Dear James, where did came from the idea of the Speak with Dead spell? Generally those old spells has one fantasy story inspiration, i didin't get which. To make a dead corpse speak with its own dead lips it's very distubrbing...
Sorry to interrupt, but I find it ironic that "Darklord Morius" would find this disturbing. :D
Creative Director
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dear James, today I come to ask for an advice as you being a writer, player and master all warped in the same mind might be the best person to direct this question to ^^ (hence why i didn't post it on the advice board)
i'm currently running the kingmaker AP to a group, but two "problems" came to be.
The first one that is mostly my fault, since i didn't pay attention enough, is that i rolled an horribly high number of random encounter and didn't realize how much exp my group was getting before the end of their first big journey, i tried to limit the damage by ignoring most of the random encounters after that but they managed to end the first book at lvl 6 is that gonna be a real problem later on? if yes what do you recommend to do?the second problem is more universal, it comes from a player of mine at the same table, the problem is simple yet complicated, that player is a damned-luck-fiend... he plays a Barb wielding a greataxe, so far all's good, but he roll an average of 1 natural 20 once every 4 rolls and didn't roll under 10 on his hit dice for is last 5 level-ups at first i was thinking he was cheating but no I've carefully checked his rolls, made him roll with my own dices in case his' were loaded, nothing change. it was funny at first but now the other players quickly started to grow seriously tired with it, specialty since it take all the challenge out of the fights, like for instance when they first got out of oleg's post so lvl 1 i rolled an encounter with an owlbear as they were all mounted I naively thought why not it'll scare them a bit and make them more careful it's not a bad thing, he rolled a 20 on initiative and promptly charged the owlbear sending him meet is ancestors on the spot with an other natural 20.
Honestly I'm at wits end on this one.
Solution to Problem One: I would simply stop having random encounters for a while. Going forward, keep an eye on the PCs levels but run adventure #2 normally. Once they reach the right level for adventure #3, then start that one even if they've not yet done everything in adventure #2. Kingmaker, more than most other Adventure Paths, works really well if you just let the PCs wander around like this and have the new adventures trigger whenever they hit the level "requirement."
Solution to Problem Two: Normally random elements tend to affect players adversely in the long run, but now and then, random elements do the exact opposite. If it's really and truly a run of good luck, it'll run out eventually, and when it does, it'll be EPIC!!!
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Dear James, where did came from the idea of the Speak with Dead spell? Generally those old spells has one fantasy story inspiration, i didin't get which. To make a dead corpse speak with its own dead lips it's very distubrbing...
Speak with dead has been a part of the game's tradition from more or less the start. Being able to speak with the dead is something that shows up in numerous older stories, any one of which could have inspired Gary Gygax or whoever came up with that spell in the first place decades ago. My personal favorite "speak with the dead" old story is, of course, "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward."
(Lots of stuff re Spiritual WeaponFirst of all... I'm not your GM. So I can't step in and change the way rulings work in your game. Your GM is the only one who can do that.
The way that spiritual weapon is supposed to work is that it basically gives you an attack against a foe that you want to direct it to attack. Any effect that would normally affect your chances to hit a target (such as mirror image or invisibility or displacement) also affect the attacks of your spiritual weapon, regardless of when those additional defensive effects come into play.
If you direct the spiritual weapon to attack a foe, and then that foe becomes invisible, then the spiritual weapon suffers the normal miss chance against that foe. If you can still see the foe thanks to true sight or see invisibility or whatever, then your spiritual weapon gains that benefit as well.
Once the weapon is attacking a target, you can leave it to attack that target without expending any action to do so. It keeps attacking the target foe each round as long as the target is in range of you.
Thank you for your prompt reply. I know my GM has the last word (and he knows that I know) but we both highly regard your opinion and advice when in doubt. Have a nice day sir!
Does tongues allow you to read languages as well as speak them?Nope; to read a language you need comprehend languages.
1. Why wouldn't a runelord have a permeant comprehend languages?
2. In what ways was Thassilon's technology comparable to ours?
3. What did Sorshen do with all those courtesans she killed off? (Artifacts and Legends, p.50)
4. Would a skull provide less information via speak with dead than a whole body? I want to know if I can keep a library of skulls or if I need whole bodies preserved by gentle repose.
