Spheres of Power Ask Me Anything #2

[Manyasone]

Q169: who is spending his spare time in designing the Fate handbook, if I may ask?

[Mehangel]

Q169: who is spending his spare time in designing the Fate handbook, if I may ask?

A169: Jeff the Green is the current author working on the Fate sphere handbook.

[wesmer]

Q170: A) Can a character that has the Area Glow and Irradiance talents cause all objects and creatures in the targeted area to glow and be sickened with the same standard action?

B) If so, can the character also cause one of the glows to shed bright light with the same standard action?

C) Also, the combination of Area Glow with Irradiance makes the creatures sickened without an attack roll and without a saving throw?

D) If one of the glows can shed bright light with the same standard action, then does the penalty to saves from the sickened condition apply to the save against the nauseated condition?

[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?

I'm bringing my own question back up, because I could really still use an answer. Thanks.

[khadgar567]

I'm bringing my own question back up, because I could really still use an answer. Thanks.

this is not a legit answer but I say no teamwork feat needs int in my opinion

[pfm1995]

Q171: Is the Energy Blade talent usable with Alchemist bombs or other splash weapons?

[TheIronGolem]

Hero Lab work on the Shapeshifter's Handbook has piled up a number of questions over the last few days of forum maintenance:

Q172: Are the "arms" provided by the Plant Form able to wield weapons?

Q173: Suppose a Shifter with the Web trait (which is usable on a per-day basis) shapeshifts into a form with the Web Alteration trait (which is usable on a per-minute basis). Given that Shifters explicitly keep their bestial trait abilities in a shapeshift, what kind of usage does the character end up with?

Q174: How does the Swarm Form affect the character's actual size class? For instance, does a character who's normally Small retain their Stealth bonus when shifted into a swarm? And while the swarm is explicitly immune to certain combat maneuvers, what about others - does the character's normal size modifier still apply to those? I could simply change the character's size class to whatever size of critter the swarm is made of (Tiny/Diminutive/Fine depending on talents), but that only makes sense in some ways; a swarm of frogs must surely be worse at being stealthy than one frog.

Q175: Some of the new Alteration traits (like the ones from Star-Spawn Transformation) have save DC's that are based on the caster's Alteration DC rather than anything about the target. Thanks to the Transformation feat line, it's conceivable (if unlikely) that a character might end up putting one of those traits on themselves despite not having the Alteration sphere. If that happens, what attribute (if any) do they use for CAM to calculate the DC?

Q176: Two-Headed Adept feat: I'm a little unclear on how this works: "When you have more than one head you do not take two-weapon fighting penalties to off-hand attacks or for wielding non-light weapons in your off hand". The second part is clear enough, but the first says two-weapon penalties are removed for offhand attacks, which would suggest that offhand attacks end up with a bigger bonus than the main hand attack (because it's not saying the main hand attack penalty is removed). I doubt that's intended, so I'd like to be clear on exactly what penalties are and are not removed. As an example, suppose I have this feat and am wielding two longswords with a BAB of +10 and no other modifiers. Normally I'd be attacking at +4/+0 (no TWF feat, non-light weapon in offhand). What would the modifier be with this feat? What if I do have TWF, do I end up with +10/+10 as if I weren't dual-wielding at all?

[Zsaber0]

Q177

Q157
Is it possible to enchant a Battle Creature Companion's weapon with the craft magic arms and armor feat if you keep him summoned with Lingering and Greater Summoning?

Never got an answer to my question from before.

[khadgar567]

Q177



Never got an answer to my question from before.

not an expert but probably yes thoug best answer gonna be in conjuration hand book were we might get legendery talent for it

[stack]

Q171: Is the Energy Blade talent usable with Alchemist bombs or other splash weapons?

A171: Normally an alchemist's bombs are a standard action, so no. Splash weapons, I think so, but it would have to be in hand. Improved energy blade doesn't work with touch attacks, so can't combine with either.

Hero Lab work on the Shapeshifter's Handbook has piled up a number of questions over the last few days of forum maintenance:

Q172: Are the "arms" provided by the Plant Form able to wield weapons?

Q173: Suppose a Shifter with the Web trait (which is usable on a per-day basis) shapeshifts into a form with the Web Alteration trait (which is usable on a per-minute basis). Given that Shifters explicitly keep their bestial trait abilities in a shapeshift, what kind of usage does the character end up with?

Q174: How does the Swarm Form affect the character's actual size class? For instance, does a character who's normally Small retain their Stealth bonus when shifted into a swarm? And while the swarm is explicitly immune to certain combat maneuvers, what about others - does the character's normal size modifier still apply to those? I could simply change the character's size class to whatever size of critter the swarm is made of (Tiny/Diminutive/Fine depending on talents), but that only makes sense in some ways; a swarm of frogs must surely be worse at being stealthy than one frog.

