Elder Basilisk's page

I just finished playing a 7-11 adventure with 2 pregens (1 player didn't have a 7-11 character and we needed a second due to a 3 player table). I have to say, I was very impressed by how the pregen arcanist and hunter functioned. Very effective and useful even though the scenario was not very favorable for them (lots of DR that was difficult for the wolf or hunter to defeat, SR that limited the arcanist in 2/3 of the encounters); it didn't feel like having "pregens" at the table at all. They both pulled their weight and were fun to play (I had fun running the hunter for the DM and the arcanist's player enjoyed it too).

I'm thinking of making a summoner for PFS and I was thinking of giving my (biped) Eidelon a reach weapon (Lucerne Hammer or Dwarven Longhammer). What are the potential issues with this?

It seems like this will make it difficult to mix natural attacks with weapon attacks once the Eidelon gets the size increase to large. Should I just go with a greatsword instead?

Also, are there any issues with eventually getting a large sized weapon for my Eidelon when it increases in size? It doesn't seem like the iconic barbarian has any trouble with her large bastard sword, but you never know.

Many of the year 0 PFS mods including the retired ones are on sale right now--mostly for $1. At that price, I'm thinking of picking one up to run at a local game day.

What do you think the best non-retired adventure is? (If there's a difference between best to play and best to DM, tell me the best to DM--that's what I'm buying it for).

I've got a PFS character I'm building towards battle herald. At the moment, he's Cavalier 1/Bard 2 and I have a feat I'm not sure what to do with. For that matter, I'm not quite sure what I'll want to do with any of my feats in the future.

My class plan is to continue to Cav 1/Bard 4 and then go up in Battle Herald levels.

My plan for the character's role in the party: He will primarily be a damage-dealing front-liner but with a very strong secondary role in buffing via Inspire courage, Tactician, Inspiring Commands, Banner, etc and a little bit of utility/combat utility magic. To this end, he wears fullplate, wields a lucerne hammer, and is focusing his spells known on spells without somatic components--feather fall, timely inspiration, and liberating command, later on, bladed dash and gallant inspiration unless I decide that heroism is too tasty to pass up.

Stats.
Human Cavalier (Standarbearer) 1/Bard (Arcane Duelist) 2
Str 18, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14.
Traits: Magical Knack, Reactionary
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Arcane Strike (b), Precise Strike (b), Combat Casting (b), _undecided_

The feats I'm considering:

Lingering Performance-This seems like it would have uses once I get battle herald levels, but it seems like it falls into some really gray areas. It seems clear that it would only apply to bardic performance, not inspiring commands, but since Inspire Courage is both, it's not clear if it would apply to Inspire Courage if I take advantage of Inspiring Commands to start it as a move action. Whether or not it does, I would be able to use a standard for inspire courage (bardic performance), then immediately use a move for inspired commands and have both running simultaneously for two rounds. I'm just not sure how useful that would be. Most of the inspiring commands are either situational or underwhelming so wanting to maintain both benefits at once seems like a corner case rather than a core strategy. At 9th level, it might be useful to activate inspire courage and inspire greatness at once.

Weapon Focus-Missing is terrible. Having Weapon focus would mean missing less often.

Power Attack-More damage is great. Power attack would boost my damage even more.
Furious Focus-if I take Power Attack now I can take this later. It may be less attractive on a character with Reach and Combat Reflexes though.
Pushing Assault-I can use Power Attack to push enemies back and make them suffer an AoO in order to move past my reach.
Cornugon Smash-again, if I take Power Attack now, I could take Cornugon Smash later. Since I'm going to have a pretty good intimidate (and Voice of Authority will help with that), this might be a good route.

Toughness-The character is a little bit fragile at the moment.

Dodge-Not much to say for it but +1 AC is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. In fact it will occasionally keep you from being poked in the eye with a sharp stick.

Blindfight-Not terribly exciting but useful when it comes up.

I'm working on an inquisitor for PFS and need some build advice.

Ideally, I'd like to go with a compromise between the Devastator and Aegis Inquisitors (as described in the recent guide): bastard sword and buckler. That way, he has the option to maximize damage (take the -1 to hit and two-hand the sword), but can turtle up using the buckler or take in-between options with one-handed power attack. Also, wielding a buckler I have a free hand to cast spells without dropping my weapon (which can be a concern for the pure aegis inquisitor--partially solved with a weapon cord). Out of combat, I think of the character as an divine agent--bringing a variety of social skills to the table. But every way to build the character seems to have a drawback without a way around it.

