Wu Nakitu's page

Running this soon, and prepping the monsters and looking at Dahaaka and ... well, I'd like to know how other people have run her.

in particular her Wild Shape ability.
It seems to me that she should Wild Shape to Water Elemental - at her level that would be a Huge Elemental right?
"At 12th level, a druid can also use wild shape to change into a Huge elemental...When taking the form of an elemental, the druid's wild shape now functions as elemental body IV."
and that would give her
"... immune to bleed damage, critical hits, and sneak attacks while in elemental form and gain DR 5/—."

"Water elemental: ...+4 to Strength, –2 penalty to Dexterity, +8 to Constitution, and a +6 natural armor bonus...also gain swim 120 feet."

What are the down sides to this tactic that I am missing?

thanks in advance for the advice!

It's mostly a sidegrade? The larger size means more PCs might trigger her miasma, but she loses a little AC since the bonuses from the form don't work out to match what her breastplate had been providing. The DR is better than the regen she loses - the value of blocking crits/SA is dependant on your party.

With her tactics mostly consisting of AoEs the extra reach won't mean a massive amount - she doesn't have anything to make AoOs much more threatening than in base form.

I will not agree that athletics, for example, let fly breathe underwater or dig underground. I will not allow Acrobatics to permeate through the walls. The spell must be prepared. it's a big difference

With 10 mins Quick Prep and a 3rd level slot, my 16th level Wiz can outperform my friend's Legendary Athletics Skill Feat of choice with a quick Fly spell using a slot 5 levels lower than max - that doesn't seem a little bit problematic?

CLW wands always felt like a problem with PFS, where you get 2 Prestige Points after your first adventure that can be spent on the wand. I'm in 3 Adventure Paths (Kingmaker, Giantslayer, Hell's Rebels) and we've never had easy access to a wand.

Why not make wands cost more Prestige in PFS?

I get Trunau, but you couldn't get any 750 GP wands in Restov or Kintargo?

It's been touched upon already, but my least favourite thing has definitely gotta be the solo section. Whether it's a rogue rogueing or whatever, I'm never thrilled at waiting an hour or even just 20 mins with absolutely zero agency in a shared game with 5-6 people involved.

I love playing or running solo stuff in between sessions, though.

The reason no-one mentioned Slayer or Hunter is that they weren't out in 2013 or July 2014, back before the falcata necromancy - think it was August '14 the ACG came out?

Wu Nakitu wrote:

Core rogue isn't even that good of a skill monkey. The average Investigator has as many skill ranks as a rogue...

Investigators get 6/lvl; rogues get 8.

Quote:

...along with extracts and inspiration.

Which, in order to receive, they must forfeit sneak-attack, evasion, and all those Talents. (Studied Strike is quasi-similar to Sneak Attack, but is a PITA to bean-count, takes longer to get, is weaker, and can't exploit all the feats, items, and PrCs that trigger off SA -- and you'll never be able to "nova" like a full-attacking rogue pasting a flat-footed opponent.) The investigator's will saves are better, at the trade-off of eating more damage from AoE.

You've messed up that quote.

I'd look for something melee. As is, you only have one dedicated melee person. A melee Warpriest would work good for this, just have to decide if you want to be in melee or if you want to use a reach weapon.

Warpriests make great tanks while dealing out good damage. Plus they can self heal themselves pretty easy. Plus with a bit of spell selection, they can have good combat tactical movement.

Have you looked at a Druid?
Druids are extremely flexible and would cover some of the gaps the party has.

Depending on how things shake out, Eidolon/UMonk/Rogue (and maybe even the Summoner) could end up being dedicated frontliners.

BMO wrote:

So are we talking combat-wise, or is utility a factor?

Because core rogue definitely falls down combat-wise, lacking spells, and no reliable way of sneak attacking every turn they simply fall behind other martial classes. But they definitely come out ahead with the sheer number of skill points available to them. And lets face it, a party will always happily accept a rogue as a 5th or 6th character to overcome skill challenges.

