Fernn's page

Fernn wrote:

ShieldLawrence wrote:

Barachiel Shina wrote:

Except it's not actually an arrow, it's just the name of the spell. It's a magical stream of acid.

The description calls it an arrow...

Acid Arrow wrote:

An arrow of acid springs from your hand and speeds to its target. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack to hit your target. The arrow deals 2d4 points of acid damage with no splash damage. For every three caster levels you possess, the acid, unless neutralized, lasts for another round (to a maximum of 6 additional rounds at 18th level), dealing another 2d4 points of damage in each round.

It's a spell that creates a weapon. Looks like a weaponlike spell to me.

GM: "The BBEG has his sights on the Sorcerer of the party and casts an ancient incantation derived from the knowledge of long dead Elder Gods. Sorcerer, how do you respond?

LV 8 Sorcerer: "I roll a 23 on spellcraft, can you tell me the description of the spell?"

GM: "Sure:
Arrow of annihilation:
An Arrow of Antimatter springs from your hand and speeds to its target. The arrow deals 4d6x10 points of damage in a 30 foot radius."

Lv 8 Sorcerer: "EASY, It's arrow like, right? I cast Solid fog, completely eliminating the threat of this magical arrow!"

All this proves is that the players have no recourse when the GM plays rocks fall, everyone dies.

Alright, similarly:

LV 16 Sorcerer: "I have my sights on The BBEG and cast an empowered LV8 Arrow of annihilation, an ancient incantation derived from the knowledge of long dead Elder Gods. How does the BBEG respond?

GM: "The BBEG rolls a spellcraft check on 23. He is aware that its a arrow like projectile. He casts Solid fog to nullify your attack.

LV 16 Sorcerer: "He is blocking an arrow that deals 4d6x10 points of damage in a 30 foot radius, with solid fog?"

GM: "yes, the BBEG exclaims "EASYPEASY, It's arrow like, right? I cast Solid fog, completely eliminating the threat of this magical arrow!"

Barachiel Shina wrote:

Except it's not actually an arrow, it's just the name of the spell. It's a magical stream of acid.

The description calls it an arrow...

Acid Arrow wrote:

An arrow of acid springs from your hand and speeds to its target. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack to hit your target. The arrow deals 2d4 points of acid damage with no splash damage. For every three caster levels you possess, the acid, unless neutralized, lasts for another round (to a maximum of 6 additional rounds at 18th level), dealing another 2d4 points of damage in each round.

It's a spell that creates a weapon. Looks like a weaponlike spell to me.

GM: "The BBEG has his sights on the Sorcerer of the party and casts an ancient incantation derived from the knowledge of long dead Elder Gods. Sorcerer, how do you respond?

LV 8 Sorcerer: "I roll a 23 on spellcraft, can you tell me the description of the spell?"

GM: "Sure:
Arrow of annihilation:
An Arrow of Antimatter springs from your hand and speeds to its target. The arrow deals 4d6x10 points of damage in a 30 foot radius."

Lv 8 Sorcerer: "EASY, It's arrow like, right? I cast Solid fog, completely eliminating the threat of this magical arrow!"

Magical Tails?

Have you considered perhaps going Oracle
and taking the
Wrecking Mysticism curse?

Everytime that you gain an additional mystery spell, you replace it with the magical tail feat instead.

I had a kinda cool build concept with a Kistune Oracle Waves(or Winter) /Marid Bloodline Sorceror.

So Basically:

The marid bloodline Sorceror arcana lets you:
"Whenever you cast a spell that deals energy damage, you can change the type of damage to cold. This also changes the spell’s descriptors to match this energy type."

So burning hands? It is now freezing hands. Fireball? Now its a giant snowball explosion.

NOW, you combine it with the Waves(Or winter) Freezing Spells revelation:
"Freezing Spells (Su): Whenever a creature fails a saving throw and takes cold damage from one of your spells, it is slowed (as the slow spell) for 1 round. Spells that do not allow saves do not slow creatures. At 11th level, the slow duration increases to 1d4 rounds."

So if they fail their reflex to half the damage from your burning hands? They are slowed.

They failed their fort save against a cold ear piercing scream? They are slowed.

So from the oracle side, you just take damaging spells. And from an utility side, your wrecking mysticism will be providing you with spell like abilities from the magical tail feat.

Fernn wrote:

Since when are item mastery feats, weapon mastery feats?

Since advanced weapon training feat gives you access to
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/weapon-mastery-feats

and Teleporation Mastery is under

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/item-mastery-feats

Unless you are talking about The actual FIGHTER Class feature for advance weapon training, which has Item Mastery as an option.
The advance weapon training feat does not seem to give you access to the class feature, but instead to actual weapon master feats.

