Ageless Master

Brand Philogynne's page

43 posts. Organized Play character for pippinTook.




The Island of Kortos is often referred to as the "crossroads of the world." Of course, most people are referring to Absalom when they say this.

This is not Absalom. Diobel is a port city along the southwestern coast of Kortos. The city has, in its history, been ravaged by flooding, has been beset by invading ships, and has paled in comparison to the more successful Absalom. Still, the city survives. It is a hardened place, and the people who call it home are a hearty lot.

Despite its rough history, Diobel is not without its charms. As a port city, it brings in goods and visitors from all over. Its port is uniquely defended by the wreckage of vessels and curious onlookers sometimes come just to see the numerous masts and crows nests sticking up from the water. The gillmen who associate with the city's population are every bit as much of a novelty. Of course, more daring pleasures like trying to witness the illegal wizard's duels or acquiring a pelt from the reclusive Scabbits have also drawn outsiders to the city. And that call to this unique city has drawn you here as well.

It's a mild day in late summer as you come to the city. There are ocean scents drifting in and oddly mixing with the smells of cooking meats and baked good. While the mixture of scents might not be overly wonderful, it's also not unpleasant.

You are just entering Diobel. Feel free to give a little bit of explanation of how you go there and what drew you to the city and identify where you're going. So, things like if you're planning to go to the marketplace, are you heading immediately to a tavern to rent a room, are you immediately going sightseeing, etc.


This is a closed recruitment for a high school Pathfinder club. Spots are already filled.


I recently got the Blood of Shadows Player Companion and think I have a neat feature for a wayang I've been building, but I'm not entirely sure how to understand one of the alternate racial traits.
The Scion of Shadows (which replaces light and dark and shadow resistance) says that "attacks made against such a wayang in dim light have a 50% miss chance instead of the normal 20% miss chance." Nothing I've looked at about wayangs says anything about there being a 20% miss chance in dim light, however. Therefore, I was unclear of where that comes from and how that is to be understood.
If someone could clarify that or fill in the blank that I seem to be missing, I'd certainly appreciate it. Thanks!


Do purchases made with prestige points still follow the "always available" rules that purchases with GP need to follow?
For example, firearms are not always available, but a pistol dagger is 740GP, and therefore, it could be purchased with 2 PP.
Since the usage of prestige points is "calling in a favor," so to speak, it would stand to reason that it doesn't follow the same rules as GP purchases, but I know that reason and rules do not always follow the same path.
If anyone knows the for-sure answer, that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


Okay, just to give some context, this character was somewhat inspired by the weapon ideas in RWBY where their melee weapons are also guns. Therefore, I was looking at doing something along those lines. This build focuses on the warhammer musket.
This will be a PFS character built for a slot in which I've already put some GM credits, so the character will start at 1st level. I'm going with the mysterious stranger archetype for added damage on any type of gun as well as the ability to be the party face.
The mysterious stranger and feral hunter will each be one level dips and she'll go the rest of the way as a fighter for the BAB, the feats, the weapon training, and such.
The starting weapon as a gunslinger will be a pistol (which will go in a spring-loaded wrist sheath as a back-up weapon) and the combo of rapid reload and paper cartridges will keep the musket viable.
The feral hunter aspect allows me to switch from +2 to dex to +2 to str depending on if I'm in melee or ranged mode. It also lets me accommodate situational things like, "Oh, you cast deeper darkness? I use a swift action to gain the scent ability. Hey look, I found you."
Anyway, here's the build with a layout through level 7.
I love the half-orc bloody vengeance feat for this build as she can stand back and shoot things, but once a front-liner drops, she becomes a "barbarian" and rages for 4 rounds (but with only +2 to str and con).
My main concern for her is that the AC won't be too great.
Anyway, helpful thoughts, ideas, and brainstorming are absolutely welcome!

Feral Hunter 1/Mysterious Stranger 1

Str: 16 +3
Dex: 14 +2
Con: 11+0
Int: 8 -1
Wis: 11 +0
Cha: 16 +3

HP: 15
AC: 16 (or 17) [+2 (+3) dex, +4 lamellar leather]
BAB: +1

Deity: Torag
SQ: orc ferocity, darkvision, deed-focused aim (1 grit point to add charisma mod to damage), 3 grit points
Traits: Defensive strategist (never flat-footed), something to get knowledge (religion)

Feats: Rapid reload-musket

Melee: Warhammer (from musket) 1d8+4 (+6), +4 (+5) to hit, x3 crit
Ranged: Musket (with warhammer) 1d12, +3 (+4) to hit touch AC, x4 crit, 30 ft range
Pistol (in spring-loaded wrist sheath) 1d8, +3 (+4) to hit touch AC, 20 ft range

