Dispari Scuro's page

I'm looking at making a Construct Rider alchemist from the Cohorts and Companions book, but I'm curious how to go about healing the thing when it inevitably takes damage.

As a construct (even if it's also a companion) it seems I can't use normal spells or extracts on it. Alchemists don't have access to Make Whole unless I want to take the Spell Knowledge discovery at level 10 and cast it as a 3rd level extract (ugh).

I don't know if any of the alchemist discoveries would heal it.

Lastly, it says you can heal it with Craft Construct which you get at 4, but... that costs 100g per 1d6 HP restored, which takes a day or more... It also says I have to make a craft check though, based on the DC it takes to make the construct, but there is no DC to craft the construct -- you just have it. So what's the DC? Or is there one?

So besides Craft Construct, what are my options? Buy a wand of Make Whole?

Also, can I use Craft Construct to make construct modifications to it?

Okay, so basically my question is if this is one glove or two.

"Deliquescent Gloves

The wearer’s gloved hand is protected from the acid ability of oozes, allowing him to use that hand to attack oozes with unarmed strike or natural attack without risk of harm from contact with the ooze. These unarmed strikes and natural attacks never cause an ooze to split."

I'm looking at getting it for a magus, and it would be nice to have +1d6 on both my weapon and my touch attacks. But I can't tell if that's possible or if it only applies to one hand. If it only applies to one hand, I'm guessing I can't get two, one for each hand?

I'm making a catfolk ninja. That's about all I've decided on. I read a couple guides and got some solid ideas. But I'm stuck on what sort of weapon style(s) I should use.

Originally I wanted to dual-wield wakizashis, which is still an option, though that requires feats and will require very high Dex to make use of.

Then I realized, not only can I get claws which don't require feats and don't lock me into needing 17+ Dex, but catfolks can take a talent to get d8s on sneak attack when using claws. Downside there is, once I hit level 8, I start missing out on iterative attacks. At that point it might be better to switch to dual-wielding. Also, claws are just x2 crit, which matters a little.

I briefly looked at doing katana, but even two-handing it when sneak is impossible, there's not much benefit to doing that over just attacking with claws. Doing a daisho would be nice thematically, but that would create a mess with feats and ability scores.

Anyway, it looks like the best option is just using claws UNTIL I hit level 8, but then I suddenly need two feats and to have at least 17 Dex, and after that point I wasted a rogue talent. Or I could stick with claws for the d8s, but how much would I be losing out on compared to having iteratives? Or is there some easier/less obnoxious path I can choose instead?

At level 10, slayers can pick from advanced slayer talents. One option is: "Rogue and Ninja Advanced Talents: A slayer can select any of the following advanced ninja or rogue talents in place of an advanced slayer talent: deadly sneak, evasion, hunter's surprise, knock-out blow, master of disguise, opportunist, and stealthy sniper. A slayer can select this advanced talent multiple times"

Evasion is not a rogue talent (they already have it) but it is a ninja trick. For ninjas, it only works in light armor. Slayers get medium armor proficiency though. And one of their parent classes is ranger, which also gets Evasion, but THAT Evasion works in medium armor.

So can a slayer use Evasion in medium armor, or no?

Healing Bomb:
Benefit: When the alchemist creates a bomb, he can choose to have it heal damage instead of dealing it. Creating a healing bomb requires the alchemist to expend an infused extract or potion containing a cure spell. A creature that takes a direct hit from a healing bomb is healed as if she had imbibed the infusion or potion used to create the bomb. Creatures in the splash radius are healed for the minimum amount of damage the cure spell is capable of healing. A healing bomb damages undead instead of healing them.

Some questions.

1) Do you still have to make an attack roll against allies? I'm guessing so just to judge your ability to throw things accurately at range. But is it possible for an ally to just decide not to dodge? Can they at least consider themselves flat-footed or something? I know it targets touch AC, but a high-dex character might be hard to actually hit, and I can't imagine not being able to turn off your desire to leap out of the way, especially if I yell, "Healing incoming!"

2) Can you throw a bomb at yourself? And again, can you decide not to dodge it?

3) Do you add your int to it like the alchemist class feature says? Relevant info: An alchemist adds his Intelligence modifier to damage done with splash weapons, including the splash damage if any. What about the tiefling favored class bonus? The text: Add +1/2 to the alchemist's bomb damage.

Okay, so Wild Hunter gives up favored enemy for this:

"Animal Focus (Su): At 1st level, as a swift action a wild hunter can take on the aspect of an animal, gaining a bonus or special ability based on the type of animal emulated. This functions as the hunter's animal focus class feature, though this only applies to the wild hunter and not an animal companion (see shared focus, below). The wild hunter can use this ability for 1 minute per day per ranger level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments. He can only emulate one animal at a time.

This ability replaces all instances of the favored enemy class ability."

