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when clicking on step 2 of checkout, the page loads with no cart info. i am trying to buy 5 PDFs. is there something going on with the site?

to make things more clear, only intelligent items can cast on their own outside of your possession. anything else that has similar exception will state it in the description.

i often say a good GM can TPK with a single goblin, but a great GM wont. you did well.. but a TPK requires all to die. kill one or two and the others learn a valuable lesson, kill no one and they feel invincible in such situations and wont learn to improve their play. let the survivors spread the tale of what happens when tings go wrong.

magic spells are arcane. divine spells are prayers. you are confusing the term magic and the term spell. divine is not magic.

i am guessing you are referring to the once a day spell cast by the object?

"A bonded object can be used once per day to cast any one spell that the wizard has in his spellbook and is capable of casting, even if the spell is not prepared. This spell is treated like any other spell cast by the wizard, including casting time, duration, and other effects dependent on the wizard's level. This spell cannot be modified by metamagic feats or other abilities. The bonded object cannot be used to cast spells from the wizard's opposition schools (see arcane school)."

seems clear, though as a GM would probably rule that you couldn't use it if you weren't in possession of it. it's not specified so depending on GM you may get by with just a concentration check. nearly all spell items do need to be in the caster's possession to be used. i see this as being understood but not stated.

Using the table at the bottom of the page from http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/additionalRules.html#_breaking-items

and "Weapons and armor normally made of steel that are made of adamantine have one-third more hit points than normal. Adamantine has 40 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness 20." from http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/equipment.html

we get that the greatsword would be a 2 handed sword (Hardness 10, HP 10) with adadamantine becomes (Hardness 17, HP 13) none of these state that the break DC becomes any more difficult. a "bend and iron bar" equivalent of 24 should be unchanged. this is backed up by "Breaking Items... Since hardness doesn't affect an object's break DC, this value depends more on the construction of the item than on the material the item is made of. Consult Table: DCs to Break or Burst Items for a list of common break DCs."

at most i'd add a +2 to the DC because of "If an item has lost half or more of its hit points, the item gains the broken condition (see Conditions) and the DC to break it drops by 2." seeing as we are adding close to half as much HP due to the material.

i kinda skimmed this, but did anyone mention upgrading? RAW you can start with a masterwork version and then pay only the enchant cost to make it magical and then periodically can up the bonus paying only the difference of what the final price and current value of the item is. this is essentially what you were looking for correct?

I am the player that Buri mentioned allowing do this, I'm also a PFS-VL. RAW there is nothing stopping a character from doing this except Gold and time. The Bonded Item feature even grants the feats needed to upgrade the item so the character doesn't need to waste feats to do this. That said it's a lot of work to calculate the the Item's base value since it's intelligent etc.

I would never condone this to occur in PFS for two reasons. 1) Custom items are banned in general. 2) there isn't a good way to record/track the upgrades that is obvious for every GM that may run the character.

This is allowed in our home-game due to the fact that the GM approved it and that I vet every decision though my GM first. We both have a very good handle on what the character is capable of and how it effects my character, the party, and the game in general. Not to mention we have to keep track of the weapon's Hardness and HP etc. should a monster try to break it. So far I've only added "Called" to it, though I am in game adventure-crafting it up with "Impact".

For teh curious... my build is a lvl 4 Blade-bound Kensai Wordcaster Magus, lvl 1 Unaversalist Wizard, lvl 1 Cyphermage. My sword is an Aldori Dueling Sword who hates vampires. it is wielded by a Pesh addicted Azlanti(non-pureblood) Haunted-One who has ties to the Bloodstone-Swords and The Pathfinder/Sczarni. Feats are Weapon Finesse, Arcane Strike, Cypher Script, and Cypher Magic. Traits are Magical Knack(Wiz) and Sword Scion. Point Buy 20 but defiantly non PFS friendly.

for teh record... immensely fun to play but a nightmare to keep track of!

