>>Ask *Mark Seifter* All Your Questions Here!<<

[Artemis Moonstar]

Hey Mark, I'm curious as to what you would say if someone sat down with a Kineticist (Blood Kineticist/Dark Elementalist) at your table.

Alternatively, what do you think of how they mesh? Both mechanically and thematically?

[CookietheFerret]

If a kineticist with the Elemental Whispers talent replaces the talent with a different talent using Omnikinesis, what would happen to the familiar?

How do you think one would react when the talent switches back?

[Gordrenn Higgler]

Can Xill use their planeswalk power to enter a demiplane if they find it on the ethereal plane?

[nennafir]

Telekinesis Spell to Grapple

"Combat Maneuver: Alternatively, once per round, you can use telekinesis to perform a bull rush, disarm, grapple (including pin), or trip. Resolve these attempts as normal, except that they don't provoke attacks of opportunity, you use your caster level in place of your Combat Maneuver Bonus, and you add your Intelligence modifier (if a wizard) or Charisma modifier (if a sorcerer) in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier. No save is allowed against these attempts, but spell resistance applies normally. This version of the spell can last 1 round per caster level, but it ends if you cease concentration."

There seems to be a fair amount of uncertainty on this when I check the forums. It should be coming up more because I believe telekineticists use their telekinetic maneuvers as the spell.

(1) What is the CMD?
(2) Telekinesis has a long range. Is the person you are grappling immediately warped to where you are, or are they grapples by the spell 400+ feet away?

[Chess Pwn]

Likelihood of FAQ today?

[Cursed 8-Ball]

Chess Pwn wrote:

Likelihood of FAQ today?

Reply hazy try again

[Gordrenn Higgler]

As a player how would you protect a personal demiplane how would you do it?

Class is restricted to official pathfinder material and you start with an artifact that gives (Sp) Permanency 1/day

[Chess Pwn]

Does ray of frost or acid splash work against swarms that are immune to weapon damage?

[Rysky]

Chess Pwn wrote:

Does ray of frost or acid splash work against swarms that are immune to weapon damage?

I would say no, since they both target specifci things rather than areas or groups.

[Jonas Seaborn]

Would the Mount of Black Fire in the Tusk Mountains (Mythic Realms) be considered an Elemental saturation ?

What element would it be appropriate for it to be connected to ?

How would you expand on the locale if you were to include it in your home game ? Would you give it any connection to the black flame from Tian Xia ?

[MichaelCullen]

Chess Pwn wrote:

Does ray of frost or acid splash work against swarms that are immune to weapon damage?

Swarm subtype traits from Bestiary wrote:

A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells.

The question then is does the ray or the orb only target one creature.

RAY OF FROST wrote:

School evocation [cold]; Level sorcerer/wizard 0
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect ray
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
A ray of freezing air and ice projects from your pointing finger. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack with the ray to deal damage to a target. The ray deals 1d3 points of cold damage.

ACID SPLASH wrote:

School conjuration (creation) [acid]; Level sorcerer/wizard 0
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect one missile of acid
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You fire a small orb of acid at the target. You must succeed on a ranged touch attack to hit your target. The orb deals 1d3 points of acid damage. This acid disappears after 1 round.

Both seem to target a singular target.

[TriOmegaZero]

Please leave it for Mark to respond to and do not bring the argument along with the question.

[MichaelCullen]

TriOmegaZero wrote:

Please leave it for Mark to respond to and do not bring the argument along with the question.

I certainly don't mean to cause any offense. As a frequent user of this thread, there have been a few times other posters have been able to point something out to me before Mark has the opportunity to respond. I appreciated their insight. I only hoped to do the same. If I jumped into some ongoing argument, I certainly didn't mean to.

[TriOmegaZero]

Acknowledged. It's a balancing act, true.

[swoosh]

Is the Blush of Youth occult ritual from the villain codex supposed to actually change your age category? I'd assume yes, but the text seems to conspicuously lack any mention of it and the use of language like "regardless of her actual age" makes me unsure.

[TOZ]

*lays in wait of a new faq*

[BigNorseWolf]

TOZ wrote:

*lays in wait of a new faq*

you can't ready an action out of comba ow ow ow ow ow

[swoosh]

I don't like to ask too many questions in a row but this is really bugging me:
What led to the decision to start releasing cMonk only archetypes again? For a while it seemed most archetypes were designed to work with both variants, now suddenly both the villain codex and horror realms come out on the same day with archetypes that can't be taken by the unchained variant and it seems strange.

I know Realms is Campaign Setting and not RPG and therefore not under your scrutiny, but it still seems strange.

