That's a good question. As long as the Clone is laying around inert and doesn't have a soul in it I don't think Magic Jar would actually work. It could be argued that you might be able to use Possess Object. I think you would have to use Mind Swap or Major Mind Swap. Unfortunately, those would require that you share the same race.
In D&D 3.5 Celestials had the ability to fuse with mortals as a counterpart to demonic possession, but it didn't require a soul replacement. So, what I would do is force a Lantern Archon to fuse with the Clone, and then you can use Magic Jar or even Parasitic Soul to make it permanent. Otherwise murder some hapless Commoner, use the spell Create Soul Gem, and then use the rules for a Soulbound Doll. At that point the object has a soul again and you can use the Magic Jar line of spells.
Hi everybody. I remembered that there's an item that traps your soul and spits out a copy of something with the Shadow Creature template tagged on. I believe it was the Nightglass or something along those lines, although a Mana Pool could probably pull the same thing off to convert a character into such a creature.
Back in D&D 3.5 tagging on the Shadow Creature template was a Level Adjustment of +2, and from the looks of the Race Builder that still seems to be approximately the case. Now that is way too powerful as a starting level character. So, just in case, I calculated it out using the Race Builder by using the template entry from Bestiary 4, pg. 238.
Now keep in mind that a regular Human is worth 9 RP and the template seems to add roughly 21 RP to that to arrive at the Monstrous Category of 30 RP, which allows us 5 traits per category. Granted, the Pathfinder version of a Shadow Creature is already weaker compared to the D&D 3.5 version, but I tried to nerf it further by using the Race Builder:
Spoiler:
Race: Shadow Creature Human Clone
Type: Outsider [augmented (human)]
Standard point buy (15)
STR 10 +0 (-2 Clone)
DEX 10 +0 (-4 Weakness) -2 (Clone)
CON 10 +0 (+2 Weakness) -2 (Clone)
INT 10 +0 (+2 Weakness) -2 (Clone)
WIS 10 +0 (-2 Clone)
CHA 09 -1 (-2 Clone)
RACE BUILDER 14 = [9] + [21] Shadow Creature template (includes higher HD abilities) -[7] Weaknesses - [1] Weakness Ability Score Mod -[1] Standard Languages -[1] Slow Speed -[6] Clone (equivalent to 3 negative Flexible ability scores)
Type Humanoid (human) 0 RP
Size Medium 0 RP
Base Speed Slow & Steady -1 RP
Ability Score Modifiers (Weakness) -1 RP
Languages Standard 0 RP
Racial Traits:
Defense Racial Traits
Shadow Resistance 2 RP {Shadow Creature template}
Spell-Resistance, Lesser 2 RP {Shadow Creature template}
Shadow-Blending 1 RP {Shadow Creature template}
Energy Resistance (cold) 1 RP {Shadow Creature template}
Energy Resistance (electricity) 1 RP {Shadow Creature template}
Advanced Traits
Improved Resistance (Cold) 2 RP {Shadow Creature template}
Improved Resistance (Electricity) 3 RP {Shadow Creature template}
Monstrous Racial Traits
Damage Reduction DR 10/magic 6 RP {Shadow Creature template}
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Flexible bonus feat 4 RP
Skilled 4 RP
Senses Racial Traits
Darkvision 60 ft. 2 RP {Shadow Creature template}
Low-light Vision 1 RP {Shadow Creature template}
Weakness Racial Traits
Delicious -1 RP
Shattered Soul -1 RP
Frightened by Magic -1 RP
Energy Vulnerability (fire) -2 RP
Energy Vulnerability (acid) -2 RP
Weakness (–1 RP): Members of this race gain a +2 bonus to one physical ability score, a +2 bonus to one mental ability score, and a –4 penalty to any other ability score.
Slow and Steady (-1 RP): The character has a base speed of 20 feet, but his speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
Delicious (-1 RP): The character take a –2 penalty on Escape Artist and combat maneuver checks made to escape a grapple against any creature that has a bite attack with the grab ability.
Elemental Vulnerability (–4 RP): Members of this race have vulnerability to the chosen energy type. They cannot posses any racial trait that grants them resistance or immunity to this energy type.
Frightened by Magic (-1 RP): The character is uneasy around magic, especially spells that have large, impressive effects. Whenever the character is damaged or affected by a spell or supernatural ability that has an obvious visual component, he is shaken for 1 round (subject to GM discretion). A character that gains the ability to cast spells from a class feature is unaffected by this racial trait.
Shattered Soul (-1 RP): The character who is killed is exceptionally difficult to return to life. Those who attempt to return him to life using raise dead, resurrection, or similar spells must succeed at a caster level check equal to 10 + the character’s Hit Dice. If this check fails, the spell fails and the caster can’t return the shabti to life for the next 24 hours (though the caster can try again after this period).
Note: The Clonepod from page 42 of the Technology Guide says that "If the clone’s body and mind are not from the same source, all six ability scores are permanently reduced by 2 points." I considered this a -6 RP by making it equal to three negative Flexible ability score modifications. There is no official ruling for this.
This basically got the character down to roughly the RP equivalent of a Drow. Now a Drow was a level adjustment of +2, so this is already weirding me out that despite all the nerfing I still ended up so high. But to get it further down I'm only aware of the Level Adjustment rules from D&D 3.5.
Spoiler:
VARIANT RULE: RACES WITH LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS (Player's Guide to Faerun, p.190)
For each negative level adjustment, he takes the following penalties:
⦁ -1 to all skill checks and ability checks;
⦁ -1 on attack rolls and saving throws;
⦁ -1 on level checks;
⦁ -1 to any spell DCs of spell-like abilities.
So double all of these for a +0 LA. Talk about a major hit...
So here's the question. Is there any other Pathfinder rule that you guys are aware of to nerf this without making such a character unplayable?
You could try to clone the body and transfer your mind into it using a neurocam. Of course it wouldn't really be you; it's a copy of you that can still gain experience until the day you die. At that point it becomes equivalent to a simulacrum. The only creature that I have found to bypass body swap limitations is a Yithian. Good luck making a deal with one of those.
It's a little slow at the beginning and doesn't really start with the Techie side until Levels 4-6 (depending on how generous your GM is), but it holds its own in the early levels based on the usage of firearms and bomb chucking. Once you produce all the necessary construct upgrades and you can turn invisible and perform sneak attacks you'll become rather dangerous.
Steampunk Version:
Spoiler:
Level 1 Protector of the People
Racial Heritage (Ratfolk) {Human bonus}
Improved Dirty Trick {Fighter 1} BAB +1
Level 2 Point Blank Shot {Fighter 2} BAB +2
Level 3 Precise Shot {Fighter 3} BAB +3
Level 4 (Gain Craft Construct w/ golem done){Invest. 1} BAB +3
Level 5 Splash Weapon Mastery {Fighter 4} BAB +4
Level 6 Brew Potion, Throw Anything {Alchemist 1} BAB +4
Level 7 Two-Weapon Fighting {Investigator 2} BAB +5
Level 8 Tumor Familiar {Alchemist 2} BAB +6/+1
Level 9 Improved Two-Weapon Fighting {Alchemist 3} BAB +7/+2
Level 10 Infusion {Alchemist 4} BAB +8/+3
Level 11 Rapid Shot {Alchemist 5} BAB +9/+4
Level 12 Extend Potion {Alchemist 6} BAB +10/+5
Level 13 Greater Two-Weapon Fighting {Alchemist 7} +11/+6/+1
Level 14 Syringe Stirge {Alchemist 8} +12/+7/+2
Level 15 Master Craftsman {Alchemist 9} +13/+8/+3
Level 16 Material Mastery {Alchemist 10} +14/+9/+4
Level 17 Craft Wondrous Items {Alchemist 11} +15/+10/+5
Level 18 Spell Knowledge {Alchemist 12} +16/+11/+6/+1
Level 19 Craft Magic Arms and Armor {Alchemist 13} +17/+12/+7/+2
Level 20 Wings {Alchemist 14} +18/+13/+8/+3
As the Tumor familiar I'd recommend a Valet to increase your crafting abilities (since Tumor familiars can't be Protectors anymore).
Numeria Version:
Use a Human with Frontier Survivor as racial trait. That will provide you with the Technologist feat.
Well, let me put in my two cents into this discussion. This is what I figured out pouring over the splatbooks that have been published by Pathfinder over the years. This was a mental exercise while trying to figure out how Commoners and Experts could actually make a living. I think it will allow us to meet somewhere in the middle...
Quote:
"Hello, my name is Sherman Dudley. If this message finds you then I did not survive and this is my legacy...So, what do I have to say to you? What mark do I have to leave behind? We will begin with the perfect omelette which is made with two eggs, not three. Amateurs often add milk for density; this is a mistake." - Deep Blue Sea (1999), Preacher
Profession (Cook)
You are the one to prepare food for consumption. If you work on a manor you may even be the head of the kitchen staff, if you're lucky. Traveling cooks are either attached to caravans or military units, while those who settle down run bars or diners.The cook is responsible for the preparation of daily meals and menus, as well as menus for parties and other special occasions. The cook is also responsible for the ordering of food, the maintenance of the kitchen and for keeping accounts with local merchants. Whereas with Survival you might gather herbs and manage to catch a squirrel for a meal, the Profession (cook) skill is more about turning those herbs and squirrel meat into a tasty stew. The skill in itself is a bit of an oddity. If you look at the Pallid Crystal magic item it says that only someone with Profession (cook) can use the thing to season a meal with the flavor of salt, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, or pepper and the equivalent spices for the undead palate (fear’s breath, nightfog, bloodroot, thileu bark, or hatefinger). So, that means that Profession (cook) can be used for both the living and the unliving. Talk about ingratiating yourself by making a good meal, so that you don't end up becoming the next meal. Ha-ha...
Note: A large cookbook (125 gp) seems to be considered an item and bestows a +1 circumstance bonus on Profession [cook] checks (Skull & Shackles, p.14).
Basic Calculations:
Spoiler:
The Profession skill is your other means of supplying the basic needs of life. If you aren't a crafter then you are a professional. Dropping a single skill point in this skill at maximum ability score (15) gives us a +6 modifier (+3 class skill + 2 Wis mod. + 1 rank). If we Take 10 this now gives us half the Profession check result in gold pieces per week of dedicated work. Consequently, this translates to 8 gp per week. With the Skill Focus feat you gain an additional +3 and end up with 9 gp per week. If you add the Prodigy feat to that we gain an additional +2 (ending up with 10 gp per week). If we set up a masterwork operation of our business (1.25 gp for a mobile business) we gain a +2 circumstance bonus (even to profit checks) and we end up with 11 gp per week. These masterwork workspaces grant trained (3 sp per day or 2 gp, 1 sp for a week's worth of labor) and untrained laborers (1 sp per day or 7 sp for a week's worth of labor) a +2 circumstance bonus on checks to aid another when they aid our Profession check (and we can have up to 2 laborers). Furthermore, if a trained or untrained laborer succeeds at the check to aid another by 5 or more, that laborer grants us a +3 bonus on the skill check instead of the normal +2. Not huge by any standard, but there is a point here you're missing. Craft and Perform checks can be performed untrained, but Profession REQUIRES a skill point to work. Otherwise you make a meager wage of 1 sp per day as an untrained laborer and assistant. Still, there are other aspects to specific Profession choices, which we'll get into below:
Noble Scion: Scion of Peace (Inner Sea World Guide, p.288)
Prerequisite: Cha 13, must be taken at 1st level
Benefit: Gain a +2 bonus on all Knowledge (nobility) checks and Knowledge (nobility) becomes a class skill. Whenever you Take 10 on a Wisdom-based skill, treat the result as if you had rolled a 13 instead of a 10.
Regional Trait: Diligence (Heroes of the Streets p. 5)
Requirement(s) Any City
You grew up helping with a family business or were mentored by an expert in some craft or profession, who taught you diligence. Select one specific Craft or Profession skill. You can take 20 with that skill in half the amount of time normally required to take 20.
Note: Wait a minute...We can Take 20 on Craft and Profession checks?!? We could only Take 10 before. Sounds like as if we need this trait to be able to do so, but this would be a huge boon. HELL YEAH!
Caravan stuff:
Spoiler:
If you are traveling in a caravan your position becomes helpful in that you reduce the caravan’s consumption score by 2. The minimum amount of wagons needed to form a caravan is three (Jade Regent Player's Guide, p.17). This involves a 1,100 gp investment for which we can have a Covered Wagon (500 gp; 2 Consumption) and 2 Supply Wagons (300 gp each; 1 Consumption each). This gives us a total consumption of 4, which you can reduce to 2, BUT since the minimum consumption equals to your total number of wagons (Jade Regent Player's Guide, pp.19-20) you get it only down to 3. On the bright side you get a fixed salary of 10 gp a month.
Magical Food:
Spoiler:
The skill doesn't actually shine until a Commoner can hit Level 5. Any elf with at least 5 ranks in Profession (cook) and the Brew Potion feat soon discovers the secret of infusing food with magical energy. Still. non-elves are capable of combining cooking and potions, of course, but their meals often seem primitive by elven standards (Elves of Golarion, p.26). Well, screw those pointy-eared bastards. Nevermind the fact that we first need Master Craftsman to pull that one off, which means we don't actually get to do that until Level 7. It takes one full day to create a magical meal, and follows the standard rules for creating magic items. However, it requires enough cooking implements and ingredients to be equivalent to an alchemy lab, which costs 200 gp (50 gp to craft) but gives us a +2 circumstance bonus to the Profession (cook) check for "magical" foods. The DC of this check is equal to 20 + the highest-level spell being incorporated into the meal (+5 for every missing prerequisite spell based on Master Craftsman) to create a meal for one Medium or smaller creature. Increase the DC by 5 for each size category above Medium and double the amount of ingredients necessary. However, sharing your meal is not going to divide up the benefits. Only the first one to eat it gains the benefit. Here are some items that can be made:
Waybread (Craft: 25 gp; DC 28; Sale: 50 gp; 1 lb)
Yellowish-brown oval biscuits that slake your thirst and feed you for a day.
Ceya Dumplings (Craft: 150 gp; DC 28; Sale: 300 gp; 1 lb)
Dumplings made from Cheya root, water/milk and cheya leaves, sometimes covered with cheya berries. Provides a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution for 1 hour, though other varieties may enhance other ability scores.
Leap Cake (Craft: 250 gp; DC 31; Sale: 500 gp; 1 lb.)
Spongy brown cake that provides a +10 bonus on Acrobatics for 10 minutes. If you deliberately jump down from a height and succeed at a DC 15 Acrobatics check, you take falling damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than normal (rather than 10 feet shorter).
Snowberry Fire Peppers (Craft: 300 gp; DC 26; Sale: 600 gp; 1 lb)
Crisp and creamy white berries with eye-watering spiciness. Gain fire resistance 10 for 1 hour. If 10 or more fire damage is negated attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15 + fire damage taken) or be dazed for 1 round.
Buttered Sparrowfish Fillet (Craft: 450 gp; DC 20 - 35; Sale: 900 gp; 1 lb)
Salmon-colored fish prepared in butter, herbs and salt. Gain a +5 competence bonus on Acrobatics, Climb and Swim checks for 1 hour.
Sun-Dried Lantern Lemons (Craft: 450 gp; DC 28; Sale: 900 gp; 1 lb.)
Sour, chewy treats that allow you to glow like a daylight spell for 1 hour. You can cover yourself to reduce the effect to a light spell or a candle. Only complete enshrouding or magical darkness can fully block the light. Lesser versions also available.
Newlife Soup (Craft: 750 gp; DC 30 - 32; Sale: 1,500 gp; 1 lb.)
Amber broth with warm light criss-crossing it. If you die within 1 hour of eating a bowl of newlife soup, you rise on your next turn, alive as if someone had cast raise dead on you, except that you do not lose a level and you have half of your normal hit points. You are alive (not undead) for 10 minutes and can be healed normally but drop dead once those 10 minutes pass. Can only bring you back once, so your healer best be on his A-game to get you healed up quickly.
Oldies but Goodies:
Curative Steaks (Dragon Magazine 349, pp.90-91)
Sale: 50 gp or 300 gp; Craft: 25 gp or 150 gp; Weight: 0.5 lbs
Curative steaks are thin slabs of uncooked meat soaked in cure potions. They can easily be fed to animal companions on or off the battlefield, and when consumed (requiring a full-round action), they cure an amount of hit points equal to the type of cure potion that meat was soaked in (1d8+1 hit points for a cure light wounds curative steak, 2d8+3 for a cure moderate wounds steak, and so on). To create a curative steak, a character must soak a steak in the contents of a cure potion for at least 8 hours, whereupon the steak absorbs the magical liquid (destroying the potion) and is ready for consumption. The market price of a curative steak is the same as that of its equivalent potion. A curative steak remains fresh and viable for up to fourteen days after creation. After that time the steak spoils and loses its curative properties. Druids with herbivorous animal companions make similar items from millet and grasses held together with honey.
Yeah, I think I'm just going to go and fix me a sammich...
It's actually now Simple Template: Giant (although Animal Archive still refers to Dire Ape, etc.). Dire Creature was D&D 3.5 (not that I don't still tend to use that material, because Pathfinder 1st Edition was advertised to be backwards compatible...*stopping myself from ranting*), but that's just quibbling...
You are using the same rules for an animal companion that are in the Druid class description in the core rule book. Then add whatever Animal Companion archetype you want from the splat books. As you go up in level, the mount's statistics will change not just from the animal companion rules but in additional abilities of the paladin class progression (example -- adding the celestial template at level 11).
Just keep in mind:
Quote:
From the "FAQ on Intelligent Animals" on the Paizo blog:
The Handle Animal skill functions similarly no matter how intelligent an animal becomes. A character must still make Handle Animal checks to train his animal and get him to perform the appropriate tasks. A GM should, however, make exceptions in the case of how such an intelligent animal might react in absence of instructions. It might not know to unlock a door to escape a burning building—as that's a fact that's learned over time and experience—but a smart animal might have a better chance of finding a way out.
*singing* You wear a disguise to look like human guys. But you're not a man; you're a chicken, boo.
Also forgot to mention that you need to take 2 levels of Mutated Defender vigilante if you get the fleshcraft or demonic implant. That way you can choose wing buffet (it's a 1-point evolution).
Wings of Darkness (Fleshcraft graft) [Horror Adventures, p. 169]
Cost: 36,000 gp
The subject gains leathery, batlike wings on its back, granting it a fly speed of 60 feet (with an average maneuverability) as well as a +5 competence bonus on Fly checks.
Penalty: –2 penalty on all Dexterity-based skill checks and ability checks except Fly checks.
or
Wicked Wings (Demonic Implant) [Pathfinder #74: Sword of Valor pg. 74]
Cost: 55,000 gp
The recipient gains a fly speed equal to its normal land speed with average maneuverability. In addition, when not flying a creature with wicked wings is considered to have Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat.
Caveat: The recipient’s shoulder blades and collarbones must be broken in order to attach the wicked wings resulting in 2d4 points of Strength and Dexterity damage, which renders two arms useless until the ability damage is healed.
Otherwise get the Dread Wing armor enhancement (Armor Master's Handbook, p.28). Either way, you're not going to come out of this cheaply.
4 arms, hm? That could be useful. Put claws on the first two arms, then something else on the others. Although I can't tell where you got the slam attacks from.
It actually comes from the feat Extra Discovery. You then choose the Alchemist discovery - Monstrous Graft (Inner Sea Monster Codex, p. 23). Right at Level 1 you then switch out one set of the Kasatha arms for Gorilla arms (Pathfinder Bestiary, p. 17), which provide a slam attack. At the same time you switch out the legs for the ones from a Deionychus (Pathfinder Bestiary, p. 84) for the talons (because you can switch out up to 4 limbs). It kinda makes the character look like a Shokan from Mortal Kombat with one set of arms being longer than the other.
The only way this works right off the bat is because the Dragonblood Chymist archetype for Alchemist creates a loophole by giving the player the Breath weapon bomb alchemist discovery. You thus have the Discovery class feature necessary to take Extra Discovery. Depending on the GM you could even keep the primary slam arms and just attach the Grasping Tendrils to the Vestigial Arms. I just threw in the Necrografts arms and Fleshcraft tendrils as a compromise, because they're both things that have not been covered yet in the FAQs.
Also, now that I think about it, you can add two more Rat Fang rings by having them made as slotless items. Way more expensive, but - hey - two more bite attacks. Also, I forgot the Fungal grafts (Alchemy Manual, p.10) for the wrist slot.
Reaching Vines:
Spoiler:
Cost: 4,000 gp
Cytillesh spores seeded beneath the subject’s skin enable the subject to extend and contract fungal vines from its wrists and forearms at will. The subject gains two vine attacks per round, which count as secondary natural attacks with a reach of 10 feet. These vines deal no damage, but the fungal-grafted creature can attempt to pull a struck target up to 5 feet toward itself, as the pull universal monster ability (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 303).
Updated list:
Spoiler:
1 x Bite (primary) - 1d6
1 x Hair (primary) - 1d4
1 x Gore (primary) - 1d4
2 x Slam (primary) - 1d6 each
2 x Bite (primary) - 1d4 each (2 x Ratfang Ring)
2 x Claws (primary) - 1d4 each
2 x Bite (primary) - 1d4 each (2 x Ratfang Ring)
2 x Talons (primary) - 1d8 each at first, 2d6 each later
1 x Tail Sting (primary) - 1d6 + poison (Wyvern Cloak)
4 x Vines (secondary) - no damage, but 10 ft. reach + pull (Reaching Vines fungal graft)
2 x Tentacles (secondary) - 1d4 each (Grasping Tendrils fleshgraft)
2 x Wing Buffet (secondary) - 1d4 each (after gaining Fleshgraft or Demonic graft)
1 x Tail Slap (secondary) - 1d6
1 x Constrict (special attack) - 1d6 (after grapple with hair) {Anaconda Coils belt}
Total: 24
Kasatha (Bestiary 4 pg. 174, People of the Stars pg. 8)
Spoiler:
+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom: Kasathas are nimble and sharply perceptive.
Kasatha: Kasathas are humanoids with the kasatha subtype.
Medium: Kasathas are Medium creatures and have no bonuses are penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Kasathas have a base speed of 30 feet.
Defensive Training: Kasathas have a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class.
Desert Runner: A kasatha has a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue, exhaustion, and other ill effects from running, forced marches, starvation, thirst, and hot or cold environments.
Desert Stride: A kasatha moves through nonmagical difficult terrain in desert environments at normal speed.
Jumper: A kasatha is always considered to have a running start when attempting Acrobatics checks to jump.
Multi-Armed: A kasatha has four arms. One hand is considered its primary hand; all others are considered off hands. It can use any of its hands for other purposes that require free hands.
Stalker: Perception and Stealth are class skills for kasathas.
Languages: Kasathas speak Common and Kasatha. Kasathas with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Dwarven, Draconic, Gnoll, Orc, and Sphinx.
Mutant (People of the Wastes, p.8; Bestiary 5, p. 180)
Spoiler:
"Mutant" is an acquired template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature. A mutant retains the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Challenge Rating: Base creature’s CR + 1.
Type: The creature’s type changes to aberration (augmented). Do not recalculate its Hit Dice, base attack bonus, or saves.
Attacks: A mutant retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon and armor proficiencies of the base creature.
Special Abilities: A mutant retains any extraordinary and supernatural abilities of the base creature.
Abilities: A mutant gains a +4 bonus to two ability scores of its choice and takes a –2 penalty to two ability scores of its choice.
Skills: A mutant gains Climb, Intimidate, Knowledge (any one), Perception, Sense Motive, Survival, and Swim as class skills.
Deformities: Each mutant has one of the following deformities. It can take a second deformity to gain a mutation as detailed in Mutations. A deformity can’t be taken if it wouldn’t disadvantage the mutant.
Vulnerability [Sonic] (Ex): The mutant is vulnerable to one energy type. If the base creature has innate resistance or immunity to that energy type, it loses those abilities.
Character build:
Spoiler:
Race: Mutant Kasatha (Aberration) [augmented]
STR +4 Template
DEX +6 (+2 Race + 4 Template)
CON
INT -2 Template
WIS -6 [-8 (Monstrous Grafts) + 2 Race]
CHA -2 Template
HP: 8
Alchemist 1 (Dragonblood Chymist)
Level 1 Feat: Extra Discovery (Monstrous Graft)
Level 1 Mutation: Feral (Bite attack, 2 claws)
BAB: +0
F/R/W = 2/2/0
Level 1 Abilities: Alchemy, bomb 1d6, Brew Potion, Dragonblood Mutagen
Extracts per Day: 1 x 1st Level
Dragonblood Mutagen: +2 natural armor bonus and a +2 alchemical bonus to STR for 10 minutes.
