So, you know how every Paizo/Pathfinder product purchased from the website is watermarked with the name and Paizo-associated e-mail address of the buyer?
Is there any avenue or means by which one can or should report such names and e-mail addresses, should we come across them? Such as when an admittedly-pirated Paizo PDF starts circulating throughout your own gaming group? Or is there really no point?
I notice that nothing is stopping me from clicking "write a review" for PDF-only products (which many third-party products are). I don't want to write a phony review just to test it, but is it possible to write a review for a PDF product that you haven't purchased?
Initiative starts when any character, PC or NPC, moves to take hostile action. The GM will roll party initiatives. We will go in initiative order (readying and delaying is fine), which is part of the reason that it's important to post at least once per day - somebody may be waiting on you!
Combat:
Please break down your actions clearly (define your standard, move, and other actions for what they are), and clearly define and label all die rolls. Please insert a line break (press Enter) between rolls; do not make multiple rolls on a single line.
Do not make rolls for NPCs. If you provoke an attack of opportunity, the GM will resolve it. If the outcome of the attack that you provoke has any bearing on the rest of your actions (if any) that round, you can halt or "pause" your turn until after the GM has resolved the attack of opportunity.
Reactive Rolls:
The GM will roll routine reactive checks in combat (to include most saving throws). On a case-by-case basis, the GM may request that players make saves or reactive checks, especially when the outcome is (or appears to be) very significant.
GM Die Rolls:
The GM rolls "on the table" (secret rolls nonwithstanding) but does not declare or show modifiers unless the results of the roll would make the modifiers immediately apparent (as is the case with damage rolls). Thus, you'll see what an NPC rolls for his attack roll or skill check, and may know if he succeeds or fails, but you won't know by how much, because the total is never revealed to you. This is the way most GMs handle "on the table" die rolls, and the virtual environment facilitiates it just as easily.
OOC Discussion:
Please tag all OOC discussion with the ooc formatting tool. Reserve lengthy discussion for the Discussion Thread. Feel free to talk tactics and compare strategies all you like, there. Also, spectators are perfectly welcome in the discussion thread unless spectator activity gets out of hand (which I doubt it will).
Caution and Character Death:
Dead is dead, unless it's not - resurrection magic (and all other spells from the playable sources mentioned in the Recruitment Thread) are perfectly legal and a part of the game. The GM will never pull punches or bend the rules, even if it would be more dramatically appropriate for an outcome to go one way or another. As in life, your success depends heavily on both your own actions and on luck. Play smart, and don't fight a battle you don't think you can win.
XP:
We will be using the Fast XP Track due to the slow nature of play-by-post games. XP will always be split evenly among all party memebers regardless of contribution or participation. Thus "splitting the party" never results in "away" members gaining more xp and pulling ahead. The group levels together, always.
Scope:
This game is meant to go on until it reaches its natural conclusion. I hope to span many, many character levels over the course of this campaign. At very high-levels the site-based nature of the adventure may be subject to change.
Tone:
Keep the tone to an "R" rating. On the other side of that particular coin: a little "silly" never hurt anyone, though this should be a fairly serious game in its overall tone.
Everyone stand by, the opening post will set the scene later today, or tomorrow. Please DO NOT POST until then.
Hi there. A quick introduction and I'll get right down to business.
I'm a longtime DM/GM who has been exploring Golarion a lot lately. I run a couple of play-by-post games, severl home games, and I founded, write for, edit for, and essentially run Abandoned Arts, right here on the Paizo webstore. I'm enjoying my other (and first) two play-by-post games immensely, and feel I have the time for a third. I post mostly in the daytime on the weekdays, and I'd like to run a game set in the Inner Sea region in order to gain some more play experience in Golarion.
Campaign and submission details are as follows. Please DO NOT post a character concept submission to this thread without reading all of the information below.
Campaign Details
The campaign will take place in and around a large ruined city and underground dungeon network in the Mwangi Expanse called the Drowning Stones. This adventure will not reference and has nothing to do with the “Encounter at the Drowning Stones” module, or with any other module. (I do not run modules, so I haven’t read any of them.) The adventure will revolve almost entirely around the exploration of this ruin, and your “base of operations” will be a Pathfinder Society waypoint about 24 miles from the site. As such, your characters will be members of the Pathfinder Society.
I’ll be taking a maximum of five players running one character each. Because Play-By-Post gameplay tends to be slow, we’ll be using the “fast” XP track.
As for the dungeon itself: the Drowning Stones and the connecting ruins will run into the Darklands and into several other underground dungeons and sites. This campaign will be run in the “megadungeon” style, but this will not be a simple hack-and-slash. A team of five combat-monkies won't make it; the dungeon will eat them alive - I promise you. Though combat will be commonplace, character backstories may factor into the adventure where appropriate, and exploration and problem-solving will be a huge factor. Different floors and areas will require different skillsets and strategies, and the dungeon itself will prove a challenge – not just the site inhabitants. We will not be extending the scope of the campaign beyond the Mwangi Expanse – this is a site-based campaign. That said, this is not a one-shot adventure, and will go into high-level play if the campaign persists long enough (in the traditional “megadungeon” style).
I’d like to extend a quick courtesy to everyone before we get into concepts. This campaign would benefit from:
o-> Characters with the ability to scout, provide intelligence, and deal with locks and traps. In many areas of the dungeon (but not all), locks and traps are huge concerns. Scouting will likely prove very useful as well, as not all areas of the dungeon will necessarily be “encounter level appropriate.” Scouting saves lives. In general, both of these skillsets will save a lot of time and hit points.
o-> Characters with the ability to fight well and kill monsters. Combat is a large part of the dungeon experience and the ability to overcome physical encounters is crucial to the survival of your team.
o-> Characters with the ability to solve problems. Whether through the use of spells, speechcraft, useful skills, or both, problem-solving abilities not directly related to combat will play a huge factor in the exploration of the dungeons. Such abilities can greatly assist in combat as well, albeit indirectly.
player requirements:
Player Requirements
Play Time: You should be able to play during the daytime, on the weekdays (Eastern Standard Time). It is rare that I will be able to post on the weekends or during the evening.
Post Expectations: You should be able to post at least once a day on the weekdays. If you are not able to post at least once per day, please do not submit a character concept. Life happens, and exceptions are bound to occur, but do understand that group activities imply group responsibilities. If you're a part of a group, you have an inherent obligation to that group to do things like show up and participate.
Frequency (and maturity) of posting will be one of my most primary factors for choosing players.
Cooperation: Please play cooperatively, in-game and out. Civility, a cooperative playstile, and a friendly attitude are expected of each player. Please include the word read in your first post, so that I know you've actually read the player requirements.
Style: This game will be a RAW (rules-as-written) game. I'm an experienced GM; I've been running 3.5 since day one (and my experience as a player predates third edition). I've been playing Pathfinder since the playtest. I've been playing roleplaying games since I could talk. I roll on the table and I never fudge rolls or make exceptions in order to sink or save characters. I don't pull punches, nor do I "play to win." Whether you live or die, succeed or fail, win or lose is all up to you and the dice. PC-NPC transparency is in full effect. If a PC can do it, an NPC can do it (and vice versa). I don't use any houserules per se, (but see the "houserules and rules interpretations" spoiler, below).
I believe that the game functions as intended, as written. While I do roll on the table, I don't declare my modifiers unless the roll makes modifiers immediately apparent. In other words: you'll know exactly what the monster's initiative modifier is after I roll it, and you'll know how much damage it dealt... but you won't know what its attack roll modifiers are… you'll only know if its attack roll succeeded or failed.
If your playstyle conflicts with any of the above, please do not submit a character.
Rules Knowledge: You don’t need a lot of rules knowledge to submit a character, but please do read and understand to the best of your ability those class, race, and rules features relevant to your character. When it comes time to submit a full character sheet, I may have second thoughts if your sheet is riddled with significant mistakes.
Campaign Scope and Setting: Your characters will belong to the Pathfinder Society, who has established a small waystation some 24 miles from the site of the Drowning Stones. Do not submit a character concept which is at odds with Pathfinder Society membership or the delving of ruins in general.
submission requirements:
Character Submission Requirements
Alignment: Any alignment is fine, but I expect evil characters to be played responsibly. No character concept exempts a player from the Player Expectations described, above. If you think being evil precludes you from being a team player, making friends, or maintaining party cohesion, then please do not submit an evil character.
