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Hello, I play a Witch. I know a lot here things it's an OP class that can take down enemies left and right faster than anyone, but my experience has been the opposite lately.

Sure, around 10th level it was easy to Sleep giants and other brutes with low saves, but now at 15-16th level the enemies generally have either immunity to mind affecting or just very high will saves.

My current save DC for hexes is 25 - after trying to affect a creature with the Misfortune Hex, I realized that the DC was way too low.

What I did: Evil Eye hex (target was immune)
Quickened Ill Omen spell (worked, despite high SR)
Misfortune Hex: DM rolled low on a die, getting "only" 34 on the save.

Now that's just one encounter, but I notice that most of the time I am unable to affect creatures we encounter except for secondary effects, and I just have to assume they will save. This makes playing a witch becomes just the same routine: Quickened Haste for the group, use Evil eye to debuff, and cackle. Cleanse and repeat. It surely helps the party (unless the enemy is undead or otherwise immune to evil eye), but it also means that 80% of my abilities are unused.

Ok, that was a bit longer than intended. So back to the original question: How can I boost the will save for my hexes, and maybe spells?
- Ability focus is banned, as it is a monster only feat.
- Headband of Int is capped out.
- Inherent bonus to Int is way too expensive - I might get some, but so far nothing has been found either in loot or for sale.
Spell focus: These require two feats, and unfortunately don't work for Hexes, which are more useful.

So it seems to me there little I can do when the enemies have +25-+30 on will saves. Next level the DC will be 27 due to Int and half level for hexes, but thats as good as it gets. I would need about +5 more to be able to affect monsters about 50% of the time.

In comparison, the melee fighters in the group generally hits with multiple attacks, sometimes even all of them. They only miss on a 2-4 roll against high AC monsters.

I play a ranger in a heavily restricted game. As such I can't expect to get magic to enhance my character, and thus the choice of weapons is more important.

So far I'm using mw shortsword and mw heavy shield, using Improved TWF, Imp. Shield Bash and Double Slice. The attack bonus at 6th level is +8/+8+/+3/+3 for 1d6+3 damage each, nothing to brag about. Worse, my secondary attacks struggle to hit normally armored foes (AC 17-20 is typical in the game).

As an option I can use a single weapon like mw greataxe and Power Attack for +8/+3 1d12+10, but at a loss of my shield (AC 19 isn't great, but still wards off a lot of attacks that get close).

I just got a new battleaxe (possibly magical) with +2 bonus from masterwork. I can use it with a shield for better to-hit, but losing out of a lot of attacks or damage.

Given these very limited options, what should I go for? I suppose if I meet someone with very low AC the 4 attacks are always the best, but suppose the enemy has AC 19 - which combo of attacks and/or power attack would be best?

Hello.

My witch is now 10th lvl and can take her first Major Hex. I want either Ice Tomb, Major Healing or Animal Skin. The latter would enable her to change animal forms as easily as one changes clothes (plus a std. Action), limited only by the pelts she can get and Beast Shape II stats.

However she won't be able to cast spells in animal form, and she already has the Fly Hex on in most combats. Hexes work, I even persuaded my gm to allow Prehensile Hair, however in animal form she gets -5 on it as a secondary attack due to attaining actual natural attacks. Str 9 means that those are completely useless even in large sized forms.

Afaik the only real gain is natural armor and permanent fly, scent etc. Darkvision would be nice, but no animals have it, and my witch is an Elf.

More healing on the other hand is welcome in a party with no cleric (just a Pally), and Ice Tomb is awesome vs undead and those others immune to mind effects and Sleep (Slumber Hex).

The party already has a druid who uses beast chape in combat, so Animal skin kinda his ball game.

Any tips? Or are there animals I don't know about that can make a great difference? Im playing Rise of the Runelords and we know we're going up into snow covered mountains soon.

Right now light shields are fairly useless, mostly a cheap buckler that still requires a hand most of the time.

In RL light shields and bucklers (used in one hand, not strapped to the arm) become popular in the middle ages often replacing the viking or norman style large shields.

So the crunch:
allow light shields or bucklers wielded in one hand to double the bonus from Combat Expertise, to a maximum of the armor bonus from the shield. This means an 8th level fighter with a +2 light shield could get +6 dodge rather than +3 from using combat expertise. This extra dodge is lost if the shield is used to attack with, even with Improved Shield bash.

Those without the feat might as well use light shields.

Hello everyone.

