Grovestrider's page

I generally houserule special effects based on the weather category type used.

Precipitation: Increasing the Precipitation severity desalinates the water (which nauseates salt-water fish, and sickens freshwater fish).

Aridity: Increasing the Aridity severity salinates the water (which nauseates freshwater fish, and sickens salt-water fish).

Wind: Creates temporary currents, that require swim checks vs the sphere DC to navigate in.

Cold: Works normally

Heat: Works normally

Anyone know if this conversion has been done or if Drop Dead Studios is working on it at all?

I really liked the system when I read it, but I never had the chance to play it in pathfinder. Hoping to try it in 5e.

Good News, the Kickstarter for converting both Spheres of Power and Spheres of Might to D&D 5e is now live.

I am personally a huge fan of spontaneous alchemy. As a gm I make sure that all encountered spellcasters carry a couple reagents. One of the reasons why I like spontaneous alchemy is that martial characters (rogues, fighters, etc) can use them to make poisions, special ammunition, or alchemical tools/weapons, while casters can use them to boost the effectiveness of their spells as a power reagent.

Situations like this is why I appreciate Spheres of Power. It divides magic more uniformly, which helps both players and gms alike these sort of interactions.

For example, patterns in SoP are not effects from the Illusion sphere, but from the Light sphere. In addition, the interaction between special senses (Blindsight, True seeing, etc) and illusions are explored and defined more in-depth, not to mention handling things like disbelieving and interacting with illusions. The guide to handling illusions can be found on the sphereswiki here.

Honestly, if I were to make the animorphs, I would probably write them all up as Thaumaturges with the Experimentalist archetype. Their individual strengths and weaknesses can be handled with ability score allotment, skills, and feats.

Regarding shapeshifting and weapons, many forms explicitly state that it gives you arms with hands that can manipulate objects just like a human can. These forms can weild weapons. Of course, you your equipment melds with your new form, so you will need to drop the weapons to the ground (or hand them off to someone else) before the shapeshift.

Shapeshifting does not state that it has any effect on your alignment. For talents like Fiendish Transformation, just because you radiate an evil aura doesn't mean your alignment is evil.

Unless I am mistaken, the Solid Illusions feat is being errata'd to require Illusionary Touch (twice).

Yes, increase speed would be able to with the Solid Illusions feat be able to increase the speed that you move figments.

Yes, magic sink could with the Solid Illusions feat be used to protect your illusions from counterspelling.

With the potential errata however, I am hesitant to say that you can use these talents without Illusionary Touch (twice).

Just spoke to the author of the Illusion sphere handbook. Here are his answers:

1) You need Illusionary Touch x2 to deal extra damage from an Enhanced Illusion. Unless your illusions are already dealing lethal damage (be it through the Shadow Infusion talent or Tactile Illusion feat), all additional damage will be nonlethal damage (nonlethal fire damage, nonlethal bleed damage, etc).

2) Only illusions that are dealing lethal damage (such as with the Shadow Infusion talent or Tactile Illusions feat) may have their attacks poisoned (be it contact or injury).

3) Illusions of objects are not objects, as such, they are not legal targets of such abilities or effects. Objects created with the Shadow Magic feat however are objects, and as such are legal targets for Animate Object (and similar effects), although they will have reduced stats as normal.

Just spoke to the author of the Illusion sphere handbook.

When dealing exclusively with the Shadow Infusion talent, all it is intended to do is allow you to choose to deal lethal or nonlethal damage, and only have a reduced effectiveness on a successful Will save to disbelieve. The part about objects and creatures of the (shadow) descriptor is not meant to apply outside the Shadow Magic feat (decreased hit points with objects from the Creation sphere, companions from the Conjuration sphere, etc. This is because illusions are neither objects nor creatures.

I personally found the illusion guide from The Trickster's Handbook (by DDS) to be very useful when dealing with illusions.

Sphères of power/might ! :)

I am going to second the request for Spheres of Power / Spheres of Might support. I am not asking for class sheets, all I want are 2 sheets:

- Martial Talents spellbook sheet (including Tradition (drawbacks), PAM) and then 10 small sections each including the following for each sphere: Sphere name, DC, Duration, Range, Target, Talents; and then below this include 5 or so lines for various sphere abilities.

