I am wondering if I could get some insight on this problem.
Player 1 and the group: Attacking with a reach weapon through the unlocked and opened doorway of a keep (striking 5ft into the castle).
NPC1: Closes the door (move action) and locks it (standard action).
That's it? Can NPC1 just close a door like that while we are attacking through it? Is there no contested strength check, etc.? Is there no consideration for the weapon reaching into the space inside the keep?
I know this isn't Paizo material. It is a d20 similar system and I'd like pathfinder insight into how, in general, these abilities would work together.
On the Final Fantasy system, for the Azure Dragoon archetype, it has an ability called:
Blood of the Dragon:
Blood of the Dragon (Su)
At 1st level, the azure dragoon becomes attuned to a dragon, becoming a part of them. Usually this is done by a bond, determined by the dragon or the azure dragoon. If this bond is ever broken, the azure dragoon loses blood of the dragon until he makes a new bond with another dragon.
As a swift action, the azure dragoon can reach within himself and unleash the power of the dragon he has attuned to, the dragon taking ethereal form, swirling about the azure dragoons body with an aura the color of the dragon. While active, the azure dragoon is able to use the ability Geirskogul (see below), and gains a bonus to all Acrobatic checks made to Jump equal to his dragoon level.
In addition, the azure dragoon’s ability to jump with his Acrobatic checks is treated as though he got a running start and has the Run feat, regardless of whether or not he gets a running start. An azure dragoon’s maximum height is not affected by his size and his jump is not affected by maximum movement speed, allowing very strong, very powerful dragoons to eventually leap higher than their own height and further than his own movement speed. In addition, the azure dragoon may jump as part of a charge action.
Beginning at 4th level, the DC multiplier for a high jump is reduced by 1, making it a multiplier of 3 rather than 4. This reduction improves by 1 every seven levels; multiplier of 2 at 11th level, and multiplier of 1 at 18th level. An azure dragoon using this ability does not provoke an attack of opportunity unless they pass through a square that is threatened by a flying creature that he is not attacking directly. If an azure dragoon is hit in this manner, they fall to the ground prone in the square in front of the creature. This ability lasts for a number of rounds equal to the azure dragoon’s Constitution modifier. He may use it a number of times per day equal to 3 plus his dragoon level.
This ability replaces jump.
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I am confused in particular about the section concerning acrobatics. It says that they are treated as though they got a running start. I understand this. It is like the monk's ability. The next part about the Run feat confuses me. Is that saying that when I use this ability I get +4 to my acrobatics and retain my Dex to AC as though running?
Run Feat:
When running, you move five times your normal speed (if wearing medium, light, or no armor and carrying no more than a medium load) or four times your speed (if wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load). If you make a jump after a running start (see Acrobatics), you gain a +4 bonus on your Acrobatics check. While running, you retain your Dexterity bonus to your Armor Class.
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I think I also wanted to ask about the speed increase. Run feat makes you run faster. If I'm treated as though I got a running start, does the x5 imply some additional bonus is being applied, such as having an increased base speed for acrobatics? I wouldn't think so, but wanted to ask.
Oozes are generally mindless. I do believe there are some that are not, but most are. With the Hag Eye Brew you create a Hag Eye ooze that is "loyal" to you.
I can easily see that if people don't see the ooze and they stumble into the center of it or part of it, the ooze will be digesting them, but since its loyal to me, could a mindless ooze choose not to harm me? I am unaware of literature on oozes. Is every ounce of their being made of digestive material, or just the insides? For example, in the case of the hag's eye ooze, could I make the mindless ooze a pet and hold it in my lap without being paralyzed?
To what degree could I even control it to call it loyal? It's not like I could say, "now don't eat my party members", right? They are not particularly wise either. So what's the point of this ritual? To just throw it in a dungeon and use it as a security device like how the hags use it?
So I was looking at the occult rituals. Some are interesting, but I came across this one and I just can't figure out the benefits of it. Can someone explain this to me and what it could/would be used for in even simpler English?
Here it is spoiler'd for easy access.
Spoiler:
Fugue of Oblivion
School enchantment (compulsion); Level 6
Casting Time 6 hours
Components V, S, F (a receptacle urn worth at least 1,000 gp per level to be stolen; see below), SC (up to 4)
Skill Checks Bluff DC 35, 3 successes; Heal DC 35, 3 successes
Range close
Target one living creature
Duration instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw Will negates; SR yes
Backlash The primary caster can’t form short-term memories for the next 24 hours.
Failure The primary caster must succeed at a Will save or suffer the effects of the amnesia greater madness (see page 182). The amnesia lasts until removed, but can’t be removed, even by magic, until 2d6 days have passed.
Effect
The casters weave the target’s name into a chant of nonsense rhyming stories for 6 hours, as they slowly extract the target’s memories into the urn as a purple mist. The target loses all but the first class level she ever gained (if any; this ritual doesn’t affect racial hit dice), immediately reducing or removing all level-dependent abilities as if the target were a 1st-level character. In addition to the loss of her class levels, the target suffers from total amnesia of the time in which she accrued those levels. The target can gain experience and accrue new levels, though she must adhere to all the same decisions she made previously with her missing levels (class, archetype, skills, feats, and so on), even if she can’t explain why she now makes such decisions. In some cases, she might do so without meeting the requirements, such as if her amnesia blocked an alignment change and she gained levels in a class with an alignment restriction she no longer met; in this case, she would gain the abilities but retain only those she would have as an ex-member of the class. The rule that she must adhere to all previous decisions has one exception: if the target is a psychic, she can gain the amnesiac archetype as long as she could otherwise take it.
