vorpalwarrior's page

Thank you for the feedback.

I think I understand sorcerer metamagic better now. I have just a few more questions.

1. Spell Perfection and Metamagic Adept seem similar in that each one allows the sorcerer to add one metamagic feat (each) without increasing casting time. They are different in that Spell Perfection applies to one spell but can be used every time that spell is cast while Metamagic Adept can be applied to any spell but can only be used a limited number of times per day based on sorcerer level. Is that correct?

2. The default for Metamagic Adept seems to be that it is not applied until the sorcerer chooses to do so. Can a sorcerer with Magical Lineage or Spell Perfection choose not to apply those to a spell in order to have Bloodline Arcana apply? For example, can a sorcerer with Magical Lineage Fireball and Elemental Spell Acid cast an Acid Fireball that uses a 4th-level spell slot, takes one full round to cast, and gets the benefit of Bloodline Arcana by choosing not to use Magical Lineage Fireball?

3. Assume a sorcerer has the following laundry list: Elemental Spell Acid (+1 slot), Magical Lineage Fireball (-1 slot), Intensified Spell (+1 slot), Empower Spell (+2 slots), Maximize Spell (+3 slots), Quicken Spell (+4 slots), and Spell Perfection Fireball (apply one metamagic feat without increasing casting time). Can this sorcerer cast Fireball with the trait and all the feats applied?

The spell slot level would be 3rd (Fireball) + 1 (Elemental Spell Acid) -1 (Magical Lineage Fireball) + 1 (Intensified Spell) + 2 (Empower Spell) + 3 (Maximize Spell) + 0 (Spell Perfection Fireball means Quicken spell's increase does not apply) = 9th (castable at 18th-level). The casting time would be one swift action. The acid damage would be 15x6 + (15d6)x0.5 or 97-135.

With Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Bloodline Arcana, Spell Focus Evocation, and School Power Evocation, the SR roll would be 1d20 + 18 + 8, and the Reflex DC would be 10 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 2 + CHA modifier (minimum +4) = 22 minimum.

As always, I appreciate the feedback.

Thank you for the feedback.

I have a few questions because now I think I do not understand how some of these feats and abilities work.

Spell Perfection:
I thought the spell slot level and casting time of a "Spell Perfection spell" do not change only if just one metamagic feat is applied; if more than one metamagic feat is applied, then spell slot level and casting time are increased. But it sounds like people are saying that a "Spell Perfection spell" gets one "free" metamagic feat, and more metamagic feats may be added that affect spell slot level but do not increase casting time. Is that the way Spell Perfection works? Basically, does a sorcerer's "Spell Perfection Fireball" always have a casting time of one standard action regardless of how many metamagic feats are applied (unless Quicken Spell is used to reduce the casting time to one swift action)?

Elemental Spell Acid with Magical Lineage Fireball and Arcane Bloodline Arcana:
I thought Elemental Spell Acid would increase Fireball from 3rd to 4th, Magical Lineage Fireball would decrease it from 4th to 3rd, and Arcane Bloodline Arcana would not apply because the final spell slot level did not increase by at least one. But it sounds like people are saying that Arcane Bloodline Arcana does apply because Elemental Spell Acid increased the spell slot, albeit briefly. Is that the way these work?

Metamagic Adept:
Similar to Spell Perfection, I think Metamagic Adept applies only if just one metamagic feat is applied; if more than one metamagic feat is applied, then Metamagic Adept does not apply. Is that the way Metamagic Adept works?

As always, I appreciate the feedback.

Pathfinder 1st Edition

I have a question regarding a Human Arcane Bloodline Sorcerer with the trait and feats listed below.

1. Magical Lineage Fireball: reduce spell slot by 1 if a metamagic feat increases the spell slot by at least 1
2. Elemental Spell Acid: change spell's energy type to acid
3. Bloodline Arcana: +1 to saving throw DC when metamagic increases the spell slot by at least 1
4. Spell Penetration: +2 to Spell Resistance rolls
5. Greater Spell Penetration: +2 to Spell Resistance rolls (stacks with Spell Penetration)
6. Spell Focus Evocation: +1 to saving throw DC
7. Intensified Spell: increase damage by 5 dice
8. Greater Spell Focus Evocation: +1 to saving throw DC (stacks with Spell Focus Evocation)
9. Elemental Focus Acid: +1 to saving throw DC
10. Greater Elemental Focus Acid: +1 to saving throw DC (stacks with Elemental Focus Acid)
11. School Power Evocation: +2 to saving throw DC (stacks with Spell Focus Evocation)
12. Spell Perfection Fireball

This 15th-level sorcerer casts Fireball with Elemental Spell Acid (+1 spell slot) and Intensified Spell (+1 spell slot) applied to take Fireball from 3rd-level to 5th-level. Magical Lineage Fireball should bring the spell back down to 4th-level. Because the spell slot is increased by at least one, Bloodline Arcana should apply.