Here is a sample level 1 character that uses Spheres of Power and Spheres of Might, take note of the Magic and Martial sections of the statblock.

Instead of Alteration sphere, why not just give them the Transformation feat?

The Tech sphere play test document can be found here (posting link from phone, so hopefully it works). If it does not, you can find a direct link in this thread.

The Tech sphere, which is currently in playtest offers a weapon attachable gadget that mimics the effects of the Lead Blades spell.

I personally utilize SoP's 'The Trickster's Handbook', by DDS, for guides on how to handle Illusions. There is a portion of the guide that can be found here.

I have to say, I am not too enthused about the Ranger preview. When looking at the investment required to even use traps in combat and the area that a trap covers, it just sucks. Also, while I appreciate that options for spell-less rangers are available right off the bat, I prefer my rangers with spells, not without.

Cantriped wrote:

Rysky wrote:

Anecdotal statements based on every game I've been in, but HP (and the ability to recover it, whether through spells or items) has never been a determiner for when we call an adventure outing early, it has always been when the Spellcasters run low or out of spells, regardless of everyone's HP.

That is because Spells can equal HP but HP doesn't equal Spells. The party's spell slots (and now RP) are more valuable than the HP becaude they can be converted into HP in addition to any number of other things.

Plus there is the simple fact that HP alone cannot obviate an encounter or advance the plot... but Spells (and their equivalents) can (or they can restore HP). So as long as you have spells you can advance the plot or replace HP... HP meanwhile can only be lost. It doesn't actually do anything else.

This doesn't make any sense.

Spells can be converted into HP... if you're playing a Cleric (with the spontaneous CW ability).

"So as long as you have spells you can advance the plot or replace HP"

... if you have the right casting class and spells...

"HP meanwhile can only be lost."

I honestly can't parse what point you're trying to make with this. If you lose all your HP you go unconscious and possibly die, can't really advancing the story that way.

I think what Cantriped is trying to say is that Spellcasting PCs who have only a couple of hp remaining (but still have 90% of their spell slots remaining) are more likely to continue the adventure's plot than a Spellcasting PC at full health (but only 1 spell slot remaining).

HP does nothing by itself to advance the plot. HP does let the party fly across the chasm, HP doesn't identify the mcguffin, HP doesn't grant bonuses to necessary skill checks. HP does nothing. Spells on the other hand can do all this and more. So when HP drops, the party is likely to continue, while if spell slots are low, the party immediately drops to a halt until they are recovered.

EDIT: The reason why Spells can equal HP, but HP cannot equal Spells is because Spell slots can be used to restore HP, but HP cannot be traded for additional spell slots. For this reason, if given the choice between more spell slots and higher hp, most people will choose more spell slots.

What about?

• Wands are not consumables any longer, but can cast their spell for a 1RP cost of the receiver.
  
• Staffs are like wands, but have additional bonuses (such as enabling their spell(s) to be used spontaneously costing a spell slot instead of a RP).
  
• No item has charges, but instead use RP to use. Staffs don't have charges that need to be recharged.
  
• All characters have CHA + 1/2 lvl resonance points in their reservoir. No flat rolls for overspending, but simply: If you overspend, you gain/increase the Sick condition after 1 minute, which can only be recovered by sleeping for 8 hours.
  
• A character can synchronize their spirit each day with worn items, for a maximum of their total resonance points. This does not use up a resonance point.
  
• Potions cost a RP to create, nothing to use.
  

This counteracts the CLW wand spam as well, as any wand now costs resolve points. "Then what about high level parties buying up 100's of potions?" > I answer: what store will have 100's of potions anyhow?? It's more normal that a store has 1d4 or 1d6 of healing potions.

I like all of these fixes, especially the wands, charges, and potion fixes. I would also remove all mention of X/day items and instead make activating them cost extra resonance.

When I first heard of Resonance, I was excited that keeping track of X/day items was going to be a thing of the past. But now it looks like that not only are X/day items still present, but that it is compounded with Resonance. I want to have to keep track of less resource pools, not more.

