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I think they are maybe mashing some things together.

In 5E, allies do count as difficult terrain. It is possible they or the GM, plays both.

However, in PF, the only rule in the book containing moving through a square containing an ally is the one quoted above.

CRB Combat chapter:
Moving Through a Square

You can move through an unoccupied square without difficulty in most circumstances. Difficult terrain and a number of spell effects might hamper your movement through open spaces.

Friend: You can move through a square occupied by a friendly character, unless you are charging. When you move through a square occupied by a friendly character, that character doesn't provide you with cover.

Opponent: You can't move through a square occupied by an opponent unless the opponent is helpless. You can move through a square occupied by a helpless opponent without penalty. Some creatures, particularly very large ones, may present an obstacle even when helpless. In such cases, each square you move through counts as 2 squares.

Ending Your Movement: You can't end your movement in the same square as another creature unless it is helpless.


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Most brutal hunter build I ever came up with was a Halfling hunter, built to be mounted. Wild Child Brawler Dip so you don't have to waste points in Int, unless you roll stats and can afford it.

Take a wolf for the first 3 levels, as it has a free trip on the bite, and starts medium to ride.

After level 4, you change to a small cat advanced to medium size, so still riding.

Mount gets Bodyguard archetype, so he gets those feats without the Int problem.

Have Combat Reflexes, Weapon Finesse on pet to start, Bodyguard later.

Expertise and Pack Flanking, OutFlank, Lookout, and Escape Route by level 5.

AC has 5+ AoOs/round. You get +4 AC if they swing at you. You can move anywhere while mounted, with no AoO's for you and mount because of Escape Route. You count as flanking while mounted, with Pack Flanking, which bumps all attacks for you and mount by +4 while you are mounted.

This combined with a good Acrobatics makes Expertise to bump AC viable, as the bonuses you have from the teamwork make it all worthwhile.

Bodyguard gets to always act in surprise round, so you both always act regardless of perception, and most of the time (wis based caster with perception bonuses) you should get a full round in surprise rounds from Lookout.

Later, take Tandem Trip so that AC gets to roll twice and take better for the free trip on a bite, with all the teamwork stacks you should have a decent shot for as long as grounded opponents matter.

You can switch to a Roc later when flying becomes necessary, and everything still works.

You will want Imp Share Spells teamwork feat later since Bodyguard gives that up, and then buffing takes less time since you share the duration to both of you with a single casting.

Pet stays medium for land based, so never have the problems with squeezing mounts are notorious for.


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No problem...

When you said that I actually took a second to go back and read Sohei again to make sure it didn't require a "monk" quality weapon just in case I was wrong, lol.


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How can you not flurry with the Urumi? It's in the Monk Weapon Group.

At 6th level (which is the only time Sohei opens up any new weapons)+, you can take the Monk weapon group for weapon training.

Urumi is not a "monk" special quality weapon, but Sohei just takes the monk weapon group not "monk" weapons.


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If you go with Sohei, you can use the Urumi. It is a blade that is so thin and flexible it can be worn as a belt.

Or, for 2000g, you can get the Bladed Belt, and make it whatever you like.


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*** Emei Piercer would get you to 17-20/x2 ... which is the pretty damn good for "Unarmed" looking strikes.

Cestus is also 19-20/x2 B or P... 1d4 instead of 1d3 (not that that matters with Ascetic Style) simple weapon nothing exotic that needs special training. And is in the monk weapon group.


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Soul Forged:

Soul-Forge
Standard Racial Traits

Ability Score Racial Traits:
Soul-Forged are hardy but other races find them unsettling.
They gain +2 Strength and -4 Charisma Soul-Forged have no Constitution score. Any DC or statistic requiring a Constitution treats a Soul-Forged’s score as 10.

Size: Soul-Forged are medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to size.

Type:Soul-Forged are humanoids with the (modified) construct
subtype

Speed:Soul-Forged have a base speed of 30 ft.

Languages: Soul-Forged start speaking Common and Celestial. Soul-Forged with high intelligence can pick from the following: Abyssal, Aklo, Infernal, Sylvan, Elven, Auran, Aquan, Terran, and Ignan.

Defense Racial Traits________________________________________________

Unnatural Anatomy:
Soul-Forged are hard to destroy and have 20 extra hit points.

Otherworldly Control:
Rather than being a simple awakened construct, a Soul-Forge is an extraplanar entity controlling a foreign body. When the Soul-Forge’s body is destroyed it becomes an ethereal entity until it inhabits a new body. Its statistics remain the same but its health is reduced to 1/5th of its total. Ethereal entities may not interact with material ones, have a base speed of 15 (in any direction, including through solid objects), and may only see or hear in a 60ft radius. They are still affected by Force effects and abjurations.

Constructed Physicality:Due to their constructed form, Soul-Forged are immune to certain physical ailments. They are unaffected by disease, necromancy effects, poison, and any effect requiring a Fortitude save (unless the effect works on objects or is harmless). They are not subject to non-lethal damage, physical ability damage or drain, fatigue, or exhaustion. Self-induced conditions resulting in fatigue or exhaustion still effect the Soul-Forge as they strain her control of her physical body. Soul-Forged are not at risk of death from massive damage, instead their body is destroyed upon reaching 0 hit points.

Intelligent Being:
Unlike an awakened construct, a Soul-Forge is controlled by an extraplanar entity. As such they are not immune to mind-affecting effects. In addition, they may be subjected to mental ability damage or drain.

Natural Durability:
Wooden Soul-Forged have +2 natural armor. Metal Soul-Forged have +4 natural armor and have their speed reduced by 10 feet.

Feat and Skill Racial Traits___________________________________________

Self-Repair: Soul-Forged are not able to fully rely on healing magics and must learn to repair themselves. They start with the Craft Construct Feat and treat Heal as a class skill in relation to themselves.

