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James Jacobs wrote:

I address complaints that rogues are very underpowered by asking the complainer how they're trying to play the rogue. They are NOT the easiest class to play in the game, because their combat strengths lie in tactics and positioning. They do a lot of damage when things line up, but they have to be careful because they don't generally have the AC or hp to stay in melee.

I think that lots of folks like complaining because they like complaining.

<observations on specific classes omitted for brevity>

What I'm finding as I build more and more characters, however, is that whatever a rogue can do can be done better, or in a more versatile or otherwise more attractive way, by other classes. No matter what build I come up with for a rogue, I find a non-rogue build that does it more effectively. The rogue isn't the best at anything, not even the best jack of all trades, and that's a problem.

It feels like the other options that have been introduced have obviated the class to the point where the only reason to play one is for sentimental reasons of "liking rogues." That is to say, the class doesn't confer any notable advantages that other classes don't also confer, and it fails to confer advantages the other classes do confer.

These observations only really apply to a single-class rogue, however. The rogue is a great class for dipping because it's so front-loaded. Even a single level dip gets you a bunch of skill points and (for many classes) an expanded class skill list, sneak attack, and either trapfinding or one of the other abilities an archetype swaps trapfinding out for. Do a four level dip and you get 2d6 sneak attack, evasion, uncanny dodge, and two rogue talents. The problem is that theres' then little incentive to stay in the class once you'vee hit four levels, or maybe five if you want the extra sneak attack die.

I guess my complaint can be clarified to not having a reason to play the class to 20 (or through the life of an AP, for a more achievable goal for most groups). I feel that to some extent about fighters as well (why to play past fighter 7 is a hot topic of debate), but it's worst for rogues. I guess it's a relic of the 3/3.5 days where you were expected to multiclass a lot more than in Pathfinder. It's a little disappointing that every class has a solid reason to play through 20 except my favorite, rogue, and my second favorite, fighter.

Ah well, nothing's perfect. I'm still having an awesome time with your game. :-)


James Jacobs wrote:
uriel222 wrote:

What iconics will you be using in the upcoming Alkenstar AP?

/subliminal

Clint, Roland, Milla, and Ash.

Lucky Luke?

Grand Lodge

James Jacobs wrote:
uriel222 wrote:

What iconics will you be using in the upcoming Alkenstar AP?

/subliminal

Clint, Roland, Milla, and Ash.

Roland from the Dark Tower, and Ash from Army of Darkness. But im not sure I get the other two. Or am I just dense?


If I want to implement a Vudran or Lashuntan psychic magic user at this time, before any official psionic rules, it seems easiest to do so by just making a sorcerer with a lot of psionic-like spells known and feats like Eschew Materials, Still Spell and Silent Spell. However, I run into the problem that their highest-level spells cannot be stilled or silenced due to no higher spell slots, which means there still be verbal and somatic components. My question then: do you have any suggestions or ideas for how those verbal and somatic components could be flavoured to match the idiom of psionics/psychic powers rather than as occult and eldritch magic? What would they look and sound like?

Sovereign Court Contributor

Kajehase wrote:
No Shane?

Apparently, he has no shane.

Clint = Mr. Man with No Name.

Milla = Milla Jovovich, The Claim? Also she made some Post-Apo Zombie films, I hear. Maybe she just joins any subliminal party Mr. Jacobs organises. Don't know...

Sovereign Court Contributor

Analysis wrote:
If I want to implement a Vudran or Lashuntan psychic magic user at this time, before any official psionic rules, it seems easiest to do so by just making a sorcerer with a lot of psionic-like spells known and feats like Eschew Materials, Still Spell and Silent Spell. However, I run into the problem that their highest-level spells cannot be stilled or silenced due to no higher spell slots, which means there still be verbal and somatic components. My question then: do you have any suggestions or ideas for how those verbal and somatic components could be flavoured to match the idiom of psionics/psychic powers rather than as occult and eldritch magic? What would they look and sound like?