Destroying the receptacle instantly returns the lost levels to the target and reverses any amnesia. If the target became an amnesiac psychic, she loses the archetype as normal.
So for the purposes of this, is this just basically stripping someone's levels? For example, I summon some enemy barbarian lvl 15 and hold him prisoner, then perform this ritual, making him a level 1?
Is so, then he is an amnesiac, meaning we could maybe convince him to live a life of good and he can go out from there right? As long as his jar doesn't get smashed?
What then does the highlighted section mean when it says they have to adhere to all the same decisions? Is it just basically saying that then he could decide to become one of the worlds strongest barbarians again by following in the same path?
I am going to be playing a universalist wizard. I would like to make a scroll with metamagic on it.
If I wanted an empowered (+2) persistent (+2) burning hands spell, would that scroll cost me half of 1125gp, the price of a lvl5 scroll? Or would it be a lvl1 scroll and cost me half of 25gp to make because it is a level 1 spell?
How does this then apply with metamagic mastery? It states it doesn't increase the spell level. So does that mean I could have an empowered, persistent spell and it only be 3CL?
Metamagic Mastery (Su):
At 8th level, you can apply any one metamagic feat that you know to a spell you are about to cast. This does not alter the level of the spell or the casting time. You can use this ability once per day at 8th level and one additional time per day for every two wizard levels you possess beyond 8th. Any time you use this ability to apply a metamagic feat that increases the spell level by more than 1, you must use an additional daily usage for each level above 1 that the feat adds to the spell. Even though this ability does not modify the spell’s actual level, you cannot use this ability to cast a spell whose modified spell level would be above the level of the highest-level spell that you are capable of casting.
Magic Items and Metamagic Spells:
With the right item creation feat, you can store a metamagic version of a spell in a scroll, potion, or wand. Level limits for potions and wands apply to the spell’s higher spell level (after the application of the metamagic feat). A character doesn’t need the metamagic feat to activate an item storing a metamagic version of a spell.
According to Clumsy slave, you can make an attack against someone and try to hit them so that they don't realize they are being hit. Now, if you were to do this unarmed, as is often the case when a slave, and the person you are hitting has Improved Unarmed Strike, would this provoke an attack of opportunity, despite them not knowing it was an attack?
Unarmed Attack:
Unarmed Attacks: Striking for damage with punches, kicks, and head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon, except for the following:
Attacks of Opportunity: Attacking unarmed provokes an attack of opportunity from the character you attack, provided she is armed. The attack of opportunity comes before your attack. An unarmed attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity from other foes, nor does it provoke an attack of opportunity from an unarmed foe.
An unarmed character can't take attacks of opportunity (but see “Armed” Unarmed Attacks, below).
“Armed” Unarmed Attacks: Sometimes a character's or creature's unarmed attack counts as an armed attack. A monk, a character with the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, a spellcaster delivering a touch attack spell, and a creature with natural physical weapons all count as being armed (see natural attacks).
Note that being armed counts for both offense and defense (the character can make attacks of opportunity).
Unarmed Strike Damage: An unarmed strike from a Medium character deals 1d3 points of bludgeoning damage (plus your Strength modifier, as normal). A Small character's unarmed strike deals 1d2 points of bludgeoning damage, while a Large character's unarmed strike deals 1d4 points of bludgeoning damage. All damage from unarmed strikes is nonlethal damage. Unarmed strikes count as light weapons (for purposes of two-weapon attack penalties and so on).
Dealing Lethal Damage: You can specify that your unarmed strike will deal lethal damage before you make your attack roll, but you take a –4 penalty on your attack roll. If you have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, you can deal lethal damage with an unarmed strike without taking a penalty on the attack roll.
Improved Unarmed Strike (Combat):
Source PRPG Core Rulebook pg. 128
You are skilled at fighting while unarmed.
Benefit: You are considered to be armed even when unarmed—you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you attack foes while unarmed. Your unarmed strikes can deal lethal or nonlethal damage, at your choice.
Normal: Without this feat, you are considered unarmed when attacking with an unarmed strike, and you can deal only nonlethal damage with such an attack.
Clumsy Slave:
Source Halflings of Golarion pg. 31
Category Region
Requirement(s) [Halfling] Cheliax, Katapesh
As a former slave, you learned how to conceal your malice toward your owner behind a facade of clumsiness. The first time you attack someone with an attack that deals nonlethal damage, your target must make a Sense Motive opposed by your Bluff check minus the damage dealt to realize you actually intended to harm him; failure means he believe the injury was an accident on your part instead (though he may still want to punish you for it).
