Byakko's page

Hi,

On behalf of the rules forum, I'd like to enquire about the general silence in the forums and the lack of published FAQs for the Pathfinder game system these last few months.

Way back in 2015, it was mentioned that the design team would answer some of the most pressing questions about once a week.

While once a week may have been a little over ambitious, we generally still received about one or two rulings each month. However, since about 3 months ago, new FAQs have been conspicuously absent. People are starting to wonder what's going on.

Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate how interactive the Paizo staff have generally been in the forums, and the frequency of their replies. I just hope they return to doing the excellent job they are known for soon, as this is genuinely one of the factors which determines my purchasing decisions, and other contributions.

-Byakko

Recently our local game store started hosting a few Adventure Guild games. We all grabbed a class deck and started playing.

However, after a few games it dawned on us, due to being limited to only the cards in our class decks, there was almost no deck customization allowed! This is in stark contrast to the myriad of options in Pathfinder Society RPG, or to pretty much any popular card game out there.

For example, my Inquistor class deck is woefully limited in options. There is only 1 spell available at each tier! (beyond B, which is also quite limited in actually useful options) The same holds roughly true for every card type in the box.

So essentially we can only play the deck that was supplied, with the ability to make only the smallest of tweaks. This is a FAR cry from the customization and options I was expecting and is very surprising considering the options that could so easily given.

To be clear, I'm not arguing for a massive set of cards like MTG. But opening up even a couple dozen extra card options (per type) to personalize one's deck with would go a long way towards adding some tactics to deck building rather than just "oh well, I guess I'll put in these 5 cards because I really don't have any other decent choices...").

Btw, please correct me if I'm missed something in the rules to organized play, because right now I'm quite disappointed.

It's that time again... let's see if we can get it answered!

Which classes can take and benefit from the Improved Familiar feat?

Examples:
1) Classes which count as a wizard for acquiring familiars such as Shamans, Eldritch Guardians, Carnivalist, or from taking Eldritch Heritage or Familiar Bond.
2) Prestige Classes which improve arcane spellcasting ability such as Eldritch Knight, Arcane Trickster, or Mystic Theurge.
3) Non-arcane spellcasters who take an archetype which changes their spells to arcane. Arcane casters whose archetype causes their spells to be non-arcane.

Say a rogue, under the effects of an Invisibility spell, tries to attack an opponent directly with a wand, but fails the Use Magic Device check to activate it.

Does the rogue become visible?

The channel foci from Adventurer's Armory state:

Activating a focus is identical to channeling energy, but instead of directing the power outward, the cleric (or other appropriate character) directs it into the focus, expending one use of channel energy.

However, the individual foci sometimes specifically reference clerics. For example the Sundered Mask says, in part:

... the mask releases the stored energy into the wearer, healing a number of hit points equal to the number of dice of the activating cleric’s channel energy ability.

A reasonable interpretation might be that when it says cleric, it really means "cleric or other appropriate character". However, as it only says cleric (and "appropriate character" is additionally not clearly defined), this leaves a lot of room for debate. Something I wish to avoid, if possible.

TL/DR:
There are MANY classes which have access to channel energy these days. Are they all to be considered "appropriate" for the purposes of charging channel foci, and can they do so even if the item mentions clerics specifically?

As per the subject, can we have a clarification on what familiars can and cannot use?

The Pathfinder FAQ states:

It is intended that animal companions or familiars can not activate magic items.

However, there is a highly contradictory thread where Michael Brock states or confirms, among other things:

* A select list of Improved Familiars can activate wands (specifically: faerie dragon, imp, lyrakien azata, mephit, quasit, and sprite)
* Bipedal familiars can wear\wield whatever, provided it is available on the Biped (hands) chart

However, none of these things ever made it into the FAQ!

So what gives?
Are we supposed to assume that every buried thread and comment made by staff in these forums, even if multiple years old, should be taken as official?
That the FAQ entries can't be taken at face value, as they lack key and important information?
Additionally, it appears the wand-capable list given is somewhat arbitrary, conspicuously skipping over some intelligent creatures with hands. Guidance on how to classify newly created improved familiars would also be helpful.

