Ryze Kuja's page

I'd allow Reactions to Flee or Defend while Fleeing, but I wouldn't allow Reactions to do anything otherwise.

Yeah I can't wait for the re-master, it looks promising ;)

Currently playing a level 8 Gunslinger and this is my first character going full Medicine skill, and tbh if you want to be able to heal well, just get Battle Medicine and some Healer's Gloves and then a nice collection of healing potions. So far this entire campaign, we've used exactly 12 healing potions total.

Current party is Champion (doesn't have Lay on Hands, has Touch of Corruption instead), Rogue, and myself (gunslinger), and so far we haven't had a single issue with healing because of how good Medicine skill + Battle Medicine feat are naturally.

Also of note, my party is pretty handy with the Aid Action, and Aid is a godsend for the Medicine skill because critical heals are the bee's knees.

88. The PC's are traveling through a forest on a trail that is not known/used by many, and they come across an old, abandoned library just as nightfall is approaching, and this is probably the easiest place to find shelter for the night-- despite being abandoned and in disrepair, the library's doors, windows, and roof don't leak. The mystery here is that the first 144 pages of every single book in this library have become blank, and seemingly no spell can restore the information or pictures these pages once had. The number twelve (12) seems to be a common "theme" throughout the library, such as 12 bookshelves per section, 12 tables per row, every clock shows 12pm and chimes 12 times at the top of every hour (regardless of the actual time), etc. The answer to whatever riddle at the end of this could be "L" for being the 12th letter of the alphabet, or the answer could be "Greataxe" for being a d12 weapon, etc.

Each time the party guesses the answer to the riddle wrong, you hear the echo of a witch's sinister cackle gracefully fleeting and dancing its way across the ceilings and walls into your ears.

Bleed them dry with Tucker's Kobolds and bathe in their tears! I'm j/k :)

PF CR Calculator

I use this----^ when customizing encounters and it works out great. If your PC's are struggling with the module's encounters, this tool can be used to calculate an appropriate CR for them. I'd take each encounter that they do and plug in the numbers here and gauge how they did with the encounter, and adjust the future encounters up or down accordingly, and if you're finding that the module's encounters are actually APL+1=CR or APL+2=CR, then try bringing them down to APL=CR or even APL-1=CR, if necessary.

Any encounter that is APL=CR should use about 25% of the party's resources in a given battle, and PC's should have about 3-4 APL=CR encounters per day <--- this is your ideal target, you want them spending about 25% of their resources in a given encounter, so if they're struggling with APL=CR, then try removing one or even two of the monsters/NPC's from the encounter or simply nerf the level of the monsters by -1 and see how they do.

This calculator tool cannot account for everything though, it's just a gauge. Some factors can't be calculated properly due to party composition. For example, if you have a group that doesn't have a lot of Cold damage options and you're facing creatures that are fire-based, they're obviously going to struggle with fire enemies-- similarly, if they're facing enemies that poison, disease, and curse, and if they don't have a lot of condition removal options, they're going to struggle with that as well. Vice-versa, your party might do exceedingly well vs large groups because you have a PC with Cleave-->Improved Cleaving Finish, or if you have a 2handed Paladin and you're facing a lot of undead or evil enemies. This is something the CR calculator cannot gauge, but you as the DM can.

It's a pretty cool tool, but don't rely on it 100% because of the unaccounted variables like these --^.

Ryze Kuja wrote:

The stuff we create is balanced. It's not for power gaming.

Indeed. While I'm not the best at figuring out balance by numbers, I do my best to keep things along the same levels as the rest of our campaigns. I only change things for flavor, not to "fix" something I see as wrong.

Yep absolutely :)

The stuff we create is balanced. It's not for power gaming.

Shamans typically dump Str, so I'd get a Bag of Holding or Handy Haversack. Ring of Spell Storing is also really handy, keep a Get Out of Jail Free spell in it so you always have an ace up your sleeve. If you have a friendly neighborhood wiz/sorc/bard in the party, dimension door, gaseous form, greater invisibility, or freedom of movement are great spells to keep in your Ring of Spell Storing for emergencies. Frigid Touch or Frostbite in Spell Storing Armor is also a nice defense mechanism.

Reach Metamagic Rod is really handy, because most of your core healing spells are touch range, and sometimes that can force you down AoO Alley to get to your near-dead compatriot-- turning a touch-range Cure Wounds spell into a close-range spell 3x day can save your own life as well as your ally's life, and it's only 3,000gp. Alternatively, use an offensive Touch spell from close-range so you don't have to wade into melee. An absolute bargain if I ever sawed one.

Persistent Metamagic Rods are nice for your Save or Die spells.

Ring of Protection, Amulet of Natural Armor, and Cloak of Resistance are always welcome for shoring up defense. Headband of Wisdom is also nice for offense and extra spell slots.

Shamans have a diverse, fantastic spell list and some spells you'll definitely want to cast more than once but don't want to prep two of the same spells, so Pearls of Power can really come in handy. Runestones of Power can help you with your spontaneous spell slots.

Rather than spending gold on flying (like a magic carpet or flying broom), I would definitely take the Wings Hex (x2 @ lvl 8). That's 16 minutes of flying per day right out of the gate at level 8, so you can stay out of range of melee enemies every encounter of the day plus have roughly 8-12ish minutes left for utility/scouting. This can save you quite a bit of money.

Since you're Wisdom-based, Gloves of Reconnaissance and Eyes of the Eagle is a nice little combo for 1) nailing all your perc checks, and 2) making perc checks through doors and walls up to 5ft thick. Perception is the most rolled skill in the game and knowledge is power, so you might as well capitalize on Wis being your primary ability score.

