JustSomeRandomCommoner's page

I have troubles with a rule on how archetypes are applied to class features, and it's causing my group a lot of headaches. I've long searched for clarifications, but this is barely adressed anywhere.

The rule is the following:

"If an archetype replaces a class feature that is part of a series of improvements or additions to a base ability (such as a fighter's weapon training or a ranger's favored enemy), the next time the character would gain that ability, it counts as the lower-level ability that was replaced by the archetype. In effect, all abilities in that series are delayed until the next time the class improves that ability. For example, if an archetype replaces a rogue's +2d6 sneak attack bonus at 3rd level, when she reaches 5th level and gains a sneak attack bonus, her sneak attack doesn't jump from +1d6 to +3d6—it improves to +2d6, just as if she had finally gained the increase at 3rd level. This adjustment continues for every level at which her sneak attack would improve, until at 19th level she has +9d6 instead of the +10d6 of a standard rogue."

Ok, so it gives the example of sneak attack, weapon training and favoured enemy, ok, great; but which feature count as improving and which don't?

For example, does a monk flurry of blows count as improving at 8th and 15th level? So if i take the Master of Many Style archetype, i get 1 flurry attack at 8th and a second at 15th in addition to more styles to fuse?

What about high jump, does it count as improving every level so if i lose this feature i get one level less on the total but basically still having it (i.e. Monk of the Sacred Mountain)?

Does gaining 2nd level spells count as improving your ability to cast spells? So, a Skirmisher Ranger or a Warrior of the Holy Light Paladin still gain spells, just with a 3 level delay?

Our GM is worried about balance because he fears that if he lets any class feature that vaguely improves qualify, having archetypes would most of the time be the way to go cause instead of giving different features, it actually gives more.

Called Shots...

What.

It says called shots are a full-round action, but in the feats below it says called shots normally take a standard action... If it's a mistake the "standard action" part it would invalidate bot feats, since they are based on that assumpion...

However, if it's a mistake the "full-round action" part (and that's what i hope) this could be a nice boost for meelee characters and give them some pretty useful options (especially for fighters, who starve for options)... And when they'll hear people aks "when you don't full attack, what do you do with your sword?", they'll be able to respond "I debuff!"

FAQ this thread (bad pun semi-intended).

EDIT: Stupid double post...

Hello everyone, i'm building a fighter with cestus and heavy armor and i really could use some advice for a non-optimized campaign (so no need to go crazy over sub-optimal choices i made).
A little note: my GM counts attack with cestus as "armed unarmed strikes", so everything you can do with unarmed strikes you can do with the weapon.

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Race: Human

Stats (25 point-buy)

- if going with Boar Style
Str:16+2
Dex:15
Con:15
Int:10
Wis:14
Cha:7

- if going with Crane Style
Str:16+2
Dex:15
Con:15
Int:8
Wis:14
Cha:8

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He would go as Monk (Master of Many Styles/Monk of the Sacred Mountain) for the first two levels, then switch to Fighter (Brawler)...

His first ability score increase should go on dexterity to pump up his number of AoO with combat reflexes.

His Skill points should go mostly on Acrobatics(for Dragon Style and Snake Style) and Sense Motive(For Snake Style). Maybe Intimidate (for Boar Style).

Doesn't matter if he loses his Wisdom and Dexterity bonus to AC wearing heavy armor (actually my GM strips us of our equipment every now and then and also seems to love night attacks, so they will come in handy).

He will always take HP as a favored class option (fighter).

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Feats:

1- Dodge(Character)
1- Two-Weapon Fighting(Bonus Human)
1- Stunning Fist(Bonus Monk)
1- Toughness(Bonus MotSM)
1- Snake Style(Bonus MoMS, ignore prerequisites)

2- Snake Fang(Bonus MoMS, ignore prerequisites)

3- Weapon Focus(Character)
3- Combat Reflexes(Bonus Fighter)

4- Dragon Style(Bonus Fighter)

5- Dragon Ferocity (Character)

6- Weapon Specialization (Bonus Fighter)

7- Combat Style Master (Character)

8- Boar Style/Crane Style (Bonus Fighter)

9- Boar Ferocity/Crane Wing (Character)

10- Greater Weapon Focus (Bonus Fighter)

11- Boar Shred/Crane Riposte (Character)

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At level 3 he basically enters Snake style (swift action) in the first round and takes advantage of his 21+ AC (+9 armor, +1 dex, +1 natural armor, +# magic) to get as many AoO as possible from enemy misses with snake fang (which turns every attack he avoids in an AoO). After the first round he uses snake style to try and get a little more AC every now and then with a Sense Motive Check or turning the first AoO that hits into a second attack (both immediate actions).

