Drop Dead Studios Ask Me Anything #3

[AncientSpark]

Not a developer, but, Dervish of Dawn (aka Dawnflower Dervish) Battle Dance feature specifies it only affects Inspire Courage, Inspire Greatness, and Inspire Heroics, so I'd hazard to guess that no it wouldn't affect Fools Play.

It actually doesn't say that, which is why I'm confused. The line about Inspire Courage/Greatness/Heroics is:

When a dervish of dawn uses the inspire courage, inspire greatness, or inspire heroics bardic performance types as battle dances, these performance types only provide benefit to the dervish himself.

It doesn't say anything about the double bonuses anywhere in that line or how the double bonuses are limited to those three performances. The double bonus line is:

This works like bardic performance, except that the performances grant double their normal bonuses, but these bonuses only affect him.

That's it; the wording seems to specifically apply to bardic performance, not the three performances mentioned, which is why I'm not sure on the RAI for Knave.

A611: I would say that the archetypes aren't even compatible. DD effectively replaces bardic performance with an extremely similar ability.

Wait, why? Any of the other bardic performances are left alone, regardless, so DD modifying Bardic Performance should have no effect on compatibility unless Knave specifically affects Bardic Performance class feature. Unless this means DD is just straight not compatible with any archetype that exchanges one song for another by treating Bardic Performance and ALL songs as one class feature, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone say that this was the intention and would lead to all sorts of weird archetype problems.

It might just be an issue where Dawnflower Dervish is poorly written, alas.

[Biolink22]

Wait, why? Any of the other bardic performances are left alone, regardless, so DD modifying Bardic Performance should have no effect on compatibility unless Knave specifically affects Bardic Performance class feature. Unless this means DD is just straight not compatible with any archetype that exchanges one song for another by treating Bardic Performance and ALL songs as one class feature, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone say that this was the intention and would lead to all sorts of weird archetype problems.

It might just be an issue where Dawnflower Dervish is poorly written, alas.

1. You missed the all important qualifier line

All other types of bardic performance work normally (affecting the bard and his allies, or the bard’s enemies, as appropriate).

2. Also Knave replaces Inspire Heroics so it wouldn't be compatible anyway.

[A.J.Gibson]

It actually doesn't say that, which is why I'm confused. The line about Inspire Courage/Greatness/Heroics is:



It doesn't say anything about the double bonuses anywhere in that line or how the double bonuses are limited to those three performances. The double bonus line is:



That's it; the wording seems to specifically apply to bardic performance, not the three performances mentioned, which is why I'm not sure on the RAI for Knave.



Wait, why? Any of the other bardic performances are left alone, regardless, so DD modifying Bardic Performance should have no effect on compatibility unless Knave specifically affects Bardic Performance class feature. Unless this means DD is just straight not compatible with any archetype that exchanges one song for another by treating Bardic Performance and ALL songs as one class feature, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone say that this was the intention and would lead to all sorts of weird archetype problems.

It might just be an issue where Dawnflower Dervish is poorly written, alas.

DD's ability is not a bardic performance, it modifies bardic performance as a whole, causing it to work differently.

It's hard to read RAW when they are badly written; DD should have replaced the performances it modifies directly, instead of adding a blanket doubling rule. From RAI, I would say DD is meant to modify those performances, and really shouldn't just be applied to any performance.

[Genth]

Q613

What does the Synesthesia talent from the Illusion Sphere err, do? I don't really get what the point of the talent is.

[CasualViking]

Q614: Does the Lattice Weaver ability allow you to trivially repair a Greater Barrier?

[Mehangel]

Q613
What does the Synesthesia talent from the Illusion Sphere err, do? I don't really get what the point of the talent is.

A613: It let's you as a trick gain a complex or exotic sense that you can fool with your illusions for 1 round, although you will be dazed for the duration.

For example, if you have both the Illusionary Oder and Illusionary Sound, you can gain the effects of Blindsense.

