Skrayper's page

I was wondering if there was a resource that already had spells separated by bonus type. I.E. All the spells that give a morale bonus in a section, all the ones that give a competence bonus, etc. Did some cursory searches and couldn't find it, so thought I'd ask here.

Well, the second stat I'm trying to look into is Wisdom. That seems to have fewer options sadly...

If you took 5 levels of Egoist, you could use Metamorphosis to grow it two size categories.
Metamorphosis

If that's not an option, you could get a Skin of Proteus for 81,000 gold. That would give whomever wears it the metamorphosis power.

Both of those are for official, but alternate, rule systems.

Mythic Enlarge will do two size categories; you could incorporate a mythic version of Animal Growth, though if you are trying to stick to the rules it does not appear that a mythic version technically exists of Animal Growth.

Ultimate Campaign has rules on researching all new spells. You could research a more powerful version of Animal Growth:

In the downtime system, the steps for spell research each day are as follows.

- Pay 100 gp × the spell's level for research costs and rare ingredients. You may spend Goods or Magic toward this cost.
- Determine the total days of progress required to complete the research, which is 7 × the spell level.
- Determine the spell research DC, which is 10 + twice the spell's level.
- Attempt a Spellcraft check and a Knowledge check (arcana for an arcane spell, religion for a divine spell) against the spell research DC. You can't take 10 on these checks. You may spend Magic to modify a check result, with 1 point of Magic adding 2 to your total (maximum +10). If both checks succeed, you make 1 day's progress toward completing the spell. When your days of progress equal the total number of days needed, the spell is completed and added to your spellbook or list of spells known.

If either or both spell research checks fail by 4 or less, you make no progress. For each check that fails by 5 or more, your research has led to poor results and you lose a day of progress toward completing the spell.

That cost is per day. Presuming this would be, say, an 8th level spell, it would cost 800 gp per day for 8 weeks - 44,800 gold to research.

Then you'd have to make it a permanent effect. You're modifying Permanency, OR you're making an item.

An 8th level spell with 1 minute duration, being crafted by a 15th level caster (druid, in this case), would cost 420,000. Making the spell permanent should probably be very expensive as well. Enlarge Person, a 1st level spell, costs 2500 to be permanent and would cost 4000 as a permanent magic item; if we base it solely on that we're looking at 300,000 to make your Animal Growth II permanent.

I was wondering just how many different kinds of bonuses someone can get to strength (or really any stat, but strength is the one I was working on).

I know there's:
Enhancement (magic items, Bull's Strength, Animal Focus, etc)
Morale (Rage)
Alchemical (Mutagen)
Size (Enlarge Person, polymorph spells)
Inherent (Manuals, Orc bloodline)

Are there any other strength bonus types? Like divine, infernal, luck, etc?

I'm inclined to think that it will have to be situational.

There are some skills that benefit from the use of masterwork tools; for example, Disable Device gets a +2 bonus from masterwork thieves tools, but the Chronicler of Worlds gets to use Linguistics for Disable Device checks (with no caveat limiting that to specific situations). Logically, if you're picking a lock, how does a better set of tools NOT help?

I've got levels in a fighter archetype called Lore Warden (the PFSFG version), but I was trying to see if there was a way to get Armor Training and Heavy Armor proficiency to get Poised Bearing and Imposing Bearing eventually. The character is super-focused on light fighting build (Inspired Blade 5 / Virtuous Bravo 6 / Lore Warden 2), but I need Armor Training and Heavy Armor proficiency to get those feats (I'm a crit build that has both Staggering Critical along with Greater Trip + Tripping Strike).

I am having no luck finding any other archetypes outside of the fighter class that grants Armor Training, except for Yojimbo Samurai, and I'm pretty sure the way that class grants it wouldn't work for this.

Are there any archetypes or the like out there that gives it, or is the only real method to retain Lore Warden?

Everything you guys have said makes sense - I think if we're going to use a "mobile" Hallow, we'll need something like the Lord's Banner of the Crusades (100,000 - does not have a spell tethered to the Hallow, so not sure if you can add one or not) or the more powerful but way more expensive Bastion Banner (182,000 - gets one of the effects, plus a secondary effect from the spell tethered to Hallow).

The Bastion Banner is probably the overall best (because then I don't have to fret over the rules regarding it all - everything is just built-in), but is a lot of money for a level 12 group (even with a crafter).

But yeah... I think I'll aim for that one as to avoid the pickle that is Pathfinder spell mechanics :p

Can someone help me determine the math here?

The Lord's Banner of the Crusades costs 100,000 gp. It's entry (APG):

A noble-looking lord’s banner of crusades emits a hallow effect in a 40-foot radius around it, so long as it is borne by one true to the religion of the person whose crest is on the banner (these sorts of banners usually have a holy symbol or other religious insignia worked into the design). The banner displays the faith’s holy symbol along with the owner’s crest.[/QUEST]

The Darkskull costs 60,000 gp (Core). It's entry:

Quote:

This skull, carved from ebony, is wholly evil. Wherever the skull goes, the area around it is treated as though an unhallow spell had been cast with the skull as the touched point of origin. Each darkskull has a single spell effect tied to it. This spell is from the standard list given in the unhallow spell description, and it cannot be changed.

The only difference from what I can tell, is that the Banner has MORE restrictions (must be mounted on a polearm or pole, planted in the ground, and carried by a member of the faith), and that the Darkskull specifically states that is has it's spell assigned to it at creation.

It's hard to calculate directly because:
A. Hallow's duration is so long that you could consider it a "single use" item and it would still last a year
B. You have two spells involved (the Hallow and whatever effect you tether to it), so does the typical duration of the second spell matter when creating an item?
C. I cannot find anything regarding what happens when you take a spell meant to be stationary and place it into a mobile object

So I have two different items, and the game doesn't give enough info (for me) to determine why the two are so different in costs.

What's to stop a person from casting a Hallow version of the spell onto an object for the same price? (Also, considering the variable cost of materials, it is a bit weird that the Darkskull has only one price regardless of what spell is tethered to it)

Actually, the Divine Hunter was for the saving throw bump. The Precise Shot was just a bonus.

More feats is also good. :)

Melkiador wrote:

You could take a dip of arcane caster and try to rely on the Spell Cartridges feat, instead of reloading. That takes up 2 feats and your swift action. But standard reloading options also take feats and end up using swift actions.

