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Hey all,

This is my first time playing a Gunslinger and we're starting at level 5. The GM is allowing items up to level 7 to start out with. We're using the Free Archetype rule, and I'm going as the Inventor Archetype and choosing the Construct Innovation.

I was going to start off with a Pacifying Property Rune for the -2 Attack vs. anything I attack, as well as a +1 Striking rune. I was also thinking of Hat of Disguise, since my character is highly reliant upon stealth and blending into crowds.

What are some of the go-to items for Snipers and Inventors? Thanks in advance.

Happy International GM's Day

Hey all, today is March 4th, International GM's Day. Please celebrate accordingly. Today is the anniversary of Gary Gygax's death, and the official day that is celebrated as International GM's day. Gary Gygax, father to us all, died March 4th, 2008. His death was most expected after his two strokes in 2004, but he died in 2008. Honestly, my brethren and sistren, this loss will be felt by all, especially in our generation.

It is only honorable that we pay our respects to this man, but also we honor other GM's around the entire planet who keep his vision alive. This day, Today, is for ALL GM's who have ever served, and for all GM's currently serving, as well as all GM's who will be serving in the future.

RIP Gary Gygax, you've inspired millions. And the millions more will continue to inspire more.

Thank you so much.

Hey all,

I've played PF1E for quite a while but I'm pretty inexperienced with PF2E. I recently joined a group that was playing a PF2E RotRL campaign and they were level 19, so I made a defensive/shield-based Champion and I've been having a lot of fun with that. I joined this group back in August, and that's pretty much all of my PF2E experience. We're now level 20 and we're expecting that the campaign will be over in roughly ~1 month-ish. Anywho, I've decided that for the next campaign that I'd like to play a Gunslinger Way of the Sniper, and I've come up with a planned build to level 20 (because we will be going to level 20, but we'll be starting at level 3). Anywho, I'd like some advice from the Gurus.

With this character, I'd like to shift gears a bit from defensive-based to offensive-based. My goal for this character is to be a stealthy/nimble guy with a lot of Get-out-of-jail free cards and hits like a Mac truck who acts as an "I got an app for that"-esque character to support my party with Alchemy/Potions and Crafting/Inventing. We are playing with the Free Archetype rule.

We have 5 players, and I have no idea what classes the others are planning on making.

The setting is going to be a homebrew world that is very "anti-magic-y", where magic users are not only rare, but hunted. This world is also void of 7-11's and Quickie Marts, so buying ammo from a proper shop is going to be a luxury, that's why I'm taking Munitions Crafter as my starting Gunslinger Feat, plus it gives me Crafting and Alchemy Crafting for free. There are a specific race of monsters called Devourers that exist here that can "sniff" out magic for hundreds of miles whenever it is casted, and if they show up then they kill everything and absorb the magic - these Devourers are incorporeal and can fly extremely fast. The GM is going to be doing % rolls anytime someone uses magic, and he has already said "if they show up, expect several deaths or even a TPK". There is also a consortium of "witch hunter"-like Zealots who actively hunt down magic users and kill them, as to prevent these Devourers from showing up and decimating their towns/cities. You *can* use magic here, but if you do you're going to get noticed. Anywho, I want to tempt fate with this Gunslinger and go into the Shadowdancer archetype for a couple of shadow-based Focus Spells that I can use if poop hits the proverbial fan.

My GM has also asked me if I want to take on an additional project of Kingdom Building to make an empire in this world, so I think I want to build an Empire that ends up being a bastion for magic users, and figure out some way of fighting off the Devourers. So since Shadowdancer requires Performance, I'm going to take Performance to Legendary and Impressive Performance to Make An Impression in lieu of Diplomacy, and be really good at swaying crowds and making speeches for this kingdom-building thing.

=========================================================================== =========

Level 1
Ancestry: Human
Ability Boosts: Dex +2, Int +2
Ability Boosts: Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2, Int +2
Versatile Heritage: General Feat--> Natural Ambition (Hit the Dirt!)
Ancestry Feat: General Training (Fleet)

Background: Hired Killer
Ability Boosts: Str +2, Dex +2

Gunslinger's Way: Sniper
Slinger's Reload: Covered Reload
Initial Deed: One Shot, One Kill
Gunslinger Feat: Munitions Crafter
Alchemy Formula Book: Acid Flask (Lesser), Quicksilver Mutagen (Lesser), Tanglefoot Bag (Lesser), Thunderstone (Lesser)
Ability Boost: Dex +2

Skills 3 + Int Mod (2)

Lore: Underworld T (free - Hired Killer background)
Stealth T (free - Hired Killer background)
Crafting T (free - Munitions Crafter)
Crafting (Alchemy) T (free - Munitions Crafter)
Athletics T
Acrobatics T
Deception T
Performance T
Survival T

Starting Ability Scores:
Str 14
Dex 18
Con 12
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 10

I'll be starting off with an Arquebus, so I need 14 strength for Kickback.

Level 2
Gunslinger Feat: Fake Out
Skill Feat: Quick Repair
Free Archetype: Sniping Duo Dedication

Level 3
General Feat: Quiet Allies
Skill Increase: Stealth E

Level 4
Gunslinger Feat: Alchemical Shot
Skill Feat: Specialty Crafting (Alchemy)
Sniping Duo: Triangulate

Level 5
Ancestry Feat: General Training: Diehard
Skill Increase: Performance E
Ability Boosts: Dex, Con, Wis, Cha

Level 6
Gunslinger Feat: Sniper's Aim
Skill Feat: Impressive Performance
Sniping Duo: Targeted Redirection

Level 7
General Feat: Swift Sneak
Skill Increase: Stealth M

Level 8
Gunslinger Feat: Grit and Tenacity
Skill Feat: Foil Senses
Free Archetype: Shadowdancer Dedication

Level 9
Ancestry Feat: General Training (Virtuosic Performance: Dance)
Skill Increase: Crafting E
Advanced Deed: Vital Shot

Level 10
Gunslinger Feat: Called Shot
Skill Feat: Magical Crafting
Ability Boosts: Dex, Con, Wis, Cha
Shadowdancer: Shadow Magic (Focus Pool: 1) Shadow Jump

Level 11
General Feat: Fane's Escape
Skill Increase: Crafting M

Level 12
Gunslinger Feat: Shooter's Camouflage
Skill Feat: Inventor
Shadowdancer: Additional Shadow Magic (Focus Pool: 2) Dance of Darkness

Level 13
Ancestry Feat: Advanced General Training (Impeccable Crafting)
Skill Increase: Performance M

Level 14
Gunslinger Feat: Dance of Thunder
Skill Feat: Nimble Crawl
Free Archetype: Acrobat Dedication (Acrobatics E, M)

Level 15
General Feat: Craft Anything
Skill Increase: Crafting L
Ability Boosts: Dex, Con, Wis, Cha
Greater Deed: Ghost Shot

Acrobatics become L automatically from Acrobat Dedication

Level 16
Gunslinger Feat: Hair Trigger
Skill Feat: Kip Up (Free Action)
Sniping Duo: Tag Team

Level 17
Ancestry Feat: General Training (Virtuosic Performance (Oratory))
Skill Increase: Performance L

Level 18
Gunslinger Feat: Deflecting Shot
Skill Feat: Legendary Performer
Sniping Duo: Vantage Shot

Level 19
General Feat: Legendary Sneak
Skill Increase: Stealth L

Level 20
Gunslinger Feat: Slinger's Reflexes
Skill Feat: Undecided
Ability Boosts: Str, Dex, Wis, Cha
Shadowdancer: Shadow Master

Ending Ability Scores:
Str 16
Dex 22
Con 18
Int 14
Wis 18
Cha 18

=========================================================================

I want to use Magical Crafting (at level 10) to start crafting Potions of Haste, Fly, etc. for my group, and I also want to use crafting to invent things. One of the first things I want to invent is an "Automatic Foxhole Machine" where I can set it up and it 1) creates cover and 2) starts digging to make the foxhole bigger each round. I also want to invent a "Folding Alchemy Lab" that folds into a small, easily-transportable box and then I press a button and it turns into a fully equipped Alchemy station, so I can make my alchemical ammo and potions even when I'm out in the middle of nowhere, or I can even fold this thing out while I'm in my foxhole and make something in an emergency.

Any and all feedback/advice is welcome, thanks :)

Hey all,

I'm playing as a human liberator champion who is level 20, and I took Celestial Form at level 18. For thematic reasons to the character, I chose the Azata subtype, so I have a weakness 10 to Cold Iron and Evil. I also have Shield Warden, Shield of Reckoning, and Shield of Grace. So here's the scenario:

My adjacent ally was attacked and I used Shield of Reckoning to Quick Shield Block + Liberating Step. The total damage of the attack was 43dmg, so I used my shield to block 18dmg of the damage, then my Liberating Step absorbed an additional 22dmg, so 3 damage was left over and was split 2dmg to my ally and 1dmg to me.

The creature who hit my ally was evil, so does that increase the damage that I receive from 1dmg to 11dmg?

Hey all, I've played 1E for many years and I've only played 2nd Ed once for a one-shot, but I'm going to be joining my first legitimate 2E game as a 19th level PC and I need some help creating a Liberator or Redeemer Champion. I'll be joining the group in about 3 weeks.

Current group:

Ranger
Rogue
Monk
Sorcerer/Bard

I spoke to the GM and he said the group is in dire need of a strong melee presence because some of the fights are getting so crazy that the rogue spends most of her time standing back and throwing daggers rather than wading into combat to get pulverized, while the monk is running around with his hair on fire trying to tank and protect the group. We're using the Free Archetype Variant Rule. I told the GM that I'd like to play a norse-themed viking-like Liberator or Redeemer Champion and he suggested taking the Barbarian Archetype to accent the viking theme, and I'm considering worshiping Cayden Cailean re-skinned/re-named as a norse deity.

I'm also considering taking the Scare to Death skill feat. I'd like to use a 2h maul most of the time, and pull out the sword/board when a fight gets a little hairy, but I'd like to focus on the 2hander.

Any and all advice is welcome, thanks ;)

Take any spell and add a comedic health condition or bodily function.

I'll go first.

Mordenkainen's Bulging Discs

Delayed Blast Flatulence

Alright hivemind, I’m starting a campaign for a different group than my regular group, and we had 4 PC’s + me as DM. They’re all buddies from work who have never played before (1 guy has experience in D&D but not Pathfinder), and we already had our zero sesh and we’re ready to start, but we had 1 guy bail on us because of shift change.

Anywho, I’m contemplating making a DMNPC for at least the first few levels, maybe longer, just to help shore up the group a bit. I’m thinking he’ll hang around til maybe around lvl4-7ish, or whenever I think the floaties can come off.

Group is Android URogue, Gathlain Fey Bloodline Sorcerer, Elven Singer of Blades archetype Magus, and we’re starting at level 1. I’d like to have a DMNPC who 1) doesn’t steal the show (none of these guys are minmaxed), 2) doesn’t require a lot of thought/upkeep (I already have enough to do), and 3) Isn’t a 4/4 martial like paladin, barb, or fighter.

All 3pp content is available. What class would you recommend? I was batting around a Kitsune Bard, Reach Cleric, or maybe Oracle of Battle. Someone who can buff and have noticeable but not stellar combat prowess.

This whole Witcher class thing was inspired by Arkham Joker in the Classes You Wish Did Exist In Pathfinder thread in the General Discussion Forums, and I thought we could make this a collaborative effort to homebrew this class with the collective brain trust, and then once we've all helped in adding different ideas and clarifications and hammered out all the details, we could talk to our GM's about allowing this class in their games as a "test drive" of sorts.

