Doctor Despair
2020-09-23, 05:37 PM
The Evangelist gains Great Orator (Su), which reads:
An evangelist can inspire, protect, and otherwise improve the situation of his allies simply by speaking clearly and being heard. This ability is similar to the bard's bardic music ability (see page 29 of the Player's Handbook for a complete description) and, indeed, evangelist levels stack with bard levels to determine the strength of known bard songs. For example, a bard 3/evangelist 5 improves his inspire competence ability, but does not gain any new bard abilities. He could use bardic music to convert the unfaithful, countersong, fascinate, inspire the righteous, inspire courage +2, inspire dread or inspire hope, but would not gain the inspire competence, inspire greatness, or suggestion abilities. Alternately, a bard 7/evangelist 1 would be able to use bardic music to countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage +2, inspire dread or inspire hope, and suggestion. Evangelist oratory abilities function in exactly the same manner as bardic music except the evangelist must speak loudly and clearly, rather than sing or play an instrument.
One of the uses of this oratory is Convert the Unfaithful (Su), which reads:
An evangelist of 5th level with at least 13 ranks in Perform (oratory) may attempt to convert a single enemy within 30 feet. As a full-round action, the evangelist delivers an impassioned speech on the righteousness of his beliefs to a single enemy, who must attempt a Will save (DC = 10 + class level + Cha mod). If the creature succeeds, it is shaken for one round. If the creature fails its saving throw, it converts. Creatures with an alignment subtype (such as angels and devils) are immune to this ability. A converted creature is effectively charmed by the evangelist (similar to a charm monster spell). In addition, a converted creature temporarily assumes the alignment of the evangelist and acts accordingly. This may mean some of the creature's class abilities, spells, or other abilities are unavailable to it for the duration of the spell (a paladin converted to something other than lawful good, for example, loses her class abilities for the duration).
When the duration elapses, the creature then has a choice: It can continue to act according to its new alignment, or it can shift back. If the creature chooses to permanently change its alignment to the evangelist's, it acts as if a cleric of the appropriate alignment had cast atonement on it. If the creature chooses to change back, it must make another saving throw (with the same save DC as before). If it fails this saving throw its alignment changes back but it needs an atonement spell to gain back any abilities it lost due to its temporary alignment change.
Now, some things I'm noting that I wanted to confirm here:
There is no mind-affecting tag on this ability
It says its effect is similar to a Charm Monster spell, but it is not a Charm Monster spell. It doesn't look like there's a mechanism to make it inherit the mind-affecting tag though, right? So much like how Necrotic Domination mirrors Dominate Person without the tag, so should this mirror Charm Monster without the tag?
It references what happens when the duration elapses, but actually has no listed duration. Does it last one day per level, as of Charm Monster? As long as the Evangelist continues to speak, and three rounds thereafter, as of the other abilities? Some other arbitrary limit? Or is it technically permanent, as it has no mechanism to end the effect?
It also doesn't list as being language-dependent... In fact, Charm Person says you can communicate with pantomimes.
It seems like the most lenient reading of the ability says:
You target someone within 30 feet who need not share a language with you or even necessarily hear you. They make a will save vs your DC for a Charm Monster effect, even if they would normally be immune. If they fail, they are permanently so charmed.
Could anyone else offer some perspectives on the RAW here?
An evangelist can inspire, protect, and otherwise improve the situation of his allies simply by speaking clearly and being heard. This ability is similar to the bard's bardic music ability (see page 29 of the Player's Handbook for a complete description) and, indeed, evangelist levels stack with bard levels to determine the strength of known bard songs. For example, a bard 3/evangelist 5 improves his inspire competence ability, but does not gain any new bard abilities. He could use bardic music to convert the unfaithful, countersong, fascinate, inspire the righteous, inspire courage +2, inspire dread or inspire hope, but would not gain the inspire competence, inspire greatness, or suggestion abilities. Alternately, a bard 7/evangelist 1 would be able to use bardic music to countersong, fascinate, inspire competence, inspire courage +2, inspire dread or inspire hope, and suggestion. Evangelist oratory abilities function in exactly the same manner as bardic music except the evangelist must speak loudly and clearly, rather than sing or play an instrument.
One of the uses of this oratory is Convert the Unfaithful (Su), which reads:
An evangelist of 5th level with at least 13 ranks in Perform (oratory) may attempt to convert a single enemy within 30 feet. As a full-round action, the evangelist delivers an impassioned speech on the righteousness of his beliefs to a single enemy, who must attempt a Will save (DC = 10 + class level + Cha mod). If the creature succeeds, it is shaken for one round. If the creature fails its saving throw, it converts. Creatures with an alignment subtype (such as angels and devils) are immune to this ability. A converted creature is effectively charmed by the evangelist (similar to a charm monster spell). In addition, a converted creature temporarily assumes the alignment of the evangelist and acts accordingly. This may mean some of the creature's class abilities, spells, or other abilities are unavailable to it for the duration of the spell (a paladin converted to something other than lawful good, for example, loses her class abilities for the duration).
When the duration elapses, the creature then has a choice: It can continue to act according to its new alignment, or it can shift back. If the creature chooses to permanently change its alignment to the evangelist's, it acts as if a cleric of the appropriate alignment had cast atonement on it. If the creature chooses to change back, it must make another saving throw (with the same save DC as before). If it fails this saving throw its alignment changes back but it needs an atonement spell to gain back any abilities it lost due to its temporary alignment change.
Now, some things I'm noting that I wanted to confirm here:
There is no mind-affecting tag on this ability
It says its effect is similar to a Charm Monster spell, but it is not a Charm Monster spell. It doesn't look like there's a mechanism to make it inherit the mind-affecting tag though, right? So much like how Necrotic Domination mirrors Dominate Person without the tag, so should this mirror Charm Monster without the tag?
It references what happens when the duration elapses, but actually has no listed duration. Does it last one day per level, as of Charm Monster? As long as the Evangelist continues to speak, and three rounds thereafter, as of the other abilities? Some other arbitrary limit? Or is it technically permanent, as it has no mechanism to end the effect?
It also doesn't list as being language-dependent... In fact, Charm Person says you can communicate with pantomimes.
It seems like the most lenient reading of the ability says:
You target someone within 30 feet who need not share a language with you or even necessarily hear you. They make a will save vs your DC for a Charm Monster effect, even if they would normally be immune. If they fail, they are permanently so charmed.
Could anyone else offer some perspectives on the RAW here?