plaidwandering's page

I have had multiple characters have from a few to all of their sessions go missing from the website sometime in the last few days.

Some of these sessions were there a few weeks, and some a few years.

Anyone else noticing this?

In regards to the recent blog charting out what companions get what slots, it starts out saying all get neck/armor by default, but then says unless their body does not allow it. The types of animal companions in the subject are listed as not having those slots.

All companions need these basic slots, denying them firmly categorizes them as second class citizens. Hitting magic/incorporeal is a basic need, as is being able to protect your friend better. This is a something where realism should come secondary to an even level of gameplay. These companions are already among the less damaging/powerful ones(aka the pouncers)

Additionally armored serpents, scorpions, spiders, treants using objects etc are things that definitely exist in fantasy art/literature so I'm not sure why excluding them happened.

This reconsideration would cause better balance among companions. Does not relate to alignment or organization fit concerns.

I don't have any characters with any of these companions currently, but I think choosing one of these more flavorful guys should not carry an extra penalty.

So I have a PFS alchemist with two games at 8

full mad bomber, good dex and int, smoke, stink, tangle, fast bombs, force bombs(through a retrain) etc
toss on clever wordplay diplo to help with a good bit of social checks

Things had gotten a bit stale prior to 8, but then at 8 it was worse: throw lots of bombs, things all dead - who cares about a rider when things are all dead

I'm looking for suggestions of anything I can do to vary his gameplay a bit more. I thought about taking finesse at 9 since I can use monstrous physique extracts, but this high I feel that the high hitpoints and frequent damage reduction will make that a bad idea

What can I do besides shelve him or just GM him out to pasture?

What do you guys think about furious property on an AoMF for a tiger companion? IE lunar oracle with rage spell. Worth it for the boost during times you'd have the spell up, or not because it boosts the cost too much?

I know there were still some concerns about the new pregen rule of applying before play rather than after. The partial sell rule may have alleviated some of that.

I was just thinking(I know dangerous) why does pregen death immediately apply, when the chronicle benefits do not immediately apply? In other words when a chronicle is held because a character has to catch up in level to the pregen, why should it affect that character at all until that point?

If a person were only tentatively dead (I know sounds silly) they would be much more likely to clear the condition with the resources they would have immediately before that level, rather than what could be significantly before the level.

Yes I know, more to keep track of, but would definitely be more pregen play friendly. It really be handled with a note on the chronicle.

The strangler brawler loses the unarmed strike class feature, but retains close weapon mastery that gives close weapons the unarmed strike class features damage -4 levels.

Does this still function as it would for a regular brawler, or does it do absolutely nothing and should have been traded out?(perhaps for bypassing the improved unarmed requirement for grapple feats - preferably not delayed until level 5 though)

The summon SLA that demons use to bring another in says:

A creature with the summon ability can summon other specific creatures of its kind much as though casting a summon monster spell, but it usually has only a limited chance of success (as specified in the creature’s entry).

And dispel magic can attempt to dispel summon monster, so does it work on the SLA?

So after encountering a couple really nasty swarms lately, I really started to wonder. How the heck do these things have such high touch AC/reflex.

It turns out that they are written with the size and dex bonuses of an individual member of the swarm. That strikes me as wrong.

Players aren't lobbing a flask of acid, or breathing a cone of fire at an individual member of the swarm, but rather the whole large size entity.

The swarm subtype says:

A swarm makes saving throws as a single creature. A single swarm occupies a square (if it is made up of nonflying creatures) or a cube (of flying creatures) 10 feet on a side

If it's saving as a single large size creature, it really shouldn't be getting the bonus of a diminutive(or fine, tiny etc) creature

This really seems to inappropriately make them stronger against the only things that can hurt them as it is.

What do you guys think?

not a full build, just getting some thoughts together

half-orc
str 14+2
dex 12
con 14
int 16
wis 12
cha 7

traits: student of philosophy, and ?

race is for the combo of weapon profs and darkvision

no need for cha, with empiricist and trait, diplo is fully int based

where I get unsure is feats, level three is probably a lock on power attack

is it worth using the level 1 and 5 to get to heavy armor? heavy armor + shield extract + mutagen/barksin + ring could add up nicely

only for sure talent is at lvl 5, for study as swift

once you meet level requirements for higher talents, some feats for extra investigator talent may be worth it

I don't see anything in the season 6 guide about it, but I'm not sure that's where it would say...

Can you use the halfing oracle FCB to advance the curse that does not advance on its own?

I've been tossing around this idea of running a pure sorc up into DD

Would rely primarily on natural attacks gained from polymorph spells and/or bloodline powers - maybe a bit of simple weapon action at low level

I was thinking Sorc 1-6 to get into monstrous physique as quickly as possible. Then DD for better HP/to hit etc.

My idea of doing pure sorc into it rather than 1 and a martial is for the poly and other spells...leading up to it blur, alter self, eventually haste, greater invis, shield, mage armor off wand likely

Going to want melee stats to help survive and just enough CHA to cast buffs as you get to them

So likely on a 20 pt buy:

str 14+2
dex 14
con 14
int 10
wis 10
cha 14

obviously some races could adjust to desired stats better than others.

Feats: 1st toughness or arcane strike, 3rd power attack, 5th extend maybe? or + saves

Haven't thought through traits at all yet.

Going all gargoyle and other such just seems quite fun.

I am about to make my 2nd PFS character, and was thinking about a crypt breaker or trap breaker alchemist.

The trap breaker is a little easier to build for combat I think since it doesn't give up base mutagen and have to spend a discovery on it.

However, the crypt breaker gets access to the trap spotter talent - which is a free perception within 10 feet of any trap. Which makes me heavily lean towards that archetype. It would also push back mutagen discovery to 4.

Both PFS and home GMs I've played under pretty much require you to repetitively say you are checking for traps constantly or they just spring them on someone. I know people say just heal up, but I've had traps down others in games before. At best it eats resources.