I can't say, because if I do, someone will make it happen, and it should NEVER happen because of what WOULD happen if it DID happen.Ear-Oozes.
What was the best idea you ever had until you thought it through?
Great now I am even more interested in this...
James,
I was reading through various forum threads and came across this bit from you in a discussion where Calistria came up
She's also the most popular elven deity in the Inner Sea region (note... this is NOT the same as saying the "most popular elven deity among elves"). Since she's an elven deity, and since elves skew toward chaotic good... that reinforces the chaotic viewpoint of her alignment and locks that in... but revenge and trickery are certianly not iconic "good" actions. So that skewed Calistria away from being a chaotic good deity. Furthermore, making the most popular elven deity in our core 20 deities be chaotic neutral instead of chaotic good lets us throw a bit of unexpected surprise in the expectations.
It's making me increasingly curious, who is the most popular elven deity among elves? And are we likely to get any further information on them sometime if it's not Desna? It admittedly always felt a bit wierd to think of Calistria as the main elf god when they don't seem as a culture to predominantly reflect her and her idiom and all.
Creative Director
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James,
I was reading through various forum threads and came across this bit from you in a discussion where Calistria came up
She's also the most popular elven deity in the Inner Sea region (note... this is NOT the same as saying the "most popular elven deity among elves"). Since she's an elven deity, and since elves skew toward chaotic good... that reinforces the chaotic viewpoint of her alignment and locks that in... but revenge and trickery are certianly not iconic "good" actions. So that skewed Calistria away from being a chaotic good deity. Furthermore, making the most popular elven deity in our core 20 deities be chaotic neutral instead of chaotic good lets us throw a bit of unexpected surprise in the expectations.It's making me increasingly curious, who is the most popular elven deity among elves? And are we likely to get any further information on them sometime if it's not Desna? It admittedly always felt a bit wierd to think of Calistria as the main elf god when they don't seem as a culture to predominantly reflect her and her idiom and all.
The most popular elven deity among elves is probably Calistria, actually... but I suspect more elves worship Desna than they do Calistria. Even though Desna's not actually an elven deity... she's older than the elven deities so she's got a fair amount of pull with tradition.
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A question I tried on the Rule section with little success:
Shatter
School evocation [sonic]; Level bard 2, cleric 2, sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a chip of mica)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area or Target 5-ft.-radius spread; or one solid object or one crystalline creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates (object); Will negates (object) or Fortitude half; see text; Spell Resistance yesShatter creates a loud, ringing noise that breaks brittle, nonmagical objects; sunders a single solid, nonmagical object; or damages a crystalline creature.
Used as an area attack, shatter destroys nonmagical objects of crystal, glass, ceramic, or porcelain. All such unattended objects within a 5-foot radius of the point of origin are smashed into dozens of pieces by the spell. Objects weighing more than 1 pound per your level are not affected, but all other objects of the appropriate composition are shattered.
Alternatively, you can target shatter against a single solid nonmagical object, regardless of composition, weighing up to 10 pounds per caster level. Targeted against a crystalline creature (of any weight), shatter deals 1d6 points of sonic damage per caster level (maximum 10d6), with a Fortitude save for half damage.
This spell say that it destroy an object but it don't specify how many HP of damage it do.
So, it can destroy an adamantine breatlplate with the same ease with which it can destroy a potion bottle?
A dispelled weapon with a +10 enhancement bonus with the same ease?
10 pounds per caster level isn't a small wight. At level 5 you can destroy the full plate of the captain of the guard without any problem. Or the non magical weapon of a giant.
Disarming the enemy this way seem a bi easy.
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Since gods in Golarion are not omnipotent, it stands to reason they will have a power hirerchy - that is, some of them would be strictly more powerful than others in the sense that they'd have a better chance in a fight. However there are many other parameters to measuring the power of a god - it's allies, domain (not cleric domains of power, I mean an actual territory the god owns), worshippers and magical tools it can use.
Has someone in Paizo actualy worked on figuring out which god is the most powerful? which has the greatest influence in the multiverse? which has more allies or rules a larger part of the multiverse? If not, are there plans to do so, or is the matter intentionaly left vague enough that it could be determined in the future to serve the plots of APs and such other consideration?
EDIT: also, does the power of a god influent it's abilities to grant spells in some way? for example, will something as weak as a demigod be able to grant spells to a smaller number of followers? or maybe not be able to grant spells of a really high level? or maybe will only be able to grant weak "Miracle" or "Wish" effects?
I am trying to determine the intent of the Alchemical Weapon ability of the Grenadier Alchemist...
Alchemical Weapon (Su)
At 2nd level, a grenadier can infuse a weapon or piece of ammunition with a single harmful alchemical liquid or powder, such as alchemist’s fire or sneezing powder, as a move action. This action consumes the alchemical item, but transfers its effect to the weapon in question.