Content: The Core Rulebook, the Gamemaster's Guide, the Advanced Player's Guide, the Advanced Race Guide, Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Magic, all three Bestiaries, and the Inner Sea World Guide are the only Paizo sources we will be using for this campaign. Any products purchased from Abandoned Arts are also welcome at my table. NO OTHER sourcebooks, adventure paths, or supplements are open to discussion. This includes traits and magic items from other sourcebooks. Furthermore, the "example" Sandpoint campaign traits from the Inner Sea World Guide do not apply to this campaign, and no campaign traits will be written specifically for this campaign.
Please don't ask for exceptions to these sourcebook limitations - none will be granted.
Classes and Races: All "playable" races featured in the Advanced Race Guide are legal. All archetypes and classes are legal, with one exception: the antipaladin (too disruptive to party cohesion).
If I choose to accept a PC-submitted paladin, evil characters will be taken off the table. If I choose to accept a PC-submitted evil-aligned character, paladins will be taken off the table for consideration.
Point-Buy: Point-buy is set at 20. Spend your points or lose them.
Starting Level: Starting character level is 3rd. I don’t find very, very low-level play to be interesting anymore. You’ll be playing experienced-but-not-exactly-veteran adventurers.
Starting Wealth: Starting wealth is 3,000 gp, (but see the "houserules and rules interpretations" spoiler, below).
Age and Templates: Templates with a static, non-scaling +1 CR adjustment are legal, with one exception: no advanced templates for PCs. If you start with a +1 CR adjustment, you'll begin at character level 2, not character level 3. Age categories (from adult to venerable) are legal options at character creation, as is the Young template. If you choose to apply the Young template to your character, you will NOT be compensated in any way, even though that template subtracts one from a creature's CR.
Concept: While I place no restrictions on the array of classes, archetypes, races, and templates that I'll allow at my table, I do appreciate well-built, interesting, and sensible character concepts. I will likely choose lovingly-crafted or genuinely interesting PC submissions before I accept excessively-templated or min-maxed submissions.
That said: play to win, by all means. It's the dunegon or you. My playstyle is unforgiving, challenging, and RAW. My motto at the table is "them's the rules." I don't deviate from from the EL guidelines (unless the party wanders into an area more dangerous than is appropriate for their level), but character death is a real possibility (though, if it furthers the story or your backstory, actions, resources, and/or partners merit it, the use of resurrection magic is an equal possibility). Play to win, but please don't submit a CE half-red dragon orcish alchemist (ragechemist) 1/barbarian 1 with a +1 seven-branch sword, nothing but combat feats, traits that make no sense, and the minimum Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. I probably won't go for your submission if you do.
Carrying Capacity, Food, and Ammunition: Please include the word great in your first post, so that I know you've actually read the submission requirements. Carrying capacity and encumbrance rules are in full effect (watch your encumbrance and record the weight of your possessions!), but I do not bother tracking non-masterwork, non-magical, non-alchemical ammunition. Thrown weapons (including shuriken and other “ammunition-like” weapons are tracked normally. Do count the weight of one full quiver of ammunition against your carrying capacity, if you plan to be firing ammunition, however. The tracking of mundane ammunition has never seemed to add anything to a game, and isn’t terribly fun. The same goes for food and starvation. Provided that the PCs have regular access to supplies, this sort of thing just isn’t exciting to keep track of. However! If the party becomes trapped somewhere, we will start tracking food, water, ammunition, and other expendable resources. If you’d like your character to be prepared against such an event, do include rations, water, and plenty of ammo on your character sheet.
There is one exception with regards to firearms. Bullets aren’t tracked, but powder and cartridges are tracked and must be purchased and paid for normally. So, to recap:
You’d list and account for the weight of one “unit” of ammunition on your character sheet: (for example: “quiver of crossbow bolts”). As long as you have that item on your person, you can be assumed to have enough ammunition to fire your weapon as needed. If you want to be prepared in the event of your character becoming trapped or losing access to supplies, you may list more than that. Black powder and cartridges are to be tracked and paid for normally, but bullets are not.
Initial Submission: Right now, I don’t need full character write-ups. Your initial submissions should include: overall concept, approximate alignment, probable class and race, intended party role, region of origin, and anything else you'd like to include (like PC goals). Though this campaign will be based out of a central location, I generally run a pretty sandbox-y game, so the characters tend to determine the tone and direction of the campaign.
Again, you don’t need to submit a statblock yet. I won't be starting until Monday, at the very earliest. I'm looking forward to your submissions, everyone. I'll check in tomorrow morning, if not tonight. Once you submit a character, please stay active in this thread! I’ll be looking for posters with the eagerness and ability to participate and post regularly as much as I’ll be looking at the concepts themselves.
houserules and rules interpretations:
Rules and Interpretations
Starting Gear: I have one "house rule," if you could call it that, with regards to the way I handle starting gear. Aside from that, I'd like to mention a couple of my rules interpretations, below. All things considered, I run a very RAW game.
Starting gear is 3,000 gp, but there are some items that I do not require players to subtract from that amount. In other words, you get 3000 gp, plus you get some items for "free". Nonexpendable mundane gear is free, as long as it costs LESS than 1,000 gp. Mundane gear means "non-masterwork, non-magical items, non-alchemical items". Nonexpendable gear means anything that does not have charges, limited uses, and is otherwise not expended, broken, or consumed when used. For example, manacles and silk rope would be free, but a spyglass or a suit of plate armor would not be (too expensive), nor would a vial of alchemist’s fire or a healer's kit (limited uses).
Furthermore, the mundane aspects of your magical arms and armor are free at character creation. This means that you DO pay masterwork costs (150 gp for armor, 300 gp for weapons), but you DO NOT pay for the base cost of the item (even full plate armor). For example, the cost of a +1 breastplate would be 1,150 gp (a 150 gp masterworking cost, and a 1,000 gp cost for a +1 enhancement bonus). As with ammunition, firearms are the exception to this rule. The cost of a firearm, even a non-masterwork one, must come out of your 3,000 gp budget unless you have a class feature that says otherwise.
Death, Dying, and the Prone Condition: This is more “interpretation” than “houserule,” and doesn’t impact much. The rules don't say how or when a character falls down, after going unconscious or dying. I assume that the world isn’t full of standing corpses, but I’ve never liked the idea that a character falls over instantly, and therefore must always stand from prone after being healed back up. So, my interpretation is as follows: if you get put to sleep, are rendered dead or dying, or otherwise go unconscious, you fall prone at the start of your next turn. For example, if an enemy puts you at -2 hp on his turn, and the cleric heals you for 6 hp before your nest turn comes around, you'll still be standing when your turn comes up.
Corpses and Difficult Terrain: The rules do actually say that the bodies of larger creatures (or groups of smaller creatures) should constitute difficult terrain, but they don't say how many creatures it takes. My rule of thumb is as follows: One Large or larger corpse makes difficult terrain, two Medium corpses make difficult terrain, four Small creatures make difficult terrain, and eight Tiny creatures make difficult terrain. The corpses of Fine creatures do not create difficult terrain. For the purposes of this ruling, any helpless, prone character counts toward this "difficult terrain" determination. Please include the word reason in your first post, so that I know you've actually read the houserules and rules interpretations. One last note: If you are more than one size category larger than the creatures making up the difficult terrain, you can ignore it. In other words, a Colossal creature is not impeded by a Large corpse, or four Small ones.
Zen Archers: Flurry of blows works as intended, not as written, for the zen archer monk archetype. In other words, it works.
Despite running two games at home, two games on the forums, and having very recently established my own product line on the Paizo webstore, I've apparently decided that I want to run a "megadungeon" campagin badly enough to start up a third game right here on the forums.
I want to set it in Golarion (mainly because I want to continue to explore and familiarize myself with the setting), but I don't want to "shoehorn" it in, or just decide "it's an ancient ruin in the Mwangi Expanse" and call it a day. I'd like it to have some relevance to the setting - to feel like a Golarion dungeon. Along that same train of thought: I'm thinking about running something much more similar to Undermountain than to the other, fairly mindless "megadungeon" crawls out there, and I have enough content prepared from an earlier, real-life attempt at exactly this kind of thing to keep a game going for a long time... if only I had any idea where to set the game. (My original work was for a pleasantly-generic-storybook-fantasy-world homebrew setting).
If any Golarion experts out there could recommend to me a "where" and a "why," I'd like to hear some ideas as to how such a campaign could be implemented on Golarion. I want to stick to the Inner Sea region (no extraplanar, extraplanatary, or off-continent dungeons), but I also want to be able to host a wide variety of environments within the same dungeon (in other words, I don't want to run a big demon-slaying hack-and-slash dungeon out of Mendev, or a generic, orc-filled Darklands dungeon out of Belzken. Nothing so limiting as that.