3rd level Fighter-21 HP, +2 BAB, feats-point-blank shot and bloody vengeance
4th level Fighter-+1 con (+4 HP), 31 HP, +3 BAB, feat-weapon focus: warhammer
5th level Fighter-38 HP, +4 BAB, feat-precise shot
6th level-Fighter-45 HP, +5 BAB, feat-deadly aim
7th level-Fighter-52 HP, +6 BAB, weapon training 1 (+1 to attack and damage with warhammer), feat-deific obedience (+1 to attack with warhammer)

EDIT: HP is done without factoring an extra hit point per level rather than the class skill or skill point, but that's definitely an option.


I've been intrigued by the shield champion archetype from the Advanced Class Guide, but was wondering if it could work as a melee dex build as well. To that end, could a light shield used for shield bashing be considered a light weapon, and therefore, benefit from weapon finesse. I don't know that sheer logic says yes, but also not sure that RAW would be opposed to it. Following up on this, could the agile weapon property be added to a light throwing shield to get dex to damage on it?
My idea with the character is to have a Halfling shield champion, hence the strong interest in working away from a str dependent build.
Thanks for the feedback :=)


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Okay, so the syngergist witch-- "At 1st level, a synergist gains the ability to meld or unmeld with her familiar as a standard action. While the familiar is melded, its body becomes part of the synergist's and can't be targeted or affected by any means (including ongoing effects), though the familiar can still communicate its feelings empathically. The symbiosis causes the synergist to adopt some basic physical features of the familiar and grants additional abilities based on the synergist's level."
A protector familiar-- "A protector gains Bodyguard and Combat Reflexes as bonus feats. If the familiar is occupying its master's square, it can use Bodyguard to aid another to improve its master's AC even if it doesn't threaten the attacking foe."

Therefore, logic tells me that this combo would mean that the synergist witch would get a constant +2 to AC while merged with the familiar. True, the merge does not allow the animal to attack separately, but RAW says that the familiar can use the bodyguard feat "even if it doesn't threaten the attacking foe."
Is this accurate, or am I misinterpreting something?


According to the write up on this wondrous item from Ultimate Equipment, "This magical shawl is woven from silken, diaphanous material. Once per day, the wearer can speak a command word to transfer some of her life energy into the shawl (up to 10 hit points). If she is wearing the shawl and is reduced to –1 hit points or below, the shawl immediately heals her an amount equal to the number of hit points stored in the shawl. This healing cannot prevent the wearer from being killed. The life energy stored in the shawl lasts for 24 hours or until it heals the wearer, whichever comes first. If the shawl is destroyed, the stored life energy is lost."
Sounds pretty awesome, so I happily got one for my magus-like inspired blade 1/blade adept 3. My issue is that I'm not sure how "death" will work with this item. If you drop below 0, it "immediately" heals you the 10 points. My question, then, is about falling when killed. Generally, dropped below 0 means falling and therefore being prone when you are healed. Since the healing is described as happening "immediately," would I still fall?

As a follow-up, one of my arcanist exploits is dimension slide. If I were to be prone, could I teleport to another spot without standing, or would I need to stand first. It is not described as a 5 foot step, but rather, "This counts as 5 feet of movement." Wasn't sure how to interpret that for mechanics of game movement.


So, my daughter has a PFS-legal tiefling (played before the cut off date) and she's already rebuilt her, but still wasn't happy. Now, she's a got 3 chronicles, so this is her last chance to rebuild.
She wanted to make her into a fiendish vessel (from the Advanced Race Guide), but that's not Society legal. Her main reason for this was the desire for the demon familiar (which shows up at 3rd level).
Is there a way to get a legitimate demon familiar (not just a fiendish animal, but actually an imp, quasit, cacodaemon, etc.) at 3rd level in any other way? She was already a summoner and didn't really care for it, so just a demonic-looking eidolon is not what she wants.
Improved familiar is nice, but leaves her waiting until 7th level before she actually gets what she wants. Is there some other way I'm not aware of? Please? Help? Anyone?


I have a PFS character built up to level 2 with nothing but GM credit, so I was looking at what I might want to do with this character.
Perusing some of the archetypes, it looked like a couple would fit together nicely, but they're not classes I have a lot of experience in, so I wanted to know what other thought.
The first archetype was the sensei monk which adds his wis to attack rolls at 2nd level (or CMB/CMD checks). Since wis also goes to AC, that's not too shabby.
The next was the imperious bloodline sorcerer. Wis as the casting stat seems pretty awesome.
Since a held charge of a spell can be delivered through an unarmed strike, this has some nice flavor.
Beyond this, I'd look to add Evangelist of Irori as a prestige class when I reach 6th level. I'd be making sorcerer my aligned class.