I do like Lady-J's answer though, because commoner is objectively worse than a rogue, with worse BAB, saves, fewer class skills, and no class features. But I assume OP didn't have NPC classes in mind.

Core rogue isn't even that good of a skill monkey. The average Investigator has as many skill ranks as a rogue, along with extracts and inspiration.

Even if we stick to core a base Bard competes pretty easily between their multiple skill-boosting class features, spells and six ranks.

"Heroes" and "One evil act" are not even remotely exclusive.

Depending on specifically which rev you're after, the Ravener Hunter archetype for Inquisitors is a one level dip for a decent assortment.

VMC Oracle also works.

Don't know of any 3rd party options for this personally.

Is only reason why people think Kingmaker has a chance since its only AP where all prints are outsold?

Can't speak for anyone else, but I think it has a better-than-average chance due to a combination of being out-of-stock, the CRPG being based on it, and the chance for the designers to update the Kingdom-building rules to match UCam and tidy it up.

Brother Nameless "無名哥" wrote:

Enlightened Paladin

Enlightened Paladin isn't a Paizo class.

I assume they're talking about the archetype from Inner Sea Combat.

If he's playing a human, Martial Versatility will let him take Weapon Focus/Spec/etc and apply it to a full weapon group - doesn't help if he wants to pick use a dagger and a spear in the same combat, but it might be a good solid middle ground between completely retraining and struggling.

EDIT: Fixed tags.

icehawk333 wrote:

CBDunkerson wrote:

I've always thought that the combination of Performing Combatant (to allow performance feats to be used in any combat) and Mocking Dance was absurdly powerful for a ranged attack character. Essentially it allows full attack along with one or more full moves nearly every round.

Only if you can pass that ubsrudly diffcult preformance combat check reliably.

???

1: DC 10 means a 55% chance of success even if you somehow have NO bonus (i.e. BAB 0, no perform skill ranks, no Cha bonus, no +2 from performance feat, no +2 from performance weapon, etc).
2: You get the movement regardless of whether the performance combat check succeeds or not.

Check Performing Combatant - it's always a DC20 check when not in a formal performance combat.

Nah, unfortunately - caster levels are normally calculated separately, so the example Wiz2/Dru2 would be Wizard Caster Level 2 and Druid Caster Level 2.

Some Prestige Classes add to pre-existing caster levels, though.

Also, a caster level doesn't mean you can cast spells of that same level; a level 4 wizard can only cast level 1 or 2 spells. Spell levels vary by class, so you have to follow the tables given on each classes page.

To be honest I can see them finishing it with another eight eps - Alucard's all out of backstory, Trevor's back to form, Sypha's all set.

After Grant gets introduced, we're also pretty much out of canon plot apart from climbing Castlevania itself and the final showdown - Dracula's Curse isn't exactly a complex story by itself, hell, they've already taken a cue or two from Symphony of the Night to fill in gaps.

That said, them doing more adaptations (SotN, Rondo of Blood, Portrait of Ruin, Order of Ecclesia or the Sorrow Duology having more than one main lead probably easier to write than either of Simon's solo quests) would be awesome once III's done.

I can't really speak for the rules side of things here, but the easy option would be to GM fiat it to work whichever way you prefer.

If you want them to have to re-align the phase disruptors and get some adventuring out of that, run it that way - if you want it all to just go smoothly for them and get straight to where they need to go, that works too.

Gisher wrote:

I'm not sure exactly what you are trying to accomplish, but you might want to take a peek at the Unsworn Shaman archetype.

The Flexible Hex Feat might give you further options.

Also there is the Spirit Talker Feat. (Sadly it was changed to only work for one hour instead of 24.)

ill try and remember those for later, another question i just thought of is there any way to increase a shamans spirit level to gain early access to the spirits abilities like how sorcerers have robes of eldritch heritage

edit also how do you calculate its hp

The only way I know to increase your spirit abilities in any way is the Amulet of Spirits, linked below - this doesn't give you early access to new abilities, exactly, but you count as two levels higher for those you already have. Also, it only applies to certain spirits (and Mysteries!).

