Bluemagetim's page

My players have liked Pathfinder so far and they want to do a goblin themed one shot that will have some story implications on our main campaign.
Characters are level 1, not sure if we want to do free archtype.

I pieced together this structure from what I could gather about 1 shots.
We made characters in advance of the session so the game session would be just gamplay.

Character introductions following the first clue
First encounter, awards a second set of clues
Third encounter, gathering a third set of clues
Clues lead to a human port city.
Infiltration of the city to reach a warehouse to hide in cargo bound for an outgoing ship.
Need to discover the boat schedule and cargo manifest.
Must face a final boss encounter in the warehouse before hiding in the outbound cargo.

How does this whole thing sound?
Basically 3 encounters and an infiltration for the game day.

I wonder if class archtypes are really balanced more around a free archtype game than a normal one.
Battle harbinger kinda is a lot better in a free archtype game than in games without free archtype.
And yes everything is better off in free archtype but it does feel like some classes are actually too restrictive without it.
What do you all think?

Hi a thread a little while ago generated some interest in me for getting into PFS and playing a game to see how it goes.
Unfortunately I spent the last hour kinda spinning wheels and going nowhere trying to find out how to actually get into a game.
I started looking up what I can find starting here https://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety

Then went here and read the rules https://lorespire.paizo.com/tiki-index.php?page=Pathfinder-Society-(Second- Edition)-Guide-to-Organized-Play

after reading the above stumbled on the find game button under organized play for under my account page for this site and I clicked the find game.
Once there I didnt really see anything I could just join online and now I have a few questions.
i probably missed something obvious somewhere.

Are there games playable online? How is it done online?
How do I actually join a game? Do i post somewhere or email someone?
How quickly can I jump into a game? Many of the games there seemed to be scheduled a while in advance.

This is a makeshift of a town that's been built up recently in my game's timeline. Supposed to be a seedy place but one the party can find support from. River pirates monsters and other lowlife type groups have gained more prominence in the area after Haugin's Ear suffered an unnatural flood forcing evacuations leaving monsters in whats left of the town. Some of the evacuees were captured by an out of work slaver group of river pirates and sold to monster groups emerging in the area. Others signed up with some of this new town's factions for security and to make a living. I am thinking the exslavers would be on shaky terms or outright at odds with the town for abducting people and selling them to with demons and monsters (kinda like its ok to steal cheat and rough people up but selling them to monsters and demons is evil even by their standards.) Another reason would be because one of the more influential members of the town are from the riverkingdoms and very much despises the likes of the exslavers.

(Fortress Dinyar is abandoned by the Hell Knights after the great reclamation - a necessary diverging point from official history for my campaign - and currently overrun with bugbears, mercenaries, and a demon blooded mage. As usual for isger's authorities, Elidir hasn't lifted a finger to help any of the towns south of the Chitterwood. If there is going to be any help brought to southern Isger's residents it will have to be from the player's choices)

Town was started by a few NPCs below, probably.

First NPC - a former riverkingdoms pirate, starting to get old, moved to Isger to retire. Built a Bar with the riverkingdoms slogan Say what you will, I live free above where folks order drinks.

Second NPC - Run down Taldan ruins have been repurposed into a fighting arena where (insert NPC here) manages bets on the fights to take advantage of the rough arrogant types that frequent the town. Was kinda thinking this could be a cleric to emphasize a deity either promoting such contests or the gambling. Could have 2 NPCs instead, one that is sleazy and promoting the gambling, a second running the fights themselves either with an honor bent or a proof of the strongest bent. And they are stuck working together to get what they each want out of the arena.

Third NPC - a adherent of Norgorber's aspect of secrets runs a trade house dealing in mostly illicit goods and secrets. With few actual working towns left in the area this place will be a hub to get magic items or buy word of locations that might have them.

Fourth NPC - a seedy town like this probably also needs a brothel and someone to run it.

Don't have a name yet and If anyone wants me to throw in an NPC of their own they think would have some reason to want to be in this town I would do it.
This is just my home game so theres nothing big here, its just for fun.
Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

How is this interaction play out if the target is adjacent but not above you or taller? Does the lightning strike at the time the strike hits allowing the 3d12 damage anyway?

Remember in the Guardian playtest how the class felt a bit off for not having full martial accuracy?

What if the class had full martial scaling accuracy but had to go into a stance to use their guardian reactions and while in that stance they suffer a new trait that would be the opposite of agile to their strikes.
Meaning the first strike is at full martial accuracy but they are not great at getting in more than that while in the stance they use to defend allies?

First attack is full accuracy
Second attack is -6
Third attack is -12

A number of other smoothing of edged would be welcome for the class but this seemed like a simple way still allow a single attack per turn to be full accuracy while making the class less great at subsequent ones. Putting it on a stance means its only one mode of play for the class rather than the only mode of play.

I think this class is disappointing to some because of high expectations and anticipation for a class or archtype that filled this ones conceptual spot.

I think its a great addition but there are some ways it could be improved to make it really do what it seems like its setting out to do.

I'll get it started:

Remove Aura Enhancement - List instead the four aura spells that can be slotted as font spells including malediction and benediction. Allow any other spell that could be considered an aura(including things that should have the trait, emanations that can be sustained) that can be slotted in the wave casting slots or can are by gaining focus spells to benefit from archtype feats like Tandem Onslaught. Allow the class to benefit any aura spell they cast not just the 4

Live the Creed seems like it really isnt a level 20 feat. Not sure how much earlier it should be but a level 20 feat might be one that allows the battle harbinger to cast an aura as a free action when rolling initiative. If living creed were available at a lower level im thinking 14 and level 20 gave the free action on initiative aura then the level 20 battle harbinger could really roll out doing what they do and still get in and fight.

Would the d4 from striking with the haft be upped to a d6 because your still using the longspear as a favored weapon?

I see one way of building them with the claw option. This build would have a mix of battlefield spells for limiting movement, can provide flanking with their familiar to allies or themselves as needed, and uses their lower defenses as bait to decide where fights take place and deliver extra damage. The goal isn't to stay in melee in every situation but to have and make moments where it makes strategic sense. But anything glaring issues with the viability?

At level 8 this build is going to be facing things with around 27 AC +20 to hit and dealing 2d10+9 damage like a chimera. A chimera will melt through the HP of this witch too quickly if not prepared. so don't consider the build as if its attempting to tank. Its just attempting to use the right moment to take attention.

Homebrew seemed the right place to put a thread like this but I never see anyone post something like what I had in mind.
Would anyone care to see posting of story or plot ideas for a home game in order to share ideas?
In my case i took Golarion and made some story changes for my own story line.