Q175: Some of the new Alteration traits (like the ones from Star-Spawn Transformation) have save DC's that are based on the caster's Alteration DC rather than anything about the target. Thanks to the Transformation feat line, it's conceivable (if unlikely) that a character might end up putting one of those traits on themselves despite not having the Alteration sphere. If that happens, what attribute (if any) do they use for CAM to calculate the DC?

Q176: Two-Headed Adept feat: I'm a little unclear on how this works: "When you have more than one head you do not take two-weapon fighting penalties to off-hand attacks or for wielding non-light weapons in your off hand". The second part is clear enough, but the first says two-weapon penalties are removed for offhand attacks, which would suggest that offhand attacks end up with a bigger bonus than the main hand attack (because it's not saying the main hand attack penalty is removed). I doubt that's intended, so I'd like to be clear on exactly what penalties are and are not removed. As an example, suppose I have this feat and am wielding two longswords with a BAB of +10 and no other modifiers. Normally I'd be attacking at +4/+0 (no TWF feat, non-light weapon in offhand). What would the modifier be with this feat? What if I do have TWF, do I end up with +10/+10 as if I weren't dual-wielding at all?

Should have you program this stuff as part of theplaytest.
A172: I believe so, as they are described as 'arms'. If that is not the intent, Adam will have to clarify.(This is actually a base-book question)

A173: The shifter would choose which instance of the ability they are using and apply that use toward the relevant limit. (This is actually a base-book question as well)

A174: Good question. Bestiary swarms I checked (wasp and bat) appear to not receive any size bonus to their fly skills. I assume the standard is then to treat the swarm's collective size as medium unless noted.

A175: None that have an SP cost will apply. In other instances, I would have it default to highest mental score, per basic magical training.

A176: Hmm, wording on that one seems to have missed intent. As written, with the feat, without TWF you would be attacking at 6/10, with the TWF feat, you would be attacking with 8/10, which doesn't make much sense. Should be 10/10. I'll have to add that to the errata doc.

[Kitsuneymg]

Q178 If I admix Stone Blast with another blast type, does the entire effect ignore SR, Globes of Invulnerability, and Antimagic?

Q179 In the case of all 3 Cyrstal Blast talents, do the 1 minute lingering effects fill a 3 dimensional space? If used with energy orb in midair, does the effect fall to the ground or float in the area it originally occupied?

[EldritchWeaver]

Q178 If I admix Stone Blast with another blast type, does the entire effect ignore SR, Globes of Invulnerability, and Antimagic?

A178 Yes, it does. I asked that once, too.

[pfm1995]

Q179: Can the Doomblade Mageknight archetype dual-wield his Destructive Blade, and if so is it considered a light weapon?

[Kitsuneymg]

A178 Yes, it does. I asked that once, too.

Excellent!

Do you happen to know where (or even which AMA thread) you asked that in? I'd like to be able to link directly to the answer for when my DM throws a book at me for dropping a stone/crystal/living crystal blast energy cloud on top of his boss man.

[TheIronGolem]

Q179: Can the Doomblade Mageknight archetype dual-wield his Destructive Blade, and if so is it considered a light weapon?

A179: Negative on the dual-wielding. stack has also said that the blade is actually a blast shape rather than a weapon.

EDIT: Then again, a melee touch attack counts as a light weapon, doesn't it? So you can probably count it for other purposes even if the dual-wield thing is moot.

[Drrakerr]

Can a Whitesmith Armorist use their enhancement bonus granting capabilities to raise the caster level bonus of staves they posses? The enhancement sphere base ability doesnt specifiaclly apply to staves, but staves are an option for bound equipment that the ability in question replaces.

[Niztael]

I'm using Rituals as something almost anyone can do with the optional pricing of Blood Price & Cataclysmic Magic as the general roads to using such magic. Most of the ritual can be done beforehand leaving the last bit to be cast at the end, though anyone can only hold one spell in reserve in this fashion. However I've thought that those with a Casting & a Spell Point pool could use Rituals by spending spell points with a multiple to the spell in spell points. I'm just not sure what that multiple should be to have it still be a tool, but not so prohibitive that is becomes a wasted rule that no one would bother with.

Thank you for your time and input.

[Zsaber0]

Q180 How does Greater Rally interact with the Counterattack Rally? Can you give multiple people a free attack if only one ally is attacked?

[EldritchWeaver]

Do you happen to know where (or even which AMA thread) you asked that in? I'd like to be able to link directly to the answer for when my DM throws a book at me for dropping a stone/crystal/living crystal blast energy cloud on top of his boss man.

