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

[DrDeth]

Mark Seifter wrote:

What FAQ will be next? Gencon looms, which means that afterwards, blogs might be possible! But not next week. Find out more on next FAQ Friday!

Hope you're having fun! Beware Con-crud, follow my advice. Thanks for all your hard work on these!

Oooh, a blog post- dare I hope Simulacrum at last?

[TOZ]

Dare we dream it?

[Shadowlord]

Mark Seifter wrote:

Zwordsman wrote:

that kirin strike sounds neat.

Gosh I hope this book is put on thePRD so my group will start considering using it.

It will make its way to the PRD for sure, guaranteed, as normal for all Pathfinder RPG line books! Until then, consider gifting your GM the pdf; our pdf prices for that line of books are incredibly discounted, since we want to get the rules out to all of you in the best way possible. Plus, you get pictures that won't be on the PRD like the laser beam flumph!

Is it still the plan to put Unchained on PRD?

[wraithstrike]

andreww wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

FAQ Friday returns!

FAQ wrote:

Wild armor and other transforming armor: When I use a wild armor and gain the armor’s benefits, what restrictions, if any, apply to me? In general, when I transform with a polymorph effect and some of my gear melds into the form, what restrictions do I have for melding with large amounts of heavy gear? What about other types of transforming armor?

If you were in medium or heavy load from encumbrance before transforming, you continue to take those penalties in your melded form. Otherwise, ignore the weight of melded items and calculate your encumbrance in your polymorphed form entirely based on non-melded items. When wearing melded armor and shields, if you gain no benefit from the melded armor, you still count as wearing an armor of that type, but you do not suffer its armor check penalty, movement speed reduction, or arcane spell failure chance. If you do gain any benefits (as with the wild property), then you do suffer the armor check penalty, movement speed reduction, and arcane spell failure chance. This also applies to all other situations where you or an armor transform: you always count as wearing an armor of that type, and if you gain any benefit at all from the armor (such as mistmail), you apply the armor check penalty, movement speed reduction, and arcane spell failure chance.

What FAQ will be next? Gencon looms, which means that afterwards, blogs might be possible! But not next week. Find out more on next FAQ Friday!

Thanks for this. Can I ask you to comment on one aspect of Wild armour. It specifies that it only works during wild shape. Is the Wild property also intended to benefit people using polymorph effects?

Nope. It specifically calls out wild shape so unless we have stealth errata or errata it won't work. As of now it officially only works with wild shape. It is basically a druid tax enhancement., just like natural spell is a tax feat.

[Jacob Saltband]

Question....

If you were GMing and a player said that his character takes a longsword and cuts his own throat, what would the outcome be?

[Ashram]

There's a pseudo-rule for that in Jade Regent. You can deliberately attempt suicide by declaring such and making a coup de grace against yourself. I'm almost sure you can voluntarily fail the Fortitude save, but that might change from GM to GM.

[Joana]

Hey, Mark! I'm getting ready to run Giantslayer for a group of players, and no one wants to play a cleric (or life oracle). I really want them to have positive energy channeling due to the

Spoiler:

shadow rat swarm in Uskroth's tomb.

One player is planning to run a warpriest, but he won't have channel energy yet at the time they have that encounter. I've told them they should really have channeling available, and the player is willing to take a level of cleric first and then go warpriest the rest of the way. The way those two classes multiclass, however, seems really complicated, with separate channeling pools and weird relationships between domains and blessings, etc.

If you were GM, would you a) allow the multiclass to work together more smoothly, by pooling similar class abilities (downside is it will make using HeroLab a real hassle for the player), b) give the PC some sort of homebrew magic item that gives him 1d6 of channeling from level one and have it not stack with class ability channeling so it becomes useless when he gets his own channel, c) level them up to 4 before they enter the tomb instead of at the end so the PC has warpriest channel energy (problematic due to the timer in the game and unlikelihood of being able to rest beforehand), d) let the PC retrain his cleric level to warpriest at the end of the first book, or e) something I haven't thought of yet?

