Card Caster Clarification on Arcane Pool Focus


Rules Questions


"A card caster’s arcane pool can be used to augment only ranged weapons. At 5th level, a card caster can use his arcane pool to add the following weapon special abilities to ranged weapons: brilliant energy, distance, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, returning, seeking, shock, shocking burst, and speed. He can use his arcane pool to augment an entire harrow deck as if it were ammunition. All cards from a deck enhanced with a special ability, such as flaming, must share the same bonus. This ability modifies arcane pool."

So, does this mean that the entire deck must meet the prerequisite +1 or +2 for a single card to be imbued with one of the qualities?

Or does it mean that, once triggered, the ability imbues the entire 54 card deck with the same enhancement?

Thanks.

Silver Crusade RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

The answer to both of those questions is "yes". When you use this ability, you can imbue the entire deck of harrow cards as if they were a set of 54 pieces of ammunition. You need to first imbue them with a +1 before you can add flaming, shock, etc.

Note that the Deadly Dealer feat, which you get at level 1 in the archetype, allows you to enchant a deck of cards as if it were a weapon using the magic weapon creation system, so you have two options:

1. You have a normal, nonmagical harrow deck. You use your arcane pool to enhance it, you must add at least a +1 enhancement bonus, then you can add shock or something like that.

2. You've already enchanted your harrow cards to make them a set of +1 ammunition (for either 2,000gp or possibly 2,160gp [the cost of 54 pieces of ammunition], depending what your GM rules). You use your arcane pool to enhance it, which means you can add flaming, returning, shock, etc. without adding any addition enhancement bonus.


Thanks for the speedy reply.

This clears everything right up! :)


cartmanbeck wrote:
You've already enchanted your harrow cards to make them a set of +1 ammunition (for either 2,000gp or possibly 2,160gp [the cost of 54 pieces of ammunition], depending what your GM rules).

I think it's both costs. "enhance a deck of cards as though it were a ranged weapon with 54 pieces of ammunition" to me means ranged weapon + 54 pieces of ammunition. So 4160 gp.

Silver Crusade RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

graystone wrote:
cartmanbeck wrote:
You've already enchanted your harrow cards to make them a set of +1 ammunition (for either 2,000gp or possibly 2,160gp [the cost of 54 pieces of ammunition], depending what your GM rules).
I think it's both costs. "enhance a deck of cards as though it were a ranged weapon with 54 pieces of ammunition" to me means ranged weapon + 54 pieces of ammunition. So 4160 gp.

You normally don't have to enchant both your bow and your arrows, just one or the other, so why would you have to do it in this case?


cartmanbeck wrote:
graystone wrote:
cartmanbeck wrote:
You've already enchanted your harrow cards to make them a set of +1 ammunition (for either 2,000gp or possibly 2,160gp [the cost of 54 pieces of ammunition], depending what your GM rules).
I think it's both costs. "enhance a deck of cards as though it were a ranged weapon with 54 pieces of ammunition" to me means ranged weapon + 54 pieces of ammunition. So 4160 gp.
You normally don't have to enchant both your bow and your arrows, just one or the other, so why would you have to do it in this case?

Because that's what the feat says? "A spellcaster with this feat can enhance a deck of cards as though it were a ranged weapon with 54 pieces of ammunition." As though it were a ranged weapon with 54 pieces of ammunition. Not if a weapon 'or' ammo.

As to an explanation, I assume it's because Cartomancer Witch that doesn't destroy the cards on attacks. They get 54 returning throwing weapons out of a deck.

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