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Hi!

I have done a few searches about this on the forum, and I'm not seeing this discussed elsewhere, so I thought it might make sense to start a new thread.

TLDR version: If a rogue with the Magical Trickster feat makes a spell attack while hidden, do they get to apply sneak attack damage?

RAW, it seems like the answer is no. The rules for hiding state "If you attempt to Strike a creature, the creature remains flat-footed against that attack, and you then become observed. If you do anything else, you become observed just before you act unless the GM determines otherwise."

The GM fiat element here muddies the waters a bit, but I can't see anything that suggests that a spell attack can go off before the spellcaster becomes observed.

My editorial opinion is that this makes Magical Trickster more situationally useful (and more to the point, the Eldritch Trickster racket weaker overall).

I can feel in my bones that this will be errata'd. Do you think this is right, or is there some unseen power in the Eldritch Trickster racket that I'm ignoring? Or is the GM fiat element in the Hidden rules meant to step in and take care of this situation.

What do you think? Thanks!

- Lars

Hello! My friends and I have started a new actual play podcast where we are playing through Abomination Vaults.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tabletop-gold/id1574594922

I hope you enjoy the show! In-keeping with Abomination Vaults functioning as an "on-ramp" for new Pathfinder 2E players, our group has a mix of experienced and newer players. Our goal is to 1) put on a great show, 2) demystify the system for people who are more experienced with other games.

I love this system so much and I LOVE this Adventure Path. I hope some of that energy comes through to listeners in our show.

It's been a lot of fun to make! Please check it out!

Hi! I am prepping an Adventure Path right now, and am running into a question that seems incredibly simple, but I can't find a clear answer for it.

I'm looking at the rules for a complex hazard. Its routine is listed as "1 action." That routine involves dealing damage to a PC and having them roll a basic save. Okay, fine. Got it.

The rules for complex hazards say: "The number of actions a hazard can take each round, as well as what they can be used for, depend on the hazard."

Does this mean that this hazard is only able to take one action per turn, and that action is its routine of dealing damage to a PC with a basic save?

Or does this mean that the hazard, like everything else, gets 3 actions per turn, and its routine only takes up one of those actions, so it gets to apply that damage three times within a given turn?

I realize I'm asking a sort of remedial, stupid question, but it seems slightly unclear to me, because it's not clear whether the "one action" on the hazard rules indicates how many actions it's allowed to take or how many of its three actions its routine uses up.

And somehow, I can't find anyone else asking this question, so I feel like a real dunce. But I thought maybe you could help!

Thanks for your help!

Hello!

I have searched through the Paizo forums to see if this question has been asked already, and I'm not seeing it, but if this is something that has been addressed elsewhere, I apologize.

I'm a little confused as to how exactly the Search activity works, due to some wording in the new "Observant Explorer" feat from the Lost Omens Pathfinder Society Guide.

My understanding of Search, based on the RAW, is that it allows characters to search for hidden things that are not creatures. They roll a Secret perception check against the listed DC of the hidden door, concealed hazard, and so on.

My understanding of Avoid Notice, based on RAW, is that if a creature is trying to not be seen, they roll a Secret stealth check against a potential observer's perception DC.

So, the way I had interpreted those two rules elements and applied them in my game is that a person who is Searching rolls to notice traps, doors, and inanimate hazards, but doesn't roll to notice creatures that are Hiding or trying to Avoid Notice. Instead, the hiding creature rolls a stealth check against any potential observer's perception DC, regardless of what exploration activities the opposed creatures are doing.

In my mind, the justification of that interpretation is that since there aren't (to my knowledge) opposed rolls in PF2E, the more "active" participant gets to make the roll against the more "passive" one's DC, and since hiding is more active than looking around, the hiding creature makes the roll.

In the rules for Observant Explorer (a level 4 feat for the Pathfinder Agent archetype in the new Lost Omens Pathfinder Society Guide), though, there's a reference to the idea that a character can make a perception check to find a Hidden creature.

...and now I'm confused. If a creature is searching for a creature who is hiding, should there be TWO rolls? One by the hiding creature to see if they're hidden, and then one by the searching creature to see if they spot the hidden creature? That seems wrong. But I'm not sure!

Can anyone provide any insights on this? Thanks!