JiCi's page

Oni Shogun wrote:

Can spells appearance be changed just for flavor or to fit a theme and are there feats that could actually change the type of damage something does? Iceball instead of Fireball? A fireball of balefire that does void damage?

Flavor - that's a table/GM decision.

Traits - no, and arguably for good reason. Weaknesses, resistances, and immunities are unevenly distributed across damage types, so the ability to change damage type would allow players to "tune in" their spells to the most rare resistances or most common weaknesses for a given campaign. Personally, I like 'build-a-bear' magic systems when they occur in other games. But they tend to be balanced out by greater resource use (i.e. mana points or what have you). Combining the ability to change type on the fly with a classic class-and-level-and-slot system where by 10th level you have something like 30 spells/day you can cast is a recipe for massively overpowered casters.

I recall a Metamagic feat "way back then" that allows a spellcaster to visually customize a spell, making it harder to counter or dispel, because, well, it "doesn't look right".

A feat that would grant a bonus to DCs due to that could work.

JiCi wrote:

Did the Mind Smith archetype get reprinted with extra feats and traits?

Bear in mind anything cnew in the book means something else came out from the same section, so best to temper your expectations.

You'd think taht after working on the Solarian, they would look at the Mind Smith and say: "Yeah... it needs more love."

Mental Forge adds grapple, modular (B, P, S), nonlethal, shove, or trip... Someone thought it was enough when Disarm, Forceful, Backswing, Backstabber, Deadly, Sweep, and Twin were right there...

JiCi wrote:

I'd take "Getting a Critical Hit" as a way to recharge a spellstrike.

*hits blunt* you know what magus reaaallly needs… better crits

A Magus will crit less often than a Fighter, so such a reward would be satisfying.

I don't think the Magus needs a remaster as much as "here are feats that allow you to recharge Spellstrike alongside another action" and "here are feats that allow you to activate Arcane Cascade alongside other actions".

That's it...

They can add more studies for more fighting styles, but the urgency is how action taxing the Magus currently is...

Seriously, I'd take a feat that recharges Spellstrike if I normally cast a non-cantrip spell.

Startlit span is so popular because its the magus that can spellstrike every turn. That's it.

Only if you use a bow... You cannot do so with a crossbow or firearm...

Feats that allow to recharge spellstrike with any other action would be beneficial.

I'd take "Getting a Critical Hit" as a way to recharge a spellstrike.

Did the Mind Smith archetype get reprinted with extra feats and traits?

Here you go:

"The Plane of Wood returned."

Done, nothing more needed, maybe pair that Leshy iconic with a Ghoran to hammer this point home.

Whoa, whoa, whoa... I won't stand for this Zon-Shelyn slander! Zon-Kuthon and Shelyn merged because they both sacrificed themselves trying to save the other at the same time. How is that not a redemption of Zon-Kuthon? Certainly, Shelyn embraced part of his portfolio, but he embraced part of hers. Redemption isn't always from a high-handed and lofty position without getting dirty to meet someone where they're at.

Zon-Kuthon needed saving? Really?

Honestly I feel like Sarenrae and Desna would be happy for Shelyn that her long quest to save her brother "worked". I mean it's not the ideal outcome of getting Dou-Bral back, but it could have worked out way, way worse than it did.

It might make the triad odd or maybe that isn't a thing by that point anymore, but "the siblings reuiniting in an act of love to banish a great evil" doesn't seem like the kind of thing Sarenrae and Desna are going to be super upset about.

I would believe you if Zon-Kuthon was redeemed, in the same manner as Nocticula... but that didn't happen. Shelyn didn't purify her brother and atone for his sins; she instead embraced part of his portfolio.

"Nethys found some new magic and tried it out" is as good an explanation as any lol. It's certainly something he would do.

Well, what else could make an entire planet vanish AND make everyone, outerworldly beings and deities included, either forget about Golarion or not being able to bring the planet back, let alone know what happened?

It's "my" explanation, sure, but it's not a weird one either :p

As Mr. Jacobs said, while both Path and Starfinder are kept separated for both narrative and gameplay reasons, both settings are still connected with puzzle pieces left to be assembled.

