with a target of “you,” the spell's duration is doubled as if modified by the Extend Spell metamagic feat. This does not affect spells with a duration of concentration, instantaneous, or permanent, or spells already modified by Extend Spell.

When it says harmless spell, does that mean a spell that actually says "harmless" in the saving throw or spell resistance line? Or does it mean any spell that's not harmful?

The only spells I can find that only have "You" in the target and also actually say "harmless" are Animal Aspect and Greater Animal Aspect.

There's a handful more spells that actually say "harmless" and have "You" in the target line, but it's target "you and 1 ally" or "you or creature touched" and so on. (Freedom of Movement, Invisibility, Greater Invisibility, Wind Walk, Find the Path, Hidden Speech, Tireless Pursuers, Battlemind Link, Sharesister) Do these spells work with the feat?

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The FAQ is updated! FAQ

It also answers the question about retroactivity (for me, perhaps not for others) since I don't meet the caster level requirements.

Thanks Mark and whoever else was behind this!

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Mark Moreland wrote:
Note that the FAQ is being adjusted to remove the restriction on enhancing bonded items to include all upgrades, as limiting it to a single upgrade affects the scaling of a class feature for the wizard class (or other caster with a bonded item).

WOO!

Will the change be retroactive?

I didn't get a discount for +1 because I wasn't level 5, and the FAQ had not yet been updated eliminating the need to be the right level. I didn't get a discount for +2, because the FAQ said it was a one-time upgrade.

2,000 gp (+2 shield) isn't a lot in the grand scheme of things, and it'll be more than made up if I can ever scrape up enough for a +3, so please don't take this as a complaint!

Whenever you do adjust the FAQ, please be clear whether or not we need to meet the level prerequisites of the item creation feat (5th for arms & armor, 7th for ring, 9th for rod, etc.) as well as whether we need to make the appropriate spellcraft check (DC 5+item caster level).

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LazarX wrote:

He can lift up a wand and use if if you hold one out for him, but don't expect him to carry one 24/7.

And as far as the other snark questions.

1. Familliars have no treasure. Faerie Dragons in the wild keep the few baubles they collect in nests. they don't normally travel.

2. Faerie Dragons are sorcerers they don't need pouchs. The spells listed in the bestiary entry fall quite nicely within those limits. They're also Dragons who generally don't need to bother with material components or foci for the spells they cast.

Are there rules for any of that?

How long can it carry a wand? Why can it carry a wand, but not a page? If they get the bonus feat for being sorcerers, do they also get a bloodline power? Do dragons really not need to provide focus items?

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LazarX wrote:
Steg wrote:


Bonus question: If it does actually work like a real sorcerer, can I buy it a page of spell knowledge to give it another spell known? It's a slotless non-activated magic item, so the FAQ doesn't seem to prohibit it, but giving it the ability to cast magic missile might be frowned on.

Remember that these little guys can't carry stuff. "Slotless" doesn't mean that it's not carried, it only means that it doesn't take up a standard slot.

Then how can he use a wand? Does someone have to rub it against his belly for him to trigger it?

If they can't carry anything, where do they keep their standard treasure? How do they get clothing onto tree branches?

If they can't use a backpack, they should be able to use saddlebags, right? Couldn't there be pockets in his tiny leather barding?

If he can't carry anything, he can't have a spell component pouch, so he can't cast focus spells like silent image or open/close.


Happler wrote:
What is giving you a 5' cone?

Faerie Dragon.

And searching around (I searched, honest) it looks like Undine can get one too. (ooze breath, yuck)

One square makes sense, but the magic chapter talks about picking a corner and counting squares, so I wanted to make sure it wasn't a semi-circle.

Any thoughts on reach? I guess if I pick a corner, it can't work on the square I'm in, so I can't spray someone who is sharing my square.

"Don't be afraid, be horribly sick instead!"


I'll be controlling a character with a breath weapon (5-foot cone) and I don't know how that works.

Is it a single 5' square? Is it three squares?

If the creature has a reach of 0 ft. does the square it's in get hit by the breath weapon? If so, can it choose not to?

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Michael Brock wrote:
Yes it can use a wand. It uses its master's UMD.

Does this mean it can't use the wand without UMD? (For a wand of a sorcerer spell)

There's a thread in the rules section (Are Faerie Dragons Sorcerers?) about this, should I just follow whatever people end up agreeing on, or is the PFS-Specific rule that it's UMD-only?

Bonus question: If it does actually work like a real sorcerer, can I buy it a page of spell knowledge to give it another spell known? It's a slotless non-activated magic item, so the FAQ doesn't seem to prohibit it, but giving it the ability to cast magic missile might be frowned on.

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Andrew Christian wrote:
If you are going to "quote" me, please link to the post where I said what I said, so that I can see the context surrounding what I said, and why I said it.

