[Pathfinder] Dreamscarred Press FAQ

[Sayt]

Path of War

The Vanguard Commander's ability "Heightened Defenses" reads thus:

The character gains an additional immediate action to be used for the purposes of initiating a counter on a round that he initiates a boost. He can use this additional immediate action a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). This replaces the dual boost class feature.

The RAI of this seems to be that you can gain a certain number of extra Immediates per day, for initiating counters when you would not otherwise be able to do so, however, the ability is talking about the initiation of boosts, which don't deny your ability to make counters, as immediate actions negate your next swift action.

Furthermore, as a clarification, if I did use Heightened Defenses to use N immediate actions in one round, does that eat my next swift actions, or my next N swift actions?

[Elricaltovilla]

For an actually Frequently Asked Question:

Q: Is the Bushi supposed to be able to recover one maneuver per round as a free action?

A: Yes.

Q: Isn't that overpowered?

A: No.

[Morrolan]

Path of War

Q: The Black Seraph maneuver Charge of the Ravager first says:

The disciple makes a charge attack against an opponent to start this maneuver and he may make a full attack upon the target of this charge.

And at the end it says:

He may only make one attack per target when he initiates this maneuver.

So can I make a full attack at the end of the charge or can't I? Or can I make a full attack, but each attack must be at a different target? RAW and RAI are messing with my head about this...

[Taveena]

So can I make a full attack at the end of the charge or can't I? Or can I make a full attack, but each attack must be at a different target? RAW and RAI are messing with my head about this...

I believe the intention is 'you may make a full attack on the charge target, and a maximum of ONE attack at any target within your reach while you're charging', or possibly 'a full attack on the charge target, and a maximum of one attack against enemies squares you pass over during your charge' - though if it's the latter I don't think it actually functions, as it doesn't actually have any clauses to allow you to move over enemies during the charge.

[ErrantX]

Path of War

How does fission interact with maneuvers readied by manifester?

In what context?

Does the copy get maneuvers? Separate copy of maneuvers readied by manifester at the time of manifesting, or maneuvers initiated by the copy are expended for original?

Great question! I'm going to say that for the fission-created duplicates, since it splits power points, I'd say that maneuvers readied are shared. So if Original Dude readies the maneuvers and he and Copy Dude share them on a first come first initiate basis. Upside to this is that they both can attempt recovery actions so that's pretty cool.

Path of War

How does Discipline Expertise work when you've swapped out schools available to you? Do you use the schools available to the base class or the ones you have access to from that class?

Discipline Expertise (General)
You are quite adept at the use of your available discipline's associated skills.
Benefit(s): Choose a class you have at least one level in. You gain a +2 competence bonus to checks with the skills associated with maneuvers available to that class.

All the same to the feat - if you swap, then it's still a maneuver available by way of your class.

Can a Sadist Vitalist take talents via Access Psionic Talent from their method list? Further, can other classes and other method Vitalists gain talents from other Vitalist methods?

Access Psionic Talent (Psionic)
You are able to manifest minor psionic abilities.
Prerequisite: Manifester level 1st or Unlocked Talent.
Benefit: You gain five psionic talents.
Special: This feat may be selected more than once. Each time, you gain five additional psionic talents. These talents can be from any class list.

Access Psionic Talent would get them 0th level Vitalist talents or 0th level talents from other classes, but not more methods or powers from other methods. Methods are generally 1st level powers.

Misunderstood the question. You're talking about the 6 little talents hidden at the end of the Vitalist list. Okay.

Yes, Access Psionic Talent would let you pull talents off of those lists, as the feat allows from ANY class list.

Path of War: Expanded

Mounted Maneuver Expertise indicates that mounts do not benefit from bonus damage from maneuvers.

However, Primal Warrior Stance does not provide bonus damage, but modifies the damage of a (natural) weapon. Is this an accurate reading of the rules?