Then again, Paizo could tinker with multiverses and make it like Marvel, where the 2099 timeline is often kept apart from the Classic or Ultimate storylines XD

I know that the Gap is your "reset button", but... you know full well that not everyone forgot about it, right :p ? There are pre-Gap stuff, like the Golarion Survivor Human heritage.

Then again, deities can move on to other things as time goes on. I could say the same with how outer planes gradually adopted technology instead of keeping their realms "traditional".

BTW, I keep thinking that Nethys cast a forbidden spell that caused Golarion to vanish. I mean, where's Nethys in Starfinder now, huh ;) ?

IMO, Sarenrae, alongside Desna, should be more worried about something else... in the future...

Zon-Shelyn is the divine reunion of Shelyn the Eternal Rose and her estranged brother, the Midnight Lord Zon-Kuthon. Together, the siblings represent the concepts of overcoming suffering through art, finding beauty in strange and unusual places, and reunion with lost loved ones.

As a reminder, Shelyn went missing after the Gap in search of her brother, while Sarenrae and Desna remain active. Back in Pathfinder, Shelyn formed a trouple with Sarenrae and Desna and even had their own pantheon called the Radiant Prism. Zon-Kuthon was also a mortal enemy of both Sarenrae and Desna, which didn't change in the latest edition. Fast forward in Starfinder and I... don't think either are pleased to see their consort "merging" with their nemesis. While Sarenrae and Desna may understand Shelyn's idea, I wouldn't be surprised if Zon-Shelyn churches are luring Shelyn's followers and slowly corrupting them :O

JiCi wrote:

- Shifter? that's the only class I can think of...

Pff, too bad iconics tend to be iconic about showing off their class fantasy rather than ironic. A plant being representing the class that transforms into animals and/or monsters might not be at the top of the list of options, but it would be pretty hilarious.

retty sure they could get creative, with the shifting Leshy transforming into animals made of trees, bushes and hedges :)

JiCi wrote:

Tridus wrote:

Leshy are really popular so I'm sure it'll happen at some point. But I don't think the thinking is around when it feels right for the character.

But Leshy show up in so much stuff that its bound to happen.

That is if we get more classes. That's also something to consider.

A Leshy iconic can happen, but it's still weird that we haven't seen one ever since they were promoted to core.

AFAIK there's a playtest coming up, and those are almost always new classes. So I think we can expect a couple more classes.

Hmmm...

Most of these could be exclusive archetypes, just like how we got the Bloodrager, Slayer and Inquisitor.

The Shifter, using Starfinder's evolutionist as its chassis, with various specializations, such as "plant", could work for a Leshy. It's also the only class I can think of ^^;

Leshy are really popular so I'm sure it'll happen at some point. But I don't think the thinking is around when it feels right for the character.

But Leshy show up in so much stuff that its bound to happen.

That is if we get more classes. That's also something to consider.

A Leshy iconic can happen, but it's still weird that we haven't seen one ever since they were promoted to core.

Really.

I'm happy to see non-core iconics, and if that means not artificially rushing a leshy iconic, that seems okay. That doesn't mean leshy is unpopular - we regularly get shown them in NPC art for adventures or books. The last three Paizo Lives have featured new leshy art.

Well, not really asking to force a Leshy, but there were good ways to add one...

We'll be getting an Automaton Runesmith and an Iruxi Necromancer (which I now want to see if they can summon giant dinosaur fossils :D ).

We still have no Leshy iconic... despite Paizo's sudden pivot to make them a core ancestry...

Are Leshies still niche? Has their popularity faded out? Are they waiting for a more nature-friendly class to be added?

Sorry, what I meant want "If you want a mesmerist now, you could reflavour a bard" since they've got access to a bunch of buffs/debuffs you could reflavour as hypnotist tricks.

Most of the Occult spell list fits a Mesmerist's vibes, so at least there's that.

If it's being made bespoke Psychic is the best bet for the reasons you noted.

To me, that sounds like the best option, instead of either making a new class or a dedictated archetype.

Summoners start with eidlodon surge which at level 3 allow you to make your eidlodon large. I would imagine that is the intended solution for mounting your medium eidlodon, as unideal as it is.

The addition of Large PCs also warrants the addition of scalable eidolons.

Like I said, there's no reason why every kind shouldn't have a Small, Medium and Large version.

