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

[Haldelar Baxter]

What kind of damage does the Enervating infusion deal ?

[Mark Seifter]

Haldelar Baxter wrote:

Can the negative energy blasts damage inanimate objects ? would it be half damage ?

Inanimate objects would take no damage since they aren't living creatures, so they can't be harmed by negative energy. Same as if someone channeled negative energy.

[Haldelar Baxter]

Mark Seifter wrote:

Haldelar Baxter wrote:

Can the negative energy blasts damage inanimate objects ? would it be half damage ?

Inanimate objects would take no damage since they aren't living creatures, so they can't be harmed by negative energy. Same as if someone channeled negative energy.

thanks

[Haldelar Baxter]

Luthorne wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

Pulling singularity: Pull creatures back into the center of an expanding singularity to force them to take more damage, like a black hole.

Hmm, but pulling infusion says, "the blast always drags the foe closer to you"...is it supposed to not work like that if the blast isn't originating from you, like with wall, sphere or, of course, singularity shape infusions?

Luthorne had this question, would be interested to know as well..

[Xelaaredn]

Was wondering, for both pushing and pulling infusions... Do they provoke attacks of opportunity? It says that you attempt a bull rush or drag maneuver as part of the attack with them, which normally both of those maneuvers require heavy feat investment to allow provoking an attack of opportunity with them.

However, you aren't touching them and the normal physical limitations due to direct contact with them would (I would think) no longer apply. The target is being moved by a force and likely the target is freaking out and leaving themselves open.

Basically... are the multiple feats needed to cause attacks of opportunity to be provoked or no?

[Targen]

Mark Seifter wrote:

Targen wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

Targen wrote:

Hello! I have a couple of questions about the kineticist. Apologies if this is the wrong place to ask or if these have been asked before; I'm sort of new here and I haven't been able to find them, respectively.

The questions:
1. It seems strange that force, of all blasts, should not be associated with the pushing infusion. Is this intentional, or was it accidentally left out?

2. By RAW, it looks as though the pushing infusion can be combined with the wall form infusion, which could be extremely cool. If this is the case, would the bull-rush attempt push the creature back and prevent them from crossing the wall? It's nice to imagine this combination could be used to stop creatures from crossing the wall altogether, doing damage every time they try. It'd also be cool to think incorporeal creatures could be bounced back by a force wall (cough cough) like some sort of ward, although I guess they could just go over the top. :P

...

You could also use quicken, potentially. To really mess with them, you could quicken the first wall, then ready an action to make the second wall, so they weren't expecting dealing with two.

You could do the latter, but I think that might be the only way to do it - any wall-infused blast disappears as soon as you use another. :( So it's not useful againdt multiple foes. Could always set up an entangling wall and then pick them off one by one with entangling blasts, though. Or an entangling whip and Combat Reflexes.

[Targen]

Does the telekineticist's Kinetic Blade do damage to the object being held like their normal blast does? That could be problematic.

[Shadow_Charlatan]

Can Kinetic Blade be used with the Archmage ability Mage Strike ?

[Mark Seifter]

FAQ Friday returns!

FAQ wrote:

What exactly do I identify when I’m using Spellcraft to identify a spell? Is it the components, since spell-like abilities, for instance, don’t have any? If I can only identify components, would that mean that I can’t take an attack of opportunity against someone using a spell-like ability (or spell with no verbal, somatic, or material components) or ready an action to shoot an arrow to disrupt a spell-like ability? If there’s something else, how do I know what it is?

Although this isn’t directly stated in the Core Rulebook, many elements of the game system work assuming that all spells have their own manifestations, regardless of whether or not they also produce an obvious visual effect, like fireball. You can see some examples to give you ideas of how to describe a spell’s manifestation in various pieces of art from Pathfinder products, but ultimately, the choice is up to your group, or perhaps even to the aesthetics of an individual spellcaster, to decide the exact details. Whatever the case, these manifestations are obviously magic of some kind, even to the uninitiated; this prevents spellcasters that use spell-like abilities, psychic magic, and the like from running completely amok against non-spellcasters in a non-combat situation. Special abilities exist (and more are likely to appear in Ultimate Intrigue) that specifically facilitate a spellcaster using chicanery to misdirect people from those manifestations and allow them to go unnoticed, but they will always provide an onlooker some sort of chance to detect the ruse.

