Covert Operator's page

Here's my document on feint. The main reasons to use feint are sneak attack, and Blistering Feint with a battle poi or flame blade.

Taja the Barbarian, I only care about the confusion effect from swallow your fear, not the mini-rage effect. The mini-rage only lasts 10 minutes, while the confusion lasts as long as the frightened effect does. BTW, how did you preserve formatting when copying everything into a quote box? That seems like a lot of work!

Thank you for citing the Combining Magical Effects chapter, I hadn't read it before. It seems like this doesn't apply, because it's not two instances of the same spell, and also:

Rageshaper's Devastating Form applies before the confusion roll.

he flies into an uncontrollable frenzy as if affected by confusion, but he treats a roll of 26–50 as “attacks nearest creature.”

While the other effect modifies the result after the roll.

If the subject is frightened, he remains in place and gains the confused condition for the remainder of the fear effect, except he treats all results of “attack self ” as “do nothing” and treats “attack nearest creature” as “act normally.”

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"Name Violation", thanks for suggesting the Iron Control trait. It doesn't help this build, but it did help a previous version that wasn't using swallow your fear.

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Also, the question has been solved by ciopio on the Giant in the Playground Forums: have the phobia spell cast once, then trigger your phobia to panic, then use Headband of Unshakeable Resolve to reduce the panic to frightened.

Hello, is there any way to make yourself frightened for a long duration?

I'm not allowed to put links in my first post, sorry.

I have a strange build that uses swallow your fear.

If the subject is frightened, he remains in place and gains the confused condition for the remainder of the fear effect, except he treats all results of “attack self ” as “do nothing” and treats “attack nearest creature” as “act normally.”

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Since this build is already confused, this confusion effect is a buff. However I need to remain frightened in order to keep the buff. My current approach is to have two fear effects which each shake, so they combine together to frighten.

Fear effects are cumulative. A shaken character who is made shaken again becomes frightened

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However, if I get a single effect that frightens, then I can cure the shaken while keeping the frightened, and then I don't suffer from the -2 penalty.

Characters who are frightened are shaken, and in addition they flee from the source of their fear as quickly as they can.

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Here is the investigation I've already done

If a character have two effects that force them to act a certain way, then how do they actually act?

"A frightened creature flees from the source of its fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may fight."

"Roll on the following table at the beginning of each confused subject's turn each round to see what the subject does in that round. A confused creature who can't carry out the indicated action does nothing but babble incoherently."

You can read the text of conditions here. There are many other effects that compel action in similar ways.

Thanks, good point on the armor nonproficiency penalty also applying to skills. Here's the build explanation!

Thanks! That's convenient for my Spear Fighter build; I'll be accumulating a massive penalty on attack rolls.

Which modifiers would apply to skill checks rolled when attempting combat maneuvers?

Flanking
High Ground
Improved [maneuver] feat
Weapon Focus feat
Heroism
nonproficiency with armor (penalty)
Dazzled
A penalty on attack rolls from any unique ability.

Dance of Disorienting Shadows: A rogue with this talent can attempt a Perform (dance) check in place of a combat maneuver check when attempting a reposition combat maneuver.

Weapon Snatcher: A rogue with this talent can make a Sleight of Hand check in place of a combat maneuver check when attempting to disarm an opponent.

I am writing a build guide for the Elemental Commixture teamwork feat.

I am looking into having a Valet Familiar cast the secondary spell. I know this would work with the metamagic Familiar Spell but this is not worth doing. Instead I want to have the familiar cast the secondary spell from a wand or scroll. I'm not sure whether that would be allowed for Elemental Commixture.

When I cast from a wand or a scroll, am I casting the spell or is the item casting the spell?

You and an ally within 30 feet who shares this feat can cast your spells together to create a more powerful, hybrid effect. ... When the spells to be commixed are cast, one is designated as the primary spell (typically the higherlevel spell), while the other is the secondary spell. The primary spell must be an offensive spell that targets an area or one or more creatures. The secondary spell can be any spell with an appropriate descriptor. Neither spell can take more than a standard action to cast.

Spell Completion: This is the activation method for scrolls. A scroll is a spell that is mostly finished. The preparation is done for the caster, so no preparation time is needed beforehand as with normal spellcasting. All that’s left to do is perform the finishing parts of the spellcasting (the final gestures, words, and so on). To use a spell completion item safely, a character must be of high enough level in the right class to cast the spell already. If he can’t already cast the spell, there’s a chance he’ll make a mistake. Activating a spell completion item is a standard action (or the spell’s casting time, whichever is longer) and provokes attacks of opportunity exactly as casting a spell does.

