GM Enaris's page

They do not need a sword to enter death. When they have the affinity for the 'dead', they can kind of feel the entrance to death and can pass through.
I love this series. I read this Series as a child and still love it years later. When I discovered PF, I immediately wanted to create Sabriel. Before I saw this post I used the dirge bard archetype.

Sorry about the typing, I'm trying to type on my phone super fast.

I have a follow-up question about the Black Pudding and don't want to make another thread, so THREADOMANCY

Does a black pudding's acid ignore the hardness of metal? If it does NOT, it would be nearly impossible to damage a +1 weapon, shield, or armor.

My second follow-up question is regarding the "full round" of contact. Does a creature that drops a two-handed weapon when grappled by a black pudding subject the weapon to the 21 damage per round as listed in the Acid ability?

"At any point you can see"

...can you create an arcane eye at a point you can see with clairvoyance or with scrying?

Cut off his head! If you don't he'll rise as a ghoul and eat you!

Absolutely, if you can make it seem reasonable and not OBVIOUSLY harmful (to the affected creature), then the action is carried out.

Whether you can force a creature to attack an ally is somewhat more debatable. Is it obviously harmful? Well... yes and no. Attacking someone else, to me, is not OBVIOUSLY harmful. You wouldn't necessarily assume the enemy could harm you.
Suggesting that the rogue backstab the fighter might be obviously harmful to the rogue, but suggesting the fighter gag the wizard might not be obviously harmful to the fighter.

Just to further the point, the spell states "Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell."
Well, asking a creature to kill an ally is not obviously harmful act by itself, though engaging in combat might be.
...He might wait until his ally is sleeping.

First of all, casting "suggestion" for creature B to "play piano" would be complete after even a couple of notes, since he has "played piano".
You could instead suggest "Play the Lay of the Exalted Dead" and the character would be compelled to play the entire song before the spell wears off.

I would argue that this removes the creature from a combat, but doesn't make it helpless or unable to defend itself in any way. It's also kind of a nifty use of the spell, which I tend to reward. I'm pretty sick of "run away" or "throw me your weapon" suggestions.

If directly attacked, our piano-player would consider NOT defending himself "obviously harmful" and the spell would break.
I feel like this is made more obvious by the actual (compulsion) descriptor, which states outright:

Compulsion: A compulsion spell forces the subject to act in some manner or changes the way its mind works. Some compulsion spells determine the subject's actions or the effects on the subject, others allow you to determine the subject's actions when you cast the spell, and still others give you ongoing control over the subject.

Of course, Suggestion is still a fairly powerful spell even when used offensively. Even something as simple as "keep your eyes closed" can cause blindness for a whole combat, and I've seen "handcuff yourself" used before as well. It's all about making it SOUND reasonable.

It actually seems to work out. Instead of sacrificing spells after combat or before bed, clerics sacrifice spells mid-combat to protect allies or hinder enemies, meaning PCs take less damage and need less healing. The same is true of channel, to some degree, although at high levels it becomes harder to heal up after a hard fight.

As for the staggered, it generally works both in favor of and in opposition to PCs at the same time. While, yeah, the barbarian can't hang out at low hp anymore, he can stagger the giant with power attack.
It does tend to make combats longer since, as everything gets low on hit points, they can't take full-attacks. We've thought about reducing the penalty to a static -2, like shaken but not the condition, to alleviate this but keep the flavor.

Spam healing is one of the things I hate about PF/3.x

My home group has never liked spam-heals. In fact, we have a couple of house rules to keep it to a minimum:

We generally play with the "flavor" that a cure light spell isn't a ball of heal-light, it's basically a first aid heal check that auto-succeeds and also heals damage through divine providence. We're thinking of changing the spell description, so that it just empowers a heal check, but we haven't done the math yet.

Spamming heal-touch-wands devalues hit point damage, the heal skill, and verisimilitude.

First, some context:

Bloodline Development: The arcanist selects one sorcerer bloodline upon taking this exploit. The arcanist gains that bloodline’s 1st-level bloodline power as though she were a 1st-level sorcerer...If the arcanist already has a bloodline (or gains one later), taking this exploit instead allows her arcanist levels to stack with the levels of the class that granted her access to the bloodline when determining the powers and abilities of her bloodline.

