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I really wish the skald's rage power section was written better. The rules say a skald can only take rage powers that a) don't require a standard action to activate or b) don't require rounds of rage to activate. The term "activate" is confusing, however, because I can't tell if it also means "to use".
For example, the example in the text calls out terrifying howl is ineligible for a skald because it requires a standard action to activate, which in this case is the same as "using" it.
What's unclear to me, however, are the following rage powers:
1) Animal Fury: gaining this (ie: activating it) appears to be automatic when entering a rage, but making an attack (ie: using it) is a standard action, or it could be used as part of a full attack action. It's not like knockback, which is made IN PLACE of a melee attack (and the skald write up uses it as an example of an eligible rage power), but can be added onto a full attack action.
2) Boasting Taunt: at first glance this would seem like a no-go similar to terrifying howl, but no action is mentioned. I guess since you make an Intimidate check to demoralize, it's a standard action and therefore a no-go for skalds?
3) Energy Eruption: like boasting taunt, this one doesn't mention an action, but breath weapons are usually standard actions, so that's likely what it intended. That would appear to disqualify it for skalds (like greater draconic blood, I presume) but that's when "using it". "Activating it" appears to be a separate affair, specifically with absorbing the incoming attack that allows the breath weapon attack in the first place.
4) Fiend Totem, Lesser; Abyssal Blood, Lesser; & Draconic Blood, Lesser: same situation as animal fury.
5) Good for What Ails You, Liquid Courage, Roaring Drunk, & Staggering Drunk: Again, no action mentioned for these 4 powers, but drinking is a standard action so that would disqualify them, right?
6) Hurling, Lesser: If standard actions are a no-go, wouldn't that mean full-round-action-activated powers are also?
7) Spell Sunder: it's a CMB roll, so I would think it's like knockback, but it appears to be its own thing instead of something you do as part of an attack, so it looks like "activating it" and "using it" are one in the same and maybe means skalds can't take it?
8) Sprint: Like lesser hurling, it's a full-round action which common sense would say shouldn't be allowed, but RAW doesn't. Unlike lesser hurling, however, this isn't a unique action, but appears to be something that's done as part of a run or charge, which sounds a lot like knockback being used with a melee attack, which skalds can take.
Don't overthink it.
If the rage power grants you a new kind of standard action that produces an effect specific to that rage power, it's not allowed. If it simply rides on an existing action or grants a new kind of non-standard action, it's allowed.
For example, terrifying howl only activates as its own special standard action; powerful blow does not, even though its effects may enhance the results of some other action that may or may not be standard.
1. Valid. There is no action to activate animal fury. Attacking with the resulting bite may or may not be a standard action, but that isn't activating the rage power--that activates as soon as you rage.
2. Valid. This just changes the effects of the Intimidate (demoralize) action. It isn't its own action.
3. Not valid. While the absorption is immediate, the breath weapon is a specific standard action granted by the rage power, which is not allowed.
4. See 1.
5. Valid. Drinking alcohol is a preexisting action; these rage powers simply add additional effects to it.
6. Valid, technically. Your GM may or may not approve.
7. This one is unclear. It looks to be a modification of the sunder action, which is preexisting . . . except that the "not on a creature" option doesn't explicitly call it a sunder maneuver. This is more of a problem with that particular rage power's wording than with the skald's text.
8. Valid. This modifies the run action.
If the rage power starts off its entry with "while raging" then the power is available to you. An ability should also be available if it causes an action to behave differently than it normally would.
The only one of these that I'm uncertain about is the damaging portion of energy eruption. Mostly because it's missing an activation clause for the burst and could be a free action for all we know. All the others should work.
The term "activate" is confusing, however, because I can't tell if it also means "to use".
It doesn't.
Seriously, it's not the same thing. Most rage powers are always active when you're raging. For instance, when you have Animal Fury, you threaten your natural reach, even if you never make an attack with it (which can be helpful when using a reach weapon).
If the rage power does not contain the words "as a standard action", or that says you can (or the rage power does) spend/expand/consume rounds of rage, it's transferable for Skalds.
making an attack (ie: using it) is a standard action
No. That's not something that exists in the rules. An attack is when you make an attack roll, it doesn't have a default action type.
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It doesnt help that they say you cant do that kind of thing and then give an example of doing it shortly after. (Renewed vigour). Just muddies the waters.
Well fortunately a dev did speak out about that and said that the example of renewed vigor should just be deleted, because it is not a valid rage power for skalds.
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Don't overthink it.
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3. Not valid. While the absorption is immediate, the breath weapon is a specific standard action granted by the rage power, which is not allowed.
So, does that mean that dragon totem wings is also out for the same reason?
ErichAD says as long as it starts with "while raging" but I don't think that's necessarily true. Dragon totem wings starts with that and from what I can tell it shouldn't be eligible for skalds.
So, does that mean that dragon totem wings is also out for the same reason?
ErichAD says as long as it starts with "while raging" but I don't think that's necessarily true. Dragon totem wings starts with that and from what I can tell it shouldn't be eligible for skalds.
