How does a Namekeeper Shaman have to wield their inherited wayfinder? Can be be worn around the neck on a chain or on the wrist, held in hand, or just on the Shaman's person?
The Namekeeper Shaman replaces their spirit familiar with a bonded wayfinder which functions as a wizard's bonded item but for shaman spells. This is fine except that a wayfinder is a slotless magic item, which has no associated rules text in the wizard bonded item rules.
Inherited Wayfinder (Su) wrote:
A name-keeper forms a powerful bond with a damaged wayfinder inherited from another. It functions for her alone. This functions as a wizard’s bonded object except it can be used to cast shaman spells (instead of wizard spells).
This ability replaces spirit animal.
Wizard Bonded Item wrote:
Wizards who select a bonded object begin play with one at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into one of the following categories: amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon. These objects are always masterwork quality. Weapons acquired at 1st level are not made of any special material. If the object is an amulet or ring, it must be worn to have effect, while staves, wands, and weapons must be held in one hand. If a wizard attempts to cast a spell without his bonded object worn or in hand, he must make a concentration check or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the spell’s level. If the object is a ring or amulet, it occupies the ring or neck slot accordingly.
Slotless magic items aren't covered by categories presented in the base rules. The implied intent seems to be that it needs to be "equipped," but this is also the only example of an alternate bonded object I can find that doesn't specify how it needs to be used. This could be an intentional omission, or oversight, so I figured I'd see how most people would rule as I cannot ask a single GM where I play.
Here are the alternate bonded items I could find for comparison:
Spoiler:
Bonded Mask - Arcane Discovery wrote:
Your devotion to the Forgotten Pharaoh enables you to select a mask-typically an Osirian funerary mask-as your bonded item. The mask must be worn to have effect, and occupies the head slot. In addition, the mask shields you from notice. While wearing your bonded mask, efforts to use the Diplomacy skill to gather information about you take a -1 penalty, and you gain a +1 competence bonus on all saving throws against scrying and mind-reading effects that allow saving throws.
Bonded Mask - Halycon Druid Archetype wrote:
Bonded Mask (Su): A halcyon druid forms a powerful bond with a mask, which functions identically to a wizard’s bonded object except that it can be used to cast druid spells (including those gained from class abilities) instead of wizard spells. A bonded mask must be worn to have an effect, and it occupies the head slot. A halcyon druid can enhance her mask with abilities appropriate for a head slot item, and can designate an existing head slot item as her bonded mask (but only if it covers her face).
This ability replaces nature bond.
Ioun Bond - Arcane Discovery wrote:
You can form an arcane bond with an ioun stone. If you choose this arcane discovery at 1st level, you gain a dull gray ioun stone as a bonded object at no cost. A bonded ioun stone must be orbiting your head to have effect. At 12th level, you can turn a bonded dull gray ioun stone into another kind of ioun stone as if you possessed the Craft Wondrous Item feat; if you die or replace a bonded ioun stone that has been transformed in this way, the stone reverts to a dull gray ioun stone.
Runic Focus - Runesage Archetype wrote:
Runic Focus (Su): A runesage can use her knowledge of runes to create a runic focus, a small, semiprecious stone engraved with Thassilonian runes that she manipulates to alter her spellcasting abilities. In function, a runic focus behaves like an ioun stone. To activate a runic focus, the runesage must meditate on it as she prepares her spells. Following spell preparation, she tosses the gemstone into the air, after which it orbits around her head. A runic focus remains in orbit until the next time the runesage prepares her spells. A runic focus automatically functions as a runesage’s bonded object.
[...]
A runic focus has an AC of 24, 10 hit points, and hardness 5, as per an ioun stone. While the first runic focus a runesage creates is free, replacement runic foci can be created using the standard rules for replacing a bonded object for a wizard’s arcane bond.[...]
Pathfinder's Focus - Trait wrote:
Benefit: You can select a magnetic compass for your arcane bond class feature; this compass is non-magical, but you can later spend 250 gp to upgrade it into a wayfinder.
Choosing this trait allows you to upgrade this wayfinder to a variant or unique wayfinder per the normal rules for improving magic items. A bonded wayfinder must be held in your hand to grant the benefits of being a bonded object.
Pathfinder's Focus is notable because it's the closest comparison to the Inherited Wayfinder, but at least one person I've asked made the argument that since Inherited Wayfinder doesn't include the same line as the Pathfinder Focus, that it isn't subject to the same rules. Same individual argues that it's also a potential difference between a trait and a class ability similar to how the Runic Focus is similar to, but different than, Ioun Bond.
Interested to hear what others think. If you do think it needs to be held in hand (not wielded since you can't wield a slotless item), what action would be appropriate to put it in hand if worn on a chain on the wrist? The implications are significant if the shaman planned to use a two-handed weapon or employ some other strategy that wouldn't allow easy access to the Wayfinder.
Since it has no slot, I would rule that it must be held in hand at my tables, just like a wand. There's no rules for chaining an item to your wrist in that fashion, so I would default to the normal "retrieving an item" action economy.
for the Name-Keeper Shaman the bonded wayfinder has to be worn or held in hand (meeting either requirement and the slot for a slotless item). It does no good in a handy haversack or extra/nondimensional space. A user could wield it but it is an improvised weapon with negatives to hit and doing minimal damage, so why make a bad choice.
As it's a damaged wayfinder that works for the Name-Keeper alone, it can be repaired using Make Whole (NPC casting at double level is 2*10*10gp=200gp) to work for anyone (as a wayfinder).
Slotless Wondrous Items:
These wondrous items do not adhere to a specific slot, and are often carried by a character in a way similar to a potion or wand, worn on some part of the body that doesn't correspond to an item slot, or are otherwise utilized in a particular way detailed in the item's description. Slotless wondrous items range through the gamut of appearances and functions, and, generally, if a magic item doesn't fit into any other category it appears here.
Anyone can use slotless wondrous items unless specified otherwise by its description. These wondrous items are usually use-activated or triggered by a command word, but details vary from item to item.
The more I've been thinking about it, the more I think that if the requirement is truly meant to be 'in-hand' as the Pathfinder's Focus trait specifies that this archetype is pretty much dead in the water. I'm almost hoping at this point that the omission of that line was intentional.
Unlike the other bonded objects that require being in-hand (weapon, staff, or wand) there's no combat utility for a wayfinder. If you used the archetype's ability to commune with a Sword's Spirit, you couldn't even fight effectively with a one-handed weapon you learned to use since you'd have to hold the wayfinder in one hand, the weapon in the other, and have no hands left for somatic components. It's even worse if you intended to use a two-handed weapon since you couldn't drop a hand to cast and then resume holding the weapon in two hands. The Scrolls spirit would similarly be difficult because you'd never be able to use a metamagic rod while holding the wayfinder (similar issue of no hand for somatic components).
I'm leaning more towards in the absence of clarification that My Life Is In Ruins might have called out the proper rules to fall back on. Since the wayfinder description and the inherited wayfinder class ability don't call out that it's "utilized in a particular way", it probably can be "carried by a character in a way similar to a potion or wand, [or] worn on some part of the body that doesn't correspond to an item slot." Seems like you could reasonably clip it to a belt, or wear it like a pocket watch?
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
Throwing my hat into the ring and saying that as long as it is on your person (not in an extra-dimensional space), that you would fulfill the requirement of wearing it, and therefore able to cast you spells normally.
On a necklace, in a pocket, or on a wrist chain would all be valid, it is just fluff at that point.
