Gisher's page

So yet another post on this region that includes Lizardfolk. I'm happy to see that there is a concerted effort to incorporate this species into the mainstream. It'll be nice not to have to play the "only inquisitive, non-xenophobic member of my species" type of character.

This discussion is rearranging my "which build first" priorities. Really want to try a Rogue/Alchemist or Alchemist/Rogue healer.

The return of the Investigator!

Is that magic casting picture an actual spell in the game? If so which?

very neat visual

Looks like the Weapon Storm spell to me. That would most likely make the staff a standard Staff of Evocation.

Gisher wrote:

Having now read through the blog posts for the World Guide, I notice that Hobgoblins are important in the Eye of Dread post and Lizardfolk got a lot of focus in the Mwangi Expanse post. I wonder which region will feature the Leshy.

Galt.

Any particular reason for that?

Having now read through the blog posts for the World Guide, I notice that Hobgoblins are important in the Eye of Dread post and Lizardfolk got a lot of focus in the Mwangi Expanse post. I wonder which region will feature the Leshy.

I figure the "nine out of ten Maguses spent their childhoods in Minkai perfecting their shocking grasp" problem was not exactly unique to traits. I mean, how many Paladins were Fey Foundlings?

Mostly I think we run the risk of "this unusual character detail is optimal and thus way overrepresented" in this edition with heritages. During the playtest there was a period where being a Svirfneblin or "Cave Elf" was far and away the strongest choice for those ancestries (because darkvision), which hopefully has been addressed.

I just hope they don't get rid of Svirfneblin entirely. I want it for flavor reasons. I've never been a fan of the standard PF1 gnome style. I like my gnomes more dour and earthy like in D&D 1st edition. The playtest Svirfneblin filled that niche nicely.

David knott 242 wrote:

Their Int penalty, if any, can't be worse than -2 -- and we already know that the Core Rulebook will have a way to overcome even that.

And lizardfolk are being described as "inquisitive" in the product description. That makes me doubt that they have an Int penalty.

Hmm. That's pretty exciting!

Alternately, take a look at the playtest files if you can find them anywhere (I'm told Paizo pulled them from this site).

They just moved the playtest files.

- Original version and update 1.1

- Update 1.6

I'm just hoping that the Lizardfolk don't get such a massive Intelligence penalty that it can't be overcome. I've wanted to play a Lizard-Wizard for a long time.

Lizardfolk!?!

You have my attention.

My understanding of this interaction is as follows: full round action, cast shocking grasp, free action granted by spellstrike/touch spell to deliver it through my sword, then a normal melee attack granted by spell combat.

Correct.

Spell Combat (Ex): At 1st level, a magus learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the magus spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). If he casts this spell defensively, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Intelligence bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus on his concentration check. If the check fails, the spell is wasted, but the attacks still take the penalty. A magus can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks.

Also, see this FAQ.

Magus, Spell Combat: If I use spell combat, how many weapon attacks can I make?
You can make as many weapon attacks as you would normally be able to make if you were making a full attack with that weapon. For example, if you are an 8th-level magus (BAB +6/+1), you could make two weapon attacks when using spell combat.

Edit 9/9/13: This is a revised ruling about how haste interacts with effects that are essentially a full attack, even though the creature isn't specifically using the full attack action (as required by haste). The earlier ruling implied that spell combat did not allow the extra attack from haste (because spell combat was not using the full attack action).

Since using Spellstrike isn't an action, delivering the Touch Attack through your weapon doesn't change any of that.

A gm at a recent pfs game told me that the delivering it through my sword is the rest of the action and as such I would not get that second swing. Is this correct?

Being able to cast a spell without losing your normal attacks is the whole point of Spell Combat. If it worked the way that your GM describes then it would never be useful. You'd always be better off just casting the spell and delivering the Touch Attack through your weapon using Spellstrike. That way you'd avoid the -2 penalty and still have a Move Action. What exactly does your GM think Spell Combat is for?

I am interested to see the long, heated arguments about how fighter/wizards compare to wizard/fighters.

Martial/Caster Caster/Martial disparity? Caster/Martials rule!

Your local event coordinator is correct. Armor and shield bonuses do not add to touch attack. But force effects are effective against incorporeal things trying to touch you.

Yep. And the Magic Missile thing isn't really relevant since Magic Missile doesn't use touch attack rolls.

