Author Topic: Fun Pathfinds  (Read 103363 times)

Offline Nanashi

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 358
  • it means "he who has no name" in a foreign tongue.
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #200 on: December 03, 2019, 07:51:24 PM »
Mongrel Mage still has to know ahead of time what he's facing that day. Sometimes this is easy, but often it's mutually exclusive (Constructs in tombs aren't rare. If you're exploring the Barrier Peaks you may find hideous plant monster in hydrophonics).

As for LoD I remind you it's also the book that introduced Drake Companions, which gives it plenty to dislike. Draconic Ally still has a pseudodragon's 2 HD with HP to match and no evasion (splat against any AoE). It has no casting or UMD, so it needs command word items, which tend to over-costed in GP and produce underleveled blast to the point if you find a useful thing for it to use it's more the item on display.


edit:
Quote
Faith Magic (Magic Tactics Toolbox pg. 3): Select one spell granted by a domain belonging to the god you worship. This spell must be at least 2 levels lower than the highest-level wizard spell you can cast. When you first prepare your spells for the day, you can prepare this spell once, using a spell slot 1 level higher than the spell’s actual level. This is cast as a divine spell.

I'm sure there's a fun use for this.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2019, 01:39:01 AM by Nanashi »

Offline Power

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ***
  • Posts: 687
  • Rolling a boulder up a hill
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #201 on: December 06, 2019, 01:20:34 PM »
Still inferior to prestige class stunts among other tricks, but it helps you round out a Wizard with spells they usually don't have. The major tricks are usually to take spells that last longer than a day. Other than that your Wizard gains access to Planar Ally, healing magics, Resurrection, Restoration, and that kind of thing, but it still arrives 4 levels later than when the Cleric would get it, and you can't get any 8th level or above spells with it. This would've been a lot more impressive if PF hadn't already doled out entirely too many ways to poach spell lists for this to be exciting. Other than that, the major question is whether you can transcribe divine spells from slots onto spellbooks for domain spells that are also on the Wizard list. As a divine spell, it wouldn't surprise me if the answer were "no" to transcribing it into an arcane spellbook, but there's no actual rule on this.

Well, I'll add a crazy item I found:
Quote
BRACERS OF CELESTIAL INTERVENTION
Price 16,000 gp; Slot wrist; CL 13th; Weight 1 lb.; Aura strong conjuration
Source Monster Summoner's Handbook pg. 20

Prayers and engravings of celestial beings cover these golden bracers. A paladin can expend one or more of her uses of smite evil into these bracers as a standard action to call forth agathions, angels, or archons to aid her. This acts as a summon monster spell of a spell level equal to the number of smite evil uses the paladin expends. Outsiders summoned with the bracers must be from the list detailed in the summon monster spell or from the expanded summon monster list on pages 28–29.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Cost 8,000 gp
Craft Wondrous Item, summon monster VII, creator must be lawful good

So whoever wrote this probably figured this would be a decent item based on the fact that Paladins only get up to 7 smite evil uses per day, letting a level 19 Paladin consume all his smite evil uses for a single Summon Monster VII that can only summon angels, archons, and agathions (which is pretty lousy and a Paladin at that level should sooner just UMD a scroll of Summon Monster IX or whatever instead of using this item, even if the casting time is 1 round). This guy probably doesn't play Paladins too much because he would otherwise have noticed that Paladin players are fond of taking Oath of Vengeance which allows them to convert 2 lay on hands uses into extra smite evil uses, without limit. With Oath of Vengeance and maybe some Extra Lay On Hands feats, it's possible for a Paladin to cast Summon Monster IX at level 7 as a standard action with this little item. A Paladin can also gain 2 extra uses of Lay on Hands per day with Bracers of the Merciful Knight and Vestments of War. The Bracers of the Merciful Knight tend to compete with Bracers of the Avenging Knight (and Bracers of Celestial Intervention, of course), but Bracers of the Avenging Knight don't give bonus smite evil uses like Bracers of the Merciful Knight do when paired with the Oath of Vengeance.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2019, 11:06:33 AM by Power »

Offline Power

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ***
  • Posts: 687
  • Rolling a boulder up a hill
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #202 on: December 12, 2019, 03:12:11 PM »
Quote
ROBE OF RUNES
Price 44,000 gp; Slot body; CL 13th; Weight 1 lb.; Aura strong transmutation
Source Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition pg. 422, Pathfinder #4: Fortress of the Stone Giants pg. 50

