Creative Director
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Welcome back, James!
How's the new Two-Weapon Fighting feat treating you? Rather than double rubber mallets I would have put you as more of a rapier-and-dagger or double kukri man myself.
No feat. I was delirious with booth teardown madness and they were the closest things I had to go after the talking slug-mouthed alien brain-lickers that suddenly began to appear.
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1) Even when it's a specific "family" of eidolons like these Dragoneagles? Or are you saying that even within that grouping there's differences, so no two "dawn-feathered children" were identical?
2) Okay, so how does it work on Golarion specifically ?
3) I see. Neato!
4) I thought making armor and weapons was Torag's schtick.
5) Forgot you don't have to be good to venerate him. Thanks!
6) So would, say, Uzumaki's ending have been better if the protagonists actually had a chance to escape the town?
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Creative Director
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1) Even when it's a specific "family" of eidolons like these Dragoneagles? Or are you saying that even within that grouping there's differences, so no two "dawn-feathered children" were identical?
2) Okay, so how does it work on Golarion specifically ?
3) I see. Neato!
4) I thought making armor and weapons was Torag's schtick.
5) Forgot you don't have to be good to venerate him. Thanks!
6) So would, say, Uzumaki's ending have been better if the protagonists actually had a chance to escape the town?
1) You can certainly have a family of similar shaped eidolons, but that's as much random chance as it is anything else.
2) You need to give me more than that. I just answered a few dozen questions; please restate the original question so I have context.
4) There's often overlap between deities. And you asked for an example of how Gorum worshipers might not be the standard warmongers, so that was an example of such overlap.
6) No. You misunderstand. The menace in Uzumaki didn't stop caring or go away on its own. It remained there at the end.
So after we get psychic magic, Paizo can do the Casmaron Gazetteer, right?Just because we can doesn't mean we will... but yes. In the same way that now that we have Mythic we can do something with the Test of the Starstone.
One allows the other, but does not GUARANTEE the other.
Understood, but it does allow the possibility which is cool. Plus my guess is we will get Occult Origins in the Player Companion line with either some Vudra or Jalmeray elements. And I know that isn't announced yet, and you can't actually say anything about it.
I can't find an answer to this anywhere, so maybe you can help.
If a creature is able to do a grab attack on a creature that is currently grappled, what happens? Assuming someone else is doing the grapple, does it turn into an aid another/group grapple? If the creature itself is grappling, does he get a bonus grapple check?
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1) Even when it's a specific "family" of eidolons like these Dragoneagles? Or are you saying that even within that grouping there's differences, so no two "dawn-feathered children" were identical?
2) Okay, so how does it work on Golarion specifically ?
3) I see. Neato!
4) I thought making armor and weapons was Torag's schtick.
5) Forgot you don't have to be good to venerate him. Thanks!
6) So would, say, Uzumaki's ending have been better if the protagonists actually had a chance to escape the town?
1) You can certainly have a family of similar shaped eidolons, but that's as much random chance as it is anything else.
2) You need to give me more than that. I just answered a few dozen questions; please restate the original question so I have context.
4) There's often overlap between deities. And you asked for an example of how Gorum worshipers might not be the standard warmongers, so that was an example of such overlap.
6) No. You misunderstand. The menace in Uzumaki didn't stop caring or go away on its own. It remained there at the end.
1) Interesting...most interesting.
2) Are shamans on Golarion always schooled in their practices and traditions, or are there people who are just naturally sensitive to spirits that essentially teach themselves how to be a shaman, similar to how sorcerers work?
4) Ah, I see. Does that mean that most people on Golarion are sorta polytheistic, offering prayers to whatever god influences what they're doing right now unless they're actual clerics or just really really like one deity?
6) Sorry about that. Thanks for clarifying. That's more what I was trying to say: that the protagonists can't escape the entity and it essentially "wins."
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Creative Director
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That's more the job of a continuity expert or the like... a job position that would perhaps report directly to the Creative Director position but would not BE that position.Does Paizo have one at the moment? The way you're describing it, it sounds like you don't, but I could have sworn I remember you or somebody saying that you have an unofficial one at some point.
At this point, no. We originally hired Mark Moreland to do this job a few years ago, but our production schedule was so intense and full that he's been working as a developer instead.
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Creative Director
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I can't find an answer to this anywhere, so maybe you can help.
If a creature is able to do a grab attack on a creature that is currently grappled, what happens? Assuming someone else is doing the grapple, does it turn into an aid another/group grapple? If the creature itself is grappling, does he get a bonus grapple check?
