Whipstitch's page

I doubt it.

If Seelah is making a Strength Melee check roll (which is a d8 +2 for her) and I play a blessing to add a die, does Seelah get 2x d8 +4 or just 2x d8 +2 ?

Anything that says it adds a die only adds the die - no bonus, so 2d8 +2.

When I start the Skinshaw Murders (Adv Deck 2), do I remove all cards from Burnt Offerings?

Each time you begin a new Adventure of any PACG Adventure Path, you add all the cards from that deck/level. The rules for the earlier (pre-Core Set) base sets, like RotR, tell you that after you begin Adventure 3, when you banish a bane with the Basic trait, remove it from the game, and you may do the same with Basic boons. (Not level B, but the cards with the word "Basic" among the traits.) When you begin Adventure 5, you do the same for cards with the Elite trait. These rules are printed on the card that lists the six adventures in the AP.

Most people just remove all Basic cards when they begin Adventure 3 (unless there are boons you specifically want to keep, like Cure spells or easy-to-acquire armor) and remove all Elite cards when beginning Adventure 5. It's much easier then trying to remember to keep checking if the card you encounter is Basic or Elite, and you don't have embarrassingly easy banes hanging around until the end.

Beginning with the Curse of the Crimson Throne AP, you are instructed instead to remove all non-Veteran banes at least three levels below the level of your current Adventure and any non-Blessing boons you want of the same level. (Remove level 0 cards when beginning Adventure 3, remove level 1 cards when beginning Adventure 4, etc.)
I prefer to follow these guidelines when playing Adventures based on the older sets. This definitely weeds out most of the "weak" boons and "crappy" banes!

I have just finished Rise of the Runelords.

What order do the remiaing sets go in?

From the post above (from Parody) is it: Skull and Shackles, Wrath of the Righteous, and Mummy's Mask. Then after that the Core Set and Curse of the Crimson Throne? As I have the Runelords Base Set would I also need the Core Set?

Parody confirms the order you suggested as the release order. I feel it's worth noting that the adventure paths can be played in any order. You will start a new character for each new adventure path, so the order doesn't really matter unless you simply want to experience them in the order they were developed.

Remember that each set has at least one additional complete adventure path in PDF form available on Paizo's website, with a new story, all new scenarios, and images of some cards.

Playing as Ranzak, who has the power "When you acquire a boon on your turn, roll 1d6; on a (☐3,) 4, 5, or 6, explore your location", does drawing a card from the vault trigger his ability?

No. "Acquire" is a game term in which you succeed a boon's check to acquire (or other requirements to acquire it if the check to acquire says "see below"). Getting boons by other means don't count as acquiring for game purposes.

Only the player whose turn is ending resets.
It's common for players to begin their turns with fewer cards than their hand size. usually from playing blessings or spells, but sometimes for other reasons, like taking damage on another player's turn. It is even possible to begin your turn with no cards in your hand!

I have party of six (Balazar, Grazzle, Seelah, Merisiel, Wrathack, and Crowe) I think this is a well balanced party with two tanks, 1 and 1/2 heals, 1 caster, and 2 DPS. You think we'll have issues in AD2?? We have been rolling through AD1. We had some character issues in the beginning but when we level set the group and added Grazzle we've dominated AD1 thus far.

Maybe. Rather than look up the Army banes and try to compare your 6 characters to the skills required, I'd say just take it as it comes, and if you find there's a scenario that's too tough, split the party. Run a scenario twice with two parties of 3 and then regroup on the other side.

Nice to see that there still are new chapters to the season 7 coming in this year! Many thanks for that!

https://paizo.com/store/pacg/pacs/year7

Really hope that after this pandemic is fading away, we see resurrection of this wonderful game!

To be clear, there will not be any additional "chapters" to the Year 7 story (Year of Reborn Strife) from Paizo. Year 7 is a 3-adventure AP that concluded with #7-3. There is a community-based effort to produce adventures 4, 5, and 6 and continue the story (and theoretically share it on DriveThruCards via Pathfinder Infinite), but there doesn't seem to be a lot of steam behind that right now.

#7-99 The Protean's Prank was the special from PaizoCon 2021, and it is due out later this year. It's definitely worth getting, but it isn't part of the Year 7 story. (It's listed there, like #6-99 Tyrant of the Harrow is listed with Year 6, due to when it was released.) It's the finale of the PACG line from Paizo, and is a sort of love letter to the game. I strongly recommend players save it until they have played the other Core Set era APs (Years 6 and 7) and the standalone adventures (Fangwood Thieves and Bloodthorne Manor). It really is a fantastic send-off!