Didja miss it?

[Shadow_Charlatan]

When using Ride the Blast can the character continue to take actions after or are they limited as per the Dimension Door spell where they can no longer take any other actions until their next turn ?

[mechaPoet]

How is your last name pronounced?

[Mark Seifter]

mechaPoet wrote:

How is your last name pronounced?

The "ei" is a long i sound, like "eidolon" or "zeitgeist" or "fahrenheit". Other than that, the consonants go together just like in the words "sifter" and "softer".

[Gisher]

Mark Seifter wrote:

FAQ Friday returns!

FAQ wrote:

What exactly do I identify when I’m using Spellcraft to identify a spell? Is it the components, since spell-like abilities, for instance, don’t have any? If I can only identify components, would that mean that I can’t take an attack of opportunity against someone using a spell-like ability (or spell with no verbal, somatic, or material components) or ready an action to shoot an arrow to disrupt a spell-like ability? If there’s something else, how do I know what it is?

Although this isn’t directly stated in the Core Rulebook, many elements of the game system work assuming that all spells have their own manifestations, regardless of whether or not they also produce an obvious visual effect, like fireball. You can see some examples to give you ideas of how to describe a spell’s manifestation in various pieces of art from Pathfinder products, but ultimately, the choice is up to your group, or perhaps even to the aesthetics of an individual spellcaster, to decide the exact details. Whatever the case, these manifestations are obviously magic of some kind, even to the uninitiated; this prevents spellcasters that use spell-like abilities, psychic magic, and the like from running completely amok against non-spellcasters in a non-combat situation. Special abilities exist (and more are likely to appear in Ultimate Intrigue) that specifically facilitate a spellcaster using chicanery to misdirect people from those manifestations and allow them to go unnoticed, but they will always provide an onlooker some sort of chance to detect the ruse.

Didja miss it?

Yes! Yes I did! :)

[Tels]

Mark Seifter wrote:

mechaPoet wrote:

How is your last name pronounced?

The "ei" is a long i sound, like "eidolon" or "zeitgeist" or "fahrenheit". Other than that, the consonants go together just like in the words "sifter" and "softer".

So... *sigh*fter?

[QuidEst]

Tels wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

mechaPoet wrote:

How is your last name pronounced?

The "ei" is a long i sound, like "eidolon" or "zeitgeist" or "fahrenheit". Other than that, the consonants go together just like in the words "sifter" and "softer".

So... *sigh*fter?

Only when you don't like the FAQ response.

[Chess Pwn]

Mark Seifter wrote:

FAQ Friday returns!

FAQ wrote:

What exactly do I identify when I’m using Spellcraft to identify a spell? Is it the components, since spell-like abilities, for instance, don’t have any? If I can only identify components, would that mean that I can’t take an attack of opportunity against someone using a spell-like ability (or spell with no verbal, somatic, or material components) or ready an action to shoot an arrow to disrupt a spell-like ability? If there’s something else, how do I know what it is?

Although this isn’t directly stated in the Core Rulebook, many elements of the game system work assuming that all spells have their own manifestations, regardless of whether or not they also produce an obvious visual effect, like fireball. You can see some examples to give you ideas of how to describe a spell’s manifestation in various pieces of art from Pathfinder products, but ultimately, the choice is up to your group, or perhaps even to the aesthetics of an individual spellcaster, to decide the exact details. Whatever the case, these manifestations are obviously magic of some kind, even to the uninitiated; this prevents spellcasters that use spell-like abilities, psychic magic, and the like from running completely amok against non-spellcasters in a non-combat situation. Special abilities exist (and more are likely to appear in Ultimate Intrigue) that specifically facilitate a spellcaster using chicanery to misdirect people from those manifestations and allow them to go unnoticed, but they will always provide an onlooker some sort of chance to detect the ruse.

Didja miss it?

Good to have it back!

Question about this though. Does invisibility stop the spellcraftable aspects of the spell from being perceivable? aka can I see these effects to know where a spell is being cast from or do they become invisible too because of the invisibility?

are there visual, auditory or other sense components? Such as if invisibility stops you from seeing as the question above, would it negate the chance at spellcraft? or would we spellcraft with a -20 for invisibility? and would we still get that if their spell doesn't have verbal? Now that it's defined that there's something there people are going to want to know how mechanically it works.

