Platosbeard's page

In addition, you can move through a threatened square without provoking an attack of opportunity from an enemy by using Acrobatics.

Each of those is an indefinite singular article. I read that RAW as you must roll for each square and each enemy you might provoke, and if you don't provoke from enemy x for his first square you might still provoke for the second. I get that you can't provoke more than once for a single action, but if you haven't provoked, then you haven't provoked. And each square is part of the same action.

That's just my read - play how you want to play.

I agree. Think of it practically: the moment the guy stops focusing on being invisible is the moment he starts focusing on stabbing you in the vitals.

I would think a suddenly appearing opponent whose current focus is stabby stabby qualifies for sneak attack situations.

This is an awesome idea and I support it. 45ur4 - good calls.

EDIT: Just don't go into Mr. Freeze territory and start making awful ice related puns. :)

I don't agree that drinking the blood of a creature is inherently evil. The arguments for blood sausage and leather and meat and such have already been made. If you agree with those but disagree on the blood argument then I think what we disagree about is probably either type or timing.

If it's type (i.e. "It is evil for a humanoid to drink the blood of another humanoid)" then that's probably open to GM interpretation of what the deity would consider evil. Even the ways I see around that (below) are still up to the GM agreement. I don't think a deity of "the hunt" or "natural order" would have a problem if the character had a good in character justification for drinking the blood of his enemies. Drinking the blood of any random corpse laying about is another matter. I would probably put restrictions on the type of blood to be consumed or else give the player a little warning ('you feel as though your god would not be pleased by this') - just my opinion, take it or leave it at your choice.

If it is a matter of timing (i.e. "Drinking the blood of the recently dead is especially gruesome, therefore evil)" then, if I were the character, I would put a ritual to it. More than a few cultures on earth have put a blessing on recently slain hunts or enemies. I don't think it's too far of a step to allow the same for a Dhaphir Paladin. Something like "I regret that we were enemies in this life, but your sacrifice will help me continue my journey. Your strength is appreciated and I hope you fare better in the next world."

As far as Blood Transcription - purely an interpretation here that the text doesn't address - I think it's evil because your are forcibly ripping knowledge from the blood/mind of a sentient creature. Blood Transcription takes a piece of who they were/are - part of the essence of them, drinking the blood merely uses the nutrients of the corpse/body.

Platosbeard wrote:

Alternate Classes: "Alternate classes are standalone classes whose basic ideas are very close to established base classes, yet whose required alterations would be too expansive for an archetype. An alternate class operates exactly as a base class, save that a character who takes a level in an alternate class can never take a level in its associated class—a samurai cannot also be a cavalier, and vice versa."

A ninja cannot be a scout or any rogue variant.

See, here's the thing - I don't read that passage the same way you do. It doesn't say, "You cannot apply rogue archetypes to the ninja class." In fact, it says "An alternate class operates exactly as a base class…" with the sole caveat being that you cannot take levels in, for example, rogue AND ninja. Now I'm not saying that you are incorrect (or correct). What I'm saying is that the wording on that passage does not cover this situation.

EDIT: Keeping in mind that I would not allow a monster like this to be played at my table. This is merely the rakshasa's advocate speaking.

I see your point now.

Platosbeard wrote:

Thanis Kartaleon wrote:

I feel like I shouldn't contribute to this monster, but I must. Scout replaces Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge, which the Ninja has, so there's no conflict there. It's an alternate class of Rogue, which is just an archetype writ large. I don't see why a Ninja couldn't be a Scout.

Alternate Classes: "Alternate classes are standalone classes whose basic ideas are very close to established base classes, yet whose required alterations would be too expansive for an archetype. An alternate class operates exactly as a base class, save that a character who takes a level in an alternate class can never take a level in its associated class—a samurai cannot also be a cavalier, and vice versa."

A ninja cannot be a scout or any rogue variant.

