Mathonras the Magnificent's page

Would welcome some critique of my plans for this Hunter build. It's for a home game, not PFS or anything.
Plan to go dwarf with a longhammer or longaxe. Animal companion will be a wolf and will pick up the Dirty Fighting and Improved Trip line.

Lv. 1 (Wild Child Brawler 1) Animal Companion, Brawler's Cunning, Martial Flexibility, Martial Training, Unarmed Strike, Power Attack
Lv. 2 (Hunter 1) Animal Companion, Animal Focus, Nature Training, Orisons, Wild Empathy
Lv. 3 (Hunter 2) Precise Companion (Outflank), Track, Combat Expertise
Lv. 4 (Hunter 3) Hunter Tactics, Teamwork Feat (Pack Flanking)
Lv. 5 (Hunter 4) Improved Empathic Link, Combat Reflexes
Lv. 6 (Hunter 5) Woodland Stride
Lv. 7 (Hunter 6) Teamwork Feat (Paired Opportunists), Spirit's Gift
Lv. 8 (Hunter 7) Bonus Trick
Lv. 9 (Hunter 8) Second Animal Focus, Swift Tracker, Totem Beast
Lv. 10 (Hunter 9) Teamwork Feat (Broken Wing Gambit)
Lv. 11 (Hunter 10) Raise Animal Companion, Improved Initiative
Lv. 12 (Hunter 11) Speak With Master

I am aware many people love Animal Focus but am sorely tempted to go with Totem-Bonded for easy access to Enlarge Person.
Any and all feedback welcome.

I'm working up a skald build for an upcoming game — hasn't started yet but I do like to plan my builds out in advance.

I'm not looking to make the most optimized skald ever, just to optimize my concept: A smashy, northern warrior-poet who is also a competent buff-bot and has a helpful furry friend. I realize that can (arguably) be done even better with a hunter, but I've played one before and want to give the skald a go.

Going human so won't be using Amplified Rage, although I still like a Bloodrager dip for early damage and expanded spell list (useful with wands, ring/pages of spell knowledge, etc.).

I really like the idea of a mauler-archetype familiar (arctic fox) -- mostly for simple for Rule of Cool -- which I believe I can pick up as a Bloodline Familiar.

For traits, I'm thinking Auspicious Tattoo and Reactionary or maybe Highlander to grab stealth as a class skill. Magical Knack and Focused Mind would both be obviously useful as well.

Lv 1 -- BR 1: Power Attack, Furious Focus (Bonus)
Lv 2 -- SK 1: Scribe Scroll (Bonus)
Lv 3 -- SK 2: Skald's Vigor
Lv 5 -- SK 4: Boon Companion
Lv 7 -- SK 6: Cornugon Smash
Lv 9 -- SK 8: Intimidating Prowess
Lv 11 -- SK 10: Hurtful
Lv 13 -- SK 12: Spirit's Gift
Lv 15 -- SK 14: Arcane Strike

I'm fairly happy with this build so far -- it just feels so feat-starved that a lot of it doesn't come online until late. How important are things like discordant voice, lingering song, extra performance? Am I giving up too much for my fun familiar or Hurtful shenanigans?

Also, would the Ancestor Spirit Animal ability allow my otherwise voiceless mauler to speak? Specific > general but in this case I'm not sure which is which.

Would 2 levels of Eldritch Guardian be a better dip? What about BR 1/EG 2/SK X?

Help me boards, you're my only hope!

Addendum: I rarely see anything on the boards about skalds — unless the "words amplified rage" appear in the post somewhere. Do they seem underplayed for some reason?

I'm a little confused about how this feat works.

It requires racial weapon familiarity and either A) grants you proficiency will the weapons mentioned in your race's trait or B) if "you are proficient with ANY" of those weapons instead grants you a flexible version of weapon focus.

The thing is, if you have weapon familiarity then you will always be proficient with at least some of the weapons in the group.

There is never a scenario where option A plays out.

Take a level 1 wizard for example: Not exactly a paragon of martial aptitude. Proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff. That's it. But, you're no regular wizard, you're a dwarf wizard. You're automatically proficient with the heavy pick, warhammer and battle axe.

Ergo, option B goes into play and you get the weapon focus version of the feat instead of say, proficiency with a longhammer.

Is that how it's supposed to work? Can anyone think of a scenario where you have the weapon familiarity racial trait but still aren't proficient with your race's weapons? Should it instead read "if you are proficient with all" then etc.?

Hey boards:

I recently accepted a new position in central Texas -- New Braunfels to be precise -- and I'll be moving soon. Have a great group here outside Dallas and we're going to try to keep playing via Skype, but was wondering if there's anybody from the boards down that way.

