Pizza Lord's page

28. A syringe containing an ambiguous substance. Roll on Goth Guru's What's in the Bottle table. These will mostly be things you definitely don't want to inject into yourself... but that should be the case with any random needle and syringe you find laying around. Craft: Alchemy can potentially identify the substance (DC varies). There is a 20% chance the user accidently pokes and injects themselves as they draw the syringe (DC 15 Reflex; negates; +2 to save for heavy gloves or gauntlets).
If you're a [cuddly] GM, you can substitute the Potions table for less lethal/fun results.

29. A cryptic container. Roll on Goth Guru's What's in the Bottle table.

30. A cryptid container. Contains a shrunken cryptid floating in a suspension liquid. If the bottle is broken or breached, the cryptid resumes it normal (deceased) size. Determine randomly what type of cryptid it is, or roll on Goth Guru's Curious Cryptid table.

Event— The Fog
At night, the fog rolls in. The sailors and old folks tell the PCs to stay indoors. Other townspeople bolt and shutter their homes. Only the village watch step outside, and even then only in groups of 4 and with bullseye lanterns, standing on the steps of a building.

The wet sounds of tentacles slapping a wall or a cry like a seagull (but it's nighttime) occasionally issue from the darkness if the PCs do hunker down. Or they might here a crash, like someone tripping over a rubbish barrel and a cry for help.

Outside, they might run into a cluster of dripping, wet zombies, tentacled fishmen, or even a group of 6 sailors with clubs risking the fog to press some hapless or drunk sailors into service.

26: Result of Santa bag of holding.

That was real thread necromancy you did there.

27. A hardened puddle of melted candlewax with a wick sticking out. It does not detect as magic and, if lit, it burns like a candle for 1 hour and the wax reforms into a fully intact candle as it burns. It goes out after that time and is otherwise a completely functional normal candle that can be reused as such. It only does this once, being ordinary melted wax afterwards.

Taking 10 can only be done when you are not in immediate danger or distracted. Since failure to make the roll has a negative side effect that probably counts as being in danger or distracted.

You are correct about the immediate danger part and the distraction part. I am only commenting to address the last part, about failure having a negative consequence.

bbangarter is correct here. It isn't the chance of failure or a bad thing occuring on a failure that prevents Taking 10, it's distractions or other things that would divert your attention. Combat is the one most people think, but you don't even have to be in the combat. Like if you're sitting at a bar and there's a brawl going on behind you.

TL;DR
No. You cannot Take 10 on that check.

Source: "Trust me, bro."

Longer answer
You can Take 10 on ability checks.

The normal take 10 and take 20 rules apply for ability checks. Neither rule applies to concentration checks or caster level checks.

Contact Other Plane specifically mentions that you cannot, however.

Avoid Int/Cha Decrease: You must succeed on an Intelligence check against this DC to avoid a decrease in Intelligence and Charisma. If the check fails, your Intelligence and Charisma scores each fall to 8 for the stated duration, and you become unable to cast arcane spells. You cannot take 10 on this check. If you lose Intelligence and Charisma, the effect strikes as soon as the first question is asked, and no answer is received. If a successful contact is made, roll d% to determine the type of answer you gain.

Dark Communion mimics Contact Other Planes, so it would follow that rule. Otherwise, as you pointed out, it would be basically worthless and practically impossible to fail in almost any real situation.

Note, that Dark Communion says when they use it for knowledge it behaves as contact other planes so a GM could rule that requesting power might not prevent Taking 10 (I would rule that you cannot, since my reading and experience tells me that's what they intended, but I am also stating that it is my call here). Otherwise, a GM could also state that dealing with that evil spirit in that manner is suitably antagonistic and hostile or distracting enough to prevent Taking 10, even if they interpreted asking for power as a different process than asking for knowledge.

Adventure— An old salt find them, either walking along the docks, the shore, his shanty, or in the tavern and mentions he needs some help with a project. He's a net-maker and has some orders to fill, but his usual workers and assistants have taken some temporary jobs during this time of the year. The PCs can help him make nets for a day or so (boring).

But, he says what he really wants, is his assistants back. There's three of them but he needs them back within 3 days for them to be of use helping with the orders he needs to do. He knows they're all working at the shore or dock area, but not where. He'll give the PC's a coil of 50-foot hemp rope for free if they convince one to return. He will give them the rope and add a fishing net or a fighting net (exotic weapon) if they get two back. If all three return, he gives them the rope, and a masterwork fishing net (+2 to checks involving it) or a masterwork net (can be sold for half price in a richer place).

But what the netmaker would really prefer for adventurers to do, is gather some silk for some of the orders he has pending. And he knows a location with several giant spiders that he thinks will be good to look into. If they gather enough, he'll give them a 50-foot coil of silk rope and 5 gp each.

151. A leather dog collar with a leash attached.
152. A pair of sturdy leather gloves.
153. A fist-sized tin heart (stylized shape of a heart, not an anatomically correct heart). (1 gp).
154. As 153, but magical. (1,000 gp. if identified)

150: The mutilated remains of the Whicked Whitch of the Wheast. The hat of disguise she wore is in perfect condition.

She also carries a 'cool hwip' at her side.

I would say no.

I read Enhance Potion as only affecting potions they drink. The jacket does not require a user to drink it. It's not drinking, it's more like, loading a syringe or syringe spear (unless there's a ruling that counts as drinking). The jacket absorbs and consumes the potion and then transfers benefits to the wearer.

Otherwise, it's not drinking, it doesn't provoke, it's an immediate action, a creature without a mouth can do it, and a creature that can't drink liquid or is harmed by touching liquid can do it safely.

Personally I don't like changing a spell's damage to another energy and keeping it the same descriptor. I don't like it, but reading the wording of elemental spell, it does just say you change the damage. So unless the Advanced Player's Guide (which I don't have) had a preceding magic section that mentioned as a general overview that doing so changed the descriptor (like summoning spells gain the descriptor of creatures you summon), that's about all I can say on it.

