CryntheCrow's page

Prerequisite: Cha 13, werebat-kin.

Benefit: You can take the form of a bat whose appearance is static and cannot be changed each time you assume this form. You gain a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks to appear as a bat. Changing from werebat-kin to bat shape is a standard action. This ability otherwise functions as beast shape II, and your ability scores change accordingly.

If you wear a bat pelt, you may choose to adopt a form resembling the bat whose skin you wear instead of your normal bat form.

So, heres the problem. I supposedly assume the form of a bat, which is a Diminutive animal, but Beast Shape II only allows me access to Tiny animals. RAW, what stats should I be receiving?

Core or Unchained, does anyone know of a way to get Sense Vitals on a class with full sneak attack progression?

Hey there guys. So, anyone who plays this game knows that the fighter is the absolute master of picking one niche thing and doing it better than anyone. I was wondering if he could maybe be effective in a support role as well. Here's my idea, and I'm looking for some help to expand.

A full defense-buffing master of the tower shield. No attacking, pure support, but VERY defensive in your own right. We'll need strength 18 to handle a tower shield with full plate as a light load while leaving room for a weapon, while 14 con and dex will round out our defense a bit. Here's the thing. Magic armor enchantment is cheap. Literally half the cost of a weapon. So upgrading your armor and tower shield together costs as much as upgrading a weapon, which we likely won't be doing.

Here's how the character functions. While using total defense at level 4 with full plate, a tower shield, shield focus and 14 dex as a fighter, we get a cumulative 32 AC. So we're basically untouchable against regular attacks, and investing in the mobile bulwark feats? Pretty good against touch attacks. But we're using total defense, so how do we stop the enemies from simply wrecking our party members? Well, with the helpful trait and bodyguard, we can increase anyone's ac by 3 against a single attack. Heres the cool thing though: That cheap, high enhancement bonus we'll be buying on out armor? For 2000 extra, not counting towards our total enhancement bonus, we can add Benevolent, which lets us add our enhancement bonus to our armor on aid another checks. This lets use raise our bodyguard to a potential +8 ac on bodyguard checks. A bonus, I'll point out, that will only cost 28,500 for +5 Benevolent Full Plate.

Further, at level 6, we get Covering Defense. What's covering defense do? When you total defense, you get to add your FULL shield bonus, INCLUDING enhancement bonus to an ally's AC. So, assuming a +1 tower shield at level 6, we can add +6 to an ally's ac just standing next to them. Thats a 30% reduction in hit that STACKS with whatever we can offer from bodyguard. Your barbarian is going to love you.

In short? Fairly easily, a fighter can transfer his FULL shield bonus and the enhancement bonus on his armor to an ally of his choice.

1- Combat Reflexes
1b- Bodyguard
1Human- Shield Focus
2- Missile Shield
3- Mobile Bulwark Style
4- Mobile Fortress
5- Covering Shield
6- Covering Defense
7- Mobile Stronghold
8- Greater Shield Focus

I'm considering dropping feats like missile shield and maybe some style feats to pick up Nature Soul, Animal Ally and Boon Companion. Since we have a free hand when we don't wield a weapon, we can also pick up Flagbearer, and at higher levels can invest some of our plentiful leftover gold for a Banner of Ancient Kings to double its effect.

Any criticisms and alternate build ideas would be greatly appreciated. Still refining everything.

If you've seen my unhappy ass trolling the forums now and then, you may have noticed me occasionally bringing up my unbridled contempt for what I consider the worst class to ever slink its was into an official book. I am talking, of course, about the Unchained Barbarian.

I love the Unchained Monk, and its one of my favorite classes. I think the core rogue is a lot more customizable, but generally less focused than the Unchained rogue, and I enjoy it. The unchained summoner was necessary, and while I think the nerfs might have been a bit overboard, as someone who loves pet classes, its nice to have an incarnation of the summoner that will actually be welcome at tables, and won't earn me eyerolls from my fellow players. But the unchained barbarian... its the sort of thing you look at and say 'I can't believe I paid for this.' Its downright AMATEURISH. Its the trash feats you're never going to use and gloss over after reading once, expanded into an entire class. I'm not just talking from a power perspective, either (though it absolutely fails in that regard). I'm talking flavor. The designer of this class clearly doesn't even understand the general THEME of the barbarian.

When you think barbarian, what words come to mind? Power? Unbridled? Rage, obviously. Primal? Savage? Strong, almost universally. Maybe for one character, its a righteous fury that quells evil, Beowulf style? The core barbarian has you covered to express almost any basic concept you can conceive. And they're POWERFUL options as well. Want your barbarian to throw self-preservation to the wind and sacrifice his body to see his enemies culled? Reckless Abandon. Herculean acts of power, shattering the chains that bind him or grappling giants? Strength Surge. While not every rage power the Core Barbarian has access to is great, it does possess almost all the tools you need to realize your concept. The unchained barbarian takes away so many powerful options and replaces them with substandard substitutes, its not even funny.

I can't say for sure now, given the expanded options of the fighter, but for the majority of this game's life, the Core Barbarian has been the bar by which other martials are judged. Its powerful, flavorful, and fun. Honestly, for all the talk of caster-martial disparity, if I'm playing a barbarian, I always feel like the strongest member of the party. I'm the huge, damage-dealing, high-save juggernaut that leads the charge, breaks down the castle wall and shatters the lich upon the massive slab of iron he calls a greatsword.

