Drop Dead Studios Ask Me Anything #3

[A.J.Gibson]

Q: 473

In the Faithful Shepherd Cleric archetype, there's two divine works (Holy Presence and Purify the Sinners) that let you get a consecration and totem talent, respectively, and treat them as a protection sphere talent. Does this mean they are eligible targets for Keep the Faith Divine Work?

A473: Yes.

[kkplx]

Q474

When you create a scroll or potion, as far as i can tell you're free to keep it at CL1, regardless of complexity, as the complexity =< CL rule only applies to the non-talent based item creation approach, correct?
Wands have a specific rule for talents number and CL progression, but potions and scrolls seem to lack any such restrictions, which leads to my players coming up with things like this:

Life Scroll "Mass" massive healing (complexity start 1)
- Modification Increased Restoration for heal improve (total +6 complexity)
Restore Composure (+1)
Restore Health [Core] (+1)
Restore Mind [Core] (+1)
Restore Movement [Core] (+1)
Restore Senses [Core] (+1)
Restore Soul [Core] (+1)
- Modification Increased Restoration for additional effects
Resuscitate [Core] (+1) (heals targets that recently died)
Mass Healing [Core] (+2 because of add SP) (allows targetting 2 creatures)
Sustaining Vitality (vitality) (+4ac and saving throws to targets)
- Increase Range 3 times (to medium) (+3 compl)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Total complexity 14
Total caster level 1
Total cost 350gp
Scroll does 7d8+1hp healing on 2 targets in 110ft range, can heal them after perishing and gives +4ac/saves

[A.J.Gibson]

Q474

When you create a scroll or potion, as far as i can tell you're free to keep it at CL1, regardless of complexity, as the complexity =< CL rule only applies to the non-talent based item creation approach, correct?
Wands have a specific rule for talents number and CL progression, but potions and scrolls seem to lack any such restrictions, which leads to my players coming up with things like this:

A474: An item must have a caster level at least equal to its complexity.

[kkplx]

Q475

Thank you for the complexity answer. I think we may have fundamentally misunderstood talent-based crafting

Am I correct in stating that, in no way shape or form (provided you don't use talents or special alterations), will you be able to create any wondrous item, armor, ring, wand, scroll, potion etc., that will create an alteration or enhancement sphere effect that has duration concentration as the base sphere, since the sphere bases provided under talent based creation rules both state a 1round per level duration?

Q476
Am I correct in stating that, in no way shape or form, will you be able to create any wondrous item, wand, staff, etc., that will allow you to make use of a sphere's at will ability, at will? (as even rods seem to still refer to the sphere effects outlined under talent-based crafting, and not the actual spheres)

Q477
Am I correct in stating that a wand created with a sphere, will not be usable unless it has a spell point in it?

[ICN]

Q478: If the character has the means to cast multiple sphere effects in a round, can they? (e.g. a character takes Expedited Defense twice, then attempts to cast a ward as a standard, move, and swift action.) Core PF it's a no, but spheres is a bit different. Prodigies can explicitly do so, but are they an exception to the rule?

[stack]

Reposting Q: 365
Is there a way that I can have an animated object cast my spells and use my spell slots?

A365: No, I do not believe so.

Q465

Does the guardian sphere's miss chance from Iron Wall apply to the following:
a) Attack rolls from spells (up to 50% from patrol & challenged caster)
b) Combat maneuver checks like Grapple or Overrun by a monster (up to 50% from patrol & challenged monster)
c) Combat maneuver checks like Grapple or Overrun by spell (up to 50% from patrol & challenged caster)
d) Combat maneuver checks like Grapple or Overrun by a trap (up to 20% from patrol)

A465: It is my understanding that miss chance applies to combat maneuvers. The source of the maneuver wouldn't matter.

Q468 Skirmish Rider and Melee touch spells

If a caster, while riding a mount, casts a destructive blast as the melee touch variant, can they then still use the Skirmish Rider Talent to move to melee with the target, deliver the touch as a free action, attack with the mount and move back away again, all without provoking AoO?
I as the DM argue no, since skirmish rider requires you to have a Standard Action, when you've already spent the standard action to cast the spell.

A468: You are correct; Skirmish Rider allows an attack action, so casting as a standard then moving doesn't interact with it. You can cast, then deliver the touch attack as a free action later in the turn or hold the charge and deliver it later. This doesn't help with delivering the attack in the middle of a move.
Core rules:"You may take your move before casting the spell, after touching the target, or between casting the spell and touching the target."