I was listing to Joethelawyer on youtube the other day on an OSR game style. I'm not running one that way but his video did remind me that I could have written out what the villains will do if the players do nothing.
I have a general idea of what they've done to get things as they are, and I know what happens if they get to do everything they want. Not sure how they get there though or what they are doing before the players first encounter them.

I know I can just make the story whatever I need it to be but I had a question of how much sense it actually makes in Golarion. As we started our campaign I've been piecing together the environment and why things are happening. Not everything makes sense at this point and a lot will depend on player choices as we play.

What combinations of Chassis and Archtypes fall into unplayable? Are there archtypes that bring casters in melee above low performing?
I suggest the following criteria but feel free to make it better.

If this is the scale
Optimal
High Performing
Feasible
Low Performing
Unplayable

and I would think the categories for judging are

Efficiency = Things like % chance to hit/crit/effect against at level creatures. Also including how big the effect is on success.
Versatility = applicability in different situations, higher score for more common situations
Internal synergy = how class abilities synergize amongst themselves to greater effect
Survivability = Not dying ability however its accomplished.
Team synergy = How well class abilities benefit team members. Low synergy scores tax actions from team members for low benefit.
Action economy = underpins all other categories as a measure of getting the benefits of other categories with the least number of actions.

Something like this. Cant mountain stance till level 4 and never gets great hp. Should it start with +3 str trading 1 int?
Took civic wizard and earthy themed spells. Dedicated into martial artist for mountain stance. Monk required too much dex.

Mountain Stance Wizard, Wizard 8
N
Medium
Dwarf
Ancient-Blooded
Humanoid
Perception +12; Darkvision
Languages None selected
Skills Acrobatics +11, Arcana +16, Athletics +17, Crafting +14, Intimidation +9, Lore: Cooking +14, Nature +12, Religion +12, Survival +12
Str +3, Dex +1, Con +3, Int +4, Wis +2, Cha -1
Items Unarmored, Handwraps of Mighty Blows (+1 Striking)AC 21; Fort +13, Ref +13, Will +14
HP 82
Call on Ancient Blood Speed 25 feet
Melee +1 Striking Special Unarmed Falling Stone +14 (Forceful, Nonlethal, Unarmed, Magical), Damage 2d8+3 B
Widen Spell
Boulder Roll
Mountain Stance
Follow-Up Strike
Mountain Stronghold
Reach Spell
Drain Bonded Item
Arcane Prepared Spells DC 26, attack +16; 4th Shape Stone, Fire Shield, Mountain Resilience, Unfettered Movement; 3rd Fireball, One with Stone, Slow, Safe Passage; 2nd Acid Grip, Blur, See the Unseen, Water Walk; 1st Mystic Armor, Gentle Landing, Fleet Step, Pummeling Rubble; Cantrips Live Wire, Frostbite, Gouging Claw, Detect Magic, Scatter Scree, Prestidigitation
Focus Spells (1 points) Earthworks
Additional Feats Ancient-Blooded, Combat Climber, Dwarven Doughtiness, Fleet, Martial Artist Dedication, Powerful Leap, Quick Climb, Rock Runner, Seasoned, Steady Balance
Additional Specials Arcane Bond, Arcane School (School of Civic Wizardry), Arcane Thesis (Experimental Spellshaping), Spellbook, Wizard Spellcasting

I just had a thought. What kind of force prevented Aroden’s return? Is that a story arch for a future AP?
Maybe a mythic campaign to follow after the path Aroden took before being killed or severed from godhood or entering a portal into a magic devoid world called earth and ending up working at a fastfood chain to get by?
Ok maybe not the last one.

It could be an interesting mythic campaign to learn where Aroden went and to follow after to find out what happened. But perhaps that would be the last campaign before the next edition change.

I am kind of curious.
In your games how has the remaster's removal of alignment as a game mechanic and character morality ruler affected how your players actually play?

That was a slightly loaded question. Maybe the change has had no affect, maybe you never saw it as a character morality ruler. Either way do your players play differently post alignment or as a player is anything different for you?

I am getting ready to start breaking away from a fairly linear start and begin incorporating some Hexploration into my home campaign opening up the coming area for players to feel more like the places they go change the landscape.
I figured now's as good a time as any to ask for general tips when running hexploration in general.

Maybe everyone reading can benefit from those who have had experience using the subsystem. Plus as I run some hexploration myself I can share my experience as well.

Some Hexploration basics
I have a map of the explorable area ready.
Each hex is 12 miles and takes a day to travel and explore.
Some hexes may give branching points of info, or leads to destinations.
Destination hexes would be towns, dungeons, or any point of interest that I've developed maps and plot events for.

I'm also kindof thinking about the kinds of events I can run on the actual hex map. I have one in mind below. Any thoughts on others or maybe how to make this one cooler?

Maybe a "chase scene" that happens over the course of days across a dangerous mountain range? This would be one where entering the mountain range is fine at first but at a certain point they spot or are spotted by an apex predator and the days long chase begins.
- A days travel in this situation might need players to each take on a role? Someone to cover tracks, someone to pathfind using sense direction? someone to use RK to predict a predator's next move allowing them to avoid it or even ambush it? Players can get creative in how they use items or abilities to contribute for the day, Obviously survival is pretty important for this event but maybe other skills can help in different ways. Either way players choose activities like in exploration then make rolls for the day as a day is unit of time for this scene.
Using an apex predator could be a dragon to avoid and lesser predators or other creatures that can be confronted. Finding caves or other safe locations to rest in as they make their way across.
The goal being avoiding or staying ahead of the apex while making their way to the other side of the mountains.

So ive got two side quests in mind and I want them both to tie in to the theme of the town's main problem.

I'm setting this up in Piren's Bluff since its on the way to Isger where the main storyline will take place.
The town is a mining town and the lumber consortium is taking advantage of problems in the town moving in and trying to poach the mining workforce for lumber jobs. The keeps forces normally patrol the roads and protect mining operations. That's all stopped with recent events and the Baron has not been seen outside the keep for months, though the keep guards still deliver his orders from time to time.
Certain members of town for their own reasons want the lumber consortium out.
Some are happy to profit off of the changes.