Would this include
a) Alchemist's bomb - seems a little strong to put this on my weapon and get both weapon damage and bomb damage. I cant find anywhere where it would imply you can.b) Tanglefoot bag - alchemical item, but not a liquid or a powder? Seems to me the "liquid or powder" was not meant as an exclusive list, but more of examples.
As always, thanks for your willingness to share your perspectives! First, I have some questions on the deities of Golarion and the Great Beyond:
1. Deities have portfolios. Does this mean the things in their portfolio are possible/happen only because there are deities having those things in their portfolios? E.g. if Desna did not exist, would mortals not dream, if Pharasma did not exist, would mortals not die, if Abadar did not exist, would there be no monetary economies?
2. If the portfolio items can exist without the deities, are they still different because of the deities? E.g. when Aroden was around, did humanity flourish extra as a result; does the existence of Nethys make for more magical development, Cayden Cailean for more heroism and Asmodeus for more tyranny, aside from any influence their churches, dogma or cult practices may have? I.e. do the deities directly bolster/affect their portfolio items in a metaphysical sense?
3. If the deities do in fact influence their portfolio items directly, is this true everywhere or only on planes/worlds/planets where they are worshipped? E.g. will any heroism-increasing Cayden Cailean influence operate also in Hell, or on Eox, or on an isolated demiplane, even if no-one there has heard of him?
Second, you have stated that undead are almost universally evil because it promotes the stories you want to tell, which makes a lot of sense, and that in-universe this results from things that happens to the soul when treated with negative energy in this way, with ghosts the only common exception, and as such, that undead like vampires, liches or graveknights will be all but guaranteed to have evil alignments. I would like to ask in a little more detail how you see this manifesting in practice:
4. Would you say that sentient undead lack free will, in the sense that they _cannot_ choose to do good, or merely that the deck is stacked such that it is very unlikely that they will?
5. Are undead like liches conscious like mortals are, or merely complex magical automata that behaves as though they were conscious?
6. Speaking of liches and souls; when active and moving around (i.e. not regenerating from a phylactery), is a lich's soul present in its body rather than locked into the phylactery, and is that soul functional or merely a passive observer to the actions of the lich?
7. Do sentient undead like liches or graveknights lack, even in principle, the ability to feel positive emotions like lust, trust, attachment, loyalty, joy, enthusiasm... or is it merely that other motivating factors tend to have the largest say at the end of the day?
8. Do undead feel negative emotions (hatred, irritation, sadness...) with undiminished force from their breathing days?
9. Do ghouls, with their Lovecraftian roots, experience carnal lusts, even if they cannot reproduce sexually? How about vampires, or even liches (recalling the old 3.5 feat "Lichloved" and the D&D comic "Liches in Love")? What about undead like ghosts that can possess living bodies? If too squicky question; I apologize.
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Creative Director
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A question I tried on the Rule section with little success:
Shatter
School evocation [sonic]; Level bard 2, cleric 2, sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a chip of mica)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area or Target 5-ft.-radius spread; or one solid object or one crystalline creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates (object); Will negates (object) or Fortitude half; see text; Spell Resistance yesShatter creates a loud, ringing noise that breaks brittle, nonmagical objects; sunders a single solid, nonmagical object; or damages a crystalline creature.
Used as an area attack, shatter destroys nonmagical objects of crystal, glass, ceramic, or porcelain. All such unattended objects within a 5-foot radius of the point of origin are smashed into dozens of pieces by the spell. Objects weighing more than 1 pound per your level are not affected, but all other objects of the appropriate composition are shattered.
Alternatively, you can target shatter against a single solid nonmagical object, regardless of composition, weighing up to 10 pounds per caster level. Targeted against a crystalline creature (of any weight), shatter deals 1d6 points of sonic damage per caster level (maximum 10d6), with a Fortitude save for half damage.
This spell say that it destroy an object but it don't specify how many HP of damage it do.
So, it can destroy an adamantine breatlplate with the same ease with which it can destroy a potion bottle?
A dispelled weapon with a +10 enhancement bonus with the same ease?
10 pounds per caster level isn't a small wight. At level 5 you can destroy the full plate of the captain of the guard without any problem. Or the non magical weapon of a giant.
Disarming the enemy this way seem a bi easy.
The object gets a saving throw, first of all. And if it's worn or carried, it gets the person who is wearing it's saving throw.
The "one solid object of up to 10 pounds per level" target IS way too vague for my tastes too, and I'd likely say that instead the spell deals damage to targeted objects equal to half that it deals to a crystalline object. Or alternatively, reduce it down to 1 pound per level.
Won't get an actual errata or clarification from me though; that has to come from the rules forum.
