I've been wondering, and I'm unsure how blood crow strike is supposed to work. My questions are as follows:
1) Range: I am unsure whether the range they put on the spell is for casting purposes, or the range at which the crows can hit. The wording "strike foes as if they where in your threatened area" is particularly confusing to me.
2) Damage: I have the same confusion when they say "plus appropriate unarmed strike modifiers". Is the TOTAL damage 2d6, or is it 2d6+XdY (unarmed strike dice), or ist it 2d6+XdY+damage (IE, strength, power attack, etc).
It seems like an interesting ability, but I just do not get how it works.
I've been wondering, and I'm unsure how blood crow strike is supposed to work. My questions are as follows:
1) Range: I am unsure whether the range they put on the spell is for casting purposes, or the range at which the crows can hit. The wording "strike foes as if they where in your threatened area" is particularly confusing to me.
2) Damage: I have the same confusion when they say "plus appropriate unarmed strike modifiers". Is the TOTAL damage 2d6, or is it 2d6+XdY (unarmed strike dice), or ist it 2d6+XdY+damage (IE, strength, power attack, etc).
It seems like an interesting ability, but I just do not get how it works.
1) The crows can hit to the range of the spell, as if the creature were in your threatened area. He doesn't actually need to be in your threatened area, it's just emulating that for the purpose of letting you make unarmed strike melee attacks at a distance.
2) The 2d6 you're referencing is just damage in an example. You deal the same damage you would if you had hit the creature with an unarmed strike, except the damage is 50% fire and 50% negative energy.
Your unarmed strike can strike targets in a 100ft + 10ft/level range. Additionally your damage changes to fire and neg. energy.
Power attack, STR usw. all can apply.
Confusing is the duration and casting time. You cast it and as part of the casting you can perform a full attack / FOB ?
Well, very useful then. Especially considering the range. I was making a ki-heavy monk build, and was looking for a decent ranged option. Seems like I found my answer.
Duration and casting time is definitely confusing. I think the intent was to have it be a full attack (full-round action at range), but it works more like:
Round 1 - begin casting blood crow strike
Round 2 - finishes casting blood crow strike at start of turn, hits target with a full attack of crows, then takes his round 2 actions.
Well, I read it like shocking graps: You cast the spell, then you get to flurry as a "free attack". My understanding is that it's a full round action including the casting and the flurry. Since the duration is "instantaneous", I tend to think it has to be used immediatly. Then again, I guess it depends on the DM interpretation. Still, it's much more effective than any of my other options (like a crossbow or shuriken).
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School evocation [fire]; Level cleric 4
Components V, S
Casting Time 1 round
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target one creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes
Your unarmed strikes release blasts of energy in the form of bolts of fire or glowing red crows, which fly instantaneously to strike your target. You can make unarmed strike or flurry of blows attacks against the target as if it were in your threatened area; each successful attack deals damage as if you had hit it with your unarmed strike, except half the damage is fire and half is negative energy (this negative energy does not heal undead). For example, if you are a 14th-level monk, you can use a flurry of blows to attack five times, creating one energy crow for each successful attack against the target, and dealing 2d6 points of damage (plus appropriate unarmed strike modifiers) with each crow.
It pretty much spells everything out for you right there.
casting time is 1 round. Ranged is 100ft + 10ft per level. You shouldn't have much trouble reaching an opponent. You can also argue with the DM that the "crows" can fly around objects to avoid cover.
1.) When it says "Strike foes as if they were in your threatened area", it just means you're hitting them with your IUS from afar and there is really nothing they can do about it. I think that was just extra clarification that was not needed.
2.) Meaning ALL of your normal modifiers as if you were up-close pummeling them with your fists. Power Attack mod, Str mod, etc.
This is an OK ranged ability, but keep in mind you will have cast for a full round, then attack on the next. Also keep in mind a lot of creatures will have both fire, negative energy resistances, and spell resistance. If you can acquire Quicken Spell-Like Ability, you can basically get 1 off per round or fire 2 of them off on the second round(I can't remember which one, but it averages to 1 per round either way.) I really wouldn't recommend it, however this is probably one of the Coolest abilities in terms of flashiness and RP.
I would recommend Dimensional Dervish if you can acquire that and still kept Abundant Step. Then you can zip around all DBZ style, teleporting through time and space, punching stuff and/or using other abilities, moving at twice your speed, full attacking in the process. The only thing that sucks about doing this, is it requires Dimensional Agility/Assault/Dervish. 3 Feats. However, if I weren't a Monk/Druid, I wouldn't be able to spend those feats any better. Get yourself a wand of Strong Jaw btw. Great for our fist damage :)
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keep in mind you will have cast for a full round, then attack on the next.
that sounds close to confusing the point.
you will have to cast for a full round, but then the spell goes off, and you'll get its effect, before continuing your actions for that round ( move and attack, cast again, etc. )its not 2 rounds of actions devoted to getting 1 round of ranged attacks.
I've done several dimensional dervish builds before, but it still has the whole problem of hitting at range (unless the DM allows you to teleport in the sky and have "hang time"). The whole 3-feat cost is also pretty unnatractive for a lot of monk builds (although I do admit they dont have a lot of interesting high-level feat options).
Also, not so sure strong jaw works on unarmed strikes. Cool stuff, but again, not so sure.
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you're right though, if you can somehow quicken it, its a lot nicer.
quickened 1 round castings are still a swift action. so you'd get 2 full rounds of attacks off in one round. but there's usually no way to get access to the quicken spell-like ability feats as players ( well, in pfs really ).
a 7th level cleric, 5th level monk w/ a monk's robe and a way to cast quickened spells with a rod or staff, could possibly get this off decently. but it'd be kinda lame still, with so many resources spent on that.