Explosive Breath: 1d6 + INT mod. [(1 + INT mod) / day] {15-foot cone} |Ref DC = 10 + INT mod. for half damage; does NOT provoke an AoO|
HP: 11
Level 1 Witch (White-Haired Witch)
Level 2 Abilities: Cantrips, Witch's familiar, White Hair (Su)
Spells per Day: 3 x 0 Level, 1 x 1 level
White Hair (Su): Hair as primary natural weapon (1d4 + INT mod.); grapple as a free action without AoO; does not gain grappled condition
BAB +0
F/R/W = 2/2/2
HP: 16
Fighter 1 (Mutation Warrior, Savage Warrior)
Level 3 Abilities: Power Attack (Fighter bonus feat)
Level 3 feat: Spirit Oni Master (1d4 primary gore attack)
BAB +1
F/R/W = 4/2/2
HP: 21
Bloodrager 1 (Bloody-Knuckled Rowdy, Primalist, Untouchable Rager)
Level 4 Abilities: Abyssal Bloodline, Bloodrage
Pugilist (Ex): Gain Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.
Claws (Su): 1d6 + STR mod while bloodraging.
Level 4 Mutation [Gills (Ex)]: The mutant has the aquatic subtype, the amphibious ability, and a swim speed equal to its base speed.
BAB +2
F/R/W = 5/2/2
HP: 25
Vigilante 1 (Mutant Defender)
Level 5 feat: Blood Frenzy Style
Level 5 Abilities: Dual Identity (Ex), Seamless Guise (Ex),
Owl's Sight (Ex) [Gain Low-light vision; +2 competence bonus on Sleight of Hand and Stealth checks at night]
BAB +3
F/R/W = 5/4/4
HP: 33
Vigilante 3
Level 7 feat: Multiattack
Level 7 Abilities: Unshakable, Safe House (Ex)
BAB +5
F/R/W = 6/5/5
HP: 37
Vigilante 4
Level 8 Abilities: Mutant Evolution (Tail Slap)
Level 8 Mutation [Echolocation (Ex)]: The mutant has blindsense with a range of 30 feet and gains Blind-Fight as a bonus feat.
BAB +6/+1
F/R/W = 6/6/6
Magic Items:
Wings of Darkness (Fleshcraft graft) [Horror Adventures, p. ]
Cost: 36,000 gp
The subject gains leathery, batlike wings on its back, granting it a fly speed of 60 feet (with an average maneuverability) as well as a +5 competence bonus on Fly checks.
Penalty: –2 penalty on all Dexterity-based skill checks and ability checks except Fly checks.
or
Wicked Wings (Demonic Implant) [Pathfinder #74: Sword of Valor pg. 74]
Cost: 55,000 gp
The recipient gains a fly speed equal to its normal land speed with average maneuverability. In addition, when not flying a creature with wicked wings is considered to have Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat.
Caveat: The recipient’s shoulder blades and collarbones must be broken in order to attach the wicked wings resulting in 2d4 points of Strength and Dexterity damage, which renders two arms useless until the ability damage is healed.
So we have:
1 x Bite (primary) - 1d6
1 x Hair (primary) - 1d4
1 x Gore (primary) - 1d4
2 x Slam (primary) - 1d6 each
2 x Claws (primary) - 1d4 each
2 x Talons (primary) - 1d8 each at first, 2d6 each later
2 x Wing Buffet (secondary) - 1d4 each
1 x Tail Slap (secondary) - 1d6
Total: 12
if Necrografts or Fleshgrafts can be used on Vestigial Arms then:
1 x Bite (primary) - 1d6
1 x Hair (primary) - 1d4
1 x Gore (primary) - 1d4
2 x Claws (primary) - 1d4 each
2 x Talons (primary) - 1d8 each at first, 2d6 each later
2 x Slam (secondary) - 1d4 each
2 x Tentacles (secondary) - 1d4 each
2 x Wing Buffet (secondary) - 1d4 each
1 x Tail Slap (secondary) - 1d6
Total: 14
Additional Attacks through Magic Items: 5
Wyvern Cloak (Sting Attack; 1d6 + poison) [78,600 gp]
otherwise a Tentacle Cloak [14,000 gp]
2 x Ring of Rat Fangs (Bite; 1d4 each) [5,000 gp each]
Lions Shield (Bite 3/day; 2d6) [9,170 gp] <- when using Unarmed Strikes and/or if your DM only allows your vestigial arms to hold stuff
Tiger's Hide [54,115 gp] (pounce during 1st round of combat)
Anaconda's Coils Belt [18,500 gp] (Constrict; 1d6 + STR mod)
Amulet of Mighty Fists (enhancement bonus to unarmed & natural attacks; grants weapon special abilities to those attacks)
Where it gets a little iffy is the interaction between the Vestigial Arms alchemist discovery and Necrograft arms or Grasping Tendril Fleshcraft grafts. The Devs have said on multiple occasions that Vestigial Arms do not grant extra attacks, and in conjunction with a Beastmorph Alchemist you're still not changing the amount of attacks eventhough those Vestigial arms get claws from the mutagen. But nothing has been said on that subject since...
The difficulty comes in determining what functionality of an arm you get that are not explicitly mentioned from the new stuff. The rules text never says anything about the necrograft arm behaving like a normal arm. Likewise, the Fleshgraft seems to imply that any arm could potentially be replaced and act like a normal arm. There isn’t even a general statement that necrograft arms act just like the organ they replace, except as mentioned. But this is certainly implied—if it weren’t so, the necrograft arm couldn’t really be used for anything but lifting or slamming, making the “clumsy” penalties rather redundant. Likewise, since we are not placing the Grasping Tendril on the chest slot by itself, it specifically says that when it replaces an arm it acts as an arm (vestigial or otherwise).
As the vestigial arms discovery itself shows, Paizo does tend to indicate when an arm cannot be used to swing a weapon—in normal circumstances, I certainly would have every expectation that the necrograft arm could be used to wield weapons, and the Grasping Tendril can do so at a penalty as well. However, we have yet to get an answer regarding Necrografts, Fleshgrafts or Monstrous Grafts attached to those bloody things...
Grasping Tendril
Spoiler:
Cost: 22,500 gp
If grafted as a replacement for a lost arm, this tendril functions as an arm, and if it isn’t holding anything, a Medium creature can use the tendril as a secondary natural attack dealing 1d4 points of damage.
Necrograft Arm
Spoiler:
Cost: 12,000 gp
An arm of undead flesh allows its host to lift up to 1-1/2 times his maximum load over his head. A humanoid with two necrograft arms can lift up to twice his maximum load over his head. Each necrograft arm also provides its host with a natural slam attack (replacing any natural attacks that limb may have once had) that deals 1d4 points of bludgeoning damage as a secondary attack. A necrograft arm is clumsy, imposing a cumulative –2 circumstance penalty on all Craft, Disable Device, and Sleight of Hand checks per limb replaced, as well as on relevant Perform checks (such as for stringed instruments and wind instruments).
The way I see it, if you're investing that large of an amount of your resources you ought to be able to get two additional natural attacks. You're basically trading 2 primaries for 4 secondaries.
Personally, I'd go with a Mutant as race (People of the Wastes, p.8; Bestiary 5, p. 180). Since it's a template that goes over a starting race you could still start as a human for the extra feat and then change to an Aberration (augmented). You'll start off with one mutation and a deformity, but end up getting 5 more mutations later (at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th level). Alas, you can't take celerity, extra arm, fast healing, mental armor, rage, rugged, sealed mind, or wings - super bummer.
I would then start the 1st level of the build as a Dragonblood Chymist archetype for Alchemist. Due to the fact that it starts off with the Breath weapon bomb alchemist discovery you technically start off with an Alchemist Discovery. You then take Extra Discovery (Monstrous Graft) as your human bonus feat and take Gorilla arms for a Slam attack of 1d6 and Deionychus legs for a Talon attack of 1d8. You'll have a -8 to Wisdom because of it, but - hey - it's a major natural attack boost. From the Mutant mutation take Slam attack to increase the damage of your Slam attack to 1d8.
Then take the Mutant Defender Vigilante and get yourself a Tail. Don't bother with any other attack mutations because you'll replace one attack on your arms. So focus on tentacles instead or getting mutation features that go hand-in-hand with Vigilante talents, like Shapeshifter.
NOW, the biggest problem is trying to get extra arms...and I have not been able to figure a way around that without starting off as a Kasatha. If you take that race in combination with Mutant, then follow the same as above but instead of Slam as a mutation you take Feral as your mutation instead. You now have a bite attack (1d6), two slams (1d4, but since a gorilla is a large creature they're technically 1d6 each), two claws (1d4 each), and 2 talons (1d4, but the Deionychus entry says 1d8 each)...and don't forget the technical breath weapon you have (1d6, 15-foot cone). That's even more than a Ragebred Skinwalker at Level 1!
If you take two levels of Barbarian you can take Lesser Fiend Totem to also get a gore attack. You'll also need 4 levels of Abyssal Bloodrager to be able to grow large (it's like Enlarge Person but also works on Aberrations) to increase your natural damage attacks.
I never really thought about it, because Construct Rider was such a poorly written archetype.
We know that the mount is of the Clockwork type, so that means that the gears inside are definitely metal. The picture in the book shows the horse to be metal, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the mount has to be made completely of metal.
The description of Craft Mount contains: "At first, his mount is a singular masterpiece created during a momentary stroke of brilliance." That means that each Construct Rider's mount is unique. So, you can make it out of anything within reason.
Given the question whether a wooden, stone or metal construct can fly I'll settle on the fact that the Craft Mount entry says that it's supernatural. Were it extraordinary I would probably say, "not without you turning that thing into a crotch rocket." But since it's supernatural that puts it into the realm of fantasy...so yes, yes it can. He'll be a super-sized version of Bubo the Owl (Clash of the Titans). :P
Back when Starcraft had just come out and I was still playing AD&D I ended up creating a Grey Elf called Zîratul Terarieldur. It seemed to roll off the tongue when spoken. When I looked back into Tolkien Elvish this is what it means: -dur means "servant of, devoted to"; ter = place; ara = Noble/Royal; iel-Daughter of. zîr = to desire, to love; a = imperative particle; tul = come
So his first name means: "(necessary) desire to come," whereas his surname means: "servant of the place of the daughter of a noble one."
Kinda makes sense, doesn't it? There was a need for him to arrive to become a servant of a noble daughter's region/place.
Does a sentient ooze fit into your category of ugly?
See Sapphire Ooze.
They come from Elysium, are shapechangers and intelligent. But I don't know if you'd consider that "Celestial" enough eventhough they're considered extraplanar.
I almost missed this part. How can they be healing batteries?
The only way I've been able to make that work is in two ways:
1) Get the Eldritch Researcher feat and then research these old D&D 3.5 spells (because Pathfinder was designed and supposed to be backwards compatible).
Spoiler:
Bestow Wound (Heroes of Horror, p.127) {not Necromancy but still usable}
Healing Touch (Magic of Faerun, p.100)
Life Tap (Diablo II – Diablerie, p.42)
Transfer Life (Kingdoms of Kalamar – Villain Design Handbook, p.115)
Life Transfer (Dragonlance – Towers of High Sorcery, p.47)
Channeled Lifetheft (Complete Mage, pp.98-99)
Transfer Essence (Dragonlance – Towers of High Sorcery, p.52)
Leech Undeath (Magic of Eberron, p.98)
Hide Life (Tome and Blood, p.91)
Synostodweomer (Spell Compendium, p. 218)
2) Various Pathfinder spells:
Repair Undead (Mass), Fractions of Heal and Harm, Vampiric Touch (Greater), Vampiric Hunger, Death Knell Aura (Greater), Feast on Fear, Vampiric Shadowshield, Lash of the Astradaemon, Undeath Inversion.
The thing that really makes your undead into healing batteries is by using Vampiric Shadowshield. Since undead are healed by negative energy just have them hit you for minimum damage and they get healed at the same time.
That said there is nothing that says that you can't use the spell Animate Object for the animation of skeletons and corpses. It certainly throws clerics for a loop when they waste their Cure/ Inflict spells and their Turn Undead/Control Undead powers on a construct thinking that it's undead. *smirk*
Also, you could create a Life School Necromancer with the Shadowcaster archetype (you don't have to be Nidalese to be one, because Zon-Kuthon provides it willingly in the hopes of corrupting people). The Shades spell per RAW is not actually limited to the [summoning], [calling] and [creation] Conjuration spells, or to the Wizards' spell list for that matter. ALL CONJURATION SPELLS OF 8TH LEVEL OR LOWER WOULD BE FAIR GAME - provided your GM agrees and doesn't limit it to Sivanah worshippers. This would allow you to heal people using "fake" Cure spells which are Conjuration based. Granted, it would take a while to get there...Of course that would open up all kinds of shenanigans with Shadow Conjuration spells to Summon Monsters that could potentially heal you. After all, if you take a short dimensional jaunt to the Shadow Plane all your Illusion spells would be 90% real there as well.
It does work, but for your fellow players to trust you role-playing wise will take a long time. It's best that ONLY the GM knows from the start that you are a Necromancer. Let the others think that you are just a Wizard. That way when it is finally revealed they can at least weigh your actions against what you are playing.
Even if you've managed to keep it a secret into the high levels from your group, you'll still need Illusion spells to make your controlled undead look human if you decide to take them into settlements and encampments. Once you do have a sizable force they make for good meatshields and healing batteries.
That's my bad, I was using D&D 3.5 terminology. It does seem that "Spells" is an actual class ability, but it seems that accessing that ability is different.
Quote:
If spell-casting is the ability to convert potential/stored/latent magic energy into an effect or another, spell-slots are the storage tanks.
That would make a LOT of sense. So, EVEN IF a character would obtain spell slots it would essentially be nothing more than his body having gained a storage medium. However, the character still does NOT have a way to unlock that potential. That would then seem to entail another step. And it's THAT step that seems to be giving me the headache to work out mechanically. How would you explain that source? Well, it's theme- or story-based.
Quote:
Essentially there is no interaction in the way you describe, nor is there a direct connection.
And I'm starting to lean towards that myself. At that point it would basically just come down to just simply saying "Okay, we'll just use the Retraining rules." BOOM, you took your step from a Commoner to a Commoner with unusable spell slots to a [insert new class].
I guess we can leave it at that...Thanks for the input, guys. That did help. *thumbs up*
OKay, the third level power of the vestige bloodline states this
"Restored Glory (Su): At 3rd level, objects in your possession with the broken condition function as if they did not have the broken condition, though if they reach 0 hit points they are destroyed as normal. At 9th level, destroyed objects (objects with 0 hit points) in your possession function and appear as if they had only the broken condition, though if they reach a number of negative hit points equal to your level, they become fully destroyed and don’t function at all, even in your possession. At 15th level, destroyed objects in your possession function and appear as if fully repaired, though they can become fully destroyed as described above. Destroyed objects must have physical pieces left to be affected by this ability. Objects that leave your possession are affected normally by these conditions. This ability does not affect artifacts."
How would this affect advanced tech, such as laser pistols, would they move up from broken to Timeworn, or to fully functional?
Would Non-Functional become broken, or fully functional? (or does it not work?)
I had plenty of questions regarding this bloodline myself. The short answer would probably be, "That's up to the GM." This bloodline should've included some more afterthought from the writers.
Based on first look, you first have to determine at which Level this ability operates. We then have to look at the Broken condition:
The broken condition has the following effects, depending upon the item.
If the item is a weapon, any attacks made with the item suffer a –2 penalty on attack and damage rolls. Such weapons only score a critical hit on a natural 20 and only deal ×2 damage on a confirmed critical hit.
If the item is a suit of armor or a shield, the bonus it grants to AC is halved, rounding down. Broken armor doubles its armor check penalty on skills.
If the item is a tool needed for a skill, any skill check made with the item takes a –2 penalty.
If the item is a wand or staff, it uses up twice as many charges when used.
If the item does not fit into any of these categories, the broken condition has no effect on its use. Items with the broken condition, regardless of type, are worth 75% of their normal value. If the item is magical, it can only be repaired with a mending or make whole spell cast by a character with a caster level equal to or higher than the item’s. Items lose the broken condition if the spell restores the object to half its original hit points or higher. Non-magical items can be repaired in a similar fashion, or through the Craft skill used to create it. Generally speaking, this requires a DC 20 Craft check and 1 hour of work per point of damage to be repaired. Most craftsmen charge one-tenth the item’s total cost to repair such damage (more if the item is badly damaged or ruined).
So, technically, you could repair that Laser Pistol if you have the necessary feats and labs in the Technology Guide.
If the GM wants to be a dick he can make it become timeworn. But keep in mind that at this point only a miracle or wish spell can specifically remove timeworn from an item. Otherwise you need to take on the Technomancer prestige class to make those items work decently well.
How does Spellcasting and Spell Slots interacted with each other?
1) Can you have spellcasting ability without the need of spell slots?
2) Can you have spell slots without needing the spellcasting ability?
3) Do you have to have both to be a spellcaster?
4) Can I be a spellcaster though I have neither?
Example 1: Spirit Possession (Jade Regent: Forest of Spirits, p.15) or Fiendish Possession (Council of Thieves: The Infernal Syndrome, pp.56-63) but that's a big MAYBE.
Example 2:
I guess the Medium, Mesmerist, Occultist, Psychic and Spiritualist class would now fit into this category.
The Oracle seems to require the Mystery ability to be able to use its spell slots.
Pact Certain or Pact Insidious (D&D 3.5 Fiendish Codex II)/Infernal Contract (Pathfinder) and bargain for an additional spell slot. Does the spell slot allow you to cast without having spellcasting? ;
Magical Training feat [maybe?] (D&D 3.5 - Player's Guide to Faerun);
A pearl of power might also fit into this example.
Example 3: The caster classes; Belt of the Dread Emperor (D&D 3.5 Book of Vile Darkness); Rituals (D&D 3.5 - Savage Species)
Example 4: Occult Rituals (Pathfinder: Occult Adventures) - although the rules are not very specific on the topic; Incantations (D&D 3.5 - Unearthed Arcana); Sacrifice Reward System (D&D 3.5 - Book of Vile Darkness); Silver Spindle Ioun Stone; all traits that provide spell-like abilities; Kineticist class [maybe?]
Maybe I'm just splitting hairs but technically-speaking it had to have come from somewhere before there were spellcasting classes...
The book Gods and Magic has rules for attuning items from one patron deity to another. The prerequisites are the Craft Wondrous Item feat, all the spells that the item requires at creation and that you spend 500 gp + 1 day's work to retune it to another patron or remove the patron requirement entirely.
So, on one hand, if you loot something from a follower of another deity and "retune" the item that's effectively giving followers of that deity the middle finger. However, on the other hand, if you just have a cleric of another deity create an item with that particular spell it does also bypass the problem of obtaining certain spells. A contract is a contract is a contract - but only among Ferengi.
Wait, Earth is in the same universe? Who's stopping us from using magic then >:(
I think that's left up to GM discretion. Personally, I go by Dragon Magazine's articles "The Wizards Three" (technically Paizo content) which say that people from Earth have never actually cast a spell (Rasputin Must Die is an exception here due to external influences from Baba Yaga).
#ShillAlert: You can find my old D&D 3.5/Pathfinder assemblage as "CloudCobra's Guide to Non-magical Characters" under the Homebrew section. With all the new splatbooks that have come out since then it's outdated by only 6 years.
However, nothing says that somebody couldn't use the Scepter of Ages in conjunction with a Well of Many Worlds, or a Codex of the Infinite Planes, to transport people from Earth to Golarion. If you include D&D 3.5 material from Dungeon #143 the Mask of Diamond Tears could also draw in people from alternate Material Planes, but that would require including the Mirror Plane as well. Also, the spell Interplanetary Teleport could probably accomplish this as well.
You could definitely use Interplanetary Teleport to get to or from Earth, though you would need some prior knowledge of it. Earth does not exist in an "alternate Material Plane" from Golarion; it's just very far away. The biggest connections to Earth Golarion has is that Baba Yaga is from there and Cthulhu lives there.
Well, there are also the Yithians from Strange Aeons: The Whisper Out of Time. These things can project themselves forward in time and also into the past. They actually went to Earth. These things effective magic jar people to take over their bodies and the hapless victim ends up being shunted into theirs. A Yithian could conceivably transport Earthlings to Golarion if it was deemed of necessity for knowledge, to fight the Flying Polyps, or for another purpose to save their race.
Well there is Empedocles in the city of Stethelos located in the Plane of Time. But he's technically anima mundi chow, so I doubt that really counts. There's that one chick from Reign of Winter 3: Maiden, Mother, Crone that speaks Russian eventhough she's not from there. Some influence on Golarion that way, but still very limited because I don't think she can leave the cave.
However, nothing says that somebody couldn't use the Scepter of Ages in conjunction with a Well of Many Worlds, or a Codex of the Infinite Planes, to transport people from Earth to Golarion. If you include D&D 3.5 material from Dungeon #143 the Mask of Diamond Tears could also draw in people from alternate Material Planes, but that would require including the Mirror Plane as well. Also, the spell Interplanetary Teleport could probably accomplish this as well.
Well, I don't know why the Mage Guild was wanting me to lay you, dragon. But...a contract's a contract. So, how are we going to do this?
Dragon: Are you actually being serious, human?
The problem I've already run into is that if we stay Lawful Good we can get lay on hands through Believer's Hands. But if we want something like Mercy we need to be Neutral Good to be able to use the Champion of Grace feat.
ABILITIES TO REPLICATE
Aura of Good = Gift of Discernment [Exalted] feat (Player's Guide to Faerun)
Detect Evil - Shining Wayfinder item (technically), Godsight feat [Player's Guide to Faerun] (3/day)
Smite Evil - Chevalier PRC Level 3, Bracers of the Avenging Knight item, Skin of the Celestial item, Touchstone (Catalogues of Enlightenment) [Elysium domain]
Divine Grace - Divine Protection feat (pre-errata)
Lay on Hands - Bloodstone of Arazni (Heart) [Artifact], Phylactery of Devotion (lay on hands 1/day @ 1 hp only) [Living Kingdoms of Kalamar], Believer's Hands feat (must be lawful good)
Aura of Courage - Chevalier PRC Level 1
Divine Health - Periapt of Health item (sort of)
Mercy - Merciful Vambraces item (sort of), Improved Eldritch Heritage (Solar) [sort of], Champion of Grace feat (sort of; must be Neutral Good)
Channel Positive Energy - Improved Eldritch Heritage (Empyreal), Greater Eldritch Heritage (Solar)
Divine Bond - Bracers of Celestial Intervention item (sort of)
Spellcasting - Spellcasting Contract,Lesser & Spellcasting Contract spells; Imbue with Spell Ability spell
Headscratchers:
Aura of Resolve - ?
Aura of Justice - ?
Aura of Faith - ?
Aura of Righteousness - ?
Holy Champion - ?
I'm thinking an Infernal Contract, Wish spell, homebrewed Divine Obedience feat or perhaps the Expert class from D&D 3.5 Unearthed Arcana for these last abilities...
Sure we can use VMC Paladin, but that only gives so many abilities, but VMC and archetypes don't mix either.
Alright, let's see if my thinking is correct on this...
Deity: Irori
ABILITIES:
Spoiler:
{15-point buy}
STR 14 -2 = 12 +1
DEX 10 +2 = 12 +1
CON 10 +0
INT 10 +2 = 12 +1
WIS 10 +0
CHA 16 -4 = 12 +1
TRAITS:
Spoiler:
Blessed Touch (Faith) - You heal 1 additional point of damage when using lay on hands, channeling energy, or casting a cure spell.
Suicidal (Tiefling) - Shame and horror fill your subconscious, and you never stop looking for ways to grant yourself the peace of the grave. Once per day, as an immediate action, you can make yourself the target of any attack originally directed against a creature occupying an adjacent square.
Touched by the Sky (Numeria) - Somehow, you managed to retrieve a rare vial of fluid from a piece of crashed wreckage on the plains of Numeria. Before you could be caught with the contraband, you drank it. You now have the ability to stabilize a dying creature with a touch as a standard action.
Umbral Unmasking (Drawback) - You cast no shadow whatsoever, or the shadow you do have is monstrous. Under normal lighted conditions, this is not hard to observe—but uncommon to notice. Creatures that succeed at a DC 15 Wisdom check notice it plainly (an additional Perception check may be required based on environmental conditions). This telltale sign of wickedness cannot be concealed by misdirection, nondetection, or illusions, except those that also affect shadows (such as invisibility).
RACE BUILDER:
Spoiler:
Disadvantage Total: -7 RP
Standard Racial Traits
Mixed Weakness (-2 RP): Members of this race gain a +2 bonus to one ability score of that type and a –2 penalty to another ability score of that type. They also gain a +2 bonus to one ability score of the other type and a –4 penalty to another ability score of the other type.
Slow Speed (-1 RP): 20 ft. base speed, but not affected by Medium or Heavy armor.
Defense Racial Traits
Delicious (-1 RP): -2 penalty on Escape Artist and combat maneuver checks to escape grapple against creatures with Bite attacks.
Frightened by Magic (-1 RP): The character is uneasy around magic, especially spells that have large, impressive effects. Whenever the character is damaged or affected by a spell or supernatural ability that has an obvious visual component, he is shaken for 1 round (subject to GM discretion). A character that gains the ability to cast spells from a class feature is unaffected by this racial trait.