Magical Racial Traits________________________________________________

Imperfect Materials:
Wooden Soul-Forged must add 5 to the DC of any save to avoid catching fire. Metal Soul-Forged must add 5 to the DC of any save to avoid electrical effects.

Half-Life: Soul-Forged are not effected by healing potions or sleep, and receive ½ healing from standard healing spells. However, they may be healed by spells such as make whole and by the use of their Craft Construct Feat. Soul-Forged may drink other potions to gain their benefits and may sleep to restore spells, though they do not require
sleep, food, or water for survival. A Soul-Forge’s body may not be raised or resurrected.

Magical Dependency:
Soul-Forged depend on magic to control their bodies. They can survive in Anti-Magic Fields for a number of rounds equal to twice their intelligence score. If they take any action the number of rounds they remain in control is decreased by 1. After this period, they much make a DC 10 Intelligence check to remain in their body. Every round the DC increases by 1. In addition, should a spell caster attempt to dispel the Soul-Forged, they get a DC 10 will save to avoid the effect.
Offensive Racial Traits_______________________________________________

Weapon Familiarity:
Soul-Forged are familiar with any weapon built in to their frame even if they are otherwise unfamiliar with a weapon of that type.
Senses Racial Traits_________________________________________________

Dark Vision:
Soul-Forged have Dark Vision up to 60 feet.


Check out the mechanics for the Warforged from the Eberron Campaign setting or the Gearforged for the Midgard setting. They have a fairly good balance on construct/living set up.
That said, I would make some changes.

Revised Soul-Forged:

+2 Str, +2 Dex, -2Cha. Soul Forged bodies are durable and strong, but are artificial bodies animated by an extraplanar entity, so have difficulty relating to most living creatures. (Specialized, 1RP)

Durable Form: Soul-Forged have a Natural Armor Bonus of +1. (2RP)

Material Weakness: Being constructed of wood and metal, Soul-Forged take a -2 penalty on saves vs Fire and Electricty. (-1RP)

Soul Forged have a base speed of 30 ft. (0RP)

Soul Forged are medium sized and have no bonus or penalty based on size.(0RP)

Languages: Soul-Forged start speaking Common and Celestial. Soul-Forged with high intelligence can pick from the following: Abyssal, Aklo, Infernal, Auran, Aquan, Terran, and Ignan. (Standard 0RP)

Soul Forged have Low-Light Vision, and Darkvision up to 60ft.
Soul Forged are extraplanar entities bound to a constructed form, giving them a modified Construct subtype.
As such they have no Constitution score. They receive +1 hp per hit die, and are immune to spells and effects that require a Constitution Saving throw, unless the spell or effect also affects objects, in which case they are treated as having a Con modifier of +0.
They are immune to bleed effects, poison, disease, physical ability damage or drain, non-lethal damage, or energy drain.
They are immune to physical fatigue and exhaustion, unless self-induced (such as Barbarian Rage). Magical and supernatural effects that cause fatigue or exhaustion affect them normally, (such as the spells Waves of Fatigue/Exhaustion).
Their physical form is rendered inoperative when reaching 0hp or fewer, and cannot be raised or resurrected, though it might be repaired to functionality.
Soul-Forged bodies do not heal damage on their own, but can be repaired via the use of the Craft Construct feat, and treat appropriate Craft skills as the Heal skill for purposes of their physical form. They can also be healed through spells such as make whole. Any source of magical healing heals only 1/2 the normal amount. They gain no HP from sleeping, although provided tools they or another character can make a Craft check (DC=10+their HD) to regain HP equal to their HD, after at least 4 hours of repairs. They can benefit from this no more than once every 24 hours. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
They are subject to mind affecting spells and effects, as well as mental ability drain and damage, as this interferes with the ability of the possessing soul to control the construct form.
Soul-Forged are not immune to sleep spells and effects, and need to spend the requisite time resting in order to regain spells. They do not need to breathe or eat, unless they wish to gain some beneficial effect from these actions (such as gaining the benefits of a potion).
(Approx 14 RP of the standard construct 20RP, as the HP, immunity to mind effects and sleep, and immunity to mental ability damage/drain is not included)

Otherworldly Control:
Rather than being a simple awakened construct, a Soul-Forge is an extraplanar entity controlling a foreign body. When the Soul-Forge’s body is destroyed it becomes an ethereal entity until it inhabits a new body. Its statistics remain the same but its health is reduced to 1/5th of its total. Ethereal entities may not interact with material ones, have a base speed of 15 (in any direction, including through solid objects), and may only see or hear in a 60ft radius. They are still affected by Force effects and abjurations while in this state.

Magical Dependency: Soul-Forged depend on magic to control their bodies. They can survive in Anti-Magic Fields for a number of rounds equal to twice their intelligence score. If they take any action other than moving their normal speed, the number of rounds they remain in control is decreased by 1. Every round thereafter, they must make a Will save to remain in their body. The DC starts at 10 and increases by 1 each round. In addition, should a spell caster cast a Dispel Magic, Disjunction, or similar effect on the body, the Soul-Forged must make a will Saving Throw at the DC of the spell in order to maintain control of the body. Failure means they are ejected from the body, although they may re-enter the body if it is otherwise intact after one round per level of the spell used. (-2 RP)

I think that is about 15 points total, so similar to Aasimar/Tiefling in terms of power.

Similar to other races like this, a couple of Racial feats to make better forms could be had. Each of these would have to be taken at 1st level, or taken with retraining as being rebuilt to suit.

RACIAL FEATS AVAILABLE:

Wooden Body: This body is made using as little metal as possible, in order to move more quietly and be lighter, for various purposes. Soul-forged made in this style have a +4 racial bonus to stealth, and a +4 to swim checks, although they lose their racial bonus to Natural Armor.

