Spheres of Power Ask Me Anything #2

[RioMav]

Q232: How does the Spine Launch trait, from Alteration's talent Prickly, work?
Do the spines count as natural weapon?
If so, what does "throw them for any attacks you are entitled to normally" mean exactly?
Can you only just throw it once or replace your other natural attacks with spines throwing?

[khadgar567]

**Q232**: How does the Spine Launch trait, from Alteration's talent Prickly, work?
Do the spines count as natural weapon?
If so, what does "throw them for any attacks you are entitled to normally" mean exactly?
Can you only just throw it once or replace your other natural attacks with spines throwing?

pronably since hedge hogs dont use weapons

[stack]

**Q232**: How does the Spine Launch trait, from Alteration's talent Prickly, work?
Do the spines count as natural weapon?
If so, what does "throw them for any attacks you are entitled to normally" mean exactly?
Can you only just throw it once or replace your other natural attacks with spines throwing?

A232: they are enhanced as a natural weapon, but you may use them to make iterative attacks and bonus attacks (haste, rapid shot). You wouldn't replace other natural attacks with them.

[RioMav]

A232: they are enhanced as a natural weapon, but you may use them to make iterative attacks and bonus attacks (haste, rapid shot). You wouldn't replace other natural attacks with them.

Thank for the quick answer. I also have another question.
Q233
For the Incanter's Omnimental Familiar, does it gain caster level or additional talents as the master levels, at the rate of 1/2 HD as shown in the statblock of the bigger omnimental?
If not, does it qualify for the Advanced Magical Training feat?

[stack]

I will have to look into how that works for normal familiars with casting abilities to answer that one.

[digiman619]

pronably since hedge hogs dont use weapons

Must... resist... Shadow the Hedgehog reference...

[Aipaca]

Sorry to keep banging on about it but I'd really appreciate an answer to Q187 regarding bestow intelligence, animated objects and feats?

[SangoProduction]

Q#234 Portal Advanced Talent for Warp. It allows a single person to flank someone, if the target is flanked by both entrances of the portal?

Q#235 Also, if a creature is too big for the portal, and can't squeeze through, do they just ignore the portal's existence, or is it acting as a barrier, or what?

[A.J.Gibson]

Sorry to keep banging on about it but I'd really appreciate an answer to Q187 regarding bestow intelligence, animated objects and feats?

Adam is the only one who can answer this, but I'll put in my opinion: probably not. The animate object rules don't grant feats (unless you assume feats based on hit dice, but I don't see why you would do that), and the SoP animate object rules are based heavily on that, with bioconstruct modification being the equivalent of bestow intelligence.

[SangoProduction]

Q236: Steel Sentries under Soaring Blade Armorist thingy

If you already possess the Dancing Weapon talent or later gain it, you add your casting ability modifier to the number of additional attacks of opportunity you may make.

This bit is underneath the description of the 7th level bonus attacks of opportunity....but does not explicitly make the connection. Is this a feature of the Steel Sentries, as soon as you get it, or is this only after 7th level. You should probably reorder / reword this description depending on the answer.

[stack]

Adam is the only one who can answer this, but I'll put in my opinion: probably not. The animate object rules don't grant feats (unless you assume feats based on hit dice, but I don't see why you would do that), and the SoP animate object rules are based heavily on that, with bioconstruct modification being the equivalent of bestow intelligence.

Not gaining feats is a function of the mindless property rather than the construct type (I believe, can't check non-mindless constructs at the moment). If intelligent constructs get feats, then I don't see why animated objects with bestow intelligence shouldn't. They would be assigned as appropriate by the GM, not 'player do whatever you want'.

Edit - alter ego gets feats. Colossus gets feats. First two intelligent constructs I checked.

[A.J.Gibson]

Not gaining feats is a function of the mindless property rather than the construct type (I believe, can't check non-mindless constructs at the moment). If intelligent constructs get feats, then I don't see why animated objects with bestow intelligence shouldn't. They would be assigned as appropriate by the GM, not 'player do whatever you want'.

Edit - alter ego gets feats. Colossus gets feats. First two intelligent constructs I checked.

The number of feats varies, though (Akaruzug gets 0 while Kikituk gets 10, despite the former being more hit dice), so what's the general rule? My feeling is to use the rules for animated objects (which get none) and treat the actual creatures in the bestiary as special cases, unless you can find some rule somewhere that says that intelligent constructs get feats.

[Doc_Maynot]

The number of feats varies, though (Akaruzug gets 0 while Kikituk gets 10, despite the former being more hit dice), so what's the general rule? My feeling is to use the rules for animated objects (which get none) and treat the actual creatures in the bestiary as special cases, unless you can find some rule somewhere that says that intelligent constructs get feats.

