Simple Q&A for Pathfinder 3: Find With a Vengeance

(This is a fairly high procedure thread; please read the entire instructions carefully before posting. Thanks.)

Ever have a simple, straight-forward rules question that you can’t figure out the answer to? Ask it here. No question is too simple. No more worrying about whether your question is “worth” starting a thread. Ask here and receive an answer. You are, of course, welcome to start a thread for your question, and if you think your question is subject to many interpretations or will start a debate, you are encouraged to start a new thread for it.

This thread will serve as a catch-all for simple, discreet questions that can be answered quickly according to the RAW (Rules As Written). This thread is for all simple RAW questions about Pathfinder.

If your question is about D&D 4e, ask here
If your question is about real world weapons and armor ask it here.
If your question is about homebrew rulings start a thread regarding it.
If you are looking for the meaning of an acronym or abbreviation look here.
If you want to find a certain feat or ability, Lists of Stuff and X stat to Y bonus are both useful threads.

The Procedure:

Do:
Label your questions with bold Q#s.
Label your answers with the bold Q# that you are responding to and/or quote the question.
Be sure that your answer is correct before you post it; if you are the least bit uncertain, just let it pass and get the next one.
Try to give your answers in as clear and straightforward terms as possible.
Feel free to quote or link to relevant rules in the SRD, Errata, or FAQ that supports your answer. (You may want to give your answer and then modify it to add support – otherwise someone else may answer while you’re assembling yours.)
Specify if your question is for a system other than Pathfinder (the default for this thread).

Don’t:
Ask Homebrew rules questions here.
Ask trick questions or attempt to “stump the panel,” so to speak.
Answer a question that’s already been recently answered.
Offer contradictions, clarifications, exceptions, or extensions of prior answers unless, in your opinion, the answer give is plainly and completely wrong.
Post to debate the answers given.
Post to carry on other conversations whether tangentially related or wholly unrelated.

Dispute Resolution Procedure:
If you dispute someone’s answer – meaning that they got it wrong in a critical fashion – post your answer and suggest that the original questioner start a thread to discuss it further if they want it hashed out.
If someone disputes your answer, don’t respond. Just wait to see if the original questioner starts a new thread to discuss it.
If your question leads to a disputed answer, start a new thread if you’d like it discussed further.

Here are some sample questions. “Bad” questions just mean they should be asked in their own thread where you can get many answers and opinions. “Good” questions just mean that these are the types of questions that are amenable to a quick straightforward answer (probably).

Sample “Bad” Questions:
How do I play Pathfinder? (Great question, but not for this thread.)
What is a good 10 level TWF build? (Far too broad and requires much opinion)
Which is better GURPS or D&D?

Sample “Good” Questions:
Q.1. Are there any Large for PC races?
Q.2. As a sorcerer/rogue, do I get to add sneak attack damage to my attack spells?
Q.3. What effect would Dispel Magic have on a golem or similar construct?
Q.4. Is there a feat that allows me to get a familiar?

{The first several versions of this thread seemed to run pretty efficiently, but if you have any comments about how this thread could be improved please PM me.}

Q1 What do you see if you use "Detect Magic" or "Detect Evil" against an invisible creature?

A1
Well you don't see* the creature, but you do sense the presence of an aura, either magical or evil, and after studying it for 3 rounds you know the location of the aura (if the creature did not move outside your range by then).

*Many DMs and stories I know depict the aura as something visual, but that is pure fluff an not in the RAW.

Q2: Can a Tiefling with the variant ability that says

Quote:

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You can animate a 1 HD skeleton, as per animate dead, once per day as a spell-like ability

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animate Bloody or Burning skeletons?

A2
Yes but remember: The variant skeletons counts as double HD to create (Bestiary 251) as per the animate dead spell.
So a Bloody skeletons made from a 1 HD creature counts as a 2 HD skeleton for the animated dead spell, so that wouldn't work. But a bloody skeleton from a 1/2 HD creature counts as a 1 HD skeleton and would be okay. You still end up with a 1/2 HD Bloody Skeleton.

Q3: Does the Spell 'Eruptive Postules' function against Reach weapons? The relevant text is:

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Any creature that strikes you with its body or a handheld weapon deals normal damage, but at the same time the attacker takes 1d6 points of acid damage and must save or be sickened for 1 round.

