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This question came up during tonight's game. An 11th level Oracle with the Flames mystery and Body of Flame revelation is being grappled and pinned by a paraika div and threatened by two adjacent morghs. She wants to use the revelation to shape change into a Large fire elemental in order to break out of the grapple. Putting aside for a moment the fact that this would not guarantee that she would get out of the grapple, since A) the paraika is more than capable of grappling a large creature, and B) the paraika is immune to fire (the best she can hope for is a +1 size bonus to CMB to break grapple and a +3 size and dex bonus to CMD for the paraika to maintain the pin), the RAW for supernatural abilities are a tad vague about when exactly a Concentration check might be needed or when it might provoke an AoO (states that supernatural abilities "generally" don't provoke, with "generally" being the operative word). Also, while the description for spell-like abilities states that a spell-like ability does not require a verbal, somatic or material component, the description for a supernatural ability does not make that distinction, so should it simply be inferred that the same guideline should be applied to supernatural abilities that mimick spells (specifically, it states that the Body of Flame revelation for an 11th level Oracle is "as Elemental Body III")?
So, to recap:
1) Should an Oracle in the pinned condition be required to make a concentration check to activate Body of Flame?
2) Would doing so in this circumstance (pinned and surrounded by enemies) be one of those rare instances where a supernatural ability would provoke an AoO?
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1) No, supernatural abilities can't be disrupted in combat. There's nothing vague about that.
That doesn't mean that it can't provoke an attack of opportunity or require a concentration check. It simply means that if the character takes damage while using the ability, it won't prevent the ability from doing what it is intended to do.
2) Could you explain further why you think this is an exception?
I don't necessarily. But the rules are vague on that score, and they specifically imply that there could be circumstances that would provoke an attack of opportunity, else they wouldn't bother with the caveat "generally." I just want to know if people think this might be one of those rare situations, since it's not exactly the most common of combat situations, and it provoked a lengthy discussion at the table, which was never resolved by the time we called it a night. I should also explain that the way the four combatants (the oracle, the paraika, and the two morghs) are positioned, there is no way for the oracle to change to large size without someone giving way, she'll either have to squeeze or shunt an enemy out of his square, either of which could potentially provoke.
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I should also explain that the way the four combatants (the oracle, the paraika, and the two morghs) are positioned, there is no way for the oracle to change to large size without someone giving way, she'll either have to squeeze or shunt an enemy out of his square, either of which could potentially provoke.
That's a more plausible reason why she might either not be able to transform into a Large elemental, or provoke an AoO if she does (for entering another creature's space).
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Using Supernatural abilities doesn't provoke AoOs. See here for a handy table Generally, the un-disrupt-ability is one of the stronger points of SU's and makes them much sought after.
I don't necessarily. But the rules are vague on that score, and they specifically imply that there could be circumstances that would provoke an attack of opportunity, else they wouldn't bother with the caveat "generally." I just want to know if people think this might be one of those rare situations, since it's not exactly the most common of combat situations, and it provoked a lengthy discussion at the table, which was never resolved by the time we called it a night. I should also explain that the way the four combatants (the oracle, the paraika, and the two morghs) are positioned, there is no way for the oracle to change to large size without someone giving way, she'll either have to squeeze or shunt an enemy out of his square, either of which could potentially provoke.
Those rare situations where it does provoke, is called out in the ability's description. Normally no, they do not provoke (as per the table), but that isn't to say that sometime in the future there might not be an ability that does provoke or an ability that allows someone to take an AoO when it isn't normally allowed (there was a feat line in 3.5 that allowed you to take an AoO vs Supernatural abilities).
Using the ability doesn't provoke, the effects of the ability are another matter though. As for the going to large size, technically I think they would get bumped and I don't think it would provoke. Changing to large size isn't the same as enlarge person where it states (at least I think it still does) that you are limited to the available area and can't grow larger to burst the container. The game says you cannot share squares except with a helpless creature (I think that is the term used) or if the creature is so many size categories smaller than you, and if you move out of a threatened square you provoke an AoO.