Magic Tactics Toolbox added Item Mastery and Warrior Spirit (Su) under Advanced Weapon Training.

Ok, this is probably why I am confused. I was looking on the current online Advanced Weapon training feat.

I was just looking at a new guide to making a martial caster class.

The build is based on using the Martial Flexibility class feature** spoiler omitted **
to take the Advanced Weapon Training feat with the Item Mastery option, which in turn allows you to use Item Mastery feats. (Martial Flexibility > Advanced Weapon Training(Item Mastery) > Item Mastery Feats)

So now my question is about 1 Item Mastery feat in particular, called Teleportation Mastery** spoiler omitted **

Question: Does this chain of abilities and bonus feats get you to the point that you satisfy the following?

Dimensional Agility wrote:

Prerequisites: Ability to use the abundant step class feature or cast dimension door.

Since when are item mastery feats, weapon mastery feats?

Since advanced weapon training feat gives you access to
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/weapon-mastery-feats

and Teleporation Mastery is under

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/item-mastery-feats

Unless you are talking about The actual FIGHTER Class feature for advance weapon training, which has Item Mastery as an option.
The advance weapon training feat does not seem to give you access to the class feature, but instead to actual weapon master feats.

At will, it looks like.

That is what it looks like to me.

Gimmicky to keep up around myself at all times, but small enough to not flood the battlefield.

Hello,

I was wondering how many times a day can an oracle with the ash cloud revelation use the Ash Cloud ability? It seems most other powers specifically state how many times they are able to be used, but this one seems to imply you can constantly use it?

Here is the text:

And here is the info regarding general use of Revelation powers:

Thanks

Hello,

I am working with an idea to make a Half-Orc Rogue with the Skulking Slayer archetype in a campaign that starts at lv3.

The only problem I have is that, by itself, it would not have access to surprise follow through until lv4.

So I was wondering what the interaction would be if I

-Took the First level in Snakebite Striker Brawler, which would net me 1d6 sneak attack, and the +1 bab I need for power attack(to go into cleave, etc etc).

- And then I took two levels in the Skulking Slayer Rogue?

Would that mean that

-At level 3 I would have 2d6 sneak attack damage?(1d6 from 1 level in Brawler , and 1d6 from 2 levels of rogue)

-at level 4 it would jump to 3d6(1d6 from 1 level of brawler, and 2d6 from 3 levels of Rogue)?

Normally a Straight rogue would accomplish 3d6 sneak attack at level 5.

Why are you getting +1 to hit from Masterwork AND +1 to hit for being a +1 weapon?

Woops, Originally I had the weapon stated as just a MKW shadowshooting minotaur crossbow, then I remembered that it needed to have at least a +1 for the enchantment to be put on.

Should be fixed now

Heavy wrist launchers sound like a really cool mechanic to add Shadowshooting to!

I feel the ability in general needs to be errated but by the wording it appears you would be able to sling around concealed crossbow on your arms!

Which also gets me thinking...

If you decided to max out slight of hand, then as a Sneak attack damage class, you would be able to very consistently do sneak attack damage.

Even if they pass their will save, the sneak attack would still be added.

This makes the concept of a shadowbased ninja a thematic real thing

Link doesn't work.

Shadowshooting says the weapon never needs to be reloaded. Just imagine the coalescing shadow-stuff nocking the bow as well.

Hmmm

how about now?

Now it will work

So I have a friend who was theory crafting a lv 6 bolt ace with a shadowshooting Minotaur crossbow.

Many people think that the will save enough warrants people to stay clear from the enchantment, but I think there needs to be some clarification on the enchantment.

shadowshooting states:
"A shadowshooting weapon never needs to be reloaded; after a shot is fired, this smoke immediately coalesces into the ammunition required to fire the weapon again."

Which, many people think that the "never to be reloaded" actually means, that when put on a crossbow or ballista, or what have you, that the process of "reloading" is non exisitent.

When compared to the +2 enchantment (endless ammunition) it specifically states that it does not change the loading time of the enchantment weapon.

So what is his theorycrafting?

A lv6 bolt ace, with 22 dex, and a couple of feats at a MINIMUM deal 26 minimum damage with each shot.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YVaOxuKGd9ghvDqaCMMuMfIynm0z8XrT56f pJQAs9lA/edit#gid=0

Here is a nifty spreadsheet I made with the feats he will take and the equipment.

