Vigil
(Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber),
Thursday, 12:49 PM
I'm not gonna make this all pretty with bold parts or anything, but here's an updated androsphinx stat block.
Spoiler:
Sphinx (Androsphinx) CR 9
6,400 XP
CG Large magical beast
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +22
Defense
AC 22, touch 9, flat-footed 22 (+13 natural, –1 size)
hp 114 (12d10+48)
Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +7
Offense
Speed 50 ft., fly 80 ft. (poor)
Melee 2 claws +18 (2d6+7/19–20)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks pounce, rake (2 claws +18, 2d6+7/19-20), roar, spells
Spells Prepared (CL 6th; save DC 13 + spell level)
3rd- cure serious wounds, invisibility purge, searing light
2nd- bull’s strength, remove paralysis, resist energy, shield other
1st- divine favor, protection from evil, shield of faith, remove fear
0th- detect magic, guidance, resistance, stabilize
Statistics
Str 25, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 16
Base Atk +12; CMB +20; CMD 30 (34 vs. trip)
Feats Alertness, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Critical (claw), Iron Will, Power Attack
Skills Fly +9, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (any one) +18, Perception +22, Sense Motive +5, Survival +18
Languages Common, Draconic, Sphinx
Ecology Warm Deserts
Environment warm deserts and hills
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
Roar (Su)
Three times per day an androsphinx can loose a mighty roar. The first time it does this, all creatures within 500 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell for 2d6 rounds.
If the sphinx roars a second time during the same encounter, all creatures within 250 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds, and all those within 90 feet are deafened for 2d6 rounds (no save). If it roars a third time during the same encounter, all those within 250 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or take 2d4 points of Strength damage for 2d4 rounds. In addition, any Medium or smaller creature within 90 feet must succeed on a DC 19 Fortitude save or be thrown to the ground and take 2d8 points of damage. The force of this roar is so great that it deals 50 points of damage to any stone or crystalline object within 90 feet. Magic items and held or carried items can avoid damage with a DC 19 Reflex save. Other androsphinxes are immune to these effects. The save DCs are Constitution-based.
Spells
An androsphinx casts divine spells as a 6th-level cleric from the cleric spell list and from the Good, Healing, and Protection domains.
Vigil
(Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber),
Wednesday, 02:44 PM
Found it!
Spoiler:
PRD wrote:
Spell-Like Abilities: Usually, a spell-like ability works just like the spell of that name. A spell-like ability has no verbal, somatic, or material component, nor does it require a focus. The user activates it mentally. Armor never affects a spell-like ability's use, even if the ability resembles an arcane spell with a somatic component.
A spell-like ability has a casting time of 1 standard action unless noted otherwise in the ability or spell description. In all other ways, a spell-like ability functions just like a spell.
Spell-like abilities are subject to spell resistance and dispel magic. They do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated. Spell-like abilities cannot be used to counterspell, nor can they be counterspelled.
Some creatures actually cast arcane spells as sorcerers do, using components when required. Some creatures have both spell-like abilities and actual spellcasting power.
Extraordinary Abilities: These abilities cannot be disrupted in combat, as spells can, and they generally do not provoke attacks of opportunity. Effects or areas that negate or disrupt magic have no effect on extraordinary abilities. They are not subject to dispelling, and they function normally in an antimagic field. Indeed, extraordinary abilities do not qualify as magical, though they may break the laws of physics.
Since Ex abilities work in anti-magic fields and I personally don't want wizards to be able to overcome THAT hardship so easily, I'd say the bond's basic function is EX. The basic function being: without the item in hand, a wizard has to make a special check just to cast a spell at all.
That makes the 1/day effect SP. Nice! No verbal, somatic or material components! It's stilled. It's silent. And it's free!
Of course, abusing wishes causes ripples in the fabric of the universe and attracts the unwanted attention of genie-kind, but that's an RP in-character reason not to abuse the system, not a rules reason.
Vigil
(Pathfinder Chronicles Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber),
Wednesday, 02:24 PM
w0nkothesane wrote:
I think this thread is pretty silly, and no amount of rules-lawyering would get this by me or any DM I've played with.
Treantmonk wrote:
If the replies had been, "It may work, but it's obviously a loophole and DM's shouldn't allow it." I probably would've agreed.
I think that's what everybody posting here wanted to say, but arguments like that in the face of somebody so clearly set on interpreting a specific way rarely work.
To me, the Arcane Bond is either an Ex or a Sp ability. They don't specify which is which and where, but there are only two possibilities for the bonded item, and neither of them qualifies you.
