Author Topic: [PATHFINDER]Weird Science not that bad, ackshawly?  (Read 1484 times)

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Senevri

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[PATHFINDER]Weird Science not that bad, ackshawly?
« on: August 25, 2010, 10:57:23 PM »
Took a look at
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/artificer

For the purpose of this topic, let's ignore the fact it's capable of the usual blastificier shenanigans.


As written, it seems very broken, as you can slap every single sorc/wiz spell on a device. In practice? I wonder...
- first of all, the 'activates automatically' limitation/benefit. You don't want to put fireball into your sonic screwdriver.
- second, DCS for multi-spell items get pretty prohibitive
- third, it's only 4th level spells.
Now, bring in multiple spell splats, I'm sure you can get some nasty things going, but I think it's playable, especially if you don't go out of your way to break the game.

Here's a theme...
[spoiler]
max 4th, usable 11/day
Armor:
Death Ward,
Divine Power,
Haste,
Freedom of Movement,
Restoration,
Spell Immunity,
Magic Vestment (+5)
Mage Armor
Shield
Bear's Endurance
Shield of Faith
Protection
False Life
Jump,
Expeditious Retreat,
Feather Fall
Cat's Grace
Fly
Resistance
(spiked) Gauntlets 2
Shocking Grasp 5d6
Divine Favor,  +3
Greater Magic Weapon +5
Searing Light 5d8
Shatter -
Align Weapon - good
Ray of Exhaustion -
Lightning Bolt 10d6
Scorching Ray 12d6
Magic Missile 5d4+5
Boots
Jump,
Expeditious Retreat,
Feather Fall
Cat's Grace
Fly
Helmet
detect poison
read magic
comprehend languages
detect charm
detect secret doors
detect undead
identify
true strike
detect thoughts
see invisibility
nondetection
arcane sight
tongues
detect scrying
status
invisibility purge
water breathing
restoration
owl's wisdom
eagle's splendor
fox's cunning
[/spoiler]
at 20th level, it's not all that impressive. And the crafting time is going to be LONG. Now, you could go for a different theme, certainly, but I thought I'd take a look at the power armor theme.


Rymosrac

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Re: [PATHFINDER]Weird Science not that bad, ackshawly?
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2010, 04:11:13 PM »
Note that there's nothing stopping you from putting the same spell into the same item as many times as you want, as far as I can tell.
Shh. My common sense is tingling. . .

sir_argenon

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Re: [PATHFINDER]Weird Science not that bad, ackshawly?
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2010, 06:28:53 PM »
what is the cost of it? and what is the type of it? spell trigger?

Senevri

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Re: [PATHFINDER]Weird Science not that bad, ackshawly?
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2010, 09:30:55 PM »
as written, no cost - it's a class feature. Each item is activated with an action equal to the spell involved - which DOES get fiddly if you mix action types in the same item. Presumably there are verbal and somatic components, RAW, as well. Material components are nixed. RAW, that's bad :/ I missed that initially. It does require some RAI reading as written.

@Rymosrac: I missed that. Yes, RAW that's one valid reading. On the other hand, 'any number of spells' - "I put lightning bolt and lightning bolt into it" -> "You already put lightning bolt into it". It's going to end up all 'yo dawg'.

I mean, sure, the building time does limit it quite a bit, too - 4H per effect, and presumably the device must always be made from scratch, and not upgraded with time like magic items.

Okay, let's play...
-that there's a 'no expensive material components' clause and
-the item uses the longest casting time.

Of course, one reading would also be that you need to fulfill all activation clauses, and that it's an extended action to activate the item with multiple effects. Frankly, somatic components feel stupid, while pressing a button or another equiv. of a somatic component is fine.
- let's play somatic component is replaced by a noise generated by the device starting.

So your lightning bolt in lightning bolt in lightning bolt would take a full-round and a standard action to activate.