It appears that at lv 6 his full round attack would look like

(+10 / +10 / +4)
With each attack firing 2 bolts, each doing their minimum damage of 1 but with a +12 modifier to attack damage for each bolt.

Can I get some insight on this?

So....

If I am a warpriest with the sun blessing,

And I successfully identify that the spell my enemy is casting is summon monster IV

and I use my minor blessing power to Blind him for 1 turn, is he unfazed while he is casting?

However, if My buddy buddy Evil Cleric, casts blindness, effectively blinding the person using summon monster IV,

Then he has to make a concentration check?

Trained throw looks really good! I completely forgot about the advanced weapon training option!

Have we all forgotten the hidden gem that is

Versatile Performance (Ex) ???

"At 2nd level, a bard can choose one type of Perform skill. He can use his bonus in that skill in place of his bonus in associated skills. When substituting in this way, the bard uses his total Perform skill bonus, including class skill bonus, in place of its associated skill's bonus, whether or not he has ranks in that skill or if it is a class skill. At 6th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the bard can select an additional type of Perform to substitute."

String (Bluff, Diplomacy)

So OP's build is not as crazy as it seems, it is equivalent to putting all your skill ranks into diplomacy or bluff.

so from a mechanical perspective, he is just playing a face REALLY well, along with some nice flavor to boot.

I was wondering if you guys could point me in the right direction.

I am thinking of Gestalt Idea for a not so sneaky Orc Ninja(tentative race, but str bonus is good) that Pelts people at close range.

The concept of the character is:
-High Strength
-Belt of Mighty hurling(lesser)
-shurikens

Then
Picking up the flurry of stars ninja trick to get 2 extra throws off a full round action.

so say a lv6 character with 18 str it would be
1d2+4, 1d2+4, 1d2+4.

The part that I stumped about is the second Gestalt Class.
I have been mulling over the following:

-Warpriest to increase the shuriken damage to d8's and maybe picking up the air blessing.

-Some kind of monk to flurry of blows to combine with the flurry of shurikens(ninja trick).

-Brawler for the Full Bab and also brawlers flurry.

Also, I not to familiar with thrown weapons, but would rapid shot and point blank work off shurikens?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Yes, I was eyeing that as well, but I'm not sure if I qualify for it. do I "create" the undead? I certainly control them, that's for sure, but I think it's a grey area.

Also, since I'm a back-row character, I'm not sure if Escape Route would be the best option, and I'm looking through the teamwork feats and nothing really appeals to me. Do you have any suggestions?

The feat says you when you create. That could mean summoning, raising, and such related terms. The occultists says "raise a single human skeleton or human zombie from the ground "

Also,
Depends what you want to do.

More damage? Go with Outflank for the +4 flank bonus, or the Precise Strike Feat for the extra 1d6 prescion damage.

I enjoy the Escape route, just because if a get rushed by a character, my zombie helps me back away with more than just a 5 foot step. (Think Defensivebly!)

If you want more defense, and get the betrayal feat "ally shield". Suddenly your skeleton buddy will be taking the hits for you... or more or less youll force him to take the hits.

Shake it off is good too. +1 to all saves isnt too bad.

CampinCarl9127 wrote:

Owlbear skeletons retain grab. Megaraptor skeletons retain pounce.

Yes, grab and pounce are retained when the creature is turned into a skeleton or zombie.

As has been stated above, these are from 3.5 material.

Well what about a 2014 source?

The zombie crocodile retains its grab ability

Zombie, Crocodile

I know its silly but something about an undead with pounce ability just doesnt quite seem right!

Usually zombies stagger around.

Fast zombies specifically get faster because they are created with haste.

Skeletons have bonuses to dex, and even have improved initiative because of their cunning.

Isn't that module from the time when Paizo was a 3PP writing for D&D 3.5?

Not to say your reasoning is flawed, but the supporting evidence is a bit dated.

I had not taken that into account.

I was not aware that the Sun/moon had hellcat stealth.

Here I thought perception checks were " made in response to observable stimulus. Intentionally searching for stimulus is a move action."

One might argue that A giant Ball of flame in the sky that lights up the world each day MIGHT fall under "observable stimuli"
Especially when you face directly at it... it hurts your eyes.

This math of "perception by distance"

Might make more sense if you were trying to pinpoint a Fire elemental who was chilling out on the sun.

Quick question for all of you,

I am currently running a gestalted undead Lord Cleric/Inquisitor

I chose a Fast zombie leopard at Lv 6 as my corpse companion.

Does the Zombie leopard still have pounce?

The only reasoning I can see from it retaining it is the following:

Skeleton Megaraptor

Which is a Megaraptor that has been added with the skeleton template.
It lists Pounce as a special attack.

