Hi,
I have a question about the wording of the Kineticist feat “Magnetic Pinions.” In the first session, I ruled that the Kineticist could use all her Magnetic Pinions on one target, because we found the wording a bit ambiguous.
In the description it states "Make ranged impulse attack rolls against up to three creatures"
My question: Is it possible to target the same creature 3 times?
The question came up again last game because my PCs just hit level 6. My Magus player went for a Psychic Dedication with Imaginary Weapon. While he can Spellstrike + Amp with Imaginary Weapon, the cost of that attack (a Focus Point to Amp, melee range) seemed quite steep compared to the ranged Magnetic Pinions, especially since the feat investment for the Magus is much higher versus a single feat for Magnetic Pinions.
Now, I agree that it does seem a bit skewed. But my Kineticist argued that if it was meant to be used on different targets, it would have been written more clearly and pointed out that Scorching Ray (or Blazing Bolt now) has a similar mechanic.
I saw there was a thread some time ago where there was no official consensus, but I was wondering if any new information has come out since then.
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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
No new information. It still doesnt allow targeting one creature with extra attacks.
I agree with Hammerjack. 3x single target would be TGTBT, frankly, easily out-damaging any other impulse and even the 'fire build' for single target damage, with none of the required feat-layering.
So that's a 'no' for our table.
However if you're playing Baldur's Gate 3 with the Pathfinder mod, it allows it, so go for it there. :) My son says it's easy to crit, and with the triple targeting, a metal kineticist does just huge damage. FWIW, he also says the Air impulse Flinging Updraft is great in BG3. I don't know if that's because the mod incorrectly lets the victim take damage or if there's just so many cliff-related encounters that the battlefield control aspect is great on it's own...BG3 does have lots of vertical-including environments.
From what i've seen the consensus is that the writing says that you make an attack against up to three creatures. Same as Blazing Bolt but with added ambiguity, its come up at my table aswell a few times.
There has been arguments that magnetic pinions isn't much better than just using normal elemental blast but those arguments comes from early level arguments that is dismantled pretty quickly when you realize Magnetic Pinions becomes the defacto fastest scaling ability and vastly outperforms on level spells later on if allowed to single target, Spells which are a limited resource. It being overflow also isn't a large "Cost" as the Kineticist will just channel elements with a free 1-action blast into a 2-action impulse the turn after. Which is a rather typical turn for a kineticist either way.
I agree that the attacks are one per target, up to three targets.
Compare this impulse with Hail of Splinters: "Creatures in a
30-foot cone take 1d4 piercing damage and 1d4 persistent
bleed damage with a basic Reflex save against your class DC."
A 30' cone covers a _lot_ of ground, and can affect more than three targets. It will also hit your allies if they are in the cone, so carefull aim is required. This impulse works best after 4th level and the acquisition of Safe Elements. The trade-off of needing another feat is matched by Hail of Splinters being a two-action, overload impulse instead of three. And that Safe Elements works on all AoE impulses, not just Hail.
NorrKnekten wrote: There has been arguments that magnetic pinions isn't much better than just using normal elemental blast but those arguments comes from early level arguments that is dismantled pretty quickly when you realize Magnetic Pinions becomes the defacto fastest scaling ability and vastly outperforms on level spells later on if allowed to single target, Spells which are a limited resource. It being overflow also isn't a large "Cost" as the Kineticist will just channel elements with a free 1-action blast into a 2-action impulse the turn after. Which is a rather typical turn for a kineticist either way. It's as strong as just about any other scaling impulse. Which given it's "3 anywhere" targeting, is still really good. Combined with metal having one of the strongest non-overflow 2a impulses, makes for a nice 1round-2round combo. But for someone who wants an every round 2a repeat impulse, or is worried about resistance to physical damage, this combo isn't for you.
Kineticist is just really well balanced for it's [max rank-1] concept. Things like this show how that balance can still create very different builds. Here you have great targeting + solid damage, with alternating overflow and non-overflow rounds. But it's all physical. Fairly well balanced against a more traditional AoE where every round you're doing a burst with some sort of standard save that gives you half damage on a fail, accesses another potential weakness but maybe isn't as nice in targeting as "3 anywhere".
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Magnetic Pinions lets you target up to three creatures with an attack that does 1d4 bludgeoning and 1d4 piercing. There's no described mechanic for altering the way it does damage.
... So yes, you can target just one person with the ability... for 1d4 bludgeoning and 1d4 piercing damage. That's all the ability does and I'm not sure why your player thinks there's some hidden second effect here.
Easl wrote: NorrKnekten wrote: There has been arguments that magnetic pinions isn't much better than just using normal elemental blast but those arguments comes from early level arguments that is dismantled pretty quickly when you realize Magnetic Pinions becomes the defacto fastest scaling ability and vastly outperforms on level spells later on if allowed to single target, Spells which are a limited resource. It being overflow also isn't a large "Cost" as the Kineticist will just channel elements with a free 1-action blast into a 2-action impulse the turn after. Which is a rather typical turn for a kineticist either way. It's as strong as just about any other scaling impulse. Which given it's "3 anywhere" targeting, is still really good.
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Kineticist is just really well balanced for it's [max rank-1] concept. Things like this show how that balance can still create very different builds. I agree, When read as one attack per target its balanced and REALLY GOOD once you compare it to actual AoE and how easy it is to use almost similar to electric arc, but the single target reading obviously isnt balanced at all and to good to be true.
it is a bit weaker than having 3 targets with aoe-spells or its closest relative blazing bolt but is an at-will ability instead, Which again matches the maxrank - 1 in terms of scaling. Its still a really good ability and the ease of use comes with the downside of actioncost and overflow. Just as Hail of splinters has the downside of friendly fire and persistent damage not stacking.
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