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Not everyone is playing in the Mana Wastes, or near the Mana Wastes, or in a setting that has Mana Wastes.
Being unable to take a character into town without causing death and riots is absolutely more broken than having a debuff on the high end of the power scale.
Especially since this is the kind of thing that's not immediately obvious on making the character. The Blight Druid is obviously a little unpleasant, and you can tell by reading the entry exactly how much damage its Miasma is going to cause. Confusion doesn't sound that bad until you crunch numbers like folks did on this thread.
You didn't have to take the 13th level of this class and can certainly retrain it to something more NPC friendly.
This is true, but not being able to take 13th level in a class - especially a full casting class - because of a basic character building choice you made at level 1? Imagine if the Necromancy school power for wizards came with a 30ft life-draining aura that you couldn't turn off.
Technically, the wording on confusion is:Deal 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self with item in handwith regard to attacking self. Note that it says item in hand. An unarmed NPC is unable to attack themselves with an item in hand, and would default to incoherent babbling. I know, this is a generous interpretation and I'd probably rule it otherwise if the NPC were an intended opponent.
For attacking others, I'd argue that most commoner NPCs will be non-proficient with any weapons they have (including unarmed strikes). So they'd be -4 on this attack, and I'd probably add further penalty to have them attempt non-lethal damage with their strikes.
Now, all that said, any NPCs that die or are injured due to this ability will be blood on your hands. You didn't have to take the 13th level of this class and can certainly retrain it to something more NPC friendly. Depending on witnesses and the importance of certain NPCs, there may be in-game consequences to this ability.
Likewise, if your party is aware of your ability, confused NPCs attacking the party will be "defending themselves" and any violent response by the party will NOT be considered "acting in self defense."
Personally, I'd take a level in something else if you intend to play a good aligned character, or in a good-aligned party.
The big thing to me here is that, while i wouldnt go with the wording of "weapon in hand" to prevent someone from using unarmed strikes, since none of the commoners are likelybto posess IUS thr damage would be nonlethal and increase the chances of survival for anyone. Simply because it says youndeal the damage with the "weapon in hand" and an unarmed attack does nonlethal. But this abilitybis a mess anyhows.
This is supposed to be a silly response, please take it th at way.
You knew it was coming for 13 whole levels, and now it is a problem.
Sounds like poor planning to me.
Shouldn't have taken a Prc at 12th level (to avoid 13th level)
Sucks that you didn't, but the ability requires it.
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It seems to me that because this "emanates" from you it would follow the regular rules from the magic section for emanations.
Emanations act the same as bursts but work for the duration of the spell, in this case permanent.
bursts can't affect anyone with total cover from the point of origin.
total cover occurs when there is a block in line of effect.
that means if you're in a box no one would be affected. Make a glass box (so you can see out of it) and put it on a wagon. It's cheap and makes you look like a freak but it's totally effective by raw. Put your air/talking holes in the bottom of the box btw. Any breach in the walls and it's not a line of effect blocker.
Maybe role play a pope figure.
edit: if you spend a bit more money on your cart it won't look weird, you'll just look like a noble. google "musei vaticani padiglione delle carrozze le berline dei papi" (it's Italian, some carriage in some meausium")
Or a regular carriage shield work, in that case.
Having a close freind, cohort, etc, that's taken the antidote to do your business while you are secluded in your rooms makes you myserious, and at that lvl, that's a good thing.
Have a party member set up "free lemonade" stands before you hit town?
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I am imagining a villain now who has this ability and simply waltzes through towns and cities while invisible or disguised while laughing at the chaos that follows in his wake.
Have a party member set up "free lemonade" stands before you hit town?
Brewing 1 dose requires 1 hour. According to the ISWG, Absalom has a population of 303,900. With my Ring of Sustenance, I could theoretically create these doses for 22 hours per day, resulting in 8,030 per year. It would take me nearly 38 years to brew enough doses for Absalom.
Lemonade stand, indeed.
Even on a 1 month basis, I could only make enough for 660 people (assuming 30 days). That with me doing literally nothing else.
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I am imagining a villain now who has this ability and simply waltzes through towns and cities while invisible or disguised while laughing at the chaos that follows in his wake.
And, quite frankly, the wellbeing of a commoner isn't really worth a whole hour of an adventurer's time, let alone a level 13 spellcaster's.