Quick Runner's Shirt is handy to have for the times you need to use Chant Hex and still perform a Move Action.

Amulet of the Spirits (Life) is 12,000gp but it's worth every penny for a Life Shaman, because when you Life Link you'll be taking damage almost every single battle.

Well, if you're cornered and disarmed, and all you have left is your buckler, I'd unbuckle it, hold it from the strap, and start swinging it like it was a light flail. It beats taking an AoO for each unarmed strike you make. <--- I'd allow AoO's in this scenario

if they do threaten then any character wielding a ranged weapon would threaten without the need of snapshot

I wouldn't allow a Bow user to make an AoO with the Bow unless they were specifically wielding like a baseball bat or something, but if they were, I'd let them take AoO's (albeit -4 penalty). If you're wielding the bow appropriately because you're firing arrows, then I wouldn't allow it. But if you're out of arrows and cornered/outnumbered, you gotta fight back somehow-- choke up on that thing and start swinging for the bleachers <--- I'd also allow AoO's in that scenario.

Ryze Kuja wrote:

"oh yeah, this disrespect is just peachy, lemme just make a polite rebuttal."

Umm. I did exactly that. Did you not see my clever reply to what Java said? Didn't matter if he was talking about you, me or both of us. I nailed that one.

Want to re-start this conversation politely? I'm down if you're down.

Magus pwns. Next question.

Illusion

Illusion spells deceive the senses or minds of others. They cause people to see things that are not there, not see things that are there, hear phantom noises, or remember things that never happened.

Subschools

Figment: A figment spell creates a false sensation. Those who perceive the figment perceive the same thing, not their own slightly different versions of the figment. It is not a personalized mental impression. Figments cannot make something seem to be something else. A figment that includes audible effects cannot duplicate intelligible speech unless the spell description specifically says it can. If intelligible speech is possible, it must be in a language you can speak. If you try to duplicate a language you cannot speak, the figment produces gibberish. Likewise, you cannot make a visual copy of something unless you know what it looks like (or copy another sense exactly unless you have experienced it).

Because figments and glamers are unreal, they cannot produce real effects the way that other types of illusions can. Figments and glamers cannot cause damage to objects or creatures, support weight, provide nutrition, or provide protection from the elements. Consequently, these spells are useful for confounding foes, but useless for attacking them directly.

A figment’s AC is equal to 10 + its size modifier.

Glamer: A glamer spell changes a subject’s sensory qualities, making it look, feel, taste, smell, or sound like something else, or even seem to disappear.

Pattern: Like a figment, a pattern spell creates an image that others can see, but a pattern also affects the minds of those who see it or are caught in it. All patterns are mind-affecting spells.

Phantasm: a phantasm spell creates a mental image that usually only the caster and the subject (or subjects) of the spell can perceive. This impression is totally in the minds of the subjects. It is a personalized mental impression, all in their heads and not a fake picture or something that they actually see. Third parties viewing or studying the scene don’t notice the phantasm. All phantasms are mind-affecting spells.

Shadow: A shadow spell creates something that is partially real from extradimensional energy. Such illusions can have real effects. Damage dealt by a shadow illusion is real.

Dazzling Blade

School illusion (pattern); Level bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 1

CASTING

Casting Time 1 swift action
Components V, S

EFFECT

Range Touch
Target one metal weapon
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Will negates (see text); Spell Resistance yes (harmless, object)

DESCRIPTION

Dazzling blade makes a weapon appear dazzlingly shiny, as if crafted from pure silver and heavily polished. In combat, the flashing movements of a dazzling blade become almost hypnotic. The wielder of a weapon under the effects of dazzling blade gains a +1 competence bonus on all Bluff checks made to feint in combat. The wielder also gains a +1 competence bonus on all CMB checks made to disarm a foe, and a +1 competence bonus to his CMD against disarm attempts made against the weapon bearing the dazzling blade effect. This bonus increases by +1 for every 3 caster levels, to a maximum bonus of +5 at 12th level.

The wielder of a dazzling blade can discharge the spell into a blinding burst of silvery light as a free action. The wielder selects an adjacent opponent as the focal point of this burst of light—that creature must make a Will save to avoid being blinded for 1 round (with a successful save, the creature is instead dazzled for 1 round).

Despite its shiny appearance, a dazzling blade grants no extra benefit against creatures that are vulnerable to silver.

Dazzling Blade and Dazzling Blade, Mass are the only spells of any [Pattern] spell that don't have the mind-affecting type. Color Spray, Hypnotic Pattern, Inhibiting Patterns, Loathsome Veil, Rainbow Pattern, Scintillating Pattern, Scintillating Wall, Wall of Nausea, and Wandering Star Motes are all mind-affecting pattern spells though.

Even though it says "all patterns are mind-affecting spells", this is a General Rule. And this General Rule gets superseded in authority by the Specific Rule of Dazzling Blade's spell description that it is not a mind-affecting effect.

Specific Rules > General Rules.

Familiars

Familiars

A familiar is an animal chosen by a spellcaster to aid him in his study of magic. It retains the appearance, Hit Dice, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, skills, and feats of the normal animal it once was, but is now a magical beast for the purpose of effects that depend on its type. Only a normal, unmodified animal may become a familiar. An animal companion cannot also function as a familiar.

A familiar grants special abilities to its master, as given on the table below. These special abilities apply only when the master and familiar are within 1 mile of each other.

Levels of different classes that are entitled to familiars stack for the purpose of determining any familiar abilities that depend on the master’s level.

If a familiar is dismissed, lost, or dies, it can be replaced 1 week later through a specialized ritual that costs 200 gp per wizard level. The ritual takes 8 hours to complete.