If the GM allows it then it's OK. A lot of GMs probably would allow it. it depends on whether the OP's GM will, though.

Yes, and if the GM allows it everyone gets colossal dragons as mounts that poop gems and an illithid manservant with at-will Meteor Swarm. But when someone says "I don't see a reason why not" and the rules directly say "Here's why not," a GM fiat is probably the only way out of it.

EDIT:
I don't mean to seem rude, but I don't know any GMs that would allow it. It's the equivalent of taking level 1 twice in the same class. Some might allow a rogue and a ninja in the same campaign, but not for the same character.

I feel like I shouldn't contribute to this monster, but I must. Scout replaces Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge, which the Ninja has, so there's no conflict there. It's an alternate class of Rogue, which is just an archetype writ large. I don't see why a Ninja couldn't be a Scout.

Alternate Classes: "Alternate classes are standalone classes whose basic ideas are very close to established base classes, yet whose required alterations would be too expansive for an archetype. An alternate class operates exactly as a base class, save that a character who takes a level in an alternate class can never take a level in its associated class—a samurai cannot also be a cavalier, and vice versa."

A ninja cannot be a scout or any rogue variant.

In my reading of it a familiar doesn't gain the ranks the master. It uses the ranks of the master for checks if the master has more ranks (also note that it specifies ranks, not modifier). In the case of Linguistics, I would grant the familiar the master's ranks on checks to decipher, but it wouldn't give it new languages that it automatically understands. I wouldn't even give talking birds new languages because it gains the ability to speak one language as a Supernatural ability that has nothing to do with skill ranks.

Skills: For each skill in which either the master or the familiar has ranks, use either the normal skill ranks for an animal of that type or the master's skill ranks, whichever is better. In either case, the familiar uses its own ability modifiers. Regardless of a familiar's total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar's ability to use. Familiars treat Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, Perception, Stealth, and Swim as class skills.

Interestingly, and I hadn't thought of this before despite playing a paladin in one campaign, it probably does read that damage from throwing alchemist's fire, or a fireball if multi-class sorcerer would get the smite bonus.

I agree with Name. "the paladin /snip/ adds her paladin level to all damage rolls". You could make the semantic argument that the barbarian does their damage and then the paladin adds their paladin level to that damage, but if so the characters should have their character sheets taken from them and be beaten with them till they pass out. There's probably several places in the rules where a literal use of the word 'all' would create similar ridiculousness.

Alternatively, you could throw in a villain with a smite good and have them initiate their smite on the paladin and then run off so the paladin takes +Level damage from all sources for ever.

That's evil and vindictive. I really like it.

Tell your player to spend a few more years reading rule books and learning how to parse the language.

Johnico wrote:

I don't have the developer quote on me (I'm sure somebody else does), but you are able to make trip attempts with any weapon you want, including a bardiche (for example). Half of the Sweeping Fend ability is, indeed, largely useless since it allows you to do something you could do already.

EDIT: Ninja'd while distracted browsing website to help friend with order problems.

If that's true, then the Trip weapon quality itself is entirely superfluous.

CR wrote:

Trip: You can use a trip weapon to make trip attacks. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the weapon to avoid being tripped.

No, you can make a trip attack with any weapon or unarmed. ONLY with a weapon with the trip quality can you drop the weapon to avoid falling prone if you fail by 10 or more. Quandry had it right earlier. The same applies to disarm, too.

There are a few ways, as mentioned above:

1.) Use a sword cane, which is a swift action to draw; or
2.) Use the Betrayer feat; or
3.) Use the bandit rogue archetype which allows for two actions; or
4.) Use the Deft Palm rogue talent to conceal a weapon while weilding it.
5.) Use a shuriken or a similar "ammunition weapon," which can be drawn as free actions.

The easiest option is Deft Palm. You simply hold the weapon, hidden "in plain sight." The coolest option, in my opinion, is Betrayer (the name of the talent is "Underhanded," after all).