I have always wanted to make a Arcane Strike/Blooded Arcane Strike/Spell Cartridges build, but just haven't found anything I like. But entering Bloodrage and immediately having infinite force bullets just seems cool.

You inspired me to give this a try (made as a backup character in a different campaign, where we're all 17th level)

This is what I came up with:
Mysterious Stranger 1
Trench Fighter 3
Divine Hunter 2
Urban Bloodrager 11 (Vestige Bloodline)

Traits: Magical Knack and _______________

Feats (Twin Pistols Build - Human):
Countenanced Carbuncle
Hand's Autonomy
Two-Weapon Fighting
Point-Blank Shot
Arcane Strike
Spell Cartridges
Improved Critical
Deadly Aim
Blooded Arcane Strike
Point Blank Master
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Weapon Focus
Weapon Specialization
Precise Shot
Signature Deed

Feats (Rifle Build - Tiefling because I like the idea of a tiefling with a rifle):

Point-Blank Shot
Arcane Strike
Spell Cartridges
Improved Critical
Deadly Aim
Blooded Arcane Strike
Point Blank Master
Weapon Focus
Weapon Specialization
Precise Shot
Signature Deed
Greater Weapon Focus
Greater Weapon Specialization
Rapid Shot

Urban Bloodrager means you can rage to boost Dex, so at level 17 human you can have a 24 dex normal (presuming no manuals), +6 dex belt (my initial build has a +4 Dex/Con belt), +6 dex from raging, and 16 charisma (22 with a +6 charisma headband). 36 dex combines with 22 charisma (Mysterious Stranger Deed) for a bonus of +19 to damage from stats alone.

Rage as a free action, turning all your shots into 2d4 force damage bullets.

Get +2 damage from Arcane Strike, +2 from Weapon Spec, a potential +10 from deadly aim, presume +5 gun(s), and in the twin pistol scenario you're looking at 2d4+38 force damage per shot. (+1 more for Carbuncle)

Of course, at level 17 you could afford two Pistols of the Infinite Sky and call it a day. The unlimited ammo wouldn't be as necessary, but the 2d4 is better anyway, plus force damage.

Free Action: Rage
Swift Action: Deed
Full Round Action (Pistols): 6 attacks with Rapid Shot, 7 attacks with Haste and Rapid Shot.

I've seen builds that do more damage, but I think this could be incredibly fun.

As for the newer character, my biggest worry is that it's just two of us and it'll be a few levels before I can get Point Blank Master (Presuming 1 level of Mysterious Stranger, 4 levels of Trench Fighter, then something else) - meaning being within 20ft of each target is dangerous. I might, sadly, need to move away from gunslinger in that one (or go rifle and keep away from them).

Another option is to have more than 2 guns and literally drop the guns that ran out of ammo. This would generally be wasteful however.

Ah yes, the Overwatch's Reaper Approach :)

-Rapid Reload

-Quick Draw
-(maybe Quick Stow)*
It means that every now and then you "lose a round to reloading" but it is the simplest, doesn't cost many feats or dips and in practice you aren't going to be full-attacking with both revolvers for multiple consecutive rounds all the time anyway.

I may go this route, because - as you said - it's only a couple of feats. It saves taking both Dazzling Display and Gun Twirling - opens up for Deadly Aim and Rapid Shot.

If this is a modern-esque setting, then it'd be a Guns Everywhere setting which means you get Gun Training at 1st level. So play a Mysterious Stranger and take a few levels in Fighter for the feats to get to Gun Twirling.

Thanks for pointing this out - it helps a lot (I shared it with my GM and he agreed it made sense for the campaign setting).

My GM did say Gun Twirling would, technically, work (and made a joke about how fast my hands would be). I'm not seeing a Fighter archetype that's specifically helps, so base fighter might be the way to go.

Assuming that your choice of race isn’t heavily restricted, you could play as a race that has a prehensile tail (such as Vanara)… it is a free action to change hands on a weapon, and while the tail can’t “wield” a weapon, nothing stops it from holding one… so you simply transfer one gun to your tail, load the other, swap it back and then hold the now loaded gun with your tail to load the second.

Also an option. If I did this, I'd probably go Tiefling and take the option for tail over fiendish sorcery. It's definitely an option.

Edit: staying out of melee entirely is a dream for archers and maybe musketeers, not pistoleers.

At this point, this concerns me the most. If we're doing Modern Firearms, the Revolver, Nagant M1895 has a range of 80 (as opposed to the "advanced" firearm revolver, which has a range of 20).

If we're sticking to "advanced" only, then I'm running some risks until Point-Blank Master. Sad, because I'm not getting that for a bit.

I don't know how hard it will be to stay out of melee at short range considering there's only two of us. As sad as it would make me, rifle over twin pistols MIGHT be absolutely necessary for survival. :(

I'm trying to make a 3rd level character for a new game. It has a modern-esque setting, so I'm trying gunslinger out.

I love the idea of dual-wielding pistols, but when it comes time to reload I'm finding it hard to come up with decent ways to pull it off.

One of the key components of the story is that the magic is somewhat of a secret; the harder it is to hide something, the more problematic it will be.

So far I'm seeing:
1. Beneficial Bandoleer - this seems to be pretty common, but it says one round of ammunition for a swift action. If I'm dual-wielding, that should be enough for most combats but an issue for long ones.

2. 1 level of witch, take the prehensile hair hex - this one has some potential flavor, and there is at least one Witch archetype that works off of Wisdom, the same score as the grit.

3. 2 levels of alchemist, take the vestigial arm discovery - interesting, but loses two levels and is impossible to hide barring very bulky clothing or magic.

4. Gun Twirling feat - presuming my GM lets it work like that (free action holster, Rapid Reload to free action reload, Quick Draw to free action load) and we're golden. It's four feats though, so I wouldn't be able to do it at character creation, and means that for a good while I'd have some rough minuses to hit; the flipside is that it means I get to stay in the Gunslinger class for a bit.

5. Buy the gun outright with starting cash and take 3 levels of Trench Fighter, or take 1 level of Gunslinger and 2 levels of Trench Fighter, leaving me 1 level of Fighter away from getting Dex to Damage (the main reason I want Gun Training).

