Diminutive Titan's page

Hello everyone,

I'm probably going to start a homebrew campaign quite soon with five players. All of them have considerable experience in Pathfinder.

Now I was thinking that since they kind of know their way around optimizing a character (although they're not necessarily powerplayers by default) it would be fun to try an experimental way of rolling stats. Which would work as follows:

You may roll 4d6 six times, and take away the lowest die every time. The average modifier over six stats needs to be at least a +1, and you need to have at least one 16. Now here's the catch:
The first number they roll goes into Strength, the second into Dexterity, etc. They cannot switch the numbers around the different ability scores. They will have to build an effective character around the potentially oddball stats they have.

Obviously, I understand that this is limiting players tremendously in their freedom to build whatever character they want, and might end up in a weird party composition. but I talked to most of the players about this and they seem pretty interested and up for a challenge.

I'm wondering if any of you have experience with similar rolling systems, or how some of you guys would work with this?

I've tried a couple of rolls myself and sometimes I end up with weird sets like only a high Dex and Con and pretty much nothing else ;P or maybe a character that has pretty nice stats overall but both a low Dex and Con (both of which are usually stats that never go below 10)

Could you share your thoughts?
Even maybe roll some stats with this system and then think about what kind of character you would build around it? I've tried some myself but I'm curious what others end up with.

Allowed material is pretty much anything in the Paizo official material but not campaign-specific material.

EDIT: Oh, and Core Races only!

So I wanted to play a primitive barbarian, the dull type, maybe with the true primitive archetype. I kind of want to be a boss with a greatclub. But it's just so bad it seems! Does anyone know any special things that can be done with greatclubs?

I'm a new GM looking to play with new players. One of them likely intends to play a blasty character around the element of fire. I was reading up on the rules of Catching on Fire and saw that I have to roll a save for every single object or piece of equipment. I predict this will slow down the game tremendously. How do I solve that? Perhaps it goes a bit faster with items carried on person because they use the possessers save. But how about unattended objects? How do I even know what kind of saves objects have?

I was wondering if I could make a character work that is basically a damage sponge.

At first I was thinking a Dwarf Barbarian (invulnerable rager) with maxed out Con and Toughness feat. Just to gain a lot of HP and make Rages last really long. His rage powers would be things like Renewed Vigor and Regenerative Vigor and he'd have rage powers eventually like Boasting Taunt and Come and Get Me. Probably add in some feats that are particularly enemy-luring.

Add in some back up potions of Bear's Endurance, False Life, and whatnot.

But then I was thinking: That's mostly self-protection. And if the enemy is smart enough to go around me, what ways are there to literally suck up the damage that is done to other characters...?

I came across the spell Shield Other... and it got me thinking.
Is there any other way to redirect damage done to other creatures to yourself? Or something else that adjusts or negates the damage intake to creatures other than yourself?

How would you build a damage sponge?

I was wondering if the Throw Anything feat applied only to "improvised weapons" or if it also applies to "weapons that are not normally designed to be thrown"?

The Feat:
Throw Anything (Combat)
You are used to throwing things you have on hand.

Benefit: You do not suffer any penalties for using an improvised ranged weapon. You receive a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls made with thrown splash weapons.

Normal: You take a –4 penalty on attack rolls made with an improvised weapon.

From the Weapons section:

It is possible to throw a weapon that isn't designed to be thrown (that is, a melee weapon that doesn't have a numeric entry in the Range column on Table: Weapons), and a character who does so takes a –4 penalty on the attack roll. Throwing a light or one-handed weapon is a standard action, while throwing a two-handed weapon is a full-round action. Regardless of the type of weapon, such an attack scores a threat only on a natural 20 and deals double damage on a critical hit. Such a weapon has a range increment of 10 feet.

Suppose I took the Throw Anything feat followed by Distance Thrower, would that mean that as a standard action I could throw a short sword up to a distance of 20 feet without penalty?

Or does the -4 still apply since the shortsword isn't actually a "improvised weapon" but is rather a "weapon that is not meant to be thrown"?

I was wondering what is the best way to hit with touch attacks,

Let's say you're a full spellcaster, how high would you have your Strength ability score to hit with touch attacks often? How does touch AC scale with monsters?

