lemeres's page

I've been working with a scenario, and it has caused me to form countless questions. Situation: A monk uses wing jump in order to close in on a flying succubus. The monk decides to grapple the succubus (yes, that old joke, but it is actually a good example).

Wind jump doesn't keep you in the air past your turn (excluding an acrobatics check when heightened). As such, there is nothing from the monk keeping him up.

Rule Questions:
1. Do you just hang onto the creature you grappled? Or do you fall?
2. If you hang onto the creature, could encumbrance issues cause a problem with flight? This is where the succubus part of the question is important- it has 7 carry capacity (low str, human size/shape), and the medium monk weights 6. It would be easy to go over if they are wearing clothes and other items (a stretch in this scenario, but for discussion's sake).
3. Grappling gives you the immobilized condition. So is the succubus going to fall to the ground regardless since they can use various flight related actions?
4. Would the monk benefit from any flight effects that protect the succubus from fall damage?

While there are other situations that could bring these rules up (grabbing a flying creature when falling off a cliff, etc), a wind jumping, grappling monk seems like one of the easiest things to replicate in real play scenarios.

How effective is this as an antiflyer option?

Imbue with Spell ability is a 4th level cleric spell that allows you to use a 4th level spell slot to give the target a bit of spell casting ability (such as giving your fight the ability to cast a level 2 cleric spell each day). This spell is permanent until the cleric cancels it, and the target can regain the use of the granted power every time the cleric regains spell slots for the day.

Until the spell is canceled, the cleric cannot prepare a new spell for that 4th level slot. So you are trading your 4th level slot for the target's low level slots.

Spellcasting contract is a series of spells that are similar to Imbue with Spell ability, but they go to higher spell levels, grants better spells to the target, and it has a contract (because it is asmodeus related). Additionally, the deal is sweeter for the cleric, because they are give an unholy bonus to attack/saves equal to the highest level spell the target can cast (so a fighter that gets 2nd level spells means that the cleric gets a +2 to attack/saves)

Lesser Spellcasting contract is a level 5 cleric spell. (I am unsure if hierophant mediums can cast it though since it seems like it might have deity restrictions)

My main question is this: how do these work with a medium that has used a hierophant spirit? What happens if the medium decides to go champion the next day?

Both of these spells allow the medium to 'eat up a slot' that is a higher level than what they can cast when just using their psychic spells (while they eventually get 4th level slots to match Imbue, they get 4th level slots at a far earlier level when using hierophant).

Does the spell still stay in effect? Does it prevent the target from regaining use of the granted spells until the medium uses hierophant? Does does everything get put on pause until the next hierophant use?

...can I use this to cheese out some unholy bonuses for my champion focused medium? Yeah- getting nice bonuses while giving an ally some spells seems fantastic if you aren't actually going to use those high level hierophant slots.

I have long heard that reroll abilities are some of the most powerful effects in the Pathfinder system. While I can vaguely understand this concept, since it can be used to take an enemy save (often, even after the enemy makes the save originally) or help an ally retry a failed, I could never get a concrete idea of how effective it is.

I understand that you can determine the average roll of a particular dice. I can determine the average damage of a sneak attack or the average bonus from using inspiration. However, many reroll abilities are designed to skew the average- they tell you to take the better or worse roll. I am unsure how to boil that into something as direct as 'adds 3.5' like I do when I just add a 1d6.

As an example- I have been looking at medium builds, and I noticed how well the spell ill omen works with a melee medium. Since it is a no save spell that leads to multiple rerolls- so I barely need any CHA; even if it has an action to cancel it, that still takes up the enemy's time. The spell allows you to force the enemy to reroll/take worse roll multiple times- enough times that the spell could be used as a defense spell when the enemy gets close to a squishy caster (since the spell can affect enough d20 rolls to debuff an entire full attack).

But would it be effective as a defensive spell? If it only lowers the enemy's attack by -2 on average, then it is hardly worth it at higher levels. But if it lowers it by an average of -5, then that could allow the party wizard to avoid most of the full attack.

In summary- What is the average result of a 'reroll a d20 and take the worse result'? What is the average for a 'reroll and take the better result'?

I was considering builds, and, as some of you may know, I often advocate reach builds with a focus on controlling distance. In this vein, I ended up considering a build that combines two different methods of attacking at a distance: outslug style and aberrant bloodragers.

Build considerations: I will use brawler as a base for general ease of getting a good close weapon style and satisfying outslug’s prereqs. Brawler will be levels 1-8 (to get free ITWF), and blood rager will follow after- this is more theorycrafting to get a simple set up rather than trying to get goodies early for ease of gameplay. Aberrant is chosen over other bloodlines that increase reach both due to a lack of obvious downsides (since this isn’t as pure barbarian that could survive the tanked AC from abyssal) and since it might stack with buffs like enlarge person.

