Simple RAW for Pathfinder Thread V: Golarion Strikes Back

[Aotrs Commander]

Okay, I've googled, I've asked on the PF forums, I started a thread here already (lost in the main threads, granted)... So maybe if I ask here...?

Q244 What is the default duration of Fear aura special abilities, if one is not listed?

Several devils have one, for example, and of the ones I've looked at, only the bone devil lists a duration (D6 rounds).

I can't find an answer in the default universal monster rules. Like with 3.5, that says "as the spell fear" but that requires a caster level. In 3.5, the aura effects were written out in full (outlining other things like other devils being immune along with the caster level), but PF does not (at least not on the PFSRD). Fear auras are SU, not Sp, so while one could extrapolate the caster level from the SLAs, that isn't strictly correct (or should be spelled out better if it is); nor would it help if something has a fear aura that does not have SLAs, as is highly possible by the default format of the entry, it would appear.

Can anyone please provide me with some sort of answer...? (I can't believe this hasn't ever come up, or I'm missing some basic PF default monster rule for this sort of issue, so there must be something...?)

[Psyren]

A244: A monster's caster level for supernatural abilities defaults to their HD unless otherwise specified. Plug that variable into the fear spell invoked by the aura.

[Florian]

A244: The default duration for a fear aura is 1 round/CL or 1 round.

Edit: Default CL and DC, should a stat block not contain them, are: CL = 1/2 HD, CR follows the usual formula of 10+1/2HD+mod, in this case CHA.

[Aotrs Commander]

A244: A monster's caster level for supernatural abilities defaults to their HD unless otherwise specified.

A244: Edit: Default CL and DC, should a stat block not contain them, are: CL = 1/2 HD, CR follows the usual formula of 10+1/2HD+mod, in this case CHA.

Okay... =1/2HD or =HD...? I just tried looking in the PFSRD for supernatural abilities, and while I can find the stuff for SPA saying it defaults to level=HD, it doesn't say anything about supernatural abilities anywhere I could see (not even the not even the default 10+1/2HD+ability where I would have thought it would be best chance to be listed).

The implication would be to treat it as if an SLA ability even though its an SU (as fear special ability says "as the spell") and thus = HD, but that's not ever so clear.

(I assume you meant DC, not CR that last one.)

[Psyren]

Hm - the line about effective CL = HD came from the Monster Manual (pg. 315) but I'm not sure it got copied to the Bestiary. I'm pretty confident supernatural abilities work the same way in PF that they did in 3.5 though, so I'd use that until I can find the same info from a paizo source.

[Aotrs Commander]

Hm - the line about effective CL = HD came from the Monster Manual (pg. 315) but I'm not sure it got copied to the Bestiary. I'm pretty confident supernatural abilities work the same way in PF that they did in 3.5 though, so I'd use that until I can find the same info from a paizo source.

Right. Ta. Says it in the 3.5 SRD too, once I'd checked the actual MM to know where to look. Can't seem to see corresponding information in the special abilities section in the PFSRD, though. I'll go with that, anyway.

It's odd, because up until now, I've found PF has ported across the details and done a better job of explaining them than 3.5 did (which is why I'm moving more towards a true 3.5/PF htird and less 3.54-with-some-PF-bits). This is apparently an instance where they didn't (which is okay if you're coming in from 3.5, but not helpful if you aren't!) *shrug*

[Calthropstu]

A244 revisited.
Each creature with a fear aura should have a listed effect. If it states "As per the Fear spell" and does not give a specific duration, it is an oversight. Using caster level = hd is a good base line. If it has other spell abilities, use the caster level for those. But honestly, it is an oversight on the publisher and is subject to gm adjudication.

[Florian]

Q245: Does Terrain Dominance (Horizon Walker 3+) qualify for feats/items with Favored Enemy as a prerequisite?

[Cieyrin]

A 245 No, that's an aspect of the ability, it's not a replacement of Favored Enemy or qualify as it.

[Cieyrin]

Q 243 Is a Kestros a kind of sling for purposes of Slipslinger Style?

Q 246 Does a Mysterious Stranger in a Guns Everywhere setting have Gun Training at 1st level?

[Elysiume]

Q247: If an Oracle receives a bonus spell from their mystery, does it just take the most intuitive spell level to be at? For example, the Dark Tapestry mystery grants Tongues at level 6, when the Oracle first learns 3rd level spells. Tongues is a 2nd level bard spell, 3rd level wizard spell, and 4th level cleric spell. Does it just intuitively get learned as a 3rd level spell?

As another example, the Death mystery has Animate Dead as a level 6 pickup, which is a 3rd level cleric spell and a 4th level wizard spell.