Armored Body: This body is made to be a defender or protective unit. Soul-Forged crafted in this way increase their Natural Armor Bonus to +3, and gain a +2 bonus to Intimidate. However, they are slower and more cumbersome, causing them to start with a movement speed of 20 and lose the racial bonus to Dexterity.


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Unless your GM runs your AC (their option, but most don't because they are busy with everything else), I don't understand why everyone is so down on Handle Animal. Most AC using characters start with a +8, (1 rank, +3 class skill, +4 Wild Empathy), so long as you don't dump Cha it's easy. Only on a 1 does it not do what it has been taught with tricks, a 3 after it takes damage the first time. By level 3 that doesn't even matter, as skill checks don't fail on a 1 so long as you have the 12 total.

Handle Animal tricks are free actions for ones known, and short targeting commands are as well, so an AC is pretty much an extension of your character once it knows Attack x2, Flank, and Guard.

If you spend the increase on Int to 3, it basically is another character who is very simple minded and instinctive.

Hunter is equal to druid, with the early access to the ranger spell list making them better melee but no wildshape.


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Halfing Outrider Hunter, Mounted Teamwork Machine.

Str 13 Dex 16 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 15 Cha 9 (+str @4, +Wis@8)

Get Menacing AoMF 4k/Gauntlet 8k for another +2 while mounted or flanking.

Outflank (hunter bonus@2), Alertness while mounted if Bodyguard AC.

Dirty Fighting counts as Int 13, Wis 13, Combat Expertise, and IUS for combat/maneuver feats.
Pack Flanking (the FAQ made it a combat feat so Dirty Fighting pre-req)
Escape Route: No AoOs while adjacent or mounted for you or mounts movement
Imp Spell Sharing (needed for bodyguard AC archetype)

Lookout: Both act in surprise if one can (with Bodyguard AC after 3rd level this means AC always gets a move and standard in the surprise round, and you get to act, move and standard if you have good perception)

Tandem Trip: (doesn't need imp trip) Roll twice and take better on trip attempts (mostly for AC free trip on bites)

Stealth Synergy: both roll and use highest

Combat Reflexes

Mounted Combat
Ride by Attack

1st level: HUN: Animal Focus, Dirty Fighting(counts as int 13 and expertise for combat/maneuver feats), get an additional +2 on maneuvers while flanking (or when mounted after level 3 from Pack Flanking)
2nd level: HUN: Outflank (bonus hunter 2): +4 flanking instead of +2
3rd level: HUN: Escape Route: no AoOs for moving on mount, Pack Flanking (Always flanking while mounted/adjacent to AC). Now you can move anywhere on the battlefield and not provoke both you and mount, while getting full flanking.
4th level: HUN: 2nd level spells, Barkskin is good here.
5th level: HUN: Share Spells (Teamwork) ;If not using the Bodyguard AC(you should) Combat Reflexes
-----6th through 13th level your feats can be fit to game style, you want these 4, but the order is up to you-----
6th level-13th level: HUN: Combat Reflexes, Tandem Trip, Lookout, Stealth Synergy, Mounted Combat, Ride By Attack, Imp Critical

Your AC should be a Bodyguard archetype. Get whatever light Barding you like, the bonuses you are stacking up should be enough to offset any penalties. Darkleaf Hides and Mithral Chain is what you are working towards.

Start with a Wolf Animal Companion for trip attack, take Combat Reflexes and Bodyguard as his 1st 2 feats. Change to small cat at level 5 after small cat becomes medium size for 2 claws and a bite with trip. Also gets the 3rd AC feat then so you can have Weapon Finesse. Should also have Agile AOMF by then. You can use the Bodyguard archetype for your AC, which gives up sharing spells, by taking Spell Sharing Teamwork feat, which also buffs both you and mount at same time. You lose Evasion with the Bodyguard AC, but give it back with Animal Focus (Mouse).

Later, might want to have the AC take the Int boost and take Dirty Fighting as well, for another +2 to trips and ability to take style feats (Dragon is good to charge through allies). Small cat will have a Wis of 12, so can take most base styles.

Best in a campaign with more grounded enemies, but effective once you can Airwalk as well for flying times.

You and mount can move anywhere on the battlefield with no AoOs after level 3, get a +4 to hit (+6 if you get a menacing weapon) after level 3, get AoOs on a crit that either makes. You should get an Agile AOMF(4k) for the AC ASAP after you change to a cat, as it will have a dex of 20+. If anyone attacks you your AC makes a DC 10 attack roll to add 4 to your AC. If you take the bodyguard feat yourself (with Helpful Halfling Trait) you add 6 to his.

With spells like Lead Blades, Strongjaw, Magic Weapon and Greater Magic Weapon, Barkskin, etc., you should be solid on the line.

That's as far as I built, since I usually don't ever get past that level.


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If that becomes the official stance on it, then they will be relegated to a waste of ink.

There are no masterpieces that trump performance in combat, and since using performance in combat ends the long term ones that would otherwise be useful, this will be a very bad clarification.

Being able to have a performance up and a masterpiece up at the cost of double rounds, and feats/spells known, is a fairly balanced ability.

Triple time ending every time you actually get into combat (where it is needed most) would mean the rounds spent to activate it before would be useless.

The movement ones ending anytime a Dervish actually wanted to get into combat is also pointless.


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@Nefreet... it's not that the option was out of balance with the rest, it was 3 feats to get dex to damage with something other than a scimitar... when getting dex to damage with a scimitar was 2 feats (and 3 skill ranks... but whatever)

The explosion was more attributable to the fact that there was finally a way to play a dex fighting character with something other than a scimitar for the first time in ... 6+ years.

Give it another 2 years, and see where it balances after it has been out a while. Here too, there were a lot of characters created in the last year, but the total % of Dex builds vs Str builds in the south Texas region didn't actually waver much.

