question about tengu swordmaster


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the ability says...

At 3rd level, a swordmaster learns to focus her martial prowess using an intense meditative trance. Under the influence of a trance, the swordmaster can perform fantastic martial feats. Entering a trance is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The swordmaster can maintain the trance for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + her Wisdom modifier. At each level beyond 3rd, she can remain in the trance for 1 additional round. She can end her trance as a free action. Following a trance, the swordmaster is fatigued for a number of rounds equal to 2 × the number of rounds she spent in the trance. A swordmaster cannot enter a new trance while fatigued but can otherwise enter a trance multiple times during a single encounter or combat. If a swordmaster falls unconscious, her trance immediately ends.

does this mean that you cannot swap between trances in the same combat? you'd have to end one, then cure your fatigue, then start up another? Or can you swap between them freely during combat?


Yes. If the swordmaster ends the trance as a free action, they immediately become fatigued for 2x the number of rounds they were in the trance. Since they are fatigued during this period, they cannot enter a new trance. If you end a trance during combat, you have to end the fatigued condition that follows it before you can enter another one. If the fatigue is lifted before the encounter ends, you can enter the trance again - and if the encounter is still going when the second trance and the second fatigued condition ends, you can enter the trance again for a third time etc. Therefore, you can use the trance multiple times in the same combat provided the fatigue ends between each trance and the encounter goes on long enough to do so.


Think of it like Barbarian rage.

if you drop in and out of rage you get fatigued, if your immune to fatigue via e.g. lame Oracle curse then you could do it all day with no ill effect.

In fact oracle curses improves at half HD if your taking non oracle levels so your fatigue immune by level 9 with only 1 oracle level

Silver Crusade RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

Necro time!

I agree that if you end one trance and start another, you're fatigued. BUT, nowhere in that description does it say that you can't have multiple trances going at the same time. If my tengu Swordmaster wanted to spend two full-round actions at the start of combat entering both Tiger Trance and Dragon Trance, why couldn't he do it (assuming he has access to both trances, so 6th level or higher)?

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