Improved Familiar

Improved Familiar

This feat allows you to acquire a powerful familiar, but only when you could normally acquire a new familiar.

Prerequisites: Ability to acquire a new familiar, compatible alignment, sufficiently high level (see below).

Benefit: When choosing a familiar, the creatures listed here are also available to you. You may choose a familiar with an alignment up to one step away on each alignment axis (lawful through chaotic, good through evil).

Improved familiars otherwise use the rules for regular familiars, with two exceptions: if the creature’s type is something other than animal, its type does not change; and improved familiars do not gain the ability to speak with other creatures of their kind (although many of them already have the ability to communicate).

When the Faerie Dragon becomes your familiar, its type (dragon) does not change and it follows the normal familiar rules for skills. It retains all of its previous skills, and as per normal familiar rules, you would then add Acrobatics, Climb, Fly, Perception, Stealth, and Swim to Class Skills. You don't lose anything, they overlap.

Ryze Kuja wrote:

My party was helping our Lionfolk Paladin complete the 3rd leg of his 4-part quest...

IDK, sounds like a blind finish of a quadrupedal quest and I'm not lion...

Did you recently get someone pregnant because that was an epic dad joke XD XD XD

I prefer Pathfinder too tbh. PF2e is very polished, but PF1e will always have a special place in my heart due to the wealth of options for customizing your character.

Personally, I haven't used any transgender characters in my campaigns. Pleasure demons are probably the closest I've come to a transgender char, but I wouldn't count that tbh because they're not playable races. But I have used gay and lesbian NPCs before. I've used asexual or androgynous races as well, and they're kinda like non-binary.

Kinetic Blast (Sp)

At 1st level, a kineticist gains a kinetic blast wild talent of her choice. This kinetic blast must be a simple blast that matches her element. Simple blasts are listed with their corresponding elements.

As a standard action, the kineticist can unleash a kinetic blast at a single target up to a range of 30 feet. She must have at least one hand free to aim the blast (or one prehensile appendage, if she doesn’t have hands). All damage from a kinetic blast is treated as magic for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. Kinetic blasts count as a type of weapon for the purpose of feats such as Weapon Focus. The kineticist is never considered to be wielding or gripping the kinetic blast (regardless of effects from form infusions; see Infusion), and she can’t use Vital Strike feats with kinetic blasts. Even the weakest kinetic blast involves a sizable mass of elemental matter or energy, so kinetic blasts always deal full damage to swarms of any size (though only area blasts deal extra damage to swarms). A readied kinetic blast can be used to counterspell any spell of equal or lower level that shares its descriptor. A kinetic blast that deals energy damage of any type (including force) has the corresponding descriptor.

Each simple blast is either a physical blast or an energy blast.

Physical blasts are ranged attacks that deal an amount of damage equal to 1d6+1 + the kineticist’s Constitution modifier, increasing by 1d6+1 for every 2 kineticist levels beyond 1st. Spell resistance doesn’t apply against physical blasts.

Energy blasts are ranged touch attacks that deal an amount of damage equal to 1d6 + 1/2 the kineticist’s Constitution modifier, increasing by 1d6 for every 2 kineticist levels beyond 1st.

Composite blasts combine elements to form a new blast. When a kineticist gains a new element through expanded element, she gains access to all composite blasts for which she qualifies. All composite blasts are listed after the kineticist elements.

Most composite blasts are either physical or energy blasts, like simple blasts.

Physical composite blasts deal an amount of damage equal to 2d6+2 + the kineticist’s Constitution modifier, increasing by 2d6+2 for every 2 kineticist levels beyond 1st.

Energy composite blasts deal an amount of damage equal to 2d6 + 1/2 the kineticist’s Constitution modifier, increasing by 2d6 for every 2 kineticist levels beyond 1st.

A complete listing of kinetic blasts and composite blasts can be found within the Kineticist Elements page, here: Kineticist Elements

Robot’s Bane

You have trained to avoid the attacks and effects employed by robots and technology and to combat them effectively.

Prerequisite(s): Knowledge (engineering) 5 ranks

Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls against creatures with the robot subtype. Additionally, you gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC and a +1 bonus on saving throws against attacks and effects from robots. If you have at least 11 ranks in Knowledge (engineering), these bonuses increase to +2. If you have at least 17 ranks in Knowledge (engineering), these bonuses increase to +3.

Special: If you have constructs as a favored enemy, you can use your favored enemy bonus toward constructs in place of the bonus granted by this feat if it’s larger. These bonuses do not stack with those granted by other abilities that allow you to add your favored enemy bonus to AC or on saving throws.

I'm going to say yes, your Kinetic Blasts would benefit from Robot's Bane because Kinetic Blast can also benefit from feats like Weapon Focus. Even when you're using Kinetic Blast as an Energy blast, that would still benefit from Weapon Focus.

I'm interested to hear what others might say about this though, because I'm only 97% certain.

You don't cast a Touch spell on others, you cast it on yourself, and then go touch something later.

For example, if I cast Rime Frostbite and attempt to touch a target and roll a nat 1 and miss, what happens? Does the spell get expended or does the spell stay active on the wizard until he touches a target? Answer: The Touch Spell stays active on the Wizard until he successfully touches something. Right? So, you cast a Touch spell on yourself, not on another target. And then you go touch another target to discharge the spell.

You could cast a touch spell on yourself at 8:00am and not touch anything until Noon, and the touch spell would still be active until you touched something at Noon. A touch spell stays active on you INDEFINITELY until you touch something. So, you cast Touch spells on YOURSELF, and then go touch something later.

