SimonML's page

So... Weird words.

I think to recall that it worked as a ray... And I found here that Arcane strike worked with rays:
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2nttl?Arcane-Strike-to-Rays#1

Does that mean that arcane strike applies to weird words too?

A player of mine posed me this conundrum; she likes playing her bard but feel inadequate as she does not feel like she is dealing enough damage...

I know, damage is not what a bard is about but...

Any of you would have any suggestions? Oh; and she would really like to keep bardic knowledge, so that restricts the choice of archetypes a fair bit... fire dance maybe?
At this point, I am thinking that the most efficient choice would be to dip into another class, maybe a summoner, or maybe a prestige class like the arcane archer... or the dragon diciple, selecting a gold or red dragon could harmonize with the bonus from fire dancer?

What would you guys suggest?

The field agent (from Pathfinder society primer) can take sneak attack has an advance training.

There is no mention about taking this particular training multiple time, so; based on the description of the class; the player could not take it more than once.
So, it is a flat 1d6 that can't be improved? That's what the rules tend to suggest but it seems strange to me that there is no way to scale it up...

Same thing with the great casting, actually. The character can only improve his spells once?

So, the lance deals double-damage when used "from the back of a charging mount".

Do you know if there other weapons that have that advantage? I suppose it is more of a jousting lance and that's the reason why this bonus does not apply to, for example, a longspear... or any other bracing weapon...

It just always struck me as a bit strange and I was wondering if others felt the same...

Here is an item I designed... What do you guys think?

HEADBAND OF THE TRICKSTER GNOME

Slot headband; Weight 1 lb.
Price 4,800 GP
Aura moderate illusion; CL 4th
Spellcraft DC= 19 to identify.

DESCRIPTION
Embedded inside this delicated woven silver headband is a wide onyx band. Standing against the band are mid-relief of rotund gnomes frozen in the middle of various activities: running, fighting with sword and shield…
As a quick action, the wearer of the headband can, three times a day, generate an illusionary sound in any spot within his sight not distant of more than 35ft.
At the time of activation, the wearer can choose that sound to be that of an almost-intelligible conversation (this conversation is in fact gibberish and it is impossible to convey intelligible meaning using that item), of rapidly receding footsteps, of a warrior fighting or of hilarious bodily noises.
After casting, the wearer of the headband can displace the origin of the sound as a move action. However, it can never be more than 35ft away from the headband. The sound last until dismissed by the wearer, until the headband is used again or against the newt dusk at which point the number of use per day resets.
Creatures subjected to this illusion can disbelieve it if they succeed on a will save at DC=15. A creature that fails this save is taken by the illusion and is distracted. For example, the illusionary sound of a warrior on the other side of a fighter might cause him to watch his back for an invisible foe. In effect, this would distract him and grant combat advantage in the same fashion than if he truly was flanked by a real opponent.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Craft Wondrous Item; Ghost Sound; Threatening Illusion; Cost 2,400 GP.
 

So, basically, I am designing a magical harp for the part's bard. He lacks any ranks in musical skills so we agreed that it would be fun for him to have a harp that plays itself... and can give a Bonus to perform (basically, he just holds it and pretend to be playing, requiring a bluff check, opposed by either the sense motive or perform skill of the person on the other side...).

So, the +5 Bonus to perform is easy. it cost 5² x 100 = 2500GP.

The self-playing part seems to call for a "ghost Sound" spell, as written, it would seems like it would cost 0.5 X 1 x 2000 = 1000GP.

Multiplied by 1.5, that'd make a 4000GP items.

I would also judge that the harp can only "hold" a certain number of tune, let's say half a dozen, and that tunes can be erased to make room for new ones. "Loading" such a tune into the harp would require played on the harp by somebody that has at least a +5 skill modifier to his perform skill.

Now, I ma thinking that the items might be more interesting in use if you can put it on the ground and it Plays by itself... But, based on the description of the spell, it seems like the harp could only Play for a round...
Casting a permanency spell, however, seems prohibitively expensive, at least if you account for the caster Level and the Level of the spell itself...
Or is it just 2500GP on top of the regular spell casting? That'd actually be more reasonable: 1000 + 2500 = 3500GP.
With the cost of the skill upgrade being 2500 x 1.5= 3750 for a total of 7250GP for the item...

Is there something I do not understand?

Ps- As usual, the goal of my question is as much for me to clarify and improve my understanding of the rules than to have a simple answer, so if you could explain your answers as much as possible, that'd be much appreciated...

The rapier of puncturing (page 159 of "Ultimate Equipment") is a really nifty weapon and I have been looking at it to try to understand the design behind the magic weapons a bit before.

