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Silver Crusade Contributor

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Way back in 3.5, we concluded that Strength drain/reduction was an excellent tool against blackguards (for more reason than the obvious). Since Power Attack required a 13 Str... and the prestige class required Power Attack... you could essentially make a blackguard "fall" in this manner.

I never determined whether this was a usable tactic, but it was certainly an interesting thought-experiment. ^_^


Mark Seifter wrote:
To be honest? My players would not be happy if I allowed something like that in my home game (and neither would I). The answer to (2) is listed somewhere; if I recall, you lose almost all features and are left with what a fallen paladin has (BAB, base saves, skill points, and proficiencies). To go back to (1), while otherwise I never would have even imagined that such a thing would count as a prereq, I have a strong memory that Sean posted something on the messageboards at some point that could be used to support that argument, even though I think Sean only referenced the ability scores, which explicitly count as a permanent bonus after 24 hours. As such, it would be tough for me to make the call to disallow it in PFS, even if I might look askance.

I agree with your assessment there. Thanks for the answer!


Mark Seifter wrote:


The katana double walking stick is messed up and needs some errata. Clearly it shouldn't do bludgeoning damage with the blades and should have its blade stats as the listed ones.

The katana double walking stick along with a number of other weapons first appearing in ultimate combat have similar issues with clarity of function. Considering that they have not received an errata, is there even a chance that an errata will ever occur, especially an errata in the comparatively near future?

If not, would giving it stats like a pair of wakizashi that it is described as be appropriate or do you have an alternative set of statistics that you would recommend,


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I saw a mention of rituals for Occult Adventures somewhere (I think you even mentioned something about a ritual gone wrong spawning Animated Dreams or something), will they be anything like Incantations for Unearthed Arcana where non-spellcasters can do magical stuff if they do a long ritual or have I assumed incorrectly?

Grand Lodge

Mark Seifter wrote:
claudekennilol wrote:

Here's a question. Pack Flanking is a teamwork feat from the ACG. It has a prereq of Combat Expertise which is a combat feat. Its sole feature is to give flanking which is a combat-only term/ability/whatever. Is it supposed to be a combat feat? If not, can you explain why it isn't a combat feat?

bonus: if it is supposed to be a combat feat, can you tell me if the ACG errata will address this?

It should likely be a combat feat. I can't remember if that's in the errata or lot. There's a lot of errata, so I don't have them memorized. It wasn't in the ACG potential errata thread though. If it was there and an actual mistake, it would be nearly a guarantee to be in the errata.

I know it was in the "Advanced Class Guide Potential Errors" thread (though that was a huge thread and it wasn't mentioned as much as other stuff (only one or two posts out of the ~750)). Is that the thread you mean? If there was a thread that has the actual errata I didn't see it as I barely ever stray from the rules/advice/pfs boards.

I'll just have to hold my breath and wait and find out. I planned a rather elaborate build for PFS and didn't realize until 6 levels into it that brawlers can't use Brawler's Cunning to qualify for Pack Flanking ('cause it's not labeled as a combat feat). So that character is sitting aside waiting for good news until further notice.


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Talking about the Goz Mask, and Fog Cutter glasses actually raises a question in my mind. What is an item that you think is priced correctly for what it does? I mean there are the various stat booster items, but unchained just came out with a few rules varient that removes the various state boosters. Apparently due to people just not liking or being impressed with the static booster items.

Silver Crusade

Mark, could you suggest to the Adventure Path writers to have the rules team edit portions of the AP's when they have magical effects that alter/change how magic spells and or effects work.

The issues we had last night were in the finial book of Mummy’s Mask
in the Air Room with the Sphinx we could not figure out if the Magic Effect hat was effecting cast spells effected the Magus's Arcane Pool powers that are [Su}.

Liberty's Edge

Did any of the big announcements from this year's E3 catch your eye? I know Jason's pretty excited about Mass Effect...


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
David Neilson wrote:
Talking about the Goz Mask, and Fog Cutter glasses actually raises a question in my mind. What is an item that you think is priced correctly for what it does? I mean there are the various stat booster items, but unchained just came out with a few rules varient that removes the various state boosters. Apparently due to people just not liking or being impressed with the static booster items.

It's more people liking them too much: they're frequently considered to be either essential or "best in slot", which means people don't get any of the other cool belts or headbands (plus other items in the "big six"), making including them in products a bit of a waste of design time and print space.

