Question: While polymorphed, are there ways for a non-wildshaped druid or other spellcaster to cast spells?
What exactly are the limitations, and how might they be circumvented?
So, obviously material components need to be available or the Eschew Materials feat.
Verbal components mean that the form must be able to speak (like a dragon) or Silent Spell applied.
Somatic components are the trickiest. Of course, Still spell removes them, but what exactly is being removed?
It's clear that dragons can perform them, and obviously anything with at least one hand can fulfill the requirements. However, there is some ambiguity about how other forms might do so.
Any thoughts?
My GM has made a ruling, and I'm not going to contest it, I'm just curious about how other people might handle this in their campaign. A custom feat? A failure chance for arcane spells? Or is it too OP and if you don't got digits you're SOL?
For context, the case I'm thinking about is:
Quote:
Share Shape
School transmutation (polymorph); Level ranger 3, sorcerer/wizard 4, witch 4
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
EFFECT
Duration 1 hour/level (D)
DESCRIPTION
This spell functions as beast shape II, but you may only assume the form of an animal of a type identical to your animal companion or familiar. If your familiar or companion is not an animal, this spell has no effect.
Relevant rules:
Transmutation (polymorph): wrote:
"While in such a form, you cannot cast any spells that require material components (unless you have the Eschew Materials or Natural Spell feat), and can only cast spells with somatic or verbal components if the form you choose has the capability to make such movements or speak, such as a dragon."
Spell components: wrote:
"Somatic (S): A somatic component is a measured and precise movement of the hand. You must have at least one hand free to provide a somatic component."
From 3.5: wrote:
A spellcasting creature that lacks hands or arms can provide any somatic component a spell might require by moving its body. Such a creature also does need material components for its spells. The creature can cast the spell by either touching the required component (but not if the component is in another creature’s possession) or having the required component on its person. Sometimes spellcasting creatures utilize the Eschew Materials feat to avoid fussing with noncostly components.
James Jacobs: wrote:
Post.
"For humanoids, somatic components include hand gestures. For things with other shaped bodies, somatic components include whatever gestures their body naturally makes, be that paw or leg movements, tail wagging, squirming bodies, or whatever."
Quote:
Natural Spell
You can cast spells even while in a form that cannot normally cast spells.
Prerequisites: Wis 13, wild shape class feature.
Benefit: You can complete the verbal and somatic components of spells while using wild shape. You substitute various noises and gestures for the normal verbal and somatic components of a spell.
You can also use any material components or focuses you possess, even if such items are melded within your current form. This feat does not permit the use of magic items while you are in a form that could not ordinarily use them, and you do not gain the ability to speak while using wild shape.
In general, No. PC 'social' skills to influence attitude (Diplomacy/Intimidate) won't work the same on PCs as NPCs.
The game is all about agency. The freedom of character choice. Trying to force a PC with a skill check runs directly counter to that, just like casting Charm Person on them would.
Ultimately, it's up to your players to sort out (with your input) how inter-party use of social skills will work.
At most tables (mine included) they're NPC only, and if you want your character to convince another PC to (not) do something, then it's up to you to convince them.
Interestingly, there's an interesting alternative take on Diplomacy that functions a lot more realistically (at the expense of some simplicity) written by
Rich Burlew
If Joey the Grappler is wearing armor with the 'armor spikes' addition, and is proficient in their use, does he automatically apply the 'armor spike' damage as the result of a successful grapple check?
The wording of the armor spikes entry seems to support this, but it's vague, so I'm wondering if it's been clarified anywhere.
Relevant text:
Armor Spikes::
You can have spikes added to your armor, which allow you to deal extra piercing damage (see “spiked armor” on Table: Weapons) on a successful grapple attack. The spikes count as a martial weapon. If you are not proficient with them, you take a –4 penalty on grapple checks when you try to use them. You can also make a regular melee attack (or off-hand attack) with the spikes, and they count as a light weapon in this case. (You can't also make an attack with armor spikes if you have already made an attack with another off-hand weapon, and vice versa.) An enhancement bonus to a suit of armor does not improve the spikes' effectiveness, but the spikes can be made into magic weapons in their own right.
The sticky bit here is that it specifically says 'extra piercing damage', and I'm wondering what the 'extra' means.
