Simple Q&A D&D 3.5 (by RAW) XV

[Lateral]

Q 617 Can a caster reduce their caster level willingly on any spell, just when they're crafting magic items, or just when crafting specific magic items (e.g. scrolls, potions, or wands)?

[dextercorvia]

A 617

All of the above. Specifically:


You can cast a spell at a lower caster level than normal, but the caster level you choose must be high enough for you to cast the spell in question, and all level-dependent features must be based on the same caster level.


A creator can create an item at a lower caster level than her own, but never lower than the minimum level needed to cast the needed spell. Using metamagic feats, a caster can place spells in items at a higher level than normal.

[zagan]

Q 618

It's specified under the animal type they are not proficient with armor unless trained for war but under the warhorse entry no indication of proficiency is made.
So are they proficient with armor ? And if so which one ? light ? medium ? heavy ?

[Curmudgeon]

A 618

Horses labeled Warhorse are trained for war, but the rules don't go into any more detail than that. Your DM will have the final say as to which specific armor proficiencies each warhorse will have, but the simplest assumption is that they're proficient with any armor they can wear without being encumbered by its weight alone, and thus do not suffer attack penalties from that armor.

[zagan]

okay, i'll go with that then, thanks.

[classy one]

Q619
Could you use the concealment gained from cloak dance to make a hide check even while you (or your cloak) are observed?

[Curmudgeon]

A 619 No.

The Hide skill has two requirements for use:

cover/concealment; and
not being observed.
Cloak Dance only satisfies the first of these requirements. A diversion via Bluff, or some form of Hide in Plain Sight would either satisfy or bypass the second requirement.

[Lateral]

Q 620 Can you use a ToB maneuver with a weapon that's not one of that maneuver's school's specific weapons?

[Private-Prinny]

Q 621

Are there any other invocation-using classes besides Warlock and Dragonfire Adept? Additionally, is there any way to get Eldritch Blast without Warlock levels?

[Douglas]

A620

Yes. Discipline favored weapons are relevant for a few specific class features and feats, but that's it. For example, Shadow Blade requires that you use Shadow Hand weapons, and a Swordsage gets Weapon Focus for the weapons of one chosen discipline, but in general there is no requirement that your weapon and maneuvers have to match discipline.

[Yora]

A621: To my knowledge, no. Though my knowledge excludes Dragon magazine articles.

[zanetheinsane]

Q622

A light horse (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/horse.htm) (MM273) is a size large quadruped with 14 STR. In both the Monster Manual, the d20SRD, and every other source I've checked the pre-listed carrying capacity (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/carryingCapacity.htm) is always calculated as the horse having 13 STR.

Is there some rule of calculating carrying capacity that I am missing? Since this is the mount summoned by the spell "Mount" it comes up quite often in games as the go-to pack mule for hauling out treasures and equipment.

[Curmudgeon]

A 622

The statistics for the light horse are otherwise consistent with STR 14. The attack should be the total of

+2 for 3 animal HD
+2 for 14 STR
-1 for Large size
-5 for the hoof attack being treated as a secondary attack
which is -2. The damage should be 1d4 (light hoof base) +1 (½ the +2 STR modifier). This matches the listed attack at -2, with damage 1d4+1.

So:
Attack is consistent with STR 14.
Damage is consistent with STR 14.
Carrying capacity matches STR 13 instead of 14. You'll need to talk to your DM to point out the carrying capacity figure is inconsistent with the STR value for a Large quadruped, and adjust accordingly.

[Vladislav]

Q 623

Can you take a 5' step while prone (by crawling or rolling over, for example) ?

[Keld Denar]

A 623

Considering that moving 5' while prone is a full round move action, no.

Gah, I misremembered and my google-fu was failing me as I was searching the d20srd website.

Technically, it would fall under the Hampered Movement rule as well. If you can only move 5' as a move action, your movement would be qualified as "hampered". If your movement is hampered, you can't take a 5' step.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 623

Considering that moving 5' while prone is a full round action, no. There's no "stepping" while you're prone, so that's correct. But the bold part is wrong.
Crawling

You can crawl 5 feet as a move action. Crawling incurs attacks of opportunity from any attackers who threaten you at any point of your crawl.

[OMG PONIES]

Q 624

Can an Ardent Dilettante (Planar Handbook, pg 55) take class A, enter ardent dilettante, advance class A's casting, take a level in class B, and then continue using Ardent Dilettante levels to advance class B's casting?

RAW reason for asking (spoilered for length):

At each ardent dilettante level after 1st, the character gains new spells per day...as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class.

Emphasis mine.

I don't know if this word is specific, or just a 3E convention. For comparison's sake, here's the relevant passage from a newer prestige class...let's say, Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil:


At each level, an Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil gains new spells per day...as if she had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class level.

Emphasis mine.

[dextercorvia]

A 624, Partial

The Virtuoso class is Song and Silence has the "before adding the prestige class" wording, while the Complete Adventurer says "before adding the prestige class level".

Loremaster has a similar wording change from 3.0 to 3.5. These are the only two I checked.

[OMG PONIES]

Q 625

Can Illumians take the Able Learner feat (Races of Destiny)? The racial requirement is human or doppelganger*, but I don't know if illumians qualify (since they are humanoids with the human subtype).

*I think the Adaptation section of the Chameleon PrC allows changelings to enter as well, but I'm not sure.

[Curmudgeon]

A 625 No.

From Races of Destiny on page 52:
Relations: Illumians regard humans as a brother race, but remain somewhat distant—after all, the illumians left pure humanity behind when they undertook the Ritual of the Word Made Flesh. This makes it clear that Illumians aren't human. However, while they already are humanoids with the human subtype, they qualify for the Human Heritage feat as an option (see Races of Destiny, page 90). Talk to your DM about using this a way to qualify for Able Learner, since I see little other benefit for Illumians. (You'll need at least one character flaw in order to take both of these 1st-level-only feats.)