Side quest 1 clear out a section of the mines from monsters that have chased off the miners. (tie in to main issue is a serpent folk tunnel that leads beneath the keep. The tunnel can be used to get into the keep and the passage the serpent folk used to reach the surface can be caved in if players think of doing it)
Side quest 2 somehow get the lumber consortium to leave alone a grove the local herbalist frequents for staple herbs. This grove also has a slumbering dryad and twigjacks that the consortium would reward the players for clearing out by any means. (This will set up what the town can offer in trade later to the party when they create a settlement and influence who will be running the town) The consortium has a small security force of their own.

Both can be ignored if and the party could find some other way of getting into the keep which is the main goal. They need a pass to legally traverse the Isger/Andoran checkpoint which the baron can provide.
Entering the keep leads to the discovery that the baron has locked himself in his throne hall and his new advisor has warded the hall with some kind of magic. If on good terms with the guards they will share the baron's advisor comes out from time to time issuing strange orders, each time thought the orders have become more and more abnormal, and now the advisor says the baron is ordering sacrifices. The guards have not carried out the most recent orders, they have demanded to see the baron but haven't had success in bypassing the barrier themselves creating a standoff inside the keep. The baron has actually been killed and replaced by serpent folk using illusion spells to take his place. But its not easy even with this magic to pass themselves off and they have shut in the keep to keep exposure limited while they send word of their conquest and await reinforcements. There is tie in to the campaigns main villains and what they are trying to achieve but it wont be known to the players at this time, but there will be some clues as to the reason why these serpentfolk had an opportunity to get to the baron of this town and the assistance they received.

So there's a basic thing the party needs, the barons pass to get into Isger via the checkpoint.
The main problem, the baron is dead and no one is allowed in or out of the keep.
Some symptomatic issues that stemmed from the main problem with the mines filled with monsters and the lumber consortium moving in to poach the mining workforce.

the church of Asmodius is aware of the strangeness of the baron as of late but not the serpentfolk plot. They are also all for creating new legal contracts for the consortium allowing them claim of the land with the "Baron's" consent and compensation agreements with towns laborers.

The noble that owns the mines wants the barons soldiers back on patrol and the mines safe to work in again. Unlike the church of Asmodius he has not been granted an audience with the baron in months.

I was considering making the sidequests more of a timed thing, give them urgency. like the mine could have someone from town that wandered in and hasnt been seen (I'm thinking some of the smiths younger sons) and the lumbercamp might already be surrounded by fey and things could erupt into violence at any moment if not defused (if they learn of the dryad they could wake her and negotiate either to get her help scaring off the laborers or to leave for another place, with the dryad asleep the twigjacks are more inclined to violence especially to protect her).

if I do that though the party could try to split up to try and handle both situations (which could be fun if I do it right.) I'm just wondering if I should prepare the combats for a standard 4 player group. If they split up they can do both but the group with 3 will have a rougher time of it. If they dont split up they would trounce the encounters with no difficulty.
Any recommendations for how to handle this?

Fatigued

You’re tired and can’t summon much energy. You take a
–1 status penalty to AC and saving throws. You can’t use
exploration activities performed while traveling, such as
those on pages 438–439.
You recover from fatigue after a full night’s rest.

I find it odd this condition doesn't apply a status penalty of any amount to encounter movement speed.

I have an area coming up with Kobolds laired up where the players will end up occupying for themselves.
The party by the time they get to this area will be around level 4.
The magic where they laired will be from Jiskan ruins containing magic infused constructs rather than from a creature. Like an old defunct primal powered Aolaz or something thats stuck underground still bearing enough magic for thier eggs to absorb but with no longer enough to function.
Fighting the kobolds or finding a peaceful solution is up to the players but avoiding or dealing with the hazards of the ruins is going to be there regardless.
I was thinking of something like some of the kobold mages and tinkering sorts figured out how to jerryrig one of the smaller constructs to kind of work as part of their defenses. I kind of want the players to have things to fight and traps to overcome in the ruins but not necessarily push them into killing the kobolds, I do want them to feel like there are other options than just killing them.

Ok I thought i was good on the Calm spell but I got a different take than I was going with in the advice section so I thought I would put this here.

CALM [two-actions] SPELL 2
CONCENTRATE EMOTION INCAPACITATION MANIPULATE MENTAL
Traditions divine, occult
Range 120 feet; Area 10-foot burst
Defense Will; Duration sustained up to 1 minute
You forcibly calm creatures in the area, soothing them into a
nonviolent state; each creature must attempt a Will save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success Calming urges impose a –1 status penalty to the
creature’s attack rolls.
Failure Any emotion effects that would affect the creature
are suppressed and the creature can’t use hostile actions. If
the target is subject to hostility from any other creature, it
ceases to be affected by calm.
Critical Failure As failure, but hostility doesn’t end the effect

If the target is subject to hostility from any other creature.

How do you all run the spell Calm?

Like when there are a group of enemies and there are non violent ways the creatures can help their side? Some of the enemy group gets successes and is fighting while some fail and do what exactly?

These creatures have been magically made calm and cannot take hostile actions.
Would they still cast heal spells on allies?
Call out for help from other allies?

or do you treat this spell as a full action canceler for as long as its conditions are not violated?
I believe I get from the rules these creatures that fail a save just cannot take a hostile action, but this spell is not taking away the ability to do other things. But with the sense of it a creature hit by calm probably doesn't feel the urgency of a combat situation while under its effects so what would they be doing that makes some sense for a creature that doesnt feel like the they need to fight anyone?

Also how liberal would you be with their allies smacking the ones calmed to get them to snap out of it since any creature taking a hostile action would do it?

The magic of the kineticist vs a wizard vs a witch vs a sorcerer vs an oracle vs a cleric vs a druid vs a bard vs a psychic, vs a summoner vs a magus vs the Ki elements of a monk vs the warden abilities of the ranger, vs the supernatural instincts of a barbarian, vs the holy or unholy powers of a champion vs whatever it is a thaumaturge does.

Reading the post referred to here spurred this thought in me but I feel the conversation is bigger than what I focused on below as it is a factor in generating the very fabric of difference that a class generates despite similarities in mechanics or even shared fabric that might exist despite using different mechanics.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder2e/comments/16fghlm/michael_sayre_on_cla ss_design_and_balance/
In reading this thread I saw one point at the end that left me with a little static as if i was sitting too close to an electric arc zipping by me. It was the last part here. I will preface that I'm not taking a dig at Michael Sayre i found myself seeing points articulated there that not only make sense to me but give words to some aspects that I felt but didnt really think. I am providing why a statement like the one below does not resonate with me. Please do not read me with a negative tone in mind as thats not what spurred me writing this.

