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**** Pathfinder Society GM. 391 posts (729 including aliases). No reviews. No lists. 1 wishlist. 36 Organized Play characters.


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Grand Lodge 4/5

What type of boon is the Chronicle sheet boon?

Grand Lodge

I don't understand the emanation addition. It sounds like emanations can now be cast on others. Can I cast bless on the fighter, slap her on the back, and send her in to emanate my deity's blessing while I stay in the back?

Grand Lodge

Captain Morgan wrote:
You'll have a better time if you pick a level first. What level feels most appropriate for its role in the story? I can fill in the stat modifiers from there, but you need to pick a starting point. Its level would be equal to its PF1 CR, if that helps.

Oh, my goal is level 5, but I didn't want to prejudice responses.

Grand Lodge

I wondered if folks might give me some feedback on a custom creature. Any idea the level such a creature should be? I don't know exactly what the stat modifiers are just yet:
---------
Clockwork Golem
Slam +15
Athletics +13
Reaction: When an attack misses the clockwork Golem by <5, the Golem may use its reaction to attempt to disarm the attacker. If it does so, it may hold (but not wield) the weapon
1 action: if the Clockwork Golem begins its turn holding a disarmed weapon, it may apply its slam damage to the weapon as an action (no attack trait)
AC 22
TAC 20
HP 115
Resistance: physical 5 except adamantine

Immune: mind affecting and Critical Hit damage (special)

Vulnerable: on a critical, instead of applying extra damage to the golem, apply it as you would an object with hardness 5 (apply non-crit damage normally). The Clockwork Golem can take two dents without becoming broken, but each dent applies a -2 penalty to all dice rolls (including damage) and -2 to AC. A broken Clockwork Golem does not function, but it may be repaired by an expert craftsman. A destroyed Cloclwork Golem cannot be repaired and is a total loss.
--------
Thoughts?

Grand Lodge

Oops...

Flagging. That's what I get for posting before coffee!

Grand Lodge

1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.

When a telekineticist uses Foe Throw, is she subject to the weight limits of Telekinetic Blast?

Ability links:
Telekinetic Blast
Telekinetic Haul
Foe Throw

Arguments in favor:

  • Foe Throw begins with the text "Your telekinetic blast..." then modifies what Telekinetic Blast does. It is also an infusion, and the conceit of infusions is they they modify your base blast ability. At no point does it state that it changes the weight limit.
  • Telekinetic Haul increases your weight limit sufficiently that at level 6 (the earliest one could take Foe Throw) you should be able to throw most medium-sized creatures.
  • (Circumstantial at best) Without a weight limit, a kineticist may throw a huge or larger creature (on a failed save, which is unlikely for most huge+ creatures) by accepting a single extra point of burn. This burn can be decreased with infusion specialization as any other infusion.

    Arguments against:

  • Foe Throw does not list a weight limit, and telekinetic blast is not capitalized, indicating flavor text rather than rules text.
  • Most stat blocks do not list a creature's weight. This leaves it entirely in the hands of the GM.
  • The Foe Throw ability does not list Telekinetic Haul as a prerequisite, but without it, if the weight limit applies, FT is basically useless.
  • The verbiage describing a weight limit directly modifies "object", so when Foe Throw replaces "object" it takes the adjective clause with it.

    After a Facebook discussion on the subject devolved into "you're wrong and a dumb#@& because your disagree with me" I thought I'd bring it here (where we have such a reputation for cool heads? Lol.) No, where maybe we can get a devs attention or a FAQ ruling if it feels enough people disagree.

    Please discuss! Also, if no clear rules answer from the text or a developer becomes evident, please FAQ. Thanks!

  • Grand Lodge 4/5

    Chris Lambertz wrote:
    Campaign Clarifications has been updated, along with Additional Resources.

    Hi, Chris,

    Someone just pointed out to me that Arcane Anthology is missing from the HTML version of the Campaign Clarifications. Full Pouch gets a lot stronger without the clarification text!

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    The change to the poison rule is too much. You can quickly end up with a roll-a-20 DC on the initial save, and that's just unreasonable, especially since they don't necessarily know it's happening.

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    1 person marked this as a favorite.