They just had more weapon choices for the first time since PF was released.

It was a bad "fix" to an imaginary problem to a slap on patch to a finally available style, which has been clamored for in every incarnation of this game since the beginning.


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So, Mark. Why the Hit to Slashing Grace no TWF, no shield even? The iconic posted did that... I thought at least.

And the one to Arcane Deed that says you still have a Swashbuckler Level of 0?

And... removing Parry/Riposte from pretty much all the archetypes, and Amateur Swashbuckler?


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This is yet another place where a knee-jerk ruling to prevent some corner case combo completely skewed things not even considered by the ruling at the time.

Unless you are playing PFS, it's safer (and often less headaches) to just ignore most of the FAQs that alter rules that are in print.

Items that give you extra spells known were (I think) the original cause of this. Those should have to explicitly add it to your spell list.

Feats, FCBs, class abilities, racial abilities, should all consider them to add to both even if not explicitly stated.


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One combo if you have the stats and feats available is to take Vital Strike and Felling Smash.

Vital Strike uses the attack action.

Felling Smash says "If you use the attack action to make a single melee attack at your highest base attack bonus while using Power Attack and you hit an opponent, you can spend a swift action to attempt a trip combat maneuver against that opponent."

So, Vital Strike with Power Attack qualifies to trigger Felling Smash, which lets you trip non-flyers in addition to the Flyby Vital Strike damage as a swift action.

I pretty much play PFS, where most enemies are medium or large humanoid types, depending on you campaign it could vary.

I have Felling Smash and Gr Trip/Gr Dirty Trick on my PFS Lore Warden/Skulking Slayer.

Charge in, Power Attack, Felling Smash, and Gr Dirty Trick from the Gr Trip AoO. I have done damage, and the enemy is now prone and blind. good times.


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Sickened game term is a -2 to everything ... drunk is AT LEAST a -2 to everything you try IRL, so yeah about right.

If you figure that the normal person processes 1 drink per hour, 2+ means you start taking penalties. Seems about right.


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My RotRL Magus loves the feat at level 11.

With Spellcombat, you don't use the swift cast, you just cast DD as your spellcombat spell and take a full attack with after you appear.

If you happen to have a couple of allies who delay right next to you, it is even more amazing since you all appear and then they come out of delay for full attacks as well.


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The line in Flying Kick is so that you can actually make a FOB after moving, because otherwise you couldn't take a full-round action after moving more than 5ft.

Flying Kick wrote:
The monk leaps through the air to strike a foe with a kick. Before the attack, the monk can move a distance equal to his fast movement bonus. This movement is made as part of the monk’s flurry of blows attack and does not require an additional action. At the end of this movement, the monk must make an attack against an adjacent foe. This movement may be between attacks. This movement provokes an attack of opportunity as normal. The attack made after the movement must be a kick.

Which, if you actually quoted the whole sentence, would be clear. (Italics).

The line right before the one you are fixated on (Bolded) is why it would work.


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BigNorseWolf wrote:

Probably call for a handle animal check.

Or give the dolphins a linguistics check.

Bonuses if you in any way resemble a beach ball.

All of a sudden I had this image of a school of dolphins playing keep away with a bloatmage under the effects of feather fall...


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Halfling Hunter 10/Beast Rider Cavalier 2
Order of the Cockatrice

Str 14 Dex 16 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 14 Cha 12

Small Cat advanced to Medium size (could also go big cat, but lose free trips and Str vs Dex build for bodyguard) With Bodyguard archetype and Weapon Finesse, Combat Reflexes, Bodyguard, Imp Trip, Greater Trip

1: Cav 1; Combat Expertise, Pack Flanking (Tactician)
2: Hun 1; Animal Focus
3: Hun 2; Outflank (free) Imp Share Spells Teamwork feat(Bodyguard loses this, have to get it back)
4: Hun 3; Escape Route (no provoke AoO's from movement while mounted)
5: Cav 2; Dazzling Display (free), Lookout Teamwork (AC bodyguard always acts in surprise round, now you both probably get full round in surprise round)
6: Hun 4;
7: Hun 5; Power Attack
8: Hun 6; Tandem Trip (roll twice and take better for AC free trips)
9: Hun 7; Combat Reflexes
10: Hun 8; Animal Focus boost
11: Hun 9; Stealth Synergy (max this on AC), Harder They Fall Teamwork (if you use Aid another on attack, they can trip 2 sizes larger)
12: Hun 10;

Now, you and AC roll stealth together and use highest roll/mods, you never provoke AoO from movement while mounted, while mounted you get a +4 to hit for you and AC, you always act in surprise rounds and normally get a full round instead of just a standard, the AC gets to roll twice and take the better for the free trip, and if it trips you both get AoOs, you can give the whole party Pack Flanking 1/day, to share the love.
If they attack mount, you roll a ride check to negate. If they attack you, the mount bodyguards as an AoO. With all the bonuses to hit you have, you can fight defensively pretty much all the time.
Mount also gets to take skirmisher tricks, (Vengeance Strike, Chameleon Step, Upending Strike (if you go big cat with no trip), Tangling attack, etc.) All great choices.

You Want Paired Opportunists (+4 AoOs when the trip works) and Wall of Flesh, so that your mount gets another size increase for tripping.

You do need an Agile AoMF for the AC (but that is standard for dex builds) and a +1 Menacing weapon will add another +2 to hit while mounted for both you and AC.

Take Taunt Feat to use bluff instead of intimidate for demoralize, and no size penalty if you want to focus on that debuff with Dazzling Display.


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I made a Lore Warden 3/Archivist Bard with a whip focus, played him kinda like Steve Irwin, crocodile hunter, "See that there... that's a Bearded Devil. The most dangerous Devil at our APL. Poke him with a blessed or silver stick. That'll really make him mad!"

