Holy Vindicator's Shield Questions...

[Orion_Frostfire]

Hi,

i just have some questions about the Holy Vindivcator's Shield ability:

1. The shield ability lasts "until the vindicator is struck in combat" - does that mean just by successful weapon melee/ranged attacks or also area spells and touch attacks? Or even activated traps that use an attack roll?

2. Do I have to expend 1 daily use of channel energy to activate the ability?

3. Do I get the AC bonus from all sources of channel energy (e.g. cleric) or just from the vindicator levels? Seems to be really powerful if you just dip 1 level into vindicator and else remain a full cleric...

Hope you guys can help me with that! :)

[Weirdo]

1. FAQ

FAQ wrote:

The holy vindicator prestige class has an ability that gives him a sacred bonus to AC until "struck in combat." Does a touch attack count as being "struck"? What about a spell like magic missile or fireball?

The ability lasts until an opponent makes a successful attack roll against the vindicator's Armor Class.

2. It doesn't say anything about expending channel, so no.

3. The bonus uses all sources of channel energy. It's not all that good since it only lasts until the first hit and then it's a standard action to re-establish, and dipping 1 level Holy Vindicator costs you a caster level and may hurt your domain powers as well.

[Chess Pwn]

I think it does use a channel since you channel energy since it says you channel energy into shield. And since it keys off of channel energy. That's how I've always looked at it.

[Turgan]

Copied from the PFSRD:

"The ability lasts until an opponent makes a successful attack roll against the vindicator's Armor Class."

–Sean K Reynolds (11/24/10)

As I understand it, that does not include targeting Touch AC (which fits the fluff).

[Darrell Impey UK]

1: Answered already.

2: Yes. "A vindicator can channel energy into his shield"; channeling energy is a clerical/holy vindicator class ability, and they can do it a limited number of times per day.

3: Yes. "The vindicator's class level stacks with levels in any other class that grants the channel energy ability." "shield gives the vindicator a sacred bonus ... or profane bonus ... equal to the number of dice of the vindicator's channel energy". So a cleric 7 / vindicator 2 would grant a +5 bonus. With the limited number a daily uses, and the fact that a heal/harm needs to given up in order to fuel it, it's not out of keeeping with other 8th level (minimum character level required iirc) abilities.

Hope this is helpful.

[Weirdo]

2. I read "channel energy into shield" as flavour explaining why the power is related to your channel strength, not requiring a use of the ability. I might be wrong (paizo isn't exactly known for consistency) but all similar cases I can find say "expend a use of channel energy": Channel Foci, Channel Smite, Channel Hate and Channeled Shield Wall. In fact, if Vindicator's Shield requires expending a use of channel I personally would prefer Channeled Shield Wall, which takes only a swift action to activate, does not end if the user is struck in combat, and also grants a bonus to adjacent allies.

[Darrell Impey UK]

Generally feats are "better" than class abilities as you have to give something up to get them (i.e. choose them over a different feat) where as all holy vidicators will get the class ability for free.

[Weirdo]

To take a level in Holy Vindicator you typically choose them over a level in cleric, which amounts to a loss of spellcaster level and a lower cleric level for domain powers. Not exactly free.

And there are plenty of class abilities better than feats. Easy examples: many people are willing to take Extra Rage Power and Extra Revelation feats, trading a feat for a class feature. Really easy examples: wild shape, eidolon, smite evil.

[Stikye]

As written you do not need to expend channel into the shield.

Vindicator's Shield:

A vindicator can channel energy into his shield as a standard action; when worn, the shield gives the vindicator a sacred bonus (if positive energy) or profane bonus (if negative energy) to his Armor Class equal to the number of dice of the vindicator’s channel energy. This bonus lasts for 24 hours or until the vindicator is struck in combat, whichever comes first. The shield does not provide this bonus to any other wielder, but the vindicator does not need to be holding the shield for it to retain this power.

It was intended to have you expend channels to bring it up, but either due to an editing error, or space, or whatever reason, that never made it into clarion print that us Rules forum people thrive on. No where does it say it expends a channel.