Warpriest_Guy's page

I am starting a new campaign, not pfs, and one of my fellow players is new to pathfinder and wants my help with his build. He wants to play a tiefling magus, with a dex-based melee style. I have no experience with the class, and all I know about dex-based melee is that he needs weapon finesse at lvl 1 and then either the agile weapon property or the dervish dancer feat.

I know about the magical lineage trait with shocking grasp so it can be intensified at level 7, or level 6 with feat retraining. I also know that wayang spellhunter does the same thing and that while cheesy he could take both naming shocking grasp, and then abuse quicken/maximize.

My question is what should this build look like up to level 7 or so? Is there any advice I should give him? What is mandatory for this kind of build? I still don't quite get how the class works entirely. How does he deal with concentration checks while using spell combat and spellstrike? Combat casting and focused mind feel like a waste of resources. Lunge seems promising but comes online late.

So far I've got

Base tiefling (+2 dex, +2 int, -2 cha). the alternate racial traits didnt seem very useful
Base magus. I havent checked out the archetypes but may read through them.

Traits: magical lineage and ?

Feats:
1-weapon finesse with a rapier
3-either dervish dancer, or he waits until he can afford agile, or he retrains out of dervish dancer when he can afford agile, his choice

Can I wield a potion in one hand and a two-handed weapon in the other? I am wondering if I can move action drink with accelarated drinker, free action drop potion, standard action cast spell/use ability, free action grip two-handed weapon with other hand, then full-attack the next turn.

Benefit: You may drink a potion as a move action instead of a standard action as long as you start your turn with the potion in your hand.

Two-Handed Weapons: What kind of action is it to remove your hand from a two-handed weapon or re-grab it with both hands?

Both are free actions. For example, a wizard wielding a quarterstaff can let go of the weapon with one hand as a free action, cast a spell as a standard action, and grasp the weapon again with that hand as a free action; this means the wizard is still able to make attacks of opportunity with the weapon (which requires using two hands).

As with any free action, the GM may decide a reasonable limit to how many times per round you can release and re-grasp the weapon (one release and re-grasp per round is fair).

—Pathfinder Design Team, 03/01/13

If you make a suit of armor or weapon out of more than one special material, you get the benefit of only the most prevalent material.

If I make a weapon out of two materials, cold iron and some other more prevalent material, i would not be able to bypass cold iron DR, but would instead get the benefit of the more prevalent material. However, would I still get a trait bonus to attack rolls if I have the trait below?

Benefit(s) Select either cold iron or silver. You begin play with a masterwork melee weapon made of the material of your choice. You must be proficient with this weapon, and its combined cost cannot exceed 500 gp.

You gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls with weapons made of the selected material.

Yes this is a long question, sorry. I have provided all the relevant text to save you some time.

Using demoralize on the same creature [the creature that has just been demoralized] only extends the duration; it does not create a stronger fear condition.

I am an unchained rogue with the skill unlock for intimidate. Let's say level 15.

With sufficient ranks in Intimidate, you earn the following. An asterisk (*) indicates the total duration cannot exceed 1 round plus 1 round for every 5 by which you exceed the DC.

15 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 20, it is cowering for 1 round or panicked for 1d4 rounds (your choice) and frightened thereafter.* A Will save (DC = 10 + your number of ranks in Intimidate) negates the cowering, panicked, and frightened conditions, but the target is still shaken, even if it has the stalwart ability.

I intimidate an opponent and beat the DC by exactly 20. Opponent fails save and is cowering for 1 round, frightened for 4. (Here's the hard part) I intimidate again in the same turn (via cornugon smash or something) and beat the DC by 20 again.

What happens now? I used to think I knew, but am not so sure anymore. I am wondering about the strictest of RAW, not about how it SHOULD work. Is it...

A. Opponent has to make a save. Say they fail (1 round cowering then 4 shaken normally). The durations are added together ("extended"), and opponent is cowering 2 rounds then frightened for 8.

B. Same as above, but goes 1 round cowering, then 4 frightened, then 1 cowering, then 4 frightened. ("Extended" meaning tack on the new effect at the end of the original)

C. Opponent does not make a save. "Demoralizing the same creature only extends the duration" here means that demoralizing again does nothing but extend the duration of the first demoralize effect (trumps the make a save requirement) so beating dc by 20 means adding 5 more rounds of frightened

D. The skill unlock trumps the "extend the duration" requirement of demoralize. The effects would just overlap, but since they do the same thing, one would make the other irrelevant.

E. Something else I am not seeing.

Personally, my gut says B, as I took "extend the duration" to mean that the result of the second demoralize happens after the result of the first demoralize.

Benefit(s) Select either cold iron or silver. You begin play with a masterwork melee weapon made of the material of your choice. You must be proficient with this weapon, and its combined cost cannot exceed 500 gp.

You gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls with weapons made of the selected material.

If you make a suit of armor or weapon out of more than one special material, you get the benefit of only the most prevalent material.