The unchained barbarian, however, is just a mess. No, I'm serious, its genuinely terrible. Set aside the supposed problem of dying when your rage stops (which I never had a problem with, fighting through mortal wounds and succumbing to them after your rage subsides is VERY thematic), this so-called barbarian simply doesn't have the options a chained one does. Seriously, what unique powers did this version of the barbarian add that better realizes the concept of an unstoppable force contained in a human form, an unbridled beast contained in the guise of a man? Nothing? Oh, okay, well what did it take away? Most of the most iconic and powerful rage powers of the class? Interesting.

The unchained barbarian is a glorified (but substandard) fighter. And you want to know what makes this the most obvious? The abomination that is stance powers. Glorified style feats that cost a move action (and don't reduce this with levels, for reasons I can only assume were the designers intentionally trying to piss me off), someone working under the name of paizo thought to themselves: "Whats the best way to encapsulate pure fury towards an opponent? Ah, I know, what about a series of mutually exclusive powers that can't be combined, shoehorning barbarians into a series of numbers they want to focus on? I mean, what embodies rage more than spending the first round of combat assuming a battle stance and maybe getting into range or swinging a weapon once? Man, I bet this'll scale really well into high levels. A move action tax on a martial class, the most dependent section of classes on the action economy? People are going to LOVE this." I mean, the idea of a rage power that lets you gather your strength for a single burst of power would be pretty awesome. None of these stances reflect that, but it could be an effective way to pull off a move action cost.

I'm going to reiterate. The Unchained Barbarian is garbage. Prestige classes at least provide flavor most of the time. Most everything paizo offers seems well-meaning, if sometimes ill-conceived. This class is just terrible. I genuinely can't tell if its a product of laziness or incompetence, but I sure as hell expected a lot more out of something I paid money for. I know I'm a bit late, but then, so is Paizo's apology on printing this worthless class. Its really, REALLY that bad. They didn't even try.

Just realized this really should have been under Rules Questions.

"Pistol, Double-Barreled

This pistol has two parallel barrels; each barrel can be fired independently as separate attacks, or both can be fired at once as a standard action (the attack action).

If both barrels are shot at once, they must both target the same creature or object, and the pistol becomes wildly inaccurate, imparting a –4 penalty on each shot."

"Overwatch Vortex (Combat)

You are ready to respond to many more of your foes' actions.

Benefit(s): While using the Overwatch Style, as a full-round action you can ready up to four ranged attacks, each with its own triggering event. You take a –2 penalty on attack rolls made with these readied actions."

So, its largely agreed upon that Overwatch Vortex doesn't allow you to ready Vital Strikes with crossbows because it specifies 'ranged attacks', and Vital Strike is its own special kind of standard actions.

Double pistols, however, explicitly note that firing both barrels simultaneously is an attack action, and contain none of the language found in Manyshot to imply these are a singular attack roll. In fact, the language is far more similar to rapid shot.

So, fellow members of the Rules Questions board, can someone explain to me what stops a level 11 Gunslinger with Overwatch Vortex, Rapid Reload, alchemical cartridges and Improved Critical from making potentially 8 ranged attacks at touch ac, with dex to damage, 1d8 19-20 x4?

"Pistol, Double-Barreled

This pistol has two parallel barrels; each barrel can be fired independently as separate attacks, or both can be fired at once as a standard action (the attack action).

If both barrels are shot at once, they must both target the same creature or object, and the pistol becomes wildly inaccurate, imparting a –4 penalty on each shot."

"Overwatch Vortex (Combat)

You are ready to respond to many more of your foes' actions.

Benefit(s): While using the Overwatch Style, as a full-round action you can ready up to four ranged attacks, each with its own triggering event. You take a –2 penalty on attack rolls made with these readied actions."

So, its largely agreed upon that Overwatch Vortex doesn't allow you to ready Vital Strikes with crossbows because it specifies 'ranged attacks', and Vital Strike is its own special kind of standard actions.

Double pistols, however, explicitly note that firing both barrels simultaneously is an attack action, and contain none of the language found in Manyshot to imply these are a singular attack roll. In fact, the language is far more similar to rapid shot.

So, fellow members of the Advice board, can someone explain to me what stops a level 11 Gunslinger with Overwatch Vortex, Rapid Reload, alchemical cartridges and Improved Critical from making potentially 8 ranged attacks at touch ac, with dex to damage, 1d8 19-20 x4?

So, a bit late to the party, but recently there was a thread asking for the strongest conceivable build dipping a ton of classes. I hate multiclassing to any great degree, as keeping track of a thousand class features slows down play for me. But it seemed like a fun exercise. After spending a couple hours theorycrafting, this is the best I could come up with, and I have to say, I think its truly powerful. Without further ado, this is the strongest multiclass build I could come up with, condensed to the essentials, no items.

Halfling 12 Monk (Sensei), Hunter, Fighter, Cavalier

Stats: Str - 8 (-2 Racial), Dex 16 (+2 racial), Con 10, Int 10, Wis 21 (+3 levels), Cha 8 (-2 Racial Bonus)

HP - 78
AC - 20 (20 Touch, 11 Flat), 30 Fighting Defensively
Saves - 15/12/11

Traits: Helpful (Halfling), Fools for Friends

Monk 1: Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Dodge , Cautious Fighter; Advice
Monk 2: Combat Reflexes
Fighter3: Blundering Defense, Crane Style
Fighter 4: Bodyguard
Hunter 5: Crane Wing; Spell Level 1, Animal Companion, Animal Focus
Hunter 6: Outflank
Hunter 7: Dirty Fighting, Pack Flanking
Cavalier 8: Broken Wing Gambit
Hunter 9:Boon Companion; Spell Level 2
Hunter 10: N/A
Hunter 11: Paired Opportunists, Lookout
Hunter 12: N/A; Spell Level 3

So, quick rundown on how this works. Basically, level 1, you're just a little chained monk who can't even flurry. Low hp, low to-hit, low damage, the best thing you've got going for you is your advice ability to buff, your surprisingly high DC on your stunning fist with 18 Wis, and your incredible AC of 18, which jumps to 22 when you fight defensively.

