Smite Makes Right's page

With my current Starfinder game on hiatus, I have not had the chance to delve into Starfinder economics in practice. In reviewing the book, it looks like it is, in theory, horrible. You have to periodically ditch your gear and buy new gear to stay competitive only to ditch that in turn. There is no path to upgrade, such as through enchantment, and there is no room for concepts around an heirloom item. I feel that given the design objectives for Starfinder, it is a failure and the economic model is a large part of why.

Independently and with Pathfinder 2 coming (which could use a similar economic model), I am curious what everyones' practical experience has been.

A Mystic's channel skill bonus does not state that it affects starship skill checks, but should it? Since Walk the Void is separate from Channel Skill, it may have been an oversight.

It seems that without the bonus applying to piloting a starship or assisting with piloting, the bonus will almost never come up.

We were running Master of the Fallen Fortress (Tier 1) with 2 other players, the GM running a pregen cleric, and my newly level 2 (oops!) Paladin.

I am relatively new to PFS, but Pathfinder, and more so, 3.0, and 3.5 are old hat. I am helping a store set up a regular PFS event. I have run one event, but I will be taking time off when my son is born so I was training a replacement GM. He has never GMed before, but has played PFS (Level 12 Wizard).

We both missed the fact that I was playing a level 2 character in a Tier 1 adventure.

My existing chronicle sheets are:

• Rise of the Goblin Guilds (never reported online; apparently the group that does the local cons never reports the chronicle sheets)
  
• We Be Goblins (You be food)
  
• First Steps: Introduction to Lore (as a GM)

Do I rearrange the chronicle sheets? Lose the Fallen Fortress one (Essentially playing it for no credit. Does that impact the other players?)

I don't mind losing the sheet as long as the other players still get credit.

Thank you.

There has been some discussion of how mundane and magical armor interacts with magical sources of armor bonuses and I thought it would be good to post a question in the Rules Forum.

Let's start with Bracers of Armor. It's obvious what happens when the bonuses are different. What happens when the bonuses are equal?

Bracers of Armor

Let's ignore the question of how mundane armor can cease functioning (or why it would need to) and look at what happens if I am wearing +1 Light Fortification Scale Mail and +6 Shadow Bracers of Armor. The Scale Mail provides does not provide a greater armor bonus, so the Bracers of Armor are functioning. The Bracers of Armor do not provide a greater armor bonus, so the Scale Mail is still functioning. A strict reading of the rules says that I now have a +6 Armor Bonus and I benefit from both Light Fortification and Shadow. Is this intentional?

It gets more complicated.

Let's say I change things up and I put on a +1 Light Fortification Breastplate (+7 AC), a +1 Spell Resistance Armored Coat (+5 AC), and lastly, +6 Shadow Bracers of Armor (+6 AC).

Armored Coat

Okay... So, the Bracers of Armor shuts down the Armored Coat, but the Breastplate shuts down the Bracers of Armor, but the Armored Coat shuts down the Breastplate, but the Bracers of Armor shut down the Armored Coat, but ... And I just spin like a wheel while the bad guys throw knives to entertain the table. What is supposed to take precedence in this unlikely scenario.

Finally, I do not own the book for the Armored Kilt, but I will be GMing PFS games and it might come up. The description I could find for the armored kilt was:

There is nothing to say that the armor bonus of the kilt is added to the armor bonus of the armor it is added to, but I do not see a benefit of adding it if it is not added. A Chain Shirt with Armored Kilt is a base +5 AC, +4 Max Dex, -2 Armored Check Penalty, 20% Arcane Spell Failure Medium Armor. Correct?

Can the armored kilt be enchanted and added to nonmagical armor with the final armor benefiting from the Kilt's enchantments?

Can a nonmagical armored kilt be added to magical armor with the final armor benefiting from the magic armor's enchantments?

If a magical armored kilt is added to other magical armor, what enchantments does the final armor have?