Anywho, I give you the "mostly final" draft of... The Witcher. Please enjoy this background music while you read: Toss a coin to your Witcher

Witcher

Some seek combat for glory, wealth, or revenge, but witchers arm themselves with spells and weapons to rid the world of witches, hags, and their ilk, and other horrific monsters that ravage the countryside. While witchers loathe witches and foul creatures from the various planes, they have also studied their arts in order to fight fire with fire.

Role: Witchers act as a frontline warrior for their parties using a myriad of weaponry, and specialize in dealing with the weird and occult creatures of the world by shielding themselves and others against supernatural powers that would cause them harm.

Alignment: Any non-evil.

Hit Die: d10.

Parent Classes: Fighter and witch.

Starting Wealth: 5d6 x 10 gp (average 175 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The witcher’s class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Knowledge (Planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: Witcher
BAB 4/4
1st +1
2nd +2
3rd +3
4th +4
5th +5
6th +6/+1
7th +7/+2
8th +8/+3
9th +9/+4
10th +10/+5
11th +11/+6/+1
12th +12/+7/+2
13th +13/+8/+3
14th +14/+9/+4
15th +15/+10/+5
16th +16/+11/+6/+1
17th +17/+12/+7/+2
18th +18/+13/+8/+3
19th +19/+14/+9/+4
20th +20/+15/+10/+5

Class Features
1st Bonus feat, Hex
2nd Skepticism, Hex
3rd Hex Strike, Swamp Adept
4th Witch Spells, Bonus feat
5th Weapon Training, Hex
6th Counterhex
7th Bonus feat
8th Hex
9th Hex Glyph
10th Bonus feat
11th Weapon training (or advanced weapon training), Major Hex, Hex
12th Enervation Resistance
13th Bonus feat
14th Greater Counterhex, Hex
15th Greater Hex Glyph
16th Bonus feat
17th Weapon training (or advanced weapon training*), Hex
18th Death Resistance
19th Bonus feat
20th Grand Hex, Hex

The witcher's Saving Throws are Fort: +12, Reflex: +6, Will +12

Spells per Day: Witcher
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
— — — —
— — — —
— — — —
0 — — —
1 — — —
1 — — —
1 0 — —
1 1 — —
2 1 — —
2 1 0 —
2 1 1 —
2 2 1 —
3 2 1 0
3 2 1 1
3 2 2 1
3 3 2 1
4 3 2 1
4 3 2 2
4 3 3 2
4 4 3 3

Class Features:

The following are class features of the witcher.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

A witcher is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Bonus Feats

At 1st level, and at every 3rd level thereafter, a witcher gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as Combat Feats, sometimes also called “fighter bonus feats.”

Upon reaching 4th level, and every six levels thereafter (10th and 16th), a witcher can choose to learn a new bonus feat in place of a bonus feat he has already learned. In effect, the witcher loses the bonus feat in exchange for the new one. The old feat cannot be one that was used as a prerequisite for another feat, prestige class, or other ability. A witcher can only change one feat at any given level and must choose whether or not to swap the feat at the time he gains a new bonus feat for the level.

Skepticism (Ex)

Starting at 2nd level, a witcher gains a +1 bonus on Will saves against hexes and supernatural effects. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd.

Hex Strike (Su)

At 3rd level, a witcher gains the Hex Strike feat as a free bonus combat feat even if he doesn't meet the prerequisites, except he may also perform a hex strike with any melee weapon, not just unarmed strikes. He may even perform a hex strike with an improvised weapon or with a ranged weapon being used as a melee weapon.

He need not meet the prerequisites of selecting Hex Strike as a feat in the future either. Hex Strike only applies to a single hex, so if the witcher chooses to gain multiple Hex Strike feats for hexes at future levels, he may benefit from performing these hexes with any melee weapon as well.

Swamp Adept (Ex)

While traveling through swamps, mires, bogs, and similar terrain, the witcher leaves no trail and cannot be tracked, as the trackless step druid ability, and a witcher can walk through mud and quicksand as if it were normal ground. Furthermore, a witcher adds 1/2 his level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks through swamps, mires, bogs, and similar terrain.

Spells

At 4th level, a witcher may cast arcane spells drawn from the witch spell list. A witcher must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time.

To learn or cast a spell, a witcher must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a witcher’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the witcher’s Intelligence modifier.

A witcher can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Witcher. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).

A witcher may know any number of spells, and keeps them in a spellbook. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the witcher decides which spells to prepare.

Hex (Su)

Witchers learn a number of magic tricks, called hexes, that grant them powers or weaken foes. At 1st and 2nd level, a witcher gains one hex of his choice. He gains an additional hex at 5th level and gains another hex every 3 levels thereafter, as noted on Table: Witcher. A witcher cannot select an individual hex more than once.

Unless otherwise noted, using a hex is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The save to resist a hex is equal to 10 + 1/2 the witcher’s level + the witcher’s Intelligence modifier.

Whenever a witcher would choose a hex, he may choose from this list of hexes:

Ameliorating (Su)
Aura of Purity (Su)
Blight (Su)
Cauldron* (Ex)
Charm (Su)
Witch-Scent (Ex) This functions like Child-Scent, except it only affects Witches and Hags
City Sight (Su)
Combat Hypnosis (Su)
Congeal (Su)
Cursed Wound (Su)
Dark Apothecary (Ex)
Discord (Su)
Disguise* (Su)
Disrupt Connection (Su)
Distraction (Su)
Enemy Ground (Su)
Evil Eye* (Su)
Feral Speech (Su)
Flight* (Su)
Floating Lotus (Su)
Fortune (Su)
Gift of Consumption (Su)
Greater Gift of Consumption (Su)
Healing* (Su)
Heralding Bloom (Su)
Leshy Summoning (Su)
Mantra (Su) This functions as Cackle
Minor Prophecy (Su)
Misfortune (Su)
Mother's Eye (Su)
Murksight (Su)
Nails (Ex)
No Place Like Home (Su)
Peacebond (Su)
Poison Steep (Sp)
Poison Touch (Ex)
Pollute Water (Su)
Polluting Glance (Su)
Prehensile Hair (Su)
Protective Luck (Su)
Scar (Su)
Seduction (Su)
Sink (Su)
Slumber (Su)
Soothsayer (Su)
Summer's Heat (Su)
Swamp's Grasp (Su)
Swine (Su)
Tongues (Su)
Unnerve Beasts (Su)
Ward (Su)
Water Lung (Su)
Witcher's Bottle (Su) This functions like Witch's Bottle (Su)

In addition, the witcher may also choose from these hexes whenever he would be able to gain a hex.

Smite Coven (Su)

The smite coven hex acts similar to the paladin's smite evil ability except you target one member of the witches' coven and then gain the following bonuses against all members of that coven.

As a swift action, the witcher chooses one member of the coven within sight to smite. He must have both line of sight and line of effect to this target. If this target is a member of a coven, then the witcher adds his Intelligence modifier (if any) to attack rolls and adds his witcher's level to all damage rolls made against members of this coven. Regardless of the target, smite coven attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.

In addition, while smite coven is in effect, he gains a deflection bonus equal to his Intelligence modifier (if any) to his AC against attacks made by that coven. If the witcher targets a creature that is not a member of a coven, the smite is wasted with no effect.

The smite coven effect remains until all the targets of the smite are dead or the next time the witcher rests and regains the uses of this ability. A witcher may use this hex once per day. He gains the ability to use this hex one additional time per day at level 9, and one additional time per day at level 17, to a maximum of 3/day.

No Escape for the Wicked (Su)

A witcher must be a minimum of 5th level to select this hex. As a swift action, the witcher may infuse the next touch spell he uses from the witch's spell list with the reach spell metamagic feat, and may increase its range from "Touch" to "Close". Spells modified by this hex that require melee touch attacks instead require ranged touch attacks. Spells that do not have a range of "Touch" do not benefit from this hex. This hex does not affect spells that are already ranged touch spells. Once a creature has been affected by a touch spell infused with this hex, it cannot be targeted with this hex again for 24 hours.

At level 10, he may increase its range from "Touch" to "Medium" range.

Hexguard (Su)

A witcher may touch an ally as a standard action (or himself as a swift action) and grant a shield that helps avoid the effects of hexes and other supernatural effects. The target gains a +2 to save vs. hexes and supernatural effects, and has a duration of 1 minute per witcher level. Once a creature has benefited from the hexguard hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours.

At 7th level, this bonus increases to +3 and its duration increases to 10 minutes per level.

At 13th level, this bonus increases to +4. Furthermore, whenever you or an ally with your Hexguard successfully resists a hex or a supernatural effect that solely targeted him specifically (not an area of effect), then there is a 25% chance that the effect becomes reflected back upon the caster, and the caster must save using the original save DC but with a -2 penalty to that saving throw.

Alacrity (Ex)

A witcher may use this hex as a free action, and gains an additional swift action in the current round. Once a witcher has used this hex, he cannot use it again for 1d20 rounds minus your witcher level.

A witcher may not choose both Unnatural Alacrity and Witcher's Relentless Pursuit, he may choose either one but become disallowed from choosing the other.

For example, if you're level 5 and you roll a 7 on a d20, you would be able to use this hex again in 2 rounds.

Witcher's Relentless Pursuit (Ex)

A witcher may use a swift action to gain an additional move action in the current round. This move action must be used to move, and cannot be used to draw weapons, retrieve stored items, or anything other than movement. Taking a full round’s worth of attacks and then using this hex to move away from your foe does provoke attacks of opportunity as normal. Using this hex does not prevent you from using your other move action to draw weapons or retrieve stored items though, it only stipulates that the Move Action gained by this hex must be used for movement. Once a witcher has used this hex, he cannot use it again for 1d20 rounds minus your witcher level.

A witcher may not choose both Unnatural Alacrity and Witcher's Relentless Pursuit, he may choose either one but become disallowed from choosing the other.

Witchfire (Su)

A witcher causes a target to immediately catch fire and become entirely engulfed in dark red and black flames and the target must make a Reflex save to avoid it. Targets that save take half damage and avoid catching fire, while targets who fail their Reflex save take 2d6+your witcher level as fire damage, and are then treated as "On Fire". (See Environmental Rules: Catching on Fire) Rather than using the standard DC 15 Reflex save for "catching on fire", use the witcher's hex DC for any reflex saves made to avoid receiving damage while on fire to themselves or items in their possession, even if the witcher's hex DC might be lower. Witchfire does not have a duration, they're "on fire" until the flames are extinguished.

Witchfire is expecially potent vs. witches, hags, werewolves, vampires, any creature of the Outsider type (except native outsiders), and any creature of the Undead type, and both the initial damage as well as the damage from being on fire is always maximized as if using the Maximize Spell metamagic feat vs. these creatures. Despite the description of "dark red and black flames", the damage caused by this hex is 100% fire damage, so resistances, immunities, and vulnerabilities to fire affect this hex normally.

===========================================

Weapon Training (Ex)

At 5th level, a witcher can select one group of weapons, as noted under the fighter class features. Whenever he attacks with a weapon from this group, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls.

Every six levels thereafter (11th and 17th), a witcher becomes further trained in another group of weapons. He gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls when using a weapon from this group. In addition, the bonuses granted by previous weapon groups increase by +1 each. For example, when a witcher reaches 11th level, he receives a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with one weapon group and a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls with the weapon group selected at 5th level. Bonuses granted from overlapping groups do not stack. Take the highest bonus granted for a weapon if it resides in two or more groups.

