| 5 people marked this as FAQ candidate. |
Weird Words (Su): At 6th level, a sound striker can start a performance as a standard action, lashing out with 1 potent sound per bard level (maximum 10), each sound affecting one target within 30 feet. These are ranged touch attacks. Each weird word deals 1d8 points of damage plus the bard’s Charisma bonus (Fortitude half ), and the bard chooses whether it deals bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage for each word.
So can all the words affect the same target or what?
There already is a thread about this issue, and it got a "no response required." Can you believe that?
I can assure the Paizo staff, that a response would be very much appreciated,because its not clear at all.
Why would it say "each sound affecting one target (within 30ft)" if they intended to allow it to affect the same target?
Non Sequitur.
Read your post again.
Why would it say "each sound affecting one target (within 30ft)" if they intended to allow it to affect the same target?
Because they don't want you to think that the sounds can affect more than one target each.
So, frustratingly, I can't get the link to his post for some reason, but I found a post where I quoted him and linked to the post.
James Jacobs:
"You can "shoot" 1 sound per level. Effectively, you shoot 1/level d8s at the targets. Each single sound (each d8) affects only one target. You can split those d8s up however you want between as many targets as you want... kind of like how magic missile works. This means you CAN shoot them all at one target... but each one has to make its own touch attack, and each one allows for a Fort save for half damage."
Do you mean this post.
The link does not work, but anyway directing all attacks against one target is "bonkers" as a poster in the other thread has so put it.
And some mysterious unoficial answer does not clear it up.
Fort saves, touch attack rolls and DR be damned, this ability is absurdly overpowered if it works like this.And besides that it would be just a bad mechanic.10 Attack rolls followed by 10 damage rolls followed by 10 Fort saves???Every round???
Get outta here.
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I meant from my earlier post "if they intended to allow each sound to affect the same target".
I don't know that James is right on this one. Magic missile specifically says they can hit the same or different targets. Weird words isn't at all similar - it says the opposite.
...each (of-the-up-to-10) sound(s) affecting one target within 30ft.
That seems pretty clear. Not overpowered, either.
@mlpindustries
I kempt through James'thread a bit and here is what I found. Sounds very different from what you are quoting.
Not saying I don't believe you, but if you quoted the right guy then he seems to contradict himself.
So yeah not really helping.
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Hi James.
I have some questions about the sound striker bard archetype from UM.
In particular, weird words is unclear.
1) Can I affect a single target with all the weird words? If yes, I will roll 10 attack (12th level) and my opponent many fortitude saves!
2) Can I bypass the DR? A supernatural ability does it, but with weird words I can deal D, P or B type of damage.
3) Can I activate it with a standard action and mantain it with a free action?
4) Can I combat defensively with these touch attacks?
5) Can I combine it with the dance of 23 steps if I can active this masterpiece with a move action?1) No. Each weird sound has to affect one target.
2) No; these words inflict physical damage, and as such they must abide by the rules for physical damage if you come up against a creature that has damage reduction against bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.
3) You can't maintain this ability. You use it up the round you activate it (as a standard action).
4) Yes.
5) Yes.
From here.
I meant from my earlier post "if they intended to allow each sound to affect the same target".
I don't know that James is right on this one. Magic missile specifically says they can hit the same or different targets. Weird words isn't at all similar - it says the opposite.
...each (of-the-up-to-10) sound(s) affecting one target within 30ft.
That seems pretty clear. Not overpowered, either.
Then we are pretty much on the same page about how this ability should work. It's not at all clear from the text though, hence the many threads asking for clarification.
I mean we have two quotes from James Jacobs saying the exact opposite of each other.
I think you should be able to target them all on one guy, simply because the ability is stupidly weak otherwise. As written, I don't think you can, though. I hit FAQ, just as I did in the other thread.
From here.
A-ha! I found it! Not really sure why my previous link was broken...
Why did they change the title??Was it offending?