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tl;dr: I wrote a PrC that gestalted Malefactor (TPK Games) and Swordsage from Bo9S a while back, and need help updating it to Stalker (DSP) instead of Swordsage.

Way, way back when, I got the Malefactor class booklet as part of a kickstarter promo and fell in love with the idea of the class. A GM I had gamed with previously (who is all about homebrew and custom content) said he was going to run a new game and that we could run whatever 3pp material if he decided it was balanced enough. We both enjoyed Tome of Battle and he made liberal use of 3.5 splat material in his PF games. I asked him about writing a custom PrC to use in this game to cross the Malefactor and the Swordsage. I came up with Yla's Blade to that end, which ended up becoming approved.

The game is over, but the battle is not finished. I'm not very familiar with Path of War, but I would like to convert this to use with the Stalker instead of the Swordsage, and would appreciate any input. I would be preferable to keep the feel of the class, the debuffer that can also effectively melee.


Does granting a creature temporary hit points cause that creature to automatically stabilize if they are dying?

Take the spells stabilize and virtue, for example. One says it automatically stabilizes, the other grants 1 temp hp. If temp hp automatically stabilized a creature, there would be no need for the first spell, would there?


Automatic Bonus Progression looks cool and goes a ways away toward dealing with the Big Six. But it is laid out kinda funky. It doesn't look like a standard progression. So I decided to standardize it and add my own stuff.

But I need your help. I need opinions. I need critique. I need an honest review before I make a commitment to any of this.

This isn't just the Big Six, it's also a different take on VMC, and on general character progression.

You can leave comments in this thread or on the doc itself. If the wording is off, doesn't conform, or just doesn't make sense. If you see something weird, let me know.

Let me know how you think it would affect specific classes or types of classes. Would you want to play under these rules? Did I go too far in one direction, or not far enough?

Click me in case you missed the first link.


Is the speed decrease with medium and heavy armor inherent to the armor type (medium, heavy), or to the type of armor (breastplate, full plate)? If I buy a mithral breastplate and have it count as light for all things except proficiency, does it remove the decreased move speed (30 to 20, 20 to 15)? Does elven chain (actual light armor) keep the 20/15 ft move speed reduction?


As a GM, I'm constantly building new and (hopefully) interesting creatures either to aid or hinder my players. One that I've come to like the idea of is a mobile dryad druid that shows up in the adventure in different locations as required by the plot to divvy out information or grant special boons or items. This dryad can move from location to location at will and is not bound to a 300 yd radius around her chosen tree.

I don't know if there are any third-party supplements that take care of this situation, but I've come up with the following compromise. Let me know what you think.

Mobile Dependence (general)

Prerequisites: Dryad, Tree Dependant

Benefits: You may take the Treesinger Druid (elf) archetype. You must gain a plant companion through this archetype.

You become bonded as Tree Dependant to your plant companion, with a range of 50 ft +10 ft per HD of your plant companion instead of 300 yards. Treat half your racial hit dice as druid levels for the purpose of determining your plant companion's abilities.

If your plant companion is killed or otherwise dies, or you dismiss your plant companion without making a new bond to another plant companion or a tree, you immediately become nauseated. After one hour and every hour thereafter, you must make a Fortitude save or become nauseated. This DC is equal to 10 + your plant companion's hit dice total when it died. After 24 hours, if you have not started the ritual to bond to a new plant companion or tree, you must make another Fortitude save with the same DC or suffer 1d6 points of Constitution damage. Each day you have not started this ritual, you must make this save again.

You may spend 24 hours and make a Will save (DC 10 + the adjusted hit dice of your new plant companion, or 10 + 1/2 your total hit dice if bonding to a tree) as per normal to bond to a new plant companion or to a tree. If your plant companion is dead or dismissed during this time, you are still sickened or nauseated but may perform the bonding ritual, and gaining the nauseated condition during the ritual does not disrupt its completion. After the ritual is complete, you immediately remove the sickened condition altogether, or reduce the nauseated condition to sickened for 1 hour.

Bonding yourself to a tree increases your Tree Dependent radius to 300 yards.


I really like the Mageknight from Drop Dead Studios' Spheres of Power. The whole kit is pretty cool and I'd really like to build and play one. But there's too many Mystic Combats that are good.

Does anybody have any experience playing with these bad boys and if so, which Mystic Combat abilities did you find you liked a lot and which ones weren't near as useful as you thought?


I'm building an Inquisitor of the Lawful Flexible (neutral) variety. This character will play a rookie partner to a veteran cop, either a Cleric or a Paladin (the other player hasn't decided yet). I'll be using a short bow, so I'm planning on taking the standard archery feats (PBS, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Manyshot, etc.), but I'm also wanting some flavor out of this character beyond "good in combat". Anyone have suggestions for feats to provide flavor beyond +1s or "can attack/hurt more or in a different way"?

Like I said, this character is what I consider "Lawful Flexible". She wields the law like a hammer. She's normally affable, but she's willing to wait till after her shift (and her partner goes home) to follow up on an investigation if she thinks she needs to skirt her partner's too watchful eye.

