ItoSaithWebb's page

ItoSaithWebb wrote:

Where in the rules does it state that AOO interrupt a full attack action?

Core Rulebook, Combat chapter, Attacks of Opportunity: "An attack of opportunity “interrupts” the normal flow of actions in the round. If an attack of opportunity is provoked, immediately resolve the attack of opportunity, then continue with the next character's turn (or complete the current turn, if the attack of opportunity was provoked in the midst of a character's turn)."

ItoSaithWebb wrote:

By your reply if I took the AOO from such a course of action I couldn't complete my full attack action.

You would continue with the interrupted action.

ItoSaithWebb wrote:

If the AOO from greater trip is an extension of full attack action while it is still occuring then it is part of the full attack action.

The AoO is not an extension of the full attack action.

Ya you are correct and found out just after I posted my original reply that is why I had deleted my last post before you reply. Oh well I really should stop replying to posts after waking up after a long night of work.

Does the Blur effect apply to the images, or does it only effect the caster himself? Thus negating the benefits of Mirror Image?

Just a random thought and was curious what people thought or if anyone has ever gotten an official ruling on this.

I believe it is in a order of operations that makes sense. Apply the blurr first to see if a hit is possible and then roll to see if an image or the caster is struck. The images would appear to be blurry though visually.

Ya I was afraid of that. OK just to add onto this thread because this is part of a build of mine. When making a full attack of trip attacks can I apply backswing to the AOO created by Greater Trip? I think I can but I like to make sure

Backswing (Ex): At 7th level, when a two-handed fighter makes a full attack with a two-handed weapon, he adds double his Strength bonus on damage rolls for all attacks after the first. This ability replaces armor training 2.

Trip

You can attempt to trip your opponent []bin place of a melee attack.[/b] You can only trip an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you. If you do not have the Improved Trip feat, or a similar ability, initiating a trip provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.

If your attack exceeds the target's CMD, the target is knocked prone. If your attack fails by 10 or more, you are knocked prone instead. If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat maneuver attack roll for each additional leg it has. Some creatures—such as oozes, creatures without legs, and flying creatures—cannot be tripped.

This emboldened text above from the backswing passage basically says I can because my first attack would be a trip which looks like I can make as many times as I have attacks in a full attack. In addition, the trip attack is still an attack so the AOO created by greater trip would count for backswing because I am still making a full attack action that just happens to be an attack that came after the first.

Can you with the Two-handed fighter archetype use the overhand chop with an attack of opportunity?

Overhand Chop (Ex): At 3rd level, when a two-handed fighter makes a single attack (with the attack action or a charge) with a two-handed weapon, he adds double his Strength bonus on damage rolls. This ability replaces armor training 1.

The emboldened text above is what creeping doubt in my mind. Does an attack of opportunity still count as an attack action or is it just a single attack?

I really wish they would simply be consistent in the way they word things.

I have used this before and does make for slightly faster play. I used a sewing measuring tape which works out pretty well especially if you had to change directions.

Let say your character was trying to remember details about a character he saw but didn't at the time make a perception check. Now in reality we take in information all the time with out needing to be conscious about because our minds filter that stuff out which at the time doesn't seem important at the time, but with enough concentration one could recall that filtered information by visualizing the event again.

Are there any existing rules for this?

If there is not then the only thing I can think of is perhaps a retroactive perception check but at a penalty. Or perhaps a concentration check but that doesn't work very well with non-casters.

I ask this because it could be useful in identifying someone or remembering the layout of complex or dungeon.

If you're in a hurry common trapped locations are:

Tight hallways.

Doors.

Chests/safes/lockboxes

Rooms with suspicious corpses.

Empty rooms.

Don't search every square, search the likely locations and save both in game and out of game time.

That pretty much describes how our GM creates his dungeons. Often having a lot of tight hallways that often do have traps in them in the weirdest of spots.

Anyways I like the take 20 idea especially if our characters are not in a hurry game time.

Taking 20 wrote:

Common “take 20” skills include Disable Device (when used to open locks), Escape Artist, and Perception (when attempting to find traps).

Thanks that is exactly what I needed. Don't know why I didn't see that before. I think sometimes when I read something after a certain length it starts going blah blah blah to me.

Pick up the trap spotter rogue talent. makes it a reflexive check.

Not a rogue, I have a few levels of Ranger Trapper and a high disable device skill.

How often do you need to check for a traps in any given area? Is it per square of movement or can it be done with in a larger area?