Can I take the ancestral weapon trait, acquire a weapon out of cold iron/silver as well as a second material that is "the most prevalent," and still retain the +1 to attack rolls while also getting the benefit from the most prevalent material? Obviously I wouldn't still be able to bypass silver/cold iron DR, but does this work?

Example, with this trait and a weapon made of cold iron and horacalcum, would I get +2 on attack? (+1 trait bonus from ancestral weapon, +1 circumstance bonus from horacalcum)

Speaking of which is there a better weapon material than horacalcum? (+1 circumstance bonus to attack rolls)

I am putting together an intimidate build.

I am taking the adopted trait for fiery glare (take 10 on intimidate checks). This trait is both race and social.

I am having trouble figuring out the best use of my second trait.
-I already have intimidate in class so traits like omen don't help, and it feels like a waste to get a simple +2 intimidate trait like dominator, or a +1 trait with some other minor effect.
-Memorable is effectively +5 in most situations but that is a social trait and competes with adopted.
-Having failed to think of anything that was both on-theme and useful, I considered the minmax traits. Ancestral weapon is a trap. Its not a simple +1 trait bonus to attack rolls. It locks you into a cold iron or silver weapon. If you use a horacalcum weapon instead you get a +1 to attack rolls anyway, so the trait just saves you some money. I like fate's favored, but our party won't be casting any luck bonuses on me, and the campaign probably won't reach the point where stone of good luck is affordable. (Maybe the whole party should take fate's favored and we all chip in for a wand of prayer? Its that good of a trait).

-The best idea I could come up with is accelerated drinker for potions of enlarge person. I spend the first round buffing so my move action is free to use on enlarging, which gives me a +4 to intimidate for being larger, +5 if I have the intimidating prowess feat. Main problem is that it costs 50gp per encounter, which adds up.

Any good trait suggestions? Intimidate-related or just plain useful, doesn't matter

Is there any way to lower the cost of enlarge person potions? Besides asking an ally use their spell slots to precast it on me? Are the potions a good use of 50gp per encounter? Should I just use it on one or two encounters per scenario? Is it worth a trait in that case?

If one gains a spell-like ability that isn't tied to a certain class, like through a racial ability or a feat like deific obedience, and the ability description makes no mention of caster level, what is the assumed caster level for the ability? Is it equal to hit die, or does the character use their highest cl class? I can't find a definite answer and I could see an argument for either.

School necromancy; Level sorcerer/wizard 2; Domain inevitable 3

CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a shred of raw meat and a splinter of bone)
EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets one undead creature
Duration 1 day/level
Saving Throw Will negates; see text; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
This spell allows you a degree of control over an undead creature. If the subject is intelligent, it perceives your words and actions favorably (treat its attitude as friendly). It will not attack you while the spell lasts. You can give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn’t ordinarily do. Retries are not allowed. An intelligent commanded undead never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing.
A nonintelligent undead creature gets no saving throw against this spell. When you control a mindless being, you can communicate only basic commands, such as “come here,” “go there,” “fight,” “stand still,” and so on. Nonintelligent undead won’t resist suicidal or obviously harmful orders.
Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the commanded undead (regardless of its Intelligence) breaks the spell.
Your commands are not telepathic. The undead creature must be able to hear you.

Am I missing something here? So you can already create unintelligent undead for free via animate dead and blood money (or through the experimental spellcaster and the undeath wordspell if GM bans blood money), and just bind the ones you can't control with the command undead spell, and keep rebinding them every x days, for free. Thats a virtually unlimited army. Is there some major weakness to this? Dispel magic affects command undead, but that only affects one creature per casting, and may fail. Antimagic field, but that would work on a necromancer even without command undead. I suppose the GM could just put them in a position where they are unable to rebind their minions, but then they can just make more free minions later.

This next one's an advice question: If a player tried this, how would you handle it? Ban blood money? Ban undeath word? Ban command undead the spell? Set a max hit die limit? Use pfs rules so effects aren't permanent?

Say I use animate dead on a lvl 5 human warrior npc to make a skeleton.

A skeleton drops any HD gained from class levels and changes racial HD to d8s. Creatures without racial HD are treated as if they have 1 racial HD.

What does that mean exactly? The npc has no racial hd right? Surely that wouldnt mean I roll 1d8 for hit points instead of 5d8 right?

Say I apply an intelligent undead template to it somehow, a vampire for example.

Change all racial Hit Dice to d8s. Class Hit Dice are unaffected.

Also,

An undead creature has the following features.... Skill points equal to 4 + Int modifier (minimum 1) per Hit Die.

So since it has no racial hd, the change to d8s wouldn't matter? It would use its class hd (5d10)? The vampire entry makes no mention of changing skill ranks to 4+int mod/level, so I keep the warrior's 2+int mod/level?

I know of:

1. Use magic device skill, dc 20 to use a wand.
2. Ring of spell storing (or minor version) and a caster ally to store spells in it.

Any other methods?

