quacktar's page

(Disclaimer: This question regards a U-Con chronicle reward Tengu PC for Society Play)

I have a lvl 2 natural weapons tengu ranger with aspect of the beast (Claws). This gives him 3 primary natural attacks, my question is regarding shields.

The thought occurred to me to equip a buckler on each claw arm. Simple question - would the AC bonuses stack? And, would the Armor check penalties stack?

OK here are my notes for running Feast of Ravenmoor as a PFS scenario over two 5-hour sessions. If you're going to play this module, these notes will just spoil it for you, so don't read them until afterwards! If you're going to GM this module, I hope you find them useful and I'd be interested to hear your feedback and suggestions. Thanks, of course, to Brandon Hodge for the wonderful source material!

** spoiler omitted **

Wow, just cracked this open, this is amazing stuff. Thank you so much!

Alistair Rigg wrote:

quacktar wrote:

I would love to see your notes, I'm running ravenmoor in three weeks for my store group

No worries. I'll post them up within a few days.

Use the notes, I was a guinea pig for the slot-zero and ran it in parallel to Al's second and without those notes i would not have the beautiful memory of the look on the faces of my table of players at certain points.

Sounds good :) I've already started planning the layout for building the chenowitz place in 3d with the rooms slottable into the frame (Something I like to do with the centerpiece for all scenarios I run) while prepping first steps III, so I'd love to see some notes on that one.

I've run this four times now and it was a great experience each time. The first was a slot-zero and an explorative game with other experienced GMs so it took a couple of days as I tried out various ideas. The second was its first public outing in Australia at Shadow Lodge convention in Sydney. I ran it over three slots and we finished a couple of hours early. The third and fourth were at PaizoConOz last weekend where I ran it twice over two slots and it worked very well. All the players loved it.

I'll post up my GM notes if you'd like, which break down how to run it over two 5-hour slots. However, I'm not a PG-13 GM, so I'll need to warn you that there may be some "reflavouring" of a mature nature in the spoilers.

I would love to see your notes, I'm running ravenmoor in three weeks for my store group

+ 1

I'm interested as well! Barbarian as a class and as an iconic via Amiri is much more compelling and enticing (Not that way lol) for new players. I have 3/4 female players in my group, and one of them, after playing a scenario as Valeros, was not coming back until she noticed Amiri on my GM screen.

Plus "Well trained/conditioned" fighter, compared to "Giant's bastard sword swinging raging" barbarian... For us its more complicated, for new players, that seems like a simple decision

Well I do appologize for calling you out for possibly being cheesy, I have had simular players riding Eidlons ect that really were just there to break the game.

You get me a youtube video of a horse, or dog with rider in full plate going up stairs and I will be impressed. I watched your video and mine and pointed out very specific things in both. In yours the rider has to crotch low to prevent his weight from being displaced and causing issues, and those are like 5 feet of stairs, not an entire flight of stairs.

I understand the issues at play here, and this is my response, Nimon and other critics.

Conclusive Proof.

That is all.

One thing to look at, is what kind of bonus to caster level each feat, trait, etc., provides.

If two of the items listed both provide a bonus of the same type, they won't stack, only the larger one will apply.

I would assume that doesn't apply here - consider that bloatmage initiate, the prerequisite to the bloatmage prestige class, and the bloatmage class's primary class ability have the same effect. Both ability's have the same effect as numerous other feats, traits, etc. It seems that when it comes to legality, "+1 to caster level" stacks. I could be wrong - if so, I have a near level two PFS magic missile specialist to redesign. :D

Notice that at no point is a boost to caster level typed. Its never morale/enhancement/etc bonus to caster level. Its just, 'x spell or x school of magic is cast at +1 caster level'

Majuba wrote:

Not sure how you meant this, but you cannot qualify for a prestige class the same level you take it. In other words, you have to take the Bloatmage Initiate feat at least one level *prior* to taking a level in the class.

The Rules Text: (Character Advancement pg 30 Core Rulebook)

When adding new levels of an existing class or adding levels of a new class (see Multiclassing, below), make sure to take the following steps in order. First, select your new class level. You must be able to qualify for this level before any of the following adjustments are made. Second, apply any ability score increases due to gaining a level. Third, integrate all of the level’s class abilities and then roll for additional hit points. Finally, add new skills and feats.

Also this seems like a rules question rather than a PFS specific question. I flagged it to be moved.

It's a rule question about PFS legality only. Thanks for the comments folks, I get that it would take until level 9 or so to do this. THanks for the comments - good catch on the bad trait, in the build it was just a toss out.

