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The Rake

Alitan's page

Pathfinder Society Member. 1,178 posts (1,179 including aliases). No reviews. No lists. No wishlists. 1 Pathfinder Society character.


Does a Stilled and Silenced spell still provoke AoO?

And, if a Conjuror scribes a scroll of a Summon Monster spell, does the scroll benefit from the Summoner's Charm duration extension?

That's it. Figured I'd get quicker answers by posting than trying to hunt it up myself; thanks in advance.

I thought this up while examining a wasp nest over a cigarette.

"Winter Wasps"

So named because they absorb heat energy -- they actually are dormant during winter months, and a prolonged siege of below-freezing weather will kill them.

So, Magical Beasts with the Swarm quality, fire Immunity and vulnerable (double-damage) to cold.

A colony-hive would have d4 swarms, a sentry-hive d6+4, while a central or established hive could have upwards of 2d6+4...

Creatures adjacent to a swarm must make a DC [?] Fortitude save or take d4 nonlethal damage from the cold; cold-weather outfit would provide usual (+2?) benefit -- though wearing a cold-weather outfit in the tropical climates where winter wasps are found poses its own problems...

DC 11-12 Fortitude saves vs. their poison (1 Dex damage, immediate onset, 2 rounds, one save cures affliction).

Just kind of nasty, since the usual (area-effect fire damage) response to swarms is ineffectual.

They still wouldn't like smoke.

Feel free to file off the serial numbers and throw these around!

So, you open a bottle of something, and instead of what you were gonna pour, out pops a TINY faerie riding a swarm of bumblebees, who offers to grant your wish of transformation into an RPG character.

After convincing yourself that you aren't hallucinating (maybe after some demonstration of the magical power at the disposal of the wish-granter), here's my question:

What RPG system would you want to use?, if you're a Rogue with Improved Precise Shot (Feat), do you still need Sniper's Eye (Rogue Talent) to deal ranged sneak attack damage to a foe with concealment? W/in 30', yadda-yadda, I know. But does Improved Precise Shot obviate the need for Sniper's Eye?


Just thought you guys (and gals?) deserved a public "thank you." Any time I've had a problem that required a mention here, it gets fixed in jig time.

So, thank you for your work in keeping this site working! I appreciate having the resources and entertainment.

... not a HUGE problem, but.

So, I usually hit the "messageboards" button and then the sign in from there; this has stopped working over the last two or three days. I can sign in from the main page, so this isn't crippling my access, but I thought you might like to know.


I was just curious.

It seems like a reasonable usage: I mean, if you get the benefits of critical hits and sneak attack damage with spells requiring a to-hit roll, why wouldn't you be able to apply Deadly Aim?

EDIT: Forgive the failed attempt at italicization, please...

So I've let myself get handed a run slot in my group... flattering, but I'm not hot to run a real campaign. So I'm fleshing out a small region and setting out a sandbox to let them build their own power-bases, which will then be threatened by the BBEG.

I'm lousy at low-level GMming; it's true and I readily admit it. I also want around a 7th level cap on spell access, for both PC and NPC casters.

My plan is to have people make 10th level characters, but require them to have no higher than 6th level in a single class. This will let me make the opposition scary at lower levels and easier to run when they do get cornered by the PCs.

I'm planning for about 5-7 levels of advancement as the plot unfolds. If they (the PCs) push, they ought to be able to do it in 5, if they go all conservative on me, they could get higher-level before they reach the end of the arc.

Any thoughts on requiring a multi-class as a brake? Would you rather start at lower-level than split your advancement? Would you enjoy the "short stack" of secondary class abilities?


PS: Especially interested in non-caster PC input here; this is aimed at casters: is it workable from a martial view? Or bothersome?

So, since I ALWAYS run up against not liking my choices for deities, I've done some thinking on how to reorganize the Cleric.

Temples and churches get organized around similar alignments, offering reverence to any and all deities appropriate; in effect, individual gods become fluff. Some churches may actually span the world, some might be strictly local, most would fall between these into regional hierarchies.

... choose whether to channel negative or positive energy *regardless of alignment*
... likewise, any cleric can pick up versatile channeler
... spontaneously-cast whichever Domain spells they have prepared, rather than cure/inflict spells
... have an Aura based on their own alignment
... may choose 2 Domains that don't conflict with their alignment

I also designate several Domains as "non-(x)" alignment (must be non-x to select) as follows:

... non-Good: Madness, War
... non-Evil: Healing, Liberation
... non-Chaotic: Artifice, Community, Knowledge
... non-Lawful: Destruction, Luck, Weather


Some threads are failing to show new posts for me; not all of them, just some, and I haven't been able to figure out what makes any difference as to why a given thread might be losing its notice. Some I've posted in, some I haven't. I'm having to look at the times of the last post to figure out if I need to check into the threads in question.