Other notes: I chose cestus for this build since it has decent threat range, and the aberrant bloodline has a good crit based power at first level. Through the sheer number of attacks from flurries, you have a decent chance to stagger opponents. If crits are abandoned, then a nice 2 handed weapon would boost damage.I will also go with half elf, since I wanted to shore up the relatively poor will saves through race and alt traits. However, other options could be used to open up new weapon choices (since you won't get high enough in brawler for close weapon mastery, you might as well grab a temple sword to 2 hand and still get crits).

Brawler Levels
1: Power Attack
2: B: Combat Reflexes
3: Weapon Focus (Cestus)
5: Iron Will (?); B: Out Slug Style
7: Lunge
8: B: Outslug Weave
Bloodrager Levels
9 (BR 1): B: Outslug Sprint
11 (BR 3): Extra Rage (?)
13 (BR 5): Arcane Strike

Build Goals: The advantage of combining the aberrant bloodline with outslug is two fold, since it improves full attack range and allows Reach AoO shenanigans.

Combined, this character can full attack anything that is within 25’ feet (10’ step +10’ reach +5’ from lunge), which places it VERY comfortably when it comes to full attacks. A dwarf would have to spend their full move action to make just one attack at that distance. It is suggested that the brawler uses mutagenic mauler to rack up some extra damage from the easy flurries (martial flexibility might allow some aspects of the build to technically work earlier, but its limited usage in a multiclass build doesn’t quite satisfy the bread and butter of the build like extra damage does).

The place where the really shines is when it retreats. Using Outslug Sprint, this character can retreat 10’ away from an opponent for free. Normally, this would only limit enemy full attacks… except for the fact that this character has 10’ reach from blood rager. This means that the character can back away from an opponent and force them into eating AoOs for approaching. And even if the opponent tries to get away, they may well likely still remain in the 25’ radius where you can full attack. This build works best when you have enlarge person/long arm support in order to keep enemies within your reach for AoOs even if they try to escape after you back off (luckily, as an aberrant bloodrager, you more than have access to these).

Obviously, using this method exclusively can lead to problems, but having more tools is never a bad thing. Even if the enemy runs directly in the opposite direction to avoid eating an AoO and/or your full attack next turn, this would ideally be in the opposite direction from your squishy casters. Generally, a reach build wants to make going forward as unattractive as possible for the enemy. Even when you cannot get the enemy to ‘dance’ with you, this build still offers incredible distance for your full attacks, the typical reach 'circle of pain', and allows you to make things hard for casters that you get close to (since 10’ natural reach practically insures they are going to eat some kind of AoO).

Any obvious areas I can improve the build? If I abandon ITWF, I am sure I could get the brawler levels in earlier, making this potential PFS material (although the bonus feats help out, of course).

The mesmerist can trigger this trick when the subject is affected by a charm or compulsion effect created by an enemy. The subject acts as though the mesmerist had cast the spell instead of the enemy.

When the mesmerist successfully affects the target of his hypnotic stare with an enchantment spell that requires a saving throw...

How do these two abilities interact?

Rule Minds activates when the mesmerist affects the target with an enchantment spell while they are affected by hypnotic stare.

Mental Fallback makes it as though the mesmerist cast the charm or compulsion spell (which are subschools of enchantment).

Does mental fallback count as the mesmerist casting a spell in the context of Rule Minds?

For the most part, this has little to no practical value, of course. If you are going to the trouble of putting a trick on an opponent, and then casting an enchantment spell at them, you might as well cut out the first step and just get Rule Minds Normally. And using Rule Minds has...limited use on allies, particularly since you might have already highjacked a domiante spell.

No, the reason I ask this is simple: overly complex subterfuge, meant for scheming villains. Because...that is one of the things mesmerists are best at, no? So the idea here is that the mesmerist woud place themselves as 'loyal servants', offering their various abilities. But all the while, they would wait for the chance to steal the mind of the target without fearing reprisal or failure.

Basically, I want to see if this is the answer to "how to defeat a level 20 wizard in his lair"- spend 20 years serving him loyally, all the while waiting for the chance to steal his mind and magical might. I just think it sounds delightfully convoluted, and brings the obvious advantage of having him switch to be the BBEG while gleefully thanking the heroes for giving him this chance.

I was considering this trait for a mesmerist, cause a single skill point is boring(and a lot of the other race's options for trade out are equally 'meh'), and this trait sounds fairly interesting. A few low level druids spells when you are in a specfic type of terrain, plus some class skills and low light vision. Fair enough.

While looking through the level 1 druid spell list though, I noticed that Recharge Innate Magic was a level 1 spell valid for this racial trait.

So the question is this: As a racial SLA, does Recharge Innate Magic recharge itself? Or does it count as 'fully charged' when cast, thus not getting included in the spells recharged?

This of course, has practical applications since it recharges the three level 0 spells as well. Effectively, it gives you three cantrips. Which would be interesting on cha friendly classes without cantrips, such as swashbuckler or paladin (heck, pratically every paladin is already connected to fey magic since they are fey foundlings).

Now, for a balance perspective, I will note that there are some rather large caveats for this. The first would be the restriction of use to specific terrains. Whether that is an issue varies with campaign, of course (if you are in a campaign almost entirely underground or in an urban area, this is not an issue). Next, there is the fact that you can only have one charge for theses spells at a time (which means that there may be two rounds between uses, since you have to recharge).

