Justin, You are right, but....
This spell increases your base land speed by 30 feet. This adjustment is treated as an enhancement bonus. There is no effect on other modes of movement, such as burrow, climb, fly, or swim. As with any effect that increases your speed, this spell affects your jumping distance (see the Acrobatics skill).
I know you all want haste, but if I cast it now, we end up with the same problem as with the Blessing of Fervor, Justing and Dren will not be effected due to all having to be in a 30' area. I will, but only if I move forward.
Of course, both of them are still moving at normal speed due to making their save -- so they don't need to have the slow countered.
I'm not second-quessing your tactics (in fact, I strongly approve of the idea of keeping them stuck in the silence and then afflicting them with persistent damage and watching them slowly get eaten) -- however, as a martial character built for two-weapon fighting, losing access to full round actions (and thus, the full attack) does a mite to murder my utility -- and so I can't say that a dispel magic or haste (to counter the slow) would make me sad.
I am hoping to cast the haste next round. I understand Kilthan's problem. At the same time, right now I do not think that he can even reach the bad guys unless he has a ranged weapon. Not sure if Rohara or someone else has Dispel Magic, but it is not a spell I have memorized.
If people delay until after Justin climbs more and I cast Haste, then you will all get the effect of Haste in Round 3.
I remember lobbying for Dryn to get the dispelling magic bomb!!
Targeted Dispel: One object, creature, or spell is the target of the dispel magic spell. You make one dispel check (1d20 + your caster level) and compare that to the spell with highest caster level (DC = 11 + the spell's caster level).
Targeted Dispel: One object, creature, or spell is the target of the dispel magic spell. You make one dispel check (1d20 + your caster level) and compare that to the spell with highest caster level (DC = 11 + the spell's caster level).
That is what I was going to say... We can skip the haste for now as it would duplicate the blessing of fervor.
Actually, haste is better in a lot of ways just for attacking. However, the effects do overlap. So, you could get the +2 attack/AC/reflex from the Blessing, and the bonus movement and extra attack from Haste. Blessing will also allow you to stand up and cast spells with certain metamagic feats. For instance, last round you could have used the blessing to cast Lead Blades extended.
I actually cannot cast Haste extended as the Blessing only works up to 2nd level spells, for some reason I had third level in my head. Haste still will last 7 rounds.
I am just hoping that this is about the end of this fighting as I am starting to run low on spells. I still have my hexes though.
With all the buffs and debuffs our three spellcasters have we make a formidable tactical force.
Sorry if I was pushy with the haste before, I was just frustrated because so much of what Skorhald does involves economy of movement with swift, move and standard actions all playing key rolls. Hopefully Justin we be able to engage before Skorhald gets worked over too much... the combat will surely be over well before seven rounds.
It was my intent to extend the lead blades since no other bonus would have helped last round. (and 6 minutes is better than 4)
Yeh, I had hoped to keep them tied up in the black tentacles, but forgot to roll last round and GM Blood just missed their DC. Hopefully my wasps will bother them. I will probably start hexes next round although I might enlarge Kilthan to really make that waxaxe of his pack a punch.
The amount of spells and special abilities going on right now make my head hurt! :)
It does appear like bladethirst is a performace so it would replace inspire? Or have I read that wrong?
I think between this game and my other AoW game that I need to have a spot for active spells in my round to round updates.
Not sure quite how to do it yet, but it can get tough keeping track of everything and will only get worse as the levels progress.
Relevant passage for both feats:
Any opponents hit by your shield bash are also hit with a free bull rush attack, substituting your attack roll for the combat maneuver check. This bull rush does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Opponents who cannot move back are knocked prone after moving the maximum possible distance. You may choose to move with your target if you are able to take a 5-foot step or to spend an action to move this turn.
If your attack is successful, your target is pushed back 5 feet. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent's CMD you can push the target back an additional 5 feet. You can move with the target if you wish but you must have the available movement to do so. If your attack fails, your movement ends in front of the target.
If there is another creature in the way of your bull rush, you must immediately make a combat maneuver check to bull rush that creature. You take a –4 penalty on this check for each creature being pushed beyond the first. If you are successful, you can continue to push the creatures a distance equal to the lesser result. For example, if a fighter bull rushes a goblin for a total of 15 feet, but there is another goblin 5 feet behind the first, he must make another combat maneuver check against the second goblin after having pushed the first 5 feet. If his check reveals that he can push the second goblin a total of 20 feet, he can continue to push both goblins another 10 feet (since the first goblin will have moved a total of 15 feet).
So as I see it working is this way: (I am open to discussion about it)
You roll a shield slam and we use the result as your CMB roll for the first creature and any other creature behind it. .
