Drop Dead Studios Ask Me Anything #3

[Bovine Colonel]

Reposting my question since another Q776 was posted after mine.

Q780

Is there any way using the Skybourne rules to describe how much an airship can carry without being too heavy to fly, or should airships just use the same encumbrance rules as land and water vehicles? In other words, is it possible for a cargo to be too heavy for an airship, but still moveable with a land or water vehicle that's otherwise identical, aside from dirigibles or whatever?

[Noktos_]

Q781

Hey there! With the Unarmored Training talent in the equipment sphere, it states (Regarding the AC it grants): This bonus depends on an intricate awareness of the practicioner’s body and balance, and as such is lost when the target is under any shapeshift other than blank form, or is polymorphed into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type.

Looking at this, any natural shapechanger (Like a Kitsune or Werewolf) would not be able to qualify for the effects of this talent. Am I correct in assuming that?
Or would it be reasoned that, given their shapeshifting is a natural ability intrinsic to the character, that they would still qualify for the AC bonus?

[Irindel]

Q782

Can you Channel Life with Disruption and if that's the case, do you still do the attack? Do enemies get a save?

Channel Life
Benefit: You may channel energy and augment it with your Life sphere abilities. You must spend a spell point in addition to the normal cost of the ability, but do not need to pay the cost associated with Mass Healing or Mass Restore. The Life sphere ability affects everyone affected by the channeled energy, even if they would normally be out of range of your ability. You are not actually using the sphere ability, and other abilities triggered by using sphere abilities are not triggered (such as vitality feats).

Disruption
You may spend a spell point to disrupt the life energies of a living creature within range of your cure ability by making a touch attack. On a successful hit, the target takes 1d4 nonlethal untyped damage per caster level. If you possess the Greater Healing talent, the damage die for this ability increases one size for each time you purchased that talent, up to a maximum of d12. A critical hit does not cause the damage from this attack to multiply; instead it causes the target to be dazed for 1 round (no save).

EDIT:
Reply from Discord

The key text is "You are not actually using the sphere ability, and other abilities triggered by using sphere abilities are not triggered". Disruption is exactly that, so it doesn't work with Channel Life.

[rs2excelsior]

Q783
For a Technician wanting to create a mech suit, it’s handled as an independent invention with the vehicle form and suit improvement. How does one attach weapons (melee or ranges) to it? Can you simply bolt an appropriately sized crossbow or firearm on (possibly a separate invention in and of itself), or do you have to add a siege engine form for each weapon (and take improved weapon each time)? Is the only way to get melee weapons other than a slam to take the arm form plus the advanced arm improvement to allow weapon handling?

Q784
The technician’s improvements apply to each invention, correct? So a 5th level technician could have two inventions with two improvements each?

[Rienzel]

Q 785

If a player were to ask about converting the alternate capstone ability walking library into a spheres equivalent, how would you (if at all) go about doing that? Would you say they get a specific number of talents instead, or it simply doesn't work?

For reference, this is the ability i'm referring to:

At 20th level, the character becomes a small, mobile athenaeum of occult scraps and lore.

The character adds 100 spell levels’ worth of spells to his spellbook or familiar and gains a +4 insight bonus on all Knowledge skills. Characters of any class that prepares spells from a spellbook or familiar can select this ability.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Q786. Is there any way to replicate the Summon Monster or Summon Nature's Ally spells in Spheres? Spellcrafting seems the most obvious but no talents really do what these spells can.

[Milo v3]

Q786. Is there any way to replicate the Summon Monster or Summon Nature's Ally spells in Spheres? Spellcrafting seems the most obvious but no talents really do what these spells can.

The conjuration sphere.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

The conjuration sphere.

That's awfully dismissive? I'm talking about conjuring 1-3 Wolves, using the wolf statblock

[Milo v3]

That's awfully dismissive? I'm talking about conjuring 1-3 Wolves, using the wolf statblock

Not dismissive, it is just the closest thing in the system. Though I will say that if you want to summon multiple creatures at once there is the Mass Summon feat in the Conjurers Handbook, but it uses the Conjuration Sphere rules rather than using 1d3 creatures from the Bestiary.

[Kitsuneymg]

That's awfully dismissive? I'm talking about conjuring 1-3 Wolves, using the wolf statblock

Beast mastery legendary talent: call beast and something like imbue teleport and teleport beacon is about the closest you’ll get.

[SwordChucks]

Q786. Is there any way to replicate the Summon Monster or Summon Nature's Ally spells in Spheres? Spellcrafting seems the most obvious but no talents really do what these spells can.

