Taenia's page

I really like the idea of this feat but I think it needs to be altered for game play. As it stands right now it let's use treat wounds with Nature instead of Medicine. Unfortunately, the feats that improve treat wounds all depend on Medicine and most require expert and higher.

I suggest errata for the feat to include the ability to take feats that modify treat wounds as if your rank in medicine was equal to your rank in Nature. Otherwise the use of Natural Healing will be limited to the baseline and force people who want to help heal their party to take Medicine rather than offering an interesting alternative.

PS I would love to see a similar feat for Crafting, albeit with some fun caveats.

The addition of Treat Wounds ability of Medicine is nice for normal out of combat healing given enough time but it does seem to make the Natural Medicine Obsolete.

I understand these are two different skills the comparison before with Battle Medic the two stood out as being complementary, a in battle check versus an out of battle check. Battle Medic is bolstered on use, Natural Medicine is bolstered by healing.

The inclusion of Treat Wounds provides Medicine an equivalent and clearly makes Natural Medicine inconsequential. First the DC is 20 versus the medium DC for the level. At level 4, when natural medicine becomes available (Expert Nature at 3, skill feat at 4) the DC for Treat Wounds is only 16 while this does go up over time, it scales with level making it less concerning once you get to level 7 when the DC for Treat Wounds is higher but at that point you are looking at a probably plus 13 to checks (lvl, expert, 4 from Wis, +1 healing kit) versus the +12 to nature (no item equivalent unless you take an expert nature tool?)

Now I can see how Natural Medicine on one character could stack with Treat Wounds on another character in that both could happen at the same time. It does however make it less useful for a character trained in Medicine to ever consider taking. Given that with a minimum level of 4 as long as they have a 14 Con or better, you will heal roughly the same amount without worrying about die rolls (1d8 + 4 vs. 8 or higher.

Stacking is nice but I wonder if natural medicine would work better if the feat allowed you to use Treat Wounds based off Nature rather than its current form, possibly still adding a 1d8 if materials are around.

Not sure if this as been suggested but it is quite clear that the anathema for some of the barbarian totems are restrictive and potentially deadly. I would suggest a simple fix to solve this problem add the following two words to the anathema: when raging.

This allows animal totem barbarians to contribute every fourth round of combat, use range weapons and contribute in some story elements that require the use of weapons. For superstitious barbarians this means they won't die after the first or second fight and can complete missions involving teleportation/underwater travel/planar adventures etc...

For the others this may or may not be necessary since they seem to be so limited as to be non-existent. Personal slight or challenge? Might come up or be interpreted that way but this also prevents such things as every Giant Totem barbarian from dying when a certain previous Master of Spells in PFS insults their intelligence.

I am a big fun of Wild Shaping Druids, having played them in every edition of Pathfinder and its predecessor. I have been taking a look at the Wild Order druid extensively and realized that this option has a number of problems that need to be addressed in the final version.

First, pre level 4 you don't wild shape unless you want to die. Pest Form should be an option but there should be an option to give you a small animal form with AC 17, +4 to attack, 1d8+3 damage.

Second, the Wild feats give you access to forms but you have to take them in order to scale, with a few exceptions. Furthermore, the feat breakdown really blows with multiple options coming at the same tier that should be redone for better feat progression or better yet combined with other options.

These feats should offer very small bonuses to wild order druids to make them just a little better shapeshifters. For example as it stands right now a wild shaping druid can't attack ghosts or incorporeal critters. Either the spells need to count as magic attacks or the Wild Claws power should let all your attacks while Wild Shaped count as magical. In addition, there is no difference between a Sorcerer casting Elemental form versus a Wild druid assuming that form with the exception that the Druid is a level behind. These small benefits could make the difference.

Ideas for this might include:
Animal Form, Wild Order druids gain magical attacks while wild shaped and can spend there unused highest level spell slots to wild shape.