But both the zombie and skeleton template say that it looses any special attack,
"A skeleton/Zombie retains none of the base creature's special attacks."

however it keeps an Extraordinary abilities that aid with attacking?

" A skeleton/Zombie loses most special qualities of the base creature. It retains "any extraordinary special qualities" that improve its melee or ranged attacks."

Pounce is described as

"Pounce (Ex): When a creature with this special attack makes a charge, it can make a full attack (including rake attacks if the creature also has the rake ability)."

It is also relevant to say that Most skeletal and Zombie versions of monsters still hold their "Grab" and "trip abilties" associated with their bites. And Grab is described as:

"Grab (Ex):If a creature with this special attack hits with the indicated attack (usually a claw or bite attack), it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking...etc"

I would really enjoy some input on this.
I have it written out as such:

Bast, The Fast Zombie Leopard

In a AP I am currently in, I have an Inquisitor/Undead Lord Cleric.

I picked up the feat

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/charnel-soldiers

So that My corpse companion came online with the teamwork feat.

I chose the teamwork feat "Escape Route" so that I can move in tandem with my companion.

Easy solution:

Be a Draconic sorceror.

Eventually get high Charisma and Form of Dragon.

Seduce a strapping young Hydra to be your mate.

Live out your years with hydra.

Eventually you will bear a son.

Magic jar your son.

You are now a hydra.

When you become decapitated, two more heads sprout up.

Profit.

If your GM allows anything, you're fine.

The rule exists so characters can't substitute out the same class feature twice for different benefits, thereby effectively having two class features for the price of one. By strict RAW, even altering a feature triggers the prohibition for banning the combination.

However, a GM should take things case by case. For example, the Inquisitor Heretic archetype adds a new Judgment to the list of Judgments available but this new feature doesn't change anything else about Judgment. Several other Inquisitor archetypes replace Judgment entirely. I have seen GMs allow this type of combination because the character doesn't get a double-dip benefit from the two archetypes (any benefit from the Heretic's modification of Judgment is removed by the other archetype's wholesale removal Judgment). This is, of course, up to each individual GM to allow or not.

This makes a lot of sense now.

Would anyone help me with understanding the faq they made in regards to this?

http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fn#v5748eaic9thg

"In general, if a class feature grants multiple subfeatures, it’s OK to take two archetypes that only change two separate subfeatures. This includes two bard archetypes that alter or replace different bardic performances (even though bardic performance is technically a single class feature) or two fighter archetypes that replace the weapon training gained at different levels (sometimes referred to as “weapon training I, II, III, or IV”) even though those all fall under the class feature weapon training. However, if something alters the way the parent class feature works, such as a mime archetype that makes all bardic performances completely silent, with only visual components instead of auditory, you can’t take that archetype with an archetype that alters or replaces any of the sub-features. This even applies for something as small as adding 1 extra round of bardic performance each day, adding an additional bonus feat to the list of bonus feats you can select, or adding an additional class skill to the class. As always, individual GMs should feel free to houserule to allow small overlaps on a case by case basis, but the underlying rule exists due to the unpredictability of combining these changes."

Does this just mean, if the GM allows it, its good?

But now that I am looking at it, by raw, it looks like replace and altering would not work.

Hello,

I was wondering if the cleric Archetypes

"Undead Lord" and "Herald Caller"

Conflict?

Undead lord says:

"An undead lord must select the Death domain (and the Undead subdomain). She does not gain a second domain.
In all other respects, this works like and replaces the standard cleric’s domain ability."

While Herald Caller says:

"A herald caller depends on summoned allies to overcome her foes, which affords her little experience with the martial pursuits typical of other clerics and a narrower spiritual focus. A herald caller can choose only one domain from her deity's list of domains, rather than the normal two domains, and she doesn't gain proficiency with medium armor or shields.
This ability alters the cleric's domains and armor proficiencies."

So the first says, I do not get a second domain, while the other archetype says I can only choose 1 domain.

It makes sense, right?

This is for a cool idea for a Skeleton Summoner/Charnel Soldier/ Cleric/Inquisitor Gestalt.

Easy

Take the Feat "Betrayer"
With a successful Diplomacy check, you can attack someone as an immediate action.

If you get them to friendly or better, they are caught flat footed.

You then capitalize off this by taking some class that has the sneak attack feature.

Well just to add a bit of context to the whole situation again:

The Part consisted of 4 Gestalted Characters at Lv5 one with a large plant companion.

They were up against 2 imperial ghouls both at CR4.

Their plan was to open door to the room, cast create pit as a choke point and try to get whatever ghouls inside the pit.

