Wayne Bradbury's page

I don't own this book, but if the Shifter class ability is called "Wild Shape", and refers to the equivalent of "effective Druid level", then it should work fine.

I'm personally not a huge fan of multiclassing, though. I wouldn't think 1 level of Druid would benefit you much, unless you're going for some Domain shenanigans.

Usefulness and benefit isn't really relevant here. This is just a rules question.

Yes, the ability if specificalled called "Wild Shape". It contains a line that says for things requiring Wild Shape your shifter level counts as your druid level. This doesn't technically require Wild Shape, so as was stated above in this thread, it probably doesn't use your Shifter level.

As a Druid 1/Shifter 4, though, as per the wording of the trait, each use of your Wild Shape would last for 2 hours per Druid level, so 2, and you've got 4 uses as a Shifter 4.

Okay, so the wording in Shifter doesn't allow it to take the trait on its own.

So what happens if you're a Druid 1/Shifter 4 with that trait?

The trait says whenever you use Wild Shape (not Druid's Wild Shape, mind you, just Wild Shape) it lasts for 2 hours per Druid level.

So, does a Druid 1/Shifter 4 with Beast of the Society effectively have 4 uses per day of Wild Shape that last for 2 hours each?

Yep it's a GREAT magic rogue or overall useful guy.

Basically this. Archaeologist is like if Rogue didn't suck.

I have a mounted build in PFS that I've been super happy with. He's currently level 10, and he's my favourite. It's not exactly what you're asking for, but maybe it'll help you/give you some ideas.

Half-Orc
Sacred Tattoo, +2 to STR
Alignment: LN, Deity: Smiad

18/12/12/13/15/7

Traits:
Fate's Favored
Magical Knack (Warpriest)

Hunter 3/Divine Commander Warpriest 7/Sohei Monk 1
Favored Class: Warpriest (Human FCB: +1/6 bonus feat)
+1 WIS at 4th, +1 INT at 8th

1) Hunter | Combat Expertise
2) Hunter | Hunter B: Outflank
3) Hunter | Power Attack, Hunter B: Improved Spell Sharing
4) Warpriest | Warpriest B: Weapon Focus (Greatsword)
5) Warpriest | Monstrous Mount (Griffon)
6) Warpriest | Warpriest B: Pack Flanking
7) Warpriest | Monstrous Mount Mastery
8) Warpriest | -
9) Monk | Crusader's Flurry, Monk B: Mounted Skirmisher, Monk B: Improved Unarmed Strike
10) Warpriest | Warpriest FCB: Lunge
11) Warpriest | ????

The idea here is that I use Fervor to cast Divine Favor on myself, split the duration with the Griffon using Improved Spell Sharing, then pounce into combat on its back.

The INT requirement on Combat Expertise is a little annoying, but Pack Flanking is worth it, and the high INT helps to make up for Warpriest's low skill ranks.

Question marks at 11th there because I haven't quite decided what that feat will be yet. As is, the Griffon and I both have super solid combat. I do lose one companion level, but companions don't change from 10 to 11, so I don't see it as a huge deal.

Since this can only be for a home Campaign (Shifter is not legal yet for PFS), just talk to your GM and see if they'll allow it.

Or, you know, it could be thinking/planning for when Shifter does become PFS legal (which, according to John Compton, is soon).

Beast of the Society trait

Would they be able to take it at 1?
Would they need to take it with Additional Traits after 4?
Would they need a druid dip to take it?
If they do, would it still affect Shifter Wild Shape?

And, if they can take it, would it effectively just double the hours per day they can use Wild Shape, given the recent FAQ change to how their Wild Shape works?

GodsBlister wrote:

As much as I remember those words, it is possible I misremember where I heard them.

I know at the PaizoCon Dinner event last year their introduction had a slide that said, "Martial class with full base attack progression. Shifters are to druids as paladins are to clerics"

Which is saying it's the druid's paladin.

Certainly sounds like something that should have 4th level casting.

heroism is also for saves and skills.

True enough. Also, as was pointed out earlier in this thread, you can take the Strength of Submission trait to effectively give Heroism an additional +1 to hit and damage.

Flagbearer always gives a damage bonus, though, which Heroism doesn't normally, and it applies to the whole team instead of just you.

It's a trade off either way and it'll depend on the rest of your build to figure out which one is a better option.