No, everybody gets a feat at odd levels: 1, 3, 5, etc. I'm pretty sure all your feats are coming 1 level too early. Push everything back a level and it looks like it'd be legal.

And you're not getting wizard spell diversity. Wizard spell diversity implies that you have a diverse casting list. If you're dedicating the majority of your early feats and all your traits to one spell, you're probably wanting to cast that spell repeatedly. Finally, your combat summons don't even have augment summoning.

Oh duh lol. My bad

And despite all that effort, your summons still don't stick around half as long as those of a summoner of your level and he's doing it a lot more often and has other resources (feats, traits) unspent to boot. I don't see a problem with it.

How are you getting a feat at level 2 and again at level 4?

Edit: Also, don't trait bonuses not stack? And I couldn't find your master of pentacles trait, I assume its not open content. I'll trust you're legal there.

Master of pentacles is in the guide to organized play.

Everybody gets a lvl 4 feat...

And as I said, it's about the legality concept, not about whether it's a good idea. IMHO what your getting is guaranteed full combat summons with wizard spell diversity, but like I said I would never play it.

Iadaran Illusionist
Shadowcaster

The thought occurs to me that:
Human Wizard, Conjuration School
School Bonus: +1/2 summon duration per CL
Traits:
Magical Lineage: Summon Monster III
Natural Born Leader
Feats:
Spell Focus Conjuration (Free Wizard Feat)
Varisian Tattoo: Conjuration (Free Human Feat)
Spell Specialization: Summon Monster I (Flip to II at 4 and III at lvl 6)
Lvl 2:
Additional Traits:
Genie Caller +2 Caster Level on Summon 1/day
Master of Pentacles +2 Caster Level on Summon 1/day
Lvl 4:
Feat: Metamagic Tenebrous Spell
Lvl 5:
Bonus Feat: Metamagic Extend Spell
Lvl 6:
Feat: Bloatmage Initiate
Prestige class: Bloatmage
Orange Prism slotted in wayfinder

So, my question is - can this potential character cast summon monster III once at 25- round duration, and further times per day at 21 rounds? Not because this character is worth making - I'm just wondering if all of these stack? It seems like too much. His traits are legal, his feats are too.

BTW I have been thinking about a sling monkey halfling for a while, I imagine its like a switch hitter ranger who does not have to drop his weapon. I'd love to see your build ideas.

This is still early in build, but in comparing feat cost for effect, Richard Leonhart's' sap master/sap adept stack. So using them together with softstone sling bullets is great when you find/make the enemy flatfooted, but it doesn't really open up until level 8 when you can fire off a sneak attack after every 10 foot move, especially considering at lvl 8 this combo generates 8d6+16 nonlethal.

At level 4, though, pick up charging hurler and use its charge to fling bolas that do double sneak attack damage without entering melee.

I've made a build that is mainly a sling-halfling.

Ninja-Scout
Sap master is your friend.
You need no multiple attacks, you run 20 feet, you shoot, you kill.

you'll do around Xd6+2X damage (X=your lvl) with a single blow. At later levels it might be more effective to do unarmed damage with a bunch of other feats, but sling will always stay viable.

Can you lay out the Ninja - scout interaction your talking about? I understand the damage formula I think, just not the Ninja part, I guess :D

Ellington wrote:

Halflings can get the Warslinger racial trait which allows them to reload their slings as a free action. It makes them better at using slings than any other race at higher levels. It also makes the sling a better option than a composite shortbow, in my opinion, since you don't have to buy a new one when your strength increases.

It's not great, but it's not terrible, either.

so...they can do multiple attacks with a sling then, and if you don't take the trait then it takes two feats to do the same?

ie: ammo drop/ammo juggle

what the hell.

I know this was like five months ago - but the essential wording in ammo drop and ammo juggle is: "You can load a sling or one end of a double sling with one hand as a swift action or move action"

'With one hand' is a huge deal.

quacktar wrote:

The player in question is applying his first scenario's credit earned by a pregen to a new wizard. He wants to know: Can he use 2 prestige to pick up a lvl 1 wand to use as his bonded wand to take to the character's next scenario?

In other words, can the terminology in the rulebook

"A wizard can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if he has the required item creation feats and if he meets the level prerequisites of the feat... If the bonded object is a wand, it loses its wand abilities when its last charge is consumed, but it is not destroyed and it retains all of its bonded object properties and can be used to craft a new wand."

apply to a wand bought with prestige awards?

It looks as if he can without question if he pays 200 to 'switch' bonded objects - does he need to pay that 200?

Yes he can, provided he pays for the cost to switch. Also note that once the charges are used up his wand is not destroyed like normal wands but remains useless except for the bonded item properties.

