I don't understand why this looks unclear. Monastic Legacy has IUS as a feat requirement. Feral Combat Training opens up feats that have IUS as a feat requirement for use with 1 type of natural attack. Why do people think it is not supposed to function? The cost to make it work is also pretty high. 3 feats and 2 levels of monk or 6 feats with no levels of monk.
Mixing chemicals from an alchemical lab certainly sounds like alchemy to me. A class specific form of alchemy, but alchemy none the less. For some who see it as alchemy the color will be enough. For those that disagree it will not be enough. Ask your GM.
My hope is that Reactions do not always need to be called out. If you have a feat that allows a Reaction to a Trigger, then the character has the option to spend his action on the Reaction or save it for another Trigger. I think the only time a Reaction should need to be called out ahead of time is if there is no feat supporting it.
Also, I just looked at "build one" again and totally made a mistake with feats. All the builds should have perfect style. Build One
The Esoteric Magus gives away a lot for what it receives in return. At first glance it may seem that the price is just too high. However with a 1 class dip the Archetype works quite well. Why does Esoteric work? It works because of style feats. Ki/Arcane points with Perfect Style and Ki Leech
Ascetic Style
Big Hits with Dragon Style:
Jabbing Style
The problem with most of these options is that they are feat intensive and the esoteric loses all of its bonus feats. Depending on the build, 1 lvl dip into fighter and/or 1 or 2 lvls into monk solve these feat issues. This makes esoteric a somewhat incomplete archetype but a powerful multiclass option. If the plan is to use Ascetic Style then Unarmed Fighter is a solid option. If you plan to use multiple style feats or advance Perfect style for more than the ki pool then the Monk Master of Many Styles is a good option. If using Dragon Style and Dragon Ferocity the unchained Scaled Fist Archetype works well. See two of many potential samples below: Build One
Build Two
I have said and continue to say that your interpretation could be correct if Paizo rules that there is indeed an off hand attack that is taking place. I simply feel the text and rules point towards no need for an off hand weapon or an off hand attack while 2 weapon fighting as a more likely conclusion. Agree that explicit wording would be helpful. Disagree with which TWF rules are changed based on the Brawler Flurry modifications and what those implicit changes are. I feel pretty sure my interpretation is correct, I can acquiesce to the position that neither interpretation is 100% clear until there is an official Paizo FAQ.I still think my interpretation is better than yours, but I consider it not unlikely that your interpretation is is what the writers meant to say. And I believe that there may be many Brawlers running around PFS who have been Flurrying with Temple Swords and have only been taking -2s. But I also believe that these Brawlers may yet run into PFSGMs who rule that their Flurry will suffer -4s until they throw an Unarmed Strike... There is no doubt that your points are strong (even if I think mine are stronger) and there could be table variation in the future until there is a ruling. Personally, I don't care what the rules are as long as I know what the rules are. On this we agree 100%
There have been a many posts about this since ACG came out. The majority have ruled a -2 penalty is the intent for all weapons over the years. It makes the most sense based on:
The -2 penalty seems pretty obvious to most but it would be great to get an official ruling so this is put to bed once and for all.
IMO Mystic Theurge is not that far from good. I think with a minimum level of entry locked at 6, as well as prereqs of 1 level in a divine casting class and 1 level in an arcane casting class, the PRC would be fine. Using minimum levels in addition to very few or easy to obtain prereqs will also open up interesting options prior to entry.
I don't think the power levels for most of the Prestige Classes would be off if the prereqs were less rigid. Making a minimum level to enter the PrC and a flavorful prereq should be enough of a change.
I play cloth or light armor melees with big swords. Amazing how much diversity I still get with that.
I see our disconnect now. Using a light weapon doesn't reduce twf penalties. Instead, using a 1 hand weapon in your off hand increases penalties when two weapon fighting. There is no rule in TWF for using a weapon 2handed at the same time. That is the province of flurry. Flurries generally don't have an offhand since you can make all attacks with your primary hand. See Flurry FAQ. If there is no offhand, there is no opportunity to incur the additional penalty from having a 1h or 2h weapon in that off hand while two weapon fighting as a flurry. Based on this, all Brawler FoB attacks should be -2.