The MAIN benefit however, comes from your traits. The halfling version of the helpful trait boosts your aid another to a whopping +4, and the Fools for Friends adds an additional +1, plus a little bonus against charms and compulsions. This gives us a total of +5 to our nearest big guy's AC or attack rolls. But for now, just try not to get killed.

Level 2, our Sensei Archetype gives us Insightful Strike, which basically lets us use our wisdom for attack rolls and combat maneuvers. Since we're not looking to output the damage, this lets us hit far easier with our stunning fists, and will be useful at later levels.

Level 3 is where we really start to come online. With three ranks in acrobatics, crane style, and cautious fighter, our fighting defensively gives us a whopping +6 to ac. Blundering defense lets us extend half of this benefit to our allies, giving anyone we stand next to a +3 to AC.

Level 4, we get bodyguard. This is huge. Now, spending our attacks of opportunity whenever an opponent attacks an adjacent ally, we can aid another. Which, you'll remember, comes at a massive +5. With bodyguard proccing on an adjacent ally, we're giving them +8 AC.

Level 5 is where we're officially little badasses, and fully online for the support side of this build. Crane Wing allows you a massive +4 dodge bonus to your AC when you fight defensively, so long as no one gets close to hitting you that turn (easier said than done with a +10 fighting defensively). Now, remember how Blundering gives your adjacent allies half that? Yeah, defending with bodyguard, you're now giving your barbarian friend a +10 to AC. You're also giving it to the mount you just acquired.

Now, there are two main choices for your animal companion. Pick wisely, as he's going to be the main source of your damage for the rest of this build.

Wolf will give you greater supression on enemies through tripping, and will have stronger attacks of opportunity through his stronger power attack, as he only has one natural attack, and its primary. This is a more supportive, more teamwork focused choice. I recommend the bodyguard archetype if you're planning to get to high levels.

A big cat, such as a lion or a tiger, will eventually gain pounce, and will simply have the best all-around stats to serve as a damage machine. With the massive boosts to AC you'll be giving it, and the ability to augment its attacks through animal focus, teamwork feats, and magic, this will be one terrifying kitty. I recommend no archetype for this one, as evasion and multiattack are more useful.

Either way, you can ride both the first level you get them, as you're small. Just mind their low hp, and your lack of the mounted combat to protect them. Don't bring them near if you're expecting fireballs. Level 6 is pretty much a dead level for us. We get outflank, but without a means to share it, its pretty much only useful if the barbarian or fighter took it, which given how much they love you, they might have!

Level 7, we get the important ability to share our teamwork feats with our animal companion. This is a MASSIVE power boost. Allow me to explain. Dirty Fighting lets us bypass the prerequisites for Pack Flanking, and gives us a huge boon itself. Now, at this point, you've got a high wisdom, and your wisdom counts as your offensive stat for all combat maneuvers. Dirty Fighting lets you whip out any combat maneuver you want, so long as you're flanking an enemy. Pack flanking lets you flank an enemy from any position so long as you're adjacent to an ally who shares the teamwork feat. Your mount is always adjacent, and shares this feat. Outflank raises the bonuses for flanking to +4. So, what does this all mean? YOU AND YOUR MOUNT RECEIVE A CONSTANT +4 ON ALL ATTACKS AND MANEUVERS, AND YOU CAN WHIP OUT ANY MANEUVER YOU WANT USING YOUR STRONGEST STAT, WITHOUT PROVOKING ANY ATTACKS OF OPPORTUNITY. You're now genuinely terrifying, and your mount has some much-needed offensive love.

Level 8, we get Broken Wing Gambit through the cavalier's tactician ability. Very simply, you only want your mount to be using this at this level, as you don't get as much benefit from provoking attacks. Your mount, however, can now lash out every time its attacked.

Level 9, your animal companion is now fully badass. Boon companion brings our effective druid level up to our character level, making our mount of choice large-sized, and bearing some rather massive boosts in stats, feats and overall power. Your mount is an absolute monster now. Consider Narrow Frame, to let him go into the dungeons you may be treading with more ease.

Level 10 is another dead level, but we're getting stronger, and should be well above the curve in terms of power.

Level 11 is truly obscene. Paired opportunists gives you and your animal companion ANOTHER +4 to attacks of opportunity. Combined with broken wing gambit, which I encourage both you and your companion to starts using at this point, BOTH you and your animal companion get to use an attack of opportunity when EITHER of you is attacked. And since you can use any type of maneuver you like, this can take the form of you knocking an enemy on their ass with the +8 trip while your wolf power attack bites them. Its a preventative measure for damage with even more offense, as no one will want to take a swing when they see what you can do. In addition, if you took the bodyguard archetype, lookout will now ensure that BOTH you and your animal can take full rounds in any surprise round. Theres no surprising either of you. If you took the cat, consider trading this out for toughness. More HP will always be appreciated.

