Skarm's page

Thank you for the clarifications! :)
Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering:

For purpose of Share Spells, using a wand or a scroll on them would count as "casting" the spell on them for purpose of the "you" harmless spells and the "ignore the type" effects of this ability?

Thanks,
Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering if Rhamphorhynchus, having an "avian" body type, would count as biped or quadruped for purpose of carrying loads:

From this picture, I'd assume quadruped:

https://www.newdinosaurs.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1564_rhamphorhynchu s_ariel.jpg

...but in theory they have only 2 wings (and 4 "legs")!

What do you think is proper?

Thanks,
Skarm

Hi all,
A familiar too small to have reach can aid another in combat without risking an attack of opportunity?
Skarm

Also, your character’s name for reporting is locked after 10 posts with it, but that’s not a big deal in face to face gaming or onlive gaming and easy work around in PBP.

But that is only if I used that name for posts, right?

Hi all,
I was wondering how works the 1st level Rebuild:

While I have read the manual, I still don't understand how it works:

Can I change my character *completely*...including name, gender, race, etc...?

Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering:

If a Spellscar Drifter multiclassed into a Gunslinger, would he still be able to have his Grit pool from Charisma?

Thanks,
Skarm

No. Poison is an alchemical item with a cost, you can't just collect it wild and slap it on a weapon and go to town. You have to thicken it, add preservatives, etc.

The long fairwell a guide to poisons might be able to help you. I don't do poisons myself so I'm not sure if its good or brings it up to viable.

Well...in theory the additional resources state that the poison harvesting rules for Ultimate Wilderness are valid:

"The harvesting poison subsystem is legal for play, but a PC cannot use this subsystem to preserve poisons or create antivenom; all harvested poisons lose their potency by the end of the adventure."

...which is why I was asking...
Skarm

Hi all,

The FAQ states one can retrain a familiar's skills at the same price as if he was retraining himself...but the familiar has only its racial skill ranks or the skill ranks granted by its owner:

Would this allow it to retrain a skill rank to a different skill (i.e., fly)?

Thanks,
Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering:

If a character was of level 6 or more, in theory, would be possible to buy an Emperor Cobra and milked poison last for the duration of the adventure.

So...would be possible to keep the cobra at one's base and use it just to get its 4 daily doses of poison for a single adventure (assuming that this animal stays within the active pet + mount + passive pet limit)?

Thanks,
Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering:

The poisoned locket from Potions and Poisons:

"This heart-shaped locket is attached to a thin metal chain made of looped strands of gold or silver. Inside the locket is a small, spring-loaded vial that can hold a single dose of powdered poison. Loading the locket with poison carries the same risks as applying poison to a weapon. When the locket is opened, the vial is shattered by a ball bearing, releasing the powder into the air and treating the poison’s type as if it were inhaled. The airborne poison affects all creatures within 10 feet of the locket."

Since "loading the locket with poison carries the same risks as applying poison to a weapon" I'd assume the poison is used up, but the locket would be reusable, else I don't understand why wouldn't be "pre-loaded"...what do you think?

I also was wondering because this tool is kind of expensive...

Also I was wondering:

Do you think a familiar with Intelligence 6 and claws would be able to open it?

I was asking because a flying familiar with a Gamboge cracked ioun stone attuned to that specific poison might be an interesting "carrier" for
such item...but if the locket wasn't reusable this and the cost of the poison would make this tactic prohibitive...

Skarm

Within this book, Paizo introduced a lot of very nice, but badly implemented ideas:

The "Mastering the Wild" chapter is full of amazing ideas...

...foraging and salvaging...harvesting poisons...crafting trophies...

...all ideas that have been already tentatively proposed in other supplements, like in the Monster Hunter Handbook or the Dragonslayer Handbook...in fact the idea of using monster body parts to spend less on magic item creation has been proposed over and over by Paizo authors, but never in a coherent way and never in a non-splat-book (which are always sort of self-contained half-forgotten material) format...

