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Hi all,

I'm planning to run a Pathfinder Society scenario from Season 1 for some players, and need a clarification surrounding the official rules for minimum table size, since I haven't GMed Society games for a few years.

A player has mentioned that the minimum table size has been reduced to 2 players, so I'm checking how this ruling is officially applied to First Edition.

The first source I checked was the Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide. Page 11 of the rules states the following:

LEGAL TABLE SIZE

The minimum table size for a Roleplaying Guild Organized Play session is four players. The recommended maximum is six players. In cases where you simply cannot seat four players, you may run a table of three players, and play an appropriate level pregenerated iconic character in order to meet the minimum table size of four PCs. Pregenerated iconic characters are available for 1st level, 4th level, and 7th level (see the Pregenerated Characters section on page 6).

The next source I checked was the Organized Play Legacy FAQ and Campaign Clarifications. Zero results for "minimum table size".

The next source I checked was this blog post on Organized Play Table Adjustments. This states the following:

For tables at levels that have pregens available. GMs can now run up to two pregenerated characters to fill a table up to the four-person minimum. The GM can control these pregens themselves or designate one or more players to control the additional character(s), so long as the player agrees to do so. This should help our smaller lodges and Society home groups participate in our program and continue firing and reporting games.

This blog post seems to be referring to Second Edition, given the immediate sentence following this states it's for Second Edition.

Finally, there's reply #65 in the comments on the blog, stating that a decision was made on a private communication channel that this applies to First Edition.

Can I please have some clarity on what the official ruling is for table size in First Edition Pathfinder Society, and where this official ruling is found beyond a comment on a blog post about a private conversation?

I'm considering taking Silent Image as a spell on my sorcerer next level, and was wondering if the following usage of the spell is something you'd consider a valid strategy in combat.

On my character's turn in combat, I'd gaslight any intelligent creatures we're fighting that I'm gonna use my magic to blind them. Then I'd cast the spell, filling all squares affected by the illusion with a momentary flash of bright light.

Once the flash occurs, I'd swap to creating an orb of pure black around each enemy creature's head, which goes from the surface of their skin out to a 1 ft. circle. I'd move the illusion of pure black with the creature as it moves in combat while concentrating on the spell.

From the enemy's perspective, I've cast a spell and turned them blind. From the party's perspective, I've made all visible enemies into easy targets for the ranged and melee players while I'm concentrating.

Do you think the enemy would gain the blind condition from this, with the relevant penalties (no Dex to AC, penalized movement, etc.)?

I'm also wondering how the rules for interacting with illusions apply here.

If the enemy's only interacting with the spell via sight, I'm thinking they shouldn't get any kind of will save for disbelief, unless they have some suspicion that the effect is an illusion, such as an opposed spellcraft check or a creature outside of the area of effect telling them it's an illusion. Would that be a valid take on this?

From the Dhampir racial entry:

Resist Level Drain: A dhampir takes no penalties from energy drain effects, though he can still be killed if he accrues more negative levels then he has Hit Dice. After 24 hours, any negative levels a dhampir takes are removed without the need for an additional saving throw.

What happens when a Dhampir gains a permanent negative level, such as from Raise Dead?

From the Crafting skill description:

To Craft an item, you must meet the following requirements:
• You have the formula for the item

From the Magical Crafting feat:

You can Craft magic items, though some have other requirements, as listed in Chapter 11. When you select this feat, you gain formulas for four common magic items of 2nd level or lower.

If a wizard has the Magical Crafting feat and wants to scribe a scroll of a spell from his spellbook, what is required?

A: He knows the "scrolls" formula, and can craft a scroll of any spell he knows.
B: He only knows four common scroll formulas of a specific spell, and must purchase additional formulas to scribe any other spells he knows.

Hi folks, I'm seeking feedback for my list of player boons for a Pathfinder homebrew game I'm writing. The setting assumes all players are members of an elite unit of the Absalom city guard, the Primary Independent Guard Squad (P.I.G.S. for short) and complete adventures similar to an episode of a TV cop drama with downtime between each mission, using a similar system of advancement to Pathfinder Society, with set gold earned for each mission and 3 missions resulting in a level increase.

Central to the game are the various factions the players join for rewards when completing secondary objectives during a mission. Each time they complete the objective, they earn one reputation with their faction. These unlock boons with their faction as they advance. The goal is to have players earn two reputation on average each level, with the possibility of three reputation if they're exceptionally talented at earning the secondary objective rewards.

I'm looking for your help in checking for loopholes, abuses or alternatively just bad design decisions of the boons the players earn from their faction. I've created five factions, and their boons are below. Does anything strike you as too powerful, or does one faction seem significantly better or worse than the others? Any other feedback at all?

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Kortos Consortium - A ruthless cartel of merchants with fingers in every pie, the cartel’s goals are to squeeze maximum profit from every transaction. Their business interests lie in the secure transport of high value goods, magic items, slaves, and magical creatures both legal and illegal, as well as securing lucrative contracts for the Consortium or uncovering exploitable information on their competitors. Due to Absalom’s laws preventing collusion and price-fixing, the Consortium operates through undercover agents within the city to secure their interests.

Kortos Consortium Boons

Agent Boon - Merchant contacts allow you to secure the best deals in the city. You may purchase all goods except trade goods, magical items, alchemical items, or masterwork items at 75% of standard price. All items of 1 gold or less value can be obtained for free.

3 Reputation - The Consortium officially recognises you as a part of their organization. They intend to look after their investment well. At the beginning of a mission, you may select a single item worth up to 750 gp. You may use this item during the mission, though you must return it if possible when the mission concludes.

6 Reputation - Time spent dealing with ruthless merchants has fortified you against being a pushover. You gain Iron Will as a bonus feat. You gain a +2 bonus to your CMD vs. Trip and Bull Rush combat maneuvers.

9 Reputation - You’re supernaturally talented at turning a profit at other people’s expense. When another creature within 30 feet casts a spell with a range greater than touch, you can immediately attempt an opposed Charisma check against one of the spell’s intended targets (chosen by you). If you succeed at the check, you receive the spell’s benefit instead of the target. You may use this boon once per day for every 3 Reputation you possess.

12 Reputation - Business is booming, and you’ve earned your share of the rewards. Select any one item of up to 5,000 gp value. You immediately gain this item at no cost.

15 Reputation - Money talks, and you’ve learned its language. You automatically know whether someone will accept a bribe, and if so, what it will cost. You gain the ability to cast the 3rd level spell Tongues as a spell-like ability once per day. You gain a +2 bonus to all Linguistics checks, and add an extra language to the list of languages you know (excluding secret languages).

18 Reputation - You have an eye for quality, ensuring equipment is the best available. Once per day, you can specify either a manufactured weapon or a set of armor to benefit from your attention. A weapon gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls, a +1 bonus to critical confirmation rolls, and a +2 bonus to damage. A set of armor gains a +1 bonus to armor AC, increases its maximum Dexterity bonus by 1 point, and reduces its armor check penalty by 1 point. These are circumstance bonuses and last for 24 hours or until you select a new item to improve.

21 Reputation - In the cutthroat world of business, you know how to make the most of an opportunity. You may make a coup-de-grace attack with a light one-handed weapon as a standard action rather than a full-round action. When making an attack of opportunity, you add a +2 circumstance bonus to your attack roll and double the normal critical threat range of your weapon. If your weapon already benefits from another effect that increases its threat range (such as the Improved Critical feat), you instead increase the critical multiplier of your weapon by 1 (a weapon that deals double damage on a critical instead deals triple damage, a weapon that deals triple damage instead deals quadruple damage, etc.)

24 Reputation - You’ve mastered the art of loan risk management. As a swift action up to six times per day, you may gain a number of temporary hit points up to a maximum of ten times your hit dice, though you may choose less than this amount if you wish. These temporary hit points last for one minute or until discharged. One minute after you gain these hit points, you immediately take damage equal to double the amount of temporary hit points gained. This damage cannot be reduced or prevented. If the damage is enough to reduce your current hit points below your negative constitution score, you die. This boon cannot be used more than once every 10 minutes.

27 Reputation - You’ve gained a reputation as a skinflint. You are permanently under the effects of Stoneskin, gaining DR 10/adamantine. Any weapons you wield, including ammunition, are considered to be alchemical silver for the purpose of bypassing DR. When you cast or are the target of any spell with an expensive material component (such as Raise Dead or Restoration), the cost of the material component required is only 50% of normal cost.