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Creative Director
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Since gods in Golarion are not omnipotent, it stands to reason they will have a power hirerchy - that is, some of them would be strictly more powerful than others in the sense that they'd have a better chance in a fight. However there are many other parameters to measuring the power of a god - it's allies, domain (not cleric domains of power, I mean an actual territory the god owns), worshippers and magical tools it can use.
Has someone in Paizo actualy worked on figuring out which god is the most powerful? which has the greatest influence in the multiverse? which has more allies or rules a larger part of the multiverse? If not, are there plans to do so, or is the matter intentionaly left vague enough that it could be determined in the future to serve the plots of APs and such other consideration?
EDIT: also, does the power of a god influent it's abilities to grant spells in some way? for example, will something as weak as a demigod be able to grant spells to a smaller number of followers? or maybe not be able to grant spells of a really high level? or maybe will only be able to grant weak "Miracle" or "Wish" effects?
There is absolutely a power hierarchy among the gods. Since we don't currently have rules defining what deities can and cannot do, though, we can't really nail down a for-sure list of what that hierarchy is... unless we decide to NEVER do deity rules, in which case we can ignore the fact that we might never do something more with them and just arbitrarily make a list.
I don't like saying never in this industry though.
I do have a pretty good idea of the hierarchy of the gods. I know that Pharasma is the oldest of the core deities and thus has the most influence, that the ascended gods (being brand new) are among the least powerful of the core deities, that Rovagug is certainly in the top 3 most powerful deities, and that all 20 core deities are stronger than the various demigods.
But I don't have plans at this point to publicly rank them all. I'm really not sure what that would accomplish, frankly, apart from annoy and frustrate players who have characters who worship those gods. I don't want to turn the deities into a competition.
A god's power influences the spells and abilities by allowing them to happen in the first place, and if its cleric does something unapproved with them, the spells simply won't work and you get an ex-cleric. There is no difference to a spellcaster in differences of power between spells cast by a cleric of a deity like Pharasma or Rovagug and a cleric of a nascent demon lord like Treerazer whatsoever. Even in miracle spells.
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Creative Director
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I am trying to determine the intent of the Alchemical Weapon ability of the Grenadier Alchemist...
Alchemical Weapon (Su)
At 2nd level, a grenadier can infuse a weapon or piece of ammunition with a single harmful alchemical liquid or powder, such as alchemist’s fire or sneezing powder, as a move action. This action consumes the alchemical item, but transfers its effect to the weapon in question.
Would this include
a) Alchemist's bomb - seems a little strong to put this on my weapon and get both weapon damage and bomb damage. I cant find anywhere where it would imply you can.b) Tanglefoot bag - alchemical item, but not a liquid or a powder? Seems to me the "liquid or powder" was not meant as an exclusive list, but more of examples.
a) Nope.
b) Nope.
It's basically a way to get things like acid or alchemist fire or the like to affect targets that might be out of range (by using a ranged weapon) or to bolster a weapon attack by basically allowing you to do damage with the alchemical item AND your weapon at the same time.
How well-known is the Bellflower Network in-world? Is it secretive, such that common folk aren't aware of its existence, or is the faction itself well-known, while its agents remain undercover?
What Knowledge (local) DC, if any, would you set for a PC to be familiar with it?
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Creative Director
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As always, thanks for your willingness to share your perspectives! First, I have some questions on the deities of Golarion and the Great Beyond:
1. Deities have portfolios. Does this mean the things in their portfolio are possible/happen only because there are deities having those things in their portfolios? E.g. if Desna did not exist, would mortals not dream, if Pharasma did not exist, would mortals not die, if Abadar did not exist, would there be no monetary economies?
2. If the portfolio items can exist without the deities, are they still different because of the deities? E.g. when Aroden was around, did humanity flourish extra as a result; does the existence of Nethys make for more magical development, Cayden Cailean for more heroism and Asmodeus for more tyranny, aside from any influence their churches, dogma or cult practices may have? I.e. do the deities directly bolster/affect their portfolio items in a metaphysical sense?
3. If the deities do in fact influence their portfolio items directly, is this true everywhere or only on planes/worlds/planets where they are worshipped? E.g. will any heroism-increasing Cayden Cailean influence operate also in Hell, or on Eox, or on an isolated demiplane, even if no-one there has heard of him?
Second, you have stated that undead are almost universally evil because it promotes the stories you want to tell, which makes a lot of sense, and that in-universe this results from things that happens to the soul when treated with negative energy in this way, with ghosts the only common exception, and as such, that undead like vampires, liches or graveknights will be all but guaranteed to have evil alignments. I would like to ask in a little more detail how you see this manifesting in practice:
4. Would you say that sentient undead lack free will, in the sense that they _cannot_ choose to do good, or merely that the deck is stacked such that it is very unlikely that they will?