A witcher also adds this bonus to any combat maneuver checks made with weapons from his group. This bonus also applies to the fighter’s Combat Maneuver Defense when defending against disarm and sunder attempts made against weapons from this group.

Advanced Weapon Training: Beginning at 11th level, instead of selecting an additional fighter weapon group, a witcher can choose an advanced weapon training option (see Advanced Weapon Training in the fighter class features) for one fighter weapon group that he previously selected with the weapon training class feature.

===========================================

Counterhex (Su)

At 6th level, a witcher may use a Knowledge (Arcana) check (DC 10 + level that the Hex could be gained) to identify a hex being cast. If he succeeds in identifying that hex, and also knows that hex, he may choose to counter that hex as an Immediate Action similar to a counterspell. The witcher must be within 30 feet of the hexer he wishes to counterhex, and he must have line of sight and line of effect and must be aware that a hex is being cast. A witcher may use this ability once per day and one additional time per day at 9th level and every 3 levels thereafter (12th, 15th, and 18th) to a maximum of 5/day at level 18.

The DC for identifying hexes is 10 + 1 = DC 11, identifying major hexes is 10 + 10 = DC 20, and identifying grand hexes is 10 + 18 = DC 28, but the DC is actually determined by what level that the hex in question can first be gained. For example, when attempting to identify a hex that could be gained at level 1, then the DC to identify it would be DC 11, but if a hex can only be gained at 4th level, 8th level, or a major hex at 12th level, then the DC to Identify these would be 10 + 4 = DC 14, 10 + 8 = DC 18, or 10 + 12 = DC 22 respectively.

===========================================

Hex Glyph (Su)

The witcher gains the ability to create a trap with his hexes. This ability functions like a Glyph of Warding, except you can store a hex you know (but not a major hex or a grand hex) instead of a spell. A hex glyph has a cast time of 10 minutes and its duration is indefinite or until discharged. If the hex has a target, it targets the intruder. If the hex has an area or an amorphous effect, the area or effect is centered on the intruder. The triggered hex uses the witcher's hex DC. This ability can be used 3/day.

===========================================

Major Hexes (Su)

Starting at 11th level, and every three levels thereafter, a witcher can choose one of the following major hexes whenever he could select a new hex.

Agony (Su)
Animal Skin (Su)
Beast Eye (Su)
Beast’s Gift (Su)
Delicious Fright (Su)
Drugged (Su)
False Hospitality (Su)
Witcher’s Eye (Su) Functions like Hag's Eye. If the witcher has the posse hex, all other witchers within 10 feet who also have the posse hex can see through this sensor as well
Harrowing Curse (Su)
Hidden Home (Sp)
Hoarfrost (Su)
Ice Tomb (Su)
Infected Wounds (Su)
Major Ameliorating (Su)
Major Healing (Su)
Nightmares (Su)
Pariah (Su)
Prophecy (Su)
Regenerative Sinew (Su)
Restless Slumber (Su)
Retribution (Su)
Speak in Dreams (Sp)
Steal Voice (Su; Tiefling)
Vision (Su)
Waxen Image (Su)
Weather Control (Su)
Witcher's Bounty (Su) This functions as Witch's Bounty
Witcher's Charge (Su) This functions as Witch's Charge
Witcher’s Brew (Ex) This functions as Witch's Brew
Withering (Su)

In addition, the witcher may also choose from these major hexes whenever he would be able to gain a hex.

Posse(Su)

This is a Major Hex. The witcher must have the smite coven hex in order to select this Major Hex. This hex functions similar to the coven hex, except non-witchers and civilians may join in a posse. A minimum of 3 witchers with this major hex are required to form a posse. Once a posse has been formed, a leader of the posse must be chosen and that leader must be a witcher. The leader of the posse may use the smite coven ability and provide his own bonuses to every member of the posse. Using smite coven in this way costs 2 daily uses of their smite coven ability.

Rot and Wither (Su)

This is a Major Hex. The witcher must have the no escape for the wicked hex in order to select this Major Hex. When using the no escape for the wicked hex, the witcher learns new ways to bring pain and strife upon his enemies with this powerful curse. If the witcher makes a successful touch attack using the no escape for the wicked hex, the target is also staggered for 1d4 rounds (no save). Additionally, the target must make a fortitude save or turn gangrene and begin to rot rapidly. If the target fails his save, he suffers 1 point of permanent Str, Dex, and Con drain each round for 1 minute; the target is able to make a fortitude save each round to end this effect, but any ability score drain lost before they successfully save remains permanent. Wish, Limited Wish, Miracle, Break Enchantment, or Remove Curse will end both the stagger and rotting effects immediately. Restoration spells can heal the ability drain, but will not remove the curse. If the target is immune to curses, they ignore both the stagger and the rot effects.

The Room is Alive (Sl)

This is a Major Hex. The witcher animates all unattended objects within 30 feet of himself, as per the spell Animate Objects to attack his foes as a swarm that lasts for 1 round/level. This affects rope, tables and chairs, even poorly fastened floorboards; anything that isn't nailed down becomes animated into a swarm with the Distraction property. For all other intents and purposes, such as damage caused, number of squares occupied, and movement speed, treat this swarm as a Swarm of Fangs spell. A witcher may use this hex once every 10 minutes.

In some cases, the witcher might animate particularly hazardous objects, such as unattended acid flasks, or easily ignitable objects such as hard alcohol and strong spirits along with lit candles and lanterns, or even unattended weapons from a weapon rack, and it is GM discretion (and highly encouraged) that these hazardous objects cause additional damage and effects.

For visualization purposes, think of that scene in Sword and the Stone when Wart's adoptive dad and brother fought the entire room's worth of pots, pans, mops, buckets, and dishes that Merlin had enchanted, and this hex would be similarly chaotic.

Brutality (Ex)

This is a Major Hex. As a swift action, the witcher can cause the next single melee attack, touch attack, hex, or spell this target receives to suffer maximum damage or effect, as if they had rolled two 6's on a 2d6 greatsword or as if they used a Maximized Touch of Idiocy to and rolled a 6 to apply a 1d6 penalty to the target’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. If this attack is a critical threat, the critical is automatically confirmed. Once a creature has suffered from the brutality hex, it cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours.

Destroyer of Pacts (Su)

This is a Major Hex. The witcher must have the smite coven hex in order to select this Major Hex. The witcher may also use his smite coven hex on werewolves, vampires, any creature of the Outsider type (except native outsiders), and any creature of the Undead type that has entered into a supernatural or magical pact that binds them. Furthermore, anytime the witcher causes at least 1 point of damage (after damage reduction/resistance) via weapon, spell, or hex to any member of that coven or pact, the other pact-members suffer an amount of damage equal to 1/4 of his witcher level (rounded down). Furthermore, this hex affects all members of the coven or pact regardless of distance or whether they're on a different plane of existence. In order to affect these creatures, they must be part of a blood pact, an organization, a covenant, or some type of creed, guild, or faction; it does not affect creatures who have simply been affected by the same spell, such as haste or enlarge person, mass. Whether the target creature has entered into such a pact, covenant, organization, or coven is subject GM discretion.

Wildfire (Su)

This is a Major Hex. The witcher must have the witchfire hex in order to select this Major Hex. As a Move Action, you cause an active witchfire hex to spread to up to 3 targets within 30ft. Each of the 3 targets makes its own reflex save. After using this hex, it can be used again in 1d4 rounds.

Special: Wildfire can be used with the Hex Strike feat even though it would normally not be allowable.

Pierce the Veil

This is a Major Hex. The witcher may name any witch, hag, werewolf, vampire, any creature of the Outsider type (except native outsiders), or any creature of the Undead type, and Scry on them, if using the Scry spell. The difficulty of the save depends on how well your knowledge of the subject and what sort of physical connection (if any) you have to that creature, as per the "Knowledge" and "Connection" tables listed in the Scry spell. However, unlike the Scry spell, if the subject is on another plane, does not receive a +5 bonus on its Will save.

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Enervation Resistance (Su)

A witcher of 12th level becomes resistant to the effects of spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural effects that bestow negative levels. Whenever you would be the subject of any magical or supernatural effect that bestows negative levels, you reduce that amount by 1 negative level (minimum 0), and its duration is reduced by half. This ability has no effect on negative levels gained as a result of raise dead or similar penalties associated with resurrection.

For example, if you get hit with an Enervation spell, then it would deal 1d4-1 (minimum 0) negative levels and its duration would be reduced by 50%.

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Greater Counterhex (Su)

At 14th level, if a witcher uses a Knowledge (Arcana) check to identify a hex being cast, and does not know that hex, he may use a hex that he knows to counter the hex that he doesn't know as an Immediate Action similar to a counterspell. However, whichever hex the witcher uses to perform the greater counterhex becomes unavailable for the witcher to use for 24 hours. The witcher must be within 30 feet of the hexer he wishes to greater counterhex, and he must have line of sight and line of effect and must be aware that a hex is being cast.

He may use a grand hex to counter grand, major, or normal hexes; he may use a major hex to counter major or normal hexes, and he can use a hex to counter other hexes; but normal hexes cannot counter major hexes, nor can major hexes counter grand hexes. A witcher may use this ability once per day.

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Greater Hex Glyph (Su)

This ability functions like Hex Glyph, except you can store a major hex (but not a grand hex). A greater hex glyph has a cast time of 10 minutes and its duration is indefinite or until discharged. If the hex has a target, it targets the intruder. If the hex has an area or an amorphous effect, the area or effect is centered on the intruder. The triggered hex uses the witcher's hex DC. This can be used 1/day.

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Death Resistance (Su)

The witcher is treated as having a constant Death Ward effect, as per the spell.

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Grand Hex (Su)

At 20th level, a witcher can choose one of the following grand hexes whenever he could select a new hex.

Abominate (Sp)
Animal Servant (Su)
Curse of Nonviolence (Su)
Death Curse (Su)
Death Interrupted (Su)
Dire Prophecy (Su)
Eternal Slumber (Su)
Forced Reincarnation (Su)
Lay to Rest (Sp)
Life Giver (Su)
Natural Disaster (Su)
Summon Spirit (Sp)
Witcher’s Hut (Su) This functions like Witch's Hut.

In addition, the witcher may also choose this grand hex whenever he would be able to gain a hex.

Unquenchable Bloodthirst for the Damned (Su)

This is a Grand Hex. The witcher must have the smite coven hex and the destroyer of pacts major hex in order to select this Grand Hex. The witcher gains unbridled fury in his quest for slaughtering the occult for 1 round + 1d4 rounds. If the witcher uses his smite coven ability on a coven or pact of witches, hags, werewolves, vampires, any creature of the Outsider type (except native outsiders), and any creature of the Undead type, his weapons, touch attacks, and ranged touch attacks are all treated as if Keen and all criticals automatically confirm. Furthermore, he is also treated as having the Bleeding Critical feat (even if he does not meet the prerequisites, and may use a bludgeoning weapon if desired). If he causes any critical via weapon, hex, or spell, these creatures become fatigued and exhausted for 1d6 rounds, even if they are immune to the conditions, and begin to bleed profusely. Any time a member of a coven or pact takes bleed damage from this hex, all members of that coven or pact also take an equal amount of bleed damage. The DC for the Heal check to stop the bleed damage is not 15, but rather uses the witcher's hex DC. Magical healing does not end the bleed effect.