Some liked it... others hated it, but a lot of fun.

I have a Dirge Bard, I play Type O or some other Emo stuff when he performs, with Blistering Invective followed by a move/swift Dirge of Doom (and Imp Dirge of Doom, everyone runs or cries in a corner).

I dropped a level of Mysterious Stranger Gunslinger onto a Dervish bard, he plays completely different going Dex based Sword and Pistol style (with an unseen servant to reload for him because why not save the feat). Would also have worked with Spellscar Drifter Cavalier, depending on if you want to go a 2nd level for challenge and an order, possibly Cockatrice for Dazzling Display for free as a standard.


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One of my favorite campaigns over the years was sandbox, it spanned 6 groups of players over 12 real years.

The world, was set, and the total time in game was 250 years.

The world events, from typical kingdom warfare to unimaginable catastrophe were already set on a timeline before we started playing each party.

Typically, the GM for this game had 3 major plotlines, all running at once. The PC's could impact one heavily, one moderately, and the other not really at all. We chose the plotline that our characters were most intrigued by in game, and that set where, when, and what direction that particular story arc did.

Later, after that story arc had ended, we advanced 10-50 years, and saw the world change based on what we stopped, and which plot we decided was the lesser evil.

It was Epic, playing through a story where you heard legends (sometimes accurate, more often not) about your last couple batches of characters, and how they were heroes or villans depending on the choices you made.

Have lots of base encounters, different monster mixes, random encounter type stuff.
Scavenge things from PFS scenarios if you have them and don't have time to work up a random at that particular level.
Make the monsters believable in the surroundings.
Don't be afraid to mess with the players by adding +6 to everything a normal goblin band has, when they find a goblin encounter at mid level.
Throw weird things like fire/cold/etc subtypes on randomly (you are the GM, still balanced for their level).
Make sure they have to fight something between level 2-4 that they have to run from because it is too powerful, so that they can come back and kill it at level 8 for a sense of vengeance.


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The problem in this case is the part that says he only counts his levels as fighter levels for the bonus feats when gained from his warpriest bonus feat choices.

At Fighter 1/ Warpriest 3, yes, he could take Wpn Spec. At Warpriest 3/ Fighter 1, he can't, as his fighter bonus feat.

This runs into a situation that they have explicitly tried to avoid, where you have 2 characters with the same classes and levels and the same number of feats where one has something the other can't have.

The ACG is one of the worst edited books they have come out with, so there are lots of places where this happens.

There should probably be a line that says they stack with fighter levels, now that you can multiclass with the parent classes which you couldn't do in the original version.

They had to do the same thing for the Armor training for another class, so that if you have it from multiple classes they stack.

As it stands, however, it would not work for the OP.


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Dancing lights in humanoid form looks like a small fire elemental to people without knowledge skills. That does a lot.

Prestidigitation kept a scent bomb from working (cleaned the character who was hit) which kept the enemy from tracking as easy.

Sift has been instrumental in not setting off a ton of traps, or waking up some creatures in a refuse filled room.

Arcane Mark has been used several times on no-magic NPC's as has Brand to show them they are cursed until they help us.

When in any crypt or tomb, or anywhere Undead are suspected, our sorc hits every body with Disrupt Undead, if it doesn't get up and move we can safely approach.

Stabilize is a life saver literally, most people forget its range, for when the healer can't move close enough.

My Bard used Lullaby extensively at low levels, the penalty for sleep saves and the perception penalty are awesome. Just cast it 5-6 times, they should roll low at least once.


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Half-Races are not supposed to get nearly all the benefits of the parent, normally you can choose between a couple of weaker versions but not get them all at the same time. Here is a balanced (normal Aasimar/Tiefling race point spread) version that gets most of it, with options for the other things you included at the beginning.

Leonal-kin

Native Outsider (3RP)
Medium
Base Speed 30ft
Abilities: +2 Str +2 Cha -2 Int
Standard Language
Celestial Resistances (5 Acid Cold Electricity)(3RP)
Natural Attack: Claws x2 (2RP)
Pyromaniac: Can cast Dancing Lights, Flare, and Prestidigitation each 1/day. If they have a Charisma of 11 or higher, they can cast Produce Flame 1/day. (3RP)
Stalker: Perception and Stealth class skills. (1RP)

Total: 12 Race pts.

Getting 3 primary natural attacks requires feats for any balanced race, or you can get one as a secondary for a trait. Having all 3 in a base playable race makes them extremely more powerful at levels up to 7, and on par until level 14 or so.

Alternate traits:

Stalker can be traded for Pride Leader: Intimidate/Sense Motive as class skills.
Celestial Resist can be traded for the SR Vs evil outsiders you had originally, but not both.

Trade the SLA for the bite would be the other option for more physical.
Trade the Natural attacks for extra uses per day of the SLAs (1 extra on all the cantrips, or 1 more produce flame, but not both for more magicky).

Feats:
Option for feats from the catfolk race like sprinter, sharp claw, etc. Option for Tiefling feat Nat Armor (call it Thick Hide or such).
Option for expanded racial spellcasting feats like Kitsune get, pick spells the Leonal get starting at lowest and going up. Have to take lower before you can get the higher.


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I have never understood it either.

If you kill Gnolls, or Hobgoblins, and collect the bounty, you can be a Paladin.

If you kill elves, or halflings, and collect the bounty, then you are evil.

It's a blatantly biased situation. The NAAGP (National Association of Greenskinned Peoples) should register a complaint and get themselves a mind-flayer lawyer to address this issue.


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I have an 11th level Str based hexcrafter/Blackblade magus in a RotRL game. He has the step up feats (pesky spellcasters at low levels), and at 11 he just took Dimensional Agility.