Any advice?


If one successfully performs a sneak attack with a Rod of Withering, does the sneak attack damage get converted? Or does it deal no sneak attack damage at all, since the Rod doesn't deal conventional damage? Non-lethal? Standard sneak attack dice in lethal? Does a successful sneak attack count like a critical to make the attribute damage permanent?


Remind me never to hand out one of these damn things.

But, what happens?

If one is, for example, a Druid/Wizard with Natural Spell, do the benefits of the feat apply to one's Wizard spells as well as one's Druid spells? Nothing in the feat description says yea/nay on the issue. Has this been addressed someplace? (I DID try searching, but my search-fu isn't so great...)

In particular, wondering about the combination of 'Reactionary' and 'Exile' each providing a +2 trait bonus to initiative. Can you take both for a +4, or should I find a replacement for Reactionary? (Exile is central to the character concept, so if they don't stack, Reactionary gets the boot.)

First time using the Trait rules, wanted more expert input. Thanks.

Title says it all; in another way, why is poison use relegated to being a class feature? I'm not a fan of dipping levels, and I can't believe that the needful training to not poison yourself couldn't be achieved by means of a feat.

Seriously -- I have to get Rogue levels with the Poisoner archetype, or Assassin levels? (I'd guess Ninja get it, but I kinda loathe 'em, so I wouldn't go that route anyway...)

Anybody else wonder about this?

It'd be great if the (new posts) showing on the forum listing were redacted when the posts were.

Frustrating to see (4 new posts) and find one, being the moderator explaining s/he edited the thread...

So, yes, this is a mild issue at worst, but...

Would it be possible to get the forum headings (Paizo/Messageboards/etc.) in link form at the BOTTOM of each page of threads? In addition to at the top? So once one has scrolled down the page looking for interesting threads, one can redirect one's browser w/o having to scroll back up the page?

*I* think that'd be great.


So, if you have a Humanbane bow and Elfbane arrows, does that mean when you're potshotting half-elves, they take 4d6 extra damage? Since half-elves count as both human and elf when it comes to magic effects... Or does the bow override the arrow when it comes to shooting?

So, I've been reading up on combat feats with an eye towards playing a fighter for the first time in years, and have run into some questions, to wit:

Pinpoint Targeting, the Vital Strike sequence of feats, and Deadly Stroke all require the character to make a single attack, giving up their iterative attacks in exchange for (x) effect.

Assuming that the appropriate Weapon Focus/Greater Weapon Focus weapon is being used, can one: Pinpoint Target a Deadly Stroke while using Greater Vital Strike? Or is this a case of 'use one of these options?'



Is there some reason you (moderator-types) can't simply delete the offending threads entirely?

Because nothing (and I do mean nothing) on these boards is as irritating as hopping on to a thread only to find half of it removed and the thread locked.

Can't see WHY the thread is locked, since those posts are removed.
Can't respond to anything LEFT in the thread, because it's locked.

Don't see why I should have to deal with half-deleted, locked threads.

Just remove THE WHOLE THING, huh?

Just wondering; what do you think comprises the perfect party? How many, what classes, I guess what races, though I tend to think of race as relatively unimportant. For the purpose of discussion, assume 7th level all around, and a "standard" PF set of assumptions - neither low magic nor epic fantasy, just a straight-up, out-of-the box game.

Not looking for the minutae of the builds, just the bare bones. [Of course, if you feel compelled to present full stats, I'll look through 'em... just don't feel obligated.]

... Have a few favorites.

Love Pathfinder.

In Nomine, by Steve Jackson Games would rock.

Haven't played Amber in forever.

DC Heroes, particularly in a mystic setting/campaign.

But really, just about anything but Paranoia and 4E.

1 person marked this as a favorite.

For me, it's Jenny Sparks, of the Authority; the Spirit of the Twentieth Century, D.O.A 2000 A.D.

Has anyone else read The Prince of Mourning Bells by Nancy Kress? A fantasy novel, by an author more famed for her science fiction. Certain tongue-in-cheek humorous approach, but I'm always leaking tears over the end.

