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ranger557
2010-12-26, 02:53 AM
hey all, I was wondering in the description of the barbarians rage in PHB, because im making a character out of barbarian/swordsage classes.


PHB: While raging, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats.

Does this mean i can't use the swordsage maneuvers from the desert wind then. Because majority of them are supernatural and of course its not truly magic. However, it still functions like magic that it can be stopped by an antimagic field, so does that mean it requires great concentration to manifest fire? Thanks for any clarification on this.

slaydemons
2010-12-26, 02:58 AM
i kinda see this as your too angry to think about anything but slamming your weapon into the guys face i mean when your pissed do you think about trying to pull of some fancy boxing moves or you just going to bash in your fist into their face?

VirOath
2010-12-26, 03:07 AM
Short Answer(Su) is magic in origin, but not in application. Saying that he can't use an (Su) activated ability would be about the same as saying he couldn't draw a magic weapon in a rage.

Long Answer: The wording on what he can't do is pretty exact, being that he can't directly cast spells, through items with command words (IE: On command, casts heal 1/day) with spell triggers (Commonly wands, but many rods as well) or by completion (Scrolls or other sources of 'frozen spells' that require you to be able to cast the spell to cast from it).

By it's wording, it could be argued that Spell Like abilities could still be used since it isn't directly excluded and it's not direct casting, but I believe that falls into the clause as an ability that requires concentration (being that Spell Likes can still be disrupted by damage). But Supernatural abilities aren't prevented by raging, as many barbarian PrCs give out (Su) abilities as well (Runescarred Beserker for one).

AslanCross
2010-12-26, 03:23 AM
I'm pretty sure the only maneuvers that a barbarian can't activate are Diamond Mind maneuvers that require Concentration checks. Apparently you can't recover maneuvers while raging, either.

Here is the FAQ answer for it (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20060913a), and it's thankfully much clearer and less contradictory than most.

Desert Wind maneuvers are not spells.

ranger557
2010-12-26, 10:28 AM
Thanks guys for all the clarifications. Now, I understand can still kick some ass with my desert wind maneuvers, but no recovery or diamond mind if i go raging though so i have to be careful :smalltongue:.

Angry Bob
2010-12-26, 11:32 AM
If you're raging, plan to throw around all of your maneuvers and be unpleasantly surprised when you're out of them. You are in a blind rage, after all.