"Of course, the other side of that equation is that a notable number of people like the wizard exactly as the current trope presents it, a fact that's further complicated by people's tendency to want a specific name on the tin for their character. A kineticist isn't a satisfying "elemental wizard" to some people simply because it isn't called a wizard, and that speaks to psychology in a way that you often can't design around. You can create the field of options to give everyone what they want, but it does require drawing lines in places where some people will just never want to see the line, and that's difficult to do anything about without revisiting your core assumptions regarding balance, depth, and customization." from Michael Sayre post.

This gives off the feel that it is a negative thing to not be willing to see kineticists as "elemental wizards", the idea that being unwilling to conceive kineticists as elemental wizards is not right and is something a player needs to overcome. I think the differences are bigger than just names but I also see it as a positive to not look at kineticist as a caster like a wizard.

Why do I care to even bring this up?
I say it because I believe it comes back to the very things that make any character that does things magical in nature different from other characters that do it. Why a cleric casting fear is different from a wizard doing it. Why although the big spell slot casters look almost identical mechanically in more ways than they look different they all feel different to play and especially to RP.
A kineticist shouldnt feel like an elemental wizard. if the conception of wizard is one of a character that spends time learning about magic in an academic sense. Characters that have aptitude towards it (intelligence) learn this kind of magic and make great wizards. The feel is a studious caster that prepares and thinks ahead, makes contingencies for things that go wrong, and the spells they have access to allow all of this.
A kineticist doesnt feel like this. It would feel wrong if the class was made with the same mechanics as a wizard but with restrictive spell lists for specific elemental magics. The feel that I get from the mechanics of this class is one of a character that is in tune with a specific element or two and can call on them whenever. They channel through their bodies (constitution) but direct these energies with skill (dexterity or strength). It feels more about a character that needs to develop control over this connection to shape it in more and more ways and endurance to withstand more energies at a time and the skill or strength to deliver it. It is a much more limited class in tools available than the wizard changing what they prepare each day but its more dynamic in applying the abilities they have picked up.
That's the sense I get of the space in the fabric of the game mechanics and concepts that these two classes occupy. In my opinion that fabric is such an important part of the game itself and without it everything is just numbers and equivalents.
The mechanics of a kineticist are very different from that of what we generally talk about as full casters and it contributes to the class feeling like it occupies a different space conceptually than a wizard. If the class was called elemental wizard it would not have been fitting as that would entail a wizard that is just limited to elements the name on the tin matters and that is evident in all the work that goes into deciding the name a class will end up with (probably even a better conceptual space for a sorcerer with a genie bloodline to have filled, allowing each genie type to actually have a different list of given spells and focus spells that allow all the elements to be expressed though probably too much more demanding for space in a book) Kineticist sounds physical, a dynamic channeler of elemental power that has no expectation of abandoning physical attributes for mental ones. The nature of a kineticist connecting to the elements is magical but how they use it is purely a physical matter mechanically and conceptually. They are not using their minds to control the elements they are using their bodies.

So yeah I don't see a kineticist as an elemental wizard (even if it was named one) or a class that could occupy the same conceptual fabric as one. Those conceptual spaces are important, if they weren't there would be no write up describing a class in its introduction. it would just say this is the mechanics imagine them to have and use their powers however you want. Instead the introductions give you something to conceive in your mind when making the character that makes it different than any other class well before you reach the mechanics the class provides. the fact that kineticist starts out conceptually different, then, when you get to mechanics is mechanically different further divides the class from wizards and casters in general. It is a good thing IMO and so i think of it as odd when ive been told to make a kineticist when I want to play basicall an elemental caster(for me usually a sorcerer). Not just because kineticists dont use spell slots but because spell casters feel different and occupy a different place in the conceptual fabric of the game. If i want to play a kineticist I would equally not want to be told to make a wizard that just slots elemental magic.
Now any game is going to be limited in the concepts it can bring to life. A kineticist does not bring to life the concept of an elemental spell caster and its a good thing that it doesnt because it allows it to occupy its own space apart from wizards and those that use magic in similar ways.

This one came to mind so I thought I would share it. Any other interesting ideas that can just come up during downtime to make the world feel more alive?

A drinking festival showcasing (insert City Name Here) finest ensues. Each participant rolls a standard Fortitude DC for their level increasing by 2 per round of drinks. Each failure acts similarly to the dying condition except the player is tipsy at dying 1, slurring at dying 2, fading and feels the urge to vomit coming on at dying 3, and unconscious at dying 4.

I think it will be fun to throw in this event triggering during downtime.

I see arguments come up now and again about what is optimal. Main counter argument is whats the situation. This thread is for GMs to lay out the way they set up encounters and use monsters. I think this conversation will actually help everyone understand where everyone is coming from when they say a build is optimal. I also home the conversation helps anyone wanting to GM as they will have a lot of viewpoints from experienced GMs on how to set up and run encounters.

Am I alone in thinking Quickdraw should have been updated to either draw or swap?
Also allowing it to work with lighting swap if somehow a character had both?

Or are there feats that do exactly that?

Would this class as an Archtype replace Sentinel?

What class would end up making the best party across a variety of different combat encounters?

A Cleric party seems like the go to answer.

Creatures with grab.
Would they still get to grab the pc they attacked?
Do they now have only the option to grab the Guardian that intercepted?
Or is grab interrupted because they didn't get to damage the original pc they attacked?

I had a problem I wanted to try and solve with running a large group of 6-7 players and it led me to this idea I thought could make a cool set of variant feats. Things take too long with so many players leaving people bored when they are waiting for me to get to them.
I know the commander is in playtest and dont want to step on their toes. This idea may not be for everyone and thats why its in the homebrew section.

Teamwork formations.

Integrate Watch - You team up with another character during exploration keeping an eye out as the other looks for clues/tracks or other activities. When an encounter begins the player with this feat rolls perception for initiative and both character act on that initiative result.

So right now this class doesn't sit right with me mainly because they have all martial weapons but really cant use them well.

I had an idea to limit them a bit but in a way that could allow better proficiency progression.
What about making them not proficient in all martial weapons.
What if they were proficient only in weapons with athletics based traits like Shove, reposition, trip, and disarm.

Additionally they could be proficient in shields used as weapons like with a shield boss, shield spikes or throwing shields. I would love to see them with full martial proficiency with shields as weapons and when they use them they add some of the above traits to them. (putting my bias out there, it would allow this class to be a cool way to captain America out if they could trip with a throwing shield or shove with a shield boss)

i would rather see them have a narrow weapon selection they can use well than see them kind of discouraged from weapons all together with a low proficiency. (when you get reductionist a bit a shield and free hand seems like their best option)

There are some interactions with weapons feat changes in the remaster that moved away from this kind of selective proficiency. but if they have all simple weapons, shields as weapons, and weapons with the athletics based traits that seems easy enough to implement.

