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

[Oneris]

Q 237

If you combine Hexcrafter and Card Caster Magus Archetypes, can you now use Accursed Strike to cast Bestow Curse and Major Curse as ranged spells with Harrowed Spellstrike?

[Yanisa]

A235
There are no real rules on this subject, so there is no reason to assume you always need to use the highest (or lowest) number and with certain spells that doesn't even work (Animate Dead comes to mind). So it makes sense you can make more limited and weaker scrolls. But Pathfinder lacks a clear source.

The 3.5 scroll table has some examples, including a Scroll of Permanency that only works on 12th level spells or lower.

A236
Nope. This seems a strict ask your DM case.

A237
I see no reason to assume not. Harrowed Spellstrike both replaces and modifies spellstrike, so you still count as possessing it. And once again Harrowed Spellstrike has the "This ability otherwise functions identically to spellstrike, except"-line.
In fact, most, if not all, curses fall under either "touch" or "ranged" spells that (can) target a single creature, so the Accursed Strike doesn't do a lot of good because you are not limited to touch spells unlike normal Magi. I don't even now if it was the intend, or whether they meant that Harrowed Spellstrike only works on "ranged touch spells" but RAW gives us "Touch or Ranged spells", so by RAW you don't really need Accursed Strike.

[Da'Shain]

Q 238

Monkey Style is worded in such a way that it implies part of its benefit is conferred even without being in the stance/using the style itself ("You add your Wisdom bonus on Acrobatics checks. While using this style, [other benefits]."). The general rules for style feats state that "... you cannot use a style feat before combat begins ..."

Is Monkey Style an exception to this rule, and thus allow you to add your Wisdom to all Acrobatics checks at all times? Or does its wording not explicitly spell out that it is an exception, and thus you only get this bonus during combat?

[Yanisa]

A238
Not only monkey style, many of the style feats start of with a bonus and follow up with a second sentence that start with "While in this stance...". It barely seems to be an exception when at least half of the feats follow this format. Although is not very clear in the hard RAW, but I suspect that the line "... you cannot use a style feat before combat begins ..." only refers to the portion of the feat that is tied to being in a stance ("While in this stance...").

Otherwise this is handled under the "Specific trumps General" rule, so regardless it seems some bonuses are passive and you get always, regardless of combat and regardless of being in a style.

[unseenmage]

Q239
What is required to 'convert' a spell and a Construct from 3.0 to Pathfinder?
(If it matters the spell and Construct in question is Create Crawling Claw from Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerun.)

Q240
How does one discern the required CL for Custom Constructs when they are priced by CR as per this PF page?

[Psyren]

A239: As with any other 3.0 creature - you would first convert it to 3.5 and then convert it to PF.

Actually converting the creature would likely require some subjective calls and so should probably be the topic of its own thread.

A240: As with creating any other magic item, the only required CL is the minimum CL to cast all the spells required to create the object. If no spells are required, then no CL would be required either. (Keep in mind that the Craft Construct feat itself does have a CL requirement.)


Q241: How exactly does the "Healing Grace" power of the "Life" Necromancer wizard subschool work? If you use it with a damaging spell like fireball, will it both damage and heal the targets you designate, or simply heal them?

[unseenmage]

A239: As with any other 3.0 creature - you would first convert it to 3.5 and then convert it to PF.

Actually converting the creature would likely require some subjective calls and so should probably be the topic of its own thread.

...

Thank you. I did make a new thread for it originally but then wondered if the process was more cut-and-dry than I'd originally expected. Your help is appreciated.

[Psyren]

Thank you. I did make a new thread for it originally but then wondered if the process was more cut-and-dry than I'd originally expected. Your help is appreciated.

I'll see if I can dig up my MoF and post in that thread to help you.

[unseenmage]

I'll see if I can dig up my MoF and post in that thread to help you.

Oh cool. Thanks again.
And additional apologies to anyone irked by my accidentally advertising my help thread.

I'll just go stop cluttering the Q&A thread now...
...
...

On second thought, Q242 When creating magic items can you intentionally lower your CL to keep the Spellcraft DC lower?

Animated Objects require Craft Construct and a CL of at least their HD. Craft Construct would give you a CL5, but their HD can require less when they're smaller.

[Psyren]

On second thought, Q242 When creating magic items can you intentionally lower your CL to keep the Spellcraft DC lower?

Animated Objects require Craft Construct and a CL of at least their HD. Craft Construct would give you a CL5, but their HD can require less when they're smaller.

A242: That is a special rule for crafting permanent instantaneous Animated Objects using Craft Construct specifically. Thus, the "minimum CL = HD" rule only applies to this particular method of creating this particular creature, and per the general rules this requirement cannot be waived.

So to answer your question - your CL can be lower than your maximum but never lower than the HD of the animated object, and it would need to be at least 5 to use the feat in the first place.

[unseenmage]

A242: That is a special rule for crafting permanent instantaneous Animated Objects using Craft Construct specifically. Thus, the "minimum CL = HD" rule only applies to this particular method of creating this particular creature, and per the general rules this requirement cannot be waived.

