One on One is the Only way to compare power level. Anything else brought into the mix changes the math and will make one class better then the other depending on the situation, environment, creatures etc... The only True way to compare power is one on one. I am not talking group dynamics but strictly class power.
@Amorangias If your winning encounters with those spells well you have not faced a veteran DM of worth.
As for RP... Paly can out diplomatic a Bard any day of the week. Lol.
Right spell is not a "fallacy"... In my over 30 years of DMing... The words "if I had only memorised that, this other..." Lol
but as you state its a player issue... So I will try not to assume you mean you and those you DM are better at the game than the rest of us.
We use to refer to 3.5 as Druids of the Coast instead of wizards as they could crush any class.
I now refer to Pathfinder as Palyfinder... They are by far the most powerful class. Martial, melee, spells, animal companion... Only weakness non-evil, well Golarion is (what?) 70 to 75% evil? If you allow 3.5 or PF 3rd party it becomes stupid. Lawful good... I luv that alignment... Not near as restrictive as one might think.
Let me lend my 2 cents. I am a huge fan of 3.5/PF rules. BoED's is a great book! The VOP from it is not broken by any measure. If you do some research or read what the authors actual wrote in the BoED book you would have more understanding of why VOP was created.
It was meant to be used by veteran players who have grown tired or bored with the standard classes/system of play. It was to challenge those players by taking the feat and trying something different. It was suppose to be hard to play a VOP Paly or any other classes dependant on gear... The "broken" part came as with any rule system when people pick classes that build upon and work extremely well with the feat instead of how it was intend... to challenge yourself.
The new Vows are horrible... You give up a lot for nothing but that IB itself could be a challenge depends on how you look at it.
In a Pirate game your Favorite communities could be your port of calls. Also if your like me and always find Favorite enemy never works in your favor, take the Guide archetype.
If you do not want to deal with spells and want more physical stuff... tack on the Skirmisher archetype for Hunter tricks.
The Test of the Starstone is a test that anyone can take by attempting to reach the Starstone at the center of Absalom.
The Starstone is surrounded by a large, deadly maze containing traps, guardians and wards. The exact nature of the obstacles changes over time, but constant hazards include magic not always working right and prevention of extra-dimensional movement.
Those few who pass become demigods, while those who fail usually die, although a select few manage to escape, occasionally with great wealth, but no divinity. The first known person to pass the test was Aroden, who did so when he took the stone from the bottom of the sea to the Isle of Kortos in 1 AR when he founded the city of Absalom. Since then, only three of the vast number who took the test have passed: Norgorber, whose life prior to the test is unknown, Cayden Cailean, who took it on a drunken bet, and Iomedae, a worshiper of Aroden who became his herald.
The Test of the Starstone is mysterious; the only publicly known part of the test is that hopefuls must cross the bottomless pit surrounding the Starstone Cathedral without using a bridge.
- Crossing the pit is a necessary first step, but not sufficient to enter the cathedral and continue the test, and what has worked for one hopeful may fail for another. Hopefuls have leaped across, flown with magic, or used tightropes, and the spectacle of an attempt nearly always draws an enormous, attentive crowd.
- No one knows for certain what lies within the Cathedral itself, as only a few brave or lucky souls have returned from a failed attempt at the Test of the Starstone. Those who have entered the Cathedral and returned to tell of it describe a place where magic does not function properly and which regularly changes its configuration, challenges and guardians.
I tend to like maneuver master myself, but it depends do you want to focus almost entirely on grapples or spread it around to most maneuvers?
-James
I totally agree! I have yet to even play a monk in PF but we have a guy in my group who plays them almost exclusively so I have learned from watching him.
Eques (“horseman”): The Eques usually fought against another gladiator of the same type. They probably began their matches on horseback, but they ended in hand-to-hand combat. These were the only gladiators who wore regular tunics rather than any type of body armor, though they wore bronze helmets with two feathers and padded shin-protectors; they carried round shields and often fought with long swords.
Hoplomachus (“heavy-weapons fighter”): The Hoplomachus, named after the Greek Hoplite warrior, fought with a long spear as well as a short sword or dagger; he wore a visored helmet with crest and long greaves over both legs to protect them since he carried only a small shield, usually round, though both gladiators wear early types of crested helmets without visors.