If a creature is immune to bleed effects, then they would be immune to the bleed effect caused by this hex, and therefore they would not gain a bleed effect nor cause any bleed damage the other pact or coven members. Though, creatures that are normally immune to bleed effects are still subject to the bleed damage from this hex but only if another member of their coven or pact is bleeding from this hex; to clarify, the other coven or pact member is bleeding, and therefore the creature that would normally be immune to bleed would still suffer the damage from the connection of their pact. If multiple members of this coven or pact are bleeding, they suffer the bleed damage from each the members whom are bleeding.

Once the witcher has benefited from this hex, he cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours. The duration of this hex can be extended with the Mantra Hex.

The Culling

This is a Grand Hex. The witcher must have the witchfire hex in order to select this Grand Hex. As a Standard Action, the witcher conflagrates all witchfire hexes within 30ft to burn intensely, causing 4d10 damage to each target, and the witcher heals 100% of this damage caused. If the witcher heals more than his maximum hit points allow, then any overhealed amount is converted into temporary health points that last 10 minutes. Each affected target must make a Reflex Save, and those who successfully save receive half damage.

Special effect: Any witches, hags, werewolves, vampires, any creature of the Outsider type (except native outsiders), or any creature of the Undead type who fails their save have their witchfire damage from being "on fire" increased to 4d6 damage per round. If subjected to another conflagration from this hex, that damage becomes 6d6, and then 8d6, up to a maximum of 10d6 per round. The witcher is not healed from this damage though, he is only healed by the initial 4d10 damage.

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Yeah, I said what I said.

This is collective imagination, people! Brain Trust stuff! Get after it!

1. Hanging Lagoons of Doth'Roma Pronounced Dawth-ROH-ma

The Hanging Lagoons are a natural phenomenon that occurs near an underground river that travels through a massive cavern, and the water in this river is unnaturally dense with various nutrients and elements such as cobalt, iron, silver, potassium, zinc, and sodium, and this nutrient-dense water has caused this landmark to become a veritable Mecca named Doth'Roma for its healing and revivifying properties. (In the ancient dialect, the literal translation of Doth'Roma means "River of Youth"). People from far away lands have traveled here for centuries to bathe in the pools and feel energized and rejuvenated from absorbing these nutrients through their skin, and herbalists and alchemists have bottled this water for purpose of using it to create healing tinctures, salves, ointments, and lotions. Despite its notable healing properties, this nutrient-dense water is not potable and causes anyone who drinks it to experience rapid dehydration.

While these healing properties themselves are enough to draw crowds from across the world, the actual phenomenon of this sacred place is that there are pools of water that form in the TOP of this expansive cavern. There are a series of great waterfalls throughout this cavernous river that rival the grandeur of Niagra Falls, and produce an excessive amount of fog and mist, and this nutrient-dense mist raises to the top of the cavern and accumulates, and will periodically change between its liquid and gaseous states, forming "pools" of water scattered throughout this mist in the top of this cavern, thus forming "The Hanging Lagoons". Many great thinkers and researchers have attempted to unravel this scientific anomaly, but to this day its mystery still remains unfathomable; every hypothesis they've ever proffered for explaining this phenomenon eventually becomes disproven. So, until such a time that it can be successfully hypothesized, they have named this strange state of continuously-changing liquid/gaseous matter as "Hyperfluidity".

2. Grand Isthmus

This 24.78 mile long land bridge between two continents is a naturally-formed wonder of the world, and was formed due to glacial activity before time immemorial. Throughout the length of this land bridge, the height ranges from 1.13-1.97 miles high above the sea level below, and ranges from 0.51 miles-2.40 miles wide. Both continents celebrate "The Great Jubilee" as a National Holiday, where the citizens from each continent meet in the morning on their respective sides and then hike to the center of the Isthmus. That night, they make camp together and hold a great festival that lasts 3 days and 3 nights, and the festival never stops regardless of the hour. Merchants bring wares to sell as knick-knacks and souvenirs, artists and performers share their cultural heritage through plays, songs, poetry, sculpture, and painting, and almost everyone brings their favorite ale, booze, and pipeweed. This festival has occurred for nearly 800 years, but a strange societal phenomenon has arisen as a result of the intrinsic mutual respect for this great festival, in that not a single person from either continent has reported any of their belongings stolen while attending this festival in over 300 years. Citizens from both sides keep their tents open to all regardless of the hour as to allow for the maximum amount of festive partying as possible. At the end of the three days, the citizens hug, cry, shake hands, and bow, and some even exchange gifts, and then return home to their respective continent.

3. Primordial Crest

A great continental shelf broke off from its parent continent during an earthquake nearly a thousand years ago, and this geological faultline went right through the middle of an Ancient Grove that was most holy to a faction of Druids. Soon, the continental shelf begain to "geologically drift" away due to aftershocks and the shifting movement of the tectonic plates deep in the earth, and this caused the Druids' grove to become split in twain. But before the continental shelf could "geologically drift" away, the Druids bound the continental shelf with a series of great vines that acted like sutures to hold the two landmasses together. Despite their best efforts, this continental shelf has drifted greatly in the past few hundred years in subsequent earthquakes, and has broken in new places. Each time, the Druids of that era attempted to suture these breaks together with new vines. Today, this continental shelf has been broken into a series of Twelve massive "islands" that are all interconnected by a network of vines that are holding it all together, and some of the oldest original vines have grown to become over 40ft in diameter and several miles long. The faction of Druids remains intact today and they still revere this great grove as holy ground, and as such, visitors and tourists are strictly prohibited from entering. No non-Druid has ever been inside the grove in all this time, and the Druids have waged several wars throughout the centuries to keep it that way. So unfortunately, much of this great Wonder is shrouded in mystery to all non-Druids.

4. Saint Arrenelle's Shrine

1300 years ago, Arrenelle Daye Pronounced AHR-en-ELL Day was the Seneschal of the great city of Balasgard, capital of the nation of Tazi, during the time of a great plague that ravaged the countryside for some several years. Nearly a quarter of the entire population of Tazi died, but due to Arrenelle's efforts in performing her duties as Seneschal, she was able to mitigate the deaths of thousands by her tireless effort in finding a cure to the plague, and then organizing the effort to ensure that the cure reached as many citizens as possible. Tazian Historians estimate she saved over 300,000 lives. Not long after that, Tazi suffered a great Civil War that lasted over 5 years due to the rise of a highly corrupt politician who attempted to divide the nation with surreptitious propaganda. Arrenelle eventually exposed the politician's lies and ended the Civil War. After Arrenelle died almost a decade later, the citizens posthumously awarded her the title of Saint and built a great shrine in her honor. The Shrine took 32 years to build. Every piece of wood in the shrine was hand-carved in such a way as to fit together like puzzle pieces, so that the entire shrine was built without using a single nail. The wood pieces fit together and continue to hold together from their own weight as an architectural phenomenon. They did this to signify that during the time of great crisis, Arrenelle was the "sovereign glue" that held the nation together. The 41,732sqft Shrine still stands today, and wealthy citizens throughout the ages have donated Art, Sculptures, and other pristinely-crafted works to the Shrine.

1. Don't Mess with Druids

An Aquatic Elf Druid has become enraged with the people of McCoastalTown who have been unknowingly and unwittingly fishing, crabbing, and/or dredging for precious metals/ores in her underwater grove, and she's taking this personally and now plotting her revenge.

GM's Notes: Depending on the level that this encounter is used, it can range from Lesser Water Elementals attacking at night, to Nymphs serving the Druid by charming the Mayor and city officials, to the Druid sending a 1,000-ft Tsunami

2. Haunted by the Past

A passenger/cargo ship crashes into the docks/pier/shore at over 20 knots. Upon investigation, the PC's find that the cargo is gone, the captain, crew, & passengers are all missing, the shipping manifest has been stolen/destroyed, and all of the ship's port-of-call receipts are missing. The captain's parrot is apparently the only survivor of this debacle and remains with the crashed ship, and he stays perched on the ship's now-partially-destroyed crow's nest, and continually squawks nothing but "batten the hatches, set yer deadlights", "kiss the gunner's daughter", and "dredgie's come te get ye" over and over. If approached, the parrot attacks in a feral, territorial manner and screeches "Offa my ship! No quarter for landlubbers!".

GM's Notes: "Batten the Hatches, set yer deadlights" refers to an unnatural storm, "kiss the gunner's daughter" refers to a harsh punishment where a crewmate is disciplined by being tied to a cannon and flogged, "dredgie's come te get ye" refers to the Ghost of an unfairly killed soul coming to haunt the ship. A crewmate died during one such flogging for a miniscule offense, and has vowed to drown the captain and his ship for good. The ghost caused a storm that wiped them all off of the ship, and now the crew/passengers are marooned them on a chain of island a week prior, and they're going to start starving soon. Upon the PC's investigation at sea, they find that the flotsam from the ship's cargo spans for hundreds of miles, and there are pirates already attempting to loot the goods.

3. Unorganized Labor or Slave Wages?

The Longshoreman's guild has recently elected a new president and then subsequently doubled their rates. If the Port's customers refuse to pay, then the newly-formed militant gang of the Longshoreman's guild either has a "Boston Tea Party" with the ship's cargo or they barge into the non-paying-crew's room at the Tavern's Inn in the middle of the night and introduce them to a 7-course meal of knuckle sandwiches.

GM's Notes: The Longshoreman Guild's new president has been running a boxing/wrestling club at night for nigh a decade to make ends meet, and has recently been training its members to become brawlers and grapplers. They're sick and tired of all the long hours for nothing but coppers, and this president has promised more pay and better livelihoods by any means necessary. On the surface, the Tavernkeeper is outspoken against the night raids in his establishment and locks the doors at night to "prevent the unnecessary violence" from the Longshorman's guild, but he's actually the president's friend, and sneaks them in/out undetected.

One thing that isn't ever addressed is whether the Lich knows that his Phylactery has been destroyed or not. Is it like a Voldemort thing where he feels when his Horcruxes are destroyed? Personally, I ran into this last campaign and for ease of simply moving on, I decided it was like a Voldemort thing and that the Lich knows when his Phylactery has been destroyed because of spirit/soul energy mumbo jumbo. But what's the right answer?

So I was in a Cult discussion in an other forum, and I thought it would be a good idea to start a 101+ Cult Ideas thread. Everyone please feel free to add your own advice/ideas!

1) Take Leadership or Thrallherd PrC at level 7-9ish, but generally as early as possible. The sooner you get a Cohort, the sooner you can get the ball rolling on expanding your Cult.

2) Keep your primary Cohort/Thrall working on furthering/growing your cult behind the scenes. Rather than making this guy into someone who would help you in combat, make this guy into a Skillmonkey instead, specifically Cha-based skills like Diplomacy/Intimidate/Bluff/Disguise, as well as Appraisal, Stealth, Knowledge (engineering, local, history, nobility, arcana), Sense Motive, and most importantly USE MAGIC DEVICE! These will all be handy skills for getting the most success out of your Cult, because you can use your Cohort as your own personal emissary. Figure out some way of communicating directly with your Cohort while you're out adventuring, and have him constantly working behind the scenes back at your Home Base and various Temples/Guilds that you send him to create for you. Make your top 3 followers after your Cohort similarly-- Cha-based skills focused, and have these guys kinda/sorta like deputy emissaries to do the mundane diplomacy stuff while your Cohort does the heavy lifting as needed. Also, the only time that YOU personally "need" to show up for Cult business is when your Cohort doesn't have the "umph" for a particular event/encounter.