Magical Racial Traits
Other Racial Traits
Emotionless (-1 RP): You have problems processing emotions properly, and thus take a -4 penalty on Sense Motive checks.
Weakness Racial Traits
Shattered Soul (-1 RP): You are exceptionally difficult to return to life. If target of raise dead, resurrection, or similar spells the caster must succeed at a caster level equal to 10 + your Hit Dice. If spell fails, caster has to wait 24 hours to try again.
Advantage Total: +7 RP
Spell-like Ability, Greater (+3 RP) -> Channel the Gift (3rd level) 1/day
Spell-like Ability, At Will (+4 RP) -> Heroic Fortune (2nd level) {Advanced Player's Guide}
LEVEL BREAKDOWN:
Spoiler:
HP: 10
Level 01: Planar Infusion (Positive Energy Plane)
Human bonus: Planar Heritage (Tiefling)
Paladin 1 : Aura of Good, Careful Healer (Ex), Smite evil 1/day
BAB +1
F+02 R+0 W+02
Meditation Crystal
Though this focus is usually a hand-sized crystal, the exact form (such as a wooden idol, an iron disk, and so on) may vary for some religions. A monk or paladin of the cleric’s faith may concentrate upon an activated meditation crystal, taking no actions for 1 minute, and regain 1 ki point or one use of lay on hands. Once activated, the crystal retains its energy until a monk or paladin uses it for this purpose or 24 hours pass.
Source: Adventurer's Armory, p.25
Price: 100 gp; 1 lb.
* Basically, spend a channel energy to gain back 1 ki point or 1 lay on hands.
Crystal of Healing Hands
A cloth cord marked with esoteric religious symbols typically holds this roughly cut, glittering prism in place. A person with the lay on hands class feature can direct one use of this energy into the crystal, which stores it until the wearer speaks a command word to release it. Releasing the energy targets the wearer with the stored lay on hands effect, as if touched by the person who infused the crystal with its power. The crystal can contain a single use of the lay on hands class feature. When filled with this magic, it begins to glow with a pearly white light. The wearer of the crystal can order it to release its energy as a standard action. This acts identically to receiving the effect of lay on hands directly from the person who channeled it into the crystal, including any mercies they had at the time.
Cost 12,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Source: Ultimate Equipment pg. 257
* A place to store 1 extra lay on hands. Great by Level 19 so that we don't run out should we need to use Ultimate Mercy.
Tea of Transference
Price 40 gp; Weight —
Source: Alchemy Manual, p. 25
Expend 1 point from your ki pool to regain ... one use of channel energy, one use of smite evil, or one expended spell slot at least 2 levels lower than the highest-level spell you can cast. You must have the ki pool class feature and the class feature you want to regain uses of in order to benefit from tea of transference.
OTHER NEAT ITEMS:
Spoiler:
Spiked Focus Ward
Category: Channel Foci
This holy symbol has a small nail or spike somewhere along its length, allowing it to be hammered it into a wall, tree, floor, or any hard surface. Once fixed in place and activated, it stores channeled energy until it is touched by a creature of at least Small size or 24 hours pass. If touched, the focus releases the stored power as if you used channel energy, though it only heals or deals half the normal damage (including all feats and abilities that affect the DC and damage). Good clerics use these items to provide healing in large battles where a cleric may not be nearby; evil clerics often use them as traps.
Source: Adventure's Armory, p.25
Price: 100 gp; 2 lbs.
Martyr's Tear
Source: Ultimate Equipment
Price: 6,000 gp
This imperfect, rose-tinted gemstone resembles a teardrop or a broken heart depending on its orientation. Its pale facets are typically marred by a single crack or chip near the gem’s middle.
Once per day, the bearer may spend a standard action to transfer 3d6 hit points from himself into the gem. This deepens the gem’s color, with a stronger color indicating more life energy stored in it. The gem can store a maximum of 18 hit points. If any hit points are stored in the gem, the bearer may touch it himself or another creature as a standard action, transferring all the stored life energy from the gem to the target creature, healing it a number of hit points equal to the amount stored in the gem. This returns the gem to its normal color.
Vestments of War (Body slot)
These sturdy leather robes are edged in fine linen embroidered with runes and holy symbols. If worn by a creature capable of casting divination spells who worships a specific deity, the embroidery shifts to depict symbols and icons appropriate to the wearer’s faith. The robes act as a divine focus for such wearers, allowing spells requiring a divine focus to be cast without the need to hold any other holy symbol. Additionally, if the wearer can channel energy, she can do so one additional time per day. If the wearer can lay on hands, she instead gains two additional uses of that ability per day. If the wearer has the fervor class feature, she instead gains two additional uses of fervor per day.
Cost: 14,000 gp; Weight: -
Source: Melee Tactics Toolbox p. 29
Shadowbond Tunic (Chest slot)
This black linen tunic has simple brass buttons. Once per day, the wielder can attune the garment to one ally by standing for 1 minute in a position in which both the wielder’s and his ally’s shadows overlap. For the next 24 hours, whenever the wielder is adjacent to that ally and that ally takes damage, the wielder can sacrifice up to 10 hit points to prevent an equal amount of damage done to the ally. This damage cannot be reduced or redirected, and if the wielder is incapable of sacrificing hit points, the damage to the ally cannot be prevented. If the vest is removed before its duration ends, the connection between the wielder and ally is lost and the vest is powerless until 24 hours have passed since its last attunement.
Price: 12,000 gp; Weight: 5 lbs.
Source: Blood of Shadows p. 26
Armor of the Pious (Armor slot)
This gold-plated +1 mithral full plate armor has images of Iomedae’s symbol etched into its immaculately gleaming surface. The armor requires 24 hours to attune itself to the wearer and her patron deity, after which point the images on the armor shift to match the symbol of the wearer’s patron deity (or remain associated with Iomedae if the wearer doesn’t worship a deity). Thereafter, once per day the armor’s wearer can offer a prayer to her deity (or Iomedae) as a swift action to increase the armor’s enhancement bonus to +2 for 10 rounds. For this duration, the armor also grants a +2 sacred bonus on saving throws. A paladin wearing armor of the pious can use her lay on hands ability one additional time per day; a mythic paladin wearing armor of the pious also gains one additional use of mythic power per day. An evil character who wears armor of the pious gains 2 negative levels. These negative levels remain as long as the armor is worn and disappear when the armor is removed—they never become permanent but can’t be overcome in any way as long as the armor is worn.
Price: 23,300 gp; Weight: 25 lbs.
Source: Pathfinder #74 - Sword of Valor p.62
Boots of the Earth (Feet slot)
These sturdy leather dwarven boots have soles made of thick gray marble. As a move action, the wearer can plant her feet and draw strength from the earth, gaining fast healing 1 and a +4 bonus to CMD to resist bull rush, reposition, and trip combat maneuver attempts. These effects end if the wearer moves or is moved, knocked prone, or rendered unconscious.
Price: 5,000 gp; Weight: 5 lbs.
Source: Inner Sea Gods p. 261
Blood Reservoir of Physical Prowess
Source: Ultimate Equipment
Price: 2,000
This blown-glass vial has a chain for attaching it to the handle of a weapon. When filled with the wearer’s blood, it gains powerful magic. Filling the reservoir takes a full minute, deals 4 points of Constitution damage (which can be healed normally), and imbues the reservoir with 4 charges. Charging the reservoir changes the blood to magical fluid, which does not clot or decay with time.
The wearer can speak the first command word to draw 1 or more charges from the reservoir, curing 1 point of physical ability score damage per charge used.
The wearer can speak the second command word to imbue herself with a great burst of physical prowess, depleting all remaining charges and gaining an inherent bonus to one physical ability score equal to twice the number of charges used. This bonus lasts until the end of the wearer’s next turn.
The bearer can only use the reservoir if it is held in hand or attached to a held or wielded weapon. A bearer can safely carry only one charged reservoir at a time; any others spontaneously drain their charges in 1d10 rounds, leaving only the highest-charged reservoir intact. A reservoir has no effect if not charged with the wearer’s blood, and cannot be charged by bloodless creatures or those that cannot take Constitution damage.
EXPLANATIONS:
1) So, the way this should work is that you Channel the Gift (Sp) -> cast Full Pouch without expending the slot -> use Heroic Fortune (Sp) -> Spend Hero point to recall Channel Gift (Sp) -> and repeat. That's our spellcasting loop for the Tea of Transference so that we never run out of that stuff. We obtain the spell Full Pouch through the Unsanctioned Knowledge feat and also take the Eschew Materials feat that we don't have to worry about the 1 gp in material components. Unfortunately, because of our low Wisdom we only get 1 point of Ki, so we need to compensate with a magic item to get our Wisdom score high enough to hold 3 ki. So this will definitely only work out-of-combat. We'll also need an item to boost his low Charisma to be able to use Ultimate Mercy by Level 19.
By Level 10 we'll be able to use the Hospitaler's Channel Energy 5 times per day, and lay on hands 6 times per day. So, let's say we have run out of lay on hands. We spend 5 channel to regain 5 lay on hands through the use of our meditation crystal. We drink the tea and transfer 1 ki for 1 channel energy. Transfer one more channel energy into lay on hands and we're back to full there. So that alone only took us 6 minutes. We use the tea again to transfer 1 ki into a channel energy. We can now use our last ki point to regain a smite evil or regain a spell slot if we needed it. We're out of ki now. So we now use the Ki Channel feat to regain our 3 ki by expending 1 channel energy. We're now back to 3 ki points. We can now continue to fill up or smite evil, our low-level spells and our expended channel energy. Downtime well spent.
2) Most people go with Fey Foundling as their Level 1 feat. I took a different route by taking Planar Infusion (Positive Energy Plane). Compared to Fey Foundling it increases with each level and yet works with lay on hands, channel energy and cure spells. The trouble with Charitable Hands is that we get screwed on healing ourselves. So the Tiefling's Favored Class bonus for Paladins helps us with the self-healing and this feat pretty much eliminates any penalty we get from it.
3) This build does lack in offensive capabilities, but I decided on more of a tanking style. This Paladin basically makes the enemy focus on him by drawing attackers to him and soaking up most of the damage. Given his healing abilities, and the right kind of spells, he should be able to hold out long enough for his party members to take the enemy down.
Also, by Level 9 you'll probably want to take the Poisoned Mercy, because one of the alchemical components of that Tea of Transference is effectively arsenic. :P
If you are looking to get arbitrarily large numbers of channel energy per day, mix Ki Channel with Tea of Transference and a Ki pool (like Ninja 2). Once your Channel dice reaches 2 (or 3 if you are using Lay on Hands to Channel), you basically have unlimited channels per day. Or rather, limited to how much 40 gp tea you can drink.
Spend 1 Tea and 1 Ki point into 1 Channel. Spend 1 Channel with Ki Channel and gain '# of channel dice'(say 2) in the same number of Ki points. Repeat.
That's interesting. I hadn't thought of using a Ki Pool...That puts an entirely new perspective on things.
You're right. The only linchpin is the Tea of Transference. Hmm, there might be a way to actually make this work using the Unsanctioned Knowledge feat (and thus requiring to retain spellcasting).
The closest you're going to get to a modern-day firearm-wielding soldier.
With the right teamwork feats you can turn an encounter into a meat-grinder. The Martial Master gives you a switchable combat feat for those close encounters where you might need Unarmed Strike (or other nasty combat feat combinations). Also, many teamwork feats are combat feats as well, so that's double the teamwork ability.
My concept is a Human Paladin (Combat Healer Squire/Hospitaler/Oath of Charity/Warrior of the Holy Light) with Planar Heritage (Tiefling). As I was going through the items I came across two that I thought would create an interesting combination:
1) Risen Blade
Spoiler:
Each +2 flaming khopesh was crafted by one of the predominant Osirian churches, such as the church of Abadar, Nethys, or Pharasma. Anytime its wielder is healed by channeled positive energy, a risen blade gains a charge. Whenever the wielder confirms a critical hit, she can release the stored energy in the blade as a free action. The wielder channels positive energy (as the class feature) and must choose to damage undead or heal the living. This action expends all the blade's charges. Each charge is worth 1d6 points of damage or healing, and for each charge spent, the wielder can choose to exclude one creature in the area from being affected. The DC to save against this positive energy is equal to 15 + 1 per stored charge expended. A risen blade can't gain a charge from healing caused by the release of charges from itself or another risen blade. A risen blade can store up to 5 charges. Each charge dissipates if not used within 24 hours.
Price: 23,320 gp; Weight: 8 lbs.
Source: Inner Sea Combat p.56
2) Spiked Focus Ward
Spoiler:
Spiked Focus Ward
Category: Channel Foci
This holy symbol has a small nail or spike somewhere along its length, allowing it to be hammered it into a wall, tree, floor, or any hard surface. Once fixed in place and activated, it stores channeled energy until it is touched by a creature of at least Small size or 24 hours pass. If touched, the focus releases the stored power as if you used channel energy, though it only heals or deals half the normal damage (including all feats and abilities that affect the DC and damage). Good clerics use these items to provide healing in large battles where a cleric may not be nearby; evil clerics often use them as traps.
Source: Adventure's Armory, p.25
Price: 100 gp; 2 lbs.
First scenario:
Now, foci only seem to work when a spellcaster holds them in their hands. My paladin obtains Arms of the Naga (D&D 3.0 Savage Species, p.55) or Arms of the Marilith (Pathfider - Melee Tactics Toolbox, p. 28). These are the only items I've been able to find so far that seem to provide extra limbs. So, here's the idea.
The paladin has fully charged the sword with 5 charges of channel energy. He holds Spiked Focus Wards in the other open hands while wading into combat. A critical hit occurs. Since they are actually in his hands, the channel energy released from the weapon goes into each held Spiked Focus Ward. The paladin now uses move actions to drive them into the ground around himself. He touches each one and the channel energy goes into the sword AT HALF POWER. He picks them up again during combat.
Another critical hit. The channel energy goes into the spiked wards. He drives them again into the ground and releases their power. The sword now absorbs the channel energy AT A QUARTER POWER.
So, it would be 30 hp on the first crit, 15 hp on the second crit, and 5 on the third crit.
Would this work?
Second scenario:
The sword only operates when a critical hit occurs. Could this be used out of combat in that the paladin runs himself through, effectively performing a coup de grace on himself? After all, a coup de grace is an automatic critical.
Not specifically, but it does say that it removes all air from the lungs. If you have no air to pass over your vocal chords then you can't speak. I'd simply go with realism. If you've ever choked to the point of near suffocation you'll be lucky to hold your hands up to your throat and perform the universal sign for choking. Good luck trying to speak as you're trying to cough up a lung. Just saying...
Consequently, be sure to have the Silent Spell metamagic feat to counter that.
Put a curse on someone so they can only speak backwards (making spellcasting impossible for one)? and maybe make it so someone who speaks the same language can make a linguistics check to decypher what they are saying? Yes I know you could just make them mute but this would be more funny.
Try looking in Dragon Magazine #348 under the Article "Bestowed Curses." I'd say talking backwards is about on the same level as not being able to tell a lie in the examples.
Bestow Curse and Greater Bestow Curse were always more about flavor.
Put a curse on someone so they can only speak backwards (making spellcasting impossible for one)? and maybe make it so someone who speaks the same language can make a linguistics check to decypher what they are saying? Yes I know you could just make them mute but this would be more funny.
Try looking in Dragon Magazine #348 under the article "Bestowed Curses" for examples. Bestow Curse and Greater Bestow Curse were always great when it came to flavor.
Clockwork Construct Template (Pathfinder - Inner Sea World Guide)
Spoiler:
Quote:
"What Cartridge Unit means is that what makes us obsolete also makes us unique. I, for example, need to keep refilling my waterwheel or I power down forever...OH GOD, I'LL NEVER MAKE IT THIS TIME! THIS IS THE END! I WANT TO LIVE!" - Futurama, Obsoletely Fabulous
The key difference between a traditionally created construct and a clockwork construct lies in the fact that no bound spirit or captured soul provides the power of animation. A clockwork construct uses a series of springs, gears, and mechanical trickery to power itself. It typically needs to be “wound,” usually with a specially crafted key, in order to provide it with the energy it needs to function. Unfortunately, while this delicate machinery allows the inventor to bypass the dangerous and often distasteful practice of binding animating magic into a body, it makes clockwork constructs more susceptible to damage. A clockwork construct that’s allowed to run down simply ceases functioning and is treated as an object, but most can lie in wait for centuries or longer in this state, springing to life immediately upon being wound back to animation.
Clockwork Traits: While you can create a clockwork construct from scratch, you can also turn any existing construct into a clockwork construct by simply applying clockwork traits to the construct. Adding these traits to a construct does not affect its CR.
The construct gains the “clockwork” subtype.
Winding: The construct must be wound with a special key in order to function. As a general rule, a fully wound clockwork can remain active for 1 day per HD, but shorter or longer durations are possible.
Vulnerable to Electricity: Clockwork constructs take 150% as much damage as is normal from electricity attacks.
Swift Reactions: Clockwork constructs generally react much more swiftly than other constructs. They gain Improved Initiative and Lightning Reflexes as bonus feats, and gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC.
Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create a clockwork by 50% over normal.
"The doctor's didn't think they could save Blitz the normal way...Blitz's body was replaced with cybernetic units. His damaged brain cells were enhanced with an artificial intelligence microchip. His legs were robot limbs for increased speed...He had a new body, but he was the same old Blitz." - C.O.P.S., The Case of the Blitz Attack
Augmented companions have suffered an injury, such as the loss of a wing, and parts of their bodies have been replaced by a master construct crafter. This procedure grants them unusual abilities.
Not Quite Animal: The DC to use Handle Animal on an augmented companion is 5 higher, as if it were a nonanimal with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2.
Augmented Body (Ex): An augmented companion heals only half as much as normal from positive energy healing effects but also heals half the usual amount from effects that specifically heal constructs.
Augmented Sight (Ex): An augmented companion gains low-light vision and darkvision to a range of 60 feet. This replaces share spells.
Constructed Form (Ex): At 6th level, an augmented companion gains a +4 morale bonus on Fortitude saves against effects that could not normally affect objects or constructs, and it takes only half damage from bleed effects. However, it can be affected by attacks that specifically target constructs. This replaces devotion.
Idea: Create a villain with an animal companion, then create simulacra of that animal (since they are a copy they technically should be augmented as well).
Half-Golem Template(D&D 3.5 - Monster Manual II, p.209)
Spoiler:
Quote:
"Don't you know who I am? I'm the Juggernaut, b*tch! - Juggernaut, X-Men: The Last Stand
Half-golems are the results of well-intentioned actions taken too far. Applying their their knowledge of golem construction, arcane artisans came up with a way to restore people's missing limbs. Many people who received one or more new limbs through this process proved unable to withstand the trauma of the transformation and became permanently evil as a result.
Half-golems have –2 Dex, +4 Con (or no Con upon a failed Will save), –6 Int, +0 Wis, and –6 Cha.
Magic Immunity (Ex): Half-golems completely resist all magical and supernatural effects, except as noted in the appropriate golem descriptions.
Idea: Only a couple additional half-golems were added by Wizards of the Coast using a Web Enhancement. Heroes of Horror came after that Web Enhancement, but the Cadaver golem contained therein allows for
an interesting possibility. The Cadaver Golem has the Assimilate Flesh extraordinary ability which allows it to replace one of its limbs, sense organs, or other parts with a similar part taken from a living or recently deceased humanoid. This gruesome act grants the golem skills and abilities associated with that particular body part, which are shown on a table. However, the golem can only have one extraordinary or supernatural ability acquired from the attachment of a body part. Now, the nice thing is this little exerpt: "The GM can add additional skills and abilities to the list as she sees fit." Thus, logic says, if we could make a Cadaver Half-Golem, by replacing both of the character's hands we already could potentially have access to one of the following abilities: Favored enemy, flurry of blows, smite, & sneak attack. By giving up both legs you can possibly gain Evasion or Fast Movement. The eyes could potentially provide Darkvision, and the ears blindsense. The problem is that you might not be able to figure out on what the cadaver golem was relying in combat, or which part was bestowing a special ability if you find a slain cadaver golem. Still, since the GM has leeway to provide additional abilities, a cadaver golem could potentially have lay on hands, skirmish, mercy, divine health, regeneration, fast healing, uncanny dodge, trap sense, or whatever. A cadaver golem's heart can provide the rage ability, but such a transplant might be a little weird unless it's combined with a Silthilar heart graft. Hey, if the Silthilar can do that kind of surgery then they can probably replace a heart as well.
Half-Machine Template(Dragon Magazine #91, p.106)
Spoiler:
Quote:
Dr. Weird: "Gentlemen...BEHOLD! I have made LOVE to this MACHINE! And now, upon retrospect...I ask WHY?!
Steve: I'm sure...someone thinks that's...pretty neat. So, did you do that for science?...or...
Dr. Weird: NO! IT WAS FREE! And she was DRUNK; she didn't know what she was doing... MY METAL BOY!" -- Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Super Model
A half-machine can come in various shapes and sizes, depending on the base creature type and the extent of the mechanical modifications. Most half-machine creatures are hideous to behold, while some might appear quite normal or at least aesthetically pleasing if their mechanical enhancements are lovingly crafted or well hidden.
Advantages: Increase HD by one die type (example: d6 to d8); +4 resistance bonus to mind-affecting attacks and effects; 25% chance to have metal wings (fly at normal speed; average maneuverability);
+8 unnamed AC bonus; gain one special attack for every 3 HD or character levels: breath weapon 1/day (cone-shaped: superheated steam, fire, ice, sleep gas, sonic energy, slow gas; line-shaped: acid,
lightning); 1d4 extra attacks; increased bite damage; increased claw damage; metal projectiles; tail slap; tail spike; gain one special quality for every 3 HD or character levels: Damage Reduction; Darkvision; Energy Resistance 10 (acid, cold, fire, electricity or sonic); enhanced scent; Haste 1/day; Improved Invisibility (as 10th-level sorcerer); Rust Protection; Shielded Mind (immune to mind effects); Spell Resistance (twice creature's HD, max 25); STR +4, CON +4; +8 competence bonus to 2 skills: Climb, Intimidate, Perception, Swim; gain 4 feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Endurance, Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Multidexterity, Multiweapon Fighting, Run, Toughness (multiple times), Track.
Disadvantages: Can not be added to constructs, elementals, oozes, plants, shapechangers, and undead; Rust Vulnerability; Programmed (under the effects of a dominate monster spell - 20th lvl Wizard); can only be healed using Craft (metalworking) [standard DC Heal check equiv.].
Verdict: This is a pretty powerful template. Not only do you gain a decent armor bonus but also increased HP, a lot of feats, special attacks, and special qualities. Since the character is considered a partial construct that means the character is also immune to poison and disease, considered one size larger regarding death from massive damage, and only takes half the damage from a critical hit. You give up getting healed the normal way, so make sure that somebody in the party with Craft Construct to repair them, or someone who can cast a Repair spell. The other downside is that you need to obey your creator until s/he bites the dust - at which time you get a -4 penalty to Will saves. That's a hard step to take for getting Spell Resistance and Damage Reduction to stand up to monsters and spellcasters. Of course, if you're not squeamish about having a village full of Cybermen (with you being Cyber Controller) then knock yourself out.
Construct Grafts
Spoiler:
Quote:
"I want it on the slab, I need to know what makes it tick." ― Dr. McMullen, Prototype
Verdict: A ridiculous price tag for flight capability.
Spike Stones [Maug] [Fiend Folio] (4,000 gp) - Extend sharp spikes as a standard action (no AoO) to deal 1d4 piercing damage as a light weapon, or 2d4 in a grapple.
Verdict: If you want to go Wolverine then have those in your knuckles because you deal 1d4 piercing on top of an unarmed attack. Having them over the body provides a lot of impale-damage goodness for grapplers. At this price it's a good graft.
Shudder Plate [Maug] (8,000 gp) - Tremorsense 15 ft.
Verdict: A very good price for a 15-foot tremorsense with no drawbacks. You don't necessarily need this up to 60 feet.
Shoving Arm [Maug] (2,000 gp) - Bull rush awesomeness.
Adamantine Body (Faiths of Eberron pg. 157) — Armor bonus to AC, DR/Adamantine, Light Fortification. Counts as Medium armor.
Heart of Steel (Faiths of Eberron pg. 157-158) — Immunity to disease, poison, and paralysis; 1/2 healing by Cure spells
Heavy Legs (Faiths of Eberron pg. 158) — No penalties for being Fatigued, Exhausted gives the normal penalties of Fatigue instead.
Mighty Arms (Faiths of Eberron pg. 158) — Gain a natural Slam attack.
Wakeful Mind (Faiths of Eberron pg. 158) — No longer need sleep; immunity to sleep and stunning.
Fleshcrafts [Pathfinder Horror Adventures & Second Darkness: Armageddon Echo pp.62-63)]
Well, I did a similar calculation several months ago to see just how high I could actually push a Perform check. Unfortunately I ended up settling for Perform (string instruments) because there were just more items between D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder to use.