I need a place to set a huge, sprawling, campaign-worthy dungeon where a wide varity of creatures and "dungeon environments" could reasonably exist and thrive. Another angle I'd like to be able to accommodate is the idea of a somewhat "private" or "undiscovered" dungeon. Maybe the PCs could receive invites from someone who owns the land that te dungeon resides on/under, or from someone who discovered (or rediscovered) the dungeon and wishes to hire out adventurers in exchange for exclusive sale rights to whatever treasures the PCs find. Something of that nature - something that would allow me to avoid the question of "if this dungeon is so huge and populated and full of treasure, why isn't it crawling with adventurers?"
5 people marked this as FAQ candidate.
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I thought there was a rule somewhere that said that tiny or smaller creatures could use Dex instead of Str for the Climb and Swim skills. Where can I find this rule, I cannot locate it anywhere...
If I were to create a .pdf (say, some archetypes, feats, or NPCs for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, plus a copy of the OGL), what would it take to sell it on the paizo website for sale? Would I need to be incorporated, or can a private party sell his intellecual property? I create a lot of material, and obtaining a standard or registered copyright is easy.
Would copywriting an item be sufficient? Do I need be incorporated or a small business owner?
Do spells expire when their targets become illegal targets?
For example, I cannot cast mage armor on a corpse. A corpse is an object, not a creature, and thus an invalid target for mage armor. If I become a corpse (by dying, for example!), does my mage armor expire? If a breath of life spell returns me to life next round, is my mage armor gone?
If so, (and it seems to me that, by RAW and quite possibly RAI, this is the case), death - even a temporary death (which can become a quite common occurance at high levels) - remains a very serious threat to buff-dependant classes (read: most of them) at high levels, long after death becomes an easily-and-immediately-reversable inconvenience.
Looking for RAW and RAI interpretations of the rules, here. (In that order.)
Am I correct in assuming that the grab ability does not interrupt a creature's attack routine if it triggers a grapple?
For example, let's say we have a monster with a claw/claw/bite attack routine and the grab ability. Then the following happens:
1.) It makes a full attack, and hits an enemy with it's first claw. It makes a grapple check and successfully grabs an opponent.
2.) The creature and its opponent immediately gain the grappled condition.
3.) The creature then makes its second claw attack, and then its bite attack.
4.) On its next turn, the creature can either abandon the grapple and make another full-attack action (possibly securing another grab in the process), or it deal damage in a grapple by making a grapple check to deal damage with a natural weapon.
I fall ten feet, I succeed at my Acrobatics check to remain standing, and I and end up in an opponent's square (or an allies' square, for that matter). Assume we're both Medium-sized. What happens?
I'm killed, and an opponent (or an ally!) moves into my space. On the cleric's turn, he casts breath of life. I'm alive again! What happens?
Normally, moving into an occupied square (and remaining there) is impossible, as far as I know. Are my opponent and I squeezing? Looking for answers that are as RAW as possible, here.
When I use Stealth to hide from an enemy, and then attack... is the enemy flat-footed against only my first attack? Is he "aware" of me after that attack resolves, or do all my attacks for that round catch the opponent flat-footed?
Very recently, I have been monitoring the forums for examples of rules and abilities that require interpretation, or seem to be contradictory. To use the first example from the list below: what happens when you try to move into an invisible character's space?
What I am trying to do is compose a list of all the rules and effects that require interpretation so that I can have at-hand a list of the most RAW and RAI interpretations for those rules. I may use this in the moderately-near-future to run a "Pathfinder Coliseum" in the style of the old "Core Coliseum" of the WotC threads, back in the day.
(Basically: it was very fun, very strict Rules-As-Written gladitorial-style gameplay using exclusively OGL content, and hosted on the forums.)
So far, here's what I've got:
Rules Clarifications and Interpretations:
Attempting to move into a space you cannot occupy (such as a space occupied by an invisible creature or a wall of force) may provoke, but never uses up any squares of movement.
Creatures rendered dead or unconscious fall prone.
Flurry of blows works as intended, but not as written, with regards to the zen archer.
The compel hostility spell cannot compel a creature to attack a creature that it cannot detect, even if it threatens such a creature.
The convincing lie rogue talent requires the subject to become aware of the lie, otherwise no Bluff check is rolled (since the subject isn't lying).
The Eldritch Heritage feat chain cannot access wildblooded bloodline abilities.
The barbarian’s totem warrior archetype works as specified in the Advanced Player’s Guide, not as specified in Ultimate Combat.
The various elementals from the Bestiary II are summon-able with summon monster spells. The summon monster spells specify elementals, but do not necessarily specify what types in the text.
What I'd like from you fine people is more. Which rules or abilites are unclear, and require clarification or interpretation? This could benefit the forums in the months to come, if I'm able to get the PF Coliseum off the ground.
6 people marked this as FAQ candidate. Question unclear.
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Was this ever resolved? What was the verdict? Does the qinggong monk archetype stack with other archetypes, as long as the monk does not elect to replace any of the class features of his second archetype with the qinggong ki powers?
So, what exactly happens when you die or lose consciousness (due to gaining the dying or sleep conditions, for example)? I assume that the RAI isn't intended to create a bunch of standing corpses, but nothing says that you fall prone when you die or go to sleep, as far as I can tell.
Am I wrong?
If not, how have you been handling this at your tables? I've been running with the idea that dead or unconscious characters "fall down" on their next turn, but I'd like to play RAW if I can. What's the rule?
Rock Throwing (Ex): You are an accomplished rock thrower and have a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls with thrown rocks. You can hurl rocks up to two categories smaller than your own size. The range increment for a rock is 20 feet, and you can hurl it up to 5 range increments. Damage for a hurled rock is 2d4 for a Medium creature or 2d3 for a Small creature, plus 1-1/2 your Strength bonus.
Question: is an oracle with this revelation proficient with rocks? By RAW, wouldn't the oracle still suffer a nonproficiency penalty for a rock attack? Does this ability just grant a +1 and change the damage for improvised rock attacks? Is that the RAI as well, do you think?
Well, the NEXT playtest is off to a derp-tastic start. Seriously, it's a clusterfu... er... it's a mess, already.
The servers are overtaxed and the download links are broken, customer support is presently unreachable, and because of the way the playtest was set up, playtesters who signed up with an e-mail that is different from their WotC forums e-mail have to reconcile the two addresses. Which requires customer support, which - as I mentioned - is down.
Apparently, in the Wizards community, you actually can't change the account associated with your WotC forums login without contacting customer support first and having them do it.
The very few playtesters who have been able to get their hands on the playtest are already reporting errors (a greataxe listing 1d12 in one place and 2d6 in another, etc.). I know it's just a beta, but it's been out for all of three hours and the confusion is already abundant, in the forums.
I sincerely love WotC. I've been playing Magic: the Gathering since beta, and there wouldn't be a Pathfinder if WotC hadn't reinvented D&D. But I swear to God, you'd think that nobody at WotC has ever seen a computer.
Still, my hope is that 5e is great. I'm hoping against hope that 4e was just the "new Coke!" of D&D, and that 5e will return the brand name to greatness. Mind you, I'll keep playing Pathfinder even if 5e is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it's always nice to have options, and I think we're all invested in the significance of the D&D brand name.
Here's to the hope that the massive playtest launch failures do not reflect the quality of the product itself.
If I take Improved Familiar and gain an intelligent familiar companion - say, an imp, what happens to the imp's Intelligence score? By RAW, it looks like the Int score of the imp is whatever the familiar table says it is.
According to Improved Familiar:
"Improved familiars otherwise use the rules for regular familiars, with two exceptions: if the creature's type is something other than animal, its type does not change; and improved familiars do not gain the ability to speak with other creatures of their kind (although many of them already have the ability to communicate)."
It makes no mention of an exception to the table which normally dictates the Int score of a familiar. So am I missing something or does my imp's Int change to match the Int score on the familiar table, by RAW?
If a barbarian with the lesser or greater spirit totem (Lesser Spirit Totem) took the Bludgeoner and Enforcer feats, could the Spirit Totem slam attacks deal nonlethal damage and deliver the Enforcer feat's shaken attacks?
My gut says no, but I don't know if rules exist for the way "effects" like the Spirit Totem slams work, which are not precisely PC attacks, nor are they actual NPCs. Do they get buffs (inspire courage, etc)? Can you use your feats with them?
Okay, here's the story. I'm a longtime DM who finally has a chance to play. I've statted up a rather unconventional human barbarian for backstory / flavor / enjoyment reasons, and he functions well. He is a tad under-optimized, however, and I have no idea where to go with his feats, from here.
