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

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 375

I think its best to think of the table (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/movement.htm#movingInThreeDimensions) as a series of limits to your movements when flying. You still use the normal rules (every other diagonal move costs 10 ft instead of 5 ft.) applied to a 3-d grid but you have limits.

For an average maneuverability character:
-You must move at least half your flight speed forward to remain airborne.
-You can turn 45 degrees every time you move 5 ft. forward.
-You can use 5 ft. of movement to turn in place 45 degrees.
-You can turn no more than 90 degrees in place.
-You can climb no more than half you move speed in a move action.
-You can descend at twice you speed.
-You must move at least 5fts forward before switching between up and down movement.
-Finally the tricky one witch requires trig to set a limit. Just going to use a picture

http://www.snapwiz.com/content/courseImages/3/Spl-30-60-90.png

Edit: 3-d movement can really bog down play. House rules are probably the way to go.

[Garret Dorigan]

Q378- Considering the wording of the last sentence of the Enlarge Spell metamagic feat, what effects does it supply (if any) to a "Weapon Emulation" spell (Flame Dagger, Moon Blade, Thunderlance, and the like), considering that the weapon spell has a range defined by distance?

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 378

It does nothing to such spells since it explicitly doesn't increase the ranges of such spells and increasing ranges is the only effect it has.

Q 379

Are unarmed strikes considered natural weapons?

[Garret Dorigan]

A379- No. Table 7-5 on page 116 of the Players Handbook lists it as a Simple weapon. As such, they accrue iterative attacks which Natural Weapons do not.

[Nettlekid]

Q380
If a creature with Vow of Poverty forcibly had an instantly acting item put on them (like a Rogue slipping a Ring of Freedom of Movement on their finger), would they lose the benefits of their Vow, even if they immediately removed it and did not benefit from its use?

What if a Cursed Item was placed on them under similar circumstances, so they couldn't remove the item?

Similarly, could a wearer of a Cursed Item that they didn't want but couldn't remove take Vow of Poverty?

[Urpriest]

A379- No. Table 7-5 on page 116 of the Players Handbook lists it as a Simple weapon. As such, they accrue iterative attacks which Natural Weapons do not.

Contention:


Magic weapon gives a weapon a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls. (An enhancement bonus does not stack with a masterwork weapon’s +1 bonus on attack rolls.)

You can’t cast this spell on a natural weapon, such as an unarmed strike (instead, see magic fang). A monk’s unarmed strike is considered a weapon, and thus it can be enhanced by this spell.



Several other PHB spells use this wording. Unarmed Strikes are Natural Weapons, but unlike other Natural Weapons they gain iterative attacks.

[Andezzar]

Q 381

If someone uses a Balance check to avoid being tripped (CAdv p. 97), does he get the size modifier he would usually get?

[Curmudgeon]

A 379 [correction] Yes.

Unarmed strikes are natural weapons, which have the unique property of allowing iterative attacks as manufactured weapons do. (Being on the Weapons table just stipulates that it's a weapon, not that it's a manufactured weapon.) Some more extensive quotes from the rules to reinforce Urpriest's point:
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) feat. Improved Natural Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsterFeats.htm#improvedNaturalAttack) requires a natural weapon, and the Fanged Ring works with unarmed strike as that natural weapon for the granted feat.

The Monk class allows their unarmed strike to also be treated as a manufactured weapon. However, I think it's pretty obvious that an unarmed strike isn't the product of a blacksmith, but rather a natural weapon.

A 380

The Vow of Poverty rules are simple and unyielding.
You may not, however, “borrow” a cloak of resistance or any other magic item from a companion for even a single round If the character can dispossess themselves of the magic item forced upon them before a single round has expired then they will not break their vow. Wearing any magic item, cursed or not, for a full round will break the vow.

A 381 Yes.

The Balance check to resist being tripped replaces the usual Dexterity or Strength check. An ability check is always just 1d20 + the appropriate ability modifier, so the size modifier specified in the trip rules is not part of the ability check which you're replacing. Instead, the size modifier is added separately.

[Gargravarr]

Q 382

Are there any Full BAB classes/PrCs that (can) gain "Dodge" as a bonus feat at 1st level besides Fighter? Or alternatively a class/with ACF that gains bonus feats as a Fighter starting as 1st level?

[Kred]

Q383
Are there any books with Torture rules for 3.5?

[Sith_Happens]

A 383: Sort of.

Book of Vile Darkness has such rules but is un-updated 3.0.

[Corinath]

Q 384

If I'm hiding behind an unaware enemy, and I UMD a buffing wand (Like True Strike or Wraithstrike), does the enemy become unequivocally aware of me at that point? What about a Casting Glove? Wand Chamber?

Edit: Had one more question.

Q 385

What's the equation to find out the price of a continuous use magic spell on a weapon/armor? (I remember duration of a spell had something to do with it...)

[Gargravarr]

Q 384

If I'm hiding behind an unaware enemy, and I UMD a buffing wand (Like True Strike or Wraithstrike), does the enemy become unequivocally aware of me at that point? What about a Casting Glove? Wand Chamber?

A 384
No. No verbal component and thus silent, just waive. That is, unless you cast air horn or something xD

[Razanir]

Q 386 If you apply a template to a human, do you still get your bonus feat?

[Urpriest]

Q 386 If you apply a template to a human, do you still get your bonus feat?

A 386 Yes, unless the template explicitly removes racial features. This also applies to a Dwarf's Stonecunning, a Halfing's Small size, etc.

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 385

According to the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm), (Spell level)*(Caster level)*2000. If the duration of the spell is measured in rounds, multiply the cost by 4. If the duration is 1 minute/level, multiply it by 2. If the duration is 10 minutes/level, multiply it by 1.5. If it has a duration of 24 hours or greater, divide the cost in half.

A 386

Yes. Templates modify the traits of the base creature, so unless it specifically takes the bonus feat away, you still get it.

[Garret Dorigan]

A379 Contention/Correction/Clarification-

Ask your DM.

If an Unarmed Strike is a Natural Weapon (upper case, defined game term) with the special rule of it gains Iterative Attacks like any other Simple weapon, any Full-Attack Action made by any character could be followed by an Unarmed Strike at their full BAB -5 to be used as a Secondary Natural Weapon.

This interpretation gives leeway toward abuse.

The interpretation that it is a Simple weapon, treated as a natural weapon (lower case, referential to concept) for magical effects and enhancements, does not muddy the waters of the system as it stands. While not in a game book, Skip Williams, co-designer of D&D 3.0 wrote an article on the Wizard's website doling out info on the mechanics of Unarmed Strikes. In part one (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20070327a), he defines an Unarmed Strike as such:


Unarmed Attack/Unarmed Strike: These two terms are used interchangeably to describe an attack with an appendage that is not a natural weapon, such as a human's fist. An unarmed attack usually deals nonlethal damage and provokes an attack of opportunity from the creature being attacked.

In part two (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20070403a) of this article, he supports the second interpretation with the following:


Before we move on, it's worth pointing out that a character making an unarmed attack, even with the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, does not have natural weapons. Nor is a natural weapon a substitute for the Improved Unarmed Strike feat.

As we saw in Part One, unarmed strikes allow iterative attacks and natural weapons do not.

A feat that requires natural weaponry as a prerequisite, such as Multiattack, doesn't work with unarmed strikes. Likewise, having a natural weapon is not a substitute for the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. For example, you don't meet the Improved Unarmed Strike prerequisite for the Deflect Arrows feat if you just have a natural weapon.

There is material to support both sides of the argument though, so as such define the rules of Unarmed Strike as it pertains to the game that you are in with your DM.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 379 Contention/Correction/Clarification
If an Unarmed Strike is a Natural Weapon (upper case, defined game term) with the special rule of it gains Iterative Attacks like any other Simple weapon, any Full-Attack Action made by any character could be followed by an Unarmed Strike at their full BAB -5 to be used as a Secondary Natural Weapon.
I'm afraid you've mis-characterized "the special rule". What it actually does is categorize this particular natural strike to take it out of the realm of secondary natural attacks:

An unarmed strike is always considered a light weapon. The rules for light weapons specify the iterative attacks used for manufactured weapons in melee combat. As unarmed strikes are always considered light weapons, that removes the secondary natural attack possibility.

Skip Williams, co-designer of D&D 3.0 wrote an article on the Wizard's website doling out info on the mechanics of Unarmed Strikes.
An appeal to authority doesn't help here, where RAW forms the entire basis of all answers. I'll just note that the "Rules of the Game" articles include Skip's house rules as well as actual D&D game rules, without clearly distinguishing the two categories. Consequently, those online articles don't constitute a RAW source (even if they're sometimes helpful).

A 382 No.

A 384 [correction] Maybe.

In D&D there is no "hiding behind" someone, because the game has no "facing". That is, all creatures are assumed to be checking in all directions around them in every 6 second round. If you're hiding from another creature you've somehow satisfied all the requirements to be allowed to make a Hide check:

line of sight (so there can be an opposed Spot check)
cover/concealment
enemy not observing you
However, that lasts only until they Spot you.
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.
If you've already hidden, the amount of effort required to Spot you next time might vary, requiring a move action. When this happens is dependent on how your DM interprets "something" (highlighted above). It could be any of these:

the same creature
the same creature in the same place
the same creature in the same place doing (or not doing) the same thing
If the DM uses the last interpretation of "something" then the enemy will automatically get a reactive (no action) Spot check to see you waving your wand about in plain sight. Because using the Use Magic Device skill is not one of the listed actions that permits you to piggyback a new Hide check (such actions as moving, attacking, running, or charging), you can't try to stay hidden while doing so. Instead, there's an easy Spot check to see you there in plain sight. If you're Large size the DC is 0, as specified on this table (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/usingSkills.htm#tableDifficultyClassExamples). The DM will adjust the DC for your size and the particular circumstances, but it's still going to be an easy check to succeed at — if the enemy gets to make the check at all, that is.

If the DM uses a more Hide-friendly interpretation of "something", then your enemy will need to use a move action Spot recheck to look for whatever they might have previously failed to notice. That's a possibility for some enemies who are specifically looking for trouble; for instance, a guard standing on watch has nothing better to do than make one move action Spot and one move action Listen recheck every single round. Or, they might have the Quick Reconnoiter feat (Complete Adventurer) and get one of each of those as a free action every round.

Finally, even though you're hidden, you can still be heard. Listen has similar rules regarding trying to hear something the creature failed to notice previously, opposed by your Move Silently check.

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 384: Contention/Clarification

Using a wand is not silent so an enemy can use a listen check to try and hear you activate a wand.


Spell Trigger

Spell trigger activation is similar to spell completion, but it’s even simpler. No gestures or spell finishing is needed, just a special knowledge of spellcasting that an appropriate character would know, and a single word that must be spoken. Anyone with a spell on his or her spell list knows how to use a spell trigger item that stores that spell. (This is the case even for a character who can’t actually cast spells, such as a 3rd-level paladin.) The user must still determine what spell is stored in the item before she can activate it. Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.


Wands...

...Activation

Wands use the spell trigger activation method, so casting a spell from a wand is usually a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. (If the spell being cast, however, has a longer casting time than 1 standard action, it takes that long to cast the spell from a wand.) To activate a wand, a character must hold it in hand (or whatever passes for a hand, for nonhumanoid creatures) and point it in the general direction of the target or area. A wand may be used while grappling or while swallowed whole.