Murmillo (“fish”): The Murmillo, named for a Greek saltwater fish, wore a large visored helmet with a high crest; these helmets became increasingly enhanced with relief decorations, as for example the head of Hercules, military trophies, and the Gorgon, Mars Ultor, and decorative vessels. The Murmillo was protected by a large, slightly curved, rectangular shield, so he needed only one short shin-guard (ocrea) to protect his left leg. He fought with a short stabbing sword (gladius). The wreaths on a tombstone from Ephesus indicate that this Murmillo won many combats.
Provocator (“attacker”): The Provocator was the most heavily armed gladiator; he was the only gladiator who wore a pectoral covering the vulnerable upper chest. He also wore a padded arm-protector and one greave on his left leg; he carried a large rectangular shield and stabbing sword. His large, distinctive visored helmet had no crest and extended over his shoulders. The extent of his armor made the Provocator slower and less agile than other gladiators, which may explain why he tended to be paired with another gladiator of the same type in combat.
Retiarius (“netman”): The Retiarius was the quickest and most mobile of gladiators; as the only type of gladiator who wore no helmet, he had much more range of vision than his opponents. However, since he wore practically no defensive armor, he was also more vulnerable to serious wounds; his only body protection was a padded arm-protector (manica) on his left arm often topped with a high metal shoulder protector (galerus). His weapons were a large net with which he attempted to entangle his opponent, a long trident, and a small dagger.
- Secutor (“pursuer”): The Secutor was typically paired with a Retiarius. His egg-shaped helmet with round eye-holes had no crest or reliefs to snag on the net of the Retiarius but also gave him little range of vision. He wore a short shin protector (ocrea) on one leg and an arm protector; he carried a large rectangular shield and stabbing sword. The wreaths on this tombstone of a Secutor indicate his many victories.
Thraex (“Thracian”): The Thraex gladiator was loosely based on the Thracians, former enemies of Rome. His most distinctive feature was his weapon, a short sword (sica) whose blade was either curved or kinked. His visored helmet with wide brim resembled that of a Murmillo except that it was topped with the head of a griffin. Because the Thraex carried a short rectangular shield, he wore an arm-protector and long shin protectors (ocreae) on both legs.
Bestiarius (“animal-fighter”) was a special type of gladiator trained to handle and fight all sorts of animals. The bestiarii were the lowest ranking gladiators; they did not become as popular or individually well known as other types of gladiators.
Training: The manager of a gladiatorial troupe was called a lanista; he provided lengthy and demanding training in schools (ludi) especially designed for this purpose and usually located near the great amphitheaters. Pompeii, for example, had both a small training area surrounded by gladiatorial barracks near the theater, while there was a large exercise-ground (palaestra) right next to the amphitheater.
A DAY AT THE ARENA
:
Gladiatorial games began with an elaborate procession that included the combatants and was led by the sponsor of the games, the editor; in Rome during the imperial period, this usually was the emperor, and in the provinces it was a high-ranking magistrate. The parade and subsequent events were often accompanied by music. The morning's events might begin with mock fights such as this contest. These would be followed by animal displays, sometimes featuring trained animals that performed tricks, but more often staged as hunts (venationes) in which increasingly exotic animals were pitted against each other or hunted and killed by bestiarii.
The lunch break was devoted to executions of criminals who had committed particularly heinous crimes—murder, arson, sacrilege. The public nature of the execution made it degrading as well as painful and was intended to serve as a deterrent to others. One form of execution in the arena was damnatio ad bestias, in which the condemned were cast into the arena with violent animals or were made to participate in “dramatic” reenactments of mythological tales in which the “stars” really died. Criminals could also be forced to fight in the arena with no previous training; in such bouts death was a foregone conclusion, since the “victor” had to face further opponents until he died (such combatants were not, of course, professional gladiators). In extraordinary circumstances, criminals might be forced to stage an elaborate naval battle (naumachia). Although these were usually fought on lakes, some scholars think they might also have been staged in the Colosseum.
In the afternoon came the high point of the games—individual gladiatorial combats. These were usually matches between gladiators with different types of armor and fighting styles, supervised by a referee carrying a long staff (summa rudis).
- There were many rituals in the arena. When a gladiator had been wounded and wished to concede defeat, he would hold up an index finger. At this point the crowd would indicate with gestures whether they wished the defeated gladiator to be killed or spared. The sponsor of the games decided whether or not to give the defeated gladiator a reprieve (missio). If the gladiator was to be killed, he was expected to accept the final blow in a ritualized fashion, without crying out or flinching. A ritual for removing the bodies of dead gladiators, with a man impersonating Dis Pater (Hades) hitting the body with a hammer to make sure he was really dead and then a slave dragging the body with a hook through a gate called the Porta Libitinensis.