Here's the build, for starters. For the record, the campaign is set in Golarion, and this character was raised by an Irisian witch (who is also a fellow PC). Because of how and where he was raised, he has some kind of connection with the spirits, and views ravens as omens of good luck... hence the totem and feat selections.
The Build:
Gandir Witch-Son
CG adult human barbarian (armored hulk) 3
Favored Class
+3 hp
Str 16
Dex 12
Con 14
Int 8
Wis 10
Cha 16
Rage Powers
Lesser Spirit Totem
Feats
Alertness (bonus feat with familiar in arms' reach)
Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]) (to qualify for Eldritch Heritage)
Eldritch Heritage (arcane [arcane bond: raven familiar])
Weapon Focus (longsword)
Magic Items +1 full plate
+1 heavy wooden shield
everburning torch
Traits
Birthmark (+2 vs. charm and compulsion)
Courageous (+2 vs. fear)
So... I've had one session with him. He does okay. This character has an AC of 24, (or 22 when raging). He hits for a very modest 1d8+3 (or 1d8+5 when raging). Whenever I rage, negative-energy spirits surround me and make slam attacks for 1d4+3 damage against each enemy in melee with me (that's my Lesser Spirit Totem). My damage ends up pretty decent (especially against groups of enemies), and my defenses are quite excellent.
The raven familiar that I put two feats into has come in handly already, though the choice is clearly a sub-optimal one, mechanically. The Alertness feat and scouting and speaking capacities of the raven have been useful, though.
What I'd like to do is find a way to use the raven for something. He's got a +7 to hit because familiar BAB is equal to the master's BAB, and he comes with Weapon Finesse. Is there any way I can add anything useful to the raven's attack? Also, do familiars gain feats as their "effective Hit Die" incfrease, or does a familiar's "effective Hit Die" not include the benefit of additional feats?
At level 15 or so, I'll be able to cast scrying on my raven as a spell-like ability; so that's neat.
As for my feats, I figure I can take Eldritch Heritage (stormborn) to get the shocking weapon ability, since Skill Focus (Knowledge [nature]) already qualifies me. There's nothing useful in the arcane bloodline, so I'm locked out of the rest of that tree. I could optimize my "tanking" abilities. Shield Focus? Saving Shield? Something else?
If it helps, the rest of my party consists of:
A human necromancy-focused witch with the plague patron;
A human master summoner, specializing in summoning hordes of augmented summoned monsters; and
A melee-oriented catfolk rogue speciaizing in dominating the surprise round.
My team is a bit "squishy" and lacks a healer, hence my concern. For now, I'm surviving okay. My sixth-level Spirit Totem rage power will help a bit, and my tenth-level Greater Spirit Totem rage power borders on the insanely broken (it's a great ability, if you have the hard-to-come-by Charisma to back it up). As far as using the raven and selecting my feats, I'm kind of at a loss.
Oh, and there's no way I could pick up any healing abilities is there? Mind you, I don't want to level-dip in any other class. At least not until after level 10. I want to keep my BAB and rage rounds up, and I want to grab Greater Spirit Totem as early as humanly possible.
Thoughts and advice, O' wise and powerful forum optimizers?
Initiative starts when any character, PC or NPC, moves to take hostile action. The GM will roll party initiatives.
Combat:
Please break down your actions clearly (define your standard, move, and other actions for what they are), and clearly define and label all die rolls. Please insert a line break (press Enter) between rolls; do not make multiple rolls on a single line.
Do not make rolls for NPCs. If you provoke an attack of opportunity, the GM will resolve it. If the outcome of the attack that you provoke has any bearing on the rest of your actions (if any) that round, you can halt or "pause" your turn until after the GM has resolved the attack of opportunity.
OOC Discussion:
Please tag all OOC discussion with the ooc formatting tool. Reserve lengthy discussion for the Discussion Thread.
Reactive Checks:
The GM will roll routine reactive checks in combat (to include most saving throws). On a case-by-case basis, the GM may request that players make saves or reactive checks, especially when the outcome is (or appears to be) very significant.
Character Death:
Dead is dead, unless it's not - resurrection magic (and all other spells from the playable sources mentioned in the Recruitment Thread) are legal. The GM will never pull punches or bend the rules, even if it would be more dramatically appropriate for an outcome to go one way or another. As in life, your success depends heavily on both your own actions and on luck. Play smart, and don't fight a battle you don't think you can win.
Tone:
Keep the tone to an "R" rating. On the other side of the coin: a little silliness never hurt anyone, though this should largely be a fairly serious game.
The discussion thread is up. Spectators are welcome to say "hi" and offer encouragement to the PCs. If spectator activity gets too high, I'll create a Spectator Thread.
Dennis Harry, FireclawDrake, Jonasty1031, Shisumo, and Stiehl9s: Welcome to the game. Feel free to goof off, strategize, and talk mechanics, here. Keep your OOC spoilered or tagged in the Gameplay Thread.
I'll be going over some game details here, later on. How we're handling rolls, etc.
In the meantime, finalize your characters, and feel free to ask questions, shoot the breeze, or offer up suggestions as to tones and styles that you enjoy in a campaign.
I'm a longtime DM/GM who is relatively new to Play-by-Post games, and to the world of Golarion. I've dabbled in both recently (I'm currently running one home game set in Absalom, and a play-by-post game set in Eberron, which you can view here.)
I'm enjoying my play-by-post game immensely, and I feel I have the time for a second. I post mostly in the daytime (Eastern Standard Time). I'd like to run a game set in the Inner Sea region in order to get some more play experience in Golarion. Submission details are as follows:
Recruitment Details:
Alignment: Any alignment is fine, but I expect evil characters to be played responsibly. If you think being evil precludes you from being a team player, making friends, or maintaining party cohesion, then please do not submit an evil character.
Content: The Core Rulebook, the Gamemaster's Guide, the Advanced Player's Guide, Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Magic, all three Bestiaries, and the Inner Sea World Guide are the ONLY sources we will be using for this campaign. NO OTHER sourcebooks, adventure paths, or supplements are open to discussion. This includes traits and magic items. Please don't ask for exceptions - none will be granted.
Style: This game will be a RAW game. I'm an experienced GM, I've been playing 3.5 since day one. I've been playing Pathfinder since the playtest. I roll on the table and I never fudge rolls or make exceptions. I don't pull punches, nor do I "play to win." PC-NPC transparency is in full effect. If a PC can do it, an NPC can do it (and vice versa). I don't have any houserules per se, (but see the "houserules and rules interpretations" spoiler, below).
Classes and Races: All "playable" races are legal, with one exception: the Strix (a race very much not intended for PC use). All archetypes and classes are legal, with one exception: the antipaladin (too disruptive to party cohesion).
If I choose to accept a PC-submitted paladin, evil characters will be taken off the table. If I choose to accept a PC-submitted evil-aligned character, paladins will be taken off the table for consideration.
Point-Buy: Point-buy is set at 20. Spend your points or lose them.
Starting Level: Starting character level is 3rd.
Starting Wealth: Starting wealth is 3,000 gp, (but see the "houserules and rules interpretations" spoiler, below).
Templates: Templates with a static, non-scaling +1 CR adjustment are legal. If you start with a +1 CR adjustment, you'll begin at character level 2, not character level 3. Age categories (middle-aged to venerable) are legal options at character creation, as is the Young template. If you choose to apply the Young template to your character, you will NOT be compensated in any way, even though the template subtracts one from a creature's CR.
Concept: Although I am very lenient in the array of classes, archetypes, races, and templates that I'll allow at my table, I do appreciate well-built, interesting, and sensible character concepts. I will likely choose lovingly-crafted or genuinely interesting PC submissions before I accept excessively-templated or min-maxed submissions.
Play to win, by all means, but please don't submit a CE half-red dragon orcish alchemist (ragechemist) 1/barbarian 1 with a +1 seven-branch sword and the minimum Wisdom and Charisma scores.
Carrying Capacity and Ammo: Carrying capacity and encumberance rules are in full effect, but I do not bother tracking nonmasterwork, nonmagical ammo. Do count the weight of one full quiver against your carrying capacity, if you plan to be firing ammunition, however.
Houserules and Rules Interpretations:
I have one "house rule," if you could call it that, with regard to starting gear. Aside from that, I'd like to mention a couple of my rules interpretations, below. All things considered, I run a very RAW game.
Starting Gear: Starting gear is 3,000 gp, but there are some items that I do not require players to subtract from that amount. In other words, you get some items for "free".
