Spheres of Power Ask Me Anything #2

[Alsark]

A143: A bludgeon or other object lifted with telekinesis only takes up space in the way that object normally would. A creature could certainly move through the space occupied by a greatsword, though since you have Dancing Weapon they'd provoke an attack of opportunity while doing so.
A144: While normally you can just attack a lifted object, a Dancing Weapon is effectively wielded by the caster, and requires a sunder attempt.
A145: Since Dancing Weapons are effectively wielded, they can't just be grabbed. The steal maneuver could be used to snatch one though, and once someone got a hold of it the weapon would be attended, meaning you couldn't use telekinesis on it unless you had the Steal talent, at which point you might start engaging in a telekinetic tug of war.

Thanks! Follow-up to 144:

Q146: When the enemy tries to sunder a Dancing Weapon, do they oppose the CMD listed under the telekinesis ability (10 + your caster level + your casting ability modifier + the object’s size modifier), or would they oppose the CMD of my character?

Actually, follow up to 145, too.

Q147: Normally steal does not work on wielded weapons: "Items held in the hands (such as wielded weapons or wands) also cannot be taken with the steal maneuver—you must use the disarm combat maneuver instead." Given that the item isn't held in the hands, but is considered wielded, would the steal action work, or would they need to disarm?

[AmberVael]

Thanks! Follow-up to 144:

Q146: When the enemy tries to sunder a Dancing Weapon, do they oppose the CMD listed under the telekinesis ability (10 + your caster level + your casting ability modifier + the object’s size modifier), or would they oppose the CMD of my character?

Actually, follow up to 145, too.

Q147: Normally steal does not work on wielded weapons: "Items held in the hands (such as wielded weapons or wands) also cannot be taken with the steal maneuver—you must use the disarm combat maneuver instead." Given that the item isn't held in the hands, but is considered wielded, would the steal action work, or would they need to disarm?

A146: The CMD listed under your telekinesis ability.

A147: The parenthetical there is an example of the rule, rather than the rule itself. Steal doesn't work on items held in the hands. Now... most wielded weapons are held in the hands. Telekinetically wielded ones? Not so much, so steal functions here.
I did waffle a bit on this advice, and I think it would be reasonable for a GM to ask for a disarm check, but ultimately I suggested steal because of the scenario. You're not really disarming, here. There's no grip to pry the weapon out of, and the whole weapon is going to be maneuvering away from you. You're attempting to snatch something, to get a grip on it and yank it away. Whacking a lifted item hard with your own weapon or twisting it the right way isn't really going to do anything, while getting your hand on it can actively interfere with the force acting on it.
Even if you did use disarm, you'd probably need to do it unarmed so you could grab the weapon... otherwise the telekinesis effect doesn't actually stop. At best the weapon drops to the ground, but not out of telekinetic control, so all you've done is alter its position a bit.

[Alsark]

That makes sense! Thanks again!

[Kaouse]

Q148: Both the Investigator & the Slayer have the ability to select from a small group of notable Rogue Talents. Are the Spheres of Power Rogue Talent options presented here also available for them to take, or are they restricted to the Rogue and the rogue-like archetypes of other classes (e.g. Archaeologist Bard) that can select "any" rogue talent option?

[digiman619]

Q148: Both the Investigator & the Slayer have the ability to select from a small group of notable Rogue Talents. Are the Spheres of Power Rogue Talent options presented here also available for them to take, or are they restricted to the Rogue and the rogue-like archetypes of other classes (e.g. Archaeologist Bard) that can select "any" rogue talent option?

RAW, no. If it has a whitelist, then those are the only legal choices. I would argue that if you're using SoP, that would be a reasonable addition, but rules-as-written, you're out of luck.

[LudoDiamonte]

So I have been seeing people making spellcrafting combinations with steal time and Mana siphon.

Q128
So would you be able to spellcraft steal time and Mana siphon to telekinesis sphere effects(affects?)? If so would it apply to ever bludgeon or attack you do with the telekinetic items/weapons?

Q129
Would spellcrafting Mana siphon to a spell require adding the base destruction sphere to the spell?

I am looking at doing a soaring blade armoring. That is a mage killer, by stun locking mages

Would like to know these for some players of mine. Please and thank you.