...considering that draconic bloodline claws are permanent),...

Nope. As others have mentioned, the Sorcerer has this limitation.

Claws (Su): Starting at 1st level, you can grow claws as a free action. These claws are treated as natural weapons, allowing you to make two claw attacks as a full attack action using your full base attack bonus. Each of these attacks deals 1d4 points of damage plus your Strength modifier (1d3 if you are Small). At 5th level, these claws are considered magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming DR. At 7th level, the damage increases by one step to 1d6 points of damage (1d4 if you are Small). At 11th level, these claws deal an additional 1d6 points of damage of your energy type on a successful hit. You can use your claws for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

The Bloodrager only gets claws while in a Bloodrage.

Bloodrager Bloodlines

When a bloodrager enters a bloodrage, he often takes on a physical transformation influenced by his bloodline and powered by the magic that roils within him. Unless otherwise specified, he gains the effects of his bloodline powers only while in a bloodrage; once the bloodrage ends, all powers from his bloodline immediately cease, and any physical changes the bloodrager underwent revert, restoring him to normal.

Along the lines of the kukri or wakizashi, there is the Elven Leafblade. The bonus for confirming crits is nice, and counts as martial for an Elf with Weapon Familiarity or Half-Elf with the Weapon Familiarity Alternate Racial Trait. It works with the Elven Battle Style feat chain if you want to use Int to damage instead of Str or Dex. (Great for Magi, Occultists, Investigators, etc.)

If you want to have two "different" weapons for flavor but still want the efficiency of using the same weapon-specific feats on both, there are a couple of oddball options to consider.

Two Scorpion Whips:
The latest FAQ on this weapon lets you use this in two ways: "light mode" where it uses the table description for Scorpion Whips, and "one-handed mode" where it largely acts like a standard Whip. So you could dual-wield two of these with both in "light mode," or you could use a different mode for each hand. In the latter case the two weapons would behave very differently, but feats like Weapon Focus (scorpion whip), and Weapon Specialization (scorpion whip) would work for both weapons.

Trident and a Fighter's Fork:
The Fighter's Fork is one of my favorite magic weapons. It's not really powerful, but it is incredibly versatile. You can brace it, throw it as a trident, throw it as a javelin, shorten it until it is a light weapon, wield it as a one-handed weapon, wield it as a two-handed weapon without reach, or lengthen it into a two-handed reach weapon. And any feats that apply to standard tridents will work in any of its forms. With a regular trident in your main hand and Fighter's Fork (in light weapon mode) in the other, you would have two weapons that look different, but share feats.

Investing in a wand of Sanctuary might be worthwhile.

That's exactly the sort of abuse it's very open to.

Abuse? Dip one level in Occultist, take the Transmutation Implement, use Legacy Weapon to add Training whenever you need it. Hee hee!

This thread has been dead since late 2012 because the issue was settled in early 2013.

Unarmed Strike: Can I use two-weapon fighting to make two unarmed strikes in one round?

Yes.

Okey, no familiar then. At least not a combat one. Maybe at 7 i will think about a scout one.

Thanks!

If you want to stick with a standard familiar, keep in mind that the bat does have blindsense (though only to 20' as opposed to the 60' range for the pseudodragon).

avr wrote:

Power attack only requires you to enhance one end of the quarterstaff for full effect, TWF requires both. Also you could use PA on the same round as spell combat if you have a way to cancel the penalty - furious focus or blade tutor's spirit. OTOH a multitouch spell like frostbite may like the extra opportunities to connect with TWF.

Though why and how are you going for either? Tripping can eat every feat you have and then some, besides the metamagic or other magic feats a magus wants. The damage bonus is relatively low for PA on a 3/4 BAB character and TWF adds attacks slowly for the same reason.

Cause right now my build has Dirty Fighting, Improved and greater trip, Weapon focus and specialization power attack and craft staff and i dont know where to go from here

This is the feat list i have cause i know im missing something.

Bonus class Feat:Quarterstaff Master
1. Dirty Fighting
Bonus Feat: Improved Trip
3.
Bonus Feat: Weapon focus(Quarterstaff)
5. Weapon specialization(Quarterstaff)
7. Power Attack
9.Greater Trip
Bonus Feat:Craft Staff
11.
13.
15

I really like using Intimidate with a Staff Magus. The Bruising Intellect Trait (social) will let you use Int rather than Cha for Intimidate Checks. Since you are already taking Power Attack, Cornugan Smash is a great choice to use Intimidate. (Alternatively you could use Enforcer combined with a method for dealing nonlethal damage.)