Part 1:
If you use a polymorph spell, then possess another creature, does the polymorph effect stay with your body? What if you cast it after you've already possessed the target? What happens when the possession is dismissed?

Part 2:
With the above in mind: the Shapechange spell allows you to change shape each round as a free action. What happens if you change shape, possess a creature, change shape again, return to your own body, change shape again, etc? What if Shapechange is initially cast after the possession?

Addendum:
If the polymorph effect also affects your mind or mental stats, does this alter the answers given previously?

The FAQ still says:

It is intended that animal companions or familiars can not activate magic items.

Despite Michael Brock's post stating:

Wand use doesn't require the book for those few improved familiars - brownie, faerie dragon, imp, lyrakien azata, mephit, quasit, sprite familiars - gained with the Improved Familiar feat

It can use a wand since it is slotless. It uses its master's UMD. No other animal companions or familiars can activate a magic item.

So what gives?

Ignoring the fact that this list is fairly arbitrary, it's in direct conflict with the PFS FAQ.
Instead of having to plumb ancient posts on the forum, can we just have an updated FAQ entry to reflect what is actually allowed in Society play?
Pretty please?

I have a character which will potentially have two Ki Pools, neither of which state they stack or combine with other pools. Am I right in believing these will function as two independent, separate, resources?

The two Ki Pools in question are from Monk and Paladin of Irori.

Hi all,

Some local players have decided that having some pvp fights would be fun. For some reason they believe level 20 is a good level to go with and that balance can still be maintained. I'd like to quickly correct this naive assumption in the hope that a more reasonable level can be chosen as the standard.

The key rules for the matches are as follows:

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1) Generally follows Pathfinder Society rules and resources

2) Low wealth. Can choose: 20th level with 100k gold, 19th level with 160k gold, 18th level with 190k gold, or 17th level with 230k gold

3) 2-5 combatants, free for all (assume 2 may be hostile to you)

4) No pre-buffs or pre-battle preparations (not even hour/level)

5) The fight takes place on a 200' x 200' square. Roughly 70' above ground, 30' below ground. Miscellaneous unpredictable terrain elements.

6) May or may not start with LoS to other combatants, but anyone can make it to cover on their first round

7) May not intentionally leave the arena (including dimensional and planar travel). If forced to leave by another player, will randomly reappear in a few rounds.

8) While the opponents may not know your exact build, they will likely have counters to common tactics such as invisibility, stealth, and flying. Even with knowledge of your build, it should not be easy to counter without significant investment which would severely weaken their likely builds.

9) No use of rules which are overly funky, elaborate, or subject to debate. (no custom items, no mythic rules, etc) A lot of this is covered by being PFS-ish, but just emphasizing.

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The goal here isn't to come up with a maximum cheesiness ultimate build. I'd just like to see a few example builds that demonstrate why choosing to have level 20 arena fights will quickly deteriorate into rocket-tag.

Thanks

Off-hand is not light: Primary and Offhand have a -4 penalty to hit

Off-hand is light: Primary and Offhand have a -2 penalty to hit

This puzzle involves a dashing 6th level fighter:

He has Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, and Quick Draw.
He has 18 Strength (+4 modifier).
He wields a +2 longsword and a +2 dagger.
He also owns a +2 scimitar strapped to his waist as a backup.

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He encounters a foe and proceeds to full attack. After performing his two Primary longsword attacks, his failed disarm attempt with his first offhand attack causes him to drop his dagger. He desires to Quick Draw his scimitar and perform his second offhand attack with it.

His attack roll modifiers for the round are thus:

Longsword +10 (+6 BAB, +4 Str, +2 magic, -2 TWF)
Longsword +5
Dagger +10
Scimitar +... ?

--------------------------------------

The next day, being a clever fellow, he decides to do the following on his full attack. He performs his two Primary longsword attacks, performs one offhand attack with his dagger, drops it as a free action, Quick Draws his scimitar, and performs his second offhand attack with it.

His attack roll modifiers for the round are thus:

Longsword +10 (+6 BAB, +4 Str, +2 magic, -2 TWF)
Longsword +5
Dagger +10
Scimitar +... ?

--------------------------------------

So what is the proper way to resolve these scenarios?