30 Reputation - The Kortos Consortium offers you an executive position on its board of directors. You gain a 25% increase in WBL for each successful mission completed. You may purchase masterwork items, magical items and alchemical items for 90% of standard cost, and other items excluding trade goods at 50% of standard cost. Once per day, instead of rolling an attack roll, you can add +20 to your modifier and treat the total as your result. This is not treated as a critical threat.

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House Arnsen - The noble House Arnsen has lofty goals for the future. Lord Avid of House Arnsen is the current teriarch, or ruler, of the city of Diobel to the west of Absalom, and a bitter rival to his once-childhood friend, the current primarch of Absalom, Lord Gyr. He has set his eyes on attaining status for his name within Absalom, aiming not only to include his house among the city’s most powerful, but put himself first in line for the position of primarch upon Lord Gyr’s death. An influential man with deep pockets, he uses his agents to further his own agenda, gathering political influence through alliance or blackmail as the opportunity permits.

House Arnsen Boons

Agent Boon - The backing of Lord Avid ensures you have access to the creature comforts afforded those favored by nobility. You gain a Townhouse residence in the Eastgate district at no monthly charge. You can secure any nonmagical item worth 5 gp or less from your home while in the Eastgate district in 1d10 minutes, and need only track purchases of meals or taxes in excess of 10 gp.

3 Reputation - The political undercurrents of Absalom are where you thrive. You gain a +2 bonus to Bluff checks to attempt to deceive someone or pass a secret message. You gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy checks to gather information or make requests. You gain a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks to coerce a target or change their attitude. You gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (Local) and Knowledge (Nobility) checks related to Absalom. You gain a +2 bonus to Sense Motive checks to detect a lie or secret message. Choose one of these skills. The selected skill is a class skill for you.

6 Reputation - You’re always one step ahead of the competition. You gain Improved Initiative as a bonus feat. You gain a +2 bonus to your CMD vs. Dirty Trick and Steal combat maneuvers.

9 Reputation - Your name is well known among those with ties to Lord Avid. As an immediate action you may reroll a Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate or Sense Motive check you have just made before the results of the roll are revealed. You must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. You may use this boon once per day for every 3 Reputation you possess. Additionally, you may always choose to take 10 on any Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate or Sense Motive check, even when you could not normally do so. You cannot choose to take 10 if you’ve already attempted to roll a check.

12 Reputation - You keep close watch on your enemies, and know how to uncover their weaknesses. Any time you succeed at a Knowledge (Local) or Knowledge (Nobility) check against a creature, you gain a +2 insight bonus on attack rolls, AC, saving throws and skill checks against that creature for 1 minute. As a free action during this time, you can share a piece of information about the creature with your allies to extend this same bonus to them.

15 Reputation - People are your tools, and you know how to use them effectively. You automatically succeed at checks to determine if someone is under the effect of magical compulsion or possession. You gain the ability to cast the 3rd level spell Suggestion as a spell-like ability once per day. You add +2 to the DC of any Intimidate check to demoralize, coerce or change your attitude.

18 Reputation - It’s good to know the right people. Your cultivated network of friends, contacts and informants constantly feed you information, granting you Bardic Knowledge with a class level equal to your hit dice. A character with this feature already may instead choose to add a +2 circumstance bonus to all Knowledge checks. Additionally, you gain Skill Focus as a bonus feat in Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive or a single Knowledge skill.

21 Reputation - You’re a master at unraveling an opponent’s strategies through intuition. You may use your Sense Motive in place of Spellcraft as an immediate action to identify a spell as it’s being cast by a creature within 30 ft., provided the spell contains verbal or somatic components and the caster is visible to you. If successful, you may immediately counterspell the spell if able as part of the immediate action. You may make a Sense Motive check as immediate action when the target of a combat maneuver, provided the enemy is visible to you. If your result exceeds your opponent’s combat maneuver check, you add a +4 circumstance bonus to your CMD. This bonus applies only against the creature who attempted the combat maneuver, and lasts until the beginning of your next turn.

24 Reputation - Your powers of intimidation let you thwart your opponent’s attacks. When you are critically hit in melee, you may make an Intimidate check as an immediate action up to six times per day. Success causes the target to be demoralised as normal, and you take normal damage instead. If the attack penalty from Intimidate would cause the critical confirmation to fail, you instead take no damage from the attack. Regardless of the outcome, you do not trigger attacks of opportunity from the target for one minute. This boon cannot be used more than once every 10 minutes.

27 Reputation - With a witty quip and a flourish, you bewilder your opponents in combat. You add your Charisma bonus (if any) to your Initiative modifier. You always act in a surprise round, even when unaware of the enemy. As a free action after threatening a critical but before rolling to confirm, you may take a -4 penalty to the confirmation roll to attempt a Charisma check with a +4 bonus (DC = 10 + target HD). On success, your opponent is stunned, confused or cowering (your choice) for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier. Resolve this attempt before confirming the critical confirmation.

30 Reputation - Lord Avid is most pleased with your service. You gain a Manor residence in the Petal district at no monthly charge. You can secure any item worth 25 gp or less from your home while in the Petal district in 1d10 minutes, and need only track purchases of meals, entertainers, messengers, mounts, servants, transport, workers, spellcasting services, or taxes in excess of 100 gp. All locations within Absalom requiring exclusive membership are open to you and anyone who accompanies you, and NPCs who would normally have an Indifferent starting attitude towards you instead begin as Friendly. Once per day, instead of rolling a Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive check, you can add +20 to your skill modifier and treat the total as your result. This is not treated as a critical success.

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Chamber of Ecclestials - This alliance of churches is headed by nomarch Sindoi of the Thousand Poems, an elderly Vudrani man who has led the council for eight decades. An accomplished philosopher and artist, he professes worship of all gods and none, and acts as the impartial mouthpiece of the myriad religious groups that attempt to find cohesion within Absalom. His agents are expected to respect his desire to maintain his status as a neutral mediator for conflicts, avoiding mention of his influence in affairs which require intervention to maintain balance between the various factions within the churches of the city, quenching the fires of religious zealots before they spread.

Chamber of Ecclestials Boons

Agent Boon - The major churches of Absalom offer you training with their specialists. At the start of each mission, or once per day with 1d4 hours of training while in the Ascendant Court district of Absalom, you may select one of the following boons:

Boon of the Seventh Church - The rigorous training of the faithful of Iomedae sharpen your martial prowess. For 24 hours or until you select a new boon, you gain a +1 sacred bonus to attack and damage rolls with melee or ranged weapons.

Boon of Cayden’s Hall - Although a drinking session with the holy bartenders of Cayden Cailean might not be your first expectation when seeking training, you can’t deny you feel luckier afterwards. You gain a +1 luck bonus to all saving throws for 24 hours or until you select a new boon. During this time, once per day before you roll a d20, you may declare the use of this boon to roll twice and take the more favorable result.

Boon of the Pleasure Salon of Calistria - Your time spent with the courtesans of Calistria has both lifted your spirits and taught you to visit threefold vengeance unto those who inflict pain upon you. You gain a +1 morale bonus on Charisma based skill checks and ability checks for 24 hours or until you select a new boon. During this time, up to three times per day when you are damaged by a creature in melee, you may make an attack of opportunity against that creature with a +1 morale bonus on the attack roll.

Boon of the Temple of the Shining Star - The gentle guidance of the healers of Sarenrae have blessed you with a limited measure of her power. You gain the ability to channel positive energy to heal living creatures or damage undead once per day for 24 hours or until you select a new boon, treating your hit dice as your effective Cleric level. If you already possess the ability to channel positive energy, you instead gain two additional uses of your channel energy ability for the duration of the boon. This boon does not allow you to meet the prerequisites for any other feat, class or the like, such as those that require the Channel Energy class feature.

Boon of the Black Mask - The friendly alchemists in this costume shop which is definitely not a secret temple to Norgorber share some advice about handling dangerous substances, and even gift you with a few short-dated samples for ‘research purposes.’ You gain the poison use class feature and deal an extra 1d6 profane damage with any poisoned attack (whether or not the poison is effective) for 24 hours or until you select a new boon. Additionally, you gain 3 doses of injury poison (Fort DC 10 + ½ your HD + your Wisdom modifier) that cause the target to become sickened and fatigued for 1d6 rounds on a failed saving throw. This poison has no value if sold and turns inert after 24 hours. This boon does not allow you to meet the prerequisites for any other feat, class or the like, such as those that require the poison use class feature.

