RavingRutabaga's page

Update: We will be running the Second Darkness adventure path converted to Pathfinder rules system. Still looking for one more member in the Bloomington-Normal area.

Thanks for your time.

Hello, all.

Recently, due to several other members having to quit gaming with us (new job, moving away, etc), I am now seeking a few new local members (preferably 22+) to join us in a new Pathfinder campaign. Never played Pathfinder? That's fine. I have over a decade of experience with D&D and have been playing the Pathfinder (which is basically 3.75 D&D) system for the past year or so. I will gladly teach anyone willing to learn.

That said, I also would not mind someone familiar with the rules who would be willing to be a GM. Although this is by no means mandatory.

As for frequency, I am hoping to game at least once a month (at most twice a month) from anywhere to 3-6 hours (depending on how often we play).

If you're at all interested, have a good sense of humor, and shower regularly, then this is likely the group for you! Provided you are interested or have any questions, please respond in this thread. Thank you for your time.

Cheers,

~Bryan

RavingRutabaga wrote:

Hello, everyone.

I was just wondering if anyone had any information on the rules regarding preparing spells and the summon monster series. If a wizard prepares the spell can he choose what monster to summon when he casts it or must he choose what monster he is summoning when he prepares it?

For example,

1) Day begins and a wizard prepares summon monster I to summon a celestial dog. Later in combat, he casts the spell and summons the celestial dog.

2) Day begins and a wizard prepares summon monster I. Later in combat he casts the spell and has the option of summoning any creature on the list.

I've looked through the Core Rulebook and the forums with no luck. The only thing I can think of is that spells like Resist Energy (I think) make you choose what energy you are resisting when you prepare the spell. Would the same logic apply to Summon Monster?

Thanks in advance,

The relevant information is in the magic chapter under the heading Casting Time: "You make all pertinent decisions about a spell (range, target, area, effect, version, and so forth) when the spell comes into effect."

With summon monster foo, resist energy, etc., you make all decisions when the spell comes into effect. Even something like enlarge person, you may have started to cast it planning on putting it on the fighter. Being a fighter, he couldn't wait, so moved up without it...no maybe you drop it on the cleric who's still in range once the casting time is complete.

Note that with potions, all decisions about version, etc. are made by the creator and the person drinking it has no control. A potion of resist energy thus needs to be made of a particular type, such as resist energy (fire). One that there seems to be a lot of resistance to doing this with is lesser restoration; folks don't seem to like the idea that lesser restoration potions should come in versions based on what ability they cure, yet this is a decision made at the time of casting.

Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you all for the replies!

Hello, everyone.

I was just wondering if anyone had any information on the rules regarding preparing spells and the summon monster series. If a wizard prepares the spell can he choose what monster to summon when he casts it or must he choose what monster he is summoning when he prepares it?

For example,

1) Day begins and a wizard prepares summon monster I to summon a celestial dog. Later in combat, he casts the spell and summons the celestial dog.

2) Day begins and a wizard prepares summon monster I. Later in combat he casts the spell and has the option of summoning any creature on the list.

I've looked through the Core Rulebook and the forums with no luck. The only thing I can think of is that spells like Resist Energy (I think) make you choose what energy you are resisting when you prepare the spell. Would the same logic apply to Summon Monster?

Thanks in advance,

So here is the revised item. It's right in the range I wanted it to be in (4,000-4,500), but I would appreciate any feedback on the calculations used to generate its new price.

Same as original post, but with the following changes.

Item powers...

Ability 1
Constant +1 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects.
2,000 gold
Only applies against fear effects…50% off
1,000 gold
50% increase in price from taking up a slot (as per the multiple different abilities guideline)
1,500 gold

Ability 2
Once per day can affect a weapon held with bless weapon, magic weapon, or weapon of awe.
Without any guidelines to go by, I essentially combined the price of all 3 abilities at 1/day and then divided them by 3.

Weapon of awe (caster level 4)
Spell effect….14,400
1 charge a day…divide by 5…2880
2880 gold

Bless weapon (caster level 4)
Spell effect…7,200
1 charge a day…divide by 5…1,440
1,440

Magic weapon (caster level 4)
Spell effect…7,200
1 charge a day…divide by 5…1,440
1,440

All together…5,760
Divide by 3 (can only use 1 out of the 3 spells a day)
1,920
Only worth 75% (using multiple similar ability guidelines)
I considered this ability and the swallow your fear ability to be similar in that they both replicate spells.
1440

Ability 3
Swallow your Fear (caster level 8)
14,400 gold
1 charge a day….divide by 5….
2,880 gold (most expensive ability)

Total price before discounts…5,820

30% reduction from skill use/class/alignment restriction….1746

Final price…4074

With these changes in place I also decided to remove the need to burn a channel energy attempt for the swallow your fear power. Likewise, the swallow your fear power will require a standard action to activate.