Test of the Starstone
The Test of the Starstone is a test that anyone can take by attempting to reach the Starstone at the center of Absalom. The Starstone is surrounded by a large, deadly maze containing traps, guardians and wards.
The exact nature of the obstacles changes over time, but constant hazards include magic not always working right and prevention of extra-dimensional movement.
Those few who pass become demigods, while those who fail usually die, although a select few manage to escape, occasionally with great wealth, but no divinity. The first known person to pass the test was Aroden, who did so when he took the stone from the bottom of the sea to the Isle of Kortos in 1 AR when he founded the city of Absalom. Since then, only three of the vast number who took the test have passed: Norgorber, whose life prior to the test is unknown, Cayden Cailean, who took it on a drunken bet, and Iomedae, a worshiper of Aroden who became his herald.
The Test of the Starstone is mysterious; the only publicly known part of the test is that hopefuls must cross the bottomless pit surrounding the Starstone Cathedral without using a bridge. Crossing the pit is a necessary first step, but not sufficient to enter the cathedral and continue the test, and what has worked for one hopeful may fail for another. Hopefuls have leaped across, flown with magic, or used tightropes, and the spectacle of an attempt nearly always draws an enormous, attentive crowd.
One of the toughest Cursed Items in the game is Dust of Sneezing and Choking + spell Magic Aura (to make appear as regular dust) will wreck any group. Can work in almost any setting but here is one.
Foreshadow the dungeon crawl with description of dusty rooms as they travel through several with no effect they get use to the dustyness.
The Trap room has a floor covered in the cursed dust + magic aura to look like common dust. Under the thick layer of "Dust" is a Summon Monster Trap/ Air Elemental (set trigger so they are all in the room. Base room size on the size of Elemental you are summoning whirlwind ability. It will kick up a cloud of "Dust"
Filling a diameter 1/2 whirlwinds height. Even if they make the Fort-15 DC (for 3d6 con dmg) Those who succeed on the saving throw are nonetheless disabled by choking (treat as stunned) for 5d4 rounds (min time 5 rounds).
At this point they are all yours... You have options, depending on how/what you set dungeon with.
1. Summon monster trap summons extra elementals who whirl around the stunned PC's taking slam dmg round.
2. Rogues come in and backstab the flatfooted PC's.
3. Alchemical Acid. Fills room 10d6 round or less deadly single exposure each round + fort save vs inhaled poison fumes.
4. Green Slime 1d6 con dmg a round. Or Yellow Mold
5. Shocking floor trap / Chamber of Blades / Fireball Trap / Frost Fang trap /
Insanity Mist Trap / Cone of Cold Trap
*** you name it it.....
A little off topic but fits... you will love this PRC from 3.5 era.
DEFIANT
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To qualify to become a defiant, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Will Save Bonus: +5.
Skills: Knowledge (planes) 1 rank, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks.
Special: Defiants cannot worship any deity or have one as a patron. Any character who has any connection to a god, demigod, or other divine entity must renounce that connection before taking a level in this prestige class.
A paladin or cleric of a specific god cannot become a defiant until the character renounces all belief and faith in the deity, becoming an ex-cleric or ex-paladin and losing all spells and class features except for armour and shield proficiencies and proficiency with simple weapons. This restriction does not affect clerics who worship a cause or a nonpersonified source of divine magic.
Class Skills
The defiant’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the defiant prestige class.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Defiants gain no proficiency with any weapon or armour.
Spell Resistance (Su): A defiant gains spell resistance equal to 15 + class level against all divine mind-affecting spells. He cannot voluntarily lower this spell resistance. This benefit does not stack with other sources of spell resistance. When a defiant is the target of a divine mind-affecting spell, he uses his highest spell resistance value.
Divine Resistance (Su): At 2nd level and higher, a defiant adds his Charisma modifier (if positive) to his saving throws against divine spells.
Divine Damage Immunity (Su): At 3rd level, a defiant gains immunity to damage from divine power, such as that dealt by a flame strike spell.
Divine Cancellation (Ex): At 4th level, a defiant learns how to counterspell divine spells without casting a spell. The defiant must ready an action to counterspell (as normal), but need not identify the spell with Spellcraft. Treat this ability as if the defiant were using dispel magic to counter the spell, at a caster level of 5 + the defiant’s class level. A defiant can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
Aligned Strike (Su): A defiant of 5th level or higher can, with a touch, align a weapon or natural weapon so that it is treated as of a specific alignment for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. The defiant can choose any alignment (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful), even if that alignment opposes his own. He may not use this ability on any weapon that already has an alignment. He can use this ability once per day at 5th level and twice per day at 10th level. Each use lasts for a number of minutes equal to his class level.