Adding Cruel to your quarterstaff is nice with this build.

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A couple more Traits that I really like for a Staff Magus:
-Armor Expert (combat): You don't get the Medium and Heavy Armor abilities of most Magi, but this trait will let you use a Mithral Breastplate at no penalty without taking a feat.
-Monk Weapon Skill (combat): Since a quarterstaff is a Monk weapon this trait grants you a +1 bonus to damage. Half as good as Weapon Specialization and they stack.

If you take the Additional Traits Feat to get Bruising Intellect, either of these would be good for the other trait.

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If you are taking Craft Staff, you might also want to take Craft Magic Arms and Armor. You'll need it to make some Magical Staves (the ones that hold spells and have Enhancement Bonuses), and it is useful at lower levels for making magical quarterstaves (the plain old weapons that don't cast spells). Being able to make your own armor is a nice bonus.

Power attack only requires you to enhance one end of the quarterstaff for full effect, TWF requires both.

...

Very true. My Staff Magus does occasionally use a quarterstaff as a double weapon, however. One end has as high an Enhancement Bonus as he can afford as well as Spell Storing. The other end is a +1 Spell Storing Weapon. He uses his Arcane Pool to improve the primary end and, when needed, uses Greater Magic Weapon on the +1 end. So the secondary end isn't very expensive at all. There aren't any penalties for using both ends of the quarterstaff so long as you aren't trying to get the extra attacks from TWF, so the Magus can use Spellstrike to deliver charges held over from previous rounds while also delivering two spells from the Spell Storing at either end. It isn't a frequently used option, but it does make for a nice "nova" round when needed.

Since this thread is back I'll mention that there is now the Magaambyan Arcana Trait which lets you add one good-aligned Druid or Cleric spell to your list.

Depending on your goal, a Sepentine Owl might work.

Aw! Sapphire Oozes seem so sweet!

Gloomblade is awesome! (Not surprising considering who wrote it.) I wonder how well a Gloomblade/Shadowdancer would work.

Gisher wrote:

AnimatedPaper wrote:

Gisher wrote:

Are the Lantern Style feats related to Lantern Archons, lantern staffs, standard lanterns, or something else?

The what? Do you have a page #?

Oops! Those are from Distant Realms. Somehow I got two plane-focused books released on the same day confused with each other. ;)

Well, Distant Realms is the Golarion supplement to Planar Adventures, so you're not wrong... ;)

Wrong thread, though.

Chronicler of Worlds is an Int-based Bard! I've been waiting for this for... a long time.

Gisher wrote:

Are the Lantern Style feats related to Lantern Archons, lantern staffs, standard lanterns, or something else?

The what? Do you have a page #?

Oops! Those are from Distant Realms. Somehow I got two plane-focused books released on the same day confused with each other. ;)

Are the Lantern Style feats related to Lantern Archons, lantern staffs, standard lanterns, or something else?

Made of smooth white wood, this staff is capped at each end with a golden cross adorned with a multitude of ruby cabochons.

A cross decorated with rubies? Each end of a Staff of Healing is decorated with a Red Cross? Someone has a weird sense of humor.

I like it.

The card caster would work, but I like the switch hit ability of the myrmidiarch. I don't think eldrich archer really works. Daggers aren't a ranged weapon, and so you can't make them your bonded item, which makes life very painful.

Still good sugestions, thank you.

I love my Myrmidarch in part because of his ability to switch-hit. However there really isn't a problem with an Eldritch Archer selecting a dagger as his Bonded Item. Thrown weapons are one category of ranged weapons.

Melee and Ranged Weapons: Melee weapons are used for making melee attacks, though some of them can be thrown as well. Ranged weapons are thrown weapons or projectile weapons that are not effective in melee.

Any weapon with a stated range is a ranged weapon. They come in two types. Thrown weapons is one and projectile weapons that are not effective in melee is the other.

Sigh, well that sucks... Starknives are too expensive and heavy to carry around a bunch of them, plus the crit range is a step down from daggers. Also on a personal note I think starknives on are stupid, but that's personal taste.

