Gravewalker witch question

[doc the grey]

Does an undead within the aura of desecration have to make a will save each round it is within the aura until it either saves or leaves or does it only make the save a certain number of times like 1/day or something to that effect?

[Samasboy1]

There is no save.

Also, why would an undead want to make a save if there was one, it is only helpful to undead???

[doc the grey]

I'm talking about the Bonethrall ability, which only can occur if an undead wanders into your aura of desecration.

So to rephrase when an undead enters the aura of desecration and procs the Bonethrall ability do they only make one save or if they succeed at their save do they have to keep making saves until they fail or leave the aura range?

[Samasboy1]

Well, it would make one save every time the witch used the ability.

Since the Bonethrall is a Su ability, it takes a standard action to use it. So it makes as many saves as the Gravewalker wants to spend standard actions.

There is not limit to the number of times per day the witch can activate the ability, and it doesn't say it can only affect a specific creature 1/day like many hexes do. So the witch is certainly allowed to keep trying (at one standard action per attempt).

But since the undead must be within 20' to be affected (initially) and isn't controlled until he fails a save, passing the first save might well mean the witch has more important things to do with her actions that try again (since a hostile undead is in her face).

[doc the grey]

From the way it reads though undead have to make that save once they enter the field rather then as an action.

[Samasboy1]

I don't see anything that indicates that.

It requires the undead be in the Aura of Desecration, but there's no reason it happens automatically when the creature enters the area.

Bonethrall wrote:

At 1st level, a gravewalker can take control of an undead creature within her aura of desecration by forcing her will upon it (Will negates, using her hex DC.) If it fails the save, the creature falls under her control as if she had used Command Undead (once control is established, the undead remain controlled even if outside the witch’s aura). Intelligent undead receive a new saving throw each day to resist her command. The witch can control up to 1 HD of undead creatures per caster level. If an undead creature is under the control of another creature, the witch must make an opposed Charisma check whenever her orders conflict with that creature’s.

The bolded sections indicate there is an active requirement on behalf of the witch. And it is a Supernatural ability.

Combat wrote:

Supernatural Abilities (Su)

Using a supernatural ability is usually a standard action (unless defined otherwise by the ability's description). Its use cannot be disrupted, does not require concentration, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Since the description is silent, using the ability should take a standard action, as...well...is standard.

[doc the grey]

Sweet thanks man. This might solve some of the issues me and my gm have ran into with my grave walker for our CC game.

[Dalebert]

You wouldn't even want it to proc automatically because you only have a certain number of HD. You need to decide whether to use it on a new undead and potentially free something else by going over. I'm sure you get to decide what to release.