|
As noted above this doesnt work post FAQ and in any event you cannot rely on everyone having a specific magic item even if it is an amazing one. Even if it did work you are taking random attempts to auto fail wasting whole turns.
As I mention in the post above, it does work since magic jar explicitly fails if they have protection from evil up, without reference to the alignment of the caster.
Also as I mentioned, there's usually enough of a level spread to distinguish between higher and lower level creatures. For example, if you are facing monsters (and PCs) of levels: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, you know which of those targets are the 8s and which are the 12s, by the wording of the spell.
And even if you do, worst case scenario, just roll randomly each round to see who you get, it's still worth doing. Magic Jar is just that good.
|
Well, depends on how you read it I guess :
The ability to (cast animate dead) or to command undead.
The command undead feat enables you to command undead, so it should be legal. It's really some heavy rule nitpicking you're doing here, as it's pretty clear the feat should enable you to qualify.
Precisely.
For some reason, Paizo *loves* to use the same words for multiple things. Skald archetype. Skald class. Brawler archetype. Brawler class. Command Undead feat. Command undead spell. Command Undead the feat referring to Control Undead the spell. Etc.
Undead Master is a very poorly worded feat, but the feat description refers to both command undead the spell and command undead the feat, so it's clear you qualify at 1st level. If it really matters to you, take it at 3rd.
I'm still puzzled how this reading gets legs. The contrary is what seems clear to me! But there's enough uptake on the feat-not-spell reading in this thread that maybe someone can start a thread specifically on the topic? I might do so this evening if I get a chance.
I will note, however, that in Faskill's post that you're relying on right here, Shaka, he's slightly mispresented the prerequisite, in a way that makes a difference. It is not "the ability to cast animate dead or to command undead." If it were, I could see how the feat-not-spell reading could get going.
But the prerequisites are different:
Spell focus (necromancy), the ability to cast animate dead or command undead.
Points in favor of magic-not-feat:
- command undead is italicized, which always indicates magic**;
- command undead is not capitalized, and as you see in these links, feats - are - capitalized;
- In the PRD command undead links to the command undead spell;
- Notice the construction: "the ability to cast animate dead or command undead. "Command undead is governed by "the ability to cast." If it were as Faskill presents it, "the ability to cast animate dead or to command undead," the "to" would break the "ability to cast" construction and might get the argument going. But no dice.
With all that, it's pretty clear to me that the prerequisite is spell-not-feat, "the ability to cast animate dead or [the ability to cast] command undead."
If it meant feat-not-spell, the prerequisites line would read something like this: "Spell Focus (necromancy), the ability to cast animate dead or Command Undead."
** Someone questioned this upthread, but the style is consistent and if you want it called out, see the Beginner Box Hero's Handbook, p. 11: "Italics are Magic: If you see text in italics, that means it's talking about a spell or magic item, like lightning bolt or a flaming sword." It might also be called out in the CRB, but if so I'm not aware of where.
|
|
Well let's end this useless argument about Undead Master, at worst one can take it at level 3 which isn't so much of a big deal.
I've got a question for your ShakaUVM there are 4 traits mentionned in your guide, which is probably because you took Additional traits instead of Preferred spell. What traits would you go with in priority?
Thanks in advance
|
|
I've got a question for your ShakaUVM there are 4 traits mentionned in your guide, which is probably because you took Additional traits instead of Preferred spell. What traits would you go with in priority?
Extremely Fashionable (Bluff), Student of Philosophy, Magical Lineage (Glitterdust), Reactionary. I also like Tomb Raider (Perception) and Sacred Conduit (+1 to Control Undead DC).
Categories: Equipment, Social, Magic, Combat, Osirion Faction, Faith.
|
|
Also, I believe that there is a spell specifically designed to let you, or maybe only a witch?, possess the body of her familiar...Familiar Melding.
Not a great spell from an action economy perspective.
My witch lives in his imp and it is one of the most fun characters I have played. I did it just to do something interesting, but I starting finding a lot of combinations and tricks that really feed well into this. It takes the lion share of my spells each day just to maintain buffs, but I am almost unkillable. The closest I came was in a confusion cycle with the elvish paladin with a holy bow. I barely lived by outlasting the confusion spell.
ShakaUVM
I realize Osiric could not choose his race at birth, however are there races that might be able to do what he does better; either through favored class options or racial traits (including alternate racial traits) or even race traits?
|
|
Calel101 and CigarPete: Yes, Wayangs make very good necromancers. Their stat bumps are all in the right place, they are small (which is great for wizards), get a bonus on Perception, darkvision, and can heal themselves using the same spells they use to heal their undead. You can even bolster yourself, arguably.
Other good races (other than humans) are tieflings (for a variety of good reasons), Peri-blooded aasimar (+2 int and cha, +1 damage with fire spells, free pyrotechnics), gnome (with Fell Magic, though the Wis requirement is a dealbreaker for me), elf (+2 dex and int and +2 on caster level and initiative checks is very, very nice, but -2 Con is a dealbreaker for me - you just never have enough hp as a wizard), and so forth.
