So, can I make a character with:
Ekujae Reflexes (Regional)
Reactive (Combat)
and get +4 to Initiative that stacks with Improved Initiative?
Can I make a character with:
Magical Lineage (Magic)
Wayang Spellhunter (Regional)
and apply them both to the same spell and have -2 to the spell level when slapping metamagic on it (but can't ever reduce the spell below it's basic casting level.)
It seems to me that "traits that give the same bonus" shouldn't stack...
Ekujae Reflexes and Reactionary do not stack, since both are trait bonuses. However, either will stack with Improved Initiative.
Magical Lineage and Wayang Spellhunter stack, since neither are trait bonuses. While the literal RAW of these traits is pretty clear in that respect, some GM's may feel it goes against the spirit of the rules (traits don't stack) and rule otherwise, so be sure to ask your GM.
My context for this is PFS. And I now see several builds designed around using both on the same spell...
Mechanically, they do. Fluff wise, most of the regional traits like that are pretty cheesy to justify taking. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you weren't planning on actually playing as a Wayang spell hunter from a long lineage of Wayang spell hunters making innovative use of metamagic on the spell you had in mind.
No, I know that I can never reduce the spell to less than the initial spell level prior to metamagic.
Having seen some of the builds proposed doubling up on both traits...blech. Those look efficient but not fun. Even the ones done apparently correctly.
I've played enough PFS (a bunch of tables GM'd, 125 scenarios played) that I value fun more than efficiency, because I've seen the way that hyperefficient character builds suck the fun out of the game.
Most people who play these hyperefficient builds insist that they're not doing anything wrong, but that other people who are feeling utterly outclassed should just make more betterer characters...
Sadly, the lack of a system architect for PF means that the latest published material is subtly better than older material, and while one or two subtly better options are tolerable in a home game, in a Darwinian evolution environment that is PFS, someone eventually combines all the subtly better things into the Pouncing Eidolon With Four Greatswords, Dragon Style And Stoneskin.
What I was considering was this:
Half-Orc
Crossblooded Orc/Efreeti
Magical Lineage: Acid Arrow
Wayang Spell Hunter; Acid Arrow
Extend Spell
Spontaneous Metafocus: Acid Arrow
Empower Spell
Orc favored class bonus.
At 4th level, he's throwing Extended Acid Arrow out for 4 rounds of duration doing 2d4+2 (Acid) or 2d4+4 (Fire).
At 5th level, he's throwing Empowered Acid Arrow out for 2 rounds of duration doing (2d4+2)*1.5 (Acid) or (2d4+4)*1.5 (Fire)
At 6th level, he's throwing Extended, Empowered Acid Arrow out for 6 rounds of duration doing (2d4+2)*1.5 (Acid) or (2d4+5)*1.5 (Fire). With the Acid option, he's doing about 63 points of single target damage that goes out to range umpteen-jillion and ignores SR (and won't bother anything with Resist Acid 10). With the Fire option, he's doing about 90 points of damage, and even with resist fire 10 being fairly common, he'll do some damage from that as a signature spell.
At 9th level, it takes 8 rounds to get the full damage out, with 84 damage from the Acid version and 132 for the Fire option.
This, in theory, combines with 90' Darkvision so I can throw this spell out in some circumstances before anyone else can see me.
Plus, y'know, being able to throw down Empowered Fireballs and Lighting Bolts when I get 5th level spells and need to lay the area effect smackdown.
While this is more of a "why the hell did you do THAT?!?" build, I don't think it's as crazy as the "Dazing Wall of Fire around Black Tentacles" build I saw earlier, or the Empowered Selective Fireball build that tacked on Still More Static Damage Modifiers.
My goal with this build is to set one important enemy on fire each round, but let my teammates have some of the glory of taking him down, because, hey, who has 8 rounds to wait for the Napalm Arrow to finish killing the BBEG? (One-round shutdowns make for less enjoyable fights for the rest of the table.)
As noted the first two iniative traits both provide a trait bonus and flatly no, they will not stack.
Technically Wayang Spell Hunter and Magical lineage should stack, but is super cheesy and as a GM I would never allow it. If your GM allows it, congratulaitons on the even more superoverpowered full caster you can build to leave everyone else in the dust.
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No, I know that I can never reduce the spell to less than the initial spell level prior to metamagic.
Having seen some of the builds proposed doubling up on both traits...blech. Those look efficient but not fun. Even the ones done apparently correctly.
I've played enough PFS (a bunch of tables GM'd, 125 scenarios played) that I value fun more than efficiency, because I've seen the way that hyperefficient character builds suck the fun out of the game.
Most people who play these hyperefficient builds insist that they're not doing anything wrong, but that other people who are feeling utterly outclassed should just make more betterer characters...
Sadly, the lack of a system architect for PF means that the latest published material is subtly better than older material, and while one or two subtly better options are tolerable in a home game, in a Darwinian evolution environment that is PFS, someone eventually combines all the subtly better things into the Pouncing Eidolon With Four Greatswords, Dragon Style And Stoneskin.
What I was considering was this:
Half-Orc
Crossblooded Orc/Efreeti
Magical Lineage: Acid Arrow
Wayang Spell Hunter; Acid Arrow
Extend Spell
Spontaneous Metafocus: Acid Arrow
Empower SpellOrc favored class bonus.
At 4th level, he's throwing Extended Acid Arrow out for 4 rounds of duration doing 2d4+2 (Acid) or 2d4+4 (Fire).
At 5th level, he's throwing Empowered Acid Arrow out for 2 rounds of duration doing (2d4+2)*1.5 (Acid) or (2d4+4)*1.5 (Fire)
At 6th level, he's throwing Extended, Empowered Acid Arrow out for 6 rounds of duration doing (2d4+2)*1.5 (Acid) or (2d4+5)*1.5 (Fire). With the Acid option, he's doing about 63 points of single target damage that goes out to range umpteen-jillion and ignores SR (and won't bother anything with Resist Acid 10). With the Fire option, he's doing about 90 points of damage, and even with resist fire 10 being fairly common, he'll do some damage from that as a signature spell.
At 9th level, it takes 8 rounds to...
I've done something like this in a home game of dragon's demand with a wordcaster...using the rod of maximize and extend meta word to do 20 points of acid damage per round over 4 rounds...get 3 of these going, made casting spells hard for the BBG...
Unless a named bonus, such as a trait bonus, they stack.
This, but with the notable exceptions of dodge and circumstance bonuses always stacking (unless they come from the same or essentially the same source).
But that's the general rule that will help tell you what will stack. If they have the same type (name) of bonus, they don't stack, except for dodge, circumstance, and unnamed bonus (ie "a +4 bonus").
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Racial bonuses also stack.
Many people forget those.
Well crap. So they do. Ok...dodge, circumstance, racial, and unnamed. This list used to be easier to remember.