My question is how does Spell Perfection Fireball double the bonuses of 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 11? For example, are the two +2 Spell Resistance bonuses both doubled for a total of +8? The saving throw modifiers seem to stack to +7; are these all doubled for a total of +14?

I believe this spell would require a 4th-level spell slot and do 15d6 acid damage with a Spell Resistance roll of 1d20 + 15 + 8 and a Reflex saving throw DC of 10 + 3 + 14 + CHA modifier.

FYI, the sorcerer also has a third metamagic feat and 15 ranks in Spellcraft to qualify for Spell Perfection.

As always, I appreciate the feedback.

Thank you for pointing to the Unhindering Shield feat. It seems like a good starting place.

One build requires three feats by 9th level: Shield Proficiency, Shield Focus, and Unhindering Shield. For the price of a 155 gp masterwork buckler, this build has +2 Shield AC and still allows Monk-specific abilities. To increase the total Shield AC bonus (i.e. normal buckler plus enhancement), the cost would be 1k gp for +3, 4k gp for +4, and 9k gp for +5.

Another build requires four feats by 5th level: Snapping Turtle Style, Snapping Turtle Clutch, Snapping Turtle Shell, and Improved Grapple. This build also has the +2 Shield AC. On top of that, this build includes the following:
1) the benefits of Improved Grapple,
2) Shield AC applied to CMD and Touch AC,
3) one grapple attempt per round as an immediate action if a melee attacker misses, and
4) -4 to critical confirmation rolls ...
basically the benefits of being a Snapping Turtle Style Monk, which is why I built a Snapping Turtle Style Monk.

This is where I repeat my initial inquiry. What is the appropriate cost of a hand-space item that increases the Shield AC bonus of this second build? I initially suggested using the "armor bonus (enhancement)" of "bonus squared x 1,000 gp" but started at +3 so that it superseded the Snapping Turtle Shell +2 bonus instead of stacking with it, which is the point because this item requires the Snapping Turtle Style feat.

In the end, keep in mind, per the magic item creation guidelines, +6 Gloves of Dexterity would grant exactly what I am proposing (+3 to AC, CMD, and Touch AC) and in fact even more (bonus to ranged attacks, bonus to Reflex saves, bonus to Initiative, and bonus to all DEX-based skill checks) and would cost 36k gp. That is straight from the guidelines; nothing circumventive or dubious there.

But I don't want Gloves of Dexterity. I want Turtle Shell Gauntlets.

Again, I appreciate all feedback.

Pathfinder 1st Edition

Lawful servant of St. Ides, Master of the West Wind, Abraham "The Ram" Hammerhand of the Hammerhand Clan here again with another question.

Bram, as me friends call me, is a dwarven monk with the three Snapping Turtle Style feats. As such, with one hand free, I get a +2 Shield bonus to AC. I want to increase this bonus via a magical item.

Since the Snapping Turtle Style requires one hand to be empty, I think the "Hands" space is appropriate. Therefore, I propose crafting "Turtle Shell Gauntlets," thick gloves made of turtle shell that imbue their wearer with the ability to increase Snapping Turtle Style Shield AC bonus.

From what I see, if the bonus is "armor bonus (enhancement)," then the cost is just like a shield: 9k gp for +3, 16k gp for +4, and 25k gp for +5.

It is not a deflection, luck, insight, sacred, or profane bonus, and it definitely takes up a space on the body. Therefore, I do not see it having any increased cost.

As always, I appreciate your feedback.

P.S. I understand that you are wondering how this item will interfere with my "Gauntlets of Strong Jaw" from an earlier post. My party decided that Strong Jaw is better applied to a neck space similar to "Amulet of Mighty Fists."

willuwontu

Thank you for your reply. I believe you are addressing a different, albeit similar, situation.

A 5th-level Universal wizard creates a scroll of fireball and gives it to a 5th-level Evoker wizard to cast. The Evoker has Intense Spells to add 1/2 wizard level to damage from evocation spells. In this case, Intense Spells would not come into play because the Evoker is casting the spell from a "regular fireball scroll" instead of the Evoker's own "arcane mind."