Wayne Bradbury wrote:

Cheburn wrote:

The bigger problem I see is that Banner is that the build assumed 20 str and is substantially over level 7 WBL. The overall point of the post is fair though.

That's a fair point. The Banner is a little pricey. You probably don't actually buy one until 8, and that's if you hold off on a +2 weapon, but you got what I was getting at.

Looking more carefully, I also don't think overlapping bonuses from Flagbearer and Heroism stack (both morale bonuses). Still a fun build (and fantastic at combat buffing).

Whoops! You're right, I forgot about that one. It's one or the other. Heroism if you wanna be selfish, Flagbearer if not.

The bigger problem I see is that Banner is that the build assumed 20 str and is substantially over level 7 WBL. The overall point of the post is fair though.

That's a fair point. The Banner is a little pricey. You probably don't actually buy one until 8, and that's if you hold off on a +2 weapon, but you got what I was getting at.

Archaeologist is a poor choice. 4+2 rounds per day is not nearly enough.

Archaeologist is a fantastic choice. Not only should you definitely have 16+ CHA, meaning at least 4+3 rounds per day, but the most important things to know are:

• Their version of performance is a Swift action from the get go, which is huge if you want to be participating in combat yourself.
  
• It's a luck bonus, making it subject to Fate's Favored, meaning it's +2 right away at level 1, then +3 at 5.
  
• You can be half-orc of half-elf for the FCB of +1 round of performance.
  
• It's still subject to Lingering Performance, effectively tripling your rounds per day. 21+ rounds should be more than enough, and since it's a Swift action it's no big deal to just reactivate every couple rounds.
  
• You get rogue talents, trap stuff, and a sweet bonus to Perception and Disable Device, making you a better rogue (not that that's hard to accomplish).

how is your inspire courage +3? it's +3 at 11+....

Banner of the Ancient Kings causes your Inspire Courage bonus to count as if you were 4 levels higher, meaning that at level 7, with a Banner, your effective level for Inspire Courage is 11. If you give my post another read, you'll see I was saying that was assuming you had a Banner. Another alternative would be Three Reasons to Live, which counts your performance as though you were 6 levels higher.

You can make very, very competent combat Bards. If you don't care about buffing the party, be an Archaeologist or Dawnflower Dervish. If you do care, be a regular Bard. Still good.

Take the Flagbearer feat and carry a flag in your off hand, with a buckler. Later upgrade the flag to a Banner of the Ancient Kings to both increase your effective Bard level for Inspire Courage and also increase the Flagbearer bonus. Use your one handed weapon of choice. Or just use a longspear to unlock the extra bonuses from Banner and forget the buckler.

By level 7, as a normal Bard, assuming you've bought the Banner of the Ancient Kings and you're not forgetting to use Heroism, you're looking at something like:

5 BAB + 5 STR + 3 Inspire Courage + 2 Flagbearer + 2 Heroism + 2 magic - 2 Power Attack = +17 to hit
1d6 weapon + 5 STR + 3 Inspire Courage + 2 Flagbearer + 2 magic + 4 Power Attack = 1d6+16 damage

That's +17 for 1d6+16 of your own, plus you can cast Haste. Not to mention that you're giving out +5 to hit and damage for the rest of the party.

Personally, though, I'm a big fan of dipping a few levels. Like a single level dip each into Crusader Cleric and Scaled Fist Unchained Monk. Get free Weapon Focus, free Dodge or Combat Reflexes, other misc stuff, and you now qualify for the Crusader's Flurry feat, allowing you to Flurry of Blows with whatever weapon you happen to be using. Just start using Mage Armor to make up for not being able to wear armor. Between that, free Dodge, and CHA to AC you should actually come out ahead.

For which features overlapping?

This:

There seems to be an argument saying that Bladebound + Kensai is actually an illegal archetype combination, because Bladebound says you can't take the Familiar Arcana (which supposedly counts as modifying the Arcana feature as a whole) and Kensai replaces the 9th level Arcana (which you apparently can't do when another archetype modifies the feature itself).

It's fine if they clarify the legality of both of those. But until such time as they do, then the character isn't technically illegal and you can only rebuild characters that are illegal. Which means we are still stuck with the table variation problem.

Well, as far as the Bladebound + Kensai thing goes, if that FAQ and the archetypes are being read correctly then it has been illegal since that archetype stacking FAQ came out.

