Drop Dead Studios Ask Me Anything #3

[freduncio]

Q667 What happens when a troubador possessed by a Wraith change personas?
One friend of mine has this theory: Since wraith's possession looks more like a mental possession (hence the mind-affecting tag), the effect is tied to the target psyche. And as troubador's personas are actually another "person" (since they escape divinations and what-not), the wraith possession is linked to the current persona. So, if they change persona, my friend suggested give the wraith another chance to possess the new persona or be expeled (or try to take active control and interrupt the change).
Ideas?

[kkplx]

Q668

Is the design team aware of the flaw of spellcrafting as it currently exist best being used to

• extend normally short effect by adding it to a longer duration base sphere
• use the spellcrafting for "budget" quicken spell (1SP, 1 time increase to cast 2 spells in 1 round)
• Create AoE versions of otherwise single target abilities

which effectively all make "staple" metamagic feats utterly pointless? Your quicken is less than half the price, your extend is at least 5x as effective (10x vs 2x duration increase), your AoE is unlimited (war sphere Aura as opposed to "1 per 2 cl").
Was this simply accepted as a potential outcome of an otherwise well intentioned feat & option, or was it overlooked until after print?

[stack]

Q668

Is the design team aware of the flaw of spellcrafting as it currently exist best being used to

• extend normally short effect by adding it to a longer duration base sphere
• use the spellcrafting for "budget" quicken spell (1SP, 1 time increase to cast 2 spells in 1 round)
• Create AoE versions of otherwise single target abilities

which effectively all make "staple" metamagic feats utterly pointless? Your quicken is less than half the price, your extend is at least 5x as effective (10x vs 2x duration increase), your AoE is unlimited (war sphere Aura as opposed to "1 per 2 cl").
Was this simply accepted as a potential outcome of an otherwise well intentioned feat & option, or was it overlooked until after print?

They are guidelines and require explicit GM permission.

[Irindel]

Q669

United Heritage (Ex): Whenever the dual-blooded sorcerer uses the 1st level ability granted by either of his bloodlines, he may use the 1st level ability granted by the other bloodline as a free action once that turn, provided that ability can be used as a standard action. If both abilities require an attack roll, he may trigger the second ability in response to the first ability hitting, and have both effects hit the same target, provided it is within range. If the first ability gives the dual-blooded sorcerer an attack ability (such as claws), then one strike that round may trigger a use of their second bloodline ability.

Does the United Heritage for Dual Blooded Sorcerer Archetype require the First Bloodline Power that's the trigger, to be the standard action. Or the ability that's used as a free action, needs to be normally used as a standard action?

[A.J.Gibson]

Q669

Does the United Heritage for Dual Blooded Sorcerer Archetype require the First Bloodline Power that's the trigger, to be the standard action. Or the ability that's used as a free action, needs to be normally used as a standard action?

A669: When you use one of your 1st level bloodline powers, you can use the other one as a free action that same turn. The only limitation is that the free bloodline power can't require more than a standard to use.

[Genth]

Q670 - Is there a feat or advanced talent or anything that allows you to apply two different Enhancements from different talents at the same time? Say I want to enhance a weapon with Deadly Weapon AND Energy Weapon with the same action?

[Sascja]

Q671 - I can use the Fount of Life hit points with Mass Healing? If yes, I can apply the secondary effect of Heal talent as Restore Composure or a Vitality talents?

Q672 - A Sage - Ki blaster must acquire Destruction Sphere to get non blast type talents?

[Thirdtwin]

Q673: Okay, just to make sure I'm not missing anything that says otherwise: when you apply a form to a target with an Alteration sphere effect, the target's ability scores don't change, right? (barring something in the form's text that contradicts that explicitly, like Elemental Transformation)

[stack]

Q673: Okay, just to make sure I'm not missing anything that says otherwise: when you apply a form to a target with an Alteration sphere effect, the target's ability scores don't change, right? (barring something in the form's text that contradicts that explicitly, like Elemental Transformation)

A673: Correct. There are no inherent stat changes beyond what is listed in the talents.