As Mysterious Stranger said, it would make it more beneficial for a caster who focuses on one energy type or who receives bonuses to it. Now they are getting bonuses to damage and dealing extra damage with an energy type that wasn't intended by their abilities. However, they are usually paying +1 level for it.

I also note that Elemental Spell doesn't require the spell you alter to have an energy type. You could do it to magic missile or vampiric touch. So while I don't like it in theory (that the spell's descriptor doesn't change), I think it's probably okay.

I would still reserve the right as a GM to say that some effects don't happen. For instance, if you change a fire spell to deal cold damage, and the spell can set its target on fire or something, I'd probably disallow it.

I found this one. Not sure how in depth it goes into Casmoran since I don't know anything about it. Have to zoom way in to find some locations, but it doesn't look like there's a lot there, so can't tell whether any are missing or the area is barren.
Map of Golarion

I am so tempted to make 500 be a bean that gives you the curse version of those spells.

I was tempted to make it a bean that made the planter immune to magic for 2 hours, but I am not taking 500 bean spot. Maybe Beardinator will show up and make one. Maybe someone else. Maybe it will continue past 500. Who knows what the future holds... only... the shadow bean knows.

22. A [Quall's] button token (shirt) (50 gp). It looks like a shirt button and functions as a feather token. When activated, it turns into a nice, clean shirt (10gp value). Quall experimented with buttons before his feather token idea took off. He planned to have numerous tokens sewed into his shirts and coat to pull off as needed, but his wife got tired of resewing and stitching up his shirts... so he tried making a token that made a shirt before dropping the whole idea.
23. Bag of 100 silver coins. They're normal silver, but if these exact 100 coins are in a bag, that bag can be used to bypass a lycanthrope's damage reduction. Damage as an improvised medium weapon (1d4).
24. The shield of wonder.
25. A small rock. Unfortunately, this is actually a giant boulder and it rapidly expands to a 12-foot diameter obstacle. The holder can make a DC 15 Reflex save to drop it quickly in an adjacent square (even if thrown, it expands quickly and drops into place). Any creature in a square where the boulder expands (excluding the bag owner if they already saved), needs a DC 15 Reflex save or take 2d6 damage as they're crushed a bit before being pushed away.
If the holder failed their save to drop the boulder, they are crushed underneath it for 3d6 damage and must roll on Goth Guru's Things Found Under a Rock table. Ignoring any result that isn't them.

15. A laundry bag containing a pin-stripe suit, patent leather shoes, and a fedora (+2 equipment bonus to Intimidate if all worn together), alongside a violin case containing a straight-razor and a Thompson submachine gun (with fully-loaded drum magazine). So you're ready to join the Italian Mob.
16. A glowing green crystal (illuminates as a torch). If touched to or thrown at a creature with damage reduction, it suppresses 10 points of DR (other than epic, piercing, blunt, or slashing) for 1 hour. It bursts apart into glowing sparks once this occurs.
17. A chaos emerald, except it has 10 charges and does not regain charges. It automatically loses one charge per day. It also absorbs and suppresses all spell manifestations on the plane it's on. They just don't happen. People can still see visible casters casting and can still try to identify their spells based on seeing that... but there's no manifestations other than ones specifically listed in the spell being cast. When the emerald runs out of charges, it disappears.
18. A strange book. Roll on the 100 Books Found in the Strange Library table.
19. A fine, porcelain bowl (1gp) with silver spoon (1gp) containing ice cream. Roll on Goth Guru's Ice Cream Flavors table.

499. As bean #500, but it also grants the planter bull's strength, cat's grace, bear's endurance, fox's cunning, owl's wisdom and eagle's splendor (CL 15) for 2 hours.

7. Icky ichor.
8. Funky fungus.
9. A crate. Roll on Goth Guru's Infinite Crates table for contents.
10. A magic bean. Roll on Magic Beans!! table.
11. As #3, but it's ordinary silver, so will bypass a lycanthrope's damage reduction.
12. Unwashed gym/exercise clothes.

488. A 4-foot tall rocky stalagmite grows from the earth. It's 2-feet in diameter at the base and glows with a soft orange light, illuminating as a torch. It gives off heat as a campfire.

489. A Large earth elemental rises from the ground, as though summoned. It serves the planter for 1 hour but cannot move more than 100 feet from the planted area.

490. A massive, muscled, mauve (light purple) arm rises 30 feet into the air (room permitting). It has a five-fingered hand tipped with black claws. The earth around it rumbles and roils, but not enough to knock anyone over. The next round, the hand and arm attack any creatures in the area except the planter (unless they try to attack or damage it).

491. A massive, 20-foot radius beanstalk grows up into the sky. It pierces into a cumulus cloud 8,000 feet in the air (forming around the top of the beanstalk if there wasn't one). If planted more than 100 feet below the ground, the bean instead pops back up, able to be planted in a more suitable place.

I don't have the source book.

It's possible that in that world they are considered nature spirits and might be a form of fey.
Most fey would have low-light vision and a few supernatural powers, but fey run the gamut of types and abilities.

Otherwise, it's possible that these are just that sourcebook or world's version of elves (just linked to magic and having no souls). So they could just be humanoid (elf), but that might depend on if that book or world has 'plain' elves in it or not.

Yes, so long as the person answering actually understands the RAW and knows how or why it is the way it's written (or at least, how it's written, since sometimes they don't always make sense).

Then they can talk about how it was likely intended or what they do otherwise in their game. Issues I have is when someone makes an interpretation, even a reasonable one, but don't quote the rules or act like they know what the actual intention was or that it is the way the rule is written and meant to be read.

I am all for houserules (not that I can stop anyone), as long as the person doing so knows how/why the rule works and don't state their houserules as the rule.

