hate to ask but:
everburning torch
Price 110 gp; Weight 1 lb.
This otherwise normal torch has a continual flame spell cast on it. This causes it to shed light like an ordinary torch, but it does not emit heat or deal fire damage if used as a weapon.
That reads to me that a normal torch would deal fire damage?
torch
Price 1 cp; Weight 1 lb.
A torch burns for 1 hour, shedding normal light in a 20-foot radius and increasing the light level by one step for an additional 20 feet beyond that area (darkness becomes dim light and dim light becomes normal light). A torch does not increase the light level in normal light or bright light. If a torch is used in combat, treat it as a one-handed improvised weapon that deals bludgeoning damage equal to that of a gauntlet of its size, plus 1 point of fire damage.
Kinda spells out that it does, but only 1 point of fire damage and 1d2/1d3 bludgeoning.
Swarms are immune to weapon damage if the are tiny or diminutive creatures, but that 1 point of fire damage isn't weapon damage (b/s/p) also effects like Flaming, Acid, etc should work as they aren't weapon damage (b/s/p) either just my 2cp.
Hi guys. Just want to let you know I'm leaving for a family vacation in Italy tomorrow, and won't be back until July 20th. Please GMPC as needed.
torch
Price 1 cp; Weight 1 lb.
A torch burns for 1 hour, shedding normal light in a 20-foot radius and increasing the light level by one step for an additional 20 feet beyond that area (darkness becomes dim light and dim light becomes normal light). A torch does not increase the light level in normal light or bright light. If a torch is used in combat, treat it as a one-handed improvised weapon that deals bludgeoning damage equal to that of a gauntlet of its size, plus 1 point of fire damage.
Kinda spells out that it does, but only 1 point of fire damage and 1d2/1d3 bludgeoning.
Swarms are immune to weapon damage if the are tiny or diminutive creatures, but that 1 point of fire damage isn't weapon damage (b/s/p) also effects like Flaming, Acid, etc should work as they aren't weapon damage (b/s/p) either just my 2cp.
Yes, a torch can be used as an improvised weapon that does 1 point of fire damage per successful attack. The trick is that swarms whose component creatures are smaller than Small are immune to weapon damage, so you can't successfully hit so you can't do the 1 point of fire damage. Similarly a flaming sword does 1d6 fire damage on a successful hit. That means you have to use it as a weapon before the energy damage engages, and swarms are immune to weapon damage, so....
It's definitely a gray area, which is why 3e explicitly included the special vulnerabilities, exempting torches and energy weapons from the "things swarms are immune to" list. Paizo purposefully removed that section from its swarm wording. It was reported as "Did you leave this out by accident?" in 2009, and they have neglected to errata it in the last 5 years. Therefore, we must presume that swarms are no longer vulnerable to energy damage from torches and weapons.
It's really a terribly written mechanic. As written, you don't even do full damage with alchemist's fire, as swarms can't be a "target" so all they take is 150% of the splash damage, which rounds down to 1. It's not that swarms are a bad thing; it's that they're so badly written in Pathfinder that either you houserule how they work or they're unbeatable without multiple area of effect spells.
Is there any reason to rush through this?
My meta-understanding is that we are on something of a timer. In-game, when a group has finished one tomb, they can be assigned another one, so the longer we take, the more tombs the other groups raid while we're still on this one, I guess. (IRL, the other groups ought to be dealing with their own healing problems, but the way Paizo handles rival groups, they're undoubtedly set up to be one step ahead of us the whole way to provide the required 'tension.')
The real problem is that Aerathiel hasn't cast a single one of his spells yet and is still fully loaded for adventuring. And thanks to the strain rules, the combat PCs, who might otherwise be walking wounded by this time, are similarly at full hp. Makes it hard for Pherenike to be in favor of retreat after a mere four hours to sit around the inn for the next twenty.
If I might suggest, learn stabilize tomorrow. It's the cleric's emergency option when she's out of spells and channels: If someone goes down, she can at least prevent them from dying until her resources are renewed.
