Hey there, so I've got a level 11 PFS character who functions primarily on Ex abilities and feats. She's got wings to fly, 7 natural attacks, and grab and constrict. In an Antimagic Field, she'd lose one (maybe two) of these attacks, but otherwise remain fully functional. She'd be a caster boss's nightmare if only I could cast Antimagic Field on her. Sadly, neither of my two caster dips have this on their spell list, and hitting two DC 31 UMD checks (one to cast, one to imitate having a high enough casting stat) isn't possible for her. I'd love to turn her into an antimagic rocket of death.
I'm curious if there are any easier PFS legal ways to get this spell cast on her? It has a range of personal, which is what makes it tricky. The best I've been able to come up with is to have a wizard cast it onto his familiar and have the familiar stay on me.
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So, just to set the parameters for my own information:
Antimagic Field: cleric 8, sorcerer/wizard 6
So, scrolls in PFS would be 11th level caster.
You would need a 16 Int or a 16 Cha or an 18 Wis.
UMD 31 to activate
To cast a spell from a scroll, you need a high score in the appropriate ability (Intelligence for wizard spells, Wisdom for divine spells, or Charisma for sorcerer or bard spells). Your effective ability score (appropriate to the class you're emulating when you try to cast the spell from the scroll) is your Use Magic Device check result minus 15. If you already have a high enough score in the appropriate ability, you don't need to make this check.
So 31, if you have neither Int nor Cha of 16 or better already, nor an 18 Wis.
A Ring of Spell Storing, Major would cover this, since it can hold 10 levels of spells.
And you could even provide the scrolls to recharge it yourself.
Of course, the fact that this ring costs 200,000 gp might be a bit of an issue...
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Hey there, so I've got a level 11 PFS character who functions primarily on Ex abilities and feats. She's got wings to fly, 7 natural attacks, and grab and constrict. In an Antimagic Field, she'd lose one (maybe two) of these attacks, but otherwise remain fully functional. She'd be a caster boss's nightmare if only I could cast Antimagic Field on her. Sadly, neither of my two caster dips have this on their spell list, and hitting two DC 31 UMD checks (one to cast, one to imitate having a high enough casting stat) isn't possible for her. I'd love to turn her into an antimagic rocket of death.
I'm curious if there are any easier PFS legal ways to get this spell cast on her? It has a range of personal, which is what makes it tricky. The best I've been able to come up with is to have a wizard cast it onto his familiar and have the familiar stay on me.
Sorry, but can we get a built? It might helps to find areas to improve your character.
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I don't really need help on the build, but you're welcome to take a look. I don't have a digital statblock, but here's the basic gist. She's a Garuda-blooded Scion of Humanity Aasimar. Her levels are Shaman (Unsworn) 1/Witch (White Haired Witch) 2/Brawler 8. Unsworn Shaman is for the Nails hex, White Haired Witch is for the hair attack and constrict to qualify for Final Embrace. Her traits are Quain Martial Artist and Adopted for Tusked. She also wears a Helm of the Mammoth Lord.
Brawler 1
Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
Brawler 2
Bonus Feat (retrained at level 6 via Brawler class ability)
Shaman (Unsworn) 1 / Brawler 2
Weapon Focus (Claws)
Shaman (Unsworn) 1 / Brawler 4
Angelic Blood
Shaman (Unsworn) 1 / Brawler 5
Feral Combat Training (Claws), Martial Versatility (Feral Combat Training)
Shaman (Unsworn) 1 / Brawler 6
Angelic Flesh
Shaman (Unsworn) 1 / Witch (WHW) 2 / Brawler 6
Feat (Retrained at level 10 via Retraining rules)
Shaman (Unsworn) 1 / Witch (WHW) 2 / Brawler 7
Angel Wings
Shaman (Unsworn) 1 / Witch (WHW) 2 / Brawler 8
Metallic Wings, Final Embrace, Cursed ioun stone from a scenario for a free feat: Final Embrace Horror
So my natural attacks are: Claws (Ex), Hair (Su), Gore (Item), Bite (Trait), Wings (Feat), all of which do my unarmed damage thanks to Martial Versatility (Feral Combat Training), and also constrict. I would definitely lose the Hair in an antimagic field, but the Gore is up to GM discretion since, while it does stop being magical, it doesn't stop physically being tusks.