[unseenmage]

Q387

Does the Quintessence material which results from use of the Quintessence power have a magical aura by RAW?

Q388
Does material created with Major Creation or Wall of Stone?

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 387

No

A 388

wall of stone-no

major creation-yes


Both the quintessence power and wall of stone spell are instantaneous so they are mundane materials without a psionic/magic aura.

Major creation has a duration based on the material and the material itself is part of the ongoing spell so it has a magical aura.

[unseenmage]

Both the quintessence power and wall of stone spell are instantaneous so they are mundane materials without a psionic/magic aura.

Not doubting you but is there any chance I could get a citation of where this is rules-wise? Again, no doubt, just eager to learn. :smallsmile:

[Clistenes]

Q 389: If a deity picks the Automatic Metamagic (Fortify) as a Salient Divine Ability, does that mean that the deity can increase its caster level as much as it wants?

Let me explain: If you have the Fortify Spell feat, you can increase the level of the slot you use for the spell, and for every spell level of increase, the Caster Level has a +2 increase.

But the Automatic Metamagic (Fortify) allows the deity to add the Fortify Metamagic to a spell without increasing its level, so, can a deity prepare a "Fortify x200" spell, and cast it with +400 Caster Level?.

[mattie_p]

Not doubting you but is there any chance I could get a citation of where this is rules-wise? Again, no doubt, just eager to learn. :smallsmile:

Here you go: Instantaneous spells (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#duration):


Instantaneous
The spell energy comes and goes the instant the spell is cast, though the consequences might be long-lasting.

And powers (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicPowersOverview.htm#instantaneous):


Instantaneous
The psionic energy comes and goes the instant the power is manifested, though the consequences might be long-lasting.

[tyckspoon]

A 389
Yes, that appears to work. But it seems that you are misreading Fortify Spell- it does not increase Caster Level in general. It only increases your check to beat Spell Resistance; a deity with Automatic (Fortify Spell) could beat any finite Spell Resistance, but would not gain extra range, area, damage, or any other caster-level dependent benefits.

[Clistenes]

A 389
Yes, that appears to work. But it seems that you are misreading Fortify Spell- it does not increase Caster Level in general. It only increases your check to beat Spell Resistance; a deity with Automatic (Fortify Spell) could beat any finite Spell Resistance, but would not gain extra range, area, damage, or any other caster-level dependent benefits.

Yes, I know that, but it's still overpowered. It makes the Spell Resistance of other deities useless:

"Oh, you have Divine Spell Resistance, that adds +20 to your Spell Resistance, raising it to...50, is it? Cute...MILLIONFOLD FORTIFIED IMPLOSION!!!"

[unseenmage]

Quote:
Originally Posted by unseenmage View Post
Not doubting you but is there any chance I could get a citation of where this is rules-wise? Again, no doubt, just eager to learn.
Here you go: Instantaneous spells:

Quote:
Instantaneous
The spell energy comes and goes the instant the spell is cast, though the consequences might be long-lasting.
And powers:

Quote:
Instantaneous
The psionic energy comes and goes the instant the power is manifested, though the consequences might be long-lasting.

Thanks but I'm not seeing where this details the why of those effects not having an aura though. Unless I'm missing it.

[Curmudgeon]

Thanks but I'm not seeing where this details the why of those effects not having an aura though. Unless I'm missing it.
An object created by Wall of Stone is not an effect: it's a stone wall. Stone walls do not have auras. Only if it were an effect of an ongoing spell could it have an aura.

[NeoPhoenix0]

Thanks but I'm not seeing where this details the why of those effects not having an aura though. Unless I'm missing it.

To phrase it another way they aren't part of a spell (they may have been created by one but they aren't part of one) and it isn't stated that they have a magic aura anywhere so they don't have a magic aura.

[Gargravarr]

Q 390

Does the effect from Entangling Exhalation (target becomes entangled (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#entangled)) also have the target make a DC 20 check to break free for half movement like the spell, Entangle (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/entangle.htm)?

Furthermore, does Entangling Exhalation allow a reflex save?

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 390

No, it never mentions the entangle spell so just use the entangled condition.

[tyckspoon]

A 390
No and No. The check to escape from the Entangle spell is only a part of the Entangle spell, not the entangled condition itself; each effect that causes entangling will have its own means of escaping it listed in its own rules, if any.

Entangling Exhalation also does not offer a save; if you take damage from the breath, you are entangled, regardless of whether or not you saved against the Entangling breath attack itself. (Exception: If the breath attack is Save Negates or you have Evasion or similar ability such that a successful save means you took no damage, then you don't get entangled either.)

[TuggyNE]

Thanks but I'm not seeing where this details the why of those effects not having an aura though. Unless I'm missing it.

Consider the wording of detect magic itself for a bit:
You detect magical auras. […]
Aura Strength
An aura’s power depends on a spell’s functioning spell level or an item’s caster level. If an aura falls into more than one category, detect magic indicates the stronger of the two.
{table=head]Spell or Object|{colsp=4}Aura Power
|Faint|Moderate|Strong|Overwhelming
Functioning spell (spell level)|3rd or lower|4th-6th|7th-9th|10th+ (deity-level)
Magic item (caster level)|5th or lower|6th-11th|12th-20th|21st+ (artifact)[/table]

Lingering Aura
A magical aura lingers after its original source dissipates (in the case of a spell) or is destroyed (in the case of a magic item). If detect magic is cast and directed at such a location, the spell indicates an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura).

Because an instantaneous spell/power is no longer functioning (the energy has come and gone), detect magic can only detect the dim lingering aura; for wall of stone, this would last for 1d6 minutes.

[unseenmage]

Consider the wording of detect magic itself for a bit:
snip
Lingering Aura
A magical aura lingers after its original source dissipates (in the case of a spell) or is destroyed (in the case of a magic item). If detect magic is cast and directed at such a location, the spell indicates an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura).
Because an instantaneous spell/power is no longer functioning (the energy has come and gone), detect magic can only detect the dim lingering aura; for wall of stone, this would last for 1d6 minutes.

Thank you, thank you. Much appreciated. I suspected the solution was squirreled away in the Detect magic rules but honestly I was finishing my first college homework in almost 10 years and didn't take the time to check.

I appreciate each of your assistance greatly.

Edit:
Q391

Is this appropriate grounds for allowing the spell Animate Objects to animate Quintessence?

Esp. as it can be held and excepting that it doesn't have hp/hardness.

[NeoPhoenix0]

Re: Q 391

It is an object and it is non-magical. The trick is defining how much of it is a single object, which i really don't know.

[unseenmage]

It is an object and it is non-magical. The trick is defining how much of it is a single object, which i really don't know.

Oh crud! It doesn't have a listed weight does it?
Is there an analogue for "thick gooey material" already that does have a weight? Maybe Tanglefoot goo?

[NeoPhoenix0]

Oh crud! It doesn't have a listed weight does it?
Is there an analogue for "thick gooey material" already that does have a weight? Maybe Tanglefoot goo?

Actually from the power description (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/quintessence.htm) I think it has a weight of 1 ounce or 1/16 lb to a 1 in. diameter bead.

Edit: I think this issue is complex enough that it should be discussed in your thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291332)

[Curmudgeon]

A 391 No.

Liquids (including gooey liquids), fine solids (such as flour), and gases are not treated as D&D objects in the rules. A container holding a liquid is an object. So you would first need to get the quintessence into a container.

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 391 No.

Liquids (including gooey liquids), fine solids (such as flour), and gases are not treated as D&D objects in the rules. A container holding a liquid is an object. So you would first need to get the quintessence into a container.

A 391 contention

Please cite where that is stated.

I can cite something that doesn't make that distinction.


Nonabilities...

Charisma

Any creature capable of telling the difference between itself and things that are not itself has at least 1 point of Charisma. Anything with no Charisma score is an object, not a creature. Anything without a Charisma score also has no Wisdom score.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 391 contention
Please cite where that is stated.
While the game doesn't provide a definition of "object", the use of the term in context does provide some relevant information. See Player's Handbook, pages 165-167.

The words “character” and creature” are often used synonymously within these rules, since almost any creature could be a character within the game, and every character is a creature (as opposed to an object).
Because creatures and objects are always separate categories for in-game effects, anything that qualifies as a creature, including Undead and Constructs, is not an object. A corpse, therefore, is an object — but not if that corpse is a Zombie. A skeleton, if it's bare of flesh but still connected by ligaments, is also an object — but again, not if that Skeleton is Undead. The D&D Plant type refers to living creatures, but non-creature plants are living objects instead.

Context also tells us that individual components of an object do not in themselves qualify as separate objects (for targeting, magic, or other purposes). You can try to Sunder a bow, but you don't get to attack just the bowstring. A bow is a listed D&D object, while the string component of the bow is not; you can't target the "easy" parts to break something more easily than by overcoming the listed hardness and hit points. (An exception: walls are statted in sections rather than in their entirety.) The skeleton inside a corpse is not a separate object. Generally speaking, if you can pick up something and move it in one piece, it's an object. If you need tools to disassemble it first, its individual elements are not.

Other things that aren't considered D&D objects are the ground, fluids (liquids and gases), ice that's attached to anything, and magical forces. We know this because you can only buy fluids in containers, and you can only target them in containers (or, for particular spells, in a designated space
that serves in lieu of a container). If you need a container to hold it, it's generally not an individually targetable object.

I can cite something that doesn't make that distinction. "Anything with no Charisma score is an object, not a creature." All you've done is find a quote grouping creatures and objects as "things". That fails to provide any categorization for all the rest of the world not distinguishable as any individual thing: the ground, air, water, forest, and so on.

[NeoPhoenix0]

Re:Re: A 391 contention

I deeply apologize for playing devil's advocate here but where is it written that fluids can't count as objects.

Also thing is a very ill defined term with many definitions.

[Clistenes]

Q 392:

By RAW, is it possible to prepare and cast an Empowered Simulacrum Spell that creates copies with 75 % of the original's HD or levels?

[Thurbane]

A 392

No - Empower Spell only affects variable effects of spells - the 1/2 HD/levels condition of Simulacrum is a set number, not a variable.


Empower Spell [Metamagic]
Benefit
All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are increased by one-half.

Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables. An empowered spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell’s actual level.

[RFLS]

Q 393

If a creature is attacked underwater by an Aboleth (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Aboleth), what sort of modifiers is the Aboleth subject to for attacking underwater?

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 393

Since an Aboleth has a swim speed it is only subject to a -2 to hit with its tentacles and deals half damage with them. A full list of underwater combat modifiers can be found here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/wilderness.htm#aquaticTerrain).

[Corinath]

Q 394

Google Fu is failing me...

Is it possible to "trade away" the Poison Use ability for anything else?

[CountAile]

Q 395
So, my PC've got some monster on his hands and I can't figure out what exactly it is.
It's at least Large, if not Huge, it've got four pincers, a long, thin body and two eyes, probably (but not necessarily) on eyestalks. Its reach (at least, with pincers) is 25 ft and it've got some sort of charm ability to lure its prey with some sort of melody.
What is this thing? It has some similarities with Siege Crab, but it's not one. Is this monster in one of the rulebooks, or did our DM just homebrew it?