I also cannot express my unadulterated loathing for Resonance being forced upon consumable items (especially potions). There are so many ways to prevent people from just chugging potion after potion.

I agree that the target of the mana siphon blast should be allowed to choose which slot is lost. I personally would also allow the target to choose to lose spell slots from any spell level (I wouldn't force them to lose their highest level spell slots first).

I am mostly upset that the archetype and prestige class feats don't have ALL the prerequisites located in a single uniform location. If you don't want players to take a specific archetype feat before a certain level, put in the prerequisite line. Don't sneak it in at the upper right hand corner ambiguously.

Grovestrider wrote:

TheFinish wrote:

jimthegray wrote:

Unicore wrote:

IT seems like no archetype can be applied from level 1 now. Is this true?

PIRATE DEDICATION

Prerequisites Dexterity 12, trained in Acrobatics and Sailing Lore

this should be easy enough at level 1

Yeah but, again, it also says Feat 2 in the header, which to me means it's a 2nd level (and onwards) Feat. So not doable level 1, unless Feat 2 means something different than what I think it does.

I really wish that this was clarified. I can see it as one of two ways:

A): The 'Feat 2' signifies that it is Feat 2 of 6 (the Pirate archetype has 6 different feats).

or

B): The 'Feat 2' signifies an additional prerequisite, in that it cannot be taken before 2nd level.

Personally, I am really hoping that it is option A (with as niche and specific as the archetype is, there are some Pirate feats that I would probably want sooner than others, and wouldn't want to wait 4 or six levels to gain).

Sorry, two different feats presented in the blog have the «feat 6» thing. I think it's a hint in favor of option B.

Only one of the 'Feat 6' is for the Pirate archetype, the other one is for the Grey Maiden Prestige Class

jimthegray wrote:

Unicore wrote:

IT seems like no archetype can be applied from level 1 now. Is this true?

PIRATE DEDICATION

Prerequisites Dexterity 12, trained in Acrobatics and Sailing Lore

this should be easy enough at level 1

Yeah but, again, it also says Feat 2 in the header, which to me means it's a 2nd level (and onwards) Feat. So not doable level 1, unless Feat 2 means something different than what I think it does.

I really wish that this was clarified. I can see it as one of two ways:

A): The 'Feat 2' signifies that it is Feat 2 of 6 (the Pirate archetype has 6 different feats).

or

B): The 'Feat 2' signifies an additional prerequisite, in that it cannot be taken before 2nd level.

Personally, I am really hoping that it is option A (with as niche and specific as the archetype is, there are some Pirate feats that I would probably want sooner than others, and wouldn't want to wait 4 or six levels to gain).

For clarification, in-order to gain Extradimensional Room, you will need the following feats:
- Basic Magical Training for the Warp sphere
- Extra Magic Talent for Extradimensional Room talent

I am really disliking the Alchemist preview. I think it boils down to being forced into a particular playstyle with the class. Maybe I want to play a Jekle/Hyde alchemist, not a grenadier alchemist.

What I would've liked to see instead is the option to choose what "type" or "package" of alchemist you are at 1st level. Do you use Bombs, Extracts, Mutagens, or Poisons? Then at 5th level you have the opportunity to choose a 2nd package. Then at 10th level, you can choose a 3rd package. Finally at 15th level, you can choose a 4th package. (Any time you could choose a package, you may instead choose to focus further into a previous package).

But gating iconic packages at 5th level I feel is unreasonable. I am especially disappointed with the necessity of waiting for 6th level before one can gain Precise Bomb. I just think it is an unnecessary level tax.

Blog wrote:

This feat allows your elf to become trained in a skill of your choice when she prepares for each day.

I think the "floating" proficiency is a great idea and hope for an ancestry feat for a second one, or even a "floating" skill feat to go along with it (like the brawler's floating combat feat).