**One caveat - we're playing just 2 players, so it's kind of expected that when we get high enough level one of us take Leadership. It'd be nice to manage a decent Charisma, as I'm sure the other player is not going that route.

So far I'm leaning towards Bandoleer or Witch. It'd be nice if the Mysterious Stranger didn't push Gun Training all the way to level 9; it'd take 11 levels to get Gun Training but I could build nearly everything into Charisma and Dexterity and play a Seducer witch alongside Mysterious Stranger (11 levels because your first hex as a Seducer has to be charm).

I'm kind of leaning towards this:

Str: 7
Dex: 20 (18+Human Bonus)
Con: 12
Int: 10
Wis: 10
Cha: 16

Level 1: Mysterious Stranger
Level 2: Trench Fighter
Level 3: Trench Fighter
**Future**
Level 4: Trench Fighter
Level 5: Seducer
Level 6: Seducer

Feats:
1st Level: Possessed Hand/Countenanced Carbuncle
Human Bonus: Hand's Autonomy
Fighter Bonus (1st): Two-Weapon Fighting
Fighter Bonus (2nd): Rapid Reload
3rd Level: Quick Draw
(Not sold on those last two traits - might get Weapon Focus, get closer to Gun Twirling, or another route)

Traits:
Volatile Fuse (reduce misfire by 1, so even with revolvers I can add alchemical rounds and keep it at a 1)
Rebel Leader (Probably overkill, but hey... "I'm a rebel")
Wicked Leader

(Will be picking a drawback to get the third trait)

Not sure if this is the best route though... trying to theory-craft all of this.

OK, so a human bard 15 casts good hope.

Among his feats are Skill Focus: Perform (Oratory), Eldritch Heritage (Imperious), Improved Eldritch Heritage, Encouraging Spell, and Spell Perfection (good hope). He uses his Heroic Echo ability. For some reason he worships Angradd, and decides to use that once-per-day trait.

+2 (normal)
+2 (Encouraging + Spell Perfection)
+1 (Heroic Echo)
+1 (Rousing Courage)

Total bonus is +6. There are a few abilities that the recipients might possess to increase that number, but can anyone think of other ways for the caster to increase the bonus for everyone?

Wow :)

Definitely going to grab an Encouraging metamagic rod. Seems the easiest of all of the options to get.

This whole thread sounds like a case study in arrogance.

Armor doesn't use the Body slot... it uses the armor slot.

You can use body slot wondrous items and wear armor.

If the item grants an armor bonus then it won't stack with your armor, but that's it.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items#TOC-Magic-Items-Slots

I'm looking for ways to make Good Hope better for everyone (not just feats that boost my own bonus from it). Being a morale bonus, it can stack with Bardic Inspiration so it is of particular interest to me.

So far I've found a trait, Rousing Courage:

Rousing Courage

Source Divine Anthology pg. 16
Category Religion
Requirement(s) Andradd
A dwarven warrior’s simple act of courage in Angradd’s name inspired you during one of your first battles. Now, you strive to be equally inspiring to others. Once per day, when you generate an effect that grants a morale bonus, increase that bonus by 1 for all creatures affected.

Is there anything else that improves the bonus from Good Hope? I could have sworn there was an item or a feat that boosted morale bonuses that come from you, but for the life of me cannot find it.

I think the effect of this is inspire courage or possibly inspire competence (inspire confidence isn't a thing?), which also gives temp HP. If your bard archetype has traded out inspire courage for something else it's a useful trick, or if you really want those temp HP.

I presumed it was inspire competence, but you're right - it could mean either.

Unless they meant this:

Inspiring Confidence (Ex)
Source Weapon Master's Handbook pg. 18
A number of times per day equal to his highest weapon training bonus as a swift action, the fighter can allow one ally within 30 feet to attempt a new saving throw against an ongoing fear effect that causes the ally to cower or to become frightened, panicked, or shaken. If the ally succeeds at the save, the effect ends. A fighter can use this option even when not wielding a weapon from the associated weapon group.

But I find that HIGHLY unlikely, considering it says "the Bard's" in the description.

Weird thing is, Masterpieces that have an ongoing effect will either have a cost in rounds listed in the "Use" section like The Quickening Pulse (Use: 1 bardic performance round per round of bleed) or a duration like Triple Time (this masterpiece increases the affected target’s base land speed by 10 feet for 1 hour. )

Eh.

Who knows.

I have no idea...

Masterpieces confuse the $#!+ out of my sometimes. The way a lot of them are worded, you would assume you can have both a Masterpiece and a Bardic Performance going at the same time, but I don't think that is the case. So...

How long are your allies affected?

It says as long as you chant... is chanting another standard action and another 3+X rounds of Performance?

Why not just perform the Inspire Confidence Performance?

Exactly why I was asking - this is 100% worthless unless you get to keep it up without expending rounds of performance.

I agree, some are worded with the writer clearly thinking, "Well, I already know what I want to say, so lemme write this down in as few words as possible."

Prerequisite(s): Perform (sing) or Perform (oratory) 4 ranks.

Cost: Feat or 2nd-level bard spell known.

Effect: You sing or chant simple phrases or a distinctive series of notes that you associate with a specific trade good or service. While you perform these jingles, allies within 30 feet are affected by this performance’s effects and are treated as being affected by your inspire confidence bardic performance.

Furthermore, if an affected creature purchases the associated good or service, that creature immediately gains a number of temporary hit points equal to half your bard level.

Use: 3 bardic performance rounds, plus 1 round per additional person affected.

Activation: 1 standard action.

If I'm reading this correctly, what it basically does is keep your inspire confidence going at the cost of 3 + 1 extra party member? So instead of an ongoing performance, you just pop it once and they get the tune stuck in their heads?

Many thanks to everyone here! I've gotten my build figured out, and you guys were awesome :)

Samsaran Chronicler of Worlds Bard
Alternate Racial Feature: Mystic Past Life (Su)
(Gain Barkskin and Anti-Incorporeal Shell for certain, plus one other to be determined)
Take the Planar Infusion and Improved Planar Infusion (Nirvana) feats
Take the Healer's Hands and Signature Skill: Heal feats
Take Lingering Performance

Using a Healer's Satchel (Longterm Care), I can work on the drain that isn't fixed by the Improved Planar Infusion.