Anyway, this is all just vague idea at the moment, but I wondered how viable people may think this is. Furthermore, I wanted to clarify rules a bit. Imperious states that it is a human only bloodline. Since half-orc and half-elf both count as human plus the other race "for any effect related to race," does this mean they could take this bloodline, or does it mean human bloodline as in pure human?
Looking forward to the thoughts, ideas, and input. Thanks!


Okay, I have a weird character concept which I think will be fun to play. My concerns are: 1)How to make sure this works within the party without sabotaging it 2) How to best make this work.

Here's the character concept. I am playing within PFS, so all such rules apply. My character will be a sylph (I have two such racial boons) and I was going to go elemental (air) bloodline sorcerer. however, I stumbled across crossblooded and decided to add in Rakshasa as well. This makes him an excellent liar. 6 times per day, he gets to add +5 to a bluff check.
My character will never enter a party admitting that he is a sorcerer. Instead, I am planning to create 3 alter egos for him and have him pretend to be these when we do character intros (I'm thinking a bard, a monk, and maybe a magus...I have the ideas for them, but I don't want to put full backstories/etc. here unless they're really necessary). Thinking less of party members and doing this as a test of their aptitude seems a very Rakshasa thing to do, so I like that. As I start the character intro, I'll roll my bluff check. As soon as I finish, I'll have everyone else roll a sense motive. If they're high enough, they figure out he's lying, he congratulates them and adventures with them as a sorcerer. If not, he goes into the adventure under his pretense of whatever character he pretended to be (though never carrying it through in situations where it would mean risking the lives of party members or the mission itself...he can always claim he did UMD with a wand or something if needed).
Before starting the adventure, I'd touch base with the GM so he/she will be in on the ruse. I'll then have some prepared notecards (and blanks just in case) to let the GM know when I do things like cast a touch spell and just hold the charge so my "monk" can do hand-to-hand combat.
So, the questions remain:
1) How do I best make this work within a party setting?
2) How do I best make this work in general?
3) Do you have other thoughts/suggestions?


Kind of a weird idea I've been tossing around. I have a PFS tiefling I played once to make legal, but really wanted to build into a new class. I came up with an idea, but I don't know if it would actually work.
Tieflings have the large hand thing racial trait which gives them a bonus with oversized weapons. Bearing that in mind, I was looking at the titan fighter archetype which would let me use large two-handed weapons (but at a -4 until I get up to level 3 and start dropping the penalty).
Here's the weird part: I'd like to go archer with it. A large sized composite longbow. Then, I'd take a dip into sorcerer or wizard or arcanist to get the gravity bow spell so that it hits like a huge weapon. Of course, I'm really not sure if that's even a legal possibility. It's a two-handed weapon, so it fits in that regard, but I'm not sure if the mechanics would be different for a ranged weapon.
Furthermore, I'm not entirely certain how I'd lay out the stats. Definitely looking for a high dex to overcome the size penalty, but also wanting some strength to help out with the composite bow and the sheer ability to do melee when needed. Then, there'd be a stat consideration for casting.
Thoughts, input, and suggestions would be most welcome.


Yep, this guy should be fun to play.
My thought is he's vaguely a cross between the cockiness of Captain Hammer (from Dr. horrible) and the biting wit of Jack Sparrow. He does excess in excess. Yep. Indulging is his favorite form of Urgathoa worship (and generally the carnal pleasures variety of indulgence, but the massive amounts of bloodshed version as well). His backstory will involve his life as a self-sacrificing son of a landowner who sees his spouse cheat on him with a traveling priest of Sarenrae and then he grabs what's handy (a scythe, since he helps works the fields) and he ends them...and then gets a necromancer to raise them as zombies so their souls won't find rest, mwahahaha.
I'm thinking he'll be more melee focused, but I want some capability for ranged. I'm thinking of going with the angel-kin variant heritage and having a stat block of:
Str: 18 +4
Dex: 16 +3
Con: 10 +0
Int: 10 +0
Wis: 12 +1
Cha: 10 +0
I'm debating the wisdom of raising the wisdom and/or con.
Also not sure if there's an archetype I'm just not appreciating enough as none of them seemed to appeal to me at all.
I'm thinking the first feat will be point-blank shot since I'll take precise strike as my teamwork feat, so that's one feat for each: ranged and melee.
Traits-wise, I'm not sure what makes the best sense.
Basically, I'm looking for input on the stats and traits as primary build questions. Feats and archetypes is secondary at this point.
Then, if anyone has solid advice for things to be aware of (or how to walk that tightrope) when playing a servant of an "evil" deity in PFS play, I'm open to suggestions.
Thanks!


