Pathfinder 1E Got Pathfinder Questions?

[Viktyr Gehrig]

A question about your column. Are you just doing rules inquiries or would you also field questions concerning adventures and the APs?

That depends heavily on the kinds of questions. I'm willing to field any question about the Pathfinder RPG that I'm capable of answering, but most questions about adventures or APs are going to fly right over my head; I don't normally use pre-packaged modules and I can't really afford the subscription.

This might change when my finances improve.

 

[Alzrius]

Viktyr, here's one for next month:

When using a magic circle against evil (or any variation thereof) as a trap for a called extraplanar creature, is there any prohibition against attacking a creature so trapped?

Presuming that one makes sure not to break the circle (e.g. attacking with magic, so that you don't get close enough to break the circle nor have fallen projectiles do so), there doesn't seem to be any reason that you can't bind a called extraplanar creature with a perfect magic circle against evil and dimensional anchor and then just slay it at your leisure via magic.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I should probably preface this with needing an answer rather soon because we play our game tomorrow afternoon so I'm open to anyone trying to give me feedback on this particular question and not just the OP because of the timing issue.

Here's one for you. I have a barbarian (wild rager)/fighter that I just created and one of his barbarian abilities is called Uncontrolled Rage of which I'll explain what it does below. We are also allowed to take up to 2 traits and the one in question is Birthmark, which I think can help for the saving throws against the confusion aspect of the Uncontrolled Rage power. I'll try to explain as simple to what I believe and see if you follow my reasoning. If I'm wrong, please let me know.

Uncontrolled Rage (Ex)
A wild rager’s rage functions as normal, except that when she reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points, she must attempt a Will save (DC 10 + the barbarian’s level + the barbarian’s Charisma modifier) or become confused. For the remainder of her current turn, she attacks the nearest creature other than herself. On the following round, refer to the confusion spell to determine her actions. At the end of this round, and each round thereafter, she can attempt a new saving throw to end the confusion effect. The rounds during which she is confused do not count against the rounds she has spent raging that day, but she cannot end her rage voluntarily, nor can she use rage powers while confused.

Confusion
School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting];
Level bard 3, sorcerer/wizard 4
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (three nutshells)
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets all creatures in a 15-ft.-radius burst
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

Birthmark:
You were born with a strange birthmark that looks very similar to the holy symbol of the god you chose to worship later in life. This birthmark can serve you as a divine focus for casting spells, and as a physical manifestation of your faith, it increases your devotion to your god—you gain a +2 trait bonus on all saving throws against charm and compulsion effects as a result.

Now my thoughts are as follows and please correct me if I'm interpreting it wrong!

If we are using the confusion SPELL as referenced by the Uncontrolled Rage, it says "COMPULSION" and "mind affecting", so then look to birthmark and it says "+2 on ALL saving throws against charm and COMPULSION effects." Because of the rolling of a saving throw for the Uncontrolled Rage confusion and the inclusion of the word "ALL" saving throws from Birthmark, technically it would work to help against this type of confusion is how I understand it.

What do you think? Will the Birthmark trait grant me the +2 to WILL saves when it comes to rolling against spell-referenced confusion of the Uncontrolled Rage ability?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Yes. The trait applies to all compulsion effects, not just spells. And Uncontrolled Rage is a compulsion effect. It's making you do things against your will, and uses the effects of confusion for your course of action.

If you were to get immunity to mind affecting effects, you would not be subject to the will save at all. Of course, Pathfail had to go and make Rage give morale bonuses, so now I'm not even sure if Rage itself is "mind-affecting" or different/more than just that.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

[MENTION=35909]StreamOfTheSky[/MENTION] thanks for getting back to me on the answer.

That's exactly what I thought, but I emailed my DM about it and he feels differently. He said that it's a rage where I go into it willingly - not trying to save vs. a spell - and therefore the confusion is a side effect of the archetype's uncontrolled rage ability and it isn't subject to the trait which gives me added saving throws to the effect. I emailed him back and asked him if Indomitable Faith would work instead since it's specific to WILL saves...

I won't fight him on it either way or whine about it, I was just trying to mitigate the damage that could occur to my party members if they were too close to me when I went into an uncontrolled rage after failing a WILL save.

I figure the best course of action right now during the lower levels while the WILL save is harder to make will be to just make sure they are further away than the next enemy before I go into a rage and if they do get too close that's just the way things are and they better try to tie me up or get out of reach of my sword!

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Of course Indomitable Faith works, it's a will save. IF is just a weaker Iron Will, really.

If you want to lower your save DC, only take 1 level in the class and try to make your charisma lower.

In any case, your DM's logic sounds seriously twisted and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't allow IF to help, either, just cause he doesn't like it.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I disagree with [MENTION=35909]StreamOfTheSky[/MENTION] on this one. Wild Rager's ability isn't equivalent to the confusion spell-- or else it would say "as if affected by the confusion spell"-- it simply uses the table from the confusion spell to determine the effects. It's not defined as a spell, spell-like ability, or anything else that conditional bonuses would apply to.

Indomitable Faith works fine. A Will save is a Will save.

 

[Piratecat]

Viktyr, I'd make this thread sticky, but far fewer people read sticky threads!

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

Of course Indomitable Faith works, it's a will save. IF is just a weaker Iron Will, really.

If you want to lower your save DC, only take 1 level in the class and try to make your charisma lower.

In any case, your DM's logic sounds seriously twisted and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't allow IF to help, either, just cause he doesn't like it.

So over the weekend I emailed my DM and we discussed it, he allowed me to take IF after asking me about some back story elements as to why I'd have it. I explained that my clan worshiped a different god than myself and that led to some added tension and also contributed to me being ousted from the clan. He was fine with it working with the confusion effect. I still may not agree about the birthmark with him, but at least it's a +1 to my WILL saves so I don't have to waste my feats on taking IW and IIW - focusing on combat related feats that will amp up the damage output that I can do.

One of the other players called me over the weekend as well and said he'd take Unbreakable Heart as one of his level 1 oracle spells which specifically states that it can help against my uncontrolled rage.

The reason I take a 2 level dip into barbarian and specifically wild rager has more to do with my character concept and adding a little bit of danger/excitement to combats with him. I know that I could go with a 1 level dip to help with the confusion, but I wanted to use other mechanics to work around and decrease the danger of hurting my allies a little bit so it happens less often especially at the lower levels. I feel with IF, cloak of resistance +1, and unbreakable heart from the oracle that now the danger of the confusion is within acceptable levels.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Just keep in mind, Pathfinder nerfed Rage from untyped bonuses to morale bonuses. So your will save bonus from raging will overlap with Unbreakable Heart's +4, not stack with it, unfortunately.