...with Ultimate Wilderness we saw such attempt, but Paizo left a lot of holes into it:

With the excuse of providing "explanations" (valid for Pathfinder Society only) on Rule Clarifications, they literally stopped to "patch up" half-baked rules in the FAQ and excluding a rule from PFS seems a easy way to not address the fact that Paizo is releasing more and more material with half-baked unpolished rules...

On top of it Paizo seems to be abusing its "rule clarification" and "rule adjustment" authority to nerf old material and provide for itself and easy, very un-creative and not correct way of making "new" material:

Un-nerfing old material through additional options in new paid resources.

On top of it within the splat-book there is the ever-increasing tendency of putting silly "special class only" or "special race only" or by abusing the archetype stacking rules to make archetype impossible to combine that is something that has an action-figure-like approach that not even action figures had in them:

Feats, archetypes, etc... cannot be combined...are supposed to work only with that splat-book material...and splat-book never get any serious rule clarification, apart from the whatever PFS-legal material included in it (and most half-cooked rules, talents, etc... get simply removed from PFS material to avoid saying a word about them)...

I am under the impression that lack of clarification on the "Mastering the Wild" chapter of an hardcover book shows that Paizo has become a much less serious and player-oriented ("enthusiasts'") publishing company and more a grey money-focused company who only cares about "fire and forgetting" books:

While an ideal approach would suggest to not have "orphan" materials like splat books who never get an explanation for brilliant but half-done rules, the hard cover materials should be at least paid enough attention to get an in-deep treatment of the most half-baked rules within them...would have been nice to understand how the Ultimate Wilderness rules about harvesting monster parts could have been "interlocked" with previous splat-books material...but no...

Paizo merely seems to launch new lines...new editions...while leaving a lot of the stuff they do half-done and half-baked...

...even the fact that they turned Archives of Nethys into the SRD source....while AoN is a very good and well-done source, it shows us that Paizo is "cutting" anything who doesn't make "quick cash":

The SRD...the FAQs...have always received a very limited and delayed treatment...the SRD have been "to be updated" since ages...and the SRD update was supposed to come with a lot of rule clarifications, not just focused on PFS...but with this move that long-repeated promise is "gone"...

I frankly think would be nice if Paizo started providing a serious (and not PFS-only) rule clarification on its books, else frankly they seem to be taking the old TSR-path: A myriad of "fire-and-forget" incoherent and unsupported books just to make "quick cash" and forget about them.

I don't think TSR's path is a good path for a publishing company to take, considering how TSR ended up!

Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering:

If I had the Sharding property on an Amulet of Mighty Fists, my unarmed and natural attacks could be performed at distance and "uses the same proficiency and otherwise functions the same as the original weapon"...

...and...

...unarmed attacks could be used instead of melee touch attacks...

...so...

...if I use a Wand of Touch Injection...

...would I be able to deliver poison with an increment of 10 feet range and an unarmed attack *ignoring* the poison onset?

I was thinking about it since well...seems a pretty expensive "setup to make", but with the right poison it could "pay off"...

So I was wondering:

Could be done?

I mean...by RAW? ...by RAI??

Skarm

Obviously no guide specify that because it is pretty obvious:

YES.

You can only apply an infusion to the kinetic blasts listed in the infusion description.

Sometimes Pathfinder (and especially PFS more restrictive rulings) feels a bit silly with its restrictions on what can or cannot be done...sometimes the attempt of giving a "pseudo-univocal ruling" or "pseudo-balancing" lead to all kind of silly restrictions and interpretations that simply ruin the fun.

( Think just about the Unchained Rogue "restrictive" talent list ruling: UR is meant to be stronger than the "base" Rogue, because the base Rogue proven itself "weaker" than other classes. Attempts to "balance" them are pretty silly and non-sensical: One is *meant* to be stronger than the other as the other is not on par with other classes. Then they came out with a pseudo-balancing by limiting the talents can be acquired for it, which make all kind of interesting "builds" unfeasible...and in my opinion often that is also because of the "sloppy" way in which the rulings are applied [i.e., strangely Paizo only writes in clear terms that hardcover rogue talent are available for UR, while splat-book material gets ignored...which in my opinion is just a "sloppy" ruling].)

