Search Posts
so i'm planing on taking a 2 lv dip of paladin for my cha focus throwing starknife build and i was wondering what would be the best archetype for it I have a character that did a 3 level dip in mind blade paladin. Gives you Hand of the Apprentice 3+cha times a day and use cha instead of dex to-hit. Gave some versatility to my chatscter. Not sure how it will fit with yours without more info.
I believe trample will effect swarms and get the +50% damage. My reasoning is clear if you compare it to the lightning bolt spell. Neither require an attack roll
Trample is more like an AoE then anything else. It is easier to avoid hurting your allies, but not always possible. Want to kill the 7 stirges on your cleric with trample, your going to have to but him too.
Invisibility is great for scouting, getting into position, and getting that solid first hit. Greater invisibility, which bards don't get until 10th level, is great for dealing damage and keeping someone sage. Especially for classes with sheesh attack. Greater invis has allowed my Arcanist to do hit and run tactics. Cast attack spell and then stealth to a new position. Two weapon rogues at 10th level can deal out a large amount of damage while greater invised. So, it is situational. You generally won't use invisibility and greater for the same reason. Invosobilty is more out of combat while greater is in combat.
The Mindblade magus can manifest any melee weapon he wants as a standard action or a swift at 8th level. It also starts as a +1 wrapon at level 1, +2 at 3rd, +3 at 6th, +4 at 9th and +5 at 12th. I've of the reasons I started playing one because of the weapon versatility. You can still have the spell combat rrstictions of a regular magus until 7th, when you can dual wield and 13th when you can use a two-handed weapon.
Unless you're using a bow or other projectile weapon, it overcomes DR. Bane is one of the exceptions, as noted in the player's handbook. Projectile weapons with this ability bestow this power upon their ammunition You would still need to be using +1 arrows, if you want the benefits of a +3 arrow for DR silver and cold iron.
I really don't see the benefit of the unmonk dip. You can just take IUS with a normal feat, you can't flurry and spell combat at the same time, and you can just wear armor instead of the AC boost. Delaying your spells a level is a real drawback, not to mention your phantom blade progression. At 4th level, they can loose that penalty as a swift action and as a free action at 12th.
I generally let PCs do what they want and let then deal with the consequences. I do let them make appropriate skill checks to give then an idea of how stupid thier idea is. A smart party would try to scout out the creature. Pcs then make a knowledge arcana check. Let's say thier hugest check is a 36 and you adjusted the dc for it being a rare mythic creature and tell then that they have no idea what it is. Warning bells should go off then. They should be thinking "holy @#$%, that thing is at least CR 27!" If they decide that attacking it is a good idea, thier funeral and the failed knowledge check was a good enough warning in my book.
The reason this isn't spelled out clearly is because it is common sense that, if the player chooses to not continue playing a character then things like companions should end. Otherwise it leaves the door open for abuse. In the examples given as to why, the character still alive and a pc. Also, if paizo stated that, upon death, you loose the bond to your AC, familiar, etc then it would open a whole can of worms. Just because it isn't explicitly stated in the rules doesn't mean it's right. As a DM I've had to field some fun rules arguments. Take falling, for example. It says you take 1d6 damage for every 10ft you fall. There is no mention of having to hit anything to take the damage. A player tried to argue that a fleeing wizard would take 6d6 falling damage every round he fell using feather fall. Common sense says that you don't take falling damage until you hit a surface. Still, it was debated. This reminds me of that. I do agree with others that gave role playing reasons for the AC to stay (party mascot for example), but it wouldn't be usable in the adventure. So no combat, no telling the parents that Billy fell in the well, etc
Seeing as how this is for Society, fog isn't common enough for the feat. Might just put the feats in for that fly speed. With my Sylph Arcanist, I saw the feat as a waste. Especially with items like the Goz Mask out there. Can see perfectly through fog, smoke, etc. I went with the 2 feats to gain flight.
I am going through Strange Aeon AP with a Spell Warrior and the lessor Celestial Totem. My party is a Barbarian, a Brawler, a Bard, an Investigator, and a Wizard. We have no real healer and the Totem helps a lot. Especially with Paths of Glory. We are currently 4th level and I can heal 5hp a round for 4 rounds. This is a little less then an average channel at this level but better action economy. That and CLW that do 1d8+8 has helped us keep party members up during some very difficult fights. This will just get better as I level up. I do plan on taking the next totem at 9th for Invis Purge and Daylight effects. Only two party members have darkvision. I like the combo because I can heal casters without messing up their casting. Do waht you want, just have fun. I am enjoying mine so far.
The diety you pick can give you access to some fun channel feats. Milani gives you Beacon of Hope. Everyone you heal with channel energy gets heroism for a number of rounds equal to your charisma bonus. This is what my life oracle did. I also took duel-cursed archetype. Misfortune has saved several party members.