You said that here: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2oi1k?Wizard-Spellbooks#35

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Andrew Christian wrote:
The FAQ seems pretty clear to me.

What changed your mind? "I agree that the FAQ is written poorly"

Andrew Christian wrote:
Can you elucidate why it is poorly worded?

The FAQ entry is written along the lines of "Use the normal rules with one change. This is the change. Here's another massive unrelated change written in a way to suspect the person writing it didn't really understand the situation."

So one can interpret it two ways.

The first way is that the first line is factually incorrect, the text in the middle has no relevance to the context surrounding it, and the text at the end should be ignored.

The second way is that the first line is correct, the FAQ makes one change, and everything else in that FAQ is related to that change.

Since there are currently people ruling the first way, the FAQ needs to be clarified so that either it actually says what it means, or explicitly says that it does mean what it says.

Assuming it does mean what it says, and the FAQ only refers to spells from scrolls, then it doesn't really need to go in the guide because it's just clarifying how loot works. If they change it so that it does actually prohibit you from purchasing spell copying privileges, then it should probably go in the guide since that's a significant PFS-specific change to the normal rules.


Here's another question about arcane bonds.

"The magic properties of a bonded object, including any magic abilities added to the object, only function for the wizard who owns it. If a bonded object's owner dies, or the item is replaced, the object reverts to being an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type."

Is the "magic abilities" referring only to ones put there via the arcane bond ability, or any magic at all?

For instance, I foolishly paid someone a full 1,000 gold to make my existing bonded masterwork shield into a +1 shield (armor).

If I bond with a new item, does my old shield become a plain masterwork shield again?


Ehtah Irthir wrote:
Speaking of Arcane Pool, doesn't it state that it works on weapons, last I remembered shields were considered armours in regards of mechanics, even if you could hit with them?

The Skirnir arcane pool says it works with my shield, as well as on weapons.

The magic armor section also says "A shield could be built that also acted as a magic weapon, but the cost of the enhancement bonus on attack rolls would need to be added into the cost of the shield and its enhancement bonus to AC."

So weapon enchantments like Flaming should work with a shield, at weapon enchantment costs.


blackbloodtroll wrote:

1) Yes.

2) No.

3) No.

4) Not sure.

1: That was not a yes or no question.

2: Why not? What makes AC and attack/damage not similar?

3: I sort of thought so, but why wouldn't that make 4 a no also?

I appreciate the response, but it would be helpful to have a reason for the answers, since it's probably something I'll have to show a GM at some point.


2 people marked this as FAQ candidate.

Sorry for bumping an older thread, but I have some additional questions, also for a PFS character. I think it would just get moved out of the PFS section, but maybe if we use the FAQ system we can get a response.

Core Rulebook wrote:

Shield Bash Attacks

An enhancement bonus on a shield does not improve the effectiveness of a shield bash made with it, but the shield can be made into a magic weapon in its own right.

I have a masterwork heavy steel shield (Price: 170 gp). The masterwork quality removes one point of armor check penalty, it does not grant a bonus to hit.

Question 1: If I want to make it into a magic weapon, does the masterwork armor count, or does it need to be a masterwork weapon first? If it needs to be a masterwork weapon, how do I do that? Just add 300gp to the cost of the first enchantment, or do I need to have someone cast Masterwork Transformation?

Core Rulebook wrote:

Magic Item Creation

Multiple Different Abilities: Abilities such as an attack roll bonus or saving throw bonus and a spell-like function are not similar, and their values are simply added together to determine the cost. For items that take up a space on a character's body, each additional power not only has no discount but instead has a 50% increase in price.

Question 2: Is magic armor and weapon enchantment considered multiple different abilities? If I have a magic (armor) shield, and I want to enchant it as a weapon, do I pay 50% more for the weapon enchantments?

Core Rulebook wrote:

Magic Shield Special Ability Bashing

A shield with this special ability is designed to perform a shield bash. A bashing shield deals damage as if it were a weapon of two size categories larger (a Medium light shield thus deals 1d6 points of damage and a Medium heavy shield deals 1d8 points of damage). The shield acts as a +1 weapon when used to bash. Only light and heavy shields can have this ability.
Ultimate Magic wrote:

Magus Arcane Pool

At 1st level, a magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.
Ultimate Combat wrote:

Skirnir (Archetype)

Arcane Pool
At 1st level, a skirnir can use his arcane pool to grant an enhancement bonus to a weapon as normal, as well as to his shield, paying the arcane pool cost separately for each.

Question 3: I can use my Arcane Pool to grant a +1 enhancement bonus to my shield. Does this stack with the "acts as a +1 weapon" from bashing, resulting in it effectively being a +2 weapon? Or, since the bashing enchantment isn't a real weapon enchantment, it becomes a +1 weapon that acts as a +1 weapon?

