[Pathfinder] Dreamscarred Press FAQ

[Ssalarn]

Path of War
>Golden Lion
>>Demoralizing Roar

Question:
Despite the name of the maneuver, nothing in the text of Demoralizing Roar talks about 'demoralizing' the opponent (a la the Intimidate Skill), yet the end result of success is the same - the target is shaken for a round. Is Demoralizing Roar a Mind Affecting Effect for the purposes of performing the maneuver against a creature that is immune to mind affecting effects?

The actual PoW guys can feel free to come in and over-rule me if they disagree, but in Pathfinder, shaken is a fear effect, just like firghtened and panicked, and all fear effects are by default both emotion and mind-affecting effects. For it to be otherwise would require additional verbage, such as the "as if" in chill touch when it says that undead "must make a successful Will saving throw or flee as if panicked". That "as if" is very carefully and intentionally chosen since undead are otherwise immune to fear and all other mind-affecting effects.

In the absence of further clarification or verbage within the power or ability, any effect that causes the shaken, frightened, or panicked conditions is automatically a non-harmless emotion effect, and all emotion effects are mind-affecting effects.

[Llyarden]

all fear effects are by default both emotion and mind-affecting effects.

Are they? I was reading a discussion about this on the paizo boards and no-one seemed to be able to actually come up with a rule that said so, even though it seems reasonably obvious.

EDIT: I totally forgot the actual question I meant to ask.

PoW: How restrictive are the fluff descriptions of maneuvers? For instance, Circle of Razor Feathers states the user activates it by "crying out in horrible rage." What happens if they're underwater or in a silence spell?

[Ssalarn]

Are they? I was reading a discussion about this on the paizo boards and no-one seemed to be able to actually come up with a rule that said so, even though it seems reasonably obvious.

Yeah. Having gone many rounds directly with members of the Paizo design team on this one, I'm sure. The road to getting there starts with this FAQ, which clarifies that any effect which causes the shaken, frightened, or panicked conditions is a fear effect. Fear effects are always emotion effects, and emotion effects are always mind-affecting effects, though I absolutely agree with you that that isn't specifically spelled out clearly enough anywhere as it should be. Having gotten into this directly with Paizo's design team previously though, I can say with absolute certainty that that is the intent of the rules, and the result you'll arrive at if you extrapolate any existing mechanics and rulings. I'm given to understand that the phrase "All emotion effects are mind-affecting" was actually supposed to be spelled out in Occult Adventures, and was then cut because it was "so obvious it didn't need to be said".

I'll leave it there because I'm starting to feel a bit like I'm ragging on Paizo, and I try really hard to avoid that as I'm good friends with several of the people there.

[Elricaltovilla]

Are they? I was reading a discussion about this on the paizo boards and no-one seemed to be able to actually come up with a rule that said so, even though it seems reasonably obvious.

EDIT: I totally forgot the actual question I meant to ask.

PoW: How restrictive are the fluff descriptions of maneuvers? For instance, Circle of Razor Feathers states the user activates it by "crying out in horrible rage." What happens if they're underwater or in a silence spell?

A: It's fluff. It's about as restrictive as air. Fluff it however you want.

[Tome]

Path of War

I was wondering what the intent was behind making the healing strikes of Silver Crane melee only when, barring two others, the rest of the discipline is fully compatible with it's discipline weapon of bows? Seems a bit odd to me.

[Tuvarkz]

Path of War Expanded
Situation: Gunsmoke Mystic uses Tempest Gale maneuver that replaces ranged CMB roll with Sleight of Hand check (which doesn't automatically fail on a 1 anymore), and his firearm has a misfire rate of 1. He rolls a 1, but his SoH is so high he would normally still make the CMD check. Does the gun misfire?

[Ssalarn]

Path of War Expanded
Situation: Gunsmoke Mystic uses Tempest Gale maneuver that replaces ranged CMB roll with Sleight of Hand check (which doesn't automatically fail on a 1 anymore), and his firearm has a misfire rate of 1. He rolls a 1, but his SoH is so high he would normally still make the CMD check. Does the gun misfire?