My regular group recently started running Wrath of the Righteous and I'm playing a tiefling Inqusitor of Ragathiel with the Cold Iron Warden archetype and Archon domain. Right now we're only level 3 and I think it's a solid character so far, but I'm new to the Inquisitor and was wondering if I could get some advice/critiques. Particularly on my idea about a *gasp* dip.

Stats were done at 20 point buy and are:
Strength 16
Dexterity 14
Constitution 14
Intelligence 10
Wisdom 14
Charisma 9

Based on the guides I've read and some posts here on the boards, I've come up with this build:
1 Intimidating Prowess
3 Power Attack
5 Furious Focus
7 Cornugon Smash
9 Vital Strike (I know, I know)
11 Heavy Armor Proficiency
13 Ancestral Scorn
15 Improved Vital Strike
17 Quicken Spell
19 Dreadful Carnage

I don't know yet how the mythic stuff will work out in game, but I've looked over the Mythic book -- I'm going Heirophant and like Sustained by Faith, Enduring Blessing, Eldritch Breach and Legendary Item abilities -- obviously (given the above feats) I'll be taking Mythic Vital Strike and also eventually Mythic Spell Lore.

As for the dip, at first I was thinking Crusader Cleric, which would get the proficiency and a good aura (hello Litany of Righteousness and Greater Bane/Mythic Vital Strike) and also not halt domain advancement.

I also thought of 1 level of Paladin with the Sacred Shield archetype. The Bastion of Good ability that replaces smite is less charisma dependent (good for me) and 1 level also nets me the aura, heavy armor AND martial weapons, which is less important since I get bastard sword prof., but still nice.

Now, I realize that normally just spending a feat on Heavy Armor Prof. is better than dipping but given this particular AP, does it work? Or am I crazy, multiclass-mad grognard lost in hazy memories of running fighter/magic-user/thieves?

Greetings boards,

I'm working on an Tiefling Inquisitor for Wrath of the Righteous and was looking at the Cold Iron Inquisitor from the Demon Hunter's Handbook.

The archetype probably isn't optimal, but it seems really flavorful and appropriate from an RP perspective. It grants alignment channel and some limited channeling, but only to harm evil outsiders. My question pertains to a clause stating that the Inquisitor can take feats to improve the channeling, like extra channel or whatnot, but not to ALTER it, such as command undead.

Since, like many a two-handed melee Inquisitor, I've dumped charisma, I was looking for a way to improve said channeling and thought about channel smite. It won't give me more channels, or improve my DC but at least I can whack something while I do it. Is this kosher? Does this count as "altering?" Personally I see it as "improving" but I could see a point to both sides. However, unlike the example of command undead, it's still being used to harm evil outsiders. What say you all?

Figured I'd get a consensus before I brought it to my DM.

Hierophant has some great stuff for a casting-inclined inquisitor, but the 6th tier abilities, while awesome, seem better suited for other classes.

However, I was wondering about the 6th tier ability Conduit of Divine Will, which triggers whenever you use channel energy, lay on hands, or cast a spell from your domain list.

Inquisitors not only miss out on domain spells, but potentially might not even have domains if they choose to replace them with an inquisition.

Would this still work as long as the spell is on the domain list, even though inquisitors don't receive domain spells?

Also, what about an inquisitor who chose an inquisition, but who has the Divine Source mythic ability? Would domain spells from the character's own domains work for this ability?

I tried to give you guys all my monies, but I can't. :(

Every time I try to complete an order I get a message saying my card was declined. The information has been checked and double-checked across numerous attempts and there is no problem with the account, so I can only assume the problem is on Paizo's end.

Tried after work yesterday and again today when I got up.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

A while back I sought some advice on a rogue (thug) dip for a Half-Orc Inquisitor.

After playing around with this build based on the recommendations I got, I've come up with two variations:

Build 1 ignores Enforcer (and subsequently Bludgeoner) in return for slightly better BAB (from Furious Focus) and crit farming with a keen scimitar.

Lv. 1 (Rogue 1): Intimidating Prowess, Frightening, Sneak Attack
Lv. 2 (Rogue 2): Evasion, Weapon Focus: Falchion
Lv. 3 (Inquisitor 1): Judgment, Monster Lore, Stern Gaze, Power Attack
Lv. 4 (Inquisitor 2): Cunning Initiative, Detect Alignment, Track
Lv. 5 (Inquisitor 3): Precise Strike, Solo Tactics, Dazzling Display
Lv. 6 (Inquisitor 4): Judgment 2/Day
Lv. 7 (Inquisitor 5): Bane, Discern Lies, Cornugon Smash
Lv. 8 (Inquisitor 6): Lookout
Lv. 9 (Inquisitor 7): Judgment 3/day, Furious Focus
Lv. 10 (Inquisitor 8): Second Judgment
Lv. 11 (Inquisitor 9): Outflank, Gory Finish

Build 2 relies on Bludgeoner, Enforcer and the alternative Half-Orc racial weapon familiarity for a heavy flail.

