Author Topic: The Factotum's Handbook  (Read 338843 times)

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Sinfire Titan

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #380 on: May 26, 2011, 08:11:28 AM »
Found something useful for Cunning Strike: Bracers of the Hunter (Secrets of Xen'Drik). 8.5K, but it's a permanent (maybe*) +1d6 Sneak Attack. Since the Cunning Strike ability is explicitly stated to be Sneak Attack damage, this adds to it nicely. Also +5 Hide and +2 Init.


*The item is worded badly, and it is possible to interpet it as only every giving the +1d6 once, ever. This may or may not have been errata'ed. Considering when the book was printed, it's a safe bet that this was just bad editing.


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Xavier319

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #381 on: May 30, 2011, 03:12:20 AM »
I have a factotum in my game, and something has come up.  Is iaijutsu focus precision damage?  in other words, can it be used against undead, constructs, etc?  The OA book is pretty vague about this.  Is there a hard-line rule on this? Thanks!

Archao

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #382 on: May 30, 2011, 05:57:34 AM »
I have a factotum in my game, and something has come up.  Is iaijutsu focus precision damage?  in other words, can it be used against undead, constructs, etc?  The OA book is pretty vague about this.  Is there a hard-line rule on this? Thanks!
All instances of precision damage that I have seen have specifically stated that it does not affect creatures immune to critical hits. Since Iaijutsu Focus doesn't have any such statement, I would say it is not precision damage.

However, if you want a hard ruling, I know of none for either way.

Sinfire Titan

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #383 on: May 30, 2011, 08:50:54 AM »
I have a factotum in my game, and something has come up.  Is iaijutsu focus precision damage?  in other words, can it be used against undead, constructs, etc?  The OA book is pretty vague about this.  Is there a hard-line rule on this? Thanks!
All instances of precision damage that I have seen have specifically stated that it does not affect creatures immune to critical hits. Since Iaijutsu Focus doesn't have any such statement, I would say it is not precision damage.

However, if you want a hard ruling, I know of none for either way.

The only place that would have such a ruling is the Dragon Mag update, but IIRC it only touched upon the races, classes, and feats.


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Talore

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #384 on: May 30, 2011, 12:01:03 PM »
Iaijutsu Focus damage is NOT precision damage, as it is explicitly called out that a character can use Iaijutsu Focus to do extra damage to objects, which naturally are immune to precision damage.

Just remember to pick up Lucid Dreaming as a Factotum to be the best damned assassin evar.
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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #385 on: June 10, 2011, 09:11:25 AM »
I have question about Brains over Brawn. Does I add bonus from intelligent to a modifier from Strength, or I use intelligent bonus instead a modifier from Strength?

Example:
Jumping
3 ranks +3(Intelligent bonus)+2(Strength bonus)= 8
or
3 ranks +3(Intelligent bonus) = 6

What version is correct?
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Agita

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #386 on: June 10, 2011, 09:20:44 AM »
I have question about Brains over Brawn. Does I add bonus from intelligent to a modifier from Strength, or I use intelligent bonus instead a modifier from Strength?

Example:
Jumping
3 ranks +3(Intelligent bonus)+2(Strength bonus)= 8
or
3 ranks +3(Intelligent bonus) = 6

What version is correct?
The former. It adds your Int bonus to Str and Dex checks, rather than replacing them.
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Tshern

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #387 on: June 10, 2011, 09:23:01 AM »
You add. So in from your examples the first one is correct. That is: X ranks + Y intelligence modifier + Z strength modifier. Then you simply put in the relevant numbers and any additional bonuses.

Edit: Got there second, that's what I get for typing in the 'formula' as well.

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Bortasz

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #388 on: June 10, 2011, 09:31:20 AM »
At 3rd level, you gain your Intelligence bonus as a modifier on Strength cheks, Dexterity checks, and cheks involving skills based on Strength or Dexterity, such as Hide, Climb, and Jump.

I was interpreted this as instead of Modifier in Strength and Dexterity.... But okey I was wrong ;)
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Tshern

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #389 on: June 10, 2011, 09:33:55 AM »
It doesn't say it replaces anything, but that you gain a bonus.

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Agita

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #390 on: June 10, 2011, 11:07:21 AM »
It doesn't say it replaces anything, but that you gain a bonus.
Correct. If it replaced anything, it would say "instead" somewhere in there.
It's all about vision and making reality conform to your vision. By dropping a fucking house on it.

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Midnight_v

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #391 on: June 10, 2011, 09:17:13 PM »
It doesn't say it replaces anything, but that you gain a bonus.
Correct. If it replaced anything, it would say "instead" somewhere in there.
Not that I disagree... but is there any examble of that? Anyhere?
You get X instead of y?
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Flay Crimsonwind

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #392 on: June 10, 2011, 09:29:16 PM »
It doesn't say it replaces anything, but that you gain a bonus.
Correct. If it replaced anything, it would say "instead" somewhere in there.
Not that I disagree... but is there any examble of that? Anyhere?
You get X instead of y?
Weapon Finesse?

