Conspicuous's page

Greetings!

I'm currently running Mummy's Mask--love it, by the way--and while prepping for Book 3's exploration section, I came up with a question or two. Before we kick things off, please don't get tied in a knot about the 'empty hex' thing. The rules say there's no such thing, but I'm working with the provided hex map in the AP.

1) The Exploration rules in the PRD and SRD, there's a little discussion on exploration DCs and Discovery points. However, I don't see anything about the exploration DC for a tile with no specific CR/hazard. Is the GM supposed to assign an arbitrary CR to each unplanned ('empty') hex.

As of right now, I'm only seeing CRs for hexes with predefined events. What's the DC for the other ones?

2) On a related note, how many discovery points does it take for a hex containing no pre-planned events?

Likely an old question, as the subject line asks. The text says you can cast to escape. Does that include Remove Fear?

I was poking around the vast selection of Summoner archetypes looking for something to go along with my ghost-based Synthesist concept, when I noticed Shadow Caller. In my head, it makes so much sense, though they obviously both make changes to the Eidolon class feature. How much of a stretch would it be to fudge those together, if the Eidolon is suppose to look like a wraith?

Simple, quick question that I cannot find specific clarification for: can one take both Vivisectionist and Mindchemist as archetypes for an Alchemist?

Each archetype lists a few things that make additions to what can be chosen instead of Discoveries, and the changes are mutually exclusive. Can someone take both archetypes and "reap the benefits" of the twice-expanded Discovery list?

Along the same vein, I have an NPC that exemplifies the typical characteristics of both archetypes. While I could just wave the magical "DM" flag and make it so, I'd much rather get the community's answer as a whole to avoid 'cheating the system'.

I guess that wasn't quick, but I'm long-winded by nature. Please excuse me.

Devilbound Creature is easily the most uneven and confused templates in Pathfinder. Compare an Imp (CR+1) to a Pit Fiend (CR+1). Polymorph (self only) vs Quickened Fireball.

With that being said, how can we fix this problem? Racking/stacking spell-like abilities seems like the way to go, though it's difficult with the spell levels being so varied. Should it really be Natural Armor +4 and fire resist 30 regardless of Devil?

Can this be compared to Fey Creature, or (hopefully not) Half-Fiend?

And lastly, is there a way to make this PC-useable?

I've been running a party through Way of the Wicked for a couple months now, and we're closing in on the end of Book 3, and I'm seeing issues left and right.

In the first book, my players were getting spanked by everything, though in book two and especially book 3, nothing is challenging. The reason is clear: three of them have leadership. I know they acknowledge the issue with multiple cohorts in book 2 and I've accounted for that in fights, but seemingly to no avail. By finishing Artephius, they have an infinite-shot catapult with touch attacks that follows them into (nearly) every combat. Has anyone else seen these issues?

During the assault on the Vale, my party was roaming around with the four, three cohorts, Artephius, and three Nessian Warhounds from the Contract Devil (each of which can do fireball damage every 1d4 rounds). Did anyone else watch the Warhounds smother absolutely everything they faced in seconds? ((Book 2: the party had used their last 'request' of Vetra Kali to be eternal servitude (the players are wicked indeed)! Ironically, they forgot to call on him during this whole book. All the same, can you imagine?))

When it came to the Phoenix (which they put off until the last possible minute), they buffed like mad (fire resist 30 on everyone but Artephius), moved in with the half-fiend-Vital-Striking Grumblejack + Four-Armed Elephant-sized Eidolon, and smoked it in two turns. Desecrate was easy to manage (half-fiends). They drained its blood for Blood Transcription, stuffed the ashes into a Bag of Holding IV, plane-shifted to Hell, dumped it out and left! They got the egg, and I RPed an example NPC that traded undead grafts (with some adjustments for balance/fairness) and magical items. What did folks do about the egg? They say it's worth at least 250,000gp (I gave 200k worth, which was split evenly among four). Should the egg just not be worth as much as the Adventure Path book says it is?

In the Cathedral of Mitra Made Manifest, the first floor was very tedious. Every room, the party loots, and gets assaulted by three ghost paladins, and there are 10+ such rooms. Did you play out each fight, or skip a lot of the encounters altogether?

When encountering the Lord-Abbot downstairs, the party killed him in two player actions (vital strike + poison spit (which only did 15)). The guy has a Constitution of 10; how is he suppose to be challenging? Did anyone else's party just walk through him?

((As a side-comment, the editing of this book was sorely lacking and in some cases confusing. "The two e's in the word servant" still boggles my mind.))

For the most part, I want to see what others' experience with Book 3 of Way of the Wicked has been like, and if its anything like the group I'm running for.

I'm sure this has been implemented/commented by many people in the past and present. All the same I wanted to mention a house rule I have been using for years, taking a paragraph from D&D 4.0 (even a broken clock is right twice a day):

* Strength OR Constitution for Fortitude saves (idea: physical conditioning
* Dexterity OR Intelligence for Reflex saves (idea: right place at right time)
* Wisdom OR Charisma for Will saves (idea: force of presence/personality/will)

If it's new to you or old news, it'd be good to know what you think!

If I were to play an Ifrit sorcerer of the Elemental (Fire) bloodline, would the favored class bonus allow me early access to, say, Elemental Blast? I can see how it adds to class level (for damage at least), but does that allow me to get it at character level 6 instead of 9?

Along the same lines, does it allow me the 2nd and 3rd uses per day at lower levels (13 and 16, respectively)?