Divine Prevention (Su): Once per day, a defiant of 6th level or higher can use a standard action to bestow temporary spell resistance (15 + class level) upon a single target. The spell resistance affects only the next divine spell targeted at the subject, even a beneficial spell such as bless or cure light wounds. If the target has not used the spell resistance within 24 hours, it fades.
If the target is unwilling, the defiant must make a successful touch attack as a standard action. If the attack succeeds, the target must attempt a Will saving throw (DC 10 + defiant’s class level + defiant’s Cha modifier). If the saving throw fails, the spell resistance takes effect.
Nondetection (Su): At 7th level, a defiant gains the continuous benefit of a nondetection spell as though cast by a sorcerer of a level equal to the defiant’s class level. The DC of any attempt to break through the effect is equal to 15 + the defiant’s class level.
A defiant can choose to suppress this ability. Suppressing or reestablishing it is a free action.
Divine Retribution (Su): At 8th level, a defiant expands the versatility of his divine cancellation ability. If he successfully counters a divine spell, the defiant may cause the spell to rebound at the original caster instead of causing it to fail. This ability can be used only against divine spells that target the defiant, not spells that affect an area or those that target another creature.
Divine Interference (Su): At 9th level, a defiant’s connection to the Great Unknown becomes so strong that he generates a field that interferes with all divine spellcasting. Any spellcaster within 30 feet of the defiant must succeed on a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + defiant’s class level + spell level) in order to successfully cast a divine spell. If the check fails, the spell fails and is lost. A defiant cannot choose to suppress this ability.
Divine Disavowal (Su): At 10th level, a defiant’s spell resistance extends to cover all divine spells. He cannot voluntarily lower this spell resistance. This benefit does not stack with other sources of spell resistance. When a defiant is the target of a divine spell, he uses his highest spell resistance value.
Fallen Clerics
Clerics who have turned away from their deities make the best defiants. They have heard the lies, and even believed them for a time, which makes them extremely effective at speaking out against their previous beliefs. A cleric who worshiped a specific deity (as opposed to an alignment, cause, or philosophy) before taking a level in the defiant prestige class can immediately exchange up to nine of his cleric class levels in exchange for an equal number of defiant levels. For example, a 7th-level cleric/1st-level fighter who takes a level of defiant can exchange all his cleric levels for defiant levels, becoming a 1st-level fighter/8th-level defiant. This is likely a profitable trade for an ex-cleric, since he has given up his cleric class features in order to qualify for the defiant class.
In addition, the character gains extra benefits based on the number of cleric levels traded in. These benefits are cumulative.
One or More Levels: The defiant can heal his own wounds as a supernatural ability. Each day, he can heal a number of points of damage equal to his defiant class level × his Cha modifier, and he can spread this healing out among several uses.
Three or More Levels: The defiant can imbue himself with enhanced strength, health, insight, or force of personality three times per day as a supernatural ability. He gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, Constitution, Wisdom, or Charisma for a number of minutes equal to his defiant class level.
Five or More Levels: Once per day, the defiant can grant himself the supernatural ability to speak and understand the language of any intelligent creature. This ability lasts for 1 hour and otherwise functions like the tongues spell.
Seven or More Levels: The defiant can use dismissal as a spell-like ability twice per day.
Nine Levels: The defiant can use plane shift as a spell-like ability three times per day.
*** They are part of the Athar
("Defiers", "The Lost"), who deny not only the gods' right to pass judgment over mortals, but their very divinity. They claim that the gods (whom they call "powers") are powerful but have limits and do not deserve worship. Instead, Athar priests channel divine power from what they call the "Great Unknown", or what they believe to be the true divine force behind everything. Their headquarters in Sigil is the Shattered Temple, the former temple of the dead god Aoskar. The Athar are broadly derived from real-world atheists, agnostics, and Deists.
I am Currently playing a Halfling Rogue 5 / Shadow Dancer 6
I am taking all the flanking feats I can get my hands on. Power wise I agree not the best but for scouting and sneaky stealth... nothing beats us as a team. If your allowed 3.5 PRC A good mix in is the Jaunter only different pre-req is Spring attack which is right in line with your other feats.
No, there's enough bloat in PF as it is. Adding more will only hurt the game.
