Nowhere in the description of Captivating Song does it state you are helpless. What it does state is that a creature affected by the song offers no resistance to the harpy’s attack. This seems to imply that the target of the spell only ignores the harpy that is actually singing.
1. Full speed ahead, captain!
A victim under the effects of the captivating song moves toward the harpy using the most direct means available.
2. No, but they'll defend themselves against the attacks of other harpies unless captivated by them as well.
3. I wouldn't deny Dexterity bonuses to AC except against the harpy captivating a creature. That's generally reserved for situations where the PC literally cannot react due to lack of time, awareness, or ability to move. Captivated creatures can still do those things. Captivated creatures are not helpless except against attacks by the harpy captivating them.
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As far as I am aware "no resistance" isn't a game term. It could imply flat footed/no dex bonus, it could imply the helpless condition, but it could also just imply that they don't make attacks of their own, their AC is normal, but as in the proceeding sentence they "take no actions other than to defend themselves".
This interpretation would be that 'no resistance' is just another way of stating 'take no actions other than to defend themselves.' I believe this is the correct interpretation and certainly I think it is the easiest to run.
We disagree there. Barring a defined game term, the reader is expected to default to plain English.
Dodging, parrying, or blocking an attack is resisting said attack. If you offer no resistance to an attack, you are essentially helpless against it. If a harpy captivates a creature and that creature approaches to five feet, the harpy is free to disembowel (i.e., coup de grace) said victim at will. It's very easy to run.
We disagree there. Barring a defined game term, the reader is expected to default to plain English.
Dodging, parrying, or blocking an attack is resisting said attack. If you offer no resistance to an attack, you are essentially helpless against it. If a harpy captivates a creature and that creature approaches to five feet, the harpy is free to disembowel (i.e., coup de grace) said victim at will. It's very easy to run.
When there is a perfect game term, an actual condition in this case, to describe an effect in different terms doesn't make sense to me.
If the victim is helpless to a attacks by the harpy then I would certainly expect the power to say they are helpless to the attacks of the harpy.
It also leaves entirely open what happens when something else attacks the victim, as was a main point of the original post. So you aren't helpless, but do you still just 'simply stand' (no dex bonus against those attacks)? Are you able to act as normal against everything else (ignoring the previous 'no actions') or are you helpless against everything, and 'against the Harpies attacks' was not meant to be a limiting factor but simply the most likely example. Concluding that their is a helpless effect in their doesn't seem to me to make it simple to run.
Perhaps 'no resistance' means the victim becomes incorporeal so the attacks will go right through him. :)
Lots of things that render a target helpless don't bother stating that they do, relying on the players remembering the definition of "helpless" to decide when it applies.
I've already addressed the thing Dave's saying is left "entirely open" twice, so let's just say we've stated our cases. : )
As for it being a lousy way to kill a PC--there are lots of lousy ways to kill PCs, and this doesn't even rank in the top ten lousiest ways I'd actually run. Whether a harpy actually does this is up to you--you're the GM.
Lots of things that render a target helpless don't bother stating that they do, relying on the players remembering the definition of "helpless" to decide when it applies.
That is a fair point. Usually though those things are referenced in helpless. (i.e. sleep or held.) I suppose 'no resistance to attacks' could be 'completely at an opponents mercy' but those seem like quite different concepts to me.
Captivating Song (Su) A harpy's song has the power to infect the minds of those that hear it, calling them to the harpy's side. When a harpy sings, all creatures aside from other harpies within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a DC 16 Will saving throw or become captivated. A creature that successfully saves is not subject to the same harpy's song for 24 hours. A victim under the effects of the captivating song moves toward the harpy using the most direct means available. If the path leads them into a dangerous area such as through fire or off a cliff, that creature receives a second saving throw to end the effect before moving into peril. Captivated creatures can take no actions other than to defend themselves. A victim within 5 feet of the harpy simply stands and offers no resistance to the harpy's attacks. This effect continues for as long as the harpy sings and for 1 round thereafter. This is a sonic mind-affecting charm effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Captivating Song specifically states that the target can defend themselves. This is the only thing that the target can do except move closer to the harpy. It also states that when within 5 feet of the harpy the target simply stands and offers no resistance to the attacks from the harpy. If it was intended to make the target helpless it would have said offers no resistance to attacks, not to the attacks of the harpy.
Personally I run the more serious condition as that's how it was in DnD 3.5
The Pathfinder version is pretty much a copy of the 3.5 version.
3.5: A victim within 5 feet of the harpy stands there and offers no resistance to the monster’s attacks.
Pathfinder: A victim within 5 feet of the harpy simply stands and offers no resistance to the harpy’s attacks.
The only addition is the word 'simply' which doesn't really change anything. I don't see how 3.5 provides any additional guidance here.
Leaving the rules part of the discussion aside for a moment: Lynos, how do you feel about hold person?