Nonexpendable mundane gear is free, as long as it costs LESS than 1,000 gp. Mundane gear means "nonmasterwork, nonmagical items". Nonexpendable gear means anything that does not have charges, limited uses, and is otherwise not expended, broken, or consumed when used. For example, manacles and silk rope would be free, but a spyglass would not be (too expensive), nor would a healer's kit (limited uses).
Furthermore, the mundane aspects of your magical arms and armor are free. This means that you DO pay masterwork costs (150 gp for armor, 300 gp for weapons), but you DO NOT pay for the base cost of the item (even full plate armor). For example, the cost of a suit of +1 full plate would be 1,150 gp (a 150 gp masterworking cost, and a 1,000 gp cost for a +1 enhancement bonus).
EDIT: Firearms are the exception to this rule. The cost of a firearm, even a nonmasterwork one, must come out of your 3,000 gp budget.
Death, Dying, and the Prone Condition: The rules don't say how or when a character falls, after going unconscious or dying. So, my interpretation is as follows: if you get put to sleep, are rendered dead or dying, or otherwise go unconscious, you fall prone at the start of your turn. For example, if an enemy puts you at -2 hp on his turn, and the cleric heals you for 6 hp before your nest turn comes around, you'll still be standing when your turn comes up.
Corpses and Difficult Terrain: The rules do say that the bodies of larger creatures (or groups of smaller creatures) should constitute difficult terrain, but they don't say how many creatures it takes. My rule of thumb is as follows: One Large or larger corpse makes difficult terrain, two Medium corpses make difficult terrain, four Small creatures make difficult terrain, and eight Tiny creatures make difficult terrain. The corpses of Fine creatures do not create difficult terrain. For the purposes of this ruling, any helpless, prone character counts toward this "difficult terrain" determination.
If you're a player in my existing Eberron play-by-post, you're welcome to submit a character here, as well. Players who are polite and well spoken are preferrable to players that are not. Players should be able to post at least once a day, especially during the daytime on weekdays, when I am most active (Eastern Standard Time). Please don't submit a character concept if you cannot post at least once per day.
Submissions should include: overall concept, approximate alignment, probable class and race, intended party role, region of origin, and anything else you'd like to include (like PC goals). I run a pretty sandbox-y game, so the characters tend to determine the tone, direction, and starting region of the game.
You don't need to submit a statblock yet. I won't be starting until Monday, at the very earliest. I'm looking forward to your submissions, everyone. I'll check in tomorrow morning, if not tonight.
This thread is for OOC discussion only. If you're a spectator, and you're enjoying the campaign, you may say "hi." If spectator chatter becomes significant or problematic, I'll make a new thread just for that.
Feel free to strategize out-of-character, here. FYI, I am a "lethal GM" only in that I don't fudge rolls. Ever.
Tread carefully and play smart! As soon as you guys get your party cohesion groove-on, I encourage you to take the campaign in the direction that you choose.
The Last Flight of the Dragonhawk
Our tale begins with the wreckage of the Dragonhawk, an airship formerly belonging to the Dragonmarked houses' cooperative academy based out of Aundair, and presently belonging to the barren, rocky floor of the Demon Wastes. The academy to which it belongs - one of the greatest scientific hubs on Khorvaire, the institute of the Twelve - launched the Dragonhawk not from their Aundarian institute, but from a Q'barran port in the "capital city" of Newthrone, destined for the Frostfell.
The Dragonhawk's stated mission was simple: deliver an unspecified shipment of supplies and resources to a field research center on Frostfell, and return expeditiously. On board were any number of House magewrights, scientists, and laborers. Also on board were several noteworthy passengers of the adventuring sort...
Xzot - As luck would have it (awful, terrible luck, as it turns out), more than one of your identities are that of House agents. When you caught wind of the exotic Frostfell mission, your curiosity compelled you to fast-talk, shapechange, and otherwise "Xzot" your way into a seat on the Dragonhawk expedition. Before the onset of the journey, you were approached by a number of interested parties, looking for work on board the airship. Bemused and delighted to immerse yourself in the role of House agent, you cheerfully "hired on" a number of interesting characters from the Q'barran city of Newthrone, including a warforged prophet and - of all things - a rare breed of dark-skinned dwarf called a duergar. Fascinating!
Until disaster struck, the journey was fantastic. Even apart from the "extra help" you hired on, there were so many interesting people on board - House nobility, Cannith warforged laborers, researchers and scholars, and even a stowaway (how cliche!). The little sneak, an oddly-likable goblin - gave himself away on the first day of the expedition. House laborers were deciding whether or not to throw him overboard when you, in full disguise, announced:
"He's with me."
You were making friends already! Everything was going according to plan before the disaster struck. Though you could do nothing to stop it, it was your quick thinking that got yourself and the goblin - whose hilariously unlikely name is, you have since learned, Nark Snarky - to the life rings just in time to cheat death.
@ Xzot:
You can either post or PM me the details of your current disguise, assuming you want to maintain one. You can get interesting with this if you want (impersonating an heir or a guild captain), or you can simply have assumed any old disguise you like once you'd safely gotten on board).
Nark Snarky - Considered "quirky" even by goblin standards, you've been travelling ever since you realized - long ago - that Darguun was too small for you. The only time you ever felt at home in Darguun was when, as a child, you would train with the houndmasters, or perform labor for the barghests and worgs.
No one believed you when you insisted that you could speak to the goblin dogs, the warhounds, and the dire wolves that the barghests and worgs would subjugate. No one believed you when you said that you'd made it into the first three chambers of the Seven Caves, and spoken with the spirits there. And no one expected you to come back, when you set off into the wilderness to make your own way. Their expectations proved justified, because you never did return. Since then, it's been you and Lony against the world. A goblin and his dog, seeing what there is to see and doing what there is to do in the big, wide world outside of Darguun.
You've travelled quite far in your short life. Some places have been good, and some places have been not-good. Some have treated you well, and some have treated you not-well-at-all. Your current adventure is surely the grandest yet. Stowed away on a big flying ship with Lony and making friends with an important-seeming, fancy-talking human. You even got to see dragons! (At least you think they were dragons.) Yes, you're having a grand old time, and the fun is just beginning!
Ormak Kron - Thrane has been your home, for as long as you can remember. You were born in the town of Olath, on the outskirts of the Burnt Wood. Having months ago incurred the wrath of a nasty Silver Flame inquisitor, a dark-hearted human man by the name of Charlon Censel, you'd been laying low prior to your recent journey. Inquisitor Censel seems to want to single-handedly reinstate the old inquisition which all but seared the changelings, shifters, and full-blooded shapechangers out of Thrane in ages not long past.
Tired of being singled out, threatened, and intimidated in your own home, you signed on as a laborer when the Dragonhawk stopped at Angwar Keep, south of Olath, to resupply. Likely, you fully intend to retrn home soon. You're not running from Censel; you may, however, be running from the urge to give in to the hardness that the inquisitor has instilled in your heart. Succumbing to the urge to put the church-sanctioned thug in his place with violence would be a bad idea. A dangerously bad idea. Recognizing this, you decided to put a little distance between yourself and Thrane, for a time. Besides, the pay was good, and you've always wanted to travel. Your enthusiasm was dampened, however, when your bunk-mate turned out to be a warforged prophet, blessed of the Silver Flame...
And yet, when the Dragonhawk went down, it was "Flametouched" the oracle who acted selflessly to guide the both of you to the life rings, quite possibly saving your life.
@ Ormak Kron:
If any of the above conflicts with any ideas you might've had regarding backstory or the like, it's a simple matter to retcon them. Let me know.
Flametouched - Weary of being dismissed time and time again by the "true and proper" clergy of the Church of the Silver Flame, you've been travelling for a while now. Your latest venture to the frontier city of Newthrone, in Q'barra, has given way to an even more exiting opportunity. Expecting only to see a little more of the world and to help out on board the Dragonhawk, your real task is clear now. Your vessel might have gone down anywhere, but it landed - of all places - in the Demon Wastes... and you think you know why.
@ Flametouched:
If any of the above conflicts with any ideas you might've had regarding backstory or the like, it's a simple matter to retcon them. Let me know.