[Llyarden]

Q674: Is using Endure Pain mandatory if you have it? If you have Ferocity (or Deathless, Diehard, Deathless Challenge, etc), taking nonlethal damage is often much worse than normal damage, because none of those abilities let you stay conscious while having more nonlethal damage than hitpoints as far as I'm aware.

[viperwolf306]

Q675
So I was looking at the Advanced Alteration talent Transform Object and it says this:
“You may spend a spell point to target objects with your shapeshift. You may not apply Blank Form to an object.”
I just curious behind the decision to not allow blank forms.

[Cinosarge]

Q672a - I will take advantage of the former question (Q672), to clarify something that for me is still pretty unclear. The description of the Ki Blast states:

This counts as the destructive blast ability from the Destruction sphere and may be modified by talents with the (blast type) descriptor.

The restriction to talents with (blast type) descriptor means that a Sage cannot modify the blast with a talent from the Destruction sphere that has no descriptor or it just means that she cannot use (blast shape) talents?

Ex: Can a Sage apply Extended Range or Greater Blast to her ki blast, or it is forbidden due to the restriction to (blast type) talents?

Thank you so much for your clarifications

[Mcdt2]

Q670 - Is there a feat or advanced talent or anything that allows you to apply two different Enhancements from different talents at the same time? Say I want to enhance a weapon with Deadly Weapon AND Energy Weapon with the same action?

Not explicitly, but Spellcrafting should accomplish this for +1 Complexity, if I read this section right.

Sometimes, you may wish to add the effects of a talent independent of adding a base sphere ability. This could include adding multiple (blast type) talents to a destructive blast, applying a (light) talent to a geomancing ability, or applying a talent like Group Charm to a destructive blast to allow it to affect multiple individual targets. In each of these cases, the spell gains 1 complexity, and any spell points required by the talent are added to the spell’s spell point cost.

[Ssalarn]

Q672a - I will take advantage of the former question (Q672), to clarify something that for me is still pretty unclear. The description of the Ki Blast states:

This counts as the destructive blast ability from the Destruction sphere and may be modified by talents with the (blast type) descriptor.

The restriction to talents with (blast type) descriptor means that a Sage cannot modify the blast with a talent from the Destruction sphere that has no descriptor or it just means that she cannot use (blast shape) talents?

Ex: Can a Sage apply Extended Range or Greater Blast to her ki blast, or it is forbidden due to the restriction to (blast type) talents?

Thank you so much for your clarifications

Just a heads up that this question isn't being ignored. The champions team is discussing a couple possible Ultimate SoP updates that could change the answer, so we're working on settling those. We'll have a finalized answer as soon as we finish that discussion.

[CactusAir]

Q676 So, it's been stated that critical genius cannot stack with any other effect that improves your crit range. Is this also true for Barroom Expert and Dagger Bravo?

[Sascja]

Q677 Reposition attempt from Stand Still talent (guardian sphere) can trigger manhandle talents? Or combat maneuvers that you perform with an AoO are considered free action?

Q678 Inspired Sequence bonus damage of Prodigy may be added to Shove?

[DigitalAngel]

Bumping this once, because there never was an answer =(

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?

[CactusAir]

Q679 The brute sphere shove says you can move "up to half your speed" does that include zero? Can i shove from within my space?

For that matter, it doesn't specify a straight line like charge does so could i move one square away then back and shove if the above is not allowed?

[Sascja]

Q679 The brute sphere shove says you can move "up to half your speed" does that include zero? Can i shove from within my space?

For that matter, it doesn't specify a straight line like charge does so could i move one square away then back and shove if the above is not allowed?

Q679a
if the answer is yes and you choose not to move, can you take a 5 foot step?
Or is the movement considered to be made?

[SwordChucks]

Q680

Can the Death sphere talent Corpse Manipulation's second use, decomposing the flesh off a corpse and leaving a perfectly clean skeleton, be used to quickly butcher an animal or is the meat spoiled by this use?

[stack]

Q679 The brute sphere shove says you can move "up to half your speed" does that include zero? Can i shove from within my space?

For that matter, it doesn't specify a straight line like charge does so could i move one square away then back and shove if the above is not allowed?

