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My new gut feeling is that the eye are created with the same ability than the vmod... so, if you find "normal" cybernetic eyes, you can't add the vmod to them (perhaps with Craft Cybernetic).


I'm currently doing Iron Gods with friends and we've just found a pair of cybernetic eyes. The item descritpion says

Errata wrote:
A cybernetic eye can be enhanced by cyber art for no additional cost, giving it an unusual color or pattern. When a pair of eyes is installed, the user gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Perception checks and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws against blindness or visual effects. The bonus on Perception checks stacks with circumstance bonuses on Perception checks from other cybernetic sources. A pair of cybernetic eyes can be further enhanced by one veemod at a price equal to twice the veemod’s normal price.

and I've got 2 questions from this simple paragraph:

1. Does that means the veemod must be installed at the same time the eyes are? (and they're stuck there) Or is there a slit for the eye, somewhere around the skull?
2. "Double the price of the veemod" means that we're talking about different veemod chip, twice as expensive, or that the installation price is 20% the veemod chip or the installation cost twice the chip price?

I love Iron Gods, but the object descriptions are, most of the time, lacking in details / precision...

I hope any of you guys can help me :)


Ok, I've noticed a BIG flaw in my question. Sunburst does untyped damage. I'm an idiot, sorry everyone.

However, does anyone has an insight on how to answer my more general question?


Hi! I've tried looking in the forum, and I didn't see any definitive answer on this.

I've got a particular problem which could be probably generalized.

If I'm immune to fire, am I immune to the blind effect of the spell sunburst?

Immunity wrote:
A creature with immunities takes no damage from listed sources. Immunities can also apply to afflictions, conditions, spells (based on school, level, or save type), and other effects. A creature that is immune does not suffer from these effects, or any secondary effects that are triggered due to an immune effect.

But the spell seems to indicate that the damage is not directly related to the blindness.

Sunburst wrote:
Sunburst causes a globe of searing radiance to explode silently from a point you select. All creatures in the globe are blinded and take 6d6 points of damage. A creature to which sunlight is harmful or unnatural takes double damage. A successful Reflex save negates the blindness and reduces the damage by half.

If the effect work, would it still work if the spell was a [fire] spell instead of a [light] spell?

In a case of a spell like Sirocco where the damage is directly linked to the condition (in that case, fatigued), it fairly straightforward. But, in case like this, what should I do as a DM? Does the character could become blind even if no fire damage could affect him? The same question could be asked (and even more confusedly) with Tar Pool (which is a [fire][earth] spell); would the fire immune character be affected by the entangle effect?


archmagi1 wrote:

Spell resistance, it applies before the spell affects the target. If it resists, for example, it doesn't even need to save. Spell turning is still pre save, but i see it as post resistance, as it would need to actually potentially affect him to be eligible to be returned to the caster.

So in my assessment:
SR
Turning
Saves
Energy resist or other defensive buffs.

*EDIT*

Oh, you forgot the touch attack for rays (or any other magic projectile) which I would put before SR.
***
*SECOND EDIT*
Oups
Quote:


[...] Spell turning also fails to stop touch range spells. [...]

****

But, yeah, thanks :)
For me, it could go either ways (I had no clue). So, having an impartial opinion is good enough!
The last fight will start next game; I can't wait!

Since they are all full in resources and they are five, this will be intense.
The party versus Hakotep, non-geared Nefureset, and 5 Shield Guardians (since they were five, the good way to balance the fight was to add 2 golem... now, with Nefureset (they've made a mistake, they've got to pay ;) ), it's gonna be INTENSE!


About Nefureset, I've got a nice way to make her presence in the last fight really cool.

When the PCs returned back to the crypt, I've forgotten that she doesn't have any teleport spells (like refuge or the 9th lvl Dark Tapestry spell), so the wall was not burst open (even though her Canopy Jar was).