Base damage is d8 (15-20x2)+11(precise strike)+5(Str)+5(+2Keen pool adj)+d6+11(nonlethal, Frostbite)+Entangle/Fatigued(-3AC, -3 attack, -1 damage) on 3 attacks a round. So, 3x d8+d6+32, 15-20 crit. Not a massive damage, but for party effectiveness it helps everyone else a lot. I have Enforcer as well for another -2 to all D20 rolls as a free action.

I can also use Evil Eye (-4 to whatever) once per round as a swift action after hitting. Luckily this doesn't discharge my spell either.
(Martial Versatility applied to Hex Strike Feat, Urumi and Unarmed strike are in same weapon group). I will be taking it again for Retribution Hex later. (my group decided that slumber hex was too powerful, so we have an agreement to not use it on either side of the screen).

I also liberally use the items in the ACG (namely the 2500g Swordmaster's Flairs, all good effects especially the reach one).

Magus are all about flexability, even if all you ever see is the ZOMG D6 shocking grasp spam builds.


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Read Magic and Detect Magic should be cantrips everyone who can cast knows, either all the time, or at low levels when slots are limited on the off day at least.

Perception can be used to identify potions (many people miss this) DC 15+CL just like spellcraft, so you should have someone who can make that taking 10.

Wands usually come with a command word, any caster with the spell on their list should know what those do, anyone who can use the wand but doesn't have it on list will be making UMD anyways, so activating blindly will tell them what it does at the cost of a charge. Fair price to make a non-rounded party pay.

Basic +1 armor/weapons are DC 18. With a MW tool (call it a Crafter's Manual) any 3rd level character with max ranks makes that DC taking 10.

Most other basic items have a CL of 5, making them DC 20, if the party has decided to not cover their base with a dedicated caster (which I do not consider a summoner) then possibly they will need a couple of the other party members to spend a point or two in Spellcraft to be able to Aid Another to hit the requirements.


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It seems to be more of a knee-jerk reaction to "ZOMG double stat dipping oh-noes" than anything else.

Having Inquisitions that no longer function correctly, feats that need to be re-written due to a FAQ changing the printed rules, as well as admitting that a CRB class ability gets away with double dipping because the text was written slightly differently grammatically, means that this FAQ is about as good an idea as the Hands of Effort clarification, the original FOB ruling, and the magus haste examples.

I appreciate that there are FAQs coming, and that Paizo takes the time to respond to fans.

However, if a FAQ means that at least 5 sources of printed material need to be entirely re-written to function based on the new ruling, then perhaps it should still be on the table and not posted.


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Acid damage is halved against objects (as is any energy damage) then you apply hardness. Magic adds 2 hardness per +1, and 10 hp.

So, 12 acid before hardness.

Adamantine, Living Steel, and Mithral would ignore the acid completely, no magic needed. Alchemical Silver with +2 would ignore the acid. Cold Iron with a +1 would ignore the acid. Darkwood with +4 would ignore the acid.

Was that 45 crushing damage and 25 acid damage in a single round? If it was total, you apply hardness separately for each "attack".


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Interesting note, the Slayer gets the benefits of choosing a Ranger style and ignores pre-reqs, but the Slayer does not have the line about being limited to medium armor to do so.

So, provided you have the prof, for a slayer, you can use ranger styles in heavy armor.

Just in case you didn't want the ranger class per se, but the skill/combat options.


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That is the normal procedure, but luckily for those of us who play PFS (or have a competent GM) having the one in AA as a legal source lets us disregard the oft questioned UE entry, as it has spawned multiple confused threads on this topic.


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Brawler class for the "no int req" maneuver feats, along with mutagenic mauler for "gutbuster drink". Use spiked armor, and grappling, and get him the belt that gives constrict for the embrace feats later.

Pwent from the books was 10th to 12th level, so dont expect to really get the feel right at the start. But, you can do a lot of what you want.

I have read the books, but i'm ona tablet at the moment, i'll tyr and line out something solid tomorrow.


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Because you didn't threaten the square he was leaving until after your readied action took place, which specifies that it happens before he actually moves, so he can decide not to move based on your new placement.


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Well.. at least you don't have to worry about Str penalties with the Aid Another using a spiked gauntlet. If you have weapon finesse, as it is a light weapon, for any purpose that you make attack rolls (which Aid Another is an attack roll vs AC 10) you would be using Dex.

With a Bard, even with the -4 fighting defensively, just your self buffs should make it a pretty good chance so long as you take weapon finesse.

Spiked gauntlets are normal gauntlets, with spikes or blades on them per the Equipment entry.

Would anyone not allow you to hold another weapon or item while wearing gauntlets, (which come on all medium armors other than a breastplate)?

Rods only have to be held, not wielded. So, you should be fine.

Just in case, use the Cestus instead. Avoid the argument entirely.

UE Cestus entry:
The cestus is a glove of leather or thick cloth that covers the wielder from mid-finger to mid-forearm. The close combat weapon is reinforced with metal plates over the fingers and often lined with wicked spikes along the backs of the hands and wrists. While wearing a cestus, you are considered armed and your unarmed attacks deal lethal damage. If you are proficient with a cestus, you can have your unarmed strikes deal bludgeoning or piercing damage. Monks are proficient with the cestus. When using a cestus, your fingers are mostly exposed, allowing you to wield or carry items in that hand, but the constriction of the weapon at your knuckles gives you a –2 penalty on all precision-based tasks involving that hand (such as opening locks). A cestus can't be disarmed.

And is also a Simple weapon, so bards are proficient in it.


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Snapleaf. 750g. Caster level 5, immediate action, invis and featherfall. Absolutely priceless, as my rogue has slippers of spiderclimb and spends a lot of time on the ceiling in combats.
You can also get in close, and after the first hit of 5 drops you to half health or worse use the leaf and hopefully be missed for the rest of the round. Even better for PFS, since they fall exactly on the 2PP cost cap.

