Hi, just had some questions on a few topics:
1) on the heal skill, if you use it to help someone recover, they recover faster, right? Can you use it on multiple people?
2)On the detect evil spell, I noticed that paladins and clerics have auras, which means normal people don't, how does that work when it comes to detection? What's the difference between a level 10 evil commoner and a level 10 evil cleric? The latter has an aura and the former doesn't, how does that factor into detect evil? Say for instance the evil commoner is out buying groceries, does he register on detect evil? The cleric or paladin I'd imagine WOULD register because they have the aura always present.
3) On shapeshifting, it seems like polymorph spells only give you stat increases and minor abilities, almost like it's a disguise spell with a few features. Aren't there spells that allow you to take the creature right out of the bestiary and go ahead and use it?
4) If a villain is stealthed nearby but the PC's are just sitting down/walking around/exploring, do I prompt a perception check? If they're talking to someone who's in disguise, do I also prompt a perception check? What about sense motive checks against bluff? Here's an important one: What if I want my players to have some cool information they can obtain via a knowledge check, that I know they won't ask to make?
5) When using grab....well actually I'm confused like mad on how this works. So looking at it purely mechanically, grab gives a creature the chance to do an attack AND do a grapple both in one round, right? Now in the next round, what does it really need to do? Roll a grapple check and then go ahead and hit the creature, seems easy enough. Say a tiger, for instance, does two claw attacks and a bite attack (full attack) and then uses grab to initiate a free grapple check (does it need to use both arms?), then next round, what more does it need to do to continue the grapple WITHOUT taking the -20 to CMB? My understanding, is that it strikes with one claw attack to grab onto the creature and uses that ONE claw to cling on (heheh, klingon), right? So next round, to maintain the grapple normally without incurring the -20, it must use it's OTHER claw (additionally that is) maintain an appropriate grapple, right? Meaning that after it's latched on properly, subsequently it only has it's mouth free, right? Grab really has me confused on this issue.
6) Now supposing the previous assumption is correct, and you use BOTH arms to PROPERLY (ie, not take the -20) maintain the grapple, then what do I do with a creature that has 7-8 tentacles? Does it use ALL of them to maintain the grapple?
7) Say characters are forced to go underwater, what happens to their scrolls? What about weapons, don't they rust?
8) If characters are asleep and a villain tries to mind control them, or do something else that requires a will save (or even a fortitude save), isn't there a penalty for them since they're asleep?
9) Now I know that attended objects use YOUR saves, but the section on potions went out of its way to specifically state that it has 13 AC, does that mean even when someone is holding it in their hands or only when it's unattended?
10) Say as part of a creature's tendencies is to lay traps, do those traps have their own CR that figures into the encounter building budget or is it already accounted for in the creature's total XP value? If I use kobolds, do their traps count against my budget or do kobolds already have that figured in?
11) Say a creature like a will-o-wisp is being used to trick players into thinking that they're just lights from a lantern, if the players use their perception to check them out from afar, do I use the creature's bluff check (if it doesn't have a disguise check)?
12) How do I know how many encounters a party is capable of facing in one day? I may be running a dungeon right in the next session and I need to know just how much I can shove into the dungeon for them to face. I plan to use skeletons, zombies, fungi/plants and eventually, a flesh golem.
13) You need cover to stealth, right? What if you need to move from one bit of cover to the next, like from behind a barrel to behind a table, does stealth still work or must you ALWAYS be behind cover for it to work?
14) When I use settlements to decide what items are available in town, it's going to be a pain to have to start piecing together what's available and what isn't, is there a book or a generator I can use to determine what's available in a settlement? I know I roll to determine what's available, but then it'll be a pain trying to piece together what enchanted item has what power, what potion has what spell and such. If there aren't any books or generators, can you suggest simple tricks or techniques?
Thanks for any advice or help in advance.
Providing long-term care means treating a wounded person for a day or more. If your Heal check is successful, the patient recovers hit points or ability score points (lost to ability damage) at twice the normal rate: 2 hit points per level for a full 8 hours of rest in a day, or 4 hit points per level for each full day of complete rest; 2 ability score points for a full 8 hours of rest in a day, or 4 ability score points for each full day of complete rest.
You can tend as many as six patients at a time. You need a few items and supplies (bandages, salves, and so on) that are easy to come by in settled lands. Giving long-term care counts as light activity for the healer. You cannot give long-term care to yourself.