Silver Crusade Contributor

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All right, another "rules as intended" question. It concerns the variant multiclassing which - being illegal in PFS - hopefully shouldn't be too controversial to answer. (I know, I know - the forums and controversy.)

If you get an ability from a VMC, is it safe to assume that you count as a member of that class, and that your levels count as levels of that class, for the purpose of abilities gained from that VMC?

The question arose here, involving this line from the magus VMC:

Magus Arcana: At 7th level, he gains one magus arcana. He treats his character level as his effective magus level when determining whether or not he can select an arcana.

My reasoning is listed here.

What are your thoughts on this matter? Is any of my reasoning flawed?

Thank you! ^_^

Designer

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FAQ Friday returns, with another surprise newcomer!

FAQ wrote:

Archetype Stacking and Altering: What exactly counts as altering a class feature for the purpose of stacking archetypes?

In general, if a class feature grants multiple subfeatures, it’s OK to take two archetypes that only change two separate subfeatures. This includes two bard archetypes that alter or replace different bardic performances (even though bardic performance is technically a single class feature) or two fighter archetypes that replace the weapon training gained at different levels (sometimes referred to as “weapon training I, II, III, or IV”) even though those all fall under the class feature weapon training. However, if something alters the way the parent class feature works, such as a mime archetype that makes all bardic performances completely silent, with only visual components instead of auditory, you can’t take that archetype with an archetype that alters or replaces any of the sub-features. This even applies for something as small as adding 1 extra round of bardic performance each day, adding an additional bonus feat to the list of bonus feats you can select, or adding an additional class skill to the class. As always, individual GMs should feel free to houserule to allow small overlaps on a case by case basis, but the underlying rule exists due to the unpredictability of combining these changes.

Will mithral return again? Will order of interrupting actions take the FAQ? Altering tag on archetypes that were written before we tagged with "this alters" like the ki mystic? What you can draw as part of a move action? Something else surprising? Find out on next week's FAQ Friday!


So can you tell us which of the Vigilante's aspects you have been put in charge of?


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Mark Seifter wrote:

FAQ Friday returns, with another surprise newcomer!

FAQ wrote:

Archetype Stacking and Altering: What exactly counts as altering a class feature for the purpose of stacking archetypes?

In general, if a class feature grants multiple subfeatures, it’s OK to take two archetypes that only change two separate subfeatures. This includes two bard archetypes that alter or replace different bardic performances (even though bardic performance is technically a single class feature) or two fighter archetypes that replace the weapon training gained at different levels (sometimes referred to as “weapon training I, II, III, or IV”) even though those all fall under the class feature weapon training. However, if something alters the way the parent class feature works, such as a mime archetype that makes all bardic performances completely silent, with only visual components instead of auditory, you can’t take that archetype with an archetype that alters or replaces any of the sub-features. This even applies for something as small as adding 1 extra round of bardic performance each day, adding an additional bonus feat to the list of bonus feats you can select, or adding an additional class skill to the class. As always, individual GMs should feel free to houserule to allow small overlaps on a case by case basis, but the underlying rule exists due to the unpredictability of combining these changes.
Will mithral return again? Will order of interrupting actions take the FAQ? Altering tag on archetypes that were written before we tagged with "this alters" like the ki mystic? What you can draw as part of a move action? Something else surprising? Find out on next week's FAQ Friday!

Aww.

Basically the way I assumed it worked, but was hoping for a FAQratta that let the Bonus Feats and Class Skills changes work. I want my MoMS/Hamatula Master. =(

Grand Lodge

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Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

If you're ever at my table Rynjin I will allow it. :)


HMmm? Reading that i would have thought that skill changes are ok as long as its not the same skill?

Designer

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Milo v3 wrote:
I saw a mention of rituals for Occult Adventures somewhere (I think you even mentioned something about a ritual gone wrong spawning Animated Dreams or something), will they be anything like Incantations for Unearthed Arcana where non-spellcasters can do magical stuff if they do a long ritual or have I assumed incorrectly?

They come from the same sort of starting point, but Stephen made some changes to make them more interesting and work a little bit better.

Designer

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TimD wrote:

Just realized it's been a year since your "welcome to Paizo" blog post... happy anniversary-ish thing!

... and because it's an "ask" thread... what's been the biggest surprise you've had about working there that you didn't anticipate when you accepted the position?

