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

[averagejoe]

(This is a fairly high procedure thread; please read the entire instructions carefully before posting. Thanks.)

Ever have a simple, straight-forward rules question that you can’t figure out the answer to? Ask it here. No question is too simple. No more worrying about whether your question is “worth” starting a thread. Ask here and receive an answer. You are, of course, welcome to start a thread for your question, and if you think your question is subject to many interpretations or will start a debate, you are encouraged to start a new thread for it.

This thread will serve as a catch-all for simple, discreet questions that can be answered quickly according to the RAW (Rules As Written). This thread is for all simple RAW questions about D&D 3.5. If your question is not about the RAW for 3.5, please look in the appropriate threads in the appropriate forums.


The Procedure:

Do:
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If you dispute someone’s answer – meaning that they got it wrong in a critical fashion – post your answer and suggest that the original questioner start a thread to discuss it further if they want it hashed out.
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If your question leads to a disputed answer, start a new thread if you’d like it discussed further.

Here are some sample questions. “Bad” questions just mean they should be asked in their own thread where you can get many answers and opinions. “Good” questions just mean that these are the types of questions that are amenable to a quick straightforward answer (probably).

Sample “Bad” Questions:
How do I play D&D? (Great question, but not for this thread.)
What is a good 10 level TWF build? (Far too broad and requires much opinion)
What +2 LA race should I take for my sorcerer build? (Again, an opinion question)
Which is better GURPS or D&D?

Sample “Good” Questions:
Q.1. Are there any Large +0 LA races?
Q.2. As a sorcerer/rogue, do I get to add sneak attack damage to my attack spells?
Q.3. What effect would Dispel Magic have on a golem or similar construct?
Q.4. Is there a feat that allows me to get a familiar?

{The first several versions of this thread seemed to run pretty efficiently, but if you have any comments about how this thread could be improved please PM me.}

Please start over with the numbering. Thanks.

[soulsabre345]

Q 1

By RAW, if you make a minor image of wailing ghosts, when does interaction occur and when does the save need to be rolled? Is it as soon as the wailing is heard? If so, what about a major image of a marching army. The audio would be heard, thus need to save?

[Elfinor]

A 1
There is no strict RAW definition for 'interaction' with illusions - it is up to the DM. Skip Williams, one of the designers, has posted a number of articles on Illusions in Rules of the Game (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/rg). The section governing interaction is here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20060221a).

[Curmudgeon]

A 001

There is no interaction involved in simply seeing or hearing illusions; that's dictated by the nature of the reactive skill checks.
Action: Varies. Every time you have a chance to spot something in a reactive manner you can make a Spot check without using an action. Trying to spot something you failed to see previously is a move action.
Action: Varies. Every time you have a chance to hear something in a reactive manner (such as when someone makes a noise or you move into a new area), you can make a Listen check without using an action. Trying to hear something you failed to hear previously is a move action.
Saving Throws and Illusions (Disbelief)

Creatures encountering an illusion usually do not receive saving throws to recognize it as illusory until they study it carefully or interact with it in some fashion. A saving throw would be required if a character tried to interact with the illusion (either physically, or by attempting to engage it verbally), or if they took the time to study it carefully (used move action Spot and/or Listen checks to notice anything they missed in their reactive checks). Reactive checks take no action and thus occur when the sights or sounds initially occur (usually someone else's turn: in this case, that of the spellcaster casting the illusion). Studying carefully is done on the character's turn.

[Elric VIII]

Q 2

Are there any outsiders that represent guardians/spirits/forces of nature or animals that have druid casting or SLAs of Druid-esque spells?

[Melnir]

Is it possible to change a creature's type by using wish/miracle? For example I am an human wizard 20 and I want to be an outsider (or anything else). Can I cast wish and ask to become an outsider?

[Curmudgeon]

A 003 Maybe.

Changing creature type is beyond the listed capabilities of Wish and thus subject to DM whim. From page 150 of Savage Species:
Casting wish to become a new kind of creature, with full access to all extraordinary, spell-like, and supernatural abilities (see End Result, below), while retaining Intelligence, memory, and personality, falls under the “wishing for greater effects” rules in the spell description. While this is the quickest method of transformation and potentially the least expensive, it has substantial risks. Miracle is a request to a deity, and as such is also subject to DM judgment. Unlike Wish, Miracle does not have a perverted outcome chance.

[Andezzar]

Q 4

If you fail a Use Magic Device check, does the scroll become useless/the wand lose a charge?

Q 5

Can you take 20 on a UMD roll?

[KillianHawkeye]

A 4

Not generally. If you roll a natural 1 on your UMD check and fail to activate the item, you cannot try to activate that item again for 24 hours. Failing to activate a wand does not cost you a charge.

A 5

No, because there are sometimes consequences if you fail (see above). As a side note, you normally cannot even Take 10 on Use Magic Device.

[mattie_p]

A 4 Only if you fail the UMD check to activate the device by 10 or more

From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/useMagicDevice.htm):

If you fail by 10 or more, you suffer a mishap. A mishap means that magical energy gets released but it doesn’t do what you wanted it to do. The default mishaps are that the item affects the wrong target or that uncontrolled magical energy is released, dealing 2d6 points of damage to you. This mishap is in addition to the chance for a mishap that you normally run when you cast a spell from a scroll that you could not otherwise cast yourself.

Scroll mishaps can be avoided by a DC 5 wisdom check, on which a natural 1 always fails.

A 5 No.

Taking 20 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/usingSkills.htm#taking20) can only be done when, among other things, the the skill being attempted carries no penalties for failure. In addition to the chance for mishap above, rolling a natural 1 means the character cannot attempt to use the device again for 24 hours.

[Andezzar]

A 4 Addendum

The Failing by 10 or more mishap only applies to activating an item blindly (i.e. not knowing the command word). It does not apply to scrolls and wands.

The avoidable scroll mishap only happens if the user matches all requirements except caster level and fails the caster level check. If use UMD you never make a caster level check.

[Fitz10019]

A003 - additional

The reincarnate spell specifically says that, if reincarnation resulted in a character becoming a form than his/her original, Wish can be used to reinstate the original form. This does not apply to the Q003 scenario as stated.

[Doomboy911]

Q 6
Is there any way for a cleric to do ranged healing spells?

[Khedrac]

A6
Several - for example there's the Reach Spell metamagic feat - but that means you will need to make ranged touch spells to target your party at a distance.
There are the ranged healing spells - Insignia of Healing, Mass Cure X, Healing Spirit etc.
Technically a Warweaver who also knows healing magics can pump them through the weave.

If you want more ideas this is probably worth its own thread in the forum, the scope is a bit on the broad side to cover here.

[Andezzar]

Q 7

Is here a way for a sorcerer to quicken his spells? Can he use a metamagic rod of quicken?

[Callum]

A 7

Yes, if you use the alternative spontaneous metamagic systems described on p.151 of Unearthed Arcana.

The rules for metamagic rods specify that a sorcerer must still take a full-round action when using one, so a quicken metamagic rod would be fairly useless to a sorcerer.

[deuxhero]

q8
If a Universal Item gives use of a Power (such as a Skin of the Claw), what is the augmentation considered to be? None? PP=Manifester level (as a Psi-like ability)?

[Ranting Fool]

Q9

On Warlocks and Spel-llike abilities (But also others)

A: Can a person use Spellcraft to know what a Warlock is casting is (or any other spell-like ablities)

B: Also "Spel-llike ablilities can be dispelled but not counted" Does this mean that if you "Ready" a Dispell magic to counter would it work?

Cheers

[Khedrac]

A7 part 2 suggestion
There's a feat somewhere "Rapid Metamagic" that shortens their metamagic time I think - with that you might be able then to quicken. I do not have books to hand so cannot be certain.

A9
A: Yes, but the DC will be harder than for a spell, probably DM's call for how much - may just get what spellthe SLA is the equivalent of but not the full details.
B: If you ready a Dispel Magic to oppose a warlock's spell like ability then you make a dispel check to see if you dispel it as it takes effect. The DM may rule that instantaneous ones still get to take effect (though I would not).

[KillianHawkeye]

A 9B correction

Instantaneous effects cannot be dispelled. The magic is already gone.

Also, you cannot Ready an action to dispel because your action preemts the enemy's casting. That's what counterspelling is all about. What you CAN do is wait until after a spell or spell-like ability with a duration is used and then dispel it.

[Man on Fire]

Q10

I was wondering - how many feats or class features let you substitute one ability score for another? I heard there are few of them, but what exactly are their names? What are their prequisities? In which books I can find them?

[hamishspence]

A10: see the "X Stat to Y bonus" thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732) for details.

[mattie_p]

A 8The skin of the claw does not grant the use of a power, it grants a specific benefit as per the item description. It cannot be augmented.

The Skin of the Claw, although it grants an ability similar to the claws of the beast power, does not specify that you are granted a use (or uses) of the power. The item has the exact effect specified. Even if an item specifically grants the use of a power (for example, a power completion item like a dorje), it usually cannot be augmented, unless the item explicitly permits you do to so or you have a feat that allows you to do so (usually by expending additional charges) (although I do not think such feats exist for powers, only spells).

[deuxhero]

A 8The skin of the claw does not grant the use of a power, it grants a specific benefit as per the item description. It cannot be augmented.

The Skin of the Claw, although it grants an ability similar to the claws of the beast power, does not specify that you are granted a use (or uses) of the power. The item has the exact effect specified. Even if an item specifically grants the use of a power (for example, a power completion item like a dorje), it usually cannot be augmented, unless the item explicitly permits you do to so or you have a feat that allows you to do so (usually by expending additional charges) (although I do not think such feats exist for powers, only spells).

I think you misunderstood the question. I asked if Universal Items with a CL higher than needed to manifest a power (like Boots of Stomping), have that power augmented alreddy like a dorjes ("However, dorjes can be created at a higher manifester level than required to manifest the power. In this case, the dorje that holds an augmentable power is augmented, to the limit of the manifester level and the power’s augmentation maximums"), not if they can be augmented by a users PP ("A dorje’s wielder cannot augment the power contained within the dorje").

[Ranting Fool]

A 9B correction

Instantaneous effects cannot be dispelled. The magic is already gone.

Also, you cannot Ready an action to dispel because your action preemts the enemy's casting. That's what counterspelling is all about. What you CAN do is wait until after a spell or spell-like ability with a duration is used and then dispel it.

so you can not dispell an eldrich blast or a spell-like ability that has an instant effect?

[Ianuagonde]

Q 11

Does the Blindsense ability allow you to detect incorporeal creatures? The description of incorporability mentions lack of smell, sound and a physical body, while Blindsense suggests the use of scent or echolocation. I´m stumped.

[Curmudgeon]

A 011 Usually no.

Blindsense lets a creature detect something it cannot see. Incorporeal creatures generally have no manifestations except visual. However, an incorporeal creature manifesting on the Material Plane can decide to create sounds, and in that case blindsense will work as specified.

[TypoNinja]

A 9 Clarifications

Lets start with the counter spell section of the SRD for handyness, then I'll get on the answers.


Counterspells

It is possible to cast any spell as a counterspell. By doing so, you are using the spell’s energy to disrupt the casting of the same spell by another character. Counterspelling works even if one spell is divine and the other arcane.

How Counterspells Work

To use a counterspell, you must select an opponent as the target of the counterspell. You do this by choosing the ready action. In doing so, you elect to wait to complete your action until your opponent tries to cast a spell. (You may still move your speed, since ready is a standard action.)

If the target of your counterspell tries to cast a spell, make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the spell’s level). This check is a free action. If the check succeeds, you correctly identify the opponent’s spell and can attempt to counter it. If the check fails, you can’t do either of these things.

To complete the action, you must then cast the correct spell. As a general rule, a spell can only counter itself. If you are able to cast the same spell and you have it prepared (if you prepare spells), you cast it, altering it slightly to create a counterspell effect. If the target is within range, both spells automatically negate each other with no other results.

Counterspelling Metamagic Spells

Metamagic feats are not taken into account when determining whether a spell can be countered

Specific Exceptions

Some spells specifically counter each other, especially when they have diametrically opposed effects.

Dispel Magic as a Counterspell

You can use dispel magic to counterspell another spellcaster, and you don’t need to identify the spell he or she is casting. However, dispel magic doesn’t always work as a counterspell.

You cannot "dispel" an instant effect, because there is nothing left to dispel, it already happened.

Dispel magic however can be used to counterspell when readied as an action, to interrupt spellcasting, even if you've failed to identify the spell. However unlike when using the correct (or correctly opposed) spell, a dispel magic counter spell attempt might fail.

This doesn't matter for the eldritch blast example however since you can not counterspell SLA's, or Su's.

SLA's are like spells in all other ways, so you could identify with a spellcraft check as normal. Su's are not, and would probably be some other kind of knowledge check, but here we stray into "ask your DM" territory.

[LordDrakulzen]

Q12
Can I enter the Ultimate Magus PrC from Complete Mage if I have taken Eidetic Spellcaster from Dragon Magazine?


ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks.
Feats: Any metamagic feat.
Spellcasting: Able to spontaneously cast 1st-level arcane
spells, able to prepare and cast 2nd-level arcane spells
from a spellbook.

In my mind the Eidetic still prepares spells the same way, just without the book itself.

[willpell]

Q13
I remember hearing about a Rogue variant (either an ACF or an entirely altered class similar to the Unearthed Arcana variants, though not in that book) which gives up some amount of Sneak Attack to gain some fighter bonus feats and possibly a d8 or so hit die. Does anyone know where I can find such a class? UA gives the Fighter variant "Thug" which gets more skills than a normal fighter but still no Sneak Attack; I was looking for something one step closer to Rogue on the same continuum.

[Curmudgeon]

A 12

The Eidetic Spellcaster variant (Dragon # 357, page 89) doesn't require you to give up the ability to prepare spells from a spellbook; it instead states that you do not need to put them into a spellbook. To meet that Ultimate Magus requirement you'd simply need a spellbook with 2nd level spells. (Interestingly enough, the variant doesn't strip you of your Wizard's starting spellbook, so all you'd need is the special inks.) This won't satisfy any spontaneous casting requirement, of course; you would need some other class abilities for that one.

[longlivesquare]

Q14 Does attacking from the invisibility caused by the Ninjas (from Complete Adventurer's) Ghost Step break that invisibility?

[willpell]

Q15
In the Expanded Psionics Handbook, the Maenad's Energy Ray PLA says "the save DC is Charisma-based", but Energy Ray doesn't use a saving throw. Just a goof? Or is there some obscure reason why it would matter?

[Aeryr]

Q13
I remember hearing about a Rogue variant (either an ACF or an entirely altered class similar to the Unearthed Arcana variants, though not in that book) which gives up some amount of Sneak Attack to gain some fighter bonus feats and possibly a d8 or so hit die. Does anyone know where I can find such a class? UA gives the Fighter variant "Thug" which gets more skills than a normal fighter but still no Sneak Attack; I was looking for something one step closer to Rogue on the same continuum.

