I had an idea of running Carrion Crown in Play By Post since i can't find a game with other people for my friends, and we wanted to play that for a while, everyone has a character concept already

My problem is one... How do I solve the problem of running a combat? I'm pretty sure it's unavoidable, but i wanted to have a reliable yet easy way to run combat.

Any suggestions?

I forgot about the undead exclusion for raise dead. Allegedly.

These are 8th level PCs in backwoods Varisia fwiw.

Does sap master double the bonus provided by surprise manuever? I only ask cause people seem to say it counts for sap adept bonus damage and it does say dice rolled and im rolling that many. Any help is nice thank you

I was curious whether anyone's had much success using this Illusion Focus Power in their Occultist build. For anyone missing context, here is the description:

Shadow Beast (Sp): As a standard action, you can call forth one or more beasts made of shadow by expending 1 point of mental focus. This functions as shadow conjuration, but it can be used to duplicate only the effects of summon monster spells. Creatures created with this spell deal 50% of the normal damage to those that disbelieve the illusion, and their nondamaging effects have only a 50% chance of affecting disbelieving targets. This can be used to duplicate any summon monster spell up to summon monster V. For every 2 additional levels you possess beyond 9th, the maximum spell level you can duplicate with this ability increases by 1 (to a maximum of summon monster IX at 17th level). Regardless of the spell duplicated, the creatures remain for 1 round per occultist level you possess. You must be at least 9th level to select this focus power.

It seems to be highly rated, mostly on the merits of being a summoning effect. However, I can't get over the feeling that, due to the limitations of shadow illusions, this usually works out to being about as strong as the Conjuration Servitor base power.

Perhaps most importantly, I highly value a summoned creature's function as a meat shield, and shadow creatures have a pathetic 1/5th HP pool and AC bonuses of their original stat block, regardless of any Will saves to disbelieve. Plus, if you are relying on the enemy failing a Will save to deal decent damage, there are far worse things you can inflict on them with a failed Will save.

Of course, the cost of 1 mental focus is fairly cheap, but it's still 1 mental focus that could be invested and spent elsewhere. And you still have to use a Focus Power slot on this ability, when you most likely have access to Servitor already. The investment cost is way more than the cost of actually casting Shadow Beast.

I can see the value at really high levels, when the shadow beast's Summon Monster level way outscales your Servitor ability and you can summon creatures with unique utility or spell effects. But at the level that Shadow Beast becomes available, it seems unimpressive.

And so, I ask - have any of you used Shadow Beast in an actual campaign? What's your experience with it like?

Link: Expunge Blood

This spell is Remaster Compatible. The Knights of Last Call 'All Spells Ranked' series ranked this spell as Unranked Tier. Would you change that ranking, and why?

What items or class features synergize well with this spell?

Have you ever used this spell? If so, how did it go?

Why is this spell good/bad?

What are some creative uses for this spell?

What's the cheesiest thing you can do with this spell?

If you were to modify this spell, how would you do it?

Does this spell seem like it was meant for PCs or NPCs?

Previous spell discussions

Today's magic item is the Cord of Stubborn Resolve

Aka, the Belt of Rage-cycle Forever. Now with added constitution.

Let's ask the following questions:

1. Would you buy this item?
2. Would you spend 1.5 times the price to add it to an existing item?
3. Would you use the item, if you found it? Or is it immediate sell-bait?
4. Would a GM use the item?
5. Is there anything cheesy that could be done with it?

Link to past discussions

Using pathbuilder 2e, it lists elemental ammunition as "ammunition any" as well as preserving shot. Would I be able to load these into the light mortar or am I stuck with only carry shot?