If you get more than one attack per round because your base attack bonus is high enough (see Base Attack Bonus in Classes), because you fight with two weapons or a double weapon, or for some special reason, you must use a full-round action to get your additional attacks.

If a character has the ability to make an attack as a swift, immediate, or free action, are they required to use the full-attack action to do so? Can they move, standard attack, then attack with their swift/immediate/free action?

Are alternate classes considered to be their base classes? Is a ninja technically a rogue? A samurai a cavalier? A paladin an antipaladin?

If an effect depends on a character being a paladin/rogue/cavalier, will that effect work on an antipaladin/ninja/samurai?

Having looked into this, I found out that the entry on alternate classes in the ACG is marked for errata, so I wouldn't trust that. It states that alternate classes are "technically archetypes," which seems to contradict the alternate class entry in UC.

1. RAW, does the +4 to level apply for purposes of damaging undead as well?

2. Is the antipaladin alternate class considered a paladin for the purposes of this item like an archetype of the paladin would be? I know an antipaladin's touch of corruption is modified by things that modify LoH, but is an antipaladin technically a paladin or not? Would these bracers then apply to damaging enemies?

3. Does the effect provided by the bracers count as an effect for the purposes of the antipaladin's touch of corruption class feature? ("Modified by any...effect that specifically works with the lay on hands paladin class feature")

When worn by a paladin, he is considered four levels higher for the purposes of determining the uses per day and healing provided by his lay on hands class feature. Additionally, once per day, the wearer can infuse a use of lay on hands with additional power, providing relief as a lesser restoration spell.

Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 her paladin level plus her Charisma modifier. With one use of this ability, a paladin can heal 1d6 hit points of damage for every two paladin levels she possesses. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the paladin targets herself, in which case it is a swift action. Despite the name of this ability, a paladin only needs one free hand to use this ability.

Alternatively, a paladin can use this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures, dealing 1d6 points of damage for every two levels the paladin possesses. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage.

Beginning at 2nd level, an antipaladin surrounds his hand with a fiendish flame, causing terrible wounds to open on those he touches. Each day he can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 his antipaladin level + his Charisma modifier. As a touch attack, an antipaladin can cause 1d6 points of damage for every two antipaladin levels he possesses. Using this ability is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Alternatively, an antipaladin can use this power to heal undead creatures, restoring 1d6 hit points for every two levels the antipaladin possesses. This ability is modified by any feat, spell, or effect that specifically works with the lay on hands paladin class feature. For example, the Extra Lay On Hands feat grants an antipaladin 2 additional uses of the touch of corruption class feature.

So I will probably never use a level 17 antipaladin, but out of curiosity, does aura of depravity stack with everything?

Each enemy within 10 feet takes a –4 penalty on saving throws against compulsion effects.

Specifically, does it stack with aura of cowardice and aura of despair?

causes all enemies within 10 feet to take a –4 penalty on saving throws against fear effects.

enemies within 10 feet of an antipaladin take a –2 penalty on all saving throws. This penalty does not stack with the penalty from aura of cowardice.

I assume these are all typless penalties and stack with each other unless they specifically say they don't (despair says it doesnt stack with cowardice). Is despair not stacking with cowardice a case of specific trumping general? Or is it a case of the authors using a stacking rule of which I am not aware. As I understand typeless penalty stacking, despair stacks with depravity (total -6), and would also stack with cowardice (total -8) for an effect that is both fear and compulsion (if that exists).

Rousing Courage is a religion trait from divine anthology.

Once per day, when you generate an effect that grants a morale bonus, increase that bonus by 1 for all creatures affected.

If an effect generates multiple morale bonuses, such as a barbarian's rage, does this trait apply to all of them or just one? Would a barbarian have to choose between strength, constitution, or will saves? Would a warrior of the holy light paladin have to choose between attack rolls, damage rolls, ac, or fear saves? Or would this trait increase all morale bonuses generated by an effect?

I have a character I am about to make that could really benefit from the Rousing Courage trait. Is there a way to get a religion trait without worshiping that deity? Kindof like race traits and adopted? Also, that trait applies to multiple morale bonuses granted by the effect, correct? Like warrior of the holy light paladin would grant +2 morale bonus on attack, damage, ac, and fear saves?

I know of:
-courageous weapon property
-fascinated by the mundane story feat
-rousing courage trait
-imperious bloodline power

When the wielder strikes a creature that is frightened, shaken, or panicked with a cruel weapon, that creature becomes sickened for 1 round.

When the wielder makes a successful attack of the appropriate type, he may choose to expend two uses of his magical ability to channel it through the weapon to the struck opponent, which suffers the effects of both the weapon attack and the special ability. For example, a paladin who strikes an undead opponent with her conductive greatsword can expend two uses of her lay on hands ability (a supernatural melee touch attack) to deal both greatsword damage and damage from one use of lay on hands.

The antipaladin has an ability called touch of corruption (anti-lay on hands) that deals damage to living creatures. They can transfer status effects (aka cruelties aka anti-mercies) to creatures when using touch of corruption.

