DM Blayde MacRonan's Of Aeons and Giants: The Continuing Adventures of Team Ruby (Private Campaign, Closed Recruitment)

Game Master Blayde MacRonan

Aiko stares up at Aodhàn, seemingly nonplussed by his words and unconcerned for her safety. This is not you, Aodhàn. This is the athil'ess, the hateful heart, speaking. We have sparred together in earnest, and in so doing, I know you. The hate within seeks to twist you, make you into something you are not. But that is only because you have forgotten what is most important. So I will remind you. Who drives us to the brink of madness, lashes us with whips and crowns us with victory when we survive the impossible? Who is it, that does all these things? Who honors those we love with the very life we live? Who sends monsters to kill us and at the same time sings we will never die? Who teaches us what is real and how to laugh at lies? Who decides why we live and what we die to defend? Who chains us and who holds the key that can set us free? Do you remember who that is? It is you. You have inside all the tools that you need, now FIGHT!

Though modified, I want to credit this quote. It's from the movie SuckerPunch. And while it got some pretty bad reviews, I rather enjoyed it. Enough in fact to own it on Blu-Ray just to get the director's cut.

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Thanksgiving!

I hope the holiday treated you right, whether you observe it or it was just Thursday where you live. >|-)

After talking with Tsadok's player, it would seem that I misunderstood the post that was made. He should still be bringing up the rear, not out in front of Nyym, the party scout. Therefore, I will be changing the map to take this into account after making this post.

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!

Merry Christmas everyone

Hoping you are enjoying a holiday full of food, family, and friends in a proportion to your liking!

Happy New Year everyone

Merry New Year everyone!

Given how the first of the year has proven to be busy for me at work, I won't be able to post the next action for the residue until early Friday morning.

It's all good. No worries. Hopefully things will start to settle back to normal now that the holidays are done. We aren't going anywhere lol.

For those who may be wondering, the combination attack performed by both Liesel-Marie and Nyym is setting the stage for a future benefit of Team Ruby. It is based off of the feat Interweave Composite Blast. I have included the benefits in the spoiler below.

It's an attempt to encourage cooperation between the players by reminding them that sometimes the sum of the whole is greater than the individual part.

For example: Nyym has combined his electric blast kinetic katana with Liesel-Marie's flame blade. Both have provided the form infusions for the blast. Since Liesel-Marie's is the base blast for this, she is providing the Constitution bonus (half since they're both energy) while Nyym provides the Dexterity bonus for the attack.

The tricky part was determining the damage for their effort, since each is using different damage dice. In the end, I took the 2d8 of Nyym's blast and broke it down to 2d6, which, when added to Liesel-Marie's, makes the total dice 4d6. Why reduce his? Nyym's blast is not quite as stable as her blast, given that it fluctuates based on how it is used. I theorized that Liesel-Marie's more stable blast would cancel that out at the cost of making his less powerful.

So, using his Dexterity modifier of +5 to attack and her Constitution of +1 (halved from +2 because they're energy blasts), Liesel-Marie hit a touch AC of 14 with a 4d6+1 thunder flash composite blast.

I forgot to roll and include the metal arachnid's initiative in the order. So I will do that here:

flying metal arachnid: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

So the initiative order is now as listed below:

Nyym: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Liesel-Marie: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Metal Arachnid: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Tsadok: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Cybernetic Monitor: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12; +4 due to swift exit of standby mode for a total of 16
Rocnork: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Kyt: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Aiko: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

I will update this when I respond to Liesel-Marie and Nyym's actions.

I'm waiting to see Liesel-Marie's action so I can incorporate it (along with Nyym's) into my own post, in case anyone is wondering.

Not wondering, just to busy to post. Sorry about that!

Although this feat falls outside my usual allowed 3PP (3rd Party Products, for the uninitiated), after looking it over, I've decided to approve it for use. It's not something that anyone will immediately be able to take advantage of (given the prerequisites need to achieve it), but it may prove quite useful in later portions of the campaign.