A013

The Thug can be combined with the sneak attack fighter ACF also from unearthed arcana. You would get full sneak attack progression and no feats though.


Fighter
Some fighters prefer stealth and cunning over martial skill. This variant can also be combined with the thug variant.

Gain
Sneak attack (as rogue).

Lose
Bonus feats.

Other than that you could be a Generic Warrior detailed here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/genericClasses.htm) and select SA feats but that would probably require DM approval since:


If you use these generic classes, you shouldn't also use the standard character classes

[willpell]

Q16 - Expanded Psionics handbook again:

Psi-Like Abilities and Feats
Creatures with access to psi-like abilities can use the feats Empower Spell-Like Ability and Quicken Spell-Like Ability (see pages 303 and 304 of the Monster Manual). These feats can be used only on psi-like abilities that do not have increased effects due to augmentation.

What exactly does the bolded sentence mean? Does it mean Empower SLA can't improve a PLA which could be augmented, or one which is? A level 1-3 Wilder has Energy Ray 1/day at a ML of 1, which deals 1 die of damage; once he reaches level 4 and has an ML of 2, his Energy Ray automatically augments itself as if he had spent 2 pp to manifest it. Does that mean he can never empower his Energy Ray PLA, or that he can only do so at levels 1-3?

[Lonely Tylenol]

A013

The Thug can be combined with the sneak attack fighter ACF also from unearthed arcana. You would get full sneak attack progression and no feats though.

A013 CORRECTED:

Willpell, the variant you are looking for is the Martial Rogue, which can be found here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#rogue). It trades Sneak Attack at 1, 3, 5, ... 19 for Fighter bonus feats at 1, 2, 4, 6, ... 20. It does not gain a d8 Hit Dice, though, and it's an "all-or-nothing" affair; you don't and can't trade "some" Sneak Attack progression.

My question is actually related to Martial Rogue and is twofold, in an attempt to resolve an issue elsewhere in this section:

Q17.a:
Does a Sneak Attack Fighter 3/Swashbuckler 3, upon taking Daring Outlaw at level 6, gain:
A: +2d6 Sneak Attack (counting as a 3rd-level Sneak Attack Fighter and a 3rd-level Rogue equivalent separately);
B: +1d6 Sneak Attack (counting as a 6th-level Sneak Attack Fighter, as Sneak Attack Fighter 3 is effectively a third-level Rogue, because it gains Sneak Attack (as rogue), and adding the three levels of Swashbuckler together to count as a 6th-level Rogue); or
C: +0d6 Sneak Attack (because no Rogue levels are present, the Swashbuckler has nothing to stack with)?

I believe it's A:, but I'm only even asking to set up the following:

Q17.b:
Does a Sneak Attack Fighter 3/Swashbuckler 3/Feat Rogue 3 who takes Daring Outlaw as their 9th-level feat gain:
A: +3d6 Sneak Attack (counting as a 3rd-level Sneak Attack Fighter and a 6th-level Rogue separately);
B: +2d6 Sneak Attack (counting as a 3rd-level Sneak Attack Fighter and a 3rd-level Rogue equivalent separately, ignoring the Martial Rogue levels as Daring Outlaw does not stack Rogue levels, as Rogue does not grant Sneak Attack);
C: +1d6 Sneak Attack (counting as a 6th-level Sneak Attack Fighter, as Sneak Attack Fighter 3 is effectively a third-level Rogue, because it gains Sneak Attack (as rogue), and adding the three levels of Swashbuckler together to count as a 6th-level Rogue); or
D: +0d6 Sneak Attack (counting as a 3rd-level Sneak Attack Fighter only, because Martial Rogue removes Sneak Attack damage as a class feature of Rogue, and Swashbuckler stacks with Rogue levels for determining Sneak Attack Damage, of which there is none, and thus gains 3+null Rogue levels for determining nonexistent Sneak Attack damage); or
E: None of the above?

Can I please get a reason for each?

Mahalo!

[willpell]

Q18
Can you manifest Animal Affinity again while the duration of the first one is still running, as long as you pick a different Ability to boost (since boosts to the same Ability won't stack)?

Q19 (asked on the previous thread, never answered AFAICT)
If an Ardent takes a power on one of his primary mantles which is also present on a secondary mantle's list, and later switches the priority of those two mantles, does the power count toward his number known for both lists or only the one that switched? For example, Animal Affinity is on both Natural World and Physical Power, so if I started as a Life/Natural World ardent, took Physical Power as my third mantle at level 2 (and learned a power from it), took Animal Affinity as a Natural World power at level 3 (it's not legal to learn it on Physical Power here, since that would give me more powers in a secondary mantle than in my primaries), and then much later on switched Physical Power to primary and Natural World to secondary, having learned the same number of powers from both except for having one more on Natural World, can I "switch" Animal Affinity to be under Physical Power? Or does it count on being both lists?

Q20
If a scroll or power stone contains multiple powers, do you multiply its market price? I feel silly even having to ask, but you would have thought that the RAW would have mentioned this, when table 7-10 in the EPH says that minor power stones have 1d3 powers, meaning that 2/3 of them have more than one power, and then table 7-11 makes no mention of a "per power" price.

Q21
When you set a higher-than-average Manifester Level for a power stone or other crafted power-storing item, does that cause the power to be augmented? Say I make a Stone of Energy Ray with an ML of 3; does it do 3d6 damage, or just 1d6 damage at a slightly greater range than if the ML had been left at 1?

Q22
For Energy powers and others that involve a choice, does the creator encode a specific version, the way potions of Energy Resistance have one specific energy type when you buy them, or does the user choose any output as if it were their own power? Is it possible to make more or less expensive versions where the answer is different? (Eg, you'd have one Power Stone of Cold Ray which is cheaper, and another Power Stone of Choose Your Own Energy Ray which costs more, though I'm not sure which one would be the 25-gp default mentioned in the book.)

[Curmudgeon]

A 017.a

It's close to A., but actually none of those. What you get is +2d6 (from 3rd-level Sneak Attack Fighter) and +2d6 (from 3rd-level Rogue equivalent). However, that's not the same as just +2d6; instead, you roll both each time and add the better bonus to your damage.

A 017.b B.

If you've selected the Rogue variant which has Fighter bonus feats instead of sneak attack, that's the only Rogue you get.
Multiclassing And Variant Classes

Multiclassing between variants of the same class is a tricky subject. In cases where a single class offers a variety of paths (such as the totem barbarian or the monk fighting styles), the easiest solution is simply to bar multiclassing between different versions of the same class (just as a character can't multiclass between different versions of specialist wizards). Daring Outlaw will give you more of the sneak attack progression that that Rogue variant provides: nothing. You would gain the +2d6 of sneak attack variant Fighter 3, and nothing else.

[cd4]

Q23
a) Are there any spells or powers that have a casting time of 1 move action?
b) Is there any way of making spells or powers have a casting time of 1 move action?

[Lonely Tylenol]

A 017.a

It's close to A., but actually none of those. What you get is +2d6 (from 3rd-level Sneak Attack Fighter) and +2d6 (from 3rd-level Rogue equivalent). However, that's not the same as just +2d6; instead, you roll both each time and add the better bonus to your damage.

A 017.b B.

If you've selected the Rogue variant which has Fighter bonus feats instead of sneak attack, that's the only Rogue you get. Daring Outlaw will give you more of the sneak attack progression that that Rogue variant provides: nothing. You would gain the +2d6 of sneak attack variant Fighter 3, and nothing else.

I may have been unclear in the options: I meant +xd6 relevant to what was already there (which was the Fighter's 2d6). That means A017.b sounds more like D to me, and... I don't know what to make of A017.a.

So if I have Sneak Attack Fighter 3/Swashbuckler 3, I get +2d6 Sneak Attack from each, but instead of rolling, say, (5+2 from Ftr) + (4+6 from Swash) = +17 damage, I'd roll (5+2 from Ftr) < (4+6 from Swash) = +10 damage?

Just wanted to make sure I'm reading this right.

[deuxhero]

q24
Does the arrow of force from a Hank's Energy Bow (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20061227a) benefit from an Arcane Archer's class abilities that relate to non-magical arrows? They are created by magic, but do not seem to be magic weapons.

[Curmudgeon]

So if I have Sneak Attack Fighter 3/Swashbuckler 3, I get +2d6 Sneak Attack from each, but instead of rolling, say, (5+2 from Ftr) + (4+6 from Swash) = +17 damage, I'd roll (5+2 from Ftr) < (4+6 from Swash) = +10 damage?

Just wanted to make sure I'm reading this right.
Yes, you are.

A 024 No.
Although unstrung, it fires arrows of pure magical force that deal 2d6 points of damage. These are purely magical projectiles, so no effect specific to nonmagical arrows will apply.

[Doomboy911]

Q 25 Are there any magic items besides staffs or wands that let you make minor images?I`m looking for something someone can wear.

[Metahuman1]

Q 26: Other then using one of his breath effects, are there any ways for a Dragonfire Adept to gain different Damage types to his breath weapon?

Q 27: Is there any way to improve the Dragonfire Adepts base fire damage from his breath weapon in such a way that fire resistance and Immunity do not concern it?

[Stannum (IV)]

Q 28

Can I maximize or empower dispel magic?

Q29

If I create a Mechanatrix character, from the fiend folio, must I have a racial hit die? It seems that I would by RAW as I understand them, but it seemed that way for tieflings and the aasimar, yet numerous supplements note them as playable with merely the level adjustment, without the racial hit die.

[deuxhero]

Q30
Does any official source introduce Favored Enemy: Deathless?

[Curmudgeon]

A 028

The answer depends on how your DM matches those feats to the rule specifications. A dispel check is a numerical computation with a final Boolean (true/false, yes/no, 1/0) result.
You make a dispel check (1d20 + your caster level, maximum +10) against the spell or against each ongoing spell currently in effect on the object or creature. The DC for this dispel check is 11 + the spell’s caster level. If you succeed on a particular check, that spell is dispelled; if you fail, that spell remains in effect. If it's possible for the spell to be dispelled and your DM sees this formula with a random d20 variable as at maximum dispelling 1 spell and at minimum dispelling 0 spells then it qualifies.

Maximize Spell [Metamagic]

Benefit: All variable, numeric effects of a spell modified by this feat are maximized. Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables. A maximized spell uses up a spell slot three levels higher than the spell’s actual level. The dispel check is a "variable, numeric effect of a spell". A 0/1 value resulting from that check is probably just a different type of variable effect than you're used to considering, given the prose expression of the Dispel Magic formula. In essence you're computing a variable numeric effect as a Boolean result.


Dispel Number = (1d20 + dispeller's CL) - (11 + target spell CL)

Boolean (Dispel Number >= 0)

If your DM doesn't see "true = 1 spell dispelled" and "false = 0 spells dispelled" as the result of the variable numeric computation, this isn't going to work. So ask your DM.

[Andezzar]

Q 31

Can you use a metamagic rod of Extend spell to double the duration of a persisted spell? Would the duration be 48 h (2*24h) or 24 (2*original duration->24h)

[willpell]

Q29
If I create a Mechanatrix character, from the fiend folio, must I have a racial hit die?

That topic is being heavily debated here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242768).

Q32
Does someone who is subjected to a Detect {Alignment} effect, such as a Paladin's Detect Good, have any ability to tell it's happening? Would a Spellcraft roll apply, even if the source of the Detection isn't a spell?

[Curmudgeon]

A 31 No.

Metamagic rods give you 3/day use of a metamagic feat, so this is just a question about the combination of Extend Spell and Persistent Spell.
Benefit An extended spell lasts twice as long as normal.
Benefit: Spells with a fixed or personal range can have their duration increased to 24 hours. Extend Spell sets the duration to 2x the normal duration: i.e., that specified in the spell's Duration field. Persistent Spell sets the duration to 24 hours. Whichever metamagic feat you apply last determines the duration.

[Duke of URL]

A 25

Well, scrolls, of course. But that's not what you're after.

Beyond that, I don't recall ever seeing one, but the normal item creation rules can be used to define a custom item, subject to your DM's approval.

[MrLemon]

A32 No
Spellcraft in particular does NOT work (my emphasis)

Identify a spell being cast. (You must see or hear the spell’s verbal or somatic components.) No action required. No retry.
A spell-like ability has no verbal, somatic, or material component

Note that Detect {alignment} has rules for overwhelmingly strong auras resulting in a 1round stun effect, although that only starts at higher levels. This can be used as an "indicator" for the evil cleric in disguise (TM)

[Andezzar]

Q 33

If an arcane caster (Level <26) transforms into a creature with 11 or more HD and the Evil Outsider type, does he get an overwhelming evil aura? What if his alignment is not evil.

A 14

Neither the class feature nor the condition specify that an attack cancels invisibility. So the ninja remains invisible. An Invisibility potion or spell has this restriction, unless it is greater invisibility.

[willpell]

A32 No
Spellcraft in particular does NOT work (my emphasis)


Note that Detect {alignment} has rules for overwhelmingly strong auras resulting in a 1round stun effect, although that only starts at higher levels. This can be used as an "indicator" for the evil cleric in disguise (TM)

Okay, spellcraft is a "no". So what chance does the recipient of the Detect have to know that the guy staring at him might be learning something more than the obvious? It might be more like the equivalent of using Psicraft to identify a power, but I'm guessing that says "you have to perceive the display", and neither SLAs nor PLAs have that. But surely they must have some kind of "tell"? (And for the record, I am the DM and am trying to figure out whether to inform the player of what an NPC is doing, so "ask the DM" is not a terribly useful answer here. If I knew I'd already have told me. :smallbiggrin)

[danzibr]

Q 034

What's the most number of natural attacks a Totemist can get from a race with no level adjustment and soulmelds and chakra binds on a full attack (excluding LA buyoff, gear and spells and whatnot)? There are probably a bunch of ties.

For example, a level 12 Warforged with the feats Jaws of Death, Second Slam and Double Chakra with Girallon Arms and Lamia Belt on the totem chakra would give one bite, two slams, four claws (upper body), two claws (lower body) for nine attacks.

However, something like Girallon Arms and Sphinx Claws shouldn't stack.

[Curmudgeon]

A 033 Yes.

If the spellcaster's transformation picks up the Evil subtype, they will detect as Evil regardless of their alignment.
Evil Subtype

A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to the evil-aligned Outer Planes. Evil outsiders are also called fiends. Most creatures that have this subtype also have evil alignments; however, if their alignments change, they still retain the subtype. Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has an evil alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is.

[Andezzar]

Q 35

Character's are described as either right- or lefthanded. Is there any penalty for using the non-dominant hand?

Q 36

Can clothing be enchanted like armor? What other options are there for someone who does not want to wear armor to increase his armor bonus through items?

[Curmudgeon]

A 035 No.

