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Thought I'd chime in for the guy house ruling flaming setting stuff on fire. Divide energy damage by 2, unless the object in question is specifically vulnerable to it, then subtract hardness. Wood is hardness 5. Assuming you count ALL wood as vulnerable to fire, regardless of how dry it is, or if it is coated in anything, that is a 50/50 chance to do between 1 and 4 points of damage.

However, a shealth, coated in a fire retardent (or even just lined with metal in the interior) is not going to care about the 1d6 damage. At all. No matter how many times the GM secretly rolls the 6.

Moreover, however, given that saying a command word in conversation can trigger a command word object, and speaking is a free action, it is implied by that that activating without directing any active effect is not a standard action - otherwise a smart player will create lots of 500 gp command word items, keyed to common words, and carry them around. Stuff that just glows. An NPC they encounter says something and they risk burning a standard action just from speaking the command word accidentally.

You know, for when you want to use a GMs "rules are teh rules" dickiness against him.

Thanks so much for that! Mind you, that still leaves Mesmerist/Courtesan (the prestige class from Inner Sea Intrigue) a step ahead of the curb, because of insane bluff. But still, thanks so much for the assistance in finding this!

Hello there, welcome to "how to become a god"
Are you tired of your life as an adventurer? Taken one too many arrows to the knee? Do you think you could be a better god than those already present? Have you ever wanted to fight Asmodeus on equal footing? Well have I got a deal for you!

For the low, low cost of being a 20th level psychic and not selecting your 19th level phrenic amplification, you, too, can become a god! Note: it may constitute an evil act, it might not. It depends on if depriving an AI of godhood is evil.

First off, do not confront the 'final boss' in Iron Gods.
Secondly, when you hit level 19, do not select your phrenic amplification.

Now, you are 20th level, and have not yet dealt with the divinity drive. Find yourself a robot. Any robot (so long as it has 10HD or more). It does not matter which. Spend your 19th level phrenic amplification and select Psi-Tech discovery Artificial Ascension. Now, using your new ability and your robot, transfer your consciousness into that robot.

Now go defeat the final boss. Once he is out of the divinity drive you can upload your consciousness into it. The same way you would do it with a certain character from the adventure path. Now launch the shuttle. Congratulations. You are a god. Enjoy your new found godhood.

You know, one could write an article entitled Wizards: How to Play God. But for Psychics, it would be How To Be A God.

Ok, so two hypothetical situations.

You are a sorcerer who has readied an action to counterspell. You have an enemy. This enemy is already under the effects of invisibility and they cast a silent lightning bolt at you.

Can you identify it? If so, how? As I understand it, you need to be able to see or hear the spell as it is being cast, to be able to counter it.

And before you respond with your answer, consider the next hypothetical situation.

You are a sorcerer who has readied an action to counterspell. You see an enemy spellcaster (you think). Sitting on a chair 40 ft away is someone you don't know. He does not appear to be involved.

Can you identify his spell? If so, how?

Why did I not describe any special circumstances about his spell? Because he is a mesmerist, casting charm person. He has no verbal components. He has no somatic components. All he need do is focus intently.

Now, occult magic says identifying them works the same way, but how can you identify what you cannot see or hear? There is nothing, in any book, about sensing the magic forming. After all, that is why a blind wizard cannot identify a silent spell.

So could we get an actual dev to help here? How, exactly, does identifying a spell work? Not the mechanics of rolling the spell, but what triggers the chance to identify? Can everyone sense when magical energies are being used? Is that what you attempt to identify?

I'm not trying to be pedantic, or get something to hold over my GMs head (as I love psychic casters. They are far superior, in most ways). I want to know so I know how they work, both as one and for when I GM. If we encounter a psychic user, can I attempt to counter their spells? even though I cannot see or hear anything about the spell DURING casting?

Don't forget people, this is what I am talking about: identifying and possibly countering a spell, during the casting process, not dispelling an active spell, or identifying what it is after it has already been cast.

I don't get the arguing. It is pretty straightforward.

Sneak Attack is NOT Hidden Strike and Hidden Strike is NOT Sneak Attack.