This robe is made of crimson silk and emblazoned with dozens of spindly Thassilonian runes, each symbolizing a different type of magical effect or syllable of power. Though favored by wizards, this robe can provide some benefit to any spellcasting creature. While worn, it grants a +4 enhancement bonus to Intelligence and allows the wearer to recall, as a free action, up to four levels of spells per day that he had prepared and then cast. Each time a spell is recalled and prepared again in this manner, the sudden rush of magical energy infuses the wearer with power. For 1 round after recalling a spell, the wearer’s spell save DCs and attack rolls made with spells gain a +2 enhancement bonus.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Cost 22,000 gp
Craft Wondrous Item, fox's cunning, limited wish
This robe gives a +2 enhancement bonus to spell DCs up to 4 times per day and is also usable by prepared divine casters. It also allows you to recall spells as a free action, so if you were to put this on a Paladin or Ranger in particular, it will give them a spike in spellcasting ability. It's probably not as good if you have a Bard casting Arcane Concordance though (which gives a free metamagic and a +1 enhancement bonus to spell DCs).

Also introduces a rules SNAFU on how the bonus skill ranks from the permanent int bonus are supposed to be handled. Pathfinder usually makes these items give retroactive skill ranks.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2019, 06:52:31 PM by Power »

Offline Nanashi

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 358
  • it means "he who has no name" in a foreign tongue.
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #203 on: December 12, 2019, 07:59:54 PM »
While looking on the official forums to see if there was any clarification on the interaction between Cracked Orange Prisim and the FAQ that broke Improved Eldritch Heritage (Arcane) for non-Sorcerers (The FAQ breaks things that add to spells known, but says nothing about adding to prepared spells) I found this post. It suggests a combo of Chasitising Baton and Lullaby to make a cantrip fairly powerful. It's a nifty combo, especially if you can find a way to concentrate while still casting spells, but the baton on its own is pretty good

Quote
This short metal rod is etched with the outlines of various weapons and is usually owned by strong-armed rulers who keep a tight rein on their nation’s military. A chastising baton adds 1 to the saving throw DC of any compulsion spell cast by the wielder and adds the pain descriptor to the spell. Creatures that succeed at a Will save against a compulsion spell cast by the wielder are racked with pain, taking 1d6 points of nonlethal damage and becoming sickened for 1 round.

Add a useful rider (sickened) and increase the save DC of spells for the low price of 5000 GP.

Offline Power

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ***
  • Posts: 687
  • Rolling a boulder up a hill
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #204 on: December 14, 2019, 01:49:11 PM »
You can also use Magical Lineage and Wayang Spellhunter traits as metamagic reducers to let you stick riders on cantrips. The Two-World Magic trait (use Curator of Mystic Secrets exemplar trait to get more than 1 magic trait) will also let you add any class's cantrip to your own class list.

Metamagics for this purpose include Blissful Spell (positive effects can be further raised with Encouraging Spell), Disruptive Spell, and Authoritative Spell (Warning: Metamagic is a wee bit broken for its no-save ability to deny enemies attacks or spellcasting). You can also use Umbral Spell to make Arcane Mark radiate darkness, Solar Spell to make the Light or Dancing Lights cantrip automatically dazzle (-1 attack) enemies in area and add a will save for oozes, fungal creatures, creatures from the Shadow Plane, and undead to avert a penalty of -2 to attack, damage, saves, skill checks, and ability checks as long as they remain in area. It gets even better if you combine it with Eclipsed Spell (0 metamagic cost) to make the light descriptor cantrips lower illumination by one step instead, although this removes the dazzled component. If your GM rules that using Eclipsed Spell makes a light descriptor spell into a darkness descriptor spell instead, then use Shadow Grasp metamagic instead of Solar Spell, letting you entangle anything in the area.
« Last Edit: December 14, 2019, 07:49:44 PM by Power »

Offline Nanashi

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 358
  • it means "he who has no name" in a foreign tongue.
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #205 on: December 24, 2019, 12:37:51 AM »
Vision of Lamashtu let's you send save or dies by dream. Aboleth's Lung is a pretty nasty one. For max cheese, you might even be able to apply a Geas which offers no save but has a long ass casting time, which is not a problem when you don't have to be on the same planet as the sleeping target.