A creature can aid another the grapple with its own check, or they can fight for control, in which case the highest CMB check to establish the grapple wins.
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Creative Director
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1) Even when it's a specific "family" of eidolons like these Dragoneagles? Or are you saying that even within that grouping there's differences, so no two "dawn-feathered children" were identical?
2) Okay, so how does it work on Golarion specifically ?
3) I see. Neato!
4) I thought making armor and weapons was Torag's schtick.
5) Forgot you don't have to be good to venerate him. Thanks!
6) So would, say, Uzumaki's ending have been better if the protagonists actually had a chance to escape the town?
1) You can certainly have a family of similar shaped eidolons, but that's as much random chance as it is anything else.
2) You need to give me more than that. I just answered a few dozen questions; please restate the original question so I have context.
4) There's often overlap between deities. And you asked for an example of how Gorum worshipers might not be the standard warmongers, so that was an example of such overlap.
6) No. You misunderstand. The menace in Uzumaki didn't stop caring or go away on its own. It remained there at the end.
1) Interesting...most interesting.
2) Are shamans on Golarion always schooled in their practices and traditions, or are there people who are just naturally sensitive to spirits that essentially teach themselves how to be a shaman, similar to how sorcerers work?
4) Ah, I see. Does that mean that most people on Golarion are sorta polytheistic, offering prayers to whatever god influences what they're doing right now unless they're actual clerics or just really really like one deity?
6) Sorry about that. Thanks for clarifying. That's more what I was trying to say: that the protagonists can't escape the entity and it essentially "wins."
2) Both are possible.
4) Yes. Although I suspect most folks have a favored deity that they pray to more often than others. But yeah, someone might pray to Gorum one day to help with forging a sword, Torag the next, or even Desna one day. Depends on the mood and situation and personality and lots lots more.
Is this your recovery day to spend on the forums? Or how long does it take to get back to work after con season?
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Creative Director
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Is this your recovery day to spend on the forums? Or how long does it take to get back to work after con season?
It's technically not a recovery day at all. I've a VERY aggressive deadline looming for Pathfinder #89. Got in to work about 2 hours earlier than normal and more or less spent that catching up on the forums and am now shifting over to #89 in a few minutes... or maybe gonna go get lunch first...
When will the pdf of the product catalog that was available at Gencon be available?
A creature can aid another the grapple with its own check, or they can fight for control, in which case the highest CMB check to establish the grapple wins.I can't find an answer to this anywhere, so maybe you can help.
If a creature is able to do a grab attack on a creature that is currently grappled, what happens? Assuming someone else is doing the grapple, does it turn into an aid another/group grapple? If the creature itself is grappling, does he get a bonus grapple check?
Thank you for your time! That actually clears up quite a few scenarios.
Just to verify the second part of my question, in the strange instance where the controlling grappler hits the grappled creature with a grab attack (not the grapple check for damage, which I assume doesn't get the grab special rule attached to it) he does get to do an extra grapple check for the normal options (pin, move, damage, etc)?
Also, are grapple aid another attempts done with CMB?
Thanks again. I know your time is valuable and I don't want to take it up with silly questions. Unfortunately, no one else knows how to answer them here or in my PFS group.
I've gotten my copy of the Fires of Creation, and holy crap I'm loving it. Strong work all around!
How has the reception of the first part of Iron Gods gone so far?
Hi, James!
Thanks for the GenCon feedback! I know cons really aren't your thing.
One follow-up question to someting you posted about GenCon low points...
9) Unfortunate cosplay. Fortunately, I only saw 1 of them that was TRULY unfortunate.
Not sure what you meant by that. Could you elaborate?
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Creative Director
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Oh, my bad, it is a Rakshasa Blooded Tiefling. What I meant was what are there some ideas I could use to make a Rakshasa bloodline bloodrage? It doesn't transfer easily to combat.
Hmmmm...I wouldn't make that character a rakshasa at all. I'd go with a rakshasa blooded tiefling from Blood of Fiends.
Oh! Gotcha. I try not to engage in design discussions here, though, for time management reasons but also for certain legal reasons.
I'll answer questions, but designing new content? I need to save that brainpower for the books we publish. Or my personal games. ;-)
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Creative Director
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A creature can aid another the grapple with its own check, or they can fight for control, in which case the highest CMB check to establish the grapple wins.I can't find an answer to this anywhere, so maybe you can help.
If a creature is able to do a grab attack on a creature that is currently grappled, what happens? Assuming someone else is doing the grapple, does it turn into an aid another/group grapple? If the creature itself is grappling, does he get a bonus grapple check?Thank you for your time! That actually clears up quite a few scenarios.
