Simple Q&A by RAW for Pathfinder 4

[Griffin]

A117a: Templates require GM permission in PF just like they did in 3.5. Essentially applying a template to your character means you're playing a monster, which requires GM approval. (The exception is a template applied by a spell or class feature, though none pop into my head at the moment.)

A117b: I'm not seeing a half-fey template, where is that? I see "Fey Creature" which turns you into fey, and "Fey-Touched" which lets you be both types but appears to be 3rd-party.

My bad, blame Fenryr, he gave me the wrong name, it is Fey Touched the one I was refering

[Mehangel]

Q 118

With the Spell Storing weapon enchantment. Consider the following scenario:

PC1: Casts Vamperic Touch into weapon and Hands it off to PC2.

PC 2: Uses weapon and hits foe, choosing to activate the spell storing weapon.

Question:

a) Who technically cast the spell? (i.e. PC 1, PC 2, or the Weapon).
b) Who benefits from the spells effect? (i.e. PC 1, PC 2, or the Weapon).

[grarrrg]

"Anytime the weapon strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the weapon can immediately cast the spell on that creature as a free action if the wielder desires."
A118a according to the Spell Storing ability the weapon 'casts' the spell, do note that the Spell is cast as if the original caster were casting it directly on the target.
A118b the creature you are attacking is affected by the spell. You generally do not want beneficial spells in Spell Storing weapons (even if Healing Shivs are entertaining).

[Mehangel]

A118b the creature you are attacking is affected by the spell. You generally do not want beneficial spells in Spell Storing weapons (even if Healing Shivs are entertaining).

I suppose the question was more specifically who would benefit from the temporary hitpoints gained from the Vampiric Touch spell? Also, what if the spell was like Healing Sting, where it directly hurts the target, but heals the caster?

[Fenryr]

Q119

Liberation Domain and the Granted Power Liberation works against grapple checks?

[Psyren]

A119: Yes, it works like the spell freedom of movement, which makes you immune to grapple for its duration. At low levels this won't be much though.

[Shadowscale]

Q120 since the standard bearer cavalier gains its mount at level 5, does that change the level and or advancment of said mount compared to a non archtype cavalier.

Also does battle herald advance any bars or cavalier abilities?

[Kurald Galain]

Q121 Assuming you have at least +1 BAB, can you draw (or sheathe) a weapon for free as part of a five-foot step?

[Fenryr]

A121

Plain RAW no with the "free" 5 foot step that does not provoke AoO.

If you have a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, you may draw a weapon as a free action combined with a regular move.

If you move 5 feet as a move action then you can do it.

Q122

There a couple of items that allow you to count as higher level for some class features: this and this, for example. What happens if such "effective level" is beyond 20? A Cavalier or an Inquisitor level 20 and with those items. Does it somehow sums beyond?

[Psyren]

A120a: As written the mount should be full advancement despite coming in late, because it is "identical in all ways to the standard cavalier's mount." The intent was almost certainly to make it "level -5" but RAW is full advancement unless they fix it.

A120b: No, it doesn't advance anything. Scratch that, it does advance Tactician and Banner. Its "Inspiring Command" ability stacks with Inspire Courage to determine the benefits as well. That's about it; it doesn't even appear to advance Challenge despite requiring it, sadly.

A122: Most such class features include a cap at or before 20. For example, the cavalier's Challenge says: "The cavalier can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every three levels beyond 1st, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level." Even the item therefore will not exceed this maximum. (The damage bonus however is uncapped; it's simply equal to the cavalier's level.)

[Nibbens]

Q123: Diminutive flying swarms have 5000 flying creatures. Sheet lightning does 1 point of damage to each creature in a 10 foot radius burst... Does a single cast of sheet lightning do 5K damage to the swarm?

[Fenryr]

A123

No. Or so I believe.

A swarm is a collection of Fine, Diminutive, or Tiny creatures that acts as a single creature.

[NightbringerGGZ]

A123

No. Or so I believe.

This is correct. A swarm counts as a single creature when being targeted.

[JDL]

Q124

A wizard wears a +1 silken ceremonial armor and casts Mage Armor. Does the +1 enhancement bonus from the worn armor stack with the +4 armor bonus to AC from Mage Armor?

[Fenryr]

A124

No.

Enhancement bonuses apply to your armor to increase the armor bonus it provides.

The +1 Enhancement Bonus is for the Ceremonial Silk Armor (giving +2 Armor bonus to AC). The +4 Armor from Mage armor is a separate value. They do not stack.

[Kurald Galain]

Q125 Is it possible to take Weapon Focus (touch attack)? Can an amulet of mighty fists or a similar item boost the to-hit of my touch attacks?

[Psyren]

A125a: No - "touch attack" is not a type of weapon (or weaponlike-effect, e.g. a ray) so you cannot Focus it.
A125b: This one I'm less clear on. By my reading the amulet should apply to melee touch attacks. (If a ghost were wearing it for example.) But I can't tell for certain if it worked this way in 3.5 or if this is intended.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Q126 Is there any way other than Duettist archetype for a Bard to get a familiar?

[Psyren]

A126: Sure, there are tons of ways. VMC Witch/Wizard, Eldritch Heritage/VMC Sorc for Arcane Bloodline or any of the bloodline familiars, VMC Magus for Familiar arcana, the Familiar Bond and Improved Familiar Bond feats... take your pick

[grarrrg]

A126: Sure, there are tons of ways. VMC Witch/Wizard, Eldritch Heritage/VMC Sorc for Arcane Bloodline or any of the bloodline familiars, VMC Magus for Familiar arcana, the Familiar Bond and Improved Familiar Bond feats... take your pick

Sea Singer Bard Archetye gets one (limited to Bird or Monkey).

