It's not as much that I dislike the ruling, I honestly disagree with it.
I also believe that if it's brought up as much as it is, then clearly not everyone is reading the rules in the same way. If I were working at Paizo, I'd bring this up if for no other reason than to end the debate.
Thank you for all of your responses. :)
But I must disagree with the ruling that EH: Sylvan isn't a legal option.
Just because a power also counts as an arcana, (to my mind) doesn't mean that I need to get the arcana too. I feel that they listed it under "bloodline power" (even though bloodline arcana was higher up on the page) for a reason. Even if it *counts* as an arcana, it is a bloodline power.
The archetype issue is in heavy debate after this FAQ due to it's last line.
But I don't want to turn this into another debate on whether it's allowed. Frankly, I just want them to FAQ it as it's a popular topic on these forums.
Thanks for the response, I never thought of using a cleric! :)
I might just build a healer cleric that has a tank pet and therefore be able to contribute to combat and healing. This'll be awesome!
But, after an exhaustive search, I found that this has already been answered via James Jacobs and in several "guide to PFS play" PDFs.
In those guides, it read:
"How many animals can I have at any given time? During
the course of a scenario, you may have one combat animal
and as many noncombat animals as you like. You make
this choice at the beginning of the scenario. This means if
you’re a Ranger 5/Druid 5, you need to pick which animal
companion is your combat animal. Noncombat animals
(ponies, horses, pet dogs, and so on) cannot participate
in combat at all. This clarification is meant to reinforce
the same line of logic that prohibits the Leadership feat
in Pathfinder Society Organized Play—you only have
4 or 5 hours to play and allowing multiple additional
combatants only slows down play. Finally, if you have so
many noncombat animals that their presence is slowing a
session down, the GM has the right to ask you to select one
noncombat animal and leave the rest behind. Our advice
for the campaign: you can have a mount, a pet, and your
class-granted animals with you during the scenario, but try
to avoid going any further than that. It can be disruptive,
and disruptions are fun for no one. As an additional bit
of clarification, the summoner’s eidolon is considered an
animal companion for the above considerations."
The entire section of the guides that the above quoted line was from has since been removed, likely due to archetypes built around having multiple combat animals. but still.
Using Pathfinder-only rules (no 3.x) is it possible to have two have two animal companions without an archetype making you split the levels?
I understand that when you are say, a paladin with a bonded horse, who then becomes (for argument's sake) a druid, that the class levels stack for both guys. ie a level 9 character (5 paladin/4 druid) has a level 9 horse.
However, is this true when accessing an animal companion through a feat? (technically two) such as Eldritch Heritige: Sylvan?
If this doesn't work, are there any ideas on how to have two full-level animal companions? I've got a character concept of a guy that just gets his pets to fight for him. (think animal tamer, or poke mon master without the sci-fi balls)
Ah, I see. Well then, thanks for all of the info AND the books/chapters that it was in. I must have missed it. A goring, biting, clawing guys sounds interesting... maybe as a BBEG for a home campaign.
So I was playing around and built a character at level 3 that has 4 bite attacks and 2 claws (while raging) and was wondering, is this legal in PFS?
He's a Half-Orc Barbarian with the Toothy racial trait, Lesser Beast Totem, Extra Rage Power feat for Animal Fury, Razortusk feat, and Tusked trait.
I understand that some of these would be at a -5 but otherwise I still have a full round attack with 6 attacks. With the amulet of mighty fists, this gets crazy.
In short, it's not that the martial classes are proficient in all martial weapons that ultimately matters, because the Bastard Sword is not a martial weapon. What matters is that for the purpose of wielding without the feat it is treated like a two-handed martial weapon. It can't be treated like just a "martial" weapon because there really isn't such a thing. It'd have to be treated like a light, one-handed, or two-handed martial weapon. In this case, it'd obviously have to be two-handed.
I agree with this ruling.
I should also mention that this is the stance that HeroLab takes, and it's the officially licensed (by paizo) character builder.
However, I'd also like to state that this likely won't ever be an issue as the greatsword (as a two handed weapon) is better in every way.
I've noticed a lot of Gnome-hate and I just wanted to say that mechanically, gnomes can be better than humans sometimes. Case in point, Summoners who focus on summoning VS the eidolon. The STR hit means nothing and if you go with the master summoner archetype, you get one of the only feats that you'll ever need at level 2 (augment summoning). The next one that you'd want is called something like summoning mastery and you need to be 3rd level to get it anyway. With a switch of a racial trait you can have more languages than you can shake a stick at for when you aren't fighting. After all, who needs comprehend languages when you can read/write/speak it already?