The Flame has guided you here, and not just to save the life of one doubting shifter. You have long believed that to hold the Silver Flame up as a "god" is, while perhaps not an incorrect idea, is an incomplete one. The Silver Flame is nothing so banal as a mere deity which sits in a cathedral in Thrane, speaking to Thranish evangelists in dreams. The Flame burns in everyone. You have heard tales - tales that you wholeheartedly believe - of clans and tribes of humans and orcs who live in the desolate Wastes, living and breathing the way of the Silver Flame. Though they've never laid eyes on, or even heard of, the Cathedral of the Flame, or the big, silvery bonfire that burns there, the Flame nonetheless burns in them. If only you could meet them, it could answer so many questions... offer so much validation to your beliefs...
Lothar Noson - You've never belonged anywhere. Your kind is all but unheard of on the continent of Khorvaire, and those who do know you for what you are tend to make a lot of terrible assumptions about your character. You've pieced together a little information so far...
Your people, the duergar, are the remnants of a lost dwarven clan whose name you've never been able to learn. Long, long ago, your clan was swallowed up by the earth, and the very existence of your kind on Khorvaire is considered by most to be a myth. It is your belief that a dwarven expedition made contact with the subterranian ruins of the duergar civilization, and that the raiders - unwilling to kill an infant - brought you into the dazzling "topside" sunlight as a curiosity. You were raised in a monestary within the Mror Holds, trained with the bow and crossbow, and introduced to unarmed fighting styles. Your brothers, sisters, and mentors were a mix of dwarven and orcish, with a smattering of human. Not knowing better, you simply assumed that dwarves and orcs would get along outside of the monestary just as well as they got along inside of it.
You were wrong, and it cost you. On your first week outside of the monestary, having graduated and moved on to learn what you could about your origins and your kin, you encounterd an orcish warband in the peaks. It was the first time you killed. The orcs were savage fighters, and battled to the death. You killed every last one in self-defense - twelve lives taken - and never returned to the Mror Holds, afterwards.
You've heard that exotic dwarven clans dwell in faraway places, like Sarlona, and the Frostfell. It is for this reason that you found yourself on board the Dragonhawk on the day of it's last flight.
The Wreckage
The Dragonhawk expedition never made it to Frostfell, or even off of Khorvaire. As the airship was passing over the notoriously inhospitable Demon Wastes, the Dragonhawk came under attack by a trio of tremendous, winged reptiles - one blue, one a brassy or bronze color, and one a deep red. The enormous monsters assaulted the Dragonhawk and burned to a crisp the Deneith crew tasked with the airship's defense - shouting in their own tongue all the while.
The five escaped on life rings, magical safeguards capable of bringing free-falling escapees to the ground as slowly and as softly as a feather. It's worth noting that while the enormous monsters took no particular care to mind your safety, none of the officials on board the airship were allowed to survive. With the exception of you five, none of your fellow travellers made it to the ground. House nobles and guild laborers alike were snatched up or burned to a crisp as they rode their own life rings toward the ground.
For one terrifying moment, Xzot was sure that he was about to be incenerated, but the brassy-scaled beast that nearly fried him held his breath, seeming to see through Xzot's disguise at the last minute. And Xzot could swear he saw the monster smirk...
The heavy airship fell much faster than the life rings did, and you five watched in awe as she ship, it's elemental engine dissolved, crashed to the ground. It was a long moment after impact before something even more incredible happened. A green-scaled beast - a winged reptile, like his rescuers - erupted from the wreckage, injured and manacled, but alive. The Dragonhawk's cargo was a captive dragon!
As his rescuers tore his chains and manacles free, the green-scaled monster glared up at the five of you. Before your feet touched the ground, however, all four creatures had taken wing, flying southeast.
The dragons have not yet disappeared from the horizion, and it is here, touching down and picking through the wreckage, that we begin our game...
I'd like everyone who has at least one rank to make Knowledge checks for arcana, nobility, engineering, nature, and geography. I'd also like to know what everyone is doing after touching down.
After everyone posts at least once, I'll move us along, and as a group, you'll decide what your next move is.
EDIT: Who speaks Draconic? Anyone who hasn't selected languages, please select them now.
EDIT: The time is about 4:00 PM. Lothar Noson is dazzled by the sunlight.
Longtime GM and potential first-time PbPGM here. Putting my feelers out for possible interest in an Eberron game. My DM style is embodies a fairly strict RAW approach, and campaigns that I run tend to be PC-centric with organic plots stemming from in-character decisions and self-set goals (as opposed to structured, module-style play).
This would be a classically-Eberron game with a small party using a RAW approach to character creation and the rules, and using a bare minimum of non-core content. PC-NPC transparency is in full effect: NPCs can't do anything the PCs can't do, and vice versa.
We'd be using a daily Action Point system as opposed to an "earned" Action Point system. Action Points otherwise function normally. The rules and requirements would be as follows:
Recruitment Rules:
> I'd be looking for 4-5 players.
> I'd be providing fairly standard conversions of the Eberron-specific races.
> Characters would begin at third level, with a 20 point-buy.
> Psionics would be equivalent to a sorcerer bloodline of my own creation (the Psionic bloodline) and to ki powers. Monks, ninja, and ki-using archetypes may be considered "psionic" or not on a character-by-character basis. We will not be using any third-party material.
In other words, you could write up a kalashtar sorcerer or a Riedran monk and call the character "psionic" if you like.
> Any alignment is fine, but PvP conflict is off the table.
> Allowable sources would include: the Eberron Campaign Setting (all content subject to the official Conversion Guide), the Core Rulebook, the Advanced Player's Guide, Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Magic, the Gamemaster's Guide, and all three Bestiaries. Monstrous PCs with no racial Hit Die are acceptable, (though I prefer it when my Eberron players avoid playing drow). We would not be using the Hero Points system, but all other rulesets from the Advanced Player's Guide, Gamemaster's Guide, Ultimate Combat, and Ultimate Magic would be eligable. If you have a question about a feat or mechanic converted from the Eberron Campaign Setting, I'd make a ruling.
Generally speaking, aside from the races and the Psionic bloodline printed below, NO OTHER SOURCES shall be permissable, INCLUDING Eberron sourcebooks. I want to keep this simple, and I don't want to dilute the Pathfinder ruleset with a whole lot of converted 3.5 material (as excellent as most of the Eberron sourcebooks are). If you really need to use content from an Eberron sourcebook to realize a character concept, I'll review it, but the odds are good that I'm going to say no.
If you'd be interested, drop a third-level character concept in the thread (not necessarily a stat block, just a concept). If I get more than 5 considerable instances of interest, I'll be picking the four-or-five that best seem to make up a well-rounded party. To that end, provide a little detail when submitting concepts.
"A halfling rogue" isn't as useful to me as "a House halfling rogue with a fondness for animals and kids, optimized for Stealth, morally questionable but probably non-evil, will make a good party face and skirmisher."
EDIT: I should note that - in the spirit of "magic as technology" - there are NO firearms in my Eberron. Firearm rules and archetypes which reference them are off the table.
That's about it - I'll be watching this thread closely, and I'll make a decision sometime next week.
Can it be done? The description for Weapon Focus says you can take Weapon Focus (ray), but that's not quite the same thing. In fact, not all ranged touch attacks are rays, as far as I know.
Can you take Weapon Focus (melee touch attack) or maybe Weapon Focus (touch spell)? How about Weapon Focus (flame blade) or Weapon Focus (frigid touch)?
Is this addressed in a FAQ anywhere, maybe? I'm looking for as "official" an answer as I can get.
The sohei monk archetype retains the AC Bonus monk class feature, and gains light armor proficiency. These two abilities can never work together. Does the sohei keep the AC Bonus class feature just so he can give it to his mount? Or was it intended for the two abilities to function together?
I notice the sohei gets a lot of love from monk fans, even more than the zen archer. Is this because of the (admittedly-good) Weapon Training and Devoted Guardian class features, or is there something going on with the sohei that I'm not picking up on?
When an ability, like the human alternate racial trait "Heart of the Fields," gives you a bonus equal to "half your level" on something, is there a rule out there that says that the bonus has a minimum of one?
Or, at first level, would "Heart of the Fields" give you a +0 bonus?
For reference, here's the Wordstrike ability from the Sound Striker bard archetype:
PFSRD wrote:
Wordstrike (Su): At 3rd level, the sound striker bard can spend 1 round of bardic performance as a standard action to direct a burst of sonically charged words at a creature or object. This performance deals 1d4 points of damage plus the bard's level to an object, or half this damage to a living creature. This performance replaces inspire competence.
There's no save for this ability, and no restriction against attended objects. The damage is untyped, and so not halved against objects.
At third level, it starts out pretty tame. Good, but no biggie. When you get this ability, you can destroy a potion (or anything contained in a vial, like the typical alchemist's bomb or mutagen) with a standard action. No check, no save. Same thing for scrolls.