Yep. It's not a spell, it's either an extraordinary or spell-like ability. Says it right there in the PRD: Arcane Bond (Ex or Sp).
So all of this arguing over plural vs singular or if it's the item or the wizard doing the casting is pointless, since it's not even a spell.
Now where were those rules for expensive material components? I need to see if a wizard can use an arcane bond to make free wishes.
The biggest problem with updating urban druids to PF is that the wildshape ability is so different. You'd have to come up with a series of construct body spells for the urban druid's wildshape ability to imitate. That said, fans can convert anything they want. There's even a forum a little further down the page just for that. Maybe you could check and see if anyone else has done the heavy lifting already for you?
Are you interested in the PFRPG prestige classes only? Or would you like the 3.5 OGL prestige classes as well, even though they require some conversions?
XXXX AR The Earthfall happens.
YYYY AR The dark times begin.
But has no detail about these events. What is the Earthfall? What are the dark times?
Earthfall: Aboleths, peeved at humanity for throwing off the yoke of slavery, call down an immense comet from the dark tapestry. The impact creates the inner sea and destroys the Azlanti and Thassilonian empires.
The Dark Times: One thousand years of comet dust from the Earthfall choking out light from the sun. The Orcs established their empires during this time, and Zon Kuthon was released as well.
The troll would need to be at -23 before an acid splash would kill it. Players don't know exactly how many hp any creature is at, if it dropped at -1, -9, or what. Just dropping a troll and hitting it with a single acid splash then moving on to other threats strikes me as very foolish, since that troll may not actually be neutralized.
Also, if they wait for the troll to drop before using any acid or fire attacks, swap the troll's feats so he has Endurance and Die Hard. Then no matter how much they hit it, the troll literally never goes down.
I really hope they'll release a variant of this series focusing on celestials. I've had some fun moments using celestials as allies and villains and it'd be great for celestials to get the Paizo treatment.
I hope that a celestials book comes long after ALL of the fiends are covered. While celestials are occasionally antagonistic to pc's, it's not often enough for me to be panting eagerly for a 64 page treatment.
That said, bring on Volume 3: Daemons and Volume 4: Denizens of Shadow (fiends such as Kytons that have taken up residence on the Shadow Plane)!
From Princes of Darkness p. 24, the Oitos Kyton (the individual is described as a golden skeleton wearing robes of flesh) and the Ephialtes Kyton (no description of the creature, just conjecture that a building's "chained frame of incredible proportions" is actually a really big Ephialtes)
I think I got this right. Still getting used to some of the monster advancement rules. No cleric levels, just magical beast hit dice and templates.
Spoiler:
Advanced Fiendish Giant Sphinx (Gynosphinx) CR 14
XP 38,400
CE Gargantuan magical beast
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +30
Defense
AC 32, touch 8, flat-footed 30 (+2 Dex, +24 natural, –4 size)
hp 297 (18d10+198) DR 10/good
Fort +22, Ref +15, Will +14
Resist cold and fire 15, SR 19
Offense
Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (poor)
Melee 2 claws +33 (6d6+18/19–20)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks pounce, power attack (-5 attack, +10 damage), rake (2 claws +33, 6d6+18), smite good 1/day (+6 attack and AC/+18 damage)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th)
Constant—comprehend languages, detect magic, read magic, see invisibility
3/day—clairaudience/clairvoyance
1/day—dispel magic, locate object, remove curse, legend lore
1/week—any one of the following: symbol of fear (DC 22), symbol of pain (DC 21), symbol of persuasion (DC 22), symbol of sleep (DC 21), symbol of stunning (DC 23); all symbols last for 1 week maximum
Statistics
Str 46, Dex 14, Con 32, Int 22, Wis 23, Cha 23
Base Atk +18; CMB +40; CMD 52 (56 vs. trip)
Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Hover, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Claw)
Skills Bluff +24, Diplomacy +24, Fly +14, Intimidate +24, Knowledge (any one) +24, Perception +30, Sense Motive +30, Spellcraft +24, Stealth -10
Languages Common, Draconic, Sphinx
So if a troll had Die Hard, would he be conscious and active no matter how low into the negatives his hit points go, as long as his regeneration doesn't get turned off?
They critiqued the adventure you ran for them? They actually tried to tell you how to GM an adventure for them? What a pack of ingrates. You have every right to feel insulted and angry. And those players should be (not very politely) told game is indefinitely cancelled.
I used to hear that term on white wolf forums. Basically the same thing as a munchkin or powergamer. Twinks have characters that just scream for attention, like twinkly lights on a christmas tree.
