kit3's page

Old_Man_Robot wrote:

My first impression is "Is Force Barrage not incredibly funny now?"

Casting multiple 1 action Force Barrage's now can do silly things with Blood magic effects. Propelling Sorcery and Explosion of Power being the standouts.

While Force Barrage definitely triggers an Imperial Sorcerer's bloodmagic, and you can use the bloodmagic effect on yourself, it's unclear as to whether you can use the bloodmagic effect on your target:

Blood Magic wrote:

The blood magic effect occurs after

resolving any checks for the spell’s initial effects and, against
a foe, applies only if the spell is a successful attack or the
foe fails its saving throw.

Force Barrage has neither a saving throw, nor an attack roll, it just "automatically hits". Whether this constitutes a "successful attack" is a grey area, but probably not.

I just wanted to echo this interpretation of the rules (in fact, I don't even think it's a grey area). Force Barrage is neither an attack nor does it provide a saving throw. Therefore, it cannot affect a foe with a blood magic effect.

However, that doesn't mean that the Imperial bloodline can't combine Propelling Sorcery with Force Barrage. You could still cast a first rank Force Barrage on an ally to reposition them at the cost of a little damage. If they are Grappled, this could be a good way to end the condition for a single action (it would still require a check as outlined in the Immobilized condition though). It would be like an off-brand Liberating Command.

I've seen the new feat Propelling Sorcery mentioned a few times, but I wanted to highlight how nicely it combines with single action focus spells.

For the Imperial Bloodline, casting Ancestral Memories (which as mentioned is widely applicable) also lets you step as a free action. Ancestral Memories does not have the Manipulate trait so you can get out of reactive strike range while simultaneously debuffing an enemy.

For the Elemental Bloodline, Elemental Toss, which was already one of the best focus spells in the game, now lets you move a target 5 feet in any direction on a hit. This can work nicely to set up a two-action AOE to hit one more target.

I think these two bloodlines benefit most, but this feat seems like a very good choice for most bloodlines. Draconic and Demonic sorcerers would also appreciate repositioning enemies with their new attack focus spells, and Diabolic and Hag sorcerers will like stepping after their single action buff/ debuff focus spells.

Xenocrat wrote:

WWHsmackdown wrote:

Do the patrons have interesting familiar abilities?

Someone on a Discord said Whisper of Wings gets free 15' flight on sustain (awful), Ripple in the Deep gets an auto push of 5' (no save) against a target within 10' (amazing), and Decay inflicts sickened I think if they're below half HP.

Yes, though Decay offers a fort save vs the sickened (binary check, no partial effect on success or enhanced effect on a crit fail).

Wings is a real monkey's paw situation. Reaction-proof free movement is great for helping position familiars around, but the whole reason Witches care about positioning their familiar is managing familiar abilities.

Whisper of Wings has a nice niche when combined with Stitched Familiar and with the Elemental Scamp's Elemental Breath. When you cast Patron's Puppet, they can position with the free 15 feet to get in range to use either of those two abilities, providing nice damage at no action cost to you.

Also, if you choose the familiar as the creature that the target cannot approach (without taking damage) with your special hex cantrip, moving your familiar for free allows you to better hamper the target's movement (this is already possible with independent but an additional 15 feet is nice).

Since the existing metamagic options feel somewhat lacking, I would love for the new wizard focus spells to be free action metamagic options (like lingering composition) that fit the given school. A war mage could have focus spells that empower their blasts or leave difficult terrain in the blast's aftermath. A civic wizard could have focus spells that harden their walls or empower their summons.

Not really, the Bard would just feel/need be forced to spend extra actions getting into position.

If you don’t want to use those, then don’t. Or don’t play a Bard.

The bard wouldn't really be forced to do anything. It would just have slightly weaker composition cantrips that would work like they currently do at shorter range but potentially require an extra action / incurring some risk to function for more distant targets. It would have to decide whether to incur those costs or to select a different option.

The problem is not that I don't want to use composition cantrips. Inasmuch as there is a problem (and I recognize that many people think there isn't), it's that the cantrips outperform most other buffs and debuffs in the game for such a low cost (1 action + 1 focus point for 3-4 turns at 30-60ft range). I think situationally increasing that cost (bard might have to stride, buff receiver might have to stride) makes other options look slightly better in comparison.

kit3 wrote:

The biggest problem with Dirge of Doom and Inspire Heroics is that they make the bard boring. They provide so much value that bards feel the need to use them every turn.

