How to get your Sense Motive up for Snake Style?


Advice


Is there any feats, dips, racial abilities to increase your Sense Motive up for Snake Style other then Skill Focus?


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Anyone with the Redemption inquisition (domain) gains a +2 SM (among other bonuses).

There's at least one Aasimar bloodline that has a +2 bonus on SM as well.


Alertness (+2) and Skill Focus (+3/+6);

If allowed there is a trait which gives +2 called Mutant Eye:

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/traits/magic-traits/mutant-eye

I'd also look at a class that uses Wisdom and is not as/too MAD like the Sensei Monk.

That do for starters?

RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16

A dip into Grand Marshal or Sleepless Detective will allow you to add Int to Sense Motive (and Perception) in addition to Wis.

Aasimar can be Truespeakers to get a +2 Racial bonus to Sense Motive, and #67 on alternates for Daylight is +2 racial to Sense Motive (which is rather on the weak side, but racial bonuses do stack with each other).

I wouldn't overly worry about optimizing Sense Motive beyond standard max ranks, maybe a +5 circumstance bonus magic item. You should be fine, and you can only do it once a round anyway.

Scarab Sages

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Synthesis Summoner with the skilled evolution gets a +8 racial bonus

now with that out of the way...
theoretically every skill has a Masterwork Item associated with it for +2 circumstance bonus (DM's discretion)
Archon-Blooded Aasimar/Suli/Rakshasa-Spawn Tiefling/Devil-Spawn Tiefling/Clever Cat Catfolk for +2 racial bonus
Stern Gaze of an Inquisitor for +lvl/2
Suspicious trait for +1 trait bonus
Cracked Iridescent Blue Sphere Ioun Stone is a 200 gp slotless magic item for +1 competence bonus


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For races, Suli, Tieflings and Aasimars can all get +2 bonuses using alternate racial traits or variant heritages (Devil and Archon seem to be the most useful for a monk), and the Half Elf can get a +1 using an alternate racial trait, but they also get a Skill Focus for free.

Interestingly, A snake style user might be better off as an Inquisitor of Irori, since per FAQ if a deity has unarmed strike as a favored weapon, it grants IUS as a bonus feat, an Inquisitor of Irori would qualify, and since an inquisitor can easily take the other prerequisites of the feat line, and since inquisitors gain a bonus equal to half their level on Sense Motive, combined with an already decent wisdom, and sense motive as a class skill and plenty of skill points, they might even be better snake-stylers than Monks. You have to use your unarmed strike for Snake Sidewind and Snake fang, so that's not as appealing, but for just snake style nothing prohibits you from just picking up a Mace and using that, while still reaping the benefits of snake style.

Actually, I'm kind of intrigued to add to the list of interesting characters who I'll never actually play, a hedonistic slightly overweight Heretic Inquisitor of Irori. To be fair, his body's a temple. His temple, however, is a bit more dome-shaped.


An Inquisitor gets 1/2 her level to Sense Motive checks and if she takes the Trade Sub-domain she can 1/2 her level to Bluff, Diplomacy or Sense Motive checks 3+Wisd mod times per day.

Effectively, such an Inquisitor can add their level to Sense Motive checks for the Snake Style. A 10th level Inquisitor is sitting on a +20 bonus (when using the Silver-Tongued ability) before adding in ability modifiers or feats. This pretty much makes it an auto-win for Inquisitors.

The Bracelet of Bargaining adds a +5 competence bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks. However, if that's too costly, it's not unreasonable for there to be just a straight +5 Competence bonus item like Boots/Cloak of Elven Kind.


Tels wrote:

An Inquisitor gets 1/2 her level to Sense Motive checks and if she takes the Trade Sub-domain she can 1/2 her level to Bluff, Diplomacy or Sense Motive checks 3+Wisd mod times per day.

Effectively, such an Inquisitor can add their level to Sense Motive checks for the Snake Style. A 10th level Inquisitor is sitting on a +20 bonus (when using the Silver-Tongued ability) before adding in ability modifiers or feats. This pretty much makes it an auto-win for Inquisitors.

Huh, forgot about that. So apparently Abadar is looking at my Irorian inquisitor, going "That's Cute, kid." Granted, adding it as a free action means you need to know an attack is coming, but that probably won't be too much of an issue. The fact that it only lasts for one roll makes it not as great, but at least you get to block the first iterative attack/primary attack.

Here's where I would make a "Snake Style OP; plz nerf" joke, but... well... we all know what happened last time


Tholomyes wrote:

For races, Suli, Tieflings and Aasimars can all get +2 bonuses using alternate racial traits or variant heritages (Devil and Archon seem to be the most useful for a monk), and the Half Elf can get a +1 using an alternate racial trait, but they also get a Skill Focus for free.

Interestingly, A snake style user might be better off as an Inquisitor of Irori, since per FAQ if a deity has unarmed strike as a favored weapon, it grants IUS as a bonus feat, an Inquisitor of Irori would qualify, and since an inquisitor can easily take the other prerequisites of the feat line, and since inquisitors gain a bonus equal to half their level on Sense Motive, combined with an already decent wisdom, and sense motive as a class skill and plenty of skill points, they might even be better snake-stylers than Monks. You have to use your unarmed strike for Snake Sidewind and Snake fang, so that's not as appealing, but for just snake style nothing prohibits you from just picking up a Mace and using that, while still reaping the benefits of snake style.

Actually, I'm kind of intrigued to add to the list of interesting characters who I'll never actually play, a hedonistic slightly overweight Heretic Inquisitor of Irori. To be fair, his body's a temple. His temple, however, is a bit more dome-shaped.