Thanks for the reply. I suspected my math was way off and thank you for pointing out that I completely left out adding the price for the swallow your fear spell. I also realized I was giving discounts multiple times. For instance, I was giving an alignment/class restriction discount per ability rather than the item's total price.

That said, I was wondering if you knew of any guidelines on how to calculate an item's price if I gave it the option of the three weapon spells listed, but they could only use one of the spells a day.

Likewise, are you familiar with how to gauge the price of an item ability that would grant the effects of swallow your fear, but only to up to three allies? I'm guessing that would have to be at least caster level 8, but do you think having the requirement of spending a use of channeled energy would help to curb the cost of that? Oh, and after you pointed it out that it would be a quickened spell I would just drop it to a standard action to use the rallying cry.

I also decided to just drop the charge bonus and reduce the fear bonus to a +1 morale bonus in order to lower the cost and keep it in line with bless anyway.

Thanks again for your help, Dragonchess. It's been awhile since I've created a custom magic item (not since 3.5) and I just wanted to make sure I wasn't creating something grossly underpriced (which it looks like I was).

Hello, everyone. In my upcoming session, I wanted to give one of my players, a cleric, a magical item, but could not find any within the budget (around 4,000 gp) I had set for myself. After perusing the magical items I found none that fit the overall theme of the session. Out of boredom I took the liberty of crafting a wondrous item myself, but before I used it in my next game I wanted to see what feedback you guys had to offer regarding it. Oh, and I know it says Heironeous, but that is because I used the default 3.5 pantheon when I first started using Pathfinder and have yet to change to the standard pantheon.

Also, the last item power basically functions as the spell swallow your fear
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/swallow-your-fear

Here is the item in question.

GAUNTLETS OF GLORY

Aura faint enchantment and transmutation; CL 4th
Slot hands; Price 4,440 gold Weight 2 pounds

DESCRIPTION
Typically given to high ranking commanders within the church of Heironeous as a reward for exceptional valor, these exceptionally well-crafted bronze gauntlets have lightning bolts inscribed on both sides. If worn by a creature of good alignment, the gauntlets fill the creature with courage in battle, granting them a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls made as part of a charge and a +2 morale bonus to saving throws against fear effects. Creatures of neutral alignment do not gain any bonuses or penalties from the gauntlets. Evil creatures that wear the gauntlets are overcome with feelings of cowardice and are considered shaken until they remove them.

Furthermore, if Heironeous is your patron, as a standard action you may beseech him to bless a weapon you are holding to aid you in battle. The following spells (cast at caster level 4th) may be applied once a day to any weapon held within the gauntlets; bless weapon, magic weapon, and weapon of awe. Good aligned creatures with the ability to cast divine spells that do not have Heironeous as their patron may still seek his blessing if they have at least 3 ranks in Knowledge (religion).

Additionally, if Heironeous is your patron once a day you can use the gauntlets to lead your allies in a rallying charge. Once a day, when taking a charge action, you can as a free action raise a weapon held within the gauntlets and shout an inspiring battlecry (typically “For Glory!”). Each ally within 30 feet of you at the start of the round you initiate the charge that is suffering from a fear effect gains a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution, a +1 morale bonus to Will saves, and a -2 penalty to AC. Likewise, if the subject is frightened at the time, they remain in place and gain the confused condition for the remainder of the fear effect. However, they treat all results of “attack self” as “do nothing” and treat “attack nearest creature” as “act normally.” If they are panicked, they instead remain in place and gain the confused condition for the duration of the fear effect. Bonuses (and penalties) granted from the rallying charge only apply when a target is affected by a fear effect. The effects of the rallying charge last for 10 minutes or until combat ceases, whichever comes first.

Good aligned creatures with the ability to channel positive energy that do not have Heironeous as their patron, may still lead a rallying charge using the gauntlets, but must expend a use of channel energy (as a free action) when leading the charge to initiate the effect. Positive energy channeled in this way has no additional effects.

CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, bless, bless weapon, magic weapon, weapon of awe, creator must be a paladin of at least 7th level and have Heironeous as their patron; Cost 2,200 gp

Is it too much for the price? Should I limit it to one of those spell effects a day instead of allowing one spell effect each day?

Likewise, would you be tempted to use something like this if you were a PC rather than vendoring it?

I could post the formulas I used for calculating the price, but will refrain for now.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Alexander Kilcoyne wrote:

Have you simply asked your DM if you and him can come up with a suitable spell for you instead of animate dead?

+1

If it was me, i would ask my DM, if i could just swap it out for "Bestow Curse" spell.

Yeah, Bestow Curse would be a good swap. Thanks for the idea. I'll have to give that some thought as well.