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Final Embrace Horror is an illegal feat, since it requires a Bestiary Feat to get it. The pre-requisite feat: Ability Focus (Constrict) isn't obtainable.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Bestiary
Animal Companions: ankylosaurus, aurochs, brachiosaurus, dire bat, dire rat, dolphin, elasmosaurus, electric eel, elephant/mastodon, frog, goblin dog, hyena, monitor lizard, moray eel, octopus, orca, pteranodon, rhinoceros, roc, squid, stegosaurus, triceratops, and tyrannosaurus; Familiars: all familiars listed on pages 131–133; Feats: none of the feats are legal for play for PCs, animal companions, or familiars unless specifically granted by another legal source. Other: all creatures in this book are legal for polymorph effects (including a druid's wild shape ability) within the boundaries of each spell or ability's parameters.
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Wand Key Ring from ACG costs 3K, works with scrolls as well as wands, and gives +10 insight bonus to UMD for one specific spell.
So with 11 ranks, +3 Class Skill, +10 insight, you are at a +24 constant before Charisma or any buffs. Heroism, Guidance/Inspire Competence, Luckstone, Eagle's Splendor, a few other things could get you there (also, allies with Glory, Good, Law, or Luck domains could help).As I understand it, AMF *should* have arcane spell failure from a scroll in PFS; although scrolls that appear on both lists are considered both arcane and divine for the sake of simplicity, the cleric version is too high-level to get in regular PFS, so it would seem to be unreasonably bending the spirit of the rules to say you have a divine version. But as you're a brawler, you probably don't have high spell failure.
I could not find a definite statement that you actually have to deal with arcane spell failure when using UMD. The NPC guide actually has a halfling fighter (in armor) who uses UMD with scrolls, so I am a bit confused. Other than that the wand key ring is a solid suggestion.
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I don't really need help on the build, but you're welcome to take a look. I don't have a digital statblock, but here's the basic gist. She's a Garuda-blooded Scion of Humanity Aasimar. Her levels are Shaman (Unsworn) 1/Witch (White Haired Witch) 2/Brawler 8. Unsworn Shaman is for the Nails hex, White Haired Witch is for the hair attack and constrict to qualify for Final Embrace. Her traits are Quain Martial Artist and Adopted for Tusked. She also wears a Helm of the Mammoth Lord.
** spoiler omitted **
So my natural attacks are: Claws (Ex), Hair (Su), Gore (Item), Bite (Trait), Wings (Feat), all of which do my unarmed damage thanks to Martial Versatility (Feral Combat Training), and also constrict. I would definitely lose the Hair in an antimagic field, but the Gore is up to GM discretion since, while it does stop being magical, it doesn't stop physically being tusks.
I really have to tip my head good sir, that build is quite impressive.
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Final Embrace Horror is an illegal feat, since it requires a Bestiary Feat to get it. The pre-requisite feat: Ability Focus (Constrict) isn't obtainable.
It either does or doesn't require a bestiary feat. In the "summary" or "short descriptions" or whatever you want to call it in UC, that feat is listed as a prereq. But if you go it's full description it's not listed as a prereq. Because the short descriptions are often misleading/wrong/missing pertinent information I'd have to say that the full text description is the official one and thus is a legal choice (since the full text does not have 'ability focus (constrict)' listed as a prereq.
That makes it even more legal for PFS because I can print out a watermarked page of the pdf that has that feat in it's entirety and show that it does not have ability focus as a prereq.
Overall that's an awesome build. Makes me wish I still had an aasimar to do the same with.
Your Weapon Focus feat is for claws, right?
@Aldizog: That damn well might work, thank you! It puts me at a +22 after Charisma, but a little help from my friends could certainly get me closer to the DC.
@WiseWolfOfYoitsu: What claudekennilol said.
@Sebastian Hirsch: Thanks! She took a lot of planning to coordinate, but she's great. Despite the mental dump, she's still pretty well-rounded with a +12 Diplomacy and a decent Will save thanks to the two caster dips.
@claudekennilol: Yes, and also for Unarmed Strikes because it then applies to all of my natural weapons. As I progress into Seeker levels, I'll take more Unarmed Strike feats to apply to all of my weapons, such as Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Specialization. I did consider seeing if I could select "Feral Combat Training (Unarmed Strike)" since, as a Brawler, my unarmed strikes count as a natural weapon and thus count for the feat, but I didn't want to test my GMs' patiences too far with this already admittedly silly build.