I need two suggestions, one from anything first-party and one from anything third-party that either advances the concept or throws some cool flavor into the mix. As of now, feats only.


Whenever I GM a game, I love to give out a lot of options to my players since I know character building and customization is a huge part of what makes the game fun for our group. Something I'm wanting to try in the next game is a gestalt alternative to feats. Basically at every level you would normally gain a feat due to advancing a level, you would instead be allowed to pick a character class as a gestalt class. You gain all the class features you would normally gain. The gestalt side of the character could only ever gain 1/2 the standard progression, meaning you would gain a level of this gestalt class at each odd hit die. Once you select your gestalt class, you may pick an archetype but you may not multiclass on that aspect of your character.

I have seen VMC but it doesn't fit my tastes.

Just like in a standard gestalt, you get the better of the hit die sizes, saving throws, and progressive class features, though these may change due to only gaining half levels in the secondary class.

What do you think? What would be the potential pitfalls to this that you could see?


I like the idea of Variant Multiclassing, but it doesn't hit all the notes I'd like, plus leaves some discord and disconnect on how useful some of those abilities actually are. So I'm looking to try to do something similar, but different. Let me know what you think.

Gestalt Training (General)

You are trained in the abilities of others. While you may not perfect a single aspect of yourself, you can instead become more versatile.

Benefits: Choose a class you do not have levels in. You gain a single level of that class. You gain all of that class's Class Features, including such as spellcasting, smite evil, wild shape, etc., available to a member of that class of a level equal to the number of times you have selected that class with this feat. You do not gain the hit die of that class, nor class skills or skill ranks per level of that class, the base attack bonus or the saving throw bonuses of that class, nor the weapon and armor proficiencies of that class, though you gain all other aspects. You count as a member of that class of a level equal to the number of times you have selected this class with this feat and must follow any traditions or codes normally placed upon members of that class, such as a Paladin's requirement to be Lawful Good or a Druid's inability to wear metal armor.

At 20th level, if you have selected this feat 10 times and selected the same class all 10 times, you may select the saving throw bonuses, base attack bonus, and hit die of a 20th level character of the class selected with these feats if those bonuses are better than your current bonuses.

Special: You may select this feat multiple times. Each time you select this feat, you must choose to either add a level of a class previously selected with this feat or select a new class. This feat stacks with itself, adding levels of a single or multiple classes to your character.

You may only select this feat with the feats granted to all characters that advance through class levels. This feat may not be purchased with the feats gained through racial hit dice.


Are there any skills or uses of skills that aren't covered in some way by magic? I'm not talking just a direct translation (+x to Skill checks), but stuff like using the fly spell instead of Acrobatics to jump or Climb to get up an unknotted rope.


I'm looking for a way for my Magmakineticist to gain an elemental familiar, but I don't think I could pick one up using the Improved Familiar feat without a very generous interpretation of the rules. Other than multiclassing with a Wizard or other Arcane caster, is there a way for me to do this? I'm talking a full-time familiar, not a Summon Monster equivalent like in Spark of Life.

I have the all of the main line Pathfinder hardcovers, plus Occult Origins, Familiar Folio, and Animal Archives, if that helps.

Could this even possibly fall under the jurisdiction of a Wish?

This is for a home game with a fun and permissive GM, but he has to know how our characters can rules-legal do the things they want to do.


If I am leveling my 5th level Kineticist into a 6th level Kineticist, can I pick up a 3rd level Utility Wild Talent and then immediately trade it out for a 3rd level Infusion Wild Talent?

PRD, Kineticist, Wild Talent class feature wrote:
At 6th, 10th, and 16th levels, a kineticist can replace one of her utility wild talents with another wild talent of the same level or lower. She can't replace a wild talent that she used to qualify for another of her wild talents.


The link to the Dragon Shaman archetype for the Kineticist

I'm looking for any and every kind of feedback. This or that is over/underpowered, doesn't look like the right level, spelling/grammar mistakes, needs clarification/weird wording, points of interest. Nitpick this, please, and tell me what you like and don't like about what I've written up. Please, leave suggestions either here or in the document itself.

At the moment I have just this rough draft, very heavily inspired by the original Dragon Shaman class from the 3.5 Player's Handbook II.

The archetype still deals with burn, though has the option to use significantly less of it.

You gain a cone/line of your elemental blast instead of an attack against AC, but that's all you can do with your blast.

You gain several auras that you can use to affect your allies. The auras overlap bonuses granted by other classes in similar categories on purpose.

You gain natural attacks. Simple, straightforward.

You gain Form of the Dragon I, II, and III, with perks.


Omnikineticist, a Suli Kineticist Archetype

The children of the elements are generally drawn to their parental element; Ifrits to fire, Undine to water, Oread to earth, and Sylphs to air. However, the cousin to all those, the Suli, favor none of the elements particularly strongly, though they have a connection to all. The Omnikineticist draws power from the four elements and weaves them together to form a more beautiful representation of their own existences.

