I keep looking at this ability, since it's both potent and bizarre, and I'm not sure how to explain it as it happens. I see that it defaults to a supernatural effect, which helps somewhat, but that's all I got. Is the character effectively bullshitting his way to the truth? Are they channeling some secret knowledge encoded in the dance? Are they just assuming authority and being granted it?
As it stands, I'd just treat it as the person acting like they know what they're doing so well that they land on the truth due to all other possible deceptions being less convincing. I'm curious how others have managed it though.
I'm not sure what the problem is. You are using dance/body language to make yourself appear to be something you aren't (namely a person of higher status/station) and effecting the illusion of certain lineage or noble breeding stock. It is both acting and/or dance that is being used.
Outside the scope of doing exactly that, the masterpiece has very little use. As far as using it within the game, it seems that the character is merely using their own inner resources (namely performance rounds) to mimic behavior they've seen before and supernaturally enhance it 'somehow' to seem convincing. It is not likely effecting others, just themselves, which plays into the bonus during their roll, rather than allowing a saving throw against the effect.
By gracefully weaving your body through subtle forms and postures you can convince others of your breeding, eloquence, and refinement. For the duration of the effect, you gain a +4 circumstance bonus on Bluff checks, and may attempt a Bluff check in place of an Intelligence check or Intelligence-based skill check. The subtle changes in your movements also confer a +4 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks to appear to be someone of a higher station (an aristocrat, merchant prince, or even a queen).
The bonus to bluff and disguise are obvious, the problem is probably justifying how a bluff check replaces an int skill roll. Saying "The sky is purple" and getting someone to believe that the sky is purple (for a time) with Bluff is one thing. But if you roll a Pageant of the Peacock/know:nature(int skill) bluff check, the sky is NOT purple no matter how much you bluff it is purple. IMO the magic of the PoP just lets the appropriate knowledge come to your subconscious and you bluff with the truth.
You might try searching "Pageant of the Peacock", it looks like this is a question that has come up a few times.
I've been poking through such threads. They seem to get overwhelmed by folks who are very angry about the ability existing and rationalizing away the actual effect, rather than describing it.
Very little use?
You may have skipped over the part where you can make bluff checks with a +4 bonus instead of any int based skill check. Of which there are many.
I'd say this ones overpowered once you actually read it
Yes, very little use. The situations it would be useful in are fairly narrow. If you are talented enough to be able to convince a DM that EVERY time you need to make a bluff check, you are pretending to be someone of a higher station/status and that such an instance of being perceived as one would be helpful to your situation, then you will get more mileage out of the ability than most. The ability is not a "blanket-catch-all" bonus to bluff checks. Some bluffs aren't believable regardless of how well you roll, and that is determined by the DM.
No, I am taking a very specific reading of the ability that does not allow it be abused in the manner you seem to think it applies. Yes, you can make a knowledge check, using bluff, with a +4 bonus. Yes, you can also use any int based skill check or int based roll using the bluff skill. No, you can't use it at any time or anywhere. You can only do so while trying to "convince others of your breeding, eloquence, and refinement" while using the power of this masterpiece.
You can disagree with me all you want. The masterpiece has specific and limited use. If you want to use the ability differently, do so at your own table and deal with the consequences of that decision.
All the "I don't think it works like that" aside. I'd still like advice on how to describe the effect with the assumption that using your bluff in place of intelligence checks gives you the effect of an intelligence check rather than a bluff check. There's more than enough discussions on the other end of the topic in the rules section.
**snip**
This is the right of it. It just so happens that the information you glean from such successful bluff checks in place of actual knowledge checks is being provided supernaturally correct. You may not ACTUALLY know what you are saying is correct, but the correct information is coming from your lips either way. The bardic lore is part magic (well, a lot magic) and based on little tidbits that have been heard, seen, and relayed that the bard has managed to remember, even at a subconscious level. This masterpiece is simply that taken to a (literal) supernatural level, actually channeling the temperament, stance, and intrinsic mannerisms of someone of 'higher station/status'. How well you do obviously relies on the dice.
I see nothing wrong with these particular ability used in the manner described. A flat replacement for knowledge and int based skills? Yeah, I see lots of wrong there and I don't hesitate to state it.
There isn't a good explanation. Either you go with DeathlessOne's take that the pageant is specifically limited to faking being of high rank (despite the text not really supporting that) or else you have a weird and also overpowered ability that your lies are all true.
My opinion on the masterpiece has not changed at all since I made those posts, if that matters at all. Take it for what you will. Not all statements within a paragraph are meant to be isolated and examined individually. Not all ideas can be conveyed in a single sentence, nor should they.
The way I read this, it includes the first sentence of what I am reading.
I would laugh in your face if you tried to use this for just any old Knowledge or Int-based check... how does faking being an aristocrat help you here, bub? That's a dragon, he's going to eat you and your party, nobody cares if you pretend to be the king or God herself!
There is no way to abuse this masterpiece if you include the first sentence in your reading of the ability... which is where most people start anyways. So, if you think you can abuse this, you did read the first sentence and willingly ignored it. That makes YOU the problem, not the wording of the ability.
Aa for describing its effects in-game... EldonGuyre nailed it.
That interpretation bites a big chunk out of the normal bluff check use. With that interpretation, you've made it impossible for someone to use bluff to pretend to know something they don't know unless they have this ability, and are pretending to be "more than they are".
There's certainly abilities like that in Pathfinder, so it's possible.
That interpretation bites a big chunk out of the normal bluff check use. With that interpretation, you've made it impossible for someone to use bluff to pretend to know something they don't know unless they have this ability, and are pretending to be "more than they are".
I am completely confused at how you arrived to this conclusion. This ability EXPANDS the normal use of the bluff skill through supernatural means (ie, supernaturally providing you CORRECT information as if you rolled the appropriate knowledge check, using the bluff skill). It doesn't change anything about the normal use of the skill for anyone who doesn't have this ability, which is convincing people what you are saying is true independently of it actually being true.
I'm looking at the voodist/eldonguyre description. The interpretation that expands bluff to work with int checks/skills obviously doesn't have the same problem. I probably should have quoted what I was referring to, my mistake.
The way I see it, this Masterpiece can ONLY be used to lie about your status in a community.
It will fill in all the details of your lie with the appropriate facts... a Duke's name, the name of some local export... in order for your lie to be believeable. You have never been to where you say you are from, don't know the Duke's name... POOF, now you do. What's the $#!+ they, I mean we, export over here...? Ah yes, POOF, the wine! Best freaking wine ever, amiright?
Random Know:Local check, or random Spellcraft check, or literally ANY check not directly tied to lying about your status in a community... GTFOH.
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i use it on a bard to mock the wizard. Every time the wizard rolls a knowelege check the bard puts on a pair of taped together glasses and uses a nasally voice
"oh look at me i'm i giant nerd, i know (thing), blah blah blah"
but then i get a way better check and reveal even more info about the creature.
Its lying and still being right. Just because you didnt KNOW it was the truth, doesnt mean you werent pulling it out of your behind.
i use it on a bard to mock the wizard. Every time the wizard rolls a knowelege check the bard puts on a pair of taped together glasses and uses a nasally voice
"oh look at me i'm i giant nerd, i know (thing), blah blah blah"
but then i get a way better check and reveal even more info about the creature.
Its lying and still being right. Just because you didnt KNOW it was the truth, doesnt mean you werent pulling it out of your behind.
I probably enjoyed this entirely way too much... I had the whole scene painted in my mind, I heard the Steve Urkle-esque voice, and everything. Thank you for that.
Sort of a sarcastic prophet? I like it.