willuwontu's page

The base rules for monster cohorts rules are from bestiary 1 pg.316 along with a table of levels for monsters within it. With similar tables in each other bestiary for monsters within that bestiary.

However, I'll note that Ultimate Intrigue revised the cohort levels for monstrous allies from each bestiary (quite literally "Use the cohort levels presented here instead of those provided in earlier publications."), one of the quickest examples is that blink dog is a cohort level of 6, rather than the 4 that d20pfsrd shows.

No, you cannot use rules elements from a prestige class to meet the requirements of that prestige class.

It is important to note that there is no mention of restrictions on subsequent actions after using "Shift," which is a departure from the wording used in the "Dimension Door" spell:

"After using this spell, you can’t take any other actions until your next turn."

The ability itself doesn't need to mention the limitation when it's in the effect it's imitating.

This specific limitation indicates that such restrictions are explicitly stated when they apply. The absence of such wording in the "Shift" ability suggests that the user is free to take other actions, including move and standard actions, after using "Shift."

No, it would need language that dimension door's effect doesn't apply, the lack of such means that dimension door's effect does apply.

The "Abundant Step" ability of the Monk provides a clear parallel. It allows the Monk to use an effect similar to "dimension door" as a move action without prohibiting further actions:

"Abundant Step (Su): At 12th level or higher, a monk can slip magically between spaces, as if using the spell dimension door, a certain number of times per day. This ability functions as a move action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity."

Despite referencing "dimension door," "Abundant Step" explicitly states its use as a move action, illustrating that the Monk can continue to act afterward. If "Abundant Step" and similar abilities allow for actions after teleportation, it follows that "Shift," with its absence of any restrictive text, would permit the same.

Making an action a move action, does not mean that the rest of the effect does not apply. Dimensional Agility even shows your premise to be false.

After using abundant step or casting dimension door, you can take any actions you still have remaining on your turn.

Quote:

basket random said:
Can anyone with the time needed to do so list ways any PC can achieve immortality in Pathfinder 1st Edition? I know Wizards have an arcane discovery to achieve immortality at 20th level but I'm not sure if there are any other ways to achieve it?

Some campaign settings or GMs might allow characters to pursue a path of divine ascension. This involves undertaking epic quests, gathering powerful artifacts, and attracting the attention and favor of deities. The character may eventually transcend their mortal form and become a deity themselves, achieving true immortality.

Uposyleas wrote:

Quote:

Angel said:
Can anyone with the time needed to do so list ways any PC can achieve immortality in Pathfinder 1st Edition? I know Wizards have an arcane discovery to achieve immortality at 20th level but I'm not sure if there are any other ways to achieve it?

Some campaign settings or GMs might allow characters to pursue a path of divine ascension. This involves undertaking epic quests, gathering powerful artifacts, and attracting the attention and favor of deities. The character may eventually transcend their mortal form and become a deity themselves, achieving true immortality.

*yawn* Is this your normal writing style or is this an excerpt from some encyclopedia lol? :D

Based on the random links that these posts have added (and changed) while 'quoting', I'm thinking the AI for sp@m b0ts is improving.

I mean, AMF doesn't stop people from casting spells to begin with, it just suppresses their result.

So if nail of blood doesn't let the spell's result work in a dead magic zone, there's no point to buying or using one.

when using gather power

Supercharge alters the values of Gather Power for doing so as a full round action or a move action, it is not a separate effect.

Gathering power in this way allows the kineticist to reduce the total burn cost of a blast wild talent she uses in the same round by 1 point. The kineticist can instead gather power for 1 full round in order to reduce the total burn cost of a blast wild talent used on her next turn by 2 points (to a minimum of 0 points). If she does so, she can also gather power as a move action during her next turn to reduce the burn cost by a total of 3 points.

Additionally, Gather Power sets how much it reduces by when you take that move action.

It's like how Improved Spring Attack and Spring-Heeled Reaping don't stack because they set, rather than add.

You only get a discount of 3 to the cost, not 5.

nice catch.

i tend to automatically ignore fragile things, but for that cheap price it's not that bad.

some gm might frown where you'd find so many colossal obsidian chunks though.

Just don't roll a nat 1 (or use a cantrip to repair them after combat).

Alternatively, you can also make them out of their default steel for 16gp, 16 lbs each. It's just a lot easier to carry obsidian with floating disk though, making it a more justifiable choice (especially when they're so cheap to replace).