[TOZ]

BigNorseWolf wrote:

TOZ wrote:

*lays in wait of a new faq*

you can't ready an action out of comba ow ow ow ow ow

yeah but i can stab you out of combat, see?

[Purple Dragon Knight]

TOZ wrote:

BigNorseWolf wrote:

TOZ wrote:

*lays in wait of a new faq*

you can't ready an action out of comba ow ow ow ow ow

yeah but i can stab you out of combat, see?

specially with underhanded rogue talent... yes! ;)

Stealing is also best done out of combat. Sleight of hand. Voila. The staff is mine. No need for pesky improved steal or agile maneuver feats!

[Gisher]

Purple Dragon Knight wrote:

TOZ wrote:

BigNorseWolf wrote:

TOZ wrote:

*lays in wait of a new faq*

you can't ready an action out of comba ow ow ow ow ow

yeah but i can stab you out of combat, see?

specially with underhanded rogue talent... yes! ;)

Stealing is also best done out of combat. Sleight of hand. Voila. The staff is mine. No need for pesky improved steal or agile maneuver feats!

Posting on these boards is an action that always initiates combat. ;)

[Ashram]

I have a feeling Starfinder is taking up more time in Mark's schedule again. Or he's preparing for Thanksgiving.

[Tacticslion]

I'm thankful for Starfinder!

[MichaelCullen]

Fiery Body looks like a really cool 9th level spell. I have a question though as to what is meant by "all spells that effect your physiology".

Physiology is "the way in which a living organism or bodily part functions" -google search

Would immunity to all spells that effect you physiology include:
Most transmutation spells
Death effects - stop your biological processes
Spells that cause damage - enough damage could effect your physiology

If taken very literally immunity to spells that effect your physiology, could be overly powerful (maybe even for a ninth level spell)

What categories of spells would you consider "effect your physiology"?

Fiery Body:

Source Advanced Player's Guide pg. 1 (Amazon)
School transmutation [fire]; Level arcanist 9, sorcerer/wizard 9
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V
Effect
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 minute/level
Description
This spell transforms your body into living flame. You and your equipment are immune to fire damage. In fact, every time you would normally take damage from fire, you are instead healed of damage at a rate of 1 point per 3 points of damage the fire attack would have normally inflicted. You are immune to blindness, critical hits, ability score damage, deafness, disease, drowning, electricity, poison, stunning, and all spells that affect your physiology or respiration. You take only half damage from acid or electricity. You take 150% as much damage from cold than normal.

You gain a +6 enhancement bonus to your Dexterity score and a fly speed of 40 ft. (perfect maneuverability). Your unarmed attack deals an additional 3d6 points of fire damage, and you are considered armed when making unarmed attacks. Your body burns so brightly that creatures who do not avert their gaze from you are dazzled. Fire spells you cast have their save DCs increased by +1. If you enter water, you are surrounded by a 5-foot radius of steam and bubbles that grant you concealment (50% miss chance) but you take 2d6 points of damage each round you remain in water.

[Squiggit]

Mark what do you think about a brawler archetype that flips brawler's cunning? Instead of letting you ignore int provide some int synergy instead. Maybe canny defense from the duelist/kensai or some sort of knowledge check synergy, I'm not sure, but I think the idea sounds kinda cool.

[TrinitysEnd]

I've seen a lot of posts and everything with people talking about this, but I've never found a definitive answer. Just people's interpretations of the rule.

But, can you Masterwork an Improvised Weapon? Does a Mithral or Adamantine Improvised weapon receive a +1 to hit? Furthermore, can you enchant an Improvised Weapon (Without using special abilities like Sohei and the likes)?

[Gordrenn Higgler]

What happens to a familiar's gear from a kineticist talent if it's unmanifested, does it keep it or just drop ?

Would the Sage (Familiar Archtype) be appropriate for the Elemental Whispers familiar ?

If the kineticist is high enough that the familiar would have Speak with Master would the kineticist have to vocalize any conversations or could it be internalized like telepathy (when unmanifested)

Does the familiar share the kineticist' senses when unmanifested (such as if the kineticist is blinded would the familiar be as well) ?

Would any spells that can be made permanent with permancency be used on a kineticist familiar ?

Is there any way for a kineticist to use the Scry of Familiar ability with just the first Elemental Whispers talent ?

[Plausible Pseudonym]

Would you ask Logan his opinion of this question?