Wow, thank you so much for all of the responses. :)
I'm sorry that it has taken me this long to respond, work has been so crazy that I haven't had 2 seconds to myself.
I think that I will make an Oracle of Life with the blackened curse. Also, I've been looking this one up and it doesn't appear to be Aasimar only, so I might make a Human Oracle that mainly heals but also blasts a little bit (due to blackened).
My group is doing a Rise of the Rune Lords campaign for the first time and I decided that I wanted to be the healer. I have been told that we will be playing up to level 20. At first I was going to make a cleric, but then I heard about the Life mystery for oracles and how great it is for healing.
So in short I just wanted to ask (assuming that I won't multiclass) who is the better combat healer between Clerics or Oracles of Life and why?
I've never played either class, nor have I been a healer so I want to try and be as good at it as I can.
Don't really want to necro this thread but I posted this thread along with a bug report to hero lab to get them to fix this discrepancy in their program. They responded that since the post (from the developer mind you), was three years old and there was no errata or FAQ for this issue, they re not changing it. Hopefully they can get an actual FAQ or errata to add "this ability replaces wildshape" or something. as it is, I see people using the wildshape at level four when it intended for level six in this archetype.
I am in the exact same boat as you are Criik.
Right now, HeroLab gives you wildshape at level 2 if you are an animal-shaman druid.
Can we get an official word here please? Was there ever a FAQ update or an official word that my searches just haven't been able to find?
Can you tell me where that rule is? (ie page number and book) I haven't seen anything like that, but if I could find it this may help me. :)
core rulebook pg 53 under 'animal choices'
Gonn wrote:
asthyril wrote:
large cat with dragon style and feral combat training
if you are a medium sized sorcerer just buy a +1 hosteling tower shield to carry around for those hallways that are too small.
i have a large cat in pfs that does 200+ damage on a pounce at level 12, if the target is evil, with all attacks being +20 or better to hit. all with just 1 buff spell on him. kind of hard to beat that.
That does sound like a great reason to go with a large cat... however I don't think that they can use that feat as natural attacks are considered armed weapons. At least, not for the 1 1/2 STR part.
natural attacks are natural attacks. read the feral combat training feat i mentioned, it is specific for using unarmed strike abilities with natural attacks. i guarantee you you can do what i described.
Gonn wrote:
I still might go with a tiger though, that does sound rather cool. :) But what is this hosteling tower shield that you mentioned? I was just looking at the Pathfinder SRD and I couldn't find anything like that.
hosteling is a new magic armor/shield enhancement from ultimate equipment.
Hosteling 7,500g** spoiler omitted **...
Ahhh, thanks for clearing that up. :) I had in fact only read the one feat and thus I missed that other ruling.
Also, I forgot about squeezing, so that could help a bunch too. :)
I was also looking at the Dazzling Display idea and I really like it except that I can't get Weapon Focus until after 4th when I up the INT to 3, so he can't use it until level 7.
First off, thank you guys very much for the quick response. I didn't think that anyone would post so fast, lol.
Shfish wrote:
You don't have to increase in size. There is a specific rule in the AC verbiage that allows it to stay with a specific stat mod.
Can you tell me where that rule is? (ie page number and book) I haven't seen anything like that, but if I could find it this may help me. :)
asthyril wrote:
large cat with dragon style and feral combat training
if you are a medium sized sorcerer just buy a +1 hosteling tower shield to carry around for those hallways that are too small.
i have a large cat in pfs that does 200+ damage on a pounce at level 12, if the target is evil, with all attacks being +20 or better to hit. all with just 1 buff spell on him. kind of hard to beat that.
That does sound like a great reason to go with a large cat... however I don't think that they can use that feat as natural attacks are considered armed weapons. At least, not for the 1 1/2 STR part.
I still might go with a tiger though, that does sound rather cool. :) But what is this hosteling tower shield that you mentioned? I was just looking at the Pathfinder SRD and I couldn't find anything like that. Without some way for me to handle the not always being able to use a large creature thing, I'm thinking that a medium "pouncer" still makes the most sense...
Also, in response to "hairy old lady" I have found in past PFS games (with past characters) that there are quite a bit of situations wherein a large creature just can't press forward. That's why I asked for help on here in the first place as it seemed to me that all of the more "better" combat pets went large.