Omnifocus (Su): At 1st level, the Omnikineticist gains a focus on the four classic primary elements (air, earth, fire, and water). She may only choose Wild Talents from these elements and no other elements. She gains all the Basic Utility Wild Talents from these four elements (Basic Aerokinesis, Basic Pyrokinesis, Basic Geokinesis, and Basic Hydrokinesis). She does not gain additional class skills until she learns the simple blast Wild Talent for a particular element. This replaces Elemental Focus.

Kinetic Blast (Sp): At 1st level, the Omnikineticist chooses one Simple Blast Wild Talent of her choice from the elements available to her through her Omnifocus. She also gains the class skills granted by that element. This alters the Kinetic Blast class feature alters and otherwise functions normally.

Elemental Assault (Su): At 1st level, whenever the Omnikineticist uses her Elemental Assault or Energy Strike racial ability, she may add one Substance Infusion she knows to her attacks as if using this ability as a simple blast. She must accept burn for this infusion, but the burn cost of the infusion may be reduced by Infusion Specialization as normal.

Wild Talents: An Omnikineticist may take any Infusion or Utility Wild Talents she qualifies for. She may only take Infusion or Utility Wild Talents of an element if she has also gained one of that element's simple blasts. This alters the Wild Talents class feature, but otherwise functions normally.

Elemental Defense (Su): At 2nd level, an Omnikineticist may take any Defense Wild Talent of her choice if she has also gained one of that element's simple blasts. She may also take Expanded Defense without meeting its level prerequisites as long as she meets all other prerequisites, including knowing a simple blast of the appropriate element. The Omnikineticist also gains a 5% chance to ignore critical hits and precision damage per Defense Wild Talent she knows. If she spends burn to increase the effectiveness of any of her Defense Wild Talents, she increases this chance to ignore critical hits and precision damage by an amount equal to 5% times the number of burn spent on her Defense Wild Talent. This alters the Elemental Defense class feature, but otherwise functions normally.

Extra Kinetic Blast (Su): At 3rd level and every 3 levels after, the Omnikineticist learns an additional Kinetic Blast of her choice from those available to her through her Omnifocus. Her previous selected blasts gain a stacking +1 bonus to attack and a +2 bonus to damage, as well as a stacking +5 resistance bonus to the element that blast is associated with (fire with fire, water and ice with cold, air and electric with electricity), with earth gaining damage reduction of +2 against bludgeoning damage. This resistance bonus also applies a stacking +1 resistance bonus to saving throws against those same elements. Only one bonus to cold and electricity resistance applies; use the better bonus. This bonus to attack and damage is considered to be applicable only when Elemental Overflow's bonus to attack and damage would apply. She also gains the class skills granted by that element. At 18th level, increase the bonus to attack by +1 for all blasts and the damage by +2 to all blasts. This replaces Elemental Overflow.

Composite Blast (Sp): At 6th level, the Omnikineticist gains access to all composite blasts she qualifies for. Composite blasts gain the lowest attack and damage bonus of the two simple blasts used to create it. This replaces Internal Buffer.

Expanded Understanding (Su): At 7th level, the Omnikineticist selects one of the simple blasts she knows. She reduces the cost of that blast and of composite blasts that use this simple blast by 1 point of burn. At 15th level she selects a second simple blast she knows and reduces the cost of that blast and of composite blasts that use that simple blast by 1 point of burn as well. She can never reduce the amount of burn a blast costs below 0 using this ability. This replaces Expanded Element and Composite Specialization.

Blast Specialization (Su): At 20th level, an Omnikineticist reaches the pinnacle of her power. She applies the highest attack and damage bonus from her Simple Blasts to all of her Kinetic Blasts. Her resistances become 20 against cold, electricity, and fire, and she gains 10 points of damage reduction against bludgeoning damage. If her bonuses are better from the Extra Kinetic Blast ability, use those bonuses instead. She also gains a chance to ignore critical hits and extra damage from sources of precision damage equal to 2% per class level. This stacks with any additional chance gained from investing burn into her Defense Wild Talents.

P.E.A.C.H. (Please examine and critique honestly.)

For reference, Suli, from the Paizo PRD.

Obviously language needs to be cleaned up. I do hope the intent comes across though.


1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.

So, I begin as a Geokineticist, get Earth Blast, and batter my foes with the weight of the Earth itself. At 7th level I get a little crazy and decide I want to play a Telekinetic, taking Aether as my expanded element. I gain Aetheric Boost as my only composite. Okay, that's fine, I can deal with not dealing as much damage. For 2 burn I can get an additional +1 damage for every die of my Aetheric Boosted Earth Blast.

Now comes the tricky part. At 15th level I expand into Fire because I'm tired of less damage, but also because Fire appeals to me. I gain Magma Blast as a composite. For 2 points if burn I can composite Earth and Fire and deal 2d6+2+Con, adding up to 8d6+16 at 15th level. So I then decide that +1 point of damage per die starts to look more enticing, especially since I'm a Whip specialist. So I get 8d6+24 on each hit of my Whip.

What's the cost of my Aetheric Boost Magma Blast though? Is it 3 burn or 5?