If I'm a level 20 wizard and I cast a Rime Frostbite, the next 20 targets that I touch get Entangled from the Rime Metamagic whenever I cause Cold damage. It's a touch spell that stays active on the wizard for a total of 20 different touch attacks.

In the exact same way, I'm casting a Toppling Telekinetic Strikes spell on myself, and it would cause the next 20 minutes-worth of unarmed strikes to cause a Trip whenever I cause force damage.

Telekinetic Strikes

School evocation [force]; Level magus 2, psychic 2, sorcerer/ wizard 2

CASTING

Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S

EFFECT

Range touch
Target one creature
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)

DESCRIPTION

The touched creature’s limbs are charged with telekinetic force.

For the duration of the spell, the target’s unarmed attacks or natural weapons deal an additional 1d4 points of force damage on each successful unarmed melee attack.

Toppling Spell (Metamagic)

Your spells with the force descriptor knock the affected creatures prone.

Benefit: The impact of your force spell is strong enough to knock the target prone. If the target takes damage, fails its saving throw, or is moved by your force spell, make a trip check against the target, using your caster level plus your casting ability score bonus (Wisdom for clerics, Intelligence for wizards, and so on). This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the check fails, the target cannot attempt to trip you or the force effect in response.

A toppling spell only affects spells with the force descriptor.

Level Increase: +1 (a toppling spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.)

==================================================================== =======

Is Telekinetic Strikes a valid target for the metamagic Toppling Spell?

Yes, you may prepare a Toppling Telekinetic Strikes spell.

If it is, how does it interact with making multiple natural attacks?

You can make a Trip attempt every time you cause force damage with unarmed attacks or natural weapons.

My perfect world involves multiple trips in a turn (similar but different circumstances to the question asked about MM and the same metamagic)

Perfectly kosher, provided multiple attacks that round are successful, you could have multiple trip attempts. I'm sure you already know this but I'm going to say it for the benefit of those who might not, but you can't trip a target that is already prone. So, you would have multiple trip attempts per round, but you'd stop making trip attempts once you have your first successful trip attempt and knock the target prone.

Familiars are completely mundane creatures that become magically enhanced through a special magical bond with their master, granting them all the ability score bonuses and special abilities we've all come to know and love. So familiars are very much magically-enhanced creatures, and that magic never ends even if the master dies; for example, if a Wizard dies and the familiar survives, the familiar still retains all of its magically enhanced ability scores and languages known.

So, if you abandon a familiar for a new one, that familiar would retain all of its magical enhancements like increased Int, any known spoken languages or sign languages, HD, HP, Saves, Skills, Improved Evasion, Spell Resistance, but it would lose the ones that directly include/require the Master, such as Empathetic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, etc..

This is actually a really good idea for a story hook tbh... PC's meet an abandoned, distraught familiar and the ex-familiar wants.... vengeance? to re-unite? find a new master?

The big question here would be what do you consider a campaign wrecker?
Do you consider things that do not fit in the setting (or at least the GM's current plan for the game) but would not be mechanically a problem to be campaign-wreckers?

Honestly that is entirely up to the GM as to what they would consider a "campaign wrecker". Personally, I would consider a Deck of Many Things as THE ultimate campaign wrecker, but as far as other items, it would be a case-by-case basis.

Ryze Kuja wrote:

Mark Hoover 330 wrote:

Here's what I'm getting: the only reason to ban/restrict crafting is to benefit the GM. Maybe it's a "playstyle" that the GM gets to decide whatever items the PCs are worthy of having; maybe they're trying to protect game balance or force PCs to accept McGuffin quests they have planned so that the plot stays on their track. Maybe the GM just doesn't enjoy Downtime scenes/scenarios or doesn't want to detour their plots for lengthy crafting times. Whatever the case, the only real reason to remove the crafting is b/c the GM doesn't like it.

Fine. This isn't MY cup of tea but at least most of respondents in this thread say that they tell their players these things up front. Chell's post in this thread however brings up the concern I have; when GM's run games based mostly on their own whims vs those of their players, there is the temptation to derail previously established crafting capabilities for the sake of the GM and nothing more.

That is... frustrating.

Tbh, I find the compulsion for a GM to ban crafting or certain items to take away from the PC's experience. There are some items that are absolute campaign wreckers though, so I understand why GM's would ban things like Deck of Many Things and other similar items. But if it's not a "campaign-wrecker", it should be available.

Here's my thing R to the K: unless my players are absolute total noobs, they likely know some items like the Deck of Many Things are campaign-wreckers. If they still want them... its' EVERYONE'S campaign to wreck, including theirs. If the players are nihilists or shenanigan-types that just want to see the campaign world burn, let 'em.

There is NO story I've ever written for any of my home games that is so sacred and sacrosanct that it should be considered completely immune from player devastation. Period. Now again, as HR upthread says, this type of playstyle isn't for everyone and I don't expect everyone to get on board with me. At the end of the day...

Personally, I don't ban things very often, if at all. I even play with all 3pp content so that the PC's can achieve exactly what they want with their character. If a PC is still not happy with the available content, then we start custom-creating items/feats/classes/archetypes, whatever you want. And yeah, if they get super powerful for their level, then that's when I just scale up the encounters. Combat Manager is a godsend for this style of play because as the GM you can choose a level 8 mook and then add templates, HD, and beef up their CR to 21 in less than 30 seconds. Just add water and presto, you've got an encounter.

The Deck of Many Things isn't banned at my table, but I might disallow the PC's to get one until certain milestones in a campaign are met though. That way if they want to wreck the campaign, at least I got what I needed.

