And what big cat is going to be content with just piercing? That's why I say it's negligible; it's going to poke in only to rake across. A tusk or a spear, on the other hand, is primarily a thrusting and stabbing weapon. You poke in and that's pretty much the whole deal. Stab, withdraw, stab again. I don't see a problem with claws dealing slashing and bludgeoning but not piercing.
Have you ever watched a feline hunt? They don't slash their prey to death. They latch on to their prey with their claws and proceed to strangle them to death with their mouths.
Further more, have you ever seen any instance of Wolverine using his claws to bludgeon someone to death? I know I haven't.
Both are Int based which would be good for your party. Without adding archetypes they both have access to some healing, Witch more so then Alchemist. They both have access to area damage, Alchemist more so then Witch this time. Alchemist can buff, though not as easily as other buffers, while the Witch is an awe-inspiring de-buffer.
Depending on how much the Druid plans on using buff spells, that last part is kinda the deciding factor.
That's why I said "overlap" instead of "stack". If Spell Shield would give you a higher bonus then you can use it as I described to get it's bonus instead of Shield's.
Example: You have a 22 INT mod and the spell Shield active on yourself for it's +4 bonus. You get flanked and use the Spell Shield arcana to gain it's +6 bonus. Since both bonuses are shield bonuses, you would only gain the higher of the two which in this case would be Spell Shield's +6. At the end of your next turn Spell Shield's duration ends causing you to revert to the +4 bonus from Shield. -End example.
Hopefully that clears up what I meant. Sorry for the confusion I caused.
It one of those RAW things that no sane GM would/should allow in a normal game. That said, I'm with Majuba. If it's a one-off game session that doesn't effect your normal campaign then why not allow it. In the very least just add that it can only be done with thrown weapons that have a trailing cord built into them. It's nowhere near a perfect compromise, but it's a start.
Spell shield? The magus can cast shield - and can use wand of shield or even scrolls of shield. Better to take wand Wielder - helps with low level concentration checks - and spell slots. You could use cantrips - but 750 to do 3,5 more dam, and not having to worry about concentration checks when using spell combat is worth it...
Normally I'd agree 100% with you but when you factor in Diminished Spellcasting and the loss of Spell Recall and Knowledge Pool, Spell Shield gets a pretty big boost to it's usefulness since it will help free up spell slots for more Shocking Grasp. More so if your Int mod is +5 or greater. Also, since Spell Shield is used as an immediate action, you could overlap Shield with Spell Shield as an "oh crap" option if you get flanked or after a charge to get a couple more points to AC if your Int mod is high than +4.
It still kinda sucks since it only lasts until the end of your next turn compared to Shield's 1 minute/caster lvl, but as a side benefit to the loss of Spell Recall and Knowledge Pool you will have more Arcane Pool points to burn. Not alot, but still more than the base Magus.
Of course, if your Int mod is +4, or heaven forbid less, then a wand of Shield(CL 1) is unquestionably the way to go.
Besides, so long as you have Arcane Accuracy it really doesn't matter what arcanas you pick up. It's the only one I find to be almost necessary. The rest are kinda like gilding the lily.
EDIT: Changed the text in the last sentence of the first paragraph to make it clearer that I meant for Spell Shield to be used as an emergency overlap of Shield.
Most of this is gonna be "no-brainer" kind of stuff. I don't know what adding Bladebound would be like since I've haven't been able to use it, but from what I understand it wouldn't affect much of this anyway other than the loss of another arcana. Sorry.
Race:
Elf
hide:
+2 to Int and Dex, +2 caster lvl vs SR, and either Weapon Familiarity or Arcane Focus(both are about equal in my eyes). Elf really is the only choice.
Ability Scores:
Dex, Int, Con, Wis, Str, Cha.
hide:
Can't give you numbers since I've never actually played an adventure path before and I forgot to ask how you're doing ability scores, but that would be their order of priority.
Character Traits:
Magical Lineage(Shocking Grasp) and anything else.
hide:
If you can find something to increase your Cast Defensively checks, go for it. If not, then Reactionary is always a decent stand-by.