I'm iffy on the strain/injury variant at this point. It lowers the stakes of combat, imo, and makes traps deadlier than monsters. And it hasn't done what ought to have been its job of lengthening the 15-minute adventuring day by stretching healing resources.
I was a bit surprised that the swarm damage was automatically injury as well. Seeing as how all other monster hits have been strain.
Was that because it was begat of a trap?
Yup. Because otherwise, a trap that doesn't kill you outright has no real effect, unless you set it off while fighting monsters. Because the damage goes away right after you sustain it: a byproduct of strain/injury rules.
If an enemy summons a swarm, it does strain damage, but if a trap summons a swarm, it does injury damage. :P
EDIT: Put it this way: if the swarm did strain damage, you guys stand there and get gnawed on for 2 rounds, the swarm vanishes, you heal up like trolls, and we all have a hearty laugh: "Ha, ha! Well, that was freaky. Wonder what the next one does."
PF traps mostly serve as resource drains, since very few have the potential to kill a PC. If they don't drain resources, there's literally no point to their inclusion.
Between the strain/injury rule and thinking that we are supposed to cover as much of the tomb as possible before resting, I did not think to use something other than the cantrip so as to reserve resources for when they would be truly needed. And at least so far, it did not seem like such a thing was needed between the combat PCs' effectiveness and the type of enemies involved.
Which is sound tactics.
Worth noting that without the strain/injury rules, we'd definitely be retreating after three hours. Which is another reason I'm not fond of dungeons at low levels: too many encounters right on top of another. It's hard to feel heroic when you spend two hours doing your job and the next twenty-two licking your wounds. You undoubtedly use up the same amount of resources in an overland adventure, but it takes up more in-game time so you feel like you've gotten somewhere before you have to stop and refill your cleric.
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Therefore, we must presume that swarms are no longer vulnerable to energy damage from torches and weapons.
I actually just presume that Paizo are really not especially fussed by errata and FAQ's, unless they are hitting a non full caster class with a nerfstick it tends to sit on the backburner for many years.
As for spells; Ahkenaten has all of his too. And stopping to rest the moment a full caster is out of spells (at midday) is a really poor precedent to me, for both IC and OOC reasons. Strain damage lets our non-casters shine; lets embrace the system and give them their moment in the sun.
I actually just presume that Paizo are really not especially fussed by errata and FAQ's, unless they are hitting a non full caster class with a nerfstick it tends to sit on the backburner for many years.
Removing a way for PCs without spells to make some small contribution to an encounter doesn't count as nerfing non-full-casters to you? ;P
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They aren't fussed by such small fry.
Have to focus on nerfing those monks, rogues, crane-wing using fighters and most importantly... Halfling's attempting to be viable ranged fighters by using their martial weapons in an effective manner.
Heaven forbid we ever touch the pretty Elf's longbow though.
...the pretty Elf's...
Hey!
Well, unless the trap we just triggered automatically resets....
The first one did, as I recall. :P
Well, unless the trap we just triggered automatically resets....The first one did, as I recall. :P
Good thing the repellant lasts for hours, then. Myron will suffer a few bites to be of use to the group.
...stopping to rest the moment a full caster is out of spells (at midday) is a really poor precedent to me, for both IC and OOC reasons. Strain damage lets our non-casters shine; lets embrace the system and give them their moment in the sun.
Fully agree with this. After all, the melee guys have the most to risk pushing forward without backup healing. No guts, no glory!*
This statement does not automatically apply to a certain Kingmaker game already in progress.
two vials of silversheen - ?
a masterwork longbow + 10 cold iron arrows = Mus'ad
a gold scarab clasp - Party loot
an onyx and silver holy symbol of Pharasma - Party loot
a silver hand mirror - Party loot
a wax-sealed clay urn of nard - Party loot
Myron will grab one of the vials of silversheen.
I don't think a little bit of caution at 1st level is setting a precedent :)
Sounds good though, lets move on and try to get to the next tomb.
I suppose Pherenike should take the second silversheen. I don't think she's too much for jewelry; too practical.