I've always wanted to make a sorcerer in PFS with a pet (like an arcane druid) and now that I am, I find that I have no idea what will work as an effective one.
At first I was going to make it a wolf, but at 7th it becomes large and therefore won't always be viable/usable so I was considering other options.
In any event, I want a pet who can deal at least some damage whilst being able to survive. My main guy is going to be a bit of a buffer/battlefield controller so the pet will be my #1 source of damage and as such I am willing to change whatever is needed in order to make my pet better. (I am already taking Boon Companion)
The best thing that I could come us with on my own was the Deinonychus but I can't help but think that there must be better.
First off, I want to say "great job!" on Pathfinder as a whole. I used to play 4E all of the time until a friend showed me this game. He got me rather hooked on it and it didn't suffer the RP drawbacks that 4E had. (I'll just attack with my CHA. Yeah, of course that makes sense!)
Anyway, I am currently in a campaign wherein the GM has ruled that using the "Prehensile Tail" alternate tiefling racial trait was legal as a "free hand" while reloading an early gun.
The entire group and I (GM included) decided that since the tail was "prehensile" that it could so long as it was being used with paper (or better) alchemical cartridges, as you'd basically just rip it open along the beeswax-sealed side and drop the contents into the barrel. That is, unless I'm mistaken about that type of ammo's usage. We tried to find such a ruling first, but to no avail.
I wanted to ask if this ruling was generally true for regular Pathfinder, and if it were also true for Pathfinder Society play should there be a difference.
We also thought that it made sense as it gave you a reason to be a Pistolero when being a gunslinger, (treating that archetype as something like a rogue/ranger in combat) VS the (unfortunate) idea that in the long run that only the Musket master gunslinger could keep up when compared to the other classes.
The exact wording for the racial trait from the Advanced Race Guide is as follows:
Prehensile Tail
Many tieflings have tails, but some have long, flexible tails that can be used to carry items. While they cannot wield weapons with their tails, they can use them to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action. This racial trait replaces fiendish sorcery.
Interesting! I've actually got a tiefling with a prehensile tail in the Way of the Wicked game I'm playing...
Anyway, the prehensile tail is capable of carrying things and retrieving small, stowed objects as a swift action, but they cannot wield weapons. That...
I just wanted to say two things:
Firstly, thanks for you swift reply. :-D I felt quite validated by that.
And secondly, in response to your ruling (which was fair) Balls, lol.
Thank you all so much for your input! I think that I will end up in taking a few levels of fighter for the feats, namely weapon master so that I can get that +1 attack & damage for my gun(s).
Also, after reading kaisc006's post on a single-gun Pistolero, I am being rather tempted to just go that way and play a human instead. I'll look things over in the mean-time.
First off, I want to say "great job!" on Pathfinder as a whole. I used to play 4E all of the time until a friend showed me this game. He got me rather hooked on it and it didn't suffer the RP drawbacks that 4E had. (I'll just attack with my CHA. Yeah, of course that makes sense!)
Anyway, I am currently in a campaign wherein the GM has ruled that using the "Prehensile Tail" alternate tiefling racial trait was legal as a "free hand" while reloading an early gun.
The entire group and I (GM included) decided that since the tail was "prehensile" that it could so long as it was being used with paper (or better) alchemical cartridges, as you'd basically just rip it open along the beeswax-sealed side and drop the contents into the barrel. That is, unless I'm mistaken about that type of ammo's usage. We tried to find such a ruling first, but to no avail.
I wanted to ask if this ruling was generally true for regular Pathfinder, and if it were also true for Pathfinder Society play should there be a difference.
We also thought that it made sense as it gave you a reason to be a Pistolero when being a gunslinger, (treating that archetype as something like a rogue/ranger in combat) VS the (unfortunate) idea that in the long run that only the Musket master gunslinger could keep up when compared to the other classes.
The exact wording for the racial trait from the Advanced Race Guide is as follows:
Prehensile Tail
Many tieflings have tails, but some have long, flexible tails that can be used to carry items. While they cannot wield weapons with their tails, they can use them to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action. This racial trait replaces fiendish sorcery.
I've played a fair bit of PFS but never past level 8 and I've never played a Pathfinder campaign that wasn't PFS, so basically I have very little insight on what makes sense past level 8 and I need all the help that I can get. I really don't know what to expect.
I was also thinking of multi-classing, since after level 7 there isn't anything useful from the Gunslinger class that I can see.
