Crysknife's page

I've just started playing a level 1 wizard. Could you help me to make what I have in mind more effective?

My idea was to focus on battlefield control, but since the way our group is composed I decided to do not use summoning at all (we are 5 players not very well organized, with one playing online: given previous experiences with fights taking too much time, we all agreed to "ban" animal companions, familiar and summons).

Since most of the best battlefield controls are from conjuration school, I decided to select conjuration school as my specialization school anyway (teleportation subschool, banned are necromancy and enchantment): should I consider other schools instead? Transmutation seems to be good but, even after excluding summons, conjuration seems to have slightly better choices all levels considered.
I'm excluding evocation because I will not take dazing spell. I know, it's an incredible feat, but not many of my group optimize (none actually) and even the simple blast would overshadow them and I don't want to do that.

I'm also wondering which feats I should go for (creation feats are banned but all core+UM+UC+advanced is fine): for my first level I've taken Improved Initiative and Spell focus conjuration (just to increase my DCs, not to take augment summoning). I'm considering stuff like toughness (CON 12 is brutal) and greater spell focus which are not really exciting. Metamagic feats are actractive but I could simply use rods...

As for spells, I've looked at the guides from treantmonk and Prof.Q, so I think I'm pretty much ok on that respect.

I'm open to all kind of suggestion, as long as 1) they don't make my fellow players utterly useless 2) they are not about summoning or dazing spells.
Thanks in advance
Crys

A simple clarification, since my players will ask, but don't read ahead if you did not finish the module...

One of my players insists that magic fang applies to all natural weapons of one type: in particular, he would like to use it on his druid's tiger to get both claws +1 with a single instance of the spell.
Now, I thought that he was joking, but it turned out that not only he believes this is correct, but he also says that many guides suggest to cast the spell on claws instead of bite because you gain double the benefit.
Since he seems to be so sure I thought I'd ask you guys about it. So, who is right and who is wrong?

I've looked around a little bit but I can't find anything on the subject

EDIT: to be more precise, I'm looking for a comprehensive list of poisons, tactics, crafting etc.
Also, does anyone know if you can apply a poison to a bullet using a firearm weapon?

I'm playing an alchemist in a steampunk campaign.
I'm going to take the explosive missile discovery for flavor reasons only.
It allows you to use your bombs with ammunitions or bullets (only onehanded firearms, but that what I would have taken anyway). I'm not going to do secondary attacks (not my role, I don't want to be a striker), so don't take those into account.
I'd like both options, but I slightly prefer the crossbow since it's make more sense to apply a poison to a bolt than to a bullet (I don't think the rules prevent to do that). The problem is that using a crossbow requires a normal ranged attack instead of a touch ranged attack (which may make it worse than simply trowing my bombs): so, is there any reason to use a crossbow in this case instead of a gun?

One of my players would like to be a bastard tiefling heir of House Rogarvia.
This could generally cause problem, but the player is very good and said that his PC does not want to became a king in the new realm, and even less claim Brevoy for himself.
The idea is that he was raised by the Issian master of assassin in secrecy, and for some reason ended up in prison (more or less at the same tome of the Rogarvia disappearance) where he stayed until now.

So: I'm not worried about him doing something outrageous as a Rogarvia descendant. What I'm worried is that the Rogarvian themselves will appear again during the Adventure Path and that their disappearance will be explained in the last modules. Will this happen? Do you have some cool ideas on how to mesh this element in the story?

Premise: in a couple of weeks I'll begin GMing Kingmaker. Up to know I've read rather accurately the first three modules and I'm planning to start playing having read all the six modules. I've also read a bit from the inner sea guide, but aside from that I know very little about Golarion.

One of my player would like to play an half-elf bard/ranger. I asked all of my player to create a PC who would have drive in creating a new kingdom (too many times my group's fun has been ruined by "the oppositor", the one PC who does not care at all about all the others are trying to achieve). This one player said that his PC would like to reunite all the elves and create a kingdom where they can live in peace together with humans.
How can I implement this in the campaign? I was thinking of saying that there are some small elven settlements in the stolen lands, whose number have been dwindling for centuries because of the various threats of the region. All these elves don't trust humans (because of history and because all the humans they know are bandits) and can't unite because they lack a leader: with a series of challenges I'm planning to have this one player demonstrate his valor and unite all of them under his banner.
Is there any better way to do this? I'm looking for ideas, since I find this general outline rather uninteresting...

Let's take a classic opposed check: initiative.

There are two guys, one has a +2 bonus, the other a +6. I kind of understand that the one having the +4 is more likely to go first, but I'd like to know how to calculate the probability of that event. I understand that this is not "20% more likely", but I can't quite figure out what the probability should be.