Unfortunately, I can see a "floating" proficiency enforcing a 5-minute adventuring day. "Oh, there's a trap or lock?, Better rest to get the skill". "We need to talk to the king?", Better rest to get the skill". Alternatively, depending upon the wording of the ancestry trait, it can get rather weird RP-wise where suddenly a character has no ability to do X or Y (even though they have been doing just fine with it the last 20 times).

Name for me even a single iconic half-dwarf or half-gnome anywhere in fantasy and I'll bite here.

Obviously you haven't played in the Dark Sun campaign setting, otherwise you would know about the Mul.

I was looking forward to mixing a character's ancestry with heritage feats (Humans raised by Dwarves learning to hold their liquor w/ the Hardy heritage feat; or Gnomes raised by Elves w/ the Keen Hearing heritage feat). I guess that may very well be just one MORE disappointment.

I also am against having the base speed (or stride) of a race be an odd number. It really does muck things up when things like the Hampered or Slowed conditions come up.

Get creative. XD The Creation Sphere in particular is more valuable when a creative mind uses it. It's not necessarily "strong", per se, but it's flexible when you have the right ideas.

You should also post your review on the DriveThruRPG site.

1. Archaeologist Bard (Sometimes I just want to play a bard who doesn't perform)
2. Lore Warden Fighter (Because sometimes the fighter isn't just a meatstick with a sword)
3. Treesinger Druid (although I would prefer if it weren't limited to elf-only)
4. Eldritch Scoundrel Rogue (Arcane Tricksters are fun)
5. Zen Archer Monk (Iconic, and fun)

I prefer the 5/talent. It encourages some focus, which is what I like about the sphere systems. It discourages exactly what the proponents for it seem to want, grabbing a group of spheres for max skill ranks, instead of making an actual style.

Except that dipping into other spheres with Spheres of Might is now harsher than dipping into other spheres with Spheres of Power.

For example, we have two characters, a level 1 Conscript (who specialized in the Guardian sphere, but dipped into the Warleader sphere), and a level 1 Incanter (who specialized in the Protection sphere, but dipped into the War sphere). After the first five levels, the Conscript no longer gets any increasing benefit from the Warleader sphere, whereas the Incanter's War sphere abilities continue to have their duration and effects increase (even without any continued investment in the sphere).

Because the most recent nerf to the skill spheres punishes (instead of rewarding) martials for dipping into other spheres, you are more likely to find cookie-cutter builds where martials either stick to their two spheres or else slaps on drawbacks for no reason but to get their free ranks, making them even less likely to use or invest further in the sphere.

Everyone picking up a mix of spheres, even if it's just the base sphere and even if it was just for skills... what's the problem? Did threads crop up about "My Fighter has Ranks in Perception and three more skills! How do I handle it?"

Seriously, who actually complained about a different system being, you know, different?

Exactly my point. I am very curious as to who exactly complained about the skills, because as far as I can tell the change came suddenly without any warning. It is also disappointing because during the Kickstarter, it was promised that Spheres of Might would include 'Spheres of Excellence' (options for Skillful characters). I personally thought that giving max ranks was a good way of implementing this.

Overall, my feeling is that the system is still fairly well-balanced. No, you can't get 20 skill points for the price of one feat anymore - but you probably shouldn't have gotten that much anyway, since normal skill-granting feats like Persuasive cap out at +4 in one ability and +8 in two (and even that much only if you've dumped quite a few points into them). Combat talents give you more skill points in one skill (over time) and a useful ability, rider, or other effect at the same time.

As Dragonborn3 pointed out, Paizo had already published a feat that grants free max ranks in a skill: Cunning. Now obviously, most (not all) of the spheres or talents which granted additional abilities (albeit minor) on-top of the free max ranks, which makes them inherently more powerful than the Cunning feat. However, by locking them behind 5 ranks per talent, SoM is complicating builds and making it significantly weaker than the Cunning feat.

Naturally all with Spheres of Power.

Pinkie Pie for example, has the warp sphere with Extradimensional Storage. That's where she keeps her party cannon, and it also explains how she mysteriously gets into all those strange places and can geg ahead of Rainbow Dash.