This is a comparison of some of the classes we have been comparing to Guardian by how many levels they spend at each proficiency.
I have charts set up in the tabs labeled by class. Stacking bar charts adding up to all 20 levels showing Weapons Armor Spell/class DC fort reflex will and perception to get a better view of each chassis at least as far as their proficiency.
Class Compare charts.
Fixed the spelling on Spell proficiency, it says it auto updates every 5 minutes though.

Left axis is character Level.
Numbers in the bars themselves is how many levels the class stays at that proficiency.

I am going to take the stance that a GM should not actually look at AC when choosing a target for a NPC or creature. At least not the specific numbers.
I thought about this because of the discussion about the -2 AC on the Taunt ability and whether it should have an affect on the choice a GM makes when choosing a target.

My conclusion is that taunt should be changed to match the flavor as described. Why does your remark, gesture, or shout get them to focus their Ire on you. Answer this and then decide on a mechanic that looks like it fits. If the -2 to defenses is the reason then the description should be updated to say something about drawing a foes attention to an opening the guardian leaves for them. Now you are tempting the foe and it starts to look a lot like come and get me. if guardians are an imposing sort such that when they shout gesture or make a cutting remark its difficult for enemies to ignore and that's the reason for the circumstance penalty then the drop in defenses is not part of the action and can be removed. If the design is to mechanically make the guardian more tempting a target the flavor doesn't incorporate that aspect of the mechanic. I also dont use numeric factors like AC to determine how foes target anymore than I expect my players to do so since they dont have that information. They can see foes with heavy armor and foes in robes, creatures that look slow and lumbering and ones that look agile. Even RK is not supposed to provide a number.

First when my players are deciding on what to attack they have a myriad of reasons for their choices. Some might think tactically and go after either the most dangerous looking target or the spell caster looking ones or the ones that can heal. Other reasons can be that one of the NPCs did something to infuriate their character. It could be they want to take on the big guy. They all have their reasons but I never give them the actual AC number (after rolling they might guess the ballpark and that's fine). So although as a GM I have all the numbers in front of me maybe that shouldn't be a reason to choose a target for an NPC either.

Second when i play the foes in an encounter I have them act based on what I designed them to do for the encounter along with a creature's predisposition toward behaviors. When behaviors make sense to players expectations i think the experience gels more for them. It also makes the odd situations stand out more and feed into and generate story hooks.
Here are three types of foes and how taunt might affect their decisions
Mindless creatures
- closest target generally unless it has a specific craving or mandate
- taunt will not change its target unless the guardian is just as easy
to reach as its current target. if guided by a craving or mandate
taunt will not change the target unless the guardian also fits the
same criteria or becomes an obstacle to it.
Intelligent NPCs
- Target they believe is either the most dangerous or
the one they are most effective at taking down
- an arrogant type might want to take on the strongest looking of the party
- They may also have other goals in combat like finding an escape path and taunt wont get them to stray.
Instinctual creatures of animal intelligence and maybe smart predators
- easiest prey for predators (less armored and weaker looking targets)
- most dangerous looking or most damaging if just defending itself
-taunt only changes the target if the creature changes from predator
to defending itself. It will take the penalty and continue after its
prey unless it is imposed on physically forcing it to defend itself

I'm planning to swap out an enemy for one or more an encounters for my game this weekend with a guardian to play test it from the GM side.

I was just going to create a makeshift guardian npc and do rolls and apply affects manually.
Wanted to see if anyone else has done something similar and had advice.

I am taking a semi random approach to treasure rewards still following the guidlines in the GM core for how much and of what level.
As I am deciding on loot rewards in my campaign I am seeing something kind of unfun about wands and scrolls. It feels too on the nose for me to choose the spell on a wand that I know the players can use (it also means I am in a way assigning that wand when only one player can use it rather than the players assigning them to who they thing most needs them) and randomly assigning a spell can make the wand or scroll unusable for them, might as well be a gem or coins of the sell value at that point.
I wouldn't do this with less of the wand and scroll rewards if any of my players wanted to pick up trick magic device. I think i would in effect be cheating them out of some of the benefits of their feat at that point.

Here is my thought to do it a little differently. Most wands and scrolls will be found essentially blank. A player can with a casting of the appropriate spell slot rank imbue a spell into the wand or scroll. The drawbacks are that players cant use the item right away when they find it and a resource is being spent to imbue it.
The benefit though is that the party can decide who needs the item and let them put any applicable spell they can cast into the wand or scroll for later use.

My picks at each level

Threat Technique is Ferocious Vengeance given what it seems like its meant to do.

Level 1 - Bodyguard - this feat gives resistance for an entire turn to the ally you protected. With only one attack intercepted this is actually going to allow you to mitigate more damage from the rest of the foes actions adn from any other enemies attacking them. You can choose your party tactics around where your charge will try to be each combat.

Level 2 -Shielding taunt - I think this compression feat is essential if you are using a shield. Hampering strikes is way too good as it is though and might be everyone else's top pick.

Level 4 -Intercept Foe - This was an instant favorite giving movement as a reaction and increasing an allies AC. As revenge_kobold just said it has great synergy with taunt. I also really liked Flying Tackle.

Level 6 - Reflexive shield is next. That just expands what my shield offers me and when I can shield block. I also wanted the mobile protection for the 10 ft intercept strike for my charge but the reflexive shield seemed more important.

Level - 8 - Forcing us to choose between Group Taunt and Quick Intercept is a hard choice. Want both. Maybe group taunt is the way to go because youll already have a second reaction by level 7. having 3 reactions by 8 though would be awesome.

Level 10 -Get behind me. Shield salvation only stops one break then you just raise and dont block anymore right? thats kinda good but a spare shield and the swap action can accomplish that too.

Level 12 - Armored counter attack.

level 14 - Improved Intercept foe for me.

Level 16 -Improved Reflexive Shield this effectively doubles triples or quadruples the damage my shields hardness is stopping.

level 18 - Perfect Protection - who doesnt want to say you know that crit doesnt count just normal damage for you.

Level 20 - Boundless reprisals. imagine an armored pinball bouncing back and forth between allies increasing their AC with intercept foe moving allies behind you as you do it and throwing in some of the other reactions you have banked on consecutive attacks from the more dangerous foes.

Fighter Archtype and level 12 needed to gain.