D&D 3.0 had handedness as a significant trait, with Ambidexterity as a feat to overcome that and treat hands equally. D&D 3.5 has removed those. Instead, your main hand is whichever hand you choose to use as such for the round, and your off hand is the other one. As the LOOKS header (Player's Handbook, page 110) should indicate, handedness is purely a matter of appearance.
Your character can be right- or left-handed.

A 036 Some.

Magic Item Compendium lists common magical effects that can be added to items on pages 233-234. Items in Arms and Body slots can have armor enhancements added to them. (Bracers of Armor and Robe of the Archmagi are examples of existing items with armor enhancements in Arms and Body slots, respectively.) If the character wears a robe (a Body slot garment) they can get it enhanced with an armor bonus. After the item has at least a +1 numerical bonus other armor enhancements can be added. Note that there is no non-magical armor bonus from an ordinary garment.

Other garments (shirts, hats, gloves, boots, & c.) not in the Body slot can only be given armor enhancement if created as a custom item subject to individual DM approval. The DM would have to determine the price and other crafting requirements (or they could simply say no: only Arms and Body slot items can have armor bonuses).

[Dark Kerman]

Q37
Does anyone know of a spell (I forget the name) that makes evil creatures that may have glamours (like a succubus) take on the true for of there alignment. It's accompanied by a picture of a succubus, running away, with her feet turning cloven. Thanks. :D

[Andezzar]

Q 35 Follow-Up

So you could take two spiked gauntlets or one weapon in each hand and attack with one in one round and with the other in the next round and incur no penalties for either attacks? That does not sound like left-or right-handed, it sounds like ambidextrous

Q 36 Follow-Up

Is there any reason for a character without armor proficiency who does not want to suffer Arcane Spell Failure to buy either bracers of armor +3 (9000 gp, + 3 AC) or more if he can get a +X twilight mithral chain shirt (5100 gp, +5 AC)?

All I can think of is weight (probably negligible) and availability of mithral.

[danzibr]

A 036 (partial)

The only thing that comes to mind is the slot thing. A Warforged, for example, wouldn't be able to wear a chainshirt.

[Curmudgeon]

A 035 Follow-Up

Yes, that's correct. Having removed the 3.0 Ambidexterity feat and incorporated that benefit into Two-Weapon Fighting, every D&D character is effectively ambidexterous.

A 036 Follow-Up

There could be any number of reasons, including style. A mechanical reason in addition to weight would be a DEX bonus of more than +6: the chain shirt would limit that but Bracers of Armor or a similar armor-enhanced robe would not. This isn't really a "simple" question any more.

[St Fan]

Q38
The spellcasting rules explains that a spellcaster can lower his effective caster level if he wishes so, but not below the minimum caster level needed to cast the spell for his class.

Does this mean that you can't cast a spell of a given level if your effective caster level is below the minimum needed (through some effect that reduce caster level, like, for example, the Alternative Source Spell metamagic feat, or Uncanny Forethought)?

And you can't cast any spell if your effective caster level is lowered to zero?

[Elfinor]

A 37
Inner Beauty (Bard 4, Fiendish Codex I) has an accompanying picture that matches, but doesn't force an evil-aligned creature into its 'true' form so much as force it into a bestial form.

[Callum]

Q 39

With the Staggering Strike feat (from Complete Adventurer), is the Fort save DC calculated using just the sneak attack damage, or all the damage dealt by that single attack (including the sneak attack damage, along with weapon damage, Str bonus, magical effects, etc.)?

Q 40

When you use the Penetrating Strike ACF (from Dungeonscape) to deal damage to a creature that is immune to sneak attack damage, does this allow you to use your Staggering Strike feat on that creature?

[Andezzar]

A 39

It is the whole damage.

A 40

No. The ACF gives you a damage bonus, but it does not make the target vulnerable to sneak attacks.

[willpell]

Q 36
Can clothing be enchanted like armor? What other options are there for someone who does not want to wear armor to increase his armor bonus through items?

S'more A36
There's an Ioun Stone that grants a +1 AC and doesn't take up a body slot. Any number of spells and powers of course, plus just having a high Dex and anything that boosts this. Natural armor, which is distinct from armor armor, and available through everything from buying an Amulet to sinking ten levels into Dragon Disciple until you become a half-dragon. And if you're really desperate, there's the Dodge feat, and Psionic Dodge which stacks with it, and the incarnum version Midnight Dodge, and shaping a soulmeld that gives you an AC bonus (Ankheg Breastplate is one example but it does count as armor, albeit weightless; the others I can think of require essentia, so you might need to burn another feat).

(Note that many of these are very low-op choices, so use at your own risk.)

[Aeryr]

Q41 Is there any point in the rules where it says that you cannot buy skill ranks (as cross class skills) for trained only skills?

For example, can a rogue get ranks in Lucid Dreaming?

[Andezzar]

A 41

No, not unless the skill itself explicitly prohibits it. "Trained only" solely means that you cannot perform a check unless you have at least one rank in it.

[Sewercop]

Q42

Chaining alternative class features? Is it legal by raw or not?
Can a druid that have gotten barbarian fast movement from acf trade it again for pounce?

edit: typed rage insted of fast movement

[Andezzar]

A 42

No. To exchange the Class Features you need to have the class whose features are exchanged. Just having the feature is not enough.

[Curmudgeon]

A 040 additional info

In addition to the Dungeonscape Penetrating Strike alternative class feature, note there is also a Lightbringer Penetrating Strike ACF in Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (page 208). While the Dungeonscape ACF just says you get damage against a sneak-immune foe without qualifying that damage, the EtCR ACF gives you sneak attack damage with ½ the normal dice, and thus will qualify for the benefit of Complete Adventurer's Staggering Strike feat. As these are ACFs with two different names you can choose either one.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Q 43

Could a caster cast a Stilled Mineralize Warrior (Und) on themselves? In the spell's description, it mentions that thy cannot, because they cannot move. Would Still Spell (or Sudden Still) override this?

[Lateral]

Q 44

Does a wizard or archivist need to have his spellbook on hand to both prepare and cast his spells, or only to prepare them?

[Kuulvheysoon]

A 44

No. Wizards and Archivists do not require their spellbooks to cast their spells. Shugenjas (CD), however, do need theirs.

[Larkas]

Q45: If a character takes Improved Unarmed Strike, it can make unarmed strikes as off-hand attacks, so a 1st-level Human Fighter with 14 Strength, Two-Weapon Fighting and Improved Unarmed Strike could make a full attack like this: longsword +1 melee (1d8+2) and unarmed strike +1 melee (1d3+1). But an unarmed strike isn't necessarily a punch: it can be a kick, for example. So could the same Fighter make the following attack: greatsword +1 melee (2d6+3) and unarmed strike +1 melee (1d3+1)?

[Curmudgeon]

A 043 No.
Components: V, S, M, XP
Range: Touch
...
The subject may have no more Hit Dice than you do, and it must be restrained in a coffinlike enclosure of stone for the duration of the casting. (Thus, you cannot be the subject of your own spell.) From Player's Handbook on page 170:
To cast a spell, you must be able to speak (if the spell has a verbal component), gesture (if it has a somatic component), and manipulate the material components or focus (if any). A restrained subject cannot manipulate the required material component, nor can they touch themselves specifically as part of the casting. It's not just the somatic components that are an impediment to casting Mineralize Warrior on yourself. The highlighted restriction applies as stated.

A 045 Yes.

D&D 3.5 removed handedness except as an appearance factor, so your "off hand" attack doesn't have to be taken with a particular hand, or any hand.

[Larkas]

Q46: Is there any way to add 1-1/2 Str to any attack during a Flurry of Blows?

[danzibr]

Q 047

If a level 6 Bard uses Words of Creation (doubles attack and damage bonus, though debatable) while strumming on a Masterwork Mandolin (+1 attack -1 damage) for IC, which should it be?

a) [+1 attack (base) +1 attack (mandolin)]*2 (WoC) = +4 attack
[+1 damage (base) -1 damage (mandolin)]*2(WoC) = +0 damage

b) +1 attack (base) *2 (WoC) +1 attack (mandolin) = +3 attack
+1 damage (base) *2 (WoC) -1 damage (mandolin) = +1 damage?

Essentially, I'm asking when you double.

[Callum]

Q 48

Can a character who is disabled (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#disabled) perform a swift action in the same round that they perform a move action or standard action?

[Duke of URL]

A 48

It's actually ambiguous, though a very strict reading might imply no since it doesn't say you can use them. The disabled condition limits the character to a single standard action or move action; however, the associated text also mentions taking free actions, implying that the actual intent of the rule is to prohibit the use of full-round actions.

But since swift or immediate actions aren't called out one way or the other, there's no solid RAW answer as to whether they are allowed. If they are, take note of the consequences of anything strenuous, as specified by the free action clause.

[willpell]

A 48
If they are, take note of the consequences of anything strenuous, as specified by the free action clause.

Which text of course specifically calling out quickened spells, and those have since become swift actions. So the answer leans toward "probably yes", even if the text doesn't clarify - it can't, since the extra action types were added after the 3.5 PHB went out.

(Honestly I don't know why they didn't just publish a new PhB with the S&IA's rule, instead of putting a sidebar describing them into every single book published after the Minis Handbook. That would have been the place this question could get answered.)


A 045 Yes.
D&D 3.5 removed handedness except as an appearance factor, so your "off hand" attack doesn't have to be taken with a particular hand, or any hand.

I'm inclined to dispute this call, since if two-handed weapons still allow you to make an unarmed strike, nearly every melee character would go for this option (an extra free attack, even for nonlethal and at AoO risk, is a pretty major deal), and so the setting would be full of guys running around throwing a kick or headbutt or butt-slam in after every single greatsword chop. That it's unrealistic and goofy doesn't matter for this thread's purposes, but I also suspect that it's very strongly against RAI and might well be prohibited by RAW in some less than obvious fashion. Isn't there anything in core or the Rules Compendium clarifying you can's toss other attacks in along with a THW attack unless you have more-than-human anatomy?

[mattie_p]

[b]045 Dispute[b] I'm inclined to dispute this call, since if two-handed weapons still allow you to make an unarmed strike, nearly every melee character would go for this option (an extra free attack, even for nonlethal and at AoO risk, is a pretty major deal), and so the setting would be full of guys running around throwing a kick or headbutt or butt-slam in after every single greatsword chop. That it's unrealistic and goofy doesn't matter for this thread's purposes, but I also suspect that it's very strongly against RAI and might well be prohibited by RAW in some less than obvious fashion. Isn't there anything in core or the Rules Compendium clarifying you can's toss other attacks in along with a THW attack unless you have more-than-human anatomy?

045 cont. Nothing forbids it. From the SRD


Unarmed Attacks (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#attack)
Striking for damage with punches, kicks, and head butts is much like attacking with a melee weapon.

Two Weapon Fighting (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#twoWeaponFighting)
If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. You suffer a -6 penalty with your regular attack or attacks with your primary hand and a -10 penalty to the attack with your off hand when you fight this way. You can reduce these penalties in two ways:

•If your off-hand weapon is light, the penalties are reduced by 2 each. (An unarmed strike is always considered light.)
•The Two-Weapon Fighting feat lessens the primary hand penalty by 2, and the off-hand penalty by 6.


Thus unarmed strikes are permitted as a secondary attack for a character, even armed with a two-handed weapon, albeit the primary melee attack is at -4, and the unarmed strike is at -8. With the two-weapon fighting feat, these penalties are reduced to -2 primary and -2 unarmed strike. This provokes an attack of opportunity unless the character has or benefits from the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. Whether or not a character "would" or "should" do this is outside the scope of this thread.

[trazwald]

Q49

Q49A: Does adding the Dragonborn template to a half-giant remove any of its racial abilities (ie. Stomp x/day, powerful build etc.)?

Q49B: Are the wings granted by the Dragonborn template (if wings are chosen) considered a supernatural ability? Or more to the point, do they function in an AMF?

Thank you!

[LordDrakulzen]

Q49
Please help me win this fight.

The Monster of Legend Template from MMII, which was updated with a packet states that the Level Adjustment is a +7. My friend is trying to state, that it is a +5, and the other +2 comes from the Minotaur.

Which is it?

[mattie_p]

Q49Q50
Please help me win this fight.

The Monster of Legend Template from MMII, which was updated with a packet states that the Level Adjustment is a +7. My friend is trying to state, that it is a +5, and the other +2 comes from the Minotaur.

Which is it?

A50 You. 3.5 Web Accessory Update clearly states "LA Base Creature +7."

[Rickshaw]

Q51

A figure steps forward, shrouded, unarmed. The two half-orcs step away from their latest victim, pocketing the old gnome's coin purse. They grin nastily at each other, and step forward. They lick their lips and raise their clubs, anticipating a fantastic, brutal beating for this new victim. suddenly the figure shouts "RAGING MONGOOSE STRIKE!" and proceeds to beat the ever-living crap outta them.

He was a monk 2/unarmed sword sage x. how many times did he hit them? how many weapons is someone who can attack with any part of their body considered to be holding?

[Andezzar]

A 51

This would not work at all. While a character with improved unarmed strike is considered armed, he is not holding any weapons. Even a monk's unarmed Strike (which the unarmed swordsage gets) does not help as his attacks are only considered manufactured/natural weapons for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance manufactured/natural weapons. The Raging Mongoose boost enhances the character, not the weapons. So he gets zero additional attacks.

[Curmudgeon]

A 049

Yes, the Dragonborn template will remove Half-Giant Psi-Like Abilities (which includes Stomp), Fire Acclimated, and Powerful Build. From page 10 of Races of the Dragon:
Other Racial Traits: You lose all other racial traits of your original race, including bonus feats, skill bonuses, attack bonuses, save bonuses, spell-like abilities, and so forth.

A 049B No.

The Wings Dragonborn racial trait is designated as Extraordinary.

[Kol Korran]

Q52

i see the term "War hulk" mentioned on the forums. it seems to be a PrC? where is it from? i can't find it on my books.
thanks!

[Curmudgeon]

A 052

Some useful links for you:

Character Class Index (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/lists/class)
Prestige Class Index (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/lists/prc)
You'll find War Hulk in Miniatures Handbook starting on page 22.

[Kol Korran]

thanks!

Q53

in continuation of 52, now that i found the war hulk. in the requirements it sais the creature must be at least large. do races with the "powerful build" feature qualify? (goliaths, half giants).

if not, in the case of the goliath's substitution barbarian levels (which makes him large when rages)- will he qualify then? can you qualify to a prestige class only when raging? :smallconfused:

[Curmudgeon]

A 053 No.

Powerful Build offers the benefits of being treated as one size larger in only 3 specific contexts; prestige class membership is not included.