-TimD

Yup, can't believe it's been a year already.

There were lots of surprises, but I'll admit that hearing about Unchained->Occult->Intrigue was pretty nifty. I adore all of those concepts for books, so that was a great first day.

There's been other surprises, like how a lot of little things that you might think come from design decisions actually come due to bizarre arcane copyfitting rules forcing a change of wording.

Designer

David Neilson wrote:

Talking about the Goz Mask, and Fog Cutter glasses actually raises a question in my mind. What is an item that you think is priced correctly for what it does? I mean there are the various stat booster items, but unchained just came out with a few rules varient that removes the various state boosters. Apparently due to people just not liking or being impressed with the static booster items.

Chemlak's on the money about those; they are indeed strong and solid for their price, it's just that people are sad when they wind up spending all their money on boringly raising their bonuses, since that's less exciting, despite being really effective.

Designer

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Shisumo wrote:
Did any of the big announcements from this year's E3 catch your eye? I know Jason's pretty excited about Mass Effect...

Salaries in this industry are pretty low, so I don't have a console (though I do have a 3DS), so I tend not to pay as much attention to E3. Computer games I usually pick up for cheaper after a few years, or sometimes free, like when Linda found out that GoG was giving out Witcher 2 for free if you went to their site every day for a week and clicked on something.

I'll turn it back on you though; is there something really awesome that should be catching my eye? I'm always willing to have my eye directed.

Designer

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Kalindlara wrote:

All right, another "rules as intended" question. It concerns the variant multiclassing which - being illegal in PFS - hopefully shouldn't be too controversial to answer. (I know, I know - the forums and controversy.)

If you get an ability from a VMC, is it safe to assume that you count as a member of that class, and that your levels count as levels of that class, for the purpose of abilities gained from that VMC?

The question arose here, involving this line from the magus VMC:

Magus Arcana: At 7th level, he gains one magus arcana. He treats his character level as his effective magus level when determining whether or not he can select an arcana.

My reasoning is listed here.

What are your thoughts on this matter? Is any of my reasoning flawed?

Thank you! ^_^

The other person is right this time. It's only for the purpose of selecting. That said, there's like roughly pool strike and maneuver mastery where it matters (maybe one or two more I can remember where it might have led to confusion before further clarifying text arrives in the arcana themselves in the next errata), so if you change it, it won't matter much right now (though who knows what the future might bring in terms of arcana). Sometimes, that kind of wording is more important for keeping things in line, though.

Designer

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David Neilson wrote:
So can you tell us which of the Vigilante's aspects you have been put in charge of?

While we'll all be working together under Jason on the class, I was the one to whom we farmed out the stalker talents. It was quite a challenge; a class with strong Will saves that has a design goal to both avoid squashing the Unchained rogue and avoid being squashed by the Unchained rogue. Right now, a lot of that dynamic lives in the talents being quite strong compared to rogue talents.

Liberty's Edge

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Mark Seifter wrote:
Shisumo wrote:
Did any of the big announcements from this year's E3 catch your eye? I know Jason's pretty excited about Mass Effect...

Salaries in this industry are pretty low, so I don't have a console (though I do have a 3DS), so I tend not to pay as much attention to E3. Computer games I usually pick up for cheaper after a few years, or sometimes free, like when Linda found out that GoG was giving out Witcher 2 for free if you went to their site every day for a week and clicked on something.

I'll turn it back on you though; is there something really awesome that should be catching my eye? I'm always willing to have my eye directed.

Well, I'm going to answer that from a PS4 gamer's perspective, but yes, I think so. Obviously, Mass Effect Andromeda is going to be awesome; likewise, Fallout 4 is coming out and looks pretty sweet. Uncharted 4, too, although I'd always recommend the first three first, if you can. The "what the **** is that?!" dark horse, though, would have to be Horizon Zero Dawn, which almost could be a Numeria campaign from what little we've seen so far, and was easily the only preview that made my jaw just hit the floor when the trailer played.

Designer

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Rynjin wrote:
Mark Seifter wrote:

FAQ Friday returns, with another surprise newcomer!

FAQ wrote:

Archetype Stacking and Altering: What exactly counts as altering a class feature for the purpose of stacking archetypes?

