Simple Q&A Pathfinder (By RAW) I

[GhostwheelZ]

Q352: Would a spell affected by the Elemental Spell metamagic feat gain the appropriate element's descriptor?

For example, if I cast an Elemental (Fire) Acid Arrow, would it become a [Fire] spell?

[Zherog]

A 352

No. Nothing in the feat's description adds to or changes the spell's descriptor; the only change is the type of damage.

[GhostwheelZ]

That... That's just stupid >_>

Silly, silly PF...

[Zherog]

Indeed. I agree it's quite silly. But unless someone can provide another quote from some other source, that's what the RAW says (or, rather, doesn't say).

[GhostwheelZ]

Q352: Apart from Magical Lineage and Spell Perfection, are there any other ways to reduce metamagic costs?

[Novawurmson]

A 3521 - Addendum This is the best I can do. From Ultimate Magic, on spell descriptions:

Fire: Fire effects make the target hotter by creating fire, directly heating the target with magic or friction. Lava, steam, and boiling water all deal fire damage. Fire effects can also cause confusion, dizziness, exhaustion, fatigue, nausea, unconsciousness, and death. Spells that manipulate fire or conjure creatures from fire-dominant planes or with the fire subtype should have the fire descriptor.

It doesn't say it for every type of spell, but several of them contain references to "should." Several spells like Align Weapon that can have multiple effect state that the spell gains an additional descriptor depending on how it is used:

When you make a weapon chaotic, evil, good, or lawful, align weapon is a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful spell, respectively.

Unfortunately, I can't find something that says "When a spell deals fire damage, it gains the [Fire] descriptor," so RAW remains clear.

[GhostwheelZ]

I think you mean A351 :-P So Q352 is still up in the air.

That said, still relating to the last question...
Q353: What's better, to apply Magical Lineage to Snapdragon Fireworks for Dazing Spell, or to Frost Fall for Rime Spell, assuming I'm getting both?

[Douglas]

I think you mean A351 :-P So Q352 is still up in the air.

That said, still relating to the last question...
Q353: What's better, to apply Magical Lineage to Snapdragon Fireworks for Dazing Spell, or to Frost Fall for Rime Spell, assuming I'm getting both?

That is an opinion and judgment question, not RAW. You should start a new thread to discuss it.

[Ravens_cry]

Q354
OK, I a,15th Level Halfling Ninja with Weapon Focus, Two Weapon Fighting Improved TWF and Greater TWF with twin +1 Agile Evil Outsider Bane Wakizash and 28 Dex.
What is my to-hit on a full-attack action?

[Zherog]

A 354

You don't say if you have Weapon Finesse, and you don't give your Strength score. So an answer can't be provided with the facts given. However, assuming you have Weapon Finesse and just forgot to mention that...


15th level ninja = +11 BAB
28 Dex = +9 mod
Weapon Focus = +1
Enhancement Bonus = +1
Size bonus = +1

Total for single attack: +23

Total full attack, including -2 penalty for TWF: +21/+21/+16/+16/+11/+11

For damage:

Enhancement bonus = +1
Dex bonus = +9 (agile replaces Str with Dex)

Total +10 on main hand attacks; +5 on off-hand attacks.

[Silus]

Q355

Would a Masterwork Firearm lower the misfire chance at all, or does it just act like a regular firearm?

Also, are there any special materials that one is able to use for a Firearm, or is it just the ammunition?

[Ravens_cry]

A 354

You don't say if you have Weapon Finesse, and you don't give your Strength score. So an answer can't be provided with the facts given. However, assuming you have Weapon Finesse and just forgot to mention that...


15th level ninja = +11 BAB
28 Dex = +9 mod
Weapon Focus = +1
Enhancement Bonus = +1
Size bonus = +1

Total for single attack: +23

Total full attack, including -2 penalty for TWF: +21/+21/+16/+16/+11/+11

For damage:

Enhancement bonus = +1
Dex bonus = +9 (agile replaces Str with Dex)

Total +10 on main hand attacks; +5 on off-hand attacks.