Feats:
[Bonus]Weapon Proficiency(Scimitar), [Bonus]Weapon Focus(Scimitar), [1st lvl]Weapon Finesse, [3rd lvl]Dervish Dance, [5th lvl]Extra Arcane Pool or Power Attack, [5th lvl Magus]Intensified Spell, [7th lvl]Weapon Specialization(Scimitar).
hide:
Regarding Power Attack, if you qualify for it and think your Atk bonus is high enough then I would go for it. As for higher lvls, at 9th Kensai lets you take Critical Focus so get it, but after that it's really whatever you think you need more of. Personally I started to grab anything that boosted my spell's Save DCs and Blinding Critical at 15th lvl. That might not work for you though, since it doesn't seem like you're gonna be using alot of spells that can debuff.
Beyond that, it didn't really matter to me since they were the only ones I really used. Besides, due to Kensai you won't get another one until 12th lvl unless you take Extra Arcana.
Gear:
hide:
Dex, Int, and Con boosters are obvious choices. Silken Ceremonial Armor can still be used since it has no Armor Check Penalty and 0% Spell failure, so use an enchanted set of that if you don't want to use Bracers of Armor. If you can get a +2 Scimitar then you can bypass all but Alignment based DR if you use your Arcane Pool for nothing but enhancement bonus. A +3 scimitar would be better of course, but might be too expensive. Like Darth Grall mentioned, Pearls of Power are your friends. Since you need to function as the main melee in your group, gear choices really come down to asking yourself a question, "Does this item free up spell slots, increase my melee damage, or make me harder to hit?". If the answer is no, then don't waste the money.
I won't go into spells because my suggestions wouldn't help you at all since my Magus had to function as the only caster in our group. That really screwed up my choices. Like I said at the beginning of this post, most, if not all, of what I wrote is "no-brainer" stuff(which is why I like the Magus Class). Hope it helps, sorry if it doesn't.
There's always the Channel Force feat for Aasimar Clerics that lets you hit one enemy with your Channel damage and push or pull them 5 feet per 2d6 of damage on a failed save. Not perfect thematically, but it does give you 9 levels of spells to work with as well. And with the Improved Channel feat and Sacred Conduit trait, that channel's DC is up to 13 + 1/2 HD + CHA! Quick Channel would let you use Channel Force as a move action, and then you have a standard left hit them with some save or suck spell to simulate the "stun" (maybe Forbid Action, Command, or Hold Person).
Like the other suggestions I'll look into it, but it just doesn't feel right making Scorpion with an Aasimar. It's certainly one way to break a stereotype. lol
If you don't mind, I got some questions just to make absolutely sure I we the answers:
#1: What lvl are you starting at?
#2: Are you an Elf?
#3: What kind of caster is the Wizard?(blaster, controller, buffer, etc.)
#4: Do you as a have a personal preference between melee or spell casting?
#5: Do you prefer blasting spells, or save vs suck spells?
I know they seem like stupid questions, but they're important nonetheless.
The main problem I'm having with it is combining both moving the target to an adjacent square, and also causing stun with the same attack. It's easy to do one or the other, but not so much for both.
The best idea I've got requires a very strict RAW viewpoint, Hamatula Strike, and a Kyoketsu Shoge that is at least +1 with Ki Focus.
Hamatula Strike requires a piercing weapon, Ki Focus requires a melee weapon, and Flurry of Blows requires a Monk weapon. The Kyoketsu Shoge covers all of that and allows an attack at a range of 20ft.
The strict RAW viewpoint kicks in when you look at the 5th sentence of the CRB's rules for grappling: "If you successfully grapple a creature that is not adjacent to you, move that creature to an adjacent open space (if no space is available, your grapple fails)."
The idea would work like this: Start turn with nearest foe at a distance of 10-20 ft away, use first attack from Flurry of Blows to attack at range with Kyoketsu Shoge+Stunning Fist. If attack hits and does damage, the foe is forced to save vs stun and I get a free grapple check. If my grapple check succeeds, the foe is moved to the nearest adjacent square allowing me to continue attacking with Flurry of Blows.
Now I've never played a grapple based character so my understanding of the rules involving it are lacking at best. More importantly, even if the above rule would work in my favor, I highly doubt I could ever convince any GM to allow it. Couldn't say I'd blame them either.
Sorry for such a long post and thanks for your time.
