[Pathfinder] Dreamscarred Press FAQ

[Kudaku]

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

Welp, we've been running that one wrong then. Thanks!

[Elricaltovilla]

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. 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.

?

OK, I think I see what you're getting at. The difference between what you're doing and what the current ruling is, is that your steps end with the counter being expended and damage being taken, whereas with the ruling as I've (hopefully) explained it the counter is not expended and damage is taken.

The specific rule about natural 20s says that you can't initiate a counter against a natural 20, therefore it can't even be attempted. The reason that the player gets to see the die roll before the result of the attack is to allow the player to decide if it's even worth it to initiate the counter.

From a roleplay perspective, a Natural 1 ought to be completely obvious that the attack will miss, thus no reason to initiate the counter, with higher die results becoming progressively more difficult for the PC to judge whether or not the attack might hit. A Natural 20 in this case would be an attack in exactly the perfect position to hit in spite of any attempt to block it, or one that hits too fast or suddenly to allow a reaction.

[Nyaa]

From a roleplay perspective, a Natural 1 ought to be completely obvious that the attack will miss, thus no reason to initiate the counter, with higher die results becoming progressively more difficult for the PC to judge whether or not the attack might hit.

Makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.

[Elricaltovilla]

Makes sense. Thanks for the explanation.

I'm glad I could help.

[Sorek]

Path of War

Spoiler: Exorcism Strike

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Exorcism Strike

Discipline: Silver Crane (Strike) [good]; Level: 3
Prerequisite(s): One Silver Crane Maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 standard action
Range: Melee or ranged attack
Target: One creature
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial

DESCRIPTION

The foes of the celestial realms tremble in fear at the wrath of the Heavens themselves, and a disciple of the Silver Crane wields that righteous anger in battle. This strike inflicts an additional 6d6 points of sacred damage to the foe if it is an undead creature or an outsider with the evil subtype, with a chance to daze the target for 1 round if it fails a Fortitude save (DC 13 + initiation modifier). Success negates the daze effect. If the target is a possessing entity within a host creature, the damage inflicted from this strike is solely inflicted upon the possessor, not the host. If the target is neither undead nor an evil outsider, this attack inflicts an additional 2d6 points of damage, and does not daze the target.

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Exorcism Strike is a maneuver specifically designed to harm Undead and Evil Outsiders. However, it has a Fort save. This is a problem because Undead are immune to effects requiring a Fort save. From Undead bestiary traits: "Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless)."

So either this strike should be a Will save or have something saying that it is an exception to the rule that Undead are immune to effects requiring a Fort save.

[Tuvarkz]

Path of War: Expanded
If a Gunsmoke Mystic with Elemental Flux Shift, in the same turn, changes elements from air to fire as swift, followed by changing elements from fire to air as free action as per EF Style, does his next attack do three times his Wisdom in damage? (Once as untyped per Animus-Charged Bullets, then a second time as fire from changing as swift, then a third time as electricity from changing as free)?

[Taveena]

Mythic Psionics
What action is it to activate the active effects Armor of Force, Boosted Surge, Bypass Mental Defenses, Metabolic Surge, Mythic Insight, Psychic Backlash, Reduced Enervation, Suffused with Psionics, Psychic Tsunami, Pyrokinetic Maelstrom, Telekinetic Mastery, Telekinetic Surge, Thrall, Favored Shot, Impossible Shot, Mind Blade Storm, Endless Endurance, Mental Fortress, Aegis Cage, Mythic Collective, Mind Fog, Reinforced Pattern, Annihilate Pattern, Calibrated Customization, Endbringer's Touch, Expanding Collective, Mythic Mind Blade, Unfettered Devastation, and Mythic Elocation? By RAW, it's a Standard action when unlisted (as in all of these cases) but in many cases that makes the ability unusable. It's unclear whether it's meant to be an Immediate, Swift, or Free in many cases.

... Also, what's the range on Unfettered Devastation?

Mythic Psionics/Path of War: Expanded/Psionics Augmented: Soulknife
When using Mythic Mind Blade, are additive bonuses (such as from Crystalline Focii, the Sleeping Goddess boosts that increase the Mind Blade's enhancements, and the Improved Enhancement Blade Skill) added BEFORE the doubling (resulting in, potentially, as much as +30 total from enhancements) or afterwards (and as a result capping out at +24)

[Dusk Eclipse]

This question is more about the RAI

PoW:E Does a Mystic (or other character with "active energy type" such as a Kineticist (Psion)) need the variable winds feats in order to change the Discipline's damage type? Neither the feat nor the "sidebar say what happens to someone who already had an AET.

[Elricaltovilla]

This question is more about the RAI

PoW:E Does a Mystic (or other character with "active energy type" such as a Kineticist (Psion)) need the variable winds feats in order to change the Discipline's damage type? Neither the feat nor the "sidebar say what happens to someone who already had an AET.

