Rands's page

Hard for Devs to “make a ruling” when you haven’t actually asked a question....

I know we're looking at 5E after this Wrath of the Righteous campaign due to rules bloat leading to power bloat. Our group would probably stay with Pathfinder if they start an extensive revision of rules that tones the game down, scales it better so the high level game isn't so rocket tag-like, and improves on what is good about Pathfinder while limiting what makes it hard to run as a DM past the early levels..

The proliferation of "splat books" and the associated power creep is what turns me off Pathfinder and D&D organised play (aside from the focus on "winning" rather than roleplaying), but an inevitable consequence of the industry business model.

PFS (in my experience) teaches players how to power game and min max, potentially driving off role players unable to access a home game regularly.

As more splat books emerge, and power/feat interactions lead to power creep, this essentially creates a pay to win (or rather, pay to be competitive) situation. Again, this is part of the business model (whether intended or not is irrelevant), so unlikely to change, but is a disincentive for me to buy anything from Starfinder or PF 2.0.

I'm now looking into more narrative-style games (Cortex Prime in particular) as an alternative to Pathfinder, though makes it more difficult to establish a regular gaming group due to being less well known.

As a DM I would allow a PC to learn a spell from any source provided it was on their class spell list. May not be RAW, but unless it is PFS, RAW is not binding in a home game (in my opinion).

Check with your DM/GM is your best bet.

What is the impact on HD of the skeleton/zombie when applying multiple variant types?

There have been various threads on this topic, but can't see any devs commenting on it.

My thoughts were that it would run like this:

At Cleric level 10, Morte the Undead Lord can create a 10 HD companion, or a 5 HD companion with 1 template/variant.

Ex. No template = 10HD max

1 template = 5HD max

2 templates = 3HD max

etc

HangarFlying wrote:

DanceSC wrote:

Please cite where the rules state that "AoO chains are possible"

Perhaps tomorrow when I can get onto my computer, instead of poking on my iPad (if someone else hasn't already answered).

Suffice it to say, there is nothing about provoking an AoO that would prevent you from making an AoO against an AoO made against you that, itself, provokes an AoO.

Perhaps I am just being stubborn. Though I would still like to know RAW vs RAI, specifically RAI.

I believe RAI are that AoOs don't provoke further AoOs, but unfortunately, like a lot of things in PF, RAW tend to mean stupid loopholes like this exist, and will be exploited by powergamers - I mean, optimisers - whoops, I meant to say rules lawyers - excuse my error, "people who value RAW when it suits them to do so".

If this kind of thing causes problems at your table, talk to your GM.
If you are the GM, decide how you want to implement such rules, and tell your players, "This is how it is..."

Unless otherwise noted, you dont multiply on top of another multiplier, you should reduce every multiplier after the first by one and add that value on the first.

2x + 2x = 3x.

4x + 2x = 5x.

Are there any published rules or dev posts that clarify how adding multiple templates affects hd limits for animating purposes?

The template rules seem a bit OP RAW. There doesn't seem to be anything stopping you from adding multiple templates?

In our RotRL game , the GM and I have agreed that each template added doubles the HD limit for animating. So a 4hd skeleton with 1 template would count as an 8hd animate, 2 templates = 12 hd equivalent etc.

if anyone can find a specific ruling on this, I'd be keen to see it....

They don't add up to 2x.

It's only good to have if Bite isn't your only attack.

The evolution bite is for when you have more than one head (cerberus-esque). By default, having an extra head does not automatically grant an extra bite attack.

Searched a few different forums but couldn't really find any clear answer on this.

Is there any limit to the number of PCs that can assist on perception checks (ie for traps or secret doors) other than an arbitrary limit imposed by the GM as detailed in the Aid Another blurb:-

In many cases, a character's help won't be beneficial, or only a limited number of characters can help at once.

and also

The GM might impose further restrictions to aiding another on a case-by-case basis as well.

Is this intended to be VERY open to GM interpretation, even in PFS?

A party taking 20 on perception checks to find secret doors (or even taking 10 at higher levels) would pretty much automatically find every hidden thing when adding in +2 x5 aid another bonuses from other PCs in the group.

Given that (in PFS) you can't throw in wandering monsters to hurry up PCs taking 20 for hours on end, how do you handle it in PFS games?

The second bit is that the group is thinking of creating a Bank - The Heroes of Sandpoint Savings Bank. This is actually a fantastic idea (and Ultimate Campaign even has some rules on building a Bank) - but do you think there'd be any obstacles to a bank opening in Sandpoint, especially as the Scarnettis have a hate-on for one of the members of the group (who is a bastard scion of the Scarnettis)?

maybe check out the random events tables from ultimate campaign and make them less random?

dotting

Looking into incorporating some existing AP and 3rd party material into a campaign arc, leaving enough room for PCs to have side quests related to their backstories in between the "campaign arc-specific" modules.

AP is based around cultists trying to free Rovagug (requiring 5 keys)

Any suggestions for Cheliax-related material would be much appreciated.

Rovagug campaign progression

1 campaign story module every 3 levels, interspersed with 2-3 character-driven adventures/side quests/dungeon crawls/minor encounters with campaign story characters/exploration of campaign story background, etc.

