Creative Director
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Next question, and it's regarding the new Advanced Races guide book, and making your own races. I'm really, extremely confused about how the SLA are stated for RP prices in comparison to what I see stated out in the examples. It reads that it costs 1 RP per level of spell for a 1/day usage, and that you can take this multiple times up to 3/day. Is the cost then 3 x RP? And how much would it cost for a 9th level spell 3/day? I thought it to be 27 RP by itself, but then that wouldn't make sense when drow have various spells of various levels (1-3) at-will, 1/day, and 3/day but in total it's only 6 RP. I know it's an approximation, but some clarity to help with the confusion would be GREATLY appreciated as it's baking my noodles something fierce.
Also, would there be an RP reduction is the spell was only half as successful. For example, a half-fiend can only summon fiends with Summon Monster XI, where as a half-celestial can only summon celestials. It's not a full powered spell in that respect. Going on that, there are a few spells that have primary, secondary, and even third abilities to them. What if part of those didn't activate with the spell? Would there be a reduction for how many RP it would cost?
Finally, I noticed that fast healing and regen was skipped out altogether. Was there a particular reason for that? We see bugbears for a base race monster example, but no troll love with regen 1?
I've actually not looked at the Race Creation rules at all. Not even in the playtest incarnation. The whole section pretty much came to be without my involvement at all, so frankly... you probably know more about it than I do. As such, I can't really offer much advice on the cost of spell-like abilities without taking more time than I have right now to read those rules... you should ask that question in the book's forum instead and get feedback there.
My gut feeling is that regeneration and fast healing were skipped entirely for 2 reasons—because they're too powerful to give to PCs and because there are no zero HD races in the game yet that possess those abilities.
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Sorry bout this but asked the aforementioned before and wanted to see if I could get an answer to the stuff that didn't get answered aboveve there, also what is the baseline punishment for those souls found on the 8th layer of hell in pathfinder? I know that in maleborgia and many of the higher layers they give you an idea on what happens to those trapped there but 8th seems very sparse, anything advice on what happens to souls that made it down this low?Sorry I may have gotten the name wrong I'm referring to the angel that was chronicling the planes and wrote the books of the damned.Will Tabris ever show up/has ever shown up stated in one of your products or as a primary NPC?More information is needed before I can comment on "Tabris."Oh! Not sure if the name is wrong or right off the top of my head, honestly.
We will be doing more with this character in the future though.
Ohh yay! Now might this be something that is just being talked about or something that might come up sooner like a watch paizocon/gencon thing?
Second question when a victim is sacrificed to a demon lord, archdevil, daemon, or other evil outsider generally interested in obtaining souls does the aforementioned BBEG obtain it or does it pass on to pharasma like any other soul that has passed on through less horrible means?
If someone's sacrificed to a demon lord or other bad guy, whether or not the evil deity ends up with the soul in their domain depends entirely on the ritual used to sacrifice the soul. AKA: It's something that can change as needed as the story demands.
As for what happens on the 8th layer... I don't know off the top of my head. That's a Wes Schneider question.
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Slightly confused at house rule, are the phantom ranks just adding to the original skill then?
And if getting VP in a perform skill I could take any spent points in the effected original skill and distribute them to other class skills? (within their limit)
Phantom ranks replace any ranks you put into the skill, allowing you to redistribute the ranks you used to have. For example, if you have 14 ranks in Fly, then take Versatile Performance (dance) at 14th level, you gain 14 phantom ranks in Fly and can re-distribute those 14 ranks among your other skills however you wish. You could even put them back in Fly, but they'd basically be wasted, since they'd overlap with the phantom ranks and don't stack.
Using this house rule, once you get Versatile Performance with a skill, you never have to spend ranks in that skill again, provided you instead spend ranks in that Perform skill.
(Basically... this house rule effectively grants you +2 bonus skill ranks per level whenever you gain Versatile Performance. Yes, that does effectively mean the bard ends up with the most skill ranks in the game. I don't have a problem with that.)
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I've actually not looked at the Race Creation rules at all. Not even in the playtest incarnation. The whole section pretty much came to be without my involvement at all, so frankly... you probably know more about it than I do. As such, I can't really offer much advice on the cost of spell-like abilities without taking more time than I have right now to read those rules... you should ask that question in the book's forum instead and get feedback there.