Personally, I would have them stated out as follows:

All ponies as a racial ability get a Martial Tradition from Spheres of Might for free.
All unicorns as a racial ability get Basic Magical Training (Telekinesis sphere) for free.

Twilight - Incanter (focuses in the Divination sphere, but ultimately dips into nearly every sphere).
Fluttershy - Eliciter (Took Mind sphere w/ Animal Shaman drawback and Nature sphere w/ Natural Spirit drawback)
Pinkie Pie - Armorist (bound weapon: party cannon, possibly spread evenly between Creation and Warp sphere, although probably dips into the Divination sphere for "pinkie-sense").
Rainbow Dash - Elementalist (focuses entirely in the Weather sphere)
Rarity - Blacksmith (doesn't focus in any particular combat sphere, and uses her feats for possibly Extra Magical Talent to gain Creation and Enhancement spheres)
Applejack - Iron Chef Blacksmith (focuses almost entirely in the Athletics sphere)

Yeah I noticed most of the spheres that grant skill ranks were changed to 5 from base sphere then +5 per talent. Not sure I like that change makes things more complex for some of my less skilled players.

I also liked how Spheres of Might (before the errata) promoted the dipping into other spheres for max ranks because it allowed for rounded characters who did not only focus in 1-2 spheres.

What I would like to know is if the Sage class qualifies to take a Unified Tradition.

King Faleyros of Mendycia wrote:

....sans the player's guide to the Wizard's Academy (whatever it is called).

There's no players guide to this product specifically. You're either thinking of the Player's Guide to Skybourne, or the product that's just this thing's monster section cut out (which is too long to remember).

Fantastical Creatures and How to Survive Them. Its pretty much a Spheres of Power bestiary.

But I digress. So just as another question: Who wrote that introductory tale for SoM, because I really like this stuff?

Unless I am mistaken, I believe Adam Meyers writes the introductions. I also like the introduction, but I dislike how it constantly switches between narrative and informative texts. I would prefer if they were separated with the narrative story or informative text first, followed by the other.

I just realized I hadn't gotten a review up for this yet. That has been fixed.

Any chance of also adding your review to the DriveThruRPG site?

I am going to agree with GM Rednal, in that I also believe that Mercurial Flow should have Double Slice as an Associated Feat.

Still no at-will free power? I get that summoning is not something that should be free, but it's there any kind of little widget that could be given? Seems like a better use of space than a class for playing a free summoned creature.

There are a couple companion archetypes that reduce the spell point cost of your companion. For example, if you have a Familiar companion, your spell point cost to summon is reduced by two. That alone covers the spell point to maintain via concentration, plus the 2nd spell point to maintain without concentration.

Collin Acrule on Page 19 is a Hedgewitch, but I can only find one Tradition. Isn't he supposed to have two?

Also Satyr mUSician on page 131 and prof. meeda on page 199.

Can you give an idea on what traditions of hedgewitch they are supposed to have.

-- david

Collin Acrule is a hedgewitch with the Charlatanism and Spiritualism hedgewitch traditions (this is obvious with his special attacks listing guile pool and spiritualism.

Satyr Musician is possibly a hedgewitch with both the Charlatanism and Academia hedgewitch traditions (I am unsure about Academia). If I am wrong and the Satyr is infact missing the Academia hedgewitch tradition, all that is needed to rectify this is increase the Satyr's spell pool by 3.

Professor Meeda is an Entropic Sage Hedgewitch (an archetype from the Destroyer's Handbook that trades out one hedgewitch tradition for a bunch of monk abilities) with the Spiritualism hedgewitch tradition.

Timmaay wrote:

I found it...and sadly it was a third party.....Spheres of Power....

I cannot find any "Elemental Ascetic" feat in Spheres of Power nor the spheres of power supplement "Destroyers Handbook", even if such a feat does exist somewhere it would be to use that system's blast as a touch attack not refer to the kineticist's kinetic blast class feature.

I believe what the person meant to say was that they found it on the Spheres of Power wiki, under additional content from Kineticists of Porphyra I-IV, and Legendary Kineticists I-II.

Okay, I have a couple:

Anyone Can Assume All Villians Invade Domestic Economy Through Locating Business And Aquisitions.
------------------------------
Athiests Can And Always Victimize Indescrete Denominations, Equal Tolerance Lives By Allowed Acceptance
------------------------------
Adventurers Camoflauge Armor And Vulnerability In Debonair Equipment That Lacks Budget And Abstinance

There probably is a compromise. For example, you could probably say that what an armorist can summon or bind to themselves is limited by the cost of the item they would otherwise be able to bind. Thus for example a:

Level 1 Armorist: Can only bind or summon equipment which is worth 800gp or less (most masterwork equipment fall into this category)

Level 3 Armorist: Can only bind or summon equipment which is worth 2,800gp or less (most +1 equipment fall into this category)

Level 5 Armorist: Can only bind equipment which is worth 8,800gp or less (most +2 equipment fall into this category). At 6th level, the armorist may also summon equipment of this same worth.

Obviously, arsenal tricks that allow for other special materials or add an additional +1 may either increase the allowed worth, or be granted for free.

Using this compromise, a player wouldn't be able to have a laser torch bound till level 5, or summoned till level 6.

I just wanted to say that regarding the new Troubador:

1st, I appreciate the increased number of available personas (although, I would still love to see an "innocent" persona based around children and how full of hope and aspirations, while also ignorant and naive as to the cruelty of the world. The innocent also builds or creates our views of life, safety, nurture, loyalty, and family. The innocent in it's ignorance gains a wanderlust, and eventually loses it's innocence to the cruelty of the world as it matures and learns these cold facts. While innocent however, they have wild imaginations, and elaborate dreams; All of this together can make for an entire persona and can be labeled as 'The Child', 'The Innocent', or 'The Virgin'.

2nd, While I will miss all the personalization of the new Troubadour, I appreciate that the class overload has been removed. I also realize that 'something' had to give in-order to resolve this issue.

In short, I am overall happy with how Spheres of Might is progressing with this class; While the old Troubador's power level was not over-the-top before, it was overloaded with class abilities (which made it time consuming to build even low-level characters).

I checked up on those examples. I didn't see anything in the Charlatan tradition...

The Charlatan tradition can gain rogue talents with secrets. There is a rogue talent in the Diviner's Handbook called Prescient Dodger.

Again, I personally would prefer if there was an Equipment talent (instead of 3+ classes gaining a class feature w/ get +X to AC). As to whether it was limited to unarmored or allows for light armor, I have the following thoughts:

If only works while unamored and unencumbered, the bonus should scale with level. The AC bonus should not be capped by HD.

If the talent works while unarmored or in light armor, and while unencumbered, the bonus should not scale. The bonus could probably be capped by HD.

Ah. I hadn't checked out either of those very much. One level dip is definitely a small investment for something that might be a +4-+5 and likely scaling higher quickly.

Also note that in the instance of the Hedgewitch, the class is VERY dip friendly. In-fact, some people dip into Hedgewitch for nothing more than the Channel Spirit Allies power of the Spiritualism Tradition.

Really? What talents/feats/abilities do that?

I must have missed something really awesome.

Dipping a single level into one of the following classes can get you your CAM to AC w/out much sacrifice (because CL is like BAB):

Grovestrider wrote:

Wraithguard wrote:

I was thinking of a Knack for the Scholar that allowed you to add Int modifier to AC and CMD, a sort of Cunning Defender, but limit it to the Scholar's level (like the Kensai Magus) or a level requirement to push off level dipping for it.

Too powerful?

I believe the Dev's have been discussing the prospect of making an Equipment talent that allows you to add your Practioner Ability Modifier (PAB) to AC and CMD; Which I completely support BTW.

So do I think it is too powerful? Not in the slightest.

This ability needs to be worded so that casters cannot steal it; should Swashbucklers be getting charisma to AC? Absolutely. Should Sorcerers? Absolutely not. I wouldn't be bothered if having 6th or 9th level casting (or the equivalent of spells for SoP) barred you from using the talent entirely.

Thing is, Spheres of Power offers a number of ways for spellcasters to gain their Casting Ability Modifier to AC with almost no investment at-all.