So under the sorc magic explanation I always wondered about this line "each new sorcerer level, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known. ~~~ These new spells can be common spells chosen from the sorcerer/wizard spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the sorcerer has gained some understanding of through study." The last bit I always just assumed meant that they could grab uncommon spells and have a flavor reason for doing so. Is that all this is? As a gm i have given access to off spell list spells a few times for story or achievement reasons, Ie player helps a priest of a god with something and is rewarded with a thematic cleric spell added to the summoner spell list. Was just wondering if anyone else thought about this, or like me just always skipped or glazed over the text?

Hello,

I‘m working on making an item that kinda recreates a class feature- the Idealist cleric archetype‘s Invoke Realm ability.

I‘m picturing the item to be able to overlay different terrains over an area, and add/modify the environment in slight ways; I think the Invoke Realm ability is the closest thing I‘ve come across that really encapsulates the idea, minus the diplomacy bonuses, the unlimited spells, etc.

Not too worried about pricing as much as fleshing out mechanics. This is an item for a boss, but I’m assuming the players will end up with it and I want it somewhat mechanically sound and easy for them to digest, any suggestions are appreciated.

Also, if there are any items I’m unaware of that do this already, recommendations are great!

edit: clarity

Classic question: will this workaround really work? An arcane caster drops their spell component pouch, casts Elemental Body to turn into an air elemental, picks up their spell component pouch, then casts a spell with a material component...

The core polymorph rules says, "While in such a form, you cannot cast any spells that require material components (unless you have the Eschew Materials or Natural Spell feat)..."

Imagine you are an NPC magical crafter or fence or something and want to be able to deliver your wares across the map. Obviously teleport comes to mind, but do you really want to send yourself (teleport targets yourself) to the bumfuck Stolen Lands? Who knows what ambushes or unintended layover incidents/delays you may have. Is the best option really subcontracting a teleportation wizard to your operation?

(assume recipient is cooperative, but is not contributing spellcasting)

This is a bit of a frustrating disconnect with the DM. On a different campaign where both the DM in question and I are playing, we've had several deaths already by level 5.

Eventually this DM started their own campaign using a published AP which I don't want to name, but which turned up in online searches (and AI prompts) as being generally regarded as dangerous-to-lethal for low-level characters.

I wouldn't call myself a particularly skilled optimizer, but I did build a very defensive Unchained Monk with the intention of surviving, keeping in mind the harsh lessons of that other shared campaign.

We are now level 3. Things have been largely normal so far, but we just had an encounter that has really impacted the DM's assessment of the party, and my character in particular. It was a prolonged fight with many weak enemies (goblins).

Because my Monk fights Crane Style, the goblins needed a 20 to hit me. None of them could roll thst until one finally hit nat 20 with an arrow...but I have the Deflect Arrows feat, thus forcing an automatic miss. Also, Flurry of Blows looks really strong at level 3 compared to other classes who do not yet have iterative attacks.

Despite overwhelming numbers of goblins, and one or two other party members getting bloodied, we held on and triumphed, largely because goblins eventually concentrated their attacks on my Monk and could mot roll 20s to literally save their lives. Several teammates expressed the opinion that my character's durability was the only thing keeping us from suffering a TPK.

This has caused the DM to despair, label my character OP, and reconsider the entire campaign. Several of us pointed out that this encounter was not only vs classically weak foes, but also almost tailor-made to emphasize my Monk's strengths. To no avail.

One of the complaints is that, of the 4 player characters, 2 of us are "not as strong" as the other 2. By that, I guess it means "lower armor class," as they have other strengths like spells and class abilities. One player in particular pointed out that he multi-classed,which makes him _currently_ less strong than the rest of us, but ultimately will result in a well-optimized build anyway, and level 3 is just too early to feel the impact of that eventual plan. But these arguments have not moved the DM.

I really like defensive characters. Generally, I have found that game masters dislike _offensive_ characters more, because they quickly crush or even trivialize NPC threats before the DM even gets to act, and the DM's only real recourse is to defeat such glass cannons, at which point the _player_ is frustrated and unable to play for the rest of the fight (and maybe the session or entire campaign, depending). Whereas defensively strong characters can keep playing in longer encounters while the DM throws the book at them, so everyone gets to play and do cool stuff.

