Heya Folks!
This Friday (August 16th at 4:00 P.M. Pacific) we will be having a sort of "Ask the PF2E Designers" Rules Q&A segment! And since a lot of folks just got their Pathfinder Second Edition books, we figured some of you had some questions that need answering!
Along with that. I'd like this thread to be a continuing thing where people can post their questions. And at least once a month we can sit down and answer what we can live on the Official Twitch Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/officialpaizo
So, what has yer' brain thinkin'?
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When you roll a natural 1 or 20, and you have another ability that modifies the degree of success, what is applied first?
For example, let's say I have the following ability from being a Death Warden Dwarf.
"Your ancestors have been tomb guardians for generations, and the power they
cultivated to ward off necromancy has passed on to you. If you roll a success on a saving throw against a necromancy effect, you get a critical success instead."
Let's say I am rolling a saving throw with a DC of 15, and I roll a 1 with a modifier of +14.
If I apply the ability before the natural 1 modifier first, I would bump the success up to a critical success, and then bump it back down to a success because of the natural 1.
If I apply the natural 1 modifier first, it would bump the success down to a failure, and the ability doesn't modify failures, so I would fail.
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1) Do Snagging Strike and Combat Grab have anti-synergy for the free hand fighter because they would take you out of Dueling Parry by rendering your hand no longer free?
2) A small sized giant instinct barbarian gains access "to one weapon one size larger", but Giant Instinct says "you can use a weapon built for a Large creature". Which does the "When wielding such a weapon in combat" clause apply to- the medium weapon my small character gains access to, or the large weapon I am told I can use? Or are both the same since there is no distinction between small and medium weapons? Or should this just be worded differently, so that Gnome Barbarians can acquire large weapons if they want?
3) If I use Quick Alchemy where does the item I make end up? In a hand so that it doesn't need to be drawn? What about if I use Double Brew or Alchemical Alacrity, am I holding 2-3 items at the end of the action? How many hands are my alchemist's tools occupying when I do this in combat? Assuming both hands are empty at the start of the round, and the alchemist's tools are stowed in a bandolier, please describe what an 15th level alchemist does with their hands if they want to use alchemical alacrity to make three bombs then throw as many as they can, I am very confused about this juggling act (particularly given that alchemist's tools are very bulky).
4) Alignment tags- can my Demonic blood sorcerer not cast Abyssal Plague despite getting it as a 5th level spell because she's not personally evil? Or a non-evil Diabolic blood sorcerer can't cast Embrace the Pit or Hellfire Plume?
5) Fuse Styles implies that Ironblood Stance can't be combined with Crane Stance, but Ironblood Stance doesn't have any language about "you can only make iron sweep attacks" like Crane Stance or Mountain Stance does. Should it instead point out that Crane and Mountain can't be combined? Should Ironblood have the same restriction as those two styles?
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How do Quick Alchemy potency and poisons interact? If I use Quick Alchemy to create an Ingested poison, activate it to poison some food, is the food still poisoned after potency wears off?
How does an items Hardness interact with multiple damage types in an attack?
What is the Disarm weapon trait referring to when it notes that you must have a free hand to take the item on a critical?
For the sorcerer focus spell Touch of Undeath is it intended that your target gets healed by both heal and harm spells, or is that a typo and the target is supposed to be healed by harm spells and harmed by heal spells?
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Obviously no book is perfect and a lot of little issues have been found in the text so far. What is the eta for an official errata?
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As this has come up in several threads recently:
Can a spontaneous spellcaster's higher-level spell slot be used as a lower-level spell slot (ex. using a 4th level slot to cast an unheightened or unheightenable 3rd level spell), or can a spell *only* be cast in a higher-level slot if the spell has been heightened?
Basically, if you have 3 3rd level slots and 1 4th level, would you be able to treat it as though you had 4 3rd level slots and no 4th level slots and cast a 3rd level spell 4 times?
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What proficiency category (simple, martial, advanced) do improvised weapons fall under?
Several ordinary items have damage statistics when used as improvised weapons, but the improvised weapon rules do not say what category they fall under. Without a designation, you have a proficiency bonus of +0, which feels punishing when:
1) You already take a -2 penalty from the improvised weapon rules.
2) The game lacks an option to offset the penalties or become trained in improvised weapons. Not even the Weapon Proficiency and Untrained Improvisation feats help.
3) The statistics of your improvised weapon are completely up to GM fiat unless the item has statistics as an improvised weapon.
I weep for my barrel-wielding brewmaster, who would have otherwise been perfectly represented in this edition.
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Is it legal to poison snares (contact poisons say “item” whereas injury poisons say “weapon”)?
In the context of action economy, is it legal to poison ammunition before combat?
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Sorcerer unarmed attack proficiency don't scales when their simple weapons do, making some focus spells lacking after lvl 11, they don't get a proficiency increase at a save later as well making them the only class with no master save on one of them. It was on purpose?
I would like to know what was the inspiration/origin behind the shields being an active part of the gameplay.