[David knott 242]

Did you notice that the Help/FAQ page still says that the Core Rulebook FAQ was last updated in July 2015? It is only through this thread that I know about the latest update.

Anyway -- thanks for getting FAQ Friday going again!

[Lou Diamond]

Mark, why isn't there a feat for a War Priest to get extra fervor? Like there is for a Paladin to get extra lay on the hands?

[Lou Diamond]

Mark why are the saves for the Swashbuckler class so bad compared to other new classes. the swashbucker has two bad saves and one good save while all the other new classes have two good save and on bad saves.

[Luthorne]

Lou Diamond wrote:

Mark why are the saves for the Swashbuckler class so bad compared to other new classes. the swashbucker has two bad saves and one good save while all the other new classes have two good save and on bad saves.

Uh. I'm not Mark, but...they don't? Arcanists, bloodragers, shamans, and swashbucklers all have only one good save, while brawler, hunters, investigators, skalds, slayers, and warpriests have two of the Advanced Class Guide classes. Mediums and psychics only have one good save too...

[Tacticslion]

Mark Seifter wrote:

ZanThrax wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

It leads to a further question of how nagas are managing their somatic components...

Clearly, nagas do some sort of rhythmic snake dance for their somatic components.

Yeah, that's what I concluded in my games as well!

Hypnotism, for example!

Aaaaaaaaaaaand here.

[Gisher]

Tacticslion wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

ZanThrax wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

It leads to a further question of how nagas are managing their somatic components...

Clearly, nagas do some sort of rhythmic snake dance for their somatic components.

Yeah, that's what I concluded in my games as well!

Hypnotism, for example!

Aaaaaaaaaaaand here.

They don't use Somatic Components. They use Sssssssomatic Componentsssss, instead.

[Rycaut]

Who / where should we point out that the last two FAQ updates (last friday's and the update to the main store FAQ) didn't update the last updated date for those pages so there is no indication that a new FAQ had been posted?

(seems to be working correctly for the Card Game FAQ pages but not for the last two FAQ updates I've seen - who knows if we've all missed other updates...)

[BigP4nda]

BigP4nda wrote:

Hey Mark, this is my first time coming across this issue, as I've never used the ability before, but where would Spell-Scars (Magus arcana) go on the stat block? Under Spells and SLA's? Special Attacks, or Special Qualities? Or would they go under gear as if they were scrolls?

[ohako]

Mark Seifter wrote:

FAQ Friday returns!

FAQ wrote:

What exactly do I identify when I’m using Spellcraft to identify a spell? Is it the components, since spell-like abilities, for instance, don’t have any? If I can only identify components, would that mean that I can’t take an attack of opportunity against someone using a spell-like ability (or spell with no verbal, somatic, or material components) or ready an action to shoot an arrow to disrupt a spell-like ability? If there’s something else, how do I know what it is?

Although this isn’t directly stated in the Core Rulebook, many elements of the game system work assuming that all spells have their own manifestations, regardless of whether or not they also produce an obvious visual effect, like fireball. You can see some examples to give you ideas of how to describe a spell’s manifestation in various pieces of art from Pathfinder products, but ultimately, the choice is up to your group, or perhaps even to the aesthetics of an individual spellcaster, to decide the exact details. Whatever the case, these manifestations are obviously magic of some kind, even to the uninitiated; this prevents spellcasters that use spell-like abilities, psychic magic, and the like from running completely amok against non-spellcasters in a non-combat situation. Special abilities exist (and more are likely to appear in Ultimate Intrigue) that specifically facilitate a spellcaster using chicanery to misdirect people from those manifestations and allow them to go unnoticed, but they will always provide an onlooker some sort of chance to detect the ruse.

Didja miss it?

Neat! Thank you!

[Joe M.]

Hi Mark,

At last night's game, my Alchemist player threw a <confusion bomb> at a <desert giant>, which is immune to fire.

Now, I'm under the impression that there's a general rule that if the target is immune to the damage of a certain attack, it also avoids any effects that go along with the attack—e.g., if your DR negates the damage from a snake bite, you don't have to bother with the poison. So a couple questions: (A) That is the general rule, right? (B) Would it apply in this case? (In the moment, I allowed the confusion effect to apply and told the player I'd review the question for the future.)