In general, if a class feature grants multiple subfeatures, it’s OK to take two archetypes that only change two separate subfeatures. This includes two bard archetypes that alter or replace different bardic performances (even though bardic performance is technically a single class feature) or two fighter archetypes that replace the weapon training gained at different levels (sometimes referred to as “weapon training I, II, III, or IV”) even though those all fall under the class feature weapon training. However, if something alters the way the parent class feature works, such as a mime archetype that makes all bardic performances completely silent, with only visual components instead of auditory, you can’t take that archetype with an archetype that alters or replaces any of the sub-features. This even applies for something as small as adding 1 extra round of bardic performance each day, adding an additional bonus feat to the list of bonus feats you can select, or adding an additional class skill to the class. As always, individual GMs should feel free to houserule to allow small overlaps on a case by case basis, but the underlying rule exists due to the unpredictability of combining these changes.
Will mithral return again? Will order of interrupting actions take the FAQ? Altering tag on archetypes that were written before we tagged with "this alters" like the ki mystic? What you can draw as part of a move action? Something else surprising? Find out on next week's FAQ Friday!

Aww.

Basically the way I assumed it worked, but was hoping for a FAQratta that let the Bonus Feats and Class Skills changes work. I want my MoMS/Hamatula Master. =(

I have similar thoughts, in that I also assumed this was right, but I floated past the others the possibilities of easing up in some cases with a readied action for errata, just to see what we would think up. The floated idea was unanimously opposed for a bunch of really good reasons. I'll still probably allow archetype stacking when both archetypes just add a class skill and have no other overlap, though, but they're right that it would be a problematic base rule, for instance due to not being clear-cut where the boundary lies.

Designer

BigNorseWolf wrote:
HMmm? Reading that i would have thought that skill changes are ok as long as its not the same skill?

It directly states that changing class skills is an alteration that disallows stacking, in the list of examples.

Designer

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Shisumo wrote:
Mark Seifter wrote:
Shisumo wrote:
Did any of the big announcements from this year's E3 catch your eye? I know Jason's pretty excited about Mass Effect...

Salaries in this industry are pretty low, so I don't have a console (though I do have a 3DS), so I tend not to pay as much attention to E3. Computer games I usually pick up for cheaper after a few years, or sometimes free, like when Linda found out that GoG was giving out Witcher 2 for free if you went to their site every day for a week and clicked on something.

I'll turn it back on you though; is there something really awesome that should be catching my eye? I'm always willing to have my eye directed.

Well, I'm going to answer that from a PS4 gamer's perspective, but yes, I think so. Obviously, Mass Effect Andromeda is going to be awesome; likewise, Fallout 4 is coming out and looks pretty sweet. Uncharted 4, too, although I'd always recommend the first three first, if you can. The "what the **** is that?!" dark horse, though, would have to be Horizon Zero Dawn, which almost could be a Numeria campaign from what little we've seen so far, and was easily the only preview that made my jaw just hit the floor when the trailer played.

Cool stuff! I'm in the interesting state where I still have what was at the time an amazingly good computer I built back at MIT, so for a little while, I'll be able to play PC releases of the top games, eventually when they are cheaper (for instance, the computer was at or above the high specs for Witcher 3 when I investigated that in all areas but the graphic card, which still met the minimum requirements), but the ones currently being previewed at E3 might be the first ones where I can't (if so, it'll be the graphic card).


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Mark Seifter wrote:
Shisumo wrote:
Did any of the big announcements from this year's E3 catch your eye? I know Jason's pretty excited about Mass Effect...

Salaries in this industry are pretty low, so I don't have a console (though I do have a 3DS), so I tend not to pay as much attention to E3. Computer games I usually pick up for cheaper after a few years, or sometimes free, like when Linda found out that GoG was giving out Witcher 2 for free if you went to their site every day for a week and clicked on something.

I'll turn it back on you though; is there something really awesome that should be catching my eye? I'm always willing to have my eye directed.

Fallout 4 has me hyped as s~+%. Comes out this November and looks AMAZING.

Dishonored 2 is exciting as well.

Kingdom Hearts 3, though that's probably not until late 2016 by my guess.

Grand Lodge RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

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Hey Mark, a few questions about Pathfinder Unchained.

1. In a stat block for an unchained barbarian, monk, or rogue NPC, what's the right way to refer to the unchained class?
* Male human unchained monk 3
* Male human monk unchained 3
* Male human monk (unchained) 3
or just: Male human monk 3

2. What about the name of the book, when referred to in a stat block? Pathfinder RPG Pathfinder Unchained and PU (superscript) when abbreviated?

