Drop Dead Studios Ask Me Anything #3

[kkplx]

Q411

If you attack a barrier created by the protection sphere:
- What's its ac?
- Can you crit it?
- Does it take nonlethal damage?
- Can you Sneak attack/Precision damage it? If yes, under what conditions?
- Can it catch fire or take lingering acid damage?
- Can you use spells that specify a creature as their target to deal damage, such as Magic Missile or Horrid Wilting? (more relevant if you mix SOP & Classic PF/3.5)
- If a spell allows a save, does it automatically fail?
- Does it take damage from shadow creations? If yes, is it full or automatically the minimum?

[kkplx]

Q412
If you're blinded while on patrol, do you still provide benefits and debuffs like iron wall or steel hedge within your threatened area?
As far as I could find on PFSRD, being blinded doesn't stop you from threatening area, it only states that opponents that have total concealment do not provoke AoOs (which does not technically deny you your patrol effects)

Q413
If you're blinded, can you still defend other, even though you can neither see the ally within reach nor the attack you are blocking? Nothing in the talent seems to forbid using the ability.

[EldritchWeaver]

Q410: The Sage Ki Blast esotery states:



It seems like the intent here is that the Ki Blast can't be affected by Blast Shape abilities, but is it able to be affected by Destruction talents that aren't part of the Blast Shape and Blast Type subtypes? For example, could I threaten with a Ki Blast with Energetic Response or increase my damage with Focused Blast?

A410:

By RAW, those without a descriptor aren't a blast type and not applicable. If this is intended, needs to be answered by an author.

[Triskavanski]

Q414

What weapon category is the fishing tackle and 10-foot pole?

[Ssalarn]

Q414

What weapon category is the fishing tackle and 10-foot pole?

A414 Pole arms.
There was some discussion about the fishing tackle counting as a flail as well.

[Nyekomimi]

Q 415

What happens when same person has Bound Creature boon and Material Weakness Conjuration drawback?

[Adam Meyers]

Bound creatures aren't extraplanar, so they can’t be dismissed.

Bound creature use conjuration to crib mechanics, but isn't really a companion, so they are unaffected by conjuration drawbacks nor gain conjuration bonuses.

[stack]

Q395 with the amorphous creature form talent. Does changing its base form allow for a change in archetype too? Changing from say an orb to a biped would cause a 3 point drop in intelligence and would seem less useful for a mage companion.

Q396 Are the changes to base form always the same when they change shape? likedoes each base form.count as a specific shape and appearance it will take when changing to it everytime or is it possible to use it as a sort of disguise? Changing from biped to biped but to a different appearance so as to not be recognized?

Q397 if a conjured companion has the magical companion/mage archetype and the companion concentration feat, can the companion choose to spend one of its spell points to power the effect without concentration if it's currently the one concentrating?

A395: No, it does not include changing archetypes.
A396: Each base form would be consistent each time it was taken and generally look like a re-shaped version of the riginal form. If you want to change appearance, Transformative gives that capability.
A397: No, the origin of the effect is still the caster, the companion is just maintaining it. The companion can't do anything beyond supplying concentration.

Q404: The wrestler sphere takes a lot of swift actions, both slam and snag do. This makes it combine very poorly with the gladiator specialisation for the conscript, because performance combat takes swift actions or victory points to make checks. This, in turn, saddened me after I started bringing together these things in a professional wrestler conscript.

Was this intentional, or a sad confluence of unrelated mechanics?

A404: Boasts also usually take an immediate, which is hard on swift-heavy builds. There are only so many actions available and some combinations get bottle-necked.

Q412
If you're blinded while on patrol, do you still provide benefits and debuffs like iron wall or steel hedge within your threatened area?
As far as I could find on PFSRD, being blinded doesn't stop you from threatening area, it only states that opponents that have total concealment do not provoke AoOs (which does not technically deny you your patrol effects)

Q413
If you're blinded, can you still defend other, even though you can neither see the ally within reach nor the attack you are blocking? Nothing in the talent seems to forbid using the ability.

A412: As written, the effects still apply, but there probably should be an exclusion for creatures you are not aware of. Tagging for possible errata.
A413: As with the previous, I think you should have to be aware of the attacking creature even though RAW lacks that requirement.

[Nyekomimi]

Bound creatures aren't extraplanar, so they can’t be dismissed.