[Swashbucklersdc]

Hello Mark,

I am sure this FAQ request is really low on the radar, but you have already kinda answered it previously in the thread:

Karyukai Tea Set

I am more on the interpretation that the Greater Heroism lasts 11 minutes, Heroism 110 minutes and the original effect 12 hours.

However, would it be unreasonable for the following, if you were able to make the highest Diplomacy roll: Greater Heroism lasts 11 minutes, then the benefits get reduced to Heroism, which finishes it duration. Finally, when Heroism finishes it's duration, the original Heroes' Feast benefits to morale (+1 morale bonus on attack rolls and Will saves) takes over until the full 12 hours duration.

I appreciate your advice,

Thanks!

[Matrix Dragon]

Hey Mark! Just curious, for the Overwhelming Soul archetype, do you think it would be unbalancing to increase the size of the 'internal buffer' that the Overwhelming Soul gets by the character's Charisma Modifier? I'm also thinking of making this ability available at level 1 instead of level 6 of course.

I feel like this would make the Overwhelming soul competitive with, but still weaker than, a standard Kineticist. He would be able to actually use some 'burn' abilities without having to stand still all the time, but still wouldn't be able to do it as many times per day as a standard Kineticist.

Of course, the issue is that a lot of this is still theory crafting and I am hesitant to make any big changes before seeing a bit more of the class in action XD

[Mark Seifter]

Matrix Dragon wrote:

Hey Mark! Just curious, for the Overwhelming Soul archetype, do you think it would be unbalancing to increase the size of the 'internal buffer' that the Overwhelming Soul gets by the character's Charisma Modifier?

I feel like this would make the Overwhelming soul competitive with, but still weaker than, a standard Kineticist. He wouldn't be able to use 'burn' abilities as many times per day, but would have the benefit of always having the full bonus of Overwhelming Power. I'm hesitant to make such a big change to a class that I am not fully familiar with yet though.

I'm going to skip in "line" to this question, since it's an easy answer: It would be very much overpowered if she gained that many extra uses of mental prowess. It would allow the overwhelming soul to use its 'burn' abilities far more times per day than a typical kineticist would except in an emergency, and all without taking any side effect. Think about it; a typical low level kineticist (let's say like 3rd level so that there's actually some overflow going on) is going to take 1 burn for elemental overflow, and then try to take as little more burn as necessary to do what she has to do, maybe 1 or 2 more at most on an average day, for a total of 2-3 (maximum probably between 5 and 8 depending on Con, but hitting maximum would only happen very rarely). For a pyro (or other touch attack build) which would have Cha primary, the proposed change would give the overwhelming soul at least 4 free uses.

[Matrix Dragon]

Mark Seifter wrote:

Matrix Dragon wrote:

Hey Mark! Just curious, for the Overwhelming Soul archetype, do you think it would be unbalancing to increase the size of the 'internal buffer' that the Overwhelming Soul gets by the character's Charisma Modifier?

I feel like this would make the Overwhelming soul competitive with, but still weaker than, a standard Kineticist. He wouldn't be able to use 'burn' abilities as many times per day, but would have the benefit of always having the full bonus of Overwhelming Power. I'm hesitant to make such a big change to a class that I am not fully familiar with yet though.

I'm going to skip in "line" to this question, since it's an easy answer: It would be very much overpowered if she gained that many extra uses of mental prowess. It would allow the overwhelming soul to use its 'burn' abilities far more times per day than a typical kineticist would except in an emergency, and all without taking any side effect. Think about it; a typical low level kineticist (let's say like 3rd level so that there's actually some overflow going on) is going to take 1 burn for elemental overflow, and then try to take as little more burn as necessary to do what she has to do, maybe 1 or 2 more at most on an average day, for a total of 2-3 (maximum probably between 5 and 8 depending on Con, but hitting maximum would only happen very rarely). For a pyro (or other touch attack build) which would have Cha primary, the proposed change would give the overwhelming soul at least 4 free uses.