Just to verify the second part of my question, in the strange instance where the controlling grappler hits the grappled creature with a grab attack (not the grapple check for damage, which I assume doesn't get the grab special rule attached to it) he does get to do an extra grapple check for the normal options (pin, move, damage, etc)?
Also, are grapple aid another attempts done with CMB?
Thanks again. I know your time is valuable and I don't want to take it up with silly questions. Unfortunately, no one else knows how to answer them here or in my PFS group.
ASSUMING HE ISN'T WORKING WIHT THE CURRENT GRAPPLER... He's not the one grappling the foe. Even if the foe is already grappled by someone else, he'd need to treat his target as if he were just starting to grapple.
Yes. An aid another attempt with a grapple check is a grapple check (aka, a CMB check).
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Creative Director
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Hi, James!
Thanks for the GenCon feedback! I know cons really aren't your thing.
One follow-up question to someting you posted about GenCon low points...
9) Unfortunate cosplay. Fortunately, I only saw 1 of them that was TRULY unfortunate.Not sure what you meant by that. Could you elaborate?
Cosplay done by people who lack the body shape to pull off the intended character COMBINED with a complete lack of charisma. I've seen plenty of cosplay by people who lack the right body shape who more than make up for that with charisma and personality... but when both are missing... it's just embarrassing.
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Hey James I am probably going to start another thread for this but I thought I would also ask you and a few of the other core members of Paizo that have ask threads:
With the amount of new material that Paizo puts out how do you counter act the raising concerns of rules bloat?
I totally understand and appreciate the fact that, to stay in business, Paizo needs to put out product and I'm not against this what so ever but we're at a point now where some of us feel that the amount of options that you've(Paizo) given us borders on the...whats a good word...heavy side.
Has Paizo ever thought about instead of creating new rules/systems, taking existing rules and adding flavor to them?
Not that you guys put out flavorless rules I just think that some here feel there are far to many new options being put out and I think that would be one way to possibly counter-act that.
Not trying to ruffle any feathers and feel free to skip this if you feel it pokes to many cinders in a flame-war.
We counter the concerns of rules bloat by NOT putting out as much rulebooks as we could. By limiting it to 3 rule books a year, and by wedding our other products to campaign setting stuff so that there are flavor ties to the options, we hope to make the problem of rules bloat less of one.
But each year that passes, we get one year closer to any one person's personal limit as to what constitutes crossing the line into rules bloat. For me, personally, I'm kinda there already, and I'm eager for us to shift our rulebook offerings into new arenas... which we are, with Pathfinder Unchained presenting options and with Occult Adventures focusing on a new flavor of content rather than just more options for existing choices. And I don't think there can EVER be too many monster books.
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Creative Director
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1)How would you role-play a arcane caster that is a devout worshiper of a god like (Shelyn or Calistria or even Abadar)?
2)How do arcane casters and Religion interact? as the faiths and philosophies book said arcane casters are mostly atheists?
1) See Shensen from the NPC guide. She's a very religious fighter/bard.
2) Faiths and philosophies was, in my opinion, wrong when it said arcane casters are mostly atheists, and had I seen that, I would have cut the sentence before it went to print. There are PLENTY of religious arcane spellcasters. There's gods of magic, for crying out loud! There's nothing intrinsic about arcane magic that makes it counter to faith at all.
A creature can aid another the grapple with its own check, or they can fight for control, in which case the highest CMB check to establish the grapple wins.I can't find an answer to this anywhere, so maybe you can help.
If a creature is able to do a grab attack on a creature that is currently grappled, what happens? Assuming someone else is doing the grapple, does it turn into an aid another/group grapple? If the creature itself is grappling, does he get a bonus grapple check?Thank you for your time! That actually clears up quite a few scenarios.
Just to verify the second part of my question, in the strange instance where the controlling grappler hits the grappled creature with a grab attack (not the grapple check for damage, which I assume doesn't get the grab special rule attached to it) he does get to do an extra grapple check for the normal options (pin, move, damage, etc)?
Also, are grapple aid another attempts done with CMB?
Thanks again. I know your time is valuable and I don't want to take it up with silly questions. Unfortunately, no one else knows how to answer them here or in my PFS group.
ASSUMING HE ISN'T WORKING WIHT THE CURRENT GRAPPLER... He's not the one grappling the foe. Even if the foe is already grappled by someone else, he'd need to treat his target as if he were just starting to grapple.
Yes. An aid another attempt with a grapple check is a grapple check (aka, a CMB check).