Bound creature use conjuration to crib mechanics, but isn't really a companion, so they are unaffected by conjuration drawbacks nor gain conjuration bonuses.

Q416

What do you mean by "nor gain conjuration bonuses"? You can't give it more (form) talents and such aside of initial one?

[rs2excelsior]

Q417: This is probably quite obvious and I expect I know the answer, but I wanted to make sure. The special attack actions granted by various base spheres in Spheres of Might cannot be combined, correct? For example, a character who has both the Fencing sphere and Duelist sphere, granting the Fatal Thrust and Blooded Strike actions respectively, has to choose whether to deal the precision damage or the bleed damage with a single attack, right?

[stack]

Q417: This is probably quite obvious and I expect I know the answer, but I wanted to make sure. The special attack actions granted by various base spheres in Spheres of Might cannot be combined, correct? For example, a character who has both the Fencing sphere and Duelist sphere, granting the Fatal Thrust and Blooded Strike actions respectively, has to choose whether to deal the precision damage or the bleed damage with a single attack, right?

A417: Statement is correct, example is not. Neither bloodied strike nor fatal thrust are special attack actions.

Special attack actions are attack actions, so benefit from things that apply to attack actions. The 'special' part simply means that your can't combine them with other 'special' attack actions (so no deadly shot on a brutal strike with a thrown weapon).

A special attack action represents a unique method of making an attack. These special attack actions are granted by certain spheres and talents, and whenever a creature makes an attack action, they may choose to perform a special attack action they know, assuming they meet that special attack action’s requirements. A special attack action can be augmented by feats and talents just as if it were any other attack action, but a creature cannot perform more than one special attack action at a time. (Thus, if a character trained in both the Barrage sphere and the Sniper sphere makes an attack action, they may choose to perform a barrage or a deadly shot, but not both.)

[rs2excelsior]

Hmm, I hadn't noticed the distinction that some spheres specified "as an attack" or "as a special attack." So against a target that was successfully feinted, you could get the precision damage from the Fencing sphere and the bleed damage from the Duelist sphere?

So does that mean that a full attack can also gain benefits like Blooded Strike or Fatal Thrust on each attack roll? Or does the specification "attack action" instead of "full attack action" mean they can't trigger on full attacks? (Q418, I suppose)

[Ssalarn]

Hmm, I hadn't noticed the distinction that some spheres specified "as an attack" or "as a special attack." So against a target that was successfully feinted, you could get the precision damage from the Fencing sphere and the bleed damage from the Duelist sphere?

So does that mean that a full attack can also gain benefits like Blooded Strike or Fatal Thrust on each attack roll? Or does the specification "attack action" instead of "full attack action" mean they can't trigger on full attacks? (Q418, I suppose)

Attack action is a core term that we also define for quick reference at the beginning of SoM. It refers to the default action you take when you make an attack as a standard action (this is the same action that Vital Strike can be applied to), and is not compatible with abilities that require their own standard action to perform (like Cleave).

[rs2excelsior]

Alright, thanks to both of you! I'm playing my first character who makes use of SoM extensively, still getting some things about the system down.

[Polymorph]

Q418: When a Magonian tradition Hedgewitch spends an attunement point and meets the requirement for crew with a siege engine that way, does it effectively become fully automated? What happens there if it doesn't? Thinking of making a Magonian with a battle bus as their potential main form of combat.

Edit: Thinking about it, I guess it'd work exactly like magical automation from Skybourne works, now that I've read that part of vehicle creation. Which leads me to a new question.

Q419:Does automating a siege engine automate reloading, and how does that change the action(s) required by the pilot if it does?

[CasualViking]

Q420: Can Alchemical Dragon (the Barroom talent) be used with an Alchemist's Bombs, and which action would it require?

[Nyekomimi]

Q 421

How much ammo does bow for Battle Form creature spawn with?

Q 422

Can Battle Form creature pick ammo as weapon? If yes, is it same amount of ammo as normal bundle?

Q 423

If options up here are both "yes", how often does Bound Creature (one that doesn't get resummoned) restock ammo?

[Oulana]

Q424 how does Call the Departed work with the Bound Creature boon? Do you just like resurrect it with normal casting cost and it keeps its negative level for the 30 days it would take to replace it or something else

Q245 if your companion had the Martial Companion archetype but not the warrior, can it still trade in the material prpficiencies for a tradition of you buy the battle creature talent later?