Not James, but consider mantras for verbal components, and mudras for somatic.


In most major cities in Golarion how well are non-core races(in the ARG) protected by laws, specifically the ones known to cause problems.

Examples:Goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, kobolds, drow, etc

PS:I know every city or nation is not the same, so I guess Korsova or Absolom would be good examples to use as "normal" places.


James Jacobs wrote:
AlgaeNymph wrote:
What spells are used to bind an infernal duke into an infernal engine?
Miracle and wish and binding and maybe trap the soul or soul trap and probably one or two other spells.

1. Binding seems appropriate but I'm guessing that infernal dukes have immunity to compulsions the way similarly-powerful nascent demon lords do, though I'll have to wait until Inner Sea Bestiary for Lorthact's stats. I take it wish can be used to remove an immunity? If not, could miracle?

2. You said "miracle and wish" so I'm guessing the spells have functional differences. What can each spell do that the other can't?

3. How much civic infrastructure would it be plausible for a duke-powered engine to affect. I specifically use "plausible" so as to avoid a "however much you need for your game" non-answer.

4. How does one bind an infernal duke without angering the infernal hierarchy, particularly the guy at the top? Go after the out-of-favor ones?

5. Do Azlanti humans gain +2 to each ability score and +2 to any one ability?

Silver Crusade

Oh just thought of some ,

Have you read any of the Vampire Hunter D novels or seen either of the movies ?

And what about the works of the illustrator, Amano Yoshitaka ? He's done A LOT for the Final Fantasy series. Do you like his style of art ?

Contributor

Will we ever see Kaiju or something equally as monstrous in Pathfinder? If so, would they be a template or would they be on a case by case basis?

Shadow Lodge

donato wrote:
Will we ever see Kaiju or something equally as monstrous in Pathfinder? If so, would they be a template or would they be on a case by case basis?

I believe the statement we have is yes, they will be unique, and the kaiju will not be a template.

Liberty's Edge

James Jacobs wrote:
Ninjaofthesea wrote:

Dear Mr. Jacobs,

...

Also, is the Black Blade (from the Magus archtype)actually indestructible as long as it has one arcane pool point.

Thank you for your time.

Not sure about the black blade, but having it be completely indestructible sounds a bit over the top to me.
PRD wrote:
Unbreakable (Ex): As long as it has at least 1 point in its arcane pool, a black blade is immune to the broken condition. If broken, the black blade is unconscious and powerless until repaired. If destroyed, the black blade can be reforged 1 week later through a special ritual that costs 200 gp per magus level. The ritual takes 24 hours to complete.

I hadn't read it carefully before now. "Immune from the broken condition" is very different from "can't be damaged". As I read it, the black blade can be damaged normally, simply it don't suffer from the broken condition as long as it has at least 1 point in its arcane pool.

That open up two questions:
it is possible to repair it with mending if damaged or make whole if destroyed? What Caster level is needed?

If destroyed and reforged, it is possible to reforge it with special materials?

Edit after reading the next reply:

James Jacobs wrote:


Okay. Had a chance to look over the black blade ability, and according to the "Unbreakable" ability, as long as the user has 1 point in his arcane pool... the sword is immune to being broken. Seems pretty simple to me, so I guess the answer is: yup; can't be broken until the user's out of points.

Actually I think it is "until the sword is out of points".

Being "Immune from the broken condition" is the same thing as "can't be damaged"?

English isn't my first language so it is possible that the two things are the same for you, but my mental map don't equate them (at least in a word of magic). As I see it the sword continue to work normally or stop completely (destroyed), there is no a intermediate status.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Analysis wrote:
If I want to implement a Vudran or Lashuntan psychic magic user at this time, before any official psionic rules, it seems easiest to do so by just making a sorcerer with a lot of psionic-like spells known and feats like Eschew Materials, Still Spell and Silent Spell. However, I run into the problem that their highest-level spells cannot be stilled or silenced due to no higher spell slots, which means there still be verbal and somatic components. My question then: do you have any suggestions or ideas for how those verbal and somatic components could be flavoured to match the idiom of psionics/psychic powers rather than as occult and eldritch magic? What would they look and sound like?