Level 12, we simply get 3rd level spells. Which at least scale with our obscene wisdom, and will likely be mostly buffs. We are a walking +5 bonus to pretty much everything attempted, riding a tempest of fangs. Fear us.

TLDR:

Pros - Powerful by 5th level, great saves, amazing ac, versatile with the ability to get class skills in all knowledge, social and physical skills. Pretty much everything you'd want is on the list. Awesome team player who will be the favorite of your front liners. In addition, the focus on only two stats and innately massive ac lets you focus your wealth into decking out your animal companion, more than even a full hunter could.

Cons - Squishy, unless min-maxxed for extra con. Which is definitely an option, you don't need the strength or charisma. Level 9 before you truly start dealing a lot of damage by yourself.

So, been theory crafting a lot recently, and I recently came up with this build in response to a need to see a truly powerful, not just competent, Ascetic Style build. I thought about applying reach, and found that of the two weapons that were both monk weapons and reach, one of them was actually semi-coherent!

The Kusarigama is a sickle/chain weapon that, for all intents and purposes, we're going to ignore most of the traits of to avoid confusion. Two hand it, swing the chain or the sickle depending on the damage type you like, enjoy smashing skulls with naught more than a small iron ball and momentum. If they get close, don't start the debate with your GM on whether you can use the sickle. You're a monk. Kick them in the dick. Now, on to the build:

Wia Buu Turashu
LN Human Unchained Monk 12
Init +1, Senses: Perception +14

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Defense
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AC - 17, Touch 17, Flat 10
HP - 106
Fort +10, Reflex +10, Will +7 (+9 vs enchantment spells and effects)

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Offense
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Ki - 9
Speed - 70 ft.
Melee Flurry - Kusarigama +18/+18/+18/+13/+8 (2d6+7)
Unarmed Strike +17/+17/+17/+12/+8 (2d6+5)
Melee Flurry w/ki and successful Trip w/Leg Sweep - Kusarigama - +18/+18/+18/+18/+13/+8 (2d6+7)
Melee Flurry w/ki and successful Trip w/Leg Sweep vs vulnerable opponent - +18/+18/+18/+18/+18/+18/+13/+8 (2d6+7)

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Statistics
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Str 20(+2 Racial, +3 levels), Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8

Traits: Indomitable Faith, Honored Fist of the Society
1: Weapon Focus (Kusarigama
Human: Ascetic Style
Bonus: Improved Unarmed Strike
Bonus: Stunning Fist
Bonus: Combat Reflexes
Bonus2: Scorpion Style
3: Power Attack
Ki Power4: Empty Body
5: Ascetic Form
Style Strike5: Leg Sweep
6: Improved Trip
Ki Power6: Sudden Speed
7: Dirty Fighting
Ki Power8: Abundant Step
9: Greater Trip
Style Strike9: Knockback Kick
10: Medusa’s Wrath
Ki Power10: Ki Hurricane
11: Lunge
Ki Power12: Qinggong Power (Whirlwind Attack (2 Ki))

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In summary, this build has a number of perks. It is powerful at all levels and sees constant bumps in strength, starting with being able to flurry with a two handed reach weapon at level 1 with combat reflexes, getting power attack and a ki pool for stronger flurries at 3, getting style strikes at 5, plentiful maneuver options at 7, strong trip game at 9, obscene numbers of attacks against vulnerable enemies at 10, and the ability to damage everyone around you in a large area at 12.

Weapon enhancements cost literally half of what an amulet equivalent will cost, and this style only needs to go 2 feats in, as the final ascetic feat is redundant for monks. Knockback kick, lunge, and strong trip maneuvers give us a greater ability to play keep away with enemies. Its not quite as good at tripping as a purely focused fighter, but we make up for it with far better damage, mobility and the ability to fight with most of your effectiveness at close range. Of course, this build is shown without items other than a normal weapon. Apply gold generously in the areas you feel fit, and you've a template for a powerful reach fighter with a stylish weapon. I will suggest heavily investing in your weapon and strength, as the use of power attack takes a dent in the build's accuracy, but is a literal increase of +12 damage to the listed calculations of each of your numerous attacks. Its worth it, just make sure you invest for it.

P.S. Also, a tip when facing rogues or spellcasters: Dirty fighting is more than a tool to bypass combat expertise. Get your fellow party members to flank, and you can pull out any maneuver you want without provoking an attack of opportunity. An impromptu grapple against the enemy wizard is an instant 'no spells with somatic components' You're a high strength character with full bab. Don't be afraid to exploit that.

Gauntlet

Benefit: This metal glove lets you deal lethal damage rather than nonlethal damage with unarmed strikes. A strike with a gauntlet is otherwise considered an unarmed attack. Your opponent cannot use a disarm action to disarm you of gauntlets.

Note: The cost and weight given are for a single gauntlet. Medium and heavy armors (except breastplate) come with gauntlets.

Weapon Feature(s): cannot be disarmed

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So here is the question. Does a set of gauntlets, which explicitly are included as part of a suit of armor, use the material the armor is made of? In other words, if I invest in a suit of adamantine armor, and punch someone with my gauntlet, does my strike count as adamantine?

Odd title, I know. Basically, I'm trying to create an alternate origin for Fetchlings. The idea is that one day, a master illusionist used shadow magic to create a companion, a wife who could match his intellect, and finally alleviate his solitude after spending his best years locked away in study. Through the use of a shades spell, he crafted her, and she bore him a child. This child, suffused with shadow magic, was the first fetchling. Thinking he had birthed a monster, he lashed out, blaming her, and in a moment of rage and clarity, he disbelieved. And he was alone once more. But the child remained.

