Some basic questions.

[Magnor Criol]

I've got a few simple questions to ask the fine, upstanding members of this community. Also, everyone else is free to answer too.
These are all stemming from a creature I'm in the process of brewing up. Once I get some of these concerns out of the way, you'll see it posted up here for review and comment.

1. Are there any clerical domains such as Observation, Watchfulness, et cetera? I need to know about any domains that center around the theme of either watching and observing, or knowledge and study. (I do know about the Knowledge domain.)

2. Is the Mage Hand spell dextrerious enough to do fine manipulations such as turning a page?

3. Is there any ability that goes along the basic lines of "This creature is small and knows how to hide, so it gets a bonus to finding concealment as long as it's in a place that's not mostly flat and featureless"? If there is, what is is / how is it worded - and if it isn't, how would you word such a thing?

4. If a creature has Weapon Finesse as one of its feats / abilities, should the BAB listed in the stat block represent this (i.e. should the stat block BAB be calculated using strength or dex)? My inclination is to go ahead and incorporate the effect, but gotta get protocol right, right?

I may come up with more, but I think once these are answered I'll be ready to post it up here - these are the only things that I'm truly unclear on, and thus the last real sticking points.

-E- Weapon Focus changed to Weapon Finesse. Slip of the tongue, so to speak.

[Thanatos 51-50]

1)( Not that I know of.
2)( That'd be a DM decsion, I believe
3)( I'm under the impression that there is a blanket size modifier to Hide checks. Sheck the PHB, MM, or SRD
4)( Weapon focus only works for a certain weapon, so include it when statting out - say - the monster's slam attack, but not for his longsword.
5)( I'm under the impression that this should probably be moved into the "General Roleplaying" forum.

[Magnor Criol]

3) I checked the PHB and DMG for the concealment stuff. I had trouble locating it, but that's not the point - that's just a numeric bonus reflecting their size and its effect on their ability to conceal. I'm more interested in something that reflects the creature's ability to look around and find good hiding spots, above and beyond the normal edge small size would give you.

4) Whoops. I really meant Weapon Finesse, not weapon focus. Let me change that.

5) I disagree. This is all relating to creating a character. I debated creating it there, myself, but went and posted here because of its intent - it's all related to creating a creature. Plus, question 3 and, to a lesser degree, question 1 beget homebrewed solutions. If someone with the ability to move threads thinks it should be in the other forum, my apologies and please move posthaste.

-E- I'm really having trouble with words today. "Creature" put in its proper place instead of "character".

[Mewtarthio]

1. Are there any clerical domains such as Observation, Watchfulness, et cetera? I need to know about any domains that center around the theme of either watching and observing, or knowledge and study. (I do know about the Knowledge domain.)

I don't think so. Kind of odd, when you think about it, since that's bound to be pretty important to most people. It shouldn't be hard to homebrew one, though: You're probably not going to go outside of Divination spells, so it's easy to look.


2. Is the Mage Hand spell dextrerious enough to do fine manipulations such as turning a page?

Doubt it. You're looking for Telekinesis (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/telekinesis.htm). If you want the creature to do fine TK manipulation without any combat TK, you can either make it a Supernatural ability that works like Telekinesis but only for gentle forces (no sudden thrusting or combat maneuvers) or just give it Telekinetic Force (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/telekineticForce.htm) as a psi-like ability (note that this also gives the creature the [Psionic] subtype, which carries a bit of baggage with it if you run a psi-heavy campaign. I'd personally recommend the former).


3. Is there any ability that goes along the basic lines of "This creature is small and knows how to hide, so it gets a bonus to finding concealment as long as it's in a place that's not mostly flat and featureless"? If there is, what is is / how is it worded - and if it isn't, how would you word such a thing?

I don't think it's possible to hide in a place that's mostly flat and featureless, so all it needs is a racial bonus to hide. Oh, and don't forget the size modifier.


4. If a creature has Weapon Finesse as one of its feats / abilities, should the BAB listed in the stat block represent this (i.e. should the stat block BAB be calculated using strength or dex)? My inclination is to go ahead and incorporate the effect, but gotta get protocol right, right?