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 394

Nope.

A 395 clarification

What level are you? That'll help narrow it down.

[Sith_Happens]

A 395

Try making a Knowledge check.:smalltongue:

[CountAile]

q 305
I've failed the knowledge check already

And I'm not sure that the DM wouldn't fetch a 20 ECL monster at our half-dead 3-level party. He really loves to give us "Save-Or-Die" situations (they're half-dead because they all failed a DC 15 check on a not-very-popular skill XDD ).
The PCs've encountered in a watery-cavey enviropment, my guess that it's either a Magical Beast, or an Aberration (through, I wouldn't throw away an "Outsider" version, especially an evil one )

[Gargravarr]

Q 396

Are books like Oriental Adventures and Drow of the Underdark considered Campaign Setting Books just like Forgotten Realms or Ebberon are under 3.5? I need an argument to use OA for a DM that put a ''Campaign Setting books ban'' :/

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 396

Drow of the Underdark is a "generic" book, as it doesn't bear a campaign setting label.

Oriental Adventures is kind of tricky; it's explicitly the combination of a campaign setting and a sort-of update of the old Oriental Adventures book. The author refers to Rokugan as a "featured" setting in the introduction, with the intent being that you can cherry-pick material as you like. It also tells in the character creation synopsis to check with your DM to find out what material they're using from the book.

So, yeah, it's an "ask-your-DM" situation.

[PrinceOfMadness]

Q 397
How is Level Adjustment (via race or template) applied to gestalt characters? Does the LA apply to one or both of the gestalt character's classes?

Q 398
Can the spell Nystul's Magic Aura be used to make a person or object register to Detect Good or Detect Evil? For example, could I use it on a Silent Image to make the Image register as evil?

[Urpriest]

Q 397
How is Level Adjustment (via race or template) applied to gestalt characters? Does the LA apply to one or both of the gestalt character's classes?


A 397

Gestalt is not a full ruleset. Rather, it is a set of guidelines and suggested houserules. Any answer would depend on how the DM is implementing those suggestions with regard to LA. In short, ask your DM.

[mattie_p]

A 398: For items, yes, for people, no, for illusions, no.

Magic Aura reads as follows:


You alter an item’s aura so that it registers to detect spells (and spells with similar capabilities) as though it were nonmagical, or a magic item of a kind you specify, or the subject of a spell you specify.

Neither creatures nor illusions are objects, and so cannot be targeted by the spell. You would have to pick a specific kind of item for which you want the aura to replicate, so if you pick an item that radiates good or evil, the item with magic aura would replicate the same.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Q399Is there any way to break the cl cap of any spell?

Q400 Is there a feat similar to practiced spellcaster that works on Sla or Su abilities?

[Karnith]

Q399Is there any way to break the cl cap of any spell?
A 399
The feat Reserves of Strength, from the Dragonlance Campaign Setting, allows you to exceed the normal caster level cap of spells by up to 3 caster levels in exchange for being stunned for a commensurate number of rounds.

[unseenmage]

Q401

Can Eternal Wands (MIC159) be created at higher Caster Levels?

Q402

What would the price for an Eternal Wand of Chain Missile (44) be at CL 20?

[Curmudgeon]

A 395
I've failed the knowledge check already
Then I'm afraid you're outside the scope of what the Rules As Written can do for you.

A 400 No.

There's Practiced Manifester for psionic powers, but nothing along the lines you're looking for.

A 401 No.

There is no general formula provided in the rules for eternal wand creation. Instead, you can only get what's specified on the table.

A 402 N/A.

[Gargravarr]

Q 403

Does the Skill Knowledge Feat from UA make a class skill stay a class skill when multiclassing into classes that don't have the chosen class skill in the first place?


Instead of choosing two class skills, you may choose one cross-class skill (whether you already know it or not) and learn it, treating it as a class skill from that point forward.

To me it misses a multiclassing clause...

[Curmudgeon]

A 403

The unstated part of Skill Knowledge is "... for all your classes". Otherwise, there would be no point of the first option of the feat (choosing skills which are already class skills).

Note that Skill Knowledge is in the "Alternative Skill Systems" part of Unearthed Arcana, so I suggest you ask your DM before assuming the feat is available in your campaign.

[Gargravarr]

A 403

The unstated part of Skill Knowledge is "... for all your classes". Otherwise, there would be no point of the first option of the feat (choosing skills which are already class skills).

Note that Skill Knowledge is in the "Alternative Skill Systems" part of Unearthed Arcana, so I suggest you ask your DM before assuming the feat is available in your campaign.

A 403 discussion

Hmm, does the Feat require to use the alternative skill system?

[Kred]

Q404
Telekinetic Boomerang (Power)
Can i make 2 itterative attacks with 1 throwing weapon?

[Curmudgeon]

A 403 discussion
Hmm, does the Feat require to use the alternative skill system? That's up to your individual DM to decide. That is, the feat isn't available anywhere else in the rules, so your DM can decide that no part of the alternative skill section is available in their campaign.

A 404 Yes.

[OMG PONIES]

Q405: The feat Force of Will contains the following text:


The benefit of this feat only applies to psionic powers and psi-like abilities. This is an exception to the psionics-magic transparency rule (see page 55).

Is there any way to circumvent that limitation, thus allowing one to use the benefit of this feat against spells, supernatural abilities, etc.? The first thing that springs to mind is the Magic Mantle:


In addition, you always treat magic and psionics as identical...Most campaigns already treat them in this manner...

Does the quoted text mean that Magic Mantle simply allows you to play with psionics-magic transparency, and thus the limitation of the feat still applies? Or does making magic and psionics "identical" allow me to supersede the stated limitation of the feat?

[Khedrac]

Q399Is there any way to break the cl cap of any spell?
Actually this question is pretty meaningless. Spells do not have a Caster Level cap, they merely have points at which an increase in caster level has no additional effect on certain factors of the spell.
For example a Caster Level 30 fireball may still only do 10d6 damage, but it is much more likely to go through low Spell Resitance and has a longer range than a CL5 fireball.

If you want to do more damage with the spell then the Epic metamagic feat Enhance Spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#enhanceSpell) adds 10 to the dice cap.

[Thurbane]

Q 406

Where specifically in the rules (SRD quote or page reference please) does it state that a creature with a non-ability of Intelligence, or a score below 3, cannot be a player character?

[Curmudgeon]

A 406 Player's Handbook, page 11.

In the RACIAL CHARACTERISTICS section:
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.)

[Andezzar]

A 406 Addendum

I'm pretty sure that any creature or template with INT - also has Level Adjustment - , which makes it ineligible for PCs.

[Karnith]

A 406, additional

The Dungeon Master's Guide notes in its section on Monsters as Races (p. 172, with corresponding rules in the SRD here, (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monstersAsRaces.htm) though the language is different):
While every monster in the Monster Manual has the statistics that a player would need to play the creature as a character, most monsters are not suitable as PCs. The following table lists monsters that are easy, difficult, and very difficult to incorporate into a campaign as PCs. Use these lists as guidelines, but don't allow players to play creatures who have an Intelligence score of 2 or lower, who have no way to communicate, or who are so different from other PCs that they disrupt the campaign.
(Emphasis mine)

The DMG rules on for Monsters as Races also includes a section on Ability Scores for Monster PCs, which states:

The separate table for Intelligence ensures that no PC ends up with an Intelligence score lower than 3. This is important, because creatures with an Intelligence score lower than 3 are not playable.
(Emphasis mine)

[Andezzar]

Since INT is measured in integers, "2 or lower" and "lower than 3" is the same thing.

[Karnith]

Since INT is measured in integers, "2 or lower" and "lower than 3" is the same thing.
I am aware; I provided both citations because they are both pertinent and because the SRD's corresponding rules for the first citation make it a recommendation rather than a rule, whereas the second section is a rule in both the DMG and the SRD.

[unseenmage]

Q407

What are the base prices for the Hidden Spaces from Table 5–1: Hidden Spaces in Complete Scoundrel on page 109?

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 407

The price depends on the Type of hidden space. See pg 108 for the types of hidden spaces. The table just provides rules for the size of the space.

[Seharvepernfan]

Q 408

If you have both cleave and knockdown, if you deal 10 points of damage to an enemy and you succeed in tripping them, does that activate a cleave? Cleave contains the following: "(typically by dropping it to below 0 hit points or killing it)", which I assume means there are ways besides dropping them to 0 or killing them, such as knockdown, right?

[unseenmage]

Q409

Can a Scroll with a 9th level spell be folded up and hidden in a Hollow Boot Heel (CS108)?

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 409

Yes, if the boot was made for a creature large or larger.

The object has to be four sizes smaller than the creature the boot was made for and a scroll is listed as diminutive on pg 166 in the PHB.

[Andezzar]

Q 410

Does the Pectoral of Maneuverability stack with Wings of Air?

Q 411

The spell Greater Wings of Air has been reduced from Level 5 to Level 4 in the SpC. Does that affect the cost of the Greater Pectoral of Maneuverability?

Q 412

a) Are there any non-exotic two-handed weapons that deal piercing damage and have a threat range of at least 19-20?

b) How about exotic ones?

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 408

No, as Knock-Down merely allows you to make a free trip attack. Cleave requires that you drop the opponent as a result of the damage.

On a RAI note, Cleave is a face-palmingly worded feat. I believe the intention is that "drop" is being used in the euphemistic sense; you need to kill or disable the enemy to get the free attack. I'm not sure, though.

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 410

Yes, there bonus type or weird wording to prevent it.

A 411

No.

Edit:
A 412

don't know about non-exotics but I have the lynxpaw and elven courtblade from races of the wild with 18-20 ranges.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Q 413

A: If a spell has a range of "Touch" and the caster uses it on himself, does he need to touch himself?

B: Same question but with regard to Lay on Hands.

[unseenmage]

Q414

Are Gauntlets enchanted separately or as a pair?

Q415

Does the above hold true for non-magical augmentations and Weapon Augment Crystals as well?

[Kuulvheysoon]

A 406 Addendum

I'm pretty sure that any creature or template with INT - also has Level Adjustment - , which makes it ineligible for PCs.

A 406 Addendum

The Hairy Spider, a "monster" from the Forgotten Realms book Monsters of Faerun, received an update in the Player's Guide to Faerun which gave this Mindless a LA of +0 (in which was likelyalmost certainly an error).

[Curmudgeon]

A 413 A Yes.
Touch

You must touch a creature or object to affect it.
A 413 B Yes.
Lay on Hands (Su)

Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. No exceptions are made for the originator of either effect.

A 414 Separately.
Gauntlet

This metal glove lets you deal lethal damage rather than nonlethal damage with unarmed strikes. A strike with a gauntlet is otherwise considered an unarmed attack. The cost and weight given are for a single gauntlet. Each gauntlet is an individual weapon, and need not match the properties of another gauntlet used by the same character.

A 415 Yes.

Weapons are always priced and enhanced separately. Only gloves and gauntlets which are not weapons (are wondrous items or armor instead) are priced as a pair.