A character doesn't get to decide when they advance a level; the DM decides that. You immediately go up a level when the DM gives you enough XP to put you over the level requirement. While you would temporarily qualify if you happened to be raging at the time, you don't have an opportunity to prepare for level advancement. Also note that step 1. Choose Class is the beginning of every level advancement, meaning you must satisfy the entry requirements every time you choose a class level, not just the 1st time you choose a level in a class. See Player's Handbook on pages 58-59 for the level advancement steps.

[Larkas]

Just repeating my question:

Q46: Is there any way to add 1-1/2 Str to any attack during a Flurry of Blows?

[Rickshaw]

A52
war hulk
Miniatures handbook, page 22

Edit:...soo very ninja's :smalleek:

[deuxhero]

Q54
EPH has a power called Psionic Lion's Charge. The Psionic qualifier suggests a "Lion's Charge" spell exists. Does it and where is it?

[Curmudgeon]

A 054

Spell Compendium, on page 133.

[deuxhero]

Thanks

Q55
EPH predates Spell Compendium by a while (I think), was Lion's Charge previously printed?

[willpell]

Q56
Answered it myself.

[Roto]

Q57

Can an awakened cat become a Lich? or Dry Lich?

[Curmudgeon]

A 055

Yes, Lion's Charge was previously published in Savage Species on page 68 (pre-3.5) and in Miniatures Handbook on page 37 (early 3.5). The updated version (with different spell levels) in Spell Compendium takes precedence if anyone in the game has access to that book, so it's the best one to cite.

A 057

Awakened animals are always NPCs, so it's entirely up to the individual DM.

[WonderfulAngus]

Q58
where/ what are the rules for 1/day items such as chronocharms from MIC do you need to rest for 8 hours to use them? Do you need to wait 24 hours to use it again? Can you use it at 11:59PM and 12:01AM?

Q59
How do spells/day and 1/day abilities function on planets with 72 hour days or 4 hour days?

[Khedrac]

A58
There is no RAW answer to this one - it's DM's call. There is a strong argument to say "no" to resting 8 hours as that could stop one being re-used over 24 hours later if you have not had sufficient rest.

A59
This is a simple RAW thread - what makes you think there likely to be a printed answer to this one? Actually there is - Rule 0 - go ask your DM. Actually there might be some hints in the Manual of the Planes when discussing the Astral Plane where (if my memory serves) time doesn't flow.
If you are the DM then think about it for yourself, discuss with your players if you can without giving spoilers, or start a new thread to discuss. A question like this will never be simple.

[Amakule]

Questions 60-63 are for a character with the Improved Trip feat if it makes any difference.
Q60: If one has multiple attacks from a high base attack bonus, can they make multiple trip attempts in a turn?

Q61: Would multiple attacks granted by Haste grant multiple trip attempts?

Q62: Would wielding two weapons (either natural or not) grant multiple trip attempts?

Q63: If one has Knock-Down (Deities & Demigods), can one make a full attack, make a trip attempt against all of those they hit (& deal 10 or more damage to), and attack each again? There is no errata for this version and nothing in the FAQ.

[mattie_p]

A60: Yes, a trip attempt is an attack, and as such takes the place of an iterative attack or a natural attack, whichever applies.

A61:Yes, haste grants an extra attack when using the full attack action, so you would get an extra trip attempt, at your highest BAB.

A62:Yes, as you can make a trip attempt in place of any attack, wielding two or more weapons that you can attack with would grant extra trip attempts. Note that many but not all such weapons are two-handed weapons. You may use an unarmed attack to make a trip attempt in such a case, or even if not.

A63:Yes, this sequence is permitted during your turn. Making a trip attempt during this sequence is a free action, improved trip then grants you another attack (which is not an action as defined in the feat improved trip). Note that once tripped, you cannot then knockback yet again. You must also do this in iterative sequence, from highest BAB to lowest, one attack at a time.

[cd4]

A60 Addmendum Most DMs will not allow you to make trip attacks on already tripped opponents so you can make multiple trip attempts on an opponent but only until one succeeds.


Repost for another chance of getting these answered

Q23 a) Are there any spells or powers that have a casting time of 1 move action?
b) Is there any way of making spells or powers have a casting time of 1 move action?

Q64 If I cast a metamagic spell does the spellcraft DC increase to work out what I am casting?

Q65 Can I dismiss a time stop early?

Q66 If I cast persist time stop can I rest and then prepare divine spells?

[Roto]

A 057

Awakened animals are always NPCs, so it's entirely up to the individual DM.

They aren't always NPCs. I am asking as a player, is it possible? Are there any restrictions that would stop a cat from becoming a Lich?

[Andezzar]

A 65

No, it is not dismissable.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 60 Addmendum
Most DMs will not allow you to make trip attacks on already tripped opponents so you can make multiple trip attempts on an opponent but only until one succeeds.
There's nothing actually prohibiting making a trip attempt against an already-prone opponent; it's just that the attack cannot succeed because someone already prone cannot be knocked "more prone". (This is similar to a spellcaster attempting to cast Hold Person on an Aasimar; the spell just cannot succeed.) The rules largely don't prohibit PCs from trying to do things even when those things are impossible to accomplish.

Re: A 057

They aren't always NPCs. I am asking as a player, is it possible? Are there any restrictions that would stop a cat from becoming a Lich?
Here are the relevant rules. From page 11 of Player's Handbook:
ABILITY ADJUSTMENTS
Find your character’s race on Table 2–1: Racial Ability Adjustments (see the next page) and apply the adjustments you see there to your character’s ability scores. If these changes put your score above 18 or below 3, that’s okay, except in the case of Intelligence, which does not go below 3 for characters. (If your half-orc character would have an adjusted Intelligence of 1 or 2, make it 3 instead.) From the Animal type (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#animalType) definition (pages 305-306 of Monster Manual):
Animal Type

Traits
An animal possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).

Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (no creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher can be an animal).
From the Awaken (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/awaken.htm) spell (page 202 of Player's Handbook):
Target: Animal or tree touched If it's a Cat ─ a creature of Animal type (Intelligence 1 or 2) as required by Awaken ─ it cannot be a PC (Intelligence does not go below 3).

If your DM is attempting to circumvent these rules and allow an awakened Cat as a PC, all questions related to such a PC should be directed to that DM. As demonstrated above it cannot be a RAW question, but instead specific to the house rule(s) used by your DM.

[KillianHawkeye]

Re: 57

But an awakened cat DOES have a minimum Intelligence of 3 (they roll 3d6), so your particular argument carries no weight.

This whole PC vs NPC thing is a nonissue in any case, since the rules apply equally to NPCs. This is a RAW thread, not one about DMs' house rules regarding custom monster creation.

To actually answer the question being posed, the Lich template can only be applied to a Humanoid, so a cat (awakened or not) is ineligible. The Dry Lich template, on the other hand, can be applied to any living creature--provided they're able to make the required canopic jars and undergo the sere rite. You'll have to check with your DM to see if a cat is capable of doing so.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 057

But an awakened cat DOES have a minimum Intelligence of 3 (they roll 3d6), so your particular argument carries no weight.

Level Adjustment
This line is included in the entries of creatures suitable for use as player characters or as cohorts (usually creatures with Intelligence scores of at least 3 and possessing opposable thumbs).
The Cat creature entry (Monster Manual, pages 270-271) clearly shows "Level Adjustment: —" marking it as unsuitable for creating a PC. The Awaken (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/awaken.htm) spell does not modify the target creature's level adjustment, and thus a Cat after being targeted by that spell still remains unsuitable for creating a new PC. I dismissed that avenue out of hand as being impossible under the RAW. I see that my response should have been even longer to cover even more ways in which the RAW does not permit an awakened Cat PC. :smallsigh: I only dealt with ways in which a PC might become an awakened Cat, not the obviously illegal direct creation of an awakened Cat PC. I apologize for this oversight.

[Larkas]

Q66: The SRD says this about the Flurry of Blows:


When using weapons as part of a flurry of blows, a monk applies her Strength bonus (not Str bonus x 1-1/2 or x 1/2) to her damage rolls for all successful attacks, whether she wields a weapon in one or both hands.

Now, I assume there are no ways to circumvent that (which is a pity, it would be a great use to Whirling Steel Strike). But suppose a monk has TWF, ITWF and GTWF. If you use a weapon to make your off-hand attacks during a flurry, will you be able to add your full Strength bonus to the damage?

[Curmudgeon]

A 066 No.

You're confusing "during a flurry" (your statement) with "as part of a flurry of blows" (the rule statement). Both Two-Weapon Fighting and flurry of blows require the full attack action, but they have different characteristics. Only flurry of blows off-hand attacks with weapons gain 1x STR bonus to damage; TWF off-hand attacks gain ½ STR bonus as ususal. The attacks specific to a flurry of blows are as specified in the Monk class description. Other attacks, even if they all happen during the same action, do not gain those benefits unless there's an explicit statement to that effect.

[KillianHawkeye]

I see that my response should have been even longer to cover even more ways in which the RAW does not permit an awakened Cat PC. :smallsigh: I only dealt with ways in which a PC might become an awakened Cat, not the obviously illegal direct creation of an awakened Cat PC. I apologize for this oversight.

Considering that the question was whether or not a cat could become a lich, I don't see why you're going on about being a PC or not at all. As I said already, that's entirely tangential to the question being asked.

[willpell]

Q67
The Wild Cohort (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) feat says that you can acquire alternative animal companions as if you were a Druid three levels lower; if you do so, do you also treat your level as being lower on the table that lists the cohort's improvement? For instance, if you're 7th level and you take a 4th-level companion, do you use the 7th-level line on the table (the companion has +3 natural armor), the 4th-level line (companion has Evasion), or neither (companion is the minimum level you could acquire it at, so it uses the first line of the table and has neither natch armor nor Evasion)?

Q68
Would I be correct in surmising that a Level 3 Wilder, who meets the Manifester Level 3 prerequisite of the feat Expanded Knowledge but still has Maximum Power Level Known set at 1st, cannot benefit from this feat since there are no powers of one level lower than her maximum? Can she take it with her level 3 feat and "save" the "learn a power" opportunity to unlock at a subsequent level?

[Hassassin]

Q 69 How do the gestalt feats work with gestalt chars? If I am a Ranger 5//Scout 5 with Swift Hunter am I considered a Ranger 10 and Scout 10 for favored enemies and skirmish? And if I am a Ranger 2/Scout 3//Scout2/Ranger 3?
Thanks in advance.

[willpell]

Q 69 How do the gestalt feats work with gestalt chars? If I am a Ranger 5//Scout 5 with Swift Hunter am I considered a Ranger 10 and Scout 10 for favored enemies and skirmish? And if I am a Ranger 2/Scout 3//Scout2/Ranger 3?
Thanks in advance.

I would not mind having some idea what this person is talking about....

[ThiagoMartell]

Q 69 How do the gestalt feats work with gestalt chars? If I am a Ranger 5//Scout 5 with Swift Hunter am I considered a Ranger 10 and Scout 10 for favored enemies and skirmish? And if I am a Ranger 2/Scout 3//Scout2/Ranger 3?
Thanks in advance.

Dual progression classes are not supposed to be used in gestalt. There were no dual progression feats when gestalt was published, so it's probably intended for them not to be used as well. Your first example is correct - favored enemies as a Ranger 10 and skirmish as a Scout 10.
Also, you can't have the same class on different sides of gestalt. Your second example is illegal.

[willpell]

Dual progression classes are not supposed to be used in gestalt.

Q70
What is a "dual progression class"?

[ThiagoMartell]

Q70
What is a "dual progression class"?

This is explained in the gestalt rules. Mystic Theurge and similar prestige classes that progress two different classes' set of abilities are dual progression classes.

[Andezzar]

What he proposed are not dual progression classes but a feat that stacks levels of two classes to calculate the benefit of class features.

[ThiagoMartell]

What he proposed are not dual progression classes but a feat that stacks levels of two classes to calculate the benefit of class features.

I don't think you read my post. Here it is. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13292260&postcount=118)

[willpell]

What he proposed are not dual progression classes but a feat that stacks levels of two classes to calculate the benefit of class features.

Q71
Where are such feats described, and do they exist for all core classes?

[ThiagoMartell]

Q71
Where are such feats described, and do they exist for all core classes?

They don't exist for all core classes. There are some in Complete Adventurer and some in Complete Scoundrel. Dragon Magazine has a bunch as well. A few Initiate feats from assorted FR books have similar benefits.

[Man on Fire]

Q 72
Rogue 1/Monk 10 is fanking the enemy. Does he gets 1d6 from sneak attack to all of his flurry of blows attacks?

Q 73

does Ascetic Mage feat have prequisities and if so, what are they?

[Kuulvheysoon]

A 73

Yes. The prerequisites are Improved Unarmed Strike and the ability to spontaneously cast 2nd level arcane spells.

[Tavar]

A 72

Yes. Any attack that satisfies the conditions for Sneak Attack(flanking, Flatfooted, etc) gains sneak attack dice.

[Dark Kerman]

Q74 -Is there any enchantment in a book, that gives the effect of the flaming enchantment (dms guide) except for sonic damage?

[Andezzar]

A 74

I'm not aware of an equivalent but the Magic Item Companion has the Screaming special ability that does 1d4 sonic damage.

Q 75

Do the damage bonuses from Holy and Sacred stack if the weapon hits an evil outsider or an evil undead?

[IthilanorStPete]

Q 76
If a character has a negative strength modifier, do natural attacks that add 0.5*Str to damage deal more damage than natural attacks that add 1*Str?

[Curmudgeon]

A 075 Yes.

The bonus damage sources are different, and Sacred is described as positive energy while Holy is untyped.
Stacking

In most cases, modifiers to a given check or roll stack (combine for a cumulative effect) if they come from different sources and have different types (or no type at all), but do not stack if they have the same type or come from the same source (such as the same spell cast twice in succession).

A 076 No.
Strength Bonus

When you hit with a melee or thrown weapon, including a sling, add your Strength modifier to the damage result. A Strength penalty, but not a bonus, applies on attacks made with a bow that is not a composite bow.

Off-Hand Weapon
When you deal damage with a weapon in your off hand, you add only ½ your Strength bonus. The basic rule is that you add your Strength modifier to all damage. Only if you have a Strength bonus do you add ½ that with off hand attacks or natural attacks. Since you have a Strength penalty, you follow the basic rule and add that to both main hand and off hand attacks, and to secondary natural attacks.
natural weapons as secondary attacks (–5 penalty on attack rolls, and 1/2 Strength bonus on damage rolls).

[NM020110]

Q 77
When the subject of a polymorph any object spell, does one gain the hit dice associated with the new form?

[Aeryr]

Q 78 Can a Shifter druid shift while he is wildshapped?

[killem2]

Q 79: Can a Swindlespitter be commanded to spit with a handle animal check of it's master rather than waiting for it's natural use according to the monster manual3?

[Crasical]

Q 80

Are there official rules for a Palanquin, rickshaw, or other human-pulled vehicle in any official 3.5 book?

[ThiagoMartell]

Q 80

Are there official rules for a Palanquin, rickshaw, or other human-pulled vehicle in any official 3.5 book?

