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My bard has a +19 on his Performance checks to Aid (using Inspire Competence). If he rolls a natural 1, for a total of 20, is the result: A. Failure. A "20" is a "success" but the natural 1 reduces this by one degree to "failure." B. Success. A "20" is a "success" but a natural 1 reduces this by one degree to "failure" and Inspire Competence says that "if you roll a failure, you get a success instead." C. Something else I haven't thought of.
Specifically, in the Pathfinder Society Guide the Vigilant Seal faction has an uncommon bomb, Alignment Ampoule, that PCs can gain access by being "liked" by the Vigilant Seal faction (i.e. 20+ reputation with VS). My question is: If my alchemist gains this access, does this mean: a) He can now craft the bomb (whether using Advanced Alchemy, Quick Alchemy, or downtime Crafting). If so, I assume he has to buy the formula but is it just the normal formula cast for a common item of that level? b) He can now purchase the bomb, just like any other non-alchemist with access could do. c) Both a & b. d) Something else I haven't thought of. Many thanks in advance!
A level 9 bomber Alchemist has Double Brew (class feature). At 6 they took Debilitating Bomb, at 7 they got two kinds of level 1 bombs as perpetual infusions, and at 8 they took Sticky Bombs. Now they use a single action to Quick Alchemy two bombs (using Double Brew). They can clearly add an additive to one of the bombs. My question is: can they use their other additive feat to add a different additive to the second bomb? Both feats are free actions. Both have the same trigger language: “Trigger You use Quick Alchemy to craft an alchemical bomb that is at least 2 levels lower than your advanced alchemy level.” Free actions have this rules text: “ you can use only one free action per trigger, so if you have multiple free actions with the same trigger, you have to decide which to use.” In the case of Double Brew, is this a single trigger or two? You are clearly only using a single action but you are also clearly crafting two different bombs.
I have some questions about how and when learning new spells happens in PFS. I looked in the Guide to Organized Play but couldn't find anything. Example: I have a level 2 Wizard. 1. My level 1 wizard started out with 5 level 1 spells known in his spellbook. When he hits level 2 he gets to add 2 more spells to the spellbook for free. Now he wants to add some more spells, using the Learn a Spell activity. 2. There is a bard in the party today who happens to know Color Spray. Even though the bard's version of the spell is Occult, and he is a spontaneous caster, my wizard can still learn it from him. Yes? 3. He needs to make an Arcana check and spend gold (amount depending on the result of the Arcana check). If he fails, he can't attempt to learn Color Spray again until gaining a level. 4. The group finds a scroll during their adventure. Can the wizard similarly use the scroll to attempt the Learn a Spell activity? Does this use up the scroll? 5. My wizard wants to learn a common spell that no one in the party knows. Does he have to first buy a scroll and then, separately, attempt the Learn a Spell activity? Or can he just learn from the presumedly friendly and unlimited fellow casters back at the Grand Lodge? In short, is there any expense to learning a spell (besides that of the Learn a Spell activity) if you don't have a fellow party member to teach you or a found scroll? 6. I saw in another thread that there was some discussion of having to get access in order to be able to Learn a Spell of even common spells from non-Core books. Has this been clarified? 7. If PF1, Divine casters "knew" their entire spell list. Even a prepared caster like a Cleric or a Druid could prepare any spell on any day. Is that not the case in 2e - does Learn A Spell apply (and work the same) for all classes and types of magic? 8. Does all of this have anything to do with Downtime (i.e. does it use any Downtime days)? It seems like no but I just want to confirm. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Example: I buy a wand of Mage Armor (1st level); it's a level 3 item and costs 60 gp. Later, I want a wand of Mage Armor (4th level); it's a level 9 item and costs 700 gp. Can I A) Craft the second wand as an upgrade from the 1st (in which case the base cost is 640 gp - I have to pay half of that as usual, and then can Craft to attempt to reduce the cost)? Or do I B) have to sell my first wand (for 30 gp) and then Craft the second one from scratch? 
I'm working on a wizard build and for various reasons I have three skills that I want to advance to Legendary, none of which are Arcana. I will have Arcana trained, and a high Int as usual for a wizard, but I'm wondering if there's actually any negative mechanical consequence of not getting Expert/Master/Legendary in Arcana? I'm not seeing any but would greatly appreciate it if anyone can point out what I may have missed.
