Byronus's page

I browsed around and couldn't find a clarification on this; sorry if I happened to miss the answer somewhere on here.

Does the Glamered enchantment allow the wielder vary the appearance of their item? Or is the illusion decided upon at item creation, and fixed?

I think, considering the price tag, it's a fixed illusion.

Am I correct?

Hey everyone,

I'm working on an idea for a game I'm running and wanted to clarify something with the lovely peeps of the Paizo community:

Can a Ghost's Malevolence ability allow it to possess a dormant Android awaiting a new soul for Renewal?

The Android race has many complicated exceptions, and I wasn't sure how things applied to this particular scenario.

Thanks,

Byronus

I've ready everything regarding Haunts, Sanity and Madness, the Fear Spell, Magical Traps, and the Paizo Messageboards, and haven't found ANYTHING regarding regular, conventional scary stuff.

What would be the DC for walking into a slaughterhouse? Or watching a loved on be murdered in front of you? And how long will the Shaken/Frightened/Panicked effects last for?

Is there a source I'm overlooking?

:Byronus

I was reading up on Illusions and came across [u]this[/u] line:

Creatures encountering an illusion usually do not receive saving throws to recognize it as illusory until they study it carefully or interact with it in some fashion.

Does that mean that ANY check can be used to disbelieve an illusion, after a Will save fails?

For example: A Sorcerer is fleeing down a long corridor from an enemy Fighter and Rogue. He rounds the corner, casts "Silent Image" to create the image of a large, locked door to bar their path. He even casts "Ghost Sound" to emulate the sound of a door slamming, the rattling of keys, and turning of the lock.

The Fighter and Rogue catch up, round the corner, slam into the door. Interaction means they each get a Will save, which they both fail.

Let's say the DC of the Door illusion is 21; perhaps the DM makes it slightly higher for clever use of "Ghost Sound" to make the "Silent Image" more convincing; who knows?

The Fighter backs up and tries to knock down the door by Charging into it with his shoulder. His Strength check results in a 16, which is less than 21, so his shoulder slams into the door without budging it.

The Rogue then tries to pick the lock on the door illusion. He rolls a Disable Device Skill check with a result of 25, which beats the door's DC 21, and the door vanishes in front of them, and they proceed on their chase.

So, would the Strength and Disable Device checks be used in this manner to dissipate the "Silent Image?"

Totally lost,

:Byronus

To re-iterate, does a player with this Feat HAVE to Bull Rush with every Shield strike?

I was working on a Core-Only, Two-Weapon Ranger who utilizes a Main-hand Heavy Shield/Light Off-Hand Weapon combo, in conjunction with the Stand Still and Step Up Feats. I want to be able to stick to enemies like glue and beat them up on a Full-Attack, and only use the free Bull Rushes when near walls/surfaces to knock enemies prone.

It'll be difficult to keep enemies close when you push them away with every Shield Bash.

Thanks in advance,

Grimlock

A whip makes that loud crack when it strikes. Is it possible to make it so a whip can be used quietly, so it can be used by Roguish types? I have a Bard character in an intrigue-heavy campaign, and want to be able to utilize whips without granting Perception checks each time I do so.

Thanks,

:Byronus

Hey all,

I've been recently toying with the idea of a Cleric who focuses on fighting with a Heavy Shield as their primary weapon. Yes, I understand it's not the best build, but I like the idea of using Shield-bashes to maintain good Armour Class while freeing up the other hand for wands and spell casting.

Paremeters:
i) Human;
ii) Support/Battle Cleric themed;
iii) Positive Energy Channeling;
iv) PFS legal;
v) CORE ONLY.

Concerns:
i) The Two-Weapon Fighting Feat is a prerequisite for a lot of Shield-fighting Feats, and it has a DEX requirement of 15. Some will probably suggest taking a 2-level dip in Ranger in order to get the Two-Weapon Fighting Feat from the Ranger Combat Style, thus avoiding the DEX requirement. Even though I'll have a better BAB and access to the Ranger spell list, I'd like to try to do it WITHOUT Multi-classing and maintain full Cleric casting levels. If that means the character only takes "Improved Shield Bash" along with "Power Attack" and friends, so be it;

ii) While this character will have no problems using Wands, they'd need to remove their Heavy Shield in order to use Rods. This build would, therefore, rely on non-Rod tactics;

iii) Point-Buy Arrays:
a) 14, 14, 14, 14, 10, 10 or;
b) 15, 14, 14, 14, 12, 7.