I don't see why you wouldn't get the bonus to all of your attacks. Sidenote: The Tai-Chi Allosaurus build is built around max damage pounces. Using it would require making a new character, but you should be able to use some stuff from it without a rebuild.
EDIT: Changed the link so that it goes to the second page of that thread since the version of that build that I'd recommend(Str based/MoMS)is posted there instead of the first page.
Do you happen to have a build that replicates Scorpion from Mortal Kombat? I'm having a little trouble coming up with a reliable "Get over here" attack for him myself so I figured I'd ask.
Actually, on second thought, a Kyoketsu Shoge would work better since it's classed as a melee weapon so Ki Focus/Intensifying could be added to it allowing Stunning fist to be used as well.
I like musing on the thought you could use it via RAW for a Mortal Kombat Scorpion style, "get over here move".
Quote:
If you successfully grapple a creature that is not adjacent to you, move that creature to an adjacent open space (if no space is available, your grapple fails).
You get the lunge feat, enlarge, use a reach piercing weapon, and you tag someone 25' away. Due to the rules of grapple they get pulled adjacent.
If that would work, why not just use a Rope Dart? It's a piercing monk weapon with 20ft range. It's also what Scorpion actually uses.
Lvl 16 Monk, 24 Wis(18 natural+6 enhancement), Mantis Style, Ability Focus[Stunning Fist], and a +3 Ki Intensifying Brass Kunckles. All that added up equals a DC of 30.
I freely admit that it was a once in a lifetime fluke. It grabbed me so I decided to punch it before using Abundant Step to get away from it and the GM just happened to roll a 7. The stun caused it to let go of me, a couple other party members, and our ship. The down side was that the GM ruled that it would be furious at me for making it look weak so I had to spend almost the rest of the combat in total defense and burning ki points for AC just to avoid most of it attacks.
Honestly though, I think the only reason my GM allowed it to happen was that it was our last game session before he moved across state. Regardless, it's one of the funniest moments I've had playing.
Not only is rend ship near useless considering it's size, the damage it does to the ship is pitiful. If it's goal it simply to sink the ship it's in it's best interest to just full-attack instead. Funny sidenote, RAW there is nothing stopping a character with Stunning Fist from successfully using that feat against a Kraken. That alone led to 10 minutes of laughter at my gaming table tonight after my Sub-Zero based monk pimp-slapped it's tentacle.
Since nobody has mentioned it yet, if the spell Emergency Force Sphere is legal play in your campaigns then I would highly suggest taking the Spell Blending arcana as soon as you are able to cast 4th lvl spells so you can use it. That spell has saved the lives of my character and my party member's characters more times then I can count.
So I was thinking of adding a couple lvls each of Ninja and Witch to a Medusa so that I could finally challenge my groups PCs after having no such luck for the last few gaming sessions, when this question came across my mind:
Would the Medusa's petrifying gaze, specifically it's passive use, end the Ninja's invisibility gained from it's Vanishing Trick class feature?
Thanks for the clarification Talon Stormwarden and Roaming Shadow. I've made a few bounty hunter/lawmen themed rangers over the years that have had their race as a favored enemy, so I would have hated to learn that they would have been evil for wanting to be better at their job.
Don't you take damage or penalties if you carry a weapon that's your own bane?
Nope. Only the alignment based properties (holy/unholy/anarchic/axiomatic) have penalties to prevent use by those that the weapon is against.
Tharg The Pirate King wrote:
The rule or idea that you are thinking or being told is that of a Ranger and chooseing a favored enemy that is same race. In that situation you have to be evil to take you own race as favored enemy.
I don't remember that. Is that even in 3.5/Pathfinder and if so where?
I don't know how long this proposed tail would be, but it might be worth giving a glance at the Whip Mastery feat tree for some possible uses either from character creation or as he gains hit dice. Not everything from them would work, but it's something to consider.
Subject really says it all. According to PFSRD they can since neither have a marker after them to indicate that they can't, but since they both effect bombs I figured I'd ask just incase.
Yes, having a readied action doesn't prevent AoOs or the like. You're readied action above should also work, but if you fail to trip your opponent with the AoO then the readied action won't go off.
That's the only down-side I can see, and it's not really much of one.
You might also want to consider Stand Still. If you don't want to trip them, you can prevent them from moving at all. Do it after they've moved 10 feet and they only have a standard action left.