    Came in hoping to see something about Seers of the Drowned City.

    I will continue being patient.

    The scenarios sound fun though.

    Grand Lodge

    doomman47 wrote:
    Isn't it against pfs rules for the GM to roll in secret since that falls under the rules of Changing an encounter on how its suppose to happen.

    To my knowledge, no, it is not illegal to use a screen. Many gm's do.

    My problem is that it erodes trust. If people think the gm is cheating, and that gm is using a screen, they can only conjecture. And that leads down dark paths.

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    2 people marked this as a favorite.
    Rysky wrote:
    Well when the term fluff literally means “something trivial, superficial, and of no value” and you’re applying it to the bulk of someone’s work, something they devoted a lot of passion and energy to, it is.

    Tell that to my pillow, my couch, my comforter, or winter jacket.

    Flavor connotes an equally useless trait of a particular item. My breakfast's flavor isn't what sustained me through the day. I could have eaten a slurry of protein and carbohydrate powders in water and gotten the same benefit. Flavor makes the experience now enjoyable. Now, flavor can give us clues as to the function of a particular food, but in the end, the flavor doesn't *do* anything. It's irrelevant.

    I could sit on an elevated wooden board to watch TV. In fact, that would've been a lot cheaper than what I have. But I spent a lot of good money on a fluffy couch. The wood and metal structure does all of the work. Without the structure, the couch doesn't function. But don't tell me the fluff is useless! The fluff is the main reason I bought it!

    I will do my best to avoid using the term "fluff" now that I know that it communicates things I don't normally intend. But it certainly feels a little silly.

    Grand Lodge

    It's here:

    Polymorph wrote:

    Polymorph

    A polymorph spell transforms your physical body to take on the shape of another creature. While these spells make you appear to be the creature, granting you a +10 bonus on Disguise skill checks, they do not grant you all of the abilities and powers of the creature. Each polymorph spell allows you to assume the form of a creature of a specific type, granting you a number of bonuses to your ability scores and a bonus to your natural armor. In addition, each polymorph spell can grant you a number of other benefits, including movement types, resistances, and senses. If the form you choose grants these benefits, or a greater ability of the same type, you gain the listed benefit. If the form grants a lesser ability of the same type, you gain the lesser ability instead. Your base speed changes to match that of the form you assume. If the form grants a swim or burrow speed, you maintain the ability to breathe if you are swimming or burrowing. The DC for any of these abilities equals your DC for the polymorph spell used to change you into that form.

    In addition to these benefits, you gain any of the natural attacks of the base creature, including proficiency in those attacks. These attacks are based on your base attack bonus, modified by your Strength or Dexterity as appropriate, and use your Strength modifier for determining damage bonuses.
    --snip--

    Beast shape 2 is a polymorph spell, so the above would apply.

    Grand Lodge

    Wonderstell wrote:
    merpius wrote:
    Quote:
    as I'm biased I'll lean toward a strict reading of the rules and declare any (single-target) concealment effect to leave a clear visual.
    Strictly, the rules don't say this; they don't mention that something has to be an area effect, nor do they say that the concealement can't be for only a single character. Imagine, forexample, a curtain that is just wide enough for a single character to hide behind; that would fit within the rules as written (and, in fact, other than the 'exactly wide enough for a single character' part, it is one of the examples). RAW is simple: if the "concealment" effect doesn't, somehow, make the character blend in (ie they leave a "clear visual"), regardless of whether they cover an area or just the individual, then they can't be used for stealth, otherwise, they can. Remember that the "clear visual" exception is an exception, not the rule; the ruel is that concealment can be used for stealth.

    Yes, but I'd like to know when the exception is applicable. If you're standing behind a curtain 1 square wide in the middle of a field, then you'd usually have broken Line of Sight to the opponent (assuming the curtain isn't transparent), which would result in Total Concealment. If the curtain is transparent, then you'd have a clear outline of the creature behind it, preventing it from hiding.

    So from my perspective, the curtain is a bad example of an effect granting (normal) concealment and allowing you to hide.

    While it is a stretch to say that "all single target effects leave a clear visual", that seems to be the rule, rather than the exception.

