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There are a few magic items that increase your class levels (for some features only).
That's ok, but what happens if you are a high level character (say 19 or 20) and the item gives you the ability of a 21+ level class?
*Does the item become useless for you(after all, it is usually too cheap for a high level character)?
*Do you figure out epic levels?

Some items:
Candle of Invocation (+2 cleric levels for Spells per Day and max spell level)
Robe, Monk's (+5 monk levels for AC and unnarmed damage)
There are more in the APG.

Hello, I know it has been asked like a zillion times, but after reading a lot of threads I still have doubts.

When I get levels in a Prestige Class that gives me Spells per Day as "+1 level of existing class", that extra level only gives me:
-Spells per Day
-Known spells (only spontaneous casters)
-Caster Level for spells (the wording is "an increased effective level of spellcasting.")

Not cleric domain abilities, special class abilities, bard performance, blood lines, etc... ok

Now the questions:

*Cleric domain spell slot/ domain bonus spells: Do I get it for the spell levels that I can cast using the PrC levels? (because it appears in the Spells per Day table of the Cleric) Or I don't get that +1 spell per day (because it is part of the domain benefits).
I.e. A 5th level cleric gets another 2 levels from a PrC (for a 7 level total). Would I have domain spell slots for 1st, 2nd and 3rd spell levels but not the 4th?

*Wizard Arcane School bonus spell slot and penalties: I understand that Arcane School special abilities don't improve and you keep being an specialist for simplicity.
However do you suffer the Arcane School penalties for spells uses per day gained using the PrC class?
Do you get the bonus spell slots from the Arcane School class feature?

*Wizard free spells: Usually a Wizard gets 2 free spells per level. Does it also happen when you get the spellcasting level from a Prestige Class?

Thanks in advance

Hello.

I'm searching a good excel/openoffice spreadsheet document to calculate the average damage that an archer can perform (based on attack bonus, feats, deadly aim, etc...).
I guess someone has already done the job, but I can't find it in google, if someone has a link it would be of great help.

Thanks in advance.

If there is something you can't do in D&D is a fighter with a one handed weapon, unless you take levels in some pseudo-musketeer PrC.

When I saw the variant class "Free Hand Fighter" in the APG (pag 105 of APG) I tough "finally", but It seems far worse than any other fighter build.
Furthermore, the "free hand" isn't really free, and if all you want is a viable fighter that can use a one-handed weapon without a shield, this variant class is more about doing special maneuvers, which brings us to the pseudo-musketeer class again. Maybe it works ok, but doesn't look like a class a player would want to test.

So, has anyone here already played/tested it? does it work ok? how would you convince a player that this variant is nice? Do I miss something (as some feat)?

Below I point out the most important features of the variant, and I compare them with the Fighter class and the Two Handed Weapon build (both save the money of the shield and can quicly have a free hand).

Any comment just saying that I should believe in Paizo as I believe in God won't be welcomed, useful answers please everything else will be of great help.

Let's go:

His fighting school benefits only apply when he is using a one-handed weapon and carrying nothing in his other hand.

You use a one-handed weapon, with all the penalties (or lack of benefits) you get. Ok, that's what the class is about.

*Deceptive Strike: Replaces Bravery
Save bonus against fear is lost(+1 to +5), but your CMB and CMD to disarm improves (+1 to +5), you also gain bonuses to feint and hide (good for fighter/rogues). Makes Improved Disarm almost a "must have" feat, and Flail a weapon to consider.