The text on misfires says: "Misfires: If the natural result of your attack roll falls within a firearm's misfire value, that shot misses, even if you would have otherwise hit the target. When a firearm misfires, it gains the broken condition. While it has the broken condition, it suffers the normal disadvantages that broken weapons do, and its misfire value increases by 4 unless the wielder has gun training in the particular type of firearm. In that case, the misfire value increases by 2 instead of 4."

So, really, this isn't even a PoW question, it goes to the root rule you're interacting with, misfires, which state that if you roll within the weapon's misfire range, the attack misses even if it would otherwise be successful.

[Nyaa]

The text on misfires says: "Misfires: If the natural result of your attack roll falls within a firearm's misfire value, that shot misses, even if you would have otherwise hit the target. When a firearm misfires, it gains the broken condition. While it has the broken condition, it suffers the normal disadvantages that broken weapons do, and its misfire value increases by 4 unless the wielder has gun training in the particular type of firearm. In that case, the misfire value increases by 2 instead of 4."

So, really, this isn't even a PoW question, it goes to the root rule you're interacting with, misfires, which state that if you roll within the weapon's misfire range, the attack misses even if it would otherwise be successful.

It would work this way if Pathfinder world operated on common sense. However, your quote states "If the natural result of your attack roll falls within a firearm's misfire value". I'd say Sleight of Hand check isn't attack roll.

[Taveena]

Path of War: Expanded
If you use the Destruction Mission's augment to make a single attack roll against all enemies in a cone or line, does a Boost that only applies to a single attack apply to all of those, or do you have to designate a single enemy that is struck to be affected as though by the Boost?

[Elricaltovilla]

Path of War: Expanded
If you use the Destruction Mission's augment to make a single attack roll against all enemies in a cone or line, does a Boost that only applies to a single attack apply to all of those, or do you have to designate a single enemy that is struck to be affected as though by the Boost?

A: The boost only applies to one creature (of your choice) within the area of the augmented strike.

[Taveena]

Path of War and Ultimate Psionics
Does a Dread's Shadow Twin benefit from the Dread's current Stance? Can the Shadow Twin enter a stance independently?

Can a Dread with God of the Hourglass Stance and Twin Fear effectively take four standard, two swifts, and two move actions? (Dread 11/Warlord 9 with Practiced Initiator has an IL of 16 and thus qualifies, so it's theoretically possible.)

[Falco1029]

Path of War

If a Brawler or someone else with Martial Flexibility (like an eldritch scrapper...) wants to take Martial Training (whether I or if they already have that, a higher level one), do they automatically start with the relevant maneuver(s) readied or would they need to take 10 minutes to ready the maneuver(s) for the feat, thus preventing the feat from actually being used by them (since it only lasts a minute at a time)?

[Taveena]

Akashic Mysteries
Can a Swarmlord Dread - or another class that uses Shape Veil - shape Ring veils, if not bind them, or is the Vizier's veilweaving required to use it ("The vizier gains access to a unique veil slot: the ring slot")?

Path of War
If a maneuver or stance grants temporary hit points equal to damage dealt and strikes multiple targets (such as with Vampiric Aura or a Destruction Zealot using augmented Consumption Strike), do they gain temporary hit points equal to the total damage done (and thus stacking with each other), or just the largest damage done to a single target (so a maximum of 12 temporary HP for Vampiric Aura)?

Path of War: Expanded
When Storm of Steel is used with Orichalcum Swipe and the other forced movement Golden Lion maneuvers, do all struck enemies need to be moved the same direction and distance?

[Ninjaxenomorph]

Path of War

If a Brawler or someone else with Martial Flexibility (like an eldritch scrapper...) wants to take Martial Training (whether I or if they already have that, a higher level one), do they automatically start with the relevant maneuver(s) readied or would they need to take 10 minutes to ready the maneuver(s) for the feat, thus preventing the feat from actually being used by them (since it only lasts a minute at a time)?

Not an answer, but there is a precedent I think; when a magus uses arcane pool to put Flaming or a similar enchant, it starts 'on', they dont have to spend a standard action to activate it. Allowing that would fall in line with other decisions I think.

[Elricaltovilla]

Path of War

If a Brawler or someone else with Martial Flexibility (like an eldritch scrapper...) wants to take Martial Training (whether I or if they already have that, a higher level one), do they automatically start with the relevant maneuver(s) readied or would they need to take 10 minutes to ready the maneuver(s) for the feat, thus preventing the feat from actually being used by them (since it only lasts a minute at a time)?