I've decided that she called a Planar Ally, just so he could teleport her inside the pyramid (with the secret of how to do it as part of the payment). She summoned a Glabrezu for that, and wished to be beside her husband and be strong enough to defend him. Her wish gave her the Heighten Spell Feat and teleported her right in the throne room.

The Necromancer in the party has binded another Glabrezu; so I've decided that Neferuset would be "compelled" to Dismissed it. Her new body would be covered in weird abyssal runes and, every turn, I will roll a % dice. 50% or less and she will try her best to dississed it (Heighten Dissmisal).

The fun part is, my PCs probably won't understand that this will make the fight more even (I don't want to just DESTROY them... If they mess up, it suppose to be harder... not impossible). Perhaps I'm too soft hearted...


Thanks for the advice. I think I will simply cast protection from energy (fire) in advance.

I've got a question that is a mix between rule and specific to the Crook and Flail artefact... I don't know if I should ask it here or in the rules message board....

Bah, let's try here, because of spoilers.

The PCs managed to kill Neferuset BUT returned immediately in town after that (even after the Shory Engineer warning). So now, Neferuset (without equipment) will be in the final fight... I've decided that she will cast Spell Resistance on Hakotep, but I don'T know how the Crook and Flail Spell Turning effect works in tandem with it... is the spell turning must be decided before the spell resistance roll or after?

There are 3 possibility here:
Let's say the Necromancer casts Boneshatter on Hakotep.
A) Necro roll SR, succeed, Hakotep decides to send the spell back
or
B) Hakotep decides to send the spell back; if he doesn't, we roll the SR.
or
C) Hakotep can wait and see or not (decide before OR after the spell resistance check).

(Sorry again about probably breaking the forum rules... you guys are awesome... *puppy stare*)


I'm a DM. Me and my PCs already got in a ugly discussion about Time Stutter and "Readying an action after the time stop" (we ruled that you can't do it, it goes against the ability concept); because of that I really want to be certain with this combination that I will use.

If Time Stopped wizard cast Tar Pool on a group of characters, do the first effect of the spell affect them after the Time Stop or does the second effect of the spell affect them at the start of their turns?

Relevant info:

Quote:

Tar Pool

Duration: 1 round/level
[...]
You convert a layer of the ground to hot tar. Creatures in the area when the tar appears take 1d6 points of fire damage per two caster levels (maximum of 10d6) and must succeed at a Reflex save or become entangled. An entangled creature receives a saving throw each round to free itself from the tar, and can also attempt to free itself by spending a move action to attempt a Strength check or Escape Artist check (DC = spell saving throw DC).
It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square in the area of effect, and the DC of Acrobatics checks within the area of effect increases by 5. The area is difficult terrain. A creature that moves into or starts its turn in the area takes 2d6 points of fire damage and must reattempt this Reflex save or become entangled. A creature that falls prone in the area takes a –4 penalty on its Reflex save against the tar and on Strength and Escape Artist checks to escape the tar.
Quote:

Time Stop

This spell seems to make time cease to flow for everyone but you. In fact, you speed up so greatly that all other creatures seem frozen, though they are actually still moving at their normal speeds. You are free to act for 1d4+1 rounds of apparent time. Normal and magical fire, cold, gas, and the like can still harm you. While the time stop is in effect, other creatures are invulnerable to your attacks and spells; you cannot target such creatures with any attack or spell. A spell that affects an area and has a duration longer than the remaining duration of the time stop have their normal effects on other creatures once the time stop ends. Most spellcasters use the additional time to improve their defenses, summon allies, or flee from combat.

I've seen a discussion like this (about Time Stop and Wall of Fire), but I think there is a small distinction with this question because the spell is effective at the start of a enemy turn instead of your own.

Thanks!


I've noticed that Hakotep has got a scroll of time stop...