You can also use Eldritch Heritage to take the Aberrant Bloodline and then get an Aberrant Tumor Familiar.

[Nibbens]

Q127

Lets pretend for a second that a Hellwasp Swarm which has inhabited a dead body, and a PC hits the infested dead body with a fireball. The infested dead body/swarm succeeds on its saving throw and takes half damage...

Okay, so does a swarm which has infested its host takes half damage from attacks, and then that is halved from the saving throws, then it applies damage reduction? Or does it take half damage, apply its damage reduction then take half from the succeeded save?

(This situation could also apply to any creature with DR and succeeding a save. Is DR applied first or is 1/2 applied first?)

[Psyren]

A127a: The swarm does not get a separate save - it has total cover inside the host, so only the host would have to save against the burst. Half of that damage then gets passed onto the swarm, and its own DR, resistances and immunities would apply.

A127b: For the general question, the save always happens before damage is even rolled, therefore the reduced damage from a successful save will apply before DR, resistances etc. (Note that SR/immunity applies before even those.)

[Firest Kathon]

A127c: A swarm does not apply its DR against the Fireball at all, as spells are not affected by DR.

Spells, spell-like abilities, and energy attacks (even non-magical fire) ignore damage reduction.

[Kurald Galain]

Q128 According to the Flame Blade spell, attacks with the weapon it creates are touch attacks. The trip maneuver is an attack that can be done with a weapon. It seems to me that a trip attack generally uses a CMD roll, but the specific case of Flame Blade overrides it. Can I now trip as a touch attack, or is there some rule preventing that?

[Psyren]

A127c: A swarm does not apply its DR against the Fireball at all, as spells are not affected by DR.

Almost - in PF, spells/SLAs/Su abilities that deal slashing, piercing or bludgeoning damage (e.g. Wind Blades) are in fact subject to DR.

A128: There is no specific trumping general here - combat maneuvers always use a CMB check vs. CMD. What using a weapon allows you to do (in the case of a weapon-using maneuver like trip) is allow any bonuses that you have on or with said weapon to apply to your CMB roll. But the opponent still gets their full CMD to resist - there is in fact no "touch CMD" for you to target instead. It wouldn't matter if there were one anyway - none of the differences between AC and touch AC (i.e. Armor, Shield and Natural Armor bonuses) apply to CMD anyway, so even if a "touch CMD" stat existed, no one would get any benefit out of targeting it.

EDIT: On reread that above looked a touch harsh and I wanted to make it clear that wasn't my intent

[unseenmage]

Q129

Here's hoping this Q is specific enough...

What spell would be capable of finding a technology artifact tech lab?

I know of a Druid spell in 3.x that allows one to survey the land but can't remember the name or where I found it.
And my notes seem to have gotten lost in my bag of devouring.

[Mehangel]

Q129

Here's hoping this Q is specific enough...

What spell would be capable of finding a technology artifact tech lab?

I know of a Druid spell in 3.x that allows one to survey the land but can't remember the name or where I found it.
And my notes seem to have gotten lost in my bag of devouring.

A129

This thread is for Pathfinder, not 3.5, but I did find the following 3.5 druid spells that might do what you are trying to do:

Locate Node [Druid 2] (Und pg58) Locates closest earth node in a 1 mile per level radius.
Circle Dance [Druid 3] (MoF pg84) Indicates direction to known target
Commune with Nature [Druid 5] (PH pg211) Learn about terrain for 1 mile per level.
Commune with Earth [Druid 5] (RoE pg189) Learn about Hills, Mountains &/or Underground for 1/2 mile per level radius and 1/4 mile per level depth.
Find The Path [Druid 6] (PH pg230) Finds the most direct way to a location
Stonetell [Druid 6] (PH pg284) Talk to natural or worked stone
Scrying, Greater [Druid 7] (PH p275) As Scrying but faster and longer.

[unseenmage]

Oh I am asking about Pathfinder. Am converting from the one to the other. Apologies if I didn't make that clear.

Edit: Commune with Earth and/or Nature looks like what I was using before. Does PF have an equivalent?

[JDL]

Q130

A level 9 Wizard casts Summon Monster V and summons 1d3 Hound Archons, getting lucky and summoning three at once. Assuming all three are within 20 ft. of a hostile creature, does the creature need to roll a separate will save against each of the Hound Archon's Aura of Menace, meaning three rolls total, or does it just roll once? If three rolls are required and the creature fails all three, does it take the -2 penalty to attacks, AC and saves three times, stacking to -6 total, or just once, for a total of -2? If the effects stack and it makes one of the three saves, is it still affected by the other two fails to total -4?

[Mehangel]

Oh I am asking about Pathfinder. Am converting from the one to the other. Apologies if I didn't make that clear.

Edit: Commune with Earth and/or Nature looks like what I was using before. Does PF have an equivalent?

Pathfinder has Commune with Nature. It is a 5th level druid spell.

EDIT:

Other spells that Pathfinder has that might be of use are:

Commune with Birds - Druid 1 (Tengu Race Only)
Call Animal + Speak with Animals + Animal Purpose Training - Druid 1 + Druid 1 + Druid 2
Find The Path - Druid 6
Stone Tell - Druid 6