Question 4: At level 5, I can use my Arcane Pool to grant +2 worth of weapon/shield properties (from a limited list). When the shield "acts as a +1 weapon when used to bash" does that qualify as a +1 enhancement bonus, allowing me to put both of my pool bonuses into special properties? Or do I still need to burn one point as a weapon enhancement bonus first? Meaning, can I use my pool to turn my +1 Bashing heavy shield into a +1 Bashing Flaming Shock heavy shield? Or does it have to be a +1 (weapon) +1 (armor) Bashing Flaming heavy shield?

Thank you for your time and input.

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thistledown wrote:

Tell me there's some good reason to still take this?

BTW, is shield even a valid bond? Text says "amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon."

I'm playing a Skirnir magus Archetype from Ultimate Combat, you get a shield as an arcane bond item.

I've found the ability to spontaneously cast any one spell from my spellbook to be very helpful for a prepared spellcaster.

I'm not sure waiting until level 5 to enchant it at all would have been worth the 500 or 1,000 gp discount.

1/5

"For items which can be enchanted incrementally (such as weapons or a ring of protection), only the first step gets this discount."

Is this only when enchanting a non-magical item, or just the first step in which you used the class feature to get a discount?

My bonded item was a masterwork Heavy Steel Shield. At level 3, I paid 1,000 gp to get a +1 enhancement bonus to AC. Since I wasn't level 5, I didn't qualify for the craft magic arms and armor feat, so I couldn't have gotten a discount.

Now that I'm level 5, can I upgrade the enchantment to +2 by paying 1,500 gp? I have more than 18 fame.

Or would I have to buy a brand new masterwork heavy steel shield, bond with it, then upgrade that one in order to get my discount? (Which would cost more than just never getting a discount at all)

If the item must be non-magical in order to get a discount, does that include any type of magic at all? Currently if I bash with my shield, it's not considered a magic weapon and it doesn't overcome DR/magic. Could I enchant my existing shield into a +1 weapon by paying 1,000 gp?

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Can it use a wand? Either from it's sorcerer spells, or using master's UMD ranks.

The familiar FAQ (this) seems to imply that the only ones that can use a wand (or any non-neck slot magic item) is brownie, imp, lyrakien azata, or quasit. But that was written before the Faerie Dragon was PFS legal.

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Seraphimpunk wrote:
had a GM i organized for complain that the young template didn't take down the BBEG enought

That won't be an issue if you apply the template. Dropping her size to tiny means she has to enter a PCs square to melee attack, and she can't flank, so between the AoO every round (assuming the PC takes a 5' step) and not getting any sneak attacks, she's not much of a threat in melee.

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Sean H wrote:
You could however, make a +1 Frost Keen Longbow as your arcane bond(if that was your bonded item). Non-named weapons and armor are kind of the exception to the rule.

Does this all have to happen at once? I've seen people say upgrading the arcane bond is one-time only. Does that include 'progressive' enchanting?

Meaning, if I have my masterwork longbow arcane bond, and I've got the appropriate level and spellcraft and whatnot, I can make it +1 Frost for 4,000gp (assuming I have enough fame to purchase a 8,375gp item). Then in a few levels once I get more fame, can I make it a +1 Frost Keen Longbow by paying an additional 5,000gp? (Again, assuming enough fame to purchase an 18,375gp item)

The Arcane Bond FAQ doesn't seem to limit it, it just says to use the magic item FAQ. The magic item FAQ seems to be talking about named items and wondrous items, it seems like normal weapons are not really addressed.

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Michel Lepage wrote:
The Dire Porcupine is from a Frog God game's Tome of Horors Complete, not the Giant Porcupine from Bestiary 3. I will probably use the Dire version, it is much nastier ;)

Mine got one attack off (a miss) before being annihilated, so they can probably use all the help they can get.

I'm pretty sure a PC would have drowned if not for Riddywipple. Once that Kelpie starts running, there's not much they can do to catch it. (Despite throwing everything they had at it, including a fish!)

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Mekkis wrote:

I've occasionally had a player turn up to the table with an obscure feat, trait or item that is legal, but that they do not have the requisite printout/book at the table, and that I suspect that they do not own them.

What is the correct procedure to deal with this? If it turns out that they do not own the resource, can I allow them to replace the feat/trait with one from the Core Assumption, or from a resource that they do own?

Is your concern that they're using something you're unfamiliar with, and you want to check the rules to make sure to everyone is using it correctly? Then they need to provide the rules.

If you're familiar with the resource, and know how it works, and you're using the rule to punish the player for some reason, that's not really the spirit of PFS. "In short, don’t be a jerk" applies equally. (This doesn't stop many GMs from enforcing the rule in a punitive manner, however, and it's unlikely to result in sympathy if escalated to a VC)

PFS Guide to Org Play 4.2 wrote:
In order to utilize content from an Additional Resource, a player must have a physical copy of the Additional Resource in question, a name-watermarked Paizo PDF of it, or a printout of the relevant pages from it, as well as a copy of the current version of the Additional Resources list.
In order to use these additional resources for your character, you must bring a physical copy of the book with you or printouts of the appropriate pages detailing cost (if any) and explanations for each feat, item, spell, prestige class, and so on that you use. (If you're bringing a printout of the pages, it must be from the actual Paizo PDF and not text copied and pasted into a blank word processing document).