Luckily this is Advice, not Rules, but OmniMage has the right of it in that symbols can't be used offensively. While the interpretation is up for debate, I would hesitant to allow someone to basically direct it at others. Even if it were on the surface of a covered shield (more reasonably than someone's palm).

If someone is pointing it at another when they uncover it, I'd declare that offensive and probably give the viewers in the area at least 1 round of leeway. Whether they can identify or comprehend the potential threat in that time and avert their gaze is up to them and their skills.

I would have no problem with the symbol being on a covered shield in a corner or over an arch and then the cover being removed. Just like I wouldn't have a problem with it being a wall and doing that, I think the issue comes from where the 'user' can direct it, aiming it in a direction as it's intended to trigger.

Just to point it out [i]Spellcasting provokes AoOs[/].

Even animal intelligence creatures and people without spellcasting get that AoO. So, from 3rd edition onward spellcasting and the lack of attention while doing it was automatically perceptible for a long time before the glowing sigils (casting a swift spell is an exception).
The glowing sigils are a gift for "poor martials" to help them fight invisible casters.

The attack of opportunity for spellcaster has never had anything to do with the contrived manifestations. Spellcasting always provoked before that FAQ editor tried to imply there were visible sparkles (but even they state it's not in the rules and that it it's just something).

The attacks of opportunity come from the character diverting their attention, focusing on spellcasting instead of defending themselves. The turn their attention away momentarily and it it allows an attacker to slip in a strike. When you try to defensively cast, it isn't you suppressing whirly-glowing trails, it's you trying to focus on defense and casting, at the risk of botching the casting.

685. Planet of the Broken Banner
This leather-bound journal is a treatise on an unnamed planar traveler's visit to the planet Voumia.

686. The Great Gnomish Book of Bindings and Cordage by Jenjafog Tesempest
This copper-bound book is written in Gnomish and the pages are a thick, durable construction.

The book has over 100 pages containing descriptions and pages of notes on various methods for creating, weaving, binding, or working with numerous forms of yarn, string, rope, and cordage. There are sketches and drawings of various knots, loops, and wrappings, as well as the differences between cord and string and how to splice or repair each.

Anyone able to reference this book, gains a +2 competence bonus to Craft checks to make rope, cord, string, or yarn, as well as a +2 competence bonus to Use Rope checks to splice, tie or untie knots.

The final five pages (except for the very last blank page describing what they are ) are actually made from a linen-cloth construction and seem to be coated with a waxy, alchemical concoction with wax paper inserts between them to prevent sticking or soaking through.

Note that spellcraft is a trained skill that anyone can use.

I'm probably misreading this unless you are just saying this is how you do it in your game (but you don't mention that until the next paragraph). I think that if it's a trained skill then that means that not anyone can use it. I couldn't see if you were referencing something in your reply, but I couldn't see where Senko was limiting it specifically to magic users in their reply (spellcasters are just the ones that can train the skill more easily).

spellcasting or magic using is an untrained spellcraft check that uses either your spellcasting modifier or your highest mental stat as the skill ability with a base of 0 and all the Perception modifiers (so noticing the spellcasting of an invisible person casting a spell within 9' from you has a DC of 20).

To me, just noticing someone casting (we're assuming non-combat instead of a combat situation where a character is assumed to be watching all around them), this would just be a Perception check. The way they frame the Identify Spell part of Spellcraft already implies it receives Perception penalties, for distance and what-have-you. It just seems to me that the best choice would be to make it Perception, which is something that is used untrained and everyone has anyway, and bonuses to Perception are for more common than ones to Spellcraft.

Only my opinion, though. It's obviously your houserule. I am just opining.

135. If the spell being cast would heal or inflict hit point damage, the caster immediately senses that they can expend their own hit points to increase the healing or damage at a 2:1 ratio. They are also aware of the following Notes:

136. The next time someone says the caster's name in their presence, the caster falls asleep for 1 minute (no save). Can be awakened as per sleep (slapping or wounding, not noise). If caster is immune to sleep effects or doesn't sleep, they fall unconscious for 1 minute. A DC 15 Heal check or certain items, like smelling salts, can rouse them early, but healing does not.

If the caster has a familiar, animal companion, eidolon, or other such bonded creature, it is affected as well.

137. Unbeknownst to the caster, the next day they will not be able to cast any spells. They receive or prepare spells as normal, but the first time they attempt to cast one, they sense they cannot. At that time, all spells that the caster cast upon themselves today will be recast upon them (at the same CL). This includes spells they cast using wands and scrolls.

The caster can still expend spells or spell levels for other purposes and they can still use scrolls or wands to cast spells. This does not apply to spell-like abilities, nor do they get recast as above.

138. The next time the target tells a lie, they lose a tooth. If the target has no teeth (or isn't a creature or the spell is an area effect), the next time someone else lies in their presence (or the area where the spell was cast), that person loses a tooth.

485. A wooden counter with a freshly painted sign reading 'Shop' in a predominant language of the planter rises from the planted bean and also bearing a merchant sigil or symbol unique to its merchant (use a random sigil or symbol generator if necessary). No sooner does this happen than a demonic quasit appears, perched on the counter and wearing a merchant's vest and hat. It is friendly to anyone except devils or their obvious ilk or associates, but doesn't attack or engage in combat and it will very clearly appear in a friendly (despite looking like a tiny demon) stance and stating both out loud and telepathically that it's here to help.

486. As 485. above, except the merchant is a lantern archon, named Conah (if that's important). It otherwise acts the same, except treating both demons and devils and their ilk as above and using its truespeech to communicate instead of telepathy (and it's not wearing clothes).

If attacked, it vanishes and, within a day or two, the attackers are attacked by 8 summoned (CL 18) lantern archons that do not hesitate to send their targets to the afterlife.

487. A crimson-tinged vine grows from the ground and bears a single beanpod that contains a tiny, kidney-bean sized bean. The bean is rusty red in color and slowly drips blood, about 1 drop every ten seconds or so.

