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My oracle has Abyssal as her tongues curse language she has to speak in combat.

Does that mean she knows that language? If she is speaking in abyssal and someone speaks back in abyssal, would she understand? Or would they need to respond in common?

Or does she now know the language out of battle?

Thanks,

This is a combination question of sneak attack and spells AND sneak attack and damage types, with a little bit of cheese tacked at the end. I am looking for any input on any part of my discussion.

1: As I understand it sneak attack (sa) can be applied to any spell which requires an attack roll and does damage. For example, you could sneak attack 3 times with your ranged touch acid splash within 30' if you took minor magic talent. Am I correct? *assuming the target is denied dex of course*

2: Does the sneak attack damage type change to the spell type? If I rolled a 2 on damage with acid splash and have 4 sa damage, would that be 6 acid damage?

3: I am making a half elf rogue that will have eldritch heritage by third level. I am going to choose the celestial bloodline that gives a ray that deals 1d4 points of damage + 1 for every two sorcerer levels you possess against evil creatures. This damage is divine and not subject to energy resistance or immunity. This ray heals good creatures of 1d4 points of damage + 1 for every two sorcerer levels you possess.

Back to question 2, would all damage be divine if I did a sneak attack with it? If so...cheese...can I sneak attack a good ally with it and heal for my sneak attack damage? It is a touch attack! You can sneak attack subdual damage with a sap. What do you think?

Let's say I am a druid that shifts and gets an animal with the grab feat, but I have also have the improved grapple feat. Does Garb stack with Improved Grapple?

I hope this is in the right place. I am a pathfinder AP subscriber. I am wanting to run Council of Thieves and I want th print and pdf versions.

Does anyone know if the free pdfs are just for the new APs, or if I purchase the Council of Thieves print editions will I get the free PDFs?

If not, is there any way I can get the PDFs for free? Start another subscription starting at CoT or maybe getting a discount if I buy them all at once?

Thanks,

I have a Gladiator Fighter(4)/Rogue(2). I almost have my head completely wrapped around gladiator fights outside of the arena.

In order to use performance feats out of the arena you need the Performing Combatant feat. To get that feat you need "Weapon Focus--Dazzling Display--and at least one Performance Feat." That is four feats including Performing Combatant.

Once I get a trigger (like charging, hitting with 2 weapons, critting, et cetera), I can make a Performance Combat Check. That check is my charisma modifier + a modified bonus based on BAB + a modified bonus based on ranks in a performance skill + bonus granted by the performance feat + a bonus if you have a "performance weapon."

At level 6 with a BAB of 5 and 5 ranks in a performance skill, I get a +1 (from charisma), a +1 (modified bonus based on BAB) +1 (modified bonus based on skill ranks), +2 from my performance feat (I will use savage display), + 2 from my performance weapon.

I need a Performance Combat Check to beat a DC 20 with a + 7 to my roll (1+1+1+2+2).

See rules here.

Here is my question. How does action economy work with the performing feats? If I pull off Savage Display do I get the 1d6 extra damage on the attack roll that triggered the event, or do I just get it until the end of my next turn for all other attacks?

Same with Dramatic Display. Because I made the check, does that mean at that moment I get a +2 bonus on that attack roll?

On Mocking Dance does that mean you get extra movements?... because in Murder's Circle you don't.

I am assuming with Mocking Dance I can charge 60 feet, attack, make the performance combat check, and move 30 feet back provoking an AoO.

And the wording is very confusing for Mocking Dance, "When you spend a swift action to make a performance combat check, before making that check you can either move 5 feet without provoking attacks of opportunity, or you can move your speed and provoke attacks of opportunity. You cannot end this move in a space where you threaten an enemy. If you do move at least 5 feet, you gain a +2 bonus on the performance combat check."

So if you can move and get the benefit without making the check, why even make the check? What happens if you fail? I can possibly see that in an arena battle you get the benefit of the feat but don't change the crowd's attitude, but in regular combat...do I even need to make the check, or is it worded wrong?

Thanks in advance for any answers or input.

EDIT: btw, I should add/remind that triggers can make using the feat a swift action or immediate action--depending on the trigger. For example, a critical hit, striking someone first in a battle, or vanquishing someone makes it an immediate action. Charging, dealing max damage, or performing a combat maneuver makes it a swift action. *note: I did not list all the triggers.