5. Are undead like liches conscious like mortals are, or merely complex magical automata that behaves as though they were conscious?
6. Speaking of liches and souls; when active and moving around (i.e. not regenerating from a phylactery), is a lich's soul present in its body rather than locked into the phylactery, and is that soul functional or merely a passive observer to the actions of the lich?
7. Do sentient undead like liches or graveknights lack, even in principle, the ability to feel positive emotions like lust, trust, attachment, loyalty, joy, enthusiasm... or is it merely that other motivating factors tend to have the largest say at the end of the day?
8. Do undead feel negative emotions (hatred, irritation, sadness...) with undiminished force from their breathing days?
9. Do ghouls, with their Lovecraftian roots, experience carnal lusts, even if they cannot reproduce sexually? How about vampires, or even liches (recalling the old 3.5 feat "Lichloved" and the D&D comic "Liches in Love")? What about undead like ghosts that can possess living bodies? If too squicky question; I apologize.
No prob! Is fun!
1) Nope; those things happen even if they aren't in a deity's portfolio.
2) They can be influenced by the deities, so yes, the CAN be different if that deity wants them to be. And the ways they generally influence these things is through the acts of their worshipers and the spells & supernatural powers they are granted.
3) It's only true where they're worshiped, really... but note that there's lots of overlap between the various pantheons of the infinite number of worlds.
4) Undead have free will; many of the self-achieved ones like liches and vampires NEED it in order to have become what they are, after all. They can choose to do good if they want, but the fact is that it's generally such an evil act to become undead and the magic involved is so vile that they generally don't WANT to do anything but evil stuff. Created undead do not have free will, and as such it's an even tougher trick for them to do good.
5) They are conscious.
6) The lich's soul is present in its body when it is active, although it still isn't a living soul.
7) They can feel those emotions. And in some cases, feeling them but lacking the ability to follow up on them can be a major source of the undead's bad attitude. These emotions can't generally result in game effects on their stats, though.
8) They can, yes, but see #7 above.
9) Absolutely. And some undead CAN reproduce. I'd say ghouls and vampires can for sure... that's where things like half-ghouls (something we've not yet explored but which do exist) and dhampirs come from. And I can certainly see a ghost having the ability to get someone pregnant as well... that is, after all, one of the creepier story arcs from the first season of American Horror Story.
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Creative Director
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How well-known is the Bellflower Network in-world? Is it secretive, such that commen folk aren't aware of its existence, or is the faction itself well-known, while its agents remain undercover?
What Knowledge (local) DC, if any, would you set for a PC to be familiar with it?
It's well known enough that in large cities you can generally find folks who have heard of it.
On average, I'd say it'd be a DC 15 Knowledge (local) check to know about it just out of the blue.
Thank you, very interesting!
7) They can feel those emotions. And in some cases, feeling them but lacking the ability to follow up on them can be a major source of the undead's bad attitude. These emotions can't generally result in game effects on their stats, though.
Would this be similar to how androids likewise cannot benefit from morale or emotion-based bonuses?
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Creative Director
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Thank you, very interesting!
7) They can feel those emotions. And in some cases, feeling them but lacking the ability to follow up on them can be a major source of the undead's bad attitude. These emotions can't generally result in game effects on their stats, though.Would this be similar to how androids likewise cannot benefit from morale or emotion-based bonuses?
Sort of... but more so, since unlike androids, undead are completely immune to mind-affecting effects.
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An few alchemist questions:
1) An alchemist need a portable lab to make his bombs, extracts or mutagens?
Unless I am missing something, in the class description the only ability that explicitly require a lab is the bomb use. The other abilities seem to assume it but never state the need for it.
2) It is possible to sunder a portable alchemist lab or it is a large number of vials and containers dispersed on the alchemist body (as we see them in several pictures of them) and so substantially immune to a sunder attempt?
I assume it is not possible to use the shatter spell as an area attack to destroy an alchemist prepared extracts, mutagen and bomb catalysts as the spell say: "Used as an area attack, shatter destroys nonmagical objects of crystal, glass, ceramic, or porcelain. All such unattended objects within a 5-foot radius of the point of origin are smashed into dozens of pieces by the spell. Objects weighing more than 1 pound per your level are not affected, but all other objects of the appropriate composition are shattered." and the vials are on the alchemist body and so they aren't unattended. Destroying only a single vial (and only if the target fail a ST) seem a waste of a spell.
Unless I am missing something all the above seem to make the alchemist very resilient against attacks aimed at removing his ability to use extracts and mutagens. He is really so McGuyverish that he can make an extract with anything at hand or simply the rules assume that he has a portable lab at hand?
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Mr. James Jacobs,
How do Aboleths reproduce? Also, how does that process vary to produce veiled masters?