Sorry, I can't remember the thread, but I think it is one of the two AMAs.

[Saffron-sama]

Q181 How does the Darkshaper's sshadow limbs interact with arsenal tricks like Additional Binding, Bound Fang and Morphic weapons?

[inuyasha]

Q182: Has an attempt been made at converting the Intelligent Item system for Spheres of Power, either official or homebrew? I'm really enjoying making items, and I think Intelligent Items would make this system even more interesting.

[Mehangel]

Q182: Has an attempt been made at converting the Intelligent Item system for Spheres of Power, either official or homebrew? I'm really enjoying making items, and I think Intelligent Items would make this system even more interesting.

A182: In the Gear of Power playtest document, there are rules for Intelligent Magic Items.

[Zsaber0]

Q183 Is destructive blast damage based on level or caster level?

[Slavezero]

Q183 Is destructive blast damage based on level or caster level?

A183 it's based on caster level

[A.J.Gibson]

Q180 How does Greater Rally interact with the Counterattack Rally? Can you give multiple people a free attack if only one ally is attacked?

This was actually I question I raised, and never got a good answer back, so I decided I'd make the rule. From the war handbook:

"Rallies that work from triggers can only be used when that trigger occurs, and can only affect those allies that the trigger applies to."

So rallies that are response to an event (Absorb, Counterattack, Finish, Retribution, Revitalize, Safety) can only affect multiple allies if the triggering event affected multiple allies. So you could use revitalize to allow a bunch of saving throw re-rolls, provided all the allies involved failed the saving throw versus the same effect. It would be weird granting re-rolls to those who don't need them. Also, retribution would be insane with greater rally. Intercept is actually worded the way it is to make it Greater Ralliable. Empower, Engage, and Position work fine with Greater Rally.

I should also point out that Position rally lets you move anywhere, provided you end up ralliable at the end of the movement, not specifically inside a totem. At least, that's my interpretation. So if you use Position on squadron members via Vigilant Command, they have to remain within Long range of the commander.

[Zsaber0]

This was actually I question I raised, and never got a good answer back, so I decided I'd make the rule. From the war handbook:

"Rallies that work from triggers can only be used when that trigger occurs, and can only affect those allies that the trigger applies to."

So rallies that are response to an event (Absorb, Counterattack, Finish, Retribution, Revitalize, Safety) can only affect multiple allies if the triggering event affected multiple allies. So you could use revitalize to allow a bunch of saving throw re-rolls, provided all the allies involved failed the saving throw versus the same effect. It would be weird granting re-rolls to those who don't need them. Also, retribution would be insane with greater rally. Intercept is actually worded the way it is to make it Greater Ralliable. Empower, Engage, and Position work fine with Greater Rally.

I should also point out that Position rally lets you move anywhere, provided you end up ralliable at the end of the movement, not specifically inside a totem. At least, that's my interpretation. So if you use Position on squadron members via Vigilant Command, they have to remain within Long range of the commander.

The thing is Resounding Rally has that very stipulation written into it already and it is completely left out of Greater Rally. Which would obviously be taken to mean that you can use Greater Rally with things like Counterattack, but is strange enough to need clarification.

[A.J.Gibson]

The thing is Resounding Rally has that very stipulation written into it already and it is completely left out of Greater Rally. Which would obviously be taken to mean that you can use Greater Rally with things like Counterattack, but is strange enough to need clarification.

I wrote Resounding Rally with the clarification, figuring Adam should clarify Greater Rally. When nothing was forthcoming, I added the text to the header of the talent section. If you want to use some alternate interpretation, then be aware of retribution, but otherwise, Greater Rally probably won't break much if combined with Counterstrike that way, unless you're in a party of archers.

[Civmaster]

Q184:
am i right in understanding that the barrier ward of the protection sphere stops outgoing effects aswell?

EDIT:
thanks for the answers, also it seems it was answered on A27 already. i totally missed that

[legomaster00156]

Unbreakable

You may spend a spell point as a swift action to grant yourself DR equal to your mageknight level for a number of rounds equal to your casting ability modifier.

Q185: Is this DR bypassable, and if so, by what? I mean, I'd assume it's not DR/-, considering how potent it is, so I've been running on the assumption that it's meant to be DR/adamantine or DR/magic.

[Mehangel]

Q184:
am i right in understanding that the barrier ward of the protection sphere stops outgoing effects aswell?

A184: Yes, any effect that would be blocked on its way in will also be blocked on its way out. There are ways around this ofcourse, such as possessing the Destructive Radiance feat (from the Illuminator's Handbook) or possessing the Aligned Protection drawback. Also, the future Protection Sphere Handbook, from what I hear plans to include a talent that allows you and allies to not be hindered by your own barriers.