Another rules question here for the ever popular topic of the Skald Weapon Song ability. For todays question I am looking for a clarification on the interaction between Weapon Song, listed here:
Spoiler:
A spell warrior gains the following raging song, allowing him to grant his ally’s weapons enhancement bonuses and special powers.
Enhance Weapons (Su) At 1st level, the spell warrior can grant a +1 enhancement bonus to the weapons (including ammunition) of allies within 60 feet. At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, this enhancement bonus increases by 1. The maximum bonus gained is based upon the number of weapons affected: +5 to one weapon, +4 to two weapons, +3 to three weapons, or +2 to four or more weapons. Fifty pieces of ammunition count as one weapon for this purpose. The wielder of a weapon enhanced by this raging song counts as if he were under the effect of an inspired rage raging song for all purposes involving the skald’s rage powers.
These bonuses can also be used to add any of the following weapon special abilities to the weapons enhanced by this ability: dancing, defending, distance, flaming, frost, ghost touch, keen, mighty cleaving, returning, shock, seeking, or speed. Adding these weapon special abilities consumes an amount of bonus equal to the special ability’s cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These enhancement bonuses and special abilities overlap with any enhancements or special abilities the weapon already has, though duplicate special abilities do not stack. If an affected weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other special abilities can be.
The bonus and special abilities granted by this raging song are determined when the song begins, and cannot be changed until the raging song ends and another is begun. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon.
This ability replaces the inspired rage raging song.
And the ability to still cast spells as if under the effects of Raging Song listed here:
Spoiler:
Inspired Rage (Su) At 1st level, affected allies gain a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution and a +1 morale bonus on Will saving throws, but also take a –1 penalty to AC. While under the effects of inspired rage, allies other than the skald cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the song’s bonuses on Will saves increase by 1; the penalty to AC doesn’t change. At 8th and 16th levels, the song’s bonuses to Strength and Constitution increase by 2. (Unlike the barbarian’s rage ability, those affected are not fatigued after the song ends.) If an ally has her own rage class ability (such as barbarian’s rage, bloodrager’s bloodrage, or skald’s inspired rage), she may use the Strength, Constitution, and Will saving throw bonuses, as well as AC penalties, based on her own ability and level instead of those from the skald (still suffering no fatigue afterward). However, inspired rage does not allow the ally to activate abilities dependent on other rage class abilities, such as rage powers, blood casting, or bloodrager bloodlines; the ally must activate her own rage class ability in order to use these features.
So the Weapon Song allows people effected to gain the benefits of rage powers as if under Inspired Rage but does that come with the detriments as well like not being able to cast spells, concentrate, and so on? I see that the Skald can continue to cast spells under Inspired Rage but I am trying to determine if Weapon Song allows a "soft rage" where characters are allowed access to Rage Powers but not suffer detriments of rage.
Further questions I had on this topic seems to have been answered in an FAQ about Bloodragers interactions with multiple rages under the Anger Management section. But while a Bloodrager can't get Inspired Rage Song to gain access to more rage powers in addition to their own Rage benefits can they instead take advantage of Weapon Song if its considered a "soft rage"?
I guess the final question is this, is Weapon Song considered a Rage since it gives Rage Powers or no?
I don't think so, especially since it's the skalds rage powers and not anyone else'. You don't actually have inspired rage song, you can just grant rage powers through magic weapons.
The wielder of a weapon enhanced by this raging song counts as if he were under the effect of an inspired rage raging song for all purposes involving the skald’s rage powers.
So, the song only counts as raging song for purposes of rage powers. For anything that isn't a rage power, the weapon song doesn't count as raging song.
I actually found this bit which I think clarifies the issue, from the FAQ on Advanced Class Guide.
"Anger management: If I am in a rage, or an Unchained rage, or a bloodrage, or some similar form of rage, can I stack up as many benefits as possible?
No. When you either activate or are affected by a new form of rage (such as a barbarian’s rage, a skald’s raging song, a bloodrager’s bloodrage, and the rage spell), you can choose whether to keep your current rage or to accept the new rage instead, much like a creature affected by multiple polymorph effects. If you are in the throes of a rage that you could not automatically end on your own, such as a wild rager’s wild rage, you may not choose to replace it with a new rage effect. The exception to this rule is the skald’s master skald ability, which explicitly allows the skald’s raging song to stack with other rage."
While Enchance Weapons is not a Rage it is still a Raging Song.
While Enchance Weapons is not a Rage it is still a Raging Song.
It's a raging song, but it only counts as inspired rage for the purposes of rage powers. Raging songs don't cause any detrimental effects on their own. It's specifically inspired rage that has detrimental effects. And those detrimental effects are not categorized as rage powers, so they don't apply to weapon song.
I apologize I wandered a bit in my thoughts and didn't actually put the path in post.
So the answer seems to be yes you can still cast spells and be under the influence of any Raging Song except Inspired Rage however the interactions with other rages still follows the Anger Management FAQ.
So yes casters can still cast but Barbarians, UnBarbs, Bloodragers, and such, still can only have one raging effect up at a time, and Enhance Weapons is still a Rage effect for purposes of this because its a Raging Song.
Although I suspect the FAQ writers were a little clumsy there and meant inspired rage instead of raging song. The idea that enemies under the effects of a rage are immune to Dirge of Doom is more than a little off.