I have a single SFS character and he has received these two boons from chronicle sheets: Morlamaw Admittance:
...You can use this boon only if your character has a Reputation Tier of 3 with the Wayfinders... You can play a Morlamaw character, beginning at 1st level as normal... Scoured Stars Veteran:
...You can start a new character who begins at 2nd level... Some questions: 1. Can I use both of these on the same character, to have a Morlamaw who begins at 2nd level? 2. My PC #1 has not quite reached tier 3 with the Wayfinders yet, so the first boon can't be applied yet. I'm waiting to start character #2 until I can apply this racial boon. If I play the skittermander series at a con in a couple of weeks (using those scenarios' pregens), can I apply the chronicles from those scenarios to the as-yet uncreated level 2 Morlamaw? Thanks for any guidance!
As per the subject line: when the APG comes out, if I like the new Bardic Muse better than the one my Bard has already chosen, can I use retraining to switch? And yes, I know that I could use the free Retraining boon for that, but I already used it to change him from human to halfling, back when I was still wrapping my head around the new 2e rules.
An archaic wayfinder functions as a compass and acts as a repository for one cantrip cast into it. To fill an archaic wayfinder, a spellcaster casts the chosen cantrip into the empty device, providing any necessary cost; the spell cannot be one that is normally cast as a free action or reaction. Activating an archaic wayfinder is the same as the casting for the relevant spell. Once it has been activated, it becomes empty again. So, if my wizard friend puts Electric Arc into my big stupid fighter's Archaic Wayfinder, a) can my fighter activate it at all? (I think yes?) b) does the wayfinder use the wizard's proficiency etc for calculating the DC and damage done, or the fighter's? (not sure); c) is there any reason the wizard can't "refill" the wayfinder after a fight is over, making this effectively a once/fight castable (I think yes, this is doable)? Many thanks for any clarifications.
Anyone have any suggestions for a good feat for my dinosaur (allosaurus) animal companion for my level 10 druid? She already has: Narrow Frame, Iron Will, and Extra Item Slot (Shoulders & Belt). She's a typical melee beast: bite (with grab) & 2 claws, with pounce, whose only unusual shtick right now is the ability to use Hunter's Tricks (aka Skirmisher Ranger tricks). I can also enlarge her to Huge though there's often not enough room to do that. In a couple of levels the druid will ride her as a mount. I'm more interested in feats that are "fun" rather than just a straight +1 bonus to something (looking at you, Weapon Focus).
... do they use their (higher) Occult proficiency level for their spells chosen from the Sorcerer line? That is, when they hit level 7 and get expert proficiency in Occult spells from their Bard class, so their Sorcerer spells now cast with expert proficiency? Or do they still use Trained proficiency since those spells come from the Sorcerer dedication, which has only Trained at level 7?
I was just looking at the lizardfolk ancestry and saw that they have some nice natural weapon unarmed strikes available through ancestry feats. But I'm having trouble understanding why you would want them in 2e. In 1e, because natural weapons followed a different model than the iterative weapon model, you could build a character around the idea of having multiple natural attacks. But in 2e, what are the advantages of a) natural weapons over manufactured weapons and b) having more than one natural weapon? The only advantages I can see are: 1) Natural attacks are always available - no need to spend actions to draw them and available even in undercover type scenarios where you might have had to stow your manufactured weapons. 2) Natural attacks offer different damage types, so that you can easily switch if you run into something with DR. And the major disadvantage: 3) They don't actually count as "weapons" which presumably means all sorts of party buffs etc won't apply. What am I missing? I like the look of the Lizardfolk feats and am contemplating a Fighter or a Monk, but mechanically I can't quite see why it would make sense to spend the feats on their various natural attacks rather than just wield a Fighter's greatsword or use the Monk's own innate unarmed strikes. 
I've got an opening for one player to join the Emerald Spire Level 5: The Drowned Level (tier 3-5). This is a module that gives 3 xp for successful completion. The current party includes: Paladin, Oradin, Alchemist, Bard. This is *not* a Gameday game. The intention is to play all the way through the Spire (it goes up to level 16 (tier 11-13)) though no commitment is required. If interested, please join the discussion here.
I've got a player who zips around the battlefield using her Wizard school ability (I'm not quite sure whether it is the Conjuration school dimensional steps ability or the Teleportation subschool shift ability, but I think the latter). She insists that this works with Dimensional Agility but I'm not so sure. Any opinions? This is for PFS.
Discussion thread.
This game will be offered as party of Gameday VIII, beginning August 26, 2019. Sign up here on line 58. Once you are signed up, please dot and delete in the gameplay thread.