Basically it is a +2 rapier that not only has the wounding quality, but also can deal 1d6 points of constitution damage three times a day.
The weapon costs 50320 GP.

Ok, so the 320 GP are easilly accounted for, this is the price of a masterwork rapier.

Then, the wounding ability is a +2 enhancement, so the rapier is the equivalent of a +4 weapon (I guess, it means it deals 4 points of bleeding damage? Nasty...).
As per the book, this +4 enhancement costs 32000 GP.

That means that a +2 wounding rapier would cost 320+32000 =32320GP.

So, the nifty 1d6 con damage three times a day will costs 18000 GP.
Which suggests that, having such an object works every attacks (quite certainly overpowered, I think) would costs (18000X5)/3= 30 000 GP.

Now, I believe that adding a secondary ability on an object increases its prices by 1.5 which suggests that the price of the spell, by itself, would be 20 000 GP.

A use activated spell costs 2000 X Spell level X Caster level so that suggests that the spell level X Caster level is 10.
That does not really add up, right? Maybe a second level spell as at a 5th level caster? Weird.

If I am wrong about the 1.5 the cost bit, that makes the caster level X spell level = 15 which makes much more sense. It is a third level spell cast by a 5 level mage as soon as he gets it, makes perfect sense.

Now, I can't find any spell that deals 1d6 points of constitution damage... The weapon description mentions the spell "harm" that deals the usual hit points damage and... is a 6th level spell... So, could never produce a SLXCL value of 15, let alone 10...

Now, I understand that these discrepancies could be there simply for balance and flavor reasons and that the formula does not really apply.

But it makes me wonder if it is the case or I am just really misunderstanding the math behind such complex weapons... so if anybody more knowledgeable than me could fix my misunderstandings, I would be most grateful...

So, once again, I am working on designing magic items tailored for my party.
Currently, it is the barbarian I am working on.

One idea I had was to give a "helm of the Komodo dragon" (or some such name).
Basically, it lets the person wearing it use "Acid Splash" 3 times a day.
I evaluate the cost of such item to (0.5 x 1800 x3)/5 = 540gp.
I decided to move away from making the casting last a standard action and instead make it a move action. It, also, does not provoke an attack of opportunity. To compensate for it, I rose the price of the item to 600gp and decided that it could only be used during a rage.

So, I'd like to know if people agree with my pricing or have any suggestion to improve the item.
Also, I went for acid splash for flavor, but I would have loved an area effect spell. Problem is that I can't think of any at level 0 or 1... If you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it.

Another idea I had was simply to give him an item that grants extra round for his rage but, once again, I could not find any on have no idea as to how to even start pricing such item.
In fact, I have no idea as how to price item that mimick class features or feats. I suspect it is not in the rules because such thing vary so much and would have to be evaluated on a case by case basis...

Anyway, thanks for any help you guys could bring to it, I always prefer to have the opinion of more experimented DM before twicking the mechanics...

So, now that the bard left the group, my party finds itself without a healer. Between magical potions, I decided to throw a wand of minor healing at them.
The problem is that the DC to activate such wand is really high (20) and that, so far, they have not managed to activate it a single time...

They have also found a magical ring (initially, a ring of spell knowledge I had put there for the bard) but have not so far identified it.
I am thinking about swapping it for a ring of "Use Magical Device" (+5 bonus on the skill and cost 2500GP).
I am also planning on ruling that it provides the bonus to an existing skill but do not provide training in said skill. So, an untrained PC could not just pick up the ring and hope to roll high... (the drawback is that I am earmarking the ring for the rogue, but I can live with that).

Anyway, I think my pricing is correct, but I'd like you guys' opinion.
Do you think it is a good idea? Or is that particular item left out of the official list for a reason?

So, a player of mine is rather adamant about using two bastard swords for her two handed fighter.
It is a bit strange and certainly not optimal but, he, if that's the way she wants to roll...

Now, I was wondering about designing a magic weapon to go with it.
Basically, my idea was, what I call, a shard sword. Essentially, somebody pierced a hole into the fabric of reality and stuck it at the end of a sword hilt. So, the blade is a shard of utter darkness and void.
And, of course, because it is made out of nothingness, it is weightless and treated as a light weapon (I would also probably make it "Keen" and replace its vulnerability to sunder by one to dispelling magic). But, what do you think this enhancement would be worth?

I am thinking about making it a +1 enhancement bonus. After all, the main effect is that the weapon deals 1d10 instead of the 1d6 she'd be dealing with a short sword, so it's effectively a +2 bonus to damage rolls, in average and that's not better than the +3.5 she would get from a flaming sword which is also a +1 enhancement...

Do you guys agree?