Add Cruel weapon enhancement and give them the sickened condition too.
From what I can find, there is no weapon thats base damage is energy that gets to add their strength modifier to damage. Kinetic Blade, warlock's mystic bolts, similar weapons don't do it. With this setting a presidence, I believe that it wouldn't get strength bonus added to damage. It makes sense. Hard to hit harder with something that has no mass. I'd rule the sane as your gm.
As far as I've seen, SR is applied the first time they interact with a spell. If you pass the check, then you are good. If you cast Produce Flame and passed the SR check the first time you hit them, then you are good after that. As for when SR is applied, I believe it is for the entangle portion. You are causing vines to sprout from then and entangle them. I don't believe the damage is SR prone because it is a conjuration creation spell, and those generally don't have SR. Snowball, cloudkill, acid arrow are a few examples. It would become a GM call though.
Skald is a fun support class. There are several rage powers that can help the party. I have one with the spirit totem for extra damage, superstition, and the tor linn worm death curse. He summons to assist in combat. If anyone is knocked unconscious or killed, the attack must make a DC 20 will save or be permanently staggered and vulnerable to fire. Good times.
A one level dip in swashbuckler mouser will do wonders for your combat ability. I would go 3 levels unchained rogue for dex to damage and one level of swashbuckler mouser so you can flank from inside the opponents square. If they move out of your square, even if it is a 5 ft step, it provokes. The opponent takes a -4 on all attacks unless targeting you. You get a lot from a 1 level dip in swashbuckler.
The hardest thing to do in a fantasy environment is to apply logic. Sometimes logic gets violently violated in order to streamline game play. Otherwise, you end up with an entire library just to combat. This also allows GMs to modify rules to fit thier version of reality. In real life, there is no way you can dodge a hand grenade while in a 5ft room. In pathfinder, you can. I could paralyze you, encase you up to your neck in cement, use sovereign glue to stick you to the floor and then cast create pit beneath you and you will get a reflex save to avoid the spell. As mind blowing as it is. If you don't like it, house rule it differently and let your players know. I have found, over the course of 30 years of playing rpgs, micromanaging rules for every situation makes the game unplayable. You live in a fantasy world that scares the hell out of logic and is where physics professors go to die. On a side note, I've found this thread very entertaining. Thank you.
The easiest way to throw a wrench into the mesmerist works is with intimidate. This will give him the shaken condition and he can't cast while under its effect. Also, charm person is great fur gathering information or getting into restricted areas. It is horrible for combat. They won't do anything suicidal and anything requiring combat is an opposed charisma check. They aren't as all powerful is you realize their weak points.
Now, important question. Is there any way for a crossbow to shrink automatically via magic when in the hands of the monkey to be Tiny, along with any crossbow bolts it loads in, so it can benefit from Rapid Reload? If there is, that seems like the best solution to me. Weapon enchantment: Resizing +4,000 gp.
I can't find the rule right off hand on my phone, but intentional falling is part of a move action. So free action to let go and move action to glide behind him. Unintentional movement doesn't count as your movement. So failing your reflex save and falling into a pit isn't part of your movement or a move action. Your party cleric jumping in to cast a cure spell on you will use a move action to do it.
It also depends, for the community minded combo, if there are any abilities you want to use that are tied to rage. If you are counting on extended reach, going large, using claw attacks, you won't be able to since you aren't raging but are just getting the bonus to strength and con. Not bad for a dip in bloodrager or barbarian, but horrible if you want to use any rage power.
For me, it all depends on the situation. Generally, I group copies together (ie: All generic guards are one group. All rat swarms form another group). I do this for large groups. If the entire encounter is only three guards and a boss, I may roll each of the guards initiatives separately if there is a hidden reason for it. Maybe one of the guards is an assassin or is the one who has the key that the party needs. For regular groups, I try to mix it up so that some of my less ethical metagamers won't be able to glean any information from the initiative checks. I also use generic initiative cards for my monsters. BG1 for Bad Guy #1, BG2, etc. Until they succeed at a knowledge check, the party doesn't know they are fighting a wolf, a warg, a dog, or a half-fiend vampire puppy. Beware the cute puppy! I've been at tables where GMs have numbers written on tokens and these link up to the appropriate mob. As for characters, if they have familiars and/or animal companions, it depends on if they are riding them or if they will actually act in battle. If it is a large party, I will generally have their pet act on their initiative instead of its own. I play it by ear as I go and try to streamline it to make it go faster.
I understand about triggering the trap and AoE hitting the party. I'm talking about spells that specifically have to choose a target besides the one who triggered it. In the example I gave we will add that the trap casts chain lightning. Obviously the barbarian would be targeted by the spell and so would the cleric. Would the rogue or wizard be a target, since you have to be able to see then to be able to select then as a target. Similar to a wizard casting the sane spell. He can't target something he can't see with that spell.