However what is written in this case seems to me pretty obvious:

If the blast is written, you can use the infusion with it. If the blast is not written, you cannot.

Apart from that you can "house rule"...
Skarm

As the spell is not strictly a touch spell, one can argue that you're not holding the charge, and so regular rules would apply - you can have several "sacs" at once. This is basically reasonable for 3rd level spell...

However - some things are undefined.

While poison typically comes in 1 dose vials, what if you had multiple doses in one? Does this mean that every dose available (within some reasonable limit) was in 1 sac?

While you may choose to deliver it with a touch attack, can you release EVERY sac at once in a single attack?

I believe the rules are vague enough that this is largely house ruling and opinion, and I've already got the official GM's ruling, so no need to suggest asking the GM. This is a thought experiment for those who haven't yet done so.

Since when delivering the potion, the potion is the thing doing the damage, not the injection (and thus the attack), should sneak dice be applied when applicable?

Touch Injection makes no reference to "vials" only to "poison" and ingested poison (but not contact) could be stacked...so...yes...if you hold more poison, you'd inject more poison.

I think you can only deliver poison from a single sac, since you are releasing what was created by a single spell.

Sneak attack dice aren't applied as it is a melee touch attack which usually doesn't cause damage by itself. Striking as unharmed attack would work, but would change it and no longer be a touch attack...
Skarm

Wow!!

I never considered that the firework was powder too!! :O

Yes...my plan was to infuse some alchemical weapons and use them for direct hits...my guess was that the 1st strike would get the effect...

...but still having a melee touch weapon dealing 1d8 + 1d6 (assuming no min-max and no hybridisation funnel) is quite good...especially if you go with a sneak attack!!
Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering a thing about the Grenadier Alchemical Weapon ability:

Would be possible to use this ability to "infuse" a bottle lighting (or another "single strike" alchemical weapon) with another alchemical weapon effect?

The bottle lightning is a weapon, while alchemical...and I cannot be infused in a weapon as it is not a liquid or a powder, but seems reasonable that it might be infused...

...what do you think?

And...what about flame fountain firework?

Would be possible to infuse it to deal more damage as melee touch attack?

In your opinion what are other interesting "infusions" that could be combined with the Alchemical Weapon ability??

Would be possible to infuse a specific ammunition inside a repeating crossbow case...or a loaded crossbow bolt??

Thanks,
Skarm

"Investigators, rogues (including unchained roguesPU), and slayers can select this feat in place of an investigator talent, a rogue talent, or a slayer talent, respectively, if they meet the prerequisites."

I was wondering:

A ninja is, in fact, an alternate class for the rogue (as the unchained rogue)...could the ninja get this feat as rogue talent?

Thanks,
Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering:

Endless Bandolier is listed as:

"...look like they can hold twenty alchemical cartridges (ammunition for a firearm, see Ultimate Combat), but due to a subtle bending of space can actually hold up to 60 cartridges..."

...and...

"...The four small pockets can each hold a one-handed firearm, 1 pound of ammunition, a powder horn, or a similarly sized object. The two large pockets are large enough to hold a two-handed firearm or a similarly sized object..."

I was wondering if the Endless Bandolier could be used to carry alchemical items to use by an Underground Chemist (who can draw them as a weapon)...

...alternatively...since an Efficient Quiver could carry up to 18 items of the "same general size and shape as a javelin" and most flasks weight around 1-2 lbs...

...could be reasonable to take an Efficient Quiver to carry around those alchemical items?

Also I have to admit:

I really don't understand the rule for "drawing a weapon":

If a weapon or an ammunition (i.e., shuriken) is kept in a bandolier (which usually require a move action to retrieve a normal item) or in a Handy Haversack (which usually requires a move action)...would it be drawn according to the "drawing a weapon" rules?

Because else I seriously wonder *where* those poor adventurers are actually carrying their weapons:

The typical image is to have a warrior with weapons carried in scabbards and sheaths hanging from their belt or from a bandolier...or stuck in loops of the bandolier...but bandolier lists "move action" to draw an item!