Q679a
if the answer is yes and you choose not to move, can you take a 5 foot step?
Or is the movement considered to be made?

A679: may move. Optional. Not required for the rest of the effect.

If you don't move, then you didn't move.

[Llyarden]

Q681: The Famine Spirit shifter archetype gets the grab ability on its bite and swallow whole; as it levels up it can swallow whole progressively larger creatures...but the size of creatures it can affect with its grab ability doesn't improve alongside it. Is that a mistake, or is the idea that we actually have to invest in Improved Grapple (or Wrestling) if we want to swallow whole creatures bigger than we are?

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Q682: Could someone explain the Trinity Knight's class feature progression to me? As I'm reading it, you gain class features from your three classes as listed, then also progress PoW initiating, mind blade, or SoM proficiency. So is Aligned Class not meant to progress those features or is the prestige class somehow improving my initiating independently of my virtual Warlord level?

[Mcdt2]

Q682: Could someone explain the Trinity Knight's class feature progression to me? As I'm reading it, you gain class features from your three classes as listed, then also progress PoW initiating, mind blade, or SoM proficiency. So is Aligned Class not meant to progress those features or is the prestige class somehow improving my initiating independently of my virtual Warlord level?

Trinity Knight was published by Lost Spheres Publishing, not Drop Dead Studios. You're more likely to receive an answer in their own thread: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...Publishing-FAQ

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Trinity Knight was published by Lost Spheres Publishing, not Drop Dead Studios. You're more likely to receive an answer in their own thread: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...Publishing-FAQ

Oof, got my spheres crossed.

[Galacktic]

Oof, got my spheres crossed.

I've been attempting to ask about Trinity Knight for a while. No luck yet.

[Cinosarge]

Just a heads up that this question isn't being ignored. The champions team is discussing a couple possible Ultimate SoP updates that could change the answer, so we're working on settling those. We'll have a finalized answer as soon as we finish that discussion.

Perfect, thank you so much! I'm looking forward to reading Ultimate

I will take advantage and drop some more questions

Q683: When using the Stand Still talent from the Guardian sphere, can the target of the reposition attempt be moved as normal for a reposition attempt or should she be left in the square where the attack of opportunity/reposition attempt is triggered?

Q684: Can The Mageknight's mystic combat ability such as Arcane Strike, Enchanted Touch or Imbued Weapon be applied to the Destructive Blade of Doomblade? Or is it not considered as a weapon for this end?

Q685: Lastly, I have a clarification to ask about Brute's Shove ability according to Stack's A679. Does your answer mean that I can take a 5foot step if I use the Shove ability without any further movement, but not if I use it moving up to half my speed?

[stack]

Perfect, thank you so much! I'm looking forward to reading Ultimate

I will take advantage and drop some more questions

Q683: When using the Stand Still talent from the Guardian sphere, can the target of the reposition attempt be moved as normal for a reposition attempt or should she be left in the square where the attack of opportunity/reposition attempt is triggered?

Q684: Can The Mageknight's mystic combat ability such as Arcane Strike, Enchanted Touch or Imbued Weapon be applied to the Destructive Blade of Doomblade? Or is it not considered as a weapon for this end?

Q685: Lastly, I have a clarification to ask about Brute's Shove ability according to Stack's A679. Does your answer mean that I can take a 5foot step if I use the Shove ability without any further movement, but not if I use it moving up to half my speed?

A683: Left in the square, no additional movement. It is a reposition so you can benefit from things that boost reposition attempts; a generic CMB check is harder to get bonuses for.

A685: The destructive blade is not technically a weapon, so those mystic combats don't apply.

A685: If you don't move, then you aren't moving with a move action. "You can move 5 feet in any round when you don’t perform any other kind of movement." If you don't move as part of the shove (or some other action during the round) you can 5-foot step.

[Cinosarge]

Thank you so much, Stack. You saved my group's next session!

[Sascja]

A683: Left in the square, no additional movement. It is a reposition so you can benefit from things that boost reposition attempts; a generic CMB check is harder to get bonuses for.

You think that this reposition attempts can trigger manhandle talents? (Q677)