Yeah, well, what ErichAD said has little to do with the rules, it's a pretty significant oversimplification. Dragon Totem Wings both uses a standard action and costs rage rounds, and is thus out.
What about ground breaker? I would think it's ineligible since it's a unique standard action, but the text specifically says you "attack the floor around [you]". Does the word "attack" (a regular thing you can do) mean it's fair game for skalds?
Er, have you read my post? The word "attack" is utterly irrelevant for the topic. Ground Breaker is specifically activated as a standard action, what you do during that standard action is inconsequential.
If the rage power contains "as a standard action", a Skald can't take it. If it mentions the consumption, expendition, or spending of rage rounds, a Skald can't take it. If the description contains neither, a Skald can take it.
Don't overthink it.
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3. Not valid. While the absorption is immediate, the breath weapon is a specific standard action granted by the rage power, which is not allowed.
So, does that mean that dragon totem wings is also out for the same reason?
ErichAD says as long as it starts with "while raging" but I don't think that's necessarily true. Dragon totem wings starts with that and from what I can tell it shouldn't be eligible for skalds.
I'm referring to those abilities that don't expressly say that they use a standard action, or spend rage rounds. You gave several examples of things that take actions that would typically be standard actions, so I'm trying to give a way of differentiating between the two types. So if something said "while raging you can take the attack action to do X" you could use it despite an attack action being a standard action. The example of groundbreaker differs do to it mentioning using a standard action to attack rather than an attack action to attack.
It would certainly be easier if they used a consistent language for that part - sometimes it's "spend 1 round of rage", sometimes "spend one round of rage", sometimes "spend 1 additional round of rage", sometimes it's "expend" instead of "spend", and sometimes it "costs" a round of rage.
To be honest, list list of invalid rage powers seems to be rather small unless I'm missing something:
Rage rounds:
Standard Action:
Despite what I said earlier, there's probably a third group, supernatural abilities that need to be activated (unlike for attacks, this do default to a standard action):
I'm not 100% sure if Greater Fire Totem and Ultimate Clarity are supposed to take a standard action to active, but I guess they do as written.
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It would certainly be easier if they used a consistent language for that part - sometimes it's "spend 1 round of rage", sometimes "spend one round of rage", sometimes "spend 1 additional round of rage", sometimes it's "expend" instead of "spend", and sometimes it "costs" a round of rage.
To be honest, list list of invalid rage powers seems to be rather small unless I'm missing something:
Rage rounds:
Standard Action:Despite what I said earlier, there's probably a third group, supernatural abilities that need to be activated (unlike for attacks, this do default to a standard action):
I'm not 100% sure if Greater Fire Totem and Ultimate Clarity are supposed to take a standard action to active, but I guess they do as written.
Actually ultimate clarity I think is intended to be eligible for skalds to take. It's actually listed in the skald section of the Advanced Class Guide on page 114. It's not a swift action, since that's what moment of clarity is and the text for ultimate clarity says you don't HAVE to be under the effects of moment of clarity (which means you can certainly have both active if you want, and both last only 1 round so...). It's listed as an option for skalds, so I guess that means it can't be a standard action either despite the rules for default supernatural-ability-action type? I'm tempted to just make it a free action since it only lasts 1 round and can only be used once per rage.
Honestly this one should have been written better.
EDIT: also I guess a 4th category would be any rage power that inherently becomes invalid because it requires an invalid rage power as a prerequisite, like spirit steed (among many more).
Actually ultimate clarity I think is intended to be eligible for skalds to take. (...) It's listed as an option for skalds, so I guess that means it can't be a standard action either despite the rules for default supernatural-ability-action type?
I hate it when they don't list an action type. Seriously, I'm usually all for removing unnecessary wording that's already covered by general rules, but the action is just such a vital part of an ability's function that I would always include it. Greater Draconic Blood and Energy Eruption are both breath weapons, so we can be pretty sure that it's supposed to actually be a standard action, but both Greater Fire Totem and Ultimate Clarity don't really sound like they should take a (non-free) action to use.
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Yeah I was looking at greater fire totem and it's so irritating. By all accounts you'd think default rules would apply and it would just be a standard to activate. However, it starting with "While raging" and the fact that it doesn't list a number of times it can be used when raging makes me think it could also be interpreted to just be something that's always "on" when ever you're raging, if you so choose. The fact that it can be dispersed as if it were fog cloud with wind effects doesn't change that, since just like fog cloud if there's duration left the fog would just start up again at the start of your turn*. ARGH.
*This is my interpretation anyway, and I have another post in the rules forum trying to confirm if that's what was intended. Basically I'm trying to see if the term "disperse" as per fog cloud's reaction to a wind effect means "dispel" also. I would think once the wind effect has ended, the fog effect would start up again on the caster's turn assuming there's duration left.
EDIT: Looking at greater fire totem again, the fact that its effects don't list a duration also makes me think it's just something that's always "on" while you rage, if you so choose for it to be.