Thanks!

Designer

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Serpent wrote:

Hey Mark, a few questions about Pathfinder Unchained.

1. In a stat block for an unchained barbarian, monk, or rogue NPC, what's the right way to refer to the unchained class?
* Male human unchained monk 3
* Male human monk unchained 3
* Male human monk (unchained) 3
or just: Male human monk 3

2. What about the name of the book, when referred to in a stat block? Pathfinder RPG Pathfinder Unchained and PU (superscript) when abbreviated?

Thanks!

For (1), I'd do whatever the Serpent's Rise PFS pregen Unchained rogue does.

For (2), I'm not sure. Maybe PFU?

Silver Crusade Contributor

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Mark Seifter wrote:
Kalindlara wrote:

All right, another "rules as intended" question. It concerns the variant multiclassing which - being illegal in PFS - hopefully shouldn't be too controversial to answer. (I know, I know - the forums and controversy.)

If you get an ability from a VMC, is it safe to assume that you count as a member of that class, and that your levels count as levels of that class, for the purpose of abilities gained from that VMC?

The question arose here, involving this line from the magus VMC:

Magus Arcana: At 7th level, he gains one magus arcana. He treats his character level as his effective magus level when determining whether or not he can select an arcana.

My reasoning is listed here.

What are your thoughts on this matter? Is any of my reasoning flawed?

Thank you! ^_^

The other person is right this time. It's only for the purpose of selecting. That said, there's like roughly pool strike and maneuver mastery where it matters (maybe one or two more I can remember where it might have led to confusion before further clarifying text arrives in the arcana themselves in the next errata), so if you change it, it won't matter much right now (though who knows what the future might bring in terms of arcana). Sometimes, that kind of wording is more important for keeping things in line, though.

I see. Thank you. ^_^

Designer

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Kalindlara wrote:
Mark Seifter wrote:
Kalindlara wrote:

All right, another "rules as intended" question. It concerns the variant multiclassing which - being illegal in PFS - hopefully shouldn't be too controversial to answer. (I know, I know - the forums and controversy.)

If you get an ability from a VMC, is it safe to assume that you count as a member of that class, and that your levels count as levels of that class, for the purpose of abilities gained from that VMC?

The question arose here, involving this line from the magus VMC:

Magus Arcana: At 7th level, he gains one magus arcana. He treats his character level as his effective magus level when determining whether or not he can select an arcana.

My reasoning is listed here.

What are your thoughts on this matter? Is any of my reasoning flawed?

Thank you! ^_^

The other person is right this time. It's only for the purpose of selecting. That said, there's like roughly pool strike and maneuver mastery where it matters (maybe one or two more I can remember where it might have led to confusion before further clarifying text arrives in the arcana themselves in the next errata), so if you change it, it won't matter much right now (though who knows what the future might bring in terms of arcana). Sometimes, that kind of wording is more important for keeping things in line, though.
I see. Thank you. ^_^

No problem.


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Some other things missed at E3, Final Fantasy VII remake, though it probably won't be for awhile, and it won't be PS4 exclusive either. There's a game for the PS4 that involves traveling to solar systems and exploring planets, killing monsters, fighting in wars etc. and there are literally thousands and thousands of solar systems with multiple planets to choose from.

Xbox Side, we have the announcement that Fallout 4 will be able to port PC Mods over to the box (because they have the same operating system it seems).

New game called Recore announced, not much was revealed but it looks fairly cool.

Xbox One Backwards compatibility announced. Limited selection to start with, but you will be able to just put the game into the Xbox and download the a version of the game onto your hard drive for free.

Some cool indie games, including one modeled after 1940's cartoons, a Day Z port for the Xbox and the creator of Day Z will be making a new game for the Xbox One.

Rise of the Tomb Raider, Halo 5: Guardians, new Forza.

The biggest thing, I think, that I saw at E3 this year, was a demonstration of the Microsoft Hololens via Minecraft. Watch it, and just picture what the possibilities of it are.

Possibilities:
Yu-gi Oh anime, but in real life. You could do it with Pokemon or Magic the Gathering as well, or Pathfinder Card Game.

Imagine playing Pathfinder via a virtual tabletop of this game.

They announced, previously, they were working with NASA and the Curiousity Rover team on Mars to make it so you can 'visit' Mars via the Hololens.

