Master of Masks question

[StriderITP]

While reading through the prestige class, I noticed a particularly odd line under the description of the Persona Masks ability.


One or more persona masks can be worn at the same time, occupying the eye lenses/goggles body slot.

This makes it seem like you can just wear your persona masks and gain the benefits, which makes the later abilities about swapping them out rather pointless. While you could argue that wearing the masks takes up the body slot (and thus, prevents you from actually wearing multiple), the text says you can wear one or more. Earlier text from the same paragraph states that you gain the benefit of a mask by simply wearing one.

What do you all say about it?

[Westhart]

I would say that while you can wear them at the same time you do not get both/all masks benefits (last put on overrides the previous), only one... That makes it so the later class features make sense at least...

[StriderITP]

I would say that while you can wear them at the same time you do not get both/all masks benefits (last put on overrides the previous), only one... That makes it so the later class features make sense at least...

While I would agree, there's also this line in the same paragraph.


To gain the benefit of a mask, you merely wear it. Putting on a mask is a standard action, and removing one is a move action. Once it is worn, the mask's benefit immediately applies.

[Westhart]

immediate
being our key word, I would imagine that when you put on a ring that would override another (if it doesn't have the wear for 24 hours bit) it immediately overrides it... however RAW I think you could argue the point (and possibly get hit with a DMG)... hmmm... it obviously is meant to, as the masks all give you different alignments (for detect etc, I know they don't actually change it)

[The Viscount]

The reference to one or more masks has the clear explanation of referring to the fact that as you level up you gain the ability to wear multiple masks at a time and switch between the benefit..
If you don't like an outside explanation, then we can use some more internal rules. Yes, the class feature mentions that you can wear one or more masks at a time. But the masks are magic items that you craft, which means that I direct you to the section on magic items.


Of course, a character may carry or possess as many items of the same type as he wishes. However, additional items beyond those listed above have no effect.
While you could interpret the sentence to mean that you wear as many as you like, the above clause about magic items is not affected, and as a result you cannot benefit from more than one. You need the later class features to be able to switch between benefits.

[StriderITP]

The reference to one or more masks has the clear explanation of referring to the fact that as you level up you gain the ability to wear multiple masks at a time and switch between the benefit..

That is definitely what seems intended, but it's not what is written.



If you don't like an outside explanation, then we can use some more internal rules. Yes, the class feature mentions that you can wear one or more masks at a time. But the masks are magic items that you craft, which means that I direct you to the section on magic items.
While you could interpret the sentence to mean that you wear as many as you like, the above clause about magic items is not affected, and as a result you cannot benefit from more than one. You need the later class features to be able to switch between benefits.

And my argument against that is that specific rules overrule general rules.

[ExLibrisMortis]

And my argument against that is that specific rules overrule general rules.
There is no overriding being done; the MoM ability tells you you can wear a lot of masks, the magic item rules tell you you can only gain the benefit of one.

[Captn_Flounder]

"Many Faces (Ex): At 5th level, you can wear more than one persona mask simultaneously. You can use the abilities of only one mask at a time, but you can switch between masks more quickly.

While wearing a persona mask, you can don a second without taking off the first. The appearance and benefit of the second replace those of the first. As a move action, you can have the first mask appear instead, granting its effect in place of the other's"

So you can wear as many masks at once as many faces will grant you, and can switch between them as a move action, instead of removing as a move action and donning the second as a standard action. You do not gain the benefits of both at the same time.

If you have the ability to wear multiple magic items on the face slot, as per the epic feat "Additional Magic Item Space," you could wear and utilize multiple masks at once.