Note that there's nothing about proving ownership, just having a legal copy. It doesn't have to be his book, just a book. While neither resource lists photocopies of a book as legal, many GMs (and VCs) will accept them if they're legible.

As to what to do if nobody has the resource available, the guide doesn't specify. Personally, I would just let the player not use that feat or ability, but I could see a GM simply not allowing that character at the table.

Side rant: I think it's silly that the PRD doesn't count as a legal resource, since it's automatically updated with errata, while my books still have many incorrect rules. Yes, not everyone has access to the PRD in places with no network connection, but if you do, I don't know why it shouldn't count. Especially since it's core assumption for GMs.

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So are we supposed to allow the ZP to full attack or not? In general, are we supposed to do what the scenario says, or what the rules say?

If encounter B3 is scaled for 4 players, how does their morale work? Do they fight to the death, or just put up a show then run?

Is M supposed to be tiny or small? Those creatures are small by default, and the young template is supposed to reduce size by 1 step, but the tactics block says she's Small (capital S).

Her DPZ's are staggered, but they have a full attack statblock. Also, in melee it says:

Sanos Abduction statblock spoiler:
Melee 1d6 quills +6 (1d3+3), bite +6 (1d4+3), slam +6 (1d4+3)
and
Quills (Ex) When a dire porcupine zombie strikes with its tail or slam attacks, it dislodges 1d6 quills....

How does that work? Where is the tail attack? Is that 1d6 attacks, each at +6? Or is that one tail attack at +6, which on hit deals 1d6 instances of 1d3+3? Or is it a single quill attack at +6, which can only ever be used 1d6 times? I guess I should just use the slam, since they're staggered, but it's weird.

And if they make no attempt to hide, why would they wait for approach, wouldn't they spot the party immediately (and vice versa)? Is M holding them back until they reach the spot?

Lastly, how does a 5-foot cone work? Is it just one square?

Thanks!


Steg wrote:
Would anybody with the anniversary hardcover edition be willing to post the stats for Chellan from page 421?

James Jacobs hooked me up here.

(James is awesome)


Would anybody with the anniversary hardcover edition be willing to post the stats for Chellan from page 421?


James Jacobs wrote:
Steg wrote:

Hi James,

Would you be willing to post the stats (or at least the main relevant stat) for ** spoiler omitted **

Thanks for your time!

Nope; sorry. Whether or not this is a legit question or it's a player trying to game the system (i'll assume the former), that kind of information is the GM's information to give out. Or perhaps other posters who have the book who are willing to answer it.

Sorry!

If you have access to the Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition, that number is on page 421, on the first line of its statistics.

I'm the GM, running it with the original books, in which those stats were not printed. It's good to know they were added to the new version, I'll try to find someone that bought a copy, or see if a store wouldn't mind me flipping through. Almost as good as an answer, so thanks again.


Hi James,

Would you be willing to post the stats (or at least the main relevant stat) for

RotRL Spoiler!:
Chellan, the Sword of Greed? Mainly the Ego score. You mentioned in the GM reference thread that it's "REALLY high" but I can't find it in the AP or on the forums, and I'm having no luck trying to decompile it based on re-creating the magic item.

It would be super cool, if you were to post it, to do so in a spoiler tag or in the Spires of Xin-Shalast GM Reference thread to avoid spoilers for people who are currently playing the AP.

Thanks for your time!

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I have mixed feelings. I want special things on the chronicle sheets. But at the same time, I want to be able to use those things with the characters that actually earned them.

Assuming the Signifier is a prestige class for Hellknights, I would want my Hellknight to actually play the adventures in which he could gain access to it. Having my wizard do the Hellknight story arc, then GMing it to give the sheets to my Hellknight is unsatisfying, and really no different from just having it unlocked to begin with. (The same with transferring the boon, it's not entirely about access, it's about actually doing what the sheet says you did)

So if a major character aspect is going to be 'locked' behind a boon, it would be nice to know about it ahead of time. "In this adventure, the PCs investigate the court of the Law Dog, and must convince the terrifying Hellknights of the Fang to allow them access to the inner secrets of their organization! This adventure has special rewards for Hellknight-themed characters." That would be enough to know that I don't want to play that adventure without my Hellknight, without spoiling exactly what the surprise might be.

For non-major character aspects, like a nice sword a Hellknight might want to use, it's not as big a deal if he didn't actually kill the guy and take it from him, but got it off-stage somehow.