    Well, not exactly. Because you measure your (ranged) attacks from your best corner (singular), while they have to target all four of yours from a single corner. Which means that behind a curtain like that, you have concealment.

    Note that it doesn't mean they can't assume you're back there. They saw you go in and didn't see you leave. But they don't know exactly where you are, and they can't see you to target you effectively.

    For a real world example, imagine a marching band show with some 5ft wide props. A color guard performer can go behind one and literally make a costume change, and most of the audience will miss it. Likewise, imagine that performer looking around the edge and tossing their flag to another performer. You can probably see them (because they're 'attacking'), but they still have cover.

    I know real world != mechanics, but that doesn't mean it doesn't help you visualize it.

    Grand Lodge

    Azothath wrote:

    well, I was talking a regular non-MW arrow.

    I'm curious as to why +3 would make any difference other than the starting baseline is a high value GP item and as a weapon it bypasses DR as a +3 item. The +3 arrow effectively gains bane (but there's a difference between effective and actual, and that's in any DR not added as per the FAQ).
    From a big view I can see the difference between the cost of a; +3 arrow, a bane +3 arrow{+4}, a +1 Bane bow, and a +2 bow(which could be used on all the arrows). The FAQ is trying to highlight the difference as you paid more for the higher bonus arrow and it *should* be better.
    With added damage from favored type, bane, sneak, etc the DR is just a small part of it and only comes into play when the target has a tough DR.

    Right. We have a fundamental disagreement about Bane and how it's passed to the arrow.

    Here's a for instance:

    +1 [creature] bane bow shot at [creature] using:
    +3 arrow

    Is the arrow +5 or +3?

    If BANE ITSELF is passed on, it's a +5 arrow. Not only does it bypass alignment, it also does 2 more points of damage in addition to its d6's.

    If bane is PIECEWISE passed on, the bow counts as +3, shooting a +3 arrow. It bypasses Silver/Cold Iron because +3 arrow, and it does it's d6's, but no +2.

    By my reading, however, the ARROW ITSELF receives the BANE property. NOT that it gets it piecewise from the weapon. Because that's how the Core Rulebook reads.

    One of the best things about bows is the ability to pass special abilities to the arrows. You get double your money, but it's expendable. This should be the same for Bane.

    Grand Lodge

    I find it odd that a wasp swarm, for example, would be immune to web, but not to entangle.

    It makes more sense to me for a swarm to be immune to both.

    Grand Lodge

    Azothath wrote:

    It is important to say that the confusion stems from the footnote at the bottom of the magic weapon abilities table. Adding 2d6 to arrow damage is a big thing and probably why the footnote was added (yes that's supposition). Still the description states it is an enhancement bonus, and that is targeted by the FAQ.

    For 7gp you can ignore the tempest in a teapot by using cold iron arrows with silver weapon blanch. Do it.

    Honestly, I used that as an example. I'm much more interested in what happens with a +3 arrow.

    So you're of the opinion that the "bane" special quality isn't passed on, but rather that the pieces thereof are?

    Grand Lodge

    This looks great. But I thought we were moving toward a square format. Did that change?

    Grand Lodge

    Gallant Armor wrote:
    tchrman35 wrote:
    Gallant Armor wrote:
    It's not about reading it differently, you are just missing the that the term "magic weapon" is defined as having at least a +1 enhancement bonus. If something counts as a magic weapon for DR it counts a having a +1 enhancement bonus for DR, this would stack with bane. Nothing in the FAQ refutes this. "other than the ways indicated in the Core Rulebook" is an important phrase to note; ammunition counting as magic is an exception to the FAQ so the enhancement bonus applies.

    Oh, I understand your reasoning. I simply disagree.

    The fact that an attack bypasses DR/Magic does not imply that it has a +1 enhancement bonus. A level 1 kineticist throwing a physical blast bypasses DR/Magic. They don't have enhancement bonuses.

    It's a logical fallacy that since a -> b, b proves a. In this case, a is "enhancement bonus ≥ +1" and b is "counts as magical for the purposes of DR."

    One causes the other, but the reverse is not necessarily true.

    There is a difference between "treated as magic" and "treated as a magic weapon". Unless you have a definition from the rules of "magic weapon" that contradicts the one I quoted, a magic weapon has an enhancement bonus of at least +1.

