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A simple a fast combat one is Vanara Rogue (Makeshift Scrapper), take Surprise weapon trait, and multiclass with Core Monk (Of the empty hand). First feat is disposable weapon, then splintering weapon. Carry a lot of improvised fragile weapons, get improved disarm fast. Then hit all the things with all of the other things and make everything bleed as you confirm crits while doing sneak damage. Online level 3 with so many feats to spare after 6th.
Quick, easy, cheap, highly mobile with vanara climb, great for intrigue games, and fun to be totally not Jackie Chan.

As per usual, Goblins are the best!
Goblin Racial Feat: Roll With It. On a high dex goblin with max acrobatics, makes them deadly melee dodge tanks. Hit the Goblin? It rolls away, bounces off a wall, then charges back with boots of haste and fleet relatively unharmed. Hilarious and awesomely broken with a Scout Rogue.

Well Prepared Halfing feat is also just thematically fun for a packrat, couple with Helpful, another Halfling feat, and Lucky, you become the best sidekick ever.

The Vishkanya has another really thematic feat: Sleep Venom. On a multi attacking build (Like a shuriken storm ninja) you can easily get the target to guarantee to fail at least once, for zero cost other than downtime and daily uses. Hella powerful on an intrigue character that absolutely HAS to put down that target or fail.

I actually built a character around this very concern.

Slings: Free to buy, weightless, can throw bullets or stones (turn a 1d2 x2 at 10ft stone to a 1d3x2 at 50ft projectile. DC5 to craft (Under alternate crafting rules), bullets just need clay and time and a DC5/10 check to craft for survival animal hunting ammo.
Can be used as cordage, knotted together as a simple rope, or for traps.
A normal sling can be between 1 and 3ft long when folded, or 2-6ft when at length and be 1 single piece of cordage/leather. Technically you could have 50 of them stashed all over your character as strapping.

Sawback mod, hollow pommel mod, Brass Dagger: Light, simple, cheap, impervious to corrosion. Can be used as a simple woodworking tool (therefore DC5 under alternate crafting rules, to make quarterstaves, wood spikes, clubs/wood hammer, or simple slings and ropes from plant fibre). Plus it is also a knife for regular survival uses. I am sure for a higher DC you could craft fishing spears, shovels, bows/crossbows, arrows, furniture, etc.

Travelling tea kettle/adamantine kettle: Container, boiling vessel, hammer, inefficient oil/wick lamp or dry tinder holder.

Bonus Mentions:

Machete: Obvious for its use as a weapon/knife/axe/+1 survival, sawback mod to get it to count as a simple woodworking tool as well. Heck hollow pommel it to hold a potion of endure elements/bandages/tinder/candle/etc.

Bill: Literally a farming tool made weapon, great for harvesting fruits, branches, or clearing brush at reach.

Net/Bola/Boomerang: Hunting tools, and net to hold supplies.

Halfling sling staff: All the advantages of a sling, plus a club and walking staff.

Rope dart: Rope and retrievable hunting implement, also has a metal spike for log splitting/climbing.

Malik Gyan Daumantas wrote:

Are there crossbow bolt equivalents of blunt arrows?

Nope. Another reason never to focus on crossbows in Pathfinder!

Bolt ace 5/hunter, heavy x-bow, with gravity bow and vital strike line, is a pretty nice boss killer.

The Pellet bow fires B projectiles.

Just putting this out there:
Gunslinger -Bolt Ace: MWK Launching crossbow as free weapon.
Go 5 levels for dex to damage and improved crit range.

Multiclass Alchemist Grenadier: Focus on alchemical weapon crafting, use the grenadier ability to double up splash weapon effects, so you can have acid infused burning tanglefoot bag, or a rusting powder infused brewed reek.
All with DEX+INT to damage, DEX to hit.

Have a hand crossbow for backup, and just enough WIS to have a couple grit, take extra grit to use the later tier abilities more often.
Go down the vital strike line as your moves will be used by the grenadier ability most rounds.

Moderate damage, bombs to fall back on, HUGE battlefield control AND debuff capability, alchemist discoveries give you increasing options for defence or attack. Have all the things so when an enemy appears you have some tool to use against them.

42: Various mosses grown on trees, mushroom patches tended, tree branches cut and bent into a circular grove. When wind passes through the grove, the land literally speaks, as the seasons change the direction shifts and the words spoken change. Generally used as a record and training area for the next generation of Druid. Sometimes used by cannibal Elves for inter tribe messages.

43: A walking stick with hundreds of precise holes carved into slats, each slat is decorated with beads making it a very musical item. When held at the right angle, words appear on the ground in the shadow cast through the staff, the beads move as it spins to reveal new words.

44: A tiny sized Poppet robed in book pages and wearing a librarians cap embedded with a valuable divination gem. When a question is asked, the poppet walks in lines, it's feet leaving behind glowing letters with each step that answer the question. Only 10 letters appear at a time before the first fade to nothing.

45: Ghost book. A book made from the ethereal plane untouchable except with ghost touch gloves. Ghost salt or purification rituals can return the book to the material plane, but ruin it forever. Ghosts can interact with it normally, able to write with the attached ghost quill.

46: Book of horns. Hollow carved horns collected into a spiral mass that hangs before the Shaman's hut. A skilled "reader" can gently blow a horn, placing fingers over specific holes, to mimic speech of long dead leaders and wise people. Too much or too little pressure only results in squeaks and squeals.

47: The hat book. A tall librarians hat that when worn causes ink to splash over the wearer, they become the book but cannot read themselves. Any ink added to the person is added to the "book". When the hat is removed ALL ink goes with it and vanishes till next worn (Yes, ALL ink, careful with tattoo's!).