Using Dragon Magazine we can also increase the amount of money that we get for everything above a DC 30 performance:
Keep in mind that I only used a Commoner with a 13, 12, 11, 10, 9 ability score build. So make sure you adjust accordingly.
Make sure that you remember that Cohorts and Companions allows you to draw enthusiasts.
Spoiler:
We can begin amassing enthusiasts in any size of community by succeeding at a Perform check of DC 30 or higher per character level. Divide the results of your final public Perform check by 3 to determine an effective Leadership score in that community, providing a number "followers" as enthusiasts. Unfortunately, we don't get cohorts from that, we don't control the followers and we can't ask favors of our enthusiasts until the settlement is at least a small town. HOWEVER, these favors refer to the ones mentioned in pages 88–89 of the Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide and not to the ones in the Diplomacy section. Alas, we can't actually use the Dynasty Founder feat to gain followers early, because it requires a city.
The nice thing is that enthusiasts have helpful starting attitudes toward you, which means they have a Diplomacy DC 0. That allows us a DC 5 Diplomacy check for lengthy/complicated aid and a DC 10 for dangerous aid, with every additional request at a +5 DC increase. However, if they are mistreated, placed at risk, or taken advantage of, their attitudes can change as dramatically as a woman on her period. If you roll a natural 1 (the d20 shows a 1) on a Charisma check or on a Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidate check to ask an enthusiast for special favors, the enthusiast feels rejected and disillusioned. Not only does the ex-enthusiast refuse to grant the favor, his attitude immediately becomes hostile and you take a –6 penalty on Diplomacy and Perform checks against former enthusiasts as long as they remain hostile. Also, since you don't control your enthusiasts, it's also possible for your celebrity status to grow out of hand. YOU GAIN A STALKER! YOU GAIN A STALKER. HA-HA! Hilarity can also ensue as your fans perform other disruptive activities in a misguided attempt to win your favor.
That said here are the calculations:
Spoiler:
One skill point at maximum ability score (15) and a common musical instrument (5 gp; 3 lbs.) gives us a +6 modifier (+3 class skill + 2 Cha + 1 rank). Fey Magic Humans can take the Additional Traits feat (Love Lost: Orphaned and Inner Beauty) to gain a +6 modifier to Perform, for a total of +12. However, even with Skill Focus we can only get up to a +15 Perform mod. Therefore, with a Take 10 we would only get up to a +25, so we won't even try. We will take the story feat Magnum Opus instead. The prerequisite for Perform is easily met, because performing for 50 or more people at least five times while achieving a great performance result or better is always achievable for us. The result is that when we Take 10 we actually Take 15, and we gain a +5 bonus to our Perform check. Consequently, we can get up to a +32 by doing that and would have no problems to get our batch of 5 enthusiasts. The other nice thing is that when you constantly make a DC 30 or higher check on a regular basis, in time, you may draw attention from distant patrons, or even from extraplanar beings.
Gigs today last usually between 2 and 3 hours. With a 3d6 roll we make an average of 10 gp a night (or in a day, if the GM feels that you have to suffer first to make a name for yourself). So, the first night we "can" make a 4 gp profit and with every other night at 10 gp this gives us a monthly income of 254 gp on average. At worst you'll make a 1 gp loss the first day, and 3 gp a night thereafter for a total of 74 gp. If you're "really lucky" you'll make 463 gp a month. So, we now have our baseline for future expenditures. If we start of with a Poor lifestyle (3 gp/month) we effectively say that the Commoner is living in tavern common rooms, while working the bars or otherwise street performing.
If we had a bad month we can get a Song Collar (15 gp; 2 lb.; Races of Stone, p.160). Since we use a stringed instrument (lute, violin, etc.) we can use a Song Collar for 1 hour a day on seven consecutive days, to gain a +2 bonus on Perform checks involving that particular instrument and composition. But let's say that we had an average month so that we can buy the previous item and can already afford to buy a Masterwork instrument (100 gp; 3 lbs.), too. Thus we gain another +2 circumstance bonus. An expensive, but necessary upgrade. We are now at a daily +36 performance modifer and can also move up to an Average livestyle (10 gp/month) due to our monthly earnings. So, we still have 136 gp left after subtracting our expenses.
For the second month we'll make another 254 gp and end up with 380 gp after subtracting our sunk costs of living an Average lifestyle. We can now acquire a cracked pink and green sphere ioun stone (200 gp), which gives us a +1 competence bonus on one Charisma-based skill. We are now left with 180 gp and perform at a +37 modifier.
For the third month we'll make another 254 gp and end up with 424 gp after subtracting our Average lifestyle costs. We can now afford a Masterwork Portable Altar to Shelyn (400 gp; 40 lbs.), which will grant us another +2 circumstance bonus to Perform for 20 days. To restock a Masterwork Portable Altar costs 50 gp. Since we're only up to a +39 modifier now we need to wait another month, because we're down to 24 gp. We can also start purchasing 10 days of Shackles Rum Ration (2 sp each) to provide us with a daily 50/50 chance for an additional +1 or +2 boost (it provides us a +1d4 alchemical bonus to our Charisma). In exchange we take 1d3 CON damage and will pass out for 8 hours of drunken stupor each time we go on a bender. That's a 33% chance that we take 3 CON damage in order to reach a +40 or +41 modifier. We are now down to 23 gp.
For the fourth month we'll make another 254 gp and end up with 277. So let's deduct our Average lifestyle (10 gp), 50 gp for an additional 20 days of sanctified materials (we now have 40 days of that), and an additional 10 days of Shackles Rum Rations (20 sp). We now have 20 days of rum. That leaves us with 215 gp for the next month.
Based on the previous paragraph, we are now going to try to go for an average performance month with drinking while using the Masterwork Portable Altar. The plan will be accordingly: a. Drink day + 2 days recovery; b. Drink day + 3 days recovery; c. Drink day + 2 days recovery; d. Drink day + 3 days recovery; e. Drink day + 2 days recovery; f. Drink day + 3 days recovery; g. Drink day + 2 days recovery; h. Drink day + 3 days recovery; i. Drink day + 1 day recovery. A Perform check of 40 gives us 1d6 platinum pieces, which is a 16.67% chance of getting anything from a 1 to 6. But let's say we have a 50% chance to get a 3, so that's 30 gp. So that's 270 gp on drink nights and 170 gp on recovery nights for a total of 440 gp for the fifth month. We deduct our Lifestyle cost and purchase another 50 gp worth of sanctified materials to end up with 595 gp in our pocket. We now have 11 days of rum and 34 days of sanctified materials.
Being frugal with our expenditures we'll go and do the same for the sixth month, because now that we have 1035 gp we deduct our living expense of 10 gp, acquire 40 days of sanctified materials (100 gp) [48 total] and buy 10 more Shackles Rum Rations [12 total] to have 923 gp. That's a pretty large amount of money. At this point we're commissioning the construction of a ballroom (760 gp) which takes 40 days to be constructed. So we are now down to 163 gp.
Since we have 12 Rum Rations we'll say for argument's sake that the body was not taking the alcohol abuse too well and with each binge we need 3 days of recovery. So we make 210 gp on drinking nights and 190 on recovery nights for a total of 400 gp in the sixth month. So let's prepare for the next month. We purchase another 50 gp worth of sanctified materials, and 5 vials of Oil of the Masters (50 gp; 0.5 lbs.; Advanced Class Guide, p.207) to gain a +2 alchemical bonus to the Perform: String instruments check for each of the 5 recovery days. This will cost 300 gp and leaves us 118 gp in the bank.
For the seventh month, our first 10 days will be like this. Rum Ration, Oil (1st day of recovery), break day (2nd day of recovery), Rum Ration, Oil (1st day of recovery), Oil (2nd day of recovery), Oil (3rd day of recovery), Rum Ration, Oil (1st day of recovery), break day (2nd day of recovery). At this point the ballroom will be completed. We now have a steady +41 Perform modifier for the remaining 18 days of the month and thereafter. We now make 780 gp a month on average. At worst we make 260 gp a month, and if we rig the dice we make 1,560 gp a month. If we make this by Level 2 we can then increase our enthusiast number from 5 to 17. So, let's say that we had an average month and have 898 gp.
The real problem is now being able to hit that DC 50 check. There are a lot of Patthfinder one-use consumable items to accomplish that on the fly, but we would need to spend 1,160 gp and 2 sp for a maximum daily income of 180 gp and that is a rip off. It would be a far more efficient use of money to get permanent magic items, but it's still not going to be any cheaper. We can get some Mithral Bells (MIC 111) for 3,700 gp for a +2 circumstance bonus to all Perform checks. A Cloak of Charisma +2 provides us with an enhancement bonus which costs 4,000 gp as well, thus giving us another +1 to the die roll. Luthier's Rapier (5,020 gp; Second Darkness Player's Guide, p.25) grants a +4 sacred bonus to Charisma for 10 minutes a day (that's another +2 bonus to the roll). Bracers of the Glib Entertainer provide a +5 competence bonus on Perform checks for 7,900 gp (so that's a +4 bonus because of that ioun stone we have). So let's get cracking.
Let's say that for the eigth month we have an average income subsidized through the use of santified material (so we're down to 22), so we make 780 gp, deduct 10 gp for Lifestyle and 50 gp for 20 more days of sanctified materials (42 total). This gives us a total of 1,618 gp. For the ninth month we'll do the same and end up with 2,338 gp and 36 days of sanctified materials. For the tenth month we'll do the same and end up with 3,058 gp and 30 days of sanctified materials. For the eleventh month we have another repeat and now have 3,778 gp and 24 days of sanctified materials. But we need more for the next month so we'll spend an additional 50 gp on sanctified materials to have 44 days of that. We can now purchase the Mithral Bells and are down to 78 gp. We are now at a +43 modifier.
At twelve months we now have 798 gp and 38 days of sanctified materials. At 13 months we now have 1,518 gp and 32 days of sanctified materials. At 14 months we now have 2,238 gp and 26 days of sanctified materials. At 15 months we now have 3,008 gp. We now need to spend 100 gp to have 40 days of sanctified materials, and are down to 2,908 gp. At 16 months we now have 3,728 gp and have 34 days of sanctified materials. At 17 months we now have 4,448 gp and have 28 days of sanctified materials. We can now acquire our Cloak of Charisma +2. We are down to 448 gp but operate at a +44 modifier.
At 18 months we now have 1,218 gp and are down to 2 days of sanctified materials. So we spend another 100 gp to have 42 days of sanctified materials again and our sum is 1,118 gp. At 19 months we now have 1,838 gp and have 36 days of sanctified materials. At 20 months we now have 2,558 gp and have 30 days of sanctified materials. At 21 months we now have 3,328 gp and have 4 days of sanctified materials. So we spend an additional 100 gp to have 44 days of sanctified materials. At 22 months we now have 4,048 gp and 38 days of sanctified materials. At 23 months we now have 4,768 gp and 32 days of sanctified materials. At 24 months we now have 5,488 gp and 26 days of sanctified materials. We can now purchase Luthier's Rapier and operate at a +46 modifier. The difference is 468 gp.
At 25 months we now have 1,238 gp. We now need to spend an additional 100 gp for 40 days of sanctified materials. We still have 1,138 gp to use. At 26 months we now have 1,958 gp and 34 days of sanctified materials. At 27 months we now have 2,678 gp and 28 days of sanctified materials. At 28 months we now have 3,398 gp. So we need to spend 100 gp for 40 days of sanctified materials (42 total). We now have 3,298 gp. At 29 months we now have 4,018 gp and 36 days of sanctified materials. At 30 months we now have 4,738 gp and 30 days of sanctified materials. At 31 months we now have 5,458 gp and 24 days of sanctified materials. So we need 50 gp for 20 additional days of sanctified materials for 44 days total, and have 5,408 gp. At 32 months we now have 6,128 gp and 38 days. At 33 months we now have 6,848 gp and have 32 days of sanctified materials again. At 34 months we now have 7,568 gp and have 26 days of sanctified materials. At 35 months we now have 8,338 gp. We can now afford the Bracers of the Glib Performer and operate at +50. We still have 438 gp left over after all that.
Congratulations, we have acquired all these items and have reached the epitome of the DC 50 Perform check.The lowest amount of money per month we will now make is 780 gp, 2,600 gp on average and 4,680 gp at its maximum. If we can achieve that by Level 3 we would have 25 Level 1, 2 Level 2, and 1 Level 3 enthusiasts.
Our next step is reaching the epic-level scale by reaching a DC 70 check. Since we can't get any additional money through our performances anymore, we don't really need to push ourselves to that level on a daily basis. However, this is still not going to be a cheap endeavor. We can upgrade our cloak to a Cloak of Charisma +4, which will cost 12,000 gp. A Stone of Good Luck provides us with a +1 luck bonus on saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks but costs us a hefty 20,000 gp. A Tome of Leadership and Influence will be a whopping 55,000 gp for a +2 inherent bonus to Charisma (so that's another +1). By taking a Hero's Brew (1,400 gp; Second Darkness Player's Guide, p.25) we can gain a +2 morale bonus to skill checks for an hour at a -2 WIS penalty. If we take an Elixir of Luck (3,600 gp) we acquire 3 hero points. We can spend one of those hero points for a +8 luck bonus. We would need Elven Absinthe (500 gp; GameMastery Guide, p.237) to give us an additional +1d4 CHA bonus for an hour (so that's a 50/50 chance to get a +2 bonus, otherwise it's a +1), which causes 1d4 CON damage. We could take Harlot Sweets on top of that (60 gp; Rival Guide, p.53) for a 50/50 chance to gain an additional +2 to our roll rather than a +1 (due to a +1d4 CHA boost), at a cost of 1d2 INT damage. We could then take a Shackles Rum Ration which is another 50/50 chance for a +2 bonus to our roll rather than a +1 (a +1d4 alchemical boost to CHA) but causes an additional 1d3 CON damage and having to sleep it off for 8 hours afterwards. We can also buy a Candle of Invocation (8,400 gp) of our alignment and get a +2 morale bonus on our Perform check while we remain within 30 feet of it, plus the shenanigans that we can do by gating in an outsider. If we're lucky enough we're now at a +71. If we're not so lucky we would also need to take Daemon Seed (1,000 gp) to gain an additional +1d4 profane bonus to skills for one hour (so that's a +2 on average).
Either way this gives us a +20 or +21 total bonus to achieving a +70 Perform modifier. According to the Epic Level Handbook, we can now turn our helpful enthusiasts into fanatics. Our fanatics now gain a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution, +1 morale bonus on Will saves, but a -1 AC while fighting. Your fans will now be willing to give their life to serve you, and this behavior will remain for one day plus one day per point of Charisma bonus (so that's between 6 and 8 days). At that point they revert back to helpful again (Epic Level Handbook, p.42). That means we only need to abuse ourselves twice a month to keep our quasi-followers constantly and completely riled up for a month (we can live with 2 or 3 days of helpful). Also, lest we forget, we now have an effective Leadership score of 23, which means that if we leveled up and performed at such a high level we now have ninety Level 1, nine Level 2, five Level 3, three Level 4, two Level 5 and one Level 6 fans. In the words of Michael Jackson, "Thank you, my fans. I love you all!"
Various items I found:
Spoiler:
Ring of Eloquence (3,500 gp): +2 competence Perform (oratory) checks; +2 competence bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate.
According to the rules: Permanent bonuses from equipment, feats, racial bonuses, and traits affect your Day Job check as they would any check for the rolled skill, but temporary bonuses such as those granted by spell effects, other than crafter’s fortune, do not contribute, as the duration over which the Day Job check is made is undefined and represents a longer amount of time than a spell’s duration would permit the bonus to remain.
This creates a bit of a problem. Eventhough we're not using the Day Job rules, it could be interpreted that only permanent items would go towards our Perform checks as well. Naturally this would change our progression and what items we would have to acquire. However, it wouldn't change the fact that we could use consumable items in order to boost our Perform skill high enough to attract enthusiasts, or to affect their behavior.
Flawed Pale Green Prism Ioun Stone (Seekers of Secrets, p.49; 28,000 gp): +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, saves, skill checks, and ability checks.
Oldies but goodies:
Greater Skill Shard (300 gp; +5 Competence bonus)
Harpy's Cap (Dragon 340, p.69; 3,000 gp): Black velvet tricorn hat with 6 Harpy feathers. A feather may be pulled out to gain one of the following bonuses:
a) +5 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, & Perform checks for 5 minutes.
b) +10 bonus on the wearer’s next Intimidate or Diplomacy check within 1 minute.
c) if the wearer has the Bardic Music class ability, he/she gains an additional use, to be used immediately.
Scepter of Obedience (Miniatures Handbook): +5 competence bonus to all Cha skills.
Orange ioun stone (DMG): +1 to all skill checks, attacks and saves.
Admiral's Bicorne (Stormwrack; 51,000 gp): +5 Profession (sailor) and Cha-based skills, magnifies voice like an Inspire Courage effect, +2 morale bonus attacks, save, and skill allies within sound of voice.
Mantle of Second Chances (MiC 115, 12,000 gp): Reroll as an immediate action, before knowing the result, once per day.
Regalia of the Hero (MiC ; 3,200 gp): When wearing a Badge of Valor (1,200 gp) and Helm of Tactics (2,000 gp) you can grant a single ally within 30 feet (other than yourself) a +5 insight bonus on a single attack, save, or skill check as an immediate (command) action. This ability functions once per day. The Badge of Valor allows you to give allies a +2 on saves against charm/fear 3/day, or increase your inspire courage bonus by 1. The Helm of Tactics allows your allies to deal +2 damage against flanked foes 3/day.
Harper Token (Champions of Valor, p.66; 300 gp): A Harper token provides a +2 competence bonus on a single skill, such as Climb, Diplomacy, Hide, Knowledge (arcana), or Perform (sing). The particular skill of each Harper token is usually chosen based on the needs of the person wearing it.
Choker of Eloquence [Complete Adventurer] (lesser: 6,000 gp; greater:24,000 gp): There are two versions of these chokers. A lesser choker of eloquence grants a +5 competence bonus on Diplomacy, Bluff, and Perform (sing) checks. A greater choker of eloquence increases the bonus to +10.
Songblade (CAdv 130; 6,400 gp): Every move made with this +1 rapier fills the air with sweet sounds. While holding a songblade unsheathed, the sword’s wielder gains a +2 enhancement bonus on Perform checks. A bard wielding a songblade can use her bardic music abilities one additional time per day. The blade is scored in a beautiful, intricate pattern, and air moving across this magical etching generates the music of a songblade. The blade’s musical qualities do not function underwater, in a vacuum, or in other environments where air cannot freely pass over the blade.
Vest of Legends (16,000 gp; DMG 2, p.272): +5 competence bonus to Diplomacy and Perform, +5 bard levels inspire courage, fascinate, inspire greatness, and inspire heroics abilities.
Favored Benefits (Performers Guilds) [Cityscape]
In any city wherein the guild maintains a guildhouse, the member can substitute Perform or Profession check for a Diplomacy or Gather Information check by offering her services for free. In addition, she earns twice the normal income when using her Perform or Profession skill to earn money. These uses of Perform or Profession must match those with which the character has earned guild membership. For example, a character who joined the guild as an actor cannot apply this benefit to Profession (blacksmith) checks.
Most of these I have evaluated myself. I listed others that are also non-evil but haven't had time to make a verdict on those. Looks like I'm going to have to create an updated spell guide in the future...
Level 0:
Spoiler:
Bleed
Sotto Voce
Disrupt Undead
Touch of Fatigue
Level 1:
Spoiler:
Bed of Iron
Decompose Corpse
Itching Curse
Phantom Blood
Restore Corpse
Sculpt Corpse
(***) Chill Touch [Necro]
Touch attacks that deal 1d6 HP damage + 1 STR damage. Undead take no HP or STR damage but become panicked for 1d4 rounds +1/caster level on failed Will save.
Verdict: Repeatable, easy, touch attacks which, unlike Ray of Enfeeblement, does allow the STR damage to stack. It becomes a very dangerous spell if used properly.
(**)Touch of Blindness [Necro.]
Use a melee touch attack 1/CL. Each touch causes the target to become blinded for 1 round unless it makes a successful Fortitude saving throw.
Verdict: Causing blindness is a great gimp move at any level, and this will at least allow you a way to do so until you finally get the much better Level 2 spell. The amount of times you can use this is great, but is hampered by the fact that you have to get into melee to use it unless you have the Reach Spell feat.
(**) Cause Fear [Necro. (fear, mind-affecting)]
One living creature with 5 or fewer HD becomes frightened for 1d4 rounds (shaken for 1 round on Will save).
Verdict: A decent save or suck at this level that can buy you some time, and act as a set-up for further de-buffs.
(**) Ray of Sickening (Ultimate Magic, p.234) [Necro.]
Ranged touch attack makes subject sickened for 1 min./level (Fort negates).
Verdict: Quite acceptable as a debuff. The target is immediately sickened for the spell's duration.
(**) Ray of Enfeeblement (Core, p.329 ) [Necro.]
Ranged touch attack causes 1d6+1/two caster levels (maximum 1d6+5) STR damage.
Verdict: Still useful in conjunction with Fatigue, but it doesn't actually penalize encumbrance anymore. Still, even if the target makes the save they still take half of the penalty. So if you're a level 10 caster with a minimum roll with a Fortitude save that's still a -3 STR, a failure on the save with a max roll causes -11 STR damage. Alas, you can't get the STR score below 1. The other bad thing is that you can only use this once since the penalty doesn't stack. Oh how they've nerfed this good spell! So we have to use poison, if necessary.
Level 2:
Spoiler:
Bloodbath
Blood in the Water
Bone Fists
Boneshaker
Command Undead
Companion Life Link
Defending Bone
Defoliate
Dress Corpse
Languid Venom
Pernicious Poison
Scare
Skinsend
Steal Voice
Touch of Bloodletting
Unshakable Chill
(****) Blindness/Deafness (Core, p. ) [Necro.]
Blindness is THE super gimp spell at this level (–2 AC, loses Dex. bonus to AC (if any), –4 on STR- and DEX-based skill checks, -4 on opposed Perception checks, 50% miss chance when attacking, DC 10 Acrobatics check to move faster than half speed or fall prone). Casters can still get you with AoE spells, but for them you use Deafness (–4 on Init., auto fail on sound Perception checks, –4 on opposed Perception checks, 20% spell failure with verbal component spells). Your melee guys will love you for this. It has saved my party on many occasions.
(***) Ghoul Touch (Core, p.289) [Necro.]: Very useful staple for quick paralysis.
Melee touch to paralyze then AoE sicken (10-foot radius) for 1d6+2 rounds (Fort negates).
(–2 attack, weapon dmg., saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks).
Verdict: One of the best save or suck spells for the early game, especially if combo'd with the Reach Spell in either feat or rod form. Takes your target just one coup de gras away from death. The chance to lower the saves of nearby targets is just an extra added bonus.
(***) Limp Lash (Goblins of Golarion, p.29) [Necro.]: Third best gimp spell for this level.
Ranged touch atk. on target causes 1d6 STR, DEX, and CON damage each round until caster is disarmed, lets go, or whip-like energy sundered. When any of the three attributes reaches 1 the target is paralyzed (except for the head).
(***) False Life (Core, p.280) [Necro.]
1 hr/level self buff that provides temporary HP equal to 1d10 + 1/CL (max +10).
Verdict: Temp HP shields are very useful. This a a good deal that will remain a good deal for many levels.
(***) Lipstitch (Pathfinder Society Field Guide) [Necro.]
Sews the target’s lips tightly together for 1d6 points of damage on failed Fort save disallowing clear speech, bite attacks, spellcasting, or use of command words. Breaking thread with STR check DC 20 (standard action, no AoO) or slicing it with a piercing or slashing weapon (full-round action and provokes AoO) causes 1d6 points of damage and 1 bleed damage. Bleed damage causes 20% spell failure each round until bleeding is stopped.
Verdict: The complementary spell to Blindness/Deafness when it comes to spellcasters. It's also a good setup when it comes to spells that make Bleed effects worse. Unfortunately multiple castings of this spell don't stack, and creatures without a mouth are unaffected by this spell. Also, creatures with multiple mouths lose the use of only one mouth per casting.
(***) Stricken Heart [Necro.]
Melee touch spell with NO SAVE that causes 2d6 points of negative energy damage and causes the target to be staggered for 1 round. If the attack is a critical hit, the target is staggered for 1 minute instead. Creatures immune to precision damage are immune to the staggered effect.
Verdict: It is still hampered by Spell Resistance, but there aren't many negative energy spells this early on. That means you can even heal yourself with it if you play a Damphir. Plus it comes with a rather nasty status effect.
(**) Spectral Hand [Necro.]
Lose 1d4 hp to create a ghostly hand to deliver touch spells of level 4 and below. Provides a +2 to melee touch attacks. You regain those hit points when the spell ends (but not if the hand is destroyed).