Amulet of Spirits on the Archives of Nethys

I'd definitely lean keep it as is - some of the pairs should definitely join into ongoing combats unless your group is super stealthy, which freshens things up.

Your party's resources will probably take a knock just through sheer mass of mooks, and adding sneak attack or something all over the place might increase the danger level a little more than you'd expect.

I tend to bias towards the lower end of the lethality curve for the first 3 levels or so of gameplay, though.

Chiming in, I rarely buy Campaign Settings, but when I do it's in large part due to the hype in the product threads. Previews have convinced me to buy more than a couple -they'll also never dissuaded me from any Paizo product.

Yeah, there are feats out there that give you bonuses against specific deities; that sounds more fitting to me than trying to make the class with the least class features in the game do something radically different.

James Risner wrote:

So seems everyone except swoosh agree you can't be in a style before combat, even if it's the last style you had from last combat.

Yes... except that I'd allow someone to 'enter combat' at pretty much any time. Even if they are just shadow boxing an imaginary opponent, there is no logical reason that these skills would be inaccessible except when some arbitrary level of physical opposition is present.

On the other hand, I'd also have any character trying to remain in a combat ready state for extended periods suffer from profound exhaustion and deteorating mental health.

Yeah, as far as combat styles go I'd agree wholeheartedly with this. Means that Blind Blade style is still functional outside of actual battle when it matters, but walking around in Mantis all day is going to look stupid and exhaust you. Pretty much as you'd expect.

Gelarshie wrote:

What's this about having an option for Thassilonian mages?

I just finished The Waking Rune not too long ago and I'm excited to make my next character as Thassilonian. That there's an option specifically for my character makes me perk with excitement.

The Runeguard....thus far it's been like pulling teeth to get much feedback....seems like it's only a big deal to a limited few.....The one chap who has been willing to respond on it, is....not really interested (although his responses have been appreciated).....

Paizo staff have requested in the past that they'd prefer it if subscribers don't spoil too much before a book is out to the masses; I really doubt it's anything personal.

Pounce wrote:

ChaosTicket wrote:

Actually there's something I can focus on. Why not take a Cleric that masters using Advanced Firearms or has Pounce with dual tomahawks? What would those take?

Eh.

Worship Pirias for the throwing axe proficiency.
Ask your GM if you can get the Plains domain (he does have the Plant domain, so) + Anger Inquisition to beef up your attacks when needed.

As a dual talent human on a 20 point buy, you can go 15+2/14+2/14/10/13/10 if you don't like dumping, sticking to buff spells + summoning as a cleric. You'll still be able to cast 9th level spells with a headband, so, no big loss if you don't care about spell DCs.

Might do as a start?

You made me laugh. You completely missed the key detail for a melee build AND Its your name "Pounce".

It's only a "key detail" if you have an incredibly narrow viewpoint, and he covered Pouncing with the Plains domain if you actually bothered reading up on what was offered to you.

You're really not gonna be able to kill this NPC without cheating the PC's somehow; 9th level is getting to that point where anything can be solved with magic, and if the PC's are really committed to saving this NPC, the resources needed are available to save him - end of story. You won't stop them from doing it without being forced to say "You can't save him. Because I said so." Which won't go over well for most groups.

The only scenario I can think of that could skate past this is to say the players lost a lot of their casting components in the wreck. This will limit what spells they can cast. Unfortunately, Cure spells, Remove Disease, and Remove Curse all only require Verbal and Somatic components. However, that sill removes Restoration (100G-1000G in diamond dust, though Lesser Resto is still just Verbal and Somatic) and Delay/Neutralize Poison spells (Divine Focus). It might be a bit heavy-handed, but if you make the NPC's malady a slow-acting poison, you pretty much have them if you take away their Divine Focuses. Your PC's may still be a bit peeved that you did that, but you could at least then make it the theme of the adventure (make it without your Divine Focuses for a while), which is a lot less "Your efforts are in vein. Because I said so", and a lot more "You have a handicap. Because I said so". The latter lets you accomplish the same goal without the PC's feeling like their characters have no agency; now it's just an unusual challenge they need to overcome, which just happens to also cause the unavoidable death of the NPC...And oops, no Reincarnate or Raise Dead without Divine Focuses, either.