Also, Michelle Sagara's series about the conflict between the followers of the Light and Dark Hearts of the world... can't dredge up titles to save own life at the moment... ought to be sleeping, dammit.

What unsung oddities does anybody else have to throw on the pile?

I'm curious... just what are the spells and prerequisites entailed in making a Tiny Coffee Golem, anyway?


Is there any way to mark a thread as one I don't want to read/don't care about so it drops to the bottom of the list? Or conversely, to keep threads I am interested in up on the top, clustered together so I don't have to go hunting them?

No big deal if not, I was just hoping there was an easy fix for this... I don't generally have a lot of computer savvy, so I thought I might just be missing the obvious.


5 people marked this as a favorite.

So, just noticing another person who, like me, is unfamiliar with the assumed-common-use acronyms.

All you long-service-on-the-boards types, how about posting some lists of your commonly-used acronyms and their translation into the common tongue of westron?


So, I currently have, 'favorited by others' TWICE, from TWO DIFFERENT THREADS, my post pointing out that Caster Level is not a class feature and cannot be emulated with Use Magic Device.

So I thought I'd post it again, here, in yet a third thread, trolling for more favorites!


So, I thought I'd go ahead and post the spell progression I use for my Aberrant Sorcerers. I don't claim it's especially 'optimal,' nor is it supposed to be particularly amazing; it's just the one I use.

Listing is by spell level, each level organized by order of selection, with bloodline spells listed last for each level.

Cantrips: detect magic, detect poison, read magic, message, light, prestidigitation, mage hand, touch of fatigue, mending

1st level: mage armor, grease, shield, magic missile, true strike; enlarge person

2nd level: false life, resist energy, knock, blindness/deafness, touch of idiocy; see invisibility

3rd level: slow, dispel magic, gaseous form, stinking cloud; tongues

4th level: dimension door, crushing despair, phantasmal killer, bestow curse; black tentacles

5th level: baleful polymorph, dismissal, mage's private sanctum, fabricate; feeblemind

6th level: true seeing, mass suggestion, permanent image; veil

7th level: greater polymorph, project image, greater scrying; plane shift

8th level: moment of prescience, dimensional lock, polymorph any object; mind blank

9th level: time stop, mage's disjunction, imprisonment; shapechange

[I haven't actually reached even seventh level spellcasting before campaign dissolution, sadly, which also means I've only reached the end of my 0-4 progressions, so I haven't actually seen this list play out; but that 0-4 list has served me very well on a number of occasions.]

On side notes, I pick up Still Spell and Silent Spell (to go with the freebie Eschew Materials) and cast the heck outta things while in gaseous form. One of my favorite tactics.

Anyhow, I haven't seen many sorcerers close to this list, though I do see a lot of wizards running around with similar spellbooks. Just wondering how this grabs folks.

More side notes, my usual accomplices for this sorcerer were a half-orc fighter/rogue, a halfling druid, and a human "godless" cleric ('worshipping' the concept of deceit, Trickery and Travel domains). Sorcerer a gnome.

Just wondering: is there any (artificial) limitation on gold being passed around among PCs? That is, if I can convince Players A, B, and/or C that I'm so bright and shiny they should fork over a couple of hundred gp, and they DO, is that legal? Do we all just make the notations on our sheets and let it get reported to make it official?

Mind you, I haven't yet met the folks foolish enough to fork over a couple hundred gp on the basis of my bright and shiny... but I want to be ready if I do.


1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.

So, I note from the threads that several traits are banned. Rich parents, magical knack, etc. However, the PRD still lists those traits; does anyone know (a) which traits are banned, in total, or (b) where to find such a list? I went looking to see if I could figure it out, but I'm just not a great site-sifter. Thanks.

Where do all you people find your spiffy icons? And how do you apply 'em to your personae so they show up next to your name on these threads? [God I hate being an old fart some days.]


So, I've just looked up a group to join in my new town, logged in here to do it. In the course of fumbling through the website to find out where to look, I discovered the prohibition on evil alignments.

I'd say 'no big deal,' but it kinda is; I want my imp familiar at caster level seven, and I don't want to have to play a lawful/neutral wizard in order to get it.

Among other things.

I shan't waste time arguing in favor of evil PC's; I'm not gonna rock the boat, and Pathfinder Society looks like the best way to get my gaming fix in a new town.

But can somebody explain to me why one-third of the alignments have been excised? Is this just cowardly kowtowing to the right wing, religious zealots? 'Cause I'm gonna be really disappointed if that's the case.

Thanks in advance.