    If you say so. I think I'm done here.

    Grand Lodge

    4 people marked this as a favorite.

    I think 'bamf' is the standard :)

    Grand Lodge

    Gallant Armor wrote:
    It's not about reading it differently, you are just missing the that the term "magic weapon" is defined as having at least a +1 enhancement bonus. If something counts as a magic weapon for DR it counts a having a +1 enhancement bonus for DR, this would stack with bane. Nothing in the FAQ refutes this. "other than the ways indicated in the Core Rulebook" is an important phrase to note; ammunition counting as magic is an exception to the FAQ so the enhancement bonus applies.

    Oh, I understand your reasoning. I simply disagree.

    The fact that an attack bypasses DR/Magic does not imply that it has a +1 enhancement bonus. A level 1 kineticist throwing a physical blast bypasses DR/Magic. They don't have enhancement bonuses.

    It's a logical fallacy that since a -> b, b proves a. In this case, a is "enhancement bonus ≥ +1" and b is "counts as magical for the purposes of DR."

    One causes the other, but the reverse is not necessarily true.

    Grand Lodge

    Gallant Armor wrote:
    tchrman35 wrote:
    Gallant Armor wrote:

    "Ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an enhancement bonus of +1 or higher is treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction"

    "Damage Reduction may be overcome by special materials, magic weapons (any weapon with a +1 or higher enhancement bonus, not counting the enhancement from masterwork quality), certain types of weapons (such as slashing or bludgeoning), and weapons imbued with an alignment."

    An arrow fired from a +x bow is treated as a magic weapon and a magic weapon is defined as having a +1 enhancement bonus. Bane would stack with this bonus and thus you would end up with a +3 even with mundane ammunition.

    Gallant, you are absolutely right. The arrow will land with +3 damage, and it will be fired with +3 to hit.

    But none of that matters when you're dealing with DR, because the conferred bonus doesn't help you get through DR.

    Based on what? The arrow gets a +1 for the purposes of DR from the bow's +x and +2 from bane; 1+2=3. I don't see how to get any other answer without ignoring the text.

    Based on the FAQ quoted and linked above.

    I think we're going to have to agree to disagree here. We clearly read the text differently.

    Grand Lodge

    Gallant Armor wrote:

    "Ammunition fired from a projectile weapon with an enhancement bonus of +1 or higher is treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction"

    "Damage Reduction may be overcome by special materials, magic weapons (any weapon with a +1 or higher enhancement bonus, not counting the enhancement from masterwork quality), certain types of weapons (such as slashing or bludgeoning), and weapons imbued with an alignment."

    An arrow fired from a +x bow is treated as a magic weapon and a magic weapon is defined as having a +1 enhancement bonus. Bane would stack with this bonus and thus you would end up with a +3 even with mundane ammunition.

    Gallant, you are absolutely right. The arrow will land with +3 damage, and it will be fired with +3 to hit.

    But none of that matters when you're dealing with DR, because the conferred bonus doesn't help you get through DR.

    Grand Lodge

    Yep. But the arrow's ability to overcome DR is based on its enhancement bonus separately from the bow's conferred bonus. That means the bane's +2 is all that counts for that purpose. So a plain arrow just doesn't get there. The arrow has to be +1 minimum.

    Grand Lodge

    blahpers wrote:

    Simplify the question--does a mundane arrow fired from a +3 bow bypass DR/silver?

    No, per the FAQ. A mundane arrow fired from a +3 bow bypasses DR/magic and adds +3 to attack and damage rolls, but it does not bypass things that only a +3 weapon would bypass.

    Having a +1 evil outsider bane bow simply makes the bow +3 against evil outsiders and adds some damage. It doesn't change the fact that the arrow hitting the target is not a +3 arrow.

    Using a +1 arrow does even less*--the arrow already bypasses DR/magic and gets +3 to attack and damage rolls, so the +1 on the arrow is utterly wasted.

    If you want to bypass DR/silver, use silver arrows.

    *as in "adds even less to what you're doing over a mundane arrow", not "less than a mundane arrow"--sorry, that was confusing -_-

    This is at the crux of my question. Simplifying the question muddies the waters. I'm specifically NOT asking about a +3 bow or a +1 bane bow alone.