To a degree, I get it. One would not like it if their ace in the hole tactic was ruined by a monster with a mundane ability.

But as GM 1990 pointed out, all I am trying to do is to make encounters less tedious than hack and slash, and a bit more memorable. Hell even the player who had created pit thought that ghouls were "mindless undead that would come barreling down into my pit" sometimes I feel that he has a MMO style of gaming. But that is besides the point.

I assume that the concensus is that create pit is immune to all magical and mundane affects because it is not a real thing. So an elder purple worm would not be able to tunnel downwards, nor a elder earth elemental would be able to by pass the walls.
Hell, I assume that create pit is also immune to adamantine, or excavasious escape or shape stone.

[/i]Create Pit[/i] does not violently eject it's occupants or place them in the prone position when the spell ends.

Other than that, I would not allow a creature to burrow out (even if they could move though stone), it is an extra-dimensional effect. You could place it onboard a ship or the roof of a tower, where would the occupants burrow too? Thematically, if they could move through stone, I would just have them reenter the pit from the opposing wall.

I only added that stipulation because the ghoul dug straight down. Close to a shunt effect.

So thematically if they burrowed straight down, the would come out the side?

So, I had an encounter last night with my party that I GM, where a create pit spell was cast.

One of the unlucky recipients was a imperial Ghoul.

Imperial Ghouls have a burrow speed.

Create Pit states that it has walls of Coarse stones.

Burrow states
"A creature with a burrow speed can tunnel through dirt, but not through rock unless the descriptive text says otherwise."

So as a semi-mindless Ghoul, I had it burrow straight down into the create pit spell.

A player pointed out(about a couple of turns later) that this would impossible because
1. It is an extra dimensional space.
2. The floor was coarse stone.

So I quickly googled around for about 10 minutes trying to find a good answer, and I determined that the walls were coarse stones, but the floor would be the same. And effectively, the ghoul would not be able to escape the pit by burrowing, he would simply be burrowing further into an extra dimensional space.

I found this answer to be the best I could come up with at the moment instead of "The Ghoul Actually never disappeared in the first place, everyone go back 2 turns and target the ghoul normally"

I also stated, that as soon as the Create pit wore off, that the Ghoul would be violently ejected and land prone.

The player who cast the spell, was not happy with this answer, and started acting up. I told him I just wanted to move things along, and I gave him my reasoning. But he still felt cheated out of his spell. Then he said it was fine, but then when I tried to continue, he continued to explain that he was not fine with it. This is not the first time that I rule something one way, and he becomes greatly displeased. I feel sometimes I give my PC's an inch, and they try to take a mile. And this player always sidetracts the game to say why his ruling should be superior than mine.

It also got me thinking that a lot of Monsters with burrow type abilities do not have a text saying what they can or cannot burrow into. As for example a Gargantuant Purple worm. It is imply the dig through everywhere, but not explicitly said that it can burrow through stone in its abilities. Or say for example adult dragons with the burrow ability?

So a couple of questions:
-How would you have all settled this?

-Are create pit spells completely immune to any spell or ability that targets rocks or dirt?

-Would an elder Purple Worm or Adult Dragon trying to burrow top down into a pit just magically be forbidden to do so?

-A bag of holding can rupture, are other extradimensional spaces unabled to be completely meddled from the inside?

This concept reminds me a lot of the

Divine assessor prestige class

and the Dark Delver.

Lightning Reload is not a satisfactory solution to the problem for the reasons thejeff has already stated. It doesn't come online until you get your third iterative and as written only works once a round. So from 6-11 when other ranged martials are making 2-3 attacks with rapid shot (4 if they're an archer) you're making one. And at 11+ when other martials are making three to four attacks(five for archers) you're making two.

That's just not sustainable. Especially given that it comes online so late.

Wheldrake wrote:

Pffft!

Muzzle-loading firearms shouldn't be able to fire more that once a round at best.

So I for one am glad that there are very few ways (apparently only one way) to reload as a free action and get iteratives on that.

Pity this limit doesn't also apply to muzzle-loading sidearms.

Like it or not, Pathfinder's design paradigm for martial characters necessitates full attacks to stay relevant. A weapon that cannot be used more than once per round is, without some special exception, a weapon that people aren't going to use.

And if you don't want people to use guns you should just ban them outright.

Hmm, I wonder if that is why the Dead shot feat was invented. Yeah, you aren't adding your dex mod to every individual attack, but the way I see it is that you are targeting Touch AC, which is 10 times easier than an archer or fighter targeting normal AC.