I have poured over the message forums and the rules and I am still confused on the vampiric touch spell. Can someone clarify how it works, specifically does it stack with itself?

The rules state:

Spells that provide bonuses or penalties on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and other attributes usually do not stack with themselves. More generally, two bonuses of the same type don't stack even if they come from different spells

and...

Same Effect More than Once in Different Strengths: In cases when two or more identical spells are operating in the same area or on the same target, but at different strengths, only the one with the highest strength applies.

Now I understand that some spells, like touch of idiocy, deal a penalty where other spells, like calcific touch, deals damage. Casting "touch of idiocy" multiple times only benefits you if you roll higher on subsequent castings, but the affects don't stack, but "calcific touch" does stack because it is damage.

I understand "effects" to be any type of spell result applied to the target that is not damage, like confusion, darkness, blindness, haste, et cetera.

Vampiric touch states:

Your touch deals 1d6 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 10d6). You gain temporary hit points equal to the damage you deal.

and target equals....

Target living creature touched

In in other words the caster is NOT the target. Since the temporary hit points are NOT on the target or an area, they should stack if vampiric touch is the type of spell that stacks.

I read this to mean that vampiric touch does stack with itself in much the same way calcific touch stacks with itself. Actually I can read it three ways.

1: You cast vampiric touch 3 times on the target and it functions as stated and stacks.

2: You cast vampiric touch 3 times on the target and the effects don't stack, but they do overlap. So if you damage them for 12, 7, and 9 and you get attacked for 10 points damage three times in a row, then the first attack takes 10 from 12 so you are left with 2,7,9. The second attack takes 10 from 9 and you take 1point damage and are left with 2,7. And the last attack takes 10 from 7 dealing 3 points damage, and you are left with just 2 temporary hit points.

3: You cast vampiric touch 3 times and it damages as normal all three times, but it only gives you temporary hit points once. If you roll more damage on subsequent rolls then your temp hp becomes the new highest, but it doesn't stack or overlap in any way.

The forums seem to reflect option three, but my reading of RAW does not support that in my mind. I read it as option 1, but I could see option 2 as being closer to RAW.

My reasoning is it is a damage spell and the caster is not the target.

This has confused me greatly and how this works will greatly affect whether my 8th level sorcerer takes vampiric touch.

Thank you,

I am taking over dming for a group of five 7th level adventurers. We already have a fighter who will fight with two hands, a monk, a paladin/sorcerer, and a fighter/bard. The fifth person is going to make a rogue.

Pure melee! Bwahahah! I will have so much FUN with this lot!

This friend likes to ask for rule tweaking/exceptions. I love to play with him, but it is always a challenge for me to figure out and respect the balance.

He wants to make a drow rogue that fights with two weapons. However, he doesn't like that the rogue's to-hit is lower then a fighters. In addition to the "drow," he requested his rogue gets a full BaB like a fighter. In exchange, he is willing to cut his skills from 8 a level to 4 and keep his D8 hit points.

I had hesitation for the obvious reason of seeing all of these attacks with a high likely chance of hitting with sneak attack damage. Sounds like he will outshine the fighter on damage because the party make-up almost guarantees he will usually flank.

He reasoned that Rangers get a full BaB, spells, animal companion, and ranger abilities. He doesn't see a balance problem and this fits his character concept.

As I have been thinking about it, I think a better option would be for me to keep the skill penalty, but create "weapon precision." Weapon Precision would work like Weapon Mastery from the fighter class. However, it would start at 1 and repeat at 5, 9, 13, and 17. It would only give a bonus to attack, NOT damage. But in every other respect it would be like the fighter ability. He could pick one weapon category at level 1 and get the to-hit bonus. At level 5 he would get a +2 on that weapon type and a +1 on a new weapon type.

That way he doesn't get the extra attacks earlier, but he would have one weapon category that would essentially be on par with a BaB of a D10 character, and other weapons would have good to-hit bonuses.

Think my compromise is fair? What would you add or take away? I see my job as a dm to say "yes" like in improv. I want to support his concept, but not let him outshine everyone.

Thoughts....?

If I were to cast "touch of idiocy" onto a monster with a spell-like ability, would it affect its ability to use that ability?