You could also check out the psionics rules from Dreamscarred Press.

Or just use the 3.5 psionics rules.

Or if you want to just use sorcerers... then the somatic components become thigns like putting fingers to temples, or doing hand katas or gestures or whatever. The verbal components become chants or mantras or simply hums or moans or even shouts.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

wraithstrike wrote:

In most major cities in Golarion how well are non-core races(in the ARG) protected by laws, specifically the ones known to cause problems.

Examples:Goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, kobolds, drow, etc

PS:I know every city or nation is not the same, so I guess Korsova or Absolom would be good examples to use as "normal" places.

They're not. They're monsters, and those races as a general rule do plenty to keep that perception and reality alive and real. Savage races like orcs and goblins are NOT welcome in civilized areas, for the most part.

There are lots of exceptions. Trolls and winter wolves are all over the place in Irrisen society, while in Katapesh, pretty much ANYONE is welcome to walk the streets as long as they behave themselves.

But in places like Korvosa or Absalom... nope; orcs and goblins and kobolds and hobgoblins and the like would be brought to the city guard for questioning. If they behaved well... then that's sort of uncharted territory in a lot of cases, but there'll be a LOT fear and nervousness, and it'll be very much on the head of the orc or whatever to be on their best behavior if they don't want to get arrested or attacked.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

AlgaeNymph wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
AlgaeNymph wrote:
What spells are used to bind an infernal duke into an infernal engine?
Miracle and wish and binding and maybe trap the soul or soul trap and probably one or two other spells.

1. Binding seems appropriate but I'm guessing that infernal dukes have immunity to compulsions the way similarly-powerful nascent demon lords do, though I'll have to wait until Inner Sea Bestiary for Lorthact's stats. I take it wish can be used to remove an immunity? If not, could miracle?

2. You said "miracle and wish" so I'm guessing the spells have functional differences. What can each spell do that the other can't?

3. How much civic infrastructure would it be plausible for a duke-powered engine to affect. I specifically use "plausible" so as to avoid a "however much you need for your game" non-answer.

4. How does one bind an infernal duke without angering the infernal hierarchy, particularly the guy at the top? Go after the out-of-favor ones?

5. Do Azlanti humans gain +2 to each ability score and +2 to any one ability?

1) Wish can do anything. So can miracle. And we've actually never described in detail how a creature can be bound into an infernal engine—it's generally easier in that case to just say "it is so" and go on from there. In any event, there's not gonna be anything special in Lorthact's stat block that sets him apart from other similarly powerful creatures, like Treerazer.

2) Again... the actual rules for how to create an infernal engine aren't something we've published or designed yet. Wish and miracle ARE different. Miracle is a divine spell, and as such it's granted by a deity and the deity gets to decide how the miracle works out. Wish is not so granted, and has fewer flavor restrictions as a result, but is more often required to have big GP costs to work.

3) I don't know what you're asking here. The only two infernal engines we've had in adventures so far are the ones in "Hook Mountain Massacre" and "The Infernal Syndrome." One of those is in the wilderness, and one is in one of the largest cities in the Inner Sea Region. So... they can pretty much be plausible anywhere as a result.

4) You don't. You have to be ready to deal with the infernal duke's allies and minions and superiors if you try something like this. It's something best left to really high level, or mythic, or high level mythic characters.

5) Azlantis get +2 to every ability score. That is all.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Rysky wrote:

Oh just thought of some ,

Have you read any of the Vampire Hunter D novels or seen either of the movies ?

