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Dimensional Step is an 8th level ability that Shift gives the Mage at 1st. Now I know that both are different but I believe that Shift is really powerful. Mage cannot get Grappled, A.O. can be totally avoided and the like. Am I wrong about this ability or is it legit? What do you say?
Remember that Shift functions exactly like Dimension Door...which means that you cannot take another action at all until you next turn once you use it. Yes, it is powerful in that it is a nice safety feature, however it doesn't get you THAT far away, especially at low levels, and then your turn is over. So you can move past people with it and avoid AoOs, but only if you're not doing anything after you get by them. You can get out of grapples....but then your turn is over and you're like 10 feet away...
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I completely agree with shift being a very powerful ability, especially given your alternative in this case is a somewhat buffed cantrip (acid dart).
That being said, Sylvanite nails a couple important caveats on shift, and there are a few more worth noting:
1. You have to be able to see where you are shifting to, so if you are blindfolded or in someway rendered blind, you ain't shifting nowhere.
2. While it is a swift action, you can only ready it for use during the time before your next turn if you commit your standard action to it, which will limit people stepping up, casting a spell, and then readying a shift in case someone moves in to whack them (though they could move and then ready a shift, or simply move, cast, and then shift back into safety).
To properly answer your question, I find it powerful but legit, yet still a wonderful option to have as a conjurer because I was less than enthused about acid dart and pretty much did a back flip out of sheer joy when I read that shift was an alternative option.
They really should have included the fact that it prohibits you from further action in its description, rather than relying on people to look up Dimension Door...especially when there is nothing else about Shift that makes you think you need some kind of clarification.
They really should have included the fact that it prohibits you from further action in its description, rather than relying on people to look up Dimension Door...especially when there is nothing else about Shift that makes you think you need some kind of clarification.
I'm not so sure it does do that. It's not a spell-like ability, it just lets you jump from one point to another like DD. I'd say at best it's subject to interpretation.
They really should have included the fact that it prohibits you from further action in its description, rather than relying on people to look up Dimension Door...especially when there is nothing else about Shift that makes you think you need some kind of clarification.
I for one didn't consider that, I thought it was a bit too good of an option, still do somewhat, but this does makes it better.
The Mage in my party plays it as a swift action THEN he does a full round. Is this right?
It is a spell like ability
Dimensional Steps (Sp): At 8th level, you can use this ability to teleport up to 30 feet per wizard level per day as a standard action. This teleportation must be used in 5-foot increments and such movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You can bring other willing creatures with you, but you must expend an equal amount of distance for each additional creature brought with you.
PS2:There is nothing stating it works like dimension door, but it is still a standard action since spell like abilities are standard actions unless otherwise stated.
The "Sp" stand for spell-like ability.
It is a spell like ability
Dimensional Steps (Sp): At 8th level, you can use this ability to teleport up to 30 feet per wizard level per day as a standard action. This teleportation must be used in 5-foot increments and such movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You can bring other willing creatures with you, but you must expend an equal amount of distance for each additional creature brought with you.PS2:There is nothing stating it works like dimension door, but it is still a standard action since spell like abilities are standard actions unless otherwise stated.
The "Sp" stand for spell-like ability.
They're talking about the Teleportation Focused Arcane School which grants this ability:
Shift (Su): At 1st level, you can teleport to a nearby space as a swift action as if using dimension door. This movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You must be able to see the space that you are moving into. You cannot take other creatures with you when you use this ability (except for familiars). You can move 5 feet for every two wizard levels you possess (minimum 5 feet). You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
Thanks.
In that case it has the same limitations as Dimension Door, just like a monk's abundant step does.
Even SU's that act like spells work the same way as the spell other than any exceptions made in the specific abilities description.
If the DD limiter on actions was not intended to be used they could have just said "At 1st level, you can teleport to a nearby space as a swift action..", without adding the dimension door statement.