48: The counting book: A big metal box with complex runes and gears inscribed in silver on the top. This simple "book" when opened is empty, any number of disparate items placed inside are "counted" as given labels for the owner when a small bit of blood is added to the "latch". So a barbarian may place 50 ears inside, the box would say ears of 30 Goblins, 4 bugbears, and 1 Troll, placed by Tolf the cheater. Or a Gnome may place 6000 marbles inside and it would say how many of each variety placed by Gibblforth the hatter.
By rotating dials one can scroll back through the records, or place a new sample of blood to see the last counting. The contents are normal and not magically stored or removed (that must be done manually).

If this is the very same Toolkit cantrip that's mentioned over here...

then by a very strict, more rigid interpretation by any hypothetical GM, it seems to only allow for a +2 on just any crafting skill only.

On the other hand, if said hypothetical GM allows or is willing to "homebrew" something similar to the Magic Trick feat, that Toolkit spell might be bolstered to allow for something similar to the Umbral Gear Rogue Talent. A possible prerequisite feat might be something along the lines of Create Wondrous Items or mebbe Illusory Mastery? ;)

The Spell does say any known tool into your free hand (So obviously limited to single hand sized items), and the craft bonus is on a new sentence, implying you make a tool to perform a task, and also crafting is a bonus.

Just a quick question, is the Spell Toolkit from Kobold press (Cantrip, summon any tool to complete a specific task, +2 to craft).
Is it specifically only for tools used for the craft skill? or are we assuming we can summon a grappling hook/drill/glass cutter/ladder/hammer/piton/crowbar/stretcher/etc?

Both are useful for gear light characters, but one is much better than the other.

Meh, I can only find it on D20PFSRD, not AoN... so it's probably BS, but here it is:

"Some new items are really existing magic items with a different weapon or armor type, such as a dagger of venom that is a rapier instead of a dagger or a lion’s shield that’s a wooden shield instead of a metal shield. For these items, just replace the price of the non-magical masterwork item with the cost of the new type of item. For example, a rapier of venom has a price of 8,320 gp instead of the dagger of venom‘s price of 8,302 gp."

It looks like it is from Ultimate Campaign pg170. Essentially, do it if it makes sense, GM decides what makes sense.

So, assuming the enchantment could be constructed onto a similar weapon of type IE: Sling to sling staff.

Is the enchantment using a fixed value (1d3 regardless of size or weapon), or is it using the weapons base die (1d6 slingstaff Small) for damage?

My instinct says base weapon damage (as the scatter sling itself is a small sling using 1d3 as base damage), presumably a medium sling would use a 1d4 for the scatter effect. If not, turning 1d6+ into potentially 2-7 1d3+ is a decent tradeoff still for a 1000gp ability.
A 1d6+ (Small slingstaff) at 2-7 hits per regular attack sounds very, very nice though =p

The good news is that it is only a ~30gp difference to buy/craft a Scatter Sling as a Sling Staff... Scatter Sling Staff, henceforth the SSS. Nice upgrade in damage/range/crit... for a price difference that literally means nothing to no one.

A 20pt buy Warslinger Halfling can start with 12,17,14,10,14,10... three levels of Weapon Master Fighter can get you a +10 to attack and +7 to damage with your mighty sling staff... +11/+8 with a +1 SSS... which is not unreasonable to have bought/crafted at level 3.

To attack: (+10)
+3 BAB +1 Size +1 WF +1 PBS +1 WT +3 Dex

To damage: (~7)
1D6 +1 PBS +1 WT +1 Style +1 Str

Do slings qualify for Startoss Style? Not that you can use Startoss with Slipslinger together (without very particular investment)... but a +6 damagecan come from there since I am pretty sure they do actually count as weapons in the thrown weapon group.

I have always gravitated towards Halflings and Warslinger and Slipslinger Style because I value the flavor of it more than looking for pure damage potential... but Startoss Style may be better choice if you want your shenanigans to stay viable late game.

Slipslinger only gives a +1 damage, and if you aren't going to invest in tossing alchemical items, then Startoss has to be the better choice. Far less feat investment involved for Startoss, as well.

I might have to consider giving Vrern Downflower a little rewrite... nah, I like the fact that Slipslinger style requires the Warslinger alternative racial feature available only to Halflings... it is worth it to keep him as a Slipslinger, me-thinks. Sometimes it just feels right, even if it's not "optimal".

I was under the impression that Specific magic weapons could be upgraded, but their properties could not be applied to other magical weapons. A scatter sling staff would be amazing with my slipslinger/warslinger halfling as I already have a MWK one.

How would I make it into a scatter weapon, assuming I can? Apply the cost as a named enchantment?

So... basically you want to slap the Scatter property on a sling with an enhancement, normally seen on firearms?

It is a published first party weapon from Heroes From the Fringe, not homebrew.

I agree with avr, it seems like the cone replaces the normal range.

The weapon does say

So it seems you target a creature in range, then declare scatter shot on them, not unlike arrow eruption and the like I believe, but I may be wrong here.

I'd be dubious about it getting precision damage but pretty much anything else should add.

I don't think you get 50' + a 15' cone BTW, it reads like it's just the cone if you choose that option.

The sling range is 50ft, so you can put the cone start anywhere in that range without penalty, don't need to stand next to the swarm to use an AOE like with burning hands.

Hello all. I am currently playing a Halfling archaeologist Bard and was curious about this particular magic weapon. Scatter-Sling for reference.

Is this a great or a terrible weapon?
On the one hand 1d3 [P] in a 15ft cone at a 50ft range, it is a cone so useful as a weapon attack AOE vs swarms (that aren't immune to weapons). Can theoretically split an adamantine/silver/cold iron bullet into many. Regular attack with no action to use, so iterative attacks/Rapid shot can stack.
On the other hand, 1d3 damage is tiny, worse than burning hands at 1st level.

