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I've seen people do all kinds of crazy stuff in the middle of a fight because they think they dont have any options cause the bad guy is just too tough to hit, hard to reach, has reisistance to something they are good with, and many other reasons. Usually, there are at least a few things that could be helpful to the party. Here are a couple I think people overlook too much:
1) Aid another! Helping an ally hit or defend against a particularly hard hitting/hard to hit foe can really help out!
2)Use your Wand of CLW as a weapon against undead. Cant hit the undead guy's high AC? Don't have a weapon that gets around its DR? Dont have a magical weapon to deal with incorporeals? Pull out that Wand of CLW and use it! It's a touch attack! Sure, they get a save for half, but at least you can do something!
Edit: Add your own suggestions!
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I've seen people do all kinds of crazy stuff in the middle of a fight because they think they dont have any options cause the bad guy is just too tough to hit, hard to reach, has reisistance to something they are good with, and many other reasons. Usually, there are at least a few things that could be helpful to the party. Here are a couple I think people overlook too much:
1) Aid another! Helping an ally hit or defend against a particularly hard hitting/hard to hit foe can really help out!
2)Use your Wand of CLW as a weapon against undead. Cant hit the undead guy's high AC? Don't have a weapon that gets around its DR? Dont have a magical weapon to deal with incorporeals? Pull out that Wand of CLW and use it! It's a touch attack! Sure, they get a save for half, but at least you can do something!
Edit: Add your own suggestions!
Three things.
Focus fire, focus fire, focus fire.
Nate
NYC Player/GM
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Something I've wondered, but never actually done: Can cure potions be used as splash weapons against undead?
Another overlooked one that works against enemies with a mind: Demoralize! If you've got a decent intimidate skill, you can try to make the enemy shaken, which is -2 to hit, save, skills, and I think stat checks. This is a good option for charisma based spellcasters who are trying to conserve their spells per day, especially since intimidate is a class skill for bards and sorcerers. Even if you have a mediocre intimidate, anyone can try it, and a good roll could make it work at low levels.
Overlooked item: Holy water. My party got our butts kicked by a demon one time, because he had DR and energy resistances that we had trouble overcoming. It wasn't until later that we realized holy water works on them. I always thought it was just for undead! And we had a few vials with us, but nobody thought to use it.
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Three things.Focus fire, focus fire, focus fire.
Is that a specific game term that I'm not aware of, or are you just pointing out that it's better for the entire group to focus on one enemy at a time when fighting a group, rather than spreading the damage across all the enemies?
Just pointing out that it is good to focus damage on one enemy at a time as opposed to just spreading it out. If you have the choice of hitting a wounded enemy as opposed to fresh, you should go after the wounded.
Nate
NYC Player/GM
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Something I've wondered, but never actually done: Can cure potions be used as splash weapons against undead?
Overlooked item: Holy water. My party got our butts kicked by a demon one time, because he had DR and energy resistances that we had trouble overcoming. It wasn't until later that we realized holy water works on them. I always thought it was just for undead! And we had a few vials with us, but nobody thought to use it.
I was unaware holy water affected demons as well. Hmmm.
As for the CLW potion splash weapon, I would imagine that would be an 'expect table variation' answer, though I would allow it, personally. I'd even give you the 1.5x if it was against an undead swarm, if there is such a thing. :P
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16
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Grapple spellcasters! If they don't have a weapon in hand, they don't threaten. You don't even need Improved Grapple to avoid the AO in that case. Spellcasters suck at grappling, too, and it basically totally shuts them down. Same goes for monsters that mainly use SLAs, although they're probably better at grappling.
Speaking of grappling, if an enemy has crazy high AC, you can bring it down without hitting. Everybody Aids Another for one PC's combat maneuver check to grapple it. Next round, everybody Aids Another for the pin. Next round, everybody Aids Another to tie it up. Coup de grace the now helpless enemy.
Familiars can Aid Another, too! If your familiar isn't doing anything else, there's no reason it shouldn't be using Aid Another to boost your AC.
To add to the offensive uses of a CLW wand, it also can be used to deliver positive energy sneak attacks against undead. Also targets touch AC, and holds the charge so a charge is never wasted. Even if you run out of badguys you can still use that held charge to heal somebody.