If the armor kilt and/or the armor it is added to have special materials, does the final armor benefit from either or none of the special materials?

My wife is thinking about making an Oracle worshiping Wadjet for PFS, but is not sure what Mysteries are appropriate.

According to The God and Goddesses of Ancient Osirion, her domains are Good, Law, Protection, Travel, and Water and her "areas of concern" are Good serpents, the River Sphinx, and wisdom.

First, am I correct that deity and mystery associations are recommendations and not hard and fast rules? Second, what would be good mysteries for Wadjet?

My wife is making a Cartomancer for PFS play.

Spell Deck: Each cartomancer carries a special harrow deck that allows her to communicate with her patron. Its ability to hold spells functions identically to the way a witch’s spells are granted by her familiar.

By Contrast, the Wizard's Arcane Bond:

Arcane Bond: ... Wizards who select a bonded object begin play with one at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into one of the following categories: amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon. These objects are always masterwork quality.

Does a Cartomancer begin with a Harrow Deck or does she have to buy one? Does the phrase "Each cartomancer carries..." mean that each cartomancer begins play with one? A Harrow Deck is 100 gp. The average starting funds for a witch is 105 gp. In PFS, she can afford one, but at the cost of 2/3rds of her funds.

Thank you.

I am planning to start a PFS venue at a local shop, but first I have to pick a time slot. The store is closed on Sundays and Saturdays has another gaming event that may compete with it.

Another option would be to run it during the week, but to allow for getting there from work, that will only allow for an approximately 2 hour slot.

Has anyone tried setting up a regular PFS event with such a short session duration? I have other options, but I wanted to see how feasible it was to do it in a 2 - 2.5 hour session.

Price +50 gp
Type exotic
This shield is designed for throwing and has specially designed straps that allow you to unclasp and throw it as a free action. Tower shields cannot be throwing shields. Neither a shield's enhancement bonus to AC nor its shield spikes apply on your attack or damage rolls. A throwing shield can't be disarmed.

Can I add "throwing shield" to a buckler? I am not interested in throwing it, just the immunity to disarm.

Can I upgrade a tome or manual in order to purchase the inherent bonuses in increments?

Can I Upgrade a Named Magic Item?
Named magic items—including specific armor and specific weapons—are not upgradeable. Non-magic specific armor and specific weapons may be upgraded normally. Magic armor and weapons may be upgraded to named versions if they are the same basic material and shape as, and meet but do not exceed the enhancement bonuses of the named versions. Wondrous items whose names include a +X value (such as bracers of armor, headband of vast intelligence, amulet of might fists, etc.) may also be upgraded following the rules for upgrading magical items on page 19 of the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play.

Because the tomes and manuals become non magical after use, I would assume that they cannot be. Or more accurately, that if you buy one and don't read it, only then can you upgrade it.

I would love for this to be allowed since it seems that as it stands, tomes and manuals below +5 are wasteful. If it is not allowed now, it would be nice, in the interest of playability, that players be allowed to purchase inherent bonuses by paying the difference between the current bonus sought and the last purchased.

I am starting up a Pathfinder Society Paladin. I want to cover a lot of bases, but still want to be effective at my core function and general explore some of the fun options available though PFS.

Currently, my books available are the Core plus:

• Pathfinder Society Field Guide
  
• Ultimate Equipment
  
• Advanced Race Guide
  
• Advanced Player's Guide

Race
I've decided on playing an Aasimar, but even if I had Blood of Angels, I think I would play a normal Aasimar. The one variation I was considering was Scion of Humanity, but I am not entirely sure what I am giving up or gaining with this option. Is an Aasimar normally immune to Charm Person, for example, and this removes that immunity? Does this option allow me to take human favored class options like energy resistance and will this energy resistance overlap the Aasimar resistances or can it be used to increase it?

