Kuolio's page

I know that druid wild shape is almost what I was looking for.
Actually my idea was inspired by druid, but I was looking for something more monstrous.

Yeah, could just make a Beastmorph Alchemist. That would pretty much do exactly what you want.

You are absolutely right.

Magus.
Spell-combat plus spellstrike with your natural attacks. Nasty. Plus you can get Hex Strike if you go Hexcrafter if you really want to add a twist to your melee attacks.
Spell-combat full attack sequence:
Declare spell-combat
Cast spell. (for shenanigans with Prehensile hair so you don't lose that "free hand")
Full attack sequence. (Popping whatever spell you cast as well.)
Swift action Hex Strike.

That sounds very efficient. I have to think this option as well.

I'd like to build character that is based on using spells alter self and monstrous physique to gain multiple natural attacks and boost them (so forms like troglodyte and gargoyle etc.)

sorcerer/monk comes first into my mind, but that is super MAD.

Any advice?
Attempt is futile?

(edit: I tried to search with troglodyte, gargoyle, alter self and monstrous physique, but I couldn't find anything suitable)

The Paladin did die...and made a deal with Death as he stood viewing the Abyss...he's now an Agent of Death...or is sworn to some secret pact or service.

Now, that sound awesome.

Uncharted = Littered with fey. Have a benign fey creature come up with a resurrection, and they're honored to do so because they had a prophecy that they would need to help a group of elves who in turn would help the island fey return to the First World. Have the quest be to restore a portal to the First World, after which it can be repurposed to teleport them back to civilization.

I would suggest something similar.

Fey resurrects the dead character, BUT now he is in great debt to the fey (that can be nice side quest at some point of the campaign).

Auto-reincarnation doesn't sound good to me.

You have really nice game going on.
Borgmurch is awesome: "Bosssaul" "Aldo Rell".
And I have to admit that I keep imagining what does Nessa's tail look like.

Definitely following this campaign.

@Dread Knight Thats where I misunderstood the rule. I didn't realize the rules state you only role it when combat starts.

Blakmane wrote:

Initiative is defined as 'start of combat'. You can use it to signal a need for more careful play as with the above haunted house situation, which is perfectly fine... but you need to have a precedent for this because it is not RAW and your players have no reason to believe anything but 'start of combat'.

And using it to signal the start of combat is metagaming. You should make that decision using the information your character has, not by the dice rolls your making as a player.

I don't see it as metagaming.

initiative is not character knowledge

So I disagree with this.

The group is manhandling the AP, so I thought it a good time to make a point, which I also happened to think was pretty funny. What do you guys think? Was I reasonable, or do they have good reason to complain?

GMs make mistakes, players make mistakes... not a big deal.

I bet you are good gm. You obviously listen what your players are saying and you think these things.
I don't see you GMing an empty table. No need to make big drama out of minor incident.

Finally, please also give me an idea of how many other PbP games you are actively participating in.

Currently I am playing in two other PbPs, but one of them is just a short scenario.

Looks like one more melee character would fit nicely to the party.
How about Pharrell?
Since he has spens some time in Heldren, we can work together if/how he knows other party members.

I could play cleric as well, but Caelia seems to be little bit too much healing oriented for my taste.

Depends how you see balanced. If you adapt this melee guide, I think you could be guite balanced. Just concentrate on buffing instead of damage spells so you don't need high DC.

... But if you just want to make your party stronger, check this out (or discussion).

Enjoy killing mooks.

Be prepared to run away from boss fights (or any fights that are too difficult). I'd assume that those enemies reappear when you are stronger and then you can kill them.

Sounds very enjoyable to me (for both players and for GM).

EDIT: I mean that retreat can be challenging and tactical (enjoyable) scenario, when players are prepared to retreat. Maybe that can lead to chasing or something. I'd like to play that.

Caladrel Faerondaerl
Male Elf Staff Magus

STR 16
DEX 12
CON 12
INT 17
WIS 10
CHA 7

Alternate Racial Trait, Arcane Focus

Traits:
Magical Lineage (Frostbite)
Reactionary

Caladrel is is tall and lean like most elves but his physique in not as fragile as usual among elves (due to his unusually high strength and constitution), actually he is quite muscular for a an elf. He doesn't want to stick out, so he doesn't wear shiny armors, fancy clothes or jewels. He likes to wear plain dark blue or green cloak and maybe some light leather armor. (Obviously wielding staff.)

Faerondaerl family line has long traditions in magic. Both of his parents are wizards, they provice for the family by crafting magical items and selling spellcasting (Magical Lineage). Caladrelis was raised with the goal in mind that he is a magic-user. As a kid he was studying arcane powers when others were playing, racing or fighting (Arcane Focus).