Sadly, I think my best choice is to VMC Bard with a main class in Oracle. I really wanted to make the Bard work, but I'm trying to fill two roles (buffing and healing) and it just isn't working out in favor of the Bard to cover both HP damage AND negative levels/ability drain. As the Oracle with VMC Bard, I can still manage it.

If my main character dies though, definitely going to try my hand at the complete bard with the suggestions above.

Max out Use Magic Device and invest in a wand of restoration?

Alternately, speaker of the Palatine Eye archetype replaces the bard spell list with the mesmerist spell list, which has restoration.

I'm not sure how you go about making a wand of restoration, considering it has two different material costs. Presuming you have to use the higher amount, you're talking about a 70k+ gp item. Not impossible at much higher levels, but a huge investment at our current party level of 12th.

The use of the mesmerist list is intriguing. I'd get some castings of restoration, and while not ideal from a stat-bonus option, I could get a couple of spells off other psychic lists by taking Samsaran as my race. (I'd get 2, considering this is a cohort and not a PC).

I'm pretty sure you can stack Demagogue, and Hatharat Agent, and Speaker of the Palatine Eye. Also pretty sure that combination still has Versatile Performance if you want to pick up Martial Performance/Weapon Focus, or Masterpieces.

The agent looks potentially fun; not so sure about the Demagogue. As for being in two secret societies - I suppose it would depend if we got use out of that in our campaign.

There is also item mastery... Restoration Mastery, to be exact... not exactly a Bard's wheelhouse, though... weak Fort saves, and all...

Sadly that only grants Lesser Resto, and I can take care of ability score damage much more effectively with Signature Skill: Heal

Improved planar infusion (Nirvana) works but it requires the bard to have spent some time on Nirvana.

That's not impossible, considering... it's two feats, but once-per-day would be nice (especially considering at least some of the party is good aligned, meaning no material cost in those situations). The initial Planar Infusion is also useful, so it's not like you're getting a useless feat to get the better one.

Azata-blooded Aasimar would help offset the lost feats (I took some skill focus in my perform skills that I'm using for Versatile Performance). Or go human and have both Lingering and Flagbearer.

That feat list would now be:
Lingering Performance OR Flagbearer (depending if I can arrange for some harmonizing armor)
Signature Skill: Heal
Healer's Hands
Planar Infusion (Nirvana)
Improved Planar Infusion (Nirvana)

That covers a decent amount of necessary healing. The only issue is that the Nirvana infusion doesn't work with physical stats, and that's what we get hit with the most.

Are there any other ways to cure negative levels and ability score drain that I'm missing?

I'm redoing my cohort as a healer-esque, but really am trying to make it work as a Bard.

I have a few means of getting plenty of HP healing outside of spells (like Healer's Hands + Signature Skill [Heal]), but for the rougher stuff I would like to have Restoration (or something else that removes negative levels).

So far the only way I've found to get it on the Bard spell list is through the prestige class Pathfinder Savant (was really hoping Voice of the Wild would work, but was very surprised to find that Restoration wasn't on the druid list - as you can probably guess, we don't play druids very often).

I suppose a Heartripper blade would work as well, though it definitely gives an "evil" note even if the item doesn't specifically state it is evil. Considering the party is VERY good aligned, this is a less than ideal option.

Is there another way for Bards to get access to Restoration? I'm not opposed to Pathfinder Savant, but something that maintained the "Bard" feel would be nice.

Also, I would have sworn there was an item that increased bardic performance by X levels (instead of static numerical increases, like with the Dervish Sikke); however, I can't seem to find it. Did I just dream that up, or is there such an item?

Skrayper wrote:

AonPRD:

Quote:

You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance during the round.

They still "move" the extra distance. It doesn't say "but only if you don't otherwise spend any movement" but rather "but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance".

The problem with this interpretation is that it's even more abusable and inconsistent, eg: Ready an action to 5-foot step into an area of Reverse Gravity and ignore the Reverse Gravity ... not to mention how it would interact with seafaring combat.

Any rules about movement allowed during an action are referring to active movement, not forced or passive movement by enemies, spells or gravity (or amything else).

There's forced movement, riding movement, and intentional movement.

There are already rules for when you're riding something else in Pathfinder:

Your mount acts on your initiative count as you direct it. You move at its speed, but the mount uses its action to move. A horse (not a pony) is a Large creature and thus takes up a space 10 feet (2 squares) across. For simplicity, assume that you share your mount’s space during combat.

That aside, the reason that falling wasn't initially considered an "action" was because it generally is a "forced" movement - fly spell dispelled, pit trap, etc - by making it an action, you hamper a player's ability to react. That being said, the rules do specify that you cannot cast a spell unless it is an immediate action UNLESS you fall more than 500 feet. It doesn't say you can cast an S only spell or anything, only immediate spells.

(Funny tidbit - Paizo did their homework on this one. It takes 5.58s for a person roughly 160lbs to fall 500 feet).

Ultimately the difference is between RAW and RAI. RAW seems to imply you can take a 5 foot step, fall, do a pirouette, land gracefully, and shank a person. RAI clearly meant for players to be able to react to unintentionally being forced to fall, not divebomb people for free.

I think at the end of the day, the GM has to decide if intentionally falling is basically a "jump" or not. It's their call.

I mean, RAW indicates that if I fall 500 feet but start 505 feet up, I could stab you in the head and then activate my ring of feather fall next round (or cast it if, say, I'm a magus or bard who doesn't mind melee).

Constantine isn't actually good at hand to hand combat; he's generally had to rely on Chas or someone to bail him out if things go that far. I recall exactly one incident where he got the better of someone in a punch up, and even then it seemed out of character. I'll admit D&D doesn't model Constantine type magic very well.

If I were to go Constantine... yeah. It used to be, if memory serves, that he just had a lot of magical items at his disposal, but later I think they gave him real magic.

Comic book mages don't translate well to Pathfinder (or D&D for that matter).

Hmmm, so now I'm looking at this:

Bard to Fighter (Combat Expertise)
Bonus Feat (Power Attack)
Retrain Pageant (Cornugon Smash)
Retrain Critical Focus (Hurtful)
Retrain Blind-Fight (Dazzling Display)
Gain Cruel enchantment on my weapon
Next Level: Shatter Defenses

Considering how many stackable "to-hit" bonuses I get, I'd probably end up power attacking a lot. The Bard in the party, the Lord's Banner of Victory, Prayer, Bless, Haste, and Smiting (though not as many of those). Plus the combo of Dazzling Display and Shatter Defenses. Eventually also get Violent Display, give me the option of affecting all creatures with the Shaken condition. The -2 to attacks isn't huge, but that -2 to saves will help our wizards out a lot.