Colossal Obsidian Chakram are the best for telekinesis

6d6 S damage(x2), 8 gp each, 12 lb each

Most other weapon are excessively expensive when scaled up that much, have less damage, or have a high weight.

There's also the issue of flanking's wording.

When making a melee attack, you get a +2 flanking bonus if your opponent is threatened by another enemy character or creature on its opposite border or opposite corner.

You only get the flanking bonus on melee attacks.

No, his question was what happens when x increases in the middle of the day.

The cleric didn't leave spell slots open when preparing, thus they have to wait till the next time they're able to prepare spells to get them.

Thanks for playing.

Clerics do not need sleep to regain their spells, they only need to spend an hour at their particular time of day to prepare them.

A Worm-that-walks as a PC would mean we are not in core RAW anymore.

That's not true, worshipping Yhidothrus as an evangelist lets you become a worm that walks.

A Blessed book is free to scribe into.

If the wizard was copying the spells into a normal spellbook, they'd have to pay the costs for it.

You don't take 4d8 damage from moving through 4 squares, you take 1d8 4 times for each time you enter a square. Similarly, every time you take damage from the spell (i.e. every 5 ft) you roll a reflex save.

I'm under the impression that only the dice are affected, not the bonuses.

Incorrect, there's an faq about it

Empower Spell: If I use Empower Spell on a spell that has a die roll with a numerical bonus (such as cure moderate wounds), does the feat affect the numerical bonus?

Yes. For example, if you empower cure moderate wounds, the +50% from the feat applies to the 2d8 and to the level-based bonus.

Does anyone know what book that quote is from? Because it's not in the CRB, any of the bestiaries, or Planar Adventures.

Located, Cohorts and Companions pg. 10.

Yeah, that quote is from a section that has to deal with the planar binding spells and their ilk. It has nothing to do with leadership.

Mariliths actually would count as a level 16 cohort if just using the bestiary entry, they only have 16 HD.

Note that there are a number of effects and prerequisites that rely on a character’s level or Hit Dice. Such effects are always based on the total number of levels or Hit Dice a character possesses, not just those from one class.

Would you say that Heighten (with a spontaneous caster, could be used with every daily casting...say, four heightened color sprays at level 1?

There would be no point to doing so, as the only spell slots a caster has at level 1, is level 1 spell slots.

Good question!

This is one thought I had as well and answered it thus: The feat says the spell is "as difficult to cast" but nowhere says that the actual level increases....

For example QUICKEN spell uses up+4 level spell slot, but Heighten spell does not say that.

It does state that it is "as difficult" to cast as a spell of its level, so I assume this means for defensive casting, caster level checks, violent motion etc, as the term "spell slot" is never used

A heightened spell uses the spell slot of the level of spell it's heightened to. if you heighten a Magic Missile to a level 9 spell, it counts as a level 9 spell for all purposes, including the slot needed to cast it.

Use construct modifications to add the sword as a Weapon Modification.

This shell enables the subjects to breathe freely, even underwater or in a vacuum, as well as making them immune to harmful gases and vapors, including inhaled diseases and poisons and spells like cloudkill and stinking cloud.

Radiation is a very real threat to those who explore the technological ruins of Numeria. Radiation is a poison effect whose initial effect causes Constitution drain and secondary effect causes Strength damage. Radiation dangers are organized into four categories: low, medium, high, and severe.

Area of Effect: Radiation suffuses a spherical area of effect that can extend into solid objects. The closer one gets to the center of an area of radiation, the stronger the radiation effect becomes. Radiation entries list the maximum level of radiation in an area, as well as the radius out to which this radiation level applies. Each increment up to an equal length beyond that radius degrades the radiation strength by one level. For example, a spherical area of high radiation with a radius of 20 feet creates a zone of medium radiation 21 feet to 40 feet from the center in all directions, and a similar zone of low radiation from 41 to 60 feet.

Radiation is a poison effect, but it's not an inhaled poison. Thus, Life bubble doesn't offer any protection against it.

1)

The possessor uses her skill ranks, along with any feats the possessor has for which she still qualifies in the host’s body. The possessor doesn’t gain any of the host’s feats or skill ranks, but does apply bonuses and penalties associated with the host’s body. For example, when attempting Fly checks, a character who possessed a bird would use her own ranks in the Fly skill, but the bird’s Dexterity modifier and racial, size, and maneuverability bonuses.