3 Reputation - You’ve been granted authority to use any means necessary for the fight against enemies of the faith. Select any one Inquisitor inquisition granted by your deity. If you do not worship a deity, select any one inquisition (subject to GM approval). Your effective Inquisitor level for this inquisition is equal to your hit dice. An Inquisitor instead gains an inquisition from those available to them, in addition to their normal domain.

6 Reputation - The strength of the gods fill your body. You gain Great Fortitude as a bonus feat. You gain a +2 bonus to your CMD vs. Grapple and Overrun combat maneuvers.

9 Reputation - A seed of divine power has taken root in your soul, granting you the blessing of the gods. Select any one Warpriest blessing granted by your deity. If you do not worship a deity, select any one blessing (subject to GM approval). If you have levels in a class that grants Cleric domains, the blessing chosen must match a domain selected by your class. Your effective Warpriest level for your blessing is equal to your hit dice. You may use this blessing once per day for every 3 Reputation you possess. This boon does not allow you to meet the prerequisites for any other feat, class or the like, such as those that require the blessings class feature. A Warpriest instead gains an additional blessing from those available to them, and increases their power call upon these blessings an additional time per day for every 3 Reputation they possess.

12 Reputation - Whether by divine blessing or unholy ritual, your soul is bound closer to your body than most. When you are killed by hit point damage, your soul lingers in your body for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution modifier. You are still dead, but a creature can make a DC 10 Heal check as a standard action to realize that you can still be saved. You can be healed by magic as if you were alive. If you are healed enough hit points that you would no longer be dead, you are alive again, but you gain one permanent negative level.

15 Reputation - You’ve spent much time among the faithful, and hear whispers of the divine voices that surround them. You gain the ability to cast the 3rd level spell Prayer as a spell-like ability once per day. You gain a bonus to Knowledge (Religion) checks equal to half your hit dice, and may make such checks untrained. Knowledge (Religion) is a class skill for you.

18 Reputation - Not all divine power comes from the gods, and the attention of more primal forces has granted you their favor. Select a Shaman spirit. You gain the use of a single a hex from that spirit’s list. Your effective Shaman level for your hex is equal to your hit dice. This boon does not allow you to meet the prerequisites for any other feat, class or the like, such as those that require the hex class feature. A Shaman instead gains an additional hex from those available to them from their spirit, in addition to their normal hexes.

21 Reputation - The touch of divine power within you grants you resistance to the elements. If you are good aligned or spontaneously cast cure spells, you gain acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5. If you are evil aligned or spontaneously cast inflict spells, you gain cold resistance 5, electricity resistance 5, and fire resistance 5. If none of the previous conditions are applicable, you instead select one of the two options. These resistances stack with any racial resistances you possess.

24 Reputation - The gods hear your prayers, and though your body may be broken, they allow you to linger a moment longer on the mortal plane. Up to six times per day, when you would be killed by hit point damage, massive damage, ability damage, suffocation, negative levels, a failed saving throw, spell or death effect, you gain the supernatural ability to instead remain conscious and disabled at your new negative hit point total or a hit point total equal to your negative Constitution score, whichever is lower. You may use this boon for a duration of one minute, and are immune to the dying, helpless and unconscious conditions during this time. Effects on you persist, and you continue to accrue damage as normal during this time as the ghostly outline of your soul visibly slips further away from your body. One minute after using this boon, if you are still subject to a condition that would cause death, you are dead and cannot be brought to life by any power other than a Resurrection, True Resurrection, Miracle or Wish. If you are no longer subject to a condition that would cause death, you instead gain two permanent negative levels. This boon cannot be used more than once every ten minutes.

27 Reputation - The spark of your faith allows you to draw deeply on your divine aspect. Select any one Cleric domain granted by your deity. If you do not worship a deity, select any one domain (subject to GM approval). You gain the domain powers of your selected domain (but not other features such as bonus spells or domain spell slots) with an effective Cleric level for your domain powers equal to your hit dice. This boon does not allow you to meet the prerequisites for any other feat, class or the like, such as those that require the domain class feature. A Cleric instead selects an additional domain from those available to them, gaining access to both domain powers and domain spells as normal.

30 Reputation - Sindoi of the Thousand Poems thanks you humbly for your support, happy to report the Chamber of Ecclestials have unanimously awarded you the title of Champion of the Court. Once per day, instead of rolling a saving throw, you can add +20 to your modifier and treat the total as your result. This is not treated as a critical success. At the start of each mission, or once per day with 1d4 hours of meditation while in the Ascendant Court district of Absalom, you may select one of the following Champion boons:

Champion of the Seventh Church - The high priest of the Seventh Church, Genedair the Faithful, bestows laurels upon you for your unmatched strength and valor in combat. For 24 hours or until you select a new boon, you and all allies within 10 ft. of you gain a +1 sacred bonus to attack and damage rolls with melee or ranged weapons. During this time, you gain the ability to Smite Evil three times per day, treating your hit dice as your effective Paladin level. A Paladin instead increases their ability to Smite Evil an additional three times per day. Iomedae’s blessing lets you transform yourself into an avatar of divine wrath. If you are no more than one alignment step from Lawful Good, you may gain the benefits of both Righteous Might and Holy Sword at the same time as a supernatural ability with a caster level equal to your hit dice. You may activate this boon as a swift action for a number of rounds per day equal to your hit dice, though these rounds need not be consecutive.

Champion of Cayden’s Hall - You are crowned eternal champion of all drinking contests, undisputed victor against the entirety of Cayden’s faithful within his hall. You gain a +1 luck bonus to all attack rolls, damage rolls, skill checks, ability checks and saving throws for 24 hours or until you select a new boon. During this time, a number of times per day equal to your hit dice, before you roll a d20, you may declare the use of this boon to roll twice and take the more favorable result. In your less sober moments, you think you’ve caught glimpses of Cayden smiling at you, welcoming you to share a drink. If you are no more than one alignment step from Chaotic Good, instead of rolling 2d20, you may spend a full round action drinking an alcoholic beverage. This action provokes attacks of opportunity, and requires you have an alcoholic beverage on your person. If all your allies present perform the sacred chant of Cayden Cailean during your action (Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!), you reduce this to a swift action. The next time you would roll a d20, you instead treat the result as an automatic natural 20.

Champion of the Pleasure Salon of Calistria - You’ve been welcomed into Calistria’s embrace, experiencing pleasures beyond description and discovering the darkest parts of your hidden desires. You gain a +1 morale bonus on all attack rolls, damage rolls, skill checks, ability checks and saving throws for 24 hours or until you select a new boon. During this time, a number of times per day equal to your hit dice, when you are damaged by a creature in melee, you may make an attack of opportunity against that creature with a +2 morale bonus on the attack roll. Calistria’s vindictive nature allows you to inflict agonizing punishment on your enemies through her blessing. If you are no more than one alignment step from Chaotic Neutral, when you are struck by a critical hit, instead of making an attack of opportunity, you may choose to have your body erupt into a swarm of wasps, avoiding the attack. If so, you negate all damage from the attack and immediately move to occupy the square of the creature that struck you. While in swarm form, you are considered to possess the swarm subtype composed of diminutive creatures. You lose any AC from shields or armor (including natural armor), but retain your normal size, Dexterity, Dodge and deflection bonuses, and armor bonuses from force effects. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity, and become immune to weapon damage, poison, flanking, sneak attacks, and critical hits. You can't attack or cast spells with verbal, somatic, material, or focus components while in swarm form. You gain a pain attack which targets any creature in your square. The target of your pain attack must succeed their saving throw (Fort DC 10 + ½ your HD + your Wisdom modifier) or be wracked with pain for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier. On a success, they suffer a -4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks; on a failure, they also gain the Stunned condition. Creatures immune to pain are immune to your attack. You return to your normal form as a free action at the beginning of your next turn, arriving at the closest free square to your previous position.

Champion of the Temple of the Shining Star - You bask in the warmth of Sarenrae’s light, granting you an aspect of her power. You gain the ability to channel positive energy to heal living creatures or damage undead twice per day for 24 hours or until you select a new boon, treating your hit dice as your effective Cleric level. This boon does not allow you to meet the prerequisites for any other feat, class or the like, such as those that require the Channel Energy class feature. If you already possess the ability to channel positive energy, you instead gain four additional uses of your channel energy ability for the duration of the boon. Sarenrae’s light shines from within you, causing your eyes to glow like the sun through her blessing. If you are no more than one alignment step from Neutral Good, you gain the Daylight spell as an at-will spell-like ability. You gain a blinding gaze attack (Fort DC 10 + ½ your HD + your Wisdom modifier) with a range of 30 ft. for 24 hours or until you select a new boon. Creatures with light sensitivity take a -2 penalty on this saving throw. The area of this gaze attack counts as direct sunlight for the purpose of creature weaknesses. Creatures with no eyes or who do not rely on sight are immune to your gaze. You may activate your gaze attack as a free action for a number of rounds per day equal to your hit dice, though these rounds need not be consecutive.