For those who didn't catch it, the crafty fighter believes he has found a way to circumvent the -4 penalty to Primary hand attacks while using a non-light offhand weapon.

Clerics, and especially Oracles, are just really hard to compete with when it comes to in-fight healing. I'd like to try something a bit different, if possible. Any ideas?

More specifically:

1) Should come online around level 6 at the latest.

2) Standard WBL, no house rules, no 3rd party material. (PFS)

3) While I'm not expecting cleric/oracle levels of healing, it should be a better healer than just having access to healing spells on its spell list.

Are there any restrictions on when, during your turn, you're allowed to take swift actions?
For example, can you cast a quickened spell in the middle of a move or charge action?

These:

You can take a swift action anytime you would normally be allowed to take a free action.

You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally.

seem to indicate that you can, but I can't help but feel this is unintended.

Alright, I'm trying to report a session from a couple weeks ago, and am getting the above error message.

I'm guessing this has something to do with the new Core game types?

In any case, this was played before any of the Core information was out. Nor do I see any place that allows you to change the "character/scenario type" on the reporting form.

Suggestions?

I see quite a bit of confusion and table variation when it comes to surprise rounds which aren't standard in nature. Let me describe an example scenario, but the issues are far more broad than this one case.

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Player A is invisible, stealthed, and has a high initiative.
Player B is unaware, unobservant, and has a low initiative.

Player A wishes to initiative combat with a Whirlwind Attack, which is a full round action. What happens?
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1) Player A uses Whirlwind Attack in the surprise round. Player A can then Whirlwind Attack again in the first normal round, followed by Player B.
The obvious problem with this is that Player A only gets one action in the surprise round, and thus can't Whirlwind Attack in it.

2) Player A uses Whirlwind Attack. Now the surprise round happens, in which Player A makes a standard action attack. Player A can then Whirlwind Attack again in the first normal round, finally followed by Player B.
So Player B gets hit by two full round attacks and a standard action before they can even act? This is even worse than the above, and I don't think it's intended to work like this.

3) Player A desires to initiate combat, and gets a surprise round. Player A decides to do nothing in the surprise round and just wait for the first normal round. Player A then uses Whirlwind Attack followed by Player B's actions.
This is probably the most balanced option, but is bizarre in the sense that Player B isn't surprised even though he should be. Further, imagine Player B had won the initiative... now Player B is being told to take his first normal round's actions without having any indication that he's being attacked at all!
Is Player B somehow aware that a fight is starting? If he readies for combat or casts a defensive spells, what happens if player A simply walks away instead of actually attacking? Btw, this same issues pops up when a class feature allows a player to act in the surprise round before they have any awareness of the attacker.

4) Player A simply cannot perform a Whirlwind Attack no matter how much he wishes to fight or how long he waits.
Sorry Player A, even though you're standing right next to Player B, you just can't find it within yourself to use that technique. Strain, flex your muscles, and amp yourself up all you want, for some reason you just can't quite do it, as if the universe were vetoing your desired action.

------------------------------------------------------------
With all of the above in mind, here's a bonus scanario:

Player C & D are aware of and ambushing Player B, who is on the other side of a very thick wall.
Player C wishes to Dimension Door the pair of them into the room. Player D wishes to delay until just after Player C, then whirlwind attack.

Yet again, these are things you cannot normally do in a surprise round. However, if told such, can these two players simply wait for their normal round instead? ie, how does your choice of answer to the above apply to this scenario?
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The Smite ability occurs in many different places, most famously as one the paladin's powers. Yet, many of these places fail to fully describe the power and leave questions open as to how they function.

I'll start with the paladin's Smite Evil, as it's best known and fully specified. To summarize:

attack rolls: charisma bonus if evil
damage bonus: paladin's level if evil
damage increase: vs evil outsider/dragon, undead
DR: bypass DR if evil
AC: Charisma to deflection vs target
duration: until rest

Okay, how about the the Celestial template?

smite evil 1/day as a swift action (adds Cha bonus to attack rolls and damage bonus equal to HD against evil foes; smite persists until target is dead or the celestial creature rests).