Now, mechanically, is there any spell that shades could replicate that would possibly make a normal human woman?

So, possibly a basic question I already know the answer to, but if I understand it, lets say I have a Slayer9/Shadowdancer3 with a BAB of +11. If my shadow attacks, he uses the "Incorporeal Touch" which is, despite its name, not a touch attack. He uses my BAB which means he can use it up to three times, and every hit deals 1d6 Strength Damage. Is this right? Feels like I have something wrong.

Also, his health is equal to half my hp 'total.' Is this my maximum hp, or my current hp at the time I summon it?

Hey guys. So, I wanted to make a sort of twist on the blind swordsman, a combat pragmatist who has learned to fight without his sight (blind fight, and all the blinded blade style feats), but deprives his enemies of sight to put them at a huge disadvantage. I'd prefer to keep him human, and I'd prefer an item that would obscure darkvision as well. Consistency is key, so if its a consumable, it needs to be pretty cheap. Assume level 12, with mostly levels in fighter to accomodate all the feats.

Question in the title. Trying to find a way to get the ability to cast lead blades with a pure fighter in an attempt to make a competitive Vital Strike build. Some way to pick up a first level ranger spell as a spell-like ability, or have a make-shift impact enchantment without having to spend for +2 enhancement.

So, this is a thought experiment I had when I realized that the Startoss Style, which is essentially scaling Weapon Specialization, doesn't actually require you to throw your weapons for the damage bonuses. The result is, I believe, an effective switch hitter build that boasts fair saves, good damage on a full attack and the ability to aoe nuke mobs with Starfall Comet. Feel free to comment on improvements or critiques.

Stabby McStabstab
TN Human Fighter 12
Init +14, Perception +12

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Defense
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AC - 29, Touch 15, Flat 25
HP - 112
Saves - Fort +16, Ref +13, Will +12

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Offense
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Speed - 30 ft.
Full Attack - Spear +4, +25/+20/+15 (1d8+21/x3)
Full Attack (Power Attack) - Spear +4, +21/+16/+11 (1d8+33/x3)
Startoss Comet - Spear +4, +24 (1d8+19/x3/20 ft.)

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Statistics
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Str 21, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10

Traits: Defender of the Society, Reactionary

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Feats
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Human: Point Blank Shot
1: Startoss Style
1f: Weapon Focus (Spear)
2:Startoss Comet
3:Power Attack
4:Startoss Shower
5:Weapon Specialization
6:Quick Draw
7:Greater Weapon Focus (Spear)
8:Advanced Weapon Training (Richochet Toss)
9: Improved Initiative
Weapon Training: Trained Initiative
10: Advanced Weapon Training (Armed Bravery)
11: Iron Will
12: Greater Weapon Specialization

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Equipment
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Gloves of Dueling, Belt of Physical Perfection +2, Spear +4, Cloak of Resistance +5, Full Plate +4, Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Ioun Torch, Sleeves of Many Garments, Wand of Cure Light Wounds x2, 225 Gold

So, we've all heard of the thief disguised as a wizard/cleric/spellcaster. Hell, there are entire archetypes devoted to the concept. But why don't we try to turn that around? I want to see your best build for a full caster meant to do everything a rogue does, but better.

So, we've all heard of the thief disguised as a wizard/cleric/spellcaster. Hell, there are entire archetypes devoted to the concept. But why don't we try to turn that around? I want to see your best build for a full caster meant to do everything a rogue does, but better.

So, one idea that I think is woefully underrepresented in fantasy games is the American south. Which is unfortunate, because I think it has a lot of room for cool flavor distinct from 'asia mash-up' or 'medieval fantasy England.' We even get 'snowy north' or 'desert wasteland' for a rare treat, but rarely swamps and woods. Lets brainstorm some ideas based on stories and lore from that area!

Heres a couple I've got so far:

A fiendish catfish who offers Faustian bargains to those in desperate need, delivering most anything they need, only to claim their lives when its hunger stirs, becoming a beast relentless in it's hunt for it's prey.

A powerful spirit than claims the largest river in the known, the Mississippi rules over a domain that ignores all borders and territories. It is mostly benign, allowing any to partake of its bounty to fish or travel for the simple tribute of blood, coin, harvest or even flattery. Gamblers and fugitives on the run have been known to offer even greater tributes in desperation to beg the Mississippi to speed their travels along the currents. Those who decline the simple offering of respect in exchange for the spirit's hospitality have often found their crafts dashed against the rocks, or their lives claimed by the beings that lie beneath it's depths.

So lets talk damage. For the purposes of this build, I'll be using a far more specialized stat array than a typical build. I'll be using dragon style, but as multiple people have disagreed with me, I'll assume power attack with dragon ferocity only has a -1/+2 ratio. And I'll be building how I prefer to build, which is low-ac, which with high hp is only a problem if you're surrounded by enemies, or routinely taking full attacks. We'll build using PFS rules, to the best I know them, to elimate random chance in rolls.

