However, probably the MOST efficient way to get it is by taking a single level of Unbreakable Fighter, granting you both Endurance AND Die Hard as bonus Feats, +1 BaB, and more weapon proficiencies. A pretty sweet deal, really.
With that last one, you're probably getting a pretty good deal on Fast Healer, a bit of extra healing for little investment.
So, Unbreakable Fighter 1/Oracle of Life 1, So by 2nd level, if two people both did this, they'd have an equivalent to fasthealing.
Awesome find! I'ts a one trick pony, at least at 2nd level, but awesome nonetheless.
The Feat tax issue can be mitigated in a number of ways.
If you're a Half-Orc, you can take the Shaman's Apprentice trait to get Endurance for free, making it a two Feat investment. Likewise 3 levels of Ranger if you want to multiclass hardcore.
A Wereboar-Kin can ignore the Endurance prerequisite for Die Hard with a trait. A generous DM would likely allow that to count for Fast healer as well (making it two Feats again).
However, probably the MOST efficient way to get it is by taking a single level of Unbreakable Fighter, granting you both Endurance AND Die Hard as bonus Feats, +1 BaB, and more weapon proficiencies. A pretty sweet deal, really.
With that last one, you're probably getting a pretty good deal on Fast Healer, a bit of extra healing for little investment.
Btw, fast healer could we worth it to a superstitious barbarian receiving healing mid combat...
To mitigate the half healing from passed saves. At least at low levels. Mind that diehard is one of the two options avaliable to a barbarian to not die when dropping from a rage, the other being raging vitality.
The synergy with a high CON is more blatant in this case.
As you see, I have not given up yet on finding a use for this feat... :P
At 7th level, a hungry ghost monk can steal a creature’s life force to replenish his own. If the monk has at least 1 ki point in his ki pool and scores a confirmed critical hit against a living enemy or reduces a living enemy to 0 or fewer hit points, he heals a number of hit points equal to his monk level. As with steal ki, some monks believe that life funnel is an unsavory act, no better than what the undead do to the living. A monk with this ability cannot steal both ki and hit points at the same time.
The Urumi (1d8 18-20/x2) is an Exotic One-Handed Melee weaopn that is considered a Monk Weapon for the Monk Weapon Group for Fighters, but that is about it. Unless you can grab it via something else (like the Sohei Archetype), it is pretty much not accessable through Flurry of Blows.
Though if you are going to try and use the Sohei Route, you can grab the Urumi, branch into Cleric, and get the Ki Leech spell (3-rd Level spell, can grab wand). If you worship Irori, you can grab Replenish Ki, just in case you do run out.
Sorcerer, Wizards, and Witches also get the Ki Leech spell, but that means you have to have some INT, while the Cleric already has their main stat synergized with a monk.
I think the urumi could be argued to a reasonable GM to be considered a monk weapon. As it is now though, by what I see in the prd, it is not.
Anyway if we were to branch into cleric then crusader's flurry becomes really appealing and the possibility of any high crit weapon opens with the right choice of deity.
Fast Healer has too many prerequisites for too little affect, I think.
Even with a heavy investment in CON? It's a three feat chain and while I could consider endurance a feat tax diehard seems far from worthless... I could be wrong though.
A hungry ghost is assumed to be getting healing from life funnel once a round on average (I think one of the guides mentioned the fact) so depending on your CON score you could be getting maybe a 20% extra healing per round? Equivalent to permanent blur...
Diehard is okay-ish, but I wouldn't consider it really worthwhile. There's always something better you could be spending feats on. I also think the once per round average sounds dubious; unless you're crit fishing with a keen high crit weapon (don't believe there are any 18-20 crit monk weapons), you're stuck with dealing killing blows. If you're fighting a bunch of mooks I could see that happening a great deal, but if not, you really can't count that as a reliable method of Life Funnel either.
Yes, the build should be a crit fisher. I'll try to find the reference where a temple sword was said to suffice with the 19-20 an later 17-20 crit range.
I think guys that you're right and that that the combo is not overly powerful. The goal is to get a slight boost to the defensiveish build that combines hungry ghost and quinggong to make a self healing self restorating monk.