For example your result of 34. That knocks back Dryn "D" into Pollard. Dryn "D"'s CMD is 19 so without anything behind her she would be knocked back 20' (5' + 15' more being 15 over). However after 5' she runs into Pollard. Pollard's CMD is 28. So as the second creature the CMB check will be 30, meaning Pollard is knocked back 5'. So Dryn'taka travels 10' and Pollard 5'. Now if they were reversed, the 34 will be on Pollard which he would travel 10' and then Dryn'taka would move back 15' with the 30 result (5' +10')
Now for a corner case and how I would rule, say in the first example, Pollard was against the wall. When he goes back 5', he goes prone. If he goes prone I am ok ruling that he does not stop Dryn "D"'s movement (you can stop in a prone character's square). However she also slams into the wall and will also drop prone. (Which I think is allowed in the rules)
Also I am ok with Improved/Greater bonuses being added to your attack roll, the dwarf racial trait or anything else that can be added to bull rush on a shield slam.
Hope all that made sense.....
Also in terms of a crit on a shield slam, if your confirmation roll is higher then your crit roll (through feats or whatever) then you can take that as your CMB roll.
Ok, that I get. My question (eaten by the forum, sadly), was what happens if I don't beat Pollard's CMD.
From what I can see, and please correct me if I'm wrong, this occurs:
[Say the roll is 22]
Step 1: Dryn goes back 5' into Pollard.
Step 2: The roll isn't enough to move Pollard.
Step 3: Dryn's in an illegal square, and by default, moves back into her last legal one.
Net effect, "in story" terms -- she goes back, Pollard pushes her back into combat. No fall, no ill effects, life goes on.
However, had Kilthan not taken his 5' step before attacking, the rules for Shield Slam let him take it upon success. So, in that case, we'd have this situation (again, my understanding);
Step 1: Dryn goes back 5' into Pollard.
Step 2: Kilthan moves at the same time, taking her square.
Step 3: Roll isn't enough to move Pollard.
Step 4: Dryn's in an illegal square - but can't go back. The rule in this case is "nearest valid" to the original, so she ends in AM13 (1 north of her original position) -- since south is blocked by the wall and the diagonal north-east is technically farther.
And just to make life even miserable, let's pretend the Fuzzsaw was attacking Dryn from AM13 when Kilthan slams.
Step 1: Dryn goes back 5' into Pollard.
Step 2: Kilthan moves at the same time, taking her square.
Step 3: Roll isn't enough to move Pollard.
Step 4: Dryn's in an illegal square - but can't go back. She also can't go to AM13 because of Jagdbach, so she goes to AM14 - the nearest valid -- which pushes her back into the swarm.
I'm asking all this not because I disagree with the non-prone ruling (it does clearly say wall or other surface) -- but so I have it all straight in my head and can turn into a mean bully who pushes all your favouritest villains off cliffs, into pits and back into Aara's spells. :)
The amount of spells and special abilities going on right now make my head hurt! :)
It does appear like bladethirst is a performace so it would replace inspire? Or have I read that wrong?
Crap, I hadn't read lingering performance right. I would not bladethirst in this case then, as I would prefer the inspire confidence - unless it is too late to retcon.
You can retcon Skorhald, not a problem, I can see the intent
Ok, we have a work emergency, but it is me scrambling then long bouts of waiting so I have had a chance to think about some of this during the chaos....
[Say the roll is 22]
Step 1: Dryn goes back 5' into Pollard.
Step 2: The roll isn't enough to move Pollard.
Step 3: Dryn's in an illegal square
Let's say in cases like this the BR'd person (Dryn) goes prone.
[Say the roll is 34]
Step 1: Dryn goes back 5' into Pollard and can potentially still move another 15'
Step 2: The roll is enough to move Pollard 5', Dryn' continues to move with Pollard another 5' for 10' total but could potentially move another 10'
Ok, in this set up this is what I think should happen, see if you think this is ok, because I may one day use it against you :)
Scenario #1a - Pollard is an ally, Dryn moves through his square another 10'
Scenario #1b - Pollard is an ally and chooses to stop Dryn's movement (Say to stop from falling off a cliff) past him and she falls prone in his square.
Scenario #2 - Pollard is not an ally so she cannot move past so she automatically falls prone and cannot move past.
I have dm'd characters with these feats before. My ruling was that there is no discerning between friend and foe in these circumstances, both realistically (it is out-of-control movement) and for simplicity. Thus if you don't move the second person as far as the first, the first person is knocked prone in the square before the final square that the second person ceases moving.
Pretty much how I read it. I would view anything, person, statue, wall, table, etc. as an object for these purposes. If it cannot be bull rush moved, then the target falls prone one square before the unmoving object.