Would this 1d3 cone add any modifiers to it for extra damage as the bullet fired normally would?
EG: Enchantment bonus (from being a +1), STR for being a sling bullet, Slipslinger or related damage to sling attack abilities/Feats, Archaeologists luck, other enchantments (like adding flaming to the weapon).

Or is this a terrible 1d3 static damage small cone, with [P] only damage ignoring bullet material, and only useful on a single standard attack? Making it literally worse than just a +1 sling (for 3.3k vs 2k gold)?

15: -Dazzling Alarm Trap: Simple triggers ignites a Paper Candle Firework: DC 15 FORT or Dazzled for 1d4 Rounds. Plus Firecracker: 1d2+1 Non Lethal, Deafened 1d4 rounds (DC 11 FORT Halves damage, Halves duration). Frightens animals in 20ft for 1d3 rounds (DC11).

16: Wounded Kobold Trap: A Shallow, wide pit with a lifelike humanoid form in the centre. Form is actually 3 Kobolds in a disguise ready to lure "Rescuers" in. At a signal trap doors fall and sling stones fly, central Kobolds attack then dive into a hidden trap door beneath.

17: Razor Grass: Transparent Grass often deliberately planted around fortifications and private farms to guard against pests.
1d2 damage to unprotected legs (Medium or heavy armour, or +2 natural armour). DC12 Reflex to move at half speed and avoid damage. DC20 to detect.

18: Oil Weeds: Slick, shiny grass (very similar to local grasses) that exudes an oily sap along its leaves. Can easily catch fire and burn while wet, as a 1d3 fire for 3 rounds, Sticky sap can adhere to people (Reflex DC15 avoid catching fire). Often used by primitive hunters as traps ignited with tossed embers.

The Bestiary even admits that Kobolds really got screwed in PF1. Lol.

Kobolds have been in pretty much every edition of DnD, and have changed from rat-dogs to lizards... but never have they been hated on like PF1 has done them wrong. We could have hoped the change to being little dragons would have come with something cool, rather than such a cruel weakness.

Don't get me wrong, I love Kobolds. My favorite character ever was a Kobold.

But why? Why give them such a weakness? What design benefit or balance was achieved by doing that? PF1 really, REALLY doesn't want players having access to dragons. Kobolds are weak. All the drake companion options blow. It's just a dumb design choice, compared to embracing the fact that players are going to want access to cool dragon stuff in a fantasy game that involves dragons.

Seriously! I agree so much, poor little guys needed some love, maybe a Kobolds of Golaron support book.

Simple things like a racial breath weapon that scales with level for uses per day or damage. Or a +10 to Tumble through enemy squares, or even a unique ranged weapon perfect for sniping from hidey holes (Ala-Tuckers Kobolds).
I could see it: 20ft cone/Line. 1d4/3 Class levels after first (Element of scales). 1/day or 3/day.
Kobold Double Darter: A complex contraption that can throw 2 Darts together at the same target as one attack action, full action reload. Treat as crossbow for feats. Cannot single fire the darts, 40ft range. Kobolds gain +2 attack with this weapon on a readied action. And can use it like a dagger/short sword on melee, because why not?

Goblins are the Superior Small race though. Roll-With-It on a Scout Rogue is unbelievably strong. Charge (possibly with Kitsune style for Dirty trick), sneak damage. Get hit, roll with it, staggered lets you charge for another sneak attack =p

Halfling Luck is the best thing about them, on an Archaeologist Bard with fates Favoured (Yay Chaldira), they can make impressive archers/slingers for good burst damage and reliable saves. I am building one now for a game actually, should be fun.

I did something like this. I involved a mischievous demigod who enchanted the otherwise mundane prizes.
I would suggest some alchemical "Candies" of dubious quality. When consumed (1d6-1 rounds), grant an alchemical stat bonus (1d6-for stat or base it off fixed stat per flavour), (1dx-2) bonus for 10 minutes.

High risk, high reward, stacks with most existing bonuses, consumable, and potentially cursed? (eat too many and something bad can happen).

Goblins for the awesome combo of Scout Rogue + Roll with it.
With finesse and a sneak on a charge, every time you close, you roll with it vs enemy retaliation, bounce away, then charge as your only action next round. Get a wand of Longstrider, and boots of the cat so you can fly UP when truck and land back at the enemies feet.
Super easy to build and leaves a ton of room to build onto.

I theory built a fun Bolt-Ace/5 - Hunter/x character.

Human, for the bonus feats.
Rapid reload, precise shot, rapid shot, etc.

Light MWK crossbow (Underwater), upgrade later to heavy when you get free action reloads.

Hunter gets you a pet to defend you from rushes, or a permanent aspect to boost your skills/stats (Like darkvision, swim/climb bonuses, etc). And spells like gravity bow, abundant ammunition, and entangle.
Focus DEX and just enough WIS to cast spells, everything else is gravy.

With this and a few rounds of prep you can fire 1d8/1d10 adamantine silver blanch bolts infinitely as 2d6/2d8+DEX shots (19-20/x4), and use grit to target touch for strong targets. Lay out limited AOE debuffs to help with nimble targets, or buff your pet.
Vital strike/Deadly aim for even more devastating single target shots (4d6/4d8+DEX+4 Deadly Aim), which let you position easily to keep enemies out of cover.

Unchained Ninja/Rogue would net you a lot more martial versatility, ninja trick flurry of stars would get you potential sneak damage at range and the ability to spam attacks at weak foes to free up your heavy hitters without throwing feats at bows. Plus weapon finesse to free up STR requirements a bit.

I built a (regular) Giesha bard Vishkanya with the sleep poison racial feat, 2 Ninja levels/rogue trick (Ninja trick) for flurry of stars that I can pre sleep (or regular) poison for stacking DC's for a stealth/intrigue game where performance would be a drawback, but the ceremony is gold. You could supplement your enchantment performances with various poisons to reduce WILL+sneak followed by performance as a solid 1-2 punch, or rely on DEX/Sleep poison against ranged threats or targets immune to your enchantments.