A: This has actually been answered before (in regards to Martial Master Myrmidon Fighters). When you gain advanced study or martial training to learn new maneuvers, those maneuvers come readied and available for use for the duration of the ability used to obtain the bonus feat.

Path of War
If a maneuver or stance grants temporary hit points equal to damage dealt and strikes multiple targets (such as with Vampiric Aura or a Destruction Zealot using augmented Consumption Strike), do they gain temporary hit points equal to the total damage done (and thus stacking with each other), or just the largest damage done to a single target (so a maximum of 12 temporary HP for Vampiric Aura)?

A: It depends on the specific maneuver. If the maneuver says that the temporary hit points stack, then you gain all of them from each enemy hit. If the maneuver says that they do not stack, you only gain the highest amount. For maneuvers that don't specify, I believe the default state for Temp. HP is that they don't stack, but I may be wrong.

Path of War: Expanded
When Storm of Steel is used with Orichalcum Swipe and the other forced movement Golden Lion maneuvers, do all struck enemies need to be moved the same direction and distance?

A: Knock them around however you want. You don't need to send them the same direction or distance.

[Tuvarkz]

Path of War Expanded

Does a Ghostwalk-using Brutal Slayer Stalker lose its strength to AC/Reflex for the duration of the boost, since during then it also loses the strength score due to gaining the incorporeal special quality? (From incorporeal subtype)

[MilleniaAntares]

Path of War:

Do maneuvers count as special attacks?

If so, does Ability Focus work on all maneuvers, or would it work on an individual one?

[Taveena]

Spoiler: Rambling about Vampiric Aura

Show

A: It depends on the specific maneuver. If the maneuver says that the temporary hit points stack, then you gain all of them from each enemy hit. If the maneuver says that they do not stack, you only gain the highest amount. For maneuvers that don't specify, I believe the default state for Temp. HP is that they don't stack, but I may be wrong.

None of these maneuvers say the temp HP stacks, which makes Vampiric Aura very underwhelming (a maximum of 18 temporary HP regardless of how many enemies you're fighting at level 15 for one round). Only Unquiet Grave has language for stacking.

To clarify it averages out as 7 (against a neutral or evil creature) to 11 (against good) which is really... I mean it's free temp HP, but at level 15, it seems pretty unimpressive.

Path of War
Triumphant Lion's Leadership - in the short description - resets its bonus at the end of an encounter, while the long test says that the bonus continues to mount as long as the stance is maintained, which could be over multiple encounters, allowing everyone to start the encounter with a 5d6 damage aura. Which is intended?

Ultimate Psionics
Does the Dread's Aura of Fear penetrate immunity to mind affecting effects when using abilities with the [Fear] descriptor, or only specific immunity to fear?

Lords of the Night/Path of War
Does the Omen Rider's Spectral Steed being an Outsider rather than an Animal trigger the "If another ability you possess would permanently alter the affected creature’s type" line of Undead Companion?

Lords of the Night
The line "instead improve its positive energy resistance by +5 and its channel resistance by +2." results in a LOWER channel resistance than the default "Additionally, it gains channel resistance +4." Does this actually mean that effects that would normally change creature types REDUCE channel resistance by 2 and increase positive energy resistance by 5, or that instead of changing creature type, it gains a further +2 channel resistance and 5 positive energy resist? What happens if a template is applied that would change the creature's type BACK to the initial one (such as in the case of an Omen Rider's Spectral Steed being transformed into an Undead creature with the feat, then gaining the Shadow Creature template?)

Lords of the Night
Does the Black Templar threaten squares with his Drain Essence ability?

Path of War
Does a Boost or Stance with an effect that forces a saving throw on the next melee attack or melee attacks made for a duration gain the +2 bonus if the attack or attacks made are delivered with a Discipline Weapon, or is that not treated as 'delivered' with the weapon?

[Jurai]

Psionics Unleashed
Q: Does the Mind Blade have a Weapon Group, without using a Blade Skill such as Emulate Melee Weapon?

[twas_Brillig]

Psionics Unleashed
Q: Does the Mind Blade have a Weapon Group, without using a Blade Skill such as Emulate Melee Weapon?

Note that not being part of the Thrown Weapon group means by RAW a thrown mind blade (and especially the new Psychic Armory archetype) cannot be used for Solar Wind maneuvers, IIRC.