The feat in question comes from 4 Winds Fantasy Gaming, from their supplement "Strategists and Tacticians." Take a look and tell me what you think. I already know a couple of characters that will definitely benefit from it, but there might be others as well.

Ranged Flanking
Even at a distance, you can take advantage of a distracted opponent.

Prerequisite: Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, base attack bonus +10.

Benefit: When attacking with ranged or thrown weapons from a distance of up to 30 feet, if the nearest adjacent space to your target is unoccupied and the opposite space is occupied by a threatening ally, you are considered flanking. Both you and your ally gain all the benefits of flanking, including +2 flanking bonus on attacks, rogues can sneak attack, etc.

Normal: Only characters in melee are considered flanking.

I like it. I'm good for it being added if everyone else is in agreement. My vote will be to allow it.

I know Four Winds hasn't been in production for a while, but it wasn't (in my mind) due to the quality of their products. They had personal (IIRC, medical) concerns that forced them to sell the company to another indie company.

I really like the feat and would endorse its being an option for our ranged attackers.

Looks good to me as well. Be nice when we reach about 20th level, lol.

A new map has been added, replacing the previous one for the drow bunker. Trelgath has also been added to the party, taking the point as guide.

Liesel-Marie's level decisions have been made, I think, but I need to check them over and record them here. If we get in a tussle before that's done, I will just roll with her old stats +1 where the mechanics warrant it.

I didn't want you delaying on my account.

Liesel-Marie's level decisions have been made, I think, but I need to check them over and record them here. If we get in a tussle before that's done, I will just roll with her old stats +1 where the mechanics warrant it.

I didn't want you delaying on my account.

No problem. Jump in when you're ready.

Sorry about the OOC in the game thread.

So using Vital Strike, I think I understand your ruling - just add bonus damage to the hit as though it was a crit. If it is a crit, I would add that damage twice. (?)

The confusion with Agrimmosh continues. I wasn't sure if I could apply my Arcane Strike bonus damage to it because the hammer was already magical, just didn't provide an enhancement. You said I could count that bonus damage, so thought that the enhancement from attunement would apply. What I'm hearing is that I shouldn't attune Agrimmosh, at least not at this point. Is that accurate?

Sorry about the OOC in the game thread.

It's fine. It got my attention. :)

So using Vital Strike, I think I understand your ruling - just add bonus damage to the hit as though it was a crit. If it is a crit, I would add that damage twice. (?)

Essentially... yes. For Improved Vital Strike (a feat that can be gotten by her by 11th level), it would be like adding that damage three times, while for Greater Vital Strike (a feat that can be gotten by her by 17th level at the earliest) it would be like adding it four times. Just think what it would be like to be hit by giants with these feats....

The confusion with Agrimmosh continues. I wasn't sure if I could apply my Arcane Strike bonus damage to it because the hammer was already magical, just didn't provide an enhancement. You said I could count that bonus damage, so thought that the enhancement from attunement would apply.

The benefit description for Arcane Strike does seem to imply that, but bear in mind it affects all of your weapons for 1 round, and the 'treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction' line is there specifically for those weapons (such as Liesel-Marie's fists, falchion, shortbow, and throwing axe) that wouldn't be able to otherwise. Even though Agrimmosh is a magic weapon, it still benefits from the increased damage provided by Arcane Strike (as does her flame blade, which is treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction).

What I'm hearing is that I shouldn't attune Agrimmosh, at least not at this point. Is that accurate?

You can, but it honestly wouldn't benefit Liesel-Marie to do so at the moment. That +1/+1 weapon attunement would work very well with her greataxe and shortbow to give her an enchanted melee and ranged option that she didn't have before.

I've posted the updates to her character sheet. I'm not 100% on her skills - again. It looks like I was selling her Perception short based on what her old character sheet said. Hero Lab thinks she should have a +5; her old character sheet listed her at a +7.

Hey, I feel like I'm way overdue to say this. I know a lot of people that I share a virtual table with are involved in the healthcare industry.

