- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
I hope we can get some sort of leather harness that a wand can slot into (along Pepper's back), and hope that the wand - back contact will count as 'holding'
Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
- Fantasy
-
- Tags
- pathfinder
In order to use a wand you have to move it though a specific series of gestures that takes a few seconds (in a strictly mechanical sense a standard action).
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
There is a spell for this:
Polymorph Familiar – d20PFSRD
www.d20pfsrd.com
Now convincing Pepper that he needs to temporarily become a monkey, trash panda, or some other animal with a reasonable approximation of opposable thumbs, that's the real trick... 😾
Cats, you know?
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
@DragonParadox said over PM with me that we don't have these on our person right now, that they are back at inn, so do we need to adjust plan?
- Location
- Germany
Improved Familiars often do have hands to cast with.
A Silvanshee wouldn't, but look at the Faery Dragon.
That one has Sorcerer-Casting which allows for a lot of work with Scrolls and Wands, and it is usually accepted that dragon-claws can work like hands for the purpose of most magic items. It's the only familiar with true Casting of their own, I think.
Mina is within one step of Chaotic Good, so she qualifies.
Mephits can also be improved Familiars, and have hands.
On another note, Pseudosphinxes are also pretty cool familiars, with an immensely useful ability.
A Silvanshee wouldn't, but look at the Faery Dragon.
That one has Sorcerer-Casting which allows for a lot of work with Scrolls and Wands, and it is usually accepted that dragon-claws can work like hands for the purpose of most magic items. It's the only familiar with true Casting of their own, I think.
Mina is within one step of Chaotic Good, so she qualifies.
Mephits can also be improved Familiars, and have hands.
On another note, Pseudosphinxes are also pretty cool familiars, with an immensely useful ability.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
Racial ability +8 to any skill. Though I dunno if that counts as trained.
Maybe we can do Sage Familiar to give him ranks in it when Mina levels up? So he has at least one rank and thus is trained.
More is probably better. Maybe we can respec his skills to focus on UMD when he pokevolves into a Silvanshee?
Also, at level 7, can Pepper have two evolutions:
Can Pepper take:
Skilled [Racial +8 to UMD] and Tentacle, and use the tentacle to hold a wand? [I was looking for hands but didn't see one]
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Nah, the masks were more for comfort than anything else. The lowest Constitution among the attacking party is Mina, at 16 (Pisca, too, if he's borrowing that pirate amulet we voted to lend him earlier).
A person can hold their breath for 2 rounds per point of Constitution before they need to start making ability checks. With 16 CON as our benchmark, that's 32 rounds, or over 3 minutes. The group shouldn't need to be under water for more than a couple minutes, at most.
I will need to change the Metamagic Rod Kori uses right before the assault begins, though, since he won't be able to speak underwater without the mask.
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Faerie Dragons are a great option, and even a cat would probably accept that becoming a Dragon is at least a lateral change rather than a downgrade. Pseudosphinxes are really good, too, but they have monkey heads and that just doesn't seem like something a cat would be willing to tolerate.
Silvanshee still seems like the best option as an upgrade for Pepper, though. Keeps the cat chassis and adds a bunch of really useful abilities. Pepper gets to stay Pepper.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
I know you like Silvanshee, and it is a really great form.
But (unless DP allows for a tentacle to grasp and wield a wand), it can't use wands. And being able to use wands is a really stronk ability.
(I don't understand the Beast Form spell.
If Mina were to use Polymorph Familiar so that Pepper can wield wands (monkey shape?), can he still use his various Silvanshee abilities in monkey form? Can he still fly like a cat flies?
[And as I posed some time ago, if Sirim didn't choose to try and become a vampire for the time being, I'd argue harder for the cool psycopoomp familiar form, as by my understanding they can use wands. Also; Soulsight is pretty darn stronk in its niche.