Kitsune seems a great fit race and stat wise, +1 enchantment DC's, great magic disguise, 3/day dancing lights, freeing up a potential spell slot. And thematically very fitting (can literally transform into Geisha makeup humanoid form, and back).

Guardianlord wrote:

Actually, I just realized, far strike monk could flurry at level 1, slings of all types are in the thrown weapon group =p

You could ask your GM, but by default, no. Unless something includes the word "group" weapon groups are not relevant. The CRB clearly distinguishes between between thrown weapons and projectile ranged weapons, listing slings under the latter category (CRB pg. 141).

Dam, and here I thought I had a great build.

Sohei Monk could Flurry with said slingstaff around level 7. Lol.

Actually, I just realized, far strike monk could flurry at level 1, slings of all types are in the thrown weapon group =p

Slipslinger grenadier is nice but it does much the same thing as the grenadier alchemist's level 2 ability. If you drop the 3rd level of fighter then alchemist 1 can cover the mutagen, alchemist 2 gets the equivalent of slipslinger grenadier at 6th level perhaps.

The advantage of a halfling staff sling is ~ +1 damage and a better range increment which is not a big deal. If you start with a normal sling at least it looks like it'd work more easily. Alchemist 2 / bard 2 / fighter 1 could have PBS & precise shot, the equivalent of slipslinger grenadier, lingering performance and one of deadly aim and rapid shot.

Alternately if the staff sling is a big thing for image go for weapon master fighter instead; you can get weapon training (thrown) at 3rd level, forget a mutagen and go for slipslinger style/grenadier/bombardment that way.

I love the flavour of the slingstaff, the club for melee and +1 is just gravy. I was hoping to avoid having to depend on multiple stats so while alchemist would be nice for mutagen, the extracts and bombs would feel like a wasted opportunity. I think weapon master might be the better way to go for this build.

Can't take Slipslinger without Weapon Training, unless I am missing something...

My Warslinger builds start with 3 levels of Weapon Master Fighter for this very reason...

Example:
Halfling
-2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Cha
... Warslinger replaces Sure-Footed

15pt buy (w/ racials):
10,16,14,10,14,10
20pt buy (w/ racials):
12,17,14,10,14,10
25pt buy (w/ racials):
12,19,14,11,14,9

1(class): Weapon Focus Sling
1(level): Point Blank Shot

2. Weapon Guard
2(class): Arc Slinger

3. Weapon Training 1
3(level): Slipslinger Style

To attack:
+3 BAB +1 Size +1 WF +1 PBS +1 WT +3 Dex

To damage:
+1 PBS +1 WT + Str

BAB +3
Base saves:
+3/+1/+1

Saves (with stats & racials):
15pt: +6/+5/+4 (+2 vs fear)
20pt: +6/+5/+4 (+2 vs fear)
25pt: +6/+6/+4 (+2 vs fear)

Stats for continuing into Alchemist:
15pt buy (w/ racials):
10,16,13,15,12,9
20pt buy (w/ racials):
12,16,14,15,12,9
25pt buy (w/ racials):
12,17,14,16,12,9

From what I can gather Slipslinger requires:

I might save weapon focus, drop mutagenic fighter for weapon master. But guides seem to really hate weapon master as an archetype.

I am theory building some various characters as backups for an ongoing campaign. One idea I had was a staff sling wielding lucky warslinger Halfling.
Slipslinger is critical to the build so that I can use the staff sling like a sling.
The trouble is I want to get to slipslinger grenadier feat before it becomes irrelevant, but I would need lingering performance to take advantage of archaeologists luck more than a few rounds a day. Coupled with the usual required feats, I am not sure what the best progression is. Focus would be on few, powerful shots, thus rapid shot is a secondary concern for this particular character (but nice later on). Assuming 20pt buy, anything 1st party my idea is thus.

17 (-2), 12 (+2), 10, 10, 8, 15 (+2).
Halfling: Warslinger, Adaptable Luck.
Traits: Fates Favoured, Helpful.

1: Mutation Fighter: Weapon Focus (Sling) [Mandatory tax for slipslinger], Point blank shot.
2: Mutation fighter 2: Slipslinger (Now slingstaff counts as a sling for feats and traits).
3: Archaeologist Bard: Precise shot, finally get spells and luck pool.
4: Mutation Fighter 3: Ability score +STR, mutagen unlocked (use STR mostly).
5+: Archaeologist Bard 2: Deadly aim, rapid shot, arc slinger, throw anything, and slipslinger grenadier, lingering performance, all need to fit somewhere. Rogue talent: combat trick will help with 1 of these.

I will seek out belt of mighty hurling, and a CHA headband so I can focus almost solely on STR and CHA for stats. Later buy boulder bullets for fighting bosses.

Is there a cleaner way to get slipslinger grenadier earlier? Better class/archetype to pair with archaeologist slinger? Better stat array? Advice is much appreciated.

I like to fit holidays into regular campaigns rather than have stand alone oneshots. I did Halloween once (Harvest festival, with games, prizes, candies, a demigod messing about, and pranks vs corrupt religious officials). Handed out some nice bonuses and a few artifacts used in the rest of the game.
Did a solstice event in another campaign, handed out cactus juice booze (with custom random effects both good and bad). And gave the players real mini scrolls with a single meta use deus ex machina ability, hand me the scroll and whatever you want to succeed succeeds, but in a ridiculous way.

I did try a oneshot train adventure, save the christmas train from sabotage (mites, gremlins, and some evil spellcasters). But players didn't have the most buyin for it, they much preferred other board games for such casual events.

Houserule, can't change an item's slot. But we can combine items. Like how some GM's allow Muleback Cords to combine with Cloaks of Resistance so Small Dex-based characters aren't bogged down by wearing basic starting gear.