Eldritch Heritage

...Select one sorcerer bloodline...This bloodline cannot be a bloodline you already have. You gain the first-level bloodline power for the selected bloodline. For purposes of using that power, treat your sorcerer level as equal to your character level – 2, even if you have levels in sorcerer. You do not gain any of the other bloodline abilities.

So, yeah, how do these interact? If I select Eldritch Heritage (Abyssal), and later take Arcanist and select Bloodline Development, can I take Abyssal? Do I start getting the other bloodline abilities, since I already "have a bloodline"? I'm guessing not, that seems OP.

On a related note, I have an Arcanist/Fighter/Hellknight Signifer I want to have a bloodline. I can't select that bloodline using Arcanist (Blood Arcanist), because for it to not suck, I have to take it with the eldritch heritage feats, since my total arcanist level is only a max of 6, and taking bloodline development or the bloodline makes me ineligible for Eldritch Heritage later? What am I missing?

That's interesting. Based on that text alone, it would look like firearms would punch right through DR regardless of type. Some touch attacks deal hit point damage, so I'm curious if this is addressed anywhere.

My gut is saying that the RAI is thus:
Should a character successfully strike an opponent with DR using a natural attack or unarmed strike to deliver a touch attack, but the damage of that attack is reduced to or below 0, the touch still counts and delivers the spell. Firearms, brilliant energy weapons, and such, are still subject to DR.

GM Enaris wrote:

In order of presentation:

ACG wrote:

Animal Companion...A hunter may teach her companion hunter’s tricks from the skirmisher ranger archetype (Pathfinder

RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 128) instead of standard tricks.

Does this mean that the Hunter gains the ability, or that the companion gains the ability? With abilities like "Sic'Em" and "Heel", it would seem logical the Hunter gains uses of them. If this is true, how many times per day can they be used? If the animal receives the ability to use these, only a few make sense.

Yeah, many of those make no sense at all. Each of them is essentially a feat, so they shouldn't be available through the teaching mechanic anyway. This needs addressed.

After reading the Skirmisher Tricks a few times, and going over the Hunter class, it seems reasonably to suppose that if the trick interacts with the Companion, the Hunter initiates it, and if it interacts with an attack, skill, or movement, then the Companion initiates it.

In order of presentation:

Animal Companion...A hunter may teach her companion hunter’s tricks from the skirmisher ranger archetype (Pathfinder

RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 128) instead of standard tricks.

Does this mean that the Hunter gains the ability, or that the companion gains the ability? With abilities like "Sic'Em" and "Heel", it would seem logical the Hunter gains uses of them. If this is true, how many times per day can they be used? If the animal receives the ability to use these, only a few make sense.

Animal Focus...At 1st level, a hunter can take on the

aspect of an animal as a swift action...The hunter can also apply one of these aspects to her animal companion...The hunter can select or change the animal foci on both herself and her animal companion as part of the same swift action...

Can the hunter change her companion's animal focus without using a use of her own? Can she change her companion's animal focus at any range?

Improved Empathic Link...see through a companion’s eyes as a swift action, maintaining this connection as long as she likes (as long as the companion is within 1 mile) and ending it as a free action. The hunter is blinded while maintaining this connection.

If the hunter can see herself through her companion's eyes, does she still take penalties from being blinded?

Thanks!

Tels wrote:

1) Anyway, James, would you ever run a kind of dynamic battle like a fight that takes place as the players plummet out of the sky?

5) What's the most dynamic combat encounter you've ever played or ran?

1) If the situation warranted it, yeah, but if no one can fly, no one can really get to each other and the wind would likely prevent missile fire and so on. More likely, I'd let them land and pick up the combat with the survivors.

5) There were a few outlandish combats in the Skull & Shackles game, including one on a sinking ship. And I've run a fight with PCs and monsters chasing each other through a mine in mine carts, that was pretty cool. And I've run a road-warrior style car chase battle. And there's been plenty more over the past 30 years...