Springsheath 5g. Daggers, CLW wands, Inflict wands (for my monk inquisitor), all kinds of nifty swift action fun (and for 2HF who happen to get grappled occasionally).

Smelling Salts. 25g. Healer stable but at negative hp? Need to interrogate a stable enemy and don't want to waste a heal spell? Just use these and get to act as if staggered. If you happen to be staggered or unconscious from some spell/effect you get a new save on exposure.

+1 MW Darkwood Buckler. 1205g. No reason not to carry one, if you don't use another shield (and aren't a DD or Monk). +2 AC in surprise situations, no penalty on attacks or spells even when you do need to use that arm for something.

Gloves of Reconnaissance. 2000g. Always be ready for the first 10 fights a day, (note, user needs darkvision to benefit to the fullest), by laying hands on the door before you open it.

Shawl of life-keeping 1000g. Instantly restore up to 10hp when you drop below 0 each day, for the low low cost of a couple CLW charges in advance.

Quick-change cloak 1500g. For infiltration types, absolutely fantastic. Take the time to get the disguise right before hand (take 20) and then have up to 3 changes at will.

Cloak of the Hedge Wizard. 2500g. Various uses for non-casters to get a couple of their favorite spells.

Shield Cloak 1000g. Light wooden shield as needed for non-armored situation, or merely for those monks who want the defense without actually loosing their monk abilities. Can be enchanted as a shield as well. (and for those who say it should still count, I point you to countless movies where this technique is used by martial artists)

Cloak of Fiery vanishing. 2600g. Lots of fun with this one, especially if you have evasion, and a good enough ref save that burning hands is not a bad thing for you to deal with.


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Actually I think the Pathfinder society is responsible.

And they are siphoning off his life force to power their machinations throughout Golarion.

His body is actually being slowly devoured in the Worldwound, which was opened in the massive energy release when he was struck down.

Just look at the timeline in the Inner Sea World Guide. Aroden dies, and the Worldwound opens the same year.

All of this was masterminded by Iomedae, in order to steal his portfolio and worshippers unto herself.


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Archaeologist Bard with Wordcasting. If that even works in the rules. Explorer, historian, wordcasting, lorekeeping battle chanter type.

The kind who recites the 13th warrior type lays in battle, (Lo, there do I see my father, and my father's father, etc.)

Traps, some self-buff type magic, very lore oriented (take the Breadth of Experience feat).


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So long as you are using trip and Disarm, (which specify using the weapon) you use Dex just from weapon finesse. So yes, you can skip agile maneuvers.

Now, there is a feat in the swashbuckler section of the playtest class guide that allows you to use dex to damage with any slashing weapon (* Slashing Grace*) that should work for your whip if you like.

Also, the Dueling enchantment from PSFG (not UE) is a +1 bonus, and gives a luck bonus to maneuvers with the whip equal to double it's enhancement. So a +1 Dueling Whip would add another +2 to maneuvers on top of using the full weapon bonus. +2 would add 4... etc. With the warpriest ability to add flat bonuses with the sacred weapon feature, that could get very nice very fast.

Also, if you are looking at trip/disarm, consider the Serpent lash and Greater Serpent lash feats... essentially cleave and great(cleave to anything in your reach not having to be adjacent) for trip/disarm.


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If you fight dagger style, make sure you have Spring Loaded Wrist Sheathes (5g each), to draw a dagger as a swift action. They also give sleight of hand bonus to conceal.

If you are building to level 10, this advice doesn't work quite as well, but if you are starting at 10, this does everything you wanted. If Ultimate Combat was an option, there would also be some major changes to feats and talents. Some good Rogue stuff in there.

Stats: Str 8 Dex 20 con 16(15+1level) Int 10 Wis 14(13+1level) Cha 16

Don't need Int, you have full skillpoints. You'll never get a passable will save without heavy investment, but if you can"t count on Agile enchantments switch str and wis. Cha is for skills, and for some rogue talents.

If you won't be needed as a trapmonkey, I agree with Thug or Rake archetypes. Debuffing enemies is awesome. Rake fits more with the description with the scaling bluff/diplo and the free intimidate on and sneak attack.

Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Extra Rogue Talent (Fast Stealth), Combat Reflexes, Combat Reflexes, TWF (I would actually not TWF, just have one in each hand for fights, and take Imp Init instead. The attack penalty for a rogue from TWF actually hurts their damage more than it helps, but this is what you asked for)

Rogue Talents::

Finesse rogue @2nd level.
Fast Getaway: (withdraw as a move after a sneak attack or steal, great for battlefield movement)
Snap Shot: (act like you rolled 20 initiative in the surprise round, only for a thrown dagger)
Slow Reactions: no AoOs from someone hit with a sneak attack for 1 round.
Fast Stealth: no penalty on full speed stealth.

Advanced Rogue Talent: Pick 1.

options:

Opportunist: the one you wanted
Hunter's Surprise from APG. 2 rounds of sneak attack regardless of flanking or denied dex. Pure win.
Skill Mastery: Acrobatics, Stealth, Sleight of Hand.
Imp Evasion: just because.
Fast Tumble: Acrobatics at full speed to avoid AoOs, no penalty.
Slippery Mind: Because you need it.

Now, with a surprise round, you start combat with a 25 initiative, springsheath a dagger, and throw it for a sneak attack. You drop a d6 to intimidate him (rake), should have a +lots and easily make the check to make him shaken. He also gets to make no AoOs for a round, so everyone gets to get in position past/around him. Then, in the first round, move up and sneak attack him or another person, no AoO again, intimidate again if it's a new target. After you are in melee, you can withdraw after a sneak attack, in case you get hurt. If you take Hunter's Surprise as your advanced talent, you get 2 full rounds of sneak attacks whether you have flank or not.