Also, would strength be added to this damage, as normal with most melee weapons?
Example: Joey is having problems with a ruffian and decides to grapple him. Joey has Improved Grapple, so initiating the grapple does not provoke AoO.
Player: Joey grapples the ruffian. *rolls* His Combat Maneuver roll is 19.
GM: That allows him to grapple the ruffian.
Player: Does Joey deal armor spike damage now?
GM: I dunno, let's just keep going. The ruffian tries to break the grapple, and gets a 14.
Player: Joey has a CMD of 18, so that fails.
Round 2:
Player: Joey continues to grapple the ruffian. His Combat Maneuver check is a 17.
DM: That's enough to beat the ruffian's CMD.
Player: Ok, so Joey will pin the ruffian. Do I deal Armor Spike damage now?
DM: I dunno, let's keep going. The ruffian tries to break the pin, and gets a 17, which means he fails.
Round 3:
Player. Well then, Joey will grapple the ruffian again to deal damage. *rolls* His CM check is 17 again, so I deal damage with my armor spikes. When do I deal any extra damage with the armor spikes?
GM: I dunno. Let's look.
*A thorough search of the boards pulls up a few scattered opinions, but no clear consensus.*
Player: Ok, I'm starting a new thread.
TLDR:
Do you deal armor spike damage when initiating a grapple?
When maintaining a grapple to do something else, like move or pin?
When dealing normal damage, do you get 'extra' armor spike damage?
As a point of interest, there's a perfectly legitimate workaround for this situation.
As per the code of conduct for Oath Against Fiends.
"Never suffer an evil outsider to live if it is in your power to destroy it. Banish fiends you cannot kill. Purge the evil from those possessed by fiends."
In the specific circumstance cited, i.e. the summoning of fiends, there's nothing in the oath that the paladin has to prioritize fiends over any other target. Therefore, the paladin in question would be well within their rights to attack foes who are NOT under player control, and when they are finished off, turn their attention to any fiends that remain.
An imp familiar would be trickier. I'd have to think about it more to come up with a workaround for that.
That said, there's always the option to simply not play the conflicting character at a table. Either ask the other player to play a different character, play a different character yourself, or one or both players could simply play a level appropriate pre-gen and apply the credit for the module to their character afterwards.
Oh, and to those who harp on about flogging dead horses, there's no reason to be rude to a new player who's seeking help with a potential conflict who hasn't been frequenting these forums long enough to know that it has already been covered.
As an additional option, Alchemists with the Feral Mutagen discover gets two claw attacks for 1d6 and a bite attack at 1d8 while their mutagen is active. The mutagen still grants it's normal bonus to a physical attribute, +2 natural armor, and penalty to a mental stat.
I would also like to know, and am bumping this thread rather than starting another one.
Also, I checked the FAQ, both Core and Ultimate combat, and found no mention of Boar Style or Bleed in either of them.
Can we get something a bit more official?
This came up for me as well, with the added consideration of the secondary damage on Alchemist's Fire. It's damage, caused by the Alch Fire, and by RAW it should apply:
Throw Anything (Ex):
All alchemists gain the Throw Anything feat as a bonus feat at 1st level. An alchemist adds his Intelligence modifier to damage done with splash weapons, including the splash damage if any. This bonus damage is already included in the bomb class feature.
Alchemist's Fire:
You can throw a flask of alchemist's fire as a splash weapon with a range increment of 10 feet.
A direct hit deals 1d6 points of fire damage. Every creature within 5 feet of the point where the flask hits takes 1 point of fire damage from the splash. On the round following a direct hit, the target takes an additional 1d6 points of damage. If desired, the target can use a full-round action to attempt to extinguish the flames before taking this additional damage. Extinguishing the flames requires a DC 15 Reflex save. Rolling on the ground provides the target a +2 bonus on the save. Leaping into a lake or magically extinguishing the flames automatically smothers the fire.
Nowhere does it say that the secondary fire is 'normal fire'.
Additionally, the Grenadier archetype grants the ability to apply an alchemical item to a weapon that takes effect on the next foe hit.