1) I think this would be pretty cool if it were set aboard a ship or zeppelin of some kind, and the fight was over the power core or other way to survive. Wreckage, basically something to stand on that possibly fell more slowly than normal or otherwise stabilized the fighting.

5) James, have you run or played in AP#14, Children of the Void?
There's a really awesome dynamic battle where

Voltron64 wrote:

James, what would you think about Shoanti having Scottish accents?

It would confuse me.

On a similar topic, do you portray NPCs in your games with particular accents according to their race or ethnicity?

If so, what equivalencies do you employ?

All dwarves having a russian accent, for example.

Tels wrote:

How far to players fall in one round? I'm trying to figure out how a 'falling battle' would work. By that I mean, the combat takes place while the entire group is falling out of the sky.

[Edit] Kind of like in this video.

Same speed things fall in the real world. In most scales in most locations, you'll hit the ground before a round passes.

There's gotta be someone out there better at math than me who can hook you up. I may have entered college as an aeronautical engineering student, but after a quarter with a 0.75 GPA I switched to English.

Any falling object accelerates about 30 feet per second per second.

Large and smaller creatures will fall at slightly different rates. Sleeker objects and liquids will fall faster, depending on air density.

Hope this answers your question.

I mention d20 CoC only because you had mentioned he's pretty close to Tsathoggua, who is presented therein I believe.
Looking through bestiary 4 is a great idea, I'll be sure to borrow from there.
In the course of my research I've also been directed to check out the Divs, being destructive as they are. Any opinion on this comparison?

Finally, in your opinion, what would be the defining theme or ability of Mhar besides lovecraftian?
Earth or fire, perhaps sheer size? Ravenous-ness?

Back from the dead!
Any way to construct Mhar using pathfinder stats if I don't own d20 CoC?

Alcohol does not instantly deal Con damage.
Nothing you would drink without going blind, anyways.
It does make you fatigued. It might even nauseate you or knock you unconscious, and alcoholism will kill you.

What about the damage being in nonlethal?
For example:
Rum Ration
Type Ingested; Addiction Minor, Fortitude DC 10
Price N/A
Effects 2d4 hours; +2 bonus on charisma-based skill checks, fatigue
Damage 2d4 nonlethal
Special A character may have a number of rum rations per week up to double his constitution modifier (Minimum 1) before incurring additional detriment. After this limit, the character takes 1d3 points of con damage, and a further 1d3 if he exceeds three times his constitution modifier (Minimum 2). Cut these limits in half for small characters. Any character that drinks a number of rum rations greater than his constitution modifier in one day must make a fortitude save DC 15 or be sickened until his nonlethal damage is healed.
For example, our party of four adventurers encounter the rum ration. The barbarian, with his +3 con, simply drinks his rum ration and takes the damage. He's fine in the morning. The rogue, with his +1, decides not to risk it and tips his overboard. The gnome, however, wants the bonus to chat up a cute wench, so downs his liquid courage. With his +2, he can have 4 drinks divided by 2 equals 2 drinks per week. He takes his damage. The wizard, who is kind of clumsy, doesn't want to take the lashes or dump his grog. He drinks it. Since he's only got a +0 con, he's only okay for the first one.
Next day the barbarian downs his. Still fine, because he's the barbarian. The rogue drinks his to see what it tastes like. The gnome dumps his. The wizard tries his luck again, but takes the 1d3 con damage since he's over his weekly allotment. Tomorrow, he'll heal 1 point of damage and can have his third drink, which will also deal 1d3 because it's over the next threshold.

Why is it only a CR6 ally? A matriarch is a CR8 creature and the zombie template doesn't seem to decrease this.

Since this is quickly becoming a threadnaught, I will summarize instead of reading everything, so I apologize if this was explained above:

The Zombie Template: Change type to undead. Natural armor based on size, large +3. Drop class HD and change racial HD to d8s. Change saves to be Fort +1/3 HD, Ref +1/3 HD, and Will +1/2 HD + 2. Lose all defensive abilities and gain DR5/Slashing. Winged Zombies can fly at clumsy. Other movements retained. Retain all natural weapons and gain slam attack. Lose all special attacks. +2 str, -2 dex. No con or int scores. Wis and Cha become 10. BAB= 3/4 HD. Lose all skill ranks. Lose all feats and gain toughness. Keep (Ex) abilities that augment attacks. Gain Staggered.

