concerro's page

Thank you for your grab bag of questions! Appreciate all your answers.

I missed your live broadcast and wasn't able to post another rule question I had. Possible to humor me with your opinion on this? Thanks.

Using a weapon enchantment to bypass special material DR, does the weapon need the actual enchantment bonus or the enchantment bonus equivalent?

+3 longsword or +2 flaming longsword to bypass DR/silver?
+5 longsword or +3 flaming burst longsword to bypass DR/good?

Does the bane enchantment actually increase the actual enchantment +2 against the specific creature type?

+2 dragon bane longsword against a red dragon with stoneskin (DR/adamantine)?

It's the actual weapon enhancement bonus so it takes the +5 longsword to overcome DR/alignment, and a +3 longsword to overcome DR/Silver.

This is explained by SKR(former Paizo dev) who actually helped write the book.

Link to SKR's post

PS: I only mentioned him being part of writing the book because I don't know how long you've been on the forums.

Taking 10 should not be an issue, but with taking 20 it assumes that you try 20 times, and some of those will be failures. So there is no way to know if a failure or success would happen when the primary roller rolled high. GM's will likely not allow taking 20 for that reason.

According to the weapon chart 1d2 damage goes to a "-" for tiny creatures so it would not do any damage at all.

Nice to have ruling on this. But I disagree with it. Cause is that not the point of Mirror Image? I believe but you have no idea which is the image and which is the caster so how do you target the caster and not an image. If you could tell the difference then you could just melee attack the caster just as easy. Also Mirror image is LV 2 versus LV 1 Magic missile. It should have the edge. Illusion magic is all about fooling others. The purpose of the spell in the description says it makes it difficult to precisely locate and attack the subject of the spell. MM says you have to designate a target to hit it but if you cannot tell which is the target then how do you hit it with magic missile? Not trying to pick a fight or start and argument especially since the rule has been handed down from on High. Just playing a little Devils advocate with some logic. That's my two cents worth and with that I step off my soap box.

The spell says you swing at the caster, but you might accidentally hit an image. It never gives you the option to target an image. Since the spell is dictating interaction that is the only option you have. Also illusions are not foes. I explained in a LONG debate which I am more than happy to link to, and the ruling matched up exactly like I was telling everyone it would.

Also the spell was not made to stop spell, but only attack rolls. Balance will always be a factor. What's important is preserving how the spell works. You can always reflavor it so that the flavor matches how it works mechanically.

concerro wrote:

In 3.5 the entire result was multiplied. In Pathfinder only the rolled dice are multiplied by 1.5.

Quote:

It would be (1d6x1.5) +5

1d6 is the variable potion, and it is the only part that gets increased. The bonus from 1/2 your level is not increased by Empower Spell. Same goes for Magic Missile.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

I'm sorry to necro this, but the FAQ (also from July 2011) says this?:

Empower Spell: If I use Empower Spell on a spell that has a die roll with a numerical bonus (such as cure moderate wounds), does the feat affect the numerical bonus?

Yes. For example, if you empower cure moderate wounds, the +50% from the feat applies to the 2d8 and to the level-based bonus.

http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748c3l3rcp6-top

Which is correct?

Thanks.

They went back to the 3.5 ruling which multiplies the total.

I noticed that the phantom chart has 2 ranks per HD, but it only has an int of 7. The text says it gets "int+2" skill ranks.

Other "pet" charts such as the eidolon and animal companion accounted for this in advance, so if I am thinking the phantom should have 1 skill rank in the chart per HD until it raises its intelligence to 10.

My other theory is that is it was supposed to get 4 skill ranks per HD, but the text says "int+2" instead.

Do I need to FAQ?
------------------------

May not need an FAQ or errata, just me being curious mostly
Question 2: What type of creature is the phantom?

No. The combat chapter said they must be rolled in order.