Alchemical Weapon (Su):
At 2nd level, a grenadier can infuse a weapon or piece of ammunition with a single harmful alchemical liquid or powder, such as alchemist’s fire or sneezing powder, as a move action. This action consumes the alchemical item, but transfers its effect to the weapon in question.
The alchemical item takes full effect on the next creature struck by the weapon, but does not splash, spread, or otherwise affect additional targets. Any extra damage added is treated like bonus dice of damage, and is not doubled on a critical hit. The alchemical treatment causes no harm to the weapon treated, and wears off 1 minute after application if no blow is struck. At 6th level, a grenadier can use her alchemical weapon ability as a swift action. At 15th level, this ability becomes a free action.
This ability replaces poison resistance.
Does the Throw Anything ability only apply to splash weapons when they are used as splash weapons?
Incidentally, I'm fairly sure that the Alchemist adds their Int modifier to subsequent rounds of an Immolation bomb. Not only does the test specifically say it "repeats this (referring to the 1d6+Int) damage against the primary target". Same for the splash damage.
I'm going to be running an oracle of Battle in an upcoming PFS game, and wanted some clarification on this feat.
Fortified Armor Training:
Fortified Armor Training (Combat)
You have learned to let your armor bear the brunt of the worst attacks.
Prerequisite: Proficient with armor or shield.
Benefit: If an opponent scores a critical hit against you, you can turn the critical hit into a normal hit. If you do, either your armor or your shield gains the broken condition (your choice).
Firstly, it simply says that it gains the Broken condition, but it says nothing about damage.
Broken Condition:
Broken
Items that have taken damage in excess of half their total hit points gain the broken condition, meaning they are less effective at their designated task. The broken condition has the following effects, depending upon the item.
If the item is a weapon, any attacks made with the item suffer a –2 penalty on attack and damage rolls. Such weapons only score a critical hit on a natural 20 and only deal ×2 damage on a confirmed critical hit.
If the item is a suit of armor or a shield, the bonus it grants to AC is halved, rounding down. Broken armor doubles its armor check penalty on skills.
If the item is a tool needed for a skill, any skill check made with the item takes a –2 penalty.
If the item is a wand or staff, it uses up twice as many charges when used.
If the item does not fit into any of these categories, the broken condition has no effect on its use. Items with the broken condition, regardless of type, are worth 75% of their normal value. If the item is magical, it can only be repaired with a mending or make whole spell cast by a character with a caster level equal to or higher than the item's. Items lose the broken condition if the spell restores the object to half its original hit points or higher. Non-magical items can be repaired in a similar fashion, or through the Craft skill used to create it. Generally speaking, this requires a DC 20 Craft check and 1 hour of work per point of damage to be repaired. Most craftsmen charge one-tenth the item's total cost to repair such damage (more if the item is badly damaged or ruined).
Special Note on Ships: Ships, and sometimes their means of propulsion—are objects, and like any other object, when they take damage in excess of half their hit points, they gain the broken condition. When a ship gains the broken condition, it takes a –2 penalty to AC, on sailing checks, saving throws, and on combat maneuver checks. If a ship or its means of propulsion becomes broken, the ship's maximum speed is halved and the ship can no longer gain the upper hand until repaired. If the ship is in motion and traveling faster than its new maximum speed, it automatically decelerates to its new maximum speed (from Advanced Naval Combat.)
(I've bolded the two relevant sentences in the condition.)
So I have a few questions:
When FAT (Fortified Armor Training) negates a critical hit, does the armor or shield actually take damage? Or does it simply gain the 'Broken' condition. If so, how would the condition be removed?
If FAT causes a shield or piece of armor to take damage as part of acquiring the broken condition, how much damage does it take?
(If I were the GM, I'd state that it took damage equal to half its hit points +1, which is the minimum required to give it the broken condition.)
However, this doesn't account for armor or a shield that has already been damaged. Would it just be taken to below half hit points, or would it take a set amount of damage?
If a broken object has
Mending:
This spell repairs damaged objects, restoring 1d4 hit points to the object. If the object has the broken condition, this condition is removed if the object is restored to at least half its original hit points. All of the pieces of an object must be present for this spell to function. Magic items can be repaired by this spell, but you must have a caster level equal to or higher than that of the object. Magic items that are destroyed (at 0 hit points or less) can be repaired with this spell, but this spell does not restore their magic abilities. This spell does not affect creatures (including constructs). This spell has no effect on objects that have been warped or otherwise transmuted, but it can still repair damage done to such items.
cast on it, and is restored to more than half its hit points, then it loses the broken condition.
