Verse's page

I think it's better to alter the things you don't like for your game but to deal with the technical wording of the spell, why couldn't I use 4 small stone blocks as feet and cast the spell to merge with them and be supported by them. This would allow it to be cast without native stone outcroppings.

I really like this spell and hate to give up the environments that I can use it in. So a bit of rule lawyering..

While I understand the point you're making, your statement here simplistically glosses over points made earlier, seemingly because you just like the spell and want to use it wherever you like.

The spell is worded in such a way for a reason, not as a technicality, and ignoring this as you are results in an already excellent spell in certain circumstances becoming excellent in a staggering number of situations.

Instead of pretending the wording doesn't mean what it does, think of alternatives to create barriers in situations where stone isn't available (and to be sure, were a player of mine to spend a few actions throwing small stone blocks around the battlefield and then try wall of stone, I'd have to ask how a few small bricks are going to "solidly support" a massive stone wall).

To be fair, if that player instead threw a bead of 'dust of dryness' that had sucked up 100 gallons of water into a battle on a grassy field, then used 'transmute mud to rock', I'd let it adversely affect everyone in the area and then let the player go nuts with wall of stone, and probably throw him or her a bonus as well for being awesome.

Verse, I am currently playing an Inquisitor and the skill Monster Lore made me very interested in your third point. My GM and I decided that we would be playing with the dc listed in the PFSRD (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/knowledge). The dc, listed there, is 10+CR to know common creatures' abilities and weakness; it increases to 15+CR for uncommon enemies.

I'm glad you mentioned that Telodzrum because the dc on creature knowledge checks is something I find myself having to remind people of often, mainly because the above isn't quite correct and the mistake is a very, very common one.

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The DC for common monsters (goblins, kobolds, etc) is 5+CR

The general DC for monster knowledge checks is 10+CR

The DC for particularly rare monsters (like the Tarrasque!)is 15+CR
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I lay it out this way to make clear that in Pathfinder, by far most of your knowledge checks should be 10+CR (p. 100 CRB, same on d20PFSRD). In the early game you'll likely hit some 5+CR types, but you shouldn't be hitting DC 15+CR checks until you're facing incredibly rare, legendary creatures like the tarrasque, princes of hell / demon lords, or other such singular enemies.

The number of times I've tried to identify something like a vampire, purple worm, ice devil, etc and been told the base DC is 15 and had to point this out has resulted in my trying to spread this knowledge far and wide.

Higher ground does not provide a +1 bonus to ranged attacks, only to melee attacks.

Yet another reason not to lean over the edge of one of the wizard's "create pit" type spells, especially given the oft-overlooked point that ending your turn adjacent to one of these means you have to make a reflex save (at +2) or fall in and suffer the consequences (which generally range from screwed to dead).

Actually, I'd take issue with some of the above. Having recently given the SM spells a close read as well as the celestial/fiendish templates in the Bestiary that might be applied, it seems clear these creatures do NOT gain the good/evil subtype.

I know, this sounds counter-intuitive, but in the CRB there is a clear indication that creatures summoned with the '*' next to them always have an alignment that matches your own, regardless of their usual alignment. This gets a bit complex but basically means a fiendish lion summoned by an evil caster would be hedged out by protection from evil, but the same fiendish lion summoned by a neutral caster would not be hindered by that protection from evil spell.

The real nail in the gaining good/evil subtype idea, though, comes from the Bestiary in that creatures with the celestial/fiendish templates, despite gaining smite good/evil, gain a very different one from paladins, mainly because theirs does NOT automatically bypass DR of ANY kind, even DR/good if the creature is using smite evil! In such a situation, the summoned creature gains the bonus damage against the evil creature equal to its hit dice, but again, does not bypass the DR.

Believe me, I wish it were different given I play a conjurer more often than not, but after looking at both entries closely I see nothing that indicates these summons gain the good/evil subtype and thus the corresponding bonuses and negatives. Last reinforcement to this is that the good/evil subtype applies almost exclusively to outsiders, while the summoned animals are magical beasts.

Oh my, one of my favorite topics, given my wizard is a scroll fiend.