Up to level 6 he enters the Dragon stance in the second round, maintaining the Snake stance (MoMS) and adding damage from the style and bonus to hit and damage from Brawler. From third round he goes as before.

At level 7 he can enter the Snake stance as combat starts and Dragon stance as a free action, so he can use Snake Style to get an improved AC or a bonus attack from first round. Plus, as a brawler, he gets menacing stance, which increases his chance of avoiding attacks and get more AoO with Snake Fang.

Plus, at 9 he gets an attack of opportunity every time an enemy within reach makes a 5-foot step or a withdraw action. So enemies will be provoke AoO both if they attack and miss and if they try to run.

Now i have two option and i'm not sure which would be better:

1) He could go with Boar Style. At level 11, then, he enters Snake stance at the start of the fight just in case he can get some AoO. In his round switches to Boar and Dragon as free actions and uses the expanded damage of both styles (and his free intimidate check if he gets one). At the end of his turn he maintains Dragon and switches back to Snake to get some more AoO with improved damage against enemies miss. Then repeats.

2) He could go with Crane Style. At level 11, then, he enters Snake stance at the start of the fight just in case he can get some AoO. In his round switches to Crane and Dragon as free actions and uses the expanded damage of Dragon and improves is AC fighting defensively. At the end of his turn he maintains Crane and switches back to Snake to get an automatic AoO with Crane Riposte against first enemy attack, an improved AC with Snake Style against the second (and possibly another AoO) and an overall better AC against everything else for more AoO (which includes a bonus attack with snake fang if he doesn't use his immediate action). Then repeats.

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Is it better going with Boar or Crane?

Should i take Dodge at first level even if i go with Boar or something else, like Intimidating Prowess, would be better?

Should i continue on the TWF chain starting from level 12?

If going with Boar, i was thinking of taking a level in Rogue (Thug) to get Frithening, is it worth it?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

I know this topics have been adressed multiple times and i know someone will say "use search and you'll find plenty of thread that talk about this topics". I did search pretty much everywhere but i couldn't find an answer to my specific questions, so i ultimately resorted to posting a new thread in hope it could help me clarify my doubts.

1) As written on the Ride skill, you can:

"Fight with a Combat-Trained Mount: If you direct your war-trained mount to attack in battle, you can still make your own attack or attacks normally. This usage is a free action."

My doubt is what happens if you fail the check or you don't want to make the check for whatever reason? Do you simply lose the chance to make your mount attack or does something different happen that doesn't le you attack normally? Because as it is worded it makes me think that the check is necessary "to make your attack normally", rather than "to make your mount attack".

2) On firearms loading:

"It is a standard action to load each barrel of a one-handed early firearm and a full-round action to load each barrel of a two-handed early firearm."

Does that mean that i can reload A SINGLE barrell with a standard action (1H) or a full-round action (2H) or that i can reload ALL barrels with a standard action/full-round action?

3) Everybody knows the questions that rise about the Lightning Reload Deed, but i have a different doubt:

"At 11th level, as long as the gunslinger has at least 1 grit point, she can reload a single barrel of a one-handed or two-handed firearm as a swift action once per round. If she has the Rapid Reload feat or is using an alchemical cartridge (or both), she can reload a single barrel of the weapon as a free action each round instead. Furthermore, using this deed does not provoke attacks of opportunity."

Let's say i am a 11th level gunslinger, i already have the rapid reload feat, and i'm looking for a new deed to take and i read that part "If she has the Rapid Reload feat or is using an alchemical cartridge (or both), she can reload a single barrel of the weapon as a free action each round instead".
Now i say: wow, i can already do this since about... 8 levels? using rapid reload and alchemical cartridges. Why on earth would i waste a Deed this way? (even more so if i can use this deed for a free action reload only once for round). The only answer i can give is to say: "I'm a badass gunslinger that can reload a single handed firearm as a free action without using alchemical cartridges" but that seems a little... i don't know, useless?

Sorry for my bad english. Maybe the doubts are just because i don't understand it as well as i should xP. Thanks to everyone who will help me.