Void Incarnate

[Korak]

Wow, there certainly have been some interesting readings of this ability.

To me, though, it seems quite clear.

Void Presence (Ex): Opponents of a void incarnate unconsciously ignore the void incarnate's presence starting at 3rd level.

The first sentence only refers to two defined game terms, "opponents" and "3rd level." Nothing about the game mechanics of the ability is said in the first sentence apart from noting that the ability is granted at the 3rd level of the class. "Unconsiously," "ignore," and "presence" are not words with precise in-game meaning. This sentence is the fluffy description sentence... akin to the flavor text on the bottom of a M:TG card. This structure is very common in WoTC rules writing.


The effect...

They are always treated as flat-footed to the void incarnate (and thus may not apply their Dexterity modifier to AC).

The second sentence actually contains the mechanics of the ability. Note the use of defined DnD terms, opponents(through pronoun reference), flat-footed, Dexterity modifier, and AC... and more importantly, the explicitly stated relationship between the terms.

Then, the duration...

This lasts until the void incarnate attacks the opponent, but resumes again at the start of the void incarnate's next turn.

and lastly, the descriptor.

This is a mind-affecting effect.

 

[Kafkonia]

Have any of you guys explored the void incarnate epic prestige class? (here is a link to it: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ei/20030418a. I'm not entirely sure how the void presence ability works.

Void Presence (Ex): Opponents of a void incarnate unconsciously ignore the void incarnate's presence starting at 3rd level. They are always treated as flat-footed to the void incarnate (and thus may not apply their Dexterity modifier to AC). This lasts until the void incarnate attacks the opponent, but resumes again at the start of the void incarnate's next turn. This is a mind-affecting effect.​

How does this play in combat? Does only the first attack each round from the void incarnate catch opponents flat footed? Or does every attack on the void incarnate's turn catch foes flat footed? Does this ability also mean that opponents will not attack or target the void incarnate until the VI attacks them? In short, I don't really know what this ability really does for the VI, and am asking if somebody could explain its mechanics a bit more descriptively.

I appreciate the help.

-Dross

This:

"This lasts until the void incarnate attacks the opponent, but resumes again at the start of the void incarnate's next turn."

suggests to me that only the first attack against a given opponent is a flat-footed attack, but if the void incarnate attacks multiple opponents, each one is consdered flat-footed for the first attack against them. So, if you attack three people twice each, the first attack against each of them qualifies for flat-footed, the second for each does not.

I'm not sure about the answer to the second part of your question.

 

[Abstraction]

This would seem to also say that, unless your opponents have Combat Reflexes, you can walk right past them and they cannot AoO you.

 

[werk]

Gray Men?

 

[Dross Swordra]

Gray men? what are you referring to?

 

[Shadeus]

The mind blank spell will make you immune to this ability. I would plan on not using this ability frequently at epic levels.

 

[the Jester]

Someone in Wizardru's campaign, from his old story hour, played a void incarnate once they were epic iirc. Maybe Zad?

 

[The Forsaken One]

The mind blank spell will make you immune to this ability. I would plan on not using this ability frequently at epic levels.

What he said.

 

[werk]

Gray men? what are you referring to?

Robert Jordan, Wheel of Time. They are men that have traded (?) their souls or something...your eyes and mind slide off of them like they are not there. They are used as assassins.

I haven't read Jordan in a long time, but there is a d20 setting for it, and it has gray men IIRC.