Sneak Attack is Sneak Attack. The only conditions that let you Sneak Attack are catching someone flat-footed or flanking someone - unless you have funky modified things that are still called Sneak Attack, like the Strangler feat or being a Scout.

Hidden Strike is Hidden Strike. Hidden Strike's triggering conditions are the same as Sneak Attack, for dealing d4s, and the aforementioned unaware, thinking an ally or using Startling Appearance to trigger d8s.

Uncanny Dodge specifically says you cannot be caught flat-footed. Thats it. Nothing more. End of story.

Now, before people complain that it needs an errata or not RAI, let me remind you that they could have included the errata in Ultimate Intrigue. They did not. Case closed.

I really don't get the problem people have with being able to make 7 attacks, dealing 21d6+42d8 to a single target once per combat. It is perfectly fair... And to answer the obligatory how: Warlock Stalker.

I'm looking forward to the Technology element for the Kineticist... And wondering why they call it Absolom station and not Babylon station...

I call shenanigans on the "evolutionary" argument. There are animals with a few feet of vision at best. Solar navigation works fine with shadows, and there are lots of signs of bad weather other than looking at the sky.

Actually, no, it doesn't. They perceive their environment as if through darkvision. That means no shadows. Although I am curious as to what happens if you get an ability to extend their effective darkvision? Like being a void kineticist...

Also, just because a feat is situational doesn't mean it's underpowered or it should have a lower cost.

Ah, yes, it does, actually.

A feat that is only going to be beneficial 1/10th of the time is, strictly, underpowered compared to a feat that you can benefit from 9/10ths of the time. So to compensate, you either allow mulitple of the first type of feat to be gained, or you make it powerful enough that that 1/10th of the time really matters.

In a 3 tier system, a feat that lets you regenerate limbs would still be in a lower tier than a feat that doubles the amount of hit points you recover when you sleep. While the regenerating limbs is potentially powerful, how often are you seriously likely to lose a limb? Now compare that with how often you sleep and recover hit points...

Quote:

Characters with darkvision (dwarves and half-orcs) can see lit areas normally as well as dark areas within 60 feet. A creature can't hide within 60 feet of a character with darkvision unless it is invisible or has cover.

Unless they're completely hidden behind a wall or statue or something, anything with darkvision will instantly see the party whether they're stealthing or not.

There is also hide in plain sight, a sorcerer bloodline similar, and a feat chain that will let you stealth while being observed. Don't forget skill tricks for Stealth.

He is based on Nacor (Nacore?) from Raymond E. Feists work, and is a Rebirth Psychic of 101 years. Shouldn't be difficult to justify learning those languages.

I read on a post once that you can select Earth languages with linguistics? Is that true? What languages can one select?

Umm... How does this violate googles TOS? I just... I have no words... Stupid Google.

I know that empower spell doesn't work on that feature. I mean, for example, a crossblooded half-orc/draconic sorcerer. It also means that an empowered magic missile is 1d4+3 per missile, if having the half-orc bloodline.

Also, don't forget your free +2 int by being venerable. Just remember to cast, once per day (I think), the anti-aging spell. Or craft your own continuous item.

Dont forget empower spell increases the bonus to dice by half as well. So crossblooded sorcerer 1/wiz 19 empowered fireball deals 15d6+45, not 15d6+30.

Edit: better with scorching ray for single target. 18d6+54 if all rays hit.

So I am joining a pathfinder game. Paizo only stuff. I opted to make a Caligni Kineticist. We are only 5th at the moment. 20 point buy, I went 7/16/16/18/11/7. Final stats, after 4th level bonus and race ends up at:

Strength 7 (-2)
Dexterity 18 (+4)
Constitution 18 (+4)
Intelligence 13 (+1)
Wisdom 12 (+1)
Charisma 7 (-2)

No magic items are bought yet, but with WBL I retrained hit points to max, from average, for a grand total of 65 hit points.
For traits/drawbacks, I took Power-Hungry, Hedonistic and Pride as the character's personality is somewhat based on Freeza and Frost, mixed with a little Nacor (Raymond E. Fesit books). The traits are Defensive Strategist, outcast's Intuition, Awakend from Stasis, Indomitable Faith, Reactionary.