If you want to encourage more GMing, maybe allow a person to apply more than one GM chronicle sheet. If someone runs a scenario three times, why not let him apply a chronicle sheet to three of his PCs who have not played it?

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RainyDayNinja wrote:
You need enough fame to pay for the entire +1 Agile shortsword (8k + masterwork + weapon).

I wish it said this in the guide or in the PFS FAQ or something.

It doesn't make sense to me to require 27 fame (11,750 gp) to get a +2 weapon enchantment, when 22 fame allows you to spend the 8,000 gold which is what you're actually paying. You already have the weapon, you're just buying the enchantment.

Maybe what the fame table represents is not "how much you are allowed to spend" but rather "You may not possess an item worth more than this unless it is on a chronicle sheet" ?

That would make the answer I got on upgrading an arcane bond make sense, since it's not about what I paid (3k) it's about what the item is then otherwise worth (8,315).

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FlorianF wrote:
Btw the PRD's last paragraph is slightly odd. It says that you can't move when making a FRA, but you cannot move either when making a SA - unless the square has no obstacle.

I think what that means is if you perform a non-chase full-round action that you can't also move through the card.

For example, if last round a player moved through Busy Street, then as a standard action Shoved people Aside, he would be at the beginning of Rearing Horse. This turn, if he summoned a monster or something, he would not be able to also move through Rearing Horse. This means next turn he still has to take a move action before he has the chance to use a standard action to Dart or Grab.

Here's a question: In order to attempt a skill check, you must first move through the card. Does this also apply to someone who wants to attempt both skill checks as a full-round action (hoping to move three spaces)?

For example, if a player entered Busy Street last round, and has not yet taken a move action to move through it, can he take a full-round action to attempt both "Shove People Aside" and "Out of my Way!" or does he need to move through Busy Street first?

If you don't need to be at the 'far side' of the card in order to do the full-round action, then I'm not sure what relevance the move actions have (other than drawing weapons and stuff).

I would greatly appreciate it if someone would chime in and let me know if I'm way off base, here.

1/5

FlorianF wrote:

Here's a couple game aids: attitude tracker for Ekkie, and chase scene action cheat sheet for the players.

4-01 Goblin guild GM aid

Is that chase aid accurate?

For instance, the middle section says "Move one square freely. Then pass one of the chase checks on your square to move another square"

And the little drawing makes it look like a player can progress two squares in one turn.

This makes it seem like, for example, a player beginning in "House Upstairs" could use a move action to enter "Manor Outer Wall" and then use a Standard action to attempt either "Squeeze through a break" or "Up and Over" which, on a successful check, would deposit the player in Busy Street.

This doesn't fit with how I understand chases, either from the section in the PRD (here) or the page 8 sidebar. The way I read that is it takes a move action to move 'though' (but not out of) a square, then a standard to exit that square.

This means, for the example above, for a player starting in "House Upstairs" a move action would move them through the upstairs, but they cannot move their miniature out of that square until they succeed in either "Drop, Tumble and Roll" or "Scramble Down the Wall" as a standard action.

For the full-round action, the sidebar says "effectively bypassing the second square and moving straight into the third from his starting position" so if a player begins in House Upstairs, they take a full-round action, and pass the checks for both "Drop, Tumble and roll" and "Scramble Down the Wall" then they would move past Manor Outer Wall and end up in Busy Street. The chase aid looks like they would skip two squares and end up in Rearing Horse.

I have not run a chase before so I could be completely wrong.

1/5

Lets say I have 22 fame. If I went to the shop to purchase a +2 Longsword, it would cost me 8,315 gold. I cannot buy this item since my fame score limits my Maximum Item Cost to 8,000 gp.

If I buy a +1 Longsword for 2,315 gold, then later want to have it upgraded to a +2 Longsword, it would cost me 6,000 gold to do so. Can I do this with my fame at 22 (limit 8,000 gold) or do I need fame 27 in order to increase my gold limit above the final price of the item (8,315)?

How does this apply to an Arcane Bond? Lets say I received a free masterwork longsword as my bonded item. I can add magic abilities to it as if I had the required item creation feats, and if I meet the level prerequisites of the feat. So at level 5 I would qualify for the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat. The PFS FAQ says I can now upgrade my bonded longsword for the cost value of the final item as listed in the item's statblock.

Does this cost value allow incremental upgrades? Meaning upgrading a +1 Longsword into a +2 Longsword costs me a total of 3,000 gold? Or do I have to pay the full 4,000 gold which is what it would cost to enchant a masterwork longsword into a +2 longsword?

How much fame does a wizard require to upgrade his bonded +1 Longsword into a +2 Longsword?

13 fame? That's Max Item Cost 3,000 gp, which is what the wizard is actually paying. (Assuming the cost value includes incremental upgrades)
18 fame? That's Max Item Cost 5,250 gp, which exceeds the total cost of enchanting an existing masterwork longsword into a +2 longsword (4,000 gp).
22 fame? That's Max Item Cost 8,000 which is the total price of enchanting an existing masterwork longsword into a +2 longsword.
27 fame? That's Max Item Cost 11,750 which exceeds the price to outright buy a standard +2 longsword (8,315).