If my PCs destroy easily Neferuset and the Grave Knight in Chariot (forgot its name), I'm thinking about a Time Stop + Sirocco + buff (deflection) + summon + Wall of force + ball of electricity + mind fog; yeah, some of these spell would be cast as quicken spell.

I love the idea of a fight starting with the PCs in a firestorm with a freaking invisible wall in front of them. It will keep them on their toes.


So, I've got a problem that is SURE to happens during the final encounter between my PCs and Hakotep and I need your help.

I've got a ultra wise (LOT OF WISDOM) shaman in the group and now that he can cast Sunburst, every encounter between the group and undead become a blindness fest. What can I do to insure Hakotep will not be beaten like a punk (his reflex save is DEFINITELY not strong enough)?

Oh, nevermind, I've just spotted "Protection from Energy" in its spell list. If I remember correctly, the blindness doesn't happen if all the fire damage are gone, right?


For the records (if people are interested), that's my smaller CR11 ossumental:

"Young" Ossumental (Earth) CR 11

XP 12,800
NE Medium undead (earth)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 100 ft.; Perception +26
Defense
AC 27, touch 14, flat-footed 23 (+4 Dex, +13 natural)
hp 128 (17d8+51)
Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +12
DR 10/magic; Immune undead traits
Offense
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.
Melee 4 slams +20 (1d6+8/19–20)
Space 5 ft., Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon (30-ft. cone, 4d6 bludgeoning and acid, Reflex DC 21 half, usable every 1d4 rounds), discorporate
Statistics
Str 26, Dex 19, Con —, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 17
Base Atk +12; CMB +19 (+23 bull rush, +21 overrun); CMD 33 (35 vs. bull rush, 35 vs. overrun)
Feats Alertness, Awesome Blow, Cleave, Greater Bull Rush, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (slams), Improved Overrun, Power Attack, Vital Strike
Skills Climb +12, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (planes) +16, Perception +26, Sense Motive +4, Stealth +15
Languages Ancient Osiriani, Terran


archmagi1 wrote:

Even templated he'd be easy pickens for 5x the actions. Toss in a couple of ossumentals if you want more of a challenge, maybe templating them easier if needed.

As for petrification? As written, outsiders, elementals, and earth creatures are all susceptible to it.

Yay, you're probably right. I'm always a little bit skittish about boosting the encounter, but I need to do it. I'm sure I just underestimate them again.

So, probably no additionnal template on the Earth Elemental, but add 4 "young" earth ossumentals (I want to keep the different varieties a surprise ;) ) should do it...

So, 4x CR11 and 1 CR14 would equal more or less a CR16 for a group of 5. Yeah. Doable for 5 lvl 13 PCs.

Hum... a young ossumentals would probably only do 4d6 for its breath attack, right? or perhaps 6d6, but in a line...

*EDIT*

I've also just noticed the ossumental breath weapon DC... does someone knows why is it constitution based instead of charisma based?


Hi guys!
I've got a good question for you. I've got a 5 PC group and I boost some of the encounbter so the XP total match at the end of each module. Now, they are going to face the Mythic Earth Elemental (forgot its name) and I want to add a template to it so it stay a hard encounter. However, I'm afraid that it could become something a little bit to hard (TPK).

I've got a brawler, a necromancer (with the Mummified Gorgon of the Five-Pointed Star under his control), a shaman, a mounted druid (full attack on charge, armed with a lance) and a rogue.

So Brawler won't lose its weapon in the fight (he only use his shield), the druid will lose his lance at the first attack (~60 hp), the shaman would hex it (misfortune), the rogue won't do much, and the necro will probably use a disintegrate on it.

What do you think:
Advanced, Giant or Fiendish?

Advanced and Giant would give it more hp and boost the already pretty high DCs of its abilities.
Fiendish would give it a SR25 (20 + 5 because it's a mythic creature) and energy resistance.

Also, can the gorgon petrify a earth elemental? I'm confused... the rules seem to permit it, but I don't understand how a earth elemental can be petrified...?

