Holy Symbol / Divine Focus

[Eran Wyren]

Good morning to everybody, in the Pathfinder Society it's possible to have shield or favorite divine weapon as Divine Focus?

Thanks a lot =)

[Jiggy]

If you find such an option in a book you own and said option is listed as legal in Additional Resources, then yes. :)

[BigNorseWolf]

Not that I'm aware of. You can certainly paint the holy symbol on the shield , but can't have it work like a holy symbol.

You could get a tattoo holy symbol on your face and use that, and then describe your character as holding his shield aloft when he casts.

[Castigar Vengeance-Sworn]

If you are a follower of Iomedae, there is a hands-slot item that lets you use weapons as a divine focus, I believe :)

[Derwalt]

Isn't there a prestige class where you can use your shield as Holy symbol?

[Ferious Thune]

There are the Channel Foci in Adventurer's Armory (Yes, it's still good for something other than spring-loaded wrist sheaths).

Adventurer's Armory wrote:

What are Channel Foci?

Holy symbols (and unholy symbols) represent a covenant between the mortal and the divine. They allow the most pious to call forth the power of the gods themselves. Whether used to smite enemies of the devout or to offer succor to the faithful, holy symbols erase all doubt that the gods have a plan for their mortal children. A channel focus is a garment or other object that incorporates a holy or unholy symbol, and has a special power when a member of that symbol’s religion channels energy through it.

...

Consecrated Weapon:
Consecrated weapons may be of any type — swords, axes, masterwork, mithral, and even magical — and function appropriately. When activated, the cleric charges the weapon with positive or negative energy (as appropriate) so it deals extra damage when it hits a target. This functions like the Channel Smite feat, except the additional damage is equal to half the cleric’s channel energy damage (the target makes a Will save as normal, based on the cleric’s channel energy DC). The weapon remains charged with this energy until it successfully strikes a creature or 24 hours pass, whichever comes first. Creatures other than the cleric are able to use the charged weapon and this ability.

...

Sanctified Shield: A sanctified shield may be any type of shield (including bucklers, tower shields, and even magical shields). When activated, a sacred shield adds a +1 sacred (if positive energy) or profane (if negative energy) bonus to the wearer’s Armor Class. This bonus lasts for 24 hours or until the wearer is struck in combat, whichever comes first. Creatures other than the cleric are able to use the charged shield and this ability.

My read of it is that since these are mundane add-ons to the item, then like masterwork or a special material, they probably need to be added when the base item is purchased.

Consecrated Weapon adds +150gp, Sanctified Shield adds +100gp.

EDIT: In anticipation of the question, yes, these are PFS legal.

Additional Resources wrote:

Pathfinder Player Companion: Adventurer's Armory

Only the 2nd printing of this book or the 1st printing augmented by the current errata (released 7/21/11) are legal for play in Pathfinder Society Organized Play.
Everything in this book is legal for play with the following exceptions: a pseudodragon is not legal for purchase unless you're a wizard with the Improved Familiar feat, elephants are never legal for play, and armored kilts are not legal.

EDIT: EDIT: My melee Oracle of Bones/Warpriest of Pharasma carries a +1 Adamatine Consecrated Eleven Curved Blade named "Baudhiel (Pharasma's Judgement)" with a bone pommel carved in the shape of Pharasma's spiral. I'll likely never use the actual Channel Focus ability (half damage!) even when I do get channeling, but it's just cool to be able to present his sword when casting spells, etc. Word of advice, though, if you go this route. Invest in a separate Holy Symbol in case you get disarmed.

[Sarta]

Birthmark is a way around needing 3 arms to cast spells with Sword and Board. Otherwise, downshift to a Buckler.

[andreww]

Will Johnson wrote:

Birthmark is a way around needing 3 arms to cast spells with Sword and Board. Otherwise, downshift to a Buckler.

If you want to cast spells while going sword and board you pretty much have to use a buckler anyway as you need a hand free for any somatic components.

[Nefreet]

Buckler or Light Shield (or Klar!), just not Heavy or Tower Shield.

[Jiggy]

Or do all your spellcasting before you draw your weapon. My melee cleric is about my only weapon-using character who, when someone asks the GM if it's alright if we retroactively assume we all had our weapons out in this dungeon, I'll specifically point out that I don't have my sword out yet.

[nosig]

several of my spell casting melee types use spiked gauntlet...

the difference between a d4 and a d10 is only about 3 points... and if it lets me drop a harm on the target?

[The Morphling]

andreww wrote:

Will Johnson wrote:

Birthmark is a way around needing 3 arms to cast spells with Sword and Board. Otherwise, downshift to a Buckler.

