Pathfinder General /pfg/
Try talking about catfolk and not kitsune for once, pic related
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Old Thread:
At least this is better than the last thread. Does anyone have cool ideas for detailed stronghold building?
3.x's stronghold builder's guide can possibly give you some neat idea for rooms, at least.
Our general was still on page 4
RRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Also to go with that, House building. Not a structure but a family. Unique benefits of a particular upbringing and bloodline that isn't sorcerer powers. I've been thinking of writing something of that nature as a homebrew. House features and such. One would build their house and give up half their feats for the features from it, like VMC except they to a degree get to mix and match. I've been doing a lot of home brewing lately. Maybe I should compile everything.
Here is a Spheres of Power blaster constructed under the following parameters:
- 5th-level
- 25 point buy
- No Dreamscarred Press material
- Adam Meyers' sorcerer focus sphere non-stacking RAI
- No Paizo options that affect caster level or spells
The goal of the build is to wholly obliterate and any all opposition during the first one or two rounds of combat, and to serve as a knowledgeable and sneaky skill monkey out of combat.
Presenting: the "din of this modest land," who is without sin and thus casts the first stone.
Level: 5th
Race: Tiefling (Small size, destructive heritage, pass for human)
Class: Oracle (sphere) 1/incanter 1/wizard (sphere) 1/shaman (sphere) 2
Oracle: Blackened curse (extra magic talent), streets mystery (face in the crowd revelation)
Incanter: Conversion inquisition, healing (restoration) subdomain, knowledge (memory) subdomain, trickery (ambush) subdomain, war (tactics) subdomain
Wizard: Destruction sphere specialization
Shaman: Any +4 initiative familiar, any spirit, fetish hex
Ability Scores: Strength 7, Dexterity 16+2, Constitution 14, Intelligence 17+2+1+2, Wisdom 14, Charisma 7-2
Casting Tradition: Focus Casting (ring) drawback, Prepared Caster drawback, Energy Focus sphere-specific drawback, Overcharge boon
Talents: 2 base + 1 tiefling + 1 drawback + 1 oracle + 1 oracle curse + 2 incanter + 2 wizard + 1 Destruction sphere specialization + 2 shaman = 13 talents total
Sphere: Destruction
Blast Type: Stone Blast
Blast Shapes: Energy Leap, Explosive Orb
Other Talents: Clinging Blast, Epicenter, Extended Range ×2, Gather Energy, Greater Blast ×2, Selective Blast
Advanced Talent: Holy Smite
Traits: Destructive Talent from Destroyer's Handbook, Iron-Plated Mind (Destruction) from War Handbook, +2 initiative trait of choice, drawback of choice
Feats:
Tiefling: Basic Magic Training
1st-level: Ability Focus (Stone Blast)
3rd-level: Orb Expert
5th-level: Energy Specialization (Stone Blast)
Fetish Hex: Craft Wondrous Item
Equipment (13,125 gp effective starting wealth): +2 Destruction "staff" that need not actually be a staff and could even be a ring (8,000 gp), Headband of Vast Intelligence +2 (4,000 gp), Traveler's Any-Tool (250 gp), self-crafted Small darkleaf leather lamellar (270 gp, normally 810 gp), self-crafted Small darkwood buckler (60 gp, normally 180 gp)
Stone Blast, caster level: 5 high caster levels + 1 Destruction sphere specialization + 2 "staff" + 2 Energy Specialization: 10th
Stone Blast, damage: 5d6 or 10d6 + 1 Destructive Talent trait + 1 Destruction sphere specialization + 2d6 Greater Blast = 7d6+2 or 12d6+2
Stone Blast, save DC: 10 base + 5 half caster level + 6 Intelligence modifier + 2 Ability Focus = DC 23
>Stone Blast (blast type): You may change the damage type of your destructive blast to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning. A stone blast ignores spell resistance, spell turning, and can penetrate a globe of invulnerability, anti-magic field, or antimagic circle, and is not treated as a spell or magical effect for creatures or classes that gain a bonus to saving throws against magic. These stones disappear after 1 minute.