Current scenario says: "If Giles Halmis is undefeated,a random other character who has not encountered him this turn summons and encounters him.

If Giles Halmis is defeated, or if all other characters have encountered him this turn, banish him. Then continue your encounter with Vakarla the Wrecker."

"If A, then B. If C, then D. Then continue your encounter"

I'd say that no A or C means no B or D. Just continue your encounter as instructed.

Sorry it took me a while to respond!

The rule says "the avenging character begins a new encounter against the same bane."

Does avenging take whole encounter?

Encountering a card is basically just trying to acquire a boon or defeat a bane. Avenging is kind of like a second chance against a bane that another character failed to defeat. After the attempt to avenge, the turn continues for the original character as it would have after their failure to defeat the bane.

Encounter consists of below.(to the point of avenging)

- Apply any effects that happen when you encounter a card.
- Apply any evasion effects.
- Villain Step: Attempt to guard distant locations.
- Apply any effects that happen before acting.
- Attempt the check.
- Attempt the next check, if needed.
- Apply any effects that happen after acting.
- Resolve the encounter.
Where does avenging begin?

Avenging begins after a character fails to defeat a bane. (It's part of "Resolve the encounter".) Another local (at the same location) character may then bury a card to try to avenge him. The avenging character then goes through all the steps you listed (just like the original character should have).

Can I evade the bane?

The avenging character can. when they reach the "Apply any evasion effects" step, they may evade the bane. This usually only makes sense against a villain; since avenging tells you to ignore steps and effects that would cause the bane to go anywhere, you skip the part where you must take blessings from the hourglass. The villain would get shuffled back into its location deck.

Do we have to guard distant locations again?

Yes. All the steps of the encounter repeat, including the one where, if you're encountering a villain, distant characters attempt to guard their locations. (Remember this is optional. Characters don't have to guard their locations.)

The before/after acting effects happen?

Unfortunately, yes. All the steps of a normal encounter happen. (Of course, if the avenging character evaded the bane, you don't apply Before Acting powers a second time, because those occur after evasion effects.

I hope I explained that all well enough! Let us know if you have any more questions!

Jenceslav remembers correctly.

The Jolly Roger card has an FAQ here.

It says the card should read, "Display this card next to your character. While displayed, add 1d6 to your checks to defeat ships."

Hi! I agree with Jenceslav that what you describe is allowed using pre-Core rules. As for post-Core (sometimes called "second edition") . . .

In addition to the online conversion guide, remember there are conversion rules in the Core Set Rulebook. On page 26 of the Core Set Rulebook, under the section titled Compatibility with Older Sets, we are told

On weapons and spells from previous sets, any power that adds to or subtracts from a check, or that rerolls dice, may be played freely. Powers that also determine the type of check may not be played freely.

Since the Strength spell adds to a check but does not determine the type of check ("For your X check, use Y skill"), it may be played freely.

Hi, Kaikin!

It looks like you're using Yoon from the Mummy's Mask set based on the power you reference ("You may recharge a blessing to add your Fortitude skill and the Fire trait to your combat check.").

1) Constitution: D10 + 2 Constitution skill feat
Fortitude: Constitution +2

2) Dexterity: D8 + 1 dexterity skill feat

3) Power: Recharge blessing to add fortitude skill

4) Weapon: Galvanic Chakram +1
reveal to use Dexterity + 1d8 + 1

I encounter a monster with a combat check. Which of the following apply when I use recharge a blessing to add fortitude skill?

Scenario #1: When not using weapon:

a) D6 + D10+2+2 for Fortitude Skill.
-The D6 is for strength during combat check.
-Base die is D6. When using a blessing, get an additional D6

You are correct that if you don't use a weapon, your default for combat is either your Strength skill (in Yoon's case, a d6) or Melee skill if you have it (which you don't). A blessing adds the base die for your check - in this case you are again correct; it adds a d6.

b) Only D10+2+2 for Fortitude Skill
-Base die is D10. When using a blessing, get an additional D10

This is incorrect because you can't add your Fortitude to your combat check without actually making a combat check. You need to play a weapon or spell or use Strength/Melee first, then add your Fortitude.