Does this means that the container could be the same, but a weapon is treated as a special item for purpose of drawing?

Thanks,
Skarm

Hi all,
Most poisons seem to be standardized...come in vials, etc...but a few differ from this and one of them is the Chelish Deathapple:

"Weight 1/2 lb.

This poison is culled from specially bred thornapples, and is often administered on the skin of an apple itself. It is typically employed to fake the deaths of dissidents so their disappearances don’t attract attention. Creatures in the deathlike trance this poison causes are unconscious and can’t be woken by mundane means; a successful DC 25 Heal check is required to realize the victim is alive. The victim can be shaken from this trance with any magical healing (including lesser restoration, as appropriate)."

If one does not consider the onset of 1 minute, it is a quite interesting KO poison if changed to a more versatile delivery type (contact, injury or inhalant)...

...but I was wondering:

The actual weight could be changed?

The 1/2 lb. is obviously because "it is often administered on the skin of an apple itself"...but my point is if the poison could be converted (also back to ingested) in order to have the usual (vial) format...is it possible?

I was also thinking about turning it into contact poison and then use it through vector ink by sending it as a parchment to the enemies... XD

Also I was wondering how this might be managed in a PFS context...since this 1/2 lb. weight for a poison is simply an anomaly (in my opinion was an example of bad design, since the apple could be the 'typical delivery method'...which is nice, but is fluff!)...
Skarm

If you want to make your own traps, you're looking for the Craft (traps) skill.

If you just want to set a portable trap that you purchased, like a bear trap, that's just a matter of arming it--no check needed unless the item says so. Hiding it is another matter.

Mmmh...I wanted to use them in PFS, where I don't think I can craft my own traps... :(

Hi all,
I was wondering:

Would be possible to declare that one is fighting defensively and then attempt to feint against an opponent?

Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering:

There are ready-made weapons like the bear trap, the trespasser's boot or the bellring trap...

...and some of them are quite cheap to buy...

...so...I was wondering:

What skill check would be necessary to SET them (instead of disarming)?

Is there any official source suggestion about this?

Thanks,
Skarm

Thank you guys! :)

I have tried to make some calculations but I was still perplexed:

I have assumed that on the "roll again and take the best" (assuming to try to roll higher), I'd have an expected result around 17 since, in fact, I am adding the expected value of an expected second roll before calculating the expected value of the 1st.

"roll again and take the second" instead would (also assuming to try to roll higher) have lead to an expected result of 12-13...

However, I think the reality is that with "roll again and take the second" one would realistically take a reroll only when there is a fair chance to have the second roll higher...so probably almost none would roll for 11+ results of 1st roll...and someone very cautious might consider not re-rolling for 6+ results...because, in fact, the chance for the second reroll to be better are quite high...

However in both methods the expected value was around 12-13!

I was perplexed about the expected values of such rolls, but I have to agree with all of you:

"Roll again and take the best" is almost an auto-win choice, while "roll again and take the second" is more risky and less beneficial.

However since I was making this thought for the Dual-Cursed Oracle who gets Misfortune usable any time but at most 1/day per person...

I still think it is a powerful ability...

In fact I was planning to use it by multiclassing as Poisoner Rogue and I think this might give (per opponent) on average that +3 DC on poison saves which can make the difference...
Skarm

I'm not sure what you mean. I agree with thorin001.

The tangleshot arrow specifies that it doesn't deal any damage and injury poisons require that you deal damage to the target in order for it to do anything. Contact Poisons on the other hand say.

Contact Poison wrote:

These poisons are delivered the moment a creature touches the poison with its bare skin. Such poisons can be used as injury poisons. Contact poisons usually have an onset time of 1 minute and a frequency of 1 minute.

I suppose if the target is covered head to toe and/or you fail to make contact with the target's skin it won't work. But otherwise you should be fine. Looking over the poison list I saw at least a dozen contact poisons so there is some variety to pick from as well.