Whenever the antipaladin uses touch of corruption to deal damage to one target, the target also receives the additional effect from one of the cruelties possessed by the antipaladin. The target receives a Fortitude save to avoid this cruelty.

THE QUESTION: If an antipaladin strikes a shaken opponent with a cruel conductive weapon and channels touch of corruption through the weapon, is the creature sickened while it rolls its fortitude save to avoid the antipaladin's cruelty? (Does the creature receive a -2 penalty to its fortitude save from sickened, total -4 with shaken included?)

1. I am looking for ways to prevent enemies from running away. I would prefer if it was doable by a non-casting class.

Things I have thought of:
-Standstill: my cmb is trash so it wont work
-Tripping as an AoO: same problem as above but harder DCs and it provokes AoOs
-Pin Down: I am not a fighter and the feat does not apply to the run action.
-Anchoring weapon: I'm not sure how this works exactly but I know it would at least deny me a full attack if they can still move 10 ft.
-Stunning assault/dazing assault: attack penalties are too high
-Ask allies to use wall of force or similar spells: I would rather let them do their own thing.
-Wands with movement stopping spells: my umd is trash

2. Also, does a phase locking weapon bypass spell resistance? I assume so.

I am trying to figure out exactly what actions a frightened, panicked, and cowering creature is supposed to take. It is proving difficult.

Under the fear section of the glossary,

Frightened: Characters who are frightened are shaken, and in addition they flee from the source of their fear as quickly as they can. They can choose the paths of their flight. Other than that stipulation, once they are out of sight (or hearing) of the source of their fear, they can act as they want. If the duration of their fear continues, however, characters can be forced to flee if the source of their fear presents itself again. Characters unable to flee can fight (though they are still shaken).

Panicked: Characters who are panicked are shaken, and they run away from the source of their fear as quickly as they can, dropping whatever they are holding. Other than running away from the source, their paths are random. They flee from all other dangers that confront them rather than facing those dangers. Once they are out of sight (or hearing) of any source of danger, they can act as they want. Panicked characters cower if they are prevented from fleeing.

And the glossary definitions of frightened, panicked, and cowering

Frightened: A frightened creature flees from the source of its fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may fight. A frightened creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. A frightened creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape. Frightened is like shaken, except that the creature must flee if possible. Panicked is a more extreme state of fear.

Panicked: A panicked creature must drop anything it holds and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It can't take any other actions. In addition, the creature takes a –2 penalty on all saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers and does not attack, typically using the total defense action in combat. A panicked creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape. Panicked is a more extreme state of fear than shaken or frightened.

Cowering: The character is frozen in fear and can take no actions. A cowering character takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class and loses his Dexterity bonus (if any).

Here's some scenarios.

I am facing a creature in an open field. It is armed with a longsword. It has no transportation abilities. If I make it frightened or panicked, it must use the run action, and drop its sword if panicked. Simple enough.

Same scenario except creature has a transportation ability and is unable to move. If frightened or panicked, it must use said ability and drop sword if panicked.

Here's where it gets confusing.

1. If a creature has teleport, can it teleport when frightened/panicked or must it run? Is teleporting only for when it can't run?

2. The frightened entry in the fear section says that if the fear source presents itself again while the creature is still frightened, it must flee again. It does not say this for panicked. Is it implied to be the same for panicked?

3. Similarly, the cowering condition makes no mention of dropping weapons, but a panicked creature does this. Does cowering imply that they drop weapons?

4. The cowering description says a creature can take no actions. If a creature gains the cowering condition from having been panicked, can it use total defense as the panicked entry describes? Can a creature use total defense if it gained the cowering condition from a different source?

FEAR RULES:
Fear effects stack until a creature is panicked. A panicked creature cowers if they are prevented from fleeing (fleeing means maximizing distance between themselves and the source of their fear; usually this is the run action or a transportation spell/ability).

QUESTION:
What are some good ways to make a creature cower?

Only ways I know are disheartening display and signature skill (intimidate). There is always stunning/paralyzing/dazing a panicked opponent, but then there would be no point in making them cower too.

vicious

1. What type of damage is dealt by vicious damage dice? Typeless (and thus the 1d6 damage dealt to wielder can't be DR'd) or the same type the weapon deals (and 1d6 can be DR'd)?

2. Do the extra damage dice from vicious count as damage dealt by the weapon or not? (reasoning: the weapon deals the vicious damage because it produces the disruptive energy which deals the vicious damage, OR the weapon does not deal the vicious damage because the disruptive energy deals the vicious damage) If the former is true all vicious damage can be converted to nonlethal, including the 1d6 dealt to the wielder.

Do we KNOW the answer to this yet? The only developer response I could find is James Jacobs explaining how he thinks it SHOULD work (below). The "flavor text" assumption he makes in his first response feels like a stretch. His second response is impossible RAW because damage from vicious is either lethal or nonlethal, not both.