Verdict: Since the hand is incorporeal it can only be hit by magic weapons, has Improved Evasion regarding spells, and 22 + INT mod. AC. Use this to apply your touch spells at range, unless you want your familiar to do it for you. Spectral Hand will last the entire combat (even long ones), but not multiple combats. Sure, the ability to deliver touch spells at range is very good, but this spell will take you out of the combat for the first round (unless you have preparation time) which is a significant drawback. Also, the viability of quickened Spectral Hands at high levels is hampered by the fact that you are limited to Level 4 spells and below. Still, this will be your utility spell to use those pesky touch-based spells for a while unless you have Reach Spell.
(**) Brow Gasher [Necro.]
Imbued slashing weapon when hitting a living creature, causes normal damage, as well as bleed damage on forehead equal to half character's character level. The hit creature takes a cumulative -1 penalty on attack rolls at the beginning of each turn, resulting in all targets gaining 20% concealment at -3 penalty, and complete concealment at -5 due to blindness. this spell imposes on the bleeding creature. You discharge the spell as a free action for its effects to start acting on a creature.
Verdict: Imbue a nearby melee character's slashing weapon with this. You don't want to enter melee yourself. Unfortunately it doesn't work on constructs or undead creatures which limits its application. Stopping the bleed damage ends the spell's effects. Also, a target that is immune to bleed damage is also immune to all this spell's effects.
(*) Life Pact (Advanced Class Guide, p.186) [Necro.]
Bind one willing creature/level together so that if one drops below 0 hp, it receives 1 hp from each creature of the group within 30 feet.
Verdict: Wish this spell could give more than 1 hit point. Doesn't work against death effects or stuff like suffocation either. It's a weak "Oh crap" button, but that's about it.
Level 3:
Spoiler:
Barrow Haze
Deathwine
Gentle Repose
Halt Undead
Healing Thief
Howling Agony
Hydrophobia
Marionette Possession
Toxic Gift
Unliving Rage
(***) Sands of Time (Osirion: Lands of Pharaohs, p.27) [Necro.]
Verdict: This spell is like Ray of Enfeeblement on crack. Unfortunately you can't reduce any of the abilities beneath 1, but you can certainly use it in conjunction with Ray of Enfeeblement if you needed it. Either way, it doesn't require a Save (SR applies though)!
(***) Ray of Exhaustion (Core, p.330) [Necro.]
Verdict: Exhaustion is the bane of melee characters (half speed, cannot run or charge, –6 STR and DEX). If the target makes its Fort. save it still becomes fatigued. The devious way to abuse this feature is to combine it with other debuff spells that cause fatigue. If a target is already fatigued and makes the Fortitude save they still become exhausted thanks to this ray. That makes this a good finisher.
(***) Fear (Core, p.281) [Necro.]
30-foot cone-shaped burst, causes each living creature in the area to become panicked unless it succeeds on a Will save.
Verdict: Even if the targets make their Will saves they're still shaken for 1 round, which is not bad if you're trying to stack negatives. If you can corner them while they're panicked the targets start cowering making them even more useless in combat. Otherwise, if they run away you might not get any experience points. Still, if you have to use it to buy time then buy time.
(***) Accursed Glare (Blood of the Moon, p.9) [Necro. (curse)]
Verdict: A solid way to allow you to gain another chance to have your de-buff spells work on your target. This curse's duration is 1 day/level which can be useful to continue to bring NPCs under control with other spells on a long-term basis. The almost broken thing, however, is that if your minions have the ability to use Intimidate (even untrained) you can royally boost your ability to bypass SR on your target, because each ally's intervention stacks. Granted, the wording for the Intimidate check is a little strange. I would think it's the base DC, thus being around 16 or 17, rather than adding stuff like Spell Focus feats to increase it to 19+.
(**) Vampiric Touch (Core, p.364) [Necro.]
Melee touch deals 1d6 points/2 caster levels (max. 10d6). You gain this as temporary HP.
Verdict: Decent spell as it's very hard to kill a Necromancer that sucks the life out of you each round.
Level 4:
Spoiler:
Aggravate Affliction
Bloatbomb
Bloody Arrows
Contingent Venom
Earsend
Familiar Melding
Sadomasochism
Umbral Infusion
Wall of Bone
(****) Enervation (Core, p.277) [Necro.]:
Verdict: Negative levels are the most powerful de-buff in the game. It's a great metamagic target too, as there are no saves! However, casters do not lose any spells or spell slots prepared.
(***) Bestow Curse [Necro.]:
It's very easy to kill enemies when 50% of the things they try to do don't work. It's even easier when the enemy in question is -4 to all d20 rolls. The -6 to one ability score is not worth it as you can't get to 0. However, you can get very creative with this spell to royally gimp people - permanently. The fact that it's a touch spell makes it slightly less desirable than Enervation, but not by much.
(***) Boneshatter (Osirion: Land of Pharaohs, p.26) [Necro.]
Verdict: Effectively ray of exhaustion without a touch component. Half damage and fatigue on Fort save. What makes this spell nice is the damage that it deals.
(***) Shadow Projection
You gain a shadow’s darkvision, defensive abilities, fly speed, racial stealth modifier, and strength damage attack.
Verdict: Despite the drawbacks this spell is good for when you have to go exploring and still allows you to drain Strength from enemies. The bad thing is that you drop to -1 hp when your shadow is destroyed through Turn Undead or other magical means. Also, no spawn ability of a real shadow. We just can't have nice things.
(**) Object Possession, Lesser (Occult Adventures, p. ) [Necro.]
You possess an object and turn it into an animated object. You can't use any spells or other abilities while possessing an object.
Verdict: You can have some fun with this if you're creative enough.
(**) Wall of Blindness/Deafness (Advanced class Guide, p.198) [Necro.]
Permanently blind or deafen creature that passes through the wall.
Verdict: This spell has potential as a major de-buff spell. The nice thing is that the wall can be either in vertical & rectangular, or circular form (both 20 ft. high) and does not need to touch the ground (as long as it is continuous and unbroken). This makes it useful against flying creatures. The problem is the concentration duration, so you have to use it precisely.
(**) False Life, Greater [Necro.]
Verdict: Another utility spell, but the inability to stack this really stinks. Consequently it really shines when you layer it with other temporary hp spells.
(**) Undeath Inversion (Undead Slayer's Handbook, p.27) [Necro.]
Undead take damage from negative energy and heal from positive energy. Channels positive rather than negative energy, too.
Verdict: Limited application in that you could heal one of your own undead with cure spells, or dealing damage to an enemy undead with your negative energy spells. However, if it's an intelligent undead that channels energy you have taken out one of his abilities lest he heal you or damage his own undead minions.
(**) Geb's Hammer (Inner Sea Magic, p.55) [Necro.]
Verdict: Situational spell in that you actually need destroyed undead, whether created by you or thrown at you by the GM. I personally think it's too high a spell slot because it is similar to flaming sphere, but when you keep action economy in mind you have another attack per round. Still, if you do decide to have minions, and they ever run out of usefulness, you still have one last use for them.
Level 5:
Spoiler:
Absorb Toxicity
Lesser Astral Projection
Blight
Blood Boil
Conditional Curse
Daywalker
Decollate
Empathy Conduit
Red Hand of the Killer
Soulswitch
Summoner Conduit
(****) Magic Jar [Necro.]
Verdict: Probably one of THE best necromancy spells. BUT THIS IS NOT A COMBAT SPELL! You just need to be a little creative to use it. It has several limitations that need to be followed: 1) Keep your body safe while you body-hop; 2) Keep other Spell component pouches around, otherwise you need Eschew Materials to continue to cast spells in the other bodies; 3) Control line of effect by having a familiar or ally carry the soul-containing item. The spell is useless if you can only see so many enemies; 4) Always keep your body in spell range or you die. Optional: Combine it with the Persistent Spell feat – you don't want to fail a possession check, because you can't retry on the same creature again. Possess the first monster and use it to kill the next. Once your possessed creature dies, you possess the next creature. Thus you stop the encounter before it even begins. Summon a monster, possess it, and then use Blood Money to drain it of Strength while creating an expensive material component (*cough* 25k Diamond), use the monster to scout ahead, or trip traps are all viable tactics, too. You can also possess your friends and add spells to their bodies using Permanency.
(***) Suffocation (Advanced Player's Guide) [Necro.]
Round 1: Staggered on Fortitude save; otherwise target falls unconscious and at 0 hp.
Round 2: Staggered on Fortitude save; otherwise target drops to -1 and is dying.
Round 3: Staggered on Fortitude save; otherwise dead.
Verdict: Only works on living creatures that actually breathe. However, this spell is quite powerful, and can get quite silly when combined with the Extend Spell metamagic feat or a rod thereof.
(***) Waves of Fatigue (Core, p.368) [Necro.]
30-foot cone-shaped burst renders all living creatures in the spell's area fatigued.
Verdict: Waves of negative energy completely cripple both melee and ranged combatants with no saving throw. Unfortunately this spell has no effect on creatures that are already fatigued. Still, it's a good way to debilitate several enemies quickly, fast, and in a hurry.
(**) Black Spot (Pirates of the Inner Sea, p.28] [Necro.]
Verdict: The spell is a little high for the effect, but the effect is permanent once you get passed the Will save or any SR. It makes your melee guys happy, and serves as a setup for your next Death effect spell like Circle of Death, Finger of Death, Canopic Conversion, Wail of the Banshee, Parasitic Soul, etc. The spell cannot be countered except by break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish, but the Constitution damage happens too slow for combat use.
(**) Feast on Fear (Advanced Class Guide, p.181) [Necro.]
Each round target a creature of up to 9HD and if it fails the Fort save it becomes panicked for 1d4 rounds. The creature remains shaken for 10 minutes/caster level and becomes automatically panicked again if it sees you.
Verdict: Unlike other temp. HP spells, this one actually says that it stacks with itself, which is awesome! This spell allows you to redirect the effect each round to a new target, which means you can get up to 45 temporary hit points (you can hit up to 9 creatures at Level 9 and it increases) because the effect stacks when you first get this spell (max. 100 temp. hp), which lasts 1 hour. Now here comes the buzz-kill...It all depends on how many targets you are facing and that they are Level 9 or below. Also, Fortitude saves make this less and less likely at the higher levels, and thus becomes useless pretty quickly, and it does occupy a lot of your time. So, you want to make sure that your targets are thoroughly debuffed and controlled (*cough* Dazing Spell) that you can take the time to pull this off.
(**) Vampiric Shadowshield (Advanced Class Guide, p.198) [Necro.]
Attacker hitting you with non-reach weapon takes 1d6 negative energy damage + 1 point per caster level (max +15). You heal 25% of damage dealt by the spell.
Verdict: At least some way of regaining hit points, but you don't want to get hit and the most you'll ever get is 5 hit points with each hit The way this works is that you cast Vampiric Shadowshield on yourself and have your familiar with fast healing/regeneration hit you for 1 hp or 1 nonlethal damage (if penalties reduce the damage result to less than 1, a hit still deals 1 point of nonlethal damage). If your familiar has the Measured Response (Inner Sea Gods) combat feat then make sure it attacks with a d4 attack. Otherwise, have one of your undead minions do that on you - that way you both get healed at the same time.
(**) Symbol of Pain
Scribe a rune on a surface (which takes 10 minutes) then set a trigger for its release. Everything within a 60-foot radius takes a -4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks. These effects last for 1 hour after the creature moves farther than 60 feet from the symbol. If you don't want your own group to be affected by this spell it takes up to 1 hour to cast.
Verdict: I could see this being useful if you have the time to set up an ambush. However, since it doesn't affect the Save DC it doesn't provide that great of a battlefield control mechanism. It will mess with spellcaster's concentration checks, however.
(**)Possession (Occult Adventures, pp.180-181) [Necro.]
Possess a creature at 1 hr/level, keeping your INT, WIS, CHA, class, BAB, Base save bonuses, alignment and mental abilities. The body keeps its physical stats, hp, natural abilities and automatic abilities. As a standard action you can move back into your body. You return automatically to your body when the target is killed. If your body dies when the spell duration runs out you die.
Verdict: Alas, you neither can activate a body's extraordinary or supernatural abilities, nor use any of its spells or spell-like abilities.
(**) Object Possession (Occult Adventures, p. 179) [Necro.]
Can possess an object up to Large size (3 CP). After 1 standard action to return to your body, you can use the next standard action to possess another object. Only works within Close range of your body.
Verdict: It really depends on the situation on how useful this spell is going to be. You can have it in your spellbook, but it's really not necessary.
Level 6:
Spoiler:
Circle of Death
Symbol of Fear
Undeath to Death
Unwilling Shield
Wither Limb
(***) Eyebite [Necro.] [emotion, pain]
Each round, you can target a single living creature, striking it with waves of power. Depending on the target's HD, this attack has as many as three effects.
<4 HD = Comatose, panicked, sickened
5-9 HD = Panicked, sickened
10+ HD = Sickened
Spend a swift action each round after the first to target a foe.
Verdict: Good use for action economy by using a swift action after the initial casting.
(*) Banshee Blast (Advanced Class Guide, p.174) [Necro. (death, fear, mind-affecting, sonic)]
30-foot cone deals 1d4/caster level (max. 15d4) damage (Reflex half). Those who fail the Reflex save must make a Will save or be panicked 1 round/level.
Verdict: It's good enough to relief most humanoid opponents of weaponry while dealing damage and making them run away. Naturally, you want to drive your enemies into a corner so they cower and don't attack. There are several problems, however. 1) Your enemies get two saves, and there's no Shaken condition - unlike with the Fear spell. So you must've debuffed your enemies before using this spell, or be going up against weaker enemies; 2) It deals 32.5 avg. damage with a Reflex save bringing it to 16.25 avg. damage, which is inferior to spells like Fireball; 3) It won't work on Undead (unless you have the Threnodic Spell feat), Constructs (unless you have the Constructed or Impossible bloodline with Eldritch Heritage), Oozes and Vermin (unless you have the Coaxing Spell feat), or Plants (unless you have the Verdant Spell feat); 4) Classes like paladins are also unaffected by panic. On the upside it is sonic-based which means hardly any creatures with that damage resistance.
Level 7:
Spoiler:
Control Undead
Symbol of Weakness
Temporary Resurrection
Umbral Strike
(***) Waves of Exhaustion (Core, p.368) [Necro.]
60 foot cone-shaped burst causes all living creatures in the spell's area to become exhausted.
Verdict: Waves of negative energy completely cripple both melee and ranged combatants with no saving throw. Unfortunately this spell has no effect on creatures that are already exhausted. Still, it's a good way to debilitate several enemies quickly, fast, and in a hurry. Just like Waves of Fatigue it's a good way to bypass Spell Resistance.
(**) Recorporeal Incarnation (Second Darkness: Endless Night, p.10) [Necro.]
Replaces target's body with a recently deceased corpse (<24 hours or preserved by gentle repose). Target gains appearance, size bonuses/penalties, extraordinary abilities, natural abilities (natural attacks & senses), but not racial abilities or spell-like abilities. Lasts 1 week/CL.
Verdict: A useful way for a necromancer to not have to rely on illusion magic. Still acts as a near-perfect disguise. When targeted by Detect magic the target sheds no magical aura, though the focus item gives off an aura of strong necromantic magic. True seeing does not reveal the target’s true form, since the disguise itself, while magically achieved, is a mundane (but masterful) disguise. The spell Detect undead, however, does note the target as an undead creature with the same number of Hit Dice.
(**) Object Possession, Greater (Occult Adventures, p.179) [Necro.]
Verdict: Can possess an object up to Gargantuan size (5 CP). Can't use any spells or abilities while possessing an object. Can move up to medium range away from your body.
Verdict: Again, it's situational. Not a must-have in your spellbook, but it could potentially be useful.
(**) Finger of Death [Necro] [Death]
Verdict: Save or die - whooops! Not anymore. Now it's save or take damage. You know - kinda like Disintegrate. If you want save or die vs. Fort, go for Flesh to Stone instead.
Level 8:
Spoiler:
Symbol of Death
Mass Umbral Infusion
(*****) Bestow Curse, Greater (Secrets of the Sphinx) [Necro.]
It's very easy to kill enemies when they can't do squat 75% of the time. Now we can give our enemies a -8 penalty to all d20 rolls. The -12 to one ability won't help you (we still have the minimum ability score of 1 problem), but if you're fighting something stronger then consider this the spell as the initiation. Otherwise, hit them with a -6 to Dexterity and Constitution in general, with Wisdom and Intelligence against spellcasters. The curse of unluck is also a nice touch, but it depends on the GM whether he wishes to invoke it. Putting a 1 round staggered effect on the target each time it takes damage can also be a serious hamper. The other effects can be useful against spellcasters and melee or ranged characters but are more situational.
Verdict: A very useful spell, even if it's just against a single creature. It doesn't have to just serve as a de-buff, you know. Spend a little time on the wording and you can turn a Bestow Curse into something as powerful as a Wish spell by afflicting somebody with Lycanthropy or other kinds of templates. That makes this spell, and its lesser cousin, VERY desirable.
(**) Orb of the Void [Necro.]
As a move action, move 1-ft. Diameter sphere up to 30 ft. per round in any direction. Stops when entering a space with a living creature. Creature gains one negative level (Fortitude negates). Creature must make another Fortitude saving throw (same DC) 24 hours later or gain a permanent negative level.
Verdict: Fortitude-based flaming sphere but based on negative energy. Alas, an individual creature can be affected by the orb of the void only once per round, even if the orb moves through its space more than once.
(**) Possession, Greater (Occult Adventures, p. 181) [Necro.]
Verdict: Works the same way as possession, however, your physical body vanishes. Also, you can possess creatures like non-native outsiders and incorporeal undead. Situational, but at least now you've got a remedy against those pesky creatures.
(****) Clone
For 1,000 gp you can have this "get out of death free card" hidden somewhere safe. Note that if you die, you will awaken in the clone, and the poor Cleric trying to resurrect you in combat is going to be very disappointed. However, otherwise, this is a nice death-contingency (just make sure the rest of the party know). Use a teleport to return, reclaim your stuff, and claim the corpses of your allies. You get 2 negative levels when the clone awakens, so get a restoration too. Or - clone the entire party then you have no corpses to claim. TPK's become near impossible. That's good value for the material cost. Hint: Buy some cheap equipment and leave it with your clone...also leave an extra copy of your spellbook. Being prepared is just the right thing to do.
(****) Horrid Wilting [Necro.]
Verdict: Pure blast, but certainly one of the best pure blasts in the game. No energy types here, you just take damage. The range is long, and you target specifically, so your allies are safe. Fort save for 1/2 damage.
(**) Soul Reaver (Mythic Origin, p.15) [Necro. (death)]
Deal 1d6/CL (max. 20d6) to each living creature in a 20-foot radius spread (Fort. Half).
Verdict: Still faces SR, and has a Close range, but still a solid way to deal a decent amount of damage in an area. Unfortunately it does not distinguish between your team mates and enemies without a metamagic feat. Get's more power at Mythic levels, but we're not worried about that.
Level 9:
Spoiler:
Astral Projection
Massacre
Soul Bind
Mass Suffocation
(****) Energy Drain [Necro.]
Verdict: A solid debuff. Just as Enervation, this spell stacks with itself. It's somewhat of a waste though to use it on undead. If you can heal through negative energy, there may be some use to it if you really need it.
(**) Wail of the Banshee [Necro. (death, sonic)]
Verdict: Wow, this spell was horribly nerfed! You better have done some serious de-buffing before you even dare to set this one off. Otherwise, if those enemies make their Fort. save you'll look pretty stupid, and probably end up dead soon afterwards. Also remember that this spell does not differentiate between friend and foe, so be careful when you use it.
I have wanted for a long time to play a good aligned necromancer and I am wondering a few things:
What should they act like. My first thought was Abby from NCIS. Alignment probably CG
2. Would a necromancer still be viable as a character without being able to make undead? I would think so since they still have things like Enervation and Finger Of Death.
I feel for you, I really do. But to pull off that idea is rather hard to do in Pathfinder because you are limited by money and available spell options. It's not necessarily impossible, but difficult.
1. You'll probably be one of two kinds of Necromancer: Hallowed (Pharasma) or Life School (Nethys). Any vanilla necromancer will probably end up being either of a neutral or evil alignment, given the choices of deities or philosophies. That said, if he's a Pharasmin you can easily play it off that he's the church's undead exterminator. Otherwise, a non-Pharasmin necromancer might well be looked upon as a pragmatist with a waste-not-want-not kind of attitude. Such a necromancer will probably be "reserved" in striking up relationships, because his experiences will have shown that people may initially be grateful but once they find out that he's a Necromancer he will be shunned. They may also have a hint of idealism because they think that undead may be useful in alleviating labor for the common man (digging latrines, dredging swamps, hauling massive stone blocks for construction, plowing fields etc.). However, the realistic application of such actions inevitably goes down the slippery slope to a form of slavery despite best intentions.
Even if the character refrains from making his own undead that does not hinder him from taking control of those who were created or are free-roaming. After all, you are reigning them in so that they do not cause needless harm to innocent people. Intelligent undead may very well become boon companions who are treated fairly and equally as their living counterparts, but non-intelligent undead will serve as meatshields, material components and healing batteries. That said there is nothing that says that you can't use the spell Animate Object for the animation of skeletons and corpses. It certainly throws clerics for a loop when they waste their Cure/ Inflict spells and their Turn Undead/Control Undead powers on a construct thinking that it's undead. *smirk*
2. Certainly. A necromancer's primary function is that of the party Debuffer, followed by Battlefield Controller, Utility Caster, and Temporary Hit-Point Powerhouse with some out-of-combat healing.
There are a couple healing spells that I have been able to find:
Spoiler:
(*) Celestial Healing
Verdict: Whether this was brought in as a correction to Infernal Healing I do not know. It does require 1 drop of blood from a good outsider or 1 dose of holy water, but that's not the point. It's the 1 round/2 caster levels that makes this a nerf to its evil version.
(***)Infernal Healing (Pathfinder – Inner Sea World Guide, p.295)
Verdict: Fast healing 1 for 1 minute. It's quite decent despite the evil descriptor. One of the few spells that anybody can use eventhough it comes from Asmodeus. It does require a drop of devil's blood or 1 dose of unholy water.
(***/**) Repair Undead (Advanced Class Guide, p.191) [Necro.]
Verdict: This will be your go-to spell for several levels to not only heal yourself, but also your undead minions and your party. It's a Necromancer's Cure Light Wounds. Since this spell has no effect on living creatures (except as mentioned above).
(***) False Life (Core, p.280) [Necro.]
1 hr/level self buff that provides temporary HP equal to 1d10 + 1/CL (max +10).
Verdict: Temp HP shields are very useful. This a a good deal that will remain a good deal for many levels.
(*) Life Pact (Advanced Class Guide, p.186) [Necro.]
Bind one willing creature/level together so that if one drops below 0 hp, it receives 1 hp from each creature of the group within 30 feet.
Verdict: Wish this spell could give more than 1 hit point. Doesn't work against death effects or stuff like suffocation either. It's a weak "Oh crap" button, but that's about it.
(**) Fractions of Heal and Harm {Nethys} (Inner Sea Gods, p.234) [Trans.]
Channel portion of next spell you cast into healing magic. As a swift action cast this spell, then next area spell you cast of 3rd level or lower deals 75% damage and heals you 25%. Spell must be cast before the end of your next turn. (Example: 36 dmg Fireball = 27 damage; heals you 9).
Verdict: Every little bit counts, but it only works on spells that actually deal damage. It also only works on spells that are Level 3 or below. The nice thing is that it converts it into either a cure or inflict spell, whichever would actually heal you.
(**) Vampiric Touch (Core, p.364) [Necro.]
Melee touch deals 1d6 points/2 caster levels (max. 10d6). You gain this as temporary HP.
Verdict: Decent spell as it's very hard to kill a Necromancer that sucks the life out of you each round.
(**/*) Vampiric Hunger (Faiths of Corruption, p.29) [Necro.] (polymorph) {Evil}
Creature touched gains ability to drain blood, dealing 1d4 CON dmg. Each round of draining heals 5 hp, or 5 temp. hp (max temp hp = max hp). Failure to drain blood causes target to be exhausted.
Verdict: Part of your utility spells, but a double-edged sword. Can serve as a very morbid way to allow your party members to heal after combat, but expect hurt feelings. The duration makes it less desirable to use on enemies in combat, but can be useful to cause chaos in a camp. Only use this on yourself to heal after combat. It still has the highest potential for temporary hp.
(**) False Life, Greater [Necro.]
Verdict: Another utility spell, but the inability to stack this really stinks. Consequently it really shines when you layer it with other temporary hp spells.
(**) Undeath Inversion (Undead Slayer's Handbook, p.27) [Necro.]
Undead take damage from negative energy and heal from positive energy. Channels positive rather than negative energy, too.
Verdict: Limited application in that you could heal one of your own undead with cure spells, or dealing damage to an enemy undead with your negative energy spells. However, if it's an intelligent undead that channels energy you have taken out one of his abilities lest he heal you or damage his own undead minions.