I have this character who uses arcane magic (He's a warlock) and he has a strong aberrant bloodline (at this point he has 5 aberrant feats from Lords of Madness). The idea is that his magic acts as a catalyst for his aberrant blood (His lineage coming from the aboleths and veiled masters) causing it to manifest so dramatically and then later should he die a violent death his blood causes him to not die but painfully transmute into an aboleth or some variant.
Then the idea occurred to me "What if that is the way veiled masters are produced?"
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James,
Could you clarify something for me on half-drow?
You posted (LINK)
Half-drow do exist in Golarion, but statistics-wise they're identical to half-elves. They tend to have dusky skin tones and red or violet eyes and pale hair, but are otherwise just half-elves.
On April 25, 2010.
While Mark Moreland posted (LINK)
Half-drow do not exist in Golarion, and if there were one or two that did exist (which is incredibly unlikely given that drow are irredeemably evil and not interested in making half-drow—except maybe driders) they'd be the focus of a large story like an AP or a novel or something like that rather than a dime-a-dozen PC concept. While we have half-drow traits in the ARG, that's more for folks using the Pathfinder RPG rules for their own games than for the Pathfinder Campaign Setting specifically.
On July 19, 2012.
And I just was curious what the prevailing developer direction on Half-Drow is currently.
Thanks!
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Creative Director
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An few alchemist questions:
1) An alchemist need a portable lab to make his bombs, extracts or mutagens?
Unless I am missing something, in the class description the only ability that explicitly require a lab is the bomb use. The other abilities seem to assume it but never state the need for it.2) It is possible to sunder a portable alchemist lab or it is a large number of vials and containers dispersed on the alchemist body (as we see them in several pictures of them) and so substantially immune to a sunder attempt?
I assume it is not possible to use the shatter spell as an area attack to destroy an alchemist prepared extracts, mutagen and bomb catalysts as the spell say: "Used as an area attack, shatter destroys nonmagical objects of crystal, glass, ceramic, or porcelain. All such unattended objects within a 5-foot radius of the point of origin are smashed into dozens of pieces by the spell. Objects weighing more than 1 pound per your level are not affected, but all other objects of the appropriate composition are shattered." and the vials are on the alchemist body and so they aren't unattended. Destroying only a single vial (and only if the target fail a ST) seem a waste of a spell.
Unless I am missing something all the above seem to make the alchemist very resilient against attacks aimed at removing his ability to use extracts and mutagens. He is really so McGuyverish that he can make an extract with anything at hand or simply the rules assume that he has a portable lab at hand?
1) He needs an alchemy lab to prepare his extracts and his mutagens and bombs. It's just that bombs are the only ones that he "prepares" when he actually uses them.
2) As much as it is possible to sunder a cleric's holy symbol or a wizard's spellbook. AKA: Up to the GM, and depends on how mean he's feeling.
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Creative Director
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Mr. James Jacobs,
How do Aboleths reproduce? Also, how does that process vary to produce veiled masters?
I have this character who uses arcane magic (He's a warlock) and he has a strong aberrant bloodline (at this point he has 5 aberrant feats from Lords of Madness). The idea is that his magic acts as a catalyst for his aberrant blood (His lineage coming from the aboleths and veiled masters) causing it to manifest so dramatically and then later should he die a violent death his blood causes him to not die but painfully transmute into an aboleth or some variant.
Then the idea occurred to me "What if that is the way veiled masters are produced?"
There's a fair amount of info about how aboleths reproduce in Lords of Madness... I actually wrote the aboleth chapter, so I'm pretty okay with using that information if you want.
We haven't yet revealed where veiled masters come from though. But they're not produced from humanoid "incubators," that's for sure, since they existed before humanoids did.
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Creative Director
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How would you run a situation where a druid puts a +6 INT headband on their animal companion, what would the effects be? Same question for some kid finding one and putting it on their pet dog or rabbit.
Depending on the animal,I might not allow it to actually wear a headband in the first place, due to size and shape differences from what a headband expect to be wrapped around.
If I did allow it, the animal's intelligence would increase by the appropriate amount. It would gain access to the skill ranks associated with the headband, but wouldn't learn how to speak or understand languages. It would not gain any new tricks, but would act a lot smarter.
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Creative Director
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James,
Could you clarify something for me on half-drow?
You posted (LINK)
Half-drow do exist in Golarion, but statistics-wise they're identical to half-elves. They tend to have dusky skin tones and red or violet eyes and pale hair, but are otherwise just half-elves.On April 25, 2010.
While Mark Moreland posted (LINK)
Half-drow do not exist in Golarion, and if there were one or two that did exist (which is incredibly unlikely given that drow are irredeemably evil and not interested in making half-drow—except maybe driders) they'd be the focus of a large story like an AP or a novel or something like that rather than a dime-a-dozen PC concept. While we have half-drow traits in the ARG, that's more for folks using the Pathfinder RPG rules for their own games than for the Pathfinder Campaign Setting specifically.On July 19, 2012.