Omnikinesis looks awesome, but I'm a little confused on how it works, so I'll ask a few questions here.

1) When it says I may accept 1 burn to use any blast I want, along with the burn cost for that blast, is this then added to the blast and I can use Gather Power to reduce the cost? Or is this a separate cost that GP doesn't affect?
2) Can I, for one standard action and 1 point of burn, change my entire loadout for the day or is it 1 point of burn per talent?
3) Maybe I'm reading it funny, but somehow the ability is worded in a way that seems to suggest I can use any Wild Talent for any element, such as a Cold version of Fire's Fury. This is probably my wonky reading.
3a) In the case that I'm wrong, does this mean instead if my elements are Earth, Fire, Water, I can select to temporarily overwrite for 24 hours 2 Wild Talents to gain Wings of Air (plus prerequisite)?


Let's say I have a Sorcerer 5, Dragon Disciple X. I know I advance my Bloodline Powers as a full Sorcerer thanks to Blood of Dragons. I know I get Bloodline Spells as well thanks to Blood of Dragons. How many Bloodline Feats do I get and on what schedule if I complete 10 levels of Dragon Disciple without any other multiclassing?

PRD Sorcerer wrote:

Bloodline: Each sorcerer has a source of magic somewhere in her heritage that grants her spells, bonus feats, an additional class skill, and other special abilities. This source can represent a blood relation or an extreme event involving a creature somewhere in the family's past. For example, a sorcerer might have a dragon as a distant relative or her grandfather might have signed a terrible contract with a devil. Regardless of the source, this influence manifests in a number of ways as the sorcerer gains levels. A sorcerer must pick one bloodline upon taking her first level of sorcerer. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.

At 3rd level, and every two levels thereafter, a sorcerer learns an additional spell, derived from her bloodline. These spells are in addition to the number of spells given on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known. These spells cannot be exchanged for different spells at higher levels.

At 7th level, and every six levels thereafter, a sorcerer receives one bonus feat, chosen from a list specific to each bloodline. The sorcerer must meet the prerequisites for these bonus feats.

PRD Dragon Disciple, Blood of Dragons wrote:
Blood of Dragons: A dragon disciple adds his level to his sorcerer levels when determining the powers gained from his bloodline. If the dragon disciple does not have levels of sorcerer, he instead gains bloodline powers of the draconic bloodline, using his dragon disciple level as his sorcerer level to determine the bonuses gained. He must choose a dragon type upon gaining his first level in this class and that type must be the same as his sorcerer type. This ability does not grant bonus spells to a sorcerer unless he possesses spell slots of an appropriate level. Such bonus spells are automatically granted if the sorcerer gains spell slots of the spell's level.
PRD Dragon Disciple, Bloodline Feats wrote:
Bloodline Feat: Upon reaching 2nd level, and every three levels thereafter, a dragon disciple receives one bonus feat, chosen from the draconic bloodline's bonus feat list.


2 people marked this as FAQ candidate. 1 person marked this as a favorite.

Familiar can be gained in multiple ways now, by anyone and everyone that wants one.
1) Be a Wizard. Instead of a bonded object, you've chosen a familiar. A Witch is also given a familiar whether she wants one or not (barring certain archetypes). The Arcane Sorcerer also can gain a familiar. Also as a Magus Arcana.
2) Eldrich Heritage. This requires some charisma investment and two feats, but you can get a familiar if you want one. Taking the Boon Companion feat brings your familiar up to your level.
3) Be a Rogue. I'm not kidding. This requires three (3) whole investments of Rogue Talents and a minimum of 10 levels of Rogue to get the Familiar Advanced Rogue Talent, but there you have it, as well as burning a feat on Boon Companion to get your familiar up to snuff.
4) The new feat, Familiar Bond, as well as Improved Familiar Bond to give your familiar all its good familiar features.
5) Trade in your first level Bloodline ability for one. This also grants your familiar cool features based on your Bloodline.

Those are the ways I know of, off the top of my head.

Improved Familiar allows you to trade in your old, unwashed familiar for something new and shiny. How do you get one? By taking the Improved Familiar feat, of course. Anyone with a familiar can take this feat. Maybe.

Huh? What's up with that? How do I gain an Improved Familiar, maybe?

You require an Arcane Caster Level. How does one go about this?

Classes that grant Arcane Casting:
Wizard
Sorcerer
Witch
Bloodrager
Magus
Rogue (using Minor/Major Magic Rogue Talents)
Summoner
Bard
Monk (through specific Qinggong abilities)
Ninja
Arcanist
Skald
Investigator (Rogue Talent - Minor Magic), also depends if Extracts count as Arcane spellcasting
(Alchemist maybe, if Extracts count as Arcane spellcasting)

Races that grant Arcane SLAs (Wizard/Sorcerer, Cleric, Druid, Bard, Paladin, Ranger):
Elf (alternate racial traits)
Gnome
Drow
Aasimar
Dhampir
Fetchling
Ifrit
Sylph
Tiefling
Undine
Duergar
Kitsune
Nagaji
Samsaran
Svirfneblin
Wayang

Specific traits can give a 0-level SLA and a caster level of 1, but those don't progress the character's CL with that SLA.