Lv. 1 (Rogue 1): Bludgeoner, Frightening, Sneak Attack
Lv. 2 (Rogue 2): Evasion, Intimidating Prowess
Lv. 3 (Inquisitor 1): Judgment, Monster Lore, Stern Gaze, Enforcer
Lv. 4 (Inquisitor 2): Cunning Initiative, Detect Alignment, Track
Lv. 5 (Inquisitor 3): Precise Strike, Solo Tactics, Power Attack
Lv. 6 (Inquisitor 4): Judgment 2/Day
Lv. 7 (Inquisitor 5): Bane, Discern Lies, Weapon Focus: Heavy Flail
Lv. 8 (Inquisitor 6): Lookout
Lv. 9 (Inquisitor 7): Judgment 3/day, Dazzling Display
Lv. 10 (Inquisitor 8): Second Judgment
Lv. 11 (Inquisitor 9): Outflank, Gory Finish

The character would be starting at 4th (or possibly 5th level) and have an Intimidate of around +18. What do you guys think?

So, I've been working on a Rogue(Thug)/Inquisitor build and, while I normally hate multi-classing medium BAB classes, in this case the entire point is to make a really intimidating character: Half-Orc, Intimidating Prowess, Conversion Inquisition etc.

But I have some questions about Enforcer. Almost every thug build I've seen takes it, but usually in conjunction with sap master or bludgeoner. Improved unarmed strike works too, from what I've read.

But what about regular unarmed strikes?

Obviously, they are nonlethal, so no problem there. But I don't quite understand about unarmed strikes provoking AOOs. And whether you can (as a non-monk) actually use kicks, headbutts etc.

The rules seem inconclusive on whether I can say, hold a greatsword but, rather than attack with it, instead perform an unarmed strike via kick, shoulder-slam or what have you. No? What about a one-handed weapon? And if you're actually holding a weapon are you still unarmed and hence, do you still provoke?

That seem strange, plus punching or kicking an opponent during a sword fight seems really iconic.

P.S. I'm not looking for cheese, I'm just legitimately confused -- unarmed strikes don't tend to come up in our games much.

Hey boards,

The thread title almost sums it up -- working on a half-Orc Inquisitor with a focus on intimidate for one of our players who's decided he hates his current character. Cornugon Smash, Intimidating Prowess, Gory Finish/Dreadful Carnage etc. Pretty standard.

But how about a rogue dip for taking advantage of the thug archetype? Say, two levels. 1 at first level and MAYBE a second (evasion and a rogue talent -- more feats!) at 7th -- after picking up Bane at 6th.

I realize generally it (albeit arguably) wouldn't be worth it; delaying casting, bane etc., but in this specific case ... I don't know, what say you all?

A while back I sought some advice on later-level plans for my rather optimized knifemaster/scout. The character, RP-wise, is a favorite among my group and this was the second campaign I'd brought him out for.

When I decided against taking a Shadowdancer dip, my GM seemed disappointed. It would appear he wanted one in the group for some reason. Lucky for him I've grown bored of the rogue (although scout does change the class in good/interesting ways) and am looking to retire him.

Inspired by others on these boards, I was thinking about a paladin/shadowdancer. However, I've also been wanting to try out a half-orc thug/cornugon smash intimidate build.

IS this trying to do much?

Something like:

Lv.1 (Rogue 1): Power Attack, Sneak Attack
Lv.2 (Fighter 1): Combat Reflexes
Lv.3 (Fighter 2): Dodge/Mobility, Combat Expertise
Lv.4 (Paladin 1): Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil
Lv.5 (Paladin 2): Divine Grace, Lay on Hands, Spring Attack
Lv.6 (Shadowdancer 1): Hide in Plain Sight
Lv.7 (Shadowdancer 2): Darkvision, Uncanny Dodge, Cornugon Smash
Lv.8 (Shadowdancer 3): Summon Shadow, Intimidating Prowess

Later levels could be used to pick up rogue talents to put that paltry 1d6 to use, or to conitnue advancing paladin levels.
We'd be starting at 5 or 6.

I'm running a pyromaniac wizard (currently level 5) in a friend's Rise of the Runelords campaign and, having recently lost my compsagnathus in battle, am considering taking Improved Familiar a bit earlier than I had planned and getting a fire elemental familiar.