And I just was curious what the prevailing developer direction on Half-Drow is currently.
Thanks!
Half-drow exist. They're very rare, and are not allowed as PFS characters. They have the same stats as a regular half-elf, but their history is such that you need GM permission to have one—not all GMs want this flavor in their campaigns, after all. As with any unusual race choice.
1) He needs an alchemy lab to prepare his extracts and his mutagens and bombs. It's just that bombs are the only ones that he "prepares" when he actually uses them.
Does that mean an alchemist needs to spend 75 of his average 105 starting gold to buy a portable alchemist's lab just to be able to use his extracts? A non-portable alchemist's lab is 200, completely out of the reach of an alchemist's starting wealth. That seems pretty harsh to use a primary class feature.
1) He needs an alchemy lab to prepare his extracts and his mutagens and bombs. It's just that bombs are the only ones that he "prepares" when he actually uses them.Does that mean an alchemist needs to spend 75 of his average 105 starting gold to buy a portable alchemist's lab just to be able to use his extracts? A non-portable alchemist's lab is 200, completely out of the reach of an alchemist's starting wealth. That seems pretty harsh to use a primary class feature.
I raise your 75gp alchemist lab with a set of 100gp masterwork thieves tools.
(has never seen a rogue start with nonmasterwork tools)
I raise your 75gp alchemist lab with a set of 100gp masterwork thieves tools.
(has never seen a rogue start with nonmasterwork tools)
But:
1) A rogue starts with more money than an alchemist (average 140).
2) Non-masterwork thieves' tools cost 30g. It's not a requirement they be masterwork.
3) Not using thieves' tools merely gives a -2 to Disable Device.
4) Disable Device as a class feature of a rogue is in no way comparable to extracts for an alchemist.
I raise your 75gp alchemist lab with a set of 100gp masterwork thieves tools.
(has never seen a rogue start with nonmasterwork tools)
But:
1) A rogue starts with more money than an alchemist (average 140).
2) Non-masterwork thieves' tools cost 30g. It's not a requirement they be masterwork.
3) Not using thieves' tools merely gives a -2 to Disable Device.
4) Disable Device as a class feature of a rogue is in no way comparable to extracts for an alchemist.
And a chain shirt and longsword costs 115gp (total) out of a fighter's starting 175gp.
My point is merely that the alchemist is not the only class who has a gp sink at 1st level. In comparison, the archtypical class without a gp sink is the monk (who can indeed fight with just a stick) and their starting gold reflects that with a measly 35gp.
Just as a fighter can get by without good armor and a weapon so can an alchemist get by without a lab to make bombs. However both of them are going to be much less effective.
[realizes she's in the way] [exists stage right out the window]
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No, they need to spend 25gp on an Alchemist Crafting Kit, see page 76 of Ultimate Equipment. An "Alchemist Crafting Kit" is not the same as a "Alchemist's Kit" (Page 58 of Ultimate Equipment) nor an "Alchemy Lab" (Page 161 of Core Rule Book and Page 76 of Ultimate Equipment, right above Alchemist Crafting Kit) nor a "Portable Alchemy Lab" (Page 185 of Advanced Player's Guide and Page 79 of Ultimate Equipment)
Alchemist Crafting Kit - Allows an Alchemist to use their class features
Alchemy Lab - +2 bonus on craft(alchemy) checks. Useful for crafting non-class feature alchemical items like Alchemist's Fire. Not actually needed to use the skill though.
Portable Alchemy Lab - Same as Alchemy Lab but only a +1 bonus on craft(alchemy) checks.
Alchemist's Kit - A class kit costing 40gp. It includes the Alchemist Crafting Kit as well as other sundry adventuring gear. Does not include Alchemy Lab or Portable Alchemy Lab.
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Confusing? Yeah just a little bit.
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Creative Director
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1) He needs an alchemy lab to prepare his extracts and his mutagens and bombs. It's just that bombs are the only ones that he "prepares" when he actually uses them.Does that mean an alchemist needs to spend 75 of his average 105 starting gold to buy a portable alchemist's lab just to be able to use his extracts? A non-portable alchemist's lab is 200, completely out of the reach of an alchemist's starting wealth. That seems pretty harsh to use a primary class feature.
EDIT: Ninjaed a few times.
But yeah... it's not as bad as it looks, and still, Alchemists don't really need to buy much else anyway to be effective when they start.
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How would you run a situation where a druid puts a +6 INT headband on their animal companion, what would the effects be? Same question for some kid finding one and putting it on their pet dog or rabbit.Depending on the animal,I might not allow it to actually wear a headband in the first place, due to size and shape differences from what a headband expect to be wrapped around.