The Arcane Talent feat gives you a 0-level SLA 3/day with a CL equal to your character level.

Any one of the above that eventually grants a CL of 3 or higher (with Arcane spells or at least one Arcane SLA) qualifies you, if you already have the means to gain a familiar, to take and use Improved Familiar. Everyone else is out of luck.

Honestly, this is a lot of ways. But with the new book out, Familiar Folio, not everyone that can gain a familiar can gain an Improved Familiar. Maybe this is just fine, as some of those non-improved versions can still take archetypes that the Improved versions can't take. Still, it'd be nice to have the option.


The Cultivator, a Druid / Bard Prestige Class

A long-time friend has been running a campaign for his children for a few months when one expressed a desire to sing to plants, to make them do more stuff, as well as doing some crazy stuff with wild shape and wanting to come up with a PrC to do this. As soon as he let me in on this I started conception of a prestige class. I came up with something for him, which is a 3.5e version of the link above, and when I finished my obsessive nature made me want to immediately convert this to Pathfinder standards. However, I'm not exactly sure how this stacks up to going with a straight class or if I've got numbers tweaked out right. Would anyone like to go through and see what insanity I've cooked up this time? I'd appreciate some feedback.


For the purposes of this character, I wish specifically to go into Sorcerer as my main class. Any prestige class options must advance Sorcerer spell casting.

I am trying to build an Aasimar Empyreal Sorcerer based on the following concept:

She knows she is Aasimar, and gains Wings feat as soon as possible.

She was raised in a NG convent with low-level Clerics. She embraces the faith, and enrolls herself as an acolyte. She's able to perform mundane rituals, but has a hard time with spell casting. As a Sorcerer, she shares a few spells with the Cleric list, but can't cast Cure or specific other spells.

As it's made evident that she cannot perform adequately as a spell casting Cleric, her acolyte status cannot be made into a higher status. She leaves the church, but maintains her faith. For clarity, it's not because she can't cast requisite spells, but because because of her attitude about not being able to cast specific spells.

She begins advertising herself as an adventurer, hoping to get picked up by a party with a Cleric or someone else who can do what she desires, using them as a tutor to focus her casting into what she wishes.

Now, back in 3.5, there was the Rainbow Servant in Complete Divine that granted access to the Cleric spell list at level 10. I'm looking for something that can help me do something similar in Pathfinder.

The reason I say Sorcerer, is because generally they don't have access to certain divine-only spells. Because she is an Aasimar, it stands to reason that her blood would grant her access to some spells normally not for Sorcerers. What she would be after is the ability to learn to cast Cure, and a few other, spells at a much later level to validate her status to the church, without entering into a divine casting class.

I understand that mechanically any divine caster would work just fine with this, but my heart is set on Sorcerer as a more mechanical block, explaining why she can suddenly (later in levels) cast Cure after breaking down a mental block. Having it available and not casting it is not the same as not having it available to begin with.

Is there a way to add Cleric spell access to an arcane class in Pathfinder, besides research (which would fit but is subject to severe GM oversight) and taking levels of Cleric/Oracle?


The Spider

Browsing through Masterwork Tools on my phone, I looked at the Arcane Trickster. I stared pretty hard at everything involved with it. I played around with concepts and builds for a few days, not quite getting anything that I wanted from the class. What I wanted was a spellcasting Rogue that was selfish in his casting but was still effective in doing what he does. The base Arcane Trickster doesn't do it for me. I wanted something slightly more.

Also, there are some problems with the Rogue that can't be gotten rid of with spells either. Some things mitigated, yes, but not erased entirely.

Instead of bashing my head against a wall trying to come up with a workable build, I instead came up with a functional class.

I present The Spider (still a work in progress).

Going through the class, I looked at everything I was doing, taking this and that wholesale, then finding a theme and teasing out clarity in concept. For this class, I wanted it to feel rewarding to properly set up a Sneak Attack. Everything else in this class's toolkit is there to support that. The custom spell list I've given the class is used for positioning, misdirection, confusion, and mainly for buffing whatever weak spots the player of the character may consider himself to have.

What I am looking for:


  • 1) Rules lawyering. Most of the rules elements are taken from the Rogue and Arcane Trickster classes. A few else are new. I'd like to hear what exploits can be made from these new ones.
  • 2) Names. I quite literally spent two hours looking up synonyms to loads of words I thought suited the concept: rogue, trickster, stealthy, sneaky, etc. I looked for something to name this class. One search came up with, of all things, "Spider", and that's what stuck with me. However, the class does not have fluff supporting this, nor do the class mechanics support this name. I'm looking for a suggestion on it.
  • 3) Feelings. Yes, this is straight up a better Rogue than the Rogue. That wasn't the intended goal, but so far it is. Other than that, how would you feel about making a character based on this class?
  • 4) Improvements to new features. Did you see something that looked a little funky/clunky in the new class features? I'd love to hear your suggestions for it.
  • 5) Replacements/Suggestions. So far, Trapfinding and Trap Sense (modified) are in. While the ability to teleport around the map is the main feature of this class, I do wish to avoid it being a one-trick pony. I also want to maintain a Rogue-like feel, but I am not averse to looking at other options. Sneak Attack, however, is non-negotiable. I want the class to be rewarding through proper positioning and setup of Sneak Attacks.
  • 6) Spells. Does the custom list look weird? Doesn't support what I've talked about here? Can you recommend a spell or two, or perhaps give a reason why a particular spell shouldn't be on the list at all? So far all spells have been taken from the Sorcerer/Wizard list, but I am not averse to adding others that look like they should get a shot. I'd like to keep the rays/ranged touch spells (weapon-like spells) as they can be used with Sneak Attack, or as stand-alone options. I am okay with dropping the enchantment spells altogether, but I think they add more flavor to non-combat sessions. Spells like Fireball and Burning Hands exist because, while most of the time you want to be precise, there is that 5% of the time when you just need to nuke it. Also, escape and positioning spells are a must, as well as spells that obfuscate the battlefield (Obscuring Mist and the like).

I'll be watching this thread and making changes as time passes. I will try to post a response to most questions or concerns.

Thanks for playing.


As I was driving home for the Thanksgiving holiday this past week, I got to thinking about something a playtester had commented on in a Kineticist feedback thread.

Sammy T wrote:

It's a different world than where you come from

With this adventure, I ding L4. Soon, I'll be entering the mid-levels where issues will begin to arise apparently. As of right now, my most pressing issues are: 1) There is a dearth of any worthwhile L4 Wild Talents for me to take. Since I'm committing to a ranged build, my only option is Pushing Infusion as I don't want to melee with Kinetic Blade/Whip or pay the Weapon Finesse feat tax. What sticks in my craw is that a 3/4 BAB character using Bullrush is going to get very limited use of it. 2) Other than a belt of Dex, I'm not really pressed to purchase anything right now. I'll default to boosting my Cloak of Resistance and pick up some minor AC items, but I don't feel the push/pull of budget management which I kinda enjoy.

During that drive, I came up with 3 items. Well, 4, but I don't know that the last one would work, or exactly how I would word it to be functional. It was around a 7 hour drive. Alone. With really bad reception on my radio. I had plenty of time to think. I didn't get an opportunity to playtest the kineticist as I've been otherwise preoccupied, so I wasn't able to contribute this to the playtest feedback when it was current.

Here goes...

Kinetic Hilt:

500 gp
Type: simple
Weight: 1 lb.
This weapon functions as brass knuckles when not enhanced with magic, and is always a masterwork weapon, providing a +1 bonus to attacks. When magically enhanced, this weapon allows a kineticist to channel his kinetic blast from his selected Kinetic Blade, Kinetic Fist, or Kinetic Whip wild talents through this weapon. This allows the wielder to use the weapon's enhancement bonus to attack and damage while using the mentioned wild talents, as well as applying any other weapon enhancements appropriate to the kinetic blast's damage type (blunt, piercing, slashing, etc.). This also allows the wielder to bypass material DR using the weapon's material while using one of the mentioned wild talents.

Kinetic Projector:

1000 gp
Type: exotic
Weight: 4 lbs.
This weapon functions as an improvised weapon, dealing blunt damage as appropriate for an object of its size. If wielded by a kineticist, this weapon serves as a focus for his kinetic blast. The object is always of masterwork quality and provides a +1 enhancement bonus on an attack roll made with a kinetic blast. When given a magical enhancement bonus and magic weapon abilities, this allows the kinetic blast to use those properties. Only ranged weapon enhancements may be placed on this weapon. If this weapon is to be used to load and use Projector Shells, some form of trigger device or other firing mechanism must be added to the weapon for 10 gp. The Kinetic Projector may add to the critical threat range or the damage dealt on a critical hit or a kinetic blast if used with the correct weapon enhancements or feats.

Projector Shell:

Price varies; Aura: moderate evocation; CL 8
Slot: Slotless; Price: 2000 gp (single), 4000 gp (double), 8000 gp (triple); Weight: 1 lb.
Description:
A projector shell (single) is a glass containment shell with liquid aether captured inside. This glass shell is then housed inside a metal casing for stability. A kineticist may store the energy for one kinetic blast inside the liquid aether. All decisions, such as element type and the other properties of the kinetic blast, must be decided upon before storing the blast inside the cartridge. This blast cannot be used with the Kinetic Blade, Kinetic Fist, or Kinetic Whip wild talents, but may be used by any other form or substance infusion that alters a kinetic blast. The process of storing a kinetic blast into the shell (charging) takes half an hour and incurs the normal amount of Burn as if the kineticist storing the blast were to use that blast normally. This process may be extended to one hour to reduce the Burn cost by 1. This device allows a kineticist or a non-kineticist to use a stored kinetic blast with this device by loading it into a Kinetic Projector.