[Andezzar]

Q 416

Is the "target’s modifiers on saves against fear" referenced in the Intimidate skill
a) the modifier to saving throws that applies only to fear effects (e.g. the +2 morale bonus from Inpsire Courage)
or
b) The modifier to the D20 the target gets vs fear effects i.e. base will save+WIS+misc. modifiers+modifiers applying only to fear effects?

[Thurbane]

Q 417

What creatures types (Aberration, Humanoid, Outsider etc.) are not subject to aging and/or death by reaching maximum age?

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 417

No creature type is inherently immune to aging.

For example, even though i can't think of an undead that ages the undead type doesn't grant immunity to age.

[Gargravarr]

Q 418

Do PrCs that advance divine spellcasting levels also advance the Dragonfire Adept?

The bit on PrCs states this:


Dragonfire adepts benefit in a specific way from prestige classes that have a level advancement benefit of “+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class” or “+1 level of existing spellcasting class.” A dragonfire adept taking levels in such a prestige class does not gain any other benefits of that level increase, but she does gain an increased caster level when using her invocations and increased damage with her breath weapon. Levels of prestige classes that provide +1 level of spellcasting effectively stack with the dragonfire adept’s level to determine her breath weapon damage and save DC. She also gains new invocations at each prestige class level as though she had risen a level in the dragonfire adept class.

So advancing divine levels is good too?

[Chronos]

A 418:

No. Some prestige classes (such as Loremaster) can advance any spellcasting class, regardless of whether it's arcane or divine. Others can advance any arcane class. Prestige classes of either of these types can be used to advance Dragonfire Adept or Warlock. Other prestige classes, however, can only be used to advance divine spellcasting classes, and these do not work with DFA nor Warlock.

[Gargravarr]

^^Thanks.

Q 419
Can a Human Dread Necromancer heal himself with Charnel Touch when using the Tomb-Tainted Soul Feat?


Tomb-Tainted Soul
You are healed by negative energy and harmed by positive energy as if you were an undead creature. This feat gives no other penalties or benefi ts of the undead type.

I'm confused because Charnel Touch states:


Charnel Touch (Su): Negative energy flows through a dread necromancer's body, concentrating in her hands. At will, but no more than once per round, she can make a melee touch attack against a living foe that deals 1d8 points of damage, +1 per four class levels. This touch heals undead creatures, restoring 1 hit point per touch, +1 per four class levels. A dread necromancer can use the spectral hand spell to deliver this attack from a distance.

Surely he could touch himself to heal?

"This touch heals undead creatures..." would also indicate that it could be used to heal undead allies, no?

[NeoPhoenix0]

Q 420

When using the shield self granted power of the Dahlver-Nar vestige, do you apply damage reduction before or after you half the damage and split it.

[Gargravarr]

Q 421

Could a Cloistered Cleric ditch all his 3 domains and granted powers and choose 1 Planar Domain + Divine Magician ACF instead?

Because:
2 Cleric Domains for Planar Domain
1 Cleric Domain (Knowledge from CC) for Divine Magician

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 419

That's correct. A DN with Tomb-Tainted Soul or the undead type (usually via Necropolitan) has infinite healing.

[Gargravarr]

A 419

That's correct. A DN with Tomb-Tainted Soul or the undead type (usually via Necropolitan) has infinite healing.

A 419 discussion

But can he heal himself with Charnel Touch?

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 419 clarification

Yes.

[Curmudgeon]

A 421 No.

The text of Divine Magician ACF states:
Replaces: You gain only one domain (including spells and granted power) at 1st level, rather than two. This is a fixed statement of the number of domains. Additionally, it comes with a special requirement:
Special Requirement: Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank. This means that you must have already chosen Cleric (including any Cleric variant) previously in order to be able to satisfy that requirement, and it will then override the domain selection. A Cloistered Cleric Divine Magician will have only one domain rather than three.

If you're unhappy with this outcome, you'll need to ask your DM for a house rule overriding the RAW. (Maybe the DM will take pity on you if you explain that it's Skip Williams's fault.)

[Urpriest]

Q 422

Can the Spiderskin spell ever grant a +5 enhancement bonus to natural armor?

[Curmudgeon]

A 422 Yes.

From page 202 of Spell Compendium:
The spell grants the recipient a +1 enhancement bonus to its existing natural armor bonus ... for every three caster levels you have. This means that the bonuses to natural armor, saves, and Hide checks improve to +2 at caster level 6th, +3 at caster level 9th, +4 at 12th, and +5 at 15th.

[Baphomet]

Q 423

What happens if a summoned creature swallows another creature whole and the summon expires? Does the answer differ if the creature is dead or alive? What about if swallowed whole by a druid in wild shape? Are there size concerns in this instance?

Sorry, I asked this question on the previous page but neglected to include a question number, realized my mistake and edited one in, but then someone else put the same number on their question, so I'm just deleting that one and reposting.

[Kornaki]

Q 422 ct'd

Aha, I think in Underdark it says "+1 for every three levels above 3rd, up to a maximum of +5 at caster level 12" which I assume is the source of the question.

So my followup question is if there was never an update to the spell in the spell compendium or an errata to the spell, what would the correct maximum number be - +5 at 15th, +4 at 12th, or does it go from +3 to +5 at 12th (or is there nothing in RAW to administer this)

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 422 ct'd

The spell compendium is the latest printing of the spell and it fixes it by saying +1 , +2 at CL 6, +3 at CL 9, +4 at CL 12, and +5 at CL 15.

[mattie_p]

A 422 (continued) This thread is for questions regarding the RAW in its entirety.

"What if Sourcebook X were never published..." type questions call for speculation and are outside of the scope of this thread.

[Kred]

Q424
Improved Rapidstrike + 2 claws = 6 itterative attacks (BAB +20). Will the BAB be 20/20/15/15/15/15 or 20/20/15/10/5/0?

[unseenmage]

Do Oerthblood or Pure Ore (Dragon 351 and 347 respectively) have any effect on a Firearm weapon (DMG145)?

Scratch that, my apologies.

Q425

Is there a chart depicting the appropriate attack bonuses and ACs for characters/creatures by level/HD?

[Andezzar]

A 424

Neither. It's: +20/+20(2 claws)/+15(Rapidstrike)/+15(improved Rapidstrike 1st extra attack)/+10/+10/+10(Improved Rapidstrike subsequent extra attacks)

The answer reminds me of another question I did not get an answer to earlier IIRC:

Q 426

Are there any conditions to be met (beyond the prerequisites from the feat) to get more than one extra attack from improved rapidstrike?

A 425

No, not a RAW one. Anything else is beyond the scope of this thread.

[Metahuman1]

Q 427

If a Heganyoki Sparrow (that race form OA that can turn into animals and one version can turn into a Sparrow is what I'm talking about cause I'm sure I misspelled it. ) With levels in Warblade or Swordsage were to take Tiger Claw maneuvers that require a Jump Check, Soaring Raptor Strike just for a quick example, could he use them while flying in sparrow form simply by rolling the jump check?

[Andezzar]

A 427

No, you cannot jump while flying.

[Kred]

Q428
Will Metamorphose allow me to get Warshaper prestige?

[unseenmage]

Q429

Other than how silly it sounds;
Is there a RAW reason i can't put an Oil Chamber (Ds33), Wand Chamber (Ds34), Hilt Hollow (Ds33), Triple Weapon capsule Retainer (CA22), and a Hilt Pistol (D321pg34) into Armor Spikes and/or Hidden Blades (CS108) which are also in said armor?

[kardar233]

Q430:

Is there any way to get a Sorc/Wiz 4 spell with the Beguiler's 7th level Advanced Learning class feature?

Q431:

What is the least level-intensive way to get access to the spells in a domain as a Beguiler?

[Kred]

Q432
Strength Of My Enemy (power) + augment
With this power i can siphon as much strength from one enemy as i want?
E.g. 7 itterative attacks = 7 strength and another 7 str in the next round (1 foe)?

[Curmudgeon]

A 429 Yes.

Also from page 33 of Dungeonscape:
As a rule of thumb, weapons cannot have modifications unless they have a solid hilt or handle that is at least 6 inches in length. Armor spikes do not have a handle.

[thethird]

Q 433 If a prestige class, such as Zentharim skymage, requires the ability to cast specific spells, can I meet that prerequisite with spell-like abilities?

[Khedrac]

A430: Yes

Take a level of a prestige class that grants a level of spell-casting in an existing spellcasting class prior to Beguiler 7 and you can take a 4th level spell as you are casting as a Beguiler 8 and have access to 4th level spells.

[TuggyNE]

A432: Yes. The only limit is on the amount that can be applied to your own Str as an enhancement bonus; the siphoning is not limited.

[123456789blaaa]

Q 434

What ways are there to increase the number of grapple checks made in a round?

[Thurbane]

Q 433 If a prestige class, such as Zentharim skymage, requires the ability to cast specific spells, can I meet that prerequisite with spell-like abilities?

A 433

The Dragonfire Adept description specifies that if they have an SLA that mimicks a spell, it counts as being able to cast that spell for qualifying for PrCs.

However, I believe this is a rule specific to this class, and not a general rule.

I hope that helps.

[Andezzar]

A 428

No. The prerequisites are pretty explicit what qualifies as an appropriate ability to change shape. Metamorphosis (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/metamorphosis.htm) is not one of them. But since psionic powers are very similar to spells and metamorphosis is very similar to polymorph, it is not very far fetched to allow metamorphosis to fulfill the prerequisite as well.

[Curmudgeon]

A 434

Increase your BAB. Each iterative attack allows you to make a grapple check instead of an attack.
The Improved Grab ability allows you to make a grapple check as a free action after hitting with a melee attack.
Various spells, such as Evard's Black Tentacles (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/blackTentacles.htm), force you to make a grapple check on the spellcaster's initiative. (Probably not what you intended, but this does increase the number of grapple checks you make in a round.)
Along the same line, monsters with the Constrict special ability crush you after winning an opposed grapple check.

[123456789blaaa]

A 434 Clarification request


A 434

Increase your BAB. Each iterative attack allows you to make a grapple check instead of an attack.
The Improved Grab ability allows you to make a grapple check as a free action after hitting with a melee attack.
Various spells, such as Evard's Black Tentacles (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/blackTentacles.htm), force you to make a grapple check on the spellcaster's initiative. (Probably not what you intended, but this does increase the number of grapple checks you make in a round.)
Along the same line, monsters with the Constrict special ability crush you after winning an opposed grapple check.


If a creature with Imp Grab were to full attack another creature, after the first melee attack hit, 1 grapple check would be made to hold. If it succeeded then the creature and its target would now be grappling.

What happens to the rest of the attacks though? If they hit, would they each start a grapple again (and thus prompt individual grapple checks for each attack)?

[Urpriest]

A 433

The Dragonfire Adept description specifies that if they have an SLA that mimicks a spell, it counts as being able to cast that spell for qualifying for PrCs.

However, I believe this is a rule specific to this class, and not a general rule.

I hope that helps.

A 433 Continued:

Complete Arcane page 71 clarifies. As long as the spell-like ability emulates the spell in question and the requirement is for a specific spell (no "2nd level spell" or the like), you can use a spell-like ability to qualify for a prestige class or feat requiring a specific spell.