Akaruzug is mindless. Thus no feats. Kikituk has 10 feats, as appropriate for a 20 HD creature (One feat/odd level)

[stack]

Again, no feats is a function of being mindless, not of the construct type. So unless there is a specific rule that animated objects or constructs don't get feats unless the specific creature has them in its stat block then the default rules say they get them.

[Xararion]

I apologize for going kinda sideways on topic, but since the playtest ended for Spheres of Might I haven't been able to access the playtest forum and figured someone might still see this here.

How does Quarry work with the SoM ranger archetype (natures blade). It is not listed as a lost feature, but you do lose favoured enemy which is required for quarry for function. I know quarry is a higher level ability that doesn't always come into play, but it'd be nice to get something in return for losing it, or get allowance to use it still even though you lost the favoured enemy. Figured I'd need to get this out to someone before the book goes to print.

Thanks, and again sorry for steering away from SoP for that one question.

[khadgar567]

I apologize for going kinda sideways on topic, but since the playtest ended for Spheres of Might I haven't been able to access the playtest forum and figured someone might still see this here.

How does Quarry work with the SoM ranger archetype (natures blade). It is not listed as a lost feature, but you do lose favoured enemy which is required for quarry for function. I know quarry is a higher level ability that doesn't always come into play, but it'd be nice to get something in return for losing it, or get allowance to use it still even though you lost the favoured enemy. Figured I'd need to get this out to someone before the book goes to print.

Thanks, and again sorry for steering away from SoP for that one question.

spheres of might gonna need his own threat in near future soon
Q??? Any info about prodigy and the second class?

[Dell_the_Engie]

A series of questions in regard to the spirit-wielder archetype. Hopefully this will clear some things up.

Q239 At 2nd level, the fighter gains the ability to awaken a weapon and make it intelligent. The weapon gains a Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma score of 10. Does the intelligent weapon gain any other benefits from being an intelligent item?

Q240 At 3rd level, the awakened weapon gains sphere casting. In addition to gaining the Enhancement sphere, the talents gained at certain levels, and any talents gained from drawbacks, does it gain the usual 2 bonus talents that all sphere casters gain at their first sphere casting level?

Q241 To follow up, is its spell pool strictly limited to its CAM (Charmisa), or is that meant to be in addition to its casting class level (equal to the wielder's fighter level in this case)?

Q242 If an awakened weapon uses a power with a concentration-based duration, what conditions, if any, may prompt a concentration check from the weapon?

Thank you.

[Doc_Maynot]

I apologize for going kinda sideways on topic, but since the playtest ended for Spheres of Might I haven't been able to access the playtest forum and figured someone might still see this here.

How does Quarry work with the SoM ranger archetype (natures blade). It is not listed as a lost feature, but you do lose favoured enemy which is required for quarry for function. I know quarry is a higher level ability that doesn't always come into play, but it'd be nice to get something in return for losing it, or get allowance to use it still even though you lost the favoured enemy. Figured I'd need to get this out to someone before the book goes to print.

Thanks, and again sorry for steering away from SoP for that one question.

You don't lose Favored Enemy in its entirety, just just the first instance at level 1. Instead they start getting it at 5th level as normal. So Quarry is just fine.

A240: The two bonus talents are from taking one's first level in a spheres casting class. So they would not, since the blade has no class level.

A241: Just like with the above. They have no class level of their own. So yes, just CAM.

[stack]

spheres of might gonna need his own threat in near future soon
Q??? Any info about prodigy and the second class?

The prodigy is still unfinished due to me getting busy and the team trying to wrap the base book. Not sure what second class you are referring to. Currently slated are the sage, troubadour, and prodigy.

[khadgar567]

The prodigy is still unfinished due to me getting busy and the team trying to wrap the base book. Not sure what second class you are referring to. Currently slated are the sage, troubadour, and prodigy.

Just hearded from one of you guys and i think its in this threat in my previous post asking about either blood sphere or might question like these hell i used same question number

[Dell_the_Engie]

Q243 Could one spend a talent to gain access to a sphere, take a sphere-specific drawback to gain a bonus talent in that sphere, and then retrain one or both talents to instead gain access to a new sphere, in addition to the old one?

Q244 What is the duration of a war hero fighter's "greatness"? When a war hero achieves greatness, do they keep it until they next activate a heroic aura, or do they have to activate an aura the moment they achieve greatness, or else lose it? Or is it something else entirely?