Dave Justus wrote:

elcaleeb wrote:

not sure if there is something I am missing on the Command Undead feat, or an errata or something, but from my read it uses a channel negative energy, and acts as control undead, which lasts for minutes per level.

Don't want to derail, but in brief command undead has its own duration (indefinite) but the 'effects' i.e. what commanding means, are the same is if the creatures were under a control undead spell. You aren't casting control undead, you are just using the same mechanics for controlling.

This is what I am saying though. There is no "duration" listed on the feat, so where is the assumption of "indefinte" coming from? As stated, I can't find one way or the other. Would using the mechanics not include the duration?

A cleric using command undead is indefinite.

The spell Command Undead is not.

4th post down.
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2k41s?What-is-the-Command-Undead-Feat-Duration# 4

But why take 6 levels more than you need to? I'd assume you would stick around for 5 levels to get DEX to damage, but that's an extra 6 levels if you want to be really good at muskets. And you still don't get the full attack deal- at best, you'll shoot twice in a round.

Regular Gunslinger

Full Round Action <- Here at 1st
Standard Action <- Here with alchemical ammo or Rapid Reload
Move Action <- Here with alchemical ammo and Rapid Reload
Swift Action <- Here at 11th, 1/round
Free Action <- Here at 11th with alchemical ammo or Rapid Reload, 1/round

Musket Master

Full Round Action
Standard Action <- Here at 1st, because of Rapid Reload
Move Action <- Here at 3rd, or at 1st with alchemical ammo
Swift Action
Free Action <- Here at 3rd with alchemical ammo

I guess if you want to start dipping into other full bab classes, thats entirely a possibility.

I thought OP was asking that other gunslinger were SOL all together from using a musket.
As he stated, the possibility of a guntank with a musket seems out of the picture,
as I pointed out, A guntank could still very well go a full musket build.

Is it a normal to thing to dip out of gunslinger after Lv5? If so, that is not something that I am familiar with..

Also, Taking a look at the drawback "Spooked" it even has a a bit of additional info that you are immune to fear, that you still have to roll to avoid becoming shaken.

I would feel that they did not add these to other drawbacks, because it was implied that drawbacks.... ARE DRAWBACKS.

Well, what I see is

With sleepy it says:
"You must sleep or rest for at least 12 hours each night to get the benefits of a full night's rest."

The ring of sustanance says
"its wearer needs only sleep 2 hours per day to gain the benefit of 8 hours of sleep."

While restuful says:
"reduce the amount of uninterrupted sleep or rest she needs from 8 hours to 2 hours"

These Items seems to imply that they work with creatures who normally sleep 8 hours. Unfortunately it seems you picked a drawback that does not fall under "normal amount of hours" needed to sleep.

If I was a generous GM, I would rule that sleeping 2 hours is the same as sleeping 8 hours. so you would need 4 more to not wake up fatigued.

If I was not generous, I would say that these items are meant for normal people, and their magical affects do not affect you because you dont sleep the normal 8 hours that normal things need.

Alright so lets take a look at this

here are the times it takes for you to reload:

Full Round action <---- You are here with A musket
Standard Action
Move Action
Swift Action
Free action

You then take the rapid reload feat and suddenly:

Full Round action
Standard Action <---- You are here with A musket
Move Action
Swift Action
Free action

You then take the alchemical cartridges and:

Full Round action
Standard Action
Move Action <---- You are here with A musket
Swift Action
Free action

Then at lv 11 you get lightning reload, which now is:

Full Round action
Standard Action
Move Action
Swift Action <---- You are here with A musket, no feats, no alchemical cartridges
Free action <---- You are here with A musket, and either rapid reload or alchemical cartridges

So where is exactly is the problem? Musket masters just get to reload a musket much faster in the beginning of the game.

As long as you do not pick an archetype that gets rid of lightning reload, then you are golden.

Also for added shenanigans, you could very well take a 1 level dip into the heretic inquisitor archetype and add your wisdom modifier to stealth and BLUFF CHECKS, in addition to your normal ability scores.

Not to mention, you can use the "Create a Diversion to Hide"
under the stealth rules with your profession barrister.
Which I would think would play out something like

"Hey enemy over there, it would be a damn shame if you did not check underneath the crate over there in the corner for the intruder.

The legal repercussion that your superior would rain upon you would not be favorable to your total allotment of freedom and happiness while under his rule.

IS the intruder really there? That I can not say for certain. If he is not there, then that is one place you do not have to worry about looking, on the other hand, if he is there then you will certainly gain goodwill and credibility from not only your peers, but also your superiors.