I don't know anything about bloat... I just hate playing the same generic I "Hit" things or I cast "spells".
I like options and lots of them as with any system people can freely choose not to use or let be used books in a game. My group (and i am lucky) allows almost anything and we honor that by trying not to abuse anything. I love PRC and find Archetypes to be limiting. I love all the PRC in the complete series,,, made some great PC's from them.
FRANK: No ... you're right, Ed. A parachute not opening ... that's a way to die. Getting caught in the gears of a combine... having your nuts bit off by a Laplander, that's the way I wanna go!
OK we all have had characters who have died, some of us more then others... lol So I would like to hear the Craziest or most Heroic way, how many you had die (in one campaign or in total) or any story you care to tell whether it be funny or just plain sad...
Me... I call the binder (not folder... Binder) I hold my dead characters in the Dead Pool. Hey saves time when you need an NPC for something real quick.
Best Death
:
Well I have died alot but most were not very Heroic. I say my 4th level Paladin (I have a hard time keeping paladins alive) who stood in the door way when the group got in over their heads. He fought defensively to buy the group time to get away. Hey at least later when they came back and defeated the BBEG, they didn't loot my body... probably only PC I had die that got buried with his stuff...lol
Killer DM
:
My friend and DM Bob, over the last 7 years he has killed 26 of my PC's (and we rotate through 4 DM's in my group). Max PC's killed in one of his games was the Pathfinder AP Kingmaker... I went through 6 PC's.lol Same DM Carrion Crown AP and I went through 4 Bards:
1. Micky Dolenz
2. Michael Nesmith
3. Peter Tork
4. Davy Jones
Yes he killed the entire band of The Monkeys. Stupid swinging bridge over the waterfall... grrrr
Funniest Death
:
My LN Warblade / Kensai bodyguard to a new king. Fighting an evil Cleric, his cohorts and summoned monsters (we were level 9) in a small tower. The King was unconscious and I was 5'ing back pulling his body with me while fighting towards the door that led to the staircase out of the tower. The monk of the group was down and I sent the CN Rogue ahead to secure the door until I got their. The Rogue ended up being attacked and in typical Rogue fashion... Gave me the Sorry?? look and slipped through the door locking it behind him, leaving me in the tower with all the badies... ROFL. I couldn't fault him for it as it was GREAT RP fun and we talked about it for months.
I have "cringed" along with a lot of these stories and I am gladdened (in a sort of sad way) that my gaming group is clearly very much like everyone else's.
- Since I started this I might as throw in my "Ugh" class that I play and everyone in the room just smiles...
I did not realize it but it came to my attention at some point I was throwing the PRC class Jaunter from Expedition to the Demonweb Pits into alot of my builds... Monks, Rogues, Bards, Fighter, Sorc, DuskBlades, Dragon Shaman... you name it, I had it in the build. I just plain love a short (4 level) PRC and I love movement abilities.
I admit even pulling a Rogue/Swashbuckler/Jaunter build with a Tiefling who used the feat Cloudy Conjuration (You might as well say it... BAMF!) - Was it fun Yes! did my group groan about it... not until I talked another guy into playing a feral human and his friend into a Warforged Juggernaut build... then the groans came... lol
*** Fling Ally feat... Fastball special anyone?
Well I think we all have them... The class that one of your players LOVES to play! You've seen a similar variation of the same character over and over again. I love my group and all my players but sometimes you just want to Scream... TRY SOMETHING NEW, play something (anything) different! lol
Here mine:
- The Player is awesome in RP but man oh man he Loves Rogues. halfing Rogues / human male rogue / human female rogues / Orc / Gnome / Elf and on and on and on... To top it off he does not even use archetypes most of the time. Either a 2 sticker or a bow rogue straight core class.
So Whats your Ugh class?
Quite frankly, what's your problem? Does he play his rogues well? Does he roleplay them decently? Did we like John Wayne, or Tommy Lee Jones any less despite the fact that through his entire career, he essentially only played one character?
If the answer to the first two questions is yes, why not just chill and let him have his fun?
Hey LazarX... I don't have a problem, it a lite hearted post to have some fun and hear peoples stories... no Trolls needed, thanks.
Well I think we all have them... The class that one of your players LOVES to play! You've seen a similar variation of the same character over and over again. I love my group and all my players but sometimes you just want to Scream... TRY SOMETHING NEW, play something (anything) different! lol
Here mine:
- The Player is awesome in RP but man oh man he Loves Rogues. halfing Rogues / human male rogue / human female rogues / Orc / Gnome / Elf and on and on and on... To top it off he does not even use archetypes most of the time. Either a 2 sticker or a bow rogue straight core class.