Whenever I GM, we play in my homebrew world, and I'm very much of the philosophy of "build something so that way you can destroy it". The world is a sandbox and everything in it are just sand castles waiting to be destroyed; I encourage my PC's to destroy my world on purpose, so honestly the Deck of Many Things hasn't ever *needed* to come into play to sate the PC's desire to destroy stuff or introduce chaos to the world. My PC's have even destroyed/dislodged entire continents, and I even helped them plan how to do it :P

Here's what I'm getting: the only reason to ban/restrict crafting is to benefit the GM. Maybe it's a "playstyle" that the GM gets to decide whatever items the PCs are worthy of having; maybe they're trying to protect game balance or force PCs to accept McGuffin quests they have planned so that the plot stays on their track. Maybe the GM just doesn't enjoy Downtime scenes/scenarios or doesn't want to detour their plots for lengthy crafting times. Whatever the case, the only real reason to remove the crafting is b/c the GM doesn't like it.

Fine. This isn't MY cup of tea but at least most of respondents in this thread say that they tell their players these things up front. Chell's post in this thread however brings up the concern I have; when GM's run games based mostly on their own whims vs those of their players, there is the temptation to derail previously established crafting capabilities for the sake of the GM and nothing more.

That is... frustrating.

Tbh, I find the compulsion for a GM to ban crafting or certain items to take away from the PC's experience. There are some items that are absolute campaign wreckers though, so I understand why GM's would ban things like Deck of Many Things and other similar items. But if it's not a "campaign-wrecker", it should be available.

Combat Manager is my go-to resource for generating NPC's. You can essentially select just about any creature/NPC from the bestiary, level them up, add HD, whatever templates you want (like half-dragon, half-celestial/fiend, w/e). And then I use Fantasy Name Generators to name them.

I like it. I would consider a different name for the spell though, as to truly differentiate it from the Cleric Spell. Maybe something like: Interdiction, Prohibition, or Disallowance. And 6 hours seems like a really long cast time. I would drop that to 1 minute or 10 minutes.

I would also include some verbiage about allowing the caster's allies to use a password when they enter the area, or by uttering the password at the time of casting a teleport spell that would allow them to teleport inside/outside of the spell's effect.

I typically start campaigns at level 3. Honestly the only reason to start at level 1 is to acclimate a newbie to the game or to increase the difficulty for veterans looking for a low-level challenge.

Hmmmm. Five bucks is certainly reasonable, though I'm usually adverse to spending money on anything "frivolous" for myself. Will Combat Manager actually let me build characters inside of it, or is it just for tracking information I plug in?

It should be free, unless they recently started charging a fee I'm unaware of. As far as building characters inside of it and saving them, I'm not sure, I've never tried. I usually build whatever character that I need, then copy/paste it over to an excel document that I use for my Campaign File, and then build a new creature, then copy/paste that one over as well. Rinse Lather repeat until I have all the monsters/npc's I need for an encounter.

The first time you make your first monster, it's going to take you a little while to get used to all the options/templates you can add, but once you build about 10-20 characters, you're going to be building these characters in 30-45 seconds. It's so easy and fast that you can come up with an entirely random encounter in 5 mins or less, even in the middle of sesh.

Happy International GM's Day

Hey all, today is March 4th, International GM's Day. Please celebrate accordingly. Today is the anniversary of Gary Gygax's death, and the official day that is celebrated as International GM's day. Gary Gygax, father to us all, died March 4th, 2008. His death was most expected after his two strokes in 2004, but he died in 2008. Honestly, my brethren and sistren, this loss will be felt by all, especially in our generation.

It is only honorable that we pay our respects to this man, but also we honor other GM's around the entire planet who keep his vision alive. This day, Today, is for ALL GM's who have ever served, and for all GM's currently serving, as well as all GM's who will be serving in the future.

RIP Gary Gygax, you've inspired millions. And the millions more will continue to inspire more.

Thank you so much.

Get Combat Manager. You can create NPC's and monsters in 30sec to 3-5 mins, depending on how many you need. And then you can instantly level them up, add HD, templates, etc., whatever you need to customize the monster/NPC.

Fantasy Name Generators is a great site for naming them if they're going to stick around for a while.

Trash talk them. It is a free action to tell 'Yo mama' jokes.

"Yo momma loves 4e!"

*crowd gasps*

For a "Shock and Awe" Intimidation Slayer with a dash of Grim Reaper flavoring, I would go with a TWF Bludgeoning build that focuses on Stealth, re-stealthing mid-combat, and Fear effects that can worsen to Frightened, Panicked, and Cowering, and relies on non-lethal SnA for damage. (because Sap Master can double your SnA damage whenever you strike non-lethally)

Human Slayer - 25 pt buy : Ambushing/Knockout specialist and Intimidate-focused

20 Str (18 + 2)
12 Dex
11 Con
12 Int
10 Wis
14 Cha

=================================

Traits:

Inspired - Once per day as a free action, roll twice and take the better result on a skill check or ability check. <--- If you REALLY need someone to be Intimidated and think you might miss, use this.

Child of the Moon - Choose either Climb, Stealth, or Swim. You gain a +1 trait bonus on checks made with the chosen skill. On dates during and after the first quarter of a lunar phase but before end of the last quarter (the half of the lunar cycle where the moon is fuller), this bonus increases to +2. During the full moon, this bonus increases to +4. (choose Stealth)

=================================

Alternate Race Traits:

Focused Study: All humans are skillful, but some, rather than being generalists, tend to specialize in a handful of skills. At 1st, 8th, and 16th level, such humans gain Skill Focus in a skill of their choice as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces the bonus feat trait.