Posible Themes:
i) Kellid Priest of Zon-Kuthon, serving the Silver Crusade: A poor victim goes mad after losing their entire family to the Worldwound, and uses their pain and loss to fuel the destruction of the demonic hordes;

ii) Ulfen Priest of Torag;

iii) A Starknife-throwing Priest of Desna;

iv) Taldan Priest of Calistria, serving the Sovereign Court: A fallen Noble seeks to subvert those who wronged them through manipulation and intrigue. [I like the idea of Shield & Whip combo, but this story is probably best suited for a Bard character];

I'm reading several Build Guides while awaiting your replies, but would appreciate any information, especially regarding Deities and Domains.

Thanks in advance,

:Byronus

I wanted my Ranger character to have a dog as a pet (non-Animal Companion) to watch over the adventuring party as they rested. The dog would hang out downwind of the camp and Perceive any enemies downwind from it, using it's Scent ability, as well as sight and hearing, to detect enemies approaching the encampment from that angle. Once detected, it would bark to warn it's master. An extra set of eyes never hurt, right?

I'm not sure what Trick would apply. I want the dog to Seek out threats, but to Stay stationary, so those two Tricks seem to make the most sense. But aren't those two actions covered in the Guard Trick? The wording of Guard seems to imply that animals with that Trick will put themselves in harm's way when performing that function. I don't want the dog in danger; I just want to be warned of possible danger.

So, which is it? Guard, or Seek+Stay?

:Byron

Hey all,

I'm helping my friend with his first Pathfinder experience. He's decided on a Skirmisher (Ranger Archetype) with a Wolf as his Animal Companion. He presented an interesting question:

Can I keep a sheathed weapon on my Wolf, as a back-up, and Draw it from him when he's next to me?

I wasn't sure how to answer him, and thought I'd present the question to you all here.

Drawing a Weapon is a Move Action that does NOT provoke and Attack of Opportunity (AoO). Common sense would dictate that the weapon is worn by the person drawing it. So:

i) How would one handle a player drawing an Ally's weapon?;
ii) How would one handle a player drawing an OPPONENT'S weapon?

Thanks,

:Byronus

I couldn't find an answer for this in a forum search, so I started this thread. Here we go:

Let's say a character who can cast Teleport has a very large, unique TENT. It's interior is a garish combination of olive green and neon orange, and it's large enough to be considered a small marquee. This tent is used every time the party breaks camp, so it is "very familiar" to him.

Scenario: The adventuring party is hired to rescue someone. They set up the TENT in a forested area a few miles away from where their kidnapped victim is being held, leaving their horses and a few allies behind to keep watch over everything. The rest of the party proceeds on foot, sneaks into the enemy camp, and find their charge.

Can the Teleport spell be used to get the players and the kidnap victim out of the enemy camp by Teleporting to the TENT?

The TENT is a place "very familiar" to the caster, one that could be potentially set up anywhere, plus the garish colours of the TENT's interior means it's unlikely they'd be Teleported to a "Similar Area" instead (AKA the wrong tent), as the colour scheme is so unique.

Could that same TENT be set up on the deck of a ship instead?

Thanks in advance,

:Byron

Hey guys,

I've been reading up on Clerics recently, various Class Guides and threads on the Advice message boards, and while there are various types of Cleric to create, I have come across two different schools of thought on building Clerics: High Mobility vs. High Armour Class.

High Mobility Clerics focus on using plenty of movement on the battlefield, most notably by having a higher DEX, sticking to lighter armours and, perhaps, building up the Acrobatics skill. These Clerics typically affect combat at a distance.

High Armour Class Clerics expect to get hit, and prepare themselves with a Feat investment in Heavy Armour Proficiency, Combat Casting, Dodge, and Toughness, while having great STR and CON stats as well. These Clerics typically wade into the melee.