Lipstitch blocks casting (and bite attacks, but as a fort save there's limited use for that) until the target takes a full round action to inflict damage to themselves, and even then suffer 20% spell failure and bleed till someone heals them. Here's the thing: It's a full round action to cut the thread, but they have to draw the weapon independently, taking another turn if they don't have quick draw (and given the nerf in PF, casters likely won't) or a weapon in-hand. That's two rounds before they can ever try casting spells with verbal components, and even then they take a 20% failure chance (Blindness/Deafness, by contrast, only gives a 20% failure rate, albeit at longer range).

Hag's Seasoning gives anyone who bites the target or ingests part of them temp HP equal to half your CL. Wouldn't be too interesting except the duration is permanent and there's no clause preventing the bag of cats trick from working on it. Cast it on livestock before slaughter and you can give a lot of people some temp HP. Might even be able to preserve the meat and consume jerky for temp HP.

Arcane Malignancies is a bunch of Changeling only drawbacks you can get an extra trait with. In addition to some options to penalize skills you'd never use anyways, 55–57 is pretty good. You have to spend an hour cutting your hair every 48 hours or you get penalties when outdoors. You can actually squeeze some benefit out of this by having your character change her hairstyle every day, beyond what natural growth rate would allow.

Hag covens give a bunch of spells as at-will SLAs that take a full round action from each member to use. Iron Collar of the Unbound Coven lets a character with the Coven hex (which has a few ways to get it outside of Witch) remove the need for a hag to make a coven, and anyone else can use a Shawl of the Crone to join with only GP investment. Animate Dead, Control Weather, and Reincarnate are pretty powerful when stripped of their cost and casting times, and at will Speak with Dead is a GM's nightmare.

If you want stinky cheese, dominate or simulacrum a Winter Hag (CR7 Monstrous Humanoid, Will +8) for infinite simulacrums. A parasite familiar can do the domination at level 15 onward if you can knock out a Winter Hag first. A Serpentine Bloodline Sorcerer 9/Stargazer 1 can do everything needed for this cheese if they get friends to make a coven with.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2019, 05:58:00 PM by Nanashi »

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #206 on: December 27, 2019, 05:27:53 PM »
cast Hag's Seasonings on your chicken or king crab familiar ;-)

use the Winter Hag trick with the Grand Coven ritual to increase your coven maximum to 13.

can you be a part of multiple covens?
« Last Edit: December 27, 2019, 05:30:29 PM by zook1shoe »
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline Nanashi

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 358
  • it means "he who has no name" in a foreign tongue.
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #207 on: December 27, 2019, 10:38:26 PM »
Planar Adaption can give energy resistance without the limited to acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic and doesn't end if you leave the plane in question. It's clearly usable for Positive Energy Resistance and Negative Energy Resistance for the respective energy planes, but one slightly less obvious use is casting it on the Astral Plane, which seems like it would be a source of Force Resistance. That's certainly unique, especially for something player obtainable, even with 3.5 material.

edit:
PFS traits for obsolete factions (see older organized play guides)
Quote
Eastern Mysteries:  Ever  since  you  were  a  young child,  you  have  studied  the  ancient  arcane  traditions of  several  Tian  societies,  and  those  studies  have  made your spellcasting ability difficult to resist. Once per day, you may select one single spell that you are casting that allows for a saving throw. You may increase the DC of that spell by +2.
(lots of builds want to maximize a save DC)
Quote
Hunter’s  Eye  (Andoran  Faction):  Your  parents  had you  blessed  by  Erastil  as  a  youth,  and  you  are  a  prodigy with  a  bow.  You  do  not  suffer  a  penalty  for  the  second range increment when using a longbow or shortbow, and you  are  always  considered  proficient  with  one  of  these weapons (your choice).
Quote
Weapon  Style: You gain proficiency with one weapon that has the monk special weapon quality (see page 145 of the Core Rulebook).
(Many mid-BAB classes will want a better weapon option.)
Quote
Fortified: Some members of the Shadow Lodge aren’t completely convinced of the Decemvirate’s sincerity and fear potential reprisals. Through alchemical techniques and  endurance  training,  you  gain  the  ability  to  negate a  critical  hit  or  sneak  attack  scored  against  you  once per day. This ability functions as the fortification armor special ability, with a 20% chance of success.
(could save a character's life)
Quote
Beneficent Touch: Once per day, when you cast a spell or use a class ability that heals hit point damage, reroll any 1s that appear on the dice and take the new roll (even if it is another 1).
Quote
Force for Good: Your good-aligned spells are especially powerful, and they function at +1 caster level. This trait makes  your  aura  more  powerful  (one  step  higher),  as outlined in the detect evil spell.
(Don't know which [good] spells this is good for, but the aura improvement is unique)
« Last Edit: December 28, 2019, 04:52:17 PM by Nanashi »

