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You would have three separate pools of channeling

Oracle = as an oracle of a level equal to your oracle levels + your holy vindicator levels.

Cleric = as a cleric of a level equal to your cleric levels + your holy vindicator levels.

Antipaladin = as an antipaladin of a level equal to your antipaladin levels + your holy vindicator levels.

Thanks ! So based on your answer, am I right to understand that each of these channel abilities have to be treated independently for each of the 3 classes ? The only common point is the Holy Vindicator prestige class levels which can be added to each of the 3 classes for the purposes of determining DC, damage, undead HD.

With this is mind, I am now able to determine the numerical responses to my questions.

(1) How many times can the character channel per day to Harm and with what damage and what DC ?
- Oracle of Bones : 0x/day (ability can only be used to Command Undead)
- Cleric (effective level for Channel Energy is 5) : 7x/day, 3d6, DC16
- Antipaladin (effective level for Channel Energy is 9): 3x/day (by converting 6 touches of corruption), 5d6, DC18

(2) How many times can the character channel per day to Command Undead and with what DC and what is the undead Hit Dice limit per channel and maximum undead Hit Dice cumulative cap ?
- Oracle of Bones (effective level for Channel Energy is 5) : 7x/day, DC16, max 5HD/channel, 5HD cumulative cap
- Cleric (effective level for Channel Energy is 5) : 7x/day, DC16, max 5HD/channel, 5HD cumulative cap
- Antipaladin (effective level for Channel Energy is 9) : 3x/day (by converting 6 touches of corruption), DC18, max 9HD/channel, 9HD cumulative cap

So this Level 11 character could use the Command Undead feat to control up to 19HD of undead (with relevant caps per class).

All further comments are welcome !

Hi everyone,

I need your help to clarify Negative Energy Channel Abilities for following Oracle/Cleric/Antipaladin/Holy Vindicator multi-classed character :

- Level 1 Bones Oracle with Undead Servitude Revelation
- Level 1 Cleric (of an Evil Deity)
- Level 5 Antipaladin
- Level 4 Holy Vindicator
- 18 Charisma

Can you please help answer those questions :
(1) How many times can the character channel per day to Harm and with what damage and what DC ?
(2) How many times can the character channel per day to Command Undead and with what DC and what is the undead Hit Dice limit per channel and maximum undead Hit Dice cumulative cap ?

For your reference, I have extracted the relevant sections applicable to this build.

You gain Command Undead as a bonus feat. You can channel negative energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier, but only to use Command Undead. You can take other feats to add to this ability, such as Improved Channeling, but not feats that alter this ability, such as Alignment Channel.

Channeling energy causes a burst that affects all creatures of one type (either undead or living) in a 30-foot radius centered on the cleric. The amount of damage dealt or healed is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every two cleric levels beyond 1st (2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 5th, and so on). Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the cleric’s level + the cleric’s Charisma modifier. Creatures healed by channel energy cannot exceed their maximum hit point total—all excess healing is lost. A cleric may channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier.

Beginning at 2nd level, an antipaladin surrounds his hand with a fiendish flame, causing terrible wounds to open on those he touches. Each day he can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 his antipaladin level + his Charisma modifier.

When an antipaladin reaches 4th level, he gains the supernatural ability to channel negative energy like a cleric. Using this ability consumes two uses of his touch of corruption ability. An antipaladin uses his level as his effective cleric level when channeling negative energy. This is a Charisma-based ability.

The vindicator’s class level stacks with levels in any other class that grants the channel energy ability.

Many Thanks !

Key elements of my House rules are listed below :

Skills
- at each level, characters earn skill points instead of skill ranks based on their Class and relevant abilities score
- 1 rank of a non-Class skill which can not be used untrained costs 3 skill points
- 1 rank of a non-Class skill which can be used untrained costs 2 skill points
- 1 rank of a Class skill costs 1 skill point
- rank cost is calculated based on Class Skills list of the Class for which a level was gained
- ability bonus skill points can come from any ability (instead of just Int) as long as they are spent on skills using the same ability (max bonus per level = highest ability bonus used); for instance with 8 Int / 14 Dex / 12 Str / 10 Cha a PC can spend 2 bonus points on Dex skills or 1 bonus point on Dex skill and 1 bonus point on Str skill
- when distracted / in combat / under stress you can take 5 or roll with -5
- Diplomacy skill DC is increased by the target level
- encumbrance penalties and armor check penalties stack and fully apply to Dex / Str skills in case full body movement is required (usually acrobatics, climb, ride, stealth, swim, fly)
- disable device & sleight of hand : encumbrance penalties do not apply if activity is done without full body movement while armor check penalties can be negated by removing hand/arm protection such as gauntlets, …
- armor non-proficiency doubles the armor check penalties for Skills / Abilities checks before any armor check penalties reduction is applied

Initiative
- use Reflex save to determine Initiative result

AC
- encumbrance penalties and armor check penalties stack and fully apply to negate potential Dodge bonus
- Dexterity bonus to AC is considered as a Dodge bonus
- there are no max Dex modifiers applicable to Armor or Encumbrance

Here are the detailed House rules on Google Docs : House Rules.