Would it be possible to use FAT to negate a critical hit, then cast mending to remove the broken condition from the affected armor or shield?
What would happen if FAT were used again the next round?
*edit* I realize that with a casting time of 10 minutes, Mending could not feasibly be used in combat. However, if sufficient time weren't taken to fully repair the armor before FAT were used again what would happen?
I know I won't get the metamagic reduction from seeker magic, that's why I went with Flaming sphere for the magic lineage.
The thing that I'm banking on is that once Flaming Sphere is cast, it applies its damage each round with a move action from me.
In theory, I might be better off using Spell Perfection on it first, to make the Dazing metamagic free. Then, for a 3rd level spell slot and a full round cast, each of my move actions for the combat can be used to smack something for a shot at a two round daze.
Blackened has the most minor drawback for a pure caster, and it gives me delayed blast fireball, not fireball.
Ironically, I might even be better off going with a different mystery, since the benefits from the fire mystery are looking more and more minor.
Man, I was more tired than I realized when I typed thatt up.
I mistyped the feat, it was supposed to be Spell focus (Evocation) not (Conjuration). As for the 15th level revelation, that is correct that it is replaced by Seeker Magic, but it's the least important, I won't really miss it.
I also missed noting the Excitable trait, which will help with initiative.
My intention is to go more with control than damage, hence the Persistent/Dazing combo.
I am considering the Elemental metamagic feat, although since I could just fall back on heals when dealing with fire resist/immune opponents.
I really like the Glorious Heat feat, and may take it in place of one of the DC booster feats.
Having noticed the synergies of a Pyro Gnome, Oracle of Flame with the Blackened curse, I decided to try it out with my newest character.
I suspect that he'll mostly be a healbot with the occasional boom until mid-later levels, and I'm cool with that.
Here's the build concept, I'm just looking to see if there's anything I haven't come across that might make it work a bit better.
15th level, with the Seeker Magic and Spell Perfection, I'd be able to cast Quickened Persistent, Dazing, Selective, Fireballs that use only a 6th level slot.
As a full round action, I could cast a Persistent, Dazing, Selective Fireball using a 4th level slot.
In addition, as a full round action, I could cast Persistent Dazing Flaming sphere using a 6th level slot. Then, each round for the rest of the fight, I pick an enemy to make two saves and take the worst to avoid two rounds of being dazed.
I'm still working out the details and looking at options, so if anyone has suggestions, I'd like to hear 'em.
As entertaining as it is, I'm not looking to make my DM nerf Vital Strike, and the idea of turning into a huge size hippo is shaky rules interpretation at best.
I'm pretty sure that wild shape allows you to turn into animals of various sizes that exist, not various sizes of animals that exist. That's how I'd rule it, anyway.
At the very least, I'd have to encounter a huge hippo at some point, which doesn't seem likely, especially due to the nature of the campaign.
I'd be much more likely to run into, say, a T-rex, and while I considered the Vital Strike route, I decided that I wanted to go with pounces and multiple attacks.
I don't know what the DPR is, and frankly I don't care. No one else in the party is optimizing at all, and I don't want to solo the campaign while they follow along.
Heck, I'm already concerned that I might do that without pulling freaky rules tricks like this.
This is all pretty theoretical, but I'm wondering if anyone else has considered it.
I'm playing a wildshaping druid, and planning out their progression. It's a primitive campaign, so for flavor reasons I'm going with a Saurian Shaman archetype, and will be focusing on getting to the point where I can turn into an allosaur and chomp enemies.
My question is what to plan for higher levels.
See, wildshape pretty much caps out at 6th level, since at that point I wildshape like an 8th level druid, allowing for huge size, and three uses at 8 hours each, so I can stay in animal form all day if I want. I'll likely stick with Druid up to 11th or 13th level for spell access though, for Ironwood and/or Heal. I'm not positive though, as we do have another druid in the party who will likely be staying full druid.
