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I'm not sure why throw build isn't what you want as it is also ranged while still do well in melee if you are cornered.

If you want something fancy, maybe Spellslinger Wizard? Not sure how good they are but can't be too bad as they are casters after all.

Bloodrager with high Str, Dex, Con, just enough Cha to cast level 4 spells and try not to have Int and Wis below 10? Throw like a boss and all you need is power attack to be okay in melee as backup. Have you ever burn spells like Cheetah Sprint as swift action, Greater bloodrage with True Strike as free action and Hurling Charge (Ex) if you are allowed to play primalist? Two-Handed Thrower and Quick Draw Feats allow you to throw as well as melee in full round attack, or two weapon fighting tree if you want more attacks. Best part is most things for this direction can be use for melee. So you can always power attack with a weapon if you can not throw. Just a fun build.

5. Most people , even among other casters, know summon spell should take about one round, suddenly you cast it so fast like with Draconic Ally, people are going to be scared! Just how power and fast you can be as a summoner? I call that a free intimidate check!

It's is going to be fun, as long as you have decent saves against strength damage and strength drain, you will be just fine.

Roleplaying wise, just make him listless. Only effortlessly do things with grace and intellect. If the work is too hard, he will just get someone to carry him. You will have fun!

Gloves of marking is great for rogue who don't rely on crit to deal damage. So if you have two keen kukris, you can help your team, it's very effective for team with 4+ units. I don't play rogue with crit damage focus as Sneak attacks has always been enough for me. So it really helps as your team gets +2 to hit and damage, while the target gets shaken.

Blinkback belt is great for rogue who favour options over stats. In the hands of a true rogue, it will be deadly.

Normally, I won't let player draw the same card twice, once you draw a card, it's gone. In your case, I would save you either gain one level for the next and one more monster after that. Two levels in total. Or kill next two to gain two. Not very fair to kill one monster and gain two levels.

I've had that happened to me to. I drew some cards from the harrow deck and got all good cards with powers. So the GM had it only available in the harrow realm and eventually taken away from me. It doesn't feel good, I picked it with my own hands, took my own risk but got it taken away because of balance.

In your case, maybe have it take away by choice? Have an power NPC ask the monk for the weapon because it was in important item passed down from a friend. He is willing to travel with the group to assist and give advice if the monk is willing to part with the weapon. If not, he will try to talk his way with the monk. Let the monk know how important it is to him. If the monk still refuse, then have the NPC follow him until he is willing. Like he is just there to watch the group, and occasionally kill off a monster or two with one punch. Let the monk know that if he run out of patient, he can kill the monk very easily. So the monk has to hand over, or have to constantly fear that he might be killed. Just don't actually kill him for it. By the time the group is high level enough, then have that NPC give the dagger to the monk. This way the player will feel better because they get to keep what they earned at the end.

DoubleBubble wrote:

But can you use vital strike for double barrel weapons?

with a special ability that allows you to make vital strikes with any standard action yes, with out that ability no

Are there such thing that allow you to do that? I think double barrel is good for gunslinger, but otherwise, not so good. The double barrel mechanic doesn't make sense. How can you make two attack rolls at the same target with that you try to attack at once? Should have been just one roll with penalty to attack for double damage. Not only it will make sense and bring immersion, also bring back vital strike feats without more feat tax.

But can you use vital strike for double barrel weapons?

Rogues are my first love. I don't play them to kill better than anyone else. I don't play them to fight better than anyone else. I play them to rob, cheat, and steal. I play to knock out traps and locks. I love to hide and slit someone's throat as they pass by. In and out, and nobody knows you were there except for all the things missing.

If you want to fight toe to toe, why are you playing a rogue? Fighters are waaaaay better at that. There are so many of these threads coming down on the rogue for non-viability, and I can't help but think everyone complaining would be better off playing a fighter. They have way more feats, BAB, and AC. In fact if you give yourself some Int and play human, you can get lots of stealth, perception, and some other rogue abilities. Pick your feats for damage, and you can out-damage a rogue's sneak attack by simply sneaking up on someone and multi-attacking (two hand is good here) with power attack and +4's to hit from behind/unaware. Short swords specialized are great for this. Stealthy fighters blow rogues away, so if you want to hack and slash, why are you considering rogue?

