The Bald Man's page

Is anyone out there just happy with Pathfinder?

Yes

No formal rules answer, but in my game we treat it as a mount.

You are in the advise section, not rules, so I will post my opinion: you don't get the bonus per die damage. My basis is that it only applies to the spell damage, not to the precision damage.

I can see the basis for adding the extra damage dice to the sneak attack, but I don't think that was the intent.

The Weapon Focus - Spec - Grt Focus - Grt Spec are very very good to have for two reasons.

1. Your Weapon capstone ability at 20th level...you have to have picjed a weapon to get it.
2. Most importantly...using it in conjuction with Weapon training, power attack and Combat expertise...tou can get an ungodly Attack bonus that you can easlily bleed of using power attack and/or combat expertise depending on the circumstance and still have a great chance for you 2nd, 3rd, and maybe even 4th iterative attacks to hit. Combine that with improved crit is why Fighters can outpace Barbarians and Paladins in damage dealt...all day long

Spot On

blackbloodtroll - What did you decide?

Silence has been mentioned before in the same sentence with a few other spells.

Can be a game changer if you rely on caster BBEG. Silence will shut them down.

The question is posted in the rules section. I think the relevant rules have been stated above. The rules don't explicitly cover it, so bit of a grey area. Ask your GM.

Personal opinion - go for it. Once you surmount the hurdle of threatening adjacent while using a reach weapon you have all the ingredients to utilize cleave.

Unseelie wrote:

redward wrote:

Unseelie wrote:

Which I'm not actually sure I agree with, since an arrow can be used as an improvised melee weapon. Not a terribly good one, but if my bow had just been sundered, I'd sure as hell try it (assuming they don't have Improved Sunder of course).

You don't threaten with an improvised weapon.

Please cite for that. I just did a quick search and there's nothing I can find that supports that.

I stand corrected. I had conflated the -4 penalty for fighting unarmed as a non-proficiency, and non-proficiency as the reason someone doesn't threaten when unarmed.

Weapons (improvised or otherwise) need to be wielded - so that you are threatening - to make AOO. The Bow is being wielded, not the arrow. Wielding an arrow is not the same as drawing it as part if firing it. QuickDraw might make that distinction moot.

Shield Mage (Magus Archetype)
Gains:
1. Shield Proficiency
2. Shielded Casting (no acrane spell failure for shields)
3. Canny Defense
4. Sorcerous Shield

Loses
1. Light Armor Proficiency
2. Light Armor Casting

This isn't balanced. 1 & 2 from both lists are a fair trade. Getting the other two 'for free' is unbalancing.

BBT - I too think it is cool. But, I think it is very ineffective. I get that as a touch attack your hit percentage is going to be very high. I assume you have the appropriate traits and feats to avoid energy resistance. What are you doing to boost damage? 1d8+ cl/2 is great for a typical full caster, but not for combat character.

PS much faster than OF.
OF is self only. PS even has a 'communal' version.

I don't understand the 10 minute casting time for Phantom Steed. Just...why?

I agree with mplindustries.

The charge is released upon a successful attack roll. So the shocking grasp gets first hit target.

By my read it takes one hour per patient to make the check. So to answer your question 1 persona at a time.

Gm might let you treat multiple people simultaneously, but multiply the duration. same effect really.

Something to think about is grabbing a shield for one of those arms. Can get a lot of AC for little investment. That leaves 3 hands to wield weapons. Theoretically, you could hold a bow in 1 hand while wielding the longspear in 2 hands. Then, free action to unwield the longspear - i.e. hold it with one hand so wield the bow with 2 hands.

Basically gives you shield bonus to AC all the time while retaining the ability to use either 2-handed weapon for any given attack.

How are you getting proficient with both? Feats? Evolution? Other?

Yasha wrote:

On Golarion, when will the stars be right for my fell masters deep within the Dark Tapestry to descend on the world?

When will that Adventure Path be coming (2012....perhaps)?