3) Don't call it a Cult, and don't call it a religion either (unless you're specifically creating a religion). It's a Collective of Like-Minded Progressive Individuals working for a better future for all.

4) Spread your Cult far and wide-- absolutely everywhere you go. When you arrive at a new town/city, have 5-6 of your lowest level followers (and a CLERIC who heals people of afflictions for FREE) who come with you wherever YOU go, and as soon as they arrive they're distributing clothes, food, medical supplies, and commodities to the poor and powerless, all while preaching your ideals. You won't win them all, but you'll always get 1, and 1 is all you need to start a following/operation in any given town/city.

5) Make a passive income via your followers! Have them creating textiles, magic items, smithing armor/weapons, and every profession/craft under the sun and sell this stuff in major cities, while taking the profits and giving anything in excess GENEROUSLY to the poor and disenfranchised NPC's absolutely everywhere you go. Use this passive income to further your operations, and DON'T use it to outfit yourself with gear. For one, your GM and players will get frustrated with you showing up to combat with all kinds of new toys and "I win" buttons if you spend that money on yourself, and two, you're taking that income away from furthering your behind-the-scene goals. So, use this income to start Temples, Guilds, Charities, and anything you can possibly think of that will help further your Cult's goals.

6) Protect your Cohort, followers, and yourself with a "Seal Team 6" of 8-10 Assassin followers. These Assassins don't need to *win* per se, but they need to provide your followers, yourself, and your Cohort the ability to RUN if necessary. These assassins are essentially fodder, but assigning 8-12 of your followers as security detail for you and your 100ish followers can ensure less impact from DM shenanigans and chicanery on your behind the scenes efforts. There are penalties for allowing your followers to die, and you can greatly mitigate your losses to 1, 3, 4, or 10 deaths, instead of 15-100 deaths, when something bad happens. Split these 10ish assassins up into smaller groups to protect your efforts in various locations-- have 2-3 of them with you and your low level followers, and then have the other 7-8 assassins guard your other operations.

7) BUILD an Empire! Make a small team of your followers into Engineers and Architects. Build Temples, Guild Halls, Bridges, Towns, whatever your Cult needs.

8) Keep exceptional bookkeeping and records of everything your followers are doing. Start an Excel file or a Binder with all your Followers' information and character sheets in it-- you can make individual character sheets for each one of your followers. Make a list of goals for your Cult, itemize who is working on what projects, and check them off when they're complete.

9) Have "out-of-session"-sessions with your DM. Come up with a way to meet with your DM for wings and beer, or for coffee, on a semi-regular basis-- once every 3-6 weeks should suffice. Everything you do is going to come down to DM approval, and you don't want to bog down your in-game sessions with all your Cult's machinations and projects. Some of your cult stuff will come up multiple times in every session, but these should be as brief as possible and mainly only to show the other PC's what your cult is doing on the surface. Have the bulk of your Cult's work done out-of-session.

10) Take a page out of Alec Baldwin's book in Glengarry Glen Ross! Remember your ABC's! Always Be Culting!

Last time I saw my nephews (11 and 9 yrs old), they expressed interest in playing a Pathfinder game, to see if they'd like it. So I agreed to DM a one-shot adventure for them at Christmas (3 days away). My nieces from my other brother found out, and now they want to play too (10 and 7 yrs old).

I'm planning on keeping everything PG-rated. I'm going to hand out pre-gen character sheets. The Grinch will be the end boss, and they'll fight some animated toy soldiers and a couple of goblin henchmen.

I've never played the game with children this young though. Anyone have advice on keeping their attention? Pitfalls to avoid?

Name Violation and I were having a discussion in another thread regarding how Touch Attacks, Holding the Charge, and Accidental Discharge work, and their relationship to how Magus deliver Touch Spells via their weapon.

Relevant Rules:

Spellstrike (Su)

At 2nd level, whenever a magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the magus makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.

Holding the Charge: If you don’t discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the charge indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren’t considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack normally doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack. If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.

Scenarios:

A) If you cast a Touch Spell early in the morning and begin to Hold the Charge, the Charge is now being held indefinitely, but then later that afternoon you touch anyone or anything (an ally, an enemy, or an unattended object) with your person (not your weapon, because you're not Spellstriking), even unintentionally, the spell discharges.

B) If you enter combat and perform a Spellstrike, you miss with your attack because you roll and hit an AC of 2, and the DM describes the miss as "you completely whiff, striking nothing but air", the spell does not discharge. You are still holding the charge.

The curve-ball scenarios:
C) If you Spellstrike and you miss with your attack due to rolling a nat 1, and the DM describes the critically-failed attack as "you strike your adjacent ally with the weapon", you have just satisfied the condition of "if you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges". The spell discharges on your Ally.

D) If you Spellstrike and you miss with your attack due to cover, and the DM describes the missed attack as "you strike the table/door/wall/inanimate object that the target was using for cover", you have just satisfied the condition of "if you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges". The spell discharges on the inanimate object that was being used for cover.

E) If you Spellstrike and you miss with your attack because the target's AC is 26 and you rolled to hit an AC of 25, and the DM describes the missed attack as "you strike the target's armor/shield but cause no damage with the weapon", you have just satisfied the condition of "if you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges". The spell discharges on the enemy's armor/shield.

I'm having a discussion in one of the Advice Threads about the Bull Rush rules and how movement works when performing a Bull Rush, and it would be nice to have the collective knowledge of the Rules Forums hammer this out.

So how exactly does a Bull Rush work? According to the Bull Rush Rules, it says

If your attack is successful, your target is pushed back 5 feet. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD you can push the target back an additional 5 feet. You can move with the target if you wish but you must have the available movement to do so. If your attack fails, your movement ends in front of the target.

For example, if a fighter bull rushes a goblin for a total of 15 feet, but there is another goblin 5 feet behind the first, he must make another combat maneuver check against the second goblin after having pushed the first 5 feet. If his check reveals that he can push the second goblin a total of 20 feet, he can continue to push both goblins another 10 feet (since the first goblin will have moved a total of 15 feet).

So, in the example given in the Bull Rush rules, the fighter pushes a Goblin 5ft, hits a 2nd goblin, and then continues to push both of them 10ft further, for a total of 15ft, and this 15ft movement is consumed from his total 30ft movement?

Quick Bull Rush (Combat)

You can barrel into your opponent and follow this with an attack.

Prerequisite: Str 13, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, base attack bonus +6.

Benefit: On your turn, you can perform a single bull rush combat maneuver in place of one of your melee attacks. You must choose the melee attack with the highest base attack bonus to make the bull rush.

Normal: A bull rush combat maneuver is a standard action.

With a Quick Bull Rush, you use your highest BAB attack to perform the Bull Rush against the two Goblins. So let's say you're a level 6 fighter, you would use your +6 BAB attack for the Quick Bull Rush, shove the two goblins 15 feet, and then perform your last iterative attack with a +1BAB?

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So how would all of this work with a Siegebreaker2/BrawlerX performing a Brawler's Flurry with Greater Bull Rush and Giant Fist Gauntlets?

Gauntlets, Giant Fist

Aura moderate transmutation; CL 8th; Slot hands; Price 20,000 gp; Weight 5 lbs.

DESCRIPTION

As a swift action, the wearer of these rough leather gauntlets can expand her hands to twice normal size and harden to the consistency of hardwood. This transformation lasts for up to 20 rounds per day, though they need not be consecutive rounds. If the wearer hits with an unarmed strike or natural attack using her enlarged hands, she may attempt to bull rush her opponent as a free action.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

Feats Craft Wondrous Item, enlarge person; Cost 10,000 gp.

Siegebreaker

Contents [show]

The siegebreaker is trained to break through lines of enemy soldiers.
Breaker Rush (Ex)

At 1st level, a siegebreaker can attempt bull rush or overrun combat maneuvers without provoking attacks of opportunity. When he performs either combat maneuver, he deals an amount of bludgeoning damage equal to his Strength bonus (minimum 1). If he has Improved Bull Rush or Improved Overrun, the damage dealt by the appropriate maneuver increases by 2 and he adds any enhancement bonus from his armor or shield (though such enhancement bonuses do not stack, if both armor and shield are magic).

This ability replaces the feat gained at 1st level.

Armored Vigor (Ex)

At 2nd level as a swift action, a siegebreaker can gain 2 temporary hit points that last for 1 minute. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Constitution modifier (minimum 1 per day), but only while wearing armor. At 6th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the number of temporary hit points the siegebreaker gains increases by 2, to a maximum of 10 at 18th level.

This ability replaces bravery.

Breaker Momentum (Ex)

At 2nd level, when a siegebreaker successfully bull rushes a foe, he can attempt an overrun combat maneuver check against that foe as a free action.

This ability replaces the feat gained at 2nd level.

There have been others who say that you're not allowed to move during a Full Round Action or a Full Attack Action, but feats exist that break this rule, such as Circling Mongoose or Combat Patrol. The rule about moving during a Full Round Action states that you're only allowed to take a 5ft Step (which is a Miscellaneous Action), but the Bull Rush rules state that you're allowed to move with the target as long as you have Available Movement to follow them. A 5ft Step has nothing to do with Available Movement, except its relationship that you cannot perform both a 5ft Step and Movement in a given round.

So if you perform a Brawler's Flurry and have 5 unarmed attacks that all provoke a Bull Rush as a Free Action, and if each Bull Rush provokes an Overrun, would you move 5ft with the target each time you perform a Bull Rush, and then move 10ft to perform the Overrun, until you're out of Available Movement? Additionally, how would this work with Haste providing an additional 30ft Movement Speed?

Anyone else playing the Pathfinder Kingmaker game on PC? Just started playing it, it's pretty fun :) I just killed the Stag Lord and now I'm building my kingdom. I can't believe how involved this game is! It's awesome ;)

How is this scenario supposed to play out?

Human Fighter with Greater Bull Rush and Bull Rush Strike takes a 15ft Move Action towards an enemy and uses a Standard Action to make an Attack Action and causes damage and his turn is over. The enemy takes his turn to move around the Fighter towards one of his allies. This provokes an Attack of Opportunity from the Fighter. The Fighter critically strikes and confirms, and decides to Bull Rush using Bull Rush Strike and defeats the CMD by 10, so the enemy is moved 15 feet. The Fighter still had enough Movement left, and was allowed to follow the enemy during this 15 foot Bull Rush. The enemy had 40 ft move speed, and already moved 5 feet, which provoked, and then was moved 15 feet by the Bull Rush.

Does the enemy now have the ability to use the remaining 20 ft of his movement? And would this movement would provoke again?

Does anyone else think of Archimedes the Owl in the cartoon Sword in the Stone when they think of the Sage Archetype Familiar, or is it just me?

I'm currently doing an Evil Gestalt campaign, and we have 5 PC's who are level 14. They've entered a hellish domain somewhere out in the Astral Plane to retrieve a very powerful artifact mcguffin, and an Ancient White Wyrm has sent an “anti-party” of five lvl 15 Gestalt NPCs to steal it from them as soon as they exit the hellish domain. This will be a challenge encounter for the party of five PC’s. The party will be level 15 before they exit the hellish domain, so it'll be a fair fight.