*Elusive: Replaces Armor Training 1-4, However you have to use ligth armor to get the benefits, you get +1 to +5 Dodge AC.
(Armor training gives a max of +4 Max Dex, but Elusive has no limits).
Bad things: At low levels and med levels a heavy armor gives more AC (+9 for a full plate, +5 to +8 for a chain shirt while Elusive). You don't get much advantage of the Max Dex bonus of ligth armor being a fighter, you need Strength and Armor Training already improves that. Dodge Bonuses are lost in some situations (surprise rounds, etc..). The advantage of having better speed and skill checks is almost lost at medium and high levels, Armor Training improves that for fighters.
Good things: Excelent Touch AC and CMD (***Dodge bonuses would apply to CMD?***), you can save the 1500 gp a full plate is worth (but it isn't important past 5-6th level). Good for Fighter/Rogues. Better speed at low levels than other armored fighters. The same AC as using a full plate when hitting 18th level.
*Singleton: Replaces Weapon Training 1, basically does the same (+1 at and damage) with one handed weapons (While having the other hand free).
HOWEVER it doesn't apply to CMD when defending against disarm and sunder, so part of what you get with Deceptive Strike is lost here.
*Timely Tip: Replaces Weapon Training 2. Basically it allows me to do the following: Perform a single disarm combat maneuver using the move action, if successful the next single attack ignores the shield bonus to AC of the enemy. You get that at 9th level, better than doing a full round attack? (and giving up the +1 to att/damage/etc.. from Weapon Training 2, for something circumstancial). Again makes Improved Disarm feat and Flail an option to consider.
*Interference: Replaces Weapon Training 3. I can make a disarm or trip maneuver as a move action to make someone flat-footed (It doesn't say it adds to the effects of disarm and trip, so I suposse that's the only thing to do). It lasts until the target takes damage from something that isn't a spell or for a round (whichever comes first). It works with almost any enemy, so isn't as circumstancial as Timely Tip. However you have it at level 13, worth giving up the iterative attacks?
*You still get Weapon Training 4 (I guess It only gives you +1 at/dam, no +4) and Weapon Mastery.
*Reversal: Replaces Armor Mastery (which would give DR 5-). I like this one, as an inmediate action (1 max. per round iirc), when someone attacks (attack, not hit) you in melee you make a disarm maneuver, if successful the attack goes against other creature. You need to be in melee with two creatures to use that, which makes it a bit circumnstancial. I guess you don't disarm the enemy too, because he has to damage the other foe with that weapon.

The abilities don't look that bad, altough the AC you get at medium levels (around 10th) doesn't seem enough for any medium level fighter.

Other considerations:
It doesn't get a bonus to damage (from Strength and Weapon Damage Dice) that someone with a two handed weapon would get, neither other advantages like better damage using Power Attack and some exclusive feats for THWs. Also you don't get the AC of a shield. You don't get the advantages of a TWF fighter.
Your hand isn't really free because you can't use it while fighting (unless you want to loose your AC, attack and damage bonuses), so your hands are almost as busy as if you were using a THW.
At least you can attack while grappled, something you can't do with a THW.

Summing up
IMHO, what I get is a fighter that deals less damage and has a worse attack bonus than any other basic build (3 Armor Training upgrades lost plus bonuses of other builds). However the Disarm CMB becomes a bit better (about +1) and It gets a nice bonus to Touch AC and CMD (+1 to +5). Finally It can perform some special Maneuvers using a move action. The AC is in line of that of a fighter using a two handed weapon, but it is low at medium levels.
May be ok for some multiclassing, Rogue/fighter or someone that uses ligth armor, but TWF is a very good choice for rogues too.

Thanks in advance

Hello, I had to convert my 4th Ed character to Pathfinder, from a high level Ranger-Archer to a high level Archer.

Took me a while to figure it out, Treatmonk guide to Rangers was helpful here, also I did an Excel to compare my final attack "modes" to see how it works against different ACs.

It is not an optimized character in many ways, the DM wants it to be "similar" to the 4th Ed version, but I think it can work. It is also made taking in mind that my DM will never put a Tome of Dexterity in the treasure.

I'm sharing the character for your opinions, I don't know if the final AC and damage output is enough. I also wrote what I learnt when making that character.

____________________

Level 16 Archer (12 Ranger/ 4 Fighter) HUMAN Speed 30' (40' using Longstrider) Medium size Languaged: Common, Dwarf(skill)

(20 point-buy, 16th level)
Fue 12
Des 23 (29 magic belt)
Con 14 Note: Bear's Endurance may raise 4
Int 10
Sab 12 (16 magic headband)
Car 8

Favored class bonus (ranger): 12 pg
HP: 10(level 1)+15d10+12(favored class)+32(Con)+16(feat) = 15d10 + 70 (average 152,5 or 160 if 6 per dice)

AC = 10 +1 (armor) +5 (armor enh) +9 (Dex) +1 (Dodge) +4 (Deflection ring) +1 (insigth, ioun stone) = 31. Note: Add +4 natural using Barkskin.