Thanks!

[Rynjin]

That Discovery seems to specifically separate the damage from the other effect, if that helps.

"A creature that takes a direct hit from a confusion bomb takes damage from the bomb and is under the effect of a confusion spell for 1 round per caster level of the alchemist."

It's not an effect tacked on to the damage in this case, like poison on a weapon for example, but one of the two effects tied to taking a HIT from it. Just my 2 cents on it, but of course Mark probably has some further insight.

[Haldelar Baxter]

Hey Mark, Merciful Foliage allows kineticist blasts to deal nonlethal damage without a penalty to attack rolls, is this (currently) the only way to deal nonlethal damage with a blast ?

Or if you take the attack penalty can you use any blast to deal nonlethal ?

[Gordrenn Higgler]

If you were to create stats for a Void elemental, what properties would you give it?

[Ashram]

I take it there are no FAQs this week?

[Mark Seifter]

FAQ Friday returns!

FAQ wrote:

Table 7-13: What happens if I roll 66-84?

Use the following weapons on a roll of 66-84:

66 sai
67 sap
68 scimitar
69 scythe
70-73 shortbow
74-75 shortspear
76-80 shortsword
81 shuriken
82 sickle
83–84 sling

[Ashram]

Mark Seifter wrote:

FAQ Friday returns!

FAQ wrote:

Table 7-13: What happens if I roll 66-84?

Use the following weapons on a roll of 66-84:

66 sai
67 sap
68 scimitar
69 scythe
70-73 shortbow
74-75 shortspear
76-80 shortsword
81 shuriken
82 sickle
83–84 sling

Timely. XD

Not the most impressive FAQ, but one that's needed nonetheless.

[blackbloodtroll]

Not seeing the FAQ.

[Mark Seifter]

Odd, me neither. Sometimes it updates itself weirdly. Regardless, I'm now home from the office for the weekend, so I'll look into it on Monday.

[Milo v3]

Did you make the Storyteller Archetype for the medium or was that someone else?

[Gisher]

The FAQ link is working now.

[Silver Surfer]

Dear Mark

First up.... big an of Pathfinder in all its RP goodness.... keep up the good work! ;)

Second..... sadly a moan

I have always been disappointed that Paizo has never designed a D6 divine class.... is there any particular reason for this?

My 2 cents:

a) There is clearly a demand for the concept - 3.5 had several popular D6 variants and within Pathfinder there have been both 3PP and homebrew attempts

Eg)

3PP Priest
3PP Priest
3PP Theosophist
3.5 Archivist
Devout Priest
Priest
Priest
Priest
Priest

And lets be honest, some of the above are more archetypes than anything, I cant imagine they took that long to conceive!

b) There is a natural lineage that is missing

Anti/Paladin ---> Warpriest ---> Cleric/Oracle ---> D6 class

c) And the reason that I find most relevant (and ironic!) is that out of all the divine concepts, it is the unarmoured, unweaponed, wrath of God, Holy man that is most relateable !!! Religious texts are full of them!

d) The Ecclesitheurge was an attempt at this, but with genuinely no offense intended, I (and many others)thought it terrible!

e) Some people might say "Well why dont you just play one of those then?".... but thats not the point is it?! Anyone can invent any class and play it! If that is the case then Paizo should never design any classes and just leave it up to the players!

f) Lets be brutally honest here.... the cleric could do with some freshening up.....there have been 100's of posts on the subject over a period of years

g) I genuinely cannot think of a single reason why it hasnt been done?!?...

[Azten]

In regards to the dwarf and half-Orc Kineticist favored class bonuses: why the change to only work on elemental overflow? They are much more limited than elf(earth and fire only, respectively).

This makes those choices yet another thing you can't chose at your first level in your favored class, a surprisingly strange and confusing thing.

[Rynjin]

From what I can tell Jason Buhlman (and the other designers? Or are you guys just following along?) seems to have decided that both Racial Favored Class Bonuses and "Extra Talent" style Feats are mistakes, and endeavours to limit most of them as much as possible for future releases.

[Deranged_Maniac_Beth]

Rynjin wrote:

From what I can tell Jason Buhlman (and the other designers? Or are you guys just following along?) seems to have decided that both Racial Favored Class Bonuses and "Extra Talent" style Feats are mistakes, and endeavours to limit most of them as much as possible for future releases.