That 6-elements Elemental is a level 15 creature called a Totum Font, its in Monster Core 2.

That's what I found out... after I commented ^^;

Yeah mesmerist is one of those pf1e classes that I love the flavour of but we don't really have an equivalent in pf2e yet. Bard maybe could be reflavoured but a dedicated archtype would make me happy.

The Mesmerist was a psychic spellcasting class back then, so that's why I would like to make it a conscious mind for the Psychic class.

For example:
Surface Unique Psi cantrip: Mesmer Stare
(normal) afflicts [Stupefied 1] of a failed save or [Stupefied 2] on a Critical failure

(heightened 3rd) can select Enfeebled
(heightened 5th) can select Clumsy
(heightened 7th) can select Drained
(heightened 9th) can select Stunned

(amp) deals 1d4 mental damage
(amp heightened (+1)) The damage increases by 1d4.

The deeper and deepest cantrips could be upgraded versions with more conditions and/or penalties to afflict. I cannot fit every single stare and trick, but that could be one way to do it.

JiCi wrote:

BotBrain wrote:

JiCi wrote:

Shouldn't the Psychic be remastered as well?

It's being a while since that class got new stuff...

Dark Archive remastered is out soonish.

Oh, I see...

My point still stands that we haven't gotten anything new...

I could have seen the Mesmerist, Medium and Spiritualist being added as subconscious minds for the Psychic by now.

Isn't spiritualist just a phantom eidlodon?

Yeah, point taken ^^;

For the Mesmerist, the stare could be split into 3 unique PSI cantrips for a conscious mind, each with the usual 4 variations.

JiCi wrote:

Shouldn't the Psychic be remastered as well?

It's being a while since that class got new stuff...

Dark Archive remastered is out soonish.

Oh, I see...

My point still stands that we haven't gotten anything new...

I could have seen the Mesmerist, Medium and Spiritualist being added as subconscious minds for the Psychic by now.

Shouldn't the Psychic be remastered as well?

It's being a while since that class got new stuff...

Huh... no one is talking about that 6-headed elemental :O ?

Anyway, for the Magus, I just wish for more feats that reduce action economy:
- Recharging spellstrike on a Critical Hit
- Activating Arcane Cascade as a Free Action or on a Critical Hit
- Combining recharging Spellstrike with Striding or Reloading

I'll also take a feat that make save-using spells much harder to resist when a Spellstrike scores a Critical Hit, like "the target can't succeed unless it,s a Natural 20".

I'm sorry, but if I get a Critical Hit, that spell should get discharged without resistance. It's like it detonates inside the target.

JiCi wrote:

Oh I'm not ready to see her with blank black eyes ^^;

Yeah, that's one design choice I just don't like in Pathfinder...

I NEED IT WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING!!!

The thing is that I thought she pulled off Furiosa pretty good in Mad Max, succeeding Charlize Theron. However, I am so not vibing with the alien-looking eyes Pathfidner's elves have ^^;

Anya Taylor Joy as Merisiel

Oh I'm not ready to see her with blank black eyes ^^;

Yeah, that's one design choice I just don't like in Pathfinder...

JiCi wrote:

Steed Form is a Level 2 feat... but ALL Eidolons are Medium... and you need to wait until Level 8 to get Hulking Size... in order to get your Eidolon as a Large creature.

Why don't ALL Eidolons have Small, Medium and Large version, from the get go?

It's possible to ride a medium creature, and the feat is level 2 for those cases.

Yeah, if you're Small or smaller.

However...

Your eidolon still must be at least one size category larger than you to ride it.

So... sucks to be you if you're a Human, I guess...

Steed Form is a Level 2 feat... but ALL Eidolons are Medium... and you need to wait until Level 8 to get Hulking Size... in order to get your Eidolon as a Large creature.

Why don't ALL Eidolons have Small, Medium and Large version, from the get go?

- A new Alchemist research field that lets them make items based on spells, using the usual spellcasting rules;

- A complete rework of the Inventor, so they can have 1 innovation per 3 levels in on object, at least.

- 1 or 2 more spells of the common elemental traits

- Aether and Void elements for the Kineticist

Sibelius Eos Owm wrote:

I kind of feel like at least the bracing trait might allow you to get an action discount specifically for bracing at weapon. One action to brace instead of two. Maybe it negates the MAP penalty, but then we're getting closer to installing Reactive Strike as a weapon trait again.]