Would be very helpful. Even better if they got moved to a sub-forum as well.
The class does say that both attacks use full str modification and with two weapon fighting both attacks are at -2. What additional unknown is there for their Flurry?
Nothing indicates mighty strike only affects one attack except subconsciously adding the word single to the text of the rule. The word single does not exist in the text of mighty strike anywhere. The second (and third and whatever for great cleave) all fit the parameters of making a melee attack as a standard action, ergo vital strike is applied. "Whenever the heritor knight makes a melee attack as a standard action, she can apply the effects of Improved Vital Strike to that attack. If she has Greater Vital Strike, she can apply that feat’s effects instead." How many attacks is "a melee attack?" Nothing subconscious about the English language.
So you admit that riders only affect one attack in a cleave. Well Vital Strike is added, as a rider, to A MELEE ATTACK (i.e. 1 attack) that is a standard action when using Might Strike. For your reading to be correct there would need to be language that says it adds to all attacks, not language to specifically exclude all attacks except for one.
However a cleave is multiple attacks not an attack. You can combine the 2 actions but I don't see where it says every extra attack becomes a vital strike. Since it doesn't say that only 1 of the attacks would be a Vital Strike unless you have another feat to support.
I'm inclined to think that if Dex or other abilities don't act like strength when using a weapon in 2 hands that they also wouldn't work like strength when using 2 weapons. That would mean: Based on the current rules it needs to be "like str" with x1 for 1 hand, x1.5 for 2h, and x.5 for off hand. OR "Not like str" which would mean x1 for 1h, 2h and off hand.
Artful Dodge allows you to use your int in place of dex requirements for feats. It really is a game changer for a lot of str builds that want to go ambi. Even works with non-investigators by making studied combatant line of feats work well.
I would go strength and int. Trade your dex and con. Pick up artful dodge and 2wf. Int/str 2w builds are my favorite Investigators. You get better damage, great skills, and more inspiration.
This thread has sold me on making a War Priest that kicks butt. Sacred Fist since they were called out as being pretty bad. Should be fun.
Quickrunner Shirt on a rogue with Whirlwind = nasty. Add in some lunge and LongArm for room destruction. It really is one of my favorite feats for rogues or maneuverable vital strikers.
All my characters pick up a pair of masterwork manacles. Good for adventuring as well as fun.
There are several that I like a lot. Tough to pick one. Student of War
I want to like Eldritch Knight but can't get behind no class features and how little Diverse Training does.
If you really want cheese... I offer you the POd. "Poison Overdose"
Flurry with your poison bite, allowing you to hit target 3 times per round with 1d4 con. Then poison them for 1d6 con per round from E.Poisoner. Doing 2 to 10 con per round. At lvl 14 Monstrous P III for additional 1d6 con = 3 to 16 con per round. Celestial Poison lets you poison outsiders and undead.
I wouldn't call any of this cheese (thank goodness). The first example is just good use of EH. The second may not be as good. Ghouls have a DC-13 for their claws. Who is failing a DC-13 at lvl 9?
I looks like you're building your character to be a Fighter anyway. If you want to boost your caster levels look at Prestigious Spellcaster. It cost 2 feats but you will get your caster lvl back. If you want to bump up your ability as a fighter, and you are using power attack, take the spell Blade Tutor Spirit. It will be like a +2 to hit for you at this level. If you have the feats on your build you may also want to look at the Eldritch Scrapper archetype. Martial flexibility will be huge at higher levels and even more significant with Transformation (it ups your BAB for feats requirements). You immediately get access to Dedicated Adversary (+2 tohit, dam & some skills vs target). You can get your weapon enchanted with frost via Eldritch Heritage if that bloodline is important to you, but it won't stack with the icy burst on your weapon. I would also consider learning the 1st lvl spell Vanish and the 2nd lvl spell mirror image if you are mixing it up in melee while enlarged.