Now turn that scenario around. The 5th-level Evoker wizard creates the scroll of fireball and gives it to the 5th-level Universal wizard to cast. Here is where I repeat my initial inquiry. Does the scroll contain an extra 1/2 wizard level damage (based on the Evoker creator's level)? After all, the Evoker wizard cast the fireball spell into the scroll, and Intense Spells is free i.e. not a metamagic feat that increases effective spell level.

Pathfinder 1st Edition

If a 6th-level cleric with the Healing domain creates a potion of Cure Serious Wounds, is the potion empowered via Healer's Blessing?

"Healer's Blessing (Su): At 6th level, all of your cure spells are treated as if they were empowered, increasing the amount of damage healed by half (+50%). This does not apply to damage dealt to undead with a cure spell. This does not stack with the Empower Spell metamagic feat."

If yes, does the cleric need to create the potion as a 6th-level caster (as opposed to the 5th-level minimum requirement for the 3rd-level Cure Serious Wounds spell)?

Pathfinder 1st Edition

My dwarven monk wants to invest some substantial gold in a homemade pair of "Gauntlets of Strong Jaw," leather and scaly gauntlets that continuously grant the wearer the effects of the spell Strong Jaw. I would apreciate a check on my understanding of the rules regarding magic item creation.

Strong Jaw has a duration of 1 minute/level and is a 4th-level druid spell, castable by a 7th-level druid. For an item with a spell effect that is continuous, the base price is [spell level x caster level x 2,000 gp]. If a continuous item has an effect based on a spell with a duration of 1 minute/level, multiply the cost by 2. Therefore, Gauntlets of Strong Jaw would cost [4 x 7 x 2,000 gp x 2 = 112,000 gp].

If two of my dwarven monk's compatriots, an elven evoker with Craft Wondrous Item and a gnome druid who can cast Strong Jaw, work together, they can create this wondrous item for half its cost or [56,000 gp]. The elven evoker has the Hedge Magician trait to reduce the required gp cost of a crafted magic item by 5%. Therefore, the final cost would be [0.95 x 56,000 gp = 53,200 gp].

My dwarven monk is looking forward to the extra damage.

Pathfinder 1st Edition

Grappling is two things:
1. Fun as hell.
2. Confusing as F%$&!!!
As such, I have a question regarding the Greater Grapple feat.

Greater Grapple (Combat)
Maintaining a grapple is second nature to you.
Prerequisites: Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +6, Dex 13.
Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on checks made to grapple a foe. This bonus stacks with the bonus granted by Improved Grapple. Once you have grappled a creature, maintaining the grapple is a move action. This feat allows you to make two grapple checks each round (to move, harm, or pin your opponent), but you are not required to make two checks. You only need to succeed at one of these checks to maintain the grapple.
Normal: Maintaining a grapple is a standard action.

My question is regarding, "Once you have grappled a creature, maintaining the grapple is a move action. This feat allows you to make two grapple checks each round (to move, harm, or pin your opponent), but you are not required to make two checks. You only need to succeed at one of these checks to maintain the grapple."

Let's assume my dwarven monk has Greater Grapple and grappled an opponent last round, and the opponent failed to break free on its turn. Now it is my dwarven monk's turn. Let's assume my dwarven monk attempts to maintain the grapple to harm the opponent, and let's assume my dwarven monk's attempt fails. Without Greater Grapple, the grapple would immediately end on that failure.

With Greater Grapple, is the grapple still intact (I assume yes)? Can my dwarven monk attempt another grapple check with -5 modifier (I assume yes)? If that check succeeds, is the grapple maintained (I assume yes)? If that check fails, is the grapple broken (I assume yes)?

I look forward to your feedback.

Alright, four changes.

First, Snapping Turtle Bite moves from 15th level to 7th level.

Snapping Turtle Bite (Combat)
You excel at fighting more than one opponent at a time.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Shell, base attack bonus +7 or monk level 7th.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat and more than one enemy threatens you, you may bite an enemy that hits you. Once per round, when an enemy hits you with a melee attack, you may make a bite attack at your highest attack as an immediate action. The bite deals lethal unarmed damage. You must threaten the enemy in order to make this attack. If you are grappling, you cannot use this attack to attack an enemy outside a grapple, but you can use it to attack an enemy within a grapple when grappling multiple enemies.

Compare this to Snake Fang. Snake Fang grants an immediate action attack of opportunity when an enemy misses and has one more prerequisite (9th level). Snapping Turtle Bite grants an immediate action when an enemy hits and has an additional requirement (must be threatened by more than one enemy). I think this is fair.