Spoiler: Relevant text

Show

Mounted Maneuver Expertise (Ex): At 1st level, the hussar and his mount are so in tune with each other that they can work as one when performing maneuvers. Whenever a hussar is mounted and uses a maneuver with a movement component (such as making a charge attack, or taking an extra move action), the hussar can have his mount make the appropriate move action in his place. Both the hussar and mount receive any bonuses from the maneuver that would normally apply only to the initiator (such as attack bonuses, healing, temporary health, but not bonus damage). If the maneuver allows the initiator to make a charge attack, both the mount and hussar are considered to be charging.

Primal Warrior Stance:

By taking a wide stance that invites the death of any before him, the mighty disciple of Primal Fury wields the power of overwhelming force to it's greatest effects. The initiator ignores difficult terrain when charging while in this stance, and whenever he is subject to a size modifier for CMB checks or to his CMD, the disciple is treated as one size category larger if doing so would be advantageous to him. He is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature's special attacks based on size (such as grab or swallow whole) can affect him.

By taking a wide stance that invites the death of any before him, the mighty disciple of Primal Fury wields the power of overwhelming force to it's greatest effects. The initiator ignores difficult terrain when charging while in this stance, and whenever he is subject to a size modifier for CMB checks or to his CMD, the disciple is treated as one size category larger if doing so would be advantageous to him. He is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature's special attacks based on size (such as grab or swallow whole) can affect him. Additionally, any melee weapon, unarmed strike, or natural weapon is treated as if it were two sizes larger. The benefits of this stance stack with abilities or effects that increase the initiator's size (such as enlarge person). The benefits of this stance stack with abilities or effects that increase the initiator's size (such as enlarge person).

In addition, for the Omen Rider:

"Unlike a druid’s animal companion, a spectral steed may not take an archetype; additionally, the share spells allows the spectral steed to always be in-tune with its rider’s use of maneuvers from the Veiled Moon discipline, and may also teleport with its rider on maneuvers that would translocate it or grant it the ability to see and strike incorporeal creatures."

Does the "in-tune with its rider's use of maneuvers from the Veiled Moon discipline" override the latter part of the sentence with regard to Shattered Mirror and Eternal Guardian teleportation maneuvers?

Part 1 -
It would be a liberal interpretation of the rules - no, Primal Warrior's stance doesn't make horsey hit like a bull dozer. Stances are a special level of stupid, as they 'maneuvers' in the sense they fall under that system, but they're not maneuvers - strikes, boosts, and counters. Stances take a passive benefit to the initiator only.

However - I didn't write hussar. I could be wrong here and not know what Elric intended - Elric should feel free to step and say if stances apply here and update the ability to specify that the mount gets stances applied to it. If Elric says stances apply to the mount, then yes, it would get the bulldozer hooves.

Part 2 -
That's my bad - yeah, I'll fix that. It should include Mirror and Guardian.

Path of War

The Vanguard Commander's ability "Heightened Defenses" reads thus:



The RAI of this seems to be that you can gain a certain number of extra Immediates per day, for initiating counters when you would not otherwise be able to do so, however, the ability is talking about the initiation of boosts, which don't deny your ability to make counters, as immediate actions negate your next swift action.

Furthermore, as a clarification, if I did use Heightened Defenses to use N immediate actions in one round, does that eat my next swift actions, or my next N swift actions?

The idea is that you can a number of free immediates you can use per day for the purposes of counters, so using your swift action doesn't gimp you out of an immediate action to defend yourself. So you'd use Heightened Defenses and you wouldn't lose your next swift action because of it - in essence, it allows you to use an immediate action counter as a free action on the attacker's turn.

Path of War

Q: The Black Seraph maneuver Charge of the Ravager first says:



And at the end it says:



So can I make a full attack at the end of the charge or can't I? Or can I make a full attack, but each attack must be at a different target? RAW and RAI are messing with my head about this...

I believe the intention is 'you may make a full attack on the charge target, and a maximum of ONE attack at any target within your reach while you're charging', or possibly 'a full attack on the charge target, and a maximum of one attack against enemies squares you pass over during your charge' - though if it's the latter I don't think it actually functions, as it doesn't actually have any clauses to allow you to move over enemies during the charge.