Insect Form as normal but includes the benefits of the Form Control Feat. Form control should also include an option to transform into Pest Form level for 8 or more hours. Druid and other shapeshifters in stories often sleep or travel long distances in there wild shape, something that the current version doesn't allow.

Dinosaur Form - Increase the athletics bonus of forms for wild order druids by 1 while wild shaped.

Aerial Form - increase the speed of forms while wild shape by 5'.

Elemental Form - Increase the AC but not TAC of forms by 1 while wild shaped.

Dragon Form - Increase the damage of forms while wild shaped by 2.

This makes the Wild Order Druid a slightly better shapeshifter than other casters.

Third, forms do not scale after level 15. They need to put in options for scaling to level 9 and level 10. The current option is the druid vestment which in my opinion is bad design. Furthermore it doesn't allow damage to scale so the forms fail to advance. This needs to be addressed by either a way to scale forms like Monstrosity, Dragon, Elemental and Dinosaur to more powerful but same size versions, and even include high level versions of animal/aerial spells.

Furthermore Monstrosity form should be a feat at level 16. Since you don't get a class feat at level 16 I suggest gaining this feat instead of Master Spellcaster and replacing legendary spell caster with the ability to scale forms to 10th spell level. As long as the final version is just a bit behind the fighter it should be fine.

Fourth, the Shapechange spell is broken. The capstone ability of Wild Order Druid actually penalizes them for using it and given its short duration the ability to change what you are is not as strong when you are dealing with 1 min duration abilities. Wild order druids are better off grabbing a 10th level spell for Nature Avatar but then they fall behind Wizards who can use their arcane focus to do it twice. Shapechange should either provide a scaling bonus to other shapes (in essence giving a bonus to AC/TAC, attack, athletics and damage based on the difference between levels and allowing the wild shape druid to be functional from level 16 onward and not just for 1 min per day at level 20.

Fifth, there should be more than 2 items in the game for Wild Shaping druids. Right now there is a Gorget which doesn't really work since it is hard to include intimidate in the builds because of the need for Str, Con, Wisdom and Dex even though it is a signature skill and the druid's vestments which is very disappointing in its bad design. There should be a low level item to either address the magic attacks issue, unless the design is that Wild Shaping druids can't fight versus some monsters or included in one of the druid feats. This could also be an upgradable item allowing the druid to gradually overcome different DR types but offering no other mechanical benefit, cost similar to the magic weapon

Pathfinder is going to PAX WEST and we need help to run Pathfinder society and Adventure Card Game demos throughout the weekend! We are looking for volunteers willing to come out to the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle from September 2nd to the 5th for what is always a massive turn out and crazy weekend.

Volunteers will receive GM boons for running at PAX, store credit from Paizo as well as a chance during breaks, when time allows, to walk the floor and enjoy the show at PAX West . If you are interested please send an email to coordinators Louis Manko Levite at taenia4000@yahoo.com or Stacey Buxton at scbuxton@gmail.com. Please include your Paizo email and availability.

PAX has always been a great experience and I look forward to seeing you all there.

So the new FAQ came out regarding Tiny creatures entering occupied squares:

Tiny and smaller creatures: In the section on Tiny and smaller creatures, it says that entering a creature’s space provokes an attack of opportunity, but typically 5-foot steps don’t provoke an attack of opportunity. If a Tiny or smaller creature took a 5-foot step into a creature’s space, would it provoke an attack of opportunity?

Yes. Even with a 5-foot step, a Tiny or smaller creature entering a creature’s space provokes an attack of opportunity (unless it is using a more specific ability to avoid the attack of opportunity such as the Monkey Shine feat). This doesn’t mean that a Tiny or smaller creature entering a creature’s space and moving out of a threatened square with a move action provokes two attacks of opportunity from that creature, for the same reason that moving out of multiple of a creature’s threatened squares in the same move action doesn’t provoke two attacks of opportunity.

Can you use acrobatics to avoid this AoO?

Normally you can't use Liberating Command on yourself because it is an immediate action to cast and use.