Finally found someone else that knows how to play rogue instead of dex fighter will lots of other stuff. When I play rogue, I dominate when I'm weak, I bluff when I'm strong. A dragon goes down to kill me, I will use everything to bring it down and force it to work for me with a deal that he has no choice but to agree. A king gone mad, use madness to reason with him and make me the new king. Wizard wants to destroy the world, sneak attack to death with no magical items so he can't detect magic on me. Fight challenge me to a duel, trick him into a fight he can't win. I have all the diplomacy and bluff checks a fighter can't beat. My plan so well thought out that no wizard can see it coming. I use paladin's code against a paladin. Because I'm a rogue, I'm always in control. When you wronged me, I will find you, and you will pray that I will just kill you, for I can do much worse. That's how I like to play rogue. I am not the best at anything, but I can do well in many things to the point I can take anyone down if I do a bit plannings. Like Batman. Yes, Ironman will beat me out right, but am I going to let it happen? No.

Assassin's sight is a wondrous item that you attached to your firearm, allow you to set your range for dealing sneak attack, up to 90 feet I believe. Also Silencing weapon enchantment allow you to snipe without making huge noise.

The rule is not very realistic though. On the street, I have have two people charge at me one on the left and one on the right, the don't have to have centre to centre line between their squares to flank me, because the moment I turn to one, the other will attack, depends of my stance, eventually I will leave one side open for their attacks. So to solve this, I had to move around one and use that person to block the other and out punch that person before I take down the next. I guess it will be hard to play against if flanking become more realistic though.

A cheap way to cast small spells with firearm would be mage shots. They make your attacks deal elemental damage with extra effects. So if you keep enough in your pockets, you will have many options. Stagger melee units, electricity. Fighting barbarians, cold. Trolls, acid. Dumb things that can't put out fire, fire. Apply to the right target, it will deal way more damage than you can expect.

Use subjective evil. Say if you dealing with noblemen, use your stats to squeeze everything out of them. Take their maids through blackmailing and cleverplay if they are good looking. Then go to the them to persuade them to serve you. make the noblemen make false move like ordering assassins but you are so far ahead of them and pay the assassin to false report your death. Then appear when he was boasting about how he got you killed. It's hard to play evil right, you need to work with your GM a lot. It's easy to go evil with the whole team, but to use subjective evil while the team are not is hard.

King: Children, I can't have you risk your lives for me.
Children: It will be our honors.
King: Very well, tell your names to my servant, she will record. You shall all be known as heroes.

Party member 1: That's evil.
King: You think I don't know that? How else are we going to get out of this mess? How many more will die if I don't become king?
Party member 2: I rather die than let children take my place!
King: And many more will suffer! I will become king, you hear me? I will end this! And nothing will stop me!

It's going to be hard. But there are evil characters that are even harder to play. Play an evil rogue that never killed, everything thought he is the most brutal hero that killed many and saved many more. The truth, he killed no one and saved no one. All part of his plan.

Don't punish the player for putting effort into what they are good at, but challenge them at things that they are not. If he has high AC, he earns it. Then challenge him at something else, save? Or terrains that he can overcome without thinking smart or help of others. It's like force a rogue to take damage from fireball when he already has high reflex and have improved evasion. A rogue with enough dex should be able to go through 10 fireball with no damage and put his knife by the wizard's throat and say that's enough, that's what this character design and made to be. That's when the player deserve to be badass at this.

@PossibleCabbage: Still defining how the PC will work, but i'm pretty sure he wont be the "guy seeking for redeem himself", i'm more oriented on the "guy who thinks he's doing the right thing".

@Dastis: You got a point there, the biggest problem is how good works with you!
Nice example on OOTS!

@DoubleBubble: Nice example. I'm more oriented on some kind of King-like PC, not a thief, someone with some kind of honor, mostly following "laws".

@Asmodeus' Advocate: Nice guides! I'm reading them right now thank you.

@Wei Ji the Learner: I agree, i'm more on the King-kind of PC. He wants to reign with laws and order.

Have him to be the next king. Everyone will try to kill him. He needs to be the next king the make the country right, but in order to do that, he has to bribe, blackmail and kill off other nobles. He has no magical power, not a fighter. His men will lay their lives for him, and he will sacrifice them when he has to. It pains him, but he know what must be done. To reach his goal to become the next king, he will have to lose everyone he holds dear. Your GM is going to love a villain that he can't hate. So noble, so godly, so righteous. Yet, so evil.