This produces:
Lamia Matriarch Zombie, CR 6
NE Large Undead
Init +6; Senses: DV60'
DEFENSE
AC 25 / 15 / 19 (+6 dex, +10 natural, -1 size)
hp 83 (15d8+15)
Saves: 5 / 11 / 9
Undead Immunities
DR 5/ Slashing
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee Slam +16 (1d6+6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 23, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +11; CMB +18; CMD 34 (can’t be tripped)
Feats: Toughness
Skills: None.
SQ: Staggered, Undersized Weapons

Weapon and Armor proficiency: Simple weapons and scimitar.

You will notice that 83 hp is really not that much, especially considering it does not heal naturally. Also, the 1d6+6 is kind of just adorable. It loses wisdom drain, since that is (Su) ability. It loses ALL the spells, spell-like abilities, everything. The only redeeming quality is the speed, which gets slashed due to staggered quality.

Let me re-iterate that this use of a spell is well within the rules and you should, in my opinion, in no way punish its use. Your players paid for this ability. They have a large chunk of undead HD in this, and it's a decent ally. It is not, by any stretch, a broken ally.

All amphibious does is let you breathe underwater.

That may be all it is supposed to do, but... no.

If you are arguing that you gain only amphibious, and not aquatic type, then you can't even breathe underwater. You can survive indefinitely on land, which is pretty worthless.

Frankly, so is a swim speed without breathing water in most cases.

My "Rules Question", to reply to prototype00, is thus: "what is the swim speed provided by the aquatic type?"

I probably should post my group's decision in a homebrew forum, but I want to get an official ruling on the intent of the ability, which seems to be "you do not need to hold your breath underwater". It is, however, possible that the intent was to grant a swim speed and the aquatic type, and was missed in editing. I'm just not sure... so I asked.

Okay, so this is a little weird.
The abilities listed of a Seascarred are as follows:
1d6 Bite
Ferocity
Swim 30'
Amphibious

Well... this doesn't make a lot of sense.

First of all, Amphibious states "Amphibious (Ex) Creatures with this special quality have the aquatic subtype, but they can survive indefinitely on land."
and then aquatic goes on to say "...always have swim speeds and can move in water without making Swim checks. An aquatic creature can breathe water. It cannot breathe air unless it has the amphibious special quality. Aquatic creatures always treat Swim as a class skill."

Okay... So if I pick Amphibious, I get to breathe air and water and don't have to make swim checks and I get a swim speed. If I pick Swim 30' I get... a swim speed. Yay.

Second, Ferocity is not listed as a wereshark, shark, dire shark, or any other kind of shark ability. It looks like it was tacked on there for good measure. That's lame.
My GM and I have come up with this more reasonable list to evoke "shark power":

Amphibious with swim speed equal to land speed
1d6 Bite
+1 natural armor per four levels
Scent ability

Thoughts? Revisions?

I believe this was marked answered incorrectly. I'm not sure who to contact about this, but I don't want to spam threads looking for the answer. I know I'm kind of raising this from the dead but I decided to rule it as rend damage at the style level and bleed damage at the shred level.
Feel free to FAQ The Shining Fool's excellent recap, just a few posts above.

