Count Haserton Lowis IV

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Grand Lodge

To cast a spell, generally it has to be on your spell list, you should know the spell, maybe you have to prepare it and usually you have to expend a spell slot of corresponding level. Sometimes some of those requirements go away due to using spell completion items or due to class mechanics (prepared vs spontaneous, archetype mechanics akin to Spell Sage Wizard, feats like Unsanctioned Knowledge and so on).

There is an old would-be loophole in these rules that with wrong reading could allow an 11th level Oracle with Improved Eldritch Heritage (Arcana/ New Arcana) to add a Sorcerer/Wizard spell to their list of spells known. Per multiple forum threads and an official FAQ we know why this does not work: despite now knowing those wizard spells, our oracle still does not have them on her Spell List, and is thus unable to cast them. This is well-established and I include this just as a baseline.

Now, to the interesting part. Enter Oracle of Lore of level 11 with an Arcane Archivist revelation.

Here's the full text:
Arcane Archivist (Su): Your experience with lore-filled tomes has granted you the ability to cast arcane spells as if they were on your spell list. Once per day, you can cast a spell from the sorcerer/wizard spell list as if it were on your list of spells known. The spell consumes a spell slot one level higher than the level of the spell. You must have a spellbook containing the spell to cast it in this way, and the spell is erased when you complete the casting. You must be at least 11th level to select this revelation.

Everything starting from second sentence describes the process of casting spells from spellbook you have (and that contains spells written there by some friendly [N]PC).

The first sentence, hovewer is separated from second by a dot and a capitalization of the first word in second sentence. And the first sentence explicitly gives you the ability to cast arcane spells as if they were on your spell list, because that's what it says.

Now, using Expanded Arcana feat to cheese wizard spells into an Oracle won't work, because despite our Oracle having all arcane spells on his spell list, Expanded Arcana specifically refers to your 'class spell list', which is Oracle/Cleric.

Mnemonic Vestment won't work either, because it explicitly calls out the types of spell being cast and type of spell slot being spent (both should be either divine or arcane).

Hovewer, per RAW those seem like valid interactions:
1) Lvl 11 AA Oracle can use any scroll of any arcane spell without UMD check because she can cast any arcane spell as if it was on her spell list
2) Lvl 11 AA Oracle can use New Arcana from Arcana bloodline per Improved Eldritch Heritage to add one wizard spell to her list of spells known, and due to being able to cast arcane spells per AA, she now both has this spell on her list of spells known and has it on her spell list for the purposes of spellcasting.

These points do not seem cheesy enough to dismiss them as obvious PFS cheese that 'could be legal but is obviously broken and is not good sportsmanship to use': even in more powerful (2) we're talking about single wizard spell being available for an oracle of knowledge-oriented mystery that is weaker than bard/investigator/mindchemist for knowledges, has no useful mystery spells besides Tongues and is going to see action for a whole lot of 6 games before being forced into above-hightier specials couple times a year. (Lore Oracles are still nice as a general 'can-do-almost-anything' class though).

How to rule interactions 1 & 2 in PFS game?

Grand Lodge

If my familiar performs an action that can be affected by one of the boons i have, can i apply such boon to the action?

* For example, can i apply Grand Lodge's Explorer reward to modify familiar's acrobatics check?

* Can i do the same with Chronicle boon?

* What if the boon is described as a 'gratitude from some named NPC' and the familiar was present during scenario, was intelligent and talking enough to be reasonably recognized as one of those who earned said gratitude (azata, faerie dragon, etc)?

* What if my familiar has 'figment' familiar archetype which makes him a part of my consciousness?

Grand Lodge

If my familiar performs an action that can be affected by one of the boons i have, can i apply such boon to the action?

* For example, can i apply Grand Lodge's Explorer reward to modify familiar's acrobatics check?

* Can i do the same with Chronicle boon?

* What if the boon is described as a 'gratitude from some named NPC' and the familiar was present during scenario, was intelligent and talking enough to be reasonably recognized as one of those who earned said gratitude (azata, faerie dragon, etc)?

* What if my familiar has 'figment' familiar archetype which makes him a part of my consciousness?

Grand Lodge

I'm playing Oracle of Lore in PFS.
My focus is towards diplomacy, knowledges, utility spells and occasional burst of radiance.

Significant portion of my feats went towards Eldritch Heritage to acquire poor man's quicken spell in the form of speaking familiar and Imbue with Spell Ability spell.