And what about the works of the illustrator, Amano Yoshitaka ? He's done A LOT for the Final Fantasy series. Do you like his style of art ?

Haven't read any of the novels. Saw one of the movies, and it was quite cool.

And yes, I quite like Amano Yoshitaka's art.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

donato wrote:
Will we ever see Kaiju or something equally as monstrous in Pathfinder? If so, would they be a template or would they be on a case by case basis?

I hope so. They will not be a template. They'll be monsters that are unique creatures, kinda like the Tarrasque, but higher CR.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Diego Rossi wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Ninjaofthesea wrote:

Dear Mr. Jacobs,

...

Also, is the Black Blade (from the Magus archtype)actually indestructible as long as it has one arcane pool point.

Thank you for your time.

Not sure about the black blade, but having it be completely indestructible sounds a bit over the top to me.
PRD wrote:
Unbreakable (Ex): As long as it has at least 1 point in its arcane pool, a black blade is immune to the broken condition. If broken, the black blade is unconscious and powerless until repaired. If destroyed, the black blade can be reforged 1 week later through a special ritual that costs 200 gp per magus level. The ritual takes 24 hours to complete.

I hadn't read it carefully before now. "Immune from the broken condition" is very different from "can't be damaged". As I read it, the black blade can be damaged normally, simply it don't suffer from the broken condition as long as it has at least 1 point in its arcane pool.

That open up two questions:
it is possible to repair it with mending if damaged or make whole if destroyed? What Caster level is needed?

If destroyed and reforged, it is possible to reforge it with special materials?

Edit after reading the next reply:

James Jacobs wrote:


Okay. Had a chance to look over the black blade ability, and according to the "Unbreakable" ability, as long as the user has 1 point in his arcane pool... the sword is immune to being broken. Seems pretty simple to me, so I guess the answer is: yup; can't be broken until the user's out of points.

Actually I think it is "until the sword is out of points".

Being "Immune from the broken condition" is the same thing as "can't be damaged"?

English isn't my first language so it is possible that the two things are the same for you, but my mental map don't equate them (at least in a word of magic). As I see it the sword continue to work normally or stop completely (destroyed), there is no a intermediate status.

If something is damaged, it should be able to be repaired. Permanently damaging and destroying magic items is something we left behind in 3rd edition D&D. The limits on what CAN be repaired by make whole are unfortunately too restrictive for my tastes; I would remove that silly caster level limitation entirely if I were rewriting the game.

And if destroyed and repaired, yes, you can rebuild it to what it once was. If you couldn't that would be unfair.

The problem is that "Immune to the broken condition" is a specific rules phrase, where as "can't be damaged" is not. That's the type of difference in writing that would flummox a computer but not a human, who could see those two lines and coordinate them into a logical outcome. In the end... as long as you're consistent in your game and as long as you don't surprise the players of characters who use black blades with unexpected rulings... you should be fine.


James Jacobs wrote:
wraithstrike wrote:

In most major cities in Golarion how well are non-core races(in the ARG) protected by laws, specifically the ones known to cause problems.

Examples:Goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, kobolds, drow, etc

PS:I know every city or nation is not the same, so I guess Korsova or Absolom would be good examples to use as "normal" places.

They're not. They're monsters, and those races as a general rule do plenty to keep that perception and reality alive and real. Savage races like orcs and goblins are NOT welcome in civilized areas, for the most part.

There are lots of exceptions. Trolls and winter wolves are all over the place in Irrisen society, while in Katapesh, pretty much ANYONE is welcome to walk the streets as long as they behave themselves.

But in places like Korvosa or Absalom... nope; orcs and goblins and kobolds and hobgoblins and the like would be brought to the city guard for questioning. If they behaved well... then that's sort of uncharted territory in a lot of cases, but there'll be a LOT fear and nervousness, and it'll be very much on the head of the orc or whatever to be on their best behavior if they don't want to get arrested or attacked.