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Something I've wondered, but never actually done: Can cure potions be used as splash weapons against undead?
Overlooked item: Holy water. My party got our butts kicked by a demon one time, because he had DR and energy resistances that we had trouble overcoming. It wasn't until later that we realized holy water works on them. I always thought it was just for undead! And we had a few vials with us, but nobody thought to use it.
I was unaware holy water affected demons as well. Hmmm.
As for the CLW potion splash weapon, I would imagine that would be an 'expect table variation' answer, though I would allow it, personally. I'd even give you the 1.5x if it was against an undead swarm, if there is such a thing. :P
From the CRB: "Holy water damages undead creatures and evil outsiders almost as if it were acid." Shocked the heck out of me when I realized that.
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From the CRB: "Holy water damages undead creatures and evil outsiders almost as if it were acid." Shocked the heck out of me when I realized that.Something I've wondered, but never actually done: Can cure potions be used as splash weapons against undead?
Overlooked item: Holy water. My party got our butts kicked by a demon one time, because he had DR and energy resistances that we had trouble overcoming. It wasn't until later that we realized holy water works on them. I always thought it was just for undead! And we had a few vials with us, but nobody thought to use it.
I was unaware holy water affected demons as well. Hmmm.
As for the CLW potion splash weapon, I would imagine that would be an 'expect table variation' answer, though I would allow it, personally. I'd even give you the 1.5x if it was against an undead swarm, if there is such a thing. :P
Yea, I checked the PRD as soon as I saw that. I think more of my characters are going to be investing in some Holy Water from now on. :P
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 16
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Sometimes it's well worth it to suck up an attack of opportunity. If you've got a high-AC character or unharmed high-HP tank, he can draw a foe's fire, freeing other characters to move past the foe. It's even more effective when other characters use the opportunity for maneuvers such as repositioning, grappling, disarming, tripping, or overunning. Once the foe is surrounded, prone, and disarmed, he's probably done for.
(Don't forget to have someone pick up the dropped weapon, either!)
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Do the "Alchemical Power Components" rules from Adventurer's Armory see much play in Society games?
(Total aside, the Additional Resources entry for the Armory has, seriously, my favorite bit of writing in all of Pathfinder: "elephants are never legal for play." Poetry! Say it with the stresses of iambic pentameter and imagine it as a cast off line of Eliot's.)
Venture-Captain, Michigan—Mt. Pleasant
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1) Aid another! Helping an ally hit or defend against a particularly hard hitting/hard to hit foe can really help out!
I've made a character focused on aiding another.
Halfling Bard 1/Order of the Dragon Cavalier (Honor Guard) 4 (Going for Battle Herald next)
Currently he can grant +4 to attack while aiding another or +6 to AC with and/or another +2 shield bonus as an immediate action. Add on inspire courage and several other tricks, and he's a fun addition to a group.
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Rogue holding an action until an ally moves into flank. I have suggested this tons of times, but no one ever does it. They would rather take their attack now then wait to get a +2 to hit and extra damage. Even when their ally gets the next attack they do not listen.
Ready Magic missile to disrupt a spell is anthoer one people ignore whan I tell them.
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@Fromper
Potions wouldn't work, but oil's might, altho I believe I read that it's a house rule to use oil as a splash weapon.
@OP
Abuse your high AC! Provoke those AoO's so other's can move freely. I loved it and it saved my druid once!
At low level's flash powder is awesome, but expensive.
Use the power component's to boost your spells.
Buy scrolls and expand your casting list.
Buy Potion of Jump.
Tons of epic low level spells can be made into potions!
Always buy a CLW wand asap.
Higher ground and Aid are great stuff.
Watch out for Cover! There is million types of it.
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Ready an action to disarm a charger, or trip or sunder. everyone's like NO I MUST CHARGE, MONSTERS FULL ATTACKING ME IS FUN. Then they end up at very low health and have stunned/confused looks on their faces. "why monster attacks cause so much hurt?"
somewhere around the level 6-7 transition is where somebody will die to that, instead of spending their round buffing, or just shooting the thing with no ranged weapons.
DON'T CHARGE THE GUGS!
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"Hey guys, see those fire elementals? yeah I'll cast resist energy, communal on everyone who stays close enough that I can touch them on my turn"
"CHARGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" *shurg* "I guess that guy is going to get singed."