A 80: Sword and Fist is a 3.0 book with rules for such.

[bokodasu]

Q81a Please help me understand mounted combat. Given a rider with a move of 30' and an arbitrarily high ride skill, and a war-trained mount with a move of 50', which of these are legal moves?

A: Mount moves 20', Rider attacks, Mount moves 30'
B: Mount moves 20', Rider attacks, Mount moves 30' and then attacks
C: Mount moves 50', Rider fast dismounts, Rider moves 30' and then attacks

Also,

Q81b If you use the "cover" ability of the ride skill to drop down and hang alongside your mount... what is the action to get back into the saddle? Mount?

[Andezzar]

Q 82

Is there a way to emulate a Feat with Use Magic Device? Namely can I somehow fake the True Believer feat to use relics to their full potential?

Q 83

Are there rules for items that "grow" (i.e. become more powerful) with the wielder?

[Curmudgeon]

A 081a A. and C.
Your mount acts on your initiative count as you direct it. You move at its speed, but the mount uses its action to move. The other scenario involves the mount taking two move actions and then a standard action attack, which exceeds the actions available in a round.

A 081b Yes.

Getting into the saddle is mounting. That will either involve a move action or a Ride check for Fast Mount.

A 082 Not directly.

Emulating a feat is not one of the capabilities of Use Magic Device. The closest UMD provides is Emulate a Class Feature. If you found a base class that had True Believer as a granted feat (such as Improved Unarmed Strike by emulating the unarmed strike class feature of a level 1 Monk) that would work. The Pious Templar has a requirement of having True Believer to enter that prestige class, but True Believer is not granted as a feature of that class. I don't know of any way of pretending to have True Believer with UMD.

[Lej]

Q84

Can Underfolk (RoD p108) take the Able Learner (RoD p150) feat?
Underfolk are of the type Humanoid (human)
Able Learner has the prerequisite "Human or doppelganger"

[deuxhero]

Q85

Does a large (2x) quadruped (3x) have 4x or 6x carrying capacity? I'd use a horses given capacity, but it doesn't match either for some reason.

[Curmudgeon]

A 085 Neither.
Quadrupeds can carry heavier loads than characters can. Instead of the multipliers given above, multiply the value corresponding to the creature’s Strength score from Table: Carrying Capacity by the appropriate modifier, as follows: Fine ×¼, Diminutive ×½, Tiny ×¾, Small ×1, Medium ×1½, Large ×3, Huge ×6, Gargantuan ×12, Colossal ×24. The factors for size are already figured into the quadruped adjustments, so it's 3x the table figures.

[Crasical]

A 80: Sword and Fist is a 3.0 book with rules for such.

I'm not finding them. Can you cite page number?

[Khedrac]

A83
Yes - Legacy items have powers dependent on the level of the wielder.
The rules are in the book "Weapons of Legacy" which has most of them, but there are a few examples in other books (e.g. Tome of Battle: Book of the Nine Swords).
As presented they have negatives associated with them which are usually regarded to make them not worthwhile (also a lot of the "bonuses" are useless such as +2 enhancement bonus to strength at 16th level - anyone who wants such should already have better at that level).

A84
Yes - the sub-type of human makes them human for feats/powers/spells that reference humans.

[willpell]

Q86
The Monk's Fast Movement ability is explicitly an enhancement bonus to speed, meaning it doesn't stack with the +10 speed enhancement bonus granted by the Burst psionic power. Barbarians also have an extraordinary ability called Fast Movement, but it works differently than a monk's, coming online at 1st level rather than 3rd and not increasing at later levels. Nowhere in the text of the ability (in my PHB or the SRD) is it stated that the barbarian's flat +10 speed is an enhancement bonus. Is it? Can a multiclass Barbarian/Nomad or Barbarian/Psychic-Warrior use Burst to move 50 feet?

[Crake]

Q87

The master of many form's Extraordinary Wildshape ability says you can assume the Ex special qualities of any form you take. In the context of that ability, are immunities that aren't specified as either considered Ex or Su special qualities?

edit: also what about immunies from types, such as fire type getting fire immunity etc

[Pilo]

A86:

The bonus is untyped so it stacks with any other bonus.

[willpell]

A86:

The bonus is untyped so it stacks with any other bonus.

Are you sure of that? That seems like the obvious interpretation, but the fact that both abilities have the same name makes it seem likely that they could both grant the same type of bonus (enhancement), although the fact that they give different quantities of output could also indicate that they do indeed have different bonuses. Is is known that this is intentionally an untyped bonus, rather than just a failure to specify any type of bonus (or even to clarify that it would count as a bonus at all; I wouldn't assume it automatically does, it could be considered just raising the base value)? Are there any sources to cite, or are you just making an educated guess?

Q87
Two questions on the Sense Link power.
a. "You take half damage from all attacks that deal hit point damage to you, and the subject takes the remainder. The amount
of damage not taken by you is taken by the subject." Since halves in D&D round down, and the part that's being explicitly halved is the damage to you, would I be correct in presuming that odd amounts of damage are divided as X to you and X+1 to the subject? So if I take 15 damage, I would lose 7 hp and my buddy would lose 8?
b. There's a paragraph saying that if you and the subject move farther apart than Close range, the power ends; there is then a paragraph saying that you can have two other people share pain, one with the other instead of you with one other. I feel safe in presuming that Close range is defined by your manifester level even when the power is used on two others, but what I'm not clear on is this: If Pstanley causes Alice's pain to be shared with Bob, do Alan and Bob both need to stay within Close range of Pstanley, or do they just need to stay within Close range of each other? I guess technically that's "and/or"; if Pstanley is in the middle and Alice and Bob are both at the far edge of his Close range, they're out of range of each other, so does the power remain active or not?

Q88
If you use the Danger Sense power to gain Improved Uncanny Dodge, do you use your Psion levels to determine the minimum level of rogue that can flank you? What if you're a Wilder and you Wild Surge the power up to a higher level of augmentation than your level normally allows, or use Overchannel to do the same? Do you use your actual character level? Do you stack any Barbarian/Rogue levels you have, and do you need to have Uncanny Dodge or Improved Uncanny Dodge through that class in order to do so?

[Curmudgeon]

A 087 Not necessarily.

There isn't a general answer to your question other than that a characteristic which is explicitly stated to be a "special quality" and explicitly labeled as Extraordinary qualifies. For everything else you'll need to start by looking at the specific form and the specific abilities referenced. Some abilities are not designated in a creature's entry, but the ability itself is defined elsewhere; for example, Telepathy isn't designated in most creature and subtype entries, but the Monster Manual Glossary entry (page 316) states it is Supernatural. Many forms have natural abilities in addition to those which are Extraordinary, Supernatural, or Spell-like.
special quality

Characteristics possessed by certain monsters (and sometimes characters) that are distinctive in some way. The Monster Manual has detailed information on all special qualities. According to that online Glossary (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_specialquality&alpha=S) entry, any ability not defined in Monster Manual isn't a special quality and thus is unavailable via Extraordinary Wild Shape, so it's necessary to first establish that an ability is indeed a special quality. The Fire Giant's fire immunity (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_fireimmunity&alpha=F) is a special quality because that's stated as such both specifically in its creature entry and generally on Monster Manual page 300, and the Fire subtype (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_firesubtype&alpha=F) is in the Glossary on page 309. But none of those entries qualifies the Fire Giant's immunity to fire as either Extraordinary or Supernatural. According to the definitions, using an Extraordinary ability (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_extraordinaryability&alpha=E) requires a free action unless noted otherwise, and using a Supernatural ability (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_supernaturalability&alpha=S) requires a standard action unless noted otherwise (see Monster Manual on page 315). No mention of the Fire Giant's fire immunity special ability specifies any action requirement, which means it doesn't fit either specification.

You'll need to ask questions specific to individual forms (as with the Fire Giant's fire immunity), and even then may have to ask your individual DM which way they would categorize a particular undesignated ability in their game. If for instance the DM categorized Fire Giant fire immunity as Extraordinary, they would also need to specify how that would work as a free action, given that free actions can only be used on your turn.

A 088

Your question makes no sense, so I'm going to assume you meant Share Pain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/sharePain.htm) instead of Sense Link (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/senseLink.htm).

a. Yes.

b.

The specification is that the power ends if the subject and you exceed Close range from each other, and this holds if there are two subjects. Their distance from each other does not matter, but the power ends if either subject gets too far from you.

A 089

The Danger Sense (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dangerSense.htm) power does not specify any effective levels in any class. As such, the granted improved uncanny dodge ability can be bypassed by any Rogue with 4+ levels more than the character's actual number of Rogue (or Barbarian, or other class which specifies their levels qualify for improved uncanny dodge) levels. Psion and Wilder levels are irrelevant.

[killem2]

Q 90: What are the books in which the Binder Class features/abilities ect are placed?

RE Q 79: Anyone have anything on the swindle spitter?

[cd4]

A90 Tome of Magic has most of the binder rules starting on page 7 with a discussion on pact magic and with the binder class on page 9

[Demonic_Spoon]

A90 Additional

There are also some online articles with additional vestiges and a few in some dragon magazines, this handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=137.0) has most of the sources.

Q91

Is there anyway to circumvent immunity to mind-effecting

Q92

Are there way to make a single target or similar spell a area spell?

Q93

What happens when a non-cleric divine spellcaster, like say the druid, takes levels in contemplative and gains a bonus domain?

[Curmudgeon]

A 093

The rules for non-Clerics gaining a domain are in Complete Divine on page 20. Basically the character gains the granted power and (through various mechanisms depending on the particulars of their spellcasting class) the capability of casting one domain spell of each level (within their spellcasting capability) per day.

[Cute_Riolu]

Q94: How does the splitting weapon enhancement for bows and suchlike interact with magical arrows, particularly, for instance, Raptor Arrows which are not destroyed when shot?

[danzibr]

Q 095

(accidentally posted earlier in PF Simple Q&A)

Can you use Shadow Cloak (DotU) (or similar abilities) after you know you've been hit but before you know damage? Or after you fail a save but before you know what bad stuff happens?

For example, someone hurls a Lightning Bolt at you. You want to teleport out of the "line." Do you have to do it before the reflex save, or can you do it after making the roll but before damage?

[Curmudgeon]

A 094

The interaction will depend on the particulars of the magic involved.
At the beginning of the round after it is fired from a bow, a raptor arrow flies through the air and restrings itself on the bow from which it was fired. Unlike most ammunition, raptor arrows are not destroyed when used.
Effect: Any arrow or bolt fired from a splitting weapon magically splits into two missiles in mid-flight. Both missiles are identical, sharing the nonsplitting properties of the original missile After splitting happens in mid-flight neither identical missile is the raptor arrow which was fired. As such that arrow no longer exists and cannot restring itself.

The tricky part is "sharing the nonsplitting property" of "not destroyed when used". The original raptor arrow was used, but both missiles after splitting are new magical creations and were never used. So the standard rules apply.
Generally speaking, ammunition that hits its target is destroyed or rendered useless, while normal ammunition that misses has a 50% chance of being destroyed or lost. If you always miss your target you will average 1 raptor arrow preserved after splitting.

A 095

An immediate action can be taken at any time, but it cannot normally split time. In gameplay there can be a mechanical separation between rolling to hit and rolling damage, but this is not a requirement; hit and damage dice can be tossed in a a dice cup and rolled together for convenience. Inside the game there is no separation between hit and damage because the damage is just the quantification of the hit. You can use an immediate action to preempt an attack directed against your character, or you can use it after that attack. If you have a special ability which allows making a decision separating an attack roll and the corresponding damage roll you can exercise that, but most immediate actions do not have such capability.

[Andezzar]

Q 96

What happens when you carry an object with continual flame on it into an area with deeper darkness?

Q 97

What happens if you benefit from the bard's dragonfire inspiration and deliver a sneak attack with a sap or an unarmed strike?

[Curmudgeon]

A 096

If it had been cast by a Wizard/Sorcerer (and would thus be a 2nd-level spell), the higher-level Deeper Darkness will counter Continual Flame and only shadowy illumination will exist within the affected area. If it had been cast by a Cleric (and would thus be a 3rd-level spell), as a [Light] spell of the same level as Deeper Darkness, Continual Flame will counter the [Darkness] spell in its illumination radius, leaving the 20' radius of bright illumination. Note that a Deeper Darkness effect brought into the area of a 3rd-level Continual Flame (rather than the other way around) would instead counter the equal-level [Light] spell; ties always go to the effect introduced last.

A 097

Sneak attack damage is of the same type as the attack which delivers it, so that would be nonlethal damage with a sap, and either lethal or nonlethal damage with an unarmed strike depending on Improved Unarmed Strike and the character's choice. Dragonfire Inspiration makes the targets of the Bard's Inspire Courage ability add fire damage as a bonus to weapon damage rolls regardless of the type of damage dealt by the weapon. There is no interaction between sneak attack and Dragonfire Inspiration.

[Crake]

A 087 Not necessarily.

There isn't a general answer to your question other than that a characteristic which is explicitly stated to be a "special quality" and explicitly labeled as Extraordinary qualifies. For everything else you'll need to start by looking at the specific form and the specific abilities referenced. Some abilities are not designated in a creature's entry, but the ability itself is defined elsewhere; for example, Telepathy isn't designated in most creature and subtype entries, but the Monster Manual Glossary entry (page 316) states it is Supernatural. Many forms have natural abilities in addition to those which are Extraordinary, Supernatural, or Spell-like. According to that online Glossary (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_specialquality&alpha=S) entry, any ability not defined in Monster Manual isn't a special quality and thus is unavailable via Extraordinary Wild Shape, so it's necessary to first establish that an ability is indeed a special quality. The Fire Giant's fire immunity (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_fireimmunity&alpha=F) is a special quality because that's stated as such both specifically in its creature entry and generally on Monster Manual page 300, and the Fire subtype (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_firesubtype&alpha=F) is in the Glossary on page 309. But none of those entries qualifies the Fire Giant's immunity to fire as either Extraordinary or Supernatural. According to the definitions, using an Extraordinary ability (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_extraordinaryability&alpha=E) requires a free action unless noted otherwise, and using a Supernatural ability (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_supernaturalability&alpha=S) requires a standard action unless noted otherwise (see Monster Manual on page 315). No mention of the Fire Giant's fire immunity special ability specifies any action requirement, which means it doesn't fit either specification.

You'll need to ask questions specific to individual forms (as with the Fire Giant's fire immunity), and even then may have to ask your individual DM which way they would categorize a particular undesignated ability in their game. If for instance the DM categorized Fire Giant fire immunity as Extraordinary, they would also need to specify how that would work as a free action, given that free actions can only be used on your turn.



Q87 cont.

Thanks for the detailed response.