Example: a lupus stargazer ahroun werewolf starts with 5 in gnosis, rage, and willpower, the highest possible starting level in all three traits without spending freebie points. As such, most twink werewolf players were lupus stargazer ahrouns.
You can download the players guides to Rise of the Runelords and Curse of the Crimson Throne for free right from this website. Runelords in particular, since it was the first Golarion AP, has some useful world info for players.
Yup. Gearforged are in the Zobeck book. They're clockwork constructs with a living creature's soul bound to them, sometimes voluntarily, sometimes not. They are a LA +0 race meant for pc's.
Just like to point out that another reason like bonuses don't stack is that a bunch of little bonuses costs less than a single big bonus. A +2 item is 4,000 gp. A +6 item is 36,000 gp. If you could stack bonuses, why would you ever buy a +4 or +6 item? Just buy another +2 item keyed to an unused slot.
Gold piece prices are a way to keep items that are too strong out of players' hands until they're at the appropriate level.
Also, in PF (not D&D 3.5), ability boosters are supposed to be kept to the belt (physical) and headband (mental) slots. Which kind of makes this whole discussion irrelevant.
My first kill in this campaign, and it took me all the way to Impossible Eye! I must be slipping!
Name: Kito, the Moldspeaker, Knight Protector of Kelmarane (m human diviner 10, guess he didn't see this one coming!)
Volume: 5, The Impossible Eye
Where: The Treasure Vaults of Bayt Al-Bazaan
Catalyst: The rogue got in over his head, the wizard tried helping.
Having just escaped from Kakishon, the party found they were in an oppressively hot chamber made of burnished brass, with curtains of flame serving as doors to the north, south, east and west. Before more detailed examinations could be performed, a brass man strode forth from each flame curtain to confront the intruders. A rogue the party had picked up found his best chance at contributing to the fight would be to tumble behind the nearest brass man, through the flaming curtain, in order to flank and sneak-attack. Sadly, his attempt resulted in four brass men appearing in the chamber he had just entered. This is where Kito decided to "help." He went through the curtain himself, which created four more brass men (8 in the room with them total, 4 back in the starting chamber). Unable to retreat, he was quickly cut down by the emotionless guardians.
The Beastiary isn't out yet, so we don't know all of the details, but as you found in
Spoiler:
Crypt of the Everflame,
incorporeality has changed. Non-magical weapons still do nothing, but magical weapons, energy (including fire damage from a lit torch) and spells deal half damage. No more rolling a 50% chance for full effect or nothing. Force effects and ghost-touch weapons still deal full damage.
Actually Vigil, they use your full attack bonus. That means all of them would be at your level.
Not So!
PRD wrote:
... biting with the wielder's base attack bonus (including multiple attacks, if the wielder has them) and dealing 2d6 points of damage.
So a 16th level fighter who uses a lion's shield makes attacks at +16/+11/+6/+1 for 2d6 damage each. No Strength bonus to attacks or damage. And at 16th level, the average AC is 29 (CR+13), meaning the lion's shield is unlikely to hit anything but mooks with anything but the first attack.
The lion's shield uses your BAB, but not your strength, so accuracy is an issue.
The damage is a flat 2d6. No strength bonus here, either.
So our 16th level Lion's Shield weilder can three times per day maybe deal an extra 8-48 damage (average 28). That's assuming all four attacks hit, including the last two made at a whopping +6 and +1. Heck, Even the first two attack bonuses don't look too good, considering by this level AC's are usually in the low thirties.
I'm guessing only the first bite has any real chance of connecting, and an average of 7 extra damage at this level isn't an issue. Even if all three uses are dropped at once, 21 damage is pretty small potatoes, too.
I think you are giving Zayafid too much credit. My players left him alive, too. Although they didn't leave many gnolls. So I had Zayafid make peace with the trogs and set up an ambush. The party still kicked his butt.
Tiffany wore the same costume last year, but there wouldn't even be a contest if Tiffany hadn't cosplayed last year.
Kelly's costume at first blush is more involved, but on closer inspection we see its a lot of layered cloth and a home-made mask. Probably a converted ren faire outfit. But the mask is very cool.
I say we give 'em both the prize. And hope for a lot more cosplayers next year.
I'm playing a bard right now. In a Second Darkness campaign. He rocks.
First, he's the party's healer. Mostly through a staff of healing (which bards can use and recharge).
Second, for a long time, he was the party's magical artillery (mostly wands and scrolls activated through UMD).
