[Pathfinder] Tiefling Prehensile Tail

[FatherMalkav]

A question for experienced PF GM's:
The tiefling alternate racial feature Prehensile Tail reads as follows


While they cannot wield weapons with their tails, they can use them to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action.

What seems like a logical limit on this? The two I've heard are one pound (enough for a potion) or five pounds (the same as Mage Hand). In the case of the latter, would that allow a character to stash/retrieve his Wooden Light Shield (5lbs) as a swift action?

[Eldonauran]

What seems like a logical limit on this? The two I've heard are one pound (enough for a potion) or five pounds (the same as Mage Hand). In the case of the latter, would that allow a character to stash/retrieve his Wooden Light Shield (5lbs) as a swift action?

A shield is not likely to be stowed (rather slung across a back) nor would I consider it small. I'd be inclined to maybe go as high as two pounds, but no more. A tail may be prehensile but it does not have fingers to really get a grip on something like that.

[Dessembrae]

A tail may be prehensile but it does not have fingers to really get a grip on something like that.

True, but a spider monkey's prehensile tail, as shown here (http://images.travelpod.com/tw_slides/ta00/bb4/ae2/a-spider-monkey-s-tail-is-a-powerful-thing-rurrenabaque.jpg) has a ridged fleshy patch of skin on the underside of the tip of the tail, allowing it a firm enough grip to support the monkey's own weight.

Not super relevant but I felt it worth noting.

[Oryan77]

There is a difference between equipping a shield and merely pulling one out (or rather, removing it from your back).

A shield can't be equipped with a tail because shields normally require an arm and a hand to secure it for defense.

Equipping a shield on your arm is still a move action.

[Eldonauran]

True, but a spider monkey's prehensile tail, as shown here (http://images.travelpod.com/tw_slides/ta00/bb4/ae2/a-spider-monkey-s-tail-is-a-powerful-thing-rurrenabaque.jpg) has a ridged fleshy patch of skin on the underside of the tip of the tail, allowing it a firm enough grip to support the monkey's own weight.

Not super relevant but I felt it worth noting.

True. There is a difference between being able to support a certain amount of weight and also being able to manipulate an item of certain weight like the OP describes.

[Drachasor]

I'd just let it get anything that was item size small or smaller.

Edit: Ok, I don't think Pathfinder has unique sizes for objects. So I guess that means you can get a halfing out of your pouch!

I'd probably change it to stuff size diminutive or smaller, since I think that's what they meant. So that's anything that easily fits into a 1.25 foot cube -- Or about equivalent to that in size. Stuff bigger than that could still be grabbed, but it would take the standard amount of time.

[Spuddles]

There is a difference between equipping a shield and merely pulling one out (or rather, removing it from your back).

A shield can't be equipped with a tail because shields normally require an arm and a hand to secure it for defense.

Equipping a shield on your arm is still a move action.

I'd let it pull a shield out of whatever it is stowed away (swift action) and equip it (move action). For a weapon, I'd let the tail draw the weapon as a swift action and pass it to the hand as a free action.

[Eldonauran]

I'd let it pull a shield out of whatever it is stowed away (swift action) and equip it (move action). For a weapon, I'd let the tail draw the weapon as a swift action and pass it to the hand as a free action.

You probably want to put a size/weight limit on that, otherwise you will get people trying to free their shortbow or scythe with their tail. I can see a shortsword being withdrawn (a rapier too), but dwarven great axe? A great sword?

A prehensile tail will not (and should not) be as effective as a hand would be.

[Coidzor]

I'd say somewhere between two-fists and 5-fists in size.