Your proficiency ranks for simple weapons and martial weapons increase to expert, and your proficiency rank for advanced weapons increases to trained.

If you are playing a martial and have the fighter archtype getting advanced weapon training lets you get to master with a full weapon group and that includes all the advanced weapons in that group.

If your not playing a martial is seems kind of pointless as well and certainly not worth using a level 12 feat on it.
Am I wrong? Has anyone made good use of it?

In my version of Golarion a section of the Chitterwood just south of Umok in Isger has been consumed by first world influences. Three fey sisters have been in a not overtly/completely intentionally malicious manner making this section of forest more like home using a weakened veil between planes as a means to transform the area well beyond their normal power. They have been there for several years and exhort Umok gnomes for gifts and celebrations in their honor. (This story has the Chitterwood as a place where a broken section of startower lies buried underground (very ancient with a layer of jiksa ruins on top, and ruins of an old Taldan outpost on top of that long since abandon), the divide between planes is weaker in the area and all sorts of other planar beings have the ability to do more in the material plane near it. I don't yet even understand how this works yet but its the plan is that recent events stirred up ancient things in the star tower buried in the ground weakening the.. well you get it where i am going)
The fey sisters that have been warping the area south of Umok had a run in with a medusa that turned them to stone (being unused to how things work in the material plane they were caught off guard by the permanence of the effect). The forest in this area is eerie with subtle changes to the landscape happening on a whim and less subtle changes the closer you go toward where the stone statues of the fey sisters reside. The medusa has taken this spot as her lair and coerced remnants of a local goblin tribe into her service to raid Umok.
Though the fey sisters had been a burden on Umok's resources in the past, the goblin raids and occasional gnome becoming a statue has been far worse. Twin NPC fey touched gnomes the party has already become familiar with are from Umok. One of them will have gone into the forest to scout the medusa's lair while the other has come to the party for their aid.

I have a big group of players. 6 players and the 1 gnome twin that got them here (I want to keep the NPC out of the fighting but story-wise they would want to be part of saving their twin that has not returned from the forest.)
The party will be level 5 when they get to this point. (not much to negotiate as the aims of the medusa and the party should be at complete odds, maybe at a certain point she can be convinced to release her stone affect and leave in exchange for her life as an option. After releasing the fey sisters there will be plenty of negotiating possible depending on the outcome the party is going for)

Main encounter this should be a sever encounter - 180xp for a 6 member party. But does the NPC add more xp to the budget? I could just story cancel the NPC by having them turned to stone through exposition to start the encounter? But that might not work depending on how the party chooses to engage the situation. maybe the twin runs ahead or gets separated by the shifting forest ending up at the medusa lair sooner then the party?

I wanted the core of the main encounter to have the medusa and a basilisk. 120XP
I also wanted goblin adds but wasnt sure if they should be elite versions for 15 xp each or the level 1 versions for 10 each.
Goblins are pretty low level for a level 5 party but could add some interesting complications. Goblin Pyros for example can be as likely to set the forest on fire as attack the players. Saving nature is going to be a priority for several of the party members based on edicts.
Goblin warchanters have bless and soothe which could be useful if they are left alone to use it on the medusa and basilisk.

I did want at least a Pyro goblin + basilisk encounter to come before this main fight to introduce the fire and petrify threat.

i am hoping for this to be a fun encounter and allow the landscape to shift every round or so but i am not sure how that will affect the challenge of the fight. It could be a random table of effects including raising a section of terrain, or trees or bushes growing in an area. The affects could be beneficial or harmful depending on positioning and the roll outcome. Or I can have predetermined shifts of the landscape by round planned out which will at least give me a better idea of what will happen. It will still feel random to the players i think.
is this all too much?

Cleric looks like it would be a fun chassis to build on.
I would probably make a cleric of Ranginori getting lighting for cloistered cleric or at some point freedom for warpriest.I am torn between these two combinations though and would want to try out each at some point.

Cloistered Cleric with Sorcerer Archtype
0 1 1 0 4 3
For me picking a diety with the lighting domain and getting a sorcerer bloodline that adds more lighting to the mix blue dragon maybe, but elemental is a bit of a let down for this idea because it doesn't have a lightning option. I am very happy with the remaster spell casting proficiency change. I also like the added bonus of being decent with cha skills with this one.

Warpriest Cleric with Barbarian Archtype
3 0 3 1 2 0
This one I was thinking of avoiding offensive magic entirely but getting the elemental or dragon barbarian archtype to theme in lightning damage to strikes. With picking up heavy armor with a class feat I felt dex could stay at 0 and the extra point went into Int just to have an extra skill trained (there goes all my arguments for int being less useful than 1 more point elsewhere). kinda giving up the talking for a shield and some heavy armor, giving up being good with spell DCs to swing a weapon a bit better. More of a front line support build.

What combinations do you still want to try out?

Very much interested in seeing the remaster changes for sorcerer and barbarian.

One of my players in my game this weekend is playing a goblin resentment witch that follows Shelyn instead of something typical for goblins like Lamashtu.
Neither my player or I have decided what the witch resentment patron actually is.
Her personal story arc revolves around a tug-o-war between the teachings of Shelyn and the compulsions provided by her resentment patron.
Any suggestions of the kind of being that resentment patron could be to make this particular situation more interesting?

https://pathbuilder2e.com/statblock.html

I put together this NPC that I wanted to throw into my current game.
I really liked the idea but I'm not sure how I want to introduce him. He could have just as easily been a Gnome but i always had the impression dwarves have a sense that things in the world are more certain, more black and white, true and false, and it would be interesting to have a dwarven character that had that world view shaken up.

The campaign i wrote assumes the players will be building a new settlement in southern Isger along the Keld river. I have no idea what the players will actually do of course and my content might be thrown out the window. I was thinking this NPC if allowed could get a press started in their settlement and be one way for me to feed quest leads to the players.