Thanks for your help guys!


Ohhh, I'm suddenly very excited about the encounter with Lady Sophronia !
As I mentioned before, I've got a evil bastard of a necromancer in the party. I'm pretty sure a paladin of Serenrae won't like to him in her reposing place :)


archmagi1 wrote:

Oh in the first post I alluded to Jamirah not knowing how to get there by going straight North. They characters including Jamirah don't have the easy map, and maybe following these old trade routes is her way she knows.

Also fp already has sorc levels. The heart switched her wis and cha and made her a sorc.

Oh, yeah, don't know the straight line... good idea, she did leave quite rapidly the base camp, probably didn't take any map, compas or anything that could help her in the desert... true!

And, yeah, the FP has sorc lvl, but with cleric HDs ;P and no bloodline ability/powers... she's build like a cleric with no access to her divine powers, her wisdom switched for her charisma and with sudden access to the same power a 14th lvl sorcerer would have, except for the bloodline power. Anyway, I don't think I'll change her that much, it sounds like a bad idea.


archmagi1 wrote:

/me totally cries for his 800 word reply being eaten by site maintenance...

Cliff's Notes since I don't think I can replicate that half hour of work...

Jamirah runs through the desert in book 4. Sets up all the PC fights in part 1 as they're right on her tail. Culminate with battle at Walled Oasis after she bribes the genies to help her out. Give every opportunity to kill her there.

If she escapes, Glabrezu has her. Give opportunity to kill her there.

If she escapes, FP becomes Lady Hakotep, throw out the multiple personalities problem that FP has. BBEG monologue about Khepsutanem and reclaiming his fleet of Anti Shory Pyramids. If you kill Lady Hakotep, ib has no ba or artifact to hold onto, returns to Hakotep's ba, proceed with book 5. If you take her captive, check my notes on skipping 5 part 1 in this and book 5's thread. Mechanically, leave her alone.

If Lady Hakotep (who doesn't have teleport on her spells known, don't give it to her either) gets to Khepsutanem before party, its a chase for the activation of the Sun Disk. Big fight on the Disk as it is summoning the pyramid. 3 sided: 1) Lady Hakotep, 2) Party, 3) Ossumentals. Depending on how you handle the shaitan guard guy, he may be on any of the three sides.

Really cool ideas! I just have some problem justifying Jamirah going to the genies if she could make a beeline to the Sightless Sphinx. Perhaps I could add some terrible (stronger than Jamirah) danger between Chisizek Tomb's and the Sphinx... toxic waste? elemental rift? a rift to the plane of shadow that's becoming bigger and bigger because of the people in the Sphinx?

Otherwise, yeah, the idea that they are just behind her and that, when the Ka is given back to the FP, she became "Lady Hakotep"; the body is not as strong as the one containing its Ba, but she's still a little bit stronger than the FP (and not half crazy).

Perhaps the ritual to reunite part of the soul takes some time (a specific moment of the month), so when the PC arrives at the Sphinx, she's just reunited with her Ka. She tells them that she will activate her fleet, retake control of Osirion, her rightful kingdom. She will not be forgotten anymore! The PCs are the last obstacle to her plans, and she's even glad she can destroy them before starting her conquest!

So, perhaps give her the bonus from the Mask, transform her cleric level to sorcerer level plus at least 1 of them (or two? lvl 8 spells... hum) and add a big badass undead in the room since she can now use create greater undead with the mask. That would unbalanced the encounter, but, yeah, they messed up, so they should have some problems...

I don't know, though, the sorcerer class is generally blood based, so link to the Ba...