I really like the idea of the brace trait letting you Ready a Strike with the weapon as a single action. In my opinion, you wouldn’t even need the MAP negation or bonus damage for this to be a fun, versatile trait that unlocks a few extra options.

Look, make this an advanced feat, with Tactical Reflexes as a requirement, so you could Brace AND Strike as a Reaction.

JiCi wrote:

Sibelius Eos Owm wrote:

Oh, certainly, a sufficiently intelligent enemy can absolutely avoid a telegraphed attack without it being necessarily adversarial GMing (though I'd caution a GM from assuming every sapient combatant is automatically aware enough to recognize the false opening for what it is in the heat of combat). No, I was responding to JiCi's report that bracing reveals your plans to the GM--a take rather distinct from whether some enemies might be able to recognise a ready action.

Like I said, why can't you brace a weapon as a reaction instead of a 2-action move?

They did this in Braveheart and that sequence became quite iconic in cinema.

Why can't I go "Hold, hold, hold, NOW" when an enemy charges me again?

This is quite literally what readying an action is in this circumstance

But you are readying to prepare for a charge, not reacting to it.

While drawing a nodachi takes time, when you have it drawn, you should be able to Brace it as a reaction if someone tries to charge you.

This isn't like a RPG where "both sides pick their actions and then the round plays out". In those cases, if an opponent picked to Brace and you picked to charge, you have to commit to it... and probably get skewered.

In Pathfinder or any TTRPG, including D&D, which that problem was there as well as far back as 3E, it's turn by turn per character. Unless you and your GM can hide Bracing, you have to spoil your strategy.

Last time I checked, the one at the receiving end of the Braced weapon doesn't get a Perception check to swerve around it and avoid taking precision damage.

Oh, certainly, a sufficiently intelligent enemy can absolutely avoid a telegraphed attack without it being necessarily adversarial GMing (though I'd caution a GM from assuming every sapient combatant is automatically aware enough to recognize the false opening for what it is in the heat of combat). No, I was responding to JiCi's report that bracing reveals your plans to the GM--a take rather distinct from whether some enemies might be able to recognise a ready action.

Like I said, why can't you brace a weapon as a reaction instead of a 2-action move?

They did this in Braveheart and that sequence became quite iconic in cinema.

Why can't I go "Hold, hold, hold, NOW" when an enemy charges me again?

JiCi wrote:

Squiggit wrote:

but idk how often I see readied strikes and I don't think I've ever seen the brace trait used in a real game.

Bracing a weapon basically reveals your plans to your GM.

If it was a reaction to brace a weapon, it would be way more appealing.

You make it sound as if a GM didn't already know what the PCs are going to do most of the time. Its not like classes are that diverse.

But still, the nodachi has reach too so I guess someone could strategically choose to make a reactive strike fighter build since RS would benefit from the bonuses of the brace trait. Deadly is also quite nice for a class such as the fighter and their higher proficiencies.

When you say "I'm readying my weapon by bracing it", what actually prevents an opponent from NOT approaching you?

You're telegraphing your intentions way too obviously.

You want bracing to be effective? Have an advanced feat that allows you to surprise moving/charging opponents in the same way William Wallace did in Braveheart, when the front line literally surprised a charging cavalry by drawing spears one second BEFORE.

but idk how often I see readied strikes and I don't think I've ever seen the brace trait used in a real game.

Bracing a weapon basically reveals your plans to your GM.

If it was a reaction to brace a weapon, it would be way more appealing.

Don't wizards in the Harry Potter universe fire simple quick blasts with their wands?

That sounds similar, but with a staff.

Akashic Dragon:

Occult Dragons that love to live in places surrounded by knowledge and general brag often about the fact that they know everything... mostly because they can freely access the Akashic Records, so they can back up the boast. They fire laser beams from their single Cyclopean eye instead of breath attacks.

This one in particular should be converted to Pathfinder, because the Akashic Records, which is a separate plane of existance, exists in that time period as well :O

The fire damage could remain no problem, now "beams of superheated light", but inforsphere-related spells could be substitute for books :)

Seems to me like Conspirator Dragons simply want to cause chaos among society in order to get a good story...