Anywho, I asked for help with this a while ago on the forums, and based on all your input I've built a squad of absolute monsters, but I'd like your input on these "mostly-done" characters to finalize them before the fight occurs. 25pt buy, with Automatic Bonus Progression. All 3pp content available. Presently, this "Anti-party" will look something like this:

1) Human Titan Fighter 15 / Goliath Druid 15

Str 27 (18 +2 race, +3 level progression, +4 ABP)
Dex 16 (14 +2 ABP)
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 18 (12 +6 ABP)
Cha 9 (7 +2 ABP)

The idea behind this guy is to become a Huge Giant with Wild Shape from Goliath Druid and wield a Gargantuan-sized Greatsword enchanted with Impact so it deals damage as if Colossal-sized. Huge sized + 15ft reach Whirlwinds is what I'm going for; I want this guy to be an absolute nightmare of 30ft whirlwinds. Before combat, he casts Animal Growth on the Paladin's flying mount. With Juggernaut Pauldrons he can gain Ferocity, allowing him to stay active even under 0 HP, although he'd be staggered. Once under 0 HP, he shifts into a Huge Quetzalcoatlus and heals himself, then starts raining hell with spells and summon nature's ally from Natural Spell. Animal Companion is a Huge-sized Spinosaurus (w/ Large + Enlarge Person) that charges with him.

Traits:

Reactionary (+2 Initiative)
Desperate Resolve (+1 Conc Checks, +4 Conc Check while pinned, grappled, entangled, or violent weather)

Feats:

Lvl1 (TFighter1/GDruid1): Feat: Power Attack, Human Bonus Feat: Spell Focus (Necromancy)
Lvl2 (TFighter2/GDruid2): Bonus Combat Feat: Weapon Focus (Greatsword)
Lvl3 (TFighter3/GDruid3): Feat: Empower Spell
Lvl4 (TFighter4/GDruid4): Bonus Combat Feat: Weapon Specialization (Greatsword)
Lvl5 (TFighter5/GDruid5): Feat: Natural Spell
Lvl6 (TFighter6/GDruid6): Bonus Combat Feat: Dodge
Lvl7 (TFighter7/GDruid7): Feat: Dazing Spell
Lvl8 (TFighter8/GDruid8): Bonus Combat Feat: Mobility
Lvl9 (TFighter9/GDruid9): Feat: Quicken Spell
Lvl10 (TFighter10/GDruid10): Bonus Combat Feat: Spring Attack
Lvl11 (TFighter11/GDruid11): Feat: Selective Spell
Lvl12 (TFighter12/GDruid12): Bonus Combat Feat: Greater Weapon Specialization (Greatsword)
Lvl13 (TFighter13/GDruid13): Feat: Dreamed Secrets (can choose 2 spells from Wizard spell list per day)
Lvl14 (TFighter14/GDruid14): Bonus Combat Feat: Whirlwind Attack
Lvl15 (TFighter15/GDruid15): Feat: Spell Perfection (Explosion of Rot)

Prepared Druid Spells:

0-level(4+2): Detect Magic (3), Read Magic, Create Water, Guidance (Used)
1st-level(4+2): Liberating Command (2), Charm Animal DC:15, Detect Animals or Plants, Endure Elements, Frostbite
2nd-level(4+2): Whip of Spiders, Frigid Touch (2), Detect Magic(Greater), Barkskin (2)
3rd-level(4+2): Bleed for your Master (2), Magic Fang(Greater), Shifting Sand DC:17, Air Geyser DC:17, Mad Monkeys
4th-level(4+2): Dazing Explosion of Rot DC:19, Dispel Magic, Quickened Explosion of Rot (3) DC:19, Freedom of Movement (Used)
5th-level(4+1): Cure Critical Wounds, Animal Growth, Dazing Sickening Entanglement DC:19, Quickened Burning Disarm DC:19, Quickened Faerie Fire
6th-level(3+1): Dazing/Emp Explosion of Rot DC:21, Greater Dispel Magic, Disintegrate(Wizard) DC:20, Dazing Selective Sickening Entanglement DC: 20
7th-level(2+1): True Seeing (Used), Dazing Ball Lightning DC:21, Spell Turning(Wizard) (Used)
8th-level(1+1): Stormbolts DC:22, Whirlwind DC:22

Active Contingency (Wizard): If reduced to 0 HP or lower, cast Dimension Door (Wizard) (12 days remaining).

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2) Elan Psion (Metacreativity) 15 / Witch (Jinx Patron) 15

Str 7
Dex 18 (14 +4 ABP)
Con 18 (14 +4 ABP)
Int 29 (18 +2 race, +3 level progression, +6 ABP)
Wis 14 (12 +2 ABP)
Cha 10

I want this guy to spend a lot of power points buffing the group prior to combat, and then spend a significant amount of PP summoning Astral Constructs (Metacreativity), and then once combat begins, start going crazy with the Witch debuffing. He'll use Solicit Psicrystal+Telekinetic Maneuver on one of the party's casters to force Conc Checks while Grappling+Pinning.

Traits:

Psigifted: Vigor (+1ML while manifesting Vigor)
Magical Lineage: Touch of Idiocy

Feats:

Lvl1 (Psion1/Witch1): Feat: Psicrystal Affinity, Psion Bonus Feat: Empower Power, Hex: Evil Eye
Lvl2 (Psion2/Witch2): Hex: Cackle
Lvl3 (Psion3/Witch3): Feat: Empower Spell
Lvl4 (Psion4/Witch4): Hex: Misfortune
Lvl5 (Psion5/Witch5): Feat: Maximize Spell, Psion Bonus Feat: Psionic Meditation
Lvl6 (Psion6/Witch6): Hex: Prehensile Hair
Lvl7 (Psion7/Witch7): Feat: Maximize Power
Lvl8 (Psion8/Witch8): Hex: Flight
Lvl9 (Psion9/Witch9): Feat: Quicken Spell
Lvl10 (Psion10/Witch10): Major Hex: Ice Tomb, Psion Bonus Feat: Psicrystal Containment
Lvl11 (Psion11/Witch11): Feat: Spell Hex: Beguiling Gift
Lvl12 (Psion12/Witch12): Major Hex: Major Ameliorating (Suppress Blind/Curse)
Lvl13 (Psion13/Witch13): Feat: Split Hex
Lvl14 (Psion14/Witch14): Major Hex: Agony
Lvl15 (Psion15/Witch15): Feat: Spell Perfection (Enervation), Psion Bonus Feat: Expanded Knowledge (Energy Missile)

Hex DC: 26

Prepared Witch Spells:

0-level(4+2): Detect Magic (2), Guidance, Putrefy Food and Drink, Arcane Mark, Read Magic
1st-level(4+2): Comprehend Languages, Charm Person DC: 20, Beguiling Gift DC:20, Enlarge Person, Frostbite (2)
2nd-level(4+2): Glitterdust (2) DC:21, Web (2), Summon Swarm, Touch of Idiocy
3rd-level(4+2): Empowered Touch of Idiocy, Dispel Magic (2), Tongues, Bestow Curse DC:22, Ray of Exhaustion
4th-level(4+2): Quickened Enervation (2), Maximized Enervation, Greater Aggressive Thundercloud DC:23, Confusion DC:23, Summon Monster IV
5th-level(4+1): Quickened Burning Hands DC:24, Quickened Beguiling Gift DC:24, Quickened Bungle DC:24, Baleful Polymorph DC:24, Hold Monster DC:24
6th-level(3+1): Max/Emp Enervation (2), Quickened Empowered Enervation, Dust Form
7th-level(2+1): Quickened Maximized Enervation, Spell Turning, Chain Lightning DC:26
8th-level(1+1): Horrid Wilting DC:27

Psion Powers: 195 + 67 = 262pp

0-level(4): Detect Psionics (free), Crystal Light, Far Hand, Psionic Repair
1st-level(5): Vigor, Force Screen, Astral Construct, Defensive Precognition, Inertial Armor
2nd-level(4+1): Energy Missile, Share Pain, Psionic Lock, Detect Hostile Intent, Psychic Bodyguard
3rd-level(4): Body Adjustment, Body Purification, Solicit Psicrystal, Dispel Psionics
4th-level(4): Telekinetic Maneuver, Mind Wipe, Fold Space, Wither
5th-level(4): Hail of Crystals, Pierce the Veils, Power Resistance, Incarnate
6th-level(3): Crystallize, Retrieve, Temporal Acceleration
7th-level(3): Ectoplasmic Cocoon(Mass), Bend Reality, Energy Wave
8th-level(1): Greater Psychoport

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3) Half-Orc Paladin 15 / Battle Oracle 15

Str 18 (14 +4 ABP)
Dex 12
Con 18 (14 +4 ABP)
Int 12 (10 +2 ABP)
Wis 7
Cha 29 (18 +2 race, +3 level progression, +6 ABP)

I want this guy to put Aura of Justice on everyone towards one of the PC's, Bestow Grace on the Goliath Druid for +Paladin’s Cha to Saves, and then he takes flight on his winged steed (Sky Steed spell). He'll start by casting Holy Smites, Disintegrates, and Reverse Gravity from range, and then flying charge with a Lance at whomever comes at his party first. Once in melee combat, he puts the lance away and pulls out the Greataxe and starts swinging for the bleachers. His damage won't be lacking because has a 9 Cha modifier and he can Smite Evil 5/day, plus most of his spells benefit his melee damage.

Curse: Haunted

Malevolent spirits follow you wherever you go, causing minor mishaps and strange occurrences (such as unexpected breezes, small objects moving on their own, and faint noises).

Effect
Retrieving any stored item from your gear requires a standard action, unless it would normally take longer. Any item you drop lands 10 feet away from you in a random direction. Add mage hand and ghost sound to your list of spells known.
At 5th level, add levitate and minor image to your list of spells known.
At 10th level, add telekinesis to your list of spells known.
At 15th level, add reverse gravity to your list of spells known.

Traits:

Feats:

Lvl1 (Paladin1/Oracle1): Feat: Power Attack, Revelation: Weapon Mastery (Weapon Focus, Imp Critical (lvl8), Gr Weapon Focus (lvl12)
Lvl2 (Paladin2/Oracle2):
Lvl3 (Paladin3/Oracle3): Feat: Heighten Spell , Revelation: Surprising Charge, Mercy: Fatigued
Lvl4 (Paladin4/Oracle4):
Lvl5 (Paladin5/Oracle5): Feat: Persistent Spell
Lvl6 (Paladin6/Oracle6): Mercy: Targeted
Lvl7 (Paladin7/Oracle7): Feat: Cornugon Smash, Revelation: Combat Healer
Lvl8 (Paladin8/Oracle8):
Lvl9 (Paladin9/Oracle9): Feat: Quicken Spell, Mercy: Poisoned
Lvl10 (Paladin10/Oracle10):
Lvl11 (Paladin11/Oracle11): Feat: Shatter Defenses, Revelation: War Sight
Lvl12 (Paladin12/Oracle12): Mercy: Ensorcelled
Lvl13 (Paladin13/Oracle13): Feat: Dreamed Secrets (can choose 2 spells from Wizard spell list per day)
Lvl14 (Paladin14/Oracle14):
Lvl15 (Paladin15/Oracle15): Feat: Spell Perfection: Holy Smite , Revelation: Battle Cry, Mercy: Petrified

Lay On Hands: 16/day, 7d6 dmg/heal
Divine Bond: Mount
Weapon: +4 Cruel Brilliant Energy Greataxe

Prepared Paladin Spells:

1st-level(3+3): Liberating Command (2), Endure Elements, Linebreaker, Divine Favor (2)
2nd-level(2+2): Bestow Grace, Shield Other, Paladin's Sacrifice, Litany of Righteousness
3rd-level(2+2): Sanctify Armor, Sky Steed, Heal Mount, Magic Circle against Evil
4th-level(1+2): Break Enchantment, Greater Angelic Aspect, Holy Sword

Oracle Spells Known:

0-level(9): Create Water, Guidance, Light, Detect Magic, Purify Food and Drink, Stabilize, Read Magic, Spark, Resistance (6 Per day)
1st-level(5): Enlarge Person (mystery), Stunning Barrier, Summon Monster I, Sanctuary DC:20, Remove Sickness, Murderous Command DC:20 (6 Per day)
2nd-level(5): Minor Image (Haunted curse)(free) DC:21, Levitate (Haunted curse)(free), Fog Cloud (mystery), Lesser Restoration, Savage Maw, Greater Detect Magic, Hold Person DC:21, Grace, Tears to Wine (6 Per day)
3rd-level(4): Magic Vestment (mystery), Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Dispel Magic, Channel Vigor (6 Per day)
4th-level(4): Wall of Fire (mystery) DC:23, Communal Protection against Energy, Holy Smite DC:23, Divine Power, Forceful Strike (6 Per day)
5th-level(4): Telekinesis (Haunted Curse)(free), Righteous Might (mystery), Spell Resistance, Break Enchantment, Plane Shift, Hallow (6 Per day)
6th-level(3): Disintegrate (Wizard)(free) DC:25, Mass Bull's Strength (mystery), Greater Dispel Magic, Hellfire Ray, Word of Recall (6 Per day)
7th-level(2): Reverse Gravity (Haunted curse)(free) DC:26, Control Weather (mystery), Resurrection, Holy Word DC:26 (4 Per day)

Active Contingency (Wizard): If reduced to 0 HP or lower, cast Heal on myself. (14 days remaining).