Stats (20 point buy with racial modifiers)
Str 14
Dex 13
Con 14
Int 12
Wis 10
Cha 17

Diety
Sarenrae, the Dawnflower

Traits
I currently have Dangerously Curious (Magic) and Beneficent Touch (Faith), but I just noticed that the reroll is only once per day and I am thinking about switching them out. Magical Knack (Magic) might be interesting, but I am not sure. I would only drop Dangerously Curious if I took the Cosmopolitan Feat.

Feats
Cosmopolitan (UMD and another skill as a class skill) if I drop Dangerously Curious.
Angelic Blood (partially to qualify for Angel Wings)
Power Attack, Cleave and/or Improved Sunder / Greater Sunder or Sundering Strike
Critical Focus if I also take Sickening Critical
I think I can take Fight On due to a 14 Con.
Step Up, possibly Following Step and/or Step Up and Strike
Skipping Improved Critical and buying a Scabbard of Keen Edges when I can.
Reward of Grace (+1 sacred bonus, but only for 1 round)
Saving Shield seems good if I am will be adjacent to another frontliner, but I think flanking is better than stacking up on the same side.
Shield Focus
Combat Reflexes would only be worth it if I bump up my Dex.

Later levels:
I was considering Channeled Revival since it costs less than Ultimate Mercy, but I think Greater Mercy and Ultimate Mercy are the way to go. With Bracers of the Merciful Knight (+4 levels for LoH) and a +2 Cha item, I can pay the cost at 8th level.
Angel Wings

Archetypes
I didn't see any archetypes that really appealed to me, I want to preserve Smite Evil, Lay on Hands, and Divine Grace. Is there something I overlooked?

Early Equipment
Silver Wayfinder - The Detect Evil overlaps with the class ability, but the other functions are cool. If I find a class feature that substitutes Detect Evil for another class feature, I will still have it though the item.
Living Steel Heavy Shield, throwing shield - I am not going to throw it, but it regenerates damage, can't be disarmed (property of throwing), and natural 1's against me break weapons. Woot.
Kikko - cheaper than scale mail for the same protection, why wouldn't I take it until I can afford better armor.
Scimitar (Weapon Bond)
Composite Longbow
Cold Iron Kukri (because it's kind of like a miniature Scimitar)
Gauntlet of Rust paired with a Spiked Gauntlet. The first to make my equipment immune to rust, the second as a piercing weapon that can't be disarmed.
Handy Haversack (Heward told me these are awesome).
Cauldron of Resurrection as a potential alternative to Ultimate Mercy.

My wife and I played our first Pathfinder Society game at Comicpalooza and I was not allowed to play my Aasimar Paladin because I did not bring the Bestiary, the Advanced Race Guide, or Blood of Angels.

The Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play says that core assumption is that every player has the following:
• Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook
• Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play

From the FAQ:
"...the core assumption for Pathfinder Society Organized Play is the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Pathfinder Society Field Guide, and the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary..."

Is the FAQ outdated or is the Bestiary part of the core assumption? If the FAQ is current and accurate, is there anything that can be done to update local event organizers? Note that I did not argue the point because I could not check the FAQ until I got home.

Similarly, I came across (while searching online) a group in Ontario that requires players to bring material from the Bestiary or, as one poster put it, they "have just summoned a kitten and a ball of yarn."

Also, the Additional Resources List does not specify any Races as legal content (outside of for polymorph purposes) so I don't see why, officially, possession of the Bestiary would enable playing as an Aasimar. In any case, we bought a copy of the Advanced Race Guide, so we are set for next time.

Secondly, the Field Guide has kinder progression than the Guide to Pathfinder Society Organized Play for what can be purchased based on Fame. I would assume that the Guide to Organized Play, being newer takes precedence, but has there been any official statement to that effect?

Lastly, we are starting an online game, but it is not clear how to enforce Additional Resources restrictions. It sounds like if the GM has the resource in question, it is not an issue while playing with that GM. How do other people who run games online handle it?