Instead of standard feats, I have taken the VMC route, picking Wizard (Divination) and have taken a sage hare familiar, named Brain. 5 of his ranks, thusfar, have been spent on Linguistis to learn 5 languages. The other 5 will go into Spellcraft. My chosen element with my class is Aether. I will go Void at 7th, picking up gravity blast. This will neet me both boosts, allowing my TK blast to be 4d8+8, and thanks to a recent discovery, when empowered it becomes 6d8+18.

This is because empower also increases by 50%, any bonus numbers added to the dice. so if you normally get +2 per dice of damage (such as with an orc/dragon sorcerer casting burning hands), that becomes +3 per dice, in addition to the extra dice.

My chosen talents so far are TK Finesse and TK Haul, plus Extended Range and Bowling Infusion. For feats, I have gone with Expertise and Improved Steal. Next level I pick up TK invisibility.

What do people think? Can I get thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

What I found confusing was the 1/4 damage part. So at 16th level, say, if you do not use negative blast, it deals only 1/4 of 8d6+8+con mod. Now, given reflex save is half damage, I assume it works the same as with other spells. You roll the full 8d6 damage and divide by 4. Then if they make their save divide by another 2. And yet it is only half damage for negative blast (negative energy, which lacks any sort of ER, usually). It is also funny that a void blast is 1/4, not 1/2. Am I misunderstanding how the damage works? It comes online at level 8, and is 3 burn. Not inconsequential. Did the devs even bother to do the maths? Or even just compare it to other AoE effects? Eruption (which comes online 2 levels earlier) is full damage with fire or half with physical. Explosion is full damage, as is the burning hands talent.

On a side note: Would you mind explaining how Singularity works? I know it is something Paizo, not something your own, but it never really made sense to me.

This is what I was thinking of with fire: http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11113/111136535/3990753-dragon -ball-z-battle-of-z-cards-guide.gif

I haven't read through viscera. I love the feat! The one problem I have with light is that most of its utilities seem hologram-based, at least from what I remember. I really only skimmed it. I dislike the layout of the books. I wish that all the talents had of been listed by element, instead of alphabetically.

EDIT: Any chance of getting the books updated so that the pdf bookmarks list the elements in brackets next to the name of each talent? So basically, the pdf bookmarks would read: wild talent name (element, element)?

I bought them on Drivethru. Should I review them there?

Hey! Thanks for the reply. I love your stuff Jolly!

Yea, I am going to propose the avatar archetype, using different elements (It is a toss up between air and light due to the composite blasts. Air wins hands down for utility), but have a backup character in mind: dedicated aether kineticist. Because throwing allies and enemies, or 1000lb/level objects is fun! particularly if we encounter a witch and there is a convenient house near by...

I was wondering if anyone knows of a 3 element version of the Fusion Kineticist archetype from Kineticists Of Porphyra II?

I am looking to build a character inspired, somewhat, by Beerus and Whis. The elements I will NEED are Fire, Time and Void. Void is needed for breathlessness and (if I remember correctly) void based flight, which is essentially nullifying gravity.
Time has some useful utlities, but is mostly for it's defence. Fire is for the kinetic blast, to produce the massive blast we see in Battle of Gods.

Just a heads up, the undead supplement is done: http://dreamscarred.com/product/monster-classes-undead/

Jeff, how similar is the Succubus to the Erinyes? Could one create a Erinyes, and swap the class features with the Succubus after release, with minimal changes?

Any chance we could get a teaser with the red dragon... I ask because I am creating a dragon for Skull and Shackles, and atm am using dragon companion handbook, but... there is much I dislike about it (for one, it sits behind the paladin in actual power, and many of the active abilities draw on uses of breath weapon, which is 1/day without feats, and each feat you take is +2 uses)

Any chance we can get a list of what monsters will be included Mr. Swank? Maybe getting a dragon next?