Explosive Orb, standard action: 0 spell points for 5x5-foot burst or 10x10-foot, 1 spell point for up to 20-foot radius, 480 foot range, 7d6+2 damage (Reflex DC 24 half), exclude self and two allies
Energy Leap, standard action: 1 spell point to move in a straight line out to 400 feet without provoking attacks of opportunity and while passing through occupied spaces, 7d6+2 damage (Reflex DC 23 half) for each creature passed through, exclude two allies
Optional Upgrades:
1 spell point OR increase casting time to full-round action to increase damage from 7d6+2 to 12d6+2
1 spell point to transform all damage into sacred damage that deals 150% damage against evil or [evil] creatures
1 spell point to have all damage count as continuous damage for the purpose of concentration until the start of your next turn
Overcharge to fatigue self for +2 caster level, but this can be cured as a standard action with healing (restoration) subdomain 9/day
Swift Actions: Destruction sphere specialization movement burst to move 20 feet in a straight line 9/day, trickery (ambush) subdomain concealment 9/day
This character has initiative +10 and rolls twice and takes the higher result for all initiative checks, and therefore has a very strong chance of going first in initiative. They can use a swift action to move 20 feet and get into position, then use a full-round action to open up with any of the offensive options listed above. If they overcharge, they should deal a whopping 14d6+2 (average 51) damage.
docs.google.com
The average CR 4 monster has Reflex +5.4 and 40.1 hit points.
The average CR 5 monster has Reflex +6.1 and 55.3 hit points.
If the monsters are evil, the "din of this modest land" can spend +1 spell point to deal 150% damage against them. If the enemies include a spellcaster, the character can expend another +1 spell point to completely shut down all casting.
Suffice it to say, it is quite likely that the first turn of this character will trivialize most combat encounters. Even if combat lasts longer than a round, fatigue will not hinder them too much. Afterwards, they can simply use their healing (restoration) subdomain to remove the fatigue. Staying power is not particularly necessary given such raw firepower.
Outside of combat, this character is a splendid skill monkey due to their high Intelligence, broad array of class skills, and respectable amount of skill points. Being a Small-sized tiefling and having the face in the crowd revelation give them startlingly high Stealth, the knowledge (memory) subdomain makes them truly sagacious, and the conversion inquisition makes them a smooth talker.
This Spheres of Power blaster has achieved their build design goal with flying colors.
>Try talking about catfolk and not kitsune for once
No.
As a bonus, this character is perfectly capable of performing blast-assassinations.
Since they lack the Magical Signs, Somatic Casting, and Verbal Casting drawbacks, there is no indicator of them casting any spell. Therefore, while employing their face in the crowd revelation and/or their trickery (ambush) subdomain for Stealth purposes, they can evoke a devastating eruption of stone up to 480 feet away with none the wiser.
What's a more reliable martial build?
Two Weapon Fighting or Dual Wielding?
One seems more feat intensive but provides more chances to deal a significant crit (as most light blades have an 18-20 crit range)
The more needs fewer feats but deals more damage (power attack + 1.5x STR damage)
Two handed weapon style also require less gp which lets you invest in other things, not to mention having cool features like reach.
TWF if you're a critfisher build. It's damage sucks, since it focuses more on trying to land a crit with a keen weapon.
Dual Wield is a general gold standard for any martial.
>Dual weilding
>Two weapon fighting
Whats the difference?
They are exactly the same
Two weapon fighting is dual wielding. Assuming you meant two-handed weapons, two-handed is much better in general just because of the versatility you can get out of the feat slots you would otherwise use for TWF
Using a two-handed weapon is almost always strictly superior to bothering with two weapons, even in Path of War. Two-Weapon Fighting is too cost-inefficient for most characters; only those with large amounts of bonus damage (e.g. rogues) can remotely justify it.
Even for Dexterity-based Path of War characters, it is usually better to employ Polearm Dancer with a nodachi or a custom Weapon Master's Handbook weapon, Daisho Expertise with a katana and a shield, or a stalker's Killer's Implements with a two-handed weapon.
TWF is better IMO
But only if you have a lot of gold and feats to spare. Keen, Linked Striking Scimitars with the Deadly Agility feat are absolutely wreck shit harder than a Two-Hander with the same weapon enchantments.
>only those with large amounts of bonus damage (e.g. rogues) can remotely justify it.
What? Sneak attack only activates on the first hit, doesn't it?
Really though, who is putting Linked Striking on a greatsword to begin with?
Nope. SA applies to all attacks when the target qualifies for SA.
That said, even a Legendary Rogue is going to have a very bad time if they try to dual wield. 3/4 BaB, d8 HD, no in-class attack boosts, and generally shitty options for doing damage means that even a TWF rogue sneak attacking is going to suck ass most of the time.
If Deadly Agility is allowed, then Path of War is potentially allowed as well. Presently, there is little reason for initiators to actually bother with Two-Weapon Fighting unless they happen to be warders (dervish defender). Having multiple attacks is splendid, certainly, but multiattack strike maneuvers do the job better.
No such restriction exists. In fact, Sneak Attack does not even require a "hit," merely an attack. Due to the core rulebook's definition of "attack," Sneak Attack applies even to Intimidate demoralize attempts, channel energy attempts, Fireballs, and Magic Missiles.
>Really though, who is putting Linked Striking on a greatsword to begin with?
pic related
> No such restriction exists. In fact, Sneak Attack does not even require a "hit," merely an attack. Due to the core rulebook's definition of "attack," Sneak Attack applies even to Intimidate demoralize attempts, channel energy attempts, Fireballs, and Magic Missiles.
Pushing this shit as if it's legitimate is why no one likes you, you fucking faggot.
RAW is RAW, they're not saying it should be played that way. I don't know if that's the actual rules, but pointing out RAW and how stupid it is isn't a bad thing.
There's no reason to be insulting, and they did say there was no restriction from multiple sneak attacks on a pounce (which as far as I'm aware of they're correct)
I mean, he IS technically right, even if it is the most retarded possible purposeful misreading of the RAW that you could do.
But hey, that's what Touhou's good at. Taking something that was good, and ruining it for everyone.
Which is why no one fucking likes him.
Fair enough. Both of my groups ban psionics anyway, so I don't really know how it works beyond a cursory glance at the enhancement.
Oh, I'm agreeing with you. He's an incredibly unpleasant person who absolutely refuses to acknowledge that nobody likes him, and he spams the thread constantly with his faggoty avatar and overly long posts.
At least Gareth and DSP took a vacation when it got bad. That tranny faggot of an anime-loving weeb just keeps posting harder.
d20pfsrd.com
>Some spell descriptions refer to attacking. All offensive combat actions, even those that don't damage opponents, are considered attacks. Attempts to channel energy count as attacks if it would harm any creatures in the area. All spells that opponents resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are attacks. Spells that summon monsters or other allies are not attacks because the spells themselves don't harm anyone.
Damage-dealing channel energy attempts are explicitly defined as attacks. You can absolutely apply Sneak Attack to a channel energy attempt, if, for whatever reason, you possess both class features.
Likewise, by RAW, a tower shield provides total cover which can protect even against a dread's Intimidate demoralization attempts.
The above definition of "attack" never existed in 3.X. It is purely a Paizo conceit that was added to the Pathfinder core rulebook without thinking the ramifications through.
It is nonsensical, but that is the RAW for you.
I don't mind 2hu.
>tranny
I thought that was Forrest?
Isn't avatarfagging against the rules?
Yeah, and he's been banned, but he just ban evades. The mods don't even bother anymore.
New thread →
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Cursory explanation then.
>A creature wielding multiple weapons with the linked striking quality treats all weapons as using the same link, so subsequent attacks with any linked striking weapon against the linked target gain the benefit, while attacks with any of the linked striking weapons against another target resets the link.
For a soulknife, this means two things:
1) If he had the class archetype that allows him to share his Mindblades to his allies, this meant everyone who attacks a single target is gonna be dealing an extra 2d6
2) if he had the psychic armory archetype that allows him to make two full attacks (both melee and ranged) in one combat round, every mindblade in his panoply is gonna be doing an extra 2d6 per hit.
Kill yourself.
Yes.
No, Forrest is actually chill and a good person. She's transgender, and doesn't deserve to get shit on for it. Forrest a cute.
Touhou is a mentally ill Filipino tranny with one of the most cripplingly severe cases of autism that I think we've seen since ChrisChan.
It's already dead.
Oh boo hoo, faggot. Just delete your thread.
Nowhere near that bad user. Plus, personal attacks dont help anything.
I made that thread not him I'm This guy
The mods are too busy banning people who report kiddie porn to actually bother enforcing actual rules.
>he just ban evades
No, his ban from the 4e days ran out and he's yet to be banned again.
I have a ridiculous idea pfg but hear me out.
I want to set a full-bab BBEG against my party.
Obviously his CR rating should be several levels higher compared to a full caster BBEG and maybe I'll give him 4th casting to remain a bit competitive.
So, 32 pb or maybe a monster with class levels, ridiculous wealth, and maybe level 22 with mythic thrown in against a party of level 16s. What else can I do to even the score short of using 3pp?
Ranger with favored enemies matching the party? It's full BAB with 4 level casting. You even get an animal companion out of it
Why?
Boss fights are boring if you're going 1 v the entire party. Action Economy will fuck him up regardless how strong he is, or if he can cast spells.
Improvements to Fighter
>More skill points and class skills
>WMH and AMH abilities automatically
>Favored Will save
>Bravery applies to all saving throws and Initiative
>Stalwart ability at low level
>Ability to swap Bonus Feats out for other feats with ten minutes of prep or a single Feat as a Swift Action in combat
Is this enough to make the Fighter less trash?
I never go with solo boss fights, there will almost always be minions to help him even the score.
Path of War
>WMH and AMH
?
Weapon/Armor Master's Handbooks
Weapon Master's Handbook and Armor Master's Handbook
Wrath of Whores
Actually, what initiator(s) would make the most profitable prostitutes?
Everyone says this but my players aren't interested in it.
Generally, a BBEG's noncombat abilities are far more crucial to their narrative-affecting potential than any of their combat prowess. To that end, I would suggest a stalker with the avenger specialization as a full-BAB main villain.
The character could even take up this archetype should you deem it fitting:
d20pfsrd.com
Then your players either haven't properly looked at it, or they're kinda dumb.
>Actually, what initiator(s) would make the most profitable prostitutes?
Rubatos
Knight Disciple Paladins with a bit of rubato mixed in.
Rubato with Sleeping Goddess
The way the group I'm in have been doing this was 4+INT mod for skill ranks and Armed Bravery for free at 1st level.
There's some level of "If someone's using it everyone will have to" with PoW that makes it a little less appealing. It's kinda like Psionics, if you don't play it with everyone else your brain's gonna get melted, only in this case you'll get shanked.
Why Sleeping Goddess?
I freely admit they are kind of dumb.
>sleeping
>goddess
>maneuvers
It's a joke, if that helps.
>"If someone's using it everyone will have to"
so pretty much exactly like spells then?
Does anything stack well with Empiricist Investigator? I really don't like the Sleuth archetype, and PoW isn't allowed so I can't go Polymath.
A straight-man side-kick who you can explain everything to.
>Not liking PoW makes you ignorant or stupid
Yeah, cuz personal taste isn't a thing amirite?
I would love that. I was going to play it a bit like Holmes, complete with abysmal charisma. Is there a way to use Int for the Leadership score to better get a Watson cohort??
What's up with this boner /pfg/ has for PoW? It's absolutely insane, it's like if you don't use it/don't like it you're some kind of degenerate. I don't get it.
I sure hope Ssalarn-senpai notices me today~
So speaking of kitsune, my group had a game this week where we all rolled randomly to determine race and class, and built characters off that.
>3 kitsune and a tengu
Impericist / Questioner Investigator is the best method to go utility caster/party face/skill monkey.
Just beg your DM to ignore that tiny, insignificant conflict between those two archetypes (poison lore)
How do i convince my dm to use the path of war?
muh martials
caster shitters guise
x[)
Hey /pfg/, I'm working on a homebrew Sniper themed archetype that uses Initiating.
For capturing the essence of a sniper, what are some essential abilities and features?
Get the book for him for free? Offer to let him fiddle with it and learn it first before playing it yourself? DM your own one-shot for him and the others to get y'all feet wet?
Give him the books and let him read them. Explain why you want it, and support the claim that paizo martials are bad. Don't abuse PoW like 2hu does.
I can probably convince him to ignore it if I give up trapfinding. He likes to put traps in dungeons for us, so he actually values the ability.
I don't really think of initiating when pondering a sniper.