Thief guide leader who has a lots of NPC followers working for him. For one noble goal, the group will die for him. Have him be the most tactical person ever. He will order his men to die whenever they need to survive the mission. Each time someone died, he blames himself a lot. In his men's perspective, he is the greatest. He suffers and still take the responsibility to achieve their goal. In reality, he knows he is evil. What's the point of saving a few when so many have died. But he is the smartest person in the whole group, he knows there is no other way.

NPC 1: Leader, enemies are coming, we will get wipe out.
Leader: My friend, you will die here. This is an order.
NPC 2: With pleasure, look after my son for me.
NPC 3: NO! DAD!
Leader: All unit move out, don't let him die in vein.
NPC 2: *Draw enemies away* COME AT ME BASTARDS!
*When group is safe*
NPC 3: You ordered my father to die! It should have been you!
Leader: ... I'm sorry, he died so we can live.
NPC 3: I will kill you for my father!
Leader: Knock him out.
NPC 4: Yes, Sir!
*NPC 3 knocked out*
Leader: Take him to a holding cell until he comes to his senses.
NPC 5: Yes, Sir!
*Leader went somewhere alone*
Leader: G$~ D!#N IT! WHY AM I SO USELESS!?!?!

It will make a very good villain PC. Make sure no one in your group is part of your guide, make sure you do whatever you need to do to make other PCs help your character achieve your goal, bribe, blackmailing, force. Whatever you need to do, do it. Then when you show the PC his soft side, other PCs will be speechless.

Bonus: Have him remember every single person that died for him.

Ask them if they would pay for it with their own gold if you switch classes. If yes, then switch classes with them. If the gear is for you only, then you will have to pay for it, if it's the the team, chip in. If they won't, buff yourself only.

If I play a caster, I wouldn't dip even with Magical Knack. Sometime that extra spell slot could make a big difference. The more godly you are as a caster, the more you will value very single spell you have, as each one can turn the battle. Even level one spells can change an encounter for level 20s.

May I just say that the only reason why Wizard is over power is because other classes don't get magical equipment powerful enough to match Wizard? Even if a fighter has 10 times more wealth than the wizard, the wizard will still win. Mythic sort of address the problem with Spell Parry and Shatter Spell, but outside of mythic, there are not enough gear that will allow fighters and other classes to be as good as wizard.

Ninja is one of the exception as his capstone is stronger than magic, he can't be detected by magical, and no many spells can effect a level 20 ninja that you don't know where he is(area spell) without a reflect save.

Melee classes don't get something that is better than magic with their relative level. Barbarian should have something like Godly Rage, allow him to smash spells as an AoO against either the touch attack roll or the DC. For Fighter, maybe have something like Godly Strike, allow the fight to hit anything a blade normally can't hit, like ghost or magic. He can also add his bravery bonus to the damage. So a fighter can now ready a vital strike to break an incoming spell.

If Paizo don't want to change classes to balance the game, you can simply make magical weapon and armor better at against magical attacks. Remake wondrous items that gives flat stats to give those bonus as characters level like a resonating thing. So other characters wont be force to buy things that give them saves and can get other cool ability that is just as good as wizard casting spells.

How I read it is, you can make a move, any point during the movement, you attack. You can't not move and attack. Have to move, but can attack at the start of your move, as you are moving. At the end, which you are about to stop but still moving, and any point during the move. Balance wise, it makes sense. Look at how powerful other mythic heroes are, the least fleet charge can do is help close the gap a bit for melee. So as long as you move 5ft or more, you should be able to attack.

As for not leaving your melee square, no. You can't use fleet charge without moving out of your square, moving is require. You make an attack during your movement. If there are not movement, you can't attack. Anything less than 5ft is not a movement, just moving around.

Epic trials. Contest, have the group to meet another legendary group that is looking for retire, and they want to train the group and test them. After training and leveled up, they will have to go against the group in few contest. Could be badminton, basketball, dodgeball, game of tag, hide and seek. If the players beats the group, maybe 2 game out of 3, they get magical items from them. Always work for me, always epic.

I think a party full of sorcerers would be interesting. You have have Pit-Touched/Abyssal/Draconic sorcerer as a melee. With decent Con and Str as well as Cha. A high Dex and Int Sage bloodline sorcerer as the smart one. A high Dex and high Cha Shadow Bloodline to sneak around, you can sneak without concealment and cover!!! An Empyreal sorcerer with good Wisdom to be a spotter and healer. Heal only when needed, don't be a healbot. With the skill Heal as well as Channel Positive Energy once per day as a safe guard. Summon Bralani azata around level 10, which can cast Cure Serious Wounds twice. If your team is good, you don't need to have that all the time. Just use heal skill check would be good enough. That is pretty well rounded I think. First level will be hard, but once you reach level 5, things will get better.

