Q408

If I spend a spellpoint to sustain a sphere effect, do I still need to remain within range for it to continue?

A: No, you are free to move if it's been tied off.

Q433: After playing Hedgewitch for some time, I have re-read one of the core abilities of the Charlatanism Hedgewitch Tradition. It bears a similarity to the Sudden Strike class feature from Ninja in D&D 3.5e; this means that it does not trigger on Flanking a creature.

As well, the Guile point spent for the ability as a swift action translates only to a singular attack gaining the Sneak Attack extra damage dice.

Is this correct, or was there an error in writing up the class on the wiki website? It seems backwards on a familiar class feature which is best utilized in a multiple attack routine against a cornered or unsuspecting target and instead mirrors a class ability which was often frowned on during its initial conception in 3.5e. I realize this is a statement coming late as I was not an avid participant or player with the system until now, but it seems wanting in its usage.

A: I'm not familiar with the 3.5 version of the ninja; it's verbage, if similar, was not an intentional throwback to their ability.

During development, it was determined that a full rogue's sneak attack was too powerful for a tradition benefit, but doing some form of compromise like half-progression wouldn't be that fun. Instead, we decided to do 'partial' sneak attack in a way that synergized better with being a hedgewitch; instead of limiting the dice rolls, we limited the situation (requiring a swift action) and the number per day (guile pool) in a way that fit nicely with being a spellcaster. This meant that you couldn't be a dual-wielding god of death like a rogue could, but what you COULD do was add sneak attack damage to a destructive blast or another qualifying magic effect at the same d6 as a rogue of equal level. That was the reasoning behind the decision.

Q435: What classifies as "at least 1 hand unoccupied"? Nothing in said hand at all, or could it be wand/staff shaped like small object? Would wearing gauntlet (be it mundane, enchanted as staff or enchanted as weapon) interfere with it? Would wearing a buckler interfere?

A: That's a Paizo question, not an SoP question; as I remember their past rulings, if you are wielding a one-handed weapon, your other hand is considered free. If you are wielding a two-handed weapon such that you could make AoOs with it (like a quarterstaff), that counted as 'two hands occupied', aka, you can't wield a quarterstaff as a two-handed weapon AND cast magic at the same time. This means you can't have a focus that requires two hands, because to count as 'wielding' it, you have to have both hands on it.

But again, that's Paizo's ruling; if you want to run your game different, I certainly won't complain.

Q436: Can buckler be staff?

A: Anything can be enchanted as a 'staff'; it doesn't have to have the traditional long stick shape.

Q437: I'm likely an idiot and also asking something that has already been answered, but here we go.

The create ability of the Creation sphere is limited in what it can create, having to take talents to expand it, but still being limited by caster level. Is the alter (repair) and (destroy) ability bound by the same limitations (ex. can only repair or destroy vegetable material starting out and have to take Expanded Materials to repair or destroy stone, but still need to be CL 5 to do the same to base metals)?

A: Repair and Destroy are not limited by material.

Q 444

If a word witch conjures multiple objects and spends one of her word points on a "life" word - does it animate all the conjured objects, or only one?

A: The Word Witch wasn't my creation, but if the 'create effect' conjured multiple objects, then one life would animate them all. If the multiple objects were created by multiple effects, through, then they would each need to be animated through separate life words.

Q445

Can you use the "Alchemical Creation" talent to create formulae you know from the alchemy sphere?

A: The Creation Handbook was published before SoM, so RAW I'd say no, but RAI I don't think it would prove to be a problem?

Q446

If you enhance a staff with enhance equipment, can this be used to grant yourself a +to CL for a sphere equal to that enhancement bonus?
Can this be done on any staff, choosing the sphere when you enhance it, or would it be limited to increasing the bonus on a magic staff already providing at least +1CL to a sphere?

A: The base enhance equipment ability cannot be used to create magic staves that bestow CL, no.

Q447

Only 2 out of 8 (bleed) talents specify that they can only be used on an attack action. Does that mean the following is legal:
Have "Jagged Edges" enhancement going on your bow to get bleed damage. Barrage. On the first attack, apply your blooded strike + open vein's xd4 bleed. On the second attack, apply perforating wounds.
You could keep adding more debuffs with more attacks on higher BAB/expending martial focus, of course.

A: I couldn't find 'Jagged Edges' on a search, but I found 'Serrated Edge', so I'm assuming that's what you meant. Duelist was not my baby so defer to Ssalarn if he comes here and says differently, but I believe that would be fine; the Duelist sphere specifically works with more sources of bleed than just the attack action, so I think that would be possible. I believe Adventurer's Armory 2 came out after SoM did, though, so as always I wouldn't hesitate to ban that combo if it became a problem at the table somehow.

Q449

Am I correct to assume that creating and dropping an object with distant creation can, without additional feats, never be done at a height that would double its damage, due to the "attack" having 20ft range increments, leading to 100ft maximum drop range and the requirement of 150ft dropped for double damage?

A: The limit on range incrememnts in core is 'how far can the object fly before it falls short?'. There is no similar limit when the attack is being made by dropping it from above.

Q450
If you manage to create a large object (2d6 base), and make it both of a hard material as well as drop it from at least 150ft, thus doubling the damage twice, does it now deal 6d6 or 8d6 damage?

A: 8d6.

Q451
Do the Amateur X Hedgewitch secrets grant access to grand secrets at the appropriate level?

A: Yes.