    See, bane says it passes the ability, NOT the enhancement bonus. Which means when it hits, the arrow is bane. Bane increases your actual enhancement bonus by +2.

    Thus, I'm of the opinion that a +3 arrow fired from a bane bow should bypass alignment DR.

    Grand Lodge

    Claxon wrote:

    The main point is that the arrow will itself need to be magical in some capacity to overcome DR.

    So if you have a +1 bane bow and fire an arrow it wont bypass DR. If you fire a +1 bane bow with a +1 arrow the arrow effectively becomes +3 against the target of bane and would bypass DR as appropriate for a +3 weapon.

    Right. A normal arrow fired from a +1 bane bow lands with +3 to attack/damage, but it is not +3 for DR purposes, because the arrow itself is only +2 (from bane). You've got to have at least +1 on the arrow itself to get by any DR besides DR/Magic.

    Grand Lodge

    Thank you both. That's my reading as well, but I was getting some disagreement from others whose opinions I respect so I wanted to double check.

    Grand Lodge

    Gray Warden wrote:
    +1 Flaming Bane arrow, counts as +3 vs Evil Outsiders and overcomes DR/cold iron,silver.

    Right. What if it's a +1 arrow fired from a bane bow?

    Grand Lodge

    My question: Does a +1 Arrow fired from a +1 Evil-Outsider-Bane Bow at an evil outsider bypass DR/Silver or Cold Iron?

    Some relevant sources:

    FAQ wrote:

    Magic Ranged Weapons and Ammunition: When a ranged weapon shares its enhancement bonus with its ammunition, does this count as “true” enhancement bonus or more like a temporary bonus like greater magic weapon? In other words, does the shared enhancement bonus allow the arrow to bypass damage reduction as if it was cold iron, silver, adamantine, and aligned?

    No, other than the ways indicated in the Core Rulebook (if the ranged weapon is at least +1, they count as magic, and if the ranged weapon is aligned they count as that alignment as well) the enhancement bonus granted to ammunition from the ranged weapon doesn’t help them overcome the other types of damage reduction. Archers and other such characters can buy various sorts of ammunition or ammunition with a high enhancement bonus to overcome the various types of damage reduction.

    source: link

    prd wrote:

    01–12 01–08 01–04 Bane(2) +1 bonus

    ...snip...
    (2) Bows, crossbows, and slings crafted with this ability bestow this power upon their ammunition.

    source (which is much more readable): link

    So my question, I suppose, depends on the answer to this question:
    When a Bane bow is fired, is the BOW getting the benefit of Bane, or is the ARROW getting the benefit of Bane?

    Because if the BOW gets it, it then passes on its hit/damage, but the ammunition does not count as +3 for DR purposes. If the ARROW gets it, then the +1 the arrow has and the +2 from Bane make the ARROW a +3 arrow for all purposes, including DR.

    I appreciate your responses!

    Grand Lodge

    Java Man wrote:
    As a GM I go with the more explicit description in the spellcraft skill, but the text in detect magic is sufficiently vague that I wouldn't argue with a GM who ruled the other way. Also seems like a rare event that the difference would matter.

    If you're trying to bang out as many items as you can with a single casting of identify or something, I can see it mattering. If the alchemist is the only one who's able to do the identifying, for example, and they don't have multiple identify extracts prepped, they might want to know just how much they could do. (In that case, it's items per level. With detect magic it's significantly longer - minute per level, and 3 1/3 items per minute.)

    Grand Lodge

    I assume initiative had been rolled, and the cannoneers had already had their chance and readied it on their turn?

    It's really no different than all of them readying against the caster.

    I've never used cannons before, but I'll assume you're running those mechanics correctly.

    My only concern would be if you are readying actions outside of combat.

    Grand Lodge

    Sniping is best done in a team scenario. Let someone else initiate combat. Use your surprise round to get into better position rather than to fire.

    Either that, or take your shot, then skip the next round and use bluff to distract then get back into hiding.

    (Or use a Goz mask and a smoke stick and get your full attack in...)

    Grand Lodge

    I looked, but I couldn't find another thread.

    Oracles who cast modern spells get cure or inflict spells in addition to their spells known.