While it's true that life funnel may not be 100% reliable, the fast healer feat will not only kick in in this circumstance but anytime healing occurs... I know too what the consensus is about in combat healing; I'm talking about cure spells and channeling now, but sometimes healing in the middle of a battle is necessary and the heal spell not avaliable at all levels of play. Maybe this could give a bit more usefulness to the fast healer feat.
Fast Healer has too many prerequisites for too little affect, I think.
Even with a heavy investment in CON? It's a three feat chain and while I could consider endurance a feat tax diehard seems far from worthless... I could be wrong though.
A hungry ghost is assumed to be getting healing from life funnel once a round on average (I think one of the guides mentioned the fact) so depending on your CON score you could be getting maybe a 20% extra healing per round? Equivalent to permanent blur...
My thought is that you would be Frightened for 2 rounds.
My reasoning is that even though Frightening (Ex) doesn't spell out (nor need to) fear conditions, it is still a subset of Intimidate(Demoralize), which means that the second Frighten doesn't increase to Panicked. It just extends the duration.
The question is if that is a correct assumption. (That being is Frightening (Ex) a subset of Intimidate(Demoralize)?)
I agree.
Frightening (Ex) doesn't do anything in itself. It affects what happens when you use intimidate to demoralize.
So the condition, whether shaken for several rounds, or frightened, still comes from you demoralizing the enemy.
About the suggestion of adding a luck use to reroll skill checks, it is sound and I'll think of it. There was also the idea that even these boosts are tame for the high levels... Well, here's a bit of number crunching. Let's see if these abilities take the rogue to autosuccess land or not.
One of the iconic abilities of a rogue should be to be able to reach a flank to sneak attack.
At level 1 he should have its first rank in acrobatics, her class bonus and a good or very good dex. Let's say, for a total between +7 to +9 (dex 16 to 20). A constrictor snake has a cmd of 18 or a leopard 19: dangerous CR2 opponents. A rogue that took the acrobatic skillset and had a decent dex of 16 would tumble to flank half the time. If he specialises: skill focus or acrobatic feat her odds improve substantially. Humanoid foes will be tumbled around with guarantees.
Level 5. Now we have two skillsets. Our rogue could be the trapfinder and acrobat of the group. No stat boosters yet. Dex 16, 5 ranks and the bonus of his skillset. +13 without skill focus against a young white dragons CMD 23. 50% success. add skill focus and she needs a 7 to succeed. A hyperspecialized rogue with both acrobatic and skill focus or a 20 dex should succeed on a 5 or higher.
Level 10. This level is nice. Skill focus doubles its bonus if taken, so do the other skill feats.
Dex can be assumed from 20 to 22 and the skillset bonus is now a respectable +5, we have 10 ranks so: +5 dex +10 ranks +5 skillset +3 class means +23 vs a giant fly trap's CMD of 32 (success on a 9 or a 3 if we took skill focus) If we want to take the acrobatic feat this becomes an autosuccess or tubmling through the creature becomes a possibility (50%) A skill booster should be avaliable now btw, providing another +5. CMDs range from 25 to 40 at this level btw, choose your enemies wisely.
We have three skillsets by now so our rogue is not only an acrobat, he's also the trapspotter and maybe our diplomat, magic dabbler with UMD etc... (a note on UMD; with magical affinity and the minimal 10 cha a rogue is relibly using any wand or staff by this level)
Level 15 Dex 24 to 26 so +7 dex +15 ranks +7 skillset +3 class means +32 vs a neothelid's CMD 37 or an adult gold dragon's 40(we're looking good). Add feats and skill boosters to safely take a few steps above our CR by now.
By Level 20 the target CMD is 47 for a solar or 64 for a tarn linnorm. Our rogue could have 30 dex by this time. +10 dex +10 skillset +20 ranks +3 class is a minimum of +43 which is enough for the solar. Against the linnorm a skill booster +5 and skill focus brings us to +54. 50% success. Investing another feat or a better skill booster +10 or +15 puts us up to par against the worst situation possible.
So with this little boost I'd say a rogue could reliably pull his weight skillwise with moderate investment against CMDs which are agreed to have a brutal progression.
Hi again folks. The post monster ate this thread yesterday. Hopefully this time it will work.
That's the thing, the rogue class is not used in my table anymore from levels 10 to 20. Bards, alchemists and pretty much any class with a good relevant stat and a trait can become a relevant skillmonkey. The rest of their abilities make it a no brainer to choose any class but the rogue.