[thethird]

Thanks

Q 434 Another invocation/spell-like question then:

SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#spellLikeAbilities): "Spell-like abilities cannot be used to counterspell, nor can they be counterspelled."

Could a warlock use devour magic or voracious dispelling (relentless specifies that it only works as targeted dispelling) to counterspell? Or does the premise that spell-like abilities cannot be used to counterspell precludes counter spelling?

I think that since the invocations call specifically for (greater) dispel magic (which can be used to counterspell), they are more specific than the ruling against using SLAs on counterspelling.

Additionally/alternatively

Q 435 If invocations cannot be used to counterspell any way of bypassing the limitation above? Supernatural transformation is too cheesy.

[Sgtpepper]

Q 436

Is there an exalted feat that gives you the ability to not die.

(stupid question but I need to prove a point.)

[Keegan__D]

Q 437:With Improved Grab and a Spiked Chain, after striking a target and succeeding on the grapple check, do you automatically move into their space? Or do they automatically movr into yours? Or do you have to spend the action to move into their space?

[Metahuman1]

Q 438

If a character has both flight and perfect maneuverability, including the ability to hover in one position, can that character use the Jump skill to leap from the point in the air there hovering at?

[Andezzar]

A 436

I'm pretty sure, there is no such ability. The only Exalted Feat that relates to dying is Knight of the Risen Scepter. It resurrects you without level loss but a negative level.

A 438

No, it's still the same answer as 427. To jump you need to propel yourself from a solid surface.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Q 439 Can a Chameleon benefit from a Ring of Wizardry (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rings.htm#wizardry)?

[Chronos]

A 439:
Yes, so long as the chameleon is using Arcane Focus.

[Tvtyrant]

Q 440

Kythons have a percentile chance of having a Kython Weapon in their stat block as an extraordinary ability. If a Druid used Aberrant Wildshape to become a Kython would they gain a Kython Weapon?

[qwertyu63]

Q441

What happens if you have spell resistance from multiple sources at the same time?

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 440

Keyword there is weaponry; they're devices grown in eggs that Kythons can equip. A Wizard doesn't sprout a longbow if he polymorphs into an elf, you don't get a Kython weapon if you transform into one.

The percentile chance is not extraordinary, the weapon is, as per the header.

A 441

Only the highest applies.

[Chronos]

A 441 addendum:

Occasionally a source will specify that it stacks. This is unusual, though, and the vast majority of the time they don't.

[Nettlekid]

Q442
If you use Mind Blank on a creature currently being affected by a mind-affecting effect, does it suppress/remove that effect or does the effect continue, but no new effects can be added?

[killem2]

q 443: Can a Merfolk, help a non aquatic creature breathe under water via cpr style, they breathe in, and breath out into the non aquatic creature.

[Metahuman1]

Q 444 Is there a spell, Item, Psionic Power, Soul Meld, Vestage ability, Shadow Mystery, Martial Maneuver, Truename Utterance or any other trick or combination form any system or sub system or source book(s), that would allow a character who is flying, with wings as an extra ordinary ability, to form a temporary stable platform in mid air, from which a jump could be executed to allow them to execute a tiger claw maneuver that requires them to jump?

[TuggyNE]

q 443: Can a Merfolk, help a non aquatic creature breathe under water via cpr style, they breathe in, and breath out into the non aquatic creature.

A443 provisional: No. So far as I know, there is neither any kind of rules support for this, nor any possible mechanism IRL by which a gill-using creature can efficiently transfer oxygen to a lung-breathing creature.

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 427, A 438: Contention; A 444

We've been discussing jumping in mid-air in this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=292062). We have yet to find any reason why you can't jump in mid air as long as you have a form of movement like flight as the only RAW restriction on a jump check is it must be part of a move action. If you disagree please cite a source.

Edit: My source is the Jump (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/jump.htm) skill.

[Lateral]

Q 445

Do you need line of effect to cast summoning spells, if you have line of sight? For other spells?

[TuggyNE]

A445: Yes.
You must have a clear line of effect to any target that you cast a spell on or to any space in which you wish to create an effect. You must have a clear line of effect to the point of origin of any spell you cast.

[Vaz]

Q446; A Stalker of Kharash with Favoured Enemy (Evil) takes the "Wise to Your Ways" Feat from Ghostwalk; it allows you to grant your Favoured Enemy Bonus to saves against the favoured enemy's Su, Sp, and Ex abilities.

What happens if you take, say, Undead from Ranger 5, and take the Favoured Enemy (Arcanist) from Complete Mage from Ranger 1, and you're facing an Evil Vampire Wizard.

Would you get the +1 to Saves from Favoured Enemy Evil, or +5 to saves as each one applies to that target?

[TuggyNE]

A446: Because Favored Enemy bonuses overlap, rather than stacking, only the highest single bonus to saves would apply.

[SethoMarkus]

A443 provisional: No. So far as I know, there is neither any kind of rules support for this, nor any possible mechanism IRL by which a gill-using creature can efficiently transfer oxygen to a lung-breathing creature.

But it worked in Waterworld!

[powerdemon]

But it worked in Waterworld!

You would be breathing out carbon dioxide anyway. :smallbiggrin:

[Khatoblepas]

Q447

A Master of Many Forms Wildshapes into a Hobgoblin Warsoul, and gains the following abilities:

Arcane Talent (Ex), Cult of Power (Ex).

What exactly do they gain from these abilities? Do 1st level Hobgoblin Warriors spawn and protect the MoMF? Does the MoMF have the spell slots, but not the spells prepared, of a 9th level Wizard?

[unseenmage]

Q448

Does the Sacred Guardian template have to be applied to the construct at creation?

Q449

How much experience do constructs have at creation?

[Andezzar]

You would be breathing out carbon dioxide anyway. :smallbiggrin:Not that much, otherwise CPR would not work. How effectively a gilled creature utilizes the oxygen it extracts from the water, I don't know.

[Laura Eternata]

Q450

If an Artificer takes an item creation feat early (say, Brew Potion on level 1 as his normal first level feat), does he get a bonus feat to make up for it on the level he should have otherwise gotten the item creation feat (in the case of Brew Potion, 2)?

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 448

Sacred Guardian is an acquired template, so it can be added post-creation.

A 450

Unless the description of the bonus feat specifies otherwise, no, you do not gain another feat.

You can't take Brew Potion at level 1 anyway (requires CL 3), so your example is kind of moot anyway.

[powerdemon]

Q450

If an Artificer takes an item creation feat early (say, Brew Potion on level 1 as his normal first level feat), does he get a bonus feat to make up for it on the level he should have otherwise gotten the item creation feat (in the case of Brew Potion, 2)?

450 Additional
If your DM allows retraining, you could retrain the feat (in your example, brew potion) into a new feat at the level you get that bonus feat for free. Essentially getting another feat as you suggested.

[unseenmage]

A 448

Sacred Guardian is an acquired template, so it can be added post-creation.

Excellent. Thanks for the clarification.

Q451

Can the Sacred Guardian Template be applied to a weapon with the Flying +1 weapon enhancement? (MoF140)

Q452

Do nonhumanoid constructs like Animated Objects and Crawling Claws have Magic Item Body Slots?

[cd4]

Q453 If I am grappling can I breathe my breath weapon and then try to escape the grapple? If not can I breathe and attack with my natural weapons? These are all asking about the same round.

[NeoPhoenix0]

Q 420

When using the shield self granted power of the Dahlver-Nar vestige, do you apply damage reduction before or after you half the damage and split it.

Just bringing up one of my unanswered questions from a couple pages ago.

[Andezzar]

A 453

The rules are pretty explicit, what you can do while being grappled (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#ifYoureGrappling). Taking a standard action to activate a breath weapon is not included.

[Lateral]

Q 454

If one fails a save for a web spell, but then teleports out of the area of the web (say, with a psionic dimension door, which has no somatic components), are they still unable to move? Still entangled? Completely free?

[Kornaki]

Q 455

Is a beholder's eye ray attack considered a natural weapon?


I ask because whether it is or not seems to determine whether they can shoot eye rays while grappling using the restrictive list of things you can do while grappling
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#grapple

which given their mediocre grapple check means that should be a very effective tactic.

[Urpriest]

Q 455

Is a beholder's eye ray attack considered a natural weapon?


I ask because whether it is or not seems to determine whether they can shoot eye rays while grappling using the restrictive list of things you can do while grappling
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#grapple

which given their mediocre grapple check means that should be a very effective tactic.

A 455
They are not natural weapons, no.

[Corinath]

Q 456

How many size classes larger does a creature have to be before you can no longer sneak attack it? (Reaching it's vitals being a pre-requisite).

Is there an RAW answer to this? Or is it on a case by case basis?

(I'm asking because I might make a particularly small rogue, and don't want to short change myself in melee)

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 456

It's entirely up to the DM, so if you're worried about it coming up a lot, consider making a ranged rogue.

I don't think I've ever seen it come up, personally; you can usually handwave a "I slash open the major veins in his foot" solution and most DMs I've played with either feel bad about denying the rogue his sneak attack or don't care enough about that bit of minutiae to keep track of it.

[unseenmage]

Q457

Is there a price listed anywhere for the molds slimes and fungi on page 76 of the DMG?

Wanting to build a wondrous garden of death.

[TuggyNE]

Not that much, otherwise CPR would not work. How effectively a gilled creature utilizes the oxygen it extracts from the water, I don't know.

Water contains much less oxygen than air does (5-15mg/L vs 270-290mg/L), and lungs are considerably more efficient at extracting oxygen from air than from a liquid anyway, so without some gas to breathe out (besides the tiny quantities of CO2 and O2) it wouldn't work at all.

[Flame of Anor]

Q458

1. Can you cast hardening on yourself?

2. Why not?

3. What do you have to do so that you can?

[nyjastul69]

A 458

1. No

2. Hardening affects an items hardness. Hardness is a property of objects. Objects are not creatures.

3. Find a way to become an object

Edit: By 'on yourself' I assume you mean a character that is a creature.

[TuggyNE]

A458 clarification: Hardness is not an exclusive property of objects, but hardening targets an "item" (presumably a careless synonym of "object") has SR:Yes (object), and affects "materials" (again, presumably a careless reference to objects). Therefore, while it is not impossible for a creature to have hardness, it is impossible for a creature to have hardening cast on it.

[nyjastul69]

A458 Additional

tuggyne is correct. Animated Objects are an example of creatures with hardness. Animated Objects are not playable by RAW due to their LA-.

In regards to element 3 of your question I would suggest finding a creature with hardness that is playable. Such a creature can probably be found.

[Codyage]

Q 459
Can a Hengeyokai speak Common and other languages in animal form?

Q 460
Does a Hengeyokai drop all of their items after transforming, or do they merge with them as a Polymorph other?

(It says to delete Polymorph in only the first part of the errata but not the 2nd part. So I am confused on if the character still merges with their items or drops them.)

[Sith_Happens]

Q 461

Can the Scrying spell be cast on a creature in a lead-lined room?

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 461

No.

From the magic overview section of the SRD under divination is this text.

Scrying

A scrying spell creates an invisible magical sensor that sends you information. Unless noted otherwise, the sensor has the same powers of sensory acuity that you possess. This level of acuity includes any spells or effects that target you, but not spells or effects that emanate from you. However, the sensor is treated as a separate, independent sensory organ of yours, and thus it functions normally even if you have been blinded, deafened, or otherwise suffered sensory impairment.

