Simple RAW for Pathfinder Thread VI: Return of the Red Die

[Psyren]

A144: It now counts as heavy armor and therefore the DR would increase to 3/-.

(This will save you -1 armor check penalty vs. the otherwise identical Adamantine Field Plate. However, if you don't care about ACP, you can do Adamantine Banded Mail instead and save 1000 gp.)

[Lord of Shadows]

Q145: When creating a wand for a spell that only has a Somantic component, does the wand still require a Command Word? Is there a way to create a Somantic activated wand?

Thanks

[Psyren]

A145: As written, all wands require "a single word that must be spoken" regardless of what components the original spell has (or doesn't have.) You might be able to convince your GM however that the volume of that word doesn't have to be the same as the volume of a verbal component.

[Lord of Shadows]

Q146: Curious about the synergy within a weapon with both the Defending and Furyborn special abilities. Can the increasing enhancement bonus granted by Furyborn be transferred to AC? The text indicates that the Furyborn enhancement increase occurs as soon as damage is done to an enemy and becomes part of the weapon's bonus, while the decision of how much enhancement to convert to AC with Defending is a free action at the start of your turn.

Thanks

[upho]

A146: This isn't made entirely clear in the rules, but the arguably most strict reading of the furyborn RAW does say the increased enhancement bonus is only added specifically to attacks (my emphasis):

"Each time the wielder damages an opponent with the weapon, its enhancement bonus increases by +1 when making attacks against that opponent"

And this would also be in line with the most logical conclusion that can be drawn from the mechanical benefit and fluff description of furyborn. That is, the ability increases the deadlines of attacks made with the weapon against one specific opponent at a time, and there are no implications in the description or logic which suggests furyborn provides any other benefits at any other times or for any other purposes.

IIRC, all other weapon abilities providing temporary enhancement increases (such as furious) would work fine with defending though.

[Lord of Shadows]

A146: This isn't made entirely clear in the rules, but the arguably most strict reading of the furyborn RAW does say the increased enhancement bonus is only added specifically to attacks (my emphasis):

"Each time the wielder damages an opponent with the weapon, its enhancement bonus increases by +1 when making attacks against that opponent"

OK, and only attacks against that specific opponent. Also, "This extra enhancement bonus goes away if the opponent dies, the wielder uses the weapon to attack a different creature, or 1 hour passes."

And this would also be in line with the most logical conclusion that can be drawn from the mechanical benefit and fluff description of furyborn. That is, the ability increases the deadliness of attacks made with the weapon against one specific opponent at a time, and there are no implications in the description or logic which suggests furyborn provides any other benefits at any other times or for any other purposes.

IIRC, all other weapon abilities providing temporary enhancement increases (such as furious) would work fine with defending though.

Yes, that makes sense. If it were worded something like,"The weapon's enhancement bonus increases by +1 each time the wielder damages a specific opponent with the weapon (to a maximum total enhancement bonus of +5)" then a perhaps better argument could be made for any other synergy. As written, though, it seems not.

Thanks.

[Rusvul]

Q147: Does fighting with two claw attacks count as "wielding a weapon in each hand"?

Q148: Is there any reason a humanoid with talon attacks wouldn't be able to use them while standing (rather than flying)?

[Psyren]

A147 clarification: Need a bit more information on what you're specifically trying to do. Claws leave your hands free for some things but are incompatible with others.

A148: While I'm uncertain which humanoids get talon attacks, using them without flying isn't a problem - Deinonychuses and Wereraptors do it all the time for example.

[upho]

A147: Yes.

(Note however that the phrase "wielding a weapon in each hand" is not the same as "while two-weapon fighting" or similar, but rather (paraphrasing):"while performing an action involving the rules for two-weapon fighting and/or the Two-Weapon Fighting feat" . Such phrases therefore never refer to natural attacks, regardless of how many are simultaneously wielded or which limbs they're associated with. Likewise, a natural attack can be a primary or secondary attack, but never a "main weapon", "primary weapon", "off-hand weapon" or similar, as such terms can only be applied to weapons potentially affected by the two-weapon fighting rules; manufactured weapons and unarmed strikes. For example, the Twin Thunders feat's benefit applies to hits "with your off-hand weapon after you hit with your primary weapon" which excludes hits with natural weapons per default.)

A148: Unless otherwise noted in the specific ability which grants the talon attacks, their use isn't affected by standing on the ground - or by anything else - to any greater or lesser extent than any other common type of natural attack is per default.

EDIT: Ouch! Stop ninja-ing me, Psyren! /EDIT

[Rusvul]

Q147 clarification: The feature I'm unsure about is the Dervish Defender archetype's Two-Weapon Defense feature. Does rules text exist that clarifies whether or not natural weapons (specifically, claws) are or can be "wielded in a hand"?