[Oulana]

Q479 I'm curious why it was decided all the martial sphere talents that alter critical threat or lingering a weapon or attack be used in a special attack action it normally wouldn't also reduce all critical multipliers to x2? Like critical genius seems like the improved critical feat and most of the other martial talents seem to mostly duplicate the feat effects they mimic. I also don't see how it's helpful for a martial using monsters or bestial player to take unarmed training to use their natural attacks if it's mostly just a thematic difference in how you're punching someone. Am I missing something with these kinds of talents?

Edit: never mind the critical genius one, missed the bonus damage part in first read. I should consider doing less system reading while tired :P

[Nyaa]

Q480

A sequence requires the rush induced by real danger. As such, a sequence cannot be started prior to rolling initiative and ends automatically 1 round after there is no longer any apparent immediate threat (such as a hostile creature capable of making an attack or casting a spell or sphere effect).

Does it mean Prodigy has one round worth of actions to do something interesting with his sequence, like using Life sphere finisher, after defeating the last threat?

[stack]

Q480


Does it mean Prodigy has one round worth of actions to do something interesting with his sequence, like using Life sphere finisher, after defeating the last threat?

A480: Yes.

[ICN]

Q479 I'm curious why it was decided all the martial sphere talents that alter critical threat or lingering a weapon or attack be used in a special attack action it normally wouldn't also reduce all critical multipliers to x2? Like critical genius seems like the improved critical feat and most of the other martial talents seem to mostly duplicate the feat effects they mimic. I also don't see how it's helpful for a martial using monsters or bestial player to take unarmed training to use their natural attacks if it's mostly just a thematic difference in how you're punching someone. Am I missing something with these kinds of talents?

Edit: never mind the critical genius one, missed the bonus damage part in first read. I should consider doing less system reading while tired :P

With regards to the unarmed training thing, it's essentially feral combat training, since PF draws a rather arbitrary distinction between natural attacks, unarmed, and weapon attacks in a lot of situations. The talent bridges the gap in those cases.

[Madsamurai]

Q480

How do Spheres of Might practitioners deal with ability damage?

Q481

When you use the Alchemy sphere's panacea talent to cure a disease or poison does that remove the ability damage that that affliction dealt?

Q482

Is there any worry that making it possible to remove every status effect with a single talent is too strong? Like a mid-level practitioner can cure literally any affliction multiple times per day where a life-sphere caster needs to spend multiple talents and a spell point.

[Adam Meyers]

Q459
Does the Guardian sphere Delay Damage ability have a minimum value? Relevant if a practitioner takes the Indifferent Defender drawback, he has a sphere that literally does nothing for him until level 2, or is there a minimum 1 BaB somewhere that I missed? I did not see such language in SoM unlike SoP that limits your caster level to minimum 1.

A459: No minimum is listed, but yeah; assume (minimum: 1).

Q461 After getting the answer to Q439 I've been trying to think of new drawbacks that fit that ideal. The other day I have started getting players to work on some characters for a campaign and I have one trying to go for a Jackie Chan kind of martial arts. The way he'll grab anything and everything around him for a quick hit or block. What's your opinion on this as a drawback for the barroom sphere?

Chop Suey: you mix everything you can into your unarmed combat. You do not gain the hard drinker ability and cannot gain the drunk status. Fragile improvised weapons may only have the broken status applied to them by an ability once before being destroyed, bypassing the broken status. You may treat barroom talents as unarmed talents to determine your unarmed damage and may treat improvised weapons as unarmed attacks for the purpose of how much dam-age they deal and interactions with abilities which require an unarmed strike; when using any of these weapons as an unarmed strike, it uses your unarmed strike’s critical multiplier, even if it would normally be higher.

I didn't think it was any different than the monk training and unarmed training equipment talents and changes the way barroom would be used from the normal way, though it doesn't really give an existing talent. So I want sure if it that fits for a sphere drawback or should be more of an equipment talent.

PS: the name chop suey is how Jackie chan describes his fighting style since it's a mix of every style he knows and improvisational techniques/weaponry. :P

A461: If seems more like it should be an equipment talent to me; it's not just an alternate start, it's a fundamental change in how things work for the sphere.

Q462 Surprised this hasn't been asked already but I can't find any answer via searches: what is the interaction between the Weather Sphere and the Endure Elements spell?

A461: The spell lists what temperatures it deflects, and the weather severity levels list what temperatures they represent; you would be immune to all levels covered by the spell's temperature range.