Hello,

The Brown Mold is categorized as a CR2 Special Hazard. Knowledge Skill description indicates that a Knowledge (Dungeoneering) roll was required to identify an Underground Hazard while a Knowledge (Nature) was needed for a Natural Hazard. What Knowledge check would apply to identify a Special Hazard such as the Brown Mold ?

Thanks!

Hi everyone, I am intending to implement some House Rules for my next Homebrew Campaign. Those rules may seem complex and long, although I hope that the actual implementation will not be that difficult once everyone has fully & correctly understood the rules changes. I'd like to get your feedback and suggestions before I test the rules during actual gameplay.

Here are some of the key concepts being proposed :
- Magic is rare and spell-casting is limited for adventurers
- PCs are heroes thanks to their own abilities instead of heavily relying on magic items
- Avoiding to be hit is more efficiently achieved through dodge rather than armor
- Armor and encumbrance both reduce Dodge bonuses and have more impact on some Str/Dex based skills
- Skills proficiency primarily comes from education and experience; other bonus are capped
- Bonus skill ranks may also come from Dex/Str/Cha instead of just Int
- The level of attention to use a skill and the circumstances will heavily affect the chances of success
- Diplomacy is affected by the level of the target
- Initiative scales the same way as Reflexes
- Multiple non-iterative attacks can be done during a standard action
- Loss of hp acquired at Level 1 generate wounds while other hp represent more superficial bruises, grazes, muscular stress
- Identifying magic items requires longer study time and investment

Here are the detailed House rules on Google Docs : House Rules

Many thanks in advance for your constructive comments !

Hi everyone !

I would like to play a rock thrower leveraging the Stone Oracle "Rock Throwing" Revelation (see below). However, I suddenly realized that a "rock" is not an item listed in any Legal Source I was aware of (please correct me if I am wrong). I am talking about a simple stone rock for throwing purposes.

So here are my questions :

1) Is there any PFS Legal way to buy a rock ?
2) Am I allowed to pick up a rock off the ground and write it in my inventory sheet ?
3) Assuming that I could pick a rock, am I allowed to actually use such a mundane item if it is not listed in any PFS Legal source ?

Thanks for your help and advice !

Rock Throwing (Ex): You are an accomplished rock thrower and have a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls with thrown rocks. You can hurl rocks up to two categories smaller than your own size. The range increment for a rock is 20 feet, and you can hurl it up to 5 range increments. Damage for a hurled rock is 2d4 for a Medium creature or 2d3 for a Small creature, plus 1-1/2 your Strength bonus.

If I am not mistaken, there is no such thing as a "basic" zombie or skeleton creature. Zombie and skeleton are necessarily templates to be applied to another creature. Even the Bestiary entries only provide examples of full statistics for Human Zombie and Human Skeleton (i.e. Human with appropriate undead template applied). So, by clearly listing zombies and skeletons as being eligible for Undead Anatomy, the spell introduces a contradiction with the Transmutation polymorph rules. Unless of course this is a specific exception to the general Magic rules ...

Rules Question
Can Undead Anatomy spell be used to assume the form of "humanoid-shaped" corporeal creatures with undead template (skeleton, zombie, ...) as suggested in the spell description ?

Undead Anatomy I-IV are transmutation (polymorph) spells from Ultimate Magic.

When you cast this spell, you can assume the form of any Small or Medium corporeal creature of the undead type, which must be vaguely humanoid-shaped (like a ghoul, skeleton, or zombie).

Polymorph spells cannot be used to assume the form of a creature with a template or an advanced version of a creature.

“Skeleton” is an acquired template ...
“Zombie” is an acquired template ...

emphasis mine

If Undead Templates can be applied, then would the spell also work to assume the form of "humanoid-shaped" corporeal creatures with other Undead Templates such as vampires, liches, etc ... ?

Thoughts ?

According to ACG :

This ability alters the bloodline class feature, bloodline powers, and bloodline spells.

This would suggest that Class Skill and Bloodline Arcana remain unchanged. However, the detailed ability description clearly alters Bloodline Arcana :

As a swift action, she can expend 1 point from her mongrel reservoir to activate that bloodline, allowing her to use its 1st-level bloodline powers as well as its bloodline arcana at her full sorcerer level, including using a bonded item from an arcane bond.

So there seems to be an inconsistency. It is also unclear if the Bloodline Arcana can be used the whole day as a level 1 sorcerer without having to spend 1 point the same way as a 1st-level Bloodline power.

Thought ?

Question : after having selected his/her daily Bloodline, does the Mongrel Mage also gain the benefit of this Bloodline Class Skill and this Bloodline Arcana as a level 1 Sorcerer for the whole day ?

Each day when she refreshes her spell slots, the mongrel mage selects one sorcerer bloodline. She must select an ordinary bloodline with this ability, not one altered by the wildblooded archetype or any other archetype. She gains this bloodline’s 1st-level bloodline power for that day, using it as if she were only a 1st-level sorcerer.