1) probably works - the surprise round rules say you can use free actions, but don't mention swift actions (swift actions consume a little more time than free - so probably need a GM ruling)

I agree that Deft Palm lets you wield a weapon your enemies are not aware you have, but I don't see how you can use it *during* the surprise round and still benefit from Underhanded. *Before* the surprise, yes - I can see that working, but not *during*. Other than free action items like shuriken, which may be the intent, I don't see enough actions available to, for example, hide a dagger and then attack with that dagger.

The whole utility of Deft Palm is to have your weapon already drawn when the combat begins, but so that your enemy is unaware of it. Drawing it doesn't require any action, so you may use your standard to attck with it and activate the Underhanded talent.

I understand that drawing the weapon is not the issue. I didn't mention drawing the weapon at all. According to the rules though, making a Slight of Hand check is a standard action:

Deft Palm doesn't alter that description at all.

Unless the weapon is concealed with Deft Palm before the surprise round begins, it looks to me like the Slight of Hand check consumes your action for the surprise round.

If I've missed something on the timing I'd love to know, because I want use this talent - but I want to be confident I'm using it correctly.

Sorry about the thread-necromancy, but I still don't see a satisfactory answer for this question.

I see three possible answers on how to use this discussed here:

1) Betrayer feat - looks like it would work, but that's pretty limited usage since it will only work on creatures that you have a chance to Diplomacy before they attack you. If they attack on sight, you can't use Betrayer.

2) Bandit archetype - looks like it works just fine, but it seems odd to have a Talent that is literally only usable for one archetype. And I do mean literally because:

3) Deft Palm - doesn't work at all because Deft Palm doesn't change the speed of the Slight of Hand. It's still a standard action. If you Deft Palm during the surprise round that consumes your action for the surprise round.

Unless you can Deft Palm way in advance and "hold that roll" as a measure of how well you've concealed the weapon you are holding for an extended period of time (at least several rounds). I think that would require a pretty generous ruling by the GM.

Dragonchess Player wrote:

blackbloodtroll wrote:

Actually, the adopted trait only gives you one racial trait, and does nothing else. Though a human can count as whatever they want with the Racial Heritage feat.

Read the PRD:

"Adopted: You were adopted and raised by someone not of your actual race, and raised in a society not your own. As a result, you picked up a race trait from your adoptive parents and family, and may immediately select a race trait from your adoptive parents' race."

A Race Trait is a category of traits, Faith, Magic, Social, Race, etc. That's what you get with the adopted trait, not racial abilities and feats.

Traits

That's a VERY important distinction. You CANNOT, I repeat, CANNOT select the trait Adopted by humans and choose "Bonus Feat." You can select a trait otherwise limited to humans.

Hi,

I just wanted to get some clarification on how the math shakes out for a Augmented summoned Earth Elemental. I think I have it right, but I want to see if I missed anything.

Let's use the small ele for the example:
Base listed entry for attack is:
Slam +6 (d6+4)

With Aug Summoning bumping his strength he clearly moves to +8 (2 BAB, 5 STR, 1 small) to hit.

If I've got this right his augmented damage should be:
d6+7 (STR mod of 5*1.5 for the slam attack being his only natural attack, round down).

Full Augmented Entry: Slam +8(d6+7)

Now with Power Attack, instead of -1/+2, he gets -1/+3 because his slam attack adds 1.5 STR as a primary natural weapon. So Augmented with Power Attack works out to:
Slam +7(d6+10)

Have I made any mistakes here?

(all of this is ignoring Earth Mastery because the book specifies those adjustments aren't accounted for in the stat block)

Good call. Not sure how I missed that, but I am now corrected. Thanks.

So you can surely drink a potion of remove fear if shaken, you can probably (GM ruling) drink it if frightened and far enough from the source of your fear and can surely drink it cornered by your enemy. You can't drink it as long as you are panicked.