In the same context, I'm looking at the Urskan race and note that they have weapons called "Steel Claws". I also recall reading somewhere that feats are considered Ex special qualities. Would the MoMF's Assume Ex Qualities ability give you the Urskan's innate proficiency with those weapons?

On second thought, that probably wouldn't happen, otherwise you'd get all the feats of a creature you turned into, but asking never hurt?

[Andezzar]

Q 96 Follow-Up.

If you removed the object with continual flame on it from the area of deeper darkness, both spells would work normally, right?

Q 98

Is there a way not to use the elemental damage from Dragonfire Inspiration?

[Arkusus]

Q99

Short version: If you have a Doppelganger Psion, can you use the psion's metamorph ability to turn into a huge monstorous creature, and then use the retained Doppelganger's special quality to change your form into a medium humanoid while keeping metamorph bonuses?

Longer version: I'm creating a psion for a campaign, and while looking at races I was wondering.
The Doppelganger has a Special Quality change shape which says "assume the shape of any Small or Medium humanoid."

The Psion's Metamorph ability would let him swap out his Str, Dex, and Con modifiers for a monsters, along with gaining other monster abilities in exchange for his own. It specifically states however that "You retain all supernatural and spell-like special attacks and special qualities of your normal form".

My question is, lets suppose I choose to Metamorph into an Aboleth (which is huge, and rather unsightly) via my psion power, could I then shapeshift right back into a surprisingly strong small or medium humanoid via my racial power, while still being able to use the aboleth's stats and special abilities (that don't require natural attacks)?

[Curmudgeon]

A 087 cont. No.

In the same context, I'm looking at the Urskan race and note that they have weapons called "Steel Claws". I also recall reading somewhere that feats are considered Ex special qualities. Would the MoMF's Assume Ex Qualities ability give you the Urskan's innate proficiency with those weapons?
There are three reasons why the answer is "no" here. Firstly, you're mistaken about that highlighted part. The closest match is in Book of Exalted Deeds, which makes this passing reference:
These feats are thus supernatural in nature (rather than being extraordinary abilities, as most feats are). The problem is that this statistical statement doesn't say which feats might be Extraordinary, and it's not borne out by the rules in the primary source on feats, the Player's Handbook. The Primary Sources Errata Rule declares that where there are disagreements with the primary source, the primary source is correct.

Secondly, feats are not categorized under special qualities; these are independent entries in a monster description. See READING THE ENTRIES in Monster Manual starting on page 5. Special Attacks and Special Qualities are described on page 6, and Feats are described on page 7.

Thirdly, regardless of the feat issue, special abilities are separated into special attacks and special qualities as noted above. Attacks (special or otherwise) are not assumable via a capability limited to special qualities.

A 096 Follow-Up Yes.

[Light] and [Darkness] spells counter each other when one spell effect is brought into the area of another. They only dispel each other when cast with the other spell as the target.

[killem2]

Q 100: A medium creature who is a monk, needs to know what the unarmed damage die will be. If they are level 2 monk, later attain Fist of the Forest bonus to unarmed damage (3rd level version) , then Later attain The Initiate of the Draconic Mysteries 4th Level unarmed damage bonus, and also has Improved Natural Attack....

What is their base unarmed Die used?

Q 101: If there is a class that has a variant that would use both the same level for replacement, can you choose between the variant, even if one of the variants replaces more than one level? Like Passive Way monks UA with The Sidewinder monk from dragon 331?

[Curmudgeon]

A 100 3d6.

A Medium level 2 Monk has 1d6 unarmed damage. The Fist of the Forest (Complete Champion, page 80) class table at level 3 lists Unarmed Damage of 1d10. Since this value is higher than the Monk unarmed damage the FotF figure is used instead. Initiate of the Draconic Mysteries (Draconomicon, page 131) level 4 Increased Unarmed Damage class feature increases this to the next die step, or 1d12. Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike) treats the unarmed damage as if the character were one size larger; according to Table 2–2: Increasing Weapon Damage by Size (Dungeon Master's Guide, page 28) this results in 3d6 base damage.

A 101

There is no general answer; instead, you need to pay attention to the particulars of each case. For your example the Sidewinder Monk variant is clearly stated to be a different class.
When a character elects to take a level of monk or sidewinder monk, she may not later take levels in the other class. Variant fighting styles like Passive Way are specific to the Monk class, not the Sidewinder Monk class. You can, of course, ask your DM to make a house rule exception.

[leegi0n]

Q 102

Generally speaking, the best way to debilitate a psionic is to mess with their mind? In that, would ray of stupidity be the best or one of the best spells to use? Followed by the stomping of the party tank....

[Curmudgeon]

Re: Q 102

Asking for the "best" approach to anything with multiple RAW-legal options is outside the scope of simple answers. It's a good question to pose in its own thread, though.

[trazwald]

Q103
A) If a character has levels in two psionic classes that rely on different ability scores for their manifesting abilities (ie. levels in psion and psywar, which use int and wis respectively), are all the power points in the character's pool usable for all powers known, or does the character have two separate pools of power points that are usable exclusively for the powers granted by the same class that granted the power points?

ex: level 1 psion/level 1 psywar. 2 power points/day from psion (not including those gained from high ability scores), 4 powers known (3 from psion, 1 from psywar). Can those two power points be applied to psywar powers, despite being gained from a level in psion?

B) If more power points were granted by a high wisdom score, would they be usable to manifest psion powers, despite the additional points being derived indirectly from the psywar class? (a straight psion would not gain additional power points from having a high wisdom score)

Thank you!

[Demonic_Spoon]

A103
A) Yes, the powers of the different classes would still be cast at different manifester levels however. From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/index.htm#multiclassPsionicCharacters):

Multiclass Psionic Characters

If you have levels in more than one psionic class, you combine your power points from each class to make up your reserve. You can use these power points to manifest powers from any psionic class you have.

While you maintain a single reserve of power points from your class, race, and feat selections, you are still limited by the manifester level you have achieved with each power you know.

B) Yes

[killem2]

Q 104: Can unarmed attacks such as with a monk be used in conjunction with Two-Weapon Fighting and Weapon Finesse?

[Curmudgeon]

A 104 Yes.

Note that you must abide by any relevant rules. Natural weapons, including unarmed strike, are always considered light weapons. Fighting with two weapons means you must wield something other than just your (single) unarmed strike.
Two-Weapon Fighting

If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. Left and right fists (and feet, elbows, hips, head ...) are not separate weapons any more than the two edges of a sword are separate weapons. Feats and enhancements apply to your single unarmed strike, not separate body parts, just as feats and enhancements apply to a longsword, not its left and right edges (and hilt, pommel, ...) separately.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Q 105

Can a Favored Soul of Bahamut/Tiamat take Sorceror-only spells as their chosen arcane spells for their substitution levels?

They receive Dragontouched as a bonus feat, which allows them to be treated as a sorceror of their HD level.

[Doomboy911]

Q 106 Where can I find rules on heavy objects falling on players? I want to know the kind of damage it deals.

Q 107 What book are shadow dragons in?

[Curmudgeon]

A 105

I'm not sure what you mean by "their chosen arcane spells for their substitution levels". Firstly, Favored of Bahamut/Tiamat is an alternative class feature, not substitution levels. The ACF allows learning a 1st-level Sorcerer spell at FS level 3, and a 6th-level or lower Sorcerer spell at FS level 12. Secondly, the ACF allows a maximum of 2 such spells, but these are not arcane spells; instead, they are added to the Favored Soul's class spell list. Favored Souls cast divine spells.
In addition, you can select draconic feats as if you were a sorcerer of your character level. Dragontouched has no impact on the Favored Soul's spells, only their feats.

A 106

See Complete Warrior on page 159 for the damage done by falling improvised weapons. Use the standard improvised weapon rules to determine if the object hits.

A 107

Draconomicon, starting on page 191.

[killem2]

Q 108: How are maneuvers used? I see a crap load of them in tome of battle but not how you use them, if their are limits, how you refresh those limits if any.

[Andezzar]

A 108

Of the maneuvers you know you can use any maneuver you have readied once per encounter. How you refresh them is described in the class features of the martial classes (crusader, swordsage and warblade).

[killem2]

Q 109: Returning to the question about increasing unarmed damage for a moment. Still a medium creature.

If I was a level 2 monk, with a monk's belt and superior unarmed strike, (putting me at a level 11 monk's damage), giving me 1d10 for damage, then I took, Improved Natural Attack, which says I go to 2d8, then I the full levels of Fist of the Forest, which if I am understand correctly would give me two step increases.

Before I go on, at that point am I set at 4d8? If so...

When I go into The initiate of the Draconic Mysteries, does that mean the first increase goes to 6d8 then 8d8, or does it just go to 4d10, then to 4d12?

I'm not exactly clear on the stacking of these unarmed damage changes and what takes priority for each. My goal is to get to be a: Monk2/Fighter2/Barbarian 1/FoF 3/TIoDM 10/.

Which if I combine it with Monk's Belt, Monk's Tattoo, Superior Unarmed Strike, Improved Natural Attack, and the four increase in damage dice for unarmed damage from the Prestige classes, there is a lot of freaking dice manipulation going on, and I'm not really sure how it's handled.

[Curmudgeon]

A 109 No.

A Monk's Belt, Superior Unarmed Strike feat, and Monk's Tattoo each treat the character as some number of levels higher than their actual Monk level for purposes of unarmed damage. Since the reference point is the same these overlap rather than stack, and you would get the unarmed damage of a Monk at level 7, or 1d8. 3 levels of Fist of the Forest tells you to use the damage indicated on the class table (1d10), or a different amount if your unarmed damage already deals this amount; since it doesn't you would have 1d10 base unarmed damage. Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike) treats your unarmed damage as if you were one size larger, meaning it applies after other considerations of base unarmed damage regardless of when you take the feat. Table 2–2: Increasing Weapon Damage by Size makes that 2d8. Initiate of the Draconic Mysteries level 4's Increased Unarmed Damage pushes the damage to the next higher die step, meaning 2d10 (or the same base damage as a level 20 Monk) if Increased Unarmed Damage were applied last. However, that ability doesn't require a specific order of application. You could apply it last (as above) for 2d10, or before Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike) boosting the next step of 1d12 to 3d6.

So you've got two choices: 2d10 (average 11) or 3d6 (average 10.5). Pick one order and that's your unarmed damage.

[Stegyre]

Q 110: Kobold claw and/or bite attacks

I seem to recall reading somewhere that kobolds have been errataed to give them two claw and one bite attacks (or something like that: some natural attack).

Can someone cite me to the source? (Page number - to save on hunting time - would be excellent.)

(Or correct me, if I'm just totally imagining things.)

[Curmudgeon]

A 110

You're not exactly imagining things, but your memory is bit off. There is an online article (web enhancements to Races of the Dragon) with Variant Kobold Racial Traits here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a). The standard Kobold race has small claws and teeth which are not adequate for natural attacks. Only the variant race has the natural attacks you recall.

[Garan]

Q 111
Do all of the specific metamagic components (UA 139) necessarily be used in a spell, or can some, like a masterwork scimitar for Flame Blade, be re-used?

[Duke of URL]

A 111

The variant system described requires that the expensive material component is consumed as part of the casting in exchange for not requiring the use of a metamagic feat.

[Andezzar]

Q 112

Can the requirement for rare, hard to get and thus arguably expensive material components (basiliks eyelash for example) that do not have a price tag attached to them be avoided by the Eschew Material Feat?

[mattie_p]

A 112 Yes.


A material component (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#components)is one or more physical substances or objects that are annihilated by the spell energies in the casting process. Unless a cost is given for a material component, the cost is negligible. Don’t bother to keep track of material components with negligible cost. Assume you have all you need as long as you have your spell component pouch.

[Keegan__D]

Q 113: One can make a trip attempt as an attack of opportunity, correct? This is under the assumption that they could make a trip attempt normally.

[Curmudgeon]

A 113 Yes.

A trip attempt is a melee attack, which is the requirement for an AoO. If the tripper does not have Improved Unarmed Strike or Improved Trip they will in turn provoke an AoO in an unarmed trip attempt.

[Kredine]

Q 114
Are there any references for building costs within a city?
By that I mean, renting/purchasing existing buildings, for use as a shop.

[Piggy Knowles]

Q 115: Let's say I've got a caster level of 14 and want to animate a colossal object using the Animate Objects spell, which would require either a caster level of 32 or multiple castings adding up as such. I cast it once with my CL of 14, then I use Spell Enhancer and Hymn of Praise to boost my CL to 18, and cast it again. Then I go ahead and use Permanency on it.

What would the caster level be for purposes of dispelling that animated object?

[Urpriest]

Q 115: Let's say I've got a caster level of 14 and want to animate a colossal object using the Animate Objects spell, which would require either a caster level of 32 or multiple castings adding up as such. I cast it once with my CL of 14, then I use Spell Enhancer and Hymn of Praise to boost my CL to 18, and cast it again. Then I go ahead and use Permanency on it.

What would the caster level be for purposes of dispelling that animated object?

A 115: The spell contains no such clause.

[killem2]

Q 116: I am desperately trying to find any methods to allow me to use dexterity checks to succeed at tripping. I am failing at it as well lol. Is there anything out there in RAW?

[Averis Vol]

Q 117
Is there any way to fling away a weapon after you disarm it? or is there only the option of dropping it at their feet?

[Curmudgeon]

A 117 Yes.

Yes, if you have an attack available you can use the improvised weapon rules to throw a melee weapon. You can aim for a 5' square (AC 5) within range, and if you miss the weapon will land in a square adjacent to that target square. If you don't have an attack available you can drop it in any square adjacent to you (not necessarily adjacent to the character who formerly possessed it).

[Andezzar]

A 117 Addendum

This only works if you do the disarm attempt without a weapon in your hand and throwing the weapon away is another standard action in the next round.

[Averis Vol]

Q 117 cont.: So if I was using a whip I could drop the weapon right in front of me (15 ft away from the enemy) correct?

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 117 Addendum

This only works if you do the disarm attempt without a weapon in your hand and throwing the weapon away is another standard action in the next round.
That's incorrect. Disarm is a melee attack, and throwing a weapon is also an attack. With a BAB of +6 or more you may do both as part of a full attack action. There is no requirement to either use a standard action or wait until a later round.

A 117 cont. No.
Disarm

As a melee attack, you may attempt to disarm your opponent. If you do so with a weapon, you knock the opponent’s weapon out of his hands and to the ground. If you attempt the disarm while unarmed, you end up with the weapon in your hand. You may select where you drop an item you are holding, but if you disarm using your own weapon you never hold the enemy's weapon. Only an unarmed disarm lets you drop the weapon in a space adjacent to you. Disarming with your own weapon always results in the enemy's weapon on the ground in their own space.

Also, there is no "front" in D&D.

[Andezzar]

Re: Throwing in the next round

If you are unarmed you are correct you can do both with the same full round action, if you have 2 or more attacks. If however you disarmed the opponent with a weapon you would first have to pick it up, which is a move action that you do not have in the round you used the full attack. Sorry for not making that clear.