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CRB, Environment section, Trap Entry wrote:

Traps

Traps are a common danger in dungeon environments. From gouts of white-hot flame to hails of poisoned darts, traps can serve to protect valuable treasure or stop intruders from proceeding.

Elements of a Trap

All traps—mechanical or magical—have the following elements: CR, type, Perception DC, Disable Device DC, trigger, reset, and effect. Some traps might also include optional elements, such as poison or a bypass. These characteristics are described below.

So, if you are discussing the game term TRAP, it has a Disable Device DC. If you find the trap, and have the skill, and make the roll, then the trap doesn't go off to the detriment of the character.

NOTE: This doesn't mean the DC can't be really high, just that it has a target number and if you reach that number you win. Period.

Please, if we are discussing something that would not be subject to disable device shutting it down, then it is not, within the ruleset, a trap.

This is not to say that it is a bad thing to include, or badwrongfun to have things they can't just roll dice and bypass, it just means that it's not a trap, and should not be referred to as a trap hereafter. It should be called a hazard/terrain/GMFiatplotdevice, and after the characters have noticed and inspected it, it should be made clear to the players that it is not a trap and cannot be disabled, they will have to find another solution.

This solves a lot of problems.


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The problem was that the floor being too thin to cross isn't really a trap, unless there's a drop mechanism or a path across. If there is, Disable Device should disable the drop mechanism, or perception should show a path.

If the whole floor is just unstable and can't be crossed without falling in, it's not a trap, it's a terrain problem, so that should have just been disclosed after the weak floor is discovered, so that Disable Device was taken out of the discussion.

Like I said before, this seems like an immersion/playstyle conflict, not a rules issue. The GM seems to want more descriptive interactions, the rogue player seems to just want to let his skill check answer the problem once it's discovered.

Having only one side, I'm not for sure that's it, but that's what I get from the posting. Neither person is "wrong", it just seems they have different expectations.


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The problem is that this is exactly what the Disable Device skill is now.

It used to be separate skills, for each kind of circumstance.

In the case of the thin floor, there would either have to be a path across it for it to not stop friends as well as enemies(at which point perception or disable device should show the way), or all creatures crossing it would have to be flying or insubstantial(in which case there is either an item/spell they can use to bypass it) and you just tell him you can't disable it, you have to find another way to cross or have it collapse and climb down and back up.

In the case of the rigged ceiling, this is exactly what disable device is for again. To keep a mundane, mechanical trap from activating.

If you need something solid for your own imagination to process a rogue doing this, that's up to you. I would give a bonus if they came up with something clever that fit the description of the room, but even without it there wouldn't be a penalty.

The base skill does exactly what he wanted it to do. Allow him to bypass a mechanical trap without it going off.

It sounds like the player has a different idea for the level of immersion he needs in his playstyle than you do. This isn't a rules issue, it's a playstyle issue.


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I got one up to level 9. Monk 4/Inq 5 , would have been inq from then out.

Went full dex/wis build. Weapon Finesse, Combat Reflexes.

With the Monk boost to AC, shield of faith, mage armor, etc. I was pushing 32 AC normal, and could kick it up to 36 with a Ki point.

Bane fists, a +1 agile AoMF, Snake and Boar Style (MOMS) let me get AoO's if they missed, and a rend on 2 hits, with TWF instead of flurry.

It worked out fairly decently going
Inq 2 Weapon Finesse, Combat Reflexes
MoMS 1 Snake Style/Fang
Inq 1 Lookout/Outflank depending on situation
MoMS 1 Boar Style/Shred
Inq 2 dodge
MoMS 2 Mobility

Monks Robe, Bane Baldric, +2 AoMF, +2 Dex/Wis items.


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If your GM says it's not because it's not a weapon, then immediately point him to the Firing into melee and cover sections that you don't receive penalties either, since those also both specify weapon.

I'm fine with not getting the bard buffs, since I don't have to have precise shot or take the cover penalties.

That usually ends the argument pretty quick though, and you start getting the bonuses.


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The Eidolon is an outsider with the same alignment as his summoner.

If the summoner is evil, FE (evil outsider) should work. If the summoner is good, FE (good outsiders) should work. same for lawful/chaotic.

It's clear in the Eidolon class feature, it states they are outsiders and their alignment matches their master. No Extra "Outsider: Eidolon" needed, unless you to take one that works on all eidolons regardless of alignment, and GM is ok with it.


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Did you catch the idea I had above?

There could be 2 levels of item, and 2 ways to power it. So that you have even more flavor for items being significant finds.

One:
Where you do like you suggest and sacrifice a permanent point of Con. These would be significant items(say... over 25k gold or whatever you decide). This could be voluntary, as you described or involuntary, requiring a sacrifice(evil, and likely lethal for the poor donor). This item is powered by the life force within, possibly even having a minor ego and minimal sentience.

and Two:
Where the wielder powers the item, similar to losing a level with a holy/unholy weapon, only Con Drain(so that it affects stats even with 1pt increments), cannot be healed while the item was "attuned/bound" to the character. Also, could be involuntary donors, and killing/uncursing the donor would help to weaken the BBEG who used that type. (So that your unkillable villain at level 1-4 is able to be finally weakened and slain at levels 12-16). If an item of this type doesn't become bound, it is simply a Masterwork version of whatever it is.

This opens up the option to have a ritual that transitions from the bound type to the permanent type for character development later.

Possibly even allow the bound items to be made without the feats, and the major items do require the feat.

It also means that you won't have to adjust as much from the base assumptions of the rules, (i.e. at this level you have a +x to saves, +x hit and damage, and AC of x) because monster saves/ac/hitpoints account for the big 6 base items out of the box.

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