SnarkyChymist's page

This is not a question to the community, but rather a question for Paizo: can you clarify if splash damage applies to a target directly hit by a spell or bomb?

On page 359, and the Appendix on page 419, the book states: "When you use a thrown weapon with the splash trait, you don't add your Strength modifier to the damage roll. If an attack with a splash weapon fails, succeeds, or critically succeeds, all creatures within 5 feet of the target take the listed amount of splash damage." Does this also include the target creature? Or is the target creature only subjected to the splash damage on a failure (but not a critical failure)?

For example, would an orc hit with an Alchemist's Fire take both the 1d8 fire damage as well as the 1 point of fire damage from the splash?

Previous threads have debated this and believe that RAI, the target creature does takes the splash damage on a success and critical success. I'd like to ask Paizo for an official clarification on this, and a possible errata, to make the wording and intended effects of the splash trait clearer going forward.

Thank you!

A lot of martial classes would like some of the feats Fighters have access to. At the same time, access to those feats is what makes the Fighters feel unique. It's a catch 22. I think I have a suggested solution.

For Martial Classes: Make feats like Power Attack, Double Slice, Sudden Charge, Point-Blank Shot, and Shield Paragon also General Feats. They can still be Fighter Class Feats, but by making them also available as General Feats helps with the feat woes that many classes have. Multiclassing is a nice option but doing so for 1 feat feels lackluster, and feats like Shield Paragon can't be gained through multiclassing (it'd be nice for a sword-and-board paladin to have this feat before level 20, for example).

For Fighters: Give them a class feature at 5th, 7th, or 9th level that allows them to leverage some of their feats in a way no other martial class can:

"Once per turn, you can reduce the action cost of a fighter class feat you know by one action, to a minimum of one action. You cannot use this class feat again until your next turn."

This would give the fighter the ability to take actions like Power Attack, Swipe, Sudden Charge, Double Shot, and Double Strike one per turn for only 1 action; however, they would not be able to use that same feat until next turn (no double-double slices or double-power attacks!). This would be a Figther-unique class feature, giving them an edge over other classes other than just feat selection. Even if another class can gain double strike and similar feats, no one can use those feats like a true fighter!

I imagine some wording would need to be adjusted, but what do you fine people think? Are there any other combat-styled feats that should be available as general feats?

So paladin's "Holy Smite" is persistent damage on their retributive strikes that comes online at 9th level.

Meanwhile, the cleric has a 4th Level Feat called Channel Smite that allows them to deal Positive Energy damage on top of a weapon attack, and that damage scales up quite well.

I think this Feat should be adapted and given to the paladin class, as a 1st or 2nd level class feature. If needed, make Retributive Strike a Feat that a defender paladin can opt-into.

Make Paladins Smite Again!