Normally you cannot use Diplomacy while raging. My question is whether or not "specific trumps general" applies to rage and the "change of heart" feat.
Here's change of heart for reference.
Here's the relevant text from rage:
"While in rage, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration."
The shtick is to use this combo to make Wild Rager viable.
Change of Heart is using a Diplomacy check to influence a target's attitude by two or more steps, and while a Barbarian (even a Wild Rager) is in a rage, they cannot use Cha-based skills.
In this case I would say Change of Heart would be able to be used while you're normally attacking, but not while Raging.
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I think it's more of a moral question rather than RAW or RAI. Why would a barbarian, who is raging, have a change of heart? With any other class (especially Monk or Pally), I can imagine they could have a change of heart, but not a fury packed raging barbarian.
So,
Change of Heart is using a Diplomacy check to influence a target's attitude by two or more steps, and while a Barbarian (even a Wild Rager) is in a rage, they cannot use Cha-based skills.
In this case I would say Change of Heart would be able to be used while you're normally attacking, but not while Raging.
this basically summerizes it nicely.
You can always drop Rage as a free action before you deal a final deathblow (if you think they're close to 0HP), and then Change of Heart would be applicable.
What if this was a Roleplaying thing where you're a berserker who doesn't actually want to kill most people, so you Rage and smash face, but before you kill someone, you drop the Rage and use Change of Heart on the final blow?
You can always drop Rage as a free action before you deal a final deathblow (if you think they're close to 0HP), and then Change of Heart would be applicable.
What if this was a Roleplaying thing where you're a berserker who doesn't actually want to kill most people, so you Rage and smash face, but before you kill someone, you drop the Rage and use Change of Heart on the final blow?
That would make sense, however, you do have to take into account that, for a "normal" Barbarian, the to-hit and damage output will be lower after dropping rage as a free action. And Change of Heart can only be applied after the hit (how would the enemy otherwise be reduces to below 0 hp?). That would mean you have to risk missing (due to lower STR from dropping rage and lower STR from fatigue) and be fatigued afterwards. RP wise, sure, but effective wise? Nah.
That would make sense, however, you do have to take into account that, for a "normal" Barbarian, the to-hit and damage output will be lower after dropping rage as a free action. And Change of Heart can only be applied after the hit (how would the enemy otherwise be reduces to below 0 hp?). That would mean you have to risk missing (due to lower STR from dropping rage and lower STR from fatigue) and be fatigued afterwards. RP wise, sure, but effective wise? Nah.
You sure about the timing on that? The feat triggers after you hit and roll damage, giving you the option to replace the damage with a check. In my mind, the question is whether you can pause the resolution of damage to insert a free "stop raging" action, enabling the skill check.
You sure about the timing on that? The feat triggers after you hit and roll damage, giving you the option to replace the damage with a check. In my mind, the question is whether you can pause the resolution of damage to insert a free "stop raging" action, enabling the skill check.
RAW there are no maximum amount of Free Actions you can perform in a given round, it's only limited by what the GM believes you can accomplish in a given round. A Free Action is about the same amount of time as dropping a weapon or shouting "Incoming from the East!"... that being said...
I would probably say that the amount of time between hitting, dealing damage, and making the decision to drop Rage as a Free action AFTER the damage is dealt and activating the Change of Heart feat to perform a Diplomacy check is too much time. Personally, I'd rule that the free action to drop the Rage would have to happen prior to the hit/dmg, not after, but that's me. It's truly up to your GM though, so I'd have a conversation with him about that and let him decide.