Multi classes are best for full martial classes because you get the full BAB while have higher Fort saves in general. Which works well with most of your BAB dependent feats.

He will be a bit depressed and negative. Always blame bad things on luck and good things on other. Not very confident.

If you are crazy enough, try play a rogue with Int as main stats, Knowledge (engineering) checks to rig everything around you into traps or make attacks and flank using the surrounding. Watching hundreds of knives fly fore and back an enemy using magnetic devices is fun.

Ninja's Capstone is one of the best. It is the only class that can stealth and stay undetected even against magic. So going two weapons and land as many sneak attacks as you could would be the best way to go. For your ninja trick, go for vanishing as soon as you can, than take whatever you think will help you survive.

SiuoL wrote:

Resonating +1 [Mythic] only works on armor. Also what short of shield are you after, what kind of character? Tower shield for max defensive, heavy shield for bashing? Or buckler for against ambush?

Resonating isn't necessarily restricted to just armor, it lists no restrictions unlike Deflecting and Denying and there is other examples of armor abilities making no mention of shields but being capable of being added to one (Spell Resistance being one which makes no mention of shields but is on the list of being capable of being added to one).

Source Mythic Adventures pg. 142 (Amazon)

I'm confused now, it does say armor, nothing for shield though.

Pick a card from the harrow deck. Get the Mountain Man card. Beware, not all GM lets you keep it.

DoubleBubble wrote:

Atalius wrote:

Yes. At low levels is where Shield would be used where he is now. Later on when he can afford his enchanted buckler he will certainly get one. But I think the Headband of INT will come first.

355gp for a darkwood buckler that gives you +1 when 'shield' extract can not. If you position yourself well most the time, you can even invest in a tower shield, as long as you don't let the armor penalty gets in the way when you use dex or str skills. It would work because you lose dex to AC when surprised. However, buckler is the best bet because like The Toaster asked before, you do want to be able to do stuff. Whole point of having a buckler is to be better protected from the unexpected while doing normal things. Like a ring of protection, always there. Even if you use both hands all the time, a buckler would do half the job that ring of protection +1 does with less than half the price. It is very important that we face this instead of keep falling into the cliche of casters have low AC in surprise round.

One thing I may add is that, if someone holding a shield or a buckler, and the others don't. Who would you hit first? I personally would hit someone with no form of protections over the other. Doesn't matter how powerful you are, you can do a thing one I stab you in the face. The point of ambush is to quickly end enemies by surprise. If one is smart enough to set ambush, he must be smart enough to choose target.

I am confused with part of your post here...

where are you getting the price for a "Darkwood Buckler"? If you mean the Light Shield listed in the CRB as a "Darkwood Buckler", it's price is listed as 203gp, and it's a Light Shield - not an actual Buckler.

** spoiler omitted **...

Now I checked, you are correct. Can't use darkwood for buckler. Still, the fact you can be better protected while having a buckler without forgo the freedom to interact with your surrounding is too good to pass. Tactic wise, you lose nothing but only gain options. It's like having wand scrolls and potions. Doesn't take up a slot, does take away your action. You can only gain options.

DoubleBubble - Where do I get +DC?

I don't have much experience with metamagic, never used it before.

As a human, can I use the favored class at level 1? I.e. Gain 1 spell from sorcerer spell list.

Or do i have to wait til level 2 to recieve a level 1 spell? Just to be clear, this isn't the number of spells I can cast in a day, it's getting another spell to the 'spell known' list which seems better then getting HP or skill class.

Like BadBird said, it's from your Bloodline Arcana. As sorcerer, you could say that you are more suitable to have Metamagic than Wizard as your can choose which level of spells you want to use on the fly without having to prepare ahead. +1 DC on top of a improved spell is very deadly even in early level. If there is a spell you love to spam that require a saving throw. Consider taking a trait called Magical Lineage. Which lower the increase of spell levels by one when apply metamagic. It's almost a must have for Arcane Sorcerer.

Really depends on which bloodline, every bloodline have slightly different play style. You want to do match that bloodline. Also giving us some details about your character's stats or your team would help.