Champion of the Black Mask - You are shown secret books, taught secret methods, given secret skills. You gain the poison use class feature and deal an extra 2d6 profane damage with any poisoned attack (whether or not the poison is effective) for 24 hours or until you select a new boon. Additionally, you gain the ability to manufacture a number of doses of injury poison equal to your hit dice per day (Fort DC 10 + ½ your HD + your Wisdom modifier) that cause the target to become nauseated and exhausted for 2d6 rounds on a failed saving throw. This poison can only be created at the Black Mask, has no value if sold and turns inert after 24 hours. Norgorber’s favor gives you an edge when using his gifts. If you are no more than one alignment step from Neutral Evil, you may draw a dose of poison and apply it to a weapon as an immediate action provided you have at least one hand free. You (but not your allies or other creatures) may perform a lethal coup-de-grace attack against any creature under the effects of your Champion’s poison. This boon does not allow you to meet the prerequisites for any other feat, class or the like, such as those that require the poison use class feature.

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The Forthright Men Thieves’ Guild - Based out of a crumbling ruin of a castle within the Coins District known as the Temple of Lost Coins, this ramshackle building is the front for a guild of thieves known as the Forthright Men, led by their guild master known as the Harlequin, who both dresses in bright motley and hangs every abandoned circus banner and fair streamer ever dropped or discarded in Absalom from the temple’s arches. As a result of a loophole in the District law, the Forthright Men are a legal organization as long as they pay taxes on their profits and never deny their involvement in any crime of trespass or theft. With obvious interests in monitoring the daily events of the city’s finest guardians, the Harlequin offers generous support for those willing to assist an honest citizen such as himself in the course of practicing his trade.

The Forthright Men Thieves' Guild Boons

Agent Boon - You have friends in low places. Once per day you may spend 1d10 minutes to summon your Thieves’ Guild allies to assist you. You gain two 1st level Guild followers (typically a Brawler and a Rogue) who will each assist you with a single task. This task may range from assisting with a single combat encounter, to delivering a message, returning a prisoner to the local guardhouse, creating a distraction while you sneak past sentries, or other tasks, but once they judge their task complete, your followers will leave. At 6 Reputation your Guild followers are 2nd level, and continue to increase in level with every additional 6 Reputation gained.

3 Reputation - You know the streets like the back of your hand. Thanks to your Guild contacts, you’re aware of numerous short-cuts, rooftop paths and secret entrances scattered throughout Absalom. As a standard action during a chase, once per day you may choose to bypass an obstacle by using a secret route. If you wish to allow your allies to use the same route, you must spend an additional standard action per ally. Additionally, you gain a +2 insight bonus on all checks made during a chase within Absalom, and never suffer penalties for slow speed when navigating obstacles. Whenever you make a Perception check to find a secret door within Absalom, you add a +2 circumstance bonus to your check and may roll 2d20, taking the better result.

6 Reputation - Only the strong survive for long in the criminal underworld. You gain Toughness as a bonus feat. You gain a +2 bonus to your CMD vs. Disarm and Sunder combat maneuvers.

9 Reputation - You’ve learned a thing or two about hitting your enemies in their weak spots. As an immediate action before making an attack roll, you can declare the attack to be a sneak attack as per the Rogue class feature. Add a number of sneak attack dice equal to half your hit dice. The attack must qualify as a sneak attack in order for the damage to apply. If you already have another source of precision damage (such as the sneak attack class feature) these dice stack with your existing damage. You may use this boon once per day for every 3 Reputation you possess. This boon does not allow you to meet the prerequisites for any other feat, class or the like, such as those that require the sneak attack class feature.

12 Reputation - Special tutelage in the Thieves’ Guild has improved your knowledge of traps. You gain Learn Ranger Trap as a bonus feat, treating your hit dice as your Ranger level for the purpose of this feat. You gain Trap Sense (Ex), giving a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps, or improve your existing bonuses by +1 if you already have the Trap Sense class feature. You gain the Trap Spotter (Ex) Rogue talent, or gain an additional Rogue talent if you already have the Trap Spotter Rogue talent.

15 Reputation - Working with shadowy figures has given you a sixth sense when it comes to invisibility. You gain Blindsense (Ex) with a range of 5 ft.; this stacks with any other source of Blindsense you may gain. You gain the ability to cast the 3rd level spell Invisibility Sphere as a spell-like ability once per day. If you are struck in melee by an unseen or invisible creature who then moves in the same round, you automatically know which square the creature ended its movement inside.

18 Reputation - You know how to take advantage of your environment in a fight. You treat 20% concealment as 50% concealment; this doesn’t grant total concealment, it only increases the miss chance. When in difficult terrain, you may spend a swift action to take a 5-foot step, avoiding attacks of opportunity for movement as normal. You ignore the effects of poor visibility on movement speed, although blindness and total darkness affect you normally.

21 Reputation - You greet darkness as an old friend. When in dim light (but not total darkness), you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Stealth checks. Additionally, you may use the Shadow Jump ability as per the Shadowdancer prestige class up to a total of 40 feet per day. This stacks with any distance gained from the Shadowdancer prestige class.

24 Reputation - Nothing escapes your notice. You gain the ability to activate True Seeing as a standard action supernatural ability for a duration of one minute up to six times per day. You gain a competence bonus to your Perception checks equal to half your hit dice while using this boon. This boon cannot be used more than once every ten minutes.

27 Reputation - Working with the Guild has remarkable benefits. You gain a single Rogue Talent and Advanced Rogue Talent, even if you are not a high enough level to qualify for an Advanced Rogue Talent, treating your hit dice as your Rogue level. Aside from this exception, you must otherwise meet all prerequisites required for selecting the talent.

30 Reputation - There are whispers among the Forthright Men that you are next in line for the title of Guild Master. When you summon your Thieves’ Guild allies to assist you, you gain two followers two levels lower than your own level who will each assist you with two tasks. Once per day, instead of rolling a Disable Device, Perception, Sleight of Hand or Stealth check, you can add +20 to your skill modifier and treat the total as your result.

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The Arcanamirium - Not only the largest and oldest school in Absalom, but quite possibly the most prestigious arcane academy in the entire Inner Sea region of Golarion, the Arcanamirium is one of the most influential non-governmental bodies in all of Absalom. Lord Gyr of House Gixx is both First Spell Lord of the Arcanamirium and primarch of Absalom, placing the academy firmly in the camp of those loyal to the city Council. Every tenured teaching spellcaster employed by the school is allowed to sponsor one student each year, who receive their education free of charge. In exchange for these free lessons, sponsored students are expected to assist their tutor in a variety of tasks, some of which may be related to secret research.

The Arcanamirium Boons

Agent Boon - You’ve gained the attention of a powerful figure within the Arcanamirium, who sponsors your apprenticeship in the academy. Select either the Sorcerer or Wizard class. You can use spell trigger and spell completion items as if you were either one level higher in that class, or first level if you have no levels in that class. Select three cantrips and one first level spell from the spell list of your selected class. The selected spell must not require an expensive material component as part of its casting. You can cast the selected cantrips at will as a spell-like ability. You can cast the selected first level spell three times per day as a spell-like ability. Your ability modifier for these spells is either Intelligence or Charisma based depending on your class choice, and requires a score of 11 or higher in the relevant ability.

3 Reputation - The training you’ve received has improved your capacity for magic. You treat your primary casting ability score as four points higher for the purpose of bonus spells per day. Spells you cast upon yourself manifest at +2 caster level. This bonus does not extend to any additional targets of the spell.

6 Reputation - Your sudden promotion to chief research assistant after witnessing your predecessor’s early retirement whilst handling unstable spell matrices has taught you the value of never being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You gain Lightning Reflexes as a bonus feat. You gain a +2 bonus to your CMD vs. Drag and Reposition combat maneuvers.

9 Reputation - You’ve learned a few tricks to activating items. As an immediate action you may reroll a Use Magic Device check you have just made before the results of the roll are revealed. You must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll. You may use this boon once per day for every 3 Reputation you possess. Additionally, you never suffer a mishap when activating a scroll via Use Magic Device, though you may still fail to activate the item.

12 Reputation - You’ve learned a lot about magic, including how to best break it. Whenever you make a dispel check (such as using Dispel Magic), roll 2d20 and take the better result.