The last thing to note is that the circumstances of this question are also very rare- there are not very many racial traits that allow you to have a level 1 spell and then still get other level 1 and level 0 spells. So, outside of the use of fey magic (which, as previously stated, has some big caveats with the terrain), I cannot think of anything that can actually use this option (and if there are, they are VERY specific).

I decided to share something that has been experimenting with in my mind the past few days, and since I have not seen much on the threads seriously discussing this, I thought I would share.

I know that, at first glance, the First Worlder summoner archetype appears to be a let down. The switch from outsider to fey is as serious as the downgrade seen with the Master summoner. And despite that, the returns do not appear anywhere near as good, since it switches summoner monster with with summon nature's ally with a fairly piddling set of additions to the list.

Looking through the list, however, I ended up finding a single deceptively sparkling gem that redefined the First Worlder's role: Pugwampis. These ugly little gremlins, often seen only as low level annoyances on par with single hit dice kobolds, have a unique talent in their unluck aura- a 20' radius effect that causes most opponents to roll twice and take the worse results on d20's (so this affects attacks, maneuvers, saves, and skills). With a total diameters of 45' (20' in each direction, and their own 5' square), this effect not only matches but completely outstrips the scope of the witchs' misfotune hex (a definitely blue in pretty much every witch guide), all with no save involved. And it here that we begin to see the First Worlder's role within the party- a one (very good) trick debuffer and buffer.

Between using a 4th+ summon spell and augmented summoning, you can call 1d4+2 pugwampis with each casting (so 3-6, but usually 4). With that 45' radius on each of them, it is entirely possible for them to serve as nodes that cover the entire battlefield in unluck aura. And their completely pathetic hp (6 before superior summons), which limits their combat potential and CR, actually serves as a boon as a summon. With the severe nature of unluck aura's debuff, each pugwampi become a major target for enemies. But for every turn they spend chasing the little gremlins around, your party is buffing and picking off the opposition.

Of course, if the unluck aura affected your party as well, it would put quite a damper on this whole strategy. But there is a clause that grants immunity to its effects: any for of luck bonus cancels out unluck aura's effects. So here is where I need advice- I want to see what kind of party you could make that was built around luck bonuses and immunity to rerolls. How many different ways can you do this without simply saying 'everyone needs to buy luck stones', but instead to make a diverse cast....that you wouldn't want to play cards against. Here are a few of the ones I could find-

-Luck stones.
-Luck Blade
-Sacred tattoo racial trait for half-orcs.
-Adaptable luck racial trait for halflings
-Divine favor spell
-Archaeologist Bards

Special mentions:
-Irorian Paladins- their aura of excellence makes them immune to rerolls against their will, and actually allows allies within 10 feet to roll 3 times instead of 2 and take the middle result.
-Anything immune to mind affected effects, plus animals are immune to unluck aura; this is both good and bad since it limits what you can use this strategy on...but hey, you DO have summon nature's ally as a standard action SLA. Nothing is stopping you from throwing in some T-rexes in after the pugwampis (note to self-small dog men riding dinosaurs).

Ways to work around the unluck are also welcome (a save of suck wizard would do well in such an environment). I would also love advice on things to watch out for with such an approach. While I do not exactly plan to play this build, I would love to see the first worlder get more love, and hope that my theorycrafting has not missed some major weakness.

I am somewhat new to actually playing the system (although I have hung around the advice and rules areas long enough to get the gist). So my question for you is this: how do you roleplay a summoner and eidolon?

Unlike an animal companion, eidolons are intelligent and capable of speech. And unlike a familiar, they can do so from level 1 without being a a small 'sidekick' that could be (wisely) stuffed in a bag.

So should the summoner try to play both characters? That could be an interesting challenge, but it could end up being just one player talking to himself for a while. While a skilled story teller could make it interesting...I'm sure we all know people who could make it torture for the other players.

Should the GM take the eidolon? This could solve the above problems, and it could bring an interesting bit of conflict if the eidolon is unwillingly bound. But would you want your GM hijacking your class feature?

Or do you just dismiss/ignore it outside of battle?

Finally, as an interesting question for GM's: how would react if a player only wanted to play the eidolon and asked you to make the summoner an NPC?

Catch Off-Guard (Combat)

Foes are surprised by your skilled use of unorthodox and improvised weapons.

Benefit: You do not suffer any penalties for using an improvised melee weapon. Unarmed opponents are flat-footed against any attacks you make with an improvised melee weapon.

With this in mind, I was curious how one would go about exploiting the bit about flat-footed condition. While Rogues may attack when their opponents are unprepared, you can hardly rely on that consistently. So the first idea to come up would be the disarm maneuver. This quickly brings to mind the whip, since it can be weapon finessed, allowing them to use dex instead of strength for disarm (at a distance too). A vase to the face to add injury to the insult.

Just looking at this for fun rather than a serious build. Any other ideas?