That's unfortunate because right now I'm not getting any help there. At least not from anyone knowledgeable on the subject.
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Creative Director
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I've always applied Regen at the end of the regenerating creature's turn (just seems a sensible place to apply it, since it's not defined in the rules).
Scenario: The Wizard zaps the Troll with Scorching Ray right at the start of the round. Later on in the round, the Troll has its turn (it's still alive!).
Question: Does the Troll regenerate, since this is not "on the round following the attack", it is the same round? (I fully expect the answer to be "don't be silly, Chem, of course it doesn't function, in this context it means "for a round following the attack".)
Next question: Absolutely nowhere in the description of regeneration does it appear to require that the "attack form" actually hit the regenerating creature, just that it be subjected to an "attack" with an attack form that overcomes its regeneration. I imagine you can see where I'm going with this. Does the attack actually have to hit to suppress regeneration? (Considering your previous answer to me, I suspect the answer is going to be "Well, DUH, Chem, what do you expect? Of course it has to hit!", but it was this little combo that raised the question for the Thalassic Behemoth, since if it doesn't need to hit, or damage, the regenerating creature to suppress the regeneration, then the Thalassic Behemoth would be a lot less difficult.)
In Pathfinder, regeneration works differently than in 3.5. It's probably one of the most
A monster with regeneration (and fast healing too) gains this healing effect at some point on their turn—when it happens is not indicated in the rules, but I usually apply it at the start of the round.
In Pathfinder, when you face a monster with regeneration, that healing actually heals ALL DAMAGE that the monster gets... as long as the regeneration ability is functioning. When a monster takes damage of the appropriate type that negates regeneration... what that does is it turns of the monster's regeneration ability for the duration of the NEXT ROUND.
So. If you're fighting a troll, on round 1 you damage it with fire at initiative rank 20. At initiative rank 10, when the troll goes, it regenerates damage. This can restore it to life as normal even if that fire damage was enough to kill it or drop it to negatives. Then, on round 2, the troll's regeneration stops. If the troll is killed by damage ON THIS ROUND it stays dead. If you damage the troll with fire or acid on this round, it's regeneration stays "turned off" for the next round as well.
We made this change because tracking multiple sources of damage separately, or tracking simultaneous hit point tracks between lethal and nonlethal damage, is clumsy and clunky and slows the game down.
And yes... a monster actaully has to suffer the damage in order for it to be affected by it. A troll rogue who has evasion and dodges a fireball entirely and reduces that damage to 0 has taken no fire damage that round (despite the fact that it was subjected to a fire attack), and as such its regeneration doesn't turn off. Likewise, a troll wearing a ring of fire resistance who negates all the fire damage taken from a +1 flaming sword would not have suffered any fire damage, and thus its regeneration does not turn off.
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I've actually not looked at the Race Creation rules at all. Not even in the playtest incarnation. The whole section pretty much came to be without my involvement at all, so frankly... you probably know more about it than I do. As such, I can't really offer much advice on the cost of spell-like abilities without taking more time than I have right now to read those rules... you should ask that question in the book's forum instead and get feedback there.That's unfortunate because right now I'm not getting any help there. At least not from anyone knowledgeable on the subject.
Not much I can do about that, aside from advising patience.
James do you find this kind of thread helpful or annoying?
In Pathfinder, regeneration works differently than in 3.5. It's probably one of the mostI've always applied Regen at the end of the regenerating creature's turn (just seems a sensible place to apply it, since it's not defined in the rules).
Scenario: The Wizard zaps the Troll with Scorching Ray right at the start of the round. Later on in the round, the Troll has its turn (it's still alive!).
Question: Does the Troll regenerate, since this is not "on the round following the attack", it is the same round? (I fully expect the answer to be "don't be silly, Chem, of course it doesn't function, in this context it means "for a round following the attack".)
Next question: Absolutely nowhere in the description of regeneration does it appear to require that the "attack form" actually hit the regenerating creature, just that it be subjected to an "attack" with an attack form that overcomes its regeneration. I imagine you can see where I'm going with this. Does the attack actually have to hit to suppress regeneration? (Considering your previous answer to me, I suspect the answer is going to be "Well, DUH, Chem, what do you expect? Of course it has to hit!", but it was this little combo that raised the question for the Thalassic Behemoth, since if it doesn't need to hit, or damage, the regenerating creature to suppress the regeneration, then the Thalassic Behemoth would be a lot less difficult.)