[Mizuno Qenido]

(Also asking James Jacobs' opinion on his thread because my GM prefers thoroughness)

The "Bit of Luck" domain power, which lets you roll twice and take the better result for 1 round (2 with the Headband of Fortune's Favor). Is that meant to only apply to actions that take 1 round or less time? Or can it be applied to longer tasks like disabling a machine, writing a forgery, hunting, or a day's worth of crafting? Basically, are you literally being blessed with luck for 6 seconds, or is it more of an abstract and meant to apply to a whole task (or atleast a short portion of a larger task)? Thanks

[Mark Seifter]

Faelyn wrote:

Hey Mark, I am curious about certain spells or abilities that add to a character's damage rolls and how they might affect Kinetic Healer. We know that Elemental Overflow adds to Kinetic Healer, but what about Inspire Courage, Good Hope, etc.? I know most of those specifically call out Weapon damage rolls, so I believe they do not affect Kinetic Healer, but I could be wrong. Also, are you aware of anything other than EO and Kineticist Diadem that might increase the amount healed by KH?

OK whew, finally got a breather again from Starfinder. Starfinder is a big big project and there's always another component that needs my attention (at least usually, I'm about to get another big chunk at 2 though so I have 15 minutes).

I'd agree that it wouldn't apply things that added to weapon damage rolls in general, so like EO, diadem, +Con are the main ways to up it.

[Mark Seifter]

Haldelar Baxter wrote:

If at some point there were to be magic items that cost burn and mythic power to use its abilities, what sort of power level would they have?

If it cost both burn and mythic power, it would be something pretty powerful. Like that sounds like the skeleton for an item that could flat out ignore DR, resistances, and immunity.

[Mark Seifter]

concerro wrote:

I noticed that the phantom chart has 2 ranks per HD, but it only has an int of 7. The text says it gets "int+2" skill ranks.

Other "pet" charts such as the eidolon and animal companion accounted for this in advance, so if I am thinking the phantom should have 1 skill rank in the chart per HD until it raises its intelligence to 10.

My other theory is that is it was supposed to get 4 skill ranks per HD, but the text says "int+2" instead.

Do I need to FAQ?
------------------------

May not need an FAQ or errata, just me being curious mostly
Question 2: What type of creature is the phantom?

1) Don't feel bad, this confused me for several straight minutes of reading the class and I'm a designer! The secret is that it gets two ranks per level assigned by its emotion, so the outsider 6 + Int would be 6 - 2 = 4 with 2 accounted for so 2 left.

2) Outsider (phantom)

[Mark Seifter]

Dragon78 wrote:

After looking at it again, the void element gains it's power from the negative energy plane. But it has powers related to outer space and the plane of shadows. Does this mean that there will not be a shadow/darkness element based on the plane of shadows?

It seems more likely to me to handle that as a Plane of Shadows archetype for khaokineticists, kind of like hemokineticist does for water.

[Mark Seifter]

The NPC wrote:

Mr. Mark Seifter,

How would you reduce the treasure amount for Jade Regent if the campaign were to use the Automatic Bonus Progression from Pathfinder Unchained?

I'd start by taking out all the obsolete items like cloaks of resistance etc (and having run JR, there's a lot of those). That may actually do it on its own, but from there I would try to target less interesting treasures.

[Mark Seifter]

TrinitysEnd wrote:

Okay Mark, I've got a question about an FAQ from long long ago. One that was given a suggestion, but no definitive answer on how it works. The Offensive Defense Rogue Talent FAQ (Link For Convenience). Was there ever any definitive answer to this? Would a definitive answer for this be sometime in the future?

Perhaps put up a new thread for a FAQ for it? I'm pretty sure the answer would be confirming the tentative answer there though.

[captain yesterday]

Mark Seifter wrote:

The NPC wrote:

Mr. Mark Seifter,

How would you reduce the treasure amount for Jade Regent if the campaign were to use the Automatic Bonus Progression from Pathfinder Unchained?

I'd start by taking out all the obsolete items like cloaks of resistance etc (and having run JR, there's a lot of those). That may actually do it on its own, but from there I would try to target less interesting treasures.

You don't want to take away the extra cloaks, it's cold up thar in that arctic winter. You'll need all the layers you can get. :-)

[FiddlersGreen]

Hi Mark, would you be able to shed some light on how possession-type spells work in pathfinder in relation to magic items and spells?

For my specific circumstances, if I'm wearing a headband of charisma and a belt of fortitude, and I cast Familiar melding :
1. Does the CHA bonus from the headband transfer with my consciousness? If not, do I get it if my familiar puts on that headband?
2. Is my familiar's HP (this being the familiar whose body I am in) based on my hp with the belt's bonus or without? (Assume I've worn the belt for over 24 hours.)
3. If I cast shield other on the familiar before casting familiar melding, would half the damage I take whilst in my familiar's body still transfer to my real body?(edited)

More generally, do on-going spells remain with the body or transfer with the soul/consciousness? What about bonuses from magic items?