Thank you all for the insightful replies. After more consideration I think I will just think of a "cool" reason to justify using the spell.

Currently, I'm thinking of just envisioning my guy as death's advocate. Essentially, restless spirits (explains haunted curse) continually pester him and beg him to exact retribution on whoever killed them. I couldn't think of a worse fate than being raised as an undead, and ghosts seem to be the kind to hold a grudge.

Basically, I would be walking a fine line between raising everything (Urgathoa)and raising only those that "deserve" it.

Thanks for reminding me that oracles don't have a cleric-like link to a deity. Granted my character idealizes the tenets of Pharasma, but it would make more sense if his powers came from the restless dead than one or two deities. Even though most of Pharasma's church may frown at the prospect of creating undead, I think I can still justify it (at least in my char's mind) by seeing it as putting spirits to rest/avenging the dead.

Hello. Currently, I am playing a Bones Oracle of Pharasma that exemplifies the "white" necromancer archetype who prides himself on the destruction of all undead. So far I've been having a blast with the Bones mystery/revelations.

However, at my next level (6th) I will automatically add animate dead to my spell list. After perusing the entry on Pharasma on Gods & Magic, it seems pretty clear that the creation of undead is strictly forbidden. I know full well I could just not ever use the spell, but I feel that would be wasting my character's full potential. That said, I entreat all of you on these boards to aid me in brainstorming ways I can make animate dead make sense for my character.

Even though my character worships Pharasma, I envision him as an oracle of death with ties to primarily both Pharasma and Urgathoa.

So far I have thought of the possible changes:

1) Treat animate dead as a "create deathless (from book of exalted deeds)" type of spell. Essentially, the spell stays the same and the types of creatures created have the deathless traits instead of undead traits. Maybe up the material component cost or reduce the duration from permanent to day/level? My only concern here is that the create deathless spells from Eberron were a much higher level than animate dead.

2) Treat animate dead as a "summon spirit" type of spell. Axe the material component cost and make the duration relatively short (either round/level or minute/level). Basically the caster summons "friendly" spirits to attack similar to the summon monster spells. Makes me think of Aragon from Return of the King. Maybe make it different from the summon monster X spells by allowing you to summon multiple spirits whose power level are in line with the summon monster spells?

3) Leave the mechanics of animate dead the same and tweak the flavor. Rather than imprisoning the spirit within the corpse, you are granting a spirit the chance to redeem itself prior to judgement. Once raised, it could have an emblazoned symbol of Pharasma distinguishing it from the average zombie. Perhaps up the material component cost? And would it still be powered by negative or positive energy?

As you can see the more I try to iron out the more questions I raise.

Thanks in advance for all your suggestions on how to fix this dilemma.

Greetings everyone,

As if being involved in 4 D&D groups was not enough, I have decided to try to create yet another D&D group after having had sufficient time to become familiar with and thoroughly enjoy the Pathfinder rules set. Starting next year, I am going to be running a 3.75 Pathfinder Homebrew Campaign in Normal, Illinois. We will meet monthly, and all game sessions will likely fall on Saturdays (still to be determined). Again depending on people's schedules I would like the game to run for at least 6-8 hours if we were to only meet once a month.

Ideally, I am looking for experienced 3rd edition players in the Bloomington/Normal area, preferably college graduate age (24+), as all players I currently have are in their mid 20s to early 30s. I have two players currently, and am looking for around two-three more.

As for the campaign itself, it will take place in a heroic, pillars of light setting where most of the world is a terrifying place aside from several city-states/nations. To enhance the overall experience of the game, especially between games, all PCs will create an account (completely free) on the game's forum/website where PC backstories/stats will be listed, recaps of past sessions, and general campaign guidelines/information.

I have been on both sides of the table for about 10 years, and strive to create memorable (and fun) games. If you're at all interested and are easy going, have a good sense of humor, shower regularly, enjoy story driven campaigns, and believe you could commit to at least once a month meeting then please respond directly in this thread.

Cheers,

~Bryan

Thanks again for all the replies.

Fortunately, my DM has been gracious enough to allow the spell as written into his game. In addition to many valid points raised in this thread I was able to clarify a significant misunderstanding he had of the spell due to its wonky wording.

He originally thought that the spell gave someone 5 DR per caster level. In other words, casting it at 4th level would be DR 20/bludgeoning. Needless to say, the fact that he was willing to negotiate with me about allowing the spell in the game after conceptualizing it in that way speaks to how open-minded/amazing he is.

Now I just have to be creative and think of ways to acquire the material components. I still like Casey's idea of collecting the skulls of criminals/bad guys. A simple use of death's touch on a slain opponent's head should be enough to make it leave only the skull behind. Any other interesting (but not ridiculously morbid) ideas would be welcome.