Are you not scared that it's something players are gonna either love or hate?
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Another one that's been raised a few times: Is the "ranged attack" for telekinetic projectile a ranged spell attack, or does it use Dex? (And if it does use Dex, what proficiency does it use?)
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Does Hardness act like resistance (all) when an attacks deals multiple damage types?
That is to say, if I hit an object with Hardness 5 with a sword that deals 7 slashing and 2 fire, does the object take 2 slashing and no fire damage?
I haven't seen anything mention Hardness is applied differently against different damage types. But if it behaves like Resistance to all damage does, that's a serious boon to shields and construct armor.
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Does Snare Specialist let you make bomb snares without bombs?
Can one person Cover Tracks for the entire party? Specifically a Ranger with Trackless Step, especially if they are using another tactic.
A bunch of questions about how skill feats interact with Warden's Step:
1) Does Swift Sneak allow the whole party to move at full speed while using Warden's Step, assuming no one else uses a tactic that requires half speed?
2) Can you use Foil Senses to shield your entire party from weird senses while using Warden's Step?
3) Can your allies gain the benefit of "Follow the Expert" to their Stealth checks while using Warden's Step?
4) Can your party gain the benefits of Quiet Allies through Warden's Step?
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How do Rage and Weapon Specialization interact with battle forms?
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1. Do striking Runes and Weapon Specialization Unarmed Apply to a Druid’s Wild Shape (Ape or dinosaur or whatnot) natural attack strikes?
2. When taking two actions to raise and take cover behind a Tower Shield, is the circumstance bonus to AC (+4) directional, and can an enemy negate it by just moving 10ft around to the side? Or can you move the Tower Shield around to face different foes when attacked?
3. Is it possible to Create a “Sturdy” version of the Tower Shield? Currently the rules don’t allow for it.
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Telekinetic Projectile says it uses a ranged attack, what proficiency does it use?
Telekinetic Maneuver as written lets you stride 5' on a successful shove and makes you fall prone on a critical failure, all from 30' away. Are these side effects (and other maneuver-related side effects) intended?
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1. Irori's favorite weapon is listed as "Fist". Does that include all unarmed strikes? Otherwise a cleric of Irori mutliclassesed to monk, animal barbarian or wild druid would never get expert proficiency with the special unarmed strikes provided the second class.
2. Do clerics only become expert in their deity's favorite weapon? It's strange that a wizard has more expert weapon proficiencies than a warpriest.
3. Is it intentional that socerers don't get a first level feat? They are the only class without access to some kind of choice that grants a feat at level 1.
4. Shouldn't sorcerers become master in at least one save somewhere down the line?
5. Do some of the multiclass dedication feats really require two ability scores at 14 while others only require one? If so, what's the reasoning behind this?
6. Inspire Courage grants a +1 status bonus to "damage rolls". What exactly does that include? Persistant damage? Spells? Spells without a duration? Does it apply to damage that comes without any kind of roll like the fighter's Certain Strike, which specifically removes all dice from the equation?
7. Is disarm working as intended? A success on the check seems to hardly do anything at all.
8. Some spells (like Illusory Creature and the druid's Strom Lord power) say they act/have an effect when you sustain the spell. Do these get their actions/effects on the turn you cast them automatically or do you need to spend an extra action to have them do anything in round 1?
9. Some attacks like the Dinosaur Form's Tyrannosaurus Jaws have the deadly trait without listing a die. Which die size do I use for this? The Strike's regular die?
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1) What happens when I drink a second Mutagen when already under the effect of another? The polymorph rules imply that one should counteract the other, but the Mutagenist's 13th level Field Discovery is worded as if Mutagens still work like they do in the playtest (that is, the most recent bonuses override all others, but multiple drawbacks stack). If one does try to counteract the other, what do I roll for the counteract check?
2) How does the Alchemist's 10th level feat "Merciful Elixir" work? What do I roll for the counteract check?
3) How do I calculate the "Ferocious Specialization[?]" and Rage damage for the Barbarian's Thrash feat? If an Animal Totem Barbarian uses Thrash, will they always be stuck adding only 2 points of rage damage, since their totem's Specialization Ability specifies their rage damage only increases for the unarmed attacks granted by the totem? I hope not, as that would make Ape Barbarians very sad.
4) Do a Cleric of Irori's favored weapon benefits apply exclusively to fists? Does this mean said Clerics can't become experts in other sorts of unarmed attacks, such as those granted by Monk stances?
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The Alchemist's Greater Merciful Elixir can counteract the sickened condition with an Elixir of Life. How is that supposed to work if the sickened character can't ingest the Elixir?
Is the Wizard supposed to cast 10th lvl spells like four times? With the school slot, arcane bond and the feat.
If a feat gives you the ability to deal damage on a failed Strike, but requires you to ignore the damage dice and add only flat modifiers, do flat modifiers that scaled on number of damage dice all go to 0?
How does the Titan Mauler and Bulk work? Does weapon damage actually increase? Tell it to me like I'm 5.
