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

[Draconi Redfir]

Q286: Strange question, might have already asked it, but idk.

the Bardic Masterpiece Clamor of the Heavens, it takes three rounds of performance to take effect. Does it only affect creatures who heard all three of those rounds? or will new creatures who hear it and apply to it's effects begin suffering it's effects once they begin hearing it after those three rounds?

For example if i spend three rounds charging up the performance in room A, maintain the performance, and then move into room B, will the creatures in room B (who could not hear the performance before) suddenly need to make a will save to avoid it's effects? or are they unaffected because they didn't hear the charge-up rounds?

Would this be the same situation if creatures from Room B (can't hear song) suddenly charged into room A (Song is being performed post 3-rounds)?

[Cieyrin]

A 286 Given bardic masterpieces are bardic performance and masterpieces don't specify otherwise, the rules for audible performances apply. As such, they just specify that they must be heard by the targets, not that you have to hear the entire performance to be affected. So once you finish the initial groundwork for Clamor, its effects affect any valid creature that can now hear the bard.

[unseenmage]

Q287

What's the nearest city to the town Oldfen in the country of Andoran?

[KillianHawkeye]

Q287

What's the nearest city to the town Oldfen in the country of Andoran?

Is this a rules question?

[Debatra]

Q287

What's the nearest city to the town Oldfen in the country of Andoran?

A 287

According to the map I found, Falcon's Hollow and Oregent appear to be about the same distance, to the north and south respectively. If I had to pick one, I'd say Oregent might be slightly closer. I didn't exactly count the pixels. (Also, it's "Olfden", not "Oldfen".)

Is this a rules question?

Not quite "rules", but it does have to do with a PF setting.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Q288. The advanced version of Iomedae's divine fighting technique says (in part) "As a standard action or at the end of a charge, you can make an attack against a foe with a longsword." The wording seems to suggest that this attack doesn't replace the one normally made as part of the charge action? I would think if it were supposed to replace the ability would be worded more like "When you make an attack against a foe with a longsword as a standard action or at the end of a charge..." or say "if you make an attack with a longsword" at the end, since you can always make a longsword attack in those circumstances. So does Iomedae allow the character to make the normal charge attack and then swing with a sword to inspire their allies?

[Cieyrin]

A 288 It's just stating the ways to trigger the inspiration effect, in addition to the full round method you get from the base feat, as well as that you need to successfully hit with a longsword for either to trigger. It is worded a little strange but it's a normal standard attack or charge with the rider effect while using a longsword.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Sorry for back-to-back questions

Q289. Does a half-elf or half-orc still count as both an elf and a human if an effect such as Monk's Perfect Self or the final benefit of the Fiendskin feat changes their type to Outsider (Native)? Tiefling's Pass For Human states that counting as human allows Enlarge Person to work on an Outsider normally, so I was unsure if the same was true of the demihumans. Related, how would these abilities interact with a human who had taken Racial Heritage ("You count as both human and that race for any effects related to race")?

[Elysiume]

A289: Perfect Self ("He is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the monk's creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects") and Fiendskin ("Your creature type changes to outsider (native).") are affecting your character's type while Pass for Human affects types and subtypes ("count as humanoid (human) as well as outsider (native) for all purposes"). Perfect Self and Fiendskin replace your type, so you would not be a valid target for Dominate Person or anything else that targets the humanoid type.

The question of whether they replace your subtype is a bit less direct, but I think the RAW is simple. The rules for types are pretty slim:

Each creature has one type, which broadly defines its abilities. Some creatures also have one or more subtypes. A creature cannot violate the rules of its subtype without a special ability or quality to explain the difference — templates can often change a creature's type drastically.

Some creatures have one or more subtypes. Subtypes add additional abilities and qualities to a creature.

Looking at the relevant subtypes here:

This subtype is applied to elves and creatures related to elves. Creatures with the elf subtype have low-light vision unless otherwise specified.

This subtype is applied to humans and creatures related to humans.

A half-elf monk with Perfect Self doesn't seem to violate the rules of its subtype: they are still a half-elf (albeit one without the "humanoid" type) and thus they still count as an elf and a human. Once they hit level 20, a half-elf monk goes from being treated as humanoid (elf, human) to outsider (elf, human) for all spells and magical effects.