[Slavezero]

Q426: what happens if you make a Technician's detonator a grand invention? do you get unlimited free detonator's or what?

[Nyekomimi]

Q 427: What musical instrument does Blaster Armorist's arm cannon count as for purpose of Perform for Blaster Armorist with Skilled Casting drawback?

[Makiru]

Had some questions regarding Protection that came up in my last session, as well as a general musing.

Q428
Can the walls made by Greater Barrier be laid flat horizontal, so long as the placement follows the rules presented in the talent?

Q428 B: If you can place a wall barrier flat, can it then be stood on, or would it still adhere to the ruling earlier in the thread of "no"?

Q429: At one point, I used a combination of Distant Protection and Selective Barrier to form a single square barrier around an enemy that allowed all attacks and effects in, but no attacks or movement out. I immediately realized this should probably allow a save, but none was given. Should this combination allow a save, what kind if so, and is it even possible in the first place?

Q430: Reading through the thread made me think about the Brute sphere and how nothing actually seems to trigger of its shove ability. Am I missing something or is that by design?

[inuyasha]

Q431: If I am creating a weapon that, for example, is a +2 Axiomatic Longsword that will grant the effects of a Fate-sphere talent three times per day, does the additional wondrous-item ability have to have the same caster level as the weapon enchantments?

[stack]

Q424 how does Call the Departed work with the Bound Creature boon? Do you just like resurrect it with normal casting cost and it keeps its negative level for the 30 days it would take to replace it or something else

Q245 if your companion had the Martial Companion archetype but not the warrior, can it still trade in the material prpficiencies for a tradition of you buy the battle creature talent later?

A424: It doesn't. The bound companion is not an extraplanar creature you summon. Call the Departed doesn't apply. Bound companion cribs conjuration mechanics for scaling and ease of adding abilities, but it is not a conjuration companion.

A425: As GM, I would probably allow it, but as the rules are written I don't believe it would be allowed by a strict reading.

Q 427: What musical instrument does Blaster Armorist's arm cannon count as for purpose of Perform for Blaster Armorist with Skilled Casting drawback?

A427: Kazoo.

More seriously, none. It isn't a musical instrument.

Q430: Reading through the thread made me think about the Brute sphere and how nothing actually seems to trigger of its shove ability. Am I missing something or is that by design?

A430: Shove is primarily an enabler, allowing you to apply battered and avoid AOOs for your maneuvers.

[Manyasone]

Q348: how would you devs decide skill choice with spheres classes concerning consolidated skills?

Can you clarify the question?

I think this got lost in walls of text

I am planning to use the Consolidated skills option in my games from PF Unchained and I was wondering if I should find equivalent classes in Paizo-material and use those skill lists for Spheres classes if they match-up.
I was wondering on thoughts of you devs concerning this

[Oulana]

Q431 just to be sure I understand the mage companion archetype right. It does not gain any talent progression by default, just a caster level based on mid-caster progression and still needs to purchase spheres and talents with feats like the base magical companion (form) talent, correct?

Q432 since the companion from bound creature boon isn't extraplanar, would it be appropriate to change its knowledge (planes) class skill to a knowledge more appropriate to the chosen type?

[Adam Meyers]

@Nyekomimi: It can gain form talents, yeah: what I'm saying is that it's not an extraplanar so there will be times when Conjuration mechanics simply don't apply.

Q418: When a Magonian tradition Hedgewitch spends an attunement point and meets the requirement for crew with a siege engine that way, does it effectively become fully automated? What happens there if it doesn't? Thinking of making a Magonian with a battle bus as their potential main form of combat.

A418: That sounds awesome. Yes; the atunement works like magical automation.

Edit: Thinking about it, I guess it'd work exactly like magical automation from Skybourne works, now that I've read that part of vehicle creation. Which leads me to a new question.

Q419:Does automating a siege engine automate reloading, and how does that change the action(s) required by the pilot if it does?

A419: Yeah, if it's automated it automatically reloads; it requires no action on behalf of the pilot, but he still has to wait the minimum time between shots.

Q420: Can Alchemical Dragon (the Barroom talent) be used with an Alchemist's Bombs, and which action would it require?

A:420: RAW I don't think it can; alchemist bombs are very specific about the 'you make them and throw them as a standard action', and they become innert if not used in the round of creation.