----
Entirely unrelated: I want us to commission/buy an item of at-will Mage Hand that can be used by Shadows. Massive bonus points if it can be carried by Shadow-Kori (as in, is also (selectivity) incorporeal and it can be taken by Shadow-Kori to anywhere he can go himself), but I will gracelessly settle for a minimum of "Shadow-Kori can't move the item, but can activate it at-will"
The use-case I have in mind is to be able to move books and turn their pages while using Shadow Projection. Any other... shenanigans is ancillary.
But (unless DP allows for a tentacle to grasp and wield a wand), it can't use wands. And being able to use wands is a really stronk ability.
(I don't understand the Beast Form spell.
If Mina were to use Polymorph Familiar so that Pepper can wield wands (monkey shape?), can he still use his various Silvanshee abilities in monkey form? Can he still fly like a cat flies?
[And as I posed some time ago, if Sirim didn't choose to try and become a vampire for the time being, I'd argue harder for the cool psycopoomp familiar form, as by my understanding they can use wands. Also; Soulsight is pretty darn stronk in its niche.
----
Entirely unrelated: I want us to commission/buy an item of at-will Mage Hand that can be used by Shadows. Massive bonus points if it can be carried by Shadow-Kori (as in, is also (selectivity) incorporeal and it can be taken by Shadow-Kori to anywhere he can go himself), but I will gracelessly settle for a minimum of "Shadow-Kori can't move the item, but can activate it at-will"
The use-case I have in mind is to be able to move books and turn their pages while using Shadow Projection. Any other... shenanigans is ancillary.
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
I don't see why the tentacle wouldn't be able to grasp and use a wand. There is also the option of getting Pepper an item that lets him cast the Mage Hand cantrip in order to wield a wand.
Maybe a variant pair of these sized for a cat:
Gloves, Apprentice’s Cheating – d20PFSRD
www.d20pfsrd.com
Or a cat sized Cloak of the Hedge Wizard (Transmutation):
Cloak of the Hedge Wizard – d20PFSRD
www.d20pfsrd.com
The Polymorph Familiar spell specifies that the transformed Familiar keeps all of its special abilities. Silvanshees fly using a supernatural ability rather than wings, so he would still be able to fly no matter what form he was in.
Also, Silvanshee can use Commune 1/Week. I'm sure DP will put some serious limitations on it, but that's a very helpful ability, even if it ends up neutered.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Can't hurt to try, but I doubt we'll have much luck with that. The Alchemist's tools, notes, and supplies, on the other hand, are fair game. We've got plenty of storage space in our bags and Cob could make use of a lot of that stuff. Who knows, he might be able to recreate the slime airlock on his own.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
It's a minor thing, but if Lenotas' weapon (spear) can be used with scabbard of keen edges, can you switch the buff from Pisca to him?
Also, do you think it might it worthwhile to add in something to the effect of "part of the intent of Sirim's intimidate action is to communicate/hint to any possible anti-drow spies that if they surrender, they will be able to be extracted by their handlers/be released by us as soon as we confirm they're spies"?
[X] Goldfish
Also, do you think it might it worthwhile to add in something to the effect of "part of the intent of Sirim's intimidate action is to communicate/hint to any possible anti-drow spies that if they surrender, they will be able to be extracted by their handlers/be released by us as soon as we confirm they're spies"?
[X] Goldfish
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
I do not understand this motivation. Any anti-drow spies would have to be elves or house Basri agents. They do not want to be caught in public investigating the drow, and there is nothing more public than an official arrest.
Imagine this is Scorpio's resurrected gang. Will they be released by us, or the governor? Or the elf who entered the city for the first time and broke who knows how many laws out of desperation to keep a secret. I think he'd rather stab himself than get caught.
Much like the drow themselves they will not seriously entertain surrender.
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Vote closed.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
I was thinking in terms of modern spy-games and diplomacy between states, in that any spies caught would have the people they work for (who are monitoring the situation) quickly pull some quiet strings.
And that any Basri/elf spies would expect their handlers to have people (Basri in both cases) in place to get them out of legal trouble before they can be interrogated.