BAB is unaffected by Weapon Finesse. BAB's the base attack bonus, and it only rises with HD (and a particular cleric spell). The Weapon Finesse bonus is reflected in the Attack line.

[Dryad]

B.A.B. is only the bonus granted by class or hit die levels. Ability, magic and misc modifiers are not included in the character's B.A.B.

As for number three: A species that has a knack for hiding in general would get a racial modifier to hide checks. Normally, small characters get a size bonus. Some species get a racial bonus to boot. (Note: Snakes. Snakes get a racial bonus to hide checks on top of their size bonus, due to them being good at finding niches to hide in. Because of their body-frames.
Edit: Many plant-typed and other creatures get a hide bonus in their natural habitat.)

As for 5: Yups, it should be in Roleplaying: General. Creating a character isn't Homebrew Designs, actually. Creating new rules and options is.

[Magnor Criol]

Mon dieu, I'm having word woes today. I'm creating a creature, not a character. My fault.

The ruling could still stand, as these are all still straightforward questions, but I did mean I'm crafting a creature, which I know is under homebrewing.

The racial bonus to hide checks seems like the best solution here, thanks.

I see what y'all mean about weapon finesse. Now that it's been spelled out for me, I realize I was just managing to confuse myself by overthinking things, and confusing the purpose of the BAB/Grapple, Attack, and Full Attack lines.

[Karma Guard]

I
1. Are there any clerical domains such as Observation, Watchfulness, et cetera? I need to know about any domains that center around the theme of either watching and observing, or knowledge and study. (I do know about the Knowledge domain.)


There's an Oracle, Destiny, Fate, Planning, and Knowledge. I guess you could crib a Observation/Watchfulness one together from those.

You'd think there would be one, considering that there's a whole god just for it in a setting (Helm), but his is Planning.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I've got a few simple questions to ask the fine, upstanding members of this community. Also, everyone else is free to answer too.
These are all stemming from a creature I'm in the process of brewing up. Once I get some of these concerns out of the way, you'll see it posted up here for review and comment.

1. Are there any clerical domains such as Observation, Watchfulness, et cetera? I need to know about any domains that center around the theme of either watching and observing, or knowledge and study. (I do know about the Knowledge domain.)Not that I'm aware of


2. Is the Mage Hand spell dextrerious enough to do fine manipulations such as turning a page? Prestidigitation should be able to do fine manipulations such as turning a page, although would not be able to exert the force Mage Hand would.


3. Is there any ability that goes along the basic lines of "This creature is small and knows how to hide, so it gets a bonus to finding concealment as long as it's in a place that's not mostly flat and featureless"? If there is, what is is / how is it worded - and if it isn't, how would you word such a thing? Several races have racial bonuses to hide. Also, small size gives a significant bonus to the hide skill. Take, for example, Whisper Gnomes. They're small, which gives them a +4 size bonus to Hide, then get a +2 racial bonus to hide, which stack.


4. If a creature has Weapon Finesse as one of its feats / abilities, should the BAB listed in the stat block represent this (i.e. should the stat block BAB be calculated using strength or dex)? My inclination is to go ahead and incorporate the effect, but gotta get protocol right, right? It should be included in the Total Attack, not the BAB block For example if something had a BAB of 2, with a Dex of 16 and Weapon Finesse, it's attack line may look like: +6 (Claw) 1d4+1


I may come up with more, but I think once these are answered I'll be ready to post it up here - these are the only things that I'm truly unclear on, and thus the last real sticking points.

-E- Weapon Focus changed to Weapon Finesse. Slip of the tongue, so to speak.

[Dryad]

Ehm.. +5, I hope. Last time I checked, 2+3=5...

[Draken]

Either he considered a small creature or, according to the damage (1d4+1) he added the str modifier to, what wouldn't be right.

And I am inclined to believe that mage hand can do things like turning pages. The spell was used as an exemple to an hability of the PrC Beholder Mage (Lords of Madness) and they can do these things using their "Mage hands".

[FireSpark]

Ehm.. +5, I hope. Last time I checked, 2+3=5...

Unless it was a Small-sized critter, of course.:smalltongue:



EDIT: Argh! I've done been ninja'd for me first time.
Well played Draken. Well played.:smallamused: