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49 posts. Alias of stuart haffenden.


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Can you put spell storing on a natural weapon?


A Magus could use this spell to avoid AoO's while using spell combat.


Bump.


fel_horfrost wrote:

If you want to two weapon fighting use a two bladed sword.

You just let go with your casting hand and cast and grab it when your done as you can do that as a free action

But you wouldn't be able to use spell combat as the weapon needs to be a light or one handed weapon, right?


Trouble is I really don't want to play a monk! Also although there isn't much difference between unarmed and natural I still don't want to play a monk! Kind of been there, done the whole Monk thing before albeit not manoeuvre based.

Are there any feats I'm missing/should dump?


I'm building a grapple type character [Catfolk] and would appreciate any advice as I've never gone with a manoeuvre based dude before.

This dude is replacing my previous character that failed his save vs a Demilich trap the soul ability [that sucked!]

Catfolk Ranger 2/Fighter 12

Stats [15 point buy, after stat increases and items]
Str: 22 +6
Dex: 16 +3
Con: 16 +3
Int: 13 +1
Wis: 12 +2
Cha: 10 +0

Saves [including Heroism]
Fort: +23
Ref : +17
Will: +13
+3 vs Death/Energy Drain
Cat's Luck: 1/day roll Ref twice - take highest.

Hit Points: 144

AC
Base: 28, FF: 25, T: 14
Buffed: 40, FF: 33, T: 22

Attack routine [including Heroism]
Bite: +26 (1d3+10+2d6)
2x Claw: +27 (1d4+12+2d6)
Gore: +26 (1d6+10+2d6)
Armour [grappling] +1 Spikes 1d6+7

Power Attack
Bite: +22 (1d3+18+2d6)
2x Claw: +23 (1d4+20+2d6)
Gore: +22 (1d6+18+2d6)

CMB:+20 [+29 > +35 Grapple depending on buffs]
CMD:46

Skills: [of note]
Kn. Dungeoneering +18
Perception +19
UMD +23

Feats
1. Combat Expertise
2. Weapon Focus Claw
3. Power Attack/Imp.Unarmed Strike
4. Improved Grapple
5. Great Fortitude
6. Skill Focus UMD
7. Snapping Turtle Style
8. Snapping Turtle Clutch
9. Nimble Striker
10.Claw Pounce
11.Greater Grapple
12.Body Shield
13.Pinning Knockout
14.Weapon Specialization Claw
...then...
15.Snapping Turtle Shell
16.Imp. Great Fortitude or Iron Will

Gear
Helm of the Mammoth Lord/Circlet of Persuation
Headband of Wisdom +2
Amulet of Mighty Fists +1 & Holy
Cloak of Resistance +5
Ring of Rat Fangs
Belt of Str/Dex/Con +4

Wands [UMD]
Shield of Faith +4
Barkskin +4
Resinous Skin
Protection from Evil
Heroism
Fly
Enlarge Person
Mirror Image
Resist Energy
Lockjaw

Basics are to pounce with the claws. Grapple and Pin as soon as possible and use Lockjaw to apply the hurt. I gain +6 to charges from class levels. I can grapple at -2 as an AoO and use my grappled foe as a sort of shield 1/round. My defences are DR from Resinous Skin, decent AC and Mirror Images, with Protection from Evil vs head-twist magic.

It probably looks like a jumbled mess to anyone with Grapple based character experience but its where I'm at and I think I've been looking for so long I'm probably not seeing the wood for the trees.

Any input is appreciated, nothing is set in stone other than the Grapple/Natural Weapons general concept.


I'm thinking I should maybe at least try to get a half decent AC but can't really see how that will happen.
If I got +5 breastplate that would make my AC 21. If I go beast totem instead I can get +5 natural, making 26. A deflection bonus for +3 would make it 29.But dazing and CaGM would make it effectively 20 so it'll still be crap.
Thats why negating crits with fortification seems better. Or Hamatula for yet more damage to the monsters.
Its a toss up between poor AC and pounce, or utter crap AC and 25 damage returned per hit. Is one pounce per combat worth more than 25 damage every hit against me?


Has anyone ever used this item? Were you a barbarian, and did you have the fiend totem rage power to inflict the full 3d8+12 damage to every attack against you (melee non-reach that is)?

It costs 44k and grants 6AC (+2 Hide armour).

I want to buy it but my DM is understandably concerned about it's impact to his game. We're level 12/13 and playing Shattered Star if it makes any difference.

Edit:
Im making a level 13 Barby that is human and has superstition and a courageous weapon so my bonus to saves is +11. Base saves f +17, r +9, w +7 and raging saves f +32, r +20, w +18.

I have 200 hit points and DR 7 (+65 hp's when raging).

BUT when using Dazing Assault and Come and Get Me my AC is effectively 8! So is Hamatula Hide the right armour for me? I could save 8k and get +1 heavy fortification breastplate for 36k. Having such a low AC is like giving every monster the Bless Weapon spell, meaning they all auto-crit against me. Having a 75% chance to ignore those auto-crits might be a better option.

What do you think? Help!


When a spell caster has save DC's 4 points higher than 'normal' it can make save or suck spell finish off encounters more often than you'd like.

Sometimes it does happen, which is fine as you don't want to penalize players spell options but min/max-ed stats can 'ruin' encounters too often when the chance to save is 20% lower every time.

Having 16 the most you can buy allows mad classes to compete for longer.


Rynjin wrote:
Worldbuilder wrote:
I ran a game where the cap was 18 and the min was 8, AFTER racial modifiers. You know what, casters are still awesome and out pace other classes at higher levels, but they maintained balance longer, and MAD characters were more doable.
Why would MAD characters be more doable with less points available?

Hmm, you make a good point.

Maybe I've got this the wrong way round. Perhaps capping at 16 before racial mods and allowing 7's would be a better option. Only 1 stat wonder classes get hit.


We use 20 point buy and in my experience it's the ability to drop stats to 7 for the extra 4 points that fuels most of the min/max-ing I have seen.

So what game balance issues would be created if 7's were not allowed in a 20 point buy game?


Viagra...sorry, nothing to see here...move along..


Ravingdork wrote:
Matthew Downie wrote:
So, I drop Heavy Proficiency at L4, Medium Proficiency at L8, gaining two bonus feats... Then, for my next level, I dip into, say, Cavalier, and get my proficiencies back? Hm.
And then you switch them out again at 12 and 16. :P

I'd allow this "loophole" because it isn't broken and it adds customizability to the poor old fighter whom has nothing other than his feats to keep him safe.

However, dipping for extra ammo to swap out a second time would be an obvious attempt to cheat and wouldn't be allowed at my table.


Does the Gunslinger get access to all the Deeds listed at each Deed level or does he have to pick one.

There isn't a Extra Deed Feat so I guess you get all of them.

If that is the case, it makes Gunslingers less customizable than other classes, I think you should have to pick them and then you could get extra ones via a feat like other classes.


This may sound like a really stupid question but I can't see any obvious answer...

Do you just get access to all three Deeds at each Deed level [1st, 3rd, 7th etc.] or do you have to pick one and then you're stuck with it?

I can't see an Extra Deeds Feat which makes me think you get them all but it's not actually written anywhere.


I have a Bab +11/+6/+1

I can cast Form of the Dragon II which grants a Bite, 2 claws, 2 wing and a tail slap.

If I continue to use my 2-handed sword for my 3 regular attacks, do I get the bite/wing/wing/tail also?

At what bab would the dragon form attacks have?

I think it's this...

Greatsword +11/+6/+1 plus bite [+6]/ wing [+6]/ wing [+6]/ tail [+6] but I'm really not sure.

Then, how much Str bonus do I add to those extra attacks?

Please help!


LazarX wrote:
Since it's decided on casting and not preparation, you get to choose for each use.

Isn't the spell already cast in a wand?


Does this wand have to be a particular energy type or can it be any when used?

I would think that as the spell has already been cast and the wand is just triggering what's already happened, it should only provide one type of energy resistance - the one the creator cast.

Correct??


So even though they are magically enhanced with the Holy ability [magical] they don't count as magic for DR?


1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.

Can you make a 5ft. step in water [flipper] or air [flap]?


If a Barbie with natural attacks [say a Tengu] doesn't have an Amulet of Mighty FIsts, when, if ever, would its attacks count as magic for overcoming DR/magic?

Also, if the AoMF was Holy only [no +x enhancement bonus] would that count as making it magic for DR/magic?

Please & Thank You.


Tricky to answer your question without knowing what you consider useful.

For example, Time could grant you the ability to roll twice for every initiative and take whichever result is best for that particular encounter.

Now I'd say that was a pretty good ability for any character but what do you think?

The thing with dipping is it opens up all kinds of options not normally available to your class. Utility is very powerful in my mind but you may wish to focus in on what the Barby already does well at - chance to hit\damage\str & con boosting.

Utility would get my vote every time.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

1) How do PC's learn what the weaknesses of Haunts are?

2) How do they learn how to damage them with positive energy/Holy water? Or is this assumed knowledge?

They can detect a Haunt with detect undead, but are there any other means that PC's can do to find them without setting them off??


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Swarms with the rust monster ability.


As others have said, it'll make little to no difference to the game, go for it.


Happler wrote:
Turkina_B wrote:
Quote:


What is an unarmed strike? Ranged? Throwing punches is only a metaphor...

So why are they listed seperately in the equipment charts and on page 182?

They are listed as Simple Weapons, along with daggers, etc....

As I said, if they are not melee and not ranged, what are they?

+1


After searching I found one thread saying you can combine these two Feats and one saying you couldn't...

Can they be used together??


tricky bob wrote:
Stone the Crows wrote:
stuart haffenden wrote:
stuart haffenden wrote:


You can contact me at tricky.bob@sky.com
Ok...
yay!

I'll mail you then...


0gre wrote:
Not sure what a fire bomb is, you mean just a normal bomb?

Yes

0gre wrote:

You can apply smoke to a normal bomb, do primary damage, splash damage, and smoke.

As Smoke bomb read "he can choose to have it create" does that mean that if you take Smoke as your first Discovery you may as well prepare all your bombs as Smoke because you could just turn off the smoke bit if it's going to be a problem?

Also, when using Precise Bomb with a Smoke Bomb would be better to select the enemies as "not in smoke" so the PC's [who are in Smoke] can freely hit them [assuming they are next to them]? Does that work, I mean, if you're in the edge of the smoke, do you suffer a penalty for attacking someone just out of the smoke?


The Discoveries marked with an * don't stack. Does this mean you can apply, say , Smoke to a Fire Bomb but not Smoke and Stink??


Has anyone made a PFRPG Beholder stat block?


Beware the Sea gulls.... har-harrr!


stuart haffenden wrote:
stuart haffenden wrote:
Ross Byers wrote:
I removed the link from your post. While you have the Compatibility License and OGL in order, you can't redistribute the art from the Pathfinder Bestiary.

Can you at least talk to James?

You can contact me at tricky.bob@sky.com

Ok...


Is Bishop Zev Ravenka's Trap the Soul ability a "death effect".

Deathward says is prevents immediate death but TtS is death over 24 hours as the soul is devoured??

I guess you could rule either way but what doou guys think?


The Black Bard wrote:
Rakshaka wrote:
Thanks for input. I mispoke when I mentioned the Surprise move part of the problem when I was just trying to use it as an example of what can be done with the Witch's Hex. I'm not looking to nerf the power, but am looking for an alternative to the power-level of the Hex.

Wouldn't you consider "changing the power because it's too good to something not as good as the origional" to be a nerf? I'm just asking.

That aside, here is what seems to be the problem. Your player, playing a class that has been alpha and beta playtested by thousands of people prior to final release, with a useful power that is still inherently limited by certain factors, has become extremely powerful in the specific AP you are running due to A: an overall lack of the inherent limiters (creature types), B: the specific design of the encounters (callous allies/no allies), and C: an effective team with with an NPC (or any other PCs who exploit the advantage intelligently).

So your player found a "strong" class/ability combo for this AP. Good for him, better than finding a weak one. The inherent fault (although that is not the proper word for it) lies in the structure of the AP, not in the PC's class. If I were you (which I am not, but that is a better preface than just saying "Just do this") I would adjust the AP, adding extra allies and such. Failing that, I would talk to the player if the ability is actually lessening the fun for the other players (who I would ask that very question of first). Failing that, then I would consider house-ruling the ability, but again, only if other players are not having fun.

This reminds me of when a legitimate "Player didn't know the campaign was about undead" Radiant Servant of Pelor cropped up in an Age of Worms game. Or, as great example of the "Secret I-Win Button" when my wife played an Entropomancer in Age of Worms, totally unaware that recovering a Sphere of Anihhilation was part of the plot!