You don't get the feats of the host body (nor skill ranks).

2) Class abilities are considered mental abilities, not physical abilities, thus you do not get any class abilities of the host when possessing them.

As a houserule/gm ruling, I would have them roll again with all the same modifiers as their initial bull rush attack (i.e. same as their attack roll's modifiers) with a -4 on top.

RAW though, they roll as if making a bull rush attempt against the stirge, except that they also have a -4. This means no TWF penalty, but everything else you've listed would apply.

besides a special magical item willuwontu mention

Alchemical, not magical. Quite the big difference for availability.

Plague Powder can be used spread diseases.

willuwontu believes that the concentration check is a form of caster level check and is part of the spell.

Small correction, I believe that the caster level used as part of the concentration check is the same as the spell's caster level, not that a concentration check is a form of caster level check. Same way that a dispel check is not a caster level check, but uses the caster level of the spell.

Now back to the original question than, how do you calculate the concentration check when the sneaky rogue uses UMD.

Check: d20 + "Caster Level" + "Primary Casting Attribute"

I too, have given my answer upthread.

Class features don't stack unless they say they do so.

Mutation warrior doesn't say that it stack, therefore it doesn't stack.

The counter question: If the 20th level wizard down casts a spell targeting a creature with SR what does the caster level check to overcome SR look like? I don't believe the SR check is a level-dependent feature of the spell. Although thematically I could see this working as a lowered caster level check, as the caster is putting less effort or force into their spell so has a lower chance of overcoming the creatures innate resistance. So I wouldn't really object to this ruling.

Caster level of the spell. Heh, I almost asked you that question last night, but:

To affect a creature that has spell resistance, a spellcaster must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) at least equal to the creature’s spell resistance.

It doesn't specifically call out that it's "your caster level" (same wording as concentration uses) like dispel does, and it does a pretty good job of linking itself to the spell's power a bit further down.

Spell resistance has no effect unless the energy created or released by the spell actually goes to work on the resistant creature’s mind or body.

So yeah ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Regardless a spell completion item would use the item caster level for both a dispel magic or a SR check.

In both cases though, the dispel check and SR check are still not concentration checks. Dispel and SR (both caster level checks) are more an issue of how much power can you put behind your spell. A concentration check though is more about how much can the caster ignore distractions/pain to complete the casting.

For a spell completion item, the power level is based on how much power was put into its creation. The concentration check though has nothing to do with the original creator, but rather with the current user.

Eh, I can understand that.

willuwontu wrote:

Query, how do you rule bonuses to caster level when casting a spell (such as through Spell Specialization, Varisian Tattoo, alchemical power components, circlet of the moon, etc.) affecting your concentration check with that spell? Do they simply have no effect on your concentration check?

As you have previously pointed out, you would have those various +x caster level when casting the appropriate spells. However that is only for you the caster. The scroll imposes it's own caster level for the spell.

Cool, but I was asking in the context of your own spells. We already know that feats and abilities only apply to spells you cast.

BBangter realized what I meant though in their response.

Here we have a general rule that caster level increasing items increase the spells level variable effects, caster level checks, and dispel checks. No mention of concentration checks. So the tatoo, orange ioun stone, and any other items not covered above are covered by this general rule if they don't have more specific rules governing them.

Just to clarify, any time the rules talk about a caster level check it is a d20 + caster level. A dispel check is a caster level check for all intents and purposes as it is also a d20 + caster level. Though there are some obscure rules that affect only dispel checks and not general caster level checks. Other uses for caster level checks are to overcome spell resistance and with specific spells like remove disease.

A concentration check, on the other hand, is a d20 + caster level + primary casting stat.

I still disagree with you (I still think checks involving caster level of a spell should be based off the spell's caster level), but I appreciate the consistency in the way you rule. Ultimately, I think our stances are just too far apart to convince each other.

As a last ditch attempt though, I know what you quoted above, but:

Targeted Dispel: One object, creature, or spell is the target of the dispel magic spell. You make one dispel check (1d20 + your caster level) and compare that to the spell with highest caster level (DC = 11 + the spell's caster level). If successful, that spell ends. If not, compare the same result to the spell with the next highest caster level. Repeat this process until you have dispelled one spell affecting the target, or you have failed to dispel every spell.

If a level 20 wizard cast dispel magic at CL 5 for a targeted dispel, what would be the CL they'd use for their dispel check, 5 or 20? Note, casting at a lower level isn't a class feature or special ability, but something you can innately do. Also, is there a difference if they do have something like spell specialization?