Doing the aforementioned methods to limit contact with outsiders, like a mysterious wagon with drawn curtains and standing guards (your party members), policing who gets to talk to the powerful spellcaster.
Causing panics and riots would injure your character's reputation, but a mysterious allure can only help.
I'm considering a few vanity followers, but that only solves so many issues.
I like the idea of riding around in a palanquin.
I can afford 1/6th of that >.>
If all you need to do is block direct line of effect, can't you just walk around with a really big blanket over you that reaches the ground? Its like sticking yourself in a bag. Sure you're effectively blind, but someone can presumably hold your hand through the blanket to guide you.
People can still hear you, if a bit muffled, given there are rules for listening through doors, etc. Heck if people put stuff down you can still pick stuff up by walking over it.
And when it's go time, you just take a move action to throw it off, and then the crowds go wild...
I am imagining a villain now who has this ability and simply waltzes through towns and cities while invisible or disguised while laughing at the chaos that follows in his wake.
I'm pretty sure it would break normal invisibility.
From the magic chapter:
"Some spell descriptions refer to attacking. All offensive combat actions, even those that don't damage opponents, are considered attacks. Attempts to channel energy count as attacks if it would harm any creatures in the area. All spells that opponents resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are attacks. Spells that summon monsters or other allies are not attacks because the spells themselves don't harm anyone."
I am imagining a villain now who has this ability and simply waltzes through towns and cities while invisible or disguised while laughing at the chaos that follows in his wake.I'm pretty sure it would break normal invisibility.
From the magic chapter:
"Some spell descriptions refer to attacking. All offensive combat actions, even those that don't damage opponents, are considered attacks. Attempts to channel energy count as attacks if it would harm any creatures in the area. All spells that opponents resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are attacks. Spells that summon monsters or other allies are not attacks because the spells themselves don't harm anyone."
There's a technical argument to be had since the aura is not a spell, is not an action, and cannot be controlled. Since it's not an action, it fails the first test. Since it's not a spell, it fails the second. You essentially come down to "is moving an offensive action while you have this aura that you cannot control?"
Sure, were I GMing, I'd probably agree with you, but there's the weird technical argument to be had nonetheless.
The best solution I can come up with right now is casting Object Possession on a mannequin and send it on short journeys into town.
Would a Magic Circle vs Chaos (assuming your character is chaotic, otherwise substitute the appropriate alignment) focused inward protect people? It wasn't originally designed that way, but it does block mental control.
As a psychic you can get Floating Disc to carry you (and any barriers) around, so there might be some sort of option there as well.
Mmmmm well now i know what my next spellcaster is going to be, this sounds like tons o' fun.
My solution to the problem would be similar to wearing a blanket or going everywhere in a carriage, only much more expensive. You could craft (or have crafted) a large construct that you could ride inside. They are immune to mind affecting effects themselves and they are mobile.
I am not totally sure that you can craft ride-inside-able constructs in the rules and I don't have time to look right now, but if it is possible then that's what i'd go with.
In Taldor, Echoes of Glory they have a magic Divan that can carry you around.
I'm not sure how it helps in this situation, but it's always nice to be able to pamper oneself. :-)
Since the ability is an emanation it is blocked by things that block line of effect (like walls, blankets, magical mobile suit constructs). Since dvians are open im not sure that it would solve the problem, although you would look a lot like Egyptian royalty which has to count for something.
Looking more closely at Object Possession, you can possess a Large object (which just happens to be the size of a carriage) and can switch objects.
Buy a carriage for 100 gp and a couple of mirrors for 10 gp each from Ultimate Combat. Create a periscope with the mirrors so you can see out and others can see in via them.
It will take some research, but there should be a doll or mannequin someplace in the Pathfinders rules. You can switch from the carriage to the mannequin when you need a 'face' to talk with people.
It would take a bit more research to get all the details correct, but it seems like this is a promising route to being able to enter a town without causing a massive disruption.
Doesn't Posses Object transfer your mind? Won't that move the source of the emanation to whatever you are possessing?
You can’t use any spells or other abilities while possessing an object.
I assume that would prevent the aura.
In Taldor, Echoes of Glory they have a magic Divan that can carry you around.