Bigguy McPunchyou
LN Human Unchained Monk 12
Init +1, Senses: Perception +14

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Defense
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AC - 16, Touch 16, Flat 10
HP - 148
Fort +16, Reflex +12, Will +11 (+13 vs mind-effecting)

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Offense
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Speed - 70 ft.
Melee Flurry - Unarmed Strike +3 +23/+23/+23/+18/+13 (2d6+15(+19 first attack)/19-20)
Melee Flurry w/ki and successful Trip w/Leg Sweep and Haste - Unarmed Strike +3 +24/+24/+24/+24/+24/+24/+19/+15 (2d6+15(+19 first attack)/19-20)

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Statistics
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Str 27, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 7

1: Dirty Fighting
Bonus: Combat Reflexes
Bonus2: Deflect Arrows
3: Dragon Style
Ki Power4: High Jump
5: Dragon Ferocity
Style Strike: Flying Kick
6:Improved Trip
Ki Power6: Feather Balance
7: Greater Trip
Ki Power8: Wind Jump
9: Vicious Stomp
Style Strike: Leg Sweep
Ki Power10: Light Steps
Bonus 10: Improved Critical
11: Toughness
Ki Power 12: Sudden Speed

Gear: Amulet of Mighty Blows +3, Belt of Giant Strength +6, Cloak of Resistance +4, Headband of Inspired Wisdom +2, Wand of Cure Light Wounds, Sleeves of Many Garments, Ioun Torch, Potion of Blood Rage, 575 Gold.

Traits: Indomitable Faith, Honored Fist of the Society

With all the key points of the build out of the way, lets talk what you can do with this. First off, I know the first complaint: The AC is way too low! But lets check out if it functionally is. A CR 12 creature has an average AC of 27, and an average HP of 160.

Our monk, pouncing, with just the flanking bonus of another melee, and no buffs involved, hit 3 times for 90% hit chance at his highest BAB. Assuming just the first three hit with no crits, we've dealt an average of 26+22+22. Thats 70 damage. Or near half the health of an equal CR creature. And thats assuming a pounce, with no ki spent, and no iteratives, and no power attack. Surely, though, we're going to get wrecked by the incoming full attack, right? Wrong. The high damage of a CR 12 creature averages around 55. A bit over a third, but nowhere near half our health. We can stomach two full attacks before the third kills us.

But wait, the BBEG showed up! He's CR 15, and ready to kill us! He wins initiative, and has a pounce! He full attacks us for half our health! Or at least, he tries to. See, the damage of creatures per cr only scales +3-5 every cr until the latest levels. Between our con, favored bonus, toughness and 6/hp a level? We get 12. Our durability outscales the enemies to the point we can't possibly be bursted down. His average high damage, 70, is actually against odds to exceed half our health. Which, again, means we can take up to three turns of his focus before dropping. He feasibly can, but it requires jumping into the middle of the party and full attacking us until we die. For two-three turns. Turns he is ignoring my party. Turns he isn't killing my wizard, or my squishies. Turns the rest of the party can go to town.

Now its time for return fire. The fighter/barbarian/rogue/anything else, due to having a higher initiative than me, flanks him. We activate haste as a free action through our boots, gaining an additional attack and +1 to our attacks. Since he's on top of me? I don't have to pounce. Which means I can leg sweep. Admittedly, CMD is probably going to be higher than AC on anything but a caster BBEG. But with dirty fighting and two trip feats, we gain a +8 to our attempt while flanking. Its more likely than not we succeed. Average AC of 30, 220 health on the BBEG. I unleash, spending a ki, and attack my prone enemy with +28/+28/+28/+28/+28/+28/+23/+19. Being entirely reasonable, lets assume I hit 6, and don't crit once. That is 26+22+22+22+22+22. 136 damage. Or, you know, over 60% of the BBEG's health. Without power attack, so far less of a spread with 90% accuracy. Assuming a crit, we can go even higher. With this build? We can feasibly solo a boss 3 CR above us. Not likely in practical play against a smart enemy setting the terms, but he'll be hurting a lot when we're dead. With a party? Its barely a challenge.

This build has weaknesses. But they're weaknesses we'd apply to any two-handing warrior, or primary damage dealer, or anyone not building full tank: Being surrounded by a ton of mooks, alone. Being flanked by two or three high-damage enemies. Our saves against the BBEG only get as high as about 60% for things like will. And like any melee class, a trip-based reach weapon user can juggle us all day. This is not the perfect well-rounded class. This is something better. The Unchained Monk is the ultimate damage dealer.

Weapon Monks CAN deal more damage, but requiring power attack makes them even more feat intensive, they're more reliant on crit fishing have a much higher spread on their attacks, and they can be disarmed, sundered, etc. An unarmed monk is more consistent, with less weaknesses, and is ultimately more thematic.

In short: Deal with your problems like a man. By jumping on top of them and proceeding to beat them down until one of you is dead. AC is a generally inferior stat to put investment in for damage dealers.

So after much debate on this topic, I thought I'd just go ahead and make a thread on it. Here is the question: Does an unchained monk's unarmed strike class feature interact with power attack?

One of the ways one can gain bonus damage with your Power Attacks is using a primary natural attack with a strength modifier of 1.5. Although Dragon Style technically just adds an untyped bonus equal to half your strength on the first attack, dragon ferocity actually actively changes the modifier. The UM's unarmed strike class feature allows his unarmed strike to count as a natural or manufactured weapon for the purpose of "spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons."