Short answer, yes you can tend up to 6 people at the time.
|Tiny Coffee Golem|
|Ross Byers RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32|
4. Only if you don't mind giving your players meta-information. Otherwise, you roll for them - when there is a reason their PCs might look for something. When talking to a disguised person, the PCs definitely should get a Perception roll, but again: only let the players roll themselves when you're okay with them getting the meta-information that way.
When you want the PCs to know something, asking for a skill roll is a good way to go about it. Or just tell them what they'd know when taking 10.
Protip: asking the players to roll for something is a good way to get them to realise something is up, without flat-out saying so. Meta-gaming can work in the GM's advantage at times.
I edited the thread title. The original title was "On the heal skill, detect evil, shapeshifting, prompting skill checks, grab, grappling for creatures with 2+ limbs, water damage, saves during sleep, AoO against attended objects and some more stuff"
Heheh, sorry bout the long title ^^
Thanks for the responses....also, not to stack the crazy list some more, but one more question I just remembered:
15) if someone is using diplomacy to gather information and he's asked why he's gathering this information, if the PC gives a roundabout answer (to avoid telling the WHOLE truth), does he roll a bluff check? If he asks a guard about information that's quite vital, I'd imagine the guard would be a little curious. Let's also say that a PC wants a reward item ahead of time, say for instance: Someone's kids just got kidnapped and he wants to gift the PCs with a good sword if and when they get them back, suppose the team lier (no other term for it really) chooses to convince the guy to part with the sword because 'it would really help with us getting your kids back', but in truth just wants it now, probably even to sell it and isn't REALLY thinking about using it to save the kids (it might be helpful, it might not), is that a bluff check? He's trying to convince the guy to part with the item out of personal gain rather than to use it to advance a cause.
1) Already answered by another
2) CRB page266 has a table that indicates what creatures have what auras. Just because Paladins and Clerics get extra powerful auras does not mean that 5th level evil commoners do not have a weak aura. Check the table.
3) CRB page211 discusses polymorph effects. In addition to stat increases and abilities you also get the damage dice of the creature you change into. No, there is no spell that gives you the full creature. This is a nerf from how Polymorph was run in 3.5 and it is a right and proper nerf! :D
4) This is a bit in the realm of GM fiat (how a GM chooses to run things) but yes you prompt a perception check whenever one is due (such as during contested actions). If they are distracted they might get penalties. If they are actively looking for enemies they are not distracted. You even get a perception check while asleep (with a +10modifier to the DC). Whether you roll this or they do is up to you but VRMH is right, if they check then they know 'something is up'. I sometimes have them make random meaningless checks just to get them to stop thinking along those lines.
Knowledge checks should also be automatically prompted but for your personal sanity you might ask them to ask for a knowledge check except in specific situations. Example: you ask for a knowledge check when a big event occurs but require THEM to ask for one whenever they run into a new critter.
5)First, the -20 penalty to grapple is ONLY if the creature does not want to be considered grappling (does not want the grapple penalties on CRB p567).
Second, the -4penalty for not using two arms ONLY applies to humanoids. (CRB p200)
Third, how to run grab: Tiger makes three attacks. Let us assume a bite and claw both hit. Then the tiger makes two CMB grapple checks with a +4bonus (Grab has a +4bonus, bestiary p301). Let us assume the bite succeeds. Both tiger and player are now grappled (penalties on CRBp567).
The grappled player tries to free himself and fails.
Next round: Tiger makes a grapple check to maintain with the following bonuses: +4grab, +5circumstance against same target in successive rounds (CRB p200). Tiger succeeds and does automatic bite damage. Tiger then makes two rake attacks.
6)Again, the -20 is NOT for both arms..it is a -4 if a humanoid does not use both arms. It is a -20 if the grapple attacker wants to consider itself NOT grappled to avoid the grapple condition and its penalties.
7) Scrolls: damaged if not in water tight scroll case. Rust: oil and a rag to prevent.
8) There is no penalty.
9) Potions unattended have an AC of 13. Attacking an attended object uses the sunder rules.
10) Traps laid in advance count against your EXP budget. Traps laid during combat count as part of the laying creature's CR. Traps laid in advance but used during combat I would also count as part of the laying creatures's CR. Basically, if the laying creature is nowhere around when the trap is encountered it is a separate CR.
11) Disguise can be used untrained. I would give a will-o-wisp a +5 or +10 bonus for imitating a lantern. Do not forget the distance penalty to perception.