Could you also skip out on Strength ability investments and take Weapon Finesse for touch attacks? Does that work?

I thought I read somewhere that touch attacks are considered light armed attacks... but the ruling on this is vague and confusing.
Need a little help here.

I have a question;

Is it possible to increase the threat range of melee touch attacks?
Or maybe the better wording of my question would be:
What is the maximum crit-range you can get with touch attacks?

I am not talking about a Magus who could deliver it through a weapon, I'm talking about any other spellcaster.

Is it possible to take the Improved Critical (touch) feat, if sufficient BAB?

Or is it better to deliver touch spells through natural attacks? Although I believe it shouldn't change much because all natural attacks have a 20(×2) multiplier?

Your thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

DT

For a new Pathfinder game we are rolling stats for characters.
This time it is specifically done in such a way that 'what you roll is what you get' so no switching numbers afterwards... the first thing you roll is strength, then dex, then con, etc.
I rolled the following:

Str 12
Dex 14
Con 8
Int 14
Wis 9
Cha 17

I'm seeing the following class possibilities:
Bard, Oracle or Sorcerer, and maybe a social rogue...
other than that I'm not sure about race or class.

Summoners aren't allowed.

I was wondering what you guys would do?

I was thinking about playing a Bard but the Con penalty really hurts, and I think I might end up just being a lousy sorcerer in that case.
On the other hand, a sorcerer seems to be a pretty okay choice.
I'm mostly worried about the Con issue here... I think taking the Toughness feat is going to be pretty much necessary.
I was thinking about playing a Gnome to heighten my Cha and fix my Con but I'm not sure what Gnomes are good at... and what kind of Gnome sorcerer works best for a versatile character.

I think I'm going to put up a guide how to keep your game fun, entertaining, balanced and coherent. Especially aimed towards newer players and GMs in general.

1. Knowing the Rules
Stick to Core material if you can. Know the rules by heart for as far as you can. Play out some skill challenges and combats on your own with a wizard, a fighter, a cleric, and a rogue. Explore situations that might happen and which rules apply.

Only after you know pretty well how everything works, you might perhaps add in the Advanced Player Guide, Ultimate Combat and Ultimate Magic. Make sure you ban the Summoner, Samurai and Ninja from your game for flavour and balancing reasons. From the Advanced Race Guide, allow your players to take alternate racial traits, but allow only the standard races.

2. Creating an Immersive Experience
Roughly think up a world together with your players. What kind of world is it and what's going on? What kind of role do the players take?
Then, YOU play that world, and your players will play inside that world.

For the first few sessions, try to stimulate the players into doing stuff. Just more or less lead them by the nose, until they get the swing of it and know how to roll. From that point on, give your players more freedom to follow their own clues. At this point, improvise as much as you can, and give the players the power to choose their own destiny. However, tell them that they should stick together at all times, unless forced to separate.

Know your players, base the adventures around motives that the players have or might have. If gold and XP is all your players want, then have them delve dungeons. If roleplaying is what your players want, then put some extra effort in the world and its inhabitants to get a more immersive experience.

3. Building Characters
Encourage your players to play the character they want to play, that if they try their best they will be fine even if they aren't the strongest guy in the party and that flavour matters too. Sure a PC might die in an unlucky situation. In the end it's about excitement and having fun, it's not about being able to get through the dungeon without a scratch. It is best to start out with either 15-point buy or 20-point buy. Rolling stats will create large differences in power between players, 10 point buy is too harsh and 25 point buy makes it difficult to set up challenging encounters because the players are too strong.

4. During Play
As a GM, you are always the final arbiter of what really happens and what doesn't. That doesn't mean you shouldn't let your players make suggestions on what would be fun to happen next.

A)Have plenty of information on your world available. But provide that information only when it becomes relevant. Your players will appreciate your attention to detail at that moment, but until then, you will merely be lecturing somebody who didn't ask.

B)Your players (thanks to minis, maps and counters) already have some kind of visual concept of the situation. So when you describe a scene, concentrate instead on sounds, smells, textures, and temperatures.

C)Keep disagreements brief. One statement per side; then make your ruling. Game time is precious! Afterward, you can consult your sources, debate via e-mail, and have the "official, permanent" ruling ready by the next game.