The only drawback is that we do tend to fight a decent bit of undead, but it's not the crux of the campaign. That would be a lot of feats that are kind of useless against a fairly big category of monsters. (I need to steer us more towards fiends :p )

Hypothetical edge cases do not define the rules.

I'm just laying out a few things - ultimately what you've described is a means of getting a full round melee attack while moving 500 feet in a round.

There are means of stopping ranged attacks that require little-to-no effort on the part of the defender. Cut from the air, or Fickle Winds, and bam. The Ranger is nullified.

Wizard is a bit more problematic, but that's a wizard that has made himself a big target to the other wizards. At those levels, being able to See Invisibility is not that problematic of a hurdle to overcome.

A decent melee build, OTOH, will hit a fair amount. That applies to this scenario as well; allowing the monster a full round attack after dropping from a ceiling high up in the air? All they need is feather fall, and boom. Dead PC.

Readied action from 4 rogues - step, drop, stab.
Readied action from 1 wizard - feather fall. (Heck, this is an immediate action - doesn't even need to be readied)

Also, if the rafters are 20 feet up, a decent rogue will make a DC 15 acrobatics check and avoid

Fighter steps in to cleave. Four rogues drop, flanking him from corners. 9th level, so 8 attacks with +5d6 sneak attack damage. Hell, giving them two kukris each. 12 attacks, +5d6 sneak attack damage. They'll probably miss some, but who knows - maybe they decided Outflank with a worthy feat to all have. Perhaps some crits will trigger additional attacks.

But the ultimate key is this.

AonPRD:

You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance during the round.

They still "move" the extra distance. It doesn't say "but only if you don't otherwise spend any movement" but rather "but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance".

For me personally, I'd be more inclined to say a PC or NPC can do it if the action is benevolent (i.e. leaping to your own detriment to try and heal a fallen PC) than aggressive (like in the example above).

But RAW? I'd read it as a hard no.

Thanks for the insight!

Definitely don't want to stifle creativity :)

I would look at it like this:

What's the most powerful race that your players play? Do you keep them to Aasimar and below? Then that should be your ceiling of power.

Then create the race in question and look at it and think, "from a mechanical standpoint, would anyone choose another race?" If the answer is no for a class or two, you're probably okay; when it becomes several classes, it's OP. Floating stat bonuses means that any class is on the table, so now you look at other abilities. And so forth.

But it is an interesting concept. Mechanics aside, I'd be willing to play one as an RP challenge.

Again, for the sake of creatures that for all intents and purposes are not in initiative, I would allow a partial charge as part of someone entering combat mid-initiative from surprise, because that is the equivalent of them only having that one standard action readied, if it were in a real surprise round.

But, yes, dropping down can be as simple as a 5ft step off a ledge and therefore a free action. It does require you to be more or less directly overtop of someone, but along a city alleyway, tree-canopied road, or even complex cavern system, that's not too improbable.

Technically 5-foot steps aren't "free actions" - they're more like shortened move actions that allow for full-round attacks, but you can't 5-foot step, attack once, then take a full move.

That said, Ryze is 100% correct. Per the rules:

You can move 5 feet in any round when you don’t perform any other kind of movement.

Falling is a kind of movement. It may not require specific locomotion or physical effort on your part, but it is voluntary and on your turn (as opposed to, say, something else forcing you to move - though not sure how that would happen on your turn aside from frighten/panic and even then that's still your movement, you're just compelled - not forced - to do it).

Think of it another way.

I have a character that has the Angel Wings feat. I start off 510 feet up in the air. I use a swift action to grant my weapon reach (or maybe I just have a reach weapon).

I drop 500 feet. I haven't "moved" yet, and making a fly check on its own doesn't use an action, so I get an attack, then make the DC 20 check (at 12th level Swashbuckler, my fly is is already higher than 20) and fly straight back up. I'm 20 feet above my target, and next round I get a haste cast on me. I drop, full round attack, then fly 50 feet up. Rinse, repeat. Take vital strike, because I feel like doing more damage.

AoO? Not with my parry. Good freaking luck.

Hope you're built to be really good with ranged attacks. Those levels of Virtuous Bravo and ring of evasion, plus Cut and Smash from the air - any outdoor encounter, I'm practically invincible.

Or perhaps just stop 10 feet above my target. Full round attack despite starting the round nearly two football fields above my target.

All because falling is a free action.

One of my characters is a crafter that can use improvised weapons. She also runs a shop. She focuses on odd types of weapons like traveling kettles and battle ladders.

I was wondering if there were any odd types of armor that she could put in as well.

Odd materials would be useful as well.

Sadly, Pathfinder has lots of rules for improvised weapons... not so much for armor.

You could claim your armor is made up of pot lids and dual-wield pots.
Another fun one is Equipment Trick: Ladder along with levels of Monk, letting you do flurry of blows with a ladder.

Traits Improvised Defense and Rough and Ready boost using improvised weapons for defense and attack. Surprise Weapon as well.
Throw Anything, Catch off Guard feats
Wildcat Monk Archetype, or Monk of the Empty Hand

As for ACTUAL items... probably better reading the posts above mine :p

The skill unlock for Intimidate becomes useful when you make enemies COWER... because then things like Dastardly Finish and Dreadful Carnage start a Coup de Grace feedback loop...

Scare someone, make them cower, coup de grace them, which scares everyone and makes them cower, you coup de grace the next one, which scares everyone and makes them cower... it's a viscious cycle...

Yeah, but that's not until level 20 (unless you're a Phantom Thief) and I don't typically bother with thinking along the lines of "well, I can do X 6-10 levels from now". I, personally, have never been a fan of looking at builds from a "level 20" perspective because in my experience I've never had a level 20 character long enough to utilize those abilities beyond a session or two.

Alright, well I think that was just a mislabeling on my part. So they would be humanoids with the half-lich subtype then. If this then is the case, would it be too powerful?