Third, I play him as a gish. Bard 8 Fighter 1 Eldritch Knight 5 right now. Round 1 casts a spell (standard action) and activate inspire courage (move action). Someone else casts haste. Round 2 I'm power-attacking for 2d4+24 damage. Power attack scaling by base attack instead of strength really helps high-dex low-str melee builds, BTW.
Fourth, he's the only character with ranks in social skills, so he gets lots of face time.
You ask why anyone plays a bard? I ask why everyone else isn't!
I stand corrected. It does, however, imply second best.
You were right.
Ultimate = Best, last, final, most.
Penultimate = Second to last, but can be extended logically to mean second best etc.
No. You're not getting it. Picture a bowl. And some balls. And maybe some weeds that turn into flowers. And now I'm tripping and seeing botanical transformers.
Don't forget about the Gluttonous Tome from the Magic of Thassilon web enhancement!
Split into three parts called the Kardosian Codex, the Bone Grimoire and the Black Book. Each is a powerful artifact in it's own right. They become more powerful as they are brought together. But if all three are ever reunited,
Spoiler:
their true purpose as the phylactery of Zutha, Runelord of Greed, will be revealed as the powerful lich is reborn.
The book has a section for each chapter called Related Items that addresses items with similar effects (the bag of holding chapter will talk about haversacks and portable holes, frex), and the outline says if there are cursed forms of the item, discussion of them goes there as well.
just when this book couldn't sound any cooler
What if you were told you got a free zonkey with it!?
I don't see the point in a finessable twohander either. If you're finessing, your Strength is most likely not going to care about being multiplied by 1.5, especially if you could carry a shield instead. I guess it could make some marginal sense on an elven fighter with Str 14 and Dex 18.
How about for power-attacking purposes. A 12th level fighter with a 14 strength can still power-attack for -4 to hit and +12 damage under the new power attack rules. And he can have a high dex and weapon finesse to have both a decent armor class/reflex save and decent to-hit bonus.
Vigil is for me!!! All for me!!! Vigil! Vigil! Vigil!
I'm all for what now?
Rob McCreary wrote:
Jason Nelson wrote:
This is actually one of my favorite things I've worked on for Paizo. I liked the approach to it and getting to delve more deeply into an area I'd already written about (Lastwall for the campaign book). I hope people enjoy the Vigil section and that every part of the book kicks booty.
I personally know that Ilizmagorti will kick Vigil's booty any day of the week, and then some! Boo-yaah! ;)
Why is everyone picking on me. And you can tell that Ilizmagorti joker that I've studied Tsoi Li Ho Fut Kung Fu and can totally take care of myself.
Not from the core rules, but I noticed in Crypt of the Everlame that incorporeal no longer is a 50% chance of out-right missing, but instead cuts damage done in half. Except non-magic weapons, which still do nothing.
Actually, Steve, the exact opposite has been said. Eric Mona called it the Test of the Starstone just because it sounds like a great module name. James said they aren't ready to do an epic adventure yet, but when they do, the first epic adventure will likely be Test of the Starstone. So it's coming. Not anytime soon, but it's coming.
* more high-level adventures (especially ones you could run after finishing an Adventure Path)
Yes, please.
* larger adventures, like "supermodules" (though we aren't sure how we'd fit that into the line, which currently only has 32-page adventures)
Yes, please.
* prequels or parallel adventures relating to an AP, so your players (who may or may not be playing the same PCs you have active in that AP) get additional information or another perspective on the events of that AP
Yes, please.
* one-off adventures, such as "here are pregenerated PCs specifically built with a backstory tied to this adventure, and you'd play them instead of your current PCs" (such as a murder mystery adventure where some PCs actually dislike each other and have motives to frame or discredit another PC, or an adventure on a ship in a storm where all the PCs are sailors trying to get the ship back home)
No, thank you.
* similar to the previous item, but tied to your PCs (such as "you activate a mysterious device and find your souls transported into the bodies of these other people, and you can't return to your own body until you've resolved the adventure with the possessed bodies")
No, thank you.
* even more unusual one-off adventures, like "everyone plays a goblin" (whether you're defending your lair or going on a raid)
No thank you.
The last three concepts seem forced and, well, hokey. The soul-switching in particular strikes me as a poor plot device.
I want unusual locales and fantastic dungeons. A dungeon made out of clouds of solid fog that have to be navigated while flying, or the aforementioned sideways dungeon would be fantastic.
Of course, the interesting npc's, tight plots, and gorgeous art Paizo is known for are always important.