Second, Snapping Turtle Slash gets better.

Snapping Turtle Slash
Wounds from your unarmed attacks continue to bleed.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Hiss, base attack bonus +19 or monk level 19th.
Benefit: Each of your unarmed attacks inflicts one point of bleed damage starting the following round. Within each round, the effects stack. Effects do not stack from round to round, but each round can reset a lower amount of bleed damage to a higher amount. Each time an enemy takes 10 points of bleed damage from this effect, that enemy must make a Fortitude save or take 1d2 points of Constitution damage. DC = 10 + Wisdom modifier + 1/2 monk level. For example, a monk hits an enemy with 4 of 7 unarmed attacks. The following round, the enemy takes 4 points of bleed damage. If the monk later hits the enemy with 5 unarmed attacks in a round, the bleed damage is increased to 5 points. The bleed effect can only be stopped by a heal that heals at least as much as the total amount of bleed damage taken. Also, you are always considered to be in Snapping Turtle Style, even when not in combat, unless you are fighting in a different combat style.

Compare this to Bloody Assault. Bloody Assault is a 6th level feat that grants 1d4 points per round of bleed damage in exchange for a -5 attack penalty. As a 19th level feat, Snapping Turtle Slash grants 1 – 7 points per round of bleed damage (depending on how many maximum flurry of blows attacks succeed) with no penalty. I think this is more than fair. That is why I added the statistic damage.

Third, Snapping Turtle Shield moves from 7th level to 15th level.

Snapping Turtle Shield (Combat)
Your unarmed style allows you to use an opponent as a human shield.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Swim, base attack bonus +15 or monk level 15th.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat and grappling an enemy and in control of the grapple, you may use the enemy as a shield to absorb damage dealt to you by a different enemy. Once per round, when an enemy other than your grappling opponent hits you with a melee or ranged attack, you can use an immediate action to make a CMB against your grappling opponent. If you succeed, your grappling opponent takes the damage. If the damage kills your grappling opponent, the grapple immediately ends.

Compare this to Body Shield. Body Shield is a 6th level feat. Body Shield grants cover and redirects damage if the attack hits the grappled opponent. Snapping Turtle Shield redirects damage from a confirmed hit on a successful combat maneuver check. This is more than fair. In fact, I like the idea of allowing this feat to be used again if it is unsuccessful.

Fourth, Snapping Turtle Claw grants each Snapping Turtle feat per round at the expense of attacks of opportunity.

Snapping Turtle Claw (Combat)
Your fingers and toes slice through your enemies.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Blood, base attack bonus +11 or monk level 11th.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat, your unarmed attacks deal +2 slashing damage. Also, you may use each Snapping Turtle Style swift/immediate action once per round. Each action expends one attack of opportunity. Once you expend all of your attacks of opportunity, you may continue to use Snapping Turtle actions, but you may no longer use attacks of opportunity.

Excellent. Thank you. Please keep the responses coming. Nitpick away. Here is my feedback on the current feedback.

1. The damage from Snapping Turtle Bite is the monk’s level-dependent unarmed damage. Also, to be clear, this is a feat for use while not grappling. I plan to move it down from 15th level to 7th level. See below for the reason why.

2. Enemies who make the save vs. Snapping Turtle Hiss are immune for only the rest of the encounter. If a new encounter ensues later, the enemy needs to make another save attempt.

3. Snapping Turtle Hiss “only” demoralizes because the intent is for the effect to potentially affect all enemies within 30 ft and last for the duration of the encounter. Also, this feat is one of the “tied to shield AC increase” feats. Essentially, four of the ten feats – including the Pathfinder feat at 5th level – grant an increase in shield AC and also grant a small additional bonus. The demoralize effect is the small additional bonus.

4. Snapping Turtle Slash sucks. In hindsight, it is just +1 damage that takes effect in the following round. I need to redo this feat. I agree that it is not a good “capstone” feat for the progression. I do like having the last feat in the progression include the condition that the monk is always in the combat style. Bottom line, a 19th level “Snapping Turtle Monk” is always a Snapping Turtle Monk.

5. Snapping Turtle Shield garnered the most criticism. It appears to be too powerful for 7th level. Attack redirection is indeed powerful. I will move it up in the progression. However, I disagree that it should be limited to one use per enemy. As a higher level feat (maybe 15th level), it requires several circumstances – controlling a grapple, hit by another enemy, and successful combat maneuver check – in order to be used. I will consider the concepts of requiring the combat maneuver check to beat the attack roll and its successful use immediately ending the grapple.

