Berry Buiten's page

If you want to go arcane caster with moderate system mastery it is best to play a specialist wizard (diviner, evoker-admix). They have enough power, spells, skills(thanks to a high Int) to dip a level in another class to cover some area and still be more than powerful enough. If you have good system mastery you have more flexibility as you know how to work the spell lists and can dip 2 levels or do an arcanist or sorcerer archetype.

I used to play 3.0 and 3.5, then some years of PF1e before switching over to 5e. I don't say that I know PF like I know 5e but I can read a spell by myself and see if its useful to the character. I also really like tactical play and wizards tend to be the best at that.

I did a helpful post awhile back How to play a Wizard, 10-2024

Cheers I will check it out! Much appreciated!

The Campaign(GM setting) is going to influence spell access. NEVER copy from a purchased scroll. In PFS/Org Play it is not an issue, same old 1.5*Scribe cost from NPCs or what you find at Scribe cost. PFS Campaign Mode should be the same. PFS CORE Campaigns are okay but basic and I'd avoid them (no APG, Familiar updates, etc and the martial types are way worse off than the wizard). Home Games... usually it's not too bad. With infrequent NPC access you can pre-learn spells you can't cast (yet) using Spellcraft so they will pop-in when you gain the level with your 2 free spells.

I am sorry it has been a while. In PF you can copy spells into your spellbook before you can actually cast them? And why do you recommend not copying from bought scrolls?

A lot of combats are spread over days, but like with any AP, a given section is just as likely a mega dungeon. Personally, I prefer strong options when spells need to be saved for later, so I don’t shy away from fewer spells per day.

Yes, I prefer a few strong options rather than spamming stuff. I can be more sparringly useful in the mega-dungeon bits if need be, I have other things to fall back on to remain useful such as Knowledge skills and Scent with a decent Perception

Consider how access to scrolls wands and then staves will effect your strategies, for some area spells a lvl 2 scrolls is equally effective at CL 3 as CL 13. There could be levels without purchase points, but every harbor in the Shackles could be at your disposal for shopping later.

I do believe there is quite a bit of downtime during this campaign, at least from what I've understood. My character will likely end up as the Shipwright and some of my time can be spent scribing scrolls I imagine. Other than that I have no idea but I'll try to get some consumables.

Also read the player guide for which spells move with ships and which do not, then confirm with your GM that they have read and plan to rule likewise.

Yeah I read the guide but I don't really want to bother the dm with too many questions more. At least not for now, the character creation process has begun! ^_^

So I am stuck in Analysis Paralysis... I hope you all can help free me.

I am about to jump into a game of Skull and Shackles at level 5. I want to play a utility and battlefield control caster. A kobold obsessed with making things and creating warrens, traps, etc. I have looked through the different Arcane Schools but none of them scream utility whilst the Spell Sage has some reeeeaaally cool abilities, especially the ability to cast any spell from the Druid / Cleric / Bard list is SWEET.

But I am wondering if its worth it to give up the extra spells you get from Arcane Schools. From what I read online the SnS campaign often has only one encounter per day... That would make the pain a little less bad right?

What's your opinion? I like the idea of being able to cast weird spells not on my list like Soften Earth and Stone or Modify Memory. Or to simply be able to cast Track Ship without having it in my spellbook or even prepared. I assume that this AP is not gonna make it easy to find spells but I have no idea.

Is this Archetype worth it? I don't mind if I am stuck doing the same thing again and again in combat. For instance I thought about casting Ashen Path on my party and then Fog Cloud. That tactic should stay valid for a lot of levels right?

So yeah... When the corona crisis started I had lots of time on my hands. So I spent some evenings compiling a bit of a guide to playing a pirate in the Shackles. Its not great, but here it is. If anyone wants to, feel free to steal this and / or add to it. Its under Creative Commons license.

YARRRRR!

Have fun!
Berry

This guide is really amazing. Makes me wanna play a druid again!

I don't know if this was your intention or not but I can't help but hear this document in the voice of Jake Peralta from Brooklyn 99! ^_^

You could replace some of the actual guards with Sentry Skulls and have the PCs go in having heard a rumor about skulls that keep watch. They would have to find a way to move the skulls and thus disable them, or avoid them completely.

Seems appropriate for an assassins guild.

https://aonprd.com/SpellDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Sentry%20Skull

Oops, didn't read the comments very well. Druid with wildshape can be hella fun in melee. I have a build that uses a level of monk to get Improved Unarmed Strike and gets Ki Throw to throw enemies around the battlefield. Only good before enemy CMD gets out of hand.