Its Dragonlance world... Krynn is low magic and depending on what time period your playing in Clerics are very rare... so just being a cleric in Krynn is powerful as is.
Clerics have alot of versatility. If 3.5 book are open and you enjoy a good melee cleric I would say look at Ordained Champion PRC (complete champion book). its 5 level PRC packed with tons of good stuff.
Another cleric build is Sovereign Speaker from Faiths of Eberron. if you can get a DM to sign off on this 10 level PRC you are in business. They don't pray to 1 god but to a "pantheon" and at each level they gain access to a new Domain no more then 2 from each god. at the end you have 12 domains under your belt... let the games begin!
The only Cleric I have played in straight PF is the Undead Lord.
Your companion is so so
But once you get Create Undead spell and this feat...
Create Reliquary Arms and Shields
Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ability to cast consecrate or desecrate.
Benefit: When you craft a magic weapon, magic armor, or magic shield, you may add one casting of consecrate or desecrate as part of the item crafting process. The item becomes a reliquary and can be used as a holy (or unholy) symbol divine focus of your deity. If you cast consecrate or desecrate, your reliquary counts as a permanent fixture for that spell while it remains in the spell’s area.
Knife Master - Rogue archetype
The knife master is a trained killer who specializes in close-up combat and the wave and weave of knife fighting. In her hands, daggers and other similar light blades become truly deadly instruments.
Hidden Blade
A knife master adds 1/2 her level on Sleight of Hand checks made to conceal a light blade.
This ability replaces trapfinding.
Sneak Stab (Ex)
A knife master focuses her ability to deal sneak attack damage with daggers and similar weapons to such a degree that she can deal more sneak attack damage with those weapons at the expense of sneak attacks with other weapons. When she makes a sneak attack with a dagger, kerambit, kukri, punching daggers, starknife, or swordbreaker dagger, she uses d8s to roll sneak attack damage instead of d6s. For sneak attacks with all other weapons, she uses d4s instead of d6s.
This ability is identical in all other ways to sneak attack, and supplements that ability.
Blade Sense (Ex)
At 3rd level, a knife master is so skilled in combat involving light blades that she gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made against her with light blades. This bonus increases by +1 for every three levels, to a maximum of +6 at 18th level.
This ability replaces trap sense.
Rogue Talents: The following rogue talents complement the knife master archetype: befuddling strike, combat trick, offensive defense, surprise attack, underhanded, and weapon training.
Advanced Talents: The following advanced rogue talents complement the knife master archetype: another day, confounding blades, deadly sneak, entanglement of blades, and unwitting ally.
For more than 4,000 years, Absalom (pronounced AB-sah-lahm) has been the City at the Center of the World, a metropolis-sized showcase of the greatest treasures in all Golarion. The importance and influence of Absalom upon the Inner Sea and the whole of Golarion can not be overstated. The city not only holds a key strategic position for both commercial and military endeavors in the region, but encompasses the site of the ascension of four deities and claims to have been founded by none other than the Last Azlanti, the god Aroden. It is not without reason that the passage of time throughout the world is counted in Absalom Reckoning. This great city even extends beyond the Material Plane; although a pale reflection of its namesake, Shadow Absalom is the greatest city on the Plane of Shadow, inhabited by fetchlings, other humanoids, and undead.
You could have a Shadow Council - maybe some 3.5 flavor
Telflammar Shadowlords
Above all the criminals stand the Telflammar shadowlords,the secret captains of iniquity who demand unquestioned obedience from their numerous minions.
This concept is possible, but... You would get bored during combat due to the few spells bard get, and you not being able to do anything but spells.
I agree with cheapy... unless it is a heavy RP game which PF adventure paths have a fair amount of combat.
Maybe you could convince you GM to do a round robin with your characters. Have a RP peace loving PC and another more normal for the combat sections... maybe a bodyguard for the peace loving bard?
I had a similar problem involving veteran players... Smart phones / Game Books / Normal books being read or used at the table with way too much cross talk and no one paying attention.
I stopped DM'ing them, took the one respectful player i had and started another group of newbies. Boy what a joy DMing them is... everything exciting again, they are very respectful bunch of guys and gals. The old group got the hint. After about 6 weeks I went back and said i will DM again but if any of the old habits start appearing... I will be taking another break.
reach quickened touch of gracelessness and reach calcific touch. does a minimum of 4 dex damage per round and very likely more. It will take at most two rounds to do 8 dex damage, which will reduce the dragon to dex 0 and thanks to calcific touch petrify it.
maximize both and you're guaranteed to petrify the dragon in one round.