I'd love to know a general formula, not necessarily one using a d20.
Thanks :)

link

So, does "you can deflect one melee weapon attack" means that this does not work against unharmed attacks? what about natural weapons such as claws?

The idea is to play a very intelligent but totally magic-less finesse fighter.
I know that going for STR is probably more effective, but I'm already playing a barbarian in a different campaign and I want to play something different. Also, since I always play damage dealers with a tendency to marginalize the other PCs, I'm quite happy with this PC not being a monster when it comes to damage.

So, the idea is to play a smart character, with decent CHA (probably 12) and more than decent INT (probably 14). Lore warden is my starting point, since I'd like to use maneuvers (trip in particular).

The basic feat chains I'm thinking of taking are the trip chain, the weapon specialization chain and probably dazzling display followed by hero's display and dramatic display (can't link from work, I'm sorry). Maybe even savage display but that would require getting also masterful display and it's probably not worth it.

The weapon of choice is a rapier (to be made agile asap): I'm considering also a scimitar with dervish dance, but I like the feel of the rapier a bit better.

Since I'd like to play it like a witty swashbuckler, I'm thinking of taking a level of rogue first, in order to make class skills acrobatics, diplomacy and bluff. Taking two level will delay a bit the lore warden progression but would give me evasion, another boost to reflex and access to rogue talents (not sure what to take).

Another option I'm considering would be to go for crane style, crane wing and crane risposte, but I'm not sure if it's worth it without taking monk's levels. Martial artist would be the only possible choise because of alignment (CG or CN), which is unfortunate because maneuver master would be a very interesting choice for using dirty tricks later on.

Race is human, mainly for the extra skill points, with probably the feat for getting both hp and sp with levels in my favorite class.

Other stuff I should consider?
Stats are uncertain, since I don't know if it will be 20 or 15 pb (15 would be tough...).
Thanks in advance!

Hi, I'll soon begin to run the Kingmaker AP.

I've a few concerns with what my players will play. We will have:

Paladin - Sacred shield archetype.
Not concerned about this one, since it's mainly defensive.

Cavalier
Played by one guy that usually makes very weak character. I don't expect problems from this one as far as game balance is concerned. I also understand that kingmaker is quite cavalier friendly, meaning he will be able to fight mounted most of the time: is this right?

Sorcerer
An illusionist/battlefield controller. The player is very good, not one to exploit loopholes though, will likely try to make the game as fun as possible for everyone.

Ranger 3/ Bard X
Focused on archery. Usually makes pretty weak character and tends to run them pretty badly (he is the one with less experience), but archers are very good in pathfinder, I think that even as a bard he will be able to contribute and feel useful (I'll help a bit with the build). His idea is to play an half-elf, with the idea to bring various communities of elves into the newborn realm. Now, I'm still reading the adventure, is there any reason for which it would be difficult to implement this? I know that in the end there is some fey stuff, could that get in the way?

Magus
The one I'm most worried about. I've never played a magus and never seen one played (with the exception of the ranger/bard guy, but as said I don't think it would be representative). The guy who will play it tends to steal the spotlight from other (even unconsciously) and optimizes quite a bit. He simply tends to play as if his character was the single protagonist of the story. It's not as bad as it sound, and he refrain from doing it when he notices: it's just a tendency of his.
From reading the magus class it seems to me that one who wanted to make an overpowering character would have a lot of toys to play with, especially if the fight/day ratio is low (1-2 fight per day). Is this the case in kingmaker? Does anyone ever played a magus in kingmaker and can offer me some insights?
Please note that a bard singing and the cavalier being of the order of the dragon will add even more damage to what this guy will be able to to.

Thanks
F

I decided to GM an adventure path.
I'm Fabio from Milan: if you are one of my players please stop reading NOW.

So, I decided to GM an adventure path.
Problem is that we are picky, and I don't know a lot about APs (we never tried one before).

Ideally I'd want to GM something that will last for about a year (all APs qualify, I think), that will not involve too much railroading and that will give more to my players than a simple dungeon crawl.
All of the players enjoy fights, except one who whines whenever the dice get rolled. It's pathfinder so there will be fights, I'd like at least one per session, but I'd also like some social interaction.
So, I'd be glad if you could help me decide which one to run.
Thanks

How does it works?

Let's say that my 10 level barbarian (leadership score of 12) want to take a dragonne as a cohort: could hedo it or that's something allowed only for those classes with a mount or animal companion? if the leadership score was 15 (still level 10) would the dragonne be any different? What if he was higher level but same leadership score (e.g.12 and 12)?