It's not to get them to admit to us that they are spies, but to communicate to them that there's a path out other than death if they are loosing this fight: They can be captured by "the police", keep their heads down and an influential Basri will very very quickly be alerted and swoop in to save them in a few hours, if not sooner.
Like, if there's any spies in the boat then it's also under observation from afar. If so, our attack will be noticed when it begins and anyone who has spies on the boat will be woken and told shit is going down.
Arc 9 Post 54: Breach from Below
New
Breach from Below
17th of Kuthona 4707 A.R. (Absalom Reckoning)
"Good Luck," Captain Leontas whispers fiercely, hefting his borrowed launcher as he heads towards the pier along with his company, an unseen Sirim floating overhead. The soldiers had cheered at the alchemical bounty you shared with them to add to their new enchanted weapons and arms, but it's a grim sort of cheer of those who know they are heading into peril.
For his part, Sir Pisca had thought to go with them until you mentioned the other pincer of the attack would be heading right for the alchemist, the foremost architect of Cassomir's ills. A choice which he may have come to regret a few minutes later. "What is that thing?" The knight leans back at the alien visage of the abductor, gelatinous eyes pooping above the waterline for a better look at its burdens for the night.
"We don't exactly know," Mina admits even as one of Cob's new rings flashes, the captured magic veiling the creature out of sight before the movement of the water. "Got it from some fish-people."
"You people are mad," he shakes his head in mock bewilderment, though the there's light enough from moon and stars for even Mina and Gorok to see the flash of his accompanying smile. A whisper on the wind calls up a trio of illusory doubles that that feign holding a breath along with him.
As the waters close in above you wonder if he's right. All the advice you'd ever gotten on fighting drown can be summarized as 'don't' and 'run'. At least you won't have to wait long for the answer.
"Open!" you command in the tongue of the High Realm and the door splinters open, hinges bending backwards in an instant, flying clean off.
In an instant Cob is gone, and the next thing you hear is a scream half-pained and half-surprised from over-top as you climb up, followed by your friend shouting back: "'E's got eyes in the back of his head! Watch 'im!"
Then just as the shouts of confusion and anger ring out through the hull, and just as Gorok and an enraged Sir Pisca are climbing up through the film of green, the drow does the very last thing one might expect him to do. In accented but understandable Taldan, he shouts to the knight: "I surrender!"
Rage burns like the midday sun in Sir Pisca Fahlspar's eyes: "Die filth!" Doesn't sound like he's for accepting surrenders.
What do you do?
[] If he's willing to surrender you're willing to accept it
-[] Write in plan
[] You're in position to kill him, so kill him before the others stationed in the hold show up
[] Write in
OOC: I know this is really short, but I can't not have a vote here given what happened.
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Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
I'm not sure how he would go about conveying that intention? Telepathy is straight forward communication, not an exchange of ideas or images.
If anything, I expect the Drow to be somewhat confused by his statement, this likely being something of an out-of-context problem for them given the massive cultural differences between their city-states and Cassomir.
The locals will probably attempt to surrender, especially if they're slumming nobles or just random folks with poor choice in watering hole, but some actual criminals may fight when they otherwise would have chosen to flee. The Drow would never believe offers that captured criminals would be unharmed if they surrender, they would be enslaved at best, but they might believe they aren't the actual targets of the raid, so that could buy us a round or two of confusion on their parts.
Not really sure, though, since a lot of it depends on their familiarity with surface cultures. I'll be happy if we don't end up hurting any particularly important noble scion whose daddy doesn't know they're out mingling among the commoners.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
lol wut
What the heck did Sirim roll!?
So, first of all, I don't trust this surrender entirely: ""'E's Got eyes in the back of his head. Watch 'im!""
But I want him alive. I can live with him dead but alive is easier to question by far.
What the heck did Sirim roll!?
So, first of all, I don't trust this surrender entirely: ""'E's Got eyes in the back of his head. Watch 'im!""
But I want him alive. I can live with him dead but alive is easier to question by far.