Luckily my local players are pretty good about theses sorts of things, but at cons you meet all kinds :D
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Familiar-delivered Dimension Door, with the Familiar counting as 'you' being optional.
Not needing to get adjacent to the passengers in the first place, and not needing to travel with them, makes DD much more convenient.
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Grapple spellcasters! ...
Speaking of grappling, if an enemy has crazy high AC, you can bring it down without hitting. Everybody Aids Another for one PC's combat maneuver check to grapple it. Next round, everybody Aids Another for the pin. Next round, everybody Aids Another to tie it up. Coup de grace the now helpless enemy.
It may also make sense for them to Aid Another to AC to help your CMD, otherwise it's just as easy to escape. Wait, per RAW Untyped AC bonuses don't apply to CMD although they do to Touch AC. :-( ...Hoping that gets fixed in next print-run/Errata.
Familiars can Aid Another, too! If your familiar isn't doing anything else, there's no reason it shouldn't be using Aid Another to boost your AC.
Familiars do need to threaten to use Aid, which MAY mean they need to enter the same square as said opponent (provoking AoO). Familiars with normal Reach are especially good at this type of thing though. Pseudo/Faerydragons have 5' reach on their Tail Stinger even though their 'normal' Reach is 0'. Enlarge Person or other Polymorph effects can fix this though.
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Cast Silence on one of your high mobility melee characters. Have him go play pattycake with a caster. My archetypal use of this is casting Silence on the Monk with the understanding that he will go practice Combat Chiropractics on the enemy caster. Know what's worse for a caster than being grappled? Being grappled in a zone of silence...
Coordinate Dazzling Display and the "bane" spell - do Dazzling Display, then do Bane, when they're rolling at -2 on their will save. Suddenly, they're hitting at -3 to hit. Bad things then ensue.
Cast "Beguiling Gift" on a potion of Inflict Serious Wounds.
Don't be afraid to back out of the room, cast two rounds of buffs and go back in.
Every round, fill out the following list. Start filling it out two slots ahead of your turn on Initiative.
"For my Swift Action, I:"
"For my Move Action, I:"
"For my Standard Action, I:"
I've a Sorcerer who does the following, on that list:
"For my Swift Action, I: Tell the Unseen Servant to stay near the rogue carrying a potion of Cure Moderate Wounds. If the Rogue drops, feed him the potion."
"For my Move Action, I: Move the fighter on my Floating Disk so he's adjacent to Enemy X."
"For my Standard Action, I: Cast Toppling, Dazing Magic Missile on Enemy X, so the fighter can full attack a dazed, prone opponent from higher ground."
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RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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At Rockcon, one of my players was running a wizard, and there were NPC archers holding actions, waiting for im to start casting so they could disrupt his spell. His move action was "Gesture and chant, like I'm casting a spell." Attacks, hits, damage. Then his standard action was "Cast the spell."
I mentioned this to a couple other GMs at the convention. We'd run over 500 tables among us, and we'd never seen anybody do that.
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PFFT going first is for conjururers, blasters are way to busy thinking about blasting things to worry about blasting things before they come get you.
seriously though - Going first is exceptionally powerful for all classes, Buff before the enemy comes, or simply ready a trip/disarm as stated above. Shoot them before they come for you.
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At Rockcon, one of my players was running a wizard, and there were NPC archers holding actions, waiting for im to start casting so they could disrupt his spell. His move action was "Gesture and chant, like I'm casting a spell." Attacks, hits, damage. Then his standard action was "Cast the spell."
That's a fantastic idea!
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Ohh yes a wizard is best for meta-magic. But the poster said sorcerer, and I know some people that are not aware metamagic for spontaneous casting is a full round action.
PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTTTT reading. that's for suckers.
ACTUALLY based on that reading. even being an arcane bloodline doesn't work. Since it only applies one MM feat without increasing casting. So we have learned that AdAstraGames is a wizard or has preferred spell.
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spont casters using metamagic rods still increase their casting time.
Yep, and while we're at it, I'm pretty sure you don't randomly get high-ground bonuses to attacking prone enemies on top of the penalties they get from prone, and I'm also leery about an unseen servant performing the rather-involved full-round action of force-feeding a potion to an unconscious person. And I don't see the action type in floating disk to direct the disk to do something other than float next to you, so I'm not sure I would assume a move action (standard seems a safer default, like for items or abilities with no action type listed).