Volatile Vaporizer is expensive. As an alchemist, you gain numerous spells that target the party as a whole, but in drinking, you can only benefit, not them. This would seek to remedy that. I would like an item that can work like the pill but it is the flask itself. Perhaps with a use/day effect? I think this is how it would look. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong:
Mechanical:
Who knows how they got to that number of 2200gp-3800gp for the original pill item. Here is my breakdown:
Charges Per Day: Divide by 5
Use Activated: Spell Level 1st-3rd x CL9 x 2000gp
No Space Limitation: Cost x2
Maths: 1st--2x2000x9x1/5, 2nd--2x2000x9x2/5, 3rd--2x2000x9x3/5
Total Retail Price: 1st--7200gp, 2nd--14000gp, 3rd--21,600gp
Crafted Cost is Half
Item:
Vaporizer Flask
Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th; Weight —; Slot none; Price 7200 gp(1st), 14,000 gp (2nd), 21,600 (3rd)
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DESCRIPTION
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Once per day, whenever a potion is placed into the Vaporizer Flask, that potion turns into a cloud of mist that can be shared by multiple creatures. The potion bubbles and froths itself into a pungent 10-foot-radius cloud. Any creature within the cloud when it appears gains the full effect of the potion. The cloud has no effect on creatures that cannot breathe. A creature may automatically resist the effects of the potion cloud by momentarily holding its breath. Using the Vaporizer Flask destroys the potion's liquid placed inside of it. Each type of Vaporizer Flask can only be used on potions of a particular spell level; using it on a potion of a different spell level has no effect (even on the potion placed inside of it). The vaporizer also works on alchemist infusions, but not mutagens, extracts, or magical oils.
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CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
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Feats Craft Wondrous Item, alchemical allocation; Cost 3,600 gp (1st), 7,000 gp (2nd), 10,800 gp (3rd)
I will admit, I'm not an expert, or even someone good at making items. I'd love feedback and insight how to make this work, as well as to find an accurate cost.
These nature-spirits are related to Yakshas and Rakshasa. They are connected to water and underwater nature and plants. They are more known for their trades and trickery than maliciousness.
Intro: Yakkha have a deep connection to Yaksha and Rakshasa. They bear the same shapechanging and trickery quality their cousins have, however, unlike them, they are guardians of good-aligned water gods in many cases. These creatures are known to guard their underwater temples and keep the treasures within safe from outsiders, but their own eyes desire wealth with utter fascination. Yakkha, in general, envy those with wealth and greatness. They are intensely beautiful in either form they take and they often will use that beauty for ill-gotten gains if they stray from the path of righteousness. Like dragons or dwarves, Yakkha have a fascination with treasure and each desires to have their own hoard. For this reason, Yakkha can be in any city, on land or in the sea, seeking to make money somehow and oftentimes you'd never know they were any different than the humans around you.
Physical Description: Yakkha stand about the average height of a human on the taller side with women slightly taller than the men. Both males and females are typically strong in musculature and are not lithe like their sea elf or mermaid neighbors. They host a hardy body in most cases. Males commonly have deep-set musculature with revealing might and strength on short, hulking bodies and women have a curvaceous, slender form to their taller bodies. Both females and males have long, elf-like ears that actually double as gills. Set within the ridges of the ear are hidden frills that directly help them breathe. They also have the capability of filtering through the inner lining of their noses.
Their skin can be a myriad of colors from peach-like human skin to blue or red-tinted skin. They feature pronounced upturned eyes, typically of green or deep blue, and are very human-like except for a scintillating myriad of changing colors in certain lights. They use this to their advantage to hypnotize those who are of weaker minds; usually for pranks. Their hair can be found in any color often seen within the sea. Many prefer black or red colors with accents of pink or coral. Some will seek hair dyes, either magical in nature or natural.
When in their natural bodily state, Yakkha share a similar structure to humans. Males are identified by typical human-like features, but uniquely have four long, slender fingers on each hand. Each foot has 4 long, slender toes. Women are identified by a pronounced chest and typical female human-like features, but unlike the males, they only have three fingers on each hand and three toes on each foot. When in the water, these feet and fingers can flatten into a fin-like shape that helps propel them through the water.
Society: Yakkha are often afforded some courtesy from creatures under the water, but that is not always the case. Evil underwater races often seek out these benevolent creatures of the deep and kill them for the treasures they likely have stashed away and because they have a delicious flavor when eaten. Those who aren't seeking the wealth that a Yakkha stores up, or trying to eat them, often will engage with them in trade. Yakkhas who do not guard temples often involve themselves somehow in business and most often become traveling merchants or innkeepers in vast underwater hotels built of hardened sand. They are known to be one of the more common tradesmen seen doing open deals between the surface dwellers and water nations. Oftentimes, they will not hesitate to bring wealthy people from the surface or ocean-going vessels down into the depths for prolonged trade deals. These deals can go well for the savvy businessman, but can often be scams for those who don't come prepared for the depths. Yakkhas enjoy studying all sorts of subjects but more commonly enjoy dragging sea-going humanoids down into the depths to nearly drown them because they think it's funny. Rarely does anyone actually perish when experiencing this, but it's done most often by those who are in their youth living near land-dwellers. Some will even go so far as to disguise themselves as humans to invite them for a swim and then yank them down into the depths to a ready-made cave with oxygen--just to give them a fright. Then, they will safely return them. Communities along the coast have even taken it to be a fortunate experience, as occasionally a Yakkha may have a treasure hoard in that location and might not notice a few coins go missing.