"Any dwarf knows well that even when stones lie they tell the truth."
Born in Highhelm but raised in Andoran from a young age Bolloxen lived removed from his clan heritage and name. Coming of age in Almas and standing on what he believed to be dwarven principles of what is true in the world is true as rock he set out to discover these truths and share them with the all who would listen. As he developed his profession he often hired those overlooked or marginalized by human societies like halflings and goblins to help gather information for his publications. From the goblins he employed the honorific of Knowgiver was bestowed to him. While in his youth he became caught up in a plot spun by fey distorting the lives of the ratcatchers in Almas. The lives of these folks were of no concern to most of Almas citizens but for Bolloxen no job was too small and no people too insignificant to help. After uncovering the fey plot the caitsith responsible were both impressed and offended. To show this dwarven interloper how reality and truth cant be counted on they transformed Bolloxen into a cat. "You see? you believed yourself a dwarf and how true is that? Nothing is so true, so constant, but we found your fumbling amusing so we will leave with this gift. Be dwarf or be cat but remember the truth is never so certain."
Now Bolloxen Knowgiver keeps a network of reporting investigators and informants from Highelm to Elidor all bringing information to his studio of journalistic truism in Almas. Bolloxen often uses his gift of cat form to confuse those new to meeting him, waiting in cat form when they arrive at his office to gather their dispositions unnoticed then transforming back into his dwarven form hoping to have gained an edge for the meeting. He is a devout follower of Irori as any truth worth knowing is known to him.

This is a big question with many threads worth of answers. Even regionally within Avistan this could take up many threads. But if we were to start with the most bare bones summary, what does Remastered Golarion look like?
When we get the remastered bestiary and world guide we probably will have more to go on but here is a start.

4723 is the current year in the GM core.

The changes come in different ways.

We know the remaster version of Golarion has no Drow (though it doesn't mean there is Paizo specific subterranean elf ancestry) so the Darklands look different from the pre-remaster Golarion. What else do we know is different? When it comes to anything that is gone because of the licensing changes this version of Golarion is really a different version of Golarion.

Another kind of change would moving away from slavery stories. That has in game transitions with things like Absalom and Cheliax abolishing the practice. (at least in name, I'm sure Cheliax's is still full of hardships and infernal contracts for former slaves)

If I were to ask the question differently, what is the story so far in the remastered Golarion?

What magic items have your players had the most fun finding/using from loot that they wouldn't have themselves bought?

Sometimes someone says something and it makes you want to create a new thread for it.

I thought that Champion of Mazludeh idea was pretty spot on, Thanks Possiblecabbage

The main limitation I ran into was with shield attachments. A shield cannot both have a throwing attachment and a shield boss. So at level 1 you need a shield with a boss and somehow have a few throwing shields. IF there is a way to get two attachments on a shield that would help otherwise magic features would be needed to get the job done. Either way returning is needed.

I went with liberator for Cap. It seemed the closest fit.
Starting stats of +4 +3 +1 +0 +0 +1 Cap probably has more Wisdom than this but a pathfinder character cant have it all.

Skills are in Athletics Acrobatics and diplomacy. trained in stealth if theres extra skills to choose. Picked the warrior background to rep time as a soldier.

At level 1 Versatile human with natural ambition Gets you
Toughness Agile Shield Grib and Everstand Stance and this is not a bad start for the concept.

Level 2 and 3 I picked up Monk Dedication to get unarmed strikes at a d6 and open up monk options later but there are few problems with it. Biggest is shields cant FoB so that incentive is out, second is as I was picking class feats aside from level 2 I found it really difficult to give up champ feats that fit into the concept.
Picked up Quick Jump Fleet and Divine Shield as the champ Ally.

level 4 and 5 Boost to str dex con and cha. Everstand Strike and cooperative nature. The ancestry feat here felt like it brings into the build Caps tactical abilities through cooperative nature a little.

Levels 6 and 7 shield warden rapid mantel and skitter. Shes a WW2 soldier so crawling fast is something hes probably trained at.

Levels 8 and 9 Quick shield block Wall jump and Group aid. Group aid furthering the tactical abilities and leadership of Cap.

Level 10 More str dex con and cha/wis. Shield reckoning and Kick up.

by this point the build is already happening and magic gear is available to get the shield working right. Picking the right metal for the shield isnt easy, the shield is light like mithril would be and its durable like adamantine would be, it has shock absorption qualities. Returning is needed and Thundering and hopeful seem kinda fitting possible runes

i saw a site did make an attempt at it here https://pathfinderbuilds.com/builds/how-to-build-captain-america-in-pathfin der-2e
They went Fighter which also really fits.
I think the martial dedication is spot on there but i dont see Cap as heavy armor wearing, and I dont see intimidation as something he is going to prioritize.

Hi everyone.
So the create a distraction seems fine in an abstract and then i really looked at it.
On success the user of this action becomes hidden. It breaks down two approaches.
A gesture or trick falling under the manipulate traits
Distracting words falling under the linguistic and auditory traits

Now ill admit I have fallen prey to the hey whats that and after looking end up having lost a fry.
My imagination on the gesture or trick part is kinda failing me though. I guess this can be as simple as pointing in some direction and when they look you become hidden.

The feel of the action seems to be that you do or say a thing, and really enemies would need to see and understand the thing you are doing or saying, become distracted by it such that you can become hidden from them.

What are some of the more interesting ways you've used this ability or seen it used or described?
Also i can imagine some things like the kind of ooze that just knows your there from vibrations in the air would need to be fooled in a different way than a human that speaks your language.
I'm not even sure how I would go about distracting an ooze without it instantly making you again,

One of my players is a Druid starting with leaf order will later take Order explorer for Untamed order to change shapes into battle forms.

Another of my players is starting as a barbarian animal- bear and wants to dedicate into Druid and Untamed Order to wild shape into animal forms.

Animal battle shapes come online at level 3 soonest right? Druid with order explorer at level 2 will have untamed form and insect forms at level 2 and then animal forms at level 3?
The barbarian can dedicate at level 2 but will need to wait till level 4 to get the untamed form feat and be able change into insect and animal forms but will have both at that level?

So the barbarian is getting the same abilities but a level later. Will the druid end up feeling like when it comes to wildshaping into animal forms at those early levels the barbarian is just better in those forms at fighting? But the Druid is getting it sooner and will have many more form options later that the barbarian might not be able to get like dragon forms?

As I read and compared the rules post and pre remaster I came to the conclusion that the change in the recovery section entry in page 411 does not constitute a change in the rules but instead serve as a reminder that the wounded condition is always included in your dying value.
Some feel they different and its best to let them speak for themselves.
So. Have the rules changed and why or why not?

Relevant rules sections for dying and wounded have been posted by Ravingdork on the [Spoiler]remaster dislikes thread. Would it be possible to link to it by someone who is better at these things than I? That would help more people to see the rules.

Ive read a lot of threads talking about how underwhelmed people feel when playing casters in 2e.
The main argument given back is that casters are different in 2e from before. It does look to me to be more than just that. Not only are casters different but monsters are different, spells are different, and action economy is different.
Here is what I mean.