Now, a natural attack is either primary or secondary, without exception. And if you have only one natural attack, it is automatically primary. However, we know that a monk's unarmed strike is not ACTUALLY a natural weapon, or it would automatically receive the 1.5 str modifier all lone natural attacks get. It is only in relation to certain 'effects' that it counts as one. Is power attack one of those effects? Certainly, it modifies attack rolls and damage, but does it effect weapon dice or enhancement bonuses, or make it count as magic? If not, does that make Weapon Focus (Longsword) an 'effect' that doesn't technically effect a weapon? The very broad interpretation of 'enhance or improve weapons' makes this ultimately DM fiat, but for the purposes of PFS and other RAW-heavy groups, we should probably have a consensus.

When Pathfinder Unchained was released, one thing was evident to me: the name of the game was streamlining, not empowering. The Summoner was heavily reduced in power, the Barbarian took a solid step down, and the rogue, while better than what one could make with just the CRB, was simply inferior to anything a player who knew what they were doing could make. The Monk, however, got a substantial increase in power. One that I’m not sure many on these boards recognize. They look at the Unchained Monk and say: Oh, it’s the worst class in the game, slightly improved.

Let me be entirely clear here. Almost no one ever really understood what the Chained Monk was. The common perception was that it was a jack of all trades, spreading its power among too many roles to be effective in any of them. Assuming infinite gold and access to magic equipment, they might have been powerful, but with those same resources you could specialize even harder in another class’ given roles. Monks were simply not cost-efficient. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Monks have always had a firm role as the best TWF in the game.

They may have used their fists, but at any given level they got more attacks out while flurrying at effectively full BAB, and getting their strength modifier on all of them. It was all the benefits of ranger feat efficiency with a scaling weapon die and extremely high mobility on top of saves only rivaled by paladins. They were fragile in terms of AC and HP, but a melee striker is meant to be supplemented by a beefier character. And the Unchained Monk is arguably the best-suited character to specialize as a striker in the entire game.

So lets go over the build. There is one question we want answered when determining feats as an Unchained Monk is: Unarmed or Wielding? Unarmed will be boasting the highest damage at level 5 and beyond, Weapon wielding will trade a bit of raw damage for whatever one desires, often survivability. Either way, at early levels you’ll likely be using a Sansetsukon a lot, and you’ll want to acquire a Seven-Branched sword for backup. It will give you access to slashing damage, and an alternative crit modifier if you prefer x3 weapons to 19-20 ones like me.

Lesson 1 about what makes the Unchained Monk great? Unlike the chained version, he’s not considered to by TWF while flurrying. This means that a high strength monk can flurry with a Sansetsukon for 1 ½ x strength, plus -1/+3 power attack for two strong hits. At level 1.And it only gets better from there.

Statwise, we’ll be pretty consistent in what we are, though how comfortable you are in min-maxing will determine your tertiary stats. Whether you’re the wandering martial artist too dumb to comprehend the more spiritual side of what his monastery tried to teach him, or simply anti-social due to being cloistered from society in your formative years, there are a lot of excuses available to monks to justify that 7. Luckily, this build is fully functional with just two 16’s and tens across the board. Note we’ll be taking Dual Talent and human.

Str: 18
Dex: 8
Con: 18
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Cha: 10

Now, you’ll likely notice that without min-maxing, this leaves us with a base AC of 10. This is likely going to be heresy, but let me tell you why this is fine: AC is literally the worst means of protecting yourself. I’m not saying you should nuke it for no reason. What I am saying is that the math simply isn’t in your favor. At low levels, an unlucky crit will ruin you without significant investment in HP. At high levels, you are likely to take at least the first power attack of an even semi-competent martial. AC is simply not consistent enough to be relied on, and should be considered a secondary layer of defense at best. Instead, make yourself able to take a hit. Better yet, make yourself able to take several. Your base HP at level 1 with Dual Talent raising Con and your favored bonus to HP is 15. This is Barbarian levels of HP. Every level after, assuming 6 average on a die roll, you’ll be getting 11 more HP. Your defense will be your health outscaling the amount of damage you’ll be taking. And for the record? Toughness is an underated feat.

Now lets get to the meat of it all: the Unarmed Build.

1: Power Attack
HB: Dual Talent (+2 Con)
1B: Deflect Arrows
2B: Improved Grapple
3: Dragon Style
4 Ki Power: High Jump
5: Dragon Ferocity
5Style: Flying Kick
6: Improved Disarm
6 Ki Power: Feather Balance
7: Elemental Fist/Toughness/Weapon Focus
8 Ki Power: Abundant Step
9: Dragon Roar/Improved Critical
So, to clear up a ton of questions about the current state of the relationship between Dragon Style feats and power attack, short and sweet: The Dragon Ferocity feat allows any unarmed strikes to gain both 1 1/2 x Strength on attacks, as well as gain -1/+3 ratio on power attacks. The Dragon Style feat alone does none of these, even on the first attack. This means you receive an absolutely massive power spike at level 5. Not only do you gain what is essentially two handed flurrying, but your style strike gives you what is effectively pounce. And if you have a swift action to spend, you can spend 1 ki to give you 3 attacks at your HIGHEST BAB. Allow me to reiterate. The Unchained Monk is the strongest striker in the entire game. Bar None. Elemental fist/dragon style is almost a flavor choice over crunch. The truth is, hitting one attack in a flurry for 3-6 more elemental damage on average is rarely worth it. Roar gives you an aoe cone, but your relatively poor wisdom makes it more of a way to kill masses of peasants. I’d give it to an NPC Dragon Style User, personally. Weapon Focus is a fairly solid investment on anyone who attacks as much as we do, and I think I represent a minority opinion in thinking toughness is actually really good. So good I would take it multiple times on some characters, if able.