You use the caster level of the character (for the appropriate spell casting class).

If I am a 10th level wizard with a 20 int. My concentration bonus is +15. That is independent of whether I cast magic missile (1st level), fireball (3rd level) or dismissal (5th level). Regardless I get a +15 to my concentration check rolls.

Likewise, as a 10th level wizard, I could if I chose too, cast magic missile as though I was a 1st level wizard. I would get 1 magic missile (instead of 5). But my concentration check rolls for casting such a spell would still be at a +15. Here even pretending to be a lower level caster does not affect my actual caster level (and intelligence stat) which are the two things the concentration check is based on. The DC to make the concentration check based on the spell level. The roll itself is not.

If concentration was a skill (like it was in 3.5), I would wholeheartedly agree with you, but that was changed in Pathfinder.

Query, how do you rule bonuses to caster level when casting a spell (such as through Spell Specialization, Varisian Tattoo, alchemical power components, circlet of the moon, etc.) affecting your concentration check with that spell? Do they simply have no effect on your concentration check?

After thinking about this a bit, it seems like we need to figure out if concentration is internal or external to the spell.

Is a concentration check something you do in order to be able to do something else?

or is a concentration check part of the something else you are trying to do?

Sure, let's look at the action it's typically a part of, Cast a spell. You can also concentrate to maintain a spell, but both times concentration is used, it's part of a spell, not something you just randomly take an action for in the middle of the day.

You do not declare "I make a concentration check to cast defensively", roll concentration, and then declare what spell you're casting. Instead you declare that you're casting a spell, and make a concentration check as part of doing so in order to cast defensively.

From the way I'm seeing the "Concentration Checks and Casting Spells" section, it looks like you make a Concentration check "in order to be able to" avoid losing the spell, or to avoid an AoO.

This feels supported when you compare the text for "Concentration Checks and Casting Spells"

Quote:

When you make a concentration check, you roll d20 and add your caster level and the ability score modifier used to determine bonus spells of the same type.

and "Caster Level"

Quote:

A spell’s power often depends on its caster level"

Ah, let's quote the caster level section in whole:

A spell’s power often depends on its caster level, which for most spellcasting characters is equal to her class level in the class she’s using to cast the spell.

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.

In the event that a class feature or other special ability provides an adjustment to your caster level, that adjustment applies not only to effects based on caster level (such as range, duration, and damage dealt), but also to your caster level check to overcome your target’s spell resistance and to the caster level used in dispel checks (both the dispel check and the DC of the check).

Adjustments to your caster level are what set the caster level of a spell.

This is even supported by the various texts of feats and traits.

Treat your caster level as being two higher for all level-variable effects of the spell.

Treat your caster level as 1 higher when casting spells and spell-like abilities with the mind-affecting descriptor.

Treat your caster level as 1 higher to determine the duration of spells you cast that call or summon genies or outsiders with the elemental subtype.

If you cast such a spell or spell-like ability at night, as long as the sky is clear and the stars are visible, treat your caster level as 1 higher when determining the spell’s duration.

No, a horoscope is keyed to a specific creature when it's created.

If you had the slots for 5 1st-level horoscopes, you could create a horoscope for 5 different creatures (that are willing to have a horoscope created for them, and are present when the star watcher is preparing it).

The creature for which the horoscope is attuned can then use their horoscope as a standard action, though if they're not the star watcher, they'll need to have it in hand first like if they were using a scroll.

Since the user must have the spell on her class list, one can assume that the attribute just needs to be whatever attribute you use for casting spell from that class list. i.e.: a sorcerer would use charisma, even if the spell was created by a wizard since the only factor is that it is Arcane.

Rather, you could actually be able to use int/wis/cha for any sorc/wiz spell in a scroll, since you can get all 3 stats for those classes. Cuts out a UMD check if one of those is high enough for you.

I'm still not sold that a caster pulling their punch (casting a spell at lower caster level) would also become less able to concentrate and focus.

Think of it as them needing to concentrate harder to manipulate power that's not intrinsically theirs.

Again, do we have any sources: RAW, errata, tweets from creators, etc., that directly equate Concentration checks to something besides the spell level?

Tons of stuff, like damage, vigorous motion, etc. See Concentration.

If you mean for the bonus to the check, you use caster level.

When you make a concentration check, you roll d20 and add your caster level and the ability score modifier used to determine bonus spells of the same type.