However, logistically (and I did find some related, but not identical threads via search), how does this thing ... work?!

Assuming it takes on a humanoid form as the entry says it can, can it hold things? That is, without melting them or setting them on fire? How hot is this thing anyway?

And, aside from stat block stuff, does it just, I don't know, set things aflame willy-nilly?

E.G. My familiar and I go into the bar. The bar is made of wood and, as we stand there, begins to burn?

Could it be contained in some form? How would you play it?

I suppose this is as much an advice question as it a rules question. Regardless, what say you all, boards?

My regular group is about to start Second Darkness and it just so happens that my beloved, but not very optimized, knifemaster is from Riddleport.

That's always been a big part of roleplaying this character, so the DM has asked me to bring him back for this AP. However, I get to rebuild him since we're starting from 1.

I've got two different builds worked up to 10. The difference is the inclusion of a shadowdancer dip in the first build (and the necessary feat tax). The DM has expressed interest in seeing a shadowdancer in play and seems to have an idea or two about how to tie that into plot elements, but I'm not sure it's worth it. It does however, get me darkvision and uncanny dodge -- should I choose to give up the latter for a second archetype.

Which brings me to my questions -- a) which build do you guys like better and b) were I to add a second archetype, would bandit or scout work better?

Stats were rolled and I rolled well: Str - 15, Dex - 20, Con - 14, Int - 12, Wis - 11, Cha - 13

I play the character like most melee TWF rogues; throwing is mostly to keep me out of trouble if I can't flank and to take advantage of the dagger's versatility. After I pick up false opening, it becomes more useful.

A final note: Is there anything you folks feel strongly should be worked in? Piranha Strike? Something else?

Thanks, boards!

This character is currently level 5: 3 levels of rogue (knife master/scout) and 2 levels of alchemist (vivisectionist/beastmorph).

This campaign is on hiatus right now while we run Rise of the Rune Lords but I was hoping to get some advice on the build plan. Stats are rolled:
Str: 13, Dex: 20 (after modifiers), Int: 13, Con: 16, Wis: 9, Cha: 11

Traits are Reactionary and River Rat.
I figured that after alchemist 10 I'd just head back to rogue for another advanced talent (and because I selected the 1/6th of a talent favored class bonus). I've also considered fitting a few levels of fighter somewhere, to free up feats for more discoveries or talents, or speed up my acquisition of false opening. I rarely see that feat mentioned though so maybe it's not as great as I'm thinking. Wouldn't mind working lunge in there somewhere either. Archetypes to use if I pick a few levels of fighter? Weapon master? Brawler? Or skip it and stick with rogue/alchemist? Advice? Tips?

Lv.1 (Human): Weapon Finesse
Lv.1 (Rogue 1): Two-Weapon Fighting
Lv.2 (Rogue 2): Combat Trick: Quick Draw
Lv.3 (Rogue 3): Point Blank Shot
Lv.4 (Alchemist 1): Brew Potion, Throw Anything
Lv.5 (Alchemist 2): Dodge, Bleeding Attack
Lv.6 (Rogue 4): Offensive Defense, Scout's Charge
Lv.7 (Alchemist 3): Weapon Focus: Dagger
Lv.8 (Alchemist 4): Feral Mutagen
Lv.9 (Alchemist 5): Close Quarters Thrower
Lv.10 (Alchemist 6): Preserve Organs
Lv.11 (Alchemist 7): False Opening
Lv.12 (Alchemist 8): Preserve Organs
Lv.13 (Alchemist 9): Opening Volley
Lv.14 (Alchemist 10): Crippling Strike
Lv.15 (Rogue 5): Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Lv.16 (Rogue 6): Deft Palm, Underhanded

Hey boards, thanks in advance for the opinions/help:

I'm trying to help a newish player build a switch-hitter ranger, as you might have realized form the thread title.

Here's what I've come up with:

Lv. 1 (Skirmisher 1): Power Attack
Lv. 2 (Skirmisher 2): Rapid Shot
Lv. 3 (Skirmisher 3): Endurance, Quick Draw
Lv. 4 (Skulking Slayer 1): Pass for Human
Lv. 5 (Skulking Slayer 2): Cleave, Surprise Follow-Through
Lv. 6 (Skirmisher 4): Hunter's Bond (Wolf)
Lv. 7 (Skirmisher 5): Deadly Aim, Tangling Strike
Lv. 8 (Barbarian 1): Fast movement, Rage
Lv. 9 (Barbarian 2): Great Cleave, No Escape, Uncanny Dodge,
Lv. 10 (Skirmisher 6): Manyshot
Lv. 11 (Skulking Slayer 3): Bold Strike, Vital Strike
Lv. 12 (Skirmisher 7): Upending Strike

From there it goes back to ranger and stays there, although more I don't see where more levels of rogue or barbarian would really hurt. I usually build casters or else, tricky secondary strikers like rogues, so I feel a little out of my element.