[OrpheusLyre]

So I looked around for this, but really couldn't find an answer, so I thought I'd ask here.

Q149 The advanced Telekinesis talent "Linear Acceleration" says that "By making a successful ranged touch attack against the target you deal double the normal bludgeon damage to it." Does this mean using a weapon with Linear Acceleration deals the weapon's damage doubled, as that is the object's bludgeon damage?

Additionally, since you can use oversized weapons, I should be able to double a, say, huge sized greatsword's damage with Linear Acceleration?

[Zsaber0]

Q150 Is there a way to make the Summoning Advanced Talent base itself off your casting stat instead of just charisma?

[stack]

Q150 Is there a way to make the Summoning Advanced Talent base itself off your casting stat instead of just charisma?

A150: Not to my knowledge, but I will consider adding something to the conjuration handbook.

[AmberVael]

So I looked around for this, but really couldn't find an answer, so I thought I'd ask here.

Q149 The advanced Telekinesis talent "Linear Acceleration" says that "By making a successful ranged touch attack against the target you deal double the normal bludgeon damage to it." Does this mean using a weapon with Linear Acceleration deals the weapon's damage doubled, as that is the object's bludgeon damage?

Additionally, since you can use oversized weapons, I should be able to double a, say, huge sized greatsword's damage with Linear Acceleration?

A149 To be absolutely clear, you should calculate the normal damage you'd do with your bludgeon (weapon damage, effective size increases from the Forceful Telekinesis talent, your casting modifier if you have Dancing Weapon), and then double it all.
That said, it wouldn't double any source of bonus damage (like sneak attack damage).

This would in fact let you fling a huge greatsword (or even a colossal ship) at someone and double the damage.

[Mehangel]

Q151: Does the rally gained from the Martial Reflexes feat (in the Battlemage's Handbook) need to be used inside a totem you create? RAW it looks like the answer would be yes, but was it intended to work without the need of a totem?

[A.J.Gibson]

Q151: Does the rally gained from the Martial Reflexes feat (in the Battlemage's Handbook) need to be used inside a totem you create? RAW it looks like the answer would be yes, but was it intended to work without the need of a totem?

A151: "You may rally yourself at any time..." makes it pretty clear that you don't need to be in a totem. In fact, you don't even need to be a caster.

[GreatGoatEater]

Q152: If I use the admxiture talent to mix a blast group that ignores spells resistance with a talent that doesn't, does the entire blast ignore SR?

For example I use the admixture talent to mix Stone Blast with Fire Blast, does the entire blast ignore Spell Resistance?

[stack]

Q152: If I use the admxiture talent to mix a blast group that ignores spells resistance with a talent that doesn't, does the entire blast ignore SR?

For example I use the admixture talent to mix Stone Blast with Fire Blast, does the entire blast ignore Spell Resistance?

A152: Yes, the whole thing bypasses SR.

[TheIronGolem]

Q153: Does the Resizer's Agile Strength ability work when the character's size is changed by outside sources (like reduce person), or it is it restricted to the character's own size-changing effects?

[Saffron-sama]

Q154 Is there any way to contact the current person working on the warp sphere handbook to make talent suggestion / give talent rough drafts to?

[EldritchWeaver]

Q154 Is there any way to contact the current person working on the warp sphere handbook to make talent suggestion / give talent rough drafts to?

A154 Last I heard, it was AmberVael working on Warp. You can PM her.

[A.J.Gibson]

A154 Last I heard, it was AmberVael working on Warp. You can PM her.

Personally, I think the best time to do such a thing is when the document is in playtest. Often writers will have a take on a sphere that runs contrary to yours, or will have thought of your idea already.

[EldritchWeaver]

Personally, I think the best time to do such a thing is when the document is in playtest. Often writers will have a take on a sphere that runs contrary to yours, or will have thought of your idea already.

I'd agree if there is a playtest doc you could comment on.

[Saffron-sama]

EldritchWeaver and A.J.Gibson thank you for the answers. I was worried about waiting for the playtest since I have 21 talents and with about 14 of them being original, 6 or being retooled non warp talent and one that needs a lot of work. I felt like it might have been a lot to hand to someone who would somewhat near the end of the products development.