I agree...apart from someone wearing a full plate mail or something like that I doubt any armor would leave no skin exposed.

My plan was more like "Play a poisoner" and "turn all poisons into contact poisons"!! :D
Skarm

.... give me your opinion and your interpretation on this aspect of the stealth rule, I am also a full time DM and passionate rules lawyer so i'm pretty interested in seeing what other dms...

I think another way might be taking at least 4 levels of Stalker Vigilante and 1 level of Shadowdancer:

By taking Silent Dispatch...

"When the vigilante ambushes an enemy or enemies unaware of his presence, he can attempt a Stealth check at a –5 penalty. The result indicates the DC of Perception checks to hear the vigilante’s attacks until an opponent’s first action, when the DC returns to the normal –10 for hearing battle. Other enemies present can still see the attack; this talent only prevents the sounds of battle from alerting others."

...you could attempt to one-shot the opponent without being heard.

...and with "Up Close and Personal", you can move and make a single strike as swift action on your opponent and move again:

"When the vigilante attempts an Acrobatics check to move through an opponent’s space during a move action, he can attempt a single melee attack against that opponent as a swift action. If the Acrobatics check succeeds, this attack applies the vigilante’s hidden strike damage as if the foe were unaware of the vigilante. Otherwise, the vigilante applies the hidden strike damage he would deal if the target were denied its Dexterity bonus to AC. Only a stalker vigilante of at least 4th level can select this talent."

In theory that might be combined with Assassinate:
"A ninja with this master trick can kill foes that are unable to defend themselves. To attempt to assassinate a target, the ninja must first study her target for 1 round as a standard action. On the following round, if the ninja makes a sneak attack against the target and the target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly killing the target. This attempt automatically fails if the target recognizes the ninja as an enemy. If the sneak attack is successful and the target of this attack fails a Fortitude save, it dies. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the ninja’s level + the ninja’s Charisma modifier. If the save is successful, the target still takes the sneak attack damage as normal, but it is immune to that ninja’s assassinate ability for 1 day."

The idea is this:

Stealth at -5 to approach and strike the enemy silently, Acrobatic check, swift attack to assassinate (and drop him) and move back into the shadows ...and re-Stealth.

Being a shadowdancer should make easier to pull it.
Skarm

Zaister wrote:

The restrictions for which spells can be imbued in the gum are exactly the same as for which spells can be made into potions ("It can duplicate the effect of a spell of up to 3rd level that has a casting time of less than 1 minute and targets one or more creatures or objects.", Core Rulebook, p.477). So, no personal spells.

That line has nothing to do with why potions don't work with personal spells - personal is just the spell's range, it still targets one or more creatures or objects. The restriction for potions comes from an entirely different line in the magic item creation section that has no parallel in the rules for the wax.

Creating Potions wrote:

Spells with a range of personal cannot be made into potions.

I agree that it seems a sort of temporary potion, but the problem I see is the requirement for the user of being able to cast the spell, which seems a bit silly...

Hi all,
I was thinking about the expected values possible for the two option above and my conclusion was this:

For any use that would be reasonable the expected value would be the same BUT the first option is more versatile.

The second is useful EITHER as advantage (best) or hindrance (worst) but not for both.

The first leaves options for both since you have to state the reroll after you are told the result of the dice and you don't ask reroll if seems favourable (i.e., 10- on enemy roll and 11+ on your roll on a d20)...so in fact you are taking an "unacceptable" result as second only if it rolls worse than the "acceptable" result...

Is this thought wrong in your opinion?
Which of the two reroll would lead to better results in your opinion?

Skarm

Generally speaking, the only way to make "extra" cash in PFS is a DayJob

Last time I made decent money with that but well...I was unlucky that we played low tier... :((

Sigh!! It is a pity!!
I was hoping to make a little extra cash!! :P
Skarm

Skarn, out of honest curiosity, where did you find lead with a gold price? One of my former VLs has a long-running open bet involving this! :D

But as to the main question - Nefreet, Rob, and Sebastian have it covered :)

The only source for the gold price of lead I know is in the spell description of the item, which frankly sucks as source... :(

Contact only. Injury requires damage. Injury poison is stopped if DR reduces the damage to 0.