I like the rogue's mystique and I would like to see them more in my games so here's a small upgrade to them.
Two abilities to be gained at 1st level, one to substitute and overlap trapfinding and another one as a full add on.
This one gives a boost to skills, the usual first to choose should be trapfinding to keep with the usual abilities of a rogue. But swapping it for an archetype is still an option. Then every 4 a levels up to level 20 different thematic boosts hopefully will take the rogue up to its assumed niche of master skillmonkey.
Skill Paragon:
Rogues have diverse skillsets. Starting al 1st level and each 4 levels thereafter a rogue can select one of the following abilities.
Trapfinding: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). A rogue can use Disable Deviceto disarm magic traps.
Acrobatic: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Acrobatics and Fly checks (minimum +1).
Alertness: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Perception and Sense motive checks (minimum +1).
Animal affinity: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Handle animal and Ride checks (minimum +1).
Athletic: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Climb and Swim checks (minimum +1).
Deceitful: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Bluff and Disguise checks (minimum +1).
Deft hands: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Disable device and Sleight of hand checks (minimum +1).
Magical aptitude: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Spellcraft and Use magic device checks (minimum +1).
Persuasive: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks (minimum +1).
Self sufficient: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Heal and Survival checks (minimum +1).
Stealthy: A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Escape artist and Stealth checks (minimum +1).
This mechanic is obviously inspired by the samurai's resolve which I love. Here we see a theme again. These abilities are designed to give a defensive boost for a class that is supposed to be ahead scouting alone.
Luck (Ex):
Starting at 1st level, the rogue gains luck that he can call upon to endure even the most desperate situations, but luck is a fickle mistress, and only favors those she finds entertaining. He can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every two rogue levels beyond 1st. Whenever the rogue overcomes a challenging situation through cunning, skill or charm, he regains one daily use of his luck, up to his maximum number of uses per day. Defeating a challenge usually involves overcoming a trap, successfully resolving an encounter through the use of skills or otherwise disabling an enemy without direct combat. The GM is the final arbiter on what pleases lady luck and merits regaining a luck use. He can use this luck in a number of ways.
Elusive: As a standard action, the rogue can spend one use of his luck to remove the entangled, dazzled, or fascinated condition. If the rogue is at least 8th level, he can alternatively remove the confused, grappled, paralyzed, or pinned conditions. If the condition has a duration longer than 1 hour or is permanent, this ability removes the condition for 1 hour, at which time the condition returns.
Glancing blow: Whenever the rogue is required to make a Fortitude or Reflex save, he can spend one use of his luck as an immediate action to roll twice and take the better result. He must decide to use this ability before he rolls the saving throw.
Comeback: When the rogue is reduced to fewer than 0 hit points but not slain, he can spend one use of his luck as an immediate action to instantly stabilize and remain conscious. He is staggered, but he does not fall unconscious and begin dying if he takes a standard action. He does fall unconscious if he takes additional damage from any source.
I was told about dark souls by a friend some months ago and it's been my favourite game since. Even with more than 500 hours of gameplay on my back the game keeps me hooked.
I begun, like many of us, clueless. I had no experience with demon souls either. This game is harsh man! I choose a wanderer with the master key on my first playthrough. I was dying to skeletons on the graveyard and to ghosts in New Londo before I learnt the basics of leveling. I ground my way through the burg, got crushed by taurus, then patted on the back by solaire to be swiftly burnt to a crisp by the hellkite dragon...
It feels like it was a long time ago. Today, after several playthroughs with diferent builds I can say I enjoy this game even more. Even if player vs environment can be overcome (relatively) easily player vs player or cooperative are still an infinite source of enjoyment.
Having spent the last months darkwraithing as a SL1 I think I'm over it for now. My plan is to build characters at diferent soul levels to coop at any range. Currently from sl1 to sl36 and from 60 to 130.
Hit me on the XBOX360 BROs gamertag is UriOld. Praise the sun!!! \o/
Sohei is a disappointing archetype really, I was all excited for it before I read it, then it was poop. I was kinda hoping it would a be a light armored monk that could flurry with a pole arm and be an aoe master,
Im really not sure WHAT it does actually, the way it reads, it still confuses me.
Light armored monk AoE master is what I'm aiming to.
Could you elaborate about your experience? Point out any pitfalls I don't see?
