Slippy's page

Am I right in thinking that Ki Throw involves forfeiting some of the things that make trip more reliable and powerful, in order to move the target to a space adjacent to you?

Here's the feat description: On a successful unarmed trip attack against a target your size or smaller, you may throw the target prone in any square you threaten rather than its own square. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and you cannot throw the creature into a space occupied by other creatures.

Ki Throw: The feat requires that you make the trip attack unarmed, meaning that you can't have a magic weapon bonus to your attack roll unless you have a magic unarmed attack by way of an Amulet of Mighty Fists or a Magic Gauntlet. It appears that Rope Gauntlets don't count as unarmed. Similarly, you can't have reach since you are unarmed, unless you are large, using the Lunge feat, or are using Longarm Bracers.

So... I'm going to oversimplify things a bit here: Ki Throw allows you to reposition the target to a space adjacent to you, but this is balanced by a lowered CMB and the lack of a reach weapon option.

Am I understanding this correctly? I guess I'm asking because I can't help but want to throw the target to an nonadjacent space, and to somehow recoup those valuable CMB points.

I guess this question boils down to whether bonuses that do not clearly have a declared type are considered to be untyped and there stackable.

I'm trying to build a character who has numerous bonuses with Bull Rush. Here's what I have:

+2 from Dwarven Boulder Helmet (Circumstance Bonus)
+2 from Heirloom Weapon (Trait Bonus)
+2 from Improved Bull Rush (Feat that does not specify the type of bonus)
+2 from Relentless (Alternate Dwarf Racial Trait that does not specify the type of bonus)

Helmet, Dwarven Boulder: This heavy, reinforced helmet can be used to make melee attacks. The wearer may also use the helmet when attempting bull rush maneuvers, granting a +2 circumstance bonus on the check, but after completing the maneuver (whether successful or not), the wearer is staggered until the end of his next turn. In addition, the helmet grants a +2 circumstance bonus to the wearer's AC against critical hit confirmation rolls. A dwarven boulder helmet adds 20% to the wearer's arcane spell failure chance. It occupies the head slot and is made of metal, not stone, meaning that it can be crafted from unusual materials as a metal weapon. A dwarven boulder helmet can be enchanted as a weapon (not as armor, despite providing some protection).

Heirloom Weapon: When you select this trait, choose one of the following benefits: [...] a +2 trait bonus on one kind of combat maneuver when using that specific weapon.

Improved Bull Rush: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a bull rush combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks made to bull rush a foe. You also receive a +2 bonus to your Combat Maneuver Defense whenever an opponent tries to bull rush you.

Relentless: Dwarves are skilled at pushing their way through a battlefield, tossing aside lesser foes with ease. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to bull rush or overrun an opponent. This bonus only applies while both the dwarf and his opponent are standing on the ground. This racial trait replaces stability.

...so, I guess my question is whether Relentless is untyped, racial trait, or trait. It appears untyped, but I can't imagine why this would be the case. It is a racial trait, albeit an alternate one, and most other racial traits specify their bonuses as being racial trait bonuses. There isn't even another dwarven racial trait that Relentless could conflict with. The language used on Relentless is basically the same as Improved Bull Rush, which clearly is untyped so that it can stack with Greater Bull Rush. In short, do all of these bonuses stack, and does anyone have any suggestions for similar Bull Rush bonuses?

I'm quite new to the Druid class, and relatively new to Pathfinder. I'm fascinated and confused by Wild Shape, and of course by this item. I'm going to list my interpretations of the Mask of Giants, and hopefully someone here can confirm or correct me.

Since the Mask of Giants grants humanoid forms, your gear does not meld with your body. The description for polymorph spells says that "When you cast a polymorph spell that changes you into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type, all of your gear melds into your body," so Mask of Giants simply enlarges all of your gear just like Enlarge Person, meaning you can continue wielding weapons, wearing armor, and using shields.

All of the forms that are granted by the Mask of Giants can speak, so... I assume the Druid can continue speaking and even casting spells when using the Mask of Giants?

The only real downside to using the Mask of Giants is that it doesn't grant some of the perks that you would get if you used Wild Shape to turn into other forms which carry abilities like Grab, Trip, ect...

Again, I'm pretty new to this.