Character Creation Q&A

[Paxon]

@Arklytte I have a couple more questions that I think the longer form of a forum post is a little better to address than discord.

 

More on Nullsteel Alchemy!

Sorry, I'm glad you enabled nullsteel to be used with alchemy, but it has lead to some more questions as I settle in to figuring out some mechanics of my character and interactions with nullsteel. Hey, that's custom rules, isn't it? 

1. When I add nullsteel to a thrown formulae, would that be a decision at the time of the action (like using a flashbang, using an imposition with a flashbang, or a flashbang through Trick Arrows), or do I need to determine which specific have formulae when I craft them? I.e. when I spend my 30 minutes crafting my various sets of formulae, I select 2 improved alchemist's fires to have nullsteel in them, and two not to?
2. If I need to add to formulae ahead of time, when I increase craft DC on formulae like improved acid flask/alchemfire to increase the spash radius, does this also affect the splash radius of the nullsteel, or does that always stay the same?
3. When I suffuse a nullsteel formulae with SP, would it last for a number of rounds? I ask as I'm utilizing the Traps sphere, with which I can attach an alchemical item to a trap. Traps can last between 29-50 rounds for Devlin, so it would be relevant to have a timer if the SP infusion lasts. Maybe CAM rounds?
4. Could I add nullsteel to traditional alchemical items. Like a basic acid flask? Devlin may end up hurling those if he starts running out of improved formulae to launch 🙂

Scouting/Knowledge Checks

I kinda missed the discussion on discord on the Scout ability, but looking back at it, it looks like you are requiring a swift action to activate the scout abilities like Find Gap/Identify Rhythms, rather than a knowledge check? I ask because I based some significant portion of my character build around having enemies scouted, and I thought I was going to be able to do that with the non-action Knowledge check for monster lore. In fact I thought that's how you played it, though now I can't remember a specific instance where you've done it that way 🙂 

 

So my impression is that there are two ways to use Scout. 1) Get your perception modifier up really high, and use the swift action to scout an individual target. This is akin to taking a moment studying that (Rad Dragon, Beholder, Cyclops, Ooze, Dark Knight) in particular, and use something you observe as an advantage. It takes an action, but it's pretty low investment. I mean who doesn't already max out perception? The other is 2) Be very good at the relevant knowledge skills. This is akin to having a bunch of pre-existing knowledge of Red Dragon's, etc., and at a glance knowing your enemy is a Red Dragon and the best way to kill those is X. This allows you to "scout" everything on the scene for free, so yeah, it can totally feel more powerful than the swift action one. But it also takes more character resources. You have to max 6 skills instead of 1 (so 90 skill points at our level as opposed to 15, and you are still likely maxing perception), and then also be able to buy into some of the blanket bonuses that improve knowledge skills across the board, which are usually class-specific. Otherwise you need to divide your single-skill bonuses across a bunch of stuff. So I think the tradeoff tends to be worth it. WIS characters get to use a skill they are already really good at to Scout, but they gotta do it one at a time with a swift action. INT characters get to make a bunch of knowledge checks, but need to spend a lot on being good at knowledge skills. It's kind of baked into the Scholar class already. Still concerned about the action economy difference? Well for the low low cost of a single additional talent, Inimical Gaze lets Perception scouters do exactly they same thing, attempt to scout everyone in the battle for free. Ultimately, I don't think its all that imbalanced.

 

Let me know if this has swayed you:) If not, how would you interpret the part of the ability that says "Once you have succeeded at a scout attempt or Knowledge check against a target, any talents or effects that require you to scout a target may be used against the target for the next 24 hours"? Would we make a knowledge check as a swift action? Just need to know and make any adjustments necessary.