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Name: Immotep, Wati's Grand Priest of Sethek
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Cleric 8
Adventure: Shifting Sand
Location: Parched dunes, middle of the desert
Catalyst: Gravity, a Brawler without a ranged weapon, and a cleric who was probably bored to be a walking bandaid.
The Gory Details: (optional)

Spoiler:

The party saw a big bird in the sky and tried to hide (not really well) in the small bushes that were near them. The Roc saw them, decided the Brawler looked good to eat (Hey, half-orc look probably like seasoned meat, who knows). Of course, the roc successfully grabbed Zeila, the brawler, but Immotep couldn't let her friend be brought back to the nest of the roc; so he casted freedom of movement on his friend.
She freed herself, and the roc decided to take the cleric instead and leave this dangerous place.
The necromancer put a wall of blindness in front of the roc. The wall only worked on the cleric. The damphir inquisitor/hunter/vampire scion (don't ask) tried to shot it down, the brawler did nothing (really), the necromancer used acid arrows and the cleric tried unsuccessfully to cast spell (really...), but even with relatively slow up-movement (40ft/round), the roc was pretty high (120 feet) when the party felled it.
The fall and all the grab attacks killed the now blinded cleric.
I don't think he remembered he could have healed himself every round with his selective channeling... hehe :)


Hi guys! I'm in kind of a bind...
In the third book, the PCs were doing an all out assault on Chisizek Tomb's, so I've put everyone into the fight (Except the guys in the temple). But, since Jamirah entered the combat kinda late, I've decided to make her cast haste, vanish, steal the Mask (which liberated some of the undead from the PC necromancer control!), KO the necromancer who had it and run with the mask (since the PCs were regrouping and she didn't think she could kill them).
Now, I've got a FP with her Ka and her Ib. What should I do? Just give her the stat boost and spell-like ability (+6 charisma would make her pretty intense)? or more (add Spellcaster Level, feat or more)?
Also, I've got the whole module to think about this, but since the FP has got its Ka, she would know where is the khepsutanem, right? So how do I justify the fact that she's still at the Sightless Sphynx? Perhaps Jamirah should lost herself in the desert? I don't know! :P

Thanks for the help!


shadowkras wrote:
Quote:
Question: did your player had problem wiht the Sceaduinar? Because, the way I see it, the first 3-4 round of the fight will be quite boring (flight, anti-life shell and enthropic shield). 3 enervation rays, and then, into the fray! It's kind of weird, no? That monster seem way better than a CR7 :)

The sceaduinar washed the floor with my players, twice.

They only managed to beat him on the third attempt, when they got dispel magic and readied actions to beat him before he cast his deeper darkness 3/day.

The first fight they found on the stairs, running away from his room.
The second one was in the large statue room, and they had to retreat to the dormitories, when they had time to breath and think about a plan while one of the guys in the party held him off for about 5 turns.

Can you imagine that my 2 spellcasters (a necromancer and a cleric) never memorize dispel magic (nor fly)? This encounter as well as the Nebta-Khuffre will be disastrous (specially since they used their Summon Vanth scroll against Shardizard (I've upgraded him to a young adult dragon, and they were justifiably terrified!))...


Grumpus wrote:
drake666 wrote:

Hi, I've been DMing Mummy's Mask for some months now and I really love it! Awesome adventure path!

In the Sepulcher of the Servant, I have two questions about the Neferekhu "Hateful Glare" aura (SU). It says "Will DC16 negate".

1) Does that mean that, every round, the player must first succeed a will DC 16, do it until they succeed once or do it once and that's it (if they succeed, good for them, otherwise, though luck)?

2) For that will saving throw, do they have to roll twice and chose the worst one?

Thanks!

1. for this monster, I ran it as they must save every round as long as they are in the 30ft aura. (if it was just a "save once, and immune thereafter" it would be noted in the ability (see the mummy's despair aura)).

I could see an argument that one save makes you immune (unless you leave and re-enter the aura). Personally, if you are the GM, you could decide on the fly depending how challenging you want to make the encounter. I happened to LOVE this encounter, so i ran it as they had to save each round, in order to keep the crazy old-lady head in a cage around for as long as possible.

2. I would rule they only roll once on the saving throw, until they fail, and then it is twice from then on.

Thanks for the advice!