Fair enough, that's how we'll do it. Anyone goes prone when ending in an occupied square
Ok, cool. That works for me too. Was just, as I said, trying to figure it out. :) On the plus side, from what I did find on the boards, the +2 from Improved and Greater will boost the slams -- but I'm assuming that I don't get the size bonus for being enlarged, sadly.
Well, as an engineer and math guy I tend to look at things that Pathfinder doesn't like to happen.
Pathfinder doesn't like two medium or larger creatures in one square, and allowing an exact one square push back to either put two people in one square or gain a bonus of pushing both figures one square does not make sense. Especially if the second figure is a friendly huge red dragon that 'lets' you pass through him or finds himself moved back.
So that ruling seems fair and making shields do cool things seems to be fine with me giving the lack of love for them.
I want to play a shield guy sometime. Should have done that on your mummy game
Technically, per shield slam, I couldn't push the dragon anyway -- I can only go up 1 size. ;)
I've never done a shield-build before this one -- I thought it would be cool (though, to be fair, I'm also doing it in the Mummy game, but that's just because of the desire to get into Vindicator -- which is probably the shieldiest shield class ever. ;) )
I did one once that used a flail as well and went up the trip tree. Between the bullrushes and trips (eventually provoking AoO's) he had people prone constantly. He was feat starved in other areas though.
Been working most of the weekend dealing with an emergency that happened on Friday. Will try and get an update in tonight if I can.
No problem.
I realized last round I was 15 feet away. I could have cast litany of rightheousness as a swift, stepped five feet with lunge and full attacked for mondo damage. Hopefully that mistake doesn't cost us.
I forgot all about lunge there :-(
Just re-calculated Skorhald's damage and I was going two points too little per hit on power attack. New Character Problems.
So back now! There's, um, a large number of posts for me to keep up on here, lol. Like an intimidating number of posts. I'm going through them to see what's happened and I'll try to get a post in tonight.
Just as a side note, I may still yet have spotty posting until the end of this month. If I lag behind please bot me.
Just in time for the (almost) end of the fight!
Now that the fight is officially over....welcome to level 8!
Wohoo
Nice!
(woohoo!)
Big level for Skorhald as he gets an iterative attack and rounds his Charisma up to 16. Also, learns a new third level spell. It will be hard to beat out Good Hope and Haste as the most used so I'm thinking of a situational spell that can have a big impact, but doesn't need to be used all the time to be valuable.
I'm deciding between:
Major Image - Pro: Can be extremely useful in limited situations, really open to the imagination and GM Blood's tolerance. Con: DC will only be 16 once the image is interacted with, requires concentration to be truly effective and Skorhald likes his action.
Dispel Magic - Pro: Potentially a game saver in the right situation and bards get full caster level compared to wizards and such so it is fairly effective. Con: Our cleric already takes it.
Thundering Drums: Pro: A surprisingly effective nuke for bards 5d8 + knock prone. Also fits Skorhald's personality very well. Cons: DC will only be 16 and small cone can be a tough area of effect to get in place. Also Skorhald does well swinging weapon to have damage impact in combat.
Invisibility Sphere: Pro: Everyone invisible can be very, very useful. Con: Staying within 10' can be a pain. Already spent a spell on Vanish.
Any thoughts?
1=Dispel magic - what happens if our cleric is dominated? Can nullify much higher spells.
2=invisibility sphere - cast out of combat so great action economy
<-- nice
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My Evil Eye Hex goes to -4 now, much nicer.
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Skorhald - I would go with Invisibility Sphere or Dispel Magic. While Rohara can memorize it, she only gets one. You can cast it multiple times. It is really a toss up, you only have a few spells each day. I can easily memorize 2 Hastes, my spells are important, but really I can always use hexes and once you all are hasted, debuffing with hexes is one of my real strengths.
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Any thoughts on spells for me?
Ice Storm - damage, but we already have big hitters in the party
Enervation - fun spell, but necromantic and sort of evil
Charm Monster - always good to make friends
Confusion - because a Dwelf is not too confused already
Fleshworm Infestation - great against dragons and other low dex monsters
Phantasmal Killer - old classic
Solid Fog - battlefield control
Web Cloud - another battlefield control, very similar to web
Volcanic Storm - fire damage
Neutralize Poison - probably covered by Rohara
Vermin Shape II - because it is fun to be a really big bug
Any other though?