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Q3 By RAW yes. By rule 0? Ask your DM. :)

Q4:

According to the text of the Moonstruck spell "the target behaves as if under simultaneous rage and confusion spells, attacking with its natural weapons in preference to other actions." In this context, what does "in preference," mean? Does it merely mean that when it attacks, it does so with the natural weapons rather than with a manufactured weapon? Or does it have a higher probability of getting one of the "attack," results on its confusion roll?

A3 Addendum
While Sporegg is right, I do want to add two comments to this.

First of the spell specifies a "hand-held weapon", a undefined term. Interesting enough all weapons except things like siege weapons are hand-held weapons, this includes ranged weapons (in fact my Google associates "hand-held weapon" with "gun" in 50% of the results). It already is badly worded and could use some common sense interpretation.

Secondly it shares wording the Fire Shield spell, but that one has a line lining with reach. Because of the same wording it sounds right to use the reach clause for Eruptive Pustules too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fire Shield

Any creature striking you with its body or a hand-held weapon deals normal damage, but at the same time the attacker takes 1d6 points of damage + 1 point per caster level (maximum +15). This damage is either cold damage (if you choose a chill shield) or fire damage (if you choose a warm shield). If the attacker has spell resistance, it applies to this effect. Creatures wielding melee weapons with reach are not subject to this damage if they attack you.

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It specifies melee reach weapons though, so by RAW a hand held crossbow would still trigger Fire Shield.

A4
Part of the confusion spell is that there is a 25% chance to act normal. So when you roll "act normally", the moonstruck target still wants to attack with its natural weapons in preference to other actions (for example: aiding a friend, fleeing, or drinking a healing potion). However he still could take other actions when acting normal because nothing in the spell actually prevents him from doing so.

Q5

If a critical hit is scored when targeting a spell which does damage over multiple rounds, such as Excruciating Deformation, does the damage double on all rounds or only on the first?

Q6a: How does a creature with a fly speed begin to fly? Do they just have to move at a 45 degree angle, and thus half speed while doing so? Or can they just try to go straight up by meeting the DC 20 for greater than 45 degree movement?

Q6b: ​And if moving at greater than 45 degrees what is the movement penalty? Is it still half speed?

Q7: What type of bonus is the +3 bonus to class skills?

A5
Well, maybe, but in the case of Excruciating Deformation the answer is no, probably.

In general: The critical hit rules seem to be written with only one damage roll in mind but nothing within the same rules limit or prevent rolling multiple times over multiple rounds. Especially his sentence:

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Originally Posted by Critical Hit Rules

A critical hit means that you roll your damage more than once, with all your usual bonuses, and add the rolls together. Unless otherwise specified, the threat range for a critical hit on an attack roll is 20, and the multiplier is ×2.

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Seems to hint that there is only one damage roll for the critical hit, because you add all the rolls together, but it doesn't limit damage over round.
The best solution is to roll damage for the first round, and apply that damage per subsequent round, but that is not RAW, so ask your DM first.

In the case of Excruciating Deformation we can apply the letter of the RAW to prevent it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Critical Hit Rules

A spell that requires an attack roll can score a critical hit. A spell attack that requires no attack roll cannot score a critical hit. If a spell causes ability damage or drain (see Special Abilities), the damage or drain is doubled on a critical hit.

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After the first round the spell doesn't require an attack roll to deal damage (but a fort save) and doesn't satisfy the critical hit rules anymore.

A6a
Lift-off is generally going upwards at an angle, but it would depend on the creature at what angle they would fly up. Going straight up does seem something for magical flight, but nothing in the rules prevent normal birds from doing it.
A6b
Yes. Although not states by the RAW the half speed is to represent the diagonal movement. Also see this FAQ entry.

A7
Untyped.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Class Skills

In addition, each class has a number of favored skills, called class skills. It is easier for your character to become more proficient in these skills, as they represent part of his professional training and constant practice. You gain a +3 bonus on all class skills that you put ranks into. If you have more than one class and both grant you a class skill bonus, these bonuses do not stack.

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(Source)

Q8

Haunting mists - Do creatures have to save every round or take wisdom damage? The first time they enter? Only when the spell is cast?

Is the caster immune from the damage (I'm not well versed in illusion/disbelief rules)? Can he cast it so that he does not start within range of the spell?