In my group my character is our trap-finder and disabler but it gets rather annoying when we have to make checks every single square and our GM is known for placing traps.

Is it possible to take 20 for looking for traps? The in game time would take longer but it would be fast in real time.

If you allow this I might suggest that those Pallies who don't follow LG have a little less power then one who is LG and a sliding scale in the form of penalties to Pally powers.

I like it, but what I always felt for this type of item is that I would have it take up TWO slots (hands AND feet) since monks often, by flavor, use punches and kicks.

On another note, I also believe that the cost should be a little higher because you are not subject to disarms.

Just things to consider.

I quite agree with that but I would also say that having both amulet of mighty fists and this item would make monks over time over powered. I would suggest that this items do not stack but do overlap.

You could have a custom set of horseshoes with a constant feather step spell on it. It wouldn't be to expensive either. feather step is found in the AGP.

I was reading under the description for command word activation of a magical item and it seems to suggest that merely saying the command word would activate the item.

A command word can be a real word, but when this is the case, the holder of the item runs the risk of activating the item accidentally by speaking the word in normal conversation. More often, the command word is some seemingly nonsensical word, or a word or phrase from an ancient language no longer in common use. Activating a command word magic item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of pportunity.

I could find anywhere in the command word description that the item needed to be held.

If the command word needs only be uttered in the presence of the item then this could open up possibilities.

Imagine having an item that has a once a day charge with the command phrase "It's a Bomb!" and the item is made to look like a bomb, but when the command word is uttered it unleashes a high level fireball or cloudkill spell.

No, it couldn't be game-breaking. It's a +4 bonus to attack. After making a ranged attack the previous round. You'd do more damage with two great cleaves with most builds.

That is if all your attacks hit. If you went in with a great cleave power attack with it's penalties with that bonus you off set the attack penalty from PA and with a possible bonus insuring your attacks hit. Also if you hit them with something that delayed them some how from acting you could really mess them up. Yes of course it is an opening move thing but often that can tilt a battle.

I disagree with ItoSaithWebb. The damage happens at the same time because there's no text saying that the splash damage happens after or before the direct hit. You should get your circumstance bonus to attack any of the hit targets, although it does only last until the end of your next turn.

It could be game breaking with great cleave, two-handed weapon and power attack.

I think a continuous use mirror image belt would be rather useless, as the images would get destroyed over time (probably the first combat). Since it doesn't recast, it's a constant use, the spell would run out of images and be a very expensive bangle from then on. :)

Any object that allows you to cast spells should fall under the rules for 'duplicates an existing object', meaning that if it duplicates a wand, you craft a wand, you don't make 100 charge wondrous items instead.

All that aside, the magic item creation rules state the GM should closely monitor all custom magic items, and use their own judgement to keep them in line.

I didn't say a continuous use belt of mirror image and I said a unlimited use belt of mirror image which is different wording. A continuous item means that it is always active and merely needs to be worn or carried on the person to have an effect.

An unlimited use item means you activate the spell it runs it course depending on it's spell duration or other factors that end the spell and then it deactivates but when you activate it again the spell resets. It is basically unlimited charges.

OK so the charges a day price adjustment is just for the base cost of a command word item?

Command word base items just means you need to know the magic word to turn it on. It does not limit uses by itself.

Unlimited use base cost does not require a UMD check either, not in and of itself.

A ring of invisibilty is an unlimited use item as an example.

OK lets say I create a command word Belt of Mirror Image with just the command word base cost. I then in combat say the command word as a standard action. The effect wears off, can I use the belt again later or is it all used up? If I can use it again then is it limited or unlimited uses?

Creating an unlimited use base cost would be less expensive than doing the command word base cost. If they were both not limited how many times they could be used why ever use the command word base cost?

Opening Volley (Combat)

Your ranged assault leaves your foe disoriented and vulnerable to your melee attack.

Benefit: Whenever you deal damage with a ranged attack, you gain a +4 circumstance bonus on the next melee attack roll you make against the opponent. This attack must occur before the end of your next turn.

Would my Alchemist be eligible for this bonus on a melee attack versus an emeny that he dealt splash damage to on the previous round with a bomb, acid flask, etc.?

The Splash damage is happening after the ranged attack happened so it doesn't count as a ranged attack. The direct hit of your bomb or splash weapon would count however.

OK so if you just use Unlimited Use base cost then it requires a UMD check like a wand correct?

