u/nz8drzu6

I'm skimming through Secrets of the Unlit Star and worried about the two severe encounters on the second floor.

The first one is >!B7. String Slimes x 2 (each one at PL+1). When a slime splits, it creates 2 slimes with the same offensive threat. Slashing damage is very common so a new party who doesn't know slime abilities can easily trigger one or both slimes to split and turn this into extreme+!<

The second one is in >!B8. Shadow Twigjacks x 2 (each PL+1). They start off hidden trying to ambush the players, which can easily lead to a first round of crits if they successfully hide and anyone is off-guard.!<

I'm thinking I should nerf these by applying the weak template. Has anyone already run this adventure and have thoughts on these two fights?

Commander's Demoralizing Charge states, "Signal up to two squadmates within the aura of your commander’s banner; as a free action, those squadmates can immediately Stride toward an enemy they are observing. If they end this movement adjacent to an enemy, they can attempt to Strike that enemy as a reaction."

RAW the Strike requires you to take the Stride precedent. But what if your squadmates are already adjacent to the enemy?

Possible solutions/interpretations

1. You can Stride 0 ft (potentially provoking reactive strike). But this isn't "toward an enemy"
2. You can move away and then back in the same Stride, so that some of your Stride is "toward an enemy"
3. Invoke the general rule and allow it to work, "If a rule seems to have wording with problematic repercussions or doesn't work as intended, work with your group to find a good solution, rather than just playing with the rule as printed."

We've noticed a trend that 80% of casters' chosen spells are rated blue ★★★★ or purple ★★★★★ from Gortle's Spell Guide for the Sorcerer Pf2e Remastered. To shake things up for our next game, the GM is saying we cannot pick blue and purple spells unless it's a forced choice due to a caster's subclass.

Obviously we can circumvent it by picking casters that primarily use focus spells or half-casters like magus and summoner. But assuming we still play full casters that mainly rely on spell slots, how badly does this nerf them? Will encounters still be balanced if we have 1-2 casters in the party?

Note: I will not link the actual guide as it has an AI generated image but it's fairly easy to find what I'm referring to.

In my next game, a recurring theme is an evil rival party who appears regularly to foil the heroes' plans. Typically, after the players save the day, the rivals appear and kick their butts to build up animosity so when the party fights them at the end, victory feels epic. The party might be captured or have some McGuffin stolen from them, but the rivals will never kill a party member.

Level 1: rivals are level 4 (someone suggested just having 1 or 2 rivals show up and stomp the party)

Level 2: rivals are level 5

Level 4: rivals are level 6

Level 6: rivals are level 7

Level 8: rivals are level 8 (and stay level 8)

The idea is eventually party can defeat them, expected at level 9, possibly earlier. Thoughts on this design mechanic?

New campaign with level 1 characters, the starting town was attacked by these otherworldly creatures and one of them put up a wall of fire. My character, betting it was an illusion, charged straight through and confirmed it was.

As a player, I know Wall of Fire is a rank 4 spell and monsters that could cast this are not appropriate for a level 1 party to fight (and this was presented as a "you need to fight them to save the town" situation). Illusory Object is much more likely.

My character is a magus with high INT and his background is a "mage killer mercenary" so I reasoned that he would know caster enemies, especially aberrations, often use illusions.

Was this reasonable behavior or would you consider it metagaming in bad faith?

I feel like this isn't talked enough, but riding your animal companion as a caster is straight up a new level of powerplay.

I'm playing an animist with free archetype cavalier on a Dromaeosaur. Right away I get 50 ft speed and an additional creature on our side that deals moderate damage. Initially our GM allowed me to split companion actions so I could command, it strides into range, I cast spell, it strides out. The hit-and-run was making me too cheesy so now we go by the companion must take both its actions before I can take another action.

Upon level 4 and the pseudo-free stride I get from mature companion means I can get into position, cast both a 2-action spell and 1-action Earth's Bile (or sustain it) in one turn. Or get into position to drop a 3-action spell.

If I'm in melee and don't need to move, I get a free strike with my mature companion since I don't use attack spells.