And sure, ignoring the fact that the rules for concentration are in the rules for casting a spell, we can ignore the link it has when casting a spell, and use the character's caster level.

So a cleric 3/oracle 1 would be able to use the higher of their wis and cha, since like scrolls it only looks for the spell type and not the class. They'd also be able to choose the higher of their caster levels.

Similarly, anything that help the caster specialize in a spell and increase its caster level would be ignored as well.

Or directly links the thousands of scrolls adventuring parties find in dungeon loot to specific classes beyond just Arcane or Divine?

Nothing usually specifies the loot as arcane or divine either (unless I'm forgetting something). Typically people use the SLA rules to determine which it is, which also determine the class it's from.

Wild Shape (Su): At 4th level, a feral hunter gains the ability to change shape. This ability functions like the druid wild shape ability, except the hunter can take only animal forms (not elemental or plant forms). The hunter’s effective druid level is equal to her class level. This ability replaces the bonus tricks, improved empathic link, greater empathic link, master of the wild, and raise animal companion class abilities.

They do not get the Change Shape ability, the blurb about them gaining the ability to change shape is flavor text. Instead they get the ability to wild shape like a druid (with the limitations listed in the ability).

They're mentioned upthread, but here's a couple.

Magic item saving throws
Caster level
Using scrolls

He'd use the scroll's stats. Same as if an Efreeti picked up a scroll of wish.

1) c
2) d
3) f
4) e (+0 btw, not +1, same as question 2)

I was under the impression that you can count yourself as "an ally", in Pathfinder.

Ally: Do you count as your own ally?

You count as your own ally unless otherwise stated or if doing so would make no sense or be impossible. Thus, "your allies" almost always means the same as "you and your allies."

Whenever you and an ally who also has this feat are flanking the same creature, your flanking bonus on attack rolls increases to +4. In addition, whenever you score a critical hit against the flanked creature, it provokes an attack of opportunity from your ally.

Most gms will file this usage under the "makes no sense" clause, but ymmv. Ask your GM if the combination works for you.

It still has the normal ability of a regular atlatl, that allows free action reloading with a dart when you have rapid reload.

However, an alchemical splash weapon is not a dart.

You get the skill points retroactively for increasing int with the ASIs from levels. Similarly increasing your con from 17 to 18 at level 4 grants you +1 additional hp from levels 1-3.

Stuff in PF 1e applies retroactively unless stated otherwise. The headband is the exception to this rule as they had to FAQ it.

If you homebrew it another way, that's nice. But please don't come into the rules forum with that homebrew and potentially confuse people who might think that's true.

Oh, but that last FAQ says multiple enemies would take the sneak attack damage? That's cool.

Only with an aoe spell, with something like battering blast, it only applies to one of the blasts (and thus one enemy).

Do you have a rules source to back up this claim? Because again, as stated the FAQ you provided does NOT affect what happens when the spell is stored. It affects what you can do when it is cast again after it was stored. As far as I can tell the closest rule source to this issue is potion making, in which, yes a potion crafted by a sorcerer would apply the effect of the sorcerer’s arcana if it was applied during the creation of that potion.

Sure do, it's that FAQ I keep bringing up. The item is casting the spell, not the person. Therefore, whatever feats and abilities the person has are not of any help for the item casting the spell. Thus it casts a normal version of that spell.

Do you have any sources to back up the claim that items created by people with abilities that affect spells retain those abilities? As far as I can tell the closest rules source is the magic item creation rules for wands, scrolls, potions, and the like. Which has no rules on pricing spells affected by those abilities, nor mention of those items retaining those abilities. (Or are you saying that players are always able to purchase wands of magic missile made by an orc sorcerer with the blood havoc mutation for the same 750gp that a normal wand of magic missile would cost?)

How do you know that last mention of a "monk weapon" was a weapon with the monk ability, and not a weapon from the monk fighter group?

This discussion has occurred a few times on the board, so it should be simple to look up. But essentially, there's various bits and pieces everywhere throughout the rules that show that "monk weapon" = "weapon with the monk special weapon quality", here's a couple of them.

Monk: A monk weapon can be used by a monk to perform a flurry of blows (see Chapter 3).

Monk Weapons: If a weapon is specified as a monk weapon, does that mean that monks are automatically proficient with that weapon?

No. It means that they can use this weapon while using flurry of blows. It does not mean that it is added to the list of weapons that a monk is proficient with, unless the weapon description says otherwise.