Well he'll be excited, thanks :)

The player in question is applying his first scenario's credit earned by a pregen to a new wizard. He wants to know: Can he use 2 prestige to pick up a lvl 1 wand to use as his bonded wand to take to the character's next scenario?

In other words, can the terminology in the rulebook

"A wizard can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if he has the required item creation feats and if he meets the level prerequisites of the feat... If the bonded object is a wand, it loses its wand abilities when its last charge is consumed, but it is not destroyed and it retains all of its bonded object properties and can be used to craft a new wand."

apply to a wand bought with prestige awards?

It looks as if he can without question if he pays 200 to 'switch' bonded objects - does he need to pay that 200?

Pathfinder Savant, levels 2 through 7 give you one spell each added to your spell list.

Here it is.

That is solid advice. The savant is from the Seekers of Secrets book, which you'll need if you go with the savant prestige class.

Also an option is the cyphermage from the inner sea world guide. One level of cyphermage gives you access to a single cypherlore. A few stand out -

Focused Scroll (Su): As a swift action, a cyphermage can add a bonus equal to twice his Intelligence modifier on any caster level checks made with a scroll spell, including checks to overcome SR. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/3 his cyphermage level (minimum 1).

Extended Scroll (Su): As a swift action, a cyphermage can double the duration of any scroll spell he reads as if the spell were modified by Extend Spell. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1/3 his cyphermage level (minimum 1).

So for one level in cyphermage you could get focused scroll and spell progression as normal. With savant the two disadvantages I see are that it would take two levels, and you'd lose a level of spell progression.

Of course the disadvantage with cyphermage is that the scroll is DC 23 - assuming your character is level 6 (The earliest you can go cyphermage), INT 22 (Easy with a headband by then) and CHA 12...
6 + 3 + 1 = +10 UMD
Intelligence Bonus +6 + 6 (Focused scroll) = + 12

Total UMD Bonus = 22, against a DC of 23. That's a 95% chance of success with a 1 always failing. That's once a day. The second time per day it would be +16 or 65% chance of success.

It may be worth considering
1. It won't cost you spell progression
2. Mad monkeys is situational - good for a scroll
3. It applies to ALL spell scrolls, not just the single spell (I'm sure there are other monkey related spells)
4. You can scribe multiple spells to a scroll. 3 casts of mad monkeys would be a scroll about 3 feet long (I think) for 1125 gp.
5. A second level in cyphermage could pick you up extend scroll once per day to double scroll duration. Once again - great for monkeys, but also great for any other scroll spell

Disadvantage:
1. Gp cost (Maybe spend 2 prestige on a scroll with 2 mad monkey spells on it)

That's way too wordy, but food for thought!
Sorry and enjoy
quacktar

Very nice workup. The witch seems perfectly suited for a PC that wants to focus on in combat debuffs - many of her debuffs are hexes, allowing her greater freedom in spell choice for scenario utility, faction missions, etc.

You mentioned potions of inflict wounds - are there any rules restricting the functions of 'negative' potions beyond the normal restrictions? I've wondered about this regarding the spell Touch Injection as well as Beguiling Gift.

Thanks Ryan - the difference between rules and PFS rules is intimidating, thanks!

Seeker of Secrets, where Boon Companion can be found is always legitimate, so no worry on taking that. For the rest you need to check out the Additional Resources page found here. It is up to date with Ultimate Magic.

Specifically you're looking for the following reference...

The Additional Resources Page wrote:

The following parts of Ultimate Magic are NOT legal for play or function differently than written in the sourcebook:

Alternate Class Abilities: alchemical simulacrum discovery, alchemical zombie discovery, bottled ooze discovery may only be used to bottle oozes which appear in the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, doppelganger simulacrum discovery, greater alchemical simulacrum discovery...

Specifically, the Clone Familiar discovery is not mentioned, therefore it is allowed.

As to whether Boon Companion and Clone Familiar stack, I personally would say yes, but this is a question for the rules forums, not the PFS forums.

Quick question, as stated in the subject - GMs I've played with have always said yes outside of PFS, but before I walk in with it on my sheet 4th session I wanted ask.

Tumor familiar is great, it'd be super great with boon.

Callarek wrote:

Those two extra skill points must be spent on Intelligence-based skills, not just Knowledge skills.

Oops. Thanks ;)

Hey Mark,

Reading Seeker of Secrets is where I started learning about pathfinder society, and it eventually led me to organizing an event! So thanks!

quacktar wrote:

Is the Pathfinder's Exile trait legal for Society play? On the one hand the Society Guide would seem to imply no, but on the other hand, a google search shows it in the character profiles of several players on the official society site.

