Drop Dead Studios Ask Me Anything #3

[Khajios]

Q205 the recent nature apoc book added the talent Deep Nature.

When you spend a spell point to make a geomancing ability last for 1 round per caster level without concentration, it lasts for 1 minute per caster level instead. When you spend a spell point to make a (spirit) talent last for 1 minute per caster level without concentration, it lasts for 10 minutes per caster level instead.

Was this intended to work with abilities like Speak with Animals, which costs a spell point to last one minute per caster level, but does not allow concentration?

[Mehangel]

Q205 the recent nature apoc book added the talent Deep Nature.

When you spend a spell point to make a geomancing ability last for 1 round per caster level without concentration, it lasts for 1 minute per caster level instead. When you spend a spell point to make a (spirit) talent last for 1 minute per caster level without concentration, it lasts for 10 minutes per caster level instead.

Was this intended to work with abilities like Speak with Animals, which costs a spell point to last one minute per caster level, but does not allow concentration?

A205 Yes. Any (spirit) talent that costs a spell point and a duration of 1 minute per CL should be affected by Deep Nature to have its duration increased to 10 minutes per CL. This does mean that other (spirit) talents may be unaffected by Deep Nature, such as Naturesight and Rejuvenation (which have a duration of concentration or 1 round per level w/ 1 sp).

In short, the second sentence of Deep Nature should instead read: When you use a (spirit) talent or ability with a duration of 1 minute per CL, it lasts for 10 minutes per CL instead.

[Skaia]

Q 206

In regards to the life sphere and some of its interactions. When you use the Channel Life feat is it supposed to apply with any life sphere talent in general? I ask mostly because of, what I'm assuming, its interactions between some of the advanced talents are and how you could theoretically apply something like Transfiguration or Hyper Vitalize to your entire party for a significantly lower spell point cost (and in Transfiguration's case action cost.)

Thank you.

[A.J.Gibson]

Q 206

In regards to the life sphere and some of its interactions. When you use the Channel Life feat is it supposed to apply with any life sphere talent in general? I ask mostly because of, what I'm assuming, its interactions between some of the advanced talents are and how you could theoretically apply something like Transfiguration or Hyper Vitalize to your entire party for a significantly lower spell point cost (and in Transfiguration's case action cost.)

Thank you.

A206 So you can use any Life sphere ability that can be used by itself and have it affect everyone impacted by your channel energy, but it has to be something that can be used by itself. Things like Adrenaline Surge won't work, because it says 'when you use a Life sphere ability' which this is not. The idea behind the feat is to give some sort of synergy to the (sphere) cleric, which has channel energy and a bunch of Life talents on top of that. It's weird having two ways to heal.

Also: "You must spend a spell point in addition to the normal cost of the ability...", so you get no cost savings from this feat; the Channel Energy just saves you the spell point from using mass heal and saves you an action in combat.

[mrguymiah]

Q207 - Can a Snare Trap be used in mid-air/on a flying creature? And, if it changes the outcome at all; I'm talking hundreds of feet in the air, away from any structure they could conceivably hang from. They're using Trap Wielder to do it mid fight. I'm tempted to tell my player no, but there's nothing _against_ it in the normal rulings. For now, I'm going to roll with the fluff of simply tying a really good rope tightly around their neck.

[NecroTechno]

Q 208 - Is there a feat in SoP that allows you to trade in hitpoints or points of Constitution for a return of spellpoints? I have an idea for an item in the Gears of Magic supplement, but I am lacking a few parts to make it work.

[stack]

Q 208 - Is there a feat in SoP that allows you to trade in hitpoints or points of Constitution for a return of spellpoints? I have an idea for an item in the Gears of Magic supplement, but I am lacking a few parts to make it work.

A208: Soulfire in the Destroyer's handbook.

Spoiler: Soulfire

Show

Prerequisites: Destruction sphere, 5th caster level or higher

Benefit: You may accept 2 or more points of Constitution burn as a free action. Doing so grants 1 temporary spell point per 2 points of burn that expires at the end of your turn. Half the damage of any destructive blast these temporary spell points are spent on becomes untyped damage and the blast bypasses spell resistance. The number of spell points granted per 2 points of burn increases by +1 every ten character levels. You cannot use this ability if doing so would reduce your constitution to 0.

Indirectly, you could take Shift Cost and Blood Dampening from wild magic, but that adds a step.

