Sacred Fist Sacred Flame ability?

[gnfnrf]

My Sacred Fist character has just unexpectedly leveled up quite quickly (it involved a demi-lich, a bag of holding, and a prismatic wall, better if you don't ask) and I'm about to get the Sacred Flame ability granted at 7th level.

However, I don't get how it works.

Activating the ability is a standard action, but what does that encompass?

Is it activate as a SA, then use for one attack, expending it? If so, does it expire after a single hit, a single attack, a single round, what? Is there simply a duration? If so, how long? Or does the SA of activating the ability include a single attack with it?

I'm confused.

--
gnfnrf

 

[Soltares]

It doesn't really say how long it lasts, other than to state that it can be combined with a Flurry of Blows (so at least one full round after it is activated, since it is a Standard Action to turn on).

It is significantly lowering your damage output, since it doesn't stack with Str / Expertise / etc (being basically a form of Brilliant Energy for your fists, it seems), although possibly damaging things that you couldn't otherwise with your +3 fists, so I would be willing to listen to a players arguments that it should last longer (say rounds equal to the Wisdom modifier, if positive).

 

[gnfnrf]

Lowering? You go from 1d8 (1d6 if small) + STR to 1d6+Wis+SacF level. For me, anyway, that is a significant raise in damage potential.

Anyway, does anyone know if there has been an official clarification of the rules for this? I can't find one anywhere, and my email to the Sage gets bounced.

--
gnfnrf

 

[hong]

Given that there's no mention of the power deactivating after a time, I'd assume it's meant to be like the weapon enchantments like flaming, frost, etc -- you switch them on, and they stay on indefinitely. Mind you, I have no idea how balanced this would be.