Any creature with an Intelligence score of 12 or higher can notice the sensor by making a DC 20 Intelligence check. The sensor can be dispelled as if it were an active spell.

Lead sheeting or magical protection blocks a scrying spell, and you sense that the spell is so blocked.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 427, Re: A 438: Contention; A 444
We have yet to find any reason why you can't jump in mid air as long as you have a form of movement like flight as the only RAW restriction on a jump check is it must be part of a move action. If you disagree please cite a source.
The D&D game doesn't define jump; it merely tells, in terms of game mechanics, how you use the Jump skill when you are capable of doing so. The definition (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/jump?s=t&path=/) is as usual:

jump
-verb (used without object)

1. to spring clear of the ground or other support by a sudden muscular effort; leap: to jump into the air; to jump out a window. You cannot use the Jump skill if you cannot exert a sudden muscular effort against the ground or some other support.

[Zombimode]

jump
-verb (used without object)

1. to spring clear of the ground or other support by a sudden muscular effort; leap: to jump into the air; to jump out a window.

Fun fact: going with this definition, Jumping Spiders don't jump :smallsmile: (they don't jump by muscular effort since they don't have the such muscles in their legs)

[KillianHawkeye]

Fun fact: going with this definition, Jumping Spiders don't jump :smallsmile: (they don't jump by muscular effort since they don't have the such muscles in their legs)

The definition does not state that the muscles need to be in the legs.

[123456789blaaa]

Q 462

The Touch of the Shadow Sun ability of the Shadow Sun Ninja PRC allows you to deal negative energy damage equal to your base unarmed damage + your Wis modifier. If you use the Combat Rhythm tactical option of the Stormguard Warrior feat before using the TotSS ability, does the +5 damage that is added next round to the ability count as "base unarmed damage" (so would you deal 5 or more points of negative energy damage with your unarmed strike than normal or would it be lethal/nonlethal damage)?

[Piggy Knowles]

Q 463:

The feat Infernal Sorcerer Howl allows me to expend a spell slot that creates "a 30-foot cone of sonic energy." It then says that all opponents within this cone take 2d6 points of damage per the level of the spell slot that was extended, but does not mention a damage type. Does this count as sonic damage, or is it untyped?

Q 464:

Is there any way to change the elemental damage type of a special ability or feat? Basically, looking for something like Energy Substitution for things other than spells/powers.

[123456789blaaa]

Q 465

Some dieites have two favored weapons with the second in brackets. For example, Ghaunadaur has "an amorphous tentacle (warhammer)" as favored weapons. When a cleric uses the spiritual weapons spell, which weapon does it create?

[Andezzar]

Repost, because it din't get answered earlier:

Q 426

Are there any conditions to be met (beyond the prerequisites from the feat) to get more than one extra attack from improved rapidstrike?

A 465 Maybe

I always thought the first only specifies the look and the second specifies the stats. IIRC every time the favored weapon is presented in that fashion, the first is not something you can find in any of the weapon tables. While there are natural tentacle attacks, they are not classified as amorphous.

[Norin]

Q466:

I'm immune to poisons. Say, a lvl 9 Druid.

I eat something poisoned, do i know it was poisoned without resorting to poison detection spells (or whatever)? Or do i just eat the food and shrug it off, not knowing?

[Curmudgeon]

A 463 It's sonic damage.

The short description ("Expend spell slot to create cone of sonic energy") agrees with the longer feat text:
You channel the fury of your infernal ancestors into a thunderous roar that blasts your enemies with sonic power.
...
Benefit: By expending one of your spell slots, you create a 30-foot cone of sonic energy. It's just slightly different language than the more common form ("2d6 points of sonic (energy) damage").

A 466 You're clueless.

[NeoPhoenix0]

A 463

It does sonic damage. the first sentence of the benefit section says it is a cone of sonic energy.

Edit: Ninja'd

[unseenmage]

Q451

Can the Sacred Guardian Template be applied to a weapon with the Flying +1 weapon enhancement? (MoF140)

Q452

Do nonhumanoid constructs like Animated Objects and Crawling Claws have Magic Item Body Slots?


Q448

Does the Sacred Guardian template have to be applied to the construct at creation?

Q449

How much experience do constructs have at creation?

Is it permissible to ask these again?

[Flame of Anor]

Q 467

If you cast hardening (on a valid target) multiple times, will it stack? It just says it "increases the hardness", instead of "grants an enhancement bonus" or anything like that.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: Q 448

The only Sacred Guardian template I know of is in Bestiary of Krynn Revised, a Dragonlance book. Except for the part of that supplement which updates information from Dragonlance Campaign Setting (such as that for Dragonspawn), the book is Dragonlance-only. As such, it's outside the scope of this D&D-specific thread.

A 449 0 XP.

All creatures start with 0 XP unless you're creating them for a game beginning at a higher level, in which case you should talk to your DM.

Re: Q 451

Again, this is a Dragonlance question, not a D&D question.

A 452 Yes.

All creatures, including Construct type creatures, have body slots. See Magic Item Compendium on page 219 for adjustments for non-Humanoid creatures, and talk to your DM about which body slots are missing.

A 465 additional info
The weapon takes the shape of a weapon favored by your deity or a weapon with some spiritual significance or symbolism to you (see below) and has the same threat range and critical multipliers as a real weapon of its form. Ghaunadaur is worshiped by both Aberrations and Drow (see Lords of Madness on page 177). The warhammer is the preferred weapon unless you have a tentacle naturally. Thus the answer here is the weapon which you can use is the weapon with greater significance to you. Reading the writeup for a particular deity may provide information similar to that for Ghaunadaur; otherwise, you and your DM will decide among multiple favored weapons when such issues come up.

A 467 No.

The duration of Hardening (Spell Compendium, page 109) is permanent, not instantaneous; it lasts only until dispelled. The standard spell stacking rules apply. You get the best improvement of all instances of Hardening rather than adding them.

[Lateral]

Q 468 A
Animated objects keep the hardness they had before being animated. Does this still apply to energy damage?

Q 468 B
If so, is the damage for fire, electricity, and cold still reduced by half (or 75%) before applying hardness?

[Flame of Anor]

A 467 No.

The duration of Hardening (Spell Compendium, page 109) is permanent, not instantaneous; it lasts only until dispelled. The standard spell stacking rules apply. You get the best improvement of all instances of Hardening rather than adding them.

Would you cite those "spell stacking rules" please?

[Curmudgeon]

A 468 A Yes.

A 468 B Yes.

Hardness always applies in the same fashion, whether it's a creature or an object: if the damage is reduced by some amount (for electricity, fire, and cold) compute the amount remaining; after any necessary adjustments you subtract hardness from all damage which would otherwise apply.

[Lateral]

A 468 A Yes.

A 468 B Yes.

Hardness always applies in the same fashion, whether it's a creature or an object: if the damage is reduced by some amount (for electricity, fire, and cold) compute the amount remaining; after any necessary adjustments you subtract hardness from all damage which would otherwise apply.

But for (B), the question is specifically whether the damage for electricity, fire, and cold is reduced by half or 3/4 before hardness, as it is for objects, or if they apply normally before hardness, as for other creatures without hardness.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 467
Would you cite those "spell stacking rules" please?
The section in Player's Handbook titled COMBINING MAGICAL EFFECTS on pages 171-172. The short version is:

Stacking Effects: Spells that provide bonuses or penalties on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and other attributes usually do not stack with themselves. Hardness falls under "other attributes".

Re: A 468 B
But for (B), the question is specifically whether the damage for electricity, fire, and cold is reduced by half or 3/4 before hardness, as it is for objects, or if they apply normally before hardness, as for other creatures without hardness.
The bolded part is incorrect. The hardness rules work the same for objects and creatures. (Only a few creatures (of the Construct type) have hardness, but that's all it takes.) Electricity and fire divide the damage by 2 before subtracting hardness. Cold divides the damage by 4 before subtracting hardness. Other energy types (acid and sonic) simply subtract the hardness without other adjustment.

[Phelix-Mu]

Q469
Can summoning be done during "apparent time," via either time stop spell or temporal acceleration power? The specific instance in question is summoning an astral construct during temporal acceleration (and possibly an augmented, multi-round period of said TA), but I'd be interested in the broader issue of SM or SNA during time stop as well.

[Curmudgeon]

A 469 No.
While the time stop is in effect, other creatures are invulnerable to your attacks and spells; you cannot target such creatures with any attack or spell.
While your temporal acceleration is in effect, other creatures are invulnerable to your attacks and powers. You can't summon or otherwise affect any creatures.

[Thurbane]

Q 470

Effective initiator level = 1/2 of all other levels/HD, plus your level in the class you are taking maneuvers/stances in, right? If I have 4 racial hit dice and take my first class level as Warblade, my initiator level is 3. Does this mean I can take 2nd level maneuvers with my first level of Warbalde (assuming I meet the reqs), or is there a rule that you can only take 1st level maneuvers at 1st Martial Adept level?

[Urpriest]

A 469 No. You can't summon or otherwise affect any creatures.

Q 471

In what way does invulnerability prevent oneself from being created? Alternatively, in what way is the capacity to be created a vulnerability?

[Curmudgeon]

A 470 No.

I'm afraid your reading of the rule is at odds with the text.
If you are a single-class character, your initiator level equals your level in the class that provides access to martial maneuvers (crusader, swordsage, or warblade). If you lack any martial adept levels, your initiator level is equal to 1/2 your character level. You're still a single-class character; racial hit dice are excluded from this calculation. (It doesn't necessarily make sense; it's just the RAW.) 4 RHD + 1 class level of Warblade gives you an IL of 1. If you had 4 class levels instead, you would be able to select higher-level maneuvers (but not stances) at Warblade 1. Only if you lacked any martial adept levels entirely would the IL calculation use your character level (including RHD) rather than just class levels.

A 471

Your question doesn't make sense.
Conjuration

Each conjuration spell belongs to one of five subschools. Conjurations bring manifestations of objects, creatures, or some form of energy to you (the summoning subschool), actually transport creatures from another plane of existence to your plane (calling), heal (healing), transport creatures or objects over great distances (teleportation), or create objects or effects on the spot (creation). You're confusing summoning and creation subschools.

[AugustNights]

Q 472


A 469 No. You can't summon or otherwise affect any creatures.

For sake of my own curiosity, would the Astral Construct (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/astralConstruct.htm) power function during a Time Stop? (In which the creature in question *is* created, rather than summoned.)

Q 473
Is there any item that allows for mundane armor modifications (such as Armor Spikes), that is not actually armor or a shield?

Q 474
Does the monk AC Bonus special ability cease to function when a monk employs a shield? (Does employing a shield break the "When unarmored and unencumbered," clause?)

[Curmudgeon]

A 472 No.

Whether you can create any creature would be up to your DM, since "invulnerable" doesn't specifically address creating a new creature. What is certain is that Temporal Acceleration would prevent the Astral Construct from acting "immediately, on your turn". So even if the creation itself worked, while time is sped up so "all other creatures seem frozen" the rest of the spell could not work.