[upho]

A147 clarification: Natural weapons are considered light weapons unless otherwise noted. So RAW, the two-weapon defense feature is indeed compatible with being armed solely with a pair of claws or simply having the Improved Unarmed Strike feat (which means you're treated as "armed").

FYI, the benefits of the Dervish Defender's Two-Weapon Fighting bonus feat, shield of blades and grace of blades features only apply while wielding the appropriate manufactured weapons and/or unarmed strikes held in your hands. So strictly according to the RAW, you could actually get the shield of blades benefit while fighting with your claws if you wield nothing besides your claws in your hands (which means you are also considered to be wielding unarmed strikes) or a pair of gauntlets or similar weapons which leave your hands free. Doing so won't help you benefit from Two-Weapon Fighting or grace of blades though.

[Aotrs Commander]

Q149: Pathfinder Psionics

The elemental blast feat (for Wilers) says it changes the blast element deals damage of "your active element type."

What is an active element type (as it doesn't immediately appear to be anything in the Wilder's class features, nor could I find anything in the main psionics rules that appeared to say anything about it - though I might juts have missed it)?

[Psyren]

A149: (Quick aside: are you learning PF psionics from the SRD or from the book? Judging from your questions in other threads I think it might be the former; I find when you're learning a new system, shelling out for the book (even in PDF) does help, because the authors structure the foundational learnings in a much more logical way than a website tends to do. Alternatively - while it's quite old at this point, my very own PF Psionics vs. 3.5 Psionics handbook might help with identifying some of these systemic changes too.)

Active Energy type is described in the general psionic rules here, under "Energy Powers." To summarize, PF Psionics nerfed the psionic powers that let you choose the type of energy damage they deal, like Energy Ray; you can still change the energy type, but you don't get to freely swap every single time you manifest the power any more - rather, you have to swap your entire character over to a single energy type, and every one of these powers that you manifest uses that chosen type until you change it again. The common way for manifesters to swap their energy type is by regaining their psionic focus, which means a full-round action (or a move action if you have Psionic Meditation, and why wouldn't you), but some manifesters can do this in other ways - most notably, the Wilder can change it whenever they Wild Surge, and the Kineticist Psion can change it freely just like 3.5 Psions of any discipline could.

Full text is here:

Energy Powers: Many psionic powers deal damage of a certain type of energy, with cold, electricity, fire, and sonic being the most common. For powers that have the choice of cold, electricity, fire, and sonic, the manifester must choose after he regains his psionic power points for the day which of these four energy types is his active energy. The manifester may choose to change which energy is his active energy by gaining psionic focus. If he is currently maintaining psionic focus, he may expend it as a free action and then gain psionic focus normally to choose a new energy type. The manifester need not maintain psionic focus to have an active energy type. Wilders may change their active energy type when performing a wild surge. Kineticists are exempt from this restriction and may freely choose the energy type at the time the power is manifest, so long as it is within the choices allowed by the power. He could not, for example, choose fire as his energy type when manifesting concussion blast, as the power does not allow a choice in energy types.

In the case of the elemental blast feat, it basically takes that mechanic for energy powers and applies it to your surge blast.

[Aotrs Commander]

A149: (Quick aside: are you learning PF psionics from the SRD or from the book? Judging from your questions in other threads I think it might be the former; I find when you're learning a new system, shelling out for the book (even in PDF) does help, because the authors structure the foundational learnings in a much more logical way than a website tends to do. Alternatively - while it's quite old at this point, my very own PF Psionics vs. 3.5 Psionics handbook might help with identifying some of these systemic changes too.)

Active Energy type is described in the general psionic rules here, under "Energy Powers." To summarize, PF Psionics nerfed the psionic powers that let you choose the type of energy damage they deal, like Energy Ray; you can still change the energy type, but you don't get to freely swap every single time you manifest the power any more - rather, you have to swap your entire character over to a single energy type, and every one of these powers that you manifest uses that chosen type until you change it again. The common way for manifesters to swap their energy type is by regaining their psionic focus, which means a full-round action (or a move action if you have Psionic Meditation, and why wouldn't you), but some manifesters can do this in other ways - most notably, the Wilder can change it whenever they Wild Surge, and the Kineticist Psion can change it freely just like 3.5 Psions of any discipline could.

Full text is here:



In the case of the elemental blast feat, it basically takes that mechanic for energy powers and applies it to your surge blast.

Ta. I thought it might be something like that from context, and I even looked at that specific page and failed to find it. (Must have been searching for "element" and not "energy.")

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Q 150: Can the Spiritualist's Phantom use Aid Another on its master while confined to their consciousness?