    That language is conspicuously absent from the description of wordcasting oracles

    Ultimate Magic wrote:

    Oracles and Sorcerers

    Oracle and sorcerer wordcasters gain bonus spells from their mysteries or bloodlines respectively, just like their spellcasting counterparts, and can cast these spells in addition to their wordspells by using up the appropriate spell slots. They can exchange effect words for new effect words according to their normal progression, but may not exchange their mystery or bloodline bonus spells

    I know pretty well that in the rules forum, I'll get a RAW answer. I guess my question is whether people think it's also RAI that oracles have one fewer known spell per level if they are wordcasters?

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    John Compton wrote:
    And with that, we're back to developing more scenarios, sanctioning more playable content, and working toward our best convention season yet!

    I hear there's a Drowned City whose seers could use some official Pathfinder Society sanctioning...

    :)

    If you're looking for suggestions, that is.

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    1 person marked this as a favorite.

    Of note, Alex - Ire of the Storm's first chronicle is 1-2. Might be a nice addition to your list. And it can make a reasonable stand-alone adventure anyway.

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    Has a consensus ever been reached about pounce and ride by?

    I can certainly visualize it all happening, but it seems really, quite overpowered.

    Grand Lodge

    1 person marked this as a favorite.

    Also, there's literally no reason they could NOT take the trait. Traits do not have prerequisites. Whether you could USE the trait could be at issue. Shifter includes this line, whose language I hope is cleared up in the rewriteerrata:

    Ultimate Wilderness wrote:
    A shifters can take feats and other abilities that require wild shape; for the purpose of qualifying for prerequisites, her effective druid level is equal to her shifter level.

    A strict constructionist will say that the time you spend in wildshape is not a prerequisite. A loose constructionist will probably say that it's clear what they meant - that if you're dealing with wildshape, a shifter is a druid.

    However, there's also some interesting interaction with the FAQ that adjusts the duration to Level+WIS mod. Some things to discuss with your GM:

    1) With BotS, how many hours of wildshape do I have? Twice my previous total? 2xLevel + WIS? 2xLevel? I can see any of those being your answer.

    2) Do I use it in one hour increments or two? This one may depend on the first. For me, I would make it twice the previous total, useable in two hour increments, (so every shift is up to twice as long, but the number of shifts stays the same.)

    Grand Lodge

    Tarik Blackhands wrote:

    No interaction. Outside of use of kinetic blade/whip, blasts are always a standard action to shoot ergo you're never taking a full round attack ergo you're never getting the extra attack from haste. Gathering power for a full round is similarly not a full round attack, just a full round action so again no interaction. You will get +1 to hit though which is something I guess.

    A few other corner cases:

    Flurry of blasts
    Kinetic fist
    Elemental annihilator of at least 6th level

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    1 person marked this as a favorite.

    Am I the only one who thinks the purchase guidelines at Stonefire Supplies border on ludicrous? A town of that size has a base value of 1,000gp. And it has a purchasing power of 5,000gp. It seems silly to imagine that they'd have any magical item up to 3,500gp. I feel I need to roleplay Uda's magic emporium as a place of quiet ostentation. Like, everything is a work of art. That table there, it's solid oak. The tooth under the glass dome? That came from the linnorm killed by the first linnorm King millennia ago. (Certificate of provenance is in the safe in the office.)

    Solid wood paneling with beautiful molding work adorns the walls. Exposed support columns have headers that you think might be gold, or at least gilded, hiding their capitals.

    Yes. This is a place of wealth that far exceeds what this town could otherwise support.

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    nosig wrote:
    MadScientistWorking wrote:
    Stephen Wight wrote:
    Quote:

    Unless I'm mistaken, you have to be a Goblin to use mudball...

    it wouldn't be the first time I was mistaken though, so double check me on this...

    Ah, right you are. What i get for trying to be quick.

    No matter. My point remains. You can build a very effective character out of a druid.

    (Even with the armor restrictions.)

    Also, snowball isn't particularly good anymore.
    I haven't seen the nerf yet- what's the changes?

    Evocation, no stagger, yes SR. Also I don't think the new one has made it into legality yet.

