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When you voluntarily use one or more actions or feats that apply penalties to attack rolls with your melee weapons (such as a charge, fighting defensively, or using the Power Attack feat), the spirit reduces the total penalty on affected attacks by 1 (to a minimum penalty of 0). The penalty is reduced by an additional 1 for every 5 caster levels you possess (to a minimum penalty of 0). Only penalties incurred by voluntary use of feats or maneuvers are reduced by this spell.
I understand that it would effect Combat Expertise & Power Attack (feats are clearly defined), but what about other penalties to attack?
It says "Only penalties incurred by voluntary use of feats or maneuvers are reduced by this spell." which would lead me to believe it means Combat Maneuvers, but before that it calls out fighting defensively which is not a feat or combat maneuver. Besides, I don't believe that any combat maneuvers have built in attack penalties.
So what about fighting with an inappropriately-sized weapon? Or using a lethal weapon to deal nonlethal damage? Or being nonproficient? Or using an improvised weapon?
What about a polearm master's Pole Fighting ability that allows them to attack adjacent squares with a reach spear/polearm?
Pole Fighting (Ex) At 2nd level, as an immediate action, a polearm master can shorten the grip on his spear or polearm with reach and use it against adjacent targets. This action results in a –4 penalty on attack rolls with that weapon until he spends another immediate action to return to the normal grip. The penalty is reduced by –1 for every four levels beyond 2nd.
These all seem to be (at least to me) voluntary attack actions that incur an attack penalty, but none of them are feats or combat maneuvers, so I don't know if they qualify.
Bump? :D
I. actions or feats that apply penalties to attack rolls with your melee weapon.
Pole Fighting is an action that applies penalties to attack rolls with your melee weapon.
II. The end says only the voluntary use of feats or maneuvers are reduced while pole fighting is neither- if you assume they mean combat maneuvers in the technical sense of the word.
I would allow it under the theory that the beginning of the spell sets the parameters for what will and won't work and that the line at the end is saying only things you do voluntarily count for the purposes of the spell.
But that's just my .02.
-S
It is fairly clumsily worded, but I believe the intent is that if you do something that causes you to take a penalty you can negate it, but if someone else does something that causes you to take a penalty this spell has no effect.
It is also unclear how this spell would interact with multiple actions that cause penalties. If I'm fighting defensively while power attacking with an improvised weapon do I negate penalties 3 times, or just once?
It also seems like the writer of this spell doesn't know the rules very well, since a charge doesn't apply a penalty to attack rolls.
It is fairly clumsily worded, but I believe the intent is that if you do something that causes you to take a penalty you can negate it, but if someone else does something that causes you to take a penalty this spell has no effect.
It is also unclear how this spell would interact with multiple actions that cause penalties. If I'm fighting defensively while power attacking with an improvised weapon do I negate penalties 3 times, or just once?
It also seems like the writer of this spell doesn't know the rules very well, since a charge doesn't apply a penalty to attack rolls.
the spirit reduces the total penalty on affected attacks by 1...
When you voluntarily use one or more actions or feats that apply penalties to attack rolls with your melee weapons (such as a charge, fighting defensively, or using the Power Attack feat), the spirit reduces the total penalty on affected attacks by 1 (to a minimum penalty of 0).It says "Only penalties incurred by voluntary use of feats or maneuvers are reduced by this spell." which would lead me to believe it means Combat Maneuvers, but before that it calls out fighting defensively which is not a feat or combat maneuver. Besides, I don't believe that any combat maneuvers have built in attack penalties.
They are using 'maneuvers' in a more generic sense, not specifically "Combat Maneuvers". These are the "actions" mentioned in the first sentence.
So what about fighting with an inappropriately-sized weapon? Or using a lethal weapon to deal nonlethal damage? Or being nonproficient? Or using an improvised weapon?
What about a polearm master's Pole Fighting ability that allows them to attack adjacent squares with a reach spear/polearm?
Pole Fighting (Ex) At 2nd level, as an immediate action, a polearm master can shorten the grip on his spear or polearm with reach and use it against adjacent targets. This action results in a –4 penalty on attack rolls with that weapon until he spends another immediate action to return to the normal grip. The penalty is reduced by –1 for every four levels beyond 2nd.These all seem to be (at least to me) voluntary attack actions that incur an attack penalty, but none of them are feats or combat maneuvers, so I don't know if they qualify.
I don't think inappropriately-sized weapons penalty can be negated, as it's not caused by an action (maneuver) that you chose.
Using a lethal weapon to deal nonlethal damage is a choice you're making (a "maneuver") so that penalty can be negated.Being non-proficient is not an action (maneuver) that you're choosing to do (unless you actually ARE proficient and are choosing not to wield the weapon proficiently if that's even possible).
Using an improvised weapon could be a choice you're making ONLY if you're using an actual weapon as improvised instead of as intended. If instead you're wielding a chair-leg, you don't have the choice to wield it as an actual weapon because it isn't one. Even if you have some abilities that negate the penalties for improvised weapons, it's still an improvised weapon.
Pole Fighting should qualify, as that's a penalty caused by a voluntary action (maneuver).
They did not say "Combat Maneuver" they just said "maneuver". They're using "maneuver" not as a rules key-word, but at the english "a movement or series of moves requiring skill and care".
EDIT: fixed broken quote flags
I think this would work great for TWF.
/cevah