Lastly, the PFS FAQ on upgrading an Arcane Bond references "the magic item upgrading FAQ" which I am unable to find.

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Hailing from Oak Creek, a small town just outside the occasional borders of Uringen, my brother and I grew up hunting, fishing, and generally helping out the town elders. He was always better at it than I was, but we had a pact to look out for each other, and Abraham vowed to always stay by my side and protect me. Things turned bleak for our little town, when a band of hobgoblin slavers descended from Embeth Forest. We would have all fallen, if not for the Lord of the Waterways who called Abraham to service, to defend our people, and defeat the invaders. When Abraham fell in battle, Hanspur granted me the ability to keep our oath, raising my brother and curing his injuries, so that we could save our village and let our people stay free. When we drove off the goblinoid forces, Abraham and I took to traveling, exploring the riverways and paths we had not previously thought to take. We adventured for a time, and life was good, even if others couldn't understand our bond. We defended those who could not defend themselves, and joined an organization that seemed to embrace our goals.

On the Second of Gozran, everything changed. While recovering from a mission, we were attacked in our quarters. A finely dressed man wearing a golden pointed helm that covered his eyes gained access to our room, and before I could act, struck Abraham down, and blasted him with rays of sickly yellow light, obliterating his remains beyond even my ability to restore. He then turned his unnatural powers on me, severing my connection to the sacred waters and the will of my lord. Powerless, I wept over the dust and broken bones that was all that remained of my brother. My vow was broken, and as an Oathbreaker I no longer deserved to live. I had only one thing left to me as that man swept out of my chamber: rage. Rage at the injustice, rage at those with power who refuse to use it, those who restrict the freedoms all men should have, those who hold court over their fellow man.

And then I heard it, a tinny whispering voice, contorted by strange echoes, telling me that all is not lost. Abraham can be returned, if only for a time. The power could be mine to keep my oath, if only I embraced what was offered. The price? That I use this power to send more souls to the boneyard, to hasten the purge of all things. I accepted the bargain. I collected the bones of my brother, and set off to begin my work. The same organization for whom I aided the innocent would have just as much use for one who can consign their enemies to oblivion. We would serve the power, we would serve the lodge, and one day we might find the man who caused all this. And on that day, I would take from him what he took from me. And on that day, like before, Abraham would be by my side.

Cane, the Undead Lord has been reborn as an Oracle of Bones. His alignment has changed from Chaotic Good to Chaotic Neutral, reflecting his focus changing from helping the needy to destroying the wicked. Abraham the corpse companion can now only remain for a few short rounds each day. The Silver Crusade has lost a follower, and Cheliax has gained one.


Don Walker wrote:
An offline version won't generate as much traffic and would basically serve as a free replacement for the PDFs that Paizo sells.

That misses the point of an open license. People are paying to support the company, and for the product, not for access to the rules. A text website (even one you can download) is not a replacement for the real product which includes art, layout, and non-rules text.

The people who currently don't buy paizo products are not going to 'buy' a flat HTML copy of the PRD. The people who do buy paizo products are not going to stop buying them because they can download the PRD.

Don Walker wrote:
As I understand it, the PRD is available to PFS GMs to help them prepare an adventure before running it at the table.

Looking at the new guide, you're right.

I had assumed that since the point of bringing materials is for the DM to have access to that material, and with the core assumption containing that material, that people would not need to bring that material since the DM already has access to them. It seems like PFS is swinging back towards the 'proving ownership' end of things.

With that said, it would still be nice to have a downloadable PRD for reference, even though we still have to lug around paper books.

Thanks, Gary, for taking this into consideration and pointing me towards the correct thread.


With the new changes for PFS, GMs are assumed to have access to all hardcover rulebooks. However, the PRD is now a legal resource.

Would the crack paizo web team consider making available a downloadable version of the PRD? Just flat HTML files that could be copied to a laptop or tablet or whatever. They would load much faster than PDFs, and would be easy to search.

I'm sure there would be some overhead, perhaps in updating the downloadable files when the real PRD is changed, and probably fixing some of the navigation elements to work when not run from the actual site. But it would be a great boon to those of us with access to low-end devices and no network connection.

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Michael Brock wrote:
Page 39: Added the following paragraph: “When you choose to take a Chronicle sheet for GM credit, you must decide which of your characters receives the Chronicle sheet when you fill out the tracking sheet for that table. You must apply Chronicle sheets in the order they are received. The only exception is when you hold a higher-tier Chronicle for a lower-tier character. In either case, you do not need to build the character until you actually play it.”

What happens to existing characters with GM chronicles applied out of order? Flag as dead? Remove illegal chronicles and downlevel?