What about Urban Bloodrager? Full BAB, Full Caster level. Can cast spell, can rage that is flexible. Want more health and fort save, go Con. To melee, go strength. To shoot, use Dex. You can choose to have magus and bard spells too. Increasing options is always good for casters because what makes magic powerful is the fact they they can choose. Other classes can not. You either hit or make skill check. Caster can do whatever.

As a battle-field control mage, Arcane bloodline is pretty solid. You want to use metamagic more and that +1 DC will make some differences. One more creature you can slow done, means one less thing for your group to worry about. My group was able to beat an encounter with CR that over double our APL while having a PC away all because of some good Crowd Control.

However, Sage is equally good overall because the fact that you can focus on just Int instead Cha makes all the differences outside of spell casting. With more Int, you get more skills, you gain more bonus on spellcraft. Since sorcerer normally only get +2 skill points per level, most sorcerer have to add a bit Int to increase their skill points. As Sage, you don't. Which allows you to have flat 10 CHA with +0 modifier and you can put it in INT, which increase your DC overall. That is only if you are doing buy point or have to options to choose your ability scores.

As for their first level bloodline power, Arcane Bond can be both powerful, yet troublesome. While Arcane Blast is very weak, but no string attached. But mind you, with enough INT and knowledge, you can possibly set up some crazy chain reaction traps that require you to break something with 11 hit points. You can do that at least 3 times per day.

Personally, go Arcane. There are more and more options for Familiars. They are so powerful, the downside doesn't really matter. If they die, just wait a week, pay 200 gp per level and spend 8 hours. Far better than Arcane blast, which is weaker than a level 1 spell. At least a claw would let me threaten a square unarmed so the rogue can sneak attack.

Yes. At low levels is where Shield would be used where he is now. Later on when he can afford his enchanted buckler he will certainly get one. But I think the Headband of INT will come first.

355gp for a darkwood buckler that gives you +1 when 'shield' extract can not. If you position yourself well most the time, you can even invest in a tower shield, as long as you don't let the armor penalty gets in the way when you use dex or str skills. It would work because you lose dex to AC when surprised. However, buckler is the best bet because like The Toaster asked before, you do want to be able to do stuff. Whole point of having a buckler is to be better protected from the unexpected while doing normal things. Like a ring of protection, always there. Even if you use both hands all the time, a buckler would do half the job that ring of protection +1 does with less than half the price. It is very important that we face this instead of keep falling into the cliche of casters have low AC in surprise round.

One thing I may add is that, if someone holding a shield or a buckler, and the others don't. Who would you hit first? I personally would hit someone with no form of protections over the other. Doesn't matter how powerful you are, you can do a thing one I stab you in the face. The point of ambush is to quickly end enemies by surprise. If one is smart enough to set ambush, he must be smart enough to choose target.

DoubleBubble wrote:

If your GM is so kind to let you have a couple rounds to buff yourself, shield extract is not bad. But that your GM is just so so so so kind. For normal players with normal GM, you don't get that much time unless your team passed most checks and most things go your way. Cross a bridge, failed perception, you get attacked by water spirits. That's normally how it goes.

As for Feral Mutagen, two handed weapon and two weapons fighting, buckler offers you options. You can decide to do those things to deal more melee damages over time, or you can use a one hand weapon or throwing weapon to keep that shield bonus to AC. You get to make that decision without spending a standard action. To draw a weapon, you can do that as part of your movement if you have at least +1 BAB. To drop the weapon, it's free action. I leaves me so much tactical options in terms of having more AC or more Damage. To go offensive, defensive or aggressive.

From personal experience, that two round you spend to buff yourself, someone just died and you did nothing to save them. On the other hand, if I have a buckler, I will be able to survive while do something about the situation. I will have the options to use my extracts for something else, or to forgo my AC and help in melee in order to prevent allies being killed. That is very important.

It's PFS, so I had a different gm for every game. Maybe yours is just more brutal. So my experience disagrees with you. And it all depends on the situation if you have time to buff or not. Also, if i used a +5 buckler, my ac would often be lower than if I used shield.

Yes, mostly it would be done to if you have time to buff or not. However, please not that +6 shield bonus to AC is not the only thing that buckler gives you. There are lots of enchantment special abilities you can add to your buckler which works even if you use two handed weapon, two weapon fighting or feral. On the other hand, shield is flat +4. On top of that, you are not going to melee and feral every single fight, that +6 shield bonus will help more often than not. Especially if you are Crexis who is playing a grenadier alchemist.