If I did allow it, the animal's intelligence would increase by the appropriate amount. It would gain access to the skill ranks associated with the headband, but wouldn't learn how to speak or understand languages. It would not gain any new tricks, but would act a lot smarter.
Aha, but what if linguistics was a skill attached to the headband? This is a common trick we use in my home games so druids can have a smarter companion (since awaken and animal companion dont mix)
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1) (according to PRD) "A succubus drains energy from a mortal she lures into an act of passion, such as a kiss. The succubus's kiss bestows one negative level. The kiss also has the effect of a suggestion spell, asking the victim to accept another act of passion from the succubus."
1) A succubus can choose not to do special attacks when she lures a victim into an act of passion, yes. If you trust her not to do that after you ask her not to, you deserve the negative levels you're about to get, though.
When having a with a succubus you use protection, that is the function of extended Death Ward!
:P|
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That's hard to do as a wizard, Diego... That being said, 20th Level Conjurer permanents a empowered Summon Monster VIII that rolled max, uses Superior Summons,cauldron of overwhelming allies from the AP 67 and bam! You have a harem of up to 9 succubi underneath your control via summon monster.
If your Charisma is high enough and you have the feats, you can get a tenth by taking greater eldritch heritage(abyssal).
Enjoy!
Will there be major natural changes in Golarion over the years? Like Wars reshaping the borders as we know it?
Molthune overcomes Nirmathas. Or Cheliax goes into a major war with Andoran.
That would be stuff for some badass APs.
I mean it happens, but only within a small frame.
Ameiko tells at the beginning of Jade Regant about some friends she had two years ago. Some of the most exeptional individuals she ever met. And they went of into the mountains and never came back.
The "problem" I have is that the players always preserv things, they preserv the structure of the world and do not change it.
Of course you can always change it yourself for your small group. But like I hinted above, I would like to see some change coming from a AP, or something like that. Your opinion James?
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Creative Director
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Aha, but what if linguistics was a skill attached to the headband? This is a common trick we use in my home games so druids can have a smarter companion (since awaken and animal companion dont mix)How would you run a situation where a druid puts a +6 INT headband on their animal companion, what would the effects be? Same question for some kid finding one and putting it on their pet dog or rabbit.Depending on the animal,I might not allow it to actually wear a headband in the first place, due to size and shape differences from what a headband expect to be wrapped around.
If I did allow it, the animal's intelligence would increase by the appropriate amount. It would gain access to the skill ranks associated with the headband, but wouldn't learn how to speak or understand languages. It would not gain any new tricks, but would act a lot smarter.
If you attach linguistics, and therefore attach a stack of languages, the animal would gain the ability to understand the languages but would not be able to speak. It could scribble out messages though, as best as it could.
So my question is why didn't the God's kill rovagug. He can never be redeemed, and leaving him alive is like having an undentonated nuclear bomb in your basement.
Because he's a marketable property with a sizable fan following.
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Creative Director
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Will there be major natural changes in Golarion over the years? Like Wars reshaping the borders as we know it?
Molthune overcomes Nirmathas. Or Cheliax goes into a major war with Andoran.That would be stuff for some badass APs.
I mean it happens, but only within a small frame.
Ameiko tells at the beginning of Jade Regant about some friends she had two years ago. Some of the most exeptional individuals she ever met. And they went of into the mountains and never came back.
** spoiler omitted **The "problem" I have is that the players always preserv things, they preserv the structure of the world and do not change it.
Of course you can always change it yourself for your small group. But like I hinted above, I would like to see some change coming from a AP, or something like that. Your opinion James?
In fact, in pretty much EVERY ONE of our Adventure Paths, the world changes. We just don't assume any of those changes happen—they don't exist until your group plays through that adventure or campaign, and then how they end up changing the world is an organic result of them playing the game.
You mention Jade Regent—in that one, an entire nation that's larger than any one nation in all of the Inner Sea gets a new leader. That's pretty significant.
We do not "hardwire" the assumed results of Adventure Paths into the setting's canon because we publish far too many things in a month. Assuming the world changes each time we publish an adventure does several things that we don't want—two of the biggest being:
1) It makes it increasingly hard to track canon in the world if instead of looking at only the Inner Sea World Guide you have to look at dozens and dozens of books, with that number increasing by 3 every month.
2) It creates a barrier to entry that increasingly makes it difficult for new players to come to Golarion. If you have a GM who wants to run a Golarion game today, he needs only familiarize himself with the Inner Sea World Guide. That's a big book... but familiarizing yourself with that book is MUCH less harrowing than also having to familiarize yourself with everything we've published for Golarion.
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I am trying to determine the intent of the Alchemical Weapon ability of the Grenadier Alchemist...