Wouldn't be such a problem if you guys hadn't nixed the Monster Reformation Alliance.

(Just kidding!)

I voted for the MRA...

Silver Crusade

James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:

Oh just thought of some ,

Have you read any of the Vampire Hunter D novels or seen either of the movies ?

And what about the works of the illustrator, Amano Yoshitaka ? He's done A LOT for the Final Fantasy series. Do you like his style of art ?

Haven't read any of the novels. Saw one of the movies, and it was quite cool.

And yes, I quite like Amano Yoshitaka's art.

Awesome, was the movie Bloodlust or the first one ?

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

James,
Would you happen to know why there's a rule that you can't make potions of spells with a range of "personal"? Those generally seem like the spells which make the most sense to turn into potions (like see invisibility, for instance), and yet they're the ones that are prohibited.

Any idea why? Seems like a rule that most people would either not realize it exists or would immediately houserule it away, and frankly, I can't see the point in it existing in the first place.


“Personal only” is a pretty strong limitation. Makes things like True Strike a reasonable 1st level spell.

Does anyone with a better memory remember where James answered queries about trapping a Efreet, etc by means of Planar binding and thus getting unlimited wishes for free?

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

DrDeth wrote:
“Personal only” is a pretty strong limitation. Makes things like True Strike a reasonable 1st level spell.

I totally agree. I'm just curious why that should make it ineligible for a potion.


Not “personal only” if others can just quaff a potion, neh?

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

But UMD and a wand is fine?

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Rysky wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:

Oh just thought of some ,

Have you read any of the Vampire Hunter D novels or seen either of the movies ?

And what about the works of the illustrator, Amano Yoshitaka ? He's done A LOT for the Final Fantasy series. Do you like his style of art ?

Haven't read any of the novels. Saw one of the movies, and it was quite cool.

And yes, I quite like Amano Yoshitaka's art.

Awesome, was the movie Bloodlust or the first one ?

Dunno. Wes was the one who showed me the movie. He knows what one it was. I do not.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

1 person marked this as a favorite.
Jiggy wrote:

James,

Would you happen to know why there's a rule that you can't make potions of spells with a range of "personal"? Those generally seem like the spells which make the most sense to turn into potions (like see invisibility, for instance), and yet they're the ones that are prohibited.

Any idea why? Seems like a rule that most people would either not realize it exists or would immediately houserule it away, and frankly, I can't see the point in it existing in the first place.

That was a rule that first came into play in 3rd edition D&D. I believe it's that way because of the idea that a potion should be something that affects the drinker, and if you open it up to being able to affect other targets, that acts less like a potion you're drinking and more like a potion that lets you cast a spell.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

DrDeth wrote:

Does anyone with a better memory remember where James answered queries about trapping a Efreet, etc by means of Planar binding and thus getting unlimited wishes for free?

You can do this, but only if the GM says it's okay, and you should be wary of the fact that the efreet is evil and detests doing this for you, and the more wishes you ask, the more likely it is you'll be in big trouble.

ALSO: See Pathfinder #24.


Have the names of the books for Wrath of the Righteous been revealed yet?


Have you heard "Song of the Lonely Mountain" yet.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 4

Cheapy wrote:
Have the names of the books for Wrath of the Righteous been revealed yet?

I am not James Jacobs, but since he's sick, I'll try to help. This information was made public in a previous post where James recruited help in devising the main name of the AP. Back on August 24th, 2012

Here

For ease of reference the titles are listed for you here:

Spoiler:
PART ONE: The Worldwound Incursion
PART TWO: Sword of Valor
PART THREE: Demon's Heresy
PART FOUR: The Midnight Isles
PART FIVE: Herald of the Ivory Labyrinth
PART SIX: City of Locusts


Helpful as always; thanks!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Cheapy wrote:
Have the names of the books for Wrath of the Righteous been revealed yet?

Yup.