Taveena's first statement is correct. You get one attack on every poor sod along the path, and full attack on the really sorry SOB at the end of it.

-X

[ErrantX]

Path of War: What shapes can the Bannerman's Banner take? It says it "must be carried or displayed", but how can it be displayed? Can you wear it (ala parade armor or something?) Can you strap it to your back (like so: http://i.imgur.com/aANybWI.jpg )?

Inspiring Banner (Ex) At 5th level, a bannerman's banner becomes a symbol of inspiration to his allies and companions. As long as the bannerman's banner is clearly visible and he is in a Golden Lion stance, all allies within 60 feet receive a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear and fatigue and a +2 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls. At 12th level, and at 19th level, these bonuses increase by +1. If the Golden Lion stance he is using grants a similarly typed bonus to attack, damage, or saving throws, then increase that bonus by the amount of the inspiring banner's bonus. The banner must be at least Small or larger and must be carried or displayed by the bannerman or his mount to function, and can be held while using a buckler.

This ability replaces the warlord's battle prowess class feature.

So, if you've got a mount, you can pin it to a pole or something attached to your saddle. Samurai, for example, often wore standards on their backs called sashimono. You could wield a pole arm and attach it to the end of it. You could wear a tabard and parade armor with your standard on it, a shield you're known for with it emblazoned across it. I left it kind of vague so people could get creative with it.

-X

[NineThePuma]

Samurai, for example, often wore standards on their backs called sashimono.

Closest cost for modifying your armor with one in Pathfinder is 50 gold, btw.

Though it's notable that being vague sometimes means that things are interpreted very strictly to cut out abuse.

[ErrantX]

Closest cost for modifying your armor with one in Pathfinder is 50 gold, btw.

Though it's notable that being vague sometimes means that things are interpreted very strictly to cut out abuse.

You either make it super strict and people complain they can't do what they want, or you make it open enough to allow variety and people lose their minds.

-X

[Forrestfire]

You could make it open while also making it clear that it's open.

At 5th level, a bannerman's banner becomes a symbol of inspiration to his allies and companions. As long as the bannerman's banner is clearly visible and he is in a Golden Lion stance, all allies within 60 feet receive a +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear and fatigue and a +2 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls. At 12th level, and at again at 19th level, these bonuses increase by +1. If the Golden Lion stance he is using grants a similarly typed bonus to attack, damage, or saving throws, then increase that bonus by the amount of the inspiring banner's bonus. The banner must be at least Small or larger and must be carried or displayed by the bannerman or his mount to function. A bannerman need not hold his banner in his hands; he may attach the banner to his back, to his mount's saddle, tie it to the top of a spear, or display it in any other way, as long as the banner is visible. A bannerman holding his banner in his hands can still use a buckler.

[Deadkitten]

QHow does the Armament Shield class feature of the Zweihander Sentinel interact with the "Hands of Effort" FAQ?

Armament Shield (Ex)

When wielding a one-handed weapon in two hands or a two-handed weapon, the weapon is treated as a light shield for the purposes of performing a shield bash attack on an opponent. The warder smashes with the butt of a spear-haft, the pommel of a greatsword, or the broadside of her axe. All are essentially the same and are treated as light shields for the purposes of shield- bash attacks or martial maneuvers to be used with a weapon of this type (such as Iron Tortoise maneuvers that require a shield to function).

Armor Spikes: Can I use two-weapon fighting to make an "off-hand" attack with my armor spikes in the same round I use a two-handed weapon?
No.
Likewise, you couldn't use an armored gauntlet to do so, as you are using both of your hands to wield your two-handed weapon, therefore your off-hand is unavailable to make any attacks.

[ErrantX]

QHow does the Armament Shield class feature of the Zweihander Sentinel interact with the "Hands of Effort" FAQ?

