I get that I'm playing a Tiefling Wizard. Tiefling is my race, and grants me 5 energy resistance to a few types, so I get how a race plays into the average character.
By the feat's description it ignores resistances granted from class levels and templates. So a Skeleton, is an acquired template, meaning that a troll's skeleton is racially still a troll, thus studied spell would to little for it. It can't bypass the skeleton's DR5/bludgeoning because that thing was still a troll, even though it lost all it's troll biological parts.
What about something innately undead though? An example I know of, a Necrocraft. It does not have any such racial beginning, and is not a template, they are their own thing. If they have "mostly skeletons" which gives them that same resistance as above, is that now a racial granted thing (as they only have undead HD, no class levels, etc.) and thus Studied Spell works on it?
This all being the case, I fail to see much use for this metamagic. It doesn't bypass spell resistance or immunities, and most monsters tend to, if they're going to have resistance to their innate damage types at all (like dragons persay) have immunity rather than resistance. Those that don't, generally recieve such things from magic, class features (barbarian for example) or even favored class bonus (goblin Alchemist, fire resist 1 for example) which how does a favored class bonus fit? Is it racial or class? Especially for +2 spell level.
Potentially I could see a little use for spontaneous casters, who have limited spell pools and need to get the most out of a spell, but any prepared caster will have other options for spells if they do hit a wall. Maybe I'm missing something though?
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When asking something about an ability that isn't in the PRD it is nice to link the description or quote it.
Studied Spell (Metamagic)
You use your knowledge about the target to bypass its resistances and damage reduction.
Benefit(s): When casting a studied spell, designate one target affected by the spell. Attempt an appropriate Knowledge check based on that target’s creature type as you cast the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the creature’s CR based on its race and not including any class levels or template (a creature that is defined by class levels has an effective CR of 0 for this ability). If you succeed, your studied spell ignores any energy resistance or damage reduction the target has because of its race as well as any bonuses on saving throws against the spell granted by the target’s race (such as the bonus from a dwarf’s hardy ability or a halfling’s halfling luck ability). Your studied spell doesn’t ignore energy resistance, damage reduction, or saving throw bonuses granted by other spells and effects. If you fail the Knowledge check, the spell still has its normal effects.
Level Increase: +2 (a studied spell uses up a spell slot 2 levels higher than the spell’s actual level.)
What is a race is not defined as a game term. The best definition I can give is "something that allow you to access Racial traits and/or Alternate race rules and/or Racial modifiers to the stats" or "what is defined as a race in the Advanced race guide" and/or other rulebooks".
Generally a race is a subtype.
A troll skeleton isn't a troll skeleton, it is a large bipedal skeleton.
Type: The creature's type changes to undead. It retains any subtype except for alignment subtypes (such as good) and subtypes that indicate kind (such as giant).
Honestly, a race is something that your GM agree is a race. There is no rule definition AFAIK.
Personally I would require at least the ability to reproduce by itself (and/or with an appropriate companion) without the need to kill someone/something with energy drain or to perform a magical procedure (but Wyrwood have racial trait, so maybe they are a race of construct that can't reproduce ...).Personally I think that the effect of this metamagic is excessive when it applies an too inconsistent on when it applies.
For the purposes of this spell, I'd rule a necrocraft's race is necrocraft, period. That means the Knowledge DC is 20 + 3, with 3 being the lowest CR a necrocraft can have. And it fits to the appearant intent: A scaling DC, comparable to mundane Knowledge check DCs.
For the purposes of this spell, I'd rule a necrocraft's race is necrocraft, period. That means the Knowledge DC is 20 + 3, with 3 being the lowest CR a necrocraft can have. And it fits to the appearant intent: A scaling DC, comparable to mundane Knowledge check DCs.
I was using Necrocraft as an example, mostly as compared to a skeleton it's the same DR, from technically the same source. However skeleton is an applied template to the base creature (they keep their subtype, so a human skeleton is "undead (human)") meaning by Studied Spell, the template is ignored.
It could apply to anything, what race is an Iron Golem? Could this work on it? What about robotic constructs? Or constructs in general (not that it would do much, as most have hardness rather than DR)?
Are undead traits, or construct traits racial abilities? A werewolf you use this against is a humanoid (shapeshifter), their race? But lycanthropy is a disease and template, therefore to the hells with you, you can bypass that they were a human, therefore not even their DR/silver.
I dunno... Again, +2 spell level to crack what is normally between 1-5 DR or resistance, or negate a +X DC vs _____ on a single target of a spell does not feel a worthy thing for a prep caster.
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I dunno... Again, +2 spell level to crack what is normally between 1-5 DR or resistance, or negate a +X DC vs _____ on a single target of a spell does not feel a worthy thing for a prep caster.
Elder elementals get DR 10/- and you can bypass it with that metamagic (but you need a spell that deal physical damage). There are creatures that get an energy resistance of 30.
So, when you get the right chance it is good. But extremely situational. Essentially, the exact description of a metamagic that is not worth a feat but can be worth a low level metamagic rod.