Yeah, reduced weight on small items is nice, but a lot of the time it just isn't enough. My own houserule on crafting is the big 6 are flat cost to add to existing items, encourages players to use creative items and not focus too heavily on pure stats.

Also, you can reslot other items for expanded cost. So you could combine a useful item with a cheap non consuming chest item.
Deliquescent gloves are a nice, inexpensive standby for extra elemental damage with melee, and as monk you can use your hands as weapons, and use the touch to attack high AC enemies you could not normally strike easily. Magnetists gloves and gloves of manoeuvre are also nice on a monk as it is easy to get decent bonuses.

the trick here will be many small fights, few ambushes, and no chance to rest.

Sounds like a perfect recipe for doppelgangers. Have dimension door traps all over that activate after x people step over it, then the member shows up a few rooms over, let the player keep playing themselves regardless. Pass notes of insight to go in different directions with the maze like area. Notes might be: Make a guess confidently, go left, go straight, next room has a trap, go last into the next room, go first into the next room, etc. Then reveal when a trap goes off who was the doppelganger if any. Have a few crazed staff saying they watched four of themselves leave a vault and kill everyone, but make it clear he is insane.

Spell traps with simple key bypasses are a good idea, just hold the key out and the trap is disabled until everyone passes through. Trouble is they need to find the keys in various offices, which have their own anti-theft locks. Animated object being an easy go to that will wear them down without being dangerous.

Cerebral stalker could be fun, have zombified staff walking around from some unknown hole.
Cloakers, chokers, and flumphs as coming through could be fun side diversions for isolated party members. Have dopplerats, etherreal rats, and ratlings with wands running around with valuable trinkets (And keys) going in every direction, encouraging the party to split up (and fall into simple traps like cantrip blasts, or CR2 fights).

Finally I would have a secret aberration worshiping cabal of dark creepers with a few custom bosses thrown in running around chasing the same keys and treasures to get to the same vault so they can unleash the worth thing there (Maybe an aboleth? or a templated huge mimic?)

Catch off guard + 'sneak attack dirty trick' is a nice combo. I've got something with bounty hunter 2 far strike monk 1 that throws dirty tricks. Or hits them in melee with them as well due to flat foot catch off guard.

but that will kill your casting of course. Eye does help though.

I think one big thing is you have to decide if multiclassing for those is worth it vs your lost in caster.

sidenote dirty metamagic letsy ou drity trick on enchantments of certain types

Magic trick spell looks interesting, but doesn't seem to have much utility on the few spells that it qualifies on, would be awesome if it was a rider on a failed save or something.

Hello. I am currently theory crafting a mesmerist for social primary games. It is a fantastic frame, but lacks a few small features. Thus I am thinking of multi classing it.

The idea would be a character that talks/enchants their way into places, then has painful stare+blowgun to get out in a pinch. Vishkanya sleep poison is a nice bonus here.

The trouble is what to multiclass with, and how far. Assuming random roll d6's for stats, at level 5 or 7 start.

My thoughts are Unchained rogue: 2 levels for rogue trick Underhanded trick. This grants sneak attack, dirty trick to help the party damage dealers, weapon finesse, and evasion on a squishy class.

Or Lotus Geisha: Go pure enchanter. Double spontaneous spells at cost of spell levels. Free spell focus enchantment, which mesmerist would want anyways, plus performance which can focus for added bonus, and the option of arcane strike for the lolz (and to better hide weapons that aren't magic until required).

the final idea was unchained monk, with catch off guard as the bonus feat, idea being to flurry 2 poisoned shuriken or double unarmed plus stare in an emergency. Bonus fort and stunning fist are nice to get away and let others do the killing.

Thoughts? Advice on the build?

Plot ideas:
The right hand of THE crime boss has been captured and turned evidence to the state. A corrupt guard killed him in his cell, but a message jug (Warded against teleportation and scrying, so it must be walked out), was captured with everything he said. The local authorities are compromised, so the local lord has the trusted party deliver the jug to the King and his authority.
The crime lord wants the jug destroyed, lesser lords want the jug captured for the blackmail material in it. Some guards will be on the payroll of one or the other side, and some will be loyal to the King. The party must pass 1 Town, through the capital city, and to the castle beyond. It will take 2-4 days journey. ideally below level 7 for the party.

In the sandbar shallows is a great ship graveyard, long since picked apart by scavengers and left to rot. Almost 200 ships are precariously crammed atop one another, then one night another ship joins the pile, and mysterious lights and voices are heard in the darkest moonless nights. The locals are scared, the fish have left and the animals refuse to come out of their pens. The local guards who went to investigate never returned, now it is the party's tun to investigate.

Something is taking the poor from the city streets, the guards do not care, but a local priestess does and has hired the party to help the poor. And just in time, for a local lord's child has also gone missing and the priestess believes they are taken in to the sewers, but the guards don't believe her on this. Low level adventure; crawling hands, zombies, exoskeleton cockroaches, rats, and a low level dhampir necromancer with a pair of templated skeleton champions (1 archer, 1 swordsman).

Party is tasked with guarding a dig site. One night a valuable artifact is stolen, then the next night another. An investigation reveals no one in camp stole them. On the third night a sickness begins to spread (Minor curse). The party is tasked with searching when a thief is spotted stealing another artifact, it is a stealthy Orc with longstrider potions. Orcs and their evil witch are divided on how to defend their holy site (being ravaged by the wealthy archaeologist leader who had previously hired mercenaries to remove them from the site so he could loot it). Some of the Orcs just want peace, some want war.

Guardianlord wrote:

I have linked a few tables for random encounters in the past on the forums, I have based one on each ranger terrain, plus a wild table. I can send you them if you still want some good/bad/neutral encounter ideas for moving between places.