I want my future paladin to be the iconic sword/board tank (full of cliché, but extremely fun personality to role-play) for Pathfinder Society. So far, here’s what I have:

Human (no racial adjustment)
Paladin (with the Warrior of Holy Light and Divine Defender archetypes)

Str: 14
Dex: 10
Con: 17 (+2 racial)
Int: 13
Wis: 10
Cha: 14

1: Toughness
H: Combat Expertise

Longsword, heavy wood shield, scale mail

Class: After a little research on other threads, I noticed some suggesting Cavalier (+ archetypes). In knowing that mounts in PFS are *relatively useless, I was stuck between Honor Guard and Standard Bearer, and between Order of the Dragon and Order of the Shield. The Bodyguard + In Harm’s Way tree becomes seemingly effective with Honor Guard, but I imagine that turning into “I spend every turn aiding another” (which sounds rather dull). Is a 3-level dip into Cavalier even worth it?

Feats: I was considering some of the Shield Focus-based line (even knowing I’ll never hit Shield Spec). Suggestions?

Thanks in advance

* = aiming to avoid arguments, please

I've been working to complete a hammer-throwing paladin of single-smiting justice. The thought of smashing someone in the face with a hammer (in-game) and sending them across the room delights me to no end, but mechanically there are some issues.

My primary concern is the Power Attack requirement for Pushing Assault. Power Attack only works with melee weapons, but there IS a ranged equivalent: Deadly Aim. These feats have identical effect, with the only exception being Dex instead of Str and affecting ranged weapons instead of melee weapons.

What do folks think of allowing Deadly Aim be a possible alternate requirement for Pushing Assault? (assuming the character meets the requirements of both)

I know RAW says no, but the concept is quite logical. Besides, combining this with Charging Hurler and Radiant Charge makes an incredible one-shot cannon (not overly useful, but awesome and full of character flavor)!

Polymorph Any Object

Aging Effects (scroll 1/3 of the way down)

Situation:
Half Orc Bob is an 18th level wizard. He's 31 years old (middle age), and he has low self esteem about people picking on his gross green skin. He decides to polymorph himself into an Elf--everyone likes Elves, right? Using Polymorph Any Object, he turns himself permanently into an Elf. (An Increase Duration Factor of 13 (see spell))

Related questions:
1: Is Bob now a middle-aged Elf?
2: Can Bob choose to Polymorph into a younger/older Elf as part of the spell?
3: Will Bob live to be 354+ years old?
4: Random: If Bob dies (Sarenrae forbid), will his corpse be that of a Half Orc?

Clearly, Bob is not the equivalent of a 31-year-old Elf (unless the GM in question is childish)

Surely this is an age-old argument, but it'd be wonderful to hear the community's theories.

I apologize in advance; the following may not make sense to the structured mind (chaos FTW)

So here's the situation: Mr. Rogue Sniper is a jerk. Or maybe a businessman who's seeing to some 'business. Either scenario, he's about to make someone have a sucky day.

Scout + Sniper Archtypes (they don't overlap, far as I can tell)
(( Brief synopsis from these two: Opponent treated as flatfooted if you move 10 feet first, and Longer range on Sneak attacks. ))

Let's just say lvl 20 for simplicity (I assure you it makes sense that way). Mr. Rogue Sniper wants to get his Sneak Attack on with someone from a range--we'll say 60ft. With Sniper, he can make it happen easily. He's picky about weapons, and only uses with Crossbows--bows are for wimps and Elves, after all.

This dude's rocking the following feats/rogue talents (and their prereqs as obvious):

Feats:
Rapid Reload (particularly for the lt crossbow)
Parting Shot
Vital Strike
Bullseye Shot (just because)

Rogue Talents:
Fast Getaway
Crippling Strike (turns out he IS a jerk)
Stealthy Sniper (-10 instead of -20)

What I'm looking for is legitimacy + other options here. I'm not looking for broken--if I was, I wouldn't choose a ranged rogue with a crossbow!--just effective enough to be more than a waste of flesh and graphite.

FIRST QUESTION:
I fire at said dude (using Vital Strike). Does this action signify a Surprise round, or simply "my turns first, suck the damage"?
(( SRD on Surprise rules ))
The wording that catches me is the following:

"If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin"

This seems (to me) to imply that at least one of the enemies has to know the good guys are coming, which seems stupid to me. Clarification from the community here would smooth things over dramatically.

* Assuming this IS a surprise round, am I screwed for hiding because I don't have the move action? I'd essentially need to make first initiative if that were the case.

* Assuming this is NOT a surprise round and I get the rest of the actions, we move onto exhibit 2:
I hit em with Vital Strike (standard, sneak attack or not), and get a free withdrawl. During that withdrawl, after 10 ft I get another attack from Parting Shot. The Parting Shot is made a sneak attack by Scout.

SECOND QUESTION:
Am I insane, or does this actually work? Can one make a coward ranged rogue into an effective combatant (once per encounter)?

THIRD QUESTION (multi-part, because I'm also a jerk):
All of that aside, I've seen a lot of people suggest Shot on the Run for ranged rogues. Is Shot on the Run truly necessary? It seems all you need to do for maximizing the Scout Archtype is to move first (up to 30ft or so), then choose to shoot (ideally with manyshot, but that's another issue). Does hiding and/or sniping ever really come up if that's the strategy?

FOURTH QUESTION:
With so many feats already necessary for making a ranged rogue "work" (there never seems to be a clear-cut-"Do This" layout), does a cool-LOOKING feat like Bullseye Shot ever actually end up being useful? Obviously it wouldn't with Scout, but what if you went the Burglar or Poisoner route? That's an attractive bonus to attack, but when they're flat-footed, is said bonus necessary?

If you've made it this far, I applaud your patience. If you have answers for these passing questions from a wayward soul, I'd giggle like a leprechaun.