|
The
Prerequisites: Acrobatics 1 rank, vanara.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to your CMD against all trip attacks. If your square has a branch or other sturdy large object that you could hang from, as a swift action you may make a DC 15 Acrobatics check to jump upward and use your tail to hang from that object. While hanging, you can’t be tripped, you ignore the effects of difficult terrain in your square, and you gain a +2 bonus to your CMD against bull rush, drag, and reposition attacks. If you leave that square (including if you are moved against your will), you lose your grip on the object and are no longer hanging. While hanging, you cannot use your tail for anything else.
Is there a general rule somewhere or precedent that basically allows a character to just 'hang out' in suspension by its prehensile tail? the Tree Hanger feat provides other mechanical benefits but I'm looking at simply hanging from a tree or rafters at this point.
Edit: switched to my shiny new vanara alias. :)
|
The basic Prehensile Tail only allows retrieval of a stored item as a swift action. It can't hold items, wield weapons or act as a fifth limb.
Basically, ignore the real world examples of what prehensile tails do for New World monkeys.
Same for Tieflings (except they actually can upgrade their Prehensile Tail to a Grasping Tail, including the ability to hold items).
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The basic Prehensile Tail only allows retrieval of a stored item as a swift action. It can't hold items, wield weapons or act as a fifth limb.
Same for Tieflings (except they actually can upgrade their Prehensile Tail to a Grasping Tail, including the ability to hold items).
Actually the Vanara's tail can hold objects:
Prehensile Tail: A vanara has a long, flexible tail that she can use to carry objects. She cannot wield weapons with her tail, but the tail allows her to retrieve a small, stowed object carried on her person as a swift action.
The tail can carry and retrieve, but not wield.
Same for Tieflings (except they actually can upgrade their Prehensile Tail to a Grasping Tail, including the ability to hold items).
The same goes for Tieflings actually:
Prehensile Tail Many tieflings have tails, but some have long, flexible tails that can be used to carry items. While they cannot wield weapons with their tails, they can use them to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action. This racial trait replaces fiendish sorcery.
Again, carry and retrieve but not wield.
Grasping Tail
Your tail becomes more useful.Prerequisites: Tiefling.
Benefit: You can use your tail to grab stowed items. While you cannot wield weapons with your tail, you can use it to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on your person as a swift action.
Special: If you have the prehensile tail racial trait, you can use your tail to grab unattended items within 5 feet as a swift action as well as to grab stowed objects carried on your person; you can hold such objects with your tail, though you cannot manipulate them with your tail (other than to put them in your hand).
The Grasping Tail feat doesn't necessarily require a tail racial trait to begin with. If you don't have the Prehensile Tail racial trait it's basically an alternative way to get the same benefit: carry, retrieve but not wield.
In combination with Prehensile Tail it also allows you to pick up nearby items.
|
|
Generally in Pathfinder you have what they call a "fluff" introduction before you find the "crunch" ability.
The "fluff" part of both abilities is "a long, flexible tail that she can use to carry objects".
The "crunch" part of both abilities is "the tail allows her to retrieve a small, stowed object carried on her person as a swift action".
That's it. Actually carrying and holding objects and treating your Tail as an extra Limb is too powerful of an ability for a basic racial trait.
This is further evidenced by the Grasping Tail feat, which expands on the Tiefling's base Prehensile Tail and allows you to actually "hold such objects with your tail".
The Grasping Tail feat would be worthless otherwise.
|
|
It's not pedantic. I generally get annoyed myself when people pick apart words in a sentence and completely invalidate abilities by skewing grammar. This isn't that. My view is heavily supported by my understanding of game balance.
Giving two races free access to what you're arguing is essentially a third limb is game-breaking. If your interpretation were valid, there would be no argument against the tail:
- holding a shield and benefitting from the AC bonus
- holding a metamagic rod and using it during Spell Combat
- activating a wand while your hands are occupied
- dual wielding guns and reloading them by holding them with your tail
- holding anything meant to take up an actual hand for balance purposes
In order to gain a "third limb", you generally have to spend a feat or equivalent ability, such as an Alchemist's Vestigial Arm or the Grasping Tail feat.
I do not believe that any race comes with that ability out of the gate.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
It's not pedantic. I generally get annoyed myself when people pick apart words in a sentence and completely invalidate abilities by skewing grammar. This isn't that. My view is heavily supported by my understanding of game balance.
Giving two races free access to what you're arguing is essentially a third limb is game-breaking. If your interpretation were valid, there would be no argument against the tail:
- holding a shield and benefitting from the AC bonus
- holding a metamagic rod and using it during Spell Combat
- activating a wand while your hands are occupied
- dual wielding guns and reloading them by holding them with your tail
- holding anything meant to take up an actual hand for balance purposesIn order to gain a "third limb", you generally have to spend a feat or equivalent ability, such as an Alchemist's Vestigial Arm or the Grasping Tail feat.
I do not believe that any race comes with that ability out of the gate.
I do not agree with your interpretation of what holding/carrying means.
Holding a shield is not the same as wielding one. I would allow the tail to hold it but not position it between a target and an attack.
Holding a rod and manipulating it as require for use are completely different things. I can pick up a pen off the floor with my toes. I can't write a single letter with one.
Wands: See rods.
I'm not sure what you mean by reloading guns as I don't know any firearms rules. I will assume you mean loading them with your tail or a combo of tail and hands. Much like the rods, one could not manipulate the gun well enough with a tail to load it. I can pick up a gun with my toes, I damn sure am not going to load it and let the slide ride forward!
Holding/Carrying and Using are completely different. I would not even allow a tail using character to read a scroll held with the tail, but I would surely allow them to carry it.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Weapon Size: Every weapon has a size category. This designation indicates the size of the creature for which the weapon was designed.
A weapon's size category isn't the same as its size as an object. Instead, a weapon's size category is keyed to the size of the intended wielder. In general, a light weapon is an object two size categories smaller than the wielder, a one-handed weapon is an object one size category smaller than the wielder, and a two-handed weapon is an object of the same size category as the wielder.
I haven't found anything else to classify object size, so based on the above, for a MEDIUM creature:
Diminutive objects:
coins, potions, vials, etc.
Tiny objects: dagger, kukri, wands, scrolls, short swords, etc.
Small objects: longsword, quiver, rapier, warhammer, backpack, bedroll, coil of rope, etc. i.e. most items.
Medium objects: longspear, bow, greatsword, greataxe, 10-foot pole, ladder, etc.
Based on the above, I'm gonna hazard that the authors perhaps meant 'small or smaller objects, as well as lightweight medium objects' otherwise we can all kiss goodbye to the drawing of potions and wands with a tail... :)
Also, I'd like to redirect the conversation to my original post if you all don't mind: can a character with prehensile tail support its own weight with the tail like he/she would with an arm or leg? (without the tree hanger feat)
A person in combat shape can support their own weight with just a finder or two. I think a prehensile tail would work but I don't think you're going to find a ruling for it.
My interpretation is that you can hang with your tail any time, but with feat, doing so gives you some unique bonuses.
AtD
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I do not believe that any race comes with that ability out of the gate.
Kasatha?