Even more difficult to reconcile this if they have a tattoo or other class feature that acts as a DF.

I'm really not sure how best you can do this, ultimately - a desert island (without a lot of mitigating factors) just isn't the same challenge to level 9 PCs as it is to those at levels 1-4.

Hi all,

if have a question regarding how to get along with handle animal.

First lets make sure i got RAW correctly:

Anytime i command my animal companion to perform a trick (like attack, come etc) i have to roll on handle animal?

Seems a little weird to me. Assuming you are a 10th Level Druid, you fought for years with your ac and yet still it has a 5% chance not to listen to simple commands?

Even more weird is: From Level 1 to Level 20, the chance of failure remains the same. On level one you have +8 (1Rank +3 via Class skill +4 via link = +8) so you only fail on a 1. Due to the fact you always fail on a 1, your animal doesnt get any more reliable throughout the entire character development.

Do you all play it like this, our did you houserule anything?

Skill checks, with very few exceptions, do not auto-fail or auto-succeed based on dice rolls.

There are different types of flight. Most of the sections of the Fly skill (like needing to make checks to remain in the air after getting attacked or colliding) refer to flight 'using wings'. That's because winged flight requires physical movement to remain aloft. (Move at least half fly speed; Move less than half fly speed with a DC10 fly check; don't move at all (hover) with a DC15 fly check) I've never ruled that non-winged flight requires these motions to stay aloft, so consequently, they don't require fly checks either. You still would need to make fly checks for special maneuvers (sharp turns, rapid climbs, etc).

This is backed up by the Paralyzed condition:

paralyzed wrote:

A paralyzed character is frozen in place and unable to move or act. A paralyzed character has effective Dexterity and Strength scores of 0 and is helpless, but can take purely mental actions. A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it becomes paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A paralyzed swimmer can't swim and may drown. A creature can move through a space occupied by a paralyzed creature—ally or not. Each square occupied by a paralyzed creature, however, counts as 2 squares to move through.

Only winged creatures fall when paralyzed. If being held up by magic, the inability to move doesn't cause a fall.

For home game rulings, this is fine, but the FAQ (quoted by Snowblind above) is the most valid resource in the Rules forum, and rules totally differently.

Yeah, between some of the low-mid level NPCs around, the groups in APs (Has Mummy's Mask been brought up?) and the need for a degree of immersion in acquiring replacement PCs, I really struggle with the idea that adventurers are fleetingly rare at low levels.

Level 20 parties are going to be almost unique, but they're the exception to plenty of rules and cases.

I think there is really nothing more to say on it then. Your going to go with your way no matter what so why argue it?

^^This^^

It's a question in the Rules forum, so the FAQ is the most valid answer you'll get.

This is probably in the wrong forum, unless you're specifically after broken 3pp stuff.

On-topic...."Out-building" players who have no interest in RP in order to get them to RP has insanely low chances of succeeding - a DPR arms race will probably just make things worse.

You've pretty much nailed it; you'd be dealing dex to damage through Agile since that supersedes LG, and dealing +5 on your offhand.

You're considered still prone, which helps prevent a tripping loop (if you were considered 'up' then you could be tripped while attempting to stand)

Wu Nakitu wrote:

Fishing for a little more info while I wait the 12 days for the PDF to become available to the masses; what are the pre-reqs for the Brewcaster?

** spoiler omitted **

-Skeld

Thanks!

brad2411 wrote:

What are the themes for those classes?

The Ashavic Dancer uses the True Spark's teachings to perform magical dances that lull the dead back into their graves. She also gets a stronger version of the versatile performance (Dance) ability.