Warm & Fuzzy wrote:

Arkham Joker wrote:

Your choice of cleric or druid will basically come down to the nature of your other party members and what level the game will go to.

If your "melee, ranged and sneaky" fellow PCs are providing overall capable combatants then another pure caster could be good, and here I would definitely go cleric - with the correct choice of race/archetype/deity, you can run a wizard very close and have more survivability.

However, if they could still do with a bit of help in-combat then I would def go for druid. From Lv 1-8/9 a well built druid with an animal companion can dish the damage very well and still have some spells in their pocket.

Some of the players are kinda fresh, so I'm leaning toward a Druid and animal companion and maybe retrain to domain after a while. Will have to talk to my DM.

You could play a cleric of Erastil, you get to use a bow, can take the animal domain (and thus get a companion) as well as being a cleric. Likewise the 8th level power of the Community domain is also excellent. All in all a very playable package.

Erastil has the Longbow as his favourite weapon as well so he can get Channel Smite and Guided Hand to shoot with a longbow using wisdom!

I remember reading something about a huge tree when researching the Gathlain race...

What level are you at and do you care about dropping save or suck spells?

Those stats will do well enough for a melee druid, but stretch a bit thin for a casting AND wildshaping druid.

If you want to go the melee route you could go Samsaran and take several ranger spells to add to your melee performance. Bloodsworn Retribution especially. Maybe early access Strong Jaw.

Go one level monk and get Ki Throw, then druid to wildshape into a Giant Octopus and throw people overboard ^_^

Also, take this trait and forget about needing a swim speed.

I can say the same for you not engaging my arguments, I have posted at least three times about the the context of the answer in the FAQ, yet you have ignored it completely.

And I think I finally got what you are trying to say, I will let it digest a bit before I answer in depth but right off the bat it seems extremely convoluted to me.

The person asking the question asked about the item caster level mentioned in the description, vs the minimum caster level of an item.

Does creating a magic item require the creator to be of the same or higher caster level of the item itself? This doesn’t seem to square with the CLs listed for specific magic items; for instance, a belt of giant strength +2 has CL 8th, but the only spell required in its creation, bull’s strength, has a minimum caster level of 3.

Am I missing anything here?

They responded with an example, why the hell they didn't just straight up answer his or her question is beyond me. The only thing I can think of is that they picked the PoP because it involves 9 different levels of spell, making it a good example.

It says 'the desired levels' because you can ignore the requirement of being able to cast the spell by increasing the DC by 5. We covered that and we agree on it.

So let me test your logic:

so even a 1st level pearl of power has a very high dc to make but only need caster of 1st level

Assuming your logic a 3rd level wizard could craft a 'PoP spell level 1' at a craft DC of 5 (base) + 17 (item CL) + 5 (for not meeting the CL 'requirement'). A DC 27 for an item crafted by a 3rd level wizard, for a 1st level spell. Seems a bit much to me. Assuming he takes ten he would somehow need a modifier of +17 to be able to make one of these.

Would it not be more logical for the DC to be 5 + minimum caster level to cast the spell of the desired level? Making the craft DC 6 if the spell is known, 11 if unknown. That is not only easy and doable, but in line with the price (500gp).

Alright it is clear that we both understand the text to mean different things. Mainly over the INTENT of of the FAQ writer.

Its your game, do as you wish. I am going with my understanding that I gathered from the majority of forum posts, guides and stackexchange answerers. And of course the FAQ we disagree on.

Dear lord I wish publishers would think and write more clearly.

from FAQ

"...For example, a 3rd-level wizard with Craft Wondrous Item can create a 1st-level pearl, with a minimum caster level of 1. He can set the caster level to whatever he wants (assuming he can meet the crafting DC), though the pearl’s caster level has no effect on its powers (other than its ability to resist dispel magic). "

a creator can put whatever caster level they want as long as its at least the minimum for the spell required.

The issue I encounter in this thread is that people want to believe this is /only/ covering Pearls of Power.

2. With regard to Pearl-type items, this is what's going on.

The following is what I am going with, and will continue to do so until someone shows me RAW otherwise:

However, you are correct that I kept saying CL when I should have been saying 'the first time a caster can cast Xth level spells'. I am operating from a place where I am building a crafting wizard.

This stackexchange answerer says it the same way.