Firing a Kinetic Projector with a Projector Shell loaded is a standard action. Removing the Projector Shell is a swift action. Loading a Projector Shell into the Kinetic Projector is a move action. The Rapid Reload feat makes unloading and loading into a single move action. The total number of charges in all projector shells on the user's person may not exceed one half the base attack bonus of the user. A Projector Shell does not count as ammunition for such purposes as adding enhancement bonus and magic weapon and ammunition properties to an item. Once the Kinetic Projector has fired the charge in the Projector Shell, the shell becomes depleted and may be recharged again as normal.

A projector shell (double) is the same size as a (single) but houses two glass encasements instead of one. Two kinetic blasts may be stored inside the projector shell instead of one. The stored blasts do not have to be of the same damage type. Each glass encasement must be charged separately in two one-half hour increments, plus an extra half an hour each if the kineticist wishes to reduce the amount of Burn for each charge by 1. A (double) projector shell may fire twice in a round as a full-attack action, up to a number of times equal to the user's attacks granted by his base attack bonus. The user must decide which charge is depleted per attack. When a charge is depleted, it may be recharged again as normal.

A projector shell (triple) functions as a (single), but with three glass containments instead of one. Each container may store one charge of a kinetic blast. The charges do not need to be the same. Each container requires one half hour to charge, plus an additional half hour per charge if the user wishes to reduce the Burn cost of each charge by 1. A Kinetic Projector may fire three times in one round as a full-attack action, up to a number of times equal to the user's attacks granted by his base attack bonus. The user must decide which charge is depleted per attack. When a charge is depleted, it may be recharged again as normal.

Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, (magic missile, fireball, or telekinesis); Cost: 1000 gp (single), 2000 gp (double), 4000 gp (triple)

Let me know what you think. If the hardback doesn't come out with items similar to this, I may just go ahead and add them myself in my home games. So far I am really loving the look and feel of the kineticist, and would love to expand my ever growing library with this class (and I guess his occult brothers and sisters, heh).

Edit: I seemed to have also been channeling Outlaw Star when I thought of the Projector. XD


1) I am planing a campaign around a pseudo steampunk setting, a city of industry and intrigue. The main antagonist is an assassin that has a handy magic item procured fromone of his marks' treasuries. I'd like to know the estimated cost of a ring that would cast Animate Dead once per day, as well as sculpt corpse once per day (to hide the knife wounds). The reason a ring and not a wand or a collection of scrolls is so he can easily carry it on his person without it looking like a standard magic item, and thus pass a quick inspection.

2) Pricing of a ring of Gentle Repose, continuous, at minimum caster level. For the same campaign. And if you were building these rings en masse would you give a discount to your one buyer?

3) Separate campaign where I am the player: We rolled stats instead of purchased them. The GM will be adjusting the campaign to account for stat inflation. We're anticipating 2-3 other characters. I rolled 18, 17, 17, 16, 14, 14. Including 3pp, what suggestions do you have for class/race? I'm thinking 3/4 BAB utility character. The GM has said if one of us doesn't roll up a trap finder then he would.


I'm playing an Unarmed Fighter/Warblade using Dragon Style. My DM loves 3.5 material so we're also using it with Pathfinder rules. My Tiefling has the claws racial trait and can get regularly buffed. Have access to on-demand Heroics spell (free Fighter Bonus Feat, 10 minutes/level) and Enlarge Person (DM ruled I can use it on myself).

I'm looking at taking both Improved Natural Attack and Superior Unarmed Strike (Tome of Battle). I've got Feral Combat Training with my claws. Tell me I'm reading the feats correctly and that they all stack together to give me a nice pile of dice to play with.

I'm playing at level 12 right now, going into 20+.


I'm thinking about making some custom armor for the campaign I'm currently playing in.

What I want to achieve with this armor is this: completely impervious to magical or supernatural attacks. I'm thinking something along the lines of imbuing the armor with Antimagic Field. Completely negate weapon enhancements and magic against the wearer but without the wearer having to be wearing a constant Antimagic Field (or maybe so). I've been told that the campaign is planned for around 23-25 levels.

How do I go about doing that? I know talks with the DM would be involved, but as for the item itself, what would be an appropriate CL, DC, etc for all of this? Even going so far as to never be able to put enhancements on this armor?


So, we're starting at level 10. We get some armor, a single weapon, and either an amulet or a ring (but he never mentioned limiting price on said piece). We also get 500g to start with. No enhancement bonuses on any of the pieces. We're doing a weird variant of the 4d6 ability score rolls, in which I get 85 points to work with (18 being the highest in any score before racials).

He also said Gestalt, anything from D20pfsrd.com is okay with him, or any 3rd ed book we have access to, of which I have several including Tome of Battle.

So I'm going with a Tiefling with claws and a prehensile tail, Fiendish Heritage feat (Demon-Spawn). Going Crossblooded Sorcerer with the Draconic and Elemental bloodlines, then taking Eldritch Heritage to grab Abyssal. I'm going with the Fighter variant of Armored Mage which gives up medium and heavy armor proficiency for the ability to cast in light armor with no arcane spell failure. Then I'm leaning heavily on Unarmed Fighter or possibly Two-Weapon Warrior. Throwing myself into Dragon Disciple and Warblade.