Q463: The lancer Advanced Talent Soul Pierce says that "the creature gains 1 negative level at the beginning of each round they are impaled". As written it sounds like the negative level is applied when the combat returns to the top of the initiative order. Is this meant to be the case or is it meant to be a "full round" and happen on the targets turn or at the beginning of your next turn?

A463: Full round; at the beginning of your turn.

Q464A: Are there any items that augment Armorist's abilities? Especially enchantment level on bound weapons.
Q464B: Would Armorist be able to benefit from Crystalline Focus set of items for DSP Soulknife and other similar options that increase quality and power of corresponding items formed over them?

We have no items that do so, no, and RAW they would not be able to use a Cyrstalline Focus. As always, though, if you don't htink that would be a problem in your own games, do what's best for the table.

Q465: (Design question) Why do Armorist need to unlock most of possible enchant options when comparable class (Soulknife from DSP) just has it's list expanded without need for another arsenal tricks?

A465: The Soulknife unlocks powers as it levels, the Armorist has them always available but doesn't ahve the enchantment bonus to include them until he reaches a high enough level; effectively the design paradigm is the same. If your question is why does the armorist not have more options available without spending arsenal tricks, we based it's list off the magus, who likewise gets a lot of options available for free, but must spend arcanas for some of the more specialized options.

Q466: When benefiting from additional instances of self-stacking talent that is limited to once per X CL (For example Greater Blast, once + every 5 CL) from staff, do over-stacked talents work or not? (For example CL 5 armorist 12 (up to 2 greater blast) wielding +1 greater blast greater blast staff? (so total of 4 greater blasts where CL supports just two)

A466: Only the number of Greater Blasts that the caster's CL could handle would be applied, unless that was specified otherwise by the item ("Staff of Super-Destruction that just adds 2d6 to all destructive blasts or something like that).

Q465 (other) Does the guardian sphere's miss chance from Iron Wall apply to the following:
a) Attack rolls from spells (up to 50% from patrol & challenged caster)
b) Combat maneuver checks like Grapple or Overrun by a monster (up to 50% from patrol & challenged monster)
c) Combat maneuver checks like Grapple or Overrun by spell (up to 50% from patrol & challenged caster)
d) Combat maneuver checks like Grapple or Overrun by a trap (up to 20% from patrol)

A465 (other): This is a Paizo question, not a spheres question; as I understand miss chance, it would apply to anything that makes an attack roll or a pseudo-attack roll such as a combat maneuver.

Q467: Using the "Hermit" motif to aid yourself, can you increase your ranged attack roll with a swift action?

A467: This is another Paizo question: According to the rules of aid another I don't believe that works, no.

Q470 Particle Blade. Does it scale with caster size? Is all damage affected by vital strike? Is all damage multiplied on crit? What's its crit stats?
I assume no, yes, yes, 20/x2.

A470: Electrokinetic wasn't my baby, but I believe you are right.

Q471: does the Special Delivery drawback for the Enhancement sphere prevent me from taking the Referential Enhancements advanced talent? If not, do the Special Delivery restrictions still apply in any way when using Referential Enhancements?

A471: The talent and the drawback are incompatible.

Q472: I've noticed that, according to the item creation rules outlined in Spheres of Power, a simple +10 resistance vs an energy type item costs 10*10*50gp -> 5'000gp. That is less than half the price of normal pathfinder lesser ring of resistance, which is 12'000gp.
Why was that decision made?

A472: There are no energy resistance pricing rules in Paizo, and reverse-engineering their math you come up with 1600×resistance (minimum: 5)-4000 (thank you to stack for figuring that out, I'm terrible with formulae). the number we went with was the simplest way we could think of that sort-of worked; yes it made lower resistance cheaper, but it sort-of worked for the higher numbers. Please feel free to use the formulae above if you want to be much more accurate to Paizo's pricing.

Q473: In the Faithful Shepherd Cleric archetype, there's two divine works (Holy Presence and Purify the Sinners) that let you get a consecration and totem talent, respectively, and treat them as a protection sphere talent. Does this mean they are eligible targets for Keep the Faith Divine Work?

A473: RAW I would say no.

Q475 Am I correct in stating that, in no way shape or form (provided you don't use talents or special alterations), will you be able to create any wondrous item, armor, ring, wand, scroll, potion etc., that will create an alteration or enhancement sphere effect that has duration concentration as the base sphere, since the sphere bases provided under talent based creation rules both state a 1 round per level duration?