A 474

Yes, the AC Bonus ceases to operate. This is stated explicitly:
AC Bonus (Ex)

When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five monk levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level).

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load. The Monk doesn't even need to have the shield readied; simply carrying it in a pack will cause AC Bonus to fail.

[Thurbane]

Q 475

Would a Monk using an Animated Shield still count as "carrying" it in relation to losing his AC bonus? Animated says you still take armor check penalty, arcane spell failure and non-proficiency penalties, but by the wording of the Monk ability, would you lose your Monk AC bonus, as you are technically not carrying it?

[TuggyNE]

A 471

Your question doesn't make sense. You're confusing summoning and creation subschools.

A471 clarification: Unlike the calling subschool, summoning does not deal in fully-real creatures, only their "manifestations"; these manifestations cannot really die and may or may not be created by the summoning spell. As such, it is unclear whether time stop prevents their use, since it is not obvious that the spells actually target any specific creature.

Furthermore, because time stop includes the sentence "Most spellcasters use the additional time to improve their defenses, summon allies, or flee from combat", it is quite clear that "summoning", as such, is allowed and expected by the time stop spell itself.

[Curmudgeon]

A 475 Yes.
A character with an animated shield still takes any penalties associated with shield use, such as armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, and nonproficiency. The Monk's AC Bonus penalty for using a shield still applies.

[Chronos]

A 470 correction:
Racial hit dice are considered a class, for purposes of the rules. So a monster with 4 RHD and 1 level of Warblade does in fact have a Warblade initiator level of 3.

A 470 continued:
You can certainly take second-level maneuvers with your first level of Warblade in such a situation (as long as you meet the prerequisite), since what level of maneuver you can take is limited only by your initiator level.

Stances are a bit fuzzier, though: There is text in the ToB class descriptions that specifically says that you gain a first-level stance with your first level in the class (no other level is thus limited). Many DMs regard this as an editing error, and argue that the writers were not considering multiclass characters when they wrote that, but per RAW, your first stance must be 1st-level.

[Andezzar]

Q 476

The darkstalker feat says:
When you hide, creatures with blindsense, blindsight, scent, or tremorsense must make a Listen check or a Spot check (whichever DC is higher) to notice you, just as sighted creatures would make Spot checks to detect you.
What does the underlined part mean? How can the DC for an opposed test vary? There aren't fixed DCs there anyways and special abilities of the detector effect their roll, not the DC.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 470 correction [correction]
Racial hit dice are considered a class, for purposes of the rules.
I'm afraid you've got that backward: hit dice include all class levels, but class levels do not include all hit dice.
racial Hit Die

The Hit Dice a monster has by virtue of what type of creature it is. Hit Dice gained from taking class levels are not racial Hit Dice.
class level

A character's level in a single class. Class features generally depend on class level rather than character level.
character level

A character's total level. For a character with levels in only one class, class level and character level are the same thing.
If you are a single-class character, your initiator level equals your level in the class that provides access to martial maneuvers (crusader, swordsage, or warblade). A single-class character with racial hit dice is still entirely dependent on their class levels for IL computation.

[Keegan__D]

Q 437:With Improved Grab and a Spiked Chain, after striking a target and succeeding on the grapple check, do you automatically move into their space? Or do they automatically movr into yours? Or do you have to spend the action to move into their space?

Poating my question again.

[Curmudgeon]

A 476

There are fixed DCs for the Spot skill:
A creature can generally notice the presence of an active invisible creature within 30 feet with a DC 20 Spot check. The observer gains a hunch that “something’s there” but can’t see it or target it accurately with an attack. A creature who is holding still is very hard to notice (DC 30). An inanimate object, an unliving creature holding still, or a completely immobile creature is even harder to spot (DC 40). It’s practically impossible (+20 DC) to pinpoint an invisible creature’s location with a Spot check, and even if a character succeeds on such a check, the invisible creature still benefits from total concealment (50% miss chance). Darkstalker's language just lumps together the checks which use DCs and those which are opposed. As for the "how" part of your question, the nature of feats is to provide exceptions to the rules. Thus a feat can specify a non-standard game mechanic, and Darkstalker provides an example of just that.

[Andezzar]

A 476


A 476

There are fixed DCs for the Spot skill: Darkstalker's language just lumps together the checks which use DCs and those which are opposed. As for the "how" part of your question, the nature of feats is to provide exceptions to the rules. Thus a feat can specify a non-standard game mechanic, and Darkstalker provides an example of just that.Well here is the problem: the character with darkstalker (and either concealment or HiPS) hides, which is required for the feat to work, from a creature with the appropriate senses. Now the result of the hide check is the DC for spotting the character. How can you decide if the DC for the creature's spot or listen check is higher? Shouldn't they be the same? And if they are the same, can the player of the creature choose what to roll?

Additionally the part you quoted is about invisible creatures. Is a successfully hiding creature invisible (as in impossible to be seen) or is it only not seen by the observer?

The text you quoted brings up another question:

Q 477

Can you always know the number of any hidden object or creature within 30 ft, if you have a spot bonus of 42 or more (DC40 + a maximum of 3 for distance)? Can you pinpoint them with a spot bonus of 62+? Is this regardless of their hide check?

[Curmudgeon]

A 477 No.

A creature who is invisible can also be hiding.
Special: If you are invisible, you gain a +40 bonus on Hide checks if you are immobile, or a +20 bonus on Hide checks if you’re moving. However, the checks to detect an invisible creature do not work against someone who is only hiding; for those there is no fixed DC but instead Spot is always opposed by their Hide check.

[Khedrac]

A 437
Improved Grab is quite clear that the targeted creature moves into your space, unlike a "regular" grapple. Whether you use a natural attack or a melee weapon to initiate the grab makes no difference.


When a creature gets a hold after an improved grab attack, it pulls the opponent into its space.

[Chronos]

A single-class character with racial hit dice is still entirely dependent on their class levels for IL computation.
A single-class character with racial hit dice doesn't have a base class yet, just their monster class. From the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm#monstersAndClassLevels):

Monsters And Class Levels

If a creature acquires a character class, it follows the rules for multiclass characters.

The creature’s Hit Dice equal the number of class levels it has plus its racial Hit Dice. A creature’s "monster class" is always a favored class, and the creature never takes XP penalties for having it.
So, the racial HD are considered a class.

[Curmudgeon]

So, the racial HD are considered a class.
Because of the scare quotes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scare_quotes):
A creature’s "monster class" is always a favored class it's clear that there is no actual class involved. Only actual class levels count for initiator level.

[Phelix-Mu]

Because of the scare quotes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scare_quotes): it's clear that there is no actual class involved. Only actual class levels count for initiator level.

I'm not sure that anything definitive can be concluded from the use of those quote marks though. This use of quote marks is usually informal, and, IMHO, doesn't constitute a concrete RAW definition of anything, as you can't define something by briefly stating what it isn't.

"Monster class" could have been meant to imply any of several things, which is why such usage of quotation marks is usually informal. More specifically, monster classes are a thing with splatbooks, but back in MM, they were not, so the quotes may simply be establishing that it is something like monster classes, but since those aren't a thing, obviously not monster classes.

In short, extremely unclear language is unclear, and in my view, unsuitable for RAW rulings.

[lvl-26-hobo]

Q 478

Is there any official Necromancer class? Google searches don't yield many results for me.

If not, whats the best way to go about creating a 3.5 Necro?

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 478

Yes. The Dread Necromancer from Heroes of Horror.

[Sith_Happens]

A 478 (additional)

There are also the Pale Master and True Necromancer prestige classes in Libris Mortis, though the latter is a horrible, horrible trap.

[Andezzar]

A 478 Additional

Don't forget the obvious: Specialist wizards specializing in Necromancy are also called Necromancers.

Part two of the question is beyond the scope of this thread.

[Saintheart]

Q 479

Assume a target struck by a Tanglefoot Bag (per the SRD) and a Harpoon (Stormwrack, p. 107) that lodges inthe target. A tanglefoot bag halves movement. A Harpoon that lodges in the body also halves movement. As these "debuffs" to movement arise from different sources, is the target therefore reduced to one quarter of its usual movement speed?

[Jon_Dahl]

Q 480

If you try to grapple someone, do you need to have both of your hands free? What about shields? What if you are grappled and try to grapple back, do you need to have your hands empty then? What if the other person doesn't let you free your hands? How quickly and easily can you drop a readied heavy shield in grapple? Do you need to have your hands empty when you escape by using Escape Artist skill?

Maybe I should create a thread about these questions, but I will start here first.

[Thurbane]

Q 481

Spider Climb question:

The subject can climb and travel on vertical surfaces or even traverse ceilings as well as a spider does. The affected creature must have its hands free to climb in this manner. The subject gains a climb speed of 20 feet; furthermore, it need not make Climb checks to traverse a vertical or horizontal surface (even upside down). A spider climbing creature retains its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) while climbing, and opponents get no special bonus to their attacks against it. It cannot, however, use the run action while climbing.
Bolding mine. Do you only need your hands free while moving, or at all times you are adhered to a surface you otherwise could not stand on?
I played a module recently, that seemed to imply a caster could Spider Climb onto a ceiling, then use his hands to cast as long as he was not moving.
Is this correct?

[Curmudgeon]

A 479 Yes.
Double Movement Cost

When your movement is hampered in some way, your movement usually costs double. For example, each square of movement through difficult terrain counts as 2 squares, and each diagonal move through such terrain counts as 3 squares (just as two diagonal moves normally do).

If movement cost is doubled twice, then each square counts as 4 squares (or as 6 squares if moving diagonally). If movement cost is doubled three times, then each square counts as 8 squares (12 if diagonal) and so on. This is an exception to the general rule that two doublings are equivalent to a tripling.
A 480

No, there is no requirement that you have both hands free. However, if you are already grappling, dropping anything (even though it's a free action) is not on the list of actions allowed when you're grappling.
If You’re Grappling

When you are grappling (regardless of who started the grapple), you can perform any of the following actions.

Activate a Magic Item
Attack Your Opponent
Cast a Spell
Damage Your Opponent
Draw a Light Weapon
Escape from Grapple
Move
Retrieve a Spell Component
Pin Your Opponent
Break Another’s Pin
Use Opponent’s Weapon
Escape Artist doesn't require you to have your hands empty.

A 481

From the Climb skill description:
You need both hands free to climb, but you may cling to a wall with one hand while you cast a spell or take some other action that requires only one hand. While climbing, you can’t move to avoid a blow, so you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any). You also can’t use a shield while climbing. A spell which requires both hands could not be cast. (For instance, Freedom of Movement requires the caster to tie a leather thong around the arm of the creature touched.)

[Gargravarr]

Q 482

What's the general consensus here regarding picking stances when dipping a martial adept base class from ToB?

E.g. Is a one level dip into Swordsage qualified to pick 3rd level stances or would one have to dip at least 2 levels to qualify for 3rd level stances? Because the sentence reads:


You begin play with knowledge of one 1st-level stance from any discipline open to you. At 2nd, 5th, 9th, 14th, and 20th level, you can choose additional stances.

However, multiclassing into Swordsage at level 9 is not beginning play? Does begin play refer to the class or the character level?

And if the answer is "Ask your DM", what interpretation makes more sense, that one is forced to dip 2 levels or that one can take any stance based on initiator level at 1st level when multiclassing past 1st level?