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It's not like he can see the topside. In fact *rolls sense motive* it almost looks like he was expecting something like this... or at least like Pisca, he did not offer to surrender to Cob.
He could of course also be lying for advantage because he saw you have an ally in rage with you, every action you take to restrain him is one you are not taking against him.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
That was entirely too easy.
For him to have 20 Temp HP, I'm guessing he used a 4th level Greater False Life infusion, and it would require him to be at least 10th level to max it out like that. The eyes are probably from the Countless Eyes infusion. Both of those are long duration effects, so I can see a 10th level Alchemist regularly using both of them each day, since they would last 10 hours.
Him being 10th level would also explain the high base hit points, especially if he managed to drink a +CON Mutagen as soon as he realized something was wrong when the hatch burst open.
Basically, I don't trust a 10th level Drow alchemist not to be lying about surrendering. There are too many freaky things alchemists can do and we have no idea what sort of alchemist he is, what sort of magic items he has, etc.
For him to have 20 Temp HP, I'm guessing he used a 4th level Greater False Life infusion, and it would require him to be at least 10th level to max it out like that. The eyes are probably from the Countless Eyes infusion. Both of those are long duration effects, so I can see a 10th level Alchemist regularly using both of them each day, since they would last 10 hours.
Him being 10th level would also explain the high base hit points, especially if he managed to drink a +CON Mutagen as soon as he realized something was wrong when the hatch burst open.
Basically, I don't trust a 10th level Drow alchemist not to be lying about surrendering. There are too many freaky things alchemists can do and we have no idea what sort of alchemist he is, what sort of magic items he has, etc.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
Would making a bluff or intimidate check to break through Pisca's rage to direct him to try and get the drow to 0 hp and then stop/go after new target take a full action from Kori?
What if we spoke really really fast?
[X] Plan no time!
-[X] That's way too easy. Drow are strong and they know it.
-[X] Kori uses Intimidate/Bluff to break through some of Pisca's rage, and test the drow's sincerity: Kori shouts at Pisca; "Trap! Unconscious!"
-----
[X] Plan Bluff
-[X] The main lie here is that Kori does not actually think that there is a trap set to go off if this person dies. The intention is to convince Pisca to just knock him out, and also to convince the drow to accept being knocked out/that it's the best that we can do for him
-[X] Kori moves slightly to grab the drow's attention a tiny bit and then looks with alarm to Pisca: Trying to convince the drow with our expression that we're alarmed/surprised about the bloodrage (truth: we expected it, "Rage" isn't meaningless fluff) and that we're invested in trying to keep Pisca from killing him
-[X] To Pisca [Bluff] "Him dying is a trap! If he's dead or able to act we're fucked. We have to knock him out!" (truth: we have no idea if this is a trap or not), but hopefully Pisca will be combat-aware enough despite his Rage that if he thinks this drow has a deadman's switch, he can be shifted from full murder-violence to 0hp-violence
If you want to use intimidation you have to try to scare Pisca into obeying, otherwise it would be diplomacy which isn't really Kori's forte.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
If this group of Drow has a 10th level alchemist with them, at least some of the others in their group are probably similarly leveled. We can't waste time trying to secure this dude. We would completely lose our momentum. The dude still has 54 HP, so even another Sneak Attack and Pisca's attack might not outright kill him, especially if his CON is currently as high as I suspect. If he is rendered unconscious, we can deal with him later, and if he dies, well, that's what Speak with Dead spells are for.
Pisca has the Disruptive feat and his Arcane Bloodline further enhances it. That's not normally a path I would choose for a melee character, but it has its place. It's already hard enough to cast a spell when you're being stabbed, but him adding a +6 DC increase to the Drow's Concentration checks to use extracts/infusions can only help us.
@DragonParadox, how large is the room we are in? Length, width, height? What can we see of other entrances? Are there other Drow present? Is there any open flame in sight?