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4) Human Arcanist 15 / Admixture Evocation Wizard 15

Str 7
Dex 18 (14 +4 ABP)
Con 16 (12 +4 ABP)
Int 29 (18 +2 race, +3 level progression, +6 ABP)
Wis 10
Cha 16 (14 +2 ABP)

I want this guy to be a "utility blaster" by preparing mostly utility spells and trashing them for multiple-MM'ed Fireballs of any energy type using Preferred Spell and Magic Trick (Fireball) for Cluster Bomb and Concentrated Fire while adding Potent Magic. Daedalus turned me on to this Magic Trick Fireball build but he was doing it with a Crossblooded Sorc/Bloodrager for max dmg output, however, firstly, the damage was so high that I thought it was just plain cruel, and secondly, the party of PC's have decent energy resistances (one PC is even immune to fire). So being able to change energy types to bypass resistances would be better suited, and this will still deal plenty of respectable damage despite the amazing +3 per dmg die from Crossblooded Sorc/Bloodrager, and still retain the utility of a wizard.

School: Evocation (Admixture)
Opp Schools: Enchantment, Necromancy

Traits:

Wayang Spellhunter: Fireball
Magical Lineage: Fireball

Feats:

Lvl1 (Arcanist1/ExplWizard1): Feat: Spell Focus (Evocation), Exploit: Potent Magic, Wizard Bonus Feat: Greater Spell Focus (Evocation), Human Bonus Feat: Spell Specialization (retrained to Fireball at level6)
Lvl2 (Arcanist2/ExplWizard2):
Lvl3 (Arcanist3/ExplWizard3): Feat: Empower Spell, Exploit: Metamagic Knowledge: Intensify Spell
Lvl4 (Arcanist4/ExplWizard4):
Lvl5 (Arcanist5/ExplWizard5): Feat: Heighten Spell, Exploit: Dimensional Slide, Wizard Arcane Discovery: Creative Destruction
Lvl6 (Arcanist6/ExplWizard6):
Lvl7 (Arcanist7/ExplWizard7): Feat: Preferred Spell: Fireball, Exploit: Metamixing
Lvl8 (Arcanist8/ExplWizard8):
Lvl9 (Arcanist9/ExplWizard9): Feat: Widen Spell, Exploit: Spell Resistance
Lvl10 (Arcanist10/ExplWizard10): Wizard Bonus Feat: Varisian Tattoo (Evocation)
Lvl11 (Arcanist11/ExplWizard11): Feat: Magic Trick: Fireball (Concentrated Fire), Greater Exploit: Greater Spell Resistance
Lvl12 (Arcanist12/ExplWizard12):
Lvl13 (Arcanist13/ExplWizard13): Feat: Magic Trick: Fireball (Clusterbomb), Greater Exploit: Greater Metamagic Knowledge: Maximize Spell
Lvl14 (Arcanist14/ExplWizard14):
Lvl15 (Arcanist15/ExplWizard15): Feat: Spell Perfection(Fireball), Greater Exploit: Resistance Drain, Bonus Wizard Feat: Quicken Spell

Prepared Arcanist Spells:

0-level(9): Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Ghost Sound, Read Magic, Detect Magic, Drench, Spark, Breeze, Light (4 per day)
1st-level(5): Hold Portal, Grease, Burning Hands (DC: 22), Magic Missile, Identify (7 per day)
2nd-level(5): Mirror Image, Glitterdust, See Invisibility, Scorching Ray DC: 23, Invisibility (6 per day)
3rd-level(4): Tongues, Lightning Bolt DC: 24, Displacement, Fly (6 per day)
4th-level(4): Dimension Door, Scrying, Black Tentacles DC: 23, Rainbow Pattern DC: 23 (6 per day)
5th-level(4): Break Enchantment, Summon Monster V, Firesnake DC: 26, Telekinesis DC: 24 (6 per day)
6th-level(3): Anti-Magic Field, Chain Lightning DC: 27, Disintegrate DC: 25 (5 per day)
7th-level(2): Limited Wish DC: 26, Spell Turning (4 per day)

Prepared Wizard Spells:

0-level(4): Arcane Mark, Scoop, Detect Poison, Resistance
1st-level(4+3): Comprehend Languages, Unseen Servant, True Strike, Alarm, Feather Fall, Vanish, Touch of Gracelessness, Reduce Person
2nd-level(4+2): Fog Cloud, Arcane Lock, Knock, Rope Trick, Whispering Wind, Communal Ant Haul
3rd-level(4+2): Magic Circle against Evil, Stinking Cloud DC: 22, Wind Wall, Slow DC: 22, Haste, Arcane Sight
4th-level(4+2): Dimensional Anchor DC:23, Communal Nondetection, Ball Lightning DC: 25, Detect Scrying, Summon Monster IV, Wall of Fire DC: 25
5th-level(4+2): Cloudkill DC: 24, Teleport, Secret Chest, Permanency, Baleful Polymorph DC: 24, Mirage Arcana DC: 24
6th-level(3+1): Summon Monster VI, True Seeing, Flesh to Stone, Globe of Invulnerability
7th-level(2+1): Forcecage DC: 28, Form of the Dragon II, Greater Teleport
8th-level(1+1): Stormbolts DC: 29, Discern Location

Active Contingency: If any entity attempts to cast a spell, attack, or otherwise attempt to harm me in any way, cast Forcecage on that entity. (7 days remaining)

I might need help with the math here, as I've never used the Magic Trick (Fireball) in any build so far. I'd like some help from rules lawyers on this to make sure it's kosher, and if it's not, then let me know what I need to do to fix it. I'm going to give it a shot though:

With an Orange Prism ioun stone, we're looking at a CL of 15 from level + 6 (spell perfection w/ spell specialization & varisian tattoo) + 1 IounStone = 22CL. With 1 free MM from Spell Perfection, that's always going to be Widen or Quicken, but let's consider Widen first. So we're looking at 11 tiny 10ft-wide 2d6 Fireballs, which are Widened to 11 20ft-wide 2d6 Fireballs, and then Clusterbombed down to 5ft-wide 11 seperate 5d6 Fireballs, so 55d6 damage. That's still just a 3rd level spell slot, and we can use the Metamixing exploit to Maximize it. So still 3rd level spell slot + 1 Arcane Point = Maximized 55d6 Fireball. With Wayang Spellhunter and Magical Lineage, we can Empower it for free, so now we're talking Maximized 55d6 (+50%) for a 3rd level spell slot and 1 Arcane Point. That's 495 damage total, and as Admixture that can be any fire, cold, acid, or electricity. With Preferred Spell, we can pump any other MM feats we want into this whenever we trash a Utility spell, like Heighten or Quicken, and for an additional 1 Arcane Point, we can raise the DC by 2 or the CL by 2, making it a total of 12 fireballs instead of 11 (The DC would be 10 + 3spelllevel + 9Int +4 SF/GSF = 26 or 10 + 3spelllevel + 9Int +4 SF/GSF +2 Potent Magic = 28, so that's 11 fireballs for 495 dmg with a DC of 28 at a 3rd lvl spell slot, or with 12 fireballs, that's 60d6 +50% = 540dmg with a DC of 26, and of course we can Heighten this for an additional +1DC to +5DC depending on adjusted spell level). Would Intensified Spell do anything to this? I think it would, but I'm not exactly sure how that would work?

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4) Elven Slayer 15 / Rogue 15

Str 12
Dex 27 (18 +2 Race +4 ABP +3 level progession)
Con 14 (12 -2 Race +4 ABP)
Int 20 (12 +2 Race +6 ABP)
Wis 11
Cha 13 (11 +2 ABP)

This is the tracker of the Anti-party and he's focusing on Stealthing and landing 13d6 Sneak Attacks for big hits.

Traits:

The Vessel Between: You gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls that would deal sneak attack damage on a hit.
Dangerously Curious: UMD as class skill

Feats:

Lvl1 (Slayer1/Rogue1): Feat: Point Blank Shot
Lvl2 (Slayer2/Rogue2): Slayer Talent: Ranger Combat Style: Archery (Precise Shot), Rogue Talent: Combat Trick (Rapid Shot)
Lvl3 (Slayer3/Rogue3): Feat: Skill Focus: Stealth
Lvl4 (Slayer4/Rogue4): Slayer Talent: Combat Trick (Far Shot), Rogue Talent: Dampen Presence
Lvl5 (Slayer5/Rogue5): Feat: Weapon Focus (Longbow, Composite)
Lvl6 (Slayer6/Rogue6): Slayer Talent: RCS: Manyshot, Rogue Talent: Powerful Sneak (All rolled 1's on 1d6 for SnA are 2's)
Lvl7 (Slayer7/Rogue7): Feat: Hellcat Stealth
Lvl8 (Slayer8/Rogue8): Slayer Talent: Deadly Range (SnA becomes 40ft), Rogue Talent: Underhanded (max SnA dmg in Surprise Round)
Lvl9 (Slayer9/Rogue9): Feat: Deadly Aim
Lvl10 (Slayer10/Rogue10): Slayer AdvTalent: RCS: Shot on the Run, Rogue AdvTalent: Opportunist
Lvl11 (Slayer11/Rogue11): Feat: Improved Critical (Longbow, Composite crit: 19-20/x3)
Lvl12 (Slayer12/Rogue12): Slayer AdvTalent: Feat: Fast Stealth, Rogue AdvTalent: Deadly Sneak (All rolled 1's and 2's on 1d6 for SnA are 3's)
Lvl13 (Slayer13/Rogue13): Feat: Expert Sniper
Lvl14 (Slayer14/Rogue14): Slayer AdvTalent: Twist the Knife (Critical Multiplier on Composite Longbow becomes 19/20 x4), Rogue AdvTalent: Feat: Clustered Shots
Lvl15 (Slayer15/Rogue15): Feat: Master Sniper

With an Composite Longbow with an Improved Sniping Enchant + Expert/Master Sniper, he's going to be able to Snipe with two attacks and then re-enter stealth with -0 penalty, and if for some reason he does get found, he can Hellcat Stealth as a move action while being actively viewed.