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    1 person marked this as a favorite.
    MadScientistWorking wrote:
    Stephen Wight wrote:
    Quote:

    Unless I'm mistaken, you have to be a Goblin to use mudball...

    it wouldn't be the first time I was mistaken though, so double check me on this...

    Ah, right you are. What i get for trying to be quick.

    No matter. My point remains. You can build a very effective character out of a druid.

    (Even with the armor restrictions.)

    Also, snowball isn't particularly good anymore.

    That's why I only prepped it once. I still prefer it to produce flame. And it's still a good spell. It's just not game breaking.

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    Quote:

    Unless I'm mistaken, you have to be a Goblin to use mudball...

    it wouldn't be the first time I was mistaken though, so double check me on this...

    Ah, right you are. What i get for trying to be quick.

    No matter. My point remains. You can build a very effective character out of a druid.

    (Even with the armor restrictions.)

    Grand Lodge 4/5

    Also, druids can make fine full casters. Take a domain instead of a pet to add back a little oomph. Water perhaps? (Actually, I like flowing for its domain ability. The spells are already on your list, but they're all but one decent spells.)

    (I assume Feyspeaker is the archetype you're looking at?)

    Keep in mind that you add a wizard enchantment or illusion spell at one level higher, but at every level! Yes, that means you get them later. It also boosts the DC of said spells. At 8th level I'd maybe start out with something like this:

    1: Obscuring Mist(d), Heightened Awareness, Thunderstomp, Mudball(2), Snowball, Remove Sickness

    2: Cat's Grace(d), Deja Vu(w), Aggressive Thundercloud, Flaming Sphere, Stone Discus

    3:Water Breathing(d), Hideous Laughter(w), Resist Energy (communal), Wind Wall, Call Lightning

    4: Freedom of Movement(d), Suggestion(w), Ice Storm, Moonstruck

    Druids can be lots of fun to play. And there's more than enough on that list to get me through an adventuring day. Plus, I can wild shape 2x/day into a tiny-to-large creature. If you take weapon finesse and go small, you can find some pretty great options that play to your dex.

    There's nothing wrong with druids. They can be a lot of fun.

    Grand Lodge

    Wei Ji the Learner wrote:

    It should also be noted that the halfling can't use the enchantment themselves, as that would require a +2 Flaming Amulet of Mighty Fists.

    ...hmmm... would that count as a Dancing weapon?

    With a rank or two in Perform (Dance), absolutely!

    Grand Lodge

    Is there a price in the book for purchasing a diminutive bird? I was thinking of buying a thrush and keeping him in a cage for my next PFS character - an Archaeologist bard.

    If the bird dies, time to cast Air Bubble and get out!

    Grand Lodge

    pad300 wrote:
    tchrman35 wrote:
    If you're wanting your mithral tower shield, look at the Folding quality, and put it on your Light Mithral Shield.
    That requires proficiency and takes actions...

    As far as proficiency, yes that's true. As far as the action, nothing says it doesn't stay a tower shield indefinitely. If you were worried about it, you could make it take its original form to hang on your wall at night, but every morning you make it a tower shield and boom.

    Grand Lodge

    If you're wanting your mithral tower shield, look at the Folding quality, and put it on your Light Mithral Shield.

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    Lots to unpack here. Let's see if I can address the issues one at a time:

    1) Why no houserules?

    Well, to be fair, there ARE house rules. They're listed in the Campaign Clarifications document and in the Guide to Organized Play

    However, that's not really what your asking, I think. You're wanting to know why you and your GM can't agree together on a few things that, well, aren't in the rules but really ought to work a certain way, so for today that's how it's going to be. The answer to that is simple: In a campaign like this, the design is to have the player experience as common across tables as possible. Now, we all know that doesn't happen perfectly - some GM's have a better grasp of the rules than others. Some GM's are more charismatic, and some GM's are better storytellers. But the basic idea is a sound one, at least in my opinion. I like the idea that if I go from my home in Tennessee to Sweden and play a PFS game, I'm still going to have a pretty good idea of how the world works. (Nobody's going to say, "Oh, well, at my table we consider potions to be weapon-like and let you draw them as part of a movement - provided you have a bandolier. What do you mean, you don't have a bandolier?")