So how many uses do you get out of a command word base price item? It couldn't just be one because that would fall under single use.

You use the unlimited formula. I will also add that using the formulas by the book can lead to unbalanced items if they are custom items. The famous true striking sword* is really cheap for what it does as an example.

*A deliberate example of how pricing can be abused.

Oh we ruled a long time ago that any spell that didn't have a duration could not be made continuous.

OK, as long as I am seeing consensus from other people I guess I can't really argue.

What about the command word base price? If you create an item with that base price for spell effects is it's use unlimited or do you have to apply the unlimited base price in addition?

So by that interpretation, as long as the character has the correct craft feat and a high enough skill in spellcraft or craft skill, and enough money that he or she could create a command word item even though they could cast the spell in the first place?

For example, could a 3rd level cleric possibly create a command word haste item?

OK, one of the other players at my table (I am not the GM) has item creation feats and has been having a field day creating powerful items. Our GM allows the restriction discounts to be applied which curbs the costs big time and the player also has the hedge mage trait. However, the discounts is not the only thing because it is being compounded by this he found the below in the item creation rules.

Note that all items have prerequisites in their descriptions. These prerequisites must be met for the item to be created.

Most of the time, they take the form of spells that must be known by the item’s creator (although access through another magic item or spellcaster is allowed. The DC to create a magic item increases by +5 for each prerequisite the caster does not meet. The only exception to this is the requisite item creation feat, which is mandatory. In addition, you cannot create spelltrigger and spell-completion magic items without meeting their spell prerequisites.

Now he has the required feats and has not been making spell trigger or spell completion magic items, but he has been making command word and continuous items which allow any one to use the blasted things as long as the restrictions are meet, but then again they are being tailored. He has convinced our GM that, according to the emboldened text in the quote above, that he can virtually ignore most prerequisites like knowing the spell and being able to cast the spell (not high enough caster level).

Now I know other paragraphs, state that you must know the spells you want your item to have, but that text above says you don't as long as you accept the increased DC.

Frankly I am getting confused on this but it feels wrong if not down right beyond cheesy because that means he could create command word items that cast spells higher then he would normal cast.

Like the title says do you get any bonuses to the saving throw DC to the spells you cast when you cast from your specialized school as a wizard? I think I remember something like that from 3.x but couldn't find that in Pathfinder.

PRD>Classes>Sorceror>Bloodlines wrote:

Abyssal

Generations ago, a demon spread its filth into your heritage. While it does not manifest in all of your kin, for you it is particularly strong. You might sometimes have urges to chaos or evil, but your destiny (and alignment) is up to you.

Celestial
Your bloodline is blessed by a celestial power, either from a celestial ancestor or through divine intervention. Although this power drives you along the path of good, your fate (and alignment) is your own to determine.

Thanks Joana

I am curious, does a sorcerer need to have a related alignment to coincide with his/her bloodline?

For instance does a celestial blood line require you to be good or a demonic bloodline to be evil or could you have the contrary?

I couldn't find anything that said you had to but I just checking to be sure.

ItoSaithWebb wrote:

First the spell doesn't say that it has an edge or not but simply it has 2 dimensions of impassable force.

The spell description says no such thing. I think you're inferring from the statement "flat vertical plane," that the wall is two-dimensional.

If we want to get all physics-y, then there can be no such thing as a two-dimensional "wall of force," anyway, as Force = mass x acceleration. There is no mass with a two-dimensional plane, and if mass is zero, then Force becomes zero.

But it's "magic," I know.

I agree with your point about a creature not being able to see the wall, to see the edge, as the wall is invisible. I'd allow a creature to find the upper edge, after searching, but I wouldn't treat it as being un-grabbable.

Well like I said before it is a judgment call for the GM in that case. The search would require at least a standard action and then unless they have some kind of climb movement it would count possibly as difficult terrain, but I am not sure in combat. Like the OP eventually the creatures did just fly over the wall, so this thread is really just academic.

I would have top say no for a couple of reasons.