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Andrew Christian wrote:
it is quite explicit at the end how to deal with buying new spells for your spellbook from NPCs and what that cost is.

"An NPC isn't just going to give you access to his spells for free, and purchasing a scroll of that spell represents the cost of gaining access to his spellbook."

That line states two facts.

First, you don't get spells from people for free. This is true, you must pay for the privilege.

Second, if you buy a scroll, that represents the cost of gaining access to a spellbook. This is also true, it does represent that.

Neither of those two facts are invalidated by a third fact: You can pay half the cost of scribing to learn from a borrowed spellbook. This is not for free, and it also represents the cost of gaining access.

If the end of that FAQ is taken outside the context of scrolls found during an adventure, then "If you don't find a scroll of a given spell during the course of an adventure, you have to buy the scroll to learn it" means you don't get two free spells when you level up. This would mean that all spells ever learned must come from scrolls, either purchased or found.

But if you keep that FAQ within the context it sets up, then that line instead means "All spells learned from scrolls must be either purchased or found during adventure."

That seems more reasonable. And the only way you arrive at that reasonable conclusion is by following the the very first sentence of that FAQ: Obey the CRB rules with one singular exception.

1/5

Am I the only one who thinks you're all reading it wrong?

That FAQ entry (here) basically says the following:

Use the rules in the CRB.

The one adjustment to those rules for PFS is that a wizard doesn't have to buy a scroll in order to copy it to the spellbook.

This explains how scrolls differ from other expendable items, if you drink a potion, the effects vanish after the scenario. But if you scribe from a scroll, the spell you learned doesn't.

Everything else in that FAQ entry is under the heading of scrolls found during an adventure. If you don't find the scroll, you can't scribe from it for free. It still appears on the chronicle sheet, but if your character never actually got ahold of it during play, then he can't have used it. Just like he couldn't have drank a potion he never found.

Since paying to borrow a spellbook has nothing to do with scrolls found during an adventure, that FAQ doesn't apply. If it did, then there would be two adjustments to the normal rules, not one.

If the intent is to restrict access to spellbooks, I think it needs another FAQ entry that says borrowing spellbooks isn't part of the regular spellcasting services available in town.

We're based in Absolom, the city at the center of the world, a metropolis where you can find anything or anyone. Except a spellbook?

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DarkLightHitomi wrote:
Sure let the rich kids get first crack at them but the poor kids should get a chance eventually.

There's another good idea.

If we can't limit con boons to the cons, because people need to show off to the people who don't go to cons, then how about a time limit?

Get a con race boon, and it's exclusive. For the season. When the next season comes out, it's opened up to the public. That lets the special con people get something, show it off, etc. By the time the commoners get access to it, the con folks will have had a chance to attend another con and get a newer one.

1/5

Saint Caleth wrote:
The point of a con boon is that it can be taken home and shown off.

If this is the case, then the current restrictions on races are probably the best system. I had assumed people were doing this for a fun con experience, not to prove how much better they are than the folks that don't do cons.

1/5

Michael Brock wrote:
Oh, and I also need an answer to give people who complain because they can't get to a con to get a +1 to a stat or an SLA or higher level CR purchase power boon, much like what I am hearing here about people who can't get to a con to get a racial boon. Afterall, the boons you are going to list for me are going to be as good, or better, than the race boons, which means the cries of unfairness will be even louder.

So we need a boon that's better than a race boon so that people still come to cons, but doesn't make people who can't (or don't want to) go to cons jealous.

So how about a strong boon that only works at conventions?

At an official boon-giving con, you can do X cool thing.

People will want to do the cool thing, so they go to cons. People who don't go to cons won't care, because they would have to go to cons in order to use it. This makes the crazy plane-hopping con people happy, and doesn't affect the local store/home game people.

Ideas for the boons, I think, are things that would let you break normal rules.

Boon: Sanctioned Slaughter - While playing a scenario at an official convention, your character gains a +1 Convention bonus on attack rolls.

Boon: Lodge library access - Once per scenario, while playing a scenario at an official convention, your character gains access to the Scribe Scroll feat, and can scribe a number of scrolls with total caster level equal to your caster level. You must pay the normal costs involved with scribing a scroll.

Boon: Lodge clerk access - Once per scenario, while playing a scenario at an official convention, you may hire a Society spellcaster to cast Permanency and any allowed spell with a cost of up to 7,500 gp, paying the cost in diamond dust as appropriate. This spell is permanent, and continues from chronicle to chronicle until dispelled or otherwise lost. If the spell is lost, mark it in the conditions section of the relevant chronicle sheet.

Boon: Phantom Fingers - while playing a scenario at an official convention, you may force a Venture Captain or Paizo Employee to do a little dance for all to see. Cross out this boon when used.