I'm referring to the dual talent alternate race trait of the advanced race guide: in exchange for the bonus feat and the skilled trait you get a +2 to another attribute of your choice.
Am I mistaken in thinking that this make humans an even better race?

How about making those work differently based on your base save?
My idea is:
if you have good progression, +2 (as before).
if you have low progression, you then get good progression.

This way, PCs with low progression get more out of it, but PCs with good progression still achieve an higher bonus to the save. No differences for the improved versions.

How does that sound, is it really too strong? Would it become a feat tax?
What about multiclassed PCs? My idea would be to give the best between the +2 or good progression as more advantageous to the PC at every level (kind of like toughness)

Some key points:

1. I want to get the leadership feat.
2. I do not want to extract benefits from the feat, just use if for roleplaying purposes.
3. Following point 2, my cohort will not travel with me but stay at the base of operations, keeping the reins of my little "guild".
4. Following point 2, my cohort will not craft (possible exception for low level consumables, such as wands of cure light wounds: his contribution still have to be negligible).

That said, the idea is to get as many followers as I can.

My leadership score:
I'm playing a soon 11 level catfolk ranger, guide archetype (no animal companion). CHA is 10: +0. We do have a base of operation, +2. I mean to liberate a lot of catfolk slaves and to give them freedom, allowing those who want to stay at my group's place: since catfolk are usually enslaved in the only town of this setting, and since there is a smallpox epidemic in town, I suspect many will agree. My GM may interpret this as a sign of generosity, +1 (just maybe: my PC is in fact LN, with a sort of blue and orange morality, which though could be typical for catfolks, GM's call here). I discussed with my GM and we decided that we move a lot but I'm not sure: we rarely go out of town, since the main stuff happens there. Let's say for now that I get to skip the -1.
This gives me a leadership score of 14, which means level 9 cohort, 15 level 1 followers and 1 level 2 follower. Not impressive, really. Since we have our base in the catacombs of the town, which are reasonably still dangerous even after we eradicated the vampires that used to inhabit the place, I'd like to have a group a bit more consistent.

My requests to the community:
1. What constitutes a "special power"? I suspect casting spells does not, since this is part of being high level PCs. For what matters, I will be casting 3rd level spells by then.
2. Are there other ways to increase my leadership score? I think that CHA headband would work (very expensive for no benefit though). I also know about the battle herald PrC, but I do not expect to go past level 13-14 with the campaign so this one is out. Other ideas?
3. Are there options to decrease the level of the cohort, trading it with an increased leadership score for the purposes of followers?
4. Am I missing something critical?

Let's see if you can help me, thanks guys

EDIT: almost forgot some key stuff...
5. What stats should the cohort and the followers use, given that we use 20pb?
6. should followers and cohort be of PC or NPC's classes (like, rangers or experts? fighters or warriors? commoners?)
7. Should I equip them or should they have their gear when I get them? How much wealth?
8. Suppose I free a full family. Two adults, male and female, two kids and one old catfolk (still alive only because the slavers forgot about him). Suppose that only the two adults have class levels, let's say level 1 ranger and level 1 bard, and they all five come to stay in my group's base: do they count as 5 followers?

Are they really that good? I can't find a guide on them, is there one?
I don't like the idea of playing one as a Mr. Hyde, so no barbarian multiclass.

I imagine the PC as a kind of chef-gourmet, going around with kitchen knives slicing things to eat them, making drugs (extracts or mutagens slightly re-flavored) and poisons from them. I don't really know how to build it, except that as said I want to stay clear from barbarian (I'm playing one in another game and I'd like the vivisectionist to be a lucid killer, not a mindless death machine).
I'd like to be able to to utility stuff (which should not be so difficult) but mainly be a melee damage dealer (until now I don't know what to favor btw STR and DEX).

The PC should be relevant between levels 4-12. I've no other info about party composition since this is just a backup character in case of a nwe campaign starting (given our style of play there will probably be another arcane caster and a secondary healer plus something else, probably no dedicated buffer as none of us like playing one).

So, any advice?

Here is what I'm thinking about.

I'd like to build a level 8-10 PC who would look good on the floor of an arena, twf-ing with two small blades, while dancing with abandon like some king of gypsy fighter/capoeira practitioner (but without the feet stuff, of course) or while carefully playing with his opponents like a toreador would do.

I'd like to achieve some simple goals:
- high damage output
- able to survive for extended periods in melee
- decent array of skills, both social and physical
- dexterous

I immediately though about knife master, which is a bit better than straight rougue, but I'm not sure how feasible that would be: I'm thinking about multiclassing or choosing another class entirely but I'd really like to hear your opinions.