Infiltrator has this:

"Adaptation (Ex): At 3rd level, an infiltrator learns how to copy the unusual abilities of his prey. He chooses one type of creature he has selected as a favored enemy, such as “aberrations.” The Ranger selects one ability or feat from the adaptation list for that type (see below). A Ranger can use adaptations for 10 minutes per day per Ranger level he possesses. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in 10-minute increments. If the adaptation requires the Ranger to make a more specific choice (such as what skill to use with Skill Focus), this choice is permanent and cannot be changed.

At 8th, 13th, and 15th-level, the Ranger chooses another one of his favored enemy types and selects one adaptation from that type’s list, as well as an additional adaptation from any one list of a creature type he’s selected (including the one just chosen, if so desired). The infiltrator can only use one adaptation at a time. The ranger can use the camouflage and hide in plain sight class features whenever he is using adaptations."

So, while these archetypes can combine, it seems that Infiltrator relies on the class ability that Wild Hunter replaced. My question is: If you do this, do you just have a class ability you can't use at all? Or should I get an "effective" favored enemy type that I can choose at 3rd, 8th, 13th, and 15th level that is only good for determining which Adaptation I can use?

Wild Hunter isn't the only archetype with this issue. Infiltrator could also combine with Freebooter, for example.

This ability leaves me with a lot of questions. Let me see if I understand it.

Level 1: You can spend a move action to gain 1 combat feat for 1m. If you use this ability again, you replace the original.

Level 6: You can now have up to 2 combat feats. A move action grants 2, a swift action grants 1. I'm assuming, since it doesn't say one way or the other, that you can spend a swift action two turns in a row and get both feats going? Or do you have to use a move action to get two, meaning every use of a swift action replaces the previous one? It doesn't SAY that, but who knows.

Level 10: You can now have up to 3 combat feats. A move action grants 3, a swift action grants 2, and a free action grants 1. Now, nothing says this, and really there's no limit on free actions, but I'm still assuming you can't just spend 3 free actions in one round to get all 3 feats, mostly because that destroys the entire purpose of having it tied to different actions. So I guess the question is if I can spend a free + swift to get all 3 feats (meaning, essentially, a swift action grants all 3). This is where this ability starts to get really messy for me.

Level 12: You can still only have 3 combat feats. An immediate action grants 1, and a swift action now grants 3. Assuming move still gives 3 as well?

Level 20: You can have "any number" of combat feats. A swift action grants "any number." A move action, I'm guessing, still grants 3, even though it's far less efficient (although there are situations where I might be using my swift action for something else), and a free still grants 1? Does any number mean any number? At this point, I can spend a swift action to gain 13 (3 + 1/2 of 20) combat feats?

Warpriest Fervor (Su):
"As a swift action, a warpriest can expend one use of this ability to cast any one warpriest spell he has prepared. When cast in this way, the spell can target only the warpriest, even if it could normally affect other or multiple targets."

Improved Spell Sharing (Teamwork Feat):
"Prerequisite(s): Ability to acquire an animal companion, eidolon, familiar, or special mount.
Benefit: When you are adjacent to or sharing a square with your companion creature and that companion creature has this feat, you can cast a spell on yourself and divide the duration evenly between yourself and the companion creature. You can use this feat only on spells with a duration of at least 2 rounds. For example, you could cast bull's strength on yourself, and instead of the spell lasting 1 minute per level on yourself, it lasts 5 rounds per level on yourself and 5 rounds per level on your companion."

Let's say I make a Divine Commander, who gets a special mount similar to a cavalier or paladin. I use Fervor to cast Bull's Strength as a swift action. Can I still divide the duration with my companion?

Additionally, the feat doesn't specify what kind of spells you can and can't share. Can you share spells with a target of "you" such as Divine Favor, similar to Share Spells? Can I share spells that normally wouldn't work on an animal?

I'm designing a skald, and I have a few questions about how it works with spirit totem.

Skald rage powers:
"At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter, a skald learns a rage power that affects the skald and any allies under the influence of his inspired rage. ... If the rage power's effects depend on the skald's ability modifier (such as lesser spirit totem), affected allies use the skald's ability modifier instead of their own for the purposes of this effect."

Spirit Totem:
"While raging, the barbarian is surrounded by spirit wisps that harass her foes. These spirits make one slam attack each round against a living foe that is adjacent to the barbarian. This slam attack is made using the barbarian’s full base attack bonus, plus the barbarian’s Charisma modifier. The slam deals 1d4 points of negative energy damage, plus the barbarian’s Charisma modifier."

So, my questions are:

1) The attack rolls would be BAB+CHA. It says that the skald's ability score is used instead of anyone else's, but do they use their own BAB or mine?

2) The way spirit totem is worded, it sounds like the spirits are just there all the time, and are free attacks. It doesn't seem like they require any specific action to use. So it sounds as though each person's spirits always attack a target, even if they themselves are doing something else like drinking a potion. Is this true?