Well, do no worry who I am, or what I am doing here, I am just trying to act in your best interest and see you succeed in the evil hierarchy we live in today."

Proceed to hide.

I had an almost similar question in which Using Devil in the details benefits a character while using the feint tactic.

Mostly because DiTD, says whenever you make a bluff check, you instead use a pro(barrister)

I have also seen some threads on ways to increase the Pro(barrister) to full effect.
Such ways found various ways to get bonuses to the skill of barrister, and not their individual skills of bluff or diplomacy.

So instead of taking the "persuasive feat"
It would make more sense to get the "prodigy" feat instead.

Also instead of taking skill focus (bluff) you would take skill focus (profession Barrister) and kill two birds with one stone.

SO, to answer your question, bonus to bluff, are less effective than those to barrister.

when making a bluff check, there are certain DC's to beat.
Bluff bonuses would add to the check of that roll. So you do benefit from skill focus bluff and persuasive, but its less optimal to spec into all bluff, instead of all barrister.

Arcane failure does not apply to divine spells so you can ignore it. The problem with this as a Dex based build is you will not get Dex to hit with your weapon and you won't be doing much damage. This results in splitting your stats too much Combat reflexes is good in theory but it's easy to get around at mid to high levels.

You have the right idea with how to set this up but you really only need 12 maybe 14 dex to do it. Once enemies know you can take multiple attacks of opportunity they will avoid you.

My experience is it is hard for a battle oracle to cast enlarge person because of the full round casting time. Add to that to a 20 move speed it can keep you out of the battle for a while. Preventing you from setting up the front line you want.

Slide combat reflexes in there. It combos really well with surprise charge to get you in the right place.

Your stats could be s18 d12 co14 i8 w10 ch14

Or

Switch the 8 in int to wisdom.

On the contrary, a large battle oracle with reach, will dominate the battle field, so its not per say that "enemies will avoid you"

BUt more of, "enemies will have a hard time getting through your threathened squares to get to you and your allies.

He could even go fury's fall, and add his dex bonus to his CMB as well. Making him an even greater threat to any one that provokes an AOO.

Which would fall right into line with the manuver mastery Revelation.

Beopere wrote:

You don't have an explicit rule to cite to point to readied actions only being available in combat.

Hmm? Except you do. If you want the chunk of text and the mechanical benefits that come from what it means to "Ready" on Core pg203, then you are operating in initiative/combat.

Ready pg203 (under 'Special Initiative Actions') wrote:

... after your turn is over but before your next one has begun .. Your initiative result changes .. for the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count .. Initiative Consequences .. initiative result becomes the count ..

If one reads this block of rules, it's pretty darn clear you're in turns/initiative/combat, since all the text references this, and this whole section is under "Special Initiative Actions".

Want the specific crunch for that rule, which is basically all about modifying initiative under 'Special Initiative Actions'? Yeah, you need to be in initiative.

It's just like you can't take a random sentence from a spell and say "yeah I want that, but without casting the spell" - you can't ignore the context in which the rule's mechanical effect is presented.

None of this has any bearing on the "normal stuff" one does that isn't codified in rules with mechanical effects (like breathing normally, blinking normally, smiling, drawing a weapon to show to the blacksmith, being "ready" for your first day of school, etc).

I want to ready an action to cast featherfall on my ally in case he doesn't jump the gap.

Or.

As soon as the king and his knights ride closer to us, I would like to ready an action to cast a quickened Wall of stone to ready the ambush.

Are you saying that neither of these attempts can be readied?

There are plenty of rules that just make sense, 1 guy bursting through a door and getting peppered with arrows seems pretty clear cut to me.

Mind you a lot of people are saying "well the other PC's should have prepared an action! And rolled their initiative!"

To do what exactly?
They are huddled around the corner, and all the information they have is that there is enemies on the other side.

From the enemy perspective, they were probably fan out around the room, and they only know 1 thing: Release your arrow into whatever comes through that door.

So, what happens if a paladin uses dominate person or something similar to force a peasant to run into a dungeon springing traps?

Humans are evil. Humans are good.
What if said peasant that was mind controlled had a superior sense for traps?

In this situation, I think the best course of action would be to summon an animal and use that spring traps. Summon animals arent "technically" the real animal, so that would be more humane.

Taking the free will our of a living animal or person, for the reason of putting them in peril in my book is pretty "immoral"

Ok, So what happens if the opposite situation is involved?

Let say a group of adventurers are in an enemy Orc base and are being hunted down.

They are low on resources so they go hide in a room.

Luckily the LV10 sorceror has fire breath/burning hands/AOE spell prepared.

