Hmm that is a bummer as I was actually looking forward to Wood being a playable Spirit for my Shaman.
Venture-Captain, Germany—Bavaria
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The page number thing is annoying as heck
Agreed, but there might be method to the madness, that way it is significantly harder to learn what is legal in the book, if you don't have the book/pdf in front of you.
And frankly I don't think that the archive and hero lab are entirely reliable either.
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The page number thing is annoying as heckAgreed, but there might be method to the madness, that way it is significantly harder to learn what is legal in the book, if you don't have the book/pdf in front of you.
And frankly I don't think that the archive and hero lab are entirely reliable either.
Neither of them, nor D20PFSRD, are 100% accurate. They are handled by human beings, and we all make misteaks, now and again.
When you notice an error, or something needing an update, it is always best to use the site's feedback link.
And, the best way to make sure that the site is accurate, is to verify, verify, verify. Verify Additional Resources and the sourcebook. Preferably while building it, not at the table. ;)
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Maintaining the AR list is already a non-trivial effort. Doing it by listing every item and whether it's legal or not - well, it's not going to happen. The time you have to spend occasionally adjusting a build because HeroLab lists something incorrectly is small compared to the amount of time required to create and maintain such a list, even when you multiply it by every player out there who does this. (And not every player plans their build out from level 1 to 12. Many prefer a more organic approach to character development, or just don't want to spend that level of time.)
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I bought the book and am now also wondering about these two things not being legal, as nothing immediately caught my eye that would explain it.
For the patrons it might be the fluff saying "very few witches". As for the spirit, I've got nothing.
Especially as the witch hex marked as legal cannot actually be used because it requires the non-legal Cauldron hex.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 4, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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As the author of the wood spirit, I'm surprised that it's not listed as legal, and I really hope it's only an oversight and they'll include it later. It's odd that it's specifically mentioned that the witch archetype on page 11 is not legal for play, but there's no mention of the wood spirit at all.
Also, I don't think the wood spirit changes the power level of the shaman in any significant way, and it doesn't require you to be evil or use any banned resources. (Which, I guess, are the most common reasons for a resource to get banned.)
I got the book on hand. I couldn't tell you why the Wood Shaman is not legal.
Hex of Lignification (Su): This might be a culprit. Someone probably assumed you would use this in tandem with the Cackle hex to give a Friendly target staggered and Hardness 5. Like the tank of the party now at 3rd level has Hardness 5 as long as the Shaman keeps cackling.
Nature's Gifts (Su): Harmless as Shamans already got a spell identical to it.
Spines and Brambles (Su): This could be a culprit but it just seems too silly to be that. As you can keep conjuring Light Undergrowth (forest terrain) for an unlimited number times per day. Yet with each usage, any previous undergrowth conjured with this "withers away".
Verdant Path (Su): This is 100% balanced, no lies.
Whispering Leaves (Su): Same with the previous hex.
Spirit Animal: Balanced.
Spirit Ability (Tree Limb, Su): Balanced.
Greater Spirit Ability (Bloody Roots, Su): Culprit Found, maybe. A stationary plant version of Black Tentacles that only harms enemies. The shaman can walk by and not treat it as difficult terrain and the shaman's allies treat it as difficult terrain.
One counter argument for it is that it only lasts 3+CHA MOD rounds per day. What does the average Shaman got for Charisma? 12 to 16 at best? 4 to 6 rounds at best for a threat like this unless you min-max your charisma score hard like 20+ just so it lasts 8+ rounds per day. To put this into perspective, A level 7 Wizard gets Black Tentacles that lasts 7 Rounds or more if they feats/traits/class features/items that extend the length of its duration.
I'm not even joking here, CHA or INT is more likely to be a Tertiary stat for Shamans... unless a specific build would need a higher Charisma or INT like how INT is vital to a Lore Shaman.
You don't even get this ability "ahead-of-schedule" compared to other spellcasters. You get it at 8th level, the same level a Sorcerer for instance would have gotten it. Full casters get Black Tentacles at 7th level.
True Spirit Ability (Tree Form, Su): Balanced.
Manifestation: It is very good and very strong like other Shaman manifestations... but in terms of Pathfinder Society, NO ONE and I do mean NO ONE, would reach it unless its a GM pet project/XP-Blob.
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True so it can't be hex of lignification. 2 Rounds at best normally. You would need a wand of Hex Vulnerability to keep the lignification going or dedicated all your 1st level spells to Hex Vulnerability.