One shot from ages away doesn't strike me as very... initiatey.
Half the /pfg/ is trans.
I think you meant to say vigilante, not stalker.
Hey /pfg/, lately I've been stuck in quite a negative mood towards pf, especially after trying a few different systems in oneshots and seeing what can actually go right. We're still playing pf in our main campaign though.
Now the question is, why are you still guys here? What makes you come back to pf? How can you stand it?
I like the depth of the system. I know it's rules-heavy in a lot of places, but the fact that almost any character concept can be made into a mechanically unique character is fantastic to me.
Except Link from Legend of Zelda, that bastard is impossible to build
Are there any methods of deploying an area-of-effect Intimidate demoralization attempt that key off the default demoralize action, rather than demanding a separate standard action such as Dazzling Display?
Yes, I did.
I have grown so accustomed to the Path of War: Expanded stalker (vigilante) that I use the two words interchangeably at times.
It does not help that "stalker" is one of the vigilante specializations.
System familiarity, and mainly because I love the who character builder monogamy involved.
Granted, I know there are better systems, and I'm trying to get I to them, but PF is what I know, and it's modular enough and has enough options that I can still enjoy it.
Especially since my group is rather chill about 3pp and homebrew
It heavily depends on the Link in question. Not all are alike
I've tried to make Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time, and Skyward Sword Links separately. Skyward Sword was closest to being functional as a Sword and Shield style Ranger with a Roc Companion, but I can't seem to get them quite right.
SS is a Paladin, with Champion of the Holy Light, with levels in bladebound Magus or something to get an Emmisary Familiar
OuT is a Bard/Cavalier, also with a familiar
TP is the hardest, but personally I'd put him as a Hunter or maybe a shapeshifter ranger.
Occultist can also work pretty well for Link.
Corollary on TP, if Midna is a separate character, then he's most likely either a Ranger or Cavalier
Interestingly, I've actually made a pretty good Midna as a Fetchling Umbral Sorcerer.
Is there a way to include the Loftwing in your SS Link concept?
The problem I have here is that, sure, that I just don't feel this anymore. Most martials or gishes end up as some variety of full attack or "use my one gimmick and spam that over and over". Same for PoW and casters, there is little actual choice involved. You use your best spell, then the next best and so on.
Plus, some of the mechanical concepts, which could be interesting, just straight up don't work, even if everyone agrees to play low power characters and homebrew is allowed. Just feels bad man.
What's the point of having all these options, if they're bad?
I think system familiarity is probably what kills the game for me. I know almost all ins and outs of the system and see just how badly it's built from the ground upwards. No amount of official or 3pp addons can fix this and it's just disheartening. The pf my group is playing does not resemble the "official" rules for the most part, because we keep ignoring the not-fun parts and tried to fix others.
It's still not really working out. Combat is boring and the skills are still awful. I think our GM doesn't set DCs anymore, because they hardly matter.
Just give her access to Beast Shape I , possibly in form of wand, and have her turn Link into poochie when needed, such as when in a dungeon where he can't bring his horse.
>What's the point of having all these options, if they're bad?
I can understand this view; I end up using bad options a lot and having fun with them anyway because I'm the only one in my group that cares about optimizing, and I don't optimize to make powerful characters or anything. I just like the numbers game of making a really good character.
The wand would probably be the way to go for that considering the sorcerer's limit on 3rd level spells
Can Beast Shape be used on other people as a wand? It's a Personal spell
Just give Link the Transformation feat from the Alteration book.
Bam. Doggu on command.
Spheres isn't allowed at my table unfortunately
I've been there, done that and some more. It just doesn't do anything for me anymore.
What to do now?
Nope. If it's personal, it only affects the caster, regardless of whether it's cast from memory or from a magic item. The target themselves has to use the wand.
Then force Link to take ranks in UMD. It fits him anyway.
See Dominion Rod.
Because Paizo is too much of a scrooge about Wild shape for some reason
As far as I can see, just grin and bear it until something changes, or take a break from the game if you aren't feeling up to it.
Yeah, every Link build I've tried to make has had max ranks in UMD, to reflect his extensive use of magic items in every game.
Well, pf certainly won't change anytime soon from the broken mess it is. Seems like waiting for a different system it is.