Pathfinder Player Companion: People of the Wastes (PFRPG)

I'm surprisingly pleased with it. I was very "meh" initially, but there is a ton of stuff in here that I can use with Eberron and Planescape, so its pretty sweet.

Not sure the Primal magic was supposed to be a focus anyway, tree.

But I do like they cover more than just Mana Waste and the Worldwound.

So couple of things as I'm looking over the book in more detail.

Elemental Conversion and Primal Kineticist look bad. One's a 1/day random element swap (without changing the descriptor) and the other is an ability that costs burn and only works in an area of primal magic. I'm having trouble justifying why anyone would take either of those feats outside of a wacky random element Kineticist enemy or something.

I'm not too strong on how the Vigilante works, but I feel like trading out all the talents that require a specialization isn't a good trade for getting a few bonus abilities and most of the 1-point Eidolon evolutions.

Is Signature Strike Style really supposed to have Precise Shot as a pre-requisite? That makes it really awkward for a Swashbuckler who wants to be Zorro, since now he needs to spend a feat for an entire class of weapons he doesn't use. Unless he's an Arrow Champion, but that's a different book.

It's just really personally weird to me how hard the Wood element for Kineticists is being pushed. Getting reprinted in UW, and a specific archetype in this book? Although it's honestly not a terrible archetype for what it's meant for (fighting demons and stuff), it's still shackled to Wood's hyper terrain-focused suite of abilities.

Is the Keeper of Constructs' Wrest Control ability able to also bypass the immunity to magic some constructs have? Because it's a spell-like ability, so it would be affected by it.

That's about all the problems I've seen from my reading thus far though, this book is absolutely solid. Even the things that are of questionable use (like the hunter or bard archetypes) are something I could see being used, even if the situations are rather slim.

Also, I absolutely adore the utility alchemical cartridges. Molten Shot Cartridge is expensive sure, but it's just so good.

Eww Prostetic brawler is really nice. Some rather nice limb enhancements to be had.

Also great for Dex only brawlers. Great as that wasn't a thing to date.

Not a bad book and has a few things I like. but I would love to see a mutant based feat chain.

Alchemaic wrote:

Mother of god, a good Alchemist archetype? Purchase instantly justified.

Sounds like you're enjoying the gun chemist? That section was fun to write.

I got a preview of Gun Chemist from a friend, and I have to say that of the last dozen or so alchemist archetypes that have been released, it's the BEST put together one I've seen. I saw the words "gun" and "alchemist" and had my heart sink, only to be met with something that defied expectations to go above and beyond. I personally feel like it will stand tall among the likes of Vivesectionist, Beastmorph, and Grenadier as a distinct, supported way to fashion your alchemist, and is something I am absolutely stoked to get my hands on when my group finally gets around to a fresh set of PCs. Albeit maybe with a couple minor tweaks I run by my GM, but it's still the first time anything has gotten me genuinely excited to try to use firearms in pathfinder.

The only actual gripe I feel I can weigh against the archetype itself, since I mention "tweaks", is the "quick-clear-alike" ability is more like a "slow clear", feeling a bit too costly for what it does, and like it's shoving "just take Amateur Gunslinger for the real thing!" at me. That's hardly a dealbreaker though, since it doesn't bring down the rest of the archetype enough to hurt it. Other gripes aren't archetype-specific, so they're not particularly relevant.

Is the feat "Create Enhanced Firearm" supposed to read "This can never reduce a firearm's misfire chance to less than 1"? As written, you can now get firearms with no misfire chance for far less than the Reliable enchantment would cost.

Looks like the Runic Charge feat needs some limit about only casting spells with a casting time of one standard action, but I'm not sure what an abuse case there would be. Charging Raise Deads to avoid the long casting time?

Interesting feat, though! Not sure if the touch attack is supposed to replace the attack at the end of a charge or be a supplement to it.

The spell "Drain Construct" on p.28 doesn't seem to have any text dealing with the fact it is a necromancy spell and constructs are immune to necromancy.

Or am I missing something?

The spell "Drain Construct" on p.28 doesn't seem to have any text dealing with the fact it is a necromancy spell and constructs are immune to necromancy.

Or am I missing something?

?

I don’t believe Constructs are immune to Necromancy.

Mighty Squash wrote:

The spell "Drain Construct" on p.28 doesn't seem to have any text dealing with the fact it is a necromancy spell and constructs are immune to necromancy.

Or am I missing something?

?

I don’t believe Constructs are immune to Necromancy.

Looks like they are, unless otherwise stated. Didn't know about this myself until now. It's under Construct Traits.

Constructs are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless). Constructs are not subject to nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. Constructs are not at risk of death from massive damage.

The mutant option for PCs, the one that uses the template, does it still change your creature type to aberration?

The mutant option for PCs, the one that uses the template, does it still change your creature type to aberration?

No.

You just select one deformity and one beneficial mutation and you are done. Two deformities and nearly half of the beneficial mutations are excluded.

The NPC wrote:

The mutant option for PCs, the one that uses the template, does it still change your creature type to aberration?

No.

You just select one deformity and one beneficial mutation and you are done. Two deformities and nearly half of the beneficial mutations are excluded.

Sadness... Is telepathy still one of the options?

David knott 242 wrote:

The NPC wrote:

The mutant option for PCs, the one that uses the template, does it still change your creature type to aberration?

No.

You just select one deformity and one beneficial mutation and you are done. Two deformities and nearly half of the beneficial mutations are excluded.

Sadness... Is telepathy still one of the options?

Telepathy is not on the list of banned mutations, so it would be allowed.