Looking in the Opening post, Crexis is a grenadier alchemist. Means he is not going to go feral, not going to use two handed weapon, no two weapon fighting. He will be attack from range. So the only thing that will catch him in melee will be unexpected attacks. Which will not give you time to use 'Shield' extract. But you can use buckler that will give Crexis +1 shield bonus to AC even when flat footed. If he can see it coming, of course he can use 'shield'. Or he can move into position and start attacking so one of the enemy will likely die without doing any damage. Sooner you kill something, the better.

DoubleBubble wrote:

Atalius wrote:

How much does that +6 shield cost? And does it help at all against incorporeal touch attacks like the Shield? Certainly he would be using Shield just before entering a fight so the standard action would not be an issue. At his level couldn't he benefit from Shield until at least the middle levels around 8 or so.

Like The Toaster said, you will most likely never get it off. A standard action is HUGE! Most the time, you need that +1< AC for when you are flat footed, which is when you have to lowest AC. That is when you can't use extract, that is when you can't do anything.

I've played an alchmist in PFS up to 15th lv, and one of the first things I've always done in combat, is use a shield extract. I find it's often better to use a turn or 2 buffing, than it is to be sleeping in the dirt.

Also, you lose the ac bonus from the buckler if you use that hand to attack. Which can be a problem if you're using feral mutagen. Or if you are 2 handing a 1 handed weapon, or using a 2 handed weapon.

If your GM is so kind to let you have a couple rounds to buff yourself, shield extract is not bad. But that your GM is just so so so so kind. For normal players with normal GM, you don't get that much time unless your team passed most checks and most things go your way. Cross a bridge, failed perception, you get attacked by water spirits. That's normally how it goes.

As for Feral Mutagen, two handed weapon and two weapons fighting, buckler offers you options. You can decide to do those things to deal more melee damages over time, or you can use a one hand weapon or throwing weapon to keep that shield bonus to AC. You get to make that decision without spending a standard action. To draw a weapon, you can do that as part of your movement if you have at least +1 BAB. To drop the weapon, it's free action. I leaves me so much tactical options in terms of having more AC or more Damage. To go offensive, defensive or aggressive.

From personal experience, that two round you spend to buff yourself, someone just died and you did nothing to save them. On the other hand, if I have a buckler, I will be able to survive while do something about the situation. I will have the options to use my extracts for something else, or to forgo my AC and help in melee in order to prevent allies being killed. That is very important.

DoubleBubble wrote:

Atalius wrote:

How much does that +6 shield cost? And does it help at all against incorporeal touch attacks like the Shield? Certainly he would be using Shield just before entering a fight so the standard action would not be an issue. At his level couldn't he benefit from Shield until at least the middle levels around 8 or so.

Like The Toaster said, you will most likely never get it off. A standard action is HUGE! Most the time, you need that +1< AC for when you are flat footed, which is when you have to lowest AC. That is when you can't use extract, that is when you can't do anything.

On the other hand, shield extract only works if you have the standard action to pre buff. And if you have good teamwork, tactics or just common sense in combat, you won't need it most the time. You only need it when you have time to pre buff. If you don't have the time, you don't need it. You can do something more efficient.

When you are aware that you are going to fight, everything is easier. But then it is unexpected, that's when you need to be prepared. A buckler give that preparedness that shield extract doesn't offer. You can't expect to have time to pre buff most of your fight. The price is steep, but life saving.

Just wondering...

Why buckler over Darkwood Heavy Shield?

Buckler free up both your hands, allow you to interact with surrounding with ease why you can just have it strapped on. Doesn't work like that in real life, but almost just as easy.

Darkwood Heavy Shield require a move action to don. Once you donned it, you lose one of your hand. To remove it requires a move action. Yes, you can hold it all the time and you don't always require both hands, but losing +1 AC is worth all that freedom. You can climb, you can ride a horse. You can quickly grab something important while keeping other hand free for using extracts. Also, no one carry shield all the time in real life. So heavy over few hours and gets in the way so so much.

How much does that +6 shield cost? And does it help at all against incorporeal touch attacks like the Shield? Certainly he would be using Shield just before entering a fight so the standard action would not be an issue. At his level couldn't he benefit from Shield until at least the middle levels around 8 or so.