A flanking buddy should be always available in a way or another, stats are 20pb with nothing lower than 8. Agile weapons are available.

Emphasis is mine.
So (provided you have the TWF feat):
1) do you have to apply TWF penalties (-2 for light shield) to attacks made with the weapon you are fighting with?
2) if you use a heavy shield, do you apply a -4 penalty to attack for those attacks for which you use the weapon?

Thanks

Do you guys have any idea for a tanking barbarian?

I would not like to sacrifice damage output too much (for a baseline, fighting 2-handed but not coming-and-getting-me or reckless abandoning) but I'd like to have more staying power than the average barbarian.
I'm looking at both build and simple suggestions which I may be missing. I don't actually want to play a tank, I'm just looking for ways to improve my staying power.

Generally referring to mid levels, what options would be good?

For archetypes I thought about invulnerable rager or armored hulk (invulnerable rager is better imho).

For rage powers I guess that beast totem is still good even for a tank (one of the best AC bonuses in the game).
Guarded stance and rolling dodge apply to touch AC(but two feat to do the same thing and scaling slowly, with a move action to activate, what a waste...).
For spells, superstition is very good, especially for humans ( even though I don't like the idea because it makes teamwork harder).
Raging vitality is good for more con and to avoid to automatically die if you get into the negatives.

For feats dodge is nice, even if a +1 isn't really that much.
Toughness is useful, but the barbarian isn't lacking on hps.
Competence with heavy armor is another idea (the feat or a level of fighter, even thought I'd like to avoid taking into consideration level dips), especially mithril with +3 dex.

Money would be mostly spent in AC boosts: armor, ring of protection, amulet of natural armor, ioun stone (I dislike the idea of a barbarian with a pink gem floating around his head but whatever...). Maybe even a floating shield.

Ok, that as said was the basic stuff, what else can you come up with?

I'm currently playing a ranger and I love the spell list: I really like how rangers and paladins have this little bonus on top of really solid core martial abilities.
My problem is that, while the spell list is good, I get too few casting and too low a caster level.
I'm currently playing a level 9 catfolk ranger, starting wisdom 12, 14 with headband. While I agree that I should not be nowhere near the witch and the sorcerer in casting power, I feel that a caster level of 6 and 3 level 1 spell, 2 level 2 spells are a bit underwhelming.

Is there any way to improve my casting abilities?

Here is what I thought of:

rod of extend spells, for longday buffs (bloodhound and longstrider)
scrolls
pearl of power (currently for getting loodhound and longstrider to work almost all day)
better headband of wisdom
bead of karma for increasing the caster level of day long buffs (a bit inefficient)
ioun stone for +1 to caster level

Are there other resources that I could use? I thought of ring of wizardry but is only for arcane casters.

I still see a lot of people still talking of party made of characters with different levels, sometime with more than a level difference.
Why would you do that?
Why keep on punish players because 1) their character died, or 2) they just joined later in the game?
What's the point really, after paizo put all its effort in removing exp penalties from spells and resurrection effects and banned permanent level losses?
I'm especially curious to hear from those OPs that actually cares about balance.

Hi guys,
I'm wondering about what to do if one of my two PCs should die: I though that, instead of always being the damage dealer of the party, I could focus on buff, debuff and battlefield control.

I've already played a high level sorcerer which did a bit of those things but, being a terribly effective damage dealer, I always had the temptation to put an end to the fight by myself.

What I'd like to do now is concentrate solely on what I said above, but I'd like to be able to do ALL of those things, even if nothing else. On this point: I'd really like to NOT be able to fight alone (no animal companion/eidolon and no summons. I'd also prefer not being able to use buff on myself effectively as a battle cleric would do).
Another important note is that I'd like to be effective all the way through level 5 to level 12 or so, since this is the range we usually play in.

My best bet right now is the wizard. I believe it has strong battlefield control capabilities, good debuffs (slow, enervation, bestow curse, ray of enfeeblement, feeblemind etc.) but I don't see a lot in term of buffs (expect for haste and greater magic weapon). I'd also like that they have skills. Could I make an effective buffer as a wizard?

I'm also considering other options:

Bards: I've played two but only for a little while; I believe they have great buffs and some debuff, but not the battlefield control that I seek.

Clerics: the next best bet right now. I never played one, but if I remember right they can buff pretty well with the right domanis, have nice debuffs but I'm not so sure about battlefield control. Moreover, I fear that they could have some potential as warriors with self buffs and I'd like to avoid that.

