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

[Yanisa]

A218
Well Potion and Oils are not the same thing, even though they are basically shoehorned together in the rules and there is no way to distinguish them. By strict RAW, you can only create or upgrade your Homunculus with potions. Then again by strict RAW there is no way to make Oils and anything an Oil can do can be duplicated with a Potion anyways. Potions have a couple of limits, but the limits do almost allow all spells within the 1-3 level range to be potions.

The potion section isn't really help full, other then telling us the limits of potions.

A potion is a magic liquid that produces its effect when imbibed. Potions vary incredibly in appearance. Magic oils are similar to potions, except that oils are applied externally rather than imbibed. A potion or oil can be used only once. It can duplicate the effect of a spell of up to 3rd level that has a casting time of less than 1 minute and targets one or more creatures or objects.

The rules for magic items adds this line too:

The imbiber of the potion is both the caster and the target. Spells with a range of personal cannot be made into potions.

And that all the limits: 3rd lvl spell or lower, casting time of less then 1 minute and targets one or more creatures or objects and cannot be a personal effect.
See, it even mentions objects, so Stone Shape and Masterwork Transformation can be potions, even things like fireball are fair game. It's still pretty odd and not advised, as you need to drink the potion to cast the spell and you are the only target of the spell (unless you force feed someone else your weird potions). So the Fireball would only hurt you and Stone Shape and Masterwork Transformation would instantly fail as a potion. But yeah, you could make those potion into a Homunculus, the RAW isn't stopping this.

However, RAI, it seems that potions are meant to be beneficial spells only and that potions that apply to objects are in fact the Oils (and by that same extend, oils should only affect objects?). One should also assume that Oils are Potions for the sake of crafting, and that means Homunculus should be allowed to upgrade with Oils too. But that means the only SLA that a Homunculus logically should get are either beneficial "buff" spells, or spells that affect objects. But that strongly depends on your DM and his/her vision of the Potion and Oil rules, because RAW is botched but RAI is taking a lot leaps.

A219
CMB = Combat Maneuver Bonus, the pathfinder system of dealing with all those special combat thingies like bull rush, or grapple, or trip and many others. Also keep in mind that:
CMD = Combat Maneuver Defense, which is basically your AC against CMB attempts, or the DC to reach when you want to CMB someone. However that one is not on the sheet lay out, so beware?

The other two are:
MAB = Melee Attack Bonus
RAB = Ranged Attack Bonus
Although its odd to see them like that on a sheet, most sheets I know just call those "Melee" or "Ranged". But it seems to be a space saving measure.

[unseenmage]

A218
...

A219
...

Thank you on both counts. Pretty much no change from 3.x then other than the CMA/CMD thing.
Your help is appreciated.

[Doorhandle]

Q220: Lesser hurling states I can use power attack with the object I am hurling. It is also, technically, a ranged attack.
If I have both power attack and deadly aim, can I use both feats on the same attack?

Q221: If I use furious focus with lesser hurling, do i not take the usual penalty on power attack?

[Yanisa]

A220
No, it's a ranged touch attack, and those don't work with Deadly Aim.

Deadly Aim (Combat)

Benefit: You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all ranged attack rolls to gain a +2 bonus on all ranged damage rolls. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every +4 thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the bonus to damage increases by +2. You must choose to use this feat before making an attack roll and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.

Okay technically you could do it, but you don't gain bonus damage. Just the penalty.

A221
No, Furious Focus only works on melee attacks.

Furious Focus (Combat)

Benefit: When you are wielding a two-handed weapon or a one-handed weapon with two hands, and using the Power Attack feat, you do not suffer Power Attack’s penalty on melee attack rolls on the first attack you make each turn. You still suffer the penalty on any additional attacks, including attacks of opportunity.

Although personally I would allow it, if Power Attack is a named exception, so should feats that modify Power Attack, but that RAW doesn't support it.

[masterjoda99]

Q 222: Is there any way for a master summoner to gain access to Summon Nature's Ally (to qualify for the -light summons feats) without multiclassing or taking another archetype?

[Yanisa]

A222
Not really. I can't find a solid way on the Pathfinder mini-guide: Casting spells from other lists.

Ring of Spell Knowledge might technically count... although the RAI clearly intends you can only learn arcane spells with it, RAW doesn't prevent divine spells.

[unseenmage]

Q223

In the Creating Magic Items section there's a bit about how failed Use Magic Device checks during Magic Item Creation can lead to creating a Cursed Item.