CMB= 16(bab) +1(Str) = +17
CMD= 10 +17(CMB) +9(Dex) +1(Dodge) +4(Deflection) +1(insigth) = 42

BAB: +16/+11/+6/+1.

Attack Composite Long Bow for Str 12 +5 Seeking. Add +1 at Foco, +2 dam Specialization, +2 at +1 dam Bracers of Archery, +9 at Dex.
+33/+28/+23/+18
Normal Dam 1d8+9. Crit 19-20/x3. Range 110 ft.
!!!Many Arrows (first attack from a full attack is a double attack, one attack roll, two damage rolls, but Critical and Sneak attack are applied once only).
Notes: Vital Strike. Deadly Aim (-5 at, +10 dam). Point Blank Shot (+1 at and dam within 30 ft). Precise Shot (no -4 when fighting at mele). Improved Precise Shot (Ignore AC and miss chance from Concealment and Cover, except Total Cover and Total Concealment). Rapid Shot (full attack, -2 at, fire one more time)
Rapid Shot +31/+31/+26/+21/+16
Deadly Aim +28/+23/+18/+13 (+10 dam)
Rapid Shot & Deadly Aim +26/+26/+21/+16/+11 (+10 dam)

Saves
Fort 12 +5 +2 = 19
Ref 9 +5 +9 = 23 (Evasion)
Will 5 +5 +3 +2(feat) +1(trait) = 16 (+3 vs Fear -Bravery, Courageous). Reroll 1/day before result is revealed (feat)

Features:
All weapons, armors, shields (except exotic w.)
Bravery (fighter, ex): +1 will saves vs fear
Armor training (fighter, ex): Imrpoves 1 armor check penalty and Max. Dex.
Favored Enemy (ranger, Ex): 3 Enemies +4,+4,+2 to Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, Survival, weapon attack, weapon damage. Aberration+4, Undead+4, Humanoid (Human)+2
Track (ranger, Ex): + half ranger level to Survival when tracking.
Wild Empathy (ranger, Ex): Animals (and magic beasts with Int 1-2)
Combat Style (ranger, Ex): Archery, must use medium, ligth, or no armor.
Favored Terrain (ranger, Ex): 2 terrains with +4,+2 a Initiative, Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, Survival. Forest+4, Plane (Shadowfel)+2
Hunters Bond (ranger, Ex): Companions. Move action, all allies within 30' gain half my bonusagainst one unique favored enemy. Last as much rounds as my Wisdom bonus.
Woodland Strike (ranger, Ex): Can move through NATURAL undergrowth without being hampered, etc.
Swift Tracker (ranger, Ex): Better speed when tracking.
Evasion (ranger, Ex): Only when wearing medium/light/no armor....
Quarry (ranger, Ex): Standard action, one target (must be a favored enemy). Bonus to tracking. +2 insigth bonus at, Criticals are automatically confirmed. Once the enemy is dead it can be made after 1 hour, otherwise wait 24h.
Camouflage (ranger, Ex): Stealth to hide in my favored terrain, even if there is no cover or concealment (Note: limitations when observed)

Ranger Spells
Caster Level: Ranger level-3 = 9
L 1: 2+1(wis); L 2: 2+1(wis), L 3: 1+1(wis)
MEMORIZED
L 1: Delay Poison, Longstrider (1h/level +10ft movement), Resist Energy (20 points/attack, choose an energy, 10 min/l).
L 2: Bears Endurance (+4 Con, 1min/l), Barkskin (10 min/l, +4 enh natural armor), Cure Ligth Wounds (1d8+5)
L 3: Darkvision (1h/l), Curar Moderate W (2d8+9)

Class Skills:
Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge
(dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
96 Ranks

SKILLS
Acrobatics 16 ranks, +9, +6 (feat) = 31
Escape Artist 16 ranks, +9 = 25
Stealth 13 ranks, +9, +3 (feat) = 25
Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks, +3 (feat) = 8
Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks = 4
Knowledge (dungeoneering) 1 rango, +3 (feat) = 4
Knowledge (geography) 1 rango, +3 (feat) = 4
Survival 8 ranks, +3, +3 (feat) = 14
Heal 8 ranks, +2, +3 feat = 13
Perception 13 ranks, +3, +3 (feat) = 19
Climb 4 ranks, +1, +3 (feat) = 8
Craft (bows, arrows) 1 rango, +3 (feat) = 4
Handle Animal 1 ranks, -1, +3 (feat) = 3
Intimidate 1 rango, -1, +3 (feat) = 3
Ride 1 rango, +9, +3 (feat) = 13
Spellcraft 1 rango, +3 (feat) = 4
Swim 1 rango, +1, +3 (feat) = 5
Lang 1 rango (Enano)