However, can you ready to cast Liberating Command, for example, as soon as the next turn starts, consumes your Standard and then use your immediate to escape?

I think this works, wanted to get opinions.

Last night my Venture Captain Tony Lindman completed his 10th special and earned his 5th star! He is a great GM with a talent for bringing the characters to life. We were lucky enough to have Tonya Woldridge at the table, just in case the pressure of his 5th star game wasn't enough.

Congratulations again Tony and welcome to the 5 star club!

Louis Manko Levite
Venture-Lieutenant Seattle

Greetings,

I am a Venture-Lieutenant in Seattle and together with Stacey Buxton my fellow VL, we are going to be organizing PAX PRIME this year. We are currently looking for volunteers willing to work throughout the 4 days of the convention and of course willing to come to Seattle to do so.

The convention runs from Aug 28 - Aug 31, 10 am - 12 am Fri - Sun, 10 am - 7 pm on Monday. We will be running demos of the New Quests debuting at Gencon and demos of the new Wrath of the Righteous expansion for the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game. We will also need volunteers to organize players, manage prize support and fill in gaps where and when ever needed.

Paizo will be providing materials necessary to run the games, lots of fun prizes and special rewards for the GMs. In addition, for those who are willing to run 8 hours each day (4 - 6 on Monday) Paizo is willing to provide hotel rooms similar to Tier 1 and 2 GMs at Gencon.

If you are interested in Volunteering please contact either VL Stacey Buxton at duncan15bear@gmail.com or myself at taenia4000@yahoo.com with your interest to Volunteer. Thank you and I look forward to seeing you at PAX PRIME!

Louis Manko Levite

This spell is mentioned in the Guide to society play but is published in Ultimate Magic. I assume therefore it is not available unless found on a chronicle sheet but wanted to make sure.

I had a GM blob lying around so I decided to jump in on the Playtest action and try out a Hydro Kineticist in Trial by Machine. Focused on Dex over Con for more accuracy, armor class and because the build tries to use as little burn as possible.

Impressions: Level 5 is a great level for Kineticists. Because I didn't have to buy magic weapons I could afford some AC boosting items and a haversack for carrying stuff, gave me the highest AC of the party. Damage was good as with water blast I could drop 3d6+7 blasts, empowered which worked very well against DR, doing on average 26 points. There is a large gap in damage between 4 and 5 and wonder if metakinesis empower should come at a level without dice increase to balance it out.

I did enjoy a fun tactic though with Kinetic Cover:

First, since it doesn't have a listed duration I would use it to cover potential attack routes prior to a fight if possible, funneling the enemy in or making it waste actions attacking the wall.

Second, using it as a readied action to through up between a party member and and attacker to provide cover. Not sure about the exact timing but it worked as a, once he moved up to an ally and stops to attack, I put a wall between them.

Third, put it between a hurt player and his foe and the player can move back safely, even if they have reach. Also good for putting players into flank as you can put it on one side and they can move around without provoking.

X E D
X M]C Because an ally at B has cover to Mob M, he can move to flank
X A B without provoking through squares C and D.

Also through points into Diplomacy, got it as a class skill and threw some enhancements on it so it was actually pretty good, turned out to be the Face of the party.

Does the channel energy ability from certain domains like arctic or aquatic, or swamp domain qualify you for feats like Crusader's Flurry?

I know a couple of other posts are up about this but I was curious since the change in Bestiary 4 makes its printing the legal RAW version if previous comments to fix it are still considered valid or if we have to use the new version. Whirlwind was also reverted to an older version and I am not sure which version to use as it seems that an older pre errata version of monster abilities was included in Bestiary 4 rather than the updated ones.

I was curious since the Crossblooded/Wildblooded FAQ if it applied to combining the Kapenia Dancer and Hexcrafter Magus archetypes? The only overlap they have is both add additional magus arcana and wasn't sure if that counted as altering the feature? or it was more like adding options similar to the Qinggong monk?