Thanks a lot for your clarifications !

Thanks all for your answers. Coming back to my original question and assuming that a Grapple Combat Maneuver performed in melee is indeed a "melee attack", can you please confirm or amend following statements related to opponents in melee situation :

(1) attempting to initiate a Grapple is a melee attack

(2) attempting to maintain a Grapple is a melee attack

(3) attempting to break a Grapple is a melee attack

(4) if a grappled creature fails to break a grapple, then if the grappler has both Crane Riposte and Snapping Turtle style feats active and has a free hand, then he would be able to attempt another Grapple check to maintain the Grapple as an immediate action and perform an attack of opportunity against the grappled creature

Combat Maneuvers are attack rolls.

When attacking, you're either in melee, or at range.

Some grapple checks can be made at range. They would not be considered melee attack rolls.

The rest would be.

Thanks for your answer. I should have clarified that I was already considering a Grapple Combat Maneuver done to a target in melee. The point I would like to clarify is whether this Maneuver is considered as a "melee attack" as per the specific game terms used in the CRB. For instance, on page 183 there is an indication that some Combat Maneuvers could substitute melee attacks while others were a separate action.

Some combat maneuvers substitute for a melee attack, not an action. As melee attacks, they can be used once in an attack or charge action, one or more times in a full-attack action, or even as an attack of opportunity. Others are used as a separate action.

Some Combat Maneuvers (such as Trip or Disarm) could be made "in place of a melee attack" (which, by the way, does not necessary mean that they become "melee attacks"). However, the Grapple Combat Maneuver description in the CRB indicates that it was performed as a standard action instead. There is no obvious evidence I could find indicating that the Grapple Combat Maneuver could be considered as a "melee attack" (even if the Grapple is done while both opponents are in melee). From what I am able to read so far, a Grapple Combat Maneuver is ... a Combat Maneuver which belongs to the "Special Attacks" section of the CRB Combat chapter.

As per CRB wording, flanking benefits seem to only apply to "melee attack" and I was not able to find any wording that would confirm that this would also apply to a Grapple Combat Maneuver (baring special abilities, feats, ...).

When making a melee attack, you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is threatened by another enemy character or creature on its opposite border or opposite corner.

Did I miss anything ?

Is the Grapple Combat Maneuver considered as a Melee Attack ?

If yes, then a grappler should be able to benefit from flanking bonus (when rolling the Grapple check) as long as there is a threatening enemy of the grappler target on the target opposite border or opposite corner.

I understand that an attack roll is needed to perform the Grapple Combat Maneuver however I could not find any clear rules reference stating that the Grapple Combat Maneuver was actually a Melee Attack.

Please help me to discover the truth !

The Bonus Feats wording on page 47 is still incorrect as it continues to mention that "the swashbuckler gains a feat at every level".

I asked this question over in the ask James Jacob thread and he seemed to be a bit confused so he suggested I come here and ask it. Here is what I asked and the answer that James gave. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

James Jacobs wrote:

KonLesh wrote:

I have no idea where to ask this and even though I found the question being asked, I can never find an answer. Even just directing me to the right place to ask this would be a great benefit if you don't know the answer.

In the Advance Race Guide, I have a question about seducer. Here it is for ease:

---------------
Seducer (2 RP)
Prerequisites: The race has at least a +2 racial bonus to Charisma.
Benefit: Members of this race add +1 to the saving throw DCs for their spells and spell-like abilities of the enchantment school. In addition, members of this race with a Wisdom score of 15 or higher gain the following spell-like ability (the caster level is equal to the user's character level):

1/day—charm person
-----------------

Why do you need 15 Wisdom to have charm person? Shouldn't this be Charisma, especially since you need a +2 racial bonus to charisma to even take this trait for a race.

I would have made it Charisma, since spell-like abilities should ALWAYS be associated with Charisma. Further, seduction is more a Charisma thing than Wisdom thing. Not sure why they chose Wisdom; makes no sense to me, but I wasn't involved in that book's creation so who knows what I might be missing? That said, there are certainly errors waiting for errata in that book (aasimar/tiefling/other planetouched ages come to mind!). Post the question in the rules fourms and FAQ it.

I would like to FAQ this question as well but the status shows as "Answered in the errata" although I could not find any related answer in the FAQ and there is no official Errata published for the "Advanced Race Guide" as far as I know. Weird, no ? Did I miss something ?

Looking at the "Seducer" alternate racial trait (p3), I wonder why the bonus Spell-Like-Ability is based on minimum Wisdom rather than Charisma.

My question is the following : in case of multi-classed Maneuver Master monk, is the bonus maneuver CMB calculated as :

(1) CMB = monk's level only + usual CMB adjustments
or
(2) CMB = monk's level + BAB contribution from other classes + usual CMB adjustments

The Ultimate Combat indicates : "The maneuver master uses his monk level in place of his base attack bonus to determine his CMB for the bonus maneuvers, though all combat maneuver checks suffer a –2 penalty when using a flurry."

I could not find a clear answer when reading through the forums.

Thanks for your help !!!