I've check here just before the game and followed your example. It made the fight really interesting!
Since I've got 5 players, I'v changed I little bit the skeletal champions to boost their xp value (1600+1800)*1.25. All of the skeletal champions had 2 more warrior lvl and one of them (the one with the cage flail) had also the bloody skeleton template (and I've changed its feats to use the improvised flail correctly).
This put the xp total value to 4800 which is a little bit more than 4250, but it worked. It was a BLAST!
For once, the Brawler of the group didn't destroyed everything and the inquisitor/ranger had its moment!
I've successfully blinded the rogue, murdered command the brawler twice (since he always miss the hateful glare will save, he didn't kill a friend ;) ) and almost killed the cleric.
They loved it!

Question: did your player had problem wiht the Sceaduinar? Because, the way I see it, the first 3-4 round of the fight will be quite boring (flight, anti-life shell and enthropic shield). 3 enervation rays, and then, into the fray! It's kind of weird, no? That monster seem way better than a CR7 :)


Hi, I've been DMing Mummy's Mask for some months now and I really love it! Awesome adventure path!

In the Sepulcher of the Servant, I have two questions about the Neferekhu "Hateful Glare" aura (SU). It says "Will DC16 negate".

1) Does that mean that, every round, the player must first succeed a will DC 16, do it until they succeed once or do it once and that's it (if they succeed, good for them, otherwise, though luck)?

2) For that will saving throw, do they have to roll twice and chose the worst one?

Thanks!


Yeah, this whole conversation happened during the fight.
I really hoped that I misread the Animate Dead, Zombie Template or Animal Companion rules and that it was clearly explained somewhere...

I think the reason what happens when a druid/ranger/cleric (animal) died to the animal companion is not clearly explained is to let it at the discretion of the DM, but it can creates a lot of tension... perhaps a "suggested" rule should be conceive in a supplement somewhere... :S

Perhaps just adding the zombie template was the way to go to simplify things... (but it seems a little too frustrating/powerfull). Specially after reading this:

"Hit Dice: Drop HD gained from class levels (minimum of 1) and change racial HD to d8s. Zombies gain a number of additional HD as noted on the following table."


Hi!
I've been playing Rise of the Runelords for a while now, and my friends and I survived the encounter against Barl Breakbone. However, I'm a cleric of Erastil and I had a wolf animal companion that died in the combat. Just before I could cast breath of life and save him, Barl casted Animate Dead on its body.

My DM considered that the undead wolf (dire wolf) should keep all the bonus of the animal companion (excepts its feats). I thought it wasn't fair, but I would like outside opinion on this.

I've looked through the messageboards and I only found this 3 years dead threads with no answer: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2l43v?Dead-animal-companion-and-animate-dead

Should it had been:
A) an undead dire wolf "standard"
B) an undead animal companion dire wolf
C) an undead wolf

There's just not enough rules (or even fluff) about the animal companion class feature to correctly judge what happens when the player dies, the animal companion dies or an animal companion is changed.

What do you think?


Hi!
I've been playing Rise of the Runelords for a while now, and my friends and I survived the encounter against Barl Breakbone. However, I'm a cleric of Erastil and I had a wolf animal companion that died in the combat. Just before I could cast breath of life and save him, Barl casted Animate Dead on its body.

My DM considered that the undead wolf (dire wolf) should keep all the bonus of the animal companion (excepts its feats). I thought it wasn't fair, but I would like outside opinion on this.

I've looked through the messageboards and I only found this 3 years dead threads with no answer: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2l43v?Dead-animal-companion-and-animate-dead

Should it had been:
A) an undead dire wolf "standard"
B) an undead animal companion dire wolf
C) an undead wolf

There's just not enough rules (or even fluff) about the animal companion class feature to correctly judge what happens when the player dies, the animal companion dies or an animal companion is changed.

What do you think?