Right now i'm level 8 (1/3 towards 9) and sitting on a 9k gp, and i'm thinking on whether i should invest towards Lesser Quicken metamagic rod.

I plan on mostly using it to drop 1st-round Curse/Blindness-Deafness/Resist Energy, Communal/Burst of Radiance. Other first-round spell will usually be occupied by Blessing of Fervor, or maybe i will drop two curses first round.

Hovewer, rod of Quicken costs 35k gp. That means i'm going to be saving up through the level 8 (+2*5k gp) and level 9 (+3*5k gp), and if i'm only eating conjured water and hunting rats i will be able to buy the rod before first or second scenario at level 10. Which means i'm playing with it for about 5-6 scenarios before i have to retire, so including retiring arc that's 8-9 scenarios where i have the rod.

Or i could upgrade my headband of charisma from +2 to +4 for 12k (raising bonus from +6 to +7) which will give me +1 to reflex, initiative, all knowledges, diplomacy, extra level 3 spell slot (thats 7->8) and that's about it. Also +1 more to will and con saves if i use wand of Bestow Grace, which i will once i get improved familiar that can hold it.
But that will delay my Quicken rod until level 11, which would mean i'm better off spending money somewhere else instead of getting Quicken rod as a retiring gift.

So. Should i start eating dirt to ensure i have it easy when old age comes, or should i burn all money to the ground and possibly die horribly due to some overpowered SLA enemy used in first round?

Grand Lodge

= Oracle of Lore 1 / Bard 7 =
My pfs character is Oracle of Lore 8.
I was going to write a post about how good and precious it is and how much fun it is to play it (except for combat where it can't do a thing), but i've created Oracle 1 / Bard 7 in PCgen and now i'm depressed.
To be honest, you don't need Bard 7: past second versatile performance at Oracle 1 / Bard 6 you can go wherever you want, but i guess staying at least for Haste is worth it.

Race: Human

Attributes:
Point buy:
Str 12, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 17
Human attribute: +2 Cha
Attributes at level 4 and 8: Cha, Int
Headband of Mental Prowess (Int/Cha) +2 along the way
Total attributes at level 8:
Str 12, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 22

Traits:
Reactionary
Irrepressible (CHA instead of WIS on will saves versus charm/compulsion)

Feats:
Level 1:
Noble Scion (of War)
Extra Revelation

Levels 3,5,7:
Lingering Performance
Prodigy (Perform: Oratory / Comedy)
Improved Initiative

Favored class bonuses:
FCB: bard. 7x Human Bard FCB (extra spell).

Oracle of Lore revelations:
Sidestep Secret (CHA to AC instead of dex (capped by max dex), CHA to Reflex (uncapped))
Lore Keeper (all Knowledges are now CHA skills)

Oracle Curse:
Lame or Clouded Vision, but anything will work if it does not hinder your talking skills (i.e. deaf/mute/hobo curses)

Bard versatile performance:
Oratory (sense motive / diplomacy)
Comedy (Intimidate / bluff)

Gear in no particular order:
Backpack, masterwork 50gp
Gauntlet, Spiked (Cold Iron) 10gp
Circlet of Persuasion (+3 to all CHA checks [Initiative, Concentration, Reflex, social skills, UMD, Knowledges]) 4500gp
Handy Haversack 2000gp
Headband of Mental Prowess (Int/Cha) +2 10000gp
+1 Darkwood Heavy Shield 1257gp
+1 Amulet of Natural Armor 2000gp
+1 Deathless Mithral Agile Breastplate 8400gp
+2 Cloak of Resistance 4000gp

Gear to get through low levels:
5gp - buckler, after first or second scenario get MWK Darkwood Heavy Shield for 2PP
100gp - Chain Shirt

Might get around level 8:
Wand of Bestow Grace (lvl2 paladin spell) 6000gp:
+CHA (thats +6 for you) to all saves (except Reflex as you already have it here) for 4 minutes.
50 uses should last from level 8 until character retirement at 3 uses per scenario, but you need to have high UMD to make it worth;
your checks auto succeed since level 7 (UMD +19) though.