15 Reputation - Your studies into the arcane grant you insights beyond the scope of most practitioners. You gain the ability to cast the 3rd level spell Arcane Sight as a spell-like ability once per day. You gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (Arcana) checks, and it takes you only one round using Detect Magic to discern the strength and location of each aura.

18 Reputation - You’ve learned the divisions between magical disciplines is not so clear as many would believe. If you possess the spells or spellcasting class feature, add one additional spell per caster level from any class’s spell list to your list of spells known. If your class could not normally cast that spell, it is treated as one level higher than it is on the original class’s spell list. You may select spells higher than your maximum spell level, but you are unable to prepare or cast these spells until you have the appropriate level of spells per day. If you lack the spells or spellcasting class feature, you instead gain two spell-like abilities of each spell level selected from any class list, each usable once per day. The spell level cannot exceed half your hit dice, and must not require an expensive material component as part of their casting.

21 Reputation - Your discoveries in magical theory have empowered your ability to modify spells. Select a Metamagic feat for which you meet the prerequisites. You gain that Metamagic feat as a bonus feat. As a special usage, you may apply this Metamagic feat to a number of spells per day equal to your caster level using a spell level one lower than normal, to a minimum of the spell’s normal level. Spontaneous casters apply this Metamagic feat in this way without an increase in casting time. If you lack the spells or spellcasting class feature, you may only select a Metamagic feat with a level increase of +1 or lower, applying it to your spell-like abilities as above. Additionally, you may apply the effects of metamagic rods to your spell-like abilities.

24 Reputation - Your magic is a powerful tool, and you are a master of shaping it to your desires. Up to six times per day, as an immediate action before making an attack roll, skill check or saving throw, you can sacrifice a prepared spell, spell-like ability or unused spell slot to gain a luck bonus equal to the spell’s level to that type of roll for a duration of one minute. This boon cannot be used more than once every ten minutes.

27 Reputation - You’ve proven your mastery of the schools of magic, and gained insight into their function as a result. Select an arcane school (Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy or Transmutation). You gain the school powers of that arcane school as per a specialist Wizard, treating your hit dice as your Wizard level. You do not gain any other benefits such as additional spell slots from this selection. This boon does not allow you to meet the prerequisites for any other feat, class or the like, such as those that require the arcane school class feature. A specialist Wizard may instead select an additional arcane school, gaining the school powers of this school (but not any other benefits such as additional spell slots), provided the school is not one of his opposition schools. A universalist Wizard instead gains an additional spell slot of each level he can cast, as per a specialist Wizard, but with no school restriction on these slots.

30 Reputation - You’ve completed your studies within the Arcanamirium, attaining the status of arcanscenti. Select three fifth level or lower spells and one sixth level or lower spell from the spell list of your previously selected class. The selected spells must not require an expensive material component as part of their casting. You can cast each of the selected spells three times per day as a spell-like ability. Your ability modifier for these spells is either Intelligence or Charisma based depending on your class choice, and requires a score of 16 or higher in the relevant ability. Once per day, instead of rolling a Concentration, Knowledge, Spellcraft or Use Magic Device check, you can add +20 to your modifier and treat the total as your result. This is not treated as a critical success.

TORCH

A torch sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius. It can be used as an improvised weapon that deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage plus 1 fire damage.

How do you measure the 20 ft. radius of a torch? Logic would dictate this is measured as an Aura per p. 298-299, but there's no indication of this in the rules.

Table 5-1 on p. 160 lists Non-Skill Feats.

Several of these feats carry the Skill trait in their individual description.

Can the following Feats be selected using a Skill feat?

Diehard
Feather Step
Fleet

Can the bonus class feat from Natural Ambition be used to purchase a multiclass feat in place of a class feat provided the player meets the prerequisites?

NATURAL AMBITION

You were raised to be ambitious and always reach for the stars, causing you to progress quickly in your chosen field. You gain a 1st-level class feat for your class.

Applying an archetype requires you to spend your class feats on archetype feats instead of class feats. Start by finding the archetype that best fits your character concept, and select the archetype’s dedication feat using one of your class feat choices. Once you have the dedication feat, you can select any feat from that archetype in place of a class feat as long as you meet its prerequisites.

Example: Gish the Human Wizard decides to multiclass into Fighter. They take Fighter Dedication as their 2nd level class feat, Basic Maneuver as their 4th level class feat, and select Natural Ambition as their 5th level Ancestry Feat, gaining a 1st level class feat. Can Gish use this class feat to purchase Fighter Resiliency?

Relevant rules from p. 189:

ANIMALS

Prices are listed for both renting an animal for a task or trip and purchasing one outright. You usually need to pay for rentals up front, and if the seller believes the animal might be in danger, they typically require a deposit equal to the Price of the animal. Most animals panic in battle. When combat begins, a mount becomes frightened 4 and has the fleeing condition as long as it’s frightened. If you successfully Handle your Animal using Nature (see page 153), you can keep it from fleeing, though this doesn’t remove its frightened condition. If the animal is attacked or damaged, it returns to frightened 4 and is fleeing, with the same exceptions.

Warhorses and warponies are trained for combat. They don’t become frightened at the start of combat or when attacked or damaged.

Statistics for all listed animals appear in the Pathfinder Playtest Bestiary.

•Do animals other than mounts gain frightened 4?

Relevant rules from p. 153:

HANDLE AN ANIMAL

You prepare a helpful animal to accept your commands. If you are trained in Nature, you can use Handle an Animal on a friendly or indifferent animal as well.

Success Until the end of your turn, you can use the Command the Animal action to direct the animal. You can Mount the animal (see page 309).

COMMAND AN ANIMAL
You issue an order to an animal that’s obeying you, either because you previously used Handle an Animal successfully (see below) or you have the Ride feat (see page 170). Most animals know the Leap, Seek, Stand, Stride, and Strike basic actions. If an animal knows an activity, such as a horse’s Gallop, you can command the animal to perform the activity, but you must spend as many Command an Animal actions as the activity’s number of actions. The animal uses the action you command.

Most animals understand only the simplest instructions, so you might be able to instruct your animal to move to a certain square but not dictate a specific path to get there, or command it to attack a certain creature but not to make its attack nonlethal. The GM decides the specifics of the action your animal uses.

•Do you need to Handle Animal (1 action) each round of combat to issue the same orders via Command Animal (1+ actions) to a purchased animal?

By design, your class dictates which skills allow you to reach Legendary proficiency.

Also by design, every class can only reach Legendary proficiency in a maximum of 3 different skills, at 15th, 17th, and 19th level.

Currently, Wizards get access to a mere two Signature class skills: Arcana and Craft. Outside of these, only Lore may be advanced to Legendary.

Note that no other class receives as few Signature skills as a Wizard, and only Alchemists get as few trained skills (and are also coincidentally an Intelligence class too).

Alchemist: 3 (2+Int trained)
Barbarian: 3 (3+Int trained)
Bard: 7 (7+Int trained)
Cleric: 5 (5+Int trained)
Druid: 4 (4+Int trained)
Fighter: 3 (3+Int trained)
Monk: 3 (3+Int trained)
Paladin: 4 (4+Int trained)
Ranger: 6 (6+Int trained)
Rogue: 10 (10+Int trained)
Sorcerer: 5 (5+Int trained)
Wizard: 2 (2+Int trained)

So it would appear that, for a 19th level Wizard, they have the dubious joy of reaching Legendary in Arcana, Craft and a single type of Lore, with zero other options within their reach outside of multiclassing.

Playtest Rulebook, p. 261:

SUMMON MONSTER

1st: Level 0: Animated broom, bloodseeker, bobcat, dog, dire rat, fire beetle, pig, pony, viper

No dire rat exists in the Bestiary. Instead, under the rat entry on p. 97, there is an entry for a Creature 0 giant rat.

Possible typo?

Here's the text of the necklace of fireballs, p. 398:

NECKLACE OF FIREBALLS

ITEM 5+
Method of Use worn;
Bulk —
Activation Operate Activation; see text
This string of beads can be worn as a necklace or carried in a hand. (Either way, you must invest the item to be able to activate it.) When tied together as a necklace, it appears to be a hemp string with lustrous red beads of various sizes hanging from it. When held in the hand, it appears in its true form: a golden chain with golden spheres attached by fine threads. You can spend an Operate Activation action to detach a sphere from the necklace. You must spend a second Operate Activation action to hurl the sphere up to 70 feet. (This second Operate Activation action has the ranged trait.) Where the sphere lands, it detonates as a fireball (see page 224). Numerous varieties of the necklace of fireballs exist, each with a different Reflex save DC and a combination of spheres that deal different amounts of damage, as listed below. When all the beads are gone, the necklace can no longer be activated.