[EldritchWeaver]

Q243 Could one spend a talent to gain access to a sphere, take a sphere-specific drawback to gain a bonus talent in that sphere, and then retrain one or both talents to instead gain access to a new sphere, in addition to the old one?

A244: A sphere-specific drawback grants only a bonus talent for that particular sphere. Retraining the bonus talent is possible, but still has to obey the rule that the bonus talent belongs to the same sphere. If you retrain the base sphere, then you lose access to the sphere-specific bonus talent, as you need access to the sphere to have the bonus talent available. In general, retraining does not allow to circumvent limitations, you had to obey when making the original choice.

[A.J.Gibson]

Q244 What is the duration of a war hero fighter's "greatness"? When a war hero achieves greatness, do they keep it until they next activate a heroic aura, or do they have to activate an aura the moment they achieve greatness, or else lose it? Or is it something else entirely?

A244 It has no duration, or it's instantaneous. When you achieve greatness, you may activate a totemic aura as a free action that can be taken outside of you turn. 'Achieve Greatness' is like 'confirming a critical hit', or 'taking damage', it's an action in game but not an ongoing ability.

[SangoProduction]

Q245: How does Casting work with Gestalt? Do you add everything together, getting potentially 2 caster levels per level?
...
Tentative A245: Actually, thinking about it, you probably should use the "multiple traditions" option thing. Nevermind.

[TheIronGolem]

Q245: How does Casting work with Gestalt? Do you add everything together, getting potentially 2 caster levels per level?
...
Tentative A245: Actually, thinking about it, you probably should use the "multiple traditions" option thing. Nevermind.

Pathfinder has no official Gestalt rules, so a 3PP like DDS can't really provide an authoritative answer unless they published their own Gestalt rules first.

That said, Caster Level is basically "magic BAB", so I would expect any gestalted SoP game to treat CL the same as BAB; i.e. you get the best one, not the sum.

[SangoProduction]

Pathfinder has no official Gestalt rules, so a 3PP like DDS can't really provide an authoritative answer unless they published their own Gestalt rules first.

That said, Caster Level is basically "magic BAB", so I would expect any gestalted SoP game to treat CL the same as BAB; i.e. you get the best one, not the sum.

ah, that makes sense.

[Dell_the_Engie]

A243: A sphere-specific drawback grants only a bonus talent for that particular sphere. Retraining the bonus talent is possible, but still has to obey the rule that the bonus talent belongs to the same sphere. If you retrain the base sphere, then you lose access to the sphere-specific bonus talent, as you need access to the sphere to have the bonus talent available. In general, retraining does not allow to circumvent limitations, you had to obey when making the original choice.

Sphere talents are said to follow the same retraining rules as feats. In this case, is a drawback treated as a class feature, and a bonus talent gained from a drawback treated as a bonus feat gained from a class feature? If so, could one nonetheless spend the bonus sphere-specific talent to access the same sphere twice? Then when either talent meets the prerequisite of the drawback, this would free up the base talent to be retrained?

Apologies if I'm being really persistent on this issue, I just want the answer to be as comprehensive as possible. Because there are methods in other rules for a feature to effectively satisfy its own prerequisites.

A244 It has no duration, or it's instantaneous. When you achieve greatness, you may activate a totemic aura as a free action that can be taken outside of you turn. 'Achieve Greatness' is like 'confirming a critical hit', or 'taking damage', it's an action in game but not an ongoing ability.

Okay, so it's "use it or lose it". That makes sense, thank you.

[NomGarret]

That's not to say SoP characters wouldn't benefit from a gestalt game. More talents lets you enable combos and diversify all that much faster.

[stack]

That's not to say SoP characters wouldn't benefit from a gestalt game. More talents lets you enable combos and diversify all that much faster.

Incanter/ /whatever you wanted anyway works nicely.

[Ualaa]

If you were to go a traditional Wizard | Cleric, each gets their spell list.

It follows that a sphere caster would have Talents according to each of their classes.
And spell points based on each of their classes.

The casting stat would likely be the same for both classes, chosen from the available options of the classes taken.

I'd personally go with a single tradition, set with the first level in a sphere casting class.
But you could go with a tradition for each, and then track everything separately.

If you're going with a single tradition...
I'd use the sidebar from Unearthed Arcana 3.0's gestalt section.
Basically the equivalent of fractional caster level.
So a full caster is 1.00, a mid caster adds 0.75 caster level, and a low caster adds 0.50 caster level.
At each level, consider the most beneficial class of the two taken, for how much your caster level improves.
The same way that a martial type considers their BAB contribution from classes.