Thanks for the quick reply! Hmmm, it is apparent that I need to see more the of kineticist in action before I really understand how the class works out. Unfortunately, the Player that is currently running a playtest kineticist in my campaign is only using burn for Kinetic Healing XD

[thegreenteagamer]

I'm not sure if this exists, but if it doesn't, I'm thinking about making a custom spell available for my players. Something that can transfer an enchantment from one weapon or armor to another, so that if players for example find some adamantine armor, they can move their +2 light fortification from their old armor to it, or they can take the +2 flaming from a whip they found and put it on the longsword they're proficient in, etc.

I'm thinking of staggered levels...

1) a lesser version that works to a certain power level max and has an expensive material component (but nothing unreasonable so you wouldn't use the spell)

2), a regular version that hits the lesser version's limit with no material components, or has no limit except it that it can't do artifacts when you use an expensive material component

3) a greater version with no material components for anything that isn't an artifact, but can move an artifact's essence to another equivalent item type for a cost.

What level spell do you think these spells should be? What types of casters would it fit the list of best? How much do you think would be a reasonable cost for these spells' components?

[DrDeth]

thegreenteagamer wrote:

I'm not sure if this exists, but if it doesn't, I'm thinking about making a custom spell available for my players. Something that can transfer an enchantment from one weapon or armor to another, so that if players for example find some adamantine armor, they can move their +2 light fortification from their old armor to it, or they can take the +2 flaming from a whip they found and put it on the longsword they're proficient in, etc.

I'm thinking of staggered levels...

1) a lesser version that works to a certain power level max and has an expensive material component (but nothing unreasonable so you wouldn't use the spell)

2), a regular version that hits the lesser version's limit with no material components, or has no limit except it that it can't do artifacts when you use an expensive material component

3) a greater version with no material components for anything that isn't an artifact, but can move an artifact's essence to another equivalent item type for a cost.

What level spell do you think these spells should be? What types of casters would it fit the list of best? How much do you think would be a reasonable cost for these spells' components?

My DM let us do this with Limited Wish. Also change a weapon to another, same +s. Falchoin to scimitar, etc.

[thegreenteagamer]

I don't think it should need such a high level spell for a minor one. It's not making a new item. I mean, if they find their first +1 item, but aren't proficient, or maybe it was a giant's weapon or the like, I don't think it should be relegated to the miscellaneous "sell this crap" bag until you're such a high caster level that such an item is of negligible benefit. It's just moving an existing enchantment. This is especially true for small PCs in APs, where dang near everything you find is medium.

[Swashbucklersdc]

thegreenteagamer wrote:

I'm not sure if this exists, but if it doesn't, I'm thinking about making a custom spell available for my players. Something that can transfer an enchantment from one weapon or armor to another, so that if players for example find some adamantine armor, they can move their +2 light fortification from their old armor to it, or they can take the +2 flaming from a whip they found and put it on the longsword they're proficient in, etc

Although I don't want to derail the thread, as this is Ask Mark, the spell asked for above I would put as a 3rd level spell. You gain Craft Arms and Armor at 5th level minimum, so it would be a good starting point. The material cost would be the same as repairing a "broken"magic weapon or armor.

The spell would increase at 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter, allowing you to move another +1 enhancement value or equivalent. This is based on the requirement of "The creator's caster level must be at least three times the enhancement bonus of the armor or weapon."

The last part would be you could only move the enchantment if you were capable of making it yourself...

[Rycaut]

well there is already the Transformative ability that can be added to a melee weapon (at a +10,000gp cost) as a GM I would consider a lower cost ability to change a weapon from one form to another on a permanent basis (so without the flexibility of a true transformative) weapon.