Relations: Yakkha bear their young like fish and abandon them in protected caves or crevasses, hoping that they will survive the brutality of nature. Because of this, most Yakkha females and males are not fond of children. Those who intermingle with humans or nations on land may develop this sense, but it is not common. At a young age they know how to survive innately within the safe waters they are born in and mature their physicality quite quickly. With their longer natural lives, they have an infantile view of life for many years after they hatch, and can develop their intellect, wisdom, and personality over the course of their lives based on experiences they have had. This means that each Yakkha may be different than another, with younger Yakkha acting more impulsively and on natural instinct, and those who are older based on intellect and wisdom. Yakkha often do not mate for life, although it is possible if there is a particularly strong bond. Yakkha are also known to intermingle with other species, although their children are always born Yakkha if the female gets pregnant, and are often the non-yakkha race if the males get someone pregnant. At older ages, Yakkha seem to be regarded as legends in the watery realms and often are approached by younger Yakkha for the lessons they can give to increase survivability in the deadly lakes, oceans, and rivers of the world.
Alignment and Religion: Most Yakkha are good in alignment, as they are the known protectors of good-aligned underwater gods. Many try to devote themselves to this cause and are rewarded vast sums of treasure for their duty if selected. Most Yakkha within their community aspire to be like these few and so their societies are often wartime-focused but with good intentions. They seek peace from those around them but are extremely violent to those who oppose and threaten them. For this reason, they are often feared by evil races, who'd usually rather prey on the weak. Those Yakkha who seek wealth and adventure elsewhere can be as varied as any other race in alignment. They tend to still strive for good, but there have been bad seeds before that have been influenced by seedy, ill-gotten gains and greed.
Adventurers: Yakkha are typically isolated beings, but from time to time one may become curious enough to engage themselves in human-like campaigns in search of wealth and more splendorous treasures for their secret cache. They are more driven by wealth than humans and so find camaraderie with the lusts of dwarves regarding power and finances. In some even rarer cases, a Yakkha will become an adventurer out of boredom or from a desire for fame, but this is not commonly the case.
Males Names: Aben, Casd, Igat, Potr, Radi, Shir, Valm
Females Names: Asvena, Candella, Ismardi, Phoema, Reneth, Shonya, Visma
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Standard Racial Traits
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Ability Score Modifier: Yakkha characters gain a +2Dex, +2Cha, -2Wis to represent their agile and beautiful nature, but also their susceptibility to fascinating things.
Type: Yakkha are humanoid creatures with the shapechanger subtype.
Size: Yakkha are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Base Speed: Yakkha have a base speed of 30 feet and a swim speed of 30ft. They gain a +8 racial bonus on swim checks that a swim speed normally grants.
Language: Yakkha begin play speaking Common and Aquan. Yakkha with high Intelligence scores can choose from any of these additional languages: aboleth, draconic, elven, gnome, grippli, protean, sylvan
Darkvision: Yakkha gain the ability to see 60ft in the dark.
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Feat and Skill Racial Traits
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Hypnotic Gaze: Yakkha gain the following supernatural ability (the caster level is equal to the character's level):
1/day—hypnotism; The effects last only 1 round.
Change Shape, lesser: Yakkha can assume the appearance of a specific single human form. The Yakkha always takes this specific form when it uses this ability. A Yakkha gains a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks made to appear human. Changing shape is a standard action. This ability otherwise functions as alter self, except that the Yakkha does not adjust its ability scores and can remain in this form indefinitely. It also retains its darkvision racial sight in this form.
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Other Racial Traits
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Amphibious: Yakkha are amphibious and can breathe both air and water.
Delicious (Ex): Yakkha take a –2 penalty on Escape Artist and combat maneuver checks to escape a grapple against a creature that has a bite attack with the grab ability.
Questions: Do you think this is decently powered for PCs or too overpowered?
Do you think the swim speed + amphibious quality for a 1st-level PC is overpowered?
Would you play this race?
Half-liches contain within them the unrestrained power of the heavens as well as the open-mawed destruction of the undead force that crafted and twisted them from their heavenly purpose. They possess terrible power and exceptional inner strength to face challenges ahead of them. Their stories usually are passed down as tales of greatness or of mighty fear as their empires raised up last for centuries rather than a generation. The strength within them only grows as they age and amass capability and tenacity.
Cultures vary. In some cases, half-lich beings can be seen as those who carry great importance to a lich. Whole nations can be ruled by them with mighty governance and with great charisma, intellect, or wisdom. They can be the power under a lich’s throne, so to speak, or can be numerous in number by those societies who honor and place great importance on the undead. In most cases, however, they are solitary and alone. Between the rarity of the ones who created them (in most cases a lich) and the chances that one of these half-lich creations manages to survive their younger years, it is a wonder that any survive outside of the protection of their creator.
Evil beings commonly seeking to destroy celestials often find their way around to picking up that familiar scent in the blood of a half-lich and seek to destroy them. Those under instruction from less tolerant gods and goddesses may see the half-lich as an abomination and send various clerics or paladins to rid the world of a half-lich. In some cases, it seems like everyone is against them. For this reason, those who do end up rising to power are often alone in the world among their kind.
Typically half-liches are manipulated by a being of pure evil and a master of death. There are numerous reasons why a half-lich is created. Some are made out of a desire for familiar unions before the individual became a lich and they wish to retain some semblance of their life before. Some are the subject of experimentation and put to death shortly after. These individuals are painfully forced to endure the transition through soul fusing and bodily manipulation into one being. Then they are forced to endure some of the processes that bring a person into the powers of lichdom. These beings are ones who have been put through a vast degree of torture. They are brought in and out from the realm of death and life multiple times and so each transition is expected to have some negative side effects. The more practiced a lich is to make one of these, the less likely this is to happen, but for those who are tampering with magics beyond them, this can cause disaster in their creations.