    2) Why are so many things banned?

    The company line, as I understand it, is that Pathfinder (the product) and Pathfinder Society (the Organized Play campaign) have different goals. As such, the product folks have a lot of freedom to create and publish items, feats, and spells that may or may not fit well within the setting. Like any good game runner (a role often filled by the GM), the Organized Play staff have selected items and abilities that seem to fit well within the setting.

    I have not, personally, found the restrictions to be strangling. Quite the contrary - there is SO MUCH available that I have a hard time, in some cases, deciding what character to build next.

    3) What is the point of such restrictions in a non-competitive campaign?

    Two reasons:
    First, ever been in a pickup game of basketball where the goal was always to "feed Megan. Just get Megan the ball."

    Not so much fun. Yes, maybe you came out with a win, but you also probably walked away thinking, "Geez, I could've stayed home." So while this isn't a competitive event, it is important for everyone to have fun. And when one person is severely overshadowing everyone else, it stops being fun. (Honestly, it can stop being fun for that person, too.)

    Second, the writers have to base their writing on the expected power level of the target PCs. So keeping game balance roughly the same is important. Introducing third party material (or even some of the really overpowered Paizo material) into the campaign makes that impossible, and you end up with PC gods fighting ants, or you end up with dead PCs.

    Now, Organized campaigns aren't everyone's preference; I get that. You may decide that you'd rather play a game where your good friend Ellie runs a game she makes up as she goes for you and a few other people, and that's awesome. (If you were in my area, I'd ask for an invite!) But hopefully, at least, this will give you a little better idea of why Organized Play campaigns do things the way they do.

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    justaworm wrote:

    The grey area for me would be applying infusions that are too high a level over the chosen caster level. This would be due to the "and all level dependent features must be based on the same caster level" excerpt from spell casting at a lower level.

    My first impression is that I would disallow any infusion that couldn't have been applied to the kinetic blast being used at the desired caster level in question.

    With this I would wholeheartedly agree. If you're using a level 2 infusion, you've got to throw a CL4 or higher blast, period.

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    James Risner wrote:
    Flurry of Blows which they don’t have has nothing to do with Extra Attack ki pool ability which they do have.

    Can you show me where they have an Extra Attack ki pool ability? Talonhawke has the right of it. Monks only get the extra attack on a flurry. They either need a level of Monk or enough Ninja levels to get a Ninja ki pool before they can add an attack.

    James Risner wrote:
    Unless @Kageshira is saying they don’t have Extra Attack ki ability.

    I'm saying that outright. They get a monk's ki pool, which means that they can spend a ki point *during a flurry of blows* to get an extra attack. They could also use it to get a burst of speed or to get a dodge bonus to AC.

    James Risner wrote:

    Also there is nothing called Enlightened Paladin, it is called the Iroran Paladin.

    Paizo has chosen to release their material in OGL. That means that, aside from Proper Nouns, generally speaking their material is freely available. That means some people learn it through d20pfsrd. Let's not bicker about semantics. We all knew what OP meant.

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    Based on the following:

    CRB p. 208 wrote:
    You can cast a spell at a lower caster level than normal, but the caster level you choose must be high enough for you to cast the spell in question, and all level-dependent features must be based on the same caster level.
    CRB - Magic - Special Abilities wrote:

    Usually, a spell-like ability works just like the spell of that name. A spell-like ability has no verbal, somatic, or material component, nor does it require a focus. The user activates it mentally. Armor never affects a spell-like ability's use, even if the ability resembles an arcane spell with a somatic component.

    A spell-like ability has a casting time of 1 standard action unless noted otherwise in the ability or spell description. In all other ways, a spell-like ability functions just like a spell.

    Spell-like abilities are subject to spell resistance and dispel magic. They do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated. Spell-like abilities cannot be used to counterspell, nor can they be counterspelled.

    If a character class grants a spell-like ability that is not based on an actual spell, the ability's effective spell level is equal to the highest-level class spell the character can cast, and is cast at the class level the ability is granted.

    Can a kineticist choose to use a kinetic blast as though they were of a lower level? That is, could a level 10 kineticist choose to fire a 1d6 + half con simple energy blast as though they were a level 1 kineticist?

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