Anyway, I've joined this new campaign that we'll be starting in a few weeks wherein we've been told:
A) We'll be going to level 20.
B) To make a powerful, optimized character in order to survive.
C) Early firearms will be available.
As a result of this, I decided to make a pistolero gunslinger that fights using two double-barreled pistols. I use said pistols in order to maximize my damage potential per round. I won't have both of those at level 1, but I will between levels 3-5.
I should note at this point that since I will be playing a Tiefling with a tail, and that my GM has ruled that "free hand while reloading" rule can be accommodated with said tail.
Anyways, here's my build.
Tiefling (+2 DEX +2 INT -2 CHA) Pistolero Gunslinger EDIT: 20 point buy
STR 10 (with a MW backpack to aid in carrying stuff)
DEX 19 (increased to 20 at level 4)
CON 14 (I'll always be 20 feet or less from the baddies)
INT 09 (there are skillful people in the party so I don't think that I'll need many, increased at level 12)
WIS 15 (increased at level 8 to give more Grit/Will save)
CHA 07 (dump stat as it does nothing for my character type)
Feats
1) Point-blank shot
3) Rapid reload OR Two-weapon fighting
4) The other choice from level 3
5) Precise shot
7) Deadly Aim OR Rapid shot (which is better when hitting Touch AC?)
8) Weapon focus double-barreled pistol OR the other choice from level 5 if relevant.
9) - 20) ???
I'm not sure which skills to take either, and really any advice at all would be appreciated. I also have read the guides and even they seem to give the idea that multi-classing after level 7 (some even say 5) makes the most sense.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/race-traits/militant-merchant-dwarf
Usually you have to be a dwarf but nobody cares about those race restrictions most of the time.
This may be slightly off topic but if ever you want to use another race's trait, just take the Adopted trait. It lets you have one racial trait from another race... you just have to have been adopted by a member of that race during your childhood. It's great RP for elves and other long-lived races. :)
I was more of a villain than a hero in that game, so I can't help but feel that the hero's have won anyway. "Curses, now I'll have to get a real job!" would've bee my guy's last words.
They don't have hover, no. I should have mentioned that you should make them land once they are in place. Then they just take off when they require a new target.
I have a Paladin in PFS that believes that "Evil is evil for a reason. Should it be allowed to live it will continue to be evil and thus perform evil deeds."
He worships Iomedae (I think that's how you spell it) and takes heart in the "valor" aspect of her. He's not a bad guy per-say, but he'll sleep good that night having butchered 50 evil men rather than spare them.
I also made him an Oath of Vengeance paladin to further this aspect.
Info on OoV here
It can be done quickly though, just roll all of the attack dice at the same time. 85% of the time your Eagles won't be moving until the guy they are attacking dies, and the rest of the party can focus on the other baddies.
Also, keeping a copy of your summons's character sheets will speed the process along. It also helps to bring a note pad, and keep track of all of your guys hp and so on from there. Use numbered/lettered/colored markers to help keep track with your notepad.
As for potentially trivializing other members of the party, try to only focus your summons for the good of tanking and you should be fine. There will still be damage dealers (which most people prefer to do anyway) and there will be healers. You'll just be a different kind of tank. :)
Prepare to have your mind blown. The best tank in the game is (drum roll) a Summoner with a 20 CHA. Gnomes work the best as they increase your CHA and your CON AND they let you talk to animals once a day. (more with a feat) A master summoner is even better if they are allowed in your game as they can summon even more a day plus they get Augmented Summoning for free at 2nd level.
You're likely asking yourself "But why a Summoner?" I'm going to tell you.
At level 3 you'll be able to summon 1d4 (+1 with a feat) Eagles per turn, 8 times a day. On average, you'll only need one set of this per combat and 2 sets during a BBEG fight. There's normally about 3-4 fights per mod thereby leaving you with summons to spare. Now, an Eagle isn't much of a thing, (outside of his 3 attacks doing 1d4 each) but his true glory is that he will never need to be healed. Let the enemy kill/injure you summons, they'll be gone soon anyway, and every attack on them is an attack that effectively "missed" your party.
The GM will often want to attack them too, as they only have have 14 AC and a small amount of health. That and after you get augmented summoning, and have about 3 of them attacking one enemy at once that can potentially lead up to 9d4+18 a round. More if the enemy is evil as then you can get your Eagles to do their form of smite evil. (+1 damage per attack or +9 added to my above total)
You might be asking what you should do with your Eidolon at this point, since he won't be your main for of damage. Give him skill-based evolutions. Never have a rogue in your party? Get your Eidolon to look for those traps and to disable them too.