You can find some ideas here. Change anything that doesn't fit your vision.

I particularly like reverse gravity, since you can either set the area it covers to be big enough to lift the ship, if you want to try damaging it when it crashes down, or you can make it broad and narrow, like a field that, as the ship sails through it, can lift all the opposing sailors off the deck, to splash down into the water later after the ship sails past.

480. A weeping willow tree grows from the planted soil. With enough room, it will grow to 20 feet tall with long, trailing limbs enclosing a 10-foot radius around the trunk. This area can provide shelter from wind or some insulation from cold for anyone sheltering underneath and does provide concealment from those outside.

481. The ground around the planted area begins to rumble and anyone in the area can attempt a DC 12 Survival check to sense that there may be an impending danger. Anyone beating the check by 5 or more may suspect a steam vent or volcanic rupture. 1d4 rounds later, the planted area bursts with a steam vent, cracking the earth in a 10-foot radius with web-like cracks. Most are inches wide but some could be as big as a foot across near the center. Creatures within 20 feet of the planted bean receive 5d6 fire damage from the steam (Reflex DC 15; half). After that time, the steam only deals 1d6 fire damage per round to those above the vents.

You are affected by things that are already affecting you unless it wouldn't make sense. I would say you are affected by any ability damage you already have. If you got a Con or Str penalty because some parasite ate most of your flesh or something, even though your flesh (that you had remaining) isn't really affected, you're still missing parts. Same if a hawk clawed out your eyes and made you blind.

If you're weak or hungry or injured, your ice body will have the same effects on it. If you were fatigued from lack of sleep and had taken 6 nonlethal damage, you would technically still have 6 nonlethal damage. Same if you had taken some magical cold damage. It wouldn't go away because you became immune to cold. Any continuing cold effects would stop affecting you.

If you were diseased beforehand and had taken ability damage, you will still have that damage in ice form. The disease won't affect you in ice form, but if you had leprosy and had twisted, gnarled limbs, then you will be an ice person with twisted, gnarled limbs.

Just like delay poison or neutralize poison can render such effects moot or delayed, they don't return or counter damage or effects that already happened. If you get drugged with a poison and it renders you unconscious, becoming immune to poison won't suddenly wake you back up. Same in this instance for the effects you are asking. If you're a blind and deaf person, you just become a blind and deaf ice-bodied person. The effect doesn't cure you of anything.

The same with any potion you drank. They don't stop working just because you can't drink potions after becoming ice form.

im like 99% sure they dont get str to damage with this spell , just "Any creature you strike with the whip takes swarm damage as if it were attacked by a spider swarm (1d6 points of damage plus poison and distraction)." they dont take whip damage, they ONLY take spider swarm damage as listed

I was inclined to lean that route, but when I compare it to a spell like flame blade, which creates a 'sword-like beam' which you wield 'like a scimitar', and is a melee touch attack; that one specifies directly that it deals no Strength damage because the blade is immaterial.

I can't say that whip of spiders doesn't allow Strength bonus when its 'whip' isn't immaterial and the wording doesn't say so when similarly worded spells do state it.

Also, I’m surmising that a full moon is 3 nights, is this correct?

While different worlds are different, and some worlds or planets have more than one moon (which will potentially have their own lunar cycles of new to full), thus requiring a GM to make their own calls on any effects that might occur, in the case of our world and Golarion, those moons follow the same phases. In those specific instances, a full moon is a three day period. So afflicted lycanthrope attacks will generally occur over a night or two, and then fade away for a month.

This might be different in some specific, geographic location on a planet where the moon overhead doesn't reach full due to the location of the planet and its angle of view or something, or where a moon might be full for more or less days depending on how it orbits its host (is its orbit flat or on an angled tilt?) but I can't go into those specifics.

It might not be explicitly mentioned in many places, but in regards to moon phases, I believe it's been noted and extrapolated from multiple different rules or rulings and notes.
Golarion Moon Phases

477. A bean vine sprouts and bears one large, single bean. The bean is approximately fist-sized for a human and is transparent, with what appears to be a wooden sailing ship inside it, like a ship-in-a-bottle. If the bean is ruptured or tossed down, it functions like a swan boat feather token. The boat it creates will look nothing like the ship in the bean, nor like a swan. It will look like a large bean hollowed out like a boat or canoe, but otherwise will function identically.

If the bean is somehow swallowed or placed inside a creature, it deals 1d6 damage and the creature requires a DC 15 Fortitude save or they will take 1d6 damage again next round, continuing until a successful save is made. The bean is destroyed and otherwise useless after this.

478. A thick, 4-foot high rock column, like a stalagmite, grows from the planted bean. It resembles granite with veins of iron ore (appearance only) shot through it. This stone acts like an attractive force or gravity plane in regards to creatures in a 60-foot hemisphere around and above it, not to creatures below its base.

479. A large, cauldron-shaped bean grows from the ground. It's filled with boiling water when it forms.

570. Razor Gulls... children are paid a gold coin for every razor gull carcass they bring to the authorities ...

The property that makes razor gulls so dangerous fades within moments of their death, ...

I remember all the hundreds of razor gulls I turned it as a kid. Not normal gulls, nosiree. These were definitely razor gulls, they just lost their sharpness after I killed them. "Don't believe me, look at this leather strap and bag I carried them in on, see all these knife... err... razor-gull slashes in it?"

They can also become familiars (as puffin, +3 bonus to Swim checks) for casters that don't mind having all their scrolls, robes, and items slashed to pieces in their vicinity.

571. Safety Razor Gulls
Like #570. Razor Gulls, these gulls we're the results of razor gull eggs being modified by some local spellcasters in an attempt to breed out the more dangerous aspects of razor gulls. They were partially successful and the results of mating between the two has 50% chance to be a safety razor gulls. With time, this may be effective and such experimenters are the usual source of buyer for viable razor gull eggs.