Those advising to multiclass; I'd listen to any suggestions offered.
The first level and stats are set in stone though.
The character concept is woodsy athlete. One trait was allowed and I picked one to get survival as a class skill.
I'm playing a polearm fighting sohei right now.
Just reached 2nd level, we're playng crypt of the everflame.
At first level I'm really satisfied with him. High stats do wonders in that aspect. Group dynamics help a lot too.
Human, rolled stats STR 18 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 12 wis 16 CHA 11
feats are combat reflexes quickdraw and nimble moves
I wield a guisarme, a kukri(I like the martial weapon proficiency) some darts and my unarmed strikes. I plan to get a composite longbow when possible.
Devoted guardian allows me to act early and dictate the pace of combat by positioning.
In dungeonlike environs I set up chokepoints when possible and become the group's tank with the help of a metal oracle. The summoner of the group provides the hammer to our anvil with his eidolon or summoned pets. A rogue dashes in & out flanking and my brother both in character and in real life plays a zen archer that provides us a huge advantage in open spaces without being a hindrace in cramped spaces(he uses fists when necessary).
I sport an AC of 16 unarmored. Fighting defensively or in total defense when needed.
Crypt of the everflame spoiler:
I tanked the shadow fighting in total defense (touch AC 20) while the rogue searched the burnt bodies invisible(potion looted from the room behind the animated statue) retrieving the key and the magic dagger without a strenght point lost.
We had doused the fire previously and fleed from the shadow.
My bonus feat at 2nd will be trick riding.
We're using the ranger's mounted combat style to set level requirements for each mounted feat.(no mounted skirmisher al level 2 for us)
I plan to pick combat training(polearms) and build towards mounted skirmisher at level 10. Second weapon group will be bows btw.
Will speak to the DM about taking leadership to get a reliable mount if monastic mount ends up being disappointing.
The convoluted part is that light cannot be cast on creatures, disallowing it's use with a spellstrike targeting a creature.
That's not true. Check the wording of Spellstrike above. The only requirement is "range of touch." You may absolutely deliver spells that affect objects with spellstrike, thereby doing weapon damage to those objects in the process. Most "object touched" spells would have no real benefit to being delivered via spellstrike, but that's not to say that it's impossible.
In fact, shocking grasp is "creature or object touched," and you gain +3 on your hit roll if you're attacking an object made of metal. You could absolutely sunder someone's weapon with a shocking...
Emphasis the bolded section. You can spellstrike with light, but you cannot target a creature with it. Spellstriking or not.
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, M/DF (a firefly)
Range touch
Target object touched
Duration 10 min./level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
Grick wrote:
It's a touch spell, the target is not decided at the time of casting. You cast the spell, it grants you a free attack, and then later you can decide to use that attack.
If you have a held charge of light, that doesn't prevent you from touching living creatures. Likewise, using vampiric touch doesn't prevent you from touching objects. See this thread for discussion on this point.
On the linked thread:
GM Jeff wrote:
Option B for the same round you cast the touch spell, but becomes option A on the player's next turn (or next round) if and when the touch spell becomes "held" under Holding a Charge.
If that is the final conclusion, I cannot agree. I think it's C on the player's turn and A on subsequent rounds.
Let me try to convince you.
You make all pertinent decisions about a spell (range, target, area, effect, version, and so forth) when the spell comes into effect.
If you ever try to cast a spell in conditions where the characteristics of the spell cannot be made to conform (such as selecting an invalid target), the casting fails and the spell is wasted.
If you failed to cast the spell you do not get to deliver it. Same as if you failed the concentration check to cast defensively.
Since the free attack is an alternate delivery method it does not happen because the spell failed.
You decide to choose an invalid target like the aforementioned rogue? Fine, but then the spell fizzles and you do not get to deliver it.
No free attack as the weapon attack is, as you said a variation on the touch attack (delivery method) granted by the spell, which failed.
You may hold the charge in absence of a valid target?
Absolutely, but whenever you try to deliver it at any time after the round in which it was cast you must spend a standart action to touch, even spellstrike if you want. The A option. The weapon attack is not free anymore.
As I said before, you can still target the rogue's hat with a sunder maneuver spellstrike but then sunder rules apply, including the AoO for not having Improved Sunder.