I know character preferences very much depend on the player, but I'm creating my first Cleric and wanted to hear from players regarding their experience playing the above two styles of Cleric: what you loved or hated; what to anticipate; various techniques for overcoming short-falls, etc.

I appreciate any and all input,

:Byronus

From what I understand of the game mechanics, a character wielding a Reach weapon is able to Bull Rush an opponent adjacent to them without penalty and without provoking an Attack of Opportunity (AoO). The Bull Rush attempts works like a cross-check or push-kick that moves the opponent away without necessarily harming them.

I imagine a scenario where a character with a Reach weapon could hold back opponents on a narrow choke point, like a 5-foot-wide corridor. An enemy approaching carefully would be attacked when in range of the Reach weapon and the hero would be able to step back to keep them at bay without getting hurt, forcing the enemy to get adjacent to the hero by running past the Reach weapon's threatened square and provoking an AoO. If the hero can successfully Bull Rush the now adjacent enemy away, they can step back without provoking an AoO and keep the enemy at bay. If the Bull Rush check is good enough, the hero can push back the enemy far enough without even having to step back.

Do I understand everything correctly?

Thanks,

:Byronus

Bobby is tripping his enemy with a Flail (a Trip weapon), he botches the attempt by 10 or more, and let's go of it to avoid falling prone. On his next turn, Bobby can draw his back-up Flail as a Move Action (that does not Provoke an Attack of Opportunity [AoO]) and try again.

Now, that's all fine and dandy when we're talking about generic Flails, but what if Bobby has "Sparky", a +4 Shock Flail? "Sparky" is Bobby's primary weapon, and his back-up is its inferior.

Both options provided by the Trip feature (retrieving "Sparky" after dropping it, or getting up from prone) lead to Bobby provoking an AoO.

Given the options, it's infinitely better to hang on to "Sparky" than to drop it. Why?

a) Any one other than Bobby can pick up "Sparky" if they are willing to Provoke an AoO for it. Dropping it doesn't necessarily mean Bobby's getting it back;
b) The bonuses from "Sparky" offset the attack penalties from being prone;
c) Bobby can use various abilities to offset the AC penalties from being prone, or completely avoid provoking an AoO when standing up.

Considering players would rather keep their weapon in hand, doesn't it make the Trip feature completely useless?

Hey all,

I came across the Fighter's Fork and wanted to apply it a different weapon.

I was thinking it could work with a Great Axe:
i) It would "Lengthen" into Two-Handed Reach Weapon, like a Bardiche without Brace, but with a better damage die, and a different threat range;
ii) It would "Shorten" into a Battle Axe so it could be used One-Handed with a shield, but could not be thrown.

Is this allowed? And, if so, what would the cost be?

:Byronus

I couldn't find a thread discussing different methods to utilize magic in Ship-to-Ship combat, so I thought I'd start one. The Advanced Naval Combat rules address more conventional techniques, so here's a forum where people can submit (and shoot down each other's) ideas.

Here are a few I'd like to run by you all:

i) A Paladin be placed in charge of a Siege Weapon team, and use their Divine Bond to enhance the weapon's damage;

ii) One could Summon a Water Elemental onto a ship and order it to "Quench" any fires that start on board;

iii) One could Summon a Giant with the "Rock Catching" ability to intercept indirect fire from enemy catapults.

I look forward to hearing from everyone,

:Byronus

A Fighter reaches 10th-level and has taken the Tripping chain (Combat Expertise, Improved/Greater Trip), the Step-Up chain (Step-Up, Following Step, Step-Up and Strike), as well as Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Lunge, and Mobility. This Fighter then pursues the path of the Druid for 6 levels, and can Wildshape into Large animals.

Questions:
1a) Do ALL of the above Feats apply in ALL Wild Shaped forms, provided the creature has the means to perform them?;

1b) ...or do SOME of the Feats apply if the animal form has related abilities? (i.e. Wolves can trip, so the Tripping chain applies to them);

2a) Is the Fighter/Druid limited to the number and types of Natural Attacks available to the animal's form?