=================================

Weapons:

Use Two light or 1-handed Bludgeoning weapons of your choice: saps, light flails, warhammers, w/e you want. Saps will be 1d6 damage but only -2 to hit for TWF because they're "Light", Light Flails and Warhammers will be 1d8 damage but they'll be -4 to hit for TWF because they're "1-handed".

If you choose Saps, then you won't need Jaguar's Grace at level 4, but if you choose a Bludgeoning weapon that doesn't have the non-lethal trait, then you will need Jaguar's Grace.

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Feats:

L1: Focused Study: Skill Focus (Intimidate), Weapon Focus

This build is going to start out slow, but it will build into a crescendo between levels 7-10 due to all the mucky-muck we're getting in the first 6 levels. Unfortunately, we actually do need Weapon Focus in this build as a prerequisite for Violent Display at level 7, otherwise we would've gone Menacing for our Ranger Combat Style. It's not a complete loss though, Weapon Focus + Studied Target will make you have a higher Hit chance and offset your TWF penalties. Skill Focus is +3 Intimidate right now, but it becomes +6 to Intimidate at level 10.

L2: Ranger Combat Style: TWF

Even though we only have 12 Dex, you can still take TWF because Ranger Combat Styles can be selected even without meeting prerequisites. During the early levels before you get your Intimidate/Stealth rolling, TWF is going to be doing a lot of your heavy lifting.

L3: Dazzling Display, SnA 1d6

During levels 3-6, you'll probably want to start combat in round 1 with Dazzling Display before wading into melee.

L4: Slayer Talent (Jaguar's Grace)

No more -4 penalty for nonlethal attacks. We're going to need this for Sap Adept/Master later on. And, now you have the option to knock someone out and interrogate them later. Or Coup de Grace them, Death Dealer's choice.

L5: Signature Skill (Intimidate)

In order to Intimidate someone, the DC is 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier, and if you defeat this DC by 10 or more, Signature Skill Intimidate causes them to become Frightened instead of Shaken. If you're fighting equal level creatures, this DC is typically going to be 10 + your level + target's Wis, so right now that would be DC 15 +/- 2ish. At level 10, it's going to be DC 20 +/- 2ish. High Wisdom targets, like clerics/monks/druids, will probably be 10 + your level + 5 or 6. Anywho, your Intimidate should be Your Level (Skill Ranks) + 2Cha + 3/6SkillFocus = +10 Intimidate at level 5, or +18 Intimidate at level 10.

L6: Ranger Combat Style: Improved TWF, 6/6 Human Slayer FCB: Combat Trick: Shatter Defenses, SnA 2d6

Shatter Defenses is crucial for landing Sneak Attacks on your Iterative attacks, as well as debuffing your enemies' AC so that your Iterative attacks have a higher success of landing. Get a Cruel Enchant on at least 1 of your weapons by now, that way you can Sicken any Shakened target for that juicy -4 att/skills/saves/abilchecks. Your party wizard and bard will love you for these debuffed saves. As an added bonus for the Cruel Enchant, you gain 5 Temp HP anytime you cause a target to fall unconscious or kill them.

Round 1: Dazzling Display
Round 2: Go hit a Shakened/Frightened target and Shatter their Defenses to cause SnA

L7: Violent Display

Violent Display: When you land a successful sneak attack or confirm a critical hit against a creature with a weapon with which you have Weapon Focus, you can use Dazzling Display as an immediate action.

Violent Display is a major milestone for this build because now we can use Dazzling Display as an Immediate Action whenever we land a Sneak Attack. So this means you'll be 30ft AoE Shaken/Frightening every single round that you land a Sneak Attack at least once. Now you don't need to start combat in round 1 with Dazzling Display. You can just start combat by stealthing up to a target and SnAing them. From now on until forever, you're basically an AoE Fear Bomb that goes off every round.

Round 1: SnA + Violent Display
Round 2: SnA + Violent Display
Round 3: SnA + Violent Display

L8: Focused Study: Skill Focus (Stealth), Slayer Talent (Fast Stealth)

Save up 12,000gp by this level to buy Boots of Speed for on-demand Haste for 10 rounds per day, and get these boots earlier than this level if possible. Haste is super important for you, so even if you have a party Wizard casting Haste on you, you still want these boots for the times that your Wizard cannot buff you (for w/e reason). Not only does Haste give you an extra attack per round, but it increases your speed by 30ft. With Fast Stealth, you can move 60ft per round WHILE stealthing with no penalty. This is perfect for Ambushing and generating Surprise Rounds for your party. Your ability to Ambush and generate Surprise Rounds will make your party leaps and bounds better via Action Economy.

One major thing that you absolutely need is to be getting as many Full Round Attacks as possible, so this extra 30ft Movement from Haste can certainly help you close the distance and keep you on target for as many rounds as possible.

L9: Feat: Disheartening Display, SnA 3d6

Disheartening Display: When you successfully use Dazzling Display against any shaken, frightened, or panicked opponents, their fear increases by one step. An already panicked creature demoralized by this feat cowers. Once affected by this feat, a creature cannot be affected by it again (by you or anyone else) for 24 hours.

Now when you Shaken/Frighten with Violent Display via SnA in Round 1, Disheartening Display will worsen whatever fear effect they had by 1 step in Round 2 as your AoE fear bombs continue to go off. So Shaken becomes Frightened, Frightened becomes Panicked, Panicked becomes Cowering.

L10: Ranger Combat Style: Greater TWF

You should have 10 ranks in Intimidate by now, so Skill Focus Intimidate is now +6 and Signature Skill Intimidate can now cause targets to become Panicked if you defeat their DC by 10. Likewise, you should also have 10 ranks in Stealth by now, so Skill Focus Stealth will also be +6.

