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Hi all.

Got a question concerning those two entities.

I've got a Mesmerist with Manifold Stare feat taken twice, so he can apply his Painful Stare damage (3d6+5 currently, or 5 if it is an ally) 3 times per round.

Also he's got his hands on a CL5 magic missile wand -- which, naturally, shoots 3 missiles per use.

Question is: how many times additional damage from Painful Stare should apply to target (ofc it is under the effect of Hypnotic Stare too)?

3 times?

Or only 1 (semi-relevant faq: https://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9qqm , it's not sneak attack but another game mechanic) ?

Or none at all?

TIA.

We'd love to do it via 'play for fun' option but i fear that this violates another rule -- "no other adventures until you complete whole arc".

However, 3rd scenario is technically IN the arc, so weren't leaving it for some other story.

I am a bit torn here.

Hi all.

We've got a situation in our gaming group.

Some time ago we've started EotT arc, completed half of it (2 scenarios) before and played 3rd scenario today.

However one of players was unable to attend this session due to urgent family stuff and therefore his character didn't participate in story.

What are the consequences for him and his char? Empty chronicle (1xp, 0 fame-pp-gold -- so he'd join us in 4th scenario), full chronicle with all awards (but he wasn't there, so why?), something in between -- or is he effectively stranded until some other gaming group reaches same story plot?

TIA.

Just FYI:

Season 7 guide specifically says about 38 XP at the end of the arc.

Season 8 guide doesn't.

So it is either a simple oversight on PDF editor's part - or a definite design decision. After all, 7th season gave players 'All for immortality' high-level story arc, so it seems logical to 'roll-back' EotT XP changes of previous seasons.

Hence the uncertainty and need for a clarification.

Hi all.

There was an argument concerning subj in our PFS group and we would like an official clarification on this matter.

Currently we have several viewpoints:

1. Scenarios themselves award 2 XP according to its chronicles.

2. We have a ruling made by Michael Brock here: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2o9zr?Eyes-of-the-Ten-Chronicles#2

"No, the Chronicles have not been updated. Part 1 gives 2 xps, parts 2-4 grant 1 XP. "

3. PFS Guide 4.3 says that too - a character who completed this arc has 38 XP.

4. But current PFS Guide has no such sentences, it only states that one must start it at exactly 33 XP.

So....which one is correct? 5 XP? Or 2 XP? Or, dunno, somewhere in between?

TIA.

@Quintain

Can't agree with you on some points here.

However, he doesn't have enough remaining actions to shoot the orc, as you can't 5' step back out from the column and shoot on the same turn you move.

No.

Here you're implying that Rogue's move action is finished when he goes behind a pillar and tries to hide. It is not the case by RAW -- "Normally, you make a Stealth check as part of movement". Nothing more, nothing less, no words about finishing move action or being unable to move after said Stealth check.

As i wrote in post #5, "A simple line like "you can't take any other actions after you declare entering Stealth" would've solved the problem" (or "can't continue movement" - i just added now). But there's none of it.

If you can gain concealment/cover against an opponent you can hide (as part of a move/move action).

I repeat RAW: "as a part of movement". Not a 'move action'. There can be many instances of 'movement' in a 'move action', and one of those 'movements' is linked to Stealth check. At least it is so by RAW - as i see it.

Because the orc will know "in general" where he is, but because he can't specifically know from where the ensuing attack is coming from, the attack qualifies for sneak attack damage.

This means that there's no difference for Stealth between 5*5 pillar and 20*20 stone block - as long as it provides cover/concealment for Rogue. You're correct: "there is -- read the concealment/cover rules. "

Concerning 'creating a diversion with Bluff' case. I liked this idea at first but then another thought struck me. It is easy to say 'Orc knows that Rogue is behind that pillar hence no Stealth', as in our mind pillar is not that thick and if Rogue make a tiny incorrect move then his nose or his toe or his ass will be visible to Orc.

Okay, but what if it not a pillar, but a 15' * 15' dense bush? Or a 20' * 20' stone block? Or something even bigger (lets not touch Rogue's available movement for now)? Now it instantly becomes rather hard to justify it as our Rogue is somewhere behind that BIG thing with a total cover from Orc -- with an emphasis on 'somewhere'. And it seems to me that in this situation Rogue pretty much guarantees having Stealth from Orc, as it his Rogue's Stealth+20 (due to being de facto invisible) vs Orc's Perception.