This is to all the doctors, nurses, technicians, eldercare specialists, all of those folks that spend their lives caring for the health of their fellow man.

Thank you. You need to hear this more often, but in this time of world-wide crisis more than ever, I want to say thank you.

And please, please take care of yourselves.

Hey, I feel like I'm way overdue to say this. I know a lot of people that I share a virtual table with are involved in the healthcare industry.

This is to all the doctors, nurses, technicians, eldercare specialists, all of those folks that spend their lives caring for the health of their fellow man.

Thank you. You need to hear this more often, but in this time of world-wide crisis more than ever, I want to say thank you.

And please, please take care of yourselves.

I want to echo these sentiments as well.

Take care of yourselves and stay safe.

The items claimed by Tsadok are kerambits made with blades of mindglass.

For those that don't know, mindglass is a special material as strong as steel that also provides the bearer with protection against an opponent’s psychic abilities. When a creature wielding a melee weapon made of mindglass succeeds at a saving throw against a psychic or mind-affecting effect from a creature, the weapon stores some of that energy and holds it for a future attack. A mindglass weapon can store this energy for a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell, or half the creature’s CR if the effect wasn’t a spell or spell-like ability. If the weapon hits a creature while still holding this energy, it suffuses the target with a disruptive field for 1 round. On a critical hit, the disruptive field effect instead lasts for a number of rounds equal to the weapon’s critical multiplier. In the case of the kerambits, the disruptive field lasts for 3 rounds.

While affected by this field, a target must succeed at a concentration check (DC = 15 + twice the spell’s level) to cast any spell or spell-like ability (in addition to any other required concentration checks). If the check is failed, the affected creature’s spell or spell-like ability is wasted.

In addition, both kerambits are dual balanced. This means that when wielding two weapons with the dual-balanced modification, the wielder reduces any two-weapon fighting penalties by 1 for both weapons.

Just wanted to let everyone know that my desktop has truly given up the ghost. I have a new tower on the way, so steps have been taken to get things going. I will use my laptop until it arrives, but in the meantime, until I can recover all of my gaming info, I will have to suspend this game until at the very least sometime next week.

I've gotten my new tower and I'm still making adjustments to everything. I also managed to get a substantial bit of data recovered from the old tower. So I should be able to resume the game on Monday.

I thank everyone for their patience. I understand that this has not been exactly an easy thing to deal with. It most certainly hasn't been for me, that's for sure. But when this happened previously, I should've dealt with it then and I didn't. That's on me, and you've had to deal with that.

So I'll figure out a way to show my appreciation. Maybe it'll be in the form of extra experience, an in-game boon that you can trade in... something. Whatever it turns out to be, regardless, I'm sure that in my mind it won't be enough to show my gratitude.

You're fine. Thanks for running the game among all of the insanity afflicting the world. Not that I would turn away a boon - your creativity creates some flavorful ones, for sure - but it's not necessary.

Any word on when our absent players will be able to rejoin us? Their characters are not expected to be NPCs for life, right?

You're fine. Thanks for running the game among all of the insanity afflicting the world. Not that I would turn away a boon - your creativity creates some flavorful ones, for sure - but it's not necessary.

Any word on when our absent players will be able to rejoin us? Their characters are not expected to be NPCs for life, right?

I know it's not necessary, but I wish to do so nonetheless. ;)

As for our absent players, I've been keeping in contact with them. RL issues keep them from joining back in. As soon as I know when they're able to return, you all will know. And even though I don't like botting other PCs, I will continue to do so until such time that they can take over themselves. Hopefully that won't be until the end of the campaign, but one never knows with these things.

I know things are crazy. I was just curious.

I know things are crazy. I was just curious.

I know.

Kyt's player in particular feels really bad about being absent from the game. But that's not to say Rocnork's player doesn't feel bad about it, because the player totally does. But given the situations being dealt with by both players, it will be a bit before Kytynna and Rocnork can resume being PCs again.

It is my hope that with everything currently going on everyone is okay.

Take care of yourselves and stay safe.