A475: Because the item is 'casting' the spell and not you, it made sense for us to have the default rules be simplifed and assume a base duration, since the item has no spell points and is incapable of concentrating. There's no grand balance reason behind it though, and magic item creation rules must be vague by design to enable the sort of creative items that make the game worth playing, so while it's not covered in the 'rules', those rules are guidelines anyway so sure, go ahead and make one.

Q476: Am I correct in stating that, in no way shape or form, will you be able to create any wondrous item, wand, staff, etc., that will allow you to make use of a sphere's at will ability, at will? (as even rods seem to still refer to the sphere effects outlined under talent-based crafting, and not the actual spheres)

A476: See above, but wands do that so long as you can make the UMD check.

Q477 Am I correct in stating that a wand created with a sphere, will not be usable unless it has a spell point in it?

A477: Sure it can, there's just little point if you have the sphere itself already.

Q478: If the character has the means to cast multiple sphere effects in a round, can they? (e.g. a character takes Expedited Defense twice, then attempts to cast a ward as a standard, move, and swift action.) Core PF it's a no, but spheres is a bit different. Prodigies can explicitly do so, but are they an exception to the rule?

A478: In spheres they can, yeah.

[Adam Meyers]

Q480: How do Spheres of Might practitioners deal with ability damage?

A480: ability damage is a core paizo thing; they deal with it the same as anyone else would, I'd think.

Q481: When you use the Alchemy sphere's panacea talent to cure a disease or poison does that remove the ability damage that that affliction dealt?

A481: No.

Q482: Is there any worry that making it possible to remove every status effect with a single talent is too strong? Like a mid-level practitioner can cure literally any affliction multiple times per day where a life-sphere caster needs to spend multiple talents and a spell point.

A482: They are different systems: Life and Greater Restore covers a lot right from first level, and can add in a lot more things like breaking enchantments and curses and those talents also increase healing. Martial can cure a lot of things, but only if you're high level/have optimized your Craft (alchemy) skill, and while it uses fewer talents, it doesn't have as much of a high ceiling as a life-user can reach.

[Oulana]

Q483 How does glass-eye gunslinger work with multiclassing and its "casting" ability and grit ability? It say it uses its grit ability as a casting ability but what if you were a caster first? Do you use your original caster classes ability modifier in place of your grit modifier for caster level ability normal multiclassing does? Does it use its wisdom or other grit ability for light sphere and normal casting ability for other spheres? And does it continue to use wisdom for grit since it's a pseudo casting ability score or does it now use it's original caster ability to determine its grit when entering gunslinger for first time? What if you were gunslinger first, does your new caster class use wisdom as its casting ability now?

Q484 also what happens if you have basic magic training feat and later take a casting class? Do you use the new caster classes ability score for your casting ability or does it work like multiclassing with with multiple sphere caster classes and all your magic uses the first casting ability you had (so continue using the one the feat determined for you)?

[Macwrath]

Q485 For the prodigy's Adaptations.. if you use the Talent's you get for a long term effect.. does it stay active and able to control after the Adaptation ends. IE a Protection Aegis/Ward or Fount of Life/Latent Healing or Lengthened Weather and other things that last for minutes hours or longer.....
Q485 Pt 2 if a level 6 prodigy who has a full 6 sequence (therefor has a CL of 7) activates Physical Enhancement with a spell point getting the +4 then doing, a finisher does the Enhancement then go back down to +2?

[Nyekomimi]

Q486 Is there any way to apply effect such as Hybrid Form or similar to normal Alteration?

[NomGarret]

Q480: How do Spheres of Might practitioners deal with ability damage?

A480: ability damage is a core paizo thing; they deal with it the same as anyone else would, I'd think.

If the question is “what tools do practitioners have to deal with ability damage?” Then the answer is the scholar’s medical training ability.

[stack]

Q485 For the prodigy's Adaptations.. if you use the Talent's you get for a long term effect.. does it stay active and able to control after the Adaptation ends. IE a Protection Aegis/Ward or Fount of Life/Latent Healing or Lengthened Weather and other things that last for minutes hours or longer.....
Q485 Pt 2 if a level 6 prodigy who has a full 6 sequence (therefor has a CL of 7) activates Physical Enhancement with a spell point getting the +4 then doing, a finisher does the Enhancement then go back down to +2?

A485: The effect of the ability only 'checks' CL and talents at the time of casting. Once cast, the ability used doesn't change regardless of adding or losing talents or changing CL.

Q486 Is there any way to apply effect such as Hybrid Form or similar to normal Alteration?

A486: Anthropomorphic Transformation has an option to do something similar.