Safety razor gulls are identical to normal razor gulls, including their immunity to the gull's sharpness, but they are still hated by sailors (only slightly less) because the only thing they don't cut any longer is flesh. This makes them easier to handle and less of a danger to other creatures, like other seagulls. They still shred clothes, sails, ropes, etc. but are relatively harmless. Relatively... because they still cut hair, feathers, and other things. So nearby seagulls flocking around still end up losing clouds of feathers and being in less than optimal shape, but at least leather strips, cords, and bindings (if made from flesh) are spared from destruction. Some people (not so much sailors) or spellcasters have one as a pet or familiar and allow it to nuzzle them on the face and cheeks as a way to get a surprisingly close shave (though you still want to use lotion or oil to prevent unsightly shaving bumps and irritation), but a careless flap or startle can still remove eyebrows or a swipe of hair from their head.

A creature that catches lycanthropy becomes an afflicted lycanthrope, but shows no symptoms (and does not gain any of the template’s adjustments or abilities) until the night of the next full moon, when the victim involuntarily assumes animal form and forgets his or her own identity. The character remains in animal form until the next dawn and remembers nothing about the entire episode (or subsequent episodes) unless he makes a DC 20 Will save, in which case he becomes aware of his condition.

Different worlds are different, but in ours, typically a full moon lasts around 3 days (where we would classify it as a 'full moon' for astrological purposes). So if you are bitten and afflicted on the first night of a full moon period, you will turn into a werewolf on the second night. If it was the third and final night, you would show no symptoms for one lunar cycle (normally a month) until the first full moon night of that lunar phase.

It's worth noting that usually you only catch the Curse of Lycanthropy from natural lycanthropes and those can change form pretty much whenever they want (there are curses that can do it), so if you're bitten at lunch time during the day of a full moon you might only have an couple hours before it happens. If bitten right before moonrise or night falls (if the moon is already up), then it might be only a moment or two. Obviously if bitten and afflicted during a waxing half-moon (moon is becoming full), you might have half a month.

Like the others, I would say that this is a general and broad sense of memories. You forget what someone's facial expressions were five years ago when you bumped into them leaving the bar, or you forget how the hilt of your sword felt in your fingers the 19th time you picked it up. In most cases it's an irrelevant or not usual memory anyway and, as eyewitness accounts tell us, are faulty anyway and most unremembered details are just filled in by your own brain to make cognitive sense. You try and imagine the 19th time you picked up your hilt and that memory isn't there, but your brain doesn't say, "Hey, there's a gap!" to you, instead you just have a memory of it being similar to every other time you picked up your sword and assume that's how it was, since there wasn't anything actually different enough to make it stand out.

Similar to how a ghost's attack is an aging attack and deals damage. It doesn't actually age the target (nor does it de-age them when the damage is healed), but it ages the skin or muscle cells at the struck location (say your arm), causing those cells to rapidly age and die. This is something that happens to thousands if not millions of cells daily, its just happening more rapidly (and to cells that weren't to die of old age) in such a manner as to be damaging. It doesn't make the target age 5, 10, or 20 years just because a small snippet of them did so.

Same with the memory loss, it's likely spread out over countless forgettable and insignificant seconds and images that even if your brain is guesstimating what actually was there, is probably close enough just based on probability and is not likely to have an effect on a specific memory or experience unless the GM wishes it to for game purposes. The negative level is the mechanical effect that covers momentary confusion or 'gaps' and such in your experience or reactions and the specific details are left to whatever fits for the situation and individual affected.

Hello

I purchased the 1e Ultimate Campaign Guide tonight and the website glitched. Had issues entering the data and somehow when I got the bank info to work they charged my 19.99 11 times and reveresed it five times.

Despite this I do not see the purchase available for download.

Could someone send me a private message or answer my email, I need to get this fixed ASAP. Please!

While I obviously can't fix the problem or know exactly what is going on. I will just mention that currently the Paizo offices are closed as it's a holiday, and it might not be until Monday that someone gets back to you.

It's possible (since it's also a bank holiday), that there might be some banking issues. So while I can't promise everything will work out, I will just offer that if it seems to take a bit longer than normal to sort out, there's a reasonable explanation. I also am not sure if this is the right place to send/post the issues. I am only mentioning that if it's an ASAP issue, it might not be as SAP as usual.

So question #1: If I understand, a regular whip has a reach of 15ft. Would that mean my spider whip has the same range?

Yes.

Question #2: It says specifically 'you make a melee touch attack', and so my question is that until the spell fades and the whip disappears, couldn't I use a Melee Touch Attack spell and deliver it via my whip?

No. It is wielded like a normal whip but it is still not a normal whip. This means things that would apply to attacking with a whip apply to it: Weapon Focus, Whip Mastery, or Weapon Finesse to use Dex instead of Str for attacking. You would add your Str to damage (but not Strength and 1/2 for two-handing it). It provokes an AoO when you attack with it (like making a ranged attack). It doesn't threaten (unless you have a feat that applies to whips that allows that).

It is not a normal whip otherwise. So a spell that would be cast on 'one normal whip (or weapon)' wouldn't work on it. Note that the spell does not create a whip, it creates a 'whiplike swarm'. So technically it would be no different than if it was a normal spider swarm that you somehow commanded to form itself into a usable whip through some other means or magics (though the result or effects of the whip might be different).

It doesn't allow you to deliver touch spells through it just because it requires a melee touch attack rather than a normal melee attack (it just basically ignores armor). Even if you had an ability that let you channel spells through a weapon, like a magus, the whip of spiders is not an actual whip, just because it is wielded like one.

Side note, you can deliver a touch spell via an unarmed strike, making it a normal melee attack instead of touch, allowing you to add unarmed strike damage to the spell's effects, but that's not the case here.