Vicious weapons add to the damage done by the base weapon; this extra damage is the type of damage caused by the base weapon. AKA the "disruptive energy" is flavor text, pretty much.

Merciful would make the weapon damage to the target non-lethal, but the wielder of the weapon would still take lethal damage.

3. If we don't know how it works RAW, is there any good reason why I shouldn't just go with his answers?

Here's the build.

Race: Dhampir (moroi-born for bonuses to cha and str)
Class: Antipaladin, Dread Vanguard Archetype
Gimmick: Demoralize

The rest is subject to change. Any advice/criticism welcomed.

What I will buy: bracers of the not-so-merciful knight, greatsword or nodachi, full plate (dex too low to take advantage of o-yoroi). the big six, some kind of haste provider, intimidate boosting items, permanent enlarge person, a conductive weapon to transfer antipaladin debuffs, will need a merciful weapon for one of my feats to work (i know thats not evil. shut up. ill flavor the nonlethal damage as sadism or something)

Traits:
1. Adopted (fiery glare)- take 10 on intimidate checks, even in combat
2. Ancestral Weapon: its weapon focus for my purposes.

Feats:
-Power Attack: pretty sure I need this one.
-Fey foundling: i can heal as a swift action, and this increases it by about 40% on average
-soulless gaze (and some other damnation feat to make it work): when I demoralize more than once, enemy becomes frightened, then panicked. This is why I don't plan to take the hurtful feat, as it would end the effect.
-enforcer and cornugon smash- with one hit, i can intimidate as a free action twice. This frightens the enemy in one hit when paired with soulless gaze. No save. Panicked in two hits.
-hero's display: swift action mass demoralize! With soulless gaze I can have whole parties frightened in two turns. I would retrain cornsmash, as it was only there to get a second demoralize attempt per hit (see soulless gaze). Heroic display provides the same effect, but also affects everyone around me. Unlike cornsmash, it doesnt require me to power attack, so thats an accuracy boost. Unfortunately, hero's display is super feat intensive. I would need weapon focus, dazzling display, and performing combatant, plus some way to get max ranks in perform.
-signature skill (intimidate): At the high levels, any enemy i intimidate must save or they are cowering. This means that heroic display can have a party cowering on turn one. They get a -4 to this save due to an antipaladin class feature. The guy im hitting has to make this save twice, due to enforcer

That's all I could come up with. Any ideas about how to make it better? Better equipment, better feats, better traits, etc.

My take:

Ancestral weapon- traits are supposed to be half a feat, but this is more than half of a weapon focus.

Second chance- reroll a failed save? Thats BETTER than the majority of feats.

Fate's favored- if you use luck bonuses, this might as well be a class feature, because taking this trait isn't optional

Tusked- an extra attack seems at least as powerful as a feat to me

Adopted- see tusked

Magical lineage and metamagic master- WHAT!? If these were feats, I would take them even if they had useless prerequisites.

Is there a feat/magic item that lets me use a dazzling display effect as a swift or faster?

I'm aware of:

-hero's display: but it requires performing combatant, and a difficult check to use
-dreadful carnage: but I do nonlethal damage most of the time so it wouldn't trigger
-gory finish: same problem as dreadful carnage but strictly worse than dreadful carnage
-violent display: but that would require the sneak attack class feature and shatter defenses

Any ideas? Looking like I will either have to use dazzling display as a full-round action, or take two feats for hero's display, and accept that I will usually fail the check.

If a creature is immune to a condition, does it still gain the condition? Say I have the antipaladin's aura of cowardice which removes immunity to fear while opponent is within 10 feet. I cast cause fear on an android. It is frightened for 4 rounds and runs away. It is now immune to fear. I run to it. Is it frightened again? Or did it lose the condition when it left?

Under the fear section of the glossary,

Frightened: Characters who are frightened are shaken, and in addition they flee from the source of their fear as quickly as they can. They can choose the paths of their flight. Other than that stipulation, once they are out of sight (or hearing) of the source of their fear, they can act as they want. If the duration of their fear continues, however, characters can be forced to flee if the source of their fear presents itself again. Characters unable to flee can fight (though they are still shaken).

Panicked: Characters who are panicked are shaken, and they run away from the source of their fear as quickly as they can, dropping whatever they are holding. Other than running away from the source, their paths are random. They flee from all other dangers that confront them rather than facing those dangers. Once they are out of sight (or hearing) of any source of danger, they can act as they want. Panicked characters cower if they are prevented from fleeing.

And the glossary definitions of frightened and panicked,

Frightened: A frightened creature flees from the source of its fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may fight. A frightened creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. A frightened creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape. Frightened is like shaken, except that the creature must flee if possible. Panicked is a more extreme state of fear.

Panicked: A panicked creature must drop anything it holds and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It can't take any other actions. In addition, the creature takes a –2 penalty on all saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers and does not attack, typically using the total defense action in combat. A panicked creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape. Panicked is a more extreme state of fear than shaken or frightened.