[Note: Wrote this on a short plane ride. Like what you see, want to see more? Let me know. I’ll update it as I can with more builds, gear options and the like.]

Throwing weapons. A fun idea, but suffering in actual play. Returning weapons don't return immediately, so they don't function for twf spam, and the only magic item in the game that enables full attacks with a single badass weapon, the blinkback belt, occupies the item slot meant for physical improvement.

All that changed with the release of the weapon master's handbook. Now we can have a build that is not just functional, but good. Not optimized archer good, but still very strong and with a ton of flavor. This build is based not on spamming a ton of daggers, but on picking one enemy a round and ruining their day, while dealing significant damage to anything around them. And you do it all by going all Xena on people. I give you: Starfall.

Race: Human
20 pt. buy:
Str:18
Dex:14
Con:14
Int:10
Wis:10
Cha:10

Fighter (No Archetype)

Traits: Defender of the Society, Reactionary

Feats:
Human: Point Blank Shot
1: Startoss Style
1f: Weapon Focus (dagger, chakram, or starknife, but switch to chakram by level 4)
2:Startoss Comet
3:Precise Shot
4:Startoss Shower
5:Weapon Specialization
6:Vital Strike
7:Greater Weapon Focus
8:Deadly Aim
9:Devastating Strike
Weapon Training: Trained Throw
10: Far Shot (or quick draw, if you really want the option to full attack)
11: Greater Vital Strike
12: Greater Weapon Specialization

Weapon of Choice: Chakram with returning enchantment.

So, one of the biggest strengths of this build, especially at early levels, is very high damage on hit. Startoss style gives us Weapon Specialization effectively every other level. Without Quick Draw, most of our damage comes from using our standard action to nuke an enemy and all his minions. Every level feels like a substantial boost in power. You won't put out the same damage output as an archer against single targets, but unleashing the fury on every opponent nearby is a quick way to end encounters.

By level 5 your damage will be envious to even a 2h barbarian. 2d6+15 might be a fair amount more than 1d8+13, but they won't be doing it from the safety of range or heavy armor, or following up on another opponent.

By level 10, we're unleashing a 2d8+21 blow on one unlucky fellow, then battering a nearby opponent for 1d8+19, both at +12. We're moving at full movement in full armor, and we can use a shield.

We've decent health and AC, we can kite and chase unlike a full attacker, and because we're fighters, our abilities only scale as the build levels further. Strong at every stage of the game, weak only in saves and skill points. If you're tired of arrows and bolts, give it a shot.

You range across the battlefield, dealing with threats wherever they arise.

Prerequisites: Combat reflexes, Mobility, base attack bonus +5.

Benefit: As a full-round action, you may set up a combat patrol, increasing your threatened area by 5 feet for every 5 points of your base attack bonus. Until the beginning of your next turn, you may make attacks of opportunity against any opponent in this threatened area that provokes attacks of opportunity. You may move as part of these attacks, provided your total movement before your next turn does not exceed your speed. Any movement you make provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.

So, combining this with Improved Snap Shot, we'd have a patrol with a range of 35 feet at level 20. Now, does moving as part of an attack mean in any direction? You'd assume it means the only movement is for the purpose of facilitating the attack, but it doesn't say that. RAW, I could basically just take a five foot movement back every attack and get a ton of attacks in on someone trying to close the gap, right?

I'm sitting here, staring at the rules for encumbrance, and thinking there must be something I'm missing. Lets make an example character. A level four human Swashbuckler created using point buy. Allocating our stats, racial and level up bonuses, we get an 18 in dex, 14 in con and cha, 13 in wis, and a 10 in str and int. We're not even minmaxing. We're at least average in everything, and we'll be solid contributors to our party, lacking a bit in the saves department. But wait, lets try and equip our characters. What are they wearing? Well, the explorer's outfit sounds the most thematic. Boots, breeches, gloves and a cloak, maybe a wide-brimmed hat? That screams swashbuckler. Lets grab that. And, of course, to stay classy, we'll want a rapier. Nothing more thematic than that. We want to be stylish, so we'll invest in Parade Armor, even though we'd be better off with a Chain Shirt. We'll settle a buckler in his offhand, and there we are. A stylish, savvy swashbuckler ready to nimbly pierce his way to fame and fortune. Until he falls over in fatigue after a light job.

See, this is the problem. This totally thematic character is completely unviable. At ten strength, something not particularly weak, I can barely handle my armor. Lets look again.

10 Str = 33 lbs. Carrying Capacity (Light Load)
Explorer's Outfit 8 lbs.
Parade Armor/Studded Leather 20 lbs.
Buckler 5 lbs
Rapier 2 lbs

Now, admittedly, I only have to raise my strength by one point to accomodate everything. But even that leaves me with only 38, which means that my badass adventurer is going to be quite short on supplies. Rope, rations, holy water, alchemical goods? Nope. I've got three pounds left at eleven strength, wearing light armor and using all the lightest weaponry and shields. Asmodeus forgive if I want a backup rapier. I shouldn't have to resort to magic to get around in light equipment. Encumbrance should be a limitation on physically weak characters running around with tons of extra gear and equipment. Not preventing characters from simply functioning. Am I reading this correctly, or is there something I'm missing? These numbers seem asinine.

The skill group option listed in Pathfinder Unchained says that the number of skill groups a PC has access to is dependent on the number of skill points the core class gains per level. The Cavalier class is noted to be one of the Int+6 classes, when in fact they're an Int+4.