I think a nerf to the size of the emanations (30ft for inspire courage and 15ft for dirge of doom) would go a long way in toning down the bard's power while making it more interesting to play. On some turns, it might be beneficial to stride to set up the next turn's composition cantrip. Demoralize would be a useful alternative to Dirge of Doom when a target is more than 15ft away. Getting use out of Dirge of Doom would require the bard to expose itself to more melee threats. It would introduce meaningful choices for the bard's third action beyond just picking between dirge and heroics.

Full disclosure : my PFS Bard rately uses Dirge of Doom. To my big surprise, I am these days going back to Inspire Courage rather frequently.

And I do not use Harmonize because it eats too many of my actions.

It's always interesting to hear which options other players find best in actual play!

I'm not surprised about Harmonize given that it prevents casting 2-action spells.

The biggest problem with Dirge of Doom and Inspire Heroics is that they make the bard boring. They provide so much value that bards feel the need to use them every turn.

I think a nerf to the size of the emanations (30ft for inspire courage and 15ft for dirge of doom) would go a long way in toning down the bard's power while making it more interesting to play. On some turns, it might be beneficial to stride to set up the next turn's composition cantrip. Demoralize would be a useful alternative to Dirge of Doom when a target is more than 15ft away. Getting use out of Dirge of Doom would require the bard to expose itself to more melee threats. It would introduce meaningful choices for the bard's third action beyond just picking between dirge and heroics.

Gortle wrote:

Deriven Firelion wrote:

Captain Morgan wrote:

I don't really think of Synesthesia as something you're forced to take, so much as why you pick the occult spell list in general. It is a really strong tool but I'm not sure the occult spell list feels unbalanced on the whole. Every spell list has a small number of really really good spells and some glaring weaknesses it doesn't cover at all.

What are the really good unique Arcane Spells for combat?

Unique to Arcane? I will ignore that as it is unreasonable.

For level 1 Befuddle and Fear. Are both significant debuffs even though they don't last for long. Spending 2 of these to lower the defences of a Boss is a good deal.
The nearest actual equivalent to Synesthesia is Magical Fetters but it has incapactitation on it so it is not for taking down bosses.

Other options:
Slow which makes kiting trivial and is especially good against the 90% of bosses which have a lot of 2 and 3 actions powers that can't really be used any more.

Wall of Stone. Divide and Conquer

Buffs like Haste and True Strike. Typically you have to go to other casters to get numerical buffs.

Invisibility

It goes on. There are heaps of really good arcane spells

I asked for unique arcane spells, not spells on most lists that are effective. I guess even you can't think of any uniquely effective Arcane spells that match Synesthesia.

At least Gesalt listed Contingency.

If even you can't point out uniquely effective Arcane spells, means they likely don't exist.

While I won't pretend that it matches Synesthesia in its spell level to power ratio, Power Word Stun is a unique arcane spell that is also highly effective against bosses. The fact that you can deny a boss's reactions and one action while still getting to cast another two action spell allows you to get so much out of a single turn. The only downside is the opportunity cost of an 8th level slot.

kit3 wrote:

Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, but how could you combine One for All and Amp Guidance given that they both require a reaction? Does Amp Guidance allow you to use the +2 status bonus while preserving the 1 action cost instead of the reaction?

Amp Guidance doesn't indicate that it has to be cast as a Reaction, just that you can cast it as a Reaction. So for me it works as normal Guidance if you want to. And you need this for the build I'm giving as you can't cast Amp Guidance as a Reaction to get a critical success (which is what you aim for with Disarm).

You can replace Amp Guidance by Heroism. It's more costly (spell slots are expensive for a Summoner) that's why I prefer the Amp Guidance way of doing it.

That makes sense, thanks.

Ravingdork wrote:

Looking to make a character that excels at the Disarm combat maneuver under Athletics. How do I do it? What would you recommend?

The only class with significantly more than 10% chance of success (without massive party help) is the Summoner. Grab One for All (or Inspire Competence) and Amp Guidance and you combine max Strength, max Circumstance bonus and max Status bonus. Once at level 10 you'll have roughly one chance on 3 to Disarm an at level enemy.

If you have party help, then the Swash with Derring-Do can get to the highest. But it asks for a lot of party coordination, I hardly imagine a party helping so much on such a random check.

Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, but how could you combine One for All and Amp Guidance given that they both require a reaction? Does Amp Guidance allow you to use the +2 status bonus while preserving the 1 action cost instead of the reaction?