I'm not sure how it helps in this situation, but it's always nice to be able to pamper oneself. :-)
Open-air walking couch does not help much, sadly. Funny enough, I'd heard of this item before as there's a local bloatmage who uses it.
No, but that's not necessarily helpful either. One key feature of the spell is that it targets creatures in an area rather than an area, meaning I could burn a large number of spell slots very quickly in some situations, as well as having the effect lapse if people are milling about and I have to recast before the confusion wears off.
Boom! Insulate your friends and acquaintances against forced psychedelic experiences and become amphibious all at the same time! All for the low low price of 90,000 gold pieces!
The obvious solution is to buy yourself a suit of Powered Armor.
Hmmmm...
Supernatural Abilities (Su): Using a supernatural ability is usually a standard action (unless defined otherwise by the ability’s description). Its use cannot be disrupted, does not require concentration, and does not
provoke attacks of opportunity.
First of all, a character who has Hallucinogenic Aura doesn't have to actually use it. Once you hit 13th level, if you don't spend a standard action to activate the aura, it's an unused ability. Per RAW, you're safe as long as you don't use it.
That said...
Supernatural Abilities (Su): Supernatural abilities are magical attacks, defenses, and qualities. These abilities can be always active or they can require a specific action to utilize. The supernatural ability's description includes information on how it is used and its effects.
It looks like it's legitimate for it to be always-on once you activate it. That said, it's a mental effect, so you'd be able to stop it by any method that deprives you of an Int score. For instance, becoming dead. By 13th-level it should be possible to work together with an ally who has breath of life to shut down this aura. Once you are an object without an Int score, it should stop. Then you're brought back to life and need to spend another standard action to screw up the world again.
A better approach is to voluntarily fail both saves against baleful polymorph then have an ally use break enchantment on you because... "the creature loses its extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities..."
Again, once you return from your brief encounter with bunny-hood, you'd need to spend a standard action to activate the aura again.
There may be lower-level methods to doing similar, but here's two options that work at your level.
Sadly, while you've got access to contingency, it looks like psychics don't get break enchantment, or for that matter baleful polymorph. A samsaran psychic who planned ahead could fix himself, I think.
And in PFS, ability activations don't carry over from session to session. So you would need to activate it every game.
Mental Block should also shut it off.
But the ability's description says it's always on, not that it needs to be activated, so it wouldn't need the standard action, it's automatic.
But the ability's description says it's always on, not that it needs to be activated, so it wouldn't need the standard action, it's automatic.
Does it say it's always on? It just doesn't have a duration.
"Hallucinogenic Aura (Su): At 13th level, a mental field emanates from you, touching the minds of those nearby. Any creature within 30 feet of you must succeed at a Will save or be confused for 1d4 rounds. A creature that succeeds at its saving throw is immune to your hallucinogenic aura for 24 hours. A creature that fails its save doesn’t need to continue making saves while it’s confused by this aura, and becomes immune for 24 hours once its confusion ends. This is a mind-affecting effect. You’re immune to your own hallucinogenic aura, as well as that of any other psychic. You can brew an antidote that protects the imbiber from your aura. Brewing 1 dose requires 1 hour and a successful DC 15 Craft (alchemy) check. One dose’s effects last for 1 month."
But the ability's description says it's always on, not that it needs to be activated, so it wouldn't need the standard action, it's automatic.Does it say it's always on? It just doesn't have a duration.
"Hallucinogenic Aura (Su): At 13th level, a mental field emanates from you, touching the minds of those nearby. Any creature within 30 feet of you must succeed at a Will save or be confused for 1d4 rounds. A creature that succeeds at its saving throw is immune to your hallucinogenic aura for 24 hours. A creature that fails its save doesn’t need to continue making saves while it’s confused by this aura, and becomes immune for 24 hours once its confusion ends. This is a mind-affecting effect. You’re immune to your own hallucinogenic aura, as well as that of any other psychic. You can brew an antidote that protects the imbiber from your aura. Brewing 1 dose requires 1 hour and a successful DC 15 Craft (alchemy) check. One dose’s effects last for 1 month."
Yes, right where it's bolded. The field eminates from you. No "can" or "you are able to" or "use an action to create a..." It's just emanating from you.