3) Under Raging Song we get, "Unconscious allies automatically accept the song." This means that they continue to "rage" even while unconscious, correct? Additionally, along with #2, does this mean the spirits are still there, and can still attack enemies, even while the person is unconscious?

I'm just looking at anything that gets bardic knowledge because I want to do a knowledge-centric character, and I'm comparing all the classes side-by-side. I have a question about the new Skald class from the ACG. Their Inspired Rage says:

"While under the effects of inspired rage, allies other than the skald cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration."

So just to clarify: Does this mean that the Skald herself gets the str/con benefits (and the -1 AC), but can still use any skills, and cast spells unhindered?

I'm starting a campaign soon, and the ACG just came out, so naturally a few people in the party want to play with new stuff. I'm really unsure about this feat, though.

Evolved Companion
Your animal companion has abilities that makes it different from others of its kind.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, animal companion class feature.
Benefit: Select a 1-point evolution from those available to a summoner’s eidolon. Your animal companion gains this evolution. The animal companion must conform to any limitations of the evolution. For instance, only an animal companion of an appropriate size and base form can have the mount evolution. If you gain a new animal companion, your old animal companion loses this evolution, and you can select a new 1-point evolution for the new animal companion.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you do, select an additional 1-point evolution for your animal companion.

So specifically I'm looking at these abilities: Bite, Claws, Hooves, Pincers, Slam, Sting, Tail Slap, and Wing Buffet. Does the animal companion count as having the limbs required for these evolutions? Can a wolf take claws? It obviously has limbs, but the text says "The eidolon must have the limbs evolution to take this evolution." A vulture has wings and a fly speed, can it take wing buffet? Can a tyrannosaurus take tail slap? Or would I have to take the feat twice, give it a tail, and then give the new second tail a tail slap?

Making a character who has a raven familiar... and I can't figure out where their skill rank is spent. Raven has 15 dex and 15 wis with 1 HD. It also has two feats -- weapon finesse and skill focus (perception). Not sure why it has two feats; maybe ravens get a bonus feat, but it doesn't say that anywhere.

Anyway, its skills are listed as Fly +6 and Perception +6. Seems to be pretty messed up in the book, because it even says perception is +3 at the bottom, but +6 at the top. My question is, how did it get these numbers and where did it spend its skill rank?

Fly: It's tiny (+4) and has average flight (+0), and dex is +2. So it has +6 there.

Perception: It has skill focus (+3) and wis is +2. So it should be +5.

So the possibilities are:

A) Its rank is in fly, and they forgot the size bonus (so it should be +10), but perception is still wrong.

B) Its rank is in perception, and they forgot perception is a class skill, so it should be +9.

C) Its rank is in perception, and they forgot or it's not supposed to have skill focus (perception).

So I'm playing with the idea of a build -- a tiefling that has disarm, and this tail:

Grasping Tail. If you have the prehensile tail racial trait, you can use your tail to grab unattended items within 5 feet as a swift action as well as to grab stowed objects carried on your person; you can hold such objects with your tail, though you cannot manipulate them with your tail (other than to put them in your hand).

So, a few questions.

1: I'm assuming if I disarm someone, I can spend a swift action and immediately pick up that item. Or does this item on the floor still count as "attended?"

2: Does this provoke? Normally picking up an item is a move action, and provokes. But this is a feat and a swift action. I don't have to bend over to do it. But I guess I might have to take my eyes off the person?

3: Greater Disarm specifies that when you disarm someone, the item lands 15 feet away in a random direction. Can I opt out of that? Obviously it's better for me if it lands at their feet, and I can just 5-foot step toward it. Or do I just go flailing around wildly and throwing the item crazy far, against my own better judgment? In which case am I actually better off not taking Greater Disarm, to prevent myself from having to go chasing after the item (which would provoke)?

4: Say all the above works, I disarm a guy, and now I'm holding his sword in my tail. What does he have to do to get it back? Does he have to disarm my tail, or does he have to steal from me?

So someone in the same game I'm in is planning on doing a ranger with a small cat companion. They're discussing buying it armor, and I said armor proficiency is a fairly good feat. They said they don't need the feat, which made me wonder how the rules work in that situation and if there's anything I'm missing.

According to the rules, wearing armor you aren't proficient with just applies the ACP to your attack rolls. But plenty of light armor already has an ACP of 0, and you could wear up to MW studded leather or mithral chain shirt without taking any penalties on attack rolls.

If you're only going for light armor anyway, is the feat completely pointless? Is the only reason for cavaliers getting it so they can take medium or heavy proficiency? Can you throw heavy armor on any animal companion without proficiency as long as you don't plan on having it attack? Or is there some other restriction that applies here that I can't find in the rules?