Also agree with Voodist, out-of-the-gate DR5/bludgeoning is definitely way too powerful (unless bludgeoning weapons are the most common weapon in your universe by a fairly large margin, and claws do bludgeoning as well as slashing). That character could wade into a sea of goblins with shortswords with practically no worry save for backstabs.

Scalable DR is better, but you've also got them with natural AC of +2. Only a couple of races have natural AC, most at +1, and only the Galthlain have a DR (of which Voodist pointed out, is way less powerful than your DR5).

Viewing the character from what everyone might have at level 10, 15 or 20 is a misnomer - 1st level, this character is still way more survivable than nearly any other character. The human bonus feat, for example, isn't worth it compared to getting +2 AC AND DR 5.

If you're going to do an Intimidate build, I'd go with Cornugon Smash, Dazzling Display, and Shatter Defenses. Put a Cruel Weapon Enchant so you can do the Shaken/Sicken combo for -4 att/saves -2 dmg.

Not only does this increase your survivability, but also your accuracy for your iterative attacks. Your iterative attacks will be vs. FFAC once your targets are Shattered.

A couple of questions:

Why specifically Cornugon Smash over Violent Display?
Is this a preference of single-target focus vs AoE, or not having a need to score a crit to generate the effect?

Talking with the players, having monster run away is problematic, so sticking to shaken and adding sicken to that is better than using the skill unlock.

I believe you want the Rules Question forum for Pathfinder Second Edition:

https://paizo.com/community/forums/pathfinder/second/rules

Hope this helps!

A character that can fight completely blindfolded, but utilizes no racial or supernatural abilities to overcome their blindness. Must be a martial class.

Or the ultimate challenge:
A ranged-based hunter than can compete with a Zen Archer.

Pretty sure this:

Type: Half-liches are humanoid creatures with both the outsider and the undead subtypes.

And this:

Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).

Makes this irrelevant:

Undeath Resistance: Half-Liches gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects.

Undead subtype gives them all of this:

No Constitution score. Undead use their Charisma score in place of their Constitution score when calculating hit points, Fortitude saves, and any special ability that relies on Constitution(such as when calculating a breath weapon’s DC).

Darkvision 60 feet.
Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms).
Immunity to bleed, death effects, disease, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning.
Not subject to nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Constitution, Dexterity, and Strength), as well as to exhaustion and fatigue effects.
Cannot heal damage on its own if it has no Intelligence score, although it can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures. The fast healing special quality works regardless of the creature’s Intelligence score.
Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
Not at risk of death from massive damage, but is immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points.
Not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect undead creatures. These spells turn undead creatures back into the living creatures they were before becoming undead.
Proficient with its natural weapons, all simple weapons, and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
Undead do not breathe, eat, or sleep.

That's the reason, I believe, that dhampir don't get the undead subtype - it's too powerful. Yes, the drawback of death upon hitting 0 hp is rough, but being immune to most fort-based spells and all mind-affecting spells?

Just be a half-lich Paladin or Anti-Paladin, and because you're an undead subtype you no longer have to spend points on Con - just ABSURD Charisma scores.

So yes, as a PC race, it's too powerful. Crib off of the dhampir subtype and make a custom one for half-lich, but not the undead subtype.

Thanks - I've been thinking on it, and I agree with you. I like that it doesn't impact on my swift/immediate action economy.

I would have loved to see that moment - but alas for the poor owner of that flower bed.

I may even retrain Blind-Fight for Skill Focus: Intimidate, try and make full use of the Signature Skill unlock.

So my character is currently a...
Arcane Duelist (Bard) 1
Inspired Blade (Swashbuckler) 5
Virtuous Bravo (Paladin) 5
Lore Keeper (Fighter) 1

Feats are:
Weapon Focus
Weapon Finesse
Fencing Grace
Combat Reflexes
Leadership
Angelic Blood
Angelic Wings
Critical Focus
Blind-Fight
Pageant of the Peacock (not a feat but using a feat slot)

I've been contemplating where to go from here. There's a few feat chain-options I like, but some are digging into my already "often used" swift/immediate action. Often I have it ready to double my precision damage, or smite.

I've been toying with the following chains (pretty much all involve retraining my level of bard now that we have a legitimate skill person in the party, rendering my Pageant useless):

Option 1:
Retrain Bard to Fighter - Get Combat Expertise (Lore Seeker), Gain Bonus Feat (Moonlight Stalker), Retrain Pageant of the Peacock feat slot (Blinded Blade Style), 13th Level and on taking Virtuous Bravo levels (my plan is stick with VB on all options), get a Minor Cloak of Displacement - 13th level taking Staggering Critical

Option 2:
Retrain Bard to Fighter - Get Combat Expertise (Lore Seeker), Gain Bonus Feat (Blinded Blade Style), Retrain Pageant (Improved Blind-Fight), Retrain Critical Focus (Blinded Competence)

Option 3:
Bard to Fighter (Combat Expertise), Bonus Feat (Power Attack), Retrain Pageant (Cut from the Air)
**3A Retrain Critical Focus (Smash from the Air)
**3B Retain Critical Focus, take Staggering Critical at Level 13

Option 4:
Bard to Fighter (Combat Expertise), Bonus Feat (Moonlight Stalker), Retrain Pageant (Improved Feint), Retrain Critical Focus (Moonlight Feint)

Option 5:
Bard to Fighter (Combat Expertise), Bonus Feat (Dazzling Display), Retrain Pageant (Violent Display), Retrain Critical Focus (Signature Skill: Intimidate)

(For the purposes of this, the Rapier Training of the Inspired Blade is considered Weapon Training by my GM).

The things I'm trying to debate between:
1. Does getting blinded/fighting invisible creatures come up enough for the blind-fighting build?
2. Do I focus on obvious static benefits (Moonlight Stalker with permanent Blur) or less static?
3. Does option 3 offer the best form of defense, considering my number of AoO (23 Dex)? Should that be my focus as I already deal a decent bit of damage due to the high crit build I already have?
4. Is my already high utilization of swift actions (extra precision damage, smite evil) meaning I should ignore anything else that wants to access those (feinting, intimidate, etc)?
5. Are critical feats worth it, or are the save DCs too low? Or is a single round of staggered still worth it regardless?

