Antagonize limits

[godsDMit]

Antagonize
Whether with biting remarks or hurtful words, you are adept at making creatures angry with you.
Benefit: You can make Diplomacy and Intimidate checks to make creatures respond to you with hostility. No matter which skill you use, antagonizing a creature takes a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and has a DC equal to 10 + the target's Hit Dice + the target's Wisdom modifier. You cannot make this check against a creature that does not understand you or has an Intelligence score of 3 or lower. Before you make these checks, you may make a Sense Motive check (DC 20) as a swift action to gain an insight bonus on these Diplomacy or Intimitade checks equal to your Charisma bonus until the end of your next turn. The benefits you gain for this check depend on the skill you use. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Diplomacy: You fluster your enemy. For the next minute, the target takes a –2 penalty on all attacks rolls made against creatures other than you and has a 10% spell failure chance on all spells that do not target you or that have you within their area of effect.
Intimidate: The creature flies into a rage. On its next turn, the target must attempt to make a melee attack against you. The effect ends if the creature is prevented from reaching you or attempting to do so would harm it (for example, if you are on the other side of a chasm or a wall of fire). If it cannot reach you on its turn, you may make the check again as an immediate action to extend the effect for 1 round (but cannot extend it thereafter). The effect ends as soon as the creature makes a melee attack against you. Once you have targeted a creature with this ability, you cannot target it again for 1 day.

I realize you can only do it once per target per day, and it doesnt last long, but this feat seems very powerful despite that.

If a character cannot physically reach the Antagonize-user on their turn in order to make the melee attack, should they still be required to go after them?

Also, if the Antagonize-user has several allies in the way (who would get AoO vs the target), do you think that is enough chance of harm that the target could avoid to the Antagonize-user?

Thanks for the insight.

[deusvult]

If you're in PFS or feel beholden to RAW, it is what it is... a MMO port of the tank's 'taunt' ability that makes the target behave incredibly stupidly.

If it's too MMO-y for a home game, it can be banned. (and probably often is)

[Alwaysafk]

My DM banned it with good reason. "C'mere casty, lemme give you a full attack." Just imagine a boss character using this against the party wizard.

[General Chaos]

I personally rule that the intimidate use of Antagonise forces the target to attack you with their strongest means.

So wizard hits you with powerword kill or wail of the banshee, a ranger pincushions you, or barbarian just ragelancepounces your ass.

Because making a level 20 (only ~DC35) wizard try to punch you instead of casting a spell is incredibly overpowered - forcing them to attack you with their best means is not, though it might be tactically unsound - that's what this is supposed to be for.

[leo1925]

It's a very stupid feat, ban it and be done with it.

[gbonehead]

Yeah, from what I can recall the developers have been studiously quiet about this one.

First time someone at my table whips it out, however, I'm going to give them the option of going with a sane interpretation (the Diplomacy usage is fine, IMHO), or choosing a different feat.

[mdt]

Ban it with a ban hammer and be done with it.

I banned this one, and the spell that lets you turn junk weapons into MW, so I didn't have my economy ruined any further than it already is. :)

[Eric Clingenpeel]

How would Masterwork Transformation ruin your economy? They still have to pay the cost of the difference as a material component. Or are you worried about the time it shortens? If so, do you ban Fabricate as well?

[mdt]

Masterwork Transformation is a 2nd level spell and requires no skill roll at all to make masterwork items.

Fabriate is a 5th level spell that requires an appropriate craft check to make MW items.

So no, I don't ban Fabricate, since it requires at least a 10th level caster. MT requires a hedge wizard or sorcerer.

MT negates most of the reasons to have armorers and weaponsmiths. All a hedge wizard needs is one rank in the correct craft skill to pour mold weapons (or make the most banal of bows) and then cast the spell on them to make them MW. No skill roll required.

Go out today and find a hand-forged sword or armor. They're nearly impossible to find because machines make them better and faster and cheaper. Now, go find one that's made from ore, rather than processed metal. Good luck. You'll be paying antique prices for that.

It basically takes out a large chunk of the economy and turns it into a magic powered industrial revolution. A group of hedge wizards can turn out form poured weapons and armor by the metric ton. They won't last long, but they'll last long enough to be turned into MW weapons and armor.