I recently encountered a situation which seems unintended (or, if it is intended, at least doesn't seem logical). The spells fire shield and fiery body (and maybe some others that have similar wording) damage anyone who hits their caster with a melee attack, anyone who touches the caster, or anyone who damages the caster with an unarmed attack.
This creates a rather odd situation when ranged unarmed attacks are involved. For instance, the attack granted by the leshy Seedpod feat is a ranged unarmed attack that represents throwing something at the target (and, why would throwing a seedpod inflict damage on the thrower, but not throwing a dagger). Or consider the wind crash strikes from a monk's wild winds stance, which are ranged unarmed attacks that represent "sending out waves of energy at a distance." Or the "wisps of blue energy" created by a kitsune's Foxfire feat.
RAW, these attacks, despite being made at a range and not thematically involving the two creatures actually touching or even being in close proximity, would still cause the attacker to take damage from effects such as fire shield.
I'd suggest that these spells be errata'd to remove the "unarmed attack" clause. Any unarmed attack where taking damage from the spell makes sense is probably also going to involve a melee attack and/or touching the target, two situations that the spell already accounts for, but this interaction with ranged unarmed attacks doesn't seem to make any sense and is likely unintentional.
Does anyone know of any ranged unarmed attacks that should logically have the attacker be damaged by such effects? Or know of any spells that have a similar issue as the two mentioned above?
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Ranged unarmed attacks, now that they're growing more common, should perhaps have been considered from the start, right?
And might have been, with Paizo recognizing the obviousness that such things wouldn't apply to ranged unarmed attacks. Or they were so focused on getting the language correct on unarmed attacks w/ any reach and weapon attacks only when adjacent that they goofed.
Yet since in PF2 RAW (by RAW) is no longer king, there's no issue here IMO because a reasonable GM or player will agree seedpods and wind blasts don't trigger "don't touch me!" damage.
If you're asking for Errata, it's probably best to post in the discussion thread for each product.
More likely to be seen by the Development Team, and better to consolidate everyone's requests in one location.
Good to know; thank you! I was under the impression that things like the product discussion thread for the Core Rulebook probably wouldn't get viewed as much by the development as the Rules forum. (if there was a consolidated "Rulebook errata/FAQ" thread in this subforum like there is for Lost Omens, I would have posted there, but if there is such a thread I seem to have missed it).