I didn't take into account being cornered. As written, if you fail that Will save from a Shadow Demon, you're 10 rounds out, 10 rounds back. Assuming you're in the middle of nowhere.

EDIT - to remove potential AP spoiler.

Two uses:

1) In advance give me the +4 bonus against fear.

2) I get frigtened or panicked. I run away, when out of sight of the source of the fear effect, I can act normally and drink the potion. This way I don't have to run again when returning to the action.

Mind you, I haven't actually seen it used, but in rare circumstances it can be useful.

As far as I know there's nothing in the rules for frightened or panicked that lets you act normally when the cause is out of sight. Pretty sure you just keep running.

A classic example of this was one player encountering a Basilisk, they automatically knew the saving DC of the Petrification off the top of their head, rolled the dice (rolled very low) and declared a pass since it was enough to beat the textbook DC. I happened to give the Basalisk 'Ability Focus' as a feat and he failed his save, once I told him he failed he promptly tore up his sheet and stopped gaming with us for a while (very childish). But he since learned his lesson when he returned and hasnt repeated that nonsense since.

I agree with a lot of the advice going around, but I wanted to give two suggestions about this.

1) Come up with nasty homebrew creatures. Off the top of my head - an encounter with a dozen weak good outsiders. When they die they explode, maybe that damage hits everyone, maybe just evil guys. Good characters don't want to fight them, let the evil guys take some hits while they figure out the easy to kill "chumps" have unexpected abilities. Better yet, give them an encounter with 6 good and 6 evil aggressive monsters and let them mirror damage back against the opposite alignment.

Evil Char - I attack number 2; 15 damage.
DM - Ok, you hit, an arc of ghostly fire joins you two at the moment of impact. It appears hurt and you take 15 damage.
Evil Char - What? How? Why?
DM - I'm telling you what happens. It's your character's job to figure out the how and why.
Evil Char - No save?
DM - If there was a save, I would have asked you for a save. 15 damage, next.

I've seen some awesome and challenging mechanics. Some of the best ones were attached to monsters we thought were easy and all of a sudden a simple encounter turns into a great puzzle.

2) Or if you don't the time and energy for homebrew creatures, just reskin monsters so that they look like one thing, but use the mechanics of something else. An example (again, just off the top of my head) - a wyvern that uses all the stats (except types) and abilities of a succubus.

DM - Deep in the cave you encounter a very old wyvern. The creature is so old and grizzled it doesn't even look like it can fly anymore.
(Characters attack, initiative and all that.)
DM - Okay, you, give me a will save.
Character - Wyverns don't have anything that generates a will save!
DM - I didn't ask you what wyverns do. I asked you to generate a will save because the wyvern is trying to dominate you. Congratulations, all of your OOC knowledge about wyverns is useless. You can roll the appropriate knowledge, but you probably should have done that before you attacked.

I think the intention isn't that you remain conscious but that you aren't dying and get back in better shape when healed.

For example: Say you are level 5 Barb with 50 HP and 45 lethal damage. You take a hit for 6 lethal.

Without Guarded Life - you fall unconscious and start dying.
With Guarded Life - you have 46 lethal damage (so 4 HP remaining) and 5 nonlethal. You fall unconscious but are not dying.

Furthermore, when you get healed it heals both lethal and nonlethal. Say you get healed for 6. That wipes our your nonlethal and heals 6 lethal - leaving you conscious with 40 lethal damage.

EDIT: I didn't take into account adjustments for losing your rage - just a rough example. Someone else can do the more detailed math.

I'm sorry, I didn't check the duration. Wow, you're right, that does seem like some really great value. It's not too much per attack, but it adds up nicely provided you get the chance for many attacks. Seems much better.

I believe you've misread the damage. I think it does 1d6 damage and +1 damage per level. Not d6 damage per level and +1 damage per level. So at 4th level you get 1d6+4 (+ other modifiers).