5. Regarding enthrall, the spell says the audience regards you as friendly. Does that mean I can make a request of them during or after the speech?
6. Is there a way I can keep track of your Way of the Wicked progress?
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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What are the imperial dragon's breath weapons? The Bestiary 3 doesn't say, only what type of damage they do.They are a classic example of the rules taking up too much room for us to be able to include flavor text, and an excellent argument for doing away with the needless complexity of true dragon aging categories.
That's a presidential debate answer! I understand that there wasn't room to include the flavor of their breath weapon, but I want to know what they are supposed to be. Especially the forest dragon that does piercing damage - are those supposed to be giant wood splinter or something? It can come up regarding mechanics if a creature has an unusual DR/wood or something like that.
Can you clarify the Boar Style tree for me?
Boar Style allows you to tear an opponent's flesh, adding 2d6 bleed damage once per round when you land two or more unarmed strikes.
Boar Shred deals 1d6 bleed damage when you tear an opponents flesh with Boar Style.
So am I correct in assuming that Boar Style deals a one-time 2d6 damage that is of the bleed type (hence undead and other creatures immune to bleed are immune to this damage) but no persistent bleed damage? And that Boar Shred gives you persistent 1d6 bleed damage at the beginning of your target's turn.
Thanks, James!
Mr. James Jacobs,
In RotRl, after you run into Cona the Wise, assuming you let her live, and you defeat the Boss of that part of the adventure who does rulership of her people go to?
I noticed the Shattered Star campaign traits are a great deal more situational than previous ones (all of them, except Enterprise Runner, have clauses for their bonuses). This intentional?
Well, because of how balancing of bonuses works, you can get more significant bonuses if they're conditional.
Hello again;
One question about Heralds of divine beings: Is having a Herald a God-only thing, or are there heralds serving the Archdevils, the Whore Queens, and (nascent) Demon Lords?
If so, what would they be like?
Heya James!
Just a few quick questions. :)
1.) What Pathfinder class would you say is most similar to Jean Grey from X-men in her incarnation as the Dark Phoenix?
2.) What type of demon would you recommend an aspiring demoniac of Jezelda summon to fulfill the special requirement for that PrC? Perhaps make up a unique wolf-like type?
3.) Are there any notable nations in Golarion where griffons are used as mounts?
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Dear James, where did came from the idea of the Speak with Dead spell? Generally those old spells has one fantasy story inspiration, i didin't get which. To make a dead corpse speak with its own dead lips it's very distubrbing...Sorry to interrupt, but I find it ironic that "Darklord Morius" would find this disturbing. :D
I may be a Darklord, but even Darklords, Warlocks or Dreadlords find some things distatefull, the color pink and cockroaches, for example.
I know how much people like their RAW, however sometimes things are a bit more murky than RAW. I was looking at a few archetypes for the Monk and was trying to combine the Master of Many Styles and Flowing Monk archetypes. There is one bit that is a little confusing. Each has a class ability that affects the level 2 bonus feat. I'm just wondering exactly how these interact.
Bonus Feat: At 1st level, 2nd level, and every four levels thereafter, a master of many styles may select a bonus style feat or the Elemental Fist feat. He does not have to meet the prerequisites of that feat, except the Elemental Fist feat. Alternatively, a master of many styles may choose a feat in that style's feat path (such as Earth Child Topple) as one of these bonus feats if he already has the appropriate style feat (such as Earth Child Style). The master of many styles does not need to meet any other prerequisite of the feat in the style's feat path. This ability replaces a monk's standard bonus feats.
Unbalancing Counter (Ex): At 2nd level, a flowing monk's attacks of opportunity render a struck creature flat-footed until the end of the flowing monk's next turn (Reflex DC 10 + 1/2 the monk's level + Wisdom modifier negates). This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 2nd level.
One modifies the level 2 feat, while the other replaces it. Would this mean that at level 2 you would get a bonus style feat, which is in turn replaced with Unbalancing Counter? Does that mean these two abilities can be taken without any issue?
You cannot take two archetypes that replace or modify the same ability. Master of Many Styles and Flowing Monk cannot be taken together.
