Apologies if this doesn't merit its own thread.
The requirement for Unleash Self-Defense is "You’ve cast two beneficial spells on yourself or an ally this encounter, each on a different round."
Is Message, cast normally (no amps), a "beneficial spell?" It's certainly castable on an ally, and it's certainly not generally harmful, but I'm not clear on whether it qualifies as actively beneficial. It does give the target a temporary new ability (the ability to communicate back to you).
My feeling is that Message meets both the letter and spirit of "beneficial spell," but I was wondering how other people were interpreting that interaction.
(Unleash Dark Persona also uses the "beneficial spells on your allies" wording.)
Message gives the ally information. Most people would consider that beneficial.
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Most would consider the un-amped version of the spell to be a waste of actions.
In over 500 hrs of playing PF2, I think I've seen it used... twice. Once was to insult a BBG, and the other to tell a joke.
It's not a spell I've seen many casters even bother taking as there are so many more useful/flavorful spells out there. Before the playtest, I got the feeling the Message spell was just a holdover from previous editions.
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I've only seen it used a handful of times as well. It certainly has niche uses though.
But there isn't much of an argument that Message isn't a beneficial spell. It makes communication easier. Is a cell phone beneficial?
It's a beneficial spell. Most often, I've seen it used tactically, to coordinate activities by PCs as they sneak into/through a location, or to let an ally know when a task has been completed.
Most GMs handwave the context in which message is a beneficial spell, especially in combat, as taking away players ability to communicate with each other during combats is generally threatening to the relaxed social element of encouraging communication and team play.
The spell probably should be a free action and given freely to every PC, with the stipulation, maybe that there is an obvious manifestation when cast. It is definitely beneficial though.
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It's a beneficial spell. Most often, I've seen it used tactically, to coordinate activities by PCs as they sneak into/through a location, or to let an ally know when a task has been completed.
Not sure this works RAW, since nothing excuses it from the normal rules around obvious manifestations. I tend to handwave that myself. Being limited to line of effect means it is barely useful even without the manifestations. Requiring conceal Spell to use it all without obviously casting seems unintended, or at the very least won't occur to many players when they pick it.
On topic, I'd say it is beneficial, yes.