That's not too bad, though. However... you've got a chance of destroying a spell component pouch in the same way (leather has 2 hardness and 5 hit points, so 7 damage will do it). Spell components: gone. If you don't succeed with one attempt, you'll succeed with two.
As early as sixth level, you can destroy a spell component pouch every time. Still no check or save. Same for a backpack, which could be pretty hilarious and potentially inconvenient, in combat.
Wands are next (bye, Mr. Wand! No check or save for you!). Projectile weapons (hardness 5, hit points 5) and light blades or hafted weapons (hardness 10, hit points 2) are easily destructable by the time you're mid-level, and heavier weapons, some kinds of shields, and manacles and chains aren't far behind.
All of these uses can affect attended objects without a saving throw, and only cost one round of bardic performance and a standard action. You snap your fingers and the wizard loses his spell components (or his spellbook!). The archer loses his bow. The alchemist loses his mutagen. The rogue loses his dagger.
Sooo, just got around to the "monsters" section of my recently-ordered Inner Sea World Guide, annnd... what's up with the Strix?
Really?
I understand it only gets +2 Dex/-2 Cha on ability scores, but as long as you don't need the Charisma (the most common dump stat in the game), that's not really ever going to be much of a problem.
So, it's a wash on ability scores, but: darkvision and low-light vision, skill bonuses to two of the most important skills in the game, 60-foot flight with average maneuverability, save bonuses vs. illusions, and a racial attack bonus vs. humans (the most common humanoids in Golarion by far)?
There is seriously no level adjustment for this race? The hell? : /
What kind of action is it to scatter caltrops around?
Also, I presume you're meant to be able to "scatter" them into your own square or an adjacent square? Or maybe into any square inside of your natural reach?
Okay, here's the situation. I've just picked up the Inner Sea World Guide two days ago. I've had time to read the introduction and the timeline, glance at the map, and skim the various ethnicities and races.
As the DM for my group, I'd hoped to get a couple weeks with this book. Unfortunately, my gaming schedule just got moved around, a player dropped out and a new player joined in, and - long story short - my first game in Golarion is now scheduled for tonight... and I know virtually nothing about the setting.
What I'm asking you Golarion fans out there is this:
What are the absolute most important things I need to know about the Golarion/Inner Sea setting, and about running a game in Golarion? For what it's worth, I think I'll be starting a game in Absalom, because it looks like one of those "a place for everything" cities (like Sharn or Waterdeep). Also because it's the first entry in the book, and the only one I've had time to read so far. : /
Also, if anyone knows of any any quick-and-easy adventure ideas that I can start off with - maybe something in an isolated area that doesn't require a lot of background or regional information - then I'm listening!
If it helps or matters, all I know about my party is that the PCs will be nonevil, my girlfriend will definately be playing a human witch, and my brother's girlfriend will probably be playing an orc (or half-orc) fighter.
What I'd most like, though, is maybe a quick list of the top ten (or however many) most important facts and factors I'll want to know or consider when starting and running a game in Golarion (and more specifically in Absalom, unless someone has a better idea). I'm perfectly comfortable "winging" an adventure, but only when I have a grasp of the setting. Help a guy out!
Let's say I'm a witch with prehensile hair. Can I use my secondary "hair" attack against an enemy ten feet away when I make a full-attack action with a ranged weapon against that same enemy (or another)?
Similarly, if I've got multiple attacks from a high BAB, and the Quick Draw feat, can I attack with a melee weapon, then Quick Draw a loaded crossbow and fire it?
So I'm not seeing anything in the "prone" condition that penalizes ranged attacks in any way (except by prohibiting attacks with ranged weapons other than crossbows and firearms). And yet...
PFSRD wrote:
Prone Shooter (Combat)
While prone, you use the ground to stabilize your aim while using a crossbow or firearm.
Prerequisites: Weapon Focus (crossbow or firearm), base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: If you have been prone since the end of your last turn, you can ignore the penalty the prone condition imposes on ranged attack rolls you make using a crossbow or firearm with which you have Weapon Focus.
Special: If you have the Prone Slinger feat, Weapon Focus (sling) satisfies this feat's Weapon Focus prerequisite, and you can apply this feat's benefit to attack rolls you make using a sling with which you have Weapon Focus.
So... what is this feat meant to do? Even the feat referenced in the "Special" section, Prone Slinger, acknowledges that crossbows and firearms can be fired while prone.
Furthermore, if you did have both feats, you still wouldn't need Prone Shooter to fire a sling without penalties, because there are no penalties for firing a sling while prone if you have the Prone Slinger feat!
Here's Prone Slinger, for reference.
Prone Slinger:
PFSRD wrote:
Prone Slinger (Combat)
Your sideways sling release allows you to launch bullets and stones even while prone.
Benefit: While prone, you can use a sling to make ranged attacks.
Normal: Crossbows and firearms are the only ranged weapons that can be used while prone.
What is Prone Shooter meant to do? Was this just a massive misunderstanding of the rules by one of the writers? The prone condition is really prevalent, really common, and really important. Did the author of this feat really misunderstand how the prone condition works, or am I missing some obvious "RAI" here?
Hello, all. I have a neat question about poison-making that I don't think has been addressed before.
So we all know that Craft (alchemy) can allow a character to craft poisons (with a Craft DC based on the DC of the poison). My question is this. Can I craft a poison that comes from a special ability? As far as I can tell, a literal reading of the rules says "yes."
Take for example, the serpent's fang ability of the serpentine sorcerer bloodline:
PFSRD wrote:
Serpent's Fang (Ex): At 1st level, you can grow fangs as a free action. These fangs are treated as a natural weapon inflicting 1d4 points of damage plus your Strength modifier (1d3 if you are Small) plus poison (Bite—injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 your sorcerer level + your Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1 Con damage; cure 1 save). At 5th level, these fangs are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming DR and the poison damage increases to 1d2 Con. At 7th level, your poison requires 2 successful saves to cure. At 11th level, your poison damage increases to 1d4 Con. You can use your fangs for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
So, a few theoreticals...
If I'm a serpentine sorcerer, can I craft my own serpent's fang poison? After all, it's a poison just like any other poison I could craft. If yes, is the DC of any given dose dependant on the DC I crafted it at (which, in turn, would have been based on my level and Charisma score at the time).
If I'm not a serpentine sorcerer, can I craft serpent's fang poison anyway? If so, do I have to know the sorcerer whose poison I'm crafting?
Unlike other afflictions, multiple doses of the same poison stack. Poisons delivered by injury and contact cannot inflict more than one dose of poison at a time, but inhaled and ingested poisons can inflict multiple doses at once. Each additional dose extends the total duration of the poison (as noted under frequency) by half its total duration. In addition, each dose of poison increases the DC to resist the poison by +2. This increase is cumulative. Multiple doses do not alter the cure conditions of the poison, and meeting these conditions ends the affliction for all the doses. For example, a character is bit three times in the same round by a trio of Medium monstrous spiders, injecting him with three doses of Medium spider venom. The unfortunate character must make a DC 18 Fortitude save for the next 8 rounds. Fortunately, just one successful save cures the character of all three doses of the poison.
So contact and injury poisons don't stack, but Medium spider venom (an injury poison, obviously) does stack?
If I use the Stabbing Shot feat from the APG, do I take the -2 penalty mentioned in the feat's description in addition to the -2 penalty incurred by using Rapid Shot?.
Do I take the usual -4 nonproficiency penalty for using an arrow to make a melee attack? Is this in addition to the -2 penalty imposed by the feat?
If yes to both, I'm taking a -8 penalty to the melee attack (-4 nonproficiency, -2 Rapid Shot, -2 Stabbing Shot). That's pretty awful, considering that the attack consumes my extra Rapid Shot attack.
APG wrote:
Stabbing Shot (Combat)
You can clear the way to continue using your bow.
Prerequisites: Rapid Shot, elf.
Benefit: When adjacent to an opponent and making a full-attack action with a longbow or shortbow (including composite bows), you may choose to make a melee attack against that opponent with a drawn arrow rather than firing it. If the attack hits—whether or not it does damage—your target is pushed back 5 feet away from you. You can then fire arrows from your bow normally, at the original target, or at another target within range. This melee attack replaces the extra attack from Rapid Shot, and all of your attack rolls for the round (the melee attack and the ranged attacks) take a –2 penalty. If your initial attack leaves you with no enemies threatening you, you can make the subsequent ranged attack or attacks without provoking attacks of opportunity.
Is there an official rule for what happens when multiple effects trigger at the same time?