They really should have included the fact that it prohibits you from further action in its description, rather than relying on people to look up Dimension Door...especially when there is nothing else about Shift that makes you think you need some kind of clarification.I'm not so sure it does do that. It's not a spell-like ability, it just lets you jump from one point to another like DD. I'd say at best it's subject to interpretation.
It's not really subject to interpretation. It functions like Dimension Door. It then specifically states the differences from Dimension Door, but the action limitation is not addressed, meaning it is still part of the ability.
@Aretas: As others have said, he is using it incorrectly, which is why it seems so overpowered. Once he uses it, he is done with his turn...and technically he can't even use immediate actions or make AoO's until his next turn either.
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The OP`s case seems clear-cut,
but for the (Vanilla Conjuration) Dimensional Steps SLA that Abe `mistakenly` brought up,
I think it`s PRETTY DAMN LIKELY that besides the Spell Level many SLAs now seem to be missing in PRPG,
that ability in specific, since it in all ways seem directly based on Dimension Door,
needs to actually reference Dimension Door if in fact it´s supposed to end your turn after the jump.
IF that`s not the intent, and it`s SUPPOSED to be an uber-Dimension Door, then it`s fine,
but I`m not really sure... If they were consciously aiming for that, it seems likely they would have called it out.
Hitting FAQ for this.
They really should have included the fact that it prohibits you from further action in its description, rather than relying on people to look up Dimension Door...especially when there is nothing else about Shift that makes you think you need some kind of clarification.I'm not so sure it does do that. It's not a spell-like ability, it just lets you jump from one point to another like DD. I'd say at best it's subject to interpretation.
It's the fact it states it works like Dimension Door -- they should reference teleport if it doesn't end actions.
The OP`s case seems clear-cut,
but for the (Vanilla Conjuration) Dimensional Steps SLA that Abe `mistakenly` brought up,
I think it`s PRETTY DAMN LIKELY that besides the Spell Level many SLAs now seem to be missing in PRPG,
that ability in specific, since it in all ways seem directly based on Dimension Door,
needs to actually reference Dimension Door if in fact it´s supposed to end your turn after the jump.IF that`s not the intent, and it`s SUPPOSED to be an uber-Dimension Door, then it`s fine,
but I`m not really sure... If they were consciously aiming for that, it seems likely they would have called it out.Hitting FAQ for this.
Wait -- I haven't been in this conversation before now -- why are you saying I brought it up?
Oops.
I've been using this power with 5-foot steps to trounce around the combat area without provoking AoO's, right under my GM's nose... I should have known it was a little fishy.
Well, I'd best mention it to him. Dx
Wait -- I haven't been in this conversation before now -- why are you saying I brought it up?The OP`s case seems clear-cut,
but for the (Vanilla Conjuration) Dimensional Steps SLA that Abe `mistakenly` brought up...
Oh. Wraithstrike psychically told me that he had already cleared the issue with you (psychically),
and you were OK with you and him merging avatar personalities. I must have been mistaken. ;-)
Wait -- I haven't been in this conversation before now -- why are you saying I brought it up?The OP`s case seems clear-cut,
but for the (Vanilla Conjuration) Dimensional Steps SLA that Abe `mistakenly` brought up...Oh. Wraithstrike psychically told me that he had already cleared the issue with you (psychically),
and you were OK with you and him merging avatar personalities. I must have been mistaken. ;-)
See this is why we need pathfinder psionic rules -- so you know how the tomfoolery is supposed to work and we can avoid these sorts of things!
Wait -- I haven't been in this conversation before now -- why are you saying I brought it up?The OP`s case seems clear-cut,
but for the (Vanilla Conjuration) Dimensional Steps SLA that Abe `mistakenly` brought up...Oh. Wraithstrike psychically told me that he had already cleared the issue with you (psychically),
and you were OK with you and him merging avatar personalities. I must have been mistaken. ;-)
What? How did I...? Darn it. Someone is impersonating me again. People never want to respect the powers of a demi-lich until I disintegrate someone, and then all they do is complain that I was being too harsh.