Alchemical Weapon (Su)
At 2nd level, a grenadier can infuse a weapon or piece of ammunition with a single harmful alchemical liquid or powder, such as alchemist’s fire or sneezing powder, as a move action. This action consumes the alchemical item, but transfers its effect to the weapon in question.
Would this include
a) Alchemist's bomb - seems a little strong to put this on my weapon and get both weapon damage and bomb damage. I cant find anywhere where it would imply you can.b) Tanglefoot bag - alchemical item, but not a liquid or a powder? Seems to me the "liquid or powder" was not meant as an exclusive list, but more of examples.
a) Nope.
b) Nope.
It's basically a way to get things like acid or alchemist fire or the like to affect targets that might be out of range (by using a ranged weapon) or to bolster a weapon attack by basically allowing you to do damage with the alchemical item AND your weapon at the same time.
Hi, I got a related question on Alchemical Weapon (Su)
Are Alchemist's Bombs considered weapons for the purpose of the Alchemical Weapon (Su), Grenadier ability?
Can I infuse alchemical liquid/power (like acid) into an Alchemist's Bombs?
As per Alchemical Weapon (Su) being able to be used on weapons.
Alchemical Weapon (Su): At 2nd level, a grenadier can infuse a weapon or piece of ammunition with a single harmful alchemical liquid or powder, such as alchemist’s fire or sneezing powder, as a move action. This action consumes the alchemical item, but transfers its effect to the weapon in question. The alchemical item takes full effect on the next creature struck by the weapon, but does not splash, spread, or otherwise affect additional targets. Any extra damage added is treated like bonus dice of damage, and is not doubled on a critical hit. The alchemical treatment causes no harm to the weapon treated, and wears off 1 minute after application if no blow is struck. At 6th level, a grenadier can use her alchemical weapon ability as a swift action. At 15th level, this ability becomes a free action. This ability replaces poison resistance.
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Creative Director
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Hi, I got a related question on Alchemical Weapon (Su)
Are Alchemist's Bombs considered weapons for the purpose of the Alchemical Weapon (Su), Grenadier ability?
Can I infuse alchemical liquid/power (like acid) into an Alchemist's Bombs?As per Alchemical Weapon (Su) being able to be used on weapons.
Grenadier wrote:Alchemical Weapon (Su): At 2nd level, a grenadier can infuse a weapon or piece of ammunition with a single harmful alchemical liquid or powder, such as alchemist’s fire or sneezing powder, as a move action. This action consumes the alchemical item, but transfers its effect to the weapon in question. The alchemical item takes full effect on the next creature struck by the weapon, but does not splash, spread, or otherwise affect additional targets. Any extra damage added is treated like bonus dice of damage, and is not doubled on a critical hit. The alchemical treatment causes no harm to the weapon treated, and wears off 1 minute after application if no blow is struck. At 6th level, a grenadier can use her alchemical weapon ability as a swift action. At 15th level, this ability becomes a free action. This ability replaces poison resistance.
Nope; you can't infuse a splash weapon like a bomb.
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So if you are running a module/scenario and you realize that the name of the hidden BBEG is taken from a real life language that everyone at the table understands. Worse, the name's meaning is something unfaltering and would clearly give the BBEG away once spoken out loud. @_@lll...
Do you:
1) Change the name of the BBEG into another language's. One that no one at the table understands. (But try to keep the meaning of the name.)
2) Change the name of the BBEG, but keep the language used, to something less obvious.
3) Just slap on another name that sounds cool and fit a BBEG.
4) Don't change the name. Just let the players run with it
5) Do something else....
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Ustalav Question:
1) What does the common Ustalavian (?) speak on a day-to-day basis? "Prince of Wolves" suggests most Ustalavs (?) speak Varisian and know at least some Taldane, often more. The Haunting of Harrowstone on the other hand, while giving every NPC with INT>=12 Varisian as a secondary language, gives the farmes with INT 10 only Common (=Taldane) as a language. So...yeah, what does the common Ustalavi (?) speak?
2) Can you think of even more ridiculous names for the people of Ustalav than I just did? o__O
Ustalavanian.
Ustalavanese
Ustalavite
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Ustalavista, baby.
James, being that Asmodeus is a god of magic, which of the devil varieties would be most closely associated with, or be most dedicated to arcane magic?
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Edit: So if you are running a module/scenario and you realize that the name of the hidden BBEG is taken from a real life language that everyone at the table understands.
Worse, the name's meaning is something unflattering and would clearly give the BBEG away once spoken out loud. @_@lll...
Do you:
1) Change the name of the BBEG into another language's. One that no one at the table understands. (But try to keep the meaning of the name.)
2) Change the name of the BBEG, but keep the language used, to something less obvious.
3) Just slap on another name that sounds cool and fit a BBEG.
4) Don't change the name. Just let the players run with it
5) Do something else....
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*Sorry for double post, typos detected... oops...