Like The Toaster said, you will most likely never get it off. A standard action is HUGE! Most the time, you need that +1< AC for when you are flat footed, which is when you have to lowest AC. That is when you can't use extract, that is when you can't do anything.

On the other hand, shield extract only works if you have the standard action to pre buff. And if you have good teamwork, tactics or just common sense in combat, you won't need it most the time. You only need it when you have time to pre buff. If you don't have the time, you don't need it. You can do something more efficient.

When you are aware that you are going to fight, everything is easier. But then it is unexpected, that's when you need to be prepared. A buckler give that preparedness that shield extract doesn't offer. You can't expect to have time to pre buff most of your fight. The price is steep, but life saving.

Play a fighter that use scrolls. Have at least +1 Int, +1 Cha too because you want people to like you. Try to go mad. Have at least +1 on everything, Then add remaining points to strength if you are boss, add to dex if you scared to get hit, con if you want to get hit more, Wis if you don't want to get mind raped, Int if you want more Spellcraft and skills, Cha if you want more Use Magical Device and have people like you. However, if you really want it to work, you want to have enough Int, Wis and Cha to cast higher level spells. You need 10+spell level in that ability score to cast that level of spell. Int for wizard, Wis for Druid and Cleric, Cha for Bard and Sorcerer. So if you are aiming to cast level 9 spells in late game, you want to have at least 19 in that ability later on.

Use your Favourite Class Bonus for skill point. Max out in Knowledge Arcane, Spellcraft, also Use Magical Item. Then you still have 20 points to built flavor in your character, or all goes to perception.

Traits, Two trains, Underlying Principles and Classically Schooled. Give you +1 trait bonus to Spellcraft and Use Magical Item. Also make them class skill. Which add another +3.

If you play Human, you get Skill Focus(Use Magical Item), Skill Focus( Spellcraft) with your human Feat. That will give you a +3 to both skills.Then get Magical Aptitude at level 3. What about your fighter bonus feat? Do anything you like. But if you want to focus on the casting side, Caster's Champion if you want play spell sword. More caster-ish, Point Blank Shot gives you +1 to hit and damage with spell that require attack roll. Improved Initiative is always good. Improved Unarmed Strike if you want to cast Fist. Power Attack if you have enough Str and you want to hurt them with a staff.

So you at level 1, you should have +1 rank to use magical device and spellcraft. Spellcraft allows you to read them so you know what spell it is and how to use the scroll. Use Magical Device is very self-explanatory. Another +1 at least from your ability score. +1 from trait bonus and +3 from class skills. You have about +6 to both skills if you only have +1 to your Int and Cha. +3 if you are and you took skill focus for both skills. You are sitting on +9. To cast a level 0 spell with a scroll, you need DC20. That means you have to roll 11 or higher. 12 for a level 1 spell. Good thing is you would put more points than just +1. So it will get easier.

By level 3, you will have 3 ranks in both skills. So You will have at least +12 to both skills. So to cast a cantrip. You only need to roll 8, that, 60% Chance. 55% for level 1 spell.

What about mid level? Level 10? If you can get the scroll, you can cast it. By level 10, you should have + 10 in those rank. So with Skill Focus(Use Magical Item), Skill Focus( Spellcraft) and Magical Aptitude feats, you should have another +10 for both skills. Say, you planned ahead and get yourself enough ability scores to have 19 Int, 19 Cha, With headband or something, you will ended up having +4 from ability score. Adding traits and favourite class bonus. That's +28. You only need DC29 to cast level 9 spell with a scroll. Therefore, unless you GM makes you auto fail a skill check on natural 1, you can cast anything without fail. Normal rules, you can fail on a skill with a natural 1.

So congratulations, you are the most powerful spell caster that are not spell caster by level 10. What's the problem? Well, you can't make scroll, wand, rod and staff... So I guess you just have to beg your GM...

DoubleBubble wrote:

A dagger and a club, always be prepared. Keep one in your off hand in a fight just in case.

Mithral/Darkwood Buckler is a must for most spell casters, if you have the gold. No penalty, +1 to AC even when flat footed. Increase as you enchant them later on. Alchemist are more close range combat mage compare to other casters. You need to have enough AC.

If he gets a mithral or darkwood buckler that would provide a 'shield bonus' correct? Than he wouldn't be able to use his 'Shield' extract which would provide a +4 'shield bonus' right?