Wayne Bradbury wrote:

Bill Baldwin wrote:

The biggest issue is the popular Bladebound/Kensai combo. Both archetypes reduce spell reliance on damage for a greater reliance on weapon attacks and the combo has no way of getting Agile.

There seems to be an argument saying that Bladebound + Kensai is actually an illegal archetype combination, because Bladebound says you can't take the Familiar Arcana (which supposedly counts as modifying the Arcana feature as a whole) and Kensai replaces the 9th level Arcana (which you apparently can't do when another archetype modifies the feature itself).

That's a whole separate discussion.

Kinda. I'm just pointing it out because if that combination IS in fact illegal, then points about whether or not that combination can get DEX to damage reliably if Dervish Dance gets nerfed are pretty much irrelevant.

The biggest issue is the popular Bladebound/Kensai combo. Both archetypes reduce spell reliance on damage for a greater reliance on weapon attacks and the combo has no way of getting Agile.

There seems to be an argument saying that Bladebound + Kensai is actually an illegal archetype combination, because Bladebound says you can't take the Familiar Arcana (which supposedly counts as modifying the Arcana feature as a whole) and Kensai replaces the 9th level Arcana (which you apparently can't do when another archetype modifies the feature itself).

If the GM refuses to allow Superior Summoning for some ridiculous reason, just tell this other player to make a Summoner focused on the Eidolon, which is super powerful in its own right.

But yes, for all the reasons already listed, Summoner can definitely use Superior Summoning with its SLA. I'll also point out that I have an Unchained Summoner in PFS with Superior Summoning, and PFS is pretty strict on RAW.

I've got a number of questions about Weretouched of my own.

1) Can a Weretouched Shifter in hybrid form speak?
2) Can a Weretouched Shifter that multiclasses into something with spells cast said spells while in hybrid form? You still have hands, so should still be able to do somatic components, right?
3) Does a Weretouched Shifter's hybrid form have its natural attacks adjusted for size? For example: would a Dire Tiger hybrid form of medium size still have a 2d6 bite and 2d4 claws?
4) Does the hybrid form still lose all of the physical racial abilities? For example: darkvision, scent, etc.

While discussing this with a local VA, it was pointed out to me that nothing in the Ectoplasmic Lash ability says that the ectoplasmatist is proficient with them. Which is his argument for not allowing this.

So... That's problematic.

1) Can an Ectoplasmatist take Weapon Focus (ectoplasmic lash)?

2) Assuming Weapon Focus works, can he use Slashing Grace with the lashes, so long as they are manifested as a light or one-handed slashing weapon?

3) Can he use Slashing Grace with Spiritual Combat? I'm sure most people will have a first reaction of no, but it's important to note that a) Spiritual Combat is not worded the same way as Spell Combat and makes absolutely no mention of your other hand being occupied, and casting a psychic spell does not require any hands, and b) the Slashing Grace FAQ calls out Spell Combat specifically but not Spiritual Combat, and Spiritual Combat makes no references to functioning like Spell Combat, or TWF, or anything similar.

This book may have only one class, but it contains lots of content. Between holidays, convention travel, illnesses, new project management software, reviewing resumes, coordinating with the design team about shifter updates, preparing several long-awaited FAQs, Season 10 planning, scenario development, and handling a host of end-of-year tasks, our review of Ultimate Wilderness is nearly done. Thanks for your patience.

I like it when we have some amount of visibility into the state of things. Better than being kept completely in the dark.

That's pretty good. The greenwood +2 strength would be exactly 750g. I might just spend my 2 pp on it. I spent my first 2 pp on a wand of clw.

I was just going to recommend exactly this. Darkwood if you can use the +3, Greenwood if not.

Two months since UW was released.
Anybody want to take bets on how much longer it'll be?

This would be very nice to have. Ran into this when I was told my Skald couldn't pay to retrain his rage powers.

Those can be acquired by domains, if you want to give up your animal companion. But it's kind of the point that they don't have those things because they have Wild Shape.

Druids can't have nice things. :(

Counter argument: Wild Shape, animal companion, full casting. Druids have all the nice things they need.

In theory it would work as long as the target isn't at full health (which they wouldn't be if you've hit them with a Pheromone Arrow).

However, assuming you're one of the classes with access to it, the Bloodhound spell gives you Scent for hours per level instead of minutes.