Vision and Light
Short answer
Light sources can work in combination to increase illumination (up to their maximum illumination) unless they specifically say otherwise or how they interact with ambient or prevailing illumination in an area. So yes, you can space light sources out to where their 'increased illumination' overlaps and make 'virtual' areas of normal illumination.

This can be more easily demonstrated using candles rather than torches. A candle only illuminates to dim light in a 5-foot radius. So if you only have one lit candle, you have basically dim, shadowy illumination around you (everything technically has concealment). From candle's description, we can read that a candle can increase illumination up to normal light. The only way this can happen is with a light source or prevailing illumination already in place making the area dimly illuminated (possibly sunlight filtered through a tree canopy or from another source like a torch between 21 and 40 feet away).

We know (common sense) that numerous candles can more brightly illuminate an area to where you have no trouble seeing what's around them. Like when you walk into a church or see a shrine covered in candles (and you're all like "Who the hell lights all these candles?"). We know that enough candles can do so. Obviously we aren't talking about little birthday candles, but house-type candles and Adventuring Gear section-type candles. So you could carry or use multiple candles to increase your vision and illumination range. In this instance, let's say you light two candles, your GM could then say that you have normal illumination within 5 feet of you as long as you keep both candles burning and effectively 'boosting' each other (ie. not having one in front of your body and the other behind). It would also be their call whether there's then a 5-foot around of increased (dim) illumination around you (I would likely rule so in this example), but that's not always the case with all light sources; like a glowstick might illuminate very little around it, even though its location and shape is very distinctive at making itself visible (like those illuminated strips on stairs in movie theaters).

475. A small stone shrine rises from the planted soil. It bears the carving of a dragon-like beast on its surface. It is a holy site, but rather than being to any particular god or even alignment, it will be considered consecrated and useful to any follower of a deity or religion of a particular portfolio or two depending on its location. If near a road, it will be of use to divine classes that worship a deity or philosophy of travel or roads (possibly nature as well). If in the wilderness away from roads it will be to nature and forests, swamps, mountains, etc. depending on its location (farming if in a crop field or pasture). If in a city or urban environment, it will be to related to community or cities, etc. The GM has final determination.

Such a divine follower can pray and perform a ritual (decided by GM, likely based on the priest or religion's alignment and outlook) to utilize this shrine in a similar manner to prayer beads.

476. As 475. above, except a massive, Colossal red dragon will appear rising and roaring above it. If there's not enough space, it makes the space in whatever impressive, awe-inspiring/terrifying way it has to. It's covered in a flaming aura and its eyes glow like molten orbs as it focuses on the planter and demands tribute in exchange for power or it will rain great horror on the world for being disturbed (though it really will just be the local area).

...

Would you become a vegetarian or would you feel comfortable eating meat from something you could have been chatting with earlier in the day?

I had to stop eating corpses after I learned speak with dead. It was almost like talking to a real person. So, yeah... I totally understand your thing.

313. Tearjerker
Necromancy
Level Brd 1, Sor/Wiz 1, Witch 1
Casting time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a pinch of salt, pepper, or onion powder)
Range Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one living creature
Duration 1 minute
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance Yes

Tears form in the target's eyes, giving it a –1 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, or other rolls utilizing sight and all ranged penalties are doubled. The penalty increases by –1 for every 5 caster levels (max –5).
Fully submersing a target's eyes or washing them out will end this spell. Aquatic and elemental creatures, as well as targets whose eyes are already submerged, are unaffected by this spell.

314. Decap-a-pate
Evocation
Level Inquisitor 1, Magus 2, Psychic 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Casting time 1 immediate action
Components V, S, F (a silver bottle-opener worth at least 1 gp)
Range Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex negates; Spell Resistance Yes

You cast this spell in response to a confirmed critical hit against the target that deals slashing or bludgeoning damage. If the target fails the saving throw and has a discernible head, the attack also knocks loose an article of headwear. It prioritizes caps. hats, helmets, or crowns first, then headbands or goggles or masks, defaulting to most anything else that could be reasonably knocked off. Headgear that is sealed or otherwise very secured, such as the helmet of a space or diving suit, cannot be knocked loose by this spell. Creatures immune to critical hits can still be affected by this spell if the threat was confirmed.

310. (Puhner's) Mumble Shield
Enchantment
Level Sor/Wiz 1
Casting time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (2 cotton balls)
Range personal
Target You
Duration 10 min./level

Created by an inept apprentice mage who wanted to protect themselves from enchantment and mind control spells, it functions by restricting the caster's own cognitive and linguistic abilities. Despite this, several copies of it have been found in shady hedge-wizard and charlatan spellbooks.
If the caster fails a save or would be magically compelled by a language-dependent suggestion or command, even if the spell itself isn't [language-dependent], the first command, order, or suggestion directed at them in a language they can understand is mumbled, garbled, and incomprehensible to them. Unfortunately, it also renders the caster unable to speak or understand that language from any source (they can still read and write it). This effect lasts for 1 minute, at which time the caster regains understanding of the language, though the effect can retrigger if they have another such suggestion or command directed at them. If the caster receives commands in multiple languages they could understand, each is rendered incomprehensible for 1 minute.

Note that this effect does not trigger for merely failing to save against a spell, such as charm person, only when a language-dependent suggestion, order, or command is made towards the caster. This spell does not hinder, suppress, or prevent other effects of those spells, such as regarding the user of a charm effect as a trusted friend. Nor does it prevent communication as long as the user of the compulsion doesn't attempt to suggest or command them. It also does not affect other methods of control that don't require speech, such as the basic telepathic commands allowed by most dominate effects.