Let's just get right to it shall we (skipping some already mentioned, and a +1 to AmosTrask32 on the cantrip point):

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Expeditious Retreat - 1 minute of sprinting on demand, saves a slot (good wand option too).

Protection from Evil - Great for aiding a friend's failed save vs. charm or domination (makes a good wand as well).

Comprehend Languages - Good spell, but not worthy of a slot imo.

Shield - Like exped retreat, 1 minute of goodness, on demand.

Gust of Wind - Not something you use often, but when a stinking cloud or cloudkill are coming your way, this is a godsend (works in a pinch on some swarms and little critters).

See Invisibility - 30 minutes at min wiz casting level makes for an effective on demand tool for foiling ambushes and maximizing the benefit of a glitterdust.

Mirror Image - Because if you've spent your prepared ones for the day and get ambushed, this scroll might just save your life.

Command Undead - The key is to remember mindless undead don't even get a save, so having this up your sleeve might just ruin a BBEG's day.

Ant Haul - Cause loot can be heavy man.

Daylight - Prepared every time, no thank you, but when someone drops a deeper darkness on you, get clear and then invoke safety (of course, if you can't get clear, you're in some trouble since reading in the dark is a big no-no).

Stone Call - Wonderful little spell that barely improves at higher caster levels, aka a perfect scroll candidate!

Fly - This one's pretty obvious.

Touch of the Sea - A nice boost if your journey requires getting your feet wet for a short time.

Water Breathing - If the above just isn't going to cut it.

Endure Elements - Fantastic as a wand, but if you're limited on gold, scrolls will suffice.

Teleport - Sometimes, you just need to get outta Dodge fast, and it may not be prepared (also, makes a great staff).

Silent Image - Another good wand candidate, but hey, if you're poor.

Blur - Cause copping a sneak attack to the kidney hurts.

Glitterdust - Worthy of a slot, but if you've run out, it doesn't hurt to have an ace in the hole, especially vs. invisible enemies.

False Life - Another worthy of daily prep, but if they get cut through, having this on hand if there is combat to come is worthwhile.

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That's a good list of my favorites, and basically, any spell you can see being a great help in certain situations that are at least slightly likely to spells you'd hate to be without if your initial castings had run out make wonderful scroll (wand, staff maybe) options.

When using a ranged weapon, if there is anything blocking line of effect or providing cover, or a creature (enemy OR ALLY) in between you and your target, the target is given a +4 cover (soft in case of creatures) bonus to AC (unless you have certain feats).

This applies to reach weapons as well when used against targets that are not adjacent to you (such as with a spiked chain or with certain class abilities that allow you to use a reach weapon against an adjacent opponent).

I've lost count of the number of times people have been surprised by this, mainly that allies can provide an opponent with soft cover.

After reading through some of the forum's old threads on the silence spell, I remain unconvinced that it is a miraculous panacea for one's ills caused by enemy spell casters.

If you need quick refreshing on the spell, link is here.

I have some difficulty believing that a 2nd level spell, cast upon a pebble, will suddenly become doom incarnate when used as a readied action against a spell caster. Why even bother with the pebble, coin, etc, hell, cast it on a tanglefoot bag and then laugh when they can't escape even after making a successful save against the goo (and at half speed to boot).

My major issues are:

A: The spell allows unwilling creatures a saving throw. I don't feel it is a balanced view on this spell to say that casting it at a cleric allows a save, but casting it at a rock near his boot nails him with no save.

B: The spell allows spell resistance. So spell resistance nearly always applies (even against many spells that don't allow saves), but not against this second level spell unless it specifically targets the person, no, I'm not buying it. You want to sneak your party of clanking fighters past the Drow guards, more power to you, but if you come within 20' of one, I expect them to resist that spell (or, if this is overcome, get a save), suddenly hear the massive cacophony of noise your party is making, and bring every guard within a mile down on your collective heads.

I'm bringing this up again because I don't feel a strong enough argument against the 'no save, no resistance' group has been made regarding this spell, and while I hope for many insightful counter-arguments and concurrences, I'd love to get some sort of closure from a Paizo guru (one way or the other, since I don't use the tactic myself as I consider it cheese but would have that particular hangup off my shoulders were I convinced I was wrong).