[X] Operation Salty Barnacle, Stage Two
-[X] Cob expends one Mythic power to use Surprise Strike as a Swift Action to make another Sneak Attack against the alchemist.
--[X] Sneak Attack: +21 vs Disoriented AC (-4 AC vs Cob's attacks) [+1 (Mythic) +1 (Haste) +5 (Morale)], 1d4+11+3d6 damage [17-20/x2]
-[X] Sir Pisca goes in for the kill, closing the distance to interfere with the alchemist's use of magic while Power Attacking.
--[X] Power Attack: +19/+19/+11 vs Disoriented AC (-2 AC vs attacks) [+1 (Haste) +2 (Morale)], 2d6+9 damage [17-20/x2]
-[X] Kori casts a Barbed Chains spell targeting the alchemist, unless the Drow is already dead before he can act. If the Barbed Chains spell is unnecessary, he instead readies an action to cast a spell against the first Drow that attempts to enter the chamber, or through the doorway if the door is opened and he can see into the next room.
--[X] Barbed Chains Spell: x2 chains; +15/+15 vs Disoriented AC (-2 AC vs attacks) [+6 (CHA) +2 (Morale) +3 (Luck)], 1d6+3 damage, plus each hit requires a DC 17 Will save to avoid being Shaken for 1d4 rounds.
-[X] Gorok moves to cover the doorway, not placing himself directly in front of it, but to the side so that he can attack anyone who bursts through without putting himself in the line of fire should someone blast it open from the other side.
-[X] Unless she is needed to deal with other Drow in the next few moments, Mina uses her Evil Eye Hex to reduce the alchemist's AC by -2. If the alchemist is already dealt with before she can act, she instead readies an action to cast a spell against the first Drow that attempts to enter the chamber, or through the doorway if the door is opened and he can see into the next room.
Pisca has the Disruptive feat and his Arcane Bloodline further enhances it. That's not normally a path I would choose for a melee character, but it has its place. It's already hard enough to cast a spell when you're being stabbed, but him adding a +6 DC increase to the Drow's Concentration checks to use extracts/infusions can only help us.
@DragonParadox, how large is the room we are in? Length, width, height? What can we see of other entrances? Are there other Drow present? Is there any open flame in sight?
[X] Operation Salty Barnacle, Stage Two
-[X] Cob expends one Mythic power to use Surprise Strike as a Swift Action to make another Sneak Attack against the alchemist.
--[X] Sneak Attack: +21 vs Disoriented AC (-4 AC vs Cob's attacks) [+1 (Mythic) +1 (Haste) +5 (Morale)], 1d4+11+3d6 damage [17-20/x2]
-[X] Sir Pisca goes in for the kill, closing the distance to interfere with the alchemist's use of magic while Power Attacking.
--[X] Power Attack: +19/+19/+11 vs Disoriented AC (-2 AC vs attacks) [+1 (Haste) +2 (Morale)], 2d6+9 damage [17-20/x2]
-[X] Kori casts a Barbed Chains spell targeting the alchemist, unless the Drow is already dead before he can act. If the Barbed Chains spell is unnecessary, he instead readies an action to cast a spell against the first Drow that attempts to enter the chamber, or through the doorway if the door is opened and he can see into the next room.
--[X] Barbed Chains Spell: x2 chains; +15/+15 vs Disoriented AC (-2 AC vs attacks) [+6 (CHA) +2 (Morale) +3 (Luck)], 1d6+3 damage, plus each hit requires a DC 17 Will save to avoid being Shaken for 1d4 rounds.
-[X] Gorok moves to cover the doorway, not placing himself directly in front of it, but to the side so that he can attack anyone who bursts through without putting himself in the line of fire should someone blast it open from the other side.
-[X] Unless she is needed to deal with other Drow in the next few moments, Mina uses her Evil Eye Hex to reduce the alchemist's AC by -2. If the alchemist is already dealt with before she can act, she instead readies an action to cast a spell against the first Drow that attempts to enter the chamber, or through the doorway if the door is opened and he can see into the next room.
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