[Lateral]

Q 626 Can a kobold Ebon Initiate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163297&highlight=Ebon+Initiate) with four natural attacks use his Netherchannel ability as touch attacks on a full attack?

[Studoku]

Q 627 When buy enchanted armor for a large creature, is the cost of the enchantment doubled or just the cost of the armor?

[Dubious Pie]

A627: No.

Q628: What is the relevant skill for map making?

[Curmudgeon]

A 627

The whole cost of the armor is increased as per the Armor For Unusual Creatures (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/armor.htm#armorForUnusualCreatures) table.

[RipperOfShirts]

A628 Partial: Geography strikes me as appropriate, although this may fall under 'DM's call' territory

Q629: If I have 3 attacks due to +6 BAB and Flurry of Blows, and have someone grappled, can I use a Full Attack to make 3 'damage you opponent' actions?

[dextercorvia]

A 625, Dispute

The sidebar on page 150 of RoD makes it clear that humanoids with the human subtype meet the human prereq's for feats and prestige classes.

The sidebar is about offering human options to human-like races by grouping them with humans as humanoids with the human subtype. Therefore humanoids with the human subtype are already eligible for human feats and PrC's.

There is no benefit for an Illumian to take the Human Heritage feat. It offers them nothing their race does not already provide.

[Claudius Maximus]

Q 630

Other than Earth Power and the XPH version of the Torc of Power Preservation, what means exist to passively reduce the cost of all powers?

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 625 Dispute


The sidebar on page 150 of RoD makes it clear that humanoids with the human subtype meet the human prereq's for feats and prestige classes.
Actually, it only says that in the context of grouping various half-humans and humanlike races together for such purposes as a rules variant. Outside of this "At the DM’s discretion" option, I've found no mention in the rules that says all humanoids with the human subtype qualify for Human-only feats or prestige classes.

Meanwhile, the passage I quoted clearly distinguishes Illumians from Humans in the game.

[Curmudgeon]

A 629 Yes.
Make an opposed grapple check in place of an attack. Since your class feature allows extra attacks (as long as you abide by the restrictions) you can make grapple checks to damage your opponent for every attack you're allowed. You will still suffer the flurry of blows penalty to all attacks at Monk level 8.

[dextercorvia]

Re: A 625 Dispute

Actually, it only says that in the context of grouping various half-humans and humanlike races together for such purposes as a rules variant. Outside of this "At the DM’s discretion" option, I've found no mention in the rules that says all humanoids with the human subtype qualify for Human-only feats or prestige classes.

Meanwhile, the passage I quoted clearly distinguishes Illumians from Humans in the game.

A 625 dispute
Yes, but that option is to allow half human and human like races qualify for feats and PrC's like Humanoids with the Human subtype [already do]. It isn't changing the defiinition of the Human subtype, it is suggesting that the DM may want to allow other races to have it.

The last line of that sidebar is that a similar effect can be achieved with the Human Heritage feat. Aside from the 4 skill points, this feat gives nothing to an Illumian that it doesn't already have. They already qualify for Human only feats or PrC's.

Think of it this way:

Q 631
The Human Heritage feat from RoD confers the Humanoid type and Human subtype on a Human descended creature. What mechanical benefit does this feat offer to a Humanoid, other than the 4 skill points?

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 625 dispute


Yes, but that option is to allow half human and human like races qualify for feats and PrC's like Humanoids with the Human subtype [already do].
That's the heart of the issue: that [already do] which you had to add, because the rules don't actually come out and say that.

Anyway, I think we've both argued our positions on this point adequately.

A 631 None.

In case I wasn't being clear, my "Talk to your DM" note was intended to suggest a discussion outside the context of the RAW, because although Human Heritage is suggested as a racial option for Illumians in Races of Destiny, I can see no good reason why that would be the case. This feat only provides Illumians or other Humanoid (human) characters with +4 skill points, whereas Open Minded provides anyone with +5 skill points.

[Keld Denar]

Q 632

Astral Constructs...So I create a 4th level Astral Constuct (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/astralConstruct.htm) using the Astral Construct (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/astralConstruct.htm) psionic power. How many menu items do I get to select? When I first read the feat, I was under the impression that if my Astral Construct qualified for Menu B, he'd get one item from B, and one item from A. Likewise, if my Astral Construct qualified for Menu C, he'd get one item from C, one from B, and one from A.

Rereading it tonight, though, makes me wonder. Looking at the stat blocks, it looks like they JUST get one item from the respective tier they belong to. So, if I had a 4th level Astral Construct, it would have one option from Menu B. If I chose, I could swap that down for 2 items off Menu A, but unless I did that, I wouldn't get ANYTHING from Menu A...

So...which is it? Does it get one item from each menu it qualifies for? Or does it just get one item from the highest menu it qualifies for?

[JeminiZero]

A 632

According to the SRD:


When you create a level 1,2 or 3 construct, you get one menu A power.
...
A manifester creating a 4th-level, 5th-level, or 6th-level astral construct can choose one special ability from this menu. Alternatively, the construct can have two special abilities from Menu A.
...
A manifester creating a 7th-level, 8th-level, or 9th-level astral construct can choose one special ability from this menu. Alternatively, the astral construct can have two special abilities from Menu B. (One or both of the Menu B choices can be swapped for two choices from Menu A.)


So just one item from the highest menu (which can be swapped for 2 powers from a lower menu).

[averagejoe]

The Mod They Call Me: Over 50 pages. New thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184173).