He’ll have Scrolls and Wands of:
Greater Invisibility, Zone of Silence, Haste, Pass without Trace, Jump, FeatherFall, Lighten Object, Shrink Item, Instant Fake (Steal the McGuffin and leave a fake, if need be), MonkeyFish, Air Bubble, Water Breathing, Reduce Person, Gaseous Form, Fly, Wizened/Youthful Appearance, Alter Self, Arcane Lock, Knock, Open and Shut, Web, Adjustable Disguise, Disguise Other, Detect Magic, Identify, Detect Thoughts, Detect Desires, Daylight/Deeper Darkness, Comprehend Languages, Read Magic, Tongues, Blood Scent, Arcane Sight, Aura Sight, Wall of Force, Telekinesis, Dimensional Anchor, Dimensional Lock, Break Enchantment

This question came up in the General Discussion and thought it'd be an appropriate candidate for some Rules Lawyering.

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Let's say a level 20 party of 5 PC's (Bard, Paladin, Druid, Sorcerer, Cleric) has 20 magical items each (100 items total, including but not limited to: bags of holding, wands, weapons, backup weapons, armor, ioun stones, and a host of other knick-knacks and doodads), and they decide to attack an evil level 20 Wizard who has prepared a Mage's Disjunction spell.

The level 20 party confronts the evil Wizard and have recklessly placed themselves all within an 80ft area where they can all be Mage's Disjunctioned at the same time. The evil Wizard casts Mage's Disjunction, destroying 5 magical items due to natural 1 rolls on the save, 50 items have been suppressed for 20 minutes, while the remaining 45 items have successfully made their saves.

All of the party members have access to Greater Dispel Magic except for the Paladin, whom only has access to Dispel Magic.

1) Is Mage's Disjunction subject to Dispel Magic? If so,

2) Could one party member cast an Area-Greater Dispel Magic to remove the effects of the Mage's Disjunction? If not,

3) Would each party member have to spend a single-targeted Dispel Magic for each individual item that was suppressed?

Not sure if this should be in Advice or Rules, but I think I'm more concerned with advice instead of rules, so...

Anywho, my current gestalt campaign is at level 14 and I'd like to have the campaign go to level 25, maybe 30 maximum. Does anyone have a good resource for rules (or guidelines) and/or advice of how to do this?

Title says all. What are your most memorable/favorite encounters, whether combat or non-combat, that you've had in major cities and urban settings?

Does an Antimagic Field negate the magic from an immovable rod, and if so, does the immovable rod fall to the ground?

The PC's have found out about a smuggler's vault that has its entrance hundreds of feet below a major city (125,000 citizens) in the sewers below. This city has been built on top of itself several times over the last thousand years so there's plenty of layers to this sewer system. The PC's want to get into this smuggler's vault because they killed one of the smuggler captains and got his access tattoo and they want to get whatever this captain was hiding in his vault. Anywho, this sewer is inhabited by a militant serpent-folk called the Sin'yuasa and they've been driven from their home deep in the sewers up closer to the surface in recent months and they're now running raids for food/supplies on the homeless people living in the first layer under the surface, even being so brash/desperate as to raid the surface with Alter Self spells as to not raise suspicion of their presence.

So these 6 PC's are lvl 13 and they're Gestalts. What are some challenging encounters I could throw at these guys? I plan on sending swarms of incorporeal ghost rats at them and of course the Sin'yuasa scouts and raiding parties. There's also a witch's coven down here who have set all kinds of Curse traps outside their hovel.

This is a Homebrew Gestalt campaign, so anything goes.

Okay, Touch Attacks are x2 on a critical, so that would be 1d6 Int/Wis/Cha (x2). Does the +50% from Empowered get added before or after the critical multiplier?

For example, if the die roll is a 3, is it:

-3 +50% = -4 (x2) = -8 Int/Wis/Cha

or

-3 (x2) = -6 (+50%) = -9 Int/Wis/Cha

Okay, this came up and I need a ruling-- did some reconnoitering but can't find a definitive answer. PC activates Null Psionics Field as a 10ft radius upon himself, and then continues to manifest Psionics that when manifested do not originate at the Manifester. Specifically, Mind Control (4th lvl power). Is this kosher? It seems like it would be, but I need some guidance.

Thanks

I'm currently running an evil Gestalt campaign, and the PC's have caused enough of a ruckus that warrants having a party of good Gestalts to come after them. This will be a challenge encounter and hopefully they survive long enough to be a nuisance for the next several levels with multiple encounters.

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The 7 PC's lvl 11 party:

Synthesis Summmoner / Psion (Telepath) - Think Venom from Spiderman, but with Psionics

Centaur Cavalier / Druid - Chargy McChargerson who can kill almost anything in 1 hit and has Wild Shape and Druid spells

Seducer Witch / Bard - Ultimate Support Char, great buffs/debuffs & Crowd Control

Gravewalker Witch / JujuOracle - Necromancer with a massive zombie army that is tough as nails

Gun Chemist / Spy - Master Infiltrator who hits like a truck

Slayer / Psion (Nomad) - Tracker/Hunter with lots of Teleporty tricks

Unchained Rogue / Shifter - Basically an Owl with a Bow who specializes in sneaking up on targets and unleashing hell

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The 7 NPC's lvl 11 Anti-party (This is just what I'm thinking for now, I can be talked out of or into anything at this point):

Paladin / Sorcerer - Aura of Justice + Fireballs

Psychic Warrior / Cleric - Guards the casters and uses Reach Spell to cast ranged cure spells

Slayer / Vampire Hunter - Tracker and massive melee presence

Heavens Oracle / Illusion Sorc - (knockout specialist w/ Color Spray & Awesome Display from Heavens)

Student Psionic Wilder / Gunslinger - The scary damage guy

Wizard / Unchained Rogue - The sneaky utility guy

Samurai / Magus - Also a scary damage guy

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Anywho, I have an idea how to build all these guys, but I'd like to see how you guys would build one of these guys for maximum challenge to the PC's. If you think one of these Gestalt combos should be replaced with your Gestalt combo, then lemme know ;) I'd appreciate any advice at all as to how you would build these guys ;)

The PC's are about to go to a town that is highly reminiscent of an old west town (but without cowboy hats), and there's an organization of spies and rogues here called the Minders. One of the PC's backstories causes them to have beef with the leader of this organization because the PC is part of a rival organization of spies called the Blackout Syndicate, and the leader of the Minders named Two Pence is starting to become a serious thorn in their side because he sends assassins and screws with the party from afar and at this current time has even completely supplanted the Blackout Syndicate HQ (forcing the remaining members of the Blackout Syndicate to all go dark). Anywho, the PC's are about to confront this organization head on, and my plan is that a bunch of these spies/rogues are disguised as common people within the old west town and act as "guards" to the entrance to their HQ.

These guys are going to be using all kinds of custom-made concealed weapons and using magical devices to conceal their spells.

So here's my question: what kind of custom-made concealed weapons and magic items can you think of that these guys will be using? Keep in mind that anything they're using will obviously be looted by the PC's.

Spring-loaded wrist sheaths are an obvious one, but they'll also have items that cause Hide Weapon and Hidden Blades spells to be active. As for the spellcasters, they'll be doing Still Spell/Silent Spell. What else?

The group of seven lvl 10 PC's are about to go into a Dark Wizard's tower, and one of these floors is his extensive library and gallery of his various exploits and captured material (sculptures, artwork, books, scrolls/parchments, etc). The Wizard has placed all kinds of magical protections on the 1st floor (Forbiddance, Mage's Private Sanctum, Alarm, Explosive Runes, Symbol of Death, Major Images casting Shadow Evocations, etc.), but the 2nd floor of his tower is the library. Once the PC's are in his library, I'm planning on the library being guarded by Blood Golems who manifest each time a book is unshelved; but what kinds of books/sculptures/artwork would you find in a Dark Wizard's gallery/library?

The PC's have found out about a bank that caters specifically to airship pirates and smugglers. So far that's all they know, but what they don't know is that this is a vault that is owned and operated 100% by the different smugglers themselves (so no one officially owns the vault, it's collectively owned by each member). They've given this vault every manner of protection from their own walks of life and from items they've all collected.

So this vault is owned by 112 smugglers in total and they each have their own lockboxes, and they've all placed their own individual protections both on their own lockbox and also collectively around the entire vault.

IF the PC's decide to go down here and do a bank heist, what protections can you envision? and what kind of loot/artifacts would be appropriate for a lvl 10 party?

The vault is a small 15x15 dome with 1 room and a desk with 1 receptionist who is extremely snoody, and in the back of this room is an elevator that goes deep into the ground (approx 250ft), where there are 2 different vault rooms (at the bottom of the elevator). They cannot fight their way in because of one of the protections on this place: Descreants, which are homebrewed ethereal creatures of death; if they even think for a split second that you're there to steal something, they materialize into the physical plane and cast Circle of Death spells.

The PCs came across a Lich who specializes in splice-botany, where he splices psionics and necromantic effects into his plant creations. I've searched through my bestiary books and Combat Manager to find an acceptable "base" to build upon, but to no avail. The closest thing I found was an Udoroot, but I'm not really going for that. I want this to be more of like a Venus Fly trap that doesn't wait for prey, but rather is an extremely active chomper, if that makes sense.

Not only would this plant be necromantic, but it would also have psionic powers. And the plant wouldn't be rooted into the ground, but rather its "roots" would be like legs that have to root themselves into the ground as it "walks".

So, do you know of any creature in the bestiary I could use as a "base" for creating this?

I'm currently DMing an Evil Gestalt campaign and I've been fighting the urge to create my own PC, but I've finally decided to make one. At first, I thought about a PC who would join/help the group, but I actually want to be sort of a recurring "anti-villain" character, similar to an anti-hero.

By anti-villain, I'm thinking that this person is mostly a nuisance, but does come in to help every once in a while (only when it's actually in his interest to help).

The group is lvl 6 and consists of a Thrallherd1 Dual-Discipline Psion5 (Telepath/Egoist)/Synthesist Summoner, a Centaur Cavalier (Charger Archetype)/Druid (Fire domain), a Gun Alchemist/Spy, a Juju Oracle/Gravewalker Witch (Animate Dead-focused Necromancer), and a Bard/Seducer Witch.

I'm definitely wanting this DM PC to be a psionic class of some kind (I'm thinking either Psychic Warrior or Cryptic, but I can be talked out of either) and something else, not really sure yet. This is a super-high powered group that absolutely incinerates anything I can throw at it and then it gets raised from the dead, so this character has to be survivable and have lots of viable escape options (I don't want to DM fiat this, I want it to be legit when he escapes when needed).

Anywho, I'd love to get some advice about this before I make him. 25pt buy, all 3rd party is available.

I've been thinking of making a house rule to make Poisons/Diseases a little scarier in the mid-late game by making the DC's scale. I also use the Disease/Poison Optional rules with the progression steps. The PCs are gestalt lvl 6's so their saves are already redork. I'm probably going to use this House Rule in the next session this coming Friday because they'll be entering a nasty, festering crypt with all kinds of filth, so I'm wondering what you all think about this:

I'm thinking of either:

10 + 1/2 char lvl + primary modifier (of the person USING the poison)

or

Original Poison DC + 1/2 char lvl + Int Mod (of the person who CRAFTED the poison)

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What do you guys think it should be? Any ideas of what it should be if not one of these two?