Most what? Awesome changes made? I'll agree with that. It's a LOT easier to track.
A monster with regeneration (and fast healing too) gains this healing effect at some point on their turn—when it happens is not indicated in the rules, but I usually apply it at the start of the round.
Start, end, in the middle, whatever works. :D
In Pathfinder, when you face a monster with regeneration, that healing actually heals ALL DAMAGE that the monster gets... as long as the regeneration ability is functioning. When a monster takes damage of the appropriate type that negates regeneration... what that does is it turns of the monster's regeneration ability for the duration of the NEXT ROUND.
Okay, this is the bit that baffles me. I'm fine with it turning the creature's regeneration off (did I mention I think that's an awesome change?), but why the round after the round of the attack? Why not just the regenerating creatures next turn, with the death condition being "during the round following the attack"?
I'm just trying to get my head around the added complication of "did the troll get hit by fire/acid last round?" as opposed to "did the troll get hit by fire/acid since it last acted?"
Wizard on 20, Fighter on 16, troll on 10, ranger on 5. The wizard and ranger can both do fire damage. By the rules, it is impossible for the troll to die in round 1.
Is there any fundamental reason that it is "the round following" rather than "for one round following the attack"? I think I can see some bookkeeping advantages about only worrying about "start of round to end of round", but I personally consider them to be less advantageous than only having to think about the creature's next turn and knowing that it can die while its regeneration isn't working.
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James do you find this kind of thread helpful or annoying?
Quite helpful. It's always good to know what kind of books folks are looking for.
James,
Regarding Regeneration:
If a Troll is at -100hps and gets fire applied to him. Next round does he die automatically or does someone have to actually perform an attack?
- Gauss
James,
In Legacy of Fire there is a trait called Finding Haleen. The trait grants you +1hit point AND +1 skill point in your favored class 'over and above what you would normally gain'.
Question 1: Is this trait an early version of the standard favored class bonus (+1hitpoint OR +1skill point)?
Question 2: Do you believe this trait should be toned down? (And if so do you have any suggestions?)
- Gauss
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James,
Regarding Regeneration:
If a Troll is at -100hps and gets fire applied to him. Next round does he die automatically or does someone have to actually perform an attack?- Gauss
A troll at -100 hit points is not dead. If you apply fire to him on the round he's at -100 hp, he's still not dead.
At the start of the next round, his regeneration turns off. At that point, if he's still at –100 hp, he immediately dies.
Unless, of course, he has a Constitution score of 101, in which case he gets to make a stabilization check. Heh.
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James,
In Legacy of Fire there is a trait called Finding Haleen. The trait grants you +1hit point AND +1 skill point in your favored class 'over and above what you would normally gain'.Question 1: Is this trait an early version of the standard favored class bonus (+1hitpoint OR +1skill point)?
Question 2: Do you believe this trait should be toned down? (And if so do you have any suggestions?)
- Gauss
1) Could be, but I can't recall for sure... I do know that when we were working on that AP we did have the upcoming rules changes more or less in mind.
2) Nope. Campaign traits are fine if they're kinda good, because that encourages players to take them and then ties their character's history to the campaign in a meaningful way.
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Actually if using the House Rule do the phantom ranks apply to any prerequisites for skills/abilities/feats that require a certain skill rank to learn?Ok that makes sense. This method is Replacing ranks only right? So you still add bonuses/feats to the original skill, and ignore anything that adds to the perform skill?Correct.
Yes. They are for all intents and purposes actual skill ranks.
James,
A small creature (lets say a halfling) acquires a Medium sized two-handed weapon (it is ineligible to use this weapon due to being too large).
Small creature has a magic item of Alter Self and changes his size to medium.
Based on the following line:
If your new form does not cause your equipment to meld into your form, the equipment resizes to match your new size.
Which of the following is true?
A) His Medium 2-handed weapon becomes a Large 2-handed weapon (the weapon increases in size when he does).
B) His medium 2-handed weapon becomes a medium 2-handed weapon (his weapon does not change size when he does).