Q248: An FAQ a couple of years ago closed out the loophole that let Oracles and other high-CHA casters sneak wizard spells into their builds via Eldritch Heritage. Now you can only cast a spell if it's both on your spell list(s) and in your spells known, so you can't just pick up Teleport as an Oracle. For a spell that has different spell levels but is on both the Oracle and Wizard spell lists, e.g. Plane Shift, would the spell be learned as a 5th or 7th level spell, if an Oracle learned it via New Arcana?

[Psyren]

A247: Oracles default to the cleric versions for each spell they learn this way.

A248: That FAQ applies here too - to cast a spell, you need both knowledge of the spell and access to a list that contains it. New Arcana doesn't actually give you a sorcerer spell list (it expects you to have one, since it's a bloodline power) so you would need to use your own (oracle) list to cast the spell. On your list, Plane Shift is 7th-level, so that's the version you'll get. If you instead picked a spell that wasn't on the cleric/oracle list at all, you couldn't cast it.

To use an inverse example - if you were a bard with this bloodline and used it to learn Irresistible Dance, the Sorcerer version is 8th level. This spell is on your list, but if it defaulted to the sorcerer list level, you wouldn't be able to cast it at all, since Bard spells can't go that high.

[Elysiume]

A247: Oracles default to the cleric versions for each spell they learn this way.

So Oracles can learn spells they can't even cast yet? Tongues is acquired at level 6, but Oracles can't cast 4th level spells until level 8. I don't know of any other examples, but that seems like an oversight. Effectively means that a Dark Tapestry oracle misses a level 6 spell and instead gets two at level 8.

How would this work for, say, Reverse Gravity, which is learned at level 16? It's a druid 8th, wizard 7th.

I guess I'd rephrase it as
Q247: If an Oracle (or other spontaneous caster) gets a spell at a specific level, is the spell learned at a level they are able to cast unless otherwise specified?

This FAQ is for Sorcerers, but allows a Sorcerer to learn and cast a spell earlier than they would have otherwise, off of their normal list. The implication is that when a spontaneous caster is granted a spell by a class feature, they learn the spell at a level such that they would be able to cast it. With this, you'd have:

• Dark Tapestry: Tongues as a 3rd level spell, as it's learned at level 6
• Dark Tapestry: Reverse Gravity as an 8th level spell, as it's learned at level 16
• Haunted: Reverse Gravity as a 7th level spell, as it's learned at level 15

[Calthropstu]

A247: Ordinarily Psyren is correct, but they also can gain sorcerer/wizard, bard, druid and other spells as well. In this case, it is clearly the wizard lvl 3 version they obtain, since they do not have the ability to cast the cleric lvl 4 version. Any other Oracle must take the cleric version at 8th level, this specific oracle type gets the arcane version as a 3rd level spell.

[Starkeeper]

Q249: How exactly are spells like Create Pit and Wall of Force "anchored"?

If Create Pit is cast on the deck of a moving ship, is it "anchored" to said ship and keeps moving with it as it does, or does it stay put in space as we slowly sail away from it?

[Calthropstu]

A249:
The pit is created in the surface that it is cast on. It is a part of that surface as if you had dug a (temporary) hole into it. The pit itself is an extra dimensional space, the opening to which happens to be a set of wooden planks the spell was cast on.

The pit is not moving, the opening is. And the opening, which resides on the planks to the ship, would move with the ship.

edit: I'd more wonder what would happen if the surface it was cast on was suddenly split in half. IE: the ship suddenly broke apart splitting the pit opening down the middle.

[Elysiume]

Q250: Planar Adaption. What does the following clause mean:

Planar adaptation grants you immunity to the harmful environmental effects of a particular plane of existence, including such hazards as toxicity, extreme temperatures, and lack of air. Additionally, you gain energy resistance 20 to a single energy type prevalent on that plane (choose one if more than one type is equally prevalent). Planar adaptation has no effect when cast upon your native plane.

1. You cannot select your own plane to gain resistances to.
2. You cannot cast this spell while on your native plane.

Basically, can you cast it while on your native plane in order to prep for traveling to another plane?

[Florian]

A250: For ease of reference, the planes use the same basic rules that cover regular environments. Planar Adaption just states that it works on the target plane, not against the general environment rules. So you can cast it to prep a journey to the Plane of Water, you can´t cast it to go deep diving into the Prime Material ocean, even when they use the same rules.

[Psyren]

A250 clarification: I think Elysiume's question was actually pointing out that, as written, you seemingly can't cast Planar Adaptation "at home" and then go somewhere hazardous, since it had "no effect" at home. Given that one of the conditions it protects you from is "lack of air" (which you need to cast spells with verbal components, like PA), I think it's safe to say that the intent was that you can use it to "pre-buff" before actually entering the hazardous plane, even if the wording is wonky.