A wall of force creates an invisible wall of pure force. The wall cannot move and is not easily destroyed. A wall of force is immune to dispel magic, although a mage’s disjunction can still dispel it. A wall of force can be damaged by spells as normal, except for disintegrate, which automatically destroys it. It can be damaged by weapons and supernatural abilities, but a wall of force has hardness 30 and a number of hit points equal to 20 per caster level. Contact with a sphere of annihilation or rod of cancellation instantly destroys a wall of force. Breath weapons and spells cannot pass through a wall of force in either direction, although dimension door, teleport, and similar effects can bypass the barrier. It blocks ethereal creatures as well as material ones (though ethereal creatures can usually circumvent the wall by going around it, through material floors and ceilings). Gaze attacks can operate through a wall of force. The caster can form the wall into a flat, vertical plane whose area is up to one 10-foot square per level. The wall must be continuous and unbroken when formed. If its surface is broken by any object or creature, the spell fails. Wall of force can be made permanent with a permanency spell.

First the spell doesn't say that it has an edge or not but simply it has 2 dimensions of impassable force. This also sounds like it is a force field, which it basically is, thus it is probably also frictionless. You can circumnavigate it, so it could be plausible that it may have an edge and would be a complete judgment call on the GM's part but this can create future problems. First it sets precedence in which a creative playing could possibly take advantage of. Second if someone was crawling/climbing over the edge of something towards my character then that would present an attack of opportunity which is not a good idea, but of course that is a situational example.

Secondly the wall is invisible so unless the creature/NPC has an ability to see that there is an edge or not to try and grab hold of would not know that there is a reachable edge or not. If the creature/NPC is using the knowledge of what the "Player" said OOC then that is unfair to the player and become meta gaming on the GM's part.

Now it is conceivable that a creature or NPC could fly over the wall of force if it was outside because it would only take a reasonable intelligence to figure out the wall would have some kind of limits. But this is the reasoning that it was outside or there was a lot of head clearance like say in a huge cave or something.

1. Single strike.

2. Yes.

+1

Well, the chicken was a very strange improvised weapon at the time.

The Decanteer has a setting to go Geyser mode.

Effectively, the chicken had an implanted dispel bomb from the alchemist, and he fired it off at the spellcaster with what's effectively a water based jetpack/missile. Poor thing howled like mad then went 'booom'.

Sounds very gonzo, I like it.

BTW this is for something I am working on you will find on this old thread. Bioshock Meets CoCI started writing this adventure months ago but had to put it down because of studies.

So I think that the contract is good enough. I am also planning on using the maps from both Bioshock 1 and 2 so this is basically going to be like an epic dungeon with rest spots and such, but there will be time they have to leave the structure and brave the ocean which will be basically the wilderness.

Since the Bestiary 3 came out I have a fine list of creatures that will both be scripted on random encounters.

This is the list I have so far, but it may include creatures I may or may not use. Creatures with a * by it are possible plot or mini quest related.

Aboleth*
Basidirond* Garden Encounter
Black Pudding* * Chemical Lab Encounter
Chuul
Crab, Giant
Crab Swarm
Demon, Hezrou
Eel, Giant Moray
Elemental Water
Flytrap, Giant * Garden Encounter
Froghemoth
Gray Ooze * Chemical Lab Encounter
Neothelid *
Ochre Jelly * * Chemical Lab Encounter
Octopus, Giant
Otyugh *
Sea hag
Shark, Dire
Shoggoth *
Skum *Possible Deep One or hybrid
Squid, Giant
Violet Fungus * Garden Encounter
Yellow Musk Creeper * Garden Encounter
bunyip
Carnivorous Blob * Chemical Lab Encounter
Chaos Beast
Demon, Piscodaemon
Denizen of Leng *
Devil Fish
Gar, Giant Salt water variety
Giant, Marsh *Possible Deep One or hybrid
Golem, Alchemical
Golem, Clockwork *
Gremiln, Vexgit *
Gug * Hangman tree * Garden Encounter
Hound of Tindalos *
Jellyfish, giant and swarm
Leng Spider*
Moonflower * Garden Encounter
Qlippoth, Augnargar, Chernobue, Cythnigot, Nyogoth, Shoggti *
Quickwood * Garden Encounter
Seugathi
Shining Child
Soulbound Dolls*
Tendriculos * Garden Encounter
Triton
Viper Vine * Garden Encounter
Worm that Walks*
Clockwork Spy, Servant, Soldier, Leviathan *
Ceratiodi *Possible Deep One or hybrid
Sea anemone, Giant
Crab, Shark Eating
Div Aghash
Globster
Grodair*
Jellyfish, Death's head and Sapphire
Lukwata
Moon Beast *
Nephlim
Nixie
Pale Stranger*
Phantom Fungus
Sargassum Fiend
Siyokoy
Yithian* Possible major plot race
Dark young of shub-Niggurath
Dimensional Shambler
Elder Thing
Mi-Go* Possible Major Plot race
Star Spawn* Major Plot

As you can see I think I have a pretty good list to draw upon for encounter in addition to tainted hybrid humans.

