| 10 people marked this as FAQ candidate. Answered in the FAQ. 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ok, while reading through Ultimate Combat, I found the following:
Totem rage powers grant powers related to a theme. A barbarian cannot select from more than one group of totem rage powers; for example, a barbarian who selects a beast totem rage power (see the Advanced Player's Guide) cannot later choose to gain any of the dragon totem rage powers (any rage power with “dragon totem” in its title), unless she has the totem warrior archetype.
Totem Warrior
A barbarian often has a special totem that is the patron of her tribe. While individual totems vary, those in the tribe that call upon a totem receive similar abilities. Totem warrior barbarians can select from the following rage powers.
Rage Powers: The totem warrior is based entirely upon his totem rage powers. In addition to the totem powers themselves, the following rage powers complement the totem warrior archtype (depending on the totem chosen): animal fury*, low-light vision*, night vision*, raging climber*, raging leaper*, raging swimmer*, and swift foot*.
So, tell me if I am reading this correctly. Most barbarians can only select rage powers from a single totem. Totem Warriors may choose powers from any totem, but lose access to all other rage powers except the ones listed above. Is this correct?
My thinking is that if this is not correct, that is that any barbarian can be a Totem Warrior at no cost, they why is not every barbarian that chooses a totem not a Totem Warrior?
Either way, I think that this archetype needs to be clarified. The last sentence of the first paragraph sounds like a list should follow. The second paragraph looks similar the final paragraph of other archetypes (i.e. what compliments the class) rather than an alternate class feature, or an altered class feature in this case.
Not correct. The rule of only one totem set still stands. The totem warrior archetype is a crunch-free archetype that has no actual rules changes associated with it. If you take any totem power, you can call yourself a totem warrior - if you want to, but it doesn't matter.
A barbarian cannot select from more than one group of totem rage powers... unless she has the totem warrior archetype.
Sorry to say, but that's not crunch-free
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A barbarian cannot select from more than one group of totem rage powers... unless she has the totem warrior archetype.
Sorry to say, but that's not crunch-free
Interesting. I was about to refute this statement, but there is a line in the Rage Powers part of the PFSRD:
Totem rage powers grant powers related to a theme. A barbarian cannot select from more than one group of totem rage powers; for example, a barbarian who selects a beast totem rage power cannot later choose to gain any of the dragon totem rage powers (any rage power with “dragon totem” in its title), unless she has the totem warrior archetype.
Emphasis mine.
The Totem Warrior archetype seems to indicate that you may choose Totem Powers & regular powers (see the inclusion of Complementary powers). Why would this be the case? Additionally, why would the archetype not modify the Rage Powers class feature of the Barbarian? As written, there is no reason for every barbarian NOT to be a Totem Warrior because you qualify for ignoring the rule about 1 totem line per character... without losing anything.
I found nothing in the description of the Totem Warrior or in the description of the totem rage powers that supports this. Can you provide a quote?
If I could provide a clear, direct quote, there would be no need for this thread in the first place.
Totem rage powers grant powers related to a theme. A barbarian cannot select from more than one group of totem rage powers; for example, a barbarian who selects a beast totem rage power cannot later choose to gain any of the dragon totem rage powers (any rage power with “dragon totem” in its title), unless she has the totem warrior archetype.
Totem Warrior makes no sense to me as an archetype as written. Every archetype offers some benefit at some cost. The benefit of Totem Warrior is that you can take multiple totems. What is the cost? The only thing I can see that can be interpreted as a cost, as written, is the selection of rage powers limited to those listed.
And if there is no cost, that makes this a purely flavor choice, to be or not to be a Totem Warrior. However, it is a flavor choice that overrides a rule, specifically that "A barbarian cannot select from more than one group of totem rage powers."
And if a rule can be overridden by a flavor decision on a mechanical level, then why is it a rule in the first place? It would be better as a flavor statement from the start to avoid confusion, i.e. "Most barbarians do not select from more than one group of totem rage powers; however, those that do are known as Totem Warriors"
I was under the impression that the totem warrior was a complete waste of space until that UC text was pointed out.
I now agree that the only reasonable interpretation is that totem warrior was formatted incorrectly, and that it should be read as can only take totemic and the following powers, instead of having the standard useless list of recommended powers.
Can still be combined with any other archetype so far, but at least there's a palpable cost.
I didn't understand this either.
I didn't understand Totem Warrior to begin with. It seemed like fluff that didn't even need to be listed. It seems like something is missing from Totem Warrior. Why list an archetype that gives you nothing?
Up, and I hope that if enough people ask for a faq we will get one.
Official Rules Response
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FAQ: http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fn#v5748eaic9qdg
Barbarian--Totem Warrior: Does this archetype allow you to take more than one type of totem rage powers?
No, the line in Ultimate Combat is in error; a barbarian cannot select from more than one group of totem rage powers.
This error will be corrected in the next printing of Ultimate Combat.