All is well here. I wish the same for everyone. Being ‘essential’, my typical week has remained largely the same. It’s all the things around it that were impacted. All I’ve really lost was a trip, but all service providers involved refunded every penny, so we are not out any money and will be enjoying a staycation for our anniversary this year.

Stay safe, all!

I'm staying out of any major city unless absolutely necessary. All is well with me current. My work has remained the same and just as demanding. Everyone stay safe.

Work has been very tiring for me as of late... we're down a person and I've been given more hours as a result. And it looks as if it will be that way through 4th of July weekend.

I do plan to post on my next day off (which is Monday, the 29th of June). So I'd like to get as much in as possible on that day and Tuesday, if possible, because after that I probably won't be able to post again until July 6th (the following Monday).

Hang in there. The story will come out with time, don’t let it be a cause for stress.

Take care of you and yours.

Hang in there. The story will come out with time, don’t let it be a cause for stress.

Take care of you and yours.

Thanks...

It's exceptionally frustrating to me due to going back over the combat and reading some of the inconsistent decisions I've made so far (the most glaring being how I handled Nyym's attack on the tendril with his lightning blades and Rocnork's use of bottled lightning; I halved the damage on the former but not on the latter).

But you're right.

I shouldn't let the situation cause me stress.

However, my pride as a DM is the issue where a lot of this is concerned. If I can't be consistent with my rulings, that affects everyone's enjoyment of the game. So I will endeavor to perform my role as even-handed and consistently as possible. And if that means waiting a little longer to post rather than just plugging along despite how tired I may actually be at the time, then I will wait to make that post.

By the way, I'm very close to making that decision on how I should reward you all on having to deal with my tower issues. Expect that to be coming sooner rather later.

OK, seventh level. I get to add a couple second-level spells to my repertoire. With everyone else throwing infusions around and my role as more of a tank, I'm seriously considering ironskin and bull's strength for my next level. I don't think I need to be throwing around damaging spells or trying to control the battlefield. Bull's strength is obvious, I imagine, but ironskin is new to me as a player, so check this out:

Personal-only spell
Lasts 7 minutes
The caster's skin hardens and becomes like iron, granting +4 enhancement to natural armor (this becomes +5 at next level). While the spell is in effect, if a critical hit is confirmed or a sneak attack hits the caster using a physical weapon, they can dispel the ironskin to negate the critical hit or sneak attack and treat it as a normal hit.

Alternatively, Cat's Grace would offset my AC penalty from bloodraging and shore up a weaker save.

Her new feat will be Blooded Arcane Strike. Her Arcane Strike bonus is now in effect automatically and the bonus granted is added to each damage die if she uses Vital Strike or another member of that tree. I believe that means her damage for a two-handed Agrimmosh vital strike becomes 2d6 +6 (STR*1.5) +2 (enhancement) +4 (blooded arcane strike) +12 (vital strike) or 2d6+24. Not bad for someone that can move up to 80' charging and deliver that shot.

It looks like her kinetic blade increases by one damage die at this level and I need to do some figuring to be sure I have the costs of her infusions correct going forward.

OK, seventh level. I get to add a couple second-level spells to my repertoire. With everyone else throwing infusions around and my role as more of a tank, I'm seriously considering ironskin and bull's strength for my next level. I don't think I need to be throwing around damaging spells or trying to control the battlefield. Bull's strength is obvious, I imagine, but ironskin is new to me as a player, so check this out:

Personal-only spell
Lasts 7 minutes
The caster's skin hardens and becomes like iron, granting +4 enhancement to natural armor (this becomes +5 at next level). While the spell is in effect, if a critical hit is confirmed or a sneak attack hits the caster using a physical weapon, they can dispel the ironskin to negate the critical hit or sneak attack and treat it as a normal hit.

Alternatively, Cat's Grace would offset my AC penalty from bloodraging and shore up a weaker save.