Offensive spells are still there, you can burning hands, fireball, cone of cold and chain lightning and they still roll a lot of dice.
And I absolutely love that lightning lets you roll a bunch of d12s.
The problem is that the idea of the offensive caster now is a game of find the weakness and use the right spell against it and only that game. It means that there are right spells and wrong spells. There is no class with features that allow you to use one kind of spell effectively at the expense of versatility.
I cannot as a lightning bolt loving caster choose to fill my slots or spell repertoire with lightning spells and be effective in any situation but the ones the game has predesigned for these spells to find their use. This is the fundamental problem in my mind. For me the only reason i ever want to be a caster is to cast lightning spells. Also I don't think the answer is to be a kineticist because that loses the flavor of being a spell caster, kineticist feels more last airbender like to me. Nothing wrong with it, its just not the same concept as a wizard focused on an element they enjoy or a sorcerer tuning into an element in their blood (especially with draconic, elemental, or genie bloodlines) more parens coming (I'm using elements to pitch the concept but this can also apply to a caster that really just wants their illusions to rock or their charms to enchant past the defenses of tough opponents) why? Because a character concept focused on a single flavor of magic is fun for me, and from the sound it, a lot of other people as well. So having a way to make a spell caster fun (and effective at a thing) through some class feature choices or feats won’t ruin the gaming world.

Monsters. Looking at monster saves and attributes its clear that very few monsters have multiple low save contributing stats and sometimes bonuses to everything. This tends to make saves for lets say level 1 monsters look like this +9 +7 +5. Level 1 spell DCs are at best 17. So a typical same level monster can save on a roll of 8 when you used the wrong offensive spell, or 12 when you used the right one. (I guess I'm casting fear, my lighting will have to wait) As you level these chances actually get better for the monster not the player (good luck beating those fort saves.) This is not taking into account resistances and immunities which is another layer to the right spell wrong spell game. I actually like the fact that these elements are there to make spell casting interesting and fun for the versatile spell caster using their knowledge to find weaknesses and plan ahead. But if all you want to do is throw lightning at stuff all day its not so great if there are no feats or class features to overcome the right spell wrong spell game. Sometimes you want to play a caster that wholly believes fire is the solution to everything (probably a goblin), let them through dedication to making fire work have feature choices or feats that let fire work at least most of the time. Now i should include spell attack here because that is a fourth option when all the saves are high on a monster but typically AC is a casters worst chance of success against a monster. Essentially some casters don't want to play the knowledge based right spell wrong spell game and that should be ok, there is a way to balance the game to allow for more folks ideas of what a spell caster can be to exist, be effective, and be fun.

Spells. Looking at spells there is a general trend of moving the dramatic effects to a critical fail, a moderate effect on a fail, and at least some thing happening on a success. Leaving a critical success for the usual no effect. This is a positive change to magic, but perhaps the failing here is that there is no way to specialize in getting that critical outcome in a certain kind of spell you want to be good at.
An aside for Wizards. Wizards in my mind should be the fighters of spellcasting. They should have a way of getting that critical effect to happen more often for the kind of magic they are focused on. If dedications into wizard gave a limited version of this, other spell casters would have good reason to dedicate into wizard.

Spells, Actions, and Precious Spell Slots. Spells are usually a two action or more thing leaving less room to do other things in combat (probably need to move as well to position or get away from danger cant do both cause usually cant get into position spell then get away) like skill based actions. Given that most of the spells prepared or in your repertoire are not for the fight at hand, unless you knew it was coming a day in advance and prepared for it as a prepared caster, a caster might only have 1 or 2 spells effective in the fight or none at all (hard fights require your highest spell slots to be effective anyway so the limitation probably holds for low to mid level characters since you have a limited supply of highest level spells). After that a caster might be most effective buffing or changing terrain conditions which is fun for someone who wants to do that, and not fun for someone who sees every problem as a nail and wants to cast lighting spells all day as their hammer.
One idea i think would be fun is to add a to most spells a minor residual effect for one action the next turn. Put this effect on the spell and not make it part of any class. It should be a spell casting thing rather than a class thing. A turn following a spell slot being used would then allow casters to do a lot of interesting things with their action economy. It also makes failing on a spell feel less bad since your next turn can provide some redemption allowing the use of the spell slot to give you something even though it wasn't ideal.
Class feats can work with this residual magic allowing some additional benefit that makes sense for that kind of spell caster to occur. Putting these benefits behind a feat wall will give caster classes more cool feats, as it seems they are lacking in that department. Either way residual magic turns have the potential to feel more dynamic give spell slots more stretch and bring more fun to playing a caster. And that additional stretch comes without increasing the power of the two action or more spell itself because it spreads that power over new turns for additional actions in that new turn.
An example could be the gust of wind spell. The residual effect could be use an action on the following turn drawing on the residual power of wind left in you to lift you into the air moving you in the direct of your choosing up to your movement. Buffeting winds prevent reactions from triggering from this movement. (This specific example didn't seem op to me but if it is the idea is still there, remember the assumption is spells are not effective enough as is with the current chance to save against them and you only have a few of them to throw out per day till your slinging cantrips)
These residual spell effects should be appropriate for the level of the spell. For higher level spells the effect should still be something minor still taking only one action to do. Maybe residuals are only on rank(spell level) 2 spells and higher. The amount of turns the action is available for use can be longer for higher level spells while keeping the affect appropriate for 1 action. If appropriate for the spell rank and kind of spell the residual action could be mote than 1 option.

Aside about magic items. Why cant casters have very specific benefits from magic gear that equates to potency runes, or even some kind of caster specific property runes?
Like a wand or staff with lightning spells being upgraded with a potency rune?
Let the +1 only go to spells with a specific tag for dc and spell attacks.
The thing is the right spell wrong spell game will get easier with modest pluses
bit it wont go away because of they are allowed. Just look for the gaps in power scaling at each character level where a plus 1 will help the caster succeed at spell doing and make their kind of potency rune a loot drop on the table or purchasable at that level. Let a caster amplify thier casting through a cool magic want or staff or whatever. Spells have been tempered so its ok in 2e to have these bonuses for casters.
The reason it seems players feel the need to pick buff spells as casters is because they work 100% of the time, never wasting the 2 actions you used to do it. Spells that are consequential even when the enemy saves even if it only lasts 1 round also make the cut, but this really means players feel bad when trying to make a caster that does not - those things. Giving players tools to do what they like to do with magic in more situations than just the narrow places they are currently designed to work opens up more character concepts and that increases fun for more people. I think the ideas above can work even if the way i posed them needs improvement to keep balance.
Thanks for hearing me out. I would love to hear any thoughts, even critical ones are welcome.