I'm all for spellstrike sundering as it allows for a lot of interesting options but if what you really want is to spellstrike spellcombat cantrips to get additional weapon attacks on creatures I don't think the light spell is valid.
There are plenty of other RAW valid options;
Arcane Mark, Brand (as a Hexcrafter), Close Range Arcanaed ray of frost, Spell Blended Touch of Fatigue, etc.
I hope to have made sense, english is not my first language but I find it great practice to post on the forums. Though not always with the expected levels of success. :P
The convoluted part is that light cannot be cast on creatures, disallowing it's use with a spellstrike targeting a creature.
Since the only valid target for the spell is an object we should use the rules for damaging objects; the sunder maneuver.
Thus:
- Attack the rogue is a no because he is not a valid target.
- Attacking it's hat requires a sunder maneuver.
About beej67's question:
Does spellstriking with the light cantrip double as improved sunder?
My interpretation is no.
To look at a similar situation. Casting defensively allows you to avoid an AoO but if you cast a ranged touch spell you incur nevertheless.
Spellstriking grants a free attack subsumed in the casting of the spell but as any other attack if you try to do anything other than hitting your foe in melee(which in the case above is impossible due to it not being a valid target) you generate AoOs as usual unless you have the right feat.
If you really get that torn between options, default to what you think will be the most fun for you rather than what might ideally fit your party because, truth be told, you NEVER know what's going to happen. Spend the game being glad of what you chose rather than second-guessing whether or not you made the 'perfect' call.
This.
Almost any character can fit any party. Experience will teach you the strengths and weaknesses of each combination. Just play to them and you'll do fine.
The rogue and the bard both have access to UMD if you need spellcasting which for now appears to be the main weakness of this party. Scouting seems to be a strength, do it.
The advice given above is good though; druid, summoner or witch are strong options for any party. You cannot go wrong with a cleric either. And they come in so many flavors that any concept is possible with them.
One word of advice with this AP though. Think always, ALWAYS, of an escape plan and do not be afraid of retreating.
encounter design mild spoiler:
In occasions, specially at low levels, it can give a false sense of security with many sessions of weak encounters before an unexpected really tough fight, or two...
Generally speaking, most bonuses of the same type do not stack. Instead, only the highest bonus applies...
Cover, being a bonus to the target's AC, should not stack.
Not quite. "Bonus to AC" isn't a bonus type - "armour bonus" and "deflection bonus" are.
Just to clarify, blame my english as a third language, I am using the word bonus as opposed to penalty in the context of the text I quoted, where one stacks and the other doesn't.
I never wrote "Bonus to AC" is a type of bonus to AC which is absurd, but I meant "cover" is, or should be. Thanks Grick for pointing out the possibility.
Then rules for bonuses from the same type should apply.
To the OP, I'd like to point something out. The gunslinger character was shooting with a modified roll of -12 due to the improved cover bonus and the shooting into melee penalty.
That is a hefty penalty that would shut down any non dedicated archer if not a dedicated one depending on the level. -4 on top of this is overkill in my opinion.
Would you have ruled the same if that precise class did not target touch AC? I could understand you unconsciously trying to stop this kind of character from always hitting.
Honestly I've not seen a gunslinger in play yet. Not as a player nor as a GM so take what I say with a grain of salt.
Stacking: Stacking refers to the act of adding together bonuses or penalties that apply to one particular check or statistic. Generally speaking, most bonuses of the same type do not stack. Instead, only the highest bonus applies. Most penalties do stack, meaning that their values are added together. Penalties and bonuses generally stack with one another, meaning that the penalties might negate or exceed part or all of the bonuses, and vice versa.
Cover, being a bonus to the target's AC, should not stack.
As far as action economy, I'm not sure how a Pearl is any different from a wand. Still have to get it out, cast and put it away. With a wand you can also use the spell Wand Weapon (or weapon wand?) to put the wand in the sword. This will vast improve action economy.
Pearls are meant to be used after combat to recall the spell.
One standard action vs one move (to draw the wand)and a standard to cast.
Besides a TWFer has the handicap of having its hands full during combat, stowing a wand is an move action too unless you plan on dropping it (free action) every combat which has it's own drawbacks.
EDIT: and pearls do not need to be on hand, just on your person to be used.
For the rest of the levels used to roll twice or take average if both rolls are lower.
Now using the option to take average or roll twice and take the highest.
