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I am new to Pathfinder but my understanding is that there is a Feat where if your a follower of Iomedae you can choose Longsword as your favored weapons and gain a +2 to hit with said weapon. The downside is that you can never use any other weapon without having to atone. So for instance if you use a bow or a dagger in a fight you would lose the Favored Weapons bonus until you atoned...
...but what about Shield Bash? In all likelihood this too would count as the use of "a non-favored weapon" although I could argue it both ways.
I hope I am wrong but either way - what is the answer?
-H

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Do you have a link to this feat?
Edit: oh, you mean the Iomedaean Sword Oath?
I'd say using a Shield as a weapon would require an atonement, yes, but using it as armor would not (otherwise you'd have to take off your gauntlets every time you entered combat, too).

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Do you have a link to this feat?
Edit: oh, you mean the Iomedaean Sword Oath?
I'd say using a Shield as a weapon would require an atonement, yes, but using it as armor would not (otherwise you'd have to take off your gauntlets every time you entered combat, too).
Yes the Iomadaean Sword Oath (thanks for letting me know the correct name). You're intuition is the same as mine but anyone know a definitive answer in the rules?
-M

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Nefreet wrote:Do you have a link to this feat?
Edit: oh, you mean the Iomedaean Sword Oath?
I'd say using a Shield as a weapon would require an atonement, yes, but using it as armor would not (otherwise you'd have to take off your gauntlets every time you entered combat, too).
Yes the Iomadaean Sword Oath (thanks for letting me know the correct name). You're intuition is the same as mine but anyone know a definitive answer in the rules?
-M
The definitive answer is in the text of the feat. It's quite simple, you take the oath it means you vow to use NO OTHER WEAPON. If you do so for ANY reason, you've broken the vow and lose the benefits of the feat until you atone. Oaths are not trivial things, especially when sworn to the gods themselves.

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I got to say though, if all it takes is one disarm, and suddenly you can't even punch the guy holding your sword, that's pretty harsh.
One. Improved your CMB vs Disarm. There are ways to do this in both feat and spell, since this is an oath frequently taken by Iomedan clerics and Paladins.
Two. An oath that doesn't occasionally make life difficult, isn't an oath worth bringing into story.
Three. Pathfinder has it easy, if this was a Gygax created feat, breaking the oath would impose a non proficiency penalty on ALL attacks until atoned for.
Four. If the potential penalties make your DM Paranoia rise up.... don't take the oath.

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Well, good luck using that Longsword to shoot down Harpies.
That's the price of dedication. In such a scenario, you have the following choices.
1. Let your archer friends shoot them out of the sky.
2. Learn the art of patience and readied attacks.
3. Recongise that sometimes you'll simply have to sin and beg forgiveness and pick up that bow and accept that an atonement is in your future. You're hardly going to be crippled in the meantime.

blahpers |

Well, good luck using that Longsword to shoot down Harpies.
Seriously, I've heard of feat taxes, but this feat literally does nothing but allow you to spend your next feat on something else. That's pretty lame and goes against Pathfinder's "no dead levels" spirit. This would have worked better as an archetype, trait, or some other mechanic.

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blackbloodtroll wrote:Well, good luck using that Longsword to shoot down Harpies.Seriously, I've heard of feat taxes, but this feat literally does nothing but allow you to spend your next feat on something else. That's pretty lame and goes against Pathfinder's "no dead levels" spirit. This would have worked better as an archetype, trait, or some other mechanic.
It gives you a +2 to hit for longswords, the equivalent of having both weapon focus and greater weapon focus for that weapon. It's not a feat tax, as it's not required for anything else. And quite frankly I don't get the logic at all about your "dead levels" comment.

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blahpers wrote:It gives you a +2 to hit for longswords, the equivalent of having both weapon focus and greater weapon focus for that weapon. It's not a feat tax, as it's not required for anything else.blackbloodtroll wrote:Well, good luck using that Longsword to shoot down Harpies.Seriously, I've heard of feat taxes, but this feat literally does nothing but allow you to spend your next feat on something else. That's pretty lame and goes against Pathfinder's "no dead levels" spirit. This would have worked better as an archetype, trait, or some other mechanic.
Um, are you and I looking at the same feat?

blahpers |

LazarX wrote:Um, are you and I looking at the same feat?blahpers wrote:It gives you a +2 to hit for longswords, the equivalent of having both weapon focus and greater weapon focus for that weapon. It's not a feat tax, as it's not required for anything else.blackbloodtroll wrote:Well, good luck using that Longsword to shoot down Harpies.Seriously, I've heard of feat taxes, but this feat literally does nothing but allow you to spend your next feat on something else. That's pretty lame and goes against Pathfinder's "no dead levels" spirit. This would have worked better as an archetype, trait, or some other mechanic.
Maybe the updated thing in Inner Sea Gods does that. The feat mentioned in the original post doesn't give you anything other than the ability to select 4th-level fighter feats later.

Rylar |

If you are a cleric or inquisitor you can take Disciple of the sword from gods of the inner sea. It is weapon specialization except cleric or inquisitor only.
As for the opening question, I could also see it ruled either way. If you shield bash, technically you are still using the sword in your other hand, right? I'd allow it, but I'm on the side of allowing most things.

ZanThrax |

Don't take that old 3.5 feat. It was one of the worst feats ever written.
Take Disciple of the Sword instead. It's the same idea, but actually good.

ClownWolf |

I guess you could house rule it. The only reason I think it says for cleric or inquisitor is cause they are 3/4 BAB casting classes. That or just for flavor. I don't think it would be terribly over-powered for a Paladin to have the feat. Disciple of the Sword thematically fits with a Paladin of Iomedae to me. As well as makes a sword & board Paladin more workable, since most folks decry them in favor or two-handed weapons or bows.
Thoughts anyone? Any reason why you don't see this as a good house rule or errata?!

Suma3da |

I guess you could house rule it. The only reason I think it says for cleric or inquisitor is cause they are 3/4 BAB casting classes. That or just for flavor. I don't think it would be terribly over-powered for a Paladin to have the feat. Disciple of the Sword thematically fits with a Paladin of Iomedae to me. As well as makes a sword & board Paladin more workable, since most folks decry them in favor or two-handed weapons or bows.
Thoughts anyone? Any reason why you don't see this as a good house rule or errata?!
At my table I'd meet the player half way and blend the feats a bit. They'd still have to abide by the Oath, but I'd let them get Weapon Spec at the time of getting the feat and allow them to treat Pally levels as Fighter levels for future Greater Weapon Focus (longsword) and Greater Weapon Specialization (longsword). I wouldn't allow a full BAB class access to one of Fighter's few defining features totally for free.