If a magic traps that casts targeted spells (slow, chain lightning, erc) what senses does it use to target addition targets past the one that set off the trap? Let's say, for instance, the following happens. A party is moving through a dungeon. The rogue is hiding, the wizard is flying and invisible, and the cleric and barbarian are walking along. The barbarian decides to suddenly run a head of the party (maybe he saw a squirrel? ) and triggers a magical trap that would catch the whole party in its AoE. Can the trap target the rogue and/or the wizard? I'm thinking it can't, but I don't see any rule for that.
It gets more interesting with the Beast Rider Archetype. What if your mount has a longer reach then the rider on a charge? Do you stop at the mount's reach or the rider's?
What if you use ride-by attack and your mount has pounce, can your mount full attack and then keep going because of ride-by?
Monstrous Physique II School transmutation (polymorph); Level alchemist 4, magus 4, sorcerer/wizard 4 This spell functions as monstrous physique I, except it also allows you to assume the form of a Tiny or Large creature of the monstrous humanoid type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: climb 60 feet, fly 60 feet (good maneuverability), swim 60 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, scent, freeze, grab, leap attack, mimicry, pounce, sound mimicry, speak with sharks, and trip. If the creature has the undersized weapons special quality, you gain that quality. Tiny monstrous humanoid: If the form you take is that of a Tiny monstrous humanoid, you gain a +4 size bonus to your Dexterity, a –2 penalty to your Strength, and a +1 natural armor bonus. Large monstrous humanoid: If the form you take is that of a Large monstrous humanoid, you gain a +4 size bonus to your Strength, a –2 penalty to your Dexterity, and a +4 natural armor bonus. It is there.
Not sure where the "it explicitly says" is stated. Since it is based off of 3.5 and there are numerous things that were never fixed from that. This, I believe, is one of them. 3.5 stated that if an ability was based off of racial hit die and you had no racial hit die, then it was based off your total hit die instead.
This question is about Monstrous Physique and gaining the Mimicry ability from a Doppelganger. Mimicry (Ex) A doppelganger is proficient in all weapons, armor, and shields. In addition, a doppelganger can use any spell trigger or spell completion item as if the spells were on its spell list. Its caster level is equal to its racial Hit Dice. If you have no racial hit dice, does this make your caster level 0 or do you use your hit dice instead? I know that the DC for abilities you gain from polymorphing are based off the spell used to assume the form. Would this mean that, in the instance of mimicry, you'd use your caster level in place of racial hit dice? I searched the message boards and couldn't find anything.
It is debatable and a GM call. My opinion, since it is attack the life for of the target then, when there is none left, it dies. Regardless of regeneration. Death effects directly attack the life force. No life force no regeneration. You can also look here for other discussions on the topic. Hope this helps.
More importantly is that by the letter of the rules it isn't even legal. Reposition states you may move a foe. The rogues ally doesn't view the rogue as a foe. True, by RAW, you can't use any combat maneuver against an ally. Yet, after reading through several threads, there is no mention of people use raw to deny this can be done. The reason being, it is the easiest mechanic to perform the action without having to come up with something new to accomplish the task. By raw, you can't take a cure moderate potion from your party clerics inventory when he is dying and use it on him to save his life because that is stealing. Steal is a combat maneuver only usable on foes by raw. Sorry Mr. Healer, your gonna die.
Thank you for that link. I stopped reading after a bit because it turned into an infinity loop argument.
It is a tricky issue with voluntary and involuntary falling. This also reminds me of a discussion at a PFS table about using reposition to move a paralyzed PC out of the way so he wouldn't get killed. The movement was involuntary for the PC, but there was still discussion over weather the creature would get an AoO or not. It didn't. The rogue lived. The hard part is throwing out real world logic in favor of game balance and game play. It reality, that poor rogue would have gotten a solid beating from the party dragging him away.
I was running a game recently and I had a monk drop down a 20ft pit to engage part of the party. I rules that, since a monk can control his decent down, that he can use acrobatics to avoid AoO. We couldn't fine anything here for or against my ruling, so I stayed with it. Is there any rule about using acrobatics when you fall? Slow Fall (Ex): At 4th level or higher, a monk within arm's reach of a wall can use it to slow his descent. When first gaining this ability, he takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. The monk's ability to slow his fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves with his monk level until at 20th level he can use a nearby wall to slow his descent and fall any distance without harm.
So, the Orc bloodline arcana says: Bloodline Arcana: You gain the orc subtype, including darkvision 60 feet and light sensitivity. If you already have darkvision, its range increases to 90 feet. Whenever you cast a spell that deals damage, that spell deals +1 point of damage per die rolled. Will this allow you to qualify for feats that require you to be an orc. Most specific, for me, will this work with Amplified Rage or Boiling Blood, which require you to be an orc. I checked and didn't find any mention of this on the boards. I believe it should work, but I want to hear what other people say.
|
