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Alchemical Mummy (the burning kind)

Tiefling
Alchemist 10

[Discovery 2] Immolation Bomb
[Discovery 4] Precise Bomb
[Discovery 6] Directed Bomb
[Discovery 7] Preserve Organs
[Discovery 8] Fast Bombs
[Discovery 10] Mummification

[Trait] Fast Drinker (awesome when combined with prehensile tail, Alchemical Allocation, and potions of Good Hope and Improved Invisibility [the ones made by summoners])
[Trait] Unscathed (boost resists by 2)

[Feat 1] Throw Anything
[Feat 1] Brew Potion
[Feat 1] Point Blank Shot
[Feat 3] Rapid Shot
[Feat 5] Two-Weapon Fighting
[Feat 7] Extra Discovery
[Feat 9] Improved Two-Weapon Fighting

Items: The usual, but you'll want either a Darksire Amulet to boost resistances on the cheap, or (better) Major Ring of Energy Fire Resistance.

Resist Fire 12 (20 with ring), Electricity 12, Immune Cold

Combat Methodology:

Step 1) Start by making a full attack on yourself (five attacks at level 10 w/ rapid shot, two-weapon fighting, and improved two-weapon fighting), using Immolation, Precise, Directed, Fast Bombs. Take care if you're using budget build, as you only have 12 fire resist to work with (5 base damage from immolation bomb + int + other mods).

Step 2) In subsequent rounds, do whatever you want, as you now have a 60-damage fire aura/cone (5 @ 12 damage a piece, save for half) for next the five rounds. Damage can scale quite high if you budget for better resistance and high int. And being passive damage allows you to do other things, like drinking one of your unlimited potions of Good Hope to buff the party.

Notes: This hasn't in any way been optimized. Its a rough concept that I've only gotten to try out in a single game so far*, but it was fun. :) I hope to bring a version of it to a PFS game at some point, and to have my character cackle wildly whilst smashing all his bombs over himself and proceeding to immolate everything around him for next several rounds.

* (It was a mythic game, and GM was kind enough to let me take a Mtyhic Discovery for bombs to spontaneously change the damage type to cold)

Jiggy wrote:

Caineach wrote:

I think you are getting 2 conversations crossed.

In a 230-post thread? Poppycock! ;)

If you can get it better-sorted, by all means, be my guest!

No, no, this is something very good to keep in mind.

Long threads plus intense topics tend to get confused like that. Everyone self-check.

Brain: Are you pondering what I'm pondering?

|dvh| wrote:

EntrerisShadow wrote:

I really wouldn't say hermaphrodite is offensive as in the context of a magical world like Golarion since it would be the appropriate definition, as opposed to the real world where no actual human hermaphrodites exist. I would assume part of a magical hermaphroditic race is that they have true primary sexual characteristics of both genders instead of being genetically one gender or the other with differently developed genitalia.

No actual human hermaphrodites exist? Since when?

Intersex people certainly exist. They prefer not to be called hermaphrodites.

As far as I know, "fully functional" human hermaphrodites don't exist. People with both normally functioning primary sexual characteristics. Capable of both fathering and bearing children.

Fortunately, things are changing. While the procedure was developed to correct Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome, I could see it being used for intersex people who want to have children, but could not normally do so due to under developed sexual organs.

Exciting times!

I'd suggest Sleeves of Many Garments from Ultimate Equipment. Then you can create the swarmsuit on the fly when needed, as it normally imposes a 50% movement loss while worn. Or, for a bit more, make it a tear-away swarmsuit so it can be removed quickly if the 1/2 movement penalty is getting in the way.

Wands back in 1e days were typically found with 100-(1d20-1) charges, based on the treasure tables, although many in published adventures were found with far fewer. So the 50 charge number has absolutely nothing to do with any Gygax preference.

The 50 charge limit came with 3e D&D with the restructuring of the magic item creation system. In 1e/2e, wands were focused on either divination (enemy detection, secret door and trap location, etc) or combat (fear, fire, frost, magic missiles, etc) and were pretty rare. Not every spell could be put in a wand as far as the rules were concerned - although the magic item creation system could allow virtually anything the DM allowed and put the PCs through as far as finding appropriate materials.
The 3e magic item creation system allowed pretty much any spell to be stored in a wand, but also cut the charges down to 50, probably to make the per charge cost reasonable but not ridiculously low and try to balance with the whole new magic item pricing system.

It's because, as Bill Dunn stated, the original wands were 100-(1D20-1) charges. However, Pathfinder is twice as good as 2e, and we also have the maximize metamagic feat, so it becomes 100-MAX(1D20-1)*2. Which comes out to 62. And as we all know, the octal form of 50 is 62. So, naturally, we have 50 charges in wands now.

In addition, Pope Anastasius II was the 50th pope of the Catholic Church. He died in 498, and if we add the "+2 backscratcher" reference from the original AD&D DMG comic, you get an even 500; which of course is divisible by its page number (10), and gives you 50 again.

It's all perfectly clear as to why we have 50 charges. Not sure why nobody else has figured it out...

My alchemist bought a porter to carry him around in his pimped-out rickshaw, or to carry an umbrella to shade him from the sun if he deigns to walk. He also got the title of Brother from the Lantern Lodge before it closed, and insists on everyone using it.

My monk also got a porter who follows him around with a 300 pound log, as part of his monastic training. I'm still waiting for the day that log comes in handy...

My luchador monk grappler, El Vato del Rio, purchased the herald vanity as his personal ring-side announcer. The herald enthusiastically calls out every move and attack my character does during combat. Especially his signature move, the devastating "Cayendo la Muerte," in which my monk takes his enemy 50 ft. up, drops them, and then finishes them off with his vicious stomp.