Thanks again. I think there might be a disconnect here. I'll create a scenario to make it easier to illustrate:
There are two creatures involved in the combat, nobody else. One is an 8th level Tetori monk. The other is just some goblin.
The round starts with the monk already grappling the goblin. Because the monk has the "Greater Grapple" feat, he can maintain the grapple as a move action (and succeeds). Now with his standard action left over, he uses an unarmed strike on the goblin and spends a ki point to give the strike the grab ability. He is now using a grab attack on the same creature that he is currently grappling. The attack hits and resolves. Does he get the extra grapple check (to move, pin, damage, etc) or is the grab ability wasted?
This may seem like an unnecessary, esoteric question, but there are a variety of instances (snapping turtle clutch, white haired witch/hold, etc) where things like this can come up during grappling.
Would an Oracle who uses Form of the Beast (same as Beast Shape spell but last for hours based on level) to assume the form of a Coral Capuchin (Skull & Shackles - Island of Empty Eyes) have the Moisture Dependency weakness and the Amphibious quality ?
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Creative Director
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There are two creatures involved in the combat, nobody else. One is an 8th level Tetori monk. The other is just some goblin.
The round starts with the monk already grappling the goblin. Because the monk has the "Greater Grapple" feat, he can maintain the grapple as a move action (and succeeds). Now with his standard action left over, he uses an unarmed strike on the goblin and spends a ki point to give the strike the grab ability. He is now using a grab attack on the same creature that he is currently grappling. The attack hits and resolves. Does he get the extra grapple check (to move, pin, damage, etc) or is the grab ability wasted?This may seem like an unnecessary, esoteric question, but there are a variety of instances (snapping turtle clutch, white haired witch/hold, etc) where things like this can come up during grappling.
Nope. Once you're grappling a foe, the grab ability is a waste of calories to use. You can't use the grapple check granted by grab to sneak in additional pins and the like.
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Creative Director
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Would an Oracle who uses Form of the Beast (same as Beast Shape spell but last for hours based on level) to assume the form of a Coral Capuchin (Skull & Shackles - Island of Empty Eyes) have the Moisture Dependency weakness and the Amphibious quality ?
Beast shape lists specific things it grants. None of those is Moisture Dependency or Amphibious, so no, the oracle would gain neither of those abilities.
The fact that the various polymorph spells list the abilities granted is a VERY specific design choice; otherwise, every time we invented a new monster with a new ability, these spells would grow more powerful. (That's how they basically worked in 3.5, and it quickly made them way too complicated and prone to breaking things.)
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I thought sivanah would also work. Is that a good choice for a CG fetchling arcanist?what are the recommended deities for a fetchling who's goal is to end zon-kuthons reign over the shadow planeJust off the top of my head? I'd probably go with Desna.
Sivanah works too, sure. Since she's an arcanist, your character doesn't need to be the same exact alignment as her deity. It's weird to be more than one step away alignment wise... but then again, if weird lives anywhere, it's in a PC.
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Out of curiosity will Innersea races have anything for Catfolk in it?
We'll be talking a bit more about the contents of Inner Sea Races later this year (or perhaps not until nearly next year)... but keep in mind:
It's about races of the Inner Sea region, and catfolk, while they can be encountered in the Inner Sea region, are in fact a southern Garund (and perhaps Arcadia) race for the most part.
Nope. Once you're grappling a foe, the grab ability is a waste of calories to use. You can't use the grapple check granted by grab to sneak in additional pins and the like.
That clears up a lot.
One more tiny little question:Yes. An aid another attempt with a grapple check is a grapple check (aka, a CMB check).
Is this CMB check tested against the opponents CMD like any other grapple check, or against a CMD of 10 (the equivalent of the AC 10 that is normally used on an "Aid Another").
3) All you need to get Improved Familiars is to qualify for the feat.
You might have made a mistake here.
From ACG"A shaman uses her level as her effective wizard level when
determining the abilities of her spirit animal. A shaman
can select any familiar available to wizards to serve as her
spirit animal, although her spirit animal is augmented by
the power of her chosen spirit. Once selected, the spirit
animal cannot be changed."
Now I am someone who really wants improved familiar to apply as I think it would allow the shaman to pick thematically appropriate choices for someone who deals with spirits to get her magic(a kami for instance!) but reading that text I was in doubt about the ability to do so myself.
Cosplay done by people who lack the body shape to pull off the intended character COMBINED with a complete lack of charisma. I've seen plenty of cosplay by people who lack the right body shape who more than make up for that with charisma and personality... but when both are missing... it's just embarrassing.Hi, James!