Dhampir? Wizard Favored class bonus worth it? Do you like the Dhampir wizard archetype?
Venture-Lieutenant, Washington—Pullman
|
The important point to note is that magic jar explicitly says that it is "blocked by protection from evil" with no reference to the alignment of the caster. So a clear spindle will protect your party members.
The actual line of text from Magic Jar is 'It is blocked by protection from evil or a similar ward'
YMMV|
|
Dhampir? Wizard Favored class bonus worth it? Do you like the Dhampir wizard archetype?
Being able to pick up +4 caster levels to necromancy by 16th level is pretty boss, well worth the 16 hp loss. It's a shame their stats are so poor for wizards, and (correct me if I'm wrong) the dhampir boon doesn't let you play with a ru-shi dhampir that has a really good stat allocation for wizards. If you can play a ru-shi, then yeah, they're a great choice.
Caster level for most necromancy spells is mainly used for overcoming spell penetration and resisting dispel attempts (horrid wilting being a notable exception), so it's not as uber as it would be for an evoker.
Cruromancer is interesting, but being able to add +1 to the DC - of just necromancy spells - doesn't even break even with the -2 Int he gets for not having a good stat array. Plus you take damage every time you do it. And you lose your arcane bond in the bargain. It'd be kind of useful to sicken people automatically with Chill Touch if you didn't have to lose your familiar, but you don't want to be forced into melee to do those attacks.
Losing feats to be able to animate bonus numbers of undead isn't especially great in PFS, since you still have to pay for all those HD of undead, and they all go away at the end of every game.
Contributor
|
What is your opinion on wands of lesser animate dead with only 2 onyx gems per charge? Yes, they're pretty costly, but from what I can guess, they seem pretty handy for the necromancer on the go! This is entirely theorycrafting, but I have a certain oracle/summoner who might just invest in one...for reference, the total cost of such a wand would be 7k gp. Might be useful for not burning one's spell slots up entirely getting an army of entirely expendable mooks.
|
|
One can also invest in some light reading.
Ooh, I'd forgotten about those. Stat tomes fell off my PFS radar due to prohibitive costs, but I suppose at that level it's manageable.
|
|
One of the problems I see with the Heightened, Dazing Chill Touch on your familiar is that if you are relying on it, you personally cannot cast. Casting any other spell causes a charged touch spell to go away, whether the spell charge is held by you or the familiar.
It depends how closely you want to read the rules, Will. Technically, a charge on a familiar only goes away if you cast another spell before your familiar successfully touches a foe.
But even without it, there's plenty of scrolls and wands to use to avoid losing the charge.
Dhampir? Wizard Favored class bonus worth it? Do you like the Dhampir wizard archetype?Being able to pick up +4 caster levels to necromancy by 16th level is pretty boss, well worth the 16 hp loss. It's a shame their stats are so poor for wizards, and (correct me if I'm wrong) the dhampir boon doesn't let you play with a ru-shi dhampir that has a really good stat allocation for wizards. If you can play a ru-shi, then yeah, they're a great choice.
Caster level for most necromancy spells is mainly used for overcoming spell penetration and resisting dispel attempts (horrid wilting being a notable exception), so it's not as uber as it would be for an evoker.
You can play as Ru-Shi, as long as you have blood of the night.
1st level: Spell Focus: Necromancy (free), Undead Master, Improved Channel (human)
How do you get the spell focus free? I have only recently started playing pathfinder and cannot see where you get this from since you get 1 feat at first level unless you are a fighter or a human (which you have mentioned as improved channel feat) and undead master as your standard 1st level feat.
|
Venture-Captain, Germany–Hannover
|
I´m playing around with necromany at the moment.
Class of choice is arcanist.
Since i´m playing it in iron gods, i choose a blood-arcanist with the impossible bloodline. That let´s me treat constructs as living creatures (good for many necromancy spells) and enchant them with compulsions.
Also bblood arcanists get a free spell focus with this bloodline at level 3 in PFS.
The original idea was to go into the technomancer prestige-class, just for fun and flavor. I´ll see about that later.
Another good choice for a necromancer arcanist would be the occultist archetye, since you can now summon monster with your arcane reservoir points and the summons stay for minute per level!
Arcanist is also quite good, because you want to have CHA in some cases anyway, for some of the exploits.
You can also have a bloodline and the benefits of a wizard school with your exploits. Beware, unfortunately the exploit bloodline development does not grant the bloodline arcana, what is really sad.
If you have spellfocus necromancy, skeleton summoner is a very thematic feat!
Overall, you get spells a little later than a wizard, but still are a prepared caster, you can buff your spell DC´s and be very flexible!
Since you can have a bloodline, a wizard school and a familiar, surely a fun choice for a necromancer.