[Madsamurai]

If the question is “what tools do practitioners have to deal with ability damage?” Then the answer is the scholar’s medical training ability.

Thinking about it, my question should have been: In a party of SoM characters, can they deal with all the challenges that a standard party of rogue, wizard, cleric, fighter could?

I noticed they had answers to most things but not ability damage, and ability damage is a pretty low level danger and I see no reason that alchemy can't have a formulae for it.

[Ssalarn]

Thinking about it, my question should have been: In a party of SoM characters, can they deal with all the challenges that a standard party of rogue, wizard, cleric, fighter could?

I noticed they had answers to most things but not ability damage, and ability damage is a pretty low level danger and I see no reason that alchemy can't have a formulae for it.

Scholars can remove ability damage. A party consisting of a blacksmith, scholar, commander, and sentinel will be able to tackle any challenge a party consisting of a rogue, wizard, cleric, and fighter can, though their solutions may look quite different.

[Kushurando]

Q487

The technician invention "Integrated Shield" makes you not lose your shield bonus if you fire your rifle

does the same rule apply to the "Integrated Weapon(Rifle)" for the shield inventions?

[netmancer]

Q488

If you are a SoM 8th level Conscript and the take a level of SoP Incanter, do your Conscript levels add to your caster level as an Incanter (for a caster level of 9), or do you have to have Advanced Magic Training before they apply in any way (for a caster level of 5)?

[Ssalarn]

Q488

If you are a SoM 8th level Conscript and the take a level of SoP Incanter, do your Conscript levels add to your caster level as an Incanter (for a caster level of 9), or do you have to have Advanced Magic Training before they apply in any way (for a caster level of 5)?

A488 Practitioner talent and level progressions are separate from caster talent and level progressions. Conscript levels typically would not count towards your caster level.

[Zsaber0]

Q489

When using the Earthlord talent can you make the area smaller than the maximum radius?

[AlienFromBeyond]

Q221: Is there anything preventing an Ordained Hunter Inquisitor from using Echoing Word when using a (word) talent from Empyreal Tongue?

Q222: On a related note, what about use of Mass Enhancement as a Whitesmith Armorist, would you be able to maintain the enhancement without concentration as long as one of the enhanced items is in your possession (as you maintain concentration for the whole set of enhancements in SoP, not on an individual basis)? If not, what if it was the initial target of the enhancement?

Q304: Does Snagging Darkness qualify for the "Being entangled impedes movement, but does not entirely prevent it unless the bonds are anchored to an immobile object or tethered by an opposing force." part of the entangled condition? It describes dark tendrils snaring anything that passes, and I'm not sure if the Strength/Escape Artist check is to be able to move at all (similar to a Tanglefoot Bag) or if it's to remove the entangled condition entirely.

Still hoping for an answer on these, though Q304 most of all because it affects an actual character I'm playing right now.

My hope yet continues for an answer on these, and I doubt a relevant dev would see them so far back in the thread at this point if I didn't bring it up again, so apologies for that.

[Sneak Dog]

Q490: Boxing sphere - Launching uppercut launches an enemy (or friend) for for bull rush + 5ft. distance. Then the last line proclaims:

For every 4 points of base attack bonus you possess, you may launch a creature 10 ft. further into the air.

Does this mean that at 4 BAB you launch someone bull rush + 15ft. distance?

Q491: Boxing sphere legendary talent - Chasing Assault has you make a high jump after someone you uppercut. Assuming you get to treat it as a running start jump somehow, it requires at least a DC 40 acrobatics check to follow them.
Anyone have suggestions on how to use this talent without combining it with the athletics sphere air stunt legendary talent or other legendary talents?

[Nyekomimi]

A486: Anthropomorphic Transformation has an option to do something similar.

Q486B: How can I use it to become humanoid with Engulf (requires Ooze or Slime form)?

[stack]

Q486B: How can I use it to become humanoid with Engulf (requires Ooze or Slime form)?

That isn't available. A shifter might be able to pull it off by using bestial traits, but no, there isn't a way to hybridize transformations in that way.

[Nyekomimi]

Q492: Can you combine Natural Enhancement and Animate Object to bloodbend enemy?

Q493: Will you do HumbleBundle with SoP/SoM books? Or base SoP/SoM + Skybourne stuff? I'd love to have entire virtual collection.

[Ssalarn]

Q493: Will you do HumbleBundle with SoP/SoM books? Or base SoP/SoM + Skybourne stuff? I'd love to have entire virtual collection.

You might look at this.