Scenario #2: When using weapon. Are you able to add the fortitude skill and the weapon together? or only choose one?

a)
2D8+1 and additional D10+2+2
-Base die is 8 from dexterity. When using a blessing, get an additional D8

b)
2D8+1 and additional D10+2+2
-Base die is 10 from fortitude. When using a blessing, get an additional D10

c) Only able to use weapon
2D8+1

If using the Galvanic Chakram +1, A is mostly correct. "For your combat check, reveal this card to use your Dexterity or Ranged skill + 1d8+1." You said Yoon had 1 Dexterity skill feat, so substitute (1d8+1) for Dexterity, increasing the total with the weapon to 2d8+2 before blessing or adding your Fortitude. Recharge a blessing for that same +1d10+4 and/or play a blessing for an additional die of the type defined by the cards and powers played. Your weapon has defined your combat check as using Dexterity, so that a blessing adds another d8.

With blessing = 3d8+2
With power = 2d8+2 + 1d10+4
With both = 3d8+2 + 1d10+4

Thanks you for your time.

You're so welcome! I hope that all made sense!

BTW my wife and I LOVED all the adventures and are going to buy the expansion very soon.

Welcome to the community!

1. Do you find that the seasons add content that is good enough to invest time in?

2. If it is worth it, does it matter if I simply use the base set characters rather than the class decks?

I guess the bottom line is - I would like your overall opinion of the seasons. I plan on getting most if not all of the adventure base sets and their adventure expansions, so there will be plenty of 'adventures' to choose from so I don't think replayability will be an issue for us. Cost is also not an issues because the seasons are quite cheap to buy.

Thanks

Congratulations on discovering PACG!

1. It may depend on how much you will play the game. For me, once I'd played the APs (Adventure Paths) included in the box sets, I wanted new game content. To answer your "bottom line", the seasons greatly expand the stories behind the APs, as they have several paragraphs of story text per scenario instead of what can fit on a single card. They will also offer new "cards" (appearing in the pdf, which can be printed and used or just referenced by a proxy, as described in the pdf) and occasionally a new mechanic for play (a new rule for just a single scenario) to jazz things up a bit. All of this make the seasons a worthwhile investment for me.

2. If you are only playing at home, not in Society play (at a gaming store or convention, say), you don't need a class deck. However, class decks not only offer up more characters, but new cards for those characters, which can provide weapons, spells, items, etc. not found in the box sets. This can benefit in one of two ways:
A) You can add class deck cards to the box set while playing with a corresponding class character, allowing new cards to be found during exploration.
B) Having a class deck also provides another variation in play. The experience of playing through an AP using Society rules (upgrades after a scenario come from your class deck rather than keeping the specific cards acquired during play) can be one more variation to add to replay-ability.

It's also worth noting that box set characters are often tooled to the box set in which they appear, and may have powers which are useless or ill-suited to other box sets. This doesn't mean they can't be used in any Adventure you want, it's just that the class deck characters are designed to be a little more universal.

My suggestions:
Just as different players will have different favorite box sets, the same is true for seasons. Share which sets you have, and players may comment which available season for those sets was a favorite. Try a season and experience the difference.
When your ready to think about a class deck or two, go to [url=https://paizo.com/products/btpy914x?Community-Use-Package-Pathfinder-Adventure-Card-Game-Character-Sheets[/url]. You can download a free pdf which has character sheets for all the class decks. You can look them over and see which deck has characters that appeal to you before you buy.
(These sheets are also handy to have to reference your character powers when playing, and you can print them for box set characters, too.)

I hope this helps you!

I just recently discovered PACG and have been incredibly excited about it. I have been having so much fun learning & playing it, that I immediately started looking up everything I could find on the game. I wanted to find every expansion and adventure path that was available and buy them all.

As disappointing as the announcement is for so many of us, take some comfort knowing you have A LOT of PACG gaming fun to look forward to, if you want it.

Each of the box sets - Rise of the Runelords, Skull and Shackles, Wrath of the Righteous, and Mummy’s Mask - have full 6-adventure Adventure Paths in the box. The Core Set (with updated and refined rules and cards) has a 3-adventure AP, and the newest Curse of the Crimson Throne (requires the Core Set) has a 6-adventure AP. There are seven AP’s available in pdf form from Paizo - meant for Pathfinder Adventure Card Society play, but equally enjoyable whether one registers Society characters or not – which use the various box sets. Six are full 6-adventure AP’s, and one is a 3-adventure AP. Also available from Paizo are several standalone Adventures.