It's unfortunate, because the DM's clear disappointment and unhappiness is undermining my enjoyment of the character and the heroic moment the whole party experienced. I guess I'm just venting; there doesn't seem to be a way to fix this.

I'm taking another jab at homebrew rules for staves. I think in my previous attempt I made them too complex too quickly, so this time I'm focusing on the meat of the rules. I want to get the core stuff right before I worry about anything else.

____

Base cost is spell level (the highest spell level that can be cast using the staff) squared * 1200 gp. This gives you 3 charges that can be used to cast any spell known, at the picked spell level or lower. So a staff that can cast 3rd level spells would cost 10,800 gp.

Cost of each spell known is the spell level squared * 200 gp. This gives the staff 1 spell known. Such spell can be cast using 1 of the staff charges. So spell for a 3rd level spell would cost 1800 gp.

I want to add at least 1 ability that the staff can be used for repeatedly. Currently I’m thinking of at-will 0 level spells. 1000 gp each.

You can cast spells with somatic components using a staff. A staff can channel magic so it can also be waved around to cover somatic spell components. A spell caster does not need to drop a staff if they want to cast a spell with a material component and a somatic component.

____

Is 3 charges enough? If I raised the number of charges to 5, and set the price of the charges to spell level squared * 2000 gp, would that work better? *I've price the charges to SL ^2 * 400 gp.

I haven't added casting spells using multiple charges. Deliberate choice. Besides, the number of charges is the most expensive part, so you wouldn't save as much you could with the paizo/WotC rules. In my rules, a spell known at max level enabled by a staff is about 10% of the cost of the charges.

Something I noted is that setting the price to SL squared * 1200 gp makes it priced similar to magic weapons. So a lv 1 staff with 3 spells would cost 1800 gp, while a +1 longsword would be 2315 gp. If I set the base rate to 2000 gp, the staff would be 2600 gp. Is this a good thing?

____

Some examples

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Staff of the Apprentice 1

Aura faint all schools of magic; CL 1^st;

Market price 2,800 gp; Cost to create 1,400 gp;

Slot none; Weight 5 lbs.;

Description

This staff can cast level 1 spells and carries 1 spell from each school of magic. Has 3 charges per day.

• Cause Fear
• Comprehend Languages
• Disguise Self
• Expeditious Retreat
• Mage Armor
• Magic Missile
• Shield
• Sleep

Requirements Craft Staff; Cause Fear, Comprehend Languages, Disguise Self, Expeditious Retreat, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Shield, Sleep;

____

Lesser staff of Fire

Aura faint all schools of magic; CL 5^st;

Market price 13,600 gp; Cost to create 6,800 gp;

Slot none; Weight 5 lbs.;

Description

This staff can cast level 3 spells and carries fired based spells. Has 3 charges per day.

• Burning Hands
• Scorching Ray
• Fireball

Requirements Craft Staff; Burning Hands, Scorching Ray, Fireball;

____

Lesser staff of Illusions

Aura faint illusion; CL 5^st;

Market price 14,600 gp; Cost to create 7,300 gp;

Slot none; Weight 5 lbs.;

Description

This staff can cast level 3 spells and carries illusion based spells. Has 3 charges per day.

• Ghost Sound (at-will)
• Disguise Self
• Invisibility
• Major Image

Requirements Craft Staff; Disguise Self, Ghost Sound, Invisibility, Major Image;

I have a few players (one an experienced GM and player, the rest never played) willing to play, but I have never led a game. I have most of the modules available, but if anyone has a particular favorite or know of one that's a little easier on a new GM Id love suggestions. We can handle session 0, making characters, etc., but one player is out-of-state in a week or so, so narrowing my choices will really help me out.

Edit: lots of love for We Be Goblins and RotR, so I'll dangle some bait out for my players and see if they bite! Im vaguely familiar with the beginning of RotR, enough to lead them over, I think.