Am I understanding the range rules correctly that casting it centered anywhere but on the caster creates a much smaller cloud?

A8
First off, the spell is horribly written. There are a lot of issues and the spell doesn't work according its school and subschool. There is no disbelieve even though its a illusion spell and it deals damage even though its a glamor. So by the normal general rules this spell cannot function, so let's treat it as a complete exception and answer your question as best as the spell allow it.

The wisdom damage (and fear effect) only applies once, when it is cast and nothing states multiple rounds. Compare to Cloudkill, who does deal damage over time.

The caster is not immune to the damage. There is no disbelieve to prevent damage. (This comes back to the fact it doesn't function like an illusion spell and especially not as a glamor spell.)

A 20-feet radius, so the spell will always look like this: picture.
It doesn't matter where it is cast, you pick 4 squares (technically the center of 4 squares) that fall in reach of the range (20 feet) and the spell starts at that point.
This also means the caster is always in his own cloud, at best he stands on the very edge.

If you have more troubles with the spell; a simple Google query will reveal tons of Paizo forum topics about it or start a thread/PM me and I can link you to the better ones.

Q9 If there are multiple functions of an archetype that say "X functions at class level -Y" do the penalties stack? Like for say a Reincarnated Druid and any of the Shamans?

A9
No, if two different archetypes alter the same ability, you cannot take both archetypes at all. Both Reincarnated Druid and all Shaman Archetypes alter the wild shape ability, so you cannot "stack" Reincarnated Druid with a Shaman Archetype in the first place.

Also see here, last sentence states:

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Originally Posted by PFSRD

A character can take more than one archetype and garner additional alternate class features, but none of the alternate class features can replace or alter the same class feature.

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A9 tip Housruling is where it's at. If it's a numerical modifier on an existing ability I am sure you can work something out with your DM.

Q 10
Is a Drow Summoner's Eidolon sent back to its home plane while he meditates/rests, or can it stay for indefinite periods of time?

A10
The rules on sleeping are vague, and it has always been ambiguous on whether elves sleep or not. I assume the same goes for Drow.

But say if you are playing a setting that allows to trance rather then sleeping, it is something you need to work out with your DM. The precise line is "If the summoner is unconscious, asleep, or killed, his eidolon is immediately banished" and most likely trance doesn't fall under asleep or unconscious (or killed for that matter), so it is logical that the eidolon sticks around. But your DM ruling may very.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yanisa

A10
The rules on sleeping are vague, and it has always been ambiguous on whether elves sleep or not. I assume the same goes for Drow.

But say if you are playing a setting that allows to trance rather then sleeping, it is something you need to work out with your DM. The precise line is "If the summoner is unconscious, asleep, or killed, his eidolon is immediately banished" and most likely trance doesn't fall under asleep or unconscious (or killed for that matter), so it is logical that the eidolon sticks around. But your DM ruling may very.

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A10: Addendum
I could see an argument via the DM that the answer is no, just based on the idea that a Synthesist could be in demon mode 24/7 by that logic. So be sure to clarify with your DM if you are or are not going to be a Synthesist if you want to make the argument that trance should work and keep the Eidolon active.

Q11
I've been told that liches count as objects for the spell Disintegrate, but it has a fort save, which undead automatically pass, so wouldn't it not effect them?

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Originally Posted by ZeroHEart10

Q11
I've been told that liches count as objects for the spell Disintegrate, but it has a fort save, which undead automatically pass, so wouldn't it not effect them?

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A11

Quote:

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When used against an object, the ray simply disintegrates as much as a 10-foot cube of nonliving matter. Thus, the spell disintegrates only part of any very large object or structure targeted. The ray affects even objects constructed entirely of force, such as forceful hand or a wall of force, but not magical effects such as a globe of invulnerability or an antimagic field.

A creature or object that makes a successful Fortitude save is partially affected, taking only 5d6 points of damage. If this damage reduces the creature or object to 0 or fewer hit points, it is entirely disintegrated.

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Source: www.pathfindersrd.com
And yes, objects get saving throws, especially if they are attended. Undead are basically Fort save = yes. So a Lich would take 5D6 points of damage.

A11 Addendum
Poor choice of spell on a lich. Targeting his attended items would be a better expenditure of this spell (but who wants to nuke the loot?), or perhaps the load bearing brick above the Lich (thank you again Knowedge: Dungeoneering and Knowledge Engineering) would make for a better tactic in the event that one needed a distraction for a hasty retreat.