My first thought was a DEX Magus with ranks in Disable Device (easy enough with a trait).
I'm playing this character right now in a group with a sorcerer a cleric and a paladin.
Human magus with weapon finesse and skill focus perception.
Long story short; he was an arabian themed character by the name of Shahin, which means "hawk". It didn't feel right to have a low perception with such a name so I picked skill focus. So far, having the best, by comparison, perception and reflex saves put this character in the best situation to deal with scouting and trapfinding.
As an afterthought I put crossclass ranks into disable device too.
He is still 1st level exploring a forgotten tomb under a cursed inn with his new companions. I play him mainly as a rogue, providing knowledge as a wizard would and enjoying all the fighting goodness that the magus is.
I'm having a blast with him, I love high INT characters.
Sure. I like the idea of my stoic barbarian shrugging off these kind of effects, to a certain degree. A good houserule could be scaling the damage along with the saving throw DC. Maybe +1 to damage when the DC increases. That keeps the DR relevant but not giving flat out immunity.
Hi people. This was a question that popped up one day after the gaming session.
I play in a very sandboxy exploration campaign where environmental rules; eg. encumbrance, fatigue, starvation and thirst are given a fair deal of importance.
One of my characters is a dwarven invulnerable rager and when he reaches 6th level will become virtually immune to the negative effects of forced march, starvation, thirst, etc. thanks to his DR6/- vs nonlethal.
My DM and I believe that this is an unintended consequence of the application of RAW and pretty unrealistic. Unless we are reading the ability wrong.
I can see that this is an issue that is usually handwaved anyway past certain levels and in a world where things like ring of sustenance are at hand it doesn't appear to be very important but nonetheless I would like to hear what the forums have to say about it.
Intended? Unintended? Another case of fighters can't have nice things...
Do you mean to just make your arrows +1d6 vs undead?
Maybe this? It's 3.5 but the least version does exactly what you need:
Truedeath Crystal:
Truedeath Crystal
Price (Item Level): 1,000 gp (4th) (least); 5,000 gp (9th) (lesser); 10,000 gp (12th) (greater)
Body Slot: -- (weapon crystal)
Caster Level: 5th
Aura: Faint; (DC 17) evocation
Activation: --
Weight: --
This amethyst is carved in the shape of a humanoid skull.
Clerics craft truedeath crystals to aid themselves and others in sending undead to their final rest.
Least: A weapon with this crystal attached deals an extra 1d6 points of damage to undead.
Lesser: As the least crystal, and the weapon also functions as a ghost touch weapon (DMG 224).
Greater: As the lesser crystal, and the weapon can deliver sneak attacks and critical hits against undead as if they were living creatures.
Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, consecrate.
Cost to Create: 500 gp, 40 XP, 1 day (least); 2,500 gp, 200 XP, 5 days (lesser); 5,000 gp, 400 XP, 10 days (greater)
Truedeath crystals are valuable to characters at all levels of play. At low levels, the least truedeath crystal provides a much needed damage bonus against undead menaces. At medium levels, the lesser version of the crystal can be added to a favorite magic weapon when incorporeal undead are encountered. For high-level rogues, ninjas, scouts and other characters whose worst nightmares include their inability to combat undead, the greater crystal is a tremendous boon. It allows these characters to harm undead with sneak attacks, sudden strikes, skirmishes--and of course critical hits!
edit: BTW Is it ok to post This here? Here's the source:
I assume your character is a wizard so use one of your bonus feats to get Craft wondrous item to sell it for half and craft a new one yourself?
It's not a bad feat at all.
Alternatively you could try to use and enjoy your new riding prowess; learn phantom steed?
I'd say it depends on initiative and course of actions too.
Smite is declared against a target and sight based so anyone who declares it wastes the use.
But...
To declare smite is a swift action that must be made on each one's turn.
Smite is only wasted for anyone who has acted(and thus declared smite against the decoy) before disbelieving.
A good plan for the BBEG would be to avoid interaction until he gets everybody to declare smite against the decoy.
Spell Trigger: Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it's even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken. Spell trigger items can be used by anyone whose class can cast the corresponding spell. This is the case even for a character who can't actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin(say ranger). The user must still determine what spell is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Also spot on on the caster level but unless you want to use staves instead of wands it's not even an issue. Wands use the CL of the creator, usually the minimum needed to cast the stored spell.