It would require modification, but the Summoning advanced talent can get you up to 3 creatures at once and uses their statblocks instead of pseudoeidolons. It's still not going to be 1 to 1 with Summon Monster but it's the closest I can figure out.

[TheFamilarRaven]

Q787 Regarding Incanter Specializations. Can someone take a 1 level dip into Incanter and still gain 5 specialization points by "sacrificing" the bonus feats they are never intending to get?

[EldritchWeaver]

Q787 Regarding Incanter Specializations. Can someone take a 1 level dip into Incanter and still gain 5 specialization points by "sacrificing" the bonus feats they are never intending to get?

A787 Yes, but this will be addressed in USoP to some degree.

[AlienFromBeyond]

Q788: Should the Inward Focus sphere specific drawback for Mind sphere from the Cognition apocrypha be incompatible with Blatant Side-Effects/Lost in Translation/Tactile Charm? There seems to be no reason not to take the latter set of drawbacks if you're taking the former to stack up on extra cognition talents

[BioCharge]

Q 789: If I wanted to make Mustard Gas using the creation sphere (as Mustard Gas in modern firearms), I would just need Expandes Materials (Acidic Creations and Gaseous Generation), correct? Or would I need Alchemical Creations, too? Or could I use just Alchemical creations? Something else? I was just wondering for one of my campaign villains.

[EldritchWeaver]

Q788: Should the Inward Focus sphere specific drawback for Mind sphere from the Cognition apocrypha be incompatible with Blatant Side-Effects/Lost in Translation/Tactile Charm? There seems to be no reason not to take the latter set of drawbacks if you're taking the former to stack up on extra cognition talents

A789: I suppose that needs to be addressed by Amber, since even USoP can't address it directly because cognition talents are not in its scope. I'll mention that in the Discord to her.

[AlienFromBeyond]

A789: I suppose that needs to be addressed by Amber, since even USoP can't address it directly because cognition talents are not in its scope. I'll mention that in the Discord to her.

I would say that Lost in Translation does have a penalty even if you can't use (charm) talents, as it also prevents the use of (cloud) talents. Taking it and Inward Focus would make cognition talents your only option in Mind sphere, which seems acceptably limiting even if the first half of Lost in Translation isn't punishing you at all.

[Ualaa]

Q781

Hey there! With the Unarmored Training talent in the equipment sphere, it states (Regarding the AC it grants): This bonus depends on an intricate awareness of the practicioner’s body and balance, and as such is lost when the target is under any shapeshift other than blank form, or is polymorphed into a creature of the animal, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant, or vermin type.

Looking at this, any natural shapechanger (Like a Kitsune or Werewolf) would not be able to qualify for the effects of this talent. Am I correct in assuming that?
Or would it be reasoned that, given their shapeshifting is a natural ability intrinsic to the character, that they would still qualify for the AC bonus?

I'm not a developer, but would rule in a game that a shapechange ruins the effects of that talent.

A player could argue that they only use Elemental Form, and have been using Air every time for a decade of character time.
Maybe they have Easy Focus, and maintain the form during their waking hours.

Regardless the talent says the shapechange prevents it's benefits.

I'd personally rule that "blank form" that adds traits, but doesn't change your form, would work with the Unarmored Training talent.

There is a feat within Champions of the Spheres, called Unarmored Mastery (BAB 8 or Acrobatics 8, and the Unarmored Training talent) that allows the benefits of both Unarmored Training and Shapechanges at the same time.
So even if an official ruling is against it, there is a feat that then allows it.

[Ace98]

Is there a list of questions asked?
Has anyone made a conversion guide for spheres to DnD 3.5?
(I'll edit in the question number if the question hasn't been asked)

[EldritchWeaver]

Q790 Is there a list of questions asked?
Q791 Has anyone made a conversion guide for spheres to DnD 3.5?
(I'll edit in the question number if the question hasn't been asked)

(use always Q#)
A790: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...es-AMA-Archive is the closest.
A791: No. But aside of combat maneuvers and skill system I can't think of stuff needs massaging. Probably there is some stuff I missed, but it shouldn't be worse than interactions of SoP with PF.

[wingnut2292]

Q792: I've found a game that is open to using geshalt rules and 3pp material! I was going to use the Clone archetype of the Troubador Class as half of my Gestalt. I'm a valet/usher who is a secret body-double for the princess he serves after tragedy strikes her parents. What would you recomend for the other half of the gestalt? What Geshalts well with Troubador/Clone?