Well, I can't agree on the "extra" series of feats (I like them too much), but I do think racial FCBs were a mistake. Well, actually, I think all FCBs were a mistake, but the racial FCBs really seem to push the "humans must be the best at everything" mentality from 1e. In my opinion, humans and half-humans should not be the best at everything. They should either be mediocre all around, or have strengths and weaknesses in different builds like the other races.

[Rynjin]

Except the ones that were nerfed were all for non-human races. =/

[Azten]

FCBs were a mistake for the simple reason that that paizo tried to get away from favored classes when converting over to 3.5 . The playtest was years ago, but I remember that reasoning.

[FiddlersGreen]

Hi Mark, I noticed that all the FAQs for Occult Adventures are dated 15 August 2015. Are FAQs and erratas for books usually handled 'in bulk'?
If say there was a rules question (for occult adventures) that generated 29 FAQ flags in 4 days, when should we realistically hope for a response or FAQ?
Also, is this the kind of thing that meetings are called for and scheduled, or discussed over the break-room table at tea time (which is perfectly fine, mind you - my own brain tends to want to work better at tea time than during work meetings for some odd reason).

Also, does 'psychic magic' fall under the purview of Nethys' portfolio? And how does he feel (or how do you think he would feel) about this new 'up-and-coming' area of magic?

[Gisher]

I'm not Mark but the 'bulk' OA FAQ's were a special case. I wouldn't expect to see that happen again any time soon.

[Lukas Stariha]

Azten wrote:

In regards to the dwarf and half-Orc Kineticist favored class bonuses: why the change to only work on elemental overflow? They are much more limited than elf(earth and fire only, respectively).

This makes those choices yet another thing you can't chose at your first level in your favored class, a surprisingly strange and confusing thing.

I think you are misunderstanding: the errata is saying that the bonus only applies to blasts that elemental overflow damage applies to, i.e. Kinetic Blade and Kinetic Fist do not get the bonus damage.

The trade-off between elf being more general is that the half-orc and dwarf bonuses scale faster (1/3 level vs 1/4 level).

[Milo v3]

Is pagecount your archnemesis?

[Haladir]

Hi, Mark.

I spent a good chunk of time this weekend with a pencil, my hardcover of the Advanced Class Guide, and my copy of the ACG Errata document. I was hand-correcting the errata in my copy.

On the plus side, this gave me a chance to see all of the errata in their full context. I also was reading a fair amount of non-errata passages in the book that I'd mostly glossed over in previous readings.

I was curious about one such feat: Kick Up. I thought it had a weird set of prerequisites: it's swashbuckler-and-slayer only.

I was curious as to the design decision behind the specific classes prerequisite. I can think of many concepts for fighters, rangers, rogues, or other classes for which this feat would seem a natural fit. One other thing that threw me was that the artwork depicting this feat showed Seltyiel the iconic magus using it. But he'd be barred from this feat for not having swashbuckler or slayer levels.

Thanks for your insight!

[Targen]

Have you ever played the game Magicka? Gather Power and composite blasts in particular remind me of it.

[Lou Diamond]

Mark, do you think a trait that would reduce the Burn of a Kineticist's burn by 1 point when every they used burn too powerful for a Trait?
I thought of calling it Feel The Burn.

I have Kineticist question, would a swarm be affected if it entered a Kineticist's square when he was useing gather power? If so how much damage would this do to the swarm.

Mark how would you write a power for a Kineticist to channel his blast damage into a melee weapon he was carrying inflicting the damage on whom ever he hit with his weapon.

[Shadow_Charlatan]

Lou Diamond wrote:

Mark, do you think a trait that would reduce the Burn of a Kineticist's burn by 1 point when every they used burn too powerful for a Trait?

I thought of calling it Feel The Burn.

I have Kineticist question, would a swarm be affected if it entered a Kineticist's square when he was useing gather power? If so how much damage would this do to the swarm.

Mark how would you write a power for a Kineticist to channel his blast damage into a melee weapon he was carrying inflicting the damage on whom ever he hit with his weapon.

For dealing damage to swarms when gathering power, it could lead into dealing damage to projectile weapons targeting the same square .

It would be interesting if it did but will probably be unlikely, maybe as a Mythic ability