Okay, so to begin with, you'll need to invest a point of Resonance into the item to use it. Next, you must spend 1 point of Resonance as an Operate Action to detach a sphere from the necklace. Finally, it costs 1 point of Resonance to use a second Operate Action to hurl the sphere at a target.

Where does this item specify how long must pass between the Operate Action to detach a sphere and the Operate Action to hurl the sphere? If a character obtained this item, wouldn't it be logical for them to simply spend a day's downtime detaching every sphere from the necklace and let their resonance refresh the next day? What happens if they hand a sphere to a different character and each party member throws one on their turn?

Yet again, we inherit the ambiguous wording from 3rd edition.

From the playtest rulebook, p. 198:

WALLS

Some spells create walls. Each spell lists the depth, length, and height of the wall, and specifies how it can be positioned. Some walls can be shaped, meaning that you can manipulate the wall’s shape into a form other than a straight line, choosing its path square by square. Each square of the wall’s length must be adjacent with the square or squares next to it, so walls cannot be shaped to make a diagonal line. The path of a wall can’t cover the same space more than once, but it can double back so one section is adjacent to another section of the wall.

Can someone explain what "walls cannot be shaped to make a diagonal line" means? Does this mean from the corner of one square to the corner of another square diagonal to the first? Does this mean from the centre of one square to the centre of another square diagonal to the first?

Let's look at specific wording of some wall spells to see what they say.

From the playtest rulebook, p. 269:

WALL OF FORCE

SPELL 6
Casting Material Casting, Somatic Casting, Verbal Casting
Range 30 feet
Duration 1 minute
You form an invisible wall of pure magical force up to 50 feet across and up to 20 feet high. The wall has no discernible thickness. If the wall’s surface would be broken by any creature or object, the spell is lost. The wall has AC 10, TAC 6, and Hardness 23, and it can take 3 additional Dents before being broken. If the wall is broken, the spell ends. The wall blocks physical effects from passing through it, and because it’s made of force, it blocks incorporeal and ethereal creatures as well. Teleportation effects can pass through the barrier, as can visual effects (since the wall is invisible). Wall of force is immune to dispelling effects of its level or lower, but the wall is automatically destroyed by a disintegrate spell of any level or by contact with a sphere of annihilation or rod of cancellation.
Heightened (+2) The Hardness of the wall increases by 5

Here we have a classic, the Wall of Force. Per the spell description, there's no shaping, no thickness, and no information about targeting the spell.

So, let's go to the rules for targeting spells, and see if they can shed some light on this topic!

The playtest rulebook, p. 196, gives rules for ranges, areas and targets. There's no indication here how to target wall spells.

The playtest rulebook, p. 298 gives area diagrams for an aura, burst, cone or line. The description of areas on p. 299 lists areas for an aura, burst, cone, or line. There's no indication here how to target wall spells. (Note specifically that line spells are distinct from wall spells, in that they are legally allowed to go diagonally per the chart on p. 298.)

So, here's the hypothetical scenario:

Ezren the wizard finds himself adjacent to a red dragon. Feeling this situation is rather undesirable, he spends his turn using 3 actions to cast Wall of Force to create an invisible, impenetrable barrier between himself and the dragon, blocking its breath weapon, attacks and line of effect for spells.

However, Ezren has no squares between himself and the dragon, being directly adjacent to it. Is the Wall of Force created on the grid line between the two creatures, or is a full empty 5 ft. square needed between both creatures to allow the spell to be created, since the wall cannot be broken by a creature or object?

Just came from a bit of a head-scratcher of a session and wanted to get some experienced society members to clarify when a player is allowed to make purchases in a society game.

The guide states the following:

The GM running the adventure must be present in order for you to purchase items. You can make purchases before, during, or after the adventure. All transactions that occur must be recorded on the character’s Inventory Tracking Sheet and the total cost reflected on the Chronicle sheet.

In this case, the scenario was 01-05: Mists of the Mwangi. At the start of the session, I stated I wished to make item purchases, but the GM declined as he said the session begins in front of the museum and therefore there's no opportunity to make purchases.

After defeating the final boss a little earlier than the scenario intended, the group readies to explore the rest of the museum. Given the threat has been defeated, the GM reads out the resolution of the scenario, and I again express my desire to make purchases, but the GM refuses as the scenario is complete.

Am I misunderstanding the guide when it comes to making item purchases?

If a group of adventurers is travelling through the Plane of Shadow using Shadow Walk, and the GM rolls an encounter, what is their tactical movement speed?

Hi all,

I've got a player who's picked up an amulet of the planes as part of his starting equipment for his character.

Given he can only succeed on the DC 15 Intelligence check less than 50% on the time, I need to prep a table of random planes in the event of a failed roll.

So far, here's what I've prepped:

1% to 10% - Astral Plane
11% to 20% - Ethereal Plane
21% to 30% - Shadow Plane
31% to 40% - First World
41% to 50% - Elemental Plane of Air
51% to 60% - Elemental Plane of Water
61% to 70% - Elemental Plane of Earth
71% to 80% - Elemenetal Plane of Fire
81% - Axis
82% - The Boneyard
83% - The Maelstrom
84% - Abaddon
85% - The Abyss
86% - Hell
87% - Elysium
88% - Heaven
89% - Nirvana
90% - Reroll Outer Planes
91% to 100% - Demiplane (GM's Choice)

Anyone have any advice how to best deal with prepping encounters or other surprises for the group when they're dimension hopping around the multiverse?

The troop unit from Pathfinder #108 is a great way to represent multiple units on the battlefield without using the mass combat rules, allowing players to still play their characters.

However, I'm having difficulty with the Glorious Reclamation troop variant CR 15 Knights Inheritor damage calculation.

http://archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Glorious%20Reclama tion

Knights Inheritor Troop (CR 15): This unit includes a handful of mounted knights inheritor among its number, each equipped with a lance. A knights inheritor troop has a speed of 40 feet and reach of 10 feet. The troop deals 3 × its troop damage if it moves at least 10 feet before making a troop attack.

Does this mean this troop deals (6d6+9)x3 damage? That's an average of 90 damage per round, no saving throw, no attack roll needed. Seems like a very overpowered amount of damage for its CR, essentially killing any PC without flight.

Am I reading this correctly?

Had a GM that ruled using Handle Animal as a move action to get a pet to attack is a distracting act that provokes an attack of opportunity.

Is there anything in the rules for or against this ruling?

What are the rules for determining if a corpse is an undead creature hidden among a pile of mundane corpses?

Knowledge: Religion DC 10 + HD?
Perception vs. Stealth?
Perception vs. Disguise?
Detect Undead?

Alchemical items such as alchemist's fire, acid flasks and tanglefoot bags don't have any size limitations for creatures using them. They also don't require a weapon proficiency.

Does this mean a familiar could throw an alchemical weapon on their initiative turn?

Roper

I'm having difficulty working out how the roper's strands work in combat.

Let's assume the roper ambushes the party, getting a surprise round.

It fires off a single strand attack and hits the party fighter's flat-footed touch AC with it, and the fighter fails his DC 25 Fortitude save. He takes 1d6 Strength damage. Then the roper pulls the fighter. The roper rolls CMB vs. the fighter's CMD. On a success, the fighter moves 5 ft. closer to the roper.

This much I'm clear on, but it's what happens afterwards that's confusing me.

Surprise round is over, and the fighter wins initiative. Is the strand still stuck to the fighter on his turn? Can the fighter move away from the roper? If he doesn't need to cut the strand off to move away, why does the strand have an AC 20? What happens if the roper is on the ceiling instead? It seems a lot was lost in the translation of this creature from 3.5e to Pathfinder.

The spell: Forbiddance

Is the spell a spell trap?

Can it be detected using Trapfinding and Perception?

Can it be disabled using Trapfinding and Disable Device?

If a ranger has the ability to create a Ranger Trap, can they enter the square of their own trap without needing to make a saving throw? Essentially, can a ranger trap have a bypass element?

Vigilantes gain Disable Device as a class skill.

None of the vigilante talents grant Trapfinding to allow this class to use Disable Device on magic traps.

Can a vigilante gain the Trapfinding class feature without multiclassing, campaign specific traits, or using 3rd party materials?

So one of the favourite tactics to give enemies at low level Pathfinder Society play seems to be a potion of invisibility.

Given this, what's the rules for interaction between invisibility and the following items?