[Tuvarkz]

Path of War+Psionics
How do a mindlocked Devastating touch and a martial counter (more specifically, those that demand an attack roll) interact?

[PsyBomb]

Path of War+Psionics
How do a mindlocked Devastating touch and a martial counter (more specifically, those that demand an attack roll) interact?

Not the original writer, but we've been talking about this one recently (and I'm kinda the Dread guy now).

Mindlocked Devastating Touch does not roll to attack, just damage. Step skipped. If the counter requires an attack roll to oppose, it can't be used. If, however, it can be used as a general response to a Supernatural ability (or damage dealt, etc), then it's good to go.

[Nyaa]

Path of War

Surprisingly, this is not on the first page yet.

When can I initiate a counter that negates an attack? Most of PoW:Ex counters seem to use the following language: "You may initiate this counter in response to a melee or ranged attack being made against you." It sounds like a counter should be initiated before the attack is rolled?

May I suggest to explicitly state it somewhere in PoW:Ex Systems and Use chapter?

[Elricaltovilla]

Path of War

Surprisingly, this is not on the first page yet.

When can I initiate a counter that negates an attack? Most of PoW:Ex counters seem to use the following language: "You may initiate this counter in response to a melee or ranged attack being made against you." It sounds like a counter should be initiated before the attack is rolled?

May I suggest to explicitly state it somewhere in PoW:Ex Systems and Use chapter?

A: It's after the attack is rolled, but before the results are revealed. This is because you can't use a counter against an attack that rolled a natural 20, so the only way to know if that rule applies is to wait until after the roll is made.

[Nyaa]

Results as monster's d20 roll or DM announcing if player is hit or not?
If not for nat20 rule or if DM rolls monster dice behind the screen or if the game is run online, would it be fair to require using counters after attack is declared, but before it's rolled? Nat20 being "despite your best efforts, you failed to counter it"?

[Elricaltovilla]

Results as monster's d20 roll or DM announcing if player is hit or not?
If not for nat20 rule or if DM rolls monster dice behind the screen or if the game is run online, would it be fair to require using counters after attack is declared, but before it's rolled? Nat20 being "despite your best efforts, you failed to counter it"?

I'm having trouble parsing your questions. I'm going to try and break down the RAI and hopefully we can come to an understanding:

1. Monster Attacks
2. DM Rolls attack roll
3. Result of die roll must be revealed, so that a natural 20 can be recognized
4. Player decided whether or not to use counter
4a. counter resolves
5. DM reveals result of monster's attack (hit, miss, countered/negated)
5a. effects of monster's attack is resolved.

[Kudaku]

A: It's after the attack is rolled, but before the results are revealed. This is because you can't use a counter against an attack that rolled a natural 20, so the only way to know if that rule applies is to wait until after the roll is made.

Quick follow-up for this one: Can you use a counter on a critical confirmation roll?

[Elricaltovilla]

Quick follow-up for this one: Can you use a counter on a critical confirmation roll?

A: No. At that point the attack has already hit, and there's nothing more to counter.

[Nyaa]

I'm having trouble parsing your questions. I'm going to try and break down the RAI and hopefully we can come to an understanding:

1. Monster Attacks
2. DM Rolls attack roll
3. Result of die roll must be revealed, so that a natural 20 can be recognized
4. Player decided whether or not to use counter
4a. counter resolves
5. DM reveals result of monster's attack (hit, miss, countered/negated)
5a. effects of monster's attack is resolved.

It looks like there is step 3a: through metagaming prowess supernatural awareness, player's character senses if he is likely to get hit by monster attack or not, which affects his decision to use a counter. I take it's not design decision and serves only nat20 vs counters rule? If not for that rule, or if we are willing to make 5% of counters used not work, can it be simplified to:

1. DM announces that monster attacks
2. Player decides whether or not to use counter
3. Monster's attack and player's counter are rolled
4. If monster rolls nat20, counter doesn't work. If he doesn't, counter resolves.
5. Monster's attack resolves.

?

[Mehangel]

A: No. At that point the attack has already hit, and there's nothing more to counter.

An additional follow up question: Can you counter an attack that crit threats on a number lower than 20, but also auto-confirms (like fighters at level 20?).