Alternatively, I'm a big fan of the item Animal Mask. Swift action to gain Scent and your choice of bite or gore for 5 minutes per day in 1 minute increments.

More like Dork Archive...

What is the expected power level say at Lv. 5. I keep getting reasonably off scales from people.

I like to use this table. There's a link to the article that references it where you can find explanations of the numbers and how he came to them.

Druid and Warpriest.

Level 16 is pretty high level stuff that most people don't reach, especially not in PFS. Level 12 is basically the end for most characters (it's possible to go higher but not common).

Plus the stuff they said before me.

Oh, I was only referring to going up to Warpriest 16 if you're playing a game to 20.

In PFS I basically only ever want 4-7 levels of Warpriest. Getting one or two 4th level spell slots just isn't really worth the extra levels, and going to Warpriest 7 (with Magical Knack) gets you to +3 on Divine Favor (+4 with Fate's Favored). Additionally, the vast majority of PFS is played at levels 3-9, where you're not going to have time to get all those feats. If you're going straight Warpriest you're specifically leaving things out.

You get quite a lot for the 3 levels of Zen Archer, and being STR/WIS meshes with the idea of having your unarmed strikes for backup and threatening.

Even then, you can mostly ignore STR if you want to and pile on more WIS, or else throw on some INT to shore up the lack of skill ranks for when you switch to Warpriest.

Additionally, while you CAN just retrain those levels and take those feats later, that means there are that many other feats (6) that you're not taking. And, as a Warpriest, you've got everything you care about by 16. You may be down a couple of spell slots, but that's what gold is for. The important part is getting access to that spell level. Warpriest 16 + Magical Knack also caps out the bonus on Divine Power, which is nice.

I'm just going to paste in my favourite archer build. It's currently built for a Half-Orc, but it's easy enough to swap it to human if you want to. It's also currently built for PFS, so it goes to 11.

Half-Orc
Sacred Tattoo, +2 WIS
Alignment: LG or LN, Deity: Erastil
Traits: Deadeye Bowman, Reactionary

16/12/12/10/18/7

+1 WIS at 4, +1 WIS at 8

Zen Archer Monk 3/Arsenal Chaplain Warpriest 7/Medium 1
Favored Class: Warpriest (Human FCB: +1/6 bonus feat)

1) Monk 1 | Keen Scent, Monk B: Point-Blank Shot, Monk B: Perfect Strike, Monk B: Improved Unarmed Strike
2) Monk 2 | Monk B: Precise Shot, Monk B: Weapon Focus (Longbow)
3) Monk 3 | Deadly Aim, Monk B: Point Blank Master
4) Warpriest 1 | Warpriest B: Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
5) Warpriest 2 | Additional Traits (Fate's Favored, Magical Knack (Warpriest))
6) Warpriest 3 | Warpriest B: Improved Initiative (retrain to Weapon Specialization (Longbow) at level 7)
7) Warpriest 4 | Improved Initiative
8) Warpriest 5 | -
9) Warpriest 6 | Rapid Shot, Warpriest B: Manyshot, Warpriest B: Clustered Shots
10) Warpriest 7 | Warpriest B: Quicken Blessing (War)
11) Medium 1 | Spirit Focus (Champion)

At level 7 your combat looks something like:
Divine Favored +1 Comp Longbow (+3) Deadly Aim Point-Blank Flurry - +13/+13/+8 for 1d8+14 (Unarmed Strike: +12 1d6+6)

Some notes on the build:

• The plan is to use Flurry of Blows until you hit 9, at which point you swap over to using Rapid Shot so that you can start using Manyshot as well.
  
• The Arsenal Chaplain Weapon Training will apply to both your bow and your unarmed strikes, thanks to having Weapon Focus in both.
  
• You're not afraid to be up close and personal thanks to Point Blank master and Improved Unarmed Strike. You don't provoke and you get to threaten.
  
• Keen Scent is on there to be able to abuse Pheromone Arrows, but if you want to go Human it'll need to be replaced with something else.
  
• The level of Medium is there for a nice damage boost from Champion Spirit, as well as being able to tack an extra 1d6 onto a failed attack roll to make it succeed, or onto a failed Fort save to make it succeed.
  
• If I were to continue this build past 11 I would most likely take a 4th level of Monk (and Qinggong archetype) for a Ki Pool and take the Barkskin power, and take the rest of the levels in Warpriest.