In my opinion, the HoloLens demonstration was the best thing at E3.


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Mark Seifter wrote:
Will order of interrupting actions take the FAQ?

Is this the one where people were trying to play "take back" with the readied action?

Grand Lodge

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Mark Seifter wrote:
Serpent wrote:

Hey Mark, a few questions about Pathfinder Unchained.

1. In a stat block for an unchained barbarian, monk, or rogue NPC, what's the right way to refer to the unchained class?
* Male human unchained monk 3
* Male human monk unchained 3
* Male human monk (unchained) 3
or just: Male human monk 3

2. What about the name of the book, when referred to in a stat block? Pathfinder RPG Pathfinder Unchained and PU (superscript) when abbreviated?

Thanks!

For (1), I'd do whatever the Serpent's Rise PFS pregen Unchained rogue does.

For (2), I'm not sure. Maybe PFU?

I think my unchained summoner needs to have graduated from Pathfinder University, Just so I can have PFU as his alma mater.

Silver Crusade Contributor

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All right, a much bloodier question ahead. I'd love an official ruling, but I understand if this is a bit heavy for that.

In your own games, would you consider a shield to take up that mythical beast, the "hand of effort"?

I'd like to play a character who fights with a punching dagger and armor spikes while using a shield protectively. Would you allow it?

Thank you! ^_^


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What games do you play on your 3DS? Also have you bought any indie games from the eShop?

Designer

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Rynjin wrote:

Fallout 4 has me hyped as s++&. Comes out this November and looks AMAZING.

Dishonored 2 is exciting as well.

Kingdom Hearts 3, though that's probably not until late 2016 by my guess.

Tels wrote:

Some other things missed at E3, Final Fantasy VII remake, though it probably won't be for awhile, and it won't be PS4 exclusive either. There's a game for the PS4 that involves traveling to solar systems and exploring planets, killing monsters, fighting in wars etc. and there are literally thousands and thousands of solar systems with multiple planets to choose from.

Xbox Side, we have the announcement that Fallout 4 will be able to port PC Mods over to the box (because they have the same operating system it seems).

New game called Recore announced, not much was revealed but it looks fairly cool.

Xbox One Backwards compatibility announced. Limited selection to start with, but you will be able to just put the game into the Xbox and download the a version of the game onto your hard drive for free.

Some cool indie games, including one modeled after 1940's cartoons, a Day Z port for the Xbox and the creator of Day Z will be making a new game for the Xbox One.

Rise of the Tomb Raider, Halo 5: Guardians, new Forza.

The biggest thing, I think, that I saw at E3 this year, was a demonstration of the Microsoft Hololens via Minecraft. Watch it, and just picture what the possibilities of it are.

** spoiler omitted **

In my opinion, the HoloLens demonstration was the best thing at E3.

Cool stuff, you guys!

Designer

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wraithstrike wrote:
Mark Seifter wrote:
Will order of interrupting actions take the FAQ?

Is this the one where people were trying to play "take back" with the readied action?

Something like that.

Designer

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FLite wrote:
Mark Seifter wrote:
Serpent wrote:

Hey Mark, a few questions about Pathfinder Unchained.

1. In a stat block for an unchained barbarian, monk, or rogue NPC, what's the right way to refer to the unchained class?
* Male human unchained monk 3
* Male human monk unchained 3
* Male human monk (unchained) 3
or just: Male human monk 3

2. What about the name of the book, when referred to in a stat block? Pathfinder RPG Pathfinder Unchained and PU (superscript) when abbreviated?

Thanks!

For (1), I'd do whatever the Serpent's Rise PFS pregen Unchained rogue does.

For (2), I'm not sure. Maybe PFU?

I think my unchained summoner needs to have graduated from Pathfinder University, Just so I can have PFU as his alma mater.

Then you'd better use your free trial for PFO, I guess, and use the same name as your Unchained summoner!

Designer

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Kalindlara wrote:

All right, a much bloodier question ahead. I'd love an official ruling, but I understand if this is a bit heavy for that.

In your own games, would you consider a shield to take up that mythical beast, the "hand of effort"?

I'd like to play a character who fights with a punching dagger and armor spikes while using a shield protectively. Would you allow it?

