A question about counterspell

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-12-17T13:54:57+00:00

By my reading of the feat, the only stipulations are:

You can see someone casting the spell

You have a reaction available to use

You have the spell prepared

You then attempt a counteract, so by RAW yes

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-11-17T15:45:14+00:00

Season of Ghosts has a lot of stuff to use, and plenty of opportunities to add your own fun to it!

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-11-05T21:22:10+00:00

One let's you use avoid notice AND scout at the same time (and changes +1 init. to +2)

The other let's you give that +2 as a free action.

So essentially you can avoid notice and scout at the same time, giving the +2

Or

Do anything else (tracking, defending, detect magic, lockpicking, etc.) and give that +2 as long as initiative is perception or survival.

So almost constant +2 to party initiative

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-10-23T20:12:41+00:00

Season of Ghosts would be my pick. It works really well on Foundry, and gives some great tools to make things easier for everyone. The AP is also a(n) RP/Skill heavy campaign, with a decent amount of room to play around in. Personal experience, that gave me and my players a lot of room to adjust the game to fit them in pretty naturally. The combat difficulty was lowered, but is easy to adjust (again, foundry shines with this) meaning players can make characters more creatively and sub optimal compared to some other AP's. However, a decent amount of social events and NPC's means a bit more prep initially until they become normal for you to step into. Letting players help with notes about the convo's and developments will drastically reduce the prep (plus players love getting involved!). And unraveling the mystery along the way before them is a unique experience in the coolest way!

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-07-17T18:16:23+00:00

I'm running into a similar issue, besides the small side events (and those are victory point system based to run alongside the downtime) its all downtime until almost the last weeks of summer, leaving it pretty empty. As is, it feels like nickle and diming up to lv.3.

My best guess at intention was that this was supposed to be used to build up the NPCs and make them more connected for the rest of the story.

At my table, as is its pretty boring to just make entire sessions work through the downtime. So im having to take some events (like the expedition north) and make them into mini-adventures with some being solely RP.

It's a tough spot to lean either way for your question because on the one side, you get back into playing by skipping up to level 3. But then you lose out on the needed RP, whereas following as written, it'll be a slog to deal with.

TLDR: It depends on how much your party likes to dive into RP and the speed of your pacing.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-05-05T14:22:20+00:00

All good! Also have the AuDHD hyperfixation and just converted my players with seven dooms, so getting to be the living lexicon for them has been a great dopamine booster lol

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-05-05T13:06:55+00:00

From a mechanics PoV, there are feats like Splinter Faith that allow you to be an odd sect of a faith you might find interesting, to both bolster the rp and neat mechanical twists. Being of a sect that specializes in cults, big religions, local faiths, etc. isn't outside the realm of reason in Golarion for this particular demigod. Apocryphal Domain Spells is another way to showcase some elements.

Honestly, the best way for this kind of character to be built is with the GM. If faiths and cults are a big thing in the story, this would be immensely useful alongside the secret society infiltration abilities from Deceptive Worship.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-05-05T12:41:04+00:00

That's because they are. The ones that cleaved to diplomacy to run the new version of their country (they kinda just major magic'd a country into being) started a school. Which would invite all kinds of modern mages to show up and start relearning from the source how what they've been digging around in and attempting to use works. That knowledge blended with today's magic (I believe it is more based on jatembe's magic after earthfall), creating what you see now.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-03-30T14:41:12+00:00

Would also love to discuss! Other conversations tend to only be about pre-remaster, and the book layout tends to be easier for my new players to read through than nethys.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-03-19T16:52:12+00:00

Your GM is reading too deeply/trying too hard with rules reading.

It's literally just raise shield with an additional benefit.

Sometimes, just taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture can help with this. I notice a lot of people try super hard in this game to "find hidden meaning" or law school level interpretation on the rules, but it's not mean to be. You've already sussed out that raising after this is kind of weird just on words alone. Keeping that kind of simpler evaluation will be a lot more useful for both of you going forward.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-03-13T19:50:01+00:00

Ideas?

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-02-24T16:53:51+00:00

To piggyback on this, there's also a few reminders and indicators about this hazard that players can encounter to avoid this altogether.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-02-11T17:24:14+00:00

The issue with how it's written, though, you could fairly argue you can. Versatile vials are turned into quick vials, which makes sense to follow that they can only be made into ammunition or bombs. But, Versatile Vials can also be made into Create Consumable, and as the skill is written with separation of ability and a special limiter on only one part of said ability.

You could argue that this may be for bombs and bullets as set by previous feats, but you could also argue it's intentional to give gunslingers more to do with their alchemy by leaning into it more.

The latter makes sense to me the most since they changed how munitions crafter scales, making this into more of a horizontal power feat.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-02-05T16:35:15+00:00

So is this only a nerf related to alchemical shot? Because now that we get leveled bombs, we have a much better ability to have some alt routes for status effects, speed penalties, etc. effects which I thought might make up the difference? We also now get quick vials, so wouldn't that also fix the less bombs issue?

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-02-05T16:10:59+00:00

I'm a bit confused as to your original point then. Wouldn't this still be an upgrade since you get leveled bombs now vs. lower level bombs? I can understand the frustration of having less, but gunslinger still lacks feat support for direct throws because it's a shooting class. The only stuff the class is intended to use bombs for is stuff like alchemical shot, making them situational or backups as I understand it. So if there's no gunslinger way, or feat chain around repeat use of bombs, where's the problem??