I'm GM-ing a group through Eyes of the Ten. So far we've played half of the first scenario (i.e. the first 2 encounters). They have not yet received any chronicle sheets. One player is considering dropping out (she wants to play this PC in the Siege of Gallowspire Special that will be run locally at the beginning of September, and it's very unlikely that we'll be finished with Eyes before that). What are the consequences for her? For the rest of the group? Since the group is currently 6 players, it won't really negatively affect their ability to play the rest of Eyes, but what will it mean for her? Does it mean that she won't be able to play Eyes at some point in the future (with a different PC of course) unless she uses a replay? I welcome your opinions and advice. (And yes, I've tried suggesting to her that she either play Gallowspire with a different PC, or wait until we finish Eyes and then play it then - there will be other local opportunities I'm sure, but she seems fairly set on wanting to play the PF1 finale with her first PC.)
Is there any point in stacking these two spells (i.e. casting them both on the same area)? Obviously, they offer two different ways of trying to grapple foes, one attacking CMD and the other attacking Ref, but what happens if they both succeed? Can someone be grappled twice, by two different sources? And is there any argument that the spells would interfere with each other (i.e. the Web get in the way of the Black Tentacles doing their thing)?
It seems like it would work, but it also seems pretty darn powerful. Opinions?
If a (medium size) level 7 Dragon Disciple uses her Dragon Form ability to turn into a (medium size) dragon (as per Dragon Form 1), and she drops her manufactured weapons before transforming (so they don't meld into her body), can she then pick them up and use them? All of her natural attacks will be at -5, but is there anything preventing her from taking all her normal attacks (including iteratives) with her, for example, magical greatsword, and then also making her dragon natural attacks at a -5 penalty?
How much time should I allow for running the different parts of Eyes of the Ten? I'm not the fastest GM and I really want to be sure that the players can enjoy the whole experience without feeling rushed. We are about to schedule our session for part 1 (which is a double scenario) and it looks like our window will be 1pm to midnight (as a hard stop). Is that enough time? My instinct is no, but would like to hear from people who have run it. Thanks!
I've read the CRB section on Wizard arcane bonds and also this faq, but I'm still confused about how this works in practice. Say I've got a level 1 Wizard. He receives a non-magical item - say a mwk ring - for free that is his arcane bond. Question 1: Later, he has enough gold and fame to afford a magical ring and decides to buy a ring of Ring of Climbing and use it as his arcane bond. Instead of paying the normal price of 2500 gp for the item, he instead pays 1250 gp. Yes? Question 2: He must meet minimum level (and fame?) requirements to use the Ring of Climbing as his arcane bond, I think? What are they and how do you determine this? Question 3: Later, he's got more gold and more fame and he's got his eye on a Ring of Wizardry I. Can he buy one for half price (10,000 gp instead of 20,000) and make it his arcane bond? What happens to his Ring of Climbing? Question 4: Later still, he's got even more gold and fame, and wants to upgrade to a Ring of Wizardry II. Can the previous ring be upgrade? What does he pay to do so? Many thanks for any clarifications any can give.
The Magus' arcane pool says: Arcane Pool:
Arcane Pool (Su): At 1st level, the magus gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his powers and enhance his weapon. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/2 his magus level (minimum 1) + his Intelligence modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the magus prepares his spells.
At 1st level, a magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves. At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's base price modifier (see the Magic Weapon Special Ability Descriptions). These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the magus uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the magus. A magus can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends. Greater Magic Weapon says: Greater Magic Weapon:
This spell functions like magic weapon, except that it gives a weapon an enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls of +1 per four caster levels (maximum +5). This bonus does not allow a weapon to bypass damage reduction aside from magic. So, if my level 13 Magus casts GMW on his +2 keen scimitar, it becomes a +3 keen scimitar. If I then use my arcane pool on the scimitar, I can increase the enhancement to +5 (at the cost of 2 points of enhancement, leaving me 2 more for other purposes, since a Magus 13 can add +4 when using arcane pool). Correct? However, for the purposes of overcoming DR, in such an instance, the scimitar would only count as +4, not +5, because the boost from GMW doesn't apply to overcoming DR. Correct?
If an NPC casts both Project Image and Invisibility on himself, how do they interact? Specifically: a) If the NPC casts Invisibility first and Project Image second, are both the caster and the image invisible? b) If the NPC casts Project Image first and invisibility second, is the caster invisible but the image visible? (Unless the caster casts invisibility a second time on the image). c) If the caster casts an offensive spell through the projected image, does the image lose its invisibility? Does the caster? Do both? Many thanks for any advice! Running a game soon where this very situation is likely to come up.