My party consists of 5 10th level PCs: 1 Illusionist, 1 Drow Void wizard, 1 Half-Elf Magus, 1 Rogue and 1 Cleric (Freedom based Deity).

They have a lots of high-powered magic items, both looted from enemies and crafted themselves. Front line PCs have AC between 37 and 31, the rest are generally either invisible or has mirror image active when they expect fight.

The Illusionist generally does battlefield control, the Void wizard summons or buffs/debuffs, the Magus does tanking and direct damage, and the Rogue has also become something of a striker, sometimes dealing more than 100 damage in a round.

No, Im not saying these are extreme munchkins, just that I have difficulty challenging them with enemies that are not several levels higher than themselves, they recently beat an enemy group of level 13-15.

Oh and they just picked up 2 Iron Golems as "loot", taking control of them with a magic device, making them far more powerful in stand-up fights as well.

Now they are about to undertake a long journey by ship, so what kind of challenges can I throw at them that will still be interesting? A typical pirate ship will just give them that ship as loot, and typical sea monsters can get tiresome after a couple.

Any tips?

Hello, I have been experimenting with NPC builds, and I want to make something that works in a low-magic setting against players who have
normal access to magic items and spells.

The idea is to make an NPC and tweak the rules so that he is as challenging to face in combat as one who had access to normal NPC WBL. This is on order to not have to worry about increasing player WBL by having too many NPCs vs monsters, and also to represent enemies from low-magic communities.

Let's start with a Barbarian, probably the easiest to make low-magic due to rage powers and self-buff:

The idea was simply to grant bonuses that you would normally have from magic items or spell buffs. The question is, would this be too powerful to use against normally equipped Level 9-10 PCs? Too weak compared to the magic versions? Or fairly much the same.

Note that it is of course possible to make a lot more powerful builds, this is just as an example for an NPC. Also, the attributes are probably too high compared to what the PCs have, but please look at the final stats, attack/damage and defenses. After all, the PCs never need to know the attributes of the enemy.

The AC is low, but I suppose this is not going to be good for a barbarian anyway, even on level 10. So what do you think?

Hello

I have read before that AC as the levels progress becomes less important as due to BAB increasing every level, but AC not, one will eventually always surpass the other making the primary attack almost always a hit.

However, in my game the experience is quite the opposite: The PCs have been able to boost their AC to high levels, and I've noticed that monsters/NPCs on a CR APL -2 to APL +1 tend to only hit on a natural 20.

For example, with a single spell the Magus on 10th level boosts his AC to 38. A CR 9 Dire Crocodile, who has very little going for it except a powerful melee attack only has +18 to hit - thus missing the Magus as often as a 1st level commoner. Ditto for the Frost Giant, a fairly common foe. A CR 10 Fire Giant will hit more easily, but still needs to roll pretty high just to hit with the first attack, while the rest are pretty much guaranteed misses. And this is using melee monsters as examples, those who have more spell-like abilities or other ways to attack generally have so low to hit there is no point in trying.

Sure, the party's Wizard and Rogue has less AC, but my philosophy is that a melee monster needs to have a certain chance of hitting the main tank. Having a whole bunch of Fire Giants attack the party will probably endanger them, but we're talking level 10 here - they shouldn't really be able to take out a EL 14 (4 fire giants) that easily. And remember the spellcasters will make use of battlefield control spells to make those giants a lot less challenging and have ways to protect themselves like Mirror Image, Invisibility or simply a Fly.

So if I ever throw in a monster that is a "brute" sort that can challenge the party I need to use increasingly high CRs - CR 14-15 easily. The problem here is that such can easily one-shot the PCs with low AC (low means less than 30), have other abilities that might be overpowering, or just give them to damn much xp.

I realize that at level 10 normal city guards are not going to be a problem, but even the most elite of the elite will be nothing more than a nuisance against the party.

So finally the questions:

1. Is this common? Does melee combat just become a thing of the past after a certain level?

2. What are good ways a human-based evil organization can challenge such a group? I'm using Golems etc now, but I feel like I'm stretching the Suspense of Disbelief the tougher monsters I send at them.

3. Any possible houserules that can fix this problem? I considered letting "goons" automatically hit on a 19-20 when they gang up, but that makes investing in AC almost pointless. Giving enemy soldiers arbitrary high attack bonus yet keeping their hit points and damage low?

4. It might just be they have become too high level for the campaign plot. Ideally enemy goons would be easily dispatched, yet should be threatening in numbers. Some enemies i made (10th level fighters with SR and some shadow-jump ability) were challenging, but I doubt they are anymore.

