Kundalini108's page

Long story made short: what's the point of the psychic detective?

Long story: I am a few years out of date on my Pathfinder knowledge but recently joined a group playing Pathfinder Society. My intent was to play a character that is intelligent, a spontaneous caster, and contributes through battlefield control, utility spells, and knowledge. My first attempt was an elf Sage Sorcerer (wild bloodline that uses Int instead of Cha) and was happy with some good knowledge checks and a well-placed grease spell.

Then I ran across the psychic detective archetype for investigators and it seemed at first blush to be much closer to the characters that inspired my earlier character choices (Titus Crow, Jules de Grandin, Dr. Owen Orient, Doctor Druid, etc.). The more I read the rules for Investigators in general, and the rules for psychic spells in particular, the more it seems like an overly complicated way to do things that a few choice spell selections already do well for the sorcerer.

Since this may just be my unfamiliarity with the rules, can anyone share other things I should consider as I choose between a sage sorcerer and a psychic detective?

Hopefully a quick question- I am building a mermaid bloodrager and recall seeing somewhere that there was a relatively new feat that allowed you to add your charisma to all saves, like a paladin does with divine grace. Any ideas?

In Indian fantasy and fable the hero usually doesn’t slay a demon with a sword; instead, he threatens to destroy part of the world with the awesome power of his bow. Just touching arrow to bowstring makes enemies run in fear, and apocalyptic damage awaits those who make him fire.

You don’t get a lot of archery like that in Pathfinder. Anyone care to try? 25 point, 20 levels, any race, any item, any spell, to set up a hero to face down a CR 20 Void Yai Oni and twenty CR 8 Denizens of Leng (10 within a 30 ft radius of the Oni, the rest within a 60 ft radius) come to threaten the kingdom. Here’s my take on how much damage I can get out of one bow shot:

Angel-Spawn Aasimar Paladin (Divine Hunter) 3 / Draconic Sorcerer 7 / Arcane Archer 10

Stats with items & buffs:
Str- 32 (14 base, +2 racial, +6 enhancement, +4 Eldritch Heritage, +6 size)
Dex- 16 (14 base, +6 enhancement, -4 size)
Con- 20 (14 base, +6 enhancement)
Int- 16 (10 base, +6 enhancement)
Wis- 16 (10 base, +6 enhancement)
Cha- 29 (16 base, +2 racial, +6 enhancement, +5 leveling)

Relevant Feats- Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Spell Focus- Necromancy, Greater Spell Focus- Necromancy, Spell Focus- Evocation, Greater Spell Focus- Evocation, Eldritch Heritage (Orc), Improved Eldritch Heritage (Orc)
Relevant Traits: Magical Lineage (delayed blast fireball)

Buffs up: Gravity Bow (increase damage size), Monstrous Physique III (huge size, +6 str & flight), Greater Named Bullet (touch within 30 & +34 damage), Bloody Arrows (1 pt bleed), Flame Arrows (+1d6 flame), True Strike (+20 att), Moment of Greatness (doubles morale bonus), Keen Edge (doubles crit range), Haste (+1 attack, +30 move), True Seeing (just in case!)

Bow: Huge +5 Bane Evil Outsider 2nd Chance Compound (+11 Str) Longbow

Arrow: Spell Storing (Finger of Death, DC 28 fort) Shocking Burst (+1d6/+1d10 lightning) Holy (+2d6 Good) Arrow of Death (Save or Die, DC 29 fort), with buffs as above, and imbued with Empowered Delay Blast Fireball (14d6 x 1.5 fire, DC 28 reflex)

Already buffed for action, our hero flies up the circle of enemies with his 120 fly movement to within 30 of the Oni, declares his smite, and fires his bow. The attack is +59 touch attack, from BAB +15, Dex +3, Size -4, +5 bow enhancement, +18 smite (doubled from +9 by Moment of Greatness), +20 True Strike, +1 Haste, +1 Point Blank Shot. If that shot misses (I roll nat 1 a lot!) the second chance feature of the bow allows an instant re-roll.

When that arrow hits the target, the first reaction is the Arrow of Death effect from Arcane Archer 10, forcing a DC 29 fort save or die. If he saves, then the target makes a DC 28 fort save or take 140 points of damage from Finger of Death, save for 3d6+14. Then the damage from the arrow goes in, and since greater named bullet automatically threatens a crit and with a +59 touch attack it’s safe to assume we’ll make that crit happen. That would change the arrow damage to 12d6 + 42 and +18 smite (base +3 x 3 for the crit x 2 for hitting an evil outsider) from the arrow itself, plus 2d6 holy, 1d10 shock, 1d6 flame, +34 from greater named bullet, and one point bleed. Average 292 points of damage if he doesn’t makes the fort save, 176 if he makes the save. And then…

Then everything in a 30’ radius takes damage from the empowered delayed blast fireball, with a DC 28 reflex save for half. At 14d6 x 1.5, that’s an average 74 points of damage, save for 37.

So depending on saves and using average damage, our main target either dies immediately or takes between 213 and 366 points of damage, while everything in a 30’ radius takes another 74, save for half.

It’s not bad, but I know you guys can do better.

(and my math is probably a wreck, so no offense if you find mistakes)

I will start a game soon where I intend to play a square-jawed cowboy who, for reasons we don’t need to go into here, has ended up in a Pathfinder game. Ideally he’ll be a tracker, horseman, great with fisticuffs, but as we have a player who throws a hissy fit whenever guns enter the game he will not have access to firearms. In order of priority, the character would-

1- Be a good unarmed combatant
2- Have ride and/or handle animal and perhaps a mount
3- Have decent survival and/or perception

Martial artist monk seems like a good choice, but so does a brawler fighter or a combination of the two. From a roleplay perspective a paladin would work, but I’d rather not wear armor heavier than leather.
Are there any unarmed builds that I am missing?