So does "as quickly as they can" or "at top speed" indicate that they are requires to use the run action, or double move/withdraw if that would somehow put more distance between them and the source of their fear? Also, in the fear section definition of panic, it says the creature must "run." Does that mean the run action is mandatory even if teleporting/withdrawing/double moving would be "quicker?"

Skill Unlocks

Enforcer

Say i have skill unlock for intimidate and 15 ranks. Whenever I demoralize the following might occur.

15 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 20, it is cowering for 1 round or panicked for 1d4 rounds (your choice) and frightened thereafter.* A Will save (DC = 10 + your number of ranks in Intimidate) negates the cowering, panicked, and frightened conditions, but the target is still shaken, even if it has the stalwart ability.

However,

An asterisk (*) indicates the total duration cannot exceed 1 round plus 1 round for every 5 by which you exceed the DC.

This is the normal duration of demoralize. But then enforcer is thrown in the mix.

you can make an Intimidate check to demoralize your target as a free action. If you are successful, the target is shaken for a number of rounds equal to the damage dealt.

So I hit the target with nonlethal damage, demoralize them, beat the DC by exactly 20, they fail their save. I choose cowering instead of panicked. What happens?

A. They cower for 1 round, are frightened for 4 rounds, then are shaken for a number of rounds equal to damage dealt minus 5
B. They cower for 1 round, and are frightened for a number of rounds equal to damage dealt minus 1.
C. They cower for 1 round, and are frightened for 4.
D. They are shaken for a number of rounds equal to damage dealt.
E. Unclear, let GM decide
F. Something else

10 Ranks: If you exceed the DC to demoralize a target by at least 10, it is panicked for 1 round or frightened for 1d4 rounds (your choice) and shaken thereafter.

And the target gets a will save.

Using demoralize on the same creature [that you already demoralized] only extends the duration; it does not create a stronger fear condition.

Say I use skill unlock for intimidate twice on my turn. Each time, opponent fails save and is panicked for 1 round and shaken for 3. So would the final effect be:

A. 2 rounds panicked, then 6 rounds shaken
B. 1 panicked, then 3 shaken, then 1 panicked, then 3 shaken
C. Unclear, go with A since it makes more sense.
D. I'm missing something and its none of the above

Answer will probably end up being "unclear, GM discretion," but I'm hoping someone has some insight on this.

The following is from an unofficial faq explaining how demoralize does not stack like normal fear conditions.

Q: (10/8/09) Can you demoralize the same being more than once, and have the effects stack?

A: (Joshua J. Frost) The shaken condition gained in this matter cannot be stacked to create a stronger condition. If you succeed at another demoralize attempt, you just extend the shaken condition’s duration. There was a sentence left out of the skill description that will be noted in a future errata update.
Q: (10/8/09) Does the above mean a Shaken condition imposed by a Intimidate Skill – Demoralise can never be upgraded by another use Source of a Fear condition?
A: (Joshua J. Frost) Correct. Though, as noted above, it can extend the duration of the shaken condition.
Q: (10/8/09) Does this idea that Shaken + Shaken only increases the duration of the Shaken condition come into effect only when Demoralise is in the mix?
A: (Joshua J. Frost) Yes.

The updated demoralize description on d20pfsrd says "This shaken condition doesn’t stack with other shaken conditions to make an affected creature frightened."

It becomes clear from this that:

1. Demoralize + demoralize = extended duration
2. Demoralize + shaken from another source = extended duration

HERE IS THE QUESTION: Say I demoralize a creature, then I use a spell that normally makes a creature frightened. Obviously the fear conditions don't stack to make the creature panicked, but does the duration extension still apply? Would it be:

A. Four rounds of shaken, then four rounds of frightened?

B: effects overlap but dont stack (frightened AND panicked for four rounds), so its effectively just frightened for four rounds?

Effect of soulless gaze:
"When you demoralize a creatures more than once using Intimidate, you can create stronger fear conditions rather than increasing the duration of the shaken condition."

I know that fear effects are cumulative, stacking to a maximum condition of panicked, and that panicked creatures cower if they cannot flee. source

I also know that fear caused by the intimidate skill does not stack with itself (or other fear sources) without soulless gaze. source

MY QUESTION IS:
If soulless gaze is used on a panicked creature, does the creature cower like with disheartening display? Normally fear stacking caps at panicked, but cowering is a fear condition that is stronger than panicked, so does soulless gaze consider cowering to be a "stronger fear condition?"

Building an intimidator and have several questions of increasing complexity.

1. If I successfully demoralize, then demoralize the shaken creature again, does the dc increase by 5 or is that only for when I fail to demoralize?

2. If I demoralize, then cast doom, is the opponent frightened or shaken? If they are shaken, I assume the durations stack? If they are frightened, what is the duration? What if I cast doom first, then demoralize? Is that any different?

