So the Archivist gains Naturalist to replace Inspire Courage... and the basic differences between those two are as follows:
Inspire Courage grants +X to attack rolls and +X to damage, and it works every time.
Naturalist grants +X to attack rolls, saving throws and armor class, but it is only effective against foes the Naturalist has successfully made a Knowledge check against.
Correct?
I've seen it written that Knowledge checks generally don't require actions - does this mean that multiple Knowledge checks can be made in a single round - i.e. when facing a pack of goblins (Knowledge: Local), riding dire wolves (Knowledge: Nature)?
Can Lamentable Belaborment be used against a different creature every round?
Knowledge checks don't require an action.
As a real life example anyone who watches sports makes a knowledge check whenever they see an athlete's face. It is automatic.
The moment you see a creature you should be making the knowledge check.
Most GM's only allow one knowledge check per specific creature type per combat. Either you know it or you don't. If you asking about checking one creature each round, it is better to make all rolls up front, so it gets them out of the way. It also falls in line with knowledge checks not taking an action.
I just played one. He was great. And yes, that's how naturalist works, but having high knowledge skills across the board was a major boon.
As for Lamentable Belaborment yes, you can use it on a creature per round for as many creatures as you have fascinated. The minute you drop the fascination the ability ceases. Dazed helps with large groups that you don't want to notice something, confusion works to simply have fun with random chaos.
Knowledge checks don't require an action.
As a real life example anyone who watches sports makes a knowledge check whenever they see an athlete's face. It is automatic.
The moment you see a creature you should be making the knowledge check.
Most GM's only allow one knowledge check per specific creature type per combat. Either you know it or you don't. If you asking about checking one creature each round, it is better to make all rolls up front, so it gets them out of the way. It also falls in line with knowledge checks not taking an action.
No, I was asking about making checks for multiple creature types, like making a 'Local' check for the goblins we're facing and making a 'Nature' check for th edire wolves they're riding...
Seems like the Naturalist is a far superior option to Inspire Courage, even if it is predicated on a Knowledge check which should eventually be almost automatic.
I just played one. He was great. And yes, that's how naturalist works, but having high knowledge skills across the board was a major boon.
As for Lamentable Belaborment yes, you can use it on a creature per round for as many creatures as you have fascinated. The minute you drop the fascination the ability ceases. Dazed helps with large groups that you don't want to notice something, confusion works to simply have fun with random chaos.
That's an interesting thought. I was thinking about building a party around an elven princess - a third daughter, one not in line for any real leadership position, one driven by her research into ancient cultures and history... this is the party we'll be using for the new Runelords anniversary module. It would be her, two identical twin Lore Wardens who use reach weapons and likely a half-elven Master Summoner. I think I could work flag-bearer into the character (the standard of her house, the fact that the other PC's are there for her protection) in a way appropriate for the role-play of the character... if I'm reading it right Flag-bearer is a morale bonus and Naturalist is an insight bonus, meaning from level 1 I'd be granting a total of +2 attack, +1 damage, +1 AC, +1 saves vs spells and spell-liek abilities as well as an additional +1 vs. fear and charm effects. That's very nice.
With one hand occupied, this would have to be more of a spell-casting Bard, though I expect her to branch out into Arcane archer somewhere around level 13 or so.
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No, I was asking about making checks for multiple creature types, like making a 'Local' check for the goblins we're facing and making a 'Nature' check for th edire wolves they're riding...
Yeah, you can check 'em all.
Seems like the Naturalist is a far superior option to Inspire Courage, even if it is predicated on a Knowledge check which should eventually be almost automatic.
Possibly. It doesn't add damage, which can matter, and doesn't help on saves vs. say, a Wizard. Archivists also give up Versatile Performance (which is awesome) and really need to invest in their Knowledge skills to be effective.
That's an interesting thought. I was thinking about building a party around an elven princess - a third daughter, one not in line for any real leadership position, one driven by her research into ancient cultures and history... this is the party we'll be using for the new Runelords anniversary module. It would be her, two identical twin Lore Wardens who use reach weapons and likely a half-elven Master Summoner. I think I could work flag-bearer into the character (the standard of her house, the fact that the other PC's are there for her protection) in a way appropriate for the role-play of the character... if I'm reading it right Flag-bearer is a morale bonus and Naturalist is an insight bonus, meaning from level 1 I'd be granting a total of +2 attack, +1 damage, +1 AC, +1 saves vs spells and spell-liek abilities as well as an additional +1 vs. fear and charm effects. That's very nice.