Caladrel is quiet and unsociable person. He doesn't mean ill to others, it is just his poor self-expression that can cause troubles, he has learned that sometimes it is just easier to keep quiet and blend into the crowd (Reactionary).

Check this: A Witch's Guide to Shutting Down Enemies

You can't use this magical lineage to adjust a spell's effective level below the spell's original level.

But rime frostbite is still level 1 spell, not level 2 as it would be without magical lineage.
"A rime spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level."

15 pt. buy, I am already liking it.
I think that 20 pt. is too much, I just love little bit weaker characters.

I'd like to play Dwarf Inquisitor
Something like STR 16, DEX 12, CON 14, INT, WIS 15, CHA 8

This is more than likely a one-shot, as the game is only one adventure long.

Thanks, good to know (that what I was expecting, just wanted to make sure).

I was thinking something like (but I am willing to change her details... like class and/or race, if needeed):

Alika Seanja
Human Female Knife Master Rogue 1
NG Humanoid (Human)

Alika is Varisian nomad living in "gipsy" style. Traveling with different caravans or sometimes even on her own if she can't find suitaple company. Doing what ever jobs she can find. She has been traveling since kid. Sometimes her family stayed longer in same city, usually they made just short visits. Lately she has been accompanying a traveling circus (and maybe pickpocketing unsuspecting audience?).

Alika is unsociable and quiet person. She is not a mean person, but her limited social skills can often lead her into troubles. She tries not to draw attention to herself, just to avoid troubles.

Alika has typical varisian dusky skin and violet eyes, she long dark hair. Alika likes jewelry and colourful clothes and scarfs, especially her kapenia (family scarf).

Init +4; Senses Perception +6
==DEFENSE==
AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +4 Dex)
hp 11 (d8+2 +1)
Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +2
==OFFENSE==
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2x dagger +2 (1d4/19–20 x2) (or 1x dagger +4)
Ranged shortbow +4 (1d6/x3)
Special Attacks Sneak Attack +1d8, Two-Weapon Fighting
==STATISTICS==
Str 11, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 9
BAB +0; CMB +0; CMD 14
Feats Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +8, Climb +4, Disable Device +8, Intimidate +3, Know(local) +4, Perception +6, Sense Motive +6, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +8
Languages Common
Combat Gear
Other Gear leather armor, 4x dagger, shortbow, arrows(20), thieves' tools, caltrops, backpack, 58 gb
==Special Abilities==
Sneak Attack If a rogue can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.
Sneak Stab (Ex) A knife master focuses her ability to deal sneak attack damage with daggers and similar weapons to such a degree that she can deal more sneak attack damage with those weapons at the expense of sneak attacks with other weapons. When she makes a sneak attack with a dagger, kerambit, kukri, punching daggers, starknife, or swordbreaker dagger (Advanced Player's Guide 178), she uses d8s to roll sneak attack damage instead of d6s. For sneak attacks with all other weapons, she uses d4s instead of d6s. This ability is identical in all other ways to sneak attack, and supplements that ability.
Hidden Blade A knife master adds 1/2 her level on Sleight of Hand checks made to conceal a light blade. This ability replaces trapfinding.

How long scenario this will be, what I mean is what level we are likely to achieve?

Kuolio: If you have a character submitted by the 17th, you'll be placed in the pool of potential players.

How about Archetypes?

Players to be, if you have not heard there is a big fire in black forest Colorado. myself and Nameless GM are possibly going to be evacuated from our house. So if we are, then we will have to put this game on hold until we are safe at home again.

You can still submit characters. The deadline is on suspension for now.

Uuuh. I hope you are ok and safe.

I'd like to join the game. I am newcomer to Pathfinder. I am interested playing rogue, but if you have too many rogues, I am willing to play some other class as well.

ENFORCER is turning an effective -3 debuff into a -5 debuff.

With this build SHIELD spell is your friend. You have more reason to go MOONLIGHT STALKER because you rely on miss spells for concealment (TO HIT AND DAMAGE) and you need to avoid getting hit.

I would not take toughness. You are NOT the melee bruiser.
You assume the forms for extra attacks and rely on using miss spells to avoid getting hit.

The rime/Enforcer trick is MORE important because it lowers the enemies chance of hitting you.

Use a farie dragon familiar to cast Ill omen on bad guys you fight to make them miss.

I say again. YOU ARE NOT A BEATSTICK. The idea is to debuff the crap out of your opponent THEN kill them.

Thanks for the tips.

If this clarification DOES make spell combat work as Teller describes then perhaps the Dev's current intent is to reduce the magus down to 1 spell and 1 attack?

I don't think so.

Besides that "he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty" part that is quoted several times, rules say
"A magus can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks."

So it indicates (again) that Magus can have more than one weapon attack with Spell Combat.

