|
For a battle cleric, I had considered taking the Destruction and Rage domains. Both of the level 1 domain powers (Destructive Smite and Ferocious Strike) are pretty much exactly the same, just worded differently. But because they are different abilities and do not require any actions to use, my interpretation is that one can apply both buffs to a single attack.
What do you guys think? Can I apply both domain powers to a single attack?
For a battle cleric, I had considered taking the Destruction and Rage domains.
You mean Ferocity Subdomain, not Rage, yes?
Can I apply both domain powers to a single attack?
Destructive Smite (Su): "You gain the destructive smite power: the supernatural ability to make a single melee attack with a morale bonus on damage rolls equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum 1). You must declare the destructive smite before making the attack. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier."
Ferocious Strike (Su): "Whenever you make a melee attack, you can designate that attack as a ferocious strike. If the attack hits, it deals additional damage equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum +1). You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier."
I don't see why they wouldn't stack. Perform a destructive smite, and designate it as a ferocious strike.
I think Destructive Smite is a standard action to use (like the attack action) but FS doesn't mess with that.
I presume that you mean the Destruction and the Strength:Ferocity Domain?
You can absolutely combine them. Ferocious Strike modifies a melee attack, Destructive Smite is a melee attack.
As a side-note, Ferocious Strike can be added on to any melee attack, but the wording of Destructive Smite seems to indicate that it can only be done as a Standard Action (no iterative attacks).
I think you mean Destruction and Ferocity domains.
I don't see why these wouldn't stack.
|
|
Yes I meant Ferocity, not Rage.
And how do you guys figure that Destructive Smite needs to be restricted to a standard attack action? The ability doesn't mention standard action anywhere. In fact, I think the text strongly suggests that you can use it in conjunction with full attacks.
The ability reads:"You must declare the destructive smite before making the attack." This certainly implies that it modifies an existing attack. I interpret this to mean that it can be applied to any single attack that you make, even if it is part of a full attack or a charge. To use it for a whole full attack, you'd need to expend multiple uses, of course.
Because, when in doubt, Su abilities take a standard action to activate. No action is mentioned in Destructive Smite, so it's a standard action, resulting in a single attack with some bonus damage. Ferocious Strike adds the "when you make an attack" clause, meaning that the effect is included in the action to make that attack.
It also uses the words, "a single melee attack"
|
|
A single melee attack could refer to any melee attack made in any circumstances. It's worded like that just to say that you need to expend one use of the ability for each individual melee attack.
And again, if this ability takes its own action to activate, why on earth does it say "You must declare the destructive smite before making the attack." If the ability took its own standard action and didn't modify an existing attack, this line of text would not be needed. After all, your action would be "Destructive Smite". The fact that you have to "declare the destructive smite before making the attack" strongly implies that the Smite isn't a standard action of its own.
You can't just assume that an ability takes a standard action just because an action isn't specified. In fact, the Raven Familiar "Speaks one language of its master's choice as a supernatural ability." It's not like it needs to take a standard action to speak Common.
And frankly, if Paizo intended this ability to require a standard action, they would have specified it, just like they did with the Fire and Water domains. The fact that they did not do so, in conjunction with the clause about declaration, implies to me that they did not intend for the ability to take its own standard action.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
You can't just assume that an ability takes a standard action just because an action isn't specified.
Supernatural Abilities (Su): "Using a supernatural ability is usually a standard action (unless defined otherwise by the ability's description)."
In fact, the Raven Familiar "Speaks one language of its master's choice as a supernatural ability." It's not like it needs to take a standard action to speak Common.
Speak: "In general, speaking is a free action that you can perform even when it isn't your turn."
if Paizo intended this ability to require a standard action, they would have specified it
Alternately, if they intended it to be a standard action, they could choose to not state it, since the default action for a supernatural ability that doesn't specify the action is a standard action.
Grick hit the nail on the head here.
All cleric domain abilities, unless otherwise specified or contradicted mechanics-wise, are Standard Actions.
Destructive Smite, "make a single attack", standard action
Ferocious Strike, "adds to any attack", non-action
Seize the Initiative, modifies init, non-action
Holy Lance, "touch your weapon to add Holy", standard action
etc. etc.
"the supernatural ability to make a single melee attack"
This means that once you declare that you are using this ability, you can only make a single attack. If you were able to use it for iterative attacks, the text would be similar to Ferocious Strike.
I'm not sure why the attack specifically states that it needs to be declared, if you are playing correctly you should be declaring everything that you do. For example, if attacking with Power Attack and Cleave, you announce this info to the DM. So why this ability specifically states that you have to announce it, I don't know, but what bearing that has on anything related to your question is also unknown to me.
Comparatively, "Whenever you make a melee attack" says that any and every melee attack you make, regardless of whether or not it is a single attack or iterative, can be augmented.
Regarding "Seize the Initiative", that is obviously a non-action, being that it is happening outside of your turn and outside of the action economy entirely.
Even if (thread)necromancy isn't normally used by battle clerics I have to do it:
Does destructive smite work with vital strike? If so a gorumite cleric could combine destructive smite, ferocious smite, vital strike and channel smite into one mighty blow.
Destructive Smite does not play nice with Vital Strike because both are standard actions. In the same way the Cleave and Vital Strike don't mix.
Wasn't there an errata or FAQ recently that stated vital strike and cleave work together?
Don't believe so. At least its not on PFSRD and they are normally very quick about adding errata and FAQ info.