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Creative Director
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omitted.Solution to Problem One: I would simply stop having random encounters for a while. Going forward, keep an eye on the PCs levels but run adventure #2 normally. Once they reach the right level for adventure #3, then start that one even if they've not yet done everything in adventure #2. Kingmaker, more than most other Adventure Paths, works really well if you just let the PCs wander around like this and have the new adventures trigger whenever they hit the level "requirement."
Solution to Problem Two: Normally random elements tend to affect players adversely in the long run, but now and then, random elements do the exact opposite. If it's really and truly a run of good luck, it'll run out eventually, and when it does, it'll be EPIC!!! #3, then start that one even if they've not yet done everything in adventure #2. Kingmaker, more than most other Adventure Paths, works really well if you just let the PCs wander around like this and have the new adventures trigger whenever they hit the level "requirement."
Solution to Problem Two: Normally random elements tend to affect players adversely in the long run, but now and then, random elements do the exact opposite. If it's really and truly a run of good luck, it'll run out eventually, and when it does, it'll be EPIC!!!
for the first problem: thanks i'll keep doing that then ^^
for the second problem: I'll keep praying for you to be right it's been 10 sessions so far and he still live up to is legend. the worst part is that he's been building is character to soak up damage like beast from the start (read invulnerable rager with 18 const and toughness build up the stalwart feat chain and rage powers to be even more sturdy... he already breaks en hundred hit points while raging and nearly while not) TT_TT
Try using bad guys with calm emotions to turn off his rage? Or perhaps mind control effects to turn his luck on the party?
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Does tongues allow you to read languages as well as speak them?Nope; to read a language you need comprehend languages.1. Why wouldn't a runelord have a permeant comprehend languages?
2. In what ways was Thassilon's technology comparable to ours?
3. What did Sorshen do with all those courtesans she killed off? (Artifacts and Legends, p.50)
4. Would a skull provide less information via speak with dead than a whole body? I want to know if I can keep a library of skulls or if I need whole bodies preserved by gentle repose.
5. Regarding enthrall, the spell says the audience regards you as friendly. Does that mean I can make a request of them during or after the speech?
6. Is there a way I can keep track of your Way of the Wicked progress?
1) Because they're high enough level and smart enough to know the languages they need to know already and don't want to waste the money, or have minions to read and translate for them, or don't feel that there's enough of a reason to get the spell, or so on and so on. Runelords are powerful, but they can't do everything.
2) It's not, really. It's a magic-based society whereas ours is technological.
3) Things that if I spelled them out would rile up the Puritanical Gamer Association and get them all angry and antagonistic. Were it filmed, some would call it torture porn, or maybe just snuff porn. She'd call it home movies.
4) Skulls have no tongues, and as such that would depend on your GM. He could rule that without a partial tongue, a skull could only make sounds. He could let your spell work normally. The gentle repose trick is better.
5) Yes. But the audience gets to decide if they want to honor that request. The spell doesn't compel them.
6) I'm not keeping an online journal of it—mostly because I'm keeping a pretty detailed journal of another game and I don't want to do that for BOTH games, since my character in Way of the Wicked isn't really into writing stuff down. Best bet is to just ask for updates here every two weeks—we generally play every other Wednesday.
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That's a presidential debate answer! I understand that there wasn't room to include the flavor of their breath weapon, but I want to know what they are supposed to be. Especially the forest dragon that does piercing damage - are those supposed to be giant wood splinter or something? It can come up regarding mechanics if a creature has an unusual DR/wood or something like that.What are the imperial dragon's breath weapons? The Bestiary 3 doesn't say, only what type of damage they do.They are a classic example of the rules taking up too much room for us to be able to include flavor text, and an excellent argument for doing away with the needless complexity of true dragon aging categories.
That's the problem. As far as I know... they were never listed in the first place. The dragons were a section of the book that I didn't develop... had I done so, I like to think I would have fixed that problem. Like this:
Forest Dragon: Wood splinters and jagged razor-sharp shards of plant matter.
Sea Dragon: Steam.
Sky Dragon: Lightning.
Sovereign Dragon: Bone-shattering roar.
Underworld Dragon: Fire.
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Can you clarify the Boar Style tree for me?
Boar Style allows you to tear an opponent's flesh, adding 2d6 bleed damage once per round when you land two or more unarmed strikes.
Boar Shred deals 1d6 bleed damage when you tear an opponents flesh with Boar Style.