3. Signature skill (intimidate): Say I use this when I first get it at level 5. I demoralize as a free action via cornugon smash, enforcer, etc. I beat the DC by exactly 10. The opponent fails their save so they are frightened for one round and then shaken for two rounds thereafter. Now I demoralize again, on the same turn, to extend the duration. Again, I beat it by exactly 10 and they fail the save. What happens? Is it:

A. Opponent is frightened for two rounds, then shaken for 4.
B. Opponent is frightened for one round, then shaken for two, then frightened for one, then shaken for two
C. The second demoralize cancels the effect of the first.
D. Something else

4. Soulless gaze: Say I do the same thing as in question 3, only this time, I use soulless gaze on the second demoralize attempt to move the enemy up a fear category, rather than just extending the fear duration. Before I do this, the enemy's status is one round frightened, two rounds shaken. What would it be after I use soulless gaze? One round panicked, two rounds frightened?

Does the weapon training class feature of the arsenal chaplain archetype work with the gloves of dueling? Does the feature count as a prerequisite for the advanced weapon training feat? (arsenal chaplains can take fighter-exclusive feats)

Struggling to figure out which feats are optimal for a Two-Hander Paladin/Antipaladin (divine bond=weapon). Everything is legal except for leadership and squire.

I am aware of: fey foundling, power attack, hurtful and cornugon smash, extra lay on hands for more heals/conductive weapon uses.

What are some other great feats? I am trying to optimize but am thinking about giving up on that to adopt a demoralize theme since I will likely get hurtful anyway.

In this post, I will explain why ride-by attack does not work, regardless of your interpretation of the charge rules, and am adding 3 solutions to fix the problem (2 houserules and 1 RAW solution). Until we get an FAQ on ride-by attack or charging, players will have to use one of these solutions, or a similar one, if ride-by attack is to work.

Interpretation #1- Charging to "the closest square from which you could make a melee attack... DIRECTLY at the opponent" means the charge lane must pass through not only one of the closest squares, but also must pass through the opponent, so a ride-by always runs into the opponent (and the feat is completely nonfunctional).

Interpretation #2- Some say that "directly toward" doesn't mean a charge lane can't pass by the opponent, as long as the lane passes through one of the "closest squares from which you could make a melee attack." This allows a ride-by to work, unless every lane passing through the closest squares also passes through the opponent, in which case a ride-by runs into the opponent (so ride-by attack occasionally doesn't work).

Houserules: 2 common houserules to make ride-by attack work are: 1. to allow players to phase through opponents like kitty pride. 2. D&D 3.0 charge rules. The 3.0 charge rules allowed you to choose any charge lane that passed through a square from which the charger could attack the opponent, and the charger had to end the charge at the first square along that path from which he could attack them (so ride-by always worked). Some GMs might add that you can only charge to the closest side, or must pass by a square adjacent to the enemy even if you have reach.

RAW Solution: The wheeling charge feat allows you to make a turn during your charge movement (or during the ride-by movement after the charge attack). It is up to GMs to decide how turning before a charge attack interacts with the "directly towards" and "closest square" requirements of the charge rules.

If I direct a mount to charge an enemy but not make the optional attack, does the charge count as attacking for the purposes of the ride skill (fight with a combat trained mount) or the handle animal skill (attack trick)? Can I direct a mount to charge without making those checks if I do not direct it to attack at the end of the charge?

I'm building a seal breaker antipaladin (undead theme, has a mount like the paladin instead of summons). It's going to be a mounted-charge build. I plan on using animate dead at the higher levels to create minions (fits the archetype but CL-3 makes this difficult). I need some suggestions for feats and gear.

Stuff I've got so far:

Feats: power attack, mounted combat, ride-by attack, spirited charge, wheeling charge, furious focus, escape route

Gear: The Big Six magic items. Conductive weapon quality to debuff the opponents with the touch of corruption class feature. Maybe a spell storing weapon to get some use out of the spells. Horse will wear an amulet of natural armor, horsheshoes of speed/zephyr, and horsemaster's saddle (for escape route) or military saddle.

I don't know much about non-core equipment. Is a mithral full plate, lance, and spiked light shield as good as it gets? I can't find any way to control more undead. caster level -3 really hurts this strategy and the command undead feat becomes terrible.

Wheeling Charge

I do not understand this feat at all, so any help would be appreciated, even if you don't fully understand the feat yourself or can't answer all my questions.

All I can figure out is that I am supposed to begin a "mounted charge" as normal by travelling 10ft in a straight charge lane, then I just don't know.

1. Can I travel 10ft towards my opponent and then just turn 90 degrees and "charge" away from the opponent? If not, what rule(s) prevent me from doing so?

2. Can I make a normal mounted charge, use ride-by attack to continue moving, then use wheeling charge to make a turn during the post-charge movement allowed from ride-by attack?

3. If yes to #2, can I make that turn towards the opponent and attack them again?

4. Can I turn in the last square of a normal charge or do I have to attack/forfeit my attack if I enter this square?

5. Does the attack allowed by this feat extend to the mount as well?

6. If not too much trouble could someone please translate this feat into the clearest language possible, explaining its interaction (or lack thereof) with ride-by attack?