This one too.

And a few people in this thread managed to be more eloquent than me.

Though the listed Caster Level for a pearl of power is 17th, that caster level is not part of the Requirements listing for that item. Therefore, the only caster level requirement for a pearl of power is the character has to be able to cast spells of the desired level.

What is there to misread about this? It goes 100% against what you are saying, yet you keep saying it.

To me it plainly says that the 17th caster level mentioned in a Pearl of Power DESCRIPTION at the top, has nothing to do with the REQUIREMENTS mentioned at the bottom Really, I am asking you to point me to RAW that support what you believe.

If I can encapsulate it, just so that we are clear we understand each other:
Your POV: The caster level of an item is static and mentioned in the top. It sets the craft DC and the dispel DC and cannot be lowered except by raising the DC by 5.
My POV: You set the caster level when you make the item, and can raise it to make it harder to dispel if you want. If you have the caster level required, its DC is just your caster level. If you don't have the caster level, the DC increases by 5.

He can set the caster level to whatever he wants (assuming he can meet the crafting DC)

This part supports my POV but I am happy to be corrected with similar quotes from the actual RAW.

Actually, no, I take that back. I am more confused by your last post than by your first. I really believe that there is something else going on but I can't put my finger on it.

I understand the process like this: find spell to use -> determine spell level -> determine caster level -> decide if you want to raise the caster level, making it harder to dispel but also harder to craft -> if yes, the new caster level is used for the craft DC -> if no, THE CASTER LEVEL IS THE LOWEST POSSIBLE (caster level 1 for a spell level 1, caster level 3 for a spell level 2, etc).

No offense, but what you are saying doesn't make sense to me at all. Craft a level 1 Pearl of Power but need to meet the level 17 caster level craft DC? Does not compute....

the red box at the top with "CL 4th" in it is the item's caster level. it is there to tell us the caster level of powers that the item might have (say if it casts spells) and the dc to craft the item.

The bolded part is what had me confused, because it is in direct opposition to this I thought.

Though the listed Caster Level for a pearl of power is 17th, that caster level is not part of the Requirements listing for that item. Therefore, the only caster level requirement for a pearl of power is the character has to be able to cast spells of the desired level.

But in this last post you made it seems more clear, so I guess I must have misread your original post.

You made me doubt my sanity so I looked up what I was reading this morning.... The first FAQ box after the index in the following article supports my view. It uses a pearl of power as the example but it is quite clear...

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-item-creation/

Thank you for both of your responses!

@zza nl, I have been reading up on this for the past few days and as I understand this process, the [CL 4th] part is not part of the requirements so it can be ignored completely.... The minimum caster level of Spider Climb is 1, making the crafting DC 6 (or 11 if you don't have the spell).

Can someone tell me if I got that wrong because I am new to this process.

Edit: cheers for pointing out that thing about increasing the DC to speed up the process though. This I missed completely.

Say I want to create a Feather Token Bird, but I don't know Major Creation.
This spell is lvl 5, so minimum caster level of 9. 5 base dc + 9 + 5 for not knowing the spell equals 19.

1) Is this correct?

Now let's say I am crafting something that has Major Creation as it's highest level spell requirement, but I want to add a lvl 1 spell to it that I /do/ know. For the sake of argument lets say its Grease. What would the DC be now?

2) Still 19? 20? Something else if I got 1) wrong?

Yeah, looking a bit deeper using Google-fu I found a spell that actually grants you a 20 as a full round action. So for a standard action and a full round action you know as much as Ancestral Communion gives you after an average of three minutes.

I guess I overreacted :)

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/h/hunter-s-lore/

Aaah okay, that seems much more reasonable!

Ancestral Communion
School divination; Level bard 2, cleric/oracle 2

CASTING

Casting Time 1 minute
Components V, S, F/DF (stone or metal image of your ancestor)

EFFECT

Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 minute/level

DESCRIPTION

You contact the spirits of your ancestors and use their great wisdom to bolster your own knowledge. Consulting with the spirits is a full-round action. If you consult with the spirits before making a Knowledge check, you gain a +4 insight bonus on the check. If you have already failed at a Knowledge check, you may consult with your ancestors and make another attempt. The insight bonus on these checks increases to +6 at caster level 7th and +8 at caster level 11th. You may consult with the spirits for this purpose as often as you like while the spell remains in effect. Only you can hear the spirits speak to you.

It seems to me that it says for sure that:

Your opinion?