So am I correct in assuming that Boar Style deals a one-time 2d6 damage that is of the bleed type (hence undead and other creatures immune to bleed are immune to this damage) but no persistent bleed damage? And that Boar Shred gives you persistent 1d6 bleed damage at the beginning of your target's turn.
Thanks, James!
I wasn't involved in that books design or development, but here's my take:
Boar Style allows you to apply 2d6 bleed damage ONLY once per round, and ONLY when you hit a single foe with at least two unarmed strikes.
Boar Shred allows you to apply 1d6 bleed damage with ANY unarmed strike, but only once per round.
So... say you have 3 unarmed attacks. If you only have Boar Style, you can hit target A once and target B twice, and since you hit target B twice you can inflict 2d6 bleed. If you have Boar Style AND Boar Shred, you can hit target A and cause 1d6 bleed and then hit target B twice and cause 2d6 bleed.
Frankly, I think Boar Style is much more powerful than Boar Shred, so it's weird that they're acquired in the order that they are.
Forest Dragon: Wood splinters and jagged razor-sharp shards of plant matter.
Brambles! For brevity.
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Mr. James Jacobs,
In RotRl, after you run into Cona the Wise, assuming you let her live, and you defeat the Boss of that part of the adventure who does rulership of her people go to?
That's up to your GM. I'd probably have Cona take over, at least for the interim. But it's also just as likely the whole tribe simply disintegrates out of shame.
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Creative Director
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Hello again;
One question about Heralds of divine beings: Is having a Herald a God-only thing, or are there heralds serving the Archdevils, the Whore Queens, and (nascent) Demon Lords?
If so, what would they be like?
Deities have heralds (although not all of them do at all times). Demigods and less powerful divinities do not have heralds, but they do have powerful minions.
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Creative Director
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Heya James!
Just a few quick questions. :)
1.) What Pathfinder class would you say is most similar to Jean Grey from X-men in her incarnation as the Dark Phoenix?
2.) What type of demon would you recommend an aspiring demoniac of Jezelda summon to fulfill the special requirement for that PrC? Perhaps make up a unique wolf-like type?
3.) Are there any notable nations in Golarion where griffons are used as mounts?
1) Sorcerer.
2) Uh... what Prestige Class are you talking about? If you're talking about the demoniac, it doesn't matter. That class isn't tied to specific demon lords. It can be ANY demon, as long as it traumatizes you.
3) No. The closest you'd see is in Korvosa, where hippogriffs are used as mounts for one branch of the city military.
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Creative Director
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I know how much people like their RAW, however sometimes things are a bit more murky than RAW. I was looking at a few archetypes for the Monk and was trying to combine the Master of Many Styles and Flowing Monk archetypes. There is one bit that is a little confusing. Each has a class ability that affects the level 2 bonus feat. I'm just wondering exactly how these interact.
Bonus Feat: At 1st level, 2nd level, and every four levels thereafter, a master of many styles may select a bonus style feat or the Elemental Fist feat. He does not have to meet the prerequisites of that feat, except the Elemental Fist feat. Alternatively, a master of many styles may choose a feat in that style's feat path (such as Earth Child Topple) as one of these bonus feats if he already has the appropriate style feat (such as Earth Child Style). The master of many styles does not need to meet any other prerequisite of the feat in the style's feat path. This ability replaces a monk's standard bonus feats.Unbalancing Counter (Ex): At 2nd level, a flowing monk's attacks of opportunity render a struck creature flat-footed until the end of the flowing monk's next turn (Reflex DC 10 + 1/2 the monk's level + Wisdom modifier negates). This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 2nd level.One modifies the level 2 feat, while the other replaces it. Would this mean that at level 2 you would get a bonus style feat, which is in turn replaced with Unbalancing Counter? Does that mean these two abilities can be taken without any issue?
Those two abilities both interact with the same base ability, and as such you can't take both archetypes for the same monk. So... they wouldn't interact at all, because they would never have the opportunity to interact in the first place.
Mr. James Jacobs,
The paizo web fiction, is it canon? Also, how much imput did you have on the story about the Eidolon wanting to save it's master?
James,
Do those arrows in your neck hurt or is that just some kind of dinosaur peircing?