EDIT: Though come to think of it, I'm unsure if they would roll Fortitude normally (chance for failure) if they would just take the 5D6 automatically, do not pass go, do not collect $200. See below, taken from the Undead template description.

Quote:

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Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Karoht

A11

Source: www.pathfindersrd.com
And yes, objects get saving throws, especially if they are attended. Undead are basically Fort save = yes. So a Lich would take 5D6 points of damage.

A11 Addendum
Poor choice of spell on a lich. Targeting his attended items would be a better expenditure of this spell (but who wants to nuke the loot?), or perhaps the load bearing brick above the Lich (thank you again Knowedge: Dungeoneering and Knowledge Engineering) would make for a better tactic in the event that one needed a distraction for a hasty retreat.

EDIT: Though come to think of it, I'm unsure if they would roll Fortitude normally (chance for failure) if they would just take the 5D6 automatically, do not pass go, do not collect $200. See below, taken from the Undead template description.

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Thank you very much, me and the person actually playing the lich couldn't decide, I was thinking what you were, she was thinking she'd have t roll for a save.

A11 Correction
You said all the right things, but made a wrong end conclusion.

Undead, including Liches, are affected by Disintegrate as normal creatures. They need to roll the save, and if that save fails they take the full blast. Nothing in the quotes you provided or the rules implies that an undead, or Lich, always succeeds on fort saves, they can fail. They just happen to be immune to 95% of all effects that require an fort save, but again that doesn't mean they auto succeed on a fort save.
Also to save confusion, Undead and Liches don't count as object for the Disintegrate spell. They are affected by the spell as normal creatures. They would be immune if the spell didn't had a clause against objects, but that doesn't mean undead or Liches are objects for the effects of the spell.

In fact Disintegrate is known to be a bane to undead, because they have a poor fort save. At least they get their charisma modifier on fortitude save, unlike their 3.5 brethren.(Who feared disintegrate even more!)

Edit: P.S. If someone disagrees with me, just send me a PM and I will start a thread, or start a thread yourself. I am kinda infamous for derailing these simple Q&A questions, so please don't tempt me. :smalltongue:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yanisa

A11 Correction
You said all the right things, but made a wrong end conclusion.

Undead, including Liches, are affected by Disintegrate as normal creatures. They need to roll the save, and if that save fails they take the full blast. Nothing in the quotes you provided or the rules implies that an undead, or Lich, always succeeds on fort saves, they can fail. They just happen to be immune to 95% of all effects that require an fort save, but again that doesn't mean they auto succeed on a fort save.
Also to save confusion, Undead and Liches don't count as object for the Disintegrate spell. They are affected by the spell as normal creatures. They would be immune if the spell didn't had a clause against objects, but that doesn't mean undead or Liches are objects for the effects of the spell.

In fact Disintegrate is known to be a bane to undead, because they have a poor fort save. At least they get their charisma modifier on fortitude save, unlike their 3.5 brethren.(Who feared disintegrate even more!)

Edit: P.S. If someone disagrees with me, just send me a PM and I will start a thread, or start a thread yourself. I am kinda infamous for derailing these simple Q&A questions, so please don't tempt me. :smalltongue:

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hmm, well, okay then! Sorts that out, thank you kindly! I was wrong on this one, and the person ACTUALLY playing the undead was right ^^; my bad

Q12 In Pathfinder, am I considered my own ally? Specifically, various blessings of the new warpriest class may be used on any ally, may I also use these on myself?

A12
Yes and no, but mostly yes. It is depended on context.

From the FAQ

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Ally: Do you count as your own ally?
You count as your own ally unless otherwise stated or if doing so would make no sense or be impossible. Thus, "your allies" almost always means the same as "you and your allies."

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Following that same logic that also implies that the line "you can touch an ally" (which is commonly stated in Warpriest Blessings) can also be read as "you can touch yourself or an ally".

Q13
Can you apply metamagic feats to ninth level spells? and if you can, does it burn extra slots instead of higher slot, or, what, precisely?

A13
Not with metamagic feats. The metamagic would still increase the spell level, but there aren't way to gain 10th level spell slots, or higher (Unlike 3.5).

You can do it with greater metamagic rods.