Okay, first of all, what ability will they be using? Animate dead requires a material component of a gem worth 25gp per hit die. Right here you have your first roadblock- It's not one gem per hit die, it's a gem worth 25gp per hit die. 12HD would then be a gem worth 300gp. Such a piece may simply not exist, and even if it does, it might be a quest in itself to retrieve.
This of course assumes your group knows how many HD a lamia matriarch HAS in the first place, which would require at the very least a few days of research and a decent knowledge check.
You can't create more than double your caster level with this spell. That's not really a problem here, but it does mean there is a limit to your power.
Now, I don't actually have necromancy banned in my games. If you can raise it and command it, it's fine. Of course, many towns have laws about defiling the dead, so humanoids are out. Zombie dogs, goblins, whatever, fine. Giant snake women will draw some attention, but not the lawmakers. Certainly the paladins, though.
So here's how it works: Xanesha has 12 racial HD and is large size. As a zombie, this is 12+2=14HD. You need a minimum caster level of 8 to raise this creature. As a skeleton, this is only 12HD and you need to be 7th level. You need a single Onyx gemstone worth 350 for a zombie or 300 for a skeleton, and need to both know how large a gemstone you need in the first place (DC 25-35 knowledge check). For all of this work, you receive one, CR6 ally, that is a major hinderance in any fight against a necromancer or evil cleric, and who you might get attacked on sight for having along.
This isn't broken. This is the game.
You also have a perfect opportunity to have a new set of enemies engage the PCs. Plus, they'll have a hell of a time when they finally meet the Grauls... Especially Mammy.

Let me know if you have any questions about this and feel free to PM me.

Hey there everyone,

This problem has been brought to our attention and we will look into it as soon as we are able. This may take a bit as we are neck deep in our current round of deadlines.

Hang in there, we will look into it.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

Ummm.... Can we get an answer on this? Please?

As a GM, I don't consider people that haven't made an alias, as it majes it that much harder for me to compare characters and see what they would be like.
Players that RP in the recruitment thread with fully detailed aliases are the highest on my list.

If you don't get chosen, change the name, avatar, and profile for the next game. It doesn't hurt to have inactive aliases!

[dice=Rolls]4d6

[dice=Rolls]4d6
[dice=Rolls]4d6
[dice=Rolls]4d6
[dice=Rolls]4d6
[dice=Rolls]4d6

Ability generation was changed to 20-point buy.

Dingo Meadowbreeze, Halfling Gunslinger for consideration. All crunch and fluff in profile!

Does he eat babies?

What is an elite array?

The elite array is the stats that npcs have. Way back when my group played with 4d6 drop, but you could always decide to use the array if you wanted. If your total modifiers were less than 0, you got to roll again.

Here's fighter feat progression:

1.Improved Shield Bash
1b. Weapon Focus Short Sword
2b. Dazzling Display
3. Intimidating Prowess
4b. Two-weapon Fighting
5. _____
6b. Shatter Defenses
7. Shield Slam
8b. Greater Weapon Focus
9. _____
10b. ______
11. Deadly Stroke
12b. Shield Master

I'm using a short sword as weapon focus to incur less penalty while two-weapong fighting, but at 12th I recieve shield master and that not longer matters.

So my rules question is: Can I swap weapon focus (short sword) at 12th level (using fighter bonus feat swapping) to weapon focus (longsword)?

I've been very busy with my new job, and haven't really had time to work on the connection issues at home between shifts.

I'm posting from work now as it's started to calm down and get a little less chaotic, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to respond with any real immediacy.

I would like to see through to the end, though, even if just to read the posts here and there.

Cyrdak doesn't seem to notice the mocking.
I have, I suppose. Ever since the goblins, it has been my self-appointed task to take these people from their troubles, drawing them into the world of music, dance, and comedy- I suppose it is necessary to escape this mortal world once in a while to glimpse the divine, and every parlor trick and staged act brings one a step closer to Shelyn.

Even if nothing else translates, goblins and Shelyn along with his serious demeanor and pensive expression should describe well enough his mood.

These people need heroes. Not ones with steel and muscles, mind you, those are of course important, but these people need heroes they can see. I intend to give the people of Sandpoint Stars, divas, models.

He eyes Aislinn with gravity that defies his fanciful dress and boisterous act.

You may find yourself more interested in my craft, girl, if you desire more than a few silver and strive to be more than a parrot.

Cyrdak grins as wide as his face will allow.
I play but a small part on this particular stage - I provide merely the venue and the day, and these wonderful performers deliver the rest.
He beckons for both to follow him into the white deer, where quiet tables can be had. As if to illustrate his point, a troupe of jugglers rushes by, passing between them objects of every conceivable shape.