Would probably pick up the Step-Up feats next, maybe? I'm not really sure. Mostly I just wanted the character to help teach the player combat, growing increasingly complex but not difficult to play, and I also wanted to eliminate any "dead levels" so he'll have something to look forward to every level -- although Paizo has done a good job of that anyway.

I'm looking for help with where to take it from here, but very, very much also welcome critiques of what I've got -- don't pull punches, I can take it!

Any advice?

Apologies if there's already a thread on this, but I searched and didn't find anything that could clear this up for me.

In the surprise round, you may take a standard or move action, in addition to a free or swift action (you can take a free action anytime you can take a standard action and a swift action can always replace a free action, unless I'm mistaken).

Dirty tricks are standard actions.

They last one round, assuming the target doesn't cancel them with a move action before the round ends.

How does this work in a surprise round, where not every party may have a chance to act?

Or if, say, the surprise round is just "Orc 'XP' McOrcerson" and "Sneaky Pete, generic rogue."

Ole' Pete sneaks up on McOrcerson, and sneak attacks, beginning the surprise round. Orcerson wasn't awake of Pete and so doesn't get to act. The both roll initiative and regular rounds begin.

What if, instead of an actual attack, Sneaky Pete had used a dirty trick to say, blind our unsuspecting young orc?

Does the effect in with the surprise round? Or continue until the orc's first turn in the regular round? Or Pete's?

This is a build I've been working on for a homebrewed campaign, low on civilized downtime and magic.

I've only planned it out to 16 and haven't bothered lining up magic items since this DM prefers to place specific things, rather than have us craft/buy whatever we want. That being said, I have some gear in mind, mainly a variety of daggers, the standard "Big Six" and Raven Bracers.

Anyway, take a look and let me know what you think, fairly new to Pathfinder and the advice is much appreciated!

P.S. Stats are rolled. 4d6, drop lowest.

So, as some may know from previous posts I'm playing around with a magus build. My regular group would like to finish off a high-level campaign they started before I met these guys and so the build is for level 15. All magic items on table as long as the coin lasts.

My problem, having put together a mostly typical shocking grasper, but with a few choice hexes, is that the campaign is heavily demon-centric. Immunity: Electricity makes me sad.

Elemental Spell is a solution but I hate having to apply it to Shocking Grasp instead of better meta-magics.

Before it looked something like

Elf Magus
Traits: Magical Lineage, Reactionary

1 Weapons Finesse
3 Dervish Dance
5 Elemental Spell/Heighten?
5 Lunge (Bonus feat)
7 Intensify Spell
9 Maximize Spell
11 Quicken Spell
11 Improved Critical (Bonus feat)
13 Extra Arcana/Preferred Spell?
15 Spell Perfection

But now I'd need to work Elemental Spell in there.

What I'm wondering is whether anyone has played around with basing a magus off of a slightly higher-level spell than SG.

I'd probably give up hexcrafter since I'd need Improved Spell Recall more (and likely preferred spell and its tax, heighten, as well) but I wasn't married to it.

What about a Frigid Touch build with Rime Spell?

Or a Toppling spell build? Something even less standard?

I've looked around some but almost all the builds I've seen are shocking grasp based. Would I be just better off sticking with elemental spell SG?

Before we start, let me say that I am aware that multi-classing casters is almost universally a terrible, horrible, no-good idea.

That being said, if one were insistent upon attempting to combine the ability to sneak attack with spell combat, how would one do it best?

A bard could probably do most of what such a character could, and I may end up going that direction. And thematically at least, if not mechanically, one could merely pick up stealth on a magus and be done with.

I was thinking something like a dervish dancing Magus/Vivisectionist. Possible heading to Eldritch Knight to make up BAB. The Hexcrafter archetype is appealing but, alas, loses spell recall -- which seems essential (along with Extra Arcane Pool) if multi-classing.

Further questions: is there any point at which such a character might excel? Low level play, for instance? Or another way to add spell damage to multiple attacks in the same round aside from spell combat? Would it best to just pick up a couple in Magus and then advance the sneak attack dice as much as possible, essentially creating a rogue with some handy low-level spells?

Again, I realize this is probably a mind-bogglingly bad idea, but the idea has stuck in my head, despite hundreds of simpler builds that would probably be better ... so how do I do it best?