Spell Trigger: Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it’s even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken. Spell trigger items can be used by anyone whose class can cast the corresponding spell. This is the case even for a character who can’t actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin. The user must still determine what spell is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Wands use the spell trigger activation method.

I suppose if you're wielding a lantern staff normally, then you are holding it in one hand. You're also holding it in the other hand :P

Ryze Kuja, you understand correctly.

There is the question of whether a lantern staff can be combined with magic lanterns, which the David is saying no. I did it for a level 20 one shot that was permissive for thematic grandeur, but that doesn't mean it was fully legal.

Then there is the question, if the answer to that first question is yes, of whether holding a Lantern of Hidden Light on a lantern staff, counts as holding the lantern in one hand. I assumed it was yes because it is implied that they meant 'at least one.'
But you're saying that isn't necessarily correct? I could always use a small sized lantern staff and hold that in one hand, which would be lame but manageable.

This long metal staff has reservoirs for lamp oil, and a lantern-like structure at its head. The lantern staff is fueled as and provides light as a hooded lantern. While lit, attacks with the lantern staff deal 1 point of fire damage in addition to the normal damage. Any effects that apply to a quarterstaff, except those that require it be used as a double weapon, also apply to a lantern staff.

A lantern of hidden light can be an invaluable tool for one who wishes to see in darkened areas without being revealed to those accustomed to the darkness. This magical lantern can be activated with a touch to one of its crystal panes, and functions as a hooded lantern, save that this light (and what it illuminates) is visible only to the character who holds the lantern in one hand. To other observers, the lantern always appears unlit, and does not appear to be shedding any light at all.

I was originally going to just cast dancing lantern on it, but that doesn't count as held, unfortunately.

You can animate a lantern and order it to follow you. The lantern floats at shoulder height and remains within 5 feet of you, no matter how fast you move. The lantern cannot support any additional weight. The lantern illuminates its normal area, even if it does not have any oil in it. For the purposes of spells or effects targeting it the lantern always acts as if in your possession even when not directly on your person.

It's really good for other magic lanterns though, especially the Ghostlight Lantern (no-save faerie fire).

Thanks for that Melkiador, I didn't know.

I initally agreed, because the VMC ability doesn't say you gain the bloodline, but it turns out the original class also doesn't say you gain the bloodline.

The VMC ability is named "Bloodline" and is a semantically identical sentence.

RAW, you don't gain the bloodline. You select one to get some of the bloodline powers and (at most) one of the bloodline feats.

I think VMC sorcerer does gain the bloodline.

A sorcerer must pick one bloodline upon taking her first level of sorcerer.

At 1st level, she must select a sorcerer bloodline.

zza ni, do you think it's reasonable to gain a familiar that doesn't have the extra ability? That would be totally fine.

Also, can the Blood Arcanist take Bloodline Familiars?

Bloodline Familiar just says you have to have a bloodline to take a familiar, but it is kind of an archetype, and neither Blood Arcanist nor VMC Sorcerer get bonus spells.

Hello!
I'm intending to VMC Aberrant Sorcerer but want to replace the 1st level bloodline power with a familiar.

Bloodline: At 1st level, she must select a sorcerer bloodline. She treats her character level as her effective sorcerer level for all bloodline powers.

Bloodline Power: At 3rd level, she gains her bloodline’s 1st-level bloodline power.

At 1st level, a sorcerer, bloodrager, or any other character with one of the following bloodlines can choose to gain a bloodline familiar. The character gains a familiar (as a wizard’s familiar), treating her class level as her wizard level for the purposes of this ability. This familiar has an additional ability listed below based on the master’s bloodline.

This replaces the 1st-level bloodline power granted by the character’s bloodline; in addition, the character gains bonus spells from her bloodline one level later than she normally would. For example, a sorcerer with the aberrant bloodline who takes a bloodline familiar would not gain the acidic ray bloodline power, and she would gain her first bonus spell at 4th level, her second bonus spell at 6th level, and so on.

Another ability like what I'm looking for is the order of the eclipse

At 2nd level, whenever the samurai is on his mount, both he and his mount share any of the following senses if either of them possesses it: darkvision, low-light vision, scent, and see in darkness. This applies regardless of the source of the sense (including senses gained from spells or magic items), but only while the samurai is mounted. If the samurai and mount both have a sense but one has an improved version (such as a samurai with darkvision with a range of 60 feet riding a mount that has darkvision with a range of 90 feet), both receive the improved version of the sense.

But I'd like to share with allies.

If I am blind, but allies are not, is there a good way for them to share what they can see?

Alternatively, I can see, but there are invisible opponents, and my ally has scent, blindsense, or blindsight.

I was looking at the teamwork feats, and One Mind seems to work.

If could find a Share Senses ability, like the eidolon special, that would be better.