~Tundra
Mr. James Jacobs,
It has been established that souls go on and become outsiders of matching alignment type. How common is this? Does every soul eventually make the transition into an archon, an azata, demon etc.? The way it was described to me when I initially heard this fact they made it sound quite common.
Also, do such outsiders have "needs"?
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Creative Director
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Mr. James Jacobs,
It has been established that souls go on and become outsiders of matching alignment type. How common is this? Does every soul eventually make the transition into an archon, an azata, demon etc.? The way it was described to me when I initially heard this fact they made it sound quite common.
Also, do such outsiders have "needs"?
Souls become petitioners, and if they do well at that, have a chance at transcending into becoming outsiders. Not every soul gets to do this—overall it's actually probably pretty uncommon. But the scale on which souls populate the outer planes is enough that there's certainly no shortage of outsiders.
As for what sorts of physical and emotional needs an outsider has... that depends on the outsider in question.
I have a great idea for two new weapons:
The Buckler-Quarterstaff and the Dire Tower Flail.
The Buckler-Quarterstaff would simply be a buckler with a quarterstaff going through it so that the defender could redirect blows into the buckler. The Dire Tower Flail on the other hand, can shield bash and hit with both heads at once. Please consider including these in the next supplement.
What did Sorshen do with all those courtesans she killed off? (Artifacts and Legends, p.50)Things that if I spelled them out would rile up the Puritanical Gamer Association and get them all angry and antagonistic. Were it filmed, some would call it torture porn, or maybe just snuff porn. She'd call it home movies.
1. I'm a little confused, I meant after they were dead (by whatever horrible and honestly icky means you needn't describe). Humanoids take a long time to reproduce and reach maturity so I should hope that even the most utterly depraved would want to get the most use out of them. Did Sorshen have 'em made into undead dolls or add them to a corpse library? Or what?
2. Speaking of dead people, can I use planar binding on petitioners?
3. Regarding Thassilon, whatever we'd use large-scale engineering for (power plants, factories, etc) they'd create with magic, correct? Oh, and since you mentioned home movies, did Thassilon have a means of recording audiovisual data?
4. Getting back to Sorshen, Pathfinder #1 (p.77) says she seduced runelords "with song, glance, and touch." So was she a singer or am I overthinking this (like I did with her "beguiling voice")?
5. I've read that the podcast about Mythic Adventures mentioned solo adventures. Would you be interested in having single individuals tested against monsters?
6. Would you consider it abusive of the playtest if I were to, say, opt to test a level 20 tier 3 enchanter against monsters?
7. What can a runewell do with souls beside make sinspawn or regenerate a runelord?
8. Given that doppelgangers can become whatever you want, and they are mind-readers, why wouldn't someone with the means have a harem made up of them? Why would the rich and lecherous bother with anything else?
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1. I'm a little confused, I meant after they were dead (by whatever horrible and honestly icky means you needn't describe). Humanoids take a long time to reproduce and reach maturity so I should hope that even the most utterly depraved would want to get the most use out of them. Did Sorshen have 'em made into undead dolls or add them to a corpse library? Or what?
2. Speaking of dead people, can I use planar binding on petitioners?
3. Regarding Thassilon, whatever we'd use large-scale engineering for (power plants, factories, etc) they'd create with magic, correct? Oh, and since you mentioned home movies, did Thassilon have a means of recording audiovisual data?
4. Getting back to Sorshen, Pathfinder #1 (p.77) says she seduced runelords "with song, glance, and touch." So was she a singer or am I overthinking this (like I did with her "beguiling voice")?
5. I've read that the podcast about Mythic Adventures mentioned solo adventures. Would you be interested in having single individuals tested against monsters?
6. Would you consider it abusive of the playtest if I were to, say, opt to test a level 20 tier 3 enchanter against monsters?
7. What can a runewell do with souls beside make sinspawn or regenerate a runelord?
8. Given that doppelgangers can become whatever you want, and they are mind-readers, why wouldn't someone with the means have a harem made up of them? Why would the rich and lecherous bother with anything else?
1) Oh! Hmm. She probably just fed the bodies to some pets or had some minions carry them off and dump them into the sea or into the sewers or whatever. She had a LOT of ways to get rid of bodies. She preferred living creatures over dead and undead ones, in any event.
2) Yes, but petitioners don't remember their previous lives, so they'd only really be useful as CR 1 monsters. There's better ways to use planar binding.