If you get multiple attacks because your base attack bonus is high enough, you must make the attacks in order from highest bonus to lowest

Out of curiosity, why would you want to do them out of order?

Since the trap is not sentient it would not know to stop shooting, but as a GM running for low level characters I would stop them from being targeted if they go unconscious.

The arrows do nonlethal damage so it should only knock them out unless you choose to keep hitting them once they go down. Then it might go into lethal damage.

As long as it is nonlethal they should eventually wake up. According to the book no monster is supposed to come into the room.

Also there are not literally 1000 arrows.

The trap runs for 10 rounds, and each round it fires 1d4 arrows. Once those 10 rounds are complete it would have to be manually reloaded.

That is correct.

Any individually targeted spell has a 50% chance to fail against you while you're blinking unless your attacker can target invisible, ethereal creatures. Your own spells have a 20% chance to activate just as you go ethereal, in which case they typically do not affect the Material Plane (but they might affect targets on the Ethereal Plane).

concerro wrote:

The enhancement bonus to attack and damage is capped at 5, but the 2d6 still applies.

This is incorrect. A weapon can only be enchanted to a +5 enhancement bonus, but the bane property can create an enhancement bonus with higher than than +5.

I also believe that +7 to hit and damage is appropriate in this situation. Both the arrow getting the enhancement bonus from the bane and the enhancement bonus from the bow are happening at the same time, with no clear choice as to which should be first. When that sort of thing happens, the choice of order is in the hands of the user, and naturally one would choose the most beneficial.

That should be an errata not an FAQ. The book does not have any exceptions.

PS: I do realize I was incorrect. :)

The enhancement bonus to attack and damage is capped at 5, but the 2d6 still applies.

Spell-Like Abilities: How do I know whether a spell-like ability is arcane or divine?
The universal monster rules for spell-like abilities states: "Some spell-like abilities duplicate spells that work differently when cast by characters of different classes. A monster's spell-like abilities are presumed to be the sorcerer/wizard versions. If the spell in question is not a sorcerer/wizard spell, then default to cleric, druid, bard, paladin, and ranger, in that order."

For spell-like abilities gained from a creature's race or type (including PC races), the same rule should apply: the creature's spell-like abilities are presumed to be the sorcerer/wizard versions. If the spell in question is not a sorcerer/wizard spell, then default to cleric, druid, bard, paladin, and ranger, in that order.

For spell-like abiities gained from a class, use the spell type (arcane or divine) of that class to determine whether the spell-like ability is arcane or divine. If the class doesn't cast spells, use the above rule for spell-like abilities from race or type.

Let me help you out Crimeo.

Stardust is correct. Polymorph spells do not change your type.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

The link if you need it

Claxon wrote:

By the way, the rule you were looking for about why Animal Growth doesn't work is because Animal Growth targets only creature type animal. Your druid, even while wild shape, is his original creature type. Wildshape, and polymorph in general, do not change creature type. To confirm that look under the Magic chapter in the Core Rule Book. Specifically in the polymorph section.

This can be overcome by taking the feat Animal Soul, which allows you to be affected as though you were animal.

However, more importantly polymorph effects and size change effects do not stack. You could be affected by Animal Growth, but when he tried to use Wildshape he would have to choose which effect actually affected him. This is also under the polymorph rules.

Both the Druid and the DM wanted a sentence that specifically said druids don't change type with wildshape

That is in the magic chapter under the polymorph section. In 3.5 it actually said you changed creature type, but in Pathfinder you just get the form.

Here is Jason Bulmahn the lead rules developer saying it does not change the type.

MurphysParadox wrote:

If you do not meet the prerequisite for a feat, you cannot use that feat, but that doesn't mean you can't choose to learn it.

I swear I read something from a developer once that said that that is how the rules for pathfinder should have worked, but it is not the way they do.

You may only acquire a feat if you qualify for it, and you may continue to use it after you no longer qualify for it(such as strength dropping to low to have power attack).
Although it's entirely possible that I'm wrong, or that it was about 3.5 or something.

