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I'm curious if the the statement about 5ft increments refers to the means of which the ability is measured, or is it in fact quite literal. If the latter is true, does that mean one can't "step" through a wall greater then 5', "step" through a river of lava without getting burned, or use the ability to go through a cloudkill or an aura without making saving throws? Would you be limited to being on the ground?
By the rules, after you use the shift ability your turn is pretty much over. Since it functions as a dimension door, which states that after using the spell you can't take any actions till your next turn (not to mention no immediate abilities/spells during your opponents turn). Which is a HUGE drawback to an ability that is a swift action (similar to abundant step as a move action). I'm sure they would expect people to read the spell before using the ability, but there's probably quite a few that might miss/forget this sort of thing. Perhaps the ability itself should be errata'd to mention this fact, or disprove it as an exception under intended use. Granted, even with the huge drawback it's still useful: running in to cast a spell, then shift out of a line of sight, or to automatically escape a grapple as a fallback (though at 5 per 2 levels, you aren't gonna escape every far.) Though, again I'll state that since it's a supernatural swift action it may be rather important to highlight that using the ability renders you virtually dazed till your next turn after using it.
While on the topic should the dimension door spell/ability make you unable to take an attack of opportunity? By the rules, yes. You only threaten an area if you can make a melee attack, even if it isn't your turn. If you can't make an action, well you don't threaten, you don't get an attack of opportunity. Should this be?
What about a readied action?
Does dimension door while tugging others also rip them of their actions till their next turn (meaning no AoO, immediate abilities, readied actions, and just plain screwed if they delayed till your initiative)?
Could you start casting a summoning spell (one full round casting time), then use the ability to shift. Would this interrupt the summoning spell? Would it interrupt spells that require concentration like minor image?
Is the lose of action just a direct result of actually casting the spell? Should it really apply to supernatural abilities that an emulate the spell in a far quicker fashion. I imagine the sentence is in there for balancing reasons, but I wish it would elaborate more on the implications of using the spell (or least why it happens) without having to do a lot of cross referencing (in regards to reactive elements like immediate actions and AoO). It would of been easier to say that the caster is considered dazed after using it, but understandable why they wouldn't (in case of a condition/racial ability make you immune to such.)
Just curious what the community thinks about it.
I think the limitation is fine in the spell as it keeps it from being an "obvious" choice, but I really don't like how the game designers (in all systems) always seem to forget the limitation when referencing the spell in other abilities.
This isn't the first time it has happened.
I had this same question the other day, the ability refers to dimension door, but does it means it functions like dimension door 100% or just the part about moving around?
I had this same question the other day, the ability refers to dimension door, but does it means it functions like dimension door 100% or just the part about moving around?
In my opinion, the ability is expected to function exactly like dimension door, with pros and cons, otherwise it would have been written like the much more powerful 8th level Travel cleric domain ability:
Dimensional Hop (Sp): At 8th level, you can teleport up to 10 feet per cleric level per day as a move action. This teleportation must be used in 5-foot increments and such movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. You must have line of sight to your destination to use this ability. You can bring other willing creatures with you, but you must expend an equal amount of distance for each creature brought.
Note that Dimensional Hop does something that is very, very similar to dimension door, but without the restriction. And it's an 8th level ability, not a 1st level one.
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The Shift and Dimensional Step abilities function exactly like Dimension Door except where they state the differences. So yes, after each of these teleportation abilities are used your wizard cannot take any more actions.
This has no effect on anything else as long as you have already spent an action to concentrate on an active spell (a move action) for example.
Slightly off topic. Can you use shift to free yourself from a grapple? Is it an automatic success?
Slightly off topic. Can you use shift to free yourself from a grapple? Is it an automatic success?
A swift action is an action that doesn't take much time to complete, but it "stresses" out your character, and thus you can only do one per round. Swift actions do not provoke attacks of oportunity, also note that the dimension door spell only has a verbal component, so I see no reason why to make you roll a concentration check, since its basically like shutting your eyes close and open them in like an instant.