I can justify it in that there are no blanket rules saying "all effects on an eidolon persist when it's dismissed" for the synthesist or base summoner. There are edges cases for ability damage and hp damage, but that's it, period. That spell you mentioned are for those exact things. I can similarly ask why would other effects keep applying when only two are spelled out to persist. Also, since they're treated like summoned creatures, if you summon one creature and it gets a persistent effect on it then do summon monster again does that summon also have that effect? No, it doesn't.

Normal Summonings aren't summoning the same creature over and over. it's a random creature of specified type from another plane. permanent conditions are permanent even on dispel/unsummon of the creature. you just aren't likely to pull the same creature again, especially since most summon creatures die before dismissal. the Eidolon and some Familiars are the only instances besides bindings where summoned creatures become persistant.

poisons and the like don't trigger if the initial attack damage doesn't get through, but Precision Damage is good.

Congrats and welcome to the ranks!

The feat said that "abilities" are increased. To me that means you only get the stuff in the special column and the str/dex bonus. Still good, but no where near overpowered. I haven't acted on this idea, but I do wonder if everyone in their excitement just thumbs down the table and doesn't stop to think what they actually get. In my opinion, familiars benefit more from this fear than actual companions despite the name.

Mostly food for thought... the feat is unclear and I don't want make others correct something that may not be wrong... I know I don't want to power-down my familiar that is 6 levels higher than my character from the combo of eldritch heritage and boon companion, my shadowcaster wouldn't know what to do!

when i say that the perception check goes unused durring combat i mean that the players/characters aren't actively paying attention to anything. they aren't looking to see what the enemy is, subtle hints that may differentiate a skeleton from a zombie etc. and how to deal with each more effectively. they aren't checking to see what weapons their foes wield or the environmental elements that they may turn to their advantage (like checking to see if they could knock over a burning brazier onto a foe). very few attempt to improvise tricks and traps because it's not clearly stated in the rules and are unsure of how to pull off such cinematic events. as a player i am constantly asking to notice such things and how to use them. most of my GM's shut me down before or after the attempt, i'm guessing so they don't have to be creative themselves, but at least i'm playing my character. as a GM myself, i haven't had any players expressing this level of ingenuity/imagination and i blame the battle-map miniature erra for this. the players seem to accept the maps and minis as accurate and are only active in use of perception when searching for loot or new enemies to fight. new players are more apt to experiment and be adventurous than the more established players. i've witnessed newer players being chastised for this imagination instead of being mimicked an it bothers me.

i'm not saying that the maps haven't made combat scenes move faster or alleviated petty squabbles, i just miss the fantasy that not having these things enhanced. many GM's forget about environmental hazards that aren't on the maps and play every encounter without cover, concealment, or varied lighting conditions. when i GM i consider the map as much of an enemy to the players as the monsters.

/end mini-rant

back on topic and tangentially related, it doesn't matter if you draw ahead of time or not as a general rule and it's more dependent on your GMing style and your players preference. do what works for the table!

I remember when maps were for the GM only if there were any at all, and the players didn't even have miniatures. if a combat needed a reference for scale, it was rocks, beads, etc. and a kitchen table array of set pieces like a knife-river or a salt-shaker-dragon... sometimes i miss those days. if you're descriptive enough with words, you don't need to prep maps, if you need the scale for combat a quick draw when needed is enough. the lack of detail also makes the players use that perception skill, which in my opinion is wrongfully neglected during most combat scenes.

you have a very good approach, i'll personally try to implement #6 better from now on.

as for #4, i have a great deal of experience introducing players to RPG's from PFS, Shadowrun, Star Wars, D&D, etc. and my approach (tried and true) to develop a true newbie into a productive player is to simply tell them in the first few games that all they need to do is let you as the GM know what they are attempting to accomplish with each action and you will tell them the rolls/rules/restrictions that accompany that decision. brass tacks; it's their job to play a character in a fictional world... it's your job to know the rules that govern that world. that being said, as a GM, i always ask what an ability or spell does from a newer player so that they learn their characters capabilities and where to find that info, even though i may have the specifics memorized, it's never bad to have it refreshed and you are reinforcing the rules of the game and how to use them in the player without throwing a pile of books in their lap or flooding them with a seemingly endless wash of rules. rules heavy games like Pathfinder and D&D can be very intimidating to new players because of this! having them recite their effects takes a little more time... but they quickly get the hang of what to do and when, at which point much of the guidance/proofing can stop.

