Using a Spell Trigger Item when Grappled / Pinned.


Rules Questions


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber

OK, I have a Wizard who has been engulfed by a Shaggoth, I have little to zero chance of making the concentration check to cast a spell normally. May I use my Arcane Bonded staff to cast Teleport when I am grappled given that the staff needs to be "wielded" and that when grappled you may only use one-handed or light weapons to attack. Also, in the Magic Item section it states that the staff must be "held forth" to activate. So would it be possible to teleport in my given situation.

Another nagging question, When the said teleporting wizard teleports, does the grappling creature have a chance/option to go along in effect continuing the grapple. I remember some creature from the Savage Tide AP that would touch a PC and then teleport away with that PC if the PC failed a Will save. Anyone know of any rules, house or otherwise that might address this?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Jeff


It is unclear from your post if your teleport spell is an actual spell that you're casting because of your bond, or is a power of your staff that you are using staff charges to cast.

Your bonded item allows you to cast one spell per day that you know. According to the RAW, this means that YOU cast the spell. "A bonded object can be used once per day to cast any one spell that the wizard has in his spellbook and is capable of casting, even if the spell is not prepared. This spell is treated like any other spell cast by the wizard, including casting time, duration, and other effects dependent on the wizard's level."

So in this case, you have to cast it. You are not using your bonded item to "spell-trigger" some spell out of your spellbook. Normal concentration rules apply.

However, if you have a staff that has Teleport on it as one of the staff's powers (such as a Staff of Passage, and you use charges to activate that staff to use it's Teleport power, then you follow the rules for activating a staff (spell-trigger item). In these rules it says "To activate a staff, a character must hold it forth in at least one hand (or whatever passes for a hand, for nonhumanoid creatures)."

So in this case you can activate your staff's power using just one hand and no concentration check, even when grappled.

As to your second question, the generic Teleport spell won't even let you take an unwilling living creature. When you cast Teleport, "You may also bring one additional willing Medium or smaller creature (carrying gear or objects up to its maximum load) or its equivalent per three caster levels. A Large creature counts as two Medium creatures, a Huge creature counts as four Medium creatures, and so forth."

So, assuming the Shoggoth is within this size category and is willing to go with you, therefore eligible as a target, there is still the fact that you must target the Shoggoth. If you don't declare it a target of your Teleport spell, then it cannot teleport with you regardless of whether it wants to or not. "Some spells have a target or targets. You cast these spells on creatures or objects, as defined by the spell itself. You must be able to see or touch the target, and you must specifically choose that target."

So it's all pretty clear. You can cast Teleport with concentration if this is your once/day use of your bonded item, or you can activate a staff's power with one hand without concentration, and either way, the Shoggoth cannot teleport with you unless you specifically declare it as a target of your spell (which would be a silly thing to do).


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber

The staff actually has Teleport on it, so you're saying that even though you are grappled/pinned, you are able to wield the staff properly enough to complete the spell trigger and teleport. This is good because I only have 40 HP left and will be toast next round. Thanks for the input.


JFK68 wrote:
The staff actually has Teleport on it, so you're saying that even though you are grappled/pinned, you are able to wield the staff properly enough to complete the spell trigger and teleport. This is good because I only have 40 HP left and will be toast next round. Thanks for the input.

Most spell trigger items are command word activated. You don't wield it you hold it and say abra kadabra and *poof*.


JFK68 wrote:
The staff actually has Teleport on it, so you're saying that even though you are grappled/pinned, you are able to wield the staff properly enough to complete the spell trigger and teleport. This is good because I only have 40 HP left and will be toast next round. Thanks for the input.

Yes indeed. It looks like you get to live.


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber

I see it as a little more grand than that, more of a forceful presentation of the staff and calling forth its power. But yeah, it's just basically holding something and saying the command word.


JFK68 wrote:
I see it as a little more grand than that, more of a forceful presentation of the staff and calling forth its power. But yeah, it's just basically holding something and saying the command word.

I would set my command word for teleport to "adios suckers"


JFK68 wrote:
I see it as a little more grand than that, more of a forceful presentation of the staff and calling forth its power. But yeah, it's just basically holding something and saying the command word.

Well you want to realize that using a staff (or wand) doesn't provoke AOOs, so the actual action used in triggering it is less than casting, reading a scroll or even quaffing a potion.

That might help you reconcile the amount of effort needed to cast a spell off a staff.

-James


Do spell trigger items work, even if you are pinned? I mean, if, for example, you have an enervation wand in your hand, you get grappled and pinned, you can still blast the grappler with no problem?

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