[KingOfAnything]

How would you rule on this interesting rules interaction?

Summary: If a rogue takes the Up Close and Personal vigilante talent using the Stalker Talent advanced rogue talent, how much damage can they do?

[Renkosuke]

Random question about Kinetic Blade and Kinetic Whip (mostly about blade):

Kinetic Blade states that it remains active until the end of your current turn, whereas Kinetic Whip says that remains until the start of your next turn, thus allowing you to make attacks of opportunity using the whip. Would this imply that if you were given a chance to make an AOO during your own turn, that you could use a kinetic blade to make that AOO, or are you entirely incapable of using your kinetic blade in that fashion?

An easy example of this would be when you use your kinetic blade and greater trip to trip an opponent. A rarer example might be if an opponent triggers an attack of opportunity against you during your turn by taking a readied action that provokes AOOs. A weird example would be when you have greater trip and use the bowling infusion on your kinetic blade to knock down your opponent after the attack resolves. The weirdest example might involve all three (with the opponent using a readied action to stand up after being tripped, somehow predicting he would fall down, and then you spending an iterative to knock him down again. Why you're making a trip attack when you've already infused your blade with bowling infusion is beyond me).

Shanks as always!

[Onyx Tanuki]

Renkosuke wrote:

More questions! So many questions!! AGHHHHHH

*ahem* Excuse me.

Does the Elemental Ascetic's Flurry count as having the Flurry of Blows class feature for feats such as Pummeling Style/Jabbing Style?

I've been curious about this too, and haven't seen an answer. Also, it seems more relevant now that Pummeling Style has been errata'ed, because if they do count as gaining a flurry, does this now mean they don't add the damage from kinetic fist to the Pummeling Style damage? Or does it still all get piled together because kinetic fist is specifically adding the blast damage to the unarmed strike damage?

[Zhangar]

Who wrote the Brutal Slavers section of the Villains Codex?

[Lou Diamond]

Mark, I have a magic item design question. Why d
Do rings, most helms head bands neck items have only one power?

What would you think of rings that functioned like meta magic rods
Meta magic rods just do not work for Magus's.

How would you price a gem that when used restored 5 points to the Magus's arcane pool' once a day like a pearl of power?

[Chess Pwn]

any chance for a FAQ today?

[TriOmegaZero]

It'd be a Christmas miracle!

[James Risner]

Mark Seifter wrote:

FAQrrangement; now we can have PComp and CS FAQs even if they aren't literally #1 in clicks like before (thus using our usual algorithm for choosing FAQs instead of the much stricter one), as long as PFS has already done the legwork for their Campaign Clarification document. Woohoo!

A FAQrrangement is an arrangement, and a cool one.

What's a PComp, CS FAQ and how does that relate to Campaign Clarifications?

I thinking I hearing that any FAQ that already has an answer in a Campaign Clarification is possible to be fast tracked with sufficient clickies on a proper FAQ thread?

[Gisher]

TriOmegaZero wrote:

It'd be a Christmas Festivus miracle!

FTFY

[Mark Seifter]

TriOmegaZero wrote:

It'd be a Christmas miracle!

Oddly, the answer is the reverse: probably not because of a holiday miracle (that being that we actually had significant snow stickage, rare for around here, so I'm unexpectedly the only Design Team member in the office today due to living nearby).

[Rysky]

Mark Seifter wrote:

TriOmegaZero wrote:

It'd be a Christmas miracle!

Oddly, the answer is the reverse: probably not because of a holiday miracle (that being that we actually had significant snow stickage, rare for around here, so I'm unexpectedly the only Design Team member in the office today due to living nearby).

So all the power's in Mark's hands now...

[Mark Seifter]

Rysky wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

TriOmegaZero wrote:

It'd be a Christmas miracle!

Oddly, the answer is the reverse: probably not because of a holiday miracle (that being that we actually had significant snow stickage, rare for around here, so I'm unexpectedly the only Design Team member in the office today due to living nearby).

So all the power's in Mark's hands now...

I don't have the clearance to have all the power. Instead I have none of the power. It's gotta be one or the other.

[Rysky]

Mark Seifter wrote:

Rysky wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

TriOmegaZero wrote:

It'd be a Christmas miracle!

Oddly, the answer is the reverse: probably not because of a holiday miracle (that being that we actually had significant snow stickage, rare for around here, so I'm unexpectedly the only Design Team member in the office today due to living nearby).

So all the power's in Mark's hands now...

I don't have the clearance to have all the power. Instead I have none of the power. It's gotta be one or the other.

Aww, so we're not gonna get a pile of Kineticist FAQs?