Characters need gain approx 2 levels in between campaign plot modules.

Each key = 1 boss encounter

Need 5 "Chapter Bosses" and 1 recurring villain

Level 1-2 PC-driven adventures focusing on family ties/backgrounds
"Modules" to include PC-related homebrew and 3rd party adventures

Level 3-4 1st key - "Green Man" (homebrew module makes campaign arc explicit)
Additional "modules" to include PC-related homebrew and 3rd party adventures

Level 5-7 2nd key - Katapesh - House of the Beast (Book 2 from Legacy of Fire AP)

Level 8-10 3rd key - Cult of the Ebon Destroyers (PF module)? (Isle of Jalmeray - Vudra)
Additional "modules" to include PC-related homebrew and 3rd party adventures

Level 11-14 4th key - Cheliax to Nine Hells? "Key to Rovagug's prison created by Asmodeus"

Level 15+ Leading up to final battle at site of Rovagug's imprisonment
(Ruins of Ninshahur to Darklands to Pit of Gormuz?)

Motivation for each of the bosses?
Shared phylactery? (Each boss contributes, willingly or not, part of their soul as a tithe to Rovagug as proof of their devotion).
Benefits of membership - financial rewards, powerbrokering, revenge, actual belief in goals of Rovagug (destruction of the natural world (suicide?)), abuse of natural resources for power gain, eventual destruction of the gods).

Boss 1 - "I had no idea what I was getting myself into. They said it was just a token, a gesture, not something to worry about. They mocked me when I baulked at taking part in the ritual - didn't I want the power, the influence, the wealth?"

Boss 2 - "I have drunk deep from the cup of Rovagug. I have enjoyed the benefits of working in his name, and I regret nothing. I have lived, and I accept my fate in the world beyond for my deeds in this one."

Boss 3 - "I'm damned anyway. Killing me won't stop the return of the Rough Beast - if anything, you make him stronger! One more soul to fuel his wrath and break his bonds....."

Boss 4 - "Wait! I can help you prevent the cataclysm that is to come! I have knowledge of the final ritual that will bring Rovagug back into the world. Spare me and I'll tell you everything."

Boss 5 - "Yes! Finish me! His glorious return is at hand, and I shall sit with my lord at his right hand in the world beyond, when this one is destroyed! You fools have achieved nothing."

While I like the AP campaign structures in general, I feel that they inherently fail at allowing PCs room to develop in regards to having opportunities to pursue their individual interests/motivations (which I find is improved by having downtime, such as RotRL and Kingmaker).

This is not a criticism of the AP writing, rather the nature of having pre-prepared (read "on rails") adventure arcs, which is something I would like to try to minimise in this AP.

Personally, I would have PCs hire 1 manager for each separate business in each town.

So unless the store business was somehow attached to the inn business (or the inn was located at one of the farms, for example), each of them would require a separate manager.

For the farms, I would allow 1 manager to oversee the 10 businesses, as they are the same type.

If they had this setup in 3 different towns, they would multiply the number of managers by 3.

Yes, this does make it a lot more expensive for the PCs, but I don't have a problem with that.

The way I see managers is that they are full time overseers (which makes sense to me given the high cost/day), getting the most out of employees in one business (YMMV).

Anyone read the Necroscope series by Brian Lumley ?
The willing dead rise up to protect their friend.

I'm planning on starting a Pathfinder game running the Carrion Crown adventure path.

We have a venue (Tin Soldier Penrith), and am looking for players for a monthly or fortnightly game on Sundays from 10am-3/4pm.

Anyone interested in joining up can contact me directly via e-mail with any questions (gkrands@hotmail.com)

I hope to get the game underway on Sunday Sept 8th.

Thanks in advance,

Graham

All the threads I've read on the subject agree that you can use Enlarge Person on an Eidolon

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pugr?Share-Spell#1
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mf3f?2-summoner-questions#1
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mwq7?Summoner-and-Eidolon-Errata-and-Questions #1
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2mqmx?Enlarge-Person-on-my-Eidolon#1
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2m9yz?Eidolons-and-Enlarge-Person#1
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2lkcc?summoner-spell-question#1

but my question is, is the spell restricted to a humanoid-shaped Eidolon or can other body forms benefit from it?

Spell description states:-
"This spell causes instant growth of a HUMANOID creature, doubling its height and multiplying its weight by 8. (etc)

A HUMANOID creature whose size increases to Large has a space of 10 feet and a natural reach of 10 feet. This spell does not change the target's speed"

Does the Eidolon exception to the normal Enlarge Person target requirements stretch as far as non-humanoid body types?

Cheers,

G.

Don't forget the benefits of corpse companion, control undead, and animate undead. That puts the cleric even further ahead, especially when you drop desecrate

**cough**

Just to make it easier for people to find the group they are looking for, I suggest that this sub-forum be broken into either countries or regions (ie North America, UK, Australia, Oceania, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, etc).

Would make this feature much more user friendly, which may result in more traffic.