Thanks for the GenCon feedback! I know cons really aren't your thing.
One follow-up question to someting you posted about GenCon low points...
9) Unfortunate cosplay. Fortunately, I only saw 1 of them that was TRULY unfortunate.Not sure what you meant by that. Could you elaborate?
Thanks. I wasn't sure if you meant that or "wardrobe malfunctions." I've seen the latter at a con or two over the years, and one was very embarrassing. Have you?
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Creative Director
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Nope. Once you're grappling a foe, the grab ability is a waste of calories to use. You can't use the grapple check granted by grab to sneak in additional pins and the like.That clears up a lot.
One more tiny little question:
Yes. An aid another attempt with a grapple check is a grapple check (aka, a CMB check).Is this CMB check tested against the opponents CMD like any other grapple check, or against a CMD of 10 (the equivalent of the AC 10 that is normally used on an "Aid Another").
Aid Another checks are always against DC 10.
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Creative Director
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what is the funniest thing that has ever happened in a home game you did?
Made a player fall out of his chair backwards in a fit of laughter after describing a montage of increasingly ridiculous sights his character saw as he hurtled by room after room of weirdness in an out of control mine cart. The final image that sent him out of his chair was a room in which duergar were betting on a pair of boxing cats.
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Creative Director
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3) All you need to get Improved Familiars is to qualify for the feat.You might have made a mistake here.
From ACG
"A shaman uses her level as her effective wizard level when
determining the abilities of her spirit animal. A shaman
can select any familiar available to wizards to serve as her
spirit animal, although her spirit animal is augmented by
the power of her chosen spirit. Once selected, the spirit
animal cannot be changed."Now I am someone who really wants improved familiar to apply as I think it would allow the shaman to pick thematically appropriate choices for someone who deals with spirits to get her magic(a kami for instance!) but reading that text I was in doubt about the ability to do so myself.
And that's why rules questions like this are better asked in the proper threads.
Note: I didn't make a mistake at all. All I said was "...you need to get Improved Familiars is to qualify for the feat." Whether or not the shaman changes that in the shaman's case only... that's a good FAQ question. But if the shaman has a spirit animal and NOT a familiar, then my answer to the question is fine—and it's a "no."
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Hey James,
Any highlights and/or lowlights of Gencon?
Yes. Here are 10 of each.
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **I guess the best highlight is that I had a harder time coming up with lowlights for the list this year!
Actually, I think it was Wednesday night chocolate. Right after we got in. ;-)
3) All you need to get Improved Familiars is to qualify for the feat.You might have made a mistake here.
From ACG
"A shaman uses her level as her effective wizard level when
determining the abilities of her spirit animal. A shaman
can select any familiar available to wizards to serve as her
spirit animal, although her spirit animal is augmented by
the power of her chosen spirit. Once selected, the spirit
animal cannot be changed."Now I am someone who really wants improved familiar to apply as I think it would allow the shaman to pick thematically appropriate choices for someone who deals with spirits to get her magic(a kami for instance!) but reading that text I was in doubt about the ability to do so myself.
And that's why rules questions like this are better asked in the proper threads.
Note: I didn't make a mistake at all. All I said was "...you need to get Improved Familiars is to qualify for the feat." Whether or not the shaman changes that in the shaman's case only... that's a good FAQ question. But if the shaman has a spirit animal and NOT a familiar, then my answer to the question is fine—and it's a "no."
On your note! Sorry if I came across as putting you down. I actually knew you could have been right depending on what you meant but was trying to keep my post short.
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And arcane magic seems to require a certain level of self confidence Wouldn't that naturally tend to produce folks who tended enough towards the egomaniac side to have their religion tendencies decline?
Arcane magic is more commonly associated with a high Intelligence score or a high Charisma score. Divine magic is more commonly associated with a high Wisdom score (which modifies Will saves, and is therefore all about the 'self confidence').
If there was anything to that notion, it would be divine casters who would be more likely to become egomaniacs and succumb to hubris, solipsism, etc.
Regardless, I like the idea that there are religious arcanists, perhaps even entire organized factions of 'sacred theurgists' who perform arcane spellcasting services for various magic friendly churches (such as those of Nethys, Asmodeus, Qi Zhong and Urgathoa), and perhaps even might have some special tricks or Archetypes related to that sort of function (like one that replaces their School abilities with a single Domain from their faith).
Rangers and Adepts and Oracles can be 'fantasy atheists' and reject or even despise the gods, and still cast divine spells, so it's only fair that some arcane spellcasters might be as religious as the next guy.