"Witch Hunter (Ex): While raging, the barbarian gains a +1 bonus on damage rolls against creatures possessing spells or spell-like abilities. This damage bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the barbarian has obtained. A barbarian must have the superstition* rage power to select this rage power."
Does the Barbarian have to know the target has a SLA, watch the creature use a SLA, or is it just it automatically applies to literally every creature with a SLA?
Does the Barbarian just smell the magic or what?
Also, with superstition, if the Barbarian pops a potion (why a superstitious barbarian is willing to drink one while raging aside), he MUST make a corresponding save to overcome its effect, correct?
As a GM I would add the damage to the characters attack if they didn't know, maybe going so far as stating the creature seemed to take more damage from the attack than they expect. It isn't meant to be a detect spells/SLAs though and I could see some GMs not wanting to allow that use.
I could see some GMs not wanting to allow that use
Yeah, lol. I guess I could add it in secret, but then I would have problems when it DOES use its SLA. My player will flip out and declare that he has done x more damage to the creature because it has one.
My biggest gripe with the ability is the fact that some monsters have some totally garbage SLA, IE Moss troll and turning into a tree. Now your barbarian hits him harder because of the Witch Hunter ability. I don't want to remove it, but maybe I'll need to house rule it, or just secretly remove damage he does when he's meta gaming because he tries to google a monster.
I could see some GMs not wanting to allow that useYeah, lol. I guess I could add it in secret, but then I would have problems when it DOES use its SLA. My player will flip out and declare that he has done x more damage to the creature because it has one.
My biggest gripe with the ability is the fact that some monsters have some totally garbage SLA, IE Moss troll and turning into a tree. Now your barbarian hits him harder because of the Witch Hunter ability. I don't want to remove it, but maybe I'll need to house rule it, or just secretly remove damage he does when he's meta gaming because he tries to google a monster.
Um, that is when you say you've been adding it in and the extra damage has been accounted for...
Whether it is a 'garbage' SLA or not, it is an SLA. The creature takes the extra damage. And quite honestly the extra damage is negligible to say the least, 1 +1/4 levels when raging? Hardly game breaking especially as then cannot benefit from buff spells once raging.
Also, with superstition, if the Barbarian pops a potion (why a superstitious barbarian is willing to drink one while raging aside), he MUST make a corresponding save to overcome its effect, correct?
Nope. He must save against all spells, but potions aren't technically spells. He would have to save against an alchemists infused extract.
'Potions are like spells cast upon the imbiber.'
Direct quote from the PRD - Potions. Sounds like the witch hunter is making a save to me.
Ranger with Favored Enemy: humanoid (shapechanger) should get his bonus whether or not knows the "human-looking" fighter is a werewolf.
A rogue with Trap Spotter talent should get an automatic perception to spot a trap when he gets within 10 feet.
Gnomes and dwarves should get their racial bonuses against polymorphed racial enemies (goblinoids and reptilians subtypes for gnomes, and giant subtypes for dwarves) even if they don't know what they are.
Blind fighters should still get their weapon-specific bonuses from feats and class abilities even if they only just randomly picked up the correct weapon but don't know what it is.
A paladin decides to smite evil on a target for the heck of it. If the target is evil, he gets all the nifty bonuses whether he knew it or not.
All those are similar to Witch Hunter rage power, which is automatically active whenever the barbarian rages, a limited times per day resource. You can apply the bonus damage in secret until player realizes the target DOES have SLA or spells, and if he complains just say you been doing the extra damage without him knowing, but definitely don't cheat him out of it.
Certain abilities one does have to know what the target is or what abilities it has: inquisitor's bane has to be selected each time with a swift action, or lore warden fighter gets bonuses after making a successful knowledge check; but witch hunter is not one of them.