1. Does escape route work while mounted RAW? Do most people think it isn't RAI or is the consensus that its fine?

2. If a mount makes an overrun attempt, do AoOs work like this?
-mount initiates overrun attempt, triggering AoO against mount
-mount succeeds and moves through opponent's space, triggering 2 AoOs from movement, one on rider and one on mount
-mount keeps moving but triggers no additional AoOs from movement as it is the same movement as moving through opponent's space

3. What does moving through an opponent's space mean? Where am I and the mount when this happens?

4. Can an int 2 mount learn escape route if given to them with something like the cavalier's battle tactics ability? I know they can't learn it themselves until int 3. Can int 0 undead minions be granted teamwork feats by battle tactics or a similar ability?

I need help interpreting rules and coming up with house rules. Please correct me if I am misunderstanding anything.

From the FAQ: "Note that a "mounted charge" is synonymous with a "charge while mounted," and that when a lance is "when used from the back of a charging mount" it is during a mounted charge not when only the mount charges. A mounted charge is a charge made by you and your mount. During a mounted charge, you deal double damage with your first melee attack made with a lance or with any weapon if you have Spirited Charge (or a similar effect), or you deal triple damage with a lance and Spirited Charge."

Problem #1: both mount and rider have to take the charge action for it to be a "mounted charge." Charging requires you to move to the closest space from which you could make a melee attack. So RAW, it is impossible to make a mounted charge if the rider has 10ft of reach (lance) and the mount (horse) has 5ft. Clearly not intentional.

1. House rule: So RAI, a "mounted charge" stops at the rider's reach? And if the horse had the lunge feat it could attack along with the rider?

Problem #2 Ride-by attack . To use this feat, you must "continue in the straight line of the charge," but charging requires you to move DIRECTLY toward the opponent, to the closest space from which you could attack them. So RAW you can't use ride-by attack unless you pass through your opponents space, which would be overrunning them.

2. House rule: So RAI, is the consensus to pass through the opponents space as if they weren't there, or can you choose to change your charge lane to one side of the opponent? If the latter, can you charge toward either side or just the closest side (assuming one side is closer to you than the other).

3. Does the post-charge movement allowed by ride-by attack still count as part of the charge? If so, could the mount make an overrun attempt "as part of a charge?" Would it get +2 to cmb?

4. To use the ride check "fight with a combat trained mount," do I first have to make a handle animal check telling my mount to attack an enemy? Can I make this check AFTER I myself have attacked to see whether the mount can attack with me, or is the check specifically to see whether I can attack after the mount has? If I fail this check, can I still have the mount charge but not make a charge attack?

5. If a mount has the greater overrun feat and knocks an opponent prone does only the mount get an AoO or does the rider also get one, assuming he has a weapon with 5ft reach?

The faq states that "a mounted charge is a charge made by you and your mount." A charge requires you to move to the closest square from which you can attack the opponent. I have reach while using my lance, but my mount doesn't.

1. Where do I end the charge? I assume you move 10ft from the opponent, make a lance attack, then continue moving, then the mount makes a natural attack. Is that right?

2. If I'm using ride-by-attack, do we both get to attack as we pass the opponent?

3. If I want to overrun an opponent during a charge movement, who attempts the combat maneuver and provokes the AoO? Me or the mount?

4. If I leave a threatened square while mounted, who provokes the AoO from movement? Me or the mount?

5. If one of us provokes an AoO, can the enemy attack the other? If both of us provoke an AoO, can the enemy hit us both or do they have to choose which one of us they hit?

One of my class features lets me grant my mount the Improved Spell Sharing feat for a small number of rounds. Say i used the feat to share a spell with my mount. When my class ability's duration expires causing the mount to lose the feat, would the mount keep the effect of the shared spell or would the effect end? Is the feat causing the spell effect to remain, or did the feat just cause the spell effect to begin, but the effect remains independent of the feat?

Does the teamwork feat improved spell sharing allow me to cast spells on both myself and my mount if the target of those spells is "you" as opposed to "creature touched?" Does the feat allow me to bypass normal targeting restrictions of spells?

The warpriest archetype, divine commander, gets a mount. At higher levels, the warpriest can enlarge himself using a spell that can't target the mount. This means that he can't ride the mount while large. How can he be large and remain mounted?

Ideas so far
1. Dire collar - huge mount for 10 rounds a day, maybe buy several?
2. Undersized mount feat - a large warpriest could ride a large mount, but the mount might be encumbered, it would cost a feat, and it would be ridiculous
3. Improved share spells feat- i dont like wasting feats, or heavy prerequisites

Does the warpriest's ability to spontaneously cast cure spells mean that he can use fervor to cast a cure spell on himself without having prepared one? Having the option to expend a spell slot for slightly more healing than fervor provides by itself could be useful in certain situations.