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Took it at 3rd for Magic Missile.
Took that at character creation for Magic Missile.
So, yes, Standard Action, and hasn't cast a NON-Toppling Magic Missile since 3rd level. Toppling/Dazing is a new twist on the trick.
Starsoul bloodline, so any damage causing evocation spells that require a saving throw (which is all of them BUT Magic Missile) also dazzle people who fail the save for one round per spell level.
Toppling/Dazing Magic Missile is a 4th level spell, so they're a bit less common (Only 5/day with a CHA of 26, and Toppling Dazzling Force Punch delivered through a Spectral Hand is situationally very handy.)
Normally, Toppling alone suffices. It's not like an 8th level Sorcerer is going to run out of Level 1 Magic Missiles in a typical PFS scenario.
I don't know if there'll be anything left that he can play when he hits 12th, but he is saving up for a Lesser Rod of Widen Spell.
Three Widened Dazing Dazzling Fireballs per day is probably enough. The damage is almost irrelevant...it's the ability to make a 40' radius burst save-or-suck based on a Reflex save. Honestly, I'm not at all certain it isn't a game-breaking ability. I plan on doing a trial run of it on an off-books replay of a scenario just to see if it's something that's gunslinger-esque in its ability to suck the fun out of games for other players....
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spont casters using metamagic rods still increase their casting time.Yep, and while we're at it, I'm pretty sure you don't randomly get high-ground bonuses to attacking prone enemies on top of the penalties they get from prone, and I'm also leery about an unseen servant performing the rather-involved full-round action of force-feeding a potion to an unconscious person. And I don't see the action type in floating disk to direct the disk to do something other than float next to you, so I'm not sure I would assume a move action (standard seems a safer default, like for items or abilities with no action type listed).
Moving a Floating Disk away from you been defined in as a move action in several rules question threads, just like moving a Burning Sphere.
There is nothing in the rules that says you don't get higher ground when attacking from horseback at a prone target.
As to the unseen servant:
"It can't perform any task that requires a skill check with a DC higher than 10 or that requires a check using a skill that can't be used untrained."
Where does it force you to make a skill check DC to pour a potion down an unconscious person's throat? What skill does that use?
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There is nothing in the rules that says you don't get higher ground when attacking from horseback at a prone target.
I believe you actually get higher ground when attacking from horseback period, but without mentioning the horse, it kinda read as if the magic missile was granting it. I'll look up the Floating Disk thing--surprised I haven't seen that.
EDIT: Found it--learn something new every day! Apparently that's the default unless otherwise stated, so directing an unseen servant is a move action too.
spont casters using metamagic rods still increase their casting time.
I don't know about that...
Yes, it says but that is one sentence within an entire paragraph. The broader paragraph establishes that the context is the sorceror applying their own feats, which is the rationale for taking longer: [i.e. for the preceding reason, or when the preceding reason applies]|
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spont casters using metamagic rods still increase their casting time.I don't know about that...
Yes, it says but that is one sentence within an entire paragraph. The broader paragraph establishes that the context is the sorceror applying their own feats, which is the rationale for taking longer:
When using a Rod, you aren't applying your own feat on the spot, the Rod is doing that for you. So there is no difference in how a Sorceror casts while using a Rod, any more than there is a difference in how a wizard casts while using a Rod. If the Sorceror is considered 'applying the feat on the spot' by using the Rod, then I don't see why a Wizard also wouldn't also be considered to be appying the feat on the spot, which should likewise take more time to cast since it wasn't pre-prepared.
You know the rod actually says it increases casting time for sorcerers in the item description itself, right?
Possession of a metamagic rod does not confer the associated feat on the owner, only the ability to use the given feat a specified number of times per day. A sorcerer still must take a full-round action when using a metamagic rod, just as if using a metamagic feat he possesses (except for quicken metamagic rods, which can be used as a swift action).
