I had a question come up tonight during a PFS scenario (won't say which one to avoid spoilers). This is a PFS related question if that matters for the answer.
The party encountered a scarecrow, which of course immediately used it's 'fascination' gaze.
A couple of questions -
1.) When do players roll their saving throws against the gaze? I had them all roll when they first saw it (i.e, at the beginning of combat) - but I realize this was likely a mistake. My guess is - they roll on their initiative?
2.) If a player is fascinated and then somehow is no longer fascinated - either by being attacked by the creature or by an ally shaking them out of the state - can the scarecrow's gaze re-fascinate them?
There is nothing I could find that said a scarecrow's gaze can't work a second time on a person right after they are shaken out of it; but following this makes it REALLY tough to beat.
1) It's a gaze effect, so they all roll when they see it. What you did sounds fine.
2) Yes. There is no "creatures who save are immune for the next 24 hours" or similar, so every PC has to save every round.
However, it's worth noting that:
Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the fascinated creature, automatically breaks the effect.
It's attacks are explicitly obvious threats, so at worst a failed save in combat will result in the PC being incapacitated until the Scarecrow takes a swing at anybody.
1) It's a gaze effect, so they all roll when they see it. What you did sounds fine.
2) Yes. There is no "creatures who save are immune for the next 24 hours" or similar, so every PC has to save every round.
However, it's worth noting that:
Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the fascinated creature, automatically breaks the effect.It's attacks are explicitly obvious threats, so at worst a failed save in combat will result in the PC being incapacitated until the Scarecrow takes a swing at anybody.
Thank you for your reply!
In the PFS scenario it is in, it includes text that infers that the fascination only breaks for the target that is being attacked by the scarecrow. I'll post a followup question on that forum since it is PFS specific.