Murphy is incorrect.

Some feats have prerequisites. Your character must have the indicated ability score, class feature, feat, skill, base attack bonus, or other quality designated in order to select or use that feat. A character can gain a feat at the same level at which he gains the prerequisite.

So you can not select/choose a feat until you meet the prereqs. I think what Murphy is remembering is SKR saying he would think it would be ok if the rules allowed for a feat to be selected before the player can actually use it. He was not stating that as rule, but what he would allow if he were in charge.

A creature's spell resistance never interferes with its own spells, items, or abilities.

Actually, SR is only ignored on "target: you" spells. For others it still applies even for ones you cast.

That is incorrect. You never have to overcome your own SR when you cast spells on yourself.

kestral287 wrote:

Boring: you can take ten on the crafting check, so a +15 would guarantee passing.

I've yet to see anything that says you can arbitrarily raise the Caster Level of an item to whatever point you choose though. It is distinctly and definitively different from a prerequisite because you never have to meet an item's CL. So can somebody source that? And at the same time, explain why I shouldn't be looking into making a CL30 item instead?

Can you cite that? I was under the impression chance of failure and chance of making a cursed item meant you couldn't take 10 on crafting magic.

It would drastically change some things in my game.

Crafting and Take 10: Can I take 10 on the Spellcraft check to craft a magic item?

Yes.

Rynjin wrote:

If you can shoot a fireball through an arrow slit, I'm sure you can quite easily make it go around the person, between their legs, through the crook of their elbow, etc.

The bead doesn't have to be shot in a perfectly straight line.

You seem to be making that one up.

I meen there is no indication of that in the Spell description or in the general rules for shooting.

Actually the spell does say you can shoot the bead through a small hole. You just have to hit the proper AC.

If you attempt to send the bead through a narrow passage, such as through an arrow slit, you must “hit” the opening with a ranged touch attack, or else the bead strikes the barrier and detonates prematurely.

Quick Wild Shape

You sacrifice power for speed in changing form.

Prerequisites: Wild shape class feature, caster level 8th.
Benefit: You can wild shape as a move action or a swift action. However, you are limited to forms available to a druid two levels lower when changing form as a move action, or four levels lower as a swift action.

I don't see any feats that allow you to stay in animal form longer than 1 hour/druid level, but the adventuring day is not really all that long so it would not really be an issue in most games.

Yes. If you take the style talent you can choose any feat on that list without meeting the prerequisites.

The rules specifically allow it as the quote says.

Thanks, I hadn't noticed that FAQ entry (looks like it was posted during the year or so that I was away from the game).

However, it is still very vague and certainly doesn't put a minimum 8 hour requirement to avoid being fatigued.

True, but there has to be a number need to resist fatigue and you need 8 hours for spell, so it makes sense to have 8 hours to avoid fatigue due to this.

Fatigued

Fatigued: A fatigued character can neither run nor charge and takes a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 8 hours of complete rest, fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.

There is no strict rule in the book that I can find though.

Sleep: What penalties happen if a character stays up all night without sleep?

The character is fatigued.

Immunities: Objects are immune to nonlethal damage and to critical hits.

Contact as in they need to be able to touch one another with reach? Hexes of only range of touch would work? Hair wouldn't work, as well as slumber, right?

Correct. It has to be a touch based hex.

Grab itself does not deal damage. On subsequent turn the grappler must choose the damage option from grapple and he would do 1d6+3. Your player is correct.

Most of the rules use the same wording from 3.5, so it makes sense that the same words have the same meaning, unless Paizo says differently.

With regard to metamagic, they do stack unless stated otherwise. There is no rule saying they don't stack. There are actually feats and traits to reduce the cost in slots you use if you use more than one.

With a maximized intensified fireball the damage is 90. All intensified does is raise the cap on the dice. That is different from adding dice after the fact.