(*) Death Knell Aura (Book of the Damned Vol. 3, p.38) [Necro. (death, evil)]
Verdict: If this spell actually said that these values stack it would be awesome, but used this way it's only worth a quick boost to either buff a level-dependent spell to heal your undead or your party, provide a buffer to use another spell to drain off the temporary hp, or a quick buff to a damage-dealing spell which you're going to be using soon. Rather underwhelming for this level as there are better ways to use the corpses of your fallen enemies. But, yay, you wasted a Level 4 spell to emit gray light!
(**) Vampiric Shadowshield (Advanced Class Guide, p.198) [Necro.]
Attacker hitting you with non-reach weapon takes 1d6 negative energy damage + 1 point per caster level (max +15). You heal 25% of damage dealt by the spell.
Verdict: At least some way of regaining hit points, but you don't want to get hit and the most you'll ever get is 5 hit points with each hit (see TACTICS section to use effectively).
(**) Repair Undead, Mass (Advanced Class Guide, p.191) [Necro.]
Cures 1d8 pts of damage + 1 point per caster level (maximum +20) on one creature/level that is undead or is healed by negative energy.
Verdict: Situationally useful in that you can heal your cadre of minion batteries as well as yourself if you have the Negative Energy affinity.
(**) Lash of the Astradaemon (Book of the Damned, Vol. 3, pp.38-39)
Verdict: Basically, this spell is what you use when you surround yourself with your undead minions and hope that each round you will crit. to get 10 temp. HP. Since it dishes out negative energy like Enervation, I have to assume that each minion will receive 1d4 x 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour as well. So, unless you are the target of an AoE spell, enemies will have a hard time getting through your bodyguards. If it actually stacked with each attack, that would be awesome. Alas, the rules are quite specific - which makes this spell a bit of a waste. But you can stack it with other temp. hp spells to buff yourself before going into your next combat.
(*) Death Knell Aura, Greater (Book of the Damned, Vol. 3, p.38)
Does the same as Death Knell aura, but also causes dying creatures to bleed 1 hp/round. Also incorporeal undead and targets using astral projection or magic jar take 1d8 points of damage.
Verdict: Because of the bad wording I take it that the damage is 1d8 per round. Still, eventhough incorporeal undead are hard to hit there are better effects through which to inflict damage on these types of creatures. Since the effects still don't stack you're basically just being a dick and wasting a spell slot.
There are also the Greater versions to Celestial Healing & Infernal Healing.
Race Builder Trick
Manage to obtain the following by taking 7 points worth of negative features for any race:
Spell-like Ability, Greater (+3 RP) -> Channel the Gift (3rd level) 1/day
Spell-like Ability, At Will (+4 RP) -> Heroic Fortune (2nd level) [Advanced Player's Guide]
Why do we want this? Quite easy, indeed. This will allow us to create a legal spellcasting loop that will tie in with your Healing Grace power.
For example: Channel the Gift (Sp) → cast Repair Undead without expending slot → Heroic Fortune (Sp) → Spend Hero point to recall Channel Gift (Sp) → repeat
NOW HERE'S SOMETHING WORTH DISCUSSING
We already know that Nethys provides a spell for his followers that allows them to heal themselves using magic. Likewise, in the Gods and Magic (p.47) book it mentions that the lesser Goddess Sivanah is known for granting her "Illusionists" the ability to use Shadow conjuration spells to produce healing effects.
So, here's the trick:
Create a Life School Necromancer with the Shadowcaster archetype (you don't have to be Nidalese to be one, because Zon-Kuthon provides it willingly in the hopes of corrupting people). The Shades spell per RAW is not actually limited to the [summoning], [calling] and [creation] Conjuration spells, or to the Wizards' spell list for that matter. ALL CONJURATION SPELLS OF 8TH LEVEL OR LOWER WOULD BE FAIR GAME - provided your GM agrees of course. This would allow you to heal people using "fake" Cure spells which are Conjuration based. Granted, it would take a while to get there...Of course that would open up all kinds of shenanigans with Shadow Conjuration spells to Summon Monsters that could potentially heal you. After all, if you take a short dimensional jaunt to the Shadow Plane all your Illusion spells would be 90% real there as well.
Consequently, there's also the Eldritch Researcher feat that just allows you to recreate all the good, old D&D 3.5 arcane healing spells, or spells that could potentially be useful.
Spoiler:
Bestow Wound (Heroes of Horror, p.127)
Negative Energy Ray (Tome and Blood, pp.93-94)
Healing Touch (Magic of Faerun, p.100)
Life Tap (Diablo II – Diablerie, p.42)
Negative Energy Burst (Tome and Blood, p.93)
Transfer Life (Kingdoms of Kalamar – Villain Design Handbook, p.115)
Life Transfer (Dragonlance – Towers of High Sorcery, p.47)
Negative Energy Wave (Tome and Blood, p.94)
Channeled Lifetheft (Complete Mage, pp.98-99)
Leech Undeath (Magic of Eberron, p.98)
Hide Life (Tome and Blood, p.91)
Synostodweomer (Spell Compendium, p.218)
As an afterthought, if your party focuses on Negative Energy Healing (like Damphirs) it will also make it easier to be an arcane healer. That way you can just use negative energy-based spells and you wouldn't have to worry about casting them into the fray of combat. Effectively, you are harming your enemies while healing your party. However that will interfere with the Healing Grace power of a Life School necromancer. As such, you could just take a Spirit Binder (Familiar Folio, p.9) familiar instead, for it has an interesting way to get around that pesky negative healing problem.
To (ab)use this feature you have your departed loved one be a cleric of Urgathoa or Zon-Kuthon. You then have the familiar take the Believer's Boon feat (Advanced Class Guide, p.142), and attune it to the Death domain (Undead subdomain), at which point your familiar can now use Death’s Kiss 3/day. Anyone your familiar touches is treated as an undead for the purposes of effects that heal or cause damage based on positive and negative energy. So now you can heal them using negative energy-based spells or inflict spells. The downside is that you lose the utility of the Scribe Scroll feat as well as the metamagic or crafting feats you would've gained instead.
Otherwise play a Samsaran, because their Mystic Past Life ability allows them to cast spells not from the Sorcerer/Wizard list. Such "corrupted" Samsarans are on a mission to break the cycle of reincarnation through which they go.
Part of the problem that necromancers have is that some of their best spells were nerfed from D&D 3.5 into Pathfinder. Consequently you have to change your tactics a little bit. There are several things you will have to get through your head right away.
1) Your first and primary duty is to be the party de-buffer. The weaker you make them, the quicker the fight will end. This will not change. The problem is that a lot of these spells are safe or suck, as well as safe or die. Consequently, you have to think in a slightly different way than other wizards. It's about progression to increase the suckage before you hit them with the BIG SUCK. Otherwise you'll take a big chance in failing and look like an idiot.
Example 1: Start with Sands of Time, then Ray of Enfeeblement, hit them with Exhaustion and watch Mr. Melee fall unconscious. :)
Example 2: Waves of fatigue + Ray of Exhaustion. Waves doesn't grant a save. Ray of Exhaustion makes them exhausted if already fatigued even if they pass the save.
Consequently, the main thing is to boost the ALMIGHTY DC by starting off with as high an INT modifier as possible to make sure of that. Also, that means there are 3 feats you absolutely need:
Spell Focus;
Greater Spell Focus;
Heighten Spell.
For example, let's say you can cast up to Level 3 spells and you want to make sure your DC for Ray of Enfeeblement is as high as possible. By using Heighten Spell you now prepare this Level 1 spell as a Level 3 spell.
2) Your secondary duty as a Wizard is battlefield control. The more you can change the environment to suit your party's needs the easier the fight will be.
3) Your tertiary duty is that of utility caster. Always have the right tool for the right time and the right moment.
4) Your quaternary duty will be two-fold: you will be a temporary hit point powerhouse (especially as a Life School Necromancer), and an out-of-combat healer. You'll never be as good as the Cleric for in-combat healing.
5) Most necromancy spells are touch or ranged touch spells, which makes us live dangerously. Consequently, get the Reach Spell feat when you can or use other spells like Spectral Hand to keep yourself out of melee.
My personal favorite when it comes to utility is the Eldritch Researcher feat. You gain a +2 to Spellcraft outright (that bonus increases to +4 with 10 Ranks in Spellcraft). Whenever you create a new spell, that spell has +1 CL. When you finally create a spell that is Level 6, that spell and all previous spells that were created increase their Save DC by 1. Also, when applying metamagic feats to self-created spells, reduce the total level adjustment by 1.
Basically, this is the feat to take to get all those lovely D&D 3.5 necromancy spells back that were awesome.
The problem with the Healing Grace power from the Life School is that it only works with spells if they have targets, are area-based, or belong to ranged or melee touch attacks. Your spells are limited, especially in the early levels, which means that you have to choose between healing (probably yourself) or being useful in combat. Also, if you tried to heal your party members using this ability, you more than likely would have to resort to fear-based and mind-affecting Necromancy spells and watch the hilarity ensue as you scare the wits out of them.
The only thing that literally makes you heal while casting Necromancy spells is being a Ghoul with a 1 Level dip in Sorcerer for the Ghoul Bloodline. That bloodline arcana allows you to heal 1 hp per spell level for each Necromancy spell you cast. So, the only way I've figured out to get that is snort Mumia (referenced in Lost Kingdoms) until you become one. Then use a Helmet of Opposite Alignment to turn from Chaotic Evil to Lawful Good.
The spells to look out for:
Level 0
Sotto Voce
Disrupt Undead
Touch of Fatigue
Level 1
Spoiler:
(***) Chill Touch [Necro]
Touch attacks that deal 1d6 HP damage + 1 STR damage. Undead take no HP or STR damage but become panicked for 1d4 rounds +1/caster level on failed Will save.
Verdict: Repeatable, easy, touch attacks which, unlike Ray of Enfeeblement, does allow the STR damage to stack. It becomes a very dangerous spell if used properly.
(**)Touch of Blindness [Necro.]
Use a melee touch attack 1/CL. Each touch causes the target to become blinded for 1 round unless it makes a successful Fortitude saving throw.
Verdict: Causing blindness is a great gimp move at any level, and this will at least allow you a way to do so until you finally get the much better Level 2 spell. The amount of times you can use this is great, but is hampered by the fact that you have to get into melee to use it unless you have the Reach Spell feat.
(**) Cause Fear [Necro. (fear, mind-affecting)]
One living creature with 5 or fewer HD becomes frightened for 1d4 rounds (shaken for 1 round on Will save).
Verdict: A decent save or suck at this level that can buy you some time, and act as a set-up for further de-buffs.
(**) Ray of Sickening (Ultimate Magic, p.234) [Necro.]
Ranged touch attack makes subject sickened for 1 min./level (Fort negates).
Verdict: Quite acceptable as a debuff. The target is immediately sickened for the spell's duration.
(**) Ray of Enfeeblement (Core, p.329 ) [Necro.]
Ranged touch attack causes 1d6+1/two caster levels (maximum 1d6+5) STR damage.
Verdict: Still useful in conjunction with Fatigue, but it doesn't actually penalize encumbrance anymore. Still, even if the target makes the save they still take half of the penalty. So if you're a level 10 caster with a minimum roll with a Fortitude save that's still a -3 STR, a failure on the save with a max roll causes -11 STR damage. Alas, you can't get the STR score below 1. The other bad thing is that you can only use this once since the penalty doesn't stack. Oh how they've nerfed this good spell! So we have to use poison, if necessary.
Level 2
Spoiler:
(****) Blindness/Deafness (Core, p. ) [Necro.]
Blindness is THE super gimp spell at this level (–2 AC, loses Dex. bonus to AC (if any), –4 on STR- and DEX-based skill checks, -4 on opposed Perception checks, 50% miss chance when attacking, DC 10 Acrobatics check to move faster than half speed or fall prone). Casters can still get you with AoE spells, but for them you use Deafness (–4 on Init., auto fail on sound Perception checks, –4 on opposed Perception checks, 20% spell failure with verbal component spells). Your melee guys will love you for this. It has saved my party on many occasions.
(***) Ghoul Touch (Core, p.289) [Necro.]: Very useful staple for quick paralysis.
Melee touch to paralyze then AoE sicken (10-foot radius) for 1d6+2 rounds (Fort negates).
(–2 attack, weapon dmg., saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks).
Verdict: One of the best save or suck spells for the early game, especially if combo'd with the Reach Spell in either feat or rod form. Takes your target just one coup de gras away from death. The chance to lower the saves of nearby targets is just an extra added bonus.
(***) Limp Lash (Goblins of Golarion, p.29) [Necro.]: Third best gimp spell for this level.
Ranged touch atk. on target causes 1d6 STR, DEX, and CON damage each round until caster is disarmed, lets go, or whip-like energy sundered. When any of the three attributes reaches 1 the target is paralyzed (except for the head).
(***) False Life (Core, p.280) [Necro.]
1 hr/level self buff that provides temporary HP equal to 1d10 + 1/CL (max +10).
Verdict: Temp HP shields are very useful. This a a good deal that will remain a good deal for many levels.
(***) Lipstitch (Pathfinder Society Field Guide) [Necro.]
Sews the target’s lips tightly together for 1d6 points of damage on failed Fort save disallowing clear speech, bite attacks, spellcasting, or use of command words. Breaking thread with STR check DC 20 (standard action, no AoO) or slicing it with a piercing or slashing weapon (full-round action and provokes AoO) causes 1d6 points of damage and 1 bleed damage. Bleed damage causes 20% spell failure each round until bleeding is stopped.
Verdict: The complementary spell to Blindness/Deafness when it comes to spellcasters. It's also a good setup when it comes to spells that make Bleed effects worse. Unfortunately multiple castings of this spell don't stack, and creatures without a mouth are unaffected by this spell. Also, creatures with multiple mouths lose the use of only one mouth per casting.
(***) Stricken Heart [Necro.]
Melee touch spell with NO SAVE that causes 2d6 points of negative energy damage and causes the target to be staggered for 1 round. If the attack is a critical hit, the target is staggered for 1 minute instead. Creatures immune to precision damage are immune to the staggered effect.
Verdict: It is still hampered by Spell Resistance, but there aren't many negative energy spells this early on. That means you can even heal yourself with it if you play a Damphir. Plus it comes with a rather nasty status effect.
(**) Spectral Hand [Necro.]
Lose 1d4 hp to create a ghostly hand to deliver touch spells of level 4 and below. Provides a +2 to melee touch attacks. You regain those hit points when the spell ends (but not if the hand is destroyed).
Verdict: Since the hand is incorporeal it can only be hit by magic weapons, has Improved Evasion regarding spells, and 22 + INT mod. AC. Use this to apply your touch spells at range, unless you want your familiar to do it for you. Spectral Hand will last the entire combat (even long ones), but not multiple combats. Sure, the ability to deliver touch spells at range is very good, but this spell will take you out of the combat for the first round (unless you have preparation time) which is a significant drawback. Also, the viability of quickened Spectral Hands at high levels is hampered by the fact that you are limited to Level 4 spells and below. Still, this will be your utility spell to use those pesky touch-based spells for a while unless you have Reach Spell.
(**) Shared Suffering (Champions of Corruption, p.25) [Necro.]
Deal 1d6 neg. dmg + 1d6/2 levels (5d6 max) to yourself. Target takes equal amount of dmg. + Int. mod. (no save)
Verdict: Use this after you use False Life on yourself to bypass as much actual damage to yourself as possible. If you absolutely have no other way to hit your opponent then this spell is it.
(**) Brow Gasher [Necro.]
Imbued slashing weapon when hitting a living creature, causes normal damage, as well as bleed damage on forehead equal to half character's character level. The hit creature takes a cumulative -1 penalty on attack rolls at the beginning of each turn, resulting in all targets gaining 20% concealment at -3 penalty, and complete concealment at -5 due to blindness. this spell imposes on the bleeding creature. You discharge the spell as a free action for its effects to start acting on a creature.
Verdict: Imbue a nearby melee character's slashing weapon with this. You don't want to enter melee yourself. Unfortunately it doesn't work on constructs or undead creatures which limits its application. Stopping the bleed damage ends the spell's effects. Also, a target that is immune to bleed damage is also immune to all this spell's effects.
(*) Life Pact (Advanced Class Guide, p.186) [Necro.]
Bind one willing creature/level together so that if one drops below 0 hp, it receives 1 hp from each creature of the group within 30 feet.
Verdict: Wish this spell could give more than 1 hit point. Doesn't work against death effects or stuff like suffocation either. It's a weak "Oh crap" button, but that's about it.
Level 3:
Spoiler:
(***) Sands of Time (Osirion: Lands of Pharaohs, p.27) [Necro.]
Verdict: This spell is like Ray of Enfeeblement on crack. Unfortunately you can't reduce any of the abilities beneath 1, but you can certainly use it in conjunction with Ray of Enfeeblement if you needed it. Either way, it doesn't require a Save (SR applies though)!
(***) Ray of Exhaustion (Core, p.330) [Necro.]
Verdict: Exhaustion is the bane of melee characters (half speed, cannot run or charge, –6 STR and DEX). If the target makes its Fort. save it still becomes fatigued. The devious way to abuse this feature is to combine it with other debuff spells that cause fatigue. If a target is already fatigued and makes the Fortitude save they still become exhausted thanks to this ray. That makes this a good finisher.
(***) Fear (Core, p.281) [Necro.]
30-foot cone-shaped burst, causes each living creature in the area to become panicked unless it succeeds on a Will save.
Verdict: Even if the targets make their Will saves they're still shaken for 1 round, which is not bad if you're trying to stack negatives. If you can corner them while they're panicked the targets start cowering making them even more useless in combat.
(***) Accursed Glare (Blood of the Moon, p.9) [Necro. (curse)]
Verdict: A solid way to allow you to gain another chance to have your de-buff spells work on your target. This curse's duration is 1 day/level which can be useful to continue to bring NPCs under control with other spells on a long-term basis. The almost broken thing, however, is that if your minions have the ability to use Intimidate (even untrained) you can royally boost your ability to bypass SR on your target, because each ally's intervention stacks. Granted, the wording for the Intimidate check is a little strange. I would think it's the base DC, thus being around 16 or 17, rather than adding stuff like Spell Focus feats to increase it to 19+.
(***/**) Fear
30-foot cone-shaped burst that causes each living creature in the area to become panicked unless it succeeds on a Will save. If cornered, a panicked creature begins cowering. If the Will save succeeds, the creature is shaken for 1 round.
Verdict: The idea here is to drive your enemies into a corner so that they cower. Otherwise, if they run away you might not get any experience points. Still, if you have to use it to buy time then buy time.
(**) Vampiric Touch (Core, p.364) [Necro.]
Melee touch deals 1d6 points/2 caster levels (max. 10d6). You gain this as temporary HP.
Verdict: Decent spell as it's very hard to kill a Necromancer that sucks the life out of you each round.
(**/*) Vampiric Hunger (Faiths of Corruption, p.29) [Necro.] (polymorph) {Evil}
Creature touched gains ability to drain blood, dealing 1d4 CON dmg. Each round of draining heals 5 hp, or 5 temp. hp (max temp hp = max hp). Failure to drain blood causes target to be exhausted.
Verdict: Part of your utility spells, but a double-edged sword. Can serve as a very morbid way to allow your party members to heal after combat, but expect hurt feelings. The duration makes it less desirable to use on enemies in combat, but can be useful to cause chaos in a camp. Only use this on yourself to heal after combat. It still has the highest potential for temporary hp.
Level 4:
Spoiler:
(****) Enervation (Core, p.277) [Necro.]:
Verdict: Negative levels are the most powerful de-buff in the game. It's a great metamagic target too, as there are no saves! However, casters do not lose any spells or spell slots prepared.
(***) Bestow Curse [Necro.]:
It's very easy to kill enemies when 50% of the things they try to do don't work. It's even easier when the enemy in question is -4 to all d20 rolls. The -6 to one ability score is not worth it as you can't get to 0. However, you can get very creative with this spell to royally gimp people - permanently. The fact that it's a touch spell makes it slightly less desirable than Enervation, but not by much.
(***) Boneshatter (Osirion: Land of Pharaohs, p.26) [Necro.]
Verdict: Effectively ray of exhaustion without a touch component. Half damage and fatigue on Fort save. What makes this spell nice is the damage that it deals.
(***) Shadow Projection
You gain a shadow’s darkvision, defensive abilities, fly speed, racial stealth modifier, and strength damage attack.
Verdict: Despite the drawbacks this spell is good for when you have to go exploring and still allows you to drain Strength from enemies. The bad thing is that you drop to -1 hp when your shadow is destroyed through Turn Undead or other magical means. Also, no spawn ability of a real shadow. We just can't have nice things.
(**) Object Possession, Lesser (Occult Adventures, p. ) [Necro.]
You possess an object and turn it into an animated object. You can't use any spells or other abilities while possessing an object.
Verdict: You can have some fun with this if you're creative enough.
(**) Wall of Blindness/Deafness (Advanced class Guide, p.198) [Necro.]
Permanently blind or deafen creature that passes through the wall.
Verdict: This spell has potential as a major de-buff spell. The nice thing is that the wall can be either in vertical & rectangular, or circular form (both 20 ft. high) and does not need to touch the ground (as long as it is continuous and unbroken). This makes it useful against flying creatures. The problem is the concentration duration, so you have to use it precisely.
(**) False Life, Greater [Necro.]
Verdict: Another utility spell, but the inability to stack this really stinks. Consequently it really shines when you layer it with other temporary hp spells.
(**) Undeath Inversion (Undead Slayer's Handbook, p.27) [Necro.]
Undead take damage from negative energy and heal from positive energy. Channels positive rather than negative energy, too.
Verdict: Limited application in that you could heal one of your own undead with cure spells, or dealing damage to an enemy undead with your negative energy spells. However, if it's an intelligent undead that channels energy you have taken out one of his abilities lest he heal you or damage his own undead minions.
(**) Geb's Hammer (Inner Sea Magic, p.55) [Necro.]
Verdict: Situational spell in that you actually need destroyed undead, whether created by you or thrown at you by the GM. I personally think it's too high a spell slot because it is similar to flaming sphere, but when you keep action economy in mind you have another attack per round. Still, if you do decide to have minions, and they ever run out of usefulness, you still have one last use for them.
(*) Death Knell Aura (Book of the Damned Vol. 3, p.38) [Necro. (death, evil)]
Verdict: If this spell actually said that these values stack it would be awesome, but used this way it's only worth a quick boost to either buff a level-dependent spell to heal your undead or your party, provide a buffer to use another spell to drain off the temporary hp, or a quick buff to a damage-dealing spell which you're going to be using soon. Rather underwhelming for this level as there are better ways to use the corpses of your fallen enemies. But, yay, you wasted a Level 4 spell to emit gray light!
Level 5:
Spoiler:
(****) Magic Jar [Necro.]
Verdict: Probably one of THE best necromancy spells. BUT THIS IS NOT A COMBAT SPELL! You just need to be a little creative to use it. It has several limitations that need to be followed: 1) Keep your body safe while you body-hop; 2) Keep other Spell component pouches around, otherwise you need Eschew Materials to continue to cast spells in the other bodies; 3) Control line of effect by having a familiar or ally carry the soul-containing item. The spell is useless if you can only see so many enemies; 4) Always keep your body in spell range or you die. Optional: Combine it with the Persistent Spell feat – you don't want to fail a possession check, because you can't retry on the same creature again. Possess the first monster and use it to kill the next. Once your possessed creature dies, you possess the next creature. Thus you stop the encounter before it even begins. Summon a monster, possess it, and then use Blood Money to drain it of Strength while creating an expensive material component (*cough* 25k Diamond), use the monster to scout ahead, or trip traps are all viable tactics, too. You can also possess your friends and add spells to their bodies using Permanency.
(***) Suffocation (Advanced Player's Guide) [Necro.]
Round 1: Staggered on Fortitude save; otherwise target falls unconscious and at 0 hp.
Round 2: Staggered on Fortitude save; otherwise target drops to -1 and is dying.
Round 3: Staggered on Fortitude save; otherwise dead.
Verdict: Only works on living creatures that actually breathe. However, this spell is quite powerful, and can get quite silly when combined with the Extend Spell metamagic feat or a rod thereof.
(***) Waves of Fatigue (Core, p.368) [Necro.]
30-foot cone-shaped burst renders all living creatures in the spell's area fatigued.
Verdict: Waves of negative energy completely cripple both melee and ranged combatants with no saving throw. Unfortunately this spell has no effect on creatures that are already fatigued. Still, it's a good way to debilitate several enemies quickly, fast, and in a hurry.
(**) Black Spot (Pirates of the Inner Sea, p.28] [Necro.]
Verdict: The spell is a little high for the effect, but the effect is permanent once you get passed the Will save or any SR. It makes your melee guys happy, and serves as a setup for your next Death effect spell like Circle of Death, Finger of Death, Canopic Conversion, Wail of the Banshee, Parasitic Soul, etc. The spell cannot be countered except by break enchantment, limited wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish, but the Constitution damage happens too slow for combat use.