Physical: The physical characteristics of a half-lich are typically shared with the original race that the celestial was infused with. The soul transference may have some strange side-effects dependent on the base race and the type of celestial being sacrificed for this creation. Where a human may have had green eyes before, perhaps after the transition, their eyes share a similar multicolored hue as an azata’s eyes. An elf may have at once had silver hair, but now it has a slight golden sheen to it after mixing with an angel. Therefore, half-liches are as varied as their parent races, but most features will be almost indistinguishable between a normal base race and the half-lich. Due to the undead quality within them, a half-lich usually bears a lighter skin tone, almost anemic-looking in a way, yet not quite as devoid of life as a pure undead or a dhampir. Being long-lived, these creatures often amass great wealth over the generations and usually keep to themselves, meaning they are likely capable of great understandings of fashion and poise in later years.
Ability Score Modifiers: Half-lich characters gain a +2 bonus to two ability scores of their choice at creation to represent their powerful celestial and undead nature.
Type: Half-liches are humanoid creatures with both the outsider and the undead subtypes.
Size: Half-liches are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Slow Speed: Half-liches do not have an optimal interior anatomy, and as a result have a base speed of 20 feet. Their magical origin allows their speed to never be modified by armor or encumbrance.
Languages: Half-liches begin play speaking Common and Necril. Half-liches with high Intelligence scores can choose from any of the following: Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Infernal, Undercommon. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Celestial Resistance: Caused by the sacrifice of an aasimar to be infused in their blood, they possess the same celestial resistances given to them by that sacrifice. Half-liches gain acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5.
Undeath Resistance: Half-Liches gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects.
Natural Armor: Half-liches gain a form of natural resistance to feeling pain and enduring harmful blows. Half-liches gain a +2 natural armor bonus to their Armor Class.
Resist Level Drain: Half-liches take no penalties from energy-draining effects, though they can still be killed if they accrue more negative levels than they have Hit Dice. After 24 hours, any negative levels they’ve gained are removed without any additional saving throws.
Skeletal Damage Reduction: Given that their very bones are infused and hardened with magic, this makes them harder to kill. Half-liches gain DR 5/bludgeoning.
Negative Energy Affinity: Half-liches are harmed by positive energy and healed by negative energy. A half-undead creature with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
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Other Racial Traits
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Mostly Dead: Half-liches do not breathe, eat, or sleep, unless they want to gain some beneficial effect from one of these activities. This means that half-liches can drink potions to benefit from their effects and can sleep in order to regain spells, but neither of these activities is required to survive or stay in good health. Because of their undead quality coupled with a living quality, they do not age at a normal rate for their race. They tend to live far beyond their initial age ranges before perishing. When they reach their old age, they die as normal unless they have become a full lich. Half-liches are raised as normal except that the ritual costs to raise them cost an additional 200gp per level.
Rejuvenation, Lesser: A half-lich is a mostly completed lich. The one who created them may have elected to have made a phylactery for them or not (subject to GM approval). This can be done without their knowledge as their creator with an intimate understanding of the subject’s soul. If the subject ever completes the process of becoming a lich, the material requirements for creating a phylactery are increased by ⅓ of the cost. The half-lich is also fully capable of retaining their alignment regardless of the evil requirement to become a lich but they will be fully undead and will decay as normal. They also lose their celestial resistance. To become a full lich, they must still meet the level requirements and all other requirements.
When a half-lich is destroyed, its phylactery (which is generally hidden by the half-lich in a safe place far from where it chooses to dwell) immediately begins to rebuild the undead spellcaster’s body nearby. This process takes 1d10 days—if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the phylactery merely starts the process anew. After this time passes, the half-lich awakens fully healed (albeit without any gear it left behind on its old body), usually with a burning need for revenge against those who previously destroyed it.
The most common form of phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40.
Other forms of phylacteries can exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items. To make her own phylactery, she must use the Craft Wondrous Item feat. She must then be able to cast spells at a CL of 11th or higher. On top of that, she must provide 160,000gp (Normally 120,000gp) in materials to create this device.
Lich for Reference:
Lich
XP 19,200
Human lich necromancer 11
NE Medium undead (augmented humanoid)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., life sight*; Perception +24; Aura fear (60-ft. radius, DC 18)
Speed 30 ft.
Melee touch +5 (1d8+5 plus paralyzing touch)
Special Attacks grave touch* (9/day), paralyzing touch (DC 18), power over undead* (9/day, DC 18)
Spells Prepared (CL 11th)
6th—circle of death (DC 22), globe of invulnerability, maximized fireball (DC 19)
5th—cloudkill (DC 21), cone of cold (DC 21), quickened magic missile, waves of fatigue
4th—dimension door, enervation, fire shield, wall of ice (2)
3rd—dispel magic (2), fireball (DC 19), suggestion (DC 19), vampiric touch (2)
2nd—darkness, extended mage armor (already cast), false life (already cast), scorching ray (2), see invisibility, spectral hand
1st—magic missile (3), ray of enfeeblement (2), shield (2)
0th—bleed (DC 16), detect magic, ray of frost, read magic
Prohibited Schools illusion, transmutation
*Necromancer power
Str 10, Dex 14, Con —, Int 22, Wis 14, Cha 16
Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 25
Feats Craft Wondrous Item, Defensive Combat Training, Extend Spell, Improved Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Toughness
Skills Craft (alchemy) +20, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (planes) +20, Linguistics +20, Perception +24, Sense Motive +24, Spellcraft +20, Stealth +24; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +8 Sense Motive, +8 Stealth
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Ignan, Infernal, Orc, Undercommon
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Fear Aura (Su)
Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at a lich must succeed on a Will save or become frightened. Creatures with 5 HD or more must succeed at a Will save or be shaken for a number of rounds equal to the lich’s Hit Dice. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same lich’s fear aura for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.