The problem with what you are suggesting is that it opens the door for any character with a one level dip to cast up to 4th level spells of the class they dip. For example imagine a Fighter who took a single level of Wizard which can now cast 4th level Sorcerer/Wizard spells. Is it reasonable to have near full BaB, plate armor, fighter feats, d10 HD, etc. AND casting 4th level spells. In addition you could buy a Wand at a level lower than would normally be allowed and cast spells not balanced for your level. A dip into Paladin or Ranger allows access to the highest level of spells available to those classes(restoration, cure crit, etc.). It seems like a bit of a risk to allow classes unable to cast a certain spell to use the wand of that spell. If I were the DM I would not allow it. If I were a player I would not expect it to be allowed.
It's not a suggestion on how to interpret the rules, I quoted them as written from the PRD.
Fact; If you have a spell list you can use a wand, from 1st level.
By the way, yes, it's reasonable and balanced. Mostly by the fact that we're speaking about consummable resources; wands of spells above 1st or 2nd level are quite expensive and thus not a viable option if you follow the wealth by level guidelines.
Such wizard dipping fighter could, by the rules, also cast spells from a staff which are not limited to 4th level. Unbalanced you say? Wait for the 10 charges to expire and now he has a fancy quarterstaff and no ability to recharge it. Oh, and he is now from 50 to 100K(not exact, see the prices for staves) gold behind his party mates.
Alternately any class can invest a trait and a feat(skill focus UMD) to reliably use any wand or staff at mid levels too, no need for dipping at all.
I think the EK capstone may be a trap. Since it uses swift actions you can't use it with Arcane Strike, and since you can't control when it triggers you can't rely on it. You give up Arcane Strike in the hope that you'll get a free spellcasting action. It also has problems with an Arcane Armor Training build. The feats you want for your first 15 levels don't work well with the capstone.
I agree, but if the you are putting a full 10 levels in you should be able to make the most benefit from the capstone. If you feel the capstone is not worth having then I would say to stop at 7 levels EK and 1 level Fighter(8 effective fighter levels for greater weapon focus).
Gwyrdallan wrote:
I do want to stick with a melee weapon. I have played a magus, but frankly I don't want to be a blaster with this character. I will likely have some damageing spells, but the Magus list is way too restrictive for me. I had considered going the dex route, but decided in favor of using a weapon I can 2 hand for extra power attack damage when I choose to attack, and can be weilded in 1 hand for when I cast a spell with my off hand and want AoOs. With the str method I' at 1d8+15 for 2 handed PA, with the dex build I'd be down a feat for weapon finesse and only at 1d8+12, assuming an agile weapon. I supposed the attack would be 2 higher, as well as AC so it is worth considering. Out of curiosity if your proposed build went with piranha attack and agile weapons, why still have a 12 STR?
Oh, and I went with Ranger because I feel at only 1 level the +2 REF, the +2 vs humans, the sack of extra class skill options and ability to use divine wands outweighed the 1 bonus feat.
The 12 STR is to allow you to carry more than a light handkerchief without hitting medium load.
I can see where you might want the extra REF, but with a DEX build it is not as important. The 1 level Ranger dip does not give you a caster level for using divine wands. Ranger's do not have a caster level until 4th...
I agree with the STR and DEX points but...
Spell Trigger: Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it's even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken. Spell trigger items can be used by anyone whose class can cast the corresponding spell. This is the case even for a character who can't actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin(say ranger). The user must still determine what spell is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Also spot on on the caster level but unless you want to use staves instead of wands it's not even an issue. Wands use the CL of the creator, usually the minimum needed to cast the stored spell.
Is there a legal ruling about whether or not the shift power from the a teleportation sub-school qualifies for dimensional agility? It's a supernatural ability that behaves "as if using dimension door."
** spoiler omitted **
The feat requires you to be able to castdimension door (or use abundant step). Supernatural abilities are not cast; spells and spell-like abilities are. The Teleportation subschool power won't work with this feat chain.
Note that the Synthesist Summoner maker's jump power does, however, as it's a spell-like ability that allows you to cast dimension door.
What about a conjurer(teleportation) wizard that took the feat at 7th? fulfilling the perrequisite ability to cast DD. Could it then apply the benefit of the feat to it's shift ability? Toughts?