311. (Puhner's) Honey-glazed Hide
Transmutation
Level Sor/Wiz 1
Casting time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a drop of honey and a piece of ham, or a piece of honey-glazed ham)
Range Personal
Target You
Duration 10 min./level

Created by an inept apprentice to aid in their chores, which included walking their master's dogs and tending their livestock, this spell makes the caster's skin as delicious and attractive as honey-glazed ham. While it makes the caster a tempting target, some find it useful for distracting creatures away from others.
The caster's skin takes on the faint sheen and taste of honey-glazed ham. While harmless to them and their clothing and belongings, it makes them very attractive to most animals or other creatures inclined to such flavors (even pigs like licking the honey-flavor despite the porcine taste alongside it). The caster receives a +2 circumstance bonus when attempting to attract, distract, or otherwise get an appropriate creature to follow them. Non-hostile creatures like dogs, cats, or other livestock or domesticated animals will generally only try to lick or nip at the caster, but aggressive animals, insects (including swarms), and other appropriately attracted creatures will tend to target the caster in preference to others. The caster is also easier to track by creatures with scent, granting them a +4 bonus to such checks.
Creatures are not magically compelled to approach, lick, or attack the caster, only more naturally-inclined to do so and will avoid doing so if obviously dangerous, such as the caster being on fire or covered in thorns or spikes.

471. A thorny vine bush grows from the planted bean, filling a 5 foot space. It takes 5 rounds to grow completely and moving through its space at this time deals 1d6 damage and counts as entering an entangle effect. After 5 rounds, the vine suddenly begins to crystalize and turns into nearly indestructible glass.

472. A bean plant grows from the planted bean. The plant itself is not any known type (unless this result has been rolled before) and its pods have a curved, sickle-like shape. There are 1d4 bean pods on the plant and each pod contains 1d4 crescent-shaped beans. Anyone examining the beans most spend 2d4 days studying them and succeed at two DC 25 Knowledge: Nature or Profession: Herbalist checks (one at the halfway point of the study and the other at the end).

473. Planter's skin glows with a lima bean green light (no illumination). Unknown to them, they are now impervious to any bludgeoning weapon ( not forged on this plane (weapons, not bludgeoning damage from natural attacks, from falling or rockslides, etc.) The effect (and glow) remains until successfully dispelled (CL 20) or 100 damage has been negated (counted before any other effects that might reduce bludgeoning damage, such as DR).

474. A vine grows from the planted bean and blossoms into a juicy, plump-looking fruit. The fruit smells sweet and of honey and, if eaten, tastes just the same. The imbiber regains 6 hit points if injured and is nourished for 24 hours.

92. A glass eye that very closely resembles one owned by a local official ... but they're almost positive (or at least insistent) that it was a trophy given to them by their Uncle Trapspringer after he won it in a game of marbles between him, an ogre paladin, and a man dressed in a bat-like cape and cowl.

93. An already-lit red candle. It's not a very good candle; it's more cylindrical than tapered, the wick is all sputtery and sparky, it doesn't give off a lot of light, and it seems to be made of red paper rather than wax.

94. A golden-colored metal gauntlet that they must have slipped their hand into as they were digging around in their bag or pocket. It's now stuck. It seems to have five gemstones of various colors inset into the knuckles. Unfortunately, the thumb and middle finger of the gauntlet seem a bit stuck or glued together. They need a DC 12 Strength check to *SNAP!* the fingers loose so they can take it off.

I am pretty sure that nothing would happen. I am presuming you are referring to a vampire's create spawn ability that triggers if a creature is slain by their energy drain or blood drain ability (which happens when they bite a creature).

I assume that if the clone is inert, that means the original template creature hasn't died yet, so it has no soul in it. It would likely have the same hit points as the original body (at least, based on the time the flesh sample was collected, in case some time had passed).

I would say that an inert clone is more or less just like a slab of meat, like casting stone to flesh on a boulder (although the clone is more than just flesh, it would be bone, blood, muscle, brain matter, etc).

So I'd say a vampire could drink the blood from the clone, and if the Constitution loss from that would reduce the clone to 0, the clone would 'die', though just basically meaning it's ruined and wouldn't work if the original died. Its soul wouldn't go into the clone.

Since vampires are intelligent undead, and they typically are creatures that had souls and its pretty determined that intelligent undead have lifeforces (just negative), I would likely rule that an inert clone couldn't become a vampire. It would just be a soulless hunk of meat that rots away (unless preserved). I would allow such a corpse from a inert clone to be animated as a skeleton or zombie or other suitable undead if it were 'killed'. Since animating mindless undead typically involves animating them with an elemental spirit or something, not the spirit of the original creature.

And yes, Frightened and Panicked both require you run away, panicked you just don't get to control *how* you run away.

Technically this is correct (and I am only replying for clarification because I find it interesting) in that you have to flee 'away' from the source of the fear. It's otherwise along a random path and you also flee and avoid any other dangers, so technically if there's a choice or intersection, unless the target knows there's danger down one route (that can't be avoided), then it's basically a random choice and the target indeed has little control over it.

Otherwise a panicked character can choose 'how' they flee if they have multiple options. For instance if they have both a land and a fly speed of equivalent value (ie. one isn't clearly faster than the other), they could opt to either run or fly. If they have a dimension door or teleport spell or ability, then they can choose to use it to flee or get away from the source of fear.

If such an ability is the only logical or realistic choice or option then they are actually forced to use it. Some situations could also allow them to potentially request that they cast something like jump or expeditious retreat if it's clear their source of fear would be faster than them (and they didn't have allies staying behind to distract/be eaten by it while they run), or if it would be obvious that leaping a gap or over an obstacle would be an obvious choice for fleeing. As long as the player is clearly intending to follow the spirit of the fear and are not trying to delay or stall to allow an ally to cast a remove fear or something. It's also entirely fair for a GM to rule that they have to at least spend a move-action or two trying to move away or out of sight before casting it (depending on the specific situation, how close they'd be/were to the source, etc.)

For example, if a panicked creature was running away but found themselves at a large cliff or chasm with no other place to go (assume the Climb DC was obviously difficult and falling would be likely lethal or potentially so), they could opt to cower. If they had a spider climb, fly, dimension door, or teleport available they would be forced to use one of them, and they'd be able to choose between any of them if they had multiple options as long they were fleeing the source of their fear in a good-faith in-character way.