I have spheres of power. I think it is a great system, but it isn't what I hoped it would be. I hoped it would be like Mage: The Awakenings magic system: that is, where you can do ANYTHING you want within your spheres of magic, based on what power level you have attained. Having been watching The Magicians, it would be nice to see that sort of magic!

I am so excited for this to be finished!

Far from scary, I would say. Considering the cheese that can be done with standard races. High RP does not neccessarily mean powerful. It could just mean versatile. Or it could be because of choices that add little to overall power.

Some simple abuses: 2RP is at will mage armor and shield. Nice for 2RP. Or is it 4RP... Either way. Also nice are the two undead resistance traits. DR5/Slashing AND Bludgeoning. I think the only thing that could overcome it is an earth Kineticist. OR at low level the DR10/magic. Even at 10th, we have encountered only a handful of creatures with magic weapons.

The attributes could easily be changed to +2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Wis. Given I am basing it more on the first movie Mewtwo (which I guess makes a huge difference), I could drop the speed back down as well. This cuts it down to 19 rp, which would put it in line with Androids and Kasatha.

What you can't seem to understand is that some groups prefer the story-time way of playing the game. They don't care about the mechanics, the GM works that part out.

Your way is fun for you, it is arrogant to say that it is the best or only way to play Pathfinder.

It is also insulting to say the way someone GM's a game is 'horrible' just because you play a particular way. Chances are I wouldn't like how you run your games, but I wouldn't insult you by saying that you are doing it wrong.

I had to chime in. And what you do not seem to understand is that those groups should NOT be playing Pathfinder. That is not what the system is for.

Any group that wants "Storytime" should play cWoD/nWoD/CoD, Fate, or some other system that is specifically designed to be a focus on story. Pathfinder is designed to function as it does. Adjusting DCs because specialists make them easy defeats the purpose of using the system. Although, do keep in mind, the entire system is designed around PF 15 point buy. (NOTE: assumption, based on doing some of the maths)

THE ARG's race building rules are far from balanced, though. I remember reading a post where someone quoted a developer who supposedly said that they were designed with humans at 10rp, and everything else had to fit around that.

A half-construct race is a group of creatures that are artificially enhanced or have parts replaced by constructed mechanisms, be they magical or mechanical. Half construct makes sense for what Mewtwo actually is.

As far as 'insanely overpowered' goes, if you mean having more than a human, sure. But if you talk about what it actually does:

Attributes: good, bat far from 'insanely overpowered'.

Fast land speed, but that is situationally useful. Most powerful with a spring attack build, but not what I will be using.

Barrier field, basically an at will blast barrier, reduced in damage output for slightly more versatility. Don't forget it is concentration to maintain, and blocks line of effect, so I cannot quicken attack through it.

Perceptive and intimidating are useful, but again far from overpowered.

Voiceless, is more flavour than anything, since it functions identically to vocal communication. It is simply beneficial in areas of silence, and otherwise is a continuous comprehend languages for spoken word only.

And we are 10th level, almost 11th, so there is somewhat more flexibility in regard to power level. But the whole reason for posting here was to seek help with the character idea.

Based on what above people have done, I made my own attempt, using them as inspiration. What do people think?

Mewtwo [29]

Ability Score Racial Traits: +2 to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, +4 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom. [4]
Size: Medium
Type: Humanoid (Half-Construct) [7]
Base Speed: 60 feet [6]

Defence Racial Traits
Barrier Field (Sp): As an immediate action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, Mewtwo may errect a barrier field. This is a spherical, translucent barrier of pure psychic energy that protects Mewtwo from harm. This barrier provides Mewtwo with total cover. Maintaining the psychic energy requires concentration, and if errected in response to an offensive action requires a concentration check as if casting a spell defensively to establish the barrier. The barrier blocks line of effect, but not line of sight, and while active all creatures receive a +10 bonus to perception to spot Mewtwo. The barrier has an AC of 9, hardness 0, and 5 hit points per level. When the barrier reaches 0 hit points, all creatures in a 5 foot radius around Mewtwo are knocked prone by the psychic energies destabilising. [6 - priced as at will blast barrier]