While on the topic should the dimension door spell/ability make you unable to take an attack of opportunity? By the rules, yes. You only threaten an area if you can make a melee attack, even if it isn't your turn. If you can't make an action, well you don't threaten, you don't get an attack of opportunity. Should this be?
I don't think it robs you of attacks of opportunity. An AoO is not an action, it is just a single melee attack.
I can't find anything to support that not being able to take actions until your next turn, makes you not threaten adjacent squares. After all it is not unlike having spent all you actions for the round, at which point you are still able to make AoOs.Personally I would rule, that you can also take an immediate action eventhough you have used Dimension door. Making effortless actions unavailiable doesn't seem to be the idea with the limitation of the spell.
An AoO is an action, and I would hardly say making an attack is effortless. Using the Shift supernatural ability will make you unable to take AoO's.
Edit: The exact wording is "After using this spell, you can't take any other actions until your next turn." No AoO or immediates. However, unless whoever you are fighting makes the spellcraft check to see if they know this, then they would still assume that you are threatening an area.
You do not provoke an AoO for using Shift, and, yes, it can get you out of a grapple.
Seeing as I just made a teleportation focused conjurer, which will no doubt see play in coming weeks, I thought I would revisit this question and see if there is any official input on the matter yet.
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Would shift allow you to take the feat dimensional agility out of Ultimate Combat
No, because one of the main things is you have to cast DD, and SU's arent casting. There are a few threds on whether "spell like" qualifies as a prerequeset because of difference in an actual spell. I am with the half that do. In none of those will you find anyone who thinks shift works. I too have a teleport conjurer and wish it so but will agree it dont. niether will it let you take an action after shifting if you have the feat from another qualification.
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Would shift allow you to take the feat dimensional agility out of Ultimate CombatNo, because one of the main things is you have to cast DD, and SU's arent casting. There are a few threds on whether "spell like" qualifies as a prerequeset because of difference in an actual spell. I am with the half that do. In none of those will you find anyone who thinks shift works. I too have a teleport conjurer and wish it so but will agree it dont. niether will it let you take an action after shifting if you have the feat from another qualification.
But it already works with a SU, abundant step monk class feature. I Know it's not RAW but it not out there for RAI. Shift seems like a swift action shorter range version of abundant step. at 20th level you only 50, that a move action for a lot of things at that level. It would be a wast to use it to escape a grapple for a critter to move up and grab you again.
your probably right, it just seems wrong theres no way to improve this ablity to get out of a grapple then cast at the offender.
Why not start your own thread with your question instead of derailing this one, ForgottenRider?
Would shift allow you to take the feat dimensional agility out of Ultimate CombatNo, because one of the main things is you have to cast DD, and SU's arent casting. There are a few threds on whether "spell like" qualifies as a prerequeset because of difference in an actual spell. I am with the half that do. In none of those will you find anyone who thinks shift works. I too have a teleport conjurer and wish it so but will agree it dont. niether will it let you take an action after shifting if you have the feat from another qualification.But it already works with a SU, abundant step monk class feature. I Know it's not RAW but it not out there for RAI. Shift seems like a swift action shorter range version of abundant step. at 20th level you only 50, that a move action for a lot of things at that level. It would be a wast to use it to escape a grapple for a critter to move up and grab you again.
your probably right, it just seems wrong theres no way to improve this ablity to get out of a grapple then cast at the offender.
Yes, but abundant step is specificaly mentioned for the feat. As for wasting it to get out of grapple, your PC's must have never been grabbed much. Im in or played in about 6 AP's now and there are alot of really mean critters that will kill in 3 rounds of grabbing.
Dimensional Steps
It is used in 5ft increments, so you can Step 5, 10 or 30ft per use but not 1 or 4 or 27. So it can be used to bypass a hazard. It also does not have the debilitating "functions like Dimension Door" so it can be used at any point of the wizards turn without bringing him to a screeching halt.
Shift
Yep, use it and your turn is over.
If you cast Dim Door(or Shift) and bring others they are free to act once teleported but since you cast the spell your stuck until your next turn.