A: You need Variable Winds to be able to change the energy type of Solar Wind or whatever derivative you decided to use.

[Drrakerr]

The text of the Collective ability states that it links minds, and one of the Prerequisites of the Thrallherd prestige class states that the character must be able to link minds, but due to the exact wording on Thrallherd, Collective doesn't qualify by RAW.

Spoiler: Exact Wording on Thrallherd

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Psionics: Manifester level 5th and must be able to link minds together, whether via mindlink, mind control, or a worldthought network.

My question is, was this intended? From both a fluff and a crunch perspective Tactician would make an excellent entry, but it seems odd that it should need to spend a feat on Mindlink or Mind Control.

[Mezzaluna]

POW:E

How does the Sleeping Goddess Style feat interact with the Mystic's Maneuver Recovery Method?


Edit: Someone else pointed out the answer to this question for me;
"If a mystic uses the Lightning Recovery or Victorious Recovery feat (or a similar method) to recover a maneuver, it is immediately added to her currently granted maneuvers."

Feel a bit silly for not seeing it earlier.

[Corrik]

PoW: Do the healing effects from the Silver Crane Discipline harm undead and creatures with negative energy affinity? For example, would they harm my Dhampir ally?

If they do, would such a creature get a save against the healing effects?

[Llyarden]

PoW:E

Can the Zealot use their Martyrdom ability on damage they themselves take? The zealot is in their own collective, and is probably willing to be there since it's their own class feature, but it seems a bit...odd.

[Powerdork]

Ultimate Psionics

Does a 3rd-level gifted blade have their Wisdom bonus in power points for the first two levels of soulknife, or is it truly based on manifester level (such that having Psionic Knack (gifted blade) grants that Wisdom bonus as a side effect of the increased ML, and otherwise they'd only have half their Wisdom modifier in bonus power points, on top of the 0 from their class, the 2 from Wild Talent/Psionic Talent and whatever they get from their race and other classes)?

[Tuvarkz]

Path of War
Scarlet Throne-Final Blow strike: Can it be countered at all? While it is obvious that rolls vs attack roll wouldn't work since there isn't one, what about the other counters (Such as Altered Penumbra from Veiled Moon)? While a CdG is an automatical crit, it doesn't say it's a natural 20. (Although quite a few non-keen weapons can only crit in a natural 20 and would be assumed to be such)

[Sayt]

Path of War
Scarlet Throne-Final Blow strike: Can it be countered at all? While it is obvious that rolls vs attack roll wouldn't work since there isn't one, what about the other counters (Such as Altered Penumbra from Veiled Moon)? While a CdG is an automatical crit, it doesn't say it's a natural 20. (Although quite a few non-keen weapons can only crit in a natural 20 and would be assumed to be such)

Huh? There is an attack roll for Final Blow Strike, it says so:

The disciple makes a melee attack against an injured foe, and if the attack is successful and the foe is under 25% of his maximum hit points, the attack is treated as a coup de grace that is performed as part of that attack action instead of the full round action usually required.

If the attack doesn't hit, the CdG doesn't proc. If the attack is Iron Shelled off Target, it doesn't CdG, if the attack would hit, but Miss-chance nope's it, the attack doesn't hit and doesn't CdG.

[Tuvarkz]

Huh? There is an attack roll for Final Blow Strike, it says so:

If the attack doesn't hit, the CdG doesn't proc. If the attack is Iron Shelled off Target, it doesn't CdG, if the attack would hit, but Miss-chance nope's it, the attack doesn't hit and doesn't CdG.

Oh. Ooooohhhh. Well, that makes the strike significantly worse than what I had hyped it up to be.

[amberlink]

If i take a martial tradition, can I apply it to more than one class? For example a base class and then Mage Hunter, What about for unorthodox method?

[NamelessNPC]

Path of War

When using the Iron Tortoise line of counters that let you make an attack roll to "block" an attack, such as Iron Shell or Defensive Shell, do you add the STR bonus to the roll, or is it just 1d20+shield bonus? And also, do you lose the shield bonus to AC for the round after this action?

[Morrolan]

Psionics Exanded:

Is the Wind Strike power really a daze with no save? Is there a catch that I am not getting?

[Tuvarkz]

Psionics Exanded:

Is the Wind Strike power really a daze with no save? Is there a catch that I am not getting?

The catch that the attacks need to hit? There are spells that daze with failed save but don't need an attack roll, conversely.

[Kudaku]

An 8th level warlord gains Tactical Assistance, allowing him to use Aid Another at range as a move action, and use his charisma modifier for the bonus he grants to his ally. Is the charisma bonus only utilized when using Aid Another as a standard or move action, or does he also use his charisma modifier for other uses of the Aid Another action, such as with the Bodyguard feat or with the Investigator's Effortless Aid swift action?

