Master Ankho's page

Apologies if this specific topic has been addressed before/elsewhere.

Like some of you, I absolutely despise the Vancian nature of certain spellcasting classes, and I am soliciting comments as to what I see as a reasonable answer to my "problem", i.e., adapting the spell/conjuring drain and spell sustaining mechanics of 3rd or 4th Edition Shadowrun to Pathfinder.

Because Pathfinder does not use Shadowrun's wound modifiers (drain) or die pool modifiers (sustain), my initial thoughts are to couple the drain and sustain mechanics to a corresponding pool of points, conceptually similar to the 3rd Edition D&D psionic power point mechanic. Refresh rates would be specific to a particular pool (e.g., Sustaining Pool would refresh at the rate of 1 point per minute, Drain Pool at the rate of 1 point per hour).

Anyone use or try anything like this? Are there any "big picture" issues that I should be aware of?

I premise this question with my understanding that "death effects" are not unquestionably defined in the rules and that I think it's a fair reading of the entry on Death Attacks to take the position that "death attack or effect" implies that the two terms encompass different things, just as one could take the position that "attack" is synonymous with "effect".

Taking the former position, I think it's clear that certain spells, e.g., those with the [death] descriptor, are death attacks and/or death effects. In contrast, a shadow inflicts ability damage that is a negative energy effect, notwithstanding the fact that many creatures (e.g., constructs, undead) are immune to shadows. However, it seems to me that creatures like constructs and undead are only immune to shadows because of their immunity to ability damage, rather than their immunity to death attacks (and presumably effects).

Thoughts?

Regrettably, my 5 STR gnome ended up playing patty-cakes with a Greater Shadow earlier today. Although the character died, he did NOT turn into a shadow. The GM ruled that my character could not benefit from either Reincarnation or Raise Dead, and in the absence of some additional information I'm not aware of, I think this ruling was in error. While a shadow's Strength drain is a negative energy effect, it does not have the [death] descriptor (e.g., Finger of Death). Any thoughts in this regard? Thanks.

Our party plays 1 or 2 times a month for about a year now. We just hit 7th level and have just entered Saventh Yhi, and while we have some magic items and spellbooks, we have very little in terms of magic weapons and armor; most of what we have we purchased in Eleder or Kalabuto, and if I didn't have Craft Wondrous Item, we'd have very little of actual practical use. I'm just curious as to whether the situation improves...though specific examples are not appreciated for obvious reasons.

I'm also curious as far as how GMs deal with crafting given the distance of Tazion and Saventh-Yhi from Kalabuto and other sources of crafting resources - the dreaded and nebulous "magical components". I assume that once players get 5th and 6th level spells access isn't such a big deal, but since my character and his cohort are primarily designed for MIC it's a significant issue for me.