EQUIPMENT
Armor: Padded (Chain Shirt or Mithril Breastplate ASAP !!!!!!!! )
Weapon: Composite Long Bow for Str 12
Secondary Weapon: Some one-hand mele weapon that works with Finesse (for upcoming levels)

MAGIC EQUIPMENT (315000 gp)
Belt of Incredible Dexterity +6 36000 gp
Ring of Invisibility 20000 gp
Headband of inspired wisdom +4 16000 gp (Will need +6 in the future)
Ioun Stone dusty rose (+1 insigth AC) 5000 gp
Bracers of Archery, Greater (+2 competence at and +1 dam) 25000 gp
Cloack of Resistance +5 25000 gp
Efficient Quiver 1800 gp
Potection Ring +4 32000 gp
Lesser Rod of Extend Spell (3 spells/day, max. level 3th, double duration). 3000 gp
Bow +5 Seeking(+1) 72000 gp (ignore miss-chances, also against invisible creatures if the correct square is targetted)
Armor +5 Medium Fortification 64000 gp
Cure Ligth Wounds Wand 750 gp
Cure Moderate W Wand 4500 gp
Brooch of Shielding 1500 gp (protection against magic missile)

Potions
N0 Read Magic, Ligth (50 gp)
N1 Lesser Restoration, Remove Fear, Protection from Evil, Protection from Chaos, Feather Fall, Cure ligth Wounds (300 gp)
N2 Remove Paralysis, Protection from Energy, Levitate, Heroism, Bull's Strength, Blur, Aid, (2100 gp)
N3 Remove Blindness/Deafness, Haste, Good Hope, Fly, Displacement (3750 gp)

Scrolls: Bear's Endurance N2, Barkskin N2, Darkvision N2 (600 gp)

(total spent 313350 gp)

________________________

What I learn from the Excel, for that character:

Always use Rapid Shot
Enemies with CA 38+ (5 more than attack bonus): Use Rapid Shot, without Deadly Aim
Enemies with CA 38- (less than 5 over max attack bonus): Use RS & DA
When not using RS (if you need to save arrows): Normal attack for CA 40+, DA for CA 38-
For full time archers, it is better +1 to att than +1 to damage, you need at least +2 dam (makes more difficult to use DA). For damage/attack there is no much difference between focusing in Dex or raising both Str and Dex, but makes different characters. Str is better if you are going to do many standard attacks, instead of full-round attacks, it's also good for casual archers.
Against enemies with DR, or if you make less damage for some reason, always use DA instead of RS (better than RS in that case), and use RS+DA only against enemies with CA 38 or less.

Some Sample Average Damages (full round attacks):
Against CA 40: 31 (using Rapid Shot). RS+DA would do 29. Very high AC, only for a few monsters or creatures figthing Defensively, and 15th level NPCs using Shields.
Against CA 35: 54 (using RS+Deadly Shot). RS would do 49. Common AC for many CR 16 monsters and NPCs.
Against CA 30: 85 (using RS+DS). Normal attacks would do 61, RS 69, DA 76. Common AC for creatures below CR 16.

______________
OTHER THINGS I LEARNT

*Fighter vs Ranger:
A fighter would have better attack, damage and AC.
But I (as a ranger) have Evasion, good Reflex saves, better speed (thanks to the Longstrider spell) and can save the money of some items (like a belt for Constitution, using my 2nd level slots). The big ammount of skill ranks I get also allow me to be a master of Acrobatics and Escape Artist, that can be useful in combat, I don't want to be grappled! I can also use some magic wands and scrolls. So being a ranger I trade damage for defensive features and a few other things.
Using the excel I estimate that a fighter archer would do about 50% to 100% MORE damage, depending of the foe AC (specially better against enemies with high AC)