1.) When it says "Strike foes as if they were in your threatened area", it just means you're hitting them with your IUS from afar and there is really nothing they can do about it. I think that was just extra clarification that was not needed.
If I had to guess at the reason it has this verbage, it's because these are not ranged attacks. They are melee attacks at range. Semantically important.
RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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If I had to guess at the reason it has this verbage, it's because these are not ranged attacks. They are melee attacks at range. Semantically important.
1.) When it says "Strike foes as if they were in your threatened area", it just means you're hitting them with your IUS from afar and there is really nothing they can do about it. I think that was just extra clarification that was not needed.
Perhaps that means you don't need Precise Shot, don't benefit from Point-Blank Shot, don't worry about cover, can't use Deadly Aim, etc?
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I've done several dimensional dervish builds before, but it still has the whole problem of hitting at range (unless the DM allows you to teleport in the sky and have "hang time"). The whole 3-feat cost is also pretty unnatractive for a lot of monk builds (although I do admit they dont have a lot of interesting high-level feat options).
Also, not so sure strong jaw works on unarmed strikes. Cool stuff, but again, not so sure.
Yep. Both of these ideas have hefty issues. There really aren't a ton of Feat options for them, which is why I suggested it. Your DM shouldn't have an issue with you going in the air with it, as it never specifically states you cannot. It just basically tells you that you must end your movement on a stable surface. Nowhere in the chain of feats, the ability itself, or dimension door does it state you cannot go through the air. I would certainly bring it up to your DM if you decide to put it to good use. You instantly transfer yourself from your current location to any other spot within range. You always arrive at exactly the spot desired - whether by simply visualizing the area or by stating direction.
At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk's attacks may be with fist, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.
Usually a monk's unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.
A monk's unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
It works with IUS. Specific trumps general. :)
I've done a lot of research on Monks and Druids. I've got builds if you ever want to look at them too.
Perhaps that means you don't need Precise Shot, don't benefit from Point-Blank Shot, don't worry about cover, can't use Deadly Aim, etc?If I had to guess at the reason it has this verbage, it's because these are not ranged attacks. They are melee attacks at range. Semantically important.
1.) When it says "Strike foes as if they were in your threatened area", it just means you're hitting them with your IUS from afar and there is really nothing they can do about it. I think that was just extra clarification that was not needed.
Creatures can still gain cover against melee attacks from corners, soft cover against reach weapons, etc. Blood crow strike also doesn't alter what square you're considered to be in, just that creatures at range count as threatened, so you'd probably use your current square and the target's square to determine cover. EDIT: Essentially, the 14th-level monk in the spell's example would gain a natural reach of 240' for the purpose of the spell. :P
Other than that, I'm in total agreement. No PBS, Deadly Aim, no firing into melee penalty, etc.
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I would be interested in seeing more examples of effective monks/druids. They are two classes that I know poorly, and the guides just havent inspired me like some guides in the past. And I guess I will have to work in the strong jaw somehow. Oh, this is all for theoretical builds, but I hope to play them someday. (or use them against players).
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I would be interested in seeing more examples of effective monks/druids. They are two classes that I know poorly, and the guides just havent inspired me like some guides in the past. And I guess I will have to work in the strong jaw somehow. Oh, this is all for theoretical builds, but I hope to play them someday. (or use them against players).
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I hope you play too my friend!
I feel every Guide that comes out usually aims peoples build towards a specific method of tactic for the character/class. It's just a matter of waiting for an appealing one I suppose. I personally like to dig through words and books for months and then find my style.
Shoot me your Email via private message and I'll send you an excel sheet with them.
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Creatures can still gain cover against melee attacks from corners, soft cover against reach weapons, etc. Blood crow strike also doesn't alter what square you're considered to be in, just that creatures at range count as threatened, so you'd probably use your current square and the target's square to determine cover. EDIT: Essentially, the 14th-level monk in the spell's example would gain a natural reach of 240' for the purpose of the spell. :P
Other than that, I'm in total agreement. No PBS, Deadly Aim, no firing into melee penalty, etc.
there's a mace whose head phases through stone and earth on command. negating cover from walls and stuff. i SOO wanna get one to slam through a wall and hit someone on the other side. lol.
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I have a dex based monk/druid that uses flurry while in air elemental or fire elemental form combined with a agile amulet of mighty fists. Since you can speak and have a humanoid shape in elemental form you don't need natural spell (though you need a pouch for components so its still not a bad idea) and uses weapon finesse/piranha strike and unarmed strike enhances for additional abilities.
Using crane style, crane wing, high dex/wis base, plumekith aasimar, the character can get to high AC, high saves and decent damage, which can be augmented by strong jaw, produce flame or a variety of other spells.
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I have a dex based monk/druid that uses flurry while in air elemental or fire elemental form combined with a agile amulet of mighty fists. Since you can speak and have a humanoid shape in elemental form you don't need natural spell (though you need a pouch for components so its still not a bad idea) and uses weapon finesse/piranha strike and unarmed strike enhances for additional abilities.
Using crane style, crane wing, high dex/wis base, plumekith aasimar, the character can get to high AC, high saves and decent damage, which can be augmented by strong jaw, produce flame or a variety of other spells.
Wait wait.... You're able to speak in Elemental Form??
If someone finds a way to make Quicken Spell-like ability PFS legal, just let me know.
2 Flurry of blows per round is VERY strong. 2x 250ft away flurry of blows per round is even stronger!