[Andezzar]

A 482

The rule is unambiguous and clear. You get one 1st level stance at first level for each of the initiator classes. Whether this is the intention of the authors or whether they simply forgot the option of taking other classes before the first level of an initiator class is beyond the scope of this thread and so are the opinions of the forumites on this issue.

[Mongrel]

Q483: I'm looking for a specific spell and for some reason I can't for the life of me find it, I'm hoping someone here can help. The spell was a weaker version of Assay Spell Resistance; it was level 1 or 2 (I think it was first level) and gave a bonus to piercing SR on the next spell cast, but it took a standard action to cast (rather than the swift action of Assay Spell Resistance). Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

[Karnith]

Q483: I'm looking for a specific spell and for some reason I can't for the life of me find it, I'm hoping someone here can help. The spell was a weaker version of Assay Spell Resistance; it was level 1 or 2 (I think it was first level) and gave a bonus to piercing SR on the next spell cast, but it took a standard action to cast (rather than the swift action of Assay Spell Resistance). Does anyone know what I'm talking about?
A 483

The spell True Casting fits this description. It is a level 1 Sorcerer/Wizard spell found in Complete Mage.

[Mongrel]

Aha, that's it, thanks!

[Flame of Anor]

Re: A 467
The section in Player's Handbook titled COMBINING MAGICAL EFFECTS on pages 171-172. The short version is:


Stacking Effects: Spells that provide bonuses or penalties on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and other attributes usually do not stack with themselves.

Hardness falls under "other attributes".


But hardening does not provide a bonus. The word "bonus" is nowhere in the spell text. It merely increases the target's hardness. Naturally, that is something one would usually think of as a bonus, but that only makes it more significant that the spell does not technically give a "bonus".

[Cybris75]

Q 484

Can you teleport with greater shadow conjuration?

Edit: Sorry, misread the entry. Answer is no, because that spell only does conjuration (summoning) or conjuration (creation).

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 467
But hardening does not provide a bonus. The word "bonus" is nowhere in the spell text. It merely increases the target's hardness. Naturally, that is something one would usually think of as a bonus, but ...
You would need to produce a rules citation that says an effect which provides a bonus must use the specific word "bonus", in order to have a relevant point. Absent such a rule, a bonus from a spell (though lacking that word) still follows the spell stacking rules.

Here instead is a rules example at odds with your claim that the specific word "bonus" is required:

The Rogue class description of Sneak Attack refers to it as "extra damage" rather than "bonus damage". Other classes with Sneak Attack refer to it as exactly like the Rogue ability, except they do use the term "bonus" when referring to the damage from Sneak Attack (both their own and the Rogue instances): e.g. Arcane Trickster, Assassin, Blackguard. If all of these are like the Rogue ability and are bonuses, then Rogue Sneak Attack is also bonus damage. The specific word is not required.

[Flame of Anor]

Re: A 467
You would need to produce a rules citation that says an effect which provides a bonus must use the specific word "bonus", in order to have a relevant point. Absent such a rule, a bonus from a spell (though lacking that word) still follows the spell stacking rules.

Here instead is a rules example at odds with your claim that the specific word "bonus" is required:

The Rogue class description of Sneak Attack refers to it as "extra damage" rather than "bonus damage". Other classes with Sneak Attack refer to it as exactly like the Rogue ability, except they do use the term "bonus" when referring to the damage from Sneak Attack (both their own and the Rogue instances): e.g. Arcane Trickster, Assassin, Blackguard. If all of these are like the Rogue ability and are bonuses, then Rogue Sneak Attack is also bonus damage. The specific word is not required.

Ah, okay. Another casualty of confusing rules-writing.

[Seharvepernfan]

Q 485

When you are making an AoO against an enemy who is standing up from prone, are they considered prone for this attack?

[powerdemon]

Q 485

When you are making an AoO against an enemy who is standing up from prone, are they considered prone for this attack?

A 485 yes
The AOO interupts their action. They finish standing after the AOO is resolved.

[Thurbane]

Q 486

My undesratnding is that racial abilities with a DC only take RHD into account when calculating the DC, and not class levels.

Is this correct, or is it not? Either way, can I get a citation of the rule in question?

[babus]

Q 487

Does the Tibbit race's -2 Strength degrade to -10 while in feline form, or to -8?

[Karnith]

Q 486

My undesratnding is that racial abilities with a DC only take RHD into account when calculating the DC, and not class levels.

Is this correct, or is it not? Either way, can I get a citation of the rule in question?
A 486

That is correct. Racial special abilities that offer saving throws default to a save DC of 10 + 1/2 Racial Hit Dice + the relevant ability modifier, unless otherwise stated. Per the SRD (www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/intro.htm):

Many creatures have unusual abilities. A monster entry breaks these abilities into special attacks and special qualities. The latter category includes defenses, vulnerabilities, and other special abilities that are not modes of attack. A special ability is either extraordinary (Ex), spell-like (Sp), or supernatural (Su). Additional information (when needed) is provided in the creature’s descriptive text.

When a special ability allows a saving throw, the kind of save and the save DC is noted in the descriptive text. Most saving throws against special abilities have DCs calculated as follows:

10 + ½ the attacker’s racial Hit Dice + the relevant ability modifier.

The save DC is given in the creature’s description along with the ability on which the DC is based.(Emphasis mine)

The equivalent text in the Monster Manual can be found on page 6.

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 486


When a special ability allows a saving throw, the kind of save and the save DC is noted in the descriptive text. Most saving throws against special abilities have DCs calculated as follows:

10 + ½ the attacker’s racial Hit Dice + the relevant ability modifier.

The save DC is given in the creature’s description along with the ability on which the DC is based.

Here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/intro.htm), under special attacks and qualities.

So the default is only RHD, but it's possible the monster's entry could supersede that.

EDIT: Ninja'd.

A 487

The initial -2 isn't a penalty, it's a permanent adjustment, so you'd take the -8 penalty on top of the initial adjustment.

[Saintheart]

Q 488

Consider the Harpoon (Stormwrack, p. 107). Assuming a creature has two harpoons lodged in it, does this therefore reduce the creature's movement down to one quarter of its normal movement?

[DementedFellow]

Q 489

How much weight can a backpack hold? I know it says how much one weighs and how it weighs less when you are a small character, but I can't cite where it says that a backpack can hold up to X weight.

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 488

Harpoons don't stack.

Stormwrack just says that a harpooned (which can refer to multiple objects) creature has their speed cut in half and cannot charge or run. There's no indication that anything else happens if you throw multiple harpoons into someone.

You would, however, have to use multiple full-round actions to pull them all out.

A 489

The table for that was taken out of the 3.5 PHB by accident. Your best bet is to just use the 3.0 one, which states that a backpack can hold one cubic foot of material.

[TuggyNE]

Re: A 467
You would need to produce a rules citation that says an effect which provides a bonus must use the specific word "bonus", in order to have a relevant point. Absent such a rule, a bonus from a spell (though lacking that word) still follows the spell stacking rules.

Re: A467: The glossary defines "bonus" as "A positive modifier to a die roll." None of the examples of extra/bonus damage (or anything else) that I'm aware of are exceptions to that. However, hardness is not a die roll, and acts only to reduce damage. Therefore, hardening is not by any means providing a positive modifier to a die roll; it may not even provide any modifier at all. Technically, then, it is not a bonus, whatever the language used or not used. As such, bonus stacking rules unfortunately do not apply.

[galan]

Q 490

is there something in RAW that stops me from taking the bind vestige feat to get the ability to heal ability damage fast? because i can't see any, but in every hellfire warlock build i see they use binder dip, and i can't understand why.

[Thurbane]

A 490

Because the Bind Vestige feats don't grant that particular power. The Bind Vestige feat gives Naberius's Skills, while Practiced Binder feat gives Silver Tongue. Neither feat gives the Faster Ability Healing ability.

[hobbitkniver]

Q 491

What modifier is used to throw an item? If I needed to throw a ball into a hole, what would I add to my roll?

[powerdemon]

Q 491

What modifier is used to throw an item? If I needed to throw a ball into a hole, what would I add to my roll?

A 491

That would be a ranged attack. Use your Dexterity modifier and BAB.

[Darrin]

A 486

That is correct. Racial special abilities that offer saving throws default to a save DC of 10 + 1/2 Racial Hit Dice + the relevant ability modifier, unless otherwise stated. Per the SRD (www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/intro.htm):
(Emphasis mine)

The equivalent text in the Monster Manual can be found on page 6.

This may have changed in the Rules Compendium. Page 113:



"Special ability saving throw DC = 10 + 1/2 the creature's HD + the modifier for the ability score on which the ability is based + other modifiers (often racial)"


As per MM p. 290, "creature's HD" means "class levels + racial HD":



The creature’s Hit Dice equal the number of class levels it has plus its racial Hit Dice.

[Cirrylius]

Q492: How do Overrunning and Bull Rushing work if a larger creature is trying to go through multiple smaller opponents?

[Melnir]

Q 493: can a cleric with initiate of Mystra cast spells from scrolls when inside an amf (if he succeeds the CL check, of course)?

[AugustNights]

A 490

Because the Bind Vestige feats don't grant that particular power. The Bind Vestige feat gives Naberius's Skills, while Practiced Binder feat gives Silver Tongue. Neither feat gives the Faster Ability Healing ability.

Re: A 490
I'm struggling to find the source to this answer, could you provide it?
Found it: Table 1-9, PG 74, Tome of Magic.

[unseenmage]

Q494

How many Stronghold Spaces do the Lair Wards in the Draconomicon affect?

[Curmudgeon]

A 493 Yes.

Completing a spell from a scroll is (finishing) casting that spell. (For that matter, the Dungeon Master's Guide also describes triggering a spell from a staff or wand as "casting a spell"; see pages 243 and 245.)

[Baphomet]

Q 494
If a summoned creature picks up an item and attends to it, then is dismissed or the summon expires, does the item stay behind or go with the creature? Talking specifically about creatures summoned, not called.

[Curmudgeon]

A 494
When the spell ends or is dispelled, a summoned creature is instantly sent back to where it came from, but a summoned object is not sent back unless the spell description specifically indicates this. Only the summoned creature is sent back, so any objects the creature has acquired remain.

[mythmonster2]

Q 495

If a creature with the shapechanger subtype, like a changeling, obtains wild shape and then reaches level 5 of Warshaper (Complete Warrior, page 90), would they gain both of the benefits of the capstone or just one or the other?

[Thurbane]

Q 497

I'm sure I've seen a feat somewhere, a FR book from memory, that gives Paladin's a bit more leeway with their code or following their gods portfolio - anyone know which feat I'm talking about?

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 497

Heretic of the Faith, from Power of Faerun.

...which editor let that get by, anyway?

[Andezzar]

A 497 Contention

The Feat does nothing to the paladin's code of conduct or the expected sanctions for violating it. The only mechanical benefits are for clerics (be 2 steps away from the deity's alignment, choose one different domain). Well technically a paladin can still advance as paladin after violating his code of conduct, but the feat does not remove the loss of class features for doing so.

[Thurbane]

Yeah, I wasn't looking to start a debate, just trying to locate the feat, thanks.