Cleon Hodges's page

The glibness spell, for one example. It gives a "+20 bonus on Bluff checks made to convince another of the truth of your words" -- notice that no type is given. That makes it an untyped bonus. However, you cannot cast glibness twice to get a +40 bonus. The bonuses are both from the same source (the glibness spell) and thus do not stack. If there were another spell, let's call it gift of gab, that gave a "+20 bonus on Bluff checks to mislead another person", it would stack with glibness and give a +40 total bonus, even though they both essentially give a bonus in the same situation. The bonuses are still from different sources.

What if there was a second spell, of different level that gave an untyped bonus, would you allow both spells to stack with each other?

I know we are now charting into the extreme "maybe" and "what-if" but I am not completely convinced. As a GM I know that ultimately I have to decide which way to make the ruling and I don't want to dampen a player's fun but I also want to have a reasonable challenge. Heroic is heroic but once he hits lvl 10, that +5 bonus becomes a +10, which given all the possibilities he could under the current rules have the following Diplomacy:

+10 Ranks
+3 Class Skill
+8 Stat Bonus (20 base with +6 CHA item)
+6 Skill Focus
+4 Persuasive
+5 competence bonus from item
Total +36 Diplomacy

I am almost positive that in 3.5 those two feats didn't stack ... I'm curious as to why the change.

so the next question is ... what would be an example of an untyped bonus from the same source?

A question has come up in my local gaming group about feats and untyped bonuses. My general standing rule is untyped bonuses from the same source don't stack. Thus, different feats that give a bonus to a skill do not stack unless stated in the feat. I was wondering how other GMs handle this type of situation:

Brently the Bard wants to be a master diplomat, so he has gone half-elf with choosing his Skill Focus as Diplomacy, +3 Diplomacy. Then for his first level feat he has chosen Persuasive, which gives a +2 to Diplomacy and Intimidate. Because both are feats with untyped bonuses that fail to mention stacking I have ruled that he will only get the +3 from Skill Focus and not a combined +5 from both feats.

Am I a horrible rule's lawyer or a sensible GM? :)

1. The rules for trip are not clearly outlined. With the addition of the CMB vs. CMD system they have not clearly outlined trip like in the 3.5 rulebook. If we use 3.5 as a guide then the only way to make a trip attempt is an unarmed strike. In Pathfinder it ISN'T clearly stated. I've looked it over an it doesn't even state that unarmed strikes can make trip attempts (unless I missed my perception check). Now monks can, when they use flurry of blows, but joe smith fighter cannot ... odd. In 3.5 there was a specific list of weapons that can be used in place of an unarmed strike to trip, with the same advantage as listed in Pathfinder for "trip" weapons.
Think of it this way ... with Improved Trip you can make a trip attempt without inuring an attack of opportunity, why can't you make an unarmed strike while holding your weapon in your off hand? or use your leg/knee to help out? I think we are looking at GM and player styles here, I think you can make a trip attempt while holding a melee weapon you just don't actually use the weapon as the source of the trip.

2. In the description of permanency it does say it is vulnerable to dispel magic as normal as other have described above.

3. fun times.

4. Yes

I thought the book was amazing... of course, there has to be one gripe... The 1/2 Orc. He got boned. It now appears very similar to a 1/2 elf. I wholeheartedly disagree with the changes to the 1/2 orc and will be house-ruling it... keeping it from the Beta. Otherwise, you can have a halforc that is just as strong or charismatic as a half elf... no difference other than color. Where's the toughness and wisdom of the half-orc from the Beta?

Sorry, but... Nosir... I didn't like it.

Other than that, I LOVE Pathfinder!!!!!

Fortunately, no.

The animal companion's Share spells ability says:
"Share Spells (Ex): The druid may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A druid may cast spells on her animal companion even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion’s type (animal)."
Wild Shape, even if mechanically functions like the various Beast Shape, Plant Shape, and Elemental Body spells, is still a supernatural ability, and as such it cannot be shared by an animal companion.

thanks

don't mean to sound cheesy but I expect questions like this frmo my players. Can wild shape which now mimics a spell be used on your animal companion. IE going underwater turn my bear into a shark.

Cleon

ignore please I found the druid animal companion post listing

few newbie questions. How do you determine when an AC gets its size increase I feel like im missing something that should be obvious. Second does this completely replace higher level animals IE take a baby dino or a full grown cat and at lvl 20 have a t rex or a badass hunting cat. If this is the case I would say I prefer just not having access to some things till higher level.

Ideas I like
more AC's with less coolness
man I miss having a wolf PACK as a druid instead of having 1 single
pack animal
not all animals are equal
This in fourth does get boring. I gore you bite they both do 1d6 meh

lastly has the OP been edited to show the changes that have been sighted IE incorrect sizes and attack bonuses etc

lastly do animals increase in size only once

I have run a game in 3.5 where a druid at lower levels with tiger form and pounce was VERY strong. However at higher levels going master of many forms and losing spell casting + the errata that con didn't effect hp his effectiveness dropped FAST. I let him have a magical item that allowed supernatural beast which I always thought the class should have versus aberrations anyway and he still in some cases seemed under powered. The exception to this was hydra form. I would like to see some kind of level based/size based options. These are of top of my head ideas as examples of what I am trying to say versus real thought through examples. I will add I like the add to stats option so your low str con dex druids are less effective than high stat casters. Lastly why would a sorcerer ever take beast for except to fly away from something seriously.

ie

lvl 6 druid
small form options
+2 dex +2 dodge bonus +2 perception eagle
+2 dex +2 damage bite attack +2 survival and scent hunting dog

medium form
+2 str +2 con +4 damage bite wolf
+2 dex +2 str +2 dodge hunting cat

lvl 15 druid
small form options
+6 dex +4 dodge +4 perception golden eagle or mythical bird level
+6 dex +6 damage bite +4 survival scent irish wolfhound or mythical dog

medium form options
+6 str +6 con +8 damage viscious timber wolf
+6dex +6 str +4 dodge spectral panther

Firstly sorry if this has previously been posted and I did not find it. If it has please link me to it and I will go there.

Here is my question. How does a druid companion build up and compare at higher levels to alternate druid companions. The way I am looking at it it seems like the wolf will hit large size but after that will get very little in the way of damage increases or anything like that. When I am looking at a large wolf with +10 hd +10 armor and +5 str and dex at lvl 16 it seems like it could take hits but the effective damage output for a t rex would be much more. Am I missing something on pet progression here. I like the concept of keeping the initial pet to higher levels and having the friend you had since a child fighting epic battle with you on the plane of fire but it doesnt seem plausable.

If possible can you show the math on how you get the changes for the druid companion.

thanks
cleon