FASCINATED CONDITION as written allows targets to move towards and attack the subject of the fascination. Typically this will be the caster of the fascination effect. As stated page 321 of the rules,
Quote: You take a –2 conditional penalty to Perception and skill checks, and you can’t use actions, activities, free actions, or reactions with the concentrate trait unless they or their intended consequences are related to the subject of your fascination (as determined by the GM). In an otherwise disconnected statement, an example of activities is,
Quote: For instance, you might be able to Seek and Recall Knowledge about the subject, but not cast magic missile. This condition ends if creatures act in a hostile fashion toward you or your allies. Assuming the example is correct, there is an entire supposition that is unstated. While there seems to be a suggestion that the subjects are in a passive state, there are no guidelines concerning how the GM should rule this. The implications for the signature Bard's one round(!) "FASCINATING PERFORMANCE" is generally suicide (and should instead be labeled "COME AND GET IT").
To be in keeping with the previous PF1CRB idea behind FASCINATED CONDITION, and assuming that only reactions with the concentrate trait are being specified, I suggest to following wording and punctuation changes:
"You are compelled to focus your attention on something which distracts you from other things going on around you and prevents you from undertaking hostile actions. You take a –2 conditional penalty to Perception and skill checks. You may not close distance to the subject of your fascination more than 5 foot each action. You can’t use actions, activities, or free actions, nor use a reaction with the "concentrate" trait, unless they or their intended consequences are related to the subject of your fascination (as determined by the GM). This condition ends if creatures act in a hostile fashion toward you or your allies."
It should also be considered by Piazo whether the Bard's "FASCINATING PERFORMANCE" should be rewritten to account for any new wording changes.
Actually fascinated doesn't prevent the victim to attack anyone he wants and fight normally.
As written, fascinated currently allows you to fight, flee, chug potions, or pretty much take any other action normally in combat. You can attack enemies and they don't even have to be the person fascinating you. Pretty much the only thing it stops is spellcasting, barbarian rage, and other things with the Concentrate tag, but even Concentrate actions can be taken as long as they are directed at the person fascinating you. So the example right in the paragraph is misleading, you actually SHOULD be able to cast magic missile by RAW, so long as the person fascinating you is the sole target.
DamianTheAlien wrote: FASCINATED CONDITION as written allows targets to move towards and attack the subject of the fascination. Typically this will be the caster of the fascination effect. As stated page 321 of the rules,
Quote: you can’t use actions, activities, free actions, or reactions with the concentrate trait. In an otherwise disconnected statement, an example of activities is,
Quote: For instance, you might be able to Seek and Recall Knowledge about the subject, but not cast magic missile.
Ok, Magic Missile does not have the Concentrate trait, what the hell is up with that example?
Edit:
Ah, Verbal Casting has the Concentrate action. Jesus, way to hide that one in a dark corner.
Thank you for your feedback so far.
Would like to offer an improvement to my suggested wording.
"You are compelled to focus your attention on something which distracts you from other things going on around you and prevents you from undertaking hostile actions. You take a –2 conditional penalty to Perception and skill checks. You may not close distance to the subject of your fascination more than 5 foot each action. Unless the intended consequences are related to the subject of your fascination (as determined by the GM), you can’t use actions, activities, or free actions, nor use a reaction with the "concentrate" trait (e.g. Verbal Casting). This condition ends if creatures act in a hostile fashion toward you or your allies."
This wording assumes that the intention of Piazo is that only reactions with the concentrate trait are affected (the original wording being ambiguous) but other actions with the concentrate trait are not so restricted.
The main motivation for this was that in play test the use of FASCINATING PERFORMANCE by a BARD to try to prevent enemies from acting in a hostile manner was ineffective even after ruling that the creatures would not attack the caster. The conclusion we came to is that the FASCINATED CONDITION is not much of an impost to the subject 'rules as written' (RAW) and not a good choice of ability for a BARD.
DamianTheAlien wrote:
The main motivation for this was that in play test the use of FASCINATING PERFORMANCE by a BARD to try to prevent enemies from acting in a hostile manner was ineffective even after ruling that the creatures would not attack the caster. The conclusion we came to is that the FASCINATED CONDITION is not much of an impost to the subject 'rules as written' (RAW) and not a good choice of ability for a BARD.
I agree
As written the FASCINATING condition is almost completely pointless. Please make it useful in some way, either in combat or out of combat, OR just take it out of the game.
I know RAW for this is:
You take a –2 conditional penalty to Perception and skill checks, and you can’t use actions, activities, free actions, or reactions with the concentrate trait unless they or their intended consequences are related to the subject of your fascination (as determined by the GM).
but I expect RAI is:
You take a –2 conditional penalty to Perception and skill checks, and you can’t use actions, activities, free actions, or (reactions with the concentrate trait unless they or their intended consequences are related to the subject of your fascination as determined by the GM).
This fits the example given.
RAW as you are interpreting it does not fit the example given.
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