Ask again in 3 years.

Calendar check...

I recall seeing an extreme example involving dervish dance benefits on another weapon in the same group via Martial Versatility. Jamie Jacobs indicated it was acceptable. His word isn't law and you won't have chapter & verse to quote to your GM.

Unfortunately, I think you would be at +3/+3/-2.

Also, attacking with a spear puts you in melee. Attacking with a bow while in melee provokes an opportunity attack.

You wouldn't need a feat to attack at +7 with the spear / +2 with the bow.

Improved two weapon fighting would give an iterative. I don't believe there is an improved multi-weapon fighting feat.

It doesn't look like you need multi-weapon fighting since you are only trying to wield 2 weapons.

I wonder also.
My guess is that since they aren't light weapons you would take -4 to all attacks.
Also, TWF and Multi-weapon fighting don't grant iterative attacks.

Monk unarmed strike damage is independent of natural attack damage. (size changed to modify damage). So if your monk level says you are doing 1d8 damage (level 4 through 7) then you are correct.

"When you cast a polymorph spell that changes you into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type, all of your gear melds into your body. Items that provide constant bonuses and do not need to be activated continue to function while melded in this way (with the exception of armor and shield bonuses, which cease to function). Items that require activation cannot be used while you maintain that form."

...so your gloves should still work.

If memory serves a creature 2 sizes smaller than another can occupy the same square.

Depends on how one runs The Deck. My GM removes the drawn card circulation once it has been drawn so in the campaign I play the power's utility would diminsh as you increase the percentage of 'bad' cards.

The respawn mechanic changed from game to game: sometimes the deck was new for each user (but remembered where each individual left off), sometimes it would reform only after all cards were drawn.

I understand this was just an intellectual exercise for you. Just sharing how it is handled by my DM.

Stick with Fighter until level 8 for gr. weapon focus. Then...
Stick to fighter until Level 9 for weapon training 2 - select a ranged weapon. Then...
Stick with Fighter until level 12 for Greater Weapon Specialization. Then...
Stick with Fighter until level 13 for Weapon Training 3. Then...

...go ahead and multiclass.

Construct armor sounds cool, but the rules are incomplete.
If you start with a golem the 'base' construct...are you immune to magic (in the same ways golems are)?
Do you get the Damage Reduction?
Movement modes?
Can the construct armor be enchanted like armor?
Do you inherit construct traits (Immunity to all mind-affecting, bleed, disease, death, necromancy, paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, ability damage/drain, fatigue, exhaustion, energy drain, nonlethal damage, massive damage) while the armor is intact?
Do Special attacks and Defenses transfer?

Or is it 'just' a HP sponge.

AC= 10 +1(small) +1(Dodge) +6(DEX) +3(WIS) +3(INT) +3(INT) +5(Combat Expertise)= 32 AC

Isn't he Kensai and the Duelist Int -> AC the same? I don't think they stack, so +3 to AC from intelligence is max.

With Monk there is the Dimensional Agility / Dimensional Assault / Dimensional Dervish feat line.

Also, I don't think Druid Wild Shape gives you access to Magical Beasts.

I think it Jacobs (don't have the link handy) stated that charge benefits only apply to one attack even in multiple attacks are allowed (such as pounce).

When I saw Broken Zenith's spreadsheet I thought of dissecting so you could mode the class ratings based on a particular build. God bless you and BZ for tackling this.

Both are built for a 4 person team. Would it be possible to mod for different party sizes? I run with 5 players. Could also help a 4 player party when someone picks up leadership.

Could make a case for $91K. At the quoted CL of 13 and a duration of 2 hours per level you are effectively 26 hours -> If the spell has a "24-hour duration or greater, divide the cost in half"

How do the players use this? It isn't portable after creation, right? So it is a home base, not a portable base?

3 level fighter dip - Weapon Master. Gives Weapon Training +1 TH / +1 DAM. Then Gloves of Dueling which increase to +3/+3 that stacks with everything. The 2 bonus feats help with having enough feats that were suggested above (and probably below).