What Jim said.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Azure_Zero wrote:
Have you heard "Song of the Lonely Mountain" yet.

Not yet. No plans to listen to it yet either. Gonna wait for the movie.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

What did you think of Skyfall? I thought it was brilliant and it reminded me a LOT of Greg Rucka's amazing spy series Queen & Country.


Here's a few things that have been bugging me for a while, mostly related to age and polymorph effects:

1. Did the official base age for tieflings and aasimars ever get errata'd down?

2. All the new ARG races have starting ages given, but no ranges for when aging effects kick in, and there really isn't a relation between starting age and venerable age of the basic seven you can use to extrapolate them. I don't expect to ever need to start assigning penalties to any of these, but for purposes of having old retired members of various races who might remember something that happened quite a few years back, it'd be nice to know if, say, ratfolk rarely live past their mid-40s. Have a good quick and dirty bit of math to use for these? Or, just a flat out semi-official list?

3. Still on the subject of aging, what is the logic behind scaling the variable component of starting ages based on base age? I get how, say, an elven barbarian would take a proportionate amount of time to be ready to start adventuring than a human would, but for say, a mage? It's +10d6 years vs. +2d6. Even if we're generous and take 4d6 out of that for the swing on reaching full physical maturity before heading off to their local mage academy, it apparently takes 3 times as long to graduate. I can't see it being a balance thing, because who really cares about aging rules, so... what's the story? I can't see it being a biological thing at that point, and if it's a cultural thing, OK, I could see wise learned elves making way less time for their students or going off on more random tangents than an aging human feeling his mortality, but if all my PCs grew up in one town, wouldn't they have access to the same teachers? Is there a myth about the intellectual capacities of orcs in desperate need of dispelling?

Moving on to these spells here, Disguise Self and Alter Self read a lot differently in Pathfinder than their traditional counterparts. Alter Self in particular could use a wordier write-up. So for clarification's sake..

4. Alter Self can do everything Disguise Self can do (change your race/gender/specific facial features/full on impersonate someone), but it's transmutation (polymorph) in place of illusion, with the tradeoff being a shorter duration, right?

5. Another difference between the two is what they specify for creature types. Disguise Self "cannot change your creature type" while Alter Self says "you can assume the form of any Small or Medium creature of the humanoid type." If you're a humanoid to begin with, it doesn't make a big difference, but if you're a monstrous humanoid, this has some very bizarre implications. My guess is that both are intended to actually cover both types, while excluding everything that isn't "humanoid" in the sense of upright bipeds, but some clarification would help.

6. Polymorph effects end on the death of the subject as a general rule, right? I seem to recall lycanthropes specifically specify it, but there are some weird cases where it matters. Let's say someone is wearing some artifact helmet of major importance which is very hard to destroy. Now let's say I baleful polymorph him into a newt. The helmet melds into what is now just some random newt. I've already taken a very powerful object completely out of play at least for the lifespan of the newt, but if I could just hit that newt with Disintegrate or something, it seems I'd have destroyed something with special rules governing its destruction. Reverting on death generally gets around that, but the tradeoff is the discovery of some confusing bodies now and then.

Thanks in advance.


Just curious, was the pre-deity Irori at any point in his journey of enlightenment considered Mythic? (I.e. gained a mythic tier?)

prototype00


If a paladin were to become a graveknight through wish so as not to kill inocents and had atonement cast upon him by RAW would he regain all his abilities as a paladin back or would he not because he is undead? Would he have to kill himself because he was undead? Thanks in advance.

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber
Jim Groves wrote:

I am not James Jacobs, but since he's sick, I'll try to help. This information was made public in a previous post where James recruited help in devising the main name of the AP. Back on August 24th, 2012

Here

For ease of reference the titles are listed for you here:

** spoiler omitted **

That last one... Deskari? And... since you have repeatedly said that Mythic rules will let us kill demon lords...

Okay, Now I'm excited.