For moving enchantments I would limit it to moving abilities not straight +1 etc bonuses (otherwise you may break the cost curve if your players can take three cheap +1 suits of armor or weapons and get +3 weapons/armor quickly and easily.

More broadly I would probably work with my players - artifacts or intelligent items I might give the ability to adapt to their wearer's preferences in many cases (some others would have a story reason for being a specific weapon and that shape would be inherent in their story and abilities).

It is also worth reminding players from time to time that investing everything in one weapon or one suit of armor isn't always very smart - occasionally give them foes that sunder weapons, disarm weapons or otherwise interfere with the player's equipment and the value of having a good backup weapon or backup plan for protection becomes apparent very quickly. (my archer characters in PFS have learned this the hard way and keep multiple enchanted bows handy - there the "adaptive" quality is priceless to let weapons adjust to my archer's changing STR)

Special materials are a somewhat unique case - depends a bit on how common/uncommon they are in your campaign but generally I think it makes sense to make them somewhat rare and special (and thus also a challenge to get and enchant).

(and I would also always let players add to the enhancements of their current weapons and armor which seems to be rules as intended as it is allowed in PFS - adding enhancements or bonuses but if a weapon or armor is a "named" item it might not be able to be further enhanced)

[DrDeth]

Mark you answered a question about the protector familiar archetype some time ago, but I have another. The familiar gets BodyGuard and Combat reflexes in place of Alertness and Improved Evasion.

Is either one of these passed on to it's master like Alertness is?

[Rynjin]

Question on the Elemental Annihilator.

Is the Devastating Infusion meant to be able to be used as a ranged attack too? The text for the Infusion itself reads as though it's melee only, but Flurry of Devastation implies that ranged attacks are possible.

Was there some clarifying text missing from the basic Infusion? Or is it melee only until Flurry comes on?

[Mark Seifter]

Rynjin wrote:

Question on the Elemental Annihilator.

Is the Devastating Infusion meant to be able to be used as a ranged attack too? The text for the Infusion itself reads as though it's melee only, but Flurry of Devastation implies that ranged attacks are possible.

Was there some clarifying text missing from the basic Infusion? Or is it melee only until Flurry comes on?

The first sentence of the infusion clearly indicates that it can be used in both ways. I won't quote text here because the book isn't out yet.

[Rynjin]

OHHHHHH...

I've been reading it weirdly. The way I read it, it's restating the Kinetic Blast rules, and then stating what the Devastating Infusion lets you do instead.

My bad.

[Mark Seifter]

TriOmegaZero wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

Thus all rules for draw or sheathe a weapon apply, including the ability to draw or sheathe a weapon-like object.

There actually isn't a rule allowing you to sheathe while moving as far as I can tell. The FAQ kind of makes it sound like there is.

The thread with the PDT post now has some cleared-up language. Getting it onto the actual FAQ may take some time, as I don't have the necessary permissions to do it myself (there's the weird form that designers can use that creates FAQs but cannot edit or delete them).

[Kalindlara]

Mark Seifter wrote:

TriOmegaZero wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

Thus all rules for draw or sheathe a weapon apply, including the ability to draw or sheathe a weapon-like object.

There actually isn't a rule allowing you to sheathe while moving as far as I can tell. The FAQ kind of makes it sound like there is.

The thread with the PDT post now has some cleared-up language. Getting it onto the actual FAQ may take some time, as I don't have the necessary permissions to do it myself (there's the weird form that designers can use that creates FAQs but cannot edit or delete them).

Any chance you could link that thread, please?

[Mark Seifter]

Luthorne wrote:

If you're implementing the Unchained rules for disease and poison, do you think, say, the poison spell should use Constitution Poison track, or is it different as a spell effect? I presume spit venom would, since it explicitly acts as black adder venom...