3) Thassilon would indeed use magic to build large scale engineering, but would also make SIGNIFICANT use of giants as well to build huge structures. The monuments that survive today were all built by giants. And Thassilon had several magical ways to "record" data; the clockwork spy is a good example.
4) Sorshen was indeed a very talented singer.
5) Sure!
6) Not at all. I would be delighted.
7) Each runewell is unique. We talk more about them in the Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition. Karzoug's runewell, for example, can be used to scry on people, to speak and see through the eyes of anyone wearing a Sihedron medallion, or to conjure a blue dragon to serve him. He can also use it to make gold.
For possession abilities like a ghost's Malevolence or a shadow demon's magic jar, does the magic jar have an actual duration or is the victim permanently possessed?
For possession abilities like a ghost's Malevolence or a shadow demon's magic jar, does the magic jar have an actual duration or is the victim permanently possessed?The possession lasts as long as the ghost or demon wants it to... or until it's forced to leave its host.
Alright thanks. I always felt that 10 hours felt too short, y'know?
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Creative Director
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Alright thanks. I always felt that 10 hours felt too short, y'know?For possession abilities like a ghost's Malevolence or a shadow demon's magic jar, does the magic jar have an actual duration or is the victim permanently possessed?The possession lasts as long as the ghost or demon wants it to... or until it's forced to leave its host.
Actually... now that I think of it... shadow demons, unlike ghosts, use a spell-like ability, so their possessions ARE limited to 1 hour/level.
Has Lisa recovered from the shock of the Lucas Arts sale?
Actually... now that I think of it... shadow demons, unlike ghosts, use a spell-like ability, so their possessions ARE limited to 1 hour/level.Alright thanks. I always felt that 10 hours felt too short, y'know?For possession abilities like a ghost's Malevolence or a shadow demon's magic jar, does the magic jar have an actual duration or is the victim permanently possessed?The possession lasts as long as the ghost or demon wants it to... or until it's forced to leave its host.
Fair enough. I've always wanted the shadow demon's magic jar to work like Malevolence. Would the Shadow Demon need a receptacle to posses someone?
Also, unrelated question. When readying an action (specifically to distract a spellcaster), can you still take attacks of opportunity before your readied action activates? Like, if someone moved passed you, or when an adjacent, prone enemy stands up.
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Source: Advanced Player's Guide
Aura moderate transmutation; CL 10th
Slot belt; Weight 1 lb.
DESCRIPTION
When this magical belt is put on, the wearer must immediately make a DC 20 Fortitude saving throw or be transformed into a person of the opposite gender. The character's abilities, mind, and spirit remain unaffected; only the character's sex changes. If the character's saving throw is a natural 1, the item actually removes all gender from the wearer, giving him an androgynous, neutered appearance. The change is permanent unless undone with curse-removing magic. Once its magic takes effect, the belt can be removed without effort. A creature can only be affected by a particular girdle once, though other girdles of this type can cause another transformation.
What happens when a changeling puts that on?
Would you consider it abusive of the playtest if I were to, say, opt to test a level 20 tier 3 enchanter against monsters?Not at all. I would be delighted.
Yay! I get to be the unofficial Sorshen-tester. :)
Now, more questions.
1. Is there a way to create non-rotting or -withered zombies?
2. You forgot this question last time. Given that doppelgangers can become whatever you want, and they are mind-readers, why wouldn't someone with the means have a harem made up of them? Why would the rich and lecherous bother with anything else (for reasons besides expendability)?
3. Do all runelords have runewell amulets? If so, are these unique as well?
4. Do spells with a target of "creature touched" work on recently dead monsters?
5. Would you count sending the Tarrasque to some middle-of-nowhere that limits its mobility (e.g., Plane of Water) via plane shift as defeating it?
6. Casting mage's disjunction doesn't just short out buffs and potentially magic items, it leaves a lingering field I can't cast into, correct?
Last night, you were bemoaning the lack of class features available to swap out for alternative classes for each deity's cleric. Do you think reducing the castings per day for all levels and monkeying around with the BAB and proficiencies could be enough? This could run into issues with how the deity-specific variant clerics get less spells than non-variant ones.
I suppose the underlying question is about how much "leeway" you believe a designer gets by reducing spellcasting, BAB, etc.