It's unclear whether the text in parenthesis is reminder text, listing only the highlights of the paladin's power, or if is fully describing the effect. If the later, this is what we have:

attack rolls: charisma bonus if evil
damage bonus: HD if evil
damage increase: none specified
DR: none specified
AC: none specified
duration: until rest

So, does a Celestial templated creature receive the other benefits of a paladin's smite evil or not?

Alright, how about the Bracers of the Avenging Knight on a non-paladin?

smite attack, gaining a bonus on the attack roll equal to her Charisma bonus, and a +5 bonus to the damage roll on a hit

Thus:

attack rolls: charisma bonus
damage bonus: +5
damage increase: none specified
DR: none specified
AC: none specified
duration: not specified

Note, the apparent lack of requirement that the target is evil. Is this supposed to function as the Smite Evil of a 5th level paladin? Or is it merely a similar, yet poorly specified, ability? If it is actually the Smite Evil of the paladin, does the character count as having the Smite Evil feature while wearing the gloves?

As has been discussed in many other threads(to link only a few), both the RAW and RAI is highly ambiguous for this archetype.

This is particularly a problem in Society play where spending an hour discussing how the GM would like to handle things is both unreasonable and unfair to the other players, and results in a great deal of table variation. Thus, I am seeking official clarifications out of a simple desire to have a consistent, playable character.

Below, are three of the features granted by this archetype, the questions they raise, and my personal suggestions on how they could be clarified or interpreted. If you agree that this archetype could use some official feedback, please help me bring this to their attention, thanks.

Transfer Feats (Ex): Whenever the beast-bonded witch is capable of learning a new feat, she may choose to instead have her familiar learn the feat as a bonus feat. The familiar must meet the prerequisites for any feats that it learns this way. If her familiar is lost or dies, the witch can reclaim the feat slots and select new feats for herself, or apply the slots toward her new familiar.

1) Which feats can be transferred? Only odd number feats, or also ones acquired from other classes?
Any feat may be transferred, although this may prevent the use of features of the other class dependent upon it.

2) Must the witch also meet the prerequisites of the feat being transferred?
Only the familiar need meet the prerequisites.

3) If a familiar is lost, how long can the feats be held for the new one?
A reasonable time would be until the witch next levels up.

4) How does this interact with the feat retraining rules?
A feat can be retrained regardless of where it is assigned. The newly acquired feat can be applied to the witch or the familiar as normal.

Familiar Form (Sp): At 8th level, a beast-bonded witch may take the shape of her familiar (or a giant version of her familiar or a similar kind of animal) as if using Beast Shape II. For example, a witch with a rat familiar can turn into a Tiny rat, Small dire rat, or a larger rodent; one with a cat familiar can turn into a Tiny cat or a Large feline such as a tiger or lion; one with a monkey familiar can turn into a Tiny monkey or a Large gorilla, and so on. The witch can remain in animal form for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. This ability replaces the witch’s 8th-level hex.

5) How are Beast Shape's type limitations handled?
While Beast Shape specifies creatures of animal type, this ability will let you choose forms similar to your familiar despite them being magical beasts, outsiders, etc. You gain only the modifiers and abilities specified in Beast Shape II.

6) How similar must the chosen form be to the familiar?
Fairly similar. Since a cat familiar only allows cat-like mammals, a Compsognathus familiar only allows similarly looking creatures, not -every- dinosaur. For some unique looking familiars, particularly of outsider type, this may mean only the familiar's exact creature type is selectable.

Twin Soul (Su): At 10th-level, if the witch or her familiar is gravely injured or about to die, the soul of the dying one immediately transfers to the other’s body. The two souls share the surviving body peaceably, can communicate freely, and both retain their ability to think and reason. The host may allow the guest soul to take over the body temporarily or reclaim it as a move action. They can persist in this state indefinitely, or the guest can return to its own body (if available) by touch, transfer into a suitable vessel (such as a clone), or take over another body as if using magic jar (with no receptacle). This replaces the witch’s major hex at 10th-level.

7) "gravely injured or about to die"?
Either in the dying state (under 0hp) or upon dying.

8) What type of action is this transfer?
A free action, usable even when otherwise prevented from taking actions or unconscious.