Spell like abilities are based off of charisma and act like spells off the wizard/sorcerer list. “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."

Also, "It is possible to make a concentration check to use a spell-like ability defensively and avoid provoking an attack of opportunity, just as when casting a spell. A spell-like ability can be disrupted just as a spell can be. Spell-like abilities cannot be used to counter spell, nor can they be counter spelled."

An aboleth can use "hypnotic pattern (level 2) as a spell like ability and it has a charisma of 17. If I cast "touch of idiocy on it and rolled a 6, it would be reduced to 11. Does that mean it can't cast that spell like ability? My gut reaction is it would lose that ability, however the aboleth CAN cast "dominate monster," a 9th level spell with only a 17 on charisma.

So my question is what are the repercussions of temporally lowering charisma on spell like abilities? For sure the saves would be easier for the PCs, BUT can you actually suppress the spell like ability? Would there be any other benefit?

FYI: Next session my sorcerer will be fighting a buffed up aboleth. I am not going to meta-game. My soorcerer would use "touch of idiocy regardless off how it will affect spell-like abilities, but I want to be clear on the rules before she does.

I made a dragon shamen. When I summon a lizard animal, I can apply either the young, advanced, giant, or advanced+giant template to adjust what level of summon I need to cast.

Do any of these templates affect an animal's hit dice? If I summon an advanced giant monitor lizard, does it still only have 3HD and I just calculate new HP based on a change of constitution?

Or does applying a template (like giant) also give it more hit dice? I thought increasing or decreasing size affected hit Dice, but I can't find a rule.

Thanks,

My post title pretty much says it all? If a druid turns into a crocodile can she or he ever get the death roll attack or powerful charge of other animals?

The rules says special attacks are determined by spell based off of the various Beast Shape spells. However death roll and powerful charge are not listed?

Is that an oversight or are they left out on purpose? It seems random that on BS2 you get pounce and rake and BS3 gives you trample and web, but powerful charge and death roll are NEVER an option.

I don't get it...

Does a ranger with humanoid (human) favored enemy get the benefit of favored enemy if he is attacking a human druid that has shape shifted into an animal?

Last night I was running The Slumbering Tsar and our group of 4 8th level characters decided to an old-school school yard type fight by the flag pole against Skeribar (CR9) and all 7 of his Rangers (CR4).

The Userer had them settle the fight in The Desolation, so the group stupidly decided to give the rangers a 10 minute head start. The group walked into a trap with a storm of arrows I intended to use for a TPK.

I feel like I am a good DM, but blatant stupidity energizes me to be extremely tactical and vicious.

Only one of the party members (a gnome barbarian) charged for the first two rounds. Seriously, I focused like 30+ attacks on him in the first two rounds.

I rolled out in the open so there would be no hurt feelings because I expected this to be a bloodbath.

We have a house rule that if you fumble you role a d20 again. If you get a 1-10 then you role a d30 (we have one). The higher they role on the d30 the worse the fumble.

A 1,1,30 from the d20s and d30 is a green light for such a horrible accident it can result in death. Within 2 rounds I had a 1,1,28 a 1,1,29 and a 1,1,27. I had those three rangers break their bows and fall prone.

I tried to be mean. Somehow they lived and beat them all. Arrgh I was frustrated! Seriously, they rolled 20 after 20 and I had only 1 crit in a long brutal battle.

And that stupid gnome has SO MUCH LIFE!. In 8 levels the lowest he has rolled is a 10, and he has a 22Con, and keeps choosing a HP each level, and he has Improved Toughness!

Anyway, one party member, a human druid, turned into a lion or something and went after the rangers one at a time. All the rangers had human as their favored enemy. I could not find in the books, or in the message boards today, if the favored enemy bonus would apply for the rangers.

On one hand polymorph makes it clear that you are NOT what you turn into and it acts as the beasthshape spell. However, the druid DOES have the anatomy of the Lion and not that of a human.

To not break the flow of the game we decided as a group to cut the benefits in half. All five of us could see it go either way, and all five of us decided rather quickly to just cut the bonus in half. I love my group, they are so easy and fun to play with. Nit picking in-game is naturally frowned upon because it breaks the flow of the game, so it is easy to find temporary consensus.

Nitpicking comes AFTER the session for future reference.

Does anyone know what the rule is for future reference?