i always advocate reading every word of the skills chapter to new players even if they skim the rest of the book(s). i encourage the same of the combat and magic chapters depending on the focus of the character. the latter i'm more lax on with the numerous cheat-sheets for combat actions/maneuvers and spell flash-cards available online. as i see it, knowing what you want the character to do and how to do it are the biggest parts of the game. role playing is how it's carried out and the reaction of events in the game... which becomes automatic after a few sessions. rules and the like are either asked about directly or researched in depth alone as the player becomes more accustomed to the game, and more or less takes care of it'self in my experience.

i play a shadowcaster and have had this come up several times both against me and my party and by my own action against enemies and my party. you are correct.

personally i've seen GM's use invisibility and blur to much more dastardly effects than darkness. and as players, just cast obscuring mist and then it doesn't matter for either side! ...very few enemy's have seeking ammo. have your familiar deliver touch spells with stealth/slight-of-hand and there is little that can avoid your effect since most animals have a secondary form of sense beyond site.

Again, you've missed the very first paragraph of the Magic Weapons rules.

Magic weapons have enhancement bonuses ranging from +1 to +5. They apply these bonuses to both attack and damage rolls when used in combat.

As defined in the rules, every magic weapon has this bonus; it's basic to how a magic weapon is defined. And its cost is also defined in the rules.

didn't see that previous post; good explanation! everyone knows this but we just don't always think about it. even in the crafting feat description it says that the masterwork item price is included in the magic items listed cost for creation. the point of the thread was more along the lines of if the enhancement bonuses were equal. switching it to be about the item definition and not the bonus cleared it all up quickly. another case of not being able to see the forest through the trees.

The difference lies in the fact that a magical +1 weapon has the bonus at all time. It is a permanent bonus. A masterwork weapon only has a bonus while wielded.

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/magicItems.html

To use a magic item, it must be activated, although sometimes activation simply means putting a ring on your finger. Some items, once donned, function constantly. In most cases, though, using an item requires a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. By contrast, spell completion items are treated like spells in combat and do provoke attacks of opportunity.

Use Activated: This type of item simply has to be used in order to activate it. A character has to drink a potion, swing a sword, interpose a shield to deflect a blow in combat, look through a lens, sprinkle dust, wear a ring, or don a hat. Use activation is generally straightforward and self-explanatory.

still siding with Buri... both magic weapons and masterwork weapons function the same from what i can see for purposes of the +1 enhancement bonus requirement.

And to use armor as a parallel, since the creation feats were also mentioned, while it does state that masterwork weapons, armor and shields are required as items for enchantment, for magical armor it does clearly state (in the same language as weapons) that armor requires a +1 enhancement in order to have special abilities applied to them. As masterwork armor has not such enhancement given from the masterwork quality, it must therefore be enchanted to at least +1 before any special ability is added.

the creation feats specify that armor is an exception to the previously defined rule.

i see your point but i'm not convinced. honestly i'm surprised that people are arguing for spending more gold. seems like an easy misread to me and as a GM i'd allow either. if the player hadn't figured it out then they pay more. if they do then so much the better to them for actually reading the books and making my job easier! the Game isn't the items, so i don't see this as a big deal. my interest in determining a "correct" way to do it is for handling it in PFS only.

as stated in the post this was brouht up in...