Paralyzing Touch (Su)
Any living creature a lich hits with its touch attack must succeed on a Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim (with a DC equal to the lich’s save DC). The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by a lich seems dead, though a DC 20 Perception check or a DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive.
Rejuvenation (Su)
When a lich is destroyed, its phylactery (which is generally hidden by the lich in a safe place far from where it chooses to dwell) immediately begins to rebuild the undead spellcaster’s body nearby. This process takes 1d10 days—if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the phylactery merely starts the process anew. After this time passes, the lich wakens fully healed (albeit without any gear it left behind on its old body), usually with a burning need for revenge against those who previously destroyed it.
The most common form of phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40.
Other forms of phylacteries can exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items.
This states that "If the master has line of sight to the companion, he may as an immediate action protect the creature from being harmed by one successful attack, taking the full effect of that attack instead."
Does that mean that the attack has to hit my character's AC? What if I have displacement or some effect/skill that negates attacks? Or is this meaning that as an immediate action, I can protect the creature from being harmed by taking the damage from an attack that harms it?
I have a question, and there has been lots of debate on the Brawler archetype for the Strangler archetype and the Strangler feat, but I'm running a rogue. In any case, I'm not sure about the outcomes of these debates. So here is my position:
If I have a rogue grappler who has the Strangler and Greater Grapple feats, the breakdown would be this, correct? On the 3rd round, I would deal double sneak attack?
Round 1
Me: Standard Action, Grapple check. Success. Target is grappled. +5 bonus to maintain the grapple.
Enemy: -2cmd from -4 penalty to dex. Fails to escape.
Round 2
Me: Move Action, Maintain Grapple check +5. Success. Standard Action, Choose to Pin. Success. Swift Action, Strangler Sneak Attack damage.
Enemy: Denied Dex bonus completely, Subject to sneak attack from normal hits. Fails to escape.
I have some questions about Dazzling Display and Bardic performance in relation to Satire.
1. Do the penalties given by the demoralization and the satire stack given that they are from two separate abilities? My thoughts were one is utilizing a skill to demoralize, the second is using magical words to magically effect them.
2. If I utilize my bardic satire performance as a standard action the first round, it is a free action to maintain. Along with full-round actions (such as with dazzling display) I can do a free action, so can I do dazzling display while maintaining the performance?
Dazzling Display:
While wielding the weapon in which you have Weapon Focus, you can perform a bewildering show of prowess as a full-round action. Make an Intimidate check to demoralize all foes within 30 feet who can see your display.
Intimidate:
You can use this skill to cause an opponent to become shaken for a number of rounds. This shaken condition doesn’t stack with other shaken conditions to make an affected creature frightened. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier.
Success: If you are successful, the target is shaken for one round. This duration increases by 1 round for every 5 by which you beat the DC. You can only threaten an opponent this way if it is within 30 feet and can clearly see and hear you. Using demoralize on the same creature only extends the duration; it does not create a stronger fear condition.
Fail: The opponent is not shaken.
Action Demoralizing an opponent is a standard action.
Retry? You can attempt to intimidate an opponent again, but each additional check increases the DC by +5. This increase resets after one hour has passed.
Satire:
A court bard can use performance to undermine the confidence of enemies who hear it, causing them to take a –1 penalty on attack and damage rolls (minimum 1) and a –1 penalty on saves against fear and charm effects as long as the bard continues performing. This penalty increases by –1 at 5th level and every six levels thereafter. Satire is a language-dependent, mind-affecting ability that uses audible components.
Bardic Performance:
A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st a bard can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the bard can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that he has mastered, as indicated by his level.
Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.
At 7th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a swift action.
Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both.
If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear the bard for the performance to have any effect, and many such performances are language dependent (as noted in the description). A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components.
If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the bard for the performance to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.
I understand that size bonuses don't stack, but in the case of a Brown-Fur Transmuter Arcanist, it states:
Powerful Change (Su):
At 3rd level, the brown-fur transmuter learns to harness the power of her magic to empower her transmutations. Whenever the brown-fur transmuter casts a transmutation spell using one of her arcanist spell slots, she can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir as a free action to bolster the spell. If the spell grants a bonus to an ability score, the bonus then increases by 2. If it grants a bonus to more than one ability score, only one of the ability scores gains this bonus. The brown-fur transmuter cannot expend more than 1 point from her arcane reservoir in this way.
This ability replaces the arcanist exploit gained at 3rd level.
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume)
EFFECT
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 min./level (D)
DESCRIPTION
When you cast this spell, you can assume the form of any Small or Medium creature of the humanoid type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, and swim 30 feet.