Her new feat will be Blooded Arcane Strike. Her Arcane Strike bonus is now in effect automatically and the bonus granted is added to each damage die if she uses Vital Strike or another member of that tree. I believe that means her damage for a two-handed Agrimmosh vital strike becomes 2d6 +6 (STR*1.5) +2 (enhancement) +4 (blooded arcane strike) +12 (vital strike) or 2d6+24. Not bad for someone that can move up to 80' charging and deliver that shot.

It looks like her kinetic blade increases by one damage die at this level and I need to do some figuring to be sure I have the costs of her infusions correct going forward.

The ability to negate a critical hit or sneak attack and treat it as a normal hit by ending ironskin is no small thing. Especially since it and cat's grace have the same duration.

Another thing to consider is that the enhancement bonus to natural armor will replace your own (since it also is an enhancement bonus), effectively increasing your AC by 3 (4 at 8th level) whereas cat's grace will only increase your AC by 2 (though it does improve your Reflex and Dex-related skills by the same amount but doesn't get any better as you level). When factoring in bloodrage, you'd either have your AC +1 with ironskin (+2 at 8th level) and the ability to negate the critical/sneak attack or your AC with cat's grace as well as the boost to Reflex and Dex skills. However, once you end the ironskin spell, your AC will drop down by 3 (4 at 8th level), making Liesel-Marie far easier to hit.

It's a tough call, but I think in the end, cat's grace may actually be the better choice of the two presented.

Thanks for the feedback. In general, it's a more useful spell, so I think I will follow your advice.

In trying to build her level 7, it looks like I missed selecting a rage power or kinetic infusion last level (they are available at 3rd, 6th, etc.) and I wondered if you had a suggestion. I don't know where to start with kinetic infusions. I'm tempted to stay with rage powers and considered low-light vision at this level and night vision when she's high enough level - interestingly, though they are rage powers, they appear to not require her to be raging to benefit from them - but I haven't dig in to see if that's just a general rule that's stated elsewhere. Several stances are interesting, of course, improving her chance to hit or the amount of damage she does, which is very on-theme.

Anyway, I have to step away from the keyboard, so I will stop there. I'm sure there are other questions as I try to get her topped off. Cheers.

Would my blade rush infusion be considered a wild talent or a utility talent? I overlooked something at a previous level and I'm not sure which.

I should have an infusion wild talent from fourth level and utility wild talent/barbarian rage power/kineticist feat from third and sixth. My strength stance should be the barbarian rage power from third. I'm not sure which of the other two blade rush fulfilled.

GM, at 4th, you said her Searing Flesh defense would deal two points of damage. That increases every three levels, so I assume it would not deal three points?

Thanks for the feedback. In general, it's a more useful spell, so I think I will follow your advice.

In trying to build her level 7, it looks like I missed selecting a rage power or kinetic infusion last level (they are available at 3rd, 6th, etc.) and I wondered if you had a suggestion. I don't know where to start with kinetic infusions. I'm tempted to stay with rage powers and considered low-light vision at this level and night vision when she's high enough level - interestingly, though they are rage powers, they appear to not require her to be raging to benefit from them - but I haven't dig in to see if that's just a general rule that's stated elsewhere. Several stances are interesting, of course, improving her chance to hit or the amount of damage she does, which is very on-theme.

Anyway, I have to step away from the keyboard, so I will stop there. I'm sure there are other questions as I try to get her topped off. Cheers.

A barbarian (and by extension, a bloodrager) gains the benefits of rage powers only while raging. Some of these powers (like low-light vision) are always active during a rage, while others require an action to use them. The same applies with her wild talents, as they are only available and active while bloodraging. Her basic pyrokinesis utility talent is an exception, one granted at 4th level through the elemental manifestation class ability (which also grants her the gather power kineticist class ability).

You can use your inner flame to reproduce the effects of a flare, light, or spark cantrip, except that the light you create with light produces heat like a normal flame; using any of the three abilities ends any previous light effect from this wild talent.