D) When running the game starts to feel like a chore, let everybody know you need a break. Have somebody else run. Play a board game. Go out for pizza. GMing is an obligation of sorts, but it's still meant to be fun, and if you're not enjoying yourself the odds are nobody will.

E) If you have issues with a player using his character to disrupt the game or interfere with other players' characters, discuss it with the player. Messing with the character either makes you look like a cheap tyrant if it works, or a total chump if you're outsmarted.

5. Achieve the Goal
Have fun.

Hello all,

For my next homebrew game as GM I was considering giving my group only a 10 point buy ability scores. What are your experiences with this? Does it demand heavy optimization of the players to survive normal CR encounters? Does it take away player freedom to make perhaps a slightly suboptimal build. How challenging does the game become?

Hello all,

For my next homebrew game as GM I was considering giving my group only a 10 point buy ability scores. What are your experiences with this? Does it demand heavy optimization of the players to survive normal CR encounters? Does it take away player freedom to make perhaps a slightly suboptimal build. How challenging does the game become?

Suppose I want additional spells, and I have no scrolls to copy them from. How much does it cost me to get more lvl 1 spells?

Do I have to buy a scroll and then pay 10 gp to write it in my spellbook? Or do I just pay the 10gp?
Or do I have to pay 1000 gp? According to the "Independent Research" rules.

Suppose I want additional spells, and I have no scrolls to copy them from. How much does it cost me to get more lvl 1 spells?

Do I have to buy a scroll and then pay 10 gp to write it in my spellbook? Or do I just pay the 10gp?
Or do I have to pay 1000 gp? According to the "Independent Research" rules.

Hey all,

I was wondering what would be the best way to build a tactical character that specializes in capturing opponents rather than killing them?

Thematically he should be a mercenary type of character who captures wanted guys (and monsters) for cash. He also does it for the thrill of the hunt. Get the bad guys in manacles quick and lock 'm up for good.

15-point buy
starting level 1
standard gold

I don't really know where to start but my first thoughts are fighter or ranger.

Yo peeps,

I was wondering whether it is worth creating a wizard with the abjuration specialization versus creating a cleric with protection/liberation domains.

What I'm trying to create is a wisened old caster-type character whom specialises in protecting/warding/foreshadowing the party. (although I don't want to go as far as having aging penalties)

What kind of character build would you suggest, fitting the above description?

Right now I think the wizard provides me with more utility but the cleric seems more resilient and has healing powers, but I'm wondering which is more worth it. Also, what race would you suggest for an abjurist wizard. Spell penetration and high DC's seem less important for an abjurist thus far.

The rest of the party consists of a halfling cavalier(order of the paw), a dwarven rogue, and a half-orc barbarian.

Hello everyone,

I am concocting a 15-point buy Dwarven wizard (enhancement subschool) whom has a goat familiar. I'm trying to get everything out of the goat familiar in terms of usefulness (I know, the goat is a suboptimal choice, but I'm trying to see how far I can push it) The character's starting level is level 1.

My dwarf has Toughness as a first level feat, and a starting Con of 15, he can use his physical enhancement school ability to raise this to 16 every day. This makes sure that my goat familiar has a HP of at least 6 at level 1

The goat has a starting AC of 14, which I can enhance through casting Shield or Mage Armor (which spell would be the better choice overall?)

The goat has a starting strength of 12, which gives him the following attack stats: Gore attack +2 (1d4+1) damage.
My dwarven wizard can use his Augment ability to give the goat either a +2 to strength or a +1 to natural armor bonus.

My dwarf has a rank in Craft (alchemy) for a +8 total. This is for the purpose of creating alchemist's fire and tanglefoot bags. My question is, can my goat technically use these? (By carrying/throwing stuff with it's mouth or horns for example) and maybe use stuff like Caltrops?

In addition my dwarf is probably going to take Craft Wondrous Item at level 3 and might create a Belt of Physical Might for the Goat.
Is this worth it?

And suppose I cast Anthropomorphic Animal on the Goat and make that permanent through Permanency at some point, would it from then on be able to use the UMD skill?

I want to actually use the goat as much as I possibly can, for delivering touch spells, being a flank buddy or dropping/throwing nasty items. I'm considering casting [polymorph] spells on it a lot, but I'm wondering whether this is going to give trouble I haven't foreseen?