Just have to say that the tone of this entire conversation has made me happy. It is hard to pull friends into the community when they see much of what is on computer gamer boards, snarky comments on these boards, and they see table top groups of players with little diversity. Very proud that the overall voice of the community is thoughtful and considerate on what is more often than not an extremely sensitive subject.
Also instant weapon gives proficiency which is great for exotic weapons. Need to spell strike with a little reach, create a whip. Want to make someone flat footed with trip rather than making them prone, make a seven branched sword. What ever you need, you got it and you know how to use it.
If you want to make your opponent cower, simply Bladelock them. How do you Bladelock someone you ask? Ingredients:
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Greater transformation doesn't say you can change the material type. Descriptions generally only cover the things that can be done. That means material changes are not one of the things that can be changed, only negated if not applicable.
I would consider getting rid of Light armor proficiency and Arcane Armor training and just go with Mage Armor and the dodge feat. AC comes out the same but gives you an extra feat. The extra feat can be used for Arcane Strike. If you let go of the 1 point of AC (not a big lose since you have Mirror Image) you could spend the 2 feat to get studied combat instead. That will give you +2 to hit and damage with both weapons and combat maneuvers. The other option is to go more heavily into AC with 1 level of monk. Pick up improved Unarmed Style and Crane style for an additional +4 to AC if you have 3 ranks in Acrobatics (+5 total AC with the free dodge feat, more if you boost wisdom and switch to mage armor). The spell Blade Tutor Spirit goes will with this so you don't lose any to hit. Since you don't have combat expertise and all the improved maneuver feats, I would think about getting the spell Long Arm. It will give you reach and allow you to disarm, trip, etc... with reach to avoid attacks of opportunity. Keep building differently and having fun with it!!
Some good comments above but others... smh. Even some of the people who have argued that patrons can't be entities refer to them as entities above. That is because the flavor text points in that direction. - RAI patrons are simply themes as per James Jacobs.
James Jacobs takes it a step further than I do and says all divine casters who worship deities receive spells from them. James Jacobs on Divine Magic and Deities Just to say, there is some ambiguity.
Big powerful entity gives access to spells via a small adorable animal.
Enchanting a bonded object IS NOT THE SAME as an item being improved by CMAaA. The effects are part of the bond, not the item. The items enhancements only work for the person who bonded the item. The effects are wholly different CMAaA. "A wizard can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if he has the required Item Creation Feats ...
Sounds like what would happen if an Arcanist passed his bonded item, which had additional enchantments while being held by the Arcanist, to a Magus. It is very possible that an arcanist can improve his bonded item, prior to it becoming a BlackBlade, and have those improvements survive becoming a Blackblade. This is because improving a bonded object ISN'T THE SAME as using the CMAaA feat. Not a stretch at all. However once again, I'm not saying that is how it works. I'm saying it makes sense being read both ways.
You can use finesse on a rapier but not on a katana. On a dex build, that means you hit less often and do less damage.
You would need to take a lvl of monk, but it works just fine. See Monk Unarmed Strike "Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk's attacks may be with fist, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes. Usually a monk's unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling. A monk's unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons." -Feral Combat training allows natural weapons to be enhanced by Monk Unarmed Strikes
I really don't understand how anyone has issues getting off sneak attacks. Doesn't anyone feint?? At low levels: Improved Feint. By lvl 11: Greater Feint, 2 Wpn Feint combo will reliably get you 2 or 3 hits for 6d8, for an average of 39 per sneak attack with deadly sneak (that isn't even including weapon damage). If you still aren't hitting, or don't want to feint for some reason, get a familiar from a bloodline. Use it to flank until you get a party a party member to assist you or one you want to assist. As for front line, your Use Magic Device... should be using magic devices to wand whip extra AC, extra HP, and emergency escapes. Halflings are not built to be frontline melee rogues. Another thing that I can't see why they keep being brought up so often. |
