Cornugon Smash Shenanigans

[meyerwilliam]

Sorry for multiple similar questions ... wanted to make sure similar issues are viewed similarly.

I tried to list all the results I could for each set of interactions, but its possible I missed some.

What (if any) is the interaction between Cornugon Smash and Shield Other?

Spoiler:

1) Nothing -- (short answer) why do you even ask
2) Nothing -- (medium answer) Cornugon Smash triggers off the attack taken which involves power attack ... not off the damage done which involves power attack. The actual target of the attack is affected by the smash, but not the person sharing damage by Shield Other.
3) Nothing (long answer) Being intimidated is not a form of harm involving hit points so is explicitly excluded.
4) OMG!!! -- Both are intimidated -- The feat triggers off the damage done by the Power Attack attack, since both characters are receiving damage from the same attack, the feat triggers for either one.

Cornugon Smash
When you damage an opponent with a Power Attack, you may make an immediate Intimidate check as a free action to attempt to demoralize your opponent.
Shield Other
Additionally, the subject takes only half damage from all wounds and attacks (including those dealt by special abilities) that deal hit point damage. The amount of damage not taken by the warded creature is taken by you. Forms of harm that do not involve hit points, such as charm effects, temporary ability damage, level draining, and death effects, are not affected.

What (if any) is the interaction between Paladin's Sacrifice and Cornugon Smash?

Spoiler:

1) Nothing -- (Short answer) why do you even ask
2) Nothing -- (Medium answer) ... the original target is not damaged by the power attack (nothing happens), and the Paladin was not the target of the power attack (nothing happens).
3) Nothing -- (Long answer) ... the cornugon smash activates vs the original target, but the paladin's spell transfers the damage and the effect (including the demoralized condition) to the paladin, which then falls off due to him being immune to fear effects.

Cornugon Smash
When you damage an opponent with a Power Attack, you may make an immediate Intimidate check as a free action to attempt to demoralize your opponent.
Paladin's Sacrifice
When a creature in range is hit by an attack or fails a saving throw, you can cast this spell and the wounds and/or effects are magically transmitted to you instead of the target. You are affected as if you were hit by the attack or failed the saving throw, taking all the damage and suffering all of the adverse effects. Any resistances or immunities you have are applied normally, but you cannot otherwise reduce or negate the damage or effects in any way.

What (if any) is the interaction between Gloves of Arcane Striking and Cornugon Smash?

Spoiler:

1) Nothing -- (short answer) why do you even ask?
2) Nothing -- (medium answer) Cornugon Smash triggers off the attack taken which involves power attack ... not off the damage done which involves power attack. The actual target of the attack is affected by the smash, but not people who received "splash damage"
3) Nothing -- (long answer) Damage types are bludgeoning, piercing, slashing (per weapon qualities). The gloves use "and so on" to ONLY replace "slashing". Damage qualities are ones like "adamantine, fire, nonlethal, divine, untyped, splash, etc.", none of which is "power attack". The actual target of the attack is affected by the smash, but not people who received "splash damage" since it wasn't "damage from power attack"
4) OMG!! -- When attacking, with Arcane Strike Active, the "splash damage" is of the same type of damage as the weapon's damage, which includes the "power attack" tag. This means that the original target and their adjacent buddies are all affected.

Gloves
•When the wearer makes an attack using Arcane Strike and hits, enemies adjacent to the target take damage equal to the wearer’s Arcane Strike damage bonus. This damage is of the same type as the weapon’s damage (bludgeoning, piercing, and so on).
Cornugon Smash
When you damage an opponent with a Power Attack, you may make an immediate Intimidate check as a free action to attempt to demoralize your opponent.

[Aakir of Many Names]

Will answer to the best of my ability, while I can't think of any FAQ's or developer related input on the subject here is how I would rule each situation

1. What (if any) is the interaction between Cornugon Smash and Shield Other?

Spoiler:

A: Shield Other specifies that forms of harm that do not involve hit points are not affected, and the damage the party casting shield other is taking is incidental, not a direct result of Power Attack therefore only the original target can be intimidated via free action.

2. What (if any) is the interaction between Paladin's Sacrifice and Cornugon Smash?

Spoiler:

A: Paladin's Sacrifice states "You are affectied as if you were hit by the attack ... taking all the damage and suffering all of the adverse effects." That seems to indicate that the Paladin would be the new target of all effects including Cornugon Smash, so the intimidate effects passes to the Paladin, who as you stated is immune to fear.

3. What (if any) is the interaction between Gloves of Arcane Striking and Cornugon Smash?

Spoiler:

A: This one is a bit more complicated, however the Gloves of Arcane Striking only deal damage equal to the wearer's Arcane Strike damage bonus so for Cornugon Smash, no Power Attack = no Intimidate, so only the original target can be intimidated via Cornugon Smash.

[meyerwilliam]

Aakir of Many Names wrote:

Will answer to the best of my ability, while I can't think of any FAQ's or developer related input on the subject here is how I would rule each situation

1. What (if any) is the interaction between Cornugon Smash and Shield Other?

** spoiler omitted **

2. What (if any) is the interaction between Paladin's Sacrifice and Cornugon Smash?

** spoiler omitted **

3. What (if any) is the interaction between Gloves of Arcane Striking and Cornugon Smash?

** spoiler omitted **

Don't forget though ... that the damage type is the same from the gloves as from the weapon. That's why I was asking the question of whether the "damage type" included the "power attack" ...

[Chess Pwn]

1) nothing
2) it's as if you hit the paladin, figure it out what happens as if the original target was the paladin.
3) none