Ring of Seven Lovely Colors - Raven only?

[Cevah]

Ring of Seven Lovely Colors:

Ring of Seven Lovely Colors
Source Inner Sea Gods pg. 259
Aura faint abjuration and illusion CL 7th
Slot ring; Price 4,000 gp; Weight —
Description
This golden ring, set with seven brightly colored gems, functions as a ring of protection +1. In addition, seven times per day, the wearer can use beast shape IV to transform into a songbird for 10 minutes (use statistics for a raven).
Construction
Requirements Forge Ring, beast shape IV, shield of faith, creator must be at least 3rd level; Cost 2,000 gp

Does this mean you must use the statistics for a Raven, or can you (because of the parenthetical) become any small bird like creature. A Raven is a normal animal, and Beast Shape II would cover it, but the ring uses Beast Shape IV.

If you are allowed something other than Raven, here is a list I cam up with that seem good:

• Thrush: Diminutive animal with bite -1 (1d2-5) speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
  
• Bat: Diminutive animal with bite +6 (1d3-4) speed 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
  
• Raven: Tiny animal with bite +4 (1d3-4) speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
  
• Arctic Tern: Tiny animal with bite +4 (1d3-4) speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
  
• Hawk: Tiny animal with 2 talons +5 (1d4-2) speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
  
• Owl: Tiny animal with 2 talons +5 (1d4-2) speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
  
• Sun Falcon: Tiny magical beast with 2 talons +11 (1d3 plus 1d6 fire and burn) speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
  
• Witchcrow: Tiny magical beast with 2 talons +4 (1d3-1) speed 20 ft., fly 50 ft. (good)
  
• Trumpeter Swan: Small animal with bite +1 (1d4), 2 wings -4 (1d3) speed 10 ft., fly 100 ft. (average)
  
• Great Horned Owl: Small animal with 2 claws +3 (1d4-1) speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
  
• Eagle: Small animal with 2 talons +3 (1d4), bite +3 (1d4) speed 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average)
  
• Greater Witchcrow: Small magical beast with 2 talons +7 (1d6+1) speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)

My favorites are the Witchcrow (tiny, but has 5' reach so can threaten) and the Thrush (nice stealth).

For those wanting the most attacks, the Eagle has 3 primary attacks, the Trumpeter Swan has a primary and a pair of secondary attacks, and the Great Horned Owl, Greater Witchcrow, Hawk, Owl, Sun Falcon, and Witchcrow all have two primary attacks.

What do you folks think?

/cevah

[The Archive]

It means that you transform into a songbird. And that for purposes of beast shape II, you use the statistics of a raven as there isn't a specific stat block for a songbird.

This often happens for creatures that do not have stat blocks all their own (that don't necessarily need a specific one).

[Cevah]

But the ring uses BS4 not BS2. This opens up magical beast. I want to use that since it gives better stat mods.

Note that a nightingale is considered a variety of thrush, and is also considered one of the best "songbirds".

/cevah

[Bob Bob Bob]

It does what it says it does, nothing more. You get to turn into a songbird (with the statistics of a Raven). That's it.

Everything else on your list but the Thrush, Bat, and the Arctic Tern is either larger or has way more attacks. The bat is completely different, the Thrush is way smaller (which may end up an advantage to some), the Artic Tern looks like it's just a reskinned Raven. This is not a weapon. This is a fluff piece to let followers of Shelyn sing as a songbird. If you want to make a weapon create your own custom item of at-will beast shape IV, let me know if the 118,800 seems more balanced than 4k.

[Cevah]

My thinking was that parenthetical expressions were examples, not an exclusive list. Hence my question.

/cevah

[Bob Bob Bob]

The sentence we're talking about is "In addition, seven times per day, the wearer can use beast shape IV to transform into a songbird for 10 minutes (use statistics for a raven)."
The part under debate is "the wearer can use beast shape IV to transform into a songbird for 10 minutes (use statistics for a raven).", more specifically "transform into a songbird for 10 minutes (use statistics for a raven)."

It doesn't say "you can use the statistics for a Raven" or similar, it doesn't say "use the statistics for a Raven if you don't have any others", it gives a fairly explicit command to "use the statistics of a Raven". Nothing else. You transform into a songbird (with the statblock of a Raven), period. That's literally what it says.

[The Archive]

Er, yes, beast shape IV. Reading comprehension fail.

But, ultimately, it means that you can turn into a songbird(which does not have a specific stat block) using the statistics of a raven(which does) for the spell.

For example from AP#38:
Cornugon CR 1/3
XP 135
Use statistics for hawk (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 131)
hp 4

Muddy Lyza CR 1/3
XP 135
Use statistics for young eagle (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 118, 295)
hp 3

These two are chickens, but they use a different stat block. Chickens didn't have a specific stat block at the time, so they use different birds instead.

[graystone]

You options are songbird, songbird or songbird... You get to pick what kind of songbird you look like but your stats are that of changing into a crow with the beast shape IV spell.

[Rycaut]

what is odd about the item is that as far as a I can tell there isn't a particularly strong reason that it uses Beast Shape IV instead of Beast Shape II - other than perhaps to make it a bit harder to make at an early level?

[Weirdo]

Cevah wrote:

My thinking was that parenthetical expressions were examples, not an exclusive list. Hence my question.

Not all parenthetical statements are lists of examples; their function is more generally to extend or clarify. In this case, the parenthetical is an imperative statement, so you should do what it says.

[Majuba]

Rycaut wrote:

what is odd about the item is that as far as a I can tell there isn't a particularly strong reason that it uses Beast Shape IV instead of Beast Shape II - other than perhaps to make it a bit harder to make at an early level?

Makes it work inside a minor globe of invulnerability.

[Fruian Thistlefoot]

The ring is a Item tied to Shelyn.

Her favored Animal is a Songbird as is her holy Symbol.

Shelyn

The ring ONLY transforms you into a songbird and you can ONLY use the Raven Statistics.

But nice Necro magic...thread really did not need revived.