Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous, Part 4

[InsaneCommander]

Does anyone know if Ascendant Element works with scrolls? I wanna give Ember Fireballs, but who knows if it will apply. Apparently the elemental bloodline ability to convert spells to another element won't make them suitable for the mythic ability.

Another thing, I think had a mercenary Witch learn a spell from a scroll. Is it intentional? Or am I crazy?

[Gromnir]

15 minutes ago, InsaneCommander said:

Apparently the elemental bloodline ability to convert spells to another element won't make them suitable for the mythic ability.

 

well, that would be new. admitted we haven't played wotr for a couple months, but we often have sosiel with one level o' crossblood sorc and the water + dragon bloodlines to convert elemental spells to ice and then benefit from increased ice damage. there is armour in the game which boosts elemental damage and a shield which boosts cold damage, so while it sounds odd, having sosiel casting cold-based stormbolts is kinda a thing. we took ascendent element: cold and it always worked.

scrolls shouldn't prevent ascendent element from working.

a witch learning from scrolls sounds like a bug. 

HA! Good Fun!

[InsaneCommander]

I saw some discussions about it. Perhaps it was fixed? Or people didn't test it properly.

Thanks for letting me know you tested it. I'm considering going with a Winter Witch on a future playthrough and the elemental bloodline is something I want to have.

[Gorth]

10 hours ago, Gromnir said:

@Gorth

we forgot to mention leading strike as a recommended mythic powha for seelah and/or whomever is your tank... which appears to be camellia.

seelah, thru mythic 9, usual has the same powhaz for us regardless if we build her paladin or paladin/court poet or paladin with a single level o' sorc or...

no particular order: leading strike, ever ready, mythic beast, thundering blows, inspirational leader, last stand, abundant casting, improved critical, weapon focus.

if we go azata, then no last stand as life bonding friendship nullifies the benefit. 

if we go more court poet/paladin, then we take the second tier o' abundant casting as well.

for lann, as an archer, am always taking cleaving shot and is almost certain we get expose vulnerability and distracting shot.

HA! Good Fun!

ps is possible azata is not in the cards for @Gorth. am hesitating to mention, but if you are interested on the azata triggers, we got info from a link. is stuff which already woulda' happened, so minimal spoilers.

 

Hey, my Barbarian knows how to throw a party. Pick up a lute, sing bawdy songs in a church? Check!

As for companions, yeah. Considering how much a QoL improvement a small change for Seelah was, I am now tempted to revisit them all (over time) and consider their leveling paths a bit more. I mean the defaults for Lann gave him *not* recommended options (red thumb down choices), like seriously? Either the game makes decent choices and bad advice or good advice and bad choices at times

 

Edit: Got started on the "Crusade" system, which very much feels like Heroes of Might & Magic Lite... took a bit getting used to only navigating with the arrow buttons along predetermined paths.

[bugarup]

6 hours ago, InsaneCommander said:

I wanna give Ember Fireballs, but who knows if it will apply.

Just buy that girl the Red Salamander ring already! 

[InsaneCommander]

8 hours ago, bugarup said:

Just buy that girl the Red Salamander ring already! 

It's expensive! But no worries, I found a staff that allows her to cast Fireball three times a day.

There were also some other interesting developments:

Spoiler

Woljif ran away. So Nurah wasn't lying. Oh, and they did allow me to confront her. I almost died when she talked about the perfume that attracts Vescavor swarms: “It drives men insane!” Sure, once the swarms are eating them alive!

I chose the Cayden Cailean option when talking to her, just to be called a useless drunk. It will be interesting to talk to her again when I play as Trickster, since apparently you can side with her against both the demons and the crusaders.

Daeran is seeing the crusade from another perspective. Who knows, he may change a bit until the game ends.

Also fought against the Super Gargoyle Chieftain and a Vampiric Demon. These battles were actually harder than the level 20 outsider, since they required some pre-buffing and keeping most of the party away from the weakening/paralysing/level draining abilities, while the latter was basically occupied by the Azata I summoned.

 

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by InsaneCommander

[ShadySands]

You don't have to be that mythic path to use that dialogue option, especially since you haven't actually chosen a path yet.

[InsaneCommander]

4 minutes ago, ShadySands said:

You don't have to be that mythic path to use that dialogue option, especially since you haven't actually chosen a path yet.

I noticed that, but it seemed really out of character for this playthrough. I was tempted to select that though.

[Gromnir]

new dlc today, but more significant for those playing wotr for the first time,

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1184370?emclan=103582791469275223&emgid=3225161106688762145

is substantial changes, but have not read in entirety. we did notice one curiosity: "All animal companions with horns and tusks finally recalled they shouldn't bite, and started using their horns at full capacity. All animal companions with gore now perform a free trip attack with gore;"

so, boar, elk, mastodon and triceratops now get free trip? hmmm.