2b) ...or could the Fighter choose to "fight like a humanoid Fighter", utilizing their Full Attacks from their BAB and properly-scaled weapons, when in a humanoid-ish form? (i.e. A Dire Ape wielding a Large-scaled Greatsword)

Thanks in advance for the help,

:Byronus

Could a "Gust of Wind" be cast to give a Sailing Ship an acceleration/speed boost in Ship-to-Ship Combat?

:Byronus

This is probably a HUGE stretch, but I thought I'd put it out here in case there was any validity to this.

Landing Roll: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/landing-roll-combat
Trip: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Trip

I understand the Feat is defensive in nature, but could it be also used as a by an attacker who fails their Trip check?

Meaning:
i) Attacker rolls to Trip, and fails their check by more that 10;
ii) Attacker is knocked prone by a Trip attack (their own);
iii) Attacker moves 5 feet away from their target, as per "Landing Roll";
iv) Attacker ends movement, Prone.

If the purpose of a Trip attack is to knock someone Prone, doesn't "Landing Roll" allow an attacker the additional movement, if they knock themselves Prone?

:Byronus

Here's my character:

Limitations: CRB, APG.

5th-level Male Half-Elf character: 4th-level Fighter, 1st-level Druid.

STR: 17; DEX: 14; CON: 16; INT: 13, WIL: 15, CHA: 9.

Feats: Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Combat, Step-Up.

He was originally a Fighter focusing on the Trip, Disruptive, and Step-Up Feat chains, but having just multi-classed into Druid, I'm not sure of the viability of those choices.

I'm also completely lost on which groups to select for Weapon Training, with Natural Weapons being my only firm choice.

I was also thinking of advancing Druid to level 4, and alternating back and forth, keeping the Class levels even.

I look forward to everyone's input,

:Byronus

Here's the scenario:

A Druid is equipped with a Buckler and a Scimitar.

I understand that:
i) The Druid can use their Scimitar two-handed, but forfeits their Shield AC bonus until the next turn and take a -1 penalty to attack;

ii) The Druid can cast a spell with Somatic components with their shield hand, but lose their Shield Bonus to AC when they do so.

How heavy an item would the Druid be able to hold in their Off-hand, and still retain the shield bonus to AC?

I was wondering if the Druid could switch the Scimitar from Main-hand to Off-hand (Free action?), hold (but not use) the Scimitar with the Off-hand, cast the spell with the free Main-Hand, switch back (Free action?), and still maintain the shield bonus to AC from the Buckler. Can you defend with a Buckler if the Off-hand is holding something?

A Buckler weighs 5 lbs while a Scimitar weights 4 lbs. Those items combined weigh less than the Heavy Wooden Shield, which is 10 lbs.

If you can attack with the shielded off-hand, I'm hoping you can simply hold a weapon and focus on defence with the Buckler.

Thanks in advance,

Byronus

Greetings,

I did a couple of searches on the Subject and couldn't find the answer I was looking for; I hope my post isn't duplicating a previous thread.

I wanted to know how the Baleful Polymorph (BP) spell would affect the powers of a Druid. I'm a first-time GM creating an NPC for an upcoming game, and would like to double-check on possible limitations to his/her powers and abilities.

I suspect that BPing a Druid would be a bit foolish, considering they have powers and feats that work while in an animal form. Here are my observations:

i) "Wild Empathy" would work normally, though, depending on the form chosen by the BP caster, the Druid's initial attitude toward creatures might need adjustment. For example, a Druid polymorphed into a predator would have more difficulty being Empathetic towards prey, and vice versa;

ii)"Wild Shape" will allow the Druid to change into other animals, but changing back will revert them to their BPed form;

iii) "A Thousand Faces" would be rendered temporarily inoperative as the character would be unable to maintain a humanoid form (This is a non-multi-classed NPC);

iv) The "Natural Spell" and "Wild Speech" Feats will work normally while in the BPed form;

v) All other powers, such as "Trackless Step", "Venom Immunity", etc. would work normally.

Please let me know if I'm on-point will everything, or if there's anything I'm wrong about, or simply overlooked.

Thanks in advance,

Byronus