Thanks as always,
- Gauss
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James,
Regarding Regeneration:
If a Troll is at -100hps and gets fire applied to him. Next round does he die automatically or does someone have to actually perform an attack?- Gauss
A troll at -100 hit points is not dead. If you apply fire to him on the round he's at -100 hp, he's still not dead.
At the start of the next round, his regeneration turns off. At that point, if he's still at –100 hp, he immediately dies.
Unless, of course, he has a Constitution score of 101, in which case he gets to make a stabilization check. Heh.
Ooooh. I need to make one of those. With the Die Hard feat >:)
Huh. Now that I've figured that out, I feel obligated to use it somehow :)
Look out party, here comes Trollzilla!
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James,
A small creature (lets say a halfling) acquires a Medium sized two-handed weapon (it is ineligible to use this weapon due to being too large).
Small creature has a magic item of Alter Self and changes his size to medium.
Based on the following line:
If your new form does not cause your equipment to meld into your form, the equipment resizes to match your new size.Which of the following is true?
A) His Medium 2-handed weapon becomes a Large 2-handed weapon (the weapon increases in size when he does).
B) His medium 2-handed weapon becomes a medium 2-handed weapon (his weapon does not change size when he does).
Thanks as always,
- Gauss
A is correct. If the halfling wants to use that giant sword, he needs to put it onto the ground or on a shelf or something before he gets enlarged.
James, thanks. Thats what I thought too (and suggested to someone who has been reincarnated into a goblin and thus lost access to his favorite 2handed sword). But someone stated that the RAW states that it resizes to the user regardless of the original size.
- Gauss
Why are there no squirrel familiars?Same reason there are no echidna familiars, or no trout familiars, or no shrew familiars...
...because we've not invented one yet. If we're going to give a list of any number of animal familiars, there'll be some that get left off the list. The ones that get left off are generally the ones that are animals that have no real mythological history as being a familiar—once we've got the cats and ravens and snakes and bats and all those covered, we start moving on to other less obvious and less traditional familiars, but not all that quickly.
I don't know what you're talking about, but there is nothing "less traditional" about the noble dodo bird serving as a familiar!
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Can you remove the permanent negative levels given to you by Raise Dead and Resurrection? If so, how?Yes, the same way you remove ANY permanent negative levels. Restoration and greater restoration do wonders for this.Okay. I know in OGL 3.5 you couldn't do this, but it's nice to see that it was changed with Pathfinder.
The way in which Pathfinder treat Raise dead and Resurrection and loss of levels (essentially, you never lose XP or level) is completely different from 3.X.
As the mechanics that made you lose Xp have been removed, so the mechanics that allowed you to get more Xp when you had a lower level that the other party members have been removed.My suggestion is to read carefully the relevant sections of the rules.
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I don't know what you're talking about, but there is nothing "less traditional" about the noble dodo bird serving as a familiar!Why are there no squirrel familiars?Same reason there are no echidna familiars, or no trout familiars, or no shrew familiars...
...because we've not invented one yet. If we're going to give a list of any number of animal familiars, there'll be some that get left off the list. The ones that get left off are generally the ones that are animals that have no real mythological history as being a familiar—once we've got the cats and ravens and snakes and bats and all those covered, we start moving on to other less obvious and less traditional familiars, but not all that quickly.
It was used as a familiar in Ars Magica. [still want to make fried dodo legs]
How do you feel about the NWN2 original campaign? I've finally gotten through the first act and I'm about to press on into parts unknown. So far my main gripes is the terrible autosave function, arbitrary party headcount limit and the unfinished Neeshka romance plotline. (or rather, that the characterisation for most of the major npcs was left on the cutting room floor).
I'm having a lot easier time now that I've discovered Sorcerer's can relearn their spells at levels 4, 8, 12 and so on... Qara with fear and several fireball spells is proving ridiculously good.
You can modify a line in the .ini file for NWN2 to increase the max party size.
You can modify a line in the .ini file for NWN2 to increase the max party size.
... *jawdrop*
Thanks! Checking that out!
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I don't know what you're talking about, but there is nothing "less traditional" about the noble dodo bird serving as a familiar!Why are there no squirrel familiars?Same reason there are no echidna familiars, or no trout familiars, or no shrew familiars...