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge of classes, where can I find the Inquisitor of Irori?


Remember two things, 1st, that Snake Style replaces your AC for just 1 attack per round. 2nd, it doesn't add your Sense Motive roll to your AC, your roll is your AC.

Scarab Sages

Wise Old Man wrote:
Tholomyes wrote:

For races, Suli, Tieflings and Aasimars can all get +2 bonuses using alternate racial traits or variant heritages (Devil and Archon seem to be the most useful for a monk), and the Half Elf can get a +1 using an alternate racial trait, but they also get a Skill Focus for free.

Interestingly, A snake style user might be better off as an Inquisitor of Irori, since per FAQ if a deity has unarmed strike as a favored weapon, it grants IUS as a bonus feat, an Inquisitor of Irori would qualify, and since an inquisitor can easily take the other prerequisites of the feat line, and since inquisitors gain a bonus equal to half their level on Sense Motive, combined with an already decent wisdom, and sense motive as a class skill and plenty of skill points, they might even be better snake-stylers than Monks. You have to use your unarmed strike for Snake Sidewind and Snake fang, so that's not as appealing, but for just snake style nothing prohibits you from just picking up a Mace and using that, while still reaping the benefits of snake style.

Actually, I'm kind of intrigued to add to the list of interesting characters who I'll never actually play, a hedonistic slightly overweight Heretic Inquisitor of Irori. To be fair, his body's a temple. His temple, however, is a bit more dome-shaped.

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge of classes, where can I find the Inquisitor of Irori?

The inquisitor is a Base Class from the Advanced Player's Guide, and they get proficiency in their deity's favored weapon. Irori is the deity being worshiped. His favored weapon is an unarmed strike, so his clerics, inquisitors, and warpriests get improved unarmed strike as a bonus feat.


Claxon wrote:
Remember two things, 1st, that Snake Style replaces your AC for just 1 attack per round. 2nd, it doesn't add your Sense Motive roll to your AC, your roll is your AC.

I know.


Thank you, Imbicatus. Quite helpful. :)


Wise Old Man wrote:
Claxon wrote:
Remember two things, 1st, that Snake Style replaces your AC for just 1 attack per round. 2nd, it doesn't add your Sense Motive roll to your AC, your roll is your AC.
I know.

Cool, I was just recalling the first time I had a player bring it to a table and they played for half the session with it applying their Sense Motive roll to every attack against them on top of their AC. Which made it completely impossible to hit them. Until I finally demanded to know how he had such a high AC and then explained that he was doing it wrong.


Wise Old Man wrote:
Tholomyes wrote:

For races, Suli, Tieflings and Aasimars can all get +2 bonuses using alternate racial traits or variant heritages (Devil and Archon seem to be the most useful for a monk), and the Half Elf can get a +1 using an alternate racial trait, but they also get a Skill Focus for free.

Interestingly, A snake style user might be better off as an Inquisitor of Irori, since per FAQ if a deity has unarmed strike as a favored weapon, it grants IUS as a bonus feat, an Inquisitor of Irori would qualify, and since an inquisitor can easily take the other prerequisites of the feat line, and since inquisitors gain a bonus equal to half their level on Sense Motive, combined with an already decent wisdom, and sense motive as a class skill and plenty of skill points, they might even be better snake-stylers than Monks. You have to use your unarmed strike for Snake Sidewind and Snake fang, so that's not as appealing, but for just snake style nothing prohibits you from just picking up a Mace and using that, while still reaping the benefits of snake style.

Actually, I'm kind of intrigued to add to the list of interesting characters who I'll never actually play, a hedonistic slightly overweight Heretic Inquisitor of Irori. To be fair, his body's a temple. His temple, however, is a bit more dome-shaped.

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge of classes, where can I find the Inquisitor of Irori?

I believe the poster just means an Irori-worshipping Inquisitor. Inquisitors get proficiency in the favoured weapon of the deity they venerate.

Shadow Lodge

Wise Old Man wrote:
Is there any feats, dips, racial abilities to increase your Sense Motive up for Snake Style other then Skill Focus?

sensei archetype gains the ability to increase a skill by +4, perceptive (i think) give a +2/+4, snake its self gives a +2. rogues can have a free reroll per day, but its a worthless rogue talent. inquisitors gain 1/2 level to sense motive.


TheSideKick wrote:
sensei archetype gains the ability to increase a skill by +4

What ability is that?

Claxon wrote:
Cool, I was just recalling the first time I had a player bring it to a table and they played for half the session with it applying their Sense Motive roll to every attack against them on top of their AC. Which made it completely impossible to hit them. Until I finally demanded to know how he had such a high AC and then explained that he was doing it wrong.

Yes, because an immediate action acts like a swift action, and you can only do a swift action once per round.

I just wish there was some way to turn Snake Style's immediate action/swift into a free action...

Since you seem to know about the Snake Style, I got a theory for you.
Would it be possible to put Ravaar's theory of the

Quick Draw
Hidden Weapons (Ninja Trick)
Underhanded (Rogue Talent)
+
Deft Palm (Rogue Talent)

Using a Free Action to Attack with Maximum Sneak Attack damage with your Unarmed Strike, combined with

Crane Wing
Snake Fang
+
Combat Style Master

???

Grand Lodge

Timebomb wrote:

.

theoretically every skill has a Masterwork Item associated with it for +2

I want to move to Theory... Everything works there.


Humans can choose Eye for Talent as a racial trait that gives them +2 racial bonus to Sense Motive.

There are a number of traits that will give a +1 trait bonus to Sense Motive.

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