I think it is still good...but...do you think that the contact poison = ok with ranged touch could be a widely accepted interpretation?

I mean...contact poison seems to be a bit lacking of supporting rules...at least from what I've read... :(
Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering:

Apparently there is no official ruling on how contact poisons work, but
the Contact Toxin discovery of the Eldritch Poisoner list:

"A vial of contact arcanotoxin can be thrown up to 30 feet as a ranged touch attack or smeared onto a surface as a standard action, but it becomes inert after 1 minute."

Could this be representative of how contact poisons are meant to be used?

Or there is a better (less class-specific) source?

I ask because having a poison type that is outright useless for lack of official rules on how to use it seems a bit silly...

I also was wondering:

How much inhalant poisons linger into the area where they were spread?

There is any kind of official rule for that?

A character who re-enters or stays in an area with an inhalant poison will have to reroll his save even if he succeeded it before?

Thanks,
Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering:

Inhalant and ingested poisons allow for multiple dose stacking...does this mean that I could stack poison doses (3 a time) in a poisoned sand tube to affect targets with more doses of poison?
Skarm

Would be possible to use UMD to emulate the ability to cast the spell? :-?

Hi all,
I don't understand:

The Tiller's Gum from Adventurer's Guide seems to be even PFS legal, but I really don't understand why someone would use it...can you help me to understand?

"This gum has alchemical properties that allow it to soak up magical energy and release it when the gum is chewed. As a standard action, a stick of tiller’s gum can be imbued with a spell of up to 3rd level with a casting time of less than 1 minute and that targets one or more creatures, as if the gum were the target of the spell. The gum holds the spell’s charge for 1 hour, during which time a creature capable of casting the stored spell can chew the gum as a standard action to gain the spell’s effects, expending the stored spell and destroying the gum. The stored spell uses the original caster’s level to determine its effects. If the spell-imbued gum isn’t used before an hour passes, it is ruined. Crafting a stick of tiller’s gum requires a successful DC 20 Craft (alchemy) check."

The "as if the gum were the target of the spell" seems extremely strange to me...what is supposed to mean?

That only area of effect spells can work with it? But wasn't individually targeted?

Could it be used with spells like True Strike and Mirror Strike (while being Personal, the caster is still a target)?

But the gum is inanimate...how it could be the target of the spell??

So, apparently, no cool hand-less instant-buff spells...

The fact that it needs to be chewed might allow to avoid hand usage to activate it...but I am right in assuming so?

However..."a creature capable of casting the stored spell" makes this alchemical item incredibly useless:

It seemed a spell-storage one-shot item, but if the creature can already cast the stored spell...what's the point???

I have also the doubt that scrolls or wands cannot be used to store a spell in it...am I wrong?

So...why someone would waste 100 gp on such a silly alchemical item?

I have the impression that is an item that has been nerfed into uselessness...or I am missing something??

Thanks,
Skarm

Hi all,
I was wondering:

A Tangleshot Arrow states:
"This arrow is tipped with a tiny vial of tanglefoot goo. Firing a tangleshot arrow is a ranged touch attack; the arrow deals no damage when it hits, but the target is splashed with the alchemical adhesive. This effect is similar to that of a tanglefoot bag, but with the following adjustments: Reflex DC 10, Strength DC 12 to break, 10 points of slashing damage to cut through, concentration DC 10 to cast spells. A tangleshot arrow imposes a –1 penalty on attack rolls because of its weight."

But...such an arrow could be poisoned with injury or contact poison to deliver it on the target?

Thanks,
Skarm

It's written on the same page that those items cannot be sold.

Ah...ok...but I have concocted a different plan that make use of a Wand of Fabricate Bullet instead... :)

Hi all,
I was wondering:

A wand of fabricate bullets could be taken for free for 2 PP.

The spell works on 1 pound of lead which costs 2 gp, so without that it is useless...BUT...