Yeah sure I wouldn't mind being sent some stuff, anything is helpful.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_HUQg_EkEgSn5yFOr5Y2TJLLCKMJBD3E

I appreciate feedback on these, if you feel like it.

I have linked a few tables for random encounters in the past on the forums, I have based one on each ranger terrain, plus a wild table. I can send you them if you still want some good/bad/neutral encounter ideas for moving between places.

I ran a festival game as a mini oneshot for halloween. There were side quests to mess with locals from a minor dietey who promised mysterious rewards for "pranks".

For the "games" I had KNOW checks on various in game topics as a type of quiz. Pick a blank tile, answer the question, need 3 correct in a row to get a prize ticket. I asked real questions based on each KNOW. (simple DC's generally). Carni can cheat and place a "tough" question in the row (like planar, or engineering).

Undersized (Tiny) bow for a shooting gallery game with concealment on some targets (Carni could cheat and increase the DC to knock the target or increase blocking to 50%).

A wooden weapon king of the hill event (Against real skeletons/zombies directed to only attack targets not players).

A plinko game, simply roll d100, prizes correspond to the percent, carni can cheat and move pegs reducing roll by 10-20%, player can dex to increase by 10-20%.

The great cheese race, literally race a wheel of cheese down a hill. Everyone (NPC's) cheat and sabotage eachother. Goal is to CMB the cheese and stop it before it reaches the bottom. You win the cheese and a trophy.

Simple ball toss, need certain damage to knock over the pins. Carni can cheat by raising a bar that increases the single hit damage needed by +5-10.

There was a costume contest, magic banned, but many find loopholes or ways to cheat for the purse.

Catfolk Hunter, Big cat companion.
Take cats claws for 1d4/1d4 claws.
Traits: Dirty fighter (+1 damage vs flanked foes), Called (Reroll 1 nat 1, 1/day).
Feats: 1) Catfolk exemplar: Sharp Claws, they are now 1d6/1d6.
2) Free teamwork: Outflank.
3) Evolved companion: Pounce (On our big cat companion).
3) Free teamwork: Distracting Charge.

STR 16, DEX 13, CON 14, INT 8, WIS 12, CHA 13.
SAVES are all at least +2.

Begin with swift action animal focus self tiger, companion will have bull at all times. Hunter does distracting Charge ape, eating AOO, strike with claw for 1d4+3.
This triggers teamwork feats, companion charges to flank position getting off +4 outflank, +2 from charge, +2 from teamwork distracting charge. Then pounces for 1d6+3, 1d4+3, 1d4+3.
2nd round, swift action STR focus, then full attack Claw/Claw, 1d6+7/1d6+7. Companion: 1d6+3/1d6+3/1d6+3. Plus if any attacks crit, free AOO from the other.

With limited prebuffing we could get magic fang, savage maw, lead blades, or acid maw, but duration is less than 10min/level.
We can use frostbite as a touch spell to fatigue ape if necessary.

Disposable weapon feat with the ability to mend broken weapons (or have spares) would greatly improve the chances of landing a 4x when you really, really have to with a light pickaxe. It would require making the light pick out of bronze, but for a Dwarf that adds a lot of unique clan flavour (maybe friends to fey and so reserve iron work for only special items), or your clan is a copper mine and you grew up specializing in the material to the exeption of others.

You can then have your special material 2H pick enchanted, with a slew of bronze light picks and shields or pick/pick TWF.

From my travel charts, one for each ranger terrain:

Sea(boat):
Sailing DC20 to change scouting roll by 5. Crafting on a small boat counts as distracted. Crafting on a large ship has no penalties except in storms.
Common threats: Crab swarms (CR4) hidden among seaweed floats, Sharks in water (CR2), Desperate seabird swarm (raven swarm, CR3), Barnacles (Treat as trap +10 (1d4/x20), 1 bleed on crit).
0-5 Cloudy night and day, lose navigation point (lose 1 day getting back on track if they cannot pass navigation DC 12/15 check).
6-11 Pass by a mass of floating trash (Mundane loot or food as per appraise rolls if PC's can pass perception check).
12-17 Large School of fish follow your boat for a few hours (chance to fish if they have the tools and can pass survival to bait and cook).
18-24 Rough waters (Possible ship damage, delays, knocked overboard, etc).
25-30 Pass a familiar ocean rock formation, Pass DC to find a current that increases travel by 1 day (gain 2 days travel today).
31-36 Pass a natural ocean funnel, see pretty fish.
37-42 Pass a deserted island. 1D4: 1: resource rich island is Guarded by gillmen. 2: deserted. 3: Signs of lost treasure (DC25). 4: Hostile locals/boars.
43-48 Find rats on board (Players rolls for quantity) PC's have limited time to find before they breed (swarms)
49-54 Uneventful, sunny day, easy progress on crafting/training.
55-60 Disease outbreak (pass disease DC to not get sick).
61-66 Trading vessel travelling the opposite way (Diplomacy captain to stop and trade).
67-72 Pirate Vessel travelling the opposite way (Sail or fight, but decide quickly).
73-78 Crewmate celebrates a birthday, eat pancakes from ship stores (no food cost this day)
79-84 Pass a familiar landmark seen as lucky by the crew, get drunk with the captain (DC25 to politely decline).
85-90 Rigging/oars/rowers break/mutiny - fix, fight or diplomacy (or lose 2 days doing nothing as it resolves itself?)
91-96 rainstorm. 1d4 - 1:Food damaged lose 20% supply. 2:Ship damaged. 3:Crew members lost/injured. 4:Refill water barrels.
97-99 Sea monster, air monster flyby attack.
exactly 91: 1d8: 1:Stowaways discovered. 2:Ghost Pirate ship rises from the depths. 3:Tropical island. 4:Mermaid/Gillman raid/toll. 5:Crewman steals from the party. 6: Invited to a high stakes gambling game 7: Giant squid attack (CR9). 8: Kelpie (CR4) Lure (1d4+1 Kelpies) against crewmen and party.