Again… we are not in disagreement when the spell is cast FROM the weapon… the question was about when the spell is cast INTO the weapon, which that FAQ has no baring on.

The original question was if any of the original caster's abilities would apply to the output spell, to which the answer is no.

The sorcerer could cast a fireball with +3 damage per die that deals cold damage into it, but when the weapon then casts that spell later, it'll still come out as a regular fireball, because the spell that was stored in it was fireball.

The item does not have those abilities, nor does you having those abilities allow the item to use them (as per my linked FAQ). Therefore, whether or not those abilities were used when storing the spell have no difference when the item then casts the spell.

The FAQ you linked for 3 would apply in the event that a sorcerer activated a spellstoring weapon to cast the stored spell. They would be unable to apply their arcana or any other abilities to the spell cast this way. But that FAQ has no baring on how things work the other direction, when the sorcerer is the one casting the spell to be stored.

Anytime the weapon strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the weapon can immediately cast the spell on that creature as a free action if the wielder desires.

The weapon is the caster of the spell when it's used, therefore the FAQ is relevant and answers the question.

1) Never been anything officially stated, and varies by the table. IMO the caster level of the caster.

2) FAQs ([1] [2]) say no.

3) FAQ says no.

1) No. The monk weapon group is different from the monk special weapon quality which lets monks flurry with a weapon.

2) A monk with ascetic form would already be able to use it with all monk weapons regardless of the chosen weapon for Ascetic Style, because of the special line in Ascetic Style. Also note, monk weapon refers to weapons with the monk special weapon quality, not weapons in the monk fighter weapon group.

2) crafting doesn't require acquisition of blueprints/formulas to begin with. So yes, you can craft everything you can successfully make the craft checks for.

3) Unsure, I don't use grafts or know them really. Most gms I've played with haven't allowed them either, since they're easily abused.

3) Vestigial Limbs does not let you make more attacks than you normally would without the discovery. If you're using it to graft for an extra attack, that's still more attacks than you normally would get, thus it falls under this faq.

4) No interaction with greater/grand mutagens, or if there is one, it would replace their benefits. Also note, you do not need to be level 10 to utilize the preparation ritual, you merely need to prepare 3 formulae from a formula book with the ritual in it. The levels and classes associated with the spellbooks are not requirements, I'm unsure why AoN displays them as such.

With respect to you both, this topic was only started in the hopes of being directed to any further clarifications by developers or other Paizo folks. Again, I’m well aware of the consensus opinion on this forum with regard to Arcane Deed and what Swashbucklers Deeds do or do not work for the Magus.

Ah, sorry about that. Sadly, I don't have any recent design team clarifications for you. I'll offer this old designer post about the deed as an apology though (I'm guessing you've seen it already, but just in case).

4) Let's take a step back. Arcane Deed says

Quote:

When a magus takes this arcana, he can pick any one deed from the swashbuckler class feature as long as that deed can be used by a swashbuckler of his magus level. The magus can use that deed by using points from his arcane pool as the panache points required for that deed. A magus can take this arcana multiple times, each time gaining a new deed.

So it doesn't give you an effective swashbuckler level for the purposes of determining the deed's power (only affects precise strike) and it doesn't say that having points in your arcane pool counts as having points in your panache pool, only that you can spend arcane instead of spend panache. The first note is probably an oversight, but I think that the second may have been an intentional decision by the freelancer, since it is far easier for a magus to not have pressure to spend his last point of arcane pool, combined with the fact that they may have been intending to block precise strike particularly (which, if so, was a good call, since it is a massive surge in magus power, given that precise strike was created to balance the damage loss between a one-handed and two-handed weapon for swash, but the magus class already in and of itself is balanced around only having a one-handed weapon). Anyway, long story short, I wouldn't even allow Arcane Deed (precise strike) to begin with.

Sadly it doesn't cover the other half of the arcana though, since that was errata'd in afterwards:

Page 104—In the Arcane Deed magus arcana, after the second sentence, add the following sentence: “Even if he gains a panache pool through another means, the magus is not considered to have at least 1 point in his panache pool for the purpose of deeds selected with arcane deed, and his effective swashbuckler level for determining such a deed’s effect is 0.”

Unfortunately, I can't find any designer comments on the deed post-errata for you. But, the errata looks like it directly addresses the issues that Mark pointed out and he was part of the design team.