Thank you! ^_^

In my own games, I actually do use that FAQ. Punch dagger is actually close weapon group like shields, though, so especially if you have weapon training, TWF with punch dagger and shield isn't a bad combination in and of itself. If the concept was entirely for the flavor of the visual of the spiked armor and punch dagger in the mental narrative of how the character looks when fighting, I could probably be convinced to make an exception if the character took Improved Shield Bash (they could call it something else if they wanted) to be able to TWF with a shield anyway and used the damage of a light spiked shield (which is one step less than armor spikes). When I asked these questions to the player, that's when I would find out whether it was for RP reasons or whether they were looking to avoid spending a feat while doing more damage, since if it was the former, they would likely have no problem with the compromise.

This example demonstrates what I've said before, which is that I'm happy to houserule the game plenty in my home games. If it's strange that I'm still a big proponent for explanatory FAQs, it's because I like to know what the baseline is (and I generally prefer the firmer baseline to start with, from which my players and I can build compromises and houserules to help fit our circumstances; this also makes the rules the strict one and lets the GM be the "nice parent," which I think is the way it should be).

Designer

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DarthPinkHippo wrote:
What games do you play on your 3DS? Also have you bought any indie games from the eShop?

Let's see...I'm recalling Bravely Default, Monster Hunter 4, Persona Q, Rune Factory 4, Link Between Worlds, Shin Megami Tensei 4, Kid Icarus Uprising (which we actually got for free from Club Nintendo). Linda has downloaded some old Nintendo games with the eShop, and we've gotten a few for free as well.


Did you watch that HoloLens demonstration?

Designer

Tels wrote:
Did you watch that HoloLens demonstration?

Yup, looks pretty cool!


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Mark Seifter wrote:
Tels wrote:
Did you watch that HoloLens demonstration?
Yup, looks pretty cool!

Cool, now go tell the people working on the Paizo Game Space that an adaptation for the HoloLens needs to be a thing. If Paizo is the first to make a holographic virtual tabletop so people can play anywhere... I think it could forever change the gaming industry.

Silver Crusade

Mark, I would like to purpose a new class ability for All Martial classes
Combat Mobility: As a full round action you can make a full move and attack [this attack would include all irrative attacks]at the end move the move. If you have the spring attack feat tree you may combine spring attack with combat mobility and make any of your attacks at any time during your movement. Combat mobility may not be combined with the charge action or vital strike.

a martial character would gain Combat Mobility at the level they gain their first irrrative attack.

This would be balanced with casters by giving casters an additional Metamagic feat or a feat from the spell Profection feat tree or spell penetration or spell mastery feat trees.


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Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Hey, Mark, I was working on a bloodmarked (werebat-kin) skinwalker vigilante for the playtest, since the alternate forms meshed well with the alternate identities, in my opinion. I was looking at the feat Bat Shape from Blood of the Night, and it seems to have an oddity.

Blood of the Night:
BAT SHAPE
Your powers of transformation have been honed to the point where you can wholly become a bat.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, werebat-kin.
Benefits: You can take the form of a bat whose appearance is static and cannot be changed each time you assume this form. You gain a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks to appear as a bat. Changing from werebat-kin to bat shape is a standard action. This ability otherwise functions as beast shape II, and your ability scores change accordingly.
If you wear a bat pelt (see page 31), you may choose to adopt a form resembling the bat whose skin you wear instead of your normal bat form.

As you can see, the primary problem is that the bat is a Diminutive creature, while beast shape II only allows transforming into a Tiny creature. While the specific trumps the general, there is technically no changes to your ability score listed for transforming into a Tiny creature via beast shape II, only beast shape III. The ways I can see to resolve it are:

A) The feat allows you to assume the form of a Diminutive bat, but you get no changes to your ability scores or natural armor bonus because the spell has no ability score changes listed for turning into a Diminutive creature. The most unforgiving Read As Written interpretation that seems to go against Read As Intended.

B) The feat allows you to assume the form of a Diminutive bat, but you get the changes to your ability scores and natural armor bonus a Tiny creature would received. A simple approach.

C) The feat allows you to assume the form of a Tiny bat, statistically similar to a Diminutive bat except for a the differences in size and boosting the bite to a 1d4, gaining the normal bonuses for transforming into a Tiny creature via the spell. There are larger species of bats in real life, so it makes sense from that perspective, and it helps keep the bonuses to the normal levels (that is, the extra size bonus to AC, attack rolls, Fly and Stealth checks, that sort of thing, though admittedly at the relatively minor cost of your CMD).