L11: Feat: Hellcat Stealth

Here's where Stealth goes into overdrive. Now you can Stealth mid-combat as a Move Action, while actively viewed and even in bright light, albeit at a -10 penalty. Try to make sure you have a Ring of Chameleon Power 10,000g to offset this -10 penalty.

*poof* SnA, *poof* SnA, *poof* SnA is now on the menu.

Also, if you don't have a Wand of Greater Invisibility by now, get one. Greater Invisibility is +40 Stealth while not moving, +20 Stealth while moving, and doesn't drop if you attack something like normal Invisibility does. This is so handy for making your *poof* *poof* *poof* in combat never fail. Additionally, you are very reliant upon Fear effects to force your SnA damage, so if you come across an enemy that is immune to fear, Invisibility will still allow you to SnA because you can ignore their Dex to AC. Having multiple paths to force SnA is important.

L12: Advanced Slayer Talent (Feat): Sap Adept, 6/6 Slayer FCB: Feat: Sap Master, SnA 4d6

This level is a massive boost to damage output, and here's where you become a Knockout Specialist. Your non-lethal SnA is now 8d6+8 damage, and you should have 7 attacks per round with Haste and Greater TWF. So that's a potential 56d6+56 non-lethal damage, not including your weapon damage.

When an enemies' non-lethal damage equals their current HP, they become Staggered. And when their non-lethal damage exceeds their current HP, they're unconscious. And once a creature's non-lethal damage exceeds their Total Maximum HP amount, all non-lethal damage becomes Lethal damage.

Non-lethal doesn't work vs. Undead, Constructs, etc, but it works vs. pretty much everything else. This makes you a knockout specialist. After the fight is over, coups de grace or interrogate them.

L13: Feat (Accomplished Sneak Attacker), SnA 5d6

Your non-lethal SnA is now 10d6+10 damage, and 7 attacks per round. So that's a potential 70d6+70 non-lethal damage, not including your weapon damage.

L14: Advanced Slayer Talent (Feat): Hellcat Pounce

Now you can attack TWICE in the Surprise round.

L15: Feat: Intimidating Prowess, SnA 6d6

Add your Strength Mod to your Intimidates. At level 15, your Signature Skill Intimidate can cause a target to become Cowered (or Panicked for 1d4 rounds, your choice) if you defeat their DC by 20.

Your non-lethal SnA is now 12d6+12 damage, and 7 attacks per round. So that's a potential 84d6+84 non-lethal damage, not including your weapon damage.

L16: Focused Study: Skill Focus (Perception, Survival, or whatever skill you want), Advanced Slayer Talent (Feat): Anything you want

Now you have 8 attacks per round with Haste and your non-lethal SnA is 12d6+12, so that's a potential 96d6+96 non-lethal damage if you hit with all 8 attacks. If all attacks hit, that's an average roll of 432 non-lethal damage.

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Gear/Enchants:

Ring of Chameleon Power

Potions of Greater Heroism

Wand of Greater Invisibility

Cruel and Ominous Enchant for weapon

Belt of Strength

Headband of Charisma

Boots of Speed <---- make these a priority, haste is going to be very critical to your success and I would get these Boots even if you have a friendly neighborhood wizard in your party who can buff you, because what if he can't buff you and you really need Haste like right now right now.

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As far as this build order goes, you can switch and swap around the Intimidate, Stealth, and Non-Lethal SnA feats around all you want (provided you meet the prereq's). If you want better SnA earlier, then just put Sap Adept at level 3 and Sap Master at level 9, or w/e. The order that I put them in is just how I would do it, but feel free to swap these around as you see fit.

Sanctify Corpse

School evocation [good]; Level cleric/oracle 1, inquisitor 1, paladin 1, witch 1

CASTING

Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF, M (a pinch of silver dust)

EFFECT

Range touch
Area corpse touched
Duration 24 hours
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

DESCRIPTION

This spell blesses a corpse with positive energy, preventing it from being turned into an undead creature. Attempts to raise the corpse as an undead automatically fail. If the corpse is of a person slain by a creature that creates undead out of its slain foes (such as a shadow, vampire, or wraith), that effect is delayed until the end of this spell. It is possible to protect a corpse for an extended time by casting this spell each day.

Sanctify corpse can be made permanent with a permanency spell by a caster of 9th level or higher for the cost of 500 gp.

Undead aren't corpses, so they're not a valid target for the spell.

Elf Divination Wizard.

If 3pp content is allowed, Elan Chaotic Wilder from Dreamscarred Press Psionics.

The best Shifter multi-class build is Shifter0/LiterallyAnyOtherClass20

Personally, I would not allow this to work. Otherwise, teleporting Scarabs of Death and other Cursed Items into the pocket of the corrupt mayor becomes an I Win! button that will get pushed in every encounter for the rest of the campaign.

Likewise, you wouldn't want DMs doing this to PCs either.

VoodistMonk wrote:

Makarion wrote:

Heather 540 wrote:

Sadly, it's a baby wyvern. So it's size small while I am size medium. I don't think I can ride it.

Luckily, it can ride you. I hope you like saddles!

And THAT is how Dragonborn are made!

Would that work with an orc?

Dragorcborn!

Unicorn vs. Horse is not game breaking.

You want a unicorn? You're getting one. Games should be fun.

Compulsion spells can be used to topple kingdoms, promote/destroy careers, divide families/allies, foment wars or rebellions, or even encourage lewd or sexual acts against a person's will, and these are all extremely evil things that no one wants. Enchantment (compulsion) is debatably the most evil school of magic (even more evil than Necromancy) in my opinion, so if NPC's pass these saves, then they're either running straight to the guards/authorities or outright attacking. If the NPC fails the save and then performs the task from geas/quest, suggestion, or sow thought and the spell ends, if the NPC realizes that they've been charmed, they're going straight to the guards/authorities as well.