Druids: I'm not interested in animal companion, I don't want to summon and don't want to fight in wild shape. Seems a bit of a waste to me, even if the spell list is not so bad.

Witch: I don't know much about it, but hexes seems very good for debuffing, and I believe it has some buff and battlefield control too. Could this be an option?

Oracle: No idea, should I look into it too?

Mystic Theurge: I've always believed them to be useless until high level, is this true? I don't think we'll go past level 12 and I'd like to be effective throughout the 5-12 level range.

Other options?

Thank you in advance for any insight you may give me, please remember that fighting capability is a malus for me and not a plus (except durability).

EDIT:
I also value action economy: being able to use buffs on the whole party means a lot to me, since I'd both hate to increase existing disparities within the power of other PCs, and equally to devote an action to make a PCs badly built suck less.

Hi,
just wondering, how did your characters died? was it hubris, bad luck or simply stupidity that brought you down?
Please tell your story, so that we may remember you!

Here I go:

1)
3.5
Fist PC ever, elf Wizard5 named Turiel, died grappled by a giant crab during a giant crab hunting competition.
There was this shore where the farthest you went the bigger crabs you found. I and my group went a bit too far (there was a time limit so we had to take our chances) and found one a bit too strong for us.
After that the other PCs buried me into the pincer of the crab (which they eventually killed): as a noble elf I could have really hoped for something a bit more proper.

2)
3.5
Half-elf duskblade8 named Rendir.
During a tough fight against a barbarian harmed with an anchor (yeah, a large pick I guess, pretty cool if you ask me) I was kind of low on health. I decided to put an end to the fight and kill the guy with a quickened true strike and an all-out power attack (3.5 with really high strength, it had to do the job!!). Well, I rolled 1 on the attack and missed. The guy attacked me and rolled a nat 20 followed by something like 18-19. You can guess what happened.
The barbarian was eventually killed by the other guys but brought back by a necromancer a bit later (and this time killed by my druid).

3)
3.5
Human fire sorcerer11 (maybe 12, dunno) named Dar-es: I was playing the PC from like 3 years (every week) and the second PC I've had played (different group from the wizard and duskblade above).
We were up against something like a red-dragon. It seemed powerful but I was well protected (immunity to fire as from protection from energy on top of my energy resistance, almost full hp, an object that let you burn a spell and grant 2*spell level DR/- for one round), outside his reach and while the other PCs took cover from its fire breath I was standing boldly and blasting its ass.
I didn't even thought to roll a knowledge check and was quite surprised when I was hit by a disintegrating breath, which I failed on a rolled 16 or so. Turned out to be some crazy dragon from an obscure manual. Now I roll knowledge check even for goblins.
Even if the DM was against resurrection I managed to annoy him enough with a munchkin gish to convince him to let the other PCs to bring Dar-es back to life.

4)
PF
Human sword&board fighter8 named Azan (different name at the beginning but the other players continued to forget it so I choose a simpler one. I complained a lot at their lack of memory: funny that I can't remember it now).
One of the other PCs, a rogue, managed to get poisoned and unconscious (con damage, only one round before he died with his fort save) because of some stupid idea while fighting a mix of dragon and vyvern. I moved in to give him a potion of neutralize poison (the other PCs were too wounded to do it) and got downed by a critical hit + con damage (I took the chance because the monster needed a 18 or so to hit me). The other 2 players got killed immediately after in the first TPK of my life.

Well, that's all: not so bad if you consider a total of about 15 PCs played till retirement.
Now you go!

I'm looking at the spell named bullet and I'm not sure how I should read it.

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateCombat/spells/namedBullet.html

This is my interpretation for how firing an arrow with named bullet active on it would work. I'll try to break the problem in two and for now I'll avoid to consider rolling a natural 20 on the to hit.

1) Target with no spell resistance.
I fire the arrow and target the enemy's touch AC. If I miss the spell fails. If I hit I threaten a critical hit and I thus try to confirm it targeting the enemy's touch AC.

Is this correct? Or should I target the target's normal AC (opposed to touch AC) for the confirmation roll?

2) Target with spell resistance. I fire the arrow and target the enemy's touch AC. If I miss the spell fails. If I hit I roll for spell resistance. If the roll succeeds the spell works normally as above. If the roll fails the spell does not succeed, so the hit is not a critical threat and the bonus to damage does not apply (but I still hit the enemy).

Is this correct? or since the spell is negated I've to check if the arrow hits in the first place (thus checking if my original roll is high enough to match the target's normal AC)?

This spell could save my butt in the next fight and I want to make sure to get it right.
Anyway, anyone who cares about clearing my mind on this?
Thanks,
Fabio