Derp! Yes, I have Weapon Finesse. Thank you, this is the first time I have played a high level Two Weapon Fighting character.

[Larpus]

A355
Couldn't find any specific mention either under masterwork weapons nor under firearms, so it seems that by RAW there's no effect whatsoever on the misfire.

That said, a discussion can be had under the fact that Fragile weapons become unfragilized when they're made into masterwork. Still, RAW is a no.

As for special materials, you can, but I don't think that the properties will be of any use unless you walk up to your target and smack them with your weapon instead of shooting.

[Kumori]

A355
[..]
As for special materials, you can, but I don't think that the properties will be of any use unless you walk up to your target and smack them with your weapon instead of shooting.

An exception to this would be mithral, which would make the weapon lighter.

[Zherog]

A 335 add'l

In addition to mithral, making the weapon from adamantine would make it harder for your enemies to sunder.

[Drothmal]

Q356

I am currently playing a Sacred Shield paladin in a Kingmaker game and I have run into two questions

A) What type of action does it take to activate the Holy Shield ability?

Relevant text
"At 4th level, a sacred shield can channel her faith into her shield, protecting any nearby allies. All allies adjacent to the paladin gain a shield bonus equal to the sacred shield’s own shield bonus, including any increase from the shield’s enhancement bonus. This bonus does not stack with any existing shield bonuses. The paladin herself radiates light as a light spell while the shielding is active.

At 11th level, this protection expands to cover any allies within 10 feet and the radiance increases to the effects of a daylight spell.

At 20th level, any allies within 20 feet are protected. Using this ability consumes two uses of the sacred shield’s lay on hands ability, and the effects last for 3 rounds plus a number of rounds equal to her Charisma bonus (if any).

This ability replaces channel positive energy."


B) What is the extra deflection bonus from Bastion of Good for a level 4 paladin?

Relevant text (emphasis mine)
"At 1st level, a sacred shield can call upon the powers of good to defend her and her allies against evil. This ability functions as smite evil, except that the paladin gains no benefit on attack or damage rolls against her target. Instead, any attacks the target makes against allies within 10 feet of the paladin deal half damage. Attacks against the paladin deal full damage, but the paladin gains a deflection bonus to her AC equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) against attacks made by the target of the smite. This bonus increases by +1 for every four paladin levels (to a maximum of +6 at 20th level). As with smite evil, if the paladin targets a creature that is not evil, her bastion of good ability is wasted with no effect. Feats, abilities, and the like that increase a paladin’s number of uses of smite evil per day increase a sacred shield’s uses of bastion of good per day.

This ability replaces smite evil."

I always thought that "by every four levels" meant that you have increases at levels 1,5,9,13,17.

But for the maximum to reach +6 at level 20, you must get increases at levels 1,4,8,12,16,20

Is the maximum incorrect or I am not understanding what every four levels means?

[Zherog]

A 356 A

I'm having a hard time finding a quote, so maybe I'm misremembering this rule. But I'm fairly certain that if an ability does not state what type of action is required, then it uses a standard action.

A 356 B

+2.

This is a trick of wording. The text says: increases by +1 every 4 paladin levels. So it starts at +1 at first level, increases to +2 and 4th, +3 at 8th, and so on.

There are abilities that function as you think; those are worded as: increases by +1 every additional 4 levels. If that wording is used, your progression (+2 at 5th, +3 at 9th, etc) would be correct.

[JoeYounger]

Q:357

If a level 20 monk puts on a Monks Robe does his unarmed damage and AC bonus increase?

What would 2d10 go to? And if you were large what would 4d8 go to?

Q:358

If a monk goes huge what would his unarmed damage be? The size up from 4d8.

And what would it be if he was wearing a monks robe?

