Hello everyone, i am the DM of a 7th level Inquisitor who chose the 3d lvl spell http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/l/litany-of-eloquence. I cannot safely deduct the meaning and purpose of this spell. The extremely short duration leads me to think that it is used as an in-combat spell that deactivates a foe for 1 round, but if the the foe is directly attacked by something, then the fascination breaks prematurely.
From my point of view, if there are potential threats around the victim, he does not deserve a new saving throw because the spell allowed none in the first place. On the other side, if the intent was for this spell to be out-of-combat, how can the 1-round duration be justified? Any help is appreciated.
Probably as a combat-opener to make sure that pesky enemy spellcaster doesn't get his first round to buff his minions.
Or allow your party rogue to sneak in and get a coup de grace in. The fascination breaks on a percieved threat, if the rogue is hidden this should allow for a single solid blow to land.
As an interrupting mechanic if that enemy hasn't been involved in melee yet, with a readied action.
So if the player casts this on any round, the rest of the player's party has to either do nothing or do buff-only spells, while all the enemies play to their fullest? Seems like it's malprinted, cause it is meant to be a combat spell, albeit hampered by the limitations of the fascinated condition. In sum, you can never do this in combat unless you are a solo rogue/assasin cause it will always break?
You don't need to waste an entire round doing non-violent activities. Since the spell only lasts one round, you just need to wait until after the enemy's turn has passed in the initiative order. Congratulations, you have cost your enemy a turn regardless of whether or not the fascination breaks. That is pretty much the point of the spell.
It's also worth noting that the litany is a swift action to cast. So it doesn't provoke and you can stack it with a full attack or another spell cast. So you can beat on the creature, then cast it to fascinate it in order to escape. Or you can cast it, then cast a defensive spell without risking an attack of opportunity.
|
So if the player casts this on any round, the rest of the player's party has to either do nothing or do buff-only spells, while all the enemies play to their fullest? Seems like it's malprinted, cause it is meant to be a combat spell, albeit hampered by the limitations of the fascinated condition. In sum, you can never do this in combat unless you are a solo rogue/assasin cause it will always break?
Well, you assume the enemy isn't alone (which it easily might be). If it's alone, you've just bought an entire round for everyone to buff (invaluable for, say, the Alchemist and Bard in the party). If it isn't alone well, you don't have to use the spell. Or you can use it on the most powerful, leaving only annoyances to deal with while you buff.
So would you say that if combat starts and the inquisitor in the party drops his initiative just before an enemy's and then full attacks and casts litany of eloquence on this enemy, that the enemy will be fascinated on his turn, even though there are people fighting around him?
Yes i would let that in my games as well, though it's not very clear.
So would you say that if combat starts and the inquisitor in the party drops his initiative just before an enemy's and then full attacks and casts litany of eloquence on this enemy, that the enemy will be fascinated on his turn, even though there are people fighting around him?
As long as the fascinated one is not in melee... I'd say yes.
But if he is in melee I'd say he is threatened, as somebody could AoO him.So that inquisitor needs to do a standard attack, then litany of eloquence, then move away.
But at the beginning of combat it's a nice way to delay your enemy caster, while you get a round of buffing for free and your partymembers start hacking the minions to pieces.
But what about the new saving throw as is stated in the Fascinated Condition, since many creatures are potential threats?
A fascinated creature is entranced by a supernatural or spell effect. The creature stands or sits quietly, taking no actions other than to pay attention to the fascinating effect, for as long as the effect lasts. It takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat, such as a hostile creature approaching, allows the fascinated creature a new saving throw against the fascinating effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the fascinated creature, automatically breaks the effect. A fascinated creature's ally may shake it free of the spell as a standard action.
Any potential threat, such as a hostile creature approaching, allows the fascinated creature a new saving throw against the fascinating effect.
The spell does not allow for a saving throw... if there was none to begin with, against what do you want to save? Do you invent your own saves?
I also think there should be no saving throw, as the spell allows none, as long as no one threatens or attacks the fascinated target, in which case the fascination breaks.
Casting those buffs, however, automatically breaks the effect per the sentence after the bolded one.
But the fascinated enemy's turn will be over, so the spell has a combat use after all, if and only if it is used just before the enemy's turn.