D) The feat allows you to assume the form of a Diminutive bat and you get the bonuses that you would get for turning into a Diminutive creature from beast shape III rather than beast shape II. Certainly the most favorable reading, I doubt most would allow it on the grounds that it would allow access to blindsense, a big increase in power.

Anyways, I'd like your opinion on what you think the best way to handle this is, since we're not likely to get an official FAQ on it, so asking here seems like the best bet for an unofficial solution. B or C seem like the best bets to me, but perhaps you've got a fifth option up the ol' Seifter Sleeves?

Designer

Lou Diamond wrote:

Mark, I would like to purpose a new class ability for All Martial classes

Combat Mobility: As a full round action you can make a full move and attack [this attack would include all irrative attacks]at the end move the move. If you have the spring attack feat tree you may combine spring attack with combat mobility and make any of your attacks at any time during your movement. Combat mobility may not be combined with the charge action or vital strike.

a martial character would gain Combat Mobility at the level they gain their first irrrative attack.

This would be balanced with casters by giving casters an additional Metamagic feat or a feat from the spell Profection feat tree or spell penetration or spell mastery feat trees.

You can certainly feel free to add whatever extra benefits you like to all sorts of different classes; myself, this looks like it would increase rocket tag for all classes involved while also leading to potentially irritating tactics for archers involving cover.

Designer

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Luthorne wrote:

Hey, Mark, I was working on a bloodmarked (werebat-kin) skinwalker vigilante for the playtest, since the alternate forms meshed well with the alternate identities, in my opinion. I was looking at the feat Bat Shape from Blood of the Night, and it seems to have an oddity.

** spoiler omitted **

As you can see, the primary problem is that the bat is a Diminutive creature, while beast shape II only allows transforming into a Tiny creature. While the specific trumps the general, there is technically no changes to your ability score listed for transforming into a Tiny creature via beast shape II, only beast shape III. The ways I can see to resolve it are:

A) The feat allows you to assume the form of a Diminutive bat, but you get no changes to your ability scores or natural armor bonus because the spell has no ability score...

I think that B is the most trying-to-follow-the-rules-best-as-possible-without-being-crazy-like-A solution, but on the other hand C is likely the intent, as my guess would be that Patrick forgot that bats were Diminutive and not Tiny. I was unable to choose between B and C, so I took the question to Assistant Developer and noted bat enthusiast Linda Zayas-Palmer, who told me that C is the most flavorful, although in the case of megabats, they typically are herbivorous fruit-eaters that don't hunt insects and don't have echolocation, so you might consider removing blindsense for maximum zoological integrity.

Sovereign Court

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Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber

Have you picked up any insight or ideas from the playtest discussion this weekend?

I really like the stalker, btw. I've always liked different aspects of the rogue class, and the stalker is a new dimension in the same theme.

Silver Crusade

Mark, I would like you to purpose to the design team to replace two Slayer/Rogue talents with one. The Two are powerful sneak the greater powerful sneak. Both of them have been proven Mathematically not to be worth taking on the thread related to them on the board.

What I would like to replace them with is a talent that simply increases the die type form a d6 to a d8. I think that doing this in a single talent would not be over powered and be a slight boost to slayers and rogues with out over powering them.

Have you seen the Spell less ranger? The Spell-less Ranger has one talent that I think should be added to the slayer/rogue talent list
Skirmishing Attack: With this talent whenever you move at least 10ft. and
attack in the same round you may apply your Stealth attack damage
[Replace stealth attack with sneak attack as both are precession damage.] if applicable to the target, as though it was flat footed.

If you take more than one attack during the round this ability applies only to the first attack. Foes with uncanny dodge are immune to this ability. From New Paths Compendium

Designer

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KingOfAnything wrote:

Have you picked up any insight or ideas from the playtest discussion this weekend?

I really like the stalker, btw. I've always liked different aspects of the rogue class, and the stalker is a new dimension in the same theme.

I've picked up quite a few excellent ideas so far, though I kind of wish that we had fewer posts that were purely negative without any ideas in them (the negative posts with ideas are great, the positive posts with ideas are great, and even the positive posts with no ideas are also useful for morale).

I'm more looking forward to seeing what happens in playtests with higher-level vigilantes, in that it will be more of a surprise to me than the theorycrafting is (I kind of predicted most of the theorycraft responses before they happened).

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