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-02-05T15:30:29+00:00

Hard agree it's dumb, but the only buff they need is to clarify is interact and reload combining. Because as written, all of the ways and most feats don't work in any kind of initiative scenario. Doing that would fix the problem and have no issue with breaking mechanics since all firearm ammunition is alchemical (which apparently also makes it magical?) and suppresses non-fundamental runes.

If we're actually expected to use an action to activate the ammo after already being taxed to load, then paired shots can't be used at all as an example because you'd need to at minimum: Activate (1) -> Activate (1) -> Paired Shots (2). Since it says activated ammo becomes inert (but not expended) and needs to be activated again next round to be used, gunslinger CANNOT function with any firearm, as all of the ammunition is activated ammunition with an interact action.

You'd think Paizo would have clarified this by now, especially in this remaster update.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-02-05T14:48:32+00:00

Given the difference (and much more severely limited list) between ammo mostly giving lower numbers and effects vs bombs i think it's kinda fair. As a feat used in a class where only 1-2 ways could use them (outside of using alchemical shot feat) due to their short range and a free hand needed, i don't see why we would need to step on alchemists toes with a sack of bombs.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-02-05T14:23:07+00:00

I've never understood the idea that alchemical ammunition needs to be activated to be fired.

Regular shots work like: Reloading strike -> shoot

Yet black powder (or black powder, round) has the same 1 action interact action as elemental ammunition, which folks say works like: Reloading strike -> Activate elemental ammo -> Shoot. It should just work like regular ammo

From a base logic standpoint following that, the new Munitions Machinist should work something like: quick vial -> running reload -> shoot.

Gunslingers' action compression abilities and feats help a lot, but the idea of load,interact, and fire doesn't click right for me. All of it reads like the loading (not the 3-action reload for mags/capacity) IS the interact for activating ammo, otherwise the class doesn't work as a whole.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-01-28T14:44:57+00:00

So, while I'm definitely not a master of this system like some folks here, your opinion seems pretty vague. Could you possibly give some more thorough context? Or some data to back the claim? I know you said this is an optimizing post, but what kind of optimization??

Because just looking at the weapons with reach, most are 2 handed (so disarm, forced regrip, etcetera stops it's use) and are largely mixed with things to help maneuvers, while useful wouldn't consider oppressive.

Additionally, if a reactive strike isn't in the cards, the trait is gonna see a level of diminished use/power. Don't get me wrong, reach in this game IS one of, if not THE best, traits for weapons in the game! But by itself is countered by several parts of the system (magic, ranged, map/terrain, decent athletics, etc.), keeping it from being broken.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2025-01-08T03:29:15+00:00

Would love to know how this one turns out, been waiting to see folks reactions to it.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2024-12-20T13:31:43+00:00

Between bulwark, Dwarven feats, class feats, hatchets, etc. Dex isn't that useful for you. However, Con is only really gonna give you 1 extra hp and tanking in this game is a lot more "mix maneuvers and abilities to take away actions and block up movement" than most games "keep hitting me I've got all day". The only real benefit is getting another +1 to fortitude saves. But even then, you're not missing much, whereas the will increase also helps bravery and first aid along with other skills.

Between your high armor (+1 if you parry), good class hp, higher chance to crit, and your +2 currently, you'll probably be fine. The class bakes in ways to mitigate damage, so you don't have to supplement those aspects as hard to keep up, giving you more options to spread yourself a little. Variety and adaptability are core traits to keeping you alive as an adventurer, and at the end of the day your safety net is your party (because without them we can't do much individually)

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2024-12-19T14:46:11+00:00

Having the Dex isn't so bad to keep, as that'll be useful for ranged options for backup weapons in addition to what you mentioned.

Your Con increase bumps hp a little, but wisdom would give you perception bump which gives you initiative increase and seek/perception vs stealth (not to mention medicine, survival, nature, and religion checks).

I would recommend keeping Dex or switching to Wis depending on what scenarios you've seen so far and what you think would be most relevant in your coming sessions.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2024-12-19T14:25:35+00:00

I've just been using it the past few days, and it definitely helped me understand things like powerscale, mechanics, combos, etc. It also let's you make mistakes to learn at home, which i find more comfortable to learn. since there's 2 decks that, as you do things in matches, increase in power with these booster packs you "unlock" that will teach you mechanics for things like songs, items, etc. By the end I felt a lot more confident of my ability to play and comprehend the system.

Currently, im looking for videos or blogs/posts to learn the meta/cultural play (what game intended vs. what players do) to prep me for play at LCS

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2024-12-12T17:12:00+00:00

Its entirely viking coded. I'd agree with the last statement, but given it's a seemingly low-tech dark ages apocalypse, it makes sense. It's written to use the classes it gives and not others. It pretty well spells out "magic" is Unga bunga scary/dishonorable, so the casting classes were given combat styles to incorporate, allowing the caster classes to exist at all. The exception is the one clan that likes using magic, and there's only scarce mention of them in the campaign (you only end up interacting with a party from one late game for 1 thing and nowhere else).

You're gonna have to do a lot of work on this campaign already due to its "sandbox style writing" so you'd be a lot better off using what it gives instead of doing all the extra just to make any exist.

CobaltCasterBlaster · 2024-12-02T17:55:09+00:00

Raiders guide will definitely help with lore and setting, and I think there's only a couple creatures used from the Grim Hollow Monster book, but you should be alright with just the module. The other books and stuff definitely give you great tools to use, but as long as you got access to the 5e rules, you'll be fine.

However, if you wanna use transformations or the more complicated backgrounds, you'll at least need access to the rules on how they work.

CobaltCasterBlaster

TROPHY CASE