[Calthropstu]

A250 revised:
It says cast upon, which can have 2 different interpretations. The one interpretation is "if you cast it while on your home plane" and the other is "if cast targetting your home plane." I believe the latter is the intention here as it is the only one to make sense.

[badgerman]

Sorry wrong Thread :(

[Lord of Shadows]

Q#251 A wolf skeleton may have a past that is related to the adventure: it's wearing a leather collar with a name tag. Can a spellcaster use a combination of Speak with Dead and Speak with Animals to communicate with it? Thanks.

( A regular skeleton, not the Animated kind...)

[Griffin]

Q252

Will using a spell/maneuver/power/etc. with the evil descriptor change/slowly modify/modify my alignment towards evil? Consider I'm a good (albeit chaotic) character

Thanks

[Morphic tide]

Q252

Will using a spell/maneuver/power/etc. with the evil descriptor change/slowly modify/modify my alignment towards evil? Consider I'm a good (albeit chaotic) character

Thanks

A252: Yes, although it's quite nebulous how fast it happens. Although being Chaotic gives you a minor pass in that Chaotic Good tends to be more receptive to the idea of "Greater Good" thinking by not necessarily having absolutely inviolable morals. Their idea of Good can shift without changing alignment more than Lawful folk, and the circumstances can negate the Evil spell tag. Like using Animate Dead or some form of mind control to assist in taking down a major tyrant.

But you are SOL as a Cleric, who can't cast the spell in the first place if they don't have a Neutral deity, or a Paladin, who will fall instantly by RAW.

[Florian]

A251: Jupp, right combination of spells.

A252: Check the "Evil Spells" sidebar, Horror Adventures p.110 for that.

[Elysiume]

Q253: What happens if you fail a fly (skill) check while using Fly (spell) or another form of wingless flight? The rules for fly are pretty clear about what happens when you fail fly checks while flying with wings, but don't really make a mention of what happens if you're using Fly or an equivalent spell.

Do you just inherently hover with Fly? There are physical issues that make it difficult to hover when using wings, but magical flight isn't necessarily going to be affected by the same issues. My instinct would be that failing a fly check while using Fly just wastes your move action (or does nothing in the case of failing a hover check, as you automatically hover), as there's nothing in RAW that I can find that talks about failing a fly check without wings.

[AtlasSniperman]

Q254: Is there an action type listed anywhere for the use of a key to open a lock? Is it a Standard action, Move action, or Free action. And if it is mentioned somewhere; could you point it out please?

[Elysiume]

Q254: Is there an action type listed anywhere for the use of a key to open a lock? Is it a Standard action, Move action, or Free action. And if it is mentioned somewhere; could you point it out please?

Move action:

Manipulate an Item
Moving or manipulating an item is usually a move action.

This includes retrieving or putting away a stored item, picking up an item, moving a heavy object, and opening a door. Examples of this kind of action, along with whether they incur an attack of opportunity, are given in Table: Actions in Combat.

Note that unless the key is in your hand already, retrieving it and opening the door would likely be considered to be two total move actions by RAW.

[Calthropstu]

Q253: What happens if you fail a fly (skill) check while using Fly (spell) or another form of wingless flight? The rules for fly are pretty clear about what happens when you fail fly checks while flying with wings, but don't really make a mention of what happens if you're using Fly or an equivalent spell.

Do you just inherently hover with Fly? There are physical issues that make it difficult to hover when using wings, but magical flight isn't necessarily going to be affected by the same issues. My instinct would be that failing a fly check while using Fly just wastes your move action (or does nothing in the case of failing a hover check, as you automatically hover), as there's nothing in RAW that I can find that talks about failing a fly check without wings.

A253: Magical flight follows all the same rules normal flight does, unless otherwise noted.
edit:
You do not inherently hover. Hovering requires a fly check. Also, looking closely at the rules you quoted, there are only a couple instances where wings are specifically called out: collisions and damage while flying causing fly checks. The rest of that info applies to all flyers.

[Elysiume]

A253: Magical flight follows all the same rules normal flight does, unless otherwise noted.
edit:
You do not inherently hover. Hovering requires a fly check. Also, looking closely at the rules you quoted, there are only a couple instances where wings are specifically called out: collisions and damage while flying causing fly checks. The rest of that info applies to all flyers.

I think I was reading too much into the following:

Try Again: Varies. You can attempt a Fly check to perform the same maneuver on subsequent rounds. If you are using wings and you fail a Fly check by 5 or more, you plummet to the ground, taking the appropriate falling damage (see Environment).

The important part is probably:

Without making a check, a flying creature can remain flying at the end of its turn so long as it moves a distance greater than half its speed.

If you fail the check and don't just try to fly normally after your hover (assuming you can do so; nothing says you can't), do you automatically just freefall 500'?