You have linked this thedicedecide Occultist guide, and the domain has lapsed. Now it goes to an ad/scam domain squatter.

Based on your post, I feel like I do need to finish the guide just to clear up the misconception that having more than one animal companion some how inherently breaks the rules. Also, that it's possible to use those archetypes without having your animal companions be terrible.

I was talking about multiple companions outside of those archetypes - in my example, I had a Cavalier mount, a VMC Druid companion, an Inquisitor companion, and a Hunter companion (from an Inquisitor archetype).

UnArcaneElection: I can't edit the first post. The PDF link is in Post #4 in big text. Hopefully that suffices.

Good suggestions everyone!

LordKailas:
People tend to shout me down whenever I suggest having multiple familiars or multiple animal companions. It's definitely not intended by the developers, and RAW is unclear.

But you might like to check out my work if you're looking into multiple companions. Download the file if you're having trouble reading it on the web.

Many Animal Companions

Multiple Familiars that are competent at fighting using the Eldritch Guardian ability (dubious legality)

Six Familiars

Strengh have more profit then Dexterity, but with low Dex and with light armor i will have low AC

You could easily do heavy armour and low dex, then take the Artful Dodge feat if you need to meet a dex prerequisite. Here's my doc on the subject. A lot of the links are broken, just replace archivesofnethys.com with aonprd.com

You can use the Student of War prestige class to get INT to AC (replacing DEX), at 7th level.

@Nosta1300

There are a couple of races that fit the 'cold blooded' requirement, but it's just like any other racial content really.

Easily Readable PDF version!

hint: click |→ 'close sidebar' in the top right and then zoom in. Or just download the PDF.

Hopefully the link stays valid if I make any updates. if Dropbox gives you trouble, I'll host it somewhere else.

Good pointers. I'll update with a better format. PDF won't look too good, but I could try it. I didn't realize RTF was rare, haha.

I put the multiclassing stuff in the Builds That Could Easily Benefit section. I haven't put much thought into that part, but there are other Mounted Comat guides that do it better anyway.

I did this with the Double Crossbow and it was OK. I used a specific oracle curse that gives you a free Move Action (to reload) to go along with your readied action.

Demi-Lancer: a guide to dipping cavalier for the Horse Master feat.

Made by me.

If it's presented in a bad way that's easy to improve, let me know. I'll make it better.

Stone Magic is a great feat, but restricted to the stone giant elder (age 700 years or older).

Shabti (13 RP) are immortal and have the Facsimile alternate racial trait, which allows them to count as Human.
You can be a 700+ year old Facsimile Shabti, take Racial Heritage (Stone Giant), and then Stone Magic at level 3.

Is there any way to get it at level 1?

If anyone comes upon this thread months later, the answer will lie in this text file.

I'm not sure if this is what you're really going for, but the Double Crossbow can be usable with Ranger past 6th level, and really good past 11th level.

Anyway, you need Point Blank to take Crossbow Mastery (or get Ranger Combat Style).

I really like the Spell-Scars arcana combined with the Transfer Tattoo spell.

I created a skill monkey for PFS that used INT for a lot of things, including eloquent communication. I went into Kirin Style though it turned out to be a bad idea.

I roll d20+d6+17 for all Linguistics checks at level 2, and the Orator feat lets me roll Linguistics instead of the three social skills, for their social uses (not for Demoralize or Feint).

If you have access to the Unchained Fighter Feats (Combat Stamina), you can skip out on one of the swift actions in set-up, so the first round would be entering the style and then every round after would have +INT damage. If you take a second Style feat and Combat Style Master, you can skip out on the other round of setup (which means you can start dealing +INT damage immediately. You would preferably take a second style that doesn't need to be active at the same time as Kirin Style, so you don't need a MoMs dip. Unarmed Fighter can give you a style feat bonus feat, if you need it.

If you want to take an archetype that removes Flurry of Blows, and still have Flurry of Blows, you can take the Student of Perfection prestige class to get the ability back.

This makes consumable use a little more intuitive, and gives a good reason to not drop Strength, even if you find the carrying capacity rules unfun or boring.

Here's the system on reddit.. What do you think?

I get it. Thanks for your help, everyone!

It would provoke AoO? That's disappointing, why?

Normally feinting is bad, but I've been working on a couple builds that use Feint to deny the enemy's action economy and deal a lotta damage. I linked the feint document, it's got a couple builds where I try to maximize certain benefits.

We could morph the thread into discussing those builds, but I first have a second question:
can the Seduction inquisition be activated any time I feint (as a move, swift, or ability-triggered action), or only when I use a standard action?

Also, a correction: Greater Feint lasts until the beginning of my next turn.