Obviously, Weapon Focus.

Why weapon Finesse a pre-req? Quick draw seems more appropriate.

He actually has a penalty of -14 to all attack rolls:

-9 for a +2 tower shield (+7 to AC with Shield Focus feat)
-5 for +2 full plate (+11 to AC)

He's also heavily encumbered, but that doesn't stack with the full plate penalty. It just means an additional -1 of skill checks (that -1 doesn't impact attack rolls).

He also wears an amulet of natural armor +1, a ring of protection +1, has a Dex bonus of +1, and the Dodge feat (each giving +1 to AC)

This gives him an AC of 32. IIRC, he has this pumped up a couple more points (to AC 34), but I don't remember how. Since he usually starts combat by casting sanctuary, hardly anything can touch him. He parks squarely in the way of large enemies, corking them up and healing the party as needed.

It's pretty impressive for a 4th level PFS character. I long for the day when I can have a rat or housecat grapple with him and pin him...

Non-proficient tower shield use doesn't decrease CMD. On the contrary, the standard action to use it as cover would actually increase his CMD. His CMB is severely compromised...until he drops the towershield.

Nudel the Protector - are the "hurled tail spikes" coming from the "+0 furious throwing amulet of mighty fists"?

We have run the gamut

...following all the guidelines for XP awards, which was a pain (hey GM - did you remember to such-and-such encounter). Actually found we leveled too fast.

...to the other end of the spectrum - plot based. That can get too slow.

I advocate a schedule based leveling system. We play once a week for about 5 hours per session. Once a month feels like good rate (with some flex - to accelerate based on plot).

We usually play from level 1 - 20ish.

I am not going to go into the full builds, but my party is a hyper-optimized rogue, mounted-combat oriented antipaladin, sorcerer, and undead lord cleric. The fighter only bonuses to hit & Damage are huge discriminators: 6/6 weapon training (4+2-gloves), 1/0 gr. weapon focus, 0/4 greater weapon specialization. Totals +7TH & +10 damage.

TWF and power-attack negate the bonus to hit but make the bonus to damage +20 per hit and a second hit. Assuming 30 damage per hit base with PA fighter is 100 damage over 2 hits compared to the Antipaladin's 1 hit for low 30's. And is still 5 better TH than the rogue.

High level fighter's tend to be sticky - once they get next to you they are had to shake due to feats like the step-up chain, and pin down.

Prerequisite: Dex 15, Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Snap Shot, Weapon Focus, base attack bonus +9.

If this is a thrown weapon character it is going to have most, if not all of these. Snap Shot hurts when you are dealing with a thrown weapon that is also a melee weapon (such as a dagger or throwing axe) since they already threaten (in melee) the 5' that snap shot gives you.

If this is a melee character who has thrown weapons as their ranged option, then yes - feat cost is heavy.

I'm with you. I have a similar character. I feel like I ruin combat for the other melee characters (rogue and anti-paladin). My +TH, AC, and Damage are so high that for it to be a challenge to me they can't hit it. Of course when the Paladin smites he is relevant, but since we are evil we don't just fight good - we fight everyone.

While I excel in combat, I don't have a lot to do outside of combat. Consider that the balance.

Fast healing will negate the bleed damage. Staggered isn't a significant debuff against a caster.

I imagine you are doing almost 30 points of damage per hit (before power attack). Even barring critical hits not much can stand up to a full round of attacks.

If you weren't a Dwarf I would suggest Fighter (no-archetype). Might still be worth it if you are going TWF as it is Dex intensive and armor training is awesome.

There is a magic item, I can't recall the name, that lets you use Strength for thrown attacks (no need dig into 3.5 feats).

*sigh* After trying to claim Bane, why stop there?