[A.J.Gibson]

Q614: Does the Lattice Weaver ability allow you to trivially repair a Greater Barrier?

A614: Yes.

[viperwolf306]

Q615
I’m confused on what an aegis customization is.
Here’s the thing I was reading
“A crystal angel with the protection sphere instead gains the armored aegis talent. By spending a full-round action to cast a special version of the armored aegis talent they also gain the effects of the stalwart aegis customization.....”

[Ssalarn]

Q615
I’m confused on what an aegis customization is.
Here’s the thing I was reading
“A crystal angel with the protection sphere instead gains the armored aegis talent. By spending a full-round action to cast a special version of the armored aegis talent they also gain the effects of the stalwart aegis customization.....”

Aegis customizations are a feature of the aegis class. You might want to direct this question and others related to City of 7 Seraphs to the Lost Spheres FAQ thread.

[Astrama]

**Q616**

The feat ‘Dark Comedy’ triggers when using an ability from either mind or dark spheres which applies the fascinated condition. However I cannot see an ability in either sphere that uses this condition on the Wiki. Is there something I’m missing here?

[Mehangel]

**Q616**

The feat ‘Dark Comedy’ triggers when using an ability from either mind or dark spheres which applies the fascinated condition. However I cannot see an ability in either sphere that uses this condition on the Wiki. Is there something I’m missing here?

It appears that there is currently no Dark or Mind sphere abilities that inflict the fascinated condition. However, I suppose such could be spellcrafted. Ofcourse, until such a time as the Dark or Mind spheres gain talents that inflict such a condition, the feat looks like it can still find use from bards.

[Calodine]

Q617

How does Singularity from the Guardian sphere interact with the Overwatch feat?

[DigitalAngel]

Q618

When spellcrafting with SoP, and you add a second sphere, do you have to pay for every talent you apply to the sphere, or only the ones beyond what would normally be applied automatically?

For example, if you added Enhance as an extra sphere, would you need to pay to use Physical Enhancement? What about Dual Enhancement?

[Llyarden]

Q619: What happens if you have the Virtuoso boon along with the Magical Signs drawback (or similar drawbacks that state that whenever you cast magic something obvious happens, like Centre of Power, or Obvious Enhancements)?

[Feliaria]

Q620: The Wraith class' eponymous ability makes them Incorporeal with certain changes. It does not say whether they keep or lose their Strength score while Incorporeal? I'm aware while Possessing something you use the Strength score of the thing you're possessing, but what if you're just in Wraith Form?

[LuminousWarrior]

Q621: How does Sneak Attack interact with Fatal Thrust? Specifically, can they be stacked?

[Ssalarn]

Q621: How does Sneak Attack interact with Fatal Thrust? Specifically, can they be stacked?

A621: They're both attack riders. As long as the conditions for each is met, they can both stack on the same attack.

[stack]

Q620: The Wraith class' eponymous ability makes them Incorporeal with certain changes. It does not say whether they keep or lose their Strength score while Incorporeal? I'm aware while Possessing something you use the Strength score of the thing you're possessing, but what if you're just in Wraith Form?

A620: Wraiths in wraith form do nor have a strength score (which seems like needless complexity in the incorporeality rules, but that's 3.PF for you).

[Llyarden]

Q622: A wild magic question:

Any saves required by the wild magic result should be rolled before the result is revealed.

What does this...mean? The only way this line makes any sense I can see is if the DM rolls secretly for the wild magic result and just tells the affected character(s) what save they need to make before actually narrating the effect, but that's not how wild magic works as far as I can see.

[stack]

Q622: A wild magic question:



What does this...mean? The only way this line makes any sense I can see is if the DM rolls secretly for the wild magic result and just tells the affected character(s) what save they need to make before actually narrating the effect, but that's not how wild magic works as far as I can see.