If you want to cast spells while going sword and board you pretty much have to use a buckler anyway as you need a hand free for any somatic components.

A Light shield hand can be used to cast spells. Pretty much the only reason to get a Light shield, actually.

[kinevon]

nosig wrote:

several of my spell casting melee types use spiked gauntlet...

the difference between a d4 and a d10 is only about 3 points... and if it lets me drop a harm on the target?

Cestus, while it isn't CRB, is an improved spiked gauntlet. Same damage, P/B, IIRC, and a 19-20 crit range.

[nosig]

kinevon wrote:

nosig wrote:

several of my spell casting melee types use spiked gauntlet...

the difference between a d4 and a d10 is only about 3 points... and if it lets me drop a harm on the target?

Cestus, while it isn't CRB, is an improved spiked gauntlet. Same damage, P/B, IIRC, and a 19-20 crit range.

but I have encountered a judge who say there is a spell failure chance when casting with a cestus... so I tend to stick with things in the CRB as I teach a lot of beginners (who don't have all the books).

[Nefreet]

It's not an Arcane Spell Failure chance, like with Armor, you just need to make a Concentration Check DC 10+Spell Level (which goes for both Arcane and Divine).

[SCPRedMage]

Nefreet wrote:

It's not an Arcane Spell Failure chance, like with Armor, you just need to make a Concentration Check DC 10+Spell Level (which goes for both Arcane and Divine).

That's brass knuckles, not cestus, which says nothing about spell casting, at all.

[nosig]

SCPRedMage wrote:

Nefreet wrote:

It's not an Arcane Spell Failure chance, like with Armor, you just need to make a Concentration Check DC 10+Spell Level (which goes for both Arcane and Divine).

That's brass knuckles, not cestus, which says nothing about spell casting, at all.

and thus we get YMMV, which I will just stick with the Spiked Gauntlet to avoid.

From the PRD:
cestus
Price 5 gp
Type simple
The cestus is a glove of leather or thick cloth that covers the wielder from mid-finger to mid-forearm. The close combat weapon is reinforced with metal plates over the fingers and often lined with wicked spikes along the backs of the hands and wrists. While wearing a cestus, you are considered armed and your unarmed attacks deal lethal damage. If you are proficient with a cestus, you can have your unarmed strikes deal bludgeoning or piercing damage. Monks are proficient with the cestus. When using a cestus, your fingers are mostly exposed, allowing you to wield or carry items in that hand, but the constriction of the weapon at your knuckles gives you a –2 penalty on all precision-based tasks involving that hand (such as opening locks). A cestus can't be disarmed.

some judges feel this includes any spell casting with somantic components and impose either a spell failure or other penalties (such as a concentration checks).

[Nefreet]

SCPRedMage wrote:

Nefreet wrote:

It's not an Arcane Spell Failure chance, like with Armor, you just need to make a Concentration Check DC 10+Spell Level (which goes for both Arcane and Divine).

That's brass knuckles, not cestus, which says nothing about spell casting, at all.

Apologies. I must have been thinking of an upcoming version of cestus being printed in a different book.

[Jiggy]

Nefreet wrote:

I must have been thinking of an upcoming version of cestus being printed in a different book.

*smacks Nefreet*

[SCPRedMage]

nosig wrote:

some judges feel this includes any spell casting with somantic components and impose either a spell failure or other penalties (such as a concentration checks).

Which is great and all for a home campaign, but is wholly inappropriate for a PFS table, as it is making up a rule whole cloth.

[Nefreet]

SCPRedMage wrote:

nosig wrote:

some judges feel this includes any spell casting with somantic components and impose either a spell failure or other penalties (such as a concentration checks).

Which is great and all for a home campaign, but is wholly inappropriate for a PFS table, as it is making up a rule whole cloth.

Actually, given the text of the cestus, a GM would be in their right to apply a -2 penalty to any Concentration checks made while trying to cast a spell with somatic components. I'd consider that a "precision-based task".

[andreww]

Nefreet wrote:

SCPRedMage wrote:

nosig wrote:

some judges feel this includes any spell casting with somantic components and impose either a spell failure or other penalties (such as a concentration checks).

Which is great and all for a home campaign, but is wholly inappropriate for a PFS table, as it is making up a rule whole cloth.

Actually, given the text of the cestus, a GM would be in their right to apply a -2 penalty to any Concentration checks made while trying to cast a spell with somatic components. I'd consider that a "precision-based task".

That would be fine. Saying that wearing them on its own forced you to make a concentration check would not.

[Nefreet]

Which I corrected up thread.

There are like 3 threads going on right now regarding brass knuckles and cestus. I got the requirement of a Concentration check mixed up between the two.