Feat And Skill
Perceptive: Mewtwo is inherently perceptive of what is within the area. Mewtwo has a +2 racial bonus to Perception. [2]
Intimidating: Mewtwo's radiant psychic energy bolsters the ability to intimidate. Mewtwo has a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate. [2]

Senses
Thoughtsense: Mewtwo possess thoughtsense, as per the monster ability, except that it functions as blindsense with a range of 30 feet. Should Mewtwo gain blindsense with a greater range or blindsight with a range equal to or greater than 30 feet, they instead alter the range and function of Thoughtsense. [4]

Weakness Racial Traits
Radiant: Mewtwo's overwhelming, limitless psychic potential cause it to glow to all detect spells. Anyone using a detect spell treats their detection as if it was detect magic, with mewtwo being of all schools of magic. This otherwise functions like a Cleric's alignment aura. [-1]
Paranoid: Mewtwo is incredibly distrustful of others, and takes a -4 penalty to sense motive. [-1]
Negative Energy Vulnerability: Mewtwo is more suseptable to the effects of negative energy and takes 50% more damage. [-2]

Other
Voiceless: Mewtwo is unable to speak. Mewtwo's innate psychic power enables it to understand any spoken language, as well as communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language. This telepathic communication otherwise functions exactly as spoken word. This means that communicating with someone some distance from Mewtwo would function as if Mewtwo was shouting. This telepathic communication allows for the fulfillment of verbal components. [2]

Second Mewtwo was moving fast during flight, though. Besides, I know complete replication isn't possible for obvious reasons, but just something that looks and feels appropriate, knowing that some of what is Mewtwo will come from the class.

Well, for starters, I don't know that he is fast. Mewtwo in the anime we never see as moving fast when walking. The flight can also be handled with self telekinesis.

He clearly is tough, so I would go, perhaps, +2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Wis and a DR. GM also prefers keeping characters to Humanoid, so the humanoid line spells work on them.

I was wondering if someone could knock together a Mewtwo race. I am making an Aetherkineticist as backup character for a PF Curse of Crimson Throne, and seen an image of Mewtwo using Psychic on Ash, and thought that would be fun!

Can people please stop saying Atheists believe xxx. It is not true. Atheists DO NOT BELIEVE. There is a fundamental different between believing in a lack of something and not believing in the existence of something.

Now, you could have a Cleric of Atheism. It would be a cleric who does not believe there are gods, and instead believes that the powers clerics have comes from their own personal belief, rather than from an actual entity. Funny thing is, his (or her) divine powers act as all the proof said cleric needs that the gods do not exist. That their way of thinking of the universe is correct.

Haven't read. Just wanted to say that I love your opening. Nothing wrong with more Kineticist archetypes. It is my favourite class. Kinda sucky they went with burn over a resource pool though. Good flavour, terrible mechanic. Only real use is keeping you alive from a tpk, in most situations. Will read later.

Spheres of Power changes the disparity by requiring the casters to spend a feat-like resource to gain their powers. Casters can gain high-level tricks, but they won't necessarily gain quite as many which cuts down on the Swiss Army Knife effect and makes classes with other skills much more useful to have around.

Not only that, but with a much more restricted pool of points. Sure you have at will TK, but to use if offensively you need to spend a point. Sure you have at will weather control, but it is fairly limited. Sure, you have at will damage dealing 1/2 level in d6s, but so does the kineticist, and theirs hurts more. Moreover, at 20th it is only 10d6, averaging 30 points of damage a round.

A 20th level martial is going to be laughing at you, doesn't matter if he is a(n unchained) rogue, a(n unchained) monk, barbarian, archer, TWF fighter or even a vital striker.

One thing I have found, as a theorycrafter, that helps reduce the disparity is actually playing the game as it was designed to be played - 15 (or at most 20) point buy. Everything in the game, AC, saves, DCs, everything was designed around 15 point buy (or 20 in PFS). This isn't the only thing though: the game was designed for cities and towns to have an obvious (and fairly low) limit on what magic items can be bought, or sold. This also helps reduce spellcaster power, as it helps restrict what scrolls, wands, rods and other spell enhancing items can be bought.
It was also designed for there to be a specific number of CR appropriate encounters. That is 4 per day, with each draining roughly 1/4 of ALL consumable resources. But keep in mind not all encounters are equal. Every time you give them less fights than that, you make the spellcaster seem stronger.