So, even without considering community-created content (see the Homebrew and House Rules Forum ), that’s quite a bit to enjoy! Hopefully, you will also find (as many of us do) that each AP has high replayability, because playing with a different character can yield a very different playing experience. And there are a lot of characters from which to choose. Between the characters in the box sets (including Characters Add-On packs) and Class Decks (and Promo cards), there are over 125 different characters to play! (This is NOT counting different versions of Ezren, for example, as different characters, even though the versions from different AP’s and/or the class decks will have some different powers and different flavor.)

Oh, yeah – since each character has two roles to choose from, that doubles the options for a different play experience! (I had a hard time deciding on a role for one of my characters recently, so I’m going to play the character again to experience the other role.)

Again, there’s a lot out there. Hopefully, you’ll be enjoying PACG for years to come!

My daughter and I have been regular players of the RPG for about 8 years. I own so many RPG books that I have a suitcase with wheels that I took to 1E games and a large duffel for my 2E books. We were discussing the impending return to in-person gaming, and I had to admit to her that I am not that excited about returning to the Pathfinder RPG because, due to the handling of the PACG, my feelings toward Paizo . . . let's just say they're less warm and fuzzy.
It was a sad thing to realize.

Imagine stretch goals that include promo cards!

Same disclaimer as for my Wrath of the Righteous list, but if you want traits and don't want to think too hard, feel free to use these!

Obviously, this thread is old, but where better to post a list of traits for old locations. I was thankful to Jenceslav for the Skulls and Shackles list, so I'm trying to pay it forward.

Here's my list for Wrath of the Righteous locations:

I welcome comments, especially since I haven't played the AP, though I tried to do some research and kept in mind decisions made for the Core set.

Also keep an eye on this forum thread containing stand-alone community-created scenarios.

There are currently only four homebrew scenarios posted, but there will be more. (I know this because I have three more to post - I'm just hoping to playtest them more first - and I'll be writing more.)
I understand these can't replace official products, and aren't intended to. What they can do is help make the wait easier.

(The intent was to provide single scenarios that can be dropped into other campaigns, to let you play for a little longer a character you're enjoying. The ones playable at any level are, in my mind, especially precious. I know level 6 of an AP seems to go by fast. I'm often left thinking, "Wait! I just got these amazing level six cards, and I want to play more!")

Clearer but a little longer could be:
(☐ or while playing and subsequently attempting to recover)
I think that indicates you get the skill and proficiency both times.

I'm curious why the concern of fitting on the card. Are you expecting the card to get reprinted? In any case, you underestimate what's saved with the new wording!

(Old) "that has an adventure deck number at least 2 less than the scenario’s adventure deck number" = 95 characters
(New) "whose level is at most #-2" = 26 characters
(New) "proficiency in Divine and" = 25 characters

saving 44 characters

(Old) "or would banish" = 15 characters
(New) "or while playing and subsequently attempting to recover" = 55 characters

gaining 40

(Even if I miscounted, you get the idea.)

Welcome to the CannotCon!

For many years there has been a gaming convention in Canberra over the Australia Day long weekend called CanCon. This year that convention is not happening, and the venue is half taken up with a walk-in clinic for Covid-19 testing. So the organisers of Pathfinder Society Organised Play in Canberra have decided to hold an online alternative, featuring mainly PF1, PF2 and Starfinder Society games.

CannotCon will run online from Friday 22nd of January through to Tuesday 26th January 2021. Games will be on Astral, Roll20 or another VTT, so just check the game when signing up to make sure you get the VTT you prefer.

General Discord Link: https://discord.gg/jH8UdzR

- VTT games in 5 hour time slots 09:00-14:00, 14:30-19:30, 20:00-01:00 (e.g. PF2 and SFS scenarios)
- VTT games in 2 hour time slots at 09:00, 11:30, 14:30, 17:30, 20:00 (e.g. PF2 quests)

PF1, PF2, SFS, and PACS are all being offered!

Aspect of the Hawk isn't played to determine the skill you are using, so the traits of the card don't become traits of the check. Thus, the power adding the animal trait is important.

Are you sure you aren't thinking of a different card?