There is really only two paths of thought with this:...

I think you've summed up the situation pretty clearly here, that's a +1!

Personally if you really are having issues with the sleep hex I would use an existing mechanic to either limit its use to 3 + Int mod per day, or, make it work like the other Hex's - you can only target each creature once per day.
Both keep the flavour without allowing it to dominate combat all day long.


More bumps


tricky bob wrote:
stuart haffenden wrote:
Treantmonk wrote:


Instead consider straight Bard...very workable.

.

Dear Mr. TreeMinky,

When can we expect some APG updated to your guides? And will you be giving the Witch a guide of her own?

+1!

+2


It doesn't really fit into any of the "normal" roles. Personally, I don't like its make-up but that's just me.

The main problem is that it's very different to the Play-test version and the Paizo guys have taken a lot of stick because of the changes. Even though those giving out said stick knew it was a play-test version, and should be extremely thankful that Paizo allows us the option to play-test stuff and contribute to the products that get released, they seemed to forget this when the stick was being handed around so freely.

Bottom line, Paizo have released what they feel is a balanced class and I think they did a pretty good job even though the class doesn't appeal to me.

If you want to play one, you could use the eidolon as a beat stick to replace the fighter - sort of, or you could take a back row seat and use the powerful SA SLA summons - a bit like a wizard.


PeteZero wrote:

Whow, so much input. Thanks, that really helps.

For stats, my problem is, I really want INT 20 to start off with, and that was a way around it. A bit off WIS, so WIL saves aren't hurt too much, get the trait latent psion - +2 to mind affecting effects. And STR 8 should work too. Would like a higher CHA but see no way unless sacrificing INT.
For hexes to begin with evil eye, cackle, slumber
Familiar: Fox or weasel for the reflex save
Patron: Trickery?
Invisibility is nice, but if you use evil eye, misfortune, slumber you're visible again, getting blink as well is okay, is it really useful as a 3rd lvl spell esp. when you have a 20% spell failure?

As a matter of interest, which spells do you intend on taking during the first 5 levels or so?

What spells would others recommend?


hogarth wrote:
PeteZero wrote:

Where can I find the metamagic rod of reach?

hogarth wrote:
Stone the Crows wrote:
You may wish to consider a little more Strength for use with Spectral Hand as a back up plan if the Enchantments don't work out. There are many Touch spells that don't grant a save.
A Reach metamagic rod is pretty cheap, though.
It's in the Advanced Player's Guide.

He'll still need some Strength to hit, plus Spectral Hand gives a +2 bonus.


You may wish to consider a little more Strength for use with Spectral Hand as a back up plan if the Enchantments don't work out. There are many Touch spells that don't grant a save.


Evil Genius Prime wrote:


I realized that in the first post, I said "All witches are EVIL". I meant "All witches are female". I couldn't edit it, so I reposted it. I was seriously sleep deprived when I posted the original post. Hence the total word screw-up.

Are you sure... ;)


Slumber: Is there no love for sleep without a HD limit? Seems pretty good to me.


Can you use UMD on a scroll of shield, mirror image etc?

Doesn't the personal bit mean the creator of the scroll?


Combat Casting: Ususally this is a no brainer for full casters, however you have Hex's that you can use that don't provoke AoO's. I would probably still want it, but maybe not as early as a Wiz/Sorc would.


Patrons: wouldn't mirror image be a good option? Am I right in thinking that you can't UMD this spell, or can you get it on a scroll that someone else scribed?

Witch has no shield spell to save her early days.


stuart haffenden wrote:
stuart haffenden wrote:


Summon Monster v1.1
Summon Monster [augmented] v1.1

Use these ones!

Ok! [great stuff by the way, but then I would say that :)]


Slightly off track..

Can you use just one, say, silvered weapon, with a flurry and by-pass DR/silver with all your attacks?


Am I correct in thinking that to cast a Verbal only spell you need to make a Concentration Check [which you have little to no chance in making]?
So just speaking [eg. Dimension Door] requires a check?

PFRPG page 206
Grappling or Pinned: The only spells you can cast
while grappling or pinned are those without somatic
components and whose material components (if any) you
have in hand. Even so, you must make a concentration
check (DC 10 + the grappler’s CMB + the level of the spell
you’re casting) or lose the spell
.

That seems, well, a little harsh.