Actually, he usually dropping prone himself after the vicious stomp to simulate an elbow drop, since he has Monkey Style and is still awesome while prone. :D

And my self-declared Woodchuck Scoutmaster, Mr. Rick Alvey, is working on the retirement arc so he can get the vanity to establish his own lodge (forget the name of it offhand). This will give him 10 temporary PA at the start of each scenario to organize his troupe of Jr. Woodchucks.

Those are good points, but how are you dealing constant Sneak Attack damage with ranged attacks? You can't flank, and your opponents won't be flat-footed forever. That's the main problem with ranged Rogues. If you just want that...

Catfolk Scout or Tengu Scout/Swordmaster (tiger trance) along with charging hurler gives you full attack at range + sneak attack every round. Improved charging hurler makes it even tastier.

Or, gang up feat, but it comes with the usual combat expertise tax.

[edit]

@Chainsaw: Tengu can get pounce at 3rd level via Swordmaster (see above). But at higher levels, it'd be difficult to pull off with the excellerated CMDs that monsters have.

I'd also like to add that your local hobby and game can be a lot more than just a place to seat your tush. Yes, they provide a place to play, but there's a lot more that can be done that benefits both the store and helps foster the PFS group. For example, two of the game stores where I play and GM do the following:

- Wide selection of cold beverages and snacks for players and GMs.
- $3 cover charge not only provides you a place to play, but you get the same in store credit or a raffle ticket for a chance at some cool gaming loot!
- GMs get $25 store credit.

Hey All,

I'm looking at the FAQ, and wanted to make sure I'm understanding it correctly:

Ray: Do rays count as weapons for the purpose of spells and effects that affect weapons?

Yes. (See also this FAQ item for a similar question about rays and weapon feats.)

For example, a bard's inspire courage says it affects "weapon damage rolls," which is worded that way so don't try to add the bonus to a spell like fireball. However, rays are treated as weapons, whether they're from spells, a monster ability, a class ability, or some other source, so the inspire courage bonus applies to ray attack rolls and ray damage rolls.

The same rule applies to weapon-like spells such as flame blade, mage's sword, and spiritual weapon--effects that affect weapons work on these spells.

—Sean K Reynolds, 07/29/11

I'm creating a Samsaran Oracle (Wind Mystery) with the Mystic Past Life racial option, and was going to add Barkskin, Flame Blade, Light Lance, and Holy Weapon to her divine spell list. If I'm understanding the FAQ correctly, does that mean my Flame Blade or Light Lance spell can benefit from a Keen Edge or Holy Weapon spell, since both the Flame Blade and Light Lance are creating specific weapon-like effects (scimitar and lance)?

Thanks,
-Rob

I recently played a halfling fencer (9th level). By fencer, I mean, he fenced items for other characters on the black market. He has the ability to get the other players anything. And I mean, anything. That aside, he wasn't a particular violent fellow. He didn't like killing, if he could avoid it, so I took the following route with respect to feats, talents, and traits, which made it possible for him to do 1d6+80 damage (non lethal, mind you) in the opening surprise round of combat... from a single attack. And let me tell you, it dropped a lot of jaws:

Class: Rogue (Bandit & Rake archetypes)

Feats:
1: [APG] Well-Prepared
3: [UC] Bludgeoner
5: [APG] Go Unnoticed
7: [UC] Sap Adept
9: [UC] Sap Master

Rogue Talents:
2: Combat Trick (Improved Initiative}
4: Surprise Attack
6: [UC] Underhanded (5/day)
8: [UC] Black Market Connections

Traits:
Well-Informed
Adopted (Gnome: Rapscallion)

Racial Trait Substitutions:
Craven
Warslinger (load sling as free action... wooo)
Swift as Shadows

Favored Class:
+9 skill points

-----

How this works:
Always try for a surprise round. Hopefully, it's your party that's doing the ambushing, but if it's the enemy that's doing the ambushing it can still work, providing you succeed in your perception (a shout out to the Bandit's Ambush ability, the Surprise Attack talent, and +2 to perception from Keen Senses).

Use Underhanded to conceal your sling. You get a nice +4 circumstance bonus for this. Get within 30' of your intended target(s) (Bandit's Ambush ability lets you take move, attack, and swift during surprise). Make your sling non-lethal damage via Bludgeoner feet. Proceed to knock the crap out of everything in range.

1d4 base sling damage, +10d6 sneak attack (5d6 base, which is doubled by Sap Master if you're doing non-lethal damage), +20 more from Sap Adept (you deal +2 damage per sneak attack die from sneak), and assuming your succeeded in your Sleight of Hand check for the Underhanded ability, you get to do max damage with all that tasty sneak damage. Then throw whatever you have left from strength, magic, etc. into the mix.

The fantastic thing is, you always have the option to hide as a result of Go Unnoticed feat. If the odds aren't looking good at the start of the battle (elementals or constructs, for example), the Surprise Attack talent keeps all your enemies flat-footed for the duration of the surprise round... even if they've walked up and slapped your halfling upside the head. Which means you can thumb your nose right in their faces, and proceed to hide via Go Unnoticed and Surprise Attack talent.

[edit]

Some future planning: I plan on taking levels of Pathfinder Chronicler (working on selling a book titled, "The Art of Haggling") to greatly increase his access to goods.

At 10th level, will probably take the Sniper advanced talent. When bundled with the halfling's Swift as Shadows racial substitution, the penalty to sniping drops to 0. Pew pew!