Display this card. While displayed, for your combat check, you may use your Strength, Dexterity, or Survival skill + 1d6 plus the scenario's adventure deck number and add the Melee and Slashing traits; you may additionally discard another card to add another 1d6 and the Animal trait.

That sure sounds like you're determining the skill you are using for your combat check.

I will answer to the best of my ability, but may be "overruled".

1. According to the Core Set Rulebook, page 8, under the "Roll the Dice" step:

Powers that allow or require you to reroll dice happen now; each such power can reroll dice no more than once per check.

Therefore, that could only be used once per check. If you face something requiring more than one character at that location to make a check, each could use that power. Or, if a character faces something requiring multiple checks, the power could be used once per check. (As you noted, assuming there are still cards in the respective hands).

2. No. Core Set Rulebook page 8, under the "Example: Multiple Powers and Playing Freely" sidebar:

When you play a boon that has multiple powers, choose only one of them, even if playing the boon doesn’t take it out of your hand. This rule applies even if you are allowed to play the boon freely.

3. Yes. Each of those instances of damage is a different step, and the rules for playing only one card of a given type is reset with each separate check or step.

You are very welcome! Nice formatting and all necessary quoted text really helped!

(I thought of other names than "Tangents", but everything seemed to have been used previously. Feel free to suggest better!)

Some players like the idea of creating their own adventures, but are daunted by the magnitude of the challenge. I've started working on a new AP, and it's tough! Kudos to those who have made unofficial APs or even single adventures!

If an AP, or even an entire adventure, is a bit much, how about just a single scenario, especially if one is given some guidelines? The final scenario of Dragon's Demand (The Wandering Way) does just that, providing guidelines to create one's own scenario, and this can even be used in Organized Play due to the sanctioning document.

I will write at least one such scenario, and I challenge others to do the same. Think up an interesting plot, select an appropriate theme and scenario type as instructed, and either select your locations, story banes, and wildcards randomly or (preferably) choose them to match the theme of your story. It would be great to eventually have a collection of these scenarios covering all levels and all base sets.

Almost every adventure in Years 6 and 7 have only had 4 scenarios. How nice would it be to have side quests to run at each tier to enjoy those new power feats and maybe get an extra deck upgrade? I’ll get things started by sharing a scenario I have written. I will add at least one or two more in time!

Please remember Paizo’s Community Use Policy. I will include the CUP notice in my scenario and will register this thread in the Community Use Registry. Remember, according to the CUP ( Paizo Inc. Community Use Policy ), “As long as you comply with this policy, you may descriptively reference trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, artifacts, places, etc.), locations and characters from products listed in Section 1 of this list.” This list includes “Pathfinder Roleplaying Game books”, “Pathfinder Society products”, “Pathfinder Adventure Card Game products”, and “Pathfinder Adventure Card Society products”. Please notice this doesn’t include plots, stories, etc.

Remember also that if more than one check is required, the character encountering the card must attempt at least one of them, but each of the other checks may be attempted by one other character at the location. (Core and pre-Core)

No. (This is true for both Core and Pre-Core.)

The same is true if more than one check is required to acquire a boon. Succeed ALL checks, or you have not succeeded in defeating/acquiring.

Sources, if you're interested:
Core Set Rulebook, page 10, "Resolve the Encounter"
Rise of the Runelords Base Set Rulebook, page 10, last paragraph (in "Attempting a Check")
Mummy's Mask Base Set Rulebook*, page 11, second paragraph of regular text

*Because technically, when playing pre-Core material, you should use the latest rules, except for rules specific to a particular AP (like Ship rules for Skulls and Shackles)

My thanks also for taking the time to share this. Those of us who love the card game hunger for these morsels to tide us over between releases of new content.

I'm also sad that PACG/PACS seems to have been abandoned. I ran "We Be Heroes?" at my local gaming store last year, and it was a blast!

Thanks for the response! The one word we missed was "occupied". We all missed that distinction. Now it makes sense!
Allowing any character to face a non-summoned bane now makes sense, too! The whole party can move on any turn someone encounters a bane from a location deck.

I think most of the changes being introduced with the new format are either improvements (one box to buy per adventure path, more distinct differences in the colors of different types of cards) or neutral changes at worst (some of the new terms, reorganizing the layout).