...because we've not invented one yet. If we're going to give a list of any number of animal familiars, there'll be some that get left off the list. The ones that get left off are generally the ones that are animals that have no real mythological history as being a familiar—once we've got the cats and ravens and snakes and bats and all those covered, we start moving on to other less obvious and less traditional familiars, but not all that quickly.
Correct. At this point, we have pretty much covered all the traditional familiar choices, and going forward when we introduce more familiars, we'll be picking weird bold new choices... like dodos and isopods.
What is more likely to determine whether or not we do a familiar in the future is how much the particular animal appeals to us at Paizo (and how often that animal is requested here on the boards). To date, things like dodos and isopods stand a couple orders of magnitudes higher on our "ooh, that'd make a great and fun familiar" list than the squirrel.
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How do you feel about the NWN2 original campaign? I've finally gotten through the first act and I'm about to press on into parts unknown. So far my main gripes is the terrible autosave function, arbitrary party headcount limit and the unfinished Neeshka romance plotline. (or rather, that the characterisation for most of the major npcs was left on the cutting room floor).
I'm having a lot easier time now that I've discovered Sorcerer's can relearn their spells at levels 4, 8, 12 and so on... Qara with fear and several fireball spells is proving ridiculously good.
I much preferred Neverwinter Nights 1, but in both cases the campaign for each was good but not great. The TRUE value in Neverwinter Nights is its construction kit—there's been a HUGE number of mods made for the game that drastically improved it's fun for me. And since Neverwinter Nights has been around longer and overall is more well-liked by the community (at least, that's my take), there's more mods for the first game and thus, more GOOD mods for the first game.
At this point, we have pretty much covered all the traditional familiar choices, and going forward when we introduce more familiars, we'll be picking weird bold new choices... like dodos and isopods.
What is more likely to determine whether or not we do a familiar in the future is how much the particular animal appeals to us at Paizo (and how often that animal is requested here on the boards). To date, things like dodos and isopods stand a couple orders of magnitudes higher on our "ooh, that'd make a great and fun familiar" list than the squirrel.
And not only that, but it's not really that hard, if someone wants something like a squirrel, to use what is basically a re-skinned rat or a similar animal. Yeah, yeah, I know, PFS ... but having PFS be a rationale for everything someone wants rules for gets kinda tired after a while.
What I want is a facehugger familiar. Can we get one of those? I can't wait to have the PCs run into an NPC with one of those on his shoulder. It would be even better as an animal companion, so it could advance. Then at high levels it would turn into the beastie from Prometheus :)
Edit: And I can describe the NPC as looking like Paul Reiser before they see his familiar for extra added fun :)
As a reward for answering all these questions: Cats are cute!
1)Did you play Baldur's Gate 2?
2)Don't you think it had a far better storyline than Neverwinter Nights?
One more thing -
3)What do you think of the name Stabby Merisiel for a pirate ship?
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1)Did you play Baldur's Gate 2?
2)Don't you think it had a far better storyline than Neverwinter Nights?
One more thing -
3)What do you think of the name Stabby Merisiel for a pirate ship?
1) Yes. It's my favorite video game of all time, in fact.
2) Yes. I think it had a better storyline than MOST video games though, so saying that isn't really a criticism of any game.
3) It's weird. I'd go with "Stabby" or "Merisiel" and leave it at that.
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Two quick and odd questions. What happens to animals that (through either bizarre luck or whatever) kill and then consume a troll? Would its stomach acids be potent enough to hinder its regeneration, or would the messy consequences of eating parts of a creature that can grow itself back still happen? Also, for that matter, what is the lifespan of your average troll, if it can regenerate and all?
Finally, and completely unrelated, what is the relationship between Mestama (demon lord and "mother of witches") and Baba Yaga? I recall reading in the BotD2 that Mestama often goes on long forays into other planes...a bit of fact that is eerily similar to the description of Baba Yaga's extraplanar hijinks. I also notice that both of them are known as matriarchs among witches...is there any relation? Or is this just one of those weird coincidence? Or is it perhaps like the Desna-Gozreh conglomerate in Mwangi, wherein it takes an existing being and misinterprets/reinterprets its legend into something similar but new?
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Two quick and odd questions. What happens to animals that (through either bizarre luck or whatever) kill and then consume a troll? Would its stomach acids be potent enough to hinder its regeneration, or would the messy consequences of eating parts of a creature that can grow itself back still happen? Also, for that matter, what is the lifespan of your average troll, if it can regenerate and all?