I would use the most similar track, and if there's something weird about the poison, make some adjustments like in the sample (the most important sample poison not to forget in converting is small centipede poison, which replicates a really crappy poison that deals barely any ability damage, so it takes two failures to get worse, since you don't want to accidentally turn another crappy poison like SCP into a full-fledged Unchained poison).

[Mark Seifter]

BigP4nda wrote:

Where should Finesse Training go on the stat block? Under Special Attacks or Special Qualities.

Hmm...probably special attacks? Could go either way honestly, but weapon training is in special attacks, I guess.

[Mark Seifter]

ohako wrote:

Can a half-elf gain proficiency with an elven branched spear by taking the trait Heirloom Weapon?

It's not martial, so I wouldn't think so. EBS's text is surely a reminder of the elf racial ability weapon familiarity, not a redundant special ability possessed by the EBS.

[Mark Seifter]

Joe M. wrote:

Hi Mark,

I've got a new player with an animal companion. Never having played or run for an animal much before, I'm not sure what's up with the barding rules ("armor for unusual creatures" etc). Any guidance on what types of armor can be made into barding? For some reason it seems silly to me to imagine fullplate barding, and I have some hazy half-memory (real or totally made up) of there being a "light armor only" restriction on barding ...

Figure you're sure to know what's up.

:-)

Everything can become barding, but they need a lot of feats to use full plate barding.

[Mark Seifter]

wraithstrike wrote:

Hey Mark it's me again.

For the arcanist the elf FCB says "Increase total number of points in the arcanist’s arcane reservoir by 1".

Does this apply to the max, the amount you start with daily, or both?

Maximum. Gnomes are the ones that increase starting points each day (compare the two).

[Mark Seifter]

BigP4nda wrote:

Hey Mark I have a rules question that I posted on the forums, was wondering if you could take a look at it and provide any insight, as well as anybody else willing to give it a looksie.

It's regarding the validity of the called weapon property and bags of holding.

You can read more about it here

Any advice you can provide is greatly appreciated!

I would say that something in another plane is not within 100 feet.

[Mark Seifter]

andreww wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

FAQ Friday returns!

FAQ wrote:

Wild armor and other transforming armor: When I use a wild armor and gain the armor’s benefits, what restrictions, if any, apply to me? In general, when I transform with a polymorph effect and some of my gear melds into the form, what restrictions do I have for melding with large amounts of heavy gear? What about other types of transforming armor?

If you were in medium or heavy load from encumbrance before transforming, you continue to take those penalties in your melded form. Otherwise, ignore the weight of melded items and calculate your encumbrance in your polymorphed form entirely based on non-melded items. When wearing melded armor and shields, if you gain no benefit from the melded armor, you still count as wearing an armor of that type, but you do not suffer its armor check penalty, movement speed reduction, or arcane spell failure chance. If you do gain any benefits (as with the wild property), then you do suffer the armor check penalty, movement speed reduction, and arcane spell failure chance. This also applies to all other situations where you or an armor transform: you always count as wearing an armor of that type, and if you gain any benefit at all from the armor (such as mistmail), you apply the armor check penalty, movement speed reduction, and arcane spell failure chance.

What FAQ will be next? Gencon looms, which means that afterwards, blogs might be possible! But not next week. Find out more on next FAQ Friday!

Thanks for this. Can I ask you to comment on one aspect of Wild armour. It specifies that it only works during wild shape. Is the Wild property also intended to benefit people using polymorph effects?

Seems to be only wild shape to me.

[Mark Seifter]

DrDeth wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

What FAQ will be next? Gencon looms, which means that afterwards, blogs might be possible! But not next week. Find out more on next FAQ Friday!

Hope you're having fun! Beware Con-crud, follow my advice. Thanks for all your hard work on these!

Oooh, a blog post- dare I hope Simulacrum at last?

Con crud is particularly pernicious because it's possible to, as happened at Paizocon, avoid the crud myself only to get it afterwards from other officemates who got it. But I'll try!