If a class archetype gives you access to another class's class feature, does that count for the purposes of feat prerequisites? For example, the shaman archetype Speaker For the Past lets you choose oracle revelations (the archetype ability is named "Revelations of the Past"). Does this count as having the revelation class feature for the purposes of the Revelation Strike feat?
Can a Shaman/Speaker For the Past archetype take the Revelation Strike feat? Basically, does the language "At 4th, 6th, 12th, 14th, and 20th levels, the speaker for the past can select a revelation from the ancestor or time mysteries" mean that you possess the Revelation class feature?
If a creature has an attack with a "rider", do you consider the rider a new attack or part of the original one? For example, if a creature has an attack with the grab and constrict abilities, if the initial attack hits it gets a free grab attempt and if that succeeds it gets to apply its constrict damage. If the target, for example, had DR, would you subtract its DR once or twice? I've always been told that "riders" are part of the original attack (in contrast, for example, to an ability like Cleave that gives you a new attack) but I'm curious whether others agree with this interpretation. (This question arises out of a more specific thread related to the application of energy damage to a PC's clothing. If you are interested in that thread, you can find it here.)
I'm currently running a scenario on PbP. One of my players was unfortunate enough to have his expensive (but non-magical) finery destroyed by a Black Pudding's acid. This player has a chronicle boon that gives him a benefit for wearing fancy clothes and jewels, but if he loses them he is sickened until he spends 500 gp/HD to replace. I'm unclear about the best way to adjudicate this. Relevant Black Pudding ability: The character in question failed the Reflex save and took 19 points of acid damage.
Each time a creature suffers damage from a black pudding’s acid, its clothing and armor take the same amount of damage from the acid. A DC 21 Reflex save prevents damage to clothing and armor. The chronicle boon in question (I'm not mentioning where it's from to avoid any spoilers): The PC in question is level 8, so if the items are completely destroyed it effectively means that he is permanently sickened until he spends 4000 gp to replace them.
"Shard of Greed: Select one of the following three abilities, crossing the others off the Chronicle sheet. When active, this shard’s influence grants you the selected ability, and imparts upon you the listed penalty.
• Gain a +2 insight bonus on saves versus transmutation spells and spell-like abilities. • Gain haste as a spell-like ability usable 1/day. • Gain a +1 insight bonus on attack rolls. Penalty: You become greedy, and are sickened whenever you are not wearing nonmagical jewelry and fine clothing worth at least 500 gp per Hit Die in total. Each time you sell a belonging or give one away, you must succeed at a DC 20 Will save or take 1d4 points of Wisdom damage." A few questions: 1) Is 19 points of acid damage sufficient to completely destroy the jewelry? Or does it retain some value? 2) Can it be repaired with Make Whole, Mending, or some other option? 3) If the jewelry is permanently destroyed, is the player's only choice to pay 4000 gp to remove the permanent sickened condition? I realize that the answer to many of these questions may be simply a GM call, so I'm not only asking for whether there is any specific PFS "rule" to handle this, but also, to the extent that this is a GM call, for opinions about how other GMs out there would handle this? 4000 gp is a pretty big hit for a level 8 PC, so if I impose that I want to be sure that I'm being as fair as possible. I welcome your thoughts and opinions, and thanks in advance.
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Please dot and delete. This game will begin on March 11, 2019.
Discussion thread.
Emerald Spire: Level 3 - Splinterden
Will the following PCs please check in here for Retrocon Legacy of the Stonelords Tier 7-8 Michael Hallet - Loxx
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Just today I'm seeing some new annoying web behavior from the paizo site. There's a faint piece of artwork in the background. It's sort of like wallpaper, except that it doesn't move with the rest of the page when I scroll. Very distracting. I hate to contemplate the possibility that this is intentional on the part of the paizo team, but if it is, c'mon, seriously? This is making it harder to read your web pages. Not to mention all the *real* issues with website functionality, like the inability to edit our campaign pages. I don't want to be one of those endless internet whiners, but I've got to say this is very disappointing.