...in theory...one could buy 1 pound of lead at 2 gp, produce 30 bullets and sell them at half price for 15 gp with 13 gp profit.

As "money-making" scheme would be bad, but still would be better than selling the wand at half price, since one could get 650 gp from the sold bullets instead of 350 gp of selling the wand at half price.

What do you think of this idea?

Would be impossible to pull in PFS or could be done?
Skarm

Hi all,
Would be possible to sell (at half price) a free item bought with PPs?

I mean...with 1 PP one could get a free item up to 150 gp and with 2 PP
one can get a free item up to 750 gp.

Could I then sell the item at 50% price to get half of that amount of gold pieces?

While probably it is not a great idea, could be useful if one is really cash-strapped...but I was wondering...would such action PFS-legal??

Thanks,
Skarm

^ that.

I have no –1 for that same reason.

When I first registered, I made a Fighter (–1) and a Rogue (–2). I showed up to my first session, saw we already had a Fighter, and played my Rogue.

When I went home I wanted to tweak the Fighter's profile, and figured it'd be easier to just delete and recreate, rather than edit.

When I created a new character it defaulted to –3, and I've never had a –1 since.

You're not losing out on anything not having a –3. It's just a quirk that'll become a story some day.

Ah...ok! :O

Did you try and create a 3rd one and delete it at some point? I did that and if you do the number is just gone for good.

Mmmmh...no...I don't think so! :O

Hi all,
I am a bit puzzled, because I had two characters:

# 244785-1 and # 244785-2

... I wanted to create a new one and expected it to be # 244785-3, BUT for some mysterious reason that I don't really understand...

...# 244785-3 was SKIPPED...and a # 244785-4 was generated!

Anyone of you know why it could have happened?

There is any way to fix it or now I have to live with a "skipped" character slot?

Thanks,
Skarm

If the thing in question specifies a limit to how it's treated as another thing ("is treated as an X for the purposes of Y"), then it's treated as that other thing only for the listed purposes.

If that thing does not specify a limit ("is treated as an X", full stop), then it is treated as that other thing in all ways.

The switchblade knife does not specify a limit to how it is treated as a dagger, so it's a dagger in all ways, minus the specifics it specifies for how it's different. So yes, a switchblade can be used with abilities that require daggers (assuming the blade is out), and can be enchanted with effects that only work on daggers.

So I need Martial proficiency (or specific proficiency) to open it as in the description BUT, once opened, I can wield it as a dagger (simple weapon proficiency) AND I can even upgrade it as a dagger?

I was also wondering:

The Spike Hilt states:

"A spike hilt can be added to any one-handed or two-handed sword or hafted weapon, which conceals a dagger within the larger weapon. An observer who succeeds at a DC 20 Perception check while carefully examining the larger weapon notices the spike hilt. Drawing a dagger from the spike hilt is a swift action. This dagger can be made masterwork or turned into a magic weapon at the normal cost."

...I am puzzled because it states one-handed or two-handed sword or hafted weapon...so it cannot be hidden in the hilt of a smaller sword (i.e., long sword or wakizashi), right?

I was puzzled because it is another dagger like weapon (which, in this case, it is literally described as "dagger").
Skarm

I have a new doubt:

If a weapon (i.e., switchblade knife) is listed as "This weapon is treated as a dagger", it could be considered a dagger for purpose of specific magic item enchantment?

I mean...it can receive also enchantments that are meant for a dagger, since the "treated as" usually allows for abilities and effects that are used for a dagger?

Thanks,
Skarm

Hi all,
I have a few perplexities about some traits...apparently many of them have some silly restrictions that make them nearly worthless, but I wanted to understand if I misunderstood:

Potent Concoctions seemed a powerful trait, albeit very specific, since it granted a +1 DC to two poisons. It also came with the need to be a worshipper of Ghlaunder, which sucked a bit, but I had already a crazy idea for that...however...I read better:

"Choose any two poisons from the table on page 559 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook"

...so on top of being already situational, it restricts the poison selection to the sucky and hyper-expensive Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook poisons? Am I getting it right? :-?