[Mithril Leaf]

Q792: I've found a game that is open to using geshalt rules and 3pp material! I was going to use the Clone archetype of the Troubador Class as half of my Gestalt. I'm a valet/usher who is a secret body-double for the princess he serves after tragedy strikes her parents. What would you recomend for the other half of the gestalt? What Geshalts well with Troubador/Clone?

A792:Build advice wise the largest weakness of the Troubadour is the horribly low number of quirks and thus talents they have in any given form. They do however possess an excellent Chassis, with the potential for full BAB and CL with 6+Int skill points. I would thus recommend you for something that provides a large number of talents on the other side, perhaps with some other versatile class features. Growling Marauder Skald would make an excellent pairing assuming you have some way to get a bonus feat or two. Alternatively the Martial Hedgewitch is quite good while giving you solid choices for Tradition Secrets.

[Serafina]

Alternatively, if you want to stick to flexible talents, the Antiquarian Armiger works quite well.
Make the right tool (well, weapon) for the right job - providing magic or combat talents - and have a bunch available at any given time, and you can change what talents your weapons provide each day.
The class also comes with it's own class talents (Prowesses), a nice way to get extra attacks, and in Gestalt fixes your weak Fortitude-save.

[Tweets]

Q793: Do Sphere effects inherently have the same 'manifestations' as Spells do that make spellcasting obvious even without any noticeable components?

(Apologies, as my account is too 'fresh' I cannot link to the FAQ that mentions this unwritten assumption in the core rules)

Magical Signs states:

Your magic is accompanied by a tell-tale sign ... All nearby creatures know when you are using magic, as well as the nature of the magic used.

This could be construed to imply that pending any other signs (such as speaking in a loud, clear voice as a result of the Verbal Casting drawback), that nearby creatures do not automatically know when you are using magic unless you have the Magical Signs drawback, but it could also be reiterating and clarifying the general assumption regarding these 'manifestations' and simply be wording leading up to the thrust of the drawback - the intel given to enemies regarding the nature of the magic being used.

Personally I lean toward the latter interpretation as the idea that a Spherecaster with no Drawbacks could simply cast any spell they like without there being any sign that there is magic at play (apart from the results of the magic itself) or that it's coming from the Spherecaster strikes me as farcical, but some clarity on this would be much appreciated!

Q794: If the above answer is "Yes", is the absence of ways to suppress these manifestations intentional? Are there any plans to introduce more ways to stealthily cast in the future?

In Core, one can conceal magic's manifestations via the Conceal Spell feat , however the only similar ability I have been able to find that is compatible with Spheres of Power is the Suppressed Spell (metamagic) feat. Of note, this feat has far-more-severe prerequisites (3 magic talents in a specific sphere that may or may not be useful to the caster in question, as opposed to 1 'tax' feat and 3 skill points), has a far-higher resource cost to use (increasing casting time and adding 2 SP to the ability, rather than just increasing the casting time), has a significantly-lower DC (15 + 1/2 CL, as opposed to 15 + Bluff/Disguise ranks + CHA-mod), and suppresses manifestations only for the target of the sphere effect (rather than for all onlookers).

It simply strikes me as odd that there would be no similar way to mask your casting after things like Verbal components and Magical Signs were made optional.

[EldritchWeaver]

Q793: Do Sphere effects inherently have the same 'manifestations' as Spells do that make spellcasting obvious even without any noticeable components?

Q794: If the above answer is "Yes", is the absence of ways to suppress these manifestations intentional? Are there any plans to introduce more ways to stealthily cast in the future?

A793 & A794:

I'll quote the relevant sections of USoP (which can be considered to be intended as baseline):

Casting and Observation
Using Spellcraft or Knowledge (arcana) on sphere effects is the same as on spells; use the sphere effect’s caster level/2 as its effective spell level. Unless a casting tradition dictates otherwise, casting sphere effects from stealth does not necessarily break stealth, although when making a magical attack, such as a destructive blast, ghost strike, or an attack with telekinesis, the rules for sniping apply when attempting to maintain stealth.

Watching someone cast a sphere effect does not automatically reveal their casting tradition, although some drawbacks are obvious to anyone observing (if the person is using magic by wielding a focus, using somatic or verbal components, using magical materials, possesses magical signs, etc., anyone observing them cast can easily tell). However, when identifying a magical effect or aura with Spellcraft, if the check exceeds 15 + the caster’s caster level you may also identify the target’s casting tradition including drawbacks, boons, casting ability modifier, and any other relevant information.