*High Strength or not
Thanks to the feat Deadly Strike, that makes your attack bonus very important, there isn't much difference for the damage output between an archer with a lot of Dexterity and one with high Dexterity and Strength. However it makes different characters.
The main problem now isn't damage, the problem is armor. If you maximize your Dexterity (max. 35 using Tomes and stuff), you go beyond the Max Dex allowed by armors (I'm talking about high levels, at low and med levels you are ok). You can make mithral chainshirts and breastplates, but it isn't enough, bracers of armor and non-mithral ligth armors won't help. It's unclear if the Celestial Armor can be modified. If you are a fighter armor training helps a lot !
So I can only see three options:
1. Go for light armor. You use your full Dex for your touch AC, making you a very difficult target for many spells, you can also move a lot. However you don't optimize your normal AC in this way (armor limits your Dex).
2. Go for medium armor. Your Dex is limited, so is your Touch AC, but the Armor AC is worth it. Your speed decreases and you may get some skill check penalty.
3. Stop maximizing your Dexterity and increase your Strength, use medium armors. Cons: Decreases in Reflex save, useful dex based skills, touch AC. Pros: Same AC, and some increase in damage. I would do this if my character isn't going to use Acrobatics and such things.

An ability for the Fighter's Archer:

Trick Shot (Ex): At 3rd level, an archer can choose one of
the following combat maneuvers or actions: disarm, feint, or
sunder. He can perform this action with a bow against any
target within 30 feet, with a –4 penalty to his CMB. Every
four levels beyond 3rd, he may choose an additional trick
shot to learn. These maneuvers use up arrows as normal [...]

Pag 174 of the Core Rulebook (about damaging objects):

Ranged Weapon Damage: Objects take half damage from
ranged weapons (unless the weapon is a siege engine or
something similar—
see page 434). Divide the damage
dealt by 2 before applying the object’s hardness.

I wonder if the natural penalties that are applied to ranged attacks when trying to damage objects were taken in account when Trick Shot was written. I would think that the "half damage" rule should not apply to characters with Trick Shot ability to make Sunder effective.

Hello. Question/Request:

I was wondering if Paizo is going to add images of the new classes and PrCs that come with the Advanced Player's Guide to the Community Use Package (or publish those in the Blog in the near future) so we can use those pictures in reviews and fan-sites.

Hello, I guess it has been clarified before, but I can't find that in the boards.

I'm having problems understanding (language issue) the Ranger's favored enemy ability, the part that talks about increasing the bonus of existing favored enemies:

At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th,
and 20th level), the ranger may select an additional favored
enemy. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against
any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if
so desired) increases by +2.

Does that mean that you get an extra +2 to ALL your favored enemies, or you get an extra +2 to only one of your favored enemies.

Thanks in advance

I was reading the grapple maneuver and noticed something about trip.

For some reason I was under the impression that if get pinned you would also get prone, but I can't find that in the rules. And I guess that you can be pinned and even bonded while sitting down or on your knees.

Any comment?

Hello.
A friend is playing a monk that uses the grapple maneouver.

I have doubts with the "Greater Grapple" feat.

Scenario: The monk with Greater Grapple is adjacent (or 5ft away) to a foe.
The monk moves 5 feet if necessary. Then uses the standard action to grapple the foe, succesfully. Can he use the move action to make the check to maintain the grapple in that round and harm/pin/move the foe?

The feat allows you to make two grapple checks in the same round, but I don't know if I should allow the monk to do a check in a round when the check is not usually done... and what consequences it would bring.

Thanks in advance

Hello,

I'm running a Pathfinder game, and a player asked if he could made a Mithral Celestial Armor and stack all the bonuses.

My first reaction was "no", Celestial armor is made of gold or silver. Since it isn't a prerequisite for the fly spell, I can only suposse that it is a prerequisite for the Celestial magic effect (there're other magic effects that can't be cast in every material). Furthermore, there isn't any guideline about unique armors in the core rulebook, there isn't any spell similiar to the celestial magic, and there isn't rules about how the properties that mithral and celestial armor improve would stack.

On the other hand I don't know if it would break the game, mithral isn't expensive at mid levels, and would allow the user to save some feats (i'm thinking about spellcasters that wear armor instead of bracers of armor), it would also be great news for characters with high Dex and unfair for characters that have abities focused on armors.

Any experience / comment about that?