With Greater feint, the duration of the denied-dex effect lasts until the end of your next turn. Is there any way to improve that?

You don't need to read the rest of the post unless it's interesting to you.

I'm thinking about a build which uses the Seduction Inquisition (quite overpowered)

Disarming Flirtation (Sp): You can attempt a Charisma check to entice a target that could be sexually attracted to you into letting you speak for up to 1 minute when it would otherwise be unwilling to consider your words. The DC of this Charisma check is equal to 10 + the target’s Wisdom modifier. If successfully used in combat, this ability instead functions as a successful feint and the target cannot take any actions that would attack you as long as it is denied its Dexterity bonus against you.

And combines that with movement-preventing (Stand Still and similar) to be a CC martial.

I'm compiling Feint abilities in this document

Thanks for the ideas! Color Spray at higher levels is surprisingly good when combined with Deja Vu.

I'm playing a Puppetmaster Magus. They have a special ability to cast one spell, and then if their opponent fails the save against that spell, charmstrike a first-level enchantment spell on top.

I've been trying this with spells that reduce saving throws, but I came up with a better combo:

Force the opponent's next action to be dumb, and then charmstrike Deja Vu.

Currently the only spell I have used for that is Beguiling Gift, which I used pretty well by passing my opponent two 'potion vials' that contain alchemist's fire.

Unnatural Lust could be good as well.

Any other good spells for this?

You can fix a lot of problems with this build by using Brawler and Barbarian dips instead of Rogue.

But as always, no matter what you do, a Druid wild shaped into a Giant Octopus is always better than every other grappler, without even trying.

And here's what happens when you do try

Ha ha, I just remembered spell focus is not the same as Varisian Tattoo. It is thoroughly useless.
That means unless I do something weird like Magus 7 / Heritor Knight 6, the Spell Focus → Spexialization is thoroughly useless. I should just focus on other +CL options.

Elves can get Spell Focus for free as well, which qualifies for Spell Specialization.
Illustrious Urbanite trades away keen Senses (+2 Per)
Overwhelming Magic trades away elven magic and weapon familiarity.

Half-Elf is probably better though, because you can use the Skill Focus to qualify for Heritor Knight (you need Skill Focus by level 5, you only need Spell Specialization at level 11) and the Spell Focus will stack with the racial bonus.

The 1/day Greater Make Whole is enough, because you'll use it on the big things. But the regular Make Whole will also be used for less important things (although maybe you can rely on the party caster).

Heres' the full list of what I found for traits

Transmuter of Korada gives all transmutation spells +1 CL, and 1/day Extends one type of "+4 to a stat" spell.
Gifted Adept, Inspired by Greatness, and Secret of the Impossible Kingdom grant +1 CL for one specific spell.
Outlander gives +1 CL to three spells (all arcane, or all divine), and a knowledge skill bonus
Shaper of Reality grants +1 CL to any conjuration or transmutation spell, once per day.

As for increasing caster level, the Transmuter of Korada is the best trait for increasing CL in our case.

Spell Specialization has some steep requirements, but maybe we can dip a class to get a Spell Focus bonus feat. Wizard would be a good 1-lvl dip, because it grants access to Knowledge is Power (arcane discovery) and the PFS rule allows wizards to take Spell Focus as a bonus feat instead of Scribe Scroll.

The orange ioun stone is really expensive, but you can just pressure the party caster to buy it and borrow it from him whenever you need it. With a way finder, you can get up to +4 CL with a couple tries.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
Seems like the Heritor Knight option is the best, because you can restore items of a very high caster level.

Paladins could get both spells with the Unsanctioned Knowledge feat (adds four bard/cleric/inquisitor spells to your list, one from each level 1234)

I was thinking about a Sunder build, and I wanted to have a way to restore magic items.

I was thinking of taking the traits and feats that increase the caster level of a single spell, and just casting that spell specifically.

There's a couple of fitting Cavalier orders.

Order of the Beast (from ACG) gives Wild Empathy
Order of the Green gives Favoured Terrain

You could grant the cavalier order for free, or you could have him take his next four levels in Cavalier (Hooded Knight) and then take the Horse Master feat.

See my reference document on Cavalier dip for Horse Master

Welcome, welcome, to the expedited cavalier training school!

You all came here because you want to ride an animal, but don't have time to devote all your experience into it.

This school will teach you how to train a mount alongside you for your entire career, with only four character levels and one feat!

The gates are open...

I wanted to use the Crystal Chakram not a normal Chakram.

Essentially I want to get an Endless Ammunition projectile weapon that generates Crystal Chakrams for me.

We have the Amentum, which uses spear-type ammunition, but we don't have the same for disk-type ammunition.