By using the ability you become a large creature, you don't move out of a threatened square, you just all of the sudden take up those squares. Once that change in size is resolved, if you are stuck in a corner and surrounded in the 3 surrounding squares, someone else is moving if not all of them. You have to occupy 4 squares if possible, you cannot end a squeeze movement and not take up your normal 10x10 if those squares are available to be occupied, either you need to go back to the last legitimate area that was valid or they have to move. Seeing as there is absolutely no where else for you to go once you are large and in the corner, the rest of them have to move back. As you aren't moving out of a threatened square, you don't provoke attacks of opportunity. To be fair, I wouldn't have them provoke attacks either (from allies).
It is just one of those odd things that happen in a grid based game. Technically if the building/room was the same size as the large creature, the rest of the creatures would actually get bumped outside the room as those are the last available valid spots for the smaller creatures. Seeing as one of them was grappling I would rule they always end up at the door way to prevent the grapple from being "broken" by the creature being put in a non adjacent spot.
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I should also explain that the way the four combatants (the oracle, the paraika, and the two morghs) are positioned, there is no way for the oracle to change to large size without someone giving way, she'll either have to squeeze or shunt an enemy out of his square, either of which could potentially provoke.That's a more plausible reason why she might either not be able to transform into a Large elemental, or provoke an AoO if she does (for entering another creature's space).
I would require a Concentration check, as it makes sense that at least a *little* concentration is involved. (Although there may be a 3.5FAQ question regarding Su abilities and Concentration checks.)
If the check succeeded, I would allow the PC to change shape and start out squeezed. If the PC doesn't want the penalties for squeezing, then they would need to push other creatures out of the way. I would probably treat that as a free bull rush attempt in which the other creatures are only pushed back 5 feet (or whatever the minimum distance is to allow the elemental to eliminate the squeezing penalty).
I don't believe any part of the last paragraph above is RAW, since there are no RAW regarding this. But that's why we have GMs. :)
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Owner - D20 Hobbies
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1) Should an Oracle in the pinned condition be required to make a concentration check to activate Body of Flame?
2) Would doing so in this circumstance (pinned and surrounded by enemies) be one of those rare instances where a supernatural ability would provoke an AoO?
1) PHB p183, No
2) PHB p183, No
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I would require a Concentration check, as it makes sense that at least a *little* concentration is involved.
No, it doesn't. Breath weapons are Su abilities. Should a dragon be forced to make a Concentration check to breathe? Damage Reduction can be Su; should a golem be forced to make a Concentration check to reduce incoming damage?
Supernatural abilities are inherent and (super)natural to the creature that has them. They are, as a rule, as basic to the creature as walking or swinging a fist. They don't require any sort of verbal/somatic/material/focus components and do not require any concentration by rule (as a moment of concentration is what makes Stilled Silent spells and SLAs still provoke AOOs).
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I should probably chime in, as I'm the pinned Oracle of Flame. IMHO it would be able to be done and would not provoke because it's an SU, not a spell, it's effects are just similar to Elemental form III. It's not a finger waggling incantation enchanting that causes it to happen (spell or spell-like) but an inborn gift, she just wills it into being.
Unfortunately, it will probably not make any difference because, while she will avoid the automatic criticals, the HP damage she's about to get will probably be enough to kill her.
Miranda, Flame Oracle of Serenre, cohort of... never mind, he's already dead.
Eh, she might not die ... yet, mwahahaha! And she doesn't need to worry about the automatic criticals, since being pinned doesn't make her helpless, thus they can't perform a coup de grace.
From combat section
Supernatural Abilities (Su): Using a supernatural ability is usually a standard action (unless defined otherwise by the ability's description). Its use cannot be disrupted, does not require concentration, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
so could use it I'd think