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Finally, Hexes -- I have a pile, the good ones left seem to be:
Swamp Grasp - makes terrain difficult (good non-spell debuffer)
Aura of Purity - negates gasses and poisons in a 10' radius, could be very useful albeit situational
Prehensile Hair - ok 10' reach attack, but probably not my strength
Beast of Ill Omen - cast bane on enemies, but EE hex seems much more useful
Water Lung - situational, but would let us all swim underwater which we have run into more than a few times in this campaign
Personally, Swamp Grasp, Aura of Purity or Water Lung seem most useful
Speaking as a player and not as the GM of this game, one can never have too many dispel magic spells
Aara -- first of all, yes, the -4 on evil eye is *huge*. I'm also fond of Fortune/Misfortune now lasting an extra round even before cackling. :)
In terms of useful spells, Enervation is crazy-powerful and allows no save. I'm a big fan -- though it's much more useful against a BBEG than a pack of mooks.
In terms of hexes, I'm thinking the instant quagmire of Swamp Grasp is very useful -- though I do get why Water Lung would look appealing in this environment -- but one question -- would your Aura of Purity kill the worms we've been encountering (which I believe are affected as dieases) -- if so, that would be my recommendation.
Yeh, strange on the Aura of Purity. It destroys disease/poison for a number of minutes equal to my level (8), but can be used in 1 minute increments. However, there does not seem to be any restriction on how often I can use it.
Does this mean that I could use it once for 8 minutes? And then have to restart it? Do I only get 8 minutes total per day? Each time I use it, I can decide to have it work for 1-8 minutes? Kinda strange.
If this will destroy the worms, then that is immensely beneficial - although this will just make the Dwelf a bigger target for the bad guys.
Trying to figure out my new adaptations... I need one from the Aberration list and one from the undead list.
At the moment, I'm thinking I'll just totally show my envy of the paladin and take Amphibious from Aberration (gaining the aquatic subtype and being able to breathe water and never need to make a swim check seems useful).
From Undead, I'm torn between:
* Darkvision 60' (useful for scouting)
* Skill Focus (Stealth) (ditto)
Technically, I could also get Great Foritude or Iron Will from undead -- but by the time I know that I need either of those, I'll probably already have a different adaptation up and running. (Sadly, as many adaptations as I learn, I only get 1 at a time)
Wasn't that long ago that I was the dwelf around here. ;)
With the bump to Cha, Skorhald will now have three thirds per day between haste, good hope and dispel magic/invis sphere (definitely leading the charge).
I have found prehensile hair is also good for climb (and other str based skills), wands, and touch attack spells at 10'.
No opinion on the worms because I haven't encountered them yet in my slow attempt to catch up on the game.
Bumped Wis. Get 2 L2s now.
Also: Woo-hoo! Hit die for Jagdbach, and a feat!
Sadly, most of the good feats for Jadgbach (Eldritch Claw, Rending Claw, etc.) aren't available until +6 BAB -- so I think he may be stuck with something simple like Weapon Focus or Improved Natural Attack.
Ok, I think I'm done.
Kilthan put FC into skills, so 9 points: (Climb, Craft (Armour), Heal, Know (Dungeoneering), Know (Nature), Perception, Spellcraft, Stealth, Survival)
Increased Wis (to 14).
Per the roll, +12 hp (9+3).
+1 BAB, +1 Fort, +1 Ref. (+1 Will for Wis increase).
Gained: Swift Tracking, Adaptation (Amphibious) and (Darkvision)
I didn't realize how... unimpressive... the list of Ranger 2 really was.. Took Animal Aspect (x2) -- they don't stack, but it's versatile.
Jadgbach gained a hit die. Single Skill Point -> Perception. Per the roll, +11 hp (8+3). Feat -> Improved Natural (Claw).
I'm still debating rebalancing the skill points to get Kilthan toward Horizon Walker next level... But at the same time, I don't want Jagdbach to fall behind, so I can't go too far into a PrC that doesn't boost the companion.
Hey all... Busy, busy with the leveling up.
With Rohara, it is likely going to be another level of Cleric. I am toying with the idea of multi-classing to Inquisitor though. After all, we are facing some weird monsters.
Either way it is a d8 for Hit Points
I am thinking of +1 to Con (bringing it up to a 14, so +1 to HP for 8 levels.)
If I stayed with Cleric she will have an increase in
BAB +5 ==> +6/+1
Fort +4 ==> +5
Will +4 ==> +5
Spells:
3rd level 2+1 ==> 3+1
4th level 1+1 ==> 2+1
Skills: (6 points)
Diplomacy
Knowledge (local)
Knowledge (religion)
Linguistics
Sense Motive
Spellcraft
Other then reducing your spellcasting, what real benefits do you see with Inquisitor? Yeh, if you take 3 levels you get the solo tactics which is nice, but overall I do not really see the advantage. Are there any PrC classes that would work for you?
Inner Sea Gods brought some new prestige classes in as well. I personally haven't looked into them too much yet, but figured I'd mention it.