Armament Shield (Ex)

When wielding a one-handed weapon in two hands or a two-handed weapon, the weapon is treated as a light shield for the purposes of performing a shield bash attack on an opponent. The warder smashes with the butt of a spear-haft, the pommel of a greatsword, or the broadside of her axe. All are essentially the same and are treated as light shields for the purposes of shield- bash attacks or martial maneuvers to be used with a weapon of this type (such as Iron Tortoise maneuvers that require a shield to function).

Armor Spikes: Can I use two-weapon fighting to make an "off-hand" attack with my armor spikes in the same round I use a two-handed weapon?
No.
Likewise, you couldn't use an armored gauntlet to do so, as you are using both of your hands to wield your two-handed weapon, therefore your off-hand is unavailable to make any attacks.

Overrules it. The class feature specifically allows you to break that rule, RAW. Was it my intent? No, but I don't have a problem with it either. I largely just wanted to enable a two-hander to be used with Turtle maneuvers.

-X

[Nyaa]

Path of War

Hawkguard
Close Combat Archery - what's "improved defensive focus" it tries to replace? 10th level improvement to Defensive Focus?
Defending the Sky - what does "He may then use this counter against any attack targeting an allied creature that it could normally be used to repel." mean? Does it give counters extra range?

Zweihander Sentinel
Does Armament Shield count as a shield for Martial Power feat?



Ultimate Psionics

Soulknife - Focused Offense blade skill
Does it allow to add 1.5 WIS modifier on damage rolls with two-handed weapons?
Does it work with bows?
Does if work with Mind Bolt? "The following blade skills cannot be used with the Mind Bolt" in Blade Skills Soulbolt entry doesn't list it.

[heros271]

Q - Path of War

Does Zweihander Sentinel works for Bows? Because Zweihander Sentinel and Hawkguard are compatible, and shielding yourself with bow is awesome idea.

[Nyaa]

Zweihander Sentinel and Hawkguard are compatible

Path of War

Are Zweihander Sentinel and Hawkguard compatible? Sentinel loses shield proficiency, Hawkguard is proficient with bucklers. Also see recent Paizo FAQ on archetypes stacking.

[Vhaidara]

Psionics: Expanded

Does Deadly Fist Soulknife qualify for Extra Blade Skill at level 1?

I have frequently seen recommendations to dip DF Soulknife for a level and grab Extra Blade Skill for Focused Offense to grab that delicious Wis SAD.

As a note, I have decided I'm going to update the opening posts every saturday. The updates will be saved as soon as I add this to the list.

[PsyBomb]

Psionics: Expanded

Does Deadly Fist Soulknife qualify for Extra Blade Skill at level 1?

I have frequently seen recommendations to dip DF Soulknife for a level and grab Extra Blade Skill for Focused Offense to grab that delicious Wis SAD.

As a note, I have decided I'm going to update the opening posts every saturday. The updates will be saved as soon as I add this to the list.

To expand on this (since I've been one of the ones using the trick), a Deadly a Fist gains a bladeskill (Flurry) at first level. The ambiguity is whether this counts as an instance of the Bladeskill class feature as required by Extra Bladeskill.

[TheIronGolem]

Ultimate Psionics/Path of War Expanded

Since it hasn't been answered yet, I would like to restate Metool's questions about multiclass collectives:

Do multiple collectives operate independently or combine into one? If the latter, do the class levels stack for determining range and membership limits? What about ability modifiers that affect membership limits; do they stack or do you take the highest only?

[MilleniaAntares]

Path of War:

Does Ride-by Attack work with Martial Charge?

Does Ride-by Attack work with strikes that call for a charge?

[Nihilarian]

Psionics Augmented

Mind Blade Knight says that your Effective Soulknife Level for choosing special abilities is equal to half your Psychic Warrior levels. Does this stack with your actual Soulknife levels (or Prestige Classes that advance Mind Blade)? What about Mind Knight's Arsenal? It doesn't say anything about Effective Soulknife Levels.

[Nyaa]

Bloodforge

Lasher - is any action required to use Extend? Can I use it when it's not my turn?