Googleshng:

2) Page 249 of the ARG has the answer you are looking for to this question.

- Gauss

Silver Crusade

James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Rysky wrote:

Oh just thought of some ,

Have you read any of the Vampire Hunter D novels or seen either of the movies ?

And what about the works of the illustrator, Amano Yoshitaka ? He's done A LOT for the Final Fantasy series. Do you like his style of art ?

Haven't read any of the novels. Saw one of the movies, and it was quite cool.

And yes, I quite like Amano Yoshitaka's art.

Awesome, was the movie Bloodlust or the first one ?
Dunno. Wes was the one who showed me the movie. He knows what one it was. I do not.

Well then someone will have to ask this very awesome/useful Wes creature thing to produce the other one for viewing, both awesome movies.

Noticing things mentioned I'm wondering if you have read Goth by Otsuichi ? It's quite possibly my favorite horror novel, possibly favorite novel period, I highly recommend it

Many, many thanks for continuing to not only taking the time to reply to my questions but to everyone else's as well :)


Have you contemplated an alias named Senor Jacobs? Would it look just like James Jacobs, except the T-Rex would have a mustache, and possibly a sombrero? Should such a thing be allowed to exist?

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

James Jacobs wrote:
Jiggy wrote:

James,

Would you happen to know why there's a rule that you can't make potions of spells with a range of "personal"? Those generally seem like the spells which make the most sense to turn into potions (like see invisibility, for instance), and yet they're the ones that are prohibited.

Any idea why? Seems like a rule that most people would either not realize it exists or would immediately houserule it away, and frankly, I can't see the point in it existing in the first place.

That was a rule that first came into play in 3rd edition D&D. I believe it's that way because of the idea that a potion should be something that affects the drinker, and if you open it up to being able to affect other targets, that acts less like a potion you're drinking and more like a potion that lets you cast a spell.

You lost me. Are we talking about the same rule?


Jiggy wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
Jiggy wrote:

James,

Would you happen to know why there's a rule that you can't make potions of spells with a range of "personal"? Those generally seem like the spells which make the most sense to turn into potions (like see invisibility, for instance), and yet they're the ones that are prohibited.

Any idea why? Seems like a rule that most people would either not realize it exists or would immediately houserule it away, and frankly, I can't see the point in it existing in the first place.

That was a rule that first came into play in 3rd edition D&D. I believe it's that way because of the idea that a potion should be something that affects the drinker, and if you open it up to being able to affect other targets, that acts less like a potion you're drinking and more like a potion that lets you cast a spell.

You lost me. Are we talking about the same rule?

I think he is saying spells made to only affect the caster, which would be personal spells, should not be able to be passed off to other creatures.

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

That doesn't sound like what he's saying at all. "A potion should be something that affects the drinker" seems to support, rather than refute, my thinking that personal spells should exist as potions. Turning personal spells into potions doesn't make it "more like a potion that lets you cast a spell", which is apparently his concern.

So I'm pretty sure JJ and I are not talking about the same thing.


James Jacobs wrote:
Belle Mythix wrote:
Just that a few months ago it was: "Right now; Paladin, Cleric, Inquisitor and Bard, these are subject to changes" , kinda fit 'All Casters'... so at the time was it a consideration?
Nope. It wasn't. Those four were picked because they were right for adventure path, aesthetically. (And for the record, although paladins have spells... they're full BAB classes and don't really count in my book as "casters.")

Well, for a full BaB class, Paladins are kinda loaded on Supernatural abilities and they get spells... so 4/10 casters?

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Cori Marie wrote:
What did you think of Skyfall? I thought it was brilliant and it reminded me a LOT of Greg Rucka's amazing spy series Queen & Country.