An intensified maximized empowered fireball would do 90 + ((15d6)/2)

CDG is not a called shot. You just make choose the target and that target has to make the fort save. Since the intellect devourer is inside the creature's body it can't be target for by CDG, and it won't die. I would just follow the rules which prevents this thing from happening.

Damage done to a host body does not harm the intellect devourer, and if the host body is slain, the intellect devourer emerges and is dazed for 1 round.

Thomas Long 175 wrote:

You're making a mistake here. Main hand and offhand take the penalties for TWF. You're at 18/18/18/13/13.

That being said, average AC for a CR 13 foe is 28. You need a 10 to hit on your highest attack. Aka, a 45% miss chance.

So, .55+.55+.55+.3+.3=2.25 hits per round against average AC of CR equivalent foe.

2.25*17.5 + 2.25*8.5*1.10=60.4125 before DR, miss chance, or other such things.

Average HP around this level is about 200 for monsters, meaning that it should take about 4 full attacking sneak attacks to kill a single opponent.

- No mistake, the numbers i gave included all penalties and bonus to hit (from Dex, from Swords, from weapon focus...).

- We are playing a premade module from Paizo (Jade Reagent). The average AC of foes we are facing is not 28. Plus as a rogue my main priority most of the time is to go after the casters/archers, they have lower AC.

-Again most foes we face dont have 200hp. And this is a module made by Paizo. I assume they created something appropriate for our lvl...

Your off hand and main hand attack should have the same attack bonus unless one weapon has a special ability such as a feat or magic applied to give it a higher attack bonus than the other weapon.

That penalty from TWF applies to both weapons, not just one or the other.

So for all intents and purposes 'and' is better?

yes

RAW and RAI nothing prevents a player from taking monster feats.

The ability can be turned off and it takes a swift action to turn it back on because it is a constant spell-like ability.

Reactivating a constant spell-like ability is a swift action.

Here is an official rule. It is under the climb skill.

Action: Climbing is part of movement, so it's generally part of a move action (and may be combined with other types of movement in a move action). Each move action that includes any climbing requires a separate Climb check. Catching yourself or another falling character doesn't take an action.

The DC formula for effects from creatures is 10+ 1/2HD+ relevant stat mod. The stat mod is usually listed in the creature description.

In this case both the wererat and the other named creatures use their constitution modifier.

Any spell on the list.

Taenia, was just looking at animal companions and they aren't actually list as any type. It does state "They remain creatures of the animal type for purposes of determining which spells can affect them." I'm assuming that means they're Magical Creatures as "no creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher can be an animal." Plus it seems redundant to state they're Animals for purposes of spell casting if they were still actually animals. Sorry if this isn't seen as relevant, I just found it interesting that they would be one type of creature but count as another for spell effects...

Again, I could have sworn the Polymorph description used to say flat out that you don't change type, and that now being omitted (if it was in fact there) is what made me re-question this (that and not having any more details on how physically becoming an animal is different than animal type). Reading the posts associated with Concerro's quote would probably help too.

Apologies if I am remembering incorrectly on the polymorph description, just looking for rules/FAQ's to help clear this up.

Thanks again!

Actually they are still animals, not magical beast. They get a rules exception allowing them to be animals with abnormal intelligence.

There is actually a feat that can change them into a magical beast.

And if they were magical beast they would have to be explicitly changed into one. Adding intelligence does not change them into another creature type.

Concerro, can you link what posting that comment is from?

I understand Polymorph spells only do what's listed and that it's not listed that your type changes, however, it does say "A polymorph spell transforms your physical body to take on the shape of another creature." So all it says is that you physically are something else. Plus, it says the polymorpher, to some extent anyway, loses their original form ("you lose all extraordinary and supernatural abilities that depend on your original form (such as keen senses, scent, and darkvision"). This leads me to believe there is a grey area here of what you are.

So if you physically become an animal (per the Polymorph description), why wouldn't a spell that targets "one animal" work on you?