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Would a Magic Circle vs Chaos (assuming your character is chaotic, otherwise substitute the appropriate alignment) focused inward protect people? It wasn't originally designed that way, but it does block mental control.
Doesn't block confusion because the originator of the effect doesn't actually control the target's actions. (FAQ)
At 13th level, it's possible he has a partymate who has anti-magic field to walk around town with.
Yes, right where it's bolded. The field eminates from you. No "can" or "you are able to" or "use an action to create a..." It's just emanating from you.But the ability's description says it's always on, not that it needs to be activated, so it wouldn't need the standard action, it's automatic.Does it say it's always on? It just doesn't have a duration.
"Hallucinogenic Aura (Su): At 13th level, a mental field emanates from you, touching the minds of those nearby. Any creature within 30 feet of you must succeed at a Will save or be confused for 1d4 rounds. A creature that succeeds at its saving throw is immune to your hallucinogenic aura for 24 hours. A creature that fails its save doesn’t need to continue making saves while it’s confused by this aura, and becomes immune for 24 hours once its confusion ends. This is a mind-affecting effect. You’re immune to your own hallucinogenic aura, as well as that of any other psychic. You can brew an antidote that protects the imbiber from your aura. Brewing 1 dose requires 1 hour and a successful DC 15 Craft (alchemy) check. One dose’s effects last for 1 month."
Sure. Once you activate it. I repeat, supernatural abilities - unless stated otherwise - take a standard action to activate. This one explains the shape of the aura (an emanation) but doesn't say anything about activation. Lacking text specific to activation, the general rule is followed. The lack of "can" or "once activated" is presumably due to the lack of duration, indicating that it has no limit to its duration. The developers I'm sure didn't anticipate a player wanting to disable this ability.
Let's play "find a precedent" game.
Aura of Purity (Su) - The witch's aura purifies the air around her.
Effect: Diseases, inhaled poisons, and noxious gaseous effects (such as stinking cloud) are negated in a 10-foot aura around the witch for a number of minutes equal to her level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments. Effects caused by spells whose level is more than half the witch's class level are unaffected.
Okay, so diseases etc are negated. Not can, not "once activated", they just are negated. And yet there's a limit to how long you're allowed to use this ability. Well, since it's always on due to the lack of "can" or "once activated", it looks like the first few minutes of the day it does its thing and then you're out for the day.
The point is that a verb describing how or where an ability forms doesn't represent the actions required to activate it. Instead for that information - when lacking it in the specific - we turn to the general rules, which are clear for supernatural abilities.
Sure, the Hallucinogenic Aura is always on, but only once you activate it. And then, if you can find a way to stop it (not just suppress it), it'll need activation again.
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I think this is just a poorly worded ability.
Biggest issue is how far it reaches. 30 foot is just entirely too far. Compare that to the paladin's MANY different Aura's that only affect allies in 10 foot.
I think having to activate the psychic's aura would be a good compromise... but I do not like the precedent that would claim that a Paladin has to reactivate all his SU aura's each day too...
If the Psychic messed with people in a 10 range, that would be annoying in town... but it wouldn't be riotous..
It's just... not a good ability. I would love to see a heavy errata bat smack this around.
This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-minute increments.That was a good try but this part owns you
In what way? The person I was replying to was telling me that description of a shape/location means "always" on. It was a discussion of what the meaning of the word "is" is. I used the hex as an example of how shape/location doesn't mean "always" on.
Excepting I suppose if you're insinuating that the counter-argument is this:
The hex is always on, but you can end it after a minute because it says you don't have to use it all at once.
If that's where you're going, well, fine, but it still demonstrates the absurdity of saying "mental emanation" means "always on" because you'd still have to immediately use one minute of this hex the moment it refreshes, if you ever ran out.
it has spent in it, which means you have to activate it to use it.
sorry.
Spending isn't exactly a game term. It - at best - denotes consumption. You must spend 8 hours each day to craft something. Doesn't refer to activation in any way. You spend 8 hours resting before you can prepare used wizard spell slots. Again, not activating.
You could argue that its a standard to activate it, but since you cant ever de activate it, its basically just as bad.
That's precisely what I've been arguing. And if it's activated with a standard action, it needs to be done again after the aura is stopped, which is why I presented a couple ways to stop it in the first place.
I see a circle here.