The Brewcaster distills her spells and extracts into imbibable concoctions. She can further alter the recipe of her spells with powerful homebrewing.

The Dawnflower Anchorite focuses on Sarenrae's dominion over the sun, gaining the ability to produce a powerful aura when she is exposed to the sun.

Fishing for a little more info while I wait the 12 days for the PDF to become available to the masses; what are the pre-reqs for the Brewcaster?

We like to roleplay at my table.

Excuse ME sir, but children play this game! You should be most ashamed!

Could we maybe get a quick tldr on the Brewkeeper? Thanks to all the subscribers who post these, btw.

EDIT: Helps if I use the correct name for the PrC...

PossibleCabbage wrote:

There are things that have improved greatly since the AD&D days, but something about "My 1st level Wizard has an INT of 20" really bugs me.

Not only that, but I would have to ask how a player plans on roleplaying an Int 20 as this is I feel very arguably more genius level as far as mortal races go. Even in general, whether with dragons, celestials, devils, demons, and other creatures or monsters can have higher then this.

Any stat that is above 20 I feel would be the rare 10% at best of any mortal race, except perhaps if the race has a bonus to such.

But...why? The DM can run anything that smart and doesn't have to actually be a genius, and I don't have to be a bodybuilder to play someone with high strength.

And yeah, 20+ in a stat is part of a very exclusive club for player races. So is being a PC. Probably a correlation somewhere there.

You're absolutely in the right rules-wise. You should also examine the possible underlying issues, though: the whip magus is a very powerful character, and can easily dominate games. I won't say it's a loophole, but it is a *very* powerful option that isn't the "norm" they take into account when designing and balancing scenarios. Make sure you're letting other people play, too. (Not defending the GM's approach, by the way.)

Along these lines: "fanning the flames" with a GM is a bad idea, unless you're going to replace the GM when they get tired of dealing with people trying to do that.

It's not even the GM that's throwing his toys out the pram, it's another player.

Some sort of Brilliant Energy analog lumped together with the unique effect of the Cornerstone Crossbow is kinda getting there, but it feels a bit rough on both counts.

Tarantula wrote:

Dr Styx wrote:

It's a spell use item of a spell already cast.

That doesn't exist. Its a command word item. Its a special word you say, that makes it activate. It could be, "disguise me" or it could be something in a foreign language. Either way, you're not going to pass it off as not having happened while disguised.

Use Activated wrote:

However, some items made for wearing must still be activated. Although this activation sometimes requires a command word (see above), usually it means mentally willing the activation to happen. The description of an item states whether a command word is needed in such a case.

Hat of Disguise wrote:

This apparently normal hat allows its wearer to alter her appearance as with a disguise self spell. As part of the disguise, the hat can be changed to appear as a comb, ribbon, headband, cap, coif, hood, helmet, and so on.

No mention of a Camand Word.

It's priced at 1800 GP, the price suggested for a Level 1, CL1 Command Word magic item. Continuous/Use-Activated items typically cost 2000.

I agree that RPing each Swordian on top of the usual NPCs would be a massive headache; I personally can't see an efficient way to play them as-is.

How about handing them out to the players to RP? Either the actual partners or swapping them around randomly so Swordian 2 is played by Player 3, etc.

Can hand out any information they'd have on notes/PMs for the players to deliver, or work it the same way you would with a Knowledge check.

I did the same thing with a Black Blade (as in giving it to a different player to run) and it worked really well.

I suspect it is more by luck than design, but generally the classes which cannot afford points in perception are the ones most would consider to be spacey or indifferent to their surroundings - the Sorcerer, Oracle and Paladin.

With 2+ (low) Int skills on low Wis builds it isn't really worth it and these classes will never be scouts aside from the Seeker archetype. They don't get it in class, they need Spellcraft or Diplomacy or Know Arcana more. They have a lot more going on in their own minds than in the outside world.

Summoners would be similar but of course they just make their Eidolon do it as always. Wizards are smart and precise so even though they don't get it in class and are low Wis, they have the ranks to make it respectable.