I know this stuff is probably done better with a different familiar, and chances are high I'll take a better familiar at level 7 (Earth Mephit would fit my character thematically)

As suboptimal as it is, tell me what you guys think.
Is there something a goat might be really good at?

Hey all,

I'm playing a 3rd level Ranger in a core-only Pathfinder game, and I've chosen the Wolf as my animal companion for the next level.

My main question is: How do I turn my wolf into a reliable frontliner using Core only rules?

Obviously in every animal companion optimization thread the "Boon Companion" feat comes up. But we're playing core only so that's not an option...

(Even if it was, my ranger is a thrown-weapon specialist so he spends every feat he has in associated combat feats. Since there's a heap of 'em, he would have to change the planning quite a lot to open up a feat slot for it.)

I've calculated that at level 4 my ranger has 26 HP, and my Wolf critter has 16 and an AC of 12(without any enhancements or feats).
So I really feel that my wolf critter is quite squishy for level 4.

I mean a single average attack by a minotaur would basically cripple it.

My wolf gets a single feat, so I was thinking either Dodge, Toughness, or Light Armor proficiency...

Tell me what you guys think?

Hey all,

I'm about to run a new game with some friends and as I am creating the game world I run into a few confusing world-building issues.

Here's the basic idea:

In a rapidly expanding magocratic empire, gladiatorial games have become the most popular form of entertainment for the rich middle class and the upper classes. The players take on the role of characters that, for their own reasons (willingly or unwillingly), participate in these games as rookie gladiators.

Basically, as gladiators they are somewhat like prisoners or slaves in the game world. In the case of non-voluntary gladiators, escape should mean certain death (if the imperial soldiers catch you).

However, me and my friends have played lead-by-the-nose campaigns a bit too often... and I want to create some freedom for the players outside of the arena battles.

So my idea was that the gladiators basically live in their own special city-area. A ghetto of some sorts where their training grounds and dorms are. Since merchants and other common folk can enter this ghetto, for trade and whatnot, I need some special rules for gladiators and slaves, so that they cannot just run off but at the same time, not completely impeding all the freedom the players have...

How would you approach this?

I have a system in mind right now, that slaves and gladiators are branded with a certain magical tattoo or permanent arcane mark that shows what kind of slave/gladiator they are, who they belong to, and what their rank is in the gladiatorial ladder. As the gladiators gain popularity and rank, they can buy more freedom to go to certain areas of the city. (For example, if they do not have a sufficient mark, an Alarm spell and Hold Person spell triggers, and the city guard comes your way.)
Do you think a system like that will work? What are your ideas/suggestions?

Hey everyone,

I have an idea for a Fighter character but I was wondering how you guys would approach this.

For flavour reasons he is a half-orc (he is a fisherman shark-hunter) who specializes in the use of a net. His goal is to entangle/grapple/pin opponents and then tie them up. He is supposed to function well as a bounty hunter rather than a killer, capable of capturing enemies alive with relative ease.

Besides the net, I want to give the character something that works like a harpoon. Something that shoots out a hook, latches onto the opponent and then be able to drag in the opponent. Normal harpoons don't give me the range that I want.

Is it possible to use grappling bolts on a heavy crossbow to grapple enemies?

Right now it sorta looks like this:

15 point buy

Str 15 +2
Dex 17 +3
Con 14 +2
Int 12 +1
Wis 8 -1
Cha 7 -2

Feats:
lvl1: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Net)
Net Adept
lvl2: Two-Weapon Fighting
lvl3: Net Maneuvering
lvl4: Net and Trident
lvl5: Improved Unarmed Strike
lvl6: Net Trickery
lvl7: Improved Grapple
lvl8: Greater Grapple

Hello all,

How would you rebuild the Summoner class, in a balanced way, if you were to take away his Summon Monster I-IX spell-like-ability? I've never really designed my own class before, so I need some help.

Anyway, here's the deal:

I was thinking about the Summoner Class for a while, because there was something about it that I just didn't like and seemed really strange.
Finally, I realized that it is due to his Summon Monster ability in conjunction with his Eidolon class feature.

