Questions about Pixie special abilities

[skunk3]

From the SRD page:

Greater Invisibility (Su): A pixie remains invisible even when it attacks. This ability is constant, but the pixie can suppress or resume it as a free action.

Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—lesser confusion (DC 14), dancing lights, detect chaos, detect good, detect evil, detect law, detect thoughts (DC 15), dispel magic, entangle (DC 14), permanent image (DC 19; visual and auditory elements only), polymorph (self only). Caster level 8th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

One pixie in ten can use irresistible dance (caster level 8th) once per day.

Special Arrows (Ex): Pixies sometimes employ arrows that deal no damage but can erase memory or put a creature to sleep.

Memory Loss: An opponent struck by this arrow must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or lose all memory. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus. The subject retains skills, languages, and class abilities but forgets everything else until he or she receives a heal spell or memory restoration with limited wish, wish, or miracle.

Sleep: Any opponent struck by this arrow, regardless of Hit Dice, must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be affected as though by a sleep spell. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.


Questions -

1. The DC for Lesser Confusion says 14. Is this because it is DC 10 + spell level (1) + the CHA mod (+3) of the sample Pixie used? Or am I looking at this the wrong way?

2. Regarding the special arrow attacks - are these ACTUAL arrows fired from a bow? Do they require a ranged attack roll? What if the class you're playing as a Pixie doesn't offer access to martial weapons? If it is not an actual ranged attack roll, what is it then? A ranged touch attack? I also do not understand the save DC here. It says that the save is CHA-based and includes a +2 racial bonus, but what is the base save before CHA mod and +2 racial?

3. Would using the Memory Loss arrow be considered 'evil' in general, or would it be a matter of context? (As many things in D&D are.)

[OgresAreCute]

Spell-like DCs: (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#spellLikeAbilities)

10 + the level of the spell the ability resembles or duplicates + the creature’s Cha modifier.

Doesn't seem like there's a DC formula for Ex abilities (the special arrows) that I can see, in which case it would just be 10 + cha + racial bonus. If it behaves like a Su ability it would be 10 + cha + 1/2 HD + racial bonus.

Memory Loss seems kinda unethical but you gotta remember the alternative isn't memory loss arrow, but "you die from your lungs being punctured"-arrow.

The special arrows are fired as normal from a bow and use the same rules as other arrows unless otherwise noted.

[Florian]

1) This follows the regular calculation for SLAs.

2) Monsters are always proficient with the weapons they use. No mater the class a Pixie is always proficient with the bow. So, yeah, it is a regular ranged attack, we're taking about an untyped form of specific ammunition, "Memory Loss Arrow", similar to, say, a Slaying Arrow, the DC here is fixed.

3) Huh? Why should it be?

[Bronk]

1. The DC for Lesser Confusion says 14. Is this because it is DC 10 + spell level (1) + the CHA mod (+3) of the sample Pixie used? Or am I looking at this the wrong way?

Yes, that's the exact calculation.



2. Regarding the special arrow attacks - are these ACTUAL arrows fired from a bow? Do they require a ranged attack roll? What if the class you're playing as a Pixie doesn't offer access to martial weapons? If it is not an actual ranged attack roll, what is it then? A ranged touch attack? I also do not understand the save DC here. It says that the save is CHA-based and includes a +2 racial bonus, but what is the base save before CHA mod and +2 racial?

They are actual arrows, so they do need a ranged attack roll. Later class levels don't matter, because creatures are always proficient in weapons listed in their stat blocks, and that doesn't go away.

The base would be 10 (15 -3 Cha -2 racial). It's not usual, because this is an extraordinary ability, not a supernatural ability, whose rules and equation for determining DC are listed here a few sections down: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm



3. Would using the Memory Loss arrow be considered 'evil' in general, or would it be a matter of context? (As many things in D&D are.)

Context: Shooting the arrows is just what they do as their defense, and they're neutral good. It's a fey thing, and those aren't duplicating evil spells. But if they act maliciously afterwards, that's where the alignment issues would come in (feeding you to bears, selling you into slavery). In that case, who knows? They might even be members of the Unseelie Court.

[Remuko]

2) Monsters are always proficient with the weapons they use. No mater the class a Pixie is always proficient with the bow. So, yeah, it is a regular ranged attack, we're taking about an untyped form of specific ammunition, "Memory Loss Arrow", similar to, say, a Slaying Arrow, the DC here is fixed.

Wut (at bolded)? It literally says in the pixies stats that the DC for the arrows is not fixed. Its Cha based with a plus 2 bonus and since the DC listed is 15 and they have +3 cha bonus and +2 racial bonus it means the base DC is 10. Its not fixed at all. If it was it would just say the DC is 15, but its not its listed as a scaling Cha based DC with a +2 racial bonus.

[ericgrau]

Questions -

1. The DC for Lesser Confusion says 14. Is this because it is DC 10 + spell level (1) + the CHA mod (+3) of the sample Pixie used? Or am I looking at this the wrong way?

2. Regarding the special arrow attacks - are these ACTUAL arrows fired from a bow? Do they require a ranged attack roll? What if the class you're playing as a Pixie doesn't offer access to martial weapons? If it is not an actual ranged attack roll, what is it then? A ranged touch attack? I also do not understand the save DC here. It says that the save is CHA-based and includes a +2 racial bonus, but what is the base save before CHA mod and +2 racial?

3. Would using the Memory Loss arrow be considered 'evil' in general, or would it be a matter of context? (As many things in D&D are.)

1. Yes.
2.

Yes.
Yes.
Like most monster types, Fey get proficiency with any weapon in their description. So you get free longbow and longsword proficeincy.
The arrows are not automatically given to pixie characters, as you can see in the Pixies as Characters section. It's ambiguous how you even get these arrows. Ask your DM maybe.
15-3(default pixie cha mod)-2=10. As a player the DC is 10+2+cha mod.


3. Rules don't say specifically, so it's a matter of context like all other attacks. Since pixies are always neutral good, I doubt inducing memory loss is always evil. It is however a powerful attack and like any attack I would think your target better be a serious threat for hurting them to not be evil.