For example, let's say I have a spell storing weapon coated with poison. The poison could lower Con, which might affect the target's save against the spell stored in the weapon. Conversely, the spell could penalize saves, which could affect the target's save against the poison. What is the order of effects? Is it up to the attacker, or the defender, or what?
Slow Reactions (Ex): Opponents damaged by the rogue's sneak attack can't make attacks of opportunity for 1 round.
An advanced rogue talent from Ultimate Combat:
Ultimate Combat wrote:
Confounding Blades (Ex): When a rogue with this talent hits a creature with a melee weapon that deals sneak attack damage, her target cannot make attacks of opportunity until the beginning of her next turn.
What gives? Confounding blades is actually worse than slow reactions, despite being an advanced talent, because its use is limited to melee.
Is there any developer or author commentary on this, or an errata, or anything?
Like it says on the tin, how do I determine the DC of this ability?
PFSRD wrote:
Beguiling Voice (Ex): At 1st level, you can use the sound of your voice to lull a target creature into taking no action. This ability acts as the daze spell, except it is language-dependent, has a duration of 1 round, and affects a living creature whose Hit Dice do not exceed your sorcerer level. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
This is an extraordinary ability, not a spell-like, so I don't think the DC has anything to do with spell level. Is it just the standard 10 + 1/2 Hit Die + Cha?
This is a pretty seriously good ability, by the way (assuming the DC isn't based on spell level, and therefore rubbish).
Is there any feat that allows for additional uses of revelation abilites, or of miscellaneous per-day abilities (like the ones sorcerers and wizards often get)?
A quick question. The eagle shaman druid's wild shape ability says that the druid uses her druid level +2 when taking the form of an eagle or roc. See below.
PFSRD wrote:
Wild Shape (Su): At 6th level, an eagle shaman's wild shape ability functions at her druid level – 2. If she takes on the form of an eagle or roc, she instead uses her druid level + 2.
My question is this: how can I take the form of a roc, to get the full benefit from this ability? The roc is a gargantuan animal, and there is no version of beast form or wild shape which gains the ability to become gargantuan.
As far as I know, you cannot simply assume the "form" of a creature at a different size category. Is it impossible to use wild shape to take the form of a roc? Could I perhaps take the form of a roc with the young template, which is only Huge-sized?
There is an alchemist discovery from Ultimate Combat called "Explosive Missile," which allows an alchemist to infuse, load, and fire a single ammunition item as a standard action. The RAW seems clear on this point, but I'm feeling a little bit of a "too good to be true" vibe coming off of this one.
If I take this discovery, can I really start loading and firing my heavy crossbow as a standard action every round, in addition to gaining bomb damage and effects added to every shot? (At least until I run out of bombs, I guess.) Even with Rapid Reload, I would normally have to take a move action to load a heavy crossbow and then a standard action to fire it.
For clarity, the Explosive missile discovery is presented, below:
PFSRD wrote:
Explosive Missile: As a standard action, the alchemist can infuse a single arrow, crossbow bolt, or one-handed firearm bullet with the power of his bomb, load the ammunition, and shoot the ranged weapon. He must be proficient with the weapon in order to accomplish this. When the infused ammunition hits its target, it deals damage normally and detonates as if the alchemist had thrown the bomb at the target. If the explosive missile misses, it does not detonate. An alchemist must be at least 4th level before selecting this discovery.
What do you think, forums? Is the RAI as clear as the RAW is, here?
One of my players is an undead bloodline sorcerer specced into the necromancy school. One of his staple spells is chill touch, which apparently hasn't had a good read at our table in quite some time.
In reviewing ths spell, it seems that chill touch, like scorching ray, allows multiple attacks per casting. Also like scorching ray, these attacks appear to be "stackable" against a single target.
For clarity, the chill touch spell is presented, below:
PFSRD wrote:
Chill Touch
School necromancy; Level magus 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, witch 1
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range touch
Targets creature or creatures touched (up to one/level)
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude partial or Will negates; see text; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
A touch from your hand, which glows with blue energy, disrupts the life force of living creatures. Each touch channels negative energy that deals 1d6 points of damage. The touched creature also takes 1 point of Strength damage unless it makes a successful Fortitude saving throw. You can use this melee touch attack up to one time per level.
An undead creature you touch takes no damage of either sort, but it must make a successful Will saving throw or flee as if panicked for 1d4 rounds + 1 round per caster level.
The spell (like scorching ray) is instantaneous and can target one or more creatures. The description says that I can use this melee touch attack up to one time per level, and nothing in the description suggests that I cannot use all of these attacks against a single target.
So... can I? One chill touch for five seperate attacks against one single target?
My brother and I cannot seem to agree as to how the Bottled Ooze discovery works. My brother believes that the bottled ooze is created in the same way that an extract is prepared (hence the language in the last sentence of the discovery. It seems to me that the bottled ooze requires a sample of an actual ooze, however (hence the language in the first sentence of the discovery).
For clarity, the Bottled Ooze discovery is presented, below:
PFSRD wrote:
Bottled Ooze (Su)
Prerequisite: Alchemist 6
Benefit: The alchemist has learned how to preserve a sample of oozes in a sealed bottle, which he can prepare for use as an extract. When the alchemist activates the extract, he actually throws the bottle at a square within 30 feet, releasing the ooze, which reconstitutes and attacks the closest creature. The ooze is not under the alchemist’s control, but is otherwise treated as a summoned creature. The ooze remains for 1 round per caster level, and decays into powder when the duration expires. If the alchemist has the infusion discovery, another character can use the infused specimen. Creating a bottled ooze requires an extract with a level equal to the ooze’s CR (so a CR 4 gray ooze requires a 4th-level extract).
What do the forums think? Do you need to have a sample of the ooze you want to "bottle," or can you simply create a bottled ooze as easily as you could any other extract?
Back on the WotC forums, "fighters suck" and "how to fix the fighter" threads were on the front page, every day. Here in the greener pastures of Pathfinder territory, the arguments aren't quite as common (and they're often a fair bit more civil), but it is an issue I've seen trending lately. And I have a simple proposition for any party interested in this subject. Skip to the final paragraphs, if you'd like to get right to the proposition itself - it's going to require a little audience-participation.
Let me make my stance clear, first: I don't think there's anything wrong with the non-casting classes. Not a thing. I think they fill the roles they were meant to fill as nicely as can be expected - and as nicely as the casters do. I also think that there is truth in the extremes. For example, let's address - to use the iconic offenders on either side of this argument - the idea that a wizard is better than a fighter.
If this is true, a party of wizards is superior to a party of fighters. If casters really are the flat-out better class types, then the best thing any party can do is to include nothing but full-casters. And if wizards are the "brokenest" of them all, then a party of wizards is the only logical choice, from a tactical standpoint. Why build a party out of inferior class choices if you don't have to?
Do I think a wizard can "beat" a fighter of equal level? Yes, I do. It's a fair match at lower levels, but at higher levels, it's usually no contest. A mid-to-high-level wizard will slay an equally-high-level fighter outright, nine times out of ten.
But does that mean the wizard is better? Why should it? Pathfinder isn't Rock-Em, Sock-Em Robots. It's a simulationist fantasy game. It's a tactical exercise in teamwork and team dynamics. It's an adventure game, not a pen-and-paper Street Fighter analogue.
So let's make this about the party. If one class is better than any other - can fill any and every role - then why bother building a team out of multiple classes? Let's build a team out of members of a single class. The BEST class, whatever that means to you. Is it wizards? Druids?
You - the good people of the forums and participants in the Great Debate that has been so prevalent in the tabletop world since gods-know-when - build the teams, and I'll run them through level-appropriate, tried-and-true adventure scenarios. The idea is simple: we'll see how the "best classes" making up the "best party" fare as a team against textbook D&D / fantasy scenarios.
Let's put our monies where our mouths are.
Four characters.
One class.
High-Fantasy point-buy (20 points).
Standard wealth-by-level.
Use the Core Rulebook, the GameMaster's Guide, all the Bestiaries, the Advanced Player's Guide, Ultimate Combat, and Ultimate Magic.
You can build characters at any level, and I will produce level-appropriate results. Keep in mind that the mid-level range is where most people spend most of their time playing. It's also where the alleged problems start.
I'd really like to see this get off the ground; I'm deeply curious. I'm also open-minded. I think summoners would fare exceptionally well, for example. But on the whole, I hope to demonstrate that martial classes fill necessary roles, and fill them well.
What's the lowest-CR creature or build I can use to gain access to a modify memory effect? I need a creature capable of casting such an effect for a low-level adventure idea I've come up with.