Right now in addition to writing up the main plot I want a bunch of mini-plot and quests along the way that have rewards for the PC's to aid them on the main plot.

Some ideas for side quests or encounters.

Gremlins are tinkering with the clockwork servants which will then start to malfunction. Engineering Workshop NPC will aid PC's in creating magical items or gear in return for stopping the gremlins.

Biolab chemcial Lab containing oozes may have a desired item but PC must get past the oozes which will escape.

They will need to find why the botanical gardens ( the main air supply ) has gone bad.

I would love suggestions on encounters and side quests that would fit in with the theme of Bioshock meets CoC.

1 level of Trapper Ranger doesn't really buy you very much, IMO. The biggest draw for the Knife Master is the d8 for damage. If the loss of Trapfinding means that much to you, just take base rogue instead of Knife Master: you're only losing an average of 1 HP of damage per die anyway.

Just FYI: River Rat is a fan-created trait: your DM may not approve.

River Rat is in the APG and has already been approved by my GM.

Toilets are not a very standard thing in games I've been to, so abusing the plumbing system isn't always a viable option.

Tho did you know that setting the Endless Water Thinghy on max setting, after using Sovereign Glue to tape it to a chicken is mighty fun if you have a few Know Location spells handy?

As for the time to go bad. I'd take half that in time to empty it, as the time is made in mind with using the sac now and then, while emptying it would be a constant flow, emptying it faster.

Let the people with Craft/profession have some fun changing the sac into a bag without piercing it. Or another leather like container object, such as a map/scroll...

Well like I said the place they will be is going to be very Steampunk like so there will be a mixture of high technology and magic. Also while this may be a little anal about the subject the toilet, even flush toilets, are an ancient invention and has been around since the 31st century BC.

Not sure why the endless water, chicken, glue thing would be fun as that would have be elaborated on because either I am not awake yet or just not getting it.

Trade Skills sounds like a good idea as well but I am thinking that profession tailor would work as well.

That's a nice thought.

What if you allowed it by casting a Gentle Repose, followed up by Permanency spell?

To deal with the water, you could put a limit on the water once it's severed from the creature. There's always one of those wonderous items that drains water and turns it into a small pebble. A few of those, and wham.

But it should probably a cheaper alternative to the bag of holding, as it's harder to get, so gentle repose + the amount of days before it becomes useless as an amount of days where they empty the water.

That's a lot of water, so they can't just empty it anywhere, or they might ruin the enviroment and incur wrath of npcs.

Ahh Gentle Repose, thank you very much, that was the spell I was thinking of. Also the idea of a number of days or hours before it goes bad. Also I didn't think of dealing with the water, however that shouldn't be a problem if they have any mechanical sense. The campaign I am working on is a Bioshock meets Call of Cthulhu adventure so it is kind of steampunk which means there are working toilets. Did you know unless it is stopped up you can't over flow a toilet by pouring water down it? It just keeps flushing.

However, I might have some of the treasure in the sac which may been swallowed and to their dismay watch gems get flushed down. :)

I am actually doing this kind of build as well but the problem that I have with the Knife Master Archtype is that it takes away trap finding which is kind of important however I found that if you took a one level dip of Ranger with the Trapper Archtype (from UM) then you can get that ability back. Of course it doesn't scale unless you take more levels of ranger it does however give you back the ability of disarming magical traps.

Right now I am playing a 1 Ranger(trapper + Urban Ranger)/ Rogue (Knife master)

I like the idea of picking up level of Fighter so that I can specialize in my knives. Actually I want to do that so I can rub it as I have been getting the comment. "Seriously? Daggers?" I wish the archetype was not so specific about what knife like weapons you can use as what they list are all low damage 1d4s.

Anyways, I am thinking of this build.

1 Ranger(trapper + Urban Ranger)/ 9 Rogue (Knife master)12 Fighter (Weapon Master)River Rat Trait (+1 with daggers)

Core Build Feats

Weapon Focus (Daggers)
Greater Weapon Focus (Daggers)
Weapon Specialization (Daggers)
Greater Weapon Specialization (Daggers)
Weapon Finesse
Improved Feint
Greater Improved Feint
Two Weapon Feint
Pin Down
Improved Trip
Greater Improved Trip
Two weapon Fighting
Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Skill Focus (Bluff)

So after I get Greater Weapon Specialization and Weapon Master Bonuses raw skill damage would be +8 with an added +5 attacks which is all before BAB, Strength bonuses, Dex Bonuses (weapon finesse.