You have to be a Bard and there has to be at least one scene where you let "Silent Rob" use a Boombox (your instrument with an illusion) outside of Ye Olde Quick Stop or you're not allowed to make this character. Sorry I don't make the rules.

I created a low-level aberration/alien-like creature in my homebrew world that was meant to be both a beast of burden and a combat mount and I called them Kaizer Mantises, and their dire version Greater Kaizer Mantises, and they're typically domesticated by goblins, gnolls, and bugbears, although other humanoids and bandits and hill-gang/thieves have also domesticated them as well. Regular Kaizers are CR1, and Greater Kaizers are CR4, and they're like a mix between zerglings and praying mantises but with 4 raptorial forelegs, which make them exceptional grapplers, climbers, and sprinters. Similar to Trapdoor Spiders, Kaizers also use spinnerets at the end of their abdomen to create spider-like webbing flattened out across the ground when they plan for ambushes, and then create camouflaged trapdoors to lay in wait for a victim to get ensnared in their web. Regular Kaizers are medium-sized, and about 150lbs, and Greater Kaizers are Large-sized and about 500lbs. They are extremely fast and excel at running down prey, and have a movement speed of 60ft (about 10ft/round faster than a horse), but they have an ability they can use every 10 minutes as a "Burst of Speed" that allows them to sprint up to 300ft for 1 move action-- they typically use this Burst of Speed as soon as they leave their trapdoor to tackle their prey. Kaizers have a poisonous bite that causes 1d2 strength damage, and greater kaizers' poisonous bite causes 1d3 strength damage.

As a beast of burden, their webbing is ideal for creating silky textiles, rope, basket-weaving, and a whole litany of other products. Over the course of several generations of domestication, they become quite docile and obedient in nature and respond well to being bridled and ridden, as well as being yoked for pulling wagons or plows when plowing fields before harvest seasons. Domesticated Kaizers have a good notoriety for being patient and easygoing around children and young adults as well.

However, Kaizers become quite ferocious once they're combat trained by a proper handler with straw-filled attack dummies, and their handlers train them in the use of their 4 raptorial forelegs to grapple and slash their prey to ribbons, as well as how to bite the neck and armpit area to maximize their poisonous bite (their mouths are quite small considering their size). Domesticated Kaizers that have become combat-trained become irredeemably vicious, and can no longer be near any humanoids (especially children) aside from their handlers/riders. Kaizer handling and riding are considered extremely dangerous professions. It truly takes a fearless heart with ice in your veins to be a handler or rider of combat-trained Kaizers, especially Greater Kaizers. All Kaizers have an unnaturally high fear of lightning and fire, and handlers/riders will typically wield weapons and whips enchanted with shocking or flaming for the times these creatures become unruly and the handlers/riders have to defend themselves. After being damaged by lightning or fire, a Kaizer must make a Will DC = 10+dmg dealt or become frightened for 1 round. Once a Kaizer has become combat-trained, something primordial snaps in their brains where they view all other creatures as a threat (including other Kaizers), and must be individually-penned as to prevent them all from killing each other-- pasturing these creatures or allowing them to be free-range is simply impossible once they've become combat-trained.

In the wild, Kaizers are pack-like cooperative apex predators, and their cooperative pack-tactics have been described similarly to crocodiles. They either lay an ambush or simply run down and surround their prey, grapple them with their scythe-like forelegs, and then twist, writhe, roll, and pull, and dismember their prey limb-by-limb, highly reminiscent of how a group of crocodiles dismembers their prey limb-by-limb. A group of Kaizers is called a Horde. Although Kaizers are carnivorous, they typically do not view humanoids as a food source as the taste is highly off-putting, but just about anything else that is large-sized or smaller is on the menu.

Ryze Kuja wrote:

Yeah, 3d6 becomes 4d6 via Impact enchantment, and then if you became large sized via Enlarge Person, it would become 6d6.

And then you Power Attack/Furious Focus/Vital Strike for 12d6 plus whatever. And then you tell 2 friends, and they tell 2 friends, and so on... and so on...

And then you get Improved Vital Strike and Greater Vital Strike for 24d6 plus whatever, and then they tell 2 friends, and then they tell 2 more friends!

This is the dice roll that never ends, it goes on and on my friends!

This is stupid to argue about, let them stack. My 2cp.

RAW, they probably shouldn't stack. But that's HORSE FEATHERS!

*kicks in the door. "DID SOMEBODY SAY SANDWICHES!?!"

I also agree, re-skin a horse and call it a donkey or mule or w/e you want.

Shame there was never a desert witch (Sandwich) archetype like the winter witch.

That sounds awesome tbh ;) You should make one in the Homebrew forums :)

"THERE WILL BE NO SURRENDER OR SURVIVORS, FOR THOU HAST LOOT AND NONE OF US TOOK THE IMPROVED STEAL FEAT"

Tbh, I think the Succubus is already wrapped in the Druid. Someone go grab a hose. Or a Drench spell.

Tbh, I'm not seeing an issue? He's a Reincarnated Druid that wants to make the most out of the Many Lives feature. I mean, he's not going to be dying every session. After he reincarnates, he's going to be playing pretty cautiously for a week's in-game time, and that could be 1 sesh, or it could be 20 seshs.

If he's dying every sesh, then I would make the deaths comical and almost cartoonish. Wile E. Coyote stuff. Laugh and have fun with it :P

You can go to Google search and type in "roll 18d6" or "roll 20d10" and it will roll for you.