So I am working on a wizard for PFS and I have some fun ideas but there was one that start around 9th level I found amusing and need help putting together.

The premise is to buy a suit of large adamantine full plate +1, then cast Possess Object on it. Now playing a small wizard (I recommend necklace of adaptation and ring of sustenance so you don't worry bout simple biological needs) you hide yourself in the breast plate portion under total cover and go.

So you would be walking around with hardness 22, Str 22 Dex 8, Con -, construct immunities. Throw on a belt of the weasel, a silent rod so you can cast some spells plus your Sp and Su.

How much would the armor cost?
Any other ideas on how to make it more interesting?

So I really liked the idea of the investigator and got the opportunity to try one out tonight. Had some fun with a Tiefling investigator, grabbed the claws alternate trait, some chain shirt action and weapon finesse with an 18 dex/16 int build and tried out First steps part 1.

Overall impression. At first level it felt a lot like the archaeologist bard having a good combination of knowledge skills and rogue abilities. I actually preferred the investigator in this role because I don't need a high Charisma so I could sink those points into Int for more skills. In the long run I think bard/investigator will have similar knowledge checks since the Investigator can spend more points on Int and has inspiration for free on knowledge checks.

Inspiration was fun, I used it on a disable device skill check, but it was one without an impossible DC. I like having that 2 points for saving throw is really nice in emergencies, making it hard to spend that next point. I look forward to a more skill focuses scenario and wonder how much I could burn through in the initial skill checks during an adventure.

Skill/non-combat role was very strong, combat was less so since I didn't put too many points in Str (12) so damage was on the low side but the high dex + finesse gave me a decent attack chance and I could range if I wanted too. Looking forward to sneak attack.

I am disappointed at one thing though, the initial description suggested a combination of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Jeckyl but mutagen isn't automatic, its a choice you can make. Seems to me if you use that description, mutagen should be there.

Looking forward, poison use just doesn't fit. I think I would rather have mutagen or evasion or uncanny dodge in that slot. Especially mutagen.

How does this work exactly?

For example, I am playing a Abyssal bloodline sorcerer and at 7th level I take augment summoning as a bonus feat. As a base feat I take Blindfight.

I decide i want to go into DD so I retrain my bloodline from Abyssal to Draconic. Do I lose the bonus feat? Do I replace my bonus feat? Can I choose to take Blindfight and then replace blindfight with Augment Summoning (assuming I had SF - Conjuration already)?

So I was looking at a combination of two things, Dark Tapestry's Many Forms power and the Aasimar's favored class bonus to increase the level of 1 revelation every 2 levels. I realized that by level 5 you could use it to turn into a small/medium animal 7 min/day in 1 min increments by 8th you could turn into small/medium magical beasts for 12 min/day and at 10th you could greater polymorph for 15/min day.

I was wondering what people could think of to make this work. My first thought was to go a Dex primary/Cha secondary build, grab weapon finesse, piranha strike and turn into Eagles at 5, Vooniths at 8 and at 10 grab either Zoogs for tiny fun, Dragons or possibly air/fire elementals.

Curious what people thought of this as a PFS build and what spells/feats/archetypes/skills would work well.

Revelations would be Cloud of Darkness (armor bonus), Many Forms (main ability) and Wings of Darkness (so i can fly even when I don't normally have that ability)

Though about double cursed for the misfortune hex at 5th.

Can a creature that inhabits another body use the ability to escape or leave that body despite that body being grappled, pinned or tied up.

Vermlek can leave a body they possess with a swift action are there conditions that can prevent this?

I was in a PFS scenario and the GM said they could, and the monster got out. I disagreed but did not make an issue of it at the table and brought up the point later. After talking to some others I realize that I might be wrong on this point and wanted to find out what the right answer is.

