Buffs you don't leave home without


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


So today My friends, whom are much less invested in pnp games than I, got their first peek into what higher level characters have available to them.
Our party is involved in a internal dispute amongst the crime lords of the city we're in. Things have come to a head and we ended up riding with the eldest sibling to her sister's enormous brothel to spring the brother and the guard captain out of captivity. She gave us access to her potion and scroll supply.
I handed out Heroism potions and eyes went wide. I popped a haste potion and jaws went slack. Mage armor and left the armor at home. Barkskin on top of it. Bull's strength, Cat's Grace all over the place.
It got me thinking. What buffs do you pathfinders all roll around with? Stoneskin? False life? Non-detection?
If you could only have one, which would you never skip out on?


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If level is no issue, Mind Blank.

Best universally useful buff for its level is probably Haste.

Best situational buff for its level is Freedom of Movement.


Due to short durations of both buffs and combat, I try to use only one buff unless I'm expecting a battle.

I'm playing a druid, so long-term buffs (Greater Magic Weapon and Longstrider) get used a lot. I'll either use Barkskin on myself or Animal Growth on my companion once combat breaks out.

Shadow Lodge

I've always thought Haste is tremendously powerful in that it can affect several allies with one spell.

Why can't Mage Armor or Shield do that? Or why not have Haste just affect one like all the other buffs?

Shadow Lodge

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Triple Time. No bard-including party is complete without it.


Anything that has really long duration (hour/level, or 10 minutes/level if you have a reasonable suspicion you'll be running into something). Mage armor if you can't wear armor, or your friend can't. Longstrider because who can't use extra movement. Heroism for everything.

For short-duration stuff at the levels I usually run: haste and prayer.

Mind blank and detect scrying are handy at higher-level play.

Liberty's Edge

Obviously, haste. Shield seems to be one since most of my characters don't use shields...

Liberty's Edge RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

Good hope beats heroism, especially with a lesser extend rod. Heroism only when you absolutely need the longer duration.

Magic circle against evil is also crazy good. Immunity to exercise of mental control covers a ton of stuff. Duration is better than protection vs. evil.

Greater invis. Fly/Overland flight.


Yesbut- you often would “leave home’ without Haste, good as it is, unless the encounter was on your doorstep. There aren’t that many good hour per level or better buffs in PF.


Bless Weapon is surprisingly good for it's very low level.
See Invisibility is likewise a very efficient lower level buff.
Fly or Air Walk are all but mandatory to have at hand at high levels, although not always actually used.
Heroes' Feast solves many issues and is probably my preferred "prevention is half the fight" type buff.


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Long-term (Core Rulebook):

1st- longstrider, mage armor (on animal companions, eidolons, familiars, monks, sorcerers, witches, and wizards)
2nd- barkskin, false life, heroism (bard), protection from arrows, resist energy, spider climb (in dungeons)
3rd- greater magic fang (on anyone with natural attacks), greater magic weapon, heroism (sorcerer/wizard), magic circle against chaos/evil/good/law, magic vestment, repel vermin (ranger), phantom steed, water breathing (if on/near water)
4th- air walk, freedom of movement, greater magic weapon (cleric), repel vermin (if vermin are common), spell immunity (against the most common spells), stoneskin (expensive, but often useful)
5th- overland flight
6th- heroes' feast, wind walk

Basically, there's no excuse (IMO) for not having these spells active if you have casters of the appropriate class/level, unless the character has a (non-stackable) magic item (or other boon) that provides a continuous/at will benefit of equal or greater effect. Or the party is ambushed before casting the 10 min/level duration buffs.

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