Fox's cunning and oozes?

[der_kluge]

Does Fox's Cunning work on an ooze?

Or any creature with a nil intelligence? The spell description doesnt exclude that, but I was wondering if there was another rule that would indicate such a thing.

 

[Legildur]

I say no, because an enhancement to something non-existent achieves nothing. As an analogy, it would be like casting Magical Vestment on a naked person - a waste of time.

But I will note that while the ooze traits include being 'mindless', the lead in to the traits does allow for the possibility for an intelligent ooze with this line "An ooze possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry)."

I also note that the MM does not contain any creatures listed under 'oozes' that are not mindless.

 

[Klaus]

No it doesn't, beacuse it's an enhancement bonus on the creature's Intelligence score. Since the ooze has no Intelligence score, there's nothing to enhance. It'd be like casting Bear's Endurance on a golem.

Int "-" =/= Int "0".

 

[Infiniti2000]

I say no, because an enhancement to something non-existent achieves nothing. As an analogy, it would be like casting Magical Vestment on a naked person - a waste of time.

Not a good analogy because the magic vestment fails to be cast due to an invalid target. An ooze is not an invalid target of a fox's cunning.

 

[IamTheTest]

I don't know if its a right answer, but Id allow it. You can add numbers to 0 and get a nonzero number after all. Fox's Cunning doesn't say *d4 INT. The thought of an intelligent ooze is kinda sad though.

 

[Patlin]

N/A + (anything) = N/A

 

[Sejs]

I don't know if its a right answer, but Id allow it. You can add numbers to 0 and get a nonzero number after all. Fox's Cunning doesn't say *d4 INT. The thought of an intelligent ooze is kinda sad though.

Actually that's the issue at hand. An ooze doesn't have a 0 int, they have a non-stat (-) int. For comparison, it'd be like casting Bear's Endurance on undead.

If you awakened the ooze via Awaken Ooze, such that it then had an int score, then you could Fox's Cunning it all day long. Though to be fair, at that point the ooze should be required to wear a graduate's cap at all times.

 

[GwydapLlew]

The crux of the matter is whether the targeted ooz has an Intelligence score of 0, or an Intelligence score of -. As has been mentioned, if an ability is rated at -, then it cannot be modified, as that score does not exist for the creature.

 

[pawsplay]

Also, ghosts do not benefit from Bull's Strength, and nonmagical tapestries receive no benefit from Cat's Grace.

EDIT: Now a fiendish ooze, on the other hand...

 

[mvincent]

ghosts do not benefit from Bull's Strength

Actually, ghosts have a strength score.