My character is a Cave Druid with a Roc animal companion. The Roc is large, the ooze is medium

1. Can I use ride skill or handle animal to ride the Roc and attack from its back?

2. What is the penalty to ride check if you are an ooze? Can you get a special saddle to mitigate that penalty?

3. If I ride up to a monster can I attack as an ooze from Rocback?

4. Can I vital strike from Rocback, can your mount move more than 5' and still allow you to make a standard action attack like vital strike or cleave?

5. I know vital strike can't be combined with charge/spring attack what if my AC has spring attack though? Could I use vital strike to make an attack while the AC is spring attacking? Maybe ready an action to attack when it gets close enough to a target?

6. Can I direct my mount with my "knees"?

7. Do I need to make a ride check or does animal handling work to direct the pet to move and attack?

I had an opportunity to talk to SKR regarding a question I had and he suggested I put it up here to FAQ so I am doing so. Although it has been asked before on these boards no official response has been given and I tend to agree with the majority of the posters the devs and gms I talked to don't. So I will try to get them FAQ'd here.

1. Is a druid/monk wearing armor prior to wild shape considering to be "wearing" armor for the purpose of using his monk AC/Flurry/Fast Movement abilities? Does this change if the armor is enchanted with Wild?

Polymorph says "all of your gear melds into your body" but this isn't clear what effects it has. Also situations arise when a druid in armor wild shapes and puts on armor in his wild shape form (Dire Tiger barding for example). Is the druid wearing two sets of armor or one? Now every person I have talked says armor/gear while wild shaped doesn't have weight/encumbrance/ACP/etc.. but don't know whether it is still considered worn.

2. Can druid/monks in wild shape use all their style feats and are they considered to have a free hand if they don't have a hand? I can imagine a Dire Tiger having a free hand but what about the wing of a bat or the pseudopod of an ooze?

3. If a druid/monk is considered wearing armor and has evasion and is wild shaped does the restriction of only light armor still apply? What if it is wild armor?

4. Elemental forms can be defined as being humanoid because there is no defined shape for an elemental and most are represented as being at least partially humanoid. Can you assume the form of say an earth elemental that is humanoid and then put on armor? Does this work with other elementals since they are all corporeal? What abilities don't work when this occurs?

5. What senses are retained and which are lost with Wild Shape? One problem arises with Cave Druid's and ooze shape as they apparently lose vision since oozes don't have eyes but don't get blindsight because its not a listed ability and while the spell allows for blindsense, oozes don't have the ability. Do you lose all your senses with wild shape gaining the ones allowed by form or do you always have the basic senses and its just extraordinary ones that are lost or gained?

I was looking over the rules for wild shape and polymorph and was wondering if you get claws from aspect of the beast do you get claws in a none claw form you wild shape into? For example if you pick up aspect of the beast at 7th and turn into a dire wolf do you gain a bite/claw/claw attack routine in addition to 2 claw attacks in your normal form? Since its feat based, non polymorph effect causing you to grow claws can you translate this to wild shape?

The wild shape feat Shaping Focus says,

"If you are a multiclassed druid, your wild shape ability is calculated as though your druid level were four higher, to a maximum level equal to your character level."

If I am playing a druid 10 monk 2 with this feat I have 12th level wild shaping ability.

If I am playing a Swamp druid (who gains wild shape at 6th and thereafter gains wildshape at Druid level -2) at level 12 I have 10th level wild shaping ability.

What if i am playing a swamp druid 10 monk 2 and take shaping focus. Would my wild shape level be 10 or 12? Since the feat says I must be multiclassed to take it (character is) and uses wild shape up to four level higher maximum equal to character (not class) level or 12.

Pretty sure it wasn't intended for this but curious if this works anyway.

In the description of Whirlwind ability in the Bestiary it says that it only effects creatures one size smaller than the creature using whirlwind. However in the bestiary 2 printing and online this limitation has been replaced with a creature may have only as many creatures in the whirlwind as contained within its volume.

Which of these is correct? I had assumed that the more recent ruling and book would suggest that the ruling on the pathfinder srd and in bestiary 2 are correct but I wanted to make sure.