[Slavezero]

if you use Material Focus ice/bone/whatever do you think it would be ok to have it increase in hardness and hp/in. of thickness as you gain higher caster level to simulate your familiarity with creating the material and ability to use magic to reinforce what you make?

[stack]

Q210:

if you use Material Focus ice/bone/whatever do you think it would be ok to have it increase in hardness and hp/in. of thickness as you gain higher caster level to simulate your familiarity with creating the material and ability to use magic to reinforce what you make?

A210: No. The drawback includes accepting the lower strength of the material. Stone and other strong materials automatically spend the extra talent on expanded materials (as I recall, been awhile since I looked). You could not take the drawback and describe the stronger materials as your thematic choice, but mechanical benefits have mechanical costs.

[N. Jolly]

entirely possible these have been asked before in the old SoM thread but.

Q193: Would monk's robe affect the damage of an unarmed sphere user? It makes your unarmed damage count as higher level monk, or monk of lvl 5 if you're not one. If not, would it be possible to make some manner of item that would accomplish similar damage increasing effect for unarmed sphere user. This would if nothing else, allow unarmed users to splash into other spheres a little without lowering their expected damage results.

Q194: When you're using the open hand axe kick talent and get 1.5 str modifier to damage, do you use standard power attack damage (2 per -1) or the (3 per -1) one that you'd use for any other attack that deals 1.5 strength modifier damage.

Q195: If you use dual wielding sphere in conjuction with unarmed strikes with striker, does your rapid pummel attack receive total of -2 penalty or -4 penalty. (-4 and -6 with the advanced pummeling you get later on as option).

(also I don't think my previous questions Q45 and 46 were ever answered)

A193: I would say it's reasonable for it to count as having 4 unarmed talents.

A194: Standard still, we don't want the damage getting too high.

A195: I'm going to say -2 here.

[Skaia]

Q: 211

Question about the Guardian Sphere and the Punishment talent.

Spoiler: Punishment

Show

When you deal damage to a creature while you have damage in your delayed damage pool, you may spend an immediate action to expend your martial focus and deal damage equal to your delayed damage pool to the target creature. If you possess the Cold Iron Call or Durable talents, you may also inflict any effects you are postponing with those abilities. If the effect allowed a save, the target may make a save immediately at the original DC.

A successful Fortitude save reduces the amount of damage transferred by half and negates the transfer of any effects.

I bolded the two words because I'm not sure if the talent is just supposed to have the statuses on you also apply to the enemy, (inflicted) or if they are also taken off of you (transferred.)

Thank you.

[AlienFromBeyond]

Q212: Is Channel Resolve a choice you make for the entire channel, or per target affected? I believe it's the former, but wanted to make sure.

[A.J.Gibson]

Q212: Is Channel Resolve a choice you make for the entire channel, or per target affected? I believe it's the former, but wanted to make sure.

A212: It's all or nothing.

[RedMop]

Q212: Is Channel Resolve a choice you make for the entire channel, or per target affected? I believe it's the former, but wanted to make sure.

Selective Channel is a thing.

[Minion #6]

Q213: Can you expend and regain martial focus with the same action? Say with Trash Talker, a boast talent and Self Confidence?

(Sorry if this has been answered but my searches didn't turn up anything)

[AlienFromBeyond]

Selective Channel is a thing.

That does something different entirely, removing targets completely from the channel, when I was asking to see if it's possible to have Resolve happen for certain targets and regular channel on others. Which as the author said is not doable, rip my idea but oh well would have been OP probably.

[Galacktic]

So, I'm curious - are there any rules for continuing Spheres of Might progression with prestige classes? The rule I was looking at adopting for my games was BAB based - full BAB got full progression, 3/4 got medium progression, and 1/2 got low progression.

[Endency]

Q-214

The Mageknight Archetype- Marshal Controller can spend a spell point to empty out his Delay Damage Pool as a swift action. The guardian talent Durable lets you delay a list of status conditions, and you use the HD of the creature who inflicted it to determine how much space of your Delay Pool it takes up. Are you able to empty the pool of damage from a status conditions? And if so does it also remove the status condition?

[stack]

Q: 211

Question about the Guardian Sphere and the Punishment talent.

Spoiler: Punishment

Show

When you deal damage to a creature while you have damage in your delayed damage pool, you may spend an immediate action to expend your martial focus and deal damage equal to your delayed damage pool to the target creature. If you possess the Cold Iron Call or Durable talents, you may also inflict any effects you are postponing with those abilities. If the effect allowed a save, the target may make a save immediately at the original DC.