So to answer your question - your CL can be lower than your maximum but never lower than the HD of the animated object, and it would need to be at least 5 to use the feat in the first place.

Q242 clarification
Sorry but that doesn't answer my question. It only more clearly states my problem.

I'm asking if a 5th level character who has Craft Construct can create Animated Objects at a CL below five but equal to or above the Animated Object's HD?

The benefit would be a lower Spellcraft DC since the Spellcraft DC for this activity is based on the CL of the Animated Object. I realize the "benefit" would be negligible but am not sure if this is even possible.

[Yanisa]

A241
Strict RAW states you must be affected by the spell to be healed. A fireball would deal its 5d6 damage to everyone in the radius + 3 points of healing spread between the targets as you like.

Whenever you cast a spell that has targets, affects creatures in an area, or requires an attack roll, you may heal creatures affected by the spell a total of 1 point of damage per level of the spell.

This also means that someone who has evasion and makes his reflex save cannot be healed, because he isn't affected by the spell.

[Psyren]

Thanks Yanisa. I guess it's mostly for multiperson buffs like haste.

A242 clarification: Ah! I understand now. The answer is yes - so long as you are at least CL 5, you can take Craft Construct and use it to make the Animated Object at a CL lower than 5 (but not lower than the HD of the object itself.)

Remember, the main rule is that most magic items don't have a CL requirement in and of themselves; only the spells used in their creation set such a requirement. Crafting Animated Objects is an exception to that rule as it sets a minimum equal to the resultant creature's HD.

[Da'Shain]

Q 243

So this seems obvious to me but my group thinks I'm interpreting it incorrectly. Breadth of Experience states that characters with it "can make checks with [Knowledge & Profession skills] untrained." For Knowledge, the only penalty for being untrained is that "You cannot make an untrained Knowledge check with a DC higher than 10." For Profession, "Untrained laborers and assistants (that is, characters without any ranks in Profession) earn an average of 1 silver piece per day."

My interpretation is that taking Breadth of Experience removes the DC 10 cap on untrained Knowledge checks, and that it allows an untrained laborer to earn the normal pay for that Profession without needing to spend skill points; otherwise, it seems to me that the second part of the feat is just useless and only its +2 bonus applies. However, my group contends that the feat only stipulates that you can make the checks untrained, not that you get the benefits of being trained. How has this normally been ruled, in the games of the more experienced gurus here?

[Psyren]

A243: "Trained" is defined in the rules as "having 1 or more ranks in the skill." Thus, being "treated as if you're trained" means "being treated as though you have 1 or more ranks in the skill(s)."

Thus you will get exactly the same benefits as someone who actually has the rank(s) - you can attempt to roll on Knowledge skills with a DC higher than 10, and you can earn more than 1sp per day with Profession.

Basically you ignore the "untrained" section of these two skills despite having no ranks.

[Da'Shain]

A243: "Trained" is defined in the rules as "having 1 or more ranks in the skill." Thus, being "treated as if you're trained" means "being treated as though you have 1 or more ranks in the skill(s)."

Thus you will get exactly the same benefits as someone who actually has the rank(s) - you can attempt to roll on Knowledge skills with a DC higher than 10, and you can earn more than 1sp per day with Profession.

Basically you ignore the "untrained" section of these two skills despite having no ranks.

Q 243 Clarification

That's the problem, though, that Breadth of Experiences does not say the character is "treated as if they're trained", just that they can make checks untrained -- which in these two skills' cases, is already a possibility, just with caveats, hence my group's problems with it. I interpret it as removing the caveats (because otherwise the text is useless) and they interpret it as not doing so, but the problem stems from it saying only that "[the character] can make checks with those skills untrained." Sorry to clutter the thread, but this did not actually answer the question

[Psyren]

I see. Yeah, it doesn't seem clear and it may be something you have to take up with your group. Post it to the Paizo rules forum and see if you can get a FAQ on it.

[Yanisa]

A243
I would agree with you and RAI seems too, but there are some dubious points. Profession is Trained Only, and cannot be used Untrained within the rules. So Breadth of Experience allows you to make Untrained Profession checks. Knowledges are a bit weirder because they can be used Untrained (DC 10 default, or all DCs with a library), but Knowledge is by RAW a Trained Only skill. So there is no RAW answer of how Breadth of Experience interferes with Knowledge checks, but due how the feat interacts with Profession checks we can assume you can make all DC Knowledge checks without investing skill ranks (or needing a library).

I also started with a bit longer answer, but I feel the sum up does fine on its own. Still I offer you the

Spoiler: The Longer Explanation with Rule Quotes

Show

Profession is easier. First thing I saw:

Profession
(Wis; Trained Only)

And looking at the untrained section.

Untrained: Untrained laborers and assistants (that is, characters without any ranks in Profession) earn an average of 1 silver piece per day.