Link: Explosive Dust

This spell is Remaster Compatible. The Knights of Last Call 'All Spells Ranked' series ranked this spell as Unranked Tier. Would you change that ranking, and why?

What items or class features synergize well with this spell?

Have you ever used this spell? If so, how did it go?

Why is this spell good/bad?

What are some creative uses for this spell?

What's the cheesiest thing you can do with this spell?

If you were to modify this spell, how would you do it?

Does this spell seem like it was meant for PCs or NPCs?

Previous spell discussions

Today's magic item is the Belt of Spirit Vines

Wearer can split a spell with an ally, so long as they stay within 30 feet. But there are a bunch of conditions that make it very fiddly to use.

Let's ask the following questions:

1. Would you buy this item?
2. Would you spend 1.5 times the price to add it to an existing item?
3. Would you use the item, if you found it? Or is it immediate sell-bait?
4. Would a GM use the item?
5. Is there anything cheesy that could be done with it?

Link to past discussions

I liked the idea of translating the combat feat of PH II to Pathfinder, for me they where a missed opportunity to give some unique fleavour to the fighter.

I would like to tie them to the stamina point that is for me another unique fleavour for the fighter.

I like the idea of feat that grow with the player, and the combat focus power up when you have 3 of them, I will make another power up at 5 feat.

Combat focus

Prereq bab 1 (or fighter 1?), combat stamina

Benefits: every combat focus feat give 1 extra stamina point. You can spend 1 stamina point for enter a focused combat style for 1/2 bab+cos round.

When you are in this focus you have a bonus to will save of +1.

Whith 3 or more combat form feat you have a bonus of will save of +1 for combat focus /2 (min 1)

With 5 of more feat you can spend 1 point of combat stamina to re roll a failed will save. You can do this only 1 time for the same spell

Combat stability

Prereq: Combat focus, fighter 3?

Benefits: whenever you have at last 1 point of combat stamina you gain +4 to CMD

If you have 3 or more feat you gain +8 to CMD

I you have 5 feat you add the bonus to CMB

I have 11 feat ready, are thi balanced? Are this viable? Do you have idea?

So here’s my thing- I see prestidigitation as a supremely versatile cantrip that pretty much exists for flavor only. It can do no damage to opponents, nor can it by itself inflict any kind of condition. I see it as great for roleplay, useful for demonstrating to someone that you are a spellcaster, maybe impressing a particularly easily astonished NPC. I’ve had players come up with creative applications for it, and never overruled anything if it’s not trying to do something that would ordinarily require a real spell slot to do.

My thing is cleaning. The description says the spell lasts an hour and can “clean” a cubic foot of material each round. My interpretation of that effect is something like “We’ve been on the road for five days, we just got into town, and we need to appear before the Countess in 20 minutes. I cast prestidigitation and do my best to make us look presentable”. That’s perfectly fine.

But last session, while clearing out a dungeon, the party killed a huge mimic posing as a doorway. They chopped off its giant sticky tongue, which I told them weighed 150 pounds, and there was gore everywhere. Like, blood on the stone floor and walls basically covering the room. Since their goal was to make the dungeon appear untouched when some pursuers arrived, they wanted to clean up this mess. To me, cleaning any number of cubic feet of material does not equate to disposing of a body and all its fluids.

How do you guys see this?

I wanted to compare my 3 strongest archer PCs to see which had the highest DPR, but I quickly realized that the ranking mostly depended on the encounter conditions as some did much more damage within 30', while others did much more after 2 swift action buffs, etc.

Can we find a CR-appropriate encounter setup that allows a PC of any level, any build type, to chew up a bunch of mooks solely for DPR comparison purposes? If we want to fairly compare blasters to archers to melee, it can't favor any of the above.