[Von Zinzer]

Q:359

Regaining spells: the rules for Wizard specifies 8 hours of rest & 1 hour of study, Cleric specifies 1 hour of prayer... how long does a sorcerer have to rest in order to regain spells for the day? Does she have to rest at all?

[Kumori]

A359 Sorcerers need 8 hours rest, followed by 15 minutes of concentration. source

Sorcerers and Bards

[..]

Daily Readying of Spells

Each day, sorcerers and bards must focus their minds on the task of casting their spells. A sorcerer or bard needs 8 hours of rest (just like a wizard), after which she spends 15 minutes concentrating. (A bard must sing, recite, or play an instrument of some kind while concentrating.) During this period, the sorcerer or bard readies her mind to cast her daily allotment of spells. Without such a period to refresh herself, the character does not regain the spell slots she used up the day before.

[Von Zinzer]

A359 Sorcerers need 8 hours rest, followed by 15 minutes of concentration.

Thank you. This detail does not appear in the Sorcerer class description in the Core Rulebook, whereas it *does* appear in the Cleric's & Wizard's.

[Kumori]

Thank you. This detail does not appear in the Sorcerer class description in the Core Rulebook, whereas it *does* appear in the Cleric's & Wizard's.

It's on page 220 of the Core Rulebook.

[Occasional Sage]

Q360

Is there a guideline for the percentage of a church's priesthood which lacks a divine-casting class? i.e., do they tell us how common non-cleric priests are? Please cite sources.

Thanks in advance!

[DrDeth]

A 3521 - Addendum This is the best I can do. From Ultimate Magic, on spell descriptions:



It doesn't say it for every type of spell, but several of them contain references to "should." Several spells like Align Weapon that can have multiple effect state that the spell gains an additional descriptor depending on how it is used:



Unfortunately, I can't find something that says "When a spell deals fire damage, it gains the [Fire] descriptor," so RAW remains clear.

Here’s what you’re missing. PF works entirely different than 3.5. RAI overrules RAW, rather than the other way around. Thus yes, clearly changing a spell to do Fire damage clearly makes it a Fire spell.

[Zherog]

Your opinion in RAI vs RAW is fine, but the whole purpose of the thread is to provide RAW answers to questions - even when those RAW answers do not necessarily make logical sense.

[UndertakerSheep]

Q361

If I make a NPC Tiefling who is an 8th level ranger, what would his CR be? My gut tells me it should be CR8, but I think it would be CR7

Q362

When making NPCs who have levels in player classes, do you give them the same wealth per level as player characters?

[Zherog]

A 361

Tieflings have no racial Hit Dice, so their CR when applying PC class levels is number of levels -1, or CR7 in this case.

A 362

No, they have their own table. You can find it here. (Step 6)

[soulsabre345]

Q 363

Magical Knack and other caster level increases. Knack gives a +2, provided it's no higher than your HD. if you have a wiz 2 / fighter 2, and he has knack and adds a +1 cl increase, does he have a wizard caster level of 5 , or 4 because knack giving a +2 would give him a higher CL than HD? If possible, cite your source or reasoning why.

[Firest Kathon]

A 363

Unfortunately I cannot find a source for citation, but it says somewhere in the core rulebook that you apply effects in the order which is most benefitial to you. So you would apply the +2 CL from Magical Knack first, then the +1 CL from the other source, for a total of +3 CL.

Of course, this works only when the two bonuses have a different type, as bonuses of the same type generally do not stack (there are some exceptions, such as dodge bonuses to AC).

[Zherog]

A 363 additional

Unfortunately I cannot find a source for citation, but it says somewhere in the core rulebook that you apply effects in the order which is most benefitial to you.

I'm wondering how certain you are of this. I know 3.5 had a rule like that, and I'm pretty sure the 3.5 version of the rule was added after the core books (in response to the Practiced Spellcaster feat, actually).

So I'm just curious if you're absolutely certain Pathfinder has the same rule, or if maybe you're remembering the 3.5 rule. (I bring it up, because I thought the same thing, and also couldn't find the reference in PF.)