If she has both hands free (or all of her prehensile appendages free, for unusual kineticists), a kineticist can gather energy or elemental matter as a move action. Gathering power creates an extremely loud, visible display in a 20-foot radius centered on the kineticist, as the energy or matter swirls around her. Gathering power in this way allows the kineticist to reduce the total burn cost of a blast wild talent she uses in the same round by 1 point. The kineticist can instead gather power for 1 full round in order to reduce the total burn cost of a blast wild talent used on her next turn by 2 points (to a minimum of 0 points). If she does so, she can also gather power as a move action during her next turn to reduce the burn cost by a total of 3 points. If the kineticist takes damage during or after gathering power and before using the kinetic blast that releases it, she must succeed at a concentration check (DC = 10 + damage taken + effective spell level of her kinetic blast) or lose the energy in a wild surge that forces her to accept a number of points of burn equal to the number of points by which her gathered power would have reduced the burn cost. This ability can never reduce the burn cost of a wild talent below 0 points.

Liesel-Marie also gains infusion specialization 1 at 7th level, so that whenever she uses one or more infusions with a kinetic blast, she can reduce the combined burn cost of the infusions by 1. Taken together, this means she can use gather power as a move action, then use blade rush as part of an attack action, a charge action, or a full-attack action in order to make a melee attack with her kinetic blade without it costing her any burn (which, for her, is expressed as expending rounds of bloodrage). It is also important to note that Liesel-Marie currently can't expend more than 3 rounds of bloodrage to use a wild talent.

Whenever an awakened would accept burn to use any wild talent, they instead must expend an equal amount of rounds of rage; they cannot use a wild talent if they would have to accept more burn than they have remaining rounds of rage or if it costs more than 1 + ⅓ their awakened level in burn.

Don't forget that she can also choose a kineticist feat in addition to her choice of utility wild talent or rage power (she can use her awakened level as her barbarian or kineticist level for this purpose). And while Paizo may not have very many feats for the kineticist, you can find plenty in Ultimate Kineticist from Legendary Games. Also bear in mind that if a feat prerequisite lists a kineticist class feature or base attack bonus, that means you have to be a particular level in order to qualify for it (gather power = 1st level, base attack bonus +3 = 4th level for a kineticist).

Now, with all of that said...

When it comes to utility talents, I would probably go with heat adaptation, with the goal of building towards flame shield and heat wave.

This means that at 12th level (because 10th level would be the earliest she can take Flame Shield as a kineticist) when Liesel-Marie enters a bloodrage, her searing defense deals 8 points of fire damage whenever a creature hits her with a natural attack or an unarmed strike and double that if she is grappled. With Flame Shield active, another 6 points of fire damage is taken unless a reach weapon is used (for a total of 14, 28 if grappled). This would also increase her fire resistance (gained from heat adaptation) to 8 from 6 (she is treated as having accepted 3 burn for her searing defense). Using heat wave (costing another point of burn and raising her fire resistance from 8 to 10), she can raise the temperature in a 30 feet area around her by 60° which in most cases would be enough to activate the 20% miss chance from concealment that all creatures within 5 feet of her would suffer.

Would my blade rush infusion be considered a wild talent or a utility talent? I overlooked something at a previous level and I'm not sure which.

I should have an infusion wild talent from fourth level and utility wild talent/barbarian rage power/kineticist feat from third and sixth. My strength stance should be the barbarian rage power from third. I'm not sure which of the other two blade rush fulfilled.

GM, at 4th, you said her Searing Flesh defense would deal two points of damage. That increases every three levels, so I assume it would not deal three points?

Wild talents are magical abilities similar to spells but drawn from the kineticist’s innate psychic talent and usable at will. Wild talents are typically spell-like abilities (though some are supernatural abilities), and take a standard action to use unless otherwise noted. A wild talent always has the elemental descriptor or descriptors matching its element entry (fire, in Liesel-Marie's case). A wild talent that can be used with any of several elements gains the appropriate elemental descriptor when used with an element.

Blade Rush is an infusion wild talent, specifically a form infusion. Infusions come in two types, each of which changes a kinetic blast differently: a substance infusion causes an additional effect, while a form infusion causes the kinetic blast to manifest in a different way. Each time the kineticist uses one of her kinetic blast wild talents, she can apply up to one associated form infusion and up to one associated substance infusion.