We get a few buffs to hit and damage (a banner, a bard song, etc) so my to-hit can be pretty robust. Power attack certainly wouldn't be a bad (though right now my Str is a 12, so I'd have to retrain my last bonus out of Dex and into Str to qualify - or get an Ioun stone of strength because adding it to my Dex/Con belt would be crazy expensive comparatively).

Curious if any folks had experience playing characters with these feats and if they were a lot of fun?

So I think I've got a handle on it. Maybe. Heh.

Human Phantom Thief 10 (Cohort)
*Focused Study
Str 8
Dex 14
Con 10
Wis 18
Int 14
Cha 12

Feats:
Planar Heritage (Tiefling)
Healing Hands
Psychic Sensitivity
Psychic Healing
Additional Traits
Skill Focus: Disable Device
Skill Focus: Sleight of Hand
Skill Focus: Heal
Brilliant Planner
Deadly Aim
Rapid Reload
Ranged Disarm

Rogue Talents:
Combat Feat, Combat Feat, Combat Feat, Skill Focus
Always Prepared

Skill Edge (Phantom Thief 1/2 bonus and Signature Skill unlock)
Heal, Stealth, Disable Device, Perception, Use Magic Device

Items:
Healer's Gloves, Healer's Satchel (Long-Term Care), Healer's Satchel (Treatment)

Alchemical items so far:
antitoxin, antivenom, bodybalm

The first satchel doubles the effectiveness of long-term care, meaning the second unlock is now worth 8 hp per HD and 8 ability damage. Coupled with the assurance of making the DC, an additional 18 (double Wisdom modifier from satchel, plus ranks in Knowledge: Planes) - characters are 12th level, so that would be 114 hp of healing. With psychic healer, I can boost at least one person with as many temp HP as I heal them for.

The second satchel allows my heal check in place of a poison save.

Faith Healing (Occult Skill unlock) means I can remove curses and diseases with an 8 hour ritual by hitting double the DC. Heal for the 10th level cohort with no headband is +39.

UMD unlock really just to get enough bonus to ensure making the DC to use scrolls of Aram Zey's focus.

Took Tiefling Racial Heritage so I could take the Friendless trait, allowing the cohort to heal themselves. Also took Battlefield Surgeon (so will be taking that deity).

Wondering how this works:

The spell specifically states:

If you don’t have the trapfinding class ability, this spell grants you the trapfinding ability of a rogue of half your character level.

This doesn't seem dependent on the creator of the scroll; the duration (1 min / level) obviously is, as would attempts to dispel the buff, but otherwise would a 10th level barbarian who pulls off the UMD check to use it have the equivalent of a 5th level rogue in trapfinding?

To fit the "look", I'm also trying to look at all the alchemical items I can purchase that fit the theme.

Antitoxins and antiplague are obvious, and there's Gildea Myrrh. Will probably end up with a shopping list.

Skrayper wrote:

And then, after typing all that out, I realize those feats won't work (the non-combat build) because the combat feats all came from rogue talents, and not able to get both Clockwork Surgeon and Precise Treatment

Clockwork Surgeon and Precise Treatment are both traits. Clockwork Surgeon is a Religion trait and Precise Treatment is a Magic trait. Did you run out of trait slots?

Yeah, because the primary role for the character is going to be disarming traps (right now our trap disarmer is an inspired blade/virtuous bravo with Trap Finder trait). In order to do Phantom Thief, I either needed to dip into something with trapfinding, or take the trait. I went with the trait because 10th level is a particularly nice sweet spot for Phantom Thief because at 10th they treat skill unlocks like they have 15 ranks.

The alternative is to simply deal with traps for this remaining level with the current setup, then let this character take a level in something with trapfinding at 11th (cohort) level, like Investigator.

The alchemy from the class would fit in well too, so I might just do that and take both those traits. It would mean that I could go back to focusing on INT as the highest or second highest stat.

And then, after typing all that out, I realize those feats won't work (the non-combat build) because the combat feats all came from rogue talents, and not able to get both Clockwork Surgeon and Precise Treatment :/

I could swap out Rapid Reload for Improvisational Healer, then either Twist Away using the Feat talent at 10th or go with Improved Evasion. To add to survivability, I could go with minor magic, then major magic twice for Mage Armor and Shield (or at least Shield). Would probably swap the skill focus (sleight of hand) and go with the regular feat bonus for humans (was only taking the skill focus option due to selecting so many skill focuses)

Might go with Improvisational Healer over Rapid Reload anyway, just attempt the ranged disarm every other round. Would also give the option of deciding to spend a round hiding. Would also change my skill unlocks.

Waugh.

I really love that Improvisational Healer one. Trying to find it a way to work it in while giving the character something to do in combat (though that's not absolutely necessary, just something I would like).

So far this is what I have:

Human Phantom Thief
Racial Traits: Dimdweller, Focused Study
Favored class: Taking 1/6 of a rogue talent each time

Feats:
Additional Traits (to take Trap Finder so they can still disable traps, along with Alchemical Adept at the moment - not sold on the second trait yet, not sure if I'll make alchemy or just buy it)
Healing hands
Shadow's Shroud
*Deadly Aim (from Rogue Talent)
*Rapid Reload (from Rogue Talent)
*Ranged Disarm
Deft Hands
Skill Focus: Disable Device
Skill Focus: Sleight of Hand
Skill Focus: Heal
Brilliant Planner (from Always Prepared)

Talents:
Black Market Connections
Always Prepared
Combat Talent
Combat Talent
Skill Focus Talent

Advanced Talent:
*Weapon Snatcher

Skill Unlocks:
Heal
Stealth
Perception
Disable Device (pretty much just for the +1/2 Phantom Thief level in the skill)
(Still debating the last one)

Those with asterisks are just for something to do in combat, but I have seriously considered going other routes.

There's the "something to do in combat routes" (feats in place of those with *):
Weapon Focus + Dazzling Display + Skill Unlock: Intimidate - though I need to work on boosting the Intimidate skill something fierce even with a skill unlock, but if able to pull it off would be brutal.

Firearms Training + Grit (Rogue Talent) + Rapid Reload - figure shooting at touch AC is way more likely to work, so if not going for disarms then this might work.

There's the "purely non-combat" (feats in place of those with *):
Toughness, Improvisational Healer, Clockwork Surgeon (focus on Int more than I did Wis), swap Alchemical Adept for Precise Treatment, Twist Away (toughness and twist away for survivability)

I'm kinda leaning towards the non-combat role. Might stock up on wands to give them a means to buff others using UMD. Just need to ensure a 20.