[upho]

A 150: No, all the benefits your phantom provides while confined to your consciousness are detailed in the associated features. None of those say your phantom has its own actions to begin with while confined to your consciousness. (The features would've needed to include an explicit exception, saying something along the lines of the zealot's compartmentalized aid.)

[Fenryr]

Q151

https://aonprd.com/MagicWeaponsDispl...emName=Dueling
+
https://www.aonprd.com/MagicWondrous...hty%20Strikes1

Would you get Dueling bonuses with Unarmed Strike?

[Cieyrin]

A 151 Yes and no, as while you can your fists up to be 'drawn', I don't think you could possibly have an unarmed strike in hand, so the initiative bonus will likely never happen. The bonuses to disarm and feint are valid, though, again, a bonus to resist disarming attempts is moot against your unarmed strike.

[inuyasha]

Q152: If a creature has innate spellcasting replicating an arcane class (not SLAs, but innate sorcerer or bard casting or something) is it subject to Arcane Spell Failure from armor?

[upho]

A 152: Yes, because ASF chance from armor affects arcane spellcasting per default. So in order for an innate arcane spellcasting ability to be exempted, it would've had to say something along the lines of: "as [arcane caster class], except without arcane spell failure chance from wearing armor".

[Aotrs Commander]

Q153: Reading the alchemists syringe stirge abiity, I'm not sure how it works.

If it ends its turn attached to an opponent, it injects your bomb into the opponent’s bloodstream, dealing damage as a direct hit plus the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier (as the Throw Anything feat—this injection is a direct attack and doesn’t deal splash damage.

I'm confuiesd by the "(as the Throw Anything feat—" section, as that a) is an unclosed parenthesis and b) that doesn't seem to have any bearing. I am reading it correctly, then that syringe stirge is essentially an automatic direct damage hit?

[upho]

A 153: Yes, the parenthesis is just (poorly) referring to how a direct hit works with Alchemist's bombs thrown with the Throw Anything feat, trying to say that the same damage is dealt by the Syringe Stirge's injection and that there's no splash damage.

[Psyren]

A153: Throw Anything is the feature that lets an Alchemist add their Intelligence to damage. The parenthetical is just saying you get to add your Int to damage with the stirge just like the feature lets you with normal bombs. It also means that if you have anything that modifies that feature, the stirge's damage could be affected too, though examples of that escape me currently.

[Aotrs Commander]

Q153A Right got it - it wasn't until later I realsed that the problem is it's not really referring to the FEAT so much as the alchemist CLASS FEATURE (with the same name) that gives you the bonus feat (when I read something of one of the archtypes). So I correctly concluded that it does deal automatic damage then, yes (I.e. not attack roll needed?)


Edit: A153A Nevermind, funny what re-looking at it after a night's rest and that confusiion out of the way; it says in the paragraph before"attempts to deliver each round" and talks about the damage dealt when attached (i.e. via the stirge's special ability), so no, it is not automatic.

[Psyren]

This might be my lack of coffee but I couldn't parse any of that, so glad you figured it out!

[Draconi Redfir]

Q154: Any idea if there's something similar to "Deflect Arrows", but lets you stop projectiles or bolts aimed at a nearby ally?

@V Thanks! Not sure i'll be able to take it since it requires the Weapon Training class feature. But hey, good to know it exists!

@VV Ohh! Verry interesting! Don't have any feats set yet, so i may need to consider that!

[TheFamilarRaven]

A154 Cut from the Air does exactly what you're describing. With the exception that you must spend an AoO and win an opposed attack roll.

[Cieyrin]

Q154: Any idea if there's something similar to "Deflect Arrows", but lets you stop projectiles or bolts aimed at a nearby ally?

@V Thanks! Not sure i'll be able to take it since it requires the Weapon Training class feature. But hey, good to know it exists!

You can take Martial Focus, which specifically meets the Weapon Training requirement for Weapon Mastery feats. Whether you have the extra feat available is another thing entirely.

[Firechanter]

Q155
I'm looking for a particular magic item:
One of my former co-players had an item that allowed him to emulate an Item Crafting feat. I.e. his character only had the Wondrous Item feat, but this item allowed him to also craft Magic Arms & Armour -- or maybe the other way round. It cost something around 8K if memory serves (but it was rather a long while back). Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Which item was that?

Edit: another, completely unrelated Question:
Q156
If you cast Arcane Lock on someone else's door (who you want to lock in / out), can the door still be opened with the original key?

[Psyren]

A155: I know a feat that does this (Master Craftsman) but not a magic item.

A156: The key will no longer function; "A door or object secured with this spell can be opened only by breaking in or with a successful dispel magic or knock spell."