A622: That may be an artifact; in earlier drafts, this was intended to prevent choosing to fail a save against a beneficial result, but I don't know that it is needed. Should be safe to disregard.

[stack]

Q617

How does Singularity from the Guardian sphere interact with the Overwatch feat?

A617?: I assume you treat the center of the covering fire area as the point things are drawn toward, but I did not write the ranged apocrypha.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Q623: How should Quicken Spell interact with effects that allow the caster to increase casting time by one step, assuming using the latter would not make the sphere ability take longer than a Full-Round Action? Do the action type changes get added together, changing what is normally a Standard to a Move (+1-2)?

[Zsaber0]

Q624

The weather sphere has a ton of stuff that I can't seem to find reference too anywhere in the sphere itself or in the pathfinder rule set. For example the higher levels of precipitation reference "Flash floods" and "Great Floods", do these actually have in game rules or are they meant to be interpreted by the GM on a case by case basis?

[EldritchWeaver]

I'm collecting feedback for Ultimate Spheres of Power in this document. If you have any proposals or comments, feel free to add it there, but don't forget your name (or nick) to attribute it. If you aren't sure where to add it best, feel free to PM me instead.

[Feliaria]

Q625:

The Wraith Form ability from the Wraith class says that "The wraith retains all worn equipment not exceeding his maximum load as well as the benefits from any magic items that grant a continuous effect, but gains no benefit from physical armor or shields.", emphasis mine.
How does this affect enchantments on a piece of armor? So say the Wraith was wearing a suit of +1 Deathless armor, would they lose the effects of the Deathless quality while incorporeal (i.e., Negative/Positive Energy Resist 10 and 25% resistance to negative levels)?

[stack]

Q623: How should Quicken Spell interact with effects that allow the caster to increase casting time by one step, assuming using the latter would not make the sphere ability take longer than a Full-Round Action? Do the action type changes get added together, changing what is normally a Standard to a Move (+1-2)?

A623: Sum the step changes, so a quickened (-2) maximized (+1 for metamagic) destructive blast would be a move action.

Q625:

The Wraith Form ability from the Wraith class says that "The wraith retains all worn equipment not exceeding his maximum load as well as the benefits from any magic items that grant a continuous effect, but gains no benefit from physical armor or shields.", emphasis mine.
How does this affect enchantments on a piece of armor? So say the Wraith was wearing a suit of +1 Deathless armor, would they lose the effects of the Deathless quality while incorporeal (i.e., Negative/Positive Energy Resist 10 and 25% resistance to negative levels)?

A625: Intent is that you gain no AC bonus. Non-AC effects probably should be allowed.

[TheFamilarRaven]

Q626: Just a quick question. Suppose a creature has a built in natural attack, (such as claws), that are not gained from any Alteration talent or other class feature etc. If they use the Additional Limbs talent to gain an extra pair of arms, do those arms come with claws? Or, if a creature has a bite attack and gets an extra head, do they have two bite attacks?

As a follow up, if the answer is yes; If the natural attack is considered primary (such as in the case of claws or bite), are the extra attacks considered primary as well?

[stack]

Q626: Just a quick question. Suppose a creature has a built in natural attack, (such as claws), that are not gained from any Alteration talent or other class feature etc. If they use the Additional Limbs talent to gain an extra pair of arms, do those arms come with claws? Or, if a creature has a bite attack and gets an extra head, do they have two bite attacks?

As a follow up, if the answer is yes; If the natural attack is considered primary (such as in the case of claws or bite), are the extra attacks considered primary as well?

A626: No freebies. If you add a limb, you have to pay to add attacks to it normally regardless of what limb/weapon combos the creature has initially.

[TheFamilarRaven]

Q627 Another quick question. Does the Size Change alteration talent change the target creature's equipment to match the new category?

[inuyasha]

Q627 Another quick question. Does the Size Change alteration talent change the target creature's equipment to match the new category?

A627
Yes! It was apparently added to the wiki recently