No problem. The question was actually about wildshape.

Click me

Start from the top of the topic and read down. :)

This is from the lead developer, and the polymorph rules do no say you type changes, which would have to be stated. Changing "form" is not changing "type".

Stardust is correct. Polymorph spells do not change your type.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

Show this to your GM

What I was asking is the way PF changed how bypassing DR works, is this because they do PFS? Or just because it makes it easier to bypass DR for ease in the world of Golarion?

Bypassing DR(non epic) has not changed. What I quoted only applies to mythic DR.

FLite wrote:

chaoseffect wrote:

Thomas Long is correct: You need a flat + to bypass cold iron/silver, adamantite (or whatever its called), and alignment DR.

As a side note, should you come across mythic/epic DR, that no longer holds true: All enhancement, not just flat enhancement, applies for that as long as you have a +6 total between the two.

Hmm... So if you have a +2 furious courageous weapon, and you rage, it bypasses Mythic / epic? That feels a little... wrong.

I feel the same way, but I think it is more balance for society play, can someone confirm this?

Here you go.

DR/Epic: A type of damage reduction, DR/epic can be overcome only by a weapon with an enhancement bonus of +6 or greater. Weapons with special abilities also count as epic for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction if the total bonus value of all of their abilities (including the enhancement bonus) is +6 or greater.

Does the serpentine bloodline also apply greenblood oil poison? I.am asking to be sure you.can get poison on 7 different attacks.

So your goal is not the slayer but increasing the usability of poison?

Poison use does not have a DC so that would not apply. The poison has the DC. That ability just allows you to use it without harming yourself.

I did one a few years ago, but not recently. I stopped using it because the group never checked it for updates or used it to keep track of loot or anything else.

old google site

Quote:

would you rather spend a 6th level spell slot on a Maximized Fireball (with the save DC of a 3rd level spell)

ok.. I misunderstood what you were saying.

Venom007 wrote:

thanks does this mean a wizard casting spell with a carried metamagic rod requires a full round action rather than a standard action to cast a typical spell like fireball?

Yes

Quote:

This would make the feat far better than the item.

Questionable: would you rather spend a 6th level spell slot on a Maximized Fireball (with the save DC of a 3rd level spell) or would you rather prepare a 6th level spell (probably similar damage with higher save DC)?

Metamagic spells do not increase the DC. It is still 3rd level spell, but it uses 6th level slot.

Only heighten changes the base level of the spell, but it does not stack with other metamagics to increase the DC.

Flat-footed is a condition, just like being stunned or dazed is. It just so happens the being flat-footed denies you dex to AC. Being denied your dex bonus is what sets you up for the sneak attack.

You only get sneak attack as long as the enemy is not aware of you. After the first attack they are aware of you, because you are now visible.

We are talking about whether you get more than one sneak attack because of the invis. The answer is "no."

By the rules when you hit 0 hit points you are disabled.

Disabled (0 Hit Points)
When your current hit point total drops to exactly 0, you are disabled.

You gain the staggered condition and can only take a single move or standard action each turn (but not both, nor can you take full-round actions). You can take move actions without further injuring yourself, but if you perform any standard action (or any other strenuous action) you take 1 point of damage after completing the act. Unless your activity increased your hit points, you are now at –1 hit points and dying.

Healing that raises your hit points above 0 makes you fully functional again, just as if you'd never been reduced to 0 or fewer hit points.

You can also become disabled when recovering from dying. In this case, it's a step toward recovery, and you can have fewer than 0 hit points (see Stable Characters and Recovery).

If the character starts to die then they must make constitution checks in order to stabilize(stop dying).

Dying (Negative Hit Points)
If your hit point total is negative, but not equal to or greater than your Constitution score, you're dying.

A dying character immediately falls unconscious and can take no actions.

A dying character loses 1 hit point every round. This continues until the character dies or becomes stable.