How to parse this feat's prerequisites?


Rules Questions


Warrior Priest (Ultimate Magic)
Your religion is both a shield and a weapon in battle.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast divine spells, domain or mystery class feature.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on initiative checks and a +2 bonus on concentration checks made to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability when casting defensively or while grappled.

Does this mean:

A) You need to be able to cast divine spells AND you need EITHER a domain or mystery class feature.

B) You need ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: 1) ability to cast divine spells, OR 2) domain class feature, OR 3) mystery class feature.

C) Some other interpretation that I haven't thought of.

Thanks


Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber

I am pretty sure it is A.

Scarab Sages

I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be A.

Liberty's Edge

I think it is actually B, one of the following. The structure of the sentence does not place an "and" after "divine spells" so if any one of those three conditions exist than it would meet the prerequisites.


A


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Arazyr wrote:
I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be A.
Gary Bush wrote:
I think it is actually B, one of the following. The structure of the sentence does not place an "and" after "divine spells" so if any one of those three conditions exist than it would meet the prerequisites.

I believe that both of these are correct - A seems to be the intent (to my interpretation), but B seems to be the actual way it is written.


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I would say A.
Feats do not* use 'and' in the prerequisites.

prereqs are separated by a comma.
Normally if a requirement is preceded or followed by a choice of 2 options they remain separated by a comma. the sub options will be separated by an 'or'. such as keen scent
If a requirement is followed or preceded by a choice of 3 or more they will be separated by a semi-colon with the sub-options separated by a comma.

In fairness I could be wrong - when following semicolons the prereqs follow this feats pattern, but I am not aware of another feat with a simple choice of 3 requirements to compare it to. Nor is my knowledge of punctuation extensive enough to know for sure how I would list 3 options such that it would obviously be B. probably something like 'Ability to cast divine spells or the domain or mystery class feature.'

*typically, I'm sure there is an exception somewhere...


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Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber

The lack of the word "class feature" after "domain" rather ties "domain" and "mystery" together here. If they were meant to be three completely independent alternatives, the second item would have been "domain class feature".


I've always gone with A.


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Pathfinder Adventure, Rulebook Subscriber

Is there a way to have a domain or mystery without being able to cast divine spells?


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Pathfinder Starfinder Society Subscriber
Nullpunkt wrote:
Is there a way to have a domain or mystery without being able to cast divine spells?

Variant multiclassing into Cleric or Oracle is one way to do that.


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Nullpunkt wrote:
Is there a way to have a domain or mystery without being able to cast divine spells?

A but as Nullpunkt points out, it's kind of a moot point of you can't figure out a way to get a domain/mystery without divine spell casting.

Liberty's Edge

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Tacticslion wrote:
Arazyr wrote:
I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be A.
Gary Bush wrote:
I think it is actually B, one of the following. The structure of the sentence does not place an "and" after "divine spells" so if any one of those three conditions exist than it would meet the prerequisites.
I believe that both of these are correct - A seems to be the intent (to my interpretation), but B seems to be the actual way it is written.

I went back and looked more closely at other feats and I am changing my position. I believe A is the correct answer and I agree with dragonhunterq. Looking at other feats the word "and" is not present when multiple items are listed. "Or" is listed when there is more than 1 option however.

another example I found is

PRD wrote:

Arc Slinger (Combat)

Prerequisites: Point-Blank Shot, proficient with sling or halfling sling staff.

Have to have point-blank shot AND be proficient with a sling or halfling sling staff.

Same as the OP question.


Because domain class feature and mystery class feature are similar to one another and dissimilar to the ability to cast divine spells, I believe that option A is correct.


Prerequisites:
Ability to cast divine spells, domain or mystery class feature.

KEY WORD ~~~~ OR ~~~~

so you would need

Ability to cast divine spells, + domain (you can have the feat)

OR

Ability to cast divine spells, + mystery class (you can have the feat)

SO A


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The core issue here is the absence of the oxford comma.

If it had the oxford comma (it was meant to be a selection among three), it would have been written "Ability to cast divine spells, domain, or mystery class feature." That one comma matters a LOT for parsing the text.

I know it seems a little nitpicky to care so much about a single comma, but the absence of it causes the feat's prerequisites to fit with Paizo's typical method of listing them, in which commas separate prerequisites (unless they actually DO need to use the oxford comma, where they start using semicolons to separate prerequisites instead).

The prerequisites of this feat is:
1) Ability to cast divine spells
2) Domain or mystery class feature

Interpretation A is correct.


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Reliquarian Occultist is another way to get a domain without divine spells.

As I don't think any such ways existed when Ultimate Magic was written, I tentatively agree with A being intended, but B being what they wrote.


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Thanks everyone. That's what I thought too but just wanted to confirm. Will go with A as I work on my Hellknight Signifier build.


qaplawjw wrote:

Reliquarian Occultist is another way to get a domain without divine spells.

reliquarian wrote:
A reliquarian’s spells are considered divine spells, not psychic spells.

I haven't found a non-VMC way yet, but it wouldn't surprise to find one out there - just this one isn't it.

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