[Mark Seifter]

Shadowlord wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

Zwordsman wrote:

that kirin strike sounds neat.

Gosh I hope this book is put on thePRD so my group will start considering using it.

It will make its way to the PRD for sure, guaranteed, as normal for all Pathfinder RPG line books! Until then, consider gifting your GM the pdf; our pdf prices for that line of books are incredibly discounted, since we want to get the rules out to all of you in the best way possible. Plus, you get pictures that won't be on the PRD like the laser beam flumph!

Is it still the plan to put Unchained on PRD?

I guess so. That's more of a web team thing rather than creative team, and design team is a subteam of creative team, so it's far enough away from me that I can't really say when it would be, but I can be sure that it is the plan.

[Mark Seifter]

Jacob Saltband wrote:

Question....

If you were GMing and a player said that his character takes a longsword and cuts his own throat, what would the outcome be?

I would rule it as a coup de grace. It would provoke from adjacent creatures, and then he would auto-crit and need to make a Fort save. Since you can choose to fail saves, he could choose to fail, and thus he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin. I mean, who would fardels bear to grunt and sweat under a weary life anyway?

[Mark Seifter]

Joana wrote:

Hey, Mark! I'm getting ready to run Giantslayer for a group of players, and no one wants to play a cleric (or life oracle). I really want them to have positive energy channeling due to the ** spoiler omitted **

One player is planning to run a warpriest, but he won't have channel energy yet at the time they have that encounter. I've told them they should really have channeling available, and the player is willing to take a level of cleric first and then go warpriest the rest of the way. The way those two classes multiclass, however, seems really complicated, with separate channeling pools and weird relationships between domains and blessings, etc.

If you were GM, would you a) allow the multiclass to work together more smoothly, by pooling similar class abilities (downside is it will make using HeroLab a real hassle for the player), b) give the PC some sort of homebrew magic item that gives him 1d6 of channeling from level one and have it not stack with class ability channeling so it becomes useless when he gets his own channel, c) level them up to 4 before they enter the tomb instead of at the end so the PC has warpriest channel energy (problematic due to the timer in the game and unlikelihood of being able to rest beforehand), d) let the PC retrain his cleric level to warpriest at the end of the first book, or e) something I haven't thought of yet?

To be honest, if it's just about one monster, I would consider giving the party some cool one-shot items to help exterminate that monster, and then the player can just make the character they want. Or maybe the deity sends a vision of the monster and grants channel energy early for just that fight?

[Mark Seifter]

Swashbucklersdc wrote:

Hello Mark,

I am sure this FAQ request is really low on the radar, but you have already kinda answered it previously in the thread:

Karyukai Tea Set

I am more on the interpretation that the Greater Heroism lasts 11 minutes, Heroism 110 minutes and the original effect 12 hours.

However, would it be unreasonable for the following, if you were able to make the highest Diplomacy roll: Greater Heroism lasts 11 minutes, then the benefits get reduced to Heroism, which finishes it duration. Finally, when Heroism finishes it's duration, the original Heroes' Feast benefits to morale (+1 morale bonus on attack rolls and Will saves) takes over until the full 12 hours duration.

I appreciate your advice,

Thanks!

Sounds great! I'm running JR, and that's more-or-less how I'm doing it.

[Mark Seifter]

thegreenteagamer wrote:

I'm not sure if this exists, but if it doesn't, I'm thinking about making a custom spell available for my players. Something that can transfer an enchantment from one weapon or armor to another, so that if players for example find some adamantine armor, they can move their +2 light fortification from their old armor to it, or they can take the +2 flaming from a whip they found and put it on the longsword they're proficient in, etc.

I'm thinking of staggered levels...

1) a lesser version that works to a certain power level max and has an expensive material component (but nothing unreasonable so you wouldn't use the spell)

2), a regular version that hits the lesser version's limit with no material components, or has no limit except it that it can't do artifacts when you use an expensive material component

3) a greater version with no material components for anything that isn't an artifact, but can move an artifact's essence to another equivalent item type for a cost.