However, the art is a step backwards. Was this opened to community input the way some PFS 2.0 changes have been (like chronicle sheets)? If so, I sure missed it. Since the art is a mostly subjective aspect of the cards, this would have been a good move.

I also dislike the swirl, but I'd rather focus on the shrinking space for art. I have bought class decks I wasn't even sure I'd end up playing because, if nothing else, I enjoyed the art. This was especially true of the cards which really took advantage of the space available, like spells. Flipping through the spells of a deck is always more fun than flipping through, say, the weapons. Sure, a sword in a big open rectangle and a sword in a portrait oval are similar, but it will be a shame to lose the larger space for the cards which took advantage of the space.

The following cards were featured in blog posts this past year. Rightfully so, as some feature beautiful art! Now imagine using a portrait oval copping tool and how the result will underwhelm compared with the original art:

Go to Entice spell.

Go to Icicle Swarm spell.

Go to Leshykineticist ally.

Or these examples of a barrier and a scourge from Mummy's Mask:

Go to Dry Quicksand barrier.

Go to Curse of the Mummy scourge.

The art on locations have always been a highlight as well, but I haven't seen art for locations yet. Maybe their art hasn't been nerfed.

cartmanbeck wrote:

I don't think you can use objectively here when there are those of us, like me, that actually like the new designs. Just sayin'.

You might be in the minority there, Tyler. But...they have already gone to the printer, so there's not much point in commenting on it further. It will be what it will be, and the rest of the excellent improvements will surely make up for it.

True, the art for the base set and Curse won't change, but those of us who love the art can hope for some changes before the next set is produced. Everything else on the cards could remain unchanged, but the art could be improved, which would lead to a more enjoyable experience for many without making the cards difficult to use with the ones currently being produced. We can hope.

Hi, all!

In Pathfinder Unchained, regarding the Flying Kick style strike, it says:

"The monk leaps through the air to strike a foe with a kick. Before the attack, the monk can move a distance equal to his fast movement bonus. This movement is made as part of the monk's flurry of blows attack and does not require an additional action. At the end of this movement, the monk must make an attack against an adjacent foe. This movement may be between attacks. This movement provokes an attack of opportunity as normal." (pg 19)

The CRB tells us:

"You can move through a threatened square without provoking an attack of opportunity from an enemy by using Acrobatics. When moving in this way, you move at half speed. You can move at full speed by increasing the DC of the check by 10."

Since the free movement part of a flying kick provokes an attack of opportunity "as normal", may the monk use acrobatics "as normal" to avoid the AoO? Since when using acrobatics to avoid an AoO (with a DC of the threatening creature's CMD), you move at half speed, does this mean the monk may only move a distance equal to half his fast movement bonus as the free movement part of the kick?

May the monk "as normal" increase the DC of his acrobatics check by 10 to be allowed to move "full speed", or in this case his full fast movement bonus as part of the kick?

I couldn't find this addressed, and I hate to assume anything. I want to ensure I understand how this works before I decide whether to consider taking flying kick.

Thanks!!!

I appreciate your take, Bioboygamer, but I still can't see it. As much as I want to like this archetype, I think giving up the benefits of a familiar and one or more feats (which can each be an extra hex) doesn't seem to make it worth the trade. I hear you on the touch spells - this is the only reason one should become a Cartomancer.

Let me examine the other uses of actions in battle. Darts? If the best you can do on your turn is throw a dart for damage, magic masterwork or not, you must have chosen your spells and hexes poorly. Casting on allies? I also don't think spending turns casting on allies is liable to be your best use of actions. The kind of debuffs and battlefield control hexes and spells a 5th level witch can cast are too powerful NOT to be using instead of curing a single ally for (ave.) 15 hp, for instance. And if you're spending a precious round of battle casting Mage Armor? If somebody needs Mage Armor - a spells with hours per level, you should have already cast it.

So, just delivering touch attacks at range. You've already surrendered your 2nd level feat. Do you spend 2 more to get Precise Shot? You're a 1/2 BAB character, probably with a so-so dex at best. Yes, it's against touch AC, but if your target is in melee, maybe soft cover from an ally. . . you've taken a spell with a built-in chance of failure (a save negates) and added a second significant chance of failure. Considering all you're giving up just to be able to cast a few spells at range, it's easy to question whether it's worth it.

Unfortunately, I know nobody who has played one, and have seen nobody posting on these boards claiming to have played one, to be able to get first-hand anecdotal evidence.