Lantern Archon's ray of light:
Light Ray (Ex) A lantern archon can fire beams of light to damage foes. These light rays have a maximum range of 30 feet. This attack overcomes damage reduction of any type. incorporeal:
Incorporeal (Ex) An incorporeal creature has no physical body. It can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons, and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. It is immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, it takes only half damage from a corporeal source (except for channel energy). Although it is not a magical attack, holy water can affect incorporeal undead. Corporeal spells and effects that do not cause damage only have a 50% chance of affecting an incorporeal creature. Force spells and effects, such as from a magic missile, affect an incorporeal creature normally. An incorporeal creature has no natural armor bonus but has a deflection bonus equal to its Charisma bonus (always at least +1, even if the creature’s Charisma score does not normally provide a bonus). An incorporeal creature can enter or pass through solid objects, but must remain adjacent to the object’s exterior, and so cannot pass entirely through an object whose space is larger than its own. It can sense the presence of creatures or objects within a square adjacent to its current location, but enemies have total concealment (50% miss chance) from an incorporeal creature that is inside an object. In order to see beyond the object it is in and attack normally, the incorporeal creature must emerge. An incorporeal creature inside an object has total cover, but when it attacks a creature outside the object it only has cover, so a creature outside with a readied action could strike at it as it attacks. An incorporeal creature cannot pass through a force effect. An incorporeal creature’s attacks pass through (ignore) natural armor, armor, and shields, although deflection bonuses and force effects (such as mage armor) work normally against it. Incorporeal creatures pass through and operate in water as easily as they do in air. Incorporeal creatures cannot fall or take falling damage. Incorporeal creatures cannot make trip or grapple attacks, nor can they be tripped or grappled. In fact, they cannot take any physical action that would move or manipulate an opponent or its equipment, nor are they subject to such actions. Incorporeal creatures have no weight and do not set off traps that are triggered by weight. An incorporeal creature moves silently and cannot be heard with Perception checks if it doesn’t wish to be. It has no Strength score, so its Dexterity modifier applies to its melee attacks, ranged attacks, and CMB. Nonvisual senses, such as scent and blindsight, are either ineffective or only partly effective with regard to incorporeal creatures. Incorporeal creatures have an innate sense of direction and can move at full speed even when they cannot see.
Any opinions about this question? My first instinct was to think that it would work because the beams of light are not a "corporeal source" but now I see that they are an Extraordinary ability, not SU or SP, which has me inclined to think that the incorporeal creature's "immune to all nonmagical attack forms" would apply. And yes, I see that the Archon's ability to overcome all DR will be irrelevant in this case. This isn't just a theoretical question. I've got a party in PbP that is really struggling against some nasty incorporeal creatures. They're considering summoning some lantern archons to help them. So any opinions or pointers to relevant rulings will be greatly appreciated. p.s. in the subject line I wrote: do they do FULL damage but actually the question should really be do they do FULL damage (as a non-corporeal source) or NO damage as a non-magical source.
On Friday it'll be six months since the last Additional Resources update, which means however many more months since the products that were not included in the last update were released. I think we all understand that it's been a very hectic time for everyone at paizo, especially with the release of the PF 2 playtest materials. Also, we all know that con season is especially busy for y'all. And we've all seen what a disaster it is when things are approved and have to be subsequently retconned due to shenanigans, so I understand that it's better to take your time than rush. But still, it's been six months. I'd like to politely request: a) the team to prioritize making the next AR and CC releases a priority and b) the team to find a new way to do these updates in PF 2, so that we don't continue this same pattern. The issue isn't simply that we PFS players are an impatient bunch, but that it is frustrating to have a new book come out, get excited for the new options that are revealed, and then find yourself waiting forever to see if you can actually use those options; when you've already paid for the product it feels disrespectful to not be able to use that product within a reasonable amount of time. Personally, I tend to buy each new book immediately when it comes out, but I'm regretfully feeling that I will stop doing that and wait until it is published in AR, not because I only want to buy books that have options I care about, but because it seems as though the only way the AR process is going to be prioritized is if paizo has an economic incentive for it. I hope that this post doesn't come across as whiny or unappreciative. I love Pathfinder and I think that the PFS team does an amazing job creating an organized play experience that I love being a part of. But I also think that the way that Additional Resources is being handled right now doesn't feel good to me as a player and a customer, and I don't think I'm alone in feeling that. Thanks for listening.
The Vine Leshy has a racial Change Shape ability. The only mechanical definition given is that it is similar to Tree Shape (which gives +10 to Natural Armor and an effective Dex of 0). However, the Leshykineticist archetype is specifically called out as being able to move while in this form, so it can’t have a Dex of 0. Any ideas about what mechanical changes should apply when in this form? I can imagine many ways to house rule it but I’m playing PFS so would appreciate any rulings that anyone is aware of.
Recruitment thread for a low tier (7-9) game of CORE 6-04 Beacon Below to be held in the second half of PbP Gameday VII, beginning about Oct. 1. The party so far is a Wizard 7 and a Druid 8. Post here if you'd like to join. First come, first served.
The thread for all your out of character discussion.
This game will be run during the second half of Gameday VII, likely beginning on October 1, 2018.
For all your discussion fun.
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