If using Healing Hands, you don't need Battlefield Surgeon. Also huge thanks for pointing out the Boline. :)

Skrayper wrote:

Vigilante Talent: Social Grace

Vigilante Talent: In Vogue
Skill Unlock: Profession

?

Are you dipping into Vigilante? Because the Phantom Thief vigilante social talents they can select specifically call out not being able to take Social Grace or any talent requiring them to be a craftsman or a professional.

** spoiler omitted **

Sorry, that was just a brain storm of a completely unrelated build. Just one of those "hey, and also..."

Also completely forgot about that limitation.

Yeah, there's a couple of Conduit Feats that look fun. The two VoodistMonk mentions have definitely caught my eye.

Right now this is for a cohort, so traits are going to be through a feat (we don't give out traits for cohorts at character creation), but I figure with Phantom Thief they can be useful for healing, disabling traps (we have no truly dedicated disabler - my hybrid character with the trap finder trait is as close as we get, which was fine at low levels but is getting rougher and rougher as we level up).

The Phantom Thief is looking a fun class if you're okay with little damage in combat (which, honestly, I've found cohorts to not be super great at anyway, plus with the worse gear and 2 fewer levels - and worse stats - not someone I typically want to toss into combat anyway). In other words, I almost always end up keeping my cohorts away from the fight (to either buff, heal, or some other task that has them in town) because I'm paranoid they'll die in two rounds.

I was thinking of tacking on Ranged Disarm with Weapon Snatcher as well, give them a crossbow, and see if they can knock weapons out of enemy hands. I won't have the feat chain to send the weapon off, but I figure any round they have to pick it up is a round without a full round attack, plus it gives them something to do in combat.

I think it's fun to theory craft things that aren't combat related. Like building a medic, or building someone who can use profession for more than just lunch money. I mean, it will never come close to good ol' fashioned dungeon delving, but using the same class (Phantom Thief)

Vigilante Talent: Social Grace
Vigilante Talent: In Vogue
Skill Unlock: Profession

Of course, Wisdom is hardly a primary stat for rogues, but with those two talents, you could make double the amount of your check each day in gold. If you know the team will have some down time (retraining, etc), it might be worth it. Especially with rolling twice.

Gold earnings in a week:
[10 (ranks) + 3 (class skill) + 5 (Phantom Thief Signature Skill) + 4 (Social Grace Vigilante Talent) + 10 (average roll) ] x2 (In Vogue) x7 (a week worth's of checks, Skill Unlock 15) = 448 gp per week.

That also doesn't presume going hard in on the Profession skill, with Skill Focus, Prodigy, Breadth of Experience, Master Craftsman, etc as well as a Headband of Wisdom, and any other class-based Profession boosts I'm not aware of (in case of double dipping after 10th level Phantom Thief).

Okay, so "non-magical" is not QUITE accurate in that some of the best versions will utilize magical items.

That being said, I meant a character that doesn't use spells or channeling to do their healing. I only came across this while tinkering with a rogue companion:

Phantom Thief, 10th level:
1. Select Heal as one of their Signature Skills
2. Max out Heal and Knowledge: Plains
3. Feat: Healing Hands (Conduit)
4. Item: Healer's Satchel (Specialized for Long-Term Care)
5. Item: Vest of Surgery

Up to 10 times per day, can heal 6 points of ability damage and 6xlevel in HP (presuming 12th level characters for a 10th level cohort, 72 hp) with a full round action. Can also, for 5 of those, cure a point of ability drain (using the Healer's Satchel).

Any other non-spellcaster methods of healing (basically utilizing the heal skill or alternates, like a profession skill) out there?

So as you saw, I've worked on both a healer cohort and a buffing cohort (which was, previously, a crafting cohort). One of players came back, covering both healing and buffing between his main and his cohort. So I was debating between retraining my Leadership feat, or trying something new with the cohort.

I decided to try out a Counterspelling build.

The guide I found basically covered two potential builds:
Arcanist (School Savant)
Exploiter Wizard

Right now, I have the character as an Exploiter Wizard. I took that because of the fact that, as a cohort (as opposed to being a full player character), they're two levels behind. This means in an 11th level party, I could either make a 9th level Wizard or 9th level Arcanist.

I prefer the Arcanist under normal circumstances, but in this regard I felt it better to go Wizard and only be behind 1 spell level instead of 1.5 (presently would be 2) from the party.

Secondary role is arcane buffs, as we don't have someone doing that (though the number of buffs that are arcane ONLY is pretty limited - mostly just looking at Haste and a tiny selection of others).

To ensure this character could use Dispel Magic (figuring that was way more likely to work than, say, prepping enough spells of various schools and having the Improved Counterspell feat), I went this route:

(Traits obtained through the Additional Traits feat)
CL Checks for Dispel Magic:
+1 from Forest Blessing
+1 from Varisian Tattoo
+1 from Outlander: Loreseeker
+2 from Spell Duel Prodigy
+2 from Spell Specialization
+2 from Numerology Cylinder
+2 from Potent Magic (if spending Arcane Point)

Exploits:
Familiar
Counterspell
Potent Magic

Other feats:
Scribe Scroll
Spell Focus (Abjuration)
Improved Familiar (Faerie Dragon)
Dispel Synergy

Loreseeker includes the spells Dispel Magic, Greater Dispel Magic, and Baleful Polymorph

There's a part of me still very tempted to go Arcanist anyway (though possibly not school savant) and just try to focus more on the Dispel Magic method and not use the Counterspell exploit.

Also have an Echoing Rod (Lesser) to get more mileage with my Dispel Magic slots, as a Ring of Wizardry for 3rd level is pretty pricey.

Thoughts? Has anyone ever pulled off a true counterspell build?

I count 15 threads with new posts during the last 4 hours, not including this one.

Okay, that's weird... because I count 3.

At the same time PF2's General Discussion had 6 such threads, Advice has 3, Rules gets to 2 and others have a few more.

Doesn't seem that bad to me.

When I clicked into those areas, they were empty.

Maybe there's a view setting then. My bad... :/

Bouncing around and noting the lack of new 1E posts, I thought it must be because everyone was in the 2E forums... but instead those forums are practically empty.
:/