Does "Goblin Song"... have to be a song?


Rules Discussion


So goblin song says that "you sing annoying goblin songs, distracting your foes with silly and repetitive lyrics". This obviously provides some flavor. It then goes on to say "Attempt a Performance check... This has all the usual traits and restrictions of a Performance check."

So the question here is if the initial description is intended to be rules or merely flavor? If I come across some wild boars that obviously can't understand my singing lyrics, can I do an annoying dance for them instead and effectively have the "Song" take on the move and visual traits rather than auditory and linguistic?


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As a GM, I'd be delighted to see Goblin Interpretive Dance.


I'd would say that as long as you keep in mind the effect type of the performance it could work. Audible for song and goblin beat poetry, and visual for goblin interpretive dance (stealing that Schadenfreude) etc... the only exception I can think of is language. Since goblin song doesn't require a common language for song, any other audible performance would also not require it.


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I feel like I should have entitled this thread "Can I dance if I want to?"

Paizo Employee Organized Play Developer

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tivadar27 wrote:
I feel like I should have entitled this thread "Can I dance if I want to?"

You might end up leaving your friends behind. Or vice versa.

(And this is not an official rules clarification, but I'd be totally inclined to say "There is no world in which I'm going to be the one who stops this from happening.")


Michael Sayre wrote:
tivadar27 wrote:
I feel like I should have entitled this thread "Can I dance if I want to?"

You might end up leaving your friends behind. Or vice versa.

(And this is not an official rules clarification, but I'd be totally inclined to say "There is no world in which I'm going to be the one who stops this from happening.")

I think we need candidates for what the canonical goblin performance is for each type. I have to imagine that doing the Macarena is about as annoying as you can get for dancing...

EDIT: As a developer, if you'd like to change the subject of this post to "Goblin Song"... You can dance if you want to?
I'd have absolutely no problem with that :-P.


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I would allow it to gain a visual trait, but not allow it to ignore the auditory trait.

An annoying dance is likely to involve annoying sounds.


The Gleeful Grognard wrote:

I would allow it to gain a visual trait, but not allow it to ignore the auditory trait.

An annoying dance is likely to involve annoying sounds.

Whether they're integral is another matter. Especially if you're resorting to Goblin Burlesque (which I will say also involves losing your armour bonus to AC ... )


I think a goblin song is still pretty annoying even if you can't understand the lyrics.

Edit: I have no idea what the lyrics of the hamster dance are, but it is still irritating

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Qaianna wrote:
The Gleeful Grognard wrote:

I would allow it to gain a visual trait, but not allow it to ignore the auditory trait.

An annoying dance is likely to involve annoying sounds.

Whether they're integral is another matter. Especially if you're resorting to Goblin Burlesque (which I will say also involves losing your armour bonus to AC ... )

My eyes, my eyes, the goggles do nothing!!

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