A utility talent is still a wild talent, just a different kind. Her kinetic blast is also a wild talent (just to put it in perspective), as is her searing defense (again, just a different kind - in this case, a defense talent).

Kinetic blast and defense wild talents are always considered to have an effective spell level equal to 1/2 the kineticist’s class level (to a maximum effective spell level of 9th at kineticist level 18th). All others require (for the purpose of selection) that her kineticist level be at least double the wild talent’s effective spell level. Using Heat Wave and Flame Shield from before, they 3rd and 5th level respectively. This means that Liesel-Marie would have to be at least 6th level and 10th level respectively to select either of those utility wild talents.

She got kinetic blade for free at 1st level and blade rush at 4th. Liesel-Marie gets a new infusion at 8th level. She picked strength stance at 3rd level, and has one utility/rage power/kineticist feat to pick at 6th (with one more to come at 9th level).

The base searing defense fire damage increases by 1 every 4 levels (minimum 1). So at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level the base fire damage increases. She is treated as having accepted burn every 3 levels. At 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th level, her burn rate increases.

As far as her searing defense is concerned, she does 2 points of fire damage base (1 + the 1 gained at 4th level) and is treated as though she has accepted 2 burn. The damage done by her defense would be 4 points. At 8th level, this will increase to 5 (3 base plus 2 more due to burn), at 9th level to 6 (3 base plus 3 more due to burn), and at 12th level to 8 (4 base plus 4 more due to burn) fire damage.

Note: yes, I understand that it specifically says "1 point of fire damage per 4 kineticist levels you possess (minimum 1 point of fire damage)". What I've done is given her 1 more than that by saying she has a base of 1 fire damage plus 1 per 4 levels. Hopefully this clears up any potential confusion.

Thank you - that answer obviously took some time to assemble.

Based on what you shared in this post, I should be able to take Flame Shield now. Why would I have to wait until tenth?

Thank you - that answer obviously took some time to assemble.

Based on what you shared in this post, I should be able to take Flame Shield now. Why would I have to wait until tenth?

For the purpose of selection, her utility talents require that her kineticist level be at least double the wild talent’s effective spell level. Using Heat Wave and Flame Shield from before, they 3rd and 5th level respectively. This means that Liesel-Marie would have to be at least 6th level and 10th level respectively to select either of those utility wild talents (though in the case of Flame Shield, she'd actually have to wait until 12th level to select it since Liesel-Marie can only select a kineticist’s utility wild talent, a barbarian’s rage power, or a feat every 3 levels). 9th level allows her to select only a 4th-level talent and she can't pick a new one until 12th (which actually allows her to pick either a 5th- or 6th-level talent).

Oh. In which set of class rules did I overlook that limitation?

Oh. In which set of class rules did I overlook that limitation?

It's in Occult Adventures... In the kineticist class write-up under wild talents.

Every wild talent has an effective spell level. A kineticist can always select 1st-level wild talents, but she can select a wild talent of a higher level only if her kineticist level is at least double the wild talent’s effective spell level. Kinetic blast and defense wild talents are always considered to have an effective spell level equal to 1/2 the kineticist’s class level (to a maximum effective spell level of 9th at kineticist level 18th).

I think this might have gotten overlooked by the creator of the awakened archetype, but at 7th level, the bloodrager is supposed to get a bloodline spell from their bloodline. However, the awakened doesn't have a bloodline to draw that spell from, as kinetic blood replaces the bloodline. The awakened gets Infusion Specialization at 7th, but it replaces damage reduction rather the bloodline spell.

Hmmm...

I could rule that Liesel-Marie gets the bloodline spell (which in this instance would be drawn from the Elemental bloodline), but I think it would be more fitting to rule that Infusion Specialization replaces bloodline spell and allow her to gain the damage reduction class feature instead.

And so, that is my ruling.

Infusion Specialization replaces bloodline spell, and Liesel-Marie retains damage reduction.