(And when can I play as an Urban Ranger? :o :O ;D)
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Staves and Shifting: Currently, one can etch a shifting rune on to a magical staff to use it as a different weapon while keeping the staff properties, is this intended?
Swarms and Grapple: Nothing clearly indicates that grapple does not work on a swarm, is this intentional? What about other maneuvers?
Alignment: Most alignment tagged features of the game make the feature inaccessible to characters without said alignment, but Holy weapon time does not, is this intentional?
Quiver do not appear to exist, what do adventurers store arrows in?
Will the FAQ button be returning to 2e?
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Small creatures can wield medium weapons just fine, unless you're a small barbarian with Giant Instinct. It lets you wield a weapon "one size larger than you" but you now take a penalty on it - but it would still be a medium weapon. Why is the feature that specializes in big weapons the only people who have a penalty to it compared to regular people? Or should small and mediums both be gitting large weapons through it?
Following up on that, what about the Giant's Stature feat? Sure, you get reach, and clumsy 1 (which you already had). But what other benefit do you get for becoming Large and having "your equipment grow with you"?
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Every archetype has a level 6 feat that lets you take a feat from that class, but says you only count half your character level for prereqs. No class has level 3 feats though. If you take this at level 6 I suppose you could take another level 1 or 2 feat (like you did for its prereq) but it feels like a bit of a trap unless you wait until level 8. Is that intended?
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Druid and Ranger both give the level 1 feat of "Animal Companion", but the ranger version gives the benefit of Hunt Prey to the companion. If I'm a druid with a companion and multi-class ranger, I now have Hunt Prey. Since the feat has the same name, does it count as the same feat, and thus my companion now gets the benefit? Or do I need to take the feat again through archetype just to add hunt pray?
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Three questions:
1. What is the design reason behind some adventure gear giving a bonus to some skills, while others provide a penalty if you don't have them. It seems that penalties for not having an item can be easily forgotten about (compass and crowbar for example). It seems like it would have been easier to make them all one way or the other.
2. Can a hero point save you from an instant death? Say a creature that kill you outright on a failed save?
3. Musical Instruments in the equipment section are 2 handed items. On pg 96 under the Bard Occult Spellcasting, it states if you use an instrument you don’t need a spell pouch or another free hand. Does this mean a bard can cast spells with an musical instrument in one hand?
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Using the counteract rules (CRB 458), it doesn't seem possible to use dispel magic to negate anything higher than a 5th-level spell or magic effect. Is there intended to be a "greater dispel magic" or something similar, or should you be able to heighten the base spell?
You can Heighten the base spell, as you can any spell. The extra text at the bottom of spells saying Heightened is just for when you get even more stuff for Heightening.
Small creatures can wield medium weapons just fine, unless you're a small barbarian with Giant Instinct. It lets you wield a weapon "one size larger than you" but you now take a penalty on it - but it would still be a medium weapon. Why is the feature that specializes in big weapons the only people who have a penalty to it compared to regular people? Or should small and mediums both be gitting large weapons through it?
You can use a weapon built for a Large creature if you are Small or Medium (both normally and when raging). If you’re not Small or Medium, you can use a weapon built for a creature one size larger than you.
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What happens when you try to batch craft snares?
Do four copies of the same snare appear in one square? Adjacent squares? Should snares not be batch craftable like other consumables?
Is there any way to move a snare? The ranger class entry suggests preparing snares for future adventures during downtime, but that seems to be of limited usefulness since snares are planted as part of crafting them.
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For the druid feat form control, do you have to be able to cast the form spell at two spell levels higher to be able to make it last an hour?
How can a PC replace a destroyed spellbook or formula book?
How many focus points does a wild order druid start with?
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Small creatures can wield medium weapons just fine, unless you're a small barbarian with Giant Instinct. It lets you wield a weapon "one size larger than you" but you now take a penalty on it - but it would still be a medium weapon. Why is the feature that specializes in big weapons the only people who have a penalty to it compared to regular people? Or should small and mediums both be gitting large weapons through it?You can use a weapon built for a Large creature if you are Small or Medium (both normally and when raging). If you’re not Small or Medium, you can use a weapon built for a creature one size larger than you.
Derp, thanks. It's what I get for basing it on a forum thread. The Giant's Stature feat is still a question though.
When you Multi-Class into wizard, do you pick a school specialization?
Full disclosure I just want to take Hand of the Apprentice on a Fighter, and you need to be a universalist Wizard to take it.
Developer
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1. Why is Traveler's Transit an Evocation spell and not a Transmutation spell?
2. Where does it explicitly say what the range of "Grab" is? It's not a Strike and I can't find where it states that Attack actions require reach, since Grab isn't specified as a melee attack. This could just be an oversight and I'm overthinking it, but everything else is spelled out.
3. Given most fighter class feats only work with bows and not thrown weapons, what was the design choice behind not allowing Doubling Rings to work with thrown weapons? (I guess this isn't a rules question.)