Use dex for unarmed combat is good idea?

DEX is good for thrown weapon builds, ranged builds, and pure DEX martials with feats to spare. For unarmed types with fewer feats to spare priority should be STR/INT>CON>DEX>WIS/CHA.

Guardianlord wrote:

Pro100Andr wrote:

Guardianlord wrote:

Pro100Andr wrote:

avr wrote:

If you can get the Carmendine monk feat (D&D 3.5, from Champions of Valor) you could then get some use from mantis style, say. Or do without a style. Outslug style could work without it. Kirin style is a dead end I think.

Well, i cant find Carmendine monk. Kirin good, but only for 1 attack. Snake style gain extra attacks and for that applies all bonuses

Investigator brawler with kitsune style, dirty fighting, outslug style, and catch off guard is amazing. Traits clever wordplay, and pragmatic activator to reduce CHA requirements in favour of INT.

Investigator gets you quick study and discoveries, base brawler lets you ride up the feat chains as you require to pull off pretty much any maneuver you desire (Dirty fighting acts as a universal prerequisite). Use feats to gain the improved of our preferred style to access the greater versions with brawler.

This build is designed to rush a foe and disorient them with dirty trick on a charge, then damage or maneuver them on subsequent rounds as required. With some shuriken, or improvised weapons and brawler ability for ranged feats you can attack targets at close to medium range and still appear fully disarmed. Very much the new American Sherlock style of combat where he debuffs foes while he plans the kill, or directs his allies to kill. Still swift heavy, but they are generally not competing at the same time.

That build looks strong, thanks. You think for this build need 1 or 2 brawlers levels?

2 would get you a feat, and flurry which will increase your damage nicely, 3 only if you really want to specialize in a particular maneuver. 4 levels gets you knockout, but not really worth it unless you are going full brawler. 2 would probably be ideal.

If i have TWF from class i can give feats, that need TWF?

Brawlers TWF can be used as prerequisite for the other TWF feats, but you don't gain the benefits (Reduced penalties) unless you use the Brawlers listed weapons for it. You can use your flexibility to temporarily gain the TWF chain feats if you choose.

Guardianlord wrote:

Pro100Andr wrote:

avr wrote:

If you can get the Carmendine monk feat (D&D 3.5, from Champions of Valor) you could then get some use from mantis style, say. Or do without a style. Outslug style could work without it. Kirin style is a dead end I think.

Well, i cant find Carmendine monk. Kirin good, but only for 1 attack. Snake style gain extra attacks and for that applies all bonuses

Investigator brawler with kitsune style, dirty fighting, outslug style, and catch off guard is amazing. Traits clever wordplay, and pragmatic activator to reduce CHA requirements in favour of INT.

Investigator gets you quick study and discoveries, base brawler lets you ride up the feat chains as you require to pull off pretty much any maneuver you desire (Dirty fighting acts as a universal prerequisite). Use feats to gain the improved of our preferred style to access the greater versions with brawler.

This build is designed to rush a foe and disorient them with dirty trick on a charge, then damage or maneuver them on subsequent rounds as required. With some shuriken, or improvised weapons and brawler ability for ranged feats you can attack targets at close to medium range and still appear fully disarmed. Very much the new American Sherlock style of combat where he debuffs foes while he plans the kill, or directs his allies to kill. Still swift heavy, but they are generally not competing at the same time.

That build looks strong, thanks. You think for this build need 1 or 2 brawlers levels?

2 would get you a feat, and flurry which will increase your damage nicely, 3 only if you really want to specialize in a particular maneuver. 4 levels gets you knockout, but not really worth it unless you are going full brawler. 2 would probably be ideal.

avr wrote:

If you can get the Carmendine monk feat (D&D 3.5, from Champions of Valor) you could then get some use from mantis style, say. Or do without a style. Outslug style could work without it. Kirin style is a dead end I think.

Well, i cant find Carmendine monk. Kirin good, but only for 1 attack. Snake style gain extra attacks and for that applies all bonuses

Investigator brawler with kitsune style, dirty fighting, outslug style, and catch off guard is amazing. Traits clever wordplay, and pragmatic activator to reduce CHA requirements in favour of INT.

Investigator gets you quick study and discoveries, base brawler lets you ride up the feat chains as you require to pull off pretty much any maneuver you desire (Dirty fighting acts as a universal prerequisite). Use feats to gain the improved of our preferred style to access the greater versions with brawler.

This build is designed to rush a foe and disorient them with dirty trick on a charge, then damage or maneuver them on subsequent rounds as required. With some shuriken, or improvised weapons and brawler ability for ranged feats you can attack targets at close to medium range and still appear fully disarmed. Very much the new American Sherlock style of combat where he debuffs foes while he plans the kill, or directs his allies to kill. Still swift heavy, but they are generally not competing at the same time.

I have something, not sure if it is better in Latin or English. Or if it doesn't sound terribly mystical.

"Water washes, Earth protects, fire cleanses, air refreshes;
Let this scroll become the price of sacrifice;
Fate and luck held hand in hand, grace from foul unto fair;
Blessing of hazards bane, save me from this rabid plight;
Turn fortunes eye, let ruin transform to riches true;
Part the veil, guide divines to deliver destiny renewed;
Deliver the bearer of this mark, from torment unto health;
Twist the realm to suit these whims, await in defiance until fair favour whirls."

"Alluit Terra tuentur igne purgandum aerem reficit;
Hic liber est pretium immolatis
Sors et fortuna tenuit unà, conspirant, ad gratiam ex turpi aequum;
Benedictio discrimina uirus rabidi salvifica me ex necessitate;
Turn fortunae oculo exitium transform et divitiae verae sunt,
Pars intra velum dux de fide eripere Fatum renovatum est;
Libera latorem hujus marcam de supremos cruciatus et ad salutem;
His realm pervertere ad favorem cupiditatum, velit expecto donec pulchra volucri tortus gratiam."