At 20 (he's mentioned the possibility of going to 30), I should be sitting at 9th level casting, 8th level maneuvers, about +7 natural armor bonus to assist with that light armor, +4 strength from Dragon Disciple.

It looks good mechanically, at least in my eyes. But I've looked at it several times and can't come up with a way to deal that high number damage I know the GM is looking for. Apparently he builds 'em brutal.

Can anyone come up with a little bit of assistance? You think I'm just looking at the positives and ignoring negatives?


So, I decided to go on an imagination spree, for whatever reason. I gave my players the following character creation guidelines.

-If you can find it in the Pathfinder OGL, it's fair game. Mostly. (Brownie points for RPing it well.)
-All characters start with 10 in all abilities, and get 20 points on a 1-for-1 basis to buy better scores. You must dedicate a 9 in order for a racial score to dump an ability to 7 (thus gaining only a single point from it).
-I gave each character 1 3.5 book to play with. One player took exactly what I thought he would (Bo9S), and another went for Races of Destiny for Chameleon, an interesting choice.

But then I went and did something funny when my players were struck with indecision. They went and took their time plotting out their characters, I went and spent some time plotting out, well, a single die roll.

In ten pages of my notebook, I wrote things outlandish and assigned them all a number. Each character gets to roll a D10, and then that number would belong to them. No duplicates. Each number had a powerful ability attached to it, available as soon as play starts. Each number goes as thus:

1) Gain a Cleric domain. You gain the abilities of a Cleric domain using your character level as your Cleric level. If you take Cleric levels later, you must take this domain. However, you continue to use it as described (Cleric level for Domain = Character level). Nobody rolled this.

2) You gain the powers of an Alchemist of 1/2 your character level. A Monk character ended up rolling this one.

3) Select any one Arcane spellcasting class. You gain all 0-level spells this class can cast in your own list of spells known. If you have ANY casting ability whatsoever, you can prepare and use these spells (or spontaneously cast them if that's what your class does) as regular 0-level spells for your class. Otherwise, you can use each spell once per day with the casting of these spells limited to 3 times a day. Nobody rolled this one.

4) Gives the free use of Dimension Door at will as part of a move action (or as a standard action if you are denied a move action), but with the following limitations: You may move up to your base land speed, then use Dimension Door in increments of 5 feet for every 2 HD you have. I also put in the caveat that this qualifies one for the Dimensional Agility feat line. A Rogue player rolled this one. He had no idea what he rolled until all rolls were accounted for.

5) You gain a second Swift action to use per round, plus increases to base speed, and a boost to the Quicken Spell feat (still only once per round, but less spell levels required). Nobody.

6) Gain proficiency with all simple and martial weapons. If you already have proficiency with one or the other, you instead gain exotic weapon proficiencies. In addition, you can apply any feat that normally only applies to one weapon instead to all weapons in a weapons group (see Fighter weapons groups). For any weapon you are proficient with and wielding, you gain +1 to crit damage multipliers and your threat range doubles (does not stack with feats or other such enhancements). The Fighter in the group ended up rolling this one. He's happy to have grand crits.

7) Gives a bonus to Perception checks and to Spellcraft checks made to identify and counter spells. Gain a bonus to AC against crit confirmation. Gain the benefits of Uncanny Dodge. Nobody.

8) Gives a bonus equal to 1/2 your level on Bluff and Sense Motive checks, makes all skills class skills, and gives a bonus to any skill labeled as a class skill for any of your classes. Nobody.

9) You can switch between caster or martial progression under certain circumstances. If you have decreased caster levels, you gain the next step better. (4 level casters become 6, 6 becomes 9.) These extra levels are as standard caster progression, but the higher levels you gain above your normal can only be used for Metamagic-enhanced spells. If you are already a full caster, you may use any Metamagic feat that increases a spell level by 1 without increasing the spell level or cast time.

On the martial side of things, you gain the next step of BAB. 1/2 becomes 3/4, and 3/4 becomes full. If you already have full BAB, you are instead considered permanently under the effects of Haste (as an EX ability instead of a Spell). My GMPC ended up rolling this, as we have NO CASTERS in the party.

10) Gestalt any 2 core/base classes or any 1 core/base with 1 prestige class you qualify for. Paladin/Crusader character.

Now, none of the players knew any of these when I told them to roll a D10. They just knew they were getting something "special". Now my Rogue player has had to completely reassess his feat progression and the entire build. The Monk has no idea what to do with free Alchemy (he's never even looked at the class). God help us when the Paladin/Crusader starts using White Raven Tactics on the Munchkin Rogue. And the Fighter? I hope she hits those crits often, because that's what she's got to work with.

I know its homebrew as heck, but I wanted something to differentiate these characters from the humdrum of the standard characters, other than deciding which spells to learn at first level and which version of a sword do I want to stab people with.

I guess my questions become:
1) How screwy is this, really?
2) How will this honestly affect CR?
3) Would any of you run this in your games?
4) Mistake? (I'm still going with it to find out by experience.)