"Weapon Finesse (Mythic) will work with the finesse weapons only from now on." doesn't affect Gromnir, but am suspecting howls o' anguish from a few people.

HA! Good Fun!

ps "Feyspeaker druid finally got some new DLC spells in their repertoire" which is likely interesting to nobody but Gromnir, but am gonna need see what were changed. charisma casting druid were all borked and the shadow spell dcs were busted since beta, though potential more effective previous to one o' the post release patches. have wanted to play a gnome feyspeaker druid since release, but...

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by Gromnir

[ShadySands]

Updating and also download the new DLC

Maybe I'll finally do a monk run... probably not though

[Gromnir]

21 minutes ago, ShadySands said:

Updating and also download the new DLC

Maybe I'll finally do a monk run... probably not though

am probable gonna holdout until the enhanced edition release as am suspecting there will be many changes capable o' impacting our decision on what we might wanna try with a complete new run.

HA! Good Fun!

[uuuhhii]

49 minutes ago, ShadySands said:

Updating and also download the new DLC

Maybe I'll finally do a monk run... probably not though

lawful requirement of 1e are far too annoying

much simpler to just build 2 backstab rogue

[majestic]

The lawful requirement is only annoying in the game because 'lawful' in WotR is basically roleplaying a rigid, fascist law and order guy, and you have to pick some of the lawful options to stay lawful. Now  that I think about it, @BruceVC should love playing an Aeon.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

5 minutes ago, majestic said:

The lawful requirement is only annoying in the game because 'lawful' in WotR is basically roleplaying a rigid, fascist law and order guy, and you have to pick some of the lawful options to stay lawful. Now  that I think about it, @BruceVC should love playing an Aeon.

You naughty majestic  ! But Aeons can't romance Camilla ? 

Moreover the lawful requirement is annoying because it precludes chaotic martial artists, which is a somewhat popular archetype. Joesph Joestar definitely wouldn't be lawful, and he can hamon beat with the best of them.

[uuuhhii]

even drunk monk are restricted to lawful in 1e

get rid of most of the alignment restriction are a very obvious improvement

[InsaneCommander]

39 minutes ago, majestic said:

The lawful requirement is only annoying in the game because 'lawful' in WotR is basically roleplaying a rigid, fascist law and order guy, and you have to pick some of the lawful options to stay lawful. Now  that I think about it, @BruceVC should love playing an Aeon.

Come on Majestic, don't exagger...

[Gorth]

I recruited Regill...

After Jan Jansen, I never thought I would suffer a Gnome in my party. Nenio is allowed to remain at the moment, since she lost her Gnomishnes. Regill is allowed to stay because I like his attitude. He's everything you would not associate with a Gnome

 

[Gromnir]

20 minutes ago, Gorth said:

I recruited Regill...

After Jan Jansen, I never thought I would suffer a Gnome in my party. Nenio is allowed to remain at the moment, since she lost her Gnomishnes. Regill is allowed to stay because I like his attitude. He's everything you would not associate with a Gnome

 

am not ordinarily a fan o' evhul companions, and  a few o' the wotr options is perfect examples o' why we avoid the villainous party mates, but regill were probable our favorite wotr party npc, which admitted is not a particular high bar to reach. add enough qualifiers and anything becomes true, eh?  we wouldn't enjoy regill's company in rl, but his behavior and motivations were believable and rational even if you thought the hellknight were unreasonable attached to his code. 

regill is no less a cartoon character than any o' the other wotr joinables. that's all. am not making excuses for liking regill more than the other wotr companions.

HA! Good Fun!

[bugarup]

I, too, am not a fan of evil, I only always run with Edwin, Korgan, Dorn and Viconia because I like them as professionals of their respectful fields.  As for gnomes, I prefer both Jansen and Jubilost from Kingmaker to mini Hauptsturmfuhrer, but he's alright too. Nice damage with that bugged axiomatic hammer and voice so cool your brain doesn't even register all the stupid fascist tripe he's spouting. But now when I think, I don't really have a favourite companion in Wrath, they all are just kind of fifty shades of meh. 

Anyway, there is a patch with long-ass list of fixes too and people have been datamining Expanded Edition stuff. Seems like there's going to be moar ending slides among other things, also

Spoiler

devils getting some meat on their barebones mythic path. Good to hear, maybe I'll try that Azata  path after all. Now if only they expand on the Swarm too....

 

[Gromnir]

ps @Gorth

regill, as he is not only small but also clad in heavy armour, suffers from some o' the same movement issues as seelah. he is also surprising squishy until later levels. our ordinary regill build is to go 100% remaining levels as armiger, 'cause fighter is one o' the more underappreciated wotr classes with a bazillion feats and the weapon training class feature. however, another option which solves regill's mobility shortfall is with a 3/11 sacred huntsmaster/gendarme (****atrice order) build. choose the velociraptor and take the boon companion feat. is not celestial velociraptor, so why velociraptor? 'cause regill is small enough to ride the raptor, and the raptor is an amusing choice. get mighty charge with 11 levels o' gendarme and steal glory at level 8, which functional doubles your seize the moment attacks o' opportunity. based on recent patch notes, elk might be a decent mount choice if you aren't trying to make regill as funny as possible. 