Hi~ guys, I have a question about gun chemist.

When he use firearm with alchemical ordnance ability to hit a critical hit, the alchemical ordnance critical damage is fix at 2x or depending on firearm critical multiplier?

For example, if I'm a level 3 gun chemist with 18int, I use pistol to hit a critical hit, total damage is (1d8+1d6+4)x4+1d6 or (1d8)x4+(1d6+4)x2+1d6 ?

Thank you!

It straight up tells you “this bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit or by using feats such as Vital Strike.” You don’t multiply that extra damage by anything on crits. So for your example it’d be 4d8 + 2d6 + 4 damage total.

It straight up tells you “this bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit or by using feats such as Vital Strike.” You don’t multiply that extra damage by anything on crits. So for your example it’d be 4d8 + 2d6 + 4 damage total.

I suspect that's the intention.

However, the "bonus damage" the text refers to could mean the extra 1d6 at the odd-numbered class levels. That would make it roughly equivalent to what happens when an Alchemist crits with a bomb - the first 1d6 multiplies, but the rest don't.

EDIT: Again, I suspect the intended (and best) reading is that none of the fire damage multiplies. This is just another possible reading.

No, it really doesn't. There is only one instance of bonus damage (d6 + int mod). The next sentence says that the damage increases by 1d6 every odd level. That increase is not a separate instance of damage, it's an increase of the one instance of damage that the ability specifies. The ability then specifies that one instance of damage isn't multiplied on crit.

In any event, this is likely better served for the Rules Questions forum so we don't clutter up the product discussion thread with it, should you still wish to debate/discuss it :)

Uh.. but this issue has been discussed many times long ago, the bomb base damage (1d6+int) is actually can be multiply by critical.

You can search keyword "Alchemist bomb critical" on the messageboards.

Rysky wrote:

Mighty Squash wrote:

The spell "Drain Construct" on p.28 doesn't seem to have any text dealing with the fact it is a necromancy spell and constructs are immune to necromancy.

Or am I missing something?

?

I don’t believe Constructs are immune to Necromancy.

Looks like they are, unless otherwise stated. Didn't know about this myself until now. It's under Construct Traits.

Construct Traits (Ex) wrote:

Constructs are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless). Constructs are not subject to nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. Constructs are not at risk of death from massive damage.

I believe they were referring to the idea that you cannot resurrect them using animate dead type effects rather than 'just necromancy' period. i imagine this should be the exception rather than the given rule. again we would need a paizo developer to confirm this, but i strongly believe pazio would not make a spell designed to fight constructs not work on its actual target.

Regarding the Elysiokineticist, at level 15, you receive the Ghaelelight blast, which does damage as a simple blast, rather than a composite but costs 2 burn. Am I correct in guessing this is justified by there not really being any thing/one out there with energy resistance or imunity to chaotic or good damage?

I would venture yes, similar to the force blast.

Regarding the Elysiokineticist, at level 15, you receive the Ghaelelight blast, which does damage as a simple blast, rather than a composite but costs 2 burn. Am I correct in guessing this is justified by there not really being any thing/one out there with energy resistance or imunity to chaotic or good damage?

As far as I can tell, it makes it not much different from the infusion that does the same thing much earlier...I guess it allows other infusions to be used with it?

Will this be useable for PFS play

They’ll most definitely be some options allowed, without a doubt.

They’ll most definitely be some options allowed, without a doubt.

i hope they undate the allowed section in PFS soon cuz i really want to run that constructed pugilist {brawler} soon.

i can see them just giving back the bonus feat though since all those craft feats are NA in PFS play

shaventalz wrote:

Rysky wrote:

Mighty Squash wrote:

The spell "Drain Construct" on p.28 doesn't seem to have any text dealing with the fact it is a necromancy spell and constructs are immune to necromancy.

Or am I missing something?

?

I don’t believe Constructs are immune to Necromancy.

Looks like they are, unless otherwise stated. Didn't know about this myself until now. It's under Construct Traits.

Construct Traits (Ex) wrote:

Constructs are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless). Constructs are not subject to nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. Constructs are not at risk of death from massive damage.

I believe they were referring to the idea that you cannot resurrect them using animate dead type effects rather than 'just necromancy' period. i imagine this should be the exception rather than the given rule. again we would need a paizo developer to confirm this, but i strongly believe pazio would not make a spell designed to fight constructs not work on its actual target.

I am rather suspicious that the author of the spell just hadn't noticed that Constructs had this blanket immunity to a whole school of magic.

Irnk, Dead-Eye's Prodigal wrote:

Regarding the Elysiokineticist, at level 15, you receive the Ghaelelight blast, which does damage as a simple blast, rather than a composite but costs 2 burn. Am I correct in guessing this is justified by there not really being any thing/one out there with energy resistance or imunity to chaotic or good damage?

As far as I can tell, it makes it not much different from the infusion that does the same thing much earlier...I guess it allows other infusions to be used with it?

Confusing to me, but otherwise an archetype I really like.

Ghaelelight blast can damage any creature you like, whereas the infusion only damages evil outsiders and undead.

...there is a ton of stuff in here that I can use with Eberron and Planescape, so its pretty sweet.

I am intrigued as those are both the only older versions of the game that I've kept over the years. Can you give specifics about what you think fits in those settings, and why? Thanks!

The magic item Nail of Blood, does this allow a Wizard sitting in a plane of dead magic to cast Astral Projection as a way to keep himself safe while adventuring? What happens if you use a spell that isn't instantaneous, like permanent image? Does it cast but immediately be suppressed, or does it somehow work because of Nail of Blood?