Small creature: If the form you take is that of a Small humanoid, you gain a +2 size bonus to your Dexterity.
Medium creature: If the form you take is that of a Medium humanoid, you gain a +2 size bonus to your Strength.
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Would you gain the +2 size bonus to dex in this case of taking the form of a small creature. Then, by utilizing 1 point from your pool, because it is a transmutation spell, empower the spell, you get +2 addition untyped bonus to Dex?
Also, because the spell is making you small, by polymorph rules, you have a -2 str, +1 attack/Ac due to size, but in the case of this spell, the normal effect of becoming small (+2 dex size bonus) won't stack, correct?
If I were to have the Arcanist Exploit, Armored Mask, and I were to have it active, but then I cast Beast Shape II to transform into the form of a Dire Tiger, would the Armor bonus from Armored Mask carry over? If not, what if it was a mage armor spell?
I was thinking it would carry over because, "you lose all extraordinary and supernatural abilities that depend on your original form (such as keen senses, scent, and darkvision), as well as any natural attacks and movement types possessed by your original form. You also lose any class features that depend upon form…"
So, anything with a physical source, rather than 'this race is practiced at this' goes when you shift. Since this is a magical source, it shouldn't. My confusion comes in when it describes the effect as an illusionary set of armor.
I've looked all over and I can't seem to clarify this issue.
I am thinking of making a duettist bard. What I don't understand about it is the 2nd level ability, versatile familiar.
Am I as the bard still getting versatile performance for my wind instruments, and in addition my familiar is as well, or has my familiar purely taken all of the versatile performance buff?
What constitutes a "dose" with poison? If you have a poison ability, let's say through a class ability such as Progenitor's Sting in the Scorpion Bloodline, is there a way to store it up for use other than on a weapon so that it would apply to a "dose" effect such as with Toxic Spell? Or would this primarily be a GM ruling?
I know this subject has been breached on this website in the forums, however, the discussed matter didn't sit well with me. I wanted to pose a thought:
Wildblooded (Umbral) states that it "replaces the shadow bloodline arcana", it does not say, "alters bloodline" or "replaces bloodline".
Here is my point. It is not altering bloodline arcana in relation to the Crossblooded ability which states that you get to choose two bloodline arcanas. The ability states, "A crossblooded sorcerer gains the bloodline arcana of both her bloodlines." Therefore, the target isn't the bloodline arcana, but the bloodline.
Since wildblooded isn't altering the bloodline to be something different (you are still a shadow bloodline), the arcana will still work together with the crossblooded. What are your thoughts?
So I am contemplating a Scrollmaster build at level 12. I love the ability to be a primary scroll caster. My problems with it are this: You only get one move action. At 12th level, I can do two standard actions, but only one of them I can use a scroll with as I only have 1 move action to use to pull one forth.
My way around this currently is to use an unseen servant. Have his turn go before mine, and command him to pull whatever two scrolls I want to use for my turn. Have him use his actions to hand them to me, and therefore I have it as a free action, right? Then I could use two scrolls per turn, cast at my level and intelligence mod, plus I still have a move action if needed. Does this work?
I had to go this route because Quick Draw doesn't allow me to pull items such as wands or scrolls quickly, and spring-loaded sheaths would only hold one scroll per arm. While I would still use these, as well as a Handy Haversack, I want a free/swift action to have these scrolls in my hand on my turn to cast.
Are there any downsides to this? Is there a better method?
Could someone give me their thoughts on my build here? I made this character 4th level. You can click on the character name or open the spoiler below. I would like to know how I could improve it without really messing with the stats, as they represent the character. Also, what direction in the future would be good with this. Is it viable for high levels do you think? Weaknesses/Strengths?
I hope the format of this is to your liking and makes it easy to read/understand. :)
Spoiler:
STATS
Half-orc Unchained Rogue 4
STR 7
DEX 20 (+2 Racial)
CON 14
INT 13
WIS 12
CHA 12
RACIAL ABILITIES Behind the Veil (1 RP): Characters with this trait gain a +2 bonus on Bluff and Sleight of Hand checks while benefiting from concealment or cover. Half-orcs can take this trait in place of intimidating, also gaining the shadow blending fetchling racial trait.
Darkvision: Half-orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Dimdweller: Whenever characters with this trait benefit from concealment or full concealment due to darkness or dim light, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate, Perception, and Stealth checks. Half-orcs can take this trait in place of weapon familiarity.
Orc Blood: Half-orcs count as both humans and orcs for any effect related to race.
Sacred Tattoo: Many half-orcs decorate themselves with tattoos, piercings, and ritual scarification, which they consider sacred markings. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws. This racial trait replaces orc ferocity.
Shadow Blending (Su): Attacks in dim light have a 50% miss chance instead of the normal 20% miss chance. This ability does not grant total concealment; it just increases the miss chance.
TRAITS
Fate’s Favored (Faith): Whenever you are under the effect of a luck bonus of any kind, that bonus increases by 1.
Reactionary (Combat): +2 trait bonus to Initiative.
CLASS ABILITIES Danger Sense: At 3rd Level, +1 to Reflex vs traps. +1 dodge AC vs traps. +1 Perception vs Surprise. Bonuses increase every 3 levels.