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #208 on: December 28, 2019, 10:44:02 PM »
some of those factions, like Andoran, were converted to a different name in the later seasons. somewhere around season 6ish

Hag's Seasoning works really well with Profession (cook), just make a bunch of cheese from the affected cow's milk.
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline Nanashi

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 358
  • it means "he who has no name" in a foreign tongue.
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #209 on: December 29, 2019, 12:03:48 AM »
Yeah, but the traits weren't included in future versions of organized play documents. They don't even appear on AoN anymore (they did in the past though). Is there anything stating they're legal for new characters of those successor factions? I only see mention of "faction missions, boons, or prestige awards" getting that.

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #210 on: December 29, 2019, 02:12:20 PM »
unless there was a FAQ or thread saying otherwise, i doubt that the older season faction traits were available.

i think there was a chronicle boon that let you choose another faction's trait.
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline Nanashi

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 358
  • it means "he who has no name" in a foreign tongue.
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #211 on: December 29, 2019, 10:25:00 PM »
Scabbard of Honing gives any weapon stored in it for a minute +1 damage on its first successful attack, with no limit per day. What really makes it is the cost: 500 GP and slotless. At higher levels there's very little reason not to not put your weapon in it, and it's pretty good for low level treasure troves (not a lot of cheaper non-expendables).

Mundanity Grease is extremely niche for its intended purpose, but it allows you to count familiars as animals (instead of magical beasts) for 1d4 minutes. I'm sure there's a way to abuse the hell out of this (no, Awakening isn't it).
« Last Edit: December 29, 2019, 10:31:50 PM by Nanashi »

Offline Keldar

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1032
  • What's this button do?
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #212 on: December 30, 2019, 08:50:32 AM »

Mundanity Grease is extremely niche for its intended purpose, but it allows you to count familiars as animals (instead of magical beasts) for 1d4 minutes. I'm sure there's a way to abuse the hell out of this (no, Awakening isn't it).
It does make the Familiar a legal target for all those killer buffs Doodads use on their Animal Companions.  A few even target multiple animals.  It doesn't even clear the raw stat bonuses from the Familiar leaving you with a smart rat with far too many hit points that doesn't detect as anything but a rat.
And would be useful in kidnapping the BBEG's goat familiar to hold hostage.

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #213 on: January 15, 2020, 02:14:01 PM »
found this magus arcana that slipped between the cracks in a Tombs of Golarion stat block.

Quote
Sacrificial Staff (Su) When wielding any magic staff
containing one or more charges, the magus can break the
staff for a retributive strike. Such an act must be purposeful
and declared by the magus, and can be performed as
a standard action. When making a retributive strike, all
charges currently in the staff are released in a 30-foot
spread. All creatures within 10 feet of the broken staff
take a number of points of damage equal to 10 times the
number of charges in the staff, those between 11 and
20 feet away take a number of points of damage equal
to 7 times the number of charges in the staff, and those
between 21 and 30 feet away take a number of points
of damage equal to 5 times the number of charges in
the staff. All affected targets can attempt a Reflex saving
throw to halve the damage (DC = 1/2 the magus’s level
+ her Intelligence modifier). If the broken staff contains
a spell that deals acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage,
the damage dealt by the retributive strike is also of this
energy type (if more than one energy type is present in
the staff, the magus can choose which the retributive
strike deals). A staff containing no spells that deal energy
damage instead deals an amount of force damage equal
to half the normal amount of damage. Prior to breaking
the staff, the magus can spend 1 or more points from her
arcane pool as a swift action to recharge the staff up to its
maximum number of charges. The magus must be at least
12th level before selecting this arcana.
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline Keldar

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1032
  • What's this button do?
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #214 on: January 17, 2020, 12:52:24 AM »
Spending an arcana on destroying magic items for moderate damage doesn't seem very fun to me.  Pathfinder staves are rechargeable, blowing one up is a waste.