You cannot get a critical hit with a sunder combat maneuver.
Page 174 of the core reads:
"Objects are immune to nonlethal damage and to critical hits. Even animated objects, which are otherwise considered creatures, have these immunities."
A fighter with the archer archetype is actually a very poor sundering class (despite some of the hype in various places for them as one) because of Page 174 of the Core:
"Ranged Weapon Damage: Objects take half damage from ranged weapons (unless the weapon is a siege engine or something similar—see page 434). Divide the damage dealt by 2 before applying the object’s hardness."
This is also true of all (or sometimes, just most) energy attacks, such as magic. Page 173 of the Core reads:
"Energy attacks deal half damage to most objects. Divide the damage by 2 before applying the object’s hardness. Some energy types might be particularly effective against certain objects, subject to GM discretion."
I've seen a few players make these mistakes and even more GMs makes them.
Thank you as well! Sorry that it has taken me so long to reply, I have been rather busy today.
I also have one last question, if this same mounted gnome wanted to be stealthy for a while (a long while or a little while) does he roll the check or does the mount? Or do both creatures roll the check?
First off, this character is currently level 1 and in PFS.
I recently made a gnome cavalier (emissary archetype) that rides a wolf whilst charging with his lance, and I've run into a few problems/questions that I didn't even consider before building him.
1) Does a small-sized lance still have reach?
2) If it does have reach, do I hit first or does my mount?
3) If it does not have reach, then do I hit first or does my mount?
4) Also, if it does have reach and I have ride-by attack, does my mount ever need to attack at all or can I just charge at reach and keep going?
Kikko armor: 5 ac, 4 max dex and -3 armor check pen, 1 less than scale mail. It's only 30 GP and can be found in ultimate equipment and ultimate combat.
I'd suggest having the summoner be affected by some mind-fudging spell and make the summoner (male or female) believe that he/she is Oden riding his 8-legged horse Sleipnir.
Make it so that he/she wields godly powers (magic spells) whilst using his/her horse to combat the fools that appose him/her.
There, that'd be fun, eh?
Bonus: You could also get him/her to call the other party members god's names as well.
Thank you very much for the correction. However, there is an error that have been made. It's very understandable how it happened however. I really do appreciate what you've done, but the mod "#4–02: In Wrath’s Shadow (PFRPG)" is showing up as if it had be GMed by "Gregory Lloyd" when in fact it had been GMed by me.
Thank you once again for your help, but could you please correct this?
Also, how do I find out who my local venture captain is so that I may find his/her email?
Hello, I'd like to start this off by apologizing if this is in the wrong place. I wasn't sure where else to put it.
At any rate, earlier today I registered a new character (#6) named Alry and I made sure to select his faction as Grand Lodge. I checked everything twice before making him and yet no he's shown up as not only with the Andoran faction, but as if he had two sessions under his belt! Two sessions that actually belonged to another character of mine named Tarick (#5).
I have no idea as per how to fix this issue and any help would be appreciated.
Once again, Thanks a bunch for the input guys! Sorry that it has taken me so long to reply.
I have taken some of the advice given here and I have changed my stats to the following:
STR 18
DEX 14
CON 14
INT 9 (to be increased later)
WIS 7 (I'll be taking the +2 to will saves feat later)
CHA 14 (I still see the power behind 1d4+2 negative energy per round as a non-action)
My skills will be Intimidate, Perception, Knowledge Nature and Survival.
I figure that should hold me over, and insure that I can pull my weight in combat.
I've also been thinking about taking 3 levels of two-handed fighter for overhand chop, but I'm not sure if it's worth the loss of a rage power.
I was really excited about the oracle idea, but I'd need 5 levels in it for it to really work and... there's only 12 in PFS, lol. I'd end up in doing more damage with just straight barb that way. (Probably the worst part about PFS)
I must ask why it matters what his INT is though... I wasn't planning on this guy being much more than the big-dumb-guy with a soul kind of barb. His only needed skills are Perception and Intimidate. In terms of wisdom, I'm seeing what you guys are saying. And I've actually tried the 17 STR then +1 at 4th with a paladin... he sucked until 4th.
I never even thought of this Rage-cycling thing before though... is there any way that a human can do it without dropping 5 levels in something? If not, I just might try that halfling idea though.