FAQ is just trying to make rules clear, not change them. FAQ is not an errata?

STR Ranger wrote:

As for why no Staff Magus? Don't like losing crit range and the abilities it gives up.

Crit range I will discuss further below, but abilities. You mean the ones you aren't using - Med and Heavy Armor proficiencies and Fighter Training. You're wearing light armor (mithril breastplate)...

Staff magus can't wear mithral breastplate:

Varrel wrote:

I am planning to change some feats to boost survivability (to compensate low CON and DEX)...
Maybe dropping Enforcer and taking Toughness.
How usefull Enforcer is based on your experience?
(I am just speculating, I haven't been playing magus)

Or maybe I keep Enforcer but build hexcrafter staff magus. That would ruin spell crits, but boost AC.

The Rime Spell+Frostbite+Magical Lineage+Enforcer and Combat Expertise+Blindfight+Moonlight Stalker build still works great.

If multiple enemies? DEFINITELY Rime Frostbite w/Enforcer.
Varrel has 7 CHA but Maxed Intimidate is still a decent shot.

I am planning to change some feats to boost survivability (to compensate low CON and DEX)...

Kuolio wrote:

Tiefling and Elf both get the same +2 to DEX, but builds doesn't have to be DEX based.
Both races can get very similar stats, for example:
STR 15, DEX 10, CON 12, INT 17, WIS 10, CHA 8 (Tiefling still has 1 point to spend)

So i'd say that it totally depends on which one has better racial traits and favored class options.

Tieflings have variable stat adjustments based on bloodline. The Oni-Spawn with their +2 Str & Wis and -2Cha and free alter self spell-like ability are among the better choices. Though the Daemon-Born with +2 Dex, +2 Int, –2 Wis with a prehensile tail make for quite effective Magi as well.

Nice, I didn't know that. It isn't from the Advanced Race Guide.

Varrel wrote:

I do. I wrote the original Melee Transmorgifist.

Varrel is definitely an effective and potent character... at his 24pt build. The OP however is using a 15pt build and we know just how tight the stat allocation is.

With enough points anything works but with a limit this low I can't in good confidence recommend a dex-based elf transmorg.

The monlight stalker and rime+enforcer builds are still and probably always will be some of the most effective feat combos.

Tiefling and Elf both get the same +2 to DEX, but builds doesn't have to be DEX based.

So i'd say that it totally depends on which one has better racial traits and favored class options.

Kuolio wrote:

Mathwei ap Niall wrote:

Kuolio wrote:

I am planning to build "The Melee Transmorgifist" kind of Hexcrafter.

For 15pt buy, I am thinking an Elf with stats:
STR 13, DEX 14, CON 12, INT 17, WIS, CHA

I doesn't follow recommended stat distribution INT>STR>CON>DEX>WIS>CHA but an an Elf it is expensive to raise CON and DEX is cheep.

What stats would you recommend to Transmorgifist Elf?

My recommendation is don't do it.

Well, that was my first thought when I was tinkering with the build, but guide says:

"Elf: The best Magus race reguardless of Archetype. BAR NONE!!"
And in Transmorgifist part again:
"Elf is best race for racial arcanas."

And I really agree that Elf favored class options is great. That's why Elf is so tempting.

The only reason Elf is flagged so highly is MOST magi are built as dervish dancers before much thought was put into what downsides Dex Builds have with the favored class and spell penetration bonus.

I've recently accepted that honestly, strength builds are better for Magi and have been re-examining these old builds wih new eyes.

Maybe you are right, maybe Elf isn't good race choice.

What kind of build would you recommend?
Do you still see build that is based on Rime Spell+Frostbite+Magical Lineage+Enforcer and Combat Expertise+Blindfight/Moonlight Stalker viable?

Kuolio wrote:

I am planning to build "The Melee Transmorgifist" kind of Hexcrafter.

For 15pt buy, I am thinking an Elf with stats:
STR 13, DEX 14, CON 12, INT 17, WIS, CHA

I doesn't follow recommended stat distribution INT>STR>CON>DEX>WIS>CHA but an an Elf it is expensive to raise CON and DEX is cheep.

What stats would you recommend to Transmorgifist Elf?

My recommendation is don't do it.

Well, that was my first thought when I was tinkering with the build, but guide says:

And I really agree that Elf favored class options is great. That's why Elf is so tempting.

I am planning to build "The Melee Transmorgifist" kind of Hexcrafter.
For 15pt buy, I am thinking an Elf with stats:
STR 13, DEX 14, CON 12, INT 17, WIS, CHA

I doesn't follow recommended stat distribution INT>STR>CON>DEX>WIS>CHA but an an Elf it is expensive to raise CON and DEX is cheep.

What stats would you recommend to Transmorgifist Elf?