Finally, and completely unrelated, what is the relationship between Mestama (demon lord and "mother of witches") and Baba Yaga? I recall reading in the BotD2 that Mestama often goes on long forays into other planes...a bit of fact that is eerily similar to the description of Baba Yaga's extraplanar hijinks. I also notice that both of them are known as matriarchs among witches...is there any relation? Or is this just one of those weird coincidence? Or is it perhaps like the Desna-Gozreh conglomerate in Mwangi, wherein it takes an existing being and misinterprets/reinterprets its legend into something similar but new?
First of all... not a lot of animals will be able to kill a troll without being killed first, and so this situation probably doesn't happen often.
Second: A troll's severed body part (including a mouthful bitten off by a predator) does not regenerate a new troll... that part is dead, and the larger portion of the troll continues to regenerate. And will probably do so to the point where it can stand up and grin and attack the silly animal.
In the end, most animals have probably learned not to try to eat trolls.
We may have mentioned lifespans for trolls back in "Classic Monsters Revisited." I'm not sure. They probably live for a long time though.
NEXT QUESTION
There is no real relationship between Mestama and Baba Yaga. They do fill similar roles, sure, but Mestama is MUCH more destructive and evil in her plots. Baba Yaga's evil, but she's also not a demigod, nor is she interested in destroying stuff.
Does the racial Heritage feat allow a human to take race specific archetypes? Probably not but just to be sure a yeah or nay would be greats. Thank you.
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1)So one of my players want a Llama animal companion how would you stat that out as.
2) what is your biggest regret as far as Pathfinder creations go
3)whats your favorite and least favorite Adventure path and/or Adventure Module
1) Llama = camel (see Bestiary 2)
2) I've got a few, but I won't be saying them out loud because that would hurt some feelings.
3) While I do have favorites and least-favorites... again, I'm not going to say which ones they are because there's not much more demoralizing to a freelance writer than the guy who hired you/Creative Director of the company saying that the thing you wrote was his least favorite. Not cool.
2) what is your biggest regret as far as Pathfinder creations go
3)whats your favorite and least favorite Adventure path and/or Adventure Module
2) I've got a few, but I won't be saying them out loud because that would hurt some feelings.
3) While I do have favorites and least-favorites... again, I'm not going to say which ones they are because there's not much more demoralizing to a freelance writer than the guy who hired you/Creative Director of the company saying that the thing you wrote was his least favorite. Not cool.
So, how about the stuff you made?
James
are the bonuses from abilities considered bonuses when used to calculate things like BAB, CMD, CMB and other such calculations?
there are a couple situations where its possible to get confused by the rules because they seem to allow you to add the same stat modifier twice.
one example has to do with weapon finesse and the feat called Fury's Fall
weapon finesse - allows you to use your DEX modifier/bonus instead of your STR modifier/bonus when calculating to hit and CMB modifiers with the selected weapon for the purpose of TRIP.
Fury's Fall -
Fury's Fall (Combat)
You can use Strength and agility to send foes crashing to the ground.
Prerequisites: Improved Trip.
Benefit: When making a trip attack, add your Dexterity bonus to your CMB.
so the core of my question is two fold.
1) Is the bonus you get from an ability modifier (such as the +3 you get from a dexterity score of 16) a typed bonus. in other words is it similar to armor bonus, enhancement bonus, shield bonus and other such bonuses that cant be stacked, or is it an untyped bonus, or a bonus which is specifically stack able.
2) If the ability modifier is a bonus and the bonus is NOT stack able would the wording of fury's fall which basically says that the DEX bonus is added to CMB mean that the DEX is added to CMB even after CMB is calculated using DEX instead of STR?
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2) what is your biggest regret as far as Pathfinder creations go
3)whats your favorite and least favorite Adventure path and/or Adventure Module
2) I've got a few, but I won't be saying them out loud because that would hurt some feelings.
3) While I do have favorites and least-favorites... again, I'm not going to say which ones they are because there's not much more demoralizing to a freelance writer than the guy who hired you/Creative Director of the company saying that the thing you wrote was his least favorite. Not cool.
So, how about the stuff you made?