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@claudekennilol: Yes, and also for Unarmed Strikes because it then applies to all of my natural weapons. As I progress into Seeker levels, I'll take more Unarmed Strike feats to apply to all of my weapons, such as Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Specialization. I did consider seeing if I could select "Feral Combat Training (Unarmed Strike)" since, as a Brawler, my unarmed strikes count as a natural weapon and thus count for the feat, but I didn't want to test my GMs' patiences too far with this already admittedly silly build.
Oh I see now that you took it as your third level feat. I didn't notice that the first time around.
And that's probably a good call, Unarmed Strikes is listed in the fighter natural weapon group (as you well know) but isn't listed in the bestiary as a natural weapon needed for FCT (which I'm sure you also well know ;) )--which is even further solidified by that the weapon group lists "unarmed strikes" and "natural weapons" as two separate items in its group.
Here's a thought. The spell isn't on either of my spell lists, and I can't cast read magic. Does that mean I can activate the scroll blindly at DC 25?
I am highly considering retraining Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike) into Skill Focus (UMD). With 11 Ranks +3 Class Skill +2 Masterwork Tool +10 Wand Key Ring +6 Skill Focus I would have a +30 to UMD a Scroll of Antimagic Field, meaning I just have to not roll a 1 on either of two rolls.
However, I did find this tidbit in the Scrolls rules.
Using a scroll is like casting a spell for purposes of arcane spell failure chance.
So my Mithral Breastplate will mean I would still have a 15% chance to fail, and that failure would mean losing the spell.
Edit: Can a portfolio reroll be used on a spell failure roll?
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The guide says you "can reroll one d20". I don't think there are any rules about having to roll percentiles to figure out 15% and luckily 15% can be simulated on a d20 by not rolling a 1, 2, or 3. A quick search shows me that it doesn't say exactly what dice you have to roll so as long as you're rolling a percentage that's a multiple of five you can roll a d20 for it and thus get a reroll.
...sorry claudekennilol, no, you can't choose what dice are used when you roll d% in order to use a d20 reroll on it. No portfolio rerolls on spell failure chance.
I'm not an expert on UMD - but I would love to get an answer on the "Activate Blindly" question too. Any UMD experts know the answer to this?
Because UMD specifically says that the extra mishap stacks with a regular mishap, I would say that yes, you absolutely can try to use the scroll blindly and since you can't fail the skill check if you have at least +24 UMD, activating blindly guarantees success. It might not be RAI, but that's what the RAW says. Best part is that the part about not being able to try again on natural 1's says that it only applies if you roll a natural 1 and fail. If it hadn't called out the stacking with regular scroll mishaps, I would have ruled that scrolls couldn't be used blindly, but oh well. Technically, a character that was actually permanently blind could blindly activate scrolls with UMD in this way as it only says: "Some magic items are activated by special words, thoughts, or actions. You can activate such an item as if you were using the activation word, thought, or action, even when you're not and even if you don't know it. You do have to perform some equivalent activity in order to make the check. That is, you must speak, wave the item around, or otherwise attempt to get it to activate."
Awesome! So with a 31 DC and a +30, I can't even fail on a 1, that's good to know. I expect table variance on activating blindly, so probably best not to rely on a DC 25.
I want to keep my armor on for combat in an antimagic field since it's my main source of nonmagic AC. If I'm expecting a powerful caster boss I can absolutely precast it, but it would suck to waste a 1650gp scroll on an unepic fight. It's more of a "Oh, the caster boss is fully buffed, flying, and throwing high level spells at us? Not anymore!" dealie.
On a side note, here's a funny thought for when I'm not in an antimagic field. If I get the feats Combat Reflexes and Vicious Stomp and I am enlarged and flying 15ft above an enemy and give myself Lunge as a swift action, I can hit, grab, pull them to me, constrict, drop them so they fall prone, take an AoO, repeat.