My main problem is, that I think the class was designed in an attempt to fit two quite different stereotypes into one class. The first one being the summoner that can summon a multitude of different creatures, and the second type being a summoner that has a bond with one particular creature. These two types of summoner just seem a bit too different, in my personal opinion, to be condensed into one.

Looking at the Summoner as a class, I prefer the second aforementioned stereotype. The Eidolon is what makes the class very special, and I feel it should focus more on the Eidolon, rather than having a seemingly redundant Summon Monster ability because...
Why would you want to summon all these random Pokémon, when you want to play with your special badass Charizard for 90% of the time?

If a player wants to specialize in summoning a multitude of creatures and objects, then why not play a conjurist wizard, or maybe a cleric or druid that focuses on summoning? They get great summoning abilities and spells and you get a whole lot of extra's too. So what I'm getting at is...

I'm trying to figure out a way to give my players the option of playing a Summoner, but one that is really focused on the Eidolon, and does away with summoning pretty much anything else. I actually like the Synthesist archetype as well, but that archetype pretty much replaces all the regular Eidolon abilities the Summoner has...

I was thinking of somehow combining the standard Eidolon class features with the Synthesist ones? But how should I do that properly?

Any advice on where to start with this thing?

Hello all,

Even though I have read a thread about the same spell on this very forum, I am still confused about the exact working of this spell.

The spell says:

Range - touch
Targets - creature or creatures touched (up to one/level)
Duration - instantaneous

"A touch from your hand, which glows with blue energy, disrupts the life force of living creatures. Each touch channels negative energy that deals 1d6 points of damage. The touched creature also takes 1 point of Strength damage unless it makes a successful Fortitude saving throw. You can use this melee touch attack up to one time per level."

In my opinion, that means my 3rd level sorcerer(aberrant bloodline) could:
Cast the spell, then walk up to 3 orcs (each within 10ft., within the range of the Long Limbs bloodline power), then affect each of them with a seperate melee touch attack, in the same round.

OR does it mean:
That a 3rd level sorcerer could cast this spell, get one free touch attack that same round, and then use this spell two more times in two subsequent rounds?
If this were the case, then could the sorcerer cast different spells in the following rounds, or does that end the Chill Touch effect so the sorcerer loses his leftover attacks?

Since the rules aren't clear at all on this, and that the touch-spell rules state that there are some touch spells that target multiple creatures, I tend to believe that the first reasoning is more logical.

Can anyone clarify this a bit more for me?

Thanks in advance!

Hello all,

Even though I have read a thread about the same spell on this very forum, I am still confused about the exact working of this spell.

The spell says:

Range - touch
Targets - creature or creatures touched (up to one/level)
Duration - instantaneous

"A touch from your hand, which glows with blue energy, disrupts the life force of living creatures. Each touch channels negative energy that deals 1d6 points of damage. The touched creature also takes 1 point of Strength damage unless it makes a successful Fortitude saving throw. You can use this melee touch attack up to one time per level."

In my opinion, that means my 3rd level sorcerer(aberrant bloodline) could:
Cast the spell, then walk up to 3 orcs (each within 10ft., within the range of the Long Limbs bloodline power), then affect each of them with a seperate melee touch attack, in the same round.

It would actually seem quite balanced to me, given the effects of the spell, and given the fact that you need to hit 3 seperate times to accomplish the full potential of the spell.
It would also correspond with the rules that say that you cannot 'hold the charge of a touch spell that targets multiple creatures'

However I have read that many people disagree with this because a 3rd level sorcerer could never have 3 touch attacks in one round due to his BAB at that point. Instead, the sorcerer could make only as many attacks as his BAB would allow him to.

That doesn't make much sense to me, because that would mean the following:

A 12th level sorcerer, could basically make 12 touch attacks with this spell by the rules of the spell. However, his BAB would only allow him two attacks per round.
Since you cannot hold the charge of a spell that targets multiple creatures, that means that any sorcerer at any level could never make more than two attacks with this spell, unless he had otherwise gained extra attacks from multiclassing...

Wouldn't that make this spell, horribly underpowered and just plain globally useless? I can hardly imagine that this spell was actually designed specifically for a sorcerer1/monk20 character...

I haven't been able to find any official clarification on this spell, so can anyone else help me out?

Thanks in advance