I tend to agree with you regarding starknives. I am interested in trying a starknife build with a Star Watcher Investigator, though. Starry Grace + Shooting Star Talent + Returning Star Talent seems like a nice combo. I'm hoping that PF2 will make thrown weapon builds more viable. I've seen a few hints that it will.

The FAQ explicitly states that Slashing Grace doesn't work when the weapon is thrown.

Slashing Grace: In the 2nd printing errata, what exactly does it mean that “You do not gain this benefit while fighting with two weapons or using flurry of blows, or any time another hand is otherwise occupied?” Can I use a shield? What about a buckler? Can I use flurry of blows? Brawler’s flurry? Two-weapon fighting? Spell combat? Attack with natural weapons? What if I throw the weapon? What about swordmaster’s flair?

Slashing Grace does not allow most shields, but bucklers work because they don’t occupy the hand. Flurry of blows, brawler’s flurry, two-weapon fighting, and spell combat all don’t work with Slashing Grace. Attacking with natural weapons beyond the weapon you chose for Slashing Grace also does not work. Slashing Grace only works with melee attacks, not thrown attacks with a melee weapon. Swordmaster’s flair should have a sentence added to it that says “Carrying a swordmaster’s flair counts as having that hand free for the purpose of abilities that require a free hand, though you still can’t hold another object in that hand.”

Starry Grace, however, was specifically worded to work both in melee and when the starknife is thrown.

ARRR we sure Pirates is a good playtest idea?

Aye am.

Legowarrior wrote:

You u forgot Occultist.

Oh yeah. I did forget about them! A Evocation/Transmutation/Conjuration Occultist would do nicely. It would be a little low on spell variety to start, but could do well.

For more selection at low levels consider a Silksworn Ocultist. By 2nd level they have five Implement Schools. They suffer a bit on the combat side due to weapon and armor restrictions, but a longspear reach build and spells like Mage Armor or Magic Vestment help.

For a more elemental theme there is the Sha'ir Occultist and to a lesser extent the Geomancer Occultist. If you decide to try a Sha'ir you might find my Jin statblocks and Elemental School spell list useful. The spell lists include the updates from Planes of Power.

As for healing, Occultists get a variety of Spells and Focus Powers that can be used for healing and status removal/suppression. Panoplies and archetypes like Reliquarian or Haunt Collector can add more options. A partial list of options is below.

--------------------------

For something completely different, consider a Reliquarian Occultist. They are Divine casters which use Int for casting and Wis for Mental Focus. Half-elf is usually optimal because of the flexible ability score and access to 1/2 point of Mental Focus per level as a Favored Class Bonus. Elf and Halfling get the same FCB and are decent choices for an archer.

Choosing the Nobility Domain, Good Domain with the Archon Subdomain, or Law Domain with the Archon Subdomain will add Divine Favor to your Spell List and Spells Known. (I particularly like the Good Domain with the Archon Subdomain since it also gives you Align Weapon/Good.) The Legacy Weapon Base Focus Power is amazing! Use it to add Special Abilities like Bane or Holy, or just add Enhancement Bonuses. Other Implement Powers like Third Eye or Sudden Insight (from Divination) are also useful for archers. They also have access to a wide selection of useful spells for archers. Just a few from levels 1-3: Gravity Bow, Longshot, Magic Weapon, Greater Magic Weapon, Daybreak Arrow, Flame Arrow, Bowstaff, Versatile Weapon, Weapon of Awe, Unerring Weapon, Shield, and Fly.

If you want something similar to an Inquisitor, a Zealot Vigilante might fit the bill. Zealot Smite might be a decent replacement for Bane.

I'm in a group with an alchemist right now. We've given him a Wand of Cure Light Wounds (and our cleric has one too). Is that... legal?

He can certainly brew an extract of Cure Light Wounds.

While Alchemists are not casters, they can use wands that match spells on their Formulae Lists.

An alchemist can utilize spell-trigger items if the spell appears on his formulae list, but not spell-completion items (unless he uses Use Magic Device to do so).

This is a special exception that doesn't apply to Investigators.

...

Should there not being a skill or some common sense ability that tell me I have nope hope vs. this monster or this high level character.
...

Take Tim the Enchanter on your adventures.

Occultists with the Transformation Implement have a number of ways to overcome DR.