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Hm, I did forget that part, but it still seems illogical to me. If the Sorceror is considered 'applying the feat on the spot' by using the Rod, then I don't see why a Wizard also wouldn't also be considered to be applying the feat on the spot, which should likewise take more time to cast since it wasn't pre-prepared. Normal Wizard casting doesn't envision applying Metamagic on the spot because they usually prepare it, but if they are doing the exact same thing as a Sorceror (using the Rod to apply metamagic on the spot) I don't see why it should be a different action. /shrug
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Anyway, aside from "Wait, that's what kind of action?" and people's ignorance of Spontaneous Metafocus (one of the nicest feats in the game for a Sorcerer), the point of my tactic is this:
ALWAYS have something you're doing with your Free, Move and Standard actions. For example, making a Perception check on the exits to a room is usually a Free Action. If you're a caster you don't need to move much; your Move action should be used for something that benefits the party.
Always think about them when the person two initiative "slots" ahead of you is doing their action, because it keeps the game moving faster.
Other overlooked tactics:
Use cover. Use terrain. It's already been mentioned that you should hold your action to get a flanking buddy if possible.
Quandary, I've always played that metamagic rods make their use a Full Round action, and simply don't know if you can use Spontaneous Metafocus to eliminate the time requirement (or the Arcane bloodline special ability.)
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Other tactics:
Every character that can benefit from having a buff spell cast on them should own the Cracked Purple Ioun Stone. The pricing on this item is probably a misprint; using the formula for the uncracked version, it should cost (Spell Level Storable^2) * 4000 GP, and is half that.
Having each of the martial characters self-buff with Lead Blades or Bless Weapon in the first round while the Arcanist casts Haste tends to end encounters fast. It lets the Two Handed Weapon Smasher get a Shield spell up.
If you're next to an archer, disarm them.
If you're next to a caster, disarm their spell component pouch.
If you're next to a cleric or inquisitor, disarm their holy symbol.
The spell Pilfering Grasp allows your casters to do this at range.
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Closing Off Enemy Charge Lanes:
This is another use of the Unseen Servant:
Give your unseen servant a bag of caltrops. Point it at likely enemy charge lanes. (You can also do this with a familiar with hands...)
Tell it to seed them. From a nice, safe distance.
Double Weapon Switchout:
Normally going with two weapon fighting means you can't double-hand one of your weapons without dropping or sheathing the other. Double-handing your double-axe lets you move and attack at 1.5x STR, and then spend the rest of the fight in "5' step and full attack" range.
If an NPC drops something, pick it up.
Sepia Snake Sigil can be a scenario ender when combined with either Beguiling Gift or a good Diplomacy roll.
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Other tactics:
Every character that can benefit from having a buff spell cast on them should own the Cracked Purple Ioun Stone. The pricing on this item is probably a misprint; using the formula for the uncracked version, it should cost (Spell Level Storable^2) * 4000 GP, and is half that.
Having each of the martial characters self-buff with Lead Blades or Bless Weapon in the first round while the Arcanist casts Haste tends to end encounters fast. It lets the Two Handed Weapon Smasher get a Shield spell up.
If you're next to an archer, disarm them.
If you're next to a caster, disarm their spell component pouch.
If you're next to a cleric or inquisitor, disarm their holy symbol.The spell Pilfering Grasp allows your casters to do this at range.
I just reread disarm, and I don't think you can disarm a spell component pouch or a holy symbol unless the caster is being stupid and waving it around in one hand like Kyra, but pilfering hand is still awesome, and you can certainly use steal combat maneuvers to do this (you just can't add your weapon bonus).
Anyway... the point of my tactic is this:
ALWAYS have something you're doing with your Free, Move and Standard actions. For example, making a Perception check on the exits to a room is usually a Free Action. If you're a caster you don't need to move much; your Move action should be used for something that benefits the party.
+1
The Move Action is a freebie for casters since they don't really need it most of the time, since most spells only use Standard Actions regardless of level, unlike Melee/Archer Full Attacks. (Honestly, I think this is bad design, but it's what the game is. Maybe it will change in PRPG 2nd Ed.)But just because they don't need it doesn't mean they can't do something useful with it.
You can always use a Move Action to roll another Perception check, if you rolled low that round.
Draw some Caltrops/Marbles from your Handy Haversack with a Move Action, drop them as a Free Action, THEN 5' Step back.
Of course, you can take this advice TOO literally and go over-board with dumb ideas just because you can, but it is good advice.