You'll need to check the Additional Resources page to see if it's legal, but it is not. Campaign traits from Adventure Path products are not legal for Pathfinder Society play.

Thanks again Mark!

quacktar wrote:

Hello! I'm running my first society game soon, and a player asked this question:

Does the constrict eidolon evolution qualify it for Final Embrace? Evolution can change, but I'm inclined to allow it, on the obvious condition that if he ditches constrict, final embrace would be 'disabled' until he met the conditions again.

He would be basing his Society Summoner's Eidolon on Final Embrace, and I don't want to steer him wrong and have him end up 'wasting' feats satisfying the prerequisite if he can't use it.

Alternatively, is the serpent Eidolon 'serpentfolk' as stated in the feat prerequisite?

Thanks!

First, this is a rules question not a PFS question.

Second, the requirements for Final Embrace would appear to be met by an eidolon with the Constrict evolution (which requires the Grab evolution) as long as it's BAB is +3.

Third, if the eidolon were to lose some prerequisite that allowed it to take Final Embrace, it would not longer be able to use it.

I apologize if this was posted in the wrong place - because it is a Society Character, my GM judgement call on the issue wasn't the be all end all, so I wanted make sure. Thank you very much for your reply

Is the Pathfinder's Exile trait legal for Society play? On the one hand the Society Guide would seem to imply no, but on the other hand, a google search shows it in the character profiles of several players on the official society site.

Hello! I'm running my first society game soon, and a player asked this question:

Does the constrict eidolon evolution qualify it for Final Embrace? Evolution can change, but I'm inclined to allow it, on the obvious condition that if he ditches constrict, final embrace would be 'disabled' until he met the conditions again.

He would be basing his Society Summoner's Eidolon on Final Embrace, and I don't want to steer him wrong and have him end up 'wasting' feats satisfying the prerequisite if he can't use it.

Alternatively, is the serpent Eidolon 'serpentfolk' as stated in the feat prerequisite?

Thanks!

1. If you have 18-19 Intelligence here's a trick for you: In the morning get up and make a fresh brewed batch of Fox's Cunning, and chug that sludge like a boss.

The four point Intelligence boost gives you a bonus level 2 spell to cover the one you spent, and an additional level one spell. The boos wears off in a few minutes, but by then you've got your bonus extract tucked away for the day.

This also works for characters at 20-21 intelligence after level 7 - the four point boost gives a bonus lvl 1 AND a bonus lvl 3

I've looked at rules, forums, etc and don't see anything that would make this illegal - plus it makes sense in a roleplaying sense.

Thoughts?

I think there's been errata to the effect that a spellcaster (including an alchemist) can only create a potion version of a spell if they have the actual spell.

Since many of the spells mentioned above aren't on the alchemist spell list, the alchemist can't create potions as these effects.

Right - the potions are purchased from high level casters.

I didn't know that about the rage power thing - oops! Thanks for the tip

How are you getting lesser fiend totem when you only have 1 level of barbarian and do not get rage powers until barbarian level 2?

Oh, since I have one level in barbarian I used the bonus ragepower feat to get it.

Hello! This is my first Pathfinder related post online.

I've been building a 1 Barbarian / 6 Alchemist for a new campaign, and I put a reference chart together for you all! After much sweat and tears, I combed through the magic disciplines, priced potions, etc.

https://rapidshare.com/files/3833660505/Potions_Made_Easy_.xlt

Obviously this is especially powerful with the Alchemist - for example, a potion of Greater Magical Fang +5 is 3000 gp. That's totally unreasonable for a short duration one use. BUT an alchemist with Alchemical Allocation and Extend Potion gets twice as much use out of it each time, and never expends the potion.

To me the only limiting factor was not knowing what was out there potionable spell wise. Now I know! Here are some highlights I haven't seen mentioned too much online:

Barkskin +5, 1800 gp: +5 to Natural Armor, stacks with Mutagen's Natural Armor Bonus. At lvl 7 with extend potion it lasts 140 minutes, expending 1 lvl 2 slot!

Strong Jaw, 1650 gp: Only useful for a Feral Mutagen Build, but oh boy is it useful! It adds 2 dice steps to ALL your natural attacks. Example:

1 gore attack (from lesser fiend totem): 1d8 standard, 2d6 after enlarge, 4d6 after Strong Jaw

2 claw attacks: 1d6 standard, 1d8 after enlarge, 2d6 each after Strong Jaw

1 Bite attack: 1d8 standard, 2d6 after enlarge, 4d6 after Strong Jaw

12d6! Not bad!

Stoneskin, 1050 gp: DR10/adamantine, lasts 140 minutes as well.