My Knife Master has a Dex of 20 and a Str of 16 so damage wise I would be seeing this with my sneak attacks: 1d4+11(SA 5d8) which may not seem like much but as a full round attack using two weapon feint I could do that 5 times in a row scoring the sneak attack damage each time I hit for an average of 33 per hit and if all attack hits then the total average would be 165 with total possible of 220 which is fairly decent I think when you consider I would just be using knifes.

As of now my character uses +1 daggers.

Another possibility is to take some dips of Vivisectionist but since this means dropping levels of fighters that means no Greater Weapon specialization. It would mean a greater sneak attack damage but also less number of feats I would gain from fighter.

So perhaps something like this.

1 Ranger(trapper + Urban Ranger)/ 4 Alchemist (Vivisectionist) 9 Rogue (Knife master)12 Fighter (Weapon Master)River Rat Trait (+1 with daggers)

Which would give a 7d8 sneak attack, be able to brew potions, apply poisons with no ill effects but would loose about 2 feats and would loose a weapon master bonus but only +1 to damage and attack.

Not sure which direction I am going to go as I would have to crunch the numbers and progression of what I take and when but that should help you with some ideas of what I have been playing around this concept.

So going through the new PF Bestiary 3 book for a campaign I am writing I came across the Grodair which I felt would fit in nicely to my campaign, however upon reading up on it's ranged attack it seems that you could use it's water sac to create a bag of holding. There is nothing in the text that says you couldn't, so I willing to allow my players, if they are creative enough to be able to make bags of holding from them.

A grodair is a bloated aquatic creature from the primal world of the fey. The bulbous sac on its spine is an extradimensional space that can contain thousands of gallons of water. The creature drains water (including small bits of debris and even very small creatures) from one place and releases it in another, typically creating boggy areas as it moves so it can travel more quickly than its tentacles can carry it.

I am thinking of ways of how players could create bags of holding with the sac of the Grodair fish. First off I don't think allowing the same space to remain but then I thought well it would depend on the extra steps they take.

One of the methods that I thought of was that spell that preserves flesh, I think it was called gentle repose but I could be wrong. Does anyone off hand know the spell I am talking about? If the spell I have in mind has a duration then this is but a temporary solution.

I am open to any more ideas of how it would be acceptable if my players pursue this course of action because I just don't want to give that away.

I am also thinking that if the sac is cured with such a spell in the works and then a permanency spell is applied then they would have a permanent bag of holding without the major cost.

Back in 2nd edition, I had a player who cast a fireball in a old stinky sewer. Needles to say I ruled that ignited all the methane but I allowed them all to avoid damage with a reflex save to dive under the sewer water which was knee deep only, 3 made it.

While our group was investigating a series of goblin attacks our group needed to regroup and rest up before proceeding, so we go across the river opposite of the first village attacked while the the local militia returned the survivors we managed to rescue.

During the night a boat with many torches pulled up to the shore of the village. Our cleric at the time thought that they were allies despite the fact the militia said they were not likely going to return. He decides to use his signal whistle and before we could stop him 100 flaming arrows start to arc of the river. Luckily because of the distance we were able to escape into the forest. My summoner than made some torches, summoned some dretches to carry them and instructed them to run up the river with them as far as they could which fooled the goblins. We took his whistle away.

So, I am re-creating for Pathfinder a unique familiar for a character and wanting some help with balancing it to a level and such.

Basically it's a cat with some dragon properties (a "cat-dragon" from Lunar, although I created the cat before I played Lunar, I played Lunar and was like OMG that's so cool!)

I figured take the cat and add the fire mephit's breath weapon (maybe reduce the range to a 10-foot cone due to her smaller size), fast healing 2 (only in fire), and immunity to fire, plus feathered wings. Also, I was thinking of having her able to cast invisibility at will (regular, not improved, so no attacking or anything without becoming visible, maybe 1/hour instead of at will, like the mephit's abilities are mostly 1/hour)

So, what level would that familiar be then? A mephit is 7, but my cat won't be able to summon other cats or have any of the other spell-like abilities mephits have...