[cd4]

Q118 What happens if you manifest mind link twice while the first is still active? Do you get one big group with everybody in or do you get two seperate groups (A and B)? If the second can you talk to group A or B without the other knowing what you are saying?

[willpell]

Q119
Does a dwarf wearing heavy armor run 60 feet or 80?

[Andezzar]

A 119

60. Dwarves only never have their speed reduced by heavier armor/loads. They have no special rules regarding their run multiplier.

[willpell]

So the run multiplier doesn't count as part of their speed? I always took it as "walk speed X, run speed X times Y".

[Andezzar]

No you do not get a run speed as one of the character's stats you only get the multiplier.


Speed

Your speed tells you how far you can move in a round and still do something, such as attack or cast a spell. Your speed depends mostly on your race and what armor you’re wearing.

Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings have a speed of 20 feet (4 squares), or 15 feet (3 squares) when wearing medium or heavy armor (except for dwarves, who move 20 feet in any armor).

Humans, elves, half-elves, and half-orcs have a speed of 30 feet (6 squares), or 20 feet (4 squares) in medium or heavy armor.

If you use two move actions in a round (sometimes called a "double move" action), you can move up to double your speed. If you spend the entire round to run all out, you can move up to quadruple your speed (or triple if you are in heavy armor).

[willpell]

Not sure if this was noticed before, so I'll edit it down the page and then add my new question.

Q120
Can you escape a grapple by Dimension Dooring away, if you have the ability to do that without a need for somatic components? (I'm thinking of using a soulmeld, so it's debatable whether a concentration check might be needed, but if so assume the character can make that.)

Q121
The Astral Vambraces soulmeld (from the Psionics of Incarnum web enhancement) allows you, personally, to gain abilities normally possessed by an Astral Construct. One of those abilities is Trip, a special attack commonly found on wolves, who get to do it with their bite attacks, but the specific instance of Trip here refers to the Construct and says "If the construct hits with a slam attack". Since you do not have a slam attack, is this particular menu choice useless to you? Or does it apply to any natural attacks you have? Would an Unarmed Strike count?

[Blue Bandit]

Q122

Does an Artificer suffer an arcane spell failure chance for casting infusions while wearing armor?? The Eberron Campaign Setting doesn't specifically address the issue. It simply states that infusions are neither arcane nor divine, but that they function just like spells and follow all the rules for spells.

[Curmudgeon]

A 120

Yes, if you're actually casting the spell Dimension Door. No, if you would need to use some other mechanism to accomplish that goal. Cast a Spell is one of the things that are specifically allowed if you're grappling (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#ifYoureGrappling). General use of class or other abilities do not appear on that short list, and thus cannot be performed while grappling. Emulating the Dimension Door spell via a Blink Shirt soulmeld is an example of something not on the list of allowed actions.

A 121

It works as stated: only if you hit with a slam attack.

A 122 No.

You normally must must cast an arcane spell to have a chance of arcane spell failure (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_arcanespellfailure&alpha=). (Divine spellcasters can acquire something similar with the Divine Gesture flaw.)

[Piggy Knowles]

A 115: The spell contains no such clause.

Wow, not sure why I thought that - must have been confusing it with Warp Wood for some reason. Too bad, as that throws a build I'd been planning in my head completely out the window...

[Garan]

Q 123
If something calls for "druid tended-" something, would a PC druid be able to get that for a significantly reduced cost with a Herbology Check (after enough time)?

[omniangel]

Q124

Alright. I need a spell.

I need a spell that is like a wall/cage/sphere/trapezoid of force.

Here is the kicker: It needs to be able to go through objects.

I am fighting a Dracolitch with the Worm That Walks template (Dragotha. I have 50 lvls and 2.5mil to fight it and I have been working on a character for a year and I think I have it), and once I destroy it and it discorporates, I need a way that ensures that NO MAGGOT ESCAPES.

Alternatively, will a crown of glory work seeing as it discorporates into simple maggots?

[Edhelras]

Q125

I have a question about what may block the effect of an emanation spell. I was thinking about the Silence spell, which is an emanation effect. It can be cast on an object, and thus be mobile if that object is moved. Then I wonder - could this silence-emanating object be put into some container, to quench the effect until the object is taken out again? And what would that container have to be made of?
I was thinking that casting Silence on a small object, then putting the object into a container made of lead, would be appropriate. In that fashion, the Silence effect could be turned on/off as needed, for the duration of the spell.
Is this acceptable?

(Thanks for the answer below. I think a little lead box is cool, though :smallbiggrin: )

[Curmudgeon]

A 125 Yes.

Blocking line of effect in all directions (as with a sealed container) will limit the affected area of an emanation.
A burst spell affects whatever it catches in its area, even including creatures that you can’t see. It can’t affect creatures with total cover from its point of origin (in other words, its effects don’t extend around corners).
...
An emanation spell functions like a burst spell, except that the effect continues to radiate from the point of origin for the duration of the spell. Lead is not required.

[Elric VIII]

Q 126

Is there any way (feat, item, etc) too boost your caster level checks aside from actual CL increases or taking 10 via the Arcane Mastery feat?

[killem2]

Q 127: Can expansion and enlarge person stack?


Q 128: Does the Ability fist of speed from the Prestige Class Acolyte of the Fist from dragon 296 p72, re write the BaB Progession for extra attacks or does it start from the point when you start the prestige class. For reference this is what it states:

Unarmed Damage: Acolytes of the fist are able to make unarmed attacks as a monk, gaining a second attack when their base attack bonus is +3, a third when it is +6, and so on (see the monk class description in the Player's Handbook for more details).

[Curmudgeon]

A 127 No.
Multiple magical effects that increase size do not stack.
Multiple effects that increase size do not stack, which means (among other things) that you can’t use a second manifestation of this power to further expand yourself.
Combining Psionic And Magical Effects

The default rule for the interaction of psionics and magic is simple: Powers interact with spells and spells interact with powers in the same way a spell or normal spell-like ability interacts with another spell or spell-like ability. This is known as psionics-magic transparency. You've got an explicit disclaimer of stacking in both Enlarge Person and Expansion, and a general principle which says that all sorts of effects (spells and powers) abide by the same rules to prevent size increase stacking. I think the RAW is very clear.

A 128

Dragon # 296 is from 2002 June, which is in the era of D&D 3.0. As a prestige class which expands on Monk capabilities, Acolyte of the Fist necessarily references the 3.0 Monk rules wherein Monks had a unique BAB progression for their unarmed attacks: one extra attack every 3 points of BAB, not the standard one extra attack every 5 points of BAB. In a 3.5 game the Monk no longer has a second BAB progression, and a 3.0 prestige class which references that nonexistent class feature cannot be used without adjustment by your individual DM.

From page 4 of the 3.5 Dungeon Master's Guide:
This is an upgrade of the d20 System, not a new edition of the game. This revision is compatible with all existing products, and those products can be used with the revision with only minor adjustments.

[willpell]

Q129
Are Oozes considered "living creatures"?

[Aeryr]

A129
Most of them are indeed living (they have a con score).

Q130
What kind of weapon are unarmed strikes? Are they natural weapons?

[Andezzar]

A 130

No, they are unarmed strikes. A Monk's unarmed strike though "is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons." (SRD)

[Aeryr]

Q130 :smallconfused:
I was asking because I saw that. Then they are manufactured weapons? (doesn't make sense to me)

[willpell]

Q130 :smallconfused:
I was asking because I saw that. Then they are manufactured weapons? (doesn't make sense to me)

A manufactured weapon is an object which you intentionally use to do more damage than is normally possible for your body, while a natural weapon is part of your body. A monk uses training and mystical secrets to refine his body into a more deadly implement than is natural, so he's sort of conceptually in a gray area; his fist has been tempered to strike harder than fists normally do, the way one tempers a sword with a forge to make it sharper. If your body naturally had a length of metal on the end of your arm, whanging someone with that length of metal would be a natural attack, but sticking your arm into a forge and then hammering it on an anvil until it was a sword would (conceptually at least; I don't know how the rules would handle this for a Warforged or something) transform it into a manufactured weapon.

In game terms, the fact that a monk's unarmed strike is treated as both natural and manufactured has several possible effects, but one of the most obvious is that either of the spells Magic Weapon or Magic Fang can benefit it. (They don't stack with each other, but it doesn't matter which one you get.) A sword can't be improved with Magic Fang because it's not a natural weapon, and a normal person's fists or a half-dragon's claws can't be improved with Magic Weapon because they aren't manufactured weapons. But a monk's Unarmed Strike can receive either buff.

[willpell]

Q131
I asked this question on the old thread but I can no longer find the answer (the Search Thread function denies that my post exists even though I'm certain I made it and there would have been no reason for it to be scrubbed), so even though I know generally what the answer is, I have to ask again for the specifics. Enlarge Person is on the Strength domain list; can a Strength cleric create a divine scroll of it, and can a non-Strength cleric then cast that scroll? (I think there was a third question in this vein but I don't recall what it was. It may have been "can a Strength cleric cast an arcane scroll of EP", but I currently know that's a "no" and probably did then too, so I don't know what else it might have been.)

[Aeryr]

A131
A strength domain cleric, with the appropriate feat can scribe a scroll of Enlarge person (it would be divine).

To cast said scroll a character needs the following:



The spell must be of the correct type (arcane or divine). Arcane spellcasters (wizards, sorcerers, and bards) can only use scrolls containing arcane spells, and divine spellcasters (clerics, druids, paladins, and rangers) can only use scrolls containing divine spells. (The type of scroll a character creates is also determined by his or her class.)
The user must have the spell on his or her class list.
The user must have the requisite ability score.


A cleric without the strength domain won't have the spell on her class list, so she would need a UMD check to cast it.
A wizard won't be able to cast it since its a divine spell, he would need a UMD check. (the same happens if a cleric tries to use an arcane scroll of enlarge person)

Q130 :smallfrown: I still don't get what type of weapon the unarmed strike is. Even is the text is "clear" on magic and effects.

[Andezzar]

A 130 again, with more detail

It is not a weapon. It is a separate type of attack. See the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#attack).

The only time an unarmed strike is similar to a weapon is when you use spells or effects that enhance natural or manufactured weapons on a monk's unarmed strike.

Are you trying to do something specific?

[IdleMuse]

Q132

I still can't figure out the interaction between prepared casters and temporary stat boosts. Say, for instance, I'm playing an 8th-level druid with 20 Wisdom. Does wearing a Periapt of Wisdom +2 let me prepare an extra 2nd-level spell? When I take it off (maybe through wild-shaping without a Wilding Clasp), I then lose that spell? Does it 're-prepare' when Wild Shape ends?

The same 8th-level Druid is now casting Owl's Wisdom. This kicks his Wisdom up to 24, so he now has teo extra spell slots (2nd level and 3rd level), but he hasn't prepared them? Can these slots be converted into SNAs? If he casts Owl's Wisdom for the whole of the time he's preparing spells (maybe with Persistent Spell), does he then get the extra slots (as long as persistent spell is active?)

Basically, are Periapts of Wisdom and/or Owl's Wisdom/Other temporary Wis buffs any use for getting extra spells?

[Andezzar]

A 132


I still can't figure out the interaction between prepared casters and temporary stat boosts. Say, for instance, I'm playing an 8th-level druid with 20 Wisdom. Does wearing a Periapt of Wisdom +2 let me prepare an extra 2nd-level spell? When I take it off (maybe through wild-shaping without a Wilding Clasp), I then lose that spell? Does it 're-prepare' when Wild Shape ends?If you take it off or otherwise lose the WIS bonus the spell slots including the prepared spells are lost. You need to prepare the same or other spells in those slots the next day.


The same 8th-level Druid is now casting Owl's Wisdom. This kicks his Wisdom up to 24, so he now has teo extra spell slots (2nd level and 3rd level), but he hasn't prepared them? Can these slots be converted into SNAs? If he casts Owl's Wisdom for the whole of the time he's preparing spells (maybe with Persistent Spell), does he then get the extra slots (as long as persistent spell is active?)He has no spell prepared so he cannot do that retroactively. He does not have a spell prepared in that slot so he cannot convert that prepared spell into SNA.
Persistent Spell should allow you to fill those slots, but you do not regain the prepared persisted Owl's Wisdom as it counts towards your daily allotment o spells. Sacrificing an 8th level slot for a 2nd and 3rd level slot does not sound like a good deal to me.

[Aeryr]

Q130

It's also in the weapon section of the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#unarmedStrike). The section of natural weapons here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#naturalWeapons) isn't really helpful either, the description is different from the vanilla unarmed strike (and really similar to the improved unarmed strike) but it summarizes common natural weapon, with a non exclusive list.

I do think it's a weapon, because I believe that you can take weapon focus (unarmed strike) (can't you?) And I do think that unarmed strikes are made with parts of the creature making them.

My biggest concern is to know that if unarmed strikes are natural weapons or manufactured weapons, not for magical effects but for qualifying for PrCs and feats. For example, can a monk (as its been recommended many times) take the improved natural attack feat (that requires having a natural weapon).

[Curmudgeon]

A 130 Yes.

While unarmed strikes have their own special rules, including using the iterative attacks common to manufactured weapons, the RAW citations are entirely consistent: they are natural weapons.

You can’t cast this spell on a natural weapon, such as an unarmed strike.

You can’t cast this spell on a natural weapon, such as an unarmed strike (instead, see magic fang).

Magic fang gives one natural weapon of the subject a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls. The spell can affect a slam attack, fist, bite, or other natural weapon. (The spell does not change an unarmed strike’s damage from nonlethal damage to lethal damage.)
A fanged ring grants its wearer the Improved Unarmed Strike feat and the Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike) teat. Monks have a class feature which allows them to also qualify as manufactured weapons (even though they plainly aren't) for spells and other effects.

[RoyVG]

A130

i'm probably gonna repeat what already has been said but here goes.

Copy-pasted from SRD:
A Medium character deals 1d3 points of nonlethal damage with an unarmed strike. A Small character deals 1d2 points of nonlethal damage. A monk or any character with the Improved Unarmed Strike feat can deal lethal or nonlethal damage with unarmed strikes, at her option. The damage from an unarmed strike is considered weapon damage for the purposes of effects that give you a bonus on weapon damage rolls.

An unarmed strike is always considered a light weapon. Therefore, you can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls with an unarmed strike.

This is under Non-Monk conditions. It is not really stated whether it is a manufactured or natural attack anywhere in the SRD under these conditions.

So we take a different approach (though not 100% SRD), from the Rules of the Game: DnD Archive: Unarmed Strike part 1 (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20070327a)
'Unarmed strike [...] describe an attack with an appendage that is not a natural weapon, such as a human's fist.
Followed by If you attack without a weapon, a spell such as magic weapon won't help you, but a spell such as magic fang will. Unarmed strikes (even improved unarmed strikes) and natural weapons aren't equivalent, however, as we shall see in Part Two

Part 2 (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20070403a) mostly talks about a monk or repeats stuff from part 1.

