Random 3.5 questions

[Harperfan7]

1. Say a character is bitten by a wererat and fails his save vs. filth fever, then gets bit agains and fails another save. Did he just contract the disease twice? Can that happen, and if so, does he have to fight it off twice (at the same time basically)?

2. Would using your intimidate modifier as a will save vs. fear make any sense? It seems to me like really scary people might be hard to scare themselves.

3. If you were to try and jam a small spherical metal object into the seams of a suit of heavy armor, would that be a melee touch attack? If not, then what?

[Optimystik]

1. Say a character is bitten by a wererat and fails his save vs. filth fever, then gets bit agains and fails another save. Did he just contract the disease twice? Can that happen, and if so, does he have to fight it off twice (at the same time basically)?

In general, bonuses/penalties from the same source don't stack unless specified. Contracting FF twice would only reset the duration, I'd say, rather than afflict the victim with a double-strength disease..


2. Would using your intimidate modifier as a will save vs. fear make any sense? It seems to me like really scary people might be hard to scare themselves.

On the contrary: in reality, many bullies are themselves quite cowardly. Being scary or brutish does not and should not confer any special protection against being scared yourself.


3. If you were to try and jam a small spherical metal object into the seams of a suit of heavy armor, would that be a melee touch attack? If not, then what?

That would be a normal attack roll, because you're trying to bypass the armor just like a rogue would if he were slashing at less protected joints and seams.

A touch attack is different - it doesn't care whether it hits the weak points of armor or not. Touch attacks typically transfer energy of some kind to the target, which they can do regardless of what kind of shell he is wearing so long as they touch it. This is why natural armor, shields etc. don't apply, while deflection and dodge do.(Those bonuses prevent the touch from physically connecting.)

[Hunter Noventa]

1. Say a character is bitten by a wererat and fails his save vs. filth fever, then gets bit agains and fails another save. Did he just contract the disease twice? Can that happen, and if so, does he have to fight it off twice (at the same time basically)?

Personally I'd say no, he's already infected, being double-infected doesn't make much sense to me, but I couldn't spot any RaW about this.



2. Would using your intimidate modifier as a will save vs. fear make any sense? It seems to me like really scary people might be hard to scare themselves.

Seems like something that would be worth a feat, maybe a skill trick. the only similar mechanic I can think of are the manuvers from Tome of Battle that let you replace a save with a concentration check, but since this only works against fear effects it's not nearly as powerful.



3. If you were to try and jam a small spherical metal object into the seams of a suit of heavy armor, would that be a melee touch attack? If not, then what?

Might be something you'd have to do during an established grapple rather than just a single attack. Most melee touch attacks only have to touch the target to effect them, i.e. spells. But somethign that precise would probably have to be done with more effort. Etierh a regular melee attack or during a grapple, as the armor would hinder you from even doing this, unlike most touch attacks.

[Myou]

1. Diseases say if you can catch them twice, etc, so if nothing is said you should assume that further exposure has no effect.

2. It wouldn't really make sense, as the always-ravishing Optimystik says.

3. I'd suggest requiring a melee attack that either provokes an AoO, takes a -4 penalty, or requires that the opponent be denied Dex to AC - as Sneak Attack does.

[Gnaeus]

3. I'd suggest requiring a melee attack that either provokes an AoO, takes a -4 penalty, or requires that the opponent be denied Dex to AC - as Sneak Attack does.

I agree. Although unless the object is really tiny, it might just be impossible. I mean, a hole big enough to slip a marble through would be big enough to let an arrow or dagger through, and most armor is designed to try to prevent such things.