That should work.
With one hand occupied, this would have to be more of a spell-casting Bard,
I highly advise having something to do when not spellcasting. Bards simply lack enough spells to work effectively if casting is all they're doing. What is up to you, of course.
though I expect her to branch out into Arcane archer somewhere around level 13 or so.
Uh...why? It's not really that good and you miss out on a bunch of stuff for it.
The ability reads;
An archivist gains the following types of bardic performance:
Naturalist (Ex): An archivist who has identified a creature with a Knowledge check appropriate to its type can use performance to share strategies for defeating it with allies in combat. The archivist and any allies within 30 feet gain a +1 insight bonus to AC and on attack rolls and saving throws against exceptional*, supernatural, and spell-like abilities used by creatures of that specific kind of monster (e.g., frost giants, not all giants or all humanoids). This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every six levels thereafter. This language-dependent ability requires visual and audible components.
This ability replaces inspire courage.
So, by the numbers, let's examine how this ability functions.
A)"An archivist who has identified a creature with a Knowledge check appropriate to its type"
So, this ability requires that you have identified the creature. How do you identify creatures? Knowledge checks. Straight forward enough.
B)"can use performance to share strategies for defeating it with allies in combat."
Sweet, you can tell your allies how to defeat them, since, well, you know how to defeat them. You have to use performance to do this though, presumably Oratory, but iono, I guess you could Sing it too? /kidding Ha, you burn bardic performance rounds to do this.
C) "The archivist and any allies within 30 feet gain"
Pretty straight forward, it applies to both you and buddies within 30ft.
D) “a +1 insight bonus to AC and on attack rolls and saving throws against exceptional*, supernatural, and spell-like abilities”
This is what you gain… straightforward again.
E) “used by creatures of that specific kind of monster (e.g., frost giants, not all giants or all humanoids).”
Oh, added restriction! This can only be referencing that first line we looked at in A) above… It seems we must indentify creatures by specific race, and not by whole creature type. /shrug, that’s doable.
F)” This bonus increases by +1 at 5th level and every six levels thereafter.”
Sweet, it gets better at higher level!
G) “This language-dependent ability requires visual and audible components.”
Hopefully your allies know your language! Haha. Seems they need to be able to see you too. Eh, you’re a bard, you’re probably flashy enough.
Where does the ‘only applies to a single creature’ thing come from?? It looks like it applies to every creature you have identified.
Example:
You and two PC buddies get ambushed by a pair of goblins! They are mounted, one on a wolf, and the other on a riding dog. You make three Knowledge checks to see if you know what all these critters are. You successfully identify the goblins and the wolf, but roll really low and somehow can’t figure out what the dog is.
On the surprise round, you activate your Naturalist bardic performance, and now you and both of your buddies get a bonus to AC and attack rolls. As well as the save bonus against the extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities from any and all goblins or wolves… But, you don’t get any bonus against the dog’s extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities.
The next round one of your buddies charges ahead and gets over 30 ft from you. He no longer receives any benefit from your performance.
Where does the 'only applies to a single creature' thing come from??
You're only partly right. It only applies to a single creature type at a time,
The key part here is that the ability is written in the singular.An archivist who has identified a creature with a Knowledge check appropriate to its type can use performance to share strategies for defeating it with allies in combat..... of that specific kind of monster...[/qiuote]
So you have several types of monsters you've identified. As a performance (standard action to start, free to maintain, until higher levels), you can provide bonuses against that creature's kind. It's not against every creature you've identified, just everything of the same type as the one of the ones you did. Changing the bonus requires stopping the performance and starting a new one.
Where does the 'only applies to a single creature' thing come from??You're only partly right. It only applies to a single creature type at a time,
The key part here is that the ability is written in the singular.An archivist who has identified a creature with a Knowledge check appropriate to its type can use performance to share strategies for defeating it with allies in combat..... of that specific kind of monster...[/qiuote]
So you have several types of monsters you've identified. As a performance (standard action to start, free to maintain, until higher levels), you can provide bonuses against that creature's kind. It's not against every creature you've identified, just everything of the same type as the one of the ones you did. Changing the bonus requires stopping the performance and starting a new one.
Nothing says or even indicates it is restricted to only one type.