Hello guys

In the pathfinder groups I play with we sometimes debate how Magical traps and illusions work with divination magic.

Magical traps are said "a Rogue(and only a Rogue) can detect a magical trap with Search/Perception check. However, being a spell is it not detectable also by a simple detect magic? The only problem with that is that it completely nullifies the Rogue's ability as any spellcaster can use detect magic all the time and discover all (possible) magical traps. Then they can be dealt with by Dispel Magic etc.

The same thing about Illusions: Can you detect the aura of a Invisibility spell and pinpoint it's location with detect magic, or is the illusion spell simply invisible? Is a wizard with a Disguise Self spell easily spotted by the Illusion magic on him?

And at the last, is the Alarm spell counted as a magic trap(thus detectable by Rogues) or just a normal spell that can be detected by detect magic?

I'd appreciate both RAW and RAI responses.

Hello

The PCs in my game are going to infiltrate/attack their old headquarters in a govermental organization. They are about 10th level and can be expected to have a lot of magical tricks up their sleves, so most mundane security is going to be useless.

The owners of this underground base have access to resources from the government (Empire), from a secret organization with access to rare and exotic magic (inlcluding golems), and they have some forwardning that the PCs will be coming, and what their abilities are.

So given a budget of say, a couple of hundred thousand GPs, what can be reasonably installed? The magical and mundane defense can't interfere with day-to-day activies, and should be layered with lowest level first, and higher level as you go further down. They can have spells or items made by 15th level spellcasters as the absolute max.

The PCs have the advantage of knowing about the surface security, which includes human guards, locked iron doors, corridor with arrow slits, and potentially some Alarm spells. This part needs no defence against Invisibility or Blink.

The second part includes offices and armories. Security here should be able to prevent mid level magics such as invisibility, blink, minor illusions, as well as well secured by Arcane Locks and some potential magical or mundane traps.

The third part needs the top level of security. Ethereal foes should be stopped by Force effects or Ethereal monsters, main door should be very hard to impossible to get through without proper access, and the areas can have a myriad of magic or mundane traps, golems, creatures with Scent, and other tough enemies, including spellcasters.

Spells I have considered:
-Guards and Wards: Affects everyone, so not really useful.
-Glyphs: Only for specific warded doors - base damage is not that useful, but Invisibility Purge, Glitterdust, or even something that alerts nearby foes could.
-Antimagic Field: Probably too expensive or difficult to have up all the time
-Mages Private Sanctum: Used for briefing rooms and high-level officers throughout.
-Wall of Force (Permanent), or Symbol of Sealing: Useful at some doors, but ehtereal creatures can go around. Mainly to prevent one from getting throuhg a main door by bypassing conventional locks or Blink.

Anything obvious I left out? Any other good intrusion countermeasures? It can be as sci-fi as you want, as long as it can be barely explained with PF magic.

Hello everyone

I've been searching for threads on this issue, but most deal with the players, BBEGs, and mechanical effects.

What I want to know is that, how does the access to Raise dead magic affect society? Are Nobles and other with high wealth almost immune to violent or accidental death?

A 9th level Cleric might be needed to use this spell, and the costs are prohibitive for a normal person, but for a Noble who can afford to build and run a Castle, 5000-7000GP is hardly a fortune. In a world where people can sell magic items that costs 100,000GP in a city, there is a class of people other than adventurers who can afford this magic. And while such high level NPCs are uncommon, almost every major city will have one. Is it really a stretch for a Noble to be brough 500 miles in order to have a second chance at life? Will a father not do this for his child?

If you're playing in a game settings where NPCs over level 8 simply do not exist, things will be different of course. But most of us don't, even if we're not talking Elminsters on every corner. Even if there is only a handful of such people for every 50,000 people, they can be found, just people with money in the world can find medical experts on cancer.

So, what do you think?

Hello there. Can a wizard with Craft Magic arms and armor make a +5 weapon or armor at 5th level, by adding +5 to the DC to skip the level requirement, or can he only make +1 weapons at 5th level and +2 weapons at 6th level?

"Creating a magic weapon has a special prerequisite: The creator's caster level must be at least three times the enhancement bonus of the weapon. If an item has both an enhancement bonus and a special ability, the higher of the two caster level requirements must be met."

Question 1:
If you have the ability to make yourself invisible and also incorporeal, are there any way to detect you?