Bit confused by the wording of the variant effects for the undeath domain

Undeath domain:
Heal—This works like a standard channel (not halved).
Harm—The healing effect is enhanced (see Variant Channeling above) for undead creatures and those with negative energy affinity.

So, my reading is that using negative energy to HEAL undead does the full healing amount ("not halved") and when using to HARM the living does half damage but.... um.... HEALS undead again ("healing effect is enhanced"??

OR is this a double-negative (excuse the pun), and the heal and harm effects should be reversed, which would read:-

Harm - This works like a standard channel (damage to living not halved)
Heal - The healing effect is enhanced (+50%)for undead creatures and those with negative energy affinity.

Any clarification would be great,

Thanks

Knew I should've taunted it with a Boston Shuffle....

This came up in our game today - Dragon (from City of Golden Death) attacks with Awesome Blow and sends PCs flying off the edge of the bridge into a river of molten gold (20d6 burn damage = ow!).
1 PC asks the question, what is the Reflex DC to catch hold of the bridge before plummeting to my doom?

1. Does the PC get any save at all?
2. What kind of save (reflex?)
3. Is the DC based on Climb skill (to save vs falling), or DC 20 (to avoid pit trap fall) or something else entirely?

Awesome Blow (Combat)

This creature can send opponents flying.

Prerequisites: Str 25, Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, size Large or larger.

Benefit: As a standard action, the creature may perform an awesome blow combat maneuver. If the creature's maneuver succeeds against a corporeal opponent smaller than itself, its opponent takes damage (typically slam damage plus Strength bonus) and is knocked flying 10 feet in a direction of the attacking creature's choice and falls prone. The attacking creature can only push the opponent in a straight line, and the opponent can't move closer to the attacking creature than the square it started in. If an obstacle prevents the completion of the opponent's move, the opponent and the obstacle each take 1d6 points of damage, and the opponent is knocked prone in the space adjacent to the obstacle.

CLIMB
Catch Yourself When Falling: It's practically impossible to catch yourself on a wall while falling, yet if you wish to attempt such a difficult task, you can make a Climb check (DC = wall's DC + 20) to do so.

I'm thinking no save at all, which makes this particular module VERY difficult given that if you are struck by this attack (with a very good chance of it happening) = instant death

Any thoughts?

The party enter the cellar to find a child whose heart has been replaced with the phylactery.

Possibly the child links back to an NPC the party met earlier (or even better if one of the PCs has a family).

Removing the phylactery will kill the child (and in the absence of an actual heart resurrection is not an option).

Not all encounters or climaxes need to be combat-based.....

WOW - someone that wants to RP in PFS... Never thought I'd see that.
Any chance you can relocate to Australia and show them how it's done?

Just checking on any interest for an ongoing Pathfinder home campaign in the Blue Mountains, NSW?

PFS is fine, but I prefer some RP with my RPG.....

Nothing concrete at this stage, just gauging interest

The bleeds won't stack. You just get the best you roll on the d4s.

Bleed: A creature that is taking bleed damage takes the listed amount of damage at the beginning of its turn. Bleeding can be stopped by a DC 15 Heal check or through the application of any spell that cures hit point damage (even if the bleed is ability damage). Some bleed effects cause ability damage or even ability drain. Bleed effects do not stack with each other unless they deal different kinds of damage. When two or more bleed effects deal the same kind of damage, take the worse effect. In this case, ability drain is worse than ability damage.

Yep, that's not a problem.

But what about the bleed damage applying to the claw (natural attacks) via FCT? Is what I've outlined supported by the rules or have I misread CBT?

In my opinion, Belier's Bite would make more sense if it applied to both natural AND unarmed attacks from the start.....

Trying to build a more effective Beastmorph Alchemist (themed, not hugely min/maxed), and trying to work in Belier's Bite with Feral Mutagen for flavour more than anything else.

I understand the difference between unarmed and natural attacks, but just wanted to confirm that my reading of the rules for Feral Combat Training is correct in this scenario:-

Level 1 Belier's Bite and Improved Unarmed Strike feats
Level 2 Feral Mutagen for the 1 bite and 2 claw attacks
Level 3 Weapon Focus (claws)feat for a +1 to hit with claws
Level 5 Feral Combat Training feat (claws) - IMPORTANT BIT - does this allow me to add the effects of Belier's Bite to the 2 claw attacks?

FCT description - Choose one of your natural weapons. While using the selected natural weapon, you can apply the effects of feats that have Improved Unarmed Strike as a prerequisite, as well as effects that augment an unarmed strike.

So when I use the Feral Mutagen (duration 10 mins/lvl) I end up with 2 claw attacks at DAM = 1d6 + 1d4 bleed EACH
and 1 bite at DAM = 1d8

1. Is this right?
2. Is there a better / quicker way to get the same effects? 5 levels to achieve a "theme" seems a bit of a heavy investment....

Cheers

I'm in Sydney (Blue Mountains), currently looking for either an in-person Sunday 4e game, or an online group.

Due to work schedule, am only available LATE Sat nights or Sunday (all day).

Happy to travel on Sundays for a face-to-face group.

Feel free to PM me, or e-mail gkrands@hotmail.com