I quite liked it!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

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Googleshng wrote:

Here's a few things that have been bugging me for a while, mostly related to age and polymorph effects:

1. Did the official base age for tieflings and aasimars ever get errata'd down?

2. All the new ARG races have starting ages given, but no ranges for when aging effects kick in, and there really isn't a relation between starting age and venerable age of the basic seven you can use to extrapolate them. I don't expect to ever need to start assigning penalties to any of these, but for purposes of having old retired members of various races who might remember something that happened quite a few years back, it'd be nice to know if, say, ratfolk rarely live past their mid-40s. Have a good quick and dirty bit of math to use for these? Or, just a flat out semi-official list?

3. Still on the subject of aging, what is the logic behind scaling the variable component of starting ages based on base age? I get how, say, an elven barbarian would take a proportionate amount of time to be ready to start adventuring than a human would, but for say, a mage? It's +10d6 years vs. +2d6. Even if we're generous and take 4d6 out of that for the swing on reaching full physical maturity before heading off to their local mage academy, it apparently takes 3 times as long to graduate. I can't see it being a balance thing, because who really cares about aging rules, so... what's the story? I can't see it being a biological thing at that point, and if it's a cultural thing, OK, I could see wise learned elves making way less time for their students or going off on more random tangents than an aging human feeling his mortality, but if all my PCs grew up in one town, wouldn't they have access to the same teachers? Is there a myth about the intellectual capacities of orcs in desperate need of dispelling?

Moving on to these spells here, Disguise Self and Alter Self read a lot differently in Pathfinder than their traditional counterparts. Alter Self in particular could use a wordier write-up. So for clarification's sake..

4. Alter Self can do everything Disguise Self can do (change your race/gender/specific facial features/full on impersonate someone), but it's transmutation (polymorph) in place of illusion, with the tradeoff being a shorter duration, right?

5. Another difference between the two is what they specify for creature types. Disguise Self "cannot change your creature type" while Alter Self says "you can assume the form of any Small or Medium creature of the humanoid type." If you're a humanoid to begin with, it doesn't make a big difference, but if you're a monstrous humanoid, this has some very bizarre implications. My guess is that both are intended to actually cover both types, while excluding everything that isn't "humanoid" in the sense of upright bipeds, but some clarification would help.

6. Polymorph effects end on the death of the subject as a general rule, right? I seem to recall lycanthropes specifically specify it, but there are some weird cases where it matters. Let's say someone is wearing some artifact helmet of major importance which is very hard to destroy. Now let's say I baleful polymorph him into a newt. The helmet melds into what is now just some random newt. I've already taken a very powerful object completely out of play at least for the lifespan of the newt, but if I could just hit that newt with Disintegrate or something, it seems I'd have destroyed something with special rules governing its destruction. Reverting on death generally gets around that, but the tradeoff is the discovery of some confusing bodies now and then.

1) Not yet in print, but you might as well go ahead and incorporate the human age spans for them in your game into play, since that's how it works in our adventures.

2) Isn't that table of age categories in the appendix?

3) That's the way it's been pretty much from the start, back in 1st edition. It's something the designers have kept in the game through every edition on to Pathfinder. So... no reason other than tradition, really.

4) Well... alter self gives you boosts to your ability scores and actual physical abilities if the new form grants them... that's a pretty big advantage over a mere illusion...

5) If you're not a humanoid, alter self is a great way to appear humanoid. That's the whole point of the spell.

6) Yup; if a polymorphed creature dies, the spell ends and it reverts to normal form.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

prototype00 wrote:

Just curious, was the pre-deity Irori at any point in his journey of enlightenment considered Mythic? (I.e. gained a mythic tier?)

prototype00

Maybe. Most likely. It's logical that in making the transition from mortal to god you'd spend some time being mythic.

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Run, Just Run wrote:
If a paladin were to become a graveknight through wish so as not to kill inocents and had atonement cast upon him by RAW would he regain all his abilities as a paladin back or would he not because he is undead? Would he have to kill himself because he was undead? Thanks in advance.

As long as he's a graveknight, he's evil and can't be a paladin.

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