-Invisibility makes you immune to visual detection

-An incorporeal creature moves silently and cannot be heard with Perception checks if it doesn't wish to be.
-Nonvisual senses, such as scent and blindsight, are either ineffective or only partly effective with regard to incorporeal creatures.

So what's left? See invisibility, True Sight, and Invisibility purge. But is there any other way to detect you?

Question 2: Can you use touch spells on incorporeal creatures? Can incorporeal creatures with spellcasting ability use touch spells on self?

Question 3: Are there any limitations on what spells a caster with Shadow Projection can cast on himself beforehand? Invis, mage armor, shield, spells that boosts charisma or deflection bonuses? Armor bonuses are of course not working, and I'm assuming transmutation effects are pointless too. Anything else?

Hello everyone. My pathfinder campaign has lasted for some time, and now my party has turned 10th level and I find they can take on some seriously tough opposition.

Background: The party is fighting against an evil powerful organization that wants to spread a disease around the world. After sabotaging production, the PCs have learned that 2 huge (relatively) modern warships (carracks) will take the virus to their homeland. They have the assistance of a organized crime/pirate society, so could expect enough support to deal with one of the ships.

Ships: Called galleons, but resembles historical carracks. 10-12 siege weapons per ship, with access to magical ammunition. crew size around 50, but room for 300 Marines (this number can be altered, but should be many enough to discourage most pirates). The ships have been magically enchanted to protect them against fire attacks and magic.

Opposition: One high level wizard (probably lvl 15), several mid level ones, and professional soldiers of level 1-8. The captains of each ship might also be fairly high level - around 10-12th.

Goal: Since the ships are loaded with virus, the goal will be to either sink them or capture them.

PCs, mostly level 10: 1 Illusionist with highly annoying spells, 1 Magus with good AC/damage, 1 weird wizard focusing on summoning, and one social Rogue. They have access to fairly powerful magic items, mostly self-crafted.

So, how do you think this will work out? The evil organization is powerful enough to subvert a nation, has almost limitless resources, and access to strange magic and forbidden knowledge. They know most the PCs and can take some precautions against them.

If the PCs get engaged with the soldiers, how to play a combat against so many? IMO if they try to stay and fight they shouldn't really have a chance, is there a Mob-style rule I could use? I saw something in a PF module, but it seemed to auto-kill almost anything in 1 round.

How to play out the ship-to ship? The PCs themselves can choose to infiltrate the ship somehow, or they could assault on ship vs ship thinking they can out-magic it. I don't want them to be able to sink the ships at 500' using magic, they're gonna have to work for it.

In the end they should face some of the enemy who will go to great lengths to stop them, especially the high-level wizard.

Twist: It's possible some or all of the soldiers/crew are innocent/just doing their jobs, and that the PCs should avoid killing many of them outright. Not sure yet if I want to do it like the Death Star, or have them consider making the soldiers abandon the ship before it sinks.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for reading through it all.

Hello

One of my players acquired an Adamantium Full Plate armor. Full plate armors are stated to include gauntlets. Does this mean the character now has adamantium gauntlets that counts as weapons (1d3+str damage, ignores hardness)?

I am aware that enhancement bonus to armor does not apply to the gauntlets as weapons, but the material? Would be silly if they "counted as steel" on attack, but gave DR on defense.

Hey

I have noticed with the minor drawbacks of being a specialist wizard, as well as the excellent powers of some wizard schools of magic, the generalist mage becomes a very unappealing choice.

The Hand of the Apprentice power is weak, as it is not a touch attack. You also get str modifier to damage, which makes no sense as the weapon flies out of the wizard's hand to strike the enemy by his will.

The metamagic mastery ability is better, but at 8th level I'd expect it to be less limited.

So I propose 2 changes:

1. The generalist mage can use Int modifier for attack AND damage with the Hand of the Apprentice. It can be used for Combat maneuvers, but only if the weapon is capable of it (Disarm, Trip for trip weapons only, no grapple etc.). This makes the ability much better of course, but mostly at low level.

2. Metamagic Mastery: Since this ability does not modify the spell's actual level, you can use this ability to cast a spell whose modified spell level would be above the level of the highest-level spell that you are capable of casting. This cannot be combined with Metamagic Rods.

The latter change is the most powerful ability, but would it be so bad to allow a 12th level Wizard to cast A Maximized Chain Lightening? (can already be done with Magic Items).

Balance questions: Would this make the Univeralist so powerful that choosing to Specialize would be suboptimal? How can these changes be abused?