Does the same apply when making a Construct and are there rules for such that I'm missing somewhere?

[Odessa333]

Q224

Can a monk use a shield cloak without penalty?

[PolymeraseJones]

Q225

The Shrink Item spell shrinks one object to 1/16 of its normal size in each dimension. What happens if there are other objects inside the target? In this specific case, what happens if someone shrinks your boot while you're wearing it?

[Spore]

A223 There are no written rules. But this is actually a trope used regularly. Creating a artificial lifeform "usually" goes wrong in movies.

A224 No. It is "used as if it were a light wooden shield". The description even mentions it being used like a shield.

A225 There are no rules on that. For a ruling I would consider the "Enlarge Person" portion about confined spaces. The wearer of the shoe can make a strength check against his shoe. If both participants have no strength score it would either fail or incorporate the second item into the spell (if it still fits into the target description.

[Dragon-Rider]

Q 226: The section in the Core Rulebook on Polymorph states that you gain the natural attacks (and the proficiencies in them) of the creature whose form you change into. There are some creatures who have natural attacks that deal energy damage. Do the attacks of a creature or character who polymorphs into such a creature also deal the energy damage?

For what I'm working on, I'm mainly interested in how this applies to the Wild Shape ability. However, knowing how this applies to other polymorph abilities and spells would be very useful too. Here are two examples of creatures where the above question applies:

Example 1:
In the Bestiary 2, there's a plant creature called a Viper Vine that has a Bite attack that deals bite damage and acid damage. Would the Bite attack of a creature who has polymorphed into a Viper Vine also deal the acid damage?

Example 2:
In the Bestiary 2, there's a plant creature called a Phycomid that has a ranged touch attack (acid pellet) that deals acid damage. Would a creature who polymorphs into a Phycomid gain its acid pellet attack?

Thank you!
~Dragon-Rider

[Yanisa]

A226
No. The simple reason is that the energy damage is not listed in the paragraph about natural attacks nor can it be gained by Plantshape and if it isn't named you cannot get it by polymorph. You get your strength as bonus damage and thats all you get (same goes for things like grab and trip and beast shapes, it's not the different rulewise).

In the case of the Phycomid is even worse because the Pellet is Special Ability, specific listed as such. And again its not gained by Plantshape, so a wildshape into a Phycomid leaves one without attacks.

[MagpieWench]

Q227
what the heck does a bladed scarf actually look like???

The only depiction I've found is of ratkin or something with claw like blades dangling at the short edges.

Thanks in advance!

[jaydubs]

A227

"One side of the scarf looks like a normal, brightly colored performance scarf, while the other side has a number of blades woven into it." - source

Official like pictures (source):

[MizuDevil]

Q228:
Trait Adopted allow to take any trait from other race (How I understand, race must be playeble) as a bonus trait? this mean I can take treat from human Bonus feat?

Q229:
Does bonus from favored class stack`s with level? For example half-orc fighter with +2 to roll check to stabilize (For 2 lvl - +4)?

[Spore]

A228 Yes and yes.

A229 Yes, they stack. That's the point.

[Yanisa]

Edit: @Sporegg: Stealing my answers is one thing, but giving bad answers, shame on you!
Seriously though, look out with Race and Racial, its a nasty confusion many of us suffered.

A228
This is a bad case of thesaurus use on Pathfinder's side of things.

There are two things: Racial Traits and Race Traits.

Racial Traits are the bonuses each race gains from being that race. Every member of this race has those traits (barring alternative traits). These are things like the Human Bonus Feat, or The Dwarven bonus on identifying stonework.
Race Traits are the traits, also known as half-feats, tied in with the heritage and mindset of a certain race. These are different per individuals and only are available in campaigns the DM allows traits, they are also tied to your mind and not your body (aka you grew up as a gnome, so you think like a gnome, even when polymorphed). This is the one adopted refers too. For sake of reference, this is a list of all Race Traits you can pick with adopted. (And Human bonus feats are not in that list).

A229
Yes, thats the entire point of favored class options, that they grow per level. Some specific ones have a limit, but the Half-Orc fighter has non.

Favored Class Options
The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

[Dalebert]

Edit: @Sporegg: Stealing my answers is one thing, but giving bad answers, shame on you!
Seriously though, look out with Race and Racial, its a nasty confusion many of us suffered.

Fight! Fight! FIGHT! FIGHT!

[Spore]

Seriously I was confused by MizuDevil's grammar. Caaaaalm down!