Meaningfull stats at level 8:
HP: 51
AC: 26, flat 21 touch 15
Saves:
Fort +5
Ref +16 (+5 base, +6 CHA, +3 Circlet, +2 cloak)
Will +10 ( +6 cha - 1 wis +3 circlet: +8 extra vs charm/compulsion effects)
Initiative: +15 (+2 reactionary +4 imp.init +6 CHA +3 Circlet)
Skills:
+22 Diplomacy, Sense Motive, Intimidate, Bluff via Perform(Oratory/Comedy) (+6 cha +3 Circlet +3 class +2 Prodigy +8 ranks (note that you only spend ranks on two Perform skills))
+16 Knowledge (all) (+3 bardicKnowledge +6 cha +3 circlet +3 class +1 rank)
If you want, you can focus some knowledges by giving them more than one rank.
Also you can take 10 on all knowledges.
Also you can take 20 once a day on knowledge.
Also half your spellbook grants you bonuses to already made rolls.
+20 UMD (+6 cha +3 circlet +3 class +8 ranks)
Other skills that you should put 8 ranks into:
+9 Acrobatics (you have to jump sometimes)
+9 Escape artist (with your CMD/CMB grapples are dangerous)
+12 Perception
+14 Spellcraft
At level 8, you have (6+1+3)*8 = 80 skill points (some of them are tied to Headband, but i guess you'll retrain your ranks once you get it, so total is the same).
You maxed out Perform(Oratory), Perform(Comedy), UMD, Acrobatics, EscapeArtist, Perception, Spellcraft, thats 7*8=56 skill points.
You put 1 into every knowledge, thats 10 skill points.
You have 14 spare skill points to put wherever you want.
Consider maxing out Linguistics, or at least put some skills here relatively early, to be able to talk to almost every native and/or outsider.
Four elemental languages, Draconic, Celestial and Abyssal are a good choice, though both fiends and angels usually have a form of communication themselves.

Grand Lodge

Let me get straight to the point.
If i, being a lvl 1 divine caster, cast Sun Metal on my weapon and don't get any AoOs, i wont make even one attack with it, as it will dissipate just before the start of my next round.
I think i came up with somewhat a solution for this problem, yet i would like some people other than me to take a look at my master plan, as it is possible i overlooked some flaw in it.

Setup: level 1 oracle/cleric with morningstar, buckler and sun metal spell.

Default way:
1) I cast Sun Metal with my offhand, losing +1 bonus from buckler for the round.
2) As a part of casting a spell with a range "touch", i, well, touch my morningstar with my offhand, and it gains SunMetal.
3) I spend a round possibly getting some AoOs with my flaming morningstar.
4) My next round comes up: i can attack somebody, yet i already do not have SM on my weapon.

Intricate way:
1) I cast Sun Metal with my offhand, losing +1 bonus from buckler for the round.
2) As a part of casting a spell with a range "touch", i have to touch my weapon. But i will not.
*) Note that the spell is not autodischarged onto my weapon, for if this was the case, no oracle or cleric or whoever would be able to buff his friends' weapons without first letting go of his own. As people can enhance other people's weapons with magic, and because of existence of Magi who specifically say so, i assume that the spell is being held in my specific hand (offhand) rather than in both of them as a lot of people seem to think, and is being held until i, at will or accidentally, touch anything with this hand.
3) I wait for my next turn, getting AoOs with my morningstar without any enchants and catching arrows with my knees due to lack of buckler.
*) I see possibilities for GMs here to homerule that if i am successfully grappled, i must roll something like d20, and on 1-6 the spell goes to the enemy's weapon, and or 7-14 it fizzles due to being discharged into the floor/enemy's armor/other things that do not benefit from this spell and on 15-20 it is still in hand.
*) Also i believe it makes sense to homerule that you won't get a buckler bonus until you've discharged a spell, as you are actively trying to _not_ discharge it onto an enemy's flail.
4) My next round begins, and i have spell charged in my hand. I apply Sun Metal for my weapon as a free action (as it is just a "temporarily placing a hand on a weapon" and requires no concentration whatsoever), walk to the nearest foe who dared to oppose me and smite him for the whopping 1d4 + 1d8 + 2 damage, or miss miserably.
5) I wait for my next turn, now without the penalty to the AC (i didn't cast any spells, so my buckler is back). Also i am getting one AoO with my flaming morningstar.

Well, that's it. What are your thoughts on this matter? It seems as it is perfectly legal and not game breaking to do, yet i would like to learn all possible reactions to this sequence of actions as it is possible in PFS to play with a GM you don't know.