Debilitating Injury: 4th Level. In addition to sneak attack, the rogue can debilitate an enemy for 1 round with Bewildered, Disoriented, or Hampered injuries. These do not stack, but additional sneak attacks increase the duration by 1 round. These penalties do are removed if another debilitating injury penalty is applied.
Evasion: 2nd Level. If the rogue succeeds at a reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage, they take no damage. Evasion can only be used if in light or no armor.
Finesse Training: The rogue gains the weapon finesse feat. At 3rd, the rogue can select a type of weapon and apply their dex mod instead of str (daggers). If any effect would prevent the rogue from adding their Strength modifier to the damage roll, they do not add their Dexterity modifier. The rogue can select a second weapon at 11th level and a third at 19th level.
Rogue's Edge: At 5th level, a rogue has mastered a single skill beyond that skill’s normal boundaries, gaining results that others can only dream about. They gain the skill unlock powers for that skill as appropriate for their number of ranks in that skill. At 10th, 15th, and 20th levels, she chooses an additional skill and gains skill unlock powers for that skill as well.
Sneak Attack: 2d6
Trapfinding: A rogue adds 1/2 her level on Perception checks to locate traps and on Disable Device checks (minimum +1). A rogue can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps.
Uncanny Dodge: At 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A rogue with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against her.
I know people have asked these things before or assumed much, but I can't seem to find much in way to answer my questions.
Geisha Bard states:
Tea Ceremony (Su): By spending 10 minutes preparing an elaborate tea ceremony, a geisha may affect her allies with inspire courage, inspire competence, inspire greatness, or inspire heroics. The ceremony’s effects last 10 minutes. The geisha must spend 4 rounds of bardic performance for each creature to be affected.
Question 1::
This supernatural ceremony does not state what must happen during it, who must be there, or where it has to be in relevance to those people. Everything such as "Your party must be there" is assumption, correct?
Therefore, this ceremony could be done on behalf of the party by a hired geisha while they adventure as long as she considers them her allies?
or
The point of Bardic performance is to put forth some sound/inspiring word to cause an effect in regards to the world, yourself or people around you. Therefore, I would think the ceremony would naturally have to affect those who can hear/see the ceremony. I haven't found a masterpiece/song that works otherwise, and frankly, it makes sense given the flavor of the archetype.
Question 2::
I have heard this supernatural ability read as the character or NPC having to put forth 4 rounds of bardic performance per person, or 4 rounds of bardic performance for each creature she considers her allies to be affected. Meaning 4 rounds total. I would lean more toward the later having seen some of the masterpieces and what they affect for 1 or 2 rounds of bardic performance.
Question 3::
I am reading this Tea Ceremony as something that doesn't replace anything. Nor is there a level requirement. You do the Tea Ceremony, you get the benefits of one of these 4 performances for your group. Nowhere does it say that you must be X level to use the ceremony and have it affect someone with inspire competence or heroics. It is simply a ceremony and it adds strange bonuses.
or
Is there some errata somewhere or some information that I'm missing? If it is the above version, it can be quite useful despite its 10minute cast time. It almost makes it worth it for the 4 rounds of bardic performance.
What are your thoughts? Any advice or can you direct me to some good authentic information?
While raging, the barbarian is surrounded by spirit wisps that harass her foes. These spirits make one slam attack each round against a living foe that is adjacent to the barbarian. This slam attack is made using the barbarian’s full base attack bonus, plus the barbarian’s Charisma modifier. The slam deals 1d4 points of negative energy damage, plus the barbarian’s Charisma modifier.
If I were to multiclass primarily into another class, does this power -only- take the BAB from Barbarian levels, or does it just include your BAB total and is saying "Barbarian" in generality?
I am confused by this spell. It says that it allows you to take the form of a fey, either small or medium in size. Despite this, every guide I see regarding the spell, lists out possible best choices, and then mentions getting attacks of these powerful fey. To me, it just seems like you get a +2 bonus to various stats dependent on the form you choose, you get the listed abilities if the creature has them, and then the listed weaknesses of the fey you chose.
If I have a player who finds some scrolls, and then casts read magic to decipher them, it is clear that he understands them. Could he in turn hand them to the rogue, who would otherwise need to use UMD, and explain it to him, or would the rogue have to decipher it himself with UMD or Spellcraft?
If I were to begin play as a 1st level wizard, and lets say I pick up magic missile as one of my starting spells. If I happen to survive till level 2 and become a magus for instance, as a magus I get magic missile as well. So then would I have the potential for 1 level 1 magic missile spells + bonus spells for each class?
If so, what is the effective caster level on Magic missile? Is it 2 or 1?
Can someone break down how they generally balance masterpieces? It seems strange to me how sometimes I'm doing a 6th level spell and giving up a 3rd. Does anyone have any ideas or is it just chaos?
As a wizard (or witch in my case) is it possible to prep a spell with a metamagic with the foreknowledge it will meet the requirements?
For instance, I have Rime Spell which makes your spells with [Cold] in the descriptor entangle a creature who took damage by your spell for 1round/level.
If I am playing a Winter Witch who has the Hex, Frozen Caress, which adds the [Cold] descriptor and deals 1d4 points of cold damage as a swift action to whatever spell you are casting, then could I have the foreknowledge and prep a spell with Rime that doesn't have the cold descriptor?
I am wanting to use Inflict Light Wounds with Rime Spell and add the Frozen Caress before I cast it.