It's a weird use of the untrained section of the skill, but basically you don't need to roll anything to earn that 1 silver piece. In fact, you cannot use profession for it because it's a Trained Only skill and this Untrained section doesn't state an exception for rolling. It's just stating a different way of earning money all together unrelated to Profession checks.

Knowledge starts off with the same thing:

Knowledge
(Int; Trained Only)

However the Untrained section makes it a bit hazier. And I get the confusion.

Untrained: You cannot make an untrained Knowledge check with a DC higher than 10. If you have access to an extensive library that covers a specific skill, this limit is removed. The time to make checks using a library, however, increases to 1d4 hours. Particularly complete libraries might even grant a bonus on Knowledge checks in the fields that they cover.

So technically one could use knowledge checks untrained, even though it's a trained skill only. Still these are exceptions, the general rule still states that normal knowledge checks are Trained Only. Both side of the argument seem true by RAW. Knowledges are a Trained Only skill, but Knowledge can be made Untrained. I don't have a RAW answer how this interacts with Breathe of Experience.

RAI is a bit harder to guess, but because profession is Trained Only, and it makes the most sense the line "can make checks with [Knowledge & Profession skills] untrained" makes one statement (Either a rule change or a rule repeat) we can assume that RAI means both skill will be unlocked and you can make all the DCs without investing skill ranks.

[Larsen]

A243 I hope i don't charge too much the question...
The general rule of knowledge is that you can't make a check DC 15 (for example) when untrained.
Breadth of experience says you can do knowledge checks even if untrained (and does not specify limits), which means that the same check DC 15 can now be done.

I believe this is 100% RAW case of specific trumps general since the purpose of feat is to modify the knowledge skill check.

[Yanisa]

A243 I hope i don't charge too much the question...
The general rule of knowledge is that you can't make a check DC 15 (for example) when untrained.
Breadth of experience says you can do knowledge checks even if untrained (and does not specify limits), which means that the same check DC 15 can now be done.

I believe this is 100% RAW case of specific trumps general since the purpose of feat is to modify the knowledge skill check.

You can make make untrained DC 15 Knowledge check. That's the problem. You need a library and it might be an exception to the rule, but it doesn't make a strong RAW case, because by RAW you can already make Untrained Knowledge Checks. RAW swings both ways.

[Cieyrin]

Q 244 Does Monk of the Sacred Mountain's Iron Monk and Angelic Flesh (Steel) stack for Natural Armor or do they both just set Natural Armor to +1?

[LunaLovecraft]

A. 244

Bonus (Natural Armor)

A natural armor bonus improves Armor Class resulting from a creature's naturally tough hide. Natural armor bonuses stack with all other bonuses to Armor Class (even with armor bonuses) except other natural armor bonuses. Some magical effects (such as the barkskin spell) grant an enhancement bonus to the creature's existing natural armor bonus, which has the effect of increasing the natural armor's overall bonus to Armor Class.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/basics-abili...Natural-Armor-

Since neither say adds on to the natural armor bonus, they both just set Natural Armor to +1 (since neither is higher than the other).

[AttilaTheGeek]

Q 245

Does being able to use a spell-like ability of a certain level count as being able to cast spells of that level for the purposes of prerequisites? For example, because Aasimars can cast Daylight, a third-level spell, does that mean an Aasimar Wizard 1 / Fighter 1 could qualify for the Eldritch Knight prestige class?

[jaydubs]

A245

Yes. The daylight spell-like ability satisfies the prerequisite of being able to cast 3rd level arcane spells.

See the FAQ where it is mentioned the design team is aware that allowing spell-like abilities to satisfy casting requirements allows early entry into casting prestige classes.

[Spore]

A245 rule 0/DM approval Keep in mind (as with every Prestige class) you technically need the approval of your DM to enter it. Ask your DM if he or her is fine with it. For example all my DMs are not fine with entering a PrC by skipping three required levels (ignoring RAI from the 3.5 devs to be able to enter a PrC at 6. level at the earliest).

Still this is a nice trick to get into Eldritch Knight or Arcane Trickster to satisfy those Rogue/Wizard and Fighter/Wizard needs.

[jaydubs]

A245 followup

Good point about DM approval. But I'd argue that RAI actually points toward allowing it. I really can't imagine clearer evidence of RAI than an official post saying the design team is aware of this use of the rule, and think it's a fine interpretation due to balance reasons.

[Occasional Sage]

Q246
What are the effects of the spell Enervate on a juvenile red dragon?

[Yanisa]

A246
He gains 1d4 Negative Levels. If case you wonder he doesn't revert to a younger Age Category, because Negative Levels don't really remove HD/LvLs and also Enervation cannot make people younger.

[FabulousFizban]

Q247

Spoiler: marid style

Show

Benefit: You gain one additional Elemental Fist attempt per day. While using this style and Elemental Fist to deal cold damage, you gain a bonus on cold damage rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier, and your reach with your unarmed strike increases by 5 feet.

does my reach with unarmed strike only increase by 5 feet when I am using Elemental Fist?

[Yanisa]

A247
The writer says yes, you only gain the reach when using Elemental Fist.