So, my daughter and I play PFS (so we have to stick within Society-legal options) and we have each managed to get a racial boon. She is going to be an undine watersinger. She really wants me to build my sylph as another type of bard so they can have a shared backstory in which they're traveling minstrels or some sort. We've come up with the name Wind and Waves for the performing duo. Yep, because water elemental and air elemental lineage. Anyway, I think arcane duelist is my best option as she'll play more as ranged weapon attack (and the water fighting, of course).
In my head, I want this character to be some sort of crazy killing machine (think Deadpool) and I'm considering a 1 level dip into inquisitor for the hand crossbow proficiency (running into combat shooting, then tossing them aside to go bladed battle seems very Deadpool in my head) and the fast healing 1 judgment (because healing factors are cool). I'm open to other ideas, but it's my initial thought.
Anyway, my biggest issue has been figuring out how to use the 20 point build to flesh out this character (using the sylph's +2 to int and dex, but -2 to con).
I'm open to ideas (including other bard archetypes if you think there's a better fit). The limitation is that I have to stay bard (I suggested going a different class and just putting points into perform, but we both think that loses the feel of the minstrel thing).


So, the write-up on totem transformation says:
"Totem Transformation (Su): At 2nd level, an ape shaman may adopt an aspect of the ape while retaining her normal form. The druid gains one of the following sets of bonuses and abilities: movement (climb speed 20 ft., +4 racial bonus on Climb checks), senses (low-light vision, scent), natural weapons (2 slams [1d6 for a Medium shaman], +2 on combat maneuver checks to grapple), or toughness (+2 natural armor bonus to AC, Endurance feat).

While using totem transformation, the ape shaman may speak normally and can cast speak with animals (primates only) at will. Using this ability is a standard action at 2nd level, a move action at 7th level, and a swift action at 12th level. The ape shaman can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her druid level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be used in 1-minute increments. This is a polymorph effect and cannot be used while the druid is using another polymorph effect, such as wild shape."

It has the details about totem transformation, then goes into the bit about using speak with animals. After this, it gives the minutes per day bit. My confusion is whether the minutes per day applies to totem transformation as a whole or if it is specific to the speak with animals. My guess would be that it is intended to mean the totem transformation ability, but as written, it would seem to be specific to the speak with animals.
I want to be sure that I play my character true to the intention of the rules, but I also don't want to cheat myself out of an ability if it should be longer lasting than I think it is.


I'm making a human mesmerist who will be significantly more successful when he reaches 2nd and I multiclass him.
Here's the basic build (and I opted for the additional +2 to a stat rather than the extra feat and skill point).

Str: 10
Dex: 18 +4
Con: 10
Int: 10
Wis: 10
Cha: 18 +4

I'll have unnatural lust as a 1st level spell (because making the foe run lovingly towards a barbarian is just a good choice). I'll be using a wand of hypnotism. He'll suggest that there's great music playing and they should dance. Because it's funny. His feat choice at 1st will be spell focus: enchantment.
At second level, I'll have him multiclass into swashbuckler as it's also charisma-based and will work gloriously with his sword cane. He also gets weapon finesse as a free feat at that point. I'm thinking opportune parry and riposte will be a rather featured move for him.
Hopefully, I'll be able to do some filed control with the spell casting, but if not, I'll at least have some decent success with a blade (+5 to hit).
Thoughts?


Please feel free to give me feedback. I've got an occultist build I think is pretty fantastic and could outperform a same level fighter.
My build is based on a human using the dual talent racial trait, so he loses the bonus feat and extra skill point in exchange for a +2 to two abilities.

Str: 20 +5
Dex: 11 +0
Con: 10 +0
Int: 18 +4
Wis: 7 -2
Cha: 7 -2

I'll be using his two traits to help his will save an initiative.
His implement areas will be abjuration and transmutation.
Implements: legacy weapon (greatsword given a +1 enhancement)
guarding talisman (cloak gives +1 deflection bonus)

Therefore, AC is 17 (10+6 from four-mirror armor+1 from deflection cloak) and his melee damage is 2d6+8 (1.5 str and +1 enhancement) and +6 to hit (str and +1 enhancement).
This will leave 3 points of mental focus which can be used on the psychis weapon power (3 times since it's 1 point per usage) which will give me 1 minute worth of a +2 bonus to the greatsword. Given that your average PFS adventure has 4 encounters, I'm feeling pretty good about this.