This might be moved to the home brew but I will give you my thoughts. A quick an easy way you could create it is to use eidolon evolutions with out worrying about evo points and then look at what level eidolon it would take to be that.

However, based on what you have so far it sound like it would be a CR7 at least, but your player would need improved familiar for that.

Thanks all. That is good enough for me. Although I would like to point out that a rogue knife master could not take levels of ninja because ninja is an alternate rogue class so you can only take either rogue or ninja.

OK, even though I currently have another build going I have been eying the Knife Master archetype with great interest but I never make straight builds any more. Of course my main interest is in this ability:

Sneak Stab (Ex): A knife master focuses her ability to deal sneak attack damage with daggers and similar weapons to such a degree that she can deal more sneak attack damage with those weapons at the expense of sneak attacks with other weapons. When she makes a sneak attack with a dagger, kerambit (page 130), kukri, punching daggers, starknife, or swordbreaker dagger (Advanced Player’s Guide 178), she uses d8s to roll sneak attack damage instead of d6s. For sneak attacks with all other weapons, she uses d4s instead of d6s. This ability is identical in all other ways to sneak attack, and supplements that ability.

Now I know that there are a couple of prestige classes and archetypes that have the sneak attack ability such as assassin, shadowdancer, and vivisectionist. How does their sneak attack damage stack with a rogue who has the Knifemaster archtype when using knife like weapons? Does the d8 (knife) and d4 (all other weapons) damage apply to all sneak attack damage from all sneak attack sources or would I have to be rolling a combination of dice based on those sources?

Also I am wondering if anyone can tell me of other sneak attack classes, archetypes or prestige classes other than ninja.

Hello

I want to create a magic artifact but I don't know how to calculate the price. It is supposed to work like the spell "False Vision". However, it's range is a 30 miles radius not a 40-ft one. How am I to put this in rules terms? How am I to estimate the Price and Cost. Is there a better spell I could use? Any tips?

Regards

Like others have said before, you really can't put a price on artifacts. However, this does not mean that you cannot create one, but you cannot create it with mere game mechanics. What you describe has the potential to be a game shattering device. Just think of how many kingdoms would love to get their royal hands on such a device. The best way is to talk to your GM, describe what you want, and then he should come up with some kind of quest. Such quests could involve gathering specific material components, sacrifices, and so on used in the item's creation. The magic creating such an artifact is part sympathetic magic (like Voodoo) or dramatic inspiration (like the slaying of a named dragon) that leads to spontaneous generation artifact powers and then there is only a slight chance of this happening. The item also needs some kind of history because fame is also another possible source to it's power. In short, in order to create an epic item you have to do epic things, so you can't just save up and fork over the dough.

InsaneFox wrote:

I could be wrong, but I don't think you can vital strike on a charge.

This. You cannot use VS and Charge. It makes me sad, but there it is.

Ya my bad.

I just had a thought though. Could a Minotaur ride mount that charges for him, use his powerful charge, and all in combination with Spirited Charge.

Powerful Charge (Ex)

When a creature with this special attack makes a charge, its attack deals extra damage in addition to the normal benefits and hazards of a charge. The attack and amount of damage from the attack is given in the creature’s description.

Format: powerful charge (gore, 4d8+24); Location: Special Attacks

does this stack with a regular charge attack? would a half-fiend minotaur form the book have a +15/+13 (3d6+9)+(2d6+9) from his greataxe/ powerful charge combo?

No, powerful charge is specific to the natural attack of the creature because their horn(s) are designed for the charging attack. However, if you just want to add some extra damage to his powerful charge why don't you just equip him with Rhino Hide armor. Rhino Hide Armor adds 2d6 points of damage whenever anyone charges with it, so the Gore would do 4d8+2d6+24 damage. If you really want to be evil add some fighter levels so that you can get Vital Strike to use with this.

My current character uses Rhino Hide armor and charges with an overhand chop which does a ton of damage.

another question about troll regen, could a troll be taken to -70 (crit with a greataxe) and be up in 2 rounds, or would he have to regen the whole 70 hp, 5 at a time?

The latter, the damage is still there and it will take a long time to Regen back. However, if you want the multiple troll thing from severing then I would suggest that the negative damage be divided evenly among all the pieces, so if their were 7 pieces each piece would be at -10 and would be back up in three rounds.

Pathfinder whips have a 15ft reach anyway, no size-boost needed.