12) On average a party can face 3-5 equal CR encounters per day. This depends on GM style and player style.
13) You need either cover OR concealment. Trying to go from cover to cover in broad daylight is a bad idea. However, doing so while in darkness (concealment) works just fine (unless the spotter has darkvision).
14) GameMastery Guide or D20PFSRD.com both have tables.
15) Diplomacy can be used to convince the guard he doesn't need to know. Bluff can be used to lie to the guard. Intimidate can be used to get the guard to back off on the question. Take your pick.
To convince someone to give up the sword as advance payment:
Diplomacy can be used to convince the guy 'we need it now'.
Bluff can be used to lie to the guy.
Intimidate can be used to convince the guy that if he doesn't do it they wont help him get his daughter back. Again, take your pick.
Expansion on grab: For a truly evil grappler look to the Behir.
Round 1: Bite attack+15. Success results in bite damage (2d6+9) and grab check at CMB+4 (+22). Grab check success results in constrict damage (2d6+9).
If player does not free himself:
Round 2: Maintain grapple check CMB+9 (+27). Success results in bite damage (2d6+9), constrict damage (2d6+9), and 6 rake attacks (+14, 1d4+6).
This took a level 8 paladin from around 65hps to -19 in the second round.
|Tiny Coffee Golem|
You may want to ask these as separate questions. i don't have time at work to answer all of them and getting lost in the midst of these so...
Heheh, sorry bout that
Thank you guys, that answers all my questions :)
Dont you mean 'Gauss answered all my questions'? HehehehIt took me two tries because the first time the internet ate my answer. Good thing Im patient.
I was actually very conflicted since I really wanted to thank you by name but was worried I'd offend the other guys. :)
Are you saying Im offensive to others? Im offended! hehehe /humor
No worries, I am curious if you have any questions about the answers though.
Thanks, I did have one question, mainly on detect evil. What is the point of clerics and paladins having an aura if detect evil doesn't need it to detect that they ARE evil? I guess detect evil would be pretty weak if it only worked on auras (not that it can't be shielded against) but then what is the purpose of auras?
Also, I checked up on the tables in the CRB and remember reading something about settlements in the GMG. It stated something about the magical items available in a town being related to its base value, is it that 75% of all items (let's say a thorp for now, which has a base value of 200g) are equal to or less than the base value while there is 1-2 (about 25%) items that are above it? The thing is I found the item generation a little strange, do I roll (for instance on armor) 1d4 to see how many minor magical items I get and then roll on table 15-4 (for armor, 15-5 for shields) to see what abilities it has? Some of them can create some pretty good stuff for a thorp. The thing is I let slip to my players that I COULD let them run an evil campaign, and now two of them are set on playing evil (one of which tells me that he can't promise that he won't kill NPC's, which has me thinking he may even attempt to steal some of these items. In small areas I'm going to be limited on what people can do to catch him).
Strength of Aura. If you are using detect evil on a Level 1 evil shmuck he won't register. A level 1 evil cleric will register.
Shmuck in this case is defined as: A creature that is not an outsider or undead and does not have a powerful aura ability such as a cleric or paladin.
Basically: if you are level 5 and you are looking at a human while using detect evil and that human reads as 'Overwhelming' do the following: Run, run fast, run far.
If you are lucky it is a level 11+ cleric, antipaladin, or outsider (that appears human).
If you are not lucky it is an undead with 21+HD or a shmuck with 51+HD.
BTW, you have another 'gauge' of uber-power via overwhelming. If they are double your level you get stunned for 1 round. Thus, run if they stun you and are overwhelming.
The short answer: Detect Evil is a power gauge after detecting the source of evil.
Edit: Having an Aura (capital A) also qualifies you for certain feats.
Check CRB p461: Table 15-1.
Base Value: 75% chance that anything magical up to this value is available. If you roll above 75% then it is not available.
Minor/Medium/Major: A given number of items of these types is available beyond the base value chances.
Example: In a Small Town you have a 75% chance to find anything magical up to 1000gp. Additionally, there are 3d4 minor items and 1d4 medium items available for sale.
When a player asks to find a magical item first check to see if it is one of the minor/medium/major items you rolled up. If not and the price is less than or equal to the Base Value then roll a %dice and if you roll up to a 75 then it is available.
GameMastery Guide Page205 expands on this table a bit and goes into the Purchasing power of the settlement in question.
Thanks for clearing this up :)