That being said, as a GM I'd have no problem allowing a player to mix the two; they create, drink, and spray the contents as a standard action, using the bomb as normal but in a cone instead of a thrown splash weapon.

Q 421: How much ammo does bow for Battle Form creature spawn with?

A:421 Pathfinder standard is 50 pieces.

Q 422: Can Battle Form creature pick ammo as weapon? If yes, is it same amount of ammo as normal bundle?

A:422 If you want him to come bearing 'only' ammo instead of a bow AND ammo, as a GM I would have no problem saying he could come with 100 instead of 50, but such is not RAW.

Q 423: If options up here are both "yes", how often does Bound Creature (one that doesn't get resummoned) restock ammo?

A:423 When you rest to regain spell points and the summon would regain hit points.

Q426: what happens if you make a Technician's detonator a grand invention? do you get unlimited free detonator's or what?

A:426 No; if you spend an improvement to gain 'Permanent Gadget', then you could make 3 detonators with it per day, +3 for every additional improvement spent on Permanent Gadget.

Q428: Can the walls made by Greater Barrier be laid flat horizontal, so long as the placement follows the rules presented in the talent?

A:428 I suppose if you can do it with a wall of force you can do it with a greater barrier, and wall of force can be made horizontal, yeah.

Q428 B: If you can place a wall barrier flat, can it then be stood on, or would it still adhere to the ruling earlier in the thread of "no"?

A:428 B It's hard to make 'official' rulings for this, as A. we can't cover all situations, and B. there's so much history behind the game to pull from. The last ruling given on barriers back in this very thread even says there's no clear answer except 'GM call'. I just did a search for Wall of Force and it has a long history of being used to make cubes and bridges in some previous editions (in which case, yes, it can be stood on), so if that's how you want to run it, sounds fine to me.

Q429: At one point, I used a combination of Distant Protection and Selective Barrier to form a single square barrier around an enemy that allowed all attacks and effects in, but no attacks or movement out. I immediately realized this should probably allow a save, but none was given. Should this combination allow a save, what kind if so, and is it even possible in the first place?

A:429 If you are encasing someone in a trap, I'd default to the rules given for this situation from Creation; Reflex save to escape as its being formed. I don't think there's a RAW problem with using a barrier that way, but as a GM I wouldn't be afraid to make rulings if that was being used as a game-breaking exploit (or make sure that my enemies used that combo too so it was a valid tactic everyone had to plan around instead of a game-ender).

[Adam Meyers]

I think this got lost in walls of text

I am planning to use the Consolidated skills option in my games from PF Unchained and I was wondering if I should find equivalent classes in Paizo-material and use those skill lists for Spheres classes if they match-up.
I was wondering on thoughts of you devs concerning this

We have no official ruling in that regard, so whatever you think would best fit.

Q431 just to be sure I understand the mage companion archetype right. It does not gain any talent progression by default, just a caster level based on mid-caster progression and still needs to purchase spheres and talents with feats like the base magical companion (form) talent, correct?

A431: Yes.

Q432 since the companion from bound creature boon isn't extraplanar, would it be appropriate to change its knowledge (planes) class skill to a knowledge more appropriate to the chosen type?

A432: I see no problem with that.

[Sho]

Q433: After playing Hedgewitch for some time, I have re-read one of the core abilities of the Charlatanism Hedgewitch Tradition. It bears a similarity to the Sudden Strike class feature from Ninja in D&D 3.5e; this means that it does not trigger on Flanking a creature.

As well, the Guile point spent for the ability as a swift action translates only to a singular attack gaining the Sneak Attack extra damage dice.

Is this correct, or was there an error in writing up the class on the wiki website? It seems backwards on a familiar class feature which is best utilized in a multiple attack routine against a cornered or unsuspecting target and instead mirrors a class ability which was often frowned on during its initial conception in 3.5e. I realize this is a statement coming late as I was not an avid participant or player with the system until now, but it seems wanting in its usage.

[Skaia]

Q: 434

When you bull rush someone and use the Drop talent, does it allow you to force them the full distance of their bull rush into the ground instead of away from you?

[Nyekomimi]

Q435: What classifies as "at least 1 hand unoccupied"? Nothing in said hand at all, or could it be wand/staff shaped like small object? Would wearing gauntlet (be it mundane, enchanted as staff or enchanted as weapon) interfere with it? Would wearing a buckler interfere?

Q436: Can buckler be staff?