- The Philosopher's Touch Focus Ability lets your weapon(s) overcome cold iron, silver, and (at 11th level) even adamantine DR.
- The Legacy Weapon Base Focus Power lets you overcome DR by increasing your weapon's Enhancement Bonus, and after 6th level you can add Holy, Axiomatic, etc. to overcome alignment DR.
- They get a variety of spells that can overcome various types of DR: Versatile Weapon, Heart of the Metal, Magic Weapon, etc.

...

I am still doing some research into what we can do within pdfs to resolve this problem.

...

You can add alternate text to images in a pdf that serves the same function that alternate text does with images on a web page. Anyone looking at the document will see the image, but those using screen readers will hear the alternate text.

UnArcaneElection wrote:

I'm normally vegan, and I normally try to avoid fast food, but if one of these places would serve hamburger made with sacred cow, I could be persuaded to reconsider . . . .

Don't forget to ask them to put on some sacred cow cheese and a sacred cow milkshake on the side. Now is you could find a sacred pig for some sacred bacon... Mmmmmmmm..... Bacon....

All bacon is sacred. ;)

Items not primarily of metal are not meaningfully affected by being partially made of mithral.

Either the horsechopper is mostly metal, in which case the weight of the wood should be negligible, or it isn't mostly metal and mithral is useless. There isn't an option for the barbarian to reduce his cost and still gain the benefits of mithral.

You don't want to delay your chosen spellcasting class any more than possible.

Two levels of Paladin, tops. Get charisma to saves, it's all you need from that.

The Magical Knack trait gives your caster levels back that would be lost with the Paladin dip. You still lose one CL going into Dragon Disciple, but oh well.

...

The Favored Prestige Class and Prestigious Spellcaster feat chain can help with that. Keeping full spellcasting progression is really nice and the extra hit points or skill ranks are also nice.

The PFS Campaign Clarifications page says that it replaces elven magic.

Page 10—Dragon magic is a racial trait for elves. This racial trait replaces elven magic.

Gisher wrote:

It might look like the langxian.

That... actually looks rather reasonable! Plus the elves probably dig the leaf aesthetics as well! And the usage as described by the Wiki article definitely matches the stats! Thanks!

You are welcome.

It might look like the langxian.

I'm positive that we can be more negative.

Seeking to make a forearm weapon akin to Edward from Fullmetal Alchemist, or Zed from League, but don't want to drop it everytime it's not in use.

You aren't going to drop it if it's strapped to your forearm. But if you want to 'sheathe' it you might try the Hide Weapon Spell for that Wolverine flavor.

A lot of people like to stack Inspired Blade with the Noble Fencer archetype.

...Occultist: really hits all the boxes but 1 handed doesnt really get a major boost

Consider a Haunt Collector Occultist taking the Transmutation and Abjuration Implement Schools at 1st level. (The Physical Enhancement Resonant Ability and the Legacy Weapon Base Focus Power will boost your attack rolls and/or damage. Once you can afford a +1 sword you can use Legacy Weapon to add Bane for a serious boost.)

At 2nd level choose the Champion Spirit for a Haunted Implement. (The Seance Boon is +2 damage except with spells, and the Spirit Bonus will let you boost attack and damage rolls as a swift action without spending Focus.)

At 6th level take the Trappings of the Warrior Panoply. (The Martial Skill Resonant Power will basically lt you be a full-BAB class when using your sword and shield. The Combat Trick Base Focus Power lets you temporarily pick up a Combat Feat.)

If you make your character a Human of Ulfen ethnicity, they can take the Weapon Training trait from Inner Sea Races. It gets you +1 Trait Bonus to damage with a Short Sword, Longsword, Bastard Sword, and Greatsword (along with a Throwing Axe, Handaxe, Battleaxe, Greataxe, Light Hammer, Warhammer, Shortbow, and Longbow).

My favourite exotic weapons are the ones that treat the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat as a means to 'unlock' abilities the weapon has.

Like the bastard sword becoming 1 handed or the hooked axe; which can be used as a battleaxe as a martial weapon but gains the disarm, performance, and trip qualities with EWP.

I'd like to see something like that for 2E. More than just "it's a *insert weapon here* but better", and certainly more than "it's a weapon from a far away place"

I agree. I love the way the Doru was designed to improve with higher level proficiencies.