But this opens another can of worms. Okay, Rogue can't Stealth behind 5*5 pillar but can do it behind 20*20 stone block. But where's the defined boundary between "can" and "can't"?

There's none.

Basically, this makes Sniping obsolete too. Rogue pops up from behind that block, wins Stealth check (w/o +20 as situation for Orc has changed, hence he gets a reactive Perception check vs Rogue's normal Stealth), forgets about Sniping completely (so Orc now knows who shot him and where he was) and then just moves somewhere behind that damn block getting +20 Stealth again due to being de facto invisible to Orc.

Now i think it should be considered completely different cases. Wanna hide behind a floor mop or a standing fishing pole -- make a diversion somehow. Wanna hide behind a big stone block -- good for you. But then again - where's the RAW-defined bound? It is 'common sense' and 'up to GM' again. Same with barrel and GM limit on free actions.

"Yes, you can move behind the pillar to gain cover, but the Orc has already seen you and knows that there's no secret passages next to that pillar. Even if he can't see you, he still knows you're there."

Thanks.

In your opinion, this counts as 'being observed' and, hence, can't Stealth, emerge from other side of pillar and so on. It's perfectly understandable, and yeah, some people in our group expressed same view on this matter.

However, this kind of ruling basically prohibits combat use of Stealth at all. Even if Rogue peeks his nose out 5 rounds later -- Orc has his gaze set on pillar and he knows that Rogue is here. Don't think it is correct -- and yeah, i concur that rules are vague here :/

As for barrel -- shame on me, I should've explicitly pointed out that I wrote not about Sniping (which is described pretty normal imo), but about (lets use common sense here) blatant exploitation and rule-bending (though i wrote about "taking to extreme").

As i see it, by RAW these tactics are permitted, though they ugly as heck and extremely easy to abuse. And that's the reason i asked for some bright light on this matter (pun intended).

A simple line like "you can't take any other actions after you declare entering Stealth" would've solved the problem. Hid behind pillar? Good for you, on a next round you can try to move out undetected. Wanna do "move - attack - move and hide"? Invest in Spring Attack.

I just hate leaving it in gray zone of 'up to GM' and 'table variance'.

Oh well.

Hello all.

We've had a discussion recently in our gaming group concerning one issue with Stealth skill. We've read descriptions, FAQs and opinions and w/e but were unable to reach a consensus on this matter. I am humbly asking for a clarification.

Situation:
A Rogue with a high Stealth skill is 20 feet away from enemy Orc in a well-lit hall (normal light, no fog or w/e). There's a column 10 feet from Rogue, large enough to hide behind it. No surprise round, Orc has seen Rogue (he is observed at the beginning) but Rogue has the initiative and has his shortbow ready. Besides, he has Fast Stealth talent - just in case.

Questions:
1. Can Rogue move behind column (thus leaving Orc's line of sight and getting cover from it), then declare that he enters Stealth, then move away from column, win Stealth vs Orc's Perception contest and finally perform ranged sneak attack, doing all of this in the same round?

2. Can he repeat it on the next round (let's assume Orc can't move from his current position) -- again move behind column, declare Stealth, win Stealth-Perception contest and make a ranged sneak attack?

3. Can he repeat it again, but with melee attack instead of shooting (let's assume he has enough movement to get to Orc and he can easily get his dagger out using Quick Draw) ?

If yes ("Against most creatures, finding cover or concealment allows you to use Stealth." and "Normally, you make a Stealth check as part of movement, so it doesn’t take a separate action.") then let's take this to an extreme:

4. Rogue has a big barrel in front of him, enough to get cover from Orc. He drops prone (free action), declares Stealth, gets up with Stand Up talent (free action), wins Stealth-Perception contest, makes sneak attack, then drops prone as a free action again -- and all process repeats itself until Rogue is out of attacks. Is it a valid and legit tactic to employ?

Note: as i see, "Breaking stealth" paragraph in Stealth skill description is non-applicable here, as it starts with "When you start your turn using Stealth...". Our Rogue always starts being plainly visible.

TIA.