I have a problem:
There is a player in my group, who is a powergamer (which is not the issue, i like to have effective characters too). Now, because of things in the past, I like to check on his build as far as I can (I would never look on his sheet and have only the informations he tells), because I often understand rules different then he does. The current thing is: arcane deed + percise strike doesn't work anymore, but I don't want to be that person, who is "peeking behind their backs and betraying " others because of the few points of damage they do more. One point for me is to put more focus on the role playing itself, but on the other hand as conjuration-wizard I also like to fight and it's lame that most fights won't take longer than 2-3 rounds max.
Any ideas?
Correct me if i'm wrong, but this was changed in an errata or faq, yes? Originally it was allowed?
If so, it may just be that the other player was not aware of the change (in fact, the gm might not be either). In the past, when there was a change that affected a character someone was playing, I sent the link to them, typically with a "dude, this sucks" or something along those lines. If you are all good friends, you might even share it with the group (assuming that you aren't doing it to be mean, but really because it was a nerf that hurt a fellow player).
If not, and if it bothers you enough, you can instead be passive-aggressive about it. "Hah, you took arcane deed with precise strike? How is that +0 to damage working for you, since you aren't considered having at least one panache point as well as being effectively level 0?"
My group has been together for almost 30 years now. We still make fun of each other of the cheating that some of us used to do back in the day. "100,000gp for my own mummy? I have just enough!"
It depends on the relationship between you (and the GM/other players). I strongly disagree that it would be "peeking behind their backs and betraying others", as without the rules, the game is meaningless. Either the player actually doesn't know about the erratum (a very real possibility), in which case correcting him shouldn't create any problems, or he is deliberately cheating, in which case he probably also cheats on other things, and for the sake of the party you should intervene.
My suggestion: Talk to the player (maybe in hearing range of other players). Ask him where his damage comes from (maybe with a "cool character, nice damage, how did you manage that?").
For the record, short fights also happen when you follow the rules, especially in an optimized group. You're also a Wizard, so it's not like your character will ever be useless.
I would never look on his sheet
Is that a common thing? My party has digital versions of the character sheets in a cloud where everyone in the group has access. I've always looked at the other player's sheets - not because I mistrust them, but because of curiosity and to see what the party might lack.
Correct me if i'm wrong, but this was changed in an errata or faq, yes? Originally it was allowed?
I think it enver actually worked, but only due to lack of language, and not by being specific.
Here's the original wording: ""There is nothing in that arcana description that makes you count your Magus levels as Swashbuckler levels. But, there are plently of archetypes that grant class features form another class without such language that won't work if you don't do that (e.g. Sylvan Trickster Rogue doesn't say you count your Rogue levels as Witch levels), so it's very much unclear.
Correct me if i'm wrong, but this was changed in an errata or faq, yes? Originally it was allowed?I think it enver actually worked, but only due to lack of language, and not by being specific.
Here's the original wording: ""
There is nothing in that arcana description that makes you count your Magus levels as Swashbuckler levels. But, there are plently of archetypes that...
My group tends to assume that your class level counts unless it states otherwise (my Sylvan Rogue is the perfect example), so I assumed it was a change, but I can see your point.
To the OP, I remembered an instance where I realized that a player was doing something that wasn't rules-legal (he was using an ability that was only supposed to trigger under certain circumstances all the time) and I mentioned it to him. I believe I said that I think it's only when X happens and he reread it, then brought it to the GM's attention himself. In that case, it was just a mistake. He wasn't happy about it, but he didn't want to be cheating, either.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I do it to everyone to keep it fair. If the GM forgets to take an AoO for example I'll remind them, even if it's on my character. If it's a player build, I'll usually talk to them outside of earshot of the GM, and just say something like "Hey I think you're doing this, and that's been FAQ'd so it doesn't work that way anymore. I'd ask the GM if you could take a different feat"... or whatever it is. If they want to argue, just tell them you'll bring it to the GM and let the GM decide.
Thank you so much for the advice!
So first off: yes, there was an Errata and im aware of that. But we play Pathfinder since one year max and use mainly d20pfsrd.com so usually he should have seen it. Which is why I am asking because I can't think of any good reason.
I think the best way would be texting him the link along with some "I'm sorry tell you, but.."
Since i met this group a few years ago for pen&paper purposes only, its hard to compare to a 30year old friendship :D
Just as the aoo targeting your own character, that's exactly the fairness I want to spread, so everyone could rely on each other, and playing a fair game.
Personally, it it was me, I'd let the other player know about the errata, and hopefully they would fix their character, but I wouldn't nark on them to the GM about it, even if they chose to continue using an illegal ability.
I don't think you fun would be increased by forcing him to follow the rules as much as it would be decreased by the bad feelings this is likely to cause between you two. It isn't your job to police the other players and you aren't going to win any friends by trying.
As a GM if a player was using a power/misunderstood how something works in my game and another player was aware of the issue I would hope that the one aware of it would mention it.
It's probably an honest mistake.
When something like this has come up in my game before it's usually discovered by one of the other players (or me) asking "Wait, I didn't think that worked that way" and then we look at the ability/rules.