Sack of Powder (Ultimate Equipment)
- How many rounds does this effect last? Does the invisible creature still have any amount of concealment whilst coated in powder?

Alchemist's Fire (Core Rulebook)
- If the target is on fire, are they outlined (for example, as per the Faerie Fire spell)?

Smokestick (Core Rulebook)
- If an invisible creature is within a cloud of smoke, are they clearly outlined as an area of invisibility (similar to the rules for invisibility underwater)?

Tanglefoot Bag (Core Rulebook)
- If the target is covered in goo, are they visible?

Mainly looking to confirm if the following build works by RAW and is PFS legal.

Half-Orc (Mystic) Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager) 5
Traits: Threatening Defender (Combat), Fate's Favored (Faith)
Feats: Endurance (Shaman's Apprentice), Diehard (1st), Combat Expertise (3rd), Stalwart (5th)
Rage Powers: Reckless Abandon (2nd), Renewed Vigor (4th)

Can the above build use both Combat Expertise and choose the Fighting Defensively attack option on the same attack?

Assuming they have at least 3 ranks in Acrobatics, does this grant a +5 Dodge bonus to AC (+2 from Combat Expertise, +3 from Fighting Defensively)?

Can they convert this +5 Dodge bonus into DR 5/- using Stalwart that stacks with their Invulnerable Rager class DR to equal DR 7/- total?

Are there any traits, feats or other abilities that would let a pure-classed character qualify as a different class for the purpose of activating spell trigger items such as wands? Something outside of multiclassing or Use Magic Device.

I'm trying to see if there's something similar to the 3.5e version of the magic domain power that let you count as a wizard for the purpose of activating scrolls, wands and other spell completion and spell trigger items.

Assuming a character gets handed a note by a courier that contains maximized explosive runes, what would be the CR equivalency of this as a trap?

MUNAVRI CHARACTERS
A munavri is defined by her class levels—she doesn’t have racial Hit Dice. Despite having no racial Hit Dice, a munavri is a powerful creature, and her CR is 1 higher than a human of the same level.

Does a Munavri player character count as 1 level higher similar to 3.5e Level Adjustment rules?

Confirmed players in this game:

Nagagorjo Slitherscale
Vaetta Sciona
Too-Tuk
Pelotita

Please use this topic for any and all lengthy OOC talk and questions.

The invitation delivered last night was remarkably simple, especially given the importance of the occasion: “Start where it all began. Meet us at the Pig’s Paunch one hour before dawn.”

The Pig’s Paunch is a run-down building with a faded sign of a large pig standing on its hind legs, arms folded above a corpulent belly. Inside, the air is thick with the scents of human sweat, stale tobacco, and leftover food. In the center of the room, surrounded by inebriates sleeping off their revelries, a familiar elven man stands high upon top of a large round table.

“Welcome! Welcome, my students! Please, have a seat!” With that, Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Scrolls, nimbly drops down to sit cross-legged on the table before looking about the tavern with a sense of reverent wonder. “Can you believe it? It all started here years ago—well, over four hundred of them at least. Under this very roof the Pathfinder Society was born.

“But today! Today you will begin your Confirmation! Master Farabellus, Master Zey, and I all agree you each have shown your worth and dedication to the Society, so there’s no better time to see if you can handle becoming full field operatives. Allow me to introduce you to Janira Gavix,” he says as he motions for an excitable halfling woman to approach. She wears a large backpack and carries all manner of tools, pouches, and scroll cases around her waist. Shaine continues, saying, “Janira here will be going with you on your Confirmation. She was one of my brightest pupils and will no doubt be an invaluable resource on your journey, for she discovered the caves you are about to explore during her own Confirmation.”

Janira speaks up in an enthusiastic and cheerful voice, “Greetings, aspiring Pathfinders! Six months ago, while I was mapping cave entrances in the foothills of the Kortos Mounts, I witnessed a lone gillman entering a concealed cave. I thought little of it at the time, but I saw another one enter the cave again a month later as my Confirmation stretched on. A few days later, after I completed my assigned task, I entered the cave system, but was unable to find the gillmen.”

Master Shaine hops to his feet. “Initiates, for your Confirmation, you will travel to these caves to explore and document its many passages. Additionally, and most importantly, you are to learn what the gillmen are up to in there. Oh, and you need to come back alive as well.” With these parting words, the Master of Scrolls jumps off the table and strolls out of the building while humming to himself.

Appropriate knowledge checks for those interested in further information:
Knowledge: Geography
Knowledge: History
Janira is available to answer any specific questions you may have.
The scenario will advance once all players have posted or when 24 hours have passed, whichever is first.

I'm throwing in my hat to run The Confirmation via Play by Post.

Almost all Pathfinders undergo extensive training for three or more years to learn the tricks of the trade, and their last test before graduating from the ranks of the initiates to the status of a full Pathfinder agent is the Confirmation, a special research project that involves considerable fieldwork and is designed to simulate the initiates' future work as a Pathfinder. Even the noteworthy field commissioned agents sometimes participate in such trials as a way to familiarize themselves with the Pathfinder Society’s rules and expectations. Although Confirmation is typically an individual affair, the society recently discovered a site on the Isle of Kortos that would be perfect for initiates but perhaps too dangerous to handle alone. Successfully uncovering this site’s secrets will not only contribute to the society’s body of knowledge but shape the exciting careers ahead for each of the prospective agents.

The Rules

1. PFS legal characters only
2. PFS legal equipment only
3. Preference given to 1st level characters
4. Preference given to characters without prior game credit
5. A total of 5 players will be selected from the applicants
6. 24 hour maximum time allowed between posting your actions
7. Unresponsive players will have their actions skipped when more than 24 hours have elapsed
8. If all players post their actions, the scenario will advance and the 24 hour timer will reset

Situation: Our cleric cast Wind Walk on the party, including the Kineticist.

Wind Walk functions as Gaseous Form.

Gaseous Form states: "It can't attack or cast spells with verbal, somatic, material, or focus components while in gaseous form... The subject also loses supernatural abilities while in gaseous form."

Kinetic Blast is a spell-like ability and requires no verbal, somatic, material or focus components. This would seem to indicate it could be used whilst in gaseous form.

However!

The kineticist class gains Kinetic Blast from the Elemental Focus (Su) class ability. A kineticist would lose Elemental Focus while in gaseous form.

Question: Can a kineticist use Kinetic Blast while in gaseous form?

Relevant Link

I'm looking to port flux slime over to Pathfinder and scale down the CR of this hazard to make it appropriate for mid-level play, around CR 10. Any advice?

I first was thinking of reducing the caster level of the effect to 11th level, since that's the standard level the spell becomes available to Wizards. Not too sure this has any relevant effect overall except for the purpose of spell resistance.

Then I was looking at the Fortitude save against the table of effects. Any idea how the DC 29 is calculated? A saving throw vs. a 6th level spell would typically be DC 19 for using the scroll rules, so I was thinking that would be more appropriate. Or should I instead calculate the saving throw as per the trap rules?

Overall I think the table of effects is fairly fine to use as written for mid level play, since most of the results are basically curable by a cleric after a day's rest. There's some nasty ones there, like Plane Shift, but that's why you don't dump your Fort save.

I'm going into my second home game using the Pathfinder Society ruleset, though this isn't officially sanctioned play since there's not even a gaming store that stocks Pathfinder within fifty miles.

I played Amiri, the iconic Barbarian in the first game at level 1 with the standard equipment listed. My fellows played the Cleric Kyra and the Paladin Seelah. The DM ran an NPC Harsk to finish out the table since we were short.

We succeeded in our objectives, so for the next game we've got 450 gp to spend and 2 Prestige Points each. I'm planning to sink the 2 PP into a Wand of CLW, but how best to spend the rest? Standard PFS rules apply for available equipment. The DM did hint it will be 'nautical themed.'

I realised that Paizo removed spellcasting from the Assassin prestige class compared to 3.5e and I was wondering if there were any other prestige class options that grant a spell list to a non-spellcasting class. So far I've only found Crimson Assassin.

Looking to pick the collective brains of the community on building a themed dungeon.

My tabletop group's potentially committed to exploring the aquatic sections of an ancient ruined castle. The backstory for this castle was that a mad nobleman decided to build a castle in a swamp. It sank into the swamp. He built a second one. That sank into the swamp. He built a third. That burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up. Eventually the mad noble and his family were slaughtered by a passing adventurer on his son's wedding day.

They've already found and cleared the first section of the castle. I still have potentially three more levels to create, and can theme each as I please.