Oh, and with regards to the natural weapons debate, several good points have been made, but I am still unsure whether certain natural attacks could be considered to deal all types of damage. As Yuengling pointed out it makes sense that it would vary based on the creature. Bites make sense doing all types of damage, but certain other natural attacks don't fit that rule as easily. For example, it is hard for me to imagine a tail attack doing piercing or slashing damage or even some claw attacks from certain creatures doing bludgeoning damage.

Likewise, an unarmed strike ( a natural attack) dealing piercing damage seems odd.

Is this something you can cast on other people? Or is it self only? If it's self-only, that would be a large, important weakness.

It is self-only.

Thank you all for your replies, especially Doc for doing all that number crunching and bringing up Blur (which I had not thought about).

As several people have pointed out, I think the Achilles' heel of this spell is bludgeoning damage. Thank you Yueng for reminding me that DR has no effect whatsoever on spells or energy damage.

Thanks for several of your compromise suggestions, Ryan. Fortunately, my GM is extremely reasonable and open to ideas (provided they make sense/don't endanger balance of the game). That said, many of your ideas seem worthwhile and in the event he still has concerns about the spell I'll be sure to mention them to him.

Currently, he still has some reservations about allowing the spell as written. He does raise a good point that even though bludgeoning is fairly common, piercing/slashing weapons (including claws/bites) are much more common. What do you guys think?

Oh, and I love your idea Casey about carrying around the skulls of convicted criminals or heretics. I think I'm just going to burn a Death Touch to "melt the face" to where I have a skull and keep it as a grisly trophy until it is ready to be used. Almost makes me think of Mystery Men. Now if I could only find a magic bowling ball....

Cheers,

Hello, all. I am currently playing a Bones Oracle that has just reached level 4 and with my DM's permission I will be taking the spell Defending Bone (from God's and Magic pg 31) since my character worships Pharasma (think white necromancer). For those of you not familiar with it, Defending Bone (level 2) essentially grants the caster DR 5/bludgeoning for an hour/level until the bone absorbs 5 points of damage per caster level.

That said, the more my DM and I examined the spell we had some concerns about whether the spell is balanced towards similar spells of the same level, such as false life.

My DM believes that the spell allows too much damage absorption, citing that false life will provide 7 temp hp on average compared to a guaranteed 20 damage absorption from defending bone. False life maxes at d10+level, meaning you can't have 20 Tmp HPS until level 10 (and that would require a max roll on the d10). Under Defending Bone, you would have an effective 50 bonus HP at level 10.

In order to balance it, he is thinking of reducing the damage absorption to be 5 per 2 levels instead of 5 per level.

However, I believe that unlike false life defending bone has two main limitations.

1) Material component

Unlike its cousin, false life, defending bone requires, well a frakkin' bone, ha. Instead of a drop of blood, a spell caster has to have an ample supply of fresh bones on their person. Not only bones, but the largest/bulkiest of them (Medium size skull or Medium size femur). Whereas, most spell components can easily be drawn from a pouch (or in false life pricking oneself), I'd think that you would need to at least pull a bone from a backpack or something (unless you're wielding a femur which would be BA). Also, because the bone is destroyed when the spell absorbs the maximum amount of damage, you'd have to continually be getting more to replace it. Such a limitation would prevent a caster from regularly casting defending bone in combat.

As a result NPCs may think it odd or worse that someone is carrying a large supply of bones/skulls in town (if the caster hoarded them).

2) DR is not temp hp

It is a small distinction, but still one worth noting. I tend to see it as gradual "extra" hp rather than "burst" or immediate hp. For example, if I cast false life and got the average of 9 hp the spell would immediately block 9 hp whereas the DR would still allow 4 hp through. If defending bone was a flat out 20 temp hp I would fully agree with my DM, but it is spread out over the course of several attacks rather than all at once.

Likewise, unlike false life, defending bone has a glaring weakness, bludgeoning damage. I doubt my DM would suddenly make all enemies wield maces, but even then bludgeoning is a fairly common weapon group, being the second most common source of damage, second only to piercing weapons (16 weapons from simple to martial alone). Even a commoner armed with a non-masterwork mace (simple weapon) can completely negate the effects of a 2nd level spell (provided he could hit and with my DM's rolling that's likely!).

Aside from weapons, many special abilities and spells can deal bludgeoning damage. From an giant chucking a boulder to a wizard casting ice storm, it crops up often enough to be worthy of attention as any adventurer fighting skeletons would know.

Those are the two main points I can think of that balance this spell. However, I was interested in what other DMs have done to balance this spell, if they have had any problems with it in their games, or what in their mind makes this spell balanced compared to similar spells of its level. Thank you for your time.