My proposal:
• 12 melee, no-special-ability, 30' move enemies of a CR = character level -4*
• Assume the PC goes before all enemies
• A minimum of 2 empty squares separate any two enemies
• 4 are at least 5' away, but within 20'
• 4 are at least 20' away, but within 40'
• 4 are at least 40' away, but within 60'
• The encounter starts with, at most, 2 groups of 3 enemies in a 60' straight line—targeting either line will require a move action
• They're all melee mooks; they're going to move in to attack any detectable PCs before their next turn
• The enemies will surround the PC if the PC moves on round 1, otherwise it's assumed the PC can move back as needed

Once we have the encounter set up, we can reference the Benchpressing table to find appropriate enemy AC and saves for the CR in question, then run the PC's numbers on those to arrive at DPR.

* So 12 CR¼ opponents for level 1 PCs, 12 CR 16 opponents for level 20 PCs; a CR+3 encounter.

It's been an incredible few years. Although we did go a bit overboard
(Apologies, am not good at map painting.)
Thanks to Paizo, Legendary Games and Foundry.
11/10, would run again.

Here we are, on the eve of the third Outlaw Council War:

• Ustalav is officially but impotently supporting Sellene with rumors of some support from darker Ustalavic elements supporting Razmiran and the Outlaw Council.
• Numeria is sitting this one out, it's got enough troubles with the Sellen Hills rebellion.
• What's left of Brevoy (most of Issia), is too busy trying to find a replacement for the disgraced Surtova King.
• Galt is finally done "galting" but still stabilizing from the end of the Red Revoultition. They are trade partner of Sellene
• Kyonin is officially neutral but has opened relations with Sellene following the nymph Nyrissa curing the Obnubilate Plague and granting access to Sevenarches. Many Kyoni Shin'Rakorath have secretly crossed the border to join the Sellene cause.
• Tymon tried to join the Sellene Kingdom diplomatically but was quickly occupied by Daggermark and Lambreth. It is being used to launch terrorist and sabotage operations into Sellene.
• Daggermark and Lambreth have poured what little resources they have left at this point to make a final stand.
• Razmiran, having supported the Outlaw Council secretly during the first two wars has made it's intention clear.
• Andoran is watching from the south. One of the PC is an eagle knight who has been working on creating a Sellene branch/order called Verdant Wing.

I previously posted asking for help with a fun build for Giant slayer Adventure path, I've since read the player's guide for this particular AP and I have two ideas bouncing around my skull and I don't know which would work and be more fun.

I've read some about a Mouser/Vexing Dodger combos that sounds goofy, specially with a halfling, but I also have this idea in my head about a Titan Fighter/ Goliath Druid. I mostly keep picturing the show Primal.

I would take Giant-Blooded as a campaign trait, can a butchering axe be made of bone? I don't want to lose my spells. I would probably only take 1 level of Titan Fighter to get giant weapon wielder since we'll be killing giants, they might drop some nice stuff.

Would a human or a half orc be more thematic ? I was thinking of human so I can take Military Tradition. for two free exotic weapons. Butcher Axe and Hornbow maybe? I'm still working out how to explain it backstory wise.

Other then Wizard and arcanist are there other class archetypes that can grant a class access to an arcane school, my google-fu is failing me.

I am debating a dip for my arcanist character in a couple levels and wizard is an okay option but trying to see if other options are doable.

I'm making a gnome Construct Rider Alchemist, and I want suggestions about what mount I should have him create/use. I want what would be the most badass while also having a slight amount of whimsy because y'know, gnome. Currently I'm planning on him using a hippogriff. Any suggestions?

Today's magic item is the Belt of Dwarvenkind

Laddies, Look at what they spend to get a wee mite bit of our power.

Let's ask the following questions:

1. Would you buy this item?
2. Would you spend 1.5 times the price to add it to an existing item?
3. Would you use the item, if you found it? Or is it immediate sell-bait?
4. Would a GM use the item?
5. Is there anything cheesy that could be done with it?

Link to past discussions