[inuyasha]

Q155: I don't know if this is quite the place to ask, but on the Spheres of Power Wiki website, the Destruction Sphere page mentions a "radiation blast" under the list of descriptors but no such blast seems to exist. That sounds particularly entertaining, so I was wondering if anyone knew what it did or if it even truly exists
Found here.

[AmberVael]

Q154 Is there any way to contact the current person working on the warp sphere handbook to make talent suggestion / give talent rough drafts to?

EldritchWeaver and A.J.Gibson thank you for the answers. I was worried about waiting for the playtest since I have 21 talents and with about 14 of them being original, 6 or being retooled non warp talent and one that needs a lot of work. I felt like it might have been a lot to hand to someone who would somewhat near the end of the products development.

Well, thank you for your interest! But this is actually a touchy scenario. The short of it is that just reading a submission like that can put me in a precarious position, so I prefer to categorically avoid such material.

Q155: I don't know if this is quite the place to ask, but on the Spheres of Power Wiki website, the Destruction Sphere page mentions a "radiation blast" under the list of descriptors but no such blast seems to exist. That sounds particularly entertaining, so I was wondering if anyone knew what it did or if it even truly exists
Found here.

A155

It's an advanced talent, which has its own section on the wiki.
It's right here. Radiation Blast is content from the Destroyer's Handbook.

[Mehangel]

Q155: I don't know if this is quite the place to ask, but on the Spheres of Power Wiki website, the Destruction Sphere page mentions a "radiation blast" under the list of descriptors but no such blast seems to exist. That sounds particularly entertaining, so I was wondering if anyone knew what it did or if it even truly exists
Found here.

A155: Radiation Blast is an advanced talent found in the Destroyer's Handbook

[inuyasha]

Thank you very much! I just realized I've barely gone over the Advanced Talents, I'm pretty new to this system and will unfortunately probably never get to use it in a game. What's the general opinion on Advanced Talents? I ask because they're suggested as an optional thing.

[Mehangel]

Thank you very much! I just realized I've barely gone over the Advanced Talents, I'm pretty new to this system and will unfortunately probably never get to use it in a game. What's the general opinion on Advanced Talents? I ask because they're suggested as an optional thing.

I dont think there actually is a general opinion. I have played games allowing Advanced Talents, and I have played games that disallowed them. I have also played games where the GM only allowed players to acquire Advanced Talents from one sphere. All of these games I have thoroughly enjoyed, but allowing Advanced Talents has always shaped the game depending upon how lenient the GM has been.

[AmberVael]

Thank you very much! I just realized I've barely gone over the Advanced Talents, I'm pretty new to this system and will unfortunately probably never get to use it in a game. What's the general opinion on Advanced Talents? I ask because they're suggested as an optional thing.

Advanced talents have a high impact on the game world and have major setting, tone, and thematic implications. The reason to make them optional is so that players won't assume they're always allowed, making it easier for GMs to shape the game appropriately. I like advanced talents, but they're not suited to every game and every premise. If you want a game about magic arcologies, you may benefit from players having access to the ability to create materials from nothing. But if you're trying to play a noir mystery, you may not want the world to contain investigators that can divine knowledge from nothing and summon the spirits of the dead (though admittedly a necromantic investigator sounds like it could be pretty awesome).

[Saffron-sama]

Well, thank you for your interest! But this is actually a touchy scenario. The short of it is that just reading a submission like that can put me in a precarious position, so I prefer to categorically avoid such material.

Okay, oh well. I can still always use them as homebrew.

[stack]

Well, thank you for your interest! But this is actually a touchy scenario. The short of it is that just reading a submission like that can put me in a precarious position, so I prefer to categorically avoid such material.

Forgot to cast protection from law?

[inuyasha]

Thanks for the feedback on the Advanced Talents. Part of why I like this system is I'm thinking of using it to replicate Fullmetal Alchemist, as it works a lot better than Vancian magic for this purpose, and some of the talents are very appropriate for this, while others are not so much.

[OrpheusLyre]

Q156 If I have the "Dancing Weapon" and "Flair" Telekinesis talents, can I apply teamwork feats to my weapons held in telekinesis as if both I and they have them?