My question boils down to is Foxfire a Unarmed Attack without the agile or finesse trait Or is it a Ranged Attack and can be used with Devise a Stratagem.
Devise a Stratagem
When you make this substitution, you can also add your Intelligence modifier to your attack roll instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier, provided your Strike uses an agile or finesse melee weapon, an agile or finesse unarmed attack, a ranged weapon (which must be agile or finesse if it's a melee weapon with the thrown trait), or a sap.
Fox fire
You gain a foxfire ranged unarmed attack with a maximum range of 20 feet. The attack deals 1d4 damage of the chosen type (no ability modifier is added to the damage roll). Your foxfire attack is in the sling weapon group. Like other unarmed attacks, you can improve this attack with handwraps of mighty blows.
If i can't use Foxfire with Devise a stratagem does anybody know of a feat or item that might help?
First: you can use Devise a Strategem with any Strike you make. It is only the INT replacement part of the effect that is limited to Strikes with specific weapons and specific traits.
Devise a Strategem with melee weapons with the thrown trait must have the Agile or Finesse trait.
Devise a Strategem with ranged only weapons do not have any trait requirements listed.
Foxfire is a 'ranged unarmed attack'. It is definitely not a melee weapon. So it is also not a melee weapon with the thrown trait.
So yes. Devise a Strategem should work with Foxfire.
I seriously doubt that this is an optimal weapon to use, but it should be legal.
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Foxfire is unfortunately not legal. It's neither agile nor finesse nor a weapon.
It's weird but they did this a bunch shutting down ranged unarmed attacks with similar effects.
If you devise a Stratagem on a creature, then you can and must use that roll for your next strike against the creature this round.
However, as Squiggit said, it unfortunately does not get the int substitution, as it's not finesse, agile, or a "ranged weapon."
Though, if I was the GM of this game I'd allow it, as I don't think extending "ranged weapon" to "ranged strike" changes much.
Perhaps I'm missing something, though. Shrugs
Foxfire is unfortunately not legal. It's neither agile nor finesse nor a weapon.
It's weird but they did this a bunch shutting down ranged unarmed attacks with similar effects.
Hmm... I suppose that is technically true.
But it is very strange that it is allowed for unarmed melee attacks given that they have the same trait restrictions as for melee weapons. Why wouldn't it be allowed for unarmed ranged attacks given the same restrictions as for ranged weapons?
You assess a foe's weaknesses in combat and use them to formulate a plan of attack against your enemy. Choose a creature you can see and roll a d20. If you Strike the chosen creature later this round, you must use the result of the roll you made to Devise a Stratagem for your Strike's attack roll instead of rolling. You make this substitution only for the first Strike you make against the creature this round, not any subsequent attacks.
[Emphasis added.]
The next Strike, of any kind, that the character makes must use that die roll. Foxfire is a unarmed, ranged attack. To use Foxfire, you make a Strike. Therefore, the roll replacement triggers as long as the targeting condition is met.
What does not work is the next part of Devise a Stratagem:
When you make this substitution, you can also add your Intelligence modifier to your attack roll instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier, provided your Strike uses an agile or finesse melee weapon, an agile or finesse unarmed attack, a ranged weapon (which must be agile or finesse if it's a melee weapon with the thrown trait), or a sap.
Foxfire is not a ranged weapon. Consequently, the option to add the character's Intelligence modifier instead of their Dexterity modifier, is not permitted.
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Also note, since you cannot substitute the character's Intelligence modifier, the extra damage from Strategic Strike does not apply either.
When you strike carefully and with forethought, you deal a telling blow. When making a Strike that adds your Intelligence modifier on your attack roll due to Devising a Stratagem, you deal an additional 1d6 precision damage.
(Emphasis added.)
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Foxfire is unfortunately not legal. It's neither agile nor finesse nor a weapon.
It's weird but they did this a bunch shutting down ranged unarmed attacks with similar effects.
Hmm... I suppose that is technically true.
But it is very strange that it is allowed for unarmed melee attacks given that they have the same trait restrictions as for melee weapons. Why wouldn't it be allowed for unarmed ranged attacks given the same restrictions as for ranged weapons?
It is strange. It feels like an oversight (the language is copied mostly from sneak attack and in the cRB there was only one ranged unarmed attack and it was a pretty niche skill) to me, but that's where it stands.
Foxfire and the like are really weak attacks, I'd allow it personally.
