James Vacca's page

So a question regarding the emulate class feature use of use magic device; the text of the skill use says that you act as a member of the class whose feature your emulating at level equal to 20- skill check. So, if I emulate a class feature that increases with level (monk unarmed damage and AC bonuses, barbarian fast movement, druid wild shape usages, etc...) I will then fool the item into thinking I have the class feature of a class member of the level my check indicated. An example; I use an item that that improves on ranger favored enemy bonuses and get a UMD result of 30. So, for that activation of the item, I act as a 10th level ranger and use the item to get bonuses to the favored enemy ability of a 10th level ranger (+6 potentially and whatever the item gives me). Is that correct? How does this usage of UMD work with wondrous items? How often do you have to make the check? Others in our group put forth the reading that this use only gives you the class feature at its lowest level but then what does the thing about acting as a class member of level 20-check mean?

I posted this over in the rules section of the board and the folks there suggested I also post here since my question deals with PFS.
Ok, so here's the first question. In PFS, if someone gets saddled with an affliction and wants to deal with it between mods with pp or gold by purchasing spellcasting services do caster level check rolls still need to be made? If so, who should roll them and how is the caster level for the spell in question determined? This came up in a recent mod where someone got mummy rot and wanted to get it removed with pp after the game. Since mummy rot needs remove curse and then remove disease he had two spend 2pp and then we had to deal with the caster level check question. My position is that if you are dealing with an affliction away from the table, between mods, there is no need to make the check. The conceit of spending pp or gold to purchasing spellcasting covers things like making sure you get the best caster for the job and that he/she does some prep-work to make sure they can get past whatever check is needed. I think its unfair to have to spend to resource without the sure knowledge that the affliction will go away especially in the 'between adventure' time which is always more of an abstraction than the 'at the table' time. However, our coordinator pointed out that there was no such rule in any official document so we went with a caster level of 12 cause we were in Absalom and the guy with mummy rot got some lucky rolls. Any thoughts here? Do I have a leg to stand on?

Second question, and I know this has appeared on the boards before but it bugs me every time it comes up in game, is about tumbling to avoid aoo's. As I understand it, if I start my turn with three guys adjacent to me and I'd like to move without provoking I need to make three acrobatics rolls. One against guy A vs CMD, one against guy B vs CMD +2, and one against guy C vs CMD +4. If, later on in my movement, I go past guy D I need to make another roll vs CMD +6. To me, this is silly. Why am I making three rolls for guys A, B, and C when tumbling away from them is one discrete act? Why not make one roll and apply it in the same way as before (guy A vs CMD, guy B vs CMD+2, etc...) and then only make another roll once I go past guy D vs CMD? Or why not make one roll against the highest CMD of guy A B and C at +4? Why do I have to make 4 rolls instead of 2? What is the point?

Ok, so here's the first question. In PFS, if someone gets saddled with an affliction and wants to deal with it between mods with pp or gold by purchasing spellcasting services do caster level check rolls still need to be made? If so, who should roll them and how is the caster level for the spell in question determined? This came up in a recent mod where someone got mummy rot and wanted to get it removed with pp after the game. Since mummy rot needs remove curse and then remove disease he had two spend 2pp and then we had to deal with the caster level check question. My position is that if you are dealing with an affliction away from the table, between mods, there is no need to make the check. The conceit of spending pp or gold to purchasing spellcasting covers things like making sure you get the best caster for the job and that he/she does some prep-work to make sure they can get past whatever check is needed. I think its unfair to have to spend to resource without the sure knowledge that the affliction will go away especially in the 'between adventure' time which is always more of an abstraction than the 'at the table' time. However, our coordinator pointed out that there was no such rule in any official document so we went with a caster level of 12 cause we were in Absalom and the guy with mummy rot got some lucky rolls. Any thoughts here? Do I have a leg to stand on?

Second question, and I know this has appeared on the boards before but it bugs me every time it comes up in game, is about tumbling to avoid aoo's. As I understand it, if I start my turn with three guys adjacent to me and I'd like to move without provoking I need to make three acrobatics rolls. One against guy A vs CMD, one against guy B vs CMD +2, and one against guy C vs CMD +4. If, later on in my movement, I go past guy D I need to make another roll vs CMD +6. To me, this is silly. Why am I making three rolls for guys A, B, and C when tumbling away from them is one discrete act? Why not make one roll and apply it in the same way as before (guy A vs CMD, guy B vs CMD+2, etc...) and then only make another roll once I go past guy D vs CMD? Or why not make one roll against the highest CMD of guy A B and C at +4? Why do I have to make 4 rolls instead of 2? What is the point?

So what happens to a familiar when its master dies? I'm playing a witch in a home campaign and I ran afoul of some phase spiders. After a reincarnate spell, I'm back on my new feet but what happened to my familiar in that interim? Is he gone? dead? just a normal snake now? what?

So I know that you cannot mix archetypes if they both replace the same class feature. But what if one archetype replaces the same class feature within itself? In Ultimate Combat, the Unarmed Fighter's version of Weapon Training replaces regular Weapon Training 1, 2, 3 and 4. However, his Trick Throw replaces WT 2 and Eye Gouge replaces WT 3. That shouldn't be legal unless I'm misinterpreting the rules. I know it happens at least one other place within that book but I can't find it at the moment.

First off, my apologies if this issue has been dealt with already. After a quick troll of the boards I wasn't able to find anything about it. The issue is about tumbling through threatened spaces. If I'm going to tumble past opponents A, B and C, who are all standing in a line with 5' between each of them do I make one Acrobatics check vs. their highest CMD+4 or do I make a check for A at CMD, check for B at CMD+2, and then a check for C at CMD+4? From what I can tell from the book it would be the latter option of three separate checks. However, those in my local group have told me that its the former; one check at highest CMD+4. I can't find anything to support that theory unless you wildly misinterpret the chart and its accompanying text. Or am I missing something?

I love this p-class. I love the flavor, I love the mechanics, I love the Harrow Deck. Everything about this p-class is great. Why is not allowed for Society? What is the reasoning behind that decision? Is it to ensure that people won't have to purchase a Harrow Deck? Why not come up with a conversion table for a standard card or Tarot deck? or even a die roll table? I know just because I really like the p-class isn't the best reason to have it in Society play but I can't fathom the reasoning behind its exclusion. Any thoughts?

Gah! Just finished playtesting a mod for submission and adamantine weapons were a huge problem. I had players hacking through walls, doors, floors everything to bypass all the clever puzzles, traps and challenges. What can I do? How have other writers dealt with this problem? Do I just have the structure be made out of walls of force or iron? There's gotta be a better way than that! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Anyone know if Pathfinder events will be at Origins this year and if judges are needed?

Hey all PFS fans; question for our illustrious leaders. I was taking a look at the Advanced Player's Guide playtest and I'd really like to play with the Alchemist. Is there any way to rework my character (keeping things like name, gear, gold, xp and prestige the same) to play that class? I'd even be ok with going back to what I have now after the playtest is over but I'm hoping that Pathfinder will do what Living Arcanis did and allow character redesigns when new materials became available. I looked at the new campaign guide but I didn't see anything about this so I thought I'd throw it out there on the boards. Thanks all