So first of all, an unarmed strike is NOT a natural attack and vice versa (for the purpose of feats, etc.) However, they can be considered Natural weapons for the purpose of spells that target natural weapons and not manufactured weapons (Magic fang, etc). I couldn't find anything about manufactured weapons but it makes sense to consider them not manufactured (opinion!), unless you are a Monk or have a similar class feature.


I do think it's a weapon, because I believe that you can take weapon focus (unarmed strike) (can't you?) You can take Weapons focus (Ray), it applies to Scorching Ray, Searing Ray, etc and those are spells :smallbiggrin:

TL;DR Not a Natural or Manufactured weapons but something seperate, unless otherwise noted (monk) or for spells (usually as a Natural weapon only)

I hope that helped :smallsmile:

Q133
Can an Artificer take Arcane Thesis (he doesn't cast arcane spells but maaaaany blastificer builds use it anyway :smallannoyed:)?

Q133-2
If above is yes, can you apply it to Metamagic Feats during the creation of wands of the Arcane Thesised spells (ex. Artificer Arcane Thesis (Scorching Ray), apply Searing Spell for free, Split Ray and Empower to make it a lvl 4 Spell, put that in a wand)

[Curmudgeon]

A 133 No.
Benefit: Choose one arcane spell that you can cast to be your thesis spell. Their magic is neither arcane nor divine, so an Artificer will receive no benefit from Arcane Thesis.

[willpell]

Q134
Given that they cost the same amount and give the same bonus to AC, but one counts as armor and thus doesn't help versus touch attacks, and that one also occupies a more useful magic item slot (in general, there may be exceptions but just the Periapt of Wisdom alone suggests you're more likely at low levels to have the throat slot tied up) which you only have one of, is there ever any reason to buy an Amulet of Natural Armor if you instead have the option of buying a Ring of Protection?


Sacrificing an 8th level slot for a 2nd and 3rd level slot does not sound like a good deal to me.

In theory quantity might matter over quality. In practice probably not so much, but hey, if you really want to be able to cast large numbers of Barkskins and Longstriders and such, or you just want 1d4+1 x64 minor minions to carpet the battlefield like so many tribbles, it's possible.

[Curmudgeon]

A 134

This isn't exactly a simple RAW question. However, any character lacking fingers can benefit from a Throat slot item but not a Ring.

[Andezzar]

Also there is the rule in MIC for adding generic Enhancements (such as Stat Bonuses) to magic items, so that you do not pay the 50% surcharge.

[rweird]

Q 135

Can you sneak attack with the splash damage of a splash weapon? If so, does the target hit by the splash need to be denied Dex bonus to be sneak attacked? One of my players claims that if you throw alchemists fire, and you hit a square, everyone hit by the splash is denied there Dex because they don't get there Dex bonus to resist the attack, though it wasn't targeting them.

[KillianHawkeye]

A 135 No.

Nothing in the description of alchemist's fire or other splash weapons says anything about people in the splash radius being denied their Dexterity bonus to AC. In fact, AC is completely irrelevant to the splash damage.

Additionally, nothing in the description of Sneak Attack enables its use with area effects. According to the rules, Sneak Attack only ever applies when the Rogue attacks (specifically, qualifying melee attacks and ranged attacks within 30 feet). Only the initial throw of the alchemist's fire uses an attack roll; the splash damage is automatic against anything standing in the area.

Bottom line: If you target a square instead of a person, then all you will get is the automatic splash damage since you are not directly attacking anybody.

Finally, I'll back myself up with a little common sense. Sneak Attack is a form of precision damage. It's pretty hard to imagine splashing a flammable substance across a 5-foot radius with any sort of precision.

[Andezzar]

Q 136 a

Is the effect of the glamered (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicArmor.htm#glamered) property a Glamer or is it actually a form of Polymorph. The name and requirements imply the former but "Upon command, the armor changes shape and form to assume the appearance of a normal set of clothing." pretty much proves the latter

Q 136 b

Am I reading this right? By RAW the property can only change the color of the suit of armor if the old color would interfere with the "appearance of a normal set of clothing"?

Q 136 c

Can such an armor assume only one alternate appearance?

[mattie_p]

A 136 It is an illusion (glamer).

The pre-requisite for making this enchantment is disguise self (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/disguiseSelf.htm), an illusion(glamer) and the aura is of illusion. Flavor text notwithstanding, it is an illusion, particularly as it retains its weight. Polymorphed armor would not retain weight, nor even its properties, as it (Polymorph) is based on alter self, which requires the subject to gain the physical qualities of the form assumed.

b) The property makes no reference to color, other than a mention of "appearance."

c) I'd have to say yes, as the property states it assumes the "appearance of a normal set of clothing."

[Andezzar]

A 136 It is an illusion (glamer).

The pre-requisite for making this enchantment is disguise self (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/disguiseSelf.htm), an illusion(glamer) and the aura is of illusion. Flavor text notwithstanding, it is an illusion, particularly as it retains its weight. Polymorphed armor would not retain weight, nor even its properties, as it (Polymorph) is based on alter self, which requires the subject to gain the physical qualities of the form assumed.The aura of illusion probably explains it.


c) I'd have to say yes, as the property states it assumes the "appearance of a normal set of clothing.""A set of clothing" does not mean "the same set of clothing every time you change".

[Curmudgeon]

"A set of clothing" does not mean "the same set of clothing every time you change".
Absent special language such as "a random set of clothing", that's exactly what the singular article means. mattie_p's answer is correct.

[Balmas]

Answered wrong question. Please delete.

[Andezzar]

Absent special language such as "a random set of clothing", that's exactly what the singular article means. mattie_p's answer is correct.No. It makes no mention of a specific set of clothing nor does it in any way imply that the set of clothing has to remain the same between changes.

Step 1: change armor to a set of clothing.
Step 2: change armor back
Step 3: change armor into a different set of clothing.

Both changes satisfy the condition of being "a set of clothing". If only one appearance could be assumed, the wording would have to be something like "Upon command, the armor changes shape and form to assume the appearance of one normal set of clothing, chosen at the time of the enchantment.

Another example:
I ask you: "Hand, me a pen, please."
You give me your favorite blue pen.
Later I ask you again:
"Give me a pen, please"
Nothing in my wording implies that giving me a different pen would be somehow wrong.

Q 137

What is the DC to disbelieve the glamer on a suit of glamered armor?

[Curmudgeon]

Step 1: change armor to a set of clothing.
Step 2: change armor back
Step 3: change armor into a different set of clothing.

Both changes satisfy the condition of being "a set of clothing".
"Different" is your own addition, something not specified in the rules. As already stated, absent such special language as "different" or "random", the singular article indicates just one set of normal clothing as per mattie_p's answer. Beyond not having any language which would allow more than a single set of clothing, the armor property of course lacks any mechanism whereby the user could make a selection if more than one set of clothing were possible. Positing a difference in clothing from one activation to another is not backed up by the rules. Magic in D&D performs as written, and never gains capabilities beyond those specified in the RAW.

A 137 11.

If you interact with (touch) the glamered armor, the DC is given by the standard formula: 10 + spell level + minimum required ability bonus.

[Andezzar]

"Different" is your own addition, something not specified in the rules. As already stated, absent such special language as "different" or "random", the singular article indicates just one set of normal clothing as per mattie_p's answer.Being the same is not stated in the rules either.


Beyond not having any language which would allow more than a single set of clothing, the armor property of course lacks any mechanism whereby the user could make a selection if more than one set of clothing were possible. Positing a difference in clothing from one activation to another is not backed up by the rules. Magic in D&D performs as written, and never gains capabilities beyond those specified in the RAW.The magic item also lacks a mechanism to determine the look of the single set of clothing nor does it specify that this appearance is chosen at the time of enchanting the armor. So the item would either not work or would change into a "set of clothing" that has no properties such as shape, color, texture etc. Which defies the description of normal set of clothing.

[willpell]

Q138
The Tenebrous Apostate prestige class requires you to worship Tenebrous as a god, and it requires you to be able to turn/rebuke undead. As far as I'm aware, there is no way to be Neutral with respect to Good and Evil and get Turn/Rebuke Undead other than being a cleric. If you're a cleric, and you worship Tenebrous as a god, I would assume you have to be a cleric of Tenebrous. Tenebrous is Neutral Evil (despite having once been a Chaotic Evil demon), according to his description in Tome of Magic. Clerics must be within one alignment step of their god, and True Neutral is not a valid option; thusly clerics of a Neutral Evil deity are always Evil themselves. Given all this, even though the PrC's entry requirements are listed as "Any nongood", I see no way to qualify for the class without being Evil. (The question would then be "Have I missed anything?")

[mattie_p]

Regarding the preceding discussion. There are at least two items that allow you to alter your/its appearance at will that are also based on the disguise self spell. One is the hat of disguise (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#hatofDisguise), the other is the Robe of Blending (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#robeofBlending).

The hat of disguise explicitly grants use of the spell, and the robe of blending goes so far as to say "adopt the appearance of another creature" at will. The lack of such language indicates that my original answer was correct. That said, it is not an unreasonable house rule, but that is outside the scope of RAW and this thread.

[Eloel]

Q138
The Tenebrous Apostate prestige class requires you to worship Tenebrous as a god, and it requires you to be able to turn/rebuke undead. As far as I'm aware, there is no way to be Neutral with respect to Good and Evil and get Turn/Rebuke Undead other than being a cleric. If you're a cleric, and you worship Tenebrous as a god, I would assume you have to be a cleric of Tenebrous. Tenebrous is Neutral Evil (despite having once been a Chaotic Evil demon), according to his description in Tome of Magic. Clerics must be within one alignment step of their god, and True Neutral is not a valid option; thusly clerics of a Neutral Evil deity are always Evil themselves. Given all this, even though the PrC's entry requirements are listed as "Any nongood", I see no way to qualify for the class without being Evil. (The question would then be "Have I missed anything?")
A138
I fail to see how you can't be True Neutral. TN clerics can worship NE deities.

A cleric may not be neutral unless his deity’s alignment is also neutral.
Cleric is (true) neutral. Deity is neutral (evil). Everything is fine.

[Curmudgeon]

A 138

Yes, you're missing quite a lot. There are many ways to gain turn/rebuke abilities. For instance: Paladin (including Paladin of Slaughter and Paladin of Tyranny), Dread Necromancer, Ur-Priest, Blackguard, Knight of the Raven, Apostle of Peace, and Death Delver classes all gain turn or rebuke as class features.

The restriction that you cannot be (true) Neutral without worshiping a (true) Neutral deity is particular only to Clerics, and does not generally apply to all those classes I listed which gain turn or rebuke ability.

[mattie_p]

A138 additional You're missing the various other ways to get turn/rebuke. See the list of stuff (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1412.0) (I linked the most updated version I could find).


Cleric 1
Paladin 4
Blackguard 3, ecl, command or rebuke only
Sacred Exorcist 1, ecl 8, Complete Divine, turn only
Ur-priest 2, ecl 7, Complete Divine, rebuke only
Divine Mind 4, Complete Divine, class variant (here)
Dread Necromancer 1, base class, Heroes of Horror, rebuke only
Death Delver 1, ecl 6, Heroes of Horror, rebuke only
Chameleon 3, ecl 8, Races of Destiny, see text
Master of Radiance 1, ecl 6, Libris Mortin, turn only - unclear whether you gain turning or if it only stacks
Tenebrous, vestige, ecl 7, Tome of Magic, unlimited use but see text
Knight of the Raven 3, ecl 7, Expedition to Castle Ravenloft
Apostle of Peace 1, ecl 8, Book of Exalted Deeds
Soldier of Light 1, ecl 6, Deities and Demigods
Deadgrim 1, ecl 6, Magic of Eberron - unclear whethero you gain turning or if it only stacks
EDIT - swordsaged by Curmudgeon! Almost word for word too!

[Andezzar]

I agree that those two items explicitly grant more than one appearance, but the glamered property does not deny it. IMHO it is either a failure in wording (nowhere does it say how any set of clothing looks) or the user can choose. Unfortunately it is not clear.

[mattie_p]

I agree that those two items explicitly grant more than one appearance, but the glamered property does not deny it. IMHO it is either a failure in wording (nowhere does it say how any set of clothing looks) or the user can choose. Unfortunately it is not clear.

Presumably one of these (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#clothing) would do.

Artisan’s outfit
Cleric’s vestments
Cold weather outfit
Courtier’s outfit
Entertainer’s outfit
Explorer’s outfit
Monk’s outfit
Noble’s outfit
Peasant’s outfit
Royal outfit
Scholar’s outfit
Traveler’s outfit

[Curmudgeon]

IMHO it is either a failure in wording (nowhere does it say how any set of clothing looks) or the user can choose.
Once again, that's creating a capability beyond what is specified in the RAW. Elements of the world not within PC control and not otherwise specified in the rules are always determined by the individual DM.

[willpell]

The Paladins are both Evil, and the whole point of this question was to not be evil. However I didn't know that Dread Necromancer turned things; I assumed that being an arcane caster he couldn't have that mechanic.

@ Eloel: This is one of those cases where the authors of the corebooks described the centermost alignment as "neutral", figuring that that was sufficiently distinct from "neutral evil or neutral good or lawful neutral or chaotic neutral". (Technically I think at least one paragraph of official rules text describes the term "True Neutral" as an "also known as".) That this was a screamingly stupid decision on their part in no way enables the authors of the SRD to correct it.

[Amakule]

Q 139: When a character is standing up in a foe's threatened square, at what point do they provoke an attack of opportunity? Would the foe be able to use that attack of opportunity to attempt to trip the standing character?

[mattie_p]

A 139: They provoke an attack of opportunity as they start the action, but before they complete the action.

Explanation: An attack of opportunity (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/attacksOfOpportunity.htm) "interrupts" the normal sequence of combat.


If an attack of opportunity is provoked, immediately resolve the attack of opportunity, then continue with the next character’s turn (or complete the current turn, if the attack of opportunity was provoked in the midst of a character’s turn).

There are many actions that provoke an attack of opportunity, which include standard actions, move equivalent actions, or full round actions. Check the tables on the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm) or the PHB for details on which do and which don't.

The opponent provoking must begin the action, but cannot yet have completed it. We know this because someone casting a spell can have their spell lost if they fail a concentration check, and a player moving cannot have already moved out of range of the attack.

The provoker is still prone while attempting to stand, and while the character making the attack of opportunity is free to attempt to trip, the provoker is already prone and thus the attempt should have no effect. After receiving the attack of opportunity, the individual is free to stand with no further impact.

[Zaq]

Q 140
When trancing, is an elf aware of his or her surroundings, or can he or she be snuck up upon as easily as a creature who is sleeping normally? A page reference would be greatly appreciated.