Sounds like a fun guy to have around!
lol What can I say? I just find the thought of someone trying to charge my party's wizard only to end up prone and weaponless not just hillarious, but incredibly demoralizing as well.
BigNorseWolf wrote:
Yes.
Just be aware that a whip doesn't normally threaten any area, so you need a feat or feature to get you the ability to threaten with one.
No worries. I had a houseruled feat that allowed it, but when Ultimate Combat came out I was allowed to rebuild my character to take advantage of it's Whip Mastery feat tree.
As I was thinking of more ways to make my whip-wielding Simon Belmont clone more of a nuisence to his enemies, a question came to mind that I couldn't find a definite answer to.
Is it possible to make attacks of opprotunity while waiting for a readied action to trigger? Specifically could I ready an action to disarm the next enemy I trip, then wait for an enemy to provoke an attack of opprotunity, at which point I then trip him to trigger my readied disarm?
You are right, i will allow it, and treat them as battered firearms only he can use were he to sell them later on the campaign (4d10gp).
That's pretty much what we did in my group as well. We allowed him to have one as his starting firearm, but ruled that he had to be from Alkenstar and take the Rich Parents and Hierloom Weapon traits to help give a role playing explaination as to why he had one from 1st lvl. We're 7th now and it hasn't caused a single problem yet nor do I see it doing so in the future.
I've found that it depends on what spell the scroll/potion/oil is replicating.
If it's an arcane scroll the wizard can use, but dosen't have in their spellbook, then it's only ever being used to put it in there.
Due to the cleric's channel energy ability, Cure spells are always kept but seldom used when I play Pathfinder.
Damage spells of 1st-4th lvl are almost always sold to help pay for wands.
Everything else tends to get sold unless it's something that can remove a status effect that the paladin's mercies can't.
The barbarian on the other hand loves potions of rage after our cleric of Cayden Cailean said that when she makes them, they are in fact magical shots of whiskey. Typical, but I find it funny nonetheless.
Weapons with an enhancement bonus of +3 or greater can ignore some types of damage reduction, regardless of their actual material or alignment.
The following table shows what type of enhancement bonus is needed to overcome some common types of damage reduction.
DR Type Weapon Enhancement Bonus Equivalent
cold iron/silver +3
adamantine* +4
alignment-based +5
* Note that this does not give the ability to ignore hardness, like an actual adamantine weapon does
Is that something that the Pathfinder system changed from standard 3.5, or has it always been that way? Either way I like it.
Inqusitor was my choice as well since simply put, they're holy monster hunters. I'm actually kinda suprised that there's no vampire hunter archetype for them. From experience I know the base version can do the job more then effectively, but it just struck me as odd.
A few tips I found that worked well for my character:
*Sarenrae and Pharasma are perfect choices for deities. While yes, you do have to take EWP(Whip) to use the Belmont's weapon of choice, the domain/inquistion and trait options they make available fit great not only for power, but also are perfect for role-play as well. My choice: Sarenrae as deity, Valor inquisition, and any combination of Enemy of the Undead/Slayer's Oath/Hunter's Blood/Subject of Study(undead) for your traits.
*Making the Combat Cross as it functions in the game is impossible without a GM that's really on board with you, or really inexperienced. If the later, give him/her a break and don't take advantage of your GM. It never ends well. At best Vampire Killer from the earlier games is easy on paper, but hard in practice to actually make. My take on it is a +3 Holy, Vorpal, Reliquary Silversheen Scorpian Whip. That gives it a +10 enhancement bonus including special abilities for a total market price of 200,755gp and either you or the initial enchanter also has to have the Craft Reliquary Arms&Armor feat and be able to cast Consecrate. I'm currently 8th lvl and have only been able make it +1 and Holy and that's only because one of the other player's in my group has a 6th lvl Cleric as a cohort and I had him enchant it for me. While Vorpal isn't actually needed, I find the rest is a must to make this a viable undead fighting weapon.
*The Whip Mastery feat tree from Ultimate Combat is a god-send to whip users everywhere. If you don't have access to the book you can look those feats up at PFSRD.
Everything else is a combination of no-brainers/personal preference to flesh out your version of a member of the Belmont clan.