'course our obstacle in keeping regill in a party is that he would likely replace seelah, and the paladin is too valuable to abandon, particular for boss fights. mark of justice (paladin level 11) is one o' the most useful wotr abilities... top three in our estimation. 

[Gorth]

@Gromnir

Oooh... he can ride smaller mounts because of his size? I'll keep that in mind.

I didn't give him any level ups yet. Mostly because I had no idea which direction to take him in. All options are still on the table for him. Thank you

[majestic]

Many, many patches ago Regill made a decent enough Court Poet, but the class never worked as advertised and was then 'fixed' by removing rage powers. Giving him a mount through Sacred Huntmaster is a good idea*, but I'd just keep him as Inquisitor for some utility, that way he contributes something useful besides charges. Not that they don't work, but we're getting into situations where it is hard to find a spot for Regill in the party and Domain Powers make a better argument than simple charge damage.

Although it could be a fun build** when running a Trickster. Crit galore.  

@Gorth: It might not be obvious and shouldn't work, but you can add any class that has an animal companion without breaking the companion's level. That's why all these builds work, you could for instance also add a Sohei level to Regill for a bonus feat at an even level.

*Could also make a small raptor Paladin, solving all the issues. Except you'd no longer have Regill in the party - or Seelah. Not the worst of trades, power wise.

**Can do the same thing with a Paladin on a horse, and not only will that play better, it will also solve any Mark of Justice issues. As long as one doesn't only want to use premade companions, of course.

[Gorth]

It's a game of too many options and poor peons like me have to learn half of it on the fly (only knowing half of it before starting). Never held a rule book in my hands, so all my "knowledge" is from similar games (and older/simpler incarnations of the rules)

In my first play through, I rely a lot (maybe too much) on the default leveling of companions and try to made best, educated guesses for my main, while sticking to the "theme" of a happy go lucky Barbarian looking for fights, women and wine. That being said, the advise to change Seelah from having wet dreams about swords to horses instead was gold, it worked miracles for her party utility. No longer the lumbering walrus arriving long after the fight is over. Listening, learning, sometimes adopting and adapting my team without it becoming a group of strangers for me

 

[majestic]

By the way, since you mentioned Ember and casting fire spells.

If you give her one level of Cross-Blooded Sorcerer, that'll be an immense boost to her damage. Why? Looking at the Sorcerer and bloodline progressions, you might get the impression that only makes sense if you stay pure classed, or at least add levels in whatever prestige class that allows you to continue your bloodline, right? Well, no. Draconic bloodlines have a funny little aspect: They flat increase the damage per dice rolled of their associated element by 1, and it stacks. If you pick up the Gold, Brass and Red bloodlines from adding a level of Cross-Blooded Sorcerer and the mythic ability 'Second' Bloodline, you get +3 damage per dice rolled as long as it is fire damage.

Make sure to give her a Skill Focus so you can pick Loremaster. It is fixed now and you can add spells from other classes, if you do that you can get Creeping Doom from the Druid book or Sirocco from the Wizard book. Selective Sirocco lets you plaster the entire screen with a damaging and crowd controlling firestorm and Creeping Doom summons a swarm of swarms to tank for you. Find swarms annoying? Yeah, enemies do that too. In fact, there are encounters that were designed to be ridiculously problematic, but a single cast of Creeping Doom auto-wins them. 

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by majestic

[Gromnir]

3 hours ago, majestic said:

Many, many patches ago Regill made a decent enough Court Poet, but the class never worked as advertised and was then 'fixed' by removing rage powers. Giving him a mount through Sacred Huntmaster is a good idea*, but I'd just keep him as Inquisitor for some utility, that way he contributes something useful besides charges. Not that they don't work, but we're getting into situations where it is hard to find a spot for Regill in the party and Domain Powers make a better argument than simple charge damage.

 

regill is not doomed as a sacred huntsmaster by any means, though 12 levels is likely the best option and then add two more o' something else. 'course chances are sosiel and lann is in party and so you already have two wisdom havers. regill has a wisdom o' 13. is only so much wisdom boosting gear to go around and 13 is not an ideal start point regardless. best domain powers is either level or wisdom linked... or both. max o' fourteen levels o' sacred hunstmaster. regill is godclaw, so law, protection, strength and war? none o' those is great for domains so need add impossible domain.  if the goal for regill is build a mounted support caster with domains, then lann is a already a far better option. even so, 12 or 14 levels o' sacred huntsmaster for regill is not a bad idea.

@Gorth probably noticed sosiel is also slow on his feet. with impossible domain mythic power you may give him animal domain which provides access to a mount.  

HA! Good Fun!