Cunning Caster
Prerequisite(s): Deceitful, caster level 1st.
Benefit(s): When creating a magical sphere effect, you can attempt a Bluff check (opposed by observers’ Perception checks) to conceal your actions from onlookers.
Every drawback possessed that could be heard or seen (materials, somatic components, verbal components, requiring a focus, etc.) imposes a cumulative -4 penalty to this Bluff check. If the magic sphere effect is obvious (such as a summoned creature or a destructive blast), you also take a –4 penalty on the Bluff check, and even if your check is successful, observers still see the effect (though they fail to notice that you are responsible for it).

I think that should answer your questions.

[Tweets]

A793 & A794:

I'll quote the relevant sections of USoP (which can be considered to be intended as baseline):

I think that should answer your questions.

Hi, thanks for your response.

I'd just like to confirm that I have the right of things here:

Q795A: A spherecaster with a Casting Tradition that contains no General Drawbacks (Let's call him Jeremy) casts a sphere effect with no obvious effect in front of a crowd of people. The sphere effect in question does not affect any of the people in the crowd in any way.

The people in the crowd are not automatically aware that there was any magic used, though they are aware that Jeremy stood still for a few seconds and concentrated.

(Rationale: Jeremy does not have any drawbacks that would indicate magic is being used, thus the crowd's intuition as to whether magic is being used or not depends entirely upon their foreknowledge of magic and the circumstances under which they are observing - The only aspect of Jeremy's casting that would give cause to suspect magic is being used is that he takes a few seconds during which he is less-able to defend himself.)

Q795B: George, a practiced caster himself, is familiar with spellcraft and magic, and notices that Jeremy is pausing. He suspects that Jeremy's few seconds of concentration is in order to produce a magical effect.

George may roll Spellcraft in order to identify the magic Jeremy is using. He uses a sort of 'sixth sense' for magic in order to figure this out, as there are no percievable effects from which to work. He is successful, and becomes aware that Jeremy is a magician and wields his Wisdom as the source of his power. He also learns that Jeremy did indeed use magic, and that it magically ehnanced his fists (as the base Enhancement ability).

(Rationale: Per the Spellcraft skill, an onlooker may attempt to identify the sphere effect being created in the same way they may identify a spell being cast, irrespective of whether or not there are any perceptible signs of the magic (though under Core magic rules, the observer primarily uses the manifestations of the spell to determine the spell being cast. As Jeremy does not have the Magical Signs drawback this telltale sign is absent). However, if there is no reason to suspect there is magic at play the onlooker will have no reason to attempt the check. Succeeding on the check confirms that magic was (or was not) used and the relevant details of that magic, in addition to any relevant details of the caster's Casting Tradition and its relevant information.)

Q795C: In another town, Jeremy repeats his act, this time attempting to compel an audience member to clap.

The audience member resists the mental control, and is aware that something weird just happened, but not exactly what, nor its source.

(Rationale: Per Saving Throws, "A creature that successfully saves against a spell that has no obvious physical effects feels a hostile force or a tingle, but cannot deduce the exact nature of the attack. Likewise, if a creature’s saving throw succeeds against a targeted spell, you sense that the spell has failed." As Jeremy does not have any signs that he is performing magic, the affected party has no particular indication that the effect was created by Jeremy.)

Q795D: Jeremy, in a freak magic accident, becomes unable to cast spells unless he waves his arms around, squawks like a chicken, wears a silly hat, and sacrifices a bottle of Holy Water, all the while gregorian chanting fills the air. Naturally his actions are obvious and people begin to suspect he is performing magic whenever he performs his act. He trains for a while to hide these signs, obtaining the Cunning Caster feat. Following this his act is done in the style of a stage magician, allowing him to mask these strange habits needed to produce his spells.

Jeremy may use Bluff to hide the Verbal, Somatic, Focus, Magical Signs, and Material drawbacks of his casting, with a total -20 to his check. If his check is successful, his audience is just as unaware that he is performing magic as they were the first time he stood before a crowd - Jeremy's Bluff check allowed him to either suppress the need to chant and sing and dance and wear a silly hat that would give him away, or he at least covered up the significance of these actions amid his performance. They are aware that Jeremy is doing something for the time spent casting, but are not inherently made aware that what he was doing was magical; whether they suspect it is magical or not is entirely up to their attitude and circumstance.

(Rationale: Cunning Caster (SoP) feat "conceal[s] your actions from onlookers" and if the result of the spell is apparent they "fail to notice that you are responsible for it." The exact hows and whys of this is left to the player and/or GM, but it appears that the primary effect of the feat is to suspend the effects of any Drawbacks you may possess that would give cause to suspect that you are performing magic.)