Then cast a permanency shrink item on it and use it as a lawn ornament :)
I wanna play in your World... I can see a Cottage, its yard full of Exotic and Rare Lawn Ornaments.
I'm reluctant to use the term tank, but in effect that's what I'd like to play for my next pathfinder character. I'm thinking the armor master fighter archetype might be a good way to go. It might not be the best type of fighter, but it sounds interesting, and the group I play with could use someone capable of standing up and taking a lot of punishment, either through HP or AC. Anyone have any advice on feats, or even a different class?
Paladins make excellent tanks.
Levels 1-4 are pure gold.
Feats Bolstered Resilience
You can dramatically increase your damage reduction in exchange for its temporary loss.
Prerequisite: Damage reduction.
Benefit: As an immediate action, you can double your DR against a single attack, to a maximum of DR 20. The type of the DR remains unchanged. If the attack you are guarding against is not successful, the increased damage reduction persists until you are hit with an attack or until the start of your next turn, whichever happens first. At the start of your next turn, you become fatigued. You cannot use this feat while you are fatigued.
Stalwart
You adopt a defensive stance that allows you to absorb and redirect hits.
Prerequisite: Diehard, Endurance, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit: While using the total defense action, fighting defensively action, or Combat Expertise, you can forgo the dodge bonus to AC you would normally gain to instead gain an equivalent amount of DR, to a maximum of DR 5/—, until the start of your next turn. This damage reduction stacks with DR you gain from class features, such as the barbarian's, but not with DR from any other source. If you are denied your Dexterity bonus to AC, you are also denied this DR.
Improved Stalwart
You can roll with the punches while simultaneously striking back at your attackers.
Prerequisite: Diehard, Endurance, Stalwart, base attack bonus +11.
Benefit: Double the DR you gain from Stalwart, to a maximum of DR 10/—.
Go Human for the alternate Racial Trait..
Heart of the Fields: Humans born in rural areas are used to hard labor. They gain a bonus equal to half their character level to any one Craft or Profession skill, and once per day they may ignore an effect that would cause them to become fatigued or exhausted. This racial trait replaces the skilled racial trait.
DESCRIPTION
With a single touch, you reduce a creature to a fumbling clown.
The target takes a penalty to its Dexterity equal to 1d6+1 per two caster levels (maximum 1d6+5). This penalty cannot drop the target's Dexterity score below 1.
In addition, if the subject moves more than half its speed, it falls prone. If the subject flies, its maneuverability is reduced by one step (perfect maneuverability becomes good, good becomes average, and so on).
A successful Fortitude save halves the penalty to Dexterity and negates the possibility of falling prone or the reduction to fly maneuverabilities.
Metamagics
-Max
-Emp.
-Quicken
with the first round of Double casting you should have the Red Dragon dex to the max drop of a score of 1 (even if he saves).
Then cast this...
Polar Ray
School evocation [cold]; Level sorcerer/wizard 8; Domain ice 9
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, F (a white ceramic cone or prism)
EFFECT
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect ray
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
A blue-white ray of freezing air and ice springs from your hand. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack with the ray to deal damage to a target. The ray deals 1d6 points of cold damage per caster level (maximum 25d6) and 1d4 points of Dexterity drain.
That will Drain him to 0 Dex...
A character with a Dexterity score of 0 is incapable of moving and is effectively immobile (but not unconscious).
If you want to make it tougher on them... Next time try 15 point buy in w/ lower gold per level then suggested. We did in Legacy of Fire and it was tough as hell. First time in a long time that PC's had to flee battle and we had to use tactics.
Also multiple multiple encounters that look tough to make them buff to use up resources.
EX: Fiendish wolf pack. Low CR, detect as evil, fast movement, trip and run then hit back again minutes / hours later. Could lead to a big bad "boss battle"... Fiendish Gaint template Orc's (Orc) with toothy trait. Easy battle / low CR but they could be missed knowledged check as Demons/Devils could be cause for a lot of buffing...
Magical Snow Globe with cool object / holy symbol / somerhing meaningful to the PC. They shake it.... Produces an area of endure elements (cold only) as a low caster Level.