But otherwise, if we're strictly referring to 'running' as in 'beating feet' and physically fleeing, then it's pretty much as said.

468.... Any creature failing this save must make another Fortitude save after one hour if the blindness hasn't been cured or the blindness lasts 24 hours. ...

This should be 'after 10 minutes', when the original blindness would end. I had originally had the blindness lasting one hour, but decided to lower the duration on a failure but add the potential for longer lasting blindness on a failed series of saves.

That other stuff can get confusing. If your GM rules that a panicked character or other character forced to flee (like a turned undead) does so immediately, than they should also drop their items as per panicked. Some GMs rule the creature still has to wait for their turn to start fleeing. That's not so clear depending on the effect making the character run away.

I would not allow a cowering character to delay.

This is correct as well, but for clarification purposes, I will add that I believe this only applies to creatures forced to cower (in this instance, those who fail their save within 30 feet of the wendigo)

It seems like a creature that cowers for any other reason, such as by choice or being panicked and cornered (which causes them to cower if they can't flee), it seems that they can take actions. The rules say they are assumed to be using total defense, so there is a difference somewhat (their AC won't be quite as bad).

Cowering: The character is frozen in fear and can take no actions. A cowering character takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class and loses his Dexterity bonus (if any).

Panicked: A panicked creature must drop anything it holds and f lee at top speed from the source of its fear, as well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It can’t take any other actions. In addition, the creature takes a –2 penalty on all saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers and does not attack, typically using the total defense action in combat. A panicked creature can use special abilities, including spells, to f lee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.

Not that this was applicable in this encounter, but just making a note of it. Although it's entirely possible that one of the entries is in error.

To give some background, the party consists of an oracle who spammed it

Yeah, except for the suppression of ongoing fear, the spells are basically equivalent to standing within 10 feet of a 3rd-level paladin.

Wendigo is about CR 17, so if I assume your PCs are 16 or so, an oracle could have plenty of 1st-level spells to use to cast remove fear. At that level they'd be able to get 4 to 5 targets. So yeah, they could theoretically cast it immediately after the wendigo howled and pretty much negate the wendigo's action (obviously it's also relying on the oracle not failing their save against the fear as well, but they do have good Will saves).

Realistically though... the oracle would have had to either ready their action or hold it until immediately after the wendigo. If that's what they did, then that is definitely just good tactical strategy. Otherwise, looking at the wendigo's howl, that's pretty scary. Basically panicked or cowering in fear if they fail a DC 28 Will save. Which isn't an easy save.

The situation normally would play out with the wendigo howling and anyone not cowering would be panicked, which means they must drop anything they are holding and flee at top speed. So unless the oracle moved before anyone else, their allies would have run out of range or require chasing and even if the fear was removed... they'd have to pick up their weapons or items. That's assuming every target was within 30 feet of each other.

If that happened twice, I imagine the wendigo, which isn't stupid, would likely hold or ready its action until after the oracle and then howl, giving all the party members that failed their save a full round of actions before the oracle could react to cast remove fear, but I don't know how it really played out and anything is possible. In either case, the party members that failed would still end up being shaken after 10 minutes (when remove fear ends), since the shaken effects lasts for one hour.

Is it just me, or are those not extremely powerful effects for first level spells: The ability to completely negate the fear effect without a chance of failure.

I suppose they could be considered powerful in that they can suppress a fear effect regardless of its power, but it does require the caster to basically do it after the target has been affected (otherwise they have a relatively short duration and don't grant immunity, only a bonus to save). Depending on the fear, your ally might have already dropped their items or taken off running. Casting them in combat isn't really efficient (although it could make a huge difference) and as pointed out they don't prevent reapplications of fear or make the target immune to the fear being suppressed since it doesn't count as making a save against it.

Basically, sure, they're very potent... but against a specific effect (barring unbreakable heart working against some other effects), which is also one of the easiest effects to get resistance or immunity to in most cases.

467. [A ranger with a walker]

468. A large sunflower grows from where the bean is planted. One round after sprouting, it blossoms, showing its brilliant yellow petals but they slowly begin to glow with a blinding white light. The next round, any sighted creatures within 60 feet that haven't specifically closed or covered their eyes make a DC 15 Fortitude save or become blinded for 10 minutes as the sunflower flares to the brightness of a sun. Any creature failing this save must make another Fortitude save after one hour if the blindness hasn't been cured or the blindness lasts 24 hours. After that time, a third failed save indicates the blindness is permanent. Corporeal undead are not immune to these saves but use their Will save in place of Fortitude.

The flower's light has the warmth of sunlight but it is not hot enough to cause harm normally (unless a creature is harmed by sunlight). After the initial burst of blinding light, the sunflower continues to shed bright light in a 60-foot radius for 24 hours unless destroyed, though it's not blinding to most creatures unless they have light sensitivity. This light counts as sunlight.

469. A patch of belladonna grows from the planted bean (Knowledge: Nature DC 12 to identify). Up to three doses of belladonna can be harvested from the patch. Harvesting each dose take 10 minutes and requires a DC 12 Profession (gardener or herbalist) check or a DC 15 Survival check. Failure by 5 or more or a roll of 1 indicates the character has inadvertently poisoned themselves and ruined that dose.

470. The bean sprouts into a heavy rock (Small size rock, typically the same size a Large creature like a hill or stone giant would use. Damage: 1d8 + 1-1/2 Str). While not magical, the planter treats this rock as weighing 1/10th its normal weight while carrying it (this doesn't mean it's easy to carry, being a sizable rock). They also count as having the Rock Throwing (+1 to attack) and Rock Catching abilities in regards to this specific rock. They still receive any penalties for using an inappropriately-sized weapon when throwing it.