Craft Magic Arms and Armor (Item Creation)
You can create magic armor, shields, and weapons.
Prerequisite: Caster level 5th.
Benefit: You can create magic weapons, armor, or shields. Enhancing a weapon, suit of armor, or shield takes 1 day for each 1,000 gp in the price of its magical features. To enhance a weapon, suit of armor, or shield, you must use up raw materials costing half of this total price. See the magic item creation rules in Magic Items for more information.
The weapon, armor, or shield to be enhanced must be a masterwork item that you provide. Its cost is not included in the above cost.
You can also mend a broken magic weapon, suit of armor, or shield if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the raw materials and half the time it would take to craft that item in the first place.

i repeat:
The weapon, armor, or shield to be enhanced must be a masterwork item that you provide.

i'm going to have to side with Buri until someone offers better evidence (meaning clearer rules).

Craft Magic Arms and Armor (Item Creation)
You can create magic armor, shields, and weapons.
Prerequisite: Caster level 5th.
Benefit: You can create magic weapons, armor, or shields. Enhancing a weapon, suit of armor, or shield takes 1 day for each 1,000 gp in the price of its magical features. To enhance a weapon, suit of armor, or shield, you must use up raw materials costing half of this total price. See the magic item creation rules in Magic Items for more information.
The weapon, armor, or shield to be enhanced must be a masterwork item that you provide. Its cost is not included in the above cost.
You can also mend a broken magic weapon, suit of armor, or shield if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the raw materials and half the time it would take to craft that item in the first place.

i repeat:
The weapon, armor, or shield to be enhanced must be a masterwork item that you provide.

i'm going to have to side with Buri until someone offers better evidence (meaning clearer rules).

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I look forward to getting input from all Columbus area players!
My group currently meets on Mondays at The Soldiery and we have a PFS game scheduled for April Second. Report in on the facebook event or contact me directly so i can plan accordingly!

Of course I agree a war dog, should indeed be medium, something like a dane or a mastiff, but I would see this as a major investment of money for a completely trained combatant dog, I could see it costing more than a riding horse.

Irish Wolf Hounds, Great Danes, and some Mastiff breeds are nearly as large as a horse. A combat dog of that size (Large) should have higher stats than a riding dog I would think; not to mention the general size increase adjustments mentioned in the bestiary appendix, if not the advanced creature template.

CRB page 98.

Combat Training: An animal trained to bear a rider into combat knows the tricks attack, come, defend, down, guard, and heel. Training an animal for
combat riding takes 6 weeks. You may also “upgrade” an animal trained for riding to one trained for combat by spending 3 weeks and making a successful DC 20 Handle Animal check. The new general purpose and tricks completely replace the animal’s previous purpose and any tricks it once knew. Many horses and riding dogs are trained in this way.

Bam! Riding dog stats.

I feel I need to clarify; I feel the errata for this is wrong. I feel that the errata decision was not made with the combat training in mind. the size is a minor issue... though a dwarf is a medium creature, as is a wolf so I think an attack dog should be too. larger size means better stats. either give us a stat block in between a riding dog and a regular small dog, or allow the riding dog stat's usage as stated in the quote above. i'm fine with a price adjustment. as long as it's not in excess of the riding dog's original cost. I suggest 45gp. (3sp/day of trained higherling Ranger to teach the dog. 9 weeks of training, as stated above plus base cost of a guard dog. rounding the result up of course.) in PFS I want a combat dog for my non-combat wizard. he can't train it himself so he has to buy it. he's a shadowcaster, so if it's a small dog there should be some stealth bonus due to the size and combat knowledge. otherwise it should be medium with maybe an intimidate bonus. A guard dog is just going to bark at everything, normally attempting to scare away enemies before real combat, and that's not what i'm looking for in a combat dog owned by a character who revels in shadow.

CRB page 98.

Combat Training: An animal trained to bear a rider into combat knows the tricks attack, come, defend, down, guard, and heel. Training an animal for
combat riding takes 6 weeks. You may also “upgrade” an animal trained for riding to one trained for combat by spending 3 weeks and making a successful DC 20 Handle Animal check. The new general purpose and tricks completely replace the animal’s previous purpose and any tricks it once knew. Many horses and riding dogs are trained in this way.

Bam! Riding dog stats.