I'm considering getting levels of Fighter, at least 5 of them, and maybe as many as 8. The improved BAB, armor training, extra feats, and weapon training, as well as Weapon Specialization and possibly Improved Weapon Focus all seem like great options for improving attacks, and having a set of Ironwood Plate Mail Barding for my allosaur form would be a big buff to AC.
Has anyone tried this, or anything similar? I've read Treant's guide, but didn't see any considerations for multiclassing.
Here's my take on it:
I'm not making any assumptions about my gear, other than the base gear will be available. I'd say it's likely that I'll be able to get masterwork gear, but we've been told that we're starting out 'naked', so we'll see.
Starting out:
Level 4:
Attacks
+5/+5(+4 bab, +4 str, +1 weapon focus, -2 PA, -2 double attack), 1d4+10 (4str, +2 WS, +4 PA)
Yes, those attack bonuses are a bit low, but really, they're not that terrible.
Between flanking and masterwork/magic weaponry, I've got up to +3 (additional) on the attack roll, and if I forgo power attacking or dual attacking, that could get as high as +12 (total), while still dealing 1d4+6 (spiked shield). It's always a tradeoff of accuracy for damage, and I feel that at this level it's acceptable.
It's also possible that I'll 'main hand' a medium shield and off hand a smaller shield, or even a weapon, depending on how strict the dm is with the WF/WS feat determiners. (Can you just indicate 'Weapon Focus: spiked shield'?)
Regardless, I'm not too worried about my damage output. If necessary, I can go with a light shield/longsword combo.
There's also the fact that as soon as I hit 5th level, my accuracy goes up by 2, between the BAB increase and weapon training. Overall, I'm not too worried about accuracy.
All in all, I'm working for a balance of damage (TWF, Specialization), Versatility (Shield Slam/Bull Rush) and defense (Using the shield in the first place).
There's also the possibility of working with other weapons in the early levels, and swapping over the weapon specific feats on even levels later as I approach 11, where Shield Slam makes the build really shine.
AC: I'm not even bothering with trying to get any AC bonus from my main hand shield. It's simply a shield so I can get benefit from the WF/WS feats.
AC at 4 will likely be 22: (+9 fp, +2 Dex, +1 Shield) If I have access to magic armor, and the option of going with a medium shield, that could get up to 25.
Flavorwise, I kind of like it.
Now, I do a slight re-skin of the concept. Instead of just shields, I think of them as being sort of like oversized cestus, a la God of War.
http://i37.tinypic.com/ddoron.jpg
And I know that it's unrealistic as hell, but this is a fantasy game, and if the wizard can turn my foe into a rabbit, then I should be able to pummel him into the ground with a couple of shields.
So, I'm joining a new campaign, level 4, 20 point buy. The DM claims it's the Warhammer universe, but we'll see how closely he sticks to that.
Suffice to say that magic users will need to hide their spellcasting, and no really exotic races.
After fiddling with various concepts, I've settled into working out a dual shield fighter.
Why dual shields? Weapon focus, Greater Weapon Focus, Weapon specialization, Greater Weapon Specialization.
These four feats add up to +2 to attack and +4 to damage to a singe weapon. I figure I'm better off using two shields that I can get the full bonus on rather than taking the feats twice each for a different main hand weapon.
Plus, Shield Master will apply to both my weapons. I'd say that the effective +4 to hit and +4 damage more than outweighs the smaller damage die and reduced crit range.
Human Fighter (No archetypes yet, although Two Weapon Warrior is tempting)
Str: 18, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 7
Assuming I can get hold of a couple of +3 Klar, and a +4 Str item, a full attack at level 12 would look like this:
+23 (+12 BAB, +6 Str, +2 feat, +3 enh)/+23/+18/+18/+13, 1d6+13, If two attacks hit, +1d10+15. Each of the above has an optional bull rush, and if there is an obstacle behind them, knock them prone.
His AC (assuming a set of +3 Plate) would be 30 (+12 plate, +4 shield, +4 Dex, before any other itmes that buff AC.
Here's my initial build concept, I'm new to the pathfinder system, and I'm wondering if any more experienced players have thoughts, suggestions, or can highlight potential problems with this character concept.
