cjstevenson's page

Thanks for tracking down related feats and focus spells! That helps balance and give me some more ideas.

I've made some adjustments, and I'd love to hear what you have to think.

After some other feedback, I've reworked the archetype. The point was raised that is was a little too good for Clerics and Oracles, particularly as a low level dip, and completely outclassed Sturdy Shields.

I have both up for comparison. I've love to hear your thoughts on the rework.

I've wanted to make a character that focuses on defense through magic. I felt that there's some design space for an archetype in this area.

I present the Mystic Bastion Archetype .
I'm looking for feedback, good or bad. Here are some of my thoughts:

Comparing to normal shields:
A sturdy shield caps out at 20 Hardness, and a Champion's Shield Ally can increase that to 23. The Bastion's feat Destructive Block can double the shield's hardness, and greatly weaken or break the shield in the process.

The Shield Cantrip has a significant weakness: it can be counteracted.

Balance concern:
I'm concerned that Durable Magic shield (lv 10 archetype feat in the homebrew: increase shield hardness by 5, by 10 at lv 18) was a bit much. If there's agreement there, I can change it to make the shield harder to counteract, or remove it.

Overall analysis:
The net effect, for 5 of 10 class feats (including the capstone lv 20 feat), you get the strongest attack damage soaking option in the game as a stance (25 hardness shield usable on every enemy's turn). and up to 4 more feats improve this protection further.

Mainly, Striking Spell just doesn't feel distinct from casting and then hitting someone normally. With Slide Casting you do get a free stride action, but otherwise it's just the same Cast+Strike that anyone with a cantrip does.

Striking Spell is supposed to be the centerpiece of the class, but frankly I think I'd avoid using it as much as possible, due to the upsides being so limited (no MAP and the crit effect), and the downsides being an added chance to just waste the spell (and 2-actions taken to cast it).

(emphasis mine)

I think an interesting idea would be to allow an action with manipulate and concentration traits to extend the time allowed to expend the spell by a single round. (Kind of like sustaining a spell)

I throw in my take. To make it easy, I'm referring to Archive of Nethys for my discussion, at (AoN Formula page) . It looks like the only cost associated with Formulas is buying them from an NPC. There is no discussion of a price associated with the activity of copying the formula into your formula book. (This also does not destroy or expend the formula).

I think a useful analogy is a schematic for Plate Mail, a level 2 item with the understanding that an alchemy formula should be treated the same way. If one player found the schematic for Plate Mail in treasure on an adventure (say from an abandoned Fort Smithy). Multiple players (with formula books) could copy that same schematic into their own Formula Books.

So, what does it take to actually copy the formula? The only thing the next specifically states is time. (Presumably you need something to write with and something to write on.)

If a player decided to spend down time making dozens of copies and spread then across the land, all that's spent is time and writing supplies.

Edit: ah, but what about the rules for Crafting Items: (AoN Crafting Skill page)

Is copying a formula Crafting an Item? I think that it is not, because a) crafting an item needs a formula, and there is no formula for a formula scroll and b) the Craft skill gives a completely separate time rule (4 days) from the copy formula rule (1 hour). In fact the rules for reverse engineering a formula are more like crafting.

Just to reiterate: this is my opinion.

I know that there are Divine spells to heal and remove status affects, but I'm interested in prevention.

What are some examples of spells (or powers) that Divine casters can use to keep their allies from being harmed?

(Or am I thinking about divine magic the wrong way?)