I am making some small weathered looking scrolls as gifts for my players. Each player will receive one as a little Christmas bonus gift. I am not a terribly crafty individual, so this is mostly going to be done digitally, printed, and cut out. I have some stock designs and all that selected.
My trouble is I am not sure what to write on these scrolls. I want them to be traded back to me as a one time, get out of any trouble/bad rolls/near death situation, with a GM Fiat. Something more substantial than a token on their character sheet.

EG: Player is about to be gored to death by a minotaur crit charge, hey play the scroll to save their character, and the minotaur falls through a flaw in the floor.
or, the party failed a dozen checks in a row and the kings guards are pissed and coming for them. Play the scroll and the King reveals it was all a big joke after all. etc.

I was hoping to make the text on these sound like in universe items. Reality altering fate/luck/divine artifacts created by some long forgotten deity for their most valuable worshipful.
"May the bearer of this scroll be blessed by the fates. Offer this scroll as sacrifice and let reality be altered to suit your desires". "Tradeth away this scroll to lady luck, and receive her gifts". "The gods shall imbue their power upon sacrifice of this scroll upon the bearer." type of thing. Obviously these are rubbish lines, and I cannot seem to make something that sounds convincing.

What short phrasing can I put on these things that might appear on a similar in game item the characters and players could share. I appreciate any help you can offer.

Occult adventure classes are more suited to RP and intrigue games, not as much combat heavy games. Most are still worth looking into, if your players are interested.

Mythic was, interesting, when I ran a game with it. I found anything beyond 1st level skewed the game towards rocket tag a bit much (as i needed +5CR or Mythic monsters to compete with the PC's).

We roll HD, with a single re-roll if they want (but must take second result). I have heard the other options are roll or take average, which many seem to like as it keeps casters from being too squishy, and keeps the tanks tanky without making everything slow too much.

Bonus skills for RP are nice (I let them add background related skills on creation as RP rewards, plus a free craft/profession/perform rank to represent their past jobs), I try to keep it to a short list of off use skills.
Traits are another handy bonus, roughly a 1/2 feat, with option for a drawback and a third trait. The core drawbacks kinda suck, so I make similar custom ones.

As an extra, I homebrewed the "Big Six" must have stat boosting items can be added to "fun" gear at straight crafting cost (instead of 1.5x the more expensive item cost). Lets martials have more interesting items, without feeling like they have to choose.

Alchemist or mutagenic fighter would get you a mutagen, +STR for static damage coupled with power attack, or some of the style feats for extra damage.

Feral hunter would get you druid/ranger spellcasting for lead blades (works by RAW on unarmed strikes), plus a floating bonus, and the option of an animal companion for flanking bonuses/teamwork bonuses, or a static bonus you can select.
Compel hostility and panther style is golden for increasing attacks per round via Attacks of opportunity, plus you defend your party. Savage maw if you utilize weapons, for a bonus bite, entangle to apply that sweet entangled penalty. And Badgers ferocity for Keen on one weapon (Unarmed) for a little boost to crit chance.

The new handwraps are handy for adding enchantments for +N or +elemental dice. And for adding materials to overcome DR (a big issue for low level monks).

Ninja for vanish and sneak attack, followed by flurry. Helps to get in range of cautious enemies. Couple with Styles for specialized boosts to damage/attacks.

Grappling, tripping, bullrushing, etc are great for putting enemies in a bad position to increase your ability to hurt them.

Hold monster and envious urge are some nasty bardic spells which he might use. Actually getting his enemies to fail saves may be difficult, seeing that he's several spell levels behind what you might expect of a level 14 character; a cruel weapon and intimidate feats may help there.

I can certainly create something to up his DC's a lot. Maybe a fragile item the party can Spellcraft and sunder with a lucky shot.

Envious Urge is definitely on the list now =D
Hold monster is brutal, I love it!

I was going to arm him with a powerful Rapier, cruel would be a good add on for it.

Keep the suggestions coming

Any suggestions on builds?
I am thinking Swashbuckler 2 for charmed life, panache for parry's. Then Archaeologist Bard 12 for good self buffs against a party with 2 witches.

Max CHA, then DEX, then CON and STR on a Heroic stat list. Possibly with a +1/+2 CR template.

He can send minions in as fodder, casting support and debuff spells to disrupt the party. Utilizing an illusionary double and invisibility to avoid combat directly. If he does need to fight he can survive with maxed DEX, Panache pool for parry and riposte, boosted saves vs debuffs, and some high end gear befitting a noble.

The trick here is which spells to select, and what feats would be good for a charming, manipulative BBEG

Hello, I am currently creating a campaign where the BBEG will be the archetypical aristocrat. A charming, dashing, manipulative figure that convinces his victims that it was a good thing he beat them. He is going to be a Varissian Human noble that is the darling of his court running a proxy war (with allies he manipulated or enchanted into following him). When his charm (or spells) fail him, he can always fall back on a large pool of panache and quality steel and dueling skills.

I was thinking a lvl 12-14 character, 5-7 of swashbuckler (or an archetype that lets them parry and riposte). And 5-7 of an enchanter spellcaster.

The trouble is, I have never played a swashbuckler or an Enchanter specialist. I am somewhat at a loss on how to build this BBEG using first party paizo materials only (to be fair to my players who are likewise limited to first party materials).

I am curious if anyone has a solid build already, or can help me stat out the feats, spells and classes needed to pull this enemy off as a credible threat to the party and their allies.

Thank you all.

2) The hills are alive with... Hills. Elementals boil forth from the ground to attack en mass.