Midnight_v

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #393 on: June 10, 2011, 10:11:29 PM »
It doesn't say it replaces anything, but that you gain a bonus.
Correct. If it replaced anything, it would say "instead" somewhere in there.
Not that I disagree... but is there any examble of that? Anyhere?
You get X instead of y?
Weapon Finesse?
  :lol
Well theres one example...
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Jackinthegreen

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #394 on: July 04, 2011, 09:30:57 AM »
If you take a look at the example Factotum character in Dungeonscape, you'll note that the Int is added onto the Strength and Dex mods already on the skill.  Of note is it also adds to Initiative AND Reflex saves.

Something the OP might want to mention: Thanks to Opportunistic Piety, a Factotum can take Divine Metamagic and apply it to any of his spells.  Persistent Mage Armor? Yup, done.

And one last thing: Warblade and Factotum stack stupidly well.  Double bonus on Ref saves from Int? YES PLEASE!
« Last Edit: July 04, 2011, 09:49:52 AM by Jackinthegreen »

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #395 on: July 04, 2011, 01:34:06 PM »
First off, Brains over Brawn does NOT apply to Reflex saves.  It is not a Dexterity check, it is a saving through which is modified by your Dexterity.

Second, Arcane Dilliante is pulling from arcane lists and is spell-like abilities and Divine Metamagic can ONLY be used on Divine spells (spell-like abilities don't count).
I am constantly amazed by how many DM's ban Tomb of Battle.  The book doesn't even exist!

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #396 on: July 04, 2011, 03:33:13 PM »
DMM may not work on it, but the Spell-Like feats do, as does Ability Focus (assuming you're bothering with saves).

Also, spell-thief.
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Jackinthegreen

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #397 on: July 04, 2011, 05:41:00 PM »
First off, Brains over Brawn does NOT apply to Reflex saves.  It is not a Dexterity check, it is a saving through which is modified by your Dexterity.

Second, Arcane Dilliante is pulling from arcane lists and is spell-like abilities and Divine Metamagic can ONLY be used on Divine spells (spell-like abilities don't count).
Reading from the Benefit section of Divine Metamagic:
Benefit: When you take this feat, choose a metamagic feat. This feat applies only to that metamagic feat. As a free action, you can take the energy from turning or rebuking undead and use it to apply a metamagic feat to spells that you know.

Agita

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #398 on: July 04, 2011, 05:47:33 PM »
Check the errata.

Quote
Page 80: Divine Metamagic feat
The boldface text needs to be added to the Benefit paragraph of the feat description:
When you take this feat, choose a metamagic feat that you have. This feat applies only to that metamagic feat. As a free action, you can take the energy from turning or rebuking undead and use it to apply a metamagic feat to divine spells that you know. . . .
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Eviltedzies

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Re: The Factotum's Handbook
« Reply #399 on: July 08, 2011, 07:31:40 AM »
Ok I was looking up more EX abilities to use in conjunction with the Factotums Cunning Brilliance ability. Here is what I came up with...

*Advanced Learning (Ex)
*Mantle (Ex)
*Sustaining Shadow (Ex) No need to eat, sleep, breathe, immune to nonmagical poison & disease.
*Elude Touch (Ex) Bonus to touch AC equal to Charisma.
*Unicorn Companion (Ex) Haha 1/day call a a Unicorn for 2 hours/level. The kicker is at higher levels we can summon a Lammasu, Gynosphinx, Water Naga, Androsphinx, or a freaking Couatl. (Psionic Plane Shift and Ethereal Jaunt AT WILL? Hell yes!)
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Now during my searching I came upon an interesting question which I do not believe I have seen answered. If an EX grants you a permenant increase of some kind, does that increase remain even after the 1 minute time limit. By strict RAW interpretation of the ability I believe it would work. It specifically states that you "gain the benefits and drawbacks of one chosen ability for 1 minute."

Gaining the benefit of the ability will give us a permenant stat bonus; however, one could argue that now that bonus point to your stat is a permenant addition and no longer attached to the ability. Therefore if the ability goes away the stat increase would stay. Obviously this interpretation is highly cheesy and more than likely it boils down to a legal terminology war. Either way here are some nifty abilities that could be useful assuming we can permenantly add stat bonuses.

*Dragon Augmentation (Ex) Permenant +1 to Str, Dex, or Con? Of course.
*Knowledge Focus (Ex) The effect is a permanent +3 untyped bonus to any knowledge skill. (All you gods of knowledge eat your heart out.)
*Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (Ex): Permenant +1 increase to your essentia capacity of your soulmelds. (Given time and the proper feats I see much abuse.)
*Totem's Protection (Ex) +4 untyped bonus on saving throws against supernatural abilities of magical beasts. (Once again this is a permenant bonus)
*Still Mind (Ex) +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects from the enchantment school. (Permenant untyped bonus.)

Please do correct me if there has been a Customer Service ruling on this or if my interpretation is blatently off.
« Last Edit: July 08, 2011, 07:33:54 AM by Eviltedzies »
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