(**) Feast on Fear (Advanced Class Guide, p.181) [Necro.]
Each round target a creature of up to 9HD and if it fails the Fort save it becomes panicked for 1d4 rounds. The creature remains shaken for 10 minutes/caster level and becomes automatically panicked again if it sees you.
Verdict: Unlike other temp. HP spells, this one actually says that it stacks with itself, which is awesome! This spell allows you to redirect the effect each round to a new target, which means you can get up to 45 temporary hit points (you can hit up to 9 creatures at Level 9 and it increases) because the effect stacks when you first get this spell (max. 100 temp. hp), which lasts 1 hour. Now here comes the buzz-kill...It all depends on how many targets you are facing and that they are Level 9 or below. Also, Fortitude saves make this less and less likely at the higher levels, and thus becomes useless pretty quickly, and it does occupy a lot of your time. So, you want to make sure that your targets are thoroughly debuffed and controlled (*cough* Dazing Spell) that you can take the time to pull this off.
(**) Vampiric Shadowshield (Advanced Class Guide, p.198) [Necro.]
Attacker hitting you with non-reach weapon takes 1d6 negative energy damage + 1 point per caster level (max +15). You heal 25% of damage dealt by the spell.
Verdict: At least some way of regaining hit points, but you don't want to get hit and the most you'll ever get is 5 hit points with each hit The way this works is that you cast Vampiric Shadowshield on yourself and have your familiar with fast healing/regeneration hit you for 1 hp or 1 nonlethal damage (if penalties reduce the damage result to less than 1, a hit still deals 1 point of nonlethal damage). If your familiar has the Measured Response (Inner Sea Gods) combat feat then make sure it attacks with a d4 attack. Otherwise, have one of your undead minions do that on you - that way you both get healed at the same time.
(**) Symbol of Pain
Scribe a rune on a surface (which takes 10 minutes) then set a trigger for its release. Everything within a 60-foot radius takes a -4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks. These effects last for 1 hour after the creature moves farther than 60 feet from the symbol. If you don't want your own group to be affected by this spell it takes up to 1 hour to cast.
Verdict: I could see this being useful if you have the time to set up an ambush. However, since it doesn't affect the Save DC it doesn't provide that great of a battlefield control mechanism. It will mess with spellcaster's concentration checks, however.
(**)Possession (Occult Adventures, pp.180-181) [Necro.]
Possess a creature at 1 hr/level, keeping your INT, WIS, CHA, class, BAB, Base save bonuses, alignment and mental abilities. The body keeps its physical stats, hp, natural abilities and automatic abilities. As a standard action you can move back into your body. You return automatically to your body when the target is killed. If your body dies when the spell duration runs out you die.
Verdict: Alas, you neither can activate a body's extraordinary or supernatural abilities, nor use any of its spells or spell-like abilities.
(**) Object Possession (Occult Adventures, p. 179) [Necro.]
Can possess an object up to Large size (3 CP). After 1 standard action to return to your body, you can use the next standard action to possess another object. Only works within Close range of your body.
Verdict: It really depends on the situation on how useful this spell is going to be. You can have it in your spellbook, but it's really not necessary.
Level 6:
Spoiler:
(***) Eyebite [Necro.]
Each round, you can target a single living creature, striking it with waves of power. Depending on the target's HD, this attack has as many as three effects.
<4 HD = Comatose, panicked, sickened
5-9 HD = Panicked, sickened
10+ HD = Sickened
Spend a swift action each round after the first to target a foe.
Verdict: Good use for action economy by using a swift action after the initial casting.
(**) Lash of the Astradaemon (Book of the Damned, Vol. 3, pp.38-39)
Verdict: Basically, this spell is what you use when you surround yourself with your undead minions and hope that each round you will crit. to get 10 temp. HP. Since it dishes out negative energy like Enervation, I have to assume that each minion will receive 1d4 x 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour as well. So, unless you are the target of an AoE spell, enemies will have a hard time getting through your bodyguards. If it actually stacked with each attack, that would be awesome. Alas, the rules are quite specific - which makes this spell a bit of a waste. But you can stack it with other temp. hp spells to buff yourself before going into your next combat.
(*) Death Knell Aura, Greater (Book of the Damned, Vol. 3, p.38)
Does the same as Death Knell aura, but also causes dying creatures to bleed 1 hp/round. Also incorporeal undead and targets using astral projection or magic jar take 1d8 points of damage.
Verdict: Because of the bad wording I take it that the damage is 1d8 per round. Still, eventhough incorporeal undead are hard to hit there are better effects through which to inflict damage on these types of creatures. Since the effects still don't stack you're basically just being a dick and wasting a spell slot.
(*) Banshee Blast (Advanced Class Guide, p.174) [Necro. (death, fear, mind-affecting, sonic)]
30-foot cone deals 1d4/caster level (max. 15d4) damage (Reflex half). Those who fail the Reflex save must make a Will save or be panicked 1 round/level.
Verdict: It's good enough to relief most humanoid opponents of weaponry while dealing damage and making them run away. Naturally, you want to drive your enemies into a corner so they cower and don't attack. There are several problems, however. 1) Your enemies get two saves, and there's no Shaken condition - unlike with the Fear spell. So you must've debuffed your enemies before using this spell, or be going up against weaker enemies; 2) It deals 32.5 avg. damage with a Reflex save bringing it to 16.25 avg. damage, which is inferior to spells like Fireball; 3) It won't work on Undead (unless you have the Threnodic Spell feat), Constructs (unless you have the Constructed or Impossible bloodline with Eldritch Heritage), Oozes and Vermin (unless you have the Coaxing Spell feat), or Plants (unless you have the Verdant Spell feat); 4) Classes like paladins are also unaffected by panic. On the upside it is sonic-based which means hardly any creatures with that damage resistance.
Level 7:
Spoiler:
(***) Waves of Exhaustion (Core, p.368) [Necro.]
60 foot cone-shaped burst causes all living creatures in the spell's area to become exhausted.
Verdict: Waves of negative energy completely cripple both melee and ranged combatants with no saving throw. Unfortunately this spell has no effect on creatures that are already exhausted. Still, it's a good way to debilitate several enemies quickly, fast, and in a hurry. Just like Waves of Fatigue it's a good way to bypass Spell Resistance.
(**) Recorporeal Incarnation (Second Darkness: Endless Night, p.10) [Necro.]
Replaces target's body with a recently deceased corpse (<24 hours or preserved by gentle repose). Target gains appearance, size bonuses/penalties, extraordinary abilities, natural abilities (natural attacks & senses), but not racial abilities or spell-like abilities. Lasts 1 week/CL.
Verdict: A useful way for a necromancer to not have to rely on illusion magic. Still acts as a near-perfect disguise. When targeted by Detect magic the target sheds no magical aura, though the focus item gives off an aura of strong necromantic magic. True seeing does not reveal the target’s true form, since the disguise itself, while magically achieved, is a mundane (but masterful) disguise. The spell Detect undead, however, does note the target as an undead creature with the same number of Hit Dice.
(**) Object Possession, Greater (Occult Adventures, p.179) [Necro.]
Verdict: Can possess an object up to Gargantuan size (5 CP). Can't use any spells or abilities while possessing an object. Can move up to medium range away from your body.
Verdict: Again, it's situational. Not a must-have in your spellbook, but it could potentially be useful.
(**) Finger of Death
Verdict: Save or die - whooops! Not anymore. Now it's save or take damage. You know - kinda like Disintegrate. If you want save or die vs. Fort, go for Flesh to Stone instead.
Level 8:
Spoiler:
(*****) Bestow Curse, Greater (Secrets of the Sphinx) [Necro.]
It's very easy to kill enemies when they can't do squat 75% of the time. Now we can give our enemies a -8 penalty to all d20 rolls. The -12 to one ability won't help you (we still have the minimum ability score of 1 problem), but if you're fighting something stronger then consider this the spell as the initiation. Otherwise, hit them with a -6 to Dexterity and Constitution in general, with Wisdom and Intelligence against spellcasters. The curse of unluck is also a nice touch, but it depends on the GM whether he wishes to invoke it. Putting a 1 round staggered effect on the target each time it takes damage can also be a serious hamper. The other effects can be useful against spellcasters and melee or ranged characters but are more situational.
Verdict: A very useful spell, even if it's just against a single creature. It doesn't have to just serve as a de-buff, you know. Spend a little time on the wording and you can turn a Bestow Curse into something as powerful as a Wish spell by afflicting somebody with Lycanthropy or other kinds of templates. That makes this spell, and its lesser cousin, VERY desirable.
(**) Orb of the Void [Necro.]
As a move action, move 1-ft. Diameter sphere up to 30 ft. per round in any direction. Stops when entering a space with a living creature. Creature gains one negative level (Fortitude negates). Creature must make another Fortitude saving throw (same DC) 24 hours later or gain a permanent negative level.
Verdict: Fortitude-based flaming sphere but based on negative energy. Alas, an individual creature can be affected by the orb of the void only once per round, even if the orb moves through its space more than once.
(**) Possession, Greater (Occult Adventures, p. 181) [Necro.]
Verdict: Works the same way as possession, however, your physical body vanishes. Also, you can possess creatures like non-native outsiders and incorporeal undead. Situational, but at least now you've got a remedy against those pesky creatures.
(****) Clone
For 1,000 gp you can have this "get out of death free card" hidden somewhere safe. Note that if you die, you will awaken in the clone, and the poor Cleric trying to resurrect you in combat is going to be very disappointed. However, otherwise, this is a nice death-contingency (just make sure the rest of the party know). Use a teleport to return, reclaim your stuff, and claim the corpses of your allies. You get 2 negative levels when the clone awakens, so get a restoration too. Or - clone the entire party then you have no corpses to claim. TPK's become near impossible. That's good value for the material cost. Hint: Buy some cheap equipment and leave it with your clone...also leave an extra copy of your spellbook. Being prepared is just the right thing to do.
(****) Horrid Wilting [Necro.]
Verdict: Pure blast, but certainly one of the best pure blasts in the game. No energy types here, you just take damage. The range is long, and you target specifically, so your allies are safe. Fort save for 1/2 damage.
(**) Soul Reaver (Mythic Origin, p.15) [Necro. (death)]
Deal 1d6/CL (max. 20d6) to each living creature in a 20-foot radius spread (Fort. Half).
Verdict: Still faces SR, and has a Close range, but still a solid way to deal a decent amount of damage in an area. Unfortunately it does not distinguish between your team mates and enemies without a metamagic feat. Get's more power at Mythic levels, but we're not worried about that.
Level 9:
Spoiler:
(****) Parasitic Soul (Book of the Damned, Vol. 3, p.39) [Necro. (death, evil)]
Verdict: There are already so many shenanigans that you can pull with magic jar, and now you're given a permanent means of doing it, too. This is basically your immortality spell by jumping from body to body, which would even allow you to switch races and certain creature types.
(****) Energy Drain [Necro.]
Verdict: A solid debuff. Just as Enervation, this spell stacks with itself. It's somewhat of a waste though to use it on undead. If you can heal through negative energy, there may be some use to it if you really need it.
(**) Wail of the Banshee [Necro. (death, sonic)]
Verdict: Wow, this spell was horribly nerfed! You better have done some serious de-buffing before you even dare to set this one off. Otherwise, if those enemies make their Fort. save you'll look pretty stupid, and probably end up dead soon afterwards. Also remember that this spell does not differentiate between friend and foe, so be careful when you use it.
(**) Scourge of the Horsemen (Horsemen of the Apocalypse, p.39) [Necro. (acid, evil)]
Verdict: A medium range spell that's best used after you've done some serious de-buffing on your enemies in order to deal decent damage. A bit underwhelming though because of the damage cap.
Not such an easy question to answer as there have been more splatbooks published since I tried to come up with a Life School Necromancer guide.
Let's throw out a couple:
Rod of Withering (25,000 gp) - +1 mace that deals 1d4 points of Strength damage and 1d4 points of Constitution damage, causes permanent drain on a critical hit.
Spiritualist Ring (70,000 gp) - Not really worth it in my opinion but here goes. Speak with dead 3x per day; spectral hand, 3x per day; ghost touch on weapon you wield; +4 sacred or profane bonus on saving throws against positive and negative energy effects (based on character's alignment).
Shadowform Belt (110,000 gp) - +6 to DEX; as a swift action, its wearer can become incorporeal for 10 rounds per day.
Spectral Shroud (26,000 gp) - Discern invisible or ethereal creatures as though using see invisibility. Once per day, the wearer can become incorporeal for 10 rounds and gain a fly speed equal to half his base speed with perfect maneuverability.
Haunted Shoes (6,480 gp) - 2x per day, 1d4 unseen servants (lasts 3 hours). 1x per day gain concealment (20% miss chance) for 3 minutes.
Vampiric Gloves (18,000 gp) - 3x per day use vampiric touch (ranged touch @ 30 ft, but only against dying target) and bleed.
Cloak of the Duskwalker (10,000 gp) - Gain low-light vision; 1/day darkness spell & gain darkvision 60 ft while within that darkness.
Spellguard Bracers (5,000 gp) - +2 bonus on concentration checks to cast defensively; 3x/day roll a concentration check to cast defensively twice and take the better result.
Eye of the Void (10,000 gp) - 1x/day gaze effect in a 30-foot cone or 15-foot sphere. Success on Will save target is shaken for 1 min. Failure on Will save causes target to be frightened for 1 minute and take 1d6 WIS damage.
Necromancer's Athame (20,000 gp) - A necromancer who selects the athame as his bonded object can use it to spontaneously convert any prepared wizard necromancy spell into any other wizard necromancy spell he knows; the desired spell must be of the same level or lower than the prepared spell.
Staff of the Master (30,000 gp) - +1/+1 quarterstaff; Ray of enfeeblement (1 charge), Spectral hand (1 charge), Vampiric touch (2 charges); apply one metamagic feats known by character when casting a spell by expending a number of charges equal to the number of spell levels increased by the feat.
Jars, Spirit (26,250 gp) - Spirit jars serve as focus items for the spell Magic Jar. Souls can be potentially trapped within these jars forever. Warning: If Magic Jar expires while your character is within a Spirit jar, the soul and those in the other jars are trapped until somebody pops the jar open to release your character's soul. You can also cast Magic Jar on a soul-occupied Spirit Jar, allowing that spirit to swap bodies as if it were the target of the spell. At the end of the Magic Jar spell, the spirit returns to the Spirit Jar if it's within range (otherwise it perishes).
Metamagic Rod, Ectoplasmic [Lesser] [3,000 gp] - Ectoplasmic spells have full effect against incorporeal or ethereal creatures. Since incorporeal creatures have no STR score an Ectoplasmic web spell will totally screw them over.
Shrunken Head (90,000 gp) - Can be used as additional focus component for fear-based spells, increasing save DCs by 1. When held in one hand or occupying the neck slot, 1/day as immediate action, the head can absorb a mind-affecting spell up to Level 5. After absorption you can unleash an Enervation effect (1 neg. level per spell level absorbed) within 1 round per level of the spell absorbed.
Cracked Pearly White Spindle Ioun Stone (3,400 gp) - Regenerate 1 hit point of damage per hour. Not the fastest way to get back your hit points, but it's regeneration which means you still stay alive as long as the stone isn't removed. So, make sure to have it surgically implanted.
Armor: Obtain a spell-storing haramaki, then put a vampiric touch in it.
Devoted Healer (Faith) [Quests & Campaigns, p.18)
Raised in the company of skilled healers, you were always encouraged to devote your time and energy to the welfare of others.
Benefit: Whenever you take 20 on a Heal check to treat deadly wounds, you restore an additional id4 hit points to those you aid.
Verdict: It might take longer to treat the deadly wound, but since you normally can only do it once you might as well get a little extra.
5 Ranks: When you treat deadly wounds, the target recovers hit points and ability damage as if it had rested for a full day.
10 Ranks: When you treat deadly wounds, the target recovers hit points as if it had rested for a full day with long-term care.
15 Ranks: When you treat deadly wounds, the creature recovers hit point and ability damage as if it had rested for 3 days.
20 Ranks: When you treat deadly wounds, the target recovers hit point and ability damage as if it had rested for 3 days with long-term care.
Portable Altar, Masterwork (Demon Hunter's Handbook, pp.18-19)
Price: 400 gp; Weight: 40 lb
Dedicated to a particular deity, this intricately etched case contains numerous candles, stands, scented herbs, dishes, silks, small cups, containers, and similar ceremonial tools all bearing colors and iconography sacred to the associated deity. Among the items found within the altar are the tools and materials necessary to perform not just ceremonies, but also jobs and professions the related deity deems sacred, as well as holy texts written to inspire greatness in the deity's followers.
Benefit: The user can expend some of the materials within the altar to gain a +2 circumstance bonus on the next Craft check of the specified type. In addition, after spending 1 hour praying and reading the holy scriptures within the altar, the user gains a +2 circumstance bonus on a single skill check. A masterwork portable altar can be used multiple times, but after 20 uses, it must be restocked with 50 gp worth of sanctified materials.
Verdict: Though not technically a healing item, masterwork altars to Norgorber and Urgathoa provide a +2 bonus to Craft(alchemy) checks. Whether you want the other bonus to Stealth or Disguise is up to you, it doesn't really matter to me. It's a rather expensive way to gain a bonus to Craft(alchemy) but circumstance bonuses stack. Since you can always use a deity of your own pantheon to provide a bonus you want it might provide +2 alchemy and +2 Heal, just saying.
Mobile hospital (Advanced Class Guide pg. 204)
Price 1,000 gp; Weight 500 lbs.
Category Kits
This kit for a wagon provides all the equipment needed to care for up to 10 sick or injured people at a time. It includes two large tents, 10 cots with bedrolls, a sturdy table, a chirurgeon’s kit, and five healer’s kits. It grants anyone using it a +2 bonus on Heal checks to provide first aid, can be used to treat deadly wounds with a single use of a healer’s kit instead of two, and doubles the rate at which patients recover in long-term care.
Portable Solarium (Occult Adventures pg. 249)
Price 800 gp; Weight 35 lbs.
Category Tools
This long, wooden case contains a complicated framework of brass armatures, balance weights, a foldable mat, and purplehued lenses of various shapes and sizes. When assembled, the case becomes a small bed over which looms a complicated, slowly revolving array of lenses that filter sunlight onto the mat below. Only usable on bright, sunny days, the solarium has enough room for one Medium or two Small creatures to recline beneath its lens array and bask in the healing rays of the filtered natural light. The solarium can be used in conjunction with the long-term care use of the Heal skill. Subjects who bask in the filtered light for an 8-hour rest period recover 1 additional hit point per level or 1 additional ability score point if their caregivers succeed at the required Heal check.
Healer’s Kit (Pathfinder Core, p.161)
Craft DC: 20
Price: 50 gp; Weight: 1 lb.
This collection of bandages and herbs provides a +2 circumstance bonus on Heal checks. A healer’s kit is exhausted after 10 uses.
Surgeon’s Tools (Ultimate Equipment, p.79)
Price: 20 gp; Weight: 5 lb.
When used in conjunction with a healer’s kit, surgeon’s tools raise the kit’s bonus to a +3 circumstance bonus on Heal checks to treat wounds or deadly wounds.
Verdict: These tools stack with the Healer's kit. You can still use it with Caltrops, Spike Growth, or Spike Stones and Deadly Wounds.
Bodybalm (Adventurer's Armory, p.9)
Price: 25; Weight: --
Craft DC: 25
When this pungent yellow powder is boiled in water and given to a
creature to drink, it provides the attending healer a +5 alchemical bonus on Heal checks for providing long-term care, treating poison, and treating disease.
Troll Oil (Ultimate Equipment)
Price 50 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Craft DC: 30?
This crimson liquid is viscous and tastes foul. If you drink it, for the next hour you automatically stabilize when reduced to negative hit points (unless the damage is sufficient to instantly kill you) and have a 50% chance each round to end any bleed effect on you. If you take fire or acid damage, the benefits of troll oil are suspended for 1 round.
Healy Myrrh (Qadira, Gateway to the East, p.19)
Price 50 gp; Weight —
When you burn this powerful resin, it fills 8,000 cubic feet with faint smoke that persists for 8 full hours. Any creatures resting or receiving long-term care in the area while the healy myrrh is active regain 1 additional hit point per level. Multiple uses of healy myrrh in a 24-hour period do not stack.
Construction Requirements: Craft (alchemy) 5 ranks, Heal 5 ranks; Cost 25 gp
Troll Styptic (Seekers of Secrets, p.43)
A witch’s brew of troll blood, powdered plant extracts, and alchemical binders, troll styptic is intended as a field treatment for wounds and bleeding, particularly where
magical healing is not available. This powder is stored in small packets, and when applied directly to wounds grants a living creature fast healing 2 for 2d4 rounds, as well as closing any open wounds the subject has or receives while the styptic is active, preventing ongoing damage from bleeding. This is a painful cure and requires the target to make a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid being sickened for the duration of the fast healing.
Verdict: This is actually pretty decent way of healing, given that it's non-magical. It's not really a long-term solution though, even if you craft it yourself with Alchemy skill, because you're just not going to be able to afford to keep up with your party's healing needs. Of course, it could be argued that if you can get ahold of Troll that gives you a regular supply of its blood (willingly or unwillingly) it would drastically reduce the cost of it.
Bloodblock (Advanced Player's Guide, p.184)
Price: 25 gp; Weight: --
Craft DC: 25
This gooey, pinkish substance helps treat wounds. Using a dose gives you a +5 alchemical bonus on Heal checks for providing first aid, treating wounds made by caltrops or similar objects, or treating deadly wounds.
A dose of bloodblock ends a bleed effect as if you had made a DC 15 Heal check. When treating deadly wounds, using a dose of bloodblock counts as one use of a healer’s kit (and grants the +5 bonus stated above).
Smelling Salts (Advanced Player's Guide, p.185)
Price: 25 gp; Weight: --
Craft DC: 25
These sharply scented gray crystals cause people inhaling them to regain consciousness. Smelling salts grant you a new saving throw to resist any spell or effect that has already rendered you unconscious or staggered. If exposed to smelling salts while dying, you immediately become conscious and staggered, but must still make stabilization checks each round; if you perform any standard action (or any other strenuous action) you take 1 point of damage after completing the act and fall unconscious again. A container of smelling salts has dozens of uses if stoppered after each use, but depletes in a matter of hours if left opened.
If you are willing to go back to D&D 3.5 there are additional options:
Healing Salve (Tome & Blood, p.72)
Price: 50 gp; Weight —
DC Check: 25
Rubbing this stinky green paste into wounds promotes rapid healing. Applying the salve is a full-round action. One dose cures 1d8 points of damage to a living creature. The Alchemy check DC to make healing salve is 25. If you have 5 or more ranks in Profession (herbalist), you get a +2 bonus on checks to craft it.
Verdict: A high Craft(alchemy) DC for an item that should be one of the mainstays of non-magical healing. For 50 gp that doesn’t jump out as incredibly amazing but in a campaign with no divine healing these can be used as immediate life-savers. The trick is to actually be able to make these yourself to save money.
Healer's Balm (Complete Adventurer, p. 119)
Price: 10 gp; Weight —
Craft DC: 20
This smooth, sweet-smelling balm allows a healer to better soothe the effects of wounds, disease, and poison. Healer’s balm provides a +1 alchemical bonus on Heal checks made to help an affected creature. The effects of healer’s balm last for 1 minute. One dose of healer’s balm is enough to coat one Medium creature. Applying healer’s balm is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. It can be applied as part of a standard action made to administer first aid, treat a wound, or treat poison.
Verdict: Given that it can be used individually with three different Heal actions at least gives us another way to boost the Heal check, although it seems like a waste of money. If you think you need it and got money to burn then go ahead, otherwise don't.
Candle, restful (Arms & Equipment Guide, page 33)
Price: 100; Weight: 1 lb.
Craft DC: 25
This thick blue candle burns slowly, filling the air with a sweet, relaxing scent for 8 hours. These candles, although slow to function, have tremendous restorative abilities. Characters that spend a night of rest sleeping within 20 feet of a lit candle heal at twice the rate they normally would. After a day of light activity, characters who rest under the influence of the candle heal double their level in hit points and 2 points of ability damage. After a day of complete rest, characters who sleep under the influence of the candle heal three times their level in hit points and 2 points of ability damage. The benefits of a restful candle stack with those provided by someone providing long-term care with the Heal skill.
Verdict: Given that there are only so many ways to heal ability damage this item already becomes endearing just for that reason. Given that it stacks with a long-term healing check makes it even more so, because we need to get a boost wherever we can. A bit pricey for an alchemical item, but still doable.
Bitterleaf Oil (Races of the Dragon )
Price: 25 gp; Weight —
Craft DC: 15 *no Craft DC listed*
Kobolds use this salve to keep their scales healthy and shiny. Each bottle of bitterleaf oil holds enough for ten applications. If the oil is applied each day (a full-round action), it staves off shedding indefinitely, in addition, on any day when bitterleaf oil is applied, the character naturally heals 1 additional point of damage per HD (max. 5) with a full night's rest.