A Red Santa stocking (sock) of Holding
A small bell.when rung produces the effect of ghost sounds
A Santa hat of disguise that only let's you appear as a Halfling/Elf in a green outfit with pointy shoes....
Vampires and spectral knights long ago claimed the country of Morgau & Doresh as their own, leaving the ghouls their empire deep beneath the earth.
Travel deep within the palatial crypts of deep realms of undeath and learn the secrets of the vampire-princes and the ghoul emperor. This gazetteer provides rich new Pathfinder RPG material including:
•A history of the undead nations above and below the earth.
•A giant cast of undying antagonists and allies.
•A new undead race of necropolitan ghouls for PCs to join the unliving.
•The subterranean realms of the Emperor of the Ghouls.
•Undead-themed gods and magical items.
•More original, inventive undead than you can shake a stake at
Optional Alt. class{FYI}: Dread necromancer from Heroes of Horror
- very flavorful + at 16th Lv (i think) you become a lich.
Dread Necro Handbook
Undead leadership (Libris Mortis)feat
- Nice Cohort + your Undead Lord archetype gives you another cohort
Leadership feat
- Cohort is a Undead Lord archetype w/undead leadership
Fell Animate feat
Create Reliquary Arms and Shields feat
- Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ability to cast consecrate or desecrate.
Benefit: When you craft a magic weapon, magic armor, or magic shield, you may add one casting of consecrate or desecrate as part of the item crafting process. The item becomes a reliquary and can be used as a holy (or unholy) symbol divine focus of your deity. If you cast consecrate or desecrate, your reliquary counts as a permanent fixture for that spell while it remains in the spell's area.
Desecrate Spell
This spell imbues an area with negative energy. The DC to resist negative channeled energy within this area gains a +3 profane bonus. Every undead creature entering a desecrated area gains a +1 profane bonus on all attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws. An undead creature created within or summoned into such an area gains +1 hit points per HD.
If the desecrated area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture dedicated to your deity or aligned higher power, the modifiers given above are doubled (+6 profane bonus to negative channeled energy DCs, +2 profane bonus and +2 hit points per HD for undead created in the area).
Furthermore, anyone who casts animate dead within this area may create as many as double the normal amount of undead (that is, 4 HD per caster level rather than 2 HD per caster level).
If the area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture of a deity, pantheon, or higher power other than your patron, the desecrate spell instead curses the area, cutting off its connection with the associated deity or power. This secondary function, if used, does not also grant the bonuses and penalties relating to undead, as given above
Prestige Class
- True Necromancer (Tomb and Blood) I believe its a 14 th level PRC that can be entered either as divine or arcane.
Magic Items
- Mace of the Dark Children, +1 adamantine heavy mace, +3 profane bonus on rebuke checks(3.5), you are treated as 2 levels higher for how many HD of undead you can rebuke. 8,012gp MIC 53.
1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.
1 person marked this as a favorite.
Blind Creatures (including in darkness... if you don't have an ability to see) must make a DC-10 acrobatics check to move faster than half speed. If fail check you fall prone.
Balance is an impossible goal but the pursuit of it is worthy. The best we can hope for is to get close.
The most important thing about balance is to maintain the fun. This is a game. We play it for our enjoyment, whatever reasons they may be.
Attempts at balance should be so that players of each class, race and whatever else have an equal chance at enjoying the game.
I totally agree with UR,its about the fun. So many people get caught up in game balance. I am currently running an open world PF/3.5 game where 4 players are currently 18th level (going to 27th level). High Cr creatures as races (Valkyrie / Wood Gaint / Human-Forever Jack + Adv. simple / Human-Adv. Simple + Adv. Mighty) + full class levels, 3x's gold limit per level (can buy anything in any book), Weapons of Legacy (no negatives) and on top of it all a cut down version of Vow of Poverty (BOED) set up as a misc "Divine bonus".
They are ridiculously over powered and unbalance even between each other but no one is complaining about it. They took down a CR 27 1800 hit point Red Dragon in 5 rounds, stopped a rogue group of Andorian Nobles 3rd sons from starting a slave trade (underground) with Cheliax by taking down a castle and hundreds of Men at arms. Defeated a Linnorm + CR 15 devil + CR 16 outsider and 6 cr 12 NPC cohorts+mounts and took Trollheim as their kingdom. Totally crazy, WAY unbalance and no where near RAW but they are having FUN.
I just feel we should focus more on the Fun than the Blance. You job is successful as a DM if the group is having fun. But everyone has a different idea of fun. Just chipping in my 2 cents.