I'm considering going some form of Cthulhu style madness as the source of the nobleman's obsession with building a castle on this location. Plenty of aberrations in the book that are aquatic too.

Any suggestions on the themes of each level? Underwater is fun for one, though dry levels deeper down might be even more interesting. Any other strange effects or features you can think would be good ambience for a madness themed underwater swamp castle dungeon?

The group is 5 persons all at level 10, so CR 10+ are suitable difficulty ranges.

Scenario: Three hypothetical kineticists are each 60 ft. underwater and have Water Breathing.

Kineticist Alpha is a telekineticist and uses Telekinetic Blast to deal piercing physical damage to a creature 30 ft. away. They then try to use Greater Self Telekinesis to attempt to move underwater.

Kineticist Beta is an aerokineticist and uses Electric Blast to deal electricity energy damage to a creature 30 ft. away. They then try to use Wings of Air to attempt to fly as per the Fly spell underwater.

Kineticist Gamma is a hydrokineticist and uses Water Blast to deal bludgeoning physical damage to a creature 30 ft. away.

Q1: Do ranged kineticist blasts suffer -2 on attack rolls for every 5 ft. of water they pass through?

Q2: Does this penalty, if any, differ between physical or energy blasts?

Q3: Does Water Blast suffer -2 on attack rolls and deal half damage on hit due to being bludgeoning?

Q4: Can a telekineticist use Greater Self Telekinesis underwater to move? Is there any Fly or Swim check associated with this movement?

Q5: Can an aerokineticist use Wings of Air underwater to move? Is there any Fly or Swim check associated with this movement?

Scenario: A Magus uses a Rod of Nettles to deliver an attack vs. Touch AC in combination with using Spellstrike to deliver a Shocking Grasp through his weapon, spending 1 point from his arcane pool to also add Keen and Flaming to the weapon.

Q1: Does the Magus roll vs. target's touch AC or full AC?
Q2: Does the Keen effect increase the no save range?
Q3: Does Flaming deal additional damage on a hit against touch AC?

Can a creature apply any of their character's bonuses to attack rolls on an attack with a siege engine?

For example, if the person aiming a ballista has True Strike, do they gain +20 to their attack roll?

The Siege Mage archetype seems to indicate this isn't possible, given they can only add a small bonus by sacrificing a spell. But I'm not too clear on the rules for siege engines and attack rolls regarding what types of bonuses can be applied.

Handle Animal

Can you use this skill against a guard dog to command it to stand down? I can't see any caveats about not being able to use Handle Animal if the target is unfriendly.

Hi folks,

I've got a malfunctioning macguffin the party has obtained, and I'd love to get some ideas for fun effects that can occur while they have it.

I plan on using the Primal Magic table with a 10% chance of an event per 8 hours.

Part of the recommendations suggest that once an effect is used, it be replaced with an alternative so you keep the randomness intact.

Does anyone have any good suggestions for similarly themed effects I could add into the table?

Power Attack: If I am using a two-handed weapon with one hand (such as a lance while mounted), do still I get the +50% damage for using a two-handed weapon?

Yes.

Weapons, Two-Handed in One Hand: When a feat or other special ability says to treat a weapon that is normally wielded in two hands as a one handed weapon, does it get treated as one or two handed weapon for the purposes of how to apply the Strength modifier or the Power Attack feat?

If you're wielding it in one hand (even if it is normally a two-handed weapon), treat it as a one-handed weapon for the purpose of how much Strength to apply, the Power Attack damage bonus, and so on.

(ಠ_ಠ)

Also how does this interact with a medium creature using a two-handed reach weapon sized for a small creature in one hand?

Hi all,

Here's the scenario: A Kineticist is trying to attack a Bonestorm with a Kinetic Blast.

The Bonestorm emits a Windstorm within 10 ft.

Windstorms cause ranged attacks to be impossible.

Does this mean it's impossible for the Kineticist to attack the Bonestorm with a Kinetic Blast from anywhere except inside the creature's swarm effect?

Is the Concentration check to cast Kinetic Blast inside the Bonestorm DC 20+1/2 Kineticist level?

Can the Kineticist use Kinetic Blade on the Bonestorm instead?

I have a question about the Freedom's Call cleric domain ability.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/cleric/domains/paizo---domains /liberation-domain

Freedom's Call (Su): At 8th level, you can emit a 30-foot aura of freedom for a number of rounds per day equal to your cleric level. Allies within this aura are not affected by the confused, grappled, frightened, panicked, paralyzed, pinned, or shaken conditions. This aura only suppresses these effects, and they return once a creature leaves the aura or when the aura ends, if applicable. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.

In round 1, the Cleric spends a standard action to activate Freedom's Call, per the rule that activating a domain power is a standard action.

In round 2, what action is it to continue the aura's effect? Does a cleric need to continue spending a standard action each round to maintain the effect as per concentration? I can't find any rules on this, so if anyone knows somewhere that says what type of action it is I'd appreciate help.

Hi all,

So I thought I'd get a bit of advice from those here about the best method of proceeding with a scenario that's come up in my campaign.

The background is that our group of murderhobos (APL: 6) rescued an orc from a cage at a crossroads who claimed to have been wrongfully imprisoned for kidnapping three children from a local village. They learn that the orc was actually a huntress seeking revenge for the murder of five orc children from her tribe by our BBEG.

Adventure bait is swallowed hook, line and sinker, and the party frees the orc and she leads them to the bad guy's hideout. She tells them the BBEG has allied with a hag who commands a group of ogres for muscle.

The group murder the ogres, murder the annis hag, kill a half dozen small fire elementals and then successfully engage a greater barghest with conversation rather than violence. Said barghest is, of course, a complete a-hole about revealing anything more than the barest of information, but agrees to assist them if they return with the BBEG's corpse.

They retreat and rest, come back at full strength and discover the next room is protected by five allips bearing the features of the dead orc children. Background is that the hag turned their spirits into allips. Party take some serious wisdom damage but survive and open the door to the BBEG's chambers.

The BBEG is in fact a Summoner, currently engaged with a Planar Binding of an efreeti. The efreeti is within a circle of silver powder, and as combat starts it roars to be freed. One of the characters does in fact free it by breaking the circle, meaning it aids the party in attacking the BBEG, turning a CR 10 fight into a CR 8. The party kill the Summoner, but two of the group fall unconscious during the fight.

We left off for that session as the BBEG was slain, but for next week's session I have planned the resolution of the encounter with the efreeti. I could use some brainstorming from the community about how you'd approach this as a player so I can plan some stuff in advance, because no matter how well I prepare, no plan survives contact with the players.

Currently, I believe the players think the efreeti is a large fire elemental, since I deliberately used a token for one and described it as a "burning giant humanoid figure" when they saw it. Nobody has attempted a Knowledge: The Planes check to figure out what it was, though savvy players might note that it spoke in Common, which elementals don't know.

Had the group left the efreeti inside the binding circle, they could have possibly pumped it for a few wishes in exchange for freedom. Since they freed it, it won't willingly grant them wishes, but it won't attack them without provocation since they assisted its escape. However, it will attempt to take the three children from the local village as slaves before plane shifting back home to the City of Brass.

If you were the players, what strategies would you use here? The party rogue is unconscious, but the samurai is at full health, the telekineticist is in pretty good shape, and the cleric is at half health but currently lacking any spellcasting ability due to wisdom damage. The last player, a magus/cavalier multiclass, is in pretty bad shape.

Hi all,

Would the 1d4 Wisdom damage from an Allip's incorporeal touch attack gain +1/+2 profane damage bonus while within the area of a Desecrate spell?

*Evil DM cackle*

A series of questions regarding proper use of Perception that came out of a fight in last night's game against a basilisk.

1. The party was fighting in thick forest. The maximum range for Perception is 2d6x10 feet.

a. Does this include both sound and sight?
b. Does this value get re-rolled each time the character moves?
c. Do all characters use the same result or do they have their own individual maximums?

2. The party voluntarily gave the basilisk total concealment by turning their back on the monster to avoid its gaze attack. It engaged one character in melee whilst the others stayed within an Obscuring Mist.

a. What is the correct method of a character pinpointing the square of the basilisk while within the cloud? DC -10 for "Hear the sounds of battle" +20 to pinpoint the square +1/10 ft. distance?
b. Is the basilisk considered invisible to the characters in the Obscuring Mist?
c. If the basilisk was invisible, do you add an additional +20 to this DC?
d. Are the characters in the Obscuring Mist considered blind vs. the basilisk?
e. Is the character with their back turned to the basilisk considered blind?