Of the things I've written, "Burnt Offerings" and "Sandpoint" in Pathfinder #1 are the things I'm the most proud of writing. And if I had to pick a LEAST favorite thing... I'd unfortunately have to say that would be "Dawn of the Scarlet Sun." Unfortunate because it's the most recent thing I've written to be out there, and so the question kind of comes up at a particularly sensitive time for me... (heavy sigh)
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James
are the bonuses from abilities considered bonuses when used to calculate things like BAB, CMD, CMB and other such calculations?
there are a couple situations where its possible to get confused by the rules because they seem to allow you to add the same stat modifier twice.
one example has to do with weapon finesse and the feat called Fury's Fall
** spoiler omitted **
the confusion comes when you attempt to add your DEX bonus to a CMB that has already been calculated using DEX instead of STR because your using a weapon with weapon finesse.so the core of my question is two fold.
1) Is the bonus you get from an ability modifier (such as the +3 you get from a dexterity score of 16) a typed bonus. in other words is it similar to armor bonus, enhancement bonus, shield bonus and other such bonuses that cant be stacked, or is it an untyped bonus, or a bonus which is specifically stack able.
2) If the ability modifier is a bonus and the bonus is NOT stack able would the wording of fury's fall which basically says that the DEX bonus is added to CMB mean that the DEX is added to CMB even after CMB is calculated using DEX instead of STR?
Modifiers from ability scores aren't actually bonuses, strictly speaking. If they are, they're untyped bonuses—which means they stack with all other bonuses except themselves. Thus, if you have multiple things that say "Add your Dex modifier to this roll," you only get to add your Dex modifier once.
So, to answer the actual question:
1) Nope; it's not a typed bonus. It stacks with all other modifiers, but can't stack with itself.
2) If you have Fury's Fall and Weapon Finesse, you've basically got two feats with overlapping effects. You don't get to add your Dexterity modifier more than once to CMB if it's already been included due to any other effect. SO! If you have Weapon Finesse... you'll only want to look at taking Fury's Fall if you're expecting to be using weapons you can't modifier via Weapon Finess to make trip attacks. Otherwise, Fury's Fall is a waste for you.
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Creative Director
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What's your default assumption about tiefling tails? Prehensile or not? I mean smaller tails like the art on the tiefling's page in the Bestiary or Lavender Lil's - larger dinosaur-like tails (like what's shown on pages 63 and 64 of Bastards of Erebus) I can probably assume are about as flexible as a cat's tail, maybe a bit less.
Just got to thinking more out of curiosity - running a tiefling at the moment and wondering the best way to handle it. Not trying to do any game-breaking stuff like using it to reload her pistol and such (although the image of holding a small derringer or something with her tail as a last-resort weapon is interesting).
I have no default assumption. Tiefling tails, and indeed whether or not they HAVE tails, is something that varies by individual. It's something that the author of the tiefling gets to decide each and every time he makes a tiefling.
The ability to have a truly prehensile tail that works like a vanara's tail or even better allows the wielding of a weapon is actually a pretty cool trait, and I could certainly see a tiefling having that trait. In game rules, I'd likely model that as a tiefling feat.
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Creative Director
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First: Thank you for keeping this entertaining thread alive.
If completely unrestricted by matters of money or comfort, what would be the twenty (or at least ten) places/sights around the world you would want to see in person?
No problem. I've said earlier in this thread (but not recently) that if this thread dies... it's not gonna be because I ignored it. Only because folks got tired of listening to me answer questions! :)
The top 20 places I'd like to some day see in person, as they come to me off the top of my head, would be (in order they pop into my head):
1) Lovecraft's grave in Swan Point Cemetery
2) Ayers Rock
3) Mount Erebus
4) Lake Okonoggan
5) Loch Ness
6) London
7) Cairo
8) Temple of the Sun in Mexico
9) Easter Island
10) The Grand Canyon
11) Rome
12) Oak Island
13) The Amazon
14) The Vatican
15) Tunguska
16) John Carpenter's House
17) Tokyo
18) Mount Rainier
19) Sweeden
20) Mount Everest
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Creative Director
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James,
did you play Planescape Torment?
What do you think of it?
I did. It's my third favorite video game, right behind Baldur's Gate 2 and Fallout 2. The fact that it's the only time I've heard the Planescape cant spoken in a way that didn't sound silly is pretty significant, and I still have a crush on Annah to this day.