Q795E: George watches the act, and as he is as cynical as ever, suspects Jeremy may still be performing magic.

Jeremy's successful Bluff check did not convince George that there was no magic, rather it hid the obvious signs that there was magic that would have tipped George off. George is not automatically aware of the magic, but owing to his suspicious nature he may make a Spellcraft or Knowledge (arcana) check to identify the magic (if indeed it was magic, as he is unable to be sure before making the check) nonetheless.

(Rationale: The Cunning Caster (SoP) feat only allows the circumvention of drawbacks, it does not also convince onlookers that there is nothing to suspect if that onlooker would be suspicious notwithstanding the caster's drawbacks.)

---

Do I have these correct? I apologise for the length this post has swelled to!

[Adam Meyers]

I believe you have it right, but with one exception;

If in your first example he was hiding IN the crowd (aka, casting from Stealth), then it would play out that way. However, if he is in front of the crowd being observed by them, then they would see he's casting.

However, as a GM, in that particular situation (no visible effect from the magic, no drawbacks, etc.), that's one of those places where I'd use fiat and let him try a post-casting Bluff check to play it off (he can't 'hide' his casting while being observed, but I've seen people pass Bluff checks with much less believable lies than 'oh, hey, that wasn't magic, I was just meditating').

[Hunter Noventa]

Q796- The Throwing Mastery talent from the Equipment sphere allows you throw a weapon and have it bounce back after striking, whereupon you automatically catch it. Does this mean you could use a single throwing weapon to make multiple attacks in one round, either iterative or via the Barrage sphere?

[Tweets]

Q796- The Throwing Mastery talent from the Equipment sphere allows you throw a weapon and have it bounce back after striking, whereupon you automatically catch it. Does this mean you could use a single throwing weapon to make multiple attacks in one round, either iterative or via the Barrage sphere?

When using an attack action, attack of opportunity, or additional attack granted by class features or talents to make a ranged attack against a creature with a thrown weapon, you may apply extra spin to the throw, causing the weapon to bounce back towards you after the attack resolves. As long as you have at least one hand free, you may automatically catch a weapon after it rebounds in this manner, otherwise the weapon lands in your square (or the nearest legal square beneath you if you are flying, levitating, or otherwise not standing on the ground).

Throwing Mastery would allow you to make multiple attacks with the same weapon in the same turn (because each attack in a sequence resolves before the next is made), but would not work with iterative attacks because they are not Attack Actions (they are Full-Attack actions) and are not extra attacks from a class feature (The BAB is a class feature, but getting extra attacks at 6+ BAB is just a general rule).

I presume the talent was intended to be used alongside things like the Barrage sphere. I believe there's a Weapon Mastery feat that does the same thing for full-attacks.

[Kitsuneymg]

Throwing Mastery would allow you to make multiple attacks with the same weapon in the same turn (because each attack in a sequence resolves before the next is made), but would not work with iterative attacks because they are not Attack Actions (they are Full-Attack actions) and are not extra attacks from a class feature (The BAB is a class feature, but getting extra attacks at 6+ BAB is just a general rule).

I presume the talent was intended to be used alongside things like the Barrage sphere. I believe there's a Weapon Mastery feat that does the same thing for full-attacks.

This is a very incomplete answer:

Monks flurry of blows and unchained monks flurry of blows are class features that adds extra attacks to a full attack (as if TWF In chained monks case,) but brawlers flurry just adds adds the feats which result in extra attacks. Monks also get that ki attack.

Many classes get a class feature to get a feat that could add extra attacks to a full attack. Is that a class feature that adds attacks? Does it make a difference if the class feature directly adds rapid shot/TWF by name or as a bonus feat?

Spell combat and spell strike can add an extra attack too. With the archer archetype, it can be ranged.

As casting and sphere casting are class features, does haste/time add an extra attack that bounces back?

Since SoP officially published the warshifter and brought path of war into scope (for some dumb reason), we need to know if maneuvers and stances that add attacks are class features too. Broken Blade stance being the one I’m thinking of off the top of my head.

What about spells (Sphere or otherwise) that require an attack. Are those extra attacks from a class feature?

Which of these abilities are, or could result in, “an attack granted by a class feature”? And which attacks get bounce back? Does it matter if the class feature grants multiple attacks? Or just one?

Imo. It seems easier and more in the spirit of SoM to either limit it to AoO and attack actions only, or have it just replace blink back belt entirely.