Wow I didn't know that! That is long. However there is a reason to size boost and that is the damage increase, especially if you wanted to follow the whip mastery line which is not a bad idea because you could mess up larger creatures from a distance.

Normal whip made Gargantuan would do 1d8 points of damage from 15 feet away.

Scorpion Whip made Gargantuan would do 2d6 of damage from 15 feet away. Then make sure you have enough ranger levels to get some casters levels and cast lead blades and then you are doing 3d6 points of damage from 15 feet away. Then be really evil and have an item that has enlarge person charges or have a friend cast it on you so that you then do 4d6 points of damage from 20 feet away with each hit! Then be really evil and get the entire trip line of feats in addition to the trip mastery line.

That's exactly the same as the current restriction, if they were treated as Large instead of Medium for determining what size weapons they could wield.

It's actually not possible for him to wield Gargantuan weapons, I believe. Even if he could, reach is a property of the weapon, not the size, and you only get reach if the weapon is appropriately sized for you. So wielding a 15' long longsword doesn't give you any more reach than wielding a small dagger. Does it make sense? Not really, but it's what...

Actually no it isn't exactly the same as the current restrictions because the going argument has been that you can't have a medium size creature use a large two-handed weapon because it changes it to other than a two-handed weapon.

Inappropriately Sized Weapons: A creature can’t make

optimum use of a weapon that isn’t properly sized for it. A cumulative –2 penalty applies on attack rolls for each size category of difference between the size of its intended wielder and the size of its actual wielder. If the creature isn’t proficient with the weapon, a –4 nonproficiency penalty also applies.

The measure of how much effort it takes to use a weapon (whether the weapon is designated as a light, one-handed, or two-handed weapon for a particular wielder) is altered by one step for each size category of difference between the wielder’s size and the size of the creature for which the weapon was designed. For example, a Small creature would
wield a Medium one-handed weapon as a two-handed weapon. If a weapon’s designation would be changed to something other than light, one-handed, or two-handed by this alteration, the creature can’t wield the weapon at all.

Now personally I do not agree with the going argument that a large two-handed sword is something other than a two-handed weapon because A it makes no sense because it is not changing to something other than a two-handed weapon as there is no category above that and B the Ultimate Combat talks about Inappropriately Sized Fire arms that is contrary to the CRB.

Inappropriately Sized Firearms: You cannot make optimum use of a firearm that is not properly sized for you. A cumulative –2 penalty applies on attack rolls for each size category of difference between your size and the size of the firearm. If you are not proficient with the firearm, a –4 nonproficiency penalty also applies. The size of a firearm never affects how many hands you need

to use to shoot it, the exception being siege firearms and Large or larger creatures. In most cases, a Large or larger creature can use a siege firearm as a two-handed firearm, but the creature takes a –4 penalty for using it this way because of its awkwardness.

Now someone said earlier that this was a special case for just firearms, but that makes no sense because I use to teach how to fire weapons in the Marine Corps. and size does make a difference.

As for the reach deal. I am not disagreeing with you about RAW but I think this should be an errata now for that because of both this archetype class and it just plain makes sense that it would work that way.

One thing I can't stand is dogmatic thinking.

I would suggest removing the old restriction on size away from this archetype but put a new one on them that they can only use a weapon three times removed for light weapons, two times removed for one handed weapons, and only one times removed for two-handed weapons. You would still incur the normal penalties however which would be reduced by levels in the class. This way the archetype is viable but less overpowering if the restriction was just removed entirely.

Example a medium sized Titian Mauler could wield up to:

A Large Two-handed Weapon (from a medium two-handed)

A Huge One-Handed Weapon (from a medium one handed)

A Gargantuan Light Weapon (from a medium light)

On a side note, currently by RAW it is possible for the mauler to wield a Gargantuan Light Weapon, but there are some light weapons that are actually quite long and I think that they might end up being a reach weapon.

If the increase was only 50% per size difference then a whip which is normally 72 inches long ( bull whips range from 6 to 7 feet) would end up being 180 inches long ( almost 15 feet long). Now whips already have reach because of their lengths but at 15 feet long I think that reach would increase dramatically, at least a 10 foot reach.

A Shang Gou: which is normally 33 inches long would be 82.5 inches long ( almost 7 feet long). Since a whip is normally between 6 and 7 feet long then this weapon should be able to get the reach quality at this size.

I didn't think you could combine combat maneuvers with great cleave. That would make improved sunder and greater sunder really fun.