Ladies and gents, I just found who were the ancestors of Starfinder's influencers XDD

Then again, when is a conspiration considered good :p ?

Are dragons now "neutrally aligned" or are there still traces of "this dragon is 100% evil", while "that dragon is 100% good", barring planar citizens which may adhere to the plane's own morality?

Kinda sucks that there's no new Primal Dragon keyed to the Planes of Metal and Wood... Hopefully those will come soon.

The Dragonet looks fun, again hopefully with new heritages based on other regions.

JiCi wrote:

Is it intended to redesign/design the dragons as "more nightmarish" and "outerworldy alien"?

They're neither of those things. They're just different. If they weren't, WotC could potentially sue Paizo out of existence.

And because of the way human brains work, different naturally trends towards the subjective uncanny valley.

Dragons come in all shapes and sizes, but they do look more... "feral" than what we're used to see.

Is it intended to redesign/design the dragons as "more nightmarish" and "outerworldy alien"?

JiCi wrote:

Yeah, a dragon for the Planes of Metal and Wood, the Astral and Ethereal Planes and the First World would round up thing nicely; Umbral Dragons are already in the Netherworld and while Forest Dragons are living in the Plane of Wood, they... are Imperial Dragons, not Primal.

I would expect that imperial dragons fall under primal dragons in the new categorization. That seems to fit them better than arcane, divine, or occult.

Is... that the plan?

Is Paizo dropping dragon categories altogether?

I'm out of the loop...

A Blog post about Dragonets could still happen, for those who aren't subscribed. Do they post stuff after they release PDF files?

I wonder if a vorpal dragon can have a hoard of severed heads, alive and able to communicate. Maybe in a cave above a valley full of wandering headless bodies frantically trying to find their heads. I like the vorpal dragon but I'm surprised they were spawned from the vorpal sword vs Jabberwocky fight. Seems like dragon species would be cool to predate weapons, and maybe the sword was granted from it. Eh either way like I said I like it. And the young ones seem like they could be interesting foils.

or prisoners...

Hey, trading expensive treasure for a lost head would be a good bargain for a vicious vorpal dragon.

However, rules about a headless living body are required, because a body without a head isn't gonna last long... unless the body falls limp on the ground.

These guys feel very "body horror"-coded, with them having a collection of heads with the bodies elsewhere.

My guess would be because the plane of metal is a recently re-emerged plane, having been able to return after being absorbed by the plane of earth for a while.

Give it a bit of time and I bet we'll see more plane of metal goodness emerge.

Yeah, a dragon for the Planes of Metal and Wood, the Astral and Ethereal Planes and the First World would round up thing nicely; Umbral Dragons are already in the Netherworld and while Forest Dragons are living in the Plane of Wood, they... are Imperial Dragons, not Primal.

Huh... if the Vorpal Dragon doesn't have a breath weapon, what's gonna be the alternative for any class feature and spell that usually grants one :O ?

Also, why isn't it a Primal Dragon from the Plane of Metal? That would work nicely.

Still no news about the Dragonet...

Here's hoping for the next blog post to cover that :)

Quote:

This staff ends in a Y-shaped split that cradles a sling. The length of the staff provides excellent leverage when used two-handed to fling rocks or bullets from the sling.

If you're not okay with just treating it like the staff it is described as, then how about an improvised staff?

Like others have said, this should have been a combination weapon OR there should have been an exception for the Half Striker Stance to use the sling staff as a melee weapon.

JiCi wrote:

May I ask how the Staff Acrobat work with a Halfling Sling Staff when it's not a melee weapon?

Only Levering Strike [8th] and Pivot Strike [14th] require a Strike so you can 100% avoid them. If you did want those feats, you'd treat it as an improvised weapon. I'd suggest taking the Weapon Improviser Dedication or something similar to avoid the natural -2 to hit for improvised weapons.

For Bullying Strike and Staff Sweep, could you still Shove and Trip with the Sling Staff, despite not being a melee wepaon?

May I ask how the Staff Acrobat work with a Halfling Sling Staff when it's not a melee weapon?

Petition to rename the Despair dragon the Nightmare Fuel Dragon!

What's odd is that P1E already had a Nightmare Dragon...