6. No one commented on Snapping Turtle Claw enabling the monk to use each Snapping Turtle style swift/immediate action once per round. This was the one effect that I thought some people might consider to be overpowered. Because each feat requires several circumstances in order to be used, I think being able to use each feat once per round at 11th level is fair.

I look forward to your help transforming my monk into a fighting snapping turtle.

I am currently playing a 4th-level monk, and I chose the first two "Snapping Turtle Style" combat style feats. The current feats stop after three, but I want to continue the progression, so a friend and I created some more feats. I am interested in other people's feedback.

Snapping Turtle Style (Combat, Style)
Your deft unarmed style allows you to shield your body from harm.
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +1 or monk level 1st.
Benefit: While using the Snapping Turtle Style feat with at least one hand free, you gain a +1 shield bonus to AC.

Snapping Turtle Clutch (Combat)
Your unarmed style allows you to turn your opponent's attack into an opportunity.
Prerequisites: Snapping Turtle Style, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, base attack bonus +3 or monk level 3rd.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat, the shield bonus the style grants to your AC applies to your CMD and touch AC. Whenever an opponent misses you with a melee attack while you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat, you can use an immediate action to attempt a grapple combat maneuver against that opponent, but with a –2 penalty.

Snapping Turtle Shell (Combat)
Your guarding hand is almost magical in its skill at deflecting incoming blows.
Prerequisites: Snapping Turtle Clutch, base attack bonus +5 or monk level 5th.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat, the shield bonus the style grants to your AC increases to +2, and your enemies take a –4 penalty on critical confirmation rolls against you.

Snapping Turtle Shield (Combat)
Your unarmed style allows you to use an opponent as a human shield.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Shell, base attack bonus +7 or monk level 7th.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat and grappling an enemy and in control of the grapple, you may use the enemy as a shield to absorb damage dealt to you by a different enemy. Once per round, when an enemy other than your grappling opponent hits you with a melee or ranged attack, you can use an immediate action to make a CMB against your grappling opponent. If you succeed, your grappling opponent takes the damage. If the damage kills your grappling opponent, the grapple immediately ends.

Snapping Turtle Blood (Combat)
You are resistant to cold.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Shield, base attack bonus +9 or monk level 9th.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat, the shield bonus the style grants to your AC increases to +3. Also, you gain resistance to cold per the "Resist Energy" spell. Caster level is base attack bonus or monk level, whichever is higher. This resistance is active even when not using the Snapping Turtle Style feat.

Snapping Turtle Claw (Combat)
Your fingers and toes slice through your enemies.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Blood, base attack bonus +11 or monk level 11th.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat, your unarmed attacks deal +2 slashing damage. Also, you may use each Snapping Turtle Style swift/immediate action once per round.

Snapping Turtle Swim (Combat)
You are an excellent swimmer.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Claw, base attack bonus +13 or monk level 13th.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat, the shield bonus the style grants to your AC increases to +4. Also, you gain a swim speed equal to your speed and the "Hold Breath" special ability. These are active even when not using the Snapping Turtle Style feat.

Snapping Turtle Bite (Combat)
You excel at fighting more than one opponent at at time.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Swim, base attack bonus +15 or monk level 15th.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat and more than one enemy threatens you, you may bite an enemy that hits you. Once per round, when an enemy hits you with a melee attack, you may make a bite attack at your highest attack as an immediate action. The bite deals lethal unarmed damage. You must threaten the enemy in order to make this attack. You cannot use this attack to attack someone outside a grapple, but you can use it within a grapple.

Snapping Turtle Hiss (Combat)
You demoralize enemies with a threatening hiss.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Bite, base attack bonus +17 or monk level 17th.
Benefit: While you are using the Snapping Turtle Style feat, the shield bonus the style grants to your AC increases to +5, and you can hiss to demoralize enemies as a swift action. All enemies within 30 feet who can both see and hear you must make a Will save. DC = 10 + Wisdom modifier + 1/2 monk level. Enemies who make the save are immune to this ability for the remainder of the encounter.

Snapping Turtle Slash
Wounds from your unarmed attacks continue to bleed.
Prerequisite: Snapping Turtle Hiss, base attack bonus +19 or monk level 19th.
Benefit: Your unarmed attacks inflict 1 point per round of bleed damage for one round. The effects stack and take effect the following round. For example, a monk hits an opponent with 4 of 7 unarmed flurry of blow attacks. The following round, the opponent takes 4 points of bleed damage. Also, you are always considered to be in Snapping Turtle Style, even when not in combat, unless you are fighting in a different combat style.