What level spell do you think these spells should be? What types of casters would it fit the list of best? How much do you think would be a reasonable cost for these spells' components?

If I was going to work on a set of spells like this, I wouldn't make greater versions that remove the cost; it leads to weird situations where the higher-level spell costs less to hire from an NPC than the lower. I also wouldn't let any version mess with artifacts. I'm not entirely sure what levels I would make the trio, though.

[Mark Seifter]

DrDeth wrote:

Mark you answered a question about the protector familiar archetype some time ago, but I have another. The familiar gets BodyGuard and Combat reflexes in place of Alertness and Improved Evasion.

Is either one of these passed on to it's master like Alertness is?

Just the familiar gets it.

[BigP4nda]

What would you use for the Grippli's poison track, going off of the optional rules for poison & disease.

I feel like it shouldn't be able to kill just from being an alternate racial trait.

Same thing goes for Vishkanyas.

[Mark Seifter]

Both would be Dex track. Maybe have them take two failures to progress. Could have it go to only immobile with no end state if you like, too.

[Luthorne]

Hey, Mark, can you explain to me the difference between the dwarven and half-orc racial favored class bonuses for mesmerist? The wording's a bit different but it seems like both do the same thing except the half-orc's is twice as good...am I missing something?

[Joe M.]

Mark Seifter wrote:

Joe M. wrote:

Hi Mark,

I've got a new player with an animal companion. Never having played or run for an animal much before, I'm not sure what's up with the barding rules ("armor for unusual creatures" etc). Any guidance on what types of armor can be made into barding? For some reason it seems silly to me to imagine fullplate barding, and I have some hazy half-memory (real or totally made up) of there being a "light armor only" restriction on barding ...

Figure you're sure to know what's up.

:-)

Everything can become barding, but they need a lot of feats to use full plate barding.

Oh, hah, of course. Thanks for checking me. :-)

[Mark Seifter]

Luthorne wrote:

Hey, Mark, can you explain to me the difference between the dwarven and half-orc racial favored class bonuses for mesmerist? The wording's a bit different but it seems like both do the same thing except the half-orc's is twice as good...am I missing something?

Dwarf effects damage when anybody uses the bonus, half-orc when you personally do so.

Hmm...those aren't all the same FCB wordings as when I last saw them. Some of the kineticist ones need clarifications (dwarf and half-orc, which seem to have changed from non-damage to damage after I wrote the kineticist FCB need to have the same "that apply the kineticist's elemental overflow bonus" text like elf, which was supposed to be the one that added damage due to elves' lower Con).

[The Fox]

Kalindlara wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

TriOmegaZero wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

Thus all rules for draw or sheathe a weapon apply, including the ability to draw or sheathe a weapon-like object.

There actually isn't a rule allowing you to sheathe while moving as far as I can tell. The FAQ kind of makes it sound like there is.

The thread with the PDT post now has some cleared-up language. Getting it onto the actual FAQ may take some time, as I don't have the necessary permissions to do it myself (there's the weird form that designers can use that creates FAQs but cannot edit or delete them).

Any chance you could link that thread, please?

I think Mark is busy.

LINK

[Kalindlara]

The Fox wrote:

Kalindlara wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

TriOmegaZero wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

Thus all rules for draw or sheathe a weapon apply, including the ability to draw or sheathe a weapon-like object.

There actually isn't a rule allowing you to sheathe while moving as far as I can tell. The FAQ kind of makes it sound like there is.

The thread with the PDT post now has some cleared-up language. Getting it onto the actual FAQ may take some time, as I don't have the necessary permissions to do it myself (there's the weird form that designers can use that creates FAQs but cannot edit or delete them).

Any chance you could link that thread, please?

I think Mark is busy.

LINK

Thank you!