[Elricaltovilla]

Path of War:

Does Ride-by Attack work with Martial Charge?

Does Ride-by Attack work with strikes that call for a charge?

A: Yes, and yes provided that you are mounted when you are making the charge and have the Mounted Maneuver Expertise class ability found on the Hussar and the Omen Rider (I think it's on the Omen Rider, not 100% sure).

Please note that we will be doing some serious work to fix mounted combat/maneuver interaction for Ultimate Path of War, so this answer may change.

[Lord_Gareth]

Bloodforge

Lasher - is any action required to use Extend? Can I use it when it's not my turn?

No, and yes. We'll clarify it. In the meantime, your tentacle arms bring all the reach to the yard.

[PsyBomb]

No, and yes. We'll clarify it. In the meantime, your tentacle arms bring all the reach to the yard.

... and their smite is better than yours...

Ok, stopping now.

[Fenryr]

Path of War

Q1

What happens when a Warlord beyond level 8 uses Swift Aid? It's +Cha or the +1?

Q2

Storm Of Iron Fists Strike from Broken Blade.

The initiator makes a full attack and each strike inflicts an additional 4d6 points of damage that ignores damage reduction. After the attacks are made, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC is 19 + initiation modifier). Each successful hit increases Fortitude save by +1 per attack to resist this strike; failure on the Fortitude save indicates that the target is reduced to -1 hit points.

Does it works on enemies immune to critical and/or precision damage and/or critical attacks?

[Elricaltovilla]

Path of War

Q1

What happens when a Warlord beyond level 8 uses Swift Aid? It's +Cha or the +1?

A: +1. Swift aid allows you to make an Aid Another check as a swift action. Tactical Assistance is a move action Aid Another, they don't interact.

Q2

Storm Of Iron Fists Strike from Broken Blade.


Does it works on enemies immune to critical and/or precision damage and/or critical attacks?

A: Nothing about the maneuver mentions critical hits or precision damage, those types of interactions are always specified. Critical Hit immunity would only apply in instances where a critical hit was rolled, and none of the damage is defined as precision damage so precision damage immunity would not apply.

[Fenryr]

Path of War: Expanded

Dance of the Silver Hurricane maneuver level 9, Mithral Current.

Until the start of your next turn, you can make a Perform (Dance) check in place of your AC or CMD against any attack made against you.

Am I obligated to use Perform: Dance? May I keep my original AC and/or CMD?

[Griffin]

Path of War: Silver crane maneuvers

The maneuver Argent Knight Banner reads as follows:

Infusing his arms and weapon with the glory of the Silver Crane's majesty, the martial disciple smites his foe and radiates a banner of heavenly wings, which explode with celestial light and power. Make a melee attack that inflicts an additional 8d6 points of damage and heals the initiator and all of his allies within 30-ft for 4d6 points of damage.

the questions, does it have to be a succesful melee attack for the healing part to happen?, because other maneuvers of the Silver Crane do specificy a sucessful melee attack must happen, but this one in particular does not.

[Eldaran]

Path of War
Q1
Does Battle Dragon Stance only apply when making a full attack or maneuver that uses both weapons? Like you use a maneuver that is a single attack with one weapon, do you still get the benefits?

Q2
How does Battle Dragon Stance work with an Unchained Monk's Flurry of Blows? Would it apply assuming they're just fighting unarmed?

[ErrantX]

Path of War

Hawkguard
Close Combat Archery - what's "improved defensive focus" it tries to replace? 10th level improvement to Defensive Focus?
Defending the Sky - what does "He may then use this counter against any attack targeting an allied creature that it could normally be used to repel." mean? Does it give counters extra range?

Zweihander Sentinel
Does Armament Shield count as a shield for Martial Power feat?



Ultimate Psionics

Soulknife - Focused Offense blade skill
Does it allow to add 1.5 WIS modifier on damage rolls with two-handed weapons?
Does it work with bows?
Does if work with Mind Bolt? "The following blade skills cannot be used with the Mind Bolt" in Blade Skills Soulbolt entry doesn't list it.