A successful Fortitude save reduces the amount of damage transferred by half and negates the transfer of any effects.

I bolded the two words because I'm not sure if the talent is just supposed to have the statuses on you also apply to the enemy, (inflicted) or if they are also taken off of you (transferred.)

Thank you.

A211: Inflicted; the "transfer" in the later part is a vestige of the original version that was deemed too powerful.

Q213: Can you expend and regain martial focus with the same action? Say with Trash Talker, a boast talent and Self Confidence?

(Sorry if this has been answered but my searches didn't turn up anything)

A213: I don't think there are too many times this is an issue; I will tentatively say it is fine.

So, I'm curious - are there any rules for continuing Spheres of Might progression with prestige classes? The rule I was looking at adopting for my games was BAB based - full BAB got full progression, 3/4 got medium progression, and 1/2 got low progression.

Each class would really need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to see what would be suitable and what trades would need to be made. I would not want to make a general ruling; some prestige classes are stronger than others, so weak ones could get a fair number of talents without issue.

[master4sword]

If you have temporary hit points every turn from Berserker and a delayed damage pool from Guardian, is it intended to be able to take the delayed damage to your temporary hit points (thus being able to let attacks hit your temporary hp twice, and making you completely immune to damage if the damage is lower than your level plus three from a single foe?) I feel like it probably isn't, since delayed damage pool states that it bypasses things like DR and resistances, but I figured I'd better ask.

[Mehangel]

If you have temporary hit points every turn from Berserker and a delayed damage pool from Guardian, is it intended to be able to take the delayed damage to your temporary hit points (thus being able to let attacks hit your temporary hp twice, and making you completely immune to damage if the damage is lower than your level plus three from a single foe?) I feel like it probably isn't, since delayed damage pool states that it bypasses things like DR and resistances, but I figured I'd better ask.

I am not a Dev for SoM, but I am fairly confident that it is intentional, because it is what makes playing a tank viable and is mentioned in a couple guides for SoM.

[stack]

Q214:

If you have temporary hit points every turn from Berserker and a delayed damage pool from Guardian, is it intended to be able to take the delayed damage to your temporary hit points (thus being able to let attacks hit your temporary hp twice, and making you completely immune to damage if the damage is lower than your level plus three from a single foe?) I feel like it probably isn't, since delayed damage pool states that it bypasses things like DR and resistances, but I figured I'd better ask.

A214: It is intentional. The delayed damage pool does not bypass THP. Note that berserker THP is not a huge amount baseline (you can get more when you down enemies if you have the right talent) and a guardian/berserker wants to get hit (and not die) to do his job. Challenge and gaining the THP both reduce AC and challenge actively encourages enemies to attack you, so you need some help (and this is fairly modest help baseline) staying up.

[Endency]

Q-214

The Mageknight Archetype- Marshal Controller can spend a spell point to empty out his Delay Damage Pool as a swift action. The guardian talent Durable lets you delay a list of status conditions, and you use the HD of the creature who inflicted it to determine how much space of your Delay Pool it takes up. Are you able to empty the pool of damage from a status conditions? And if so does it also remove the status condition?

Q215*

Bumping. Think I got skipped on accident

[A.J.Gibson]

Q215*

Bumping. Think I got skipped on accident

A215 Wow, no one caught this interaction. I'm going to pawn this off on the others, because the correct answer should be: whatever happens if you use magic to overheal and reduce the damage count in your pool, since that is what this is.

So let me ask everyone: if I use Cure from the Life sphere to completely heal myself and then heal damage from my delay damage ability, can it remove conditions placed in there by Durable? If the answer is yes, then the Never Defeated ability can as well.

[AlienFromBeyond]

Q216: Spheres of Power: Expanded Options added a generic FCB for archetyped classes in cases where the FCB grants spells known (such as many human FCBs), but what about ones that grant a caster level bonus to spells of a specific descriptor or school (or even other non-standard FCBs)? For example, the Vanara Witch, Dhampir Wizard, or Aquatic Elf Arcanist FCBs. Many SoP talents do not have an explicitly stated descriptor (though my understanding is that any appropriate ones should be there implicitly such as [fire] for a destructive blast dealing fire damage), but it gets real murky with the vancian magic school specific bonuses. I'm just wondering what I can come to my GM with that's reasonable enough, as caster level bonuses are very potent within the SoP system.