Racial Heritage adds a subtype, so if you agree with that reading, it isn't affected by Perfect Self or Fiendskin.

If replacing a type removed subtypes, you'd also get the amusing situation where a racial monk archetype (like Nimble Guardian) would result in a character un-qualifying for their archetype upon hitting 20 and losing their subtype.

[Selion]

Q290
Hi, the Gloomblade fighter archetype alters the weapon training class feature to give bonuses to summoned weapons instead of weapon types.
Is it possible to qualify for the advanced weapon training feat?
If so, what about weapon training options that are associated to weapon groups (such as Defensive Weapon Training)?
Is it still possible to select options that don't interact at all with weapon groups (such as Armed Bravery and abundant tactics)?

[Segev]

Q291 Is Expansion a Vitalist power or not? The short answer is probably “no,” because it doesn’t appear on their class list. However, it seems to be the only “Medic Power” that doesn’t (unless I’m missing something). Am I missing something? Is this a possible oversight? Or is this where it stands, and the intent was that it work for expanded knowledge or multiclassing vitalists?

[Cieyrin]

A 290 Gloomblades still have weapon training, if an altered version, so they qualify to take the Advanced Weapon Training feat like other fighters. They will only ever have one weapon group, their shadow weapons, so you would use their weapon training bonus for any Advanced Weapon Training abilities, as appropriate.
There's nothing about Gloomblade that prevents them from taking Armed Bravery with the feat, as they have Bravery still to make use of it.

A 291 Looks to be an oversight that could be remedied by Expanded Knowledge to me. I was going to suggest asking on the DSP FAQ but there doesn't appear to be a live thread currently.

[Chaos Jackal]

Q 292 If the Ward Shield spell is used on a buckler, and said buckler doesn't provide its AC bonus for a turn (magis spell combat, for example), does it still provide its spell resistance?

[Psyren]

A292: The clause "so long as the shield can be interposed between the wielder and the spell effect" is going to require some case-by-case adjudication. Losing your AC bonus suggests you don't have total freedom to position the shield that turn.

Concerning Spell Combat specifically, Bucklers don't actually make your hand free - rather, there is a specific list of actions/weapons you can use in conjunction with a buckler as though it were free, but Spell Combat isn't one of them. You would need Unhindering Shield for your hand to truly be free while using a buckler (and thus be able to use Spell Combat), and with that ability, you should be able to utilize the Ward Shield as well.

[Firechanter]

Q293
Is the Damage Reduction afforded by things such as Adamantine armour (e.g. 3/-), Barbarian DR, spells like Angelic Aspect (5/Evil) or similar abilities effective against the backlash damage from a Vicious weapon?

[Psyren]

A293: No, because Vicious damage is not physical.

When a vicious weapon strikes an opponent, it creates a flash of disruptive energy that resonates between the opponent and the wielder. This energy deals an extra 2d6 points of damage to the opponent and 1d6 points of damage to the wielder.

Damage Reduction
...
Spells, spell-like abilities, and energy attacks (even non-magical fire) ignore damage reduction.

[Firechanter]

A293: No, because Vicious damage is not physical.

Makes sense, thank you!

[W3bDragon]

Q294

Is there any way to bypass poison immunity of certain creatures without having 8 levels of Alchemist for the Celestial Poison discovery?

[Psyren]

A294: The Mythic Pernicious Poison spell can do this, but you have to be Mythic.

There is another version of Celestial Poison that is usable against elementals, but it has the same requirements.

Beyond that there doesn't appear to be much. Poison isn't a particularly strong strategy for most PCs.

[Segev]

Q 295 Expansion is listed as a Medic Power for the Vitalist, but doesn’t seem to be on the Vitalist’s power list. Is it known if this is an error, and if so, whether the error is the Medic Powers list or the Vitalist Powers list?

[Psyren]

Q 295 Expansion is listed as a Medic Power for the Vitalist, but doesn’t seem to be on the Vitalist’s power list. Is it known if this is an error, and if so, whether the error is the Medic Powers list or the Vitalist Powers list?

I might just be sleepy, but I think you asked this in Q291 already?

