[PFS] Sacred Tattoo and Goliath Druid in Giant Form

[Sammy T]

I'm working on building a 1/2 Orc with the alternate racial trait Sacred Tattoo (and Fate's Favored). My question, by RAW, does Sacred Tattoo still work in Giant Form? What about other forms?

Sacred Tattoo:

Many half-orcs decorate themselves with tattoos, piercings, and ritual scarification, which they consider sacred markings. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws. This racial trait replaces orc ferocity.

Goliath Druid:

At 6th level, the goliath druid can use wild shape to become a Large humanoid of the giant subtype. This functions as the alter self spell, except the goliath druid gains a +4 size bonus to Strength, a –2 penalty to Dexterity, and a +1 natural armor bonus. If the Large humanoid form she takes has rock throwing, she gains rock throwing (range 40 feet, 1d8 damage). If the form has the aquatic subtype, she gains the aquatic and amphibious subtypes.

Polymorph:

While under the effects of a polymorph spell, you lose all extraordinary and supernatural abilities that depend on your original form (such as keen senses, scent, and darkvision), as well as any natural attacks and movement types possessed by your original form. You also lose any class features that depend upon form, but those that allow you to add features (such as sorcerers that can grow claws) still function. While most of these should be obvious, the GM is the final arbiter of what abilities depend on form and are lost when a new form is assumed. Your new form might restore a number of these abilities if they are possessed by the new form.

[John Murdock]

i think the effect of the tattoo will still be there since its effect do not depend on your form, like any magical object that are continuous who are merge with your new form still function, so the tattoo effect would be still in effect i would say

[thewastedwalrus]

Short answer, you keep it because it isn't designated as extraordinary or supernatural and polymorph spells only affect those types of abilities that are also dependent on original form.

Whether or not Sacred Tattoo is dependent on original form is largely up to the GM.

[Nefreet]

Good question. I wouldn't think so, since Sacred Tattoo is a Racial Trait. It shouldn't be handled any different from Darkvision or other Half-orc Traits.

[Nefreet]

Since you're asking for PFS, this clause seems important:

"the GM is the final arbiter of what abilities depend on form and are lost when a new form is assumed"

So you're likely to encounter table variation. I wouldn't recommend basing a build on something that may not function.

[deuxhero]

"Many half-orcs decorate themselves with tattoos, piercings, and ritual scarification, which they consider sacred markings." is flavor text. "Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws." is rules text. You keep the +1 luck bonus, but lose the physical characteristic.

A similar question more in line with what you were originally wondering is if you had the trait [birthmark. That trait depends on the actual birthmark for rules text (using it as a holy symbol), though is irrelevant if you have Natural Spell, so it only matters if you don't have it.

[Nefreet]

deuxhero wrote:

"Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws." is rules text.

Which you can argue only applies to "Half-orcs".

[Sammy T]

Nefreet wrote:

Good question. I wouldn't think so, since Sacred Tattoo is a Racial Trait. It shouldn't be handled any different from Darkvision or other Half-orc Traits.

The kicker is that Sacred Tattoo is neither (Ex) or (Su) -- Darkvision and Scent are (Ex) so would be lost during a wildshape...but there is no descriptor for Sacred Tattoo.

Blerg. I guess I'm going to have to settle for table variation.

[deuxhero]

Nefreet wrote:

deuxhero wrote:

"Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws." is rules text.

Which you can argue only applies to "Half-orcs".

Irrelevant, you never actually stop being a half-orc under polymorph effects.

[Nefreet]

You can certainly make that case ^_^

This is, as spelled out in the text above, quite literally open to GM discretion.

I wouldn't fault you for ruling your way one bit.

[Ascalaphus]

I would personally rule that if you shapechange, you lose the tattoos. Tatoos are clearly dependent on your form.

[Sammy T]

For the record, I checked with the GMs that I'll regularly play PFS with and they were fine with it working. If I hit up a Con or a non-local gameday, I'll run it by the GM first to avoid any confusion in-game. Thanks all!