Can't get a good map uploaded.
Your survival check also determines there will be a thunderstorm shortly before nightfall.
Cave entrance is 20' wide and opens to the north, where there is twenty feet of ledge followed by an incline for a further 50' then a cliff.
Fortifications are constructed to enclose the entrance completely, which is a line of earthworks with tree spikes driven into the earth.
You are on first watch, you have four hours. The rain starts two hours in and does not abate.

Cyrdak narrows his eyes in annoyance, but in a courteous tone replies, Why, tell him I need good handsome actors for my newest production, and that he's just the ticket!

Cyrdak doesn't seem to notice the sarcasm, and says calmly, If you could but translate, ma'am.

You determine that the mountains will cause it prematurely, in only three to four hours, depending on cloud cover.

I'll have the map up momentarily. I'll assume Eldak is on first watch, then Vorin, then Geheim.

Are any preparations made?
Earth elementals complete some basic fortifications.
(ten feet of difficult terrain in front of partial cover)

It is a three day trek even flying to the small craggy cave that is to be your base of operations. While earth elementals conjured from the cliff set to work building fortifications, Vorin gazes at the looming volcano to the north. Black smoke seeps ominously from the jagged mountain, pooling in black clouds high above.

Stirrings of movement in the valley below catch his eye, and he points out the tribe of orcish raiders.
Likely here for an alliance, but they'll attack if they know we're here. Likely as the sun falls.

Cyrdak smiles, but it doesn't touch his eyes, which remain fixed on Aislinn's hands.
Ah, how I have missed working with gypsies, he retorts even as he tosses Aislinn a silver piece.

Ah, no Varisian?
Cyrdak frowns, his forehead creasing dramatically.
That is a shame, there's our weight in gold waiting behind the curtain.
He looks brightly towards the red-headed youth that had answered.
Did I by chance spy the two of you conversing, he asks pointedly, his hand on his coin purse with all the subtlety of a billboard.

To fly over the mountains at a reasonable speed and scout a landing zone.

Eldak spends a few hours asking around, but he's not making any progress (or any friends).

He's only able to buy some basic potions before morning.

Well I suggest you start checking the gameplay thread. Enough chatting over here.

Eldak searches the Bazaar for Sandals of the Fire Walker.

Diplomacy or knowledge local check.

Seeing the girl step away, Cyrdak takes his chance to interrupt the conversation.
Mister Rissien, I wonder if I could have a few moments of your precious time to discuss my upcoming production?
He speaks Varisian with a pleasant canter and a city accent.

Potions of fly are full price, but the vendor tries to sell you a flying carpet.

5000 for a case of 20
12000 for a case of 50.

Longspears are provided free of charge by Shoanti craftsman

There are several full cases of resist fire, having just been traded from the city of brass.

Geheim is prepared to use protection from energy, allowing you to have some protection. Otherwise, potions of resist energy are available, as well as masterwork as well as normal longspears.

A mage and a general. XD
Let me know what preparations if any you make in town.

In your research you discover that Fire giants are immune to fire.

In addition, they have a correlating weakness to cold.

Following this trend, you calculate that should the giants follow the standard tactic of throwing large boulders, that the rocks would be imbued with great heat.

Fire giants are organized combatants, charging over and through opponents to reach prime targets. They possess a particular glee in destroying the weapons and armor of smaller races, seeing this as the ultimate insult. Most wield greatswords themselves, making them adept at cleaving through even hardened defenses.

Adult males weight approximately four tons, and often reach heights of about twelve feet.

Hellhounds are often seen with fire giants, and they have on occasion allied with red dragons. Trolls and ettins are known to be used as shock troops, as the fire giants can keep trolls in line easily.

Only martially-inclined fire giants of the rarest sort rise to be lords over large establishments.

You recall that trolls regenerate unless staunched with fire or acid, and that they fight with tooth and nail. They are quite stupid.

Ettins are two-headed monsters in the open. Fighting with huge weapons in both hands easily, they are capable of holding off or even decimating large forces very quickly. However, they are particularly clumsy and even stupider than trolls, despite having two brains.