Verdict: At a price of 5 gp per HD this is a nice boost to natural healing. But that means that it kicks in at the end of a day or during a Heal check.
Note: Eventhough it says that kobolds use it for their scales, it doesn't necessarily say that the healing effect only applies to kobolds. Humans technically shed skin particles as well, just not like reptiles do.
Healing Hands Skill Trick (Complete Scoundrel)
Requirement: Heal 5 ranks
Effect: Heal someone 1d6HP whenever you make a Heal check to stabilize them. While restrictive, this costs a mere 7 skill points to give you Cure Minor Wounds at will (but only on dying characters).
Note: So, in D&D 3.5 this required you to be Level 2. A skill trick costs 2 skill points. Keep this is mind for Pathfinder use.
Elysian Thrushes (Planar Handbook, p.118)
If you can legitimately capture some Elysian Thrushes, breed them, and keep them in cages, their music will help out by doubling natural healing. This would be an interesting nonmagical option and could be expanded upon as a health resort.
Problem: Listening to Elysian Thrushes may be great to boost natural healing, but their song makes people want to become uninterested from ding anything but listen to their song. After 12 hours of listening to an Elysian Thrush a character not native to the Blessed Fields of Elysium must succeed on a DC 12 Will saving throw or be perfectly content to remain encamped, and if no one brings the character food and water, he will quietly die of starvation and thirst, content merely to keep listening to the bird's song. The character can be removed forcibly and subsequently returns to normal after 24 consecutive hours of not hearing an Elysian Thrush, but, otherwise, the effect of the song can be broken only by casting a spell on the victim that stirs up powerful emotions (fear, rage, or crushing despair, for example), or by slaying all the Elysian thrushes within hearing. Get yourself some earplugs to get a bonus on the Will saves.
Vivacious Creatures or Ravids (Planar Handbook, p.131/Monster Manual 3.5, p.213)
When you reach Level 6 you are able to gain the Leadership feat. Get yourself a Vivacious creature as your cohort and go to town. A vivacious creature can fire a positive energy ray once every 1d4 rounds with a range of 60 feet that infuses the target with positive energy equal to 1d4 + its Cha modifier. That damages undead, but causes healing to everything else. That makes it great for ranged healing. Any living creature within 10 feet of a vivacious creature also gains 1 hit point per round due to the aura of positive energy surrounding it. So, make sure that once you have full hit points that you keep it away from you - we wouldn't want your character to make a Fortitude save and explode. Granted, vivacious creatures can suppress their positive aura, but they take 1 point of Strength damage for each minute of doing so. It also has Fast Healing 5, which could become useful if you find an ability to suck health from it, but that seems unnecessary. Otherwise get a Ravid. It's a perfectly non-magical option, but you have to explain how you acquired one or the other Outsider. It's the problem with having creatures from the Positive Energy plane around. Ravids don't have that aura but could certainly replicate that problem with their energy ray.
3) Resplendent Cloaker (Ravenloft D20 - Denizens of Dread, p.51)
Resembling a lovely and bejeweled cloak of rich, glowing fabric, these benign symbionts are nontheless seen as evil omens. Resplendent cloakers feed by healing the wounds of their hosts. Unfortunately, their lovvely appearance and radiant glow also attract attention to their hosts. They are considered evil omens because they always seem drawn to suffering and bloodshed as if they were prescient. It is thought that their glow might be a method of communication, but no one has been able to successfully communicate with them.
Vril Cream (Sunken Empires, p.31) <- Third Party Pathfinder
This paste is found in small, opaque jars that are frequently covered in strange, dimly lit runes. When the single application within is applied, you instantly mend open wounds, healing 2d8+2 damage. (Only intelligent humanoid targets are affected.) The target can resist (Fortitutde DC 15 negates). If you accept the healing or fail the save, you suffer a -4 penalty to Will saves to resist spells and effects with the charm descriptor. This effect lasts for 24 hours. Cost: 200 gp; 1/2 lb; Craft DC: 20
If you are only allowed to use Pathfinder sources there are only six ways to obtain feats that way that I've been able to find so far.
1) Spirit Possession (Jade Regent: Forest of Spirits, p.15)
Spoiler:
Once it successfully possesses a host, a spirit has an ongoing effect on its host. A spirit can provide you a boon which can stay even after it has left. Some spirits can be dismissed by finishing a particular quest, at which time it will leave off its own accord. This provides plenty of role-playing opportunities.
Disadvantage: Most spirits tend to provide banes and can only be removed by magic. As a result you need an exorcist or special equipment to drive them back out of your body. More than one spirit can possess the same host, but the more spirits a creature hosts, the more confusing and distracting is the babble of voices in the creature’s head. A possessed creature takes a cumulative –2 penalty on Will saves and on all Wisdom-based checks for each spirit possessing it beyond the first. As a result, you'll slowly but gradually go crazy. This also makes the character more open to mental manipulation through enchantment or other mind-affecting spells. Thus you can end up a puppet that is under somebody else's control, and allows even worse things to enter that are seven times worse than the initial possessing spirit.
Spirits provide the following as a boon:
* feats
* languages
* skills
* spells
Examples:
Bokeghan, The Breaker (Heroism 1/day – 10 rounds)
Kusatsu Yuka, The Soul of Unending Misery (Exotic Weapon Proficiency or Martial Weapon Proficiency)
Li Xu, the Wandering Song [Tien language; 1 rank in Perform (sing) or +1 bonus to Perform (sing)]
2) Race Builder cheese
Spoiler:
Racial Abilities and Features (3 Traits per Category)
Race: Human
TYPE Humanoid (human)0 RP
SIZE Medium 0 RP
BASE SPEED Slow and Steady -1 RP
ABILITY SCORE MODIFIERS Flexible 2 RP
LANGUAGES Standard 0 RP
RACIAL TRAITS
Defense Racial Traits
Delicious -1 RP
Defensive Training, Lesser +1 RP
Frightened by Magic -1 RP
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
Flexible Bonus Feat 4 RP
Piety 4 RP
Static bonus feat 2 RP
Offense Racial Traits
Weapon Familiarity 1 RP
Other Racial Traits
Shattered Soul -1 RP
Total: 10 RP
3) Worship an Idol (Occult Realms)
Make sure that it becomes a divine source and then have your character take a domain that grants a feat.
4) Craft magic items that grant feats
Example: Endurance from the Scarlet and Green Cabochon
The old D&D 3.X rules set the cost at roughly 10,000 gp per prerequisite that a feat required as a baseline. I doubt that his changed in Pathfinder.
5) Join a Magic School or Combat School
The magic schools from Inner Sea Magic and combat schools from Inner Sea Combat can grant you (free) extra feats for those who are members of certain organizations, like Extra Ki to members of the Houses of Perfection, and members of a monastery dedicated to Cayden Cailean could gain Toughness as a bonus feat after going through the Gauntlet of Inebriation.
6) Use the mythic rules
Feats granted by mythic tiers are in addition to those gained by your character levels, as such, they are also additional bonus feats if mythic rules are being used on your table.
2. I believe you can find that answer in Ultimate Campaign under Retraining a feat. It takes 5 days with a character who has the feat you want. The cost would be (unless stated otherwise in a Magic School or Combat School),equal to 10 x your level x the number of days required to retrain in gold pieces.
I'm going to bump this post once more, just in case the recent Firefox update might've caused this post to not be seen.
Of course, it might just be that my questions are a lot dependent on GM fiat. Either way, it would be nice to get some more input from others before I shelve this idea.
When I found this Bloodline in Blood of the Ancients I immediately started to think of Iron Gods and the Technology Guide stuff.
Spoiler:
Restored Glory (Su): At 3rd level, objects in your possession with the broken condition function as if they did not have the broken condition, though if they reach 0 hit points they are destroyed as normal. At 9th level, destroyed objects (objects with 0 hit points) in your possession function and appear as if they had only the broken condition, though if they reach a number of negative hit points equal to your level, they become fully destroyed and don’t function at all, even in your possession. At 15th level, destroyed objects in your possession function and appear as if fully repaired, though they can become fully destroyed as described above. Destroyed objects must have physical pieces left to be affected by this ability. Objects that leave your possession are affected normally by these conditions. This ability does not affect artifacts.
This creates some questions regarding certain items:
1) Would this power allow an expended silverdisk to work as a battery once again?
2) Would a destroyed construct be considered an object in your possession? Because if it becomes broken, but otherwise functional, that means it can be repaired.
3) When used on a destroyed construct, will the constructs regain their memories up to the moment of their destruction (just like the Memory of Function spell) and have no particular inclination to serve the caster?
4) Does Time-worn technology lose the condition of being time-worn when destroyed so that we can by-pass the Technomancer PRC?
According to James Jacobs, in regards to removing the time-worn quality:
Quote:
A miracle or wish could do it, but otherwise, there's nothing in the game at this point that specifically removes timeworn from an item.
Since it doesn't specifically mention time-worn technology, I want to say that even after three years, six months and 2 days later I don't think we have anything "at this point" to remove that quality. But what do you guys think?
5) Would this ability restore the Numerian fluids to objects in your possession?
Lets see if we can't cobble together Cybrids using the Race Builder...That way we can make this a potentially playable race for Metagen units and Machinator infiltration units. I took the base form of a Contemplative of Ashok (Distant Worlds, pg.60) and made it a Half-Construct race by removing the body. Then I threw in some aspects from the Soulbound Doll and the Abalonnians, and combined it with an AI.
TOTAL: 10 RP
Racial Abilities and Features (3 Traits per Category)
Type: Half-Construct (7 RP)
Size: Small (0 RP)
Base Speed: Normal (0 RP)
Ability Score Modifiers: Flexible [+2 Int, +2 Wis] (2 RP)
Languages: Xenophobic (0 RP)
Skill Training (Craft[mechanical] & Knowledge[engineering]) (1 RP)
Static Bonus Feat (2 RP)
Senses Racial Traits
Sensory Deprivation (-2 RP)
Shortwave (2 RP)
Other Racial Traits
Power-Source Dependency (-2 RP): Cybrids gain their energy from arcane batteries, regular batteries and generators. Within range of a signal jammer they gain the sickened condition. They take 1d4 points of Constitution damage each day they go without usage of an electrical charge. A cybrid has a capacity of 200 and uses a charge a day to sustain itself. If necessary, a cybrid can drain the energy in its internal storage to power weaponry and other technological items that are part of its war-form.
Soul Core (Su): The AI soul bound to the cybrid lives within a core integrated into the brain. As long as this soul core remains intact, it can be used to animate another body, using the same cost as creating a new construct. Once bound into the soul core, the AI continues to learn. and so if later it is put into a new body, the AI retains its personality and memories from its previous body or bodies. A soul core has hardness 8, 12 hit points, and a break DC of 20.
Spoiler:
• Cybrids modify their initiative checks with their Intelligence modifier rather than their Dexterity modifier.
• Cybrids gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, and effects that cause either exhaustion or fatigue.
• Cybrids cannot be raised or resurrected.
• Cybrids do not breathe, eat, or sleep, unless they want to gain some beneficial effect from one of these activities. This means that a cybrid can drink potions to benefit from their effects and can sleep in order to regain spells, but neither of these activities is required to survive or stay in good health.
• Cybrids are trained to fight their human creators and gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC against such humanoids.
• Cybrids have problems processing emotions properly, and thus take a –4 penalty on Sense Motive checks.
• Cybrids gain Technologist as a bonus feat.
• Cybrids heal only half as much from healing effects (other than effects which work on constructs, such as fast healing and repair effects) and take only half damage from negative energy effects.
• Cybrids use their own saving throws only against attacks that target their minds — in most cases, this means it primarily uses its Will save.
• Cybrids are a xenophobic race and start off only speaking Androffan. They, however, also know a number of additional languages equal to their Intelligence modifier (one of which must be Common).
• Cybrids need access to robots, cameras, microphones, or other mechanical sensory tools in order to be able to notice things in the outside world.
• Cybrids can communicate with nearby Cybrids via invisible waves. This functions as telepathy 100 ft., but only with other Cybrids. In combat, if any allied Cybrids within range can act in a surprise round, all of them can.
Name: <Eats-Only-Heads>
Race: Cybrid AI
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Initiative: +3
Abilities: Int 14 (12 +2 Int), Wis 12 (10 +2 Wis), Cha 14
Fort Save: +0, Reflex Save +0, Will Save +3 (+2 Base +1 Wis)
Languages: Androffan, Common, Hallit
Skills (8; 6+2): Bluff +2 (+2 Cha), *Craft (mechanical) +6 (+3 class + 1 rank +2 Int), Diplomacy +2 (+2 Cha), Disable Device +3 (+1 rank +2 Int), Intimidate +2 (+2 Cha), *Knowledge (engineering) +6 (+3 class +1 rank +2 Int), Knowledge (geography) +3 (+1 rank +2 Int), *Knowledge (local) +6 (3 class +1 rank +2 Int), Linguistics +3 (+1 rank +2 Int), *Perception +5 (+3 class +1 rank +1 Wis), Sense Motive -2 (+1 rank +1 Wis - 4 Emotionless)
Feats: Gunsmithing (Level 1), Technologist (Static)
Level 1 Warform
Small Aggregate Cybrid AI poppet (robot)
CR: 1
Init: +4; Senses: Shortwave (100 ft.), darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
AC 22 (+2 armor +4 Dex +1 shield +1 size + 4 dodge), touch 19, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor +1 shield + 1 size)
hp 15 (1d10+10)
Immune: construct traits
Weaknesses: vulnerable to critical hits, vulnerable to cold, vulnerable to electricity
Speed: 20 ft.
Melee: slam +3 (1d3+1)
Ranged: Revolver (Nagant M1895) +1 [+1 BAB +4 Dex -4 Non-proficient] (1d8; range 80 ft.)
Special Attacks: Berserk
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 12
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 18, Con —, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 14
Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +3
Items: Reinforced Tunic (1 gp); Armored Kilt (20 gp); Masterwork Light Steel Shield (159 gp); Revolver (400 gp); Concussion Grenade (50 gp)
Total Cost to create: 15,425 gp [10,000 gp (Creating a Robot of CR 1); Ability Score Modification (+2 DEX; +5,000 gp); Nimble Poppet [+4 Dex](+200 gp)]; Fleet Poppet [+10 feet speed] (+125 gp); Sealed Poppet (+100 gp) [loses vulnerability to fire].
Construction Points: 5 [1 CP from Small Animated Object + 1 CP Flammable + 1 CP Brittle + 1 CP Slower (-10 ft. speed) + 1 CP Cloth (hardness 0)]
Additional Attack (Ex, 1 CP): Gains an additional slam attack.
Additional Attack (Ex, 1 CP): Gains an additional slam attack.
Ranged Attack (Ex, 2 CP): Replace one slam attack with a ranged attack.
Improved Attack (Ex, 1 CP): All the Animated Object’s ranged attacks do damage as though it were one size category larger.
Spoiler:
• Vulnerable to Critical Hits: Whenever a robot takes extra damage from a critical hit, it must make a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid being stunned for 1 round. If it makes a successful saving throw, it is staggered for 1 round. The robot remains immune to other sources of the stunned condition.
• Vulnerable to Electricity: Robots take 150% as much damage as normal from electricity attacks, unless they are immune to electricity via other special defenses.
• Vulnerable to Fire: Poppets take 150% as much damage as normal from fire attacks, unless they are immune to fire via other special defenses.
• When this robotic poppet enters combat, there is a cumulative 1% chance each round that its AI breaks free from Unity's control and the construct goes berserk. This chance resets to 0% after one minute of inactivity. A berserk construct attacks the nearest living creature or smashes some object smaller than itself if no creature is within reach. Once it goes berserk, no known method can reestablish control. Units that become broken, display unintelligent behavior, or show heretical thought are reprogrammed by Redactors to fix these problems or put down permanently by other Cybrids.
Note 1: A newly created robot has average hit points for its Hit Dice. (Pathfinder #90: The Divinity Drive, pg. 71)
Note 2: Abilities that weaken or potentially place a construct at a disadvantage rarely reduce the construct’s price. An exception is the berserk ability. Constructs that have a chance of going berserk receive –1 CR adjustment to their calculated price if control can be reestablished (like a flesh golem) or –2 CR adjustment for permanent loss of control (like a clay golem). [Ultimate Magic, pg. 113]
I doubt a grenade attack could also be added without further expenditures of Construction Points. But I think this robot is powerful enough as it is for a CR 1 creature.
The Core Directive has begun efficiently. We//the NEXT have successfully established ourselves on Third-World. Observation: Lifeflow is plentiful here. Primary logic stream. Your efficiency has been recorded.
Doll, Soulbound (Pathfinder #7: Edge of Anarchy, pg. 84)
Spoiler:
Soul Focus (Su) The soul bound to the doll lives within a focus integrated into the doll or its apparel, typically one of the doll’s eyes or a gem embedded into the neck or chest of the doll. As long as this soul focus remains intact, it can be built into another doll for the soul to animate, using the same cost as creating a new construct. Once bound into the soul focus, the soul continues to learn, and so if later put into a new doll body the soul retains its personality and memories from its previous body or bodies. Regardless of its construction, a soul focus has hardness 8, 12 hit points, and a break DC of 20.
Crafted from a fragment of a creature’s soul, these small dolls are animated with sentient will. For the most part, the binding process strips almost all of the individuality and personal conviction from the soul fragment, making a brand new soulbound doll a blank slate onto which the creator can ascribe what values he desires. Despite this process, however, fragments of the original creature’s will remains.
When a soul fragment is stripped from its soul, it retains just enough of its personality to influence the new personality born within the soulbound doll. As such, the creators of soulbound dolls are typically very careful to cull soul fragments from people who possess personality traits the crafters wishes to see in their dolls.
A soulbound doll’s body is made from whatever materials the creator wishes (common choices include wood, stone, and porcelain), as well as one exquisite item worth at least 2,000 gp to serve as the soul focus. This item is typically a single tiny gemstone, but it may also be a finely-crafted miniature dress or a Tiny masterwork weapon. Assembling the body requires a DC 20 Craft (sculpting) or Craft (dollmaking) check.
Creation also requires a soul fragment from a living or recently deceased creature (died within 1 hour of the start of the binding ritual). The binding process strips most of a soul fragment’s personal conviction and personality, but not necessarily all. If the source soul has a non-neutral component to its alignment, one of those components (selected randomly if the creature has two) influences the soulbound doll’s final alignment. If the soul used to infuse the doll is from that of a still-living creature, the creature can resist the procedure with a DC 20 Will save. If the saving throw is failed, the creature takes 1d4 points of Wisdom damage and 1 point of Charisma drain. Stripping a soul fragment from someone who is already dead does not deal damage or drain to the corpse, nor does it inflict any lasting damage on the soul itself, which is free to proceed on to the afterlife once the doll’s fragment is secured. The soul fragment retains no memories from its former life.
CL 9th; Craft Construct, lesser geas, levitate, light, mage hand, magic jar, open/close, prestidigitation, soul of a living creature; Price 10,000 gp; Cost 6,000 gp + 320 XP.
Yeah, it's 3.5 but it WAS published by Paizo. So, this allows us to create a metallic brain and just stick a soul gem to it and you effectively have a sentient, immortal brain that can be transplanted into a body.
Create Lantern Archon (D&D 3.5 Champions of Valor, pg.54)
Spoiler:
Conjuration (Creation) [Good, Light]
Level: Sanctified 3,
Components: V, S, DF, Sacrifice
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One lantern archon
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You sacrifice a small part of your own life force to create a new lantern archon in the service of your patron. The lantern archon is not under your control but is friendly to you. It willingly performs one nonhazardous task of your choice taking up to 1 hour without requiring any payment. Alternatively, you can request that it perform a hazardous or longer task, but in this case payment is required—see lesser planar ally, page 261 of the Player's Handbook, for details on tasks and payment. Upon completion of the task, the lantern archon is magically transported to your deity's home plane.
Sacrifice Component: 1d2 points of Constitution drain.
So, basically, we take any kind of sentient creature and create a Lantern Archon from its soul. We can always use Restoration on the creature later to give back the Constitution. According to D&D rules, for Outsiders their soul and body form one unit. So, we kill the Lantern Archon and use it as the "soul of a living creature" component for the Soul Focus gem.
At this point we either keep our blank slate or use a neurocam/psychic imprinter to put a new personality into the brain. Otherwise we put a PC character soul into the soul focus using Parasitic Soul or Major Mind Swap. Since Cybrids are at least partially neutral in alignment this works out. We then just have to embed it inside a robot or use a permanent Animate Object spell for the chassis.
Mission Successful! The Core Directive advances within acceptable parameters. <Your> efficiency is recorded//acknowledged//maintained. Remain with Nexus. Prepare to deploy for new phase of Core Directive. ACKNOWLEDGE//SUBMIT.
5) But, so far I think I like the Thoon Infiltrator from D&D 3.5 Monster Manual V (pp. 109-111) the best. It's effectively just a bundle of thin, metallic tentacles the size of a house cat which kills the host during infestation and then reassembles the body from the bottom up. Still can make the body eat, sleep and breathe if needed. The Spawn Thrall ability and the Eventual Comeback abilities were nice. Just need to turn it from a Monstrous Humanoid to a Construct.
The problem seems to be around putting a consciousness into a Construct body. Paizo has horribly nerfed the Polymorph Any Object spell. In fact, polymorph spells don't seem to allow you to actually change from one type of creature to another anymore. So, this creates the first problem. The other being actually replicating or creating a mind.
Now, Valley of the Brain Collectors (pg.62) says that creating a mind can only be done in one of two ways: 1) programming an A.I. from scratch (a discipline lost to the denizens of Divinity today, and one that was thus never available to the inhabitants of Golarion), or 2) transferring a living creature's mind via neurocam (Technology Guide, pg. 50, 36,000 gp). A Psychic Imprinter could also do it but it can also be used to overwrite and completely replace an existing personality in a body. Either way that's one way to put the mind into into blank clone in a clonepod or a Compact AI Core. Now, Unity (our Prometheus stand-in) created another AI called Hellion but in so doing that AI could also bestow divine powers. We don't want that. So, the only other ways I've been able to find to put a consciousness into a construct through a non-technology way would be a Parasitic Soul spell, or a Major Mind Swap psychic spell. Unfortunately, only an Impossible Bloodline sorcerer can use Enchantment spells on Constructs, and to replicate Major Mind Swap would require a Wish spell then.
Umbral stalkers' possessed bodies decay a lot slower, 1 Con drain/month. A body a year should be doable. They're insubstantial so could be used as AIs perhaps.
That's actually an Umbral Shepherd (Inner Sea Bestiary, p.53).
It's an interesting concept though, but you'd still have to get a Bone Ring (Magic Item Compendium p.75) [Immunity of up to 3 points of ability drain per day @ 20,000gp] or a bed of restoration (Stronghold Builder's Guide, p.71, 38,000 gp).
Hmmm, now that would be a bit interesting. The Cybrids would need a Maintenance Hub to which they need to return every so often. Doesn't have to be a bed either, it could just look like a Borg alcove, too. :)
The villains of the Earthsiege/Starsiege games seemed like a good idea to use for an Iron Gods spinoff campaign with Unity being a Prometheus stand-in. But what would be the best way to replicate this iconic, cybernetic race?
1) My first thought was an Intellect Devourer Effigy (D&D 3.5 Complete Arcane, pp.151-153) in conjunction with a Parasitic Soul spell. This should work when you read the Special Attacks section carefully:
An effigy loses all supernatural special attacks, spell-like abilities, and extraordinary special attacks for which a target’s saving throw is based on the effigy’s Constitution (since the creature no longer has a Con score).
Since the Body Thief ability is not based on the Intellect Devourer's Constitution score, and a coup de grace Fort save is based on the damage dealt, it should thus be able to serve as a metal brain. But the problem is that the body starts to decay to uselessness after 7 days. So, without a constant Gentle Repose spell magic item this wouldn't work.
This may even work for the Cybrid infiltration units that actually placed their brains into human forms, or the Dystopian Sno-Men human turncoats which became Cybrids. Either way it still might be a step up from the Android race of Pathfinder.
2) My other thought was to apply the same idea using the Tsochar from D&D 3.5 Lords of Madness (pp.122-123). But the inhabited body still loses up to 1d3 Constitution each day, which would require a Ring of Inner Fortitude.
3) Maybe a Brain in a Jar with an Animated Object chassis?
4) How about a Tear of Nuruu'gal (Lost Cities of Golarion, p.43)? The symbiosis ability is Extraordinary and the creature provides a ring of sustenance effect. However, the creature doesn't really take over the body.
Are there any other kind of bodysnatcher creatures which could perhaps be converted into robotic constructs and then perhaps turned into an Aggregate AI? How would you guys handle this?
ACKNOWLEDGE//SUBMIT! Send//transmit//download data to <Giver of Will> for decision\\directive.