You can not use 'Shield' extract while caught flat footed. Also, you can enchant it with a +5 bonus. Give you +6 shield bonus to AC later on when you have the gold. On top of that, +5 enchantment worth of ability available for you to add to your buckler, which no 'shield' extract can offer. Takes no action to use that +6 shield bonus from the buckler, while it require a standard action to use that extract, and that only gives you +4. On top of that, flat price abilities do not count toward your +10 enchantment bonus limit. So you can buy all the flat price abilities on your buckler without worry about not able to get that +6 shield AC.

A dagger and a club, always be prepared. Keep one in your off hand in a fight just in case.

Mithral/Darkwood Buckler is a must for most spell casters, if you have the gold. No penalty, +1 to AC even when flat footed. Increase as you enchant them later on. Alchemist are more close range combat mage compare to other casters. You need to have enough AC.

I just went back and looked at the Emergency Force Sphere description, and realized that if I cast it while standing erect, either my head would be sticking out of the top of it, or it would have a 1' gap under it, and I'm of only average height. You certainly wouldn't be able to fit very many party members in there, and it would be cramped even with Widen Spell (still just barely large enough for a mounted party).

Mind you, though, no one in any sort of fight would be standing straight. You would at least bend your knees and curl your back a little so you can quickly side step. If it's for spell casters, think of them as people playing dodge ball. No one in dodge ball stand up straight, unless you don't know what you are doing.

I just find out the other day that if you go Human and get Falling Water Gambit with Martial Versatility, you can crit with 14-20/x2 with a katana while they are flat-footed. To get there, you need to have enough fighter level and enough bluff to make other flat footed.

@blashimov, you're probably right. It would be similar to chugging two potions at once.

@DoubleBubble
Falling Water Gambit works for the Aldori Dueling Sword.
Martial Versatility applies any feat like this to every weapon in the same weapon group (Heavy Blades). Martial Versatility also works well for Dervish Dance.
There is also an alternate Weapon Training ability that does something similar.

Oh, I see.

You can't have crit range pass 15-20 in pathfinder. Falling Water Gambit only works for Aldori Dueling Sword. Which has crit range 19-20/x2. So with Falling Water Gambit, you get 18-20/x2. Than you apply Keep or Improved Critical which makes it 15-20/x2. You can't get any higher.

sentient mount is sentient, they do what they want. You or the GM decide the personality, background story and everything like it is a NPC. Your GM controls it like a NPC. They are not your slave, so they won't do what you tell them to do unless they want to, or they have to. That means you have to not only feed them, but to pay for their expense in other things like equipment, hobby, entertainments. While animals are grateful enough just to have what you give, also they are trained by you, so depends on how good you are in training them, they are that good.

Good thing about sentient mount is that they can make their own decision, so you don't need to make handle animal check. Also they can do more.

Good thing about animal mount is that they don't need to be talk into doing things. Low maintenance cost and most of them are very loyal depends on what you got. Riding Dog, in my opinion, best mount for small character, roleplay wise.

Think of it in this way. Vital Strike does not strike ones vital, but when all hope are lost, swings your blade swiftly multiple times no longer make the difference. You give all your focus, hope and dreams into that one vital moment, that one strike. That vital moment will determine the outcome of this battle. That's why it called vital strike. It is vital to everything, you put everything into that point.

I wish you can make Vital Strike with any single attack like charge without any stupid, unbalanced feat tax. It would make it more awesome.

I would rule that the player may control the gorilla in combat in terms of gears, tactics and actions. However, you keep control of personality and motivation of the gorilla. Player will also have to roleplay and provide the gorilla's needs such as food, shelter, entertainment and clothing. Awaken Gorilla is like a person, they will have their needs mentally and physically. He has no reason to follow you if you can provide more than others could, also he is free to choose if he want to work for someone else if approached. You can't stop what he does in his own down time.

Try to be a legally registered necromancer that do that for your kingdom. You acted by your king's comment, he is legally obligated to not get in your way. Also if you do anything that will break the law, just don't get caught. Slip papers to GM about what you did and let your GM know that you are doing the necessary evil which others need not to know, but they may ask questions all they want. (Put skills in your bluff.) At the end of the day, a paladin can't just kill you because he thinks you are evil with no evidence. As long as you don't give him any while sharing a common goal, you should be fine. On top of that, Paladin should be the leader of the party. A leader needs to know what the group needs and fulfill them with the best of his ability. If your character is an irreplaceable asset to the team, he can't get rid of you based on his personal feeling and desire, for it would be sin.