[hokorippoi]

Q230
On the "Light Sources and Illumination" table it says "Dancing lights (torches)" is 20 ft of light.
You can have up to 4 "torches" in a 10 ft radius.
I know the math, but is there anywhere that they make it clear that Dancing Lights, with all 4 torches, would light up a 30 ft radius?
(Each light is up to 20 ft apart in a 10 ft Radius)
(Yea, I know there would be some blind spots, but it is ~30 ft radius)

[Kurald Galain]

Q231 Is there some way (e.g. a domain or archetype) for a cleric or warpriest to gain access to the Shocking Grasp spell?

[Larsen]

A231 : On way i think about is the improved Eldritch Heritage feat with the 9th level power of the arcane bloodline
It comes late, requires 15 Cha and quite an investment in feats, but...

[Yanisa]

A231
All credit to the Pathfinder mini-guide: Casting spells from other lists.

Improved Arcane Heritage technically doesn't work (anymore) according a new FAQ...

Dreamed Secret kinda works, but has some flaws. It's your best and perhaps only bet these days.

[Dalebert]

Q230
I know the math, but is there anywhere that they make it clear that Dancing Lights, with all 4 torches, would light up a 30 ft radius?

A 230 I doubt it. Why would they feel the need? As you said, the math makes it clear. Place the light sources on a grid map for whomever you're trying to explain this to if they're not very good at doing geometry in their head. I did that for my DM actually and he immediately conceded.

[JesusCraig]

Q232: what happens when 2 castings of the same spell are applied to a character, when they are non instantaneous?

The situation that arose is the fighter in our group ate a spiteful cookie, which acts as a feast of ashes spell CL3 (target starves for 2 days per cl), I am a level 4 druid, so I could cast the same spell at CL4, and if it "erases" the other casting, I could then dismiss my spell and he'd be healed!

[Oneris]

Q233
The RAW for the Harrowed Spellstrike (Su) for Card Caster archetype of Magus declares that the range of a spell invested into a thrown weapon changes to match the weapon's range increment.

Would that mean if you invested a spell into a ranged weapon with increment of 20ft, and then threw the weapon 40ft while taking the range penalty, the spell would trigger before the weapon reached its target? Or is that supposed to mean the spell triggers when the weapon hits the target no matter how far you threw the weapon.

Q233b

Can I assume Harrowed Spellstrike works with spells containing multiple charges like normal Spellstrike does?

Q 234
Since on the pfsrd page for Hexcrafter, the Hex Arcana is not explicitly spelled out as replacing or modifying any Arcana, can Hexcrafter and Card Caster archetypes be taken at the same time?

[Oneris]

Q232: what happens when 2 castings of the same spell are applied to a character, when they are non instantaneous?

The situation that arose is the fighter in our group ate a spiteful cookie, which acts as a feast of ashes spell CL3 (target starves for 2 days per cl), I am a level 4 druid, so I could cast the same spell at CL4, and if it "erases" the other casting, I could then dismiss my spell and he'd be healed!

A232:

On the pfsrd page for Combining Magical Effects under Stacking Effects

Same Effect with Differing Results

The same spell can sometimes produce varying effects if applied to the same recipient more than once. Usually the last spell in the series trumps the others. None of the previous spells are actually removed or dispelled, but their effects become irrelevant while the final spell in the series lasts.

If you take the differing CL and thus differing duration to mean 'same spell producing varying effects', then dismissing your CL4 casting would not affect the CL3 casting.

[Yanisa]

A233
Well, there isn't a strong definition, but both range and the amount of times you can apply that range (aka increment) are tied to any reading of "range increment".

So the spell gains 20 feet range and you can apply that range up to five times, gaining a -2 penalty each time you beyond a multiplication of 20. This is mostly means that short range spells get more range to fit your throwing weapons range.

A233b
Yeah, it has the generic "This ability otherwise functions identically to spellstrike except" line. And nothing in the exception overwrites multiple charges.

A234
Yeah, it seems so. This seems to be the same situation as the Qinggong Monk, see the FAQ here.

[Dalebert]

Q 235 How do scrolls work with respect to spells that have variable material components, such as permanency? For instance, how much do they cost to craft? Would it be the maximum cost based on the most expensive component or is it possible to make a more limited scroll that would only work on some spells, e.g. a 2500gp one that only worked on spells with up to that cost to make permanent?

[Kurald Galain]

Q 236 Is there any official word on whether Greensting Slayer (a magus archetype that grants sneak attack dice) can be used to enter Arcane Trickster (which requires sneak attack +2d6)?