Hawkguard
-Yes, it used to be a split off feature. We just folded it into defensive focus as one whole ability to not clutter the table.
-Sorta. The counter gets extended to 1 round and be used to defend your allies. The counter in question still must be usable at range.

Soulknife
- Negative.
- Sorta, unless you're using Strength to target with your bow it won't help there but it would help with damage.
- Same as answer 2. It works in part for the damage.

Q - Path of War

Does Zweihander Sentinel works for Bows? Because Zweihander Sentinel and Hawkguard are compatible, and shielding yourself with bow is awesome idea.

Nyaa got it. Sadly no. But you're right it, it is a cool idea.

Psionics: Expanded

Does Deadly Fist Soulknife qualify for Extra Blade Skill at level 1?

I have frequently seen recommendations to dip DF Soulknife for a level and grab Extra Blade Skill for Focused Offense to grab that delicious Wis SAD.

As a note, I have decided I'm going to update the opening posts every saturday. The updates will be saved as soon as I add this to the list.

To expand on this (since I've been one of the ones using the trick), a Deadly a Fist gains a bladeskill (Flurry) at first level. The ambiguity is whether this counts as an instance of the Bladeskill class feature as required by Extra Bladeskill.

Strictly speaking no - you gain the Unarmed Assault class feature. That does not qualify for that feat because you don't actually get the class feature: Blade Skill. Unarmed Assault gives you a blade skill as part of the class feature, but it in and of itself is not the Blade Skill class feature. Besides that, unless you had classes that gave you a +2 BAB previous to attempting this dip, you'd not be able to take Extra Blade Skill until you were a 3rd level soulknife anyhow.

TL;DR - No. No, you do not.

Psionics Augmented

Mind Blade Knight says that your Effective Soulknife Level for choosing special abilities is equal to half your Psychic Warrior levels. Does this stack with your actual Soulknife levels (or Prestige Classes that advance Mind Blade)? What about Mind Knight's Arsenal? It doesn't say anything about Effective Soulknife Levels.

Negative, it does NOT. It allows your psi-warrior level to pretend it's 1/2 soulknife level to add enhancements to your weapon from the call weaponry power. Dark Tempest would have interaction with that as far as advancing that, but nothing more. That feat wouldn't interact at all with soulknife either, but would help with your call weaponry weapon.

Path of War: Silver crane maneuvers

The maneuver Argent Knight Banner reads as follows:

Infusing his arms and weapon with the glory of the Silver Crane's majesty, the martial disciple smites his foe and radiates a banner of heavenly wings, which explode with celestial light and power. Make a melee attack that inflicts an additional 8d6 points of damage and heals the initiator and all of his allies within 30-ft for 4d6 points of damage.

the questions, does it have to be a succesful melee attack for the healing part to happen?, because other maneuvers of the Silver Crane do specificy a sucessful melee attack must happen, but this one in particular does not.

The wording specifically says "Make a melee attack" so yeah, you need to make a melee attack get the healing boom to go off.

Path of War
Q1
Does Battle Dragon Stance only apply when making a full attack or maneuver that uses both weapons? Like you use a maneuver that is a single attack with one weapon, do you still get the benefits?

Q2
How does Battle Dragon Stance work with an Unchained Monk's Flurry of Blows? Would it apply assuming they're just fighting unarmed?

A1 - It applies when making full attacks, maneuvers that use both weapons, and a term we desperately need to define for the errata "fighting with two weapons" - basically what we intend is that any time you're actively taking the two-weapon fighting penalties, you get the benefits of the stance.

A2 - It would apply if they're fighting using the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, but otherwise no. Flurry alone wouldn't get you there.


-X

[Elricaltovilla]

The wording specifically says "Make a melee attack" so yeah, you need to make a melee attack get the healing boom to go off.


-X

I think the question he's asking is whether that attack needs to hit or not. The wording seems to suggest that even if your melee attack misses, you still get the "healing boom." This is different from the other healing maneuvers which usually require the attack to hit.