Here's version 1:

Human (alternate racial trait: adoptive parentage) Inquisitor of Iomedae 1
Str 18 (16+2), Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10.
Traits: Fate's Favored, Undetermined
Feats: Weapon Focus: longsword (through adoptive parentage: Kenku), Dodge, Step Up (through Persistence Inquisition
Inquisition: Persistence
Skills 7 (tentatively bluff*, diplomacy, intimidate, perception, sense motive, stealth*, and survival* *s are skills I don't plan to max and will get some knowledge skills with those points as I advance)
Favored class bonus: HP
Weapon: Longsword and buckler

This version manages the base concept but has to make do with a longsword which is not the ideal weapon. I'd like to spend the feat on bastard sword but can't do so without BAB. (I figure that +1 damage on all attacks or the better criticals is better on average than +1 damage sometimes which is what I would get when using the extra damage judgement with judgement surge)

Questions:
A. what should the second trait be?
B. What should the second feat be? Dodge is just a placeholder.
C. Is there an adoptive parentage race that makes a better backstory (may not have human subtype or weapon familiarity)?
D. Would it be better dropping Wisdom to 13 to boost Int for some more skills?

Here's version 2:
Half-orc (alternate racial trait: sacred tattoo) Inquisitor of Iomedae 1
Str 18 (16+2), Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10.
Traits: Fate's Favored, Undetermined
Feats: Toughness, Step Up (through Persistence Inquisition
Inquisition: Persistence
Skills 7
Favored class bonus: Skills
Weapon: Falchion or greataxe
Spells: 0. Read Magic (to use scrolls without good spellcraft), detect magic, sift, acid splash (for an easy ranged attack--will train out in a level or two when it is no longer useful); 1. Divine Favor, Cure Light Wounds

This version is more mechanically elegant and gets even more milage out of fate's favored. However, he's a straight-up devastator rather than a switch-hitter and I'm not generally a fan of crit-dependent weapons like the falchion. (I prefer reliable damage every hit even if it comes at a slight DPR hit).

Questions:
A. What should the second trait be?
B. Is it better to take toughness and use favored class bonuses for HP or to drop Wis to 13 to get 12 Int for skills and use the feat for something else?

Version 3
Human (alternate racial trait: adoptive parentage) Inquisitor of Ragathiel 1
Str 18 (16+2), Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10.
Traits: Fate's Favored, Undetermined
Feats: Weapon Focus: bastard sword(through adoptive parentage: Kenku), Dodge
Domain: Destruction (rage subdomain)
Skills 7
Favored class bonus: HP
Weapon: Bastard Sword and buckler

This version is what I was originally hoping for in combat, but the destruction (rage) domain is not nearly as interesting as some of the other inquisitions.

Questions:
A. Is there a way to get a better domain or inquisition for an inquisitor of Ragathiel? Are there any that provide new combat options/capabilities like the persistence inquisition does?

Notes: Why I'm a fan of the Persistence Inquisition: It offers increased speed when you need it, Step up which really limits the options available to foes who want to step away and make ranged attacks or cast spells, and then at sixth level gives you the swift action ability to eliminate a lot of annoying conditions.

I just moved to Meridian from California and would like to find a group playing Pathfinder/3.0/3.5 on a regular basis. Ideally, I'd like to join for the start of one of the adventure paths, but I'm open to joining in the middle or playing a homebrew or eclectic game as well.

The various guides list a lot of good feats for various types of characters. However, one thing a lot of the combat (rather than spellcasting) focused feats have in common is that they require +1 BAB.

If you are playing a first level Magus, Inquisitor, Monk, Rogue, bard, or cleric and want to get a quick start on your fighting skills, you can't take Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Focus, Power Attack or any of the feats that require those.

So, what are good options at first level? Most such characters will want at least one option and some will have two or even three feats to select (first level human crusader clerics for example would have three feats).

So far, the options I can think of are:

Trade the human feat for being a half-elf and take the ancestral weapons alternate racial feature. That's like spending your feat on exotic weapon proficiency.

If you are dex based, weapon finesse has no BAB requirement.

Improved Initiative
Combat Reflexes
Two Weapon Fighting
Blindfight
Arcane Strike
Armor Proficiency
Combat casting
Combat Expertise
Toughness
Dodge
Mobility
Save feats
Mounted Combat
Point Blank Shot
Precise Shot
Rapid Shot
Improved Shield Bash
Two Weapon Fighting
Double Slice

So it looks like archers and two weapon characters(especially weapon and shield two weapon characters) have plenty to spend their feats on. Dex based, strength dumping characters can get started on that too.

However, more conventional sword and board characters or two handed non-reach weapon characters look like they have a lot more trouble with useful feats that let them start the fighting style they want to pursue through their careers rather than just starting with improved initiative or iron will because what they really want isn't available until they have a BAB.

Am I missing some good feat chains here?
Are there good class-based feats and feat chains that I should be looking at for such characters?