[Funinyourgame]

Hello
I've been running a few game as GM and started the Wizard academy campaign as my first SoP GMing. So far, everything is working fine, some stuff are more complicated (namely the Creation sphere balance and Weather sphere balance (Both can deal a huge amount of damage for very little cost)) but in general, the encounters are working fine and we are having fun.

The main problem I've encounter and i can't fix myself is the loot. So I've been using the usual random item generator from Pathfinder SRD and Archives of Nethys to get random items when needed.
My problem is, I want to give some SoP items to the players as random loot, but since its more oriented toward Crafting/Buying/Selling items with rules to make it more balance, I can't use any random generator or substitute without adding an extra layer of GM rulings/time consuming work.

Q217: Is there any plan on adding a magic item generator or some easy guide to follow when generating random loot?

[Kitsuneymg]

Sorry if these have been asked, but I haven't seen a compilation of all questions.

Q 218

How long at what precipitation levels does it take to get someone "wet" enough to Freeze them without using Create Water? Is "wet" slightly damp? A hot day + sweating? Or it is sodden? How long after becoming wet does it take under normal conditions to be no longer wet enough to Freeze?

Q 219

Was Freeze meant to scale down logarithmically? It currently says to halve the thickness of the ice for each additional medium-equivalent creature, and that a large creature is 2 mediums, a huge creature is 2 larges, etc. Meaning a huge creature is 4 mediums and that that you divide the thickness in half 3 times for 1/8th normal. A Gargantuan creature would be 8 mediums and divide the thickness in half seven times (1/128), and a colossal would be 16 mediums and divide the ice in half 15 times (1/32768). Was the intention to divide it evenly by the number of equivalent medium characters?

Q 220

From what I can tell, Alchemy formula are just thrown splash weapons (except for fuse grenade, which is a standard action to use.) Meaning that, with quickdraw or similar abilities, you can full attack + haste + rapid shot + two-weapon fight with them, allowing you to, for example, toss 8 improved alchemist flasks at +11 bab with the right feat selection. It seems you can also barrage or sniper sphere with them. In addition, it seems you can vital strike with these items as well. How much of this is intended and/or actually a rule?

[stack]

Q215*

Bumping. Think I got skipped on accident

A215 Wow, no one caught this interaction. I'm going to pawn this off on the others, because the correct answer should be: whatever happens if you use magic to overheal and reduce the damage count in your pool, since that is what this is.

So let me ask everyone: if I use Cure from the Life sphere to completely heal myself and then heal damage from my delay damage ability, can it remove conditions placed in there by Durable? If the answer is yes, then the Never Defeated ability can as well.

More A215:Removing any delayed conditions requires an effect that removes those conditions. They cannot be removed by healing hit points.

[RedMop]

Q 220

From what I can tell, Alchemy formula are just thrown splash weapons (except for fuse grenade, which is a standard action to use.) Meaning that, with quickdraw or similar abilities, you can full attack + haste + rapid shot + two-weapon fight with them, allowing you to, for example, toss 8 improved alchemist flasks at +11 bab with the right feat selection. It seems you can also barrage or sniper sphere with them. In addition, it seems you can vital strike with these items as well. How much of this is intended and/or actually a rule?

FYI Quick Draw cannot be used with Alchemical Items

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/comba...-combat-final/

Benefit: You can draw a weapon as a free action instead of as a move action. You can draw a hidden weapon (see the Sleight of Hand skill) as a move action.

A character who has selected this feat may throw weapons at his full normal rate of attacks (much like a character with a bow).

Alchemical items, potions, scrolls, and wands cannot be drawn quickly using this feat.

Fast Draw from the Equipment Sphere, however, can.

http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/eq...t-sphere#toc11

[Mehangel]

Q 220

From what I can tell, Alchemy formula are just thrown splash weapons (except for fuse grenade, which is a standard action to use.) Meaning that, with quickdraw or similar abilities, you can full attack + haste + rapid shot + two-weapon fight with them, allowing you to, for example, toss 8 improved alchemist flasks at +11 bab with the right feat selection. It seems you can also barrage or sniper sphere with them. In addition, it seems you can vital strike with these items as well. How much of this is intended and/or actually a rule?

I am not a Dev for SoM, but I just wanted to point out that the Quickdraw feat explicitly excludes alchemical items, so you would have to use something else (such as the Fast Draw talent from the Equipment sphere). Just a heads up.