Boon: Luck of the Gods - while playing a scenario at an official convention, you may force a Game Master, Venture Captain, or Paizo Employee (who is not otherwise occupied) to blow on your dice for luck. Cross out this boon when used.

Boon: Clean Living - while playing a scenario at an official convention, if you have taken a shower in the last 23 hours, you gain a +2 Convention bonus on Diplomacy checks and saving throws against poison and disease.

These are probably bad ideas, but I do kind of like the idea of restricting convention boons to scenario conventions. If someone never goes to a con, and thus has no chance to get one of these boons, he doesn't have it hanging over his head every time his local VC busts out his awesome bird-man character at the local game shop.


Maybe I'm crazy, but I remember being able to view PFS events in a calendar format. I would have thought it was under the "Find Events in Your Area" link on the PFS page, but that just makes a giant vertical list broken up by region. I was positive there used to be a way to view a normal calendar of events, but now I can't find it.

Also, the "About Pathfinder Society" link in the top grey bar while in the PFS section loads an empty page. The header and sidebar stuff is there, but no content.


The Skirnir Magus Archetype gains an Arcane Bond (Su) shield at 1st level. The Wizard Arcane Bond (Ex or Sp) grants a masterwork version of that item.

So I get a free Masterwork Heavy Steel Shield. The Masterwork property only applies to ACP, not to shield bash attacks: "An enhancement bonus on a shield does not improve the effectiveness of a shield bash made with it, but the shield can be made into a magic weapon in its own right."

So, if I want to have it enchanted with a +1 enhancement bonus to hit and damage (like a normal +1 weapon) do I just pay 2,000 gp, or do I have to pay the difference in cost of the armor masterwork (150) and the weapon masterwork (300)? Or the full 300 for weapon masterwork? The Arcane Bond FAQ says "the cost value of the final item as listed in the item's statblock" but I'm not sure how that works with weaponizing a shield.

What about shield spikes? Table: Armor and Shields lists them as costing "+10 gp". Do you have to purchase a "Spiked Shield" costing (shieldcost+10gp) or can the spikes be purchased at any time and added to an existing shield? Can I buy Masterwork Shield Spikes for 310 gp and stick them on my arcane bond, turning it into a Masterwork Spiked Masterwork Heavy Steel Shield?

I think it would be easier to treat the spikes as the weapon, meaning I have to buy MW spikes (310gp) then enchant them like any other weapon, while I can enchant my existing MW shield as armor. But I'd like to have this all sorted out before I bushwack my next GM.

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Is it legal to have a PFS character with only one trait? The only traits available in the three core assumption documents are the faction traits in the Guide to PFS OP. Since those are all Campaign traits, you cannot choose more than one.

If another player at the table has a physical copy of the book, a name-watermarked Paizo PDF, or a printout from the actual Paizo PDF, is that sufficient to utilize an additional resource?

Is a photocopy/xerox of the actual hardcover book acceptable? (Not the entire book, just the relevant portion, like printing certain pages from the PDF)

If sharing material is not allowed, and a character is not legal due to the lack of additional material, can the character be 'fixed' or should it be shelved as-is until the relevant resource is acquired?

Lastly, was an official decision ever made regarding applying GM chronicle sheets out of order? Specifically Michael Brock's post on GM Credit. The new guide isn't out yet, but if we knew the intent, that could possibly make certain characters (like mine) legal enough to play.

Thanks for your time.

1/5

Michael Brock wrote:

There are two schools of thought I am aware of in regard to assigning GM credit.

1) When a GM judges a game, they apply the Chronicle to a character immediately.

2) When a GM judges a game, they can hold the Chronicle as long as they like and apply it whenever they see fit to.

If #2 becomes the rule, can it apply to players in games using pre-generated characters?

Here's my edge case:

Someone has not played Pathfinder. They get in a game of We Be Goblins (Sanctioned Module Tier 1-2, uses pre-gens exclusively). They like it, and become interested in PFS. They then play First Steps. According to the rules, they can't play in part 3 unless they switch to a new character, or had the foresight to record WBG as a different character number. Allowing them to play the First Steps series completely, and then applying the WBG chronicle to their existing level 2 character seems like a good way to encourage new players. (This is under the assumption that they did not make use of the WBG chronicle during the First Steps series)

In fact, this is what happened to me, only I didn't realize it until this weekend, and was writing up a post asking how to make my character legal when I saw this thread. (I GM'd WBG, then months later played First Steps and didn't realize there would be a conflict)

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Don Walker wrote:
You play We Be Goblins and apply the Chronicle to a level 1 PC: Mog.

But how many PA does Mog get?

It used to be 1, but the new sheet cut all the info, so according to version 4.1 of the guide, it's 4. (Also more XP, and a bunch of gold)

This is discussed a bit at the end of this thread:
http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz52vn?Prestige-Point-Award-for-GM-running-We-Be

But I'm not sure which section of the forums it belongs in.

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