I'm still curious about an ETA for this, too.
Would be nice if the process was a little more transparent.
Even just like "hey guys, we're working on it, have it up when we can". Anything.

Sounds like an oversight in the weapon modification write-up. And creating a weapon with a modification is absolutely part of crafting.

These modifications are added to mundane weapons after creation at the listed cost, but modifying magical weapons increases the cost of modifications by 50%.

The Dagger Pistol says it is a double weapon, so you could apply the modification on the dagger part, but it would not apply to the pistol part.

I don't actually see anything in the weapon mod rules that say they have to be applied twice to double weapons. Additionally, the dagger pistol only says it counts as a double weapon for crafting and enchanting, and this is technically neither of those things.

And as always, the disclaimer - I am not an official rules authority, and these are merely my personal opinions. ^_^

While that may be true, it does help us to have some insight into the intentions when this was written, at least until any sort of official ruling materializes.

So, as I said, very much appreciated. Thank you.

If I recall correctly, the text in question was added in development. So I can't speak to the exact intention. I personally don't have any issue with having it work for thrown weapons. ^_^

Your input is very much appreciated. Out of curiosity, how do you feel about the other two questions? About the Blinkback Belt and the Dagger Pistol situations?

RAW, all those things work, since as you say it doesn't actually say "when used in melee."

RAI, none of those things work, because they darn well meant "when used in melee."

So, up to the GM but I'd recommend the second.

I only half agree with that. Realistically speaking, having better balanced instances of those weapons, used in that way, WOULD allow you to be more accurate.

It is entirely possible, maybe even likely, that they intended for it to be used only in melee. If that's the case, I'd welcome an official ruling on it, though I doubt that's forthcoming.

What happens if you put the Dual-Balanced weapon modification on a throwing weapon?

For example, a dagger. It is a melee weapon, so it meets the requirements to be able to put dual-balanced on it. The mod doesn't say it actually has to be used in melee to get the benefits, just that you can only add the mod to a melee weapon, which a dagger is.

So when you use TWF to throw two dual-balanced daggers, do you still get the penalty reduction?

What if you have one dual-balanced dagger and a Blinkback Belt and the Quick Draw feat? It's been established before that that's sufficient for TWF, so would you still get the dual-balanced benefit in that case?

Lastly, what if you were to apply it to something like two Dagger Pistols and use it to shoot? It's still technically a melee weapon, so it meets the requirement to be modded with dual-balanced. And, again, dual-balanced doesn't actually say it needs to be used in melee, only that it needs to be a melee weapon.

Dagger of Doubling is really nice - no more ammunition worries.

I'm a big fan of Blinkback Belt for that.

Assuming your GM allows it, Desna's Shooting Star is 100% the way to go.

Another option, that ranged in viability depending on what level you start at and such, is to build for STR and get a [url=http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/wondrous-items/wondrous-items/a-b/belt-of-mighty-hurling/]Belt of Mighty Hurling[/card] as soon as you can.

Assuming Human, you could build out your scores like 17/14/13/10/10/14. This way you're not entirely worthless before getting the Belt, and once you do (assuming the level 4 point goes into STR) it'll have you at +5 STR for both hit and damage.

One of the adventure chronicle sheets (I don't recall which) gives you access to a Lesser Circlet of Persuasion that only costs 2000gp and gives +2 instead of +3. Just figured I'd throw that out there, in case value is important to your decision.

As far as I see it, RAW it wouldn't lose anything except for the ability to take new levels in Hunter. However, the lack of an "ex-hunter" section does feel like an oversight.

For a home game I'd just say house rule it in a way that makes sense, but my primary concern is that I'm seeing disagreement on people's reading of the RAW for this in PFS, and there house ruling isn't so much an option. Hence why I'd very much like an FAQ answer, or a staff post, or something.

Divine Commander Warpriest

As has been mentioned earlier in this thread, people often get gift certificates at cons instead of the boons they're trying to get. I see nothing wrong with people then trying to trade those gift certificates for the boon they actually want.

Looking for: Rebuild
Have: $10 Paizo credit

The Hunter has no "ex-hunter" listing, or any other indication of losing any abilities when their alignment changes.

Does anything happen to them if they stop being neutral? Do they lose any class features?

I'm more looking for FAQ hits than new answers at this point.

Bump for great justice.