9) What happens to the vacated body?
Similar to magic jar, it leaves your body lifeless. If you would be dead, the body is also dead. If you would be alive, the body is comatose. Thus, if you flee to your familiar and an ally uses Breath of Life on your body, it may be left in a damaged comatose state until you return to it.

10) What abilities are available to each soul?
Similar to Marionette Possession, while a guest is in control, they use their Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, level, class, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, alignment, and mental abilities. The body retains its Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, hit points, natural abilities, and natural attacks (such as a bite or sting). A body with extra limbs does not allow you to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks) than normal. The guest can't choose to activate the body's extraordinary, spell-like, or supernatural abilities.

11) How do mind-based, ki, mental, and similar abilities affect a shared body?
Whoever currently has control of the body is affected by such effects. If the guest is currently in control, the host can retake control with a move action as normal, but the effect continues to affect the guest for the duration.

12) "guest can return to its own body (if available)"?
If the body is dead, the guest spirit dies and is released. This will, however, allow the guest to be raised from the dead. (while the soul is in the host body, it is not available for Raise Dead, Speak with Dead, and the like)

13) "take over another body as if using magic jar (with no receptacle)?
Michael Brock has stated here that this effect has a duration. The host can magic jar a target with a standard action using the witch's caster level. However, the results are more similar to Marionette Possession - the target's soul is not displaced, you return to your shared body at its expiration, and the target's soul regains control of the body upon your exit. For balance reasons, I recommend an errata to make this option reference Marionette Possession instead of Magic Jar, ie, only usable on willing or unconscious targets.

14) Can the witch and familiar just keep body jumping?
For this ability to work, either the witch or the familiar must be the host of their own original body. While a spirit might temporarily leave the body (and leave the other spirit in control), they may only share the original body of either the witch or the familiar. Thus, if a guest spirit is temporarily magic jared out of the shared body, and the host body dies, the host spirit also dies as it has no valid place to flee to (and the guest spirit will also die upon expiration of the magic jar).

As this has recently come up during a PFS session, I'd like to know. I'm actually kind of stumped by this one! Thoughts?

When you cast a polymorph spell that changes you into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type, all of your gear melds into your body. Items that provide constant bonuses and do not need to be activated continue to function while melded in this way (with the exception of armor and shield bonuses, which cease to function). Items that require activation cannot be used while you maintain that form.

Magic items sometimes have intelligence of their own. Magically imbued with sentience, these items think and feel the same way characters do and should be treated as NPCs. Intelligent items have extra abilities and sometimes extraordinary powers and special purposes.

All powers function at the direction of the item, although intelligent items generally follow the wishes of their owner. Activating a power or concentrating on an active one is a standard action the item takes.

So if the owner of an intelligent item uses a polymorph effect, what happens to the item? The item's intelligence is a "constant bonus"... as are many of its possible abilities such as speech (how would that even work?). Can the intelligent item still choose to use activated abilities, even if its owner cannot?

FAQ link: http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/faq#v5748eaic9p51

I'm finding the FAQ concerning this very confusing. I see the wand thing has been beaten to death in another post, but how about issues such as the following?

1) The majority of the text only says things about animal companions. Should we assume everything said about animal companions also applies to familiars (and other pc "sidekicks")?

2) "Animal companions of any type may not use manufactured weapons.": Does this apply to familiars too? Some familiars (for example, the sprite), come with manufactured weapons...

3) The spell Anthropomorphic Animal states "One pair of its limbs is able to manipulate objects and weapons as well as human hands do" and "the creature's Intelligence increases to 3, and it gains the ability to speak one language you know." What happens here? (in regards to gear use, wand use, etc)

4) Many other polymorph spells also allow animals/familiars to assume humanoid/other forms. (for example, Alter Self in conjunction with Share Spell). What happens here?

5) The FAQ seems to indicate that humanoid familiars can only wear barding and a neck-slot item. Barding, and not armor, on a humanoid?

6) What happens if a humanoid familiar (or polymorphed) animal companion dons and wears magical armor/shield/etc in-game. Will it suddenly become insubstantial and ineffective? Does the world explode?

7) What is the price of gear? For example, a tiny suit of leather armor (or barding :P) for an imp familiar.