I know some people frown on the dump stats, but I don't foresee a situation where a fellow party member couldn't get us through a social scenario, and with the wis dump, the +2 base score and a +1 from the indomitable faith trait yield me a +1 to will saves.

My biggest disappointment with this build was learning that I have to wait until 5th level before I can add a belt of strength and get a +2 more to my str.


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My 11 year old daughter recently ran her first adventure (yep, my baby girl's a GM), and we did a test run at home before she ran it for Society play. I took advantage of that opportunity to play some occult characters. My party consisted of:
Level 1 human hydrokineticist (ranged build)
Level 1 human spiritualist (melee-focused build)
Level 1 human mesmerist
and I added in a level 2 Halfling titan mauler as our meat shield

The adventure was Rise of the Goblin Guild. The chase scene worked out really well with this group as it was such a nice array of skills represented (except for the kineticist who has no real skills to speak of). When we caught the goblin, she was easily made friendly by the mesmerist's charisma-based skills. Obvious conclusion here: mesmerists can really shine in the social scenarios.
In short order, we were heading into the sewer to fight goblins.

Overall observations on the characters:
I opted for the more damaging blast for my kinetecist even though it meant giving up hitting for ranged touch versus full AC. Therefore, he had to be human so I could get point-blank and precise shot. With these feats in his arsenal, he was beastly. In terms of damage output, he easily kept up with the titan mauler.
The spiritualist went in with the idea that he and his phantom would work as flank buddies. This failed as the first encounter involved a hallway with a pit trap separating us from our foes and the second involved the phantom being blown up with an alchemist's bombs.
The mesmerist accomplished very little in terms of his actual powers. The "flank trick" helped out the titan mauler once, every attempt to daze a goblin failed, and he would have basically been almost useless in the combats had he not purchased a light crossbow.

Encounter specific observations:
First encounter-Goblins in a hallway and a pit trap. The spiritualist triggered the trap and landed in a pit with a young slime mold. His phantom jumped in to save him, and they dealt with that beastie. The mesmerist tried to daze a goblin and failed, then he did nothing other than fire crossbow bolts, but the kineticist was the star of the show as he eliminated two goblins with his first two shots.
Second encounter-A goblin lab with 3 lab assistants on the main level and an alchemist on a balcony we couldn't access. The assistants were quickly dispatched by the titan mauler, the spiritualist and his phantom, and the kineticist. However, a clustered grouping of heroes coming through a doorway made an easy target for the alchemist who dispatched the phantom with his bomb (2d6+2 damage) and nearly did in the spiritualist with the splash damage (they had both taken damage from the lab assistants as well). This battle boiled down to water blasts and crossbow bolts failing to hit the alchemist (who made good usage of his elevated position for some partial coverage). The spiritualist spent this portion of the fight hiding underneath the balcony. Basically, we failed to do the alchemist in, but he ran out of bombs, then he gulped an expeditious retreat potion, and fled.
Third encounter-Three goblins on the opposite side of running sewer water with pipes we could come across (acrobatics check) to close in on them. The kineticist and his ranged attack shined yet again. The spiritualist got a boost to acrobatics from his phantom being back in his consciousness, so that was a perk. Basically, the titan mauler was the star of this battle as he charged to do one in, then finished a second on his next turn. However, the mesmerist took partial credit as he had put the "flanking trick" on the titan mauler before he charged.
Fourth encounter (boss fight)-Again, we triggered a trap, but a good save roll got us easily through that. The hobgoblin boss called in some goblin lackeys, and the party proceeded to annihilate them. The mesmerist tried to daze two of the goblins and failed. The kineticist did some serious damage to the boss and took out a goblin. The spiritualist managed to take down another goblin, and the titan mauler finished off the weakened boss.

After this adventure, I changed my build of the spiritualist slightly by opting for the scythe over the twin kukri and changing his feat from two-weapon fighting to dodge. Hopefully, this will help. My favorite thing about the class from this experience was that the phantom gives the skill boosts even after being dispatched. Way different than the summoner who has no benefit after the eidolon is dispatched.
The kineticist was easily the most effective character in the party as his blasts did serious damage and he was relevant in every fight (as well as playing the role of cleric with his healing blast).
The mesmerist was rather effective as a social character, but didn't contribute as much as I thought he might in actual combat. This is definitely a character who needs to have an option other than just the spellcasting (thank goodness I bought that crossbow).

I used one of these characters for the actual run of the scenario (with a real party and other players and everything), but I'll post that separately.