[Luthorne]

Mark Seifter wrote:

Luthorne wrote:

Hey, Mark, can you explain to me the difference between the dwarven and half-orc racial favored class bonuses for mesmerist? The wording's a bit different but it seems like both do the same thing except the half-orc's is twice as good...am I missing something?

Dwarf effects damage when anybody uses the bonus, half-orc when you personally do so.

Hmm...those aren't all the same FCB wordings as when I last saw them. Some of the kineticist ones need clarifications (dwarf and half-orc, which seem to have changed from non-damage to damage after I wrote the kineticist FCB need to have the same "that apply the kineticist's elemental overflow bonus" text like elf, which was supposed to be the one that added damage due to elves' lower Con).

So the dwarf and half-orc ones are also supposed to apply only when you're getting bonuses from elemental overflow? I remember thinking the elf and half-elf bonuses wouldn't be of much use to an overwhelming soul. That and that a halfling kinetic chirurgeon would be interesting...

[Mark Seifter]

Luthorne wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

Luthorne wrote:

Hey, Mark, can you explain to me the difference between the dwarven and half-orc racial favored class bonuses for mesmerist? The wording's a bit different but it seems like both do the same thing except the half-orc's is twice as good...am I missing something?

Dwarf effects damage when anybody uses the bonus, half-orc when you personally do so.

Hmm...those aren't all the same FCB wordings as when I last saw them. Some of the kineticist ones need clarifications (dwarf and half-orc, which seem to have changed from non-damage to damage after I wrote the kineticist FCB need to have the same "that apply the kineticist's elemental overflow bonus" text like elf, which was supposed to be the one that added damage due to elves' lower Con).

So the dwarf and half-orc ones are also supposed to apply only when you're getting bonuses from elemental overflow? I remember thinking the elf and half-elf bonuses wouldn't be of much use to an overwhelming soul. That and that a halfling kinetic chirurgeon would be interesting...

Yes, they definitely should apply only when you're getting the elemental overflow bonus. Other than those two changed ones, which aren't intentional due to my not noticing that they changed, some of the kineticist options are intentionally pretty strong due to the increased utility a kineticist has for the hit point FCB.

[Joana]

Mark Seifter wrote:

To be honest, if it's just about one monster, I would consider giving the party some cool one-shot items to help exterminate that monster, and then the player can just make the character they want.

Can you suggest such a cool one-shot item? Being incorporeal, it's immune to alchemist's fire/acid/etc, and with the one magic weapon in play at this point doing half-1d4 a round, there'll be a TPK before the party can hope to deal 39 points of damage, even ignoring the 50% miss chance each round due to total concealment. :P

[Rynjin]

So why don't you just give them a bunch of Holy Water?

2d4*1.5 vs an Incorporeal creature ain't half bad.

[Mark Seifter]

Let's see. So these would take full damage only from a ghost touch bludgeoning weapon? For an in-print item, blunt arrows with ghost salt could be a solution. They'd do full damage. Otherwise, for a new item, something like a set of holy water grenade (The Holy Water Grenade of Antioch? :D) that works like a fuse grenade but deals 4d4 damage in its radius as holy water (so double strength holy water, and area so x1.5. Three of those, given failed saves, will put it in its place, even without any other help)

[Joana]

I had forgotten about holy water. That's a really good suggestion, especially since there's no reason for the party to blow through holy water fighting orcs like they're likely to with spell slots or channels.

Thanks!

[Mark Seifter]

Joana wrote:

I had forgotten about holy water. That's a really good suggestion, especially since there's no reason for the party to blow through holy water fighting orcs like they're likely to with spell slots or channels.

Thanks!

Now, if they're like "Blah, who needs all this holy water. Let's sell it so I can buy my next Big 6 item." "Good idea. I love selling everything we find and buying Big 6 items!" then at that point, I say let 'em burn! ;) Somehow from your previous posts about your group, I highly doubt they'll do that though.