[Segev]

I might just be sleepy, but I think you asked this in Q291 already?

So I did and forgot. Thanks. Disregard. Apologies.

[Elysiume]

Q295: Does Thoughtsense allow you to see through walls? I don't see anything that says it does, but I don't see anything that says it doesn't. True Seeing explicitly disallows seeing through walls and is a higher level, but it's not quite the same benefit.

[Psyren]

A295: Yes, this will let you detect creatures through walls. Since it works like blindsight, you can even pinpoint the square they're in and target them with some abilities, though depending on the effect/attack you're using the wall may still pose an obstacle.

[Draconi Redfir]

Q296: If i have an Alchemist who doesn't require sleep (Such as a construct), would i be able to feasibly spend the sleeping-hours brewing potions while still recovering my spells-per-day? I've looked through the Alchemy section of the Alchemist page a few times, and i can't find anything saying they need X hours of completely uneventful rest. I do see that making an Extract (which as far as i can tell, is the same thing as a Formulae / Spell) takes one minute to prepare for each. So theoretically if my alchemist didn't need sleep, i could brew potions for seven hours, and then spend one hour brewing all my extracts / spells per day, right?

@V Thanks!

[Cieyrin]

A 296 Alchemists don't need 8 hours of rest to mix their new extracts, though extracts that aren't consumed spoil after 24 hours, so you have to either dump or drink them.
As often comes up where sleepless crafters are concerned, I'll direct you to this passage of the CRB.

The caster can work for up to 8 hours each day. He cannot rush the process by working longer each day, but the days need not be consecutive, and the caster can use the rest of his time as he sees fit. If the caster is out adventuring, he can devote 4 hours each day to item creation, although he nets only 2 hours’ worth of work. This time is not spent in one continuous period, but rather during lunch, morning preparation, and during watches at night. If time is dedicated to creation, it must be spent in uninterrupted 4-hour blocks. This work is generally done in a controlled environment, where distractions are at a minimum, such as a laboratory or shrine. Work that is performed in a distracting or dangerous environment nets only half the amount of progress (just as with the adventuring caster).

Bolded for emphasis. You can't rush magic item creation (even if you don't need to sleep) and being out adventuring is not a controlled, distraction-free environment, so you can get 4 hours of work in for 2 hours of progress during the normal adventuring day. That's enough time to finish any potion of 250 gp or less in a single evening, per the special rules for scrolls and potions for potions of that price range. Otherwise, it will take 4 days of adventuring downtime per 1,000 gp of value to finish a potion (or 2 adventuring days, as per that same section above, the process can be accelerated to 4 hours of work per 1,000 gp in the item’s base price (or fraction thereof) by increasing the DC to create the item by +5).
Since you don't need to sleep, if you can have 4 uninterrupted hours, you could net an additional 2 hours of progress on top of the wiggle room. Combined with crafting DC to net shorter time frames, you could get 1,000 gp of work done but that's your 8 hours per day, you won't make progress during the rest of the time.

[Rynjin]

A 296 Alchemists don't need 8 hours of rest to mix their new extracts, though extracts that aren't consumed spoil after 24 hours, so you have to either dump or drink them.

Note that while this bit is technically RAW, you'd be hard pressed to find a GM who will actually run by this interpretation, I think.

[Cieyrin]

Note that while this bit is technically RAW, you'd be hard pressed to find a GM who will actually run by this interpretation, I think.

It is definitely commonly hand-waved, yes, just like clerics and druids who have to pray at a certain time of day for spells instead sleeping and getting their spells back like other casters.

[Psyren]

Yeah, the most accurate way to play an Alchemist would probably be to count 24 hours from whenever they make a particular extract before they can use that slot again. Nobody really wants that level of bookkeeping though, as it would effectively kill the strategy of leaving some slots open during the day that is usable by every other prepared caster.

[Segev]

Q297a: Can you enchant a psicrystal as a magic item?

Q297b: Would it be an intelligent item inherently in that case? Able to use its own magic item abilities?

Q297c: Could it use the intelligent item rules to increase its mental stats, either due to being an inherently intelligent item, or with the 500 gp surcharge to make it an intelligent item?