They go into the room, and the sorceror is ready to blast them.

Are you saying that the orcs, as soon as they brake open the door, then roll initiative as well as the players?

In this circumstance, what if the orcs roll higher, bust down the door, and attack the sorceror causing him to make a concentration check/kill the sorceror.

Are the players then going to argue "But I was ready to attack as soon as they came in!"

Sometimes attack actions happen out of combat and that is okay.

One of the key examples of this is the "Betrayer Feat"
Which essentially, lets you roll diplomacy, and with success, you can as an immediate action draw a weapon and strike a foe.

What does this do? It turns the creature you attacked hostile, and they get a -2 to their initiative.

What does this imply? That some actions are the cause of combat.

After using betrayer, then everyone would roll initiative. Except the target would get a -2.

So what Do I think?

I think it is more than reasonable to have either enemies or players plan out actions for the following reasons:

1. You are aware of your enemy, but you are not aware of what specific positions they have (unless you have some sort of divination)

2. You may be aware of your enemy, but you are not aware what actions they will take.

3. You may know were your enemy is, but you do not know for a fact what the environment would look like, and even with prior knowledge, you can't be certain that the same environment has stayed the same.

4. Surprise rounds says
" In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take a standard or move action during the surprise round."
Battle has not started. Why? Because Enemies and PC's do not live in a constant BATTLE INITIATIVE mentality.
One good example would also be looking at the stealth skill.

Sniping
"If you've already successfully used Stealth at least 10 feet from your target, you can make one ranged attack and then immediately use Stealth again. You take a –20 penalty on your Stealth check to maintain your obscured location."

This is a valid in combat, and out of combat tactic.

"Upon being imbibed, the mutagen causes the alchemist to grow bulkier and more bestial, granting him a +2 natural armor bonus and a +4 alchemical bonus to the selected ability score for 10 minutes per alchemist level."

Nope.

Similar to how some spell have the option of
"dimiss"
or
"stop concentrating"

Other spells like create pit, you just have to wait it out.

Fernn wrote:

So just to clarify,

Let say you have ear piercing scream.
And you find a nifty way to boost the DC (arcanist, etc)

Do you then Perma-daze your opponent?

Turn 1. Mr.Shrieker Dazes orc 1 with ear piercing scream.
Turn 2. Mr. Orc Is dazed.
Turn 3. Since 1 whole run has passed, he screams again dazing the orc again.
Turn 4. Mr. Orc is still dazed.
repeat till Mr orc dies or passes his fort save

Or what about continually throwing sand into your opponents eyes with a dirty trick manuver?

Yes that is correct. What is the problem?

Well then that is pretty cool, A blinding rogue would be nifty

So just to clarify,

Let say you have ear piercing scream.
And you find a nifty way to boost the DC (arcanist, etc)

Do you then Perma-daze your opponent?

Turn 1. Mr.Shrieker Dazes orc 1 with ear piercing scream.
Turn 2. Mr. Orc Is dazed.
Turn 3. Since 1 whole run has passed, he screams again dazing the orc again.
Turn 4. Mr. Orc is still dazed.
repeat till Mr orc dies or passes his fort save

Or what about continually throwing sand into your opponents eyes with a dirty trick manuver?

Just take out the

"if you hit with any of your attacks"

and you are left with:

"When you use Pummeling Style to make an entire full attack or flurry of blows against a single target you can attempt a reposition or trip combat maneuver check as a free action."

Then the phrase:
"if you hit with any of your attacks"

Clarifies that at least one of your attacks should hit for this to take affect.

It is like one of those grammar rules such as:

Tugtuk, the fanatic fire using goblin, drenches himself in oil before setting himself on fire.

The commas add in extra information.

Aaron Gillespie wrote:

My PCs have decided they want to explore Chopper's Isle. I like the Chopper's Isle encounter in Wayfinder. The problem is, the players are all level 5.

So I'm wondering if y'all have any good ideas on how to beef up the encounter for level 5 characters?
Thanks!

I am pretty sure I have read that the sandpoint devil comes to chopper's isle once per month during a full moon and foggy conditions to eat his unfortunate prey.

Speak of the... DEVIL,

I found this laying around

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2kp7j?Choppers-Isle-write-up

My PCs have decided they want to explore Chopper's Isle. I like the Chopper's Isle encounter in Wayfinder. The problem is, the players are all level 5.

So I'm wondering if y'all have any good ideas on how to beef up the encounter for level 5 characters?
Thanks!

I am pretty sure I have read that the sandpoint devil comes to chopper's isle once per month during a full moon and foggy conditions to eat his unfortunate prey.