Shouldn't Kheled want the fancy holy symbol, being a Pharasmite? Maybe he'll channel more than 2 with it. ;)
I'll get all old school and suggest we could use the hand mirror for peeking around corners.
Sorry no update today as it is my(our) wedding anniversary. :)
Congratulations! Mine is next Saturday. :)
Thanks Joana! Best wishes to you and yours as well! :)
Aye - congrats to the four of you!
I am going to be away from my computer until about Sunday or Monday. I will probably have internet access and will strive to post, but if I seem to be taking too long, please bot Aerathiel as necessary.
I suppose Pherenike should take the second silversheen. I don't think she's too much for jewelry; too practical.
Shouldn't Kheled want the fancy holy symbol, being a Pharasmite? Maybe he'll channel more than 2 with it. ;)
I'll get all old school and suggest we could use the hand mirror for peeking around corners.
Kheled is a believer but since he doesn't derive his power directly from prayer he holds little value in holy shiny things :]
Happy Anniversary, Chad and Mrs. oKOyA. :-D
Thanks all!
Aerathiel can't miss and Myron can't be missed. lol
And I promise Joana, the rest of the delves in this installment aren't as cramped as this one.
Keep in mind that we have 2 more characters than the AP is designed for... and most 1st level party's are thankful for bottlenecks. ;)
I am gone camping from Sunday to Friday. Game will resume then.
Technically, cover provides a bonus to AC rather than a penalty to hit. Works out the same, though (as long as the DM isn't also adjusting the AC when the player's already penalized his roll). ;)
Joana is correct, and I do watch to see if you apply the penalty to your roll to make sure it isn't applied twice. :)
Can Aerathiel and Kheled frankly, get out of prime real estate space. If you made some room Mus'ad could strike, 5 foot back and allow Pherenike to move in and add another strike.
That, or we fall back and maybe score us a nice flanking bonus to boot?
It would be a pretty unusual snake to chase us, as it probably sees us as a threat to be warned away from its home rather than dinner. If it doesn't chase Mus'ad, Pherenike will move into the room to find it at the top of the round. Hopefully, if it's unintelligent enough not to pursue, it's also unintelligent enough to ready its own action in case we come back. ;)
It can chill in the room playing "Dodge the Infinite Acid Splash Cantrip" if it likes :)
Sounds good to me. ;-)
I think some of you may have missed that this is a snake construct. :)
You mean it's an ophidian 'idea or theory containing various conceptual elements, typically one considered to be subjective and not based on empirical evidence'
lol
In my defense, this is the first time Pherenike's actually seen the thing ... but Myron did mention it, two weeks ago in real time.
That is true.
Since you are both 'here', can I ask your advice? Would you impose a penalty to stealth if the character was nauseated? If so, how much?
Joana - I know, just managing to ask the question IC rather than OOC, no snark intended.
DM oKOyA - they already are penalized due to being limited to a single move action a round. I'd personally just stick to that.
Realistically, one should. From a mechanical perspective, nauseated already sucks so much I feel a little bad about layering any other penalties not blatantly specified on top of it.
Nauseated: Creatures with the nauseated condition experience stomach distress. Nauseated creatures are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move actions per turn.
I think you could make a fair case that being stealthy 'requires attention' in placing your feet and moving carefully and just rule it out altogether from the condition's description. If it's difficult enough that it slows your speed by half, it must require attention.
Thanks both.
I agree with both views, hence why I asked. :)
I am leaning towards Joana at this point. The PC in question is invisible and trying to sneak past a guardian creature to steal something and has been nauseated by something in the area. The plucky guy is trying to go forward with his mission (which is likely to end with his grisly death) so ruling this way may save his life. :)
He is still invisible so he has some measure of protection and stealth by default I guess. Curious to see what he decides to do.
Well, heck, if he's invisible, he's automatically at 15 Stealth while moving at full speed. (Because, you know, being invisible makes you harder to hear, but mechanics, whatever.)
Does sound risky, though, to get caught with only a single move action per round if anything goes wrong. Not a lot of Plan B there.
Makes me want to pull out the beta rule book. I liked the direction they were going with perception and the various senses.
(And he turned back.)