Clerics can be otherworldly too and won't have max ranks, but they do have good Wis.

The 4+ skills and up classes are all professional adventurer or warriors and can afford to make their Perception strong. Rangers and Rogues and even Bards and Cavaliers have fluff reasons as well as the mechanical capability to keep their eyes and ears alert, even if it isn't the same reason. Rangers have to be keen hunters, Cavaliers are battlefield commanders who need to be appraised of the situation etc.

It's a bummer for guys like the Paladin, but the gods don't love him because of his cunning, bless him. He'll survive.

My argument falls down with the example of the unfortunate Fighter, but that has been tacitly admitted as a design flaw holdover from 3.5. Many home games fix this skill problem. It's just silly that guards and watchmen and sergeants and gladiators don't get any boost.

Oracles get 4+Int, and a few Mysteries give Perception as a CS (Dragon and Time at least, off the top of my head.) I've played a few Oracles and never had a problem keeping Perception up.

EDIT: Also, 'Spacey' and 'Indifferent' aren't terms I'd ever really apply to the stereotypical Paladin. Additionally, the idea that 'professional adventurers' have a specific number of skill points per level is rather baffling.

These two can help

Ring of Blinking

Cloak of Displacement

Also being a Half Orc with the Sacred Tattoo racial trait and Jingasa and Druid FCB to add +1/3 to the druid's natural armor bonus when using wild shape.

Jingasa got a beatdown with the nerf stick a whiiiile back, unless you're relying on the Deflection Bonus.

If you ever need a reference again, checking the bottom of the d20pfsrd page, the address bar on the PRD or the Source entry on Archives of Nethys will list the book something Pathfinder related is from; in most cases you can find any piece of content on one of the three sites.

Troodos wrote:

I mean, RAW I don't think there's a rule against it, if he has the right feats. But I think that's where the GM is supposed to come in and point out "that doesnt make sense".

I raise you " planet of the apes (Caesar)overwatch ( Winston) and kurjack (Tarzan). I'm just saying you can't say you haven't seen it before.

The first two are genetically engineered and Kerchak never really does anything more intelligent than the average gorilla, at least as far as I can remember from the novels or Disney. Obviously things are different once you've boosted Int, but the average 2Int animal, regardless of species, isn't going to routinely use equipment.

An adventuring paladin should be able to afford child support without settling down. Heck, he can probably deposit 18 years' child support on her all at once and call it a day.

Agreed on this one; settling down to raise a kid rather than adventure would be the less Good option in a lot of cases, depending on the campaign.

I'm enjoying the direction the last couple of posts are going, but bear in mind the character in question is now dead.

Ironwood was mentioned by Snowleopard back in October of 2013.

Just Level 5, starting the second book of RotRL soon.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h7DeyTS_PvmBLVi5ix9PElJKFz3ZyFYC4IP M_BTmkAw/pubhtml

I got his build here, now a lot of things fall together.
It's a Zenarcher/Gunslinger Build.

I'll be away for an hour so my respone might take some time.

Link's not working for me, but those two classes combined alone (alongside the action economy houserule question) reek of some abomination against science being crafted here.

While I agree that using the repeater is probably a mistake, it does have ONE advantage that I can see. It can fire up to 5 times when using the crossbow one-handed when your other hand is unavailable for whatever reason. (A tiny tiny advantage, but it might pop up.)

Repeating Crossbows aren't even that good, you need to pull the reloading level in-between shots so you still need the two hands.

"Load: As long as it holds bolts, you can reload it by pulling the reloading lever (a free action). Loading a new case of 5 bolts is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

Note: The repeating crossbow (whether heavy or light) holds 5 crossbow bolts. You can fire a repeating crossbow with one hand or fire a repeating crossbow in each hand in the same manner as you would a normal crossbow of the same size. However, you must fire the weapon with two hands in order to use the reloading lever, and you must use two hands to load a new case of bolts."