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Final Embrace Horror is an illegal feat, since it requires a Bestiary Feat to get it. The pre-requisite feat: Ability Focus (Constrict) isn't obtainable.It either does or doesn't require a bestiary feat. In the "summary" or "short descriptions" or whatever you want to call it in UC, that feat is listed as a prereq. But if you go it's full description it's not listed as a prereq. Because the short descriptions are often misleading/wrong/missing pertinent information I'd have to say that the full text description is the official one and thus is a legal choice (since the full text does not have 'ability focus (constrict)' listed as a prereq.
That makes it even more legal for PFS because I can print out a watermarked page of the pdf that has that feat in it's entirety and show that it does not have ability focus as a prereq.
Overall that's an awesome build. Makes me wish I still had an aasimar to do the same with.
Your Weapon Focus feat is for claws, right?
I'm going to Copy/Paste directly from my Ultimate Combat PDF below:
Final Embrace Horror* Str 15; Ability Focus (constrict); Final Embrace;
base attack bonus +6
Creatures that take constriction damage from you
are also shaken
Final Embrace Horror (Combat)
Your constricting attack has become stronger and more
lethal.
Prerequisites: Str 15, Int 3; naga, serpentfolk, or creature
that has the constrict special attack; Ability Focus
(constrict); Final Embrace; base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: A creature that takes damage from your
constrict attack is also shaken until the start of your
next turn.
As you can see, I've bolded in both the table and description where it calls out the feat in question. I've looked into grappling builds pretty hevily for a PFS character of my own. Believe me, I wish it was legal...
Oh darn, looks like I missed it somehow. I didn't see it on Horror, but I knew it was on Master. Ability Focus (Constrict) is such a dumb prerequisite too, it literally does absolutely nothing even if you could take it. What a drag. I'll have to see if I can get the GM of that boon game to change it since it's an illegal option.
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Final Embrace Horror is an illegal feat, since it requires a Bestiary Feat to get it. The pre-requisite feat: Ability Focus (Constrict) isn't obtainable.It either does or doesn't require a bestiary feat. In the "summary" or "short descriptions" or whatever you want to call it in UC, that feat is listed as a prereq. But if you go it's full description it's not listed as a prereq. Because the short descriptions are often misleading/wrong/missing pertinent information I'd have to say that the full text description is the official one and thus is a legal choice (since the full text does not have 'ability focus (constrict)' listed as a prereq.
That makes it even more legal for PFS because I can print out a watermarked page of the pdf that has that feat in it's entirety and show that it does not have ability focus as a prereq.
Overall that's an awesome build. Makes me wish I still had an aasimar to do the same with.
Your Weapon Focus feat is for claws, right?
I'm going to Copy/Paste directly from my Ultimate Combat PDF below:
Final Embrace Horror* Str 15; Ability Focus (constrict); Final Embrace;
base attack bonus +6
Creatures that take constriction damage from you
are also shakenAs you can see, I've bolded in both the table and description where it calls out the feat in question. I've looked into grappling builds pretty hevily for a PFS character of my own. Believe me, I wish it was legal...Final Embrace Horror (Combat)
Your constricting attack has become stronger and more
lethal.
Prerequisites: Str 15, Int 3; naga, serpentfolk, or creature
that has the constrict special attack; Ability Focus
(constrict); Final Embrace; base attack bonus +6.
Benefit: A creature that takes damage from your
constrict attack is also shaken until the start of your
next turn.
FAQ says to disregard that feat prerequisite.
SUGAR HONEY ICED TEA CAO PHEN, YOU ARE MY HERO
Adopted for Tusked.
Do you mean the Half-Orc Racial Trait Toothy? If you did that isn't a valid option for the Adopted Trait as it only allows for Race Traits, not Racial Traits. If not I'm not sure from where you're getting tusks.
Adopted for Tusked.Do you mean the Half-Orc Racial Trait Toothy? If you did that isn't a valid option for the Adopted Trait as it only allows for Race Traits, not Racial Traits. If not I'm not sure from where you're getting tusks.
Orcs of Golarion, page 23. I don't mean the toothy racial trait, I mean the tusked race trait.
Orcs of Golarion, page 23. I don't mean the toothy racial trait, I mean the tusked race trait.Adopted for Tusked.Do you mean the Half-Orc Racial Trait Toothy? If you did that isn't a valid option for the Adopted Trait as it only allows for Race Traits, not Racial Traits. If not I'm not sure from where you're getting tusks.
Ah, Okay. The SRD doesn't cover orcs of Golarian.