questions about Channel Force

[ohako]

Advanced Race Guide wrote:

Channel Force: When you channel energy to deal damage, you may choose to affect only a single target within 30 feet. In addition to dealing damage, if that single target fails its saving throw, you may pull or push (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 303) the target up to 5 feet for every 2d6 points of channel energy damage you are capable of dealing.

Bestiary PRD wrote:

Push (Ex): A creature with the push ability can choose to make a free combat maneuver check with a certain successful attack (often a slam attack). If successful, this check pushes a creature directly away as with a bull rush, but the distance moved is set by this ability. The type of attack that causes the push and the distance pushed are included in the creature's description. This ability only works on creatures of a size equal to or smaller than the pushing creature. Creatures pushed in this way do not provoke attacks of opportunity and stop if the push would move them into a solid object or creature.

Some questions

1. If creature fails its channel energy saving throw, does the cleric make a combat maneuver check? Or is the pushing automatic? Are there any special modifiers to this maneuver check, or is it just d20+BaB+Strength?
2. If you're a Medium aasimar, and you damage a Large zombie, can you push it with Channel Force?
3. Lots of undead creatures are incorporeal. Can you push them with Channel Force, even if you couldn't otherwise touch them? Can you push a ghost through a solid object?

[Bradley Mickle]

1. Reading it, yes, you would need to make a combat maneuver check. It never specifies, but I would argue/rule that the check should forgo the strength in place of Charisma bonus. After all, the effect causing the push/pull is based on a magical ability based on that stat.

2. It sounds like no, the cleric couldn't push/pull a creature larger than it's own size. Only equal to or smaller. So no pushing around large zombies. It's a reasonable limitation, as you're moving the target as well as damaging them (and the subsequent feats in the chain turn it into AoE push/pulls)

3. This is a little more vague. I don't see why you couldn't push/pull an incorporeal. After all, channel is essentially a holy force effect. However, if I'm not mistaken, line of sight is required for the ray-like effect of channel force, so you could push the ghost (in this case) into the wall, but no further. You'd lose line of sight/effect.

[ohako]

oh hey, neat, I thought of another question.

1. Let's say you have Alignment Channel (evil) and Greater Channel Force.
2. A swarm of fiendish ants swarms over you.
3. You channel energy to harm the swarm.

a) a swarm is immune to bull rush (and has no CMD). Can a swarm be pushed?
b) if so, let's say you're standing in the middle of a swarm when you channel (and the swarm fails its save, and then it fails the combat maneuver check somehow without a CMD). If it hasn't taken enough damage to 'break up', would the push effect be able to push apart the swarm into multiple directions (ie, it would break up anyway)?

[Jeff Clem]

Ohako

I would say the push or is automatic. If the creatures get a save and you have to make a combat maneuver, that's 2 chances nullify the feat.
Channeling is automatic there's no roll.

Swarms would be affected because channel is a area effect(Damage only).Now if you apply Greater Channel force because it effects ALL Creatures then the swarm would be pushed back. If you used improved channel force 60ft line then no push since a swarm is like a cloud of creatures and is considered all around you.