Propitiation seemed another interesting trait since it allowed:
"At the start of each day, pick one of the following skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft (pick one craft skill), Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Knowledge (local). You gain a +2 trait bonus on that skill until the start of the next day."

Seemed a very nice trait, but then I checked each and every god listed under Dwarven Deity pantheon...

...in fact this trait restricts a character's alignment so that Chaotic Neutral isn't permitted with these deities...

...I was wondering however, Dwarven Deity means "belonging to dwarven deity pantheon" or "worshipped by dwarves"?

Because that would include Cayden Cailean and Gorum, giving a little bit of freedom...

( While it is fine that a character is required to worship a deity, it is really bad to be restricted by some "fluff" requirement in a character's creation... )

I had also a doubt about the Secret Keeper faith trait, which states:
"Avoiding inquisitors and agents of your enemies has required you to become a practiced liar. You gain a +3 trait bonus on Bluff checks when they are opposed by another’s Sense Motive check."

While there are a few exceptions, almost all Bluff checks to deceive or lie are opposed by another's Sense Motive...this means the character has an amazing +3 bonus to this application of Bluff??

Also the trait Trustworthy +1 Bluff bonus applies to this Bluff application, right?

"You gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff checks made to fool someone. You also gain a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks, and Diplomacy is always a class skill for you."

What is the meaning of "cover identity" for the Deep Cover trait?
"You have lived a double life since your youth, perhaps to avoid persecution for your true identity or in service to an enemy of the people or group associated with your cover identity. You can always take 10 on Bluff and Disguise checks to assume and maintain your cover identity. Bluff or Disguise (your choice) is a class skill for you."

Is this in fact an automatic "Take 10" on any Bluff and Disguise check to disguise and tell lies associated to one's disguise?

The Merabian Mentorship trait:
"You were apprenticed to a renowned alchemist of Merab, and she taught you how to recognize elemental reagents by taste. Upon imbibing a potion containing a spell on your formula list of a spell level you are capable of casting, you can attempt a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + extract level). On a success, you can immediately add the spell to your formula book."

...is only accessible to Suli?

The description states only "the following regional trait is available to characters with ties to Thuvia" however...even if it is associated to the suli race.

Thanks,
Skarm

I asked because I thought that keeping the result secret was the standard practice, guys...just if that was how rolls are meant to be rolled I didn't understand how one could make this ability useful:

Asking for a reroll "blindly" makes no sense...but it does make sense if you know the roll itself was very high or very roll as, even without modifiers, you can guess it will lead to success or failure.

I like the "immersive play" and when I was DMing D&D 2nd edition and 3rd edition I was doong it as well but at the time reroll powers were unheard of...

Skarm

I am very surprised that PFS GMs would do that, since they should be very familiar with reroll powers.

Well...not knowing the result is more immersive...I guess is managed in this way because of that.

However, it is not a problem...now I know how to do:

If and when I play with a build with this power, I'll just tell the GM and ask if he could tell me the unmodified result in some specific circumstances...

...and...wow...after this clarification this power is amazing!! :P
Skarm

Well, perhaps if you fire an ordinary featherweight dart b) could be true - but not if you fire a tanglefoot dart, splintercloud dart, or some other alchemical variant.

If it seems too good to be true, it is.

Well...yes...in that case the effect would be obviously noticed, but still they'd not recognize the cause is me which would make it incredibly fun!! XDD

Guys...just to clarify:

In general I play in PFS, so the GM changes, but I was puzzled because most DMs tended to roll secretly and tell you what happens...which is fine, but left me with the doubt of "how to deal" with this ability.

Now, after your explanations it is clear:

When I play with a character with an ability like this, I should ask the unmodified roll result and then ask for a re-roll based on that.

Since this character is also a poisoner, I'd probably ask for the opponent's Save die rolls... XD ...since I get that a reroll for the worse would be a -5 to the die.

And yes...I will probably ask for saving throws and critical hits as well... :)
Skarm