| 5 people marked this as FAQ candidate. Answered in the errata. |
Ultimate Magic has a new hex named Unnerve Beasts that needs clarification.
The following hexes are available to all witches and use the standard rules for hexes. The save to resist a hex is equal to 10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + the witch’s Intelligence modifier.
Unnerve Beasts (Su): The target becomes offensive to animals (Will negates). Animals become distraught and aggressive in the victim’s presence—horses buck, dogs snap and bark, bulls charge, and so on. The hex lasts a number of hours equal to the witch’s Intelligence modifier. A creature that saves against the hex cannot be affected by the hex for 1 day. The reaction of the animals is a mind-affecting charm effect, but the hex on the target is not.
My questions:
(a) When do the animals have a saving throw to resist being affected?
It does not seem overpowered to help the Witch escape from danger by causing some nearby sparrows to flutter angrily around a foe. But as written this hex would also cause an Animal Companion or well-trained mount to dislike and perhaps attack its master.
It's also not fun or fair to a PC with a Animal Companion or well-trained mount if that animal is sometimes used by a hex-using ally.
(b) What is the range at which animals respond?
It seems "the standard rules for hexes" means for this minor hex the foe targeted must be within 30'. But at what range do animals respond?
(c) Are there rules for skill-use concentration?
If a foe is trying to wiggle out of a net or climb out of a pit, and a pair of chipmunks start attacking the foe, how is that Escape Artist or Climb check penalized?
I've thought of two more questions about this hex...
(d) Is it really "target" instead of "target creature"?
As written it's an easy way to get past dangerous animals.
(The lizardfolk village's guardian crocodile? It suddenly wants to attack that rock or bush instead of the PCs.)
(e) How long are animals made distraught and aggressive?
(The rock might remain enchanted for several hours, but it's sensible that the crocodile becomes weary of attacking it after a few minutes.)
to d) they get aggressive, not necessarily towards the hexed target.
So even if you can cast it on a stone, animals will still attack you if you come close enough.
e) probably as long as they have something they can attack (they will not attack stones).
c) not hex specific, but interesting
a) by Raw, they do not seem to get a saving throw, however the animal companion will not necessarily attack the group if it could, for example, attack the witch.
Yes, it's a vague hex, I still like it, but for the sake of boardkind I will click that FAQ button.
a) The animals don't get a saving throw, any more than they get a save against the unnatural aura of a wraith. But it's not going to make sparrows fly out of nowhere to attack you, the hex makes them "distraught and aggressive," so they'll flee or fight depending on the creature's inclination.
Is that annoying for the party druid with an animal companion? Yes, but so is fireball.
b) 30 feet.
c) Irrelevant.
d) You have to target a creature.
e) Until the hexed creature is out of the 30-foot range.