[Villadelfia]

An 8th level warlord gains Tactical Assistance, allowing him to use Aid Another at range as a move action, and use his charisma modifier for the bonus he grants to his ally. Is the charisma bonus only utilized when using Aid Another as a standard or move action, or does he also use his charisma modifier for other uses of the Aid Another action, such as with the Bodyguard feat or with the Investigator's Effortless Aid swift action?

The benefit gained by an ability is only granted if you activate that ability, an attack action (which is what is granted by an attack of opportunity) cannot be downconverted to a move action or swift action, so you cannot activate both at the same time.

[amberlink]

Ultimate Psionics

On the Serpent Lord Ophiduan Racial archtype for Druid with the level 2 feature specifically the bite attack, does the poison scale with your level at all? Poison is only listed as scaling with racial hit dice, but it seems weird for the class feature to not scale

[Llyarden]

PoW

Regarding the Warlord's Tactical Flanker & Tactical Assistance class features, both of these grant an ally an untyped bonus to attack equal to the warlord's Cha modifier (minimum +2). However, while I can't find it at the moment since the paizo site appears to have broken, I'm fairly sure there's a rule that you can never get an untyped bonus equal to an ability modifier to the same thing twice. So...does that mean a 7th-level Warlord is better at assisting their ally (to hit, at least) than an 8th-level Warlord?

EDIT now the site is working again:

Do ability modifiers from the same ability stack? For instance, can you add the same ability bonus on the same roll twice using two different effects that each add that same ability modifier?

No. An ability bonus, such as "Strength bonus", is considered to be the same source for the purpose of bonuses from the same source not stacking. However, you can still add, for instance “a deflection bonus equal to your Charisma modifier” and your Charisma modifier. For this purpose, however, the paladin's untyped "bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws" from divine grace is considered to be the same as "Charisma bonus (if any)", and the same would be true for any other untyped "bonus equal to her [ability score] bonus" constructions.

[Mathias1313]

I apologize if this seems obvious or has already been answered.
Can you use Natural weapons to gain the benefits of the Thrashing Dragon stances?
Specifically I am looking at Outer Sphere stance, Battle Dragons stance, and Brutal Dragons Stance.
They specifically call out two weapon fighting but I remember somewhere that Thrashing Dragon is suppose to be the Natural Attack Discipline.

[Rainshine]

Grappling and maneuvers.
"Also, if you are pinned or grappled, most of your maneuvers simply will not work until you are able to move freely"

However, I've never noticed anything in any maneuvers indicating that they would or wouldn't work within a grapple. Not only do you have Broken Blade with its bonuses and strikes allowing you to grapple, you also have stuff like the Steel Serpent stance allowing you to grapple and constrict, which makes me think that the grappled condition doesn't completely nullify maneuvers. Is there any direction/indication of what strikes/boosts can or can't be done while grappled?
This came up after the fact, when I was looking for something completely different, then recalled I used Veiled Moon in one of my last session to teleport away from a baddie who was going around grabbing people; now, I'm not sure if that's legal.

[amberlink]

Path of War

Advanced Study mentions it requires Martial disciple of 4th level or higher, does that mean I need 4 actual levels of an initiating class or is it more like character level 4 requires in addition to at least one level in a martial disciple class? What about prestige classes, would they count?

[Tuvarkz]

Path of War

Advanced Study mentions it requires Martial disciple of 4th level or higher, does that mean I need 4 actual levels of an initiating class or is it more like character level 4 requires in addition to at least one level in a martial disciple class? What about prestige classes, would they count?

It's 4 levels in an initiating class, whether it be a base class, archetype, or PrC. Do note that with Initiator Soul Aegis does count for this too.

EDIT: Also, question
Psionics/Path of War
What weapon group do the Soulknife Mind Daggers/Soul Bolt belong to? Are they thrown weapons, or do they not belong to any particular group? Additionally, can Emulate Ranged Weapon be used to create melee weapons that can also be used as ranged, or only thrown weapons that are exclusively meant for ranged weapons?

[Mehangel]

Psionics/Path of War
What weapon group do the Soulknife Mind Daggers/Soul Bolt belong to? Are they thrown weapons, or do they not belong to any particular group? Additionally, can Emulate Ranged Weapon be used to create melee weapons that can also be used as ranged, or only thrown weapons that are exclusively meant for ranged weapons?

Emphasis Mine

The soulknife can form her mind bolt to replicate any single ranged weapon (except firearms), chosen at the time she takes this blade skill. The soulknife is proficient with her mind bolt in this form and it functions in all ways as the chosen weapon. This blade skill may be taken multiple times; each time, it allows the soulknife to form her mind bolt to replicate a different ranged weapon (except firearms). The soulknife must have the ability to form a mind bolt to select this blade skill.

I have always ruled, that a soulbolt could use this to mean that the soulbolt could emulate thrown weapons and use them as melee weapons, or they could emulate the few weapons that are both melee and ranged weapons.