Though if a DM lets you get away with decoupling the recharge clause to fill a staff with one pool point, that does sound fun.   

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #215 on: January 17, 2020, 03:28:26 AM »
Broken =/= destroyed

Quote from: Core 566
Broken: Items that have taken damage in excess of half their total hit points gain the broken condition, meaning they are less effective at their designated task. The broken condition has the following effects, depending upon the item.

    If the item is a weapon, any attacks made with the item suffer a –2 penalty on attack and damage rolls. Such weapons only score a critical hit on a natural 20 and only deal ×2 damage on a confirmed critical hit.
    If the item is a suit of armor or a shield, the bonus it grants to AC is halved, rounding down. Broken armor doubles its armor check penalty on skills.
    If the item is a tool needed for a skill, any skill check made with the item takes a –2 penalty.
    If the item is a wand or staff, it uses up twice as many charges when used.
    If the item does not fit into any of these categories, the broken condition has no effect on its use. Items with the broken condition, regardless of type, are worth 75% of their normal value. If the item is magical, it can only be repaired with a mending or make whole spell cast by a character with a caster level equal to or higher than the item’s. Items lose the broken condition if the spell restores the object to half its original hit points or higher. Non-magical items can be repaired in a similar fashion, or through the Craft skill used to create it. Generally speaking, this requires a DC 20 Craft check and 1 hour of work per point of damage to be repaired. Most craftsmen charge one-tenth the item’s total cost to repair such damage (more if the item is badly damaged or ruined).
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline Nanashi

  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 358
  • it means "he who has no name" in a foreign tongue.
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #216 on: January 17, 2020, 11:11:02 AM »
As far as I can tell the magus himself is damaged by that arcana ("All creatures"). Greensting Slayer gives Evasion and Improved Evasion though loss of Arcane Pool weapon boosts hurts.

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #217 on: January 17, 2020, 02:40:02 PM »
oh yeah, it'd hurt.... a lot

i was just pointing out that the staff is still usable afterwards, and easily repaired.

Amulet of Grasping Souls + Ghost Syrup = a really annoying gunslinger or disarmer/stealer
« Last Edit: January 18, 2020, 02:19:26 PM by zook1shoe »
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground

Offline Keldar

  • Legendary Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1032
  • What's this button do?
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #218 on: January 19, 2020, 04:07:32 AM »
Broken =/= destroyed

Quote from: Core 566
Broken: Items that have taken damage in excess of half their total hit points gain the broken condition, meaning they are less effective at their designated task. The broken condition has the following effects, depending upon the item.

    If the item is a weapon, any attacks made with the item suffer a –2 penalty on attack and damage rolls. Such weapons only score a critical hit on a natural 20 and only deal ×2 damage on a confirmed critical hit.
    If the item is a suit of armor or a shield, the bonus it grants to AC is halved, rounding down. Broken armor doubles its armor check penalty on skills.
    If the item is a tool needed for a skill, any skill check made with the item takes a –2 penalty.
    If the item is a wand or staff, it uses up twice as many charges when used.
    If the item does not fit into any of these categories, the broken condition has no effect on its use. Items with the broken condition, regardless of type, are worth 75% of their normal value. If the item is magical, it can only be repaired with a mending or make whole spell cast by a character with a caster level equal to or higher than the item’s. Items lose the broken condition if the spell restores the object to half its original hit points or higher. Non-magical items can be repaired in a similar fashion, or through the Craft skill used to create it. Generally speaking, this requires a DC 20 Craft check and 1 hour of work per point of damage to be repaired. Most craftsmen charge one-tenth the item’s total cost to repair such damage (more if the item is badly damaged or ruined).
Forgot Pathfinder did that.  :blush

Offline zook1shoe

  • DnD Handbook Writer
  • ****
  • Posts: 4930
  • Feeling the Bern
    • View Profile
Re: Fun Pathfinds
« Reply #219 on: January 21, 2020, 12:27:56 PM »
Dissolution is the first spell I've seen in 3.P to deal 1d0 damage.

Maybe even the first anything to do 1d0 damage?

Quote
If the location no longer has room for the item, the item takes 1d0 points of damage (bypassing hardness) and is teleported to the nearest location that has room for it.
add me on Steam- zook1shoe
- All Spells
- playground