Of course, if your spellcaster does nothing but sit on 0th and 1st level spells, and self-crafted wands, until the boss fight, adapt. Give the big bad a counter-spell companion, and watch your spellcaster crumble.

Also, adapt to things. Don't like invsibility? don't forget that dust, snow, flour and glitterdust screw over invisible creatures. Yes, even dust.
Don't like fly? Either ban it, or learn to actually use the fly rules and adapt to the fact that the spellcaster made a crappy choice by not using spider climb (if in combat in often many situations).

While there is disparity in the sense of a can do stuff b can't do, that seems cooler than the stuff b can do that a cannot do, the 'game unbalancing' disparity is at fault of the GM not using the system as it was designed, mostly.

It is why I prefer Chronicles Of Darkness. Far better system, hands down, in every mechanical aspect.

Dragonball Z reference.

I am looking for expanded information on (or even how other GMs have handled it) weather effects, such as what might occur from control weather or the weather talent in Spheres of Power.

Things in particular I am interest in is how much water falls from rains of various degrees, likewise snow. The main reason is for how long it takes for things to happen, such as a building (or a dungeon) to flood from a downpour.

Call it Positive energy damage instead of light, like how void has negative energy damage. Also stipulate that because it is such raw and powerful positive energy, it does not heal, it only hurts.

The plane of positive energy can actually harm you, if you are far enough into it, so it fits well.

I like this, but perhaps it should be memories equal to 3+level, you can only memories the spell-like abilities or supernatural abilities of creatures with HD equal to or lower than your class level, and you can only memories a spell with a spell level equal to half your class level.

This way, you get a total of 23 possible abilities you can use, though you still have the limited pool, but you cant go learning insanely powerful abilities until other party members already have insanely powerful abilities.

Or perhaps make it a number of memories equal to half class level. 5 at 10th level is still good.

Maybe add in some sort of table to roll on for creating a character above 1st level, for what abilities are memories already.

there is a monk archetype for kineticists. They automatically get a kaio-ken esque ability.

@Mark Hoover

Let me tell you what a player told me once I asked him why he took so many combat feats: "Because it all boils down to combat". I personally like combat as a GM, but I like it in a golden middle, not too much of it, not too little. Even after I specifically declared to my players that they may build any characters they wish to, they still built them for combat exclusively and took exclusively combat feats. I was and still am slightly disappointed with it, but it was their choice so I complied and moved on. My advice, let him take what he wants, but if he starts to complain about it, explain him politely what your campaign is about.

Have not read entire thread, there is alot here, and 4.51am for me. Ultimately, the problem is that the system is designed around players having stats similar to the elite array. DCs become super easy to meet when players have 18s and 16s. Give yourself even all 14s in a stat, and see how easy it is to make DCs in any class skill, therefore why bother with non-combat feats? any non-combat non-skill increase feat is often going to be not entirely useful, or entirely useless in a party that contains a wizard and a cleric. While it is true there are feats that are situationally very useful, such as any and all swim related feats for a skull and shackles campaign.

Although be glad he opted for combat feats and not for a diplomacy build. Because a human starting at 20 Cha with all the diplo boosting feats, as a rogue (or similar) with the diplomacy skill unlock can shut many combats down entirely, or even break campaigns entirely.

What options, if any, will exist for the Kineticist? Are we going to see VMC options for the occult classes in this?

Personally, I am looking forward to the weapon design rules.

what are the utility talents like, overall?

Also, any chance we can get a mystic theurge style prestige class for kineticist? or an official ruling on how they function with +1 level spellcasting. I am thinking of a kineticist/rogue/arcane trickster.

what do you think of the new types? interesting?

I am waiting for my subscription to be posted so I can get my complimentary pdf. It is the only reason I resubbed. Does this book actually contain the additional options for kineticist that are mentioned in the blog?

Specifically I am talking about