Hey, I got a holy weapon... shouldn't I get the added bonus by treating my opponent as if it were an evil outsider?
Oh, look, I got Pally levels, as well... sure I can smite that enemy I treat as an 'Evil Outsider', can't I?
Hey, I got a disrupting weapon... shouldn't I get the chance of insta-disrupting my enemy, whom I treat as Undead?
And if I treat that Dragon, or ooze, as being a human via Instant enemy, I sure as hell should be able to target it with my scroll of Hold Person, right?

May I call to your attention that the developers themselves stated that, at times, common sense should be applied instead of reading just the letter of the RAW?

And now, back to your regularly sceduled discussion.

Well said. I'm sold.

I saw an item (don't recall where or what) that increases you paladin level by 4 for smite considerations. That would add another 4 x 2 (first hit) x 5 (critical) = 40.

Combine with Creat Reliquary Arms and Armor

I am in an evil undead campaign right now.
Party composition:
Graveknight Fighter (twf - dagger specialist)
Lich Sorcerer (arcane)
Vampire Rogue (rapier & shield)
Skeletal champion Anti-paladin
Mummy (house-ruled) Cleric

We are DANGEROUS.

Vampire Rogue is nasty. At your level you can easily have skill mastery so can make certain skill checks EVERY TIME. Get anywhere with spider climb (vampire ability), bypass any trap, unlock any door, and does it all unseen with stealth. Once you are where you need to be Dominate Person (Vampire ability). Open the gate, let me in, where is the..., show me the..., etc.
And he is built well. Maxed spellcraft (because rogues can actually have enough skill points), took minor magic (detect magic), major magic (true strike), and chased those with Quicken Spell Like Ability (feat) for impromptu auto-hit.

good luck with the campaign and enjoy.

I'm playing the fighter and am deadly, but frustrated at the lack of skills.

I would rule that you become visible when you roll damage. While there is no attack ROLL, I think we can all agree that CdG is an attack. Magic missile, has no attack roll, would break invisibility also.

The turn-based movement does cause problems. A compromise suggestion that helps simplify things is to have everyone delay to the same initiative count and go together. Enemy readied action still complicate things, but you can kinda move the group together.
Those protected by the magic circle give up the initiative advantage and trade it for the magic circle advantage. Seems fair to me.

Whilst changed, am I still proficient with it?
I would say no. It grants proficiency with the Hook Hand.

Whilst changed, can I still use it for somatic components?
I would say no.

Whilst changed, can I still use it to deliver touch attacks?
I would say Maybe. I could be talked into it, considering the crafting requirement: spectral hand. I would look for dissenting opinions, I might be missing something.

I have a 13th level 2-weapon dagger Fighter (vanilla). It takes a lot of feats to get there, but wow! Dangerous! Doesn't miss with primary attacks. Pin Down is a great feat once you hit 12th level. You aren't missing with your Opportunity attacks. The static damage adds up.
Very effective.
While I have been able to utilize the thrown aspect it isn't the forefront. With full plate and armor training my AC is pretty good also. If you are team player you will have to maneuver around to put yourself between the bad guys and yourself. The ranged damage is icing. Specializing on light weapons also has the advantage that grappled or swallowed you still have access to your weapon of choice.

Denied! This happened in our game, but I was the Fighter with Pin Down and the archer was shooting me in the face. DM ruled only 1 Opportunity Attack. Can you tell me where the rules cover that?

Deadly Aim

Suppose an Archer takes the full attack (3 attacks) option while threatened by someone with Combat Reflexes.
Does the Archer provoke 3 Opportunity Attacks (one for each attack) or only 1 because the Full Attack is part of the same action?

Unlike with other words, a wordcaster can only use meta words a number of times per day equal to half his caster level in his wordcasting class (minimum 1).
Boost is listed as a Meta-Word. Does it follow that restriction? Most Boost uses call out a level bump already. Or is Boost special?

To buff the party (boosted select) raises the spell by 3 levels. And requires a Meta-Word use?! Haste becomes level 5. Seems weak.